Basic Campaign Information
Jun 7, 2015 23:24:16 GMT -5
tetramorph, Necromancer, and 1 more like this
Post by merctime on Jun 7, 2015 23:24:16 GMT -5
This is mostly 'information in the backdrop'. None of it is actually essential to play, and some if not most might come up naturally after a bit of gaming.
This campaign, "Adventures in Aerth", takes place on a very young, nearly pristine world. The 'Lawful' races (basically Men, elves, Dwarfs, and Halflings) have only had a little bit to spread out, although they have done so somewhat. There is still plenty of 'open space' and wilderness around the nations, though.
Quick Injected Edit: Please do feel free to add your own spin to this campaign! It's your game, too!
If you have an idea about a favored religion, a cool home-town, or other thing that changes the shape of the overall world, bring it up! I'll happily oblige reasonable requests (stuff that doesn't equate to instant winning). One of my favorite parts of gaming, as a Ref, is to have the players inject their own particular spin into the world... Stuff that will last, like new towns and religions
Ok, continuing on... While there are a couple of places that could be considered 'racial homes', these places are the exception and not the rule.
Each cultural area is a mixture of all the 'lawful' races living together. So, one might meet an Arabian Dwarf, or an Amazonian Elf, or a Rostovian Halfling, as easily as an Anglican Human. Of course, Humans are the most numerous. I have used names that I'm hoping are similar enough to ones in history or literature that they basically explain themselves; If not, the following explanations might help:
Amazonia: Picture an off-shoot of classical greece, but the females operate in the classic role of the male. Women tend to look like the comic book version of Wonder Woman in tone, build, etc. The men are slighter than they are, and handle the classic feminine roles in society. It's just normal to them, but other cultures scratch their heads over this.
Anglica: Think Medieval Anglo-Saxon peoples and cultures. Medieval England. The basic stuff.
Arabia: Fantasy-style middle-eastern flavor. Turbans, Camels, Pointy shoes and all. Local Shieks rule the people; The Grand Vizier rules the Shieks.
Rostovia: Early Russian peoples and cultures. Like the Anglicans, they build large, dark stone castles. Numerous and very mercantile.
Gaulia: The Gauls. Pretty rural folk, but they do have a city. It's still got a rural feel to it, though. Less stonework, more herding.
Tuscany: Think very early Roman cultures... The Etruscans are whom I'm after in modeling these people after. Very classical architecture.
Viklund: Viking culture of course. The 'capitol city' is actually a collection of villages run by the high king and the villages of his most trusted sub-kings. Other places are villages run by the local king (who answers to the high king).
The above is to help you have an idea for the 'feel' of these people and their culture: There is not, nor will there be, 'mechanical bonuses' to stuff from cultural choice (so no stuff like 'All Cimmerians get a +1 when climbing, because Conan was a great climber'). It's only to help you imagine the people and how they might be better.
The cultural areas, (what we normally call 'Nations' or 'Kingdoms' or whatnot; Those titles are just fine here) are quite far from each other and have lots and lots of wide open, uncharted, dangerously wild area between them. While each Nation generally knows of one another, contact is limited; For those without powerful magic of the highest degree, there are still the semi- or bi-annual merchant trade caravans.
These caravans usually happen in the early summer and mid-spring. They are expensive to set up, and sometimes don't succeed due to the danger of the wilderness. When they move out, it's like a small military force out of necessity. A small core group of merchants and attendants, and a whole slough of professional soldiers and baggage drivers. Adventurous types can generally travel along, as long as they provide some class-based expertise for the trip, and are expected to help defend the caravan.
Mechanically, they are meant for a means of providing and explaining 'fast travel' for you, the players, to go from nation to nation without getting murdered in the wildlands. They also explain behind-the-scenes commercial and informational trade between the nations, but this is stuff I'm not really 'rolling for'.
When a caravan from an outside nation arrives, it's the cause of a really big celebration. Usually, a four-day festival ensues as the local lord/lords of an area give their populace a chance to relax, and spend/make some money. The first day is usually a feast, and mild stuff like dances so that the caravan people can get some rest. The second day, the caravan's set up a bazaar type market and the trading bonanza begins. There is also dancing and tournaments. The third day is much like the second. On the fourth day, a really big dance is set up, followed by the championship tournaments, and lastly a huge feast.
Wars are infrequent, as it would cost too much to move an army close enough to invade a neighbor (And your army might get eaten by Giant Rocs on the way). But, the Vikings are known to raid over the seas just before, and directly after, winter. Gaulia and Tuscany have watchtowers near the coast to warn of these coming attacks. Autonomous settlements too close to the coast, that choose to live outside of the rule of the larger nations, sometimes are wiped clean off the map.
While the world is 'new', this term is relative. I mean, it's a world; It's big... It's just an 'early' world and hasn't had time to gain huge population bases like our modern world where every square inch is covered in concrete and plastic and internet lan-lines. There are places that hold secrets of a millennia ago. Who knows what you might find in the depths of the underworld or the wilderness?
Go out and find them. But, consider this advice: Start in the dungeons. While still very chaotic and dangerous, they effectively have an end. The wilderness, practically, does not. Get strong before venturing out there on your own.
This campaign, "Adventures in Aerth", takes place on a very young, nearly pristine world. The 'Lawful' races (basically Men, elves, Dwarfs, and Halflings) have only had a little bit to spread out, although they have done so somewhat. There is still plenty of 'open space' and wilderness around the nations, though.
Quick Injected Edit: Please do feel free to add your own spin to this campaign! It's your game, too!
If you have an idea about a favored religion, a cool home-town, or other thing that changes the shape of the overall world, bring it up! I'll happily oblige reasonable requests (stuff that doesn't equate to instant winning). One of my favorite parts of gaming, as a Ref, is to have the players inject their own particular spin into the world... Stuff that will last, like new towns and religions
Ok, continuing on... While there are a couple of places that could be considered 'racial homes', these places are the exception and not the rule.
Each cultural area is a mixture of all the 'lawful' races living together. So, one might meet an Arabian Dwarf, or an Amazonian Elf, or a Rostovian Halfling, as easily as an Anglican Human. Of course, Humans are the most numerous. I have used names that I'm hoping are similar enough to ones in history or literature that they basically explain themselves; If not, the following explanations might help:
Amazonia: Picture an off-shoot of classical greece, but the females operate in the classic role of the male. Women tend to look like the comic book version of Wonder Woman in tone, build, etc. The men are slighter than they are, and handle the classic feminine roles in society. It's just normal to them, but other cultures scratch their heads over this.
Anglica: Think Medieval Anglo-Saxon peoples and cultures. Medieval England. The basic stuff.
Arabia: Fantasy-style middle-eastern flavor. Turbans, Camels, Pointy shoes and all. Local Shieks rule the people; The Grand Vizier rules the Shieks.
Rostovia: Early Russian peoples and cultures. Like the Anglicans, they build large, dark stone castles. Numerous and very mercantile.
Gaulia: The Gauls. Pretty rural folk, but they do have a city. It's still got a rural feel to it, though. Less stonework, more herding.
Tuscany: Think very early Roman cultures... The Etruscans are whom I'm after in modeling these people after. Very classical architecture.
Viklund: Viking culture of course. The 'capitol city' is actually a collection of villages run by the high king and the villages of his most trusted sub-kings. Other places are villages run by the local king (who answers to the high king).
The above is to help you have an idea for the 'feel' of these people and their culture: There is not, nor will there be, 'mechanical bonuses' to stuff from cultural choice (so no stuff like 'All Cimmerians get a +1 when climbing, because Conan was a great climber'). It's only to help you imagine the people and how they might be better.
The cultural areas, (what we normally call 'Nations' or 'Kingdoms' or whatnot; Those titles are just fine here) are quite far from each other and have lots and lots of wide open, uncharted, dangerously wild area between them. While each Nation generally knows of one another, contact is limited; For those without powerful magic of the highest degree, there are still the semi- or bi-annual merchant trade caravans.
These caravans usually happen in the early summer and mid-spring. They are expensive to set up, and sometimes don't succeed due to the danger of the wilderness. When they move out, it's like a small military force out of necessity. A small core group of merchants and attendants, and a whole slough of professional soldiers and baggage drivers. Adventurous types can generally travel along, as long as they provide some class-based expertise for the trip, and are expected to help defend the caravan.
Mechanically, they are meant for a means of providing and explaining 'fast travel' for you, the players, to go from nation to nation without getting murdered in the wildlands. They also explain behind-the-scenes commercial and informational trade between the nations, but this is stuff I'm not really 'rolling for'.
When a caravan from an outside nation arrives, it's the cause of a really big celebration. Usually, a four-day festival ensues as the local lord/lords of an area give their populace a chance to relax, and spend/make some money. The first day is usually a feast, and mild stuff like dances so that the caravan people can get some rest. The second day, the caravan's set up a bazaar type market and the trading bonanza begins. There is also dancing and tournaments. The third day is much like the second. On the fourth day, a really big dance is set up, followed by the championship tournaments, and lastly a huge feast.
Wars are infrequent, as it would cost too much to move an army close enough to invade a neighbor (And your army might get eaten by Giant Rocs on the way). But, the Vikings are known to raid over the seas just before, and directly after, winter. Gaulia and Tuscany have watchtowers near the coast to warn of these coming attacks. Autonomous settlements too close to the coast, that choose to live outside of the rule of the larger nations, sometimes are wiped clean off the map.
While the world is 'new', this term is relative. I mean, it's a world; It's big... It's just an 'early' world and hasn't had time to gain huge population bases like our modern world where every square inch is covered in concrete and plastic and internet lan-lines. There are places that hold secrets of a millennia ago. Who knows what you might find in the depths of the underworld or the wilderness?
Go out and find them. But, consider this advice: Start in the dungeons. While still very chaotic and dangerous, they effectively have an end. The wilderness, practically, does not. Get strong before venturing out there on your own.