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The author would just like to disclaim any backstabbings or unexpected betrayals characters may suffer as they adventure through Fiora. You knew what you were getting into when you began travelling through a plane which was part of a saga called Conspiracy.
Awesome Art Credit
Paliano, the High City - Adam Paquette
Throne of the High City - Titus Lunter
Marchesa, the Black Rose - Matt Stewart
Plea for Power - John Severin Brassell
Queen Marchesa - Kieran Yanner
Adriana, Captain of the Guard - Chris Rallis
Selvala, Explorer Returned - Tyler Jacobson
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - Lucas Graciano
Muzzio, Visionary Architecht - Volkan Baga
Custodi Soulbinders - Karla Oritz
Summoner's Bond - Jesper Ejsing
Magister of Worth - John Stanko
Domesticated Hydra - Mathias Kollros
Deal Broker - Cliff Childs
Archdemon of Paliano - Even Shipard
Scourge of the Throne - Michael Komarck
Orchard Elemental - Christine Choi
Splitting Slime - James Paick
Treasonous Ogre - Randy Gallegos
Custodi Lich - Bastien L. Deharme
Introduction
Well, here is my ambitious first foray into a Magic: The Gathering crossover. A Plane Shift article for Fiora, the setting for the Magic: The Gathering - Conspiracy and the Conspiracy: Take the Crown sets.
I got the idea for the project itself after reading through so many Plane Shift articles and starting to write up a campaign which spread over the Multiverse. As I continued writing up the campaign, I looked over other planes which my players might visit.
Which plane to choose though? Using a developed plane would be difficult, or at least it would be in my eyes since I hadn't written up a Plane Shift article before. Then I looked over the Conspiracy sets and the plane of Fiora. Although a lot of the cards were reprints, there were still plenty which gave insight into Fiora, the people, creatures, and potential adventures. Magic stories online form Wizards of the Coast also gave insight into the key players and how they are placed in the scheme of things.
Something about Fiora just enchanted me. A whole setting which is driven mainly by political intrigue rather than dungeon diving or chasing monsters. Yes, those things exist, but the core concept of Fiora is the intrigue. Who can you trust? Who has a hidden agenda? What are the goals of the others? Who is pulling strings in the shadows? Are your allies truly your allies? What's the best payoff if you have to betray them?
So with such a concept, and with light lore to go with it, I felt that writing a Plane Shift for Fiora would be a good way of cutting my teeth on writing D&D documents and also do something I wanted to try. So once I had some research done, I started writing and here is the result.
Inside are some overview of how the classes would stack up in Fiora, what the races are, and who the key political figures most affecting Fiora's society are. Also inside with each NPC entry are adventure ideas which lay in the interests of each figure
So here is a glimpse into a possible campaign setting for Fiora. Enjoy it, analyze it, test it, and let me know what you think in a review.
The World of Fiora
On the plane of Fiora, life exists in perpetual renaissance. It is known across the Multiverse as one of the most beautiful with its breathtaking architecture and the ingenuity of its inventors and artists. However, Fiora is also known as one of the most dangerous worlds to visit. Every sleeve hides a dagger, a smile a lie. Everyone vies for power in and through politics and the image of civilization barely hides the savageness and cruelty those desperately seeking the power of the throne.
The Great Game
Fiora, for all of its beauty, is constantly embroiled in political intrigue and backroom assassinations. Corruption is the rule of law rather than the exception and it is used often. Murder, theft, and violence are common tools used by the nobility to advance their various agendas.
There is government in action through the royalty within Paliano. The laws are drafted in magic, enforcing them on the population who live within Paliano's borders. However, despite what the common folk believe, actions such as theft, murder, and violence are not among the crimes which are made illegal. Such crimes are punished if discovered (and the culprits lack resources to avoid the charges), but if the culprits are not caught, the magically enforced laws which are boasted to keep Fiora from falling into chaos will not protect the people.
The Brink of Chaos
With the assassination of Brago, the King Eternal, and the rapid coronation Queen Marchesa, the High City has descended into a time of near unrest with chaos threatening to consume the city as various factions prepare to come to blows. Queen Marchessa seeks to hold her power, although it is an open secret that she manipulated several documents and influenced the Custodi onto her side to gain the throne despite having no true line of succession. The City Guard abandoned their posts, denouncing Marchesa and inciting more thoughts of rebellion. Goblins rise up from the tunnels and sewers under the city, inciting riots while rebellious elves raid the city to free the animals which the people have enslaved to handle their burdens with the sudden ban on all artifice. Then in the shadows, remnants of the once propserous Academy and the bitter scholars scheme and search for their opportunity to strike and return to the days of prestiege and glory they once had.
People of Fiora
The people that populate Fiora are limited, counting only a few races. However, what the people lack in variety they certainly make up in ingenuity and dangerous cunning. One thing they all have in common is ambition and a desire for power.
Humans
Humans are easily the most populous of the races on Fiora. They populate the largest areas of Fiora, most notably Paliano, the High City where the elite soldiers, mages and the royalty all live.
Humans certainly have the most cunning of the races, but are perhaps some of the most impatient. They execute their plans quickly and try to amass as much as they can as soon as they can. It is a rare human that takes a look at the long run and plans accordingly.
Humans in Fiora cna be represented by the human stats displayed in the Player's Handbook. A human from the noble class or military background may use the variant human traits.
Elves
Elves, while not as populous as humans, are just as cunning, if not more so. Hailing from the city state of Trest, the elves have forged their own renaissance with elegance and art which humans just barely managed to rival and only by copying the elves.
While elves are just as cunning in their politics, they are much more patient. A short term plan to them may in fact be a lifetime plan for a human. They play the game of politics with much more subtlety and with an eye on the horizon. With their extended lifespans, they certainly have the time and patience to plan so far into the future. It makes plotting against elves difficult since they can simply outlive those who wish to plot against them.
Elves can be represented in the Player's Handbook. Elves of Trest would be High Elves while elves who have rejected plotting and the dangers of the city would leave the forest to be Wood Elves. Discuss with the DM if a player wishes to take the traits of a Drow elf. Such elves would likely be assassins, or elves who specifically live in darkness to hide their identities and existence.
Goblins
Goblins are easily the low race on the totem pole. Ugly, small, rude, and dumb, many people don't have the patience to deal with them and many wish they wouldn't have to. They usually live in slums and work as minions to various criminal groups, although some goblins have the will and intellect to rise up the ranks of society such as Grenzo and Daretti.
Goblins usually travel through tunnels below cities or through back alleys to avoid being seen or made sport of. Still, when goblins are insulted, they get back at the one who insulted them, usually in a painful or humiliating way. Due to this, as much as people dislike goblins, they are just as wary of crossing them. A lesson most common folk learn early, and nobility learns too late.
Goblins can be represented by the stats seen in Volo's Guide to Monsters.
Other Races
It is certainly possible for other races to exist in Fiora. Half-elves are a high possibility as humans and elves meet and mingle with each other in civilization.
Since much of Fiora remains unexplored and unknown, there may be other races waiting to be discovered. Dwarves could be hidden in the mountains while halflings and gnomes remain content in the hills. Tritons could sit in the deep oceans while Tabaxi keep to the thick forests and/or jungles. Where they might be and if they're ready for the intrigue of Paliano will be up to the players. Consult with the DM on which races are allowed in the campaign and how they may appear.
Class Overview
All of the classes can be found in Fiora. However, due to the landscape and culture of Fiora, some classes are rarer than others. The organizations and character types are described in more detail in the following pages.
Barbarian
Barbarians are rare as they have rejected the corruption within civilization and have sought out a better life in the wilderness where the animals are more honest than the people. As people capture more beasts to have serve them, many may take up the Path of the Totem Warrior to protect them.
Bard
Bards are common sources of entertainment in Fiora. Every inn, gathering, or special event has a bard of some specialty at them. Many consider it a sign of good taste and refinement to have bards play at their events. However, bards are also fine sources of information as no one pays attention to them, giving them an ear to the population and what rumors are rising. Such bards are usually from the College of Glamor or the Collage of Whispers.
Cleric
Clerics are all members of the Custodi, the dominant religion of Fiora. They worship a singular unnamed god, but they each believe in different interpretations of their scripture. As they present a united front to court and the people, they are in just as many factions as there are Divine Domains. Each faction seeks the highest points for their own sects of their overall religion.
Arcana Domain clerics preach that the power of magic itself is a miracle granted to the people of Fiora. In truth, they hone magic to use in subterfuge and backroom politics to turn votes, policies, and several councilors to their way of thinking.
Death Domain clerics have for a long time enjoyed the highest levels of power next to the King Eternal. Their policies shaped the church, allowing ghosts to hold office and liches to stay in their ranks. With the crowning of the Black Rose, their future is in doubt with a leader they cannot influence.
Forge Domain clerics are the ones who scheme the least, focusing on building their own power base through sponsoring artificers and creating a faction through such sponsorship. In their own words, those who cannot conspire, create. They were nearly made inert when Brago banned artifice, but with the Black Rose taking the throne, they are slowly accumulating power again.
Grave Domain clerics are the Death Domain faction's bitter rivals. Before Brago's transformation, they preached that the dead deserve their rest after a life of labor and virtue. After Brago's return, they focused their efforts on ensuring their rivals and enemies within the Custodi remained dead and buried, no longer hindering their own schemes. It is likely they were the ones who aided Marchesa's plot to take the throne.
Knowledge Domain clerics in the public sphere preach the values of wisdom and intelligence. Behind the scenes, the Knowledge Domain clerics are natural spies, hoarding knowledge on their political rivals to use against them during clashes. Now that the Death Domain has been losing power, their focus may turn to other factions.
Life Domain clerics are the most public face of the Custodi. They are usually seen in healing chambers, tending to the sick and wounded. Despite the generous vocation, this faction is just as political as the others, usuing their healing skills to leverage favors from others who cannot pay or need healing done in secret. It was likely clerics of this faction that treated Brago's illness while he was alive, eventually keeping him alive despite his body crumbling in the end.
Light Domain clerics are perhaps the least political, but also the smallest faction within the Custodi. They are some of the few who have managed to retain contact with the angels of Fiora. This faction tries to ensure the golden age promised when Brago took the throne comes back and stays. It makes them an eager sponsor for Adriana Vallore's rebels, albeit in secret.
Nature Domain clerics preach of being in harmony with nature as all creatures are children of their god just as the people are. Behind the scenes, they sponsor many trappers and hunters to capture the animals and exotic beasts the nobility clamor for in their latest fads. They often find exotic or desired animals for select nobles, bypassing due process in return for favors and depending on the animal in question, blackmail.
Order Domain clerics make hold a belief in law which their god imparted on the people. They make up much of the judicial bodies since royalty cannot render judgement on every case in Paliano much less Fiora. However, this faction is likely the most corrupt as anyone who wishes a verdict to go their way or a case to vanish simply has to have the coin or favors to pay for it.
Tempest Domain clerics are somewhat fatalistic as they view storms and other natural disasters as the wrath of god. Their duties are to help displaced people and recover areas struck by disasters. Like any good politicians, this faction takes advantage of it by creating disasters and then going through such places, collecting intelligence, blackmail, and anything else they need as they 'aid' the displaced people.
Trickery Domain clerics are perhaps the most upredictable of the factions. They often speak of signs from their god being everywhere, dictating their actions. No one is truly certain of their goals since such clerics are often taking part in multiple, sometimes opposing schemes. A common belief is that these clerics are trying to play the various groups against one another, aiming for mutual destruction.
War Domain clerics are the most outspoken for open conflict, preaching the glory of battle and chivalry to defend their god. They believe that the time for shadow politics is over as more chaos erupts in the streets and a show of absolute force is needed to bring peace back to Paliano. As experts in battle, these priests would be able to claim more power in times of conflict.
Druid
Druids are like many of the barbarians who have rejected the cutthroat ways of Paliano and instead seek a more peaceful life in the wilderness. Learning magic through nature, these defenders of the forests seek to protect nature and keep the nobles from enslaving the beasts. Some may be swayed with promises to aid in the capture of the beasts though.
Fighter
Fighters fill the ranks of Fiora's City Guard and other military arms. At the moment, they are split between the proper rule of law with Adriana Vallore, or the more lucrative and higher station of those who side with Queen Marchesa. Most Fighters could be any Martial Archetype save for samurai. Fighters loyal to Marchesa may be more likely to be Eldritch Knights, being former spies and assassins.
Monk
Monks are followers of a different way of life, rejecting the ways of the city and seeking a quieter, more peaceful life. They live in isolation with true faith and meditation, seeking enlightenment in their monasteries. Some monks may be exiled members of fallen noble families, or supposedly dead enemies of other nobles, hiding until they can return for revenge.
Paladin
Paladins are the military arm of the Custodi, but most are more in line with the Custodi's desire for power and political strength rather than through any true pious calling. Paladins in Fiora are more likely to take the Oath of Conquest if they serve Marchessa, Oath of the Crown if they side with Adriana, or become Oathbreakers to take neither side.
Ranger
Rangers are those who go out into the forests and unexplored territories of Fiora to explore new frontiers an discover new resources and other mysteries of the world. Being gone from civilization, the Rangers do not usually care for politics when they are busy surviving and are often ill-prepared for it.
Rogue
Rogues are perhaps the most common occupation in Fiora. Rogues of all calibers are out and about, often selling their services to the highest bidders. The best ones are kept on a generous retainer to noble families for their services so they can undermine their enemies and find keys to higher position and power.
Sorcerer
Sorcerers are a rarity in Fiora, usually born to the wealthy or the nobility since magic users are confined to the upper classes. This is mainly because they have the wealth to cultivate such skills. Although, it is not uncommon for a sorcerer to be born to a common folk parent after having an affair with a noble.
Divine Soul Origin sorcerers will be rare in Fiora since angels do not often appear. The farther one gets from Paliano, the more likely they may be to appear.
Draconic Bloodline Origin is incredibly rare due to the rarity of dragons in Fiora. Still, the few who survived encountering a dragon can be marked for it, which may affect their descendants.
Storm Sorcerer Origin sorcerers are likely connected by blood to the brave souls who go exploring outside of Paliano into the wilderness. Some may find something which may leave an undeniable mark of storm sorcery on them.
Shadow Sorcerer Origin sorcerers are likely one of the most common. With so many making deals with fiends for power, it can leave a mark on family lines for generations to come, depending on the patron.
Wild Magic Origin sorcerers are likely the product of long lines of political intermarriages between other wizards or magic users. The thickening of magic blood will ensure their greater potential, but also more difficult to control.
Warlock
Warlocks are rather common in Paliano. In a plane where making back room deals and deadly bargains are considered normal, brokering deals with supernatural entities is all but encouraged. Some entities are easier to reach than others, but plenty of entities are happy to strike a bargain.
Archfey Patrons are likely to side with Selvala's faction, desiring to see nature free from the enslaving greed of Paliano's nobility. Beasts and elementals are meant to be wild and free, not petty amusement for fat nobles.
Celestial Patrons will be the few angels who come to Paliano to charge truly good individuals to bring about change in the corrupt politics of Fiora. With Paliano's environment, such people are few and far between, but those few can be very effective.
Fiend Patrons are easy to find in Fiora. Many such warlocks are in fact politicians who on the surface create political parties dedicated to a common cause, but are in truth cults dedicated to the fiend in question who seeks a goal in Fiora politics.
Great Old One Patrons are ancient and strange entities who have turned their eyes to Fiora either in a moment of amusement or a long term plan. Such entities can be the Animus of Predation, embodiments of concepts in Fiora.
Hexblade Patrons are weapons connected to powerful entities, mostly those who have a goal in mind. They could be spirits who were murdered in the name of politics and seek revenge, or are part of a convoluted web of conspirators who need the weapon to unlock a source of power or prove legitimate in their purposes by wielding it, making the warlock a target.
Undying Patrons are likely to be one of the ghosts or liches in the Custodi. Which faction they belong to can have the warlock in question becoming part of different political schemes.
Wizard
Wizards are common in the upper classes of Fiora. Because of the great cost to train such gifts, only the upper classes can afford to send students to the various academies in Fiora. There, they not only learn magic, but the best students also learn how to network and forge political ties to help them in their ambitions later in life.
Paliano, the High City
This is the crown jewel of the plane of Fiora. Here is its center of politics, architecture, culture, and advancement. It is without doubt one of the most beautiful places in Fiora, but it is without a doubt one of the most dangerous places to be as well. With the nature of politics in Fiora, Paliano being the center of it all makes it the staging ground for the most dangerous politics of all.
At the moment, Paliano is not even enjoying the parody of peace as the nobles backstabbed each other in the shadows. The clashes between Queen Marchesa and Adriana Vallore are escalating, wild animals rampage as Selvala seeks to free them, and many riots are breaking out thanks to Grenzo's machinations. It is a city in the grip of chaos and a place ripe for adventure.
Paliano Locations
Adventures in Fiora are more than likely going to take place in Paliano. Events which happen here are going to have consequences which can affect the rest of the plane. Characters will have a number of areas they can visit to make their contacts and find leads for their adventures.
The Upper City
Paliano is divided very clearly between two levels. The Upper City is literally placed on a massive circular plate which rests on ornate pillars and resides high above the rest of the people of Paliano and the rest of Fiora. It makes it very clear the division between upper class and lower class, but also the opinion that the nobility has of themselves as they get to live there.
Technically, passage to the Upper City is open for everyone. Airships are available for those who wish to enter or special elevators to assist people to enter the Upper City. However, such means of entering are usually expensive or require special permission to use. The only free way to enter is up the Thousand Steps, secretly discouraging lowlanders from entering without a very good reason.
Poverty and urban decay simply do not exist in the Upper City. Any buildings damaged in any kind of chaos usually have wealthy owners to repair them with skilled tradesmen on hand. Anyone who drops below a certain level of wealth find themselves forced to leave the Upper City, settling in the Lowlands to try and reclaim their fortunes.
Many of the streets have their own elegance as special pumps keep water running through the city, making many of the roads into canals which many drift through to bask in their luxuries, or pass messages atop tamed giant river snakes, making for much quicker travel than on foot or impractical carriages.
Needless to say, the Upper City is exclusive to the nobilty, rich, and well-connected.
Santuo District
Here are where the nobility of Paliano live in their luxuries. However, even here the politics do not rest. Parties and celebrations are constantly held here. During such parties, the nobles make and break deals, and connect to try and gain support for their various political aspirations.
Simply because there is finery and luxury does not mean it is safer to reside. In fact, it can be as dangerous as any dungeon. Many of the servants are in fact indentured rogues and other dark skill sets, hidden among ordinary butlers and maids as bodyguards or assassins for their masters.
The guards are well-organized and patrol at all hours on the lookout for trouble. However, many of the guards are also corrupt, taking bribes from various nobles to look the other way if or when an indescretion occurs, or to track down troublesome individuals who might be in the area
Sydri's Shop
There is no one location this shop can be found. The owner moves it after intervals to ensure she doesn't begin inviting troublesome folk with the nature of what she does.
The owner and namesake of this shop is Sydri, an artificer with a gift for the aether. Using it, she can breathe life into previously lifeless objects. Under her touch, statues can become spies, swords become assassins without the need for a wielder, and trinkets become political tools. All of this she runs under a guise of a curio and cogwork emporium to the mundane masses who don't have political pursuits for the moment.
Sydri is one of the few people in Paliano who are honest. Ask her a question and she will tell you no lies. However, due to the natures of most in Paliano, few believe it to be the truth, which makes it just as dangerous to deal with her for such folks who see lies everywhere. She often sells her services to the nobility, some to make cogwork trinkets to shock and amaze while others ask for more...discreet services, such as making an opponent or obstacle disappear. Sydri can do all this, but she holds no loyalty to her clients and if said opponent finds out and seeks her out, her initial clients may find themselves victim to countermeasures she makes to her own tools.
After the ban on artifice was set, Sydri's shop became a black market operation and her reliance on contacts more than ever. It is said she has links to Muzzio and even high members of the Custodi. Some even say she was one of the people who treated Brago for his illness. If any of them are true, dealing with Sydri can be dangerous with the kinds of individuals she surrounds herself with.
The Academy
This is Paliano's greatest center of high learning for the magical arts. Here were where the nobles and wealthy scions for the elite of Paliano went to learn the various means of magic and artifice. It was also the place where family scions made their new alliances, or dealt with inherited grudges through sabotaged experiements and cheats on testing.
The Academy is in truth, a miniaturized version of the game of politics which enfolds the city at large. Here is where the future politicians, advisors, and other people of note learn the skills and tricks to take their parents' places once day, either legally or illegally.
The Academy was also once the kingdom of Muzzio as he plotted to turn Paliano into a home for the magical and intellectual elite. Beneath it, he housed his cogwork army, ready to be sent out once he had amassed enough power. When they were released early, his plans fell apart and Brago outlawed artifice, closing the Academy down. It was later raided by Grenzo and Daretti for spoils and blackmail. If any secrets remain, they will be well-guarded.
The Royal Palace
A mundane name for the center of all plots, politics, and power in Paliano, but if asked, everyone simply refers to the royal palace as that, the Royal Palace. It had a more formal name, but years of politics, backstabbing, coups, and other events have had such minor details fall to the wayside as it was renamed again and again by various monarchs who seized and wished to announce their power.
Not only is this the royal residence where Queen Marchesa and Brago before her resided, it is also where the Council of Paliano meet, discuss issues, conspire, and backstab each other. In many cases, both figuratively and literally with the backstabbing. Representatives from the major settlements, military arms, political parties, and representatives of other groups can be found here as they try to sway the course of Paliano in the direction they wish to see it. Of course, any issue is not considered closed until the Queen has had her say so her vote is the most highly sought after of all.
This is, without a doubt, the most dangerous place to be for the unwary. Here those who are not careful can be lured away and disappear. All the walls have ears as every servant, guard, and underling are paid agents of someone already in power. Some of them serve more than one master. Subterfuge and cunning are the only ways to survive lest one find themselves codnemned for an offense, left de-fanged of any power, or simply killed and dumped into a gutter.
In Brago's reign, many of the halls were littered with ghosts. Mostly Custodi members and other favored spirits who were believed to have continued worth in the service of the Council. When Marchesa took the throne, those spirits were banished and the sounds and scents of life filled the halls again. However, the perfumes which make the palace seem so pleasant cover up the decaying undead bodyguards that are hidden within the walls, ready to break through on a single command if the living guards cannot prevail.
The Lowlands
The lowlands are the lands of Paliano and the rest of Fiora which are situated on the normal ground, sitting in the shadow of the High City.
The Lower City
In this portion of the city is where the common folk, workforce, and everyone not of the noble class, wealthy, or on close retainer for the upper class live. It shares the same architectual charm as the High City, but with less expensive materials and not as well-maintained. Signs of corruptions are easier to find, especially with signs of poverty and criminal work not as hidden as it is above.
The entire city has the Corru River running through it, creating canals which are used for quick transport as more of it is pumped to the Upper City and its canals
Drakestown
Once this was a common town in Fiora's territory. It's only noteworthy feature was the fact that the infamous thief (and secretly a Planeswalker) Dack Fayden was born there. However, one day the entire town was slaughtered by a Planeswalker from Grixis named Shifra using an item called the Ancient Fang.
Although the event has long since passed, people cannot forget it. This is because the dead of Drakestown got up and began wandering. Oddly, they mutilate themselves in some strange bid for sensation and wander into neighbouring towns to try and find more sensation, or perhaps a lingering thought from their lives to seek help for the horror they witnessed.
Kinnesta
Fiora's closest neighbour and perhaps its deadliest enemy as a nation is the empire of Kinnesta. An empire which is just as deadly and cunning to the uninitiated as Fiora is. If corruption is just as deep as it is in Fiora is hard to say as Kinnesta keeps its secrets close. However, there is no doubting it's cunning and the quality of its spies. For a long time, the two empires were in something of a spy war with each other. Rather than wasteful martial conflict, both sides used spies and subterfuge to use in the political ring during negotiations to claim their spoils. What makes Kinnesta more of a dangerous opponent to Fiora is the high population of elves who, with their long lives and memories, make the game of politics that much more difficult, being able to simply outlive their opponents.
At the moment, Kinnesta is keenly interested in the ongoing crisis between Adrianna and Queen Marchesa, especially since Selvala, a fellow elf, is playing an increasingly larger role in things.
Locations in Kinnesta
Travelling into Kinnesta is not difficult. However, due to the current political climate, any group fo adventurers may find themselves shuffled to the wayside, only able to go one major location before having to brave either the wilderness of unexplored regions or the guarded borders of Kinnesta's holdings. What lay beyond Trest is anyone's guess, but an imaginative DM may be able to pierce the veil of mystery.
Trest
Aside from some small settlements, the one major city which travellers are actually welcome to visit is the city-state of Trest. Located on the shores of Fiora's oceans, it is a hub of trade and exotic ideas to be explored. It is also a sight to behold, exemplifying what the elves are capable of in terms of architecture, culture, and everything else which makes it distinctly elven. A sight which the citizens, being elves themselves, love to show off whenever they get the chance to leave a visitor in awe.
The city of course has a council and a magistrate who represents the interests of the empress, but the one who holds true power is Edric, her majesty's spymaster.
Edric is the master of espionage. There is nothing happening in Trest that he does not know about. If there is a plot brewing, he knows about it from several sources. He has eyes and ears everywhere in Trest and along the coast. Nothing of note happens without him hearing of it and certainly no secret remains a secret if whispered within Edric's long reach. Even the empress herself will not make moves concerning the coast without first consulting with Edric over the state of things.
Any adventuring party seeking to do something inside or even pass through Trest will have to play with their secrets close to their vests. One wrong word can have Edric working against them and with strings all over the city, he can do much to stop anyone with intentions which go against the good of the city and the empire.
The Unexplored Lands
Although Fiora and Kinnesta are neighbours, there is in fact a large gap between them which goes on for untold miles which are simply called the Unexplored Lands. Here are where explorers such as Selvala spent many years, meticulously noting their findings as they searched throught he wilderness. What they seek various between the explorers. Some look for power, others resources, communing with nature, or any other reason one can think of.
Being a more harmonious mindest, at least in terms of nature, the elves have a bit of a better understanding of the wilds. At least they know better than to charge in like so many human explorers have done. They have a bit of a better idea of some special sites which are contained in the Unexplored Lands. Old ruins, sites of power, homes of strange beasts, and maybe even a dragon's nest or two. Anything could be out there, which is why so many are still willing to brave the dangers so they might be the first to find, and inevitably exploit, whatever it is they stumble upon.
Queen Marchesa
Queen Marchesa d'Amati is the current sovreign of Paliano after the assassination of the King Eternal Brago. She possesses a sharp mind and was trained in politics in the King's court at a young age. However, because she was born a woman, she was edged aside in the race for the throne in favor of her brothers who were not nearly as competent as she was.
Unwilling to let go of her ambitions, she searched for resources and people who could aid her. Her search took her to the underbelly of the High City, creating a network of rogues, criminals, and revolutionaries which gave her a back door into many places of power in Paliano. It was through this network that she managed to control a large portion of the city with the rest of her family falling into disgrace thanks to her incompetent brothers.
Marchesa is also a product of her surroundings. Blackmail, espionage, and murder were readily used by her as it was by anyone else with political ambitions in Fiora. Her favorite method is poison, a subtle art she mastered and one she always has on hand with a different poison held in each of her beautiful rings. Her penchant for poisons, even if it could never be proven, along with her personal emblem earned her the nickname, The Black Rose, a point of pride in her mind.
Despite all of her power though, so long as Brago was on the throne, she could never claim it. She could not poison a ghost after all. Still, her chance came when she met the Planeswalker Kaya who held the ability to destroy ghosts. Recognizing the opportunity, Marchesa quickly laid down her plans. She fabricated documents, bribed staff of the castle, members of the Custodi who were not so keen on having ghosts rule them, and finally unleashed Kaya on the King Eternal.
The assassination was successful and Marchesa quickly claimed the crown. She was quick to begin filling the castle with her supporters as well as begin pushing declarations and changes to law which further consolidated her power base.
What she sorely underestimated though, was the wills of the Captain of the Guard and her men. Adriana Vallore was quick to declare Marchesa a fraudulent heir to the throne and all who obeyed her to be traitors. Her words echoed through the population and Marchesa found the beginning of her rule to not be as smooth as she anticipated. She now moves to silence Adriana, but the sharp former Captain of the Guard is quick to avoid assassination attempts and even broke several of her comrades free from the dungeons, bolstering her ranks as more chaos sinks into Paliano.
Marchesa has taken many lessons of Fiora to heart. She trusts no one but herself and holds no one close to her. Her nature as a poisoner has her examine everything she herself does not personally create and takes nothing for granted. Her personal guards are in fact zombies she has animated and hides within her walls, hiding the scent of decay with her numerous perfumes
Thorns of the Black Rose
Adventurers who enter the queen's employ may not even know they work for her at first. Her network is extensive and even if she had become the queen, she wouldn't discard such a valuable resource.
| d8 | Quest |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hunt down the leaders of a thief guild and either recruit them or destroy them. |
| 2 | A noble has incriminating documents and needs to be relieved of them. |
| 3 | King Brago has a cache left behind which can bring added legitimacy to Marchesa's reign. |
| 4 | Rumors of an assassin after the queen have been on the rise. Find the source and verify it! |
| 5 | Valuable resources have been discovered in the wilderness. Be the first to claim them for her majesty. |
| 6 | The queen has shown you favor and now you must pass a challenge in order to join her inner circle. |
| 7 | Clues discovered after riots have made a trail back to the royal dungeons. Find the source and silence them! |
| 8 | A thief has made off with the crown and threatens Marchesa's reign. Find it and return it at once! |
Adriana Vallore
Adriana served with distinction and honor as Captain of the Guard under King Brago. She sherved as his bodyguard, although it was rather unecessary after he had become a ghost and continued to rule after his life ended. Still, she followed her oaths, even if she was able to see that the once forward-thinking ruler ha become more of a tyrant in death and cut down on the advancements of the city and its culture.
She was present when the ghost assassin Kaya cut down Brago and declared the words of when a tyrant was killed, there was a chance for freedom. Words that took a deep root in her heart when Marchesa took the throne, tossing aside all precedence an even claiming Brago left it in his will, even when a ghost would have no need for a will. Those words then festered when she saw Marchessa crowned the next day, removing all of Brago's royal emblems, erasing them, in favor of her own. A process which should have taken weeks, only needing a day, proving she was part of the plot. Seeing the other servants and the Custodi eagerly playing along just soured her further.
Realizing a usurper was on the throne, Adriana took Brago's sword and left her position, taking many of her men with her. As Marchesa scrambled to cover the major mistake she made, Adriana rallied among the people, denouncing Marchesa, and giving voice to the people the new queen would rather exploit and look down on than properly rule.
Despite fostering such a rebellion, Adriana really has no time or patience to truly rule. Instead, she dreams of a republic where a leader is chosen by the people and truly has their best interests at heart. Adriana has no ability to lead a government, only soldiers, so she seeks to find someone who can be the figurehead and leader that people need to make a better Fiora.
With this goal in mind, Adriana believes that Selvala, King Brago's closest friend, is the perfect choice of a candidate. She has entreated with the elf several times, but Selvala remains reluctant. Still, Adriana still believes that Selvala is the one who can unite Paliano into a true republic and save it from the morally bankrupt who spill blood in all the back rooms. Then Adriana will take her position as Captain of the Guard back and use it to protect the new ruler of Paliano from those who would try to continue with the deadly intrigue of politics.
Although she had not been active in the politics which defines Fiora, Adriana is far from naive in them. Knowing how the polticians think has allowed Adriana to anticipate their moves and avoid assassins and other traps sent by Marchesa. It has also allowed her the skill to rally the people to her calls for revolution through her charisma and personality.
Soldiers of Rebellion
Adriana is a charismatic leader, having earned the loyalty of her men to the end, even if it means going against the sovereign they were sworn to protect. Many adventurers would seek to support her cause and come to her aid.
| d8 | Quest |
|---|---|
| 1 | A member of Marchesa's people wishes to betray her. Find and protect him! |
| 2 | The characters are expected to infiltrate a party held by a noble that supports Marchesa and uncover documents of her manipulations. |
| 3 | Adriana is meeting with a delegation to garner support. Ensure the meeting is not interrupted. |
| 4 | Meet with a noble that is supportive to the cause, but be wary of lies or traps. |
| 5 | A member of the Custodi has leaked information of where the rituals of the undead Custodi are held. Infiltrate and destroy it! |
| 6 | A dead drop of evidence has been left at a tavern and inn. Retrieve it before spies do. |
| 7 | The party must infiltrate barracks once held by the former soldiers for supplies and weapons for the rebels |
| 8 | The characters must go over the heads of the Custodi and try to entreat with the angels directly for additional support to their cause. |
Selvala of Alberon
Selvala is a well known figure in the history of modern Fiora. She was the best friend of a young Count Brago and both dreamed of ending the constant backstabbing and cut throat methods of the nobility. Unlike many who felt the same, the pair went forward and sought to change Fiora to for the better.
Selvala quickly became a beloved figure to the people. She had an ear to every province and settlement, learning how to gain the support of the people and negotiate with the nobles to prevent oppression and tyranny. With her knowledge, Brago was able to bring out reform and insights which the entire council supported. Together, they created the Charter which would become the law codes of Fiora. Both became beloved by the people as what was thought to be a golden age of Paliano had begun.
Sadly, the age ended barely after it began. Brago was diagnosed with a terminal illness and Selvala left to explore the unknown wilderness. In that time, Brago relied more and more on the Custodi for treatments, letting them gain more power in court. Finally, Selvala returned to see a shadow of her friend who allowed the bloody politics to return. Brago was old and frail, but his treatments prevented him from dying despite his body falling apart. Selvala sought to release her friend from his torment and killed him. She earned a stay in the dungeons and Brago returned as the King Eternal, a tyrannicasl spirit who was more a puppet to the Custodi than an actual king.
Selvala stayed in the dungeons until Grenzo, the goblin warden released her in hopes of having her kill the artificer Muzzio, whose inventions he disliked. Selvala refused, instead releasing the cogwork soldiers into the tunnels Grenzo was so proud of. She escaped into the wilderness during the resulting chaos.
After Marchesa rose to the throne, Selvala could return to Paliano unimpeded. Sadly, she saw the artifice had been replaced by the majestic beasts she communed with during her explorations being captured and tamed as beasts of burden or symbols of wealth and prestiege. Unwilling to see such magnificent creatures being used as toys and slaves, she and several sympathetic allies began liberating the animals and freeing them from their masters.
Selvala does have a head for politics, as many in her position do in Paliano. She just has no patience for the endless games such people play. Still, her legend among the common folk makes her a beloved figure and a perfect leader for a revolution. The former Captain of the Guard often entreats with her to consider leading the charge towards a proper republic instead of a cut throat monarchy for Paliano.
Selvala remains reluctant to enter such politics as to claim the throne, but as she sees more injustice, more fighting, and is reminded more of the wrongs of the past, the more she considers the idea. Subtle whispers from Leovold of Trest also hints that the elves of the city state would give their support on top of Adriana's should she decide to accept the proposal and lead a revolution of change.
Friends of Nature
Adventurers who decide to aid Selvala's faction are more likely to raid nobles or businesses to protect nature and the animals. However, as they deal more and more with nobility, they may be drawn into the political games regardless.
| d8 | Quest |
|---|---|
| 1 | Track down and eliminate a hunting party searching for a rare and endangered animal |
| 2 | Infiltrate a noble's gardens to release his exotic birds, finding intrigue in the process. |
| 3 | Animals in the forest are acting strange. Follow and observe them for reasons why. |
| 4 | Rebels claim that an assassin seeks Selvala before she can become a threat. Is it true, or a trap? |
| 5 | Elves are being incited to riot over the misreatment of the animals. Find the one leading the riots and stop the violence. |
| 6 | The leaders of Trest wish to have a secret meeting with Selvala. Find and secure a meeting place. |
| 7 | A black market of animals and their parts has risen up. Find and bring down the leader! |
| 8 | Rumors are spreading of Selvala's role in the artifice ban. Find the source and silence it. |
Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
Grenzo is perhaps one of only two goblins who had any kind of authority inside of Paliano. Unusually large for his size, but hunchbacked and needing his staff to travel, he made for an imposing sight. A trait which was what his employers were looking for when they hired him as the warden for the royal dungeons.
Grenzo, like anyone who lived in Paliano, had ambition for power. Unlike many who sought thrones or positions of privelege, Grenzo knew he needed none of that. Positions did not bring power, power was what brought posotions. So in that instance, Grenzo walked a different path than those seeking the throne.
In his position, Grenzo had access to the sewer tunnels which ran underneath Paliano. With painstaking effort, he soon had tunnels which could take him anywhere in the High City. With a following of assassins and spies, mostly goblins, he began amassing influence and power in the shadows. With his role as the warden, he had access to plenty of people looking to make a deal or get a favor in return for their freedom and more. This only expanded his shadow influence even further. He was essentially a power player in the High City, but one who was safer than all the others. How could anyone be safer with power when no one knew he had that kind of power in the first place?
Grenzo naturally kept an eye on events in Paliano. One was the rise of artifice thanks to the manipulations of Muzzio. Grenzo had long since learned that Muzzio had plans to create a cogwork army and used his already existing machines to record blackmail from the nobles who used them. Not wanting a rival, Grenzo sought to eliminate him and smash his network of cogwork spies.
To accomplish this, he attempted to use Selvala as his assassin, freeing her from the dungeons. His plan backfired though when she instead released Muzzio's soldiers into his tunnels, unleashing chaos right in his own backyard. His initial plan was successful since artifice was banned and Muzzio was exiled, but his network of tunnels was exposed, putting Grenzo himself at risk.
After Marchesa's rise and Adriana's liberation of her imprisoned soldiers, Grenzo was released from his role as the warden, viewed as incompetent. It wasn't much of a setback for Grenzo, although it was a little inconvenient and a major insult. With his ally, the goblin planeswalker Daretti, they began instigating goblin riots. Using the chaos, Daretti sought revenge on his former Academy comrades and Grenzo pillaged funds and blackmail to further the chaos.
Grenzo has no ambition for the throne. Chaos is the key to power as opportunities always appear in it. Sitting on a throne just leaves one open for reprisal and assassination, so Grenzo is happy to rule from the shadows, practically invisible. From there, he can bring down more chaos on those who wronged him, including Marchesa, Adriana, and Selvala.
Minions of Chaos
Adventurers who start working in the intrests of Grenzo are likely going to be chaotic in nature. Chaos would eb the goal, and the opportunities it brings.
| d8 | Quest |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fight your way through a riot for as long as you can while others raid a house for blackmail |
| 2 | Rob a bank for funds and deal with the security. |
| 3 | A monster has taken up residence inside one of the tunnels. Hunt it down and eliminate it. |
| 4 | Sneak into the dungeons and break out a connected prisoner who has useful information. |
| 5 | Use the chaos of another riot to slip into a noble's property and raid his holdings. |
| 6 | Sneak into the palace to cause chaos and discredit Marchesa |
| 7 | Turn a gathering of rebels into a riot to reveal Adriana's presence and make her a target. |
| 8 | Unleash a hoarde of wild animals in the city and frame Selvala for the destruction. |
Muzzio, Visionary Architect
Muzzio was the former vice chancellor of the Academy, the most prestegious place of learning in Paliano and all of Fiora. He was a master of artifice, creating countless cogwork designs which could do a number of tasks from accounting, to secretarial work, to cleaning and tracking. So much prestiege had him climb the ranks of power very quickly, opening a world of opportunity.
Muzzio's grand dream though was to turn Paliano into a perfect clockwork society for the elite citizenry of scholars and mages, all of it protected and maintained by his cogwork creations. It would be a world where art and knowledge would be allowed to advance and flourish, unhindered by the closed minds of the Custodi or the short-sighted greed of the nobility and politicians.
To help achieve this, Muzzio installed hidden mechanisms inside of his machines. Inside were wax cylinders which recorded everything the cogwork machines heard, creating a library of potential blackmail. He could also modify the actions of his constructs via smaller constructs, having them subtly change their actions when certain commands were made to them.
Through these actions, Muzzio rose through the ranks of the Academy to the position of Vice Chancellor. With his new position, he would be free to continue his plans and designs for his perfect clockwork society. All he needed was more time, information, and his perfected plan would be able to proceed.
Then a wrench was thrown into the works.
Muzzio's former master, Daretti, had survived the explosive failure of his last experiment. Bitter, and believing his former apprentice attempted to kill him, Daretti revealed Muzzio's cache of cogwork soldiers to his partner Grenzo. The warden attempted to have the elf Selvala assassinate him, but instead she released the soldiers into the tunnels, causing chaos as the machines went wild.
The results had all of Muzzio's well-placed plans fall to ruin. Brago, intolerant of any dissent, had the Academy shut down. All artifice was banned from the city, the prestigious teachers stripped of their reputations, and Muzzio himself exiled from the High City that he had worked so hard to enter.
Muzzio was the sort who views every action akin to tinkering, but with different materials. Setbacks and failures are always expected and he has the cool head to take the setbacks and begin anew. With the assassination of Brago and the rise of Marchesa, he has a new opportunity to begin anew and return to Paliano. With the unrest, many opportunities are present for someone with his keen mind.
Allies in Artifice
Adventurers working toward Muzzio's goals will be his eyes and ears in Paliano while he remains in exile. Many of the adventures they undertake for him will likely be cogs in a greater plan the adventurers may not see.
| d8 | Quest |
|---|---|
| 1 | Make contact with a former Academy instructor for Muzzio's missing notes and designs. |
| 2 | Infiltrate the closed Academy and find Muzzio's lab for pieces of his more important works. |
| 3 | Find the written decree concerning Muzzio's exile in the Hall of Records. |
| 4 | Scrounge the scrapyards in the Lowlands of Paliano for Muzzio's machines with blackmail still inside of them. |
| 5 | Install cogwork spies in the palace for more information on Marchesa. |
| 6 | Hunt down stolen tomes of Muzzio's works from the goblins and his former master. |
| 7 | Construct a special cogwork as a 'gift' for a noble inside Paliano. |
| 8 | Find Muzzio's contact Sydri whose shop always seems to change locations. |
Leovold of Trest
Charm, cunning, charisma, and of course money. These are all things Leovold possesses in spades. With a smile and a handshake, you could give away your deepest secrets with a smile on your face before you realize it. By then, you are in his pocket with a favor for a favor, usually benefiting him more than yourself.
Leovold's official position is an emissary of Trest and on behalf of Kinnesta. His duties there include meetings to discuss issues between Fiora and Kinnesta, usually trade agreements, small political issues, and encouraging relations between both empires. Often he can be found organising grand parties where he invites noblility of Fiora to mingle with elves of Kinnesta and Trest to make stronger relations between the upper classes of both sides. Many in Fiora praise Leovold's personable attitude and his generosity in providing for his guests.
All of this is a mask of design on Leovold's part. Each of his parties are designed to put his guests at ease so that their lips can loosen and spill a few secrets. Many Fiorans have a belief that the elves of Kinnesta are often bckwoods, inexperienced with the wonders of the empire and live simpler lives. Perhaps some of it is true, but it is an image Leovold plays to the hilt. He himself wears fine, but simply Fioran fashions and his entourage of servants and guards dress similarly in clothing of status, but not to the spectacle many Fioran nobles like to dress like.
Many of the elves show portraits of awe at the splendors Paliano can offer. This image of awe helps lower the guard of Leovold's many guests during his parties. Mixed with a little wine and their belief that the elves are simple folk in awe over their splendor, they begin spilling secrets, thinking the elves lack the foresight to act on anything they hear. However, the elves do hear and take it straight to Leovold.
In the public scene, Leovold is a showman and perhaps the most charming man one can meet. In the political offices and the negotiation tables, he is a shark in the water. He has had centuries to hone his craft, and he has made it a razor edge. Making it more effective is rather than simple bribes, blackmail or assassinations, of which he can and will use, Leovold prefers the more refined method of making deals and exchanging favors. Many of his marks believe through his charisma and personality they are getting a favored deal for only minor risk, but for Leovold, it is much more lucrative to him in the long run. His network of happy associates run deep, feeling like they have made a safe deal in exchange for whatever Leovold asked for. With his elven mindset though, Leovold can plan decades into the future using what he learns now. This makes his endgame, if he has one, rather mysterious.
Currently, Leovold is finding his formal efforts stymied by Marchesa's refusal to meet with him. Perhaps it is because Marchesa is wise to him, or she does not wish to meet lest she lose face due to the climate. In either case, he is blocked. Instead, his focus has turned to Selvala who Adriana wishes to make the next ruler. He's begun working his silver tongue, offering resources to the reluctant elf to see one of their own kind on the throne.
Friends with a Handshake
Leovold always has need of a frine group of adventurers and he always strikes a fair bargain for the work. However, he keeps his cards close to his chest and is likely to profit far greater than the party.
| d8 | Quest |
|---|---|
| 1 | Leovold wishes to have some 'packages' picked up from the docks. |
| 2 | Leovold has tracked down a cogwork machine which once belonged to prominent figure. Go retrieve it. |
| 3 | Leovold requires a subtle hand to assist with a visiting delegation to make them more comfortable...and talkative |
| 4 | Leovold asks to 'explore' a former property of the Academy to see what used to happen there. |
| 5 | Leovold requests the party's time to pass on messages to some 'friends' he's made in the Upper City. |
| 6 | Leovold offers fine compensation to track down Sevala and pass her a 'care package.' |
| 7 | Leovold asks the group to pass another request for a meeting to the queen. |
| 8 | Leovold hints at some 'unfortunate' elements making a mess of some of his properties in Paliano which needs clearing out. |
The Custodi
The Custodi are Fiora's religious institution. They not only handle matters of religion, but they also take care of medical matters and are a voice in the council which helps govern Paliano and by extension, all of Fiora.
In the days before Brago took the throne, the Custodi enjoyed a major role in the political structure of Paliano, as with the chaos of the times, power shifted constantly and as many looked to the Custodi for guidance, their power base remained secure. After Brago took the throne, matters of state were cemented and the Custodi were faced with the very real threat of power slipping from their grasp.
Their fortunes reversed however when Brago was diagnosed with a debilitating illness. Leaping at the oportunity, they offered their magics and medicines to extend his lifespan. For their continued aid, the Custodi managed to claim more power in court and have a solid, and near majority power base once again. For seventy years it worked, but their magics eventually went too far, allowing Brago life even though his body continued to fall apart. Selvala finally ended it as she killed him, ending Brago's reign and the Custodi's free ride to power.
Realizing their power and security were about to vanish, the Custodi scrambled to do something. Using their spiritual magics, they recovered Brago's spirit and set him on the throne again. Although with his own mind, Brago was more easily influenced by the Custoi and their magic, making him more of a puppet to the Custodi's beliefs than before.
After this event, the Custodi themselves began to change. Using their magics, many of their higher members allowed themselves to become ghosts or even liches. With the precedence set by Brago, ghosts and undead could still hold power and office, potentially forever, something the most ambitious of the Custodi liked to have. Spirits were used as bodyguards and liches handled the most important tasks that could not be forgotten.
Again, the Custodi all but ruled and ruled tyrannically through Brago. The ghostly priests abhorred change and attempted to squealch it using Brago's voice. Innovation was slowed and artifice was eventually banned once Muzzio's plot came to light. The Custodi spirits were happy to keep the status quo, confident it would never change and their power, like the king, would be eternal.
Marchesa soon changed that with the planeswalker Kaya. Soliciting members of the Custodi who desired change, or were sick of serving the ghostly masters, they plotted to assassinate the king and succeeded. Marchesa took the throne, consolidating power and causing upheaval in the Custodi between factions who desired change and those who did not.
Although they are a religious institution, the Custodi are more of a political body than anything else. They undergo the rituals and prayers for the public image and perhaps the lowest ranks are faithful, but the higher one goes, the more political they become. This shows in the lack of true divine power in the priesthood.
Brothers in Benevolence
Adventurers who work with the Custodi may undertake tasks which appear benevolent at first, but will serve a more political purpose for the Custodi.
| d8 | Loot |
|---|---|
| 1 | Enter the crypt of a former pope so his spirit can give wisdom to the masses. |
| 2 | Retrieve the belongings of a missing priest, which contains incriminating information. |
| 3 | Guide a delegation to Trest to meet with the elves. |
| 4 | Retrieve documents for a lich Custodi. |
| 5 | Deal with a political faction backed by a demon. |
| 6 | Find a group of rogue artificers who have sensitive information in their machines. |
| 7 | Exorcise dissenting spirits who plot against the Queen. |
| 8 | A group of Custodi desperately try to bring Brago's spirit back. Will you help them or harm them? |
Intrigue Abound
Although the characters may undertake tasks for others, it doesn't mean that they have to be loyal to that faction. They may in fact play the factions off each other to seize power on their own, or build a faction of their own.
Angels
Angels are a rarity in Fiora, especially in Paliano. As the Custodi became more political than pious, angels stopped appearing around the High City. Despite the continued claims of the Custodi of their holy properties, angels are more often seen in the other cities where the faith is more true rather than in major sites where faith is more a pretense for politics than true faith in higher powers.
Angels that are seen outside of Paliano, aiding the faithful who honestly seek hope and aid are Devas while the only angels that appear in Paliano would be Planetars who would combat demons who cause chaos or rise out of the shadows of the city with enough power to threaten what is good. If enough of the Custodi and the city falls to the corruption of demons, an angel might begin attacking the city itself.
Some angels may find truly faithful individuals and charge them to cleanse corruption or combat evil. Some politicians with good intentions may try to strike deals with angels, becoming warlocks.
beasts
Paliano has been struck with a craze of finding exotic beasts to tame and use as entertainment. Some of the common beasts which found their way to the nobles are Wolves, Bears, Hawks, and Elk. Some of the other nobles manage to claim more exotic animals such as Tigers, Elephants, or Lions. At least one noble has managed to domesticate a Hydra, increasing the popularty of the fad.
Other creatures have ended up in the rivers which run to the ocean through the Lowlands. Such creatures include Giant Crabs or Giant Constrictor Snakes slide through the bays or even through the sewer tunnels in search of prey.
Out in the deepest regions of the wild where only a few such as Selvala have dared go exist massive beasts that embody the power of nature themselves. Such creatures are considered avatars and can be represented by a Roc, Behir or in the most extreme cases, a Tarrasque
Constructs
For a time, cogwork machines were the fad for Paliano. They were able to do much of the mundane work which the nobility did not have the patience for. Business snatched them up to handle their repetetive tasks which freed them to handle other, more important things. Best of all, they obeyed without question and did not ask for wages.
With the ban on artifice from King Brago, the only constructs allowed in Paliano are vehicles. Queen Marchesa has yet to repeal the ban either. Still, outside of Paliano, and in secret within its borders, many artificers still ply their trade, aiming for when their wonders will be allowed in the open again.
Many of the cogwork creatures take on a humanoid form. The mundane tasks are handled by simple machines which, although aesthetically pleasing, are not elaborate. Represent these constructs with Animated Armor. Larger constructs, or Muzzio's cogwork soldiers are sturdier and meant to take beatings. Represent these with either Helmed Horror or Iron Golem.
Lastly, for more amusement than function, some of the cogwork were made in the shape of animals, making them amusing toys or replacements for pets. These creatures can be represented by any animal in the Monster Manual and having their creature type replaced as a construct and have immunity to poison damage and the poisoned and charmed conditions.
Demons
Demons do not have to work hard to seduce contracts for souls in Fiora. In Paliano, they're actually spoiled for choice. With so many politicians, bureaucrats, and nobles looking for easy avenues to power, all the demons have to do is establish themselves and let the deals come to them.
The hasty and unwise demons snap up as many contracts as they can to amass as many souls as possible. The smarter demons skillfully ply their trade and with the right promises, gain the souls of their contractor, his indentured servants, and generations of their family all for one deal.
Fiora is easily considered the most amusing plane to demons since the denizens are so quick to make deals. Some demons even sponsor entire political factions to try and pull Paliano and Fiora further into chaos. Other planes would call such groupings cults, but their political savvy gives such groupings some legitimacy.
The lower ranked demons can be represented by a Dretch, Imp, Quasit, and Spined Devil. The higher ranked Demons can be represented by a Balor, Erinyes, Horned Devil, and Marilith. The Archdemon of Paliano can be represented by a Pit Fiend or one of the Demon Lords from Out of the Abyss.
Dragons
Dragons are rare in Paliano since so few explore far enough to actually see one. However, that doesn't stop dragons from coming to Paliano or one of its territories and cause carnage for the fun of it.
Dragons are rightfully feared in Paliano because they hold the power to utterly wipe the board clean in one swoop. No matter how much political power one has claimed, or if they even have the throne itself, dragons can prove it really matters little in the grand scheme of the world itself.
Dragons themselves are intelligent and cunning. Their society and habits are a mystery since so few people have even seen one outside of an attack. They prefer it that way since it allows them to consolidate more power to themselves and to the dragons of Fiora, power is just as important as gold.
The dragons of Fiora can be represented by two different types. Dragons who prefer to rule from their nests and seek to conquer can be represented by Adult Blue Dragons. Dragons that seek to manipulate others and rule from the shadows can be represented by Adult Green Dragons. Both replace their breath weapons with fire damage instead of lightning or poison.
Elementals
Aside from the fad for exotic pets, many of the mages have set a new trend of summoning elementals as shows of their magical power as well as decorations for their gardens and homes.
Some mages used Earth Elementals to show off their gardens or decorate them with cultivated portions of earth. Others summon Fire Elementals and shape them into monstrous forms to show off their skill in manipulating elements. Water Elementals become the source of elaborate fountain displays while Air Elementals would display stunning air acrobatics. Some magi even have the delicate touch to shape their trees into humanoid sculptures. Such elementals can be represented by Twig Blights, Thorn Blights, Vine Blights, or even by Treants in the most extreme cases.
Magical Constructs
Paliano, despite its bloody poltics, is a center of art and academics. The mage population is constantly experimenting and studying. Many of those experiments go into creating familiars, or the creation of magical materials which end up becoming new creatures.
A common achievement to some wizards is to create a familiar. These are usually a Homunculus although they usually turn out less than aesthetically pleasing and are often scorned in open sight.
Sometimes a mage's experiments go awry and they struggle to dispose of the results lest they damage their academics or their reputations with the failure. Such results usually do not go anywhere, but can instead result is a living slime which slide about, searching for food. Such slimes can be represented by Ochre Jelly or Gray Ooze.
Ogres
Musclebound brutes with a penchant and undeniable skill for violence, ogres in polite society are considered on the same level as goblins. What keeps ogres from being outright shunned like the goblins is that everyone is afraid of angering one. There is also the fact that ogres have value with their strength as mercenaries to anyone who can meet their price. They make fine bodyguards for those who need to travel and so long as they are paid and have something to hit, they are content. This makes them a fine resource to the politicians and merchants despite publicly sneering at them while in polite company. Use the Ogre entry in the Monster Manual for these ogres.
Undead
The undead play an important role in Paliano's daily life, both for the common folk and for the nobility. Queen Marchesa actively uses zombies as her guardians when she is in one of her properties, keeping them hidden behind walls and ready to attack if or when a threat comes at her. They are normal Zombies but are kept in good condition and can even come armed with enough preparation. Zombies are in fact the most trusted beings in the political circles of Fiora; absolutely loyal with no hint of ambition and no mind to betray their masters.
The undead also hold high positions in the Custodi. After Brago was returned, many of the higher officials in the Custodi saw it as an opportunity to consolidate their power even after their deaths. When they died, they had trusted allies return their spirits as ghosts. With Brago setting the trend and making it law, the ghosts could hold their offices and positions of power even after death. Now they were without risk of being assassinated and the pains of living. In their minds, they could continue with power into eternity. Such spirits can be represented by Ghosts.
Other Custodi specialize in summoning the spirits of the dead for aid. These spirits are not actual ghosts such as their spectral superiors. Instead, these spirits are Shadows, Specters, Wraiths, and Will-O'-Wisps who stay close to their summoners in case they are needed for aid.
More powerful Custodi, ones who held stronger magical power and looser morals chose to keep their bodies after death rather than simply become dim spirits. With their magics, they allowed themselves to become liches. With this, they retained their magical power with the potential for gaining more. To feed their phylactery, these liches use the souls of condemned criminals, which they are never short of, especially in the chaotic times of Queen Marchesa. Usually these undead can be represented by Liches and are in charge of high offices or sensitive archives for the Custodi
