Pathfinder 1E Paths of Legend: Resurrection

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Life on the frontier has always been difficult. The Barony of Vedlund has stood ever vigilant against the orcs and other monsters lurking in the mountains to the east. Vedlund scouts risk life and limb during the summer months patrolling the foothills, watching for signs of orcish activity.

Last year, Lord Jannus' de Vedlund's own brother, Captain Pirren, died while on patrol. Pirren's son, Astor, has dutifully taken his father's place as Captain of the Barony's militia, but Astor is still a young man, barely old enough to hold rank. To prove himself, Astor has, perhaps recklessly, volunteered to scout out a rumored nest of orc activity, the main hub from which orc raiders have been attacking supply lines between Vedlund and the mountain barony of Silvergard. Astor now seeks volunteers to join him. The rewards could be substantial, but so is the risk. The older and wiser among the scouts believe the mission is a fool's errand, likely to get all involved killed. Astor is thus seeking those with little experience but plenty of courage...and perhaps a little crazy.

In February, 2007, I, under the name crazypixie, which was later changed to crazy_monkey1956, started my first Play-by-Post on EN World - Paths of Legend: Tragedy at Silvergard. That was my most successful PbP ever and the setting, Paths of Legend, is due for a revival, I think. Recent endeavors in the realm of PbP have been less than stellar, so I am returning to my roots.

We will be using the Pathfinder SRD for character options, plus a limited selection of 3rd party products - 1001 Spells from Rite Publishing, In the Company of Monsters by Rite Publishing, and Book of Heroic Races: Seedlings by Jon Brazer Enterprises.

Ability scores should be generated via 25 point-buy. Every race, class, archetype, and many other character details have specific background details that tie them to the homebrew setting of Paths of Legend so let me know what you want to play and I'll provide the setting details specific to your choices. Starting level is, of course, 1.

This adventure is planned to be relatively short but also Part 1 of a trilogy that continues with Paths of Legend: Requiem and Paths of Legend: Rebirth, if there is sufficient interest, of course. I'd like to maintain a minimum posting rate of once a week, though we'll go faster if everyone is cool with it.

If you happen to have played in the Paths of Legend setting all those years ago, this adventure takes place in the year 1157 (the last PbP in Paths of Legend was set in 1152). I'm keeping the scale, setting wise, relatively small, so I can introduce details organically as the player characters discover them.

I'm hoping for five players, minimum. Let's play!

 

[perrinmiller]

Tentatively interested, but I will have to get my head above water next week to do much about it.

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Tentatively interested, but I will have to get my head above water next week to do much about it.

Groovy! Drop a concept on me whenever you're ready.

 

[Shayuri]

Is there any information you can share about the basic characteristics of the setting, or is there an online source?

1st level start is a bit of a hard sell for me these days, but I do enjoy Pathfinder and I've gamed with you before, so I'm open to the idea.

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Shayuri! I was hoping one of the old gang would be here.

Paths of Legend, is, at its core, about becoming legendary. Its a setting where a farmer can become a lord and an adventurer can become a god. The "Path" is more important than the destination, however.

More specifically, the Barony of Vedlund is a rough and tumble frontier barony on the eastern border of Azgund. Though its one of the oldest baronies, Vedlund's near annual skirmishes with orcs from the mountains keeps it from truly prospering. Vedlund supplies stone to the rest of the country via several large quarries located within its borders. Culturally, Azgund is a pseudo-renaissance mash-up of France, Italy, and Spain. Vedlund is more rustic, its people earthy and not prone to the pretentiousness and frivolity of many of the other counties and baronies of Azgund, though Vedlunders do love their beer.

Vedlund's fortunes have increased slightly in the last five years thanks to the rise of Silvergard, a recently re-established barony in the mountains with a rich silver mine as its primary resource. The only safe pass to Silvergard is through Vedlund so Silvergard's prosperity is shared primarily with its closest neighbor. However, Silvergard's geographic isolation lends it more autonomy than other baronies and the fact that it's lord is a foreign dwarf causes some friction - Vedlund's quarrymen frequently get into fights with Silvergard's dwarves when the silver shipments pass through as the dwarves are not shy about their disdain for human methods of quarrying stone.

 

[Shayuri]

Hm, ok, that helps...

So Azgund sounds like a kingdom then, with barons as the local lords who owe fealty to a king...perhaps through the intermediary of a duke or other high noble...

Is it a multiracial kind of kingdom in general, or is Silvergard unusual with dwarfs owing fealty to a human (or nonhuman?) king?

Is there any kind of centralized, specific "main" faith or pantheon, or is religion something that primarily takes place on the level of local parishes, with little formal ecclesiastical organization beyond that?

Is there a dominant faith? Are there gods/forms of worshipped that are discouraged or outlawed?

Um. Um. I'll think of more later. This'll do for now.

Oh! And where does arcane magic and other strange supernatural things fit into the setting? Are wizards isolated and weird and live in secret hermit huts and windswept obsidian towers far from the towns of men...limited only by the limits of their personal power, interest in the world's affairs, and the possibility of towns and cities to produce torch and pitchfork wielding mobs? Or is there a center of magical learning, and mages self-regulate with rules and laws and enforcement? Or something in between?

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Hehe, I forgot how inquisitive you were...

Hm, ok, that helps...

So Azgund sounds like a kingdom then, with barons as the local lords who owe fealty to a king...perhaps through the intermediary of a duke or other high noble...

Azgund used to be a kingdom with a king, until about 500 years ago (the calendar is measured from the crowning of the first king of Azgund). After an uprisal against a tyrannical king, the Tournaments were put into place. Every four years, a competition is held outside the capital, with every citizen allowed to participate. The prizes are lordships, either of existing baronies if the old lord has stepped down or dies, or new areas recently opened up exploration and land claims. Also, the House of Lords will sometimes vote to force a lord to enter the tournaments to defend their title, though this usually only happens if the lord has been deemed incompetent. The House of Commons judges all the events. There is no sovereign so governing of the nation is handled by the House of Lords, with input from the House of Commons.

Is it a multiracial kind of kingdom in general, or is Silvergard unusual with dwarfs owing fealty to a human (or nonhuman?) king?

Anyone who is a citizen of Azgund can compete in the tournaments and hold a seat in the House of Lords. There have been dwarf lords, half-elf lords, elf lords, and even a half-celestial at one point. Becoming a citizen is not terribly difficult either, the easiest route being via the Adventurer's Guild.

Is there any kind of centralized, specific "main" faith or pantheon, or is religion something that primarily takes place on the level of local parishes, with little formal ecclesiastical organization beyond that?

Is there a dominant faith? Are there gods/forms of worshipped that are discouraged or outlawed?

The Church of the Healing Light is the most common faith. In the 1140s, a group known as The Ten ascended to godhood during the Shadow War. The Lord and Lady of Shadow, the most popular among The Ten, have since risen to prominence in Azgund, with a grand temple in the County of Guare. The Healing Light has resisted the influence of The Ten and has used its influence in the House of Lords to impose restrictions on their worship. This has not done anything to deter the faithful of the new gods, however. There is also a schism within the Healing Light itself with the more open-minded healers being at odds with the more militant Order of Illumination, who take an active and militant role in combatting evil (and have a reputation for being overzealous at times).

Um. Um. I'll think of more later. This'll do for now.

Oh! And where does arcane magic and other strange supernatural things fit into the setting? Are wizards isolated and weird and live in secret hermit huts and windswept obsidian towers far from the towns of men...limited only by the limits of their personal power, interest in the world's affairs, and the possibility of towns and cities to produce torch and pitchfork wielding mobs? Or is there a center of magical learning, and mages self-regulate with rules and laws and enforcement? Or something in between?

In 1152 the Arcane Academy was established in the capital, a center for magical learning, created, in part, to give Azgund magical might approaching that of the Empire of Thune, which is ruled by wizards. Because of Thune's abuse of magical power, arcane magic is still distrusted and feared by many common folk, but the presence of the Arcane Academy has done much to lessen those fears in recent years.

 

[Shayuri]

Hehe, I forgot how inquisitive you were...

Wait 'til I get going!

SO...just to make sure I am clear on this, because I am nutty this way and because it might be fun to have a noble or at least high 'ranking' character on the social ladder, so understanding would be important.

Firstly...does this system of transferral of title (the Tournament) entirely supplant heredity? Or is it just used for resolving claims to titles which have no heirs or which are newly conquered/established?

Azgund then has a sort of bicameral parliament, it sounds like. House of Lords which is seated by the barons and ranking nobility and which possesses the actual ability to legislate, and a House of Commons. How does one gain a seat in the House of Commons? Is there an election...or perhaps a Lord must sponsor someone? Is there a limit on how many people are in the House of Commons at a time?

Do nonhuman races have civilizations outside Azgund, or has Azgund expanded and swallowed up most neighboring cultures with the exception of Thune? Do the nonhuman Azgundians usually integrate with Azgundian culture, or do they retain their own cultural identity?

Does the Church of Healing Light worship a god, many gods, or is it more of a philosophical order?

What kind of restrictions on the worship of the Ten are there now?

What are relations between Thune and Azgund like at the moment, and what sort of abuses of magic have taken place in Thune?

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Hehe, I forgot how inquisitive you were...

Wait 'til I get going!

Where was I? Australia.

SO...just to make sure I am clear on this, because I am nutty this way and because it might be fun to have a noble or at least high 'ranking' character on the social ladder, so understanding would be important.

Firstly...does this system of transferral of title (the Tournament) entirely supplant heredity? Or is it just used for resolving claims to titles which have no heirs or which are newly conquered/established?

There are a number of old noble families who maintain influence primarily via wealth and social status. These families will often train their children extensively in order to give them a better than average chance of winning at the tournaments. The tournaments are open to all, but the old nobility often end up with an unfair advantage.

Azgund then has a sort of bicameral parliament, it sounds like. House of Lords which is seated by the barons and ranking nobility and which possesses the actual ability to legislate, and a House of Commons. How does one gain a seat in the House of Commons? Is there an election...or perhaps a Lord must sponsor someone? Is there a limit on how many people are in the House of Commons at a time?

Representatives in the House of Commons are appointed by the lords of their home counties or baronies. However, it is a lifetime appointment which adds some stability that the House of Lords often lacks. The old representative must step or die before a lord can appoint a new one. Further, the individual appointed must never have held a lordship, military rank, a position in a city guard or any other position of governance.

Do nonhuman races have civilizations outside Azgund, or has Azgund expanded and swallowed up most neighboring cultures with the exception of Thune? Do the nonhuman Azgundians usually integrate with Azgundian culture, or do they retain their own cultural identity?

Elves, dwarves, and halflings have nations across the sea on the sub-continent of Telgar. Azgund and its neighbor Turen set up colonies on Telgar several hundred years ago. Thune then swept in and conquered those colonies and the elven, dwarven, and halfling nations. Many members of those races thus ended up scattered by slavery, forced labor, etc, until the War of the Elements between Thune and Emiras, a "Arabian Nights" style nation that worships genies. That war proved disastrous for Thune and the peoples of Telgar were able to use the distraction to throw off Thunian rule. Non-humans in Azgund often keep to their own in ghetto style neighborhoods in cities or somewhat isolated villages in rural areas. Some individuals more fully integrate into Azgundi culture, such as Lady Devera de Sisan, an elven lord who has held her title for 65 years and hosts the grand fete that serves as the closing ceremonies of the Tournaments.

Does the Church of Healing Light worship a god, many gods, or is it more of a philosophical order?

Prior to the Shadow War in the 1140s, there were no gods. The Healing Light came to power in the earliest days of Azgund as a philosophical movement that slowly solidified into a religion based, initially, around life, death, and rebirth. Over the centuries, the church has shifted focus to two primary principles - the preservation of life and the eradication of the undead. If there is an entity behind the Healing Light, the faithful do not acknowledge it.

What kind of restrictions on the worship of the Ten are there now?

The more conservative elements of the House of Lords (mainly the old noble families) have pushed through restrictions forbidding the establishment of any place of worship not affiliated with the Healing Light in any community that already has a temple to the Healing Light. This has spurred the Healing Light to aggressively expand throughout the country. The County of Guare, where the Grand Temple of the Lord and Lady of Shadow is located, has resisted the new law, using the reasoning that the Grand Temple was built before the restriction was put in place. Silvergard's Lord has adamantly refused to allow the Healing Light to build a temple in his domain, though he has also not given permission to the worshippers of The Ten to establish a place of worship. Many groups of worshippers of The Ten still meet, most in secret, a few openly, in places like taverns, bathhouses, and other public areas.

What are relations between Thune and Azgund like at the moment, and what sort of abuses of magic have taken place in Thune?

An uneasy peace exists between Thune and Azgund, mainly thanks to the Shadow War, which forced most of the human nations to cooperate to defeat the demonic armies that plagued the entire region. Thune is ruled by wizards, organized into Circles, delineated by the eight schools of magic. Thus an Abjurer of the 3rd Circle may hold a position similar to that of a magistrate in other nations. Non-wizards are second class citizens at best, indentured servants at worst. Every non-wizard must be sworn to a magical family, complete with an arcane mark scribed, imprinted, tattooed, or branded somewhere on the person's body. According to Thunian law, non-wizards do not own any property and have no rights, other than those granted by their magical family. All children are screened for magical ability and removed from their families before puberty if they show magical potential. Historically, Thune indulged in slavery until 1133 when an uprising brought the atrocities they were committing to the attention of the other nations. They have also had multiple conflicts with Emiras, sometimes resorting to demon summoning during numerous attempts to conquer the neighboring country. Thunian assassins effectively wiped out the Earth and Water Castes of Emiras during the War of the Elements.

Human nations in the region are situated in a semi-circle around a Mediterranean style sea.

The City of Light is an independent city situated on the tip of a peninsula that overlooks the connection between the inland sea and the greater ocean. A magical lighthouse guides ocean going vessels back to their home ports.

Turen is a forest kingdom, ruled by a Queen who is selected by a semi-secret cabal of druids.

Azgund, which has already been described.

Anovia is a new kingdom, established in 1152 when the County of Anovia seceded from Azgund, with two of its neighboring counties joining it. Queen Nineveh established a hereditary monarchy modeled on the old monarchy of Azgund.

Olen is an isolated former county of Azgund as well, situated in the northeast corner Azgund. Olen is a theocracy, separated from Azgund during the fall of the monarchy about 500 years ago. The militant branch of the Healing Light is headquartered there.

Emiras, bordering Azgund to the south, an Arabian Nights style culture.

Thune, an empire ruled by wizards.

Djihon Islands are the islands situated at the connection between the inland sea and the ocean, populated by barbarian tribes that worship an entity known as The Serpent. Pirates also make port in these islands.

The Drukkar Tribes occupy the vast wilderness north of Turen and Azgund and model their tribal culture on dragons.

 

[Shayuri]

Beautiful. Thank you for your patience with my nattering.

This should be plenty to get my gears grinding. I shall return with a concept when a leader of the pack emerges.