Baenrahl: The Mark of Adventure
The Baenrahl setting is one dominated by twelve immortal warlords. Twelve beings which are worshipped as gods and have the power of life and death over those who bear their mark, their ‘baenrahl.' Each of them born from the primeval forces of Order, Chaos, Fire, Water, Good, Evil, Earth, and Water; they are not native to this world. They are outsiders, and they and their kin are legion.
Agryn, lord of the sun
Brae, the benefactor
Casoar, lord of the sky
Dalik, the malefactor
Eabilus, the philosopher
Erda, lady of the earth
Kaedara, mistress of chaos
Lythia, the witchqueen
Mahrut, the destroyer
Naliad, lady of the sea
Praethos, the lawbringer
Reolus, the protector
These twelve Lord Regents,the Urathear, struggle continuously against each other for control and influence over their brethren and all-the-world. In this struggle nearly all the people of the world are their bearers, serving in their armies, and feeding their ravenous hunger for dominance. The tools in this struggle are the templars, champions, and bearers all of whom are directed and marshaled by a host of lesser regents. Through the agencies of these lesser regents each of the twelve lunge, riposte, and parlay against the actions of the others. It is an eternal struggle that these immortal kings engage in for influence over all-the-world.
This is a struggle that is fueled by the bearers. For each individual, no matter their race, is aligned to one regent and this alignment is displayed as a baenrahl. This sorcerous rune is etched into the skin of every man, woman, and child under the influence of these regents. This channel between the regent and the bearer is the source of the Urathear's great power and each wishes to expand the influence and power of those aligned to them. Be it through politics, intrigue, or open war, the struggle continues. Hence, the fate of each regent is bound to that of he aligned host.
Humans, Muirhauts, Lacertilians, and the other sentient races, chafe under the yoke of oppression that is the Regents. A few scattered groups of rebels strive to resist their commands and edicts, while many more serve them willingly or simply accept the life that has been presented to them. Amongst the rebels are the elves, who have witnessed the rise of the Regents and the branding of the other races. To them the baenrahl is a death sentence. The mark of the Regents provides an orifice from which their life force is leached away. Leaving them lifeless and still in a matter of daes, thus unfit for the Regents purposes. Amongst the other races, druids seek to secret away children before the templars have opportunity to brand them with a regent’s baenrahl. For this they are labeled as outlaws and hunted by the champions of the twelve Regents. In the north of Drythlor lies freedoms best hope of freedom. For there, sheltered by the sea to the north and massive mountains to the south, east, and west lie twenty cities that have fought their way free from the Regents influence. Through use of a power unlike any other, the power of life energy known as aura. In this land, known as Freehold, a group of men and women trained in the manipulation of these auras have succeeded in blocking the influence of the Regents. These heralds of independence hearken the coming of the thirteenth regent. Elsewhere, pockets of rebellion have begun to stir, and the choice of sides has been offered; are you with them or against them? After 35,000 cycles of oppression, it is time for freedom to reign. |
Dark Fantasy
and
Swashbuckling?
Some might consider this a ‘dark' setting. I will concede that it is dark, but it is not dark in a brooding or dismal way that you might expect from this type of setting. Sure the characters are surrounded by a religious heirachy that seeks to crush them and their precious rebelion underfoot. But the players should be surrounded by sparks and flashes of the world they are trying to bring about. They are the heroes, and thus, must be allowed to be heroic.
The Baenrahl campaign should be as much about rising up out of the darkness as anything. But as far as `dark' goes, it's true that the Baenrahl campaign is one that should be seen as befitting `mature audiences. By this, it is simply meant that the campaign should, at least occasionally, deal with subjects not often found in epic fantasy games. For example, the evil people in the campaign should do truly vile and unspeakable things. The player's should truely find them despicable. They should be glad when they take their final breath.
Baenrahl is intended to be an urban fantasy, the campaign should take place entirely within or around the great cities of the Regents -- huge metropolis' each dedicated to one of the twelve god-like beings that control all aspects of life on Kirrac. The campaign style should consist of city-based roleplaying, character-based adventures, and short ruin/dungeon adventures, the percentage of each will depend on the direction you, as a group, want to go. Ideally, the campaign should be player driven as much as possible. There are many plots waiting to be discovered and adventures ready to be had, but the hope is that rather than being led to the adventures, the player's will get involved in the setting, develop their own goals, and come upon things naturally. Just to be clear, however, 'getting rich by going out into the ruins of Larethon' is a fine goal. This is a world with a vast history of dark secrets waiting to be discovered, and the ruins of Larethon are as good a place to start as any.
Of course, the character's will have to come back to the city to get rid of all that loot.
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