The Usurpers of Kulm campaign is an AD&D 2nd Edition game world designed near entirely by myself. There are pieces and places on Kulm which draw their inspirations from other AD&D game materials, campaign settings and even a few homebrewed settings from various PBeMs I've played in. Unlike other D&D products, where worlds are carved up into separate campaign setting presentations, what I've endeavored to provide here is a complete, concise presentation of the entire world of Kulm in a singular, easily navigable source.

While the source itself is a singular product, each region does have its own section, and each region does have unique rules for allowable PC races, classes and kits. However, each section is accessible from this main page.

The basic backstory: you are a citizen from one of the many nations on Kulm. A young member of your race, you have been sent by your family to the Armistice Academy in Ghed. The Armistice Academy is the premier training facility for adventurers and heroes of all kinds, and it exists as a testament to the relative peace and stability that presently reigns between Kulm's various nations and factions.

You have been assembled into a mixed class of similarly inexperienced adventurers and assigned an instructor to help you further your studies and hone your skills. However, you are well aware that the world outside of Armistice balances precariously on a knife's edge between peace and all-out war. Who would have guessed that a freshman Academy class would end up making the difference between destruction and prosperity? That a cadre of unseasoned cadets would grow into the mantles of heroes and take on the dark forces seeking to plunder this peaceful world?

Before proceeding, you should select a nationality. The nationality you select will determine your race, class and kit allowments.

• Alfland, one of the Pallinite Islands, home to numerous races of Elves, Fairies and other Sylvan folk. Alfland is ruled by Pallin.
• Atalanta, an underwater kingdom accessed by way of the atoll of Cleito, currently under control of the Pallinites. Various aquatic races live here.
• Capitol, a militaristic death-worshipping nation where life is viewed as a prelude to undeath.
• Doria, a feudal monarchy, ruling the continent North of Ghed and Saqqa, and East of the Hordelands. Doria is struggling with the possibility of a civil war among its provinces. The Kingdom is allied with Raevel, and opposed to the Hordelands and Pallin.
• The Far World, a lush jungle continent where native humans, saurials and aarakocra are allied against the growing threat of the Yuan-Ti.
• The Far World Colonies (Caraca, Greenton and the Islands), several settlements established by privateers, merchants and missionaries from the Eastern hemisphere of Kulm, now under the control of the Pallinite government. There are lots of pirates here (Arr), along with several native races of humans, lizardmen and various anthropomorphic animals.
• Ghed, an advanced nation of spelljammers that seeks to promote and preserve global peace. The population ranges from native humans and demihumans to immigrants from various races of wildspace. Home of the Armistice Adventurer's Academy.
• The Hordelands, a continent that was settled by humanoid exiles from every nation long ago. Dominated by orcs, ogres, trolls, goblins and other humanoid and goblinoid races. Very Warcraftian.
• Iiso, a chain of islands off the West coast of Capitol, ruled by humans and several unique breeds of demihumans and humanoids. Iiso's royal throne has been empty for a long time, and the islands are currently being fought over by five powerful lords with their armies of samurai.
• New Pallin, a continent North of the Far World, settled by Pallin a generation ago and, more recently, independent by way of a revolutionary war. The foundling colonial government is allied with several native tribes of humans and yeti-kin, and they're trying to build a railroad that runs from the East Coast to the West Coast. There are lots of cowboys and New Pallinite Natives out on the prairie.
• Nohrd, a chain of islands North of Iiso, and Northwest of the Hordelands. Humans dominate here, living peacefully alongside dwarves, elves, goblins, trolls and giant-kin. The races were all united several centuries ago by a disastrous war against an army of dragons that nearly claimed all the islands. Now, the Nohrdics travel the world as diplomats and archaeologists. Even so, there are sometimes vikings and berserkers here.
• Pallin, an island nation ruled by a constitutional monarchy that has used its advanced technology (especially advanced military technology) to take over half the world. Magic is rare and weak among the people who live here, but to compensate they have guns and steamships. Everyone here talks with British accents and stops what they're doing around 10 am to take tea.
• Raevel, a feudal monarchy on a continent East of Doria. There are raiding bugbears in the mountains, and a secret society that is trying to take over the country. (oops, guess it's not so secret anymore!) Humans and demihumans from Raevel use Player's Option Character Points rules. (which is why they're off in the corner by themselves with no friends)
• Saqqa, a desert kingdom, sharing a common border with Ghed, that has a mostly-powerless Pharoah and is currently ruled by Pallin. Humans rule here, along with several races marked by the blood of otherworldly beings like Genies and Asuras. There are also jackal-headed people and sphinxes.
• Staircase, an independent city-state renowned as a planar crossroads high in the mountains between Capitol and Ghed. Staircase derives its name from the fact that a tower at the center of the city is an entrance to the Infinite Staircase. Several planar races live here, including a group of rogue Githyanki and Githzerai who don't understand why everybody can't just get along.
• Skyview, an enchanted floating city so high above Kulm's surface that it's almost orbital. A number of aerial and avian races live here. Skyview is closely allied with Ghed, and has a spelljamming fleet of its own (because the city is too far up for even its flying residents to reach the planet's surface safely).

 Interested in joining the campaign? Have a character concept you'd like to try out? Shoot an email to the DM: [email protected]