For now this is what im publishing but I will be working on updating it and flushing it out more sorry if anything here seems out of place in any way or shoe-horned in i am developing this for specific group of player but wanted to publish this for others to use as I have 20+ years of DND experience I am trying to make a campaign that follows a concept of strong world-building and many story-line possibilities.
Our Heroes or Villains will start on a continent that’s in the north eastern hemisphere of a Earth-like Planet. Its north expanses reach into the ice shelves of this planets North Pole. The name of this planet will be Jovia as a placeholder name until it is decided to change or keep. Its size is also roughly same as earth. On said continent there are 3 distinct climates. A desert area to the south closed off from rest of planet by an expansive sea, the north tundra and polar expanses, the farthest expanses have never been recorded as weather conditions do not permit traveling within 3000 miles of north pole And a Verdant land with forests and plains fills the center of this continent. The shape roughly resembles a diamond shape. The major landmarks are the Forest of the Giants, The City of Viridis, The City of Telechros, Steel River, The Kaiser Tundra, Mt. Golem, The Griffin King Mountains, Fort-in-the-Sky, Burnt Foot Desert, Sweet Meat Oasis, The City of Hate Cage, Sticky Icky Swamp, Silver Sand Beach, The Colony of Underland, The New Age Village of Midgar, to the east with a sprawling forest of massive trees larger than terran redwoods and within this forest lies the City of Viridis its diameter is roughly 20 X 20 square miles with sections of denser population connected by a elaborate network of giant bridges wide and sturdy enough for carriages and horses and pathways through trees, trees wide enough for elephants and horse drawn carriages to travel through. After the eastern border of the Forest of the Giants is a rocky coastline and manmade hurricane barrier built by the giants constantly being upgraded and kept up by giants for millennia. After which is expansive sea the goes beyond any vision. Going east from Viridis is the metropolis of Telechros sustained by a reservoir fed by underground springs running through the expanse of ancient buried ruins strung about the underground area beneath Telechros. the filtration is semi-mysterious as an ancient set of devices filters the water but how it works is yet to be discovered. Telechros is approx. 16 square miles some areas filled with dense population; tall buildings, universities, mage towers, grid style cobblestone roads and the less dense populated area have a more spaced out population with houses with ample space between houses for trees and whatever. There are designated areas between the more rural residential areas and urban residential areas that have shops and bazaars and theaters strewn about. All around Telechros going east north and south are plains with simple roads merchant trails connecting small towns and farm lands together for miles and miles until up north civilization is halted by colder climate where crop and commercial farms make way for meat and poultry farms. The farmers can use ice from nearby frozen lakes and water turned to ice from neighboring warmer climate irrigation ducts to preserve meat as its prepped and ready for use in other towns and cities. As one would reach the central region traveling by merchant trails you would pass by Construct horses pulling merchant carts and Construct oxen tilling farmland on the sides of the trail and you would come upon Ferrin ,The Merchant and Artisan Capital. A large area at about 18 square miles the whole city resembles a diamond shape where a giant road made by hundreds of years of travel forms a giant cross at about 100 ft. wide. densely populated around the middle of the cross and as the city has developed around the reaches of the cross that’s where merchant shops and large bazaars line the outer reaches. Outside of city a couple miles up north is small mountainous area with caves that go deep underground rich in metals where construct workers and indentured servants slave away mining for materials. part of this region is Mt. Golem named for its incredible abundance in materials for Golem creation. South of the city is a mighty river with a man-made bridge that’s as wide as Ferrin’s main street . this river dubbed Steel River is incredibly mighty as it begins from a mountainous region to the west of Ferrin and goes into a delta that splits it into the rivers and streams that some go underground for Telechros’ filtration or are irrigated to northern farmlands. Steel River’s powerful near dangerous torrent is was powers the mills and factories along it. Going west more you would have to traverse mountainous valleys and caverns to get though The Griffin King Mountains beyond such mountains and in the distance you would see a massive floating castle like fortress. In the distance that fortress is part of the Aerial Military City-State of Fort-in-the-sky. Upon reach FITS you would immediately notice massive chains dangling from the aerial fort that’s way up high about 500 feet up, the chains are about the width of redwood trees and don’t have a spot of rust on the and shine like brand new not only does it shine like new but with a pearlescent hue of all the colors of the rainbow. The city beneath is walled with a high wall all around the perimeter of a approx. 12 square mile city with tall gates, large enough to let a couple war elephants in at once, posted up a few hundred feet from each other. The shape of this city resembles a circle with roads that intersect all around a grid like street system that interlocks with circular main roads. Said main roads also have tall towers on them that the road runs under. These towers are as tall as the wall and offer a ballista at the top for ultimate defense. The towers are spread apart a mere 100 feet apart from each other and repeat for every main “rotary” in FITS. The city’s populace is set up as the outer rings are low income housing that’s densely packed the middle rings are middle income housing and center rings are where all the shops and bazaars are located. The massive fortress that floats high above is large enough to accommodate a populace of about 4000 people which includes roads and shops of their own but mainly its domiciles for the Castlebourne and high ranking military officials, decorated soldiers, and as well all their families. The leader of FITS rules from within the center castle inside the confines of the fortress and lives his families. Moving west past Fits you reach the famous Silver Sand Beach with an odd amount up refractive minerals in the sand giving it a silver sheen across the whole beach, legend has it Dragons can be seen playing on the beach and nearby waters maybe even sometimes in the skies above and beyond the beach. A island to the west of Silver Sand Beach is always in sight but natural whirlpools and frightful sea creatures prohibit travel to and it is within the watchful eye of FITS to prohibit air travel to, should one attempt the Sky Corps of FITS would swiftly dispatch any aerial craft post haste. The Island has been dubbed Isle of The Kraken for the supposed Kraken murder( a group of Kraken is called a Murder, fuck you I am making it up, its canon now cause it sounds fucking badass) that guards it. traveling down the coast line from Silver Sand Beach you would see more inward into the continent a desert in the distance. Traveling from the coastline to the desert the air would get dryer and dryer days become hotter somehow and nights become hellishly cold. upon reaching the desert you would know you have come upon Burnt Foot Desert, comically named by the "residents" of its controlling city. should you manage to travel through, for fear of dehydration and desert gangs of criminals are a constant threat, you would no doubt see the oasitic paradise of Sweet Meat Oasis. Said oasis is rather large measuring big enough to be considered its own town and not just a tourist attraction and the springs, yes springs plural, offer many a weary traveler a respite of water and washing themselves. the main features of Sweet Meat Oasis are the legendary brothels where well kemp slaves and constantly cleaned and made to bath in tepid herbal stews to always keep them smelling of a lovely vanilla lavender. However this is a mere ploy to either get travelers into debt or have them be lured to its controlling city to its south that happenstance offers rides in construct horse drawn passenger carriages. the carriages lead travelers and such to the Sinning City of Hate Cage approx.. 17 square miles. here buildings adorned with bones of travelers and creatures line the dirt path "streets". past the dense populated areas with buildings and shops at the beginning of it towards the center you start to see huts covered in patchwork hides of creatures, human, elves, dwarves, giants, and all other humanoids. in these huts passing by behind a thin curtain criminals committing horrid acts to tied up travelers are a constant source of bewilderment and disgust. this area is known as The Hospital where people can pay to exercise their darkest fantasies on slaves and captured travelers. passing this your now enter the center of town dictated by a bevy of signs carved into wood from presumably ransacked churches and written in blood from priests and virgins or as the signs comically note( the signs has an asterisk saying where materials came from in fine "print") to the east are more actual residential areas for the lower class the west is their circus that borders on part of the marsh the stretches the area beyond the reaches of the desert and this city ,The name of this marsh is Sticky Icky Swamp. the south is the pathway through said marsh to the coliseum. The circus is just a main hub of a traveling circus, mainly the training ground for performers for the traveling circus. said circus is mainly an advertisement for Hate Cage to lure more and more people as well as provide carriage transport of unwitting victims of The Hospital. going down the trail to the coliseum. the trail being a not as marshy part of the marsh that can support travel, and after which is the Coliseum aptly named Funville. it operates like a coliseum just more forced fights than planned fights. Leaving that area going north from the desert some ways before being in sight of Griffin King Mountains you would come upon the self-proclaimed Supremely Happy and Ultimately Safe City of Saint-Pikes. This city bolsters tall wooden fencing around the entire perimeter and gating at every cardinal direction with donation plates at every entrance and armed guards at the ready to shake down visitors leaving for "donations". pretty cut and dry city there’s a mega church in center and micro churches strewn about but there’s a low income housing area and middle class and the high class area is only around the mega church and only the clergy, secret police and their families live there.
D100 roll on starting Societal Position needed. STAT BOOST TOMBS BANNED. IGNORE SKILL POINT CAPACITY RULE
Tell me what you think. As cruel as you want to be lay it on me.
Should you all choose to do another 3.5 campaign ever again or maybe we can try a 4th edition should the material be available to us that then during the proposed new campaign ide like to start up sometime in the future I would like to emphasize flushing of characters to better achieve a blending of personality between player and character here are some setting bonuses I would apply given the character’s starts in said City(or Town). The more developed a storyline the more bonuses ide be willing to apply not just the ones listed;
From the city of: Ferrin: Smithing(any) choose one to be trained skill Bonus Feat: Nimble fingers +2 disable device and open lock. (d100 roll 0-10 Merchant start with construct horse and small 1 horse carriage which has room for 1-person bed and cabinetry and shelves for tiny wears 50 lbs. of small item storage, 11-89 common folk D100 roll for 1 minor wondrous magic item, 90-100 Artisan start with one masterwork armor or weapon (your choice) If take a -1 Cha and/or -1 Wis can get +1/+2 for both -1s into Int) City of artisans and constructs. Economy based on creating golem slave force. Factories churn out much of the components used to build buildings and houses as well as other none magical constructs for continent. If Mage allowed to have construct version of animal familiar. If fighter have +2 attack to constructs. If rogue +2 knowledge(architecture and engineering) Merchant Capital. The city's symbol is a vertical hand holding tools, the tools change from which type of artisan it represents when displayed as part of a business or family. It is called the Hand of Creation. Ancient ship landed fragments of ship formed into veins. In the city the drive to be an artisan or merchant is high and pressure weighs on many citizens to make as money or crafts as possible, or at least in some way contribute to the towns economy in some way. Such pressure is physically represented by strong family traditions of being a specific type of artisan. being a non-productive citizen is met with great disgust and chagrin. The city has a distinct style everything is shades of browns and greys with glass and crystal multicolored smalls domes adorning things as well as mutli-colored gems dangling from things with spots of vibrant inlays on carriages and some wears.
Viridis :Bonus Language (giant) bonus Language (sylvan aka dryads) feat: Self-Sufficient +2 on heal and survive. (d100 0-10 Pathfinder start game with ring of sustenance and ring of climbing 11-89 common treefolk start with basic potion pack 5-Cure Light Wounds 3 -Pass Without Trace 3-Hide From Animals and 1-Potion of Enlarge Person 90-100 Can be Race: Half-Giant Bonus 1d8+con to HP, +4 str, +4con roll 4d10 for height and 4d4 for weight multiplier)(if take -1 to Str and/or -1 to Int gain +1/+2(in both if both -1s were taken) to Wis) Able to use Size class large weapons without any negatives) City in Giants’ Forest live from land use magic to supplement technology co-exist with giants. Low exposure to other parts of continent. Deep connection to forest. Economy based on potion creation and training healers as well as magical imbuement. Deep connection to planet allows for no need for deity for spellcasting Mana energies derive from earth not deities. Allowed to have Elven Leaf Wrap armor. Anyone not from your city you will have Trust issue. Heal Spells +1 per dice roll on (Human, Elf, Dwarf, Dryad, and Fay). Fighter class gains +2 to attack rolls to giants/ Rogue class gains +2 diplomacy towards giants. If ranger if pick favored enemy giant gain +2 attack to per stack. The symbol of the city is a rainbow rhomb-rectangle gem wrapped in leafed tree vines called The Heart of Jovia. the dwellings of the people of this city are tree houses made from natural materials such as vines, animal hides, animal bones, and branches that fall off trees. A massive canopy of treetops protect the city from rainfall and always give plenty of shade so the dwellings are open concept except places in the dwellings where privacy is needed for decency. the dwellings can also be the massive tree hallows those are typical where the hospital and apocatheries are. the peoples of this city feel a strong connection with the spirits of the land and animals as well as a deep connection with the planet itself. Often there are feasts and ceremonies held to celebrate what they believe to be the gifts bestowed on them by the planet in the form of food, shelter, an ongoing synergy with giants.
Fort-in-the-sky: Exotic weapon proficiency(any Ranged) Bonus Feat: animal affinity (+2 handle animal +2 ride) D100 roll (0-10 Trainer: start with flying Mount(mount starts with armor and comes with a set of 11-89 common townsfolk: +1 att with ranged weapons +2 to flying creatures 90-100 Castlebourne: start with (Su) fly(30) once per day for 3 minutes (Excellent)).( if take -1 into Cha and/or -1 Wis can take +1/+2 (if both -1s were taken) to Dex) City with floating fort high above it anchored by magically strengthened chains. Economy mostly based on training and selling flying mounts as well as flying mounted military and producing and developing complex and deadly ranged weapons. Can start game with Exotic weapon proficient in. symbol of the city is a castle tower with wings, it is known as The Flying Spire. The city and its inhabitants pride themselves of the splendor and beauty of their city and fortress. Possible rebellious factors In this city there’s a massive cull by the elite to be proper, clean, neat, and well-mannered as well as overly respectful to the rich, wealthy, and higher born. Such attitude being forced towards the elite leaves a divide between the peoples. the higher born, rich, and wealthy all treat commoners and low born as one would treat a child or a servant. The elites are allowed to reprimand and punish lower born folk by any means they see fit even death if they can prove to the other elites its necessary, which isn’t hard as elites see common folk as unbefitting of even looking in the same direction. this divide and attitude towards others has the commoners mostly pretending to be loving and respectful of elites or avoid them entirely. Some believe that secretly there’s a resistance brewing that sees to overthrow the elite class and bring a balance between peoples within the city.
Saint Pikes: Spot and Listen as trained skills Bonus Feat: Alertness (+2 on spot and listen). (0-10 Secret Police: Start with 1 Elixir of Truth, Feather Token: Whip, and Circlet of persuasion. 11-89 Citizen: gifted either Earrings or Goggles at coming of age, 2 potions of Protection From “Evil” and 2 Potions of Remove Fear, 90-100 Aristocracy: bonus 4d10X10 gold choose starting weapon or armor to have +2 or +2 imbuement equivalent)(If take -1 to Int and/or -1 to Cha gain +1/+2(if both -1s were taken) to Wis) Strick religious Capital of continent. Alienated itself into tension with all other towns and cities because when trading with the other cities its always trying to undercut and gain the best possible deal even to the point where fighting between traders has occurred as Saint Pikers believe their wares to be blessed by the gods and be of the highest quality. All citizens required to be willing to turn in anyone causing discourse and are taught to eavesdrop and spot anything suspicious .There is a high level of paranoia between residents and an even higher level of paranoia of outsiders that is taught and fed into the education system and family traditions of the city's folk. There is a Secret religious police that patrols the area always on the lookout and keeping an ear open for anyone less than perfectly pious for The god. The going rule is If a lie is told within earshot it needs to be reported to the secret police and that person gets a reward 1d410X10 CP and Liar is either killed or removed from town (Diplomacy DC20 check for exile over murder or bribe of 500GP). Allowed to have goggles that bestow dark vision(Bloody Eyes) or earrings that bestow comprehend languages(Bloody Tears) 50 gp each for citizens 500 for non-citizens. Earring in the shape of dark eye with blood red ruby tear. Goggles are black lensed on outside and have ruby red blood droplet dangle from left goggle lens outer. Goggle and Earrings deactivate for 1 week if wearer speaks lie(DC 30 bluff to negate). Lying does not exist in town.). The symbol of the city is an eye with a red tear, named the BloodScar. The cities and people outside of this city have a nickname they have given this place which is 100% derogatory, this name is Taint Shaits(taint shits but pronounced differently). The Leader of this city has always the same name but different person The Supreme Pope. Rumors of said religious official has been seen doing suspicious things keeps some townsfolk wary of the Pope but anyone seen, heard, or reported as being disrespectful of the pope is never seen or heard from again.
Telechros(Tell-Le-kr-O-s): Profession(any) choose 1 to be trained skill. Bonus feat Open-minded (+5 bonus skill points). (0-10 Scholar: Gain Knowledge(Arcana)+2 Knowledge (Dungeoneering)+2 Knowledge(Geography)+2 Knowledge(Local)+2 Knowledge(history)+2 Knowledge(The Planes)+2, 11-89 Freethinker: 2 Potions of Fox’s Cunning and Potions of Owl’s Wisdom. 90-100 Teacher: Given Headband of Intellect +2 and price to upgrade to +4,+6,+8 is half of item value if purchased in Telechros)(if starting from this can choose to take a -1 in strength or con for a +1 in Int +2 is -1 in both strength and con)To broadly put it Telechros the Technological and Intellectual Utopia. The going legend is that there was a tear in time and space long ago which continuous research and attempts to replicate has granted area secret technologies. As years progress more tech gets unearthed but has proven hard to understand and figure out how to use, even using magic all this technology has proven difficult for magic users to be able to use magic to unravel its mysterious as magic barely seems to work and the technology found. Large buildings line the densely populated urban areas and urban areas and provide housing for citizens in the form of apartments. These buildings also house large magical and scientific laboratories, as well as the Smithing/ crafting rooms where equipment is built with the aid of technological wonders replicated from the ancient mystic devices found underneath the city's reaches. The whole city has smooth well-built streets that are traversed by people on bi-wheeled constructions that are manually powered with the turning of gears by feet(bicycle kind of things) and Magi-Tech Carts, pulled by construct horses or sometimes experimental carts are being driving with the combination of just magic and technology on their own from the power of a "engine" however these are very rare and only found being tested in front of laboratories at the moment. People come from all around to train in the magics here and all are welcome as its the Mecca of magical research, also whenever you complete the magical academy and become a full-fledged mage you will then be granted citizenship as well. Can choose any deity and still be paladin, paladin rank is determined by open-mindedness , be proficient in any perform, learn any language, choose any magic school, be any alignment. The symbol of the city is an open book written inside is the Oath of Telekros which reads "For free thought and free people leads the future of Jovia. We stand united in life, progress, and love. Let us never be defeated in mind or body. For Telekros and Freedom for all!" the symbols name is also called the Oath of Telekros. There is an emphasis on unique weaponry and so the whole city has a discount for citizens to buy and imbue specific items the price to imbue is cut in half and the cost of said item is in half and it’s only another 100 gp to develop it into masterwork quality. Discount on Tonfa, Hand Crossbow, Starknife, Boomerang, Whipdagger(whips built here are built using a method of weaving steel thread into a twin tail end so normal whips deal 2d4 and Whipdagger being larger daggers are able to be used for the whip has much more tensile strength deal 2d6) , Chakram, Kukri, and other miscellaneous strange weapons. Also there is a discount on bag of holding as well as useful items and they are such: Bag of Holding 1-100 gp, a backpack is free and comes with; bedroll, winter blanket, 5 candles, flint and steel, 5oz ink, inkpen, 5 days of rations, sealing wax, sewing needle, signet ring that has symbol of Telechros but just the open book with squiggles it’s too small for actual legible writing, 1lb of soap, collapsible tent(new invention only 10 lbs. and 1/4 the space used in pack), discount on scholar's outfit only 1gp!, and all adventuring gear is 1/2 price(in the case of 1sp it then is 2 for 1sp and such for 1cp, 1gp, etc.)
Hate Cage: bonus feats: Agile(+2 escape artist) and balance Deceitful (+2 Bluff and Intimidate). (0-10 Mass Murderer: Gains Any Weapon of choice (Exotic, Martial, Simple) and it has Bane Human (+2 att/dmg to human +2d6dmg) as well Mighty Cleaving(allows user with cleave feat to make 1 additional cleave attempt per round) 11-89 Common Crook: 1 Potions of Reduce Person, 1 Elixir of Hiding or 1 Elixir of Sneaking can choose one the following items; Climbers Kit, Disguise Kit, or Masterwork Thieves tools. 90-100 R@p!$†: 1 Elixir of Love, 1 Salve of Slipperiness, 1 Potion of Invisibility, Silk Rope 50’, 2 sets of Manacles, and 5 Sleep arrows)(If take -1 to Wis and/or -1 to Int gain +1/+2(if both -1s were taken) to Str. The sex, drug, and fighting capital of continent. Everyone is always fighting and doing each other gay/straight don’t matter, strongly Atheist. Everyone is out to steal everyone’s entire life savings, will sell their mom for a clean napkin. Economy based mainly drugs which are magically imbued mushrooms, injectable and smokables that enhance stats temporarily or bestow feats temporarily or grant supernatural abilities temporarily. As well as sex slave trade. As explained in the setting description the Sinning City of Hate Cage has a traveling circus that travels all around displaying mystifying acts of illusions and death defying stunts magically imbued with the mystic powers of master illusionists, adjuration, and evocation magics. Perfumers range from glory seeking rogues(adept and leaping, tumbling, dancing, and balancing) or mind controlled slaves being controlled by a slave circlet of curious origins. the city has just outside of its boundary a coliseum, mainly for the entertainment of the townsfolk to pit those captured out in the sands and duped into coming to town form the oasis against undefeatable foes such as dire tigers and dire bears. To dupe people from farther away to going into town or at least reaching the honey-potting oasis the are traveling bards adept in the skills of lying and persuasion. The infamous bards have for many years been successful in hiding their origins and true intentions but a growing network of counter-intelligence bards has been growing in order to warn people of the sinning city's lying bards. While the intentions of the bards is tried to be kept secret the city's slave trade is quite not any bit a secret, it has tradings with people from all city's yet some city’s refuse they have done such dealings the slave traders keep magically bound and locked "Black Books" that are enchanted to only open for the owner by Hate Cages’ most powerful mages. the slave trade of not just humans but all creatures big and small, they even tote the ability to get you a celestial or infernal creature should you ask yet proof of such has never been revealed. the leader of the city is typical whomever is the strongest and most feared for their destructive ability, and the current leader is a most fearsome gladiator who seldom gets back into the ring but when he does the ensuing massacre leaves the coliseum needed to be shut down for cleaning for a day or two. . Allowed to choose any Exotic Weapon Proficiency. Allowed to use classes from book of erotica.
Towns: NO BONUSES JUST PLACE HOLDERS FOR EVENTS AND QUESTS
Underland, Village of the Deep: burrowing colony founded by digging out Mystic chain exactly like one holding Fort-in-the-sky. this place is located north of FITS. approx. 1500 ft. diameter hole. in the hole inlet chambers provide enough space for living spaces each ring of inlets is 30 feet which the is followed down by 50 feet of rock and sediment and this repeats 10 times for a total depth of approx. 800 feet. and the chain still has no origin yet found. the low class live at the bottom and are the work horses of the mining expeditions and the middle class is in the middle they process minerals excavated and extracted by sediment mined from the massive hole and other mining excavations inside the hole. once processed the ingots and whatnot are sent to be sold by the merchant and upper classmen of the top rings. located to the north of Fort-in-the-Sky just after a valley in the Griffin King Mountains range.
Midgar, Village of the Resistance: and ever growing network of bards and rogues tasked with counter intelligence and combating against corruption from all cities, they are noted as being experts with the whip and whip dagger and typical are noted to having a tri-element whip of masterwork quality. some say a master of the whip known as a lasher walks among some of the groups and the leader is known as having a supernatural skill with a whip made of the hide of a celestial beast and a infernal beast interwoven. they are squirreling away technology and crafting methods from all cities to try to form a budding city if their own free of tradition and religions. Located before the Burnt Foot Desert. There is a possiblilty that wares only offered in certain cities are obtainable here as well as their discounts.
Sweet Meat Oasis, Eden of Sin. alot has been dscribed in the setting description. To continue however the oasis bolsters a fantastic Icy and Ice-based imbuement services. The Oasis offers a discount of Ice-Based and Heat-Resistant imbuements for armor and weapons and even offers them at a half price discount barring you spend at least a week in thier resort like Inns. Their Inns are rather large and often encapsulate a few hot springs and offer a private bath in each room as well as relaxation services for which the list of offered comforts is only as restricted as a persons wallet. The Imbuements and their discounts are as such: Armor-Fire Resistance- 9,000GP Fire Resistance, Improved- 21,000GP Fire Resistance, Greater 33,000GP, Shield Fire Resistance- 9,000GP Fire Resistance, Improved- 21,000GP Fire Resistance, Greater 33,000GP Weapons(Melee) Frost-1,000GP Icy Burst- 4,000gp, Weapon(Ranged) Frost-1,000GP Icy Burst- 4,000gp