HLTW Homebrew.

[Hungry Like The Wolf]

A work in progress. This is my first homebrew, after years of running Greyhawk, I've decided to try something different. A campaign world that challenges the players in four areas, mainly intrigue, heroic/ cinematic combat, the frightening unknown and surviving insanity/mutation.

Any feedback, criticism and help in achieving these goals is greatly welcomed and appreciated.

Update #1: Okay, so as I kept working away in my spare time I realised it was getting too patchwork for my liking. I was slowly loosing the tone and flavour I wanted so I had to revise and compromise.

I'd like to warn other new world builders of this though. From my recent experience, it's easy to dream up all the ideas and compile influences but beware, too many cooks defintely ruins this broth.


Here is the new mission statement:

Synopsis:

I've been increasingly interested with the fears of medieval people and how just outside of their town a sinister world erupted into villages of dogheads and malicious fey. So taking feudalism, political intrigue and medieval/lovecraftian fears I'm aiming to create a world where life is short and tough while your imagination really isn't running wild.

 

[Hungry Like The Wolf]

Okay, so here is the over-view. I've been looking at a lot of world building blogs and found that I'd try the top-down technique.

Setting/Geography

The campaign takes place on Mauros which is roughly the shape of South-East Asia (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand) while being roughly half the size. The North where China would be is still unmapped by civilised people due to the ice age-esque temperature and extremely violent tribes which forced Elderoc I to invade the south.

I'm planning on the North to act like my world's equivalent of Middle-Asia. Basically a part of the world that will connect this continent to another but remain largely unmapped and a source of various tribal invasions as warlords push each other out into the known continents.

The other continents will be the focus of other campaigns and I have no idea what I'll do there but I'd like to do a jungle\silk road-esque campaign one day.

The seas are vast as most of the world is water with the three main landmasses and lots of unmapped islands.

Archaic Mauros

Once a great forest stretched from the tip of Mauros to its tail. It was known was the Kingdom of Trees and where the Elves made their home. Legends and early scribes suggest that it was the centre of the old world and the home of the nature gods that some still worship today.

When man first marched on the Kingdom, he was greeted as a friend and granted a small piece of land to live, in the name of peace. However the men started to clear away large chunks of the forest for their crops and livestock. This created the first war of Mauros, once which saw the magical might of the Elves dwindle with each tree that was carved out of their Kingdom of Trees.

Finally, at the treaty of the Tree of Woe, Man and Elf reached an agreement that the northern forests would be left untouched while the southern territories would remain subject to the whims of men.

The treaty stood in place for hundreds of years until the arrival of a new threat. The demi-god, Elderoc came from the north, leading a great army of starving men and women. The Elves resisted, unable to tell man from man they launched the last great campaign of their race attacking both the northern and southern armies of men.

During this time the forest was hacked down to it's last patch of trees and the Druidic magic of the Elves failed. The Elves retreated back into the depths of whatever little woodland remained and performed the greatest act in Mauros history, they made their villages and people vanish with the help of their nature gods.

Slowly the woodlands grew into what is now the present day Forest of Woe (where the ancient tree of treaty stands) and the Wall of White Pine (a natural forest which acts like a wall between the north of Mauros and the unmapped lands).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hmmm...sounds like a lot going on!

One thing that may help you out is the Aquatic Database, linked to in my sig. I started it, but Aeolius did a lot of the heavy lifting.

 

[Hungry Like The Wolf]

Technology

The world is currently in it's Medieval period with Mauros somewhere between the Iron and Dark ages in real world periods.

The wheel has not been invented and as such transport is heavily equestrian with some cultures preferring ox or flightless birds. Trade goods are carried by ox, bull and horse caravans instead of wagons or carts.

Masonry varies in quality but is generally well developed with small castles and places of worship at the pinnacle. Woodwork and stonework is often of a high quality with most huts and dwellings being made from wood except those who follow the old gods, preferring stone.

Medicine is more advanced with pain killers, knowledge of anatomy and mental health being prevalent in most areas. Medical practices include a mixture of herbalism, leaching and spirituality.

Most people are farmers or artisans with trade centring around food, housing and weapons. Poor literacy skills render books rare and often feared. Most arcane materials are collected and traded through covens with normal tradesmen unaware of their existence.

Population sizes vary with castle-towns being the pinnacle. Most people live in villages centred round trade or water supplies while towns accompany castles. Some villages have developed alongside halls or forts under the protection of a landed knight. Rare villages made loosely from wood and moss humpies can be found near forests and woodlands. There are no cities currently in the known world.

Ships are slightly less advanced compared to real world period. Open sea travel is non-existent with navel routes following currents or landmarks.

Roads are poor, often dirt or gravelled trade-ways. A good navigational knowledge are essential for some areas of the continent who have no roads at all but a system of elaborate markers. Magical forms of navigation are available with priests being hired on long-distance sea voyageurs.

 

[Hungry Like The Wolf]

Sentient Beings

Humans: Humans range from 6 to 7 ft tall and come in all manner of shapes, colours and culture. They live in tribal or feudal societies often in clustered housing called villages. Some humans claim to be half-breeds of other beings but generally each tribe or kingdom has it's own unique culture, colour and build.

Elves: The Elves are a child sized race of antiquity. Dark and extremely beautiful with pointed ears, they are said to hold sway over the realms of nature and blur the lines between the physical and dream worlds. Elves are rarely seen by Human eyes but are rumoured to live in woodlands. Legend says that they are the first race of Mauros who were defeated during the Age of Creation. A mischievous people who play tricks on travellers, kidnap those who enter the darkness of the forests and sing to the hopeless from their secretive homelands.

Dwarfs: A dwarf is a small (4t) creature closely related to the Elves. Unlike their Elven kin, they are stout, hairy and make their homes in hillsides or mountain ranges. Many of the swords of legend are said to be made by Dwarfs in exchange for precious metals. Many believe Dwarfs are spectres as it is said they don't eat and can pass through solid rock as if there was nothing there. Whatever they are or aren't one thing remains true, anybody not known as a Dwarf friend will surely perish if they stumble upon their kingdom.

Dogheads: Said to be a man with the head of a dog, Dogheads are known as peaceful farmers and often make their homes with in the kingdom of men. A hard-working and deeply spiritual people, Dogheads can be found in monasteries all across the land, devoting their lives to the One Faith. Many chiefs of the Eastern Hordes also employ large numbers of Doghead mercenaries.

Giants: Hulking and fairly unintelligible race from the frozen north and mountain sides. They are said to have protruding brows and thick, course hair that covers their bodies. Most giants travel in couples and rely on raiding Dwarf and Human settlements in winter. They have been known to mate with humans creating a monstrous half-breed of vile cunning and super-human strength. While other peoples prefer metal, cloth and wood, Giants seem to prefer rock and grass for their home, dress and weapons.

Goblins: An old race of wanderers whom are suspected of being nocturnal. They are known for stealing food and horses, accounting for 60% of theft in Mauros. Goblins are smaller than Dwarves at around 3 ft average and make their nests in tree roots or cracks between rocks. They are suspected to worship the same tree god of the Elves and have a diet consisting of moss, stolen goods and sometimes human children.

 

[dvvega]

I know you are developing your own home brew but a look at Earthsea from the Ursula le Guin books might give you more inspiration as to how the world worked with lots of small islands - trading, wars, invasions - that kind of thing.

My own current campaign took inspiration from Earthsea but made each island a mini-kingdom. It really allowed you to isolate and focus adventures to one island and the travel between can be made easy or hard depending on your personal story needs.

D

 

[dvvega]

***

 

[Hungry Like The Wolf]

Faiths and Religions

I plan to add at least three more faiths.

The Old Gods

Those who still follow the Old Gods dare not speak their names. The spirits of the natural world vary like the people who live in their domains. These spirits are limitless in their number, with every object in the natural world containing a spirit of worship. Some are cruel demanding blood offerings for their favours while others are kind providing protection and healing to their followers. The Old Gods are represented by the natural world with shrines and offerings found in trees, rocks, streams, hillsides etc etc

Perhaps the most well known is the White Pine called the Seer Tree. It is said to be worshipped by the Elves and Goblins, while many Druidic priests mark themselves with the Pine's likeness.

The Church of the One Path of Lumellor

Rapidly becoming the largest religion in Mauros, the One Faith as it is known, preaches that all must follow the teachings of a god named Lumellor. While people view it as a cult of personality gone too far, others take comfort in miracles achieved through prayer.

Each family of the One Faith is expected to give one of their children to the church. The church itself is headed by a High Priestess which is said to be chosen by Lumellor as his next wife in the afterlife. In accordance with his teachings, the High Priestess is known by having eyes and hair the colour of fire. Currently the church has no head and rulership is fought over by high ranking priests and priestesses.

Lumellor is known as the Lord of Light. It is said that those who bath in his divine light are awakened to the truth that he is the one true god and that his kingdom awaits all those who follow in his footsteps. First appearing on the planet to bring the truth to its peoples, Lumellor began a pilgrimage around the world bringing the words of truth and light to those in darkness. He gained a large following during this pilgrimage, many of whom scribed his teachings and founded places of worship. It is said that at the end of his journey Lumellor symbolically made a ship from White Pine that then ascended into the Sun.

Followers of Lumellor are cremated in boxes made from White Pine in a symbolic ritual that will ensure their acceptance in the kingdom of light.

Militant orders have formed in recent times with the new interpretation of Lumellor's will by a self-styled high priest named Lufah. He claims that Lumellor wants his creations to follow in his teachings but those who refuse must be destroyed for they are unworthy of his gift of life. Lufa also claims that those kill the unworthy will be granted lands and wealth in his kingdom upon their death. These orders are usually made up of nobles who wish to consolidate their power in the afterlife.

Cult of Kings

Some Kings are worshipped as gods themselves by their people. This is known by other religious sects as the Cult of Kings, however most followers of such a king have no name for their faith.

One such cult can be found in the north with the kin of Elderoc who are said to have the blood of both a dragon and water sprite. Their followers tie blue and gold bracelets around their ankles and subject themselves in return for favour.

There is no clergy or places of worship in such cults although when a god king dies his most trusted men are slain and buried along side him to protect him in death as they did in life.

A little Arthurian meets Elizabeth Bathory flavour:

The Cult of Lady Maubrette

A cult from the Northern Kingdom of Luelsia which reveres a goddess of life, chivalry and the hunt. Dwelling with in the River Luel, great pilgrimages of landed knights and fief lords make the journey for her blessing. It is said that bathing in the waters of the Luel will grant you divine wisdom in which to rule over others. While loyal serfs who make the journey with their Lords are said to be healed of all ailments, if their heart is truly loyal.

Some lords take the tale of Elderoc literally, letting the blood of their serfs into the great river, in hopes of gaining the Ladies favour.

The Cult of Maubrette believe that the Lady dwells with in the river. It is said that when the conqueror King Elderoc was besieged at the Luel, his fell to his opponent on the battle field. With his life's blood flowing, he ran into the lake, least he be captured by the enemy.

The Lady was said to have recognised his fey heritage, greeting him as a water sprite. It is here she bestowed upon him the wisdom of an owl and the authority to rule with out dispute, these gifts came in the form of a sword. However, they came at a price. Elderoc swore to repay her gifts every year henceforth, in human blood, until the Lady was appeased.

Renewed, Elderoc emerged from the Luel, slaying all those who stood before him and true to his word, every year he shed the blood of his peasants into the river.

The Lady has been silent for many years, ending in the reign of King Reodoc II. However, this has only lead to more blood sacrifice as the Cult grows stronger with usurpers and would be conquerors.