World

Ah Aerth. In merry ol' Angland, King Ithwyrd lies old and feeble on his bed in Lyndon-Upon-Tems. Despite this all is well. The succession is assured and the land prospers. But something is coming that has not been seen since before the fall of the last dragon for it is... the season of the mist.

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On Ships and Sailors

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One of the main reasons that Humans are the most plentiful and widespread of all the races on the face of Aerth is the simple fact that they alone build and sail ships. No other race has an affinity for the sea nor a liking for it being most commonly content to stay within the confines of their chosen realms.

The ships of Aerth are one of the wonders of the world. Each is, in it's own way, a piece of crafted art. They are well and cunningly made. If Dwarves can be said to be the masters of metal and gem and the Elves of wood lore then Humans are beyond doubt their equal in craft where the building and sailing of ships is concerned.

Only humans are Wind Mages, those who practice the arcane arts to guide and propel ships at sea.
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On Druids and their Charge

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Of old Druids have always had the care of the Earth. It is upon their shoulders that the gods have placed the burden of keeping the earth safe from the rapacious nature of those who would plunder its beauty for their own selfish gain.

The Old Wraithen Empire remains as a reminder to all of what befalls those who despoil Aerth. With no regard for the gifts of the gods the people of the Empire felled forests, stripped the ground of its soil, broke down mountains for stone, dug deep for metal and gem, bound the rivers, and hunted game to extinction. It is said, perhaps rightly, that the Empire caused its own doom and the gods had little chastisement to meet out to finish their fall.

It was at the fall of the Empire that the Druids arose. Protectors of plain, forest, and mountain and the creatures that find their homes therein. Sternly they watch over their charge and woe to those who would destroy the works of the gods.

Where then does the wood come to make homes and burn in fires? Where the stone to build with and the metal to shape? It is kenned. Kenning is the art of duplicating a metal, a stone, a piece of wood so that the original is preserved. Each race has its mages who ken. Elven mages are versed in the art of kenning wood and Dwarven mages in the art of kenning stone, gem, and metal. Other things are kenned too but not told of here.
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On the Orcs of Aerth

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A brief note for now. More will be added at a future date if needed.

The Orcs of Aerth are not inherently evil.

Orcs have little contact with the world outside their island because they are barbaric and uncivilized by modern standards and because they are given to gruesomely bloody inter-tribal warfare, cannibalism, and have no concept of marriage or inbreeding: taking whom they will whenever they will it. The concept of where children come from is still a bit unclear to them as is the idea that the Sun will always rise somewhere in the East. Some Orc mages have been known to swear that they remember days gone past when the Sun rose in the West.
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Religion and the Church in Aerth

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On Aerth the Church is regarded highly and stands in good favor in general with all the player character sentient races. The world is blessed by the fact that the gods and goddesses are known to exist by the simple fact that they often appear in dreams or on rare occasion exert themselves more visibly on behalf of their devoted followers. This means, overall, that the religious wars we know in our own world don't exist in the form of arguments over dogma and ritual but more in the form of wars between the forces of good and evil through their proxies the militant orders (IE: clerics). As a consequence there certainly are evil militant orders and evil paladins on Aerth though at this point in it's history they are thought to be extinct.

Keep in mind that in many OSR games clerics are regarded as exactly that: a militant order. A perfect example of this is Edding's church knights in his Elenium and Tamuli series. The cleric player character class on this world is not a priest in vestments overseeing ritual or a monk in a habit blessing crops and dispensing wisdom to the unwashed peasantry.

The paladin on this world is the same sort of thing except in focus and degree. While the cleric is well versed in magic and less in arms the paladin is the other side of the coin and is well versed in arms and less so in magic. Also, other than pc characters, clerics generally move and function in groups while the paladin from the get-go is more of a solitary operative with maybe a squire to give aid and betoken status.

As far as buildings go think Gothic style from huge cathedrals, through abbeys and monasteries, and on down to chantries and shrines. While to our more modern and more secular eyes they would seem to dot the countryside the people of Aerth barely notice them - anymore than you or I notice every fast food store as we go about our daily commutes. If you are hungry you see them. In the same way if someone on Aerth needs spiritual aid they see the buildings of the church otherwise they slide into the background of their conscious thought.

While the Church is a fact of life on Aerth it isn't obtrusive or overbearing. It doesn't need to be. It tends to the faithful and sees to the needs of the needy and otherwise trains clerics.

The Church is hierarchical.

In structure the hierarchy follows the structure of the gods and is thus divided into four main branches (one branch for each of the greater gods) and further subdivided within each of these branches into smaller sub-branches (one sub-branch for each of the lesser gods). As you might suppose the more learning a priest gains regarding the divinities and the greater their ability to understand the power of each the greater their standing in the church becomes. In this sense the Church is initiatory as well as hierarchical. Only the person who can commune with all the gods can aspire to the highest level of the church - the Archprelate. A person who gains the ability to commune with a Greater God and the Lesser Gods associated with Him or Her may aspire to one day be a Prelate. Beneath this level is the common Priest who has gained communion with one of the Lesser Gods.
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Of King Ithwyrd and his Queen, Wythwine

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In the 5,743rd year of record King Olverin passed beyond the circles of Aerth and into the halls of the dead. At that time Ithwyrd, his eldest son, succeeded him at the age of twenty three and was crowned King of all Angland in Alwythby the great Cathedral of all gods.

In year 5,745 during his second year as King he took to wife the Princess Wythwine of Meylond, daughter of King Elthrin and his Queen, Yldreda.

In the year 5,747 Queen Wythwine presented King Ithwyrd with his first child, a daughter, named Gwenith.

In 5,751 Queen Wythwine was delivered of a second child, this time the heir apparent to the realm, Prince Hareith, as he was later named.

In his tenth year as King of all Angland, in the year of record 5,753 war broke out between Angland and Yiren. This war raged for twelve long years. During this time the Queen bore him a second son, named Geophren, born in the year 5,756 and a second daughter named Ewelin born in the year 5, 5760.

In the year 5,765 Yiren sued for and was granted peace and Prince Hareith took the Yiren Princess, Alwyrtha, to wife. At this time King Ithwyrd was forty five years of age and had reigned for twenty two years.

In 5,767 the twenty fourth year of King Ithwyrd's reign his daughter Gwenith was married to Sithgurd, King of the Saexen Wood.

In 5,774 there was war between Angland and Dwarvenholme. Truce was signed, however, with the coming of the Great Famine of 5,777.

In the year 5,778 Prince Geophren took to wife, Nithana, the daughter of an Earl of the Realm, Dwenthir by name. In the same year Princess Ewelin was married to Prince Svendle of Scandenland. At this time King Ithwyrd had reigned thirty five years and was fifty eight years of age.

It is now the year 5,804 and King Ithwyrd has reigned for sixty one years and lies feebly upon his bed at the age of eighty four.
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On Abertawe and it's Surrounds

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Credit to Woe and Longman for this post.

Abertawe is a fishing town (pop. 3000) located at the mouth of the river Tawe, on the western edge of Angland. Abertawe started as a trading post for humans sailing farther west, and years later was recognized by King Olverin as a borough. Over time, many smaller farming and sheepherding hamlets sprung up around Abertawe, providing an agrarian economic base for the growing community.

Recently, King Ithwyrd granted the peninsula of Abertawe to Lord Gwyr, a recognition of the commerce provided by the Wallia Marches. Lord Gwyr hasn't taken residence in Abertawe yet, with both the manor house and abbey under construction.

--------------------------------------
William comes from Five Ash, a small town five miles away from Abertawe. Elizabeth comes from a very small sheepherding hamlet, Oldwalls, twelve miles away from Abertawe, further into the Marches. They're both in the Abertawe guard. William is a regular guardsman, and Elizabeth is a sergeant with a lot less worldly and tactical knowledge. She relies on William's judgment for a lot of the day-to-day decisions.
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On the Elves of Aerth

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Nearly all the Elves of Aerth live in their forest kingdom of Avelyon.

The elves are, in human eyes, reclusive and do not permit outsiders onto their island home. The only contact they have with the outside world is on the island of Cey (pronounced SAY) where they have rare dealings with the half elves that inhabit the isle.

Nothing is known of the internal geography of Avelyon as it is a closely guarded secret.

What it known, however, is that deep in the vast forests there are cities of slender jeweled spires whose beauty and splendor are unknown to the rest of the world. These cities are thought to be connected with forest avenues that themselves are a wonder to behold as they are paved not with stone but with kenned wood that glows dimly silver with the light of the stars and moon even on the darkest of nights.

Elves are thought to be immortal. Whether this is true or not no one knows. What is known is that there are Elves alive today who have been alive since before human recorded history. Elves do not age as humans do. They mature relatively rapidly reaching their full growth by the age of 30. From this point on they appear not to grow any older. As no known elf has yet been known to die of old age it is not known whether or not their declining years are similarly short.

It is rare for any elven female to bear more than two children with three being the most and it is for this reason that the elven peoples haven't overrun Aerth with their numbers. It is also for this reason that elves are particularly sensitive about intermingling with the other races. A single elf who leaves his or her people diminishes the whole and will take a very long time to replace. Another reason is that children of elves and humans (the only combination of race that can produce offspring) lose elven immortality and live only the normal human life span and so, by elven standards, are soon gone from the world.

Nevertheless there are half elves in the world and if they call anywhere home it is the isle of Cey where the offspring of elves and the humans of Meylond dwell.
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Map of Caerton

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Map of Caerton
Caerton1a.jpg
Caerton1a.jpg (985.77 KiB) Viewed 10189 times
Scroll around to see the whole map.
North is Up
Legend of Numbered Buildings is in the upper right corner.
Dotted lines show boundaries of different sections of town.
Street Names are in Blue and lie across the street being named.
Sylvan Sea's pier is about halfway down and two thirds of the way over from the left.
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Re: World

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Caerton
Lord: Seaton
Population: 5,000

Caerton's main source of income is the sea trade from other parts of Angland, Scandenland and, less often, Yiren and Meylond. There is also local fishing and a naval presence as well as a garrison. Beyond that the town is self supporting with regards to the basic requirements of medieval life.

Sections of town:

The Strand:
This part of town consists mainly of taverns and inns catering to through travelers. Guards are plentiful and reasonably well paid since this area of the harbor is where passengers come and go and we wouldn't want to present a bad face to the world now would we?

The Stagger:
As it's name suggests this area is nearly all low dives and brothels catering to sailors and fishermen. Guards? That's a joke right? At best you might be able to count on a bouncer making sure you don't get gutted inside the place you're frequenting - it makes a mess on the floor after all.

South Quarter:
The low class part of town. Shops dealing mainly with day to day living alongside simple homes are cheek and jowl with taverns, inns, fences, pawn shops, hucksters, and other establishments of similar ilk. City guards here are few and far between and tend to stay away or mind their own business in the wee hours. There are half as many guards here per person as any other quarter in town and a good percentage of their pay comes from the "left hand".

North Quarter:
The solidly middle class part of town. Homes are cleaner, a little larger, and a bit better built. There are inns and taverns and shops with a little wider range of goods offered.

West Quarter:
This is where the up and comers live and those whose professions earn them a place a bit above the common masses. Inns and taverns are reputable establishments. Homes, though not spacious, are roomy and well made and some even have a back garden. Shops in this area deal in quality goods.

Upton:
This is where the rich people who aren't of the gentry live in Caerton. Homes are large and most have yards or gardens. Only shops dealing in high quality or imported goods can be found here. Only one Inn is here - The Red Lion. It is expensive, snobbish, and caters to the very well to do. The one tavern in Upton is the Two Moons and it is here that showcase acts make their appearance to small select groups or by invitation.

Easton:
The gentry live here. You thought Upton was stuffy. The main difference between Easton and Upton besides the size and quality of the homes and shops is that it's inhabitants ARE the elite of the town and don't just think they are and heaven help anyone who gives them any cheek. Nearly all the homes here are just places in town where the gentry live while attending the court of Lord Seaton. The gentry's main dwellings are their manor houses out in the country. City guards in this section are well paid and, though unobtrusive, are twice as many per person as any other part of town.
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On Haggling

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In the world of Aerth there are, throughout most human areas, conventions observed regarding haggling.

In poor parts of town haggling is expected unless you are in a part where it is obvious that the criminal element is pervasive in which case prices are already very low in order to attract marks to help maintain the façade that the establishment in question is anything but a front for criminal activity.

In middle class areas a small amount of haggling is expected from time to time for items that aren't commonly purchased.

In upper class areas haggling does not happen as it is considered rude and uncultured.

In all cases where your character is haggling keep in mind that your charisma score plays a very important role in the outcome of the final price.
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