Creative Exercise: The Sovereign Dominion of Eyros

Breakstone · Feb 27, 2005

First of all, I just wanted to say this is turning out really cool. I'd love to run a game in which the characters fight this secret cabal of necromancers (and their evil dryad ally), get to meet the roguish pirate Darrenback, and fight giant elf-ogres deep in the forest. Great job everybody!

By the way, I also wanted to note that the idea of "pure" half-orcs (that is, not quarter-orcs or eighth-orcs) being the only ones who can hold the throne is terrific. This means that princes and princesses won't be natural heirs anymore, which I think is a refreshingly neat idea.

Okay, enough praising. Now for my contribution:

Ghalfaen is being ravaged by a purple worm of colossal size. A dissolute sorcerer named Herewald claims he can control it but he demands a terrible price.

Ever since the Jagged Eye made the discovery at Mindful Halls, gargauntan insects and worms have been spotted around the Dominion of Eryos. How Herewald gained control of one of these terrible beasts is a mystery yet to be explained.

Tinner · Feb 27, 2005

Breakstone said:
Ever since the Jagged Eye made the discovery at Mindful Halls, gargauntan insects and worms have been spotted around the Dominion of Eryos. How Herewald gained control of one of these terrible beasts is a mystery yet to be explained.

Dragon Cult prophecies often speak of a promised High Holy One who will come to save the empire in it's time of greatest need. This promised champion is said to combine all the finest qualities of the noble half-orc as well as the power of the ancient dragons (half-dragon). Occaisonally a half-orc child will be born with what appears to be scales, or the slitted eyes of a reptile. These children are taken and raised by the reptile cult, and while they have all shown remarkable aptitude for arcane magic (sorceror), none of them has yet proven to be the High Holy One. Of course it must be said that the empire has yet to face its time of greatest need ...

Doug McCrae · Feb 27, 2005

In the last few decades a rival to Eyros has arisen in the south - the elven-dominated empire of Nistadeen. Nistadeen is a great mercantile and sea power, aggressively expansionist. Its main religion is the church of Corythos, the sun god. A faction within the church, the Cult of the Second Sun, seeks to survive the coming ice age by channelling power from the positive energy plane to create another sun.

Phineas Crow · Feb 27, 2005

Some may think this over complication, but I like giving regions unique currency instead of the tired old cp/sp/gp/pp assortment.

Currency of Eyros

Carca (carcas): A small rectangular iron coin which is used instead of copper. 1 carca weighs 4.5 grams and 100 carcas weighs 1 pound.

Sepus (sepii): A large silver coin usually stamped with the ruling family’s symbol on one side and an image of Mt. Xark and the City of Eyrdeyn on the back. 1 Sepus weighs 8.5 grams and 50 sepii weighs 1 pound.

Zoth (zothen): A small gold coin. In Eyros zothen are worth 1 gp, but outside of Eyros zothen are worth only 5 sp due to their small weight. 1 zoth weighs 4.5 grams and 100 zothen weighs 1 pound.

Thal (thals): paper currency. With a shortage of platinum Eyros uses paper currency in its place. While worth 1 pp in Eyros, thals are considered worthless everywhere else. 1 thal weighs 1 gram and 500 thals weighs 1 pound.

10 iron carcas = 1 silver sepus
10 silver sepii = 1 gold zoth
10 gold zothen = 1 paper thal

Capellan · Feb 27, 2005

While I wouldn't want to deal with the hassle of the different weights for coins, I love the idea of paper money -- it allows PCs to carry huge amounts of cash easily within Eyros, provided they accept that it is useless anywhere else

As a suggestion, it might be a good idea to repost the compiled list of facts each time the thread hits a new page - that way it is always easy to check that you aren't contradicting anyone.

New fact:
Some of the 'unsuccessful' true half-orc candidates have fled into the wilderness regions of Eyros, where they have established a crude, barbarian society of their own. They claim that the only 'true' half-orcs are those bred from two half-orcs, and are becoming both an irritant and an embarrassment to the noble houses of Eyros as their numbers slowly rise.

Phineas Crow · Feb 27, 2005

Capellan said:
While I wouldn't want to deal with the hassle of the different weights for coins, I love the idea of paper money -- it allows PCs to carry huge amounts of cash easily within Eyros, provided they accept that it is useless anywhere else

I changed the carca to the same weight as the zoth, that should make it somewhat easier to deal with.

Mouseferatu · Feb 27, 2005

Hey, guys. Don't have time right now, but I'll compile a new "our story so far" list this evening or tomorrow.

In the meantime, my next contribution. It's a little longer than I'd prefer, but it's all basically one thought.

For all races in Eyros except the half-orcs, a five-year tour of military service is compulsory upon reaching adulthood. However, this term of service can be waived by the Emeror, a senator, or a local governor, if the individual can prove that he is contributing to society's well-being in some other way. Thus, most people try to be among the best at whatever it is they do--craftsmen, trader, magic, whatever--to avoid conscription. The exception to this rule are the dwarves, who are generally considered insufficiently trustworthy to serve on the battlefield. Among the Orc-Blooded themselves, those who do not choose to serve are looked down upon, though they are not forced to do so. And as most Orc-Blooded begin their military careers as officers, most of them are happy to serve.

Andor · Feb 27, 2005

Eyros has not be a successful sea power to date, but the Preas Thanatos are trying to change that. They have been experimenting in secret with galleys rowed by crews of skeletons and they are almost ready to begin sea trials. This would be disatrous for the halflings but only a lone spy knows...

Twiggly the Gnome · Feb 27, 2005

Although it is a relatively small faith, the Childen of the Dawn have a great deal of influece due to it's popularity among the merchant class and the human-blood House of Kiron. The Dawnist dispise the Elves of Nistadeen as both mercantile competitors and infidels. They consider the debasement of the symbol of the Dawn into a creature created in the elves own image, the "god" Corythos, a blasphemy of the highest order. House Kiron has made it known that they will only support half-orc applicants to the throne who pledge to destroy Nistadeen and wipe out the Corythian heresy.

Undead Lincoln · Feb 27, 2005

150 years ago there was a war of anihilation between Orcs and Humans. A huge proportion of both populations were killed. A truce was brokered by Agathon of the Crimson robe. As a half orc, he was the only one who could deal with both sides. He became the first king. Since then only half orcs can become king as to offend neither humans or orcs.

Edited for continuity. Thanks for pointing that out.

Creative Exercise: The Sovereign Dominion of Eyros

Breakstone

First Post

Tinner

First Post

Doug McCrae

Legend

Phineas Crow

First Post

Capellan

Explorer

Phineas Crow

First Post

Mouseferatu

Hero

Andor

First Post

Twiggly the Gnome

Legend

Undead Lincoln

First Post

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