One of the exciting bits of lore in Iomandra are the Sea Kings, independent warlords who govern trade across the Dragon Sea. Here’s how they are introduced in the fan made document:

The Sea Kings are a group of independent warlords who govern trade on the Dragon Sea. Each Sea King commands their private armada of ships. Some Sea Kings are legitimate traders and merchants; others are privateers, freebooters, and bounty hunters in the service of the Dragovar. The rest are self-employed explorers, slavers, or pirates.

Thirty-three Sea Kings currently ply the waves, and their goals seldom align. Bitter rivalries among the Sea Kings have been known to escalate into major conflicts on the high seas, impacting trade across the entire world.

The document goes on to describe in little words a few of the Sea Kings (allowing room for DMs to create their own). I went ahead and picked a few of the existing ones to focus on and include in my game in some way, expanding their lore a bit.

Since my campaign focuses on the Shan Qabal’s goals of harnessing elemental power for the Dragovar fleet, I found that Sea King Valkroi’s journey to the Elemental Chaos an interesting thread I could pull from and create immediate tension with.   Here’s how the document describes Valkroi:

A fair but brutal Sea King endorsed by the Thunder Lords, Valkroi claims to have sailed his flagship to the Elemental Chaos and back.

Okay. That’s not a lot! I created lore around her and put her in immediate conflict with the Empire, as they both seek to harness elemental power. The Shan Qabal is currently an antagonist for the PCs, so Valkroi and the PCs have a common cause, so to speak. 

Here’s my expanded version of Valkroi for my Iomandra campaign:

Art by: Harmaan at https://www.madsgallery.art/item/7757e711-0e3e-457b-bd34-ca3fe0128e40/artwork/blue-dragonborn

Sea King Valkroi – Dragonborn (blue) Female

Sigil: Kraken tentacle covered in lightning and wrapped around a lighthouse

Sea King Valkroi is a ruthless and disciplined admiral whose reputation spans all across the Dragon Sea. Endorsed by the Thunder Lords —elemental giants who hold dominion over the Eye of Io — Valkroi commands one of the most reliable and feared fleets operating under imperial charter. She is both a warlord and a logistician, known for crushing her opponents and safeguarding (in her view) commerce with a mercenary’s pragmatism and a war captain’s precision.

What elevates Valkroi beyond her peers is her storied expedition to the Elemental Chaos, a voyage few have dared and fewer have survived. Though her fleet suffered greatly, Valkroi returned with hard-won knowledge of the raw elemental forces that shape the world. The journey changed her — not through mystical power, but through conviction. She now believes the future of naval supremacy lies in harnessing those primal energies, and she has poured coin and influence into studying how elemental power might be bound to vessels or weapons. So far, this remains an aspiration. Her current fleet is formidable, but entirely mundane in construction.

Valkroi keeps a close eye on the Dragovar Empire’s own research into elemental-bound technologies and knows she’s in a race she cannot afford to lose. Though not a scholar herself, Valkroi surrounds herself with learned advisors — artificers, sages, and defectors from imperial workshops — all tasked with one goal: unlock the elemental secrets before the Empire perfects them.

Behind the stern discipline of her command lies a cunning political mind. Valkroi has made many enemies, not least of whom is Sea King Zekh’r, a rival who accuses her of betraying pirate ideals for legitimacy. Yet Valkroi remains steadfast. She does not seek titles for their own sake, but control — over trade, knowledge, and the future of the seas.

Oh yeah… that’s enough for my campaign and a nice NPC for the PCs to eventually either align with, or come to odds with. I’m loving Iomandra! 

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Art by: Peter Clarke, Dungeon Magazine #34

Isle of the Abbey originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine Issue 34 back in 1992, and it deals with the PCs exploring and securing a ruined abbey in the middle of an island infested with undead. Here’s how I’m adapting it for my campaign:

Alric Dunmere represents a local trade guild (affiliated with Sea King Valkroi). He seeks to secure Kythra’s Isle (the dragon overlord is an insecure green wyrmling named Kythra who is currently fighting injuries suffered at the hand of a larger dragon) a small but strategically significant island near a heavily traveled sea route. The guild plans to establish a lighthouse to aid navigation and bolster their control over the trade network, but all efforts to land on the isle have been thwarted. Each attempt has been met by a relentless horde of undead near the ruins of a burned-out abbey.

The guild has posted a lucrative contract in nearby coastal towns, offering 2,000 gp to adventurers willing to secure the island and eliminate all threats. The mission has attracted little interest due to the island’s reputation, making it an opportunity for a bold or desperate party to distinguish themselves. Alric also offers the PCs something more valuable than money… information on the Shan Qabal, and why they may be chasing the PCs (this is a huge plot point in my game right now. One of the players is being hunted by the Shan Qabal.)

Kythra’s Isle was once the site of an abbey dedicated to Vecna, the evil god of secrets. A few weeks ago, the abbey became embroiled in a vicious conflict with pirates allied with Sea King Zekh’r, who sought to pillage the abbey’s rumored treasure troves in search of an arcane artifact named Io’s Tear (an artifact tied to my campaign’s meta-plot). The pirates succeeded in burning the abbey, but their forces were decimated in turn by the guild’s forces.

The guild believed the island was left uninhabited after driving off the pirates and left the site abandoned. However, unknown to them, a small sect of the abbey’s clerics survived by taking refuge in the catacombs beneath the ruins. These Vecna-worshipping clerics and their undead minions now zealously protect the island, seeing any intruders as threats to their dominion.

The PCs must:

• Land safely on the isle.
• Explore the ruins and catacombs beneath the abbey.
• Eliminate all hostile threats.

With this one adventure, I can drop lore about the background events dealing with the Emperor (the Tear of Io mention), and the PCs will learn important lore regarding their ties to the Shan Qabal.

What I like about this is that it’s not just “find an adventure and drop it in”, but rather “find an adventure and make it part of your world building”.

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The Shan Qabal, for example, was one of the main ones in Chris Perkins’s game, as they are in mine. Right now they are the main antagonists for the PCs, as one of them was part of a Shan Qabal experiment as a child (a thread from the Perkins campaign). But I want the world to feel big and alive, and that means expanding all the other factions I want to introduce in my game, but more importantly, seeing how they fit together with my original overarching backstory about the Emperor claiming to be a son of Io.

I’ve gone ahead and expanded a bunch of other factions found in the fan-made document. Here they are:

Shan Qabal

The Shan Qabal is the Dragovar Empire’s elite arcane order — a powerful and secretive cabal of wizards, researchers, and magical engineers who operate within the Empire’s Arcane caste. The Shan Qabal is officially tasked with advancing the Empire’s mastery over all forms of magic, though its loyalties and priorities are often split between imperial service, internal ambition, and the pursuit of forbidden knowledge. The sect’s current leader is a venerable dragonborn arch-wizard named Lenkhor Krige. He reports to Grand Vizier Turazad, one of the Emperor’s key advisors in Io’calioth, and has powerful allies within the divine and arcane castes.

In recent years, the Shan Qabal has focused substantial resources on the Harnessing Project — a state-backed initiative to weaponize raw elemental energy from the Inner Planes. Though the Emperor’s ambitions are often spoken of in terms of national security or expansion, many within the Qabal view the elemental research as a dangerous gamble with uncertain consequences.

The elemental program is overseen by Hahrzan, a high-ranking and enigmatic dragonborn magister who coordinates key operations across the archipelago — including the secret foundry on Zonjar, managed by the industrious and divisive Iojad.

This is the first time the Shan Qabal has attempted mass production of magically powered vehicles and weapons, and internal tensions are high. Some see it as the dawning of a new age of arcane innovation. Others whisper that the Foundry has already claimed lives, and that the elemental cores being created are inherently unstable — or even sentient.

The Shan Qabal maintains a cautious and watchful neutrality toward Emperor Azunkhan IX’s recent divine claims. While publicly loyal to the crown, the Qabal is notoriously slow to adopt theological shifts — especially those that could grant sweeping new authority to the Emperor outside of the traditional priesthood.

Some magisters quietly debate the authenticity of his “lineage from Io”, considering it a possible political maneuver or even a magical delusion. Others believe the claim could destabilize the Council of Viziers, upset the balance between Tiamat and Bahamut temples, or lead to reckless theological experiments akin to divine apotheosis.

In private, high-ranking Shan Qabal agents are believed to be monitoring the Emperor closely, including any rituals or relics that might substantiate his claim. If evidence emerges that Azunkhan IX truly possesses divine heritage—or if he seeks to enact policies rooted in his claim—the Qabal may be forced to act: either in quiet support, subtle sabotage, or outright exodus.

The Shan Qabal’s current loyalty to the Dragovar throne is functional, not fanatical. They serve the Empire so long as it serves magic, stability, and the arcane ascendancy. Should the Emperor’s divine ambitions threaten any of those, the Qabal may withdraw its support — or worse.

Winterleaf Coster

 The Winterleaf Coster benefits enormously from the current imperial structure and has no desire to see instability disrupt its shipbuilding monopolies. Torel Winterleaf is cautious; although he has deep ties to the Dragovar throne, he is wary of the emperor’s increasingly divine rhetoric. Behind closed doors, Winterleaf agents are quietly searching for the Tear themselves—not to give it to the emperor, but to keep it from him if necessary.

The Shan Qabal’s rumored forays into building a fleet of warships powered and armed with elemental magic are also concerning to Winterleaf. The Coster built its fortune on a dwindling commodity—timber—and their lucrative contracts rely on the continued need for traditional hulls and sails. Winterleaf, has taken personal interest in the rumors and installed a trusted elven mage among the Qabal’s junior apprentices. Through her, he hopes to stay ahead of the research, if not co-opt it outright. The Coster has quietly begun subsidizing “guest” researchers and offering generous bounties for any notes or designs leaked from the project. If the future of ships is fire and air, then Winterleaf intends to shape that future before it burns their legacy to ash.

“A god-emperor has no need for contracts.” —Torel Winterleaf, to his inner circle.

Ironstar Cartel
The Ironstar Cartel views the Emperor’s claim as a political gambit and potential smokescreen. The Dwarven shipbuilders from Gar Morra have little reverence for dragonkind and scoff at stories of divine bloodlines. If the Emperor fails to prove his claim, it weakens the Dragovar’s hold—something the Ironstars can exploit. They’re subtly funding dissent and positioning their ironclads as the future of the fleet, ready to swoop in when the old order falters.

The Cartel views the Shar Qabal’s rumored elemental project as both a threat and a challenge. From the volcanic forges of Gar Morra, the Ironstars have pushed iron-hulled prototypes for decades, hoping to prove dwarven industry superior to elven elegance. Now, with whispers of airships and storm-sailed war frigates, they see a chance to leapfrog ahead—if they can understand the Qabal’s methods. Ironstar spies pose as dockworkers and scribes in Io’calioth, gathering every scrap of technical jargon and magical residue they can find. Rumor holds they’ve already bound a fire elemental into a prototype vessel called Ashwake, though its stability is suspect. The Cartel’s engineers believe they can replicate the Qabal’s results not through arcana alone, but through the precise fury of dwarven artifice.

“While they pray to their ancestors, we build the future.” —Jarnak Ironstar, Cartel shipwright.

Nerathi Consortium

The Nerathi Consortium sees the Emperor’s divine claim as dangerous and delusional. With Myrthon sympathies quietly running through its leadership, the Consortium is likely funneling gold, magic, and intelligence to factions hoping to destabilize the Dragovar Empire. Vincent van Hyden plays the role of a loyal merchant in public, but privately he believes that if the Tear is real, it must never be found—or it must be destroyed.

Van Hyden has heard the same rumors of an elemental fleet, and wants the entire endeavor buried, fearing what a fleet of elemental dreadnaughts would mean for imperial expansion. Van Hyden has chosen to not go to his leadership with this information, choosing to keep it close to the vest instead. He has trusted agents working not to steal the Qabal’s secrets, but to disrupt them—fomenting unrest, leaking rumors, and in some cases, quietly eliminating researchers whose brilliance threatens to tip the balance. 

“The worst tyrant is one who believes the gods themselves crowned him.” —Vincent van Hyden, in a letter to Myrthon agents.

Deeplanter Guild Though known more for salvaging wrecks and plundering the silent halls of drowned cities, the Deeplantern Guild has recently turned its gaze to matters far more mythic. Whispers of Io’s Tear—a relic of divine origin lost to time and tide—have begun to circulate among the Guild’s upper ranks, not as idle legend, but as a legitimate lead. For a guild accustomed to unearthing relics beneath leagues of saltwater and stone, a divine gem sealed in an imperial vault is just another job… albeit one of unprecedented risk and reward.

Some say the Emperor himself has quietly reached out to the Deeplanterns, commissioning their best navigators and deep-seekers to search for ancient sea charts, crumbled ruins, or half-forgotten routes that might lead to the Tear’s resting place. Others claim the Guild has been independently pursuing the artifact for years, having uncovered scraps of information about a “Vault of Tears” in the sunken archives of a fallen Dragovar city. Either way, they are uniquely suited to the task: their magics allow long-term underwater expeditions, and their freedom from political oversight gives them room to maneuver where imperial agents cannot.

Guild crews have already begun combing sections of the Dragon Sea’s southern trench, following rumors of a forgotten citadel swallowed by the sea after the fall of Arkhosia. Deep-crew divers speak of strange glyphs and sealed vault doors carved with draconic weeping eyes, untouched for centuries. Others have gone north, chasing tales of a hidden island that surfaces only under certain lunar alignments, where a shrine to Io may yet remain.

The Deeplanterns are not idealists—they keep what they find, and they protect their secrets well. But their oath to “deal honestly and maintain an adventurous spirit” has made them allies to many and enemies to some. If the Tear exists, the Guild wants to find it—not just for coin, but for the legend itself. To be the crew that brought Io’s Tear back from the depths would seal their place in history.

Of course, not every member of the Guild agrees on what should be done with such a relic. Some might hand it to the Emperor. Others might sell it to the highest bidder. And a rare few might want to see it destroyed, believing some things should stay buried beneath the waves.

The guild is led by a dwarf named Arkyn Tavor. He’s a former Dragovar naval officer turned deep-sea salvager, who founded the Deeplantern Guild after recovering a sunken skyship thought lost for a century. Arkyn is stern but fair, with a sharp sense for leadership and legacy. Where others see sunken ruins and forgotten empires, he sees maps, vaults, and purpose.

The dwarf has made it his mission to recover the knowledge and relics swallowed by the Dragon Sea—not just for profit, but to piece together a true history of the world before the Empire buried it in propaganda.

Though he keeps his cards close, Arkyn has quietly directed resources toward locating the Imperial Vault rumored to contain Io’s Tear. He’s not interested in validating the emperor’s divine claims—he wants the truth. And if the relic proves dangerous, he’ll see it sealed forever beneath the waves where it belongs. But if it’s real, and can be controlled, it might be the most powerful leverage in Iomandra.

Arkyn’s navigator is the charming, clever, and impulsively brave half-elf, Orson Jaro.  He is Arkyn’s opposite in every way—and that’s why they work. Once a chart-runner for a long forgotten sea king, Orson turned his talents to exploration and quickly rose through the Deeplantern ranks. He’s beloved among the crews for his humor and uncanny ability to “feel” lost places, as if the sea speaks to him. 

The dwarf shared rumors of Io’s Tear with Orson, and together, they’re steering the Deeplantern Guild toward one of the greatest discoveries in history… or its doom. Whether they retrieve Io’s Tear for the Empire, keep it from their grasp, or awaken something that should have remained lost, they’ll dive deeper than anyone else dares.

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Here’s how the fan-made Iomandra document presented the Knights of Ardyn:

THE KNIGHTS OF ARDYN

Ardyn is a silver dragon that seeks to destroy the Dragovar dynasty. She has nothing against dragonborn, but she believes wholeheartedly that the Dragovar bloodline and the Grand Viziers have forsaken Bahamut and become corrupt beyond salvation. Ardyn seeks to depose the tyrannical monarchy, and this desire makes her very popular with enemies of the royal bloodline.

She is served by scores of loyal knights from all walks of life. These Knights of Ardyn are always on the lookout for others who share their aims, but for the moment there are too few of them to challenge the Dragovar openly. The Dragovar want to crush Ardyn’s knighthood but cannot act against Ardyn directly because she’s a true dragon. Her knights, however, are fair game.

Ardynrise

Ardynrise is the name of Ardyn’s secret refuge. Here she meets with her knights to plot the downfall of the Dragovar dynasty. The location of Ardynrise is the most closely guarded secret of the knighthood, and getting there is difficult to say the least. High-ranking knights carry a magical talisman that enables Ardyn to summon them when she seeks their counsel; this is the only way by which a knight may enter her secret refuge.

This line stood out, and it’s what I am working with:

These Knights of Ardyn are always on the lookout for others who share their aims.

That tells me that the Knights will eventually seek out new prospects. Whether the PCs are interested or not is another story! But their main patron right now is a secret Knight of Ardyn. And one of the PCs ended up in Kheth because he had vivid dreams of a silver dagger, and that led him there.

Here are three NPCs for the Knights of Ardyn faction:

Johias Ilum (Human Male)

Johias Ilum is a familiar face around Tyrak’n, a fisherman by trade, and a town drunk by reputation. His weathered face is often flushed, his eyes bloodshot, and his speech slurred, though no one truly knows if he’s perpetually tipsy or just skilled at maintaining the facade. But what most people don’t know is that Johias was once something more—a secret member of the Knights of Ardyn.

Years ago, he was summoned to Ardynrise and sworn into the order under a different name, far from the quiet, broken man the townsfolk see today. During his time as a Knight, Johias carried a sacred dagger—one crafted from a scale of Ardyn herself, shaped into a razor-sharp blade. He was entrusted with vital missions, working undercover to undermine the Dragovar influence, and was a trusted confidant of Ardyn. However, when Dragovar emissaries arrived on Kheth in search of Shan Qabal Wyrmworn Experiment survivors, Johias was caught and arrested. The dagger was confiscated, and Johias was taken by ship to Io’Galaroth where he is currently an enslaved thrall (his enslaving gemstones are grafted onto the top of his hands). 

*Johias is an NPC on Kheth in Chris Perkins’s original campaign and was eventually revealed as a knight in his game. He’s described like this in the fan made document:

Johias Ilum (male human): Local fisherman and town drunk.

Strife(Tiefling Female)

Known as the Knife Between Stars, Strife is a tiefling rogue and shadow-sorceress who moves like a whispered curse through the empire’s turbulent waters. Regal and beautiful, she cloaks herself in layered silks and shadowy glamour, her violet-glowing eyes never betraying her intent. Her curved horns are etched with Draconic poetry, and she carries the scent of myrrh and iron. Her talisman is embedded in a silver dagger that vanishes into smoke when she sheathes it.

Born in the Grand Vizier’s court and trained from childhood to assassinate Ardyn, Kessara was the empire’s perfect blade—until the moment she met her mark. Ardyn refused to fight and instead offered a mirror from the Mirrorwood that showed Kessara the truth: she was the child of a knight slain by the Dragovar, stolen and raised as a weapon. That night, Kessara turned on her masters, murdered her handler, and vanished into myth with Ardyn’s talisman in hand.

Now, she serves as Ardyn’s dagger in the dark—a master infiltrator and silent assassin, slipping through enemy courts to kill tyrants, steal ancient relics, or stir rebellion with a whisper. Kessara has no allegiance to law or chaos, only to Ardyn and the grim poetry of justice.

Strife is an original creation for the campaign.

Aubreck Drallion (human male)

Drallion walks the world in the guise of a traveling merchant noble, his name whispered in port cities from the Dragovar coast to the harbors of Bael Nerath. Draped in fine wool and tarnished gold, he carries himself with the weary charm of old money—silver in his hair, stories in his eyes. To most, he’s a man of means and mystery, dealing in rare wines, lost maps, and debts others are too proud to collect. But beneath the coin-laden persona lies a sworn Knight of Ardyn, tasked with guiding the tides of fate with subtle hands.

Aubreck’s true loyalty belongs not just to Ardyn, but also to the dwarven Sea King, under whose banner he once sailed in his youth. That allegiance is kept close, known only to a few, hidden behind layers of trade alliances and old favors. Where Strife is the dagger in the dark, Aubreck is the coin on the table and the whisper in the counting house. He moves between empires, sowing dissent, shifting power, and gathering fragments of ancient knowledge for Ardyn’s cause. He wears no visible talisman, but he keeps a heavy signet ring on his gloved hand—a gift from Ardyn herself, said to burn with cold fire when lies are spoken near it (Ring of Truth Telling). 

*Aubreck Drallion is the quest giving NPC from Saltmarsh’s “Salvage Operation” Adventure and a patron of the PCs in my campaign.

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A silver dragon, by Lars Grant-West, from the Monster Manual 2 4th edition.

As I’ve been working on the details of my campaign, who the main NPCs are and what factions are likely to come into play, I’ve had to do a bit of fleshing out. One of the main factions I knew I’d need to work on are The Knights of Ardyn, a group opposed to the empire in power in the world. Here’s how the campaign document describes them:

THE KNIGHTS OF ARDYN

Ardyn is a silver dragon that seeks to destroy the Dragovar dynasty. She has nothing against dragonborn, but she believes wholeheartedly that the Dragovar bloodline and the Grand Viziers have forsaken Bahamut and become corrupt beyond salvation. Ardyn seeks to depose the tyrannical monarchy, and this desire makes her very popular with enemies of the royal bloodline.

She is served by scores of loyal knights from all walks of life. These Knights of Ardyn are always on the lookout for others who share their aims, but for the moment there are too few of them to challenge the Dragovar openly. The Dragovar want to crush Ardyn’s knighthood but cannot act against Ardyn directly because she’s a true dragon. Her knights, however, are fair game.

Ardynrise

Ardynrise is the name of Ardyn’s secret refuge. Here she meets with her knights to plot the downfall of the Dragovar dynasty. The location of Ardynrise is the most closely guarded secret of the knighthood, and getting there is difficult to say the least. High-ranking knights carry a magical talisman that enables Ardyn to summon them when she seeks their counsel; this is the only way by which a knight may enter her secret refuge.

This is a fantastic launch point for this faction, and would suffice if I never planned to use them beyond passing mentions, but since they’ll play a big part of my Divine Emperor campaign, I need to flesh them out. This is what I’ve come up with for The Knights of Ardyn and their sacred location Ardynrise:

The Knights of Ardyn

Oathbound. Scattered. Awakened.

Long before the Emperor declared himself divine—there were whispers in the shadows of the Dragovar Empire. Whispers of a dragon who remembered Bahamut’s ancient truth, and of mortals who still knelt to justice rather than thrones.

That dragon was Ardyn, a silver wyrm said to have once soared among the Platinum Guard—a legendary order from an age now scrubbed from official records. While other dragons distanced themselves from the worries of short-lived mortals and vanished into their hoards and island domains, Ardyn watched the world burn beneath the weight of the Dragovar’s greed. Her fury reserved for a bloodline that now dares to call itself divine.

She formed her order in secret. The Knights of Ardyn were never a formal army, nor were they bound by geography, race, or creed. They were men and women, elves and tieflings, dragonborn and dwarves—any who saw what the Empire had become and could not bear it. They took oaths not of loyalty to her, but of resistance to tyranny, and of devotion to the ancient values of Bahamut: honor, justice, mercy, and truth.

The first knights were outlaws. Assassins. Defectors. Disgraced paladins. Haunted seers. Each was tested not by combat, but by conviction. Ardyn herself would appear—rarely, mysteriously, never the same way twice—to mark them with her blessing.

Over time, the Order spread like smoke through the cracks of the Empire. Secret safehouses. Coded messages in tavern songs. Hidden shrines bearing the silver flame. They are hunted constantly, but they do not fall easily.

Each knight carries a talisman, a shard of enchanted silver crystal that glows only when Ardyn calls them to her refuge—Ardynrise, an island hidden beyond natural reach. The talisman opens the path, though few ever live to see it.

Now, with the Emperor declaring himself a god, the Order stands at a crossroads. Some fear they are too few. Others say this is the moment they were born for.

And Ardyn? She has not said whether she believes the Emperor’s claim of divinity.

But her talismans are glowing again. And when they glow, it means war is coming.

Ardynrise – The Island of Defiance

Hidden far from any sea-lane, Ardynrise is her sanctuary—a cloaked island refuge suspended between the material world and the Ethereal Plane. Cloaked in ancient dragon-magic and consecrated in Bahamut’s name, the island cannot be found or mapped, accessible only through the magical talismans borne by her chosen knights.

Ardynrise is more than a secret base—it is a holy place. A bastion of resistance. The last embers of an ancient flame.

Key Locations on Ardynrise

• The Argent Hall: A domed citadel of white stone and silver-veined marble, nestled between sky-piercing cliffs. Here Ardyn holds counsel in her draconic form, coiling around the central brazier where the Flame of Vows burns. The hall’s architecture shifts subtly, shaped by Ardyn’s will.
• The Mirrorwood: As before, a haunted forest of silver-barked trees. Their mirrored leaves reflect alternate fates and endless possibilities. Ardyn sends knights here to meditate or confront truths before they are sent on sacred missions.
• The Skystairs: A spiraling cliff path that rises above the clouds to an ancient draconic shrine. Knights ascend these stairs to receive Ardyn’s blessing or be anointed into her order. If they falter or doubt, the sky itself may cast them down.
• The Wyrmforge: A forge blessed by Bahamut’s tears, where armor and weapons are crafted from mythril, adamantium, and the scales of fallen dragons.
• The Chapel of Silence: A ruinous sanctum where knights mourn the fallen. Here lie the ashes of martyrs whose names are too dangerous to speak aloud. The Dragovar curse these names—uttering them aloud can invite ill fortune or divine wrath.

Reaching Ardynrise is no simple feat—and that’s by design. The island is magically hidden, fiercely protected, and deliberately cut off from the world except for those chosen by Ardyn herself.

Every true Knight of Ardyn is gifted a Talisman of the Silver Heart—a sliver of enchanted crystal that looks inert until the moment Ardyn calls. When it glows, the knight feels a pull—an aching in their soul, like a song they’ve always known, just out of reach. It only glows when Ardyn opens the way.

Knights must sail from a specific, secret harbor known only to those marked by Ardyn. The harbor changes locations periodically to avoid discovery by the Dragovar, but it’s always somewhere remote—an uncharted cove, a reef-filled inlet, or beneath the ruins of forgotten shrines.

Once at sea, the ship must pass through what sailors call “The Shroud”—a swirling bank of silver mist that no normal vessel can survive. Winds die, compasses spin, and the stars vanish. But the talisman pulses brighter, guiding the ship forward. The crew hears whispers in the fog—some say Ardyn’s voice, others the voices of fallen knights.

Without a talisman aboard, the Shroud becomes endless. Many Dragovar ships have tried to follow and were never seen again. Beyond the Shroud lies a brilliant rift in the sea, a glistening silver whirlpool that must be sailed straight into.

The whirlpool empties out in a calm, silverlit bay surrounded by jagged cliffs and crystalline towers. Ardynrise is lush, otherworldly, and steeped in ancient magic. Silver-winged birds cry overhead, and the stars above do not match any known sky. It is a place out of time, protected by Ardyn’s will.

No maps lead to Ardynrise. No spell can scry it. No army can invade it. Only those called may ever set foot upon its shores.

“The sea stills as the ship breaks the surface—no wind, no sound but the soft lapping of silver-lit water. Jagged cliffs rise around you, towering and sharp, their peaks crowned with glassy spires that shimmer faintly. The sky above is wrong—alien stars drift lazily across it, constellations no sailor has ever named. Silver-winged birds glide overhead, crying once before vanishing into the mist. Onshore, pale trees sway without wind, and a white-stone citadel glows faintly at the island’s heart, its arches and domes shifting like they’re breathing. Welcome to Ardynrise”

I think that’s enough to give this faction a solid story for my game. Next, I’ll flesh out some specific Knights, including some npcs whom the heroes met earlier in the campaign on their starting island of Kheth. 

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When thinking about what stories and adventures to tell in Iomandra specifically, I felt like I wanted the world to be facing something in the background that may or may not involve the PCs. They can choose to explore it head on, or maybe the adventures they go on are in some small way tied to this thing happening in the background. Either way, it opens the door to creating adventures and involve the PCs in the world and its fate.

If you’re not familiar with Iomandra, here’s a fan made campaign document.

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The Dragovar Empire, long ruled by dragonborn emperors claiming lineage from the first great wyrms, has always paid homage to Io, the great father of dragonkind. However, no emperor has ever dared claim to be a true scion of Io—a divine descendant of the greatest of gods. Such a claim is not only blasphemous but also invitations for judgment from the true dragons of the world. Historically, any who have falsely declared themselves Io’s chosen were quickly silenced—by assassination, exile, or execution at the hands of an ancient dragon.

But now, the current Emperor Azunkhan IX, a dragonborn with an insatiable thirst for adventure, has made that claim boldly and openly, and two of the most powerful dragons in the known world—Auricanos the Golden and Malditar the Crimson—have come to judge him. Their arrival in the imperial city has sent shockwaves through the empire. Normally, a false claim would be swiftly refuted, yet these dragons have instead agreed to allow the emperor time to prove his lineage—suggesting that, just perhaps, the claim has some merit.

The emperor’s proof is said to lie within a lost imperial vault, sealed away centuries ago, containing a powerful relic tied to Io himself. If this relic exists, it could validate the emperor’s rule beyond all question, elevating him to near-divine status and ensuring the Dragovar Empire’s dominance for centuries. If the relic does not exist, the emperor will die for his heresy.

Now, the entire empire is on the hunt for the vault, as are the Sea Kings, rival factions, and even dissidents within the emperor’s own court who fear what will happen if he is proven right. If the emperor is truly a scion of Io, what does that mean for the balance of power? Will he become a benevolent god-king or a tyrant with divine right? And if the PCs find the vault first, do they hand over its secrets, sell them to the highest bidder, or use them for their own ends? The fate of the empire—and perhaps the world—hangs in the balance.

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I’m hoping this can lead to adventures where the PCs feel connected to the larger going-ons in the world and its happening. There are multiple ways adventures can intersect with this background plot.

Let me know what you think. I love the idea of Iomandra as a setting. It has just enough details in it to run it while allowing you to fill in plenty of blanks.

Adventure ideas to involve the players: 

1. The Vanishing of the Emperor’s Historian
   A key historian from the imperial archives has disappeared, and rumors swirl that they were searching for a long-lost text that could shed light on the emperor’s lineage. The PCs are hired by a nervous noble to track down the historian, who has gone into hiding after finding something in the archives that might confirm or deny the emperor’s claims. As the PCs investigate, they uncover ancient prophecies and cryptic clues that hint at the emperor’s true nature, though they are likely unaware of the larger implications.

2. The Sea King’s Vault Heist
   A Sea Kings is rumored to be planning a heist on an uncharted island, where an ancient hoard of magical treasures is hidden. The PCs are hired by a merchant aligned to a competing Sea King to explore the island, clear out the pirates, and secure the treasure. When they find the island, however, they discover strange arcane symbols that reference the lost vault of Io—indicating that the Sea Kings are looking for something far more dangerous than gold. The PCs must decide whether to intercept the treasure or continue to take down the pirates, unaware that the Sea Kings are also seeking something that could change the fate of the empire.

3. The Missing Vault Key
   A powerful artifact, said to be a key to a vault of untold treasures, has gone missing from a collector’s private museum. The PCs are approached by a former ally of Aubreck Drallion, who believes the artifact is connected to the emperor’s claims. The PCs find themselves tracking down the thief, unaware that this artifact could be linked to the proof of Io’s true heir. Along the way, they’ll encounter criminal organizations, mercenaries, and even rogue dragonborn who all want the key for their own purposes.

4. The Dragon’s Feather
   A small coastal town is plagued by rumors of a mysterious dragon feather washed ashore after a massive storm. The locals are selling the feather to the highest bidder, but as the PCs investigate, they uncover clues suggesting the feather once belonged to a legendary dragon who fought against Io’s enemies. The PCs are hired to retrieve the feather, but a Sea King’s agents, mercenaries, and even an eccentric scholar will stop at nothing to get it. The true significance of the feather may hold the key to unlocking the emperor’s secret…

5. The Imperial Relic Hunt
   A wealthy, eccentric noble hires the PCs to retrieve an ancient relic said to be tied to the Dragovar Empire’s early history, believing it could provide a great boon for their family’s fortunes. The PCs soon find themselves on a treacherous expedition into a long-abandoned fortress deep within the jungle. What begins as a simple treasure hunt quickly escalates as the PCs uncover hidden chambers, ancient texts, and dragonbone artifacts that seem to reference Io’s vault. Little do they know that their actions will lead them directly into a battle for the vault’s secrets, placing them squarely in the crossfire of powerful forces.
   

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Why I Chose Iomandra
Here’s the thing: I’m a sucker for settings with strong themes. Iomandra isn’t your standard high-fantasy world—it feels alive with its subtropical climates, volcanic islands, and dragon overlords. There’s a clear tone of exploration, survival, and moral ambiguity. Plus, let’s be honest, I’ve always wanted to run a game where my players are forced to deal with kobolds and green dragons as actual threats instead of joke monsters.

But it’s not just about the cool setting. Iomandra is packed with story hooks. When I saw the lore about Kheth, an island ruled by a green dragon that demands tribute, I immediately thought, “How will my players deal with this?” (Spoiler: not well.)

Oh, and we also felt like launching a new campaign to coincide with the new 5e 2024 books… but more on that in another post. 

The Iomandra World Map

How I Prepped for My Game
Prepping for a new campaign can feel overwhelming, but here’s a few tips:

1. Start Small: I focused on Kheth, an island with a single town (Tyrak’n) and a handful of notable NPCs. It gave me a manageable scope while still feeling like part of a larger world.

2. Use the Lore for Inspiration, Not a Straightjacket: I love how Chris Perkins runs his games, but I’m not him. I took liberties with the lore, tweaking NPC motivations and adding my own twists.

3. Thematic Encounters Are Key: I leaned into the island’s tropical vibe. My players fought stirges in the rainforest, discovered strange footprints on the beach (foreshadowing a giant), and dealt with orcs from a nearby island sneaking through Kheth.

I started the campaign by tying the PCs directly to the island. Their first task? Collecting a rare plant from the rainforest, one that the green dragon Kheth favors as part of the monthly tribute. It was a low-stakes mission designed to let the players kick the tires on their new characters, try out their abilities, and explore the island’s environment.

The session featured some classic encounters: ettercaps, stirges, and a treacherous climb to reach the plant. It was a fun way to set the tone and introduce Kheth’s dangers. By the time they returned to Tyrak’n, the players were comfortable with their characters and ready for some intrigue.

When the PCs returned to Tyrak’n, they witnessed a Dragovar warship arrive—a rare and intimidating sight for the small town. The ship’s crew announced they were there to take Johias Ilum, the town drunk, into custody on charges of espionage. This revelation threw the town into turmoil and left the players with tough choices about whether to get involved.

To make matters more interesting, two mysterious passengers disembarked from the warship. These individuals immediately took an interest in two of the PCs, a direct tie to the setting-specific backstories Chris Perkins provided. This moment sparked player curiosity and laid the groundwork for deeper connections to the Dragovar’s machinations.

What Worked
Player Buy-In: The setting’s unique vibe got my players engaged immediately. They loved the idea of dealing with a dragon overlord instead of the usual medieval lord.

Bite-Sized Worldbuilding: By focusing on Kheth instead of the entire Dragovar Empire, I kept things manageable for myself and easy for the players to digest.

Dynamic NPCs: The colorful residents of Tyrak’n—like Lucious Vezetus, the tiefling tavern owner, and Jegger Trout, the halfling captain of the guard—gave the players plenty of hooks to latch onto.

Backstory Integration: Using Perkins’ detailed character backgrounds helped tie the PCs to the setting in meaningful ways, making their interactions with the world feel personal.

Iomandra is a fantastic setting, and running it has been a blast. It’s got everything: dragons, pirates, political intrigue, and enough open space to make it your own. If you’re looking for a world that feels different from your typical D&D fare, I can’t recommend it enough.

You can find a fan-made PDF of the setting here. 
Have you run Iomandra or a similar ocean-themed campaign? Drop a comment below or hit me up on Twitter. I’d love to hear about your experiences.

The story’s set after a version of Episode IV A New Hope, where the empire wins. Yavin is destroyed, the rebellion mostly gone, and the movie’s heroes are all dead.  Why? It opens up a spot for the PCs to be the ultimate heroes of the galaxy. 

Here’s an opening scroll I created for the game:

Here’s the campaign’s webpage

Mystery Dice Goblin 

I got a nice offer from the folks at Mystery Dice Goblin to send me some of their dice, and I have to say that I really like them. They come in a sealed bag, so I had no idea their colors would be when I opened them…

I was pleased with the look of the dice, in fact, I’ve started using them in my game. The party just left the Elemental Plane of Fire and I was using the red ones, they are now in Icewind Dale and the blue ones will get some use. 

You can find Mystery Dice Goblin on twitter at @dndencounter  or at their website. 

Flee, Mortals!

Flee, Mortals! from MCDM is a new must-have in my bag. This book contains 339 stat blocks plus new rules for action-oriented creatures, minions, companions, retainers, encounter-building, and more. It seems to take inspiration from 4e, as it gives you various types of the same creatures, so you can vary up your encounters and keep players guessing about just which goblin they are going to face this time. 

It also presents a few new dragons that are so good, one immediately became the BBEG in my campaign. 

Other 4e-inspired things in the book are minions, and monster roles, which aid the DM in actually running the monsters and how they should be used in combat. 

Uncharted Journeys

One of the things I struggle with in my game is narrating travel and long treks across the wilderness. It;s one of my big weaknesses as a DM, and where most of my cracks show. So whenever I have an opportunity to enhance that part of my game, I seek it out. A few weeks ago I came across Uncharted Journeys, from Cubicle 7, and immediately picked it up. I found it a bit pricey for a PDF at $30, but jumpoed in after reading the blurb, and I’m glad I did. It is a license free version of the travel rules from the company’s Adventures in Middle Earth game, which makes sense given how traveling is a big part of. that setting. 

The book assigns roles to the player, as they are about to undertake a journey, and provides a set of mini-rules to add flavor to the trip, based on the terrain type they are on and what weather they are facing. I may review it in a longer post later, as I just used it in my game for the first time and was a little rusty with the rules, but I can tell you that it’s worth you at least reading more about it. Here’s a good Let’s Read with some in depth thoughts. 

So there you go, three cool thimgs I;ve got in my bag. What’s new in yours? 

I created a short document with a few prompts for a system agnostic setting (started as a fanfic screenplay idea) for roleplaying in the GFFA. A lot of players join games with expectations of what to find in a SW setting, and I thought it would be cool to create something to subvert those expectations. There are a few facts about the setting and its assumptions, but lots of blank spaces for GMs to add their own stuff…

Star Wars: The Corporate Era, set roughly 700 years after the films..

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bhMODvrPboc1af8XL1fs3koQEQXRFwmSulgLocuZP_M/edit?usp=sharing