Step Into Sendris E'vana

Vast Secrets. Wild Magic. High Adventure.

"Ye've heard the rumors that be flyin' around the seven city-states. Folk who can suddenly do the weirdest things. Strange and terrifyin' creatures emergin' from the dark places of the world. Powerful artifacts that lie in wait, ready for the takin'. Well, I be here to tell ya that the rumors are true. Fer the first time in nearly two millennia, magic is BACK, mates - and it's here to stay. So what are ye waitin' fer? Join the Shiny Stuff Adventurers' Guild and seek your fortune across E'vana!"

-Orland Roaringhorn, from a rousing speech given at Luskan Guild Hall Rush, 9 PE

Welcome to Sendris E'vana

Across the nation, magic is rippling up with a force unseen for the past two thousand years. The pure power and chaos it represents is all at once new, untamed, and breathtaking. Some want to harness that power for great and terrible deeds; others hope for technological advancements that will make life better for everyone; still others are terrified of this strange new power and wish for things to return to the way they were. But one thing is certain to all - the world as you know it will never be the same.

The Land

Sendris E'vana is a nation nestled into the northwest corner of the continent of Faerûn. Within its borders you'll find vast forests, jagged mountain peaks, rolling hills, and beautiful rocky seashores. For this first adventure, you'll be traveling primarily within the tributaries of the City-State of Neverwinter.

City-State of Neverwinter

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So... what's up with the Magic?

No one is 100% sure what has caused the resurgence in magic or even exactly how magic works. Three main schools of thought have arisen to try to explain the new phenomena:

• Magic is a blessing (or a curse) from the gods visited upon this generation. They control its use and spread and must be appeased if you want to gain the benefits of magic without its dangers.
• Magic is simply the fifth element; and much like earth, air, water, and fire, it can be manipulated to create certain effects. These effects are sure to be knowable, quantifiable, and repeatable given enough time and research.
• Magic is a direct result of multiple planes of existence bumping together or interacting in some way. Casters of magic are essentially reaching into another dimension and briefly borrowing from its natural laws.

No matter what you believe about it, magic is quickly becoming a part of everyday life - but it is still wild and unpredictable.

Year 0 PE

You remember the day the earth shook. The sky turned an unearthly red, orange, and turquoise as tremors were felt across the nation, damaging buildings, disrupting wildlife, and for some, forcing them to flee their very homes.
While every city-state felt the impact of this day in one way or another, none were hit quite so hard as Neverwinter and its surrounding territories. The nearby Mount Hotenow violently erupted, killing thousands, wiping out entire towns and estates, destroying much of Neverwinter, and leaving in its wake a great, gaping chasm that split the city.
Today, a mere fourteen years later, it has become clear that this event signaled a great change in the world. Aside from all the death and dismemberment, weird and (dare we say it?) magical things have started happening across the nation with a growing frequency. On the third anniversary of the eruption, King Gregorflüf III (under heavy advisement from the scholastic guilds) officially declared the formation of a new calendar beginning at the Eruption of Mt. Hotenow, which means that the current year is now 14 PE - or, Post-Eruption.

The Seven City-States

Sendris E'vana is a confederation of seven city-states located in the northwest corner of the continent of Faerûn. In order of population, these city-states are:

• Waterdeep
• Silverymoon
• Triboar-Jeemay
• Beliard
• Neverwinter
• Mirabar
• Luskan

For the most part, each city-state governs itself in its own unique way and functions almost completely independently from the other six. There is a small federal government, located in the royal city of Flüferro that is headed by the Monarch of Sendris E'vana. They have little political power other than facilitating trade, providing a small national guard, declaring festivals, and maintaining the national bank and postal service.

Sapient Species of the City-States

• Ambitious Humans have much shorter lifespans than the other sapients and so are typically more focused than others on creating a legacy that will outlive them. Members of this species were the ones primarily responsible for creating the coalition of City-States that became Sendris E'vana nearly 800 years ago.
• Sturdy Dwarves congregate in cities nestled into the hills and mountains, and can often eke out a living where no other sapients would dare to try. They are champions of military defense and expansion, expert miners and metalworkers, and bold entrepreneurs and business people.
• Ethereal Elves are often the artisans, historians, emissaries, and - in the last few years - magic users of the world. They have seen everything under the sun over the course of their incredibly long lifespans and tend to view war or disagreements of any kind as immature and idiotic. They usually seek peace and prosperity above all else.
• Practical Halflings are not often found in cities, instead generally preferring to keep to the pastoral regions of the world. They have a rich history of farming and agriculture and a strong culture of generosity, straightforward problem-solving, and family bonds.
• Intelligent Kobolds can be found in every city-state living alongside other species, having secured their place in the world by aligning themselves with the humanoids in the Great Goblin Wars. What they lack in size they make up for with their quick minds and physical nimbleness. They are very individualistic and are often the inventors, engineers, and advisors to people in power across the realm.
• Free-spirited Fairy Folk did not exist in Sendris E'vana before the Eruption, when an entire fey village was transported from another plane of existence into this world, to much confusion and downright terror from its inhabitants. Although dealing with their own crisis, the people of Sendris E'vana embraced this "lost village" and helped them settle in as best they could. Over the years, the Fairy Folks' memories of the Feywild have grown fainter with each passing day - both figuratively and literally.
• Quiet and wise Tabaxi are few and far between in Sendris E'vana, since the species originates from the Chult peninsula, thousands of miles south, which is where most members of the species currently live. However, in recent years a small Tabaxi immigrant community has sprung up in the city of Waterdeep. Tabaxi society and culture is largely unknown to the other sapients, as the species generally prefers to keep to themselves and are wary of outsiders.
• Almost any Goblins, Hobgoblins, or Orcs you see in Sendris E'vana are part of one of the roving mercenary bands that terrorize small towns and villages on the frontierlands.

What's This For?

Hello intrepid adventurers! This page serves as your quick guide to the world of our D&D campaign. It links to other articles with more information, but even if you read nothing but what's on this page, you'll know enough to get started. Now go forth, and let's make some magic!

Genre

This is a High Fantasy world with lots of fun and wackiness thrown in because that's how this virtual table rolls. ;) Imagine The Princess Bride but with more magic and elves and stuff.

"Rating"

If our campaign were a film, it would fall in the PG/PG-13 realm. But like, The Goonies kind of PG. Or it would be one of those films that's only rated R because there's more than one f-bomb. Seriously, swear as much as you like at my table. As long as the intent behind your language and the way you're treating others with your words is good, we're all good. In general this is a very light-and-bright world, and while there are stakes they won't ever be soul-crushingly heavy. Check out this page for more information about our Lines & Veils.

The Rule of Cool

In the immortal words of some Game Master somewhere... probably... "If it is cool, let it be so." The Rule of Cool is a concise way of saying that the whole point of playing this game is to have fun. So if something is fun, awesome, or just plain cool - we'll figure out a way to weave it into our story, even if it is technically against the rules. And vice versa, if something ever becomes not fun or uncomfortable - for anyone at the table - we will respect that and back away from the topic, action, or whatever immediately. In this D&D party, we take care of each other. <3

Your Turn

This world is yours, too! While I'm basing a lot of stuff on the D&D setting The Forgotten Realms (because it's easier than making everything up from scratch), there are quite a few things I've changed already and I expect lots of other things to change as well based on your characters' backstories and actions. I absolutely invite you to join me in the worldbuilding for this game! I'll do my best to frequently ask open-ended questions and weave pieces of your characters' backstories into the world as we go - and you're welcome to hold me to that.

Homebrew we're using

Our Rest System
Research Roll

Phandalin

Ah, Phandalin. Buckle your fantasy seatbelts, because this is where we're heading next! This rough-and-tumble frontier town is built on the ruins of a much older settlement in the rolling foothills of the Sword Mountains. Want to learn more about this quaint mining town before you arrive? Check out the Phandalin article for your one-stop travel guide to your next adventure!