Campaign Setting: Luzeon

 

Today I present to you my latest D&D setting: Luzeon! This setting is heavily based on the land of Urak in the 1997 PC game Lords of Magic, and I think it has a lot of potential. 

Luzeon's Key Lore Truths

• There are 8 realms, each representing a different element or philosophy.
• The two most powerful realms, Taxis and the Chaotic Lands, are at war, and the remaining realms are taking sides.
• The two most secretive realms, Golgotha and Llanwie, are trying to end the war through different extreme means.
• Each realm has a Grand Temple that is locked. Only heroes of exceptional power can conquer the three trials of a temple and unlock its exceptional powers and treasures.
• There is no planar system. All is either on Luzeon or on the transitive plane called the Ways. 

Luzeon's History

4,400 years ago, the Old Gods created the eight Grand Temples across the land of Luzeon. The Temples acted as sources of magic for the mortal races and as pylons that repelled hostile monsters. Over the generations, care for the temples slacked as the world's races grew complacent. Eventually, the gods withdrew their influence from the Grand Temples altogether and placed guardians to keep the temples’ magic from those they deemed unworthy to use it.

600 years ago, the Age of Zeal began as heroes rose up to try and cleanse the temples anew. However, their growing strength soon shifted to ambition and power, which was channeled into leading armies and expanding empires. Magic became rare as only a select few learned how to channel it. The powers of the temples were all but forgotten.

110 years ago, a half-elf crusader named Octallen managed to conquer the guardians of the Grand Temple of Order. He used his newfound fame and the powers of the Temple to create a church called the Heirs of Order, which expanded into a mighty empire dedicated to the worship of the god Zenith and to the bringing of law and security to all the nearby lands.

15 years ago, Emperor Octallen I died, and the kingdom passed into the hands of his son, Octallen II. Emperor Octallen II has made it his goal to unite the entire world under the Heirs of Order, expanding the kingdom’s borders and occupying the lands of the Chaotics, the so-called “barbaric” peoples to the East. The pushback from the leaders of these Chaotics, including Beastlord Zaki, has reignited an interest in cleansing the Grand Temples. Some hope for a second Age of Zeal, but others fear that war is on the horizon.

The Eight Realms

Each of the eight realms is a distinct population of people, a culture, and a religion.

Taxis (Order)

The most powerful realm is the Empire of Taxis, led by Emperor Octallen II. Empowered by the conquered Grand Temple of Order and its artifacts, Octallen II grew up in a country of perfect order and discipline. Less tolerant and moderate than his father, the current Emperor now seeks to unite all of Luzeon under a single statute of laws, and eventually under Taxis's religion worshiping the god Triune, one way or another.

Taxians are known to be empirical, disciplined, and perfectionistic, and they live in an area consisting mainly of plains and prairies. Taxis is peopled primarily by humans, with a smaller population of loyal leonin. 

Along with the powerful artifacts of the Grand Temple of Order, Octallen II employs majestic white stags and griffins to defend his capital, and the aasimar-like race of Xana have been born sporadically since the Temple's restoration, allowing the spirits of ancient Order heroes to be reincarnated into new bodies to fight once again.

The Chaotic Lands (Chaos)

To the east lie the Chaotic Lands, so called because of the anarchy that pervades it and prevents its inhabitants from deciding on a unifying endonym. The Chaotics are a wild and barbaric people who worship animals and value freedom above all else. For the first time in Luzeon's history, the scattered clans of the Chaotic Lands have begun to unify under a common goal: to fight back against the tyranny of Taxis's expansion and preserve their freedom.

The terrain of the Chaotic Lands is mainly rugged and craggy badlands. Clans of humans, orcs, goblins, and ogres fight over territory, and shamans read auguries of animal bones and entrails. The Chaotic who has proven the strongest and most promising to unite the other clans against the Taxians is the savage Beastlord Zaki.

The mazelike Grand Temple of Chaos is said to hold the secrets of unpredictable and destructive magic, and it is guarded by manticores, wyverns, and a chimera of extraordinary power.

Llanwie and El'drenu (Life)

The Eldren of the verdant meadowlands of Llanwie and the sunlit island of El'drenu are united under the religion of the goddess of life, Llanwellyn. These small twin nations once cared only to promote peace and prosperity among their own people, but since the Grand Temple of Order was restored, their goal has changed. Under the leadership of Priestess Kelentari, the Eldren now work to subtly aid and empower the other realms so that the other Grand Temples may be brought to power once again. In this effort, they hope to usher in another godly age of harmony on Luzeon.

El'drenu is populated by high elves and eladrin, whereas Llanwie's population consists of wood elves, tabaxi, and dryads. Despite their focus on peace, the Eldren fight valiantly to defend their homelands, and they show no mercy to undead or their dark cousins, the Golgothans.

The towering white tree that stands as the Grand Temple of Life is said to grant its conquerer the power of resurrection; however, to do so would mean defeating its guardians of treants, unicorns, and the legendary phoenix.

Golgotha (Death)

To the southeast, amid rank swamps under a perpetual overcast of gray clouds, lies the realm of the Golgothans. These worshipers of the dark god Golgoth, from whom they learned the profane arts of necromancy, seek to spoil the earth and spread disease and rot wherever they go. Now that the war with Taxis has begun, a sect of Golgothans led by the vampire Balkoth seeks to assassinate Octallen II and throw the world of Luzeon into an age of blood and discord. Only when all other races bow to them in undeath will they appease their evil master.

Golgotha is peopled by drow and dhampir, known for their ruthlessness and cruelty. The towering skeletal Grand Temple of Death there contains unspeakably profane death magic guarded by all manner of undead, including an ancient and all-powerful lich.

The Water Islands and Tethênea (Water)

Off the west coast are a scattering of tropical islands peopled by the amazons, tritons, sea elves, and humans that make up the realm of Water. The largest of these islands, Tethênea, is the cultural hub of the amazons and their religion focused on the goddess of water, Synora. The leaders of the Water Islands, a council of amazon priestesses known as the Viantha, readily joined with Taxis in hopes of joining a mutually beneficial alliance; however, they have begun to regret their decision as Octallen II has gentrified their culture and made the amazons' once-proud military prowess obsolete with his own armies.

The Tethêneans have the strongest command of the sea in all of Luzeon, both by ships and by their water-treading horses called merequins. Tritons speak of entire cities that dot the sea floor between the islands of the west sea. Once cleansed of its water elemental, hydra, and kraken guardians, it is said that the Grand Temple of Water will grant its conquerers command over sea storms and the waves themselves.

Moldrash (Fire)

In the scorching deserts and volcanic mountains to the northeast lies the Fire realm of Moldrash. A nation founded and ruled by fire giants, Moldrashi are fierce warriors and extremely skilled smiths and crafters who worship the ancient fire giant god, Floganis. Because of its remote and distant location, Moldrash isn't yet involved in the war between Taxis and the Chaotic Lands, but as a volatile and irascible people, it's certain that they will side with the Chaotics when faced with the threat of rigid laws.

The Moldrashi upper class is primarily fire giants and their goliath children, but a lower class (slaves, in some cases) is made up of tieflings and red dwarves. The red dwarves, distinguished by their lack of beards, seceded from their Earth brethren eons ago and now work as Luzeon's most renowned artificers. Most magical weapons that did not get their power directly from the gods were crafted by a Moldrashi red dwarf.

In the heart of a volcano lies the Grand Temple of Fire, which holds undreamt-of secrets of industry and crafting technology, but it is guarded by fire elementals, demons, red dragons, and the terrifying black dragon Elvaengir.

Shaha'thel (Air)

In the southernmost penninsula of Luzeon's mainland towers the icy mountains and floating cloud cities of Shaha'thel. Shaha'thel is ruled by storm giants and populated with goliaths, aarakocra, fairies, and some elves, all of whom worship the sky god, Elonwye. Because the realm of Air is so inaccessible to most races and the element as ethereal as its people, the Shatheli's culture is mysterious. Shatheli are elusive, flying through the air instead of walking on roads, so it's uncommon to meet any besides traders, brigands, or adventurers. This, along with their magic that can bend winds, blast freezing cold, and strike with lightning makes them a feared and misunderstood people.

At the summit of the highest peak in Shaha'thel lies the Grand Temple of Air, a nexus of sky magic that holds the secrets of controlling the weather and artifacts that crackle with lightning and boom with thunder. These secrets are guarded, however, by air elementals, white dragons, and the gargantuan thunderbird.

Dhurmogh (Earth)

In the rugged and lush hills and mountains of the northwest is the staunch realm of Earth, Dhurmogh. Stone giants founded this kingdom in eons past, but they now sleep under the mountains and leave the ruling to dwarves. Forest gnomes and halflings also inhabit Dhurmogh, all worshipping the Earth god, Terrak. Earth folk are hard workers and very appreciative of the gifts of the earth, from grain and vegetables to gems and minerals. Dwarves are known for their ability to craft magic-infused armor and shields, people from all over Luzeon crave the tools and utensils crafted by forest gnomes, and the culinary skills of halflings are renowned far and wide. This goodwill among most other nations (except the flighty Air realm) made the Dhurmogi reluctant to spoil their relations with war, so they hesitantly joined the Empire of Taxis in hopes that the rest of Luzeon would as well.

In the depths of the Grand Temple of Earth, past earth elementals, trolls, gorgons, and a great worm of colossal size, lies secrets that burrow deep into the heart of Luzeon. Ancient writings tell that the former temple petitioners were able to sense the location of creatures hundreds of miles away and travel large distances nearly instantly through the roots of the earth.