Blue_Genie
First Post
Current PCs are:
Alaios O'Aodh, Male Midlunder Sorcerer 3 (Karl Green)
Cormyck di'Trivassi, Male Ryn Rogue 3 (Devyn)
Alain Caldwallow, Male Caspian Paladin 3 (Bobitron)
Jackson Bainbridge, Male Midlunder Ranger 3 (DrunkenMonkey)
Alanna Morwyn, Female Thurian Gun Mage 2/Arcane Mechanik 1 (Slippshade)
Martashan Leharin, Female Umbrean Cleric 3 (Krug)
Harlan Baylentis, Male Caspian Fighter 3 (taitzu52)
What follows in this post in a basic introduction to the setting, with brief history relating recent events in Corvis. It contains some previously posted material from the OOC thread, in addition to some material from Privateer Press sources.
The next post will contain specific information on the first scene of the adventure, after which everyone is welcome to begin adding their first IC post.
BASIC INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Corvis, City of Ghosts [link to PDF map]! Merchants that plied the Black and Dragon’s Tongue founded the city almost nine hundred years ago, right at the edge of a natural harbor where the rivers diverge. Today about 100,000 souls call it home, and more arrive every day. Corvis is an island of civilization in the roughest part of Northern Cygnar. The next closest city is Fisherbrook, over 200 miles downriver. The original city has long since been swallowed by the swamp. It’s now a maze of catacombs, and is home to naught but hooligans … and worse. If ye have a brain in your head, stay out of the Undercity.
Most of the folk in Corvis are human, but you do see some trollkin, ogrun, and gobbers who have joined them, and the rare Iosan passing through. A few dwarves have set up residence here since the signing of the Corvis Treaties four hundred years ago, and can be found practicing their trade mainly in Armorersburg, and among the mechaniks of Industrialburg. If ye need to find some muscle, there’ll be thugs for hire at the waterfront. There’ll be trouble there for ye too if ye aren’t too careful, the inhabitants of the Blackprow are a tough lot; Corvis has seen folk tougher than you floating in the harbor.
The wonders of Corvis, like so much else in the Iron Kingdoms, wouldn’t have been possible without the advent of the steamjacks. The first of the metal giants was brought to the city about 200 years ago, where they worked the quarries, cutting stone for new buildings. They also carved roads and worked the docks, where they can still be seen today working for the Stevedorers’ Guild.
Recent History:
It all began last Longest Night, about four months ago. Longest Night is a triennial event, which is basically a huge celebration (think Mardi Gras). As the streets of Corvis were filling with revelers, troubadours, vendors, musicians, actors, a horde of shambling, undead creatures started spilling out of the sewer entrances and walking out of the river and attacking the townsfolk and heading for the cathedral of Morrow. The leader of the undead was a vile necromancer named Alexia (who also happened to be the niece of the current Prelate of Morrow). It seems her mother had been executed as a witch 20 years before, and she was here for a bit of payback. Luckily, a group of adventurers intervened, and were able to convince her to call off the attack. With a word (or so it’s told), she withdrew her control and the undead collapsed into a piles of dead bones.
A few months after this event, more chaos erupted when most of the city council was murdered in their sleep by members of the deposed King Vinter Raelthorne’s secret police, the Inquisition. They co-opted the City Watch (either with bribes, or by holding their families hostage), and began a reign of terror. Within a few days it was rumored that the deposed King himself (long thought dead) had returned to Cygnar, and was in the city. He brought with him soldiers of an unknown race, who helped him maintain order through fear and intimidation.
It turns out these soldiers, later named the Skorne, were only holding the city until a larger invasion force could make its way through the Bloodstone Marches. Just as the Skorne army was entering the city unopposed, however, Corvis was saved by yet another undead army, once again led by Alexia and a group of brave adventurers. In a large battle on the Black River Bridge the armies clashed, and the Skorne were eventually defeated.
During the occupation, an unknown arsonist set fire to the Grand Cathedral of Morrow, burning it to a husk. The Inquisition-controlled pro-term mayor (since killed) quickly blamed nefarious sorcerers and necromancers for this atrocity, although most people believed that with the Prelate of Morrow in hiding, it was probably a crude move to build support for the illegal government. Since the liberation, Church funds have been flooding into Corvis for the reconstruction of the cathedral, and many commoners have volunteered their time and money to help rebuild what was the pride of Morrowans throughout northhern Cygnar.
A week after this battle, the 3rd and 5th Mounted Fusiliers from Fort Falk finally entered the city, and began mop-up operations against the Skorne and any Inquisition sympathizers. The military immediately declared martial law, as the city watch had been severely reduced and infiltrated by members of the Inquisition, and the city council had been killed almost to the man. They gradually restored order, and began reconstituting the Watch. Members of Corvis’ ruling class began reappointing the city council and electing a new mayor.
At the same time, there has basically been a war between two of Corvis’ major criminal gangs, the Griffons and the Gertens. Sparked off by an unknown battle at one of the Griffons' safe houses during the occupation, the two organizations have been littering the streets with wounded and dead members for weeks. Without a fully-functioning watch, the army has made a few arrests, but has done little to slow the fighting.
So needless to say, Corvis did not have an easy winter. Now that spring, and Tempenfest, the annual week-long celebration of rebirth and fertility, are upon us, people are still bruised and beaten, but a little more optimistic. They are ready to start putting the nightmare behind them and get on with their lives. One thing is certain, however, their lives have been changed by the events of the previous four months.
Cygnaran Currency:
Farthing – 1 cp
Halfshield – 5 cp
Shield – 1 sp
Halfcrown – 5sp
Crown – 1 gp
Tower – 1 pp
Coins found in Corvis are predominanty minted in the city itself, although Caspian coins can also be found. Occasionally you find Llaelese, Ordic, and even Khadoran currency in circulation, although it is never valued equally.
The Corvis University Discreet Investigation and Retrieval Union
Corvis University is the center of academic learning in Northern Cygnar. Founded over 250 years ago, it grew from a loose collection of upper class historians and naturalists, to an institution supporting close to four score professors with hundreds of students. Located in a mainly middle-class residential quarter of Eastern Corvis, the classrooms and faculty offices are clustered around High Square.
Viktor Pendrake is without a doubt the most famous faculty member, and Chair of the Department of Extraordinary Zoology. His adventures in search of rare creatures have even begun to be sold as halfshield novellas, which have spread his fame among the literate folk across all of Cygnar. There is even talk of translating them into Ordic and Llaelese for wider circulation.
In the past few years, however, he has started going on expeditions less and less, and has begun to focus more on his teaching and research. To make up for this, he founded the Corvis University Discreet Investigation and Retrieval Union, made up of some of his braver students and a collection of independent “adventurers”. Guided by the professor’s knowledge, you have undertaken numerous harrowing missions to retrieve artifacts, tomes, and sometimes entire live specimens for university researchers. Although you frequently interact with the Professor, most of the Union’s business is handled by his chief assistants, Lynus Wesselbaum, and the Iosan woman Edrea Lloryrr.
During Vinter Raelthorne’s occupation, Professor Pendrake disappeared from the city and has not returned. Mr. Wesselbaum has assured you that Pendrake has not perished, but is merely conducting extensive research in an undisclosed location, although the assistant can’t completely hide his deep concern.
“Iron Kingdoms" material such as stories, character, place and monster names that originate with Privateer Press are Copyright 2001 Privateer Press LLC, and may be used in independent works for non-profit purposes only.
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