The Gods Are Bastards
It was a world of sword and sorcery, but that was a thousand years ago.
Welcome to the Tiraan Empire.
This is not a land of medieval stasis. We live in the Arcane Industrial Revolution. The secrets of magic have been cracked, standardized, and mass-produced. Elemental engines drive industry, and the gods themselves manage their portfolios like corporate executives.
The World of Tiraas
🚂 Magitech & Industry
The cities are powered by Arcane Magic. Floating trains link the disparate cities of the Empire, gliding silently along leylines of steel and spellwork. Airships—buoyed by potent levitation enchantments and driven by elemental turbines—dock at the spires of the capital, unloading cargo from across the known world. Telescrolls carry news instantly across the continent, flashing messages in glowing script, and the convenience of arcane devices—from weather charms to recording crystals—is available to anyone with the coin to afford them.
Be warned, however: the factories also churn out mass-produced arcane firearms. The wand has replaced the sword for the common soldier, making a peasant conscript as deadly as a knight of old.
🤠 The Frontier
Civilization has a sharp edge. Step off the train at the end of the line, and you step into the Frontier. Here, law is scarce and dangers are plentiful. * Aesthetics: Think Victorian Western. The streets are crystal-lit, and the hum of arcane power thrums through the streetlights, casting long shadows over dust-choked towns. * Wand-Slingers: The gun has been replaced by the Wand. Wandslingers carry blasting rods in low-slung holsters, quick on the draw and deadly accurate. Duels are fought with fire and lightning at high noon. * Adventurer Chic: The "Adventurer" is the rockstar of the age. High society mimics the practical gear of the delver—extravagantly tailored overcoats, impractical heels modeled on rugged boots, and metal accents reminiscent of armor define the style of the salons of Tiraas. To look like you've raided a dungeon is the height of fashion, even if you've never left the city.
🔮 The Four Magic Systems
Magic is not one thing; it is four distinct forces that shape reality.
Arcane (Intelligence)
The magic of Understanding. It is physics, math, and industry. It powers the floating trains, lights the cities, and fuels the economy. It is stable, learned, and mass-producible—the backbone of the modern world.
Divine (Wisdom)
The magic of Order. Granted by the Pantheon to their faithful. It heals, protects, and upholds the laws of reality. It is the shield of civilization against the dark and the chaotic.
Fae (Nature)
The magic of Growth. It flows from the life force of the world. It is wild, verdant, and fundamentally incompatible with the sterile order of Arcane industry. As the cities grow, the Fae recedes into the deep woods.
Infernal (Constitution)
The magic of Entropy. Drawn from the Hells, it is corrosive, addictive, and mutagenic. It offers quick power at a terrible price, twisting the user in body and soul.
🌍 The Peoples of Tiraas
The Empire is a crucible of cultures, where ancient bloodlines mix with new ambitions. * Humans: The ambitious builders of the Empire. * Elves: High Elves master the arcane, while Wood Elves watch the forests. * Dwarves: Masters of stone, steel, and industry. * Orcs: Still finding their place in a world that fears them. * Drow: Diplomats from the deep, navigating the surface world. * Gnomes: Inventors and tinkers driving the revolution. * Also: Goliaths, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, and Tieflings.
See the Playable Races Index for more.
🗺️ Navigation
Getting Started
- Campaign Overview - The current state of play.
- Classes Reference - How D&D classes fit into Tiraas.
The Library
- Magic Systems: Deep dive into the four magics.
- The World: Nations, maps, and cultures.
- History: From the Elder Gods to the Hell Wars.
- The Pantheon: The gods who rule the world.
- Adventurer's Guild: Your employers.
- Adventurer's Guild: Your employers.
🎨 Visual Mood Board
Explore the aesthetic of the Arcane Industrial Revolution.
