The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

[Timeless Error]

I'm just dropping in to say that I've been following this project for a while, and I like what you've done with the setting immensely. Great work!

[Zap Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Trellan

An easy solution (and very Japanese-influenced) is to simply make rank a part of a lord's name. If you want to avoid super long names, a person can take a new name upon achieving their position (not an uncommon practice in Japanese history, either). The "lord names" could work with a personal prefix or suffix added to a root determined by rank.

I can get down with the idea of adding more names as one climbs higher in rank (Nobunaga is an example), but I don't think I like the pre-/suffix thing. That seems like a really "Arabian" thing to do, but I'll probably use something like that for another realm I've been thinking of. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Trellan

Of course, if you name places after their living owners, you'll have a really confusing system that is hard to keep track of through history. It's also pretty much certain that common folk would just make their own name for the places to save themselves the hassle.

Righto on both counts. That situation also seems to imply a high degree of sophistication in the social system, which I'm not certain that I want. Japan was the same way, but I think I'd like to strike a little more of a balance between Japanese and Norse society in this case.

BTW, thanks Timeless Error! Have you seen the campaign I'm running at the moment?

[Timeless Error]

Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic

BTW, thanks Timeless Error! Have you seen the campaign I'm running at the moment?

As a matter of fact, I have seen that! Would you mind terribly if I followed along to see how things play out?

[Zap Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Timeless Error

As a matter of fact, I have seen that! Would you mind terribly if I followed along to see how things play out?

Go right ahead! That would be great!

I've been having a LOT of brainstorming with the rest of these settings, and I've come to some conclusions. The Blackwood has been my exercise in making small settings, and I think I'm ready to play with the variables.

I've got at least four more locations to visit: Koss, Cerai, the Windy Isles, and the Duchies of the Sea Lords. I know I want Koss to be small, I'm toying around with it being some kind of important middle-ground, like Switzerland or Monaco or something. I've got a basketful of ideas for both Cerai and the Windy Isles, and their going to have to be a bit bigger.

So this is my plan:

• 1. Blackwood - A campaign setting covering a region.
• 2. Koss - A campaign setting covering a small kingdom (~144 sq. miles).
• 3. Cerai: A campaign setting contained with a single, huge city.
• 4. The Windy Isles: A campaign setting contained in a vast island kingdom.
• 5. The Duchies: A campaign setting spanning several countries.

My hope is that by going into smaller and smaller areas, I'll become familiar with the detail necessary to make an entire kingdom (Windy Isles) a really cool place.

[Savannah]

Ooh, I can't wait to see what you do with Cerai! I've always wanted a giant city campaign setting, but I've never quite managed to figure out where to start.

[Zap Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Savannah

Ooh, I can't wait to see what you do with Cerai! I've always wanted a giant city campaign setting, but I've never quite managed to figure out where to start.

Thanks! I got the idea because I had all the stuff for a country (but didn't want to tackle the project), so I was like "Well, why don't I take all the stuff from this country, and put it all in one, iconic city?" I think I had just watched The Legend of Korra or something.

[Othesemo]

I'm just gonna pop in and say that I love this setting. It strikes me as sort of Neil Gaiman-esque (sort of like stardust, except much smaller), and I've greatly enjoyed reading it (great job on the map, btw).

Actually, this happens to be one of the things that inspired me to actually go out and attempt my own campaign setting. And if it can inspire me to expend any sort of meaningful energy, it's clearly very well made.

[Zap Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Othesemo

I'm just gonna pop in and say that I love this setting. It strikes me as sort of Neil Gaiman-esque (sort of like stardust, except much smaller), and I've greatly enjoyed reading it (great job on the map, btw).

Actually, this happens to be one of the things that inspired me to actually go out and attempt my own campaign setting. And if it can inspire me to expend any sort of meaningful energy, it's clearly very well made.

Thanks! I just posted a little bit of information about weapons in the OOC thread for the campaign I'm running. I suppose I should post those here as well...

In terms of development on new areas, I'm coming up with ideas left and right for all of these settings. It's been pretty hard to focus on any particular area. The more I brainstorm, the less I seem to be thinking about Koss. I'd like to get it out of the way first, but I also don't want to just throw something together. We'll see how things pan out.

[Zap Dynamic]

Here's the stuff I wrote about weapons. Now that I have a chance to re-read it, I guess it's almost like looking at weapons (or schools of weapons) being represented kind of like deities in the 3.5 PHB.

----

There are many different kinds of weapons in the Blackwood, but four are most common, and another is worth mentioning. The four most common weapons in the Blackwood are the longsword, falchion, spear, and staff.

Spoiler

The Longsword is known as a noble weapon, and is the favorite of soldiers, lords, and students of the blade. The warrior scholars of Sky Pillar are considered to be the masters of the longsword. It is most typically made for one hand, with a blade around 30 inches in length, and is very similar to the Oakeshott Type XIII blades. Larger swords exist (mainly in standing armies), but this is by far the most prevalent. Except during battle, it is rare to see warriors armored in anything heavier than leather and mail; this sword is small enough to allow for the finesse of lightly-armored combat, as well as the use of a shield or parrying tool in the off hand. Combat with a longsword takes place almost at arm's length, and features thrusts and jabs as well as slashes. Devotees of the longsword can become masters of position and the riposte.

The Falchion is well-known as both a tool and a weapon. It is almost the same size as the longsword, but its blade is slightly curved, and broader at the tip than the base. It works well in combat, but also excels as an axe or machete. For these reasons, it is popular amongst hunters, bandits, and explorers. The Sentinels are famous for their mastery of the falchion, and wield it in tandem with a buckler. Visually, it's a cross between an actual falchion and a chinese dao. Combat is much tighter with a falchion than a longsword, and are almost always slashes. Devotees of the falchion can become masters of spinning past their opponents' defenses to deliver a wicked blow.

Because of how easy it is to construct, the Spear abounds on and off the battlefield. Hunters use them on large, dangerous game, guards are especially fond of them, and spearmen make up the bulk of infantry. The Spearwood Brotherhood are the spear's renowned masters. Most spears are six feet long, though they can be as long as 13 or as short as four feet. All spears are affixed with a tassel, and combat with a spear is cautious and confusing. Opponents are kept at length, and the tassel makes the spear's head difficult to track.

The most basic of these four weapons is the Staff. Commoners that wield blades often choose to use a falchion, but most commoners can't afford to own a sword, nor do they have training to use it. The staff, on the other hand, is exceptionally easy to construct, and requires very little experience to wield. Almost every commoner carries a staff at one point, and several have developed a basic set of maneuvers for it. There are rumors that a village in the Elder Kingdom is full of humble masters of the staff. It is usually five feet long, but size varies widely amongst this weapon that is sometimes nothing more than a tree branch. Combat with a staff is simplicity at its finest, and grants a sense of control to the practitioner.

The fifth weapon worth mentioning is the Antler Knife. Originally a weapon of the pagan wild, its design has evolved from the antlers of a stag to cold iron. It was originally popular amongst bandits, though it has come to be widely used amongst the poor and desperate in cities as well. It resembles two overlapping half-circles, and it is often used in pairs. There are many masters of the Antler Knife, but the skill of the bandits of the Bracken is notorious throughout the Blackwood. Combat with antler knives is fast and relentless, and masters of the weapon can be a whirlwind of blades.

[Zap Dynamic]

War in the Blackwood
Or, why an isolated realm has armored soldiers

The Blackwood is full of dangerous creatures and magical beasts. Though the forest itself is vast, human presence in the Blackwood is confined to a few relatively narrow corridors. There are no wide, open plains as in other regions, and there is not even an abundance of level ground. All of these elements combine to create an atmosphere that discourages open warfare, and yet the various lords of the Blackwood each have their standing armies. Why do these armies exist, and what do they look like?

Organization

Spoiler

Each major city of the Blackwood has its own soldiers, to defend against attack from bandits, pagans, and--rarely--other cities of the Blackwood. Most of these are made up of volunteers from the populace, though many cities have been known to conscript soldiers from time to time. Each city's army is commanded by the lord of that city.

These armies are made up of a small core of professional soldiers called knights (typically members of noble families or select adventurers) augmented at need by a much larger conscription force. All cities are home to a knightly order made up of between 50-150 knights, enough to deal with any problems the city may have. Knights hone their skills in the city training yards, and are often called upon by the lord of the city to ride out in defense of the people of the Blackwood.

By their nature, the number of conscripted soldiers in service to a lord varies depending on the population of the city and whether the city is currently in conflict. The cities of the Blackwood rarely fight amongst each other, but it has been known to happen. A conscripted soldier serves until his lord has no further need of him, and is often little more than a commoner. No city has a greater standing army than Freeport, which numbers almost 2,200 warriors.

In addition to armies, the cities of the Blackwood each have their own guard. The commander of the city guard is often one of the city's knights, and the guards themselves can be aspiring professional soldiers or merely young men looking for adventurous work. These guards make up a regulatory force in the cities. They are tasked with the city's security, from the city gates to street-level crime. Most cities have one guardsman for every 150 citizens, though the city of Span (understandably) has many more.

Far more popular amongst the people of the Blackwood is the mercenary band. Hundreds of these groups cling to the cities and trade ways, offering protection or threatening safety according to their virtue or depravity. Most of these mercenary bands are known either for a particular weapon, or a particular style of combat, and members of each band outfit themselves with weapons and armor according to their tradition. In some cases, mercenaries settle in a village or town to provide their services in exchange for food and shelter. In all cases, mercenary bands fall outside the realm of the knightly orders, even when knights join (or even found) their own mercenary band.

Equipment

Spoiler

Knights are by far the most thoroughly equipped of the warriors of the Blackwood. According to his station, every knight has a suit of light plate (which includes a full suit of chain mail), two weapons of his choosing, a horse, and a shield. However, most knights can afford much more equipment, and may have access to a private armory.

Outside of the knightly orders, armor is rare in the Blackwood. When one might contend with the legendary strength of trolls, all mortals would be well-advised to avoid blows rather than withstand them. That said, there is no shortage of bandits, pagans, and other folk whose weapons are all but useless against armor, so prudent adventurers often seek out a suit of leather or chain if they can afford it.

Horses are rare throughout the Blackwood. Sentinels, mercenary bands, and traders make their living by traveling the breadth of the Blackwood, and a horse can be a valuable investment for these folk. Beyond this, knights are afforded a horse for travel, but the idea of a warhorse is foreign to the folk of the Wood. Even when a knight is assaulted on horseback, his first instinct is to put his own two feet on the ground.

In the case of conscripted soldiers, their lord only has access to so many resources. A few soldiers can be outfitted by the city armory or by the lord himself, though most soldiers wear precious little more than padded armor and a kettle helm. Even though most woodfolk have a staff or heirloom falchion to protect themselves, riverfolk lead a generally peaceful life, and those conscripted soldiers who bring their own weapons to combat generally wield old, rusted blades. Staffs, for all their utility, are considered a poor choice for battlefield weaponry.

Deployment

Spoiler

The people of the Blackwood exist as a host of cities unified against the darkness and danger of the forest, but they do come into conflict with one another from time to time. One of the more famous examples was the Siege of Span, where members of the nobility of Three Rivers laid siege to the cliffside city for a fortnight. The cause of this futile conflict was a young, rambunctious nobleman of Span, who had seduced a young maiden of the nobility of Three Rivers, and had got her with child.

Typical of Blackwoods warfare, the knights and soldiers of Three Rivers formed a blockade across the Way, and most combat took place either on board the ships themselves, or in the camps posted on either bank to guard the blockade's flank. Warriors clashed in small melees and solitary duels. Horses were used strictly for carrying messages to and from the battlefield commanders, and archery played an important role on both sides of the battle.

Fortunately for the conscripted soldier, these inter-city battles are mercifully rare. A riverman may live his whole life without seeing himself or any of his companions conscripted into service, and a lord can generally accomplish his martial needs with a ranging of his knights. Because of this, knights of the Blackwood are much better at fighting alone or in small groups than as part of a larger army, and most tacticians from the Blackwood have no mind for large-scale engagements.

In sum, conflict in the Blackwood has more to do with personal combat than large groups of infantry, and usually comes only at the end of a dogged pursuit or guerrilla campaign. Armor can be a life-saving investment, but heavier armors are often too cumbersome to be practical in most situations.

[Zap Dynamic]

Currently watching Beowulf. No matter what, the Petty Kingdoms will feature a lot of freestyle drinking songs of praise. And for skalds, they will be rap battles.

The Eddas embody the majesty of the past. They are welcome in every hall, whether to play the ancient melodies of the people, or to relate the legends and myths of the folk of Vindland. They give the warmth of pride with word and tune.

The Skalds embody the vigor of the present. They are welcome in every hall, whether to display their skill with lyre, flute, and drum, or to sing the praises of their jarl. They are notoriously competitive, and can't resist testing their skill against any fellow skald they cross.

While I'm at it, let's talk about halls. Every jarl has a hall, which serves not only as his home, but as the feasting place for the city. When the city is too large to house all its inhabitants under a single roof, the jarl will often permit his greatest thanes to construct their own hall in his city. The largest cities boast dozens of halls, though most rarely have more than three. In cities that are too small to house a jarl, they merely have a communal feasting hall. If a thane happens to take residence in the city, he is often housed in the hall for as long as stays.

Because everyone in a city takes their meals in the hall, the culture of Vindland is highly social. The strict rules and distinct social hierarchy of the north can be seen in the larger cities, where only the wealthiest and most influential may attend the grandest halls. In these halls, even small slights--such as wearing the wrong shade of cloth--can result in permanent social disgrace.

Also: I'm toying around with names for the continents, as well as the setting itself.

Creation: Simple, to the point. Kinda like the setting.
Bereth: From the Hebrew bere****h, "in the beginning." The current dominant culture is a mix of medieval france and ancient hebrew tradition, so it makes sense they would name the world in their own language.
Olust: From the Turkish oluşturma, "creation." The language of the dominant culture before the current one is basically Turkish, and maybe the word they used for the world is still in use.

Thoughts?

[Landis963]

Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic

Currently watching Beowulf. No matter what, the Petty Kingdoms will feature a lot of freestyle drinking songs of praise. And for skalds, they will be rap battles.

Sounds great. I can just picture two bards angrily improvising a contentious duet over the issue at hand.

Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic

The Eddas embody the majesty of the past. They are welcome in every hall, whether to play the ancient melodies of the people, or to relate the legends and myths of the folk of Vindland. They give the warmth of pride with word and tune.

The Skalds embody the vigor of the present. They are welcome in every hall, whether to display their skill with lyre, flute, and drum, or to sing the praises of their jarl. They are notoriously competitive, and can't resist testing their skill against any fellow skald they cross.

Are there seers or something to embody the possibility of the future?

Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic

Also: I'm toying around with names for the continents, as well as the setting itself.

Creation: Simple, to the point. Kinda like the setting.
Bereth: From the Hebrew bere****h, "in the beginning." The current dominant culture is a mix of medieval france and ancient hebrew tradition, so it makes sense they would name the world in their own language.
Olust: From the Turkish oluşturma, "creation." The language of the dominant culture before the current one is basically Turkish, and maybe the word they used for the world is still in use.

Thoughts?

Bereth and Olust sound like great names, although I'm a bit unclear as to whether these are the names of the continent, the internal name for the Petty Kingdoms, or what they are.

[Zap Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Landis963

Are there seers or something to embody the possibility of the future?

Right now, the only future tellers I have are the three fates, who sit at the peak of the highest mountain in the petty kingdoms. Vald, the god of will and warfare, sits next to them, and watches as they weave reality from their magic skeins. That said, there's a strong precedent in Norse culture for using runes for divination.

Originally Posted by Landis963

Bereth and Olust sound like great names, although I'm a bit unclear as to whether these are the names of the continent, the internal name for the Petty Kingdoms, or what they are.

This would actually be the internal name for the landmass that's home to the Blackwood, Cerai, Koss, and the Duchies. The landmass of the Petty Kingdoms is across a narrow northern sea, and the land is called Vindland, the land of wind.

[Landis963]

Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic

This would actually be the internal name for the landmass that's home to the Blackwood, Cerai, Koss, and the Duchies. The landmass of the Petty Kingdoms is across a narrow northern sea, and the land is called Vindland, the land of wind.

If I take your meaning correctly, i.e. that "internal" refers here to what the Petty Kingdoms call the land of the Blackwood, then it would depend on when the populations of the two landmasses came into contact. Basically, the old culture would name it Olust, and the present culture would name if Bereth.

If your meaning is instead what the people of the Blackwood call the landmass that they live on, I think that calling it Olust would work best, simply because of the point you brought up earlier, that they might still use the same name for their continent. EDIT: of course, Bereth would work just as well.

EDIT2: argleflargle stupid server not posting my stupid message grumblegrumble

[Zap Dynamic]

After doing a little bit of reading, I think I'm going to go with Olust. At any rate, I'll be choosing a name that comes from one of the earlier languages. "Europe," from example, comes from what the Greeks called the continent. I don't currently have a Greek-equivalent culture for the setting (and I'm not certain that I will... it would feel too anachronistic to me), but I'll find something suitably old.

While I'm posting, I've been doing a lot of thinking about the Petty Kingdoms, specifically their worldview. From the beginning, I wanted the Petty Kingdoms to be a mash-up of norse and feudal japanese cultures. However, one of the gods (who is roughly equivalent to Odin and Thor), is going to be an affectionate tip o' the hat to Nietzsche, one of the most important philosophers in my own worldview. In an attempt to blend norse mythology with Nietzschean thought, here's what I've got:

---

The Norns are three spirits that take the form of old women. They dwell at the feet of Vald, god of willpower and war, at the summit of the tallest mountain in the Petty Kingdoms. Together, the Norns weave the tapestry of reality.

The Great Wind is an event at the end of time, when all the hosts of the Ice Giants will pour out of the frozen north. So great will be their onslaught that every human soul that has ever been born into this world must heed the call of duty and rise against them, and so when a person dies, their soul waits in a great hall in the afterlife.

Here, the tapestry woven by the Norns is hung from every wall, and each soul must look at the course of their life represented in the tapestry. So perfect is the weave of the Norns that tracing the path of one's life is much like living it once more. When a soul has reached the end of their part of the tapestry, their memory fades, and they must begin tracing the path again.

Because each soul spends the afterlife reliving their time in the world again and again, it is important that their life be worth reliving. Those that lead unremarkable or inauthentic lives cannot bear the weight of their shame, and the madness that ensues makes them unfit to join in the battle of the Great Wind.

So, from the time that a Vindlander is born into the world, they are taught to purify their willpower, and to focus it completely on whichever path they choose. Some become warriors or poets, others become craftsmen or laborers, and some even choose to devote themselves to their families instead of their trade. Regardless, each understands that for their dedication to wane will condemn their soul to eternal torment, and bring the Ice Giants that much closer to victory when the end of this world comes.

Such dedication takes as many forms as their are people. Some are stern and resolute. Others are passionate and--some would say--reckless. Still others cultivate a serene stillness in mind and body. Regardless, each knows that to stray from the path of willpower means an eternity of suffering, and eventual end of the world.

---

Thoughts?

[Othesemo]

Somebody else reads Nietzsche?! Let's see- you got Eternal recurrence, and you (thankfully) left out the Ubermensch. I could only be happier if you managed to throw in something about the Apollonians and Dionysians.

Anyways, I love it. It is everything that I think a mythology should be, and lends itself to a wonderful (and interesting) culture. I can think of no immediate criticism.

[Heian]

Actually he introduced a bit of Wille Zur Macht which is the natural theoretical daughter of the Ubermenshung (Or How the hell it's meant to be written! XD)

...and that's pretty cool !!

[Eldest]

My happy-go-lucky, unable-to-focus self would be screwed in that setting. Ah, well.

[Zap Dynamic]

Thanks for the feedback! As far as the ubermensch in concerned, I think there's still room for it. As I understand, the ubermensch is the like the next step in human progress. With that in mind, maybe there are people in-world who think that victory over the Ice Giants during the Great Wind will bring about a paradise where all people live according to their perfect will, which gives them a telos to work toward.

Eldest, you bring up a good point. Even though the culture is focused on rules, hierarchy, honor, and the perfection of one's willpower, I think there' plenty of room for lightheartedness. I think The Last Samurai is a good example. Elaborated in the spoiler below, just in case:

Spoiler

Katsumoto and his samurai are rebels that know they probably won't survive to the end of the movie. They still train every day, but they also pursue their own hobbies. Katsumoto gets up on stage and performs in that play, and seems to be really enjoying himself. His son--though he's a consummate archer--is a very happy guy, and laughing seems to be one of his favorite things.

I picture Vindland being similar. In larger cities, the upper class might lose sight of the importance of happiness and leisure, but things pan out differently in the smaller towns and villages. Just as in life, I imagine there being a sense of pride and contentment in the smaller communities, whether they make up an entire village, or just a neighborhood in a larger city. Long story short, the stereotypical zen-calm of feudal Japan is something I'd like to capture, but I'd be a fool to ignore the zest and happiness that is so often portrayed in viking stories, too.

---

I was thinking a little more about names for the main continent. The Duchies of the Sea Lords is the remnant of an ancient civilization that spanned the continent more than 1000 years before the current time in the setting. Their language is based on Turkish, and I really want to name the continent in their own words.

In keeping with the etymology for Europe (hyperlinked in my previous post), here's what I'm thinking:

geniş - "wide" in Turkish
arazi - "land" in Turkish
= Genara, or "Wide Land"

This is basically the same etymology as "Europe." As a bonus, the Sea Lords got their start on a huge chain of islands in the southern sea, so it would make sense that they would consider the main continent to be especially wide.

[Eldest]

"This is a rather large island!"
-Sea Lord finding the continent.

[Othesemo]

To be honest, I think it would be in Nietzsche's best interests to leave it out. For reasons beyond me, people seem to assume that his entire 15+ years of serious work can be distilled into that one word, when in reality he spends something like three sentences actually talking about it. I think it would be doing Nietzsche a disservice to try to fit it in (though you're free to do what you like, of course).

Also, I like the etymology. As you may have surmised from my setting, I'm a big fan of names actually having a linguistic meaning, rather than being seen by their creators as a contest to fit the most R's, G's and K's into one word.

[arkham618]

Somewhere in this Samurai Viking mashup there has to be a wandering blind masseur with a curious walking stick and a penchant for gambling.

[Zap Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Eldest

"This is a rather large island!"
-Sea Lord finding the continent.

Hahaha, that's about right! While I'm thinking about the Sea Lords, they're supposed to be a mash-up of late Roman Empire decadence, arabic culture (drawing especially from the 1,001 nights), and--as you know--they use Turkish as a language.

I know I want them to have a history of dyeing their skin when they reach adulthood, so they look something like this (warning: not strictly SFW):

Spoiler

Spoiler

That's actually a pretty good example of how they dress, too. Not a lot of clothing (usually topless whether men or women), bright colors, and lots of golden jewelry (right now, the islands are the only place where gold is harvested).

Originally Posted by Othesemo

To be honest, I think it would be in Nietzsche's best interests to leave it out.

Also, I like the etymology. As you may have surmised from my setting, I'm a big fan of names actually having a linguistic meaning, rather than being seen by their creators as a contest to fit the most R's, G's and K's into one word.

I agree with your thoughts on the ubermensch. If it makes an appearance at all, it will probably only be a sentence that says something like "if the Vindlanders prevail during the Great Wind, the world that comes after will be an earthly paradise."

I'm a huuuuuuuge fan of etymology. I tend to butcher things like grammar and syntax when I'm coming up with place names for settings, but they're not supposed to be real-world languages anyway, so I don't mind.

Originally Posted by arkham618

Somewhere in this Samurai Viking mashup there has to be a wandering blind masseur with a curious walking stick and a penchant for gambling.

Sounds like a great idea for a PC! A habit I've started with the Blackwood (and would like to maintain for the other settings in this world) is to keep the "iconics" and "heroes" to a bare minimum. I want PCs to be the ones telling the most interesting stories.

I know it seems like I'm talking a lot about Vindland, and I know I said I wanted to work on either Koss or Cerai first. I've still thought about both of those places, I just haven't bothered to write much down about them.

Cerai, for instance, will have at least three regions. Each of them will look more or less the same, but each will also have a specialty. The southernmost region will border a vast desert. This is where the capital is located, and horsemanship and glasswork will be the iconic activities here. Lots of races and jousts, and tons of buildings that are made mostly (or entirely) out of glass. The northernmost region will focus more on swordsmanship, and the region in the middle will probably have a famous college of music.

[Wyntonian]

Originally Posted by arkham618

Somewhere in this Samurai Viking mashup there has to be a wandering blind masseur with a curious walking stick and a penchant for gambling.

...This is a reference to a character from a Japanese television series Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman.

It's pretty great.

He has a cane sword.

[Zap Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Wyntonian

...This is a reference to a character from a Japanese television series Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman.

It's pretty great.

He has a cane sword.

Hahaha, I know, I just wasn't explicit. I think it'd be a lot of fun to have a character like that, I'd just rather it was a PC.

[arkham618]

Originally Posted by Wyntonian

...This is a reference to a character from a Japanese television series Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman.

It's pretty great.

He has a cane sword.

There were a couple of dozen feature-length films, too.

[The Anarresti]

So, y'all might like to know, I started another Blackwood game, as the DM. My real life group broke up, and I've been itching to DM, so this is perfect.
It's a little different, mostly in that the Elder King has been deposed and has been replaced by a Wicked Witch archetype.
See here:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245465

[Zap Dynamic]

Originally Posted by The Anarresti

So, y'all might like to know, I started another Blackwood game, as the DM. My real life group broke up, and I've been itching to DM, so this is perfect.
It's a little different, mostly in that the Elder King has been deposed and has been replaced by a Wicked Witch archetype.
See here:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245465

Ha! Awesome! I'm flattered. I'll be following it with interest!

[Wyntonian]

So, I'm considering playing in the aforementioned Blackwood game, but I'd like to do my homework.

I was thinking an Initiate Zealot, the paladin-analog with minor casting and turning. That seems to blend well with the Unified priesthood, I believe. So, what would be the biggest help would be an outline of the philosophy, beliefs and general outlook of a priest-turned-warrior of Mareal Turi, with as many specifics, quirks, rites, whatever, as possible, as well as what their reaction to having an Evil Witch Queen (tm) in the Elder Kingdom would be.

A couple specific questions:

• Do the Unified have any sort of confession-type rite? Related to my character concept.
• What sort of Domains would Mareal Turi be associated with? Light? Glory? Sound? War?

[Pokonic]

Originally Posted by arkham618

Somewhere in this Samurai Viking mashup there has to be a wandering blind masseur with a curious walking stick and a penchant for gambling.

The walking stick is a shapeshifter he bound into that form, and the gambling is a boon he gained from the rival of said shapeshifter.