My Campaign Pitch to My Players: A History of Eblon and Caput

The Creation of Eblon: A Quest for Peace

For eons, the gods created worlds and peoples for their own amusement and spent their days nurturing and guiding, each to their own end. Yet world after world, it always ended in the same fate. Wars, death, and destruction. Though some enjoyed toying with the mortals, many were tired of this endless, hopeless cycle. In a quest to end it, many of the gods banded together to create a new, unified, and peaceful world, convincing the others where needed. Thus Eblon was created and the world's single landmass populated with the many races. As the gods had planned, peace reigned and the many peoples and races traveled the land sharing secrets and knowledge freely.

After 200 years the mortals found reason to hate one another and the first war began, all because the gods stopped paying attention to their creation. Peace could not be found, so the gods convinced the mortals to settle for a truce. The races were separated and boundaries drawn. The truce stood for 100 years though it was far from the peace the gods had originally intended. Evil was spreading across the land and although there was no open war, the people lived in fear of bandits, murderers, and marauders.

Many of the good and neutral gods were resigned, though it wasn’t the world they had set out to create they still held out hope the truce would prevent Eblon from devolving into chaos. Hoping to rein in evil without causing war. That is, all except for one.

A lesser goddess discovered a new realm had been unintentionally created within Eblon itself. A realm of power. She saw the fear the races of Eblon were living in each day and the growing spread of evil. She resolved something must be done, even if it meant the end of the truce and all hope of peace and going against the will of many of the gods. She found a way to harness the power of the new realm to this end.

The Founding of Caput: The Fight for Good Begins

In order to protect the Other Realm, The Oracle found a prophet who aligned himself with her mission. The prophet, Judah, first cleric of the Oracle, led a group out of the corrupt city Alsea and settled in the dark and dangerous Tlyfyrc forest.

Realizing they would need a champion, Judah and the Oracle began their search for a worthy hero-adventurer but they soon realized the great heroes of the age had all been claimed during the long truce. They would have to find someone new.

The Oracle transported a young and green adventuring group to their tiny village. Finnan, a rogue Halfling; Ulfgar, a dwarf fighter; Natali a human rogue; and Loch, a dwarf cleric, later joined by Hayaku, a human rogue; and Ralph, a human barbarian and outcast Prince from Alsea.

The adventurers took on themselves the cause of the Oracle. They soon discovered an orc group had infiltrated the sewer and caves below the village and set out to stop them before they could reach the Oracle. Natali sacrificed her life to the cause and was generously resurrected by the Oracle, however, another spirit returned with hers, and Zanna the gnome druid then shared her body and joined the quest.

Preparations were made, allies gained, and the battle with the orcs was won. The Oracle was saved and fame achieved.

The Adventurer's Guild and The Oracle's Guards

The Oracle’s small town became a new haven where people flocked to and then it quickly began to grow. A mere 46 years after the battle with the orcs and other dark forces, the little village of Caput now rivals the city of Alsea.

The adventurers took turns guarding the city and helping it to expand and adventuring to gain treasures and experience to further the cause of the Oracle. Each time the city was threatened, the adventures banded together and defended the city and their beloved Oracle.

It is now the year 496 P.C. (post-creation) in the land of Eblon. The adventurers formed a group called the Oracle’s Guard, sworn to protect the secret of the Oracle. To protect their identity, they formed the Adventurer's Guild, creating quests and hunts for aspiring adventurers to prove themselves while unknowingly furthering the Guard’s mission. The most promising and purest of heart and character were chosen and carefully mentored to one day take their place in the Oracle’s guard.

The Oracle and her disciples feel war is inevitable. They see the murders and exploitation and abuse and are resolved it must be stopped.

The New Adventurers

The new adventurers have been living in Caput for a few years now. They have been training with the Adventurer's Guild, and the founders have been sending them to do menial tasks. They have heard the stories of their mentor's heroics, as well the rumor that the Oracle is real and that they protect her.

The new adventurers yearn for more than menial tasks and chores. They wish for the chance to prove themselves once and for all. They feel their the chance is coming since the Guild Leaders have summoned the students for a special task. They don't know much about each other, but are ready for the opportunity, and hope that their mentors will finally let them in on the secrets that they are certain exist.

The known portion of Eblon.

If you are interested in learning more about the world of Eblon or watching these new adventurers learn about the world around them then you should check us out at https://www.twitch.tv/awildchicken77 or at https://youtu.be/UCF6xwxe3Rw.

Coming next: What makes Eblon Different? and a summary of Matt Colville's Running the Game Intro.