Setting of the Game
Setting of the Game
This thread is for information about the world that the game is set in. Players can feel free to add things here as they learn about them in-game.
Re: Setting of the Game
Languages
Languages are not that big of a deal on this side of the kingdom as there are no other kingdoms nearby whose people speak other languages. You may run into the occasional foreigner with the rolling lilt of the Macabh language or the harsh gutteral chop of the Chunt language but they are few and far between. The Trade Cant exists but, again, few have need to speak it as 99% of traders here are from Caral.
The languages you're most likely to encounter in this game are:
Languages are not that big of a deal on this side of the kingdom as there are no other kingdoms nearby whose people speak other languages. You may run into the occasional foreigner with the rolling lilt of the Macabh language or the harsh gutteral chop of the Chunt language but they are few and far between. The Trade Cant exists but, again, few have need to speak it as 99% of traders here are from Caral.
The languages you're most likely to encounter in this game are:
- Common - The current tongue spoken in Caral
- Sargine - Roughly the equivalent of Latin in our world, a language that was mainly used by the elites in the last 2 or 3 centuries, fallen out of common use now that more lower and middle class folks can read
- Equus - Dead language spoken in the times before Caral was a kingdom, vanishingly few people still speak it but possible one might come across it in written form, in dusty tombs or cursed fanes
- Mashripal - Dead language of the ancients, from back when men were not the dominant species walking the planet. Only a handful of people alive know how to pronounce its words aloud and when found written down, inevitably it's on papyrus scrolls or clay tablets
- Sss'nip - Language of intelligent undead. Very little is known about it, and the few scholars who study it are most certainly not residing in Ket
- Angnir - Runic language with no letters, as each rune represents a word or idea. Some believe the Dwarves used it but most people believe the Dwarves themselves are a myth and never existed so the debate continues
Re: Setting of the Game
Religion
Let's learn more about Albor.
Let's learn more about Albor.
- Who leads the faith? [2] There are multiple pontiffs, friendly or otherwise. The local pontiff in Ket is Elder Visant.
- What is the god's origin? [3] It's an abstract principle reified as an entity. Well, that matches up with being the god of civilization.
- Why does this faith matter? [7] It's trying to expand and needs help. Also matches up nicely with the civilization theme.
- What does this faith want? [9] Erect a huge and imposing temple complex.
- What are the clergy like? [8] The wealthier believers who can afford to keep up the expensive and demanding ritual practice. I can see where this is going...
- What is their societal function? [5] It provides healing or protection from danger. Good news for adventurers who need healing potions!
- What is the god's portfolio? Not going to roll that one since we already determined it's Civilization
- What are the faith's strictures? [20] Never/always cooperate with a certain faith. Great, now I need to make another faith.
- Who leads the faith? [7] The church is entirely part of the secular structure of the land.
- What is the god's origin? [7] It was an Outsider or alien from beyond. A superior being came down from the heavens and delivered the laws to the king's ancestor.
- Why does this faith matter? [3] It's locked in conflict with a major local power. Thieves Guild? Group trying to overthrow the King? The Church of Albor?
- What does this faith want? [12] Roll again, stop a rival from doing that. New roll is [1] Crush its religious rivals in the area. So the Church of Albor wants to be the one true Church and this faith is trying to prevent that.
- What are the clergy like? [6] Isolated ascetics or ritually-separated persons.
- What is their societal function? [16] It empowers those seeking revenge for wrongs.
- What is the god's portfolio? [12] Music. Sometimes the random rolls don't help here. I'm going to keep going with the above theme and call it Justice
- What are the faith's strictures? [9] Pray at certain fixed places or times. Perhaps there are some places out West that the PCs can find for these monks.
Re: Setting of the Game
The town of Ket
Ket is a small village grown up overnight (well, in the last year) into a large town. There are five districts, six if you include the Market Fields.
Riverside
The Royal Army has a large presence here. "The Moathouse" is the nickname for the fort built at the eastern edge of the river. This both enables the Army to prevent any incursions from across the bridge and forces all traffic through the fort where it can be inspected and taxed.
There are smiths elsewhere in the town and sellers of weapons and armor but any custom orders are likely to be filled here. The civilian smiths will be both overwhelmed with orders from the new farmers and inexperienced in making any martial items.
Responsibility for patrolling the new areas to the West fall to the soldiers based in the three strongholds across the river and thus the soldiers here have very little to do. They can be recruited as hirelings or henchmen, with the permission of the Fort-Captain.
To the north of the Moathouse is the harbor. A number of small fishing boats that sail the river on a daily basis moor here.
To the south of the Moathouse is the town mill. South of that, far away from town due to the smell, is where leatherworkers tan hides and cattle are led to the slaughterhouse.
Old Town
This district represents most of the locations that existed in Ket before the King issued the westward expansion decree. There are also some residences here.
This district, named because it’s to the north of Old Town, is where some of the newer residents of the town have built permanent structures to sell their wares
This is officially where Royal and private warehouses are located but since it’s strategically located between the town and the campsites where many new travelers are bivouacked, a few of the shadier proprietors have set up shop here as well. If you assume that most districts within the town are Green (safe for PCs) and none are truly Red unless Royal laws are broken, this is the one district that can be considered Yellow (trouble tends to find you the longer you stay here)
This is where the newer, more permanent residential buildings have sprouted since the town has grown in size. Some gov’t buildings are here as well.
The fields were where the town would hold weekly and monthly fairs, mainly for the fishermen and farmers to sell their wares to traveling salesmen in exchange for finished goods. With the arrival of the Army and especially the settlers, there are a number of new merchants in town who operate seven days a week. Also, in a growing ring around the field, you will find campsites where most settlers anxiously await Land Grant Day.
The list of merchants setting up shop here varies by week.
Ket is a small village grown up overnight (well, in the last year) into a large town. There are five districts, six if you include the Market Fields.
Riverside
The Royal Army has a large presence here. "The Moathouse" is the nickname for the fort built at the eastern edge of the river. This both enables the Army to prevent any incursions from across the bridge and forces all traffic through the fort where it can be inspected and taxed.
There are smiths elsewhere in the town and sellers of weapons and armor but any custom orders are likely to be filled here. The civilian smiths will be both overwhelmed with orders from the new farmers and inexperienced in making any martial items.
Responsibility for patrolling the new areas to the West fall to the soldiers based in the three strongholds across the river and thus the soldiers here have very little to do. They can be recruited as hirelings or henchmen, with the permission of the Fort-Captain.
To the north of the Moathouse is the harbor. A number of small fishing boats that sail the river on a daily basis moor here.
To the south of the Moathouse is the town mill. South of that, far away from town due to the smell, is where leatherworkers tan hides and cattle are led to the slaughterhouse.
Old Town
This district represents most of the locations that existed in Ket before the King issued the westward expansion decree. There are also some residences here.
- Leatherworker
- Chandler
- Smith
- Stables
- Inn
- Tavern
- Provisions
This district, named because it’s to the north of Old Town, is where some of the newer residents of the town have built permanent structures to sell their wares
- Tailor
- Jeweler
- Wineshop
- Inn (x3)
- Tavern
- Candlemaker
- Alchemist
- Outfitter
- Bowyer/Fletcher
- Stables (x3)
- Physician
- Trinkets
This is officially where Royal and private warehouses are located but since it’s strategically located between the town and the campsites where many new travelers are bivouacked, a few of the shadier proprietors have set up shop here as well. If you assume that most districts within the town are Green (safe for PCs) and none are truly Red unless Royal laws are broken, this is the one district that can be considered Yellow (trouble tends to find you the longer you stay here)
- Warehouses (x4)
- Gambling Hall (x2)
- Brothel (x2)
- Tavern (x2)
This is where the newer, more permanent residential buildings have sprouted since the town has grown in size. Some gov’t buildings are here as well.
- Lord Mayor’s Hall
- Temple of Albor
- Temple of Pem
- Shrine to various lesser gods
- Moneychanger
The fields were where the town would hold weekly and monthly fairs, mainly for the fishermen and farmers to sell their wares to traveling salesmen in exchange for finished goods. With the arrival of the Army and especially the settlers, there are a number of new merchants in town who operate seven days a week. Also, in a growing ring around the field, you will find campsites where most settlers anxiously await Land Grant Day.
The list of merchants setting up shop here varies by week.
Re: Setting of the Game
Calendar
I am using the calendar from The Adventurer's Almanac, which is where I get names like Galehome and The Bloom.
Since I know no one wants to memorize another calendar, I am going to use a simple naming system as well.
13 months, four weeks, seven days a week = 364 days plus one annual holiday and one Leap Year holiday. So The Bloom 1 is also Fourthmonth, Firstday.
I am using the calendar from The Adventurer's Almanac, which is where I get names like Galehome and The Bloom.
Since I know no one wants to memorize another calendar, I am going to use a simple naming system as well.
13 months, four weeks, seven days a week = 364 days plus one annual holiday and one Leap Year holiday. So The Bloom 1 is also Fourthmonth, Firstday.
Re: Setting of the Game
Major NPCs of Ket
Ket is different in that it has been a small town for a long time and so the nominal leader is the Lord Mayor. He's not a landowning noble, he was a local guy appointed by someone in the King's service to keep an eye on this sleepy little fishing town. Now Ket is growing, a large town on the cusp of becoming a small city, and will probably end up being run by a group of local wealthy business owners, not a Count or a Duke or what have you. Think about how, historically, cities used to get Charters from the King to be able to rule themselves. That's what's happening with Ket.
The Fort-Captain is the military leader here, and probably can tell the Lord Mayor what to do if push came to shove, but he really doesn't much care what's going on in Ket. His soldiers keep the peace but he's more focused on the safety of the new farmers about to settle across the river.
Ket is different in that it has been a small town for a long time and so the nominal leader is the Lord Mayor. He's not a landowning noble, he was a local guy appointed by someone in the King's service to keep an eye on this sleepy little fishing town. Now Ket is growing, a large town on the cusp of becoming a small city, and will probably end up being run by a group of local wealthy business owners, not a Count or a Duke or what have you. Think about how, historically, cities used to get Charters from the King to be able to rule themselves. That's what's happening with Ket.
The Fort-Captain is the military leader here, and probably can tell the Lord Mayor what to do if push came to shove, but he really doesn't much care what's going on in Ket. His soldiers keep the peace but he's more focused on the safety of the new farmers about to settle across the river.
Re: Setting of the Game
Recent History of Ket and Land Grant Day
For over a century, the western border of the Kingdom of Caral has been the Moche River. Wide and fast-flowing, it was a powerful natural barrier to all things weird and wild and enabled the Carallians to focus on other conquests. However, as the wars died down and peace settled over the land, the population of Caral has grown unabated. Many a citizen has gazed longingly at the miles of arable farmland on the west bank of the Moche, land claimed by the Carallians but never occupied.
About a year ago, the people of Ket, a town on the Moche known for its fishing boats, were joined by a large military contingent. The bridge over the Moche was restored and many Kingsguard engineers were seen heading west. Rumors of new frontier forts being built spread across the kingdom and everyone from landless peasants to disgruntled apprentices flocked to Ket in the hopes of finding new opportunity. Between the arrival of the Royal Engineers and the crowds of hopeful settlers, Ket has been transformed from a sleepy town to a small bustling city.
A month ago, everyone’s prayers were answered as the King announced that the day after the Spring Festival (the traditional end of winter celebration) would be Land Grant Day where the fastest and most daring settlers could cross the river and claim pre-marked homesteads up to one hex (six miles) away from the Ket Bridge.
There are a few, however, who have traveled to Ket for other reasons. For these intrepid explorers, the opening of the western lands means access to the hidden and forgotten treasures of centuries ago. There are fortunes to be made, reputations to be established, perhaps even new kingdoms to be founded!
All this begins on Land Grant Day.
For over a century, the western border of the Kingdom of Caral has been the Moche River. Wide and fast-flowing, it was a powerful natural barrier to all things weird and wild and enabled the Carallians to focus on other conquests. However, as the wars died down and peace settled over the land, the population of Caral has grown unabated. Many a citizen has gazed longingly at the miles of arable farmland on the west bank of the Moche, land claimed by the Carallians but never occupied.
About a year ago, the people of Ket, a town on the Moche known for its fishing boats, were joined by a large military contingent. The bridge over the Moche was restored and many Kingsguard engineers were seen heading west. Rumors of new frontier forts being built spread across the kingdom and everyone from landless peasants to disgruntled apprentices flocked to Ket in the hopes of finding new opportunity. Between the arrival of the Royal Engineers and the crowds of hopeful settlers, Ket has been transformed from a sleepy town to a small bustling city.
A month ago, everyone’s prayers were answered as the King announced that the day after the Spring Festival (the traditional end of winter celebration) would be Land Grant Day where the fastest and most daring settlers could cross the river and claim pre-marked homesteads up to one hex (six miles) away from the Ket Bridge.
There are a few, however, who have traveled to Ket for other reasons. For these intrepid explorers, the opening of the western lands means access to the hidden and forgotten treasures of centuries ago. There are fortunes to be made, reputations to be established, perhaps even new kingdoms to be founded!
All this begins on Land Grant Day.
Re: Setting of the Game
West Marches-like aspects of the game
Assume the game will resemble West Marches games, in that regions of the wilderness will have roughly the same threat level, and that the wilderness becomes more dangerous the further away from Ket you travel. In the city, PCs will probably be safe but there are two exceptions - if you come home from the wilderness spending gold like drunken sailors, people will notice. And if you are seen in the company of the more unsavory denizens of Ket, people will notice.
Ket will be a great place to hear rumors, and to find patrons willing to hire adventuring parties for discreet missions. Ket was until very recently a small town but there's been a Church of Albor there for a long time and it's a good place to do research on the history of the western lands. Caral is a kingdom of polytheism and religious tolerance but within the border, Albor, the god of civilization, is considered first among many.
The growth of Ket and its current status as the equivalent of a "gold rush" town means that you'll find representatives of all the guilds and thus you should have no trouble hiring guides, mercenaries, or henchmen. And Ket's markets should enable you to buy or sell just about anything (truly rare or extremely expensive items may have to be sent back to the capital in order to find a buyer with the requisite funds).
Assume the game will resemble West Marches games, in that regions of the wilderness will have roughly the same threat level, and that the wilderness becomes more dangerous the further away from Ket you travel. In the city, PCs will probably be safe but there are two exceptions - if you come home from the wilderness spending gold like drunken sailors, people will notice. And if you are seen in the company of the more unsavory denizens of Ket, people will notice.
Ket will be a great place to hear rumors, and to find patrons willing to hire adventuring parties for discreet missions. Ket was until very recently a small town but there's been a Church of Albor there for a long time and it's a good place to do research on the history of the western lands. Caral is a kingdom of polytheism and religious tolerance but within the border, Albor, the god of civilization, is considered first among many.
The growth of Ket and its current status as the equivalent of a "gold rush" town means that you'll find representatives of all the guilds and thus you should have no trouble hiring guides, mercenaries, or henchmen. And Ket's markets should enable you to buy or sell just about anything (truly rare or extremely expensive items may have to be sent back to the capital in order to find a buyer with the requisite funds).
Re: Setting of the Game
More about the Kingdom of Caral
Cultural Values
I'd prefer to ignore the rolls about original inhabitants who were partially assimilated, as we are aiming to avoid any colonial tropes in this game. Let's just say the Carallians were here already, gained their independence from the empire after the war with Vashtan, tried to expand over the river a century or more ago but ran into trouble of some unknown or forgotten sort, and retreated behind the border of the River Moche until now.
Cultural Values
- Honesty and truthfulness in speech
- Personal indulgence and luxuriant pleasure
- Loyalty to one’s friends, family, and own
- Religious factions or faith alliances
- in some ways similar to Post-Islamic Arabia
- How Did They Originate? They were colonists who became independent
- What Became of the Original Inhabitants? They were partially assimilated
- What event instigated this? Priest King
- Why Did It Fail At the Final Crisis? Its neighbors conspired to help ruin it
I'd prefer to ignore the rolls about original inhabitants who were partially assimilated, as we are aiming to avoid any colonial tropes in this game. Let's just say the Carallians were here already, gained their independence from the empire after the war with Vashtan, tried to expand over the river a century or more ago but ran into trouble of some unknown or forgotten sort, and retreated behind the border of the River Moche until now.
Re: Setting of the Game
Map of the region west of the Moche
Re: Setting of the Game
Forts in and around Ket
The main Fort, which is larger than any of the others, is called The Moathouse.
The three secondary Forts are on the edges of The Farms, the three hex region being settled on Land Grant Day. I am trying not to be super precise about locations but the bridge between Ket and The Farms is at the westernmost point of Ket's hex.
The main Fort, which is larger than any of the others, is called The Moathouse.
The three secondary Forts are on the edges of The Farms, the three hex region being settled on Land Grant Day. I am trying not to be super precise about locations but the bridge between Ket and The Farms is at the westernmost point of Ket's hex.
- Fort Progress is at the NW point of the northern hex of The Farms, so seven miles away.
- Fort Illumination is at the W point of the western hex of The Farms, so 10.5 miles away.
- Fort Advance is at the SW point of the southern hex of The Farms, so seven miles away.