GAME MASTER: Pat Patterson
CAMPAIGN NAME: The Adarian Campaign - "Dark Days and Black Knights"
GAMING SYSTEM AND BOOKS USED: The GURPS Gaming System. GURPS Basic
Set, 3rd Edition - Revised, GURPS Magic, GURPS Martial Arts, and GURPS
Compendium I may be used to create Player Characters.
CAMPAIGN'S STARTING YEAR: Year of the Unicorn, 100th Cycle of Years.
The Adarian Year is 365 1/4 days long. The months are of the same duration
as the same numbered month in our own earth world. Every forth year the
extra day (i.e., the 28th) is added at the end of the Month of Icy Winds.
The Cycle of Years
01 - The Year of the Phoenix
02 - The Year of the Lion
03 - The Year of the Unicorn
04 - The Year of the Hawk
05 - The Year of the Griffin
06 - The Year of the Fox
07 - The Year of the Panther
08 - The Year of the Horse
09 - The Year of the Tiger
10 - The Year of the Raven
11 - The Year of the Bear
12 - The Year of the Racoon
13 - The Year of the Serpent
14 - The Year of the Ox
15 - The Year of the Ram
16 - The Year of the Scorpion
17 - The Year of the Eagle
18 - The Year of the Hydra
19 - The Year of the Wolf
20 - The Year of the Dragon
The Cycle of Months
01 - The Month of Icy Winds
02 - The Month of Deep Snows
03 - The Month of Muddy Water
04 - The Month of Singing Showers
05 - The Month of Great Blooming
06 - The Month of Sunny Days
07 - The Month of Warm Winds
08 - The Month of Dry Winds
09 - The Month of Cool Nights
10 - The Month of Changing Colors
11 - The Month of Falling Leaves
12 - The Month of Long Nights
For example June 25th, 2003 is as
25th Day, Month of Sunny Days, Year of the Unicorn, 100th Cycle of Years
Shorthand might be 25-06-U-100
CAMPAIGN TYPE: This Campaign is a swashbuckling heroic-fantasy,
which tries hard to be reasonably serious about "realistic" situations,
"dramatic" role-playing, character development and character inter-action.
This campaign could probably best be described as a "Swashbucking Combat
and Adventure" campaign with a healthy dose of "Romance and Mystery"
elements thrown in as well.
KNOWN NONHUMAN RACES: There are a very large number of intelligent
races in the world with over 100 possible player character PLAYER
CHARACTER RACES). The usual fanasty races are known (and are fairly
standard except they may have devloped somewhat differently in the Adarian
setting. The most important of the major nonhuman races (at least in so far
as they directly challenge the notion that human-elfin-dwarvish-halfling
Grand Allaince of civizations are the leaders and the dominate intelligent
life forms), are the Kizinti, the Orcs, and the Wolflings.
Every new character should at least know the following:
The Kzinti are a large race of agressive, lion-like humaniods. They are
hunters and live on fresh, raw meat. The majority are part of the Kzanti
Empire and they make no bones about it, they plan to conquer the world.
They use slave troops and their "allies" fight alongside them out of fear
rather than love. The Kazinti are big, fast and very dangerous. So far in
the last hundred years there have been three major Adarian-Kzinti Wars...
The Orcs are the fastest breeders of all the intelligent races and
while their lifespan is the shortest of the major races, they breed
like cockroaches. Much of the time they are content to war amonst
themselves and raid their neighbors, but when their population reaches
a certain point, they go into the dreaded "Orc Frenzy," and they unite
and launch agressive "Unholy Wars" of expansion and racial exterimation,
fighting and killing all they come across until they either conquer enough
new lands for their increased numbers or their numbers are decreaced to the
point that the population pressure is no longer the driving force for
the Orcs. During the "Orc Frenzy," the Orcs fight like mad berserkers
and they will not retreat nor give up any ground, slaying everyone they
come into contact with, and fighting to the very last, believing that
only their strongest of the strong should survive to breed and continue
their blood line.
The Wolflings are a race of wolf humaniods and are very effective and
highly organized. They work well together and with other races, having
adopted whole races and peoples who willingly serve and expand the
Wolfling Empire. While the Wolfling Empire is much smaller than the
Adarian or Kzinti Empires, the Wolflings have the reputation of being
the most trustworthy and honorable of the major races.
CAMPAIGN'S BASE CITY OR TOWN: The Imperial City of Renown, Duchy
of Renown, Adarian Empire.
NAME AND TYPE OF GOVERNMENT: The Adarian Empire is a union of
free cities and noble holdings. Eules by an elected emperor.
The Duchy of Renown is a semi-independent Dukedom,
paying taxes to the Adarian Empire while running its own local affairs
(for the most part). The Dukes of Renown are hereditary rulers and the
"Renowns" were the founders of the Dukedom during the times of the
Adarian Sucession Wars durring the Dark Ages. The current Duke is Sir
Henri the Elder, VII Duke of Renown.
While in theory, the Duke of Renown has final say within his dukedom,
in practice he is limited to a great extent by the rights and priviledges
that have been granted to both the people of Renown and the noblemen who
owe the Duke their fealty...Also his rulings can be appealed to the
Adarian Emperor.
The City of Renown's Ruling Council is made up of the Duke and the heads
of the "Council of Lords," the "Council of Merchants," the "Theocratic
Council" and the "Mage's Council." Generally each of the four lower councils
makes its own rules and polices its members. In cases where restrictive
or unfair rulings are made, an individual may petition the Duke to bring the
matter up for debate by the Ruling Council. If an individual does not
belong under the jurisdiction of one of the junior councils or if a case
involves individual(s) that would involve more than one junior council
the case would go to the Ruling council where a ruler is made.
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE STATE AND ITS NEIGHBORS:
It is written...
The war raged for two thousand years, until the very powers of hell were summoned, destroying all of that which was fought for. The fires of hell did burn across the land with the light of the setting sun, and the hell fire raged for uncounted days. And lo, a great darkness did descend upon the land, ending forever the reign of the elves.
Verily, the gods did labor to save the world, but their efforts did weaken and tire them so, and then the gods slept in the darkness that followed. And yea, verily man was born into the darkness from the dreams of the gods.
The Fiends of the Pit seeing the Higher Powers asleep and yea thinking it the perfect time, did raise up their foul lizard minions and taught them dark magery and the secrets of black iron. And lo, from over the sea did these hellspawn Iksar in their black iron armor come to enslave and conquer, speaking strange tongues and slaying with their accursed witchery and wicked iron weapons any who dare oppose them. And yea, verily arose the foreign Iksar invaders who did enslave the more primitve humans, elves, dwarves and other native races of this continent. And lo, for forty generations the Iksar used the natives harshly to built dark stone cities and vile temples to their demonic Gods.
In the blackness of despair arose Adare who led the natives in revolt and who smited down the evil tryants and drove back the demon lizardman hordes. Four thousand years the gods had slept. And lo, they awakened to the light of a completely new dawn. The birth of the Adarian people. The gods did rejoyce and think it good. And yea, verily did men multiple quickly, with the smile of the gods upon them, and spread in earnest to the four corners of the world. And lo, did they prosper, in the east, the west and the south. But woe to those who chose the north, for they were met by the wolves of hell that sprang up from the hell fire of the great war. Wolves who stood up and walked like men sprang up in the north to tear life from man. These Wolflings snuffed out the light that shone so brightly in all the rest of the world.
Thus it was Adare's heirs proved to be worthy successors who ruled justly and fairly with the full support of all their people. Verily, the Golden Age endured for forty generations or more, with great advances in all fields of knowledge both magical and mundane and civilization reached great highs of achievement. But northern wilderness remained in darkness.
But then came a time when Adare's desendants, however, proved lacking in the wisdom of their ancestors and verily believing themselves to be the true and only chosen race of the gods these later Adarians began to devolop dark theories of racial and cultural purity. They became arrogent and cruel, considering all other races, nations and peoples as inferiors, they treated their pets better. The Adarian wizards, blinded by their lust for power, tampered with the natural order and the creations of the gods. With their magics they created such abominations as the hydras, manticore and griffins (to name just a few), they created human/animal crossbreeds such as the centuars and minotuars. With the ability to create and motify life itself thay came to see themselves as gods and so they turned away from the true gods and verily did they too learn the dark arts, to raised the dead and summon demonkind. They uttered blasphemies against the gods and forced subject peoples to bow down before stone idols of themselves.
And lo, verily then did the great disaster strike, what exactly it was is unclear, many believe
that the gods had enough and struck down the pproud, sinful Adarians, others believe that the Adarians themselves caused their own destruction through the misuse of their powerful sciences and magic. Whatever its origins, a great and world wide disaster unparalled in recorded history suddenly and apparently without warning crashed upon the world.
And yea, verily, did the earth split apart, mountains exploded, skys darkened, rivers reversed
their course and flowed swiftly backwards causing massive floods, land and mud slides engulfed whole communities. Fierce thunder storms raged with lightning striking dead anything that dared move out into the open, hailstones big enough to strike an ox dead fell like a blizzard, the very
seas arose to inundate the land and while some lands sank beneath the waves, new lands arose from the bottom of the sea where only open ocean had been. The seas boiled, hurricanes, tsunami, tornados and earthquakes struck constantly and with unnatural fury. Many believed it was the end
of the world.
Though a large portion of the Adarian continent survived relatively intact, the capitol city of the Adarian Empire and a hugh area of the surrounding country-side had sunk beneath the waves. Much of the coast line had changed. Some port towns were miles from the sea while other
interior cities sank beneath the waves.
The world's various continents and islands quickly lost touch with each other as the gales blew and raged for years to come and the seas remained much too violent for ocean travel for at least a generation to come.
And lo, verily the sun turned blood red and the skys remained under a red hue and were
darkened for fourty generations. The sickly red light of the sun caused strange tumors to grow and many went blind as people and animals sickened and died from sun exposure in the unusal red glow of the blood sun. The whole world cooled noticeably and at least half of all the life on
the planet died either directly due to the disasters or due to the plagues and famines which followed as crops failed and climates changed.
As death and dispair grew and prays apparently went unanswered, many godly people turned from the gods, and thus the church's power and influnce weakened greatly. Some godly people rejected the church totally as too selfserving, corrupt and unholy, some founded independent temples, others begain to follow holy men, while still others become true non-believers and a few begain to worship beast cults, chaotic or dark higher powers.
Durring the height of this turmoil Emperor Adare XXXV suddenly and unexpectedly died, apparently murdered. The heir apparent disappeared completely and was assumed to have also been slain. The emperor's youngest son, a mage was blamed and outlawed. Civil war quickly broke out as the leaders of all of the five great families laid claim to the imperial throne, thus begin the Adarian Succesion Wars and the Dark Ages which followed.
From the Adarian Chronicles
THE ADARIAN SUCCESSION WARS and THE DARK AGES
For hundreds of years the empire tore itself apart as first one claiment
and then another wresrled control of the imperial crown from his rivals,
only to face bloody revolt and continued civil war at the first sign of
weakness. Much knowledge was destoryed or lost as war raged and all
thoughts turned to war.
As contact was reestablished with the other continents and islands the
Adarian troops stationed there were quickly withdrawn and the natives
soon grew tired of the endless succession wars, the heavy war taxes to
support the continued fighting and sending their own warriors to die
for little or no apparent gain.
For a hundred years and more the Adarian Empire appeared to be doomed,
slowly bleeding itself white while more and more of its former subject
people broke away to form their own tribes and nations. Many rejecting
Adarian knowledge and culture.
There began a secret movement of magic users banding together to seek
a final solution to the Adarian Succession Wars and in the end after
much study and debate the mages decided to do away with the whole
noblity and form a new empire ruled and controlled by the mages
themselves. Rather than attempt an open rebellion, the mages spent
years plotting and experimenting, opening Gates to Other Worlds and
recruiting or enslaving alien followers and/or creating even more
hybreds creatures, monsters and some say even going so far as to
making pacts with demons.
Finally when all was ready the GREAT MAGE REVOLT begain with trusted
court wizards and mage advisors suddenly and without warning attacking
and murdering their employers, leige-lords, slaying every nobles in
sight, all in authority and their families. The coup apparently was
successful very in obtaining all its objectives, the mages slayed all
the leading contenders for the imperial throne in a twenty-four hour
period in a massive bloodletting, noted for being especially savage
in a barbaric age. Not content with slaying just the leaders of the
various noble factions, the mages imprisoned and slayed whole families,
often under torture to reveal the locations of relatives, treasures or
for the sheer pleasure of it all.
While not always succesful, in most areas the mages gained total
control declared themselves the ligitimate authority and started
issuing decrees restricting personal freedoms and plundering the locals
to reward their alien followers. The leader of the revolt, known only
as the Scarlet Mage crowned himself Emperor Adare XXXVI after slaying
a number of his most powerful followers in Magical Duels in
"Right to Rule" Challenages.
However the mage's arrogance and wanton display of naked power, slaying
of innocents and minor non-combatants, looting and their highhanded
treatment and total disregard for their inferiors (i.e., anyone not
a mage) caused such a backlash of hate that it united the surviving
nobles and commoners like nothing else could have, so while things
did not turn out as they planned, in an ironic way the mages were
successful in ending the Adarian Succesion Wars and uniting the Adarian
Epire once again.
On the 13th day after the Mages took power, the Patriarch of the Adarian
Church Universal and Triumphant declared a holy crusade against the mages
and united with the few surviving nobles and peasants to break the power
of the mages. The Imperial Council was formed (at the Patriarch's urging)
and elected as its first emperor, a former nobleman who had become a cleric
and gained a reputation as a steadfast and honorable man with no political
asperations. Crowning himself Paladine I, the new emperor and the combimed
might of the Adarian Empire turned upon the Mage Revolt with all its fury.
Very quickly the mages were defeated in open battle and were driven into
hidding. The Time of the Mage Burnings had began. For several hundred
years it was illegal in the Adarian Empire to be a mage and those who were
or were even sucpested of using magic in any form were hunted down and
burned, often lynched without a trail. The church gained much from the
Mage Burnings....influnce, wealth, power (taking possession of many
magical items to dispose of, or for safe keeping!), the property of the
mages to cover the expenses of hunting them down and fear if not much
respect.
THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE AMAZONS
Following the collapse of the Adarian Empire, much of the world was
thrown into a state of chaos. When the Adarian garrison troops were
withdrawn, the native survivors, suddenly freed from the yoke of the
Adarians soon fell to warring amoust themselves. The knowledge and
culture of the First Age Adarians was spurned and soon forgotten as
the races and peoples reverted to their earlier, barbaric ways. For
hundreds of years, conditions remained unchanged. In time however
certain of the larger tribes began to settle the coastial regions.
With the establishment of native villages, town and cities, new
nations were born. The Erians and Amazons (both said to be descended
from stranded Adarians), the Khitans of eastern Jumbu, the black
skinned Ophir and Qaddan of Gondwana and the Tharshi of the Middle
Sea. Of these the Amazons of Hesperia (a warlike female-dominated
society) soon rose to a position of superiorty. Within a generation
the Amazons had conquered and colonized much of the northwestern
coast of Gondwana. Only Qaddan and Ophir, secure in their great
city walls, had successfully resisted the Amazon invaders. Temporarity
brought to a standstill in Gondwana, the Amazons turned their
attentions towards the Adarian Empire.
The once mighty Adarians, having just united under Paladine I, weakened
from the Mage Revolt and the Succession Wars, strugging to rebuild
their shattered civilization, proved no match for their fierce
antagonists. Attacking from the south, the Amazons advanced swiftly
to Ispar, the new capitol city of the Adarian Empire, defeating the
weaker Adarian Legions at every turn. The fall of Ispar and the Adarian
Empire seemed inevitable. It was, however, not to be.
Despite its many successful campaigns, the Amazon Empire was weakening
from within. Internal squabbles with the Gorgons (a snake-worshipping
cult of Amazons) and an inability to maintain order amoungst the
peoples the Amazons had subjugated were draining Hesperia's limited
resources. The Adarian campaign, close as it was to its goal, had
served to overextend the supply lines of the Amazons. Aware of the
difficulties, Ophir and Qaddan chose to launch counterstrikes
against the Amazons in Gondwana.
The results for the Amazons were disastrous. Though only partially
successful, the Gondwanan's attacks served to further agitate the
Amazons internal difficulties. The Gorgons rebelled and Hesperia
become embroiled in civil war. The field army beseiging Ispar and
the garrison troops in Gondwana had to be recalled to quell the
revolution. Although the Gorgons were defeated, the Amazons suffered
the loss of much of their conquered territory. The Golden Age of
the Amazons had come to an end.
THE THIRD AGE
With the fall of the Amazon Empire the modern era known as the Third
Age has begun. THe first two hundred years of this epoch saw the
re-emergence of the Adarian Empire as a major world power, allied with
Ophir and on relatively good terms with neghboring Hesperia. The
other human nations that have established themselves as major world
powers include Tartessos, Qaddan, Sheba, Khitai and Araby. Non-human
Major world powers include the Wolfling Empire, the Kzinti Empire and
the Orcish Horde. Of the major powers, Tartessos in particular is a
source of some concern to the Adarians, although sharing borders
with all three of the non-human major powers, the Adarians have many
foreign concerns.
THE ADARIAN EMPIRE OF TODAY
The largest and richest nation where many races and different peoples
live and work together. Fairly tolerant, most Adarians are content to
live peacefully and mind their own affairs. The five great families
( the Dexterharts, the Grimwels, the Vanderghoulds, the Von Bloodrics,
and the Wolfinghams) are still powerful clans and the majority of
Adarian Nobles and Emperors have come from these families. For the most
part, members of the five families consider themselves at best as rivals
and at worse bitter, bitter enemies. There has been a lot of bad blood
and duels and vendetta still do occur....
While mages are no longer outlawed. They are often suspect and mistrusted
and there are places where a know mage might be advised to watch his back.
A great deal of knowledge and lore (both magical and mundane) was lost
durring the Dark Ages and during Time the Mage Burnings. The mages'
on-going quest to recover lost magical artifacts and magic knowledge
(especially spells) continues.
Guilds are seen as a necessary nuisance by the noble houses and the
church. Both the church and the nobles are happy to let them handle trade
as it is considered below the dignity of the Church and/or nobles to dally
in commerce.
In the empire, all the great guilds belong to the Merchant League which
resembles the Hanseatic league (from earth's history) in power and
organization. Basically each guild works for the betterment of the League
while seeking mercantile domination within the league. The Leaguemeister
(Merchant Prince and leader of the guilds) is elected for 4 year terms at
a time by the guild members. While not nobles, those who master their trade
and become rich enough become Merchant Princes which often have quite a bit
of power and influence. The merchant League has in addition to a fleet and
a private army, control of several ports and is always attempting to gain
total control of all trade routes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE AND ITS NEIGHBORS:
Still a huge nation, larger and richer than its neighbors, while no
doubt the Adarian Empire has declined and is in fact still only a shadow
of its former self, it has not lost any territory in the last couple of
hundred years, despite fighting a number of major wars and invasion
attempts. Currently the Adarian Foriegn policy is to not expand, and
instead hold and defend its natural bounderies. There are large numbers
of Adarians who would love to see this policy changed and reconquer
some or all of the former territory once controlled by the Adarian
Empire.
West of the Adarian Empire is the the kingdom of Bretonia, it shares a
fairly lengthly border with the Empire. Civilized and attempting to
expand, it is a young nation staking out its claims.
To the north of and the the northwest of the Adarian Empire is the
Icy Sea and the Island of Norsa where a three-way war rages between
the Bretonians, the Varangian Vikings, and the native Na-zish).
In the past the Adarian Empire has sent in small military forces to aid
one or more of the combatants.
North of the Adarian Empire is the Varangian homeland where a great
many Varangian tribes war with one another, the local monsters, and
the Wolflinging Empire to their east. The bolder and stronger Varangian
Jarls (local chieftains) raid into the Adarian and/or Wolfling Empires
both by land and sea, but as often as not with very limited sucess.
These northern barbarians are generally considered tough and make
fine warriors...
North and northeast of the Adarian Empire is the Wolfling Empire, and
while neither Empire has openly declared war, border "incidents" are
becoming much more common. Generally these have been fairly small unit
actions (due mainly to the fact that both Empires have conflicts on their
other borders, and both nations know that the only way a major war could
be won against the other would require using their full military might
and leaving their other borders undefended. So far neither the Adarians
nor the Wolflings have been willing to commit enough military forces
to risk all out war...at least so far, but both sides expect it will
happen sooner or latter.
Bordering the Wolfling Emipre is the Kislevian Empire, who has lost a
great deal of their territory to the Wolflings and continues to be the
Wolflings most bitter foes.
South of the Kislevian Empire (and claimed by it) is the plains of the
Kosacks, several tribes of nomadic herdsmen who hire themslves out as
light cavalry. Many of the Kosacks tribes are non-humans, some tribes
are totally made up of Centaurs, Wemics, Caninoids, Felinenoids,
Humans, Orcs and several unrelated races of humans. Some tribes are mixed
races and are indeed often a motley crew.
South of the Kislevian plains but east of the Adarian Empire is the
Hawksloft Kingdom, a hodge-pode of different peoples and races living
under the rule of the Hawksloft Kings, who were once Adarian nobles who
founded their fortune outside of the Adarian Empire proper.
South of Hawksloft is the hill country where Caninenods Clans and more
of the Kosacks tribes have holdings, farther south is the Sultanage of
Arby, which is the source of much of the Duchy of Renown's wealth, being
the gateway to the unknown east.
Southwest of Arby and south of the Empire of Adare is the Elven Forrest,
the Orclands, and the Dwarven Kingdom (which has been for the most part
over-run). There are Elven woods in the Orclands as well, small islands of
civilization in a barbaric sea. The Orclands are the larest concentration
of Orcs in the known world, there Orcish nations rise and fall as Orcish
tribes ally and break apart, the orcs spend more time warring and killing
each other than they do fighting anyone else...which suits their neighbors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DUCHY OF RENOWN The Duchy of Renown is located
on the eastern border of the Adarian Empire. The City of Renown is located
east of the Great Eastern Pass (more commonly known as Dead Orc Pass),
between two huge snow-capped mountains with sreams flowing together forming
the headwaters of the Swiftflow River which surrounds the high city walls of
Renown. To the north is the lands claimed by the Kislevians, Wolflings and
Kosack nomads (of one type or another).
Just north of the northern branch of the Swiftflow (legally outside of the
Duchy and the Adarian Empire) is a small colony of Samuri warriors and
their dependents, they number perhaps three thousand warriors (and at
least eight thousand dependents). The Samuri form the Karma Clan of
the Samuri, but there are seven sub-clans that often work at cross
purposes. At least in theory, they are all sworn to the service of
Lord Maragond VIII, the Mage of Renown, but some appear less than
totally loyal. The Samuri stay busy defending their northern
borders and fighting with each other for position and the best resources to
be much of a threat to the Duchy of Renown or the Adarian Empire even if
they wished. In general, the Samuri and the Adarians view each other with
mild distain, quicker to see the faults of the others than their own
cultural weaknesses, although both sides respect the other's fighting
abitities...North of the Samuri-lands (as they have been dubbed) is a
bloody no man's land that has been fought over time and time again.
Currently nomadic orc bands, Kosacks, Wolfling and Kislevian forces fight
and raid the Samuri and the other humans that still live in the
"Wilderness" (as this area is commonly known. These humans were once part
of the Adarian Empire, but over a hundred years ago it was decided that
the area was not worth the cost to defend it and the Adarians withdrew
their military forces behind the Barrier Mountains and east and south of
the Swiftflow River. The people left are true fontiersmen, mostly humans,
elves and half-elves that survive by hunting and trapping who are crafty
enough to survive in this "wilderness" turned battle zone. Some of
these forntiermen are hostile to the Samuri who return the hostility....
East of Renown is the Hawksloft Kingdom and while the Hawksloftsmen were
more or less in the same as boat as their northern neighbors, the
forntiersmen when the Adarians military withdrew its forces, a remarkable
family of lesser Adarian noblemen stayed and founded the Hawksloft Kingdom.
Somehow they have managed to organize and hold their own small nation
intact and have formed and maintained an indepentent kindgom on the ruins
that the Adarians left in the east. While poor and barely able to feed
themselves, the Hawksloftmen are a hearty and tough little nation who are
surrounded and so far have not only managed to defend themselves, but in
recent years have even managed to expand their holdings somewhat, working
with some of the Samuri whom are also taking and holding more territory.
While the Hawlsloftmen are often considered wild and uncivilized by the
majority of Adarian noblemen, the Hawksloftmen noblemen are every bit as
civilized, they just follow their own sense of honor and are perhaps
quicker to take offense than more "civilized" people. The Duke of Renown
and the last few Emperors have desired to maintain the Hawksloft Kingdom
as a buffer state and have provided aid and support to the Hawksloft
Kingdom. Many Adarian noblemen (either exiled or younger sons), find a
place in the Hawksloft Court provided that they can fight and they remain
loyal, those who survive can carve out a holding or win rank and glory.
Many Adarian families from the inner empire send their sons to gain war
experience to relations in the Hawksloft Court. While in general, the
people of Hawksloft try to make such "visitors" welcome (They are truely
greatful for the aid and support these "young gentlemen" provide), such
"exiles" generally either love or hate Hawksloft...South of Hawksloft is
the area known as the "hill country" (but often called the "highlands" by
the natives). The highlanders are made up of humans and Canineniods Family
Clans which wear kilts, heard cattle, sheep and goats and spend most of
their energy raiding each other and their neigbors while defending
themselves from invaders.
Southeast of Renown is the routh to the Sultanate of Araby, one of the
Duchy's main trading partners. A land of mystery, little is known of Araby
but many stories are told of this magical, rich land. Most people in the
campaign know very little about it, knowning only that usually at least
twice a year, a large and heavly armed caravan camps outside the Walls of
Renown, spends a few weeks trading goods and then leaves taking many
Adarian goods to Araby. South of Renown is the Orclands, and while the
Swiftflow River runs south threw the Orclands, the river is controlled and
used by the Amazons who also trade with the Duchy of Renown (Renown being the
farest the Amazon's galleys can navigate up the Swiftflow River. The Amazon
control the mouth of the Swiftflow, where they maintain a fairly large city
state colony known as Safe Haven. The Swiftflow empties out into the
Southern Sunny Sea and the Amazons trade with many foreign nations and thus
bring many strange foreign fruits and items such as peacock feathers which
would otherwise be unknown in the Adarian Empire. Also from time to time a
large Dwarven caravan will enter Renown from the remains of the Drawven
Kingdoms, deep in the Orclands. The Dwarves bring weapons and finely
crafted items to trade for food and/or gold. The Dwarves usually come to
trade about once a year, usually in the fall after the harvest is in.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE POLITICAL/ECONOMIC SITUATION: The Duchy of
Renown is on one of the Empire's prime trade routes and the city of Renown
is perhaps the richest single city in the Empire. The Duchy of Renown on the
Adarian Empire's forntier border and has been hotty contested a number of
times during the few hundred years. The Wolfling and Kzanti Empires would
like very much to conqueror the Duchy and the Orcish hordes have besieged the
City of Renown numerous times, but so far the City of Renown has never been
conquered. It has been hard pressed many times in its history. Generally, the
Duke of Renown is more strongly allied to the Emperor than most of the other
Adarian nobles whom are somewhat shielded by Renown and the Barrier Mountains.
In return, the Adarian Emperors are generally more favoribly inclined to aid
the Duchy than some of the other more troublesome border cities and holdings,
causing a certain amount of resentment of Renown from the inside of the
Empire as well as outside of it. There are constant attempts to gain control
of the Duchy and influence its policies, nearly all sides are greedy to force
concessions and gain a percentage of Renown's wealth and some sort of trade
arangement.
CAN WEAPONS BE CARRIED IN PUBLIC? Yes, dress swords are considered to
be part of formal wear and no true gentleman would be seen in public without
one (Statue level 1 and above). Nearly everyone carries a belt knife or
dagger. In general, the larger the town or city, the less armor will be
expected to be worn (except by on-duty soldiers and the watch and the like).
Scale mail and platemail are for war and it is considered very bad form to
run around in metal armor (and may result in be escorted to the local
authorities to for questioning) while in a "peaceful" town or city in a
"civilized" area. But mainly it depends upon the local ruler(s) and the current
situtation in the surrounding lands. In the Campaign's Base City of Renown,
All Weapons and Armor are allowed, as the Duchy of Renown is surrounded on all
sides by hostile neighbors, and raids and attacks are fairly common. Please
note that Ducal Officers have the "right" to press-gang likely looking
individuals or whole parties into service in the case of emergencies. Failure
of an individual to carry out such "duties" would result in the individual
being subject to court-martialed as would an active duty soldier failing in
his duty. Pay for such service is a silver crown per day. If an individual is
wounded, killed or loses property because of having been "drafted," the
individual has the right to sue the Duchy for expenses, and will generally
get a fair (if normally modest) settlement.
CAMPAIGN'S MAIN TECH LEVEL: Generally in most areas, the TL3 can be
considered as the campaign's norm, but there are TL4 Blackpowder Weapons
availible. Basically, due to magic defenses, blackpower weapons have not had
quite as much of an impact upon warfare in the World of Adare as in our own
history. There are some very large areas of TL2 (uncivilized, barbaric and
some may say savage cultures, so barbarian characters are not only possible,
but likely to be encountered).
DIFFERENCES FROM THIS TL AS DESCRIBED IN THE GURPS BASIC SET: As above,
in regards to magic armor being able to be enchanted so that "missile" weapons
bounce off (or worse for the missile firers, target them!), Black
powder weapons are not nearly as effectively as in our own world. In naval
matters, galleys are still widely used as warships (many with slave rowers!).
There are no tall ships, and sailing ships tend to be fairly small and
generally only the most adventurous become sailors, because shipwreak, pirates
and sea serpents are common, but a profitable vorage or two can make the crew
and the ship owners very rich.
ANY HIGH TECHNOLOGY? Yes, some. There are "Gates" commonly called
"Portals" to other worlds. Most have been magically sealed, but there are
some still being used. As an example, there are a small group of Cyborgs
in Adare from a world completely destroyed by war, and the Cyborgs have
limited access to some very high tech items (including Lasers and light
sabers (er Force Swords!). Additionally there are a few higher tech items
around, but in general the magic of Adare seems to cause high tech items
to malfuction and become less reliable than would be expected, also there
is the problem of repairing or replacing such items...while it is possible
to run into someone (or something) with higher tech weapons, the ultimate
warrior is one in heavily enchanted armor, charging into battle with a
lance mounted upon a strong heavy warhorse (at least that is what the
knights always say...).
PSIONICS? (HOW POWERFUL? HOW COMMON?)Currently No. I am working on
redoing the Psionic Rules so that they are a little more balanced, so while not
outlawing them completely they will be in very limited use (if at all) and are
subject to changes during play. Basically I would prefer that character use
magic instead for the time being...
COMBAT RULE VARIANTS USED:
