In my last post I talked about
setting a "Lamentations of the Flame Princess" game in the future
after a catastrophic event. But my description did not go into any detail about
what cultures and nations might look like in that world. So here I am writing
to further broaden the way different parts of the world devolved yet still
mimic the reality that had once been.
Kandah - The cold heavily forested planes of Kandah contain many small
remote villages. Hunters, loggers and farmers eke out a meager existence living
in constant fear of the long dark nights. To the West as the hardwood forests
climb great mountains the villages become larger and farther apart, here miners
explore the bones of the earth, wresting riches from the old mines of ages past
now the home to thriving colonies of beasts that would be best left undisturbed
in their holes. The riches of mining towns make them hubs for foreigners as
well as the people from the woods. Moving further north brings travelers to a
harsh arctic waste. Few beyond the tribes that live there have returned from
those frozen lands and those that do have merely explored its frozen eastern
coasts. The treasures and relics that might still exist preserved in that
frozen wasteland
will make legends of those strong enough to succeed.
Swerzirlind - This land is nestled in and around steep mountains. These
mountains serve to insulate the land from predations of the outside world but
they they also divide it. This has caused two major factions to vie for power
over the people and trades routes. They are the Cantonians and the Zureich,
although many other small groups can be found living in remote villages hoping
to remain unnoticed by the conscriptors of forces larger than themselves. The
largest faction are the agnostic Cantonians, followers of the crown Prince
Haldritch Zwingli, who control the trade routes and given recent trouble with
religious fanatics have taken to eradicating all organized religion. These
actions fueled the ire and ranks of the opposed Zureich. Once just a free city
in the heart of Swerzirlind it has become the epicenter for the Church of
Monotheism. The Zureich defend their faith militantly with non-believers,
unwilling to convert, being executed without need for cause. Other prominent
groups vehemently against the dominant factions include Monotheists of the
Later Prophets, Monotheists of the First Church, and Monotheists of the Free
Orders.
Ghula - Walled holdfasts stand atop natural and manmade hills
bastions of safety poking out above the Black Forests of Ghula. These holds
frequently war with each other keeping trade and communication across long
distances to minimum. While some semblance of a once unified Ghulian people
might exist in the language and engineering, each village is a stylized subculture
with their own unique take own what it means to be Shulian creating a morass of
taboos and etiquettes difficult to master and easy to cross. Blood cults,
headhunters seeking to honor or trap the spirit of their enemy to prevent
retribution from beyond the grave, and ritualized necrophilia before the
deceased are interred are additional horrors villages might have in store for
explorers. As if the villages weren't dangerous enough, the untrod paths in the
black forests hide worse degenerates and beasts too wicked to be exposed to the
light of day.
The Divided Isles of Welschlen - The major island of Welschlen as
well as the smaller islands and newly founded island colonies are united under
one king, the recently coroneted Kyor of Rutland. But King Kyor does not sit
the thrown unchallenged. The Green Isle is fomenting a new bid for freedom. It
has rebelled several times throughout the years creating generations of
mistrust, harsh laws, and even famines all to keep the people week and
subjugated to the Welshlen throne. Yet
these are not the only troubles on the Green Isle, creatures of fairy also lay
claim to the islands and they too have gained a strong foothold on the Green
Isle and are branching out to the others. Kyor’s predecessors would have cut
down such insurrection quickly with iron and fire but the Welschlen squabble
internally over who should have been lord. Many support Kyor and his house
under the banner of the White Lilly others disenfranchised or slighted by Kyor’s
lineage have begun flocking to House Whelles of the Red Carnation. Weakening
the will of both houses to remain at war with one another are the savage
raiders from the North and West. They strike the Isles without mercy and with
the fastest, lightest, and shallowest ships known.
Ravenna – The Empire of Ravenna, is a corrupt nation, any kind of
vice can be bought or sold here. The empire has been held together and expanded
by generations of strong Emperors and a pragmatic approach to the absorption of
cultures and religions. But while every religion is theoretically equal two
religions have greater standings with the nobility the Arcane Cult of
Ottovacarian Divinity and the Devoted of the Quicksilver Blade. The Arcane Cult
of Ottovacarian Divinity are the only wizards tolerated within Ravenna and
their religious and arcane magic has been honed to help detect and defeat
threats to Ravenna and her rulers. This protection has naturally secured their
prominence, protection, and wealth. The Devoted of the Quicksilver Blade are an
order of militants that worship and train for war. This makes their devotees
the best trained and single minded forces in the empire. Many of in the warrior
class are lay adherents, paying for services and advanced training in combat
arts. This makes them first in line for promotion and elite duties. It is also
rumored that the Devoted have stockpiled and understand the use of weapons from
before the fall of civilization and rise of Ravenna.
Sajavedra – A war torn barely legendary land. Jungles
and abandoned rice fields dot the landscape. Meanwhile energies of a war,
incomprehensible to the people surviving in the Sajavedra today, leech into these
same fields and jungles warping flora and fauna alike. As this blasted and town
landscape loses its connection to the world that was petty ancient gods of the
land are awakening. Their sleep disturbed by the changes happening around them
and the lack of propitiations offered up to them.
Although none of these regions
specifically mentions the ruins of fallen civilizations, I've intentionally
left that out. What technology or ruins are left is up to the game and much easier
to sprinkle into things. But cultures based on history and places takes a
little more planning and inspiration which is all I can hope to achieve with
this post.
My inspiration for the places and
cultures are from many varied sources. Kandah was inspired by Hiero’s
Journey as well as the ‘Brave
New World’ campaign/adventure. Swerzirlind is Switzerland with a dash of
the reformation and theories that Knights Templar hid there to avoid
persecution, now after the fall of civilization they return to rebuild
civilization under their view after thousands of years. Welschlen should obviously be the British
Isles during the War of the Roses with added rebellion and mythic fey from
Ireland. Ghula is Gaul at the peak of the Celtic civilizations. Ravenna was
once the seat of the Roman Empire and this is its rebirth. While the Sajavedra
if taken whole cloth from Kenneth Hite's Qelong
adventure.
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