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[Let's Read] The Koryo Hall of Adventures
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<blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 8306474" data-attributes="member: 6750502"><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MLeMqbS.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"><strong>Chapter 5, Part 5: Haenamguk</strong></p><p></p><p>Our final region in Jeosung, Haenamguk is an island nation off the southern peninsular coasts. The terrain fared far worse during the Winds of Darkness than other regions, and the devastation wrought by Yun Sepyeong’s fall and the monsters that spilled out into the world turned much of the land into a burning ruin. But the realm of Haenamguk managed to recover, and its people are proud of how they managed to build a nation out of what seemed to be unlivable conditions.</p><p></p><p>Ever since the Retaking of the Lands, Haenamguk has been a military dictatorship. Like Daewanguk it is a single nation with a centralized government employing the Yangban system. Unlike Daewanguk and the other kingdoms of Jeosung, the primary hierarchy is between civilian and soldier, not nobleman and peasant. Haenamguk officially defines itself as a civilian Directorship with armed forces, and the two branches of government have their own roles and functions in theory. In reality, the military government has legal authority to overturn any actions undertaken by the Directorship. In practice, the army doesn’t invoke this right frequently save during times of crisis or when an example needs to be made, as much of the bureaucratic minutia is better handled by civic administrators than warriors. As a result, the Directorship plays a careful balancing act, prizing what autonomy they can take and doing their part not to antagonize the power behind the throne too much. The military isn’t just for show; while not omnipresent there are various Open Wounds scattered about the country, from which demons and other foul monsters climb out to menace the countryside. A constant military presence is required to keep them in check, and many criminals are conscripted for the front lines here. By Haenamguk’s reasoning, they’re given a chance to make up for themselves by defending the country from danger. And for naval defenses, legions of heavily-armed dragonships are a constant presence around and between Haenamguk’s major island and smaller chains.</p><p></p><p>Beyond these power structures, there are other notable groups. Haenamguk is home to the Hwasanyong dragonborn and the Hwasan dwarves, who for generations have been racial enemies. During the Winds of Darkness they united in common cause against the dokkaebis and other forces of evil, and now the dragonborn serve as soldiers while the dwarves devote their lives to engineering and construction projects. There’s still simmering resentment between the groups, although the dictatorship does its best to put a clamp on things from evolving into all-out war. There are also three prominent families of Haenamguk: the Chloe clan, made up of bureaucrats related to the current Director; the Kim clan, a prosperous farming and fishing family who fastened a strong economy by opening up economic ties with foreign lands, especially with the Gaya Confederacy and Gomnaru Port Authorities; and the Yi clan, a family of wizards and information brokers who run the Chenju College of Wizardry. Many of the Yi’s members secretly belong to the Sect of Changjo in hopes that the return of the gods would usher in a new world order with them as rulers.</p><p></p><p><strong>Chaandö</strong> and <strong>Haemadö</strong> comprise the northermost island chains off Haenamguk’s coast. It is here most foreigners make entry into the kingdom, where they must register with a local government office and be within the presence of a guide at all times. Said guide is actually a soldier in civilian clothes in charge of keeping tabs on visitors, ensuring that they don’t wander into restricted areas. Nobody needs to register in Haemadö, but the major population centers are crawling with plainclothes police. The town of Haemasijang is the primary port foreigners come to, and from which goods from the rest of Jeosung are imported. It’s also the least orderly place in Haenamguk, filled with petty thieves, rival schools of Shamanist and Purist monks jockeying for followers and coin, occasional brawls between buyers and merchants of magic items of questionable quality, the nearby community of Eastend which has the biggest black market in Jeosung and also an open Sect of Changjo temple that most people stay away from due to the creepy black-cloaked figures keeping tabs on passersby.</p><p></p><p><strong>Sodihodö</strong> is home to a shrine of the same name, containing tombs of thousands of soldiers of those who fell during the Wars between the Dragon Kings of the Second Age. There are no records of this one’s construction, leading many to debate its origins, but people still visit during the local Festival of the Hidden Path to honor the fallen with jesa.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/G8Aj8YS.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Komundö</strong> is home to the capital city of Sejong, a relatively new metropolis whose foundations are built from grey volcanic rock but whose architecture is graceful and aesthetically pleasing. Neighborhoods are segregated into living quarters for civilians and the military, and the bureaucracy is obsessed with ensuring that the capital remains as perfect-looking and orderly as possible. Civil servants regularly visit shops and residences to ensure that everything is up to par and nobody is engaging in immoral behavior. Administrative buildings, offices, and halls are built to impress, from miniature constructions of the kingdom’s most famous inventions to a main thoroughfare full of candle-lit statues of famous scholars and soldiers who made their mark in Haenamguk’s history.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Broken Cliffs of Chimultoji</strong> are the fabled birthplace of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianlima" target="_blank">chollima,</a> a species of legendary yet sadly extinct winged horse. The sheer cliffs are unnatural, with formations indicative of being ripped apart by a sudden massive force, causing some to theorize that the gods once fought here.</p><p></p><p><strong>Ulyongdö</strong> is home to two interesting features. The first is a floating island hovering high above Lake Boseok, containing ruins of unknown origin but all attempts at magical flight have been mysteriously dispelled. The second is the city of Chenju, stronghold of the Yi clan and home to a famed magical academy. The settlement’s entire economy revolves around aiding magical research, and the populace have to endure indignities such as sudden changes in weather and food ruined by ambient magic. Although open to foreigners, most outsiders give up, either due to the lack of privacy from military inspectors or weird vibes from the college’s values. Many mages have a feeling that every aspect of education is subtle propaganda for being groomed to “take part in a world-shattering event.” The Yi clan’s family estate is notable for having shrines and statues of the gods Ylryeo and Mago, which have brought increased scrutiny on them from the other families and Haenamguk’s factions.</p><p></p><p><strong>Sajidö</strong> is home to Asan, a farming town which recruits outside labor to supplement its fieldwork. It’s rather multicultural as a result, and surprisingly there’s little conflict between citizens and foreigners. The island also houses Kilsangsa Temple, a multiple-purpose Purist temple and brothel designed to cater to both physical and spiritual needs. The kilseang* and monks operate more or less independently of one another, with the building’s layout designed so that there’s little overlap between the two.</p><p></p><p>*a special type of performer and entertainer who may also do sex work.</p><p></p><p><strong>Imjadö</strong> houses the largest number of soldiers in Haenamguk thanks to the military training center of Hatong Gundabae. All those wishing to join the army must go here for basic training, and facilities and communities are built to aid and help in this endeavor. It’s also home to magical training centers where civilians learn from a list of authorized cantrips. The teaching of cantrips is still universal in Haenamguk, although only a pre-approved list of spells are taught. Predictably, damaging cantrips are not on the approved list, and only light, mage hand, mending, and spare the dying are taught to civilians.</p><p></p><p><strong>Udö</strong> is an island containing a secret base where major military research projects are undertaken. It’s much more heavily guarded than usual, and the dragonships are prone to attack and sink any unidentified ships that so much as get a little bit close to the coast.</p><p></p><p><strong>Gamangsupdö</strong> is our last detailed island before hitting the mainland. Its only notable feature is the Shrine of Kae, portraying a giant sculpture of a dog that towers over the forest. The whole island is woodlands, and the military’s attempts at scouting the place ended in failure: ships sunk for no reasons, while the trees were impervious to being cut or burned down. There are rumors that the island is guarded by dokkaebis and suhosins,* and strange flashes of blue spiritual energy rise from the forest every so often.</p><p></p><p>*The rarest race in Jeosung, direct descendents of the Heavenly People who live in their own private demiplanes.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/iT90CLV.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Chhilsandö</strong> is the name of Haenamguk’s main landmass and home to most of its population. There are many interesting places to explore, such as the giant Donuimum Gate that marks the major passing of ships to the mainland amid ruined fortifications of prior eras; the town of Kapsang which is home to the Fisher’s Guild headquarters and the Kim family’s private estate; Shipwrecked Ruins of unknown origin whose technology indicates it once possessed flying capabilities and is now watched over by the military; the town of Chungwha, which decided to placate the monsters coming out of the nearby Open Wound by sacrificing criminals to the monsters as food; Camp 13, a secret prison deep in a bamboo forest whose prisoners are subject to experiments turning them into warbeast abominations; and the Great Forges, a network of factories built into the Hwasan Volcano, taking advantage of geothermal energy to craft Hwasan weapons, specially-inscribed magical tools of war with a seal marking its origin (화산); and the village of Dongji, a cluster of simple druids and shamans who manage to live free of Haenamguk’s government due to natural magical defenses. Dongji houses a Chilseong Gate that has so far been kept secret from the Directorship. If its existence was found out, the military very well may invade again.</p><p></p><p>The GM Tips section predictably emphasizes the authoritarian nature of Haenamguk. Even if the PCs manage to infiltrate and/or shake off their guide-handler, the ever-present nature of the military dictatorship is a constant reminder, from regular check-points along the roads to army barracks in every city. There’s hardly an opportunity to let one's guard down, as outsiders are looked askance if they don’t have a guide present and local soldiers and officials need no excuse to stop people they deem suspicious.</p><p></p><p>There’s surprisingly few sample deeds for a section this size, with only 6 quest hooks. One deed for heroes involves investigating the Sangincheong Agency of Haemasijang, which is suspected of making forbidden magic items. Two deeds for scoundrels involve stealing a Hwasan sword out of the country and stealing military secrets from Udö. Ones for those of all moralities include mercenary work fighting monsters emerging from Open Wounds, a Desperate Measure involving exorcising spirits disrupting Asan’s harvests, and catching mulyong* fish for the Chenju College of Wizardry. I have noticed that every Desperate Measure sample mission involved hostile spirits menacing communities, often putting their local economy under threat. While not bad hooks per se, it is a bit monotonous.</p><p></p><p>*A species of horned flying fish whose scales and organs are valued for magical research.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EsPsDGG.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>For notable NPCs, we have 3 major characters and 24 minor ones. Interestingly the Director of Haenamguk is but a minor character, a passionate scholar who resents the fact that any decision she makes can be overturned by the military. The three major character descriptions include the Head of the Fisher’s Guild retiring for some delicious soup after a hard day’s work, a dwarven soldier in charge of keeping illegal and counterfeit weapons from being smuggled out of the county by catching a thief in the act, and the head of the Sangincheong agency in an argument with her aging father’s smoking habit.</p><p></p><p><strong>Thoughts So Far:</strong> It would be easy to label Haenamguk as the “evil country” of Koryo Hall of Adventures. And in several cases this would be right; the dictatorship is harsher than its needs to be and is up to a lot of unethical things. However, there are many people in the nation who merely seek to get by and live lives similar to that of others in Jeosung. Beyond aligning with the Gaya Confederacy and a potential civil war in Mudangguk that would come from that, Haewanguk isn’t interested in invading and taking over the rest of the setting, meaning that it’s mostly a threat to those within their borders more than anything. The most obvious “bad guy faction,” the Yi clan who venerates the Sect of Changjo, aren’t universally beloved for this decision, and there is still tension and dissension behind the scenes of the otherwise unified front that Daewanguk’s propaganda espouses.</p><p></p><p>Although Daewanguk does have adventuring potential, I feel that risks becoming a bit one-note. “Confounding the military dictatorship” may get a bit old as an adventure style, and quite a few of the locales don’t have much variety in terms of adventure material, with some exceptions like the Open Wounds and the northern ‘gateway’ islands being the more rough and tumble places. There’s still interesting ruins, untouched wilderness, and fortresses and estates whose inhabitants are up to no good, although the low number of sample deeds reinforces the feeling of being less adventurer-friendly than prior sections of the worldbook chapter.</p><p></p><p><strong>Join us next time as we cover the rules-based sections of the book in 5th Edition Options...along with Pathfinder and OSR Conversions!</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Libertad, post: 8306474, member: 6750502"] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/MLeMqbS.png[/img] [b]Chapter 5, Part 5: Haenamguk[/b][/center] Our final region in Jeosung, Haenamguk is an island nation off the southern peninsular coasts. The terrain fared far worse during the Winds of Darkness than other regions, and the devastation wrought by Yun Sepyeong’s fall and the monsters that spilled out into the world turned much of the land into a burning ruin. But the realm of Haenamguk managed to recover, and its people are proud of how they managed to build a nation out of what seemed to be unlivable conditions. Ever since the Retaking of the Lands, Haenamguk has been a military dictatorship. Like Daewanguk it is a single nation with a centralized government employing the Yangban system. Unlike Daewanguk and the other kingdoms of Jeosung, the primary hierarchy is between civilian and soldier, not nobleman and peasant. Haenamguk officially defines itself as a civilian Directorship with armed forces, and the two branches of government have their own roles and functions in theory. In reality, the military government has legal authority to overturn any actions undertaken by the Directorship. In practice, the army doesn’t invoke this right frequently save during times of crisis or when an example needs to be made, as much of the bureaucratic minutia is better handled by civic administrators than warriors. As a result, the Directorship plays a careful balancing act, prizing what autonomy they can take and doing their part not to antagonize the power behind the throne too much. The military isn’t just for show; while not omnipresent there are various Open Wounds scattered about the country, from which demons and other foul monsters climb out to menace the countryside. A constant military presence is required to keep them in check, and many criminals are conscripted for the front lines here. By Haenamguk’s reasoning, they’re given a chance to make up for themselves by defending the country from danger. And for naval defenses, legions of heavily-armed dragonships are a constant presence around and between Haenamguk’s major island and smaller chains. Beyond these power structures, there are other notable groups. Haenamguk is home to the Hwasanyong dragonborn and the Hwasan dwarves, who for generations have been racial enemies. During the Winds of Darkness they united in common cause against the dokkaebis and other forces of evil, and now the dragonborn serve as soldiers while the dwarves devote their lives to engineering and construction projects. There’s still simmering resentment between the groups, although the dictatorship does its best to put a clamp on things from evolving into all-out war. There are also three prominent families of Haenamguk: the Chloe clan, made up of bureaucrats related to the current Director; the Kim clan, a prosperous farming and fishing family who fastened a strong economy by opening up economic ties with foreign lands, especially with the Gaya Confederacy and Gomnaru Port Authorities; and the Yi clan, a family of wizards and information brokers who run the Chenju College of Wizardry. Many of the Yi’s members secretly belong to the Sect of Changjo in hopes that the return of the gods would usher in a new world order with them as rulers. [b]Chaandö[/b] and [b]Haemadö[/b] comprise the northermost island chains off Haenamguk’s coast. It is here most foreigners make entry into the kingdom, where they must register with a local government office and be within the presence of a guide at all times. Said guide is actually a soldier in civilian clothes in charge of keeping tabs on visitors, ensuring that they don’t wander into restricted areas. Nobody needs to register in Haemadö, but the major population centers are crawling with plainclothes police. The town of Haemasijang is the primary port foreigners come to, and from which goods from the rest of Jeosung are imported. It’s also the least orderly place in Haenamguk, filled with petty thieves, rival schools of Shamanist and Purist monks jockeying for followers and coin, occasional brawls between buyers and merchants of magic items of questionable quality, the nearby community of Eastend which has the biggest black market in Jeosung and also an open Sect of Changjo temple that most people stay away from due to the creepy black-cloaked figures keeping tabs on passersby. [b]Sodihodö[/b] is home to a shrine of the same name, containing tombs of thousands of soldiers of those who fell during the Wars between the Dragon Kings of the Second Age. There are no records of this one’s construction, leading many to debate its origins, but people still visit during the local Festival of the Hidden Path to honor the fallen with jesa. [img]https://i.imgur.com/G8Aj8YS.png[/img] [b]Komundö[/b] is home to the capital city of Sejong, a relatively new metropolis whose foundations are built from grey volcanic rock but whose architecture is graceful and aesthetically pleasing. Neighborhoods are segregated into living quarters for civilians and the military, and the bureaucracy is obsessed with ensuring that the capital remains as perfect-looking and orderly as possible. Civil servants regularly visit shops and residences to ensure that everything is up to par and nobody is engaging in immoral behavior. Administrative buildings, offices, and halls are built to impress, from miniature constructions of the kingdom’s most famous inventions to a main thoroughfare full of candle-lit statues of famous scholars and soldiers who made their mark in Haenamguk’s history. [b]The Broken Cliffs of Chimultoji[/b] are the fabled birthplace of the [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianlima]chollima,[/url] a species of legendary yet sadly extinct winged horse. The sheer cliffs are unnatural, with formations indicative of being ripped apart by a sudden massive force, causing some to theorize that the gods once fought here. [b]Ulyongdö[/b] is home to two interesting features. The first is a floating island hovering high above Lake Boseok, containing ruins of unknown origin but all attempts at magical flight have been mysteriously dispelled. The second is the city of Chenju, stronghold of the Yi clan and home to a famed magical academy. The settlement’s entire economy revolves around aiding magical research, and the populace have to endure indignities such as sudden changes in weather and food ruined by ambient magic. Although open to foreigners, most outsiders give up, either due to the lack of privacy from military inspectors or weird vibes from the college’s values. Many mages have a feeling that every aspect of education is subtle propaganda for being groomed to “take part in a world-shattering event.” The Yi clan’s family estate is notable for having shrines and statues of the gods Ylryeo and Mago, which have brought increased scrutiny on them from the other families and Haenamguk’s factions. [b]Sajidö[/b] is home to Asan, a farming town which recruits outside labor to supplement its fieldwork. It’s rather multicultural as a result, and surprisingly there’s little conflict between citizens and foreigners. The island also houses Kilsangsa Temple, a multiple-purpose Purist temple and brothel designed to cater to both physical and spiritual needs. The kilseang* and monks operate more or less independently of one another, with the building’s layout designed so that there’s little overlap between the two. *a special type of performer and entertainer who may also do sex work. [b]Imjadö[/b] houses the largest number of soldiers in Haenamguk thanks to the military training center of Hatong Gundabae. All those wishing to join the army must go here for basic training, and facilities and communities are built to aid and help in this endeavor. It’s also home to magical training centers where civilians learn from a list of authorized cantrips. The teaching of cantrips is still universal in Haenamguk, although only a pre-approved list of spells are taught. Predictably, damaging cantrips are not on the approved list, and only light, mage hand, mending, and spare the dying are taught to civilians. [b]Udö[/b] is an island containing a secret base where major military research projects are undertaken. It’s much more heavily guarded than usual, and the dragonships are prone to attack and sink any unidentified ships that so much as get a little bit close to the coast. [b]Gamangsupdö[/b] is our last detailed island before hitting the mainland. Its only notable feature is the Shrine of Kae, portraying a giant sculpture of a dog that towers over the forest. The whole island is woodlands, and the military’s attempts at scouting the place ended in failure: ships sunk for no reasons, while the trees were impervious to being cut or burned down. There are rumors that the island is guarded by dokkaebis and suhosins,* and strange flashes of blue spiritual energy rise from the forest every so often. *The rarest race in Jeosung, direct descendents of the Heavenly People who live in their own private demiplanes. [img]https://i.imgur.com/iT90CLV.png[/img] [b]Chhilsandö[/b] is the name of Haenamguk’s main landmass and home to most of its population. There are many interesting places to explore, such as the giant Donuimum Gate that marks the major passing of ships to the mainland amid ruined fortifications of prior eras; the town of Kapsang which is home to the Fisher’s Guild headquarters and the Kim family’s private estate; Shipwrecked Ruins of unknown origin whose technology indicates it once possessed flying capabilities and is now watched over by the military; the town of Chungwha, which decided to placate the monsters coming out of the nearby Open Wound by sacrificing criminals to the monsters as food; Camp 13, a secret prison deep in a bamboo forest whose prisoners are subject to experiments turning them into warbeast abominations; and the Great Forges, a network of factories built into the Hwasan Volcano, taking advantage of geothermal energy to craft Hwasan weapons, specially-inscribed magical tools of war with a seal marking its origin (화산); and the village of Dongji, a cluster of simple druids and shamans who manage to live free of Haenamguk’s government due to natural magical defenses. Dongji houses a Chilseong Gate that has so far been kept secret from the Directorship. If its existence was found out, the military very well may invade again. The GM Tips section predictably emphasizes the authoritarian nature of Haenamguk. Even if the PCs manage to infiltrate and/or shake off their guide-handler, the ever-present nature of the military dictatorship is a constant reminder, from regular check-points along the roads to army barracks in every city. There’s hardly an opportunity to let one's guard down, as outsiders are looked askance if they don’t have a guide present and local soldiers and officials need no excuse to stop people they deem suspicious. There’s surprisingly few sample deeds for a section this size, with only 6 quest hooks. One deed for heroes involves investigating the Sangincheong Agency of Haemasijang, which is suspected of making forbidden magic items. Two deeds for scoundrels involve stealing a Hwasan sword out of the country and stealing military secrets from Udö. Ones for those of all moralities include mercenary work fighting monsters emerging from Open Wounds, a Desperate Measure involving exorcising spirits disrupting Asan’s harvests, and catching mulyong* fish for the Chenju College of Wizardry. I have noticed that every Desperate Measure sample mission involved hostile spirits menacing communities, often putting their local economy under threat. While not bad hooks per se, it is a bit monotonous. *A species of horned flying fish whose scales and organs are valued for magical research. [img]https://i.imgur.com/EsPsDGG.png[/img] For notable NPCs, we have 3 major characters and 24 minor ones. Interestingly the Director of Haenamguk is but a minor character, a passionate scholar who resents the fact that any decision she makes can be overturned by the military. The three major character descriptions include the Head of the Fisher’s Guild retiring for some delicious soup after a hard day’s work, a dwarven soldier in charge of keeping illegal and counterfeit weapons from being smuggled out of the county by catching a thief in the act, and the head of the Sangincheong agency in an argument with her aging father’s smoking habit. [b]Thoughts So Far:[/b] It would be easy to label Haenamguk as the “evil country” of Koryo Hall of Adventures. And in several cases this would be right; the dictatorship is harsher than its needs to be and is up to a lot of unethical things. However, there are many people in the nation who merely seek to get by and live lives similar to that of others in Jeosung. Beyond aligning with the Gaya Confederacy and a potential civil war in Mudangguk that would come from that, Haewanguk isn’t interested in invading and taking over the rest of the setting, meaning that it’s mostly a threat to those within their borders more than anything. The most obvious “bad guy faction,” the Yi clan who venerates the Sect of Changjo, aren’t universally beloved for this decision, and there is still tension and dissension behind the scenes of the otherwise unified front that Daewanguk’s propaganda espouses. Although Daewanguk does have adventuring potential, I feel that risks becoming a bit one-note. “Confounding the military dictatorship” may get a bit old as an adventure style, and quite a few of the locales don’t have much variety in terms of adventure material, with some exceptions like the Open Wounds and the northern ‘gateway’ islands being the more rough and tumble places. There’s still interesting ruins, untouched wilderness, and fortresses and estates whose inhabitants are up to no good, although the low number of sample deeds reinforces the feeling of being less adventurer-friendly than prior sections of the worldbook chapter. [b]Join us next time as we cover the rules-based sections of the book in 5th Edition Options...along with Pathfinder and OSR Conversions![/b] [/QUOTE]
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