Mar 11, 2017 10:01 am
An attempt to summarize the game setting by discussing some of its main attributes:
Humans are the default race of the setting, and the only race available to Player Characters. Humans of this world will be differentiated by what will be referred to as "Human Sub-races," which will represent differences in regional groups who share a common language and similar culture.
Demi-human races such as elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes either do not exist at all, or are modified to be fantastical peoples extremely rare and scarcely understood. Giant and altered natural beasts, aberrations, monsters, and fantastical creatures exist but are rare.
The world is full of danger. Large sections of the world remain untamed, either savage or deserted wilderness.
Some human societies are better than others. A few regions do have relatively stable cities and communities based on laws, order, and civil religion, but even the best of places often has a dark underbelly of crime and poverty.
Other societies seem nearly irredeemable, hosting cities that are decadent strongholds of wickedness: slavery, oppression, hedonism, tyranny, avarice, demon-worship, and more. In these regions, there are few sanctuaries of true safety and comfort, except for those powerful enough to make their own by force.
Arcane magic, sorcery, and witchcraft are extremely rare. Magic is largely feared and thought of as a dark and menacing art. It is most often dangerous to encounter and is always perilous to master. Magic has a propensity to corrupt, overpower, or drive men insane. Spell casters of any sort are a true rarity, and most often feared or at least mistrusted by the populace.
Claims of miracles and divine influence are controversial. Most claims of religious groups are unverifiable or up for different interpretation by observers. Most monks, priests, clerics, or other ecclesiastics have never displayed any sort of mastery over spell casting, nor do they have any capability to call down miracles at will. Those who can are extremely rare.
Religious practices vary from region to region, and no culture can claim to have a populace that is unified in its interpretation of even its own most prevalent religion. For some people, religion is more of a regional or cultural practice than a true devotion or lifestyle. Some gods are even thought of to be idols confined to a physical site such as a ziggurat or a graven stone or statue. On the other extreme, a few highly developed religious systems do exist and actually play a great role in the culture and government. Maybe the gods are to be feared but maybe not. Maybe a god is a principality that creates an ongoing interactive bond with mankind, but maybe that is the most absurd idea a man could ever have. In this world, the jury is still out on religion.
The settings and stories of this campaign will be built for the tough and the shrewd, not necessarily the gallant. The PCs are meant to be adventurers, not necessarily heroes. High morals are a luxury that most people cannot afford. Thieves, mercenaries, sell-swords, freebooters, and raiders make up most adventuring parties. Wealth, fame, and glory are the most common goals and motivators. Characters live in a rough and ruthless world. They will likely have to be selfish and pragmatic to survive. They must be bold and uninhibited if they are to flourish.
That being said, the world is not without honor. Some cultures adhere to strict codes and traditions that guide their actions, perhaps even unto death. Those codes can however call for the protection and obedience to those worthy, and the robbery and killing of those unworthy.
Technology limitations have a real impact. Different communities are at different levels of technological progress. Steel is available, but not every area has a great version of it. Some communities still use bronze as the primary metal for weapons, armor, and tools. Other communities are effectively in the Stone Age.
Throughout all societies present, plate mail and splint mail armor have not yet been perfected in any usable configuration. The most common advanced armors are either bronze breastplates or cuirasses of leather woven with rings or links of bronze and perhaps steel. The crossbow has not been invented, nor have the more advanced siege weapons. Glass is rare, hardly ever used in structural decor or windows.
Though not quite "Pre-historic", much of the world exist in a sort of "pre-history." Writing and accurate record-keeping does exist, but it is not widespread. The vast majority of people are illiterate, even though many people speak multiple languages. Spine-bound books and tomes are uncommon. Written word and symbols are mostly recorded on scrolls, with the older records maintained on papyrus or skins.
Waterborne travel is an important part of commerce and transportation, but most boats are of a single deck or open split deck design, with oars and one or two simple sails. There are no cogs or caravels, so crossing extremely large bodies of water is quite dangerous. Normal seafaring means hugging coastlines, and lengthy open sea ventures usually depend on island hopping to have a reasonable chance of safety, supply, and success.
Humans are the default race of the setting, and the only race available to Player Characters. Humans of this world will be differentiated by what will be referred to as "Human Sub-races," which will represent differences in regional groups who share a common language and similar culture.
Demi-human races such as elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes either do not exist at all, or are modified to be fantastical peoples extremely rare and scarcely understood. Giant and altered natural beasts, aberrations, monsters, and fantastical creatures exist but are rare.
The world is full of danger. Large sections of the world remain untamed, either savage or deserted wilderness.
Some human societies are better than others. A few regions do have relatively stable cities and communities based on laws, order, and civil religion, but even the best of places often has a dark underbelly of crime and poverty.
Other societies seem nearly irredeemable, hosting cities that are decadent strongholds of wickedness: slavery, oppression, hedonism, tyranny, avarice, demon-worship, and more. In these regions, there are few sanctuaries of true safety and comfort, except for those powerful enough to make their own by force.
Arcane magic, sorcery, and witchcraft are extremely rare. Magic is largely feared and thought of as a dark and menacing art. It is most often dangerous to encounter and is always perilous to master. Magic has a propensity to corrupt, overpower, or drive men insane. Spell casters of any sort are a true rarity, and most often feared or at least mistrusted by the populace.
Claims of miracles and divine influence are controversial. Most claims of religious groups are unverifiable or up for different interpretation by observers. Most monks, priests, clerics, or other ecclesiastics have never displayed any sort of mastery over spell casting, nor do they have any capability to call down miracles at will. Those who can are extremely rare.
Religious practices vary from region to region, and no culture can claim to have a populace that is unified in its interpretation of even its own most prevalent religion. For some people, religion is more of a regional or cultural practice than a true devotion or lifestyle. Some gods are even thought of to be idols confined to a physical site such as a ziggurat or a graven stone or statue. On the other extreme, a few highly developed religious systems do exist and actually play a great role in the culture and government. Maybe the gods are to be feared but maybe not. Maybe a god is a principality that creates an ongoing interactive bond with mankind, but maybe that is the most absurd idea a man could ever have. In this world, the jury is still out on religion.
The settings and stories of this campaign will be built for the tough and the shrewd, not necessarily the gallant. The PCs are meant to be adventurers, not necessarily heroes. High morals are a luxury that most people cannot afford. Thieves, mercenaries, sell-swords, freebooters, and raiders make up most adventuring parties. Wealth, fame, and glory are the most common goals and motivators. Characters live in a rough and ruthless world. They will likely have to be selfish and pragmatic to survive. They must be bold and uninhibited if they are to flourish.
That being said, the world is not without honor. Some cultures adhere to strict codes and traditions that guide their actions, perhaps even unto death. Those codes can however call for the protection and obedience to those worthy, and the robbery and killing of those unworthy.
Technology limitations have a real impact. Different communities are at different levels of technological progress. Steel is available, but not every area has a great version of it. Some communities still use bronze as the primary metal for weapons, armor, and tools. Other communities are effectively in the Stone Age.
Throughout all societies present, plate mail and splint mail armor have not yet been perfected in any usable configuration. The most common advanced armors are either bronze breastplates or cuirasses of leather woven with rings or links of bronze and perhaps steel. The crossbow has not been invented, nor have the more advanced siege weapons. Glass is rare, hardly ever used in structural decor or windows.
Though not quite "Pre-historic", much of the world exist in a sort of "pre-history." Writing and accurate record-keeping does exist, but it is not widespread. The vast majority of people are illiterate, even though many people speak multiple languages. Spine-bound books and tomes are uncommon. Written word and symbols are mostly recorded on scrolls, with the older records maintained on papyrus or skins.
Waterborne travel is an important part of commerce and transportation, but most boats are of a single deck or open split deck design, with oars and one or two simple sails. There are no cogs or caravels, so crossing extremely large bodies of water is quite dangerous. Normal seafaring means hugging coastlines, and lengthy open sea ventures usually depend on island hopping to have a reasonable chance of safety, supply, and success.