====== Backbone Campaign Overview ======

[[backbone_campaign|Back to the main Campaign Page]]

==== The Game ====

This campaign will be run using 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons -- with the following caveats:

  * **Ability Score options**
    * Standard set (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8)
    * Point-based purchase (8-15)
    * Roll dice and live with the consequences
  * **Races**
    * No Dragonborn, Tieflings, or Drow; All others OK
      * //Note: The "Draconic Bloodline" origin for Sorcerers is acceptable//
    * Non-human races must choose:
      * Did you come from one of your racial homelands?
      * Did you live among the humans?
    * Human (and those who lived among them) must choose:
      * Backbone
      * Lowland
      * Other
    * Half-Orcs: Your mother was likely a rape victim
  * **Classes**
    * All Classes are allowed; Comments about select classes below:
      * Cleric/Paladin
        * Backbone = Egyptian deities (p.299)
        * Lowland = Greek deities (p.298)
        * Resh = Sumerian deities (dead; not an option)
        * Celtic and Norse are also valid options
      * Druid: Grove relocated to Spindrift during the wars
      * Fighter: Did you serve someone? Where are they now?
      * Ranger: Orc hunter during resettlement?
      * Wizard: How did the magic change affect you (17 years ago)
  * **Backgrounds**
    * No restrictions on Backgrounds; Comments below:
      * Acolyte – see Cleric note from earlier
      * Noble – choose which royal family affiliation
        * Backbone: Pre-war Ruling family (King Scardore VI, deceased)
        * Backbone: Non-ruling noble families
        * Lowland: Coalition of powerful families (Senators)
        * Many other options available (including non-human)
      * Outlander – see me for details
      * Sage – member of the Guild of Arcane Lore (aka "Wizards' Guild")
      * Soldier – from Backbone or Lowland?
        * Both sides loved and hated by different segments of society
  * **Miscellaneous**
    * Languages: Each character who speaks "Common" also speaks his or her "native" tongue.  For Humans, this is a regional language such as "Backbone" or "Lowland".  For non-humans, this may be either one of the Human languages or a dialect of their racial tongue (which may or may not be understandable by others of their race).
    * Long-rang teleportation is not possible (see [[portals]])
      * //Note: This does not prohibit extra-planar travel//
    * //(more caveats as I think them up)//

==== The Maps ====

The campaign will take place in what was originally called the Kingdom of [[Backbone]].  Now, it 
consists of a series of independent city-states with semi-lawless areas in between.  Road travel
between the [[edric_city|City of Edric]] and [[Hookridge]] is quite safe and well-patrolled, but
continuing to [[Marsvan]] runs the risk of being attacked by orcs, bandits, or worse.  The campaign
starting point (and perhaps base of operations) will be in Hookridge.

The main map:  (click to see more detail)

{{::backbone.jpg?direct&800|}}

More maps: (click on each to see more detail)

{{:thentaonorth.jpg?200|}}
{{:thentaonorth_civilzation_1090.jpg?200|}}
{{::backbone_lowland.jpg?200|}}
{{::king_s_island_1107.jpg?200|}}

==== Travel distance ====

Roads allow convenient travel at the typical rate of 24 miles per day (PHB, p.182).
Here is a table for the various locations around [[Hookridge]].  ("Fork" refers to
the fork in the road just upriver from Hookridge).

|  (miles) ^  Edric  ^  Hookridge  ^  Fork  ^  Anpu  ^  Marsvan  ^
^  Edric |  --  |  21  |  45  |  62  |  99  |
^  Hookridge |  21  |  --  |  15  |  32  |  69  |
^  Fork |  45  |  15  |  --  |  17  |  54  |
^  Anpu |  62  |  32  |  17  |  --  |  71  |
^  Marsvan |  99  |  69  |  54  |  71  |  --  |

In addition, it is 11 miles from Hookridge to the Portal; and 18 miles from
the Portal to Edric.
==== Recent History ====

//Note: This is an abbreviated version of the [[Recent|Recent History]] page.//

Lines in **Bold** indicate events that had an immediate and noticeable impact on the entire region (or, in some cases, the world).

^  Years\\ Ago  ^  \\ Date  ^ \\ Event ^
|  35  |  1090  | Orcs under the leadership of [[Sardul]] attack the kingdom of [[Backbone]] and deliver a serious blow to that nation's power. |
| | | The [[Good Party]] campaign begins |
|  34  |  1091  | [[Sardul]]'s orcs march on [[edric_city|Backbone]], but fail.  The kingdom, however, is terribly weakened. |
| | | Controlled by [[Pelham]], the generals in [[Lowland]] stage a military coup and send their navy to attack [[Backbone]], but fail. |
|  33  |  1092  | After losing the war with Backbone, Lowland is torn by civil unrest.  The remaining orcs from Sardul's armies strike, taking over what is left of the republic. |
|  32  |  1093  | The orcs east of Larinday invade, but are unsuccesful. |
| | | Pelham draws forth the [[storm cloud]] and plants it over the city of Lowland. |
| | | An epic intervention by Hades (among other things) leads to the destruction of [[good_party|The Chosen]] |
|  31  |  1094  | The orcs push the druids out of their grove west of [[Lowland]].  They migrate north to the island of [[Marshard]]. |
|  30  |  1095  | Pelham begins building the [[Storm Towers]] |
| | | The Dark Mage is reborn |
|  29  |  1096  | The [[Demonwraiths]] are revived. |
|  28  |  1097  | [[carina|Queen Carina II]] of [[Rota]] is killed by The [[Dark Mage]]. |
^  27  ^  1098  ^ Pelham expands the storm cloud to engulf Backbone ^
| | | [[Elsa]] is killed by the [[Dark Mage]]. |
| | | The dwarves of [[Blanan]] are sealed in their mines. |
| | | The orcs, strengthened by the storm cloud, attack Backbone. |
| |  Nov 1098  | Backbone finally succumbs to the orc armies.  King [[Scardore]] and his champion, [[Lamar]], are both killed. |
|  26  |  1099  | The orcs conquer [[Pleven]], but the elves somehow vanish from the world. |
|  25  |  1100  | [[Uith]] kills the king in Spindrift and appoints himself the new monarch.  Years of rebellion begins. |
|  23  |  1102  | The natives in [[teleme|the Southlands]] overthrow the imperialist government. |
|  21  |  May\\ 1104  | [[Rathwyn]] succeeds in freeing [[Sorgul]], leading to the revival of The Chosen. |
^  21  ^  June\\ 1104  ^ A massive psychic attack of unknown origin kills every living creature in the kingdom of [[Resh]]. ^
| |  Aug\\ 1104  | The Chosen encounter the [[Dark Mage]] for the first time. |
| |  Dec\\ 1104  | [[Uith]] (secretly a half-orc) allows the orcs to take over [[Lendore]]. |
| | | A fleet of warships manned by undead attacks [[teleme|the Southlands]]. |
| | | The [[Dark Mage]] makes a telepathic broadcast to the entire population of [[Rota]]. |
|  20  |  1 Jan\\ 1105  | The [[Dark Mage]]'s fleet sets sail North, along the coast of the [[thentao|main continent]]. |
^  20  ^  4 Jan\\ 1105  ^ The storm cloud suddenly expands to engulf [[Rota]] and most of the rest of the world. ^
^  20  ^  5 Jan\\ 1105  ^ The Chosen find the weakness in the storm cloud and it collapses worldwide. ^
| | | The Chosen locate the Good Trio of Might. |
| | | The Dark Mage's fleet takes a sudden turn west along the northern coast of the [[thentao|main continent]]. |
| | | The Dark Mage and his armies are defeated by The Chosen and the armies of [[Rota]]. |
| | | Lord [[Norwood]] casts out the corrupt leadership in the [[Spindrift]] Isles and declares himself King. |
^  20  ^  Mar\\ 1105  ^ [[Rathwyn]], funded by the King of [[Rota]], leads the first of several assaults to retake the orc-held city of [[Backbone]]. ^
| |  May\\ 1105  | [[Norwood]], unable to hold [[spindrift|the Islands]] together politically, reluctantly agrees to a de-centralization of power.  The independent states of [[Midore]] and [[Aldore]] are created. |
| |  Jun\\ 1105  | [[Rathwyn]] declares herself Queen and renames the newly-liberated city of "Backbone" to "[[Edric_city|Edric]]". |
| |  Aug\\ 1105  | Rathwyn institutes a bounty of one silver piece for each orc killed in the kingdom. |
|  19  |  Spring\\ 1106  | The dwarves in Blanan are released from their 8-year magical hibernation. |
| | | [[Katrina]], under the authority of Queen [[Rathwyn]], establishes an outpost on the [[King's Island]]. |
|  18  |  1107  | The [[King's Island]] adventurers are active. |
^  17  ^  30 Jan\\ 1108  ^ The Magic Changes! ^
| | | The [[Voyager]] campaign begins. |
|  **16**  |  **Mar\\ 1109**  | **[[Kevin Arcana]] reveals that he has taken control over the [[portals]], but will allow their use for anybody willing to cough up a sizable fee.** |
|  14  |  1111  | The [[V2]] campaign begins. |
|  6  |  1119  | The [[V3]] campaign begins. |
^  0  ^  1125  ^ Present Day ^

//The last digit of the real year matches the last digit of the current campaign year.
Thus, 201**5** is 112**5**.//

==== Coda ====