Made To Order (CB)

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Ri-Laganth is a ready-to-use region that could be plugged into many fantasy worlds. The sections below follow it through time. Guidelines on assigning tech and magic levels are presented to help you decide what items. to use. Use this example to help you make decisions about your own campaign world.
When setting up a time travel campaign in an official AD&D setting, be cautious. Of all of TSR's worlds, only the DRAGONLANCE campaign has so far extensively used time travel, but others do make references to their respective pasts. Be prepared to do a great deal of research about the campaign world's history so that you don't inadvertently run afoul of something that's already been written. See pages 87–89 for details.
==Distant Past==
This is 500-1,000 years in the past. The events sound alien to characters who travel here, since the histories are very inaccurate.
Political. There is one large human settlement in the valley of Ri-Laganth. Other towns are known to the northwest, but there is little trust or trade between them. To the entire east and most of the north and south are the high peaks of the Kirksham Mountains, and to the southwest is dense forest from which the immediate danger comes: the orc hordes.
Skirmishes with the orcs have been going on since their discovery five years before. It is a matter of time before an all-out war. History buffs remember that the hordes were stopped by a fanatical general able to hold them off long enough for aid to arrive.
Ri-Laganth is ruled by a theocracy established by the church of Set. The high priest is Vareth, and the army is made up of religious fanatics. Vareth has been provoking this war and is planning to lead his people into a giant sacrifice to his god.
Social. The caste system here is simple. Peasants compose 90% of the population. They do the farming and labor, and form the bulk of the army expected to be lost buying the professional soldiers time to fight. These people have no rights under the church. The religious army comprises the other 10%. They are fanatical warriors (average 4th level), making them a small yet formidable force.
Relations with other settlements are limited, since Vareth doesn't want outside influences, especially now that the war is about to commence. Other races are known of, but none live in the valley. Dwarves and gnomes have come out of the mountains, but the dwarves were treated poorly, and the gnomes were driven away. Elves have been heard of in legends and tales, but they are believed to be a fairy folk. An elf that shows up here could be treated as an omen.
Religion. The church of Set is an evil religion, and Vareth is a chaotic disciple of it. No other religion is tolerated in this valley. Sacrifices take place every few months, whenever Vareth thinks his control might be slipping. He has the people embracing his religion out of fear of the orcs, but if the orcs slaughter them, Set possesses their souls.
Economic. People are expected to live off whatever the church does not appropriate. Vareth makes sure the the people are always wanting. A few skilled peasants exist and barely survive trading their work for food. Trade is done by bartering, and very little precious metal is found here.
Magic and Technology. The few wizards that exist here are part of the religious army. It is said that Vareth knows some of this art (a wizard-priest?). No spells are known above 8th level. All "name" spells (like Otto's irresistible dance) are unknown.
Technology is crude. Even the ropes are prone to breaking. Torches are roughly made (one half the burning power), and lanterns do not exist. Doors are tied shut from the inside.
Only the temple has locks, and they are very basic (+20% to a pick locks roll). Only Vareth might possess anything made of glass or any sort of precious metal.
Adventure Ideas. The general of the army held off the orc attack and defied Vareth's orders of noncontact with other humans. He sent for assistance which he eventually received. Toward the end of the battle, he uncovered Vareth's evil plans and defeated the priest. He became ruler long enough to establish a just military government.
Have the heroes meet the general right away. He can draft them, or he can attack them as outsiders working for the orcs. He is fanatical, and the heroes are unlikely to have a decent excuse ready. If the characters fight and kill the general, they have taken away the only chance Ri-Laganth has for victory. They should find out quickly that Vareth has no plans to help defend the city. It's up to them.
==Present==
This present time has ties to a 1,000-year-old problem.
Political. Ri-Laganth is still ruled by a military government, one fairly decent to its people. The kingdoms to the north have agreed to aid Ri-Laganth if the orcs come back, but it is an old treaty, and several of the kingdoms may not honor it. The leader is City Commander Joranthal, a descendent from the hero general of long ago.
The orcs are a problem again, having defeated several small kingdoms to the south. The orcs are tribal by nature now, so they have some organization. They have been sullen and unapproachable since their defeat, and they are back for vengeance. They are driven with religious fervor, since Vareth is instigating this attack, wanting revenge for his failure to kill off Ri-Laganth so long ago.
Social. A normal caste system has been established. The military is considered upper-middle class, since they are a highly professional bunch and have the ability to raise their status into the ruling/upper class.
Elves and dwarves are welcomed here, but neither are in great numbers. Gnomes are tolerated, but a few confrontations have made them unwelcome guests.
Religion. Religion was nonexistent for some time after Vareth's downfall. New religions have been slow to attract dedicated followers, and any religion that gains too much popularity is always suspected. The people aren't even sure why they're suspicious anymore, but they are nonetheless.
Vareth has become a lich named Raveth. He is guiding the orcs, again through the church of Set. Raveth caters to the orcish. belief that they are the supreme race, and he builds them to a fanatical pitch that makes them hard to stop.
Economic. The normal exchange rates of precious metals apply, but their buying power has fallen slightly. This is due to Ri-Laganth's large military force and the fact that they pay their military well. Services and goods cost 50% more than normal. The plus side is that they are always hiring, and they pay special rates for high-level heroes.
Magic and Technology. Approximately 10-20% of the items on the normal equipment list have been improved in some small way. The booster pack (page 78) is here, too.
Other advances include improved armor crafting (a nonmagical +1 to AC). Ri-Laganth has a "special forces" in their army. Gunpowder is not here yet, but it's not far off. A few hippogriffs or pegasi are used for aerial scouting. For magic, the emphasis is on offensive spells, like a 2nd-level spell called improved magic missiles (1d6+1 per missile).
Adventure Ideas. This is set up for lots of combat or a fair amount of scouting and intrigue. The characters can be used as a raiding party sent to harass the orcs and keep them off balance until a full-scale attack can be arranged. They could be sent in to find out what is stirring up the orcs this time and remove it (Raveth). The characters do not even have to get near this fighting. They could be sent to other kingdoms to convince them to help. All sorts of intrigue are available there, the least of which is that another kingdom plans to attack Ri-Laganth while they are weak from battling the orcs.
==Future==
This future is 1,000 years away. It is heavy in both magic and technology.
Political. Ri-Laganth looks similar to the ancient settlement. The small mountain range it was once tucked into is now covered by large complexes of apartments, homes, and businesses. The Kirkshams rise up behind the city, and in their vast ranges, large areas of wilderness still remain. Ri-Laganth is now a city-state that covers what used to be several smaller kingdoms. It is ruled by a council in which the military still plays a large part.
The Empire (of which Ri-Laganth is a part) covers most of the human lands. It has a loose alliance with the elven nation that resides on the far side of the Kirkshams, but it refuses to even recognize the orc nation in the southern jungles. The Empire leaves each city-state to itself as long as they pay proper respect and meet yearly tax quotas. The Emperor is said to have built the Empire through great magical power and the loyalty of the Wizards' Guild. Other continents are traded with freely, but it is thought that the Empire might be expanding in those directions soon.
Social. Ri-Laganth is "enlightened," with the classes relating fairly well with each other. Sexism and racism are all but eliminated, and if old grudges are still harbored, they are kept quiet. Orcs traveling the human lands are made as welcome as dwarves and elves. The people possess a high amount of pride in their city-state, which is not unfounded, since they tend to have a high standard of living. The common person lives at a level of comfort similar to that of the middle class of a thousand years ago, with plenty of leisure time and a steady income. Average Intelligence is up slightly, and everyone receives a fairly adequate education.
Religion. The religious paranoia these people once exhibited has faded, and several dozen churches have large followings, including some of questionable morals and alignment. No church has a huge footing, though, and the high priests occupy only three seats on the council, the smallest of any group.
Economic. A printed standard has been established by each city-state. Ten bills equal one gp, and coins of tín have taken over for precious metals. Tribute to the Empire is still paid in gold. Much of the trade between city-states is also accomplished this way, since some currencies are stronger than others.
Production of the essentials and many of life's comforts has reached a stage where they are all cheap enough for people to have. Unless the item would be considered specially crafted, prices would be approximately half what they used to be.
Magic and Technology. Most people can cast a few lower-level spells. Schools offer courses in spellcasting. Magic is a career choice, and wizards are all specialists of some type. A magical mass-transportation system runs along special routes in the city, similar to a trolley system but magically propelled. Steeds are still a means of travel, but horses are as common as hippogriffs and griffons, and a few pegasi fly over the city.
Telepads (see page 81) are the only public travel source for long distances, and they cost only a few bills to use. Using magic to explore the possibilities of space travel is under way here (with results depending on the DM's desire to deal with the ramifications). Firearms are normal weapons, but a large majority of the population has protective wardsagainst nonmagical missiles. Much of the technology is divorcing itself from magical aid in efforts to become mass-producible, but the big stuff, such as lightning generators, rejuvenation centers, and telepads, remains the same, since the benefits far outweigh any problems with relying on magic.
Adventure Ideas. Unless the characters are intent on causing trouble, adventuring is at an all-time low. Wilderness areas are extant in the mountains or deep within certain forests, but the public frowns on the deliberate hunting of certain creatures. There are still the less-civilized areas where trouble with other humanoids is as likely as a run-in with an ill-tempered creature, but most of the adventure here is in exploring a strange world.
==Far Future==
Ri-Laganth is visited one final time, a few thousand years past the last detailing. This future is bleak and dark and full of more adventuring possibilities than the last one.
Political. The Empire has fallen with no magic to support it, and the city-states have been left to their own survival. Several have grown militant and often war over any piece of technology that is still usable. Ri-Laganth, thanks to its military heritage, has been a stable force in a world plunging into anarchy. This city-state, besides having several dangerous areas that characters could journey to for adventure, is an excellent base for excursions into the surrounding city-states.
Ri-Laganth was the first city-state to declare itself the new seat of power after Imperial City was ransacked, but others followed suit. Ri-Laganth made no war effort to back up its claim and has successfully repelled two minor invasions led by weaker city-states. The official position being taken by the council is to entrench and ride it out.
Social. It's back to the haves and have-nots, with over 50% of the population barely surviving, about 40% staying in the comfortable but on-the-edge category, and less than 10% in a position of power. The military is not favored by the citizens, since there have been several problems with soldiers taking what they want, but there are large numbers wanting to join and being turned away. Those who aren't accepted act as mercenary adventurers or raid other city-states.
Religion. In a trying time such as this, one would think that the churches would be filled, but the priests have lost a great deal of their prestige with the loss of magic. Divine powers might give priests their spellcasting ability, but they still need magical energy to work with. If the divine powers can do something about the state the world is in, they aren't acting just yet. Most people believe the gods have abandoned them.
Economic. Before the Empire fell, people used virtual money. This is slipping due to the lack of a central control. Ri-Laganth is holding out well, since it has reverted back to its own exchange system. Trade with other city-states, when necessary, involves trading technology. Ri-Laganth is working hard at becoming self-sufficient once again.
The necessities of life are still easy to get, but the comforts have at least tripled in price. Technology costs small fortunes, as people are hoarding what they have. Magical items and especially artifacts are being taken in at a high price by the city-states.
Magic and Technology. A thousand years of high magic use, as depicted earlier, has drained the limited resource of magic to a minimum across the entire world. It may repair itself by a "leaking in" effect from surrounding space, but only after several centuries without use.
In this time frame, only spells of 4th-level and below work, and no magical items function properly. Artifacts still function, but the resource drain could produce dangerous effects. Casting spells or using magical items is a capital offense. All magical items are being sought and destroyed in an effort to bleed their magic back into the fabric of reality. Magical creatures like the unicorn are dying out, and some city-states are making efforts to keep them alive. Dragons suddenly disappeared over a century ago, and some believe that they might have an answer to this problem if they could be found.
Technology is what you might expect for a cyberpunk future. Lots of chrome and metal parts are used to supplement the humanoid body. Heavy weaponry is more devastating than ever, since magic can no longer thwart it. People are scavenging all the technology that can be saved, but lots of it is wasting away, since it required magical aid to operate. Wizards are becoming a class of "technomancers," ignoring magic and delving completely into technology. They are attempting to rebuild the technology base so that it can survive without magical aid.
Adventure Ideas. Ri-Laganth definitely has its problems, and several possibilities exist here for the characters to help or add to them. Law and order are nonexistent in several areas of this vast city-state, creating pockets that can be considered wilderness. Raids into other city-states are common, and the characters could participate in these or help to prevent raids into Ri-Laganth. A DM who wished to play with space travel could certainly do so, but since certain aspects of any ship would be magical (like the drive), they would be unable to function on this world and would be forced to stay clear.
Many chronomancers might decide that this is a problem best solved by traveling back and preventing the loss of magic. This should be a series of incredibly difficult adventures with several setbacks. No one in the past wants to believe the characters, and if they do, there wouldn't be the all-out effort necessary to create a real change. If this is the tactic they want to take, make them work for it.
Category:Chronomancer Book