The Western Lands
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2024 8:35 pm
Guild Master Harold Sikes addresses a gathering of Adventurous men and women newly arrived in the small city of Slateholm on the northern shore of the Western Lands...
Once, long ago, a civilization thrived in these lands. Humans, Elves, Dwarfs and Halflings existed in harmony occupying cities, shires, counties, and settlements far and wide. Our scholars tell us that three kingdoms dominated the northern part of this continent and for centuries they lived in peace one with another. Then things changed.
No records of just what happened still exist, but wars broke out and dragged on for decades. As the three kingdoms were reaching a point of exhaustion hordes of monstrous creatures from the southern mountains descended upon them. Civilization was broken by these Chaotic Hordes as they overran everything, pillaging and burning what they didn't take away with them. Some, are said, to still remain. Others returned to their ancestral homes in the Southern Mountains and beyond.
We peoples to the North heard about all of this from refugees fleeing across the Doldrum Sea. We were a young civilization in those days, we peoples of the North. Many of us had come from the Southern Continent and felt for them in their death throes, but there was little we could do to help those ancestors we had left behind. Years passed, and no news came from the Western Lands. Decades passed and our hands were full settling those Northern Lands. Centuries passed and we all but forgot about that continent to our south and west beyond the Doldrum Sea.
Now though, our memories have been jogged. Ships have penetrated the Doldrums and visited the old lands beyond. They returned telling tales of ruins along the coasts and almost empty lands...except for tribes of monstrous creatures from our myths and legends. Creatures called Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds and worse! We began to sail around the northern edge of these Western Lands and discovered a large island which we named Corvis as well as a number of smaller islands which proved to be unoccupied. Attempts have been made to start colonies down here, but with small success so far.
Today we, the Kingdom of Fanqua, have formed a small colony which perches precariously on the northern shore of the mainland. This colony which we have called Slateholm. Slateholm consists of this small city built near the ruins of a once much larger one with some farmland surrounding it. It is small, but fairly safe territory. Little is known about the interior south or west of here other than it is very dangerous. Our Duke John of Slateholm, has been giving grant by King Karl to claim all of the mainland for the crown and to grant fiefs to loyal men and women who earn them. This is why most of you are here.
Now to continue what we know. To our west, off the shore of our Western Lands is the island of Corvis. A colony dedicated to Urd, the pagan incarnation of Ord, has been formed there. Priests of Urd are said to rule that entire island and forbid the worship of any of the true gods! These heretics are dangerous and must eventually be eliminated, but that is for future thought.
Further to the east from Slateholm, it is rumored, a colony has been formed by the Dotsh Republic. Perhaps other small settlements have been established there by others, as well. They will eventually need to be taken under our great King's protection, but that is again for future thought.
What is on our agenda today is the exploration and taming of the Western Lands from Slateholm south to the mouth of the Gulf of Sighs and west to the coast facing Corvis. To this end Duke John called for men and women of valor to come to Slateholm to undertake this exploration and taming. You have answered his call!
Whatever you were back in Fanqua, here you are Adventurers, Explorers, and Delvers into the unknown.
The Guild Master turns to a map on the wall behind him. Now, we don't have good maps of the area, but here is what our cartographers think the area looks like. Take anything more than a few miles inland as a total guess, though...just mapmaker's fancy really. The coastline, we think, is accurate.
Part of your job as members of the Adventurer's Guild will be to update this map and make it more accurate. We have heard rumors of a few villages, hamlets, and keeps scattered about these Western Lands formed by previous attempts to settle here, but no not where they are. There may even be settlements of those that once ruled these lands out there. We simply don't know where they are, if they are there at all.
Another part of your job will be to explore the ruins and wilds surrounding Slateholm and to eliminate the dangers within them. Tribes of pagan and chaotic barbarians dominate these lands now and they must be driven out or tamed and made subjects of King Karl and our own Duke John. Additionally, there are monstrous creatures from legend and the scary fairy tales of our childhood come to life out there, what they are and how they came to be we don't know, but they must be driven off or killed to make the lands safe for the settlers that will be coming over the next years.
Duke John paid your passage from Fanqua to Slateholm and granted you membership in his Guild of Adventures. You have been granted license to act in the Duke's interests outside Slateholm proper. Whatever treasure you recover from your explorations will be yours to keep, other than the Duke's Tax and the Guild Fee, of course.
These rooms behind The Shield and Trident are your Guild Hall and meetings rooms. The map will be here for you to see and update as you explore. Also, from time to time, people will post missions they wish undertaken for a fee, he gestures toward a large wooden board on which there are a couple of pieces of parchment paper. When you are not tasked with the Duke's business you may undertake these jobs as you choose.
For the next few days you will be free to explore Slateholm and get to know the town and its people. After that, I will have specific tasks the Duke wishes done. Be aware that your Guild Badges do not give you leave to disrupt the town's peace and the local Town Guard take keeping the peace very seriously! Don't spend your few days of leisure in a jail cell.
Now I'll stop talking to see if you have any questions for me.
OOC: First, you might recognize the map. Yes, I borrowed it from Basic Fantasy's Morgansfort Adventure. Second, once you have a character you can post in this thread to ask questions. Third, another thread will concern itself with the layout of Slateholm, discovered as you explore it. Fourth, there are two pieces of parchment posted on the Job Board and there will be a separate thread for the Job Board that your PC's can interact with. The layout of Slateholm and the Job Board threads will go up in awhile. We need to get characters first.
Once, long ago, a civilization thrived in these lands. Humans, Elves, Dwarfs and Halflings existed in harmony occupying cities, shires, counties, and settlements far and wide. Our scholars tell us that three kingdoms dominated the northern part of this continent and for centuries they lived in peace one with another. Then things changed.
No records of just what happened still exist, but wars broke out and dragged on for decades. As the three kingdoms were reaching a point of exhaustion hordes of monstrous creatures from the southern mountains descended upon them. Civilization was broken by these Chaotic Hordes as they overran everything, pillaging and burning what they didn't take away with them. Some, are said, to still remain. Others returned to their ancestral homes in the Southern Mountains and beyond.
We peoples to the North heard about all of this from refugees fleeing across the Doldrum Sea. We were a young civilization in those days, we peoples of the North. Many of us had come from the Southern Continent and felt for them in their death throes, but there was little we could do to help those ancestors we had left behind. Years passed, and no news came from the Western Lands. Decades passed and our hands were full settling those Northern Lands. Centuries passed and we all but forgot about that continent to our south and west beyond the Doldrum Sea.
Now though, our memories have been jogged. Ships have penetrated the Doldrums and visited the old lands beyond. They returned telling tales of ruins along the coasts and almost empty lands...except for tribes of monstrous creatures from our myths and legends. Creatures called Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds and worse! We began to sail around the northern edge of these Western Lands and discovered a large island which we named Corvis as well as a number of smaller islands which proved to be unoccupied. Attempts have been made to start colonies down here, but with small success so far.
Today we, the Kingdom of Fanqua, have formed a small colony which perches precariously on the northern shore of the mainland. This colony which we have called Slateholm. Slateholm consists of this small city built near the ruins of a once much larger one with some farmland surrounding it. It is small, but fairly safe territory. Little is known about the interior south or west of here other than it is very dangerous. Our Duke John of Slateholm, has been giving grant by King Karl to claim all of the mainland for the crown and to grant fiefs to loyal men and women who earn them. This is why most of you are here.
Now to continue what we know. To our west, off the shore of our Western Lands is the island of Corvis. A colony dedicated to Urd, the pagan incarnation of Ord, has been formed there. Priests of Urd are said to rule that entire island and forbid the worship of any of the true gods! These heretics are dangerous and must eventually be eliminated, but that is for future thought.
Further to the east from Slateholm, it is rumored, a colony has been formed by the Dotsh Republic. Perhaps other small settlements have been established there by others, as well. They will eventually need to be taken under our great King's protection, but that is again for future thought.
What is on our agenda today is the exploration and taming of the Western Lands from Slateholm south to the mouth of the Gulf of Sighs and west to the coast facing Corvis. To this end Duke John called for men and women of valor to come to Slateholm to undertake this exploration and taming. You have answered his call!
Whatever you were back in Fanqua, here you are Adventurers, Explorers, and Delvers into the unknown.
The Guild Master turns to a map on the wall behind him. Now, we don't have good maps of the area, but here is what our cartographers think the area looks like. Take anything more than a few miles inland as a total guess, though...just mapmaker's fancy really. The coastline, we think, is accurate.
- The-Western-Lands-Hex-Map.gif (963.95 KiB) Viewed 350 times
Another part of your job will be to explore the ruins and wilds surrounding Slateholm and to eliminate the dangers within them. Tribes of pagan and chaotic barbarians dominate these lands now and they must be driven out or tamed and made subjects of King Karl and our own Duke John. Additionally, there are monstrous creatures from legend and the scary fairy tales of our childhood come to life out there, what they are and how they came to be we don't know, but they must be driven off or killed to make the lands safe for the settlers that will be coming over the next years.
Duke John paid your passage from Fanqua to Slateholm and granted you membership in his Guild of Adventures. You have been granted license to act in the Duke's interests outside Slateholm proper. Whatever treasure you recover from your explorations will be yours to keep, other than the Duke's Tax and the Guild Fee, of course.
These rooms behind The Shield and Trident are your Guild Hall and meetings rooms. The map will be here for you to see and update as you explore. Also, from time to time, people will post missions they wish undertaken for a fee, he gestures toward a large wooden board on which there are a couple of pieces of parchment paper. When you are not tasked with the Duke's business you may undertake these jobs as you choose.
For the next few days you will be free to explore Slateholm and get to know the town and its people. After that, I will have specific tasks the Duke wishes done. Be aware that your Guild Badges do not give you leave to disrupt the town's peace and the local Town Guard take keeping the peace very seriously! Don't spend your few days of leisure in a jail cell.
Now I'll stop talking to see if you have any questions for me.
OOC: First, you might recognize the map. Yes, I borrowed it from Basic Fantasy's Morgansfort Adventure. Second, once you have a character you can post in this thread to ask questions. Third, another thread will concern itself with the layout of Slateholm, discovered as you explore it. Fourth, there are two pieces of parchment posted on the Job Board and there will be a separate thread for the Job Board that your PC's can interact with. The layout of Slateholm and the Job Board threads will go up in awhile. We need to get characters first.