Wrath of the Fallen (D&D or Arcana Evolved Campaign)

[Comrade Tortoise]

still in BTW, oh and back from field season

[Cynical Cat]

still in BTW, oh and back from field season

You're the only one to even begin to throw up a character, so the game is going nowhere unless other people create characters.

[Magnus]

Name: Lucas Frostgale

Class: Human Greenbond

What was your family like before the war?

My human mother was a young maiden in a small thorpe when she fell in love with a passing Half-elf hermit. She was seduced and followed him into the forest and lived with him for several years up until my birth. When the war came, my mother's human relatives were all killed. My father, also a Greenbond, moved us regularly to avoid orc bands. Mourning the loss of her family and tiring of the constant moving, my mother left my father and joined the refuge camp where she married a simple cobbler, my step father, a widower whose first wife and children were killed by orcs. What little contact I had with my birth father was limited to occasional animal messengers he'd send.

When I came of age, my father came for me, and gave me a coming of age gift: boots of scouting.

Who did you lose in the war?

When the war started, my mother's thorpe was destroyed by orcs. She and her family are presumed dead.

Who among your family survives?

My father, Fal'rien FrostGale, still lives, though I cannot truly be sure as he moves frequently and appears when it suits him. He's a moderately powerful Greenbond with no interest in the world outside the deep wilds.

My mother is a refugee.

My step father, a cobbler, was enslaved by orcs and liberated by the Rangers. While in slavery he was separated from his original family who and presumes them to be dead.

How did I join the Rangers?

When my father came for me, he warned that the fortress would eventually fall to orcs, and hoped I would find safety hiding in the forests with him. i refused, saying that I would rather die fighting.

My father admonished me for choosing this path as foolish. For my part I though my father selfish and cowardly, for he was a spell caster of notable power, but chose to hide rather than fight. I swore not become like him.

Recognizing that I could not be dissuaded, he gifted me a pair of magical boots that he had crafted along with the following words, "I can't dissuade you from your path, but at least take my counsel. First, choose your battles wisely; fight on your terms when the terrain favours you. Second, take these boots. They'll help you follow my first bit of advice."

With that, I left my father and petitioned to join the Rangers.

stats:

Str 10
Dex 16
Con 16
Int 14
Wis 20
Cha 8

Feats:
Empower Spell Like ability(Infuse with Life)
Blood as Power
Improved Initiative

Gift from my father:

Boots of Oath-Speed (move +30', purpose: scouting) Base price: 2000gp (Based on the spell, Oath of Speed from the Spell Treasury.)

Gear:

Leather Coat
Sickle
Heavy Warclub
Sling with 50 bullets

[frigidmagi]

Bonus points for the use of the thorpe. It's one of those words that ain't used enouhg.

[Cynical Cat]

I've been running this game table top for several weeks now. I'm generally happy with how the game is going, although the roleplaying could be better which either means my players aren't as into it as they've been saying or they've gotten jaded and coasting when it comes to the actual rp part of roleplaying. The experience point cookies for the best rper isn't generating much of a response so I'm going to have to consider alternate methods.

I'll also be opening the bloodgates next session.

[Magnus]

I've been running this game table top for several weeks now. I'm generally happy with how the game is going, although the roleplaying could be better which either means my players aren't as into it as they've been saying or they've gotten jaded and coasting when it comes to the actual rp part of roleplaying. The experience point cookies for the best rper isn't generating much of a response so I'm going to have to consider alternate methods.

I'll also be opening the bloodgates next session.

I'm enjoying the game and hope we get to the upper levels.

I'd request more in-character rewards for role-playing; i.e. plot hooks, followers, property, military rank, social status, titles, fame, and respect from NPCs, etc...

In-character rewards are a powerful incentive in that they are benefits that can ONLY be achieved through role-playing, and which remain after a missed session, whereas one missed session can undo 20-50 weeks of XP cookies. Chris will always have the most XP because he never misses a session. In-character rewards also foster a sense that our characters affect the world in ways other than just killing things.

[Cynical Cat]

I'm enjoying the game and hope we get to the upper levels.

I'd request more in-character rewards for role-playing; i.e. plot hooks, followers, property, military rank, social status, titles, fame, and respect from NPCs, etc...

Well you are currently the only one getting any respect from Strife and will probably be the first one to get an invitation to join the Rangers if that makes you feel any better.

[Magnus]

Well you are currently the only one getting any respect from Strife and will probably be the first one to get an invitation to join the Rangers if that makes you feel any better.

So far, Lucas is more impressed by Mahat (sp?) than by Strife. Perhaps that will change when we see Strife in action.

[Cynical Cat]

Well that's because Mahat is a fairly nice guy and Strife is a bitter Riven Elf who has seen everything he loved burn. There's a reason the Rangers don't use him for diplomatic missions or cultivating recruits and there is a reason he's one of their most respected members. You'll probably see that next session. I completely understand if you still hate him though. He may have his reasons, but he's still a complete asshole.

[Magnus]

Well that's because Mahat is a fairly nice guy and Strife is a bitter Riven Elf who has seen everything he loved burn. There's a reason the Rangers don't use him for diplomatic missions or cultivating recruits and there is a reason he's one of their most respected members. You'll probably see that next session. I completely understand if you still hate him though. He may have his reasons, but he's still a complete asshole.

I wouldn't have given Strife my last 800gp of verihas leaf if I'd hated him.

Lucas' issue is that Strife has given up hope. He is focused on revenge, more than victory. Strife seems bent on suicide by orc, and Lucas worries that he might take the rangers down with him.

Lucas takes the long view on this war. A kill ratio of 10:1 won't win this war if orcs out breed us 11:1, therefore breeding is a moral imperative. My courting of the village girl, Penny, is not a distraction from the war; it is an extension of the fight. Training youth and creating future heroes is essential to long term victory. The Ilghazul understands this, and is investing resources into developing and training his own elite heros. Mahat understands this, and has invested some time in training us. Strife either does not understand this, or does not care.

Lucas respects wisdom more than power, and Mahat appears to be the wiser leader.

[Cynical Cat]

Actually Strife does take the long view. He wants to drag the orcs into the same grave as his people. That's why he's so intolerant of sloppy thinking or mistakes. He knows the numbers are against them. Rangers are respected, their advice sought out. Rangers who are less than brilliant are simply not good enough at their jobs to be Rangers. They'll get too many people killed.

[frigidmagi]

Damn this campaign sounds fun.

[Magnus]

Actually Strife does take the long view. He wants to drag the orcs into the same grave as his people. That's why he's so intolerant of sloppy thinking or mistakes. He knows the numbers are against them. Rangers are respected, their advice sought out. Rangers who are less than brilliant are simply not good enough at their jobs to be Rangers. They'll get too many people killed.

Mahat is good enough to be a Ranger, no thanks to Strife, who stated that even a young Mahat wasn't worth his time.

Mahat has already demonstrated his ability to give good advice. Strife has yet to demonstrate anything more than attitude. Obviously Mahat respects Strife, and that's reason enough for Lucas not to rush to judgment. Perhaps Mahat is giving us the orc-killing 101 course, and Strife is looking for PhD candidates.

Any chance you'd throw up some more general game world information.

[Magnus]

By the way, Lucas will probably be unconscious while Strife get his chance to impress the party. I'm going to a wedding in Toronto this weekend. Try not to TPK the party without me.

[Cynical Cat]

Nations of the South

Elamanth, The Middle North

Located to the south and east of high Chessentia, Elamanth is culturally and ethnically a mix of north and south. The mountains give away to hills and forests and then to open plains and the coast. Elamanth used to derive much of its wealth from trade, but with the fall of the north that wellspring has dried up.

As is the case in much of the south the great magnates own vast tracks of lands and many of the common folk are tenant farmers on their estates. Fearsome and fell handed horse lords, oathsworn vassals of their masters, serve both counts and king.

Caste and wealth decide the destiny of individuals and while their is mobility, much of it is downward not upward. The south sees Elamanth as foreign and rough while the north used to see the Elamanth as corrupt, decadent, and cruel. Alone of the nations of the south Elamanth understands the true import of the fall of the north and for the last decade has driven itself toward war. A huge army and many militias have been formed from the common folk to augment the might of the horse lords and mercenary companies from all over the south find employment in this land as the wealth of the land is poured into trying to ensure its survival.

Kaden, Queen of the South

Stretching from the Great Peaks to the Azure Sea, Kaden is the greatest of the southern nations. Ruled from the coastal city of Avenicus, Kaden is a true empire incorporating a half dozen nationalities under one banner. Local custom and religion are usually left alone as long as proper fealty and obedience are payed to the overlord and his officials.

Culturally Kaden embodies they caste and class based southern societies. Everyone has their place from overlord to bureaucrat to soldier to slave. In the north of the country things are less rigid due to their cultural heritage. For the most part southerners are uncomfortable with nonhumans and believe women to be subject to the will of men, although the city folk tend to be more cosmopolitan. When not tangled in red tape, Kaden's legal and tax systems are fairer than most.

Sulma, Land of a Hundred Kings

To the west of Kaden is Sulma and in Sulma the throne is week. The great nobles and their household of horse lords hold more power than the elected king and rule their lands as if they were kings themselves.

In Sulma caste and class matter less than in other nations in the south and the character of the local lord matters much more. Sulma has twice been attacked by Kaden and has survived being conquered by its larger neighbor by a combination of a natural barrier in the form of rocky hills, well placed fortresses, national unity in the face of a conqueror and good luck with the last being the deciding factor both times.

Morovana

The wide open plains and steppes of Morovana have bred horsemen like no others on the world. Their steeds and famed and their riders are legend. Caste and class mean much less hear as many common men own horses and have learned how to ride and handle weapons as boys. From lowest to highest Morovana can field more skilled horse warriors per capita than any nation in history.

They need it. While their neighbor to the east in Sulma and not a threat, to the north lies the orcs. Half a decade of raiding has tought the Morovanians that although the orc ponies are slower and smaller than their own horses as that orc warriors are not their equal as horsemen, both have great endurance and the orcs have boundless ferocity and cruel cunning. While they do not truly grasp the magnitude of the orc threat, they understand that their new neighbors are an unpleasant bunch.

[Cynical Cat]

So my players got a teleport up north and are going through the haunted forest that was once the realm of the high elves with the intent of stopping the orc looting expedition that they know will be coming. They've found undead search and destroy teams, the ruins of ancient buildings, and piles of bones marking the places of ancient massacres.

[Cynical Cat]

The Life of an Orc

Female orcs are chattel, either that of their father or their husband. At age ten they are sold (literally) to another orc and began domestic service in their husband's household, farm labour, and bearing children. From age ten to twenty an orc female will usually bare four to six liters of three or four orcs each. It isn't unusual for one or two of the babies to be born dead. From age twenty to thirty the female's fertility is in decline and supposing she doesn't die in childbirth, will probably bear three or four more liters.

By age thirty they are no longer fertile and their status in the household declines significantly. Few live to forty and none to fifty.

Male orcs are born with status dependent upon that of their father. They aspire to live the life of a warrior, although the bottom are stuck in a menial class of farmers and miners. Worker boys who are both strong enough and savage enough can rise to warrior status. By age ten an orc is considered fit for war, by age twelve he has completed most of his growth and by fifteen he is in his prime.

By age thirty an orc's physical prowess has begun to decline. To a certain extent reputation and acquired knowledge and wisdom can offset the rigors of aging, but by forty an orc is no longer able to lead. Loyal sons or a reputation for cunning can extend an orc's existence at a comparatively high status level as a teacher or an adviser, but these are the twilight years. A male orc is almost invariably dead by fifty.

Orcs support few parasitic professions, disdaining them along with the activities that separate civilization from barbarism. Smithing, mining, farming, and most especially war are the endeavours they focus upon. Art, architecture, and literature join soothsayers, poets, beggars, and courtiers on the pyre,

[Magnus]

Orcs marry? What happens to widows?

If Orc females die before their last few litters mature, what happens to the orphaned litters? Fuel for the pyre?

[Cynical Cat]

Orcs marry? What happens to widows?

Depends. Still breeding age or have useful skills? Then someone will take her although her status won't be high.

If Orc females die before their last few litters mature, what happens to the orphaned litters? Fuel for the pyre?

Don't be silly. The kids are valuable, even if only as slaves. There's also blood ties. If your badass warrior brother croaks it, raising his sons (and selling off his daughters) is worth it.

[Cynical Cat]

Terminology

Chessentian

Knight of the High Crown: An order of knights accountable only to the crown, charged with protecting the realm and maintaining justice throughout the land. Highly respected.

Magister: A term of respect for a skilled spellcaster. Derived from the elven term exemplar

Ranger: Wardens of the land, scouts, assassins, and High Chessentia's first line of defence.

Thane: An elite warrior, often but not necessarily knights or rangers.


Elven

Arrevant: The High Elven grand assembly, a governing, judicial, and advisory council.

Ethenarch: Ruler of the High Elves. Accountable to the Arrevant.

Exalt: A great warrior or magician in whom great trust is placed. Often an officer or a legate of the Ethenarch.

Exemplar: An elite warrior, whether with spells or weapons. Roughly comparable to the term knight.

Dwarven

Thane: a respectful form of address appropriate to a master craftsman, a veteran warrior, magician, or minor noble.


Southern

Horse Lord: Loosely equivalent to the concept of a knight. Horse lords are a military class of minor service nobility in service to a ruler or magnate. They do not have a feudal grant of property, but are supported by their liege

Magnate: The class of wealthy nobles with considerable land holding and large number of vassals and warriors. They are subordinate to the crown, but collectively hold a great deal of political power

[Magnus]

If Orc females die before their last few litters mature, what happens to the orphaned litters? Fuel for the pyre?

Don't be silly. The kids are valuable, even if only as slaves. There's also blood ties. If your badass warrior brother croaks it, raising his sons (and selling off his daughters) is worth it.

What happens when the mother dies? Does the harem take over the child-rearing? Somehow I can't see orc females devoting much energy to the brood of a deceased rival wife.

P.S. I have a Christmas party this Saturday and will miss next session.

[Cynical Cat]

What happens when the mother dies? Does the harem take over the child-rearing? Somehow I can't see orc females devoting much energy to the brood of a deceased rival wife.

Of course they don't favor the kids a dead rival. The kids slide the status totem pole, depending on how much daddy liked the dead wife and how valuable the kids are. A potential champion or a hot (by orc standards) girl are still going to have a lot of status. Of course accidents happen and orcs play rough.

[frigidmagi]

How many Castes are there?

Ork question, how do the sibs treat each other? Do brothers ever look out for their sisters? Is every brother against each other or would one favor a brother who had the same mother?

[Cynical Cat]

The only culture with a caste system is the South. Orcs inherit the socioeconomic status of their father if he favors them (and doesn't sell them into slavery), but there's a lot of mobility in the system.

Orc sibling relations vary. They can be affectionate and loyal, but they're also competition and rivalry. Orc society is rough on males, harder on females, and contemptous of weakness. Until the last two generations, bloody competition over resources was the norm whether between family members, families, or tribes. Sibling relations therefore tend to be uglier than those of other races.

[frigidmagi]

The only culture with a caste system is the South.

That's the Caste system I'm asking about sorry should have been clearer.

So it's not standard for brothers to look out for sisters is what I'm getting.