As I'm still waiting to get my hobby space put back together after moving, I've had a bit of time to mull over some lore and setting ideas for this campaign. I wanted to create a sense of personality for a few of my factions without pigeonholing them too much. I want them to organically develop through gameplay decisions and results. Other than the wardens, which will act as a generic factions for adventurers and warriors, I focused on the leaders of each settlement as being emblematic of their faction or culture. I think I've captured a few large archetypes - steadfast warriors, self interested merchants, religious fanatics, and dangerous schemers. Of course, a lot of these themes and characterizations are shamelessly borrowed from Game of Thrones. Specifically Lewynn Strong, who is meant to echo Jeor Mormont, and Benefred Wood who is meant to broadly echo the Greyjoys.
The Wardens
A group of lowborn men-at-arms who patrol the roads
of the region, dispensing justice at the leave of the Earl. They have a
reputation for being rough but good natured folk. They commonly come
from farming families with too many sons and daughters to feed. The work
they do is hard and deadly, and takes a heavy toll, yet they adhere to a
strict code of honour. They are a better sort than those they hunt.
Earl of Karth, Lewynn Strong
An
old and stout man. Hard but fair. The latest descendant in a long line
of northerners who have governed Karth and defended it from incursions
of barbarians, and in dark times, from other northerners. Lewynn has yet
to face such dark days, and his rule has been blessed by abundant
summer harvests, mild winters, and profitable trade. The winter winds
are starting to blow, and a darkness creeps into the world from the
North.
Jana Buck, Burgomistress of Camp Elum
A lady of
sharp wit and excellent trade sense. Not technically a leader of
government, but rather the leader of the merchant guild, Jana is tasked
with keeping the peace (and the trade) in Camp Elum. She keeps alliance with anyone who keeps the trade flowing, and the interruptions and instability at a minimum. Camp Elum hosts a surprisingly large force of militarized guards who are deeply loyal to the Burgomistress (and her coin). While technically not an army, this force has been deployed on missions outside of the camp under the auspices of "camp business".
The Druids of Stonefell Isle
Mystics and zealots live on the strange and mysterious island across the waves from Karth. Stonefell Isle and it's surrounding archipelagos are home to steep ragged cliffs, high hills and fells that have housed nature worshipers, druids, and occultists for aeons uncounted. While it's clear that they are animists who follow the many gods and goddesses of the natural world, their rituals and practices are secretive and poorly understood. They are cold and cautious when mainlanders comes to their islands, and hostile with sailors from Grenfell Isle. That being said, their priests travel the mainland and the coast performing good deeds for those in need.
Benefred Wood, steward of Grenfell Isle
A
distrustful and secretive man, Old Ben lives in a cold and barren keep,
on a colder and more barren rock. The folk who live there subsist on
coldwater fish and forage from the sparse woods on their stony island.
Not an evil folk, but driven to desperation by their lot. Their
relations with the other Karthlands settlements has always been
strained, and in years past they have sailed and raided against the
settlements they saw as easy prey. It wouldn't take much to push Old Ben
into outright hostility with his neighbours.
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