Sep 22, 2022 3:52 pm
Here's a simple map of the Evening Lands -- the western portion of the Kingdom of Fesselmark, often referred to as simply, The Kingdom.
Warlock! Gazetteer
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Sep 23, 2022 3:36 am
From the pages of The Kingdom...
The Kingdom
Fesselmark, usually just called ‘the Kingdom’ by those who dwell there, covers a large landmass surrounded by wide oceans. It occupies an area rich with history - the Kingdom is just the last of a great line of empires that have called the area home, and the ruins that dot the land are a testament to many previous rulers. The elves had the most recent and enduring empire, but eventually it collapsed like others before it, and from the ashes the Kingdom was born. Humans dominate Fesselmark, but other communities such as dwarves, elves and halflings are common, as well as less welcoming folk such as goblins and unmen.
The Kingdom is large, stretching from the so called Lands of Morning in the east to the peninsula called the Evening Lands in the west. Within the realm there are great forests, wide grassy plains, tall dark mountains, great meandering rivers, deep cold lakes and broad, rolling hills. Ruins are a common sight, relics from past empires and civilisations, but these are avoided - most sensible folk in the Kingdom stick to the thriving cities and towns, or the well-defended villages. The wilderness remains very much wild. The land is magical, and the essence of the arcane permeates everything. It is said by the superstitious that the deep mountains and dark forests are doorways, places where the traveller passes from this world to other lands, other places. They believe that although a forest may only take a few weeks to walk around, it is possible to wander within for years, eventually journeying under alien stars and into other realms where elves still maintain their mighty empires. Believers say that therefore, the wilderness of Fesselmark cannot be tamed - it links to other spheres and other wildernesses, a great patchwork of places that run into each other like a labyrinth. To stray too far into the wild is to risk losing yourself completely. Better to stick to the well-known roads and paths, and the light of the cities. Others laugh at such foolishness.
The people of the Kingdom are many and varied. Humans dominate - the Kingdom is considered to be a human realm - but elves, dwarves and halflings are relatively common and respected members of society, for the most part. Fesselmark is a multicultural realm, where other creatures and cultures are allowed to flourish as long as they respect the rule of law. Other communities outside of the King's rule also exist, such as the goblin realms of the mountains, and the Kingdom is always on guard for threats from other less friendly peoples. Most of the population live in the larger cities and towns, or work the fields in the tamed lands that surround them. Further from the cities, the land gets wilder, even as the relics of ancient empires and lost realms become more apparent. Within the confines of Fesselmark elven and dwarven realms exist, hidden in the wild geography that stretches outside of this world and into other places under other skies.
The Kingdom
Fesselmark, usually just called ‘the Kingdom’ by those who dwell there, covers a large landmass surrounded by wide oceans. It occupies an area rich with history - the Kingdom is just the last of a great line of empires that have called the area home, and the ruins that dot the land are a testament to many previous rulers. The elves had the most recent and enduring empire, but eventually it collapsed like others before it, and from the ashes the Kingdom was born. Humans dominate Fesselmark, but other communities such as dwarves, elves and halflings are common, as well as less welcoming folk such as goblins and unmen.
The Kingdom is large, stretching from the so called Lands of Morning in the east to the peninsula called the Evening Lands in the west. Within the realm there are great forests, wide grassy plains, tall dark mountains, great meandering rivers, deep cold lakes and broad, rolling hills. Ruins are a common sight, relics from past empires and civilisations, but these are avoided - most sensible folk in the Kingdom stick to the thriving cities and towns, or the well-defended villages. The wilderness remains very much wild. The land is magical, and the essence of the arcane permeates everything. It is said by the superstitious that the deep mountains and dark forests are doorways, places where the traveller passes from this world to other lands, other places. They believe that although a forest may only take a few weeks to walk around, it is possible to wander within for years, eventually journeying under alien stars and into other realms where elves still maintain their mighty empires. Believers say that therefore, the wilderness of Fesselmark cannot be tamed - it links to other spheres and other wildernesses, a great patchwork of places that run into each other like a labyrinth. To stray too far into the wild is to risk losing yourself completely. Better to stick to the well-known roads and paths, and the light of the cities. Others laugh at such foolishness.
The people of the Kingdom are many and varied. Humans dominate - the Kingdom is considered to be a human realm - but elves, dwarves and halflings are relatively common and respected members of society, for the most part. Fesselmark is a multicultural realm, where other creatures and cultures are allowed to flourish as long as they respect the rule of law. Other communities outside of the King's rule also exist, such as the goblin realms of the mountains, and the Kingdom is always on guard for threats from other less friendly peoples. Most of the population live in the larger cities and towns, or work the fields in the tamed lands that surround them. Further from the cities, the land gets wilder, even as the relics of ancient empires and lost realms become more apparent. Within the confines of Fesselmark elven and dwarven realms exist, hidden in the wild geography that stretches outside of this world and into other places under other skies.
Sep 23, 2022 4:07 am
The Royal Family
The King is his Royal Highness Gustav Pelleron IV, a proud and mostly beneficent man who is loved by his people, especially in the wake of the war against the Traitor, where the King himself led many of his troops in battle. In his mid-forties before the war, the King was an energetic man who hunted frequently in the Royal forest, but times change, and since the Traitor's fall the King has shunned public life. It is his wife, Queen Isalodora, who has become the most visible member of the royal household. She is often seen in the Royal capital of Fesselburg accompanied by Viscount Rubrix, her husband's chief advisor and now her confidant. Rumours spread throughout the city and indeed across the Kingdom that the King is ill, and that it is in reality the Queen and Viscount who rule the land. Ruberix is respected but feared - armies at his command committed the atrocities of the battle of Rebeck. This combination of the disappearance of the King and the prominence of Ruberix has led to some uprisings in the further-flung areas of Fesselmark, where the rule of law is weaker and bandits and worse prey on honest folk. Whatever the reason, the Queen has nothing to say on her husband's recent behaviour.
The Traitor
The recent history of the Kingdom is dominated by the war against the Traitor, Nelkus. The one-time King's chamberlain and favourite who eventually betrayed his master and unleashed a tide of darkness and war across Fesselmark. When the betrayal of the Traitor was revealed and the plot with the demonic forces of Delock uncovered, it led to many years of war that decimated the land in a number of pitched battles including the bitter battle of Pomperburg and the battle in the Hills of Strife. Eventually the Traitor was defeated but disappeared before he could be captured. Now the Kingdom is at an uneasy peace, but with the Traitor still at large the peace is restless and fraught. The disappearance of the king from coincided with the fall of the Traitor, and even as refugees stream from those places most damaged by war, the inns and pubs of Fesselmark are awash with speculation on what this could mean.
The Evening Lands
The western part of Fesselmark is known as the Evening Lands, the place where the sun can be seen to set beyond the scarlet sea. This is an old part of the Kingdom and where the capital, Fesselburg, lies. It was also the seat of the last great elven empire to encompass the Kingdom within its bounds, the Golethen empire, and many ruins of this once great realm can be found scattered about the land.
The King is his Royal Highness Gustav Pelleron IV, a proud and mostly beneficent man who is loved by his people, especially in the wake of the war against the Traitor, where the King himself led many of his troops in battle. In his mid-forties before the war, the King was an energetic man who hunted frequently in the Royal forest, but times change, and since the Traitor's fall the King has shunned public life. It is his wife, Queen Isalodora, who has become the most visible member of the royal household. She is often seen in the Royal capital of Fesselburg accompanied by Viscount Rubrix, her husband's chief advisor and now her confidant. Rumours spread throughout the city and indeed across the Kingdom that the King is ill, and that it is in reality the Queen and Viscount who rule the land. Ruberix is respected but feared - armies at his command committed the atrocities of the battle of Rebeck. This combination of the disappearance of the King and the prominence of Ruberix has led to some uprisings in the further-flung areas of Fesselmark, where the rule of law is weaker and bandits and worse prey on honest folk. Whatever the reason, the Queen has nothing to say on her husband's recent behaviour.
The Traitor
The recent history of the Kingdom is dominated by the war against the Traitor, Nelkus. The one-time King's chamberlain and favourite who eventually betrayed his master and unleashed a tide of darkness and war across Fesselmark. When the betrayal of the Traitor was revealed and the plot with the demonic forces of Delock uncovered, it led to many years of war that decimated the land in a number of pitched battles including the bitter battle of Pomperburg and the battle in the Hills of Strife. Eventually the Traitor was defeated but disappeared before he could be captured. Now the Kingdom is at an uneasy peace, but with the Traitor still at large the peace is restless and fraught. The disappearance of the king from coincided with the fall of the Traitor, and even as refugees stream from those places most damaged by war, the inns and pubs of Fesselmark are awash with speculation on what this could mean.
The Evening Lands
The western part of Fesselmark is known as the Evening Lands, the place where the sun can be seen to set beyond the scarlet sea. This is an old part of the Kingdom and where the capital, Fesselburg, lies. It was also the seat of the last great elven empire to encompass the Kingdom within its bounds, the Golethen empire, and many ruins of this once great realm can be found scattered about the land.
Sep 23, 2022 4:57 am
The City on the River: Grim Biskerstaf
To the south of the Kingdom, on the road to Fesselburg, lies the city of Grim Biskerstaf. A trade port of note served by the mighty Vessen river, the city has sadly decayed to a fragment of its former glory. The city has been run down by the ineffective leadership of Lord Kelberond, the squabbling of the Fish Speakers and the Dockers, the laziness of the Guard and the growing power of the sinister Red King's Men. More than this though, it is the recent appearance of 'the blight', a horrible disease, which has led to the town fully deserving its name - Grim Biskerstaf.
THE BLIGHT
The disease that stalks the streets of Grim Biskerstaf is known as the blight. It manifests as sickness that turns skin a sickly green, induces vomiting and worse and eventually in bad cases sets off a raft of open sores. No one knows the source of the blight - the wizard Dolkepper blames the church for upsetting some god or other, the church blame the Dockers for bringing in a poison-bearing insect on one of the ships, the Dockers blame the Fish Wardens for poisoning the catch, and the Fish Wardens blame Dolkepper for magical experiments gone awry.
So far, the blight only really affects the poor, so it is mainly ignored as an irritation. But things are getting worse...
THE CITY
The city of Grim Biskerstaf sits on a hill rising from the banks of the brown Vessen river. It was once just called Biskerstaf, but after the 'autumn uprising' and the carnage that ensured, it has always been referred to as Grim Biskerstaf, something the city folk are rather proud of. It was founded at the height of the Golethen elven empire, when Misselda the founder dedicated a temple here to the lost elven god called the Keeper. The temple was built on the top of what is now the Lord's Hill, and around that sprung a town and a thriving port. Goblins from the Cragtop mountains razed the town several times, but never destroyed the temple, so the town always sprung up anew. Just before the Golethen empire fell, great walls were built around the town - these still stand, although the empire itself and the temple on the hill are long gone. At the same time, the fortress now known as Strumdorf was built, a huge edifice of red stone that rises above the port of the city. Unlike the rest of the walls, the fortress is in much better condition - successive Lords considered it prudent to maintain their stronghold, as the opinion of the populace to their rulers has waxed and waned, so the elegant decay of the original elven construction has been patched with clumsy repairs.
Within the city, many of the buildings are wattle and daub, the poorest little more than huts. The higher class buildings on Lord's Hill are stone, some dating from the Golethen empire. Despite its relatively small size, Grim Biskerstaf has an excellent sewer system, a relic of elven architects. However, for many reasons, no one talks about the sewers...
Despite its name, Grim Biskerstaf is vibrant and thrums with life. The city is as full of workers, soldiers, guildsmen, lords, the poor and the desperate, just as it ever was. Now even more souls come down the road, fleeing from the battle of Pomperburg, displaced by the war against the Traitor, and amongst the many refugees are deserters from both armies. Now it seems that someone arriving at the city brought with them a dreadful magical disease called the blight, which consumes the poor and needy, but even with this threat it is easier to find food within the walls than without, so the city remains packed. Now rumours come that unmen have been seen in the forests nearby, gathering...
To the south of the Kingdom, on the road to Fesselburg, lies the city of Grim Biskerstaf. A trade port of note served by the mighty Vessen river, the city has sadly decayed to a fragment of its former glory. The city has been run down by the ineffective leadership of Lord Kelberond, the squabbling of the Fish Speakers and the Dockers, the laziness of the Guard and the growing power of the sinister Red King's Men. More than this though, it is the recent appearance of 'the blight', a horrible disease, which has led to the town fully deserving its name - Grim Biskerstaf.
THE BLIGHT
The disease that stalks the streets of Grim Biskerstaf is known as the blight. It manifests as sickness that turns skin a sickly green, induces vomiting and worse and eventually in bad cases sets off a raft of open sores. No one knows the source of the blight - the wizard Dolkepper blames the church for upsetting some god or other, the church blame the Dockers for bringing in a poison-bearing insect on one of the ships, the Dockers blame the Fish Wardens for poisoning the catch, and the Fish Wardens blame Dolkepper for magical experiments gone awry.
So far, the blight only really affects the poor, so it is mainly ignored as an irritation. But things are getting worse...
THE CITY
The city of Grim Biskerstaf sits on a hill rising from the banks of the brown Vessen river. It was once just called Biskerstaf, but after the 'autumn uprising' and the carnage that ensured, it has always been referred to as Grim Biskerstaf, something the city folk are rather proud of. It was founded at the height of the Golethen elven empire, when Misselda the founder dedicated a temple here to the lost elven god called the Keeper. The temple was built on the top of what is now the Lord's Hill, and around that sprung a town and a thriving port. Goblins from the Cragtop mountains razed the town several times, but never destroyed the temple, so the town always sprung up anew. Just before the Golethen empire fell, great walls were built around the town - these still stand, although the empire itself and the temple on the hill are long gone. At the same time, the fortress now known as Strumdorf was built, a huge edifice of red stone that rises above the port of the city. Unlike the rest of the walls, the fortress is in much better condition - successive Lords considered it prudent to maintain their stronghold, as the opinion of the populace to their rulers has waxed and waned, so the elegant decay of the original elven construction has been patched with clumsy repairs.
Within the city, many of the buildings are wattle and daub, the poorest little more than huts. The higher class buildings on Lord's Hill are stone, some dating from the Golethen empire. Despite its relatively small size, Grim Biskerstaf has an excellent sewer system, a relic of elven architects. However, for many reasons, no one talks about the sewers...
Despite its name, Grim Biskerstaf is vibrant and thrums with life. The city is as full of workers, soldiers, guildsmen, lords, the poor and the desperate, just as it ever was. Now even more souls come down the road, fleeing from the battle of Pomperburg, displaced by the war against the Traitor, and amongst the many refugees are deserters from both armies. Now it seems that someone arriving at the city brought with them a dreadful magical disease called the blight, which consumes the poor and needy, but even with this threat it is easier to find food within the walls than without, so the city remains packed. Now rumours come that unmen have been seen in the forests nearby, gathering...
Oct 8, 2022 1:08 am
Places
Where to go and what to see and do in Grim Biskerstaf...
THE DOCKS
Stretching alongside the river, the busy docks are where goods brought to the city on the river Vessen are unloaded and stored, with huge warehouses sitting behind the river frontage. The Dockers who work the area are a tough crowd, rowdy and insular, but they represent the real mercantile wealth of the city so the burghers and merchants put up with their ways for the sake of the flow of coin. The Dockers hate the fishermen (known as Fish Wardens), who they call the 'Deadfish'. This dispute comes in part from a shared interest in the river, and in part from a desire to be the most important trade in the city. The two groups often come to blows in the dock pubs like the Manky Mermaid, and the Guard tend to leave them to it - easier that way. The leader of the Dockers is Margy Goodlaff, a dwarf woman of imposing build and short temper, who prowls the docks like a general amongst her troops.
The Fish Wardens also call the docks their home. Fishermen and women, they catch what they can in the river, estuary and out to sea, and sell it in the city. They are a proud bunch, and consider the success (and full bellies) of the city as their responsibility. Led by Dolo Thrimble, a male Halfling, they have always been at odds with the Dockers who they consider little more than ruffians. Recently things have gotten worse, the catch has been going bad, and the Fish Wardens blame this on Dockers. The Dockers in return blame the Fish Wardens for the increased sightings of 'fish heads', increasing tensions even further.
DREDGE
The worst of the worst in Grim Biskerstaff live in Dredge, the warren of old buildings, open sewers and small courtyards that makes up the poor quarter, slowly sinking into the river. Every day mudlarks leave the rotten streets and make their way out onto the exposed mud flats, searching for clams, eels, and treasures occasionally washed up from the ruins of Kellebrik (an ancient elven city, partially exposed at times when the river runs low). And bodies, most days. Dredge is a winding, twisting maze of partially sunken palaces, derelict buildings and other ancient structures. Disease is rife in Dredge, and many of the poorer members of the population are riddled with illnesses. Dredge is a dangerous place - if you want to 'lose' a body, Dredge is the place to do it. Recently, there have been rumours of strange, hunched and cloaked men going about Dredge by night, and some say they have been murdering folk and dragging corpses to the river. Most ignore such talk as gossip - there is enough to worry about without talk of fish-headed killers on the loose.
LORD'S HILL
All of the rich and powerful of Grim Biskerstaf's court live in the walled confines of Lord's Hill, where the ancient elven temple was situated. The palaces that fill the district are fine buildings and in good repair, as the nobility have the money to spend on keeping their grounds immaculate. The Peacock Guard (Lord Kelberond's personal guard) police the area and eject undesirables, that is to say anyone who doesn't live here, isn't accompanied by a liveried servant or doesn't have a written invitation. Much of what goes on within Lord's Hill is a mystery to the rest of the city, but the parties are legendary and the source of much resentment. The head of the lords on the Little Council is Lord Telk, who does as much as he can to say little and pay even less. He has the largest palace on the top of the hill, so grand that Lord Kelberond has the facing windows of the fortress boarded so he doesn't have to see Telk's residence. The Little Council also have their chambers here.
THE WALLS
The red stone walls of Grim Biskerstaf were built over a thousand years ago, during the reign of the elven queen Misselda. Sadly, despite the great workmanship that went into them, little repair work has been done since their construction, so the walls have lost much of their grandeur. Once nearly forty feet high and topped with a broad walkway and many towers, the walkway is now narrow and loose in places and several of the towers have fallen. Such is the state of disrepair that the Guard refuse to walk some stretches, and rumour has it that they have abandoned several of the towers that have since acquired new shady owners. Lord Kelberond promises to pay for repair of the walls, but the little council do not allow it - Dolkepper (the city's wizard) considers this a waste of resources (his tower is in little better repair, but he doesn't care).
THE MANKY MERMAID
Besides its stench of rotting timbers and spicy (rat) pie, this badly lit dockside drinking den is renowned for its vicious 'fire brew' - every third pint you drink is free. The owner/bartender is the dwarf ex-sailor Barthros. If asked, locals whisper he was the sole survivor when a giant seagull attacked his ship. Squawking gives him the shivers.
Where to go and what to see and do in Grim Biskerstaf...
THE DOCKS
Stretching alongside the river, the busy docks are where goods brought to the city on the river Vessen are unloaded and stored, with huge warehouses sitting behind the river frontage. The Dockers who work the area are a tough crowd, rowdy and insular, but they represent the real mercantile wealth of the city so the burghers and merchants put up with their ways for the sake of the flow of coin. The Dockers hate the fishermen (known as Fish Wardens), who they call the 'Deadfish'. This dispute comes in part from a shared interest in the river, and in part from a desire to be the most important trade in the city. The two groups often come to blows in the dock pubs like the Manky Mermaid, and the Guard tend to leave them to it - easier that way. The leader of the Dockers is Margy Goodlaff, a dwarf woman of imposing build and short temper, who prowls the docks like a general amongst her troops.
The Fish Wardens also call the docks their home. Fishermen and women, they catch what they can in the river, estuary and out to sea, and sell it in the city. They are a proud bunch, and consider the success (and full bellies) of the city as their responsibility. Led by Dolo Thrimble, a male Halfling, they have always been at odds with the Dockers who they consider little more than ruffians. Recently things have gotten worse, the catch has been going bad, and the Fish Wardens blame this on Dockers. The Dockers in return blame the Fish Wardens for the increased sightings of 'fish heads', increasing tensions even further.
DREDGE
The worst of the worst in Grim Biskerstaff live in Dredge, the warren of old buildings, open sewers and small courtyards that makes up the poor quarter, slowly sinking into the river. Every day mudlarks leave the rotten streets and make their way out onto the exposed mud flats, searching for clams, eels, and treasures occasionally washed up from the ruins of Kellebrik (an ancient elven city, partially exposed at times when the river runs low). And bodies, most days. Dredge is a winding, twisting maze of partially sunken palaces, derelict buildings and other ancient structures. Disease is rife in Dredge, and many of the poorer members of the population are riddled with illnesses. Dredge is a dangerous place - if you want to 'lose' a body, Dredge is the place to do it. Recently, there have been rumours of strange, hunched and cloaked men going about Dredge by night, and some say they have been murdering folk and dragging corpses to the river. Most ignore such talk as gossip - there is enough to worry about without talk of fish-headed killers on the loose.
LORD'S HILL
All of the rich and powerful of Grim Biskerstaf's court live in the walled confines of Lord's Hill, where the ancient elven temple was situated. The palaces that fill the district are fine buildings and in good repair, as the nobility have the money to spend on keeping their grounds immaculate. The Peacock Guard (Lord Kelberond's personal guard) police the area and eject undesirables, that is to say anyone who doesn't live here, isn't accompanied by a liveried servant or doesn't have a written invitation. Much of what goes on within Lord's Hill is a mystery to the rest of the city, but the parties are legendary and the source of much resentment. The head of the lords on the Little Council is Lord Telk, who does as much as he can to say little and pay even less. He has the largest palace on the top of the hill, so grand that Lord Kelberond has the facing windows of the fortress boarded so he doesn't have to see Telk's residence. The Little Council also have their chambers here.
THE WALLS
The red stone walls of Grim Biskerstaf were built over a thousand years ago, during the reign of the elven queen Misselda. Sadly, despite the great workmanship that went into them, little repair work has been done since their construction, so the walls have lost much of their grandeur. Once nearly forty feet high and topped with a broad walkway and many towers, the walkway is now narrow and loose in places and several of the towers have fallen. Such is the state of disrepair that the Guard refuse to walk some stretches, and rumour has it that they have abandoned several of the towers that have since acquired new shady owners. Lord Kelberond promises to pay for repair of the walls, but the little council do not allow it - Dolkepper (the city's wizard) considers this a waste of resources (his tower is in little better repair, but he doesn't care).
THE MANKY MERMAID
Besides its stench of rotting timbers and spicy (rat) pie, this badly lit dockside drinking den is renowned for its vicious 'fire brew' - every third pint you drink is free. The owner/bartender is the dwarf ex-sailor Barthros. If asked, locals whisper he was the sole survivor when a giant seagull attacked his ship. Squawking gives him the shivers.
Oct 8, 2022 1:16 am
Who's Who in Grim Biskerstaf
These are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood...
LORD KELBEROND
The city's ruler. Seems well-meaning, but ineffectual and perhaps often confused.
LADY MEAGELLER
Lord Kelberond's reclusive daughter.
MAGISTRATE DONARAS NAVARI
Kelberond's sour-faced right hand man, the one who actually knows how to make things work in the city.
LORD TELK
The richest noble in the city. Leads the Little Council. Greedy, dislikes spending to improve the city.
THE WIZARD DOLKEPPER
The city's renowned ill-tempered spellcaster. Lives in a tower at the center of Hemlock Holt. Does not appreciate visitors.
CONFESSOR TYRINIOUS
A member of the Golden Crown, the King's trusted demon and witch-hunters, Tyrinious has come to Grim Biskerstaf to seek out and destroy the source of The Blight...
THE SULTANA
Sultana Kasia is a mysterious and enticing figure, recently arrived from Far Hissain...
JELIR D'ALMED
The Sultana's right hand man, also from Far Hissain.
MOLLY
A young girl, the leader of a gang of street urchins down the docks.
THE FERGAN SISTERS
Four fisherwomen, sisters and troublemakers all. Marne, Nar, Tilde, and Darcy.
These are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood...
LORD KELBEROND
The city's ruler. Seems well-meaning, but ineffectual and perhaps often confused.
LADY MEAGELLER
Lord Kelberond's reclusive daughter.
MAGISTRATE DONARAS NAVARI
Kelberond's sour-faced right hand man, the one who actually knows how to make things work in the city.
LORD TELK
The richest noble in the city. Leads the Little Council. Greedy, dislikes spending to improve the city.
THE WIZARD DOLKEPPER
The city's renowned ill-tempered spellcaster. Lives in a tower at the center of Hemlock Holt. Does not appreciate visitors.
CONFESSOR TYRINIOUS
A member of the Golden Crown, the King's trusted demon and witch-hunters, Tyrinious has come to Grim Biskerstaf to seek out and destroy the source of The Blight...
THE SULTANA
Sultana Kasia is a mysterious and enticing figure, recently arrived from Far Hissain...
JELIR D'ALMED
The Sultana's right hand man, also from Far Hissain.
MOLLY
A young girl, the leader of a gang of street urchins down the docks.
THE FERGAN SISTERS
Four fisherwomen, sisters and troublemakers all. Marne, Nar, Tilde, and Darcy.
Oct 14, 2022 6:46 am
Farther Afield
Other places of note in the Kingdom...
FAIR MARENESSE
A great port on the Scarlet Sea, the city is called 'fair' due to the beautiful white limestone that was used in building much of the city. The port trades with Far Hissain, the Purple Empire and the Flaxen lands to the far west. All manner of goods are traded within the city, those flowing from the Kingdom overseas and exotic wares from far-flung places, as well as more mundane goods such as wood and stone.
Marenesse is a melting pot of cultures and peoples, and is the gateway many different ideologies take into Fesselmark. The great market is one of the wonders of the Kingdom, a huge sprawling mercantile district in the heart of the city, within a great arena carved into the rock by unknown people millennia ago. The city is ruled by the King's cousin, Count Tesse, a resourceful man adept at maintaining peace between the many factions and interests in the city. Sadly, the impact of the Traitor was strong within Fair Marenesse, and much of the populace welcomed the Red Knights, the Traitor's allies, who made landfall in the city's port. The city was sacked toward the end of the war, and the fires that burned lit the sky red for three nights. Many fled, and it is said that some 'things' have entered the city under cover of the fires, which the city could well do without...
Other places of note in the Kingdom...
FAIR MARENESSE
A great port on the Scarlet Sea, the city is called 'fair' due to the beautiful white limestone that was used in building much of the city. The port trades with Far Hissain, the Purple Empire and the Flaxen lands to the far west. All manner of goods are traded within the city, those flowing from the Kingdom overseas and exotic wares from far-flung places, as well as more mundane goods such as wood and stone.
Marenesse is a melting pot of cultures and peoples, and is the gateway many different ideologies take into Fesselmark. The great market is one of the wonders of the Kingdom, a huge sprawling mercantile district in the heart of the city, within a great arena carved into the rock by unknown people millennia ago. The city is ruled by the King's cousin, Count Tesse, a resourceful man adept at maintaining peace between the many factions and interests in the city. Sadly, the impact of the Traitor was strong within Fair Marenesse, and much of the populace welcomed the Red Knights, the Traitor's allies, who made landfall in the city's port. The city was sacked toward the end of the war, and the fires that burned lit the sky red for three nights. Many fled, and it is said that some 'things' have entered the city under cover of the fires, which the city could well do without...
Oct 16, 2022 5:35 am
The Gods
In the Kingdom, everyone venerates the many gods in some way, either through personal prayer or through organized worship. Initiates must dedicate themselves to a god; otherwise, they will not reap the magical rewards of their service. Some example gods are given below, but the games master should encourage players to think up their own gods - the Kingdom sometimes boasts a god for every day of the year!
THE THRICE BLESSED
This is the official god of the Kingdom, thrice blessed with heart, head and soul. From the heart comes the clergy, from the head the might of the military orders, and from the soul, the priests who wield magic. The Thrice Blessed is typically depicted as a three faced woman, serene and beautiful, and her churches are large stone structures. She demands honesty and truth from her flock.
THE RED KING
A god of blood and new beginnings, the Red King is worshipped in many aspects. Some are beneficent, like the aspect of fresh starts and openings, while others are much darker like the aspect of death and ending. The priests of the Red King wear long red robes and carry daggers, symbols of the god, and so are often treated with caution by the general population.
THE WILD WOOD
A god of the elves, the Wild Wood is popular away from the cities, in the wild lands where the deep forests are never far away. The Wild Wood is depicted as female, and she is a harsh mistress, demanding that her subjects treat the forest with the deepest respect. Many folks come to look on the Wild Wood when they are away from hearth and home.
THE HEARTSTONE
Of all the many dwarven gods, it is the Heartstone that draws the most veneration. This is the god of stone and hall, kith and kin, the god who taught the dwarves how to make things, the great blacksmith. Many working people of the Kingdom pay homage to the Heartstone, their industry being a mirror of the god's teachings.
THE DRAGON
The worship of the Dragon is officially illegal in the Kingdom, but many still pay it reverence, as it pays to be cautious where gods are concerned. The Dragon is the main god of the goblins and of the hobgoblins, but is also acknowledged by others who dwell underground,
such as dwarves. The Dragon is depicted as huge and wrathful, slumbering only while treasure is dedicated to it. Fail to pay it what is needed and the god awakens, so they say - some attribute the aggression of goblins to the Dragon stirring.
In the Kingdom, everyone venerates the many gods in some way, either through personal prayer or through organized worship. Initiates must dedicate themselves to a god; otherwise, they will not reap the magical rewards of their service. Some example gods are given below, but the games master should encourage players to think up their own gods - the Kingdom sometimes boasts a god for every day of the year!
THE THRICE BLESSED
This is the official god of the Kingdom, thrice blessed with heart, head and soul. From the heart comes the clergy, from the head the might of the military orders, and from the soul, the priests who wield magic. The Thrice Blessed is typically depicted as a three faced woman, serene and beautiful, and her churches are large stone structures. She demands honesty and truth from her flock.
THE RED KING
A god of blood and new beginnings, the Red King is worshipped in many aspects. Some are beneficent, like the aspect of fresh starts and openings, while others are much darker like the aspect of death and ending. The priests of the Red King wear long red robes and carry daggers, symbols of the god, and so are often treated with caution by the general population.
THE WILD WOOD
A god of the elves, the Wild Wood is popular away from the cities, in the wild lands where the deep forests are never far away. The Wild Wood is depicted as female, and she is a harsh mistress, demanding that her subjects treat the forest with the deepest respect. Many folks come to look on the Wild Wood when they are away from hearth and home.
THE HEARTSTONE
Of all the many dwarven gods, it is the Heartstone that draws the most veneration. This is the god of stone and hall, kith and kin, the god who taught the dwarves how to make things, the great blacksmith. Many working people of the Kingdom pay homage to the Heartstone, their industry being a mirror of the god's teachings.
THE DRAGON
The worship of the Dragon is officially illegal in the Kingdom, but many still pay it reverence, as it pays to be cautious where gods are concerned. The Dragon is the main god of the goblins and of the hobgoblins, but is also acknowledged by others who dwell underground,
such as dwarves. The Dragon is depicted as huge and wrathful, slumbering only while treasure is dedicated to it. Fail to pay it what is needed and the god awakens, so they say - some attribute the aggression of goblins to the Dragon stirring.