Book of the Northern Exposure

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CHRONICLE > The North Revealed is a Living World campaign set in The Northern Hearthlands of the [Fantasy] Steel Realms. The Heartland Spark has re-shaped the realm and new opportunity beckons the brave and bold to the north. Brought together by circumstance, bound by camaraderie, finding fortune in the conflict of the northlands…

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Historical Setups for The North Revealed…

Northern Exposure – A North Revealed campaign story arc. Note: This may pre-empt the entire greater North Revealed campaign if it runs for a while.

GAMING CONTRACT: Kelly Berger’s Gaming Contract for Players

Campaign Parameters/Character Creation/Notes
  • Type: Basic – Serial adventures in the same area, a linear plot with a few simple themes and recurring NPCs – classic ‘campaign’ (ex: multi-module) play. Down time allows some expanded character development but is not tightly integrated to campaign themes.
  • Mode 1 Character Rewards

I’m going to launch a campaign in the north (the same one ive been working on world building for half a year), but instead of strongly serialized, it will be weakly serialized – but not episodic. Instead of strong, unique campaign characters, it’s going to be mostly PHB standard for classes (except a slightly improved fighter; druids & monks prohibited initially and others limited in subclass) and races available in Rhyl. Players can create their own characters. All will be second or third children of nobles or come from a somewhat well off family – basically enough status to be literate and educated (probably at the same institute – where they all met) but must set out to make their own way and fortune.

Some Advocati: I will allow a couple people who cannot make in person game sessions to play NPC Advocates to help the group.

Common Starting Goods for Characters (replaces PHB)

  • 50 silver crowns
  • Riding Horse (quality; 20 Health/hp) & full tack/harness
    > saddle bags, travois, basic saddle (+1 Ride checks) & stirrups (+1 Ride checks)
  • Equipment bundle – Fantasy Starting Trek Package
  • Soldier’s Bundle: Studded Leather, backup Leather, 2x Light Medium Shield (+2 AC/1 Resilience), Spear, Dagger, Hand Axe or Short Bow w/10 arrows; 1 main proficient weapon
  • Family memento
  • Letters of Marque and Credit: The character’s basic lodging and sustenance (never enough for improved versions) are covered by their families and institutions as an acknowledgement of their service.

Current State of the World: CY 9185, Month 7

Finale: Outcomes from the Dunstrand Rising Campaign (previous campaign notes; not required reading)

Herald’s Quarterly 9185, 1st Quarter CY 9184 Month 1-3

The current state of The Grand Duchy of Rhyl is that it is predominantly ruled over by a young-ish group of peerage titled Lords and Ladies. It is the first time in a long time that at least half, if not nearly 2/3 are all ruled over by nobles in their thirties or early forties.

‘The Ways Runners’ (Shared Experience) Background Concept

The group called themselves The Ways Runners. This is a reference to their constant trafficking of messages in the halls of the Silverstone Tower prison in Rhyl. They are survivors; Their own families wrote them off, practically sacrificed them for the price of maintaining their own power. They are those that left their service at the Tower of Voices intact. Traveling to the far east side of the Duchy of Rhyl, they sought to get far away from their families and start fresh. Hired for a land dispute in the County of Dunaine region have brought them together more after their shared experience, allowing them to make a home there.

SHARED TRAUMA: Tower of Voices, Stone Cold Terror of CY 9184

  • ARABUS: Stelid Bracken > Elf Barbarian (Shared Trauma = The Time for Terror)
  • COREY: Broadleaf The Colossal Hatchet > Halfling Fighter (Shared Trauma = The Time for Terror)
  • EARL: Maby Nori > Dwarf Ranger (Shared Trauma = A Far-Away Breeze)
  • ERIC: Leonara > Human Rogue (Shared Trauma = Rage Tempered Thoughts)
  • LJ: Skurge > Goliath Fighter (Shared Trauma = The Time for Terror)
  • Newal: Caliburn > Human Wizard (Shared Trauma = Rage Tempered Thoughts)
  • ROCKY: Redd > Human Fighter (Shared Trauma = Cool Tempered Thoughts)
  • Iziah NPC: Dahks > Dwarf Merchant? – The Finder/Maker of Ten Stacks
  • DANIEL: > Human Ranger (Shared Trauma = A Far-Away Breeze)

Kelly’s NPC: (Shared Trauma = Cool Tempered Thoughts)

Northern Exposure Campaign Record Materials