Setting

WHAT ARE THE KINGDOMS OF KALAMAR? TELLENE? THE SOVEREIGN LANDS?

Tellene is a planet similar to Earth, but with a warmer climate. Many different races of beings populate Tellene, including humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, and many types of monsters and other humanoids.

The lands of Tellene defined in the Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting sourcebook are often referred to as the Sovereign Lands, and include the kingdoms of Brandobia, the Kalamaran Empire, the cities and city-states of Reanaaria Bay, the Isle of Svimohzia, the Wild Lands and the Young Kingdoms.

The Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting is named after the great Kalamaran Empire, which once covered much of Tellene. But time weighs heavily upon all, and the empire’s reach is not what it once was. Its provinces declare independence, hobgoblin kingdoms thrive and foreign empires expand, while the monsters of the land grow stronger than ever. Still, its influence is felt almost everywhere in Tellene.

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This special PDF value package of the Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting is a perfect companion to the HackMaster game and a must-have for players and GameMasters alike. Included is the original rules-free “Sourcebook of the Sovereign Lands”, a thorough gazetteer of the realms providing a comprehensive reference of politics, geography and history. Appended to this work is the complete full-color Kalamar Atlas, a beautiful and realistically rendered marvel of mapmaking prowess. All told this PDF is 325 pages.

 

WHAT ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE KINGDOMS OF KALAMAR CAMPAIGN SETTING?

The Kingdoms of Kalamar is a vibrant setting for your game, alive with rich characters, imminent danger, complex intrigue and exciting adventure, all awaiting your shaping hand. It is a robust and detailed world filled with many cultures, both human and humanoid. It is also a world rife with adventure possibilities, where fantastic creatures roam the wilderness, evil clerics worship evil deities hell-bent on destruction, and the dead rise again to spread terror throughout the world. Here, complex political alliances mix with marauding bands of humanoids and technology and industry come face to face with magic and the fantastic. This setting combines the best of the real medieval world with all the elements of fantasy you have come to enjoy. And while nearly any setting suffices for a single adventure, these qualities make Tellene an engaging game setting for your character to live in and explore, long after the novelty of the “tourist bazaars” has worn thin.

This is partly because of the strong geo-historical basis of the setting. The maps feel right because they are right, at least from a standpoint of verisimilitude. The continents, the lakes, the rivers, the forests, all the geographical features are based on real examples. The setting was built from the ground up, and it was built with an attention to detail. Everything was determined at the start, from the direction of the prevailing winds to the plate tectonics. There are no glaciers in the middle of warm lakes, no swamps adjacent to deserts, nor huge jungles in temperate latitudes. The realistic basis of the setting allows it to become the invisible backdrop for the real action: you.

Your player character is the real hero of any game. You are the focus, and a campaign world should be shaped by your actions, not the other way around. Tellene is that kind of campaign world as it offers you the opportunity to be a world-shaper. Life in the Sovereign Lands is guided by ordinary men and women with extraordinary courage and resolve. This book gives you the information you need to become one of those people. But fear not, for all the detail and background history that this setting provides adds depth to your adventures without confining them. The Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting allows you to be the author of your own destiny by providing the scenery but not the story.

Of course, player characters cannot be everywhere at once. The world continues moving even when you are off exploring a forgotten dungeon somewhere. Evil cults spread their influence throughout a small town. A village succumbs to a mysterious disease. A band of humanoids halts merchant routes between two cities. Villains even kidnap princesses when you are not around to do anything about it. What happens then? The NPCs of Tellene are not inept; otherwise, they would not be worthy (or successful) villains. A world full of morons is no place to live. You need the good, the bad and even the so-so to populate your campaign to make the party’s heroic deeds exceptional. After all, if everybody on the block is a superhero, nobody stands out.

The Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting enhances your gaming experience by providing you a realistic backdrop for your character. Every type of person you could imagine lives somewhere on Tellene. In fact, that’s one of the reasons this is such an enjoyable setting to play in: it is tremendously versatile. No matter what type of character you choose to play, you should feel confident that they will have an important place in the world of Tellene.

The setting also provides a realistic, dynamic world for your character to live in. Every sort of adventure can be found on the continents of Tellene. Whether you dream of finding great riches in the bellies of mountains or ridding the desert of undead abominations, the Kingdoms of Kalamar setting provides the where and the how, all the while maintaining a commitment to realism that lets you experience your character’s adventures in the most satisfying ways.

In the Sovereign Lands, your character has a chance to stand out. In fact, you have a chance to be the greatest character in the campaign world. However, greatness is different for every individual. While you may dream of conquering the continent and bringing peace and prosperity to its people, others may wish for the ultimate in scholarly or magical achievement. What sets this setting apart is its ability to give you the opportunity to do all this and more without sacrificing continuity or common sense. This book provides rules for playing haughty nobles, influential clerics and avaricious warlords. Here you are presented with the opportunity to become great. Realizing that opportunity, however, requires skill, effort and a little bit of luck.