Foreword
Hey team! Thanks for joining me on this journey to Wolfesboro. I’m excited to share with you some background on the campaign’s setting. It’s my first time doing anything like this, so please bare with me! 😅 In the end, lore might not end up being a big focus for our group – or it might, but having a solid foundation is a good starting point either way. As we play, we’ll naturally see how relevant it becomes to our group. There’s no pressure to dive deep into the lore/setting if it’s not your thing — I won’t be offended! It’s here as a base, and its importance or lack there of will naturally evolve as we progress and play the game together. 👍
About the Setting
I wanted to create something unique to us – but I also wanted to keep it as simple as possible, with pre-established world-building that anyone can just look up online! Therefor…
So – the important takeaway from this is, if you’re uncertain of ‘what exists in this world’, ‘who are the gods of the pantheon that I can pray to’ or similar, you can just look up whatever you like about the pre-established Forgotten Realms, Toril and Faerûn settings, and you’ll know exactly what exists, because anything you find in official WOTC writings, exists in this world! 😊
Of course, within the campaign, I have taken the liberty to create new things and new lore that you wont find anywhere else… you’ll just have to discover it during the campaign. This world already exists with or without your characters in it – the passage of time will pass, and events will proceed; How they proceed, is up to you and your characters. 😉
Last but not least, this world belongs to you as much as it does me. This is a collaborative story that we’re telling together and I encourage you to create things within it. If you want a certain faction, NPC, item or world event to exist – just talk to me about it and we can weave it into the story together.
So, with love and without further ado… ❤️
The Timeline Thus Far
Here is the timeline relating to the history of the campaign setting. Remember – these events have already happened and are not necessarily the story of the campaign that we will play. They just set the stage.
Your characters will join the story in 1501 DR in the present day. You are privy to the information below because these are relatively big world events that your characters would reasonably know of, or have heard of, even if they don’t hail from this area. Your character can ‘know’ as much or as little of this information as you choose. Enjoy! 😊
Expedition to the Basin
Under King Agmar II‘s rule, the Agmar Peninsula thrived as a vast and prosperous realm on which the Kingdom of Agmar spread to the very corners of the land and sea – tens of thousands of people live and thrive within the safety of the peninsula. But as the population grew, the lands resources became scarce. The king orders a northern expedition to the Starforged Basin, so as to extend the kingdom’s reach.
Starforged Basin is Settled: Wolfesboro
The fertile basin heralds Wolfesboro as its inaugral town, nestled just beyond the mountain-canyon that separates it from the peninsula. The expedition’s diaspora gave rise to numerous other villages and settlements, but Wolfesboro‘s swift growth and prosperity are attributed to its strategic role as the gateway to the basin, serving as a crucial passageway for travelers in both directions.
Tensions Rise
Keldan Flintforge, is an esteemed artificer and visionary, renowned for both his ego and the pivotal role he’s played in advancing and sustaining the Kingdom of Agmar through innovative technology and progressive thinking.
In a bold public declaration, Flintforge demands greater political dominion and authority in exchange for his ongoing unmatched genius – but is endlessly rebuked by the reigning power.
The Ultimatum
King Agmar II stands unwavering against Flintforge‘s demands – in response, Flintforge issues a hauntingly egotistical ultimatum;
Dominion over the majority of the kingdom that he believes he created, or mutually assured annihilation of everything within it. If he can’t have his creation, then no one will.
As tensions escalate, civil strife consumes the realm. Some fervently embrace Flintforge‘s vision of an idyllic domain under his leadership, while others, repulsed by the depth of his determination, rally to the monarchy’s side.
A Last-Ditch Effort
With his demands not met – Flintforge sets his sights on annihilation. He initiates his plan to unleash an unfathomable weapon of destruction upon Agmars Peninsula.
The monarchy attempts to intervene, but Keldan‘s genius always leaves him one step ahead. Realizing that he is out of both options and time, King Agmar II orders the kingdoms magic council to exhaust all of their resources to rip the centre of the kingdom into the sky and shield it, with only moments to spare.
Agmars Sundering
A blinding burst of light completely engulfs Agmars Peninsula and the seas that surround it.
As the destructive radiance fades, the inhabitants of the now floating city watch as their realm ignites beneath them.
Their homes and their families; reduced to dust. The Kingdom of Agmar is no more.
Last Fortune; the Floating City
High above the realm, the fragments of the once famed kingdom emerge as the city of Last Fortune. Within its confines, a society grapples with ruin and unrest. The weight of the events that unfolded under King Agmar II‘s rule casts a dark shadow upon his name. Pressured by the populace, he surrenders the remnants of his legacy to his son, fading into obscurity.
Prince Lysander ascends to the throne.
The Aftermath
Agmar’s Peninsula, once lush and vibrant, has transformed into a desolate, necrotic realm haunted by erratic storms of lingering magic. Within this unforgiving Hellscape, as it is now known, monstrous creatures have emerged upon the land, some of them warped and twisted by the residual energies.
Returning to life on the ground is now an impossibility. Isolated and devoid of essential resources like sustenance, water, and supplies, the floating city faces dire circumstances.
Supply Lines Established
King Lysander strategically leverages the towns, villages, and settlements within the Starforged Basin, with Wolfesboro serving as the central hub for gathering essential supplies, sustenance, and provisions destined to traverse the treacherous Hope Canyon, connecting Wolfesboro to Last Fortune.”
Convoys Attacked; the Danger Grows
As time goes on, the dangers within Hellscape grow. The supply expeditions to Last Fortune are attacked with increasing frequency. The monstrous creatures brave closer and closer to Wolfesboro.
In a strategic move aimed at safeguarding Last Fortune, King Lysander institutes an elite cadre of guardians within Wolfesboro, known as Horizons Watch. Committed to protecting both Last Fortune and Wolfesboro at any expense, these exceptional soldiers stand as the vanguard of defense.
Wolfesboro Under Siege; The Ironclad Bastion
As the monstrous threat advances, Wolfesboro suffers a harrowing siege, causing substantial loss of life and destruction.
The opportunistic mercenary clan, Rengaw, completes construction of the imposing Ironclad Bastion – a colossal mountain gate that seals off Hope Canyon. Its quarterly opening becomes a monumentous event, signaling the departure of supply caravans bound for Last Fortune, and the brave souls of Horizons Watch that take on the journey.
Present Day
The symbiotic connection between Wolfesboro and Last Fortune remains resolute. The vital supply routes persist, yet are as perilous as ever. Last Fortune remains suspended in the sky, graced merely a few times annually by convoys bearing essential resources. Meanwhile, Wolfesboro and the diverse settlements within the Starforged Basin thrive and burgeon, as civilization within the realm gradually convalesces and begins to heal; but unbeknownst to the peoples of this realm…