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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jack Daniel" data-source="post: 3470039" data-attributes="member: 694">IntroductionAll right, five players is more than enough to get this party started.  Wystan, as soon as you check in on the OOC thread, I'll go ahead and write you into the plot ASAP.First, some ground rules.  Playing by post takes time, such that two or even three days can go by sometimes before all the players respond with their actions.  I, too, might have stretches where I can't check these boards in as timely a fashion as I'd like.  So I'm going to keep this as simple and casual as possible.  Rule number 1: If you'd like to quit the game, please don't disappear off the face of the earth.  Just say so.  No pressure, no hard feelings.  One little post (or even a PM) is enough.Rule number 2: If one or two players have not yet replied, and it holds up the game for more than 2 or 3 days, you either A) forfeit your action/dialogue (if the current scene is not a combat scene), or B), if the party is in combat, I'll "NPC" your character for that round and use whatever action seems fitting.  I'll try to be fair, act in a manner consistent with your character, and avoid using up finite resources (like spells, magical ammo, scrolls and potions, and item charges) as much as possible -- players should always be the ones to decide when those things get used, even when the DM has to control the character for a little bit.That's all.==========Now for some campaign details.I figure, there are some things that everybody who lives on a particular planet ought to know.  Everybody who lives on Earth knows certain things about the people, the world, cultures, religions, plant and animal life, and every other topic under (and including) the sun.  These things are taken for granted.  And the more you narrow it down, to, say, "Western Civilization" or "Europeans" or "Americans" or whatever other cultural group, the more specific and detailed that taken-for-granted knowledge gets.Obviously, I can't give you the whole planet Faerith in one message board post.  But if it were possible to distil the Encyclopedia Faeritha into a few key points, some things would definitely get mentioned.<a href="http://www.geocities.com/ivan_327/Geography/faerith.htm" target="_blank">Faerith</a> is a world very much like our Earth, with seven continents: Lethandria (commonly just called "Lethand"), Tatiana, Oberonia, North Mercutia, South Mercutia, Polonia, and Antiborea.Faerith is the third of eight known planets from the sun, the others being Odin, Freya, (then Faerith), Tyr, Thor, Njord, Loki, and Aegir.  Of these, Loki and Aegir are recent discoveries, spied through astronomers' telescopes.  The other planets were known to the ancients.The present year is A.D. 1824.  "A.D." stands for anno domini in Connajan, the common tongue of the continent of Lethand spoken by all educated clergy and scientists.  The nations of much of the southern part of Lethand, and even parts of island of Pensula, were once part of the great Connajan empire, which fell many centuries ago.  The "domini" in anno domini refers to God, as most of the people of Lethand are monotheists.  The dominant religion is a faith called Trinitarianism, which teaches that God exists in three persons: Bahamut, the Great Dragon, who created the world with divine breath; Leviathan, the Great Serpent, who supports the existence of the world; and Alexander, the Great Warrior, who came to the world in human form some 1800 years ago to save it from evil.  (Needless to say, Alexander is a very common name in many Lethandrian cultures.)Your characters all hail from an island known as <a href="http://www.geocities.com/ivan_327/Geography/pensula.htm" target="_blank">Pensula</a>, but it is rarely called that anymore.  People will speak fondly of "Old Pensula" when trying to be patriotic, but the fact is, the island kingdom is rent in twain, between Eckland in the north (called "Ecadia" in the formal Connajan) and Eorland in the south.  Eckland was once Pensula's northern farthing, but in 1735, the duke of Norshire, Sir Norman Merkedar, betrayed and murdered King Henry XXVIII and instigated open rebellion against the crown.  The First Civil War was a bitter affair, not least because Sir Merkedar had used religion to attain his position of power -- before becoming a duke, he had been a cardinal archbishop in the Connajan Church.  The war ended in a draw, with Merkedar retaining control of Norshire (now Eckland), and new rulers ascending the throne of Eorland.  Sir Clarence Despent, a human fighter, and Lady Judith Allogarde, an elf from the western island of Parús, had both distinguished themselves in the war; and when they wed, Clarence was also given the throne.  King Clarence I was a kind and just ruler, but he was also shrewd when it came to international politics.  He split Eorland away from the Connajan Church and formed a national Church of Eorland.  He sent ships around the world to colonize (and sometimes even conquer), building his nation into a mighty mercantile empire.  He also placed many garrisons and guard-posts on the border between Eorland and Eckland, knowing full well that they might attack again.When Clarence died, Queen Judith retained the throne.  She is hated by the elves of Parús for having married a human and condescended to become a leader of humans.  She is equally despised by the humanoid denizens of Eckland, for they remember well her valor in the wars.  But she is loved by the Eorlish people, who only speak of her with pride and affection.  In 1792, the Eckish did attack again, this time under the rule of Sir Merkedar's grandson, Julian, now Duke Merkedar III.  This time, Eckland had made alliances with both Saird, a country on the mainland which is staunchly Connajan in its religion, and with Eorland's colonies in North Mercutia.  The end result of that war was, Eckland was almost completely destroyed; Merkedar III was killed; but the Mercutian colonies became independant of Eorlish rule.  Geographically, much of Eorland and Eckland are separated by an east-west running mountain range known as the Belt.  The Belt is rugged and infested with monsters: goblins, giants, and according to some, even dragons.  The only known pass through this range which might be considered relatively safe (which still isn't saying much) is in the approximate geographic center of the Belt, just north of a bustling little mining town called Betoüs (that's a diaresis over the "u", not an umlat -- the town's name is pronounced "BAY-toe-us").  Betoüs was blitzkreiged and burned to the ground in both civil wars, but since the Second War, it has been rebuilt yet again, and it has become even more prosperous and populous.It is in this town that you will begin your adventure.</blockquote>

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