Kakita Raisho

Karax is the Southern Land, a harsh, dry, unforgiving place.

It is made up of three general areas. The Grey plains is the area with the largest concentration of population. The name comes from the grey-brown hue of the loamy soil. The Grey Plains hug the coastline, where there it is least arid and most habitable. Though not super fertile, it is sufficient for the day to day survival of the people. There are also a few rivers and a lot of marshes and coastal regions.

The other two regions are the Bloodstone Marches, south/southeast of the Grey Plains, and the Searing Sands, to the East. The Bloodstone Marches are a bit like Utah or the Grandcanyon, with a lot of dry lightning storms. The Searing Sands are made of towering grey, yellow and red dunes of sand; quite unhospitable, full of wandering monsters and gnoll warbands. All of Karax is littered with ruins, although most have been looted of anything useful (or if not is still dangerous and trapped).

One town situated between the Grey plains, Bloodstone marches and Searing Sands, is called Cragwater, so named for its position near a rare water source.

Agriculture in Karax is possible, but herding is relatively rare. Fish and other stranger omnivorous animals are the primary meat source, and red mead is an expensive delicacy.

Karax’s primary industry is mining, both for ore, precious stones, and mana. As you remember, Karax has the practice of reanimating corpses as thralls to do dangerous menial work. These thralls are generally ‘donated’ to the family, much like a person who dies in a car accident signs an organ donor card, a person that dies without severe trauma can volunteer to be sold to companies/government to make into thralls. These thralls generally have a life expectancy of a few years. As supply is relatively high (people die everyday after all), grave robbers for the bodies is rare, but not unheard of.

Karax does not have a hereditary government. What happens is that it is passed by decree, the dying monarch writes a will/decree naming his heir. His rule is law, unless vetoed by a unanimous council (which usually guarantees the new guys stays unless he’s really that crappy, resulting in a coup). The current regent is Emperor Maligant Raelthorne, the Stone-hearted. Emperor Raelthorne is going strong after decades of rule, and is a Qin Shi Huang sort of Emperor. He wants the best for his country, and honestly believes that he operates in the best interests of the nation (which is true). He realizes that the most important resource of the nation is mana, and that the nation’s most glaring weakspot is low human resource and middling magical knowhow.

In the past few years in his rule, he has implemented quite a few changes to try to improve Karax. Firstly, he increased the defense and logistics geared towards discovery and maintenance of mana fields. Armored troops escort each transport of mana to the cities. The economically important cities and trade routes are well-defended and patrolled.

Secondly (undecided), he has implemented a new method of defense of the less-secure villages. The villages and towns are all built on a concept of an ‘emergency bunker’. If families can afford it, they build a very secure basement/bunker. Upon gnoll attack, they run and hide within these bunkers. The governer of each city has a panic-button talisman. If pressed, it has a one time sending to the nearest barracks. Most gnolls get bored after slaughtering the innocents they can find, or get beaten back by the arriving Karax army. However, the unlucky ones still get killed.

In order to maintain military might, Karax has a very efficient national service. The eldest child (male or female) is drafted into national service for 5 years; people are welcome to make it a career. In addition, in times of emergency all Karax with former military training will be recalled. If a child dies in National Service, his family (if the army can track down records) will get one time remuneration.

Maligant has also stepped up magic and magic-related research. Wizards (if capable) are well-looked after in Karax, especially in the army (quite white horse). Warlocks are considered equally powerful, but treated with a bit more caution though; it is an unmentioned fact that Warlocks in the army are kept on relatively tight security; it is never known what pact they signed, and if this pact is more important than the nation’s well-being.

This is primarily fluff homebrew. There will be some tweaks in the rules, but these will (hopefully) be few and far between, and primarily related to residuum, and the use thereof. This is because I want residuum to take a more important role in this world. Aside from that, I’m relatively leery in changing something I have no experience in.

General gist of the word Faeryll:

Young. The world is only just achieving a renaissance after climbing out from the dark ages, a result of an earth-shattering cataclysm. As such, while a nation may have large extended borders, most of the area within might still be wilderness; civilization has only populated the most important, fertile and defensible areas.

The discovered world of Faeryll is extremely small. The entire map above is only slightly larger than the size of Europe. Travel across the seas takes 2-3 weeks (important, as perishables are often shipped across).

Magic is treated more like a technology that aids civilization, rather than an exotic, difficult art to master. Low-level magic is relatively common, but magic and magical items of higher level are exponentially rarer.

Mana is a fuel/resource. 4e’s Residuum (hereby referred to as mana) will be playing a major part of the economy. Not only is mana used to build magical items, it is also used as a fuel to power the more powerful magical items/constructs. In addition, PCs will be able to spend varying amounts and types of mana in order to replenish or boost their daily and encounter powers. I wish to make it such that the economy of residuum impacts the world, and I want the PCs to understand that as well.

This Mana thing makes the world very glowy. It’s quite heroic, and quite anime in look.

Intrigue is quite high. All three main powers have important resources the other two nations need, but the inculcated fear of war, incursions from outside sources and the fact that all three nations are naturally separated each other dictates that large troops cannot mass against one another, and so conflicts take the form of words, trade, and spycraft.

The gods are quiet. They give clerical power, and sometimes answer divinations, but do not actively participate with the world. The raise dead ritual does not exist.

The plane is disjointed from all others, except the astral realm, which is dangerous. No one knows why, but access to any other plane is singularly difficult. This explains the infernal and star warlocks; outside entities are taking this opportunity to try to enter the world. Related to this, long-distance travel is difficult. Gates, portals and long-distance teleportation do not work, and non-mundane travel may bring with it certain risks. No travel rituals exist, few divination rituals exist.

History:
Millenia ago, Faeryll used to be a huge continent, a traditional fantasy world. However, a great war broke out between the two largest human nations, one from the north and the south (generally where the Aevlyn, Karax and Alliance of Winds are situated now). In this great war, a weapon of arcane mass destruction was built and triggered. It succeeded, but its ramifications were far greater than anyone had expected. It was built merely to destroy the arcane defenses of a nation, but instead cataclysmically overloaded the magical weave inherent in the world, cutting off the world from the gods and magic. It also happened to blow a considerably chunk of the world into smithereens, flooding the western half of the continent in water.

During the next few hundred years, magic was inaccessible. Considering that magic is a cornerstone in establishing civilization in D&D suffice to say that most of humanity disappeared. Rampaging monsters were the norm, and humans banded together in small settlements to try to protect themselves.

The world eventually rediscovered magic, albeit in a different form. Nations were reforged, and they worked hard at returning the world to its former splendor. The Cataclysm took place about two thousand years ago (reports are sketchy and range from one to five millenia), but it was such a devastating event that it still weighs on the collective consciousness of the new nations. Perhaps that is why they are still afraid to lean themselves towards open conflict.

Magic:
During the instability of the weave, magic was inaccessible. Now though, magic is accessible again. Residuum/mana is also an important resource. While adventurers can find many magical items in their dungeon crawling, magical items forged during previous ages do not work, useful only for the mana that can be distilled from it. That means the world needs a new influx of mana. This comes from mana ‘nodes’, areas of particularly concentrated ambient mana, so concentrated that it can actually be mined, tapped and distilled.

However, most of these mana-rich regions are debilitating to human life. This is generally proportional: the richer the region, the more dangerous. This provides a problem to the nations; countries which are rich in mana are considerably less fertile, and vice versa. This forces the nations into a sort of symbiosis with each other.

As mentioned previously, I want mana to be an important tradable resource. Not only is mana used to make magical items, but it is also used to power some of these (essentially plot-hook level) items and constructs. For example, golems and guardians may be workhorses, but run off mana, which will have to be replenished every so often. Sailing ships may have a ‘store’ of mana which can be used to ‘overboost’, perhaps generating wind in order to outrun pirates, or for pirates to catch their prey. There may even be defensive artillery that runs off of mana.

PCs normally won’t have access to the above items (not yet, anyway). In order to bring to the forefront the idea of mana as a useful as well as tradable resource, mana may be used to replenish or boost their encounter and daily powers. They may use mana to boost their spell casting, or invigorate their body, or open another connection to their god, whatever it is; all classes may use mana in this manner.

I can just use mana as an alternate currency (ie spend x amount of gold in residuum to do y). This would be convenient for both me and the players, they only need to track residuum’s gold cost.
I want it such that PCs WANT to spend mana to increase their powers, and therefore become dependant on the mana economy, but at the same time I need to make it such that the burst damage it affords them doesn’t make encounters too easy. I’m thinking of just basing it off 4e’s magic item cost; for example, an replenishing an encounter power costs 10% of an equivalent level magical item, while a regeneration of a daily power costs 20% of that.

Technology:
Technology kind of dovetails with magic. Magic is treated as a science, rather than an art. However, because of the cataclysm, a lot of magic was forgotten and had to be relearnt. There are firearms, but they are a novelty, not really a serious alternative (too noisy).

Religion and Alignment:
Use 3e alignment rules. No PCs will be evil.

Gods are distant. Most divination rituals do not exist, and angels only manifest in the rarest of tales. Clerics and Paladins can be one step away from their gods in the good-evil axis, and may be of any alignment in the lawful-neutral axis.

The following gods and (slightly changed) their portfolios exist. Most gods are described in further detail in the PHB. Other gods exist but are lesser worshipped gods.

Bahamut: Lawful Good. Portfolio Good, Law and Protection. The main faith in Aevlyn. Lord Ryn Falkren (The Dragonlord) was the hero that pushed back the Orc and Goblin hordes in Aevlyn, allowing civilization to prosper. Bahamut later allowed him and his wife to ascend.

Tiamat: Chaotic Evil. Portfolio Evil, Knowledge, Magic, Chao, Power. Differs from the PHB. Her motto is power at any cost. Legend says that her most famous worshipper Alexia Thamar, or the Ladywyrm, was the one who bargained with the devil lord Orcus to become the first warlock, and subsequently wrested from the depths the knowledge of magic. It is argued that the Ladywyrm’s gift of magic played an equal part in beating back the bestial hordes. Tiamat is worshipped, albeit in a more civilized manner. She is more prevalent in Karax, where Thamar was said to be born, and among warlocks and especially ambitious wizards.

Corellon: Neutral. Portfolio Elves, Knowledge, Art, Beauty, Magic. Worshipped by more moderate wizards, elves and elf-wannabes.

Melora: Neutral. Portfolio Elves, Nature, Wilderness, Sea. Worshipped by travelers, sailors, elves and nature-lovers.

Lathander: Chaotic Good. Replaces Pelor. Portfolio Spring and Summer, Good, Sun, Day, Agriculture.

Shar: Chaotic Neutral. Replaces Sehanine. Portfolio Autumn, Moon, Day, Agriculture, Love, Trickery. More like a cross between FR Shar and Sune.

Talos: Chaotic Neutral. Replaces Kord. Portfolio Power, Battle, Strength, Storm. Worshipped by fighters and people who need good weather.

Waukeen: Neutral Good. Replaces Erathis. Portfolio Civilization, Knowledge, Trade, Laws, Buildings. Most prevalent in the Alliance of Winds.

Avandra: Neutral Good. Portfolio Gnomes, Travel, Luck, Adventure, Freedom.

Moradin: Lawful Neutral. Portfolio Dwarves, Steadfastedness, Creation, Smithing.

Raven Queen: Portfolio Death, Winter, Fate.

Races and society:
Humans are make up a large percentage of Faeryll.

A small diversion from humanity has just sprung up. Living in close proximity with unstable magic has caused some humans to be born with differences. These genaasi or elemental-born, as they have been come to be known, are both looked on with awe and cautiousness. They can be air, water, fire or earth, but are not actually elemental born. it’s an excuse to get that anime hair. =p

Genaasi use the dragon-born template with the following changes; Dragon Breath is more like a Ki-blast, and can’t be poison subtype. Remove Draconic, get 1 other language. +2 Streetwise, +2 intimidate instead of normal skill bonuses.

Elves (and Eladrin) do not exist. Most vanished after the cataclysm, and marrying with humans diluted the blood of the elves that were left. What was remembered of them has been greatly romanticized, mostly by the humans. Half elves exist and have capitalized on this romanticism of elves. They are considered especially exotic/beautiful by society. Most half-elves also tend to mirror the grace that their ancestor elves supposedly had.

Dwarves are very rare in ‘common’ society. Firstly, a few major ley lines overloaded in their ancestral mountain homes, turning some into archipelagos, and refusing to leave their ancestral homes, they have generally have been spending the past hundred years rebuilding and fighting off rampaging creatures. They also blame the humans for all that has happened to their world. Unfortunately, the fact that their ancestral halls are in bad shape means that they are forced to venture out and trade for necessities, although they try to do this as rarely as possible. City dwarves exist, but they are shunned by the ‘traditional, clan’ dwarves.

Nimble both mentally and physically, gnomes are generally on the cutting edge of any technology, arcane or otherwise. While they might get distracted, more often than not they will eventually return to their interest.

Gnomes use the Halfling rules in 4e, not the MM rules. Gnomes get +2 Dex +2 Int instead of +2 Dex +2 Cha.

Northern Lands

Avlyn is medieval in look, with terrain that is a cross between England, Ireland and France. Armor is generally big and bulky, kind of WOW in look. It is rule by a King, and advised by 4 dukes, the high paladin of Bahamut and the Lord Magister/Mage, the council of Seven.

Where the world will begin will be in the Galveston Duchy, in Northwest Avlyn, a cold and dreary place.

Middle Islands

The Alliance of Winds is very tropical, like southern Italy. Very sundrenched and wam, very nautical in nature. Most technological. Half swashbuckley pirates, half island Final Fantasy. They use laborjacks as their specialized workforce. Quite a few air/water genaasi come from here.

Southern Lands

Karax is a very harsh and unforgiving place. Red sand, black sand, yellow sand… It’s generally sand everywhere. Very Arabian in look (swaddled in cloth, protected from the sun, etc).

Look
Some art to give you a look and feel of the world. Not exactly correct, but good enough. Please remember your characters don’t start of looking (or being) as powerful as some of the ppl here though. Remember that’s what you’re aiming towards.

Faeryll Map

Example of Some Genaasi

North Country 1
North Country 2
North Country 3
North Country 4

Middle Country 1
Middle Country 2
Middle Country 3
Middle Country 4

South Country 1
South Country 2