Session Zero

Need to roll for gold to have the character possess logical items...

While we finish up characters and the like, I wanted to tell you a bit about my DMing style. I will stress that while I am by no means a killer DM, the NPCs will act in ways that make sense for what they are and the dice will land where they may. If you do something that is...ill-advised, you will more than likely be rolling up a new character. If you guys overcome a challenge, I want it to be because you legitimately overcame it, not because I fudged a roll or some such.

The warforged rebooted in a strange dark place. Restored to factory standard, well mostly. It seemed that a defect acquired on their travels was robust to the reboot. From their configuration and personal effects it is clear that they are a surveyor, though for who it is hard to tell. Finding a tinderbox and a torch allowed for further details to unearthed, a dusty and decayed tome indicated that they used the name Venture, and from further examination of what could be found in the text they had been deployed by the Athelarian empire to survey a newly uncovered, seemingly unoccupied land. Venture had found evidence of previous habitation on their travels, in the form of old ruins. In one of them, they had found a strange alter, it seemed to be to the peoples deity of fate. An artefact recovered from the site; a simple purple gemstone of about 20 chips value. This stone appears to be the source of the defect, as after it's acquisition the logs speak of strange and new found abilities manifesting. From here the text becomes nigh on impossible to recover.

Venture re-explored the sight that they had found themselves in. It was hard going; it seemed that the sight had experienced some decay, many walls caving in. They finally found a path that led into a vast natural cave network, a strange find considering that they had been mapping the surface. The caves led to a settlement of smallfolk, who spoke two tongues, one wholly strange but the other similar enough to one of the languages they had been built with. The smallfolk taught them the new tongue, as they said it was common to all creatures who lived in this region. They asked the smallfolk if the map of the local area was still current, but the smallfolk informed them that it was completely unknown to them. Feeling the drive to remap the area Venture struck out fort the surface again...

@Whistler: Sounds good to me. Once we're out of the early levels, it should become a lot harder to die accidentally. :P

What sort of tone are you going for with the world? For example, how's the general standard of living - are we looking at a time of prosperity and growth where most people can find work and support themselves, or a period where the super-wealthy are living like kings in gilded castles and most of the population is starving? How is the political scene - expansionist, progressive, authoritarian, corrupt? What's the role of religion in common people's lives, and how beneficial, divisive or parasitic are the churches?

I guess that's a roundabout way of asking "What are the prominent social ills of the time?"

To give you a brief rundown, it is a bustling port city with the masses able to make a comfortable enough living. Technology-wise, it is fairly typical for the Renaissance but its values and ideas come from the late Renaissance, so think the Three Musketeers and similar swashbuckling novels. Romance, honour, glory and vengeance are all very common motivations for the populous. Patronage also defines the city and represents the main method of social movement between the classes, though the upper limits is still very firmly hereditary.

It is ruled by an Oligarchy, a Great Council is overseen by the Potentate and the Council of Ten. The Council of Ten and the Potentate decide the business that is presented to the Great Council, which acts as a legislative body. The Potentate has a veto vote and the Council of Ten is lately seen as his advisors. Both the Potentate and Council of Ten is elected by the Great Council, they are lifetime positions but cannot be passed onto relatives. Being the leadership for the capital, they also have the ability to elect local governors to rule the rest of the country on their behalf. In extreme circumstances, such as war, the Potentate and Council of Ten can disband the Great Council and take the mantle of leadership directly.

Esterwyn relies on the shipping trade from all over the country and even further to fuel it. Banks are common through the city, boosting the trade in the city even further. Esterwyn is famous for its entertainment and merchant districts, while its seafront quarter never sleeps with vessels coming and going at all hours. The government district rings the Watergardens, an area where the nobles establish their villas, both districts combine to form the centre of the city. Major roads are not common in the floating city of Esterwyn, instead canals snake their way through and divide the districts, as such gondolas and other boats are seen through the city. The city does contain a slum area where crime is high but the Potentate and the Council of Ten seem content to contain the issue to the district and ensure that it doesn't spread. Theological concerns aren't really an issue in the city, with most people remaining deeply atheistic but indviduals and the government are generally content to live and let live. At most a devoute and open follower of a god may be scorned, shunned or snubbed but it is unlikely they would become the victim of any targeted violence.

A few quirks of the city is that any firearms are forbidden in the city, after a failed uprising against the Potentate centuries ago. When travellers arrive, they any such weapons to the nearest storehouse that are overseen by the city guard. If this type of equipment is purchased it is sent to a storehouse, to be collected when the individual leaves. In both instances, they are provided with paperwork to prove their ownership that must be presented to the storehouse.

There is also a monthly flat tax for everyone in the city Visitors are required to register in an official tavern or inn when staying and when they do are provided with visitor’s documentation. These papers are used to determine the length of your stay in the city and payment must be made each month or part thereof to the owner of the inn or tavern. One month payment must be made in advance. The city guard can ask for these papers at any time and failure to produce them can see you arrested for tax evasion.

That's all general knowledge stuff that your characters would know entering the city. If you have any other questions, just ask.

Hey, I was wondering what to do about the two extra languages my character is supposed to know, as part of her background and class. Since the world as she knows it is human, she wouldn't know any of the non-human languages.

We could leave them open to represent our potential to learn new languages?

Yes, I think that's the best way to handle it. It will add some realism, too.

@Genisisict Do you want our characters to know each other in some way? Also does Venture talk?

Sounds good to me!

@Whistler: At the start of the game, to what extent is the general population aware of the reemergence of magic and the old races? Is it still at the level of wild stories that nobody (except Margaret) believes, is it in the fringe media and mentioned but scoffed at by the mainstream, or is it a full-blown story with major newspapers sporting headlines like "MAGIC IS REAL!" and everybody talking about it?

Wild stories that no one believes at this point.

@Moonbeam: Elendin's explosion and expulsion from the sculptor's apprenticeship is exactly the sort of weird event Margaret is looking out for, and she'd be trying to track her down to find out what really happened (as opposed to whatever story was used to explain it publicly). How difficult would Elendin be to find?

@Whistler: Would it help for these characters to have met before the game starts, or is that something you'd rather cover in-game?

I'd rather cover it in game. I have something in mind to bond the party pretty quickly. Also while I think about it, can everyone make me a constitution check?

@Jovin: We are just waiting for a character sheet from you.

I'm starting to have certain issues by things raised here with regard to magic and religion. My character is a Cleric of the goddess of Magic. If no one believes that magic is real and no one is religious, how would a young street urchin be drawn to magic and ever be aware of a goddess of any kind let alone magic? I'm not even sure if I can continue with this game with the religious and magic restrictions I'm hearing about.

The whole idea is that you are at the forefront of the resurgence of magic as the world moves no magic to low magic. As to how your character learns about magic, they will have a very close relationship with Tinel. The simplest answer as to how your character was drawn to the God of Magic is that you received a divine portent of some sort or perhaps one night you simple came back to your hovel and found a spellbook in your bedroll, pinned to that spellbook was a note with a name on it, Tinel. Also, as the game progresses you won't be the only one and as the doctrine of the Archmage of Heaven spreads, his religion will be founded. Converting people becomes a lot easier when you start showing people with a little study, they can start slinging fireballs. As the most learned of Tinel's followers you will be in a position to be the leader of the church once it is established. I expect that by level 5, the world will have moved forward and there will be established religions and the world will be something more akin to a regular DnD setting, even if the monster density is a little thinner on the ground. I hope this helps somewhat but if you have more questions just let me know.