Still in the set up phases, so please refrain from posting here until I get everything the way I want it, thanks in advance.

The closing years of the period of time that would be known for ages to come as the Age of Magic brought many changes to the face of the Realms of Theradon. The lands of the Enlightened have been forever scarred by the duels and exploits of the High Magi, marked with entire areas now known as Mage Scars. Most of the Mage Scars still emit high levels of Arcane Magic of a particular school of Magic, though some house multiple schools. Of the 8 High Magi, only 3 remain in the Lands of Theradon, Adamar the High Necromancer who now exists as a Dread Lich, Krolmnite the Gnome Illusionist believed to have hidden himself away behind such a grand illusion that not even the God's can see through its veil, and Tessara the Elven Enchantress who now dwells in the deepest most primal reaches of the Silverleaf Forest. No one is entirely sure what happened to the other High Magi, some are dead, some are said to have left this plane, and others still are believed to have ascended to Godhood.

The Goblin races banded together and formed a Nation all their own, rising to levels many of the Enlightened never thought them capable of. Their capital city, Iron Gate, is situated upon ancient ruins in an iron rich mountain range where they mine ore to craft a variety of items. In this New Age the Goblins have even been accepted as an Enlightened Race, and are (for the most part) not viewed as pests that need to be destroyed. Several other races have taken up residency in Goblin cities, including Half-Orcs who never quite feel at home among other parent race, kobolds who find work as miners, and even a few Orcs and the occassional Gnoll. Goblins are quickly becoming well known for their highly successful, if not destructive, mining methods involving black powder.

Several new races have arisen from the Age of Magic, including (but not limited to) the Changelings and Beast-kin. Both of these shapechanging races can easily blend into a typical human city and live normal lives, however many of them find that their abilities and general nature are better suited for the adventuring life style. Both races make excellent spies and thieves, and thus have gained a bit of a reputation as such. That is not to say however that these races are untrustworthy, just that many people prefer to keep at least one eye on them when they know they're around.

A new Age is dawning in the Realms of Therdon as the first of many advances marks the beginnings of an age of industry and growth before unseen in these lands. The steam engine is quickly gaining popularity, though at this point in time it is still a bulky and clumsy contraption, hardly fit for much more than heating a home or as the driving force in large clunky clockwork contraptions. Firearms are quickly gaining in popularity and infamy, but are still too rare and hard to come by for every adventurer or peasant to have one. Magic is still a strong driving force in the early years of this age, and mundane weapons are still much more common than anything else.

Your story begins in the city of Malvarin, where you have just been recruited into a newly forming band of adventurers and treasure hunters formed by a half-elf known by many of you only as "The Wolf". It is his dream and goal to form a band of like minded individuals to travel the Realms, gather treasures, make a profit, and fuel many advancements in this new age. As the group is just forming there is little funding he can offer at this point to truly get things off the ground, but if all goes as planned you will quickly gather the funds needed to expand the operation, acquire greater fame, wealth, and power than you had ever thought possible.

The standard "core" races presented in the Core Book will remain unchanged as it is still early into the Iron Age, and the races have not yet adapted or changed much from the previous Age. Questions can be asked here or via PM though.

As the current age began Goblinkind entered into what could only be called a Renasaince phase. They organized into a more civilized people, with a strong focus on military strength and lawful order imposed by the already militaristic Hobgoblins. Hobgoblins tend to hold the positions of power among Goblin cities, as they are better able to maintain the ideals of law and order. The Goblin capital is a fortress city built around ancient ruins and an old iron mine. The city is known as Iron Gate, as the water flowing from the iron rich mountains is stained red with rust. Goblins work with Iron more so than some of the other metals available, and most of their machinery is iron based, and somewhat rusted in appearance. Goblins are the current experts however in explosives and other destructive uses of black powder, both for mining and combat purposes. Goblin racials differ slightly from those presented in the Monster Manual, as they are no longer the savage little pests presented in the MM, therefore I will go into further detail on the Goblin racials later. Hobgoblin racials remain unchanged, while Bugbears will also remain unchanged, but are not a viable option for PCs.

Goblins:
All goblins have the following racial traits.
–2 Strength, +4 Dexterity: Goblins are
fast, but weak. (this puts them at par with most PF races,
granting them a net +2 racial mod)
Small: Goblins are Small creatures and gain a +1 size
bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1
penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on
Stealth checks.
Fast: Goblins are fast for their size, and have a base
speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Goblins can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Weapon Familiarity: Goblins are proficient with thrown explosives
and treat any weapon with the word “goblin” in its name as a martial weapon.
Skilled: +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks.
+2 racial bonus on Craft (Explosives) and Perception checks.
+2 racial bonus on all Craft checks involving
Iron items. Goblins are best known for forging
Iron arms and armor and are skilled in working it.
(these bonuses stack if the goblin is making an Explosive device out of Iron)
Languages: Goblins begin play speaking Goblin and Common. Goblins
with high Intelligence scores can choose any of these bonus
languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Orc.

Toward the end of the previous age, known collectively as the Age of Magic, humans began to experiment with ancient arcane secrets, hoping to find ways to permanently enhance their average abilities in magic and their physical prowess. One such result of this experiementing is the Beast-kin, an entire race unto itself now, humans who can assume the forms of a single animal, or a hybrid form of said animal. Some scholars argue that they are truly animals who were effected by the unstable magical energies unleashed by man and were never human to begin with.

Shapechanger Subtype: Beast-kin are humanoids with the shapechanger subtype.
+2 to One Ability Score: Beast-kin characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation
to represent their varied nature. A Beast-kin’s physical ability scores vary widely in its animal and hybrid forms; the character’s generated ability scores apply to its human form. In hybrid form, a Beast-kin gains a +2 adjustment to one physical ability score, Its physical ability scores in animal form are average for its animal type.
• In human form, Beast-kin are Medium-size. As Mediumsize
creatures, Beast-kin have no special bonuses or penalties
due to size.
• In human form, Beast-kin base speed is 30 feet.
• Alternate Form: Beast-kin can change shape, assuming
one of three possible forms. This supernatural ability functions like the polymorph other spell, but a Beast-kin can change form a number of times per day equal to 1 plus his character level. Thus, a 1st-level Beast-kin can switch from human form to animal form and back again in a single day. Changing form is a full-round action that does provoke
attacks of opportunity, as with the polymorph self spell.
A Beast-kin’s animal form is a normal animal of Small or
smaller size. Possible animal forms include badger, carp, cat, crab, crane, dog, fox, hare, monkey, raccoon dog, rat, sparrow, and weasel. Equipment the Beast-kin is wearing or carrying transforms to become part of the animal form (as with polymorph other), and magic items cease functioning while the Beast-kin remains in animal form. In animal form, the Beast-kin has low-light vision and the supernatural ability to communicate with other animals of its kind. This is the same as a familiar’s ability to speak with animals of its type. Beast-kin have the size, speed, AC, damage rating, and physical ability scores shown below. In animal form, a Beast-kin is effectively disguised as an animal, gaining a +10 bonus on Disguise checks while in this form. Beast-kin in hybrid form retain their low-light vision
and the ability to communicate with animals of their type.
Their physical characteristics are based on their abilities in human form, modified as shown below. In this form, a Beast-kin can typically wear light or medium armor without modification, but wearing heavy armor is impossible. Equipment worn or carried by a Beast-kin in human form does not transform when the Beast-kin assumes hybrid form. When a Beast-kin in animal form assumes hybrid form, her equipment returns to its normal form and magic items resume functioning.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Beast-kin lack a language all their own.
Bonus Languages: Any.

Beast-kin Hybrid Forms
AbilityModifier Special
Badger +2 Con Speed 20 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Carp +2 Dex Speed 10 ft., swim 30 ft.
Cat +2 Dex +4 Balance
Crab — +1 natural armor, +4 Swim
Crane +2 Dex Speed 20 ft., fly 20 ft.
Dog +2 Con +4 Survival when tracking by scent
Fox +2 Dex +4 Escape Artist
Hare +2 Dex Speed 40 ft.
Monkey +2 Dex +4 Climb
Raccoon dog +2 Str +4 survival when tracking by scent
Rat + 2 Dex +4 Hide
Sparrow +2 Dex Speed 20 ft., fly 20 ft.
Weasel +2 Con +4 Move Silently

Animal Forms
(Info to come later, standard for normal specimen though)

Another example of a new race born of the Age of Magic, the changeling race as a whole started as a guild network of spies who sought to give themselves innate abilities to infiltrate any other organization or home they desired. As a result of their repeated experimentation with arcane and alchemical methods of changing their appearance the abilities became fused with their DNA, and was passed on to their children as well. The constant shifting of forms has left Changelings with muted features though, and newly born changelings have muted features from birth, appearing inhuman until they learn to control their abilities.

Shapechanger Subtype: Changelings are humanoids with the shapechanger subtype.
+2 to One Ability Score: Changeling characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation
to represent their varied nature.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, changelings have
no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Changeling base land speed is 30 feet.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against sleep and
charm effects: Changelings have slippery minds.
• +2 racial bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, and Sense
Motive checks: Changelings are inherently skilled
in deception and intimidation and they can intuitively read body language and attitude with surprising accuracy.
• Natural Linguist: Changelings add Speak Language
to their list of class skills for any class
they adopt.
• Minor Change Shape (Su): Changelings have the
supernatural ability to alter their appearance as
though using a disguise self spell that affects their
bodies but not their possessions. This ability is not
an illusory effect but a minor physical alteration
of a changeling’s facial features, skin color and
texture, and size, within the limits described
for the spell. A changeling can use this ability
at will, and the alteration lasts until he changes
shape again. A changeling reverts to his natural
form when killed. A true seeing spell reveals
his natural form. When using this ability to
create a disguise, a changeling receives a +10
circumstance bonus on Disguise checks.
Using this ability is a full-round action.
• Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages:
Any, Changelings learn many languages to help them
blend in anywhere they may go.

Malvarin: Port city and current Headquarters of the Wolf Pack Adventuring and Treasure Hunting Guild. Where the game will be starting.

Ladnar "The Wolf" Stoneshield: Leader and Founder of the Wolf Pack and your employer. This half-elf Ranger has big ideas and big plans for this new age.

This is the world map, showing all the known regions of the world, no details have been added beyond the Mage Scars as I have yet to fully decide on where a lot of the cities and adventure sites are at this point.


This is the general region most of the lower level gaming will take place in, Malvarin is marked on the map by the big silvery arrow pointing at it. The black area is a mage scar, black dots are towns and cities that I have placed though have not yet fleshed out. Red triangles represent either mage towers or ruins of other sorts, typically dungeons and the like.

Just in case.

Need I say more?

Another reserved post

Final Place Holder

One last place holder, post away friends

What is Malvarin like? Is it tropical, temperate, badlands, sub-arctic, etc? How big is it? what are the religious establishments, what is the basic alignment of the city/kingdom?