CREDITS
D&D Lead Designers: Mike Mearls & Jeremy Crawford
Autumnford Development Lead: Joseph Timmis
Character Options Development: Joseph Timmis, Alex Williams, Kristen Williams, David Brink, Tenoch Bonilla Martinez,
Writing: Joseph Timmis
Editing: Kristen Williams, Alex Williams, David Brink, Lauren Brink,
Tenoch Bonilla Martinez, and Nick Riddle
Art Directors: Joseph Timmis, Lance, more will be added.
Producers: Joseph Timmis, Lydia Timmis
Additional Contributors: Listed here will be additional contributors
Based on the original game created by E Gary Gygax, and Dave Arneson with Brian Blume, Rob Kuntz, James Ward, and Don Kaye
Playtesting provided by: Kristen Williams, Alex Williams, Tenoch Bonilla Martinez, David Brink, Nick Riddle, more will be added as playtesting occurs.
& TO THE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF COFFEE THAT MAKES THIS ALL POSSIBLE.
Contents
Welcome to Autumnford
- Introduction ............................................................................. 6
- What is Autumnford .............................................................. 7
- Calendar and Time ................................................................ 8
- Currency in Autumnford ...................................................... 9
- Daily Life in Autumnford ................................................... 10
Chapter 1: The Story of Autumnford
The History of Autumnford .................................................... 14
- Autumnford after The Fracture ....................................... 16
- Pantheon of Autumnford ....................................... 17
- The Wanderer ............................................... 18
- The Earth Mother ......................................... 19
- The Light Bringer ........................................ 20
- The Eternal Storm ...................................... 21
- The Everpresence ........................................ 22
- Pantheon of Autumnford ....................................... 17
Chapter 2: Factions and Organizations
- Factions in Autumnford ..................................................... 23
- Carnelian Court ........................................................ 24
- Carnival of Shadows ............................................... 25
- Four Winds Trading Company ............................. 26
- Gali Daie ..................................................................... 27
- Iron Way ...................................................................... 28
- Scriptures ................................................................... 29
- Seven Stars ................................................................ 30
- Stewards of Aspiring Revelations ...................... 31
- Tranquil ....................................................................... 32
Chapter 3: Regions of Autumnford
- Regions of Autumnford ..................................................... 33
- Region 1 ..................................................................... 45
- Region 2 ..................................................................... 45
- Region 3 ..................................................................... 45
- Region 4 ..................................................................... 45
- Region 5 ..................................................................... 45
Chapter 4: Extra Character Options
Character Options in Autumnford ........................................ 45
- Additional Race Options .................................................... 46
- Additional Class Options ................................................... 55
- Aasimar ......................................................................... 56
- Dragonborn .................................................................. 58
- Genasi ........................................................................... 60
- Gnomes ......................................................................... 63
- Goliath .......................................................................... 65
- Halflings ....................................................................... 66
- Half-Dryads ................................................................. 68
- Half-Elves .................................................................... 70
- Half-Orcs ...................................................................... 71
- Shallows Merfolk ....................................................... 72
- Tieflings ........................................................................ 74
- Warforged ..................................................................... 75
- Additional Background Options ................................... 194
- Ancient Cultist .......................................................... 195
- Islander ....................................................................... 196
- Engineer ..................................................................... 197
- Stormborn Hunter ................................................... 198
Chapter 5: Adventures in Autumnford
Adventure Hook 1 ..................................................................... 45 Adventure Hook 2 ..................................................................... 45 Adventure Hook 3 ..................................................................... 45 Adventure Hook 4 ..................................................................... 45 Adventure Hook 5 ..................................................................... 45
Chapter 6: Tresures and Equipment
Chapter 7 : Autumnford Bestiary
Beast 1 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 2 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 3 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 4 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 5 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 6 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 7 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 8 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 9 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 10 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 11 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 12 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 13 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 14 ................................................................................... 45 Beast 15 ................................................................................... 45
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Autumford!
Autumnford is a continent on the world of Dralanor, a Dungeons and Dragons setting created by The Nerd Asylum community. More notes from me will go here as a write out the Introduction.
What Is Autumnford
Autumnford is a campaign setting for you to use in a Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition tabletop roleplaying game. It is one of several continents that exist within the larger homebrew world of Dralanor.
Autumnford is a land of high-fantasy, glorious cityscapes floating on magical skylands, idyllic but dangerous countrysides, and eerie ruins of times long forgotten. It is a beautiful land, teeming with all manner of flora and fauna, and a vast diversity of species. Autumnford is the South-Western most region in Dralonor. Separated from the other regions by a massive body of water referred to as The Great Sea and a turbulent wild magic storm called The Tempest , Autumnford is a continent by isolated unto itself.
This book is for both veteren Dungeons and Dragons player looking for a new playground, and new players discovering their love for tabletop adventuring and is intended to be used in conjuction with other Dungeons and Dragons books as a supplement.
If you are a Dungeon Master, this book is designed to help you run a campaign filled with fun, adventure, intrigue, and magic. You will find all new adventure hooks, technology, treasures, and magic to use in your campaign.
If you are a player, this book will help you find and design a character that will fit in perfectly with the turbulent lands of Autumnford. In addition to the races and classes that can be found in the players handbook, you will find additional character options unique to Autumford, such as the Kor race, and the Physician class.
Calendar and Time
Autumnford’s calendar stretches 384 days with 12 lunar months, each lasting precisely 32 days. The relationship between solar and lunar reckonings of time occur with close regularity, Autumnford has nothing like leap days.
There are many different ways of reckoning time across the various cultures of Autumnford, but most cultures have adopted the Soltian calendar, that divides these months into four seasons based on those season’s relationship with the sun. Budwake, Highheat, Redfall and Stormsurge.
The Soltian calendar divides the months into four weeks of 8 days, with two days during the month that correspond with new and full moons.
The Moondays, bright moonday and dark moonday are days of rest that take place during the full moon and the new moon cycles, which takes place every first and thirtysecond day of each month.
Most people do not keep too close to a rigid understanding of time as the passage of hours and minutes. Though their understanding of the passage of time is based on the position of the sun relative to the planet. People can vaguely estimate what hour it is, but clocks and watches are just becoming common tools among the wealthy and most people just try to keep with the rhythms of nature.
| Months | Days of the Week |
|---|---|
| Deepsnow | Moonday |
| Winterwane | Twosday |
| Frostmoot | Wineday |
| Palesun | Thunderday |
| Rainmoot | Fireday |
| Highsun | Swordsday |
| Firemoot | Saintsday |
| Firewane | Octaday |
| Redfall | - |
| Lowsun | - |
| Snowmoot | - |
| Fellnight | - |
Holidays
The holidays of Autumnford mark special occasions, repetitious moments of the season, and events that have indelibly altered the history of Autumnford. Many cultures mark their own special holidays, but there are several that are common to the region as a whole.
Thanks to the ordered, almost clockwork, nature of the movements of the heavens, the sun and the moons, most holidays occur on a regular schedule.
Peace of the Dead
01 - 02 Deepsnow A few days for commemorating those who have passed. People are expected to take small amounts of food and wine to the graves of those family memebers who have passed, and leave it out to honor their souls. Many graveyards have a broad stone altar specifically for this holiday.
On these two days it is considered the worst of luck to speak aloud, and it is believed that speaking during this holiday will attract the attention of the lingering restless spirits of the dead and draw them away from Valtyr’s peace.
Day of Dawn (Vernal Equinox)
09 Palesun This celebration involves greenery and rebirth, children are especially celebrated, and treats are prepared and freely shared. Rabbits feature as a large part of this holiday as symbols of fertility. The Day of Dawn often closes with a large feast in the evening.
The Flower Games
10 - 18 Rainmoot Intended to be a celebration of the fertility of spring, the festival of the Flower Games is mostly celebrated by the younger, more promiscuous citizens of Autumnford and features a licentious, pleasure-seeking atmosphere. Celebrants are encouraged to wear little and compete in impromptu "games" and challenges, the winners receiving laurels of flowers. Drink is expected to flow freely for this festival and all are expected to indulge. The Flower Games can also sometimes involve sacrifices of hares and goats within the temples.
Merrymaker's Day
32 Highsun A holiday almost specifically for tomfoolery, Merrymakers day. Celebrated with a parade presided over by the “elected” king of fools, alcohol flows like water and the revels are expected to last through the night and until the following dawn.
Remembrance Day
28 Firewane Commemorating the destruction of the old world and the Fracture, once a year this day features an annual solar eclipse, When both the moons, Mahina and Celina join together and align to cover the sun.
The Showcase
10-15 Redfall A celebration time honoring the hard work and arts and crafts of the various guilds. Stands and stages are assembled and people put their works on display, showcasing their art, performing their music, or simply hawking their wares.
Hearth Day
32 Fellnight Just before the Peace of the Dead festival, the people are expected to remember those family they still have. Celebrants build their fires and come together to feast as a family. This is expected to be a private, intimate, holiday shared between family in the home.
Currency In Autumnford
The nations of Autumnford, while fighting over territory and kingship, will all honor the same currency exchange rate. Various regions will have more or less depending on their wealth, but all recognize the same currency ;
"The Gold Standard"
The entity responsible for upholding and maintaining
the "Gold Standard" across the nations of Autumford, is the banking group known as the "Autumford Holdings".
Autumnford Holdings
With 189 member cities, staff from all over
Autumnford, and offices in all six Autumnford nations,
Autumnford Holdings is a unique partnership:
six institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing towns and cities. Autumnford Holdings is one of Autumnford’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing populations. Its six institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development.
Partnering With Governments
Autumnford Holdings provides assistance and financial guidance to all developing provinces as well as handling exchanges between government entities, private companies, and a few select private individuals. Autumnford Holdings also has a large hand in the taxation and policies regarding Imports and Exports between the six nations of Autumnford.
International Bank Group
While each sklyland and settlement could have their own Autumnford Holdings locations, governing boards, and articles of agreement, they all work as one to serve the interests of Autumnford and the queen. Today’s development challenges can only be met if private investors are part of the solution. The monarchy sets the groundwork to enable private investment and allow it to thrive. The complementary roles of both the monarchy and our institutions give the Autumnford Holdings a unique ability to connect private financial resources, knowledge, and innovative solutions to the needs of developing provinces, cities, and towns.
Money Exchange Rate
| Coin | Copper | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platinum | 1000 | 100 | 10 | 1 |
| Gold | 100 | 10 | 1 | 1/10 |
| Silver | 10 | 1 | 1/10 | 1/100 |
| Copper | 1 | 1/10 | 1/100 | 1/1000 |
Daily Life in Autumnford
This section is intended to serve as a reference point for broad societal trends that are common throughout the region of Autumnford. There are many divergences from the norm, some great, some small, but wherever they go travelers will find some of these trends.
General Trends
Most skilled labor is handled under the purview of guilds, especially skilled crafts and magic. The usual system of managing guild membership and advancement begins with accepting and training apprentices. Once they reach a certain level of ability, these apprentices are then sent out to travel between multiple different guild masters during a journeyman period of training in order to learn new skills and new ways to apply them. Following this period of study, they then prove their abilities before a group of guild masters to become approved as a full member of the guild themselves.
The guilds are typically held responsible for handling guild business and disputes internally and are a powerful lobbying force, but are forbidden from forming any sort of militia. Many guilds operate between multiple different nations and need to manage their operations to accommodate the various laws of the six nations of Autumnford.
Shipping is a lifeblood industry as it is responsible for connecting people across the skylands and the ground. As a consequence merchant guilds and similar organizations responsible for transit and ships usually command a great deal of power.
Many merchant guilds collaborate with other organizations to facilitate their operations. Communications organizations like post offices and couriers may collaborate with merchant guilds, using their trade routes as their delivery routes. Adventurer guilds will use merchant guilds both to collect and share rumors and jobs and to shuttle adventurers closer to their final destinations.
Airships are often used for surveillance over the ground, and small scout ships can occasionally be seen flying low over the ground looking for people in distress or for signs of monster activity. This practice has its own dangers though, as monsters may attack these ships, flying above them and striking, or launching grappling hooks or other missiles. Some creatures like giants will hurl boulders at these ships, hoping to loot them for supplies or simply defend their territory.
Organized monsters, like the raiding parties or the legions, usually have heavy ballista or guns and cannon intended to shoot down low-flying ships to prevent them from reporting on their activity to any organized militaries.
Rooftops on the ground and sky are designed to be color coded and usually have symbols painted onto the roofs to indicate to anyone flying above what is available and where it can be found.
Gender and Sexuality
The influence and philosophies of knowledge and scientific discovery has encouraged a rather permissive attitude towards sexuality. Openness about sexuality is not considered shameful or discouraged, but open practice is seen as being in bad taste at the very least and discretion is expected in polite society.
All societies still hold the importance of consent along with this permissiveness, and any abuse of that is considered a serious crime, often with the penalty of death. Hand in hand with this criminality is a the utter disdain for anyone discovered to be using coercive magics, such as charming spells. Heavy punishments are doled out for the use of magic in Autumnford, but the discovery of the use of coercive magic is met with the death penalty.
Thanks to the philosophies endorsed by society, gender identity is allowed a great degree of personal expression. It is not entirely uncommon to see males wearing makeup, or females dressed in full plate armor and have short haircuts. While there are some to whom such things may be considered jarring, they are not commonly persecuted or demonnized.
Further, gender is not ever really viewed as any sort of concrete limitation on ability or quality of a person. No one would consider a woman being a warrior or a man being a homemaker to be at all unusual in Autumnford.
Romance & Relationships
Young people are passionate about love and lust, and the elderly don’t necessarily dislike it. Romance is, for the large part, encouraged and enjoyed in the cultures of Autumford.
There is, however, a difference between relationships of passion and love, and relationships like marriage. Marriage is only officially recognized and certified among nobility and is widely considered a contract where love is not a necessary part of that contract.
Most marriages in Autumnford are arranged. The concern is more for arranging alliances or business relations than the happiness of those involved. Although compatibility between the future couple is taken into consideration, they rarely have any real say in the matter outside of indicating their preference.
Since formal relationships among nobility are so strictly controlled, affairs are not looked upon with much disdain, so long as they are handled with courtesy for the situation and discretion for society. There have even been cases of a partner and spouse becoming close friends and acting almost as an extended family.
Common folk will often refer to their chosen partners as lovers or spouses, and will mimic the traditions of noble marriage arrangements including marriage bands and shared housing, lacking only the certificate from the court of Autumnford.
Technology
The closest parallel (in earth’s history) to the technology available to the people of Autumnford would be the 16th to 18th century. The mechanical and industrial innovations of the industrial revolution haven’t even been conceived of. Additionally, a lack of infrastructure and communications tools makes spreading and advancing these technologies difficult at best.
Gunpowder is a common tool for weapons technology and is often used in either simple firearms or simple explosive devices like grenades or powder kegs. However, gunpowder is an inherently dangerous substance, so it is only produced and stored by specific groups and organizations. In addition, firearms have small and intricate mechanisms, and so are only produced by well trained individuals and they are expensive both to own and maintain.
Medical technology keeps about the same level of advancement, but since it’s supplemented with the healing abilities of magic great feats can still be accomplished. The greatest difference from the period is an understanding that cleanliness is connected to health.
The ruins of the ancient world have numerous caches of the technology used by the people of that era, technology that outpaces what those of modern Autumnford could accomplish by centuries. Unfortunately much of it has been irreparably damaged or extremely well protected. In addition, the method for their creation or their maintenance depended on a techno-magical infrastructure that the Fracture devastated.
Sometimes people survive expeditions to the ruins and bring back some of this ancient technology, but because of the gaps, attempts to recreate the things recovered have almost all failed, sometimes disastrously.
Communications
Getting messages through the world is an ordeal in itself, in addition to the distance between people and the comparative rarity of means of travel, there is also a tremendous amount of danger to travelers. Most communications are handled by either the merchants guild using their ships and trade routes for delivery of postage and packaging, or by specific courier companies that have their own ships and flying mounts they use for faster, more reliable, delivery.
Some of the more secretive guilds do employ magical means for communications. Sending stones, scrying, even teleportation is used to communicate over vast distances. However, these tools are expensive and require training and resources to develop. Because of this and the consequences associated in Autumnford with being a magic user, there are extremely few developed and expansive communications networks that employ magic. There are numerous smaller systems to communicate between individuals though.
Print tools are relatively simple affairs, basic printing presses and movable type are available to those who want to use them. Many use these tools to develop newsletters and newspapers that are distributed through merchant guild’s trade routes.
Adventurers
Adventurers take up an important role in Autumnford, acting as mercenaries and irregulars, filling the many different needs of the various groups that employ them. These employer groups can range from peasant farmers that have pooled their resources together, to organized guilds, to militaries, and even to dukes and dutchesses.
Adventurers are typically called upon to handle dangerous situations, devious monsters, the consequences of a wild magic eruption. Their adventures send them up and down the world at the whims of their employers or their own recognizance.
Adventurers are often employed instead of using a standing army, because of their independence and mobility. An army is expensive and needs to be manned and equipped, adventurers are expected to equip themselves. Adventurers can also move more quickly than typical military forces, traveling to distant islands without having to mobilize or organize. They are often employed as irregular mercenaries, sent to either resolve a problem quickly or simply to assess the danger.
Adventurers are also able to travel and act independently of national borders, with the dangers of monster raiding parties and beasts that can act outside of a nation’s borders an adventuring party can be sent outside of borders to address issues that governments can’t, without worrying about the potential of starting a war.
Adventuring Guilds
Typical adventurers act with the coordination and support of adventuring guilds. These guilds operate a guild hall and maintain a membership roster, they also coordinate with various organizations and governments to bring in jobs for the guild membership to perform. Some guilds post the easiest jobs publicly at the entrance to their guild hall, offering these listings to entice people to the reward and adventure available to those who participate in the guild’s adventures.
Guild membership offers many benefits to those who stick with it, senior members have access to the most difficult and rewarding jobs, granting them access to more rewards outside of the guild for services rendered. Guild members also may enjoy discounts on goods and services from other guilds and some governments. Though it is an incredibly difficult and dangerous position, many find the rewards to be well worth the risk.
Adventurers guilds also act as a sort of social club, they provide people with a place to meet people with shared interests and skills. Many burgeoning adventuring groups meet through the guild before going on to storied careers.
Adventuring Parties
The mixed peoples of Autumnford may join together and pool their talents and resources to form adventuring parties, these can range from small groups of a bare handful of individuals to full mercenary organizations. Some of the most popular legends and tales feature the exploits of these adventuring parties and their accomplishments.
Chapter 1
The Story of Autumnford
The History of Autumnford
Pre History
A couple millennia ago, before the world shattering cataclysm known as "The Fracture", five interconnected continents were the seat of a singular powerful empire known as Dralanor. Each of these great empires had built up astounding cultures and magnificent technologies. Dralonor was a utopia and unified under one king for thousands of years.
Referred to as the "Age of Wonders" many of the records from this time were lost in a confounding haze of history, myth, and legend. There are those in Autumford who dedicate their lives to finding artifacts, and scrolls from this time and unraveling the mysteries of the fabled utopia of Dralanor.
This era is also often referred to as the old world or the ancient world. The cities, now ruins, of the old world are one of the few places where people can find very rare and legendary magical items, and are the source of powerful artifacts and valuable knowledge. During this time it is still believed that the gods walked among mortals and shared their perspectives and knowledge, allowing mortal knowledge to advance by leaps and bounds beyond what they otherwise would have been capable of.
The period of peace and prosperity unfortunately began to crumble as more aggressive individuals began small attacks and territory disputes or rebellions against their empire. These eventually descended into all out war as treaties and promises dragged other nations into the conflict. Nations began turning their productions from public good to offensive might. They developed war machines and weapons that they then turned on each other. This war continued for hundreds of years, some believe for almost a millennia, each continental nation turned against each other in devastating world war.
The war brought to legend many heroes and culminated with a grand battle in a place known only as The Void, where heroes and deities alike fought against an ancient God.
The war finally ended when a small group composed of members of each nation and dieties from all the realms tried to stop the fighting, they targeted the ancient god, attempting to trap him away for all time. Instead they destroyed him, sparking off a massive devastation across the entire universe that was referred to as The Fracture.
The Fracture
The devastating magical explosion known across all of Autumnford as "The Fracture" unleashed powerful cascading explosions of raw wild magic. This energy created tremendous devastation across the world. Spurring natural disasters on an unprecedented scale, causing tidal waves droughts, earthquakes hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires.
Magical disasters spread from the cascade, releasing, wild, random magical enchantments upon the land. Uncontrolled summonings and banishments were common and ruptures were broken into to the very fabric of the plane itself, although many of those were sealed by the new gods, most of the old pantheon was thought to have died in the struggle to seal the plane against intruding monstrosities.
The disaster cast entire landmasses up into the sky, enchanting the very dirt and stone and leaving them to hang forever in the sky, never to fall.
The Fracture turned the once great empires immediately into ruins, destroyed the entirety of infrastructure and society and all the systems for crafting magical items and technological equipment. Some of the few survivors were warped by the explosion of magical energy, others found themselves stranded. Monsters that had been enslaved or sealed away suddenly found themselves free to terrorize the world again and did so with a terrible vengeance.
The fracture is a period "remembered" with awe and fear, and many cultures have since used the fracture as a defense for policies of moderation or anti-magic.
After the Fracture
There was a very short time after the Fracture in which many of the surviving species struggled to cope with the harsh new environment of Autumford. Wild magic storms surged across the lands throwing up massive chucks of land causing them to float, suspended above the lands and seperated from them by thousands of feet above ground and ripping open portals to other dimensions, and planes. Savage and brutal beasts poured forth from these divides and wreaked havoc on the grounds in Autumford. These were very hard times of which no records are known to remain.
The Gods War
Following The Fracture, the god known as Eternal Storm was furious with mortals and immortals alike. He saw their arrogance as the sole reason for the Fracture. The Eternal Storm sought to repair the damage and devastation caused by the Fracture and begin the world anew free from the conflicts of the Gods. First, The Eternal Storm turned to the other surviving gods, hoping to recruit them to this cause, some few came to join him, but most of the other new gods refused him. The new gods instead chose to focus on securing more power recruiting followers, exploiting the damage caused by the fracture. So instead The Eternal Storm turned to the surviving humans and other races, promising them divinity in this new world if they assist him in renewing this one. The Eternal Storm raised his armies and brought them in to fight. In response to this, the other gods raised armies of their own, drawing in mortal champions to fight with them. A devastating civil war raged among the gods and across the realms for almost a century befor it was finally ended. An accord to leave Autumnford untouched and uninfluenced is the only thing that could bring the Eternal Storm to agreement.
Centuries after the Gods War, the world returned to some semblance of the prosperity it once held. Life had regrown and the people of Autumford took this opportunity to grow and prosper. They built great towns and cities, built roads, trade routes and amazing machines to aid them in daily tasks. They grew confident, and marvel at their own ingenuity.
The Wild Tempest
The region of Autumnford suffers from infrequent but terrible eruptions of wild magic storms. These are a side effect from the massive release of raw energy during the Fracture. This cracked the structure that governed the flow of energy and the consequences of this have persisted for many centuries since. The wild storms typically erupt as natural disasters or unusually strong lightning storms that cause unpredictable magical effects. These effects are sometimes very bountiful and helpful, like the enlargement or enrichment of crops in the area. But more often than not, the effects of these storms are devastating and the people of Autumnford have come to respect and fear them as a result.
Thankfully, these storms are not as common as they once were. The breaks are gradually being patched where they can, and compensated for where they cannot. But these energies are still present and still occasionally overflowing into the world. They do still happen and occasionally hit unfortunate souls caught within them. There are entire orders of people dedicated specifically to healing the damage caused by wild storms.
Pantheon of Autumnford
A vast majority of people in present-day Autumnford are skeptical of higher powers. Most are
outright atheists, despite the near-universal acceptance of the Old Gods and their mythical feats and legends. There are a few, however, who keep fragments of the
Old Ways alive, those special few who have perhaps caught glimpses of the Old Gods embodied in
physical form.
The present era is one of great conflict in the religious arena. The Old Gods, or
Old Powers of the Earth, fade further into obscurity every day, as "Rational Skepticism"
marches ever onward. Agnosticism and Atheism claim more adherents as the Scientific
Method becomes ever more deeply ingrained in the public mind.
In rural areas among the ground settlements of Autumnford however, temples can still be found and bastions of devotees still cling to the old faiths. A list of the deities worshiped in Autumnford is included below.
The Prime Ascendants
| Deity | Alignment | Province | Suggested Domain | Common Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Wanderer | CG | Curiosity, Enlightenment, Growth | Arcana, Knowledge, Trickery, | TBD |
| The Earth Mother | N | Balance, Peace, Perseverance | Knowledge, Life, Nature, Unity | A Horned Lotus |
| The Guiding Light | NG | Truth, Conviction, Examination | Life, Light, Unity, Virtue | Blue and Silver Starburst |
| The Eternal Storm | CN | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| The Everpresence | LN | Judgment, Justice | Death, Grave, War | Skull with scales in the teeth |
The Wanderer
Blurb about the deity goes here.
Depiction. Describe the deity here.
Holy Day. Talk about the holy day of the deity here.
COMMANDMENTS OF THE WANDERER
- Commandment 1
- Commandment 1
- Commandment 1
The Earth Mother
The followers of the Earth Mother seek to better themselves and guide those around them towards harmony, connection, and reverence for the natural world.
Depiction. The Earth Mother has many forms across Autumford, but is most often depicted as a strong female minotuar with abnormally long and antler-like horns.
Holy Day. Talk about the holy day of the deity here.
COMMANDMENTS OF THE EARTH MOTHER
- Nurture life, asserting no possession over it.
- Practice peace, yet do not fall in the name of it.
- Seek balance in all things, balance leads to serenity.
The Guiding Light
Guardian of truth and bringer of light, The guiding light is a deity that has followers from all walks of life. They are to bring the truth to light and do what is right above the laws of man. The laws of men are not always true or right, as they often allow people to be taken advantage of. A king taking advantage of their people is just as evil as a bandit extorting people and should be treated as such.
Depiction. Tapestries and paintings that depict the Guiding Light often show either a human with dark eyes, framed by long, wavy, brown hair and silver dragon scales across his left cheek, or a massive Silver Dragon.
Holy Day. The Guiding Light's holy day is called The Feast of Light and is held on the 20th day of Highheat. the followers of The Guidling Light celebrate by spending all day from dawn to dusk outside their homes with food, drink, and laughter. It is tradition to leave a seat at the table for the Guiding Light as it is believed he often makes appearances to his followers during this festival.
COMMANDMENTS OF THE LIGHT BRINGER
- Treat all people as equals, beggers to kings.
- Always examine the intentions of others.
- Act on your own convictions, not the will of others.
The Eternal Storm
Blurb about the deity goes here.
Depiction. Describe the Eternal Storm.
Holy Day. Talk about the holy day of the deity here.
COMMANDMENTS OF THE EARTH MOTHER
- Commandment 1
- Commandment 1
- Commandment 1
The Everpresence
All will cross paths with the Everpresence when their time comes. It is inescapable, just and right. All beings will be judged in the end and it is the job of the followers of the Everpresence to stand against injustice in all things. To die is a gift and it is our priviledge to tend to the dead and to console the living. Death is not to be feared, but celebrated.
Depiction. The Everpresence has changed in appearance over the millennia, but two things have remained the same. Long white hair, and an inordinately long curved sword.
Holy Day. The first day of Fellnight is known to devout followers of the Everpresence as Tasking Day. On this day each year, the most dedicated followers of the Everpresence push themselves to accomplish the most extreme and grueling of tasks. Death is a common occurrence although not intended.
COMMANDMENTS OF THE EVERPRESENCE
- Fight injustice wherever it may be found.
- Undeath is an abomination. All must be judged.
- The world is on the edge of my blade. Without balance, it will fall.
Chapter 2
Factions and Societies
Factions in Autumnford
The societies of Autumnford will never share a
common communication system and the infrastructure for convenience demanded of her citizens, so long as it is split into warring factions.
- Archduke Reginold Uhrilk VenStein,
The Collected Works of the Enlightened Age
There are many groups that operate independently of the governments of the world, or are portions of those governments that have gained the power to operate in accordance with their own goals . Orders of knights and monks, trading guilds, underground thieves organizations, or simply a group of people bound by common cause can all bind themselves together under a single banner and become more powerful by their unity.
Autumnford is large, and travel is difficult, but some groups take advantage of the few means of travel and communications that span the continent to establish Factions. Some of these groups are politically powerful and closely organized and controlled, others are loose and decentralized, not solely bound by rank and organization, but by a shared set of beliefs or tradition that unifies them.
These people hold pride in the path they’ve chosen and will often mark themselves or carry tokens to signify their devotion. The people of Autumnford live complicated and It is not entirly uncommon for a citizen of Autumnford to be affiliated with or have ties to multiple factions and organizations.
The Royal Carnelian Court (RCC)
Autumnford has been a monarchy for as long as records hold. The queen of Autumnford commands a massive army of soldiers and specialized warriors, as well as experts in science and technology. This army, named after their carnelian colored uniforms, maintain outposts and garrisons all across Autumnford and is very well funded and maintained.
The Carnelian Court exists primarily to ensure the safety of Autumnfords citizens from the dangerous and aggressive creatures that wander the wild skies and lands of Autumnford, in addtion to the lingering wild magic storms that still occasionally ravage the continent. They also allow the queen to maintain a social structure and order within the borders of Autumnford and serve as emissaries of the crown.
Goals
The Carnelian Court exists to serve the crown, however the court has been granted authority from the queen to act in the best interests of Autumnford and her people in the absence of direct orders.
Relationships
The queen utilizes the vast and plentiful resources of Autumnford along with the tariffs gathered from wealthy citizens among the skylands to protect her people and maintain control over Autumnford and its people.
Figures of Interest
The Queen
Margaret Caskbow
Lawful Good, Female Half-Elf
- Lives in: Gravendrift, Saxondale
- Occupation: Nobility, Diplomat
- Languages Common
- Personality Traits: She exudes a pleasant charisma. She is a tour de force of persuasion. She is a logical person and will generally grow upset if things defy logic and science.
- History: Trained by her father for as long as she can remember she had it drilled in her head that it was her duty to serve her country. Some years later her spouse died after the birth of her son, leaving the throne of Autumnford to her. Heartbroken, Margaret never married again. Instead she focuses her life to raising her son whom she trained as her father had trained her before.
- Motivation: To get a good night's sleep. And to share knowledge with the world for the betterment of her people.
The Prince
Henry Caskbow
Chaotic Neutral, Male Human
- Lives in: Gravendrift, Saxondale
- Occupation: Nobility, Diplomat
- Languages Common
- Personality Traits: She exudes a pleasant charisma. She is a tour de force of persuasion. She is a logical person and will generally grow upset if things defy logic and science.
- History: Trained by her father for as long as she can remember she had it drilled in her head that it was her duty to serve her country. Some years later her spouse died after the birth of her son, leaving the throne of Autumnford to her. Heartbroken, Margaret never married again. Instead she focuses her life to raising her son whom she trained as her father had trained her before.
- Motivation: To get a good night's sleep. And to share knowledge with the world for the betterment of her people.
The Carnival of Shadows
The Carnival of Shadows is an unscrupulous shadow network that seeks to expand its influence and power throughout Autumford. Not much is known outside of the secretive organization, except that they take on assassination missions and various other, less civilized, matters when the coin is good. Nothing is known about how to contact them either, leaving many to believe they are nothing more than a story told by those who wish to blame others for their own crimes. They tend to leave behind their mark, which fuels this theory, the only reason their existance is felt in Autumnford.
Members of the Carnival of Shadows are spread far and
wide, and usually operate in isolation. They learn to
depend on themselves more than others.
Memebers do not join the Carnival of Shadows, but rather are recruited by current members.
Goals
Relationships
Figures of Interest
NPC Name
Four Winds Trading Company (FWTC)
One of the few organizations that reliably trades across Autumnford is the Four Winds Trading Company. It has outposts in almost all the skylands, as well as most settlements on the ground. The Four Winds Trading Company hires executives that plan the routes and arrange the deals, captains that sail the ships, as well as crew, dockhands, harbor-men and dozens of other different positions that help the company to function.
The Four Winds Trading Company also hires a large number of agents to act outside of their traditional sailing operations and promote the company’s interests. This may range from guarding employees or cargo, to industrial espionage or even rarely assassination.
There is a well known but seldom discussed dark underbelly to the FWTC. A smuggling ring. Groups of the company’s ship captains and company executives, along with a small cadre of dock employees that arrange the transport of illicit goods, and sometimes even people running from the law, between the nations when bureaucracy and local trade laws stand in their way. Drugs, weapons, outlaws, as well as whatever else they may be paid to move, find themselves hidden in the holds of unchartered Four Winds ships.
Goals
The publicly stated goals of the Four Winds Trading Company are simple. To make profit for their shareholders, while maintaining a reputation for the highest quality goods and setting the standard for ethical business practices. However, the true goal of the company is hidden from view and known only to those within the higher ranks of the company. They seek out and attempt to recover the artifacts known as Arc Shards presumed to be scattered across all of Autumnford. These ancient relics from the Fracture are said to contain vast power and knowledge lost long ago during the cataclysm. The most alluring of these powers are the arcane energies the shards emit that quell the raging storm known as The Tempest, allowing expansion into new lands across the Great Sea. With one of the six shards now collected, the Four Winds Trading Company are desperate to locate and recover more.
Relationships
Figures of Interest
NPC Name
The Gali Daie
Long before the Fracture, there was an ancient order of spiritualists and peace keepers known as the order of the Gali Daie. After the Fracture, many of their best members were taken during the Gods War. Some of them split off, intending to use their powers to seize control of the fractured world and force order to the chaos through an iron fist. This caused a civil war between the order’s remainig membership. At the conclusion of this, there were painfully few left. They disbanded, each seeking to carry on the goals and ideals of the order alone.
The Gali Daie are a mysterious and secretive faction, dedicated to the understanding of the wild energies that suffuse existence to the material realm and using that knowledge to improve themselves in the hopes of becoming one with that energy. The Gali Daie no longer have any sort of recognized central authority or organization, but are joined by their shared traditions and observances.
The Gali Daie follow the tenets of their code:
- Emotion, yet peace.
- Ignorance, yet knowledge.
- Passion, yet serenity.
- Chaos, yet harmony.
- Death, yet life.
Outside of their code, the Gali Daie must swear to wear no crowns, to offer their aid when they are able, to show mercy when possible, and to give respect to all life.
Goals
The goals of the Gali Daie are not defined by the goals of the faction, but that of personal growth and betterment. The ultimate goal of a Daieist is to become one with the "Void" and nature and to let go of worldly ambitions and to flow with the natural course of events. Daieists concentrate their attention fully on nature in order to discern the characteristics of the Void. Once Daieists become one with the Void, they are not allowed to speak of it. If they speak of the Void, they do not truely know the real Void. Daieists view the world as materialistic and vain, because they are concentrating on letting go of materialistic items. Daieists have a deep mistrust of logical thought and conventional knowledge, simply flowing with nature.
Relationships
The Gali Daie have no official connection to any of the other factions or government offices in Autumnford, and they tend to shy away from any formal affiliations. While individuals that claim membership to the Gali Daie could have associations with the other factions and groups of Autumnford, because of the lack of structure, the Gali Daie have never made any official recognized alliances or relationships.
Figures of Interest
Catadoru
Neutral, female half-elf
Catadoru was born during the time following the Gods War, into a wealthy family as an heiress in the region known as the Jade Plateau. Although she had an easy life, Catadoru was moved by the suffering in Autumford. Catadoru left the Jade Platuae and traveled across all of Autumnford searching for The Wanderer. After thiry-six years of hardship and searching, Daieists believe Catadoru found The Wanderer meditating under a Floatwood tree. Catadoru then spent the rest of her life teaching others and spreading the philosophies of the Gali Daie.
The Iron Way
The iron way began with the legends of the iron scrolls, a massive library of text stored within the great halls of the battlefield, the warring place for the glorious dead where their souls defend the plane. These scrolls contains the legends of great heroes and their famed exploits. Everyone who achieved martial glory finds themselves written of in the iron scrolls. Adherents of the iron way seek to have their legends written down for eternity and so they seek out causes and challenges in order to prove themselves and their skills.
Followers of the Iron way set out to prove themselves always, they never turn down a challenge and will gladly rush into battle, what holds them together as a cohesive order is that an adherent of the iron way will always heed the call of another, coming to their aid without thought of reward. Adherents of the iron way will also target other followers to the exclusion of everything else should they meet on opposing sides of the battlefield.
There is no formal way to join the iron way, you are simply required to be strong and to wish to follow the ways tenets. However, if one who says they follow the way abandons it, they may face violent retribution from “true” followers, who despise such betrayal.
Goals
Relationships
Figures of Interest
NPC Name
The Scriptures
An assortment of universities and centers of learning, both magical and mundane, the scriptures seek knowledge of all kinds and will send out their agents to carry texts between institutions and to seek out new or ancient knowledge. The scriptures are nearly always backers of expeditions into any ruins of the ancient world.
“The Magpies” are the lower members of the scriptures, they are the ones who travel the world, collecting scraps and pieces. Often they work as teachers, lecturing people on basic reading, writing, and arithmetic and sharing some of the knowledge they’ve collected. The magpies are not the best funded of the scripture agents, so this teaching also serves as a way of making ends meet.
Membership of the scriptures is restricted to professors of institutes of learning, but they do employ numerous agents to secure their goals.
Goals
Relationships
Figures of Interest
NPC Name
The Seven Stars
An adventuring guild that accepts only the best. This guild operates similarly to the way other guilds operate, taking in quests and requests and sending its members out to deal with the requests. However, the Seven Stars takes most of its jobs from other guilds, taking the most difficult tasks that other guilds simply cannot deal with. They accomplish their global reach through a network of flying mount breeders and airship makers. This network is carefully protected and maintained. The stars also have an extensive support network and a small number of lesser members to help swell their ranks should they need it.
The Seven Stars has a brand, burned into the right shoulder that they use to mark their members, it is rumored that the act of being branded into the seven stars bestows strength by itself, though no members will say.
Joining the seven stars requires recruitment from one current member of the guild, and approval from at least three other active members. There are only seven official, “branded,” members of the stars at any one time, if one should fall, an offer to attempt a trial for full membership will be extended to several candidates, each proposed by another member.
Goals
Relationships
Figures of Interest
NPC Name
The Stewards of Aspiring Revelations
For centuries, The Stewards of Aspiring Revelations have been the source of the greatest inventions of mankind. Invention and progress have become the lifeblood of the skylands. Therefore, the nobles, seeking to protect their status, power, and wealth, united together and built massive vaults to contain and protect the blueprints of these designs.
Seizing direct control, though the production plants and the official sanctioning of inventions, they now control the flow of inventions and their production.
Joining the Stewards of Aspiring Revelations requires both an invaluable invention to be sanctioned by the current board members, and approval from a majority vote of the other active members. There are currently eleven official noble families on the board, if one should fall or fail to produce an heir, a trial for full membership will be extended to several candidates, each proposed by another member.
Goals
Relationships
Figures of Interest
NPC Name
The Tranquil
Wild magic leaves a mess in its wake and there are those who are dedicated very simply to the healing of the damage that an eruption of wild magic causes. The tranquil are people dedicated to finding a way to ease this disaster. They are skilled healers and cursebreakers and have found ways to smooth out the ruffled weaves of magic that can still cause troubles even after an eruption has passed.
Most of the tranquil felt called to join the cause after suffering the effects of a storm themselves, others joined through the church, coming together to try to serve the people of Autmnford, by healing the wounds of wild magic. Others simply hope to restore the world to a peaceful state, dreaming of a vision of a world without the threat of wild magic.
Members of The Tranquil are not required to all hold the same beliefs about magic, but all seek to heal those effected by it.
Goals
Relationships
Figures of Interest
NPC Name
Chapter 3
Regions of Autumnford
Regions of Autumnford
The regions of Autumnford are broken up into the six nations, Barcombe, Ebonaghn, Nouthway, Saxondale, Silvera, and Wispora. The nation of Saxondale houses the queen's castle and is seen as the capitol nation in Autumnford. Each of the other five nations have a representative in the queen's court, but have the freedom to run their region locally with their own customs, traditions, and laws provided they follow the mandates laid out by the queen.