Beginner's Guide to Florenelle

Here is the best step to take in understanding Florenelle

Table of Contents

Welcome to Florenelle

Major Themes

Races of Florenelle

Core History of Florenelle

Campaigns and Adventures of Florenelle

Welcome to Florenelle

Florenelle is a homebrew Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition campaign setting. It can be hard to step into a whole new world. It can even be tedious to learn about the major powers, the little factions, and what influences constitute part of the genuine campaign setting. The Forgotten Realms would be nothing without the famous Sword Coast. Eberron would be stale without the continent of Khorvaire and its dragonmark houses. It would be the same case for Florenelle without the Necromantic War and its long-lasting impact. As such, this article's goal is designed to help both potential DM's and players get familiar and acquainted with the setting of Florenelle easily.

Florenic Worlds

Named after Florenelle, which is the “parent setting” of the universe, the Florenic Worlds are a set of material worlds that share the same planar realms like Haven and Inferna. These other worlds are Duovia, Faunerro, Arturias and more to come.

By default, the people in these worlds are not aware of each other’s existence. Kordgelle, a powerful being within the Florenic universe, tries his hardest to ensure that these worlds don’t greatly impact the other. This also includes outside settings like Eberron and the Forgotten Realms, for he doesn’t want the Florenic Worlds being influenced by forces he does not recognize.

Major Themes

Gunpowder, Sorcery, and Wigs

Because Florenelle has an 18th-century aesthetic, musketry and gunpowder are a factor. This resource, however, is featured mainly in the countries of Calvora and other so-called restored parts of the world. The main countries of Calvora, that being the Kingdom of Trinidad, Empires of Valencia, Madria, and Venezia, all have colonies of their own in the world somewhere.

Magic is also a fairly influential factor. It is seen more as a tool for some societies rather than something that can be relied on to fuel their cities, however.

Of Deities and Mortality

In the setting of Florenelle, there aren't any all-powerful gods necessarily. Godhood is obtained in the setting by acquiring enough power to have god-like abilities. So each character described in this setting can be defeated but they will be some of the mightiest foes to come across. More is explained and goes in-depth about deities and their types in the Deities article.

Taboo of Necromancy

The school and practice of necromancy are considered to be very taboo. It would be viewed as the equivalent of practicing Satanism in our own world compared to some of these societies, mostly the Coalition. Because of what little impact the Necromantic War had on Restored societies (explained in the Three Types of People article), they are much more laid back about its use but holy institutions such as the Gregorian Church are strict about its use.

Restored Societies

Ever since the Necromantic War ended, the powerful and influential grip from the Precursors have slowly faded away. Now, the Restored romp around Florenelle. Mostly unhindered by their aged and senile influence from the Precursors, they don't get into a lot of quarrels with them but it is well known Calvoran powers have been eyeing Province of Regalia to support either faction in the Colonial War.

Races of Florenelle

The Dwindling Races

Dwarves, halflings, and gnomes won't have much influence here. The Necromantic War's volatility nearly killed off every halfling and gnome. Dwarven society even collapsed and its people dispersed. Dwarves in this setting are known as the Dwarrin and have split into two people: The Zhari and Scandians. If there are players who select halfling or gnome characters, they have the unfortunate fate of being the last of their kind.

New and Old Races

Vren and blethers are a core race to the setting. In a quick nutshell, vren are a Precursor people with a heavy arcane heritage while blethers are artificial servants most commonly made in the Calvoran power of the Triumvirate.

Uncovered Races?

There are a lot of races to choose from in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. Certain races and their influence on Florenelle has yet to be established and given their own article. For players under the discretion of Florenelle's creator (MrBauta), anticipate most other setting unique races (centaurs, vedalken, kalashtar, etc) to be off-limits unless otherwise advised once a place for them can be explained canonically. Of course, other DMs who use this setting are free to lift this ban and perhaps use the "last of your kind" excuse I use for halflings and gnomes.

Core History of Florenelle

For a more in-depth reading on Florenelle’s history, see History of Florenelle.

The Necromantic War and Necromancy

Long ago, there was an ancient conflict that tore Florenelle and its connected worlds. This conflict, known as the Necromantic War, was brought on by the founding of the school of necromancy. Founded by a vren wizard who would later be known as Arkengrath, used this school as an excuse to cheat death and bring about immortal empires. These allies of his became known as the Arkonian Order. Because it is known that necromancy turns the dead into puppets and can blight the body in a hideous method (such as blindness, sickness, etc), that is why other nations fought back against this blasphemy to the natural way of death. They would form what would become known as the Coalition.

After an uncertain amount of years, this bloody and ravaging war would cause enough damage to everyone that history books before the War were ruptured with inaccuracies. Most of this was brought on either out of creating contempt or hoping to wipe away the memory of certain nations. Not only that, but its long-lasting effects also created problems for its participants. Vren became trapped on their island home because of paranoid arcane defenses, Elvarid is poisoned with the Arkonian Plague that wilts the body, the Draconians had their own civil wars from inner distrust, and the Arkonian Order banished to the Shadowfell. To this day, these old Precursor powers watch each other. The Coalition wonders if their old alliance is safe to breakdown or maintain it if Arkonia will rise again out for revenge.

Restoration Era

The Restoration Era is considered, as a whole, any time that takes place after the Necromantic War. It effectively is described as societies rebuilding from the ashes from the chaotic destruction the War brought. Even the surviving powers agreed to "reset" the year to zero as a show of new beginnings that are to be brighter than the past before it. Campaigns set in Florenelle typically are set in 1700's during a time of exploration and the fighting of the Calvoran powers.

Campaigns and Adventures of Florenelle

Over its long-term development, Florenelle has received a fair amount of adventures. Here are some of the tried and true adventures in the Florenelle setting:

Rise of Arkengrath

The year is 1723. The Arkonian Order stirs in the shadows as their old Coalition enemies have rotted with time. Now is their moment to return their old master and take revenge! The party gets caught up in the trail of their efforts as they discover the horrors and consequences of the Necromantic War along the way. Are you bold enough to take down the Order and stop their Overlord or will Arkengrath's return mean a dark period for all of Florenelle?

This is a long-term campaign that can see the characters go from level 1 to level 20.

Corruption in Carrington

A green fog looms over the Province of Carrington in the Kingdom of Trinidad. The citizens mention they have witnessed "faceless devils" flying around the area, harassing the locals. Natural fires won't start up and strange growths are turning up around the region. Rumors of the new Headmaster of Crowley University having a cult is rampant as no one believes it as those who have seen the basement say otherwise.

This adventure starts at level 5 and can take the player characters to level 8.

Adventures of Florenelle

These are adventures previously played through in the setting:

Missing Students in Locktuse

This short adventure takes place in the colony of Locktuse, Trinidad in Oceania. The party is called upon by the Arcane League to help the divination department find missing students sent out as practice for search-and-rescue teams. The problem is, they somehow managed to be undetectable by their divining efforts and now the school is worried. Hoping to avoid paperwork incase of student and staff injury, the adventurers are hired on for the task.

The Hunt for Capitaine Chaput

The bloodthirsty tiefling pirate of the seas, he is a heavily wanted man who has stumped both Valencia and Trinidad's trading companies for many years. Having made deals with the Infernal Clan to bolster his strength, the party is up for one fiery challenge against this fiendish swashbuckler.

Getting Started

One of the best places to start your Florenelle adventures is on the continent of Thracallia. There, both DM and players get accustomed to the eladrin precursors, the nivallen elves in the woods, and the Calvoran powers that roam around the area.

Currency

Here is the list of the commonly accepted currency:

Florenic Coin	Equivalent
Krona	Platinum
Floren	Gold
Stem	Electrum
Thether	Silver
Opren	Copper

Adventurers and I go well together like cheese and wine. Be on the look out for my stores if you seek magic items in exchange for the loot you find during your ventures.

— Oliver Dwindle