The Fifth Campaign takes place in the world of Rhiain, beyond the frontiers of the empire of the same name. Headquartered in the crumbling city of the grey elves, our heroes seek adventure in the world beyond its walls.
The Empire of Rhiain is populated largly by the New Races, anthropomorphic animals including black bears, cats, rats, tigers, weasels, wolves, and foxes. The Old Races (humans, elves, dwarves, halfelves, gnomes and halflings) are allowed no further into the Empire than the city of Tafle, on the northern frontier of the Kingdom of Mor. Old Races and New mingle freely in the reclaimed city of Igorzin. Monstrous races such as bugbears, gnolls, grunts, hill giants, lizardfolk, minotaurs, and ogre magi also live in Igorzin and on the plains of Upper Tharabuna to the north of the city.
Not many prestige classes are available in Rhiain. The original prestige classes from the DMG are present, as are Spellsword and Alienist from the suppliment "Tome and Blood". Several Rhiain-specific prestige classes are available. They are summarized below.
Fighters and rogues may become frontier lords to add spellcasting to their abilities. They have nearly as good a skill selection as bards and rogues, and cast divine spells. They have eight-sided hit dice, their base attack bonus advances as a cleric's, and Fortitude and Will are their good saves. To qualify as a frontier lord, one must have a base attack bonus of +8, 2 ranks in Listen, 4 ranks in Move Silently, 8 ranks in Perform, 2 ranks in Spellcraft, 2 ranks in Spot, and must be of any neutral alignment.
Imperial prefects are the plenipotentiaries of imperial will. Clerics with a patron deity in the imperial pantheon may most easily seek out the prefect class, although any divine spellcaster with strong loyalties to the Empire may also join their ranks. Prefects have few class skills, but have the hit dice and attack bonus of clerics. All their saves count as good saves, and as level increases they pick up some monk-like abilities. Prefects' swords, while in their hands, are treated as magic weapons. To qualify to become a prefect, a character must be chaotic good, must have a base attack bonus of +6, have 2 ranks in Diplomacy, 8 ranks in Knowledge (religion), the ability to cast 3rd-level divine spells, proficiency with a longsword, shortsword, greatsword, or bastard sword, and the Dodge feat.
Knights are honored for their great achievements. Fighters will have the easiest time qualifying for this class, but less reason to do so than other classes. The knight is essentially a fighter who gets his bonus feats every third level rather than every second, and in exchange gets better Will saves, larger hit dice, and a different (largely Charisma-based) skill set.
Requirements: To qualify to become a knight, a character cannot be lawful or evil, and must have a base attack bonus of +7, 5 ranks in Ride, Two-Weapon Fighting, Heavy Armor Proficiency, and Weapon Focus in one of lance, bastard sword, greatsword, or morningstar. A prospective knight must have no negative ability score modifiers, have at least 60 hit points, and own enough defensive items capable of giving him or her an armor class of at least 18.
Hit Dice: d12.
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (any) (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Proficiencies: The knight is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with all armors and shields.
Bonus Feats:Knights gain one extra feat at 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels. They select their extra feats from the same list fighters use.
Base Attack Bonus and Saves: Knights get +1 to base attack bonus at each level, just as fighters do. Their good saves are Fortitude and Will.
Related to the shadowdancer, the noseeum is the ultimate spy. As their levels increase they gain abilities which improve their stealthiness, allow them to get information from people, and ultimately make them naturally invisible. To qualify to become a noseeum, a character must have 3 ranks in Gather Information, 10 ranks in Hide, 3 ranks in Listen, 6 ranks in Move Silently, and the Combat Reflexes, Dodge, and Mobility feats.
Scholars of the magical world, Rainathian professors gradually gain the benefits of specialization in each school of magic. Most are instructors at the Rainathian Academy in Igorzin, but some operate independently on research expeditions. Few individuals advance beyond 4th or 5th level in this prestige class, as increasing specialization hampers a spellcaster's acquisition of new spells until 9th and 10th level.
Requirements: To qualify to become a Rainathian professor, a character must have 8 ranks in Spellcraft, 7 ranks in Knowledge (arcana), 7 ranks in Knowledge (any other than arcana), the ability to cast 3rd-level arcane spells, and at least one metamagic feat.
Hit Dice: d4.
Class Skills: Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Int), Profession (Wis), Scry (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Proficiencies: Rainathian professors are proficient with punching dagger (katar), dart, javelin, and sling, but not with armor or shields.
Base Attack Bonus and Saves: Rainathian professors get +1 to base attack bonus at every other level, just as wizards do. Their good save is Will.
Specializations: The Rainathian professor gains a specialization at 1st level, 3rd level, and at each of 5th through 10th levels. The benefits of specialization are:
Metamagic Feat Exchange: At 2nd and 4th level, the character exchanges a spell slot for a bonus metamagic feat. The sacrificed spell slot must be from one of the three highest spell levels the character can cast (generally the lowest of the three highest). The character recovers both sacrificed slots at 5th level.
Spells Per Day: The character gains new spells per day as if gaining a level in an arcane spellcasting class, but not any other class benefits of the higher level. The character gets +1 level of existing class at each of 1st through 4th level, and at 9th and 10th level, but not at 5th through 8th level.
Bonus Spell Slots: At 6th, 7th, and 8th level the Rainathian professor's spell progression slows but does not stop. At each of these levels, the character gains two spell slots. The bonus spell slots must be given to the lowest spell slot at which the character's arcane spellcasting class grants fewer than 4 spells. When all spell levels can be cast 4 times per day, begin adding bonus spell slots from 1st level up until 5 spells of each level can be cast each day.
A small number of feats from outside of the Player's Handbook are being used. They are made available as their requirements are met.
Arcane Preparation is available for all those who cast spells as a bard or sorcerer. It allows those individuals to prepare spells with metamagic feats and cast them as wizards, rather than casting it as a full-round action.
Augment Summoning is for anyone with 2 or more levels in a spellcaster class. It improves summoned creatures by +1hp per HD and +1 on attacks and damage.
Other feats are made available to individuals who have one or more metamagic feats, or Constitution or Wisdom scores above 18, or undead-turning ability, or to bards, or to those with the Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Run, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, or Sunder feats.
Some of the events which have taken place in the game. The Rhiannic calendar consists of eight months of 45 days each, making for a 360-day year. The term "week" is used as an informal term, generally held to be five to ten days. "Fortnight" is a period equal to fourteen days, or half a lunar cycle.
Late Winter: Rhugar is the sole suvivor of an encounter with Nathran Marauders. He is literally driven underground when the Marauders who impressed him are attacked by walking dead. In the end he rescues Elaria from the tomb of Gir the Succubus. Later on, in Dieba Village (deep within Iverof Forest), they encounter Veghiss and Jeyan, who hire them to torture Vozo. Rhugar kills a werewolf.
Early Spring: Time spent in Drarhi. En route to Drarhi, Sharpening Elf picks up a strange mask. Once in the town, he comes into possession of a jacinth the size of a man's fist. He is killed and restored to life by unknown means. On the last day of the month, the group arrives at Igorzin and takes jobs with the Moonbeam New Constabulary as freelance police.
Late Spring: On the 11th, Rhugar is killed by Ghaam. It takes a week to travel to Tafle and restore him to life. On the 37th, Vague Aleck is killed by a hydra; it takes a week to travel to Tafle and restore him to life.
Early Summer: On the 32nd, the group captures Thralestrei, their first big score. They become aware of the Fellowship of the Wrong.
Late Summer: On the 7th, they attack the hidden base of the Fellowship and are nearly killed. Later that month the Fellowship destroys two police companies (Villainbusters and Zone of Control). On the 39th, they leave the city to take the sword Strong to its owners in Rescanni.
Early Autumn: On the 5th, they arrive at Rescanni and meet with Bishop Tulip. While there, Sharpening Elf vanishes, leaving only his clothes behind. When the group returns to Drarhi, Purity Meadows joins them. On the 12th they find the Temple of Voluptuous Agony, where the sisterhood known as the Bad Habits kills Elaria. They capture Denpa, who gives them the information they need to return and wreak their revenge. Elaria returns to life on the 15th. Sharpening Elf reappears on the 17th, no worse for wear. When they storm the Temple on the 20th, Purity Meadows is so offended by Rhugar's slaying of the prisoners that she leaves them when they return to Rescanni on the 34th.
Early Winter: Throughout autumn the party travels from Rescanni to Igorzin to Stamew, and thence on to investigate the strange goings-on in the swamp city of Kispoen. On the 11th of this month, they destroy the mad monarch of Kispoen and free its people from the influence of Zom-B, a will-sapping drug introduced into their food. When they return to Stamew, they have a second encounter with Jeyan, who attempts to induce them to enter the lucrative field of banditry. They have a brief meeting with the feline merchant Tini. Their time in Stamew is spent gathering provisions for a crossing of the desert which marks the northern boundary of Upper Tharabuna. They hope to find a missing mage for whose safe return there is a substantial reward. On the 25th, they enter this desert, passing through the Valley of the Sphinxes. Crossing the desert takes six days. On the 35th they arrived at the village of Kin, where they are warned about giants in the mountains to the north. Denpa remains as they head north. In the mountains they are hassled by giants who extort money from them. The monk Karyanna is killed by wolves, and Vague Aleck decides he hates "guard dogs". Following this loss they return to Kin.
Early Spring: From the 10th to the 38th, they travel to Kelmirdur.
Late Spring: On the 37th and 38th, they make two forays into a ruined tower haunted by a ghost.
Early Summer: The group explores ancient catacombs beneath the city. They turn back after fighting a purple worm.
Early Autumn: On the 15th, Elaria is killed by dire wolves. Without any way to restore her to life, the group decides on a desperate gamble: Find the lost city of the dwarves in the lands of the west, now unseen for seven hundred years! The elves give them all the information available, with a further note that they would be rewarded for making contact so that mithril may once again be brought to them. They abandon their search for the mage and leave for the west on the 41st.
Late Autumn: Sharpening Elf's diplomatic skills lead to open warfare against tribes of lizardfolk called Summans. From the 24th to the 35th they fight four set battles against the Summans until an understanding is reached.
Late Winter: The Summans take them to the dwarvish city of Ghashta, which they reach on the 31st. The very next day, at Hamenzar's prodding, they enter a sealed area which leads to the Underdark and which may have mithril, but is controlled by a drow elf named Sosei. They soon flee. A second trip results in a similar retreat. Their determination to explore it leads the dwarves of Ghashta to believe they are not serious about restoring mithril links with the elves, and they send their own people to do it. Eventually they give up on Sosei, which gives them a reputation for never finishing what they start.
Late Spring: Vague Aleck negotiates with the dwarves for another chance to negotiate with the elves on their behalf; he gets them fired on the 22nd. Eleven days later, once back at Summa, Naishalla and Salminarian are kidnapped and used as bait to lure the others to a gorsedd east of Summa. They defeat their adversaries (hags, giants, and ogre magi) and ponder opening the gorsedd to defeat the great evil within. In the end they decide this is one thing they don't want to start and leave unfinished.
Early Summer: From the battle on the gorsedd through most of this month the group trains and considers their options while dwelling in Summa. On the 12th they leave Summa for the east. Along the way they encounter the old man Trantelth, who warns Salminarian that Sharpening Elf may eventually "destroy all life and matter".
Late Summer: On the 11th the group returns to Kelmirdur. The craftsmen in the group begin building a large number of magic items. A strange young woman named Sormath appears and waits for Sharpening Elf to die.
Late Autumn: Vague Aleck first hears rumors of walking dead around the city.
Early Winter: Much of this month is taken up by searching for skeletons and zombies in extreme cold.
Late Winter: Much of this month is taken up by searching for ghouls, ghasts, and shadoes in the cold.
Late Spring: The party hears of a mountain pass leading to Thule, long guarded by two watchtowers, which has become dangerous. They decide to do something about it.
Early Summer: Rhugar kills a wood elf under the two towers and the elders of the city indict him for it. When he resists arrest, this prompts a split in the party. Rhugar will remain behind with Sharpener, while the others find their own way in the world. At this time Sormath is revealed to be a gold dragon in elvish form.
Early Autumn: The present month.