tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16259417800047341272024-02-20T10:06:06.387-08:00The Kingsmead ChroniclerAn open development blog detailing the ongoing creation of a fantasy roleplaying setting, centred around the Old Crown Margravate.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-33611543851558575352014-07-18T08:26:00.002-07:002014-07-18T08:26:39.638-07:00Moved!I can now be found over on my WordPress site <a href="http://jotjotiota.wordpress.com/">JotJotIota</a>. Come on over for posts about my latest actual play, as well as more on the Old Crown/Kingsmead setting.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-45927653966461505132012-10-14T09:10:00.002-07:002012-10-14T09:10:16.158-07:00A brief rethinkFollowing a read of <a href="http://falsemachine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/godz-without-limitz.html">this blog post</a>, which Zak Smith shared on Google+, I had a rapid rethink of my Ascended and their godhood.<br />
These were mortals who had achieved an apotheosis, and they'd become something more. Why would they stop being as contradictory, as emotional, as invested with mortal concerns?<br />
So now the gods are more like people. The Lady of the Harvest is revered because she fights those who hurt the natural world. and rewards those who work with it. The Stormlord is a champion of warriors, because, if there's a war going on, he likes to come an watch, or join in. The Great Muse really did write a bunch of those stories so that people engage with each other.<br />
<br />
So I've spent a few hours re-tooling all of the gods and I'm pretty happy with them.<br />
With my Races and Gods checked off, I need to do some more work on organisations, a little editing of the local geography, and then it's all downhill hopefully.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-46242008122918302282012-09-21T09:46:00.001-07:002012-09-21T09:46:43.435-07:00Publishing et alA current update:<div>
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I've started collating into one document, which is currently being stored over at <a href="http://www.occultmoon.com/">Occult Moon</a>, who should be helping me get this thing published soon.</div>
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The current page count (which is still needing a bunch of additions, never mind some editing) stands at 24. I'm hoping it'll be around 30-35 before we get art into the product.</div>
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Hopefully I can make a bit of a buzz about this thing before we get to there. The setting is currently rules neutral, so I'll be dropping some updates about system conversion on here, as well as in a document or two for free. Hopefully people will enjoy that.</div>
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The current line-up is DnDNext, FATE, <a href="http://locaimaginaria.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/unnamed-system-ready-for-review.html">my own DiceBenedict system</a>, and others subject to time restrictions and whether I can feasibly do it!</div>
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Any ideas for systems you think should be in for consideration?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-26655725267139666012012-09-05T07:04:00.002-07:002012-09-05T07:04:24.021-07:00A touch of local flavourI've been considering some elements for immersion in the setting. Here's some stuff I've thought of, food-wise.<br />
<br />
I already know that Kingsmead itself is a bit odd. They keep long haired rabbits the size of dogs, providing food and material for clothing. I know they make goats cheese and cider, and a lot of flatbread. And savoury porridge. I seem to recall adding that.<br />
<br />
Queenstown though, I haven't considered as much. It's a port town, so fish must be a big feature. I've talked about the Queenstown Ruby, which is the kind of beer brewed in the city.<br />
So maybe they make Ruby Stew, with saltfish, onions and carrots. The port itself is a haven for small squid, and the Seawitches have a habit of spit roasting it with chunks of ginger.<br />
Pepper-crusted chicken is also popular, thanks to the imports across the Spice Sea.<br />
The nobles of course eat all kinds of odd concoctions, and the golden roe of a boonfish is particularly prized.<br />
<br />
Raethmoore is even more different, trading with the Republic further north. They eat a lot of wild onions and garlic, but also a lot of mint and sage. There's plenty of game in the area, and more than a few goatherds.<br />
I think, since the town sits in the hills, a fortifying drink on an evening is likely. A minted pheasant stew served with a hard cheese, or a dry sausage made from goat flank, crabapples and moongrass.<br />
<br />
The Darklings in the Southern Swampland eat a lot of tubers and other root vegetables, coupled with fungus of all kinds. The local fish swim in brackish pools, but there's a few small mammals that can be stewed easily. During a certain time of year, before the puffballs spore, there's plenty of the ripe white balls being eaten by the various tribes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-28950991354529553792012-09-04T05:10:00.000-07:002012-09-04T05:10:10.116-07:00It's all coming togetherQuick time news burst!<br />
<br />
Stonekin (dwarves) removed from the setting (for now)!<br />
Wildfolk (leafy elves) now do even more, with feathers too!<br />
Crowfolk and Ratfolk removed from the game! Partly folded into Darklings (swampy elves).<br />
Draken and Wyvings renamed - now two colours of Lizardfolk!<br />
Wode renamed Beastfolk (though the Wode will be an example tribe name).<br />
<br />
Trying my best to describe roughly each area of Queenstown and the Old Crown, with little snippets of names for flavour to hook onto adventures.<br />
Kingsmead is now a sample town, replete with plot hooks and secrets and fiddly bits. There will be something similar for the Outwall area of Queenstown.<br />
<br />
Everything else is just rumour, hearsay, and nuggets of fun so that someone can take what I've given them and craft their own world.<br />
<br />
Partially inspired by <a href="http://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/this-should-be-like-introduction-to.html?zx=ffa77f6fe72dfcaa">Zak's post here</a>, I want people to have fun in my setting, but make it their own. That's why I'm leaving so many blanks.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-68204321625760239572012-07-13T06:38:00.002-07:002012-07-13T06:38:32.342-07:00Hidden mysteries and secrets unspokenI've promised that there are hidden secrets dotted throughout everything that I've already done. I hope to highlight a handful of them below.<br />
<br />
Whilst items may be invested with a person's being, and made soulwrought and magical, there is a further level of power. Godwrought items are those gifted by the ascendants themselves, or which were associated with them in there previous life. Needless to say, these items are precious, and evil ascendants like the Fiend actively seek them out, as they can be used as conduits to the god themselves.<br />
<br />
A colony of Toadfolk secretly lives in the sewers of Queenstown, and continues to serve the Queen as if she was still on the throne. Why they are there, or why they serve her so diligently, is anybody's guess.<br />
<br />
The Oon not only visited distant planes of existence, they also travelled extensively across the mortal world. Looking closely enough, the ruins of their empire can be found. The most ancient city of the old Draken Empire was one such ruin. Parts of Kingsmead even show some of their construction - the well in the centre of the town, and the Kingsmead Gate - a ruined gateway at the south edge of town - are of their construction.<br />
At some point, the well was godwrought, presumably by the Lady of the Harvest, and now gives enough water to quench the thirsts of everyone within several square miles, no matter how many people that might be.<br />
The great depth of the harbour in Queenstown is also thought to be Oon-made, although how deep it is and why it is so deep is a great cause of debate to the small number of Oon scholars.<br />
<br />
Centuries ago, a great plague devastated the world, but the bodies of the deceased refused to give up their life. This was one of the earlier plots of the Fiend. He had somehow removed the god of death at that time and usurped his power, using it to reanimate the dead as his army. Only a new ascendant, the Darkling Queen, was able to stop the tide of undeath, and this is why her agents now seek out any remaining vestiges of the undead.<br />
<br />
The well of Kingsmead actually leads down to a small portal to a different Origin, somehow still lingering. It is perhaps where the water in the well is drawn from.<br />
If anyone is unlucky to fall down, they may find themselves pulled through this portal. It leads to a cave system filled with freshwater, and the long lost tomb of a half-forgotten god. Though it might be lost, it is not without guardians.<br />
<br />
Whilst it is widely believed that all Oon perished in a great uprising, some escaped. The differences in their escape are numerous however. One or two were spirited away by loyal menfolk servants, and were able to continue their bloodline with them. The Wanderers, a strange group of menfolk with purple eyes and haunting voices, are their descendants.<br />
Another survivor, if you can call him that, is the Burned Man, a mad god of vengeance and hate. Gone is his sky blue skin glowing eyes. Every visitation he has made to the mortal realm has described him as a walking burned husk, roughly man shaped, with burning fire for eyes, and a maniacal laugh.<br />
<br />
Not all the different races hail from different Origins, and are instead from the mortal realm. There is a reason the Crowfolk resemble the common crow so much, and the same can be said for the Toadfolk. Clearly the Oon were skilled in the magic of life.<br />
<br />
It is possible for some godsworn to communicate directly with their gods, but it is rare. Rarer still is the relationship between the high priest of the Lady of the Harvest, Peony Thatcher, and her ascendant. Upon taking office, usually following the death of the previous incumbent, the Lady of the Harvest imbues part of herself directly into the successor. Peony Thatcher is effectively a godwrought being, although part of this binding makes the magic a lot more subtle.<br />
<br />
The Margrave at the time of the disappearance of the young Queen was responsible for her abduction. This is a secret passed down in the Hawksmoore line. A lesser known secret, passed down directly only to those who become Margrave, is that the Queen escaped and disappeared. The appearance of an ascendant in the new decade called the Darkling Queen was cause enough for the old Margrave responsible to suffer a painful death, and it has been such for a great many of his successors.<br />
<br />
The Hanu, the monkey-like men of the Spice Islands, refuse to let outsiders into some of their temples, and have killed intruders. The fact that their gods seem to all have blue skin and glowing eyes was a great surprise to early visitors, but not as surprising as finding out that 'Hanu' was an old Oon word for 'loyal'.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, there's a good few of the secrets bottled up in my head for the setting. I'm sure a good few playtesters will be even more intrigued by the Kingsmead well now.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-30414743842040830432012-07-10T11:34:00.003-07:002012-07-10T11:34:55.792-07:00Essential updatesBecause updating <a href="http://locaimaginaria.blogspot.com/">my other blog</a> wasn't enough for the awesome week of <a href="http://indieplus.org/doku.php">Indie+</a>, I'm also making some form of progress here.<br />
<br />
I'm currently storing all the information I've written so far in a design doc on <a href="https://drive.google.com/">Google Drive</a>, which I think has really helped, since it's now off the custom wiki I had been using. I can see where my gaps are and what to move on to next.<br />
<br />
Sadly, the thing now looks so riddled with holes that I don't have a sizeable chunk to show you. But that will come by the end of the week, I am confident.<br />
I've already talked plenty about different races in the setting, and the geography, and some NPCs I've used in playtests, as well as some examples of the pantheon of ascendants. Is there anything people are excited to see in the setting? More on some outlines of history and legend, some more on various races, or should i drop some secrets that abound in and around the areas I've already mentioned?<br />
<br />
Please feel free to push in any direction, I will try and oblige.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-17265904262959777242012-05-16T08:41:00.001-07:002012-05-16T08:41:23.456-07:00The Nobles and their housesI've been saying I'll do this for a while, but I never got around to it. No time like the present.<br />
<br />
So far, the only Noble households I've bothered with are Hawksmoore, Foxworthy, Mandeville, Wenlock and Dabbler. A great many of the nobles are resentful that upstarts with money are now able to buy themselves power and a title, but such is the way of the world.<br />
<br />
The Hawksmoores have been the hereditary heads of the city of Queenstown, culminating in the current Margrave, Thomas Hawksmoore. They are also responsible for the manufacturing of any weapons and armour that the Queenstown Militia may need, and own a number of foundries and blacksmiths.<br />
<br />
The Foxworthys made their money decades ago, and are heavily invested in the shipping and banking industries. Roughly a quarter of all ships coming into Queenstown are something to do with the Foxworthy family, and they own and lease a great many of the warehouses that merchants use.<br />
Alistair Foxworthy is the current head of the Queenstown Bank, and a great many people are in his pocket because of this. His wife, Melody, is a portly woman with exotic and expensive tastes in food and clothing.<br />
<br />
The old warhorse that is Lord Mandeville is an aging old coot, but his much younger wife is the real powerhouse of the family. She manages to keep the family well to do despite little or no industrial connection. Rumoured to be involved in the vice trade in some way, the Mandevilles themselves have no idea the levels that their matriarch has fallen to in order to keep their political clout. A great many of the Queenstown Senators are in the Mandeville pocket.<br />
(A certain barmaid in Kingsmead may or may not be the missing daughter of Lord and Lady Mandeville, as their youngest ran away from home several months ago...)<br />
<br />
The Wenlocks officially own the Northwood, the woods outside the North Gate of Queenstown where the nobles do all of their hunting. They own several lodges within the wood that can also be rented.<br />
Always well educated, members of the family do have a habit of long stretches without being seen. It is thought that they travel about the world, and this is true. However, there may or may not be a connection with the Circle, a group of thieves and assassins that prowls the town at night, particularly the rooftops. There's even a rumour coming out of the port that a similar group operates in the distant City of Festivals, and in the capital of the Northern Imperial Republic.<br />
<br />
The Dabblers are a family of new money, having traded their way up to the Noble Estates in the past few decades. Their money comes from various businesses including tanning, shipping, the silk and spice trades, even tinkering and magical services.<br />
Most other nobles resent them and their ability to do well with money. They owe a lot of their success to good dealings with Stonekin both in and out of Queenstown. Their presence in the Senate is still lacking in numbers, despite such a large amount of financial control of the city.<br />
<br />
How's that folks? Sound fun so far?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-62571264551048782092012-05-01T05:32:00.000-07:002012-05-01T05:32:30.064-07:00Races of the Old CrownWell, I've more or less finished the races. Here's some blurb on them. I hope they whet your appetite some.<br />
<br />
<b>Menfolk</b><br />
Menfolk are a youthfully active and opportunistic race, and a great many
empires and kingdoms that cover the face of the world are led by
Menfolk.<br />They make their homes in all terrains, among all other races.<br /><br />Menfolk
vary plenty in size and complexion, though normally fall between 5 and 6
and a half feet tall, ranging in skin tone from a deep rich brown to an
almost alabaster pink. Their hair ranges from black to white, through
various shades of brown, though their eyes show the greatest diversity.<br />This
diversity is perhaps one of their greatest strengths, and (though far
from unknown) they tend to be the least xenophobic of all the races of
the world.<br /><br />Sometimes seen as brash and impulsive by the more
stoic and pensive races, they are nonetheless useful to the world, each
other, and the other races in countless upon countless ways.<br />
<br />
<b>Draken</b><br />
Renowned as warriors, and raised from a young age to follow a
millenia-old culture of warrior nobility, the Draken resemble nothing is
not upright lizards. Their ancient Draken Empire was one of the first to form following the fall of the Oon, but is now also long since gone itself.<br /><br />Adult
Draken stand between 6 and 7 feet tall. Their leathery skin is covered
in fine scales ranging in hue from green to gold to red to blue, often
mottled with patterns of other colours. The scalles are noticeably
larger in a ridge from the nose to the back of the head, and on down the
back.<br />Draken have a short tail, and their three-toed feet end in
claws. Occassionally, elder Draken grow a bony protrusions from their
cheeks, and behind their flat ears.<br /><br />Known as a proud and noble
people, they often cut an imposing figure through crowds. Questioning a
Draken's honour will usually result in a brief but brutal physical
attack, and sometime death.<br /><br />Notable NPC Draken:<br />Candle, Sheriff of Kingsmead<br />
<br />
<b>Giantkin</b><br />
The Giantkin are a race of hardy, muscled and above all tall beings with a connection to the primal forces of nature.<br /><br />Usually
dwelling in mountains and scrubland, the scattered tribes of the
Giantkin vie with each other for territory, when they aren't engaged in
similar struggles with neighbouring tribes of other races. <br />They thrive on their competitive nature in almost all things; a Giantkin marketplace is rife with angry bickering and bartering.<br /><br />Standing
between eight and ten feet tall, their skin is the colour of their
mountain homeland - mottled brown and grey. Their skin is thick, and
leathery, and their frames are always tight with muscles beneath it.<br />During
puberty, the lower canines of males tend to grow to become small tusks,
whilst the upper canines in both sexes become much more pronounced.<br />They typically wear their hair in long braids, and wear the warpaint of their clan upon their faces (warrior or not).<br />Giantkin have life spans comparable to those of Humans.<br /><br />Anything
that can be conceived as a challenge invites Giantkin to keep score,
tracking their progress against both their comrades and themselves. A
sellsword might remark on how many times he has drawn first blood in
battle, and he’s certainly mentally tracking his own performance in open
warfare against those stories of his tribal ancestors. <br />This
competitiveness can take the form of good-natured rivalry or of angry,
spittle-driven argument. As a race they have no patience for cheaters,
gloaters, or sore losers, but can be very hard on themselves when they
fail to measure up to their own past accomplishments.<br />Daring that borders on foolhardiness is also a common trait.<br /><br />They
have no fear of heights, climbing sheer mountain cliffs and leaping
great chasms with ease. Their nomadic lifestyle of hunting and gathering
instills in them an inquisitive interest in whatever lies over the next
ridge or at the head of a canyon. To a wandering hunter’s mind, that
curiosity can lead to better hunting grounds or a good water source that
would otherwise go undiscovered.<br /><br />Whilst they have no real track
with the worship of gods, they revere the spirits of nature and their
ancestors, honouring them in songs and sagas that date back hundreds, if
not thousands of years. <br />Their wise men, called spirit-speakers, seek to bring them closer to the natural world in every way that they can.<br />Their chiefs lead from the fore in battle, although most of their warriors seek to lead in this manner.<br />
<br />
<b>Wode</b><br />
The Wode are a furred, horned race, somewhat shorter than Menfolk. They are often seen as primitive, and their tribes squabble for resources both among themselves and their neighbours.<br /><br />Wode are as prolific as Menfolk, but as a people they’re less creative and more prone to warlike behavior. <br />Wode
live in the wild places of the world, although they are also prone to
staying close enough to settlements; they like to prey on trade caravans
and unwary travelers.<br />The chieftain of a Wode tribe is usually the
strongest member, though some chieftains rely on guile or mystical might
more than martial strength.<br /><br />A Wode's skin is often sallow, with
eyes ranging the same gamut as Menfolk. Big, pointed ears stick out from
the sides of the head, and prominent sharp teeth sometimes jut from the
mouth. Wode have coarse, wiry hair across their entire body, ranging
from dark to light brown.<br />Their horns can be similar to deer, goats or rams.<br />
<br />
<b>Golem</b><br />
In recent centuries, the Golem have appeared in and around the Old Crown. Whilst not frequently seen, they are at least known.<br />Constructed from articulated plates of metal, wood, or clay, the Golem seem to be ancient servants of the Oon, who after millenia have awakened to the potential of sentience. Most modern scholars believe an Ascended must have had a hand in this sudden change, though they do not know which, or whether the god continues to exist.<br /><br />They
stand at about 5 feet when made of wood, 6 when made of clay and 7 when
made of metal. They have eyes that are glowing points of light, of
varying hues. They repair naturally over time, in the same way that
other races heal, though like other races the process is not perfect. A
buckled metal leg may heal crooked, and a severed limb seldom grows back
as more than a stump.<br /><br />Originally arriving from the City of Festivals,
the Golem have integrated into the Old Crown easily. They vary in
personality, but are usually seen as friendly enough, if a little
lacking in personality.<br /><br />Notable Golem NPCs:<br />Captain Truth, Queenstown GuardsmanAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-22133670586885227352012-04-27T04:30:00.000-07:002012-04-27T04:30:19.152-07:00CardsBased on <a href="http://www.campaignmastery.com/blog/who-got-poker-in-my-rpg/">this post</a> over at Campaign Mastery, I've suddenly started thinking about a card game in game. Plenty of other stuff to think on, but I'm an odd duck like that.<br />
<br />
So there's four houses, made of nine cards each, for a total of thirty-six cards.<br />
The four houses are swords, shields, coins and cups, with cards numbers 1 through 7, and a Lord and Lady. There may yet be a thirty-seventh card called the Fool, but I'm still thinking on that.<br />
<br />
The aim of the game is to control a hand of one house, with the Lord and Lady presiding, along with three 'retainers' (other cards of the same house). Higher retainers equal a better overall hand, though the players can call the rounds to an end and judge the best hand earlier. Players are free to judge they have the best hand and 'present their house' at any time - having the 5, 6 and 7 is the ideal hand - however they must replace at least one card per round if they do not present.<br />
<br />
I had an idea for a Mage version of the game that involves the elements as houses, but only uses one Magister as the Lord of each house. There would only be thirty-two cards in a Mage's deck (thirty-three if the Fool is invoked).<br />
<br />
What exactly the fool would do I don't know. Perhaps he mimics other cards, allowing you to fill the Lord space if you haven't been dealt the card, or he might bump a hand - the equivalent of two 7 card retainers.<br />
<br />
Thoughts?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-22963047355232880912012-04-23T08:54:00.000-07:002012-04-23T08:54:11.882-07:00A History LessonWhat I have written so far for the general overview of my setting history. Most of this is beyond player knowledge, but the very highly educated will know snippets certainly. Characters would need to quest to find out anything about 'Origins' or the creation of the Wode and Menfolk.<br />
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<div class="tiddler" dirty="false" id="tiddlerExpanded History" refresh="tiddler" tags="" template="ViewTemplate" tiddler="Expanded History">
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The true history of the world is vast, but a short version is presented below.<br /><br />In millenia past, there dwelt a race known as the Oon. Born with an inate magical ability, they were able to travel to other 'Origins' and meet the people who lived in these parallel planes. At some point,
the Oon decided that their abilities made them superior to the other
races they met, and they began to enslave many of them. Further magical
experimentation further turned the races they found into shadows of
their former selves.<br />The Draken and Wyvings were their footsoldiers in their wars of enslavement, or during the petty squabbles between the Oon themselves. The Wildfolk were a servant class, filled with butlers, court messengers and handmaidens. The Stonekin were manufacturers of those tools and insturments which the Oon deemed themselves too superior to create. The Giantkin were their outdoors labourers, tasked with farming and construction.<br />At
some point, they used their magical abilities to create an amalgamated
slave race, mixing the blood of various races with that of beasts. What
they created were the rebellious Wode, able to follow simple orders but incapable of complex tasks. Their next creations were Menfolk,
pulling together the most useful traits that they could, but this time
instilling a small amount of themselves into their creations. Whilst
Menfolk were able to complete complex tasks, they were resentful of
their enslavement, and surreptitiously began a movement to overthrow
their powerful masters.<br />Of the other races, various theories are put
forth as to their nature as slaves of the Oon, though none can be said
to be truly accurate. The Golem may be an earlier creation, or may be an alternate project. The Darklings exhibit traits similar to the Wildlings, but also wildly different. It is clear that the Oon were able to shape the various races with their magics, but how many are shaped and to what degree will forever remain a mystery.<br /><br />The Oon ultimately fled following the slave revolt, though it is not known to where. All that was recorded was that some could not be accounted for.</div>
<div class="viewer">
<br />The
Draken and Wyvings established an empire some centuries later, still
thousands of years in the past. They formed a series of vassal states
about them, though in time this empire also fell. It is widely believed
that the Draken and Wyvings fell apart due to their command by two opposing forces, led by the newly Ascended Dragon King and Usurper respectively. This is however untrue, and there are still cadres of Wyvings living in isolation who are loyal to the God of Justice (and coincidentally, many of the Usurper's followers are Draken...)<br /><br />Around the time of the Draken Empire's fall, and for centuries after, the area of the Old Crown was dominated by the Moorish, the name given to the tribes of Wildfolk in the area. They were driven out and north by Menfolk invaders from across the sea, eventually forming the Northern Imperial Republic amidst the steppes and tundra. The Old Crown then enjoyed several centuries of prosperity, centred upon the capital
of Queenstown, before the disappearance of the Queen. In her stead, the
Margrave took over general ruling, whilst a search was made for the
Queen, and later any royal line of succession. Despite many noble houses
professing possible heirs, this search was ultimately fruitless. The
Margrave title has been passed down the generations since, effectively
ruling the region. <br /><br />The Old Crown itself has begun to fall in upon itself, first falling back from its holdings in the Southern Swampland, and later losing its place as the largest trading port in the known world to the City of Festivals, east across the sea. Some say it only continues to function due to patronage by various of the Stonekin noble families, nearby trade links with the Northern Imperial Republic,
and the decent relationship with the (effectively independent) <a class="tiddlyLink tiddlyLinkExisting" href="file:///C:/Users/Ben/Dropbox/Roleplay/Kingsmead/K-wiki.html" refresh="link" tiddlylink="Raethmoore Mage Academy" title="Raethmoore Mage Academy - baphall, 08 October 2010 21:04:00 PM">R</a>aethmoore Mage Academy situated at its northern border.</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-452095058426817252012-03-30T09:41:00.003-07:002012-03-30T09:41:50.340-07:00Kingsmead update and a new system!Well, since I haven't managed to post anything here since January, and since ignoring those two short posts, since October, I suppose it's only right I update here again.<br />
Especially since I've run another bit of a playtest, this time with a new rules system that <a href="http://locaimaginaria.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/unnamed-system-ready-for-review.html">I've been working on</a>. One which emphasises the roleplaying aspect over the fun with mechanics aspect. You know, sensible stuff. And originally for d12s, but I tested using d8s. Much fun was had by all. More on that in a moment.<br />
<br />
First: Things that are gone.<br />
<strike>Gnomes.</strike> Check.<br />
<strike>Halflings.</strike> Check.<br />
Warforged? Decided to keep them for now, calling them 'Golem'. But I may change my mind as yet.<br />
The Tieflings became Devilkin, but I may remove them entirely yet. For now, they're an infrequent birth among wandering humans, similar to gypsies. I haven't exactly worked out the reasons for them yet, although I may through in the equivalent of Aasimar being born among them too, as well as perhaps stranger things. Genasi things maybe? Again, they're in danger of removal.<br />
<br />
Second. Things that are changed:<br />
Dragonborn/dragonkin are now simply Draken. They used to have an empire, they don't any more.<br />
Dwarves and Elves are slightly re-skinned as Stonekin and Wildfolk.<br />
Shifters are also re-skinned as Weretouched, although much rarer, and infrequently born among humans in a certain tribal kingdom.<br />
There's a kind of Monkeyfolk wandering around. I'm not comfortable with them as player characters yet, but they're going to run the gamut from the gorillas in Planet of the Apes (the Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch version) to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanuman">Hanuman</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayana">Ramayana</a>.<br />
The Darklings are currently something like Drow, but live in foggy swamps. I see them as something like Elves, but from another source.<br />
<br />
The character archetype usually filled by a cleric or paladin in D&D is now taken up with the Godsworn. If you want to be even a little bit more of a warrior than a normal priest, you're a Godsworn. They wander the land, espousing the teachings of their chosen god in all that they do.<br />
The element wheel is a thing in my head now. A four-spoked wheel, with an element at each joint in the path. The central hub is taken by mind magic, so illusions and so forth. A mage may learn more elements, but must follow the path around the wheel - they can't jump an element. Of course, they could start as a mind mage and have access to all the elements from the start. Mind magic is a lot more subtle for the most part, less forceful.<br />
Mages from the Raethmoore Academy are taught at a young age to focus upon a single element. Fire Mages and Earth Mages abound. Mastering more elements is rare, but does happen.<br />
Sea witches may be trained, or may have an inate talent. Their magic mixes water and air elements, but in specific ways, and certainly not upon land.<br />
A class of semi-magical artisans and alchemists, the Tinkers are now added to the game. Inspired by Patrick Rothfuss' <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Name-Wind-Kingkiller-Chronicles/dp/0756405890/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333125243&sr=8-1">Name of the Wind</a>, they are the magewrights and expert crafters, who know enough about magic to sense it and to invest the occasional item with some magical power.<br />
I've introduced magic and holy items as being 'soulwrought', that is their makers have fashioned a part of themselves into the work. The maker invests part of their magic, or blessing, into the item itself. However, a completely mundane person could create a soulwrought item, such as a great work of art, or a particularly well made piece of equipment.<br />
<br />
Third. Things I'm working on:<br />
Goblins and Orcs need a better name. I'm tempted to fold Orcs in with my Giantkin: large, seven-feet tall behemoths that exist on the D&D spectrum somewhere between Goliaths, Half-Giants and Hill Giants. I like the idea of Goblins having horns. I may make them a cross between the traditional Goblins and Satyr, something like that.<br />
Kobolds are a bit difficult. As they are now, they're similar to Draken, but shorter, more wiry, and more wiley. I also don't like the name at all. Closest ideas at the moment involve the Dray or Dreaks or something along those lines.<br />
<br />
Four. Finally, on to a play report:<br />
I pulled together four people, and we ended up with a crowfolk Tinker, a Fire Mage turned wandering minstrel, a sellsword and a lucky thief.<br />
The group travelled to the village of Kingsmead for the early-Spring Planting festival, when the local farmers are blessed with a promising harvest at the end of the season, and one of the few times the village really gets wild and celebrates. There's a market with travelling vendors, a ceremony, and a lot of merriment.<br />
So far the group have noticed that there's something magical about the village well, that the blacksmith is very good at his job and occasionally invests his wares with power, and that there are plenty of alleyways and rooftops to escape into.<br />
Also, that a crow cannot drink easily from a standard tankard, that Clarice is a lovely name for a violin (but maybe she doesn't need to be introduced to everyone 'she' meets), and that poor Tim never really recovered from his accident, poor little guy.<br />
More soon, when they actually hit a plot item!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-77627229352239032722012-01-19T06:23:00.000-08:002012-01-19T06:23:10.274-08:00Queenstown part 4The pseudo-district of Outwall is a shantytown built up along the main approaches to the city, as well as around the walls themselves. By far the largest outpouring is along the Old Kings Highway, west towards Kingsmead, also close to the Midlands River.<br />
The poorest of the poor and those scraping the bottom of the barrel of their luck are to be found hereabouts, though some residents work inside the city walls and choose to stay by choice (or in some cases, coercion).<br />
<br />
The place has none of the amenities of the city - no sewage system, no space for cellars or the frosthouses sometimes built within them t store food, and certainly little to no militia presence. These shortcomings are somewhat made up for by a can-do attitude of many of the residents, as well as beings able to openly bear arms without a formal writ. This loophole is what has let various streetgangs flourish, and it is ironically these and an overarching guild of thieves that keep the streets of Outwall safe (or as safe as anywhere without real law can be).<br />
<br />
Hidden within the piecemeal markets, stench of tanners and crash of forges (for there is much industry in Outwall), there are several landmarks hidden away.<br />
The Kingsroad Gate is among the grandest pieces of architecture in Queenstown. The Pit is an illegal coliseum, frequented by the rich and poor alike. The Thieves Guild operate out of Scabber's Den, a secret safehouse-cum-bar-cum-marketplace. The Riverwitch's Bridge is an old, now collapsed bridge that crossed the Midlands River at a wider but shallower part of its estuary, and some say the crumbling ruins are haunted.<br />
<br />
The characters encountered in Outwall are some of the most colourful in the city, if also the least clean.<br />
Shadrack is a scruffy beggar, often mistaken for a pile of rags when he sleeps. He also seems to know the in and outs of what goes on in Outwall, and in Queenstown itself, though he rarely converses with anyone who isn't a beggar.<br />
Scabber runs the Thieves Guild with an iron fist, and any who cross him soon find themselves joining the ghosts at the Riverwitch's Bridge.<br />
The Raven is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. A vigilante, he is only known by his raven-feather calling card, left upon the unconscious bodies of the crooks he encounters.<br />
At any time, a wandering priest of the Traveler will minister to those that will listen, and sometimes more naive priests of the other gods and goddesses will attempt something similar.<br />
<br />
<br />
That's all for now, next up will be the nobles and their houses.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-15063631151361861332012-01-16T04:28:00.000-08:002012-01-16T04:28:51.833-08:00A long gap in updatesFirst off, a quick apology. It's been almost three months since I last wrote something here. I've been busy toying with ideas over at my other blog, and doing various other projects, with the Old Crown sat on the back burner whilst things stewed over in my mind. I'll be resuming regular service soon. Today I'm focusing on some overall setting information that's been stored up, and I'll be back to more specific details shortly.<br />
<br />
I've been toying with converting the setting to FATE but I think that most of that conversion should be handled by player. It shouldn't just be up to me how different races and powers interact. The <a href="http://shop.cubicle7store.com/epages/es113347.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es113347_shop/Products/CB7705">Legends of Anglerre</a> has rules for everything from siege warfare to guild political machinations, so I'm sure there's an easy resource to tap there, when I finish reading it all.<br />
<br />
The different flavours of magic in the system have had a bit of a change, and therefore so have some of the adventurer archetypes.<br />
Elementality was the magical style that directly manipulates the classical elements of fire, earth, water and air. I've recently been thinking that it made less sense to have Chi representing only the warrior monk archetype, so an idea of Chi being expressed internally and externally formed.<br />
Internally focused Chi is what makes the warrior monk so powerful, making his fists more powerful, his muscles able to leap further or run faster. Externally focused Chi is now the expression of an individual's connection to the world around them, and is always attuned to one element most strongly (therefore the element there are able to manipulate). The rules I had been working with come from a D&D 4E fan document of an Avatar: the Last Airbender setting, so I might be less stringent and allow multiclassing or hybrids of two elements, but not opposites (no air/earth controllers, no fire/water controller, but certainly space for earth/fire or earth/water etc.)<br />
<br />
Next, I think some of the races might need to be culled a bit. Gnomes are gone entirely, since they barely registered at all, as are warforged. I may remove halflings from the Margravate too, but have them mentioned in passing as living in the Northern Imperial Republic, or appear among some crews of trade ships. They were going to include all manner of oddities like the now displaced warforged, mermen and dogmen (I may enjoy the film Treasure Planet a bit too much...)<br />
<br />
Since there's little to no extraplanar contact to any but Ascended beings (at least for the start of any adventures I had in mind), there's a case for fauna to be touched in other ways. I had thought of any wild animal encounters to be warped by magic in some cases, perhaps dire animals, or perhaps oddities like owlbears or chimerae. I haven't quite decided how that plays out, though I've a feeling I will when I develop the Raethmoore area in more detail.<br />
<br />
And that's it for that update. Next I'm going back to Queenstown to detail Outwall and the poorest parts of the city, and characters all over the place.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-37014860808830080052011-10-24T06:40:00.000-07:002011-10-24T07:09:54.645-07:00Queenstown part 3The Docks and Portside precinct covers the area of warehouses, piers and brewhouses that border the waters of the sea.<br />
Landmarks include<br />
The Promenade, a series of high fashion boutiques to the north of the precinct .<br />
Finnegan's Wharf, a long and low stone pier that extends some way into the harbour.<br />
The Seawitch's Moorings, a horde of barges moored out in the harbour and home to nomadic sailors.<br />
The Kobold's Cleaver, a horrible backstreet pub filled with ne'er-do-wells and shadowy characters.<br />
The Tanty, the city gaol, converted from an abandoned warehouse.<br />
<br />
Wharfmaster Jerome Finnegan is well known to provide a safe berth for ships laden heavy with cargo. Growing up around the dock, he has risen through the Dockworkers' Guild and holds considerable sway in it, though has refused several times to take the guildmaster position. He claims that maintaining the daily affairs of his wharf is all he needs in life. He has recently taken to wearing a antique copper coin on a bootlace around his neck.<br />
<br />
The landlord of the Kobold's Cleaver is a man named Fitz. He has sallow skin, long but thinning hair, and is rumoured to never sleep. His accent is meanders its way through many areas of the Old Crown as he speaks, which he does at such speed, that often his words have to be translated through several drunken patrons before being understandable. His pub is open at all hours, and patrons rarely see him away from his bar.<br />
Above the door is said to be a preserved kobold's arm grasping what is now a rusted cleaver. The arm is, however, purple and hairy.<br />
Many local brewhouses also make their own beer, which tends to be somewhere between a rich red and deep brown in colour, and have a slight salty tang among other flavours. That's apparently how the locals like it.<br />
<br />
The Seawitch's Moorings are actually inhabited by several competing tribes of different sea nomads, who all provide a service to ocean-going vessels. The nomads make their livings by hiring out their services to calm storms, create wind and wave in becalmed waters, to steer unwitting captains clear of bad omens at sea, and to generally help with any illnesses among the crew at sea.<br />
Many major ports have small seawitch populations, though it's said that the flotilla of barges in Queenstown is many times smaller than the one floating in the distant City of Festivals. Travelers bring back fantastic tales of the many different boats, barges, ships and sloops moored there.<br />
<br />
Of note in recent years is the rise in trade of Jethimadh root from the Spice Islands. Quickly becoming popular with sailors for settling queasy stomachs as their landlegs return, it spread to those seeking relief from nausea, and is now seen as a sweet treat to many of the population of Queenstown (particularly children eating it candied).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-13972225216578600632011-10-20T16:38:00.000-07:002011-10-20T16:38:33.707-07:00Queenstown part 2Seeing as I promised days ago to get this done, I suppose I should get on with it really!<br />
<br />
The Central precinct is walled off from the rest of the city, and is heavily guarded.<br />
The area includes the Margrave's Palace, the Queenstown Senate, the Guildhall and Guildhall Market, the Queenstown Militia Barracks and training grounds, the Central Queenstown Bank, and a Mage's Librarium. The Librarium is supposed to be dwarfed in size by that of the Raethmoore Academy, far to the northwest, however it is otherwise the largest repository of arcane knowledge known in the entire Old Crown, requiring a simple test of magical ability to access.<br />
<br />
The Margrave Thomas Hawksmoore has greying hair, but still has plenty of fight in him. He is known for sending armed militia to deal with any larger-scale problems in the local population. He is most often seen wearing ceremonial armour of burnished copper and steel.<br />
He lives with a large cohort, and even a small court of hangers on, in the Palace, formerly part of the Royal Residences, but subsequently expanded in recent years.<br />
Alistair Foxworthy is the head of the Queenstown Bankers Guild, as well as the Central Bank. He is ostentatious with his wealth, but known by many as an easy mark for 'valuable' antiques and 'priceless' treasures.<br />
Baeden is the head of the Queenstown Guard, managaing, coordinating and maintaining the various overlapping militia forces within the city walls. He sits in the Senate, much like one of the many guildleaders, and makes sure the militia is treated well. He is also responsible for the maintenance of the lighthouse located in the Port and Dockside district, making sure it is manned and burning at all times.<br />
Commander Foan is the Dragonkin guardsman in charge of the Militia Barracks, responsible for training all new recruits and liasing with the various guardhouses throughout the city.<br />
<br />
There are obviously other characters at large - various guild heads, the Magister of the Librarium, other officers of the Guard, and marketstore holders. I haven't yet dealt too heavily with these figures. Perhaps in a future update. For now, that's the lot.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-90455085210886951562011-10-17T08:45:00.000-07:002011-10-17T08:45:27.292-07:00Queenstown part 1Over the next few days, I'm going to update reasonably regularly. I'll be describing the various precincts and surroundings of Queenstown, former capital of the Old Crown.<br />
<br />For now, i'm going to do a quick rundown of the different areas.<br />
Each precinct corresponds to a watchmen/militia jurisdiction, apart from Outwall, which has no official organised militia or watch house.<br />
<br />
Queenstown is a reasonably prosperous port city, trading with the nearby Spice Islands, as well as the distant City of Festivals.<br />
It has nobles and paupers, merchants and longshoremen.<br />
It is governed by both a Senate and a coalition of powerful Guilds. The head of the city remains the Margrave, currently Thomas Hawksmoore. He is the head of the various militia forces, nominally the head of any private militias of any noble powerful enough to have one, and resides over the Senate (though he has no vote in it).<br />
<br />
The great many people of Queenstown have a dunnish complexion, with darker hair the norm.<br />
<br />
The precincts of Queenstown are:<br />
Central or Palace Precinct<br />
Temple Precinct<br />
Noble Estates<br />
Zocalo and Rialto (usually called 'The Markets')<br />
Docks and Portside<br />
Outwall<br />
<br />
As previously mentioned, Outwall has no organised militia. It is the home of the poorest in the area, and clusters outside the gates and around the high stone walls of the city. In some places, it extends some way away from the city's edge.<br />
<br />
More on a couple of these districts, including people and places, either tomorrow or Wednesday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-29644788923881811522011-10-10T14:03:00.000-07:002011-10-10T14:03:33.967-07:00Various pieces of information, and assorted ramblingsI decided today that it was due time for another development post but I wasn't sure what to write about. For the past week or so, my mind has been buzzing with ideas not about the setting itself, but how I would like to play with it in the near future. I've decided that I will be developing over the next little while some adaptations to the FATE system, rather than D&D 4E which I've been using, partly to explore the possibility and partly because I think the system is neat and I want to play around with it.<br />
I'm hoping it won't turn out too much like Legends of Anglerre, but having that as a reference material means I can do my best to break away from it where I think it's necessary. I'm currently hoping the magic system will be fun to look into and playtest.<br />
<br />
Without further ado though, I'll present a few little details that have grown over the last little while.<br />
If I've not mentioned before, the setting is now more generally known as the Old Crown, since it was previously a monarchy stretching several hundreds of miles. The old capital was Queenstown, the last handful of rulers having been queens rather than kings. Kingsmead was a village that grew to a town after it gained a royal charter to produce mead for the Royal Household. It retains this fame despite the last monarch disappearing a few hundred years ago.<br />
The de facto ruler of what is now the Queenstown city-state is Margrave Hawksmoore (so I suppose the suitable term is 'Margravate'). It encompasses Queenstown, the great plains inland to Kingsmead and beyond, despite being rugged wilderness interspersed with some farmland up until the foothills and mountains of the Dragonspines to the west. Across the mountains are the lands of the Wick, who are fierce horsemen. Little else is known about them, other than their subjugation many many centuries ago by the old Dragonkin Empire far to the west.<br />
The Dragonspine mountains curl north, so they also for the northern border. The most northerly town that could be considered part of the city-state is Raethmoore, though it fields its own militia at a border point with the neighbouring Northern Imperial Republic. This is also the home of the largest magic academy in the Old Crown region.<br />
To the south of Kingsmead stretches the sparsely populated Slateleaf Forest, which eventually becomes slightly more populated Redwood. There is a road south from Queenstown to Redwood, bypassing Slateleaf, though Redwood itself long ago stopped paying tithes to Queenstown.<br />
Further south again is the Darkling Swamp, said to be home to all manner of exotic magics and races. The Darkling Tribes skirmish frequently over land issues, though they all control a sizeable area. These areas are normally called 'farthings', and mint their own interchangeable currencies. More on that shortly.<br />
Queenstown is a busy port, and often has traders sail north to the ports of the Northern Imperial Republic, south into the ocean bound for the Spice Islands, or East towards the sunrise until reaching the City of Festivals.<br />
<br />
That's all I had on general geography, other than the old warring Dragonkin Empire and the Devilkin Kingdom being far to the west, and any members of those races in the area being wanderers (with the s bringing having a gypsy flare to their culture).<br />
I suppose I should mention the list of races currently in the setting:<br />
Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes (without the invisibility power), Dragonkin, Giantkin (Goliaths), Devilkin (Tieflings), Crowfolk (Kenku), Darklings (Shadar-Kai but wasn't too sure if they needed more tweaking), Goblins, Kobolds, Orcs, Ratlings (Nezumi from the old Oriental Adventures), Shifters, Warforged, Toadfolk (Bullywugs) and Vanara (also from Oriental Adventures, humanoid monkeys).<br />
Languages got more complicated too. The different areas (Queenstown Margravate and Northern Imperial Republic) had different versions of Common, since the latter was based upon Elven. The common trade tongue was Dwarven, and in fact all dwarves in the area had come from across the sea. Gobber, the language of goblins, had infiltrated certain tongues, such as the Crowfolk Creole. The Wick spoke a language based upon Draconian, and the Devilkin all had their own form of Common which many travelers used as it picked up concepts from all over the place.<br />
<br />
Coinage was also an issue. I had originally thought of making the coinage similar to the British system before decimalisation in the 1970s. That would mean 240 pennies to the Crown (as I'd decided the name to be). Also, it was a silver standard, much like Britain used to be.<br />
In the end, for ease, I made 100 pennies to the Crown, but added in coins of varying amounts, such as the Half Crown, Florin (quarter Crown), Shilling (five pennies), pennies and even ha'pennies (for certain goods, such as gruel or water). Hammers, a Dwarven coin worth four Crowns, and farthings (occasionally seen outside the Darkling Tribes) only worth a quarter penny in Queenstown. A Half Crown was literally a half coin, and a florin could be either half of a half crown, or a coin with about as much silver as that.<br />
<br />
As you can see, some of the details I've gone into get a bit deep, but I was trying to make a deeper, richer setting as best as I could. I'm going to try and take a step back and work away at a FATE system incorporating as much of the above as I can. Races will likely be an important factor, as will how to handle the various flavours of magic currently in use (Arcanery, Divinity, Elementality, and in some ways primal forces and Chi made an appearance).<br />
<br />
If anyone would like to hear more on these pretty disparate topics, please contact me in the usual ways. Feedback on the above always encouraged. I expect the next post will deal with the geography of Queenstown, in order that I have a bit more time to get a handle on some of these new rules.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-85166705390513481172011-09-21T08:16:00.000-07:002011-09-21T08:16:46.230-07:00Gods, Goddesses and AscensionToday I'm going to talk about the various deities present in the setting, some of their teachings, symbols, and things like that.<br />
<br />
The first thing to note about the different gods and goddesses is that they are not referred to by name, only by a title. The use of a 'Godsname' allows an amount of power to transfer from the god to the user, and some control over the god in question. It is also believed that a god's powers can be transferred, or perhaps a better word is consumed, by another powerful being (see the description of the Fiend, below).<br />
Different titles may exist across different geographical areas, though they are generally uniform in any one location (exceptions abound in the busy port of Queenstown).<br />
<br />
Another important element of godhood is that they were all once mortals, alive and active in the world, before an event of apotheosis enabled them to Ascend. The gods themselves are sometimes referred to collectively as 'the Ascended' by scholars. Sometimes this apotheosis happens shortly after death (in the case of great heroes being venerated for glorious battles, or villains for similar).<br />
Upon Ascension, many details are forgotten from the other minds of mortals, chiefly a physical description and real name of the Ascended. It is not removed from the world however, as some individuals seem to retain this memory (it is not known why). Physical records also remain unaltered (and are usually the first things sought and destroyed by the agents of the new god).<br />
<br />
It is rare to find an individual who will not give a prayer to more than one god, even among the priesthood of a particular deity. They may venerate one god above others, but the purview of that one god is unlikely to overlap greatly with that many others.<br />
<br />
Major gods include:<br />
<br />
The Darkling Queen<br />
Spinner of fate, patron of shadows, goddess of death and the dead. She notes the death of each mortal life, and mourners call upon her during funerary rites to protect against the curse of undeath.<br />
She expects her followers to watch for cults of undeath and stamp them out, and to attack the proud and greedy who seek to cast off the chains of fate and escape death. The price of life is an ending in death.<br />
Her symbol is a leafless grey tree on a field of black.<br />
<br />
The Dragon King<br />
Also called the Purple Drake, he is believed to have been the founder of the old Dragonkin Empire, many thousands of years ago. He is the god of the righteous and noble, upholder of honour, and protector of those who cannot protect themselves. His followers are charged similarly, particularly with opposing the evil of the Usurper, a rival god (more on him below).<br />
His symbol is a crowned dragon-in-flight, either in purple or upon a field of purple.<br />
<br />
The Great Muse<br />
Sometimes thought of as the goddess of civilization, she is the patron of great invention, founder of cities, and author of tales untold. Her temples often hold pride of place in the worlds major cities, and icons sometimes adorn places of learning.<br />
She encourages her followers to work in unison to achieve their goals, as community is stronger than the disjointed works of individuals. They are also tasked to seek innovation in all things, and to generally be creative.<br />
Her symbol is a white feather or quill, on a field of sea blue and storm grey.<br />
<br />
The Stormlord<br />
Powerful warrior, and champion of the skies, the Stormlord revels in strength and glory upon the battlefield. Thunder is is laughter. Those who hope to appease him and his wild nature do so with loud toasts filled with bravado and tournaments of martial skill.<br />
He encourages bravery, scorns cowardice, though entreats his followers to pick their battles wisely. A warrior life should end in a worthy manner.<br />
His symbol is an amber sword, sometimes jagged, upon a blood red and storm grey field, usually a shield.<br />
<br />
The Thousand Eyes<br />
The god of knowledge and secrets, he is known as the blind man who can see the innermost thoughts of most beings (and his priesthood contains a great many blind men).<br />
He guides his followers to hold some secrets closely, but to set free knowledge that needs to be.<br />
His symbol is a group of three eyes, on a field of gold.<br />
<br />
The Traveller<br />
The Wanderer, goddess of adventure, freedom, trade, travel, and the frontier. Her temples are few, but she has many wayside shrines along roadways new and ancient. Merchants are drawn to her worship, and many raise a glass to her as a goddess of luck.<br />
She urges her followers to campaign for liberty, to seek out the new, to explore, and to accept change as inevitable (but to work hard to make change for the better).<br />
She is one of the few to be known by two different symbols, the first a silver coin, the other a silver boot. Both are often represented on a field of sea blue and grass green.<br />
<br />
Several other minor gods exist, such as:<br />
The Beggar Prince - a new Ascended, he currently holds some minor sway over those thought of as downtrodden in the area of Queenstown. His followers wear an old copper coin on a bootlace.<br />
The Lady of the Harvest - a harvest deity, also the goddess of bees. Primarily worshiped in and around Kingsmead.<br />
The Crones - three goddesses of knowledge, holding that secrets should not be kept. Their symbol, a three pointed crown, is often seen on buildings of learning, particularly Raethmoore Mage Academy.<br />
The Keeper of Dreams - god of sleep and dreams, and also patron of watchmen. It is thought he gifts visions to the worthy, and nightmares to those who somehow deserve them.<br />
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The more malevolent forces include Ascended also. Prominent among them are:<br />
<br />
The Fiend<br />
Believed to have once been a mortal, he somehow learned a Godsname, then used his powers to learn more. He has consumed several of the Ascended over thousands of years. His followers seek power over other gods to greater earn his favour, and can be found in small numbers across the world.<br />
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The Usurper<br />
Called the Rightful King by his followers, the Grey Dragon has his origin in an early uprising in the old Dragonkin Empire. Exiled along with his followers, they have schemed to overthrow the Dragon King in any way possible since.<br />
Whilst he maintains a code of honour, he otherwise opposes the Dragon King, espousing an exploitation of the weak, and conquering through subversion.<br />
His symbol is a dragon-in-flight, either in ash grey or upon a similar field.<br />
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<br />
So that's a little bit of the setting sorted. There are more details for some of the minor gods, and more evil gods yet to be details, including the Burned Man, the Scarred One, and the Outsider (who is the last of the First Ones!).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-64632379625310535562011-08-27T13:06:00.000-07:002011-08-27T14:00:09.274-07:00Kingsmead character overview part 2This update is a more in depth look at the Hunter family in Kingsmead.
<br />I tried not to be too detailed. The point is to outline the heads of the family and a handful of important characters. The ones that aren't so important are at least getting a little plot drop.
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<br />Pa Hunter
<br />Ulfrik Hunter, called Pa by everyone in the village, is a grey-haired bear of a man. He is the patriarch of the clan, and runs the Kingsmead Inn. He is known for giving honest prices for his services and wares, and is the man to come to for information on local goings-on.
<br />He is good friends with Haskthrone Brewer and Candle, often playing cards and drinking with the former, and the latter when Candle chooses to drink.
<br />Pa and Ma, along with his brother Derrik, used to go on all kinds of adventures, or so the stories go.
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<br />Ma Hunter
<br />Copper-haired Therese Hunter, née Keeper, is the true owner of the inn, as the only child of the Keeper clan. She has been married to Pa for twenty odd years, and has three daughters and a son.
<br />She spent a large part of her childhood away from the village, at the Raethmoore Mage Academy to the north. She is known to use her magical skills to improve her wares at the Kingsmead Bakery.
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<br />Angela Hunter
<br />Roughly sixteen years of age, she has recently developed an infatuation with Ronan Brewer, following his return from schooling in Queenstown. She is most normally found in the Inn.
<br />She can sometimes be found in Peony Thatcher's flower and vegetable garden, where Peony extolls the various virtues of the Lady of the Autumn.
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<br />Lorelei Hunter
<br />Roughly fourteen, she has inherited some ability in Arcanery from her mother, though she is unschooled in its use. She is most often found helping her fathe rin the Inn, and is often the one cooking any meals.
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<br />Sonya Hunter
<br />Roughly twelve years of age, she has the brightest red hair of the children. She helps her uncle Alder to run the Rabbitry, and is very good with the rabbits. Sometimes she can be seen talking to them in the meadow.
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<br />Tim Hunter
<br />The youngest of the Hunter children in the village at about seven years old. He can usually be described as 'the snot-nosed boy running about the village'. He fetches people and things, and runs about with messages for various people. He doesn't talk much.
<br />When not running about, he is usually found sat outside the Inn, or doting on barmaid Jessica with childish gifts.
<br />He fell down the village well a few years ago, and now refuses to go near it (though he also refuses to drink anything but the wellwater).
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<br />Derrik Hunter
<br />Pa's brother, Derrik is the village goatherd and a cheesemaker. He is barely a few years younger than Pa, but has never married. It is said that he once had a love, but lost her tragically.
<br />Growing up, he was apprenticed to a local priest of the Darkling Queen, the goddess of death. He is often called upon for funerary services, but he always refuses.
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<br />Alder Hunter
<br />Runs the village Rabbitry, is something of a hunter and butcher.
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<br />Berith Hunter
<br />Alder's wife of many years, and Peony Thatcher's older sister. Runs the bakery with Ma.
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<br />Canaan Hunter
<br />Canaan is Alder and Berith's eldest son. He is about ten or so, and wants to grow up to go on adventures, even if people say something terrible happened to his uncle Derrik.
<br />Canaan has a friendship with Smerrig the Kobold, who is secretly teaching him swordplay.
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<br />Special Mention: Jessica Mandeville
<br />Jessica is a runaway from the Noble Estates precinct of Queenstown, and is the youngest daughter of Lord Mandeville.
<br />Whilst he was being schooled in Queenstown, Ronan Brewer and Jessica fell in love. She followed him home, though they have yet to break the truth of her relationship (or indeed her identity) to anyone in the village. She is the only employee of the Kingsmead Inn, at the insistence of Ma Hunter.
<br />Currently, as far as Haskthrone is concerned, the girl that Ronan is far too good for (he had no idea it was a Lord's daughter) is far away in Queenstown.
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<br />
<br />Ok, that's it. If anyone wants to here more about characters, I'll try and flesh them out a bit more.
<br />I remembered about halfway through that I should have mentioned in my first post - the overall colouration of most of the inhabitants of Kingsmead is a fair complexion with red or copper coloured hair, often with freckling.
<br />
<br />My next post will either involve some details of Queenstown, the capital of what is now known as the Old Crown region, or I may drop information on some gods and goddesses. They've almost all entirely changed since my first blog post (you may notice discrepancies between posts).
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-13667725776718007322011-08-10T13:54:00.000-07:002011-08-10T15:28:39.133-07:00Kingsmead character overview part 1So I took my time with this update.<div>
<br /></div><div>First off, I'm going to run through important characters that live in Kingsmead. There are, apart from two exceptions, all human. This is because I'm kind of lazy, and saw it as a human dominated settlement. There are no doubt a few others dotted about, but the majority is human.</div><div>So, without further ado:</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Mayor Haskthrone Brewer:</div><div>Haskthrone was educated like a nobleman in the city of Queenstown. He is the hereditary head of town, and patriarch of the Brewer family. Their name comes from their place as the mead brewmasters of the town. They also own the large apiary, and large parts of the local land.</div><div>Haskthrone himself stands at about six feet, has black hair, peppered grey, and is normally seen wearing a green cape over his everyday or ceremonial attire (the Brewers are the only family in town with recognised heraldry: three bees on a diagonal, over a green shield).</div><div>He is known to be good friends with the local innkeeper Pa and lawman Candle, and it is in their company that he often gets quite inebriated.</div><div>His son Ronan has recently returned from an academy in Queenstown in order to learn more of the family business.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Other notable families in Kingsmead:</div><div>The Hunters (more on them in the next update), Millers, Potters, Smiths and Thatchers.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Killian Winter:</div><div>Winter is the resident cleric of the Dragon King. He is an old man, wise, and gives his counsel to all who will listen. He came to Kingsmead from Queenstown many decades ago after growing up a city boy.</div><div>He is a tall man, with long white hair tied neatly. He keeps a short beard, also white. He is most often seen in his ceremonial clothing, spending the majority of his time at the temple. This includes a purple tabard adorned with the crowned dragon-at-wing, the symbol of the Dragon King.</div><div>When not in the temple, he sometimes wanders the village, or goes for walks in the local countryside. He has taken a shine to young Canaan Hunter, as well as new arrival, Smerrig.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Darriel Keep:</div><div>Keep is the resident cleric of the Great Muse. He is a very young man, and came to Kingsmead in the hopes of civilising it with the modern contrivances of his home in Queenstown. So far, he has been rebuffed at almost every turn, although the manner in which he goes about trying to convert the locals is less than exemplary.</div><div>He wears his hair cropped short, and is clean shaven. He is most often seen wearing the ceremonial clothing of the Great Muse - a grey and blue tunic with a white feather quill symbol.</div><div>He is rarely found outside the temple, though sometimes has a meal at the Kingsmead Inn.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Peony Thatcher:</div><div>Peony is the resident cleric of the locally worshiped goddess, the Lady of the Harvest. She is the goddess of bees and nature as well as harvest time. Peony grew up in Kingsmead, and apprenticed to her grandmother.</div><div>She has the characteristic copper hair of the locals, grown long. She is most often seen wearing a brown tabard emblazoned with a bee, the symbol for the Lady of the Harvest. The clothes underneath are always practical, with lots of pockets.</div><div>She is constantly out and about in Kingsmead, and tends a garden near the temple. She often gives open air service, whatever the weather, and leads the celebrations at the Harvest Festival.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Candle:</div><div>Candle is the local sheriff. He is a Dragonkin with light and dark mottled copper-brown scales.</div><div>He was a foundling of the Traveller, left at a wayshrine when he had barely hatched, and was raised by a cleric of the Traveller named Silus. He has travelled to many of the local settlements, to Queenstown in the east, to Raethmoore in the north, and as far west as the lands of the Wick on the far side of the Western Dragonspine Mountains. He has lived in Kingsmead for almost a decade, deciding to settle there rather than follow Silus across the oceans.</div><div>He is close friends with Haskthrone Brwer and Pa Hunter, and whilst he doesn't always drink heavily with them, he is known to occasionally appear seeking Peony Thatcher for a cure for a rotten hangover.</div><div>He carries a meanly curved sword, believed to be the only object found with him by Silus.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Smerrig:</div><div>From a southern tribe of Kobolds, Smerrig travelled far north and arrived in Kingsmead some months before the Harvest Festival.
<br />It is unclear why a lone Kobold would leave his tribe, or why he would choose to spend so much time in and around Kingsmead. The villagers believe he is a scout sent by his tribe. They have yet to come up with a decent reason why this might be however. Due to the reaction of the villagers, Smerrig camps a little way outside of the town, near the edge of Slateleaf Forest.
<br />He infrequently arrives in town with animal hides to trade for food, though he has yet to sample the local mead.</div><div>Peony Thatcher will often catch him trying to buy or consume the local goat cheese, and persuade whomever she can that this would be a bad idea as Kobolds, much like Dragonkin, have no bodily experience with milk.
<br />Candle finds him hilarious, although it is unclear why. Smerrig only converses in Draconian, which only Candle and Killian Winter speak. Perhaps this is the source of his amusement.
<br />Killian Winter has twice intervened when a villager has tried to con Smerrig out of coin.</div><div>He has also somehow become fast friends with the young boy Canaan Hunter, who often sneaks off to Smerrig's camp. So far, no one has caught the boy being instructed in the proper use of a sword.
<br /></div><div>Smerrig's scales are a mottled brown, with a speckling of gold and silver around his face. He is clearly a skilled hunter and trapper, and carries two shortswords at his sides.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Right, that's where I am so far. I've tried to throw a few hooks onto the characters too. I've not included any character's secrets (though these may appear in future updates - they're similar to one-line hooks, but much more difficult to find out). I hope to have the information up on the Hunter family within a week (I'm just trimming it a bit). They're the only family I'm detailing in anything other than name, excepting for Haskthrone Brewer and his heir Ronan.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>As usual, please send me any and all feedback!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-11230482954432171362011-07-19T15:07:00.000-07:002011-07-19T15:39:36.011-07:00Kingsmead general overviewThe village of Kingsmead stands on the south side of the ford of the Midlands River, with a small apple and pear orchard opposite on the northern bank. <div>The fields around the village are usually grazed by herds of goats and droves of domesticated rabbits. Any sewing of seeds leads to small subsistence patches for the villagers, with the net result being large areas of fallow grasslands, covered in flowers for the local bees.</div><div><br /><div>On foot, it would take roughly a week to walk to the city of Queenstown, along the eastern road. Crossing the ford and travelling north through the Barrowight Hills, one would eventually reach the Old Moors, and chiefly Raethmoore, the old capital of the Moorish Elves. Travelling along the much more dilapidated Old Kings Highway to the west would eventually bring you into the Dragonspine Mountains (which curve up to the north behind Raethmoore at some considerable distance).</div><div>To the south of the village lies Slateleaf Forest, named for the grey-green leaves on the tips of the branches. A verdant hunting ground for the villagers, it is however known to harbour several scattered tribes of goblins.</div><div><br /></div><div>The buildings of the village cluster around a small square, which sometimes includes the stalls of travelling merchants. The eastern side of the square is dominated by the largest building in the village, the temple. Of particular interest is the veneration of the local harvest deity, Hermione.</div><div>The north of the square is walled by the Kingsmead Inn, and adjoining bakery. The western side holds the smithy and the start of the Old Kings Highway (created by a large stone marker of unknown age), and the south side is a wide avenue that passes through an old archway, presumably from some old fallen building. It is sometimes known as the Kingsmead Gate by locals, despite being in the centre of town.</div><div>At the centre of the square is the village well. An interesting enchantment seems to exist upon it, whereby it will always be able to produce enough clean, fresh water for all the people in the village. It has never been known to run dry, even during the busy Harvest Festival, when the population usually quadruples.</div><div><br /></div><div>Other important buildings in town are the Apiary and the Brewer family's house and stables, referred to by the locals as The New House.</div></div><div>A smaller brewery lies near the orchard on the north bank, owned by the Potter family.</div><div>The local windmill serves fields to the north and east.</div><div>A wayside shrine just outside the village is marked by a large black stone, obviously not from the locality judging by the stones of the riverbed. Upon it is carved the mark of the Traveler (or Avandra in D&D 4E), and chained to it are two battered metal cups. One is covered by a slotted metal plate, to receive donations, the other is enchantments to purify liquids place in it (once some kind of coin has been dropped in the other cup). These shrines are dotted about the roads at regular intervals (or slightly less regular down the Old Kings Highway, due to lack of travelers and therefore upkeep).</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I'd be happy to receive any and all comments about the overview so far. I may add in a few further landmarks if I'm reminded of them. A map is forthcoming once I manage to draw a decent version of it. The next post will likely be about some of the characters inhabiting Kingsmead village.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625941780004734127.post-3396326833432098492011-07-13T16:59:00.000-07:002011-07-13T17:02:12.950-07:00AboutThis blog is shortly to be the home of my campaign setting development. I've got a chunk of it done, and have been working on it a while. I'll be detailing some key areas and characters that have cropped up, as well as potential adventure seeds.<br /><br />I'm looking for some feedback from anyone that reads it, whether it's 'sound good', 'sounds terrible', or something much more verbose.<br /><br />I'll begin shortly by detailing the large village of Kingsmead, some of the surrounding area, and where each of the main travel routes lead.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11310794451127460063noreply@blogger.com0