This week was part two of the character creation session for our next campaign: The Delvers Guild.
We created characters for the players who could not make last session and finished up everyone else’s, including last minute tweaks. For example, Zarek is now a human changed into a fox and only stands about two feet tall when on his hind legs [his name is also now spelled with a 'k']. Zarek’s player was looking through a master list of disadvantages I have and noticed “Talking Animal” as a Social Limitation. It seemed to fit with his character motif and provided motivation for his radical spell research – he’s looking for a way to become human again.
Vargand also took shape and focus. She is an ex-squire to a disgraced master at The Tested, the military academy for the Kingdom of Aegea. As previously documented, she spent the summer break up north partying with adventurers and occasionally hauling things for them in and out of Barrowmaze. This has not helped her reputation any in the capital’s social circles (as excessive drinking is one of the reasons her master is disgraced), but has made her a minor legend among the students at the various centers of learning in the city. Her master taught Vargand the basics of Steel Serpent, the martial art style practiced almost exclusively by the Dragon-Knights, an order of knights descended from Herjolf Diamondarrow, who slew a dragon that took up residence in the mountains across the bay over a thousand years ago.
Player Characters:
Vargand – human female – professional porter and Adventurer’s Aide, irregularly attends classes at the The Tested military academy, practitioner of Steel Serpent martial arts
Jala – human female – a person of discretion, studying aspects of the Law [to avoid them] at the Dust Academy
Zarek – fox male – a cerebrally-unfettered spell researcher [read: Mad Scientist] turned into a talking fox, studying Natural Philosophy at Monarch University to find a way to become human again
Ricky – human male – has a thirst for knowledge but doesn’t know what he’s searching for, currently studying Astrology at Monarch University
Nick Stalwart – human male – part of the Stalwart family of merchants, studying Mathematics at The Interesting Institute of Profitable People, a college at Monarch University
[Unnamed Character] – human male – studies Religion in Temples district, but didn’t leave the GM with enough information to tell you what he’s about [Bad, player! Bad!]
Non-Player Characters:
Lester “Les” Stalwart – human male, younger brother of Nick and general tag-along [DNPC]
Setting
I’ve done some work creating the bare bones of the setting, mostly the areas the Delvers will be exploring initially and the city that is their home base, the city of Aegea, Capital of the Kingdom of Aegea.
City of Aegea
The city of Aegea is the capital of the Kingdom and home of the Otterberg Palace, official seat of the government and home of the Royal Court. The city contains the following districts:
Little Wytheford
Little Wytheford is a farming and craft town across Dragon’s Bay from Aegea. It provides food for the city of Aegea and smaller craft items for the merchant guilds based there. The best docks are reserved for Guild ships, but there is a ferry service between Little Wytheford and the city operating out of the River Docks that takes about half a day to make the trip, leaving at dawn and at Noon.
[Little Wytheford is not fully detailed out yet, but I have a map of the small town and will assign locations in it as needed. For the campaign, it will probably need a tavern or three, maybe an inn, a place of healing, and locations to buy supplies and gear for adventuring that the PCs forgot or didn’t know they needed.]
Moon Manor Ruins
The Moon Manor Ruins were once a prosperous elven domain in the mountains south of Aegea that fell before the kingdom existed. Stories tell that a dragon once made the ruins its home, but Herjolf Diamondarrow slew the dragon and established the domain that eventually became the core the Kingdom of Aegea grew around. [This is also the source of the name of Dragon’s Bay, which Aegea rests on the northern shores of and Little Wytheford the southern.]
The ruins have been picked over repeatedly in the intervening centuries. Sometimes creatures or bandits take residence in the ruins, but the Kingdom never allows that to last very long. All current research by the Delvers Guild shows that the ruins are currently empty with no active legal claim on them. This makes them perfect for a training run expedition and a fun weekend out of the city on an adventure!
Delvers Guild
Session A, Character Creation Part 1
Session 1 [Not Written Yet]
We created characters for the players who could not make last session and finished up everyone else’s, including last minute tweaks. For example, Zarek is now a human changed into a fox and only stands about two feet tall when on his hind legs [his name is also now spelled with a 'k']. Zarek’s player was looking through a master list of disadvantages I have and noticed “Talking Animal” as a Social Limitation. It seemed to fit with his character motif and provided motivation for his radical spell research – he’s looking for a way to become human again.
Vargand also took shape and focus. She is an ex-squire to a disgraced master at The Tested, the military academy for the Kingdom of Aegea. As previously documented, she spent the summer break up north partying with adventurers and occasionally hauling things for them in and out of Barrowmaze. This has not helped her reputation any in the capital’s social circles (as excessive drinking is one of the reasons her master is disgraced), but has made her a minor legend among the students at the various centers of learning in the city. Her master taught Vargand the basics of Steel Serpent, the martial art style practiced almost exclusively by the Dragon-Knights, an order of knights descended from Herjolf Diamondarrow, who slew a dragon that took up residence in the mountains across the bay over a thousand years ago.
Player Characters:
Vargand – human female – professional porter and Adventurer’s Aide, irregularly attends classes at the The Tested military academy, practitioner of Steel Serpent martial arts
Jala – human female – a person of discretion, studying aspects of the Law [to avoid them] at the Dust Academy
Zarek – fox male – a cerebrally-unfettered spell researcher [read: Mad Scientist] turned into a talking fox, studying Natural Philosophy at Monarch University to find a way to become human again
Ricky – human male – has a thirst for knowledge but doesn’t know what he’s searching for, currently studying Astrology at Monarch University
Nick Stalwart – human male – part of the Stalwart family of merchants, studying Mathematics at The Interesting Institute of Profitable People, a college at Monarch University
[Unnamed Character] – human male – studies Religion in Temples district, but didn’t leave the GM with enough information to tell you what he’s about [Bad, player! Bad!]
Non-Player Characters:
Lester “Les” Stalwart – human male, younger brother of Nick and general tag-along [DNPC]
Setting
I’ve done some work creating the bare bones of the setting, mostly the areas the Delvers will be exploring initially and the city that is their home base, the city of Aegea, Capital of the Kingdom of Aegea.
City of Aegea
The city of Aegea is the capital of the Kingdom and home of the Otterberg Palace, official seat of the government and home of the Royal Court. The city contains the following districts:
- Otterberg Palace - seat of the Royal Court and winter home of the King of Aegea, currently Vladik the Gamesman.
- Old Town - oldest part of town and now a curious mix of Old Money families and just old families who refused to give up their ancestral homes as the city grew. Some buildings are well-kept, others appear to be rundown or plain on the outside. Rumors run that some homes are opulent palaces inside, rivaling the King.
- Potemkin Street - main street from the Otterberg Palace to the City Square. Always kept pristine by Royal Decree so the King is not disturbed when he travels through on his way to the Aegea Royal Theatre or when leaving city to the Summer Palace. Forms the border between Old Town and Court Borough.
- Court Borough - homes of those who serve the Royal Court or work in Otterberg Palace. Most of the property is owned by the Castilian and rented out to his staff and employees.
- Crafter District - contains a mix of factories and warehouses as well as the Guild Docks, reserved only for guild ships.
- City Docks - contains the public docks for those not part of the guilds. Always busy and inferior to the Guild Docks in the Crafter District.
- There is a ferry service that travels to Little Wytheford. The ferry leaves at dawn and at Noon and takes half a day to reach its destination.
- [an unnamed merchant district]
- [an unnamed mixed-use district]
- Temples - just off the City Square, Temples is home to the city’s temples and shrines.
- [an unnamed Wealthy Residences district]
- The Tested - a prestigious military academy in the city, adjacent to the Sword Gate
- [an unnamed residential district]
- [an unnamed government district]
- City Square - massive city market, full of an ever-changing assortment of stalls and vendors selling food, goods, and anything else that can be had for a price.
- The Dust Academy - a.k.a., The School of Hard Knocks. “Held” in the city square by rogue teachers. It is possible to pick up an eclectic education here, if you can find (and convince) the right person to teach you.
- Monarch University - major center of learning, recognized across the kingdom
- The Interesting Institute of Profitable People - business school at Monarch University, sponsored by the guilds.
- University District (a.k.a., “Student Slums”) - residences and shops necessary for the university students.
- The Dons - moderately wealthy district where the University professors and administration live. It consists mostly of residences with a few exceptions.
- The Library - a student-favored tavern built in a failed library on the edge of The Dons. The few remaining books are those no one wanted when the previous contents were repossessed. The staff know some magic, particularly the spells Water to Booze and Get Me Drunk. They are not licensed by the Wonderworkers Guild and it is speculated that some form of arrangement with the Tapkeepers Guild keeps the Wonderworkers away.
- [an unnamed district of rental properties]
- The Shops - merchant district full of retail shops, just inside the Coin Gate.
- Guild Square - contains the guild buildings for every major merchant guild in the kingdom. Some of the smaller guilds have to share buildings.
- Aegea Royal Theatre - home to the arts for the Kingdom.
- [an unnamed district of rental properties]
- [an unnamed district of warehouses, just inside the Sword Gate]
- City Gates:
- Sword Gate to the west
- Coin Gate to the north
- Hart Gate to the east
- King’s Gate - inside the city, entrance to Otterberg Palace
- Sword Village - a district of taverns, hostels, and other questionable businesses just outside the western walls of the city, favored by attendees of the Academy.
- Coin Town - a cluster of businesses catering to traveling merchants located just outside the northern walls of the city. Several inns and caravanserai are here, especially for travelers arriving after the city gates have been closed.
- Hart’s Farthing - stockyard, tanners, and butchers district, mandated by law to be outside the western walls of the city. There are docks here on the bay, but as the run-off from the butchers and tanners dumps here to be carried away by the northward current, it smells and is generally unpleasant.
Little Wytheford
Little Wytheford is a farming and craft town across Dragon’s Bay from Aegea. It provides food for the city of Aegea and smaller craft items for the merchant guilds based there. The best docks are reserved for Guild ships, but there is a ferry service between Little Wytheford and the city operating out of the River Docks that takes about half a day to make the trip, leaving at dawn and at Noon.
[Little Wytheford is not fully detailed out yet, but I have a map of the small town and will assign locations in it as needed. For the campaign, it will probably need a tavern or three, maybe an inn, a place of healing, and locations to buy supplies and gear for adventuring that the PCs forgot or didn’t know they needed.]
Moon Manor Ruins
The Moon Manor Ruins were once a prosperous elven domain in the mountains south of Aegea that fell before the kingdom existed. Stories tell that a dragon once made the ruins its home, but Herjolf Diamondarrow slew the dragon and established the domain that eventually became the core the Kingdom of Aegea grew around. [This is also the source of the name of Dragon’s Bay, which Aegea rests on the northern shores of and Little Wytheford the southern.]
The ruins have been picked over repeatedly in the intervening centuries. Sometimes creatures or bandits take residence in the ruins, but the Kingdom never allows that to last very long. All current research by the Delvers Guild shows that the ruins are currently empty with no active legal claim on them. This makes them perfect for a training run expedition and a fun weekend out of the city on an adventure!
Delvers Guild
Session A, Character Creation Part 1
Session 1 [Not Written Yet]
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