Desperado Desert (DnD Campaign Setting)
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Contents |
| Takumi Riftwalker, Catfolk Ninja (talk) | |
|---|---|
| Date Created: | April 20,2006 |
| Status: | Not done till end of summer... |
| Editing: | Please feel free to edit constructively! |
[edit] Introduction to the Desperado Desert
The Desperado Desert campaign setting is meant to establish a western steampunk atmosphere while at the same time incorperating aspects of classic D&D and the fantasy genre. The Desperado Desert, a lawless wasteland plane full of semi-advanced technology, sand ships, gunblades and other unique aspects of Old Time Westerns and D&D settings. Also note that much of the material here is compatable with much of the material from the D&D supplement Sandstorm, however I'll try to put as much information needed as possible.
[edit] The Desperado Desert
[edit] Geography
The whole Desperado Desert campaign is set on the distant, desert plane of Harenia and is occupied by a number of rare flaura and fauna found only in the plane as well as various animals that have been introduced to the new habitat and have since made their home here. Harenia is a large plane consisting of various, sweltering regions where tempertures can reach far past boiling point and sand becomes liquified due to the supernatural. Though recent inhabitants have made fairly safe settlements within the desert, the arid land still offers an abudance of exotic terrors. With impossibly hot fields of volconoes, to cold jagged plains of glass only the strong can survive on the plane of Harenia.
[edit] Regions of Harenia
Harenia is seperated into nine prominent regions, some more dangerous than others. Each provides a unique environment, a new danger and an unforgetful adventure.
- Atrum Desert (Desperado Desert Supplement): A land of death and blacksand, few venture far into the Atrum desert besides various necromancers and evil outsiders who are at home in its foul reaches.
- Decuro Reaches (Desperado Desert Supplement): A region full of ever-shifting sands and speeding dunes, suffocating those who are unlucky enough not to outrace them. The whole are is occupied by the changing sands that move and twist continously, and without stop. The only one who dwell in this dangerous regions are the thri-kreen, a race of bug people, who have made homes and burrows deep within the sands.
- The Maelstrom (Desperado Desert Supplement): Possibly the most chaotic place in all of Harenia, the Maelstrom is a region being constantly bombarded with a horde of supernatural storms and cyclones that boggle the very mind. Stories of man eating wind and horrible, disembodied voices prevent even the most brave from entering its clutches. However, these stories also tell of a horde of forgotten magic that lies within the borders of this place of insanity.
- Vitreus Plain (Desperado Desert Supplement): A beautiful, but deadly plain of glass that resulted from eons of heated sand, the Vitreus Plain's smooth exterior hides the jagged field of glass that can rend adventurers to shreds. Though sparkling and beautiful to the casual viewer, the glassy plains are much like the glaciers in the real world. Though beautiful, there is always the chance of slipping to one's doom or falling though glassy shafts, never to be heard from again.
- The Great Sea of Suchos (Desperado Desert Supplement): Once a great, artificial sea that was fed by the very bowels of the Elemental Plane of Water, the Sea of Suchos is now a dry sea bed full of chasms, sinkholes, quicksand and possibly the worst, were-crocodiles. With its jagged ledges, steep canyons and dagerous terrain the Sea of Suchos is indeed a truly perilous place. However, the most trecherous aspect of the sea is what was left behind by its once great waters. Red rivers are bodies of potent, liquid salt the immediantly suck the moisture out of all those who come in contact with it, and now reside within the deep crevices of the Suchos Sea.
- Silex Blunffs (Desperado Desert Supplement): Beyond the reaches of the Sea of Suchos, lie the cliff cities of the Bhuka, a friendly goblinoid race of primitive tribe folk. Within the Silex Blunts lie five major Bhuka cities and places of major trade. It is here where all races can sell and buy freely and without judgement, the only place to do so outside the human lands.
- The Teeth of Mulciber (Desperado Desert Supplement): A genral name for all the various mountain ranges that dot the face of Harenia, the Teeth of Mulciber contains highly volcanic regions immersed in ashy sheets and flaiming rain. Ironically the Teeth are one of the more prominent regions of Harenia, and though often dangerous, provide ample mining potential, deep water veins and archelogical value. Many mining facilities have been left behind by a once advance race of beings known as Urram, and the denizens of Harenia have taught themselves how to actvate these ancient machines. The dwarves have also become quite comfortable in the depths of Mulciber. Not only do ther new homes protect them from the firestorms of the region, but the volcanic activity provides an excellent forge for Dwarven weapons. The dwarves have also made an acceptable amount of wealth from the minerals and water they mine.
- The Middle Lands of Uedius (Desperado Desert Supplement): Them largest, most diverse, civilized region in all of Harenia, the realm of Uedius houses many semi-advanced cities that where built on the ruins of an ancient empire of advanced people. As a result both magic and technology have been blended and new technology has become available to the mainstream of Harenian civilization. Uedius is the forerunner of this mechanical revolution and houses a variety of sandships, walking sand fortresses, airships and guns. Still, the citizens of Uedius have not let go of their heritage and the blade-swinging hero is still prefered next to the present-day gunslinger.
- The Glasswoven Reaches (Desperado Desert Supplement): As the name implies, the Glasswoven Reaches house a variety of structures made from mirrors, lenses and other forms of glass. Home to the elves of Harenia, the Glasswoven Reaches are second only to Uedius when it comes to advancement in technology. Though these once proud people have lost ther lush, green forests, they have not lost their culture. The cities of glass and metal are even more elegant than that of the architecture of normal elves. While not only breath taking, these structures fuction as sun reflecters and provides a relatively cool environment inside its hallowed halls. The region as a whole has more oasises and townships that any other region, including Uedius.
[edit] Fauna of the Wastes
| Monsters in the Desperado Desert campaign setting |
|---|
| Aberrations |
| Animals |
| Constructs |
| Dragons |
| Elementals |
| Feys |
| Giants |
| Goblinoids |
| Humanoids |
| Magical Beasts |
| Monstrous Humanoids |
| Outsiders |
| Oozes |
| Plants |
| Undead |
| Vermin |
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Economics
[edit] War, History and Other Calamities
Political turmoil has resulted do to the sheer size of the Urramian empire. The Urram have seperated into two groups, the Cabal of Highpriests and Wizards and the league of Workers and Masons. The unthinkable happens when the first decimation occurs and riots among the poor and middle class result because of lack of food and water. All the while the higher spellcasting class remains deft to the commoners cries of help.
The League of Workers and Masons and the Cabal of Highpriests and Wizards are each at each other's throats. A cold war has resulted as both the Cabal and the League wait for each other to make a move. One disater however will set off what will be know as the Great Urramian War.
As a direct result of the Second Decimation, the Great Urramian War is fought and causes much devestaion in Harenia. This leads to a era of new, destructive machinisms. The likes of which have never before been witnessed by the planes. This leads to the development of he last and final decimation.
In a desperate attempt to finish the war, the Cabal creates one last weapon to win the day. Unfortunatley, this weapon also leads to the complete and utter anhiliation of the Urram race.
Millineums have passed and the sands of Harenia have remained silent for years. It is then a a lone plane traveler by the name of Gregwith Horizenwalkur, accidently discovers the desert plane of Harenia. Astounded by the size and history of the plane he contrives a way to resettle it. setting a series of planar gates a innumerable amount of migraters pour in with the promise of past treasures, religious freedom, new territory and land.
The unthinkable happens when a influx of planar magic (cause unknown) jams the workings of the planar gates in Harenia, preventing any contact between Harenia and the prime material plane.
[edit] Religion
| Deity name & Link to the Deity | What the Deity is god of |
|---|---|
| Argiletum (DnD Deity) | Enlightenment & Books |
| Auris (DnD Deity) | Mountains and Earth |
| Calipsis (DnD Deity) | Sky and Lightning |
| Cozotz (DnD Deity) | Caves and Bats |
| Deveron (DnD Deity) | Good |
| Ehecatl (DnD Deity) | Storms and Dunes |
| Gindro (DnD Deity) | Monsters |
| Hadur-Ahkeem (DnD Deity) | War |
| Khronos (DnD Deity) | Time and Destiny |
| Machina (DnD Deity) | Technology |
| Malus (DnD Deity) | Chaos |
| Majura (DnD Deity) | Magic |
| Morpheus (DnD Deity) | Dreams, Moon, Night |
| Mulciber (DnD Deity) | Fire and Smithing |
| Necraphateria (DnD Deity) | Death |
| Onatha (DnD Deity) | Bhuka |
| Opacus (DnD Deity) | Trickery and Shadow |
| Sarut (DnD Deity) | Thri-kreen's |
| Sekramoto (DnD Deity) | Evil |
| St. Elijah (DnD Deity) | Justice |
| Urrambus (DnD Deity) | Desert |
| Vorukasha (DnD Deity) | Oasis's, Water & Rivers |
[edit] Magic
Magic in Harenia is as prevalent as it ever was. The past inhabitants of Harenia, the Urram, were able to create the plane through processes long forgotten. Still, the deserts of Harenia are dotted with forgetten, Urramian labs and each has the possibility of housing a deep, dark arcane secret that many spellcasters would give their souls to know.
Harenia as whole, generally accepts magic, since magic allows them to survive in the harsh deserts. Magic is used on a regular basis by large cities. It is not rare for a city guard to employ a number of strong spellcasters to patrol the borders of the realm. Low level spellcasters are also used in small businesses and marketplaces. Thes spell casters randomly cast detect thoughts on suspicious individuals or might be their to discern the lies of shady business men.
As much as magic is accepted however, many city officials require a magic license from arcane adepts and the like.
[edit] Technological Level
(See technology of Harenia)
Harenia was once a great, tropical plane that hosted an advance race of humanoids known as the Urram. The Urram migrated from the southern parts of the material plane and created Harenia as a place where they might grow in peace and solitude from the rest of the world. For thousands of years the Urram flourished in their jungle paradise and grew amazingly adept in the technological arts, as well as the arcane ones. The golden age of Urram was short lived however, as the pride of the Urram began cause numerous wars. These wars lead to both the Urram's exstinction and decimation of the Harenian plane. Only the Urram's weapons and structures were left, a silent memorial to, not only the genuis of the Urram, but also the stupidity.
Since then Harenia was resettled and the technology of the Urram has created an industrial age of progression for the new inhabitants. The new desert folk are now able to take the skies, glide along the sand with relative ease and bury far benath the earth in search of its treasures (much to the chagrin of the dwarves). Since its first discovery, Urramian technolgy is in high demand, so that it may be replicated and manufactured. Many adventures can make a pretty penny by just stumbling upon an abadoned Urramian lab.
Urramian technology is also available to the masses, and many can now live in the desert quite comfortably because of it. Warriors now carry with them guns instead of crossbows, and newer, deadlier weapons are being invented on a regular basis. Transportation has also become simple, as many normal individuals can catch a ride on an airship just to visit family or friends across the desert.
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