Kingdom at Night - Campaign fragment [Archive] - Wizards Community

Kingdom at Night - Campaign fragment [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rechan
09-14-07, 12:35 AM After watching "The Good German" and doing a little research on post-WWII Berlin, I had an idea for a campaign setting - or at least a piece of one.

Once the continent was aligned in a sprawling empire. Though the empire came to fragmentation. One of the fragments, Arn, was the most powerful and ambitious - it seized control of the neighboring lands, and carved a nice large swath through the Empire. Even decades after the war, Arn was itching for a fight. Its ruler, its people were arrogant, and the neighbors didn't dare test Arn, instead they just stockpiled and waited.

Then one day those at the edges of Arn were under attack; not from the neighbors, but from Something Below. Skirmishes with creatures (I have not specified what they are, Drow, Undead, Psionic Insects, something). Arn sent expeditions to go deep into the earth, where they discovered that these Creatures had amassed a large collective beneath the surface, right under Arn! Arn responded by sending its armies down.

The creatures from below came to the surface, inacting a great ritual that plunged the kingdom into forever night, as the creatures hated the sun. They swarmed the kingdom, destroying its armies. Though they did not destroy Arn, merely occupy it; they claimed it as their own.

Arn's neighbors launched an offensive, and another war took place, between the creatures, the neigbors, and Arn's resistance. The resulting war was... not good. It was long, taxing, and eventually no side was a clear victor.

Arn, still plunged in darkness, was carved into pieces by its hungry neighbors wanting vengeance for the war after the Empire's fall. The creatures still occupied the once proud nation, and its people's wills are crushed beneath their defeat and the weight of their past hubris.

Arn's capital was split into three fragments, one controlled by the creatures, one by either neighbor.
Rechan
09-27-07, 04:43 AM A little too one dimensional, I guess?
Mr. the Hun
09-28-07, 07:21 AM It serves as an interesting world; I like the sense of darkness, obviously, that it brings.

I also really like the concept of the "creatures" not being drow or undead; the psionic insects really caught my eyes, and the concept of a hive of giant, black and strangely unidentified beetles swarming over a medieval city really intrigues me.

Where would the PCs come in? What's the campaign?
GoukaRyuu
09-28-07, 08:59 AM This is really interesting I hope you expand on it. Maybe, the psionic insects are Thri-Kreen, or at least a kind of subrace that would be on your homebrew world.
Rechan
09-28-07, 04:32 PM On the one hand, I do like intelligent, not-overtly evil undead. Ala the Forsaken from Warcraft - undead who are awakened, and take class levels.

But really, the point is to establish that the Creatures From Below aren't straight-up evil. They are dark, and clearly alien to some degree, but they aren't the blatant Bad Guys Oppressing Poor Humans. Arn somewhat deserved what it got for its arrogant hubris.

Where would the PCs come in? What's the campaign?
This is just an idea for An Area in the campaign setting. A backdrop.

I'd just like to drop the PCs into the city at some point, to play up some real tense, Post-WWII Berlin-style intrigue.

One thing that comes to mind is that, since Arn is submerged in eternal night, it could be attracting a lot of creatures that prefer the darkness. Things that have Light Sensitivity, Vampires, etc.
GoriceXII
09-30-07, 04:47 AM How overall do you picture the darkness affecting things? I think that the idea of bringing back the light would be a major theme, or at least bringing light to particular places. On the other hand others might be trying intensely to adapt to the darkness.
Rechan
09-30-07, 06:05 PM I see the bugs (or whatever) being very interested in keeping it dark. Perhaps the countries that own segments of Arn might want to get theirs in light, but eh.

For the most part, I like the country staying Dark. It definitely is a nice little point for the campaign. I see a lot of plants (and various creatures) dominating.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rechan 09-14-07, 12:35 AM	After watching "The Good German" and doing a little research on post-WWII Berlin, I had an idea for a campaign setting - or at least a piece of one. Once the continent was aligned in a sprawling empire. Though the empire came to fragmentation. One of the fragments, Arn, was the most powerful and ambitious - it seized control of the neighboring lands, and carved a nice large swath through the Empire. Even decades after the war, Arn was itching for a fight. Its ruler, its people were arrogant, and the neighbors didn't dare test Arn, instead they just stockpiled and waited. Then one day those at the edges of Arn were under attack; not from the neighbors, but from Something Below. Skirmishes with creatures (I have not specified what they are, Drow, Undead, Psionic Insects, something). Arn sent expeditions to go deep into the earth, where they discovered that these Creatures had amassed a large collective beneath the surface, right under Arn! Arn responded by sending its armies down. The creatures from below came to the surface, inacting a great ritual that plunged the kingdom into forever night, as the creatures hated the sun. They swarmed the kingdom, destroying its armies. Though they did not destroy Arn, merely occupy it; they claimed it as their own. Arn's neighbors launched an offensive, and another war took place, between the creatures, the neigbors, and Arn's resistance. The resulting war was... not good. It was long, taxing, and eventually no side was a clear victor. Arn, still plunged in darkness, was carved into pieces by its hungry neighbors wanting vengeance for the war after the Empire's fall. The creatures still occupied the once proud nation, and its people's wills are crushed beneath their defeat and the weight of their past hubris. Arn's capital was split into three fragments, one controlled by the creatures, one by either neighbor.
Rechan 09-27-07, 04:43 AM	A little too one dimensional, I guess?
Mr. the Hun 09-28-07, 07:21 AM	It serves as an interesting world; I like the sense of darkness, obviously, that it brings. I also really like the concept of the "creatures" not being drow or undead; the psionic insects really caught my eyes, and the concept of a hive of giant, black and strangely unidentified beetles swarming over a medieval city really intrigues me. Where would the PCs come in? What's the campaign?
GoukaRyuu 09-28-07, 08:59 AM	This is really interesting I hope you expand on it. Maybe, the psionic insects are Thri-Kreen, or at least a kind of subrace that would be on your homebrew world.
Rechan 09-28-07, 04:32 PM	On the one hand, I do like intelligent, not-overtly evil undead. Ala the Forsaken from Warcraft - undead who are awakened, and take class levels. But really, the point is to establish that the Creatures From Below aren't straight-up evil. They are dark, and clearly alien to some degree, but they aren't the blatant Bad Guys Oppressing Poor Humans. Arn somewhat deserved what it got for its arrogant hubris. Where would the PCs come in? What's the campaign? This is just an idea for An Area in the campaign setting. A backdrop. I'd just like to drop the PCs into the city at some point, to play up some real tense, Post-WWII Berlin-style intrigue. One thing that comes to mind is that, since Arn is submerged in eternal night, it could be attracting a lot of creatures that prefer the darkness. Things that have Light Sensitivity, Vampires, etc.
GoriceXII 09-30-07, 04:47 AM	How overall do you picture the darkness affecting things? I think that the idea of bringing back the light would be a major theme, or at least bringing light to particular places. On the other hand others might be trying intensely to adapt to the darkness.
Rechan 09-30-07, 06:05 PM	I see the bugs (or whatever) being very interested in keeping it dark. Perhaps the countries that own segments of Arn might want to get theirs in light, but eh. For the most part, I like the country staying Dark. It definitely is a nice little point for the campaign. I see a lot of plants (and various creatures) dominating.