Embers rose steadily into the air from burning huts and tents as the sound of sporadic battle and butchery surrounded him. The main part of the actual 'fighting' had ended some time ago after Varian's assault. Now it was simply cleaning up the stragglers.
A brute of an orc yelled his savage fury over the just work that Varian's crew had carried out. He hefted a long axe that he no doubt had lifted from the corpse of one of his raiding victims and charged toward Edon. His swing could have split the noble man's head down to his sternum for all the might behind it.
These beasts have no disclipline, Edon thought as he stepped to the side and retreated. The axe bit the ground and cost the orc precious seconds to reset. All fury and strength with no finesse or subtlety.
"Is that all you are," he spoke in a soft, disappointed tone. The orc was clearly strong enough to crush his head with his bare hands. To Edon, he saw a creature who had grown accustomed to solving its problems only through force.
When the next attack came, it was just as clearly telegraphed as the last. Edon moved in to meet it with the metal-covered shaft of his halberd. His arms flexed under the sudden impact of the sideways swing but he managed to stop it cold, sending the axe rebounding. He followed it up by stepping back and striking the orc in the side of its head with the metal-capped 'butt' of his polearm. It wasn't an especially hard strike but the lights visibly dimmed in its eyes from having his brain rattled.
The orc was huge and fierce but Edon was not a small man either. He stood just over six foot tall and had the fit, full build of a person who had steady and easy access to food and fitness for his whole life. He was a fighting man and took pride in his physical fitness and skill. Being from Raelus, speed and quick footwork was essential, even if he tended to go for half plate instead of the lighter armor favored by his noble brethren. Butchering scavengers was so far beneath him that it felt like an insult.
He waited for the orc to shake away the dizziness and ready himself for another assault. This time Edon assumed a defensive posture with his knees bent and the halberd aimed straight for the orc. He almost didn't even have to aim. When the beast charged him, it swiped at his polearm to try and knock it away. Edon simply dipped his weapon then brought it back up into the creature's stomach. The orc howled in pain and rage and pressed on, but Edon dropped the butt of his polearm into the ground and held fast to it, bracing it against the attempt to push him back.
For a short time, the orc swung at him without success. Then he beat at the shaft but struck only the metal strip that reinforced the wood. When its strength began to wane, Edon pushed back, eventually forcing the beast to the ground. He extracted his halberd and stood away from the orc.
For some time, he stood there and watched the creature as it bled out in the dirt. Its breathing slowed and fire dwindled to just a spark in its eyes but it did not show any of the pain it must have been in.
"Very well," Edon whispered. "You have earned this much."
He dropped his halberd and drew his bastard sword then moved to stand by the orc's head.
"A clean death."
As he made ready to end its suffering, the orc suddenly reached for him with both hands. Edon swung out of reflex to cut down one of the hands but failed to stop the beast's attempt. His sword was knocked to the side and he found himself flat on his back after his feet were pulled out from under him. Quickly, he pushed himself away from the wounded animal and lashed out at it with kicks. Adrenaline surged through his system and, before he knew it, he was free of the struggling, dying creature.
The orc's grab had been its last attempt at revenge rather than some masterful trap. As he watched, the thing breathed its last breath and began to grow cold.
Edon climbed back to his feet and gathered his sword. He checked his surroundings but the fighting was over with. His eyes soon came back to the dead orc. Its lack of dignity in defeat offended his sense of propriety. But its defiance even in death was something he respected. After a minute of silent contemplation, he cleaned off his sword and retrieved his halberd then moved to rejoin the rest of the company.
Edon Wolf Broken Keg Tavern Dalenham, Ethora
Edon walked through the streets of Dalenham with clear contempt in his eyes. These people lived like animals and he hated them for it. He made no attempt to converse with anybody and continued straight toward the tavern where Varian had insisted they meet.
He had cleaned his halberd and his armor and left it at the camp for this. Instead, he wore his trusty mantled riding coat (the finest thick, black treated leather) over a deep red button up piece of formal wear. His bastard sword hung from his left hip, often with his left hand perched comfortably atop its pommel.
His resentful scowl remained even after he reached the tavern. The idea that people could adapt to this level of filth appalled him.
Drostan and Varian were easy to spot in the crowd. Edon worked his jaw for a moment and considered his next action. He didn't know either of these men, despite the previous mission they had carried out. He had only recently been hired on and even then it was through another person. This would be his first true meeting with the man.
Edon shook away his doubts and marched over to the table. The other two were already seated, but he came to a stop at their side, well in easy view of them. Again, the noble from Raelus seemed to search for the right words before saying, stiffly, "Commander Varian."
Name: Edon Wolf Age: 25 Gender: Male Race: Human Country of Origin: Raelus Appearance:
Edon comes from a long line of warriors. While the Wolf house was never a major player, its members are known for being big, skilled and aggressive. Edon stands at 6'2" and weighs around 210lbs. He is fit and quick, trained from a child to defend the honor of his house and his nation.
Personality: Edon is typically proud for a Raelusian. He is also pragmatic, reserved and, in a fight, ruthless. While he is not too good for some fun and recreation with the fighting men, he prefers to handle his affairs quickly and efficiently. Idle, aimless chatter tends to annoy him and he will not stand for dereliction of duty. He holds himself to his own high standards of personal fitness, hygiene and decency. It is no secret at all that he is ambitious and believes himself fit for a much higher station than a mere soldier. He is quick to anger over perceived personal insults and detests the 'unwashed masses'.
As is the case with many from his homeland, Edon sees those of other lands as inferior. Added to that his status as nobility (even if minor) and you have a person can easily dismiss anybody beneath his own status. Although he is reserved, he tends to have a massive chip on his shoulder when put into a position where he is subordinate to anybody he sees as beneath him.
He is not too proud to notice his own flaws, however. Losing his legion was a major blow to his ego. While normally the idea of serving under somebody like Varian would be rejected outright, Edon recognized that the man has been more successful than he. He intends fully to learn as much as he can from the Highman.
History: Edon was born to a minor noble house. Being a fighter at heart and knowing his nations reservedness about sending their own into war, he used his inheritance to start his own mercenary legion. He was never a soldier in service to his own nation (instead going straight into the field as a mercenary) but he was raised from childhood to lead men and to kill men. His family, although minor, were militant ultranationalists and maintained a small but elite house guard.
They were a relatively small but well trained outfit of mounted infantry (they rode on horseback to an area then dismounted to engage in fighting). In order to blood his men and build a name for themselves, he took high risk missions that saw them used as heavy shock infantry, highly mobile quick relief force and counter-cavalry actions. His goal was to, eventually, take up missions where his men would be personal guard to high value individuals.
While his men performed well, he found himself part of a failed assault with no backup to save them. After fierce fighting, the officer opposite to him allowed Edon and his surviving men to surrender with honors. His group disbanded after that due to their losses and Edon chose to seek employment as a mere soldier in a rival mercenary group to try and work his way back up to a leadership position. It was at this low point in his life that he was picked up by Varian's outfit.
Weapon Preference: Trained primarily with the Bastard Sword but uses a Halberd as his main fighting weapon. As a last resort and for utility work, a Rondel dagger. Side: Mercenary
I enjoy table top games. Finding one worth joining is not easy. So, if anybody needs a character to fill out their group, feel free to look over what I have to offer. Maybe we can help each other out.
You will find that I have years of experience in writing, role playing, world building, playing multiple characters and NPCs and even some time as a Game Master. I can make big posts. I can make small posts. I can help create and refine a world and bring sense to grand actions such as wars, trade, politics, etc.
I feel comfortable playing in fantasy, modern and scifi settings. I prefer low magic, however, I am happy to see what any world is like before turning somebody down.
Below is a small list of characters and their roles that I like to play. Each character has been fleshed out over years of play. In general, I lean toward the combat-utility role. For classic D&D style systems: Fighter, Ranger, Paladin. This is not a complete list of characters that I can play, but a list of ones who I have played to success in the past.
Damion Wolf - Direct combat and minor utility. Two-handed and unarmed. Clever, proud, aggressive and sadistic. Capable of being a team player but most likely to seek his own side quests and conquer the world.
Convel - A sturdy defensive combatant. Sword and shield. Practical, pragmatic and always with the goal in mind.
Mathius - Second-line combatant and survivalist. Bow or rifle and longsword. Versatile, preferring range but also capable of fighting up close. Introverted, distant and quiet. Tends to warm up to a party over time but always gives maximum effort.
Adolph - Tanky direct combatant. Heavy armor, one-handed weapon and shield. Pragmatic and selfless. Always willing to run into danger to save an ally. Typically a Paladin or the closest thing to a Paladin for the world.
Nolan - Duelist. One-handed weapon. Nolan is an ass. He is cocky, arrogant and quick to fight. He is, however, not stupid. Often hilarious.
Conal - Direct Combatant and infiltration/explosives (if applicable) specialist. Two-handed weapon. Ruthless and direct mercenary mindset. Takes pleasure in a job well done. Capable of working with a team for the right price. Not willing to die for the team but perfectly happy to avenge them once they have fallen.
Feel free to ask me any questions you have, or to PM me if you wish for the conversation to be private.
The feedback has been positive enough for me to give you the details. This is an open discussion as well as an interest check. Ask away.
The world I am offering is named Terrenum. At its core, it is, essentially, another Medieval fantasy game. I use a custom d6 system for grounding the action during fights and a bare-bones stat sheet. The focus is the role playing. The dice are there for drama and to give weight to player actions.
This will be a narrative driven campaign. As a player, you will be caught in the middle of a battle between two great nations in this fantasy world. While your starting points will be fixed, your course through history is not. However, know that there are always repercussions for one's actions. Player deaths are possible if one tries hard enough to get themselves killed and there are some things/actions that will get you killed fast. I do not like to kill players and I see this as a collaborative story project so you can expect to be warned about the "sudden death" stuff.
While there is magic in this world, do not join expecting to be some great wizard or a mighty spell breathing dragonborn. Character creation will be covered later but the intention is that most of the players are more-or-less mundane characters forced into extraordinary situations.
Conduct is simple. Behave like an adult while you are acting as a member of this role play. If you need to have this explained to you, then it is best that you join another role play.
Pictures are not, nor will they ever be, required for access to this game. Some beautification for posts is fine but consider this as a rule of thumb; if it takes more effort to create your post template than it does to make the post itself, then your template is too complicated.
There is to be no fixed post order in this game. I may only be able to post once a day or less because of real life obligations. I do not expect anybody to marry this game. The story progresses on my posts. You, as the players, have until I progress the story to make your posts. If you wish to work out a system amongst yourselves, then be my guest. However, there should never be a reason where you are forced to wait for anybody else. Moreso, if you feel like you have been skipped then please do not take offense by it. We all have a story to tell and I am flexible. I'll find ways to work with people but the show must go on.
There will be no minimum word count. Post as much as you feel is needed to get your point across. Not every post needs be a masterpiece.
Posts must be in a font style and size that are easy to read. No exotic font styles will be permitted. No front sizes that reduce the letters to smaller than the standard size will be permitted. No changing the colors to something obnoxious or difficult to focus on. Our eyes are important.
Now for the meat of the post...
The continent of Terrenum is vast and varied. The world is heavily influenced by my study of history and my preferences in world building. From here, I will be using excerpts from my previous attempts at bringing this game to life. If enough people want me to host this, then I will rebuild it properly for you. I just have to figure out which subforum to put it in.
You are a member of the Shield Brethren, one of the many adventuring guilds in the Lowlands of Terrenum Major. While you have yet to gain prestige for your heroic deeds, you are trained and ready to take on contracts for your guild. Your reasons for joining are your own but the goal is always the same; make the customer happy and look good while doing it.
These guilds vary in status and capability. Yours happens to be of decent size and reputation. Your guild hall resides in a bustling walled port city nestled at the mouth of an estuary almost in the center of the Lowlands. The city was renamed before you were born in honor of some heroic figure. Most people forget the actual name and shorten it to Gallant. Locals still call the city by its founding name; River City.
Nature was kind to the city, giving the estuary a natural breakwater for ships to dock safely. This, along with a slow, wide river inland, made it perfect as an area of trade.
As with many cities in the land, times of growth are marked by an ever-expanding ring of fortifications. The last of these high walls were eventually built to encompass many thousands of acres of rich farmland along both sides of the river.
Monsters are not nearly as much of a problem for Gallant anymore but the walls remain as a reminder of what has, and still could, happen if the residences lower their guard.
Your adventure guild services the city proper as well as the vast fields and homesteads around the city. Occasionally parties will be sent on missions hundreds of miles from the city, however, these jobs are rare.
Terrenum is a continent in a fantasy world with Medieval and Ancient themes. Terrenum itself is split into two parts; Terrenum Major, the main landmass, and Terrenum Minor, a smaller landmass that exists alongside it. These two land masses are separated by a geologically active body of water known as the Narrow Sea, which is a deep, warm body of salt water connected to the greater Open Ocean. The climate ranges from mostly temperate in the North to stiflingly hot in the equatorial regions to the South.
The Narrow Sea is one of the most defining aspects of this land and runs between Terrenum Minor and Major. Some have speculated that, at some point in the path, a giant had ripped the lands apart to create the sea. Many have called this body of water the Misty Sea, however, the name has fallen off with the creation of the Trade Winds. Only in the North is the Narrow Sea still called the Misty Sea.
The Narrow Sea begins in the South by Caerbea and runs North until reaching the District of Hectate. Then it cuts East sharply where it meets the Open Ocean once more.
The Northern body of land, where the District of Hectate resides, rises steeply toward a relatively high altitude as it moves toward the Northern mountains. This region is rich with rivers and sees constant monsoon-like rainfall all year except for the Winter months when the rain turns to snow. The land is uniquely rich as it sees frequent ash fall from an active volcano known as Casper's Shadow to the North East. Nothing is known to exist beyond the vast mountain range.
Directly South of Hectate, across the Narrow Sea, is Terrenum Minor. Another active volcano resides in the East of this land. In the central and West part of Terrenum Minor are vast rocky fields and rivers. Once the large rocks were cleared away, these fields became rich farmlands. Much of the East Coast is blocked by a vast mountain range running along the entire body of land.
To the West of Terrenum Minor, back over the Narrow Sea, is the Lowlands. There is more arable land per capita in the Lowlands than in any part of Terrenum. The Lowlands are distinct also in that this stretch of land is close to sea level, where most are well above, making it perfect for trade ships via the Narrow Sea. The active monster presence from the Great Wood and Swamps farther inland mean that communities here must live behind vast protective walls. Were this not the case, the Lowlands would out-produce Terrenum Minor and Hectate together in food.
Going West, past the Lowlands, is a vast stretch of woodlands, swamps and jungles. The land drains as it goes West since the altitude rises sharply along the way.
Along the West Coast of Terrenum Major are the Highlands. The land here is rocky and sees only sporadic rainfall. Some areas are dusty. The people who live here are hearty and there are precious few areas low enough to meet the ocean in order to receive trade.
Far to the South, the land lowers to meet the ocean. It is hot and humid there. In the South is where one will find vast plantations of sugar, sweet fruits and abundant fishing. The land is uniquely suited for these delightful trade goods. This fact has made the city of Caerbea, at the Southernmost tip of the continent, a powerful and wealthy city.
North of Terrenum Major is considered the Northerlands. This is a mostly uncharted area of land that is also referred to as the Badlands. Monsters and bandits plague this area. It is thought impossible for civilization to exist here and only a few towns are fortified enough to stay together here.
Below are some hidden descriptions of places you can find in the world.
The District of Hectate is a powerful city-state in the North of Terrenum Major. It was founded by a coalition of mages as a bastion of magical study and development and grew to be one of the most wealthy cities in all of Terrenum. Their lands are easy to defend as they have only one area of access by sea while the land route is a difficult march up rocky terrain. Fortresses dot the crest of this path while the port city of Lawful trade has strong walls and a sizable garrison.
The city-state is named in honor of their goddess, Hectate, whose domains are law and blood. District lands are fertile and are frequently rejuvenated by ash from an active volcano to their North East and extensive rains from the Narrow Sea. To their North is a vast mountain range and to the South is the Narrow Sea. The only reliable land route is South West, which is guarded by fortresses.
The capital city lords over dozens of towns, hamlets, farming communities and a hand full of smaller cities. The District are frequent trade partners with the Noble Houses which rule Terrenum Minor and are leaders in the study of demonology and blood magic. Their lands are as fertile as any other thanks to these magics.
As one may expect, the rule of law is important to District citizens. The law is their religion. In Terrenum, one does not fear dealing with the Devil more than dealing with a Hectatae law master. It is of little surprise that the District leads the way in architectural and legal development and manages to keep its mostly magic-using upper class in line through strict oversight of their powers. Even the methods of regulation used by the Church and Trade Federation were pioneered by Hectate law masters.
Despite their vast magical power and wealth, the District of Hectate is ill-suited for a large-scale, long-term war. They cow most offenders by the threat of unrestricted magical warfare but, as a rule, view the act of entering into melee as beneath them. While the District does have a permanent and well-trained militia, these forces are mostly used for patrolling the streets of towns and hunting down monsters. Mages do have elite personal bodyguards and there are a few strong line units but the majority of the fighting is done through summoned creatures, offensive spells and necromancy.
Caerbea is the Southernmost city-state on Terrenum Major and is largely considered to be the most powerful in terms of occupied land and sheer manpower. They are renowned for their martial and naval prowess and are the only known faction which has ships capable of sailing the open ocean. Native Caerbeans are large men with heavy tans suited for their equatorial lifestyles. As a rule, they despise magic and value strength above all else, refusing outright to use 'enhanced' seeds for their crops.
Caerbean rule extends over the Lowlands and Highlands, going as far North as Sandstone. Their reach ends at Iron Harbor and the Northerlands, as the vast walls of the trade city have never fallen to an invading army.
Native Caerbeans are proud, loud and quick to fight. They rarely leave their lands except to enforce the rule of the city-state over their dominion and are known for neither mingling with Highlanders nor Lowlanders.
Their standing army is a relatively small but disciplined, aggressive and highly trained force. They employ long spearmen in phalanx-like formations, make use of excellent longbowmen and fast-hitting light skirmishers. While they are not known for their incredible horsemen, they do employ an elite corps of heavy shock cavalry for scouting and flanking actions.
For the most part, Caerbea allows its vassal states to run themselves so long as they supply their overlords with tithes.
Almost to a man, native Caerbeans offer tribute to the Storm Maiden whose dominion extends over war and weather. They the only city-state to acknowledge the Storm Maiden and come into continual conflict with the Church of our Goddess over this fact. At present, the Church is banned from Caerbean state lands, however, worship of Serenrae is tolerated among their vassals.
While there is clear evidence to suggest Caerbeans are a race unto themselves, the culture is considered more important to them than the breed. Humans, orcs, elves and half-breeds are welcome in the city as long as they embrace the culture. Caerbea employs the largest concentration of orcs in the land. The city and its surrounding lands have the highest average concentration of orcs in all of Terrenum. Other races are welcome as long as they obey the laws, can put up a good fight or are rich.
Iron Harbor is a collection of fortresses around the "Swell" in the Narrow Sea. The primary fortress and walled city attached to it exists on the Terrenum Major side. The "Sisters" are a pair of smaller forts on either side of the Narrow Sea just North of the Swell and serve as combination lighthouses and strong points. There is an island in the middle of the Swell that houses a small mining settlement. A final lighthouse/strong point sits just South of the fortress city on Terrenum Major. On Terrenum minor, at the only point on the West bank low enough to reach sea level, is a second walled port city.
Iron Harbor historically has cared little about the wars of the greater realm. It has stood as a bastion of free trade along the Narrow Sea for hundreds of years. Its walls have never fallen to an attack and have expanded inexorably over the generations. Its streets are tightly packed with houses and shops and are kept clean by an army of sanitary workers, engineers and Church-affiliated clerics and mages.
The origin of Iron Harbor is largely lost to time. It has changed hands over the generations but has stood as the primary trade port for Terrenum Minor, the District of Hectate and the Northerlands for as long as anybody can remember. To this day the governors of the twin cities declare their sovereignty.
Iron Harbor is also the home of the largest Church presence in the Northerlands and is heavily influenced by the up-and-coming Trade Federation. They claim to have no standing army and no interest in claiming land outside of their walls, however, the cities do have large garrisons of guards and far-reaching patrols. Most of these patrols are lead by mercenaries. Many Church warrior clerics also patrol the roads. Finally, a sizable barracks for Paladins exists on the Terrenum Major side to aid in their quest to hunt down otherworldly monsters that still plague the less developed Northlands.
The preeminent school for magic studies resides in this city under the close scrutiny of the Church. It is here that mages are trained and assigned duties across the continent.
People of all kinds can be found passing through the streets of Iron Harbor however the upper management is almost completely made up of humans. Full-blood orcs are generally not allowed access to the city aside from dock work. Native Caerbeans are allowed but are usually restricted to the trade districts. Due to the large influence of the Church, Hectatae citizens, blood mages and necromancers are strictly forbidden.
Although the name that most refer to the feudal lords of Terrenum Minor may differ between regions, the Houses of Nobility are nevertheless one of the major players in the realm. The fertile - if rocky - region of East Terrenum Minor is split up between three sovereign duchies under a feudal system of government. Their lands are then sub-divided into multiple counties.
Unlike most of Terrenum, this region is not nearly as harassed by monsters. This has resulted in a more dispersed population which, in turn, has resulted in more land that is able to be cultivated at a time. Such is the case in a feudal system, the land is own almost exclusively by noble families and lead by a lord. Each lord will have their own retinue of loyal House Guard instead of a standing army. In a time of war, these House Guard can be augmented by calling in their levies and training peasants for temporary service. The result is a relatively small force during peacetime which can inflate for a short duration to great numbers during a war.
The word "King" is something of a taboo across Terrenum. It is a much stronger taboo in Terrenum Minor. While currently at peace, the Farm Lords fought a series of unification wars that ended just over one hundred and fifty years before. During this time of hostility, Nobles attempted to unify the region under a single kingdom which was bitterly resisted by the rest of their peers. After the last of these terrible conflicts, it was decided that the region would be split between the three strongest dynasties. These dynasties would then be counseled by their lesser Lords. So, while the Dukes hold immense power and influence, they ultimately answer to the Lords beneath them. Because of these wars, this land is often referred to as the Kings Land, or simply Kingsland.
While the Nobility of Terrenum Minor generally worships Serenrae, they outright refused to allow the ascending Church to dictate terms to them. This has lead to a bitter feud between the two factions that nearly resulted in war in the past. The Trade Federation has since stepped in as mediator between the two. Churches do exist across Terrenum Minor but the clergy are forbidden from enforcing any laws outside of these embassies.
Terrenum Minor is home to the third largest school for magical studies in the continent. While they generally lack the expertise for training powerful combat mages, they do lead the way in agricultural and earth-shaping studies. Their mages continue to be critical in cleaning out the heavily rocky terrain of the otherwise fertile Terrenum Minor to expand upon their farms. Primitive aquaducts are being developed along with improvements in metallurgy, masonry and sewage management. Because of this, those residing under the Noble Lords often enjoy a higher average standard of living than many across Terrenum.
The people here are divided between nobility and peasantry. Thanks to the high yield of their fields, few go hungry and the price of food is generally low while work is plentiful. For the most part, the nobility lives in their guarded communities and rarely interact with the lowborn peasantry. As long as wages are fair and food is cheap, the peasantry cares little for the brightly colored outfits and flourish of high society. Here, a bit of pomp and flair is expected of a well-rounded and literate gentleman.
Humans, elves and half orcs are common in Terrenum Minor.
The Church of Our Goddess is a religious organization based around the worship of the goddess Serenrae. Most people refer to this organization as the Church. Worshipers of the Goddess wear robes of pure white with golden embroidery. A monastic scapular is worn by members in the field to protect their usually expensive clothes. Some of the order have taken to wearing a ritualistic or expanded version of this apron-like garment for various reasons.
The Church teaches that there is only one Goddess. Even acknowledging the idea that there may be other deities is grounds to have a person ejected from the order. The Church does not persecute those who worship alternate faiths but they are not obligated to offer aid to them. An adventure guild known to have fallen out of favor with the Church may have their access to legally trained mages cut off. Establishments in trade cities may lose patronage by the many traveling clerics who pass through the area or be shunned by citizens who do follow the faith.
The Church operates dozens of medical facilities and funds hundreds of missions at any given time. Many of these missions include disaster relief, monster hunting and general education in addition to proselytizing. Establishments who operate according to Church guidelines are generally favorably viewed by citizens who have come to trust their good word.
The study of arcana is heavily regulated outside of Hectate. Few have the gift to use arcane magics and fewer still have the knowledge to teach it. The Church is one such organization who hoards this knowledge. They fund and oversee one of the largest schools of arcana in all of Terrenum and have a virtual monopoly on combat-trained mages. If there is one area where the Church is most zealous, it is in policing mages. This is partially why there is such tension between the Church and the Farm Lords of Terrenum Minor and is a big part of their opposition to the District of Hectate.
In addition to all of this, the Church funds and oversees the paladins of the realm. This last bit is taken with some level of exasperation by many in the order. Paladins have proven to be invaluable to the greater good of Terrenum. However, they have also proven difficult to control and potentially dangerous.
The Church is primarily a human run organization however they do accept elves and half orcs into their order. Full blooded orcs, tieflings and beastkin are not allowed to join the order, however, they are not turned away from Church run facilities unless they pose a threat.
In short, the Order of the Hammer are monster hunters. They are loosely organized into guilds with no apparent central leadership. Their warriors are unnaturally talented in finding evil and vanquishing it. They are ruthless and single-minded in their pursuit of these entities. Considering the nature of life in Terrenum, where monsters can and will appear in even seemingly safe areas, members of the Order of the Hammer are seen in a favorable light by the average citizen. These warriors are even welcomed and respected in Caerbea, although somewhat less so in the District of Hectate.
The Order of the Hammer acknowledges the divinity of the Goddess Serenrae and, as such, enjoys a positive relationship with the Church. Guilds dedicated to training these warriors are funded almost exclusively by the Church and proudly carry the iconography of the Hammer on their persons. Most will wear a small coin of stone with the Hammer hand-crafted into its face and rimmed with precious metal to keep it in one piece.
Every member of the Order of the Hammer joins after hearing the calling to become something greater. Many have been turned away for not possessing the essential gifts that make one a true warrior against the darkness. Their ways are a closely guarded secret even to the Church.
Some eyewitness accounts of these warriors in action tell of a blinding light emanating from their strikes. More than a few who have attempted to harass a warrior of the Hammer have been blinded by this very same light and falling to their knees to beg mercy. There are rumors that they can see the darkness even in a person's soul. On the very rare occasion that a member of the Hammer strikes down a person, it is always attributed to the wickedness hiding in that person's heart.
Little is known by outsiders about the Order of the Hammer. In truth, few even know that their order has a name, much less what it is. To most, they are simply known as Paladins.
A paladin's gear can vary. Most orders are well funded enough to clad their warriors in full plate armor. Their weapons will vary but they have an affinity for warhammers, lucerne hammers and mauls. Most paladins will also have a sword for backup. Some go into battle with a one-handed weapon and a shield.
This organization saw its beginnings as a loose federation of smaller companies who had banded together to compete against much larger ones. In more recent years they have become the standard for freight delivery and have branched into administration. They share a close relationship with the Church and are seeing an increased presence in Terrenum Minor.
The Trade Federation is heavily entrenched in the Lowlands and has a minor presence in the Highlands. It is becoming more popular as an administrative entity among the Nobles of Terrenum Minor and operates heavily up and down the Narrow Sea. They base out of a port city in the far South of Terrenum Minor. Much like the Church, Caerbea has banned the Trade Federation from their city and will actively attack their trade vessels in the Western Open Ocean.
Being the chief administrator for the majority of guilds in the Lowlands, the Trade Federation has access to mercenary, mage, adventuring and industrial guilds alike. While they have no standing army to speak of their ability to project power is still significant. They also aid in funding and overseeing many Church projects and thusly enjoy the protection of Serenrae's battle clerics.
Elder Family Bank is a direct translation from High Elven to Common. Based in Kingsland, this bank is one of the oldest and most trusted establishments in Terrenum. Many still see their banks as the safest places to store valuables, their coin as the most consistently valuable and their bank notes as the most reliable in the land. There are branches in the Lowlands and even in Caerbea and their bank notes are honored in Hectate. For the most part, only the very rich bank with them and only those known for their honor are granted loans by them.
The Highlands is a stretch of land running along the West coast of Terrenum Minor. This area has few points of access to the coast with tall cliffs and mountains. It is relatively sparsely populated compared to the Lowlands. There is one major port with access to the Open Ocean which is located at Sandstone, just on the edge of what is considered the Northerlands. Due to the long range between Sandstone and Caerbea and the few safe places to go to shore, only Caerbean vessels are capable of making such a voyage with regularity.
A rough road network does exist in the Highlands but these roads only connect the major cities.
Various mercenary and adventure guilds do exist out here. One of the few established trade roads between the Highlands and the Lowlands runs through a vast swamp. While the swamp road is patrolled constantly, it can still be dangerous for travelers.
The people of the Highlands are seen as strange, loud and rough by the rest of Terrenum. They seem to be related distantly to Caerbeans and are generally large people who favor large weapons.
The Lowlands is a stretch of fertile land on the East side of Terrenum Minjor. This stretch runs along the Narrow Sea and is just across from Terrenum Minor. It runs from Caerbea up to Iron Harbor. Due to the warmth of the Narrow Sea, this stretch of land sees regular rainfall and is a major trade corridor.
There is a lot of potential in the Lowlands. It has a large population over a long stretch of land, access to many resources and acres of food-producing land. There will always be a monster problem due to it running along the great forest/swamp/jungle that runs up the center of the continent, however, these are kept in check by good walls and numerous adventuring guilds.
The Lowlands are heavily decentralized, however, and are often seen as a stepping stone between great powers. Lowlanders are seen as being generally uneducated and unsanitary, although this is more from a lack of consistent funding or developed facilities. In reality, this area is a melting pot of nearly all cultures across the lands. Work is readily available and wages are decent. Due to the decentralized, guild-focused nature of the region, competition is fierce. While the quality of goods is considered above average, the region is eclipsed by the high class of the Noble Lands and the brutal efficiency of Caerbean equipment.
Relatively speaking, though, it's a decent place to live.
Between Iron Harbor and Sandstone runs a stretch of land that is considered unclaimed. This includes the dense and often dangerous Great Woods (which goes by a few names), the impassable mountains to the far North and the bandit rich Badlands. Notable cities are Gracehaven (a small but quickly growing town) and the city of North of Summer. On the very edge of the known world is a town named Devenshire.
Going from Sandstone to Iron Harbor will see a traveler running through the dense and often dangerous Great Wood. Straying far off the path in this forest will often run afoul of centaurs. Heading North to go around the forest will bring one close to Gracehaven, however, this runs them through the Badlands.
There are not many towns outside of the established, walled cities in this area of land. Those that do exist are often bandit strongholds or abandoned ghost towns. Despite this, the land is fertile. Around Devenshire, the land becomes dry, rocky and cold, creating something of a confusing desert.
The name for this stretch of land changes depending on which region one is in. It is an almost uninterrupted stretch of trees and thick vegetation reaching from the Northerlands almost all the way to Caerbea. Distressingly little is known about what goes on inside of this region since each part has its own dangers to offer.
In the North, they call it the Great Woods or Forrest or the Wilds or any number of names. Some call it the centaur's land. Long ago, a silent agreement was reached between the centaurs and those who live outside of the Wood; leave the trees or die. Considering how difficult it is to populate the Northerlands, no group has put forth a serious attempt to challenge the centaurs here. In return, the centaurs patrol the trade road and chase off most of the smaller monsters. There is a trade road that runs through the Great Wood. It connects Sandstone with Iron Harbor.
Farther South, one finds the Great Swamp. The swamp begins in a low point of elevation in the Lowlands as a thin stretch of bogland which hides useful forestry. Farther South the land flattens out, causing the sitting water of the swamp to expand. There is a trade road that cuts through the Great Swamp which connects the Lowlands to a town in the Highlands called Bloodstone. Although this road is regularly patrolled, it is still dangerous to travel.
Many things live in the swamp. Most of them will attempt to eat wayward travelers. The most terrifying of these are the mimics. They lure prey in by mimicking the sound of a wounded animal or, in some cases, a person. It is said that some mimics can even take the shape of a person or animal in order to sneak into camp and run away with a quick meal.
Just past the Great Swamp is the Jungle. Or maybe the swamp is part of the jungle? Many of the same creatures end up living in the jungle. Most just group them together as the same impenetrable thicket of forbidden trees and hateful animals.
For those of you interested in the races one may find in Terrenum, this section is for you.
Humans are the majority species in Terrenum. Just as one might expect, humans are widely here. Their ability to adapt to almost any conditions serve them well.
Orcs are the next most populous species but are still barely half the size of the human population. There are no pure orcs as most have mingled, to some degree, with humans. Those with a higher percentage of orc in their blood tend to be bigger, meaner and somewhat less mentally flexible. Some are even called full orcs, although this based on perception rather than a DNA test. The lower percentage orcs run a wide gambit in size and physical traits but they are all usually directly comparable to humans. One thing that ties all of them together are their anger issues. When pushed too far or provoked just right, a person with orc blood in their veins may enter into a murderous frenzy. This, along with the fact that they are generally considered less pretty to look at, often finds orckind heavily discriminated against in different regions or outright banned from some regions, such as Iron Harbor.
Elves come in as a distant third in terms of percentage of the population. While there will always be a wealth gap in any functioning society, the gap between lowborn and highborn elves seems much greater than normal. The Eldar, or High Elven, families do not mingle with lowborn elves to the point that their dialects are incompatible. Low Elven speakers are, in fact, no worse off than the average human. Elves are generally accepted in most societies. This boils down to the fact that they look like humans but are much more pretty on average. Lowborn elves tend to hybrids with humans to some degree while highborn ones often brag about the purity of their blood lines.
There are many other humanoid creatures that do business in Terrenum. Beastkin are rare and heavily discriminated against. Tieflings are generally accepted with open arms in Hectate, tolerated in Caerbea but may find themselves put to the sword in Iron Harbor or parts of the Lowlands. Anything that looks like a tiefling may be treated similarly.
Below is a short list of ethnic and racial backgrounds.
Outsider: Outsiders are any being brought into the world from outside of the realm. They are often considered good luck as, once their memories return, they have been known to bring with them special insights or powers. It is customary to aid a fresh Outsider until they can get on their feet and can take care of themselves. (In game terms, Outsiders start with a nice case of "Holywood" amnesia.)
Badlander: While less of a distinct racial background, Badlanders hail from the Badlands of the North. They are often bandits looking to start a new life. The Badlands tends to not have its own distinct ethnic background.
Highlander: Highlanders are known for being large people who favor big, two-handed weapons. They tend to be a bit louder than necessary. Drinking and fighting run in their blood. They are most identifiable by their wide and tall frames and the slightly crazy look in their eyes.
Lowlander: Most people from the Lowlands are of average height and build. They are hard workers and are nominally capable of most tasks. They tend to get a bad reputation for being simpletons simply because they aren't from the Noble Lands or wimps because they aren't from Caerbea. The truth of the matter is that Lowlanders make up the majority of the population on Terrenum. Lowlander is also more of a social rather than racial background as this area of the world tends to be a melting pot of different groups.
Caerbean: Racial Caerbeans have dark tans and big frames. They are born with sea legs and pray to the Storm Maiden. However, Caerbea is represented less by race and more by social background. Anybody can be a social Caerbean as long as they embrace the way of life. As such, most native Caerbeans are aggressive, proud and boisterous. They are quick to fight and quick to play. Most will agree that they are also insane. Any race may be a native Caerbean.
Kingslander: Kingslanders are divided into two groups; the aristocracy and the peasants. For the most part, these groups do not mingle. The nobles do their thing and the peasants do theirs. Kingslanders tend to be somewhat better educated and well cared for than in the rest of Terrenum, excluding the District of Hectate. They tend to enjoy games more often and have an intense, sometimes obnoxious, pride for their lands.
Here is an example of what a character sheet may look like as well as a brief description of the numbers. A physical description is also desired but I am happy to leave the format of it up to the players.
Each category is represented by capability. A character can be:
1 Helpless: Just as it sounds. 2 Inept: Quite bad in this area. 3 Compitent: Trained, practiced or otherwise experienced. 4 Elite: Formally trained, extremely well practiced and/or simply better. At this level, you are known in your community as an expert in this area. 5 Master: You are known regionally for your immense skill and/or capability in this area. You are a master of technique, form and/or fitness and are capable of training others. 6 Legendary: You are known throughout the land at this point. Your skill and knowledge eclipse all but the greatest heroes of legend. Masters come to you for guidance in these fields and you will be recognized in the streets.
Character Name "Character Handle" Racial/Ethnic Background: (Highlander, Lowlander, Caerbean, Outsider, etc.) Grapple: (A character's ability to grapple with a foe in extremely close quarters.) Unarmed: (A character's ability to fight without a weapon. Does not count natural weapons.) Melee Skill: (A character's ability to fight with melee weapons.) Ranged Skill: (A character's ability to hit at arget at range with projectile weapons.) Strength: (A character's raw strength and ability to inflict a wound on an enemy.) Toughness: (How difficult a character is to wound.) Wounds: (How many life-threatening wounds a character can sustain before being rendered helpless.) Initiative: (A character's quickness or reflexes and coordination. By default, all characters have two actions in a turn. At Initiative 4 and every two points after that a character gains an extra action.) Will Power: (The measure of a character's mental and emotional fortitude.) Morale: (Determined by Will Power. A character's reserve of true grit before they succumb to external stress.) Combat Sense: (May be improved up to three times. Represents a character's training, raw natural talent and experience. This is a final save for a character to avoid taking a wound or to overcome or sense an ambush.) Attacks: (Increases the odds of hitting on an attack by adding dice to attack actions.) Weapons: (Personal notes to show what a character has on-hand.) Armor: (Personal notes to show what a character has on-hand. Includes shields.)
Special Rules: Tell me about your character. We will extrapolate special traits that are noteworthy from your tale together.
Please keep in mind that nothing is set in stone just yet. Once I build the actual role play, expect things to be streamlined. The content may not change dramatically but it will be in a somewhat better presentation. Any and all questions are welcome.
