Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Update Notice
The most recent three posts are foundational posts on the subject and are going to be expanded with time.
Miscellaneous Notes About Arkon
- New Year is celebrated in the Springtime, with the Vernal Equinox. The year is 360 days long.
- The Saenish Calendar is somewhat similar to the French Republican Calendar.
- Espers, Eidolons, Guardian Spirits are used by the Conjurer type. These races are of another type, not either Immortal or God, but something important. And then there are even lesser natural spirits and so forth.
- Heroes tend to be semi-divine and revered.
- Immortals vs Gods. Immortals live closer to the Terrestrial sphere and intervene in it regularly. The Gods are farther out and live on the Planes, and they do not directly involve themselves in the affairs of Men except in extraordinary circumstances - like in the founding of nations, or destruction of them, for instance. But Gods will intervene indirectly, while Immortals won't answer mortals prayers or anything of the sort but may intervene directly in some mortal affairs. The Immortals are one of the reasons the history of Arkon isn't like real history, because they take more of an active role in managing the world. This is partly because many were Men or Demihumans, etc, themselves.
- Things to think about: Centers of learning in Jadus and Saen. The Town of Hame in Jadus is certainly one, while the City of Kriegsburg certainly has some (though perhaps for specifically martial concerns - while more refined concerns are elsewhere). The Town of Port Varas has the University of Astrology.
- The Saenish Calendar is somewhat similar to the French Republican Calendar.
- Espers, Eidolons, Guardian Spirits are used by the Conjurer type. These races are of another type, not either Immortal or God, but something important. And then there are even lesser natural spirits and so forth.
- Heroes tend to be semi-divine and revered.
- Immortals vs Gods. Immortals live closer to the Terrestrial sphere and intervene in it regularly. The Gods are farther out and live on the Planes, and they do not directly involve themselves in the affairs of Men except in extraordinary circumstances - like in the founding of nations, or destruction of them, for instance. But Gods will intervene indirectly, while Immortals won't answer mortals prayers or anything of the sort but may intervene directly in some mortal affairs. The Immortals are one of the reasons the history of Arkon isn't like real history, because they take more of an active role in managing the world. This is partly because many were Men or Demihumans, etc, themselves.
- Things to think about: Centers of learning in Jadus and Saen. The Town of Hame in Jadus is certainly one, while the City of Kriegsburg certainly has some (though perhaps for specifically martial concerns - while more refined concerns are elsewhere). The Town of Port Varas has the University of Astrology.
Races in Arkon
There are many different races of Men. Saen itself was settled by at least 5 tribes. These were the Corynites, the Harusites, the Velanites, the Shoakites, and the Noarites. The first also populated Jadus, the second the Southern Empires, and the third Daruk, while the fourth originated perhaps in Zheridus or beyond. Noarites are a strange and insular group who tend to live in the hills and keep to themselves, being very suspicious of outsiders, while the other Saenish groups are a bit more familiar. Rural areas still tend to be more superstitious and closed than urban ones, though. Subtribes of these five groups are the common people of Saen, each with their own tongues. Old Harusite is the tongue of the priesthood, while the aristocracies usually speak the tongue of their native tribe. Similarily, Jadus is also populated by more than one group. There are some groups of Men on Arkon that don't closely correspond with any known, RW groups. But there are a few things to note.
Eberites are a wandering race who have come to Saen from another land, perhaps faraway Firanth, and they tend to be mistrusted where they go.
OstJadites: The original race of this land tended to be tall and often blond. However during its Imperial days it incorporated other peoples. The average male is probably 6' tall and the most common hair color is blond or brown, with red or black not unseen. Eye color is often blue or gray, with green or brown not unseen. Complexion can be from fair to tan.
Saenites: A quite varied people but related to the OstJadites. They have all colors of hair and eyes, with light and dark shades in roughly equal proportion. The Northern Saenites are somewhat closer to OstJadites, while the Southern Saenites closer to the men from the Southern Empires. The average male is about 5'10" and of medium build. Complexions range from fair to tan or olive.
The Kingdom of Markor exists to the east of Saen across the mountains, past Ironforge, and this is a strange East-West overlapping land that has nevertheless been influenced by Saen's culture to a degree, being somewhere between Saen and Zheridus.
Zheridus is a land that is heavily identified with darkness, though it is not well understood in Saen. It is thought to be run by evil magicians.
Demihuman races also have considerable internal diversity, as do the Humanoids. Humanoid races are generally thought to be corrupted cousins of Men or Demihumans, and are included as such in racial genealogies. Then there are some Archaic Men still found around.
There are other sentient, bipedal people as well on other parts of Arkon - chief among them are types of lizardfolk, catfolk, dog and wolffolk, and birdfolk. These are generally not found in the vicinity of Saen except perhaps in small pockets.
Saen's population is first and foremost Men, with Halflings second most common, then Elves and Dwarves who are not as active as they once were, and Gnomes are very rare. Humanoids are here too but tend to be pushed to the places that Men won't inhabit. Some of the Dark aligned powers want this to change, including Arxam's Black Syndicate (Arxam is himself a Tiefling, or Demiplanar, and part of the Darklords Conspiracy).
Saen has occasional outbreaks of Lycanthropy and related diseases. These usually lead to Church-led exterminations or quarantines but some communities have evaded notice for long periods. As for Vampirism, it is also a disease, albeit rare, in Saen. Vampires tend to form very secretive sects and brotherhoods.
---
It should be noted that in this history, Elves and Dwarves had epic histories that predate the rise of Men. And Man's history itself moves in strange cycles, with the period of the Verial campaign marking a noted movement into a sinister paradigm.
Eberites are a wandering race who have come to Saen from another land, perhaps faraway Firanth, and they tend to be mistrusted where they go.
OstJadites: The original race of this land tended to be tall and often blond. However during its Imperial days it incorporated other peoples. The average male is probably 6' tall and the most common hair color is blond or brown, with red or black not unseen. Eye color is often blue or gray, with green or brown not unseen. Complexion can be from fair to tan.
Saenites: A quite varied people but related to the OstJadites. They have all colors of hair and eyes, with light and dark shades in roughly equal proportion. The Northern Saenites are somewhat closer to OstJadites, while the Southern Saenites closer to the men from the Southern Empires. The average male is about 5'10" and of medium build. Complexions range from fair to tan or olive.
The Kingdom of Markor exists to the east of Saen across the mountains, past Ironforge, and this is a strange East-West overlapping land that has nevertheless been influenced by Saen's culture to a degree, being somewhere between Saen and Zheridus.
Zheridus is a land that is heavily identified with darkness, though it is not well understood in Saen. It is thought to be run by evil magicians.
Demihuman races also have considerable internal diversity, as do the Humanoids. Humanoid races are generally thought to be corrupted cousins of Men or Demihumans, and are included as such in racial genealogies. Then there are some Archaic Men still found around.
There are other sentient, bipedal people as well on other parts of Arkon - chief among them are types of lizardfolk, catfolk, dog and wolffolk, and birdfolk. These are generally not found in the vicinity of Saen except perhaps in small pockets.
Saen's population is first and foremost Men, with Halflings second most common, then Elves and Dwarves who are not as active as they once were, and Gnomes are very rare. Humanoids are here too but tend to be pushed to the places that Men won't inhabit. Some of the Dark aligned powers want this to change, including Arxam's Black Syndicate (Arxam is himself a Tiefling, or Demiplanar, and part of the Darklords Conspiracy).
Saen has occasional outbreaks of Lycanthropy and related diseases. These usually lead to Church-led exterminations or quarantines but some communities have evaded notice for long periods. As for Vampirism, it is also a disease, albeit rare, in Saen. Vampires tend to form very secretive sects and brotherhoods.
---
It should be noted that in this history, Elves and Dwarves had epic histories that predate the rise of Men. And Man's history itself moves in strange cycles, with the period of the Verial campaign marking a noted movement into a sinister paradigm.
Classes in Arkon
Classes in Arkon
The basic class system was based on the D&D model, with a few changes.
There are envisaged what I call superclasses: That is, the major domain which the class is in. The examples of these are: Arms, Stealth, Essence, Channeling, Psion, and so on, as well as Toil or Trade for common professions as opposed to the adventurers.
Then there are the major classes. These are as follows:
Fighter
Mage
Thief
Cleric
Monk
Changeling
Bard
Monks and Changelings are generally exclusive classes. It should be noted that the Changelings were one of the Early Races, but mostly exterminated. However, the esoteric tradition allows one to make use of their methods for a temporary period. This is closely guarded and that is why it cannot coexist with other classes. Monks are exclusive for similar reasons.
Also there are other classes less commonly subscribed to, as well as subclasses. For instance, other classes might be Geomancer or Necromancer, but these aren't as common. They may be included in supplements. As for subclasses, for example, Fighters will sometimes be able to move into specializations like Knight or Paladin or Sportfighter.
In Saen, the locations of the guilds are various:
(TBC)
The basic class system was based on the D&D model, with a few changes.
There are envisaged what I call superclasses: That is, the major domain which the class is in. The examples of these are: Arms, Stealth, Essence, Channeling, Psion, and so on, as well as Toil or Trade for common professions as opposed to the adventurers.
Then there are the major classes. These are as follows:
Fighter
Mage
Thief
Cleric
Monk
Changeling
Bard
Monks and Changelings are generally exclusive classes. It should be noted that the Changelings were one of the Early Races, but mostly exterminated. However, the esoteric tradition allows one to make use of their methods for a temporary period. This is closely guarded and that is why it cannot coexist with other classes. Monks are exclusive for similar reasons.
Also there are other classes less commonly subscribed to, as well as subclasses. For instance, other classes might be Geomancer or Necromancer, but these aren't as common. They may be included in supplements. As for subclasses, for example, Fighters will sometimes be able to move into specializations like Knight or Paladin or Sportfighter.
In Saen, the locations of the guilds are various:
(TBC)
Provisional Notes on the Origin of Gaming Universes
It was a perusal of the gaming blog Grognardia that prompted me to get back into writing about my experiences in gaming over the years. And it is fully my intention to write a retrospective view of those early years. What I find particularly interesting in hindsight is the idea that, despite knowing jack-all about the Pulp Fantasy that gave birth to the phenomenon that was D and D, I nevertheless had a feel for it early on.
IT all began in the Summer of 1994 with the inauguration of the Tales of Hale and Reso. The campaign was even somewhat Vancian on its own, though I'd never heard of Vance at the time. It took place in a far future Empire of Sol, in our own star system, but with a bizarro twist. Earth was some kind of bleak hive land populated by Cityspeaking Cape Coloureds by this time, mostly reduced to slavery and idiocy by advanced peoples. Mythical races and high sword and sorcery lived side-by-side with interstellar exploration and superhi technology.
This first campaign was not at all "high fantasy". It was gritty pulp fantasy with scifi elements, as all such works originally were. There were quests for power and glory and wealth and adventure mainly. The enemies were not moral scourges, but beings who stood in the way of the hero and his goals. Hale defeated many dangerous foes, including a giant lord in black mail and a mad god-king on the edge of the kuiper belt bent on destroying all remaining civilization. Ultimately, Hale and his sidekick Reso gained control of the Empire of Sol.
It's interesting to think back on this first campaign and how advanced in creativity it was for a couple of youngsters to come up with. But that's really what RPGs ought to be about: High improvisation as opposed to the newer approach of HF with its high moral themes and world-building. Don't get me wrong, I think those approaches have their places, and I pursued them post-2000 for a good while myself, but ultimately there is great fun in leaving so much to chance and invention.
I would say that my nineties influences in RPGs came from a number of early influences. MYthology, Rifts, Star Wars/Trek (TNG naturally), Quest for Glory and King's Quest games, Bungie's Marathon, the comic Elfquest and suchlike, all of these just as much and more as from D and D, which I was only introduced to seriously comparatively late (c. 1996 or so). Actually my first serious introduction to the whole thing was thru Planescape, and reading it while on a vacation in the snowy taiga c. March 96.
I'll be writing more about this in the times to come. I fare from the Upper Midwest, not far from where D and D was born, but the same kind of land prevails here as there, and there's something about this forest land, with its four defined seasons, that gives ferment to the imagination, not to mention its long and cold winter nights are excellent motivators for fantastic escapism. That gives me hope that this is a hobby and genre that isn't ruined just yet!
IT all began in the Summer of 1994 with the inauguration of the Tales of Hale and Reso. The campaign was even somewhat Vancian on its own, though I'd never heard of Vance at the time. It took place in a far future Empire of Sol, in our own star system, but with a bizarro twist. Earth was some kind of bleak hive land populated by Cityspeaking Cape Coloureds by this time, mostly reduced to slavery and idiocy by advanced peoples. Mythical races and high sword and sorcery lived side-by-side with interstellar exploration and superhi technology.
This first campaign was not at all "high fantasy". It was gritty pulp fantasy with scifi elements, as all such works originally were. There were quests for power and glory and wealth and adventure mainly. The enemies were not moral scourges, but beings who stood in the way of the hero and his goals. Hale defeated many dangerous foes, including a giant lord in black mail and a mad god-king on the edge of the kuiper belt bent on destroying all remaining civilization. Ultimately, Hale and his sidekick Reso gained control of the Empire of Sol.
It's interesting to think back on this first campaign and how advanced in creativity it was for a couple of youngsters to come up with. But that's really what RPGs ought to be about: High improvisation as opposed to the newer approach of HF with its high moral themes and world-building. Don't get me wrong, I think those approaches have their places, and I pursued them post-2000 for a good while myself, but ultimately there is great fun in leaving so much to chance and invention.
I would say that my nineties influences in RPGs came from a number of early influences. MYthology, Rifts, Star Wars/Trek (TNG naturally), Quest for Glory and King's Quest games, Bungie's Marathon, the comic Elfquest and suchlike, all of these just as much and more as from D and D, which I was only introduced to seriously comparatively late (c. 1996 or so). Actually my first serious introduction to the whole thing was thru Planescape, and reading it while on a vacation in the snowy taiga c. March 96.
I'll be writing more about this in the times to come. I fare from the Upper Midwest, not far from where D and D was born, but the same kind of land prevails here as there, and there's something about this forest land, with its four defined seasons, that gives ferment to the imagination, not to mention its long and cold winter nights are excellent motivators for fantastic escapism. That gives me hope that this is a hobby and genre that isn't ruined just yet!
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