Sandbox City of Magic - Firaqa the City of Secrets

[Druss_the_Legend]

I have created a setting for my campaign called The City of Firaqa.

Its been a 3 year project and a lot of work but the tradeoff is now i have a new sandbox setting to use over and over with my playgroup (4 players)

Why?
I needed a new setting to refresh my game. 90% of adventures took plus in Sanctuary and off the shelf campaign setting called Thieves' World. If you are not familiar with Thieves World its a self contained sandbox setting based in a port city called Sanctuary which was inspired by the Thieves' World novels. Hanse Shadowspawn, Jubal the crime-lord, Prince Kittykat and Tempus the Helllhound are some NPCs featured in the setting and it has many detailed building maps, a full city map. Maps of sewers and top notch city encounter tables of a quality not found in anywhere else.

What?
Inspired by 'So you want to be a GM" I came up with over 12 new factions/guilds who operated in a high magic city ruled by a High Council of sigh level spellcasters. Included in these factions are: 4 Great Houses, 5 Guilds of Magic, a Thieves Guild (The Iron Hand), a Bounty/vampire hunters guild (The Crimson Veil), a Loremasters guild (The Order of the Blue Star) and a number of Orders of Knights (Knights of Firaqa: Knights of Heqt, The Emerald Guard, The Shadow Guard, The Silver Sentinels and Dawnbringer Knigts). Each of the great houses has its own domain: Military & Defense, Espionage & Diplomacy, Arcane Magic & Knowledge or Commerce & Trade.

Each Guild of Magic has its own domain also.
The Celestial Order - Divination, Celestial Magic, Healing, Meditation, Circle Lore.
The Order of the Shattered Star - Elemental Magic, Elemental Lore, Elemental Summoning, Alchemy
The Astral Syndicate - Illusions, Mind Reading, Telepathy, Stealth, Perception.
The Artificers Guild - Enchantment, Artifice, Runecrafting, Artisanry, Arcane Lore.
The Obsidian Nexus - Necromancy, Forbidden Knowledge, Ritual Magic, Assassination.

Each guild of magic has its own Sigil Rings and within each guild of magic there is a hierarchy/rank and progression structure for sigil rings improving as the rings owner becomes more familiar with it, attunes to it and levels up. These rings level up with new abilities and the character does and as they earn a higher rank.

EXAMPLE
The Celestial Order
Seeker, Rank 1 (initiate)
Walker, Rank 2
Bound, Rank 3
Ascended, Rank 4
Eternal,  Rank 5 (master)

(Seeker) Ring of First Light: +1 spell adder, +10 DB or 10PP, Choose one extra Spell Mastery list

Rank 1 Sigil Ring Abilities (The Celestial Order)
1. Light of the Dawn – Can cast Light at will. Can cast Detect Magic 1x day/per 5 levels
2. Veil Sense – Advantage on Perception checks in dim light and darkness.
3. Ward Sigil – Can draw a simple glyph that acts as Alarm 1x day/per 5 levels
4. Dreamsense – Wearer can cast Thoughts (seer spell lvl5, SL pg100) 1x day/per 5 levels
5. Celestial Edge – One selected Weapon deals an extra heat critical of the same severity.

There are 5 abilities for each rank, 25 in total
To manage the progression over time I will include a Development Point cost as the initiate games experience, likely at half and full level additional attunement rolls to their ring can be made and if successful a new ring ability can be chosen.

Sigil Rings also come with some innate powers in addition to their stored abilities.

Sigil Rings for The Celestial Order

(Seeker) Ring of First Light: +1 spell adder, +10 DB or 10PP, Choose one extra Spell Mastery list

(Walker) Rind of Veiled twilight +2 spell adder, +15 DB or 15PP, Choose one extra Spell Mastery list

(Bound) Ring of The Circle Binder +3 spell adder, +20DB or 20PP, Advantage on Navigation using magic circles

(Ascended) Rind of The Dreaming Voice +4 spell adder, +25 DB or 25PP, Choose one extra Spell Mastery list

(Eternal) Ring of The Starblade: +5 spell adder, +30 DB and 30PP, Bladeturn x1 day


Here is a complete list of all Sigil Ring Abilities for The Celestial Order.

1. Ring of the First Light
Worn by: Seekers, Walkers, and beyond.
Design: A simple silver band with a pale-blue crystal that glows faintly when near celestial energy.
Rank 1 – Seeker:
Light of the Dawn – Can cast Light at will and Detect Magic once per long rest.
Rank 2 – Walker:
Silent Insight – Gain advantage on Arcana and Religion checks; can cast Augury once per long rest.
Rank 3 – Bound:
Celestial Resonance – Gain resistance to radiant damage; cast Divination once per long rest.
Rank 4 – Ascended:
Voice of the Heavens – Cast Commune once per long rest; allies within 10 ft gain +1 to saving throws.
Rank 5 – Eternal:
Luminary Rebirth – Once per long rest, if the wearer drops to 0 HP, they immediately regain half their max HP in radiant light, blinding nearby foes (DC 17 Con save or blinded for 1 round).

2. Ring of the Veiled Twilight
Favored by those who walk between realms.
Design: A shadowy metal ring with a swirling grey gem that pulses with an inner mist.
Rank 1 – Seeker:
Veil Sense – Advantage on Perception checks in dim light and darkness; darkvision +30 ft.
Rank 2 – Walker:
Twilight Step – Can cast Misty Step once per short rest.
Rank 3 – Bound:
Ghost's Grasp – Can cast Blink once per long rest; immune to being surprised.
Rank 4 – Ascended:
Shroud of the Beyond – Cast Greater Invisibility once per long rest; resistance to necrotic damage.
Rank 5 – Eternal:
Veil Eternal – When reduced to 0 HP, can instead become incorporeal for 1 minute once per long rest (as per Etherealness), then reappear with 1 HP.

3. Ring of the Circle-Binder
Worn by those who lead, bind, and shield.
Design: Interwoven golden bands with nine small embedded glyphs.
Rank 1 – Seeker:
Ward Sigil – Can draw a simple glyph that acts as Alarm once per day.
Rank 2 – Walker:
Circle of Binding – Can cast Magic Circle once per long rest.
Rank 3 – Bound:
Ninefold Seal – Gain +2 to saving throws against extraplanar creatures; once per day, cast Banishment.
Rank 4 – Ascended:
Arcane Bastion – Can project a shimmering ward around allies (as Globe of Invulnerability, 1/day).
Rank 5 – Eternal:
Unbreakable Circle – Once per long rest, create a Circle of Power (30 ft radius) where allies gain +2 AC, advantage on saves, and immunity to charm/frighten for 1 minute.

4. Ring of the Dreaming Voice
Bestowed upon prophets and seers.
Design: A moonstone set in starmetal, whispering faintly in silence.
Rank 1 – Seeker:
Dreamsense – Gain proficiency in Insight and cast Detect Thoughts once per long rest.
Rank 2 – Walker:
Echo Vision – Can cast Clairvoyance once per long rest.
Rank 3 – Bound:
Whispers of Tomorrow – Gain advantage on initiative rolls; cast Legend Lore once per week.
Rank 4 – Ascended:
Prophet's Mantle – Gain Truesight (30 ft); cast Scrying at will.
Rank 5 – Eternal:
Chrono-Vision – Once per long rest, pause time for 6 seconds (1 round), taking one turn alone (as per Time Stop, limited to one round of actions).

5. Ring of the Starblade
For Mystic Enforcers and cosmic warriors.
Design: A black adamantine ring with a comet-shaped ruby set in its center.
Rank 1 – Seeker:
Celestial Edge – Weapon attacks deal an extra 1d4 radiant damage.
Rank 2 – Walker:
Flicker Step – Gain a reaction-based Shield once per short rest.
Rank 3 – Bound:
Starstrike – Once per long rest, imbue weapon with starlight (adds 2d8 radiant damage on all attacks for 1 minute).
Rank 4 – Ascended:
Orbiting Wards – Create three starlight motes that absorb 10 damage each before vanishing.
Rank 5 – Eternal:
Blade of Falling Stars – Summon a radiant greatsword or bow made of pure starlight (counts as a +3 weapon; deals 3d10 radiant damage and blinds targets on crits).

[Druss_the_Legend]

Here is some lore I created for the backstory around Firaqa. Currently the party are helping the high council operating as a counter espionage team. Meanwhile the city is under siege from an invading army.

Led by the last of the Bright Seers, a blind woman named Lyssia, they waged war against the chaos. They broke the chains of the Black Book's magic one by one, binding the Vampire Lords into soulstones and banishing them beyond the veil—to a realm beyond The Void, a place outside time where even gods dare not walk.
It cost them everything.
The greatest warriors of the Champions of Light perished - among them were Sir Caelin the Flame of Justice and Rydan the Sunborn Avenger. The Blue Star Order was shattered. Lyssia gave her life, her body turned to light as she closed the final gate. [From the Chronicles of the Age of Despair]

I am using the siege as a backdrop to events that are happening inside the city. The party are being tested with a tough first up quest - destroy a vampire den in the city. They have intel from the military faction (House Galadorn) and have been given a guide to get them to the building, the rest is up to them. They know they are being used as pawns but are determined to prove themselves to the High Council who have heard many stories about their exploits and achievements prior to their arrival in Firaqa. (some from the players themselves!)

There is plenty of opportunity for spying, betrayal and double dealing. The players have recently discovered some of the High Council are helping the invaders and there is the recent murder of a lawful magician from the Order of the Blue start who was rumoured to have been working on a spell that would change the outcome of the war.

[Druss_the_Legend]

[Prologue]

Firaqa was a city built on secrets.

Factions lurked in the twilight, their ambitions hidden behind silver smiles and sharpened daggers. Power and Knowledge — these were the true currencies of Firaqa, hoarded and bartered in whispered deals beneath the very noses of the unwary.

The High Council, aloof and untouchable. They had agents in every corner, their whispers in every ear. Trust was a fool's game in Firaqa, and few played it for long. No shadow moved in Firaqa without them knowing — or allowing. They ruled from their marble towers, but they ruled through spies and assassins, not through laws or honor.

The Iron Hand - ruthless and resourceful. The Crimson Veil - unyielding and deadly. The Order of the Blue Star - seekers of ancient truths. Even the storied Knights of Firaqa, sworn to honor, found themselves entangled in invisible strings, dancing to tunes they could not hear.

They were all pawns in a grander design. A battle fought not on open fields but in back rooms and blood-slick alleyways. The Game of Shadows. And in Firaqa, it was the only game that mattered.