Setting Information : Shattered Lands High Fantasy

The world is recovering from the Dawn War between the Incarnations, their Immortals, and the Mortals, and their Deities. The war ended with the Shattering, which sundered the Deities into Gods, Mortal People into the races, and the Mortal Realm into the Shattered Lands. Though the war is over and the chaos of the Shattering has prevented any major conflict over the last half century since the Shattering there is still tension in the lands. Three major factions have risen up, the Kingdoms and Tribes are allied or subject to the Incarnations or Titans, the Divine Nations and Cities are beholden to the Gods and their Demi-God offspring, and the Freeholds and Clans who refuse to ally with either.

Animals, monsters, giants, dragons(dragons all use magic, drakes are weaker, less intelligent and don't use magic), and humanoids are native to the Mortal Realm and found in most lands. Fiends, Elementals, Celestials, and Fae are from the Immortal Realms. Abominations, constructs, ooze, and undead, referred to as warborn, are products of the Dawn War and common only in Shattered Lands or ruins from the war.

Most mortal humanoid all have a common origin, the People of the Dawn Age, and understand common and its simplified ideogram writing. All other writing is uncommon and spell casters are usually the only ones who read. Some of the 'lesser', quicker breeding, shorter lived humanoids are theorized to be creations of the war that were uplifted to make better soldiers, though records from that time are lost so no one knows for sure.

A recent expedition has been working to explore ruins discovered in the middle of the Shattered Lands. The expedition is to explore a city from the Dawn Age that was abandoned during the Dawn War and only recently rediscovered. While much of it is in ruins there are sections known to be standing in relatively good order. The adventuring party that found the city signed a contract ensuring we gain sole access to the information. We were able to convince one of them, Danoll, to stay on and act as a guide and advisor. They had made contact with a local tribe of Gripli and some of our previous scouts helped reestablished this contact

The researchers have been collecting information from the ruins they have access to as well as talking with some intelligent oathbound undead garrisoned within a nearby fortress. Paphos was a coastal city during the Dawn age and home to hundreds of thousands. As with all great cities it became a fortified stronghold during the Dawn War but held little strategic importance so was not greatly affected directly. The Shattering affected it oddly in that many segments of the city were left mostly intact but wrapped up in small Borders. This may have been the result of the actions of a Tower Guardian and the loss of multiple Tower Foci that are now being discovered in the area.

The Towers origin is based on disparate leaders, scholars, mages, sages, and priests.
Each time the various groups interacted the lore keepers would exchange their knowledge and understandings.
By sharing with each other they learned to overcome the challenges of the world.
As the People began developing centralized civilization centers the keepers started recording all their lore.
Though the people and methods changed, the keepers commitment to share their records persisted.
Eventually the keepers formed a vast network of exchanged records and swore oaths of neutrality.

The keepers used their influence to cause towers to be built where they could keep the records safe. As the towers were built all forms of mystic abilities were incorporate to preserve the tower and allow them to communicate with each other. Eventually all towers were linked and could even be used to travel between the various structures locations. The towers power grew and the keepers created bridges to other realms throughout the planes and recorded what was learned from them as well.

With the beginning of the Great War, which later was called the Dawn War, the Tower became a bulwark and spear for the People. Though many keepwer insisted that the neutrality of the Tower applied to all war the majority determined the Tower was for Mortal to benefit. Thus the Tower began to train soldiers and champions alike. The mortal forces used the towers ability to create planar passages to strike at the home planes of those Immortals that contended with the Mortal Realm. Though the Immortals strove to break the tower many times, its centuries of growth and refinement had made it immune to nearly all attacks.

With the Shattering access to the Tower was lost to many regions of the world. Even those Tower Portals, the physical structures that allowed access to the Tower network, that survived did not always keep full access. One such portal has been found by a recovery expedition near the lost city of Paphos. The Infinite Tower continues in it original intent, to ensure the knowledge of the People is shared and continues to grow, thereby ensuring each generation of mortal kind can grow.

30 mile hex grid

The Primal World is a collection of realms and planes where magic is everywhere and civilization is young, though the realms are not. Ancient powers, exotic beasts, and conflict between Races and Nations can be found across the mortal lands.
The Dawn Age and Dawn War
After the Incarnations finished creating the Immortal Realms they created the Mortal Realm, the People, and their Deity. The Incarnations taught the People and Deity until the Dawn War between the Mortal People, their Deity, Immortals, and Titans. This was also referred to as the immortal war.. This war raged for centuries.
The Shattering
The Shattering ended the Dawn War. The Shattering fragmented the Mortal Realm into lands divided by Borders, the People into races, and their Deity into Gods. In addition the previously stable planar pathways between the Realms became unstable and dangerous.
The Lands
Since the Shattering the Mortal Realms has been split into four types of regions. Each land is separated from others by the Borders. Crossing Borders takes you to other lands or occasionally to an Immortal Realm, but not always the same destination. Some are static, most are cyclical but some random transitions occur.
The Divine Nations are home to the followers of the Gods and filled with their divine influence. The Kingdoms are ruled by nobles, descendants or vassals of Titans. The Wilds are natural lands that though they are not ruled by Gods or Titans they may be home to one, or more. The Shattered Lands are filled with remnants of the war , including dangerous warborn creatures, unstable Borders and Rifts.
The People
The People are any, PC or monster, humanoid race. All of these have gods though not all worship or follow them. Before the Shattering all were the Mortal People and could intermingle freely. The Shattering split them into various races and anso altered their minds resulting in the racial languages and clouding all knowledge of the Dawn age

These contain the majority of "civilized" lands. The gods were able to protect large areas of land and their people from the Shattering. Due to this most of these lands have close ties between church and state though the structure and implementation depends on the God and clergy. Nations usually have a pantheon of gods while isolated cities often only have one god though they may acknowledge others that have close ties to their god. The most common form of government in the nations is a civil theocratic parliament with the civil sector being the lower house that runs most of the day to day matters while the high house is reserved for clergy and only sets policy. Due to the fact that the gods protection during the Shattering much of the infrastructure was preserved including intercity roads and even teleportation networks.
The Divine lands of this region are primarily controlled by the hill dwarfs and some rock gnomes in the north eastern mountains and lands and human cities around the southern sea filled with sailors with halfling villages sprinkled throughout the area. The drow elf live in their subterranean citadels to the far north west.

These are decedents pf refugees and dissenters from the Dawn War including most of the colleges of bards, wizardly universities, and large portions of the armies and their families. All settlements in the Wilds and Shattered Lands are walled and have strong physical and magical defenses. Freeholds are larger, sometimes multi-racial, settlements. Each usually has several smaller settlements within a day or two's travel. Clans consist of several families usually of the same race. Associations are professional organizations found in Freeholds. Freeholds are usually managed by the dominant local clan, association, or a council of representatives. Sample associations : Mage Tower, Bard College, warrior school, merchant guild.
Most of these are republics with multiple levels of control and support though most control is kept at a local level and larger organizations only exerting indirect influence save in times of need or when undertaking tasks of common interest. Without Patrons to protect them the Shattering had the larges impact on these lands and people. Fortunately since then the wizards and bards have discovered means to map the lands across barrier and allow safe passage across them. Some have even managed to create anchors that allow the borders to be manipulated allowing lands across them to be linked most if not all of the time.

These are ruled by nobles who manage it for their Titan Ancestor, protector, or overlord. The Tribes live in the Wilds and/or are nomadic traveling mostly though Kingdoms and Wilds. Both the kingdoms and Tribes are keenly aware of the local Titans and strive to maintain harmonious or at least non aggressive relations with them. As the Titans that created these lands are varied so are the lands and forms of government. Most use a form of hereditary rulership that existed before the Shattering as the Titans use designated families to act as their representative in managing people in their area. The views of the Titans strongly influence the societies within their territories. This is seen is the elf closeness with the woods and dwarven kinship to stone, etc.

These are the canvas that all planes and realms are drawn on. Without beginning or end these alone of all the Aspects creations boast no native life. Often mislabeled as planes by those that do not understand them they can only be used as a means of transit from one plane to another as prolonged existence outside of a true plane has a cumulatively detrimental effect on all life. The Known Dimensions are the Astral (spirit), Ethereal(will), Dream(Perception), Mystic(Energy), Hyle(Matter), and Gnosis(Awareness).

Of nearly infinite number and variety with each being a unique aspect or blend of aspects of reality. Each plane has a single Immortal Incarnation that is inseparably linked to the plane. These Incarnations though singular in nature wielded their influence on their planes to birth the Immortals and their realms, with each ties to a unique portion of the Incarnation and its planes existence. Immortals exist at the sufferance of the Incarnations and though they are each unique individuals the will of their patron Incarnation reigns supreme over the plane, immortals, and their realms.

Not a true plane is it is not independent and in fact continually draws in the essence of the various planes to maintain its existence. It was this fact that many believe lead to the Dawn War as the Diety lead the People to increase the drain on the planes in an attempt to become self sustaining. Regardless or the true cause the results are all too evident. The Shattering resulted in the fracturing of the Realm, Deity, and People, now known as the mortal lands, Gods, and races.

Gods Are tied to aspects of their People, not elemental forces. They are patrons to paladins, clerics, and warlocks. Though the gods do not reside in the mortal lands their Avatars and demigod children ensure they are not forgotten.
God Domains (Ideological): Arcana, Agriculture (nature), Death, Deceit (Twilight), Forge, Grave, Knowledge, Medicine (Life), Order, Peace, Protection, Trickery, War. (Note: gods do not grant light or tempest domain)

Demigods are offspring of Gods and Mortals, Immortals, or Titans and have existed since the Dawn Age. Most serve their divine parents though some are more independent and/or rebel against them. Demigods rival Titans and can serve as patrons for Warlocks, paladins, rangers, druids and Clerics. As Demigods are half mortal some of them have elemental domains. Due to their mixed heritage they are less at odds with the Incarnations and some were neutral during the Dawn War.

Titans are beings of power, typically over CR20, who reside in the Mortal Realm and can be patrons to druids, rangers, warlocks, and clerics (usually elemental/nature domains). Most are patrons only to mortal servants who administer their territory and oversee their interests. Sample Titans : Tarasque, Dragons (Ancient/Immortal), Elementals, Ents, Unicorns, Fey Lord, Overmind, etc...
Powerful creatures (CR 20+) that were previously Mortal or Immortal and now somewhere inbetween. Most rule territories and some act as patrons. Domain : Any

Incarnations reign in the Immortal Realms. None have been known to enter the mortal realms directly but records talk of Avatars sent by them before the Dawn War. While they can be patrons of druids, rangers, warlocks and elemental domain clerics, most are not interested in mortal affairs. Sample Incarnation Domains (Elemental): Nature, Storm, Sun, Moons, Air, Earth, Fire, Water, ...

Immortals are creatures native to all the realms other than the Mortal Realm. They mature much slower than mortals and few die of old age. The more long lived mortal races of the People are assumed to be a result of mixing between mortals and immortals during the Dawn Age. Some immortals are almost as old as the Incarnations and are very powerful. Most serve Incarnations though some act independent. They can be patrons to druids, rangers, warlocks, and clerics with elemental domains, and do so for various, often unknown, reasons.

History : The Dawn Age
After the People and their Deity were created the Planar Incarnations left the other Realms to their Incarnations and stayed with the People. They created a great city, teaching the Deity and the People. As the Deity and People grew in knowledge and skill so did their desire for more. They began aggressively expanding their lands and sought ways to gain the powers of the Immortals and Incarnations. This resulted in various reactions from the Incarnations. Some tried to limit the People, others tried to teach them harmony. In the end war broke out, the Dawn War.

History : The Dawn War
With the onset of the Dawn war the Planar Incarnations withdrew from the Mortal Realm and the Immortals and Mortals waged war for an centuries. The People and their Deity crafted great fortresses and war machines. The Immortals and Incarnations who lead them warped mortal beasts and monsters with their power into deadly war beasts (abominations). Even some of the People who either were shaped for war either voluntarily through their Deities power or forcefully by the Immortals.

History : The Shattering
The Dawn War ended with the Shattering. The Shattering fractured the nature of the Mortal Realm. The lands were broken with planar Borders connecting them all and isolating each, like cracks in ice. The People were fractured, creating the races. And with this the Deity was also shattered into the Gods with each tied to a specific race and ideal of that race.
Even as the Shattering destroyed much of the Mortal Realms, the emerging Gods, some Incarnations and a few powerful mortal and immortal creatures used their power to shield their territories. These became the seeds of the new age along with ragtag assortments of mortals who managed to survive without outside protection.

History : The Age of Strife
After the Dawn War the shattered races and gods were much weaker. Now the races are scattered across the land and their gods are no longer tied directly to them. Instead they could only draw strength indirectly from those who followed and/or had faith in them. Time has passed and the races have regained their footing and are starting to assert themselves in the shattered mortal lands once more.

During the Dawn War the People with the help of their Diety created the War-Born races.
How this was done, whether shaping some of the People or altering beast is debated, but most believe they were once of the People. All War-Born races were created for the war. Most had accelerated maturation and shortened life spans along with other gifts to make them better able to fight in the war. As a result of these changes and the centuries of warfare all of these new races have a violent nature and since the shattering and loss of almost all organized government they have turned from fighting Immortals, whom they can no longer reach, to attacking the mortal races. It is assumed by most that all monstrous humanoids as well as the beastial humanoids are War-Born. Some of the beast men argue on this point saying they were of the People but were closer to nature and its spirits, even than the elves, and has been gaining animalistic features even before the Shattering which only finalized the changes.
Known War-Born: Goblin, Hobgoblin. Bugbear, Orc

During the Dawn War necromancy was one of the new science that many viewed as a perversion but some still viewed it as a possible weapon of great power and those willing to collaborate with this new field yielded new and intriguing possibilities. The People had long sought the secrets of eternal life that the Immortals took for granted and one program found that by magically bonding the body and spirit the resulting creatures became stronger. The military created two branches of the Warborn using this technique, vampires and lycanthropes.

Lycanthropy was created to enhance soldiers into resilient and powerful warriors. Vampires were an offshoot of this research that combined the original enhancement techniques with necromancy. Both techniques were given additional offensive abilities by converting it into a commutable curse. However the curse affected even the original hosts causing them to become the fallen. Loosing their sense of self and falling into bestial behavior driven by baser instincts.

During the Dawn Age, before the Shattering, there was only 1 language of the people, though many dialects formed through interaction with spirits and Immortals. However the Shattering seems to have greatly accelerated the linguistic drift of these dialects into new languages, elvish, dwarvish, goblin, etc. Thus all languages share some common origins and can, with effort and study, allow limited communication with others. The common tongue is agreed by all scholars to likely be the closes to the ancient language of the People though it has been polluted by absorbing words and ideas from other races and only has a simplistic written form used to convey basic ideas only. Mages and Priests argue that Arcane or Divine are the true written form used by the People Most do not bother to listen to their long winded and, to most, pointless arguments.

Created by or during the Shattering these divide the lands like crack on a sheet of thick ice. They are theorized to be cracks in the Mortal realm where extraplanar influences leak into the mortal world. At the beginning they were much easier to detect but also much more dangerous. Many who entered never came back. Over the last 50 years since the Shattering they have been examined and appear to be sealing themselves and are not as easily noticed. Though most are discernable as a thick haze or warping of sight and sound with clearly marked sudden transitions in terrain or weather some are nearly undetectable and not noticed until crossed.

Crossing Borders subjects you to the forces of the other Realms but allows passage to other lands, but not always the same destination. You can leave form A , arrive at B, then recrossed and arrive at C. Many of these changes in destination seemed fixed and predictable and often formed a cycle. Scholars equate this to the lands now acting like pieces of wood floating in the sea of the planes. The Mortal Realm did not fully shatter so that the pieces still bump into each other and the float pieces touching shift positions.

The Borders shifting nature were exploited by travelers and merchants who had access to magical aid to cross safely and reliably. Fortunately the Borders have calmed greatly so magic is not needed to cross them safely. However magic is still used to ensure arrival and departure points are fixed. Crossing a "Wild Border" is considered foolish and risky. The effects of the recent Border Storms are examples of what might happen if you cross a Border at an unregulated point.

The Border Storms are moving borders that are always accompanied by perceptible natural phenomenon. These storms have started sweeping the land and have been known to take people to other Realms, bring Immortals to the lands, or just temporarily subject the area to the forces of the other Realms. Even worse are those storms that have a warping effect on all that they touch. Lands are changed to new climates while plants and creatures are transformed. New monsters have often been discovered after a Border Storm passes an area. People warn to watch for strangely colored landscape, skies, clouds, lighting, or wind. Other warnings are odd smells or sounds totally out of place. One thing has been discovered is that the storms do not have penetrative effects in that surface storms do not have a major impact inside stone buildings or caves while those that pass through the underdark have little to no effect on the surface.

A pawprint scratched on a fencepost? Hunters pass this way—or something else does.

A circle with jagged rays etched on a stone by a campsite? A safe place for a fire.

A square with an "X" through it drawn on a door? Abandoned, dangerous, or forbidden.

A symbol of two nested circles? A place where goods may be traded or bought.

A stacked triangle? Warning—something nearby is not as it seems.

A wavy line beneath a crescent? Water and rest found here.