Today, as promised....Kobolds.
Kobolds
Kobolds, like goblins, are among the smallest and least physically intimidating of the humanoid races. Also somewhat like goblins, they are less prone to the sort of intertribe violence which marks relations among the larger humanoids. Beyond that, though, they are very different.
Kobolds consider themselves "Children of the Dragon", the first sentient humanoids to exist on Arith, created by the Emperor Dragons at the time of the World's Dawning. They believe they are more ancient than any race save their creators, and that they are, thus, destined to rule over all "lesser" species. The fact that they do not is evidence, they feel, of a great sin and shame they committed at some point in their own distant past. Their racial name is a corruption of the draconic word for 'outcast' or 'shamed ones'.
Other scholars consider this to be bilge, of course. They claim kobolds are no older than any other humanoid race, and that while they may have once been slaves of dragons (the mythical 'Emperor Dragons' never existed), they differ not at all from many other species who spent time in such servitude. Kobolds, it is said, have egos in inverse proportion to their size.
Lifestyle
Kobolds value cunning and skill. They believe the best way to do a job is to have someone else do it. They are not by nature lazy or irresponsible -- indeed, they are masters at certain devious crafts -- but they prefer to put their efforts towards making other people do the work. Unlike goblins, they actively seek out slaves and put prisoners to work. They also organize raids on caravans, storehouses, or cattle farms, as well as more profitable assaults on the treasure vaults of the dwarves or the hidden caches of the hill gnomes.
Kobold lairs are always deep in cave or tunnel systems, and well protected by layer after layer of traps and alarms. Trapmaking is a special art to the kobolds, and many compete to create the most ingenious -- yet still functional -- traps. While goblins will swarm an enemy, kobolds will kill foes without the enemy ever getting sight of them. They have many large, open, tunnels which larger species can easily navigate, surrounded by tiny crawlspaces used by the kobolds themselves. Only in the very deepest, best protected parts of the lair are there large open spaces for rooms, workshops, and farms (often tended by captives).
While kobolds have few wizards, they do produce a large number of sorcerers -- allegedly 'proof' of their draconic heritage. Such sorcerers are important, but they do not occupy the instant leadership position of 'blues' among goblins; there are simply too many born. Indeed, there is often vicious rivalry among them, leading to few surviving to become anything more than nuiscances.
Kobolds are polygamous, with males seeking multiple spouses based on their ability to provide -- ideally via someone else's labors. Unmarried kobolds are the ones most likely to be found outside the safety of the lair, as a single successful raid can produce enough wealth to lure a wife. All of the wives of a single kobold lay their eggs in a communal hatchery, and the children are raised by the family as a whole; only fatherhood matters.
Kobold tribes trace their origins to one of the five great Emperor Dragons, and rivalry between tribes of different Emperors is vicious, much more so than rivalry between tribes of the same emperor. Tribes always include their ancestor in their names -- the Crimson Knives, the Black Fangs, the Azure Blades. There is no (socially approved) mating or trade between tribes of different ancestors. A small number of tribes, disdained by the larger Kobold population, claim to be the outcast servants of other, stranger, dragons. While the existence of many 'lesser' or 'exotic' dragon species is known, few kobolds believe that any but the Five Emperors created them.
Religion
Kobold faith mirrors their history. The dragon gods made the kobold gods; the kobold gods made mortal kobolds to serve mortal dragons. Each of the five main branches has a different pantheon, though many non-kobold scholars insist that all of the gods are just aspects of the same root deity. The truth may never be known. Kobold clerics offer the usual wisdom, guidance, protection, and healing, as well as serving in war. Many clerics are cleric/sorcerors, and the most skilled become Mystic Theurges.
Post Crush
Kobolds have done, overall, very well since the Crush. Their few great cities were badly damaged, but none were utterly ruined. They found a new world filled with wonder which their devious little minds quickly mastered -- especially once they captured Earthborn humans to teach them what to do. Now, there are kobold cities glistening with strings of mismatched electric lights, and oddly configured stereo systems blare music throughout the cave systems. Trapmakers have learned to use electric eyes and pressure plates to enhance their art, and the elite kobold guards carry heavy pistols as two-handed weapons. Further, some of the most ingenious kobolds have begun to learn to manufacture gunpowder and have produced fairly reliable black-powder arms. Battles with other underground races, most notably goblins and orcs, are swinging in the kobolds' favor.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Down, down, to goblin town...
Hey, three posts in three days! This is what I was aiming for, not my 'once every week maybe' rate. Sorry.
Ah, another long essay on another of D&Ds surfeit of humanoids. The main thing with goblins is distinguishing them from kobolds. Small? Check. Cowardly? Check. Considered fodder? Check. In Shattered World, goblins have two marginally interesting traits -- they aren't a race of bloodthirsty backstabbers who kill each other for sport or because they're bored, unlike pretty much every other humanoid race, and they have a naturally occuring psionic 'leader' caste which can make them act very differently (as well as providing unexpected surprises for those who assume all goblins are 1/2 hit die XP on the hoof...)
Coming tomorrow (or later today, if my odd level of creative energy continues): Kobolds, aka, Arrogant Little Bastards.
Goblins
Goblins are the second-smallest and weakest of the four main goblinoid races. They were created as the 'middle management' caste by the Illithids, and given, more than any other servitor race, the gift of psionics. While each of the three major goblin races has their own legends of the rebellion, the truth of the matter is that the goblins -- the weak, despised, and often oppressed goblins -- were the true masterminds and instigators. The hobgoblins were too loyal; the bugbears too brutal. Of all the servitors, it was the goblins who first developed the notion of 'gods', and were the first to create -- or discover -- them. This new faith grew slowly underground, promulgated by the psionic leader goblins who could hide their thoughts, and the thoughts of the faithful, from their masters. By the time the Illithid suspected, it was too late -- the rebellion was spreading out of control.
When the races fought free to the surface, it was assumed by the goblins that they'd pick up where the Illithids left off. But the long war had reduced their psionics to a mere handful, and in the upper layers of the underworld,strength and size counted for a lot. The three races split and fragmented; the goblins, small and weak, were treated as inferiors or outright slaves. There were new gods, stronger gods, to support the others.
Over time, the goblins retreated to the safety and comfort of the caves. They split into many tribes, each carrying only a small part of their accumulated lore, and as millennia wore on, most of it was distorted and forgotten. Today, the goblins know nothing of their true heritage or origins; they have their own creation myths which only obliquely speak of their captivity and rebellion.
Goblins have learned to be sneaky. There is no goblin term for "fair fight"; there are only "fights you are certain to win" and "fights to avoid". Superior numbers are the primary goblin tactic; they will not attack with fewer than 4-1 odds, and prefer much greater. There are few goblin armies (except those under the command of other powers); goblins form raiding bands. You will never see a goblin force assault a town openly, but a hundred of them might boil up from the sewers, tear through a small neighborhood, and vanish again before the cry can be raised. They take prisoners rarely; they fear what the prisoners might do if they escape. They might capture and torture someone if they think he knows where treasure is, or, very rarely, kidnap someone for ransom (such plots are usually done when a Blue is leading them), but they are not generally slavetakers. They are perhaps the most "merciful" of the humanoids, preferring to kill quickly; this is done more out of fear than kindness, of course.
Goblins like traps, but they are not nearly as cunning as kobolds; they prefer simple traps which immobilize victims so that a dozen goblins can swarm out and fire bolt after bolt into the trapped intruders. If Blues are available, there will often be psionic warning systems put into place, as well.
Goblins are generally self-sufficient, though they prefer to steal if they can. Goblin smiths make passable weapons and armor, and the deep goblin cities are fully functioning centers of trade and commerce. Goblins are primarily carnivorous, but will survive off fungus and others subterranean plants if they must; they mostly herd giant slugs as meatbeasts.
Goblin tribes which have left the caves usually dwell in the deep forests, places where there are many good hiding spots. Such goblins are nomadic; there are few goblin communities on the surface.
Culture
Goblins are among the most cooperative of the humanoids, at least among themselves. Inter-tribe rivalries are settled by formalized ritual combats instead of genocidal war, and internal politics is based on cunning debate instead of raw power. The goblins automatically and instinctively defer to any 'Blue'; all such born are raised by others of their kind (if any exist). A tribe or community which has several such members often changes in character, becoming more driven to conquest or expansion, though still in an essentially cowardly fashion.
Indeed, cowardice is a virtue among goblins, not a vice. To survive to run away is no shame. "Come back without your shield, without your sword, without your leg...but come back!" is the goblin military credo. "Don't let them see the yellows of your eyes!" is another. "Brave" and "Foolish" are synonyms.
Goblin solidarity does not, of course, extend to any non-goblin race, especially not to the dwarves, who are the goblins most vicious foes. The fact goblins are unusually peaceful among themselves does not make them one whit less savage or brutal when dealing with other races. They are almost incapable of making cross-racial deals without treachery or deceit; they never seek to share territory. They will not fight to their own extinction, but will flee rather than live in peace with a powerful neighbor.
Religion is very important to the goblins. They have one of the largest pantheons recorded, and it is often uncertain if the gods are all unique, or are merely different aspects of a smaller number of true deities. Individual gods in the goblin pantheon tend to be weak and highly focused, with few greater gods wielding mighty powers. Much like the goblins themselves, their gods must cooperate to get things done.
Goblins are communal in terms of family and childrearing. They do not marry or form any kind of long-lasting relationships, and are very sexually egalitarian -- another difference from the other humanoid races. Goblins seeking sex will try to bribe a potential mate with gifts and treasures, usually stolen. This is one of the few things which can make a goblin brave -- or at least, less cowardly. Showing daring in the pursuit of a mating-gift is considered admirable (and does a good job of keeping the goblin stock from degenerating completely). As is typical, a 'Blue' does not need to engage in such feats; they merely need to express interest and the object of their affection will almost always comply.
Children are raised by the community and parentage is rarely a matter of record. There is some measure of status in having had many mates, and goblins will often wear tokens from each mate as a way of 'showing off'.
Post Crush
The Crush had surprisingly little impact on the goblins. They lost some of their largest cities in the cataclysm, but they didn't have many to begin with; they were always a widespread people. Tribes which were partially destroyed managed to merge with other tribes and regroup. The destruction of their enemies, especially the dwarves, only benefitted them.
Goblin communities are widespread, but the largest are in the eastern mountains. They are not afraid of technology, but neither are they comfortable with it, and rarely adopt or use it. They do not actively attack holdfasts, but will raid trading caravans if they have an edge, or find passages into towns and use them to conduct lightning-fast assaults.
Of late, though, some goblins have been on the move -- large bands have been spotted migrating. These bands are always led by one or more blues, and engage in some very un-goblin-like behavior, such as directly attacking foes and not retreating until the situation is truly desperate, as opposed to at the point where they take any casualties at all.
Ah, another long essay on another of D&Ds surfeit of humanoids. The main thing with goblins is distinguishing them from kobolds. Small? Check. Cowardly? Check. Considered fodder? Check. In Shattered World, goblins have two marginally interesting traits -- they aren't a race of bloodthirsty backstabbers who kill each other for sport or because they're bored, unlike pretty much every other humanoid race, and they have a naturally occuring psionic 'leader' caste which can make them act very differently (as well as providing unexpected surprises for those who assume all goblins are 1/2 hit die XP on the hoof...)
Coming tomorrow (or later today, if my odd level of creative energy continues): Kobolds, aka, Arrogant Little Bastards.
Goblins
Goblins are the second-smallest and weakest of the four main goblinoid races. They were created as the 'middle management' caste by the Illithids, and given, more than any other servitor race, the gift of psionics. While each of the three major goblin races has their own legends of the rebellion, the truth of the matter is that the goblins -- the weak, despised, and often oppressed goblins -- were the true masterminds and instigators. The hobgoblins were too loyal; the bugbears too brutal. Of all the servitors, it was the goblins who first developed the notion of 'gods', and were the first to create -- or discover -- them. This new faith grew slowly underground, promulgated by the psionic leader goblins who could hide their thoughts, and the thoughts of the faithful, from their masters. By the time the Illithid suspected, it was too late -- the rebellion was spreading out of control.
When the races fought free to the surface, it was assumed by the goblins that they'd pick up where the Illithids left off. But the long war had reduced their psionics to a mere handful, and in the upper layers of the underworld,strength and size counted for a lot. The three races split and fragmented; the goblins, small and weak, were treated as inferiors or outright slaves. There were new gods, stronger gods, to support the others.
Over time, the goblins retreated to the safety and comfort of the caves. They split into many tribes, each carrying only a small part of their accumulated lore, and as millennia wore on, most of it was distorted and forgotten. Today, the goblins know nothing of their true heritage or origins; they have their own creation myths which only obliquely speak of their captivity and rebellion.
Goblins have learned to be sneaky. There is no goblin term for "fair fight"; there are only "fights you are certain to win" and "fights to avoid". Superior numbers are the primary goblin tactic; they will not attack with fewer than 4-1 odds, and prefer much greater. There are few goblin armies (except those under the command of other powers); goblins form raiding bands. You will never see a goblin force assault a town openly, but a hundred of them might boil up from the sewers, tear through a small neighborhood, and vanish again before the cry can be raised. They take prisoners rarely; they fear what the prisoners might do if they escape. They might capture and torture someone if they think he knows where treasure is, or, very rarely, kidnap someone for ransom (such plots are usually done when a Blue is leading them), but they are not generally slavetakers. They are perhaps the most "merciful" of the humanoids, preferring to kill quickly; this is done more out of fear than kindness, of course.
Goblins like traps, but they are not nearly as cunning as kobolds; they prefer simple traps which immobilize victims so that a dozen goblins can swarm out and fire bolt after bolt into the trapped intruders. If Blues are available, there will often be psionic warning systems put into place, as well.
Goblins are generally self-sufficient, though they prefer to steal if they can. Goblin smiths make passable weapons and armor, and the deep goblin cities are fully functioning centers of trade and commerce. Goblins are primarily carnivorous, but will survive off fungus and others subterranean plants if they must; they mostly herd giant slugs as meatbeasts.
Goblin tribes which have left the caves usually dwell in the deep forests, places where there are many good hiding spots. Such goblins are nomadic; there are few goblin communities on the surface.
Culture
Goblins are among the most cooperative of the humanoids, at least among themselves. Inter-tribe rivalries are settled by formalized ritual combats instead of genocidal war, and internal politics is based on cunning debate instead of raw power. The goblins automatically and instinctively defer to any 'Blue'; all such born are raised by others of their kind (if any exist). A tribe or community which has several such members often changes in character, becoming more driven to conquest or expansion, though still in an essentially cowardly fashion.
Indeed, cowardice is a virtue among goblins, not a vice. To survive to run away is no shame. "Come back without your shield, without your sword, without your leg...but come back!" is the goblin military credo. "Don't let them see the yellows of your eyes!" is another. "Brave" and "Foolish" are synonyms.
Goblin solidarity does not, of course, extend to any non-goblin race, especially not to the dwarves, who are the goblins most vicious foes. The fact goblins are unusually peaceful among themselves does not make them one whit less savage or brutal when dealing with other races. They are almost incapable of making cross-racial deals without treachery or deceit; they never seek to share territory. They will not fight to their own extinction, but will flee rather than live in peace with a powerful neighbor.
Religion is very important to the goblins. They have one of the largest pantheons recorded, and it is often uncertain if the gods are all unique, or are merely different aspects of a smaller number of true deities. Individual gods in the goblin pantheon tend to be weak and highly focused, with few greater gods wielding mighty powers. Much like the goblins themselves, their gods must cooperate to get things done.
Goblins are communal in terms of family and childrearing. They do not marry or form any kind of long-lasting relationships, and are very sexually egalitarian -- another difference from the other humanoid races. Goblins seeking sex will try to bribe a potential mate with gifts and treasures, usually stolen. This is one of the few things which can make a goblin brave -- or at least, less cowardly. Showing daring in the pursuit of a mating-gift is considered admirable (and does a good job of keeping the goblin stock from degenerating completely). As is typical, a 'Blue' does not need to engage in such feats; they merely need to express interest and the object of their affection will almost always comply.
Children are raised by the community and parentage is rarely a matter of record. There is some measure of status in having had many mates, and goblins will often wear tokens from each mate as a way of 'showing off'.
Post Crush
The Crush had surprisingly little impact on the goblins. They lost some of their largest cities in the cataclysm, but they didn't have many to begin with; they were always a widespread people. Tribes which were partially destroyed managed to merge with other tribes and regroup. The destruction of their enemies, especially the dwarves, only benefitted them.
Goblin communities are widespread, but the largest are in the eastern mountains. They are not afraid of technology, but neither are they comfortable with it, and rarely adopt or use it. They do not actively attack holdfasts, but will raid trading caravans if they have an edge, or find passages into towns and use them to conduct lightning-fast assaults.
Of late, though, some goblins have been on the move -- large bands have been spotted migrating. These bands are always led by one or more blues, and engage in some very un-goblin-like behavior, such as directly attacking foes and not retreating until the situation is truly desperate, as opposed to at the point where they take any casualties at all.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Floating City
Ah, slowly filling in the gaps. A few things -- part of my world background/future history assumes much higher levels of tension between the US and the former USSR and China, leading to a lot more military bases, underground shelters, and advanced military technology. It also lets me re-open closed bases and give Philadelphia an active military shipyard.
Floating City Of New Philadelphia
The entire eastern seaboard, densely populated on both Earth and Arith, cracked into a chain of rocky islands in a single hour of cataclysm -- followed up, a few days later, by a series of nuclear strikes which lined the Shattered Coast with worldholes, great magical tears between planes. Tens of millions died instantly (and some theorize that this much psychic stress must account for something), but many survived and had to decide what to do next.
The Philadelphia Naval Base, closed in the mid 1990s and converted to civilian use, had been reactivated by the military in 2015, as foreign tensions increased to greater than Cold War levels. Several destroyers and smaller ships were regularly docked there, and by a fortunate coincidence, were out to sea on the day of the Crush. While the captain of the Olympus chose to take his ship and its support group deeper out to sea, Captain Craig Kallisto of the destroyer Gallatin decided to attempt a rescue of survivors now trapped in the drowned ruins of Philadelphia. Risking disaster by navigating the rocky and storm tossed waters, he managed to save a few hundred people, and used a mix of bluster and force to 'recruit' anyone in the area with working boats -- from sport fishermen to yachtsmen -- into helping him. By the time he had saved everyone he felt could be saved, New Jersey had been nuked and it was painfully obvious there was nowhere safe to go. (The first attack on the smaller ships of the Gallatin fleet by sahuagin raiders convinced him of that....)
He found that most of the survivors didn't want to leave, and of course had nowhere to go. The thought of transporting hundreds of civilian refugees on a wild hunt for a safe haven didn't appeal to him. Partly by inertia and indecision, the survivors started to settle in, the fleet drifting among the ruins. The seas of Arith, now mixed with those of Earth, contained fish in a density not seen in the Atlantic for decades. Small islands proved stable enough for subsistence farming. The mad tangle of ruins proved very defensible, and a few dozen depth charges wiped out the sahuagin city which had appeared a mile or so offshore, ending the most regular threat.
The Gallatin itself is anchored, its fuel long since exhausted. It and its sister ships, bedecked with every scavenged solar panel that could be found, form the hub of a dispersed, half-floating, city. Smaller craft, capable of running on alcohol or biodiesel, provide an active coast guard, protecting converted fishing boats. Dozens of small islands are covered in crops, providing steady if not always varied food, and regular runs into the ruined suburban sprawl return all sorts of useful treasures. In 12 PC, a diving expedition found and recovered the Liberty Bell, which is now displayed on the foredeck of the Gallatin.
As with a lot of post-Crush societies, democracy has taken a back seat to expediency. Captain Kallisto considered the situation to be a state of emergency justifying martial law, and nothing since the Crush has changed this perception. When Kallisto died in PC 18 (of, oddly enough, natural causes), his second-in-command, Julius Operman, took over as Captain, and there was very little dissent over this. Society is divided between 'the fleet' and 'the ciies', and while all able-bodied citizens are expected to form up when ordered to do so during an attack or invasion, there is no formal draft -- indeed, joining the fleet is difficult if one comes from a 'civvie' background, and marrying an officer is considered a major social move. The 'civvies' elect or appoint ombudsmen to represent their interests, and there are monthly public meetings where complaints, issues, or concerns can be voiced.
The Floating City is currently at a state of semi-peace with its neighbors, though tensions are high. The tritons of Siliamish have engaged in several skirmishes with fishing boats which have entered 'their' waters, but there is also a mutual protection pact against the sahuagin who still sometimes raid from south. There are several holdfasts surrounding the Floating City which view it will suspicion; its military outlook and the fear of an expansionist leader coming to power worry many of the locals.
Outsiders are generally not turned away, but are also not encouraged to say. There is a flotilla of trading barges which is moored on the outer edges of the fleet's claimed territory, and this is where merchants and wanderers are expected to stay. Private arms above the level of a shortsword are not permitted; Fleet officers maintain weapon lockers where all such items are stored during visits. Petitions for citizenship are possible, but closely scrutinized.
As with many Earthborn holdfasts, magic is viewed with suspicion, but it's too useful to be banned. Three sorcerers have been born to the locals over the years, all of whom ended up being "recruited" into the fleet; in addition, attempts have been made to master the arts of wizardry, though with few Arithian teachers and no real books of arcane lore, it has been painfully slow going. The ship's chaplain developed 'miraculous' powers, of course. The fleet maintains no 'official' faith, in accordance with military regulations, but the New Unified Church Of The One God is the most popular religion, its missionaries being both enthusiastic and willing to perform miracles on demand. Those claiming a need for religious services are often allowed to travel, escorted, to one of the several floating places of worship, which include one of the only surviving synagogues.
Non-humans and Arithian humans are rare. A few have petitioned for citizenship over the years, but the Floating City is very strongly Earthborn in character and is, if not actively hostile to Arithians, profoundly unwelcoming.
Floating City Of New Philadelphia
The entire eastern seaboard, densely populated on both Earth and Arith, cracked into a chain of rocky islands in a single hour of cataclysm -- followed up, a few days later, by a series of nuclear strikes which lined the Shattered Coast with worldholes, great magical tears between planes. Tens of millions died instantly (and some theorize that this much psychic stress must account for something), but many survived and had to decide what to do next.
The Philadelphia Naval Base, closed in the mid 1990s and converted to civilian use, had been reactivated by the military in 2015, as foreign tensions increased to greater than Cold War levels. Several destroyers and smaller ships were regularly docked there, and by a fortunate coincidence, were out to sea on the day of the Crush. While the captain of the Olympus chose to take his ship and its support group deeper out to sea, Captain Craig Kallisto of the destroyer Gallatin decided to attempt a rescue of survivors now trapped in the drowned ruins of Philadelphia. Risking disaster by navigating the rocky and storm tossed waters, he managed to save a few hundred people, and used a mix of bluster and force to 'recruit' anyone in the area with working boats -- from sport fishermen to yachtsmen -- into helping him. By the time he had saved everyone he felt could be saved, New Jersey had been nuked and it was painfully obvious there was nowhere safe to go. (The first attack on the smaller ships of the Gallatin fleet by sahuagin raiders convinced him of that....)
He found that most of the survivors didn't want to leave, and of course had nowhere to go. The thought of transporting hundreds of civilian refugees on a wild hunt for a safe haven didn't appeal to him. Partly by inertia and indecision, the survivors started to settle in, the fleet drifting among the ruins. The seas of Arith, now mixed with those of Earth, contained fish in a density not seen in the Atlantic for decades. Small islands proved stable enough for subsistence farming. The mad tangle of ruins proved very defensible, and a few dozen depth charges wiped out the sahuagin city which had appeared a mile or so offshore, ending the most regular threat.
The Gallatin itself is anchored, its fuel long since exhausted. It and its sister ships, bedecked with every scavenged solar panel that could be found, form the hub of a dispersed, half-floating, city. Smaller craft, capable of running on alcohol or biodiesel, provide an active coast guard, protecting converted fishing boats. Dozens of small islands are covered in crops, providing steady if not always varied food, and regular runs into the ruined suburban sprawl return all sorts of useful treasures. In 12 PC, a diving expedition found and recovered the Liberty Bell, which is now displayed on the foredeck of the Gallatin.
As with a lot of post-Crush societies, democracy has taken a back seat to expediency. Captain Kallisto considered the situation to be a state of emergency justifying martial law, and nothing since the Crush has changed this perception. When Kallisto died in PC 18 (of, oddly enough, natural causes), his second-in-command, Julius Operman, took over as Captain, and there was very little dissent over this. Society is divided between 'the fleet' and 'the ciies', and while all able-bodied citizens are expected to form up when ordered to do so during an attack or invasion, there is no formal draft -- indeed, joining the fleet is difficult if one comes from a 'civvie' background, and marrying an officer is considered a major social move. The 'civvies' elect or appoint ombudsmen to represent their interests, and there are monthly public meetings where complaints, issues, or concerns can be voiced.
The Floating City is currently at a state of semi-peace with its neighbors, though tensions are high. The tritons of Siliamish have engaged in several skirmishes with fishing boats which have entered 'their' waters, but there is also a mutual protection pact against the sahuagin who still sometimes raid from south. There are several holdfasts surrounding the Floating City which view it will suspicion; its military outlook and the fear of an expansionist leader coming to power worry many of the locals.
Outsiders are generally not turned away, but are also not encouraged to say. There is a flotilla of trading barges which is moored on the outer edges of the fleet's claimed territory, and this is where merchants and wanderers are expected to stay. Private arms above the level of a shortsword are not permitted; Fleet officers maintain weapon lockers where all such items are stored during visits. Petitions for citizenship are possible, but closely scrutinized.
As with many Earthborn holdfasts, magic is viewed with suspicion, but it's too useful to be banned. Three sorcerers have been born to the locals over the years, all of whom ended up being "recruited" into the fleet; in addition, attempts have been made to master the arts of wizardry, though with few Arithian teachers and no real books of arcane lore, it has been painfully slow going. The ship's chaplain developed 'miraculous' powers, of course. The fleet maintains no 'official' faith, in accordance with military regulations, but the New Unified Church Of The One God is the most popular religion, its missionaries being both enthusiastic and willing to perform miracles on demand. Those claiming a need for religious services are often allowed to travel, escorted, to one of the several floating places of worship, which include one of the only surviving synagogues.
Non-humans and Arithian humans are rare. A few have petitioned for citizenship over the years, but the Floating City is very strongly Earthborn in character and is, if not actively hostile to Arithians, profoundly unwelcoming.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Get Your Kicks On Route..er...70...
If I ever do this commercially, I will have to do a Route 66 supplement. For now, however, this is a "sketch" of Route 70, specifically the part from Indiana to Pennsylvania. Why? Because the PCs are crossing it in "downtime", and I want the players to make up some Cool Stuff that happens en route. There's a lot of points here I want to detail in the future; I could drill down to do a dozen pages on a single city-ruin if I need to, but for now, this general 'sense of the place' will have to do.
And of course, in so doing, I realized I needed to do a history of Mantaros, the kingdom which occupied the Northeast region on Arith. Since I included a throwaway reference to a floating sky-palace, I then leap to the conclusion that Mantaros, already established as the oldest kingdom of the Alliance, was one of those very magic-heavy kingdoms, with cities filled with magical wonders of all sorts -- which naturally self-destructed dramatically when the Crush came. Look for some more essays soon, and sorry about the long gap.
For those traveling across the northern part of the former United States, the best and safest road -- and this is using very qualified definitions of 'best' and 'safest' -- is the former Route 70, which was also a series of wide, Roman-style paved roads on Arith. Today, of course, it is a cracked and broken ruin -- impassable in many parts -- but still the closest thing to a direct east-west route in the area.
It passes through many dead and ruined cities, which creates a need for long detours for those not brave or foolish enough to enter the monster haunted ruins. Indianapolis is a swirling madhouse due to the Worldhole created during the Day of Fire; Columbus escaped the nukes but remains a deadly jumble of fallen buildings and lethal lairs; the outskirts of Pittsburgh hold strange and twisted creatres which spawn from its own reality-twisting center.
Monsters native to the area include roaming bands of gnolls and orcs, as well as bullettes, ankhegs, and wild wyverns (often confused with dragons by the Earthborn; Arithians laugh at such childish errors). There are bands of hill giants in many parts of western Ohio, as well as their ogre cousins. Ragedrakes are known to dwell in the Pittsburgh region. Rogue golems, freed from the spells which bound them and filled with rage at their enslavement, are common near the old Ohio border, where an academy of magic specializing in the art of soulless constructs (all mages learned well the lesson of Skallidane!) once stood in the kingdom of Marridon. Countless dozens of other monstrosities exist in lesser numbers.
The Pittsburgh worldhole is a partial gateway to a part of the Elemental Plane of Earth, one made of every kind of hard metal. As a consequence, creatures surrounding it have become things of living metal, of lead and iron and even adamantine, though they are not constructs nor golems, but creatures of metal flesh.
Columbus is a wild zone, a tangled mess of ruined skyscrapers mixed with the remnants of high magic, as it was an old city, called Jaliath, in Mantaros. Its most spectacular feature was the Emerald Minaret, the flying palace of the Baron of Jaliath. During the crush, the Minaret shattered, the lower half falling to earth, the upper half remaining afloat. The Baron and his family are presumed dead, but the remnant of the twisted spire still defends itself, firing green beams of arcane energy at any fliers foolish enough to approach. Not a few rogues of Arith idly dream of a plot to enter the place, as the treasures of the old Baron are said to be of incaculable worth...
Once the mountains of middle Pennsylvania (or the Kraz Kar Haj) are reached, the threat of orcs and goblins becomes more dire, as these species have laid claim to much of this area, and while they are not well organized, they are numerous, and regularly raid for food and slaves. There are a few dozen faltering Dwarvish fortresses scattered along the range, most deeply paranoid and mistrustful, and so cunningly hidden an army could march over their front door and never know it. The mountains also hold dire beasts.
And of course, in so doing, I realized I needed to do a history of Mantaros, the kingdom which occupied the Northeast region on Arith. Since I included a throwaway reference to a floating sky-palace, I then leap to the conclusion that Mantaros, already established as the oldest kingdom of the Alliance, was one of those very magic-heavy kingdoms, with cities filled with magical wonders of all sorts -- which naturally self-destructed dramatically when the Crush came. Look for some more essays soon, and sorry about the long gap.
For those traveling across the northern part of the former United States, the best and safest road -- and this is using very qualified definitions of 'best' and 'safest' -- is the former Route 70, which was also a series of wide, Roman-style paved roads on Arith. Today, of course, it is a cracked and broken ruin -- impassable in many parts -- but still the closest thing to a direct east-west route in the area.
It passes through many dead and ruined cities, which creates a need for long detours for those not brave or foolish enough to enter the monster haunted ruins. Indianapolis is a swirling madhouse due to the Worldhole created during the Day of Fire; Columbus escaped the nukes but remains a deadly jumble of fallen buildings and lethal lairs; the outskirts of Pittsburgh hold strange and twisted creatres which spawn from its own reality-twisting center.
Monsters native to the area include roaming bands of gnolls and orcs, as well as bullettes, ankhegs, and wild wyverns (often confused with dragons by the Earthborn; Arithians laugh at such childish errors). There are bands of hill giants in many parts of western Ohio, as well as their ogre cousins. Ragedrakes are known to dwell in the Pittsburgh region. Rogue golems, freed from the spells which bound them and filled with rage at their enslavement, are common near the old Ohio border, where an academy of magic specializing in the art of soulless constructs (all mages learned well the lesson of Skallidane!) once stood in the kingdom of Marridon. Countless dozens of other monstrosities exist in lesser numbers.
The Pittsburgh worldhole is a partial gateway to a part of the Elemental Plane of Earth, one made of every kind of hard metal. As a consequence, creatures surrounding it have become things of living metal, of lead and iron and even adamantine, though they are not constructs nor golems, but creatures of metal flesh.
Columbus is a wild zone, a tangled mess of ruined skyscrapers mixed with the remnants of high magic, as it was an old city, called Jaliath, in Mantaros. Its most spectacular feature was the Emerald Minaret, the flying palace of the Baron of Jaliath. During the crush, the Minaret shattered, the lower half falling to earth, the upper half remaining afloat. The Baron and his family are presumed dead, but the remnant of the twisted spire still defends itself, firing green beams of arcane energy at any fliers foolish enough to approach. Not a few rogues of Arith idly dream of a plot to enter the place, as the treasures of the old Baron are said to be of incaculable worth...
Once the mountains of middle Pennsylvania (or the Kraz Kar Haj) are reached, the threat of orcs and goblins becomes more dire, as these species have laid claim to much of this area, and while they are not well organized, they are numerous, and regularly raid for food and slaves. There are a few dozen faltering Dwarvish fortresses scattered along the range, most deeply paranoid and mistrustful, and so cunningly hidden an army could march over their front door and never know it. The mountains also hold dire beasts.
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