The Campaign Builder's Guild

Concept:
So this is ideally a Celtic- Somewhat renaissance -with a dash of steam punk for zest, type setting. Ríoltad Brigantí or Kingdom of Brigantia is an Island the rough size of Tasmania that has for generations stood as a stony strong beacon to its neighbors. During the previous era's of strife and chaos its strong Kings, traditions and unbreakable warriors have guarded the Island from the darkening world just across the narrow channels. The World over all could be described as "Post Apocalyptic," even somewhat Sci-Fantasy. There is ancient knowledge of a past in which the peoples of the world did not live on this world called "Astyra," in various languages. And incredibly magi-tech civilizations that existed in deep history. At present technology is very Renaissance to some extent but the world is in an era of geo-political instability and chaos following the "Parpossus Event," or a Caldera eruption and subsequent events the crippled the Lydian Empire and global trade, food production and other factors.

Game use: This is created with D&D 5e mechanics in mind, so If I go into crunch and stuff it will be with that game system and rules in mind. This is ideally a low magic, and entirely Humans only setting.*

Lore:
Enis Briganta, or the Island of Brigantia is populated by people speaking a dialect of the Tarmanoi Languages. Defined as such by the Lydian Empire. The region they live in was called Vesporia, and the Island of Brigantia was defined as Brigantium or Vespor Minora. The Island was populated in Time Immemoria by early Tarmanoi Language speakers akin to the central and eastern Vesporia mainland speakers. However as Lydia declined this Island came under the rule of Maebish Raiders. Maebitic peoples fall under the branch of Tarmanoi speakers but live on a clustered archipelago to the west. Brigantia had always had a mix of of Tarmanoi speakers but the Island was fully conquered in the year 867 of the Old Hyperian Calendar. The new rulers were an ethnic and linguistic minority but they Maebicized the Island forming the current Brigantian people and language.

The line of Ústúan Kings came to rule from 867 HCE and formed a stable dynasty for five generations. Whilst mainland areas were a mess of shifting borders and petty fiefs, the Brigantians enjoyed a somewhat relative stability.

Lydia rebounded from the Heggish invasions in 890's. The Heggish people hailed from some frigid regions unknown in the North East of the world. The Heggish folk formed many tribes and settled across the western Lydian Empire, being absorbed as refugees and migrants. Though Lydia is forever crippled by this as its left its Empire a mere fractured confederation of States and the Lands of Vesporia are virtually abandoned by them. The Eastern coastal cities, once villa's of the Lydian's were overrun by the Western Tarmanoi speaking tribes and the Brigantian Kings demanded Tribute.

Today however the Parpossus Eruption has sent the worlds climate into chaos. Some believe the Parpossus event was caused by a Kemitic Sorcerer whom Destroyed the city of Aten and the Kemitic farmlands are coated in ash and undead. Raiding pirate bands from the newly dubbed "Sea of Seraphs," along with occasional undead lurch out even as far as the Island and Lydian refugees are on the move as the Lydian Empire is all but dead save for its Eastern power bases. Likewise the formally subdued Heggish people have begun forming their own petty States, even attempting to colonize the lands held by Tarmanoi speaking tribes and Kingdoms.

Brigantia itself has emerged from its own turmoil, a protracted dynastic struggle between various tanists (people eligible for the throne) has left the Island in a difficult state as the newest crowned ruler is the 19 year old Sauscí of the Mountains, of the House of Ústúan, descended of the fourth branch of the original High King Conlaoch whom founded the Ústúan dynasty. Now in 1023 HCE the Island is imperiled by internal strife over the Tanistry Wars between the great-great-great-great grandchildren of Conlaoch, Heggish incursion, Lydian Militia's and disbanded legion warlords looking for lands to claim, and pirate legions including necromantic warlords from the former Kemet.

*EDIT added for clarification

So is this a human-only setting or do you include other (presumably 5e D&D) races? If those races do exist where do they live in the world and how do they fit into the picture, so to speak?

Another question that rises is that of magic, since magic tends to have extreme influence especially in D&D settings. Obviously there is magic since there's that sorcerer and the undead, but just how common is it?

Currently I am doing a Human only setting, or Human as the only playable race. Other "Races," are more like mythic beings, demi-gods ect.

My goal with magic is to tone it down to a Conan-esque type setting. Magic, and even relics of Magictech exist as does Alchemy. However I am going to try heavily to avoid the High Fantasy super magical worlds that are more common.

Warning: MAP PIC!
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Ríoltad Brigantí (Kingdom of Brigantia) is a fairly small island compared to its surroundings but its traditions, relative strength and strong Kingship and legal customs have made it a Geo-Political "Dragon." in its corner of the world. Since the Ústúan Dynasty symbol is prominently an Emerald Dragon, Dragon insignia often represent the Island and its people. As does the symbol of fire. The Lydian Empire refers to them as the "iom okcidenta drako" (Little Western Dragon). The map above roughly lays out the general area and the regions of Briganti power. While States and actual Kingdom boundaries are not depicted (Many of the areas in pink, green, blue and Purple are realistically divided between 35+ Separate Kingdoms depending on whose counting). They do roughly show the Ethno-Linguistic and political affiliations of areas. The Areas in Pink are tributary vassals and clients. All Kings, Lords, Potentates and Chieftains within this area pay tribute and some sort of submission to the Brigantí Crown. Though typically not directly ruled, the hand of the Brigantí is evident and their power is pretty strong. In light green are areas of majority Tarmanoi speaking people whose rulers do not offer tribute to Brigantí rule and are neutral or independent. The areas in powder blue are majority Heglandic speaking and are recent arrivals, imported there by the Lydians to occupy the "Marches," between their western most province as the Tarmanoi free peoples of the West of Vespa. Largely these areas are mostly independent now as the Lydian territories are in chaos and often ruled by the Heglandic Kings in the Marches. Furthermore the Lydian areas are a mix of languages and peoples but most are Lydanized Tarmanoi people or Heglanders.

Brigantí power is largely an extension of its relative stability, diplomatic tact and military prowess. Their Island is a perfect staging ground for raids and war efforts and is itself difficult to invade as the Lydians learned in 769 HCE, and again in 912 HCE, 914 HCE and the Great Aleksandro Disaster of 920 HCE in which the 9th Legion was completely swallowed up and not a soul ever returned. After 920 HCE the Lydian Senate voted to be more Diplomatic with the unconquerable Brigantian's. Other Tarmanoi people whom were constantly harassed by the Lydians soon switched allegiances to the Islanders whom became the counter to Lydian power. Today that position mostly remains, however Brigantia's recent Civil Wars made it prone to its client states trying to have greater influence and even client states forming coalitions to back puppet Kings during the temoltous 990-1007 HCE civil war. High Queen Sauscí has reunified the country and once again asserted power solely to the Ústúan Dynasty and Clan, scattering rivals often into the neutral states or to the client states whom are complacent under the long spell of Brigantian rule.

Client Kingdoms are a tad complacent, some fear the Heglandic migrants being imported into the Marches between the world of the Tarmanoi speaking peoples and the Lydian territories. Others deal with the influx of Heglanders and Lydian subjects trickling in from the Eastern Chaos. But still some Kingdoms such as the ones in Cambria and Labrinau jockey for their own power and to make Brigantia THEIR tributary Kingdom.

Since 867 of the Hyperian Common Era, the Island and the smaller Islets surrounding Enis Brigantí have been ruled by a single dynasty. The Ústúan conquerors hailed from a cluster of northerly Islands with in Archipelago of Dalriata. The Bardic Songs say they came from the Southern Uisd. Conlaoch was their Chieftain and he secured the Isle from Uireb the Unprepared as he is remembered. Uireb had been a puppet Chief, installed by the Lydians during the height of their power over the region.

Conlaoch defeated Uireb completely at the Battle of Banaghturn and Conlaoch's son Uillian claimed Uireb's sword and the weapons of his host. Conlaoch then established the dynasty and distributed lands among his kith and kin. Though as Maebitic minority they had difficulty ruling the Isle. After the generations a new synthesized culture emerged that was both Maebitic and Vespite Tamanoi speaking peoples. Conlaoch and his heirs would strengthen the previously weakened Druids, Bards and Vates as a power on the Isle. Though under them these classes adopted writing systems as the somewhat Lydanized inhabitants had done. The Gods of the Maebitic peoples became paramount. Likewise Maebitic law and legal customs as well became more common and somewhat refined by the seeping Lydanized practices.

By 881 Conlaoch was dead and by tanistry inheritance the realm passed by vote to his eldest son Uillian the first Bardic King, and then the Samus the First Witch King in 907, whose nephew Coltan was famous for his raids in Cambria and later founded a small fief of his own in Cambria. Uillian is recalled for his prolific parties, accredited music and art. Samus was said to be a gifted story teller and would leave his great Crannogh to go mingle with the masses, though it is claimed Samus was not much of a fighter himself he did have "Sorcerers powers." Powers he used during the successive Lydian invasions of the island and repulsed them all. Samus was then succedded by Fionna the Grey Queen, his second born child and daughter noted for her wits. Samus' other sons and children had perished in the Lydian wars. Fionna ruled from 938-969 ruled exceptionally long and the Kingdom was in a remarkable state of peace. 969 saw the crowning of Fionna's third son Fin, but Fin succumb to the plague of 973 and the crown passed to Uillian the Second whom reigned until 982 but died hunting under mysterious circumstances. Oaun was installed, Fin's youngest brother, but Oaun was called the Drunkard and bankrupted the treasury. Uillian's three children were spirited away into the southern mountains as Oaun also became paranoid that the Tanistry Council might assemble to vote him from the throne during his wild rule. by 990 he was assassinated by Fin the Stag, who claimed the throne but was contested by Darmet of the Red Mountains whom started a civil war for rule of the isle. Samus the 2nd had birthed Maraed whom had Sauscí in 996. Civil war raged on the Island but likely little Sauscí had a weak claim and was but a child. But she gathered supporters in the high country near Loch Morrigu eventually earning herself the nickname Sauscí the Banshee for her daring military charges and raids.

In 1007 Sauscí had killed Darmet and closed in on Fin the Stag King whom eventually fled to Lusitania, leaving Sauscí the best in line, and all other contenders dead or in hiding.

Maebitic Military Strengths:
The Maebitic peoples of Dalriata have held onto an ancient knowledge of magic and Alchemy that had served them fairly well. Besides using many innovative weapons, the Maebitic people use basic blackpowder weapons they gained from the Kratean traders and merchants but also refined themselves. Many Maebitic warriors also use some crude magic in their combat which made them fairly intense military units.

The Ústúan clan was also quick to absorb some of the Lydian tactics during the reign of Samus the Witch King whom had managed to overcome them, though at great cost.

I find this very interesting.  I really like the internal 'lingo' of sorts that goes on with this.  It feels well developed in that sense.  The Tanistry Wars sounds like a real thing, and I like that you have a corresponding term in the "tanists."   I am really quite curious bout the different types of conflicts in this setting.  It seems like the allies and tributaries make quite a buffer between Enis Brigantí and its enemies, so it sounds like the isle itself is pretty safe.  Who are the heroes in this setting?  Do they belong to one political group or another?  Or are there heroes on both?  As a "Celtic" setting, how prevalent are druids and gods?  I see you mention they were "strengthened by Conlaoch and his heirs" but that's quite ambiguous.  What role do they play in the setting "today" as players would know it?

Having spent a lot of time and energy on my own Celtic setting, I am very interested in seeing how this setting progresses.

Quote from: Seraph
I find this very interesting.  I really like the internal 'lingo' of sorts that goes on with this.  It feels well developed in that sense.  The Tanistry Wars sounds like a real thing, and I like that you have a corresponding term in the "tanists."   I am really quite curious bout the different types of conflicts in this setting.  It seems like the allies and tributaries make quite a buffer between Enis Brigantí and its enemies, so it sounds like the isle itself is pretty safe.  Who are the heroes in this setting?  Do they belong to one political group or another?  Or are there heroes on both?  As a "Celtic" setting, how prevalent are druids and gods?  I see you mention they were "strengthened by Conlaoch and his heirs" but that's quite ambiguous.  What role do they play in the setting "today" as players would know it?

Having spent a lot of time and energy on my own Celtic setting, I am very interested in seeing how this setting progresses.

Conlaoch essentially began a religious revival of sorts. On the mainland and in that region the Old Gods had fallen into a lathergy, or their followers did. The Lydians indirectly tried to suppress local cults and Conlaoch's Druids, Bards and Vates said that the Gods had punished the people with Lydian rule and dispossession because they had so willingly forsaken them for Lydian comforts. Conlaoch also won many battles it is said with rightous backing of the Gods of the Maebites from the farther Western Isles. Events such as great storms and alleged lightning striking his sword, as well his canons were said to have been crafted by men directed by Fairies themselves whom sent him on a mission to reclaim the Eastern lands.

Enis Brigantí is somewhat buffered but is subject to internal conflict. Sauscí has a claim but its weak, her rivals have been vanquished to the tributary states or to the afterlife, BUT her rule is maintained through heavy handed forms of control as she seeks to shore up her reign. There is also a lively "Parliamentarian movement." An attempt to create a Permanent Tanistry Council that not just decides the next heir BUT also decides tax rates and some legislative power.

The players will likely either be serving Sauscí or a more local chieftain, or could go a different route and overthrow her. Other issues emerged during the protracted civil war. Mainly Ogre's in the tributaries and their re-emergence on Enis Brigantí itself. Rogue factions and agents, cults, the country is clamoring to Sauscí right now simply for peace and harmony after a long and bloody conflict has left the country in some parts empty, in others lawless.

More coming in future posts and I'm glad this is somewhat interesting. XD

Here is my main map for the Island itself. Scale isn't exactly there, mainly to keep things vague. It could be comparable to maybe 2/3rds or half of Tasmania to give it scale.

Everything is intentionally done in a Celtic-Conlang I am using for this setting, so words like Ríoltad mean Kingdom, or Porth = Port, Bagoch = Marshland, Cél Forest, Enis = Island, Enistai = Islands(Plural), Monath = Mountains ect. The Language aspect IMHO is there mostly because I feel Language is a key part of giving this and settings in general a sense of cultural identity unique unto themselves. The Language defines and gives life to the Brigantian People and Culture so I will frequently try to use words other than English.

Climate and Topography:
Enis Brigantí or the main big Island is mostly hilly, somewhat rocky and even volcanic in the south with occasional tremors and hot springs shooting out of the ground. The North constitutes most of the most verdant and farm-able land. The Island is covered in Oak, Birch, and Pine trees with the mountainous south hosting forests of large tall Fir trees.

Enis Bec (Little Island): Is sparsely populated save for a lighthouse and a few small sheep herding people.
Enis Cittel (Kettle Island): has an odd clay used for reddish pottery that is then exported to the island.
Enis Camri (Island of the Camrach) Is a slightly less Brigantian area, settled mainly by a variation of the Briganti speaking people, it has a large population from across the channel in Cambria. Their dialect and language heavily reflect the mainland and many speak more the Islands older pre-Maebitic influenced language.

Settlements:

While Fincoruna acts as the defacto capital, though Queen Sauscí operates her court principally within the core lands directly controlled by her at Cusilian Már-Dridór near the Mountains and Glen Fion. From there her core forces can get to any part of the country with three days. Likewise all roads lead through the ancient keep her ancestor Samus the Witch King built.

Typically settlements are small clan villages and holdings with most of the island being rural and parts often are pastoral. The north housing most of the agriculture and farming lands and the south being more into mining, quarries, timber, and pastoral ranches and herdsmen. Population wise 2/3rds of the people live in the North or on the coastline and the mountains are very sparsely populated.

Architectually the square shaped buildings of the Lydanized Tarmani are far more common then the round shapes of Maebitic style and old Tarmani folk.

[SPOILER=Scenery Images of Settlements]
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Ruins and Wonders:

Not far from Porthcamri is said to be an extensive catacomb of the Hyperians themselves, later re-purposed into a catacomb for the old Brigantian Kings and the Lydian fort near that area. The ancient Catacomb predates any Tarmanoi peoples on the Isle, and many parts are unreachable. Alchemists have at times taken residence in the winding catacombs and used the strange alchemical substances for their works. Including famous Alchemists have all at one time taken up residence. Largely the Catacombs remain sealed since the Civil War and its ending and have yet to be opened. Further south near the Bai Alma, there sits a great Aqueduct ruin also of Hyperian construction. Rumors also abound of some structure in a canyon in the mountains and of many other ruins predating any of recorded history buried deep below the tangled roots of the great island.

[SPOILER=Ruins Images]
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Astronomy:
Before the Lydian conquests, Lydian retreats, Maebitic conquest, heck even from the earliest days of the Tarmanoi speaking peoples in this area, there has been people looking to the stars. Be it for divination, time keeping, astrology charts, and navigation. Astronomies importance fell away for a time as the Lydians saw little use to Astrology and Star based divination. The Hyperians its believed had very accurate understandings of the Heavens and to some extent some Druidic scholars will study their ruins for clues.

Though considered backward by the Lydians for a time, the Maebitic Astronomy and specifically the Brigantian scholars have a fairly good understanding of the stars via their star charts and more recently crude telescopes imported from lands afar. King Samus the First, the Witch King even had a study with ample material on astronomy and astrology in his Keep. Set off to one area he had a small stone circle in a nearby grove surrounded by a brick enclosure. Later an actual telescope was built. King Samus burial mound has a stone (placed 30 years after his death but with a quote credited to him) Inscribed in Ogham reading "a anós mar anís." Meaning "As Above So Below." reflecting his star focused outlook. Indeed reading the stars, divination and time keeping by the Solstice, Equinox ect is key to the cycle of the year to the Brigantian people.
[SPOILER=Known Solar System in Briganag (Brigantian Language)]
(http://i.imgur.com/Z6te4wA.png)

*Planets not to Scale.
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Time:
Brigantian Calender's are based mostly on a synthesizing of the old Maebitic Calendar as well as some Lydian astronomy and alleged revelations from astrologers.

Time is divided into 8 parts, specifically eight parts of the year with a "fire festival," marking the passage of each bit of the year. The Winter Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Summer Solstice, and Autumnal Equinox form core markers of time for religious observances and the four core holidays are Sauin (Harvests End), Imolc (beginning of spring), Beltain (Between spring equinox and the summer solstice) and Launístain (beginning of the harvest season). The actual names of the holidays shifted towards their more Maebitic names reflecting the linguistics of the conquering Ústúan clan's customs. Many of the festivities had been somewhat suppressed during Lydian occupation and then forgotten when the Lydians left and before the Ústúan conquest and Religious Restorations.

The concept of minutes or hours would be alien to this culture, indeed no words exist for such minute measurements of time. The year is divided into a 11 months and the calendar follows lunar patterns rather than the Hyperian or Lydian Solar count. Though they still mark the destruction of the last Hyperian city as year O.

Cosmology as Brigantian's See it:
This topic also crosses over into religious attitudes. But the knowledge of other planes is limited. They know of a Material plane, an Otherworld and other areas. The Otherworld sometimes consist of a multi-layered caked world reflecting a lower Otherworld and upper Otherworld. Seen as reflected in the stars and deep places. Fairy's, Gods, Demons, ect live between the two worlds. Some more scholastic Brigantian's have ordered the Otherworld into distilled areas and locations. Even arguing for elemental planes and other such things, but largely the world of the Brigantian is "This World," and "The Otherworld," though sometimes plural for the latter one.

I am continuing to like what I see.  Right now I am most interested in hearing about the people of this world, and the aspects of everyday life that would be relevant to players and their characters.  Does Celtic- somewhat Renaissance mean more "Celtic Renaissance" in the vein of W.B. Yeats, or like the historical period of the Renaissance in Europe?  The two carry vastly different connotations, and much different meaning for tech levels.  To what degree are the steampunk elements you mention present, and what manner of such exist in this world?  Clocks?  Locomotives?  Airships?  Tesla coils?

Quote from: Seraph
I am continuing to like what I see.  Right now I am most interested in hearing about the people of this world, and the aspects of everyday life that would be relevant to players and their characters.  Does Celtic- somewhat Renaissance mean more "Celtic Renaissance" in the vein of W.B. Yeats, or like the historical period of the Renaissance in Europe?  The two carry vastly different connotations, and much different meaning for tech levels.  To what degree are the steampunk elements you mention present, and what manner of such exist in this world?  Clocks?  Locomotives?  Airships?  Tesla coils?

Closer to the Renaissance of Europe than Yates. This all originally began as a ConLanguage project that quickly spiraled.

Steam Punk elements may be shelved a bit for the Early blackpowder 1400's era. But may be left over bits of Incredibly ancient quasi-magical technology for now.

Sauscí has a weak claim, two infant sons, and a paranoid attitude. She is the daughter of her assassinated father Maraed who lived only long enough to see her to the age of twelve. A child of a Civil War that started years before her birth, and ended only weeks after her 19th birthday, she has had that experience color her sensibilities. Indeed she grew up in the South, in the rugged mountains, shepherded in remote areas and sometimes slept in caves with her mother and close kin. As a teen it was the mountains were she rallied gunsmiths and clansmen to her cause and were she plotted her conquest of the wartorn Kingdom. Peace has hardly softened her mind either.

Queen Sauscí the First is without much contention an honest to God(s) tyrant in many respects. She rules with a tight, ruthless, and intense level of control. She is however fairly popular for her making good on promises. She has restored order to a country wrecked by a brutal civil war. She has spent money rebuilding towns, cities, repopulating and repatriating people. She has unburdened some rather rough taxation on the merchant classes and saw to the creation of better legal aid for the poor. But she also seized control of the movable typeface printing press. Speaking ill of her and or her policies can be considered treason, and disloyalty is as serious a crime as rape and murder. Her troops hold vast parades, she puts up posters and hangs tapestries that are merely propaganda. Censorship, State control, and royal Authority are high and the Tanistry Parliament is weak.

Sauscí is a mixed figure for those reasons. Stability, trade, re-opening of markets, and kinder taxation as well as law and order has made her beloved to some whom wished only for an end to chaos and instability. Others however see a megalomaniac, a tyrant, vainglorious and power mad squelching all manner of traditional rights and liberties. The tributaries enjoy a mixed feeling as well. Cambria shudders under restriction and control, were as Kernoia celebrates peace and productivity, though many also profited from the war. Picoria sings the praises, but Icana resents new militarization. Labrinau fears her religious censorship and attempts to create orthodoxy and religious harmony throughout her many realms. Mannachta welcomes the end of war and the restoration of the Monarchy to its glory. Holodram fears its history of backing her opponents. Brynnlant is happy as she has restored their Pact of Peace and mutual trade and stipends of grain and tubers. Lydia's Vespacia Prot. rejoices as "
Imperiestrino Sasha," as some of them have come to call her agreed, to a quasi-Peace deal with them.

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Recovery and renewal. Queen Sauscí has made good on her promises to some extent in rebuilding, renewal and resettlement. Many seaside ports are partially in ruins or in bad disrepair from the war and across the countryside villages lay empty and farmsteads fallow. This has been sent into reverse as her policies and functionaries have worked to get people back to their lands, cities rebuilt, harbors open and markets running. For businesses and the merchant and artisan class this is a time of vibrancy. As well she is more than willing to elevate capable merchants into positions of power. This does however irk the militaristic nobility and warrior elites who feel their privileges are being squandered on these "New Men."

Castles sit empty or half collapsed. City walls need rebuilding. Swamps and thick forests are heavens for criminals and rebels. However day by day things improve.

Queen Sauscí the First faces her only major threat from the grumbling nobles who scoff at these changes, AND at her policy of peace with the Lydians and some Heglanders. Their money often came from war, and with no war they have only sheep, grain and potatoes for profit. Guilds also resent her tendency to crush the trade guilds in favor of independent merchants and craftsmen. Beyond the mere political and infrastructure threats, crime in some areas is obscenely high, goblins have re-emerged from the mountains deepest caves, bog beasts, rogueish types of all types. Sauscí uses a great deal of propaganda, often declaring its time to clean the Kingdom, wash away the blood and gore of the old. It works for her.

Where is is she getting the money for all that rebuilding, if she's lowering taxes at the same time? With the wars over for now there'll be no quick income from plunder either, so it seems inevitable that someone within the kingdom will have to cover the expenses.

Quote from: Ghostman
Where is is she getting the money for all that rebuilding, if she's lowering taxes at the same time? With the wars over for now there'll be no quick income from plunder either, so it seems inevitable that someone within the kingdom will have to cover the expenses.

I notice that the nobles are feeling annoyed.  Are they the ones who are being asked to foot the bill for all of this?

Quote from: Ghostman
Where is is she getting the money for all that rebuilding, if she's lowering taxes at the same time? With the wars over for now there'll be no quick income from plunder either, so it seems inevitable that someone within the kingdom will have to cover the expenses.

Currently customs duties and a bit of debt. Part of the whole scheme of hers is to marginalize the "old elite," with the mercantile "new elite," either out of a perception that having too many people with their own private army is too great a risk, OR a grudge that many of the old elite in her view killed members of her immediate family and may have extended the war purely for profits.

Some of her Druid scholars believe its prudent, others feel the debt is a risk. Peace with Lydia and by extension other areas HAS opened up trade and shipping and brought in a lot of customs duties and imports. She is essentially financing on sales taxes and imports while running up some amount of debt.

Seraph is correct as well, other Nobles ARE taxed, though not in money but in food. Legions of "Clanfolk Guard," (basically the equivalent of peasants) are being paid in potatoes and regular work as builders. More over Queen Sauscí IS technically the Islands biggest land holder, she can pay many directly in food payments and take advantage of the relative poverty of many areas.

Essentially she is attempting to spend her way out of the economic turmoil. WHICH may or may not work in the long run. Ending the near ancient war with the Lydians or calling a truce has created massive avenues for trade which previously left Brigantia somewhat isolated.

*Further posts on Economics might be justified.

"Shu lusha gire mau shu xefu thumai..." They say in Sydonian Cities. The meaning roughly means "The sun rises, and the birds still fly," reflecting an easy going people. To call them an Empire is to play mostly fast and loose with the term Empire. They do not strictly or centralize authority in any particular capital and the Government shifts from city to city depending on the season in a traveling court and council. They are principly mercantile, somewhat multi-ethnic and focused primarily on trade. They are the inheritors of both Lydia, Athos, and the Ancient Hyperians of distant lore.

Situated far south of Brigantia, they hug the northern portion of the continent of Magar, soaking in the sun and warmth of the sunny skies and using the fertile coastal lands that occupy a narrow green band on the north of Magar before the continent shifts into the rocky bad lands, The Anvil, the Hell pits and the Desolation. To their north there is the life giving sea, to the south a blistering rocky desert that is marginally navigable.

They engage in trade across the southern coasts and their ships even dock in Brigantia as their main trading partner in the north west. Lydia typically held the Sydonese Cities as their tributary City-States. Especially after a series of protracted wars allowed them to conquer these rich trade cities. But with Lydia gone, these cities are fusion of old Lydia and the old Sydonese. Currently they are ruled by a Lydian speaking elite. Particularly the descendants of Prince Mikelo and his Sydonese wife Theodarja. In most respects the Sydonese cities are a major piece of the old Lydian Empire that has remained stable. Some even referring to it as Lydia or the Southern Lydians.

Culturally however it is different. As it is linguistically. The Lydian language is in heavy use in official documents, diplomatic actions and among the educated elite. By the various dialects of Sydonese are the majority language. With it being said that in Thauitei one can here every language in the world, though this is perhaps a boastful exaggeration, it certainly would contain a speaker of most languages from across the the hemisphere. West of Thauitei sits Girauxa which is as much a jewel of merchants as it is knowledge. Housing 12 Libraries and schools and effectively an insular Magiocracy. Girauxa is both Culturally and Linguistically the most unique of the Sydonese at houses some of last living speakers of Hyperian as well as allegedly living descendants of a Hyperian Narcal or "Wizard King." Theodarja the current Empress is herself allegedly of this ancient bloodline of near Godlike magical potency and intellect.


In terms of relationships with the Brigantian Kingdom it is one generally of trade, however Queen Sauscí has via them created a truce with the Lydians and borrowed money from Sydonesian lenders to finance her restoration of Brigantia. Some Sydonese people will travel to the area as its an off and on area of romanticism and fascination. The lure of its allegedly "Wild and Fierce," men or women sometimes lure a bit of tourism to the area.

Note: Inspired heavily by the Byzantines, Carthage, and Andulasia.

"Venko favoras la grasaj." Or Victory to the Bold! A time honored Lydian proverb. The Lydians began as legend has it far to the East of the Brigantian peoples, Vespaciia and the world of the Tarmanoi. They are with great legend the descendants of half of the last city of the Hyperians. They were born from a terrible famine that gripped an Island city, the last hub of their glorious Kith and Kin. The famine held out for years in the post Hyperian world. The King, whose name is lost to history is said to have ordered his people to play a game involving dice. Many many sorts of dice for months and months. First the game was made to distract these last Hyperians from the grim reality of the world after the legendary 7 days of fire and the War in Heaven that ended Hyperia.

Legend holds that after 10 years the King held a new game. Dividing the land in half the two factions competed for the glory. The glory was that the other half would be released from the crumbling citadel, deemed witty, worthy and crafty enough to go forth and rebuild what they had lost. More over the remaining would be able to survive on their dwindling resources.

The Lydians are the descendants of these Ancient Game Masters. Nobody knows exactly what the game was, or even the precise location of the ancient fortress. Though some ruins hold clues with symbols important to the Lydians.

This is/was a culture that loves competition and games. Crafty, intelligent, and gifted the Lydians are/were gifted sorcerers, soldiers, engineers and artisans. Their armies set out from Lydia, their capital, to recapture what was lost of Hyperia. Their armies proved nearly undefeatable. Even Brigantia was once a colony of theirs. But like all great triumphs Lydia is on hard times. The eruption of the Parpassus Caldera and the destruction within its Eastern realm of Kemet have left it a land of Famine, Climactic shift and Tsunamies devastated its coastal garrisons. Lydia is reduced to just a few provinces around its capital. The rest are mostly autonomous states claiming homage but realistically not ruled by the Lydian Emperor whom himself is a puppet of the equally corrupt Senate. Mass migrations, the Heglandic invasion and indeed the resurgent Tarmanoi Kingdoms such as Brigantia have crippled the Lion of Lydia. But like their ancestors before them, they are resilient and will likely rebuild as their forefathers allegedly set out to do nearly 1000 years prior.

Their relations with Brigantia are strained at best. Viewing the Ústúan Kings as geo-political rivals whom consistently harass their Westerly colony of Vespaciia. Thrice they have had to send soldiers at the request of the Vespacians to repel a Brigantian host. With the last time costing them the whole of the city of Valenpretar which was famously picked clean of everything including the stones of buildings which left only the streets and sewers and cisterns of the city left. However the Brigantians never fully defeated their Lydian rivals. Lydia has buttressed the client state with Heglandic peoples, mostly as a deal to stave of Heglandic tribes from invading the Lydian heartland. Cynically selling off their outer colonies for the security of the capital and to buy themselves time.


The Almanag: The Lydians are in the Tarmanoi lands called Almanag, and the region they settle in old Hyperian is Almaniumiia. Likewise the Lydians used the vivid green of the Star of Alma, the first planet in the Solar System on their banners. They also call themselves "The People of the Morning Star." As Alma is typically the first and brightest star in the Sky. They also Worship a Supreme Empress Goddess Alma or many do or did. Goddess of Beauty and Radiance and Sovereign of their People. Lydia is the name allegedly of the Citadel they came from in their founding mythos.

Vespaciia Protectorate: Vespaciia is the name of the province now quasi-independent state/fiefdom left over from the official Lydian occupation on the sub-continent of Vespas of which the Isle of Brigantia sits on its south western regions. This nether land of Empire now is a State largely on its own and pledging homage to the Emperor of Lydia. However its largely fractured between 4 powerful Warlords whom rule via council. Likewise the region has many peoples beyond just Tarmanoi speaking subjects whom have been Lydanized. It has Sydonese, some Magar peoples, and Heglanders imported in as protectors but for whom have largely carved parts of the Lydian Protectorate out into their own fiefdoms.

In terms of relationships with the Brigantians, its one of temporary uneasy peace. The goal of ending raids and incursions was high for the Vespaciia Protectorate, giving them breathing room to regroup and solidify their remaining provinces. Mostly its been a relationship of hostility.