D&D: Five Rulers That Aren’t Kings For Your Next Campaign
Making your own D&D world? Not everywhere has to be a kingdom. Here are five other ruler options for your next campaign.
The world of D&D is full of all sorts of peoples and governances. Kingdoms might be the default that we think of, when we think “old timey castle times” and who wouldn’t—but there are many layers to peel back and many levers to play with. That is to say, not every big ruler has to be a king.
In fact, you can make a much richer world if you have a few that aren’t. So consider these examples of potential rulers to issue edicts, decrees, and quest rewards for your party of adventurers. Of course, they’ll all fit in alongside kings, for the most part. But variety is the spice of life.
Secret Council
Let’s start with my personal favorite: a secret council. This is a broad category of rulers that can come from anywhere and either rule openly (as in Waterdeep, which is run by a council of Masked Lords whose identities are secret) or they can be the power behind a more visible figurehead. Like a secret cult that rules, while a nominal noble like a Duke or a Baron (and it’s almost always a Duke or a Baron) keeps up public appearances.
You can have a lot of different kinds of secret councils. A council of wizards (benevolent). Council of wizards (evil). Secret council of awakened animals, merchant princes, assassins—whatever you decide will bring an interesting flavor to your next nation state. This is a great way to spread some intrigue and rumors.
High Priest/Grand Order/Religion Time
Of course you can always go the route found in classic JRPGs where there’s a grand order or some kind of high priest of an organization dedicated to doing good and spreading the message of religiosity. It is then up to you to decide if this is a front for something evil. Or if it’s actually the thing it says.
It all depends on where you fall on the “time to go kill a god” spectrum that tends to dominate one end of the D&D power scale. Though it is possible to run a campaign where that doesn’t happen!
Most Powerful _____
Of course you could always go with might makes right. Especially in the world of D&D, where everyone has very measurable power levels. The ruler of a given region could always be the most powerful person. There are a lot of different ways to interpret this.
It could be the highest level person. The strongest warrior. The mightiest wizard. The most powerful lich. If you have a place run by a warlord or a lich or whatever, this is probably the kind of theme you’re looking for. Just decide which version of “the strongest” is the most applicable and go with that.
And don’t be afraid to get creative, too! You could have a place be run by an ancient druid. Or the most wise cleric or whatever.
Ancient One
Speaking of Ancient Druids, a common trope in fantasy is rule by someone who is wise beyond their years, but also has a lot of years to be wise beyond. Fantasy stories are full of ancient ones who show up in various forms.
This is already canon in certain parts of D&D; in Eberron, there’s a great pine tree that has been Awakened known as Oalian. He’s the most powerful, highest level creature in the setting. And he rules the Towering Woods of the Eldeen Reaches. Oalian is incredible—and an example of how you can get real weird with your ancient ones. You could have an immortal construct. Or an angel or demon that’s been around for milennia.
A Computer
Or just use a computer. And by that, I mean an intelligence that exists outside of the scope of human understanding. Whether it’s an actual computer or like a magical coalesence of minds. There are plenty of examples, from the ruler of Mechanus, Primus, who is basically a computer.
There’s also the computer that rules the crashed UFO in the Barrier Peaks. Or the magical minds known as Docents that exist in both Vecna: Eve of Ruin and Eberron. So, there’s a lot of different ways to interpret it. But, a computer is a good way to inject a little sci-fi flavor into your fantasy adventures.
Happy adventuring!
