Eadren

# Core Assumptions

Much of the World Is Untamed. Wild regions

abound. City-states, confederacies, and kingdoms

of various sizes dot the Iandscape, but beyond their

borders the wilds crowd in. People know the area they

live in well. They've heard stories of other places from

merchants and travelers, but few know what lies beyond

the mountains or in the depths of the great forest unless

they've been there themselves.

Gods Inhabit the Land, or Are Entirely Absent.

What if the gods regularly walk the earth? What if the

characters can challenge them and seize their power?

Or what if the gods are remote, and even angels never

make contact with mortals? In the Dark Sun setting, the

gods are extremely distant-perhaps nonexistent-and

clerics rely instead on elemental power for their magic.

# Religion and gods

Appendix B of the Player's Handbook presents a

number of pantheons (loose groupings of deities not

united by a single doctrine or philosophy)

# Settlements

What purpose does it serve in your game?

How big is it? Who lives there?

What does it look, smell, a-nd sound like?

Who governs it? Who else holds power? Is it part

of a larger state?

What are its defenses?

• Where do characters go to find the goods and services

they need?

• What temples and other organizations feature

prominently?

• What fantastic elements distinguish it from an

ordinary town?

Why should the characters care about the settlement?

VILLAGE

Population: Up to about 1,000

Government: A noble (usually not a resident) rules the

village, with an appointed agent (a reeve) in residence

to adjudicate disputes and collect taxes.

Defense: The reeve might have a small force of soldiers.

Otherwise, the village relies on a citizen militia.

Commerce: Basic supplies are readily available,

possibly from an· inn or a trading post. Other goods

are available from traveling merchants.

Organizations: A village might contain one or two

temples or shrines, but few or no other organizations.

TowN

Population: Up to about 6,000

Government: A resident noble rules and appoints a lord

mayor to oversee administration. An elected town

council represents the interests of the middle class.

Defense: The noble commands a sizable army of

professional soldiers, as well as personal bodyguards.

Commerce: Basic supplies are readily available, though

exotic goods and services are harde·r to find. Inns and

taverns support travelers.

Organizations: The town contains several temples,

as well as various merchant guilds and other

organizations.

C ITY

Population: Up to about 25,000

Government: A resident noble presides, with several

other nobles sharing responsibility for surrounding

areas and government functions. One such noble is

the lord mayor, who oversees the city administration.

An elected city council represents the middle class

and might hold more actual power than the lord

mayor. Other groups serve as important power

centers as well.

Defense: The city supports an army of professional

soldiers, guards, and town watch. Each noble in

residence maintains a small force of personal

bodyguards.

Commerce: Almost any goods or services are readily

available. Many inns and taverns support travelers.

Organizations: A multitude of temples, guilds, and

other organizations, some of which hold significant

power in city affairs, can be found within the

city's walls.