The Bleeding Throne
Crowns are won with blood — the question is whose
Premise
Emperor Valdric III is dead — poisoned at his own feast. With no clear heir, five powerful claimants have declared for the Iron Throne of Kaelthorne. The empire fractures overnight. Border wars erupt, trade routes collapse, and desperate factions seek any advantage. The party finds themselves at the center of this maelstrom — whether as mercenaries, minor nobles, spies, or survivors just trying to get through alive.
The World
The Empire of Kaelthorne, a once-mighty realm spanning mountains, rivers, and coastline, now tearing itself apart. Cities are fortified, villages burn between contested borders, and refugee columns clog every road. The capital, Thronehold, sits atop a mesa overlooking a blood-red river — beautiful, ancient, and rotten to its core.
Starting Location
The Crossroads Inn
A fortified waystation at the junction of three contested territories. Refugees, deserters, spies, and mercenaries all pass through. The innkeeper charges triple and pays protection money to two different armies. It's the last neutral ground in the empire.
4 characters to meet · 4 factions to discover · 3 plot hooks to uncover