The City of Raven's Keep

[Mr Darke]

  This is an attempt to fit my Raven's Keep/Karstlands area into my version of England. As of yet this is not 'canon'.


Overview

Raven's Keep, properly known as the Free City of Raven's Keep, or Gorthwr Cigfran, is probably the oldest city in England. Only legends exist of its founding and even those are contradictory. What is known is that the city started as a fortress and predates Roman occupation by at least a thousand years. Tales say that the city was present during the time of Balor and was involved in many battles with the formorians and other dark creatures.

The city itself sits on the southern shore of the lake of storms and hosts many docks, warehouses and bases for trading companies and guilds. The size of the city is debated as many have found that the interior of the city should not fit within the city walls. Many sages feel that there is a magical anomaly that makes the city larger on the inside than the outside. This is supported by events and entities of a supernatural origin within the city. Entities like ghosts are common in the city as well as strange types of fey, creatures not found in the rest of England and other beings. The city also contains many uninhabited areas and ruins that by logic should not exist. One other phenomenon of note is that streets and neighborhoods are known to change from time to time. No explanation has accounted for this though there are rumors of the city being built on a ley line nexus that is influenced by the underworld.

Raven's Keep is also known for its corruption and crime. Street gangs and so-called thieves guilds are common as well as 'crime families'. This corruption is all through the city and affects everything in it. The crime is as accepted as the ravens, rooks and crows that flock to the city in great numbers. Once known for various crime wars, recent events have stabilized the city and no real conflict has broken out in almost a decade. Many feel that this is a calm before a large storm and preparations are being made just in case.

The city tends to being overcast, dirty and smoke filled. Some comes from the industry within the city and the other from the constant threat of weather from the lake. Even the most well kept streets bear stains and mud on the cobblestones and a layer of soot from the numerous forges and factories. Only newcomers to the city seem to notice the grime and they get used to it after a time.

Newcomers will also notice that the city seems obsessed with Danse Macabre imagery and notations. Skulls, momento moris and other trappings are all over the city and are common themes. This has led to speculation that the city holds a secret death cult somewhere within that secretly runs things. Those that have investigated either find nothing or disappear.

Despite all of this the city remains bustling and busy. Traders are common, soldiers pass through to fight the incursion in Scotland and adventures are drawn to city's rumors of secret treasure vaults and ruins. Some come to unlock the secrets of the city and other to combat the corruption. The intrigues of the city are also very alive and even common folk speculate on the doings of the nobility and crime guilds. With all of this comes opportunities that many cannot pass up.

[tetramorph]

Very nice.

And I must admit I don't usually go for "urban adventure."

[Necromancer]

This is great stuff, Mr Darke! I'm intrigued, and would certainly like to read more. It sounds like a very interesting, exciting and imaginative setting. I think dangerous, filthy cities with lots of criminality and corruption are perfect breeding grounds for urban adventures (I love the first "Thieve's World anthology), and the supernatural elements certainly add extra flavour. And death cults make great antagonists! Good work!

[Mr Darke]

Thanks for the kind words. The only problem I am having with the conversion is that the original world it was set in had higher technology and that expressed into the city in the way of dirty industrial districts, run down airship docks and some things that were more 'Dungeon Punk' in practice. While I can make it work I am still drawn to the original ideas and find that I am more married to them than I thought.

However, as I said in another thread, the players are less interested in the Post-Arthurian aspect of the setting and are liking the darker tone of RK. This could just be natural campaign evolution and I am cool with that. One thing I have found annoying among the more dogmatic OD&D fans is that they treat what is called Dungeon Punk with disdain but will embrace 'Gonzo' with its arndroids, alien gods and sci-fi connections with zeal. Personally I see them both as the same so end up confused when the bashing of one happens along with the praising of the other.

That ramble aside, I'm content to let things evolve naturally and see what happens. Yes I am writing this but I am interested in what the target audience (Players) bring to it.

[tetramorph]

Dungeon Punk, Mr Darke?

Never heard of it.

What is that?

[Mr Darke]

Here: Dungeon Punk and Magitek

Take the ideas of Steam Punk and port them to a fantasy setting. You can get some interesting ideas from it. For example you can add in airships, more common magic, some magic as tech and so on. One part of the original RK had magical crystals for lighting, dwarven made plumbing with mundane or magical hot and cold water and a rudimentary communication system using crystal balls and ley lines. Of course this was all more for the elite and powerful as it was expensive as hell. Of course you can go too far where magic replaces all technology and you have what is essentially our world with magic instead of electricity. That is not what I was doing but many feel that it is all D.P. is.

Personally, I actually like some of the ideas as it does give the feel of a world not quite like ours with some similar concepts. The tech of RK's world was a mix of actual middle ages and ancient technology few realize existed mixed with some magic. Things like printing presses, plumbing, central heat and such did exist and with the addition of an ore (Phaedric Ore which was basically a glossed over Ghost Rock from Deadlands) some things got a bit higher but not too much.

You also have to understand this world began in the tail end of my 2e days, was used some when I ran 3e, went to C&C and is now part of my personal 'canon' of D&D. The influences were games like Final Fantasy VI (III on the SNES) and IX, the Zeldas, Castlevanias and the Thief Series. Then there were many comics, stories and movies that had certain things I would borrow. As well being a fan of westerns and some steampunk these ideas came in as well. I owe just as much to spaghetti westerns and the original Wild Wild West TV show as I do to Arthur and Robin Hood.

The Arthurian thing was an experiment in doing something different but the original world keeps bleeding through and those that have played with me before tend to like it better. I'm beginning to wonder if the whole thing was finding and acknowledging my niche.

[Admin Pete]

Mar 29, 2015 18:10:23 GMT -5 Mr Darke said:

Thanks for the kind words. The only problem I am having with the conversion is that the original world it was set in had higher technology and that expressed into the city in the way of dirty industrial districts, run down airship docks and some things that were more 'Dungeon Punk' in practice. While I can make it work I am still drawn to the original ideas and find that I am more married to them than I thought.

However, as I said in another thread, the players are less interested in the Post-Arthurian aspect of the setting and are liking the darker tone of RK. This could just be natural campaign evolution and I am cool with that. One thing I have found annoying among the more dogmatic OD&D fans is that they treat what is called Dungeon Punk with disdain but will embrace 'Gonzo' with its arndroids, alien gods and sci-fi connections with zeal. Personally I see them both as the same so end up confused when the bashing of one happens along with the praising of the other.

That ramble aside, I'm content to let things evolve naturally and see what happens. Yes I am writing this but I am interested in what the target audience (Players) bring to it.

I have been through many old industrial buildings and the tunnels beneath and thought how great of a D&D setting is this. I like Gonzo, Steam Punk and Dungeon Punk and a whole lot of other things. I would love to have you post as much as you want on this.

[Mr Darke]

I appreciate that.

As far as the tech level goes the basic idea is that lower level magic is common with the higher level stuff not as common. Though there is magical technology there is more in the way of mundane tech around. Coal power is gaining in popularity, some industry as we would recognize it exists and knowledge is on the rise in certain fields. Magical tech is in the way of lighting crystals, basic communication in the way of crystal balls, and with the rise in use of phaedric ore airships and basic engines are becoming more common. Of course most of this is in the cities and is fairly expensive but some outlying areas are getting items and building airship docks (airships require special docks to land).

One thing I am trying to avoid is making this overpowering in that there are magical computers, cell phones and such. I want to have some familiarity but not recreate our world with magic replacing electricity.

[Admin Pete]

This is great stuff, looking forward to seeing how it develops!

[Mr Darke]

Just a quick note, this is all going to be included in the revisions. I am just working the details out in my head and trying to think through what would have happened if there had not been a dark age or certain sciences and technology lost in time.