Belmarra for Role Playing Games

We continue our series on one-shot adventures with a deep dive into the island of Belmarra. The northern of the two Outset Isles, this landmass contains frozen tundra, exotic animal life, dungeons and unusual cultures. With the right Dungeon Master (and candles), this rich world can provide an immersive experience and bring adventurers back to your table again and again!

Here Be Dragons!

For many ages, the ecology of Belmarra was only known through legend and song. More recently the desire to document the flora and fauna of the world has been the cause of many adventures as political factions send parties north to document whatever they come across. The most significant finding has been a series of dungeons in the northern reaches of the Silent Pines forest that house a flourishing population of dragons. The most populous by far are wild White Dragons, although a smattering of Blue and Green dragons have also been observed. Rumors persist of a Silver Dragon who walks among humans in the great city of Ric Shalla, although the decerning adventurer would pay no mind to these wild claims.

A Wild Landscape

Belmarra contains some of the harshest weather in the Outset Isles, with average summertime temperatures ranging from a high of 11C (53F) to 17C (63F), while at night temperatures drop to -1C (30F) to 4C (39F).  South of the northern mountains lies a semi-frozen tundra, several thousand square kilometers in size.  The western boundaries of the tundra give way to vast forests of pine and other conifer trees, which form the Silent Pines forest.  Much of life in these forests are wild and untamed, although adventurers bring us news of various druidic cults that inhabit the area.  The southernmost area of the island suffers from a blight that has caused much of the land to be barren.  What was once rolling prairie is now a collection of dunes of fine dust and sand, nearly devoid of life.  The northern boundary of this area is demarcated by The Deadwood—a forest of dead and petrified trees that stand as a silent witness to whatever ecological disaster occurred to their south. One candle could set the entire thing ablaze, potentially spreading the blight further northward.

The People of Belmarra

The primary power in Belmarra is the Iron Order: a group of xenophobic religious fanatics who (thankfully) tend to keep to themselves. Just the sort of people you wouldn't want to cross. They inhabit the great city of Ric Shalla--a sprawling urban center in the middle of the tundra. Few details emerge from the city walls, as most scouts are immediately escorted to the dungeons, but it is known that an emperor sits at the highest levels of the political structure. Besides unorganized druidic cults in the Silent Pines forest, there is evidence of a former civilization that inhabited the southern part of the island. The ruins of Rach Fo tell of an advanced society that seems to have vanished in a relatively short span of time. There could still be clues to be found in the ruins (as well as treasure!) that could bring and end to the speculation of the Rach Fo people, but such knowledge would surely be held in the deepest parts of the worlds dungeons...

Which DND Candles Work Best for Belmarra?

Hopefully this general description of the Island of Belmarra has piqued your interest and perhaps started the gears turning in your own head as you think of one-shot adventures that could take place amongst the landscape and peoples. And what better way to sort through these new ideas than to do it suffused with the scents of the adventuring worlds you spin with our candles?

Try one of our Barbarian Encampment candles; perfect for placing your imagination among the sprawling tents of a nomadic peoples traversing the tundra and following the great herds of game.

Lounge in a luxurious bedchamber with one of our Bard's Bedroom candles, which capture the seductive sweetness that our favorite bards might use to charm information from someone in the city's hierarchy.

What's Next?

Next article, we'll provide an overview for the southern island of Melorin. If you thought Belmarra was rich is storytelling possibilities, I can promise you: Melorin has (much) more to offer!