Liminal State

A Dungeons & Dragons, Fourth Edition Campaign
Welcome to the Great City of Liminal.
Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but you're clearly new to our fair city. At the risk of offending, it was obvious - only outsiders stare the way you were. No, no, it's no shame. Liminal is wondrous to behold, after all!

You obviously come from the Countryside around Liminal. From the foothills of the Savyrn Ranges, perhaps, or the hamlets in the shadows of the Delannwood? No matter - the Countryside is the Countryside, and you have never seen the things that Liminal has to offer you. We call her "the City Between," for reasons that will become apparent. Where else, after all, can you find the paths to walk that you can here?

Oh, certainly, a great many of the avenues and districts here are found in the world you know, the world that is the home to the Countryside, and all the nations beyond it. But look there. Do you see the dim red glow of the Coalman's District there at the far end of the wall, there? That is where this world touches the world of flame and fire. Beyond the Brass Gate in the Coalman's District is the terrible burning world, home to the ifrits and the red dragons, salamanders and fire elementals.

Likewise, do you see the rich green park-plaza there, the Greensward? Just beyond it is the Feywild, and the Greensward is the place where the Feywild and this world meet, like fingers touching in forbidden dalliance. Beyond the Gate of Thorns awaits the rest of the Feywild, and the fey lords of that world.

Will you find the Blackstreets, which touch the Shadowfell, or perhaps the temple district of Empyros, where the Great Heavens await on the other side of the Adamant Gate? Liminal is the great between-place, where the myriad worlds overlap like the petals of a rose, each distinct, but folding in on one another, to create the beauteous blossom that is the Great City.

If you would remain here, watch your step. The power of the City of Brass, the Feywild, even the Eternal Hells themselves meet and mingle here. The politics our nobles play are not for mere power or wealth: they are for the existence of Liminal itself.

But such concerns are above people like you and I. Come! I know of a wonderful bar where romantic devils and scandalous angels like gather to watch the most sinuous, barely-clothed fae dancers in all the worlds. They also serve the finest drinks mortal money can buy.

Player Characters

• Sherman, Kobold Artificer (Alchemist); played by Chillos.
• Lirrus Grimsmiter, Dwarf Battlemind (Hospitaler); played by A.J.
• Grok, Half-Orc Monk (Watershaper); played by Kurt.
• Lloyrian, Elf Druid (Guttersnipe); played by Dan.
• Silvestre, Shifter Barbarian (Moon-Bitten); played by Josh.
• Rakdos, Dragonborn Swordmage (Guardian); played by Brandon.

Campaign Rules

• Races of Liminal
• Classes of Liminal
• Themes of Liminal

Setting Details

• Gods of Liminal
• Cosmology of Liminal

The Great City of Liminal

Who's Who in Liminal

Masters of the City

• The Accord of Worlds: A governing council made up of representatives of each of the Imbricate Cities, the Great Houses of Liminal and those organizations that answer to the Accord itself.
• The Great Houses of Liminal: The seven Great Houses of Liminal are a collection of some of the most powerful noble houses in the known mortal world around Liminal. At least two of them are royal houses, the blood of kings in nations around Liminal. These Great Houses vie for the three seats on the Accord. There are, of course, other nobles represented in Liminal, but they do not have the power and influence that these have. They are:
• The Merchant Guilds: Founded after the Fall of the Dwarven Kings, the first of the Merchant Guilds were dwarven. In short order, though, their organized and ruthless approach to both craftsmanship and mercantilism allowed them to spread, absorbing or destroying competitors. Now the Guilds are awarded seats on the Accord.
• The Keepers of Accord: An order of wizards in service to the Accord, the Keepers' primary responsibility is maintaining the Walls of Liminal, which prevent new planar imbrications. Practically speaking, though, they are a magical security force, as well as maintaining an arcane academy who graduates are given the opportunity to join the Keepers if they are found worthy.

Temples of Liminal

• X: X

Monasteries of Liminal

• Temple of the Serene Tempest: A monastery located in the district known as Rivermouth, the monks of the Serene Tempest temple study the "Eye of the Storm", a martial arts style deeply invested in themes of balance, which uses the roaring elements as inspiration for finding one's center. Many of those who study in this temple take the Elemental Initiate, Watershaper or Windlord themes.
• Sanctuary of Worlds: A monastery located in the Accord district, the monks of the Sanctuary are dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the Planar Walls of Liminal. They frequently take the Guardian or Primal Warden themes. Many of the Sanctuary's monks are also popular combatants in the Great Arena, taking the Gladiator theme.
• The Penumbral Cloister: The shadow-monks of the Cloister - located in the Shadowfell-imbricate district known as the Blackstreets - are a swift and silent order of ascetics. Their style of battle is known as the "Shadow Rising and Falling." Their disciplines include extensive scholarship as well as contemplation, and they frequently take the Scion of Shadow or Scholar themes.

Wizards of Liminal

• Tower of the Keepers: Found in Accord, this is the mage academy run by the Keepers of the Accord.
• Arderin, the Alabaster Spire: Located in the Greensward, the eladrin wizards of Arderin occasionally take on students who are not of their people - most often elves and half-elves, admittedly, but they have taken on the occasional human or other race as apprentices. Arderin is a place of enchantment and glamour, where the magics of the Feywild are taught.
• The Fallen House: Taking its name from its founders, an attainted noble house of shadow magicians from Gauntpeak, this Blackstreets academy of necromancy and nethermancy nevertheless wields more power now than it ever did before its name was stripped from it as a noble house. Its students are serious and have reputations as cheerless, serious mages, though some are known to affect a slight gallows humor.
• The Three Towers: Found at the center of the Coalman's District, the Three Towers is the ambassadorial office of Brazenvale's representatives to the Accord. It is also a school of elemental sorcery, where the magical arts of geniekind are shared with other magicians.
• The Spellwright's Guildhall: A guild affiliated with the Merchants Guild, the Spellwrights provide magical aid to everyone who is part of the Guilds. They tend to resent it when other magicians sell their services, though they usually have little to be concerned about: Guildsmen are not permitted to hire non-Guild magicians for their magical services.

Foreign Dignitaries

• X: X

Crossroads of the Many Planes

• History of Liminal

Local Laws & Customs

• The Walls of Liminal: It is against the law to mark, deface or in any way damage the Walls of Liminal. Those who do not obey this law are sentenced to the stocks in the Traveler's Quintan, to spend a day and a night there subjected to the jeers and thrown debris of the locals. Those who somehow manage to damage the Wall in some way are given much more stern punishment, including imprisonment and even execution.
• The Night Bell & Gatefall: One hour after nightfall, the Night Bell begins ringing in the topmost of the Towers of the Accord, the signal of Gatefall. At that point, the guards in the gatehouses around Liminal begin winching the gates closed, sealing off the various districts. Though it is not a curfew per se, it is forbidden to traverse between districts between the hours of the Night Bell and sunrise. At sunrise, the Bell tolls again once, and the gates are raised. Those with business in districts after dark are advised to seek an inn there, or join the handful of people who find themselves forced to bed down beside the gates each night.

Accord & the Quintans

• The Accord, center of Liminal, home to the Accord of Worlds and wholly within the world of mortals. The Accord is the center of government in Liminal, as well as the home to the very rich Houses of Liminal.

The neighborhoods that lie between Accord proper and the other Districts are locally referred to as "quintans". Each has an air influenced by the districts they abut.

• Market Quintan: The northermost quintan, abutting the Rivermouth district, is home to the Great Market of Liminal, a massive market square. The extraplanar merchants of Rivermouth frequently set up their exotic wares in the rented stone stalls of this market. This area also sees a number of permanent merchant's shops and inns that cater to travelers.
• Workman's Quintan: The eastern quintan is a working-class neighborhood, home to a number of craftsman's shops and row housing that caters to day laborers and the like. The various crossroads of this quintan are often frequented by men and women looking for simple labor, and are known as a place to get manual laborers for relatively cheaply. By night, however, they are frequented by those seeking "night labor" (as prostitution is often referred).
• Traveler's Quintan: The southeastern quintan is the most-frequently used gate, the Traveler's Gate. Most caravans and travelers come into Liminal through this gate, and this quintan caters to their needs. There are plenty of inns here, as well as the Lesser Market. This quintan often sees a great many beggars and thieves, however, due to its proximity to Hellsward, so much so that the gate between this quintan and the nearby Noble Quintan is usually never opened. The gate to the Accord is similarly sealed most of the time.
  • The Rose & Thorn: One of the largest inns of the Traveler's Quintan.
• Noble Quintan: The richest Houses maintain homes here, up against the walls of the Accord or Empyros. Those locals who are not noble, but quite rich nonetheless, tend to build along the walls to Greytown, while merchants and others who tend to the needs of the quintan's wealthy can be found along the streets that abut the Hellward.
• Fest Quintan: Filled with inns, taverns, festhalls and theaters, the Fest Quintan is the undisputed "place to be" for the enjoyment of life's pleasures.

The Imbricate Districts

• The Greensward, imbricate to the Feywild eladrin city of Arilan Atrin, the City of Silver Spires. The Greensward is home to mostly elves and other folk with fey blood, but a number of wealthy estates can be found there as well.
• The Blackstreets, imbricate to the Shadowfell shadar-kai city of Gauntpeak. The Blackstreets are a working-class neighborhood.
• The Coalman's District, imbricate to the Elemental Chaos efreet city of Brazenvale. This district is something of a craftsman's ward.
• Greytown, imbricate to the Astral Sea githyanki city, Xanastyr. Greytown is a somewhat xenophobic place, although it is home to several renowned places of learning.
• Empyros, imbricate to the Great Heavens domain known as Pilgrim's Haven, a pocket realm with connections to all the domains of the gods of the Empyrean Court. Empyros is the temple district, and is home to a number of rich estates.
• The Hellsward, imbricate to the Eternal Hells domain known as the Talion Halls, a pocket realm with connections to all the domains of the gods of the Talion Court. Hellsward is a slum, as only the very poor and desperate will dwell there.
• The Rivermouth, imbricate to a Elemental Chaos realm called the Great Confluence, where many great planar rivers criss-cross.
• The Warrens, imbricate to the Abyss, with connections to the Underdark. Where Hellsward is a district of the poor and downtrodden, the half-subterranean Warrens are home to criminals and those who seek to escape the law's notice.

The Five Cities

There are five cities imbricate to Liminal itself. Indeed, both Liminal and each of these cities share a single district in common that acts as the "crossing point" between Liminal and that city.

• Arilan Atrin: Eladrin City of the Feywild. The Greensward acts as the crossing point between Liminal and Arilan Atrin, the eladrin City of Silver Spires.
• Gauntpeak: Shadar-Kai City of the Shadowfell. The Blackstreets act as the crossing point between Liminal and Gauntpeak, a city populated by shadar-kai within the darkness of the Shadowfell.
• Xanastyr: Githyanki City of the Astral Sea. Greytown acts as the crossing point between Liminal and Xanastyr, the githyanki city ruled by the lich-queen Eternal Xana.
• Brazenvale: Efreet City of the Elemental Chaos. The Coalman's District acts as the crossing point between Liminal and Brazenvale, a colony of the City of Brass ruled by a small council of efreet who have taken on ambassadorial roles on behalf of the City of Brass.
• The Ruins of Gruenmar: Demon-Ruined City of the Abyss. The Warrens act as the crossing point between Liminal and the ruins of Gruenmar in the Abyss. An ancient city once settled by scholars of the Abyss, orders of demon-hunters and myriad interpid mortals there to support them, nothing but ruins remain on the surface. Only the Warrens connection to Liminal allows those who still dwell there to do so.