House Rules The Nerath Campaign & The Nerath Timeline The current year for our Nerath campaign is set during the year 103AE. Inspired By Gary Gygax

1. Stats Rolling: This isn't a so called House Rule as one might know it, but every group has there own ways of rolling character stats. Some roll 3 six sided and keep whats rolled, some roll 4 six sided and reroll all ones. Our rule we use is we roll 4 six sided (6 times), reroll all 1's, and drop the lowest roll, keeping the 3 highest 6 sided dice for that stats. Yea it kills sucky stats, but we believe that players will play better (and enjoy the characters more) if the character does not "suck" and we have not had problems with characters getting a set of "GOD STATS". Sure every now and then someone gets a higher than normal set of stats but this is not happening often with us.

2. Level One Hit Points: We give all level 1 characters max hitpoints. This is done "only" for level One. This gives the characters a fighting chance, especially the Wizard who could easily have 1-2 hit points. Yea I know, it is babying them at level 1. We try to make sure our players have a good time and not worry about tripping and taking lethal damage from a pebble. From level Two and higher, hit points are rolled normal.

3. Clerics & Level One Spells: In Old-School Essentials, Clerics do not normally start out with an opening spell at level One which I find a bit harsh so we have house ruled in that Clerics will gain one level One spell at level One. Level two and beyond the Cleric follows the spell chart as it is written.

4. Healing Bonus: Clerics add their level to healing spells. For example - a normal Cure Light Wounds spell will heal 1d6 +1 points. If the Cleric is 5th level then they will heal for 1d6 +1 (+5 for level).

5. Spellcasting: All spells used by Wizard classes and Cleric classes will be from the Old-School Essentials books unless it is a spell from AD&D. Any spell not listed in the Old-School Essentials books will be ran as is from with the AD&D Players Handbook or Unearthed Arcana books. A time may come where a spell from 2nd edition is inserted into our games and if this happens, players characters will simply add this to the available spells able to be used.

6. Playable Classes & Races: We will be using a class based system from Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy. Every class we use can be found at this link & the races that we use can be found at this link. If you happen to notice any errors, please let us know.

Queen Stravalla's Tower The Nerath Campaign & The Nerath Timeline The current year for our Nerath campaign is set during the year 103AE. Inspired By Gary Gygax

Just south of Mount Starris, a valley cuts a scar-like line through the Dawnforge Mountains. Despite the summer heat or the bitter winter cold, a forest forever thick and lush fills this valley. Travelers smell Summerdown Valley long before they see it, as the blooming flowers cast a perfume on the wind. Despite its appearance, the valley is a place of grave danger.

A powerful hag, Queen Stravalla of Winter’s Mourning, dwells within this place. In her tower, she surveys the verdant garden that is her realm. Trolls, werewolves, and murderous fey heed her beck and call, and within the ever-verdant forest shamble the animated corpses of those who dared enter her realm. Clad in rusted armor and covered with sickly sweet orchids that grow from their decaying flesh, these sentinels make quick work of those who blunder into Summerdown Valley.

Minions of Queen Stravalla, trolls, werewolves and other fell creatures of Summerdown Valley venture far and wide in search of fresh victims and treasure for their queen. In addition to the groups just mentioned, other monsters common to the region include ankhegs, blood hawks, dire boars, cave bears, hippogriffs, harpies, manticores, owlbears, gray wolves, and wyverns. The valley and surrounding area are infested with trolls, hill giants, ogres, gnolls, goblins, and orcs, making trveling in the region very dangerous. In the aftermath of the Bloodspear War, these monsters have grown bolder and more aggressive. A number of marauding gangs of humans, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes, scour the peaks as well, in search of folk to rob and terrorize.

Several bands of goliaths range throughout the mountains as well. Most of the time these goliaths wander above the tree line to keep clear of monsters and travelers. Once a year, though, they engage in a great race across the mountains. A non-goliath that completes the race becomes an honorary member of one of the clans.

These mountains also hide dragons—foremost among them the three-headed monstrosity that calls herself Calastryx. The dragon is slumbering, still affected by a curse placed on her centuries ago, but fears are growing stronger that her reemergence is near. Like Vestapalk far to the west, she too has a tribe of kobolds that are fanatically subservient to her. The Emberdark kobolds can hardly wait till Calastryx wakes up, and they actively work to make that happen.

Apart from the dangers of bandits and monsters, the rough terrain, perilous slopes, and bitter cold of the mountains present equally deadly threats.

The Story of Nerath The Nerath Campaign & The Nerath Timeline The current year for our Nerath campaign is set during the year 103AE. Inspired By Gary Gygax

The last of the three great empires in the history of the world, and the most recent is the Empire of Nerath.

Throughout the period after the fall of Bael Turath and Arkhosia, various small kingdoms and large warbands have risen throughout the world. However, many of these small kingdoms and warlords fought between each other incessantly. The House of Nerath, the ruling house of one such great kingdom, united most of the world under one banner. Legend has it House Nerath was guided by Erathis herself. The first Emperor Margath claimed the land that was to be the grand city of Nera over the site that used to be the home of a great gold dragon.

To avoid the tragedies of warfare and tensions between the various races (such as the war between Arkhosia and Bael Turath), the Empire of Nerath instituted an open tolerance to all races of the world. There were exceptions of course, abberant creatures, orcs, goblinoids, gnolls, were too savage to join the civilized world. While this did indeed bring much peace throughout the land, as these civil rights were heavily enforced by law, it eliminated any real sense of racial culture.

For 500 years, Nerath reigned supreme throughout most of Aetheria. The Flame Imperishable burned strong in the capital city of Nera.

Like all civilizations, Nerath too, went into decline. Discontent and rebellion soon became common occurrences throughout the many provinces. The Imperial Legions were stretched thin as they attempted to maintain order, but this was a portent to a war of cataclysmic proportions.

The many gnoll tribes, once so disorganized, now join under a single banner. Their leader, known as the Ruler of Ruin, a proclaimed prophet of the demon lord Yennoghu, called for the Empire’s destruction. The Ruler of Ruin commanded many demons to join in with the gnoll hordes. The gnolls rampaged across all of Nerath, leaving nothing alive in their wake.

The beleaguered Empire was ill prepared to repel the massive gnoll invasion. Within months the Empire was crumbling, and it wasn’t long before they reached the gates of Nera itself. The Gates of Destiny, the majestic city doors that many had hoped to force any invader to surrender, were brought down and defiled by the gnolls.

With the fall of Nera and the death of the Emperor, the provinces began to bicker among themselves who would be next to claim the imperial throne. King Elidyr, who had a claim to the throne, took the Imperial Crown without the other nobles consent, and rallied the Imperial Legions to resist the gnoll horde. Seeing the desperation, the remaining nobles ceased their bickering and lent their own forces to supplement the Imperial Legions.

At the Battle of Sarthel, Elidyr finally clashed with the Ruler of Ruin. The gnolls were defeated, but only at the cost of Elidyr’s life. With the Legions in disarray, the gnolls rallied and consolidated their hold on Nerathi territory.

The Empire of Nerath fell at last, as the many provinces broke up into their own city-states, the most notable of them being the Kingdom of Astraean. While many gnoll tribes have moved on, they are still very present in Nera one hundred years later.

When Nerath fell, the world descended into chaos. While civilization was weak, the demon lord Yeenoghu, ancient enemy of the minotaurs, sent an immense horde of gnolls to stake his claim upon the world. The Guardian Clan of minotaurs, led by Asteron Stonesplitter formed an alliance with the civilized races, and with their combined might they defeated the gnolls and drove them back into the wild. Other minotaur clans attacked the Guardians as traitors to the Horned King.

With the collapse of imperial authority, the leading noble families of Sarthel established a Council of Lords to govern the city. The arid plains and dry woodlands east of Lake Sarn are virtually depopulated in the great wars that marked the end of Nerath.

Not long after, The Bloodspear War began as orcs from The Stonemarch swept across the Nentir Vale. Kalton Manor and Raven Roost are abandoned, Fastormel is destroyed. Lowtown in Fallcrest is razed, but Hightown is saved by a swift footed messenger who warned the city of the defeat of Fallcrest’s army at Gardbury Downs, which the current Cross City Race pays tribute to.

Our campaign however, focuses on the region known as Nentir Vale. Once the heart of the Empire of Nerath, Nentir Vale is now a land in almost total chaos, overran by evil with only a few points of light still remaining in the growing darkness. Here is where we focus our story, here is where champions and heroes are made. Welcome to Nentir Vale.

Campaign Journal The Nerath Campaign & The Nerath Timeline The current year for our Nerath campaign is set during the year 103AE. Inspired By Gary Gygax

Interested in Being a Player or Special Guest?

About Our Nentir Vale Campaign

Our Core Game Rules

Nentir Vale

Settlement of Phandalin

The Companions

Campaign Introduction

Session One: An Unexpected Meeting