Getting a Head Start

If you wanted a head start on the next game, we're playing 13th Age for the first generation adventure arc. You'll be starting level 1 with a standard array (one stat must be 8). Characters should have some tie to one of your characters last campaign. Use the standard races for 13th Age, but feel free to reflavor to another established setting race. 13th Age doesn't put the same value in shopping D&D does, so you're assumed to have the basics in coin and equipment (though feel free to personalize them a little).

You don't start with any magic items and you get very few across the game. The idea being that when you do get them, they're really unique. There are plenty of potions and other consumables, though, to give you boosts when you want them. Not sure how available they'll be- more treasure than magic shop, I think. If that's not your preferred play style, bear in mind this is only the first generation and other rules systems might handle things differently. I'd like to think everyone's preferences will be addressed along the way.

This arc will be based in the mortal world, specifically Othyr. It will involve the city-state Etheria, the returned oligarchy of Izolda, the former empire Norsland, and the North (see descriptions in Epilogue 1).

After reading the epilogue, it becomes apparent there's this weird political stalemate which allows Etheria to exist inside Izolda's borders, neither country liking it much, but all suffering it for the sake of intercontinental peace. The crux of this adventure arc is centered around the threat of that tension snapping the peace in half and plunging the whole continent into war nobody wants (or so they say).

HOOK!
Your party is tasked with helping preserve the peace until something lasting can be established by the Icons. You wouldn't be the only ones, rather part of an international effort kind of like the UN, a collection of Othyrian nations offering aid and remaining visible. This allows for disparate backgrounds, races, and nationalities to be in the same group with a single purpose- one that is varied enough that most hooks you follow throughout the arc qualify as 'keeping the peace'. We only have about 12 sessions per arc, but I'd like to see what develops organically with a broad objective. You can imagine some of the things you might have to do, from negotiating to rooting out saboteurs. Maybe one or more of you -are- saboteurs. It can go a lot of ways, and I'm willing to work that out with you.

Those already cringing at the political nature of it all can relax, though, it's still level 1 and the weight of the world is only partially on your shoulders hehe. You'll be starting out relatively simply, a good-will mission for Izolda to establish trust with the local government of Segnova, seat of the Arcouth Barony.