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Cranewings 02-21-08, 01:04 AM

This is a little thing I whipped up as a guide to my new game world. I wanted some feed back. My game world is suppost to take place in society much like 7th or 8th century Europe. Aquinella Size 92,500 square miles Settled Land 24,600 square miles Wilderness 67,900 square miles Coast to Mountains 354 miles Southern Boarder to Cold North 254 miles Population 3,700,000 Nobility 74,000 Population Density 40 per square miles Settled Population 150 per square mile Cities 5 Towns 45 Ruined Castles 192 Active Castles 74 Cities Population Size Guard Lothian 28,853 473 Acres / .75 Square Miles 190 Black Lake 23,082 378 Acres / .60 Square Miles 154 Draconisburg 17,311 283 Acres / .45 Square Miles 115 Somershire 12,983 212 Acres / .35 Square Miles 87 Helmford 9,737 160 Acres / .25 Square Miles 65 There are thousands of villages and hamlets separated about a mile or so apart with populations of 50-400 on average. Towns average a population of 2,500. Such towns have a guard of 20 men. There is one urban center every 1,850 square miles of country. Counting settled territory only, there is an urban center for every 492 square miles. Cities and towns are separated by about 22 miles which is a comfortable day’s ride. History The entire continent from the northern forest to the southern sea was ruled by the Allanan Empire, The Empire of the Inhibeo Inimicus Deus, or Kingdom of the Enemy of the Water God. In ancient times, the world was plagued by invaders from the far continent, dragons from the ocean, and demons from beyond the edge of the world. The land was unified under the rule of a single king, or “rex regis,” named Spurius Livius. The southern kingdom was the seat of his empire and developed the most amazing and sophisticated technology, architecture, and warfare. For more than 400 years the empire was unified and peaceful. Invasions from far shores became rare and the sea became quite, subdued by the might of the prayers of the worshippers of Antioch the Horned Dragon. Just 200 years ago, the empire began to decline. The rulers became restless and sought to expand their sphere of influence in wars across the oceans. The empire lost more than a two million men to the sea. Barbarians, both human and orc, and dwarven barbarians from beyond the ice invaded and plundered the northern country. The southern rulers fought a series of bloody civil wars. Eventually the great cities were abandoned. The northern fortifications fell into ruin and the roads became tangled. Today there are seven countries that were once a part of the old Empire. There is the southern nation of Allana. To the north is the nation of Rouen. To Rouen’s west is the free people of the Poznan Tribes. To the east is the country of Odessa. North of Odessa is the Nation of Cerront. Bordering Cerront and Rouen in the north is the nation of Aquinella. Northern Aquinella and Cerront are separated from the top of the continent by a sea and nearly impassable mountains. Beyond the mountains lie cold, barren wilderness and barbarian lands. The northern boarder of Aquinella is lined with ruined fortifications and walled cities abandoned after the fall of the empire. The Aquinellan king hasn’t the money or man power to attempt their reconstruction. Religion During the time of Allus Amatius, more than 400 years ago, the Empire embraced the worship of Antioch as the one true faith and every effort was made to convert the kingdom to his worship. The leader of the modern church, known as the Primus, is Primus Titus Tullius. His temple is in the capitol of Allana, Tyre. Antioch is the head of the pantheon however many people pray to his angels, which are deities over the different spheres, and the saints. There are two divisions of the church: the priesthood and the monastic order. The priesthood has three different orders: the keepers of the word, the keepers of tradition, and the keepers of the faith. The keepers of the word are priests that dedicate their lives to obtaining lost relics and knowledge from before the fall of the empire. The keepers of tradition are priests that have the authority to teach and ask Antioch for intercessions. The keepers of the faith are known as Clerics and are blessed with the ability to perform miracles. Virtually all members of the priesthood are the keepers of tradition. Those that can perform miracles usually travel the world doing their deity’s work. Both men and women can be priests. Paganism is still practiced along the edges of the empire, particularly in the north and along the eastern shore. Aquinella has a thriving order of druids and pagans that reemerged after the fall and were embraced by people that felt abandoned by Antioch. Many northerners never abandoned the old practices and were eager to have the help of the druids. The druidic order has gained a great deal of influence in Aquinella because the Archdruid made pacts with the orc tribes and is alone responsible for maintaining peace. There are only about 100 Keepers of the Faith in the entire nation. Nobility King Godrum the Tall is the ruler of Aquinella. He is an older man in his fifties with long white hair and a short white beard. He dresses in the blue and gold robes of an Aquinellan king and wears a golden band encrusted with jewels as a crown. He is regarded as fair, reserved, and peaceful. King Godrum isn’t interested in conquest. He worries much more about maintaining peace in his country. King Godrum has a daughter and two sons. His oldest son, Ordbryth, is the Count of Black Lake. His younger son was sent to the monastery at Somershire so that he wouldn’t get in the way of Ordbryth’s inheritance. The other three major cities are also ruled by counts appointed by the king. The King’s daughter Modbryb was stolen away by a dragon several years ago. The kings seven knights have been questing for her return ever sense. The north eastern reach of the country is ruled by Marquis Cupwolf. The western shore is ruled by Marquise Redwald in the north and the Count of Black Lake in the South. Much of the country is divided into counties ruled by counts. Every 50 square miles is ruled by a separate count. There are approximately 500 counts. Each count has, on average, 140 knights living within his county. Counts that control a town or city could have two or three times as many knights. Count Ordbryth of Black Lake has 600 knights. His father commands 2000. The source of the nobility’s power is the military. There isn’t a standing army in Aquinella. The various dukes, counts, and marquis are expected to come to the king’s aid during times of war and levy peasant troops when there is no other choice. In addition, most towns, cities, and fortifications will have a hand full of knights. Nobility is inherited from one generation to the next. It is tied to land ownership and the warrior’s armor and weapons. While losing one’s land doesn’t remove a noble’s title, it does take away his influence. Nobility can also be granted by the king. A simpler definition of nobility is the ability to fight. For the price of 20 oxen, a man can purchase a fine warhorse, a suit of armor, a sword, a lance, and a bow. Once a man has these things, he can go to war for a nobleman in hopes of proving his valor and being awarded land for his service or bring home plunder. Law The law is based on the teachings of the Church of Antioch. Do not lie, cheat, steal, kill; tithe 10% and give 30% of the rest at harvest time to the state. The law protects citizens from one another, and nobles from one another, but there is no protection for the peasant against the state. The peasantry must rely on the virtue and mercy of the nobility. A knight may seek food, shelter, medical attention, and equipment from the peasantry at anytime without charge. The laws are written by the priesthood and signed by the king. The laws are enforced by the local nobility’s men at arms and in times of crisis, by the Paladin order. Culture The culture is very religious. The people of Aquinella pray three times a day and celebrate more than two dozen days of holy observance for various gods and saints. Music and dance are a part of most of these celebrations and are believed to entice the participation of angels. In the north, many of these holy days are mixed with or replaced with druidic holidays. In such places animal sacrifice is practiced on the full moon. Warfare There are four different reasons for a call to arms in Aquinella. The first is an invasion from the nations of Cerront or Rouen. The second is invasion from barbarians and orcs from beyond the northern wilderness. The third is Dwarven raiders attacking from the western shore. Finally, there can be internal reasons for a call to arms such as a feud between nobles. Dwarven raiders and horsemen from civilized countries are much too swift for a peasant levy to have any affect. In order to defeat these threats the country has a cast of noble warriors. Nobility, including any man owning more than 200 acres of land, can be called on at anytime to fight. Such men are expected to have a horse and armor and be ready to go to war as soon as they are called on. The sudden appearance of an invading force such as barbarians from the north may require a peasant levy to combat. If another civilized nation were to amass a huge force, there would be no choice but to call on the peasantry. If one noble were to call a peasant levy to attack the home of another noble, the defender would likely do the same. In such a bloody exchange, the knights would likely only engage if their peasant army was already winning the battle, making knight vs. knight very unlikely. The countryside is covered in fortifications from castles to stone churches and watch towers to walled towns. In civilized territory there is almost always a fortification within seven miles of any given location. When there is trouble, peasants will retreat to the nearest hardened structure. It is the law in Aquinella that all men of fighting age train with the bow for six hours on Sunday.