Light Crusaders Campaign Setting: Modified Nentir Vale

[Doug James]

Hello, welcome.

This thread is for documenting and discussing the Nentir Vale campaign setting and the modifications and additions I make for our group, The Light Crusaders.

I'll begin by highlighting the town of Fallcrest, where the majority of the Heroes will be from.

His Majesty, the current High Lord of Fallcrest and the Nentir Vale, has gotten the reputation as a dynamo. When his father died twenty-five years ago, he seemed eager but ill prepared for the task. For the first five years of his reign he stumbled his way through the job. He had big plans and lofty goals, but all withered and died when confronted with harsh realities.

The truth was that Fallcrest was in danger of being swallowed by the wilderness. It's population was dropping, trade was failing, and humanoid attacks were on the rise. There were no funds to rebuild all of the walls damaged by the Bloodspear assault and it was only a matter of time before the goblins, Kobolds and Orcs left behind by the invasion took over the entire Vale. Twenty years ago, everything suddenly reversed course. A mysterious influx of treasure gave His Lordship the means to put his plans and goals into action. Public works projects topped the list, but his most ambitious project was long-term and bold in it's vision.

He began by establishing the Order of Sherriffs, made of Rangers, to help him to patrol and scout the wilder and more dangerous parts of the Vale. The training arm of this organization is called The Scouts of the Vale and it began an aggressive recruiting program based out of Inns and Taverns.

Second, he spent a small portion of his fortune turning the Septarch's Tower into a Wizard's Academy. The populations youth were given a series of tests to determine who among them were gifted enough to attend. The program's focus was on training Controllers and was highly successful, utilizing the Teleportation circle to maximize the students' exposure to The Arts. The first class of this Academy recently graduated, to much celebration.

Lord Marklehay also spent much money and effort in upgrading the town's Guard and Militia. He created the Order of the Helm, the Order of the Pike ,and the Order of the Shield and established training halls where recruits could be turned into fierce Defenders and brilliant Warlords.

Further, he poured money into the town's Temples, but forbade them to use the funds for cosmetic improvements. Rather, he challenged them to train a new generation of Clerics and Paladins to promote the glory of thier gods.

Finally, he recognized the contributions that Rogues and Warlocks could make to his plans, so he established an Order for those youth who displayed promise in these fields as well. Called the Nightwatch, it is the where the majority of the rebels, misfits and troublemakers end up. They are a formidable lot and it was wise of His Lordship to keep them under his control.

These acts, coupled with a concious effort to improve trade and settlement to help Fallcrest grow, has resulted in a bumper crop of young heroes coming of age at once. And not a moment too soon, as it seems that the Humanoids are stirring, along with hints of things darker and more dire.

Lord Marklehay has dubbed this new generation the Light Crusaders and has challenged them to go forth and reclaim the Nentir Vale for him, themselves, and for civilization.

(More to come!)

[Doug James]

Of all of His Lordship's innovations, the most striking has been his effect upon education. By Royal Decree, all citizens of Fallcrest are required to spend time teaching something they know. At any given time, all over town, there are classes and training sessions taking place.

All of this training culminates during the Fallcrest Festival, in which citizens get a chance to show off thier skills and fighting prowess. The eight day celebration climaxes on the last day with the "Wardance", a mock mass battle whose participants are the most promising of Fallcrest's would-be young heroes. After the "battle", there is an actual dance and one last feast.

The Leaders of Fallcrest
The High Lord Warden of Fallcrest and the Nentir Valley, Faren Marklehay is an active ruler. He likes to know everything he can about whats going on within his domain and it's said that he remembers the name of each citizen he meets. The Light Crusaders is his brainchild and he sees them as the only hope of saving the Vale from ultimate disaster.
He genuinely loves his people and they in return find him generous and just.

The Lady Allande Marklehay is the wife of the Lord Warden. She is also an Instructor at the Wizard's Academy and the Leader of The White Hand, the closest thing Fallcrest has to a Wizard's Guild. She too believes in the Light Crusaders' ability to return civilization to the Vale.

Prince Henry is the son of the Marklehays and also the High Marshal of the Order of the Helm and the Captain of the Fallcrest Guard and Militia. His Order is dedicated to training the future Warlords.

Sergeant Gunderson is the High Defender of the Order of the Shield. He trains future Shield Fighters.

Sergeant Pike is the High Guardsman of the Order of the Pike. He trains future Weapon Fighters.

Nimozaren the Green is the High Septarch of Fallcrest, but he is also the Headmaster of the Wizard's Academy. He trains future Wizards, mostly Controllers, but a few War Wizards as well.

Black Bob leads the Nightwatch, an organization that in other towns might be considered criminal. But in Fallcrest they recieve funding from His Lordhip in exchange for promises to only use their powers to help the people of Fallcrest, and not to harm or rob them. So far Black Bob and his followers have kept their word. The Nightwatch trains future Roques and Warlocks.

Farwalker of the Vale is the High Sherrif and in addition to helping patrol the wilder parts of the Vale, he helps to turn Scouts into future Rangers. It is said that he has seen more of the Vale than any other living person.

(more to come)

[Doug James]

Not all of the citizens of fallcrest were on board with Lord marklehay's Decree. Some felt he had become a fascist, enslaving the populace to his own rightous principles at the cost of liberty. In the darkened corners of Fallcrest's meadhalls, one could sometimes hear grumbles of discontent, rumors of rebellion, and whispered accounts of secret orders that had sprung up in defiance of The Decree.

The Cult of the Raven Queen
Misunderstood by polite society,the Raven Queen's minions have been forced underground. Meeting in secret, they promote their own agendas, independent from Marklehay's. As the other religions of Fallcrest benefit openly from The Light Crusaders program, the Raven Queen's cult must raise it's funds however it can, training it's followers in secret. Small in number, but determined, these dedicated few are not to be underestimated. As Lord Marklehay stays focused on building a force of heroes to fight the battles of tomorrow, these cultists keep an eye on the here and now. It was they who uncovered the existence of operatives of Orcus in the area and quietly manipulated Lord Marklehay into sending a group of his young heroes to Winterhaven. As more and more respected church funds are diverted to train Light Crusaders, church grounds become neglected- specifically the towns cemetaries. The Cult of the Raven Queen has made it it's main mission to secretly guard those graveyards against those who would desecrate them.

The Mages of Saruun
When lord marklehay announced the founding of the Wizard's Academy and began scouring the Vale for those displaying a talent for the Arcane, it's said that some decided they would rather not participate. Though considered a ridiculous myth by most, stories persist about a group of wizards who hid from "his Lordship's goons" and formed a secret Order in a hidden place known only as The Seven Pillared Hall. There they follow their own agendas, consort with questionable creatures from the wilds, and, some say, seek forbidden knowledge.