Welcome back to Vulcanica.

93 years ago, Vulcanica was given a second lease on life.

A small band of selfless heroes, working with the Gods at their backs, gave up everything to restore the world to the way it was meant to be. Their efforts, combined with the people of the world’s collective strength, led to some dramatic changes. Vulcanica is barely recognizable now, and the once-divided continent now enjoys an unprecedented sense of unity and peace. But, hidden in the shadows, plotters and schemers vie for the throne, and their plans are just beginning to unfold. Will the Imperial Guard’s newest patrol, the Dawn Patrol, play a role in the events to come, or will they sit by helplessly as their world plunges into chaos?

The Dawn Patrol is a 4th-Edition D&D campaign designed for 5-7 players of 11th level and higher. The game is currently still in its planning phase, but will be beginning play in early July 2012.

For now, please feel free to peruse this wiki to learn more about Vulcanica and the state it is in.

Themes of The Dawn Patrol.

The Dawn Patrol will revolve around a small team of the Imperial Guard’s newest recruits, known as the Dawn Patrol. The story will push the players to their limits both on and off the battlefield, and will ultimately ask them how far they are willing to go for justice.

Much of the game will revolve around adventuring and combat, though a heavy amount of investigation and intrigue will take place, with both kick-in-the-door and cloak-and-dagger options available for many of the challenges the party will face.

The players will be expected to roleplay in this game, and excessive use of out-of-character dialogue and “metagaming” will be frowned upon. The events that unfold over the course of The Dawn Patrol will take a heavy toll on the character’s emotions, and it only enhances the experience if the players are feeling those emotions as well.

Much like its literal and spiritual predecessor, The Dawn Patrol will make use of NPCs and short stories as devices to enhance the plot and tell more of the story than just what the characters are experiencing. Players will be expected to keep information gained from these stories out-of-character, and not allow it to influence their character’s decisions.

Inspiration for The Dawn Patrol

Though the sources from which I draw inspiration are innumerable and constantly expanding, below is a list of some of the primary sources I have and will continue to use, and a good place for the players to look if they wish to learn more.

• The A Song of Ice and Fire novels, by George R.R. Martin.
• The Conclave of Shadows and Darkwar Saga novel trilogies, by Raymond E. Feist.
• The Mistborn trilogy and The Alloy of Law standalone novel, by Brandon Sanderson.
• The Night Angel trilogy, by Brent Weeks.
• The Avatar: The Last Airbender Nickelodeon series.
• The Game of Thrones HBO series, based off George R.R. Martin’s book series.
• A special mention for 4chan’s Traditional Gaming board, as both a source of inspiration and DM advice when it is needed.