What Is It?
Frontier is a module of a huge fantasy
adventure game DungeonWorld.
Frontier is a strange jungle land far to the South-East
of Bereny, populated by fearsome native tribes, savage
jungle creatures, hideous new monsters and dinosaurs!
The Setting
Frontier is a strange jungle land far to the South-East of Bereny, populated by fearsome native tribes, savage jungle creatures, hideous new monsters and dinosaurs! Although it has been travelled to before by a few intrepid explorers, these have been a very few, very brief trips. It is mostly unexplored... and extremely dangerous! There are many reasons to travel to Frontier. Some go to find lost treasures so that they can return, rich, to Bereny. Others go for adventure and exploration. Many choose to move to a place where there are no laws and no rulers to tell them how to live. Such a life comes with a price! No laws means no protection. What is yours is yours only until somebody stronger than you takes it away! Only the hard survive in Frontier!
Getting To Frontier
To reach Frontier, travellers must first cross over 1000 miles of terrible wasteland, with temperatures ranging from freezing (when they first leave) to blistering heat. Monsters, very little food and a long and terrible journey make this impossible for most. Only a very few brave adventurers, seeking to carve out a life in the 'New World', ever make it. Those who join the game are assumed be some of the hardy few who have successfully completed the journey and have arrived at the *only* major settlement, a village called Bordertown.
Bordertown
Everybody who comes to Frontier arrives here first. (Usually half-starved and barely-alive.) It is the only major settlement in Frontier and the only place to receive regular supplies from Bereny. Some settle here. Many move on to explore, get rich, build homes... or die!
Building A Home
It is entirely possible in Frontier to build a 'base of operations' which you can call home. Of course, you should not expect it to remain unmolested. Everybody will want what you've got and many will go to great lengths to achieve it. In later stages of the game players will be able to (if they choose to play this way) set-up control and run an entire village, or more!
Law & Order
There is none. Except that which you make with your own strengths. *All* character types will be set up with the same general alliegance so they will not auto-attack one another. But bear in mind that there is *nothing* to stop them writing specific orders to do so, and we strongly expect player conflict in a world where there is no law. If this is not to your taste, you should not play Frontier.
Religion
Priests and Crusaders from Bereny are considered to be 'pilgrims', spreading the true religion in a foreign land. The Aslani worship aspects of the Gods of Light already. Tribal characters worship 'animal spirits' in bloody rituals involving sacrifice and other such bizarre practices.
Magic
Magic functions strangely in Frontier. Safe Haven and the ilk cannot be reached at all. Other spells have uncertain results. There are rumours that entirely new scrolls can be found, written in blood on animal skin! But first the mages must learn to read them in the native tongue... a task that is a quest all alone! Tribal Witch Doctors start with four special scrolls all their own.
Politics
Unlike Bereny, there are no leaders in Frontier (although the King of Bereny does lay claim to the land, there is no easy way to enforce it.) Therefore, we fully expect players to take control of any emerging positions of power as the game develops. Of course, this won't be to liking of their rivals, but in Frontier there are always options. Remember, there's no law!
About Frontier Races
Most of the races that are available in the main module of DungeonWorld are also available in Frontier. There are a few exceptions to this, though.
Signups cannot choose to take Glacier Barbarians or Dwarves of any kind. The land of Frontier does not suit these character's racial preferences at all, and so their presence will be treated as a 'limited' character class, not available on startup.
However, certain new character types are available *only* in Frontier. These represent locals of the region who have learned to cooperate with the explorers from Bereny (and to enjoy the strange luxuries they bring!)
Aslani, a race of lion-men, are common in Frontier including; Aslani Fighters & Aslani Monks.
Tough, Black-skinned 'native' humans are also common including; Tribal Warrior, Tribal Scout, Tribal Witch-Doctor and Tribal Shaman.
Finally, Midnight Elves are native to this region and are available as Midnight Fighter, Midnight Keeper (with animal sub-character), Midnight Rogue & Midnight Priest.
Aslani & Tribal characters are only available as males. Midnight Elves can be male or female. None of these 'native to Frontier' classes can be members of any Berenian guild at the beginning of the game.