I will share with you a city from my D&D campaign Jagged Point Districts Butcher's Borough Description and History: The Butcher's Borough is geographically distinct from the rest of Jagged Point due to the feature that gives the city its name, the massive rocky outcropping known as the Spear of Erathis which splits the Devil's Tongue River in two. The Butcher's Borough sits atop this mound of stone raised above the rest of the city. Walled off from the rest of the city, this neighborhood marks where the city's gentry once lived. Now, this area belongs to the most prestigious mercenary guild east of the Westwind Mountains, M.E.A.T. Under the leadership of the mysterious Guildmaster Garvin, this district remains almost untouched by the squalor that has enveloped the rest of the city, and this is due to the hard work and resources of the guild itself. Most of the manor houses of the region function either as communal homes for the guild's various members, or as mansions to the most veteran and prestigious among their ranks, though it is possible for non-members to be granted permission to live here as well, usually merchants and craftsmen of renown who have reached some trade agreement with the guild. During the daylight hours, passage is granted into the district to non-members, but only with armed escort, or on official guild business. Though the Wyvern Wing Bridge that crosses the south fork of the Devil's Tongue lies outside the wall that marks the border of the Butcher's Borough, M.E.A.T guild members patrol, maintain, and repair the bridge, and as such exact a toll on all inbound traffic that crosses it. Points of Interest: The Butcher's Shoppe (Guildhouse), The Wyvern Wing Bridge (South Bridge), Light of the Knowing Mistress (Lighthouse/Wizard's Tower/Library/Teahouse), Melora's Retreat (City Park), The Low Earning Active Novice (L.E.A.N.) Garrison, The Goblin's Gullet (Tavern), Xeebo's! eXtraordinary! eXtravaganza! ("X!X!X", Magic Item Shop) People of Interest: Guildmaster Garvin, Right-hand Fleischer, Bloorl'ghle'rul the Fetid (Kuo'toa Lich), Druit Lif (Firbolg Druid), Garmak the Tower (Goliath Fighter, Captain of the Watch), Broogie the Barkeep (Bugbear Barbarian Tavern Owner), Dragonslayer Xeeboringo "The Duke" Bjerenzi Zscheippian the First and Only of the Mercenaries who Eagerly Acquire Treasure also known as "M.E.A.T", but my friends call me "Friend" (Magic Item Shop Owner) The Sheriff's Ward Description and History: The Sheriff's Ward is built around what was once the Kingsguard Garrison of Jagged Point, connected to the outer eastern wall of the city, it serves as a protected gateway into the city, as well as a barricade to keep lawless brigands from freely strolling the road to Riverun. This section of the city is much more civilized than the rest, having been protected by the self-proclaimed Sheriff of Jagged Point for many years. He and his posse keep the peace as best as they can in this region, patrolling the streets and the roads east, providing a relatively welcoming and safe approach to the otherwise unruly and dangerous city. Being one of the only known users of firearms in the kingdom, the sheriff has a reputation for being fair, just, and downright dangerous. This reputation affords those under his watch a modicum of peace and protection, though danger and rowdiness still often finds its way into the Sheriff's Ward, but the Posse is always quick to respond. Being the only part of the city that has unfettered access to the outer limits to the east, the Sheriff's Ward extends its protection to the handful of farming communities that line the road toward Riverun as well. The Courthouse has a bounty board posted and regularly updated outside featuring both common work, and dangerous bounties, often of criminals or beasts that escaped the Posse's grasp. Many folk of Jagged Point often gather here in the dawnlit hours seeking labor in exchange for coin, food, or shelter. This section of the city also hosts a soup kitchen which doubles at night as a shelter for the homeless, though it fills to capacity every night within the hour. The kitchen and shelter are manned by volunteers, and laborers from the jailhouse, working off their debt to society. Points of Interest: Two-moons' Saloon (Bar), The Dragon's Best Bet (Casino), The Trail's End (Inn), The Courthouse (Temple of the Lawkeeper), Feed n' Seed (General Store), The Soup Kitchen People of Interest: The Sheriff, Two-moons (Catfolk Barkeep), Cassius "Cash" Gemtongue (Casino Owner), Bjurtlebie "Bjurt" Ridingshield (Innkeeper), Clay Derrinjay (Store owner), Harrier Worrywart (Soup Kitchen Head Volunteer), "Judge" Lex Coldeye (Silver Dragonborn Head Cleric of the Lawkeeper) Oldtown Description and History: Oldtown is the most historic part of Jagged Point, dating back to the founding of the city. It is the most central district of the city, connected to the Butcher's Borough by the Old Bridge, an arch of metal and stone that has survived many wars and disasters. Oldtown's eastern border touches The Styx, though there is a cliff face that separates the two, other than at the northernmost points. The eastern border of the district is marked by the old City Wall, the northernmost section of which has long since collapsed into Smuggler's Run. Oldtown is home to the city's many guildhalls, such as the Splendid Hall, home to the Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths; The Songbird's Nest, a theater complex which houses the Songbirds, a collective of bards and performers of great variety; Starfall Towers, home to the Guild Arcane; The Greenleaf Conservatory, wherein the Naturalists Guild takes residence; and the Den of Blades, where the Trade of Blades guild houses its wares. Oldtown is also where the Court of Representatives is located, the former political center of the city before its collapse. The Court of Representatives is now the seat of the Guild Council, a coalition of guild leaders who rule the district and have a strong influence on the city's affairs. Oldtown is also where the Spire of Erathis is located, a grand temple devoted to the god of civilization, though its devotees have been labeled as a heretical order by other temples of the same faith. Points of Interest: The Spire of Erathis (Erathis Revival), The Court of Representatives (The Guild Council), The Splendid Hall (Guildhall of the Splendid Order), The Songbird's Nest (Guildhall of the Songbirds), The Old Bridge, The Den of Blades (Guildhall of the Trade of Blades), The Mithril Flask (Tavern), The Greenleaf Grove (Guildhall of the Naturalists Guild) People of Interest: Borin Ironhand (Guild Rep of the Speldid Order), Lyra Songbird (Guild Rep of the Songbirds), Raziel Starfall (Guild Rep of the Guild Arcane), Tara Greenfoot (Guild Rep of the Naturalists Guild), Zane Blackwater (Guild Rep of the Trade of Blades), Marth Eden (Head Cleric of the Spire of Erathis) Smuggler's Run Description and History: Smuggler's Run is the name given to the district at the northeasternmost corner of the city. It is a district of docks, warehouses, factories, and slums, where most of the city's trade and industry takes place. Smuggler's Run is also the hub of the city's underworld, where smugglers, black marketeers, and other shady characters operate with impunity. The Sheriff and his posse have little authority or presence here, despite the district neighboring the Sheriff's Ward. The district is controlled by various factions and gangs who compete for territory and resources, though all of them pay deference to the most powerful of these factions, the Needle's Eye. The Needle's Eye is a shadow organization led by a mysterious figure known only as Schegzi, a beholder who resides in a hidden fortress somewhere in the Collapse. The Collapse was a cataclysmic event that destroyed a large section of the city wall caused by the immense network of smuggling tunnels carved beneath the district over decades. This event is known to have been the last in a chain of events that led to the city being declared defunct by the King. Points of Interest: The Iris (Beholder-run guildhouse), The Broken Spire (ruined Wizards' Tower remnants), The Cavern's Maw (Underground fight club), The Drowned Rat (notorious waterfront tavern), The Omen Emporium (clandestine marketplace for illicit goods), Last Light's Lantern (Lighthouse and private docking area for smugglers' ships). People of Interest: Schegzi (Beholder guildmaster of The Needle's Eye), Minnow Blackbird (Halfling proprietress of The Drowned Rat), Hendrick the Shade (Human artifact hunter and Omen Emporium proprietor), Captain Marlow Blacktide (dreaded smuggler and captain-for-hire). The Styx Description and History: The Styx is a grim shadow cast beneath the glory of the Butcher's Borough and Oldtown, known for its pervasive aura of sorrow and spiritual unrest. This district, shrouded in the perpetual gloom of its towering neighbors, is the final refuge for Jagged Point's most marginalized souls and the final resting place for the countless dead, honored and forgotten alike. The skeletal remains of the elven district, blackened and broken by a historic conflagration, serve as a stark reminder of the city's darkest hour. Ash and ectoplasm are as common as mud in the twisted streets where the poor make their homes from rubble, and ghosts roam as freely as the rag-covered children. The air is laced with a funereal chill, whispering with the voices of the past and the laments of the unseen. Points of Interest: The Mourner's Vale (Cemetery), The Ember Hearth (Crematorium), The Wraith's Walk (Burnt Remains of the Elven District), The Phantom Market (Occult Bazaar), The Shattered Spire (Ancient Elven Watchtower), The Refuge of the Forsaken (Temple of healing) People of Interest: Gravekeeper Eldin (Ancient moon elf groundskeeper of the Mourner's Vale), The Ashen Monks (Silent monks who operate the Crematorium), Lady Esmeralda Valtorin (Half-elf resident of the Wraith's Walk), Bound Spirit Malthius (Ghost organizer of thee Phantom Market), Seer Sariel of the Shattered Spire (Mysterious occupant of the Shattered Spire), Sister Adelaide (Lead Caretaker of the Refuge of the Forsaken) My campaign has many facets. Right now a new party has entered the fray. All of my campaigns in this setting thus far have centered on members of the M.E.A.T. mercenary company. The previous party set events in to motion that have heavily impacted the city, and the kingdom that surrounds it, though not intentionally. They were a 4th level party, and while doing a contract for a group known as the Duezvorin Clan, they were framed as terrorists. The Duezvorin Clan have become a kind of autocratic authoritarian mafia that acts as the sole authority for the dwarven refugee community known as the Mudgate that has been constructed around the capitol city of Woodberry. The party were supposedly looking in to the murders of high profile dwarves in the shantytown of dwarven refugees that surrounds the capitol city Woodberry within the kingdom of Komn. While following a lead, they were taken in to a small sewer grate, once they entered, the Svirfneblin Artificer, and agent of the Duezvorin Clan who was to join them on this contract, locked them in to the sewer grate and detonated a bomb that engulfed the party and the northern city wall of Woodberry, blasting a hole in it, and setting a portion of the dwarven shantytown, known as Mudgate, ablaze. The Duezvorin reacted quickly, taking one of the party members prisoner while the rest appeared vaporized by the blast. The Duezvorin quickly controlled the fire and brought their prisoner to the authorities, a corrupted council of high ranking officials in the kingdom known as the Council of Eventides. They were lauded as heroes, and M.E.A.T. was labeled as terrorists. Since then, mercenary work has been deemed against the law, and the Duezvorin have been granted the right to be a policing force within the kingdom, acting as they see fit to maintain order. They were also granted the rights to a plot of land where The Tangle meets the Trollcliffs to create a Prison/labor camp known as the Duezvorin Annex for Public Labor, or D.A.P.L... Unbeknownst to the majority of the kingdom, the leader of the Duezvorin, Dwala Duezvorin, and one of the members of the Council of Eventides, Archmage Varrisa Everend, Lady of Magistery, are both servants of Asmodeus, who seeks to bring the kingdom as a small peice of his plan to win the Blood War. D.A.P.L. is actually a front to open a passageway to the underdark from which an army of Duergar can emerge, and utilizing the new hole in Woodberry's city wall, sack the city in the name of Asmodeus. Guildmaster Gavin, is secretly a Gold Dragon known as Gavilaran, who has been paying adventurous types from his hoard and creating contracts that he hopes will expose the corruption within the kingdom and rid evils from the region, and as such, M.E.A.T. has been labeled as an enemy of Asmodeus. The new party is a tenth level party, who we have been jokingly calling the Grade-A M.E.A.T... They were recalled from high risk contracts abroad to come to the defence of the guild by Guildmaster Gavin though the messege was cryptic and short. We have played one session with this party, annd so far they have fought through some agents of the Council of Eventides, and made their way in to the back entrance of the Butcher's Shoppe, the guildhouse of M.E.A.T... The guildhouse is ablaze, as fire elementals have been burning through the walls of the building looking for secret entrances to Gavilaran's Hoard. Apprentice Ascendant of Archmage Varrisa Everend, Brennen Penderghast, has been dispatched to investigate the guildhouse looking for Gavilaran's secrets, though they have yet to reveal themselves, and he is the one controlling the fire elementals. The party next session will encounter Brennen, though they still do not even know why the guild is under attack, or the extent of the damage to M.E.A.T.s reputation. Varrisa is currently trying to pry into the Light of the Knowing Mistress, a lighthouse atop the Spear of Erathis, she does so from her floating tower. The Grade-A party has yet to realize what is happening due to the region being veiled in heavy rain that obscures vision. The Light of the Knowing Mistress acts as a two-fold prison and refuge for the cursed kuotoa lich known as Bloorl'ghle'rul, who has resided there for at least a millenia. He reached an accord with Guildmaster Gavin when he offered the head of the previous owner of the Manorhouse that became the Butcher's Shoppe to Bloorl'ghle'rul as a token of friendship. This allowed Gavin's then budding guild special access to Bloorl's personal library. Bloorl is such an ancient lich that has been punished by the knowing mistress for prying dangerous forbidden knowledge from her. For his transgressions, he was trapped in the Lighthouse and forced to write everything he has ever learned and create a library of his own. For every thing he writes, he forgets it soon after. As such, he has amassed a massive library of his personal recordings, and he is forced to curate it as though it was a public library. While some of this knowledge is public, some secrets Ioun has decided are best left forgotten, though throughout history, some infernal beings have made contracts with Bloorl from before his punishment by Ioun, and these contracts supercede any interference she can impose. Varrisa seeks this forbidden knowledge, and while she knows of the infernal contracts Bloorl is beholden to, she does not know the specific wording, and thus she has yet to break through Ioun's barriers. The previous party consisted of four players, and five characters, as I was playing a DMPC. These characters were Agyth, a firbolg Ranger from the hamlet of Lakeview, where Druid's and naturalists guide the village to live in accord with nature. He was trained by a moon elf druid of great power, but lost him in a struggle with a corrupted treant where he had to sacrifice himself to save Lakeview. Agyth's childhood was spent in the western forest that later became known as The Tangle. Once, a millenia ago, it was a lush forest, home of elves, gnomes, and fey creatures living in harmony, but a human king known as the Winter King drove a road through the center of the forest, dividing it in two, and drove the druids from the western half. Now, only the eastern half is as it once was, it is known as the Deepwood. On the northeastern borders of the deepwood, on the shore of the Lake of Lights is where Lakewood rests. The Winter King was the husband of the Last Eldar of the Moon Elves. Eldar in this setting meaning a member of the first generation of elves, who were created by the gods. This eldar of the moon elves was the first elf to allow human into the elf lands, and after having cohabitated with humanity, and fought alongside them in an ancient war against the drow and the forces of the Demon Queen Lolth, generations passed, and she eventually fell in love with a human king of great ambition. She offered to teach him the elven ways of wizardry and eventually they wed, uniting their kingdoms, their first joint project being to construct the capitol of Woodberry. As time passed the king grew older, while she remained the same. He found methods off using magic to prolong his life, but not indefinitely. And so, seeking some path that he might live a life eternal alongside his love, he signed an ill-fated contract with Asmodeus, but in his haste, he didn't read all the fine print. He grew young again, and convinced those around him he had found the secret to eternal youth through wizardry. With time to never again be a burden to him, the king felt safe in allowing his ambitions and focus to wander, and shortly after the eldar became pregnant with their first child. While giving birth to the child, the spark of immortality that resided within the Eldar passed into the King and she rapidly wilted and died. Seeing foul magic afoot, the Eldars handmaids quickly spread word of the King's dark dealings, and civil war broke out. The eldars handmaidens absconded with the child and fled in to the feywild where they kept the progeny of their queen safe. The child was born a tiefling, having been tainted by their father's infernal contract. The king was driven mad by his betrayal at the hands of asmodeus, and the loss of his love. The Eldar became a banshee of unimaginable power, who resides in the Shadowfell to this day, cunning and intelligent as ever, if more cruel. The beginning of this civil war became known as the Pyre of Erathis, as the humans had long worshipped Erathis. Erathis had long since fallen to Asmodeus though, who answered prayers in their stead. This is why the followers in the Spire of Erathis are labeled as heretics, they still follow what little remains of the True Erathis, not corrupted by Asmodeus, but they are seen by many as an order of soothsayers. The Pyre of Erathis was a truely horrific time for thhe elves, gnomes, fey, and other followers of the natural order. The humans carved a path straight north through the elven territories to aid in their war effort, even going so far as to enslave many of them and force them to destroy their own forests they called home. The elves were routed, the moon elves were all but eradicated with only a handful surviving, their territory entirely claimed by the humans. The wood elves were taken as slaves and forced in to servitude, and the sun elves, despite their best efforts, could gain no ground against the industrious humans and the dwarves of the western mountains that allied with them This continued on for 7 centuries until the Forest Prince, son of the winter king, led a revolution against the tyrant. At the moment of the Forest Prince's victory, he was betrayed by the Sheriff, his chief military advisor and confidant. The Sheriff, afraid of the anarchy the Forest Prince might unleash, unwittingly made a losing contract with Asmodeus, and having failed to sway the forest prince's hopes for the future of the kingdom, Asmodeus demanded he kill him. The Sheriff waited until they were alone and mortally shot the Forest Prince who was just barely able to drag himself in to a feygate, but ended up in shadowfell in a quasi-living state. And so it went for the Forest Prince's daughter, whom the Sheriff raised as his own, her unknowing of who had killed her father. She grew under his tutelage, but she too turned to thoughts of revolution and anarchy, and the Asmodeus demanded he kill her too. Her child, who now goes by the moniker "Abaddon" has also been raised by the Sheriff, and they too know nothing of their sires' fate. This character known as Abaddon is another player in the first party of my campaign. They are a warlock whose patron is Levistus. They have run away from the sheriff seeking freedom from his rigid ways. The sheriff fears the day that Asmodeus demands he kill them too, but they have gone missing following the explosion that destroyed the city wall of Woodberry. Jagged Point: A complex city divided into districts, each with its own unique characteristics and inhabitants. Major areas include the affluent Butcher's Borough, the law-enforcing Sheriff's Ward, the historically rich Oldtown, the chaotic Smuggler's Run, and the somber, ghostly district of The Styx. M.E.A.T. (Mercenaries who Eagerly Acquire Treasure): A prestigious mercenary guild led by Guildmaster Gavin (secretly Gold Dragon Gavilaran), which is now under fire due to false accusations orchestrated by the Duezvorin Clan and the Council of Eventides, leading the guild to be outlawed and labeled as terrorists. Duezvorin Clan: An autocratic, mafia-like dwarven faction that has seized control over the Mudgate shantytown around the capital city Woodberry. They are linked to Asmodeus and are working towards an infernal plan involving the Duergar and an underdark army. Light of the Knowing Mistress: A lighthouse and prison for Bloorl'ghle'rul the kuotoa lich, cursed by Ioun to forget everything he records in his vast library. Archmage Varrisa Everend is seeking forbidden knowledge from Bloorl while respecting the limitations of his ancient infernal contracts. Agyth: A character from the first party, a firbolg ranger with a tragic past involving a powerful moon elf druid mentor and a deep connection to the history of The Tangle and The Deepwood. Winter King Saga: A historic tale involving betrayal, infernal contracts, the birth of the Forest Prince, and the resulting civil war. Over time, the descendants of the Winter King have been systematically targeted for assassination by the Sheriff under Asmodeus' orders. Abaddon: A player character in the first party, a warlock with patron Levistus, who is unknowingly descended from the Forest Prince and has been raised by the Sheriff. Their true heritage and the sheriff's dread of Asmodeus' demands create a backdrop of potential betrayal and self-discovery. Your campaign world is rich in history, with intricate political dynamics and layered character backstories. It is marked by themes of power struggles, divine and infernal influences, and the constant play between past legacies and present actions. The narratives you're weaving reflect a complex and engaging setting with significant potential for player-driven storytelling. Feel free to refer to this summary when we continue our conversation. I'm here to help refine your ideas, assist with writing, or expand on any aspect of your D&D campaign. Enjoy your time away, and I look forward to our next discussion about your fascinating world!

Low-grade M.E.A.T. Party and their Backstory Summaries: Agyth, Firbolg Ranger, Fled from his ancestral grove in the Tangle with his family in his youth due to it having deteriorated beyond safe conditions. Agyth was mentored in the ways of nature by Durthu Aspenheart, a Moon Elf druid. Durthu later sacrificed himself to save the hamlet of Lakeview, a small village on the coast of the Lake of Lights where it meets the Deepwood. Having spent most of his adult life helping the folks of Lakeview from the outskirts. Once his reputation reached the ears of M.E.A.T., a messenger was dispatched to invite him to the guild. Lolthreniel, Drow Hexblade Warlock, groomed by her family from birth to be the sole oracle to interface with their demon lord, her eyes were ritualistically removed with acid. She was approached by a spider-like shade from the shadowfell, a hexblade, and offered power to resist her captivity. With the newly granted extrasensory perception granted by her new patron, Lolthreniel witnessed the truth of the "Demon Lord", seeing it to be an agent of Asmodeus. She fled the underdark and was captured by the surface elves, who saw fit to put her on trial for the collective sins of her people. A historied Sun elf, Draelan Loriathranel (My DMPC), witnessed her plight and sought to help her. At great personal cost he was able to buy her freedom, though he was rendered mute. Exiled from the elven lands, the pair wandered through the Kingdom living on the road. The two made quite the odd pair, as elves are already rare in the region, much less a Sun Elf and Drow travelling side by side. Once their reputation reached M.E.A.T. and invitation was sent to each of them. Abaddon, Tiefling Fiend Warlock, Adopted child of the Sheriff. From a young age Abaddon was treated different not only for their fiendish appearance, but also for their unlikely parent, the Sheriff. The two have always butted heads idealogically, with the Sheriff seeking a more authoritative hand, and Abaddon wishing for a more hand's off approach. Following the Collapse, when Jagged Point was declared defunct by the Kingdom, roughly 30 years ago, the two split even farther, as the Sheriff quickly worked to fill the power vaccum left by the kingdom. While the Sheriff was out on a patrol with his posse, Abaddon snooped around their secretive father's house and found a hidden stash of war memorabilia, and a rolled parchment containing a contract with Abaddon's name already on it. When the sheriff learned that Abaddon had signed the contract, the two had a falling out. For a time, Abaddon worked as a smuggler, mostly smuggling people avoiding the many Drafts put in place by the kingdom to supply soldiers to the warfront in the west, or people on the wrong side of the law. After garnering a reputation as quite the adept Smuggler, M.E.A.T. approached them with an invitation.

Here is the player's guide I gave the Grade-A M.E.A.T. before we made characters. Mercenaries Eagerly Acquiring Treasure "Why settle for muscle, when you can have M.E.A.T.?" Setting: Arva Dungeon Master: Aaron Players: Edward, Eris, Lavender, Kitty, Derek Summary Intro: Having been abroad while working on a contract, or on R&R between contacts, it's been a while since you've set foot in the Butcher's Shoppe. You have been urgently recalled to the guild house on threat of being disavowed if you do not comply. House Rules: I am the Master of Dungeons: I do what I want. This means I can bullshit a rule about longbows not being able to be used while crouching, or giving disadvantage to perception for detecting a pickpocket because your character was distracted by a juggling jester. I can do this, because I am the Dungeon-master. Some rules will be disputable, others will not. This goes both ways though, and I may on occasion be merciful and give you an advantage on an attack roll due to you watching your comrade die on the battlefield, or a +2 AC when adjacent to an ally and surrounded by enemies. I could do anything. Be wary travelers, here there be dragons. I am Not Afraid of Killing You: Afraid of killing you, I am not. Play smart... play S-Mart. Character Health: You are never to show or tell other players how many hit-points you have remaining while in combat, unless a proper Medicine (Wisdom) check is made beforehand. This is due to the fact that you wouldn't be able to telepathically communicate that information on a battlefield. However, you can state the information that could be gathered about your character's condition at a glance. To simplify, you may tell other players your character's current condition based on this chart: 100% Unscathed 99 - 76% Barely Wounded 75 - 51% Bruised 50 - 26% Bloodied 25 - 1% Barely Conscious 0% Unconscious Cocked Dice: If a die is rolled and lands crooked, instead of simply disregarding the roll or accepting it at your leisure the rule is as follows. If you can stack a d4 on top of it, it plays. (d4's are now rendered unplayable; they shall be given a Viking's burial) Minor Advantage: In certain situations, the mathematical buff granted by the Advantage mechanic is too much, but a buff is warranted nonetheless. In these instances, instead of rolling an extra d20 and taking the higher of the two, the player will add a +2 modifier to their roll. This buff stacks with regular advantage, meaning one could roll two dice, take the higher, and add an additional +2 to that roll. Some examples of when one might gain a minor advantage include: Flanking (When you and an ally are threatening an opponent from opposite sides), and High Ground (In both Melee and Ranged combat, having a height advantage can give you the edge) Character creation Rules: Backstory: At least one half page is required, or a full page bullet point list of details about your character and their history; you may either ask questions so that you may place yourself in the world as accurately as you wish, or write your story fairly generally so I may place your character into the world for you. Regardless, D&D is a collaborative medium, and details about your story may help me to better flesh out the world of Arva, so don't be afraid to be as detailed as you wish. Arva may be a world of fantasy, but please try to stay within reason. NO PURPLE BEAR PEOPLE! Remember that these characters are the "A-team" of M.E.A.T., Some may be semi-retired, or returning from a challenging contract that took them to distant lands. These characters have likely spent most of their careers in M.E.A.T., or abroad in more dangerous locales, to have become this powerful. This group of veteran mercenaries and adventurers would likely know of each other at least by reputation, if not by having worked together on contracts in the past. They would have a fair amount of stories and scars from past adventures, and have likely also seen their fair share of death, as their occupation has quite a high mortality rate. Maybe they are long-time friends who work together regularly, or rivals who compete with one another for contacts. Maybe they were once friends, but have come to hate each other over some past slight or job gone awry. This is a good chance to make characters that have a history. Ability Scores: 27 point buy, before modifiers and feats the maximum is 15, the minimum is 8. This assures every character has the potential to be balanced with the rest of the party. Tasha's Variant Origin rules are applicable if desired when considering racial ability score modifiers. Starting Level: This campaign will begin at 10th level. You will begin with an extra feat. This must be used for a feat, and not an ability score increase. Hit Points: Maximum at first level; average Hit Die rounded up plus Constitution modifier for every level thereafter. This assures all players have appropriate hit points for their level, and remain balanced with the rest of the party. Starting Gold & Equipment: Each character will begin with 5000 gold for mundane equipment as well as 1 Rare Magical Item and 2 Uncommon Magical Items. These magical items must be approved by the Dungeon Master. Other Restrictions: No unapproved third party races or classes, and no unapproved custom races. Evil characters are allowed, but they must be willing to follow the tenets of the M.E.A.T. mercenary company while on the job, and be able to play nice with others in order to gain money and/or renown, otherwise they'll be killed, or worse... Expelled. Races: All Core races, Aasimar, Bugbear*, Drow*, Duergar*, Firbolg*, Genasi, Goblin*, Goliath*, Hobgoblin*, Kenku (Ravenfolk), Kobold*, Lizardfolk*, Orc*, Ratfolk, Tabaxi (Catfolk), Feral Tiefling, Tortle (Turtlefolk), Yuan-ti Pureblood (Serpentfolk) * - Requires an approved backstory to play The World of Arva: (Please don't meta-game) The Kingdom of Komn: The Kingdom of Komn was once a prosperous place, benefiting greatly from trade with the dwarves in the Westwind Mountains. Being the main thoroughfare for the dwarven wares coming down river from the west, the people of Komn could buy the choicest of items from the dwarves and let the rest continue down the river to Mainport, or be loaded on wagons bound for Plainsfall in the south. However, since the Great Orctide swept over the Westwind Mountains, the outlook has become progressively more and more grim for the once great kingdom. No trade caravans, nor barges of dwarven wares have made it down the tradeway in nigh on three decades. This lack of trade has caused the economy of Komn to stagnate, but no city has been more affected by this than the city of Jagged Point. Built where the Devil's Tongue River forks before heading into Mainport, it once flourished on the western trade. Deprived of that trade, Jagged Point lost its primary source of income. Declared defunct by The King roughly twenty-four years ago, now the city festers, falling farther into disrepair and disrepute by the day. Filled with draft-dodging men, wounded veterans, tax-evading merchants and guildsmen, and displaced dwarven refugees, it has descended into squalor. There is no longer a government presence here, instead different guilds and gangs compete for territory be it via violence, guile, or mercantile. Of the other cities in Komn, the one that still manages to cling to comfort is the stone-walled bastion of Forest's Edge. Still able to collect what it can from trade with Mainport, it hosts the largest garrison in all of Komn, manning what few guard posts that remain active throughout the kingdom. North of Forest's Edge across the southern fork of the Devil's Tongue River, the town of Riverun used to be a major stop along the route from Jagged Point to Mainport, but due to Jagged Point's fall from grace, it now relies purely on its farming community to stay afloat. The town manages to do so with what comforts can be garnered from that hard way of life. Riverun is the breadbasket of Komn, and it struggles to continue to produce enough food for the entire kingdom and its armies during these dire times, often relying on the kindness of the druids of Lakeview to aid in its harvest. Lakeview is a small self-reliant village, not even marked on most maps, said to be home to a large circle of druids and rangers; they live in balance with nature on the calm shores of the Lake of Lights, resting just on the border of the fey-ridden Deepwood. Woodberry is the Metropolitan Capital of Komn, and its largest city. Woodberry, as with the rest of Komn, has fallen on hard times since the coming of the Great Orctide. King Irastus has done all in his power to assuage the people, but civil unrest is at an all time high despite his attempts. The last military force sent to the dwarves' aid in the west was led by none other than the crown prince, Korathus, which did much to quiet the people, but it has been months since their departure with no news of their whereabouts, and tensions rise once more. The ever increasing war taxes have pushed many residents out of Woodberry, leaving many neighborhoods vacant, or littered with squatters and crime. Only the walled-off inner city remains intact, the rich able to continue to live comfortably in their bubble as the war rages on in the west. Many dwarves seeking refuge from the Orctide ravaging their homeland have fled to Komn, and having been denied entry into the Capitol, many have settled in the ever-growing shantytown outside the walls of Woodberry that has since come to be known as the Mudgate. Mudgate has become a thriving city in its own right, the industrious dwarves having had thirty years to build their own society here, though the king has denied them the right to gather the proper materials to do so in proper dwarven fashion. As such, Mudgate has been built from mostly mud and thatch, with buildings often stacked on top of each other in a way that resembles a beehive. Due to the lack of outside authority, the dwarves are mostly self regulated, relying on the Paragons of each clan to establish order. Other notable features within the borders of the kingdom include; the Deepwood, a mysterious fey-ridden forest surrounded by strange rumors and tales; the Tangle, a dense and devious forest filled with dangerous denizens that remains to this day unmapped and near untraversable; and the Trollcliffs, where trolls, among a number of other monstrous humanoids, gather in the many caves that dot the steep cliff walls. Mainport: The industrious trade nation of Mainport lies on the east coast of the continent of Arva, sharing a border with both Komn and Plainsfall. Many far-travelers, traders, and adventurers make their homes within the massive seabound confederated city-states of Mainport, making it a cultural melting-pot. Here, more so than anywhere else in the known world, the many varied races of beastfolk gather in mass, nearly outnumbering the humans in the region. Having many different trade alliances and varied sources of income, Mainport remains unaffected by the Great Orctide in the west, and some might say it actually benefits the nation; Komn, having once been Mainport's greatest trade rival, instead now leans on Mainport for aid. Many Komnites fear that over-reliance on Mainport during this trying time may leave the kingdom indebted to the larger nation in more ways than one, and some fear that a trade war may be on the horizon, one that would likely force the struggling kingdom to its knees. In recent years one of Mainport's explorative naval expeditions landed on the shores of a new continent in the east, and since then tentative trade routes have been trickling goods, and people, back and forth over the ocean. Little is known about this new land by any in Arva, but rumors of this land, and the adventurous folk who have traveled to Arva from there, have begun to spread across the continent like wildfire. Stillbreath Forest: Stillbreath Forest is the land of the elves. Their society resides high in the canopies of the ancient, dense, and frigid forests of the north. The elves of Arva have a long and tenuous history with the kingdom of Komn. Roughly seven centuries ago, in an event known as the Pyre of Erathis, the once-united humans and elves of Komn fought in a bloody civil war that seemed to have been sparked overnight, this war ended with the humans of the region, under the rule of the tyrant known as the Summer King, claiming a large swath of southern stillbreath. To prevent further loss of life and territory, the high elves of Stillbreath signed a treaty agreeing to respect the new borders of Komn, and to cease all hostilities against the kingdom. The wood elves, whose domain was entirely annexed by Komn in the war, were trapped within the new borders and became slaves to the human kingdom. As the humans forced the wood elves to develop infrastructure in their dense woodland home they became more and more agitated over time, watching their beloved homeland trampled and defaced, and after roughly four hundred years of mercilessness, the elves, along with many other fey-folk, united under the banner of a mysterious figure known only as The Forest Prince. Together these forces mounted a successful reclamation effort known now as the War of Thorns. After successfully dethroning the tyrannical Summer King and excising the remaining humans from their wounded woodland, the elves threatened further retaliation if their terms weren't met. Thus the humans, and their newly appointed monarch, signed a treaty, vowing to free the elves who had been enslaved and allow them safe passage to Stillbreath if they so wished, as well as to renounce all claims to the lands and holdings north of the Stormflow River. Since the signing of the treaty, the reunited elven nations of Stillbreath have broken all lines of communication and trade with the outside world, preferring secrets and solitude over their once more inclusive stance on outsiders. Rumors of tension in the forests to the north have slowly begun to trickle out of Stillbreath, though travelers through that region are few and far between. Many Komnites fear the brooding elven nation, even more so now with Komn in decline due to the Great Orctide. Westwind Mountains: The Westwind Mountains were once a thriving bastion of the dwarves and their way of life. Reclusive and secretive, though not xenophobic, they would sell their wares to any willing to pay the right price. Roughly three decades ago orcs amassed in numbers never before seen and swept over the region like a flood of flesh and steel, burning any overland settlements to the ground, and laying siege to all of the known entrances of the ancient dwarven holds. The dwarves have since made many attempts to escape their entrapment, using all the ingenuity they could muster, but the orc's numbers simply outweigh the dwarves capacity for strategy, cunning, and craftiness. No news has made its way out of the dwarven holds in ten years, and the Kingdom of Komn flounders without its greatest ally and trade partner. Fearing what may come should the orcs remain unhindered, Komn has sent many military regiments into the region over the last thirty years in hopes of freeing the dwarven holds. All for naught it would seem, as the human forces have yet to find a weak point in the orcish lines to mount any form of successful liberation effort. Many fear that the dwarves have given up on returning to the surface completely, being more than capable of surviving within the dark tunnels under the mountains indefinitely, though this would surely spell doom for the trade-reliant kingdom of Komn. Plainsfall: The expansive nation of Plainsfall lies South of Mainport and Komn. The nation is mostly made up of plains and sparsely wooded grassland, bounded in the North by the dense forests of Komn, the mountains in the West, and the Sea to the South and East. Sporting the smallest standing army of any nation, Plainsfall relies mostly on local militia organizations to handle any martial needs. Plainsfall was established by halflings, but since its inception many humans have migrated to the region, settling there looking for land, freedom, and a life of simplicity. Having an abundance of undeveloped land, regional governors will often offer free land to immigrants, as well as tools and animals to work the fields, so long as the new homeowners give a certain percentage of their harvest to the governors as payment. The work of a farmer can be rather dangerous in some places though, as the vermin can prove to be quite monstrous. Those who live in this region tend to have a "Live and let live" mentality when it comes to local wildlife so long as it doesn't pose a threat to their communities. M.E.A.T.: Your story begins within the rotting corpse of the once booming trade town of Jagged Point. Jagged Point once thrived on the wares that flowed down the Devil's Tongue river from the dwarven mountains in the West, but ever since the Great Orctide roughly thirty years ago, trade has ceased altogether. Due to this lack of trade, many fled the city in search of greener grass. As the years passed, more and more people fled the floundering city until even the king declared the city to be an unsustainable burden on the kingdom. Now, lacking a government presence, the husk of the once prosperous town has been repopulated with a more irksome crowd consisting of everything from deserters from the war in the West, to simple folks attempting to avoid the ever heightening war taxes; From greedy guild masters evading regulations, to criminal overlords seeking to hide from the eyes of the law.