New Edom Revisited

[Tybalt]

Actually Deva is a YASG city that is now part of the territory of a Celtic duke.

I'm a bit surprised at you finding the horse over the top...after all the high priestess in Fineberg has a magical stone lion. I have to admit that I had always liked that Mannanan Mac Lir's horse could run over the waves, which is more along the lines of what I meant. Perhaps that makes more contextual sense.

[Tybalt]

The Tale of the Republic

Edom was originally formed from various people including aristocrats and their families and followers who were settling a wild country, refusing to abide under a tyrannical magocracy. A number of the first arrivals had made a daring mountain crossing that took almost two years and made the term 'mountaineer' one of pride. The land they had settled was largely wooded hills and partly mountains, bordered by a great swamp and a river to the east and a rather rocky coast to the south. With difficulty they resisted goblin attacks and managed to settle, partly with the help of dwarvish and gnomish countries nearby.

The strongest of their leaders was elected king in what they were able to arrange for ceremony. However this King, Obed, proved to be a tyrant. He made use of a group of psionicists (who were called the King's Witches) to spy on and influence others. His cruelty grew great and almost legendary--largely out of his paranoia of overthrow. His taxation and misuse of power was monstrous, and encouraged among his followers. What the king feared came to pass. It was three humble figures--one a disgraced wizard and aristocrat, enslaved by means of a magic collar--one a gladiatrix, one a fool at the king's court--who brought him down. They formed a plan, seeking out malcontents and finding places to hide weapons, and on the day of a great feast struck.

A Scene of Public Execution


The one who struck the blow that slew the king was that of the fool, Touchstone, who was in fact a clever and wise man and proved so much so that he was asked by the people who should become king. He replied that there should no more be kings nor slaves in Edom--but that a New Edom should be made in which all, man or woman, were free. This did not sit well with all, though his comrades supported his views and in a final fight the remaining aristocrats and their families were slain or forced to flee.

It took much figuring and wondering to make the Republic. First of all it was determined that all who had come of age as recognized by owning property or fulfilling the terms of their trade should be able to elect representatives to a Great Council. In turn this council would elect officers of state: a council of Lords who would be worthy citizens, acting as chief judges and executors of the will of the nation in diplomacy and war. A council of representatives of the towns and villages who would decide fairly matters of who should hold office and what taxes could be used. A council of guildmasters so that there would be fairness throughout the land in trades. A council of magistrates who elected by the rest of the council would determine interpretation of the criminal and civil laws. Finally, a war council to keep ready the land's defenses.

Elected to the first council of Lords were: Touchstone the Fool, Aholibamah the Mage, and Sif the gladiatrix. For a new banner the people of the Republic of New Edom made a flag of deep blue on which were embroidered three white stars, one for each of the founders and leaders of the freedom of the people.



- from The Glorious History of the Republic by Jon Crowl.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Nice details on the history.  It's surprising that a man that commits regicide would be elected a leader, even if the leader was a tyrant.  But stranger things have happened :)  Like a man named Touchstone ;)

So does the Republic still only have 3 lords?  Are they actually "lords," or is that just an honorific?  If they do hold hereditary power, wouldn't N.E. develop into an aristocracy, then?

Interesting picture, too.

[Tybalt]

The Council of Lords can have up to 10 Lords at a given time. They must have served in the military for no less than five years and one one of the lesser councils that make up the Great Council for at least ten. Furthermore the Great Council overall must overwhelmingly agree that they are worthy to serve as a Lord, with at least 80% of it agreeing on this.

It is not hereditary. They are awarded no lands though they are granted a place to stay of suitable impressiveness for life in the capital.

The Lords properly speaking are the executive rulers of New Edom--they can make all final judgements in law, they can appoint envoys, they appoint the Council of Ministers (though these must be also approved by a public examination into their virtues by the Great Council in general) and the War Council (same parameters). The Lords are overall responsible for defense and diplomacy though they may delegate these tasks to the Council of Ministers and the War Council. They may employ the Nocturnal Council and the Council Police to gather information and to enforce the laws of the Republic.

The present Lords of the Council are:
High Lord Jetheh (the High Lord is the leader of the Council of Lords)
Lord Aholibamah (though the eldest member he has consistently refused to serve as High Lord)
Lord Magdiel
Lord Tybalt
Lord Dunsinaine

In trying to figure out New Edomite politics I've thought that it is probably a hodge podge still of varying views. Some of the remaining patrician families or new ones (those who married in or became famous and respected due to heroism etc) dislike certain aspects of the Republic and would like a modified form at least of aristocratic rule--hardly anyone but remaining exiles and extremists actually wants a monarchy back. I picture that moderates currently run it but that there are radical extremists that want all privilege wiped out and an absolutely egalitarian democracy created.

Politics is partly created as I understand it by necessity and perceived necessity. New Edom is not a great empire with the luxury of having a lot of confused political facionalism; it is a small nation largely surrounded by wilderness that has just achieved a level of prosperity and found itself attacked on two sides for it.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

You made yourself a lord on the council?  That is awesome!

Seriously, I think having tension in the nature of government is a good idea.  Any established government, especially a new democracy, is likely to have radicals trying to gain power.  It sounds like the basis is already set to give rise to an oligarchy, or even a tyrant (in the Athenian sense, given the war time).

[Tybalt]

Campaign Update

Raids against siege works, the foiling of giants crossing the river, lizardfolk druids using spells to damage ships and constant harrying and destruction of supplies have caused Duke Anderman's forces to withdraw from Fineberg. The people sigh with relief, but are not entirely happy on reflection--there will be no late autumn harvest, and so it will be a lean and hungry winter with more rationing. The fishing fleet is still being harassed by Celtic roundships and galleys, and is forced to stay close to home for protection.

Meanwhile Glasstower has surrendered to King Cleothas' army, with Lord Dunsinaine's forces having retreated towards Touchstone. There is talk of some kind of peace treaty with winter coming on--to buy time at least. However this is not yet a popular idea.

With just a month left to campaign and with cold rains starting, General Carmel is not optimistic about chances of getting involved in a long march to Touchstone which would also leave Fineberg without a large force to defend it. Nevertheless she begins preparations: first of all scouts are sent out to find out what the enemy dispositions are. A force under Lieutenant-Colonel von Drang is sent north to the town of Verity to gather supplies from the surrounding countryside. Two raiding parties under Colonel Finnhald and Major Loegaire respectively are instructed to burn out the towns nearby captured for harbours for the enemy fleet.

One of the scouting parties is to be led by Lieutenant Kallyn Finnhald (a ranger) and is to include Lieutenant Aevar Arnorsson (Psion) Mereka Fabian (cleric of Ishtar) Finnhald's soldiers and Nestor, Lord Aholibamah's assistant who is going along to provide magical support. Nestor grumbles but goes obediently. Also going along are Kallyn's friend the pseudo dragon Xanoth and her lover/servant Dassah. Aevar spends her preparation time buying extra equipment, what food she is able to and getting the horses and troops re-conditioned for the trip. Arnorsson is dour; he has found he is under investigation by the Nocturnal Council and that a thief he tried to put under his thumb has tricked him. The soldiers, mostly barbarians and border folk are relieved to be out of Fineberg, having spent all the loot they got in Finnhald's service on drink and other vices.

Riding out of Fineberg on a cloudy late autumn day they find the debris of the departed enemy being scavenged by citizens of the city, and some things that were left outright as the enemy departed being auctioned by pedlars. Beyond the walls the area is a wasteland now, ground torn up by the siege camp, ashes and rubble and stubble left in the wake of Carmel's original retreat.

Here and then in the next couple of days they see but avoid encountering stragglers--camp followers, soldiers whose horses have gone lame, and so on. The group shadow them like ghosts, noting their presence.

Between Fineberg and Glasstower they begin to encounter farm country, but the farms they find are burned out or abandoned. In a few cases they find rotting bodies.

Nearing the village of Whiteoak they find a battlefield. Fog hangs heavy over the land and raptors and crows, ravens and skulking scavengers lurk among bodies here and there, feathered with arrows or bolts, cloven with axes or swords. A dying horse screams awfully somewhere in the fog. A stench hangs in the air. The horses are reluctant to go on, snorting and whinnying, shying their heads.

Aevar and Nestor use psionic or magical sight to peer through the fog while the pseudo dragon's vanity is stroked by Finnhald to do the same. What is seen is this: a group of dark plaid wearing celts at a collection of huts on the other side of the valley apparently collecting bodies and on the other side a group of New Edomite soldiers, weary, stumbling, following a horse that they recognize as that of the famous captain Ava Shalmaneser, the daughter of Aevar's patron and a hero of the Republic. They make their way quietly through the fog but then when nearby Finnhald uses a shepherd's whistle (the arranged signal) to alert their countrymen.

Rapidly the dismounted cavalrymen and their mounted leader approach them--they can now see Shalmaneser's trademark leopardskin saddle, her heron plumed helmet, her mud and blood streaked golden hair--only to be struck by a horrifyingly nauseating smell and to hear bestial howls from the troops! Shalmaneser shrieks "Finnhald!" as though having to choke the words out with an effort and attacks!

Nestor attempts to use a fireball to destroy them on Kallyn's instruction but it only destroys some of the troop coming on at them--Kallyn with regret but utter necessity orders the group to fight in pairs and charge.

A terrible fight ensuses. Mereka attempts to ward off the undead horrors by invoking the name of Ishtar but they merely horribly laugh. Shalmaneser herself moves her undead horse, its head lolling, against Kallyn and Aevar while the flash of Nestor's spells lights the fog and the sound of the troops' grunting and gasping as they struggle against nausea and the snarls and cries of the unead warriors are all around them. The undead horse is destroyed with a slash of Finnhald's sword while Arnorsson activates his rod of lordly might's mace and smashes Shalmaneser to the ground. The dead captain rises, grinning with bared bloody teeth, swift and agile, slashing at the hamstrings of Aevar's horse.

Aevar dodges his horse which almost goes down, stumbling in the mist over the uneven ground. Turning to aid him Kallyn is struck by one of the undead soldiers who leaps at her, dragging her from her saddle in spite of her frantic efforts. Bearing her to the ground she finds herself paralyzed, overpowered. The soldier growls through slavering teeth, "Easy Lieutenant--I just wanna EAT ya!" as it beings to rip at her armor straps. She cannot scream though in her mind she is...

Aevar finds himself almost on the defensive even though he is mounted and Shalmaneser is not; activating the spear he lunges at her but the experienced warrior turned ghast dodges and grabbing the spear yanks on it while thrusting up with her sabre. Aevar leans away but finds himself being dragged, his horse whinnying desperately as the ghast captain grabs his belt with one hand while aiming her sword at his middle. In a swift motion he activates the axe and brings it down with a ferocious swing at her head, cleaving it deeply.

Mereka meanwhile has used her spiritual weapon spell and is flailing about with her glowing mace, battering back the attack of one of the ghasts and finally bashing in its skull. She goes to the aid of a wounded soldier who is standing over a paralyzed comrade and helps him finish off the other.

Xanoth wisely avoids direct combat after a slashing attack from a ghast--these creatures are not subject to his venom. He sees Kallyn's plight though and gets Aevar's attention.
Seeing Kallyn pinned, Dassah, who had been ordered to avoid all combat, grabs her short sword from its sheath, letting go of the mule train she is responsible for and runs through the swirling mist and combatants to her lover--but is stopped in her tracks by a slavering ghast. She steps back in terror and is saved by Kallyn's barbarian follower Corwin who thrusts his sword into its side.

Kallyn meanwhile is having her armor yanked off her by the ghast when Aevar throws his sword at the ghast. Aevar for some reason is very good at this, never failing to strike the right blow in the right place--and the ghast is pierced through the upper spine right through the throat and collapses.

Collecting themselves, they find that a few of the soldiers are paralyzed or hurt. They tend to them but Kallyn when coming to says that they must be alert for the Celtic scouts they saw. Sure enough, they find themselves shadowed by this group who must be wondering who is out there. Meanwhile Mereka and Aevar heal the wounded.

Once everyone is ready to ride they move off into the fog. However they now and then hear the sound of hoofbeats not their own and realize that the enemy scouts must be looking for them...

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Sounds like it was an interesting session.  The undead certainly face them with a new kind of threat.  Do you intend the undead to become a major theme in the campaign, or was this  just a separate adventure?

[Tybalt]

This is a new development. The undead are being created to cause horror and fear and to tie up the New Edomites in the east. The players have a chance to halt this but to do so they have to find a lich's phylactery and use it to either destroy the creature or prevent it from continuing to make more undead. The lich in question is being forced (by means of its capture phylactery) to make these undead by Anderman, who is hiding the fact from the king.

[Tybalt]

The New Edomite Navy (such as it is)

The Navy of the Republic really consists of a bunch of fishing ships and coastal traders that during time of war do duty as a kind of naval border patrol. This can be effective--for instance during the siege of Fineberg such small ships helped patrol the chain boom across the harbour. On the other hand they were particularly ineffective during the attacks on Harbourtown and Krothering, which fell to the warships of the Celts.

On the Silver River this force is however supported by allied Lizardfolk, Locathah and Merfolk whose druids and rangers proved very capable of outright sinking enemy ships. As these allies had been helped against predatory Sahuagin and Koalinth this is one of New Edom's firmest and strongest alliances.

Recently in planning for a sea voyage to possibly gain other allies and actual naval ships a captured galley has been repaired and partly crewed and officered by clerics of the sea goddess Osprem, who intend to use small tamed elementals and beasts to make sure of navigation, spells to protect the ship and a crew of fishermen and traders to be oarsmen and sailors. However obviously this would be difficult to do with a lot of ships--and furthermore there are no experienced shipwrights in building warships in New Edom currently. A priest who has taken on the sacred position of being 'sea blind' that is to say touched by the goddess so that he can ONLY see the patterns of the wind and waves is to navigate the ship.

The Church of Osprem

This is not a uniquely New Edomite religion. Osprem is the 'daughter of the waves' and is not a goddess of the deep sea but rather of those who ply their trade upon the surface. She is often seen as a beautiful young woman clad in water. Her clerics tend to be of the class of fisherfolk and are wise and clever but not sophisticated; this is a working class religion for people who live by means of the sea. As such it is one of the more acceptable religions to the Republic and is admired for its views on hard work and reverence of the environment one works in. The main temples are in Harbourtown and in Fineberg. Osprem's clergy have no central leadership; the high priests and priestesses must prove their worthiness through demonstrations of clerical spells involving the sea such as rites that bring in a great catch, calm storms and so on. The temples often have protectors/friends such as dolphins, rays, octopuses, and the like. They wear blue and green robes formally and tunics colored the same out of the local fisherfolk's preferred material (in New Edom it is wool) when working. Fisherfolk like to have a cleric of Osprem visit their ships to bless them as do coastal traders.

Preferred weapons of the Osprem priesthood (priests and priestesses equally share work among these) are: tridents, clubs, spears, axes.

Benefits of Priesthood: spells, hostelry, friendship with most fisherfolk and sea traders, language of 3 sea dwelling intelligent creatures.

Penalties: loss of status with required penance; actual betrayal involves execution by drowning.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

What is a Koalinth?

during the siege of Fineberg such small ships helped patrol the chain boom across the harbour.

You mean they drew a chain across the harbor to prevent ships from entering?  Or that the ships patrolled a place called "chain boom"?

I like that the sea religion punished betrayal with drowning.  Nice touch.

[Tybalt]

A koalinth is an amphibious hobgoblin. I had reasoned in my game that they were descendants of a hobgoblin tribe that worshipped the same god as the Sahuagin and gradually took on aquatic characteristics as a form of spiritual transformation.

The chain is as you said, a means of defending the harbour with a big chain.

[Tybalt]

I have updated my thread with an entry on the city of Touchstone, the capital of the Republic.

At this point in the game my players are involved in efforts to deal with the lich as well as an unexpected force of humanoids and giants attempting to cross the river into northern New Edom. A battle near the border village of Verity and trying to figure out how to destroy the lich's phylactery are coming up in the next session.

[Tybalt]

Goblinland

Goblinland is mostly called that because of the large numbers of goblinoids that live in the region. However it really was once the kingdom of Belerion, which fell not long after a ruinous war against an evil cult that had begun to take over the land. Exhausted of its resources the country faced numerous humanoid incursions and betrayals by formerly friendly nonhuman race, gradually succumbing to anarchy.

What survives now are a number of small largely celtic villages and towns which are either remote enough or fortified enough to survive, often with mixed populations of humanoids, humans and some demihumans, most of the latter being travellers or exiles. Those near the Witchwood which spreads across much of the center of Goblinland form a rough federation which has no name save for the Forest Towns. Town leaders meet now and then to deal with problems--usually things that are directly to do with survival such as famine, flood or invasion. These have had little to do with New Edom directly, mostly dealing with the braver traders or adventurers passing through the area. There is no real animosity but no friendship in particular either--the forest forms a border between them and the goblinoid held territories on the either side of the woods facing the Silver River that is the frontier for New Edom.

Leaders of the Forest Towns tend to be tough, clever and talented. It is a rough life in the area and a good leader must be able to command trade, defense and gain the use of some form of magic (either through spellcasters, personal ability or by bluffing and faking it). The magic is important because it intimidates the humanoids and keeps them at bay. Indeed, the nearby orc tribes have begun to trade rather than raid. This could also be because the orcs in turn are being raided and enslaved by giants who have slowly over the last two generations been setting up a kingdom in the foothills of the mountains to the east.

The hobgoblins and goblins by contrast are vehement enemies of humanity, regarding the more fertile lands of New Edom especially with envious eyes and hating them always. Since General Carmel broke the defenses of Kal Atherak, the goblin city, and scattered its hinhabitants to the four winds they have burned with longing for revenge. They are also determined opponents of the Forest Towns and have often raided them. The raiding is sometimes mutual and both parties do not spare females or children, believing mutually that 'nits breed lice'.

Other inhabitants of the region include druids living strange and secret in the forests and hills, the more dangerous and dark sorts of fae, bandits (mostly mixed groups of humanoid and human, exiles from their own tribes and towns, or in some cases New Edomite deserters wanted for vile crimes).

The ruins of the old kingdom are scattered here and there. Bandits or humanoids may set up in remote and ruined towers. More than one castle is haunted by ghosts of the past or by evil strange remnants of the all but forgotten war. Recently a remnant of a temple devoted to the cult was found by New Edomites and destroyed, but almost certainly there are others. It is said by some sages that the old cult was devoted to worship of strange reptilian gods and that a folk who had by some foul magical means bred with serpents were the leading devotees.

One city remains in the region, though it is a strange and desperate place. Nala was once the main port for Belerion and faces the sea to the south, only perhaps a couple of days' march from Fineberg but separated by the river and the sea. It is largely still in ruins, the once grand temple reduced to pillars and rubble, the masonry broken up to shore up hovels and the canals stagnant and foul. Those living there are the refuse of the surrounding societies: humanoids too weak or freakish to survive among their own, human criminals, outcasts such as half elves and half orcs, cultists and perverts and many other freaks. It is not so much ruled as dominated by an uneasy truce of coastal pirates, evil priests and strongarm thugs. The structure breaks down every so often due to deaths, murders and people simply moving on. New Edom's lack of a strong navy has prevented serious action against it but the presence of the Drenai Fleet and the massive of a goblinoid army along the river has kept things quiet lately. It is a haven for smugglers, drugs, slavery and worse and there is sometimes during quieter times talk in New Edom of invading the area and burning it to the ground, but somehow something else always comes up.

[LordVreeg]

[blockquote= My Take on Goblinoids ]
[because the war that is the backdrop to my campaign is in some ways a cultural one, I have put down some of my thoughts on the who and why of Hobgoblins and Goblins just for fun and to see what interest this generates. [/blockquote]

What is the ralationship of goblinoids to the other humanoid races in this mileau?  Do the small celtic-style villages and such trade directly or work with the goblins, are they allied in some cases?  

Can they be PC's, these goblins?
( I have Garteir and Orkash PC races, Bugbear and Orc.  They are the races that have been assimlated over the last 40-50 years as civilized)

How stringent are they in their bend towards law?  An how do other humanoids and other civilizations view them?
It looks like they are heavily xenophobic--(and I admit, xenophobia is, in the cultural philosophy of my world, considered a benchmark of cukltural backasswardness).  

And what kind of power do their 'local dieties', like the 'local war gods you mention, have?  Are they merely incarnations of other know gods, lesser demi gods in the service of greater gods?  Are these gods devilkin?  

[Tybalt]

Thanks for commenting LordVreeg!

Good questions as well.

The goblinoids are wary of other humanoids, particularly bigger more chaotic ones. (bugbears, ogres, hill giants) The hobgoblins tend to use superior numbers and tactics to intimidate such creatures from bothering them too much, while with orcs there is a sort of cautious mutual respect that now and then breaks into fighting or alliance depending on circumstances. At present during the war a couple of weaker orc clans wanting new territory have sided with the goblinoids as mercenaries.

As far as the Forest Towns go the goblinoids now and then manage to make peace, other times are at war with them, but rarely with all of them at once.

The main civilizations in my game apart from that of New Edom are the collective group of Celtic kingdoms and lands, the Yasg Empire (which is a large collection of various cultures, influenced by both dragons and yuan-ti) the Sulcar Islands (which are sort of Greco-Mediterranean), the Elvish nations, the small kingdoms of the Dwarves and Gnomes and their scattered communiities abroad. As far as the more human dominated ones are concerned goblinoids are strange beings who live in a far away corner of the world in mountains and forests who carry people off to eat them. Mostly it is frontier and wild countries that see goblinoids roaming about.

Elves loathe goblinoids. To the north Goblinland is bordered by the Rannach forest fortress, controlled by High Elves who pretty much shoot goblinoids on sight. To the south of the fort (made of magically reinforced gigantic trees, natural rocks and waters, resembling a mountain but in fact entirely magically created) there are bones lying in brooks and mossy vales of generations of goblins and hobgoblins who had wandered into the area or tried to move in in force.

Goblinoids can be pcs in the game--in spite of enmity in general with New Edom the Light Troops, Rangers and other forces that sometimes make incursions into Goblinland are not adverse to betting one humanoid against another or employing outcasts and half breeds as scouts.

The local deities vary widely! The more powerful ones are part of a pseudo-babylonian mythos I'm still working on. (so far it includes a couple of Greyhawk deities I thought would work as well as ones from Robert E. Howard's Hyborian mythos, then deities such as Ishtar, Tiamat, Ereshkigal, Tammuz, etc) Tiamat is worshipped mostly through a sly Yuan-Ti led cult in the mountains--dragons are known to be powerful so the cult has some regard. Ereshkigal herself is not worshipped but some of her particular devils are. (Devils in my game are servants of the goddess of the Dead, and have the duty to pursue those of the living who break oaths and bargains. They are however willful servants who bitterly envy the fact that they never get to enjoy the world of the living as the gods do) Also some powerful animal spirits are worshipped. Generally goblinoids will give worship to whatever kind of being enables them to prosper in battle--they see the world as harsh and therefore want to follow deities that will help them in that. Some also may worship powerful undead who might demand living sacrifices.

Overall the goblinoids are quite lawful and xenophobic to a degree--they are never sure if they can trust anyone who does not follow their customs and doesn't seem to have a particular clan's best interests at heart.