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JackMage666
2007-12-25, 09:12 PM
Introduction
The World of the 8 Towers is not a revolutionary campaign world. It features nothing particularly innovative, no technologies yet undiscovered in other realms. It is merely a world setting using the standard D&D settup (though, some information may or may not be changed. So, if you're looking for a world full of changes and amazing differences, look elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, there may very well be some new stuff presented in here, but it's hardly enough to warrant something like a book. Or so I think now. Let's wait and see. This message made 12-25-07, and I'll see how the world changes from here.

What is the World of the 8 Towers?
The world of the 8 Towers is a High Magic (though not necessarily high in Magic Items) campaign based on the continent of Wheyeland. The world is controlled by 7 towers, each with a unique power to enhance a school of magic. The 8th Tower is the tower of Necromancy, which was mysteriously destroyed. While the obvious plot might be to find out what happened to the 8th tower, the world is general and easy, so any situation can be played out. The world is inherently simple on the surface, so it's easily adapted to any scenario you want to happen.

So, if you like the names and ideas, feel free to use it to host your adventures. Change whatever you want, anything you need for flavor, but the idea was to make major cities that represent all different types of life.

I hope you like!

World of the 8 Towers
The world of Wheyeland is rather unique in it's geography. Rather then their being several continents surrounded by oceans, it is merely one huge continent with an even large ocean outside of it. There are few islands of notable size off the main continent, though there are some small, village size, islands. The main continents is a spectacle to behold, featuring all different sorts of geography in the same land mass. Deserts, Planes, Arctic areas, Mountains, Swamps, everything can be found there.

Its unique geography is probably the reason for it's awesome geothermal tendencies, which allows large amounts of energy to be placed into the air. Scholars discovered this, and constructed eight huge towers to process this energy into usable form. However, they learned instead that the energy could give them strange, sometimes frightening powers. These powers were pure magic, in the rawest form, able to be manipulated and formed by the scholars who controlled them.

These towers (known as Conduits among the Scholars), each empowered one of the 8 schools of magic. Divinity still supplies their clerics with spells, and even their spells can be reinforced by the power of the Conduits. For instance, Clerics of Boccob study in Voyan, where their divination spells are enhanced.

Due to the power of th towers, villages and eventually cities were formed around them. The cities turned into metropolises, and the economies flourished. While smaller villages ad towns can still be found outside the cities, in the country and other locations, the cities located near the towers are the most powerful and influential in the world.

Each city formed follows the school of magic that th tower empowers. The city surrounding the Conduit of Abjuration, for instance, is focused on defenses. The city surrounding the Conduit of Transmutation is devoted to engineering, bettering current practices and technology. While the force of the Conduit does not define every member of the community, the general population will often share the same traits, as it's a community of like minded individuals put together.

The Effects of Conduits
Conduits found in each city will enhance one school of magic while decreasing another two. Certain types of magic work better in certain cities, while others work less in he same city. The distance from the tower determines the strength of the change. The individual cities Strengths and Weaknesses are listed below, as are the changes to Caster Level. Note that the schools weakened are not necessarily opposed to the strengthened school. Scholars are unsure why the weakened schools are why they are, and research is performed at a constant rate to figure this out.
{table=City Strengths/Weaknesses]City | Strengthened School | Weakened Schools
Escutia | Abjuration | Necromancy, Evocation
Ralist | Conjuration | Transmutation, Enchantment
Voyan | Divination | Illusion, Necromancy
Sedu | Enchantment | Conjuration, Abjuration
Kindling | Evocation | Transmutation, Illusion
Mirage | Illusion | Divination, Abjuration
Diamalice | Necromancy | Enchantment, Divination
Morfal | Transmutation | Conjuration, Evocation[/table]

{table=Effects on Caster Level]Distance | CL Increase | CL Decrease
20 Miles | +1 CL | None
10 Miles | +2 CL | -1 CL
5 Miles | +3 CL | -1 CL
1 Mile | +4 CL | -2 CL[/table]


The Eight Cities
Below is the listing of the 8 major cities of the world.

Escutia
Escutia is a fortress type city, dedicated to protection from the elements and outside evasion. Their forays into magic has caused some issues with individuals of the outer planes, including incurring the wrath of Dispator, who claims they stole his blueprints to the Iron Tower on his Plane of the Nine Hells. While this has never been proved or disproved, Dispator soon grew tired of it, though occasionally sends lesser devils to Escutia to show he still is displeased with them.

The major races in Escutia are Humans, Dwarves, and lawful Half-Orcs. The city is generally Lawful Neutral, caring more about defense of the city and it's population than well being of the individual. Central deities worshiped by clerics are St. Cuthbert, Heironious and Hextor, and Moradin.

The Conduit in Escutia is the Conduit of Abjuration. Many specialist wizards in the town, as well as scholars, are followers of Abjuration. Most choose Conjuration and Evocation as their banned schools, as they generally cause harm, rather than defense. People who don't practice magic are normally Fighters, Paladins, Knights, Warblades, and Crusaders.

Ralist
Ralist, or "The City of Outsiders" as it's known to the other cities, is a city full of oddities. It's a neutral gathering point among the planes, where outsiders can meet freely, so long as they do not resort to violence. The Conduit itself controls this, and Outsiders and Extraplanar beings who overstep their bounds are teleported back to their own realm of existence, meaning only those who stay neutral in actions can stay. Diplomats to the Inner Planes and Outer Planes can be found in Ralist, though some are certainly less hospitable than other.

Humans are the most predominant race in Ralist, though nearly every race can be found here if you look hard enough. In fact, the only type of creature unseen in the city is the Undead (unless a visit from Orcus is occurring, which is very rare). The base alignment of the city is True Neutral, and most permanent residents adopt this philosophy so they can better deal with everyone in the city.

The Conduit in Ralist is the Conduit of Conjuration. Most Wizards specialize in this, while banning Transmutation and Illusion, as those schools are about altering or faking something, rather than conjurations creating something real and new. The principle deity is Boccob, though all deities normally have at least one or more clerics in the city as well. Fighters, Rangers, Rogues, and Warlocks are also fairly common in the Ralist.

Voyan
Nestled in the mountains, Voyan is a scholar's paradise. The streets are lined with libraries that contain books and ancient texts that cover nearly every subject that's been recorded (whether or not the city council hides more books is disputed). The city is entirely devoted to learning, whether it be the Arcane Arts, the Fine Arts, Fighting Styles, or anything else. While rare to find anyone of lower than average intelligence in the city, some less intelligent citizens do exist to work menial jobs (which none of the more intelligent want to work at all).

Humans, Elves (and thus Half-Elves), and Gnomes are all very common in Voyan, dedicated to learning as much as possible in the city. The general alignment of the city as a whole is Neutral Good, as they care more about spreading knowledge for the benefit of all than of personal, selfish needs. The principle deities of Voyan are Boccob and, oddly, Vecna, due to his desire to know long hidden secrets.

The Conduit in Voyan is the Conduit of Divination. Wizards generally will specialize in Divination, banning Illusion because making false information is contrary to their beliefs. However, many wizards study various subjects here, and it's not hard to find an Arcanist of any school. As well, Psionicist are fairly common in the city, maninly as diviners, though Psions enjoy the most freedom here. Citizens who don't practice magic are normally Monks (learning Enlightenment), Swordsages (learning Martial Arts), and Bards (learning the Arts). Rogues are also very common, as theft of rare books can be very lucrative.

Sedu
Known as "The City of Lies", Sedu is very true to it's name. City politics are based on lying, cheating, stealing, and corruption. Lies are key to the success of the city, and the most powerful individuals in the town are those who can lie the best. While not particularly well liked by any of the other seven cities, Sedu manages to stay out of conflicts through expert use of diplomacy. As well, citizen can rely on some rather rigid laws to protect them from the worst offenses, such as murder. However, the lies told throughout the city on a daily basis is the true appeal of the city, as someone can go from beggar to noble in a matter of days with a clever use of the tongue.

Humans, Gnome (particularly Whisper Gnomes), Halflings, and Half-Elves are all common in the city. Due to the overall corruption present in the city, the general population is considered Lawful Evil. The principle deities of the city are Vecna, Olidammara, and Fharlanghn.

The Conduit in Sedu is the Conduit of Enchantment. Wizards are generally Enchanters, barring Evocation, with the belief that a lie is more powerful than brute damage, and Abjuration, believing a good lie should alleviate the need for defenses. Many spellcasters in the city are actually Beguilers, not Wizards. Character who don't practice magic are normally Rogues, Rangers, Hexblades, Bards or Swordsages (typically Shadow Hand followers).

Kindling
Kindling got it's name after being called a "Pyromaniac's Paradise" for several hundreds of years. While it's not particularly true, Kindling's Conduit has a tendency to empower several energy based spells, including Fireball, Lightning Bolt, and several other energy based spells. Luckily for other cities and towns, Kindling is located deep in the desert sands, far away from other civilized areas. It is believed they use their location to test their various spells, free from the worry of harming others. Walking to the city can be hazardous, though, and it's recommended to have several energy resistant buffs available to make it safely, as random rogue spells can be found throughout the desert

Humans, Gnomes, Elves, and several desert races can be found in Kindling. As well, Mephits, Mephlings, and Genasai are not in short numbers, practicing the element of their birth. Due to the eccentric nature of the town, the overall alignment is Chaotic Neutral, with the principle deities being Boccob, Obad-Hai, and Pelor.

The Conduit in Kindling is the Conduit of Evocation. Wizard specialists are normally Evokers, barring Abjuration, because it usually blocks the effectiveness of their spells, and Illusion, as they prefer the real element rather than a falsified image. Warlocks and Psions (mainly Kineticists) can also be found in the city practicing their arts. Other classes can be found, though only the Spellthief are in more than diminutive numbers.

Mirage
Comparing Mirage to a giant carnival on a massive scale wouldn't be too far from the truth. The massive town of illusions and glamor is coated with permanent images and false facades, increasing the beauty and mystery of the town as a whole. As well, there are several discrepancies in the history of the city, leading some (particularly those in Voyan) to believe that most of what was the town's past is now a lie. However, no particular harm is meant to the people of the town, or the visitors. Mirage exists to excite people, showing them things they want to see and amazing them with unreal, and unbelievable, sights. While the city is awfully boring to someone who can see through illusions, the city can be hours upon hours of fun for those willing to give in and let the fantasy world exist in their mind.

Humans and Gnomes are the main permanent residents of Mirage, with members of all races visiting to take part in it's splendors. The city's alignment is Chaotic Good, wishing everyone to relax and have a good time, though doing so in a way that would frighten the more ethical people of the world (which is perhaps why it can be so much fun). The central deities to Mirage are Olidammara, Fharlanghn, Vecna, and Garl Glittergold.

The Conduit in Mirage is the Conduit of Illusion, and most wizards are Illusionists, banning Abjuration, since it allows people to easily pierce illusion's veil, and Evocation, which can often cause severe harm if people believe them to be merely illusory. Also, many Bards can be found in the city, supplying their performance skills to increase the festivities. Rogues are also particularly fond of the city, finding it easy to swindle a coin or lift a purse with people immersed in the illusion world.

Diamalice
Diamalice is unique, as it's the only of the eight cities (in recent history) that may or may not have been destroyed. Hundred of years ago, the last messages were sent to Diamalice, but no responses were ever found. It's location at the time, far off in the norther icy mountains, made a expedition to check on the city nearly impossible on large scale. Scouts reported seeing no city at it's original location, so many people believe that the city is gone, destroyed by forces unknown. However, other argue that since Necromancy magic still exists, Diamalice must still exist.

At the time of existence, it was almost solely inhabited by Humans, Goblins, Kobolds, and other races more interested in the dark arts than anything else. Very few good people lived there, and it was hardly considered a loss when the city went missing. Diamalice's alignment was Neutral Evil, with the primary Deities being Vecna, Nerull, and Wee Jas.

The Conduit of Necromancy was located at Diamalice, and it's Wizards specialized in Necromancy, barring Enchantment and Illusion, because both schools of magic mainly effected only the living. Few non-casting classes ever lived there, with the majority of the population being Dread Necromancers, Clerics, Wizards, and Sorcerers.

Morfal
Morfal is a city of constant change. Building are raised and torn down in a matter of weeks. Building materials change left and right. The city thrives of the changes that it's citizens can inflict on it, so there's normally a relatively major change somewhere in the large city. As well, technological breakthroughs happen regularly, although most are discarded after their discoverer gets distracted and works on something else. People, as well, are prone to change - sometimes minor, such as hair color, but sometimes major, such as gender or even species. The code of conduct prohibits people from experimenting on sentient beings without their permission, though animals and vermin are regularly altered in ways that Divinity would surely be appalled by.

Humans, Gnomes, Elves, Half-Elves, and Halflings are all permanent races in Morfal. Half-Orcs can be found here too, working for those who prefer change the old fashioned way, without magic. The overall alignment of the city is Chaotic Neutral, thriving on change but caring hardly for moral issues. The main deities worshiped are Boccob, Garl Glittergold, and Olidammara, all of whom worshiped for their appreciation for change from the monotonous.

The Conduit located in Morfal is the Conduit of Transmutation. Wizards generally specialize in Transmutation, forgoing strudy of Conjuration, which creates something from nothing, and Illusion, which actually creates nothing at all. Several Arcanists who also favor combat techniques also study here, as they value the changes they can use to increase their own body. Crafters and Alchemists of all sorts can be found here as well, and Rogues looking to steal new technology are certainly not unheard of. Druids, oddly enough, find the change of the city quite relaxing, as it reminds them of the turbulence of nature.

History of Wheyeland
Roughly five thousand years ago, Wheyeland was a simple world. Magic was only supplied by the Gods, and even then in small amounts. Villages with more than a few hundred people were nearly nonexistent, and Barbarian tribes and Druid circles ruled the lands, and might and wisdom were the paths to greatness.

However, after a few hundred years of research, the Grey Elves, with the help of the Svirfneblin, other gnomes, and the ingenuity of Dwarves, discovered the way to harness the massive amounts of energy hidden deep withing the earth. They began the massive construction of the Conduit towers, which lasted for a good thousand years before they were all complete. It was believed that Nine towers were actually created.

At first, general magic was practiced at all locations. For a few hundred years, that worked fine, but soon descent occurred at each tower, and it was decided by the majority that each tower should be dedicated to a specific school of magic.

However, there were only eight schools of magic, and nine towers. Each school argued the importance of their own school, and why they should get two towers rather than just one. In the end, it was decided that the best way to settle the dispute would be an honorable duel to the death between the top eight wizards and sorcerers in the world. They all met at the tower, greeted each other pleasantly, and entered the tower. It was decided there would be no spectators, as they might be secretly aiding one of the wizards in acquisition of the tower.

At the time of the start of the battle, a loud explosion was heard across the entire world, though no one knew where it came from. Each tower awaited the good news from their Arch-mage, but no tower received word. After around a week, each tower sent an apprentice to check on the 9th tower, but not a single one managed to find it. The 9th tower seemed to be erased from existence, as were the eight Arch-mages who went into it.

While the loss of each Arch-mage was a huge loss to each tower, time went on. The small towns surrounding the towers flourished and grew, eventually becoming cities, and eventually even metropolises. Alliances and hostilities grew between towers, but most were settled through diplomacy or, occasionally, magical duels.

Until around 300 years ago, there were no issues similar to the one that destroyed the now mythological 9th tower. However, with no apparent warning, Diamalice, location of the Conduit of Necromancy, disappeared off the face of the earth. Due to it's nature, a generally evil and immoral practice, scholars have begun to believe that the towers may be destroyed if they are harnessed by particularly selfish and powerful individuals. It is believed that perhaps the power-hungry attitude of the Arch-mages was what cause the 9th tower to be destroyed, and the immoral actions of raising skeletal remains or husks of shambling flesh to do their bidding cause Diamalice's downfall. Scholars are unsure, however, and there are several libraries and researches devoted entirely to the mystery.



See Below for Common Races

JackMage666
2007-12-25, 09:13 PM
Races of Wheyeland

Dwarves
Dwarves, despite their help with the construction of the 9 Towers, seem to shy away from the huge urban sprawls of the metropolises. They're numbers are greater in the mountains, and in underground locations. That is not to say they're hard to find, but on a given day in most cities, people will only see four to five of them.
Gnomes
Gnomes are well adapted to the busy life of must cities, and can be found studying various forms of magic at all of them. They are especially common in Mirage, where the Human/Gnome population is almost equal. Curious and eccentric, Gnomes make perfect students of the arcane arts, always willing to try things most others shy away from. There are several types of Gnomes in the world, including the every stealthy Whisper Gnome, though the Svirfneblin are in short numbers. Due to their help with the research of the arcane energies of the planet, though, Svirfneblin are almost always welcome at any of the seven remaining towers.
Elves
Elves, while not all to common in cities, have huge populations in Wheyeland. Not as large as humans, of course, but impressive nonetheless. Elves can generally be found in all sorts of natural locations, and they are unlikely to leave a location for hundred of years once they find a spot. Because of this, Elves are divided into a number of sub-species that can be somewhat different than one another. However, most Elves are similar in many ways, and they generally are able to form a bond rather easily due to their Elven blood.
Half-Elves
Half-Elves are common in cities, especially cities with both Elves and Humans as primary races. Half-Elves take a few traits from both races - They're hardy and adaptable like humans, but graceful like elves. They're natural diplomats, and most cities go out of their way to make Half-Elves feel accepted so they'll have a way to talk people out of fights.
Half-Gnomes
Due to the close relationship Gnomes and Humans share in many cities, relationships between the two races are not totally uncommon. While nearly impossible to find outside of cities, Half-Gnomes can easily be found studying magics and and other interesting arts near or in towers. The Half-Gnomes share the Gnome's interest is magic, but the Human's versatility.
Half-Gnome Racial Traits
*Medium Size
*A Half-Gnome base land speed is 30 ft. Their increased size allows them to move faster than their Gnome parent.
*+1 racial bonus on Listen and Craft (alchemy) checks. While not as refined as their Gnome parents, Half-Gnomes still have sensitive noses and ears.
*Spell Focus - Half-Gnomes gain Spell Focus as a bonus feat. Like Gnomes, Half-Gnomes are exceptional at magic. However, their Human side allows a much more flexible view on magic, so they are not restricted to Illusion.
*Toughness - A Half-Gnome's racial history allows them to be slightly more hearty than the average human. They gain 1 extra hit point per level.

Half-Gnomes are around the same height and weight as Elves. The reach maturity at 25 years old, middle age at 75 years old, old age at 125 years old, and venerable age at 150 years old. After reaching venerable age, they can live up to 2d% years longer.
Half-Orcs
Half-Orcs are used as muscle in the cities, generally doing menial jobs no one else wants to do. Generally speaker, they lack the mental capacity for even average problem solving, so are rarely involved in research and other Tower activities. However, there are exceptions to this, and there are several Half-Orc Clerics doing wonderful work in Morfal.
Halflings
Halflings fit perfectly into any city they choose to be in. Natural thieves, Halflings are opportunistic in robbing the well-off in cities, of which there are generally plenty. Halflings can be a nuisance, though, particularly when they decide to try to steal artifacts from the Towers (an offense that occurs more often than many scholars would like).
Humans
Humans are the most abundant race in Wheyeland. They're by far the most adaptable race on the planet, which allows them to excel at anything they choose to do. They can be easily found in any city, doing any job, at any time.
Tower-born Humans
Humans have worked and studied in the towers for thousands of years. Some families have been there for hundreds (if not thousands of years). The years of servitude to the magic arts sometimes warps the physiology of the human body, giving them mental superiority but lacking the physical body strength most others humans have. Tower-born Humans rarely reach venerable age, as disease normally weakens and kills the body before that point. Those that due survive are powerful at magic, normally using it to keep their bodies healthy. However, they are naturally longer lived than average humans, provided disease does not interfere.

After a family has lived in the tower for a few hundred years, the chances of a Tower-born human increases greatly. Not every child born to a family will be Tower-born, and most will be regular humans. Two Tower-born humans having a child also does not insure a Tower-born child, though the chances are around 75%.

Tower-born Human Racial Traits
*+2 Intelligence, -2 Str, -2 Con. Tower-born humans are strong of mind and will, but naturally weak ad unhealthy.
*Medium Size.
*A Tower-born Humans base land speed is 30 ft.
*+2 Racial Bonus on Will Save. Tower-born Humans are strong of will.
*-2 Racial penalty on saves against disease. Disease is rare in towers, and Tower-born humans are not properly exposed enough to deal with them normally.
*A Tower-born Human selects two Knowledge skills. These Knowledge skills are always class skills, and they gain a +2 racial bonus to those Knowledge checks.
*Magical Reading. Tower-born Humans are always treated as if under Read Magic.
*Favored Class: Specialist Wizard. The favored class of a Tower-born Human is a Wizard specializing in the school of magic related to their home tower.

Tower-born humans use the same height and weight tables as Humans. They reach maturity at 20 years, reaches middle at age 42, old age at 60, and venerable age at 81. If they manage to reach venerable age, they can expect to live naturally for another 3d20 years.
Other Races
Other races certainly exist in Wheyeland, those above are just the most common. Civilized Ogres and Half-Ogres, for instance, can be found in cities doing construction work and other jobs that require more muscle than even a Half-Orc. Pixies can be found outside cities, or even in cities looking after gardens and other natural sites. Plane-touched are normally Clerics working for the benefit of the deities that represent their heritage. Changelings are easily found in Mirage, using their shapechanging abilities to increase the mystery of the city. Lycanthropy is popular in Morfal, and the more malicious ones can be found hunting in the wild. Goliaths and Raptorans have small, quiet villages hidden up in the mountains. As a general rule, most races can be found in Wheyeland, though nowhere near as easily as the common races.

JackMage666
2007-12-25, 09:14 PM
Feats

Unaffected Spellcasting
Unaffected Spellcasting
You are not effected by a Conduit weakening your favored school of magic.
Pre-requisites: Spell Focus (any), Caster Level 5th
Benefit: You are unaffected by Caster Level decreases caused by towers for any school of magic you have Spell Focus for.
Normal: You may take a Caster Level penalty around certain towers, depending on the school of magic and the tower.

puppyavenger
2007-12-25, 09:42 PM
Looks good,
[the Conduit of Healing,

but healing ins't a school
.

JackMage666
2007-12-25, 09:46 PM
...

...

...

So....

I feel like an idiot then... I'll alter the fluff....

Mixing up D&D with Oblivion again....

EDIT - Fixed.. Should make more sense now.

Bonecrusher
2007-12-26, 09:43 PM
I am amused, and pleased by the idea of half-gnomes. I've always wondered why there were only half-elves and half-orcs, and not half-gnomes or half-dwarves.

JackMage666
2007-12-27, 01:55 PM
Alright, it's done for the moment. More feats and such might be added later, depending on what my players think up (I'll, of course, be making them balanced)

Also, as a side note, I'm running an IM game using this campaign world. I'll be setting up a recruitment thread later today if you're interested.