Campaign: The Dragonspine

Described here is the setting for a D&D campaign I shall soon be running. If you are one of my players: your characters know all this! If you aren't one of my players? Well, I hope you find this of academic interest, or perhaps give you ideas for your own campaign!

Upon the continent of Tamaril, two great empires have fought for supremacy since the beginning of recorded history... The Holy Empire of Goodly Races versus The Tribes of the Greenskin. Each have waxed and waned throughout the generations, sometimes pushing into the other's territories during periods of fleeting glory and propserity. Inevitably, though, one generation's gains would be lost by the next, and the invaders would find themselves driven back to their ancestral lands. Both now exist in an uneasy stalemate, with the Holy Empire entrenched in the civilized lands of the west and the Greenskins the masters of the rugged Savage Lands of the east.

The greatest force of balance keeping one power from successfully wiping out the other is the mighty Dragonspine mountain range which splits the continent in two. While each empire has strived to push through these mountains and expand into the territories of their hated rivals on the other side, the difficulty in crossing the Dragonspine has made holding captured lands a temporary state. Crossable passes through the range are rare and prone to being closed off by avalanche and winter storm, making stable military supply lines extremely difficult to maintain. More dangerously, travelers through the mountains are at constant danger from raiding Dragons or their numerous servant races, collectively known as Scale-kin.

The mountains themselves are treacherous and hostile to all but the most rugged of creatures, but between the peaks occasional sheltered valleys can be found that team with life and riches. Halfway through the Dragonspine, surrounding a mighty lake fed by crystal clear mountain waterfalls, one such great valley exists. The Great Lake abounds with all manner of freshwater fish, the loamy soil which surrounds it supports fertile forests and pasture land, and the hills that border it run deep with mineral riches. Opportunities are plentiful here for those willing to do without a comfortable or safe life, and as such it has proven irresistible to the most entrepreneurial of settlers.

Alternatively, the remote frontier location is relatively untouched by the influence of empire or of civilization... the passes leading to the Great Lake are ill-suited for miliary travel when compared to the comparitively forgiving southern valleys... and this state of political independance has appealed to those outsiders who seek solitude, adventure, or escape from the politics of their homelands.

Small villages (most of them simple clusters of farmland homesteads banding together for mutual support) are scattered throughout the lands around the great lake. The largest habitation and the closest thing the area has to a political centre is the twin city of Eli'Rahn- Grumph.

Much of the early history of Eli'Rahn's years as a Goodly Race settlement... or Grumph's as a Greenskin warband outpost... is uncertain. As a relatively uncivilized frontier for most of its history, oral sagas have been the greatest source of local lore and even they provide only contradictory stories about the area's early years. All that is certain is that it was the work of a human named Dagnor that brought about the cities' current prosperity. It was through his wisdom, charisma, and legendary stuborness that a peace was reached. The agreement binds the city together in three ways... culturally, with a pledge to not interfere with the other's way of living... economically, with unrestricted trade between both sides... and security, through the simple fact that without mutual defense the dangers of the Dragonspine could destroy them both.

Bridges now cross across the lake at its narrowest portions, meeting at a humble but spacious amphitheatre built upon an island of rock jutting out of the centre of the lake. This great lodge serves as the town hall and meeting centre and is reachable by the bridges or by boat.

Politically, rulership of the twin city is shared between a pair of mayors, one for each side, chosen by those who live upon that part of the lake. Conflict in this arena is more common then not and serves to reflect the overall fragility of the peace. But, it has worked so far, and as far as anyone can tell, it appears to be working still.

Your characters have grown up in Eli'Rahn - Grumph, or at least have recently braved the mountains with kin or clan to make your way to the city. Eli'Rahn - Grumph is not a large city... it is a bit of a stretch to even call it a city in the first place... but it has a wide assortment of races and professions who have chosen to make it their home. Rugged frontier individualists... civilization-born scholarly wizards... pious clerics of shining cloth and steel and savage druids barely distinguishable from the animals they surround themselves with... all can be found here, and an ambitious youth can find a mentor for almost any occupation known to man or beast.

You can belong to either culture... the 'civilized' Goodly Races, the 'savage' Greenskin Tribes, or one of the rare but not unheard-of mixed families that have chosen to blend the two.

The races available are:

You are also aware of the common types of Scale-Kin:

Stories abound in song and legend about Dragons with scales of shining metal who reject the evil ways of their chromatic kin, but as far as the common person knows they are just that... stories built of wishful thinking.

Dagnor: Honorary founder of the twin city. A human, he wisely ruled Eli'Rahn for many years and was the mastermind behind the current peace. He died 75 years previously, but his influence is felt still. (In the historical, reverential sense, not in the "he's now undead and walks the streets yelling at people" sort of way)

Ferra Pyrite: Dwarven fighter and current mayor of Eli'Rahn. She is fiercely protective of her people and utterly devoted to the well being of 'her clan', which basically includes anyone living on her side of the lake. She dearly wishes she could convince the rest of rest of city to move underground but knows full well her chances of success in this mission are slim to none.

Ol' Gran' Obala (and Og!): Aged Goblin Shaman and her Ogre valet. Obala is the current mayor of Grumph. As a status symbol (and because her legs don't work so well any more) she is generally found looking down at petitioners from a silk sedan chair strapped to Og's back. She gets great enjoyment from the perks granted from her position and does not hesitate to take advantage of them. Og? Og seems nice. He doesn't say much.

Brother Zethrow: Gnome Cleric of Boccob. Brother Zethrow may be a cleric of the god of magic and knowledge, but his interests are best described as 'diverse'. He is a respected merchant, land-owner, tinkerer, magical scholar, and is an incessant collector of oddities. He is a friendly (if prone to distraction) pillar of the community.

Vragh the Hunter: Orc Ranger. Warden of Grumph and expert survivalist. No one is quite sure why Vragh has anything to do with the city... he doesn't like people much, and has little use for the trappings of civilization. Regardless of why he sticks around (or what dirt Ol' Gran has on him to cause him to obey her requests unfailingly) his presence lends some stability to his city, and no one likely knows more about the dangers of the Dragonspine then he does.