Arga discussion thread.

[O Senhor Leetz]

Hehe, those locales sound close to something I'd put in my own setting ^^
I quite liked your old map; what changes will have happened in this new one? Less continents? More mountains?

more hand-made feel, because it will be. more like my doodles, so it doesn't seem out of place. It's bigger, and a bit easier to read. it will be good.

[O Senhor Leetz]

well, the geography of the map is inked in. Now I have to name and place lot's of things I've barely thought about.

Off the top of my head there are at least 10 bodies of water(seas, oceans, bays, straights. 6 continents, or parts of. A vast dust desert (it's really big). A belt of islands. uh there's more. -Oh, 5 mountain ranges.

any naming ideas for any of these? and what is a good number of cities/kingdoms/places? there is fine line between a boring map and a busy on.

[O Senhor Leetz]

[ic=Jaspergate]North of the Old Cities, past the Narrow Sea, and through the Iron Sea sits Jaspergate, the Knife of the North. A relatively young city, it will soon be celebrating it's 222nd anniversary, Jaspergate was founded in the year 846 of the Sixth Age (6a846) by the explorer Kalos the Knife. Originally named Port Kalos by it's intrepid, and famously greedy, founder, the young, snow-swept settlement soon found unimagined wealth in the vast mountains north of the city in the form of iron, jewels, and stone. Wealth and opportunity lead to the city's quick and robust growth. Within only a generation, the city had grown in both stature and wealth. A deep harbor of granite docks replaced the original rickety collection wooden jetties. Strong walls enclosed the city, and fabulous temples and palaces made liberal use of the resources at hand. The name of Jaspergate in fact came from Kalos' own gilded hall, complete with carved pillars and a grand gate of pure black jasper.

Kalos hisself ruled the city up until his death, at which time his feeble son Kelos the Lesser, attempted to rule. Because of his inability to lead the still growing city, the various merchants, explorers, and adventurers of the city overthrew him quickly and bloodlessly, instating a loose council of movers and shakers, which is still in place today.

Originally built in the style of the Old Cities - heavy stonework, the ample use of pillars, halls, arcades, and forums - Jaspergate has also adapted the liberal use of wall hangings, animal pelts, less open space, and thicker, bulkier stonework in order to protect itself against the bitter winters of the North. Statues are common throughout the city. Jaspergate is also partially famed for it's carved pillars that feature giants, warriors, and fabled beasts of the North.

The harbor is watched over by the Tower of Gulls, a massive bulwark of black granite, sparsely dotted with thin-slit windows. The Hall of Kalos is still is used as the meeting place of the Council. Other notable structures include the Winter Wall, the heavy stone and iron wall that surrounds the city, and the Arc Thenon, as great temple to the White Lady, the patron goddess of Jaspergate, the North, and warriors. [/ic]

this is just a quick thingy about Jaspergate, one of the cities I want to feature more than others. Because of it's loose social structure, youth, proximity to the unexplored North, and an available supply of metals (read: good weapons and armor), I think it would make a good starting point or a focused city for any campaign in Arga. I would love to work on it more, some questions/focus would not hurt.

[O Senhor Leetz]

I've thought up a little meta-game system for the use of Phaen in Arga. Phaen is one of the elements (elements as in part of a whole, no relation to earth or fire or whatnot) of magic, and is raw, primal, unrefined energy. Phaen-fire, a wild, multi-hued flame, is the most common way to use Phaen, although some prefer to dabble in it's mutable and entropic properties as well. Due it's nature, the leylines of Phaen cannot be mapped, predicted, or controlled.  

[spoiler=Leylines]Leylines represent the natural flow and strength of magic throughout Arga. Some regions in Arga are stronger in a particular magic than an other, and the strength of "spells" often depends on proximity to corresponding leylines.[/spoiler]

The leylines of Phaen do not follow predictable or set paths, but instead jump and shift around. Because of this, there is a chance that at any one second, a player could have access to any amount of Phaen. Everytime a player wishes to use Phaen, they must first roll a d10, the results are as follow. (this chart follows no particular rules set, so adjust as needed)

1 There is no Phaen anywhere nearby, and the spell completely fizzles and fails.
2-4 There is Phaen, but it is weak. The spell's power is lowered.  
5-7 There is a moderate amount of Phaen. Spell works as normal
8-9 There is a high amount of Phaen. The spell's power is increased.
10 There is a surge of Phaen. The spell's effect is totally changed somehow - target, duration, range, etc. GM's discretion.
 

[Ghostman]

this is just a quick thingy about Jaspergate, one of the cities I want to feature more than others. Because of it's loose social structure, youth, proximity to the unexplored North, and an available supply of metals (read: good weapons and armor), I think it would make a good starting point or a focused city for any campaign in Arga. I would love to work on it more, some questions/focus would not hurt.

* What are the primary sources for tensions and conflicts within Jaspergate (other than the ruling council being "loose")? Are there notable factions?
* What kind of external threats does the city face?
* More information about culture and customs would be welcome. Is the city ethnically/culturally tied to the surrounding countryside or is there a marked division?

[O Senhor Leetz]

[spoiler]here is a further refined Kalos (Formely known as Jaspergate), one of 3-4 cities that will be "hubs" to any potential Arga campaign or story series.


Kalos

"Kalos you say? Fine city, but it's a terrible journey. Icy waters, bitter winds, and the damnable spine-sharks always circlin' your ship. Good place to buy knives and the like, best blades asides from the Vorr, and Gael knows they ain't sellin'. Actually bought m'self a nice dagger on that last trip, damn handy blade to have around, cuts through the toughest rope no problem. Haven't been there in a few years now dat I think 'bout it. Last time we sailed there, had to leave a deckhand behind, Slow Lumbra was his name I think. Took a strong liking to the saltwine, went a bit loopy."

-Grizzled Behrix, Captain of the Witch's Wake


Overview Perched between the metal-gray waters of the Iron Sea and the frigid Endworld Mountains, the city of Kalos, also known as Jaspergate, thrives as one of the richest and busiest port-cities in all of Arga. Founded in the year 846 of the Sixth Age (6a846) by the explorer Kalos the Knife. Building upon the ruined foundations of a forgotten Fourth Age city - later discovered to be the fabled Arx Valas - Kalos the Knife soon found that the as-yet-unexplored Endworlds held the largest veins of ore anywhere in Arga, even more so than Dravos. Within months, word reached the Old Cities of the Sigil Seas of the vast wealth just waiting to be exploited by those hardy enough to do so. A stream of treasure-seekers, downtrodden workers, and merchants soon fled to the fledgling Kalos. Upon their arrival, they found the wealth they were looking for, but they also found the cruel and savage North. Many perished, as they were unprepared for the bitter winters and stormy summers of Kalos. Those that survived, however, prospered, and the city thrived. Today, North-forged blades are sought after across the lands of Arga, as is the saltwine - an intensely strong brew illegal in most civilized cities.

The Northfolk The peoples of Kalos and the handful of mining towns that surround it are a hardy and tough folk. Seen as uncouth, rowdy, and crass to those of the Old Cities, the Northfolk take pride in the same traits that their southern brethren look down upon. A life on the edge of the known world has taught them that ability counts for than birth. The bitter cold and savage storms have taught them to take enjoyment whenever they can. The constant threats of the North have taught them that honest words are more valuable than verbose flattery. As the city itself is barely 300 years old, the Northfolk look similar to their cousins in the Old Cities - dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin - albeit stockier and slightly taller. The favor simple dress often worn in many layers to adapt to the fickle weather. Furs and heavy cloth are the materials of choice, and are often kept in their natural hues. However, the Northfolk all wear a broad bandoleer of colored cloth to hand a variety of items and trinkets. Men of Kalos prefer the color red, women the color yellow, and children the color blue. Iron jewelry is also fashionable. As would be expected, Tradecant is the language of Kalos.

The Northfolk subsist mainly on fish from the Iron Sea - be it smoked, salted, dried, pickled, or even frozen - and the shaggy, lumbering muskhorns that roam the foothills of the Endworlds. The Northfolk also have a taste for the locally made saltwine. By taking various, local berries - most being poisonous or foul-tasting - curing them in salt, and then fermenting the subsequent liquid, Kalos has on its hands one of the most potent, some say foul, drinks in all of Arga. It is common knowledge that too much saltwine at one sitting can permanently alter ones state of mind.

The City Built upon the sturdy ruins of Arx Valas and within the sheltering embrace of a harbor, Kalos has often been described as an oyster of a city - drab on the outside, but gleaming on the inside. Heavy stonework, tall, thin windows, narrow streets, stocky columns, and steep streets and stairs mark the city from the outside. Within, however, most homes are redolent with ample tapestries, carpets, and pelts while a large central hearth heats the home with a warm orange glow. Another unique feature of Kalos is the presence of the "retha", also known as chimney imps, small, trainable creatures native only to the shores of the Iron Sea. The retha resemble small, furry, monkey-like creatures. Within a white coat and two small black horns, the rethat stand no more than a foot tall. Many have tried to forcibly remove the imps from the Iron Sea, but the retha seem to perish if moved without them wanting to. However, they are capable of living beyond Kalos, and Northfolk merchants and sailors often carry at least a couple retha on their ships. The imps seem to feed on dirt, dust, and soot. It didn't take long for the Northfolk to figure out that keeping one or two retha wouldn't be a bad idea.

There are few grand buildings in Kalos. The Tower of Gulls, a massive bulwark of black granite, sparsely dotted with thin-slit windows, watches over the harbor. Armed with a massive iron bombard - the Northfolk call it Deaths' Bellow - on its battlement, it has successfully resisted several pirate attacks and one invasion from the Old Cities.
The Iron Council, a loose governing body of successful merchants, famous explorers, and stout warriors, rules Kalos from the carved pillared-halls of the Jasper Forum, Kalos the Knife's original palace. The Iron Council meets on a weekly basis, and for the last 50 years or so, has avoided bloodshed within it's ranks. Council members usually serve for life, unless they are "convinced" to step down by any particular faction or individual within the city. The several dozen council members - an exact number does not exist - are recognizable by the engraved, iron collars they wear. [/spoiler]




More soon when I'm not nodding off.  

[Superfluous Crow]

Saltwine sounds intriguing considering the tales of sailors who drink salt water during shipwrecks and such.
The Tower of Gulls is a cool name. What's with the Retha? are they just pets, or do they have any uses?

[Ghostman]

I too would like to learn more about those imps. What do they look like? How intelligent are they?

Is Calos self-sufficient or is it forced to import food?

[O Senhor Leetz]

now that I wrote that and I can see it outside my head, I'm not sure I like how Kalos/Jaspergate was forming, it was fairly generic. I think there needs to be something really unique to the city, some reason for it be there, both in in-game terms, and for sheer coolness. Also, the city has found it's way to the far northwest corner, so it's position is not all that good for being one of the "hub" cities. (By hub cities, I don't mean importance in the world, so much as cities that will be more fleshed out because of the multitude of "adventure hooks")

[O Senhor Leetz]

some ideas to make Jaspergate more interesting (I thought I would try to get a general consensus before writing something I may end up not liking)

-The city is build within and on top of the flooded ruins of an enormous <dead race> city. Part of the city's reason for existence would be its caches of artifacts and trinkets from the old city. It would basically be a city built on top of a dungeon, with everything catering towards that. And despite the flooded nature of the ruins in general, much of the city beneath the waves have managed to remain dry. (I imagine a scene of adventurers walking down a leaky, ruined corridor, while fish and sea-creatures swim on the other side of the windows. Don't break the glass!)

-the city is often plagued by the Sea-Dead, soggy corpses that emerge from the waves and the ruins below.

-The land north of the city is unexplored, due to the savage landscape and the fact there is nothing worth while.

-The city above the waves is divided by canals and bridges.

[Superfluous Crow]

If you go the whole on-top-of-a-dungeon approach it would be cool to see archaeologists making an appearance for once. You might even go all the way and have the city governed by greedy archaeologists who want to scour the ruins of the past for their secrets. Maybe they are financed by a trading house who takes a few of the items of their hands for the trouble.

[Ghostman]

And despite the flooded nature of the ruins in general, much of the city beneath the waves have managed to remain dry. (I imagine a scene of adventurers walking down a leaky, ruined corridor, while fish and sea-creatures swim on the other side of the windows. Don't break the glass!)

Makes for some potentially awesome scenery, but needs to be justified somehow. Perhaps there is some ancient mechanism that's still running that keeps parts of the ruins dry? Or maybe living beings (creatures engineered for the purpose, even) or automatons have been fighting back the flood all this time?

-The city above the waves is divided by canals and bridges.

Kind of a northernly Venice then? Sounds nice, but what about winters? Will the canals freeze?

[O Senhor Leetz]

If you go the whole on-top-of-a-dungeon approach it would be cool to see archaeologists making an appearance for once. You might even go all the way and have the city governed by greedy archaeologists who want to scour the ruins of the past for their secrets. Maybe they are financed by a trading house who takes a few of the items of their hands for the trouble.

hmmmm, I'm not sure about archaeologists fitting in Arga, especially in Jaspergate. I have this image of Jaspergate being a fairly rough and tumble town, almost like an American West gold rush town. That being said, having a bumbling, bespectacled scholar from a larger city trying to convince a dirty, dungeon-weary adventuring party to take him along with them would fit in. Also, I can see agents from several different "factions" cutting deals in Jaspergate with adventurers before they descend into the Vault of Kalos (see below).

 [ic=The Vault of Kalos]
Knicknames: The Maze, Hunters' Tomb
Resources: Treasures, 3rd Age relics, fine weapons, ancient armor
Location: The North, north of Jaspergate

"Well, we lost Jerga in Halver's Hall to a pit trap on day seven and Gork to a gaggle o' dretch on day eleven. We found just one suit o' 3rd age chainmail, two jade statuettes, and a strangle little clockwork thingy that we couldn't figure out how to work, so we just sold that too. Overall, I'd say it was a successful trip.
-Voll Arkander, veteran Vault adventurer.

"We're here to find treasure! Where do we sign up?"
-Anonymous rookie treasure hunter.

Only a three hour walk from the bustling town of Jaspergate is the Vault of Kalos. At the same time the biggest source of 3rd age treasures and the largest tomb of adventurers in all of Arga. At the end of a long set of rough steps carved into the cliffside, the entrance to the Maze looms like a giant maw, ready to gulp up the unwary and inexperienced. The great triangular entrance is at least one hundred feet tall at the peak, and the same across. In fact, almost all the corridors and halls within the Vault are uniformly shaped the same - triangular halls peaking upwards. No one has ever managed to map the myriad of corridors, halls, and chambers. Dozens of different maps are available for the intrepid explorer that chart dozens of different routes of the Vault. A few sharper adventurers have tried to compile all the different maps of the Maze, but for whatever reason, they don't seem to match up to each other.

Legend has is that the Vault of Kalos was originally built by, obviously, Kalos, a powerful, vile, and totally mad sorcerer that lived in Arga's 3rd Age. According to the legend, he built the Vault to not only hide his vast treasures, but also to provide a secure sanctum for him to work on his foul arcane experiments. Some even say that Kalos still exists, deep within the middle of the Vault, kept alive by all manner of dark machines and vile magics.

The Maze is almost a world unto itself. The sheer size of the structure is breathtaking - adventuring treks lasting months are not unheard of. Many locations are famed and frequented, either due to their central locations, or high amount of treasures. Despite the fact that the Vault has a fifty-percent casualty rate - half that go in do not come out - the lure of riches and adventure continues to draw the brave and foolish from far across Arga.

Halver's Hall A wide, cylindrical corridor stretching nearly ten miles, the walls of Halver's Hall are honeycombed with hundreds of small tunnels, caches, and smaller room. The caches closest to the entrance have been cleaned out, but further on in the tunnel, untouched rooms still hold treasure for the intrepid.

Surviving Halver's Hall is not a matter of skill, so much as it is luck. On totally random intervals, the whole Hall rotates like a rock-tumbler. Old tunnels and exits are suddenly sealed off while new entrances and rooms are unveiled. Many adventurers have found themselves stuck in the Halver's Hall after it spins, being unable to find their way out, they subsequently starve, or more frequently, die of thirst.

Kelos' Trap Upon entering the Trap, a vast labyrinth meets the eyes. Many explorers turn around upon seeing the confusing mess of halls and corridors, but some venture forth, not knowing that the most dangerous part of the Trap still lies ahead. Much like the spinning of Halver's Hall, on seemingly random queues, the walls of the labyrinthine Trap change and shift. If the walls don't crush and kill you, being stranded in the newly formed labyrinth will.

Some smart explorers, from time to time, manage to climb the walls of the trap, avoiding the crushing walls, but in turn become open targets to the winged dretch, horrid creatures of stone and shadow that swoop from the dark recesses of the ceiling of Kelos' Trap (while most dretch are indeed in Kelos' Trap, they are frequently found in all other parts of the Vault). Rumor has it that dark and foul magics transform those who perish in the Vault into these vile guardians.
[/ic]

[Superfluous Crow]

Hmm, giant dungeons are somewhat ill-suited for kobold villages and such. How do you handle monsters and creatures in the Vault?

[O Senhor Leetz]

Hmm, giant dungeons are somewhat ill-suited for kobold villages and such. How do you handle monsters and creatures in the Vault?

well there are the dretch, these gargoyle-like creatures that are the predominant beasties in the Vault. But the Vault is so massive, that there really could be anything a DM wanted to through in. Personally, I was thinking some type of automatons could be present (really old, dangerous ones that the PCs may want to totally avoid.)

What I think would be cool with the Vault is to employ other types of dungeon hazards. Creature-filled dungeons have been done many many times. The danger of the Vault is not so much being able to fight your way through X encounters of goblins, but more focused on survival - water, food, supplies. Players could walk for days and days through seemingly endless tunnels without seeing anything. With the Vault being so massive, there is a huge chance of starving to death or dying of thirst. I want the Vault to be really, really menacing. Players should rely more on smart planning and decisions than swords. Think of Moria in LoTR. This party of people who can handle themselves still sneak through it, not wanting to bother anything. Players who delve into the Vault should be going in for treasure and loot, not to go toe-to-toe with a gaggle of orcs. (not that orcs or goblins exist in Arga) The dungeon itself, with all its traps and dangers, should be challenge enough for any level of player.  

Creatures like giant vermin/insects could be a challenge in the Vault. I was thinking of having bandits within, but surviving is hard enough without trying to live there.