Insight's Island of Monarie Setting

[Insight]

EDIT 1: See below for some of my initial ideas for this setting and game.

EDIT 2: Somewhere along the line, I changed the name of the island from MONAIRE to MONARIE, the latter of which I like better. I'll go through and make sure it's consistent below.

Check back often for updates!

 

[Insight]

THE SETTING - GENERAL NOTES
I've come up with what I think is a cool idea for the setting. The game will begin on the ISLAND OF MONARIE. This is a large landmass, perhaps half the size of California, set in the RED SARGASSO SEA between the continents of HOANAR and NEW VELONIA. Notes on the geography and politics of the setting will be found below.

1. This could become a pirate-themed game. It all depends on the direction Leif's character takes. The possibility for such will certainly be there, given the basic nautical nature of the setting.

2. This could also become a political/resource-chasing game. There are multiple factions with which Leif's character could become involved and the game could even evolve into a situation where Leif's character could pit one faction against another for personal benefit, and so forth.

3. This could also become an exploration-themed game. Monarie is still somewhat a wild place and the outlying islands have not been settled. There are also places in the Red Sargasso Sea that are ripe for exploration.

4. This could also become a naval military-themed game. Two major kingdoms/empires are competing for control of Monarie, giving Leif's character a chance to join one of them, either as a soldier/sailor/officer or as a mercenary.

Any or all of the above could also join together to add some depth to the game. Leif's character could explore the island on behalf of a political faction or military, or could be out hunting pirates while exploring the outlying islands.

Names in BOLD will be further detailed below.

 

[Insight]

GAME MECHANICS RELATED STUFF
So we have decided to use GURPS 4th ed for this game. Leif, build your character using 200 base points + 100pts max disadvantages = 300pts total. We can tinker with those numbers if necessary.

In terms of the books, obviously GURPS Characters, Fantasy, and Magic will be in play. I suppose stuff from Dungeon Fantasy 1-? would be OK if you find something you like in one of those.

I wanted to explore possibly doing an all-human setting. Dwarves, elves, giants, faeries, etc would be legendary and mythical, but no one sane has claimed to see one of them. Any problem with this?

 

[Leif]

Ok, so here we are! Get to discussing!

 

[Quartz]

Egypt = hot = minimal armour. Think about how you're going to deal with that.

 

[Insight]

THE ISLAND OF MONARIE
The island of Monarie was discovered 150 years ago when VELONIAN sailors, seeking new lands, stumbled upon this large landmass in the RED SARGASSO SEA. The Empire of Velonia immediately claimed Monarie as a territory and built the port of SANCTUARY on the eastern bay of the same name.

Velonian settlers were at first hostile to the NATIVES, but have since made peace with one another. In fact, it was the Monaric native legends that caused Velonian explorer JERODD TEL to sail to the northwest and discover NEW VELONIA, 1,800 miles from Monarie.

In the past century, and especially since the discovery of New Velonia, Monarie has experienced a population boom. Settlers from SUND, a rival to the Velonian Empire, also from the continent of HOANAR, sailed to Monarie and founded PORT LUSITTER on the island's western BAY OF GHOSTS. Sanctuary and Port Lusitter are now engaged in a measure of competition over the island's resources and territory and compete for seafaring business.

EDIT: Map attached in JPG format.

 

[Leif]

Been thinking more -- I think I want to have a wizard-type character, mostly, with a bit of skill with a rapier or something similar, a fencing weapon.

 

[Leif]

Having more trouble than I expected with the character. I'm having difficulty figuring out how many CPs rapier skill costs.

Never mind, I found it.

 

[Insight]

Been thinking more -- I think I want to have a wizard-type character, mostly, with a bit of skill with a rapier or something similar, a fencing weapon.

We'll tailor the "interesting" parts of the setting and game to coincide with whatever character you end up making.

 

[Insight]

THE OTHER CONTINENTS
This post details the other continents, HOANAR and NEW VELONIA.

HOANAR
The continent of Hoanar is the largest in the known world and, for a very long time, thought to be the only place in the known world. The EMPIRE OF VELONIA is the continent's largest domain, followed by the kingdom of SUND, and its smaller brethren, AMARC and JOREND. The smaller kingdoms of Jorend and Amarc have always been allied, cowed by the larger threat of the empire and sometimes of Sund. At times, Sund has been at peace with Velonia and threatened to make war against the smaller kingdoms. At times, Sund has allied with Jorend and Amarc to fight the empire. Despire the past turmoil, Hoanar has been at peace for about a century. No one knows for how long this peace will hold.

For the longest time, the people of the continent of Hoanar believed themselves alone in the world. Over the past millennium of recorded history, sailing ships skirted the Honaric coasts, seeking ports and fishing resources. Never did they venture past sight of land until recently, when Velonian emperor Akardys decreed that his sailors should make for parts unknown, to find lands yet undiscovered. The Empire of Velonia has expanded the breadth of the known world to now include the large island of MONARIE and the newly discovered and unexplored continent of NEW VELONIA.

NEW VELONIA
Discovered by VELONIAN explorers just 50 years ago, the vast continent of New Velonia has thur far proven to have no indigenous inhabitants. After their arrival, imperial sailors established the colony of VERSTOCK and tales of intrepid explorers seeking adventure in the "new world" quickly made their way back to MONARIE and HOANAR. Since that time, two separate waves of settlers have arrived in New Velonia and the colony has expanded to suit the growing population. Other than the colony, New Velonia remains mostly unexplored.