recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
1362

## **The SMC introduces arcane *Scrolls of Correspondence***

By **1362,** the speed of life in Baldur's Gate was moving at break-neck pace. As the rest of the world suddenly contemplated the fall of their gods and the sudden lack of one-time reliable health and healing, life in the halo of House Stonehearth consisted of two things: *magic* and *gold*.

And gods help the poor bastard who stood before the firepower of the Arms of Stonehearth.

That speed was fastest in the House, of course, but it affected the whole city. Money traded hands at fantastic rates and word and demand spread to Waterdeep and Neverwinter in the north, to Cormyr and farther to the east, to Amn and farther to the south. That much coin, that fast, meant fortunes were won and lost in a day.

No place was that more a point than in Stonehearth itself. There was a new need: communication. Not just the funneled, mage-choked long-distance communication, but stationery that could communicate ideas across the leagues as fast as one could write on it.

Naturally, Stonehearth saw that need and researched the way to fill it.

### **The Creation of the Scrolls**

The enchanted objects were sold as pairs and the concept was simple: the writing on one appeared on the other. This allowed instant communication over long distances. It was unknown if there was a limit, but it had been proven to work between Baldur’s Gate and Silverymoon. It used standard ink – but once inked, could not be erased. If one ran out of space, *buy a new set of scrolls*.

This tool was an absolute game-changer for diplomacy, business, war… anything where words needed to get from one place to another. The limiting factor at this point was cost but it was expected that the price would eventually drop as the enchantment process became more regular.

### **Stonehearth was the Baldurian Golden Goose**

Four years into arcane instability and divine hijinks, the SMC magic was rock solid. Stonehearth arcane manufacturing was still producing – and selling at market rate – thousands of potions in hundreds of standard and customized effects. Likewise, the spell scrolls brought business for hundred of miles around.

They weren’t the only ones to produce potions (they were among very few to produce scrolls), but they were the only ones to either at an industrial scale. They were the only ones that could routinely produce obscure-effect, or particularly potent potions.

The potion business alone was so successful that the Baldur’s Gate Council of Four was deathly afraid of how much money – and commensurate influence – Stonehearth wielded. There were efforts to rein in the House, but few could imagine any way to do that which didn't backfire.

Eltan was non-committal regarding that influence. As the Archduke, he needed to keep the intrigues to a minimum, to keep the dukes on his side. At the same time, there was never a danger Eltan would act against Stonehearth, even if one of the Council of Four went rogue.
Primal Multiclass Characters

Multiclassing allows you to gain levels in multiple classes. Doing so lets you mix the abilities of those classes to realize a character concept that might not be reflected in one of the standard class options.

With this rule, you have the option of gaining a level in a new class whenever you advance in level, instead of gaining a level in your current class. Your levels in all your classes are added together to determine your character level. For example, if you have three levels in wizard and two in fighter, you're a 5th-level character.

As you advance in levels, you might primarily remain a member of your original class with just a few levels in another class, or you might change course entirely, never looking back at the class you left behind. You might even start progressing in a third or fourth class. Compared to a single-class character of the same level, you'll sacrifice some focus in exchange for versatility.

## Prerequisites

To qualify for a new class, you must meet the ability score prerequisites for both your current class and your new one, as shown in the Multiclassing Prerequisites table. For example, a barbarian who decides to multiclass into the druid class must have both Strength and Wisdom scores of 13 or higher. Without the full training that a beginning character receives, you must be a quick study in your new class, having a natural aptitude that is reflected by higher-than-average ability scores.

## Experience Points

The experience point cost to gain a level is always based on your total character level, as shown in the Character Advancement table, not your level in a particular class. So, if you are a cleric 6/fighter 1, you must gain enough XP to reach 8th level before you can take your second level as a fighter or your seventh level as a cleric.

## Hit Points and Hit Dice

You gain the hit points from your new class as described for levels after 1st. You gain the 1st-level hit points for a class only when you are a 1st-level character.

You add together the Hit Dice granted by all your classes to form your pool of Hit Dice. If the Hit Dice are the same die type, you can simply pool them together. For example, both the fighter and the paladin have a d10, so if you are a paladin 5/fighter 5, you have ten d10 Hit Dice. If your classes give you Hit Dice of different types, keep track of them separately. If you are a paladin 5/cleric 5, for example, you have five d10 Hit Dice and five d8 Hit Dice.

## Proficiency Bonus

Your proficiency bonus is always based on your total character level, not your level in a particular class. For example, if you are a fighter 3/rogue 2, you have the proficiency bonus of a 5th-level character, which is +3.

## Combined Levels Over 20

The standard D&D 5e/D20 rules now give a soft cap of character level at 20. That may not be enough to follow through the entirety of a campaign, so we the recommendation of the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG), and assume 30,000 XP levels each after the 20th, with a final cap of proficiency bonuses at +10, but *no* cap on how many levels a character may ultimately earn.
1310

## **Rediscovering the natural philosophy of Optics**

With family heritage hailing from both Candelkeep and the Edificant Library, and many readers in the growing family, it was a strain on eyesight. How did the family respond? By the development of spectacles… and the accompanying natural philosophy of Optics. They were among the first non-mages to explore the properties of light, including reflection, refraction, and color.

By late 1310, the sale of eye glasses were a major business.

Spectacles led to magnifying optics of all sorts, from magnifying glasses to navigational telescopes. They weren’t the first to produce them, but they were among the first non-wizards to know the science behind it rather than copying accidental formulations. This allowed them room to experiment and make successful changes – and this opened big trade to Lantan.

By 1315, magnifying glasses, spy glasses, and telescopes were are an artisanal addition to the optics business.
NPC Guard

* ***Armor Class** 16 (chain shirt, shield) **Hit Points** 11 (2d8 + 2) **Speed** 30 ft.*

* **Skills** Perception +2
* **Senses** passive Perception 12
* **Languages** any one language (usually Common)
* **Challenge** 1/8 (25 XP)

### **Actions**

* ***Spear.** Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. *Hit:* 4 (1d6 +1) piercing damage, or 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

**Guards** include members of a city watch, sentries in a citadel or fortified town, and the bodyguards of merchants and nobles.
Stonehearth Command Archetype

The Command function cover the very highest of leadership and authority, as well as the great majority of Arms support personnel in a Battalion's Headquarters Company. This means most everybody who's not accounted for in Infantry, Cavalry, Gunnery or Logistics – is in the Command hierarchy. This means the Stonehearth clerks and cooks reside here.

It is distinctly possible that a creative player (and tolerant DM) could create a character who either is or was in the Command portion of the Arms, but that it is not the typical launchpad for *adventurers*. Capitalists, maybe, but adventurers, *no*.

On the command function itself, it is the *highest* of the Commanding Officers who are actually the "command" of that part of the hierarchy. Notably, the officers through Captain II, the field leadership element, are actually still in the Infantry proper. It would include the Battalion's executive staff as well as combat service support.

If a roleplayed character from this background is essential to the campaign, the following angle might be possible. Just note during the creation of the backstory, given the usual safe level of the rear echeolon (especially in the fortress of the College of Arms), it would have to be something similar to...

> *"A military accountant was forward deployed to take possession of the spoils of war and document where said treasures were recovered, and potentially from whom, including any other intelligence gathered and collected at the Infantry took possession. That's when they discovered the deceased were actually vampires, and the treasure chests were all mimics..."*
>
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Archetype Features:

* A character who elects to create a playable character out of the Command route will follow the *Fighter/Champion* martial archetype, and will assume that experience gained was in defense of the Command company during tragic critical fails of their protection.

Stonehearth [specific Command job] gain two bonus skills:

* ***Investigation*** (Int): general knowledge and administrative processes.
* ***Perception*** (Wis): the lessons learned and best practices of [admin/culinary/janitorial/etc].

Notably, combat specialists such as Marines and Rangers would be attached to the Infantry, if they were attached to a Battalion at all (most of the time, they would be deployed seprately). Sergeants-at-Arms, on the other hand, would be buried deep in the Command element.

The Guard are very close to Infantry, and may actually be assigned to individual War Wagons in certain extreme-threat zones as an adjunct to the vehicle's gunner(s). Guard are often assigned as direct protection of Artillery companies and definitely the security of the Command Company itself.
1428

## **Lathtarl’s Return**

### **1428****DR:** **a mystery unfortunately solved**

After the vampiric attack some four years prior, the House had elected to retain and train a neutral party to reach out on behalf of North Point. High-level adventurers, essentially, that group had traveled north – then all contact was lost. Search and rescue, and later, search and recovery missions were sent, but no trace of them was found after combing their charted course into the mountains north of the Winding Water River. The party was presumed lost.

### **Months later, there was a second mass-rising of the dead.**

This included the few local that had died since the last zombie invasion, as well as hundreds of skeletons that rose dating back to the days of Lathtarl’s Lantern. This was a deeper, more involved set of spell casting to reach that far back.

Leading the pack were somewhat fresh, and very angry, zombies: *the diplomatic party*.

### **Urban Combat**

The undead assault took two days to fully clear over street-by-street, house-by-house fighting. Casualties were minimal: about 30 deaths, which was miraculous given the timing and power of the spell that brought these dead back.

Widely considered a victory, the word went out to Baldur’s Gate and Waterdeep alike that North Point had endured another attack – and moved on quite well. To the outside world, Stonehearth victoriously defended themselves from a horrifying attack.

To the House, however, and more careful observers, Larloch sent his message loud and clear: *there would be no peace*.
1372

## **The Shadow of Netheril returns to Faerûn**

Barely four years after the Iron Crisis, in **1372**, Baldur’s Gate was shaken to the core after being led astray by Sarevok, no less than Bhaalspawn. A son of the god of murder, and certain vindication for Stonehearth for not getting along with him on his ascendancy to Archduke, the rest of the city was had low confidence in most anything that wasn’t gold (or had the stamp of Stonehearth).

With this the social momentum for the city, the floating city Thultanthar (aka.: Shade) suddenly returned from a nearly two-thousand-year-long excursion in the Shadowfell. While they parked over the Anauroch desert, shadow-touched nobles of the city almost immediately began hunting for ancient Netherese ruins and artifacts and preparing for a restoration of their once-great empire.

This set all of Faerûn on edge – and sent Baldur’s Gate tumbling over the cliff.

While Stonehearth was otherwise vindicated after the Iron Throne episode, the power grip of the Council of Four was now desperate. It didn’t matter that Shadow Weave Archwizards now ran amok as they searched for every possible Netherese artifact – it mattered who had control of the Flaming Fist and the population they taxes and controlled.

Not surprisingly, there was a major shadow magic surge in Waterdeep and all over Faerûn. There was a lesser surge in Baldur’s Gate, but it was still enough prove the presence of Dark Netheril.

The SMC, the largest purveyors of charged scrolls and potions, were a major arcane target. Stonehearth was fighting back, locally, but they weren’t in a position to speak for Baldur’s Gate and bring a full war upon them. The Gate was still suffering the effects of near-miss with Amn after the Iron Throne conspiracy.

This tied Stonehearth’s hands – and was another contributor in the consideration if Stonehearth’s base of operations needed to be moved away from Baldur’s Gate, even if they kept certain business interests there.
NPC Assassin

* ***Armor Class** 15 (studded leather) **Hit Points** 78 (12d8 + 24) **Speed** 30 ft.*

* **Saving Throws** Dex +6, Int +4
* **Skills** Acrobatics +6, Deception +3, Perception +3, Stealth +9
* **Damage Resistances** poison
* **Senses** passive Perception 13
* **Languages**  Thieves’ cant plus any two languages
* **Challenge** 8 (3,900 XP)
* ***Assassinate.*** During its first turn, the assassin has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the assassin scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.
* ***Evasion.*** If the assassin is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the assassin instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
* ***Sneak Attack.*** Once per turn, the assassin deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the assassin that isn’t incapacitated and the assassin doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

### **Actions**

* ***Multiattack.*** The assassin makes two shortsword attacks.
* ***Shortsword.** Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
* ***Light Crossbow.** Ranged Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

 Trained in the use of poison, **assassins** are remorseless killers who work for nobles, guildmasters, sovereigns, and anyone else who can afford them.
Stonehearth Ambitions

### Plans and Policy

The *Family* Stonehearth began with a Lawful Neutral ethic of scientific objectivity and long-term, sustainable business practice. By Present Day, *House* Stonehearth has evolved into a powerful polity that sees a Lawful Good ethic and a Lawful Neutral policy as the only path for civilization to withstand the awesome destructive power of manifest chaotic evil.

House Stonehearth has maintained a philosophy of minimal intervention as they come to terms with a universe once governed by gods that didn’t want the world to change. From the Stonehearth Annals, they could barely keep up with what was happening within their walls, much less what was happening beyond them. By 1489, the world has seen the shining light of progress – but few have experienced it.

### Mandates

The Stonehearth Marquisate looks beyond the regular troll incursions, beyond the ancient Netherese lich Larloch to their north, or the ancient red dragon Hoondarrh to their west.

They’re peeling back the drow to uncover the phaerimm beneath – the Far Realm evil that once brought down Netheril. They’re looking to Abeir and the threat of the Abolethic Sovereignty. They're studying the ancient evil gods that wait in the sky as if they were stars themselves – and planning a way to extinguish their eldritch light.

More than simple political ambitions, House Stonehearth operates with a mandate: *the **Duty to Act***. That light will be carried to the far corners of the Forgotten Realms and beyond...

### The House Agenda

The Coronet of the Marquisate has reached the tipping point. With nearly two centuries of break-neck progress bottled up behind a need for careful discretion, current events are unfolding faster than the scribes can keep up.

**Completed Goals**

* **Pre-1489DR:** Recent regional developments that will carry momentum into a campaign.

**Short-Term Goals**

* **(0-2 years):** Where the ambitions of the Coronet become the ambitions of the *Crown*.

**Medium-Term Goals**

* **(2-4 years):** Expanding stability through Faerûn's mid-range regions.

**Long-term Goals**

* **(4-8+ years):** Farther reaches to the edge of Faerûn – and bigger opponents.

**Grand Goals**

* **(8+ years):** Where campaigns go beyond global...
Spellbook

### **A Wizard's Spellbook**

The spells that you add to your spellbook as you gain levels reflect the arcane research you conduct on your own, as well as intellectual breakthroughs you have had about the nature of the multiverse. You might find other spells during your adventures. You could discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil wizard's chest, for example, or in a dusty tome in an ancient library.

#### ***Copying a Spell into the Book***

When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.

Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.

For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.

#### ***Replacing the Book***

You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book—for example, if you want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. This is just like copying a new spell into your spellbook, but faster and easier, since you understand your own notation and already know how to cast the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10 gp for each level of the copied spell.

If you lose your spellbook, you can use the same procedure to transcribe the spells that you have prepared into a new spellbook. Filling out the remainder of your spellbook requires you to find new spells to do so, as normal. For this reason, many wizards keep backup spellbooks in a safe place.

#### ***The Book's Appearance***

Your spellbook is a unique compilation of spells, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be a plain, functional leather volume that you received as a gift from your master, a finely bound gilt-edged tome you found in an ancient library, or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after you lost your previous spellbook in a mishap.
Wandist Classes

## **Wandism: what is it?**

This "wandism" is a new word to the world, but it doesn't take much to figure it out. It's all about the wands. In this case, a primal magic-grown *Arcane* *Energized Crystal*, which acts much like a capacitor: a battery for magical energy.

There are dedicated wands that use these crystals, including Wands of Fireballs, but it gets "interesting" with the *Wands of Casting*. The WoCs are a kind of wand that powers whatever spells the holder of that wand already knows. Wandism is the use of wands to cast spells rather than powering from internalized energy.

There are three ways to do this:

1. ***First mode*** is the original mode: a caster or mixed-caster class can use a *Wand of Casting* to uncap their spell limit without ever having to learn primal magic. All they have to do is acclimatize to the wand. For this, check the item use rules in the **Wand of Casting** page.
2. ***Second mode*** (or "2m") falls somewhere between an enhanced feat (untrained) and a demi-class (trained). In this case, it all depends on whether the future WoC owner has been educated in the ways of the arcane.
	* *Untrained:* for those who've taken a different direction in life, something that's very *un*-arcane – meaning they don't have the arcane skill – they can still learn to use a WoC, but that power only scratches the surface of its potential.
	* *Trained:* if somebody has spent the time studying the Arcane, and can prove it with the qualifying skill, they can dive much deeper. A WoC in educated hands...? *Devastating*.
3. ***Third mode*** is a full arcane-oriented character class – but is entirely dependent on having a charged WoC to be able to do what they do. Every bit the equal of a wizard or sorcerer, these are the learned gunslingers of the Wild Sword Coast West.

### **The Many Wanderful Possibilities**

* To learn about 2m Wandism and the 3m Wandist class, check the **Wandism** page.
Village of Shield's Bluff

## *The* **Home** *of* **Heavy Metal**

The Village of Shield’s Bluff, population around 500, is a mining settlement. Despite a population that ranks it as a solid village, it's not any official Marquisate maps.

Shield's Bluff is remote, far away from North Point and most other regional villages – and that sense of distance helps keep it out of sight and out of mind. This is carefully cultivated to remain that way as Shield's Bluff is also a key strategic source of the iron used for the production of steel for the Marquisate (and indeed, the Commonwealth).

### **The Long Road**

The route is about 30 miles by shoreline road, about 32 miles by crest road to North Point. The turn-offs have signs, but there is a minor field enchant at the lower coastal road forks and the highlands turn-off that tends to make most folk forget they've seen it there.

For a merchant’s ride in a loaded, horse-drawn cart, the 30-32 mile route makes it about a day and a half ride. Marquisate mobility with horseless carriages takes that down to a couple of hours, tops. Boat rides vary, with standard sail usually taking about 6 hours going south from North Point (winds out of the north), then about 8 hours back to the Keep.

### **The Protected Perch**

The village is on natural plateau, a pocket that's mostly obscured from the northern winds. That's the "shield" in "Shield's Bluff." That plateau is roughly halfway up the 1100-foot cliffs of the Sword Coast. That makes for a spectacular view, and that's where the "Bluff" comes from.

There is a winding, switchback trail to fishing docks below, with the pilings of the pier made from stone cut from the cliffs. From the town plateau, the trail follows a gorge upward and winds behind a gentle waterfall from a small stream that flows from a grasslands spring above. The path is steep but wide, with enough of a drop that it discourages most from travel down the rough access roads.

Once in town, there is a sense of enchantment even without a single charm spell cast. This natural, highly protected area is an idyllic refuge. The instinct of "home" grows very quickly, creating an insular territoriality that makes most never want to leave.

On the bluff, there are four "digs" into the side of the cliffs, three of which are inhabited, with a strong cultural influence and exchange of halfling and dwarf among the humans. These are “the Dens,” a carefully excavated and artfully carved subterranean community.

While the halflings and dwarves prefer to live primarily in “the dens,” the human and elf population live on the plateau. It is a spectacular view, with both aesthetics and tactics in mind.

## **An Ore-able Way to Make a Living...**

The fourth mid-cliff dig, right at the back wall of the bluff, is a working mine that extracts magnetite ore. The ore is high enough quality that it can be thrown right into the Gond’s Forge blast furnaces at North Point Keep to make pig iron on its way to steel.

It’s not the only mine that supports North Point, but given the steel connection used for the creation of enchanted Arcanite, it’s one of the strategically important mines.
Stonehearth Gunner Archetype

If the Infantry are the heart and soul of the Arms, the Artillery Crews are the *fists*.

The squads are collectively crewed by soldiers known as gunners. These are the people that actually operate the weapons. If they can see the target directly, they can judge distance, terrain and atmospheric conditions to put shot on the enemy. For indirect fire, they usually rely on reconnaisance specialist elements, such as Rangers or Cavalry, as spotters.

The power of the Stonehearth artillery is hard to translate into contemporary earth terms. The magical cannons, howitzers and mortars are substantially more powerful and damaging than the mundane versions of the 20th and 21st century that we all know – but that is amplified that much more in Faerûn. The speed and power of the Stonehearth shots nearly splashed the floating city of Thultanthar, and there are musing they could probably down an ancient Red Dragon (*see:*Zero Hour scenario).

That said, there's not a lot of work for Artillery Crews outside of actually crewing the cannons. There is a trend for trolls and others to attempt to target cannon companies when they see them, but the rest of the infantry intercepts the attacks long before the reach the cannons. Also, hauling a cannon into a dungeon is impractical – so a gunner as an adventurer is likewise impractical.

Archetype Features:

* A character who elects the Artillery route will follow the *Fighter/Champion* martial archetype, and will assume that experience gained was in defense of the artillery company during tragic critical fails of the protection.

Stonehearth Gunners gain two bonus skills:

* ***Investigation*** (Int): general mechanical knowledge of the assembly and operation of the guns.
* ***Perception*** (Wis): target acquisition, tracking and spotting. This includes target verification, as once they fire on that target *it is dead*.
Primal Casting Feats

## That Which Defines Primal Casting...

There are three factors that define fully-realized primal casting, and they're expressed here as Feats. Call it four factors with the Epic-level realization of one of those original three.

These "rules" are the heart of the Primal Magic system: this is stepping away from the Jack Vance "Memorize-and-Forget" balancing system and embracing a faster, more powerful casting ability.

**Constructive Retention**

> Primal Casting allows permanent memorization of spells. Unlike the weave, which destroys the energy of the spell from the mind, raw magic instead channels through it.
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> Wizards do not need to re-memorize spells until they choose to change what they’ve memorized.
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**Regenerative Energization**

> Expended spell slots will naturally recharge in a number of turns equal to the level of the slot. Commensurately, first level slotted spells are cast as cantrips. Second level are available in 2 turns, etc.
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> This allows casters who survive any fight the potential to enter the next fight at full charges (assuming there aren’t back-to-back fights, i.e.: at least 18 minutes or so between the end of one encounter and the beginning of the next).
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**Epic Regenerative Energization**

> Expended spell slots will naturally recharge in a number of rounds equal to the level of the slot. Commensurately, first level slotted spells are cast as cantrips. Second level are available in 2 rounds, etc.
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> This supercharged regeneration is an extremely advanced technique…
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**Progressive Memorization**

> Raw casting doesn’t rip the spell from the casters memory, instead only depleting its stored charge. This lowers the neural trauma of memorizing spells and allows casters of all sorts to memorize twice the number of spells they would otherwise.
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> Casters must learn Constructive Retention before Progressive Memorization becomes available. Training in the feat can be done outside a classroom, independently even, but they must have awareness of the possibility and either a guiding text to do it quickly or must role-play a gradual increase in the spell learned.
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1320

## **Expanding into mechanical miniaturization**

Lantanese genius crossed the waters back to the mainland, showing off clock-watches that very same year. Called Lantan Eggs, these cylindrical pieces had to be wound twice a day and could be hours off. Not really intended to tell time, they were jewelry and novelties.

By 1320, with the help of their magnifying optics, Stonehearth engineers created… *a* *pocket watch*. First making it with a stackfreed, they abandoned that idea and invented a fusee (horology) to increase average accuracy.
Paired Discreet Conversation Devices

## Stonehearth's Take on Sending Stones

The "Paired Discreet Conversation Devices" (PDCD) are similar to normal weave magic Sending Stones, but this is a Stonehearth Primal Magic reinvention. First created by Stonehearth Mercantile for use by Stonehearth Arms, the concept was recreated several times in the Marquisate, evolving each iteration.

The PDCDs, or more colloquially known as "Convos" or "Convo Boxes," are still in use for dedicated communication between two parties, though they're slowly filtering out into the rest of the world as WandComms replace Convos in the Marquisate.

There are at least two common technical traits to modern Convos:

* These stones can be used as unlimited daily communication with the paired recipient.
* Holders can send messages even if the recipient is unable to answer at the time.

Other Convos may have additional features, each one increasing the utility (and expense).

* MILSPEC PDCD: the convos are tied to act as mutual beacons. Someone who is attuned to the device will be able to tell direction and distance of the matched device.
Morningmyst

## Morningmyst: The "grand" on the Grand Ride

Morningmyst is a village in the southern Dragon Coast, and usual day's-ride waypoint between Reddansyr to the west and Hillsbrier to the east. A service-oriented town on the regionally well-known "**Grand Ride****,**" Morningmyst is a self-sufficient town that specializes in hospitality for the steady flow of merchant traffic.

With the western Grand Ride running the base of the Myst Hills (to the north), and the Red River valley and forest to the south, this is an idyllic, picturesque stretch of Interior Faerûn that truly defines the beauty that the Grand Ride is known for.

### Security and defense

Between neighbors Reddansyr and Hillsbrier, the village maintained a small militia with a professional soldiers core, who also served as peace-keeping marshals for the area. The Morningmyst Marshals are still the first to keep the peace against minor criminal or monstrous disturbances, but Sembia has annexed the city and now maintains an extensive garrison in the city. Petty crime, which was low, has since disappeared.

### The Sembian Occupation

Ongoing in 1489, the Grand Ride is the extended skirmish line between competing regional powers Cormyr and Sembia. Morningmyst itself was annexed by Sembia, and with new taxes levied and new travel and passage control, it's an unwelcome change. Morningmyst, however, isn't in a position of even dreaming about doing something about that.

The Sembian army is high-caliber professional, and locally sources for repairs, so in that respect, it's even a boon to local business – though that same business was doing just fine with the merchant traffic. The additional complication is that along the Grand Ride skirmish line, the Cormyrean Purple Dragons occupy both Reddansyr to the west and Hillsbrier to the east, meaning the lifeblood merchant traffic must now pass through heavily militarized check points coming and going.

With other port towns along the Southern Dragon Coast, there is concern that extended conflict may eventually drive merchant traffic out of or away from Westgate, which would be an economic calamity for the trade-route towns like Morningmyst.

## Demographics

 **Races**
 Demonym
 **Local Services**
 **Religions**

## Travel Logistics

Morningmyst, like most settlements on the Grand Ride, made their regional mark as a travel town. It's a self-sustaining, service-based town, and in that respect, well-appointed from the view of the merchant traffic that passes through.

* To the east, it's about 25 miles from Morningmyst to **Hillsbrier** over gently rolling hills. Although high-mobility travelers can go farther, that's a solid day's ride for most merchant travelers.
* To the west, between Morningmyst and **Reddansyr** is about 30 miles overland, mostly straight-line, though again over gently rolling hills. The mostly flag-stone paved and well-maintained road help shod horses make good time.
1351

## **SMC arcane inscription rises to the next level…**

The success of the arcane inscription service was so successful, this venture alone was absolutely minting coins for House Stonehearth. Ultimately, it allowed the SMC an extravagant amount of cash to sink into pure arcane research. *And they did*.

By **1351**, new levels of arcane creativity were busting through. There were ideas in the lab that were pulling metamagic-quality effects out of simple scroll-cast spells. This allowed fireball scrolls that weren’t just at entry level or advanced levels, but empowered, extended and so on.

* *Careful Spell*

When a spell is cast that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, the caster can protect some of those creatures from the spell’s full force. Depending on the number of protections the scroll included (typically between 1-4), the caster consciously desingnated the protectees during use and the chosen creature[s] automatically succeeds on saving throws against the spell.
* *Distant Spell*

Spells cast from a scroll with the "Distant" metamagic double the range of the spell. Spell cast that otherwise have a range of touch, can be extended up to 30 feet.
* *Empowered Spell*

When rolling damage for a spell contained by that scroll, empowered scrolls roll with advantage (typically between 1-4 dice before the cost is prohibitive).
* *Extended Spell*

When casting a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, those spell effects may be extended by doubling (typically in 1-4 mulitples), to a maximum duration of 24 hours.
* *Heightened Spell*

When casting a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, a heightened scroll gives the target disadvantage on its first saving throw.
* *Quickened Spell*

A normal scroll-casting time 1 action is shortened to 1 bonus action.
* *Subtle Spell*

The scroll is activated entirey by conscious thought, eliminating any somatic or verbal components.
* *Twinned Spell*

When casting a spell that targets a single creature and doesn’t have a range of self, a twinned spell can select two targets. A twinned spell will not target the same target twice... *but they were working on it*.
### **There was more...**

There were secrets that sparked rumors that Stonehearth was producing *high level* magic.

It wasn’t just scroll-based magic at this point: they’d branched out to other arcane consumables. The economy of the consumables was something that could work doubly, sometimes triply well for the economy of scales that Stonehearth could bring to bear.
Hickory Grove

## Hickory Valley's Crown Jewel

Hickory Grove is a village in the southern Dragon Coast, and usual merchant waypoint between Teziir to the north and Reddansyr to the south. Located in the northern Hickory Valley on the eastern end of **Trader's Road**, "The Grove" is a self-sufficient, service-oriented town known for it's hickory-related products and exports.

21 miles south of the City of Teziir, it has had an on-again/off-again relationship with the coastal city. Sometimes independent, sometimes a minor suzerain anchoring the edge of Teziir's influence, that's approximately where the Grove was when both towns were annexed (more or less) peacefully by Cormyr.

### Local Industry

The village is self-sufficient to the point of surplus for its staples, feeding the steady stream of merchant traffic passing through from the west out to **Westgate** (and back again).

Hickory Grove thrives on care and stewardship of the valley's hickory tree forests. While hickory logging is rare, usually reserved to careful, preservationist forestry, the harvesting of hickory nuts is a major industry for the area. The local hickory species give a very sweet, nutritious nut and are shipped whole, made into butter, oil, flour and so on.

### Security and defense

Between neighbors Teziir and Reddansyr, the village maintained a small militia with a professional soldiers core, who also served as peace-keeping marshals for the area. The Hickory Grove Marshals are still the first to keep the peace against minor criminal or monstrous disturbances, but Cormyr has annexed the city and now maintains a minor garrison in the city.

## Demographics

 **Races**
 Demonym
 **Local Services**
 **Religions**

## Travel Logistics

Hickory Grove bucks the trend against a reputation as a travel town, though as way-points go, it's considered a favorite of the merchant traffic. Equidistant between Teziir and Reddansyr, it's usually a luxury stop for those who could otherwise push through.

* To the north, it's about 21 miles to coastal **Teziir** along the mostly-flat floor of the Hickory Valley. There is a major creek/minor river that runs the length of the valley and it can flood in the spring, disrupting merchant traffic.
* To the south, it's an evenly matched 21 miles to **Reddansyr**. While it's a mostly straight route, and farther away from the minor river, it does have some rolling hills as it climbs.
* Hickory Grove has usually-mild weather: most storms tend to blow east-to-west. In the winter, though, an occasional northerly storm can blow down and if it comes from just the right angle, can turn Hickory Valley into a hazardous wind tunnel.
Arcane Energized Crystals

## **The Workhorse of the Primal Magic world**

A concept born time and time again, only to fade as secret or confidential proprietary systems were lost, Arcane Energized Crystals (AECs) have become the primary fuel and energy source for work to be done.

Officially released in 1423, the AECs had been in development in House Stonehearth (and close allies) for more than 60 years.

[power levels]

[price list]

[physical properties]

[hazards/toxicities]

#### **Arcane Energized Crystal power**

This was a wide-range of models, with expense varying on durability, style, and level power. Initial models maxed at level-6 though that was expected to go up in the "near future." Notably, a *channeling crystal* could be used, effectively turning this into a modular "permanently enchanted" device.

Publicly available devices only range to a Level-7 spell power. There are higher range AEC-powered wands, but those are special access *only*.

*Containment* refers to the maximum charge power of a fully energized crystal. Exceeding the containment rating limit introduces a risk of instability where shock or vibration may cause explosion. There are specialized devices, not necessarily wands, with containment ratings higher than 250 – but at that point, it's less expensive to purchase a channeling crystal.

Standardized crystal production adheres to class ratings but custom or enthusiast-produced crystals may not necessarily have the same quality controls.

##### **Class One: containment rating 10**

 Cost

*Note:* a level-7 spell discharges 7 spell points out of a fully charged 10-point crystal. The user would have 3 spell points remaining on the crystal before having to reload.

## **Field Expedient Crystals**

Anybody can take a course in North Point and learn how to make crystals. Under a certain threshold of sales, the maker doesn't even need to be licensed to resell them: normal tax covers it. This can make a tidy living for characters between adventures.

For the Stonehearth Arms, whose weapons are crystal-powered, the need for crystal production is second only to the need for *air*. The logistics mages are masters at Field Expedient Crystal production, and can make crystals out of nearly any substance. As a rule: the denser the substance the better, but here are the rules for producing crystals in the middle of nowhere...
Stonehearth Navy

## The Maritime Presence of the Stonehearth Arms

The Stonehearth Navy is a full-time professional force, as highly trained as the terrestrial combatants but specializing in enhanced sailing, navigation and ship-to-ship combat. In particular are the gunners of the crew, who train on bronze cannon of various sizes, from smaller anti-personnel deck-sweepers to the banks of main guns that can sink any Waterdhavian ship in a single broadside, kill a kraken or (*as of yesterday*) knock a dragon out of the sky.

Based out of Ironport Harbor, a few miles south of North Point, Stonehearth possesses a nine-ship fleet of dedicated warships. This dedicated naval presence maintains the safety and security of the waters within 30 leagues of North Point.

## The Fleet

### Man O’ War

* *Defiant*, 80 guns, portal ship
* *Valiant*, 80 guns, portal ship

### Frigates

* *Dauntless*, 60 guns, portal ship
* *Resolute*, 60 guns, portal ship
* *Endurance*, 60 guns, portal ship
* *Sentinel*, 60 guns, portal ship
* *Intrepid*, 60 guns, portal ship
* *Brightwave*, 60 guns, portal ship

### Riverboats

Based at Ironpoint Harbor, just a few miles down the coast from the river, these ships patrol deep up the Winding Water River. Heavily armed, with powerful engines and massive armor, these ships support and deliver the Marines on their regular patrols, as well as bi-monthly troop rotations of the regular Fire Companies to Hearth's Reach Keep to the north.

The marines, in concert with the naval gunners, own the north banks of the Winding Water River – so much so that most trolls wont venture close to the water any more…

### Galleons

The Navy staffs a dozen more armed merchant-class galleons, which are often assigned to collateral support duty (shipping) for the Noble Company. Two of these ships are specially outfitted as exploratory vessels.

### Adjunct

The Stonehearth Merchant Company (SMC) maintains their own fleet of armed galleons. These ships regularly train with the Navy as logistics vessels and can be pressed into service on short notice as sealift and maritime logistics.
AOP:Journey Segment 01

## Out of The Gate...

Distance, Westgate to **Thunn's Garden**: 30 miles over the **Grand Ride**.

The party should be able to make it from Point A to Point B on any of the **available mounts** within the safe, 8-hour travel window. Reminder: you're looking at the first value of the daily/speed column. Note this is at limit of the mastiff, pony and donkey mounts.

Note the departure and arrival times as that will affect what the PCs can accomplish on arrival (office hours at the Town Hall, etc.). The 8-hour stretch includes breaks for mounts and riders, but does not include any unscheduled delays or diversions. Travel blocks can be split without penalty assuming the PCs aren't on their mounts during interim time.

The chance for weather change (∆) depends on current conditions. If it is clear, chances are it will stay clear. Party sunny has a higher chance of becoming clear... or becoming partly cloudy. Cloudy WX has an even higher chance of change. Windy is a special category as windy can overlap any other WX condition, and if so, determines the chance to change over the rest of the prevailing conditions.

 Some travelers peel off and disappear down side roads, while others occasionally join the still-dense stream down the Grand Ride. The further inland you travel, the more fields of grain give way to vineyards. If it wasn't for the walled murder-pit behind you, this would be a pleasant place to live.

Four hours into the journey, 15 miles or so, PCs will notice fellow travelers have started to relax. Westgate is an exciting place, but it's tense, especially for folk who don't carry a sword for a living.

### **Random Encounters**

This first stretch will be the party's introduction to potentially recurring characters, all of whom are on a journey that will mirror the PC's mission route (and if things go smoothly, keep going long after the PCs have finished this adventure).

In fact, the first half of the adventure is really "Road Tripping with Reward Posters," while absorbing Stonehearth-influenced stretches of Central Faerûn. At the very least, there is a half-way point on every 8-hour stretch of between-city trips that the party has to meet and interact with fellow travelers. There is also a chance that something else can happen.

Check here to view the list of folk who are sharing the road with the party, as well as possible events that can be randomly or specifically introduced.

* **Random Road Encounters**

 That must be Thunn's Garden...

Where To From Here

* **AOP: Mission Progression**
* **Thunn's Garden**
Pursuit of the Windwright

## SH-HLR:1489NP Missing Person R41

Mission MP R41 combines a *civilian* *artisan* with the *Pursuit of the Windwright*, creating a search and rescue (or search and recovery) mission for a party of 2-4 level-one characters.

Background: a newly-trained windwright commissions a spell focus from an established North Point master artisan. When that master goes missing, with the commission focus, the Windwright must build a team and find their person before it’s too late.

#### Hooks for other Characters

* The Windwright may have been commissioned by the crew of a ship in hopes that a windwright would keep their boat relevant. Other players could include members of the crew.
* The master artisan may have an assistant, apprentice, friend or family member – and somebody who is just as invested in finding the artisan.

#### A Mod for a Marine

* This scenario could be adapted to just about anybody with a simple switch of the commissioned item. For this example, we switch out the windwright's spell focus ring with an **enchanted oar**, commissioned by a Stonehearth Marine.

#### A Mod for Beginning Players

* Depending on the master, as well as the size of the party and the experience of the players, the DM may select a master artisan that would attract the attention of the marquisate itself (such as the North Point-based Stonehearth-contracted Armorer-enchanters). This would earn a temporary assignment from a recent graduate of the Stonehearth College of Arms, giving players a powerful NPC in their corner should they need one.

#### From Phandelver, are ye?

* A mod for younger players... Also a good step-by-step primer for overwhelmed DMs to get a handle on a specific scenario in what is otherwise a large campaign setting.

## Expected Narrative

Prologue: set up the magic item – then the disappearance.

Search North Point: a little detective work to figure out where the master would've gone to test the item.

Visit Shield's Bluff: check out the intended destination of the master.

Cavern of Lost Soles: backtrack as they search and find the caves where the Master is held.