Beware the Keep of the Blackened Mire, the old rhyme begins. Every child in the Kingdom of Beldemar knows the story. It is an ancient place, one which stood watch over the endless expanse that is the Wildwood, one which kept the beasts of that misty forest at bay. It was a marvel of man, a grand castle with magnificent turrets, a place where the governors of the past era dwelt. Few fortresses were as impregnable, and none held back the wild like this mighty keep.
None remember the true name of this once proud citadel any longer. It has long since sunk into the earth, the land around it becoming a thick and pitiless swamp. As many things built in the days of Old Aldonia, it fell when the Empire did. The Aldonians brought their destruction upon themselves, having tampered too long with magics that should have been forbidden. The Caernlings, those who called the land which is now Beldemar home, overthrew their masters and took Imperial holdings for their own... but for some reason they kept a wide berth from the Keep of the Black Mire.
Blackmire Keep remained dormant for years, though eerie lights and strange happenings surrounded it. Villages established near it never lasted; too many hauntings and disappearances dissuaded long-term settlement. It became known as a cursed place, a peaty patch of land where the grass grew tall and black, where the sun never quite shone, where the marsh ate the castle itself.
Recently, however, that dormancy has ended. People have been vanishing from their homes. Travelers claim to have seen shadowy figures and strange creatures in the surrounding lands. Dark storms have settled in the sky over the keep, and the vines grow thicker and more twisted. Something dwells within those pagan halls. Evil stirs.
Unfortunately for Beldemar, all their best knights and their armies are busy elsewhere. Abagon to the west has been thrown into a bitter civil war, and Beldemar itself has begun a naval campaign against the Holy Empire of Lithenia. The villages south of Benetia, the capital of the realm, have been left utterly defenseless from the machinations of the haunted keep.
But hopelessness leads to desperation, and desperation is good for you. You are a mercenary. You go where others will not, kill things so that others don't have to risk their own sorry hides. You and the other sellswords in Benetia are in a good position to earn a pretty purse of gold. Head to the crumbling castle; chase off ghosts for the sake of some superstitious serfs; get a sack of coins from the Lord Mayor and retire to live like a king in Carise. It should be easy, shouldn't it?
The Depths of Blackmire Keep
Welcome to Blackmire Keep, an overgrown ruin in the middle of a fetid swamp and part of my homebrew Men-at-Arms setting! This setting is one I originally intended to use for a tabletop RPG, but as time has gone by I've found myself wanting to apply it to a forum setting more and more. Freeform RP with only minor rules to guide the game may make for a better story, I reckon.
Now, thus far I've just copy-and-pasted what was in the original Interest Check, but from here below is where it changes. For those who haven't read the list of setting assumptions already, I'm slapping those in a hider below.
1) This story is grounded in realism. Yes, there are fantastic elements. Yes, there are monsters and foul beasts. However, a single person with a sword cannot be expected to hold off an army, nor can a good enough acrobat make a 100 foot drop to the ground without breaking their legs. This is a setting where what you can do is bound by the limitations of real world physics, even if your enemies can bend those laws with magic. 2) Magic is bad. Magic is real, but it's also a corrupting influence. Those who practice it are burned as witches or worse, because inevitably those that wield it become twisted. It brought low the Aldonian Empire, and it will cause another catastrophe if left unchecked. No player characters get to cast magic. Well, unless they're really, really stupid. 3) You are mere men and women facing unspeakable things. In case it wasn't clear, the world of the Aldaric Sea Region isn't fair. Do not be surprised if you go up against the beasts of high fantasy settings equipped only with mundane equipment. Do not be surprised if something terrible happens to your character. Everyone that enters Blackmire Keep is at risk of death, dismemberment, or anything else the GM chooses to inflict upon them. 4) Death is permanent. No take backsies. 5) You are not heroes. You are mercenaries. You are sellswords from a variety of backgrounds, people with very real limitations. You will create your character in an RPG-esque fashion, but thereafter will not have to worry about RPG elements. Instead, keep in mind the limitations of the character you've made, and play them in their role as best as you can. 6) Faith is a matter of faith. The God of this setting is only as real to its people as the God of the real world. It is entirely seemly to make a character that doesn't believe in a higher power, and just as seemly to make one that does. There is no certainty of God's existence as there is in most fantasy settings. 7) You can only be a human. The people of Men-at-Arms come from a variety of backgrounds, but they're all human. Elves and dwarves do exist, but they're monsters, beasts of the fey; and though there may be orcs and other such beasties, none of them are friendly. If something isn't human, it's usually safe to assume it wants you dead. (A caveat - I may allow people to play characters with mysterious heritages or some sort of taint, whether from magic or in their blood. We'll cover that via PM when the time comes.) 8) This is a feudal setting. The divide between nobility and the common folk is very real. Consider that when you RP. 9) Everyone has flaws. I mean it. Every character will have a very real flaw once we've finished making characters. Bear that in mind - nobody in Men-at-Arms is perfect.
Our story takes place in the Aldaric Sea Region, a war-torn realm of man pressed from without and within by monsters of many flavors. Its temperatures range from temperate to freezing cold, and its terrain sports such lovely locales as the Cinderbog, the steep cliffs of Beldemar, the endless Wildwood, the craggy peaks of Jotunheimr, and the overgrown remnants of the Shattered Isles. This realm surrounds the Aldaric Sea, but the sea stretches North, East, and West as well, joining the Northsea, the Sea of Storms, and the Vester Sea respectively.
However, our story does not span all those climates, vast and varied as they may be. Our story focuses on the the lands surrounding the city of Benetia, capital of the Kingdom of Beldemar, and the pile of rubble to its south they call Blackmire Keep.
Characters in Men-at-Arms
Humans are the only truly civilized folk within the Aldaric Sea Region. In a world inhabited by fierce monsters, barbaric orcs, aloof fey and the walking dead, humanity has carved out a few bastions of order from the sea of chaos. Humans are more advanced, more intelligent, and more capable than their many neighbors.
At least, this is what humans believe.
It is a harsh world humanity lives in, and humans have as much capacity for cruelty as any man-eating orc or walking pile of bones. They hail from many parts of the world, and a motley assortment of cultures and ethnicities now call this region home. Black-skinned men from the west, pale northmen from across the Aldaric Sea, Aldonians from the ruined remains of their old Empire, wild-haired Caernlings fleeing strange happenings in the southern woods... Over the years, these disparate peoples have all made this fertile territory their home.
Of course, with so many people packed into a single region, war is inevitable. Humans have been fighting each other since time immemorial, and the present day is no different. Some humans fight each other out of loyalty or duty, for some greater cause, for a better world...
You, though? You’re a mercenary. You know what you fight for.
Ethnicities
The medieval world of Men-at-Arms is one where cultural exchange is common, and where what distinguishes one group of people from another often comes down to political affiliation. Though the Aldaric Sea Region has limited contact with the world beyond its waters, the people here commonly interact with one another.
The following is a list of the common ethnicities in the Men-at-Arms setting. Note that while these are “typical” descriptions for each group, they are by no means the end-all, and due to the prolonged contact these groups have had with each other it’s not at all uncommon for people to be of mixed races. There’s no stigma against having mixed heritage, either, except among truly stubborn believers in “blood purity,” such as the inbred lords of New Aldonia.
High Aldonians are a pale, almost ghostly-looking people whose hair is typically black or white. Their eyes have eerie colors, such as icy blue or violet. Due to inbreeding to maintain “pure lineage,” Aldonians are known to suffer from respiratory problems among other things. They can mostly only be found in New Aldonia, though people all throughout the known world can claim to have some Aldonian blood in them.
Low Aldonians are people who were considered the lower class in the Aldonian Empire’s height (but still higher class than foreigners in that era). They are native to the area which is now called Lithenia, and are an olive-skinned people with large, dark, expressive eyes. Their hair is typically curly, and it ranges from black to brown to a sort of reddish-black.
Caernlings are a wild-haired bunch of woodfolk who hail originally from the Wildwood. They are the smallest of the peoples of the region, and their hair is usually brown or black, and their eyes brown, green, or black. They are known for maintaining the Old Ways.
Reavers are broad-shouldered and rough-looking men who hail from the north, from the lands that are now called Jotunheim. Their skin ranges from pale to a light brown, and their hair comes in the full range one would expect human hair to have. Their eyes are generally blue or brown. They are known to be hale and hearty folk.
Westerlings are dark-skinned people whose skin tones range from coal black to a light brown. Their eyes are usually brown, amber, or golden in color. They are most likely to be find in Abagon or Grunmark, though some can be found just about anywhere. Westerlings are generally tall, lean, and strong.
Places of Birth
The coast of the Aldaric Sea is home to several unique cultures and independent nations. While certainly there is a baseline similarity between the different realms due to the influence of the old Aldonian Empire, these territories have distinct environments from one another, both physical and political.
Player characters in the world of Men-at-Arms may be from any of the listed regions. While human cultures do exist outside the scope of this setting, player characters by and large should hail from within the Aldaric Sea Region. (PM me if you wish to be from outside the region.)
The year is 912 A.F., or “After the Fall.” This denotes the number of years that have passed since the Aldonian Empire crumbled.
There is no place which better encompasses the glory and the romance of chivalric ideals as Abagon does. Nowhere else are more noble steeds bred. Nowhere else has birthed so many glorious champions of the Celestial Church. Nowhere else have the peasantry died in so vast of droves for nothing than here in the most war-torn realm of Abagon.
The Kingdom of Abagon is a realm caught in the midst of a vicious civil war. The old royal bloodline came to an end in 903 A.F., and after some brief infighting the lords of Abagon elected Lord Markus, the Duke of Ostager, to be their new king. His rule, however, proved divisive as he favored his northern neighbors, much to the chagrin of those southern lords in the realm’s traditional heartland. When a young noble named Camren claimed to the bastard child of the last true-blooded royal king in 910 A.F., civil war began in earnest, and the realm has not known a moment of peace since.
Abagon is the most powerful of the kingdoms of man, a vast realm with plentiful resources. Its fields are fertile, its mines full of silver, and its pastures lush and perfect for grazing. It also happens to be situated perfectly to manage trade coming from the west. It would be poised to conquer its neighbors if not for the civil war which wracks it so.
The people of Abagon are an eclectic bunch. A good many of them are Westerlings, dark-skinned folk who came from the land of Vestania and conquered the region after the fall of the Aldonian Empire. However, the Westerlings were quick to intermarry with the Caernlings and Reavers of their new territories, the better to secure alliances with the local clans and to ensure peace in their realm. Thus, the nobles and peasantry alike often have mixed heritage.
Once the Aldonian Empire ruled the whole world. In the age of bronze, they conquered the Reavers, the Caernlings, and the Lithenians alike. Their fortresses stood in all corners of the known world, and their reach was without limit. Now, however, nothing remains of the old empire but ghosts and a few rats clinging to the sinking vessel that is New Aldonia.
There is no more decrepit realm than that of New Aldonia. They pray still to the pagan gods of the olden times, but have none of the knowledge to call on their power like their ancestors did. Their holdings are meager and few, a craggy lot of isles and broken sures where the grass grows thin and the flowers are all wilted. Their bounty comes largely from the sea, and even that is a pittance compared to the fishing fleets of Grunmark and Carise. Their soldiers are quite elite, but they are few in number. They are a broken people, and if they had land of value, they would have been conquered long ago.
Aldonians are a haughty folk. They believe firmly in maintaining “pure lineage,” and so put great importance on appearing to be truly Aldonian. It doesn’t help their prestige any. Most of their serfs have the blood of Caernlings in them anyway, and it is perhaps only a matter of time before the Aldonian “purity” fades from existence.
They say that for every citizen of the Kingdom of Beldemar there is an oaken spear or a stiff longbow to be found in their hands. That saying isn’t far from the truth.
Beldemar is as rustic a realm as they come. Its people are largely foresters, shepherds, and farmers, simple folk who look to their liege lords for guidance. They have only one settlement that can honestly be called a city - the capital of Benetia - but they’ve countless rural communities, not all of whom answer to a baron or knight. It is Beldemar which provides most of the grain and timber for the region, and it is from other realms they get their iron and steel.
Of course, Beldemar is not a realm at peace, not at present. Just this year, in 912 A.F., the Holy Empire of Lithenia attempted a surprise attack on Beldemar shipping in response to a diplomatic insult. Now the two nations are locked in bitter combat, leaving an opportunity for bandits and worse things to attack the border provinces of this vast realm.
Most people in Beldemar are of Caernling descent, though some Reavers and Westerlings live among them as well. Their knights are mocked by foreigners for being too simple or for being country bumpkins.
Not all lords bear their titles with divine right. Every kingdom must start somewhere, after all, and legitimacy must be built up. However, to be a warlord in the age of kings is a quick path to earning a reputation as a tyrant.
The Black Duchy is ruled by one Barthos Garcell, a skilled general that betrayed his King, destroyed what was once the Kingdom of Lithenia, and claimed the Duchy of Marsailles for himself. In doing so, he allowed the Temple of the Bleeding Lord to rise to power and create a theocracy that became the Holy Empire of Lithenia. Nevertheless, King Barthos now reigns as the supreme ruler of his realm, and so long as that continues to be the case, he could not care less what happens south of his land.
The Black Duchy is the black sheep of the nations of the world. It has not been recognized by any of the other realms except for New Aldonia, but nevertheless is an inconvenient place to invade. Its manpower is considerable, too: as the realm was conquered twenty years ago in 892 A.F., the highly experienced officers who led Barthos’ armies are still alive, and his people have had time to replenish their numbers. It helps, too, that Barthos has a good reputation among mercenaries to make up for a terrible one among nobles.
The Duchy occupies some rough territory, but its people do well enough for themselves. Their settlements are defensively placed on hills and along rivers, and the swamps form a good natural barrier (and make Lithenian cavalry charges a fool’s errand). Its trade with their neighbors to the east and the west, but to approach the Lithenian border from the north without proper credentials is certain to end badly.
Aldonians, Reavers, and Caernlings make up the majority of the Black Duchy’s populace.
Carise is uniquely situated to be the heart of the Aldaric Sea Region. All trade flows into this city at some point, and all trade flows out from it, too. It serves as a gathering place for travelers of all colors, commands a mighty fleet of all kinds of ships, and has somehow managed to maintain its independence in the face of Beldemar reconquista.
Also called “The City at the Center of the World,” Carise is a magnificent merchant city that depends on its militia, its mercenary army, and its naval superiority to keep itself protected from outsiders. Of course, the truth is it’s mostly protected by the fact that it’s such a good city-state to have as a trading partner. Their army can hold off invasion, but it’s their value to the other nations of the realm - and the risk that someone else will take the prized city from under their noises - that keeps ideas of invasion in check.
The common people of Carise live arguably better lives than most others in the known world. For one, they’re not serfs, and their allegiance is owed to the city, not some local lord. However, powerful merchant princes and underworld criminals have considerable influence in Carise, so sometimes the distinction between “liege lord” and “wealthy bastard” gets muddled. Overall, though, there are more craftsmen here than elsewhere in the world, and Carise is home to prominent universities.
People from Carise have the most varied of heritages, and even outlanders sometimes make an appearance here.
The last bastion of the Reavers of old is the Kingdom of Grunmark. Though its glory faded in the time of the Aldonian Empire, the realm of Grunmark stands poised to reclaim some of its former glory through the recolonization of their ancient homeland.
The mighty Reavers once held a vast territory and a collection of no less than four kingdoms. They were famed raiders, feared throughout the entirety of the known world, sailing to the outlands and beyond. Even the Aldonians feared them for a time. However, nobody could hvae predicted the emergence of the Jotun, called by most nowadays as the orcs. A mass of gray bodies poured out from the mountains and the northern reaches, overpowering the sea raiders and destroying their realms for good. It was only by the intervention of the old Aldonian Empire that Grunmark survived destruction. To this day, some Reaver stories suggest the Aldonians brought the gray plague upon them with their foul magics.
Whatever the cause of the invasion, Grunmark stood as the last remaining Reaver Kingdom. Some still cling to the old raiding traditions there, but others have fully embraced the word of the One True God, that which is preached by the Celestial Church. The Celestial Church deems now to be a time for good men and women to go on a crusade against the Jotun and to reclaim the land which belongs to mankind. Only God knows if they will succeed.
Grunmark is a mountainous and hilly land better suited for shepherding than farming. Fish are in abundance, and there’s no small amount of iron in those hills.
Reavers follow feudalism in the way of the Kingdom of Abagon, but its people have more independent lives than in Abagon. Nevertheless, they also have rougher lives with less wealth. Most young men take to sailing to find their fortune. Others become mercenaries.
Reavers and Westerlings alike live in large numbers in Grunmark.
A result of foolish actions on the Lithenian peninsula around twenty years ago, the Holy Empire of Lithenia is a theocratic realm ruled in accordance of the tenets of the Bleeding Lord, a reinterpretation of the God of the Celestial Church. If one does not follow that faith when traveling through this realm, they had best be good at acting.
Lithenia isn’t an empire in the same sense that Aldonia was. Indeed, the word ‘empire’ is a misnomer. However, the King-Bishop of Lithenia is nevertheless keen on redefining how the world sees his realm, on becoming the absolute power in the region, though exactly how to do so is something that will take time. It is a swampy land, a place prone to outbreaks of plague and blight.
Lithenia is largely a self-sufficient realm, and it produces more than a small quantity of bog iron to arm itself. However, it doesn’t have an easy source of timber, so it tries to trade with other realms. Unfortunately, other realms aren’t keen on equipping their crazed zealot neighbors with boats to invade them with.
History
The history of the Aldaric Sea Region is rife with violence. It can most easily be split into two eras: Before Aldonia’s fall, and after Aldonia’s fall.
There was a time in the far past when one empire reigned supreme over the many realms that make up what we call the Aldaric Sea Region. This was the Aldonian Empire, and as of yet no kingdom has ever held so much power on these shores as they did.
The Aldonian Empire was ostensibly a republic, and perhaps it was in the beginning. The history books suggest that it began as a meritocratic city-state, one whose founding principles were integrity and justice. That did not last long. Its rulers were decadent; its structure oligarchic; and it was a realm where pagan arts were freely practiced. Many of these practices involved magic.
For a long time, magic was a part of the world of man. The empire grew vast for its warmages, for its judicious use of destructive powers. They had cults for all sorts of things: to curry the favors of the Fey, of the Underworld, of the Ancestors; to call upon the dead; to command the elements. They relied on magic so much, it twisted them all. It made them mad. It sucked the life from their bodies and turned them pale and white-haired. Fools.
The empire grew too large for power to be centralized. Power-hungry governors and generals that would be kings alike caused civil war after civil war. Some say that the people of the capital ignored what happened beyond the walls to revel. Others say their reveleries were a ritual to some foul collection of false gods, a macabre scene of bloodletting and orgies. Scholars debate how true any of these stories are, but they can say for certain one thing: magic was conducted in the capital on the fifth day of the fifth month in the five hundred and fifty-fifth year of the empire’s existence. Both the good moon and the wicked moon were in the sky that night, and the total eclipse of the sun was the climax of a great arcane ritual.
Nobody is sure quite what followed. The Shattered Isles didn’t earn that name for nothing, you know. Whatever happened that day shook the whole world. The subcontinent that the capital city of Aldaris sat on was shattered into countless pieces. The city itself was buried beneath the waves. And in that time, it seemed all the calamities of the world struck at once: the Jotun poured out from the north, the goblins and their dark masters from the south, the Elves from the Goldleaf Forest, the Dwarves from their caves throughout the land… In the span of one black week, more desolation was caused than there had been in over five hundred years of imperial rule.
To this day, there are many Imperial castles and cities which remain abandoned ruins that no living soul dares to tread. Strange magics surround such places. They are haunted, so say the old wives’ tales, possessed by vengeful spirits and the pagan gods whose rites have been forgotten in more recent times. But… Well, do you believe such tall tales?
The start of the next year marks the dawn of the present era: A.F., or After the Fall. There was a brief period of time where the Reavers of Grunmark ruled over colonies over all the southern half of the region. Meanwhile, the northern territories were war-torn messes without unity. This we call the Dark Age, when raiding and pillaging was common all about the shores of the Aldaric Sea.
The arrival of the Westerlings from Vestania somewhere around 200 A.F. brought great change to the balance of power in the region. Their arrival and their war with the Reaver kingdoms allowed the Caernlings in the east to overthrow their Reaver overseers and forge their own realm: Beldemar.
The Westerlings waged terrific wars with the Kingdoms of Grunmark and Beldemar. They were a unified people at first, but quickly fell into civil war after the death of their high king. They were reunited in 355 A.F. by the warlord Cortanzo, the slayer of the nine-headed hydra and the man who built the city of Caledon. He is the one who united the Westerlings again and created the Kingdom of Abagon.
Meanwhile, the people of the Lithenian Peninsula formed a loose confederacy of duchies, fighting every now and then with one another in petty bids for power. Their power grew as that of the few remaining Aldonians dwindled; indeed, the Lithenians took back much of their ancestral lands from New Aldonia, and in the end left them with the scraps of land that realm now possesses in 353 A.F. The Lithenian nobles would wage many wars against their Caernling neighbors to the south for a very long time, and that is largely why Beldemar and Lithenia are such bitter enemies to this day.
Abagon continued to fight minor wars with its neighbors (and sometimes with itself) throughout the course of the region’s history. So did Grunmark, so did Beldemar and Lithenia… Truly, it would take too long to discuss the details of them all. Suffice it to say the land has been drenched in the blood of a lot of soldiers.
Carise declared independence from Abagon in 585 A.F. With the support of Beldemar and - surprisingly, given the isolationist policies of the realm - New Aldonia, they were able to keep Abagon’s forces at bay long enough for Carise’s control of the seas to strangle their trade routes. With their official secession from the kingdom, Abagon found itself hard-pressed to advance eastward, especially since Carise itself was fairly impregnable. Since then, however, Carise has been rather neutral in the affairs of the realms, carefully playing at politics to avoid being crushed by larger neighbors.
Strange happenings surrounded the Goldleaf Forest in 603 A.F. The cause was unknown, but the forest swallowed up several villages and castles near its borders. Locals blamed the actions of the elves. Scholars remain puzzled as to exactly what happened to this day, but shifted the balance of power in such a way that Lithenia was able to unite under a single king for a time. Of course, that only lasted until the Black Duchy formed in 892 A.F. Those actions led to the rise of the Lithenian theocracy.
Ships from the west started being sighted off the shores of the Aldaric Sea Region in roughly 689 A.F. By 700 A.F., merchant vessels from exotic lands started arriving. Some of these merchants shared some of the same words and customs of the Westerlings. Still, it is a difficult trade route to take, as there are many dangers out to the west. Vessels from the east started arriving in 750 A.F. as well, though they remain a relative rarity. The Sea of Storms has earned its name, and more than a few brave vessels lie buried beneath its churning waters.
910 A.F. marked the beginning of another great civil war for Abagon. It still rages to this day. Surely it is near its end…
And, not the least of importance to our story, Beldemar and Lithenia started warring with one another again in 912 A.F., the year our story begins. If it were not for that untimely war, there might not be an opportunity for honest mercenaries to make a killing. Literally.
The Role of the Sexes
The Aldaric Sea Region is situated in a world where monsters and magic are all very real, and where soldiers die in disgusting amounts for the needs of their nations. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that while there is certainly a stigma against men and women breaking their traditional roles, the ever-pressing need for more bodies on the field means that female soldiery are not heard of.
The traditional roles of the sexes certainly do still exist, and the majority of people adhere to them. And folk definitely scoff at the idea of knight-ladies and women generals. However, hard labor is expected of peasants regardless of what they have between their legs, and when steel starts flashing it doesn't matter whether the person holding a sharp stick beside you has flappy bits on their chest so long as they can stick the pointy end in the right direction.
Of course, different peoples have different degrees of tolerance for breaches of the gender norm. The Reavers of Grunmark are the most likely to accept women warriors, though women leaders still have some trouble. Rural Caernling communities (such as those outside of the Wildwood) frequently elect female leaders, and their women sometimes fight in war. Abagon had a severe outlook concerning adherence to traditional roles once, but cultural exposure to the Reavers and the Caernlings has made them a little more permissive of deviance. Lithenia and New Aldonia allow almost no breach of this unwritten social contract, however, especially among the nobility. Carise is a melting pot of ideas, and so people of all different opinions on the manner can be found there.
Religion
The Celestial Church, the Temple of the Bleeding Lord, and the Old Ways of the Caernlings are the three remaining major faiths in the Aldaric Sea Region. Most people follow one of the former two, including the Caernlings, but there are still some who try to appease the spirits of the Wildwood and who pray to rain spirits and the like to grow their crops.
The Westerlings brought with them many revolutionary ideas when they arrived. Their arrival changed how war was fought, brought better knowledge of the passage of the stars, the two moons, and the planets, and their language became a part of the common tongue that we speak today. Yet perhaps the most influential thing they brought with them was their faith.
Before they settled down in what is now Abagon, the Westerlings were warrior nomads, horsemen whose cultural traditions espoused the veneration of warrior saints who died for their faith. This was the faith of Almur-za, the Westerling word for the Creator, or God. They spread His word to the heathen Reavers first.
Scholars say that it’s a little more complicated than that, that the Reavers were as much an influence on Westerling faith as the Westerlings were on them. Supposedly, so say the eggheads, the Westerlings and the Reavers had similar beliefs already, both having legendary warriors and a creator deity. Perhaps it doesn’t matter. The point is, the Westerlings and the Reavers have always been the most ardent adherents of the Celestial Church.
The Church says that God’s words are not easily understood by mere mortals, and that he etches them in the stars. His will becomes manifest in the constellations and in the passage of the passage of the sun and the good moon, Lunne. These celestial markings also serve as a protection against evil influences, such as those posed by the dark and wicked moon, Baphmyr (which is also the name for a trickster villain from old Reaver mythology).
The Church has a plethora of saints. Every monastery, every roadside gazebo, every castle shrine seems to have its own patron saint. These saints are often warrior heroes or monster slayers, or great healers and bringers of peace. Not all of them are even ordained by the Church itself; some folk just claim one of their local heroes as a saint, it seems. The over three hundred official saints of the church are hard enough to count as it is.
Superfluous as they might seem, these saints fill a vital role in the cosmology of the Celestial Church, for these ascended heroes act as messengers of God’s will, acting out his heavenly commands. In the holy texts they manifest as signs in the clouds, on the horizon, or in other ways. Then again, just about every drunkard has claimed to see a saint telling him to punch someone or do some other stupid thing, so perhaps the saints aren’t all so divine. Still, people believe in them enough to leave offerings to them and to pray to them for guidance. Sometimes it even seems to work.
Local monasteries and shrines are vital to the continued presence of the Celestial Church in the realms about the Aldaric Sea. They serve both as gathering places of the faithful and as houses for monks. They serve as shelters in times of war, as festival grounds in times of peace, and as poor houses in times of strife. News also travels from church to church, and then from church to the commoners.
People of the faith often go on a pilgrimage across the Aldaric Sea Region to visit the most important shrines and temples of the Celestial Church. Such a pilgrimage is meant to be a rite of humility and spiritual cleansing, which thus leads to the traveler finding their self and becoming better fit to serve as an instrument of God.
All clergy of the Celestial Church are expected to have some basic understanding of warfare, as is tradition, and train extensively with the sword. Battle can be quite holy, after all, and what better weapon to conduct it with than a sword with the sun and the moon emblazoned on the hilt?
The symbol of the Celestial Church is two crossed swords, one with a sun on its pommel and one with a moon. More elaborate symbols have clouds about the sun blade and stars about the moon blade.
A radical off-shoot of the Celestial Church, the Temple of the Bleeding God is the state religion of Lithenia. It does away with the saints entirely, decrying them as mere idols, and its core belief is that God bleeds because the people of the world have forgotten the meaning of sacrifice and of true faith.
The chief difference in worship between the Celestial Church and the Temple of the Bleeding God is the focus on flagellation among adherents of the Bleeding God. Self-inflicted harm is seen as spiritually pure, and it is believed that torturous methods can cleanse bodies possessed by wicked spirits to make room for the God’s light. Whipping, leeching, ritual scarring, and self-immolation are all examples of ways people “worship” God in this way. The removal of eyes, of tongues, and genital mutilation are all considered punishments that can purify evil from a person’s soul in this faith, too.
Services to God in this faith are much more impassioned. Quiet contemplation may be the norm for those who adhere to the more orthodox Celestial Church, but there is a fire in the speeches given by preachers of the Bleeding God. They whip their flock into a frenzy, and are able to drive them to violence.
This faith is a small one at present, but its fire has started to spread beyond the borders of Lithenia.
The symbol of the Bleeding God is an eye dripping with blood.
A fair few Caernlings, especially those in settlements near the Wildwood, follow what they call the Old Ways. It is hard to define the Old Ways because what they are varies from village to village. Each shaman, wise woman and hermit has their own idea of what will appease the wood spirits, what will keep the monsters at bay, and what will protect their village from the evil that lurks in the shadows.
There are a few general similarities between these superstitious folk. For one, they tend to believe in the importance of signs found in nature. Dark clouds, three-horned calves, dead crows on the roadside - all of these things represent calamities to come. They also tend to have a fair grasp of herbalism, and while their knowledge of science is questionable they tend to be well versed in the cycles of nature.
There are dark sides to these otherwise benign-seeming folk, however. To appease the woodland spirits is one thing, but to worship them is quite another. The old stories tell of boons that the spirits of the wild grant to those they favor, of great strength and of powerful magics. The lure of such things can draw people away from the world of man and into the Wildwood. The most foolish join druidic cults. Nothing good can come of that.
There are some who still follow the faith of Old Aldonia, rare though that is. They still pray to the pagan gods of that era, but they can’t conjure up magic like their forefathers could. It’s for the best. Magic never does anyone good.
Others throughout the Aldaric Sea Region try to contact wicked spirits. The names of such spirits can be found in certain forbidden texts, such as those locked away in great libraries of universities. Most of these names are meaningless. Sometimes, though, someone calls upon a power beyond their ken, and cults form around them. It is a foolish thing to do.
It is rumored that there are elf-revering cults about and around the Goldleaf Forest. Nobody would be that stupid, though, would they?
Character Creation
To create a character for Men-at-Arms, use the resources on this post at your leisure and fill out the character sheet listed in the Characters tab.
Players are free to further define elements already on the map, such as the cities and castles, and to invent their own places as well. Players are encouraged to make up other details such as noble houses, guilds, mercenary companies, monasteries, etc. as befits their character's background.
You may begin creating characters. Applying doesn’t mean you’ll be accepted; but I can promise you that I will carefully consider every application, and that I will try to be accomodating. I cannot promise that everyone will get a chance to play.
Heyo! Interested. Quick question about the setting. Is it more like the late or early medieval age? I ask for two reasons, 1. to get a better sense of technology, armors, and weapons, and 2. to understand how power is centralized in these various kingdoms. Are the nobles often as powerful if not more so than the King himself? Or does the King rule above all typically and hold most of the most valuable holdings?
Heyo! Interested. Quick question about the setting. Is it more like the late or early medieval age? I ask for two reasons, 1. to get a better sense of technology, armors, and weapons, and 2. to understand how power is centralized in these various kingdoms.
Somewhere in between. Gunpowder doesn't exist yet. Crossbows are the newfangled knight-killing weapon, and there are rumors that the goblins have created even more devious versions of them. Plate armor exists but is very expensive, so some poorer knights still prefer to run around in things like chainmail.
Are the nobles often as powerful if not more so than the King himself? Or does the King rule above all typically and hold most of the most valuable holdings?
Depends on the realm, but by and large the King has quite a bit of power and divine right in most given realms. There are generally a small number of nobles whose power is roughly equal to that of the king's, but the king's influence is generally vaster.
As you can see with Abagon, the Black Duchy, and Lithenia, divine right ain't always respected.
I'm back from work and you folks can expect an updated post some time tonight, along with character sheets and a summary of what I'm looking for in characters.
I think that's everyone. But hey-o! The first OOC post is completed, and the character sheet template is ready for you to work with. Religion and History sections have been filled out. They're chew-able versions of stuff I originally wrote in my personal notes, and... and frankly, they're better written than the rambly mess that makes up my personal notes.
Note that I may not accept everyone that applies for this thread. I want to say that up front. I am perfectly happy running for a large group, but I will be vetting applications very carefully, as I want to make sure that we're all going in wanting the same things out of this game.
I've encouraged you in the character sheet template to NOT write too much in multiple places. This is for the above reason, but also because I want you to be able to edit your post easily if need be. Changes will be asked, most likely. Just because I suggest revisions doesn't mean you're denied.
I should note that while I study medieval arms and armor a lot and I want this world to feel very real, I DON'T expect everyone that applies to be experts on feudal society and how the medieval world operates. It's a plus if you are! But it's not a requirement, and I'll try to be as accommodating as I can so long as you put forth a good and honest effort once the game begins.
Finally, thank you all for your interest thus far, and especially for your patience. My job is one where I get unexpected overtime sometimes. It's good pay when that happens, but damn if it doesn't get in the way of writing this sort of thing. I'm glad to have so many people who were interested in this concept around.
So... without further ado, please feel free to ask questions! Send me PMs or post them here; I'll try to answer them at night.
Something I'll add to the first post of the OOC later:
POSTING FREQUENCY
We all have busy lives. I won't try to strong-arm you into posting daily or anything. I will leave a few guidelines, however.
1) Let's try to each post at least twice a week. 2) Let's also try not to drown the IC with 20 post conversations between 2-3 characters. That's not nice. If you have that urge, why not make a collaborative post via Google Documents or a similar program? 3) If you won't be able to post for a while, just please try and give me some advance notice. We'll work something out.
ABOUT DISCORD SERVERS
I don't have one made for this RP yet. Should I make one for this RP? Give me your thoughts on that. I won't invite anyone until I've picked players, however; that much I can promise you.
I like Discord, but I know some people don't. It CAN be helpful for organizing collaborative posts and the like. So... let me know if you want one or not, folks.
HOW THE RP WILL OPERATE
I, as the GM, will sometimes give you hard consequences. When I say that, what I mean is sometimes I'll say something bad happens to your character, and it simply does. It may feel god-modey at times. It may even involve your character dying. You have to be willing to accept that going in.
With that said, I'll generally try to give you a scenario or circumstance and let you RP your way out of it. And no, my goal isn't to kill players, but it IS to create a world that feels real and makes your actions matter, for better or worse.
Also keep in mind that I will be posting music samples from YouTube in my posts as mood-setting music, typically in the form of yellow hyperlinks attached to a sentence at the start of a paragraph. You are NOT required to listen to these bits as you read the post. However, you'll make me feel warm and fuzzy if you DO listen to them. (Feel free to hover your mouse over those hyperlinks before you click them to make sure the hyperlink is legit, of course. I won't take offense. Safety first.)
We'll be starting this story in a tavern, as befits any quest that leads into a dungeon. Is it cliche? Yes. Yes, it is.
On that note... It's midnight, and I need to go to bed. I'll check on this thread tomorrow morning and tomorrow night. See you folks later.
Hey I'm still very interested! However, I won't be able to get a character sheet up until tomorrow night (GMT) earliest, possibly Friday as I won't be by my computer. Hope that's alright with you, and sorry!
Hey I'm still very interested! However, I won't be able to get a character sheet up until tomorrow night (GMT) earliest, possibly Friday as I won't be by my computer. Hope that's alright with you, and sorry!
That's not a problem at all. I haven't established a deadline yet, and I'd be a hypocrite if I demanded immediate attendance from all interested parties given that I was 1 day late in cleaning up my material for posting. Take your time.
With that said, the deadline for completed characters will probably be some time next week. Wednesday gives everyone one week to set their character up. Let's roll with that tentatively for now.
Can I go ahead and PM my CS to you? I know it's an odd question, it's mostly cause I also had an idea in the event of something potentially happening at some point.
Can I go ahead and PM my CS to you? I know it's an odd question, it's mostly cause I also had an idea in the event of something potentially happening at some point.
You certainly may, but I won't be able to reply via PM properly at work, so expect an answer around 5-6 p.m. Central.
Really like the look of this, and would love to join. Problem is I'm on holiday till the weekend so won't be able to start on a CS till then. Does that still give me time?
@Chicken how many different languages are spoken across the kingdoms? I'm curious how useful linguistics could be. Also, do the mountains have names? Particularly the mountain within Abagon
Really like the look of this, and would love to join. Problem is I'm on holiday till the weekend so won't be able to start on a CS till then. Does that still give me time?
Plenty. As I said in an above post, I don't plan to close things until sometime next week at the earliest.
I'd also like to throw my hat into this ring, unless it's considered bad form to have missed the initial interest check.
It's not bad form at all. Feel free to throw your hat in! You'll receive the same scrutiny and the same chance that everyone else will.
how many different languages are spoken across the kingdoms? I'm curious how useful linguistics could be. Also, do the mountains have names? Particularly the mountain within Abagon
Linguistics was just an example skill. Remember, you're free to make up your own. But essentially, while there are technically several languages throughout the realm, the Common language is essentially a bastardization of the Aldonian tongue with a mish-mash of everything else included. Will Linguistics be useful in this story? I'd rather not reveal that.
As far as mountain names go, thus far I've left them unnamed. As I said in the first post, however: "Players are free to further define elements already on the map, such as the cities and castles, and to invent their own places as well. Players are encouraged to make up other details such as noble houses, guilds, mercenary companies, monasteries, etc. as befits their character's background." If you want to name a mountain - or potentially even a mountain range - I'm fine with that, though I may vet the name.
Fast: Kyra is swift and nimble on her feet and can easily outrun anyone or thing that threatens her survival.
Quick Reflexes: Although she has no formal education, Kyra's mind has always been quick to react to physical danger.
Attention to Detail: The unseen and unnoticed tend to stick out to Kyra.
Quick Thinking: In a world like this, you're dead if you can't think on the balls of your feet. Majority of the time, Kyra can find some sort of solution for her immediate problems.
Beauty: Doesn't hurt to have a pretty face sometimes. Men fall prey to them all the time.
FLAWS
Paranoia: Kyra has no trust for any man, woman, or child but herself, which can make interacting and cooperating with others difficult.
Hard of Hearing: Past injuries and abuses come into play here. Both of her ears have draining problems that cause her ear canals to painfully swell and fill with puss, making it much harder to listen and comprehend.
PROFICIENCIES (14 points)
Fletchery: Rank II (3 points)
Hunting: Rank II (3 points)
Repair: Rank I (1 point)
Linguistics: Rank I (1 point)
Plant Identification: Rank I (1 point)
Bows: Rank II (3 points)
Swords: Rank I (1 point)
Horseback Riding: Rank I (1 point)
PERSONALITY Kyra is reticent and observant and prefers isolation above company. While many sellswords flaunt their prowess during battle, she likes to keep things quiet and quick. Arrow to the heart, slice across the neck, sword through the back. Although, she has had to adapt to the complicated sword play she so despises. A bow in her hand soothes her worries more than a stick of steel ever will. She hopes that one day Abagon will become whole again and fears that it will all fall to pieces, her great civilization ruined and trampled by its own people. At night she dreams foreign invaders will take advantage of her splintered country. Who wouldn't be tempted by Abagon's obvious weaknesses? Kyra's older brother ran off to war to fight for the bastard king and she was stuck at home, praying to Ortschaft's saint, Zacharias the Holy. While she no longer believes or follows the Celestial Church, she has a soft spot in her heart for her town's saint and his story.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Kyra is short and lean, standing at 5'3". She has dark brown hair she usually keeps in a short braid down her back and cold blue eyes. Her feet and hands are well calloused from peasant work and her skin is tan from the sun and her mixed heritage of Westerling and Reaver.
EQUIPMENT Kyra carries a shortbow on her back along with her arrows. Her fletching supplies are in a ratty brown bag slung across her shoulders. A short dagger stays strapped to her ankle, hidden under her trousers. She wears a cheap but useful brown gambeson across her chest and stomach, along with leather elbow and knee pads. An iron shortsword swings from her belt, but it would do her good to either sharpen or replace it soon.
HISTORY Born to peasant parents in the small hamlet of Ortschaft in south Abagon, Kyra was truly no one. She and her older brother grew up in the shadow of Abagon's Votheller mountains as they farmed their sad little bits of land. Ortschaft was only a short ride from the southern forest and Kyra's father often took to hunting whenever the harvest was not enough to feed his children. He taught her and her brother how to use the bow and craft arrows, a very useful skill, although poaching from the king's wood was a terrible crime. It was a happy existence, at least for a short while. Kyra was eleven when Lord Markus ascended to power. During the same year, her father was captured and sentenced to death for poaching. Both children were devastated. Kyra's mother took another husband, who was a rather unpleasant man. Relief came for Kyra's brother seven years later when he wiggled out from under their stepfather's control and went to fight for the bastard king. Kyra wanted to follow him out of Ortschaft but she was a woman, and her place was in the house and in the field. Things changed whenever she caught wind of a band of mercenaries roaming close to Cinderbog. Word had it that they would make their way to the bastard king to offer up their services. One night, Kyra snuck off and discovered their group. They were the Quarmines of Beldemar, a little-known group of sellswords made up mostly of farmers and lumber jacks turned killers. Kyra pleaded with them to let her join and they asked only one thing of her. Kill a man and bring something of him back. So Kyra happily slit her stepfather's throat and sliced off his ears to present to the leader of the Quarmines. That was in late 910 A.F., and time has passed. Kyra and the Quarmines had some disagreements and so she left them to become an independent contractor of sorts.
As a youth and peasant, Kyra has 4 positive traits and I didn't feel right with just having 1 flaw so I added another. Is that alright?
Every character has one flaw baseline. Different backgrounds and age categories may add flaws.
If a character wishes, they may take a Fatal Flaw in place of one of their regular flaws so they may get one extra trait. You may only have one Fatal Flaw. Fatal Flaws are particularly damning, and will be highly scrutinized by the GM.
So, yes. You're free to take up to one (1) extra flaw. Doing so gives you one extra trait, however.
I am reading your sheet now!
And don't forget, you can make up your own flaws and traits. I stress it in the document a few times. Make up your own if what I listed doesn't include what you want!
Imagine this but more pale and without the beard. Maybe a bit more gaunt/skinny?
NAME: Lothair Lucius Attolis SEX: Male AGE: 22 - Youth HOMELAND: New Aldonia BACKGROUND: Noble TRAITS:
Lucky - Perhaps the fact that Lothair was generally born with no genetic issues and deformities, he's rather lucky for a Aldonian nobleman ... at least when it comes to genetics.
Intelligent - As the most promising heir, Lothair was afforded some of the best education that could be afforded by an Aldonian Noble House.
Tough - Expected to lead men in combat, Lothair had to go through some rigorous training that make him understand what true fatigue and pain are.
FLAWS:
Bounty - Lothair's family is undoubtedly paying handsomely for his capture and return.
Diplomacy: II (3 pts) Linguistics: I (1 pt) History: I (1 pt) Repair: I (1 pt) Animal Handling: I (1 pt) Theology: I (1 pt)
Combat: 7 pts
Shield: II (3 pts) Polearm: I (1 pt) Sword: I (1 pt) Command: I (1 pt) Tactics: I (1 pt)
PERSONALITY: Lothair is a relatively laid back man who tends to make jokes and try to get along with people. Afterall, why try to make life any worse or stressful than it is? However, when he's silent and cold... that's when people should be worried as it means that he's thinking and or focused on something very important, typically a matter of life or death. Thus, it's pretty easy to tell when he's in a good mood as he's a lot more talkative. Otherwise, when he's worried or concerned, he starts to clam up and speak curtly as he's focused on the matter at hand, thinking, planning, and at times brooding with all his mental facility.
When it comes to more private matters, he is also rather distant and doesn't talk about much in regards to his family and his faith, instead he tends to give short answers and change the topic. However, he has extremely mixed feelings in regards to both his family and his faith and a lot of his reluctance to speak on those matters is because he hasn't formed a solid opinion on them. He believes that giving word to thoughts makes your thoughts take a final stance as he has seen in many negotiations where one stray thought often turns into a hill to die upon. Thus, to avoid that hazard, he doesn't speak much on private matters.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A 5'8" tall male who is rather pale, although not as pale as most other noble Aldonians, Lothair has a rather impressive and fortunate build for an Aldonian as he has no notable physical disabilities or quirks other than the usual trademarks such as his pale skin, his ashen, white hair, and pale blue eyes. One would see however, that his arm and torso bears several scars that he had obtained from training with weapons in the past.
EQUIPMENT: Lothair's most prized possession is his trusted rouncey, Ventus, who has been with him since Lothair started his journey. With Ventus, Lothair is able to bring with him his pack, which contains general supplies (rations, water, maintenance stuff), his bedroll, and a signet of his family. Ventus also has a saddle on him with stirrups. Lothair's clothing is rather simple with a linen shirt and pants and a gambeson over it all. He also has a small pouch of coins tied to his belt. His armor is rather piecemeal, preferring mobility as he travels often. He has a burgonet helmet, a cuirass, gauntlets, and tassets to protect his upper legs. He also carries with him a heater shield, a long sword as a backup and a lance.
HISTORY: Lothair was the 2nd son born into a cadet branch of the New Aldonian royalty. Thus, his family took particular care of preserving the bloodline with both of Lothair's parents being relatives of the King. Lothair's elder brother is a sickly person who barely survived his youth. Thus, when Lothair was born, his family was elated as they suspected that his elder brother was infertile or sterile. They had succeeded in securing the family line, and heavily invested in Lothair's growth and education as he was the pride of the family. He had the best teachers available teaching him, everything from riding and swordsmanship to poetry and courtly matters. In fact, they had even secured him a position as the officer in charge of an Aldonian Royal Honor Guard so that he could be seen in public view, side by side, with the Royal Family among the Royal Guard.
All seemed to be going well for House Attolis, but they never thought that Lothair would end up being so naive and falling in love. Ever since he was a child, he had always been close to a servant girl who would end up taking care of him after his lessons. Tending to his wounds from sword practice to always making sure that his cup was full during the middle of the night as he recited ancient Aldonian epics. They would find themselves often talking and sharing a laugh. His parents didn't really mind at first since they believed that Lothair was smart enough to not get involved. However, when his parents began to arrange a marriage for him to his 2nd cousin, Lothair objected... and it was rather obvious why. So, one day, she disappeared, apparently for stealing a ring from his mother. The penalty for which was the loss of a finger and exile. The way he found out was through a small package left in his room that contained a finger. He lost the contents of his stomach that day and couldn't eat for a week.
Lothair felt betrayed. All that he had done, the duty, and the work... and yet he was not allowed to choose his own partner? The one who helped him at every step in his journey? After taking the time to think, Lothair made the decision to leave and travel. Hoping that perhaps, he would find her. However, he still felt burdened to his family. This conflict in his heart and mind was resolved with Lothair's decision to join a mercenary group and bring prestige to his family through the field of battle. He would join a company for a short while and proudly wear the colors of his house before he left and continued on his journey. It would bring him coin to continue as well and make sure that he had some resources. Thus, for 3 years, Lothair has traveled and taken part in a few battles. Although, often times he was hired due to the fact that he was obviously a High Aldonian, and the company sought to use him as a status symbol. Thus, many times, he simply paraded himself in the battlefield, making allies think that they had help from the elite warriors of Old Aldonia while striking fear in the hearts of the enemy. But, regardless, he would leave soon after with his pay.
Edits: Removed the traumatized trait. Also added a bit more to the physical description. Changed the name to make it conform to a more Roman/latin style naming system.
