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Birthright (campaign setting)
Encyclopedia
Birthright is a Dungeons & Dragons
campaign setting
that was first released by TSR in 1995. The setting based on the world of Aebrynis on the continent of Cerilia, in which the players take on the role of the divinely-empowered rulers, with emphasis on the political rulership level of gameplay. In 1996, Birthright won the Origins Award
for Best Roleplaying Supplement of 1995. Though it has a dedicated fan base, Birthright currently has no corporate support, unlike Forgotten Realms
and Eberron
.
The setting revolves around the concept of bloodline
s: divine power gained by heroes and passed to their descendants. Characters with a bloodline create an aura of command known as Regency, which is measured in the game using regency points or RP. Using regency, characters acquire a domain composed of provinces and holdings. The development of these domains is as much a part of the game as development of the characters. The game uses three-month domain turns to model actions of rulers over nations in much the same way as Dungeons and Dragons (and hence, Birthright) uses combat rounds simulating six-seconds of time to model the characters' actions in battle.
and Colin McComb
co-designed the Birthright campaign setting.
Anuire
is in the southwest portion of Cerilia. To its south are the Straits of Aerele, which separate Cerilia from Aduria. To the west lies the Sea of Storms (Miere Rhuann) and to the east the Gulf of Coeranys. The river Maesil forms a great highway through the heartlands of Anuire. Generally a temperate climate similar to Western Europe. Conceptually similar to Britain
.
Rjurik
is in the northwest of Cerilia. Large expanses of sparsely settled pine forests dominate this region. The climate and culture are modeled on Scandinavia
, with the north much colder.
Brechtür
is in the central north of Cerilia. The Great Bay almost separates Cerilia in half. The nations of Brechtür lie on the shores of the Great Bay. These realms are very mountainous and travel by ship is almost always preferred to overland routes. Conceptually similar to the Hanseatic League
.
Khinasi
is in the southeast of Cerilia, has arid plains, rugged mountains, many islands, and desert. Conceptually similar to Arabia and Persia.
Vosgaard
is located in the northeast of Cerilia and is also known as the Heartless Wastes. The land is frigid and unforgiving. Conceptually similar to medieval Russia
.
After years of manipulation and machination Azrai's armies marched on Cerilia. On his side were his Adurian minions, the Vos (a human tribe he had corrupted), and the elves, bitter from their wars with humanity. The human tribes and their patron gods met him in battle at Mount Deismaar, located on the landbridge between Aduria and Cerilia. The elves realized they had been tricked by Azrai and most switched sides. As their armies fought on the slopes of the mountain, the gods themselves met in battle. The other gods were only able to defeat Azrai by sacrificing themselves. In a colossal explosion, they destroyed themselves and Azrai. Mount Deismaar and the land bridge were destroyed.
The power of the gods was not wasted, however. It shot out and entered those present at the battle. The champions of the gods, those closest in ideal and virtue to their patron as well as physical proximity at the time of the cataclysm, received the most power. They became gods themselves, a new pantheon that would replace the old.
Other combatants also received some of the divine power of the gods. On the battlefield it did not take them long to realize that this power was in their blood, and could be stolen. A scion, as one of the divine blood is called, could have his blood strength stolen if killed by a blow piercing his heart.
The divine gifts of the scions make them able leaders. They form a connection to their people and land, drawing strength from them. And in times of need returning that strength and perform great deeds. They also can have a variety of other divine powers, such as long life, the ability to detect poison or project a divine aura, depending upon their bloodline strength and the god it was derived from.
Those who find themselves with the blood of Azrai often become powerful abominations, or awnsheghlien. Corrupted by their dark blood, their bodies twist to reflect their inner corruption. Many of the major villains and monsters are awnsheghlien. Examples include the Gorgon (stone-skinned with a petrifying gaze, perhaps the strongest creature in Cerilia), the Sphinx (an insane half-cat lover of riddles), the Spider (once a goblin-king who fought at Deismaar), and the Vampire (once a young hero who killed a blood abomination named the Sinister and thus became corrupted himself).
Domains are made up of provinces and holdings. Provinces are the basic political unit of the domain level. They represent the actual land, population and natural environment of a domain. There are four types of holdings; law, temples, guilds and sources. Law holdings represent the legal authority of regents in the province while temples and guild holdings are the religious and economic aspects of a province. Source holdings represent the magical energy contained by the natural environment of a province. Both provinces and holdings are described using levels.
The size and shape of provinces varies significantly in the published materials, but they average roughly thirty to forty miles across. Provinces have a population level (a number from 1-10) that has several effects on play. Regents collect regency (RP) based on the population levels of the provinces they control, and the population level determines the maximum level of law, temple and guild holdings in that province.
As regents, player characters can perform domain actions. Domain actions are month-long activities that have a wide range of effects. Increasing population, creating holdings, waging war, diplomacy, trade and dealing with random events are all possible domain actions. Regents can also choose to build castles, muster troops, issue decrees, establish treaties, etc.
Both priest and wizard characters are able to utilize their holdings (temples and sources, respectively) to cast realm spells. Realm spells are large scale magic that can affect entire provinces. They are often costly both in terms of gold and regency.
Other races are notably missing from the setting. There are no Orcs, Half-Orcs, Kobolds or Gnomes. (At least, there are none presented in the original materials as character races.)
As previously mentioned, there are no orcs or gnomes in Cerilia. Note: Gnomes are on the list of "AD&D Monsters in Cerilia" in the Birthright Rulebook and are also mentioned in the "King of the Giantdowns" adventure.
had cancelled the line after buying TSR, they had published the following:
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
that was first released by TSR in 1995. The setting based on the world of Aebrynis on the continent of Cerilia, in which the players take on the role of the divinely-empowered rulers, with emphasis on the political rulership level of gameplay. In 1996, Birthright won the Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
for Best Roleplaying Supplement of 1995. Though it has a dedicated fan base, Birthright currently has no corporate support, unlike Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
and Eberron
Eberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
.
The setting revolves around the concept of bloodline
Heredity
Heredity is the passing of traits to offspring . This is the process by which an offspring cell or organism acquires or becomes predisposed to the characteristics of its parent cell or organism. Through heredity, variations exhibited by individuals can accumulate and cause some species to evolve...
s: divine power gained by heroes and passed to their descendants. Characters with a bloodline create an aura of command known as Regency, which is measured in the game using regency points or RP. Using regency, characters acquire a domain composed of provinces and holdings. The development of these domains is as much a part of the game as development of the characters. The game uses three-month domain turns to model actions of rulers over nations in much the same way as Dungeons and Dragons (and hence, Birthright) uses combat rounds simulating six-seconds of time to model the characters' actions in battle.
Development
In 1994, Rich BakerRichard Baker (game designer)
Richard Baker is an American author and a game designer who has worked on many Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings.-Early life, education, and military:...
and Colin McComb
Colin McComb
Colin McComb is an American writer and game designer born in Evanston, Illinois. He is married to musician Robin Moulder. They currently live in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, with their two children...
co-designed the Birthright campaign setting.
Geography
The world of Aebrynis has at least four known continents, the frozen continent of Thaele, the continent of Djapar to the southeast, the great southern continent of Aduria, and Cerilia, the location of the actual Birthright campaign. Cerilia itself is divided into five regions: Anuire, Rjurik, Brechtür, Khinasi, and Vosgaard, each named after the primary human group that first settled there.Anuire
is in the southwest portion of Cerilia. To its south are the Straits of Aerele, which separate Cerilia from Aduria. To the west lies the Sea of Storms (Miere Rhuann) and to the east the Gulf of Coeranys. The river Maesil forms a great highway through the heartlands of Anuire. Generally a temperate climate similar to Western Europe. Conceptually similar to Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Rjurik
is in the northwest of Cerilia. Large expanses of sparsely settled pine forests dominate this region. The climate and culture are modeled on Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, with the north much colder.
Brechtür
is in the central north of Cerilia. The Great Bay almost separates Cerilia in half. The nations of Brechtür lie on the shores of the Great Bay. These realms are very mountainous and travel by ship is almost always preferred to overland routes. Conceptually similar to the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
.
Khinasi
is in the southeast of Cerilia, has arid plains, rugged mountains, many islands, and desert. Conceptually similar to Arabia and Persia.
Vosgaard
is located in the northeast of Cerilia and is also known as the Heartless Wastes. The land is frigid and unforgiving. Conceptually similar to medieval Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
History
Cerilia was originally inhabited by the elves, dwarves, and goblins. Fleeing the corruption of Aduria by the dark god Azrai, human tribes settled Cerilia. At first contact between the elves and humans was peaceful, but conflict soon arose as the human population expanded into elven lands.After years of manipulation and machination Azrai's armies marched on Cerilia. On his side were his Adurian minions, the Vos (a human tribe he had corrupted), and the elves, bitter from their wars with humanity. The human tribes and their patron gods met him in battle at Mount Deismaar, located on the landbridge between Aduria and Cerilia. The elves realized they had been tricked by Azrai and most switched sides. As their armies fought on the slopes of the mountain, the gods themselves met in battle. The other gods were only able to defeat Azrai by sacrificing themselves. In a colossal explosion, they destroyed themselves and Azrai. Mount Deismaar and the land bridge were destroyed.
The power of the gods was not wasted, however. It shot out and entered those present at the battle. The champions of the gods, those closest in ideal and virtue to their patron as well as physical proximity at the time of the cataclysm, received the most power. They became gods themselves, a new pantheon that would replace the old.
Other combatants also received some of the divine power of the gods. On the battlefield it did not take them long to realize that this power was in their blood, and could be stolen. A scion, as one of the divine blood is called, could have his blood strength stolen if killed by a blow piercing his heart.
The divine gifts of the scions make them able leaders. They form a connection to their people and land, drawing strength from them. And in times of need returning that strength and perform great deeds. They also can have a variety of other divine powers, such as long life, the ability to detect poison or project a divine aura, depending upon their bloodline strength and the god it was derived from.
Those who find themselves with the blood of Azrai often become powerful abominations, or awnsheghlien. Corrupted by their dark blood, their bodies twist to reflect their inner corruption. Many of the major villains and monsters are awnsheghlien. Examples include the Gorgon (stone-skinned with a petrifying gaze, perhaps the strongest creature in Cerilia), the Sphinx (an insane half-cat lover of riddles), the Spider (once a goblin-king who fought at Deismaar), and the Vampire (once a young hero who killed a blood abomination named the Sinister and thus became corrupted himself).
The Domain Level
Because bloodlines allow scions to collect regency the Birthright campaign includes a set of rules for players to participate in the "domain level" of play. That is, their characters can control various types of large scale organizations. Those who rule such organizations are called regents. They are able to use the power they gain in the form of regency to manipulate events in and around their domain.Domains are made up of provinces and holdings. Provinces are the basic political unit of the domain level. They represent the actual land, population and natural environment of a domain. There are four types of holdings; law, temples, guilds and sources. Law holdings represent the legal authority of regents in the province while temples and guild holdings are the religious and economic aspects of a province. Source holdings represent the magical energy contained by the natural environment of a province. Both provinces and holdings are described using levels.
The size and shape of provinces varies significantly in the published materials, but they average roughly thirty to forty miles across. Provinces have a population level (a number from 1-10) that has several effects on play. Regents collect regency (RP) based on the population levels of the provinces they control, and the population level determines the maximum level of law, temple and guild holdings in that province.
As regents, player characters can perform domain actions. Domain actions are month-long activities that have a wide range of effects. Increasing population, creating holdings, waging war, diplomacy, trade and dealing with random events are all possible domain actions. Regents can also choose to build castles, muster troops, issue decrees, establish treaties, etc.
Both priest and wizard characters are able to utilize their holdings (temples and sources, respectively) to cast realm spells. Realm spells are large scale magic that can affect entire provinces. They are often costly both in terms of gold and regency.
Races
The primary races of the Birthright setting are typical for Dungeons and Dragons based game-worlds: Humans, Elves and Half-Elves, Halflings, Dwarves. However, there are some differences between the races presented in Birthright and those in other campaign settings or in the core rules. Also, non-human races do not exist in the variation that they exist in other settings. That is, there are no Wood Elves, High Elves, Gray Elves, etc.Other races are notably missing from the setting. There are no Orcs, Half-Orcs, Kobolds or Gnomes. (At least, there are none presented in the original materials as character races.)
Humans
Humans are split into five distinct subraces, each representing a different culture:- Anuirean: The human descendants of the Andu tribe. After fleeing the corruption of ancient Adurian civilization by the god Azrai, the Andu were brought to Cerilia by their patron god Anduiras. When the old gods died at the battle of Mount Deismaar, the newly risen god Haelyn became their patron god. Haelyn's brother Roele founded the Aniurean Empire, which at one time encompassed major portions of Rjurik, Brechtür, Khinasi, and all of Anuire. That empire lasted some thousand years until Michael Roele, the last Emperor of Anuire, died at the hands of the Gorgon, heralding its decline. The subject realms subsequently won their independence and the twelve Duchies of Anuire fractured politically. Currently some thirty separate realms exist in Anuire. Most are human dominated, but a few goblin, elven, and dwarven realms exist as well. Anuireans are culturally similar to medieval western Europe. Feudal lords hold dominion, armored knights fill the military, and a small middle class of merchants chafes under the rigid social structure. As Anuire was the region described in the original boxed set and is closest to established fantasy stereotypes, it is perhaps the most well known and heavily played region of Cerilia.
- Brecht: The Brecht humans tend to be individualistic and enterprising. They have a large middle class and merchant-princes hold much power. The Brecht are superb sailors, voyaging far and wide to trade. They depend upon their fleets and rugged mountains to defend their coastal realms. Their patron god is Sera, goddess of trade and luck. The Brecht draw elements from Renaissance Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany, as well as the Hanseatic LeagueHanseatic LeagueThe Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
. Piracy is a major problem, daring captains sail roundships to distant continents, and much swashbuckling ensues. - Khinasi: Khinasi lands are sometimes called "The Cities of the Sun." The cultured and civilized Khinasi have a distinctly Middle Eastern flavor. They hold wizards and magicians in high regard and mages rule several city-states. Magic is much more common and accepted among the Khinasi than elsewhere in Cerilia. Their patron deity is the sun goddess Avani, whose portfolio includes enlightenment as well as illumination.
- Rjurik: The Rjurik humans live in the harsh climate of the Rjurik Highlands. They have cultural traits taken from the Celts and Scandinavians. Druids watch over the people and forests, jarls build and trek in longships, and semi-nomadic tribes debate whether to join their 'civilized' settled brethren. Much of Rjurik life is based on survival in their relatively harsh terrain. Their patron god is Eric, god of nature and the druids.
- Vos: The Vos were once dedicated to the god Vorynn, the old god of magic, but they were lured by the evil god Azrai and fought at his side at the battle of Mount Deismaar. Their patron gods are now Belinik, god of violence, and Kreisha, goddess of winter. They have a warrior society based loosely on Slavic culture.
Non-Human Races
- Elves of Cerilia call themselves the Sidhelien and live in the ancient forests of Cerlia. They are generally antagonistic to humans—and most other Cerilian races. Unlike elves in other settings, Cerilian elves are generally chaotic neutral. Elves are immortal, immune to disease and do not need to sleep.
- Half-Elves bridge the gap between elves and humans. They are not immortal but are longer-lived than humans. Though elves are generally suspicious of humans they accept their rare offspring with mortals completely into their society, despite their mortality. Among humans, however, half-elves are treated with superstition and suspicion.
- Halflings are a race that is native to the Shadow World, but fled to Cerilia when a force of evil corrupted their homeland. They still bear the taint of their origins in the Shadow World and are able to cross over into that plane of existence more easily than any other race of Cerilia.
- Dwarves are a gruff mountain folk, whose bodies are twice as dense as other creatures. They weigh 250-300 pounds despite averaging only 4-4½ feet tall. Dwarves are often isolationist and reserved.
- Goblins are less hated and feared than in other fantasy settings. Although seen as crude and barbaric, they have several large realms that trade with human realms.
- Orogs are a fierce, militaristic race that live primarily underground. They are in endless war with the dwarves and just about every other race of Cerilia.
- Gnolls, giants, and other Dungeons and Dragons races also exist.
As previously mentioned, there are no orcs or gnomes in Cerilia. Note: Gnomes are on the list of "AD&D Monsters in Cerilia" in the Birthright Rulebook and are also mentioned in the "King of the Giantdowns" adventure.
List of Birthright Products
During its four-year run, 25 roleplaying products and five novels were published by TSR, as well as a computer game by Sierra On-Line. The line was suspended before the publishing schedule was complete. By the time Wizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
had cancelled the line after buying TSR, they had published the following:
Boxed Sets
- 3100 Birthright Campaign SettingBirthright Campaign SettingBirthright Campaign Setting is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1995....
- 3103 Cities of the SunCities of the SunCities of the Sun is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1995.-Contents:...
- 3121 The Rjurik HighlandsThe Rjurik HighlandsThe Rjurik Highlands is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996.-Contents:...
- 3129 Havens of the Great Bay
- 3134 Naval Battle Rules: The Seas of Cerillia
Accessories
- 3104 Player's Secrets of Roesone
- 3105 Player's Secrets of Endier
- 3106 Player's Secrets of Medoere
- 3107 Player's Secrets of Tuornen
- 3108 Player's Secrets of Ilien
- 3109 Player's Secrets of TaliniePlayer's Secrets of TaliniePlayer's Secrets of Talinie is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1995....
- 3111 Player's Secrets of AriyaPlayer's Secrets of AriyaPlayer's Secrets of Ariya is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1995....
- 3119 Player's Secrets of BinsadaPlayer's Secrets of BinsadaPlayer's Secrets of Binsada is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996....
- 3120 Player's Secrets of Baruk-AzhikPlayer's Secrets of Baruk-AzhikPlayer's Secrets of Baruk-Azhik is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996....
- 3122 Player's Secrets of HalskapaPlayer's Secrets of HalskapaPlayer's Secrets of Halskapa is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996....
- 3123 Player's Secrets of KhouranePlayer's Secrets of KhouranePlayer's Secrets of Khourane is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996....
- 3124 Player's Secrets of Tuarhievel
- 3127 Player's Secrets of Stjordvik
- 3135 Player's Secrets of Hogunmark
- Player's Secrets of Müden
- 3101 Blood Enemies: Abominations of Cerilia
- 3140 Blood Spawn: Creatures of Light and Shadow
- 3147 Tribes of the Heartless Wastes
- 3117 The Book of MagecraftThe Book of MagecraftThe Book of Magecraft is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996....
- 3126 The Book of Priestcraft
- 3137 The Book of Regency
Adventures
- 3102 Sword and Crown
- 3110 Warlock of the StonecrownsWarlock of the StonecrownsWarlock of the Stonecrowns is an adventure module for the Birthight campaign setting, in the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:...
- 3118 The Sword of RoeleThe Sword of RoeleThe Sword of Roele is an adventure module for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996....
- 3125 Legends of the Hero-KingsLegends of the Hero-KingsLegends of the Hero-Kings is an adventure module for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996....
- 3142 King of the Giantdowns
Novels
- The Iron Throne by Simon HawkeSimon HawkeSimon Hawke is an American author of mainly science fiction and fantasy novels. He was born Nicholas Valentin Yermakov, but began writing as Simon Hawke in 1984 and later changed his legal name to Hawke. He has also written near future adventure novels under the penname "J. D...
(Nov, 1995. ISBN 0-7869-0357-0) - Greatheart by Dixie Lee McKeone (Feb, 1996. ISBN 0-7869-0480-1)
- War by Simon Hawke (May, 1996. ISBN 0-7869-0495-X)
- The Hag's Contract by John Gregory BetancourtJohn Gregory BetancourtJohn Gregory Betancourt is a writer of science fiction, fantasy and mystery novels as well as short stories. He has worked as an assistant editor at Amazing Stories and editor of Horror: The Newsmagazine of the Horror Field, the revived Weird Tales magazine, the first issue of H. P...
(June, 1996. ISBN 0-7869-0496-8) - The Spider's Test by Dixie Lee McKeone (Sept, 1996. ISBN 0-7869-0512-3)
- The Falcon and the Wolf by Richard BakerRichard Baker (game designer)Richard Baker is an American author and a game designer who has worked on many Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings.-Early life, education, and military:...
(May, 2000. Online publication.)
Unpublished Material
In 2005, to celebrate Birthright's 10th anniversary Wizards of the Coast announced the free web release of a series of published and unpublished Birthright products at free downloads, including the novel The Falcon and the Wolf by Birthright creator Richard Baker III, although only the first few releases were actually published.New Material
At the time of this writing, Wizards of the Coast is not publishing new Birthright products. However, a version of Birthright is being constructed for use with the Revised Third Edition of Dungeons and Dragons rules (also known as D&D 3.5e) and hosted at Birthright.net. This group project is collaboratively structured over the Internet, and recognised as the official updated version of the setting by Wizards of the Coast. Several downloads of the updated setting are available for free on that site as are other campaign materials and an extensive message board.External links
- Birthright.net a site dedicated to the setting and the host for the official Birthright update to D&D 3.5e.
- Birthright List Archives the Birthright email discussion list sponsored by Wizards of the Coast.
- Birthright Memories of the campaign designers.
- TSR Archive Birthright product list
- Birthright Netbook Includes new domain actions, blood abilities, spells, monsters, and magic items for the original Birthright Campaign Setting.