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Dear friends,
I thank you for your various posts on the forums and welcome you back to the second season of Lords of Terra. To date, we have six great players who are with us and it is my hope that you will play a major role in pushing the dramatic boundaries and themes, explore the greater world of Terra and enjoy playing your part in crafting an epic tale.
The arc for the second season will encompass a mighty clash of civilizations between the once ascendant Empire and the rising forces of barbarism that threaten it.
The Empire is evidently on the decline as are the fortunes of mankind. Cities grow bloated with wealth brought about by trade and decadence has set in high society like a cancer- paralyzing its nobility with moral cowardice, madness and sloth. The human military, once a core institution that was the pride of its people is riddled with petty vendettas between generals, poor equipment and low morale. It is only the might of a loyal Warforged legion that keeps the Lich King’s undead monstrosities from devouring the masses as they lie sound asleep beyond the Wall of the Nine Gates.
The Church of Sigmar still holds an iron grip over religious discourse in the Empire but the Inquisition’s purges have failed to reduce the popularity of various heretical cults worshipped in secret societies, underground temples and even in the common home. As civilization crumbles at the edges, people seek answers to their worldly problems beyond Sigmar’s message of unity and obedience to the law. Beings worshipped in secret range from Archdevils promising power and pleasure to the corrupt and agricultural deities offering good harvest to the common farmer- the truth of the matter is Man is a practical beast.
For many of your characters, the Empire would seem to be a rather alien place but this is an intentional device. You have been dead for a thousand years after all. For example, many other races such as Elves and Halfling refugees displaced by the Lich King’s territorial conquests are accepted as part of the Empire’s society and given rights of protection due to an edict signed by an Emperor who succeeded Karl Franz. Whilst economic discrimination exists in the manner of Shifter shanty towns and social prejudices are rampant; Halflings being seen as migratory conmen and thieves, the Empire is a home to all.
One question that needs to be answered this season is whether this deeply flawed society is worth defending and worth dying for. Will you save the Empire, rejuvenate it, remake it or destroy it?
The Lich King aside, the main threat to the Empire lies in the South where paved roads end in blood in the sand. Tribes of Orcs, Gnolls and Goblins menace frontier provinces, trade routes and farmsteads in growing numbers and audacity. The most feared of these raiders are the giants. This menace once led by Jord’s oldest vampire, Arnulf violated the Empire by sacking its capital city, Mordheim, killing the Emperor and embracing the Grand Theogonist (Pope) into a vampire- watching him burn on Sigmar’s Sepulchre. This catastrophic event remains a deep scar in the psyche of the people and the growing aggression of a new generation of giants at the border does not bode well for the future. The electoral province of Ostland recently seceded from the Empire after its Elector Count; Grand Prince Hals von Tasseninck failed to convince Emperor Etrius Zig to deploy part of the warforged legion to defend Ostland.
The growing power of the giants is not yet matched by a charismatic leader who can unite the various elemental factions into a cohesive kingdom. Nevertheless, the giants are excited and optimistic that their time to reclaim their race’s primordial inheritance of the world and their duties as wardens of the natural order is soon at hand.
As paragon characters, you are poised to take a big role in deciding the future of the campaign world through heroic and villainous actions. You are expected to role-play your character with realism, levity, and gravitas to create emotional catharsis for the group but at the same time, remain respectful of other players and their characters as well as to the game as a whole. There will be no DM device to create a group identity and it is up to you to naturally build up those bonds as characters.
Tactical combats will remain a big feature of the campaign and will be moderated to a difficulty consistent to the story arc. There will be many moments where the heroes triumph over lesser foes with contemptuous ease (ala Mordenkrag) and there will be rare times whereby the odds seem insurmountable and even heroes may be called to lose their lives for a cause they believe in or that their friends may live to fight another day. My main priority even in combat is to service and create a memorable story. I welcome all reasonable builds… but will work with others that are incompatible with the campaign’s expectations.
As for material outside core books and the various power series, I will generally grant approvals on a case by case basis and these decisions are not made in a vacuum. For example, I would approve the Githyanki Silver Sword (for more effective marks?) for Cassius if the party’s average AC was not already 30 and the character does not specialize in mass marks. If an item is particularly thematic for your character’s story, I will approve it but I will not approve something that will simply make you more efficient at what you already do. There are, as it is plenty of options on the table.
In conclusion, I hope this post gives you a better understanding about the second season as we round up the paragon levels. If you have any ideas on how we can further improve the campaign, this is where you can share your thoughts.
Sigmar Protects!
Raihan
I thank you for your various posts on the forums and welcome you back to the second season of Lords of Terra. To date, we have six great players who are with us and it is my hope that you will play a major role in pushing the dramatic boundaries and themes, explore the greater world of Terra and enjoy playing your part in crafting an epic tale.
The arc for the second season will encompass a mighty clash of civilizations between the once ascendant Empire and the rising forces of barbarism that threaten it.
The Empire is evidently on the decline as are the fortunes of mankind. Cities grow bloated with wealth brought about by trade and decadence has set in high society like a cancer- paralyzing its nobility with moral cowardice, madness and sloth. The human military, once a core institution that was the pride of its people is riddled with petty vendettas between generals, poor equipment and low morale. It is only the might of a loyal Warforged legion that keeps the Lich King’s undead monstrosities from devouring the masses as they lie sound asleep beyond the Wall of the Nine Gates.
The Church of Sigmar still holds an iron grip over religious discourse in the Empire but the Inquisition’s purges have failed to reduce the popularity of various heretical cults worshipped in secret societies, underground temples and even in the common home. As civilization crumbles at the edges, people seek answers to their worldly problems beyond Sigmar’s message of unity and obedience to the law. Beings worshipped in secret range from Archdevils promising power and pleasure to the corrupt and agricultural deities offering good harvest to the common farmer- the truth of the matter is Man is a practical beast.
For many of your characters, the Empire would seem to be a rather alien place but this is an intentional device. You have been dead for a thousand years after all. For example, many other races such as Elves and Halfling refugees displaced by the Lich King’s territorial conquests are accepted as part of the Empire’s society and given rights of protection due to an edict signed by an Emperor who succeeded Karl Franz. Whilst economic discrimination exists in the manner of Shifter shanty towns and social prejudices are rampant; Halflings being seen as migratory conmen and thieves, the Empire is a home to all.
One question that needs to be answered this season is whether this deeply flawed society is worth defending and worth dying for. Will you save the Empire, rejuvenate it, remake it or destroy it?
The Lich King aside, the main threat to the Empire lies in the South where paved roads end in blood in the sand. Tribes of Orcs, Gnolls and Goblins menace frontier provinces, trade routes and farmsteads in growing numbers and audacity. The most feared of these raiders are the giants. This menace once led by Jord’s oldest vampire, Arnulf violated the Empire by sacking its capital city, Mordheim, killing the Emperor and embracing the Grand Theogonist (Pope) into a vampire- watching him burn on Sigmar’s Sepulchre. This catastrophic event remains a deep scar in the psyche of the people and the growing aggression of a new generation of giants at the border does not bode well for the future. The electoral province of Ostland recently seceded from the Empire after its Elector Count; Grand Prince Hals von Tasseninck failed to convince Emperor Etrius Zig to deploy part of the warforged legion to defend Ostland.
The growing power of the giants is not yet matched by a charismatic leader who can unite the various elemental factions into a cohesive kingdom. Nevertheless, the giants are excited and optimistic that their time to reclaim their race’s primordial inheritance of the world and their duties as wardens of the natural order is soon at hand.
As paragon characters, you are poised to take a big role in deciding the future of the campaign world through heroic and villainous actions. You are expected to role-play your character with realism, levity, and gravitas to create emotional catharsis for the group but at the same time, remain respectful of other players and their characters as well as to the game as a whole. There will be no DM device to create a group identity and it is up to you to naturally build up those bonds as characters.
Tactical combats will remain a big feature of the campaign and will be moderated to a difficulty consistent to the story arc. There will be many moments where the heroes triumph over lesser foes with contemptuous ease (ala Mordenkrag) and there will be rare times whereby the odds seem insurmountable and even heroes may be called to lose their lives for a cause they believe in or that their friends may live to fight another day. My main priority even in combat is to service and create a memorable story. I welcome all reasonable builds… but will work with others that are incompatible with the campaign’s expectations.
As for material outside core books and the various power series, I will generally grant approvals on a case by case basis and these decisions are not made in a vacuum. For example, I would approve the Githyanki Silver Sword (for more effective marks?) for Cassius if the party’s average AC was not already 30 and the character does not specialize in mass marks. If an item is particularly thematic for your character’s story, I will approve it but I will not approve something that will simply make you more efficient at what you already do. There are, as it is plenty of options on the table.
In conclusion, I hope this post gives you a better understanding about the second season as we round up the paragon levels. If you have any ideas on how we can further improve the campaign, this is where you can share your thoughts.
Sigmar Protects!
Raihan