Well, you know my artistic ability. I'll let you decide if that counts or not.
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Well, you know my artistic ability. I'll let you decide if that counts or not.
Well, once or twice, but it wasn't that good. I'm not the best artist by any stretch of the imagination. Perhaps browse DA for good pictures?
Thing is, the geography of Marregio is pretty specific. Remember the Fogbound river? As it goes south, it joins some other waterways and forms a big lake, about the size of Lake Huron. Look at the map in the OP, see the lake in the bottom left? Marregio is right at the mouth of that river, split across either bank. A spiked chain runs across it, allowing the Prince to tax maritime traffic.
One shore is the "low" side, the Arbor district, slums, warehouses and other stuff would be over there. The other is the "high" district, with the Prince's palace, the university, etc.
Now, believe it or not, not too many people have drawn cities to those specifications. Lots of cool paintings of Paris and the Rockies, though :smalltongue:.
I can draw. I'm pretty confident I'd be able to do a city map, or a landscape of a city, if you needed me to. :smallsmile:
Oh, this is where everyone went. This is what I get for focusing too much. :smallwink: I would say I could draw it, but I honestly don't have a scanner. 'Sides, Wombat is probably better at it than me. And now, to catch up.
Quality work, everyone.
This, and ideas don't grow on trees. You got some of my better ones. I've got one more to add, in a sec.
Sorry about my absence, I recently had a death in the family and it somehow came about that my parents and I were to be the responsible ones. Dunno how that happened.
Anyway, city-texturing in proceeding apace, mostly in the back of school notebooks. I'm also coordinating with the Reasoner to do some military history things.
Well, I'm sorry for the death in the family. Not sure what you mean by your parents and you being blamed for it, but sounds like that sucks too.
Ouch. I'm sorry to hear that. I sincerely hope that everything goes well. If you meant what I think, I hope that the costs of the funeral won't set you and your family too badly off.
Oh, holy christ that came out wrong. Oops oops oops. It was my step-grandfather (the only one I've ever known, he taught me to fish and hunt and garden and cook and everything) who passed, my grandmother is heartbroken and my parents and I are responsible for making all the necessary arrangements, so I'll be pretty busy for the next week or so with that.
Honestly, the guy was an 84-year-old Vietnam veteran who'd fought off three different types of cancer. It wasn't exactly out of the blue.
Thanks for your support, by the way!
So sorry to hear about your loss, man. My thoughts (and May the Force) be with you. :smallsmile:
That indicates a much more healthy family dynamic than it sounded like at first. Still, I'm sorry that he died.
Here we go, themes and threats of some major cities.
Marregio (Biggest port of the Dotze Affariata)
Themes: City on the Sea ; Schools of Sky and Seas, [Something else, it's not coming to me]
Threats: Poverty and Desperation ; Crime Families Rule Here ; Cults Don't Die Quietly.
Llanca (Small, militarized city of the Dotze Affariata)
Themes: Impenetrable City of Walls ; We Control the Mountain Passes ; Metalworking Is In Our Blood.
Threats: Oppressive Government ; Attacked by Goliaths.
Marcelena (Head of the Affariatan Church and diplomatic hub)
Themes: Where The Rich and Powerful Gather; Homeland of the Nameless Prophet ; Precarious Balance of Power.
Threats: Don't Piss Off the Holy Service ; What You Know Can Kill You.
Murenholm (Capital of the Vallheim)
Themes: The Great War Never Ended, Gathering of the Clans, The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
Threats: Peace is Tenuous, The Wild Encroaches, Soleh Wants Us Dead.
More are incoming, and I'll do Faces and Places as well.
I really like this streamlined approach to the different places! It's very accessible.
I'm a huge sucker for a bunch of flavor text (says the guy who's written his own fables for his setting :smalltongue:), but I think it's a great idea to cut right to the chance for the benefit of the GM at the table. Not only does it give vital structure to the setting, but it gives room for the GM to provide his or her own details.
I'll certainly do a bunch of flavor text when I get around to it (the fifth of Someday), but for now I'd rather get my ideas as defined as possible. If people want to throw together some Faces or Places, you're more than welcome to. Pick a Theme or Threat, and come up with a person or place that represents it.
I'm also going to start doing some cultural stuff on top of the cities, in particular the lore of the Vallheim clans, the church of Soleh and the culture of Sunshan. The latter will be shamelessly stolen from the book Under Heaven, by Guy Gavriel Kay. It's good. Read it.
Let's start with Badger Clan, the builders and craftsmen of the Vallheim.
SpoilerAfter Elder War, when the armies of Tiber Gaios Asteri swept the Elder Folk out of the world, there was a period of great darkness. Mountains erupted, belching out smoke and fumes that covered the sky, the Goliath waged wars of conquest against those humans who didn't die of starvation or in the incessant civil wars.
The one sanctuary for the refugees of this violence was in the North. Under the great Shaman Aeodotus Turambar, First King of the Vallheim, all those who fled the suffering of the south could find a home. Under his rule, eleven great leader arose, drawing the refugees together into the Clans of today.
One of these clans was first lead by Balkr Tundo. He lead the construction of the fortifications and early castles that kept the Vallheimers safe from attacks and weather in the early years. His greatest strength, however, was his skill as a smith. Over his years as clan chief, he created seven great artifacts, weapons and armor both, that he wielded in battle to great effect.
One day, he left to hunt down a great beast, some twisted and nameless being that lurked the Elder Wood, and never returned. His seven artifacts were lost, scattered across Patria.
Since that day, the people of Badger Clan have had a position in their ranks dedicated to tracking down and recovering the artifacts of Balkr Tundo, searching through ancient scrolls, traveling into ancient ruins and finding old legends to find some clue as to where they lay.
So far, of the seven, only the spear and cloak have been found. The spear is said to be tipped with the tooth of a dragon, and strikes like a thunderbolt, shearing metal in a blast of heat. The cloak is made of metallic scales and renders the wielder immune to flames. Five others, the helm, sword, shield, boots and belt remain lost.
If anyone gets the Very Potter Musical reference I will love you till the day you die.
I didn't catch it until I was most of the way done. Hufflepuff's mascot is the badger, and they're described as being excellent "finders". What does their most honored position do? Find things. I honestly didn't plan that.
That sounds great! I really enjoy that you basically created a Dungeon Delver prestige class just then. Fantasy Indiana Jones!
As a sign of how long it's been since I thought about this, ya might want to name the four nations and give a brief description in the first post. I forgot the fourth one completely.