Editing The Starsoul Crown (section)

=Setting=
After eons of conflict, the legendary magical artifact called the Starsoul Crown has been shattered on the Material Plane. No detection magics, no matter how powerful, can locate the crown, nor lead to its discovery. The bearer of the crown is rumored to possess powers exceeding even that of the eldest dragons, but never in the history of the world has such a one supposed to have held onto it for long.

The Starsoul Crown takes place primarily on the Material Plane. The campaign begins in the city of Crafthull, one of the "Rice Coast" towns along the fertile Imperial Delta. Crafthull has been a thriving port city since the discovery of haduf grain some eight generations ago. Haduf grain, which swells to unreasonably large size when planted in nourished, constantly-wet soil, has brought not only economic prosperity to the region, but also a supply of storehouse food to regions that used to fear the years of drought. In the wake of this newfound agrarian security, arts and crafts have begun to emerge from the race-mixed populations of the coastal and central lands. In particular, coral-based art, introduced by the merfolk of the southern oceans, and "livewood", a style of woodworking done on still-living (and healthy!) trees, introduced by the wood elves, have taken hold as both a pleasant leisure and a source of income for the talented.

It is currently late autumn in the year IC 538 (Imperial Calendar), and as with the last three years it has been a rain-heavy season. Lakes and rivers have swelled nearly to bursting, and even the poorest of men can find steady (if dangerous and unregulated) work repairing and rebuilding the endless series of dikes, dams, and sewage systems throughout the Empire. The throne itself is currently occupied by the Noble Regent Shast Beltram under the direction of the Imperial Circle, held in trust for when the still-infant son of the now-dead Emperor Lazaro Metros IV is old enough to undergo the Vows of Rulership and take his father's throne. While the specifics depend upon whom you ask, most people would agree that times are well-off for now, with good trade with the surrounding kingdoms, naval superiority kept in peaceful check with neighboring aquatic kingdoms, and even (for the first time in decades) an oversupply of basic foodstuffs thanks to the unusual abundance of rain in the inner lands. The military is, perhaps, a trifle overly antagonistic with certain nations for the average citizen's liking, but overall it is a time of peace and plenty.