Dan-thurás: A Living Homebrew Setting

Hello all, I am Mr. Dicestone. I’ve played a bit of D&D over the past couple years (mostly 5e, but adapting to 5.2), and would like to try DMing. I’m gauging interest in a homebrew one-shot that could expand into a campaign if the community desires. This adventure will be a play-by-post adventure.

Characters: Players will create Level 1 characters for D&D 5.2 (5.5e; new 5e). Rolling for stats and rerolling ones, standard array, 27-point buy; it matters not to me. I will request that players don’t try to optimax the heck out of their characters; I’d like to encourage players to find creative solutions to challenges and make them enjoyable for you and others.

If you’re interested, please provide your character’s major details (name, race, class, background, etc.) and a brief bit (3-5 sentences is good) about your character, including whether they’re native to this land or exploring from elsewhere.

Experience: Players of all levels of experience are welcome; it’s simple enough where new players can learn the core rules, but it can also be fun and challenging for veteran players.

Material: Other than the setting, I’ll be using official material, but feel free to PM me about homebrew material.

Gameplay: asynchronous, in the PBP forums. Expect a post or two daily. Hopefully it’s balanced between combat, exploration, and roleplay.

Story: I will try to involve the players in the world, and will likely ask you to name unnamed parts of the world (e.g. “Who is that innkeeper you just met?” or “What’s the name of the last dwarven empire?”) and/or incorporate elements of characters’ backstories into the world.

I will warn: This story is living and not static, so any contributions made by a given group will likely become canon and carried forward for future groups.

Setting: Dan-thurás is very similar to Faerûn and the Forgotten Realms, except there are few cities and fewer major factions or organizations, and it has its own whimsy to it, almost reminiscent of the Feywild. The world does have some history and legendary figures such as Amanda Myth the Legend and the great wizard Bob (and players will help weave this story’s tapestry further), but this realm is primarily intended as a place where characters forge their own legends; all of the writing worth reading has been read, so it’s time to do things worth writing about.  

Here are some major regions of Dan-thurás. I will try to keep this updated with new information the players add:

Smallville

-A simple small town at a major crossroads

Downsley Plains

-Rolling hills and flowing fields

The Great Ceangal

-The intersection of all major trade roads to and from Smallville, which connects it to the other major locations

-Rumors of unknown origin claim that numerous portals were located where the Great Ceangal is located, but no-one has found any portals yet

North: Saemir

-Logging town

Skögaviður

-Alpine forests and tundras

-Vampires and elves reside in the alpine forests, and the descendants of giants roam the land

East/Southeast: Cairdell

-A quiet trade-town where the party will start

-Temperate woods, winding rivers bordering rolling plains and rich fields

Southwest: Delamar

-Large coastal trade-town with many merchants

The High Seas of Yore

-Unexplored islands and archipelagos

West: Yadyd

-Border town with many local nomads, the Treduine, who are wandering herders

Gyaag Steppes

-Expansive prairies and rolling hills

Ability scores: 15 13 16 16 13 12

Name: Orien Noir.  
Race: Bearfolk.  
Class: Druid.  
Background: Artisan

“All rivers lead back to the sea…  I’ve never been lost just turned around a time or two…” Orien crafts road markers and nicknames like a master craftsman creates shrines, details and preparations.  Once Orien wandered out of the Shadowfell, colors awakened and changed him profoundly.

Ability scores: 12 13 15 14 13 15

That sounds like a cool character concept. Is Orien native to the Feywild/Shadowfell or similar, or somewhere else? Also, why might he be coming to this random town named Cairdell—does he have friends or family there, or is he looking for something or somewhere in particular, or does he even know?

Remind me to do this later!

I might be interested! 

Ability scores: 13 13 8 14 10 10

Lots of 14s and 16s!

Ability scores: 13 15 15 13 12 13

Not bad…

Tozer Mar-Kizarinath
Species. Goliath
Class. Barbarian
Background. Giant Foundling

The long-expected day arrived, and the emotionless, edict-like words of his father fell upon Tozer's ears. "Leave the North now. In the name of Clan Kizarinath do great things. Demonstrate courage. Defend the weak. If you die, do so with honor." 

Many days later, Tozer wandered into Cairdell feeling awkward and alone, but hoping it might be a place that offers him the opporunity to fulfill his duty to his family and clan.

Ability scores: 11 12 15 15 13 8

Quote from Man_of_Dust >>

Tozer Mar-Kizarinath
Species. Goliath
Class. Barbarian
Background. Giant Foundling

The long-expected day arrived, and the emotionless, edict-like words of his father fell upon Tozer's ears. "Leave the North now. In the name of Clan Kizarinath do great things. Demonstrate courage. Defend the weak. If you die, do so with honor." 

Many days later, Tozer wandered into Cairdell feeling awkward and alone, but hoping it might be a place that offers him the opporunity to fulfill his duty to his family and clan.

Ability scores: 11 12 15 15 13 8

 Cool!

Name: Mia Hinalli

Race: Wood Elf

Class: Sorcerer

Background: Criminal

“One of these days, I will avenge you, comrades…”

Mis hails from the Hinalli line of wood elves, from the alpine forests of Skogaviour. After a portal opened in her village, her clan was hunted down by vampires who wanted the magic in their blood. She and her brother were some of the only survivors, and after becoming separated from him, she barely made it to Cairdell alive. Now, she has discovered latent magic abilities - which, as a thief, help her quite a bit. She’s looking for her brother - and more importantly, for revenge on the dark lords who hunted her family.

Born in the Shadowfell Orien felt the beginnings of a long despair the bleakness of it all taking root.  The day he found a color pool quite by accident, his life changed.  Waking up to a sunrise in Dan-thurás, he thought the world was about to burn ‘this is the end’.  Instead the colors just got bolder and brighter and birds flowers insects… he is daily in awe of his new reality.  This is his now and he would gladly protect it at any cost, happy to even know that it exists.  

He rolled a trinket, a packet of pick dust, he holds it like a treasure.

Cairdell was probably along a road (Orien is obsessed with roads) he often carves wooden posts to name or mark features (mile markers) along roads, helps make them last longer.

Quote from LinkArcher >>

Quote from Man_of_Dust >>

Tozer Mar-Kizarinath
Species. Goliath
Class. Barbarian
Background. Giant Foundling

The long-expected day arrived, and the emotionless, edict-like words of his father fell upon Tozer's ears. "Leave the North now. In the name of Clan Kizarinath do great things. Demonstrate courage. Defend the weak. If you die, do so with honor." 

Many days later, Tozer wandered into Cairdell feeling awkward and alone, but hoping it might be a place that offers him the opporunity to fulfill his duty to his family and clan.

Ability scores: 11 12 15 15 13 8

 Cool!

 I agree, that’s a great concept; I hadn’t given the North, Saemir, and the Skogaviour much thought. Great job expanding the world!

Quote from LinkArcher >>

Name: Mia Hinalli

Race: Wood Elf

Class: Sorcerer

Background: Criminal

“One of these days, I will avenge you, comrades…”

Mis hails from the Hinalli line of wood elves, from the alpine forests of Skogaviour. After a portal opened in her village, her clan was hunted down by vampires who wanted the magic in their blood. She and her brother were some of the only survivors, and after becoming separated from him, she barely made it to Cairdell alive. Now, she has discovered latent magic abilities - which, as a thief, help her quite a bit. She’s looking for her brother - and more importantly, for revenge on the dark lords who hunted her family.

 Also great work! Thanks for helping expand this world and giving it life! Now I’ll have to work on that band of vampiric raiders (or someone else might, which could cause tension if Mia runs into them, he he)

Quote from HunterOrien >>

Born in the Shadowfell Orien felt the beginnings of a long despair the bleakness of it all taking root.  The day he found a color pool quite by accident, his life changed.  Waking up to a sunrise in Dan-thurás, he thought the world was about to burn ‘this is the end’.  Instead the colors just got bolder and brighter and birds flowers insects… he is daily in awe of his new reality.  This is his now and he would gladly protect it at any cost, happy to even know that it exists.  

He rolled a trinket, a packet of pick dust, he holds it like a treasure.

Cairdell was probably along a road (Orien is obsessed with roads) he often carves wooden posts to name or mark features (mile markers) along roads, helps make them last longer.

 Orien sounds like an enjoyable character. Even though I doubt the townspeople of Cairdell have met many bearfolk, I’m sure his innocence and enjoyment of the natural world will love meeting him; I know I would.

Lore drop for all wanderers in Dan-thurás: Cairdell is a medium-sized trade-town, with strong farming and ranching roots. On the eastern end of town is the Sapphire River and the edge of the Wyldgrove. To the west and south are the Golden Plains, where farmers and ranchers live and work; somewhere in that direction lives the eccentric Dr. Chuck Finklestein, the town alchemist (think Dr. Doofenshmirtz with a red fez and a handlebar mustache). Further south is the Cart-Road, which supplies much of the central and southern lands, including Cairdell and nearby Faraday, with merchants. To the immediate north are the Ardenti Foothills and the High Road, a trade route which services the northern lands with commerce. Every so often, traveling merchants wander through town, hawking their exotic goods; one you might meet is the enigmatic Peregrine Joe, with his distinctive brown hair and blue robes.

I will roll on Monday when I can be off my phone and on the internet.  Ability scores: 9 12 14 11 18 16

Name: Rutrow

Race Drwarf

Class Warlock

Background:

Rutrow is the 2nd son of a dwarven farmer.  The farm is located in the rich soil near Caidell. If Rutrow continues the farm legacy he would be a 4th generation.  That said, Rutrow's older brother will inherit the family farm.  Rutrow has the attention span of a flea that are on the neighbors dog.  

On a far corner of the property, Rutrow's grandfather leased a small piece of property near a tree line to the grandparents childhood friend.  That friend became the patriarch of a successful big city crime family. There is a small shack, that is the portal to many places including the crime family's house.  There several meetings there and security personnel that comb the area.  Those security have gotten to know Rutrow very well and have taught him many things.

I would think the farm is a decent size due to the years ago it was acquired.  So is 100 acres good?  Maybe 200 acres, it would be close enough to town to sell goods and produce.  The house would be within 10 miles (a 3/4 day wagon trip travel)?

As for the sheriff etc.al.  no they would not know about it, and neither would many others.  It would be a place for interrogation and entertaining of "dignitaries".  People would show up, but not know where they are.  Then return back to the crime lord's home.  The dignitaries & the interrogated  may not even know they left and arrived.

Rutrow is not very bright having been dropped on his head by an older sister.  He is also lazy and is looking for an easy way to get things done.  Having said that, Rutrow is a very nice person to get along with and appears to get along with everyone.