Post/Author/DateTime	Post
khyron1144 02-22-07, 08:42 PM	The original seems to have gotten lost. This is my homebrew world. I've been working on it for many years, but have only seriously gotten into writing history and some other aspects fairly recently. Since everything is kind of going from entry in my idea notebook to post here, organization will initially be weird, but will get better as time goes on. Probably the closest thing to a unique feature of my world is that it is designed to accomodate my edition-hopping habits. I like AD&D 1st and 2nd editions and am conversant with 3rd edition. I use different ones at different times depending on what I feel like at the moment and who my game group is. Most of what is published initially is designed for 1e/2e hybrid mode that is my default. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/khyron1144/goodmap.jpg That is the current map. Here's the key: A: Human Empire of Tera B: Freeland C: Arcanum D: Grand Khanate of the Halflings E: Aelfheim F: Known Goblinoid Lands G: Beast Lands H: Dwarven Mountains/ Svartaelfheim I: Unknown/ Unexplored/ Undeveloped J: Barbarian Humans (mostly) K: Jotunheim L: Fabled, Long- Sought Elven Homeland Across The Sea M: Fabled, Long- Sought Human Homeland Across The Sea By the way: a million bonus geek points to anyone who can tell me exactly why the number 124 appears at what was the bottom of the page until I tipped it sideways.
khyron1144 02-22-07, 08:47 PM	The Teran Empire: This is probably the most important land of Tera. Tera's greatest power militarily and economically. Home to the most legendary of adventurers. The current Emperor, Stylus Steel, is considered by many to be a letdown to his family's legacy. Stylus is a scholar and practical man. He married early for political reasons and has produced no known offspring. His first official act as Emperor was the recognition of Freeland as a seperate country. The greatest military hero of the modern Empire is General Sigismund Odinson of the Bear Tribe. He has been given the Axe of Might on semi-permanent loan by the Emperor. Since the axe functions perfectly for him, including Beguilment function, some theorize that Sigismund is a better candidate for Emperorship than Stylus, positing that he may be one of Gladius's bastards. The major export of the Empire is adventurers. The Empire also has a lot of rich farmland producing much of the grain used in civilized lands. There are also rich forests producing both wood and animal pelts. Mining occurs in the hills and lesser mountains between the Empire and the Dwarven Mountains. The capitol city of the Teran Empire is Tera Prima. Tera Prima is a very big city where lawlessness is legal (within certain limits and subject to taxation and permit fees); anyone or anything can be bought; bloodshed is a public sport (both in the Arena and at the Ace of Swords Tavern); halflings hang desperately onto their ethnic folkways (leading to Halflingtown a very foregin-feeling ethnic neighborhood); and dwarves lose theirs (leading to a very strong dwarven contingent in the Temple of Hephaestus and an almost unused Temple of Moradin). Additional Notes: The Tarot deck is known in the Teran Empire. It has influenced culture in some interesting ways, particularly in Tera Prima where certain streets have Tarot-derived names, like Street of Swords, Street of Coins, Street of Cups, and Street of Staves. It also leads to names of certain inns and taverns, like the Ace of Swords. Finishing school is Tera Prima slang for a house of ill-repute. Through some combination of actual technological progress and magic as technology progress, life in the big city is as comfortable as it is today in the real world. That is to say, you might get your throat slit by unsavory characters, but food comes from a store, water arrives at your house, and some of the better sections of town have lighted streets at night. Those doing the farming to make food arrive at the stores still live the backward and miserable life of medieval peasants, as do those living in the wild places far from the bastions of civilization. Arcanum Arcanum is the wizardly country. It's bounded on all sides by The Teran Empire because it actually used to be part of the Empire. An Emperor of The Iron Dynasty granted Arcanum its independance, with implications of a strong alliance between the two. Arcanum is home to a number of lich crypts, mad wizards's towers, and similar likely adventure sites. Of special note is the Temporal Palace or Spatial Palace, which may be two different places sharing the same space at different times. It disappears and reappears at regular intervals. The political and geographic center of Arcanum is The Great University. The head of the University is head of state for Arcanum as a whole. (Under AD&D 2nd edition rules, every Wizard specialty class and kit has some sort of presence at the university, however minimal [even Rhabdomancers and Wu Jen from Dragon #229]). The current Archchancellor of the University is Frater Gauge, a Geometer of great renown. Never borrow money from him; he has a shelf full of souls forfeited; a half-dozen flesh golems made frome extracted pounds of flesh; and a small army of Half-Ogres armed with big hammers and a keen interest in knee-caps. Arcanum exports wizards, sages, magical knowledge, information, philosophies, magical items, new technology, monsters (especially fusion-based aberrations along the lines of owl-bears), and gold plundered from lich crypts. The Wizards import men of arms, raw materials (especially substances used for spell components, like amber), and individuals foolish enough to venture into lich crypts (a.k.a adventurers). Religion is not much stressed in Arcanum. Most wizards are eiter as agnostic as one can get in a world where clerical magic works, demons and celestials walk the land, and Ragnarock is impending; or else worship Hecate, Abraxas, Odin (imported from Barbarian lands), Thoth (an Elvish import), and/or Corellon Larethian (another Elvish import) regardless of alignment. Dwarven Mountains is what the Teran Empire calls them. The barbarians call it Svartaelfheim and fear it. The dwarves, just call it home. It is a land perpetually torn by war. Dwarves dwell here under the ground as do orcs, illithid, svartaelfs (drow), gnomes, and who knows what else. Naturally, this is quite a volatile situation. From birth dwarves are taught defense of the homeland by force of arms; reverance for the Gods; the arts of underground survival; and respect for the forge. In this underground world there is no room for anyone to sit out the fight or not do an honest share of the ore-hauling and weapon-forging. Thus, the Gods have blessed dwarven women with the same muscularity and build as the dwarven men. If the enemy can not tell the females at a glance, the females are safer, so the the Gods have blessed dwarven females with the same beards as the men. The dwarves revere the same Gods as the barbarian humans (Norse pantheon) with the addition of Moradin. Those who have dwelt too long in the Human Empire favor Hephaestus instead, seeing the humans's Forge-God as worthy as the Soul-Forger. Dwarves import surface-grown grain and surface-raised livestock and export ore and gems as well as weapons known for quality. Barbarian Lands The barbarians dwell to the north of the Teran Empire and to the south of Jotunheim. They are divided into tribes, which are usually named after an animal. Some tribes include: the Bear Tribe, which is the one that Teran Empire General Sigismund Odinson is from; the Wolf Tribe, rivals of the Bear Tribe; the Tribe of the Ram, sheepherders who wield claymores (the swords, not the mines); The Boar Tribe, where most of the half-orcs and half-ogres wandering the civilized lands originally hail from; and more that I haven't come up with yet. Since each tribe is like a little country, it's hard to make sweeping generalizations, but here are some things likely held in common among a large number of tribes. Most barbarians revere the Norse pantheon. They place a major emphasis on living a warrior life. The greatest fear of a barbarian is not death itself but death of old age rather than on the field of valor. Right now, mercenary barbarians are a noticable fraction of the Teran Empire's military might and this worries some Empire citizens. Most tribes do not develop a written language, but they do have a rich history passed down in sagas recited by skalds. Every warrior dreams of having his conquests and death remembered as on of his tribe's sagas. Most tribes are almost perpetually at war with the Jotuns to the north, the surrounding tribes and the Teran Empire. It has long been a subject of much speculation that if the barbarians got their act together, they could be a major menace to either the Empire or the Jotuns or both. Social equality of the sexes is actually much more advanced in barbarin lands than in the Empire, as a general rule. Females can become wrriors, own property, and lead tribes. Even when leadership of a tribe is by a male, hereditary leaderships are traced matrilineally. Everyone who is witness to the birth knows who somebody's mother was. Fatherhood is often a little more ambiguous, especially among the barbarians. While barbarians do marry, their customs are rather unusual by Empire standards. Multiple simultaneous marriages are not uncommon, but they aren't of the a male may take as many wives as he can support variety that are known among the Empire nobles, rather, they could be expressed as: a person is married to another person as long as both of them say so and they can both marry as amny other people as they wish. To put it another way: polygamy is normal to the barbarains, but it's different from the sexist version that has existed historically on our Earth. Besides, the weird marriage customs, fornication and adultery are not uncommon and rarely considerd that big a deal to most barbarians. [It's worth noting that in terms of game mechanics not everyone from a tribe in the barbarian lands is of the barbarian character class and not everyone who belongs to the barbarian character class is from barbarian lands. The percentage of barbarians in a barbarian tribe are noticably higher, but only wizards are a rarity in barbarian lands.] The Halfling Khanate Halflings have a repressive feudal system not entirely unlike that of the Teran Empire. At the top is the Khan. He is head of state, chief executive, and the entire legislative body in one halfling person and commander in chief of the military. Below that is a warrior nobility called the samurai. Next down are the townsmen, a middle class of merchants and craftsmen. At the bottom are the serfs who raise crops. Serfs technically have no rights when dealing with the samurai or Khan, including the right to expect to be still living when the conversation ends. The religion of the Halflings is animistic in nature. They believe that everything is alive and has a spirit within it. Spirits get fed by respect and worship and sacrifices. There are also Gods who are spirits that are worshipped by so many people that they are no longer associated with a specific place but are kind of everywhere a particular activity is performed or a particular thing is found. The halflings also have some of the scariest criminals in known Tera. The Yakuza are said to be everywhere. They supposedly know everything and can go anywhere. While it is called the Halfling Khanate, there are relatively large populations of humans and korobokuru under their dominion.
khyron1144 02-22-07, 08:49 PM	Goblinoid Lands The Goblinoid Lands are just that: lands in the posession of the savage and ugly humanoid races. During the day Hobgoblins, Norkers, and Ogres are the ones most commonly seen above-ground. At night the Goblins and Orcs come out too. Goblinoids export nothing but violence and import whatever treasure and slaves they can steal. The only land where the Shadow Pantheon is worshipped openly. Note: when I choose to run 3rd edition rather than AD&D (1st or 2nd) and types become more important: Orcs gain the Goblinoid subtype. Bug Bears lose the Goblinoid sub-type, but gain a different sub-type, Ursine, which Owl Bears, Bears, and Werebears also have. Boggles gain the Goblinoid subtype. Ogres gain the Goblinoid sub-type and are also Jotuns. Beast Lands The Beast Lands are often thought of as a unit, even though they are really a group of small seperate countries. The main reason that causes others to lump them all together is that the inhabitants resemble humanoid versions of certain animals. Beastlands races PCs know of at the start of the campaign are: Aarakocra, Alaghi, Bug Bears, Gnolls, Flinds, Kobolds (in my world, their rat-like traits are played up), Lizard Men, and Saurials. With the exception of Gnolls and Flinds most of them are even open as PC races. The Beast Lands continue further to the south than any currently know of and the following races may later be revealed: Rakasta, Lupin, Tortles, Minotaurs (stats will be as per the race from Dragon Lance, not the standard cursed humanoids from the Monstrous Manual), Cay Men, Gator Men, Pterra Men, Dracons, Giff, and Phanatons. Religion varies widely. Gnolls and Flinds are monotheistic Yenoghu fanatics. Kobolds favor kurtulmak and other Shadow Pantheon deities. Alaghi and Aarakocra are primarily animists, tended to by Shamans. Note: Anybody who sees the word Beast Lands and thinks of a Nuetral Good with Chaotic tendencies outer plane inhabited by Gaurdinals: in my world that plane is still called The Happy Hunting Grounds, likewise the Nine Hells are the Nine Hells and not the Nine Hells of Baator. Baatezu, Yugoloths, and Tanar'i are terms with no meaning in this world, especially yugoloths. Evil outer-planar beings include: Demons, Devils, Daemons, Diakka, Demodands, and Hordelings.
khyron1144 02-22-07, 08:51 PM	More Ancient History Approximately 100,000 years ago The first great empire in the known regions of Tera was that of the dragons and their scaley kin. Approximately 85,000 years ago The dragons were too divided among themselves and complacent to hang onto their empire when the elves invaded from across the Eastern Sea. Approximately 80,000 years ago Humans were the next race to invade. The elves fought back hard, but had an additional problem when a faction of their own race turned to worshipping dark powers including Lolth the Spider Queen. Eventually the elves and humans came to an agreement to drive the newly christened Svartaelfs into the Dwarven Mountains. The Good Aelfs and the humans agreed to split the known lands of Tera Nova. Approximately 70,000 Years ago A planar portal opened spilling the Horde of the Great Halfling Khan onto the broad fields claimed by The Teran Empire. Another war breaks out and then a peace is brokered allowing the Halflings to settle. Approximately 60,000 Years Ago The First Dark Age begins. It starts with the Terror of Yeenoghu's Chosen as the arrival of the gnolls and flinds comes to be known. Next comes the Northward march of the Goblinoid races from their distant southern home. Next the Giants or Jotuns march south from their lands in the north. Just when the situation seems to have hit bottom, the Hell Armies of Demons and Devils arrive from their home plane. Finally the Gods war among themsleves again. Some of these situations are resolved fairly quickly, but their coming so quickly upon each other (some possibly within the same decade, and all definitely in the same century) causes a certain amount of technological and magical progress to be lost. Not to mention the uncertainty of safety caused by having goblinoids and gnolls all in such close proximity to the civilized lands. As things go downhill, The Ragnarock Prophecy is given. Approximately 30,000 Years ago The First Dark Age ends when the Gods bestow on the mortal races the Artifacts of Rulership. The basic racially-based divisions of territory are established and The First Alliance is created. Flint I of the Humans receives The Axe of Might, The Crown of Emperors, and Throne of Rulership (humans are big on useless symbols, but nothing says rulership like a big, heavy battle axe and the will to use it). Hurn Ironhands, a dwarf, receives The Hammer of Might, Helm of The Dwarf Kings, and Mail of the Great Warchief (dwarves are a practical people and believe that headgear should be functional. A dwarf king is as apt to sit on a bar stool as a throne, depending on what's available at the time.) Jordan the Wheelright, a halfling, receives The Daisho of Greatness, The Helm of the Khans, and Thunderhooves, a magic war pony (45,000 years in Known Tera have done starnge things to the halfling race. Once they were a warrior Horde born to the saddle, now they are mostly farmers. They still have the best cavalry of any nation, however.) Shining Leaves, an elf, receives The Bow and Quiver of Excellence, Cloak of the Forest Born, and The Tome of Great Magics (Elves prize archery and magical ability.) 27,000 Years Ago In reaction to the peace and stability the humans and demihumans now have, the Shadow Pantheon creates its own alliance of mortal champions and servitors (with the exception of Yeenoghu and Lucifer; both get lumped in with the Shadow Pantheon because of their common history in The Fall, however both have different aims than the rest of the Shadow Gods; Yeenoghu wants to kill all the other Gods; Lucifer wants to try and lead the world away from power and influence, including the power and influence of the Gods). Hasan the Slayer, a human assassin, receives Old Man's Blade and The Black Armor (perfect tools for an assassin). Martin Shadowen, a human shadow mage, receives The Shadow Book and Staff of The Shadow Wizards (his subsequent actions in the northern lands may account for some of the superstitious dread barbarians have of wizardly magic). Kruk, an exceptional hob-goblin, recieved the Short Sword of Might, The Armor of Glory, and The War Drums of the Great War Chief (Hobgoblins respect functionality as much as dwarves do and war drums are the only way to get the lesser goblinoids all marching in the same direction at once). In secret, Yeenoghu delivers to his champion, an unnamed Flind, The Flind Bar of Might, The Cape of Yeenoghu's Chosen, and Bonechewer, a most exceptional Hyenadon (Because of Yeenoghu's madness, gnolls and flinds are fanatical montheists who hate all other sentient races). Lucifer, Ssendam, and Ygorl secretly collaborate on The Cosmic Joke, a unique spell/ disease/ non-corporeal entity that can accomplish much with the right corporeal host, yet which is not under anyone's control, particularly not the entities that created it; They believe that to be part of the punchline. 25,00 Years Ago The Age of the Great Artificers starts. Martin the Conjurer creates the Ring of Servants. Hermes Spacebender creates the Temporal Palace. After he comes into possession of the Ring of Servants, The Golem Maker creates the staff of servants as a companion piece. 20,000 Years Ago Second Dark Age Begins. Shadowen the Lich-King's undead legions march on the Teran Empire. 17,000 Years Ago Shadowen's armies are driven off by General Iron who has displaced the Flint Emperor and seized the artifacts of rulership. The Shadow Book and Staff of the Shadow Wizards are lost but almost definitely not destroyed. Second Dark Age Ends. 15,000 Years Ago Arcanum Secession: Athough it meant a loss of Empire lands and native magical talent, the Iron Emperor allowed it because the lands the wizards wanted included a number of mad wizard's keeps, lich lord's crypts and other udnesirable properties would now be Somebody Else's Problem 10,000 Years Ago The Second Gnoll War 8,000 Years Ago The Land of The Northern Barbarians is officially recognized as a political entity seperate form the Empire. The Iron Emperor recognizes it as a way to make the Jotuns Somebody Else's Problem. 7,000 Years Ago Draconic Resurgance/ Third Dark Age. Lasting after-effects include: Therion, Scaleytown, Scaley Common, and the bloodline that leads to Martin Dragonblood. 5,000 Years Ago Third Dark Age ends. 3,000 Years Ago Age of Rust. Iron Emperors become ruthless, decadent, mad, or combinations thereof. Empire starts losing territory, beginning with unofficial annexation of certain northern villages. 800 Years Ago Castle Granite is lost to goblinoids. 150 Years Ago The Sorceress appears and creates a forest for herself in the southern portion of the Empire. 100 Years Ago Manus Iron begins trying to halt rust with what might be called an Age of Polish. Campaigns extensively against Barbarians, Goblinoids, and Beastlanders. Appendix: Dwarves: A Race That is Eternal As far as the Dwarves are concerned they have always ruled the world and their empire has never failed because their world is The Dwarven Mountains. They have some challenges, yes; mainly fighting the Svartaelfs and thier own dark cousins and the illithid and others who contest their underground realms, but they are still where they were meant to be, in the mountains. Apendix 2: So What about Gnomes? Dwarves of both the normal and Duergar variety and Gnomes of regular and Svirfneblin types are probably the only races native to Known Tera. The gnomes have always just sort of been there. They haven't really had the urge to establish a kingdom of their own. They are perfectly content living under the rule of dwarves, humans, halflings, or elves.
khyron1144 02-22-07, 08:52 PM	Recent History 100 Years Ago Manus Iron ascends to the throne of the Teran Empire. Gladius Steel is born to a woman of the Wolf Tribe of Northern Barbarians. His father was a Teran Empire Legionnaire. 85 Years Ago Gladius is captured in his first raid on the villages of the soft, civilized men of the Empire. Because of his fighting spirit, physical prowess, and unsuitability to honest labor as a slave, he is used as a slave gladiator. To everyone's surprise he wins his first battle. 84 Years Ago Gladius is widely known and draws huge crowds after over twenty wins. He's still a slave though. 83 Years Ago Gladius has earned his freedom. As a free citizen of the Empire he chooses Steel as his last name. He enlists in the legions. 82 Years Ago Gladius is now a Corporal in the Legions. Manus send the Legions south through the Beast Lands. This mission will be called Manus's Expedition in the official histories and Manus's Folly in popular accounts. Almost no territory is permanently annexed. The geographic and naturalistic lore gathered by this expedition is not taken as credible by the general public. 81 Years Ago Goblinoid war bands see an oppurtunity and attack the Empire. Manus recalls Legions from the Beastlands. Gladius, now a sergeant, distinguishes himself in the ensuing war. 78 Years Ago Goblinoids largely driven back. Gladius Steel is promoted to Commander of Tera Prima City Watch. He uses his influence to bring more of his ex-Legionnaires into the City Watch, making sure Watch-house Captains are battle savvy and loyal to him. 75 Years Ago Gladius, after significantly cleaning up the city (with some notable exceptions, like the Finishing Schools [soldiers need something to do with their pay], the Assassin's Guild [soldiers need reasons to stay alert], and the Ace of Swords [soldiers need someplace to stay in practice]), is moved from City Watch to Palace Guard. 74 Years Ago Gladius kills Manus, takes the Artifacts of Rulership, and becomes Emperor. 72 Years Ago Gladius marries an Empire-born noblewoman to legitimize his rule. He also acquires a harem of Barbarian concubines. 70 Years Ago Cestus is born to Empress Astra Saphire-Steel. Gnolls begin to attack southern portions of the Empire. Gladius immediately mobilizes the Legions. Third Gnool War begins. 69 Years Ago Gnolls, lacking the raw numbers of the goblinoids, look like they're losing, right form the start. A mysterious leader emerges among the flinds who starts turning the army into a real disciplined fighting force. 68 Years Ago Gladius, seeing that this could be a lengthy war of atrition, attends to the war personally making full use of the Artifacts of Rulership. The tide begins to turn. 67 Years Ago Eventually, it comes down to a direct fight between Gladius and Yeenonoru, the flind leader. Gladius wins through raw physical might and superior knowledge because both sets of Artifacts cancel each other out. The Flind/ Gnoll artifacts disappear in the wake of the battle. 54 Years Ago Cestus enlists in the Imperial Legions anonymously, without his father's knowledge. He leaves behind a note saying not to worry or investigate his disappearance. 53 Years Ago Cestus is a corporal, while dealing with goblinoid border raids. Gladius orders the establishment of two fortified border cities to strengthen Imperial hold on south lands. Incentives to settle include free man status for serfs, local voting rights for free men, and similar improvements in status. 52 Years Ago Cestus, still under a false identity, becomes a border sheriff in the recently established town of Firebird. 51 Years Ago Cestus marries Laurelai, an enchantress of common birth from Arcanum, in secret. 50 Years Ago Cestus grows tired of living incognito and sends word back to the Emperor Gladius of where he is and what he has done. Gladius is proud and also approves of Laurelai. He creates a new County of Jade for Laurelai to be Countess of, thus elevating her as befits a Crown Prince Imperial's wife. 48 Years Ago Laurelai Jade-Steel gives birth to Gladius II. Gladius I believes Cestus is ready and bestows upon him the Artifacts of Rulership. Gladius I, feeling that 52 years is too old for a man born of barbarian stock and fearing a quiet death of age or disease, buckles on his old gladiatorial gladius and heads north to rally his old tribe for a raid on the Jotuns. Gladius I dies gloriously in battle. Cestus ascends to the throne. 47 Years Ago Cestus meets Martin Dragon-Blood, a powerful, mostly human wizard (Martin claims a faint trace of draconic heritage in his family, infused during the Draconic Resurgance) and appoints him Magus-General of the Empire. Teran Empire appears to be experiencing another Golden Age. 20 Years Ago Empress Laurelai Jade-Steel gives birth to Stylus Steel(she married young, so is only 45 chronologically and may have used Pool of Time for an even younger age biologically). Stylus, being a second son is mostly left to his mother and grandmother to raise. 19 Years Ago Knives of Iron succeed in assassination plot on Emperor Cestus Steel. Gladius II ascends to the throne. Gladius II orders the Ruber Sinistra to start killing "suspected traitors". 18 Years Ago Riots and uprisings start in northwestern portion of the Empire. Gladius II orders random uninvolved village in aobut the right region put to the torch. Stylus is remarkably articulate and wise for a two-year-old. 17 Years Ago The loss of tax revenues from the region compels Gladius II to mobilize legions on northwest trouble spots. Barbarians reinforce rebellious Empire peasants for unknown reasons. War begins in earnest. Stylus knows his letters, colors, numbers, and shapes and is doing it in the big boy garderobe. 16 Years Ago Halflings join the Empire's rebellion on both sides. Stylus can read and write short words. 15 Years Ago Beast Landers get involved in the Great Revolt, mostly on the peasant side. In order to ensure his safety, Stylus is sent away for schooling in Arcanum. 14 Years Ago- 10 Years Ago War drags on. All peoples of known Tera are at least minimally involved on one or both sides. Stylus continues schooling, shies away from magic but very sharp in philosophy, history, languages, and natural philosophy. 9 Years Ago Gladius II finally enters the fray personally. Tide begins to turn. 8 Years Ago A group of mercenary adventurers known as The Company of Chaos join the rebels. The company secretly has artifacts that put them on a par with the Emperor. 7 Years Ago While spell-dueling with Dwzip of The Company of Chaos, Magus-General Martin Dragon-Blood is apparently transformed into a shower of flower petals. A lucky peasant arrow fells Gladius II (the lucky one was the sixteenth; he looked like a pin cushion at the end). Laurelai Jade-Steel takes the throne as regent. She pulls Imperial legions out of Rebellion and calls for a temporary cessation of hostilities. 5 Years Ago Stylus is the youngest graduate ever of The Great University's non-magical studies program. He returns to Tera Prima where his betrothal to Lady Mildred of House Emerald is announced. 4 Years Ago Stylus marries mildred and assumes the throne. Laurelai's regency ends. Stylus officially recognizes Freeland as an independant country where citizens are encouraged to define own government. Now Ragnarock prophecy begins to be fulfilled.
khyron1144 02-22-07, 08:53 PM	Here's my world's creation myth. The Very Beginning of Tera Everyone agrees that everything started with The One. Everyone also agrees that The One grew lonely. The Halflings believe that The One went mad in His loneliness and we (including the plants and animals and rocks and waters and Gods and planar beings) are the fragments of his splintered mind trying to rejoin. Almost everyone else believe The One Created The First Multitude (the Gods and Most Powerful Planar Beings). The First Multitude having more than one mind created Identities for themselves. Some favored Creation (Good) and others favored Destruction (Evil). Some favored hierarchies and codes of conduct and other forms of Order (Law) and others favored freedom regardless of the consequences (Chaos). Naturally, these differing views led to conflict. The First Multitude took their dispute to The One for Him to settle. The One favored the forces of Order and Creation and created a hierarchy with himself at the top, the lesser Creators and proponents of Order under Him and the forces of Freedom and Destruction further down and finally the Second Multitude (Demons, Slaad, Modrons, and other lesser Planar Beings) below them. After the Free Ones and Destroyers had to swallow this indignity, The One announced further plans. He intended to create a Third Multitude of sentient beings who would in some ways being higher up than any except Himself. They would not have the raw power that one of the Second Multitude may command (although there are definitely plans to allow the greatest among them to climb those heights), but their belief and devotion would nourish The First Multitude and they would be free to do so however they wished causing some among The First to be greater and some to diminish. For Lucifer the Light bringer, star of the Morning, this was the final straw. He organized a revolt to Destroy the One. Although, he saw himself as a force for Freedom most of his allies came from the Destroyers, such beings as Satan, Orcus, and Asmodeus. They fought their war and lost. The Hell Planes (the Abyss, The Nine Hells, The Glooms of Hades, Gehenna, Acheron, etc.) were created to contain them and their allies among the second Multitude (Demons, Devils, Daemons, Hordeling, Diakka, etc.) After this war the Third Multitude (the mortal races of the Prime material Plane) was created anyway.
khyron1144 02-22-07, 08:55 PM	Power Groups Political Groups Ruber Sinistra The Emperor of the Human Empire's Red Left Hand. Government assassins and thugs. This is one possible "guild" for 1st-edition-type assassins. I would consider allowing Lawful Neutral assassins as well as the standard Evil assassins in this guild. The existence of this group has long been denied oficially by the Emperor, but almost all have had a use for it at one time or another. They are treated by the common folk almost as boogey-men: "Watch out or the Ruber Sinistra will find you." Axes of Flint/ Knives of Iron Most subjects of the Human Empire treat a changeover in dynasty as just one of those things. Most Imperial usrupations are quiet and less bloody than one would expect; usually, the would-be Emperor just kills the current Emperor and then takes The Artifacts of Rulership, leaving the Imperial family almost entirely unharmed. This means there are legitimate Flint and Iron claimants to the throne still extent. Organizations have arisen around these heirs roughly anologous to the Jacobite movement of Great Britain or the alleged Priori de Sion of France. Mostly they just amount to so much conspiratorial muttering and allegorical leaflets, nothing much of importance. One time, though, they succeeded beyond all their wildest hopes and killed a Steel Emperor (Cestus). Unfortunatley for them, they didn't get his son (Gladius II), who was much more dangerous to them than Cestus ever had been. Criminal Organizations The Yakuza A traveller from a different world upon hearing of the Yakuza said: "What's a halfling gangster going to do to me? Kick me in the shins?" His body was found in his room at the inn the next day, stabbed 1,000 times. His room was locked from the inside at the time and no one ever saw the halfling who must have heard his disparaging remark. The Yakuza are real. The Yakuza's reach stretches everywhere. Fear them. The Yakuza are a "guild" for halfling thieves and assassins. The Coin Street Irregulars On the Street of Coins in Tera Prima is a tavern named The King of Coins. It's a normal-looking tavern in between Trader Robard's Discount Emporium and The Wily Alchemist Shoppe. In the back room, Four-Fingers Lucky Lefty Smashfist, an aged half-ogre former kneebreaker, holds court. Smashfist is uncommonly agile-minded for his race; many suspect a God Pool figures in his history somewhere. Every young thug, thief, knife-for-hire, and dealer in goods-of-questionable-origin of the neighborhood pays him tribute in cash or pays the much harsher price in blood later. Smashfist and his "organization" is somewhere between tolerated and beloved by the locals. Most figure if it wasn't him it would be someone worse. His "protection" services do actually provide a measure of protection greater than the watch can. His quick, easy, and accessible loans, although often leading to trouble, almost as often prevent worse trouble. Another thieve's/assassin's guild. Sword Street Boys Some young punks think Smashfist is too greedy and controlling. They have set up a rival organization based out of an abandoned warehouse on The Street of Swords. Yet another thieve's/ assassin's guild, but this is the last one, really. Religious Organizations Children of the Star of the Morning It befits, Lucifer, God of Freedom and Rebellion to not have an actual organized church. It's also fitting for those that do feel some affection for the Morning Star to ocasionally band together to cause bigger trouble. This group has no hierarchy and no in charge because such rigidity would be anathema to the Star of the Morning. The Children have no membership roster and no initiation rite. You are a Child of the Morning's Star when you cause the powers that be some kind of trouble. The group includes terrorists, bandits, pamphleteers, rabble-rousers, and anyone else who gives "the man" some headache. The Persephone Cabal Although a barbarian by birth, Gladius was a major supporter of the Temple of Hades. Some within the upper echelons of the Temple of Hades want him back. Resurrection magic is not unknown, but Gladius presents a special case because his remains have never been found and his actual name and birthplace is unknown. This make resurrection a bit trickier. The Persephone Cabal is the group of priests trying to find a way to bring Gladius back. They named themselves after the wife of Hades, which they see as a metaphor for the Emperor's proper role.
khyron1144 02-22-07, 08:57 PM	Some notes on the format: I denotes a minor benign power II denotes a major benign power III denotes a minor malevolent effect IV denotes a major malevolent effect. V is a prime power and VI is a side effect Minor malevolent effects occur after the artifact is in a character's possession for 1-4 weeks or after a major power is used. Major malevolent effects occur after a Major or Prime power is used. Human Regalia of Rulership Axe of might Counts as a +5 Battle Axe for anyone. In the hands of a King of Men it allows a Beguilment effect as per the rod of the same name 3 times a day and the following additional effects: I Detect Invisibility when held and ordered. Infravision when held II Cause serious wounds by touch III User must eat and drink six time normal amount. IV User grows ¼ foot taller every time Primary power is used. V Death ray equal to a Finger of Death spell with no save once a day. VI Fear as per the spell is possible when a major or primary power is used, a save vs. magic applies. This affects both the user and viewers. Crown of Emperors For anyone it acts as a Helm of Comprehending Languages & Reading Magic and confers Protection as if a Ring of Protection +5 without taking up a ring slot. On a true King of Men it also functions as a Ring of Human Influence with Charm and Suggestion powers usable 3 times a day and provides the following additional powers: I Esp 3/day II Dispel Illusion upon command 2/day IV Utterance of a spell causes loss of voice for a day V Legend Lore, Commune, or Contact Higher Plane 1/week VI Greed and covetousness reaction possible in all intelligent viewers Throne of Rulership In order to use this artifact the user must be: a true king of men (the Throne or the greater forces that control it will make their own judgment) and either currently seated upon the throne or having been sitting on it for at least three hours not more than two days ago, provided these conditions are met, the following powers are gained: Persuasion as the philter 1/day Rulership as the rod 3/week I Possesor immune to fear II Regenerate 2 HP/Turn (but not if killed) III Acne on possessor's face IV Magic drained form the most powerful (non-artifact) magic item within 20' of user V Total immunity from all forms of mental and psionic attack VI Whenever the prime power is used, the possessor must save vs. magic or lose 1 level of experience. When the full set are in the possession of one true ruler of men, the following additional powers are gained: I Shield 3/day II Lightining Bolt (12 dice) 2/day III Touch of possessor kills green plants and crumbles them to dust. IV Yearning to be worshipped is uncontrollable; those failing to bow and scrape will be instantly attacked. V Summon djinn or efreet lord for 1 day of service 1/week
khyron1144 03-12-07, 10:17 PM	Castle Granite [This is the introductory text I've written to an adventure that I've started writing but haven't tried to run yet. The bracketed bits are my comments directly to you, the CBG audience. How things start is often murky with events getting disordered and justifications being made up after the fact. Such is the genesis of this project. As far as I can figure the following events came together some time last year: my acquisition of the orignal AD&D hardbacks Unearthed Arcana, Oriental Adventures and Fiend Folio making my collection of first edition rulebooks reasonably complete with the 1e PHB, DMG, MM, and MM2 that I already had; my starting to write the recent history of Tera, knowing that I wanted the current Emperor to be a scholar descended from a recently started dynasty and that the founder is a bit of a Conan-type figure, leading me to create Gladius Steel; and a back to school sale at Office Max where I picked up a bunch of one subject notebooks; somewhere along the line, I thought: it's a shame Gladius is part of the past relative to my current game; he'd be fun to run as an NPC buddy for the party; why don't I devote one of these notebooks to a classic dungeon-crawl style adventure set in Tera's past for 1e rules?] They say all roads lead to Tera Prima, capital of the Teran Empire. Probably because only humans are ambitious and arrogant enough to assemble the crew necessary to put in a road where a perfectly good forest was. They also say it's a city rich in oppurtunities for those looking to earn fame and wealth by adventuring. That's why you're there. Everywhere there are posters saying: Emperor Manus Iron wants you for his legions. You've heard tell that the legions are still understaffed for The New Goblinoid War, even though the Emperor has begun recalling troops from the Beastlands mission that has the official name of Manus's Southern Expedition. Your slightly subversive grandpa calls it Manus's Folly. [I am making a bit of a leap saying that the PCs all have slightly subversive grandpas, but I feel it is merited.] For those that go willingly: The nearest recruitment office is surprisingly small and shabby. The man at the desk has an eyepatch and is missing two fingers on his left hand. He says, "Thanks for considering the Legions. We just have a brief Physical. Let's see you can stand and walk under your own power. That's a definite plus. Now can you see the chart on the back wall? Okay how about the back wall then? Well, you're in. You'll be reporting to the Swords Street Barracks for further instruction." For those with a weakness for women: You find your way to the seemier side of the city. One of the women of negotiable affection calls out from an alleyway. If they step into the alley: Just as you begin to engage her services, the world fades to black. When you wake up, you're on a cot in a room with a bunch of other cots. Judging by the uniforms of the other men in the room, you're in the Legions now. If they pass up the alleyway: You find Miss Rose's Girls' Finishing School, and, knowing what Finishing School is a euphemism for in Tera Prima, you slip the bouncer a few coins to get in. You pay the headmistress for a girl and a room for the night. You have a reasonably good time and then fall asleep for the night. When you wake up, you're on a cot in a room with a bunch of other cots. Judging by the uniforms of the other men in the room, you're in the Legions now. For those who prefer the fermented beverages: You make your way to the Ace of Swords, King of Wands, King of Coins, or Page of Cups. Whichever one: you buy drinks and after the third one everything goes black. When you wake up, you're on a cot in a room with a bunch of other cots. Judging by the uniforms of the other men in the room, you're in the Legions now. For those who like a good brawl: You make your way to The Ace of Swords, famed far and wide as the best brawling tavern in all the Empire. There's about twenty in tonight's melee. (treat all combatants as Fighter 1s with AC 8 (leather armor), +2 to hit (Strength bonus), and doing 1d4+3 damage (tankards and chairs). Five immediately gang up on brawling PC. When PC is knocked unconscious: When you wake up, you're on a cot in a room with a bunch of other cots. Judging by the uniforms of the other men in the room, you're in the Legions now. [Yes it's railroading, but it's railroading with style and it offers a decent illusion of choice. PCs can jump the tracks later by going AWOL or similar.] In the barracks: A large man in a Legion uniform walks into the room and starts bellowing: "All right men, rise and shine. A new day is before us and so are a thousand ways to die valiantly. I'm your Sergeant, Gladius Steel. If you can get dressed and down to the mess in under a minute, you've got a chance to eat before you die. Seeing as to how it's grain mush, I wouldn't hurry though." After finishing his inspirational speach, he walks out of the room and the more prepared Legionnaires file out of the room behind him. One of them mutters: "He says that every morning, but we've been drilling for a whole week now. I think he's eager to recieve combat orders." "Must be his barbarian blood showing through," says another. The mess is a large room with lots of tables. Along one side of the room, a line of Legionnaires are recieving a bowl of grain mush from a big, ugly, scary cook. One of your comrades-in-arms explains: "That's Smashfist; he's a half-ogre; they chose him for his way of discouraging folks asking for seconds." The Sergeant strides back into the mess and says: " Well men, we've got orders. We're being sent to retake Castle Granite from the goblinoids. We don't know what we'll find there. That castle has been in Goblinoid hands for over a hundred years. That's a long time, but the Emperor syas we're not going to let any Tarterus-spawned golbins use one of our own fortresses to launch attacks against us. Now, since a mere sergeant is not distinguished enough to lead this mission, they've assigned a nob with an academy commision to lead us. Let me present to you the Lieutenant Silvus Emerald." When he ends his speach, a clean-shaven, young man in shiny polished armor and with a family crest painted on his shield strides confidently into the room: "Once, you've finished your mush, report to quartemaster um..." he consults his notes. "Oh yes, Forthingay Fingers. What an odd name. Report to the quartermaster to receive your armaments. Once everyone's done that, we march."
Kravell 03-14-07, 02:41 PM	I skimmed most of your posts and read over the first adventure idea. First off, did your map come from the Wilderness Survival Guide? Second, I am most interested in how a world gets translated into real adventures and a real campaign, so your beginning adventure intrigued me. If I were playing in your campaign, I'd get the impression that your world is rough and tumble, with a theme of war and violence running through it. Would my first impression be correct? Finally, I think the idea that you mix and match editions allows for a fluid game. I'll read me if I ever get some free time. Charlie
khyron1144 03-15-07, 10:26 PM	1) I skimmed most of your posts and read over the first adventure idea. First off, did your map come from the Wilderness Survival Guide? 2) Second, I am most interested in how a world gets translated into real adventures and a real campaign, so your beginning adventure intrigued me. 3) If I were playing in your campaign, I'd get the impression that your world is rough and tumble, with a theme of war and violence running through it. Would my first impression be correct? 4) Finally, I think the idea that you mix and match editions allows for a fluid game. I'll read me if I ever get some free time. Charlie Thanks for the feedback. 1) You are correct sir. 1,000,000 geek points for you if you want 'em. 2) Glad you liked it. 3) That is one of my themes. 4) Totally. Some nights you feel like prestige classes and feats and heavily-templated monsters. Some nights you feel like flumphs. I don't see why I should have one world for each rather than a world that is flexible enough to accomodate both. And thanks again for both reading and commenting.
khyron1144 03-16-07, 12:46 PM	Not Exactly the Tera Soundtrack [This is a weird idea and one I’ve been thinking about for a while. I think D&D is rather hard to soundtrack because D&D almost always takes place in a world that is not the real world, so there are going to be references that are out of sync with the campaign world. To come up with an example at random: the idea of ground beef, formed into a patty, cooked until it’s done all the way through, and served on a sliced bread roll with onions, mustard, and slices of pickled cucumber seems like an inevitability to me. What is its name in a world with no Hamburg, Germany or John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich? [The same idea extends to song lyrics for potential soundtrack inclusions. “The Skye Boat Song” fits nicely in terms of over-all flavor in any world that has some kind of dynastic turnover and loyalists to the old line in one of its countries, but how can the lad who is born to be king be taken over the sea to Skye when there is no Isle of Skye? [Besides anomalous geographical references, there’s also anachronisms to worry about. “Whisky in the Jar” fits well in worlds that might have dashing, young highwaymen, but what if there are no gunpowder weapons in your campaign world? He couldn’t first produce his pistols and then produce his rapier if there are no pistols.] Here’s a list of some songs that might fit Tera (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?24955), in general theme, but not necessarily in terms of geographic references or technological consistency. Danny Boy: Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling, From glen to glen and down the mountain side; The summer's gone, and all the leaves are falling; 'Tis ye, 'tis ye must go, and I must bide. But come ye back when summer's in the meadow, Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow; 'Til I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow; Danny boy, Oh Danny boy, I love you so. And when ye come and all the flowers are dying, If I am dead, as dead I well may be. Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying, And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me. And I shall hear, 'though soft ye tread around me, And all my grave shall linger sweeter be, Then ye will bend and tell me that ye love me, And I shall sleep in peace until ye come to me. At least one version of the story behind this song is that it’s about a father sending his son off to war. That sort of thing happens a lot in Tera. Skye Boat Song: Speed bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing, Onward, the sailors cry Carry the lad that's born to be king Over the sea to Skye Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar, Thunder clouds rend the air; Baffled our foe's stand on the shore Follow they will not dare Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep Ocean's a royal bed Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep Watch by your weary head Many's the lad fought on that day Well the claymore could wield When the night came, silently lay Dead on Culloden's field Burned are our homes, exile and death Scatter the loyal men Yet, e'er the sword cool in the sheath, Charlie will come again. This is song about the failed Jacobite rebellion of the real world British isles. Tera has at least a few analogous historical fights. The Wind That Shakes The Barley: I sat within a valley green Sat there with my true love And my fond heart strove to choose between The old love and the new love The old for her, the new that made Me think on Ireland dearly While soft the wind blew down the glade And shook the golden barley Twas hard the mournful words to frame To break the ties that bound us Ah, but harder still to bear the shame Of foreign chains around us And so I said, "The mountain glen I'll seek at morning early And join the brave united men" While soft wind shook the barley Twas sad I kissed away her tears Her arms around me clinging When to my ears that fateful shot Come out the wildwood ringing The bullet pierced my true love's breast In life's young spring so early And there upon my breast she died While soft wind shook the barley I bore her to some mountain stream And many's the summer blossom I placed with branches soft and green About her gore-stained bosom I wept and kissed her clay-cold corpse Then rushed o'er vale and valley My vengeance on the foe to wreak While soft wind shook the barley Twas blood for blood without remorse I took at Oulart Hollow I placed my true love's clay-cold corpse Where mine full soon may follow Around her grave I wondered drear Noon, night and morning early With aching heart when e'er I hear The wind that shakes the barley Another failed rebellion tragedy. This one about one of the Irish fights against the English oppressor. Whiskey in the Jar: As I was going over the far famed Kerry mountains, I met with Captain Farrell and his money he was count'n. I first produced me pistol, and then produced me rapier, Saying stand and deliver for you are the bold deceiver. Musha rig um du rum da Whack fol the daddy o Whack fol the daddy o There's whiskey in the jar I counted out his money and it made a pretty penny, I put it in me pocket and I took it home to Jenny. She sighed and she swore that she never would deceave me, But the devil take the women for they never can be easy. Chorus I went up to me chamber all for to take a slumber I dreamt of gold and jewels and sure it was no wonder, But Jenny drew me charges and she filled them up with water, And sent for Captain Farrel, to be ready for the slaughter. Chorus 'Twas early in the morning before I rose to travel, Up comes a band of footmen and likewise Captain Farrell; I first produce my pistol, for she stole away my rapier But I couldn't shoot the water, so a prisoner I was taken. Chorus And if anyone can aid me, 'tis my brother in the army, If I could learn his station in Cork or in Killarney. And if he'd come and join me we'd go roving through Kilkenny, I'm sure he'd treat me fairer than my own sporting Jenny. Chorus There's some takes delight in the carriages a rolling, Some takes delight in the hurley or the bowlin'. But I takes delight in the juice of the barley, And courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early A dashing highwayman song. There are of course a million variants, because it’s in the folk tradition. This is the one that I favor when I sing while washing dishes. A Few Good Men: It's time we stood up for ourselves so get up off your knees. We'll shake off our detractors and attain our hopes and dreams and if we fall prey to in-fighting, we're never gonna win, so put aside your differences, sing loud, sing proud We won't listen to their stories or be waylaid by their lies it's a dram that's still attainable for kids like you and I So if we all stand together singing one defiant song our voice will reach the heavens, so sing with all your heart [Chorus:] Join us in a song we shall rise and sing stand up and be counted sing a song for liberty join us in this song together we shall sing rise up and be counted sing it loud, sing it proud We've been brutalized and crucified, the brunt of their attacks, is corruption not their trademark and compassion what they lack? If we can realize our common goals, the end of which is plain united and now stronger, their loss is now our gain! Not everything I listen to is a hundreds of years old folk song. This Dropkick Murphys one is a favorite of mine. I would also be likely to put it into a Tera soundtrack mix tape because it relates to certain themes that are present there.
Return of the Flumph 03-17-07, 07:08 PM	Change The Ruler Of Arcanum's Name!!!!!
khyron1144 03-18-07, 12:06 AM	Change The Ruler Of Arcanum's Name!!!!! Thanks for the suggestion. Why? Too silly? Too many real world references? Breaks the mood? It's under copyright by someone else?
Return of the Flumph 03-18-07, 12:32 AM	Thanks for the suggestion. Why? Too silly? Too many real world references? Breaks the mood? It's under copyright by someone else? How about "so your players don't break into a cackling fit and can't stop laughing for thirty minutes, and even after that can do nothing but make additional jokes about your campaign for the rest of the session and probably several hours afterward."
khyron1144 03-18-07, 01:16 AM	How about "so your players don't break into a cackling fit and can't stop laughing for thirty minutes, and even after that can do nothing but make additional jokes about your campaign for the rest of the session and probably several hours afterward." There be wisdom in it, but I think that level of laughter is not all that likely. Nobody laughed when he was a PC in someone else's campaign. I will admit it is a silly name. Do you have a better idea? It is one thing to find fault with another's work. It is another thing to say: this might be a good idea instead...
Return of the Flumph 03-19-07, 01:17 AM	There be wisdom in it, but I think that level of laughter is not all that likely. Nobody laughed when he was a PC in someone else's campaign. I will admit it is a silly name. Do you have a better idea? It is one thing to find fault with another's work. It is another thing to say: this might be a good idea instead... If you really want to preserve the Greco feel of the area, go through some less well-known names and bastardize them more subtly. How about Razicles Antonos, or Antiach Kestalos?
khyron1144 07-18-07, 10:22 PM	Well, here's a more detailed writeup on one of the taverns mentioned in the Teran Empire post: The King of Coins http://img.aleph-tarot.com/kartend/65.gif DM's Boxed Text:On the Street of Coins, in between the Wily Alchemist's Shoppe and Trader Robard's Domicile of Weaponry, is a tavern called the King of Coins. This would be the North Side of the street on the block between Primus and Secundus. Outside the door hangs a tavern sign with both a name and a depiction of the tarot card the tavern is named after. Having your pocket and no recent adventure hooks, you step inside. The front room is the common room. There's a bar along the north wall and tables in the middle of the room. A couple of half-ogres are standing around, glaring at the room in general and any new arrivals, like you, in particular. You figure them to be splatters (bouncers that create a bigger mess). They both have tattoos of swords crossing coins on their shoulders. At one of the tables is a group of men, playing cards. Guessing by the heaps of coinage and shouts of call and raise and whatnot, you figure it must be tarot poker. Besides the splatters, the only obvious employees of the tavern are the barman behind the bar and the not-very-good-looking-and-obviously-world-weary-serving-matron (at her age, you hope she's not a maid), who is currently delivering a tray of ales to one of the tables. Although there are a few obvious adventuring types and a few humble (i.e. poor) tradesmen, the clientelle is rather upscale, mostly fat merchants and, you suspect, a few Senators. Near the bar, is a door marked Private. On the west wall there's another door. There's enough tables that you can find a seat easily. There's no posted menu, but you can guess the type of fare likely to be offered.[/ic] Physical description: The King of Coins appears to be a one-story building with approximate dimensions of fifteen feet tall by fifty feet wide (east to west dimension) by fifty feet long (north to south dimension). The common room, which is the one that guest coming in from the street will enter, is about thirty feet long by forty feet wide. The door marked Private leads to a very boring storage room where beer kegs are kept and so on. This room is about twenty feet long by forty feet wide. There's a door on its west wall, leading to a tiny, little ten foot by ten foot kitchen. The unmarked door leads to a nicely furnished office, ten feet wide by thirty feet long. That's the stuff that's obvious to the naked eye. Anyone that carefully paces it out will notice the about ten by ten area of "missing" space. Of course, PCs should be kept too busy to carefully pace it out. The office has a secret door in the north wall that leads to the "missing room". (Search DC 25 to find the secret door where relevant). This room is used by Smashfiste as a secure treasure room for anything he's about to liquidate. If the solid oak desk is moved (this should take a minimum D&D Strenght score of 16 to accomplish), a trapdoor in the floor can be found, which leads to Smashfiste's complex of tunnels that provide alternate entrances and exits and include a few secret rooms where valuables too hot to be easily fenced are kept to age. Background: Five years ago a new tavern sprung up on the Street of Coins, taking its cue from The Ace of Swords (Street of Swords), Queen of Wands (Street of Wands) and Page of Cups (Street of Cups), this place was named The King of Coins. Since the Street of Coins was a vastly different sort of neighborhood, the clientelle it cultivated was different. Richer for one thing. It's a silent partnership between Morton Ostler and "Lucky" "Four-Fingers" Smashfiste. Ostler is a friendly face and competent tavern manager. Smashfiste is a batttle-scarred half-ogre leg-breaker with a lot of money and a desire to earn more without doing so much hard work. Smashfiste decided to finance a tavern as the front for the new gang he was heading. Ostler was simply lucky enough to find someone willing to finance "his" tavern. Morton Ostler is the owner of record for the King of Coins, but it was built to Smashfiste's specifications and with his money. The builders were dwarfs fresh in from the mountains; their corpses buried under the tunnel's floor tiles is nasty secret #305 about The King of Coins. Smashfiste's Coin Street Irregulars meet in the hidden rooms to plot. Smashfiste invented the Mailed Fist to the Head accidentally. He doesn't go in for mixed drinks much, but one night he was out of beer and found an intersting result when he mixed certain things together in the right doses. Only Ostler can make them reliably. Knowledge Local DCs 5 There's a tavern on the Street of Coins called The King of Coins. 10 The King of Coins is not as good for brawling as The Ace of Swords. 10 The house specilaty drink is Mailed Fist to the Head. 15 The King of Coins is a good place to meet with the city's elite and make organized crime connections. 15 Identify a Senator among patrons in The King of Coins (if one is there in the first place, DM's discretion). 20 Identify the swords crossing coins tattoos as signs of affiliation with Coin Street Irregulars Gang. 20 Knowledge that there is a Coin Street Irregulars Gang. 25 They say a half-ogre named Smashfiste really runs the place and that Morton Ostler is just a front. Knowledge Nobility and Royalty 5 The King of Coins is a popular hangout for rich merchants, Senators, and organized crime leaders. 10 Identify a Senator among patrons in The King of Coins (if one is there in the first place, DM's discretion). Adventure hooks: 1) The daughter of a Senator has gone missing. She was last seen in the King of Coins tavern. One of the patrons knows she left with Questionable Milton, a minor local gang leader. He even has a guess as to which way the Questionable Milton Gang ran. He must be plied with drink first, though. 2) While walking down the Street of Swords, the PCs are approached by a young tough who complains about Smashfiste muscling in on everybody else's operation and how he'd pay anyone who did something about it and so on and so forth. NPCs: "Lucky" "Four-Fingers" Smashfiste is a battle-scarred half-ogre. He's missing one finger on his right hand and his sword has a custom grip to take that into account. He wears stylish clothes in bright colors, but always has his sword on one hip too. Like most half-ogres he's as ugly as sin. Unlike most half-ogres he's pretty sharp. He got his start as a leg-breaker for someone else's racket and he is not averse to violence. He is however quite willing to let threats, explicit or implied, do the work of actual violence whenever possible. Morton Ostler is a plump, slightly red-faced human. He's slighlty bald. Although he makes money, he doesn't dress very flash. He could let others work the tavern entirely for him and just count the money, but he chooses to tend bar on most Frej Day and Saturn Day nights.
khyron1144 07-18-07, 10:33 PM	The God Pools One of the interesting lingering effects of the Gods's closeness to Tera and involvement in its affairs is the God Pools. The God Pools are pools of water that are imbued with strong magical powers. It's unknown if the intelligent huamnoids near a God Pool feel drawn to it and compelled to build a fortified dwelling on top of it or if somehow the buildings spring up almost as naturally as the God Pools. What is known is that God Pools are generally found by adventurers in what we as players would think of as dungeon environments. There are rumors that Godhood can be attained by bathing in all six ability score pools and the Pool of Time and then completing some additional quest. Two NPCs in my world who have completed the bathing in the God Pools portion of this task: Morn Bladecry (Tera's Grandfather of Assassins) and Therion, the Almost-Dragon. I am leaving the exact numbers undefined, but here's a breakdown of the ones I have chosen to define. Ability Score God Pools: These grant 3d4 permanent points in an ability score to a PC who bathes in one (As if by massive numbers of wishes), exceeding normal racial maximums (but with a maximum score of 25 possible when I play under 2e or 1e rules). There is at least one for each ability score. Alignment God Pools: Bathing in one of these pools changes the alignment of the bather. The quest to find one of these pools may be used to atone. There are five: Law, Chaos, Good, Evil, and Balance. Balance changes alignment to True Neutral. Someone for whatever reason wishing to attain an alignement of as a for insance Neutral Good from Chaotic Evil must first use the Pool of Balance and then the Pool of Good to combine for an overall Neutral Good alignment. The Pool of Time: This pool resets the bather's age to youngest mature adult age for his or her race (humans become sixteen years old). Subsequent aging whether natural or magical is at a one year for every ten rate (normal system shock roll applies to magical aging; aging even one year all at once is traumatic for the body). One that I am considering but haven't yet firmly decided on is a Pool of Psychic activation. This would instantly give the bather a wild talent in 2e psionics rules.
khyron1144 07-25-07, 11:20 PM	Freeland Freeland is Tera's newest country. It was created as a result of a peasant revolt that somehow had a favorable outcome for the peasants. It is a former Teran Empire parcel of land that has succeeded in seceding. In theory, freeland is less repressive than the Teran Empire. It is supposed to be a land where every man is a free man and there are no serfs. Old racial prejudices are thought to be dissolved. The truth is that Freeland has not yet built a government on a scale bigger than the individual town, village, or thorp. This means that the level of freedom in Freeland varies depending on where one is. Some villages are despotic, while others border on anarchy, and some tread a middle ground.
khyron1144 11-13-07, 11:59 PM	Ye gods, I need to update this soon. There may be some more current information here (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?24955).