Styles of the Western Frontier

The frontier is a melting pot, where the handiwork of the many cultures of Droaam mix with Cannith artifice, the primal creations of Eldeen druids, and the work of local crafters. When dealing with treasure on the Western Frontier, don’t just think about what it does; consider where the item came from and who created it. A wandslinger might carry a wand carved by a Cannith artillerist, but she could just as easily possess a dueling baton from the Venomous Demesne or a rough-hewn branch from Sylbaran. This can be true even of an adventurer’s starting equipment; is the fighter’s chainmail surplus from their service in the war, or is it homespun, perhaps made by a smith in their hometown? It’s always possible to find basic Cannith goods from the east on the frontier, but here are a few distinct styles adventurers might encounter.

Ancient Dhakaan

The Forge Adepts of the Dhakaani Empire produced astonishingly durable arms and armor, and equipment salvaged from Dhakaani ruins can be found across the region. The Dhakaani worked with exotic metals and alloys, such as mithral, adamantine, and byeshk. Dhakaani tools and equipment are typically austere and functional in design, with a brutalist sensibility.

Barrens Chibs

Before the rise of Droaam, the Barrens were home to an ever-shifting array of small communities, each of which survived only as long as the chib that founded it—often an ogre or troll. This wasn’t a distinct culture, but rather a churning sea of anarchy. Barrens equipment is typically made from stone, hide, or bone. While there’s no tradition of arcane science or artifice, magic items were occasionally produced by warlocks or sorcerers. What defines the chib style is the lack of any ongoing style or tradition.

Cazhaak Stonework

The medusas of Cazhaak Draal are capable metalsmiths, but prefer to work with leather and stone. Cazhaak work typically has a sinuous, serpentine style with smooth curves and engraved patterns. Cazhaak magewrights excel at crafting items associated with poison or animate stone—Daggers of Venom, stone Periapts of Proof against Poison, Figurines of Wondrous Power. Cazhaak priests of the Dark Six also imbue items with divine power. Such items can’t be mass-produced, but can be quite powerful; a Mace of Terror could be a Cazhaak stone weapon dedicated to the Mockery.

Demesne Artifice

Products of the Venomous Demesne are elegant and beautiful, produced using arcane science and techniques beyond those of the Five Nations. Their designs often feature metal that merges seamlessly with crystal or threads of energy. The Demesne excels at evocation and conjuration, and is an excellent source for Wands, Rods, Staffs, and other Arcane Focuses. Items of up to Rare quality are common in daily life in the Demesne, but they are also capable of producing Very Rare items. A traveler from the Demesne might have an Instant Fortress for shelter. However, the Demesne is a small city-state that lacks the resources and industrial base of House Cannith or a nation like Breland; its tools are powerful, but not widespread.

Fey Gifts

Adventurers might make bargains with the Merchant of Misthaven or be gifted with rings by King Grayfinger, but even normal people can receive gifts from lesser fey. Sometimes Fey gifts are ostentatious; a Doss Lute from Misthaven might be a beautifully gilded instrument with silver strings. On the other hand, Fey gifts can often appear to be very mundane and may have an appearance at odds with their purpose or standard design. For example, a Belt of Giant Strength could be a pair of old slippers; a Luckstone could be an old set of dice or a bone comb. One way to approach this is to pair the abilities of a standard magic item with an item rolled on a trinket table. The key is the contrast between the intentional arcane science of the Venomous Demesne or House Cannith; a fey gift isn’t a product of science.

Frontier Homespun

The people who live along the Border Road have limited access to goods from Breland and House Cannith. Because of this, many goods are either produced locally or are heirlooms that have been repaired time and time again. Because they are either handmade or patched up, homespun goods often have unique details. A homespun Longsword might be slightly shorter than usual, or perhaps the pommel doesn’t match the rest of the hilt. If an adventurer has homespun gear, one question to consider is whether they know the artisan who made it—or, if they have the proficiency, did they make it themselves?

Military Surplus

The Last War only just ended in 996 YK. Since then, quite a few Brelish veterans have settled on the Western Frontier—and throughout the war, Droaam saw its share of deserters and fugitives from many nations. Beyond personal equipment, there’s a thriving black market trade in surplus weaponry—Blast Disks, Long Rods, and powerful weapons from the Venomous Demesne. Bandits, Droaamite warlords, and the Swords of Liberty are all interested in stockpiling weapons… while some villages along the Border Road are building their own arsenals to defend against these forces. A bandit could easily wear a Brelish Breastplate and have an Aundairian-issued Wand of Magic Missiles; the question is which nation, if either, they originally served. Another thing to consider is military awards imbued with arcane power. A Brelish veteran might have earned Wroann’s Star—a medal for bravery that duplicates the effects of a Stone of Good Luck. Do they wear it proudly? Or is there a deeper story that causes them to keep it hidden beneath their armor?

Patchwork

The gnolls of the Znir Pact are well known for patching their armor and equipment together from different sources. For the Znir, this is a way to cling to the memories of past victories, but brigands and adventurers alike may find it to be the most expedient approach to arming and armoring themselves. This is a good place to blur the lines of the title of armor or weaponry with its actual appearance; an adventurer could have armor that is functionally a Chain Shirt, but it could be described as Brelish-issued Studded Leather matched up with the right arm of a suit of Dhakaani Plate. Helmets, vambraces, boots—on the frontier, each piece of equipment may have a story to tell.

Sylbaran Woodwork

The Western Frontier lies between Breland, Droaam, and the Eldeen Reaches, and over the course of decades goods from the Eldeen town of Sylbaran have made their way south along the Border Road. The Eldeen druids often use natural materials that have been imbued with primal magic to match the strength of steel—blades of carved wood, scale mail made from bronzewood leaves. The primal magic of the Eldeen Reaches can also be a source of magic items, ranging from everyday items to more powerful treasures. A Potion of Healing could be a Jorasco brew, but it could just as easily be goodberry wine from Sylbaran (or troll’s blood from Droaam!). The Eldeen rangers have long made use of Boots of Elvenkind and Cloaks of Elvenkind—though on the frontier these are just known as Eldeen Boots and Eldeen Cloaks.

Others

These are just a few options among many. The fiend-smiths of Turakbar’s Fist produce powerful magic items embedded with demonglass; some of these are sentient, containing the essence of a bound fiend. The changelings of Lost manufacture items tied to shapeshifting and illusion; they produce the finest Shiftweave on the Frontier. The Khaar’paal kobolds often work with wyvern scale and bone, but their tools channel sorcerous power. And if an object is made from stone, it could always be tied to Orlassk, the daelkyr Lord of Stone! Ultimately, this is an opportunity to add an interesting flavor to an otherwise random item. If adventurers find an Ioun Stone, it might be the product of House Cannith or the Arcane Congress, but it could just as easily be a creation of Orlassk or a Cazhaak stonesmith. It could also be a jewel from the hoard of King Grayfinger, or a demonglass shard from Turakbar’s Fist. Aside from suggesting the appearance of the item, this connection could become important later in the campaign!

Frontier Style