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TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION…………………………..2 PROLOGUE SETTING AND GENRE THE CITY TRIAD OF ARCANA…………....3 WERKH SPIRYTH NOHW DISTRICTS OF THE CITIES THE OUTER AREAS/BEYOND THE CITIES...4 CROSS PLAINS BISECT MOUNTS TRAVERSE ISLE THE GREAT BEYOND ORGANIZATIONS………………………...5 MORADIN ENTERPRISES CID AND CO. ROSE CORP SOLDIERS OF SANCTUARY CRUSADERS OF CROISADE DOCTRINA MILITIA PELOR TRADES DAWN UNION CHURCH CORELLON ACADEMY GODS/CELESTIALS AND RELIGION……....7 AVANDRA MORADIN PELOR MELORA BAHAMUT KORD SEHANINE CORELLON IOUN ERATHIS THE RAVEN QUEEN MAGIC IN ARCANA……………………....9 UTILITY OF MANA THE FOUR CRYSTALS EACH CITIES’ VIEWS ON MAGIC
CAMPAIGN RULES/EXPECTATIONS…..10 CAMPAIGN SOURCEBOOKS REGARDING HOMEBREW CHARACTER CREATION THE RACES OF ARCANA………………..11 HUMANS AND HALFLINGS MONSTROUS RACES WERKH RACES SPIRYTH RACES NOHW RACES CLASSES BY DISTRICT…………………...12 ADDITIONAL BACKGROUNDS………….16 ENFORCER CRUSADER AGENT CITY CRAWLER SURVIVALIST ENGINEER DIPLOMAT SATIRIST MISSIONARY RESEARCHER SPELLS BY DISTRICT……………………..17 HOMEBREW FEATS……………………....20 VANCIAN METHOD SPELLCASTING MANA BREAK THE CITIES & DISTRICTS………………....21 THE CITY OF WERK THE CITY OF SPIRYTH THE CITY OF NOWH
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INTRODUCTION PROLOGUE Sometime, somewhere, in another realm, stands the mystical megalopolis of Arcana. To this day, it continues to stand as the peak of civilization and magical innovation. Here, magic is the foundation and blood of the region, manifested in the crystalline entity known as mana. You see, in an epoch before modernity, existed the era of swords, sorcery, and heroic fantasies. It was until the nomads led by Erathis, celestial goddess of civilization, discovered the mana crystals below the city and founded the capital city of Yunetii. This then led to a massive boom in civilization and technological advancement, thus sprouting three of Arcana’s other main cities: Werkh, Spiryth, and Nohw - all held together by the soul of the capital. With the rise and growth of the triad cities, comes a new age of modernity and its many comforts. However, with great secular and technological progress, comes great ideological tension between the triad. Nohw, being the more secular city, has lifted many magical taboos to further experiment and study magic. Spiryth on the other hand, is strongly opposed to this for they fear that such studies are blasphemous, imposing strict rules to retain the sacredness of mana. However unlike the other two, Werkh keeps to themselves, avoiding the political tension and continuing to work for both cities for their own profit despite the mutual distrust. The civil unrest eventually reaches its peak when an unknown party wipes Yunetii off the face of the planet with a magical bomb, rendering the capital inhabitable.
The year is now 1015 FE, five years after the bombing. The looming threat of an all out war permeates throughout the land and the seeds of division have been sown. However, during this rise of a dark age, a peculiar group of travelers from within and out of the factions of Arcana cross paths in the Sanctuary District of Werkh looking for asylum. Each of them have their own aspirations, hopes, and motives, traveling to find their own place in this divided world. And thus begins their journey to find peace, unity, and light in an era of conflict, division, and darkness. SETTING AND GENRE This campaign takes place in an urban fantasy setting inspired by Final Fantasy as well as the Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica. Here and there, you’ll find some elements of steam and dieselpunk, in combination with vanilla fantasy. The present time period takes place in an era similar to the 20’s with sparse tidbits of tech from a more modern era. Expect guns, automobiles, and even mechs! This is a whole new world in a time where technology is advancing! As stated, the three main cities of Werkh, Spiryth, and Nohw are what make up the region of Arcana. These three cities are inspired by the concept of the mind, body, and soul. Each city is divided into districts and they all have their own landmarks, cultures, and rules.
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THE CITY TRIAD OF ARCANA Below are summaries for each of the cities: THE STEAMPUNK CITY - WERKH To the south resides Werkh, the industrial and capitalistic powerhouse known for its many flourishing businesses and mana mines. It is the “heart” of Arcana, pumping mana as the blood for the other cities in the region. THE SACRED SUBURB - SPIRYTH Located in the northwest, we have the religious suburb of Spiryth. Here, its spiritual folk continue to worship the celestials as gods, holding on to the traditions and values of an era of swords, myths, and chivalry. THE ARCANE METROPOLIS - NOHW Northeast of the region, the spellworking diesel city of Nohw stands aloft. Here, the citizens study mana, magic, and the arts, working to bring civilization to new horizons through cultural and technological innovation. THE FALLEN UNION - YUNETII At the core center of Arcana, was where Yunetii once stood. It was the soul and symbol of the city triad before the bombing. Now, all that remains is a mysterious mist that envelopes that city. Many have entered and never returned; deeming the place inhabitable. THE DISTRICTS OF THE CITIES In Arcana, there are a total of nine districts with each city being divided into three. Each district has their own distinct subculture directly inspired by a specific guild in Ravnica. The players may create their characters based on these districts.
WERKH DISTRICTS MATERIA - LABOR The main workforce of Arcana. The working class takes up the majority of the population to work in the mines and various corporations. TERRA - LABOR/SPIRIT The most rural of the nine districts. Its folks are harmonious with nature, living a simple life and profiting from their agricultural lifestyle. SANCTUARY - LABOR/ORDER Refuge for those looking for asylum. It is mostly a residential area with a decently strong military to protect it. SPIRYTH DISTRICTS SACRAMENTO - SPIRIT Arcana’s religious epicenter. Here, the religious folk worship and celebrate a variety of deities. SAECULER - SPIRIT/INTELLECT The more secular of the three much to the city’s dismay. Here, its people are beginning to study magitech. CROISADE - SPIRIT/ORDER The district of Croisade is known for its strong military force. The folk that live here are known for their zeal. NOHW DISTRICTS LORE - INTELLECT A bustling and bright city with a vibrant nightlife. It is the cultural capital of Arcana with many universities built here. COGNI - INTELLECT/LABOR This is where many of Arcana’s research facilities reside. Many of its people work and tinker in factories. DOCTRINA - INTELLECT/ORDER The governmental capital of Nohw. Many government institutions are built here to study law. Their military strength rivals Croisade’s. 3
THE OUTER AREAS/BEYOND THE CITIES Beyond each of the three cities of Arcana, many wilderness areas intersect in between each settlement. These areas span for scores of miles, all the way up to the edge of the continent where a massive wall resides: known as the Great Beyond. Each of these outer areas have their own environments and you’ll occasionally come across a few run-down hamlets outside the cities. Here is a synopsis for each of these areas. CROSS PLAINS The Cross Plains are a lush and vibrant grassland spread across many acres in between the cities of Werkh and Spiryth. Here and there, travelers will come across many scattered patches of forests and streams. Occasionally, you may find eroded monuments and abandoned settlements from an era before its inhabitants migrated to the big cities.
The only way to be able to travel between cities at this point is either to cross through Yunetii or ride a boat or airship to cross the sea. THE GREAT BEYOND Right at the edge of Arcana’s borders, the Great Beyond stands aloft separating civilization from the more dangerous wild areas outside the megalopolis. Along the walls of the Great Beyond lies three strongholds representing each of Arcana’s branching cities. Each stronghold resides adjacent to each of their representative cities and regulates the people who come in and out of Arcana through each cities’ militia.
BISECT MOUNTS The mounts themselves stretch between the borders of both Spiryth and Nohw and their height rivals that of the Himalayas. The lower levels of the mountains are very forest-like, shrouded in greenery and generally the safest route. At its highest levels, it becomes a cold, rocky terrain, making the more riskier but more faster path to travel between cities. TRAVERSE ISLES In between Nohw and Werkh, a massive bay extends between the two cities with a small patch of isles lying at the center of this sea. Here, lies a small port town where people from both areas go to trade. 4
ORGANIZATIONS Within Arcana’s cities and districts, many organizations operate amongst the citizens. Some of them may be companies, businesses, religious institutions, and many other establishments that people take part of or trade with. Below are some of the main organizations you may hear about in your travels amongst the streets of Arcana.
MILITIA OF THE CITY TRIAD AVANDRA FOUNDATION The Avandra Foundation is an organization bound together under the goddess Avandra’s leadership. They are Sactuary’s social workers founded by the people, for the people to serve and protect the district’s citizens.
THE BIG THREE CORPORATIONS MORADIN ENTERPRISES Within the district of Materia, Moradin Enterprises stands as the core of the business sector of the district. The private company is owned and run by the Dwarven god of creation himself and produces a variety of popular products in stores across Arcana. They also own a variety of other smaller companies and mines within the city of Werkh. CID & CO. Residing in the Saecular district, Cid & Co. is a small but rising company founded by a man named Cid Tinker. Originally employed from the Rose Corporation, he broke off from the company to do his own personal research and introduce magitech to the city of Spiryth, much to the religious folks’ dismay.
CRUSADERS OF CROISADE Under the god of strength and storms’ leadership, the crusaders bolster great strength and pride under Kord’s blessings. As religious as they may be, they are zealous to a fault in their ideals. DOCTRINA MILITIA Where they lack in physical strength, they excel in military strategy, technology, and magic. Compared to the other militia groups in Arcana, they are the most advanced in magitech with the help of the Rose Corporation being their main source of supplies and weaponry. Its members are required to study law under Corellon.
ROSE CORP At the center of Cogni’s research facilities, the Rose Corp acts as the head of research and development within Nohw. Ever since a billionaire by the name Avidit Jonet became CEO of the company, the corporation has been secretive of their research. 5
INSTITUTIONS PELOR TRADES A small company owned by the god of agriculture, Pelor Trades is run by a tight rural community in Terra. There, its residents run an agricultural business to ship and sell natural resources throughout Arcana. With Pelor’s own divine blessings, Arcana never suffers from famine. The company has a strong business partnership with Moradin Enterprises, working together to provide for Arcana.
DAWN UNION TEMPLE Centered in Sacramento, the temple allows the worship of many gods within the Dawn War pantheon, specifically those who are good or neutral. The most prominently worshipped deities in this organization are Bahamut, Melora, and Kord; occasionally the three visit the organization to help celebrate certain ceremonies and rites.
MOONBOW ACADEMY Located in the Lore district of Nohw, the Moonbow Academy houses many young and aspiring wizards and bards looking to learn and enhance their skills. The academy itself is divided into many different schools and colleges, with a building dedicated to teaching each subclass. The headmaster is none other than the Lady of Dreams herself, who encourages students to follow their ambitions in hopes that they may learn and discover more about themselves
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GODS/CELESTIALS AND RELIGION Religion in Arcana revolves around the Dawn War pantheon, known for its many iconic gods found within Dungeons and Dragons’ classic campaign settings. (e.g. Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms) Here, the gods live amongst mortals, roaming across the land tending to their domains. Some rule the lands and lead their people, while some live a low profile. Ever since the rise of technology began to take a hold of the world, people have become secular and religious followings have somewhat dwindled. Some of these gods go along with the secular teachings, tossing the title of godhood aside to live a more simpler life with their followers. On the other hand, some gods have persistent followers, clinging on to the traditions of an era before magitech. Presented here are the known gods/celestials that reside in and have a following in the city of Arcana:
GODS/CELESTIALS OF WERKH AVANDRA Chaotic Good, Trickery/Order Residing in Sanctuary, the goddess of trade and travel leads the soldiers of sanctuary and helps with the social work of the community. MORADIN Lawful Good, Knowledge/War Owning a massive company, the celestial artisan of creation crafts and sells many weapons and oversees mana mines across Arcana. PELOR Neutral Good, Life/Light The god of agriculture himself lives in Terra, tending to his small rural community. With his blessings, he mass produces crops and foodstuffs. GODS/CELESTIALS OF SPIRYTH MELORA Neutral, Nature/Tempest The goddess of nature has a dwindling but very small, devout following in Saecular. This is due to the rise of magitech within the district. BAHAMUT Lawful Good, Life/War/Order Out of all, the god of justice and nobility has the strongest following in Arcana. Here, he rules Sacramento with his seven golden sages. KORD Chaotic Neutral, Tempest/War Being the god of strength and battle, he is the leader of the Crusaders of Croisade. His army takes pride in the blessing of Kord’s divine strength.
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GODS/CELESTIALS OF NOHW SEHANINE Chaotic Good, Trickery/Knowledge As a celestial of knowledge, she is the headmaster of her academy at Lore, encouraging her students to follow their aspirations.
CORELLON Chaotic Good, Light/Order As a celestial of law and magic, he is the chancellor of the Doctrina Militia. Here, he tutors and directs the military’s paladins and mages to enforce the law.
IOUN Neutral, Knowledge Being the celestial of knowledge, she’s one of the head researchers in all of Cogni’s research facilities. Most of her studies take place at Rose Corp.
OTHER GODS WORSHIPPED ERATHIS Lawful Neutral, Knowledge/Order Being that she was the goddess of civilization and invention, it was only fitting that she be the founder of Arcana. As Arcana rose to the megalopolis we know today, she invited gods/celestials to help the city grow to its current size. However, during the bombing of Yunetii, she was killed. It is only a matter of time when her divine blessings and powers fade away after her death.
THE RAVEN QUEEN Lawful Neutral, Death/Life As the grim reaper of the Dawn War pantheon, she travels around tending and guiding the souls to the afterlife. While she does not have a concrete holy order, many come to her for solace for the loss of a loved one whenever she visits her temple at the Dawn Union Church. With institutions at Nohw meddling into her domain by studying necromancy, she has become displeased and occasionally meddles with their research.
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MAGIC IN ARCANA Like in every world written in the Dungeons and Dragons multiverse, magic is a constant factor that takes part in many stories. Particularly in the world of Arcana, magic is strongly linked to the gods and everyone’s existence, and holds a special role in the world’s many cultures. What makes magic in Arcana special though, is its manifestation through a material called mana. UTILITY OF MANA As stated in the prologue, mana is a physical manifestation of magic and is a natural resource mined within the deep caverns of Arcana. It can be grounded to a powder, liquified, and smelted to be used in a variety of other ways. MAGITECH With mana being the main source of energy and fuel across Arcana, it is often used in machinery and weapons. With this in mind, technology has risen to new horizons in the modern age. MANA POTIONS Being that mana can be liquidated, many wizards had the ingenious idea of making potions out of them. They are an adventurer’s staple supply and refill spell slots when drunk. Potion Size Rarity
Spell Slots
Lesser
Common
1 slot
Greater
Uncommon All level 1 slots
Superior
Rare
All slots of any 2 lvls
Supreme
Very Rare
All total spell slots
THE FOUR CRYSTALS In each of Arcana’s cities, resides a big mana crystal. Each one represents one of four motifs. Each motif symbolises each of the cities’ ideals and culture. CITY
MOTIF
Werkh
Labor
Spiryth
Spirit
Nohw
Intellect
Yunetii
Order
Each city’s energy and magic runs on these crystals and influences the flavor and type of spells they use based on their motif. EACH CITIES’ VIEW ON MAGIC Since the founding of Arcana, each city has their own philosophy towards magic. This has especially developed further due to the advancement of technology. Below are summaries of each of the three main cities’ views on magic. WERKH “Magic is just a tool to make ends meet. Use it however you can if you want to gain profit.” SPIRYTH “Magic is a sacred gift from the gods themselves and must not be misused!” NOHW “Magic is wonderful, mysterious science! We must uncover its secrets and advance civilization.”
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CAMPAIGN RULES/EXPECTATIONS Unlike other campaigns I’ve run, I’ve decided that this campaign will be more story driven by the characters themselves so the players will be given more of a chance to roleplay. To emphasize on this focus, players may set their own goals rather than having to follow a linear plot. Taking that into account, combat will be approached lightly for a better control of pace.
It’s cool if you don’t know much about your character from the beginning of the campaign, you can build and develop them as you go along with the story. Here are a few considerations you might wanna ask yourself for fleshing out your character: - Where are they from? - What’s their motive and dream? - Do they want anything from a certain location in Arcana? - What organization are they from?
Below are some guidelines I’ll put down to maintain the flavor of the setting and perhaps give you, the player, some pointers on building your character. CAMPAIGN SOURCEBOOKS To keep with the setting, players may only use any of the core books and supplements (Xanathar’s Guide, Volo’s Guide, Mordenkainen’s Tome, Tasha’s Cauldron, and Elemental Evil Player’s Companion) as well as Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica. REGARDING HOMEBREW Overall, homebrew is allowed in the campaign and will be a collaborative process. But here are a few guidelines to follow to keep the flavor of the setting: - No homebrew races or classes - Crafting homebrew weapons, spells, and feats are allowed for character progression and flavor - No homebrew starting equipment CHARACTER CREATION Being that this campaign is mostly going to focus on the players and their travels, I highly recommend that you think about your character’s backstory and how they will connect with the setting.
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THE RACES OF ARCANA Arcana is made up of many people with various backgrounds and races, carrying their cultures and traditions with them to the cities. Here are some quick summaries on what races you’ll find within each city. HUMANS AND HALFLINGS These two races are found pretty much everywhere! Often, they travel from city to city and sometimes settle down to do business. They mingle with the other races very well and fill half of Arcana’s whole population. MONSTROUS RACES People of monstrous origin are a somewhat rare sight within the city but are nonetheless welcome. They tend to be well known for their exotic backgrounds and do get along rather well with the general public.
WERKH RACES The city of work is populated with strong and hardy people with a strong sense of craftsmanship. Here, You’ll see Dwarves, Orcs, and other races known to be bulky and strong living in the area working away. SPIRYTH RACES Spiryth’s religious population has a strong connection to the gods as well as a notable religious background. In this city, the most notable people here are dragonborn, tieflings, and other races of mythological origin. NOHW RACES The people of Nohw are often driven by knowledge and curiosity, studying to uncover the secrets of the world. Within the dense populous, you’ll mostly notice elves and gnomes walking amongst the urban streets.
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CLERIC
CLASSES BY DISTRICT Each district in Arcana has an emphasis on certain classes and can influence your character’s backstory and information. You do not have to be strict regarding which class goes with which district, as anyone can be of any class and any place. Here are tables for each class and subclass for each district:
DOMAIN
DISTRICT
Forge
Materia, Cogni
Knowledge
Doctrina, Cogni, Saecular, Lore
Life
Terra, Saecular, Sanctuary
Light
Sanctuary, Croisade, Doctrina
BARBARIAN PATH
DISTRICT
Nature
Terra, Saecular
Ancestral Guardian
Sanctuary, Croisade
Order
Berzerker
Croisade
Doctrina, Sacramento, Sanctuary
Storm Herald
Croisade, Saecular
Tempest
Croisade, Saecular
Totem Warrior
Saecular, Terra
Trickery
Lore, Sanctuary
Zealot
Croisade
War
Croisade, Doctrina
Beast
Terra, Saecular
Peace
Wild Magic
Saecular
Sanctuary, Sacramento, Doctrina
Twilight
Lore, Sacramento
BARD COLLEGE
DISTRICT
Glamour
Lore, Sanctuary
Lore
Sacramento, Doctrina, Lore
Swords
Croisade, Lore
Valor
Sanctuary, Lore, Sacramento
DRUID CIRCLE
DISTRICT
Dreams
Sanctuary, Lore
Spores
Saecular, Terra
Land
Terra, Saecular
Moon
Saecular
Whispers
Croisade, Lore
Shepard
Sanctuary, Saecular
Creation
Materia, Saecular
Stars
Sacramento, Lore
Eloquence
Lore, Doctrina, Sacramento
Wildfire
Terra, Saecular
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FIGHTER ARCHETYPE
DISTRICT
Arcane Archer
Sanctuary, Croisade
Battle Master
Sanctuary, Croisade, Doctrina
Cavalier
Sanctuary, Croisade, Doctrina
Champion
Any district
Eldritch Knight
Sanctuary, Croisade, Doctrina
PSI Warrior*
Cogni, Doctrina
Rune Knight
Saecular, Materia
PALADIN OATH
DISTRICT
Conquest
Croisade
Devotion
Sanctuary, Sacramento, Doctrina
Redemption
Sacramento
Ancients
Sanctuary, Sacramento
Vengeance
Croisade
Glory
Croisade
Watchers
Doctrina, Sanctuary
MONK WAY OF THE
DISTRICT
Shadow
Any district
Four Elements
Sacramento, Croisade
Open Hand
Sanctuary, Sacramento
Sun Soul
Croisade, Sacramento
Mercy
Sacramento, Sanctuary
Astral Self
Sacramento
*Psychic classes are mana infused fighters experimented by Cogni scientists.
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RANGER
SORCERER
SUBCLASS
DISTRICT
ORIGIN
DISTRICT
Beast Master
Terra, Saecular
Divine Soul
Sacramento
Gloom Stalker
Any district
Draconic Bloodline
Sacramento
Hunter
Sanctuary, Terra
Shadow Magic
Any district
Fey Wanderer
Sanctuary
Storm Sorcery
Croisade, Saecular
Swarmkeeper
Terra, Saecular
Wild Magic
Saecular
Aberrant Mind*
Cogni
Clockwork Soul
Doctrina
ROGUE ARCHETYPE
DISTRICT
Arcane Trickster
Any district
Assassin
Any district
Inquisitive
Lune, Doctrina, Croisade
WARLOCK PATRON
DISTRICT
Archfey
Sanctuary
Celestial
Sacramento
Fiend
Any district
Mastermind
Lune
Great Old One
Any district
Scout
Terra, Saecular
Fantomless
Saecular
Swashbuckler
Any district
Genie
Sacramento
Thief
Any district
Phantom
Any District
Soulknife*
Cogni
*Psychic classes are mana infused fighters experimented by Cogni scientists.
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WIZARD
ARTIFICER
SCHOOL
DISTRICT
SPECIALIST
DISTRICT
Abjuration
Sanctuary, Sacramento, Doctrina
Alchemist
Cogni, Saecular
Armorer
Materia, Cogni
Saecular, Cogni, Materia
Artillerist
Saecular, Materia
Battlesmith
Cogni, Saecular
Conjuration Divination
Doctrina, Sacramento, Lore
Enchantment
Sacramento, Croisade, Doctrina
Evocation
All Spiryth districts
Illusion
Lore
Necromancy
Any district
Transmutation
Saecular, Cogni
War Magic
Sanctuary, Croisade, Doctrina
Bladesinging
Lore
Scribes
Sacramento, Lore, Doctrina
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ADDITIONAL BACKGROUNDS With the addition of the Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica, the additional backgrounds listed within the book may also be used for character creation. Being that this is a different setting, I’ve reflavored the names and descriptions for the backgrounds to fit the world of Arcana. Features, proficiencies and provided equipment may be customized and/or revised at the discretion of the DM. ENFORCER AZORIUS FUNCTIONARY (page 33) Enforcers maintain the order of Arcana and are the embodiment of law. They tend to work as lawmages, arresters, or bureaucrats. CRUSADER BOROS LEGIONNAIRE (page 40) You fight for what you believe is right and holy. These people may serve as clergy or soldiers for a certain cause or sacred belief. AGENT DIMIR OPERATIVE (page 46) Agents specialize in espionage and work to infiltrate and collect info between the cities. They may be hired from an official or be vigilantes seeking to expose dark secrets. CITY CRAWLER GOLGARI AGENT (page 53) These refugees live in the slums and know the ins and outs of the city. In scavenging through alleyways, you also find strange substances that you can try to make the most out of. SURVIVALIST GRUUL ANARCH (page 60) Survivalists often thrive in nature and know of ruined settlements of long ago. They may
either live in the city outskirts or live an agricultural lifestyle within certain cities. MECHANIC IZZET ENGINEER (page 66) Those who take on the role of a mechanic gain a vast amount of knowledge regarding engineering. They understand the ins and outs of various infrastructure and machines. DIPLOMAT ORZHOV REPRESENTATIVE (page 72) Diplomats hold a great amount of political power and influence over the people. With their status, they can use their leverage to aid the party or fulfill selfish wishes. SATIRIST RAKDOS CULTIST (page 79) As entertainers dedicated to political commentary, satirists have a nutorius reputation for their craft. To them, the pen is much mightier than the sword, in which they may use as leverage to those in power. MISSIONARY SELESNYA INITIATE (page 86) Ones who take the path of a missionary seek to nurture, heal, and comfort all life who are in need of aid. They may be religious clergy or work as apothecaries and nurses. RESEARCHER SIMIC SCIENTIST (page 93) Researchers themselves thirst for knowledge and go into the deepest of depths to find their answers. They thrive in libraries and labs where they hunt for books and articles.
(PAGES REFERENCED ARE FOUND IN THE GUILDMASTERS’ GUIDE TO RAVNICA) 16
SPELLS BY DISTRICT Within each of the cities of Arcana, spellcasters of all sorts follow a style of spellcasting akin to that of their home cities’ traditions, values, and motifs. For players capable of spellcasting or pact magic, spells listed in the tables presented are added to your spell list corresponding to the districts.
TERRA SPELLS SPELL LEVEL Cantrip
druidcraft, produce flame
1st
animal messenger, speak with animals, thunderwave
2nd
beast sense, shatter
3rd
plant growth, beast sense, speak with plants
4th
conjure minor elementals, dominate beast
5th
awaken, commune with nature
SANCTUARY SPELLS SPELL LEVEL SPELLS Cantrip
SPELLS
druidcraft, friends
1st
aid, animal friendship, charm person
2nd
calm emotions, warding bond
3rd
conjure barrage
4th
conjure minor elementals, aura of life, stoneskin
5th
awaken, destructive wave
MATERIA SPELLS SPELL LEVEL Cantrip
SPELLS mending, mold earth
1st
catapult, armor of agathys
2nd
magic weapon, spiritual weapon, find traps
3rd
conjure barrage, Leomund’s tiny hut
4th
summon construct
5th
creation
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SACRAMENTO SPELLS SPELL LEVEL Cantrip
SPELLS friends, guidance
1st
command, illusory script
2nd
enthrall, ray of enfeeblement, zone of truth
3rd
bestow curse, speak with dead, spirit guardians
4th
deathward, Leomond’s secret chest
5th
SAECULER SPELLS SPELL LEVEL SPELLS Cantrip 1st
chaos bolt, create/destroy water, unseen servant
2nd
heat metal, rope trick
3rd
call lightning, elemental weapon, glyph of warding
4th
conjure minor elementals, divination, Otiluke’s resilient sphere
5th
animate objects, conjure elemental
geas
CROISADE SPELLS
produce flame. shocking grasp
SPELL LEVEL SPELLS Cantrip
fire bolt, sacred flame
1st
guiding bolt, heroism
2nd
aid, scorching ray
3rd
beacon of hope, blinding smite
4th
death ward, wall of fire
5th
flame strike
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DOCTRINA SPELLS SPELL LEVEL SPELLS Cantrip
friends, message
LORE SPELLS SPELL LEVEL SPELLS Cantrip
encode thoughts, mage hand
1st
comprehend languages, identify, guiding bolt
2nd
detect thoughts, Tasha’s mind whip, skywrite
1st
command, ensnaring strike
2nd
arcane lock, calm emotions, hold person
3rd
clairvoyance, counterspell
4th
compulsion, divination
3rd
tongues, clairvoyance
5th
dominate person
4th
arcane eye, divination
5th
modify memory
COGNI SPELLS SPELL LEVEL
SPELLS
Cantrip
magic stone, blade ward
1st
expeditious retreat, mage armor, detect poison and disease
2nd
alter self, enhance ability, enlarge/reduce
3rd
wind wall, intellect fortress
4th
summon elemental, fire shield
5th
creation
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HOMEBREW FEATS In addition to the new feats featured in both Xanathar’s Guide and Tasha’s Cauldron, I’ve homebrewed a few new feats that would suit the campaign’s setting and be a fun little addition to customizing your character! These two feats pay homage to the old days of Dungeons and Dragons and Final Fantasy as well. Feel free to use these for other campaigns if you like! FEAT: VANCIAN METHOD SPELL CASTING PREREQUISITE: SPELLCASTING FEATURE You learn a more potent yet cumbersome method of spellcasting from an era before the modern age. ● When casting a spell, you may spend two spell slots of the same level to cast a spell one level higher. ● In doing so, you forget the spell until the next time you prepare it.
FEAT: MANA BREAK PREREQUISITE: CONSTITUTION 13+ Tapping into the mana essence inside you, you can unleash a signature move that brings out your hidden potential. ● In combat, you have access to break points. You always reset to zero at the beginning of combat or when you are knocked out. ● This feat cannot be used outside of combat. ● You earn one point for each time you take damage from an attack. ● You may also use an action to charge your mana break by two points and can be only used once per turn. ● Any creature attacking you while charging your mana break has advantage to hit. ● At the maximum of ten points, you may roll to hit and use your mana break attack as your action. Your points reset to zero once it’s used. ● The description of your mana break attack is up to you. You may choose it to be a melee, ranged, or spell attack that attacks one target. It cannot be changed once chosen. ● You get to choose any one additional type of damage in addition to force damage your mana break deals. This type cannot be changed once chosen. LEVEL
DAMAGE DICE
1st-4th
4d10
5th-8th
6d10
9th-12th
8d10
13th-16th
10d10
17th-20th
12d10
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THE CITIES AND DISTRICTS OF ARCANA As stated, the land of Arcana is divided into three massive cities with a total of nine districts. The three cities follow one of the three motifs, mind, body, and soul; each in which reflect the philosophies of the people and their cultures. Each of the districts are unique on their own, functioning as their own town and borrow traits from their adjacent districts. While each city is unique in terms of content, they do share common services and follow a certain format.
STANDARD SERVICES In every district in Arcana, each settlement has services and facilities that are offered to travelers despite these tense times. Facilities such as inns and hospitals are generally offered within the residential areas for wanderers to stay in as well as a few specialty shops and taverns to supply goods and food as well. LANDMARKS Each district has three landmarks unique to each settlement acting as “tourist sites” for the players to visit. Some sites may offer unique services for the players that may aid them in their travels as well as many other comforts of modern civilization. TRANSPORTATION Given how big the world of Arcana is, many transportation services are offered throughout each district. Some areas are generally accessible by foot while other areas can be reached by cab, ship, or aviation. Here is a table for the various forms of transportation: PAY
TRANSPORTATION
1 cp per mile
coach cab
5 sp per ticket
train
10 ep per ticket
cruise
25 gp per ticket
airship
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THE CITY OF WERKH Being the industrial city of the working class, the motif of labor permeates throughout the city’s cultural roots. Across the cityscape, many factories and facilities committed to artistry and harvesting resources can be found within the streets of the three districts. These goods are distributed throughout Arcana, much due to Pelor Trades and Moradin Enterprises.
WERKH CULTURE The philosophy and mindset that Werkh revolves around is dedicated to the toil and spoils of labor. The people of Werkh are extremely hardworking, doing their best to create and provide resources to others. However, with their emphasis on the gains of such laborious, fruitful work, they can be a bit greedy and somewhat apathetic. This in turn makes a very capitalistic and monopolized society, providing services and products sometimes for a lofty cost.
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THE CITY OF SPIRYTH The city of Spiryth has a very religious population, most of which are dedicated to the Dawn Union Church. Each district of the city has a motif that is dedicated to one or multiple gods that reside in Arcana and are worshipped. Many of the organizations that are founded in this city of Arcana have their roots in religion and often work to pursue their orders or gods’ agendas. In contrast to the other two cities, Spiryth is not much caught up to the magitech revolution compared to Werkh and Nohw. This is mostly due to some magitech studies being considered taboo in regards to preserving the “sanctity” of mana by the religious folk.
SPIRYTH CULTURE The society of Spiryth is one that is devout and dutiful to the gods of the Dawn War Pantheon. The most prominently worshipped gods of the pantheon in this region are Bahamut, Melora, and Kord. To the devout, there is a strong belief in the words: “For one is born by mana, and by mana you shall return.” Because of this saying, there is a strict doctrine within most of the population to maintain a sense of purity within magic. To them, the corporate handling and study of dark necromancy is abhorrent and taboo, tainting the divine of gift mana with mankind’s vices such as greed and sloth.
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THE CITY OF NOWH Nowh is the intellectual capital of Arcana, being the grand epicenter of education and research within the megalopolis. Here, magitech is a major part of the people’s lives through the use of many household appliances manufactured and distributed across the region. The architecture and facilities in this part of Arcana are very modernized, much akin to dieselpunk technology. The landscape is very urban, with skyscrapers and grandiose flooding the streets of the city. NOWH CULTURE The people of Nowh are always on the pursuit of knowledge and order. Because of this, Nowh’s citizens have established numerous institutions dedicated to education and research in many fields, most especially that of the study of magic and magitech. However, with this great want for knowledge and to discover the unknown, to a certain extent- some its head researchers are willing to cross the boundaries on what has been established to be unethical.
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