The Campaign Builder's Guild

I love that the angel isn't a typical black-and-white goody goody.  It's also an interesting way to impose a sort of feudalism without a series conquerings.  It's got just enough roman administration in it to make the government feel like a faceless oppressive force, but it still allows for knights instead of merely thousands of faceless soldiers.  You have the my approval sir!

(You'll also get a Starfall badge for letting me steal your framed-picture-idea, when I make one.)

Quote from: Ghostman
How independent are the Governor-Generals of Araland? Do they feud against each other over territory? How is the local government organized?

Each Governor-General maintains complete autonomy so long as they provide the men and materiel required of them. As a firm believer in Sonbahar, she allows Governor-Generals to be challenged by worthy individuals for control of their Provinces however open warfare between Provinces is not sanctioned, though it does occur often. Ritualized combat (such as battles between chosen champions) are heartily encouraged to settle disputes between Governor-Generals. In the north, these ritual combats are often fought for control over the valuable mines that are scattered about the Victory Mountains. On the east cost, the battles are often waged for control over valuable fishing spots as well as for the scant few roads that travel westward, which are often trafficked by merchants.

Quote from: Humabout
I love that the angel isn't a typical black-and-white goody goody.  It's also an interesting way to impose a sort of feudalism without a series conquerings.  It's got just enough roman administration in it to make the government feel like a faceless oppressive force, but it still allows for knights instead of merely thousands of faceless soldiers.  You have the my approval sir!

(You'll also get a Starfall badge for letting me steal your framed-picture-idea, when I make one.)

That was pretty much exactly what I was going for! Huzzah!  :D

I'll definitely take the opportunity to snag a badge. Can't wait!

I updated the main Map for the Southern Warblade Isles to include the latest information for Bastion Isle.

The Southern Warblade Isles: [spoiler][/spoiler]

Looks good. I like how you made a basic map and are filling in the details as you write about them. You have me looking at other parts of the map and wondering what we will get to read about in future posts.

Also what is the scale on that map?

Quote from: Humabout
Looks good. I like how you made a basic map and are filling in the details as you write about them. You have me looking at other parts of the map and wondering what we will get to read about in future posts.

Also what is the scale on that map?

I have yet to work out the exact scale of the map (pixels to miles) but the icons on the map are definitely exaggerated. I've been going off the premise that Dreamglen (the eastern half of Songwillow) is roughly the size of Wales (about 8,000 square miles). :)

Okay, so relatively large, considering the modes of transportation available.

Now that I think about it, that might be too large for Dreamglen. It feels too large, IMO. Maybe the whole of Songwillow is the size of Whales/New Jersey? That would be a bit more manageable and helps keep the feeling that Songwillow is tiny.

In other news, I made a table of contents, sorted by Isle. This will come in handy as time goes on and I start to develop other areas outside of Songwillow and Bastion.

I love how dark and semi-alien your most recent posts feel.  There's just something odd and weird about them that doesn't smack of typical "This is typical fantasy but it's grim because of sacrifices and stuff."  I am enjoying reading your stuff a lot.

I have one (minor) question, though.  Should I be envisioning Egypt-style giant, tall pyramids, or more squat, stepped, hugely broad mayan/aztec ones?  Also, I'd love to hear about some of the architectural details of the world.  That is something that really helps paint the picture of the world.

I am over the moon that my setting is receiving such praise. :D

Definitely Egyptian-style. The Aztec style is awesome but that style of architecture is something found in Al Ren Hamarah, not Bastion.

As for architecture... I shall ruminate on that subject and see if there is enough for a post. :)

I look forward to your thoughts.  I it's the t helps give an area character and really paint the picture of settlement.

I like the Art and Architecture of Whitebuck.  I love how hedonistic it's culture is about art, and the city description is really badass.  Reading it, I felt like I was walking through the city with a tour guide.  Would you call that city one of the seven wonders of the Amethyst Isles?  If not, what would they be?  That'd be an interesting entry.  Seven sapient-made wonders and seven natural wonders for that matter.  It would certainly give a lot of insight into what the people of the world are both capable of, the levels of social organization achieved, the overall wealth of the peoples, and the sorts of things they value.  Could be a very nice glimpse into the world.

It's stated that the Ochurs suffer from inadequate protection from fire. This raises a question, how does a city built on giant trees cope with the danger of fires even in the better parts? And how do they plan to defend against an enemy that might be willing to burn down the whole town -- especially when they're going to cut their own bridges in the face of an invasion, thus making it difficult for firefighters to move?

Quote from: Humabout
I like the Art and Architecture of Whitebuck.  I love how hedonistic it's culture is about art, and the city description is really badass.  Reading it, I felt like I was walking through the city with a tour guide.

Thanks! :D

I really struggled to come up with that post but once the first idea was down the rest just flowed forth with ease. Great topic idea :D

Quote from: HumaboutWould you call that city one of the seven wonders of the Amethyst Isles?  If not, what would they be?  That'd be an interesting entry.  Seven sapient-made wonders and seven natural wonders for that matter.  It would certainly give a lot of insight into what the people of the world are both capable of, the levels of social organization achieved, the overall wealth of the peoples, and the sorts of things they value.  Could be a very nice glimpse into the world.

There are a thousand Amethyst Isles and thousands more in Al Ren Hamarah. Thousands upon thousands of years have passed, civilizations have risen, fallen and hundreds more have take their place. Off the top of my head I would say...

- The city of Rimebjorn (aka the City of Ten Million Gargoyles)
- The Golden Palace of Ma Q'ra
- The Artificial Sun of Bactahn
- The Sky Canals of Yun Lingju
- The Colossi of Vadali
- The Repository of All Knowledge
- The Temple of All Divines

Honorable mentions:

- The Great Wall of Vlax the Conqueror
- The Monastery of Fortune
- The City of Whitebuck
- The Viceroyal Pyramids
- The Island Ship of Amani the Prophet
- The Gateway of Vestnik

Quote from: Ghostman
It's stated that the Ochurs suffer from inadequate protection from fire. This raises a question, how does a city built on giant trees cope with the danger of fires even in the better parts? And how do they plan to defend against an enemy that might be willing to burn down the whole town -- especially when they're going to cut their own bridges in the face of an invasion, thus making it difficult for firefighters to move?

The Fire Brigades have wands that allow them to lift water from the moat that surrounds the city and move it to any tree in the city. The Ochurs are actually the safest due to the fact that the Moat is typically right next to the tree. The problem comes from the fact that the Fire Brigades are privately funded and thus are stationed at the interior of the city, and are loathe to leave the comfort of their ritzy abode(s). In addition, the Lord-Protector of Ice Tur is one of the most powerful arcanists on Songwillow. He is a master of all things Ice and Water. Small scale fires happen all the time but rarely do they occur in such large number that they would become an issue. In case of an invasion, the King has drafted a plan to combat a city-wide fire but has kept his plan secret, even from his fellow Lords, as a matter of royal prerogative and the interest of the realm's security.

Evocative names!  I like them!  I'm glad you've already thought of such things; I love those little details in a setting.  If you haven't noticed, I really like the sorts of things that bring a setting to life.  I like being able to read something and feel like I could be walking through the world.  Keep up the good work!

Now for the questions!

How do people in Whitebuck cook?  If they use fireplaces, how do they not burn down the city (you've already mentioned that small fires are pretty common).  If fireplaces are stone, where do they get the stone and how do they support the weight of those hearths?  How do they expand the city?  Have they "invented" the arch or the broken arch?  Just how large of an open area can they span (the Romans maxed out around 140 feet, but most domes stopped at 90 feet; a beam can't be more than about 50 feet long before it requires additional supports)?  Just how are the streets and buildings supported in the trees?  Do they sit on branches or are actual platforms constructed?  Is there magic involved?  How does magic allow them to achieve this fantastic city?

I am envisioning Japanese Hearths (Irori) rather than typical Western-style Hearths. This is mostly due to the weight issue. Those stones are going to weigh a ton, multiplied by hundreds of homes. I don't think wooden decks could be expected to bare that kind of weight long term.

As for the fire issue, I was thinking everyone would be required to have a bucket of water available to use to douse a fire. Additionally, the ash from the Irori could be used to snuff the flames. Beyond that... I suppose heavy blankets would be in order. Just like any city in a pseudo-medieval era long term safety from natural hazards was not the most pressing of concerns (how many times did medieval cities burn down to the ground?).

The Turs (richest trees) are usually morel like towers with a central pillar to anchor it (i.e. the Tree). The Welds usually have half a tower and the rest being open decks with buildings being constructed atop the decks. The Ochurs are just haphazard with no real thought being put into their construction. Knowledge of the arch was known to the Rimecroft Imperium and was passed down to the present day. Their use is seen every where to help stabilize construction.

Branches are not used for deck-based walkways but are often used to help anchor bridges. Some Bridges are given additional support by being slung under decks, while others are attached to the edges of decks and/or walls. The only magic that is used to help the city is Ironwood, which allows otherwise flimsy pieces of wood the strength and durability of Iron (and in particularly powerful versions of the spells, of steel). 

Whitebuck is definitely fragile by comparison to a brick and mortar city.Vigilance is necessary to prevent the whole city from collapsing. Several government offices deal specifically with the maintenance of these issues, including the Master of Bridges, the Master of Arches and the Master Craftsman of Ironwood.