Achates

The World
Achates is a fictional world, in the Dungeons and Dragons setting. It is created by a group of friends, who wanted a more detailed and personal setting for their future DnD campaigns.

The War
The world of Achates is at war. The Serene Empire 's armies march against The Free Men, even as Warlord Gazrak Ironhide gathers a host of greenskins, gnolls, kobolds and monsters under his red banner (See: Ironhide's Host).



The Neutral Cities
Among all the turmoil in Achates, the neutral cities strive to stay above it. Anyone is welcome to trade in the neutral cities, even creatures considered dangerous by most, but no other military might is allowed within their borders.

Five Winds is one such city. Here, the law is enforced by an army of significant size and strength. An armade of flying ships and a university full of wizards, warlocks and clerics is enough to keep the imperial armies at bay.



Magic
Magic is everywhere in Achates, be it the power of the gods, wizards studying ancient relics, adventurers battling fearsome creatures or something entirely different; magic is an integrated part of every Achatian citizen's daily life.

Planes
Other planes of reality exist, but mentioning them are frowned upon in the empire, so there they go largely ignored. Same thing goes for the pantheon. In the empire, the only true god is the emperor.

Necromancy
In the neutral cities you can get away with using necromancy, just so long as you don't draw attention to yourself. Among the Free Men, necromancy is perfectly fine. The end justifies the means, and necromancy is a powerful tool against the imperial oppressors. In the empire, it is only the emperor's personal apostles who may bring anyone back from the Great Beyond. If anyone else was to do so, the sentence is death.

Weaponry
Black powder is a relatively new discovery, but already its use has spread across Achates. Most people still use swords, bows and arrows, but it's not uncommon for soldiers – especially those on flying ships – to use it in flintlock pistols, blunderbusses and bombs.



Transportation
Flying ships are fairly common, with many different types in use. The empire mainly uses sleek, elegant ships powered by the arcane. It varies from each neutral city, but in Five Winds their armada consists almost solely of a mixture of noisy, steam-powered contraptions and a small scouting force of airships. The Free Men use whatever ships they can buy, steal or build.



