Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Malyss the defender 01-18-05, 10:10 PM	The intimidating but strangely beautiful sound of drums and chants floats across the battlefield. There, an army of hardened men led by blue-clothed fighters stands in tight formation. They are holding their ground, ready for anything. A smaller force of goblin horsemen, armed with spears and muskets, surrounds them, attacking on all sides with speed and agility, as if moved by a mysterious power. But the warriors hold their ground. Nothing could scare them except...magic! Welcome to the World of Kinel, a world in which there is no good or evil, in which 4 empires are fighting for old and new lands and in which goblins...are a respected playable race! For those who weren't there back then(or simply didn't notice),Kinel was a thread over 5 pages long about 6 months ago but I dropped it because I found the thread too messy and I wanted to make some major changes to the setting.So, here is the new version of the world. Kinel is a low-magic world with a technology and philosophy level about the same as late Middle-Ages, Early Renaissance. Although the printing press has not yet been invented, navigation instruments are very advanced and gunpowder has very recently started to change the way war is done. Major religions are monotheistic and 2 of the major ones are based on a belief that the earth is a living entity that controls the perfect balance of life forces. In these faiths, every living thing has a soul that returns to the earth after the creature's death to be reincarnated in a new body(better or worse depending on the creature's actions during life). Magic is done by absorbing a creature's soul, thus destroying it according to these religions' priests(but magic practicioners would obviously say otherwise). This is why magic is considered the worst of sins and is punished by death and torture. As in real life, religions are very subjective and cannot be proved(no divine intervention or gods walking the earth here) The world has 4 intelligent races: Humans, Goblins, Nashars(halflings, but the term is a derogatory one) and dwarves. Although people are divided more by culture than by race,I'll describe each one in more detail later. http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/8742/kinelmap2pl.th.jpg (http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kinelmap2pl.jpg) 1- Karastel 2- Vinosslan 3- Malak 4- Klarahk 5- Ramakomysh 6- Azkierdan plains 7- Costelno 8- Aestrid 9- Azeera-Nad 10- Prisca First, let's start by the continents. Maharmet: This continent is the one in the bottom left corner of the map.It is the one I will be focusing on the most(for the old-timers,this continent was fromerly called the Karastelan continent). Maharmet is split in two by a large chain of mountains in which the Costelno dwarves live. The southern part is in great part desertic and is home to various civilizations that I haven't really worked on. On the other hand, the northern part mostly has a tropical climate and is home to the nomadic Nashars(halflings), the 3 goblin clans(Malak, Klarahk and Ramakomysh in that order from west to east), Karastel and the city of Vinosslan, capital of the Vinosslan empire. Nehilio(formerly called the Vinosslan continent): The continent north of Maharmet.The southern part of it is temperate or oceanic while the rest is very cold and mountainous. Most of the land is owned by either Malak or Vinosslan but large parts of it remain free of people or inhabited by "barbarian" tribes. Malio: This continent spans a large variety of climates. About half of it is under the influence of the Empire of Prisca, an empire with a culture pretty much alien to the western nations. The empire is in an almost constant war with its neighbors. Moncalso: Top right corner of the map. This is the New World, a continent discovered about 40 years ago by Vinosslan merchants.It is largely unexplored and inhabited almost exclusively by tribes of "savages" and a few Vinosslan colonists.
Ragner 01-18-05, 10:32 PM	i like the ideas of races not limited by raceal status indealing with each other, and i also like the diversity of them,you usually dont expect anyone to play a goblin (although you will proabally have to modify the race to make it work) i also like the idea of magic, working off people souls, although, this can come to be a serious problem for mages and can create difficult circumstances, and it might be very hard on PC magi. as for races again, are threr ONLY four races, or are those the PC races, and there are other "monster" races?
Rekko 01-18-05, 10:43 PM	At last, the new thread has been posted! How I would like to give you hints on what Malyss have worked on, but you'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, if you want to get into the feel of Maharmet, I suggest you read A Goblin's Diary (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=210617).
Malyss the defender 01-18-05, 10:44 PM	Thanks for the quick response.I do have stats for goblins and soul mages.They will appear in future posts. You are right about the magic sometimes being a problem for PCs but the fact that a few light spells could possibly scare the hell out of a whole army if used well kinda balances it out;).It also gives some very nice RP scenes. As for the races, yes there are only 4 and no "monster" races. But there are still monsters although none with an organized society(except things such as ants and wolves but hey, you know what I mean)
Ragner 01-18-05, 10:50 PM	this is true, but scaring the hell out of an army is gonna draw some attention, possablly big attention, because think about it, most people will never had seen magic, and a small light spell will be bblown horrablly out of proportion, you will get holy crusades chasing after these mages, atvery low leveels, But the RP will be Very good. but you never know, and magic items will be a problem to, PCs used to magic items, excpecally scrolls and wands ect will be in hardtimes, and how do the mages get the souls for there spells? there must be a way to do it fairly easily, or thwe mages will be REALLY bad off...
Rekko 01-19-05, 06:52 AM	As a player, I can tell you that having a soul mage in the group is a hard time (though I cause more troubles being a simple fighter:P). As for magic items... We haven't encountered any yet. Magic is illegal and so is creating magic objects. I'm not telling you there is no magic items, but they will be extremly rare, almost unexistent. Don't worry, game rules and statistics for soul mages will come up soon. Until then, continue reading us.
peterson 01-19-05, 10:23 AM	Sign me up! Good to see Kinel is back; revamped or not. Can't wait to see the changes, Malyss. Rekko, good to see you as always. I look forward to seeing the new stuff. Peterson
Malyss the defender 01-19-05, 04:18 PM	The holy crusades that you mention did happen a few times in the world's history, Ragner. As for magic items, what Rekko said is right. Now, on to the point of this post. Because of the problems you mentioned, the soul mage class gets light armor proficiency without spell failure, d6 hit die, simple weapon proficiency(including muskets) and access to a few extra skills such as heal and diplomacy. Apart from that, it follows the wizard tables for skills, BAB, saves and spells per day Its spells are cast spontaneously and wisdom-based. Here is how to determine spells known(souls absorbed): When a creature dies, the soul mage makes a 10 minute ritual involving hand gestures and formulas. After this, he and the creature(as if it was still alive) make opposed will saving throws. If the mage wins, he absorbs the soul. If not, the soul is lost and nothing happens. Spells are divided into 6 schools that represent each ability score(str,dex,con...) When a mage absorbs a soul, he gets 1d4+1 spells of his choice from the right list. First, take the creature's CR divided by 2,rounded down. That's the level of the spells the mage gets. Then, check the creature's best ability score. That's the school from which the mage gets his spells. Character levels count to determine the creature's CR to get the spell level. Here is the Soul Mage spell list: SOUL MAGE SPELLS 0-level soul mage spells Force (Str) Inflict minor wounds: Open/Close: Opens or closes small or light things. Movement (Dex) Guidance: Metabolism (Con) Arcane mark*: Inscribes a personal visible rune. Resistance: Subjects gains +1 on saving throws. Touch of fatigue: Touch attack fatigues target. Virtue*: Subject gains 1 temporary hit point or deals 1d6 damage to undead. Pyrotechnic (Int) Dancing light: Creates torches or other lights. Flare: Dazzles one creature (-1 on attack rolls). Light: Object shines like a torch. Mage hand: 5-pound telekinesis. Mending: makes minor repairs on an object. Energy (Wis) Daze: Humanoid creature of 4 HD or less loses next action. Ghost sound: Figment sounds. Know direction: Mind-affecting (Cha) Message: Whispered conversation at distance. Prestidigitation: Performs minor tricks. 1st level soul mage spells Force (Str) Color spray: Knocks unconscious, blinds, and/or stuns 1d6 weak creature. Hold portal: holds door shut. Inflict light wounds: Ray of enfeeblement: Ray deals 1d6+1 per two levels Str damage. Shield: Visible disc gives +4 armor bonus. True strike: +20 on your next attack roll. Movement (Dex) Entangle: Feather fall: Objects or creatures fall slowly. Grease: Makes 10-ft. square or one object slippery. Obscuring mist: Fog surrounds you. Metabolism (Con) Cure minor wounds: Cures 1 point of damage Deathwatch: Reveals how near death subjects within 30ft. are Endure elements: Exist comfortable in hot or cold environments. Erase: Mundane or magical writings vanishes. Sleep: Puts 4 HD into magical slumber. Pyrotechnic (Int) Faerie fire: Hide from animals: Produce flame: Energy (Wis) Silent image: Creates minor illusions of your design. Summon nature ally 1: Ventriloquism: Throws voice for 1 min./level. Mind-affecting (Cha) Calm animals: Cause fear: One creature of 5 HD or less flees for 1d4 rounds. Charm person: Makes one person your friend. Command: Hypnotism: fascinates 2d4 HD of creatures. Random action: Remove fear: 2nd level soul mage spells Force (Str) Bull’s strength: Subjects gains +4 Str for 1min./level. Death knell: Inflict moderate wounds: Magic weapon*: Weapon gains multiple +1 bonuses Shatter: Sonic vibration damages objects or crystalline creatures. Soften earth and stone: Warp wood Movement (Dex) Cat’s grace: Subject gains +4 Dex for 1min./level. Fog cloud: Fog obscures vision. Ghoul touch: Paralyses one subject, which exudes stench that makes those nearly sickened. Gust of wind: Blows away or knocks down smaller creatures. Spider climb: Grants the ability to walk on walls and ceilings. Web: fills 20-ft.-radius spread with sticky spider webs. Metabolism (Con) Aid: Barkskin: Bear’s endurance: Subjects gains +4 Con for 1min./level. Cure light wounds: Resist energy: Ignores first 10 (or more) points of damage/attack from specified energy type Delay poison: False life: Gain 1d10temporary hp +1 /level (max +10). Remove paralysis: Shield other: Pyrotechnic (Int) Blur: Attacks miss subject 20% of the time. Chill metal: Darkness: 20-ft. radius of supernatural shadow. Fox’s cunning: Subject gains +4 Int for 1min./level. Glitter dust: Blinds creatures, outlines invisible creatures. Heat metal: Pyrotechnics: Turns fire into blinding light or chocking smoke. Energy (Wis) Daze monster: Living creature of 6 Hd or less loses next action. Detect poison: Detects poison in one creature or small objects. Minor image: As silent image plus some sound. Owl’s wisdom: Subject gains +4 Wis for 1min./level. Purify food and drink: Summon nature ally 2: Summon swarm: Summons swarm of bats, rats, or spiders. Mind-affecting (Cha) Animal trance: Calm emotion: Eagle’s splendor: Subject gains +4 Cha for 1min./level Hypnotic pattern: Fascinates (2d4 + level) HD of creatures. Scare: Panics creatures of less than 6 HD. Touch idiocy: Subject takes 1d6 points of Int, Wis, and Cha damage. 3rd level soul mage spells Force (Str) Call lightning Heroism Inflict serious wounds Rage Movement (Dex) Fly Haste Hold person Sleet storm Slow Water walk Wind wall Metabolism (Con) Contagion Cure moderate wounds Deep slumber Neutralize poison Poison Protection from energy Ray of exhaustion Stinking cloud Vampiric touch Water breathing Pyrotechnic (Int) Daylight Deeper darkness Quench Seering light Energy (Wis) Dispel magic Plant growth Summon nature ally 3 Mind-affecting (Cha) Bestow curse Dominate animal Remove curse 4th level soul mage spells Force (Str) Control water Ice storm Inflict critical wounds Movement (Dex) Freedom of movement Solid fog Metabolism (Con) Anti-plant shell Blight Cure serious wounds Death ward Reincarnate Stoneskin Pyrotechnic (Int) Fire shield Rainbow pattern Wall of fire Energy (Wis) Confusion Hallucinatory terrain Illusory wall Spell immunity Summon nature ally 4 Mind-affecting (Cha) Charm monster Crushing despair Fear Lesser geas Repel vermin 5th level soul mage spells Force (Str) Call lightning storm Mass inflict light wounds Transmute mud to rock Transmute rock to mud Movement (Dex) Control winds Hold monster Overland flight Metabolism (Con) Cloud kill Cure critical wounds Mass cure light wounds Slay living Symbol of pain Symbol of sleep Waves of fatigue Pyrotechnic (Int) Telekinesis Energy (Wis) Insect plague Mind fog Mirage arcane Prying eyes Spell resistance Summon nature ally 5 True seeing Wall of thorns Mind-affecting (Cha) Brake enchantment Dream Dominate person Feeble mind Greater command Nightmare Telepathic bond 6th level soul mage spells Force (Str) Greater heroism Harm Mass bull’s strength Mass inflict moderate wounds Repel wood Tenser’s transformation Movement (Dex) Mass cat’s grace Metabolism (Con) Acid fog Circle of death Eyebite Flesh to stone Heal Live oak Mass bear’s endurance Mass cure moderate wounds Stone to flesh Pyrotechnic (Int) Fire seeds Mass fox’s cunning Energy (Wis) Greater dispelling Mass owl’s wisdom Summon nature ally 6 Mind-affecting (Cha) Geas-quest Mass eagle’s splendor Repulsion Symbol of fear Symbol of persuasion 7th level soul mage spells Force (Str) Control weather Mass inflict serious wounds Transmute metal to wood Transmute wood to metal Movement (Dex) Mass hold person Metabolism (Con) Finger of death Mass cure serious wounds Symbol of stunning Symbol of weakness Waves of exhaustion Pyrotechnic (Int) Firestorm Prismatic spray Sunbeam Energy (Wis) Creeping doom Insanity Spell turning Summon nature ally 7 Mind-affecting (Cha) Animate plants 8th level soul mage spells Force (Str) Earthquake Horrid wilting Mass inflict critical wounds Moment of prescience Repel metal and stone Movement (Dex) Whirlwind Metabolism (Con) Iron body Mass cure critical wounds Symbol of death Pyrotechnic (Int) Firestorm Incendiary cloud Prismatic wall Sunburst Twisting colors Energy (Wis) Greater praying eyes Greater spell immunity Protection from spells Summon nature ally 8 Symbol of insanity Temporal stasis Mind-affecting (Cha) Antipathy Control plants Irresistible dance Mass charm monster Mind blank Sympathy 9th level soul mage spells Force (Str) Storm of vengeance Movement (Dex) Mass hold monster Freedom Metabolism (Con) Energy drain Mass heal Pyrotechnic (Int) Prismatic sphere Energy (Wis) Foresight Shambler Summon nature ally 9 Mind-affecting (Cha) Dominate monster Special spells Hallow* Unhallow* *Spell marked with the star (*) are different from those carrying the same name in the PHB That spell list seemed a lot nicer on MS Word,damn inefficient message board coding. Anyway, as you can see, the soul mage gets few flashy spells and has a spell list that resembles more that of the cleric or druid than that of the wizard.
Ragner 01-19-05, 04:36 PM	this is much clearer, i like the idea now, giving the mage a little one-up like that balaces it all out. but about the armor class and spell-failure, is it for all armor, or just for light armor, looks like a great game though, love to play :P
Malyss the defender 01-19-05, 08:19 PM	It is for light armor only, I wouldn't want to see mages running in full plates with no penalty The classes available for play in Kinel are: Barbarian: no changes Fighter: Perform and Knowledge(tactic and strategy) added to class skill list Rogue: no changes Marshall: see miniature's handbook(it can also be found as a miniature's handbook excerpt on the D&D site) Soul Mage: see previous post Ranger: Spell-less(see Complete warrior) Herbalist: New core class made by Rekko and I with help from the people on the classes boards Table : The Herbalist Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Skill focus(heal), Improvised Brewing 2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Nature Sense, Resistance 3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Poison use 4th +3 +4 +1 +4 - 5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Healthy Diet 6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Resistance+1 7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Improved Poison 8th +6/+1 +6 +2 +6 Effortless healing 9th +6/+1 +6 +3 +6 Healthy Diet, Treat Permanent Damage 10th +7/+2 +7 +3 +7 Skill mastery, Resistance+2 11th +8/+3 +7 +3 +7 Improved poison 12th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 - 13th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Healthy Diet 14th +10/+5 +9 +4 +9 Resistance+3 15th +11/+6/+1 +9 +5 +9 Improved poison 16th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 - 17th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Healthy Diet 18th +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +11 Resistance+4 19th +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Improved poison 20th +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Reanimate Level Healing potion die 1st 1d6 2nd 1d6 3rd 1d6 4th 1d8 5th 1d8 6th 1d8 7th 1d8 8th 1d10 9th 1d10 10th 1d10 11th 1d10 12th 2d6 13th 2d6 14th 2d6 15th 2d6 16th 2d8 17th 2d8 18th 2d8 19th 2d8 20th 2d10 By studying vegetal life in all its forms, the herbalist has gained an intimate knowledge of the healing arts, but also of poison. he can be a simple healer living in a small village, a courageous adventurer who swore to discover a cure to all diseases, or even a cruel assassin plotting to poison a king. Often, herbalists are priests tied to a nature god, but this is not always the case. Abilities: As many of his abilities depend on the craft skill, the herbalist needs a high intelligence score. Wisdom is also needed for the heal skill. Constitution helps protect against rival herbalists and dexterity is always useful. Alignment :Any Hit Die :d8 Class Skills: Appraise, concentration, craft, diplomacy, heal, knowledge(nature),Knowledge(geography), profession, sense motive, spot, listen, Search, Climb, Swim, Survival Skill Points: 4+int modifier BAB:Mid(as rogue) Good Saves:Fort and Will [/B]Weapon and Armor Proficiency:[/B]Simple weapons, light armor Skill Focus(heal):At 1st level, the herbalist gains this as a free feat Improvised Brewing:At 1st level, as Lay on Hands but uses int instead of cha. Healing Potion: Beginning at 1st level, using the craft(alchemy) skill, the herbalist may craft a healing potion that cures hits points depending on his herbalist's level(see table).This requires a DC 25 craft check, market price is 100 gp. Nature Sense:At 2nd level, as PHB druid Resistance:At 2nd level, the herbalist gains a +1 bonus to saves against poisons and diseases(except for supernatural and magical diseases).This bonus increases by +1 every 4 levels thereafter. Poison use:Gains this ability at 3rd level Healthy Diet: The herbalist knows which edible herbs have the best effects on the human body. He gains a +1 permanent ability bonus to the physical ability of his choice (Str, Dex, Con). The herbalist gains this ability at 5th, 9th, 13th and 17th level. Improved Poison:At 7th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the herbalist chooses an ability among these. These apply only when the herbalist crafts the poison himself. The herbalist can still craft a normal version of the poison. These abilities can be taken multiple times. Each time an ability is taken more than once, its effects apply to different poison types. Potent Poison:Choose a number of poisons equal to 1+int modifier, these poisons' DC is now increased by 4. Lethal Poison:Choose a number of poisons equal to 1+int modifier, these poisons now do an extra die of ability damage at secondary damage. Easy-to-craft Poison:Choose a number of poisons equal to 1+int modifier, the market price of these poisons is treated as half its original price for crafting time purposes. Permanent Poison:Choose a number of poisons equal to 1+int modifier, these poisons now do permanent damage instead of temporary damage. Change poison type:Choose a number of poisons equal to 1+int modifier, you may now change the type of delivery method of these poisons(For example, you may change an injury poison to a contact poison) Effortless Healing:At 8th level, the herbalist may use the heal skill without provoking an attack of opportunity. Treat permanent damage:At 9th level, permanent ability damage from non-magical sources may be treated as temporary damage by a herbalist using long-term care. However, permanent ability damage heals at half normal rate(e.g.:1 point for 8 hours of rest in a day,2 points for a complete day of rest).Requires at least 12 ranks in heal. Skill mastery:The herbalist gains this ability at 10th level(see rogue) Reanimate:At 20th level, the herbalist may make a DC 40 heal check to resurrect a character who has died in the last 2 minutes. If successful, the character stabilizes and goes back to 1d6 hit points. If the attempt fails, the victim cannot be resurrected. The herbalist cannot take 10 or 20 on this check.
Malyss the defender 01-20-05, 10:06 PM	The kingdom of Karastel is divided in five Duchies each led by a Grand Duke. The Grand Dukes are, after the king, the most powerful members of karastelan nobility. It is among the 5 Grand Dukes that the king is chosen by vote(or war). His position is then given to his eldest son or a very close relative and so on until no direct heir is available. The Grand Duchies(and the corresponding family in parentheses) are: Jolin(Lanëstar), Karastel(Colastar), Meiol(Manuestar), Selmianor(Cerestar), The Chain(Elmestar). The "star" part of the name is synonym of high nobility and can only be worn by a Grand Duke's family. The current king is Merastos Lanëstar, Grand Duke of Jolin. The Lanëstar family Lord Merastos, the current king of Karastel, is son to Dastos which himself is the son of Lanisson, the first Lanëstar to sit on the throne. Lanisson seized the throne 50 years ago when he lead his army to victory against goblins, during what was called thereafter as the Unfair War by Karastelan scholars. At the time, the 3 goblin clans allied themselves and took the Karastel nation by surprise while they were already being attacked by Vinosslan. It is also said that the goblin armies had control over dark magic. Lanisson was a noble who had been a guardian of the blue star for a part of his life and knew well that the allied goblin army could not be defeated on open field. So he prepared a trap and managed to lead them into it by providing false information to the goblin spies. Unfortunately, Lanisson died of a strange disease 10 years later. Right after he was crowned, however, a big campaign against magic-users started.10 years of suffering started for those who were suspected to use magic but for the others, it was a time of prosperity and justice. Dastos was less obsessed with the extermination of magic-users but he still added a law that could be considered barbaric by others: anyone found using soul magic will be killed by cutting his ears and fingers and letting him empty himself of his blood. This came from the belief that letting the blood flow would help the soul return to the earth. The execution will also be done in public, as all executions of importance are. The law is still in effect under Merastos' reign. Merastos is also quick to anger and severely punishes those who do not respect the law but he is a fair king. His quite populist policies, however, have made him unpopular, or even outright hated, among his vassals. One such policy is the Time of Lords: Each year, after the harvest, each lord chooses an average family(usually at random) and goes to live with it for 2 weeks, bringing gifts and helping however it can with the common chores. The last day of this period is a big holiday where everyone in the village is invited to the lord's table for an enormous banquet. Of course, this new holiday is contested by many nobles and respected only by a few, mainly those who try to get favors from the king.. Merastos Lanestar, Grand Duke of Jolin and King of Karastel As the second son of Dastos Lanestar, Merastos was not given as much attention as his brother Nimeias, the legitimate heir. An old nurse raised him until his 10th birthday. From this time, he was sent to Karastel city to be fostered and trained by Melsio Colastar, Grand Duke of Karastel. The Grand Duke, about 20 years old at the time, spent all his time researching medicine in the hope of finding a cure to his own blindness. Merastos quickly grew fond of the duke and took interest in the research. He also spent a large part of his time wandering the city and talking to commoners, much to the dismay of some of his surroundings. It was not proper for the son of a king to talk as an equal to lowly peasants. He even contemplated becoming a guardian of the blue star, a position often seen as ridiculous by some nobles. His life changed drastically when his brother Nimeias died of a disease and he became the legitimate heir. He was crowned at the age of 24. At 40 years old, he is now in his 15th year of reign and is known as a fair king. His main accomplishments have been promoting peace and trade between the various nations and increasing the welfare of the population. However, many of his entourage consider that he is a weak king and that his reign is the start of the kingdom’s fall, a belief strengthened by the fact that he has no son of his own, his wife gave him only daughters. There has even been an assassination attempt against him a short while ago. For this reason, he always has a faithful bodyguard with him. This protector is an old childhood friend, the 4th son of some lesser noble. He is a knight trained for combat but is also the king’s official food taster. The king of Karastel is not tall, standing at about 5’5”. He is lean and muscular with a squared jaw and a severe look. He has thick dark brown hair and wears a moustache. He usually wears luxurious clothes but with stern colors such as brown, black or grey. His only bright piece of clothing is his cape, light blue with 2 small black spears crossed in the middle. His cape is the color of his family’s heraldry. The two spears pictured on the Lanestar family arms are actually Good Day spears, small spears that got their name from a legend that tells of bandits who attacked a group of travelers at dawn and greeted them before slaying them cruelly. Lanisson Lanestar, known for his dark, sometimes even cruel sense of humor, adopted this weapon on his arms both as a means to intimidate opponents and because he found the story funny.(Here is a site about the real world goedendag, which means good day in german: http://www.liebaart.org/goeden_e.htm) All of Merastos’ children are girls. His wife died giving birth to his fifth daughter 5 years ago. While there is no law in the kingdom forbidding access to the throne to women, many would not accept the queen as a legitimate ruler. His oldest daughter has been married to Avilo Cerestar, Grand Duke of Selmianor, an old rival of his. As to his second daughter, she has been wed to the King of Vinosslan, to strenghten the alliance between the two kingdoms.
Malyss the defender 01-22-05, 01:18 PM	Note that in Kinel, size differences between the races are not as important as in most worlds. The average size for a Nashar or a goblin is 4'2"(may range from 3'8" to 4'5"), average dwarf size is 4'6"(ranging from 4'2" to 5'1") and average human size is about 5'3"(ranging from 4'8" to 5'6").Of course, exceptions are very common and standards may vary between regions. Nashars Location: the Akhierdan Plains (called the Nashar Plains by non-nashar dwellers of the north of Maharmet) north of the Costelno mountains, the Heljol desert and the southern part of Malio. physical description as PHB halflings. Nashars were traditionally semi-nomadic peoples who ruled Maharmet(a Nashar term meaning "Our Land"). After a series of unfortunate events, however, their rule was overthrown by goblins and humans. Today, the Akhierdan plains are home to hundreds of relatively primitive semi-nomadic tribes. On Malio, Nashars are either under the rule of the Empire of Prisca or inhabitants of the small kingdoms fighting against it. On the other hand, Nashars still rule a great part of the Heljol desert(southern Maharmet). The term halfling is a racist name invented by humans. Dwarves Location: The Costelno mountains, the south-eastern Heljol desert and the central and southern part of Malio. Physical description as PHB dwarves. Dwarves have never played an enormous part in world politics. They tend to have a peaceful but isolationnist attitude. The Costelno dwarves rule over a strong kingdom in the mountains while on Malio, almost all dwarven lands are controlled by the Empire of Prisca. Dwarves hold a good part of the Heljol desert. Humans Location: Karastel, Vinosslan, the Empire of Prisca and the southern part of Malio Physical description as PHB humans. Since they were freed from Nashar rule, humans have never stopped growing. Karastel does not possess large territories but its lands are extremely rich in minerals and fertile ground. Vinosslan and the Empire of Prisca, on the other hand, rule over large empires. The first controls more than half of Nehilio while the other controls half of Malio. Both are still expanding. Goblins Location: Malak, Klarahk, Ramakomysh and the North of Malio Physical description: as Monster Manual goblins In Kinel, goblins are, along with humans, the most powerful race. Their society is highly civilized and militaristic. Although they call themselves clans, the 3 goblin nations are far more than that. Malak is an empire that controls a large part of Nehilio and the other two are powerful kingdoms. The three share one characteristic: the musical language. Thanks to their keen ears, goblins have a natural talent for music. That's why they have created an almost perfect musical language that cannot be understood by other races(it contains high and low-pitch sounds that the other races cannot perceive). This language is used only as a way to transmit orders extremely efficiently on the battlefield, thus increasing coordination and reducing the need for low-grade officers and messengers. This means of communication gives them a powerful edge in battle. I'm currently working on regional traits to replace racial traits. Most of them correspond to a nation but some nations are divided to really represent their different regions.
Rekko 01-22-05, 09:52 PM	hey! hey! power to the goblins!
Ayers 01-22-05, 10:06 PM	Hey, this is pretty neat. I was reading Kinel before when it was up a while ago, but I never got to finish it 'cause my internet went down for about 8 months. But I really like what you're doing, and have done. I just have one question. Do Psionics fit into your campaign at all? If they do exist are they viewed like magic, or is it considered to be something else?
Rekko 01-22-05, 10:54 PM	As I know so far, there are no psionics in this setting. We never did actually took the time to think about it. You have to note that there is no more differences between arcane and divine, so I think that if we add up psionic powers it would be seen as magic. Maybe adding a few powers from the psion list to the soul mage spell list would be some way of incorporating psionics. But in my opinion, psionic classes doesn't fit with the flavor of having only one spellcasting class. But if you want to play with your version of Kinel with psionics, go for it. I suggest that psionic powers are seen like magic and added to the soul mage spell list, or redo the spell list so that it is a power list and that instead of playing with magic, you play with powers. On the other hand, the soulknife class could fit in some ways with the Guardian of the Blue Star. Knowing that the average Guardian is a Ftr2/Rgr2 with TWF and disarm feats, the soulknife would have to be level 5 to split his mind blade into two and use TWF and disarm. So the soulknife will overpower this organisation. Malyss and I have to talk on this subject, but I guess the answer will be that we will not add psionics to Kinel.
Ayers 01-23-05, 11:28 AM	As I know so far, there are no psionics in this setting. We never did actually took the time to think about it. You have to note that there is no more differences between arcane and divine, so I think that if we add up psionic powers it would be seen as magic. Maybe adding a few powers from the psion list to the soul mage spell list would be some way of incorporating psionics. But in my opinion, psionic classes doesn't fit with the flavor of having only one spellcasting class. But if you want to play with your version of Kinel with psionics, go for it. I suggest that psionic powers are seen like magic and added to the soul mage spell list, or redo the spell list so that it is a power list and that instead of playing with magic, you play with powers. On the other hand, the soulknife class could fit in some ways with the Guardian of the Blue Star. Knowing that the average Guardian is a Ftr2/Rgr2 with TWF and disarm feats, the soulknife would have to be level 5 to split his mind blade into two and use TWF and disarm. So the soulknife will overpower this organisation. Malyss and I have to talk on this subject, but I guess the answer will be that we will not add psionics to Kinel. That's what I thought, it doesn't really fit into the feel of the setting, but I had to ask. Thanks for your help.
Malyss the defender 01-23-05, 01:54 PM	I've never really been interested in psionics. I've read the 3.0 psionics handbook but I feel it doesn't really fit a fantasy campaign. IMO, psionics would be better in a sci-fi game.
Ayers 01-23-05, 02:16 PM	I don't know, I think that low-medium levels of Psionics could fit into a D&D game, if the conditions are good. But that is not why I'm posting again. I would just like to know if you have posted the stats for the Soul Mage yet. If you haven't when do you think you'll have it up? If you have can you direct me to it?
Rekko 01-23-05, 02:36 PM	The soul mage stats are in the post #8 on this page.
Malyss the defender 01-25-05, 06:41 PM	The Liberation Long ago, Nashars ruled Maharmet. Their kingdoms extended from the great Heljol deserts to the fertile plains that would become the Karastelan territory. Nashar society was very hierarchised and everyone had a very specific role in it. They were neither nomads nor sedentarians but more a mix of the 2.Low and middle class people lived in small villages with each village specializing in a particular type of agriculture or breeding. Some villages also specialized in a particular craft. As for the noble class, it lived as nomads, traveling the continent with enormous caravans. They stopped at every village and traded the village's specialty for a part of every other village's. This system insured that every village had a varied alimentation but nobility always had first choice. A person chosen by the nobles, usually a villager who had been particularly outstanding or another noble they wanted to get rid of in a subtle way ruled each village. This position was considered an honour that couldn't be refused. In every part of society, slavery was commonplace. Even the poorest villagers often had 1 or 2 slaves at their service. Those slaves were mostly goblins and humans. They were usually treated as a little more important than cattle. Around –10 (current year is 1684,year 0 being the year of foundation of the first Malak city), an epidemic, spreading amazingly fast due to the Nashars' nomadic lifestyle, was weakening their empire. The disease affected animals and crops and caused a great period of famine in the Kingdoms. The villagers started to blame their leaders for the death of cattle and small rebellions were started all across the continent. Goblins, however, were immune to this particular disease. Malak, the goblin slave of a powerful noble, observed the Nashars for several years and came to the conclusion that rebellion could lead goblins to freedom and power. He studied their fighting techniques and taught them to the other goblins at night whenever his caravan stopped at a village. Tales of a war for freedom spread across the continent and goblins started training secretly. Then, one day, the war started. Small armies of goblins with improvised weapons against the organised troops of the Nashar Empire. It was a massacre and Malak realised that they were outnumbered. There was only one solution left: teach humans everything he had learned and convince them to join the goblins. 10 years later, the Nashar Empire fell, defeated by those who were once their slaves. Nashars were restricted to live in the Akhierdan plains and the 2 victorious races started to build their own society each on their own. Today, most of this is forgotten but sometimes places are named after heroes of this war. Malak is the name of the western clan and one of Karastel's most glorious cities, Meiol, is named after the leader of men in this war.
Malyss the defender 01-26-05, 03:42 PM	Akhierdan Nashars After the war, the nomadic Nashars being confined to the plains and not having their slaves to sustain them, famine struck. Of course, most of the survivors were the nobles, who did not do much except art. They had to learn how to hunt and grow food but they continued to do music and other art forms to escape their harsh reality. Slowly, the once powerful nobles became humble and adopted a more communistic view of life. The Nashar culture in present times was mainly inspired by traditional Kazakhstan culture. As you know, Nashars were not completely nomad before the liberation and now they are still not. There are litterally hundreds of clans and each one has its territories, called Kolbiras, where they stop for 1-3 months, sometimes more. Each clan has 3-10 of these small territories and some are shared between clans. Often, Akhierdan Nashars plant seeds of vegetables or fruits in their Kolbiras and harvest them when they come back the next season. These territories are often very far apart so their inhabitants spend many days or even weeks traveling between them. Among Nashars, the elders are the most respected members of the society. Nashar clans have between 50 and 300 people and the leader is usually the oldest person able to rule in the clan, though it is rarely a woman. In Nashar society, women and men are relatively equal. Usually, men are the ones who hunt and take decisions while women take care of children and home but it is not that rare to see a woman hunt or a man cook. As soon as they are able, children are taught multiple art forms. The oldest child of a family must take care of his parents until they die, as if to pay back what they have done for him. This does not prevent the oldest child to have children of his own, he simply lives with his parents, his wife and his children. Anyway, Nashar families are not as tight as those of other races. A child will be taken care of by any member of the community. In some clans, children do not even know who their biological parents are. Akhierdan Nashars live in tents made of animal pelts with small wooden folding doors. These tents are merely used to sleep and when the weather is bad because everything is done outside. Nashars have no specific time to eat, they take snacks of varying sizes all day long and finish the day with a great feast where everyone of the clan comes and dances around a fire. They eat cheese, yoghurt, sheep, horse, nuts, berries and the many kinds of animals they hunt depending on the region. When they are near the sea, a lot of fish is eaten, obviously. Hospitality is very important for Nashars. Whenever someone requests hospitality, he will be accepted and treated very well. A guest will be served the brain of the Laspio, a large green and purple bird that is considered a sign of good fortune. Of course, refusing to eat this meal is a great offense. After this meal, a small show is made in honour of the guests. In return, the guests must show some of their talents. At their Kolbiras, Nashars sometimes organize giant artistic contests that can last for days. Most members of the clan present a performance that can be of any length, sometimes even lasting more than 5 hours. The performances can be solo or in groups and can be anything but most are poets, musicians and singers. The performances are usually improvised. At the end of the contest, a winner is chosen by vote(by raising hands usually) and this person receives a gift, often a horse or something related to his art form. Nashars are very peaceful but war between clans is not unheard of. When fighting, their tactics can be very effective. They mainly use light cavalry armed with sharp scimitars or short bows. The footmen use large but light wooden shields and one-handed spears, slings or bolas. When fighting a large group, they try to separate it into smaller groups so as to defeat it more easily. When hunting, they use the same tactics but cavalry also uses the lasso, a rope made to catch running animals. The lasso is also sometimes used in war, but it is rare.
Malyss the defender 01-27-05, 03:25 PM	You guys don't speak much. Anyway, here's The Chain. The Chain This group of villages represents the border between the goblin territories and the Karastelan territory. The goal of The Chain is to defend Karastel from any danger but mainly from goblin attacks. It was created by Lanisson Lanestar to watch goblin activities in order to prevent another war. For many purposes, The Chain is considered its own country even if it still receives funds and resources. It mints its own money, organizes its own trade and collects its own taxes. Each town (which are called Links of the chain) is governed by one or more leaders who are usually guardians of the blue star (a knightly group particular to Karastel, more on it later) or battle commanders. Due to this loose form of government based on military, life conditions are often miserable and crime level is very high. 13 towns line the border of Karastel and are part of The Chain. The largest town (about 8000 people) is simply called Central Guard. Naval power is only situated at West Guard and East Guard, the second most important towns of The Chain. The other towns are simply called Link1, Link2...(in the Karastelan tongue) and have from 800 to 4000 inhabitants. The Chain has a solid military force including a fleet of importance on the west coast and a smaller one on the east but the main strength of this defence line is its communication and information gathering system. Multiple roads connect the Links but they can also be contacted by bird messengers, smoke signals and other ways. There are also multiple patrols watching the surroundings and reporting anything wrong. Men of The Chain are mostly well-trained soldiers but there are also many criminals trying to escape the law and humans looking for easy plunder and rape. Corruption among high-ranking officers is also fairly common. In short terms, The Chain is far from the brave and lawful defence line it is said to be inside Karastelan borders. Since Karastel is at peace with the goblins, The Chain only suffers from various attacks by raiding bands containing both goblins and criminal members of other races. Recently, Mayocath, the 4th Link of The Chain has been completely pillaged and burned to ruins by a very large group of raiders. Fortunately, the leader of this band has been captured and executed after the attack on Mayocath. Later on, thanks to the information discovered by a loyal Guardian of the Blue Star from Mayotre, this raiding band’s headquarters were found and destroyed. The group had almost 500 members at its peak.
Rekko 01-27-05, 05:48 PM	Since Karastel is at peace with the goblins, The Chain only suffers from various attacks by raiding bands containing both goblins and criminal members of other races. Recently, Mayocath, the 4th Link of The Chain has been completely pillaged and burned to ruins by a very large group of raiders. Fortunately, the leader of this band has been captured and executed after the attack on Mayocath. Later on, thanks to the information discovered by a loyal Guardian of the Blue Star from Mayotre, this raiding band’s headquarters were found and destroyed. The group had almost 500 members at its peak. That's it! We give no credits to the real informator !!! Here's what really happened: Five days before the execution: Yes, what a perfect day! I managed to find someone to sew an duelist-like outfit to pass more unnoticed. It will be ready in two days. I also managed to find a charismatic bard who agreed to organize a manifestation against Oztan's execution. He doesn't know that I am a raider. I was able to convince him partly that killing a bad individual was no good for the Balance of Gaïa. Since, he was partly convinced ,I bought his services: 50 gp. Not to bad. The manifestation will create a diversion and I shall free my former leader. We decided to meet at the inn of the Big Bearded Man tomorrow night. Four days before the execution Well... if yesterday was a good day, today is surely the worst. I'm writting these lines behind two barrels, in a very narrow dead-end. I am hiding from Guardians of the Blue Star. When I tried to pass the gate of the inner circle, to go at the inn where I was supposed to meet with the bard, the two guards though of me beeing a raider. I lied to them that I wasn't but when they were bringing me at the prison, I fled and hide here. I'm going to have a look around. It's past midnight and almost no guard on posts. Three days before the executions Well, I was wrong for yesterday. Today is definitively the worst day of my very short life. I'm going to be executed at the same time than Oztan. This Diary is no longer of importance, but it makes me pass the time, so here's a few details about my capture: I was spotted bu two of the five guards that were on a round. They were three Guardians of the Blue Star and two city guards. I quickly hide at the same place then before. A aged Guardian came in the dead-end first. He didn't find me, but I struck him into the shoulder twice. Then, he swung his curved blades and hardly touched me. Then I missed him, so he took advantage and slashed my arm with both of his daggers. I hit him on the head and he scrathed my back. Injured, he gave me a chance to surrender, another Guardian was coming in the narrow passage. Angry and not going to give up, I struck. He blocked with his knives, but my spear slipped away, drilling his wrist and bursting the neck. The other Guardian struck fast. I managed to block his first attempt with my spear but I received the point of his other dagger in my side. I fainted When I woke up, A Guardian named Altos was healing my injuries. I talk to him a bit. Enough to propose him a deal. two days... Altos presented me to a high ranked Guardian. Banon. pretty looking guy, but very cold with me. Well... my life is safe... for now... The deal is: I gave him the raider's headquarter's location. In exchange, I have a lifelong exile from Karastel and I shal have a hand cut off. The lifelong exile can be remove by the king or the chief of the Central Guard. I did'nt wan't to cut one of my hand so I managed to exchange it for an ear. I told Banon that I like my father, music and that I could no more play my father's horn if I had only one hand. Well, that's pretty good. The only thing is that if anything goes wrong in the attempt to attack the HQ, I'll be executed right away. It looks like I'm going to have to fight my old "folks" after the execution of Oztan. Want to read more on my player character, just click on that link in my sig.
Malyss the defender 02-01-05, 07:50 PM	A text I did recently about Vinosslan. Vinosslan The Vinosslan kingdom was founded when a large city in the north of Maharmet freed itself from karastelan domination by slaying the whole Venestar family line. Now, it has become the largest empire of its days. But size does not always matter as most of Vinosslan territory is made of the cold rocky lands of Nehilio. Many southerners say that its people are cold, snobbish and greedy as is their homeland. They are, indeed, crafty merchants and proud people but rather accommodating. Although Vinosslan has a large population, it is mostly concentrated in the southern Nehilio peninsula and in the region surrounding Vinosslan city. Small villages and towns can be found up in the north but they are very rarely far from the coasts. The extreme north is almost inhabited and a few indigenous tribes who were pushed back by the arrival of Vinosslan settlers still live there. The largest cities of the empire are Koiyolar, a port city where lies the first university ever built, Manorok, where the King spends his summers, and Vinosslan, where he lives during winters. Because of the lack of fertile lands, the Vinosslan kings have developed an expansionist attitude that led them to enter conflict against Malak, Karastel and the Empire of Prisca multiple times. About two decades ago, King Aldorin Cereisan ordered the invasion of two large islands in an archipelago owned by the empire of Prisca. The war that resulted was solved quickly and Vinosslan got to keep the two islands but tensions still remain between the two nations. Additionally, the same king extended the borders of Vinosslan by taking the only Karastelan territory in Nehilio during the Unfair War. He also conquered a part of Malak territory during a bloody 10-year war. On the bright side, this expansionist policy has led the Vinosslan Empire to build an enormous and very modern fleet of commercial and exploration ships. It is fifteen years ago, at the age of 15, that Toled Cereisan took the throne of his father. The ambitious monarch has since then started multiple reforms in order to improve the economy and facilitate the administration of his empire. Within the first 10 years of his reign, he greatly reduced the power of local lords and aristocracy to increase his own. Instead of taking territory held by other nations, however, he set his eye on the new continent: Moncalso. In fact, he promised generous rewards to any family that settles on the new lands and additional rewards for any children the settlers might have. Religion is a big part of a Vinosslan’s life. Vinosslan’s faith it is similar to Malak’s, but its priests sometimes turn a blind eye on soul magic, which is seen as the lesser of two evils when used by a member of the church to fight heretics. There is also a strong minority of people following the Karastelan religion, especially in Koiyolar. Huge amphitheatres and stadiums where various shows are presented frequently characterize Vinosslan cities. Another interesting feature of the Vinosslan urban centres is that of Pandus, members of a sect that encourages pacific refusal of all forms of authority. These men, and women although they are rarer, live by doing small shows of “magic” tricks such as sitting on a nail-covered plank, spitting flames, juggling with torches, etc. Although this organisation is illegal and has been condemned as heresy by the Church, its members can live without fear of reprisal since a citizen somewhere is always eager to help them hide and even town guards often ignore them on purpose.
Malyss the defender 02-03-05, 03:41 PM	For those who read the previous thread,this organisation has changed from the first version. Northern Adventuring & Exploration League (NAEL) A bit more than a 100 years ago, the city of Koiyolar was founded on the coasts of Nehilio. It quickly expanded to become one of the continent's largest cities and a famous starting point for further explorations for it was near from the chain of mountains and from the coast. The task facilitated by the city, many adventurers seeking fortune helped mapping out and colonizing most of the mountains but none ever dared to go on the other side because of the legends told by the mountain barbarians. Some 80 years ago, though, a rich merchant named Clethar Raidwin started to organize an expedition to the north, financed in part by the kingdom. Unfortunately, the expedition was cancelled due to a tidal wave destroying a big part of the city. The king decided that rebuilding the city was more important so he cancelled the funding and Raidwin couldn't afford it. 20 years after this disaster, Lena Raidwin, Clethar's daughter, tried to revive the project. She managed to fund the expedition but soon after it began, they were attacked by a flock of wyverns. None survived except her. She returned to Koiyolar, stayed for a few days and then disappeared, never to be seen again After her disappearance, most people thought she simply could not bear the pain of having seen her friends all die and committed suicide. In fact, Lena, formerly a devout follower of the Karastelan faith, never left the city. She spent the days before the disappearance thinking and came to a conclusion; What if the dragons did cause the cataclysms and disasters of the world but didn't do it because it was necessary to keep balance? What if the two dragons themselves had spread the rumour that their death would result in the death of the world? What if all those tales about balance were only superstitions spread by the dragons so they could keep their power? The answer was simple: the dragons had to be killed. The world would then only be a better place to live in. To achieve this goal, she decided to found a secret organization in which everyone would be trained to kill dragons by any means. For this purpose, she created the Northern Adventuring and Exploration League, an organization that was meant to accomplish her goal while under the cover of a commercial league. The guild that she founded quickly grew due to her talent as a businesswoman, but her zealous crusade against dragons never really started: the secret part of the organization never got more than 50 adepts. Instead, the commercial guild became very influential and, after Lena’s death, all traces of its original purpose had disappeared. Today, the organization has become a full-fledged company that controls a big part of Vinosslan commerce. Now that the northern part of Nehilio has been completely explored, the company started financing expedition to Moncalso. N.A.E.L was the first company to throw the basics of an economy based on capital instead of landholdings. In fact, the company’s revolutionary concepts and enormous influence has gotten the attention of the King of Vinosslan, who feels that it could be both a threat to his power and a strength that he could take advantage of. While his father tried to reduce the company’s power, he understands its influence and may someday try to take control of it
Malyss the defender 02-03-05, 03:54 PM	I'd like people to participate and have a say in this thread so, now that you have a general idea of Kinel, just tell me which topic you want me to talk about and I'll see what I can do. Also, if you have any ideas of your own or suggestions, go ahead!
Malyss the defender 02-05-05, 09:12 PM	A small bump, and if no one asks about a particular topic, the next post will be about goblins(either one of the 3 clans)
Rekko 02-05-05, 09:29 PM	I want to learn more about the secrets and mysteries of Ramakomysh, but informations on Klarahk could be useful. But, I'm Malak, so I would be glad to here from my own people and their original traditions.
Malyss the defender 02-07-05, 11:48 AM	Ramakomysh Ramakomysh is clearly the less known of the 3 goblin clans. Lush forests cover this clan’s territory and the legends of what inhabits them haunt the dreams of many human children. It is believed that these forests are haunted, and when one hears the eerie sounds of pipes and harps at night, it is hard to doubt it. Goblins from the Ramakomysh clan are physically identical to Malak’s except for the color of their skin and eyes. Indeed, Ramakomysh goblins have skins that are slightly redder than their Malak counterparts and they often have purple eyes. On extremely rare occasions, a Ramakomysh goblin can also be born with a blue or purple skin. These weirdly coloured goblins are often mentally deficient and killed at birth or rejected. During the Unfair War, Ramakomysh was the last nation to join the alliance of Vinosslan and the goblin clans against Karastel. It did not take long however to prove that Ramakomysh could hold its own in this war. Borrowing the best fighting tactics of each nation, Ramakomysh commanders advanced through Karastelan lands with a ruthless efficiency, burning everything on their path that was not stolen. They then laid siege to Meiol for a whole year and managed to take control of the city. The war might have ended there but, while Ramakomysh was slowly gaining advantage, tensions between Malak and Klarahk commanders were causing disorder among the armies fighting for the control of Jolin. This disorder allowed Lanisson Lanestar to put his plan into place and defeat the majority of the Malak and Klarahk armies. Seeing their allies defeated, Vinosslan signed a peace treaty with Karastel and Ramakomysh did not dare face Karastel alone so they also accepted to sign a peace treaty. Even though the war was not successful, it let believe that Ramakomysh is more powerful than it seems. Multiple factors explain this power but the main factor is the variety of weapons and fighting styles. In Malak and Klarahk, armies have hundreds of formations and tactics usually involving the favoured weapon of the clan while Ramakomysh borrows from the other cultures to have the best weapon for every moment. Indeed, Ramakomysh uses fast cavalry armed with scimitars and short bows like Nashars, large shields, heavy weapons and unorthodox weapons such as alchemist’s fire as dwarves and, of course, the best tactics of their Malak and Klarahk counterparts. Ramakomysh goblins also have better knowledge of siege warfare than the 2 other goblin clans. For unknown reasons though, Ramakomysh seems less prone to war than the other clans. Ramakomysh music is eerie and haunting. Their main instruments are harps and flutes, which they play with amazing skill. In Ramakomysh, music is considered something holy. Anyone who decides to become a musician must devote his whole life to his art and is forbidden to wield a weapon. Ramakomysh goblins use the musical language like the other clans but since musicians cannot fight, they stay at the back and horsemen are used to transmit orders to the front. This makes Ramakomysh armies a lot better than human armies at transmitting orders but make them vulnerable against a fast Malak or Klarahk army. Relkan Angshar, the goblin who founded the Purple Moon Company, is from Ramakomysh(The Purple Moon Company is a legendary group of five musicians known throughout all civilized land and composed of members of different races) The Ramakomysh clan has important trading pacts with dwarves, humans and of course also with Malak and Klarahk. This gives them insight in the other governments but the opposite is not true. Ramakomysh goblins do not let any non-goblin see the villages that are inside forests unless on rare occasions and all trade is done either in the coastal villages or in encampments made especially for this. This way, no one knows exactly what is inside Ramakomysh cities. Here are common theories made to explain why Ramakomysh don't let anyone in and why the forests seem haunted: · The forest is really haunted by evil spirits and Ramakomysh goblins are actually trying to protect the non-goblins from these spirits. This theory is the one usually used by commoners when they tell stories of Ramakomysh to their children. · During the Unfair War, it is rumoured that Ramakomysh had possession over many magic items. Some say these items are deep in Ramakomysh's forests and are slowly affecting their environments, creating monsters and mutants. This would explain the rare blue or purple goblins. · Ramakomysh goblins are preparing an attack against either Karastel or the goblin clans. They are experiencing with magic to create weapons of incredible power. · Goblins or another race allied with them are doing magical experiments so as to find a way to use magic without causing damage to the Earth but still be as efficient as soul magic. · The forest is not haunted but people believe it is because of the eerie music played by the goblins. This music, combined with normal sounds of the forest, creates an atmosphere that scares most non-goblins and even drives them insane. · The goblin villages are of extreme beauty and non-goblins cannot resist staying to live there. The Ramakomysh are trying to prevent this from happening because they do not want their lands to be disturbed by non-goblins. Of course, these theories are mostly fairy tales told around the fireplace but some of it might be true…
Rekko 02-07-05, 04:23 PM	The Malak/Klarahk conflict Reasons of the war? No one knows for sure why war have started back between Malak and Klarahk. People tells different versions of different stories. The rumour mostly heard is that Malak goblins have arrested a dwaven cargo in direction to Klarahk filled with muskets and gunpowder. Even tough, I think that the true reason behind this war is that ghosts from the past Malak/Klarahk conflicts have been awaken and that Klarahk needed something to happen to declare war once again. Costelno, back in action! The ground trembled with all its will under hundreds of step. The jingle of the rain on hundreds of armors could be heard clearly. The lights of hundreds of torches revealed hundreds of sturdy forms. Dwarves, hundreds of dwarves were passing at the Laspio encampment. They ask for food and shelter, but obviously the Laspio couldn't afford those requests. It's the first time in years, if not decades, that the dwarves leave their dwellings in the mountains. Unfortunatly they are going to war and probably put a term to it. They are heavily loaded. A dwarf could have a mousquet and a big maul or warhammer. They have canons and cavalry. They are going to massacre Malak. (extract from A Goblin's Diary) Effects of the war Villages have been put to ashes. Some men will never see their wives again. Injuries are frequent, cries always present and deseases are spreading fast. As you can see, Malak will have difficulties putting itself back on feet. Some warriors attack in shock troops. Some uses poisons to spread deseases into encampments. Fear awakens everyone in the middle of the night. When and how will it end? No one knows. Karastel in the war Rumours says that Klarahk goblins, Karastelans and Costelno dwarves have settled an encampment in the ruins of Mayacath, but it is only rumours. Another rumour says that the criminal leader of a raiding group, Oztan Darnvower, that have been executed in Mayatre is still... alive..gulp... and plotting against Karastel. It is said that he dwells somewhere in Klarahk lands and teaches Black Magic to willing and unwilling goblins. He wants to take advantage of this war to avenge himself from Karastel ans a goblin who delivered his raiding band to The Chain authorities. (And that goblin is...ME! AHHHHH!!!!!) So, now, Malak goblins are really scared of this Oztan Sorcerer and attack quickly without planning anything. They really hope that Karastel will joined them against Klarahk so this war ends and this Oztan is once again arrested.
Rekko 02-08-05, 09:22 PM	http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/8742/kinelmap2pl.th.jpg (http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kinelmap2pl.jpg) 1- Karastel 2- Vinosslan 3- Malak 4- Klarahk 5- Ramakomysh 6- Azkierdan plains 7- Costelno 8- Aestrid 9- ? 10- Prisca Hey Malyss, quote this in the first post !!!!!!!!
Malyss the defender 02-09-05, 03:18 PM	Yeah, I think I'll just wait until it's smaller before I quote it in the first post. It would scare people off :eek:
Ayers 02-09-05, 03:30 PM	:OMG! I agree with Malyss. That map is so...so big, nice, but big. Maybe if you brought it down a bit so that it was smaller.
Malyss the defender 02-11-05, 03:55 PM	A few facts about the North of Maharmet and the calendar used in Kinel. Karastel kingdom is about 250000 KM², which is approximately the size of England. From the dwarven mountain chains to the ocean is about 1,500000 KM² which is roughly 3x the size of France(This territory includes the 3 goblin clans, the Nashar plains, the Karastelan kingdom, the city of Vinosslan and a few dwarven villages) A year has 12 months of exactly 30 days each with 5 days of holiday that do not count in the calendar at the end of the year. In other words, there are 5 days between the 30th of December and the 1st of January. Mondays are always holiday. This is according to the widely accepted Malak calendar, in which the current year is 1684. Year 0 is the founding of the first Malak city.
Malyss the defender 02-16-05, 04:43 PM	Here's what I'll do: I write a list of everything I've already written for Kinel and you choose what I post next. Religion:more about faith and religious ceremonies in Karastel. and a to-do list for myself: Karastel Azeera-nad and surroundings Kinel Calendar Kinel history Kinel monetary system Bios for a few country leaders(especially Toled Cereisan of Vinosslan and the not-yet-named King of Malak) anything you guys want me to write about(even if it's something as weird as the reproducing habits of Akhierdan silk spiders and its effect on Nashar alimentation :P ) BTW Rekko,have you managed to reduce the size of the map, and how is your diary going?
Ayers 02-16-05, 04:56 PM	The Aestrid Isles: two small islands west of Nehilo,formerly a karastelan territory
Malyss the defender 02-16-05, 05:01 PM	Since there's only two people following this thread,there's no need to wait for another vote ;) .BTW,do you have any comments on what I posted until now? Aestrid Not that far west from the Vinosslan peninsula lay two peaceful islands of green hills and large pastures. There, between a few scattered sheep eating slowly, a small group of grey old men talk of all and nothing while they watch life pass by. This is only one facet of the Aestrid islands. Their people are strong-willed, proud and susceptible but also placid and tender. They enter battle laughing and joke about death as if life was nothing but a never-ending comedy, but above all, no feeling is greater than their love for their small country and for the quiet days they live there. While the country does have its fair share of valuable minerals and fertile lands, its real value comes from its strategic position at a crossroads between Karastel and Vinosslan and as a springboard for explorations to the west or to the north. Additionally, the isles’ calm bays, nice weather and flat terrain make for easily accessible ports. That’s why the two islands were fought over so many times. In fact, the territory has been occupied by 3 different nations in the last century. Every time, it ended the same way: after long and costly wars against the guerrilla bands of resistant forces, the invaders withdrew, nonetheless leaving behind the best elements of their culture. The 3 nations of modern times who dealt with the Astridians were the Malaks, the Vinosslans and the Karastelans. Karastelans, however, learned from the mistakes of others and, as soon as the first signs of rebellion appeared, accepted to give the country a form of independence. The nation is still officially a dominion of Karastel but is in all ways independent. Of course, in times of war, the king of Aestrid would be bonded by honour to come to the help of Karastel and it is also expected of him that he favours Karastel over other nations in matters of trade, but this is to what extent their relation goes. The treaty that discusses such matters was signed by King Neas Manuestar in the city of Jensin a few years before the Unfair War. The Aestrid isles did send a few troops to help Karastel against its enemies. Due to the Aestrid people’s independent nature, their king does not have full authority on his subjects. He deals with international and military affairs but most internal affairs are treated by independent city-states under an aristocracy based chiefly on commercial power. Those who live far from the big urban centers often form unions of farmers and Shepards to facilitate tasks or otherwise live in small tribes. Religion in the Aestrid Isles is omnipresent and its people are particularly devout. Their system of beliefs comes from the constant pressure by Malak priests to convert people to their faith. The Astridians, however, have kept some of their traditions and included them in their new faith. For example, carved rocks and trees representing the forces of nature adorn the country roads and animal bodies are often hanged from trees as offerings. Malak priests, who dictate that all religious icons must be kept within specially made sanctuaries and must not be viewed by pagans, would consider both practices sacrileges. They also forbid ritual sacrifices, which are associated with the barbaric faiths of the Klarahks. Monastic traditions from Karastel and Vinosslan are also a big part of the Aestrid landscape. These include secluded monasteries but also the Nossund, sages who travel the land and live upon the hospitality of people. These wise men are said to predict the future of those who are truly generous and faithful. In Karastel, there is a sort of fascination for the man of Aestrid. Legends often depict fearless black-haired men with dark humor as men “of Astridian blood”. Lanisson Lanestar is one such man. Although he probably had no Astridian relatives, his appearance and personality did fit with the stereotype.
Rekko 02-16-05, 05:21 PM	Bios for a few country leaders(especially Toled Cereisan of Vinosslan and the not-yet-named King of Malak) BTW Rekko,have you managed to reduce the size of the map, and how is your diary going? I thought I was king of Malak :P I didn't managed to reduce the map's size. In fact, I don't really have the time to do anything else than school work, so the diary will still have to wait. Aestrids ---> Nice! But, haven't you work more on the Aestrids? I want to read more about the... spiders! (running joke....). Seriously, I want to hae a well made Guadian of the Blue Star post in an "Order, Guild and Organisations" style perhaps.
Malyss the defender 02-16-05, 06:10 PM	Nope,I haven't done anything else on the Aestrid Isles,this text is the same I sent you the other day. Guardians Of The Blue Star in "Orders,guilds & Organizations" style is a good idea. The format makes it easier to write.I'll see what I can do. BTW: If it's the second time someone talks of a joke,it's not a running gag yet :) .
Ayers 02-17-05, 05:30 PM	For comments I would say that this is probably one of my favourite threads on the boards. There is an awful lot of creativity that comes out of the two of you guys. My favourite part of this entire thread was the Soul Mage so far. I really enjoyed it. The Aestrid post was great. Liked the history behind it.
Rekko 02-17-05, 07:12 PM	EDIT: I posted cool organisation that Malyss removed from Kinel. Have a look at the Round Table on the thread Orders, Guilds and Organisation from Swedish Viking
Malyss the defender 02-18-05, 03:15 PM	Euh, actually I removed The Round Table from Kinel. It is a nice organization but it doesn't fit with the flavor of the world. But if you want to see a good world that does use an organization similar to this one, check out the thread about the Empire of Mikra, that should be up soon (Rekko's setting) :)
Rekko 02-18-05, 03:56 PM	Euh, actually I removed The Round Table from Kinel. It is a nice organization but it doesn't fit with the flavor of the world. But if you want to see a good world that does use an organization similar to this one, check out the thread about the Empire of Mikra, that should be up soon (Rekko's setting) :) hey hey hey, there might be a new thread in march named like that ;)
Ayers 02-19-05, 07:47 PM	hey hey hey, there might be a new thread in march named like that Can't wait 'till March then. Hopefully Malyss the Defender will get some more information up here until then, and even then I hope he keeps posting. Must keep this thread alive!
Rekko 02-19-05, 07:52 PM	Well, my thread shouldbe posted in the first days of march. As for keeping this thread alive, you can count on me to put pressure on him so he keeps posting. I don't know why he didn't post anything since the Aestrid. Maybe he's re-working again on the Guardians of the Blue Star? Ayers, you seem very fond of this setting. That's good :)
Ayers 02-19-05, 07:58 PM	Well, my thread shouldbe posted in the first days of march. As for keeping this thread alive, you can count on me to put pressure on him so he keeps posting. I don't know why he didn't post anything since the Aestrid. Maybe he's re-working again on the Guardians of the Blue Star? Ayers, you seem very fond of this setting. That's good :) I really like this setting, and would be very disappointed if it was stopped. Make sure you pressure him! ;)
Malyss the defender 02-20-05, 02:02 PM	don't worry,it won't stop.I didn't have time to work on the Guardians of The Blue Star yet but I will soon.Until then, you may choose another topic within the list of things already written.
Ayers 02-20-05, 05:32 PM	Good I hope to see you keep posting. As for what to see next, I would like to see Musket Stats and Malak but in no particular order. Whenever you get around to it would be fine. Also hope to see the Guardians of the Blue Star up sooner or later (preferably sooner! :D).
Malyss the defender 02-21-05, 03:43 PM	Here's a little hors-d'oeuvre while I work on the GBS (Guardian of the Blue Star) Musket As you know, guns exist in my campaign world although they haven't become widely used yet. The only kinds of gunpowder weapons invented are two-handed muskets and cannons. Here is the musket. I don't pretend that they are historically accurate, I only gave them stats as I wanted them to be. Tell me if you think they aren't balanced. Musket Simple weapon Damage : 2d10 Critical : 19-20/x4 Range : 60 ft. Weight: 10 lbs. Special: reloading takes 3 rounds. A musket ignores armor, shield and natural armor bonuses to armor class. On a roll of 1, the musket is completely destroyed and the wielder takes 1d10 damage. On a roll of 2-3, the gun’s barrel is destroyed and it can be repaired for 1/3 the cost of a new musket, the wielder takes 1d4 damage. On a roll of 4-5,the gun simply does not shoot and the powder is wasted, reloading puts the gun back to its normal state. Price: 750gp Gunpowder: gunpowder is sold in powder horns weighing 1 lbs full. of powder. These powder horns can be used for 100 shots before being empty. Price: 40gp Bullets: bullets are sold in packs of 100. They can also be made easily by melting soft metals. A pack of 100 weighs about 5 lbs. Price: 10gp Bayonet: A musket equipped with a bayonet is treated as a long spear. The musket can still be used while the bayonet is attached but repetitive use might damage the blade. When used alone, the bayonet is treated as a dagger for all purposes except that it cannot be thrown. It weighs 2 lbs. Price: 20gp Rapid reload (new feat): You are trained in the fast loading of muskets Requirement: BAB +1 Benefit: You can load a musket in 2 rounds. Special: A musket normally takes 3 rounds to reload. This feat can be taken as part of the fighter's list of bonus feats
Ayers 02-21-05, 05:06 PM	So how much gun powder is required to fire a single shot? Is it possible to use gun powder as an explosive weapon like a bomb?
Malyss the defender 02-23-05, 03:11 PM	well,a powder horn with enough powder for a hundred sots weighs a pound so if you substract the wight of the horn itself(which is not much),you need about 1/80th of a pound I guess. As to using it as a bomb,I don't know but I would say that lighting a pound(or maybe half a pound?) of powder would have effects similar to an alchemist's fire(1d6 dmg + splash in 5 ft radius)
Malyss the defender 02-23-05, 06:27 PM	Here's the first part of the GBS. As you can see, the text is far longer than I thought it would be. Guardians of The Blue Star Common Knowledge: Guardians of the Blue star are unique to Karastel. These blue-clothed human warriors are trained to track, disarm, guard and even write. A few Guardians are always on guard or patrol duty in every town, and a couple more are ready to fight in times of trouble, but the vast majority of time, they keep records of local history, yearly harvests and tribute to the lords. While admired by the population, these warriors and scribes are ridiculed and laughed at by many nobles, who have dubbed them Straw Knights. History: According to Nashar legends, when a person of great deeds dies, a star appears in the sky in its honour. One of these stars, a blue one that appears at dawn, was commonly attributed to a woman who, although she was a great warrior, managed to solve a conflict between two Nashar states peacefully. Early Karastelan storytellers, who were greatly influenced by Nashar literature, took this recurring theme and made it their own. In 385, Vinosslan lords rose against their Karastelan masters and asked for the creation of a state independent from Karastel. The conflict quickly came to arms, and Vinosslan lords assassinated multiple members of the royal family in the hopes of throwing the kingdom in a succession war. To prevent further assassinations, the King created a unit of elite Royal Guards. Because they needed to be quick and to know how to fight using stealth, they were armed with daggers. Additionally, they were trained to kill only as a last resort, so that murderers could be dealt with according to law, and by the King’s own hand. As a result, disarm quickly became their tactic of choice. However efficient these Guards were, they couldn’t have done anything to save the King. Indeed, the Guards’ training wasn’t even over when murderers struck and slew the Monarch and his whole family. Bards say that it is the King’s arrogance that killed him, because he refused to acknowledge the danger before it was too late. There was no war of succession though. A new King was quickly chosen by the Grand Dukes. While a Vinosslan army was marching towards the city of Selmianor, the new ruler wrote a letter to declare Vinosslan a kingdom independent from karastel. He then charged the leader of the Royal Guards to deliver the letter to the man who would become the first King of Vinosslan. A few years after the short war, an unknown poet wrote that the leader of the Royal Guards met the leader of Vinosslan armies under a starry sky at dawn, and that the Vinosslan lord ordered the death of the messenger. The poem then goes on to describe how the Guard used skilful diplomacy to free himself. The term Guardian of the Blue Star was coined by the author and stuck to the organisation. Later, another King had the brilliant idea to extend the organisation’s allegiance to the whole Kingdom in addition to the royal family. He ordered every Guardian of the Blue Star to train an apprentice and to spread in the country to protect each town and city. Moreover, he had them learn how to read and write so that they could be useful in times of peace.
Rekko 02-23-05, 07:12 PM	ooooouuu :) a bit of great changes I see. I can't wait to read more.
Ayers 02-23-05, 07:46 PM	That's pretty good. A little short, but I hear it's only the first part so that's okay. I like the history and depth you have put into the order, and especially the Straw Knight part.
Malyss the defender 02-24-05, 03:07 PM	ooooouuu :) a bit of great changes I see. I can't wait to read more. No great changes actually,only more details.There was practically nothing on the GBS in the old thread;this text was long overdue. BTW, tell me what you think of the new Kinel ad in my sig? Does it catch your attention? Would it make you want to learn more about the world?
Ayers 02-24-05, 05:25 PM	BTW, tell me what you think of the new Kinel ad in my sig? Does it catch your attention? Would it make you want to learn more about the world? I think it's pretty envoking, although I bet it would be a lot better if it was bigger in font. Maybe it's just my screen, but I think it looks really small.
Rekko 02-24-05, 07:17 PM	I agree on both facts. It is quite small and quite evocative. Though, we are particulary in love with Kinel. It would be best if you asked that question to other people on the forums. I guest you'll see a result of your sig if more than just Ayers and I reply to your fantastic world.
Malyss the defender 02-26-05, 10:36 AM	Yeah,it is quite small but I don't like invading sigs so I won't make it bigger and I don't know if it will really make people come to the thread because I rarely post on threads other than this one but eh,who knows?
Ayers 02-26-05, 10:38 AM	Alright then; I'll post it in mine! :D
Malyss the defender 02-26-05, 11:25 AM	He he!Thanks :P
Malyss the defender 03-02-05, 07:35 PM	Here is the long-awaited 2nd part of the Guardian of the blue star: Goals and Ideals: It has been a long time since a Guardian of the Blue Star was part of the King’s Royal Guard. Today, their goal is to protect urban centres, from the smallest village to the sprawling docks of Karastel City. Unlike other guardsmen, however, they are supposed to do so peacefully. The official procedure when encountering an enemy is to try to make him surrender using diplomacy. If that doesn’t work, the Guardian should either try to disarm the foe or scare him. Finally, if all else fails, the Guardian has the right to attack his opponent (while still trying to keep him alive to deliver him to justice and for further questioning). Obviously, some Guardians of the Blue Star skip the first step, or even all the steps altogether. It is quite forgivable. Indeed, try reasoning a charging krenshar into peaceful resolution of conflict. In fact, most Guardians will only face small bandits and wild animals during their career. It does not hold true for the Guardians of The Chain. There, Guardians of the Blue Star occupy key posts. Their role is to defend Karastelan lands from any invasion, especially by goblins. Because military is far more important on the borders of Karastel, experienced Guardians of the Blue Star often possess more influence than the feudal lords who rule officially. In The Chain, patrols are far more frequent and often result in the discovery and capture of small raiding bands, smugglers and various criminals trying to evade the law. The fighting part of the organisation is the most known, but Guardians are also valuable scribes. While a few men are patrolling the wild or standing at the city gates, even more are patiently noting local events, yearly harvest and tribute to the landholders. Meanwhile, others take care of the lands of the order. Leadership: There is no high authority ruling over the organisation as a whole. Each local cell chooses a leader among its members in the way they feel is right. Some leaders are hereditary, some are elected and others impose themselves by strength or ruse. In the end, however, the local Guardians of the Blue Star must always serve the lord whose land they live on Inner Workings: Unlike Knights, Guardians of the Blue Star can come from any social class. To enter the order, a man must swear an oath to protect his land and his lord above all, and to use force of arms only when necessary, among other things. Then, he becomes the apprentice of an established Guardian who will teach him how to fight and write. The minimum age to become an apprentice is 12 years old. After his apprenticeship, the future Guardian is submitted to a test that consists of standing guard alone for a night and a day without falling asleep. Although it seems hard, the test is more symbolic than anything else; if the apprentice is submitted to the test at all, it means he has already been accepted as a member. Long ceremonies then make him officially a Guardian of the Blue Star. The low cost of the equipment makes the organisation an interesting alternative for poorer lords who are inspired by the Knight’s oath but do not have enough gold to buy the horse and the sword required by chivalry. The only equipment required for a Guardian is blue clothes and the two daggers typical to the order. These 2 daggers are curved in a particular fashion that make them look like a claw when put together. They are made to be especially efficient at disarming. These daggers are the symbol of the Guardians of the Blue Star, and only them know the secret of their fabrication. Stealing or trying to reproduce a pair of these weapons can be punishable by death. Becoming a Guardian is a choice of life. There is no way to leave the order. However, after 18 years of service, or after a serious injury that incapacitates him, a Guardian may “retire” from the fighting part of the career. If so, the Guardian must continue to lend his services as a scribe. In exchange for his devotion, the local lord gives him a small track of land. At the Guardian’s death, this track of land is given to the man’s successors but because Guardians rarely have any children, the land often goes to the organisation. It is from these tracks of land that most of the Guardians of the Blue Star’s funds come from. Game Information: The twin daggers of the Blue Star are usually masterwork weapons. When used together, they give a +3 bonus to disarm. Most Guardians of the Blue Star who have fighting duties have fighter and ranger levels. In normal towns, they rarely exceed 2nd level while typical Guardians from The Chain are 3rd or 4th level.
Rekko 03-02-05, 10:47 PM	Great! I hope goblins can become a Guardian of the Blue Star.... even those who have already been punished by death, been exiled from Karastel and has a stolen pair of daggers of the Blue Star..... :P How long does the apprenticeship last?
Malyss the defender 03-03-05, 05:37 PM	about 2 or 3 years but it greatly varies.It really depends on the apprentice's experience and learning capacity (and that of his master;if a 2nd level guardian has a 4th level fighter as an apprentice, the apprenticeship won't be long)
Rekko 03-03-05, 09:25 PM	not another 2-3 years of apprenticeship... I'll be so old after that :P But then, if a 2nd level guardian has a 4th level fighter as an apprentice, the apprenticeship won't be long hi hi hi
Rekko 03-05-05, 07:10 PM	Recently, the Central Guard had the short visit of a weird goblin. He claims to be hunted by Oztan Darnvower. He was "carrying" a message for the Grand Duke of the Central Guard and the King of Karastel. A message to be heard by all... as he said. Well, if that's not crazy enough for you! I tell you. Oztan is quite dead actually, no man ...or sorcerer can escape the threat of death itself. Not even that weirdo. Rekko, as he called himself, gave us quite a show. Frightning more than one good man. Attracting the attention of all, even the nobles. No one heard his story... or believed it would be more appropriate to say. That red goblin came into the city ...possessed... as some say. He had blood covering his face and many scars and burns on his torso. He was riding a funny mount. I think it was a wild cat of the West, a krenshar he said. Nonsense! that's a wild beast! Well, he could not even step into the city. Guards came to him and through him into the dungeon where he should have died. He managed to escape, somehow... Two guards were found dead with a prisonner. The crazy fellow got himself arrested the day after. People say he didn't fought at all and that he surrendered saying he was willing to sacrifice his life to be heard. Weirdo... A noble went every day to hear his tells and songs until the day he proposed to the mad goblin to ask for the Justice of Arms. Which he did. That demand haven't been asked for centuries. It's a long forgotten tradition where a criminal would have to fight a champion and survive to be forgiven by Mother Earth herself. All the city went to the dual. Every one saw the red goblin becoming mad on the stage just before the fight. He said something like :"ha! ha! ha! Just like I wanted, kill that puppet for me!" Then the dual began and we were all a bit scared for at the beginning. The young and brave squire had difficulty to hit the damned one who fought with a superb technic. He made moves so spectacular that many women turned around so they could not see the death of the squire. But I think it was just flashy moves that did nothing big. Our champion got through with him in no time. And so this is the end of Rekko. This little goblin brought terrible news. No one trusted him. But if what he said was true? Could it be possible that... don't say it to loud... that black magic, By The Dragons! did i just say that?! Can it bring back people to life...
Malyss the defender 03-11-05, 09:26 PM	I've been either busy or lazy recently so I haven't done much but here's Malak as you asked. Oh,and BTW, Rekko, now that you're dead, maybe you could finish that diary once and for all? Malak To most members of the other races, the word “goblin” brings up images of a Malak goblin. Indeed, they are surely the least mysterious and those who are the most “normal” under human standards. Of course, the popular image of Malak goblins is not entirely false but the truth is far more complex. For example, commoners often see goblins as nothing more than killing machines with no sense of individuality. In truth, however, the Malak clan is divided into two opposing philosophies. On the ocean’s coast, people tend to give more importance to nature and art, to live their life without caring about the rest of the world and to be less prone to war compared to their inland counterparts who are harder due to harsh land conditions. However, these differences, far from dividing the clan, enrich it. Armed with nets and spears and backed by bagpipe players and chilling horns, the Malak goblins are probably the most disciplined of goblin troops. This great efficiency can be explained by the very severe criteria to enter military school and the hard training given there. A typical Malak soldier wears no armor. He holds a javelin, that he throws at first opportunity but must recover after battle or else pay it, a small and compact spear and a net that he uses only in special situations. To defend himself, the soldier holds a large rhomboid wooden shield covered with an extra net. To transmit orders, there is usually a bagpipe player wearing black and red robes for every 20 soldiers. The strength of Malak’s land armies lies in their excellent ranged troops. In addition to the javelins and nets, at military school, particularly talented goblins learn to draw the bow with great skill. On water, ships are mostly small, with 6 to 30 cannons, with the occasional great vessel carrying 100 or more. There are also many other sizes of ships but they are not used as often. In earlier times, dragon turtles were trained and used as warships but they are becoming les and less common. Malak has one of the world’s best navies. Malak goblins follow the same religion as karastelans but their beliefs are more structured and uniform. Additionally, they see Malak, the goblin who freed humans and goblins from Nashars, as a kind of Messiah that they worship and celebrate. To the Malak church, taking one’s freedom is the worst of sins. As karastelans, they believe souls are reincarnated in a new body but unlike karastelans, they believe that if a creature’s soul does not get better than in its previous life, it will be trapped in eternal solitude. Sinning, worshipping false gods, not being pious enough, refusing to give life or taking life can all lead to this state. Malak houses are made of wood and dried palm tree leaves or straw. There are about 6 to 8 people in a house. To protect them from inundations, these shelters are built on piles. Great stone arks surrounded by a wall serve as holy sites. These impressive buildings are the center of religious life but cannot be entered when not holding a religious ceremony. Travelers are common sight near the beautiful beaches of Malak. When visiting a Malak village, however, it is advised to bring a small gift to the village leader. Malak’s mainland territory is quite large but only a small portion of it is fertile enough to grow food for whole populations. This portion consists of a narrow line on the west coast, from the south of The Chain to the limits of Nashar territory. The main crop cultivated by Malak goblins is red peppers, which are very popular in the north for their use as spices and their food conservation properties. Traditionally, the rest of Malak alimentation came from cow breeding done in the less fertile parts of the territory and from the rich Melniator Ocean. Today, however, any extra food needed is easily imported from its many island and Nehilio settlements. It is the kingdom’s traditional dependence upon the narrow line of fertile land that caused it to constantly seek new lands. Today, Malak has many possessions overseas, including various islands and the western part of Nehilio. These colonies have been allowed to develop and are divided as any other part of Malak’s mainland territory would be. Colonists have recently started settling on a few large islands in the south of Moncalso. Moreover, multiple explorers have been sent to the new continent to map unknown regions and establish treaties with the indigenous tribes. Even though Malak religion is quite severe, it has not managed to get rid of old superstitions. For example, they believe that putting a wooden bowl on the beach when it rains will make fishers catch more fish. They also believe that hanging a cord of dried red peppers outside of a building from the roof to the ground will keep evil spirits away.
DiamondShade0 03-14-05, 03:57 PM	Hi Malyss, since i'm going to be a new player in your world I figured I could come and say ello. BTW, from where exactly does my Nashar comes on the map? :confused:
Ayers 03-14-05, 09:04 PM	Hey Malyss, Been away for a while. Just got a chance to look over what you've done since I've been away. Like the last post on Malak, quite interesting stuff you got there.
Malyss the defender 03-20-05, 06:20 PM	I'll try to write something up this week.I haven't been seriously working on Kinel for a while. I'll probably write about poisonmaking in Karastel(Rekko's new character is an herbalist) and the Empire of Prisca. Klarahk Klarahk goblins rarely use metal but make frequent use of bone, hide, scales and leather for their tools and weapons. This often makes people think that they are primitive but actually, Klarahk is the only kingdom that has made effective use of firearms. Indeed, Klarahk inventors have worked in cooperation with dwarves to create muskets with better aim and less chance of misfire. However, only Klarahk inventors and the few dwarves who worked on them know the secret of these weapons. Klarahk people also employ many war mounts, including horses but also wyverns, huge land turtles and other reptiles. Skilled goblin riders use the speed of these mounts and the musical language to wield firearms with ruthless efficiency. In a typical Klarahk army, goblin riders, protected by a ring of spearmen and shield bearers, first destroy catapults and other siege engines and then use their guns to scatter enemy formations. Then, archers fire a volley of arrows and retreat to let spearmen finish the job. In smaller groups, gunners and archers hide in bushes and use the terrain to their advantage to minimize casualties. While Ramakomysh armies are famous for the haunting music played during battles, Klarahk warriors are feared for their heart-stopping drums and the incredible choreography made by the movement of their troops. To understand many characteristics of the Klarahk people, it is necessary to know their religion. Indeed, Klarahk goblins do not believe in the earth’s balance. For them, all the misfortunes of the world come from a monster they simply call Lorath, meaning the beast. This monster is pictured either as a shadowy force from the deepest pits of the planet or as an enormous skulking behemoth. Lorath is a cruel god that requires many sacrifices from its followers, sometimes even requiring sacrifice of other sentient beings. For priests and followers of Lorath, strength is the most important attribute. They also value traditional roles for each member of the society, unity between their own people and respect of nature. Whoever is considered too weak to live must be sacrificed to their god. However, Klarahk goblins always judge people by their deeds, not by race, profession, or religion and respect powerful enemies. Wars are often viewed as gifts to Lorath and are considered holy. This probably explains why Klarahk goblins are more aggressive than those from the 2 other clans. Klarahk goblins have many religious rituals and humans consider most of them barbaric. These often involve long and complex dances followed by fights to death. At 13, the age of maturity for goblins, a youth must prove his strength by killing a savage alligator from the Klarahk swamps. To accomplish this task, he is given a long knife and he may also use a shield if he made one himself. Klarahk people usually live in small huts made of wood, vines, mud and any other material found in marshes. These huts are often built between the roots of a large tree (think Yoda’s hut on Dagobah in Empire Strikes Back). There is usually also a large temple in the center of the village. This temple is used for religious rituals and sacrifices but also as a community center where everyone meets and as a stronghold in case of attack. The tribe leader’s house is at the top of the temple and is often the only house made of stone. Tribal leaders are always high priests. Klarahk has trading pacts with all other races of Karastel but have particularly strong connections with dwarves. They even have a small military alliance. There is no secret surrounding Klarahk villages and anyone can access them freely but most dislike swamp environments so visitors are rare in Klarahk territories.
Malyss the defender 05-03-05, 05:04 PM	I see I haven't posted in a while.I've been a bit less inot D&D recently, and when I was, it was to prepare the next game. Anyway, here's Prisca. I've also worked a little on Karl Cipriad Malak the 11th, king of Malak and on High Priest sendar, leader of the Klarahks. I might post them sometime soon. Prisca The Priscan archipelago is a large island surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands of smaller ones. It covers the whole bay between Southern and Northern Malio, but some believe that the archipelago in the middle of the ocean between Nehilio and Malio, also in large part owned by the Priscans, is actually part of the same chain of islands. These islands are rich in construction wood, copper and fish, but fairly poor in iron. The archipelago’s climate is mild and humid. Its waters are home to many varieties of fish. The most well known of these fish is a shark that has adapted to living in temperate fresh water. For the followers of Meslinism, the local religion, it is a sacred guardian spirit. A few centuries ago, the Priscan islands were the grounds of constant strife between the many tribes who shared religion and culture but fought over resources. It all changed when the Sacred City of Seltandra, home of the Meslinist High Seat, took part in the conflict. The recently chosen Ballard, or Leader of the Church, sided with a weak but devout tribe that had been pushed out of the archipelago and had established on the Malio mainland. The Cardesi tribe, as it was called, subdued and converted a few of the Malio tribes and then took its archipelago territory back. Shortly after that, they went on to conquer the neighbouring lands. Before long, the whole archipelago bowed before the Cardesi tribe. It is at this point that the Ballard ordered the assassination of the tribe’s leader and proclaimed himself Ruler of Prisca. Today still, the Priscan Empire is a theocracy ruled with an iron fist by the Ballard. The Priscan Empire now comprises about half of Malio. The whole southern part of the territory is inhabited mainly by dwarves who have taken on the customs and religion of Priscans. As to the humans of the kingdom, they have very pale skin that makes them very easy to differentiate from Maharmet and Nehilio inhabitants. They also have a faint green tint to their face that makes them constantly look seasick, although a true seasick Priscan is a very rare occurrence. The Priscan religion is complex and, as theology is the most praised form of science, literature on the subject abounds. The system of beliefs started out as a simple culture of ancestor worship, only to evolve in the religion we know today as Meslinism. To summarize, another dimension, a sort of heaven, holds the Meslins, the spiritual forms of the dead and of those yet to come. These spirits can in no way affect their own dimension, but can weakly affect ours. It is the living that, by prayer and virtue, changes the spiritual world in a good way. Meslinists believe that sharks are the most capable of Meslins, chosen to act as guardians of the living. As to the Ballard, he is a living man chosen by the spiritual world to incarnate the Meslins’ will on Earth. Meslinist religious centres are large domes surrounded by ornate spires and topped by one. The interior of these churches is dimly lit and filled with smoke. A strong scent of incense surrounds the place. The walls are covered with somber shapes representing the Meslins, painted by the priests themselves. In the Sacred City of Seltandra, the Great Temple sits on an island of its own, connected by a magnificent stone bridge. At the death of each Ballard, a finely sculpted length is added to the bridge, detailing his deeds. On a different topic, in the last 50 years, the Priscan army has made no important territorial gains. To the south, the men of the dense Rammas forest always repel invasion while, in the north, the Rhaleïs goblins constantly threaten the borders. The Priscan army mainly uses tight formations of infantry that are efficient on open terrain, but lack the speed and flexibility to overcome the Rammas skirmishers. In the north, icebergs prevent ships from coasting the Rhaleïs land, and, on foot, the cold journey would be far too costly. On the other hand, except for the two extremities, the whole of Malio has been conquered and, thanks to assimilation and the presence of efficient troops, the conquered lands are under control. The said troops are easily recognizable by their blades, as slashing weapons may only be carried by soldiers. Moreover, when parading, which is a common thing among Priscan forces, they wear dark grey bowler hats with a copper-enforced brim
Araciss 05-04-05, 01:39 PM	Great work, Malyss and Rekko. Kinel was the (one of the) first CS(‘s) that caught my eye when I begun visiting the boards, and I’ve been “ghosting” at both the new and the old Kinel thread and Kinel: Malio (sp?) as well as “A Goblins Diary”. It is fun to read about the setting, and the CS does have a unique feel, though I’m not sure what makes me feel so. Maybe it's the intro and the Guardians of the Blue Star... And, since this is Kinel, I have to end with something you people hear a lot: I really like your goblins!
Rekko 05-09-05, 06:37 PM	Great work, as usual. I am impatient to read about Malak and Klarahk rulers. I have a suggestion for you. I kknow you really appreciate working on culture of the different contries, but how about detailing a few cities? A Karastelan one would be useful for the game, but I really don't care if you want to detail the Sacred City of Seltandra or any other metropolis.
Malyss the defender 06-15-05, 07:42 PM	I followed your tip, Rekko. I expected the text on Jolin to be shorter but writing about cities is surprisingly easy. BTW, the Gatheas Island I mention in the text is the large island east of Ramakomysh and Karastel, it has the Karastelan color as it is a colony. About 70% of its population is dwarven and the rest is mostly human. Jolin As tradition dictates, Jolin became the capital city of Karastel when the Lanëstar family got hold of the throne. Formerly a small port dedicated to the transport of riches from the Gatheas Island colony, Jolin’s commercial weight grew with the opening of trade routes to the southern desert nations after Melisian Colastar’s diplomatic success with the king of Azeera-nad. The establishment of the royal court in the city obviously also considerably increased its size. As a result, the capital’s size more than doubled in the past 50 years. This fast and confusing growth did bring its load of problems, the most important of which being the lack of space. Indeed, the city of Jolin is located on a narrow track of land that stretches for miles between the enormous Maresh Lake and the sea. Interestingly, royal courtiers proudly claim that, in a daring break with karastelan tradition, the Lanëstar family built its castle in the city’s center so as to be near its population. To these claims, more sceptical thinkers quickly reply that the land chosen for the castle is actually one of the only places in the city that is fully protected from floods. Moreover, they claim that, before the city started its uncontrolled expansion, the castle was actually far from the citizens’ homes, as are most castles in the kingdom. Did the Lanëstar family choose this ground for its proximity to the populace, or was it only a strategic choice based on simple personal interest? The debate will probably continue to liven nights at the court for a long time. Nevertheless, the relatively recent castle is magnificent with its thick masonry walls topped with white marble and the two dragons that seem to hold the central gate. The castle, however, isn’t the only thing that makes Jolin look so beautiful. In truth, the famous Gathean poet Satel found it so beautiful that almost half of his work is dedicated to it. At night, when standing on high ground, it is easy to understand his feelings: the city seems to stretch infinitely like a surreal passageway across the ocean. Every now and then, a torch-lit bridge passes over a tiny bay where fishermen drag their catch of the day in large nets. Finally, three lighthouses relentlessly guide sailors through night’s darkness.
Rekko 06-16-05, 08:16 AM	I see some boy running around with a cardboard on which is written "Applause" I like it. Could you tell us more about the trade market, who leads what and what other mysteries surrounds the city (corruption, greed, mafia...) Also, it would be interesting to have a list of important buildings and important people. Rekko
Malyss the defender 06-16-05, 03:27 PM	ok,so you want detailed descriptions of a particular city. I was doing more of a general feel of the city thing. What you're asking is something I wouldn't do unless I planned that PCs would go there and since I've got no campaign running right now...
Malyss the defender 06-22-05, 07:24 PM	Here's what I wrote for Meiol, looks more like a history class than a city description to me but eh. Hope it's interesting anyway :) Meiol The city of Meiol, named after Meiol the Wise, a key thinker and a potent warrior in the War of the Liberation, was the first free human city founded on Maharmet. As such, it copied almost exactly the common architecture and city planning of the human’s former masters, the Nashars. On the west side, far from any habitation, stands the palace. This construction, like other major Nashar structures of the time, looks like four round silos made of brick covered with red faience and topped by a dome pierced with highly detailed stained glass windows. The trade market is located right between the palace and a small river that runs through the city. Nashar cities always had their market beside the palace because the trade caravan nobles would deal only with the local ruler, who then dealt with the city’s lower-class merchants himself. Therefore, since the palace was at the center of the city’s commercial operations, multiple warehouses surrounded it. Putting the palace far from habitations would ensure that the nobles who came for trade didn’t have to be in direct contact with the diseases carried by citizens in the poorer parts of the city. The human builders also followed the Nashar habit of having symmetrical cities crossed by a large road on a north-south axis and by a river on a west-east axis. Today, the city is still built around these two axes and has preserved many of its original nashar-inspired characteristics. This particular style makes Meiol attractive for many artists and intellectuals who come from around the world to establish in Angul, the White Flower District. This district is renowned because it holds the only Karastelan University, the largest libraries, the most famous theatres and it is the place where all great artistic movements start. Among the other things that attract progressive thinkers to the city is the almost total absence of military architecture. Multiple factors explain this characteristic. First, the palace’s style and build makes it impossible to use as a defensive structure. Second, the city, spread out as it is on large tracks of harvested land, would require a wall of immense size to contain it completely. Third, the Manuestar family, who held the throne in the city from 1518 to the end of the Unfair War, have more or less had a pacifist attitude throughout their reign and didn’t see the need for the capital to be strongly defended as it is located in the middle of Karastelan lands; in theory, invading armies should be stopped by strongholds further on the borders. However, this line of thinking almost led to the destruction of the city when the Ramakomysh took it during the Unfair War. Before the invaders arrived, the King ordered walls to be built around the most important parts of the city and, thanks to these newly built fortifications and to a brilliant “offensive defence”, the city managed to hold siege for almost a year. It was not enough, though. The wall was breached and then destroyed by the Ramakomysh. Later, Hosias Manuestar wished to build a stronger wall, but one of his councillors, a Baron who had worked on the perfection of cannons during the war, convinced his lord that thick fortifications would be literally useless in the quickly evolving modern warfare. Because he was still worried of a future invasion, the Grand Duke put constant pressure on the new King to build a strong line of defence in the south: The Chain.
Ayers 06-23-05, 03:37 PM	Wow. . . :ayyyy!: :clap: :bow: You've been doing some great work here. Just amazing. I just have one question about the last post you made, the one on Meiol. Now, is The Chain a lot like the Great Wall of China? Or is it just a vast line of military posts?
Malyss the defender 06-23-05, 06:29 PM	No,it,s not a wall at all,actually,only a group of 13 cities linked by a network of paved roads and good communications systems. There are many outposts between each city and patrols are frequent. Of course,each city is surrounded by walls.
Malyss the defender 06-23-05, 08:20 PM	BTW,for more information on The Chain, there's a text on it about 3/4 to the end of the first page,right after the text on Nashar culture(convenient isn't it? Nashars and The Chain,the two things that I mention in the text on Meiol, are right next to each other on posts made a few months ago. :P )
Rekko 06-25-05, 04:16 PM	read it, liked it! I particulary appreciate the way you introduct The Chain in the history of the city. Your text makes me think of this: you haven't posted a timeline of the world yet. keep it up!
Malyss the defender 06-25-05, 04:47 PM	Yeah, I know. I just can't get into writing a timeline because I don't know where to set marks.The only time periods that are outlined in Kinel are the Liberation, the Unfair War and the present time. The rest is more or less empty. But the history is still slowly building within texts on other subjects. For example, the GBS text outlines the Vinosslan war of independance. Maybe someday I'll make a nice timeline when the history will be more complete. If you want though, I do have a good, although quite short, timeline of the events of the Liberation War. On another topic, I noticed that,except the King's, I never posted the texts on each Grand Duke, which is weird because they are IMO probably the best thing I wrote. So, to fill this gap, I decided to give you all this Deluxe Special Edition package of all 5 Grand Dukes ;) Merastos Lanestar, King of Karastel and Grand Duke of Jolin As the second son of Dastos Lanestar, Merastos was not given as much attention as his brother Nimeias, the legitimate heir. An old nurse raised him until his 10th birthday. From this time, he was sent to Karastel city to be fostered and trained by Melsio Colastar, Grand Duke of Karastel. The Grand Duke, about 20 years old at the time, spent all his time researching medicine in the hope of finding a cure to his own blindness. Merastos quickly grew fond of the duke and took interest in the research. He also spent a large part of his time wandering the city and talking to commoners, much to the dismay of some of his surroundings. It was not proper for the son of a king to talk as an equal to lowly peasants. He even contemplated becoming a guardian of the blue star, a position often seen as ridiculous by some nobles. His life changed drastically when his brother Nimeias died of a disease and he became the legitimate heir. He was crowned at the age of 24. At 39 years old, he is now in his 14th year of reign and is known as a fair king. His main accomplishments have been promoting peace and trade between the various nations and increasing the welfare of the population. However, many of his entourage consider that he is a weak king and that his reign is the start of the kingdom’s fall, a belief strengthened by the fact that he has no son of his own, his wife gave him only daughters. There has already been an assassination attempt against him. For this reason, he always has a faithful bodyguard with him. This protector is an old childhood friend, the 4th son of some lesser noble. He is a knight trained for combat but is also the king’s official food taster. The king of Karastel is not tall, standing at about 5’5”. He is lean and muscular with a squared jaw and a severe look. He has thick dark brown hair and wears a moustache. He usually wears luxurious clothes but with stern colors such as brown, black or grey. His only bright piece of clothing is his cape, light blue with 2 small black spears crossed in the middle. His cape is the color of his family’s heraldry. The two spears pictured on the Lanestar family’s arms are actually Good Day spears, small spears that got their name from a legend that tells of bandits who attacked a group of travelers at dawn and greeted them before slaying them cruelly. Lanisson Lanestar, known for his dark, sometimes even cruel sense of humor, adopted this weapon on his arms both as a means to intimidate opponents and because he found the story funny.(Here is a site about the real world goedendag, which means good day in German: http://www.liebaart.org/goeden_e.htm) All of Merastos’ children are girls. His wife died giving birth to his fifth daughter 5 years ago. While there is no law in the kingdom forbidding access to the throne to women, many would not accept the queen as a legitimate ruler. His oldest daughter has been married to Avilo Cerestar, Grand Duke of Selmianor, and an old rival of his. As to his second daughter, she has been wed to the King of Vinosslan, to strengthen the alliance between the two kingdoms. Melsio Colastar, Grand Duke of Karastel The Colastar family is one of the oldest and most influential noble families in the kingdom. The former Grand Duke of Karastel, Melisian Colastar, was a fine diplomat and was given the task of opening contact with the few coastal cities situated in the southern desert in the name of Dastos Lanestar and the kingdom of Karastel. Melisian succeeded and signed an alliance with the king of the city of Azeera-nad. As a sign of his sincerity, Melisian agreed to marry his only son to the daughter of this king. According to Azeera-nad customs, however, a man who is promised to a noble’s daughter must live with that noble until the wedding so the noble may judge if the man is worthy or not. As a result, Melsio, 5 years old at the time, spent the next 15 years in the desert city. He was raised as a prince by the king Barakkah and learned to live in the desert according to the city’s customs. Soon after Melsio turned 20, his father died and he returned to Karastel to take his rightful title. At first, the nobles of Karastel showed distrust towards him but he managed to win their respect very quickly by throwing a couple of parties, murdering a few troublesome subjects and showing his power in various other ways. After that, he became one of the most respected noble of the kingdom, but also one of the most feared. Soon after he took his rightful title, he added an orange snake to his family’s arms (a cup of wine on a rich green background) to represent his desert heritage. Thereafter, he became known as the desert snake, but also as the desert boar, because rumours spread that he couldn’t be killed(he survived many poisoning attempts). The fact that he was naturally blind made him a bad hunter and a less-than-average fighter but he learned to rely on his wits and cunning instead of strength. However, he still became obsessed with the idea of finding a cure to his blindness and spent many years studying medicine for this purpose. When he realized his efforts were useless, he started researching magic. When the king of Karastel, his close friend but also the man who provided most of the funds for the research, discovered that Melsio dabbled in magic, he stopped providing funds and ordered Melsio to stop his research. Officially, Melsio obeyed but some say that he continued studying magic and has discovered secrets so dark no one dares talk about them. Melsio Colastar has 2 sons and a daughter. Soon after he became Grand Duke, he fostered the future king of Karastel and became one of his closest friends. For this reason, there is a lot of talk about Melsio becoming the heir of the king. Most love the Duke and would be glad to have him as a king. Whether he will become the king or not, however, he already acts like one by throwing feasts and parties every other day. The Grand Duke of Karastel is a tall man but is lean and has almost no muscle mass. While he is almost 50 years old, he looks much younger.. He has a beautiful tan and black hair long to the shoulders worn loose or in a ponytail. He usually wears silk clothes in the green of his house’s arms but with blue pants. He also always wears a green piece of silk over his eyes, because the stare of his eyes intimidates people, he says. However, the first thing people notice when meeting him is the feeling of exoticism and of magnetism that emanates from him. The Grand Duke speaks multiple languages fluently but has a strong accent that comes from his childhood in the desert. His exoticness and charm have inspired many tales about him. Some say that he can read people’s thoughts, others that he cannot be killed, many pretend that his gaze can turn people into stone. And these are only a handful of the dozens of rumours whispered about the mysterious man. Hosias Manuestar, Grand Duke of Meiol Almost three generations ago, Hosias Manuestar fought alongside Lanisson Lanestar himself. He cut his way through hordes of goblins armed with a deadly vigour and his family’s blade. Now, however, the old sword rests on the castle’s walls while the lord awaits death in his bed. At 65 years old, the Grand Duke is one of the only witnesses of the Unfair War still alive in the kingdom. In his youth, Hosias was a frivolous and arrogant noble, quick to anger and always ready to fight. After the Unfair War, it is him who suggested the creation of The Chain to the king, who readily accepted. One of Hosias’ now long-dead uncles was placed as Grand Duke of The Chain. In his early adulthood, he participated in many tourneys. While his ability in melee and jousting was great, it was in one-on-one duels, a type of combat that he made popular, that he really shined. With his long blond hair and gallant attitude, he won many a lady’s favours. Even to this day, many talk of his deeds around a warm fire. Legends of how he killed dozens of goblins single-handedly, of how he defeated a 10-foot tall giant or tales of how he fought against a dwarven champion for three nights and three days without stopping are widespread in karastelan lands. On the other hand, while he won tourneys after tourneys, his domain was left unchecked and a lesser noble(whose name has been lost and changes depending on who tells the story, he might actually have never existed) was plotting to seize it. When Hosias Manuestar returned to Meiol, the said lesser noble was usurping his land. With a handful of knights that had remained faithful to him, he took his land back and executed the usurper. The usurper’s lands were then divided among those who helped him take his seat back. After this episode, Hosias promised to take care of his domain, and he did. He stopped going to tourneys, except those held on special days such as the king’s birthday or the 5 days at the end of the year. Later, he got married and his wife gave him 2 sons. The Grand Duke of Meiol is a tall man, almost 6 foot-tall. In his youth, he was fair and muscular but time has caught up with him and he has become a skinny, weak-looking man with long white hair and a small moustache. Even though he lost his beauty, he still has the noble and gallant attitude he possessed earlier. He is known as a wise man and a great tactician. The Manuestar family arms are a grey and white sleeping cat on a royal blue background. Today, he is rarely seen and doesn’t really take part in the domain’s rule. Rumours that he has lost part of his mind have spread. The true ruler of the Duchy of Meiol is now his oldest son, Taesias. Taesias, however, is also getting old and the younger brother died in a joust a couple of years ago. As to Hosias’ many grandsons, they are all too young or too weak to rule. Ironically, the current Grand Duke of The Chain, whose grandfather became Grand Duke at Hosias’ suggestion, now seeks to extend his domain by seizing Manuestar’s. Ian Elmestar, Grand Duke of The Chain As the only grandson of the first Grand Duke of The Chain, Ian Elmestar was without doubt the heir of the title. His own father, who held the title for most of The Chain’s existence, had transformed the once savage territory into a bastion of defense against goblin armies and had made travel in this area a lot easier than before, all the while encouraging the King to give more power to The Chain by letting it raise its own taxes, mint a special coin for itself and control its own trade, making it essentially a nation within another. The former Grand Duke’s last days were spent in a recently built palace, during a very short golden age The Chain experienced. Then, shortly after Ian took the title, 7 years ago, swarms of locusts and unusually poor rains destroyed most of the crops and famine struck. As a result, crime, which was already a major problem, dramatically increased. Additionally, many soldiers fled to join the ever-growing raiding bands, a career far more rewarding. The Grand Duke’s lack of influence was also one of his concerns. Indeed, as The Chain is mainly a military organisation and is not as tightly regulated by the King than the other duchies, the true leaders are often Guardians of the Blue Star and other warriors. Feudal lords, while always present, are far from being as powerful as their Meiol or Jolin counterparts. Ian Elmestar still managed to stop crime from increasing and slightly helped survive the famine. The problems, however, didn’t stop coming. With the destruction of Mayocath by Oztan Darnvower’s raiders, everything Ian had worked to repair would have been destroyed but, fortunately, Darnvower was executed and, thanks to the crucial information gathered by a Mayotre Guardian of the Blue Star, the raiders’ headquarters were destroyed and most of them were killed. With this major obstacle eliminated, the Grand Duke of The Chain intends to ameliorate his people’s fate by extending his territory. To achieve his goal, he plans to proclaim himself Heir to the Grand Duke of Meiol, something that is entirely true even though he is not the first in line. Of course, this would then make him the most powerful Grand Duke and could cause a war between him and the 4 other Grand Dukes. Ian Elmestar is a very small man and some have even said that he might not be a small man but a tall halfling. He stands at about 4’8”. He is only a little more than 30 years old, though he looks a lot older. His hair already has some sparks of grey and he has the wrinkles of someone who spent a lot of time in the sun. Ian usually wears a military uniform similar to that of a Guardian of the Blue Star but dark grey or black with purple borders. He is rarely seen without a leather armor. His arms are a wooden chest locked by 2 silver chains on a purple background. The Grand Duke of The Chain is not a bad warrior but he is known a lot more for his keen intelligence and his fierce attitude towards his opponents. Avilo Cerestar, Grand Duke of Selmianor The city of Selmianor sits on the border of Karastel and Vinosslan. For this reason, who possesses it has always been a hot subject of debate. The city was often taken in war and then given back to the nation who possessed it before when peace came back. For this reason, inhabitants of the city are a healthy mix of vinosslan and karastelans, and both cultures are well represented. Naturally, the Cerestar family has always been divided in its loyalty. Since Lanisson Lanestar came to power in Karastel, however, the noble house of Selmianor tends to side with Vinosslan and as such became the Lanestar family’s most bitter rival. To this rule, Avilo Cerestar is no exception. Avilo’s mother died giving birth to her 4th son. As to the father, he died a year later from a bad fever. As a result, Avilo Cerestar became Grand Duke at the age of 14 and found himself with 3 children to take care of. Being considered old enough to rule by himself under Karastelan law, no regent was put into place. Merastos Lanestar, however, appointed his personal councillor to teach Avilo, hoping to break the Cerestar resistance to karastelan rule. Much to his surprise, Avilo Cerestar already had everything in hand. He had placed his own men in every important position and ruled his vassals with a strong fist. Now in his 12th year as Grand Duke of Selmianor, Avilo Cerestar did not stop the “tradition” of his family. However, he has been known to cooperate with the other rulers of Karastel a lot more than his predecessors and has acquired the respect of the king. He has led the king to increase trade between Karastel and Vinosslan and to bring some of the Vinosslan culture to the kingdom. Furthermore, the king of Karastel trusted Avilo enough to give him his first daughter to wed, putting him in a favourable position as a possible heir to the kingdom. Avilo Cerestar is of an average height but is very wide. He is said to be handsome by most. His hair is usually made into a single black braid falling down his back and he often wears a tricorn like Vinosslan naval officers do. The Cerestar family arms are 4 oranges on a green field. The Grand Duke’s wife, daughter to the king, has given birth to a male child a few months ago. As to the Duke’s 3 brothers, the youngest is still under his care and is 12 years old but the others are both married and have been given small domains. The Grand Duke of Selmianor is ambitious and hates to see anyone stand in his way. It is advised to find a way to impress the man before meeting him as he is known to be impatient and brutal when he believes his interlocutor inferior to him. Whenever someone comes in with a request, if interested, he will listen to the man. Then, when everything has been said, he will raise his hand and state his opinion. No one except the king argues with Avilo Cerestar.
Malyss the defender 07-20-05, 11:18 PM	High Priest Sendar, Leader of the Klarahks Local priests who have total power over their region’s people rule the Klarahk goblins. These priests rule over communities ranging from a few dozen goblins to a few thousand and choose their successor among their populace. They also have the power to vote for an elected council of priests who themselves elect a High Priest. All positions are life-long but the High Priest’s title can be revoked by a vote of at least 70 of the 125 members of the Council. Additionally, the Council may suggest relatively precise objectives that must be met over the course of a period of time also set by the council. The Council’s first and foremost duty, however, is to Name the newly elected High Priest. Effectively, the High Priest’s new Name represents the highest and most important objective towards which he must strive during his life as leader. Failure to meet the requirements set by the Name results in the revoking of the High Priest’s title and in death sentence. In the case of the current High Priest, who was elected 22 years ago, the Name Sendar literally means “Freedom by the Seas”. This refers to a pact made between Malak and Klarahk at the beginning of the Unfair War and in which Malak, in exchange for Klarahk’s participation in the war against Karastel, promised to bequeath Klarahk a large part of its coastal territory. This deal was meant to reduce the land-locked Klarahk’s dependence on neighbouring countries in that it would have allowed it to do its own foreign trade. However, during the course of the war, conflict between the military leaders erupted about the best strategies to apply and about the actual sharing of conquered territory. It is in great part this lack of coordination that cost both countries the war. In the end, Malak refused to give Klarahk its due territory by arguing that the High Priest of the time’s foolish demands had made them lose everything. As a result of this unended strife, in the last 50 years, relations between the two countries have always been tense. The last High Priest’s chief objective was more or less to rebuild the country’s army, infrastructures and relations with Karastel so he did not deal with the Malak/Klarahk matter. 22 years ago, however, the Council decided to end the conflict once and for all through High Priest Sendar. In his youth, Sendar made his way towards positions of power by feats of arms. His father, a notorious wyvern breeder who had multiple connections within the High Priest’s entourage, managed to get his son the required equipment to become a wyvern rider. Over the next few years, the talented Sendar showed his skill during various competitions across the land and, as such, acquired a bit of fame and minor officer grades. The true glory, however, came when he proved his leadership during a skirmish that erupted from political tensions between Malak and Klarahk. In the battle, he led a disparate group of soldiers in an audacious counter-offensive against a Malak squad without any loss. This heroic deed got him the title of Chief of the guards responsible for the protection of the High Priest during his travels. Luckily for him, the High Priest happened to travel a lot. Impressed by his Chief of guards’ capacity, the High Priest ordered a moderately powerful priest of Nalgheet, the capital city, to name him as his successor. Sendar became priest a few years later and remained so until the High Priest’s death. Then, when the council assembled, its members decided that they needed a military leader who had dealt with Malak diplomacy previously. Their choice was soon made: Sendar would be the new High Priest. At first, the new leader of Klarahk was reluctant to accept the title, but it is an honor one cannot spurn. When Sendar actually took the seat of power, two things stopped him from accomplishing his nomenclatural objective right away. First, an accidental wyvern sting that nearly killed him had weakened him and considerably lessened his fighting spirit. Second, a quick look at the state of Klarahk’s military ruined any hopes of a quick victory against the neighboring goblin kingdom. This is why, during his reign, the High Priest slowly rebuilt a capable army, forged alliances with other nations, with the costelno dwarves especially, and turned a deaf ear to those of his colleagues who protested that, with Lorath on their side against the Malak infidels, military power did not matter. It seems, however, that throughout the years, the High Priest took care of many smaller matters with great efficiency, but lost track of the main objective. Which is why, two years ago, the Council brought him back on tracks by decreeing that the objective had to be accomplished within five years or else the High Priest would be put to death and another one would be elected. For High Priest Sendar, the decree had the effect of an electric bolt. In the last two years, all of his time was spent dreaming up plans to take the desired territory and training an army able to succeed with the said plans. In fact, the High Priest has become quite obsessed over his goal and nothing could possibly get him away from it. High Priest Sendar is about 40 years old but looks older. The wyvern sting he received younger has left him scarred: he always looks as though he was suffering from inside. Additionally, his back is curved and he sometimes uses a walking stick. Otherwise, he is quite tall and large and his tiny green eyes seem to pierce through people’s thoughts. He always wears the traditional High Priest clothing: a modest grey-green robe tightened with a snakeskin belt. On his hands, he wears a bracelet made of blue scales and a small ring in the shape of a diamond spider.
Rekko 07-29-05, 11:03 PM	I think this is a great NPC. Beautiful background, it gives me adventuring ideas and tests my patience because I'm eager to learn what will happen to him. In the list of the many NPCs I have encountered and read about, he surely is in a good competition against Melsio Colastar for my favorite NPC.
Malyss the defender 09-17-05, 09:48 PM	It's been a very long while since the last post, but finally, here's a new one: the King of Vinosslan. You shouldn't have to wait too long for the next post, but I won't say anything more for the moment. Check the thread frequently. Toled Cereisan, King of Vinosslan As the only son of Aldorin Cereisan, Toled must live up to very high expectations. Indeed, Aldorin, who had the longest reign in Vinosslan history, is the architect behind Vinosslan’s enormous territorial gains in the last 50 years. Undoubtedly of an impulsive personality, Aldorin declared war on Karastel within seven days of his accession to the throne. During this short but deadly conflict, later coined the Unfair War, the Vinosslan army took control of both Karastelan colonies: the Gatheas Island and the Vhilin Square, the only part of Nehilio territory owned by Karastel. The King gave the island back after the peace treaty was signed, but the Vhilin Square was no minor gain. The same ruler also conquered two Priscan islands, took a significant part of Malak’s Nehilio territory and mapped the extreme north of the northern continent. Ambitious and arrogant almost to extreme proportions, Aldorin Cereisan had proclaimed himself Emperor of the Northern Hemisphere by the end of his long reign. Because he was less flamboyant, and because other countries had threatened to stop all trade with the Empire if it was not done, Toled dropped the title 2 years after his coronation. Nevertheless, his policies have been those of an emperor. First of these policies was the centralization of the administration. Vinosslan used to be ruled by powerful Grand Dukes in the same way Karastel is but the great number of Grand Dukes necessary to rule over such a huge territory made the administration arduous. The personal ambitions of each of these rulers were also the source of conflict and of an unstable political situation: Aldorin Cereisan had the chance to verify it once or twice when plots against him were uncovered. This centralization was not accomplished without harm. Toled bought the merchants’ allegiance with important tax cuts and insured himself the cooperation of the army by promoting his loyal men to key ranks. The nobles’ considerable loss of power encouraged some of them to rebel, but these insurrections were localized almost exclusively in the territories that had been conquered by Aldorin, which had been given special rights to buy their loyalty to Vinosslan. The rebellions took a few months to suppress completely, but after the rebellious leaders were killed, everything went back to order. Vinosslan was now a true monarchy. Before that successful campaign, however, things didn’t go as well. At his coronation ceremony, when he was 17, Toled scandalized everyone by rejecting the title. He then secluded himself on the Koiyolar University Campus and said he would stay there and live as a philosopher. The kingdom was without a king for 2 months. During this period, one of the University professors, a close friend of Toled, managed to convince him to take the throne. The King’s reputation was partly rehabilitated in a speech in which he said that his reaction had been the result of shock from the death of his father. A few years later, right after his wedding with the King of Karastel’s second daughter, an even worse scandal came up: Toled was suspected of not consuming his marriage and of having an affair with a University professor. As soon as it learned the gossips, the Church threatened to excommunicate him if he did not announce the birth of a child within one year. Luckily for him, his wife became pregnant a few months later. Today, he has 3 sons and a daughter but he is still looked upon with suspicion by the population, and by the Church especially. Toled Cereisan is without any doubt an intellectual. During his summer, he lives in Manorok and, during winters, he lives in Vinosslan, as all Vinosslan monarchs have done for centuries, but during calm periods, about every 2 or 3 years, he spends a few months on the Koiyolar University Campus. The King is a great chess player, a promoter of science, and an amateur of complex political plots. Toled has short curled blonde hair, a rare thing among Vinosslans. He has an extremely rich and varied garde-robe, from which he chooses his clothes for every occasion. The only accessories he has with him constantly are a brooch depicting the official symbol of Vinosslan monarchy that he created, a burgundy half-circle with diamonds set on its edge, and two-metres high staff. Toled Cereisan is greatly inspired by Moncalso, the new continent. He believes that colonization of it would be far more profitable to the empire than the conquest of territories owned by other nations. For him, it also represents a great opportunity for the progress of science. As a result, he funded many expeditions to the new land and organized the establishment of two major colonies and a few smaller ones. Because of his efforts, Vinosslan is clearly the leader in the colonization of Moncalso.
Xarius 09-22-05, 10:19 PM	hey there, malyss! i just finished reading all those posts, and i must admit i'm most impressed with your work. It clearly is worth reading over and over again... but hey, i'll be eagerly waiting for the game to begin, now that i have read all of it...
Malyss the defender 09-24-05, 10:31 PM	With this post, I launch the official call for players in the upcoming online game that I will DM. I already have two players on the list, Rekko and Xarius, and would like to have 5 so there are three open spots. The campaign will obviously be set in Kinel and will be role-play heavy. Reading the whole thread is a requirement for playing. BTW, all lurkers out there who have read the thread but never posted, now would be a good time to manifest your presence :) . Near the end of 1684, in an attempt to put an end to the war between Klarahk and Malak, Merastos Lanëstar, the King of Karastel, invites Karl Cipriad Malak the 11th, King of Malak, and High Priest Sendar, Ruler of the Klarahks, to discuss the terms of a peace treaty on the neutral grounds of The Chain. The negotiations will never take off. Shortly after the arrival of the two goblin delegations, Merastos Lanëstar is found dead in his bed. The Poison maker’s Guild’s analysts leave no place for doubt: the king was poisoned using a deadly mixture of Blue Whinnis and Dark Reaver Powder, two substances made from plants that grow exclusively on the coasts of Malak. After a few days of investigation, one of the King of Malak’s soldiers is found dead in an alleyway. In his pockets, the Guardians of the Blue Star find a Poison-Use Licence signed by no other than Alys Lanëstar, the King’s first daughter and wife of the Grand Duke of Selmianor. Immediately, a council of Grand Dukes is called to take care of the matter. As the first daughter’s husband, Avilo Cerestar should be the official heir, but evidence suggests a plot to seize the throne and so, after a very long night of discussion, a decision is taken: war against Malak will be declared and, until the conflict comes to an end, Melsio Colastar shall rule over the kingdom as Regent. From the murder of Merastos Lanëstar to the beginning of Year 1687 In the following months, the karastelan army attacked the coastal settlements directly from the north, while Klarahk and its Costelno allies attacked from the east. Preoccupied by the Karastelan attacks, which were far more menacing than the Klarahk assault (the Malak army had recently pushed back the bulk of Klarahk forces and even destroyed a few important forts), Malak forces retreated from the eastern front and burned everything in their path to cut Klarahk’s supplies. For a full year, Malak forces fought defensively as best as they could, but as time went by, their numbers kept shrinking and it became clear that they would not stand another year. In Klarahk and Karastel, the atmosphere was festive: news had spread that the war would soon be over. Judging that the conflict had indeed come to an end, the Grand dukes met once again. This time, the Council ended very quickly. Because Alys, the former King’s first daughter, was Avilo Cerestar’s wife, and Mereïs, the second child, was married to the King of Vinosslan, the young Mesan Lanëstar, Merastos’ third daughter, was chosen as Grand Duke of Jolin. But as soon as the meeting began, Ian Elmestar announced that he would not accept the legitimacy of a female Grand Duke, and even less that of the sister of the King’s suspected murderer. He proposed the deposition of the Lanëstar family and its replacement by another branch of Jolin nobility. Avilo Cerestar immediately opposed this suggestion and stated that the Lanëstar family would keep its Duchy as long as he was alive. With a ghastly “we shall see how long this will be”, Ian Elmestar left the room. A month later, his troops entered Meiol and he proclaimed himself Ruler of the Kingdom of Elmestia. The 68-years old Hosias Manuestar, Grand Duke of Meiol, was killed with all his descendants. Melsio Colastar, the Lanëstar daughters and Avilo Cerestar met again to determine what they would do about Elmestar’s insurrection. Avilo stood in favour of military action but Melsio reminded him that, as most of the karastelan forces were currently fighting in Malak lands, there was no way they could reintegrate the southern Duchies to the Kingdom. They both agreed that the Council of Grand Dukes was now useless with such a small number of Duchies. As a result, they agreed that the territory of Jolin would be divided in two: one part would go to Karastel and the other to the new Selmianor Kingdom. The old Karastelan Kingdom was no more. On the other hand, after the Fragmentation of Karastel, Malak, that everyone thought vanquished, signed a peace treaty with each of the three new kingdoms. This enabled the goblin empire to reassemble its forces in order to offer a stronger resistance to Klarahk. It allowed Malak to resist for another year. Klarahk, however, still had the upper hand. Its forces were assembling for a final strike on Laguern, the Malak capital city, when, out of nowhere came a large army of well-equipped…nashars! It was the achievement of a plan conceived by Karl Cipriad Malak’s main counsellor, Der Kamil. When Karastel entered the war, he knew the nation couldn’t fight both invaders without allies. For this reason, he sent a small contingent of elite troops to the south. Their mission: attack and subdue the numerous nashar clans of the Akhierdan Plains. Used only to small-scale conflict between clans and having semi-nomadic lifestyles, nashars have no permanent armed forces and so, the contingent’s task proved ridiculously easy. In a little more than two years, most of the Akhierdan Plains’ western half was under Malak domination. The formation of a disciplined nashar army was a much harder task, but the Malak officers only took men who already knew how to fight and tried to train them while keeping most of their military traditions intact. When it came time to fight, the results proved that the training had been done well. When the smoke and dust cleared, it was evident that the Malak nashar army had won the gruesome fight. After almost four years of fighting, the war between the two goblin clans still goes on. Both clans are exhausted but their will to fight has not yet worn out. On one side, High priest Sendar only has a few months left before the fatidic moment arrives. On the other, although the King of Malak has managed to save some time with the “help” of nashars, his country has nonetheless been ravaged by war and won’t stand eternally. Still, the dice are currently on his side, but these things change quickly. Especially considering that, in the Akhierdan Plains, a few western nashar tribes that have escaped Malak invasion are set on throwing the invaders out and reclaiming their territory. To do this, they are trying to forge a coalition of free nashar tribes and some have even suggested asking the nashars of the desert lands to come to their aid. Meanwhile, across the oceans, things haven’t always been perfect. On Moncalso, both Vinosslan colonies and indigenous attacks on these colonies have been multiplying. Toled Cereisan has recently been looking for a way to stop these attacks without resorting to the massacre of the indigenous tribes. The Ballard of Prisca, on the other hand, has adopted the opposite point of view concerning the men of the Rammas Forest: he has decided to take their territory once and for all, regardless of the number of deaths. Back in Karastel, or what remains of it, one of the major problems that the new kingdoms are faced with is the loyalty of the Guardians of The Blue Star. Effectively, if the Guardians are supposed to be forever loyal to their feudal lord and, above all, to the Karastelan Kingdom, what happens when the Kingdom falls apart? There are multiple answers to the question. Some Guardians have simply chosen to give their loyalty to their new kingdom, others have decided to fight against the new authority, and many Guardian groups have been given large tracks of land or other benefits in exchange for their loyalty. In any case, the political influence of Guardians of the blue Star has grown in recent years Politics aside, things have been changing fast in the last three years. The main actor of this change is a new invention from Prisca called the printing press. Because of it, books are now more common and more and more people find it useful to learn how to read and write. It is still too soon, however, to know how this new invention will affect the world. Another novelty, also from Prisca, has spread on Nehilio and Maharmet. The parapluie (umbrella in French, which is the language I’ll be using when a NPC speaks Priscan) is now the thing to wear for all nobles and merchants who like to look fashionable. The surface of the parapluies are painted in unique ways, making each one a work of art and a sign of wealth.
Rekko 09-25-05, 10:50 AM	In the wake of the recent events, Guardians of the Blue Star have asked themselves where to put their loyalty. Many simply continued to follow thier leaders into their new kingdom. Others tried to move back into Karastel, others were bought with lands and titles. The new loyalties settled, an other question remains. Which kingdom should keep the original name of Guardians of the Blue Star? More than ever, Ian Elmestar wants his to change name so the organisation forgets their inheritage. With this idea in head, he also wants to developp another branch to his restructured order, a more combat oriented branch, some elite squad in other terms. Meanwhile in Selmianor, Avilo Cerestar would like his Guardians to be the now special Lanestar Royal Guard. Their goal would be to keep the Lanestar family living and protect the kingdom from invasion, especially from Elmestia now knowing Ian wants Avilo dead and the family lower ranked. In the newly Karastel, Melsio Colastar is highly peace-keeping-oriented. He thinks the Karastel kingdom has suffer enough of war and conflicts. Guardians of the Blue Star would be likely to keep their name and their functions. However, now that the kingdom wants peace, being a Guardian is more like having a title than being an elite diplomatic soldier. I would like to know if you like the idea and if you accept it. As for names, I haven't really tought some. Rekko, who badly wants to play soon
elven warriorXX 09-25-05, 11:38 AM	shinny! very good job you guys this is a very nice setting. I like the feel of medieval history with a twist of D&D and goblins (can't forget the goblins ;) ). Made you should consider Hobgoblins or even Lizard folk as playable race. Nice soul mage and herbialist(sp?) classes they are very neat. So their is not divine/arcane magic? just magic? nice great idea like the feel. Best CS i have seen in a while :)
Malyss the defender 09-25-05, 11:40 AM	The idea is pretty good, but in the case of Elmestia, Ian Elmestar badly needs to strenghten his legitimacy right now, as he just made a "coup d'état". Changing the name of an ancient and respected organization would put doubt in the people's minds as to Elmestar's intentions, which is a thing he really wants to avoid right now. For Melsio, well, he does want peace for the moment but it doesn't mean he is peace-oriented. He too would like the Karastelan Kingdom to be back as it were before. Finally, I really like the idea of Avilo changing the Guardians' goal to protecting the Lanëstar family. However, do they really need a name change for that? I mean, you've got to admit, Guardians of the Blue Star is a damn cool name! ;)
Malyss the defender 09-25-05, 11:50 AM	Made you should consider Hobgoblins or even Lizard folk as playable race. In the MM, hobgoblins are described as more intelligent and military-oriented goblins so in a way, my goblins are pretty much hobgoblins. Lizardfolks, funny that you ask, cause in the first version of the world, lizardfolks existed and had a kind of mutual protection/symbiosis with the goblins. It was a pretty good idea all of itself but I felt it didn't really fit with the rest of the setting: lizardfolks are too different from the other races. There were also a few logical flaws, mainly "how come there are so few lizardfolks and why don't they travel a bit, especially since they live on the coasts?"
Fallen_AngelS 09-25-05, 09:46 PM	You rock! count me in.!!! I mean it. here are a few of the thoughts I put to actual words. The rest will come sometime soon. **herbalist Improvised Brewing:At 1st level, as Lay on Hands but uses int instead of cha. needs explaination, how is it done exactly? **Reanimate:At 20th level, the herbalist may make a DC 40 heal check to resurrect a character who has died in the last 2 minutes. If successful, the character stabilizes and goes back to 1d6 hit points. If the attempt fails, the victim cannot be resurrected. The herbalist cannot take 10 or 20 on this check. I'd suggest something along the lines of Revival: At 20th level the herbalist gains a limited ability to restore the dead, provided the subject has not been dead for too long. The herbalist must make a Heal check with a DC of 20 + 2 for every minute the subject had been dead (max 10 minutes). If the check is succesful, the subject is restored to -9 hit points and stabalized, capable of healing normaly. If the check fails, the subject cannot be brought back by any other means then magic. A creature revived by this method must make a successful Fortituse save DC 15 + # of minutes dead or lose a point of Constitution, as the revival process takes much tole on the body recieving it. **Soul Mage: While I apreciat the concept, it makes me uneasy. Not sure exactly why. **Goblins are still a blast I love that **N.A.E.L. honestly... brilliant. Very interesting backround story. **Muskets: Evil bad and utterly unbalanced. I love them. Really. I'd suggest masterwok weapons and/or specialisation to help prevent accidents instead of heir usual bonuses to hit and damage.
Malyss the defender 09-26-05, 03:24 PM	4th page! :P Great to count you in,Fallen.That means there are only 2 spots left,hurry people! Well,I assume that an herbalist would always have a few basic herbs and stuff that he could mix quickly with other ingredients in the nearby environnment. Maybe I should add that the ability requires the herbalist to be within range of natural environment or something? Reanimate: your version looks good but what flaw in the original one requires it to be reworked?
Fallen_AngelS 09-26-05, 04:13 PM	Well I personaly find it too confined. DC 40 is really really hard, and the max 2 minutes while ok is somewhat a little too short. By making it a maleable dc, and making it possible, yet harder to revive someone who's been dead for a few minutes, it gives a little more leway. But thats me. I find that if it's too confined to a specific set of parameters, it makes its use all that much harder. Ad considering you need to be rather high level to achieve this, restricting it's ability too much will make it all that less apealing. And of course theres the fact taht if your dead just because the herbalist wasn;t able to get to you in time by say 30 seconds... it's rather...anoying, and frustrating. By giving a little more time (uping it to 10 minutes max instead of 2), you permit a little more hope and actual chance of survival.
Rekko 09-26-05, 04:46 PM	In the mind that Kinel is a no-magic world (except the soulmage) the herbalist is a non-magical healer, thus he heals the wounded with herbs and special gesture technics. In today's real world without help of any technology, there is almost no hope to reanimate someone who've just died in the last seconds. If by any chance they are lucky and brung back to life, well they still got their chest broken which cause horrible pain and needs alot of time to heal. In the real world, Lifeguards and the likes use reanimating technics only to "keep alive" the victim in wait for the doctors and technologies to bring them back. Now, by Lvl20 Herbalist, you should have 23 ranks in Heal if you maxed-out the skill plus your Wisdom modifiers and Misc modifiers which by the time I hope you have at least an 16 Wis and a masterwork healer's kit. So a DC40 Heal check within 2 minutes would be to me quite good, needing you to roll around a 15 on the d20 to succeed. As for the 1d6, I know it if for the character to have a few HP, but I suggest that the same result of the d6 is added to non-lethal damage so the victim remains unconscious (or roll another die to give her a slim chance to be awaken when brung back to life) As for the ability to be only for a Lvl20 Herbalist... well yes it will be difficult to be reanimated, but hey, if we keep in mind that it is difficult to reanimate someone... well it wont be before 20 that you'll be able to do it, you wont have enough skill ranks. I like the class like it is now, but it is true that it would be fun to make reanimation a bit more accessible (Lower the DC, give the ability sooner, maybe a potion can help increase bonuses to the check or decrease the DC, reanimation could requiere two healers on one dead, etc.) I could suggest to put the DC to 25 or 30 and increase the DC per 1 each round that the victim's been dead to a maximum of 2 minutes(I'll check how long the body can survive without a heartbeat to improved accuracy) and give the ability at Lvl7 (10 ranks in heal and base DC 30, which would make reanimation almost impossible until a few levels and a bit easier in the higher levels). I know treat permanent damage is at Lvl9 but you wont be able to succeed in reanimating someone at Lvl7. Well, That's it for reanimation Rekko
Malyss the defender 09-26-05, 06:53 PM	No one ever mentioned giving reanimation at a lower level,Rekko. Lvl 7?? Have you gone mad or something? Concerning the DC, I believe Rekko has a point in that a lvl 20 herbalist could make it relatively easily. As to the time, don't forget that 2 minutes is 20 rounds, and I wanted this ability to be a use-in-combat one, which also explains the 1d6 hit points. BTW, the ability is,IIRC, an exact copy of D20 Modern's field medic's 10th level ability(I don't have my books with me though,I can't confirm) Anyway, It would surprise me if I ever get to lvl 20 in one of my games. You probably already guessed that I'm more of a low-power DM. BTW,Rekko, could you work on your english a bit? That last post was barely readable.
Xarius 09-26-05, 09:55 PM	i would rather believe that this rule should be created from a "middle version" of what you all seem to propose. For instance, giving the ability at a lower level (7 perhaps),setting the base DC to maybe 35, increasing the DC by something like 2 per round. Which means the ability would be something as: a low level herbalist could have a chance to reanimate (a very slight chance it is) assuming he begins helping out the subject very soon and is highly prepared (healing kit, low-level helpers, skill focus, healing skill is maxed out, etc...)
Ayers 09-30-05, 06:00 PM	I'm interested in playing. If there are no objections still. :)
Rekko 10-01-05, 10:22 AM	Yee-ha! now that Ayers is part of the PCs, there's only one place left to be filled. Remember that the PC's group isn't necessarily starting in Karastel, not even on Maharmet. We can decide to be anyone anywhere doing anything. May it be Priscan soldiers plotting their next attack on the Ramas forest or Moncalso's native folks defending their lands from Vinosslan colonists, or some Ramakomysh goblins so we force the DM to flesh them out :P Anyway, just wanted to say that I am eager to play soon and that our last teammate can be you. Rekko BTW, I moved the discussion on the herbalist's reanimate ability on The Herbalist Core Class (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=308106) thread back on the Class board. It would be neat to have some feedback.
Fallen_AngelS 10-04-05, 05:34 PM	first, needing a 15+ on the dice is not easy. Easy is when you don't need to roll, or perhaps need to roll a 5+. 15+ on the dice, gives you only a 30% chance of success. Wouldn't call that easy. Second, the fact magic is mostly innixistant, is even MORE reason why one should make the herbalist slightly better as far as revival goes. There are in effect no other way to get out of that predicament. Playing in a low magic world should feel rewarding and fun, not too hard to even want too. If you spend too much time cowering and never acting heroic, then your missing the point. It's already hard enough to find a level 20 herbalist (as 20th level characters should be rather rare), don't make it harder.
Malyss the defender 10-04-05, 06:22 PM	Rekko has just posted the link to the herbalist core class thread. I would like all discussions on the herbalist to stop in the kinel thread, please.
Rekko 10-08-05, 09:43 PM	Malyss, I was wandering if you managed to find the fifth player. Also, how will we be arranging game meetings. And last, I wanted you to know that discussion on reanimate have taken another step on the Herbalist thread. That's about it for now. Rekko
Master_Of_Itar 10-14-05, 08:41 AM	I'm interested in playing with you guys. I'm just waiting for an answer from Malyss and I'm in. I'm not used to the setting so I may be slow to start, but it won't prevent me from roleplaying, and that's what RPGs are all about LET'S BRING THIS WORLD TO LIFE!
Malyss the defender 10-14-05, 02:48 PM	We finally have our five players(and a sixth might be added) so we may start discussing this campagin seriously. I want everyone to tell me when they would be free for a first meeting on msn, which would be to determine where the campaign will be set and what will be your characters (you'll choose what kind of campaign this will be depending on the types of characters you choose,and I want all of your PCs to be linked to each other in some way so that's why we need a meeting for char preparation). We will also determine playing day and time on that meeting. Ayers, I'll need your email address. Yours is the only one I don't already have. You may send it by PM if you don't feel confortable putting it on the boards.
Ayers 10-14-05, 03:06 PM	Meh, I'll just post it here, so if anyone else wants it, they don't have to ask me for it. david44420042003@yahoo.ca
Malyss the defender 10-14-05, 03:36 PM	Thanks,mine is guillaume_tb@hotmail.com.I just added you to my contact list
Rekko 10-16-05, 04:01 PM	For the 1st meeting, I can manage to be free on every week night and on weekend days. Rekko
Malyss the defender 10-18-05, 02:39 PM	Master_of_itar told me he was free anytime on saturday,friday before noon and sunday before noon or after 19:00. Personally,I'm free any weekend day and all week nights. Xarius and Fallen_AngelS, I still need your answer. The quicker we can meet, the quicker this game will start.
Ayers 10-18-05, 03:42 PM	My schedule is pretty open, although some nights I may be busy after 7 or 8 o'clock in the evening, and I might not always be available on the weekends. Although it's only hockey, and doesn't last anymore than a few hours depending on how far I have to travel. But I can't give any days when I won't be available, but I might not be able to make it beyond those sometimes. I'm in the Eastern Timezone, as well. Also, I'm having problems with MSN right now, so I'll notify you, Malyss, when I get it up and running finally.
Rekko 10-18-05, 06:48 PM	Ayers, your MSN problem might (and I'm quite sure) be caused by your email adress. You are curently using yahoo mail, while MSN is mainly for hotmail.com and msn.com Rekko
Ayers 10-18-05, 07:11 PM	Ayers, your MSN problem might (and I'm quite sure) be caused by your email adress. You are curently using yahoo mail, while MSN is mainly for hotmail.com and msn.com Rekko No, I don't think so. The problem is that I just downloaded the new version of MSN, and whenever I do MSN shuts down for about a period of ten days in which I am incapable of using it. I think I'll just have to wait. :(
Xarius 10-18-05, 09:17 PM	hey malyss, sorry i've been out there for so long...it so happens that i have to watch out for..something else. Anyway, I happens to be able to free myself for any evening or night. I believe that you already have my adress but i'll post it here anyway: it's stacil@hotmail.com
Malyss the defender 10-20-05, 05:34 PM	At last,everyone has answered the call. Fallen has told me she was free pretty much the whole weekend. The meeting will be held Saturday at 12:30 on MSN See you there!
Rekko 10-29-05, 04:11 PM	just to tell you the map is now in a thumbnail and has a legend. I'll post my character soon
Malyss the defender 10-29-05, 04:27 PM	Thanks for the map. It's nice to be able to watch it wihout fearing that it will fall from the screen and crush us under its weight.
DiamondShade0 11-09-05, 05:32 PM	Hi everyone! I will be playing too. You didn't hear from me sooner because I know Malyss personnaly, and i have been talking to him directly. (And i have been told it's a player swap, but i dont know who's walking out.) My address : DiamondShade0@hotmail.com
Malyss the defender 11-09-05, 06:05 PM	Yeah, Pierre-Luc(Xarius) has left the game because he couldn't make it for personal reasons, didn't tell me much more details. But I quickly found a new player to replace him so everything is fine. I'm still waiting for everyone's player sheets BTW. Ayers is the only one who sent it up until now.
Rekko 11-25-05, 06:40 PM	Lately, the west Akhierdan plains has suffer malak invasions. Many nomadic tribes have surrendered to the new authority. This new culture will change the ancestral way of life Nashar folks possess since the Liberation war. This peaceful nation have been forced into conflicts bigger than anything they've been. The Gulim tribe is one of the many unlucky nashar grouping who past under malak control. Its main kolbira is located at one day of walk south from the Klarahk marshes and three days of walk east of a malak monastery used as a military base to patrol the surrounding lands. When the menace came to them, the Gulim did not battle. They surrendered immediately and signed an peace agreement. No men will be sent to war. In exchange, the Nashars now have to obey the malak authority and become sedentary. Malak main intention is clear. They want to evangelize the Nashars, to save their souls. Malak religion is mainly related to earth and nature. So, in their minds, nomads are damned. Unfortunately for Nashars of the Gulim tribe, changing drastically from nomad to sedentary isn't a very good idea. With time, the inhabitants will suffer from starvation because they won't be able to produce enough food for themselves and the Malaks. Moreover, because the war’s being cloaked, Malak will need more soldiers and will call sooner or later for nashar men of the Gulim tribe and thus not respecting the peace agreement. However, a few Gulim Nashars have foreseen these events and have started discussing ways to solve their problems before it’s too late. That is how Nishan Kul, Rehoboam, Mildavor Kaleven and Hojanias Mirbek came together. http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3498/gulimkolbira0xx.jpg
Malyss the defender 12-02-05, 09:12 PM	So here's the first, quite long, new post in a long time. Hope you enjoy. More should come sometime soon. Note that the term "tribesman" here means preponderantly male, but not exclusively. For those concerned, don't forget tomorrow's game, 12h30! The Gulim Tribe The Gulim tribe has three Kolbiras, but one of them, near the Klarahk border, is larger and far more important to its owners. It is there that the Gulim tribesmen spend the whole rainy season. With its 130 or so tribe members, the Gulim tribe is the largest in the region, which explains in part why it holds a strong influence on the nearby tribes Kosim, Kadiek and Fariz. This influence also stems from a major difference in the tribe’s way of life. Most nashar tribes plant their kolbiras’ fields with various grains, herbs, and vegetables, and let them grow wild, hoping that the small harvest will supplement their forager/hunter alimentation. The Gulims, however, have taken to low-scale semi-intensive agriculture on a small part of their main kolbira in the last decades. About a dozen tribesmen stay at the main kolbira all year round, taking care of the land, while the others are off hunting and foraging. In addition to the food surplus, which allowed the development of a small trade network lead by the Gulims, this agriculture provides most of the ingredients for the local healer’s potions and for the priest’s Arman Sul, the mixture smoked in order to connect with the spirits. The word “Gulim” means flower in the tribe’s tongue, the flora. The word “flora” itself means “healthy”. It shows the value of language to the tribe, something that is clearly reflected in the importance given to poetry and song. Flora is spoken by all nearby tribes. Like all other nashar dialects, it could be understood by anyone who speaks nashar well enough, although a few subtleties might be out of reach to some. Political structure As nomads, nashars, Gulim tribe included, have no need for a code of laws set in stone. Every man’s role in his community his handed down through songs and the elders’ teachings. Since they are orally transmitted, these traditions tend to change over time and are not always clearly defined. Nevertheless, it is still possible to describe the Gulim tribe’s basic political structure. Leader When chosen, the tribe’s leader forgets his own family name and takes on the name “Amat”, which actually means servant. As the name dictates, the Amat is chosen to serve the tribe above all, and may be disposed of. As such, his actual powers are quite limited. The leader mostly takes care of the common things of life. He decides when the tribe will depart for the next kolbira and he chooses when the next hunting expedition will take place, for example. He also insures that all the tribe’s members are well fed, that their yurts, clothes and other possessions are in good shape, and that they are healthy and content. In other words, he must supervise the routinely life so that everything runs smoothly. The leader must also administer justice, which works quite simply for the Gulims. The leader listens to the case, then withdraws to discuss it with the Amatyns. After deliberation, he renders the judgement: exile for grave crimes, a period of isolation or of imposed fasting for the lesser misdeeds. Theft is uncommon since possessions are shared by the whole tribe, so examples of lesser crime might be: lacking respect for another member of the tribe, breaking a vow (such as that of marriage), not taking part in the tribe’s daily work or omitting to attend religious ceremonies Apart from the routinely tasks and the administration of justice, the tribe’s leader plays an important role in the appointment of the tribe’s other officers. When a situation out of the ordinary arises, he is responsible for the organization either of an assembly involving the whole tribe or of a council formed by the tribesmen concerned by the situation. The leader himself rarely takes part in those councils and when he does, he has no more say on the matter than any other tribesman. As an example, two dozen moons ago, the nearby gnu herd was afflicted by a disease killing many of the beasts. The leader decided to create a council formed by a few of the tribe’s best hunters, the priest, the healer and two of his Amatyns. After 3 nights of discussion, the small council concluded that the best way to solve the problem was that the tribe sacrifices a horse and that the priest spends a whole week fasting and meditating. On the other hand, when the first Malaks came, the leader decided to hold a popular assembly where the people decided, some grudgingly, to sign a deal with the invaders. Last but not least, the leader is in charge of naming a chief settler and a chief hunter. Both of these are appointed for life, but they need not report to the leader, they are totally independent. Amatyns/Elmetyns The amatyns and elmetyns are fundamentally linked to the leader, and are often the first thing by which he is remembered. This should strike as an evidence for any Gulim tribesman, since the amatyns and elmetyns are members of the tribe who have pledged their lives as servants of the tribe for as long as the leader stays so. Generally, when a new leader is chosen, the priest blesses him, and then calls out for any man who wishes to pledge his life to the tribe’s service. Most of the time, the first to stand are the leader’s younger brothers, or his closest friends. By doing so, they renounce to marriage and to the possibility of ever becoming leader, chief hunter, chief settler, or priest. However, the roles of Amatyn and Elmetyn have their own advantages. Translated freely, the two terms mean “leader’s ambassadors” and “leader’s far ambassadors”. Elmetyns have the most clearly defined role. One Elmetyn is sent to each nearby tribe, to represent his tribe’s interests in the councils and assemblies of his tribe “of adoption”. In all respects, he is considered a full member of the tribe, but because his tribe of adoption usually wants to keep good relations with its neighbour, the Elmetyn is often treated as the most important of guests. In this case, he is showered with gifts at his arrival, he may eat the best parts of every hunt, drink the best liquors and wear the finest clothes made by his host. In his host tribe, the Elmetyn is simply called “His original tribe’s name Elmetyn” (i.e. the Elmetyn from Kosim is simply called Kosim Elmetyn when he is at a Gulim kolbira). At regular intervals or when needed, the Elmetyn goes back to his own tribe to report on the recent events and to get informed on current matters of importance in his tribe. When the Elmetyn leaves, it is customary for the host to send a group of horsemen to escort him. One of the function’s disadvantages is that it is also customary to chop the head off the Elmetyn when declaring war to a neighbouring tribe. The Amatyn, on the other hand, will never be the first to get a taste of a neighbour’s hostility. However, he might have to cope with his own tribe’s unrest concerning a long-lasting conflict or a famine caused by some disease afflicting the herds. The Amatyn is the councillor, confident, informer and right hand of the leader. In the past, when a new leader was chosen, he had the privilege to choose two men who would attend him: a valet and a jester. The first’s role was obvious; he had to take care of the leader’s personal tasks so the leader himself would have more time to spend towards the tribe’s welfare. The jester and his japes, on the other hand, were meant to make the leader forget his burdens for a time. The Gulim nashars even hold the belief that a man who doesn’t laugh for a day will die in a fortnight. Today, the valet and jester remain in art and language, such as in the expression “to play both valet and jester”, which means working too hard, trying to do more than you can. However, the functions have changed. First of all, the leader does not choose his Amatyns, they are men who willingly pledge loyalty to the leader. Any number of men may do so, and the actual number often represents the legitimacy of the leader. In rare cases, it happened that the leader had no Amatyns. Such an unpopular leader’s reign was often short and difficult. Most leaders have about three Amatyns at their side. The Gulims live in familial yurts of about 5 to 10 people. The highest privilege one can dream of is to have a private tent. It happens to just married couples, who have their own tent for a full moon before having to go back to the familial one, and to the leader, who only shares his tent with his wife, if he has one (because the leader is one of the tribe’s oldest men, his wife is often diceased), and with his Amatyns. The Amatyns are the leader’s closest councillors and confidents. Typically, they know everything about the tribal matters and counsel the leader about every decision, whether trifle or major. They also act as the leader’s messengers and representatives and replace him when he is absent. When some tribesman has a grudge against the leader, they may be sent to deal with the man and find a compromise to solve the problem, acting again as a replacement for the leader. Sometimes, the Amatyns can also be given particular functions such as dealing with the Malak monks or meeting with dignitaries from far-away lands. Finally, as the leader’s most loyal men, they are often his ears and eyes in small councils concerning particular matters. Chief Settler/Chief Hunter The chief hunter and chief settler’s functions are simple and their powers are limited, but they still hold a good deal of influence over a part of the tribe. When the leader decides that a hunting expedition will take place, it falls upon the chief hunter to organize everything and see that the expedition goes well. He is the one who decides how many men and which ones will take part to it. During the actual expedition, he is the absolute leader. The chief hunter is often simply the best hunter of the tribe and is highly respected by his fellow hunters. The chief settler’s task is only done about 3 times a year, but it is an important one. When the leader decides that it is near time for the tribe to depart for its next kolbira, the chief settler takes a handful of men and leaves for the kolbira a few weeks before the others. On the way, he must trace the path that the rest of the tribe will take using painted rocks placed on the ground or by doing carvings on tree. This must be done every year because the rainy season’s heavy downfall or the passage of large gnu herds constantly change the landscape, even if the changes are not major. At the kolbira, the chief settler and his men delimit the grounds on which the tents will be mounted, mount a few of them and clear the terrain of debris and animal carcasses. If there is still time before the remainder of the tribe arrives, the chief settler’s men will hunt a few animals and prepare a feast to welcome the others. Priest/Healer As the Gods’ representative, the priest must perform the holy ceremonies such as the blessing of the day’s hunt, weddings, burials and other rites. He does not have any official political role per se, but traditionally, he blesses the leader when he is chosen, and does the same for the other authority figures. Moreover, as the tribe’s connection to the sacred world and as a figure of wisdom, the priest is listened to when he raises to speak. The priest is often the tribe’s healer in addition to his religious functions, but in some cases, such as in present time, they are two separate individuals. The healer also holds influence over many because he represents wisdom and because he has access to knowledge very few possess. He is particularly influent over the tribe members who take care of the fields, because much of their work consists of growing the ingredients for his mixtures. Widowed Weavers When the Gulim tribe’s women get old, they stop taking part to the tribe’s strenuous activities such as raising the children, cooking or foraging. At this stage of life, they spend their days weaving carpets or blankets and doing minor repairs on clothes. These women’s husband or children must take care of them. Some of these women, however, have no more husband nor children, and their grandchildren cannot take care of them either because they are too young or for some other reason. These widows sleep together in a tent right between the leader’s and the priest’s and a young maiden sees to their needs permanently. These wise crones are always outside sitting on a log. There, they talk to each other weaving not only carpets, but also tales of all the wonders and plagues they have seen over their long-lasting lives. The Widowed Weavers are seldom left to themselves, as, every hour, younger men and women come to consult them.
Rekko 01-07-06, 05:07 PM	Hey! How about some new informations about the world that lies ahead. Mysterious events. People and places. A special fabric. Other customs. Magic. Kinel still lives! Rekko
Malyss the defender 01-07-06, 05:24 PM	You're right. I should get back to writing. I had a lot more to say about the Gulim Tribe but having 3 of my players quit at the same time kinda made me lose my enthusiasm. I'll get back to it someday, probably after the elections though (the canadian elections are on the 23rd, for those who don't live in Canada) And before I write about Kinel, I still have to write my character's background and that feedback sheet you wanted for your campaign, Rekko.
Rekko 01-29-06, 03:14 PM	A group of friends were sitting around a small campfire next to the Gulim village's healer's hut. They had just spied the malak guards assigned to watch over the tribe and were talking of eventual encounters while having some fun discussing about the solid white eyes of Nishan and how Rehoboam could turn his own eyes like his via surgery and acid. The feast and party in the center of the tents was coming to an end and an old woman wearing a somewhat bizarre hat which identifies her as a widowed weaver comes to meet with the nashars grouped around the campfire. They all stop to laugh and turn themselves to look up at her. The healer stands up and bow asking her to take a seat but she shakes her head and declines the invitation. "It's no time to be feasting anymore." she says, "The Amat is calling all men to a great meeting. You'll be discussing about the changes in the wind and the threats that wait on our doorstep." No time was yet to waiste and the men all stood up, removed the dust from their clothes and began marching towards the meeting. ...They pull the curtains of the large tent, entered and saw dozens of nashar waiting for the meeting to start. The Ashat cleared his throat, everyone fell silent, the audience began. "Good folks of Gulim, as you now know..." Malyss here's your spot.
Malyss the defender 01-30-06, 10:51 AM	Sorry, but I've never really been interested in a Play-By-Post game. Pretty good text though, even if I don't think I ever mentioned the woman was a Widowed Weaver :)
Rekko 02-04-06, 12:26 PM	Thanks In fact, I used the last gaming events we encountered to give you an introduction so you can describe past events, present time and future predictions via this meeting. It could be an interesting way to describe the world around through different characters. I know you have quite a lot of work left to present to us and I love this setting and don't want it to die. Rekko
Rekko 04-16-06, 04:02 PM	I talked with Malyss lately and he said he'll probably be back posting on the thread soon and more often during summertime. Describing different characteristics of the world with a different attitude and tone. Until then, enjoy what has been revealed on Kinel. Rekko
Malyss the defender 07-22-06, 10:13 PM	I did not actually finish the text, but I told Rekko I would post something today so here is the first part of a text on Colboe, a land south of the Costleno Mountains. It's been a while, isn't it? I don't have the time I thought I would have during summer, but the inspiration is running now so I might get back to posting a little. I won't promise anything though. Just passing to say that Kinel is still alive :) Note that the term Man refers to a member of any of the 4 sentient species of Kinel(goblins, in this case). It is not specific to humans Colboe It is well known that The Liberation war, as its protagonists call it, was mainly a northern affair. However, the slave revolts that took down the Nashar Empire also had tremendous effect south of the Costelno Mountains. Exhausted by their years of internal strife and afraid that their southern slaves would follow their northern counterparts, the remaining Nashar rulers quickly retreated from their farthest and most dangerous colonies to consolidate their power in the safer realms. As a result, although they had never asked for it, many of the nashars’ former slaves were now free. Colboe, the desert region at the westernmost edge of Maharmet, was one of those colonies. When they hear the word “Colboans”, people generally think of mysterious goblins riding camels and wearing ample garments from which only their eyes peer out. These nomads are in fact called Mehollins and represent about 10% of Colboe’s population. Mehollinism is actually a branch of sinoism, the Colboan main religion. According to sinoist faith, there is a single Truth, which is that God is present in all things. By indulging in earthly matters, Men turned away from this single truth. As a result, God chastised them by dividing them and cutting them from the Divine essence. The division of society into unequal classes, and the suffering of Men, are a result of this chastisement. The sinoist religion promises that, by fully accepting his suffering on earth, each man will join with God in the afterlife. The Mehollins’ vision of life diverges on the last part. They reject the idea that Man can only join with the Divine in the afterlife. For them, living an ascetic life of meditation and prayer can lead to Enlightenment in this world. Following these principles, the Mehollins live off the natural products found in oasis and trading in dye and incense of their making for the extra food they need. Colboans, especially the poor masses, are often seduced by the Mehollins’ preaching of Enlightenment accessible to all. As such, the Mehollins pose a certain threat to the colboan monarch’s power. Nevertheless, no repressive measures have ever been taken against them and they are free to travel the land as they wish. Two things explain this non-aggressive attitude towards the nomads. First, the dye and incense produced by the Mehollins are a relatively important part of Colboe’s trade and are widely appreciated by the aristocracy. Second, and most important, it is generally believed that the Mehollins have the sacred power to find the child that will become the Sinoist pope. The Pope, the leader of the Sinoist Church, is an incarnation of God on Earth. In practice, the Pope is a newborn child chosen by the Mehollins because he is presumed to have mystical powers. Then, the sinoist clergy that he will rule as soon as he reaches 14 raises him. In addition to ruling over the clergy, the Pope must approve the nomination of a new king. A gnarled wooden staff given to the new monarch symbolizes this approval. In truth, however, this approval is more symbolic than anything else. It wasn’t always the case. According to a colboan legend backed by some historical facts, when the nashars left, the newly freed colboans divided into a dozen tribes that fought each other for decades. One tribe or the other did manage to unite the region for a short while, but the Pope always refused to grant its leader his approval. One day, however, the leader of a tribe that had always more or less remained apart joined the fray. Somehow, after a few years, he managed to lead his men to victory, but to everyone’s surprise, instead of trampling his beaten opponents, as the other victors had done before him, he lend them a hand. The man, Jilbaom the 1st, received the gnarled staff from the Pope’s hands. Still according to the myth, right after the decisive ceremony, Jilbaom broke the staff. He kept half of it, and offered to split the other half between the remaining leaders. Six of them accepted. The Pope approved of the process and confirmed that, “now and until the end of time, Jilbaom and his sons would rightfully rule over Colboe under the vigilant eye of God” and that, as long as they stood united, the 6 tribe leaders who had recognized the monarch would be his equal. Those who had refused to accept him, however, would be put to slavery with all their men. This myth, and many others describing the essential aspects of the sinoist faith, were first recorded on whole, dried palm tree leaves that are still kept at the Pope’s residence. Because of the heavy use of metaphors and allegories, the texts lend themselves to multiple interpretations. The actual staff featured in the myth has been lost for ages, if it ever existed. Today, Jilbaom the 38th is the country’s ruler. For obvious reasons, in the people’s mouth, the term “Jilbaom” has become a synonym of the word “leader”. As such, a merchant traveling in foreign lands could be heard asking someone how his country’s jilbaom is called. As to the 6 tribe leaders and their descendants, they have come to be called simply the Regency. In practice, the idea that the regency is equal to the king has lead to a sort of alternation of power between the two. The Regency obviously assumes power when the king is absent, disabled or still in minority, but it may also take power whenever it unanimously judges that it should do so, for whatever reason. The power reverts to the king whenever the unanimity is broken. Surprisingly, the change of hands has generally been done with relatively few violence. In each case, the approval of the Pope always plays an essential role. This strange system has given way to a complex relation between the jilbaom and the individual members of the Regency. On one part, they act as the king’s closest councillors and they have the utmost respect for him. On the other hand, however, individual regents frequently try to discredit him to the eyes of their colleagues, because it is often the best way to increase their personal power. Perhaps as a counterweight to the fairly unstable monarchy, the lower aristocracy is much more simple. It is particular in one aspect though: it is not hereditary. When the local lord dies, there is a great gathering to choose his successor. Each candidate presents himself and his most prestigious followers and then the population chooses the one it prefers by acclamation. Usually, during the few weeks that precede the gathering, the pretenders make various demonstrations of power and virtue to gain the masses’ esteem. Unlike the goblins of Malak, Klarahk and Ramakomysh, the Colboans don’t have a musical language. However, they have two different alphabets. One of them is so simple that most people know how to read it. It can only transmit the most basic of information and is used mainly by the church to teach simple commandments to the people and by merchants to facilitate commerce. The other alphabet is similar in complexity to that of the other cultures and, like the other cultures, it is only known by the elite.
Rekko 07-25-06, 12:52 PM	Good work Malyss, it's good to know you haven't lost your touch. I like the way Colboe was formed after the Liberation War. I also like the legend behind the Jilbaom. Maybe the broken staff can become the first artifact of Kinel? Continu to feed our imagination Rekko
Malyss the defender 01-21-07, 05:25 PM	Well, I realize that Kinel has been the No.1 collateral victim of my political implication. Still, I recently had some time and some ideas for a new post. As you can see from my post on Colboe, religion is something I'm interested in right now. It also happens that it's probably the least developped part of my world so, exactly 6 months after the last post, here's a text about... Malakism Like the major maharmetan religions, Malakism is based on the idea of Equilibrium, meaning that a god of some sort (represented by the earth as a living entity and by the two dragons in the karastelan faith) insures the preservation of a perfect and eternal balance. However, Malakism differs from the other religions in many aspects, notably its relation to authority and its vision of the role of man in the divine mission. Malakism started out as a small sect obsessed with the study and imitation of Malak as a model for mankind. However, in fact, Malak’s life is very badly documented and, as he died early in the Liberation War, his actions are few and his thoughts on matters are barely known. As a result, the first Malakists, who lived years after his death, based their convictions on suppositions concerning Malak’s beliefs and on their own interpretations of the Liberation War and what lead to it. Nevertheless, in the very difficult times following the War, when people found themselves entirely free for the first time and began thinking about how a new society should be organized, the Malakists’ ideas played an important role. First and foremost, the Malakists spread a message of hope as they declared that Man himself was the tool by which God insured the balance would be preserved. This was a major change from traditional philosophy in which man was simply a piece of the whole, condemned to watch his life pass by, taking no part in the grand scheme of things. In other words, the Malakists told men that they mastered their own destiny and that of the world, within the limits set by God. Additionally, the Malakists’ interest for Malak’s life was easily shared by the people of the time: not only did they see him as the hero who freed them but they also referred to him as a figure representing the perfect leader. Quickly, Malak came to be seen as a prophet and the Malakists took on the role of preachers who knew and taught their brethren every aspect of his life. Obviously, since little was known about the said life, each one of the first Malakists went with its own interpretation and elaborated from there. The Liberation War and the idea behind it were, of course, a subject of predilection. There, they faced a first “theological” problem. Malak dedicated his whole life to overthrowing those who had ruled for centuries. It would be logical to push the reasoning farther and assume that he wished freedom for all and thus no hierarchy. However, applying such a revolutionary idea proved impossible, if not outright absurd. Moreover, the simple fact of considering Malak as a leader, but also as a model of leadership, went against that idea. The Malakists finally concluded that this complex opposition between freedom and authority was a central, if not the central aspect of the eternal balance. While it may not seem so at first, this conception of balance has had a major influence on the development of the malakist Church and, consequently, on Malak society. Indeed, as the new religion gained more and more adepts, a need for a clearly established priesthood appeared. However, most of the first Malakists only reluctantly accepted the need for any kind of hierarchy. Furthermore, except for a few basic principles, the beliefs of individual preachers varied quite considerably. Add into account the fact that, following a logic inspired by the Liberation War, many Malakists viewed rupture as the best path towards change. The obvious consequence was an explosion in the number of rival communities all claiming to represent the “True way of Malak”. Luckily though, excluding a few altercations, it did not turn to bloodshed. Instead, the leaders of these various factions met and proclaimed that any group could be considered part of Malakism as long as it followed a number of essential principles, notably: - That Man is the tool by which God insures the preservation of the eternal balance - That constant confrontation between freedom and authority was at the heart of the notion of eternal balance - That Malak’s life and deeds should forever be regarded as examples of good conduct These principles, among with a few others, were consigned in a book that also contains a short tale of Malak’s life and various rules concerning society in general and the Church in particular. The said book is commonly called the Book of Feather and Stone, as the two objects are the symbols of Malakism. It is interesting to note that, throughout history, because of its ambiguous relation towards authority, the malakist Church has often positioned itself against the ambitions of the King of Malak. However, due to its lack of unity, it rarely presented a strong opposition, which partly explains why the State is such an important institution in Malak society. In times of war, though, the malakist clergy was always a precious ally against foreign invaders. To become a malakist priest, a man only needs to prove to an already ordained priest that he knows and observes the rules of the book. After the proof has been made, the judging priest blesses the new priest and hands him a feather and a stone. Normally, his own mentor, who taught him everything there is to know about priesthood, judges the aspiring priest. One of the most important rules consigned in the book concerns the link between a priest and the earth on which he dwells. Effectively, maybe as a reaction to the nashars’ nomadic lifestyle, the first Malakists put enormous emphasis on the sanctity of the soil and the importance of its care. For this reason, each priest is assigned a clearly delimited territory, which he will look over for his whole life. Even simple travelling is very uncommon for a priest. At the time, this rule had the positive side effect of preventing conflict between diverging malakist factions, with each one confined to its own specific track of land. The direct result of that practice is that, today still, important variations in traditions and beliefs exist between the different malakist groups. The malakist tradition also forbids ritual sacrifices, a practice associated with the Klarahk religion, and states that all religious icons must be kept within specially made sanctuaries and, if possible, must not be viewed by pagans. The holy sites of Malakism are great stone arks surrounded by a low wall. When holding a ceremony, the priest stands between the two pillars of the ark while the faithful sit cross-legged on the wall. The faithful are only allowed to cross this wall in special circumstances, such as when they get married or baptized. They may also cross the wall once a year, during Engred, the holiday commemorating the Liberation War. During this time, the people of the whole parish assemble within the holy site, symbolizing the unity that came out of the oppression from the nashars. To the contrary of what one would think by the name of the religion, Malakism is not limited to Malak goblins. Small groups of southern karastelan humans adopted the faith although they modified it to some extent (some of them even replaced Malak with Meiol, the human war hero, as a model). Moreover, in each of their colonies, Malak authorities made important efforts to convert the indigenous populations, a task that was facilitated by the fact that the malakist faith is quite flexible. Finally, the ideas of Malakism have spread across the world thanks to the work of the hundreds of Malak merchants.
Rekko 01-30-07, 11:49 PM	Keeping things alive.
Malyss the defender 04-07-07, 08:44 PM	It's been a while since I had this mental image of a man running through the snow to warn someone of an approaching danger, without knowing how to use it. I finally found out how. Hope you like it! The Small Road On the north side of Manorok, the city in which the king of Vinosslan resides in the summer, there once was a small service door, hardly guarded and used almost exclusively by servants to bring food supplies to the castle’s kitchens. Today, the exact same spot is a well-guarded brass door that opens to reveal a road made of rough grey stone, large enough for a single man and stretching almost infinitely towards the mountains in the horizon. The story of how one became the other is quite simple, but is nonetheless an important part of Vinosslan history. About 30 years ago, when the aggressive Aldorin Cereisan still held the throne, the kingdom had been at war with Malak for a few years. In terms of territory, both countries had made more or less equal gains. However, Cereisan had taken the Aestrid Islands while the Malak forces had advanced towards the Nehilio peninsula, not very far from the Vinosslan empire’s most important settlements. Fearing that the Malaks could use these grounds as a springboard to attack his core cities, Cereisan reluctantly accepted to sign a disadvantageous truce in which both nations accepted to give back the lands they had conquered. A few months later, by the middle of fall, a man was hunting in the mountains north of Manorok when he spotted an important fleet of Malak ships approaching the city by the west. Without hesitation, he abandoned his small encampment and started running back to the city but, on the way, he fell forward and his left arm got stuck in a stone crevice. Nevertheless, he managed to get his arm out of it and continued running, despite his wounds. For hours, he ran forward in the deep snow of an early snowstorm, dyed red by the blood dripping from his arm. When he arrived at the northern door, the castle servants greeted him with incredulous stares. As he pleaded to see the king, they reacted by bringing him to the lowly public dispensary in the poorer parts of the city. It is only there that a herbalist finally asked him what had happened. Alarmed by the hunter’s story, the herbalist did what he could to warn the authorities. However, by the time the information got to the right ears, the man had already died from his wounds. Luckily, there was still some time left to organize the defence. When the Malak ships arrived, the armed forces were not yet fully prepared, but at least they weren’t caught by surprise. After a gruesome fight, they managed to repel the invaders. After the fight, the king of Vinosslan ordered the construction of a stone road that would follow the exact path the unknown hunter had taken. From now on, the northern door would be permanently guarded and anyone who walked on what was to be called the Small Road would be guaranteed an audience with the king. Of course, no need to say that any unjustified audience obtained by walking on the Small Road would instantly be punished by death The tradition has been kept up to this day. Additionally, every year, before his departure to his winter seat, Vinosslan city, the king pays a visit to the guards of the northern door and takes a short walk on the Small Road, as an homage to the unknown hunter who saved Manorok.
Rekko 04-08-07, 04:36 PM	Wow! Have you considered writing movie scripts or novels?