Notes for a New Campaign City, Parsantium
Leif
Adventurer
I had been thinking all along that this would be a play-by-post game here at ENWorld, so I didn't think geography was an issue at all. If it is, then I guess I'm out of luck, huh? Oh, well, thanks for sharing the ideas anyway. 4e would be ok, but 3.5e would be, too. What I was thinking about was a gnoll tough-guy, rogue type, but another possibility that now occurs to me is a c/n gnoll snitch who is pretty much on the outs with gnollish society, and prefers to operate around the fringes of low-class human society where he has found some rare human outcasts who don't mind his gnoll heritage. Maybe he even knows a cleric or two who can tolerate him because, hey, a convert is a convert! He'd be very careful not to commit fully to any one deity, though, at least not yet. He's more interested in maintaining good relationships with several priestly types until he's totally convinced that one can offer him more than the others.RichGreen said:
Listen to me! Am I carried away here, or what? Please forgive my presumption. I'll wait until you're ready to move forward and decide who is going to be in the game for sure. If you need to reach me: [sblock=drop me a line]leif_hamman@yahoo.com[/sblock]
RichGreen
Adventurer
Leif said:
Hey Leif, I'm flattered you want to play in a pbem game in this setting! I'll have a look at some of the others running on ENWorld and think about whether this is something I'd like to do -- I'm running three regular tabletop D&D games at the moment (one weekly, two monthly-ish) so finding the time will be the issue. In the meantime, I'm going to keep posting stuff here and would value your feedback and anyone else's.
Cheers
Richard
RichGreen
Adventurer
Three Quarters
Here's some info on Parsantium's three main districts:
Imperial Quarter
The basileus’ Great Palace and the Holy Basilica of Pelor are located in this quarter on the north-west side of the city which is also home to the decadent and wealthy noble class, many of whom claim to be descended from the Batiaran emperors of old.
The impressive Hippodrome stages gladiatorial contests and chariot races which are very popular amongst rich and poor alike. An obelisk recovered from the desert ruins of Khemit to the southwest by a previous basileus stands in the centre of the 300m long U-shaped track. The chariot races are a city-wide obsession and fanatical support amongst the citizens for the Blues, Greens, Reds and Whites has been known to lead to rioting. Residents of the Imperial Quarter tend to support the Blues while Old Quarter inhabitants favour the Greens. Eight chariots, two per team, take part in each race. On race days, the restrictions on movement from the Old Quarter to the Imperial Quarter are lifted and the supporters of the Greens and Reds pour across the bridges to the Hippodrome.
The Royal Docks were built here by Corandias XVII thirty years ago to encourage wealthy traders from the Caliphate of Akhran to sail into this part of the city. The basileus succeeded in his aim and the Old Docks across the other side of the Dolphin Strait are in decline. The Imperial Quarter also houses the Great Library and the dwarven district.
Mercantile Quarter
The Mercantile Quarter is home to one of the world’s largest markets: goods arrive here by sea from Akhran to the south west, from Tingao to the east overland on the Silk Road, from the city-states of the now-fallen [Batiaran Empire] to the northwest and from the kingdom of Sahasra across the Pillars of Heaven mountains to the southeast. As you might imagine, almost anything can be obtained here as long as the buyer can afford it. A bronze colossus, 100 feet high, depicting Corandias the Magnificent stands in the centre of the marketplace.
Old Quarter
The southeastern quarter of the city is nearly as cosmopolitan as the market: here there are temples to gods of Sahasra, Akhran and Tiangao, as well as coffee shops and teahouses. Also located here are dojos teaching the fighting traditions of the mountain temples, and the mysterious Esoteric Order of the Blue Lotus (an arcanists’ guild with wu jen and sha’irs as well as wizards and sorcerers as members). This is also where most of the poorer districts and slums can be found, including the homes of the Sahasran poor, half-orcs and gnolls.
Seven Chalices Caravanserai
Merchants visiting the city invariably make their way to this welcoming caravanserai near the south-east gate. In this walled compound, built around an extensive courtyard with , weary merchants and visitors can raise their tents and pavilions. Here the smell of coffee and spices mingles with the dung of camels, horses and even bullocks being housed, fed and watered for the night. In addition to the large guest house, traders can store their goods in the warehouse before taking them to the market.
Old Docks
Once the main docks for the city, the Old Docks are mostly used by fishermen and by smugglers, pirates and other shady characters these days. The section of the docks bordering the poorest ward of the quarter has become an extension of it: shacks have been built on the wharves while others live on stationary houseboats joined to the piers and each other by rope bridges and planks. Here crime is common and life is cheap. The decline of the docks is another reason for the rift between the northwest and the southeast quarters of the city.
One of the most popular spots in the Old Quarter with both visitors and resident young lovers is the white marble Garden Mausoleum of Hulieman -- a beautiful domed building set in tree-lined grounds which survived several attacks on the city and now serves as a public park.
Any comments?
Richard
Here's some info on Parsantium's three main districts:
Imperial Quarter
The basileus’ Great Palace and the Holy Basilica of Pelor are located in this quarter on the north-west side of the city which is also home to the decadent and wealthy noble class, many of whom claim to be descended from the Batiaran emperors of old.
The impressive Hippodrome stages gladiatorial contests and chariot races which are very popular amongst rich and poor alike. An obelisk recovered from the desert ruins of Khemit to the southwest by a previous basileus stands in the centre of the 300m long U-shaped track. The chariot races are a city-wide obsession and fanatical support amongst the citizens for the Blues, Greens, Reds and Whites has been known to lead to rioting. Residents of the Imperial Quarter tend to support the Blues while Old Quarter inhabitants favour the Greens. Eight chariots, two per team, take part in each race. On race days, the restrictions on movement from the Old Quarter to the Imperial Quarter are lifted and the supporters of the Greens and Reds pour across the bridges to the Hippodrome.
The Royal Docks were built here by Corandias XVII thirty years ago to encourage wealthy traders from the Caliphate of Akhran to sail into this part of the city. The basileus succeeded in his aim and the Old Docks across the other side of the Dolphin Strait are in decline. The Imperial Quarter also houses the Great Library and the dwarven district.
Mercantile Quarter
The Mercantile Quarter is home to one of the world’s largest markets: goods arrive here by sea from Akhran to the south west, from Tingao to the east overland on the Silk Road, from the city-states of the now-fallen [Batiaran Empire] to the northwest and from the kingdom of Sahasra across the Pillars of Heaven mountains to the southeast. As you might imagine, almost anything can be obtained here as long as the buyer can afford it. A bronze colossus, 100 feet high, depicting Corandias the Magnificent stands in the centre of the marketplace.
Old Quarter
The southeastern quarter of the city is nearly as cosmopolitan as the market: here there are temples to gods of Sahasra, Akhran and Tiangao, as well as coffee shops and teahouses. Also located here are dojos teaching the fighting traditions of the mountain temples, and the mysterious Esoteric Order of the Blue Lotus (an arcanists’ guild with wu jen and sha’irs as well as wizards and sorcerers as members). This is also where most of the poorer districts and slums can be found, including the homes of the Sahasran poor, half-orcs and gnolls.
Seven Chalices Caravanserai
Merchants visiting the city invariably make their way to this welcoming caravanserai near the south-east gate. In this walled compound, built around an extensive courtyard with , weary merchants and visitors can raise their tents and pavilions. Here the smell of coffee and spices mingles with the dung of camels, horses and even bullocks being housed, fed and watered for the night. In addition to the large guest house, traders can store their goods in the warehouse before taking them to the market.
Old Docks
Once the main docks for the city, the Old Docks are mostly used by fishermen and by smugglers, pirates and other shady characters these days. The section of the docks bordering the poorest ward of the quarter has become an extension of it: shacks have been built on the wharves while others live on stationary houseboats joined to the piers and each other by rope bridges and planks. Here crime is common and life is cheap. The decline of the docks is another reason for the rift between the northwest and the southeast quarters of the city.
One of the most popular spots in the Old Quarter with both visitors and resident young lovers is the white marble Garden Mausoleum of Hulieman -- a beautiful domed building set in tree-lined grounds which survived several attacks on the city and now serves as a public park.
Any comments?
Richard
Last edited:
Leif
Adventurer
Now, listen, Rich, if you're trying to get sympathy because THREE D&D GAMES take up too much of your time, you're looking in the wrong place!RichGreen said:
I can count on ONE FINGER the number of live-action games I've been invited to play in the last year! (And even that wasn't D&D, it was HERO System, but, hey, I was just happy to be playing.) (That game is ordinarily played here at enWorld -- Mowgli's Domhani Bardeir game.) If you want to see the kind of game I'm involved with, check out the Constables of the 14th Ward thread here that I run with Scotley, or Whirtlestaffs Wizards Academy that is my newest baby. Also check Scotley's Island Empire game. At one time, I used to know how to put links to other threads in my messages, but I've slept since then, so the knowledge has left me!I'll look over your latest, long post when I get a chance. I'm sure much praise will be forthcoming.
RichGreen
Adventurer
Leif said:Now, listen, Rich, if you're trying to get sympathy because THREE D&D GAMES take up too much of your time, you're looking in the wrong place!
LOL! Found your play-by-post threads -- I'll have a proper read through when I've got more time.
Cheers
Richard
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