D&D 5E [D&D 5e] It's a Brand New World [FULL]

[industrygothica]

I updated the image of the Central Marches in the first post of this thread. Here's a brief changelog:

- Modified some of the text labeling for readability (work in progress)
- Opened a waterway to the inland sea to the west of the map
- Opened a waterway to Heartbreak Cove (while it's almost imperceptible, I promise you it's there)
- Added Umbralands to the map (shortened from proper name of Ancestral Lands of Count Lucius Umbra III, currently)
- Added Everwood forest and Mt. Everwood
- Repositioned Bjorah's Cliff to better line up with positioning on the world map

This will probably be the last modification of the actual landform on this map unless something major comes up. The adding/modifying of cities and landmarks I expect will be a continual work in progress.

I think we've all got a good idea where we're going in Silverport, so I'm not going to get in a hurry doing that map, but it is on the list of things to start.

I'll also make some labeling adjustments to the world map. I doubt seriously that I'll do any land/shape editing on that map, because it's just too small to work with in any detail. I'm sure I had a reason for doing it like that at the time, but it escapes me now...


-IG

 

[pathfinderq1]

So it looks like Johanna's background is in the lead- on the other hand, it looks like we have a tank, but not a face. I could either keep the background, but shift the character to a more 'social' folk hero type, or I could fuse me two original ideas. In this case, the fused character would be half-elven, the offspring of one of the elven nobles who actually cared about his rural estate and tenant farmers- as part of her upbringing she would have spent time both on the estate and at court; when the blight began destroying the farmland, her elven patron sent her to Kingsport as part of his delegation (possibly as a scribe, possibly as part of the protection). Would still be looking at Rogue/Bard/Fighter for that, but skewing skills to include Nature and Survival and toning down a bit of the foppish swashbuckling (though not removing it entirely).

 

[sithramir]

Any problem with buying healing potions or is that out of question? I planned to have one but want to ensure it's ok.

 

[industrygothica]

So it looks like Johanna's background is in the lead- on the other hand, it looks like we have a tank, but not a face. I could either keep the background, but shift the character to a more 'social' folk hero type, or I could fuse me two original ideas. In this case, the fused character would be half-elven, the offspring of one of the elven nobles who actually cared about his rural estate and tenant farmers- as part of her upbringing she would have spent time both on the estate and at court; when the blight began destroying the farmland, her elven patron sent her to Kingsport as part of his delegation (possibly as a scribe, possibly as part of the protection). Would still be looking at Rogue/Bard/Fighter for that, but skewing skills to include Nature and Survival and toning down a bit of the foppish swashbuckling (though not removing it entirely).

Either way is good for me.

Any problem with buying healing potions or is that out of question? I planned to have one but want to ensure it's ok.

You'd have to use the alternative starting gold option rather than class/background equipment. But I don't have a problem with it assuming you can afford it (50 gp). Looking at your current equipment, you can't.


-IG

 

[Kobold Stew]

So it looks like Johanna's background is in the lead- on the other hand, it looks like we have a tank, but not a face. I could either keep the background, but shift the character to a more 'social' folk hero type, or I could fuse me two original ideas. In this case, the fused character would be half-elven, the offspring of one of the elven nobles who actually cared about his rural estate and tenant farmers- as part of her upbringing she would have spent time both on the estate and at court; when the blight began destroying the farmland, her elven patron sent her to Kingsport as part of his delegation (possibly as a scribe, possibly as part of the protection). Would still be looking at Rogue/Bard/Fighter for that, but skewing skills to include Nature and Survival and toning down a bit of the foppish swashbuckling (though not removing it entirely).

Play the character *you* want. If we don't have a face, that's fine in the end. If we do, great. But think long-term: who do you want to see at 5th level? or beyond? There's enough range right now that we'll be able to deal with anything except for a disinterested player!

 

[Phoenix8008]

Justice is a bit of a face. CHA 16 (+3) with proficiency in Persuasion for a total +5. That's pretty face-y. As long as he's not drunk at least.

 

[industrygothica]

Just did a quick update of the world map in the first post.

Changelog:
- Updated some fonts
- Renamed continent #2 to New Lunarial
- Renamed Foghollow to Silverport
- Added the city of Plunder and Keelbones
- Added Kingsport

I've been looking a bit at political boundaries. I'm not sure exactly how I want to do it, but I do know that I don't want there to only be One King to Rule Them All. At the same time, I don't want there to be so many kings that nobody knows who rules whom. Ideas?


-IG

 

[Kobold Stew]

It seems that cities are pretty sparse, and I doubt that there is any sense of "national" governments. Kingsport (a funny name for an inland city, and so perhaps there's a story there) may have a King (or The Grand Wizard, or an Emperor) and may extend its reach farther than other cities, but I doubt there's a sense of a larger government -- perhaps it's better to think of separate polis-type places (the plural would be poleis, but the auto-correct keeps getting that so it shouldn't be used), most of which would have an Earl/Jarl that might pay homage (or tribute) to Kingsport, but effectively is run as an independent city. The grand marches might be united primarily by good roads and a common language, but not by any political identity. (No one is "citizen of the Marches", but is "from Kingsport" or "a legate of Debrunner"). Those not from cities are by definition outlanders.

 

[industrygothica]

I think we had the same general idea there, but it's becoming evident that you know infinitely more about the technicalities than I do. The feudal system is not my strong point.

That being said, my idea what that Kingsport would indeed be the home of the king, and that the surrounding territories in the Central Marches would pay homage to that king... and probably taxes of some sort in exchange for defense of territory, or whatever... I suppose most other areas of the world would operate in much the same fashion. I have an overlay of proposed political boundaries that I made for the world map. I'll upload it here in a bit and we can go from there. Again, this is really nothing that will affect our adventure in any way, but I guess it's necessary for world-building purposes.

As for Kingsport being an inland city... my intent there was to put it on the river (an enormous river, as compared to the rest) because I thought it would be more defensible there, and having watchtowers posted up along the river banks. Again, cities can be moved in an eyeblink, so we can change that if needed. I'm not (too) firmly attached to it's current location.


-IG

*EDIT* Here's the overlay:

 

[Kobold Stew]

Another question I had was whether there was an equator; is this a globe?

Given the name "the Tragic Jungle" it might actually make sense if the equatorial area ran on the (marked) nw-se axis (i.e. through the Tragic Jungle, just below the small continent-isle of silver port, with the only "arctic" area being the top right of the map.

But of course alternatives exist in a D&D universe. Perhaps the sea is (supposed to be) endless, and these three continents happen to be close to each other, and no other lands are known. In that case, there'd be no circumnavigation (and celestial navigation would have to be re-thought completely) but there'd be foolhardy explorers setting off in different directions every year, never returning*. That would also allow climactic variations to be driven by different forces (elementals, the type of giant living underground, etc.). which would also be cool.


*edit: Consequently, the Grieving Sea is named after the tears of the wives and mothers of those navigators, with the result that there is a sequence of lighthouses along that "eastern" coast.

(note also moving the equator would not need to mean re-orienting the map -- it would be enough to say that the magnetic pole (used for navigation) is just considerably askew of the axis, and the maps use the magnetic pole)