Cultural Origin: Thaun Frontliner
In the majestic mountains of Thau, you volunteered to serve your nation's army, defending it against the perils that lurk in the darkness. Whether you fought above or below, you can withstand many dangers.
Mountaineer's Training: You have proficiency with three of the following options: heavy crossbows, mason's tools, mauls, medium armour, smith's tools, war picks, warhammers, and/or one musical instrument of your choice.
Battlefield Expertise: Whenever you make a Strength (Athletics) or Wisdom (Medicine) check, you can roll 1d4 and add it to the total. This die becomes 1d6 at 5th level, 1d8 at 11th level, and 1d10 at 17th level.
Implacable: You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other effects that would reduce your speed or force you to move against your will.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Thaun and Auvian Trade.
Cultural Origin: Rhizeli Nobility
Born into the hierarchies of nobles' courts, you lived in a society that vies for power and prestige at every turn. To gain favour and influence, you engaged in duels by blade and spoken word.
Crown's Training: You have proficiency with three of the following options: calligrapher's supplies, forgery kits, greatswords, longswords, rapiers, shortswords, one gaming set of your choice, and/or one musical instrument of your choice.
Cut and Thrust: Whenever you make a Wisdom (Insight) or Charisma (Deception) check, you can roll 1d4 and add it to the total. This die becomes 1d6 at 5th level, 1d8 at 11th level, and 1d10 at 17th level.
Disparage: Once per long rest, when a hostile creature makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the roll if the attacker can hear and understand you.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Rhizeli and Auvian Trade.
Cultural Origin: Zesh-Muran Cadet
Battle is in your blood. You have studied and trained from the day you could hold a blade, striving for perfection in all you do as a cadet in the Zesh-Muran national army. Perhaps adventuring will help you hone your skills.
Honourbound Training: You have proficiency with three of the following options: drums, horns, land vehicles, longswords, pikes, shields, spears, and/or one martial weapon of your choice.
Combat Readiness: Whenever you roll initiative, you can roll 1d4 and add it to the total. This die becomes 1d6 at 5th level, 1d8 at 11th level, and 1d10 at 17th level.
Studied the Blade: Choose a weapon you are proficient with (longsword, etc.). You can't be disarmed of weapons of that type unless you choose to let them go. At 5th level, you gain expertise with weapons of that type.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Zesh-Muran and Auvian Trade.
Cultural Origin: Untamed Nomad
Free of the trappings of the nations and their blinding prejudices, you consider yourself a true scion of Auvia: a wanderer who knows the Wild Untamed and all who inhabit it like the back of your hand.
Untamed Training: You have proficiency with three of the following options: battleaxes, cook's utensils, handaxes, herbalism kits, longbows, spears, woodcarver's tools, and/or one musical instrument of your choice.
Life on the Road: Whenever you make a Dexterity (Stealth) or Wisdom (Survival) check, you can roll 1d4 and add it to the total. This die becomes 1d6 at 5th level, 1d8 at 11th level, and 1d10 at 17th level.
Traveller: You have a climbing speed and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Beginning at 5th level, you ignore nonmagical difficult terrain.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Auvian Trade.
Curiosities abound across #Auvia, whether within the borders of the nations or in wild places where few dare to tread. But the stories of these inspire many across the generations to take up the adventurer's life and go out to see them for themselves.
One such tale is that of a cave on the borders of Thau and Ioh-NĂ©. No explorer has charted its depths, for it is protected by a mysterious figure known only as 'the Guardian', a title they presumably gave themselves.
#Lore24 08/02/24 NZT
The cave itself is almost entirely unremarkable. No exposed ore veins or anything similar to speak of, not even a shiny rock.
All there is to see is a path worn into the ground by generations of curious adventurers, and a massive door made of stone and the rare metal starsteel.
And the Guardian clad in plate, with a helm that hides their face, a shield on their right arm, and a sheathed sword on their hip. Always standing guard at the door.
Perhaps they wait.
Nobody has ever passed the Guardian, nor opened the door they protect. Those who try to speak with the Guardian and convince them to stand aside are met with enigmatic words.
More than a few have tried to fight the Guardian to pass them by. Arrows vanish in midair. Spells sputter into nothingness. And those who would strike the Guardian by blade or fist are struck blind. When they can see again, they find themselves outside the cave entrance, as if dismissed.
The enigma of "the Guardian and the Door" is one that has thwarted many scholars' attempts to understand. But as a potential plot hook for DMs to use, anything could be behind the door. Ancient and powerful weapons, a hidden library containing secret knowledge the heroes might need, trials of the Seven Gods, the possibilities are endless.
But the Guardian will not give up their post so easily. Centuries of waiting has rendered them stalwart in the face of anything.
The discovery and production of canandust, the powder used in mining explosives and cannons, was a recent milestone in the field of Auvian engineering. It is a volatile powder that burns hot when ignited, and compacting it into a small space, such as a keg or cannon chamber, increases the rate of burn and the force at which a blast can occur.
At present, Aeskell makes the most use of canandust aboard its warships, while some nations use it for land-based warfare.
Each nation has a different approach to warfare, playing to their strengths while eschewing their flaws.
Aeskell is among the most free-form on the battlefield. The closest they get to organising is each captain commanding the sailors under their flag. The sea is their domain, and #Auvia knows it: if a target is within cannon range, an Aeskellian captain won't hesitate to bombard it. However, without the upper hand, drawn-out land battles deplete sailors' morale quickly.
#Lore24 13/02/24 NZT
In the absence of smaller, more man-portable cannons - an idea still undergoing research in some corners of #Auvia - the Aeskellians who go to war do so with the boarding axe, cutlass, shortbow, and longbow. Archers are highly prized for their accuracy and ability to repel boarders before they even draw alongside a defended ship.
Some Aeskellian archers stand out from their peers with their ability to imbue arrows with unusual magicks, earning them fearsome reputations...
#Lore24 14/02/24 NZT
The Dystan people do not fight in the open unless they have no other choice. Information is their weapon and their shield in equal measure. Defense companies send messenger birds between each other and their headquarters to keep everyone informed, while enemy scouts are intercepted and silenced before they have a chance to report back to their commanders.
When Dysta engages in battle, it's always on their terms, applying overwhelming force where it's least expected.
The core tenet of Dystan warfare is to make each fight quick, decisive, and entirely one-sided. When their adversary flinches, they have already won. Thus they favour weapons that minimise their own risk during skirmishes and ambushes: daggers and shortswords for close quarters, and polearms to keep foes at a distance.
In the absence of conventional ranged weaponry and spellcraft, some Dystan adventurers wield curious methods of fighting in two places at once...
In a stark contrast to other nations of #Auvia, Espre dabbles in a little bit of everything in matters of war. The nation of students learns all they can, *about* all they can, and brings that to bear if it is ever attacked.
As a result, Espren military divisions have more diversity among their soldiers than any other, at the expense of a little bit of coherency. Every unit has specialists in a wide variety of fields - even different forms of magic, as shunned as they are.
#Lore24 17/02/24 NZT
Espren adventurers most often train in lightweight weapons that are simple to wield and can be used in myriad ways. Spears, daggers, crossbows, and smaller axes are common among beginner adventurers, but as one trains and broadens their abilities, they too often specialise in the same manner as their soldiers.
Augmenting weapon training with other methods is common. If one earns an honour or two, they are taught to wield their mind alongside their arms and armour...
When Ioh-NĂ© goes to war, its army wields magic in any form it can. Illusory defenses mislead enemy scouts into thinking Iohnites are well-entrenched. Basic fire magicks are enhanced through refitted cannons to unleash ruin. Frontline soldiers hurl spikes of ice and lightning, forcing the enemy to dodge into carefully placed traps.
Ioh-NĂ© has few reasons to wage war against the rest of #Auvia. It commits smaller numbers to the field, but those forces are devastating.
#Lore24 19/02/24 NZT
Though spellcraft is considered the pinnacle of Iohnite achievement, much of it is still academically studied. As such, though Iohnite forces are all magically trained to a degree, they still wield familiar weaponry such as a longsword or spear paired with a shield, armour of all types, and hefty hammers of various sizes.
Occasionally, those taught to wield destructive magicks are given combat training, making them into a force to be reckoned with whether near or far...
Khava is known far and wide for its cavalry, and rightly so. They rely on their steeds just as much as their comrades: astride horses, ponies, war dogs, and more besides, the Khavans conduct hit-and-run attacks to keep their adversaries on the back foot.
Owing to their travellers' lifestyle, the Khavans keep no permanent settlements on the outer fringes of their lands. This often confounds inexperienced commanders who find ambushes waiting for them instead of campsites.
Surprising absolutely nobody, the warriors of Khava train with weapons that work well astride a steed. Shortbows, spears, lances, and similar weapons with longer reach are the traditional Khavan style. They supplement their arsenal with light, practical armour, and small wood and leather shields strapped to the forearm.
The best of the outriders, those who have fought in defense of their nation and achieved feats of heroism, are given the honoured title of "Khava'Lia".
To Thau, the best offense is a good defense. Their abundance of stonecutters, blacksmiths, and armourers ply their trade in fortifications when the need arises. Thaun soldiers are clad in heavy mail, armed with hefty weapons, and trained to be the anvil on which their foe's hammers break.
When a Thaun encampment is in danger of being overrun and captured, fuses are lit and the site abandoned. Kegs of canandust reduce defenses to rubble, ideally taking the enemy with it.
Thaun armies favour heavy weapons and heavier armour. Blades are rare, as hammers of all sizes, crossbows and ballistas, and the occasional repurposed mining pick are seen in the hands of Thau's soldiers.
The arms and armour of the most lauded troops are inscribed with the deeds of the heroes who take them into battle. Ancient knowledge of the legendary runic devices, and the means to properly inscribe them, remains a closely guarded Thaun secret...
Rhizel's approach to warfare, much like most of the nation's practices, highlights the differences between nobility and commoners. Detachments of conscripted and somewhat-organised smallfolk are each led by lower-ranked knights, while the nation's soldiers and knights of the upper tiers are much more coherently arranged - and trained.
There are many opponents of Rhizeli methods, without and within the nation, but the latter operates in the shadows for fear of reprisal.
Rhizeli knights are trained to wear plate and chainmail, and wield weapons from the sword to the spear. They favour the former, however, taking up the greatsword or a sword-and-shield pairing to take the field, and the rapier in the cut and thrust of the courts.
The conscripted commonfolk aren't so lucky. They are given basic leather jerkins and one weapon. Some folks are lucky enough to be assigned to a crossbow detachment, where there's a better chance of coming home.
Zesh-Muran regiments are disciplined, tactically deployed, and equipped with a wide arsenal. Cannon artillery backs up battalions of infantry and cavalry, while supply carts and couriers ride between tactical outposts to keep commanders informed.
Zesh-Mura's soldiers fight without fear, for they have trained to expect the chaos of war and all that comes with it. Broken formations are resumed quickly with practiced precision, and casualties are always accounted for.
Every Zesh-Muran who volunteers for the military receives dedicated training in the weapon that speaks to them, as well as the basics of wielding secondary arms. They are organised into squads that all wield similar if not identical preferred weapons, for unit coherency.
The cadets who prove themselves beyond their calling are reassigned to elite cadres who train to follow in the footsteps of their nation's honoured founder: the hoblin blademaster Sa-Mura the First.
There have been several international conflicts across #Auvia over the generations. One stands out among them, though: the Unification War, a battle between all eight nations. Each believes that uniting Auvia under one banner will earn them great power rivaling that of the Seven Gods themselves.
Or, at least, that's the tentative plot that started all this. A campaign where the entire party is made up of Fighters. Everyone's from different nations and has different subclasses.
#Lore24 29/02/24
Agriculture and farming practices vary across #Auvia, but staple crops and herbs are widely grown. Chief among the latter is a plant called tempremint that grows year-round. When picked at full growth and eaten, tempremint cleans the mouth and teeth, freshening breath and preventing damage.
The mint was named after Tempresa of the Seven Gods in ages past, when They were more widely known as a deity of love. Auvians calling on their prospective partners chew it for good luck.
#Lore24 01/03/24
Let's take a look at transportation: how the folk of #Auvia get around. The most common mode of long-distance travel is horse-drawn carriages, requiring few tools to build and able to get from one town to another in a few days at most, depending on where you need to go.
The nations have easy access to the resources needed to build carriages - notably, the horses to pull them - though not all are equally well-supplied. Metal for reinforcing is rarer in some lands than others.
#Lore24 02/03/24
Though they may not compare to Aeskellian vessels, most nations maintain a naval fleet for travel along the coasts and to the outlying islands, as well as international trade by sea. Civilian trade or transport ships typically fly flags of both their homeland and the Aeskellian iconography for a ship that means no harm: a pennon that tapers to a rounded point, blue with a white line bisecting it. Such ships in Aeskellian waters are *usually* respected and given passage.
For generations, people of #Auvia have entertained the dream of taking to the skies. Some Khavans succeed in forming an accord with the massive birds that roam the wilds. Birds of prey and the occasional other species, such as ravens or gulls, can grow to enormous size if, through some blessing of the Seven, they are able to live long lives and establish territory for themselves. Khava's druids, the rare few who can speak with these flying wonders, are their most common riders.
#Lore24 04/03/24
An adventurer's life on the roads of #Auvia can be hazardous. When you need to get somewhere and expect danger along the way, a two-horse khariot may be the best solution - even if it's expensive.
A khariot doesn't provide much beyond a place to stand and a little bit of cover. But if you expect to get into a fight on the road, it's good for outrunning attackers or fighting as you go. On a khariot built for the Small, you can let loose its war dogs to help you stand and fight.
#Lore24 05/03/24
Getting raw materials from their point of origin to a place they can be made into resources is often one of the least thought-about parts of the process. Tradesfolk and governments alike pay good coin to ensure these operations are smooth.
Whenever a greatwagon lumbers down the roads of #Auvia, it is always under guard - not just for its cargo, but also for the magick worked into it. This Iohnite spell lightens the cargo, allowing greatwagons to carry considerable amounts.
#Lore24 06/03/24
The spellcraft used in constructing a greatwagon sees use in more than just transportation. Ioh-NĂ©'s first uses of the magick were involved in the creation of the capital city's spire-bridges: miraculous stonework connecting tall towers. Gliding platforms, which move through the air rather like a sailing ship, are a newer invention.
It was also used to make the first Bag of Holding. It rendered anything put into it feather-light but was destroyed in a magical explosion.
The Auvian war dog is widely known as a loyal and dedicated companion. The species typically stands at two and a half to three feet tall, appearing in a wide variety of fur colours from black or white to dark blues and greens, and with a set of retractable claws not seen in other dogs.
A properly trained war dog can be taught to pull khariots or serve as a mount for a Small rider. It's often said they're smart enough to speak, and they simply choose not to.
In the north of #Auvia, temperatures rise and certain species used to warmer climes are more prevalent in the plains and forests. One such creature is the veyahn (pronounced vee-awn), a cousin of the gryphon.
Veyahns are quadrupedal, almost lionlike creatures with a large set of feathered wings. Ordinarily, they use their wings for gliding, or kicking up wind and dust to confuse their prey. But with a careful, patient hand, a trainer can raise their veyahn to learn to fly.
#Lore24 09/03/24
The downside to raising flight-capable veyahns, of course, is that they have to be hand-reared from birth. It's a difficult process unless you already have a mated pair in captivity - a feat oft attempted over the generations, but rarely achieved.
In the wilds, veyahns live in packs and fiercely retaliate against anyone intruding on their territory. Even when their home is secure, one of the pack will always be on watch for threats and ready to rouse their kin.
All along the coasts, but primarily in the south, small establishments can be seen for the stabling and raising of Drash's crabs: surprisingly docile creatures that grow to giant size when safeguarded from predators. The crab is named for the goblin biologist Drash the Witty, whose love for sea life is well-documented.
Drash's own crab stables still stands on the east coast, between the borders of Aeskell and Rhizel. His apprentices follow in his footsteps to this day.
Drash's crabs are often seen as a mode of transport in Aeskell and coastal towns in other nations, but savvy ship captains will keep a small stable of them for their own purposes. The first use of Drash's crabs in ship-to-ship combat was as an ambush force, swimming from their home vessel with riders just beneath the surface of the sea. The riders would then breach the hull in several places under the surface, sending the enemy ship into a panic as water flooded in.
I've mentioned previously that warlocks all across #Auvia want power where they had none before. Sometimes that power is offered before a warlock even begins to look.
When someone is thrust into danger, and can't find a way to safety, a ghostly figure of their ancestor may appear before them, clad in mail and with seven swords about their person. They are unseen and unheard to all others, and they offer the imperiled the means to save themselves. Time stops so they can speak.
#Lore24 13/03/24
The Blademaster, as they have come to be called, does not offer an easy exit from the dangers that a would-be warlock faces. They simply offer a chance to survive, a test to overcome.
A prisoner bound and kept under guard by bandits, for instance, might find their bonds unravelled and a dagger where there wasn't one before. The Blademaster will observe, and may offer some small thought here and there. Should the warlock succeed, they join the ranks of the Voidblades.
Voidblades who spend time and effort to learn more about their newfound powers find themselves speaking with the Blademaster more and more. The spirit is curious and enigmatic in their speech, and they are always, *always* well-informed, perhaps more so than the Voidblade who speaks with them.
What some find unsettling, however, is that the Blademaster never speaks of their own agenda. They only ever take interest in the Voidblades, and the people they interact with...
"It's a curious thing, the void. I find my dreams take me there, but never to the same place twice. It glints with the light of the stars above and the treasures of the earth below.
"Sometimes my dreams tell me what I need to know. Other times I hear something and I don't understand it until much later. But I know this for sure: I will be more than I was, and I will help others like me to do the same."
- Excerpts from the records of Seta-Aza, hoblin voidblade
The Blademaster is based on, and replacing, the Hexblade otherworldly patron in #Auvia. Some features and patron-specific spells will be different from the Hexblade, in the interest of encouraging players to think differently about it and try out character builds inspired by the narrative just as much as, if not more than, their mechanics.
Warlocks have also been given a few upgrades as a class, to help them keep up with adventurers who might not need short rests as much.
#Lore24 17/03/24
While the Blademaster seeks out those in need and offer them their power, the fiends of Zhel may look upon a covetous Auvian in search of power and simply ask them to prove how far they will go for it. The warlock's power depends on their answer. Some engage their would-be patron in debate, others request a task to be given, and some go so far as to offer sacrifices and worship for a time.
The fiend known as 'Ophidia the Venomwing' is particularly fond of deal-making...
Through her deals with Auvians, Ophidia has obtained a sizeable chunk of Zhel as her own domain. She commands a legion of lesser fiends and minions from her illustrious island-castle.
But she wasn't always one of the major players. It all began during her time as a lowly temptress, when she was petitioned for aid. She thought for a moment, and then said,
"If you desire what power I choose to give you, then bring me the heart of my closest rival."
The warlock obliged.
At the time, Ophidia had no idea that her would-be servant would succeed. But a fiend's heart is a source of infernal magicks. By consuming a fiend's heart, you gain their power - in more ways than one.
The rival's servants fell in line with Ophidia's authority. Thus began a campaign to dethrone the temptress's enemies and literally steal their hearts.
But that was generations ago now. Today, Ophidia's power is on par with lesser archfiends, and she aspires to more...
In a stark contrast to the eagerness of fiends to make deals, the celestial servants of the Seven react to pleas for power with perplexion. Is it not the sacred duty of those chosen by the divine to carry out Their will? One who actively seeks the power of the divine is likely a pretender to divinity itself.
As a result, Celestial warlocks are few and far between. Most often, they are the travelling companion of a cleric or paladin, inspired to follow the same cause.
It takes a good bit of persuasion and bargaining to convince a servant of the divine to grant a measure of holy power. Acting in service of their would-be patron is the most frequently-used bargaining chip, but there are other means of paying what is owed. It all depends on who you're talking to.
There's no tricking or deceiving them, because they always know if they've been lied to. Nobody has yet managed to outsmart the divine, but there will always be someone to try.
A warlock who seeks power from the Courts of the Fey must be willing to risk more than they bargain for. The complexity of travelling to one of the moons of #Auvia is the easy part.
Some fey delight in beguiling mortalkind, from influencing their dreams to tricking them into traps. Though they may be kept in check by the Courts proper, some individuals can and will get away with anything they can. A warlock must navigate these perils to even reach the Courts and make an offer.
#Lore24 23/03/24
The Courts of the Fey all have the same hierarchy, as dictated by ancient law. Each Court is ruled by a King, who is attended by their Queen, Prince, Knight, and Aide. Titles are held regardless of gender identity, marriage, or other proclivities.
If the King of a Court dies, a new one must be crowned as soon as possible, for Kings hold the most power and authority - over both their subjects and the season they embody. The Queen is often first in line to become King.
How an aspiring warlock is received when they approach a Court of the Fey depends on a wide variety of things, but the largest factor is the Court they choose. The Summer and Winter Courts are the most prone to drastic shifts in emotion, while the Spring Court is more down-to-earth and jovial, and the Autumn Court is practically-minded.
Even knowing this, one must exercise caution in their choice of words, behaviour, and even their attire when speaking with the Fey.
While it has yet to be confirmed that creatures of the deep such as krakens or leviathans exist, it doesn't stop active imaginations of sailors and other coastal folk. The depths of the ocean hold great mysteries that few even think about and fewer have ventured out to see.
A warlock of the Fathomless or the Great Old One will have undertaken such a venture and been rewarded for their efforts - or driven to fear what they discovered even as it empowers them.
Elder water elementals also lend themselves well to the Fathomless patron. Dwelling in the depths of great lakes across #Auvia, they shun contact with non-aquatic peoples. However, water genasi are capable of breathing underwater, and often act as a go-between to convey the elemental's words to others.
In addition, sightings of a dread fiend on the sea are becoming more and more common. Though none yet dare to sail closer to learn more, Aeskell has given it a name:
Moby Duck.
#Lore24 27/03/24
Similarly to the elders among water elementals, those of earth, air, and fire are rarely seen outside of their natural habitats: the peaks of the tallest mountains, the depths below the grass, and the hearts of dormant volcanoes. Elder elementals tend to shut themselves off from the rest of #Auvia, though that does not stop the curious and the determined.
Elder elementals fill the role of the Genie otherworldly patron (though it needs a bit of reflavouring to suit this world).
#Lore24 28/03/24
When folk need to get in touch with their peers, comrades, friends, and lovers, but can't meet in person, the written word is always there to send a message. Letters and packages are delivered across the realm by none other than priests of the Seven Gods, one of the few groups nigh-unconditionally trusted by all.
Courier priests travel by khariot, horse, and even veyahn or crab to ensure the post is delivered in a timely manner, unread until it's in the right hands.
Many creatures of the Wild Untamed fiercely defend their territory from Auvian incursions. On the rare occasion that an adventuring party happens across a dryadic grove, they are welcomed with open arms, provided they have no intention to cause harm.
These groves are usually populated with dryads and their treefolk protectors, as well as beasts of the wild gifted with the blessing - and burden - of intellect, and the ability to communicate in the dryads' language.
The first dryads of #Auvia were eladrin punished for their crimes against the Courts of the Fey. A small group plotted to overthrow all four Courts at the same time. They were unsuspecting of the Kings' magickal might, and ultimately crushed before their plan could be completed.
Each of the four Courts contributed to their sentencing. Spring gave them new lives, turning them all into treefolk. Summer gave them the power to walk the land, but never return to the moons.
#Lore24 31/03/24
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