Written by Ed Stark Edited by Carrie A. Bebris Creative Direction By

Written by Ed Stark Edited by Carrie A. Bebris Creative Direction by Harold Johnson Cover and Conceptual Art by Tony Szczudlo Art Direction by Dawn Murin Typography by Angelika Lokotz Web Production by Mark Jindra and Sue Weinlein Cook

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AD&D, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, DUNGEON MASTER, BIRTHRIGHT, and the TSR logo are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. ENCYCLOPEDIASampleMAGICA and MONSTROUS MANUAL are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctivefile likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. TSR, Inc. is a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ©2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. Able Assistance ...... 66 Lieutenants ...... 66 Acquiring Lieutenants ...... 71 Advisers ...... 73 Creating Advisers ...... 75 Paying Advisers ...... 76 Promoting an Adviser to Lieutenant .76 Introduction ...... 3 Henchmen ...... 76 Types of Henchmen ...... 76 The Head that Bears the Crown ...... 4 Acquiring Henchmen ...... 78 Humans ...... 4 Paying Henchmen ...... 78 Elves ...... 10 Using Henchmen in the Campaign . .78 Dwarves ...... 11 Player Characters as Henchmen . . . .79 Halflings ...... 13 Humanoids ...... 13 Dynasties ...... 80 A Final Note on Government ...... 15 Building a Dynasty ...... 80 The Heir ...... 80 The Blood of Kings ...... 16 Establishing the Heir ...... 81 Passing Bloodlines ...... 16 Role-Playing the Heir ...... 81 Increasing Bloodline Strength ...... 16 DM Tips Regarding Heirs ...... 82 Re p e r cussions of Increasing a Bloodline17 The Heir as Full-Time PC ...... 82 Blood Ability Tables (Tables 1–7) ...... 17 The Branches of Dynasty ...... 83 New Blood Abilities ...... 21 A Final Word on Dynasties ...... 83 Signature Abilities ...... 23 Extending the Branches ...... 84 Becoming an Awnshegh ...... 24 The Foundation of Empire ...... 84 The Short Road ...... 24 The Path of Evil ...... 26 Military Matters ...... 85 The Call of the Ehrshegh ...... 27 Training an Army ...... 85 New Domain Action: Improve Unit .85 Anatomy of a Law Holding ...... 29 A Sample Improved Unit ...... 86 The Influence of the Law Holding ...... 29 Improving Units as a Realm Action . .88 Law (0) Holdings ...... 29 Named and Renowned Units ...... 88 Law (1) to (3) Holdings ...... 30 Creating New War Cards ...... 89 The Power of the Law ...... 31 Paying the Price of Success ...... 89 Law (4) and Higher Holdings ...... 32 Table 8: Military Statistics ...... 90 Character of the Law Holding ...... 33 Blank War Cards ...... 92 Law Holdings and Alignment ...... 33 The Character Class Influence . . . . .36 Regent Kits ...... 93 Law Regents vs. Province Ruler ...... 37 Regent Character Kits ...... 93 The Power of Law ...... 38 King Errant ...... 94 The Provincial Power ...... 38 Merchant Prince ...... 95 A Final Word ...... 38 Warrior-King ...... 96 Additional Rules ...... 98 Domain Actions ...... 39 Employing Specific Actions ...... 39 Magical Items and Artifacts ...... 99 New Domain Actions ...... 47 Regents and Starting Magical Items . . . .99 Strategic Planning ...... 52 Selection Guidelines ...... 99 A Final Word on Domain Actions ...... 54 Specific Items and Suggestions . . . .100 Acquiring Magical Items Without Adventuring 102 Strategies of Empire ...... 55 Unforeseen Benefits ...... 103 Regal Models ...... 55 Unforeseen Drawbacks ...... 103 Gavin Tael, Baron of Ghoere ...... 55 Encouraging Magical Tithes ...... 103 Uldviik, King of Hjolvar ...... 57 Heirlooms and Artifacts of Today . . . . .104 Richard Talbehr, Count of Müden . . .59 Armor ...... 104 Alnor, King of Jankaping ...... 61 Weapons ...... 106 SampleBeysim ibn Faroud el-Duatim, Rings ...... file ...... 109 Emir of Sendoure ...... 63 Miscellaneous Magic ...... 110 Creating New Magical Items ...... 112 2 The Cerilian map shows borders criss-cro s s i n g & DR A G O N S® game: the DU N G E O N MA S T E R® the continent’s surface and strange names identi- Guide (DMG) the Player’s Handbook(PHB). fying its regions. Even the nearly unexplore d The Book of Regencypresents new options for lands to the north have been divided into realms, Dungeon Masters and players of the BIRTHRIGHT and those realms into provinces. The bord e r s setting, but all rules found within its pages re p resent centuries of war and diplomacy, should be considered optional. The DM and the treaties and intrigue. players should decide for themselves which parts But they represent so much more as well. to use, which parts to consider, and which to set Every border defines a realm, but each realm is aside. also defined by its ruler—or lack thereof. These realm regents,as they can be called, rule the land of Cerilia—not just a guild holding or a magical source, not only a holy temple or enforcers of the law—but the l a n d itself. Tied to Cerilia by their b i rthrights and their bloodlines, they govern the continent’s realms and people. This, then, is a book for them—a tome of infor- Cerilia holds as many different types of rulers as mation directed at realm regents, the men and it does domains to rule. However, rulers can be women who govern the land. They might be war- classified into several general categories. riors, priests, wizards, or thieves, but they influ- A regent rules at least one province or holding ence the events of Cerilia and draw its ever- ( l a w, temple, guild, or magical source). He may changing map boundaries. rule multiple holdings, diff e rent types of hold- A realm regent probably has at least one law ings, or both holdings and provinces, but he must holding to his name, or he likely won’t be a realm rule at least one thing. regent for long. Because of this fact, The Book of A landless r eg e n t rules o n l y holdings; he has Regencyalso discusses law domains and issues re- no land under his rule, no place he can point to lated to their rulership. on the continental map and say “That’s mine.” A landed r e g e n t , or realm r e g e n t , rules at least one province. He may rule more, and he may rule other types of holdings as well, but the fact that he has subjects and land under his con- trol is what sets him apart. Throughout this book, references are made to province and holding levels. For a full discussion The Book of Regencyisn’t just directed at players of provinces and holdings, refer to the i n t e rested in realm or law regent characters. BI RT H R I G H T R u l e b o o k. However, a quick re v i e w Much of this book can be used by the Dungeon of notations associated with holdings is in order. Master (DM) as well. The BI RT H R I G H T® s e t t i n g , The relative strength of holdings is denoted by in which player characters can become rulers of levels; the higher the level, the stronger the hold- realms or even emperors of whole regions, em- ing. Holding levels are noted in parentheses: a phasizes the regent character, and any player or law (2), for example. Province levels and magic DM interested in exploring the concept of re- potential are also noted in parentheses following gency (in this or other settings) can find useful the province name. Thus the notation “Allesrecht information in these pages. (6/1)” indicates that Allesrecht’s province level (a This book holds compiled information fro m measure of the amount of civilization in the prov- some other sources, including the Rjurik High - ince, its population, and the maximum level for a lands, Tribes of the Heartless Wastes, Havens of the law, guild, or temple holding) is 6, while its magic Great Bay, and Cities of the Suncampaign expan- potential (the maximum possible level for a sions. It also collects and expands upon some source) is 1. vital information from the BIRTHRIGHT Rulebook. However,Sample readers of this text need to be familiar file with only the BI RT H R I G H T campaign setting and the basic rulebooks of the ADVANCED DUNGEONS 3 species, some blending of governments, soci- eties, and philosophies was bound to occur. Today, Cerilia’s people divide the land and them- selves along cultural, racial, and political lines. But they learn from each other and adapt, some- times unknowingly, to the forces of history.

The cultures of Cerilia have changed since hu- mans first emigrated from Aduria over two thou- sand years ago. The Masetians are no more . Their civilization and style of government de- ◆ p a rted this world in the wake of the Battle of Deismaar, though many of their customs and be- “Many different cultures live and thrive on the con- liefs live on in the Khinasi. The Brechts and the tinent of Cerilia. Five human races and at least five Rjuven (now Rjurik), dominated for centuries by nonhuman species maintain communities, laws, cus- the Anuireans, learned lessons of empire fro m toms, and traditions. All have leaders. All have their their masters. And the Vos, who once worshiped own methods of governance. the god of moon and magic, have become the “Diversity of society, government, and culture -ex most barbaric of Cerilia’s human races. ists even within these surface divisions. Not all Each culture, and each individual realm within Anuirean realms have kings or warrior-lords at their those larger societies, developed its style of gov- heads. Not every Rjurik regent answers to a council ernment over many centuries. The political struc- of jarls. The Brechts value mercantilism and trade t u res that govern them today derive from their but have ancient lines of lordship as well. The Khi- histories and adaptations made through the years nasi states and the tribes of oV s g a a rd have their to meet the changing needs of their people. overweening characteristics, but no two domainse ar ruled in exactly the same way. The elves, dwarv e s , halflings, orogs, goblins, and gnolls of Cerilia gov - e rn themselves—and sometimes each other—with methods that defy generalization. The Anuireans maintain an almost romantic view “It is said that in the days of the Anuirean Empire, of their various forms of government. Most re- more than one emperor tried to bring a single system gents hold titles passed down to them thro u g h of government to all the lands under his charge. Peo- generations of leaders, and they take great pride ple who otherwise respected, feared, or even loved in the origins and histories surrounding individ- him rebelled at this attempt. Willingness to bow to a ual titles and lines of descent. foreign overlord was one thing—changing their sys- This romanticism derives from the ancient tem of governance was quite another.” tribes of the Andu and their migration fro m —Oervel Osserlun, Introduction to Aduria to Cerilia. While the history of the Andu The Font of Authority, the Fall of Empire emigration was never documented fully, some legends combined with known facts can be taken ◆ as truth.

o two races or species in Cer- ilia govern themselves in the same The original five tribes of the Andu ro a m e d manner—but similarities do exist. n o rt h e a s t e rn Aduria until the Shadow (Azrai) When the Flight From the Shadow came among them. Resisting his evil influence, and its subsequent colonization they moved toward the land bridge connecting of the continent threw half a Aduria and Cerilia. Anuirean bards sing that the dozen human races to- tribes fought Azrai fiercely and fled only when gether with nearly the they could hold out no longer. As history portays same number of the Andu as a vigorous and naturally aggre s s i v e Samplenonhuman people, this assertion doesfile not seem unlikely. Once in Cerilia, they organized their five tribes into military-like orders, each with a primary 4 leader and a hierarchy of lieutenants and war- ual realms sprang up all over Anuire, ruled by chiefs. Early leaders of the Andu earned their po- “regents,” originally appointed as guardians over sitions through accomplishment and clevern e s s . t e rr i t o ry governed by the emperor but now an- As the tribes moved farther north on the conti- swerable to no man. nent and grew complacent in the belief that they As a result, the various titles and orders of no- had distanced themselves from the threat of bility in Anuirean lands range widely throughout Azrai, the leaders and lieutenants appointed the realms. A mere baron governs the sizeable their own successors rather than leave the elec- domain of Ghoere, while a duchess rules the tion up to the general populace. They generally small realm of Brosengae. Theocracy emerged in chose members of their families—warriors and Medoere, while monarchy remains strong in per- leaders they could trust and train in their own son of Darien Avan, Prince of Avanil. And a few ideologies. strange, unconventional titles exist—the Mhor of By the time the Deretha, the fifth tribe of Mhoried, for example. He traces his title back to Andu, perished in repeated confrontations with Endira Mhoried, a female ruler who received her the Spiderlord (around –300 HC), the tribes had appointment from the second Emperor of a l ready begun settling southwestern Cerilia. No Anuire. longer uprooting and moving north every few This ability to trace lines of descent thro u g h years, the Andu turned their thoughts toward centuries of history distinguishes the titles and p e rmanent borders and governments. Since the g o v e rnment of Anuire from those of other re- elves of Cerilia hardly welcomed them as immi- gions. Anuireans remain proud of their lost em- grants (partly thanks to Azrai’s influence and pire and consider older titles more worthy of re- p a rtly because of the Andu’s own warlike na- spect than any others in the land. As a result, a t u re), the tribes retained their military - s t y l e duke of one of the empire’s 12 duchies outranks chains of command. Each settlement had an the king of an upstart realm. Being able to trace a overall leader or lord, and that leader appointed title back to the days of empire is more important several subordinates, or vassals, to help govern to an Anuirean lord than the appellation itself— the growing populace and defend the community be it it count, prince, or king. from the elves and other dangers of Cerilia. Typical Forms of Government: The Anuireans When the Battle of Deismaar erupted on the favor feudalism and monarc h y. Regents of most land bridge, the remaining four tribes of Andu realms tend to have the power normally associ- constituted the largest resistance to Azrai. Draw- ated with kings, though some engage councils of ing on their already-militaristic organization, the advisers and a few boast parlimentary structures. o v e r l o rds summoned support from their vassals, Notable Forms of Gover n m e n t : S e v e r a l who in turn mustered the Andu people. They theocracies exist within Anuire. The Anuire a n s m a rched to battle under diff e rent banners but take great pride in the worship and reverence of stood as one force against the Shadow. their gods, Haelyn especially. Although priests After the War of Shadow, the survivors stopped often eschew political power, some believe the calling themselves the Andu and became instead marriage of church and state crucial to the spiri- “Anuireans.” Roele, the last surviving overlord of tual lives of their followers. Others have been the tribes, united the remaining vassals and known to step in and serve when adequate began building the political and military forc e rulers could not be found among the laity. that became the Anuirean Empire. Before his Weaknesses of Gover nm e n t : The Anuire- death, he conquered nearly half the known conti- ans look backward instead of forward. While nent. The empire he founded ruled nearly the en- few commoners or nobles believe their tire civilized world. rulers infallible, they resist the thought of revolution. The old ways built an em- p i re for the Anuireans—one that lasted nearly a thousand years— M o d e rn Anuire does not model itself after the and many feel certain that if a now-fallen empire. Even before the death of new emperor were to re c l a i m Michael Roele, the last emperor of Anuire, the the Iron Throne, the em- i n t e rnal domains of the great empire had begun pire could be reborn. to fragment. The empero r’s vassals—counts, As a result, few dukes, barons, knights, governors, and other no- governmental bles or civil authorities—had more direct power changes of Sampleany file over their subjects than ever before. When the emperor died, the empire died with him. Individ-

5 significance are likely to be introduced in Anuire. the ancient Brechts may have controlled mercan- Commoners and nobles remain completely di- tilism and expansion to a great degree. Ancient vided in almost all the realms. The Anuire a n s s c rolls passed down through generations of consider enlightened feudalism the highest possi- B recht noble families tell of the basic principles ble form of government. behind all Brecht laws. These ancient laws and customs promoted trade—with other Bre c h t s and other cultures—and disparaged imperialism. This philosophy, as well as their settlement in the Always a fractious race, the people who became mountainous bluffs elves seldom populate, might the Brechts of Cerilia arrived on the continent have helped the Brecht settlers avoid the worst of primarily by ship and over the course of several the gheallie Sidhe(the Hunt of the Elves) when decades. They settled the lands around the Great other human races had to battle for every inch of Bay of Cerilia—the bodies of water known as the Cerilian ground they tried to inhabit. Krakennauricht, Dauren Arm, and the Black Ice Like the Basarji and the Rjuven, the Bre c h t s Bay—and forged their own nations out of noth- also fell prey to the imperialistic Anuireans. After ing. the Battle of Deismaar, the Brechts lost their taste for fighting and looked forw a rd to a long peace. They hoped to be left alone around their Great Bay—to explore and contact other races at their leisure. It was not to be. The piecemeal histories that describe the The Anuireans took over Brechtür as easily as B rechts’ exodus from Aduria account somewhat they invaded the Basarji region. Unprepared and for the development of their governments. Most decentralized, the merchant Brechts could B rechts fleeing the Shadow avoided the Andu mount little resistance when the Anuirean armies tribes settled in the south of Cerilia (or became and navies arrived. The northern states—particu- v i rtually enslaved by them) and sailed nort h larly Danigau (which had a strong military tradi- a round the western coast. They anchored in tion)—stopped the invasion at their borders, but many harbors along the way and, while a few set- most simply accepted the new overlords. tled and either became part of Rjuven nations or However, the Brechts eventually dealt with the d i s a p p e a red into history, most found the land invasion in a more insidious manner than the along the Miere Rhuann inhospitable. They Anuireans ever expected. While a few Brecht na- avoided the elves and the Rjuven clans and con- tions rebelled and gave their overlords tro u b l e tinued north, through the Thaelasian Passage every step of the way, the more prosperous states and toward the mouth of the Great Bay. accepted—and later a b s o r b e d—their conquero r s . As they arrived, group by group, on the shores Within a few generations, Brechts and Anuireans of the Krakennauricht, each ship of immigrants lived together as one. established its own system of rule. The Bre c h t s When the Anuirean Empire collapsed, only a settled their lands one at a time, independently of few Brecht nations actually ousted Anuirean no- each other, creating no overall empire or political bles. Most realms had already re v e rted back to entity. Brecht control, and the people bore no ill-will to- But this journey does not in itself account for ward the descendents of the invaders. The gover- the development of Brecht government. Most nance of each state had evolved over time, and historians believe the old Brecht tribes, while each had its own unique culture and flavor. still in Aduria, actually belonged to an an- cient empire—one built primarily aro u n d an impressive naval power. This cert a i n l y could account for the fact that the early B rechts developed ships at least as The rulers of Bre c h t ü r’s individual realms have good as those possessed by the no interest in combining to form one empire . Masetians and the Basarji—and H o w e v e r, they have little objection to powerf u l maintained a strong naval tra- regents within particular domains. Many re a l m dition even after they set- regents take an interest in holdings other than tled on Cerilia. those of law, but in many cases they employ vas- If this theory is sals or allies (much like the Anuirean lords do) to t rue, the gov- control those holdings. Sampleernment If the Brechts ever heldfile ambitions of empire , of those dreams dissolved along with the Bre c h t League of 1136 HC. This loose alliance of Brecht 6