A Wyrmwarden stands over his kill.
"A mix of blood soaked, ultra-violent, Hack 'n' Slash sword and sorcery and somewhat pulpy epic high fantasy" That in a nutshell is Dragonsfall. Imagine a fantasy world not unlike Middle Earth or Faerun of the Forgotten Realms setting that has been layed to waste leaving nothing of it's former self except charred ruins and scraps of it's own history. Imagine that those world's peoples where forced back into a state of barbarism for 2000 years where overtime they lost all sense of their fantastical heritage, their beautiful civilizations, how to manipulate and use magic, and the very gods that gave life to their world. Now imagine, for those 2000 years, being surrounded on all sides by lethal monsters, barbaric enemy tribes, and unforgiving deadly wilderness. This period of Faerodorn's history is what has shaped the cmpaign world we exist in today. Those 2000 years of blood soaked carnage where an impending doom hung over the entirety of civilization like a stalking displacer beast.
The peoples and civilizations of Faerodorn eventually recovered from this age of darkness but their history and culture was now nothing more than a blood soaked tapestry woven from unrecognizable tatters of memory. The Cataclysm and it's fallout took everything away. From the world's rich culture to it's people's connection to the magical force that drives it... they even lost their gods.
The year is now 7E14.1.24 (7th era, 14th year, 1st season, 24th day) and from the ashes of the cataclysm, the fall, and the age of dragons civilization has risen to a new stage of enlightenment and evolution. Made hard, cold, and ruthles by the eons of blood shed and terror, civilization in now way resembles it's former glory. Now it's a much darker, brooding place where death is a part of life and magic is more primitive and geared towards destruction.
This age rings in the dawn of the Great Imperial Union of DRACONHELM. An empire of mixed cultures and kingdoms all united under one set of standards, laws, and ruler. All across the worlds loose city states, soveriegn settlements and holds, and tribal cultures are banding together to form their own kingdoms in order to garner strength and wealth. This has brought with it a corruption of greed and warmongering. Now with giant armies behind them, rulers can impose whatever their will intends. Tyrants run rampant and a great war cannot be far off the horizon.
Adventurers are a VERY RARE breed these days for folk have become less inclined to hurl themselves in the path of danger when it is constantly looming around every corner as it is. Seemingly its as if the world has lost hope. No longer do you hear epic bardic tales of great heroes slaying sadistic evil-doers, rescuing stunning beauties, or toppling tyrannical monsters. Now bards are more like court jesters rallying behind whatever fat corrupted pig of a lord they can squeeze a few coppers from. The skies always seem dark these days, as if the sun will never shine again... Of course MANY yearn for a return to the days of heroism. In fact adventurers are beginning to become more common as civilization's grasp on arcane and divine magics becomes stronger. Every generation born is a bit more intelligent, wise, confident, and learned than the one before it.
Magic was once the ultimate driving force of civilizations greatness. But over the 2000 year age of darkness we lost our connection to it. Now, a magical rennaisance is upon us as mages learn more and more of our magical universe. As a civilization, the days of burning mages is all but gone. There still exists settlements and places where magic is so feared you are murdered immediatly for showing any sign of its understanding. In the more civilized world magic has become not only accepted but revered in awe. Many lords are pouring every gold piece they have into it's research and development.
The overall theme of this campaign world is a bit dystopian and dark but full of just as much fantastic wonder and heroic deeds as any other one of the before-mentioned worlds. As you explore and delve into the setting's lore you will see that this world is VERY diverse and the possibilities therefor are endless.
Using a MASSIVE catalogue of Dnd 3.5 homebrew, 3rd party, and official material, Dragonsfall is going to be a very expansive and rewarding setting.