Benalia is a land of natural and architectural beauty: vast fields of sun-kissed grain crisscrossed by meandering rivers and dotted with cities of white limestone towers and vivid stained glass. One would hardly guess that less than a century before, this great empire was fractured, its people scattered, and its shining capital city a salt-choked ruin. Today, the seven noble houses of Benalia once again rule one of the most prosperous and powerful nations of Dominaria. The Benalish are keenly aware that their New Benalia is in its infancy, with a thousand years of heroic ancestors and tales of bravery to live up to. But they are a diligent people—and proud enough to consider themselves equal to the task.
Heroes of Benalia
Benalia is an empire poised for expansion, and many of its greatest heroes are part of its strong and growing array of military forces.
Suggested Classes
Consider any of the following class options for a Benalish character.
Cleric
The priests who march with the armies of Benalia are consecrated by the Serran church—and are technically part of its ecclesiastical hierarchy. In practice, though, they serve more as military officers than as clergy. Benalish clerics inspire their charges to great feats of glory and heroism, bolstering them with the blessings of Serra.
Fighter
Benalish fighters drawn from the noble houses are often elite knights. They are responsible for security for Benalish lords and their manors, and make up the core of military forces in the field. Noble fighters also serve as officers for the soldiery, but many people from the common classes also rise to officer ranks. Each of the noble houses maintains its own standing army, but several legions of professional soldiers tithed from the different houses make up the backbone of the Benalish fighting force.
Paladin
Warriors who combine loyalty to Benalia with devotion to Serra might join the ranks of Benalia's knights if they come from noble blood. This is particularly true of the members of House Capashen, who have a long heritage of worshiping Serra.
Ranger
The leather-clad Benalish warriors known colloquially as "heroes" make up a special, renowned class of defender. They are trained from a young age to survive in any environment while operating independently, and they owe their loyalty directly to Benalia City and the Council of Seven.
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Nation. I am devoted to the restoration of Benalia's empire. |
| 2 | Peace. Life can truly thrive only when war and strife are stilled. |
| 3 | Protection. I will also protect the less fortunate from the depredations of the rich and strong. |
| 4 | Hope. The world is emerging from a long despair, and needs every shred of inspiration we can offer. |
| 5 | Honor. If I dishonor myself, I bring dishonor on my deity, my nation, and my family. |
| 6 | Solidarity. Together, we are stronger than any of us alone. |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am connected to one of the Seven Great Houses, and I place its interests above all others. |
| 2 | I have closer ties among my Star-Clan than in my blood family. |
| 3 | I own a weapon or a piece of armor used by a renowned ancestor. |
| 4 | I am in love with a member of a different great house. |
| 5 | I believe I am the last heir of a great house that was lost. |
| 6 | My family's estate lies in ruins, and I want to rebuild it. |
Aven
Benalish Adventures
What might bring adventurers to Benalia? What adventures can Benalish heroes undertake? And what nefarious schemes might a Benalish villain pursue? You can use the following tables for inspiration when building adventures around the people and locations of Benalia.
Benalish Quests
Benalish characters often have ties to either the Seven Great Houses or the military forces of Benalia. They might be sent on missions by their individual houses or by the Council of Seven, when not undertaking quests driven by their own lofty ideals.
| d6 | Quest |
|---|---|
| 1 | Defend a mining settlement in the Red Iron Mountains from the raids of Crookshank kobolds. |
| 2 | Establish trade or negotiate a treaty with minotaurs in the Hurloon Mountains. |
| 3 | Help settle a dispute between two of the Great Houses. |
| 4 | Convince the Council of Seven to send military aid to one of the seven houses. |
| 5 | Establish a trading colony in an inhospitable land. |
| 6 | Uncover a traitor or Cabal cultist among the Seven Great Houses. |
Benalish Sites
Like much of Dominaria, Benalia is dotted with the ruins of ancient empires and scarred by long-ago wars. First built on the ashes of the ancient Sheoltun Empire, it was ravaged by the Phyrexian Invasion, then rebuilt over the rubble of its own near-destruction.
| d10 | Adventure Site |
|---|---|
| 1 | A lost Sheoltun temple of the state-sponsored Church of Angelfire |
| 2 | A hidden mountain cave holding an ancient Thran relic |
| 3 | A secret subbasement deep under New Benalia, which once served as a meeting place for the outlawed Church of Serra during the Sheoltun Empire's reign |
| 4 | A wrecked Phyrexian portal-ship, long overgrown by nature |
| 5 | The remains of a castle that sank in a mire during the Years of Salt |
| 6 | The top of a tower in Benalia City |
| 7 | An open field dotted with ruins left behind by long-ago war |
| 8 | A shipwreck just off the coast |
| 9 | An abandoned mansion in the Caligo Morass |
| 10 | A Serran cathedral fallen to the ground from its place in the sky |
Benalish Villains
When evil arises in the realm of Benalia, it often takes the form of that most dangerous of villains: the kind that believe themselves to be righteous and good. They might use villainous methods to advance what are basically good ends, or grow so zealous in their fight against evil that they begin to see it everywhere.
| d8 | Villain |
|---|---|
| 1 | A zealous warrior wants to lead an army to war against Keld. |
| 2 | A house leader wants their house to be the Highest House several years ahead of schedule. |
| 3 | A suspicious noble joins forces with a fiery Serran priest to try to root out corruption and the taint of the Cabal from the populace, with many innocents getting hurt in the process. |
| 4 | A hotheaded aven demands that their people gain immediate representation on the Council of Seven. |
| 5 | A pious noble seeks to bring the entire Church of Serra under Benalish control, combining church and state into a theocratic empire. |
| 6 | One member of the Council of Seven has a long-standing grudge against another. |
| 7 | A skin-witch of the Caligo Morass brings a nearby area under a curse. |
| 8 | An important noble has fallen under the influence of an advisor with ties to the Cabal, and is advancing the Cabal's plans without knowing it. |