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The adventurers have journeyed around the frontiers of the Outlands. While the Human Lands are just to the east and north, their quests have carried them through lands that most people only hear of in stories.
Of course, context in necessary, so the rest of the world:
From where they came
was the Kingdom of Twain,
full of chaos and mystique.
But no arguments abound
nor was intelligence to be found
in this land of venom and intrigue.
This is the main human kingdom farthest to the west and the most established society before reaching the Outlands and worse. The large city is built on the western coast where the Purple Waters River runs into the Lady Pool Lake- a very strategic location for the humans and their westward expansion. It was settled almost three centuries ago and has now turned into one of the most important places in human history.
Early History
When the massive lake was finally explored and mapped, the various parties among the humans (especially the merchant classes) decided to set up a colony along the mouth of the river that all their societies used. Quickly, the settlers encountered elves and halflings and set up trade and mutual defense agreements. But they also encountered trolls, ogres, giants, and goblins and had to fortify the position, eventually even building a navy from an island on the river's mouth to protect the trade. Many decades later, the settlement had grown to a city with royalty and recognition for its power. But disaster struck as Orcs descended from the north in a massive wave of destruction. Only an army of all the allied races could stop them, led by a mighty human hero named Zarius. The city became his camp before the greatest engagement of the war and he brought thousands of new residents as well as entrepreneurial peoples to boost the city. The great threat was defeated and the city grew to build walls, have a standing army, and become a hub of trade from the elves and the occasional dwarf.
The last century
Because of the city's prime location on the frontier and easily accessible by waterway, it soon attracted the most powerful of the humans. The wizards came together to establish an enclave where they could share their discoveries and powers, especially since the Great War with the Orcs. The access to elves and the growing influx of dwarfs with their high-quality wares made magic and magic items common. Additionally, a great shrine was built to all the gods so that the blessings could be shared and healing keep plagues and such away. The Oracle is a long-lived resource that moved here so that she could see both the wilds and the civilized in equal measure.
The royal dynasty eventually gained control of the wizard enclave, employing them and appointing them to a special council that transformed into another defense force against their foes. Still hateful of orcs and under attack from large creatures, the ability to use magic was key to maintaining the kingdom's safety. What's more, the dynasty had the foresight to align themselves with certain underground organizations that maintained a sense of order and were tools to keep the citizenry calmed. The Twain dynasty has ruled for five generations now and their power is unrivaled outside the Amethyst Coast. This had even resulted in the kingdom sponsoring another settlement further west, but nobody remembers if it ever happened.
Today
The last year has seen some horrible developments for such a powerful place. For some reason, trade from the west disappeared and merchants lost their livelihoods by the scores. Dwarfs and elfs suddenly stopped arriving and the Purple Waters River no longer teemed with boats full of wares like it used to. This quickly collapsed the economy and created unrest. Then an evil wizard, named Walter the White, wormed his way into the city and unleashed monstrous beasts into the streets, murdering and rampaging through the upset populace. Not long after, a rag-tag group of rebels and mercenaries incited a rebellion within the city to distract the attentions of the royal forces and city guard. This rebellion, fueled by the poor economy and the apparent uptick in shadow activities, almost succeeded and drained the city of over half its population of 12,000 in only a couple of months. Suddenly, the largest dragon of all time attacked the city and it took all the powers of the wizards' enclave to hold it back. The King is extremely stressed and seeking any and all champions to join him in defending the city and restoring order. There are bounties for traitors, monsters, and the wizard.
The economy
Merchants and traders from all the human lands would often make treks to this frontier kingdom for the rare metals and furs. Metals, forged by the dwarfs, and furs from animals found only in the Wildwood or elven lands could be purchased.
Lumber and fish are abundant and provide a stable living for most people. Less profitable but certainly attractive are the magic and medical services that area available. While stocks may be running low in most shops due to the recent developments, there are still magic shops and apothecaries to be found.
All large cities have a very large underground of drugs and alcohol, especially if that city includes a sizable military. Almost anything can be sought and bought here. The disruptive wizard even increased the drug trade with stocks from the Wildwood, which some have blamed for the rebellion.
Finally, travelers from other lands come here to sell their services, making mercenary and adventurer work often available to those seeking. This also means that there are many inns, taverns, and pubs to visit at any time. While the economy is suffering in the city today, the population decrease from the rebellion has prevented a total collapse and most are able to live well enough considering...
The military
Being a frontier kingdom requires a standing military. Twain has an army and a navy as well as a number of ancillary organizations that assist in their operation.
The navy was first and currently consists of almost a hundred sailors and four ships. While the ships are only frigates, the crews are well-trained and only the human Barony of Antes could be a threat from across the lake. There has occasionally been a spelljammer here, but it's not very often.
The army was created at the end of the war with the orcs and they specifically train to fight orcs and goblins. Normally numbering around 1,200 soldiers, the army is trained from manuals written during Zarius' crusade and experience fighting skirmishes in the Outlands. Many companies also train with the navy to be marine warriors, but there are less of them now. Because of the rebellion, desertions numbered in the hundreds and the army only currently stands at just over 700 soldiers.
The rangers are made up of the humans and a few elves that train to protect the Outlands and workers from the beasts of the wild. They are outstanding trackers and great warriors, but their specialty is in monster-hunting. They are often contracted to help the elves in their lands to the south.
The royal guard is made up of officers from noble families and mercenaries promoted due to their heroism and tactical expertise. The cadre of three dozen is mostly made up of paladins and cavaliers, making it very feared amongst the enemies and respected amongst the regular soldiers and sailors.
The wizards' enclave is a collection of three dozen powerful wizards, operating from a secret chamber deep under the royal castle. Most of the wizards choose to focus on abjuration to protect the citizens and city from all manner of threats. A few of them are Diviners, and only one is an Evoker. The seers are used for tactical planning and the offensive wizard is a member of King Twain's personal bodyguard at almost all times. They maintain their anonymity in public as they are all meant to be the final solution to the worst problems.
Shadow Organizations
There are two very powerful organizations- one that works against the odds of the city and another that works for it.
The first is known as the "Guild of the Hook" and work exclusively on the docks and through the circus. They are a group led by a shadowy authority that communicates through speaking stones to orchestrate headhunting activities for the city's best and brightest. With spies, shakedowns, and extra taxes and tariffs in their areas, they work to subvert the local economy and steal profits. They are able to operate with the support of barristers that push the legal protections of unionized labor and business goals. Their leader, a human male named Wilson, seems to be the best lawyer in the land and a bruiser to boot.
The second is known as the "Widow Group" and seems to work on the west side of the city, although their actual dwellings are all through the extensive gnome-built sewer system under the city. They are assassins and fences, as well as information-brokers. They work solely for profit, but they are also linked to some of the founders of the settlement from centuries ago, which leads them to supporting the success of the city at all costs. They work with the King as well as anyone with the coin to contract them. Unfortunately, they were recently employed by an evil wizard that immediately caused havoc in their ward. Due to the contract and payment, the organization wasn't able to solve the problem on their own. Their leader is a master assassin that sheds their identity when they take the mantle, becoming only known as "the Widow". The members dress in all black clothing with purple armbands showing the symbol of the spider on it. Higher-ranking operatives will often have the tattoo on their wrist as they are expected to perform their arts in public. Their trademark weapon is the assassins blade or crossbow bolt coated in spider poison.
The culture
Twain takes pride in two things- business contracts and literature. Every citizen is required to write and read common and there are private libraries in almost all of the nobles' homes. Businesses are run by merchants that understand the importance of contracts and barristers are part of the city guard just for this purpose. King Twain is himself a prolific author and writes poetry and prose of utopian societies, and his court is required to be versed in philosophy, history, and the religions they will meet.
Otherwise, everyday life is just as any other city- merchants and dock-workers bustling among market and craftsmen. The nobles, often traced back in the history of the city but also well-to-do merchants, live on the eastern side of the city and along the coast. When the dragonlord attacked, most of the nobles chartered boats across the lake and returned east as their properties in Twain were destroyed. The citizens and peasantry occupy the west side of the city and are accustomed to the rough-and-tumble world of the lower class. The rebellion and subsequent dragon attack affected their areas, but most had nowhere to go and simply hid in the sewers. After, everyday life returned to normal for most people, even with some discontent.
There is a massive amount of respect for the military. Underpinning the entire history of the city is a hatred of orcs. The beasts from the north slaughtered everything they came across and this city was created with the blood and relatives of those that finally defeated the orcs and saved humanity. All citizens are taught of constant threat, even if there hasn't been a major orc attack in over a century. Because of this, the army and navy are never lacking for recruits. King Twain taxes all citizens, but pays his militaries well and benefits everyone in the city for it. This includes activities such as parades, circuses, and carnivals. Pride in the Kingdom of Twain is unmatchable.
Important locations
-the Westwall the runs from the river south has only three towers and no gatehouse. The rebels were able to blow up the wall at the river and create a massive entry into the city
-Southwall is the wall that has the only gatehouse and way into the city. There is an open plain outside the gate and a massive market just on the inside. The gates are massive and thick, but there is a regular-sized door to the side of the gatehouse that allowed negotiations between the king's forces and the rebels.
-Naval Base, aka Black James Island
-Purple Docks (Merchants)
-Twelve Doxks (Black Market)
-Twain Castle
-Marine/Ranger Academy
-Temple of Our Lady of Healing
-First Market
-Magic Tower and Market
-Corner Market (Black Market)
-Auntie's Apothecary and Hospital
-Poor Richard's Market
-White Fence Saddle and Stable
-Smith-land
-Oracle of Vice
-Noble's Green, aka Antebellum
-Tricksters' Row (Pubs, Taverns, Brothels)
-Safe Space Tavern
-Greer Suites (Taverns, Inns)
-Summer Stadium
Dramatis Personae
-King Clements V, aka King Twain
-The Widow
In the beginning, Ao created the gods and the dragons to help shape a new world. The dragons were meant to morph the creation of the lords to fit new races and allow the evolution to go at a quick pace. The gods were to create the very world and then collaborate with the dragons to refine it and then add the mortal races. But the gods were petty and didn't want the dragons to mess with any of their creations and the dragons became forceful and began to damage everything. Ao, the father of all the gods and dragons, decided to break their powers and take the ability of creation away. This only further incensed both sides until they launched into outright war. With the new mortal races populating the world and building their societies, each party saw their chance to advance their goals. The gods used convincing and conniving to bend the races in their image to themselves, while the dragons simply created more of the very beasts that mirrored themselves and then filled them with hatred and cunning. Eventually, this war was so damaging to the world that Ao again stepped in and stopped everything. He then meted out punishment to everyone, from banishing the twelve gods from their divine realm, to outright imprisoning the five dangerous dragonlords he had created himself.
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| from Legends Illustrated |
Dragonlords
Each of the dragonlords is massive- easily 100' long and just a massive version of the lesser dragons that the mortal races are accustomed to. Even then, there are legends of the God-dragons or dragonlords amongst all the people, so they are not forgotten. Those legends are thought to be exaggerations of the currently-known lesser beasts, but there is very little hyperbole possible. The dragonlords are massive, fast, and very powerful. While they also had the breath weapon associated with their color, all of the dragonlords could breathe fire as well. The dragonlords have powerful magic and even have the ability to teleport about the known lands so that victims can never escape them. But, like lesser dragons, they have personalities and motivations that are unique to each. Only two of the original five are in these lands, thought to be imprisoned deep below the peoples and their histories.
-The massive Red dragonlord, named "Red", is imprisoned inside Mt. Sunset, surrounded by the arctic cold of the north and far from any of the mortal races. Embodying slaughter and rage, Red was the most dangerous of all the god-dragons and cared not even for his peers. Red took joy in destruction beyond measure and often challenged the gods themselves. When Ao banished him, it was only after a fight that shook the planet and still took forces beyond mortal understanding. To be freed, a mortal of black heart needs an artifact that can scratch the scales of the sleeping monster. A single drop of dragonlord blood and a tiny pang of pain and this unstoppable force will be released again upon the world.
-The huge Green dragonlord, known as "Green", was imprisoned in a tower buried below the elven lands and purposely forgotten about. The stone prison includes runes of pain and huge chains that easily trap the selfish creature. While it slept for centuries, the world above forgot about him believing that Green was thwarted by pain and the prison was enough to keep the nature-lover quelled. Green is cunning and vengeful, angry at all the mortal races for being treasured above his kind. His need to control everything around him sees equal measures of subtle machinations (often including slavery of lesser races) and unbridled slaughter (especially if he detects a power he can't have). This vengeance and jealousy drives Green to being a terror on the mortal realms.
Green was freed when a group of adventurers inadvertently discovered the prison and touched the scales with a tinge of jealousy in one's heart. This stirred the dragonlord from its ancient sleep and eventually led to a successful escape despite the waning powers of the protective runes. Some could even argue that a Kobold cult helped...
Common Dragons
Common dragons- if you can call them that, are very aware of the dragonlords but do not care in any way about the stories of their kind or primogenitors. Chromatic dragons are always selfish and self-serving, so the legends of the dragonlords are either ignored or simply provide an imaginary arch-nemesis to bluster against. There is no worship or association, not even for the dragons and dragonlords of similar color. There are, however, Kobold cults that worship the dragonlords. While many cults worship common dragons, there are a few that try to find ways to summon the dragonlords themselves. There is no overlap, as any common dragon that discovers a dragonlord-worshipper in his horde will instantly kill them for lack of loyalty. Common dragons do believe in Ao and know the role that the dragonlords once played, but they just don't care.
Each of the five dragonlords created beasts to populate the world, and they were proudest of their mirrors in smaller form as mortals. They were very powerful, grew very large, and far outshined all the other mortals. But when the dragonlords were not treated fairly by the gods and their creations, the dragonlords filled their creations with hatred and malice and made them hateful to the world. Eventually, well after Ao's punishment, the other mortal races evolved and learned to ban together to hunt and eliminate the lesser dragons. The legends mixed of the dragonlords and the lesser dragons until the mortal races only knew the dragons to be evil.
The five kinds of dragons spread among the world to hide, finding territories that matched their preferences and even changed the land and subjugated the natives to be more comfortable. Over time, the dragons that survived the costant onslought from the other mortal races simply became part of the story of the world. Family dynasties, power struggles, and even alliances with other peoples all make up the history of the lesser dragons left in the world.
-Croelickcroak, the patriarch of the black dragons, makes his lair in the Misty Swamp. He has had six children, all young dragons that roam the area but never go far. They have befriended the local Swamp Trolls and run a 'kingdom' with him at the head. His wife, and mother of his children, was captured by the Dragonborn kingdom in the north long ago and he particularly hates those kind. But his hatred is not without reason and he can be convinced to help someone to save his own land. He doesn't care about his children- he sees them as 'needy', and constantly warned them of the mortal races seeking their hide for armour. They deserve whatever they get if they get into trouble, as black dragons are particularly spiteful in nature. When Croak speaks, his voice is always at a whisper as the acid drips from his ancient jaw. When he polymorphs, he prefers to take on the form of a troll.
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| from AminoApps |
-Solifuah is the mightiest of all the lesser dragons in the world. She is an ancient Red Dragon that took up the lands of Mt Fire and immediately came into conflict with the dwarves that recently claimed it for the gold. Losing all of her children and her mate in the process, she forced them out and promised not to genocide their kind as long as they don't invade her domain again. As a dragon, she takes pride in her hoard of gold and gems and spends much time gathering rare trinkets from the mortals. She is lonely and constantly seeking a mate and is courted by a few other dragons. But she's not willing to settle and requires that her chosen suitor can best her in a fight. She will even allow her challengers to bring some mortal champion to fight as her late mate was a fan of some human rider. But, if they lose, they are food. Sola takes joy in the battle and always seeks to fight someone, often picking on the undead giants to north just to keep her strength up. Until she finds a mate, she just wants to fight. She never uses her polymorph ability, believing her kind to be superior to all others.
-Sssajassan and Tanallanna are brother and sister, respectively, and are descendants of a long line of Green Dragons that warred with the elves. Both races came into the same lands and the cruelty of the dragons towards the elves created legendary hatred. The elves eventually retreated to the south and left their old empires to this dynasty. Over the centuries, the older Green Dragons died off and rarely had children that survived long, thanks to the long-game of the elves, leaving only these two to inherit everything. Eventually, pockets of outlaws inhabited their outer realms and even a city was built nearby. Rather than slaughter these poeple, Green Dragons are more interested in enthralling them, abusing them, and testing their will. Each of the two too different paths in recent years.
Sssajassan took over the ruins of Tiascum, an ancient elven city deep in the Wildwood. Here, he collects thralls and beautiful artwork. Those thralls are all things from woodland creatures to loyal Kobolds to even twisted Blights, and the artworks are stolen from ancient ruins and traded from travellers. Sssajassan got lonely and started exploring west along the Dark River and eventually ran into Mt. Fire and Solifuah. He immediatly fell for this powerful dragon and courted until he received quests. She demands a warrior, so he has been seeking a champion worthy of this challenge. Unfortunately, he keeps losing champions... He uses his polymorph ability to become a beautiful human female named "Emerald".
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| from Dragon University |
Tanallanna got distracted in the human settlement that became a city shortly after laying her first clutch of eggs (two). South of the Wildwood at the confluence of two rivers, the humans expanded and colonised with walls and trade. She was intrigued by how quickly these people could do this. Dwarves came from the west, elves from the south, and humans from the east to do trade and build their society. She enjoyed being a part of that, so she abandoned her home for long periods of time and regularly used her polymorph abilities to transform into a human man named "Mark"- the wizard in the mayor's entourage for years. Mark found a hidden artifact that attracted the attention of goblins and led to a war that destroyed the city and killed half the population. The avatar that hid that artifact there tried to intervene and died after leaving a curse where all knowledge of this place and its events would be forgotten. That curse now leaves the dragoness trapped in her human form and forgetting her true identity and now has to hide in the underbelly of that ruined city to avoid heroes and adventurers collecting on a bounty.
-Martesantigim is the Shadow Dragon, once a mighty Blue Dragon that ruled the deserts far to the south and now a bitter one that seeks ultimate power and dominion over his realm. Scorned by a red dragon for weakness, he retreated to the Shadow Realm to make a plan and found a prophecy about the fall of the Fey Realm. Loving chaos and the craziness of fey creatures, he refined his powers and turned into the shadowy monster he is now and launched an invasion of the Feywild. Fighting a new avatar and racing against time before allies come to aid in preventing the new prophecy, Marty focuses on the dreams of mortals to make his fearful presence known on the mortal realms. He is more interested in his own glory than even the love he was scorned from and has forgotten most of his chromatic powers.
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| by ShahzebKR |
Dragon Artifacts
The mortal races learned magic and immediately began making powerful artifacts, including ships that could sail across the ether, and even gathered some from other realms. At some point, some artifacts from a realm called "Krynn" were brought to the this one and were even used during the wars between the dragons and elves. These powerful artifacts have been lost to legend and are now sought by heroes and adventurers for profit and to use against the mighty beasts plaguing their lands.
-Dragonlance- this is a unique item in this world. It adds +5 to hit and to damage, but it adds 4d12 radiant/force damage against dragons. Every use of the lance creates a free reaction attack from a dragon within 30' (it is anathema to dragons and inspires their ire greatly). It cannot be broken (forged from starmetal) and it cannot be disenchanted (uses an alien divinity for its magic). The artifact is worth 125,000 gp if sold.
The last known location of the lance was in the hallowed tomb of a great warlord, but this was stolen by an evil wizard that sold it to a human kingdom. It has since moved into the possession of an adventuring party and has been lost.
-Dragon Orb- also known as a "dragon ball"- these yellow crystaline balls each contain a chromatic scale inside and can be used to communicate and even control lesser dragons. Only four exist- one with a black scale, one with a green scale, one with a blue scale, and one with a red scale. A spellcaster must try to attune with it by passing a Charisma 18 save. If they fail with a natural 1- the orb annihilates the person. If they fail, any dragon within 40 miles will be able to command the person without any save allowed (with no restrictions- the controlled person may kill others or themselves!). If they pass, they can communicate with a dragon within 40 miles. If they pass with a natural 20- they may control the dragon with the same colour scales (with all normal restrictions)! A dragon may choose to fail the test and let a mortal take control, but why would a dragon do that?! Greater dragons nearby cannot be controlled and will become infuriated if they sense an orb being used nearby (giving them the 'surge' ability every round). For every orb a brave person has and tries to use, they gain +2 to their save for this process. The artifact cannot be destroyed and is worth only 10gp if sold (it looks more like a 10" trinket than a mighty artifact).
The last known locations of these orbs were in the great elven cities of old- one in the Ruins of Tiascum, one in the tomb of a great warlord, one in the capital vaults of the elves (Marthion), and one in the dragonborn kingdom of Dragonscale. Tiascum has the green scale, Marthion has the blue scale, Dragonscale has the red scale, and the tomb held the black scale. Rumours persist that the black-scaled Dragon Orb suffered the same fate as the Dragonlance.
Dragon-kind
-This world's Dragonborn race has nothing to do with the dragons or dragonlords of these lands. They appeared here long after the other mortal races and set up their own society in the Kingdom of Dragonscale. Their origins are truly unknown, even to the wisest of their kind. As a society, their race is considered academic and are found spreading their knowledge and assistance to any of the other peoples that request it. Their specialties seem to lie in zoology and spelljamming- the power of traveling through the ether between worlds. The kingdom is not known for wanderlust but they have a sense of curiosity that sends students all over the realms. They have a very, very strong sense of family and honour and often rival dwarfs in their stubborness.
-Kobolds can be found all over the world and are as varied as the dragons or mortal races in total. Some Kobold societies are small, peaceful ones that survive in the dark sewers of more populated areas, while some are warlike tribes that fight against dwarfs, goblins, and humans for their dragon masters. All of them aspire to be as powerful as the dragons themselves and all of them know the stories of the dragonlords that build their myths. None are sure if the Kobold race was created by the dragons or the gods, but almost every cult or traditional society has ambitions to free the dragonlords and receive their due recognition (they won't).
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| from Dragonsford |
The most popular Kobold society in the western lands is known as the Cult of the God Dragon. They filled the elven lands with tunnels and settlements nestled in the shadows and eventually found the green Dragonlord's prison. They've spent centuries trying to weaken and finally break the Runes of Pain and divine Chains of Imprisonment that held their figure captive. They've stolen and hoarded knowledge from all the societies in this quest and even discovered certain secrets like the dragon artifacts. But they are old and patient and did not think that they've succeeded. Now, with Green's release, they are desperately trying to get noticed and swear fealty to what they consider the new master of the world. Their cult leader is a powerful wizard and there are multiple champions leading cells stretching from Crystal Branch to Twain to Mt. Silver. This often brings them into contact with the goblins working for the Green Dragon dynasty in Wildwood, but their relationship is chaotic as it often leads to conflict but just as often leads to cooperation. Kobolds will happily help out anyone willing to pay them in riches or true knowledge.
As the Dragonlords terrorized the lands and enslaved the burgeoning societies even as they evolved, the pantheon of a dozen gods galavanted and antagonized the beasts until a great war happened. When the halflings and gnomes were nearly wiped out and the dwarfs and elfs disappeared into their favored lands out of fear, the world had been impacted enough to finally enrage the father-god- Ao. He intervened and punished all the parties, but his punishment for the gods was nuanced. Each of the dozen were turned into avatars to roam the mortal realm. Their punishment would end after 1000 years, but there were other ways to return to their divine realm. Each avatar was bound by three specific rules while stuck as a mortal, and each was limited in their divine powers (priests of the mortal races would gain their power directly from Ao so the gods' absence didn't impact them even more). The three rules were such:
1. You cannot use your station as a divine being to interact with the mortal races.
2. You cannot use your divine powers to interfere in the affairs of the mortal races.
3. You must defend the mortal races against all other divine threats.
Most avatars understood what this meant and were loyal to this oath of punishment. However, ages passed and some of them forgot and began meddling. Each of the avatars had their race, gender, and even special abilities given based on their roles in the Godswar. Otherwise, their stats are almost always the same- a CR5 character with 100HP, but one or two stats at 30. Beyond their abilities, the avatars have collective powers that they can use in the worst-case scenario of another gods war. The most important of these is a ritual to teleport themselves back to GodSpire. But it takes six of them as any threat that brings half of the avatars together is great indeed.
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| from Red Ragged Fiend |
The God of Magic: This was the god that really antogonized everyone. He galvanized the gods against the dragonlords and used his massive powers to encourage aggression and irritation amongst all the races and the parties. Because of his instigatory role, Ao banished him as a human mercenary, named Mikel, that couldn't work magic at all. Worst, he retained his knowledge but had no talent. Eventually, he sought solice by visiting the Oracle of the Elvenqueen and being told of a union between him and a elf maiden to create the savior of the Feywild. His quest eventually led to the creation of a banshee, the awaking of one of the dragonlords, and his daughter's installment as princess just in time for the fall of the Feywild. He finally met his death at the hands of the adventurers tasked with bringing his daughter back to him. With his death, he will now return to imprisonment by Ao at Godspire.
The God of Knowledge: Always the god to instigate, and often claiming for the purpose of "behavioral study", he was despised the most of all the pantheon. As the resident 'know-it-all', he was constantly trying to outsmart everyone with his artifacts and cunning. Because he was the most annoying, Ao sent his in form of a human thief named Pete to the mortal world. Pete found a way back to God Spire and stole an artifact from the god of luck and wealth. When this artifact was found and used to instigate a war against between the goblins and humans, Pete intervened and was killed in a massive explosion. But Pete was still spiteful after Ao's punishment, so he enacted a curse that removed knowledge of the artifact and its whereabouts from the mortal world. He is now imprisoned by Ao and tormented by an imp.
The God of Adventuring and Wanderlust: Always ready for a challenge and never satisfied with peace, this god was known for escalating any situation. He didn't mean to cause any trouble, but his constant role in the Godswar led Ao to banishing him as a female human warrior named Xena, set to wander the land and enjoy the chaos of the mortal races. Coincidentally, the warrioress met the same group of adventurers that killed Mikel, mated with the Dragonborn to follow the same rumoured prophecy as her companion, and met her end in an attack by the awakened green Dragonlord. Her death allowed him to return to Ao's good graces, but he grieves for the loss of the Dragonborn and their child.
The God of War: He never did more than his job, which was to inspire the mortal races and his companions to settle their conflicts with passion. Whether that be organizing the war efforts against the dragonlords or inspiring the Orcish races to invade the human lands, the god wasn't ashamed of any of his actions during the Godswar. Ao understood and banished him as a brave knight with the entire role of guarding against the return of the dragonlords on his shoulders. That human knight was named Sir Knight and spent most his time aiding the elves in their quest against the minor dragons. The avatar continues to wander in the hopes of slaying a dragon. He is AC 30 and can make six attacks in a single round.
The God of Nature : She was completely uninvolved, even as she watched her fellow gods begin a war that would be so destructive. Her own sphere was directly affected as her forests were burned, mountains were leveled, and waterways emptied and dried up. The fertile realms she helped to created and maintain suffered greatly and still she did nothing. Ao was very angry at one of his children showing such apathy at their own responsibility and punished her with the form of a Treant, named Still Oak, and then forcing it to stand constant vigil over the prison of one of the dragonlords. As time trundled along, the tree grew older and slower until eventually a gnome showed up to awaken and accompany it on its mission. The tree is nearly dead but can't enter God Spire until it helps to defeat a dragonlord in some way. Still Oak now wanders with an adventuring party and the gnome. It has Con 30 and is resistant to fire, which can be used as a breath weapon like a young red dragon.
The God of Luck and Wealth: He wasn't hesitant about working both sides, and his natural good-looks and charisma certainly helped with his activities. Playing both sides of the war and acting like a double-agent spy, his antics also angered Ao. As punishment, the god was sent as an old, female human beggar that would never achieve success without the very luck that he was denied. The female avatar took the name of Angela and, luckily, ran into the very adventuring party that would free her companions. Currently, Angela wormed her way into running the adventurers' tavern in the forgotten city. She has a Charisma of 30 and can create food/water/coins.
The Goddess of Chaos: She loved everything about the Godswar, including Ao being upset at everyone and punishing them. She knew she was getting something fun and she wasn't wrong. After deliberating, Ao gave her the form of an old human man man named Smothers and turned him into a sick deviant that would be kicked out of every society he would join. Smothers has endured centuries of gross behaviors leading to exile from scores of cities, and loves all of it. Currently, Smothers is in the human Kingdom of Twain enjoying the strife. He has a Wisdom and Intelligence of 30 and can curse at will.
The Goddess of Life: She was the kind light in all the Godswar, but she prolonged the event by giving everyone escape from pain and damage. She healed everything everywhere all the time and this meant that the destruction visited on the mortals was not felt by the divine and draconic beings causing it. Her mercy caused mercilessness and her patience prolonged suffering. Ao wanted her to learn, so her form was as a male gnome wanderer who could never forget all that happened, named Bobby. The avatar grew tired of this knowledge and began acting like a real gnome- being a nuisance and annoying all those around. Eventually, Bobby found Still Oak and figured out what was happening. Unfortunately, his antics may have caused the awakening of the dragonlord. The gnome is now accompanying the adventuring party that actually did and bringing Still Oak in hopes to find a solution before Ao finds out. He has a Dexterity 30 and can teleport short distances.
The God of Death: Almost always known as the most powerful of the gods below Ao, he very much enjoyed the destruction from the war. Ao banished him in the form of a ghost that must possess mortal beings to act at all. The avatar is named Kelemvor and tries to stay out of all the affairs of mortal realms. But he isn't dumb and realizes that another war is upcoming and has spent his time finding and gathering undead armies. He has the ability to teleport to any corpse anywhere across the mortal lands and can't be turned or destroyed.
The Goddess of Order and Wisdom: She already took the form of men and women and presented herself to all kinds of mortals, carrying words of wisdom or warning. She always tried to protect the mortals from the wiles of her brother god of war and felt that her role as a stormbringer was as beneficial as her role as oracle. During the Godswar, she took on the form of Erathis- a strong human male that embodied righteousness to the embattled mortals below. Despite her role in saving many races and peoples, Ao still banished her as the form of a blind, male elf named Eltharion. Eltharion created a maze that would teach patience and prowess. Only the greatest generals and leaders have passed this maze, but none have defeated Eltharion in combat and had to leave with humility as the final lesson. That was until a polymorphed dragon infiltrated the maze and killed the elf. She was returned to God Spire and now prepares for the upcoming war at Ao's request.
The God of Justice: He tried very hard to prevent the Godswar and constantly obstructed the rest of the pantheon in the hopes of mitigating the damage. He even demanded strong penalties when Ao intervened as he had been so adamant against their actions. Ao, feeling challenged, decided that all of the gods would be punished and none of this pantheon would be spared. For believing that he can judge his companions and overstepping his role, Ao banished him as a Roc that has to patrol Mt. Sunset. Always looking down on the mortal races and yet being trapped on a mountainside and being surrounded by violent and terrible creatures. In bird form, he is called "Dredd" by the surrounding tribes of Orcs. He has Telepathy and can't be slowed.
There is one more avatar...
The God Spire is the mountain, far to the north, protected by the North Star Mountain Range and overlooking all the world down to the equator and the Southern Forests. At the top of the mountain sits the divine realm of the gods and can only be accessed by a powerful teleportation spell ritual. There are currrently four gods, two imprisoned and another crippled by grief, in that home. Of the remaining eight gods still stuck as avatars, one of them is a ghost and can't return, one of them is a tree will soon return, and another is outright missing. To counter the threat of the dragonlords, the avatars will need their powers restored by getting back to the God Spire. One dragonlord may be defeated, but trusting the lesser dragons to help is completely contrary to the Scorpion and Frog fable known across the lands. The avatars will have to come together again.
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| from Ancient Origins |
The "Big Picture"
Long ago, the gods and the dragons were of equal power. Where the gods used their powers to create a playground and fill it with friends and distractions, the dragons used it to corrupt and to claim dominion over. This led to conflict and the war was devastating- so much so that the highest of the gods and the great creator, Ao, intervened and meted out punishment to all parties. The dozen gods were banished to their mortal realm as Avatars, with their powers diminished and only limited access to their sphere's power. The five dragons were each imprisoned across the mortal realm, put to sleep for eternity, and the avatars would guard against those that would threaten the development of their world.
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| by Pavel Atanazov |
Ages passed and knowledge of these "god-dragons" passed from all but the elves, and the even some of the Avatars began to forget their missions and meddled in the affairs of mortals. While they never influenced major events, they nonetheless enjoyed their friends and took for granted that this existance wasn't supposed to be a vacation. Eventually, certain of these avatars forgot their oaths altogether and hatched plans that caused big problems. The avatar of knowledge, disguised as a rogue named Pete, stole a Wand of Cosmic Forces from the avatar of trade and luck. He then hid it in a place that was later found by a human and used to escalate a war with the goblins. When Pete tried to intervene, the wand disappeared and he was killed. His final curse was the knowledge of the artifact and its hiding place shall be lost to the world. Another avatar that slipped from the path was the avatar of magic, disguised as a mercenary named Mikel. He went to the oracles and received a prophecy that led him to relations with an elf to create another avatar that would prevent a war between the Fey and Shadow Realms. Instead, it led to his death by some adventurers and the fall of the Feywild to the Shadow Dragon Lord.
Even with the machinations of the avatars, waxing more ignorant to their true purposes, the world still continued. Eventually, the humans spread and began colonizing the lands abandoned by nature and the elves. Dragons (the lesser kind that men speak of) had warred with the elves even as their kind slowly died away for both sides. The dwarfs long retreated west under the mountains and set up ancestral trade agreements anywhere they could. Society advanced until the world was filled with legends and wanderers. Today, a few groups of adventurers range the surface of the world, trying to solve the mysteries of their age and enrich themselves while doing it. One group, in particular, has a unique perspective as they go through their journey. Equally, they will be the cause of the end of their world and the force that will defeat it.
And that's where the new technology comes in. While my wife and kids are already here (and when the wife is not working), other people that want to play may not have the ability to join us. That leaves me in a bit of a conundrum. As it turns out, there's a great many programs to allow people to play over the internet and adhere to the social-distancing rules. Plus, most of my friends live hundreds of miles away and only visit once or twice a year. So I started looking into those programs to see how they could work. 
The model this time is a Nolzur's Miniatures model of a T-Rex for those RPGs, and a damn fine model it is! It's huge and very well detailed. Better, the plastic is actually good plastic that holds that sharpness much better then the cheaper PVC that Bones models use. And the model is so big that it towered over all my other painting projects- as the King of the Cretaceous should! 
But I still needed to find out what a 'Devil Dinosaur' is. Apparently, the powers that be in Marvel decided many eras ago that a very protective pet monster from every kid's favorite geological period would make a good character, especially against other monsters of the same era and protecting those relate-able kids. I found out that this 'Devil Dinosaur' has protected Moon Boy and Moon Girl over the years. Not wanting to get too deep in my research, I stopped there and got to painting.
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| Got any lollipops!?!? |
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| HAPPY HOBBYING! |
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| The last time I painted some models for others... |
There's a group of guys that I hang out with outside the hobby (although they are comic book nerds, so really just a different hobby) and they are well aware of my obsession. So much so, in fact, that leaving my buddy's house in late November saw a blister pack thrust into my hands and orders given to paint it. The owner is a burly man that takes pride in his machismo, and the model he handed me is apparently his 'avatar'. I had no idea and when I asked our mutual buddy about it, I found that the owner has an old tattoo similar to this on himself . With that, I was motivated to do an even better job than normal.
But here's the kicker- it's a Bones miniature. If you haven't worked with these before, here's the deal- Bones are cheap, accessible models for RPGs that are often copies of metal Reaper miniatures. It's an awesome product line, especially for the poorer gamers among us (the typical miniature is less than $5!). Considering that character models for DnD typically run you around $12-15 each, a low-cost option is more than welcome. Unfortunately, the plastic that Bones miniatures use is PVC, not the resinated plastic that higher quality companies typically use. PVC is not great for priming and painting, even with a hard scrub. In addition, the detail isn't nearly as crisp as I'm used to, meaning that the ability to pick out those details during the paint stage isn't as easy as I'd like. But the models are still really good and not so much a bear to paint that I avoid it.
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| That Rhino was more fun that the last project I did for this guy... |
