Let the adventure begin! This post will summarize the first adventure of the Redstone Alliance. This story took 3 session to unfold and allowed the players to meet each other’s characters for the first time.

As the last snowfall of winter melted and the warmth of spring rose from the east Denaro entered the lakeside town of Hailing Cove. Looking for a place to stay he ran into Iodani, who offered him lodging. As Iodani showed this strange newcomer around the town, the two overheard how fishermen were disappearing, heading out to fish and not returning. Curious and wanting to help the two investigated the coast looking for signs of the missing villagers. Traveling the coast they noticed a flipped rowboat and signs of footprints running into the forest, with clawed footprints trailing behind.

After some time following the trail the two heard commotion up ahead. Rounding the bend they witnessed a weary fisherman hanging onto the upper branches of a tree with half a dozen pale undead attempting to claw their way up. Iodani and Denaro attacked the undead and found themselves overwhelmed, fining aid in three newcomers, Greenbriar, Velicinnia, and Iniel. With backup, they quickly eliminated the undead. Speaking with the fisherman they learned he was attacked when his boat drifted near the southwestern side of the lake.

After escorting the fisherman back to the town the five decided to investigate seeing the town guard will well under equipped to deal with the situation on their own. Deciding to walk around the lake the party approached the southwestern shore and were harried by another cluster of drowned undead. Investigating the area they found signs of activity heading into the water. While debating whether to jump into the water or not the slain undead rose from the ground to fight again as more emerged from the water. Barely managing to escape, the party returned to town and argued about what to do next.

Lets meet the last character in our party, Iodani Torvu, the half celestial bard.

Iodani was born in the Kingdoms of Oudora, north of Astoria. When she was born, a pair of skeletal wings sprouted from her body. Reappearing whenever under great stress. Unsettled by the strange, possibly dark, magic that surrounded their child, her parents put her up for adoption.

Adopted by the Torvu family Iodani lived in relative poverty. When she was 15, the Dominion’s invasion of the Kingdoms of Oudora had begun. Fleeing her hometown she was struck by debris from an explosion, losing her eye. To make matters worse, she got separated from her family. Struggling to escape the advancing invasion Iodani met a Tiefling bard named Libitina. The traveling bard was also escaping the city, and choose to bring Iodani with her along with a handful of other fleeing townsfolk.

Libitina became Iodani’s mentor. Teaching her how to control her emotions and express herself through song and dance, finding out that through it she could channel magic. The two became a duo, playing in towns across the scattered countryside for coin. Eventually, though luck or fate, running back into her family in the town of Hailing Cove. Here Iodani would stop her travels for a bit, spending time helping her family get back on their feet. Until one day she saw a strange figure wandering though town wearing purple robes.

Next week we shall begin recounting the first session of the campaign!

Hello everyone. This week we will take a break from character backstories to discuss some of the history of the 2nd known continent, South Syonel. However, before we jump into that history I would like to ask any readers, would you rather I continue with the story of the campaign or shall I discuss the process of me DMing it? Would you be more interested in just the story or how I run my games. Please let me know down below.

Recorded History in South Syonel starts at the end of the Abyssal War. The people of the world had begun the process of rebuilding and with their ambition and drive to constantly move forwards humans began to outpace the elves, dwarves, and dragonborn. Their populations grew and took up most of the continent. This didn’t worry the other nations and species of the continent until Lucius Varani rose to power. Once one of the many hundred human warlords who claimed power at the end of the Abyssal War, Lucius wanted to see his families power grow and last for eternity. He conquered the other human warlords and fledgling nations forming the Varani Dominion. After all human nations were brought into the fold and cities were rebuilt Lucius’ successor looked to the elves for continued conquest.

The Dominion invaded the Verdant Woods, home of the Forest Elves. Their invasion led to a war that would last over 1000 years. The front line constantly moving as Dominion armies attacked and Elven armies counterattacked. After some time, the southern dominion territories began to feel different towards the war and the leadership of the Dominion. It was their lands that were ravaged by conflict and their people who suffered, while people to the north profited off the spoils of war. These three southern territories would rise in rebellion forming the Turrisat Alliance.

The Alliance would’ve crumbled under the military might of the Dominion if it wasn’t for the Elves that they were at war with. Elven leadership looked at this civil war and instead of using it as an opportunity to prepare defenses or launch further counterattacks they supported the Alliance. Together they pushed the Dominion back and were able to push for a peace treaty.

This leads into the modern era where the three nations have a tense peace. This is where i’ll leave the story at. I don’t want to make this post any longer than it already is. Next week we’ll hear about our last character backstory, Iodani.

I hope everyone is staying healthy! This week we will look into the party’s wizard, Denaro Galgamy, hailing from the Varani Dominion.

Denaro Galgamy was born a child of nobility. The powerful Palatinate family ruled over the Boiling Gulf, one of the many districts in the dominion. The family was well respected in regards to their skill in trade and naval power. The youngest in the family, Denaro grew up in the shadow of his siblings not excelling in political intrigue or the art of bargaining and trade his father sent him to the Arcane Praxium to study enchanting magic.

Denaro struggled to learn magic. It didn’t help that he was uninterested in the subject. That was until he met Juniper Galgamy, a wood elf. Another student at the academy he ran into her taking a late night walk. In the secluded trails outside campus she was practicing a strange form of magic that weaved spell, song, dance and sword into one. Against what his country told him this supposed barbaric elf wielded beautiful and interesting magic. Eventually he revealed himself to her and after a tense first conversation he began to learn the art of Bladesong from her. This form of magic inspired him and he begain to take to his studies.

Though one fateful day the two were discovered and Junpier fled the wizards who were now hunting the elf that infiltrated a prestigious Dominion academy. When Denaro’s father found out he pulled Denaro from the academy and excommunicated him from the family, damning him for putting a mark on the Palatinate name. Fearing his father’s retribution Denaro took the last name of Galgamy to hide his identity and fled to the fractured state of Astoria. Where he would run into Iodani in the small town of Hailing Cove. Who we will get to meet next week.

I hope you all are staying healthy! Before we get started I want to note this backstory gets a little darker than the rest, mentioning slavery and the sorrows that follow it. With that aside, let us meet Inniel Dalenthann, freedom fighter and cleric of Erevan Ilesere.

Inniel grew up far south from where our story takes place. On the continent of South Syonel in the Wild Reach. A massive forest home to many elves. When she was in her early teens her family was kidnapped by slavers scouring the coast. Since that day her life was forever changed. She was sent to the Dominion and her owners quickly found out how much of a problem this child was. Causing minor damage to property, sneaking out regularly to aid food stores, and even fighting against her handlers. She would be separated from her parents to try and punish her, she would be forced into manual labor and beaten but nothing quelled the fire in her. Eventually she would be sent to a cursed land called the Malady as punishment.

In the disease ridden swamps Inniel would continue her usual antics. Her punishment this time would not be targeted at her. When she was caught her handler took an elf child Inniel had taken under her wing and killed them in front of her. Locking Inniel in a cell with the corpse for three days. This would break Inniel into submission until she would get a chance to escape nearly 20 years later.

Inniel would witness and elf break into the complex she and the others were trapped in and assassinate their masters, offering to lead the elves to freedom. Inniel would instead join this elf, Sumnes Caerdonel, and become a freedom fighter. Over this time period Inniel would grow to worship the god Erevan Ilesere, god of tricksters, mischief, and freedom. After working with the freedom fighters for many years Inniel would get caught and a bounty placed on her head. She would flee the continent and head to North Syonel in hopes to make a sanctuary for escaped elves and perhaps a second front for the liberation of her people.

Hello everyone! This week we will be meeting Veliccinia Everdeen, a knight from the Farassi League.

Veliccinia lived a happy peaceful life in her families estate. She spent much of her time with the house master at arms learning how to fight, politics and intrigue was never her thing. The Everdeen family ruled over the city Palavin. Known for its master craftsmen if you wanted to be the best at your craft you went to Palavin. Her family was the best smiths and enchanters in the Farassi League, and perhaps all of Astoria.

The powerful Everdeen family wasn’t without its enemies. The Grimaldi’s had a bitter rivalry with the Everdeens and after years of subtle back stabs and slights they took violent action. Under a banner of repairing the two houses relations the Grimaldi’s attacked, slaughtering the Everdeen household guard and Veliccinia’s parents. Veliccinia barely escaped with her sister, Liliana. The only things they had to remember their home was the swords that their father had crafted for them. The two traveled for a few days until they reached a nearby town. Their plan to call for help was halted with a Dominion army marched upon the city, their invasion having just begun. The two sisters were separated in the chaos.

Veliccinia traveled the countryside doing her best to survive in the war torn land. A group of bandits would attack her, attempting to steal the well made sword on her. She drove off the bandits and caught the attention of a near by soldier. This soldier, Artorias, would teach her more in the arts of swordplay and she eventually joined the Farassi Militia in the last years of the war.

After the war Veliccinia took to searching the countryside to find where her sister went, hoping to find her alive. And to maybe someday get enough allies to take back Palavin. This adventure would lead her to Greenbriar, where our campaing will start… once we get through the backstories of the rest of the party. Next time we will hear about Iniel, the Freedom Fighter.

Loring.

People have preconceived notations when they hear people talking about Lore. They might think its dorky fiction, but why? There’s lore all around us. All these things you know about your favorite celebrities, and the narratives around them, it’s all a form of lore. Let’s run through a couple instances. 

First LeBron James, the King.  He comes from nothing and fought through adversity to arise to earn his title the king. He’s created Dynasties and toppled them. Where he goes his loyal subjects (fans) will follow. He’s a righteous and caring King (the man built a school). Any adversary had better be wary when crossing his path, even when you have the advantage (warriors blew a 3-1 lead). 

In stark contrast to the righteous and noble King, we have Ozzy Osbourne. The Prince of darkness. Reasonable for corrupting the minds of the youth. Maybe not so much anymore, but for the better part of 2 and half decades Ozzy Osbourne was projecting his anti-family friendly, drug fueled persona onto the minds of impressionable youth. As parent you would’ve been terrified to find out your son our daughter is joining the army of the prince of darkness. Will your son or daughter be the next to bite the head off a bat? You should hope not. 

One more just to drive the point home. Kayne West, the Bard. The writer of songs heard around the world. The manifestations of his mind are mystery, but also so plain and obvious when he puts them in a song. He’s not to be confused for the King’s jester. 

I guess my point here is that Lore isn’t lame or boring. It makes a fictional game fun. It’s gives it depth it, it gives characters motives, it gives characters character.  ​

Hello again! This week we will be looking at the first of our five player characters for the Red Stone Alliance. This is the character’s backstory. What they have done and been through before the start of the campaign. With that little aside out of the way meet Greenbriar, the dark elf dreamwalker druid of Three Trees.

Greenbriar is from the small village of Three Trees. A humble farming community that sits in a valley between the mountains in the southern corner of South Syonel. Called Three Trees due to a trio of ancient ash trees that are home to three Dryads who protect the valley and the village.

A villager found Greenbriar nestled in the hollow that served as an altar for the villager’s offerings to the forest spirits. A child with two verdant eyes, midnight blue skin and a head of silver hair. When asked for the child’s name the three spirits whispered Greenbriar and from then on the mysterious elf boy was called Greenbriar, Child of the Sisters.

Greenbriar would serve as a messenger between the villagers and the three Dryads, who he called his mothers. Whether an extraordinary true blooded child of the fey creatures or not the Sisters raised him as their own. Teaching him how to use the resources the natural world provided, but also how to sue the magic that existed in the earth and sky to alter it. As he grew older they taught him how to use a sling and sickle as well so he could become a protector of the valley. Though Greenbriar felt the weight of the role’s responsibility, he spent much of his time fishing, monitoring his apiary, or exploring the caves taht twisted underneath the valley rather than training with weapons or poisons.

As Greenbriar neared his thirteenth birthday tragedy struck the small village. One of his mothers, Brozebough, began to slowly wither. A insidious disease or curse took root in her tree and drove her to madness. In this deranged state she attacked the village and Greenbriar rose to fight his own mother to defend the people… and died doing so…. when Greenbriar’s heart beat next, it was not his own, but, rather, Brozebough’s glowing plant like equivalent. Resurrected by his two other mothers, Silverleaf and Coppercrown, who used Bronzebough’s heart in an obscure ritual to restore life to their adopted child.

In the aftermath the villagers fled the valley and called it cursed. The villagers no longer seeing the dryads as protectors but evil spirits whose fickle moods led to the attack of Bronzebough. The Verdant Valley would become the Cursed Vale and soon an evil spirit would come and attempt to wrestle control away from the two forest spirits that remained. To protect Greenbriar the sisters sent the elf boy away, maybe to someday return with allies and save the valley. Greenbriar traveled east to the Morabasi Coast, north through the Oorakardi Steps, and found himself in the Heartland of Astoria where he found Velicinia. The character we shall learn about next week!

Greetings reader! Today I will briefly describe the continent of North Syonel, giving you some background information before jumping into character backstories.

The world has just exited a period of chaos and recovery. Surviving a horrible war against the demons of the abyss that left the world scarred the last few centuries have been recovery. While nations still bicker over land scholars have declared a new age, one of progress. Ancient ruins from before the war are being unearthed and explored, brave explorers have left the continent to explore the ocean and see what lies out there, and arcanists explore distant otherworldly realms and discover new forms of magic. It is an age of discovery. The story starts in North Syonel.

While there is more to the continent shown here, we will only be seeing the southern end of North Syonel and won’t be seeing any of South Syonel today, i’d like to welcome you to the fractured nation of Astoria!

This is Astoria. Seven years ago the nation was invaded by the Varani Dominion, a powerful empire that puts humanity before all other races. The Dominion exists mostly in South Syonel, and is often mistrusted at best by others due to their antagonistic leadership and being the only nation that still allows slavery. The conflict lasted 2 years, Astoria being occupied for most of that time. The war ended thanks to Astoria’s northern allies, The Kingdoms of Oudora, driving the Dominion back. With many of the archmages and noblemen that held the nation together dead the kingdom fell apart and is now four separate kingdoms: The Morabassi Coast to the south, The Farassi League to the east, The Oorakardi Steps in the center, and Remnants of Astoria making up the rest of the map.

Someday our heroes might reunite the greedy Morabassi merchants, the bickering Farassi lords, and savage Oorakardi tribes but their story starts with the Remnants of Astoria.

The Remnants of Astoria, often called the Heartland, is the former capitol of the nation. While no battles were fought on the territory many people left to fight in the war and didn’t return. While I thought i’d show you where the campaign is taking place I want to avoid detailing anymore so you can learn of the different locations along with the players!

This is only a glimpse at the world i’ve been working on. If you would like to learn more feel free to leave a comment, approach me after class, or shoot me an email.

Before I start regaling the tales of my Dungeons and Dragons party, the Redstone Alliance, I should probably explain what Dungeons and Dragons is. Dungeons and Dragons is a table top role playing game. Typically played by 5 to 7 people, one being the Dungeon Master (DM for short). The DM runs the game and presents a narrative or obstacles for the players to overcome.

What does the Dungeon Master do?

The best description for what a Dungeon Master does lies in the 2015 Dungeon Masters guide. “The Dungeon Master (DM) is the creative force behind a D&D game. The DM creates a world for the other players to explore, and also creates and runs adventures that drive the story. An adventure typically hinges on the successful completion of a quest, and can be as short as a single game session. Longer adventures might embroil players in great conflicts that require multiple game sessions to resolve.” (D&D Dungeon Masters Guide pg 4).

The dungeon master plans the adventures. Setting up the people they meet, monsters they fight, and everything in between. The dungeon master is functionally the narrator and everything in the world other than the player’s character. My next post will go over the world I created for this campaign and some of its history to give you all some context before jumping into who the characters are and the players behind them. Speaking of players…

What does the Player do?

The players purpose is simple on the surface, all they gotta do is play the game! But looking into it there are nuances to it that are not immediately clear. To play the game you need a character. Making a character is more than just deciding that you want to play a Fighter or a Wizard but its making a person that you will role play as. Its like writing a protagonist from a movie or a book. Someone with personality traits, flaws, motivations and more. Who was this person before they became an adventurer? After I write about North Syonel, the continent my campaign is taking place on, I’ll write on the five characters in the campaign to show what all goes into making a character! Stay tuned for that in the coming weeks.