Setting info and descriptions

[mgbevan]

This thread will contain some basic information about setting for our little campaign.

This adventure takes place beginning with the presumed background knowledge of a common man living around the settlement of Borma. Where exactly the origins of different races or societies come from is not something the average person would know all too much about, but they do observe other races meeting and congregating in Borma.

Borma is a humble but thriving human settlement on the fringes of the Arisen Empire. It’s made its name as a market trading town, marks the edge of human civilisation as it was recently added to the realm of the Arisen Empire about a generation ago. The people here seem very happy to be a part of the Arisen Empire, though they don’t know all that much about it and the Empire only tells them what they need to know for the time being. Nevertheless this has given the people a sense of importance and value to their lives.

The areas surrounding Borma are quite varied. The North West lies water, and the Isle of Wovara across it. The North sees a dominating mountain range. East is flat with mostly dry and dessert terrain. South sees marsh, forest and greener lands. And finally West is the direction of the Capital and human civilisation, villages, towns, dotted farms and pastures.

Borma precise location has been decreed to be 12 marches 085 degrees From the Capital. What this means is 12 days solid military march on a bearing of 085 from the Capital will find lead one to Borma. What that means for regular folk is “not a whole lot”. From the Capital one can get anywhere, but interacting between significant settlements without using the Capital is a little difficult since all directions are issued from the Capital’s perspective. It takes local or special knowledge to navigate effectively without the Capital bearing. This has been quite successful in ensuring that the Capital is the Hub for all lands in the Arisen Empire.

[mgbevan]

See a rough sketch

[mgbevan]

The Arisen Empire encompasses the realm of ‘civilised’ man. The centre is the Capital, a large stone walled city near enough to the delta of a river leading onto the coast. This is a major hub of human activity, however not the only human settlement around, some do exist outside the realm of the Empire, also there are tales of significant settlements and cultures for other races in these lands.

The prevailing religion within the Arisen Empire are the Followers of Aeros. Magic and other religions are tolerated, as long as they do not conflict, but the Followers of Aeros are the reason that the Arisen Empire has come into fruition. They believe in intervening, pre-empting the actions of foes and that the ends justify the means in order to preserve their righteous peace. They appear content and able to justify anything in the name of their religion, and this policy has seen an extended period of peace for man under the Empire. However, not so many years ago a civil war erupted within the Followers of Aeros. There were those that believed that a more friendly and diplomatic approach to relations with other societies was the true path. Starkly contrasting the “crusade and smite now, ask questions later,” traditional approach. The latter group being far more zealous and devout were successful in this conflict and firmly cemented the traditional position. The result of this being that the public is not widely informed about other civilisations and are only told of the glorious crusades, victories and interventions that the Arisen Empire. The residents of the capital are therefore ignorant of other uncivilised peoples and are self-obsessed with their importance. People living on the fringes of the Empire are much more easy going, accepting of others and worldly.

[mgbevan]

The Isle of Wovara is where the majority of adventuring will take place. Residents of Borma have identified Wovara as an untamed and wild place just waiting to be colonised and filled with plentiful riches. Or at least that is the rumour being spread around. The truth is that not many people know what exactly the isle contains because it has not yet been explored by man. A small group of settlers from Borma have moved across the span of water and are attempting to establish the first permanent settlement, named “Port Collins”.

Port Collins is a natural harbour and one of the closer points to Borma making it an easy and obvious point to settle in. It has only existed for just over a year, maybe two years and is very much a fledgling. This does make it an exciting time because so much is developing so fast. Each day another tree is felled or someone makes an improvement to their tent, these small things are seen as important to the people there, it is a small and very tightly knit community.