The Crown Isles

Most features of this campaign world are very similar to the “generic fantasy” settings of Middle Earth, Westeros, Faerun, Tamriel, Midkemia, etc. As in all of these worlds, technology, government, and society are a thematic hodgepodge that borrows mainly from the European Medieval and Renaissance eras. What’s slightly different about the world of the Crown Isles is that a few anachronistic threads from later time periods - specifically the Georgian and Victorian eras - are woven in as well.   Exceptional artificers are constructing firearms that rival or even surpass conventional weaponry, while other tinkerers are obsessed with engineering clockwork automata. Time will tell if they are geniuses or madmen! Some truly amazing feats of engineering have inspired awe and wonder across the Isles, but these marvelous inventions are so far singular creations, and have little effect on the daily lives of the common folk other than to set tongues wagging.   The Crown Isles comprise four large island states, unified over two hundred years ago following decades of conflict and dozens of arranged marriages. Today, Bristol, Arbonne, Salamandra, and Hammerskäld are all joined - tenuously - under the banner of the Arcadian Empire. The Empire is structured as a constitutional monarchy: ruled by a hereditary monarch, but with a legislative Parliament that keeps the throne in check and prevents the Emperor’s every whim from becoming law.   Each of the four main isles boasts its own unique culture and traditions:  

Bristol reeks of salt, tar, and blubber; from the meanest shack to the grandest mansion, the air is permeated with the smells of the sea. Most cities and towns are built along the shore, speaking to the maritime heritage of the island. Bristol is also home to the capital city of Hulls Keep, and as such serves as the Imperial seat of power.

Arbonne’s baroque architecture, rich textiles, and penchant for color proudly proclaim the island’s artistic roots. It is the home of playwrights, scholars, troubadours, and artisans of every medium. In addition to its excellent wines, strange tales, daring fashions, and impossible romances rank among Arbonne’s chief exports.

Salamandra’s warm climate, exotic foods, and festive culture are a treat for the nobility, which sojourns to the southernmost part of the Empire to indulge in all manner of uncommon appetites. The island’s signature opulence comes at a price, however: the working class breaks its back to provide the aristocracy with the comforts that are the hallmark of Salamandran hospitality.

Hammerskäld’s snowy peaks and frozen tundras are seen by most as something to be feared, and by a very few as a challenge to be conquered. The harsh conditions have left it the least populated of the Isles, with nature being the true ruler of its largely untouched reaches. Its natives are fierce and tough; a home to hunters and explorers that is seen by the rest of the Empire as a land of myth and legend.