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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Voadam" data-source="post: 9428902" data-attributes="member: 2209">It varies, I sometimes provide a short primer. I have done both a short and a longer primer with the longer one mostly being for me to put stuff down for myself rather than expect my players to read it. I usually provide a little bit on the broad setting (henotheistic holy lothian empire split by a succession civil war) and a bit more on the local region and starting stuff relevant for that campaign.Here was <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/death-in-freeport-info-thread.211469/" target="_blank">my setting primer</a> when I ran a Freeport campaign here with things like the who's who section being filled in as the party met people.The city primer was four paragraphs and the big one for players to read.[SPOILER="Freeport info"]The city-state of Freeport is a bustling cosmopolitan center of trade. Located on an easily defensible isle in the Serpent’s Teeth chain of islands, Freeport is an important center of maritime commerce in the world. Once known only as a pirate haven, the city grew over time and its residents became a major naval power under the command of the resident Sea Lords two-hundred years ago. The city has become an official nation state of its own with alliances and trade relations with the major powers of the world today. Ruled by the Sea Lord Milton Drac and the Council of Captains, Freeport has recently turned its back on many allies as the continental empire is torn apart by religious schisms and civil war. Freeport’s large fleet of privateers and welcoming policy of few questions for sea captains bearing goods to sell leads many to say that the pirate roots of Freeport are not buried deep in the past but lie just under the surface today.Since the assassination of the former Sea Lord and his own ascension to power Milton Drac has been engaged with two domestic projects for the last ten years. He constantly works to solidify his hold on power by attempting to gain control of the fractious Council of Captains. He also pushes forward his one great public works project, the construction of a massive lighthouse for the city’s harbor. The Council governs the day to day affairs of the city while the lighthouse is designed to both serve the harbor and to act as a monument to his reign as Sea Lord. Drac has diverted public funds and poured them into these efforts of his at the cost of other spending priorities of the city-state. While Lord Drac crows that the lighthouse will increase the ease and safety of maritime navigation to the harbor thus bringing greater prosperity to all of Freeport, many call the project “Milton’s Folly”. His detractors consider it a boondoggle for the Sea Lord’s favored agents whose only good aspect is that it will soon be completed and no longer a massive drain on the city’s resources. Services in the city have degenerated under Lord Drac’s rule. The garrison has shrunk and is largely confined to the Old City. The docks are policed haphazardly, if at all. Crime has skyrocketed, but as long as it remains in the shadows the Council is content to pretend that it does not exist as they focus on their internal struggles and personal affairs.[/SPOILER]The broader continent setting primer was six paragraphs and less crucial for playing the game:[SPOILER="Northern Continent setting primer"]The theocratic empire is split by civil war. The first emperor was both head of the Lothian church and political ruler of the imperial domains. Upon his death however the two institutions were split. The state church has been supportive but separate from the political empire since the time of the second emperors until the present. The last imperial line died without an heir though and the head of the church has stepped in claiming a directive from Lothian to return the empire to its unified true Lothian roots. Meanwhile the emperor's old chancellor claimed the throne as regent and certain nobles claimed rights to the throne by blood. The holy emperor is the strongest claimant but taking control of such a vast continental empire is difficult. Many cities were only nominally under the authority of the empire and have taken the opportunity to officially declare themselves independent city states.Church imperialists seek to solidify the empire, increase regulation/conscription of magic users to their cause, are engaged in intense levvying for imperial legions, and are for centrally consolidating church power at the expense of the traditional centers of power in each city held by the local bishops, all in the name of divine directives from Lothian sent directly to the Holy Emperor.A number of Lothian bishops have supported their cities' moves for independence, declaring that infernal corruption has struck the central church and that the directives to take political power do not originate from Lothian.Former elven desmesnes are in open revolt after the church ordered compulsory magical registration and conscription.Many arcane casters have fled imperial cities, remembering the edicts of deviltry when arcane magic not bound and authorized by the church was punishable by burning at the stake as the church zealously pursued hidden diabolists no matter the cost.Imperial legions march on former imperial cities and war wracks the land, leaving borders with badlands open and vulnerable. Rumors run rampant each more fantastical than the last. The church is said to be developing construct armies using conscripted mages and rune master lore. The renegade cities are said to be havens for fiends opposed to Lothian. The old gods are empowering mortal champions throughout the land. The elves are said to have unleashed spells so powerful they take on life of their own. The church plans to implement a new edict forbidding worship of non-Lothian gods and all will be required to convert to monotheistic Lothianism. The Red Man walks among cities and countrysides proclaiming The Coming. Demonic forces gather outside of the empire and humanoid hordes are massing at the borders, waiting for the time to strike the weakened empire. Some have erupted into the empire and cannot be stopped. The former imperial capital fell to orcish barbarians.[/SPOILER]</blockquote>

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