Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[thurak]

People of Simarra! Heed my words! Flee the great cities of the Age of Plenty, for an Age of Blood has descended upon the world! The nations across the continent are fallen, brought low in a sweeping, fell stroke by the betrayal of Agärazôn, the once-great leader of the god spawn. Using foul sorceries, the betrayer opened the stone gates, unleashing a horde of alien monstrosities upon Simarra.

The vile Sundaari came north out of the mysterious Sundanar Peninsula to join with the invading horde. Sundaari blood priests have rekindled the sacrificial fires in Megath-Tor, offering up victims to the dread god Thûrak. This once-great city of our people has plunged into chaos, devastated from the invasion of the inhuman horde. Agärazôn himself reigns supreme in Megath-Tor, now known as Thel-kaza, the fell seat of the blood throne.

Oh women, oh children of all races, I beseech thee; Run! Hide in the wilds of Simarra. Band together in the hidden places of the world so that you may better protect yourselves from the darkness sweeping across the lands! You are the future of this world. Do not let yourselves taken by the horde!

Men! Half Giants! Elves! Dwarves! Orcs! Gnomes! Lionmen! I call on thee! Don your armor! Take up your swords! Call forth the war griffins, for the time of peace is ended! War and Death have come to Simarra, spreading across the land like a swarm of plague rats, devouring all that is good and pure and replacing it with misery and despair. I say unto you my brethren, meet steel with steel! Ride out into the encroaching darkness and stand as shining beacons of hope against the evil which threatens us all!

-Memory Shard fragment, recorded on the thirtieth day of Tasha’ru in the season of Saeothel by Elohan Salaistrien, ten days after the invasion of the keza-drak.

Friends and compatriots, I send you this message from the city of Ardrennen Falls, now bloated with refugees from across the realms. The city stinks both literally and metaphorically. Corruption has infested the city at all levels.

Favoritism among the royal houses of Ardrennen Falls ensures that those who have great influence in the city are living in relative opulence compared to the thousands of refugees crowding the streets, commons, and alleyways. Rotting garbage and raw sewage raise such a stench that I must wear a bandanna over my nose and mouth to keep from retching.

Thankfully, the season of Authel has dawned, bringing a close to the biting winds of Saeothel and the sight of the frozen bodies in the streets. But as the great comet Turûs shines in the night sky, those of us who still live free must keep our gaze firmly on the world around us, for doom strides across the lands. Fellow watchmen have brought tidings of the state of Simarra. I wish I could say the state of the world has improved, but alas, that is not the case.

Word has come from battlefields and holdfasts across the western continent. In the Dalian Wood, the cities of Northram and Tamara have fallen, as have the cities of Ostorna and Ruall along the Kottarran Highlands. The camp fires of the enemy blaze in the Tarn Gap as a great host prepares to enter into the fertile Dassurri Basin. Those Kotarrans who have not been killed or captured by the Sundaari and the Keza-drak( Yes, we've discovered the name of this monstrous species) have joined with the peace-loving Dassurri people to meet the invaders head on, even as a mammoth effort to build a great wall is happening behind them. I pray to the gods the defenders can hold the Gap long enough for the wall to be built.

Rumor has it that the mighty aeries of the mountain elves, high in the Kaerlon Mountains, have been sacked! The fabled aerie of Orelgrennon, a true wonder of the world, has fallen! It's people have fled, either on the winds with the few griffins and eagles said to remain, or else deeper into the mountains they love dearly. Stories telling of the butchering of these noble creatures make my heart break.

We've heard nothing from the Droghedian Peninsula, and can only speculate as to the fate of the fire dwarves who dominate the region. Clan Volagar are crafty—their volcanic citadels are nigh-impenetrable. They wield weapons that use explosive black powder; to devastating effect. If any race is able to keep the keza-drak at bay, those dwarves can.

Little is known about the fate of the people in the eastern continent. The northern pass around the wild lands has been blocked by heavy snows, and the marsh kingdom of Talmosa has been strangely silent.
Take heart, people of Simarra. So long as we hold together in these dark times, hope is not lost! I will send tidings as they come to me.

-Memory Shard fragment, recorded on the fifth day of Agronai in the season of Authel by Alya Ravenheart, in Ardrennen Falls

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David Jarvis

Gun Metal games

[thurak]

A World Betrayed; A world ravaged by War

Welcome to the land of Simarra, a world in great peril. A world invaded and nearly conquered by alien creatures known as the Keza-drak, fearsome beasts who have subjugated the once-peaceful inhabitants of Simarra and scattered them into tiny pockets of resistance.

The survivors, in the shattered remnants of their civilization, hold onto the hope that they will reclaim their world, throwing back the darkness and bringing the light of peace to the survivors.

Fell beasts roam the lands once again, venturing out of the desolate places of the world to prey on the beleaguered survivors of this war-torn age. Corruption and favoritism abound, plaguing the free people of Simarra, driving yet another wedge into the efforts of Simarrans to unite against the darkness rapidly spreading across the known world.

Yet, even now, in spite of all the madness, the horror, the chaos, and the desolation, hope remains.

A World of Adventure

The betrayal of the people of this world by the fallen god spawn known as Agärazôn plunged Simarra into the darkness of the past year—a period of time people are starting to call the "Age of Blood." Amidst this backdrop of war, would-be heroes set out to re-discover the world around them. Brave men and women of all races and creeds venture out into the darkening world to fight against those who would enslave them.

Narmrothan horse lords patrol the Trachan Steppes, holding back the advance of the keza-drak horde with their unparalleled horsemanship, using guerrilla-warfare against the slower armies of their enemies.
The enigmatic Shodonai harry the Keza-Drak in the southern regions of Simarra, striking at vital supply lines.

Free companies, like the Skull Hammer Squadron, take the fight directly to the keza-drak, engaging the invaders wherever they are found.
Thusparri Storm Riders, mounted on their giant eagles and mighty griffons, challenge the keza-drak from above, raining death upon the hated foe.

Insurgents and spies strike the heart of Agärazôn’s fledgling empire, mounting terrorist attacks, freeing slaves, destabilizing the keza-drakian chain of command, playing a vital role in the war for Simarra, and rocking the foundations of the Throne of Blood.

Adventurers hazard the wild places, seeking new havens for the countless refugees of the war. Others sift through the wreck and ruins, searching for lost weapons and knowledge, hoping to turn the tide against the forces of darkness.

A World Abundant with Mana; A World nearly Corrupted beyond Repair

Mana is both a vibrant flowing force of energy, permeating the world and infusing every living thing with the spark of life, and a corrupting bane on those who seek to master its mysteries. Mana manifests in a number of different forms on Simarra, from mighty powers wielded by the wizards of the Arcanus League, to mana wells of pure energy located at junctions of Taer’ las Brennath (sometimes called Ley Lines).

Mana shards, crystals of solid mana, act as enhancements for magical energy, amplifying the ability of adepts who use them while casting spells. Called Aviki, these adepts are versed in the craft of learning to control ascendant technology, borne of the manipulation of mana shards. Bone shamans fuel their powers by summoning and binding the dead into fetishes, and destroying their souls to unleash their power.

Those who wield mana are both respected and feared for their power and knowledge. The adepts of Simarra are brave heroes or colossal fools, exposing themselves to attack from all manner of vile horrors just by casting a simple spell.

The mother-goddess, Enâra, has gone mad and her madness has begun to taint mana, the very essence of the world, in a final curse on the people of Simarra when all hope is fading. Sundaari blood magi walk the land once more, arrogantly using their horrific blood magicks with no regard for the old laws. Tainted adepts embrace the horrific seepage from the Threshold Realm, becoming unholy vessels of Enâra’s madness.

A World Littered with Cast-Iron Phantoms of a Golden Age of Technology

Simarra is a world in which technology and magic share an enigmatic co-existence. Adventurers roam the world seeking to find and master the legacy of their predecessors, The Order of the Avikus, who created ascendant technology, the likes of which can be found across the known world.

Privateers sail the treacherous waters of the Black Coast, raiding keza-drak ports and attacking ships at sea with explosive black powder weaponry, courtesy of clan Volagar. Magical adepts travel the lands of Simarra as the remnants of the Arcanus League seek to destroy the dangerous ascendant technology before its secrets are unleashed upon an already ravaged world.
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David Jarvis

Gun Metal games

[kronovan]

Awesome! I have it for True20 and have thought more than a few times about trying to adapt it. I love the dark fantasy vibe of the Simarra setting. Something I wish the True20 version had is an adventure generator, any chance something like that might make it into the SW version?

[thurak]

[kronovan]

David, it sounds like GMG is making some excellent decisions on the SW version of this. I'm very happy to hear about all the extra GM stuff. Definitely will be getting this when its available.