The Campaign Builder's Guild

[spoiler=Boring Introduction and Explanation]As I have stated more than once recently, Faded is on hold for now.  This is primarily because I have recently been shown that I do not need to hate 'default' D&D as I had been.  I can easily run a game in the 'default setting' and twist it to a point where I can like it without creating a whole new generic fantasy setting.  This decision had me trying to think of a place to shift my focus, probably a new setting.  A while back, when I was working on moving, I found a bunch of old notebooks and I read through some things that I had written in junior high and high school (when I was supposed to be paying attention in class).  These things included notes to and from my then-girlfriend, poems, short stories, ideas, songs, and notes for D&D games.  I was intrigued most by a page and a half of notes I had written up for a D&D campaign I was going to run for a friend...and from those notes, a new setting shall be born.

I was originally going to scan the pages from the notebook that this had been written on but I had trouble doing that.  Instead, I will be typing things here and putting things that are from the notebook in quote blocks.[/spoiler]
Roots of the Setting, Part One[/u]
This first part was just a note about the type of character the player wanted to play and the general setting we had agreed upon.  We had decided, mostly because of me, that this would not be and evil campaign.

QuoteNecromancer character - human
Desert - called Natu

Roots of the Setting, Part Two[/u]
This second part is what I had written as a basis for the campaign to start from.  It contains a small amount of setting information but is mostly the stuff of a campaign, not a setting.

QuoteFor centuries, necromancers have lived peacefully out in the sands, away from civilization.  Only now have undead, thought to be controlled by a necromancer, begun attacking settlements.  This has turned most of the population against necromancers.  Some have even begun considering exterminating all necromancers.

The setting information here is that there are probably many necromancers but they live in the deep desert, away from normal civilization.  Also, the normal people and the necromancers have peacefully coexisted for a very long time.  The campaign stuff is the recent events.

The things that I have posted above that came straight from the notebook are mostly for a single campaign and tell us only the very bare basics of the setting.  They also take up maybe one-fourth of a single page.  There is a lot more to come and it is much more setting information rather than campaign.  

The Setting, Part One[/u]
In this paragraph, I explain in more detail something called the Necropact.  It is something that is very important to the setting as I see it.  It was also to be at the core of the campaign that I had been planning but never ran.

QuotePeace has existed with the necromancers because of something called the Necropact.  The Necropact is a pact that all necromancers were forced to make if they wanted to be left in peace.  This pact binds necromancers to a number of rules, including; a necromancer may not use a body against the wishes of it's owner (in life) or it's family (in death) and a necromancer may not seek political power anywhere in Natu.

The Necropact is also the name for a loose knit alliance or guild of all the necromancers of Natu.  Not all members see eye to eye and many rival each other, preventing the Necropact from becoming organized or powerful.  This is the only reason the Council of Barons have not taken action against the guild for violating the Necropact itself.[/quote]There is a kind of Necropact guild hall that exists somewhere in the deep desert.  It's purpose is to serve as neutral ground for meetings between necromancers.[/quote]I am thinking that this place will be more like a city built into a large mountain(s) and may even involve a volcano, which could be used to provide some kind of energy since I see these necromancers as kind of outcast scientists that consider nothing too taboo.  This place would, of course, be called the Necropolis and there would be a kind of central citidel where the abovementioned meetings would take place as well as other gathers.

The last post was entirely about the Necropact, in both of its forms.  That is, the agreement that all practicing necromancers are bound to and the organization that at least most of those necromancer would consider themselves a part of, in one way or another.  This post will focus on the structure of Natu, as I have found in my notebook from so long ago.

The Setting, Part Two[/b]
This next part is something that I think I will change a little bit.  I will explain more about how I plan to change it after I have given others the chance to read it as is.

QuoteThe land called Natu is made up of a number of city states, eached ruled by a baron.  This Baron is appointed by a council of seven of the most powerful people from that particular city state.  The barons are usually called Council Barons because they all must serve in the Council of Barons.  It is this council that makes decisions on issues relating t more than one city state.

A single baron from each city state but no baronies?  This is what I feel needs to be changed.  I think that Natu will be broken up into several baronies and unclaimed / untamed land in the deep desert.  In each barony there will be more than one city.  In each city there will be a baron or City Baron.  These City Barons may be appointed by the people through a vote, take control by force, take control by sheer military or political power, or it may be an inheritted title.  I don't think the method by which a City Baron is appointed will be the same in each city state.  Instead, there will be many different ways.  All the City Barons from the Barony will then vote on who will be the Council Baron for their barony and this single Council Baron will serve on the Council of Barons as well as act as a City Baron for their own city state.

Now that I have talked about the nation of Natu and the Necropact, which can be seen as the two major 'political' forces of the setting at this point, and the Necropact that is a kind of agreement between them, it is time to move along.

The Setting, Part Three[/b]
Now a little bit about the land that is called Natu.  We are nearing the end of what I found in my old notebook.

QuoteBecause of centuries of necromantic activities in the desert, it is not uncommon for common travelers to encounter some form of undear during their journey.  Most undead encountered this way is totally mindless as well as slow-moving, therefore posing very little threat to intelligent life.  Other times, however, more advanced, agressive undead creatures are happened across - an encounter that few survive.

Undead were first seen in Natu as guardians of tombs.[/quote]So, this doesn't make perfect sense.  Oh well.  I think what this really is trying to say is that undead have always had a very small part in the culture of this nation and that even in the very begining, necromancers were around and created undead to guard tombs for the wealthy.  This also tells us, in a way, that necromancers had to fall from grace at some point for the popular view of them and undead to have changed to it's current state.  I will have to cover how this happened more as I begin work on this setting anew.

Now I just need to expand upon what I wrote all that time ago.  I'll start with things that seem obvious about the setting to me and how I want it.  

Natu is a land-locked desert nation / land.  The 'deep desert' central area that the necromancers inhabit may not be officially considered part if the nation of Natu but are surrounded by it and would obviously be considered part of the 'land of Natu', even though it would probably not be a part of any barony or baronies.  This also leaves it open for me to expand into the rest of the world, if I choose.  I have no plans of doing so at this time.

I want the feel of the setting to be original but it will also have bits influenced by Egypt and the Middle East, more likely than not.  Also, Dune will likely be at least a little in my mind as I do this.

This setting, as I build it, will be made for D&D 4E.  It will, however, be fluff-heavy and I would still encourage thoughs that are not fans of 4E to read on.  When I do crunch-focused bits (such as entirely new classes) I will warn you.

After a quick look at mineral most often found in deserts I think that the currency / coinage will be (from least value to most) brass, copper, silver, gold.  Above that will be various gems, most likely.  The standard will probably be copper but could be silver.  I want wealth to be more valuable.

[spoiler=Rough Map of Natu with Little Explanation]
The central area that has no label is the deep desert where few will dare to travel.  It is the place that the necromancers are force to live in.  Somewhere near the center you would find, in mountains possibly containing a volcano, the Necropolis.  Many necromancers live by themselves in other areas.

Ara
The barony known as Ara is located in the north central portion of the land of Natu.  It is bordered by Sha-Rai in the east and by Ghet in the west.  Travelling south from any point in Ara will lead to the central area of Natu, the deep desert, and the no mans land where all manner of nightmare creatures are said to dwell and where the necromancers of the Necropact call home.  With an average sized population but no special industry or resources to speak of, Ara is considered to be economically poor for its size.

Ghet
The barony of Ghet occupies the north western portion of the region of Natu.  To the south is Roh, while Ara lies to the east.  In terms of population, Ghet is roughly the same size of neighboring Ara.  Ghet, however, is more economically prosperous because it is the only barony of Natu that maintains active trade relationships with foreigners hailing from outside the land of Natu.  This trade is strictly monitored by the City Barons of Ghet's three city states and the full extent of it is kept a secret from all but the Council of Barons.  Foreigners are also closely monitored while in the barony, as the City Barons of Ghet do not want any outside cultural contamination.

Laotah
Laotah is in the south eastern portion of the land of Natu. It is bordered to the north by the barony of Lhen and to the west by Rahem.  Laotah boasts the largest population in Natu, outside of Sha-Rai.  This is because almost all of the barony lies in a deep valley, mostly protecting it from the wind and putting settlements closer to the water table than anywhere else, making the digging of wells easier.

Lhen
The smallest barony in Natu, Lhen shares its name with its only city state.  It is bordered to the north by Sha-Rai and part or Ara and to the south by Laotah.  Laotah has no important resources to speak of and survives, economically, by trading with other baronies.

Rahem
The barony of Rahem is small in size and in population but is located between two of the larger baronies, with Roh to the west and Laotah to the east.  Rahem prospers by helping to facilitate the trade between the two baronies at its borders.  This is done with a kind of militia that escorts trade caravans and with numerous mercenary groups that are regulated by their city state of origin.  These mercenaries are also known for causing trouble, making Rahem famous for having the roughest and most dangerous settlements in Natu.

Roh
The barony called Roh has the second largest population of any barony outside of Sha-Rai and is nearly as prosperous.  This prosperity comes form the large mountain range that runs through much of the barony and into the deep desert.  All of Roh's city states are located very near to this range and from it they mine the ores that are then refined, still in Roh, into Natu's accepted currency.  Roh is bordered to the north by Ghet and to the east by Rahem.  Roh is known for being nearly as rough as Rahem, only without the mercenary bands to blame.  This combined with the infamous corruption in the social, economic and politically systemes gives Roh a very unsavory reputation.

Sha-Rai
Sha-Rai is by far the most populous and prosperous barony in Natu.  It is bordered by Ara in the west and south west and by Lhen in the south.  The barony of Sha-Rai is also home to the only large body of water found anywhere in Natu.  Because of this, the majority of the land is well irrigated and is the center of nearly all aggriculture in the land of Natu.[/spoiler][spoiler=List of Baronies of Natu and the City States of]City States of Ara
Afif
Habala
Bisha

City States of Ghet
Al-Abwa
Gherra
Harmah

City States of Laotah
Tartus
A'zaz
Izra
Bosra
Nawa

City States of Lhen
Lhen

City States of Rahem
Abadan
Kerki

City States of Roh
Fergana
Kiva
Urgut

City States of Sha-Rai
Banha
Dandarah
Imbabah
Taba
Tanta[/spoiler]Update 10/19/08 : I removed some of the city states from each barony.  I did this so that I could logically make each city state have a larger population and so it would be easier for me to eventually fully detail every one of them.  
I also listed the baronies in alphabetical order.
Next, I put the summary of each of the Baronies that I posted further down in the spoiler with the map.

I love how this is born out of singular idea.  It gives the clarity at a basal level that many settings lack.  And we all love necormancers...
 
I need to know how old the necropact is.  How long have these necromancers been out in this desert, screwing around with the dead?

With the prevalance of necromancers, what is the status of the spirit world in general?  You mention that you want to be able to have non-evil Necromancers.  For the exact same reason, I made necromancy a specicif type of magic that deals with undeath on all levels, communicating with the dead, allowing them to pass on, raising them, etc.  Necromancy is needed to loose the spirits of those who die in Celtricia on their trip to the House of Death, or else they are tied to the Waking dream.  You might want to bend and fold that idea until the utility of Necromancy is similar so that they can be both good and evil.

I also thing the idea of many Baronies is a good one.  Desert areas are harsher than most, so I am curious how this might haver come into being.

Great old notebook to find!

The idea of having multiple city-states in the desert area made sense to me, too. Because of the harsh climate, communications and such would be more difficult, so organizing the territories into something resembling a coherent "nation" would likely be a losing battle. Instead, each city (which presumably popped up around a source of water, easy trade, and other things a city needs) would make its way on its own. This is the rationale I used for the Great Desert area in Crystalstar, anyway. :)

Of course, the whole angle with rogue necromancers breaking the pact is a handy plot hook.

I like what you have so far, keep it up. :D

Quote from: LordVreegWith the prevalance of necromancers, what is the status of the spirit world in general?  You mention that you want to be able to have non-evil Necromancers. For the exact same reason, I made necromancy a specicif type of magic that deals with undeath on all levels, communicating with the dead, allowing them to pass on, raising them, etc.

needed[/i] in the world.  It has been around for a very long time and has advanced with time.  Magic will not be a big part of this setting but in some sense necromancy will be a kind of science, even more so than magic is in your setting.

Quote from: LordVreegGreat old notebook to find!

I agree.  When I re-read this again a few weeks ago it seemed really interesting to me, even though I wrote it several years ago and forgot about it.

Quote from: sparkletwistI like what you have so far, keep it up.

Thanks, I will try.

Now, kind of in response to both replies I have gotten so far, I will do a little more clarifying.  The reasoning for the formation of settlements in this environment is very obvious.  It is all about safety, really.  Most of these settlements will grow quite large quite quickly.  These become kinds of city states.  

From there, it makes sense that multiple city states would ally with each other.  This makes most sense considering this is a fantasy setting and there will likely be threats that you would not see in the real world.  When multiple city states have allied with each other, they then form a barony here.  Assuming this happened in other places, multiple baronies would be formed.

Baronies would then ally with each other for pretty much the same reasons as city states.  Also, trading is one of the more important focuses of this 'nation'.  

Quote from: sparkletwistThe idea of having multiple city-states in the desert area made sense to me, too. Because of the harsh climate, communications and such would be more difficult, so organizing the territories into something resembling a coherent "nation" would likely be a losing battle. Instead, each city (which presumably popped up around a source of water, easy trade, and other things a city needs) would make its way on its own. This is the rationale I used for the Great Desert area in Crystalstar, anyway. :)

Of course, the whole angle with rogue necromancers breaking the pact is a handy plot hook.

I like what you have so far, keep it up. :D

Indeed it is also what I used for Karros. It fits and makes sense. On a side note I am honored that you used my picture (I actually have an updated one if you want to see it).

At any rate I like where you are taking this ninja. The thing about undead guarding tombs is pretty interesting as well. Perhaps if a servant deeply cares for his late master he can request to be reanimated when he dies so that he may continue to serve him.

Quote from: NomadicThe thing about undead guarding tombs is pretty interesting as well. Perhaps if a servant deeply cares for his late master he can request to be reanimated when he dies so that he may continue to serve him.

That is where a lot of it would come from.  It is no longer a common practice, though, as necromancy has fallen from favor.

Very cool.  Giant desert choc-full of undead, scattered with city-states, with necromancy as a prominent element... awesome.  So are there rogue necromancers who refuse or defy the Necropact?  Punishments for those who violate it?  Can necromancers transform themselves into liches or something similar, or have themselves revivified as undead with memories of their previous life?  What are the consequences for renegade necromancy?  Power corrupts - so how scary must the penalty for going against the Necropact be for necromancers not to abuse their power?  Or does the Necropact merely sustain itself on a sense of tradition?

Sorry for the bombardment - it's just a very cool and interesting concept you've introduced (remeniscent a little of Sabriel's Charter, though only loosely... if you haven't read the books then it might be worth a wiki, basically the Charter is a codified system to restrain the use of magic, patricularly necromancy, in opposition to "Free Magic," which is wild and unpredictable).

Quote from: SteerpikeWhat are the consequences for renegade necromancy? Power corrupts - so how scary must the penalty for going against the Necropact be for necromancers not to abuse their power?

Or does the Necropact merely sustain itself on a sense of tradition?[/quote]The Necropact in part endures because of tradition and in part because no one has a big enough problem with it to challenge it.  The necromancers are more likely to bend the rules they don't like than to raise an army and go to war to get rid of the Necropact.