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Dreams of Hope
A living campaign setting designed for the Fifth Edition of the world's most popular role-playing game, Dreams of Hope extends and continues the story of Quartus after the Cataclysm.
The Cataclysm and its Aftermath
250 years ago, a terrible magical cataclysm shattered the continent of Noefra (and most of the world of Quartus). Magic, both arcane and divine, stopped working and the Old Gods sacrificed themselves in an attempt to keep the world from disintegrating. Even with this sacrifice, storms, earthquakes, and other calamities swept the land. Almost 80% of the population of the continent died either immediately or over the next few years. When the magic returned 50 years later, it was different. New gods had arisen and spell-casters of all types had to re-learn their art. The survivors had retreated to isolated areas, convinced that they alone survived the Cataclysm.
Adventuring Groups/Harbingers of the Cataclysm
- The Divine Three
- The Refuge Seekers
A Spark of Hope
A little more than 45 years ago, a group of heroes known as the Catalysts convinced the five major countries of the western half of Noefra to coordinate their efforts—and so the Federated Nations council was born. With it came the founding of the Adventurer’s Guild, an international problem-solving organization that handles requests from citizens and governments alike.
For many years, all was well. The fall of the Hungering Frost in 211 AC gave Wyrmhold a breath of hope. The Devil's Rebellion in the southern part of the Stone Throne was suppressed after adventurers gave advance warning. New cities were founded, including Shinevog and Zhapai Karmap. Godsfall was liberated, letting the Archon of Time and The Redeeming Blades ascend. Adventurers made friendly contact through the Portal Network to Ithemba on the Soefran continent.
Adventuring Groups
- Catalysts
- Fire, Stone, and Cold
- Godsfall Champions
- Heroes of Pactum
- Shame Menders
- Dimwit Syndicate
- Airship Pioneers
- Wild Cards / Southern Heroes
Maturation
By 230 AC, however, the internal stresses on several of the Federated Nations member states had grown beyond repair. The Council Lands was especially troubled, but the Stone Throne suffered discontent as well. In 227 AC, a coup attempt by the deposed Guildmasters of the former Council Lands led to civil war. That war ended in 230 AC with the Treaty of Rauviz and the dissolution of the Council Lands into five nations: the Holy Kaelthian Republic, the Crisial Kingdom, the Uulan Confederacy, the Free State of Rauviz, and the Duarchy of Kotimaa. A few years later, the Stone Throne disassociated more peacefully into three nations: the Sha'slar Autonomous Zone in the north, Asai'ka in the central Jungle of Fangs, and the Serpent Dominion in the south by Lake Thom. While Byssia and Wyrmhold did not break up, they have internal tensions of their own and especially tensions between themselves and between themselves and the other nations.
In this unsettled time were born the Registered Companies--mercenary adventuring organizations chartered by each nation. Ranging from the large, corporate Golden Banner company to the strange and obsessive Selan's Seekers to the quasi-spy organization known as the Holy Hands, these companies employ adventurers of all ranks and attitudes. Those adventurers who belong to a company--a requirement of the Crystal Spire Protocols (CSP)--are titled Registered Adventurers. As a result of all of this, the Adventurer’s Guild reconfigured itself to provide mainly policing support. They and their Sanctioned Adventurers keep the Registered Companies in line with the CSP and keep the Portal Network open and functioning.
Adventuring Groups:
Note: There was a timeskip for PC adventurers lasting from ~212 AC to 250 AC.
Darkening Clouds
Between 250 and the end of 252 AC, the tensions within the FNC came to a head, in part pushed by certain external parties (chief among them Loran Hae, at the time serving as God of Harvest and Autumn). Crisis after crisis was narrowly averted or at least the damage was mitigated by concerted effort. Relations between former enemies such as Byssia and Wyrmhold have improved, and the situation on the Lupaus Plains has been resolved with only minimal damage. Elsewhere, however, things are more dire. The Holy Kaelthian Republic has turned insular and hostile, while still meddling in others' business. They abandoned most of their territory, but have seized control of all the trade routes between the western nations and the dwarven and jazuu homelands to the east.
In this unstable atmosphere, other groups such as the Circle of Purging Flame have began acting more openly to wreak havoc on the Federated Nations, and the Adventurer’s Guild and Federated Nations council have proven unable to meaningfully oppose them or prevent the crises from multiplying. The Crystal Spire Protocols are honored more in the breach. Banditry, demon worship, necromancy, and hostility from tribal elements is on the rise.
Adventuring Groups
Registered Adventurers
What are Registered Adventurers? In Earth terms, they're something like a cross between a Special Forces team and a private security contractor or mercenary. Their chains of command are loose and once unleashed on an objective they are free to pick their own methods of resolution. Most of their pay comes from what they acquire in the field--they keep what they loot. Their potential for growth can quickly leave them among the most personally powerful individuals as well as quite wealthy and they tend to retire after a few campaigns. Or die. For the risks they face are great. Abandoned temples to unknown gods, dragons' lairs, demon-summoning cults, hideous monsters, deadly traps. These are the everyday challenges facing a Registered Adventurer. Are you up for the challenge?
Resources for Players
Player's Guide--Character Creation
Player's Guide--Nations and Cultures
Player's Guide--Backgrounds by Starting Culture
Player's Guide--Gods and Worship
Open Quest Seeds (these are campaign starters. Mainly an invitation to adventure in a particular location and a "main quest" to follow if you're looking for something.
