Caravans Campaign

The Setting Intro   This is a tweak on the normal setting of fantasy. The Characters grew up in a vast City State, The Monolith, this is the last Known city of the Races of Light.     The Monolith   The Monolith is the last bastion of civilization. Four hundred years ago it was a bustling city, a hub of culture, worship, and enlightenment.   The Fall   Four hundred years ago a cataclysmic event of unknown origin transformed the planet into an ice age. This event happened slowly at first. Than suddenly freezing the world and many of its inhabitants instantly. This event the survivors now call the Deaths Breath. Those that lived the storm headed for The Monolith, the beacon of hope for the races of light.     The Shimmering Age   The populace call this age of the glacial the shimmering age. The planet is currently in what is more commonly called an Ice Age. This is not a true Ice Age for the cause is an unknown magical source. The summer experiences a melting where the snow and ice coverings shrink, but the snow remains and temperatures raise slightly. The magic that affected the environment also affected the flora and fauna. The living things evolved into more suitable forms to survive. Some changed color, enlarged, became more aggressive,with some of their abilities morphing. Humanoids also evolved in some subtle ways. Skin color, and hair has lightened, while a lot of eye colors darkened.   The Current Dilemma   With its vast population The Monolith has one constant problem. Supplies and equipment to keep the city and its occupants alive. With a metal shortage complicating this situation.     The Solution   Caravans so far have been the most successful solution to this ongoing need for supplies. But years of caravanning has stripped the nearby lands of supplies. Caravans now must travel many days to find the needed supplies.   The Call   The call has gone out, and you have answered that call, or been chosen via the lottery. The city needs brave adventures to leave the safety of the city in caravans searching for supplies.   Limited Supplies   Metals have become a valuable commodity. Metals have restricted use, coins, armor, weapons have all been confiscated and stored in vaults. Only the rich or those appointed many have metals of significant size. The common folk of The Monolith have become accustomed to using the body parts of the monstrosities that lurk outside the city. Hides provide the protection, while teeth, horns, bones, and tusks provide the needed weaponry.   The Players Handbook   The material in this book is applicable to my settling with just some simple tweaking, instead of metal something else is substituted with wood, bone, ivory, skins, silk, fabric, and soapstone for utensils and cooking pots.   Magic in the Shimmering Age   Magic functions the same with the exception of Ice magic.   When using Ice magic reroll any 1, or 2 die rolls.   Coins and currency   Metal coins have been confiscated, a new currency system has been set up. Dwarven Stones have replaced Platinum. Jade Bead are now Gold. While Obsidian has replaced Electrum. Amber orbs are now considered Silver. Copper is now replaced by Ivory Chips. For the ease of the currency change just refer to the metal equivalent, example 5 non metal gp.   Follow the prices of the PHB for the cost of items.   Vaults bankers will exchange metal coinage for the current currency most merchants will not take metal coins.