The Games

This is a work in progress and is just kept here for easy access!

Chapter 1: Characters

Races

Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Half-Elves, Gnomes, & Halflings

In the west, the traditional 'goodly' races have made their domain. The overwhelming majority of the population comprises humans, though they are underrepresented in adventuring. Roughly 8 out of 10 citizens are human, but it is not uncommon for an adventuring party to have humans comprising only half of its' membership, and sometimes less. Humans almost entirely compose the permanent population of the Aeune Skyfleet, but can be found anywhere between the Western Reaches and the Theocratic Union.

Dwarves have isolated themselves from humanity as much as possible, wary of their ambitious nature. Most dwarves live north in Leseathe since the fall of the Old Kingdoms. As a nation, the Dwarven people still do not recognize the Theocratic Union's right to exist, but are separated by enough land so as to prevent this cultural animosity from escalating. Some dwarves act as traders and emissaries in human, elven, and gnome lands, bringing in foreign products for dwarven use. Still, their unique talents and upbringing have made often a crowd favorite for the games, though only a rare few will leave their underground kingdoms behind in search of fame and fortune.

At one point, it could be said that the Elves ruled all of the known world, but they have been overtaken by the short-lived humans in little over a millennia. Most elves now live in the Faelands, although many live amongst humans and have produced a thriving subculture of half-elves among them. Younger elves tend to enjoy the games, though their elders view it is a trivial, sometimes dangerous, human fabrication.

Gnomes have a taste for the adventuring business, eager to see new places and to live a life of wonders that they will rarely find in their secluded burrows. Those who choose to remain in Foggy Wood will rarely be found. For the most part, other nations do not go out seeking gnome villages out of respect for their privacy. As such, most people don't know very much about gnomes aside from what they can gleam from gnomish adventurers.

Halflings might be more infatuated with adventuring than even humans, though few are content to voyeuristically just watch the games. Most would rather participate, and this tends to leave many worry-stricken halfling mothers and fathers praying for the safety of their flippant youths. Not only that, but halflings have gradually been moving away from their caravans and nomadic communities towards human settlements where the games have more exposure. One can usually find a halfling anywhere there's gaming, and some have come to see halflings as iconic representations of the industry as announcers, publicists, and performers.

Goblins, Hoblings, Orcs, and Half-Orcs

Goblins: While goblins don't often live past fifty, they mature rapidly and tend to even think and process emotions faster than other races. They are quick to make decisions that effect the rest of their lives and will have few regrets about them. Goblins know what they want and will put forth great efforts towards achieving those goals.

Diminutive but Dignified: A goblin's eyes are usually dull and glazed, varying in color from red to yellow. A civilized goblin’s skin is almost exclusively an olive and sometimes green color, making them easy to tell apart from the more orange skinned wild goblins. They have large bat-like ears, upturned noses and a slight underbite. They prefer practical flowing robes or elegant leather attire.

No role too niche: Goblins are the glue that holds the Theocratic Union together. The Empress was a goblin, and the unity she forged among the monstrous humanoids is preserved by her followers and their descendants. Outside of their lands, goblins are generally well-received by the other races, except for dwarves. Goblins lament the persistence of their tribal cousins, wishing them to join the Theocracy. Goblins tend towards neutrality or lawfulness as the most pious members of the Theocracy. Their short lifespans tend to give them a focus on faith in the Empress and her teachings. Although Empress Naiyu is officially not the chief deity of goblins, she is revered more than any other in practice, almost to the point of excluding all others. Prayers are made to her often for fertility and safety, as well as for the understanding and cooperation of other goblinoids. Females tend to be more religious than males, as being a priestess in Her name is considered the greatest honor one could ever aspire to.

Small folk in Big Cities: Civilization brought with it agriculture and easy access to medicine, making the goblin population boom unprecedented in history. As such, they generally live in sprawling cities that have hints of the human architecture that they had conquered centuries ago.

Names: Goblins tend to name their children with respect to famous figures or close friends, adding the suffix -Haba for males and -Hama for females. As such, human, elven, and halfling names are not unusual, though Naiyu-hama and its' variations remain the most popular name for females by far. Goblins only began using last names with the advent of the Union's founding, and so many are revolutionary or occupational. Examples include 'Ozni Seahand', 'Wren-Haba Smithy', 'Kyrie-Hama Felltower'

Goblin Racial Traits

• Ability Score Increase: +2 Dexterity
• Age: Goblins reach adulthood at about 15 and generally lives for about 50 years.
• Alignment: Goblins tend towards neutrality or lawfulness as the most pious members of the Theocracy.
• Size: Goblins typically stands at about 3½ to 4 feet tall and weigh 50-60 pounds. They are small sized.
• Speed: Goblins' base walk speed is 25 feet.
• Darkvision: Owing to their cave-dwelling heritage, goblins have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. They can see in dim light within 60 feet of as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. They cannot discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
• Nimble Step: Opportunity attacks against goblins are made with disadvantage.
• Mercantile: Goblins have proficiency with Persuasion.
• Languages: Goblins speak, read, and write Goblin, Orc, and Common.

Subrace: Female

• Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma
• Versed: Female Goblins have proficiency with Religion.

Subrace: Male

• Ability Score Increase: +1 Intelligence
• Traveled: Male Goblins can speak, read, and write one additional language.

Subrace: Hobling

As the product of a Goblin and Halfling couple, Hoblings take on many of the traits of both. They have begun to rapidly take their place both within and beyond the Theocratic Union, often as a result of the many halfling adventurers that come through there. Many will lose their goblin parent to old age before they reach maturity, and tend to lean more heavily towards halfling social customs and courtesies. Within goblin communities, Hoblings will see many of their friends grow up and die within one lifetime, so they tend to be closer to other hoblings and their remaining parent. Hoblings will see the lifetimes of many of their goblin friends before they themselves expire. Often, the short-lived goblin parent will not live long enough to see her hobling child grow into maturity, making them cherish every moment they have. Hoblings will honor even their most brief relationships and often form sentiments within moments that will last for decades. First-born hoblings often take the name of their immediate goblin parent as a way of honoring their ancestor who will likely not live to see the Hobling into adulthood. Others take a mix of halfling and goblin names, though the use of Naiyu-hama for a half-breed is sometimes seen as blasphemy by pure goblins.

• Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma or +1 Constitution.
• Select one of the following halfling trait; Lucky, Brave, Halfling Nimbleness, Naturally Stealthy, Stout Resilience.

Orcs and Half-Orcs

Refined Beastmen Like Goblins, Orcs have considerably come closer to resembling humans both physically and culturally in just a short time since they joined the ranks of the 'goodly races'. Most Orcs see themselves as the front-line guardians of the Theocracy, and many have taken it upon themselves as crusaders and defenders of the faith. Orcs have over the generations gained fairer features as a departure from their primitive roots. While still a light shade of green, orcs and half-orcs more closely resemble their humanoid neighbors to the west than their forgotten cousins to the east. Most prefer it that way.

Fanatic Protectors: Orcs and half-orcs are seen as more trustworthy and dependable than goblins outside of Theocratic lands, and commonly travel outside the union. In many lands close to the border, they are treated no differently than any human traveler.

Names: Orc names are reverent to the original clans, often based on familial accomplishment or fame. Nicknames are common, based on individual deeds. Orcs are fond of placing religious symbolism into their names, using certain holy colors or objects as part of their titles. Examples would include 'Davor Whiteoak, 'Rath Onehand', 'Vayer Highhill'

Orc Racial Traits

Aside from their physical differences, Orcs are identical to Half-Orcs. They may select one or more of the following traits.

• Firebrand: Orcs have proficiency with Religion. This replaces Menacing.
• Stalwart: Once per encounter, when an adjacent ally is attacked, an Orc may use a reaction to take the attack instead. This trait replaces Savage Attacks.

Backgrounds

Skyborn The Skyfleet of Aeune is considered the unofficial capitol of the world. It is where the Gaming Ministry resides, and only the richest and most noble families permanently reside there. Everyone who lives or even graces the Skyfleet has some connection to Gaming. It is a technologically advanced floating city, full of vibrant colors and lights and constant entertainment.

• Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Persuasion
• Languages: Any two
• Equipment: A set of fine clothes and a purse containing 30 gp.
• Feature: Anyone with connections to Aeune is able to conduct business with members of the Gaming Ministry without waiting or the usual attempts to mislead them. Additionally, they can usually attend viewings free of charge, and in most places will be accommodated as honored guests.

Chapter 3: Equipment and Magic Items

Magic Items

Glamerous This enchantment reduces the physical size of a piece of armor, allowing one to wear nothing but shoulder-pads if they chose, while receiving the same protection they would be afforded with otherwise. It does not effect the weight of the armor, but once donned- it is evenly distributed over the body as would normally. The effect is similar to Mage Armor. This enchantment adds 100 gp to the cost of any armor, but often this price is waived by sponsors who wish to see their adventurers show some more skin.

Aeune Sky Fleet (ASF) Great Wyrm Class 'Limitless'
Colossal+ Airship
40,000 Tons, Length: 800 ft., Breadth of Beam: 100 ft.
Capacity: 1500 Passengers and Crew

Chapter 6: Geography

The Civilized World

Midlaire

An old kingdom and the largest nation second to the Union, many knights and wizards hail from Midlairian tradition. It still hosts a monarch who rules over the land, but is run by a parliament that has largely folded to the influence of the magocracy of Aeune. The first adventurers hailed from Midlaire, back when there were no Games. They hunted the dragons and other beasts of their lands, making safe the roads and allowing civilization to prosper.

Lesaethe

On the opposite side of the Salty Sea from Adabia, this land is relatively unpopulated, but its people have a long tradition of independence and adventure. Despite their presence on the borders of the civilized world, the Games have proven enough to sate their wonderlust. Many dwarves have made this their home after the kingdoms to the east fell into ruin. The mines of Lesaethe are among the most profitable, and many of the coins exchanged in the Games came from Lesaethee gold.

Adabia

Settled in a unique desert that lies at the heart of the civilized world, the Adabian people are an ancient folk. Mostly traders and travelers, their people first made their way trading between the Old Kingdoms and the New Kingdoms of Midlaire and the South. With the Old Kingdoms beyond the Wildlands having collapsed, Adabia has turned to Gaming as their primary means of commercial gain.

The Faelands

A place of temperate forests and marshes, this land has long been home to elves and their kin. In old times, it was a wild and untamed place deserving of its name. Now it is steadily being settled in by humans and halflings and other races, taking advantage of the land's verdant bounty.

The Southern Kingdoms

The ancient southern kingdoms are among those human lands with the richest history, however much those lands have stagnated in the last few centuries. No longer the beacon of civilization and wealth they once were, these lands are still ripe with culture and lore. Most people, when thinking of the Southern Kingdoms, will conjure images of valiant Samurai and cunning Ninja, feudal lords and warrior peasants, devout monks and geisha.

The Lost Civilization of Ongwyn

In Ancient times, a large city-state was destroyed by a terrible monster after the end of a bloody civil war. The myths said that it was so large that the peninsuela on which Ongwyn was situated could not sustain the beast's weight, and the creature and the city both fell into the ocean, never to be seen again. The rumored location of this sunken city is constantly shrouded in fog, making navigation difficult and earning it the name of 'Misty Sea'

Vysara

A small country that recently was granted independence from Midlaire without bloodshed. It is striving to become 'Aeune on the Earth', putting great effort towards technological advancement and, of course, the Games.

The Theocratic Union of All Clans Under One

Despite its grandiose name, the Union began as little more than a horde. It was organized a few hundred years ago by, of all things, a female goblin. Assuming the title of Empress, she was favored by her God as the leader of His people in life and His future wife in death. While some tribal clans still exist, She united many Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Bugbears under one banner whilst forming alliances with the other monstrous humanoids of the region.

After taking over the entire region and adopting the already built human cities as their own, the Empress began unprecedented diplomatic talks with the nearby kingdoms. Citing goblinoid oppression and their own hard-won freedom by force, she managed to assert the Theocratic Union as a nation on equal terms with its' human, elven, and dwarven neighbors. Since those days, the Union has assimilated many of the virtues of civilization. Today, you would more easily find a goblin merchant than a worg-riding hunter... or an orc mason rather than a cave-dweller.

The Aeune Skyfleet

Usually hovering between the skies above Midlaire. A major sponsor of the growing industry of adventuring, the Skyfleet is also the wealthiest and most advanced 'nation' on the planet. Consisting of around thirty major flying ships and hosting a population that fluctuates around 10,000, it is considered by many to be the mercantile and cultural capital of the world.

The Wildlands

Formerly known as the Kingdoms of Gehemmon. These lands reside far to the west, beyond the Theocratic Union. They were in decline about a thousand years ago and the kingdoms mysteriously collapsed. Isolated from the rest of the world by the Theocratic Union, many of the remnants of these kingdoms reverted to tribalism after they abandoned their ancient cities to nature's reclamation. One of the last frontiers of the explored world.

The New World

Beyond the southern sea, there is a recently discovered island chain full of tropical flora and fauna. It is rumored that there is an entire continent beyond this land, but information still comes in tentatively. A hotbed for adventuring, these lands appear extremely dangerous as many expeditions out there do not return. There have been signs of a lost civilization in the jungles with a particularly serpentine influence.

Chapter 9: Organizations

The Ministry of Gaming

Headquartered in Aeune and nominally just a small part of the administrations that operate the flying city, this organization in fact has a hand in most everything that goes on throughout the world. Agents of the Gaming Ministry facilitate adventures that are publicly funded and will often take the expense to scry on private adventures by dealing with the client directly. Most agents who help get their adventurers hired are members of the Gaming Ministry, though there are still a lot of private talent agencies.