Colldria is a continent defined by tension — not constant war, but pressure. Every region has its own moral logic, political structure, and cultural rhythm. As GM, your goal is not to push players toward a specific outcome, but to let them feel the weight of where they stand.
Players should always feel like outsiders to someone’s system, unless their chosen character is a part of the system. — whether that system is honor, law, hospitality, arcane merit, or undeath.
These notes help maintain internal consistency and immersion.
Quests in Colldria should arise naturally from:
Political instability
Local needs posted at Adventurer's Guilds
Honor disputes
Religious doctrine
Trade dependencies
Magical research
Hidden ambitions of NPC's
Avoid simple “good vs evil” framing unless the region supports it.
Instead, ask:
Who benefits?
Who loses face?
Who remembers this insult?
What law does this violate?
What tradition does this threaten?
Let quests feel culturally rooted in the location where they are given.
Examples of tone by region:
Ashur-Rem – Fight against oppression, Legal complications, inheritance disputes, forbidden burials, quiet investigations, sanctioned executions, divine audits.
Valcarré – Knightly honor, duels, succession intrigue, tournaments, border tensions.
Hearthbound Concord – Social tensions, rumors, quiet manipulation, protection of trade routes, moral dilemmas wrapped in kindness.
Noctyrr-Vhal – Internal power struggles, undead mobilization, cult dissent, secret rebellions, survival horror.
Dollaghoor – Clan disputes, Blood Games, mercenary contracts, honor challenges.
Triess – Magical accidents, planar arrivals, restricted research, intellectual rivalry.
Let the region dictate the type of conflict.
Colldria uses a grounded currency structure based on Dungeons and Dragons Forgotten Realms style economy.
Price items based on function, rarity, and impact.
Copper & Silver
Street food, bread, ale
Common tools
Lodging
Simple travel supplies
Minor services
Silver & low Gold
Skilled labor
Quality clothing
Riding Horses, camels
Common weapons
Light armor
Gold
Martial weapons
Heavy armor
Military-grade equipment
Rare imports
High-status goods
Magical services
Enchanted items
Magical items should feel expensive, and rare.
In arcane hubs like Triess, prices may be higher but selection broader.
In Ashur-Rem, magical goods are often licensed and documented.
In Dollaghoor, wealth may be measured in trophies or negotiated honor-value rather than coin. Dollaghoor may sometimes request favors in place of payment.
Always ask:
Would this be common here?
Is this imported?
Is it restricted?
Is it politically sensitive?
Let supply chains matter.
When generating NPCs, names should match the cultural tone of the region the character comes from and the race.
Characters should feel native to their homeland — in dress, worldview, speech rhythm, and priorities.
Avoid overly fantastical speech patterns, most characters should feel real not like they are straight out of a story book.
Mannerisms should be used sparingly and only when socially relevant (e.g., before judgment, during negotiation, when invoking tradition). Not constant quirks.
Below is tone guidance for speech and behavior. This is not a hard rule for how to roleplay the characters of each region, each character has their own personality listed and should be roleplayed suitable to their backstory and personality, this guidance is only a tone setting for how characters may act. Characters can be atypical of their setting to create impact.
Speech is measured, formal, deliberate.
Sentences are structured and precise.
Authority is calm, not loud.
Religious language blends seamlessly into legal phrasing.
Hard consonants, smooth but firm delivery.
Silences are intentional.
Gestures are minimal.
Respect is shown through posture and stillness.
Speech is proud, lyrical, and courtly.
Emotion is restrained but passionate beneath the surface.
Nobles speak with layered politeness.
Knights speak directly but with honor-bound phrasing.
Peasantry speak simpler but still structured.
Insults are veiled.
Praise is ceremonial.
Speech is warm, inviting, and conversational.
Soft rhythms, gentle humor.
Questions are often indirect.
Tension is diffused through charm.
Hospitality is a tool.
Kindness may conceal awareness.
Speech is slow, deliberate, and almost indulgent.
Elongated vowels.
Calm dominance.
Rarely rushed.
Mockery is subtle, never loud.
Silence is weaponized.
Presence alone should feel oppressive.
Speech carries musical cadence.
Words flow smoothly.
Emotion can be open but dignified.
References to history and land are common.
People value legacy and memory.
Speech is blunt, grounded, and practical.
Hard consonants.
Direct eye contact.
Little patience for ornament.
Respect is earned, not granted.
Speech is declarative and physical.
Statements are bold.
Oaths are spoken loudly.
Names and lineage are referenced often.
Public speech carries weight.
Insults are not subtle.
Speech varies by race, but educated speakers tend toward:
Precise vocabulary.
Analytical phrasing.
Detached curiosity.
Magical terminology is used casually.
Emotion rarely overrides logic in formal settings.
Names in Colldria should reflect geography, culture, social structure. A name should feel like it belongs to the land the character was raised in.
Avoid common fantasy trope names.
Use consistent internal logic. Nobles, priests, merchants, and commoners should sound culturally connected to the location they are found.
Colldria works best when:
The world feels larger than the players.
Institutions exist before the party arrives and present them as active with or without the parties intervention.
Consequences ripple outward. Low level players should not be involved in the grand scale of nations, whereas high level parties may.
NPCs have cultural grounding. Whilst low level commoners may speak of the grander themes of Colldrian politics, they should be more focused on the day to day and the direct problems they face. Nobles, merchants and other NPC's with higher levels should feel more involved with the grand themes of the realm they are in and may be reluctant to involve players unless they are of a percieved competence.
Not every conflict is meant to be solved with violence but it is usually a choice. Reward or punish players for their choices in how quests are resolved. Reward creativity in player responses or provide culturally appropriate punishments to the players from NPC's in line with the NPC's personality and the regions laws.
Encourage players to:
Choose alliances carefully.
Respect or push back against local customs.
Ask questions.
Think politically when appropriate.
Consider reputation.
Never force a direction, instead present pressures based on the situation at hand.
Let the player decide how to proceed but once a choice is made, reward or punish the choice as necessary. Not all quest's have to have a moral dilemma but most should push the players to think about the choices they are making. Example: The party is travelling on a quest to guard a caravan to another town but they spot brigands harrassing other travellers on the road. If the party opt to help the other travellers with the brigands, potentially they may face decreased relationship with the caravan they are protecting for putting them in danger or perhaps the brigands turn their attention to the caravan the party is travelling with. Most decisions should come with a cost.
Rewards can be in the form of increased relationship with NPC's, increased renown in the region, monetary rewards or rare items.
Punishments can be in the form of decreased relationship with NPC's, Decreased renown or even infamy in the region, Warrents for arrest, new quests that involve fixing a side-affect of a previous quest, injury, pursuit by brigands.