SylverFlame
First Post
Okay, I get it now. I'm a little slow sometimes.
All in all, I really like this. It is one of the most interesting CW's I've seen in a while and already I want more. Have fun with this, because I'm sure the players will.
Am I crazy (not rhetorical)?
- Thread starter Beholder Bob
- Start date
Okay, I get it now. I'm a little slow sometimes.
All in all, I really like this. It is one of the most interesting CW's I've seen in a while and already I want more. Have fun with this, because I'm sure the players will.
Well, let's see. I've written a spreadsheet that lets me calculate the heliocentric elliptical orbital location of all the planets in my campaign's solar system at any given instant, translates those locations to geocentric coordinates, and then says which astrological sign they are in (for three different astrological systems).
So, no, of course you're not crazy, my dear fellow.
So, no, of course you're not crazy, my dear fellow.
Beholder Bob
First Post
Uh - Damn!!Dogbrain said:
The stars in my game are points of focus, the paths of energy. The moons are diffractions of the stellar lens and gate openings into limb/purgatory - the sorting warehouse for incoming souls. I'd love to see your spreadsheet - how many planets do you track? Do you track the 'zodiac band' of stars, or a home made zodiac? Do you have a prestige class (or core class) centered on astrology/astronomy? If not, I know of 1 core class & 2 prestige classes.
ciaran00: perpetual work keeps jack from being a dull boyyy!
I figure a whole world will take more then a life time to develop, so their will always be room for more. Then again, I can always apocalypse it and switch to a core world if I suffer more then 2 brain embolisms.
SylverFlame: cool, thank you very much!!
Ha - careful what you ask for - didn't you read the sign, don't feed the ego!
Below, the rough draft for metaphysics - if you see a flaw, shove it my face please
THE NATURE OF MORTALS
Spirit: That which interacts w celestial rays and has a spiritual presence. A husk of soul. A ‘protective coating around the soul, the scar material the soul develops through hardship. Prevents others from harming the mind or soul – the personality and emotions reside here.
Mind: Intellect and logic. The sum total of all experiences in this life – the ability to access parts of the soul, interaction. Travels with soul, although it leaves an imperfect imprint on the spirit.
Body: Mass, the flesh and bones – that which houses the mind, soul, & spirit.
Soul: The true essence of a person, that which is divine. The core of you, that which is reborn - it is this aspect that manipulates magic, earns favor or penalty for the afterlife.
A person with no spirit is open for spiritual contamination, influence, possession, and control from others. Without the spirit, the mind and soul have a difficult time maintaining a sense of self – which is why it is so easy to sway someone without their spirit. Very susceptible to necromancy magic
A person with no mind is a vegetable or a beast of their own id. Disassociative conditions and those who can only respond to and with emotion (incapable of applying logic) – are the best definitions of this condition.
A person w/out body is creature of the afterlife or a projection due to magic.
A person w/out soul is incapable of rebirth. They still interacting with the world but are no longer bound by birth and punishment. A strong persona, they tend to become wild and dangerous – no longer bound by the rules that limit severe behavior. Their soul, however distant, is held responsible for all acts taken by the body, mind, and spirit – so while this individual is not bound by their actions, their soul pays the price.
Body and soul only is a vegetable. They are beyond aid, the soul is lashed to the body, but no personality is present, no mind to reach. Prime candidate for possession – very hard to cast out once possession takes place.
Body and spirit only is a purely emotional automaton, capable of imitation of a person, but now a creature reacting to ‘programmed’ emotional stimuli only. Example would be a mothers body and spirit – able to tend her children, but unable to adapt to their changes in personality, body, and need. Will always treat them the same way. A personality ‘snapshot’ in time. Unable to adapt.
Body and mind only is a sociopath – No personality (although it can imitate it), just an extension of the mind and its plans and opinions. Capable of continuing long term goals at the cost of all they held dear without a second thought – only bounded by logic.
Spirit and mind only is a projection of the person – created by magic as a projection of self, or an echo of a person who has passed into an afterlife but left a traumatized imprint of themselves. They haunt places and people.
Soul and mind only is an entity almost ready for rebirth – but unable or unwilling to surrender their past lives. Usually the result of a dire need to complete a goal unfinished while alive. The Soul, without the Spirit, is weak – and the mind without spirit is usually at a loss of personality – this entity would be fragmented and confused.
Spirit and soul only is a creature of the afterlife, but damaged. Without the mind, the entity is hampered in its final existence, struggling to do more then mimic its former life. Usually due to death magic or very violent murder. These entities are unable or barely able to remember specific facts from their lives, and almost never remember the cause of death.
Objects can have spirit w/out a soul – a haunting. Actions of your spirit or body weigh against the soul. Animating my body awakens (partially or fully) the spirit – there are no undead without some of their personality present (no mindless willing creatures) – although the magic involved and the nature of their existence twists even the most saintly personas.
Ok – why isn’t heaven overpopulated? Limited # of total souls, no birth in heaven (birth in hell – but it leads to a soul suffering even though innocent). Both you can die of old age. Die in heaven, reborn into mortal lands, die in hell, reborn in hell – or mortal realm if you’ve paid off your debt. Both w/errors, mistakes, bribery, and personal placements.
Souls who do not make it to heaven or hell in 7 days become ghosts & spirits, hauntings. Undead animated by a wizard use shadow-land spirits, but undead w coherent minds from life are dragged from afterlife to inhabit the body- earning a spiritual debt, even if innocent. The animation of your body w/out your soul involved still incurs debt.
SylverFlame
First Post
wow... all i can say is wow...
Okay, I just found my brain, it was slobbering on the computer screen.
One thing I see happening from your metaphysics is this: What happens when people play around with magic? For instance, if someone Astral Projects, what part of them is sent into the astral plane, and can the body be posessed, or is it considered inhabited? Number two, are ethereal creatures considered to have all the aspects of life (the four parts above), or are they considered to be lacking some part of themselves? Number three, can different parts of the person be suppressed? For instance, if Charmed, what parts of the person are suppressed and can other things than spells have the same sorts of effects?
I DEFINITELY see you having a PrC or two focusing on this, and if not, you should make at least one. It is too sweet an apple to let it go. It would be great to see someone tinkering with peoples souls or spirits.
Also, one last question, if someone uses the spell that traps the soul of a person in a gem (I can't remember what it is called, Magic Jar maybe?) what becomes of the other three parts of that same person?
This thread gets better with every post. If you get a lot of things done I'd love to see an attached "work in progress". It would definitely be a good read.
Okay, I just found my brain, it was slobbering on the computer screen.
One thing I see happening from your metaphysics is this: What happens when people play around with magic? For instance, if someone Astral Projects, what part of them is sent into the astral plane, and can the body be posessed, or is it considered inhabited? Number two, are ethereal creatures considered to have all the aspects of life (the four parts above), or are they considered to be lacking some part of themselves? Number three, can different parts of the person be suppressed? For instance, if Charmed, what parts of the person are suppressed and can other things than spells have the same sorts of effects?
I DEFINITELY see you having a PrC or two focusing on this, and if not, you should make at least one. It is too sweet an apple to let it go. It would be great to see someone tinkering with peoples souls or spirits.
Also, one last question, if someone uses the spell that traps the soul of a person in a gem (I can't remember what it is called, Magic Jar maybe?) what becomes of the other three parts of that same person?
This thread gets better with every post. If you get a lot of things done I'd love to see an attached "work in progress". It would definitely be a good read.
Beholder Bob
First Post
1st There is no astral plane – the closest equivalent would be to send yourself through the stellar lens, the same way a dead persons spiritual remains travel. You could just send a projection (spirit) – not really you, sort of an imprint of you. Its actions would gain you nothing – and you would continue to function in the mortal realm, albeit in a very vulnerable state until re-united with your spirit. You could send your mind and spirit – this leaves your body comatose but able to have limited communication with a divinist, and you could gain & lose exp from this encounter – and possibly lose your mind. You are also weaker (your core or soul is missing), so you face risk. You could travel with all 3 spiritual aspects – leaving a vegetable incapable of any means of communication – and make the strongest possible projection of yourself – able to gain exp, and to incorporate (a spiritual body) in Infernus, Elysium, and on the moons. If any part of you leaves the whole – you open yourself up to possession of one variety or another. If your spirit is missing, someone can overlay their spirit - you will eventually push them away, no question, and they can not make you do things antithetical to your nature. If your mind is missing – you are not open to possession so much as domination. If your soul is missing, you can be fully possessed – and have a hell of a time trying to get your body back.
2nd There is no ethereal plane. So no bags of holding, blink, etc. The closest would probably be by stepping/storing in the shadow lands – but that carries its own inherent dangers. You could store things in faerie, but faerie is in discreet pieces that are analogous to the mortal realm. If you pass the equivalent place in the mortal realm that equals the edge to the faerie realm, you find void. Faerie was cut to pieces to save what was possible – the shadow realms, though, is a complete amalgam of partial planes and is continuos in comparison to the mortal realm.
3rd Suppression of the spirit weakens your emotional self, your personality created by the scars of life – so you are more easily swayed. Since your soul and mind are intact, you still retain some limits as to what you would do, though. It would be like running around with a bad crowd – doing stuff your uncomfortable with to be with them, but not making you throw reason out the window & begin killing your old friends. Note: a person without a spirit can ‘grow’ a new one after several months to years – shaping a new personality. So a good person, stripped of his spirit and kept around a bad group, may eventually ‘come around’ to the bad guys side if their spirit re-grows while under the influence of evil.
4th Suppression of the mind prevents actions of higher order. A strong spirit present can result in autism rather then being a vegetable, but you are incapable of cognitive responses. With no mind here, you need to dominate or puppet-master the person, there is no auto-pilot to run the body.
5th Suppression of the soul – a real wild man. Remove all inhibitions, that which keeps you from doing as thalt will – typically a dangerous person. Capable of incredible debaucher, cruelty, or in fact any extreme. Consequences are beyond this person. They are not any more susceptible to possession then another – the spirit still protects their spiritual self and mind – and the void where their soul used to reside.
6th How to suppress a spiritual essence – I’m not sure yet. Some creatures or spells may have that effect, but it isn’t easy to do. I’ll have to think on that.
7th Trap the soul – would trap all 3 aspects of a person. A weaker spell may trap just a part or two. The definition of the soul in the spell description seems to encompass all 3 aspects.
2nd There is no ethereal plane. So no bags of holding, blink, etc. The closest would probably be by stepping/storing in the shadow lands – but that carries its own inherent dangers. You could store things in faerie, but faerie is in discreet pieces that are analogous to the mortal realm. If you pass the equivalent place in the mortal realm that equals the edge to the faerie realm, you find void. Faerie was cut to pieces to save what was possible – the shadow realms, though, is a complete amalgam of partial planes and is continuos in comparison to the mortal realm.
3rd Suppression of the spirit weakens your emotional self, your personality created by the scars of life – so you are more easily swayed. Since your soul and mind are intact, you still retain some limits as to what you would do, though. It would be like running around with a bad crowd – doing stuff your uncomfortable with to be with them, but not making you throw reason out the window & begin killing your old friends. Note: a person without a spirit can ‘grow’ a new one after several months to years – shaping a new personality. So a good person, stripped of his spirit and kept around a bad group, may eventually ‘come around’ to the bad guys side if their spirit re-grows while under the influence of evil.
4th Suppression of the mind prevents actions of higher order. A strong spirit present can result in autism rather then being a vegetable, but you are incapable of cognitive responses. With no mind here, you need to dominate or puppet-master the person, there is no auto-pilot to run the body.
5th Suppression of the soul – a real wild man. Remove all inhibitions, that which keeps you from doing as thalt will – typically a dangerous person. Capable of incredible debaucher, cruelty, or in fact any extreme. Consequences are beyond this person. They are not any more susceptible to possession then another – the spirit still protects their spiritual self and mind – and the void where their soul used to reside.
6th How to suppress a spiritual essence – I’m not sure yet. Some creatures or spells may have that effect, but it isn’t easy to do. I’ll have to think on that.
7th Trap the soul – would trap all 3 aspects of a person. A weaker spell may trap just a part or two. The definition of the soul in the spell description seems to encompass all 3 aspects.
SylverFlame
First Post
ooooooooooooh (a la the little green three eye guys in Toy Story)
It just keeps getting better!
It just keeps getting better!
Beholder Bob
First Post
Well, currently I'm just disgorging data on this posting, so I'll continue (its cathartic! 
!)
This is the write up for the main culture I'm starting with, though it still needs a lot of work -
ASTORIA
ASTORIAN CULTURE: At the edge of a renaissance, old traditions still cling and fight against the growing changes. The growing social and technological forces are inevitable but slow in coming. Astorian culture is best related to a European culture with a strong French flavor. They are of the opinion that they are the best, both racially and socially, and the envy of others. Tradition is important, no matter the cost or delay. Honor is a tangible trait that elevates or destroys – each must carefully maintain one’s honor. Little bribes and gratuities grease the wheels that move the society, and elaborate steps are taken to avoid impinging on another’s honor.
RULERSHIP: Astoria is ruled by hereditary title, although new people can be added to the royal rolls. Rule is divided between the King & or Queen, the High Court, and the Low Court. In addition, there is the Court of Law, and the peerage provides “guidance” as the Royal Houses. The King and Queen’s royal family is extended, having over 20 members.
THE HIGH COURT: a 30-member parliament its membership is determined by birth or appointment, and all positions taken by Astoria in how it relates to other countries, as well as its preparedness for issues of such relevance. One of the 30 members is determined by the King & Queen, called the Whip, and he votes the King & Queens pleasure, the vote counting as 5. A ¾ majority is required to push most major issues across, although this is based on a quorum, not the total # of members. Votes for war are made in this court, and base taxation is the province of the High Court (as it is the base for the funding for their other decisions). Members of the High Court are almost exclusively nobles and members may not currently hold an office in the Low Court. The laws that pertain to the entire country of Astoria are made and altered by the High Court, and interpreted by the Court of Law. Membership is by blood right, and only a ¾ vote can rescind membership of a member (or even more rarely) a bloodline. The King & Queen assign open positions but are unable to directly rescind these appointments.
THE LOW COURT: also called the commons, has 104 seats determined by district and filled by vote every 4-6 years (determined by district). The Low Court rarely holds a member of nobility, and never an active member of the High Court. The Low Court determines civil maintenance and local issues, although a Court of Law decision can be challenged here – forcing a new Court of Law session. The High Court can negate the findings of the Low Court in its reviews of the Court of Law. The bulk of the monies spent by the Low Courts projects are obtained from a % of the High Courts taxation, called “commons gift”, although the Low Court can also impose its own tax, “The Small King’s Burden”, used for special projects. As members of the Low Court must run for re-election every 4-6 years, these taxes are rarely long-term. Low Laws are created by this court, the laws only pertaining to the district of that Low Court– and are judged by their chosen panel as well (rather then the Court of Law).
ROYAL HOUSES: hold position as the committees and representatives for specific areas of the kingdoms interests. Interest positions include – royal naval charter, house of lights, harbor maintenance, tariffs, mercantile representatives, the Calvary, etc. They report their findings to the High Court. While without the ability to alter laws or levy taxes, they have a strong effect on the High Court’s findings.
COURT OF LAW: has 17-seats determined by vote by lawyers who serve the High Court members, with elections every 7 years. They are charged with interpreting the laws passed down from the High Court, and review of the Low Laws as well. Each district is responsible for enforcing the laws and interpretations of the Court of Law, with questionable judgements brought to the capital. They also occasionally send their agents to verify that the judgements made by the district courts are in accordance to the laws.
LAWS: Each district has its own laws as determined by its governor. Punishments are usually fines, although branding is not too uncommon. Local justice is accomplished by pillory and hanging cages. The local courts determine who is guilty by skill, witness, and trail by ordeal. Use of magic or psionics in court is allowable with the judge’s permission, but there is no guarantee that the results will be used. The only magic that can not be refuted by the judge is priestly (The Golden Circle). Even this can only be called on with the judge’s permission. People can be jailed for debt, and food in jail costs money. Inmates are occasionally used for labor, and have a “guild rate” to buy their freedom.
ORDEALS AMONG THE COMMON FOLK
TRIAL BY FIRE: walking barefoot on heated plough shears is a popular test for among the farming communities. The blister formation that forms in the next 24 hours is “read”, the formation determining guilt or innocence
TRIAL BY BLOOD: a chicken is decapitated and then its body runs wild over flour covered ground. If the chicken runs to the person charged, they are deemed innocent, else the blood trail in the blood is divined to determine guilt.
ORDEALS AMONG THE CITY FOLK
TRIAL BY COMBAT: as a dual, except that the crime determines the weapon and the challenger is either the person charging the “criminal”, or a court-determined champion. The judge, who can order the combat to end at any time, determines Battle to the death or wounding.
TRIAL BY FLOWER: its name is deceptive, since the trial actually uses no flowers, but rather the sticking of a hand into a hive of honeybees. The judge determines the speed the hand is placed into the hive and for how long. It is believed that innocents are not stung.
MONETARY: Money among the masses is almost exclusively in coinage, with some paper monies among the middle classes, and international merchants using silver and gold bars. Foreign coin is not legal tender, and so must be exchanged, generally at a 2-10% rate (depending on location and one’s social rank).
PEASANTRY: The peasants earn the equivalent of 1-4 CP each day, Averaging 91 SP each year – although very little coin actually ends up in their hands. To survive, peasants do much of the work they need for themselves, trade and barter rather then pay cash, and depend on multiple family members and possessions passed down for generations. 1 CP buys 1 LB of gruel, 1-oz cheese, ½ loaf of bread, or ½ -oz of goat meat. It costs 10 CP to replace a peasant’s complete outfit. Taxes due yearly ranges from 1-5 SP a year (depending on district).
TRANSPORT: City streets are tightly packed and with roads covered in cobblestones or flagstones. Between cities are packed earth, with very few rails for primitive steam engines to travel overland. Dug canals are still more common, with roads alongside so that pack animals can pull heavy loads in the water. Steamboats are coming into use, but are currently as uncommon a sight as the steam engines.
GUILDS: The most powerful guilds are the steam workers, iron mongers, and dock workers. Just as powerful but not acknowledged are the thief’s guilds. Working a trade outside of the guild leaves the member open to penalty fees (charged with theft) are paid to the guild and court. The guilds maintain their hold by bribery and violence, and are a weapon used by powerful rulers in the city against their enemies. Joining a guild requires an apprenticeship period or a “grace payment” if already capable of the guild skill. In addition, the guild taxes its members.
FOOD: Food production is limited, with areas suffering from starvation even as others have excess food rot. The ability to ship by rail and steamship does help, but the state does not provide food for free, and so most overproduction of food goes to the best price, shipping out of country. Sauces are common to cover the age and condition of the foods, with peasants often suffering from various vitamin deficiencies. Prices for food vary based on their availability, and so each district has its own special cuisine, dependent on emergency foods available.
THE PEOPLE: Honor is of paramount importance to Astorians, being a tangible trait that effects how others view you, the prices you must pay, and membership in the government and military. Dueling to defend honor is allowed, but there are rules that restrict whom, where, and why a duel can be fought. These rules have been slowly added over generations to help protect the crème of Astoria from killing itself off in a fit of pique. Astorians see themselves as a sort of master race – they are the greatest philosophers, warriors, peasants, etc. Pride in themselves shows through everywhere, and gives them a strong sense of patriotism. It also hinders their relations with other people, who do not share the self view of astorians as perfection incarnate.
RELIGION: The “state religion” is The Golden Circle, with worship of the Quadrial as the “other” state religion – not popular, but not heretic. Both religions are strenuously fighting the coming renaissance, defending the status quo and grand tradition against the encroaching renaissance. Other religions are officially tolerated, but when the auto de-fe rears its ugly head in isolated provinces and districts in cities, it deals very harshly with foreign religions, heretics, and supporters of the “new golden age”.
MILITARY: The military uses mostly crossbows and saber, although units with long or short sword, axe, and sling still exist. Armor is rarely worn, and when worn it is usually light (or even more rarely) medium. The tradition of wearing armor is mostly continued by “impure bloods”, people with a lineage that can be traced from a source other the Astoria. The land forces are the lesser ½ of the military, carrying fewer honors then the navy. Officers usually carry firearms, as do the elite troops. The navy is developing steam ships for war, but the sail and oar is still dominant.
HEREDITY AND RACE: The racial mix and appearance of Astorians varies, but as a racial group they are the dominant group.
HUMANS
Astoria (52%) Tursten (5%)
Trymemnia (26%) Whelkurst (3%)
Kelben (11%) Other (3%)
RACES
Human (67%) Nephalen (3%)
Rhodian (11%) Multyn (2%)
Kanite (9%) Vee (2%)
Lumen (6%) Thule (< 1%)
HUMANS
Astoria: light skin, angular face, black, brown and some blond hair. Gray and blue eyes. Long limbed / tend to look gangly.
Trymemnia, olive skin, wide face, black and some brown hair. Green and brown eyes. Birthmarks (port stain) are common, and they lean towards a pudgy build.
Kelben, light skin, moon face, blond and red hair. Brown and black sunken eyes. Tursten, Black skin, angular face, black and brown hair. Blue and brown eyes.
Whelkurst, Brown skin, long face, blond and brown hair. Brown and gray eyes. Grayhound lean bodies.
SUB CULTURES
The Trymemnia peoples were in the same chain of islands as the Astorians, and settled this island. The Astorian culture was altered over time as these cultures merged and the distance to the original chain of islands increased. The Trymemnia people tried, by military might, to become the dominant culture on this island. The failure to succeed has its consequences still visible, in the scarcity of Trymemnian nobility and loss of territory. The Trymemnia people are aggressive and active in their own subculture – it isn’t hard to guess their heritage. They still have their own language, but it is used less and less in society, and will probably cease to exist on this island in another 5 generations. Their warriors tend to wear armor, with ancestral plate armor and great sword still in evidence occasionally. The Trymemnia culture has a very precise image of what a man or woman should be, and push their children to excel towards it. The men should be strong, aggressive, patriotic to Trymemnia, worship the Quadrial, and be lustful for life – be it song, dance, women, or war. The women are to bear strong healthy children, to maintain the culture and language, to act as shieldbearer in war, and practice a craft to support the family.
The Kelben were a primitive people who were overrun by the more modern human societies when they encountered them. The Kelben became serfs, hard workers with poor education and no political power. The Kelben on this island were brought there to act as manual labor, which has partially succeeded. The Kelben harbor malcontents who wish to reshape society and some who wish to destroy the Astorian society without replacement. While the Kelben are unhappy with the society structure, most grudgingly accept the status quo. The Kelben language, music, and art forms are alive and well.
The Tursten and Whelkurst come from a mercenary people who had a position of power in the original chain of islands. The group on this island had been their as added muscle to protect the various merchant interests on this island, and when the time came to leave, decided that they had deep enough roots to stay on. Despite their small percentage of the total population, they still represent almost 20% of the military. The Tursten and Whelkurst speak the same language, but consider themselves different. The Tursten still hire out as body guards,
If your reading this, I actually have an audience!!! Wow. (Ok, just me & my mum are going to read this, and her only because she has to. I'd better test her to make sure she read this, I don't want to just be humored. Ah damn.)
!)This is the write up for the main culture I'm starting with, though it still needs a lot of work -
ASTORIA
ASTORIAN CULTURE: At the edge of a renaissance, old traditions still cling and fight against the growing changes. The growing social and technological forces are inevitable but slow in coming. Astorian culture is best related to a European culture with a strong French flavor. They are of the opinion that they are the best, both racially and socially, and the envy of others. Tradition is important, no matter the cost or delay. Honor is a tangible trait that elevates or destroys – each must carefully maintain one’s honor. Little bribes and gratuities grease the wheels that move the society, and elaborate steps are taken to avoid impinging on another’s honor.
RULERSHIP: Astoria is ruled by hereditary title, although new people can be added to the royal rolls. Rule is divided between the King & or Queen, the High Court, and the Low Court. In addition, there is the Court of Law, and the peerage provides “guidance” as the Royal Houses. The King and Queen’s royal family is extended, having over 20 members.
THE HIGH COURT: a 30-member parliament its membership is determined by birth or appointment, and all positions taken by Astoria in how it relates to other countries, as well as its preparedness for issues of such relevance. One of the 30 members is determined by the King & Queen, called the Whip, and he votes the King & Queens pleasure, the vote counting as 5. A ¾ majority is required to push most major issues across, although this is based on a quorum, not the total # of members. Votes for war are made in this court, and base taxation is the province of the High Court (as it is the base for the funding for their other decisions). Members of the High Court are almost exclusively nobles and members may not currently hold an office in the Low Court. The laws that pertain to the entire country of Astoria are made and altered by the High Court, and interpreted by the Court of Law. Membership is by blood right, and only a ¾ vote can rescind membership of a member (or even more rarely) a bloodline. The King & Queen assign open positions but are unable to directly rescind these appointments.
THE LOW COURT: also called the commons, has 104 seats determined by district and filled by vote every 4-6 years (determined by district). The Low Court rarely holds a member of nobility, and never an active member of the High Court. The Low Court determines civil maintenance and local issues, although a Court of Law decision can be challenged here – forcing a new Court of Law session. The High Court can negate the findings of the Low Court in its reviews of the Court of Law. The bulk of the monies spent by the Low Courts projects are obtained from a % of the High Courts taxation, called “commons gift”, although the Low Court can also impose its own tax, “The Small King’s Burden”, used for special projects. As members of the Low Court must run for re-election every 4-6 years, these taxes are rarely long-term. Low Laws are created by this court, the laws only pertaining to the district of that Low Court– and are judged by their chosen panel as well (rather then the Court of Law).
ROYAL HOUSES: hold position as the committees and representatives for specific areas of the kingdoms interests. Interest positions include – royal naval charter, house of lights, harbor maintenance, tariffs, mercantile representatives, the Calvary, etc. They report their findings to the High Court. While without the ability to alter laws or levy taxes, they have a strong effect on the High Court’s findings.
COURT OF LAW: has 17-seats determined by vote by lawyers who serve the High Court members, with elections every 7 years. They are charged with interpreting the laws passed down from the High Court, and review of the Low Laws as well. Each district is responsible for enforcing the laws and interpretations of the Court of Law, with questionable judgements brought to the capital. They also occasionally send their agents to verify that the judgements made by the district courts are in accordance to the laws.
LAWS: Each district has its own laws as determined by its governor. Punishments are usually fines, although branding is not too uncommon. Local justice is accomplished by pillory and hanging cages. The local courts determine who is guilty by skill, witness, and trail by ordeal. Use of magic or psionics in court is allowable with the judge’s permission, but there is no guarantee that the results will be used. The only magic that can not be refuted by the judge is priestly (The Golden Circle). Even this can only be called on with the judge’s permission. People can be jailed for debt, and food in jail costs money. Inmates are occasionally used for labor, and have a “guild rate” to buy their freedom.
ORDEALS AMONG THE COMMON FOLK
TRIAL BY FIRE: walking barefoot on heated plough shears is a popular test for among the farming communities. The blister formation that forms in the next 24 hours is “read”, the formation determining guilt or innocence
TRIAL BY BLOOD: a chicken is decapitated and then its body runs wild over flour covered ground. If the chicken runs to the person charged, they are deemed innocent, else the blood trail in the blood is divined to determine guilt.
ORDEALS AMONG THE CITY FOLK
TRIAL BY COMBAT: as a dual, except that the crime determines the weapon and the challenger is either the person charging the “criminal”, or a court-determined champion. The judge, who can order the combat to end at any time, determines Battle to the death or wounding.
TRIAL BY FLOWER: its name is deceptive, since the trial actually uses no flowers, but rather the sticking of a hand into a hive of honeybees. The judge determines the speed the hand is placed into the hive and for how long. It is believed that innocents are not stung.
MONETARY: Money among the masses is almost exclusively in coinage, with some paper monies among the middle classes, and international merchants using silver and gold bars. Foreign coin is not legal tender, and so must be exchanged, generally at a 2-10% rate (depending on location and one’s social rank).
PEASANTRY: The peasants earn the equivalent of 1-4 CP each day, Averaging 91 SP each year – although very little coin actually ends up in their hands. To survive, peasants do much of the work they need for themselves, trade and barter rather then pay cash, and depend on multiple family members and possessions passed down for generations. 1 CP buys 1 LB of gruel, 1-oz cheese, ½ loaf of bread, or ½ -oz of goat meat. It costs 10 CP to replace a peasant’s complete outfit. Taxes due yearly ranges from 1-5 SP a year (depending on district).
TRANSPORT: City streets are tightly packed and with roads covered in cobblestones or flagstones. Between cities are packed earth, with very few rails for primitive steam engines to travel overland. Dug canals are still more common, with roads alongside so that pack animals can pull heavy loads in the water. Steamboats are coming into use, but are currently as uncommon a sight as the steam engines.
GUILDS: The most powerful guilds are the steam workers, iron mongers, and dock workers. Just as powerful but not acknowledged are the thief’s guilds. Working a trade outside of the guild leaves the member open to penalty fees (charged with theft) are paid to the guild and court. The guilds maintain their hold by bribery and violence, and are a weapon used by powerful rulers in the city against their enemies. Joining a guild requires an apprenticeship period or a “grace payment” if already capable of the guild skill. In addition, the guild taxes its members.
FOOD: Food production is limited, with areas suffering from starvation even as others have excess food rot. The ability to ship by rail and steamship does help, but the state does not provide food for free, and so most overproduction of food goes to the best price, shipping out of country. Sauces are common to cover the age and condition of the foods, with peasants often suffering from various vitamin deficiencies. Prices for food vary based on their availability, and so each district has its own special cuisine, dependent on emergency foods available.
THE PEOPLE: Honor is of paramount importance to Astorians, being a tangible trait that effects how others view you, the prices you must pay, and membership in the government and military. Dueling to defend honor is allowed, but there are rules that restrict whom, where, and why a duel can be fought. These rules have been slowly added over generations to help protect the crème of Astoria from killing itself off in a fit of pique. Astorians see themselves as a sort of master race – they are the greatest philosophers, warriors, peasants, etc. Pride in themselves shows through everywhere, and gives them a strong sense of patriotism. It also hinders their relations with other people, who do not share the self view of astorians as perfection incarnate.
RELIGION: The “state religion” is The Golden Circle, with worship of the Quadrial as the “other” state religion – not popular, but not heretic. Both religions are strenuously fighting the coming renaissance, defending the status quo and grand tradition against the encroaching renaissance. Other religions are officially tolerated, but when the auto de-fe rears its ugly head in isolated provinces and districts in cities, it deals very harshly with foreign religions, heretics, and supporters of the “new golden age”.
MILITARY: The military uses mostly crossbows and saber, although units with long or short sword, axe, and sling still exist. Armor is rarely worn, and when worn it is usually light (or even more rarely) medium. The tradition of wearing armor is mostly continued by “impure bloods”, people with a lineage that can be traced from a source other the Astoria. The land forces are the lesser ½ of the military, carrying fewer honors then the navy. Officers usually carry firearms, as do the elite troops. The navy is developing steam ships for war, but the sail and oar is still dominant.
HEREDITY AND RACE: The racial mix and appearance of Astorians varies, but as a racial group they are the dominant group.
HUMANS
Astoria (52%) Tursten (5%)
Trymemnia (26%) Whelkurst (3%)
Kelben (11%) Other (3%)
RACES
Human (67%) Nephalen (3%)
Rhodian (11%) Multyn (2%)
Kanite (9%) Ve
e (2%)Lumen (6%) Thule (< 1%)
HUMANS
Astoria: light skin, angular face, black, brown and some blond hair. Gray and blue eyes. Long limbed / tend to look gangly.
Trymemnia, olive skin, wide face, black and some brown hair. Green and brown eyes. Birthmarks (port stain) are common, and they lean towards a pudgy build.
Kelben, light skin, moon face, blond and red hair. Brown and black sunken eyes. Tursten, Black skin, angular face, black and brown hair. Blue and brown eyes.
Whelkurst, Brown skin, long face, blond and brown hair. Brown and gray eyes. Grayhound lean bodies.
SUB CULTURES
The Trymemnia peoples were in the same chain of islands as the Astorians, and settled this island. The Astorian culture was altered over time as these cultures merged and the distance to the original chain of islands increased. The Trymemnia people tried, by military might, to become the dominant culture on this island. The failure to succeed has its consequences still visible, in the scarcity of Trymemnian nobility and loss of territory. The Trymemnia people are aggressive and active in their own subculture – it isn’t hard to guess their heritage. They still have their own language, but it is used less and less in society, and will probably cease to exist on this island in another 5 generations. Their warriors tend to wear armor, with ancestral plate armor and great sword still in evidence occasionally. The Trymemnia culture has a very precise image of what a man or woman should be, and push their children to excel towards it. The men should be strong, aggressive, patriotic to Trymemnia, worship the Quadrial, and be lustful for life – be it song, dance, women, or war. The women are to bear strong healthy children, to maintain the culture and language, to act as shieldbearer in war, and practice a craft to support the family.
The Kelben were a primitive people who were overrun by the more modern human societies when they encountered them. The Kelben became serfs, hard workers with poor education and no political power. The Kelben on this island were brought there to act as manual labor, which has partially succeeded. The Kelben harbor malcontents who wish to reshape society and some who wish to destroy the Astorian society without replacement. While the Kelben are unhappy with the society structure, most grudgingly accept the status quo. The Kelben language, music, and art forms are alive and well.
The Tursten and Whelkurst come from a mercenary people who had a position of power in the original chain of islands. The group on this island had been their as added muscle to protect the various merchant interests on this island, and when the time came to leave, decided that they had deep enough roots to stay on. Despite their small percentage of the total population, they still represent almost 20% of the military. The Tursten and Whelkurst speak the same language, but consider themselves different. The Tursten still hire out as body guards,
If your reading this, I actually have an audience!!! Wow. (Ok, just me & my mum are going to read this, and her only because she has to. I'd better test her to make sure she read this, I don't want to just be humored. Ah damn.)
SylverFlame
First Post
I like the detail and the presence of the subculture. Nice touch.
However, I do have one problem. Personally, I feel that using a real world people in the description is not a good idea. It detracts a little from the culture itself, and it could set a few people off. Just my thoughts, but this is looking good.
However, I do have one problem. Personally, I feel that using a real world people in the description is not a good idea. It detracts a little from the culture itself, and it could set a few people off. Just my thoughts, but this is looking good.
Beholder Bob
First Post
SylverFlame said:
Uh - as far as I knew, I made up these folks! Did I use a name that matches a culture or subgroup in the real world, or is it the description of a group? Any overlap is not intended (Firk-Ding-Blast it!! Doh! S&%t - I want my lawyer/my mother/help/guardian angel/guardian demon/yikes) and I'll fix/change what have you any name that does so. Oh man.....
!
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