The Rooks of Elzveir|Introduction

From the abandoned battlefields of Leonov's War a new rebellion stirs.

The Time Before

Leonov's War and the Establishing of the Federation

In the 250s, King Leonov Mhiina of Miliim initiated an undeclared war against Fainarr, specifically its northwestern Elzveiran principality, Vaernebo. While most in Elzveir took issue with Fainarr's presence on the continent, Leonov beginning the war with a devastating attack on a port city that led to hundreds of thousands of innocents dead would prove to be his undoing. It was difficult for Leonov to gain allies in his war, and it was eventually brought to an end by a coalition of other Elzveiran nations.

To ensure that Leonov's children would not seek revenge and to prevent such a violent war from recurring, the peacemaking coalition ended the monarchy of Miliim and established the Federation of Miliim: a collective of elected dukes from each nation, who would henceforth rule over districts of Miliim and serve on a federal council, with each nation having the power to appoint a new leader at any time. One significant point of contention was that Fainarr effectively had three representatives on the council, as each of their principalities in Elzveir was granted a position in the new federation. The dissenters were ultimately outnumbered.

The Wedding of the Marquess

It is now the year 301 AR, with approximately half a century having passed since Leonov's War. In the later months of spring, wedding bells are ringing as the youngest marquess of House Sonder in Ukwam, a young lion Megafolk, is to be wed to a daughter of the house leading Kilm, Clan Sigrendottir in the capital of Miliim. There are games and tournaments held throughout the grand city, alongside fireworks displays and various performers. It is sure to be a week of grand celebration and mirth.

Campaign Introduction

Story Themes

This campaign's story will be vastly different from our previous 2 campaigns, where we told Gothic Horror (The Mists of Aduna) and Eldritch Horror (The Drifts of Aduna) tales. In this campaign, our genre is a blend of a few themes best summarized as Grimdark Western. We'll have focuses on adventure, politics, and vengeance. The threat in this campaign is less "The world is going to be destroyed!" in favor of more personal tales and vendettas.

Your Character

You are an associate (or member) of House Sonder who is traveling with the two marquesses and their father, the Duke of Ukwam, to aid, attend, and/or protect them. Based on your character's history and your intent for them, you will begin either at Level 0 or Level 1 (we will determine this during our Session Zeroes for the campaign—characters will catch up and have their levels balanced later). Your character can serve whatever role you wish within the noble house that leads the city of Ukwam, within reason (you cannot be a direct member of the house, and it must make sense that you are accompanying them on the journey to the capital). If you need ideas, you can do some research on what roles may have been needed during such a time, or you can choose something from below:

Steward
Chamberlain
Marshal
Squire
Chaplain
Jester
Minstrel
Page
Butler
Handmaid
Armorer
Groom
Tutor
Weapons Master

Character Creation

Questionairre

Below, you will find the list of questions that you will need to be able to provide answers for when we begin our Session Zero for this new campaign. Somethign to bear in mind is that your characters 'backstory' hasn't really happened yet—not that you haven't had intense experiences, but that your driving force that makes you part of this adventure has not yet occurred. Additionally, you should overall be at least marginally content with your life (not that you don't have more things you want, but that things are 'good' right now).

What is Your Name?
What Nation Are You From?
What Do You Look Like?
What is Your Role in House Sonder?
What is Your Opinion of Leonov's War?
Are You Pro- or Anti-Federalist?
What is Your Opinion of the Wedding of the Sonder Marquess to the Sigrendottir Marchioness?
To What Do You Aspire?
What Are Your Current Interests, Hobbies, and Pursuits?
What is Your Opinion of House Sonder?
Who or What Matters Most to You (Apart from a Fellow PC)?

For names, check the nation you are from to determine what sort of nomenclature you should use. Nomenclature is listed in the sidebar of the article for that nation. If you require additional assistance, or if you intend to be from a nation that is not part of Elzveir, feel free to reach out for tips.

For appearance, consider how you would describe your character's appearance to an artist, as we will be using how you describe your Session Zero character to inspire the artist for the Prologue art of your character. You will redescribe the character's appearance after a time skip that takes place following the early sessions of our campaign.

Leonov's War and Federalism refers to both the entirety of the war (start to finish) and the Federation of Miliim, with its council of various leaders from Elzveir instead of the original sovereign kingdom that was previously led by House Mhiina. It is worth noting that Leonov's descendants still hold some power, as they were demoted from Princes to Dukes/Earls, and thus have a seat in the federation.

The wedding isn't a huge source of contention for most, though Aldurstein is a nation known to despise Fainarr and its principalities, so there are some from the nation who are displeased with the marriage of Aldurish royalty (the bride) to Buernish royalty (the groom and younger Marquess of House Sonder). The marquess seems happy enough to marry the marchioness of Clan Sigrendottir, though nervous.

House Sonder itself is a largely neutral house in the federation. The duke keeps his head down and adheres to what is required of him from Fainarr through the Principality of Buern, and is openly pro-federalist. He is a man of honor and duty, with tremendous (if annoying) respect for authority. His adherence to such personal creeds has made him a trustworthy but occasionally frustrating individual in courtroom dealings.

What Do I Do Now, Before Session Zero?

At any time between now and Session Zero, you should send me a draft of what you think your answers will be to the Session Zero questionairre. They won't be finalized until after our Session Zero thus summer, but the sooner you get me your ideas, the sooner I can work those into our campaign's first arc. Also, the sooner we have descriptions for characters, the sooner we can hire an artist!

Beginning Summer 2024