Introduction
A Barebones Fantasy RPG campaign by Ceph
The Crowned Land is named not for any crown of rule, but for the Crown of fierce mountains that isolate it from the rest of the world. The land was once under the rule of a despotic King, the four noble houses of Igni, Aquatorre, Dowri and Aethern were his implements of oppression. But the king died with no heir, leaving the noble houses to fight for the throne. The war lasted a decade and devastated the land and its people; an agreement had to be made. The elders of the four houses convened in the ruins of the king's palace, which had been razed along with the city of Crown's Seat around it. The Accord of Four Houses was signed, granting each house equal governance over the Crowned Land, and bringing relative peace and prosperity to the people.
Upon the ruins of Crown's Seat, a new city was built centered upon a magnificent golden spire. It's within this spire that the Accord is upheld, and where the leadership of each House still convenes. This city is called Valley City, after Valley Lake, which it is built upon the shores of. The Great Houses themselves have grown beyond their roots as noble lineages, acting as full fledged government guilds.
House Igni, headquartered in Sun City at the northernmost reach of the Crowned Land, is traditionally known for their extensive mercantile empire, and the Knights of The Sun who protect their caravans, mines, factories and workshops. House Igni Trade Halls can be found in all five of the Crowned Land's cities.
House Aquatorre, headquartered in the southern Moon City, began its history as a cult of moon-worshiping miracle-workers. They would perform charity work and heal the sick in exchange for space to preach their doctrines. The Temple of Lunacy soon grew into a widespread and organized religion, and temples both large and small can be found all across the Crowned Land. House Aquatorre has also been known to deploy their zealous warriors, the Lunatics.
House Dowri is centered upon the western Soil City, which is a hub for hundreds of agrarian villages and controls a majority of the fertile territory in the Crowned Land. Along with their deep-seated agrarian traditions, House Dowri is best known for their unmatched agents and spies. House Dowri also works to maintain traditional folk magics, and has a powerful ally in the Coldspring Witches; a coalition of several witch covens spread across the land. House Dowri works quietly out of Grower's Guilds across the land.
House Aethern presides from Star City, atop the highest mountain in the Crowned Land. From here the inscrutable mages operate their Arcane College, with branches in all five cities. The impossible towers and lights of Star City can be seen from every stretch of the Crowned Land, and it has become a popular destination for scholars and leisure-seekers alike.
In recent years, strange events have threatened to destroy the balance of the Four Houses, and plunge the land back into a war of succession. The Temple of Lunacy in Sun City was razed, crops being transported by Dowri caravans have been going missing, the Arcane Colleges have mysteriously sealed themselves, and crime and unrest is growing all across the Crowned Land. Recognizing the clear danger to the Accord of Four Houses, but distrustful of each other, the leadership of each house has unanimously decided to put together a team to investigate. This team will be made up of four agents, one picked by each house. To preserve them against corruption, these agents will be freshmen within their houses and have no connection to one-another.
Your House has selected you as their agent for their mission; you're to meet up with the rest of your team in the township of Broken Grove, outside of Valley City. Your investigation will begin here, finding the truth surrounding a number of rumors that House Guards have been robbing and extorting civilians.
Check the Helpful Player Docs page for links to character sheets, rulebooks, and other ephemera. Lore Dumps will include blog posts about the world of The Crowned Lands, and Session Recaps will be written once the game begins.