Sam's Document - Reynes

8/6/2019 Sam's Document - Reynes

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Emerald Estate One off Quest

The Duchess of Thorne and The lord Regent have issued a behest for a number of

brave and willing individuals to recover an individual from the Emerald Estate

within the Velen forest, to the South East of Reynes.

The Start point will be outside the Gate of the Thorne familys manor, on the cliff behind the town of

Tethra.

Characters are level 9, and could be complete strangers/ best friends even married; up to them. If I ever

figure out the main story for this setting, I think itll beextensive. So this is me learning to DM and

you playing about, being PCs, having fun, being creative etc. you know the drill.

Weapons/items/feats - No restrictions really (scroll right to the bottom for classes and stuff).

Race restrictions- the elves will not allow Orcs or half-Orcs into the emerald Estate.

Class recommendations: Something with detect/read magic in some shape or form.

Alignment: Any.

-the thing you have to retrieve is a wayward University professor. The reward is a rather hefty amount

of Gold and Platinum.

(Setting)

The Mage Country - Reynes

History

The walled country of Reynes that was once full of powerful but arrogant human magic users. There

were normal non-magical people though the majority of the populace was known to be wise far outside

of their land.

The people were not just using magic for battle- Their battle techniques known as Combat Artes- great

magic that was capable of allowing the user to cast spells without items or preparation- rather they

need just recite an incantation through voice /song. More powerful Artes require drawn symbols andGlyphs.

They also imbued their buildings and crafts with it, meaning their towers may be impossibly high, a

door opened could lead to every (and any) room in the house, laws of physics could be bent, or avoided

-this Magic was called Fullbring.

Just as a building could be enhanced with Fullbring, weapons and artifacts could be augmented with

Combat Artes.


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There were good/neutral/evil people of both crafts, though people got the impression that Artes users

were loud fighter types and Fullbringers lazy and weak.

Though the selling of ensorcelled weapons and artifacts, the people became rich and affluent. They

created a golden age of the country of peace. Their Weapons stronger than the dwarves', their Artes

stronger than the Elves' magic, the greatness of the people were in general ended disastrously, as oneday the wise and magical people, the Artes users and Fullbringers, all vanished, leaving the non-magical

humans in a state of chaos and confusion.

On the day of exodus a great pillar of white light shone down on the castle, leaving the foundations and

strange side effect due to the erasure of the Fullbring.

On that day, many of the Fullbring augmented buildings collapsed, Dams burst and washed away villages

and Ker Ys (ironically named City of Water) was flooded. Some Weapons and Artifacts lost their arte or

fell apart at the time, but others retained their ability, though severely weakened.

Buildings that survived The Day of Exodus, as it came to be called by those left behind, were onescreated by the strongest of the mages, the mansions of the 4 dukes, and the oldest parts of the Named

cities among them. The Castle of the High king however crumbled into ruin- the castle and its grounds

having the effect of a powerful antimagic field. And many rumors and myths were forms about why they

vanished. The Core Religion split over time, to account for a rapid change in beliefs.

300 years after the Day of Exodus-Present day

The nation is led the Lord Regent, a mysterious Elf of the house of Llyr, who effectively oversees the four

dukedoms. Who each Protect a quarter of the kingdom, they each have an armed force called 's Guard. The Regent doesnt interfere much in the dukedoms these days since something like

peace has been attained; though his is the final word in any trial or disagreement.

Duke 1 - Duane of the House of Jowan.

Jowan's segment of the kingdom contains Ker Ys, and thus controls the port and ships.

Duke 2- Garrett of the House of Kailen (also known as Garrett the Red due to his temperament. Strong

sense of justice - late 30s. Royalist. His dukedom is to the west, and he controls the Western Wall and

the area around it. He's known for his prowess with the axe and as a competent warrior, and leads the

Guards of Kailen to the defense of his dukedom and the wall.

Duchess 3- Gwen, husband of Odhran (pronounced Oran) of the House Thorne husband has recently

been taken ill, and running the dukedom has been taken on by the Duchess. Royalist, both are quite old(she her mid 50s he about 61), have 2 sons, Tristan and Hawken. Tristan is young and impulsive though

he is the heir to the duchy, Hawken is the younger brother, but finds his older brother's rash personality

irritable and is mature for his age.

The Dukedom of Thorne contains the forest with the Emerald Estate, the south east quarter of the

Kingdom. This Duke's family and guard is renowned for their ability with the Bow and their experienced


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rangers- the Captain of the guard might even have Class levels (!)

Duke 4- Mador, House of Lairgren. Appearances show the young duke Mador to be a loyal duke who

protects his segment of the kingdom well. He is quite outspoken and seems to be part of the Order of

Daath. The Guard of Lairgren are well known for their...shall we say eagerness to draw their weapons?They may not be known for their intelligence, but they think whatever they do, it's the right thing

because they're in the guard. So they have a collective ego. His parents died in a raid by a group of

rebels on the house, while the main guard was away. Xenophobic. Doesn't like that an Elf is Lord Regent.

Technically, Each of the duke's houses have some royal blood, as the first 4 dukes were the first high

King's younger brothers so one could make a move for the throne, and since the main family was highly

magical at the time of the Exodus, It was presumed the entire line was vanished that day. The House of

Llyr, however Stepped in Pronouncing that in accordance with the old ways, they would look after the

kingdom till the day a king reclaimed the throne. Something of an unwritten agreement between the

houses, however states that if one dukedom makes a move for the throne, they must have the full

support of the other 3 houses and also by the House of Llyr.

Religion

Religion 1(The Followers of Sylph) Some believed that through their magic, they had ascended to the

realm of the gods, Most of those who believed this also were part of a particular religion, that over time

absorbed this into part of their teachings. They felt that if they managed to make use of the objects and

teachings left behind, they too could ascend. (it's a poly theistic religion, and its worshiped by the

majority of the country- involving mostly Good and Neutral gods but also some dark ones. Pro-Royal

family. They run the old capital city and the lands around it, they also took command of the Royal

vanguard.traits - Royalist, liberal, Xenophiles Promote the study of magic

Religion 2(The order of Daath /Daathites)- Another group believed that the magic users had gotten too

arrogant with their usage of magic, and so the gods had brought judgment upon them.

This religion is also polytheistic, but only worship Lawful Good deities and shun all of the others gods.

They also are prejudice against any magical race(Elves, half-Elves, Gnomes) or Humans with any magical

ability that is not due to faith in a lawful good deity.

traits -Nationalist, Xenophobic, conservative. Promote the study of technology

The current Hierarchy stands like so.High King - Vacant

Lord Regent - House of Llyr.

Duke - Jowan, Kailen, Thorne and Lairgren

The Archdeacon(Sylph) - /The Commandant(Daath) -/The Magister of the Emerald Estate - (House of

Llyr)


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Captains of the Guard of

Town and Settlement Mayor/Elders

Citizens /locals

Adventurers/travelers/outsiders

Orcs/goblinoids

The population is still mostly human, but in the last 70-100 years or so, It seems that Elves have

taken up residence in the forest ruins- or perhaps they were always there, but they're out in the open.

The Regent of Reynes has always been an Elf of the house of Llyr- they were advisors and friends to the

Royal family.

Seeing Dwarves is a common occurrence, since the old days when Dwarven merchants would pass

through Reynes to trade their goods in the shattered Lands and the distant continent across the sea, but

recently, like the elves, they seem to have taken up residence in (or under) Reynes somewhere.

Orcs and Goblins are rare to see on this side of the western wall- being one of the reasons the wall was

built some 900 years previous, and are generally distrusted by the Humans and elves. Dwarves and

gnomes are much more tolerant of their presence.

Halflings, are nomadic, and through an old agreement with the last High King of Reynes, can pass freely

in and out of Reynes, and to be allowed to request the help of the royal vanguard directly. These days,

only the Halfling bards and the tribal leader knows why. but that is how it has been. They are generally

good-natured mischievous types, but seen by old people as symbols of good luck when they pass

through towns. kind of like gypsies, some groups have a bad reputation for stealing things, and some

have the reputation for telling legends and to keep the old stories alive.

Present day GeographyTo the west there is a wasteland, and so a great wall stretching along the border from the mountains in

the North West to the sea in the southwest. Beyond the wasteland is Penmarth.

To the south of Reynes, across a narrow strait of ocean, is a small collection of islands belonging to

Reynes, (the shattered lands)

to the SSE, there is a forest- Spires of Fullbring building can be seen above the trees. The north of the

forest is swampland- the river that runs through it runs to the coast from behind the Royal city.

Some Places of Interest

The Emerald Estate. Now used by the Elves of the house of Llyr, as well as other families, it seems, as a

home or perhaps foothold in Reynes. It was once where the Magister of Tomes dwelt, but he hasn't

been seen in many years. The spires of the Estate can be seen sticking out amongst the treetops of the

forest for miles around, and the entrance is deep within the forest. But there is only one door. and it


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stands alone, in a small clearing on a stone platform the ruins /foundations of thick walls may be seen

either side of it , each disappearing into the undergrowth of the forest. But no building can be seen. The

Doors themselves are tall, twice as tall as a man, and made of emerald, the gold details and swirls that

embellishes ornate surface; it shines in a glittering Fullbring light.

The Magister of Tomes was a Wiseman shrouded in mystery, given the duty of documenting the history,magics and in fact, all information within the kingdom. He gathered it all, (some believe he still does)

within the vastness that is the Emerald Estate. A library in the greatest sense of the word; many of the

rooms that door could lead to are perhaps infinite labyrinths of shelves, that only the Magister could

navigate. The treasures of the Emerald Estate are what draw many adventurers and thieves to Reynes.

Las Lajas- The Cathedral City.

The headquarters for the Daathic Religion. Geographically, the city falls under the jurist diction of the

House of Kailen, and the Commandant and Duke Kailen dont exactly see eye to eye, but thanks to a

loophole in the kingdom's law, the duke's men dont have power inside the city.

Its Namesake Cathedral is a Fullbring giant, and in fact contains the city; the loophole that the Daathic

Commandant exploits here is that in a religious sanctuary, the only ones with any clout are the Daathic

Order of Knights and the Commandant as their leader. The great white arches of Las Lajas show the

entrance to the immense structure, though on the day of exodus, many of them collapsed with the

exterior city, which now lies in scant ruins about the cathedral's base. The people who now inhabit Las

Lajas rebuilt the city inside the great foyer, known as the Nave, and main sanctuary around the statues

of the Gods that the Daathic Religion follows. Those who are, shall we say, out of favor with the

Commandant, have their statues shrouded and over time, have unknowingly become part of houses and

structures and other buildings that have sprung up over time.

The Daathites Xenophobia means that other races aren't allowed to enter the main sanctuary, only theNave- the entrance foyer where the main trading and marketplace is. The ceilings can't be seen, and the

cavernous rooms are lit by tall thin arched stained glass windows, each portraying the Ancient High

Kings and Queens. The walls are often not seen at eye level, due to the ramshackle houses and shops

built from the ruins brought in from outside. The sound of choral singing and bells is often heard,

layered through the bustle of day to day living in a city, and the sound of many feet moving on marble

floors. Wide and high doorways lead between the rooms of the Cathedral, with wide cool corridors and

cloisters between them. However, there are parts which are sealed in the Cathedral, due to the failing of

the fullbring that supported the room or area. Other areas include the necropolis of the catacombs

beneath the Cathedral, where many of the Royals and Dukes families are enshrined- Who knows what

lies beneath?

Lyonesse - The City of Kings

The City of kings once stood proud in Northern Reynes, across the river Falthyne. It was most badly

affected by the collapse of the Fullbring after the Exodus, with the Castle of the High Kings being

practically erased from being. Once, it stood a shining testament to the power of Fullbring, a citadel that

no army could enter- though many had tried in the early days of the kingdom. These days, however, all


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that remains of the castle is a disproportionate pile of rubble to the building that was destroyed, and of

course, the gardens- however these have become rather infamous for claiming the lives of unknowing

trespassers. The destroying light that fell that day did strange things to the plants. No magic works in the

grounds, as a powerful antimagic field is a constant reminder of that day. Any magically adept person in

the area feels discomfort and any Arte enhanced weapon or piece of armor may feel burning or freezing

to touch, it's effect will be negated. in some cases the item may disintegrate.

The City is now the headquarters of the Followers of the Sylph, who look after the city with the aid of

the Royal Vanguard. Due to the fact that the City was once under direct control of the High King, it's not

contained by any of the 4 dukedoms, leaving it open for the "neutral"- though Royalist, Sylph to take the

lead. This leads some to call Lyonesse the Free City; the Sylph are liberal and accept most beliefs and

also promote the study and usage of the Augmented items and research into the Fullbring techniques.

So there are many experiments in the university sector on the castleside of the river with students

playing pranks on one and other, and learned men showing off their recreations of the old techniques.

and for testing their attempts to use combat artes and the trials. It's not uncommon for things to be

seen exploding across the river, the people who live in Lyonesse, the humans, the elves, the gnomes, thedwarves and even half Orcs and goblins all know that castleside is a dangerous place to be, student or

not.

The streets and plazas of the City are filled with now broken statuary, and heaps of rubble that fell out

into the street from collapsing buildings are now overgrown though the busier areas of the city- now

town in population size, though still a City- are clearly in use. The roads are clear and some buildings are

repaired or have been rebuilt, the market is a busy center for trading of produce and the results of the

university's experiments. Lyonesse is usually where adventurers and travelers head to get the "best"

weapons and to find if there are any bounties or quests to be preformed. Occasionally, the regent puts

out a Behest to take care of groups of rebels or particularly irritating criminals to the relative peace ofthe kingdom.

Ker Ys - The City of Water

Before the exodus, this port city was a thriving hub of trade with the far continent and also with the

shattered lands. Built into the side of a cliff face, the city was made in steps cut into the cliff and down

into the sea. Though on a cliff face, the city was below Sea level, as the water level was controlled by the

use of canals and water locks at the entrance of the harbor, a great dyke was built reaching out from the

land to an outcrop of rock and then back round to the cliff.

On the outcrop, a tall lighthouse was built, to point out the existence of the dyke, and to give ships a

landmark to come back to Reynes. Surprisingly, both the lighthouse and the dyke were not Fullbring;they were mechanical wonders using non-magical means such as clockwork and valves. However, on

the day of Exodus, the son of the then Duke Jowan, Seithyn, was in charge of the valves that kept the

sea out. He was a rascal- a known drunkard, and afterwards it was assumed that that was the cause of

the flooding of Ker Ys. His own account, after he was found unconscious, on some flotsam, involved a

demon appearing and possessing him and driving him to open all the locks and loosen all the valves.

The majority of the city is now submerged, though, with careful use of the small fullbring water pumps,


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many of the tunnels and small buildings have been re-claimed from the waves. The lighthouse still

shines, and the port is as busy as ever. But the sunken temple bells of Ker Ys ring out, and its name of

City of Water is said for different meanings than intended.

Strangely, there are a lot of dwarves living in Ker Ys, despite their aversion to the ocean

Classes and levels and such

Max player level 8 (for the Emerald Estate one off quest, start at lvl 9 . I think. Yall start around level one

or two, depending on your characters background. Adventurers or those whove spent some years in the

service of one of the Dukes will start at lvl2, everyone else lvl 1.

Fighter, Bard, Barbarian (Berserker), Wizard, Sorcerer, Monk, Rogue, Paladin, Cleric, Druid and Ranger.

Being a current member or past member of a House Guard in your personal story can be useful for RP

and Social status.

Fighters

No change, but can be any race, though a Gnome fighter may not be the most uhintimidating. House

of Lairgren has many keen fighters. (though most of them are just paid thugs- but you didnt hear that

from me!)

Paladins

Rare. Any paladin from within Reynes belongs to the Order of Daath. See the Description of Daath for

why they might have a bad personality.

Bards

The best known bards are the Nomadic Halflings and they get Knowledge: Ancient as a secret skill,

Elven, Half-Elven and gnomish Bards are known as well though they dont have access to Knowledge:

Ancient.

Druid

Druids are pretty rare in Reynes, what with the University wizards there discounting Druidic magic asextreme Gardening and old wives tales. They generally come from the southern continent across the sea

from the Shattered Isles.

Barbarians Berserkers

Alignment: any. And if he or she is from Reynes, they are likely to be able to read and write. Berserkers

and Fighters are likely to be part of one of the Duke Houses Guards, berserkers especially from the


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House of Kailen.

Ranger

No changes.

House of Thorne trains the best of the best in terms of Rangers. And their Guard is familiar with the

forests around the Emerald Estate.

Cleric

Clerics are tricky. I havent laid out exactly which Deities are worshipped in Reynes yet, so bear with me

on that one. A Cleric of Daath and a Cleric of the Sylph will not get along, even if they are both

Lawful/Good. They will just argue religiously and drive everyone else insane. Clerics of Daath are always

human, and a Cleric of Sylph may be any race- Though a Goblin or Orc cleric might not be believed at

first.

Wizard/Sorcerer

Arcane magics are also tricky. If the PC is a Wizard, then they are likely a student or graduate of the

Lyonesse University of Magic, it being really the only reputable magic school. Sorcerers are more often

than not, self taught though they might still attend the university. Sometimes Fullbring buildings have

strange effects on Arcane magic, as do the sites where such buildings once stood. Because they cant

always rely on their spells to get them out of stick situations, Caster types are recommended by their

elders and peers to learn to handle a one handed sword- generally a short sword or Rapier. (The

Weapon Finesse Feat could be helpful if the Dex is greater than the STR)

Documents

Sam's Document - Reynes