Archeotechs of the Wastes

Archeotechs of the Wastes
Drawn from some of the brightest and boldest stock Sumar’s river cities have to offer, the Guild of Archeotechs holds a simple, yet ever alluring, promise: free world-class education in every discipline the world has to offer, free and exquisite housing, board, & garments, and a nigh-guaranteed life of high wages and vaunted employment across the continent—all in exchange for a measly ten years of service following one’s studies. The fledgling scholar-explorers of the Archeotechs must first cut their teeth upon the ruins of the Ekhropolis Empire, a long-dead precursor civilization that reached levels of prosperity and technology only dreamed about today. Yet, all was lost to the dunes of their empire’s desert homes long before your birth for reasons that still lie at the heart of the Archeotechs’ studies. The job, you thought, would be simple: explore some dusty old ruins, find ancient diagrams of flying machines and caged lightning, and become rich and famous in Sumar. Yet throughout your studies, the perils of what the fall of the Ekhropolis wrought upon the world only became more and more vivid, and the tales of Archeotechs who never returned from their field service grew more and more numerous. Nevertheless, having completed your studies in fields ranging from ancient earth magics to social manipulation to the most advanced sciences of the day, it is your turn to brave the acrid dunes and deadly ruins of your precursors.
You and your companions shall set off on a well-worn journey over the Black Desert following the paths of countless Archeotechs before. The first major destination of your ventures is the Peak of Saint Anne, a jagged monstrosity of iron, glass, and starlight. Well-explored already by junior Archeotechs such as yourselves, it serves as a relatively safe environment for an early study of the ancients in person. Who knows? You may even discover the find of a lifetime. Following your successful trial at Saint Anne, the desert is your oyster. Will you set out to the Fields of Green and Gray, home to its infamous poison ground? Perhaps the Cathedral Maze, a thick net of glass and fibers winding deep into the sand. Or, will you seek something new? To bring glory and fame to your name, wealth to your pocket, and a bright future to your growing civilization, how far will you go in the dark?

About Me
Good day, and thank you for looking at my new D&D 5th edition game! My name is Will and I have been running D&D games for the better part of five years now, and can confidently state that I’m not half-bad! Well, maybe only a quarter-bad? A third? You know what I mean. Anyway, this campaign is based around a more episodic format that will follow your band of fantasy Indiana Joneses/tech-priests as you explore the ancient ruins of a far more advanced civilization. My inspiration for this story derives from the Mechanicus 40k game by Bulwark Studios and mainly from Xenophon’s Anabasis telling of roughly ten thousand Greek hoplites escaping from a deadly Persian civil war. In this tale, Xenophon and his troops camped out in the ruins of a dead city’s walls that were far beyond any Greek city-state of the time. This type of historical whiplash is unknown to us today, yet for many in the past, such as Central and Western European powers in the 800s CE after the fall of Western Rome or indigenous Americans living in what remained of the great cities of the Aztec and Incan empires after disease-based population collapse, this type of discovery was not uncommon. Yet, the terrifying implications of such still plague us today that an advanced civilization could be so easily snuffed out. The idea of the “Great Filter” theory on alien life is partially based on this. If you cannot tell, I am a history major still studying at college! I cannot wait to play this with all of you!

The Details
I plan to run this game every other or every (depending on you!) Wednesday evening at 7:30/8:00 Eastern Standard Time (EST) via Roll20 and Discord. I always do better at these games when I know when someone is about to speak or what they’re feeling, so I will encourage camera use but will not require it. While the game is important and fun, our careers/lives/romances/mental health/pets(??) come first, so never feel bad about missing a session. I promise to be understanding of your needs and boundaries in and out of game, as well as to foster a welcoming environment for veterans and new players alike. This game, like me, shall be 100% LGBTQIA+ friendly and respectful of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. If this game (and my style) are something you want to participate in and with, please do write a brief descriptor of a character idea and a bit about yourself as a player/person below! Thank you! <3
P.S. This game will start at level three!