Here's a thing I sent out before about the world, with some additional background notes:
Arcane magic exists but it's fairly rare - difficult and expensive training. The master of the Academy can cast at least 3rd circle spells. There are stories of 4th circle - crazy sorcerers who live in the outlands or wilderness, and such. The High Priests can cast 4th circle arcane spells, You've never heard of higher - even of rumors what they might be. Most magic devices (continual light poles in the city, for instance) are from the Church. The Church also runs hospitals and schools, and provides most social services. Potions are standard D&D world levels, as are scrolls. Other items are less common, but not unheard of. There is an Emperor who it the titular head of the Church, like our President is the Commander-In-Chief of the military; the Emperor is also the First General of the Militia. The Emperor is known to cast priest spells. He's been Emperor for 25 years; the guy before him had a similar run. There's no army as such, because the Human empire has no real enemies that need one (there are border conflicts with monsters and the occasional feral tribe, but the militia mostly handles police functions). The Empire is about the size of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana put together. It's big, and has more complicated geography and weather than that area. Surrounding the Empire is the Wilderness - desert, forest, jungle, tundra, marsh, etc. Slowly being reclaimed and expanded into. Frontier towns are more dangerous than the inner big urban and farm community areas; the world is a monstrous and deadly place. The Militia both polices internally and helps push back the Wilderness. Around half of the people in the Empire serve in the Militia; the only way to be allowed to vote, hold public office, or own land is to have successfully completed at least one tour of duty. There's an elected Senate to develop laws, elected by townships. Senators serve a five year term, with re-election possible. The Senators themselves elect a parliament of 20 Senators, who hold permanent office (and no longer serve to represent their home district); the parliament polices the Senate, manages and organizes the proceedings, and makes the process happen (but no longer vote or speak to propose laws). There's two levels of judiciary; civil courts, with judges appointed by the Senate, whose job is to handle small cases and personal conflicts, and Appellate/Circuit courts with elected judges who handle serious crimes and high-level interpretations of the law. Lawyers exist, but are rare and mostly act as public servants, or sages. Civil cases are usually small potatoes and rarely go before a jury. Juries exist, but only for complicated civil or criminal cases. Civil penalties are usually fines or non-monetary recompense. Criminal cases are more rare, and again, only the complicated or dire ones go before a jury. Penalties are usually fines or community service. Jail exists, but it's more like a managed work program; for horrible crimes the criminal is usually sent to the Wilderness, or to a far away monastery, or for extreme crimes sentenced to death. Maybe 1 execution every couple of years.
D&D standard for most of the rest - 10 copper to the silver, 10 silver to the gold, 10 gold to the platinum. Earth-like time and weather; where you are is like Chicago - hot summers, cold wet winters, nice springs and falls.
The capital of the Empire is Jovan, same as the God you all revere. You start in the city of Penumbria, capital of the region of York. York's mostly agricultural, with a couple of very fertile valleys and a small range of mountains with good timber and hunting. Not much mining and very little manufacturing in York. Penumbria has 35,000 people, it's the 6th largest city in the Empire. York has, all in all, maybe 250,000 people - mostly small farming or forestry communities. There's a decent network of trails, and paved roads connect the large cities, and the capital to Jovan.
Think of the Golden Age of Islam for tech - D&D standard weapons and armor, horses for transport, wind or water powered grinding mills. Crafts done by hand, by craftsmen. You know how this is.
Here's a thing I sent out before about the world, with some additional background notes:
ReplyDeleteArcane magic exists but it's fairly rare - difficult and expensive training.
The master of the Academy can cast at least 3rd circle spells. There are stories of 4th circle - crazy sorcerers who live in the outlands or wilderness, and such.
The High Priests can cast 4th circle arcane spells, You've never heard of higher - even of rumors what they might be.
Most magic devices (continual light poles in the city, for instance) are from the Church. The Church also runs hospitals and schools, and provides most social services.
Potions are standard D&D world levels, as are scrolls. Other items are less common, but not unheard of.
There is an Emperor who it the titular head of the Church, like our President is the Commander-In-Chief of the military; the Emperor is also the First General of the Militia.
The Emperor is known to cast priest spells. He's been Emperor for 25 years; the guy before him had a similar run.
There's no army as such, because the Human empire has no real enemies that need one (there are border conflicts with monsters and the occasional feral tribe, but the militia mostly handles police functions).
The Empire is about the size of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana put together. It's big, and has more complicated geography and weather than that area.
Surrounding the Empire is the Wilderness - desert, forest, jungle, tundra, marsh, etc. Slowly being reclaimed and expanded into. Frontier towns are more dangerous than the inner big urban and farm community areas; the world is a monstrous and deadly place.
The Militia both polices internally and helps push back the Wilderness.
Around half of the people in the Empire serve in the Militia; the only way to be allowed to vote, hold public office, or own land is to have successfully completed at least one tour of duty.
There's an elected Senate to develop laws, elected by townships.
Senators serve a five year term, with re-election possible. The Senators themselves elect a parliament of 20 Senators, who hold permanent office (and no longer serve to represent their home district); the parliament polices the Senate, manages and organizes the proceedings, and makes the process happen (but no longer vote or speak to propose laws).
There's two levels of judiciary; civil courts, with judges appointed by the Senate, whose job is to handle small cases and personal conflicts, and Appellate/Circuit courts with elected judges who handle serious crimes and high-level interpretations of the law.
Lawyers exist, but are rare and mostly act as public servants, or sages.
Civil cases are usually small potatoes and rarely go before a jury. Juries exist, but only for complicated civil or criminal cases. Civil penalties are usually fines or non-monetary recompense.
Criminal cases are more rare, and again, only the complicated or dire ones go before a jury. Penalties are usually fines or community service. Jail exists, but it's more like a managed work program; for horrible crimes the criminal is usually sent to the Wilderness, or to a far away monastery, or for extreme crimes sentenced to death. Maybe 1 execution every couple of years.
ReplyDeleteD&D standard for most of the rest - 10 copper to the silver, 10 silver to the gold, 10 gold to the platinum. Earth-like time and weather; where you are is like Chicago - hot summers, cold wet winters, nice springs and falls.
The capital of the Empire is Jovan, same as the God you all revere. You start in the city of Penumbria, capital of the region of York. York's mostly agricultural, with a couple of very fertile valleys and a small range of mountains with good timber and hunting. Not much mining and very little manufacturing in York. Penumbria has 35,000 people, it's the 6th largest city in the Empire. York has, all in all, maybe 250,000 people - mostly small farming or forestry communities. There's a decent network of trails, and paved roads connect the large cities, and the capital to Jovan.
Think of the Golden Age of Islam for tech - D&D standard weapons and armor, horses for transport, wind or water powered grinding mills. Crafts done by hand, by craftsmen. You know how this is.