| Latest Posts | Zaelia - The Kingdom of Mereklund, Dracos
.
.. ... CHARACTER CREATION "You're a nobody. You may have been big in Bulund, all the way across the world, but here, in Mereklund, you're the smallest fish in a great, big ocean. Rettan? What is that, a village? A town? Mereklund is an empire. See those lights? Hear those engines? Smell that smoke? You're in the industry capitol of all Zaelia. Careful where you step, Nobody..." . Across the street from where you stand, a large billboard is plastered with flyers. Some are for upcoming plays. Others for the newest Aliston Co. steam mechanism being peddled in stores. And further down, where the dirt splashed from footsteps might stain the paper, and a brisk wind might blow them away, are Wanted posters. They're afterthoughts. Because anyone who's anyone knows that if you're truly Wanted, the Citadel Guard will find you. And you won't be much of anything after that. . Thieves are a dime a dozen. Somebody breaks into a store, makes off with a couple armfuls of loot, and they either sell it for a quick buck or get caught and killed over it. You need to be more organized. You need to be more careful. You need help, and it's a damn good thing you've got it. . .. ... THE THIEVES' CODE You won't get far without order. All Thieves know this. Which is why true Thieves abide by The Code. Not "a" code. Not "their own" code. THE Code. It's short, it's simple, and it's kept Guilds alive for millennia. - = - 1 - = - Don't Steal From A Thief. Doing so is immediate banishment from any Guild, and if captured, results in the removal of one's Mark. - = - 2 - = - Don't Kill Unless Necessary. Thoughtless, careless, or avoidable murders are not the business of Thieves, and will result in banishment and the removal of one's Mark. - = - 3 - = - Don't Out Another Thief. Doing so all but promises your companion's death, and as such, the penalty is your own. . .. ... THE GUILD A Guild of Thieves is much more than a collection of Pickpockets and Burglars. There is order and organization, or else there will be chaos. - = - SCOUT: These are the Thieves who are comfortable in plain clothes, a wolf among sheep, as it were. Those on the streets, in the shops, at the dining tables, in the very same room as the intended Take without ever actually moving on it. Their role is to gather information without raising suspicion, and to be somewhere public, far from the Take when the job goes down to keep those suspicions elsewhere. - = - MUSCLE: These are the Thieves who don't mind giving or taking a few punches. A beating and a night in a cell could be the very thing that keeps a plan running smoothly. Alternatively, a beating handed out to someone else could be what keeps it from going public. Their role is to keep prying eyes elsewhere, and to keep attention on anything but the Take. - = - FENCE: These are the Thieves who know where to take hot items, where to find the highest price for high-value Takes, and where to load up on goods and gear necessary to keep the Guild running. A Guild without a Fence is nothing more than a Museum of stolen goods. Their role is to keep money coming in as fast as (hopefully faster than) it goes out. Heists take cash, and cash is key. - = - HAND: When the layperson conjures images of a Thieves' Guild, the Hands are likely the only figures ever thought of. Clad in black, skipping across rooftops, dashing through windows to steal golden totems or the crown off a King's head. But the truth is, a Hand is very rarely seen. He may tail the Scout at a distance during informant meetings. He might keep eyes on the Fence and Muscle when making new contacts for added safety purposes. But the real meat of the work, actually laying a finger on the Take itself, comes and goes quickly, and it only happens if the jobs of all others have gone according to plan. - = - GUILDMASTER: This is the person assigned the task of approving jobs and plans, deciding on quarters and arrangements, and ultimately handing out awards, prizes, or punishments, should things escalate. There is no higher authority within a guild, and there is no Guildmaster who has not been voted into position. After each job, the majority vote may maintain or transfer the position. . .. ... THE INDIVIDUAL - = - 8 Points between HP/PP. - = - 1 "Role Trait", 1 Custom Trait (do not stack). - = - Description. Name, age, appearance, backstory with the Rettan Thieves. - = - Notes. Keep slots for Currency, Items, and Info. . Role Traits: . Scout: 1 - Stealth, persuasion, analysis, athletics Muscle: 1 - Combat, intimidation, distraction, strength Fence: 1 - Haggling, appraising, memory, perception Hand: 1 - Stealth, sleight of hand, athletics . Assigned by Majority Vote: . Guildmaster: 3 - Once per session, add to a roll or give 2 PP Please log in to add a comment. |
.
..
...
THE KINGDOM
Mereklund sits on hundreds of square miles of land and features a temperate coastal climate with hot summers and cool winters. Boasting two large ports, a trio of mines, and over one dozen large Cities (Population of 10,000 or greater), this Kingdom of Man is the greatest example of wealth, industry, and power in all of Zaelia during The Return Age.
( = ) Working Continent Map: i.imgur.com/q6xD8ni.jpg
( = ) Working Regional Map: imgur.com/a/tu9Qy
.
..
...
THE BACKGROUND
The sprawling Kingdom of Mereklund, spanning from the Sendoff Strait, all the way around the Bay of Swords, and down into the Foothills of the Kabe Mountain Range, was once a patch of fertile land, untouched and unspoiled.
The Elves of the Deepwood Stronghold had laws in place about the entirety of Draconian land. The surface was not to be tampered with. Elven communes consisted of entire cities built into the trees themselves, and so the northern corner of the continent, surrounding the bay, was left alone. Its deciduous and coniferous mixed forests were not suitable for the treetop villages they desired.
But land, fertile and unguarded, is well suited for the needs of Man. When Men first landed on the shores of northern Dracos, they saw the vast expanse as something very different; a gift from the Brothers to them. They took it as their destiny to settle and tame the lands, working its fields, building on its shores, hunting its forests.
A disagreement grew between the Elves and Men, culminating a War that spanned over one Hundred Years. But everyone knows the outcome of that war. The blood spilled across the Cursed Plains. The treaty signed and housed in the Reliquary, along with tokens of warfare from both parties involved.
Since that war in the Rising Age, several thousands of years ago, Mereklund, first a tribe, and then a city, and eventually a kingdom, has grown, ever outward and upward, but never past its borders, as per the treaty. It stands today as a monolith of the power of Man. One monarch, aided by a counsel of Men, presides over the whole of the land.
.
..
...
THE CULTURE
The majority of Dracos' mainland is inspired by Earth's Asian culture, since it was first settled by Elves. The Men of Dracos, having come from Bulund, brought with them what is most similar to Earth's European influence and culture, so the area is a mixture of the two in both language, fashion, and entertainment. That said, it is predominantly European Victorian steampunk with pockets of Asian influence.
.
..
...
THE LOCATIONS
.
- = Urban Features - Cities, Towns, Villages, Farms, Outposts
.
( 1 ) Port of Swords Harbor: This harbor town straddles the mouth of the Bay of Swords on its northern and southern edges. Each half of the town services part of the enormous wood and metal docks and landing areas. Large floating sea gates allow passage in from the Sendoff Strait to the harbor proper, where a labyrinth of slips and docks await the many vessels serviced here. The northern side of town holds the Harbor's Lighthouse, a rotating beacon atop a tall tower signaling all manner of ships toward the harbor.
( 2 ) Old Aliston & The Southern Battlement: Stone buildings, weather-beaten and well-ivied make up half of this area. Some of the oldest structures in all of Mereklund stand in Old Aliston, including a few museums and antique stores that house artifacts from even before the Green War. At the city's southern border is one of four "Battlements", a great stone marvel of engineering and long-forgotten Essence.
- i.imgur.com/Edtb8KI.jpg - A street view of Old Aliston, looking west, with New Aliston's Clocktower in the background
( 3 ) New Aliston & The Clocktower: New Aliston is where steam-power got its start. The man whose name is remembered by the city's title fled west from the old town and opened a workshop where he tinkered and created steam-powered clockwork items and engines until the new portion of the city, metal and mechanical, grew around his workshop. Now, Aliston Co. is the largest supplier of mechanical inventions and necessities in all of Mereklund, and the family has opened a new factory north of the Rivers in Heuric.
- i.imgur.com/RbZ2keA.jpg - A picture of the early construction of New Aliston's Clocktower, the future sight of the great Aliston Company's workshop
- i.imgur.com/yxn9yC8.jpg - New Aliston street view, displaying the multi-tiered city levels and railways
( 4 ) Heuric & The Eastern Battlement: The single largest city in Mereklund, as far as spatial footprint as well as population, is Heuric. Originally named the City of Swords, Heuric was renamed after a great Hero from this city played an important role in The Departure at the end of the Golden Age. The city's bones are of stone and wood, though the new age metal and steam-powered clockwork structures make up the majority of Heuric's expanse.
- i.imgur.com/Q96OAq4.jpg - An interior view of Heruic's Spire
- imgur.com/a/C7l09 - A street view of Heuric's industrial sector
( 5 ) Dornshire: As is the convention among Mereklund cities, Dornshire is also named after a Hero of old, though Dorn goes nearly as far back as Mereklund itself; the Man was responsible for the rescue of Lord Pellenal during the Green War on Dracos. Dornshire is mainly an industrial city, catering to the needs of High Mereklund's wealthier citizens of the Citadel. Dornshire's metal factories and steam-workshops provide goods to the Monarch and the Royals. The city is not without its own flavor, though. Dornshire, founded in honor of a Rogue, has seen its population take to the title themselves. The streets are are just as full as pickpockets and swindlers as they are businessmen and working class. The Parlor District, labeled such for its high concentration of parlors, pubs, and niche item vendors, is notoriously known as the best and worst part of town.
- i.imgur.com/8dWgM7Q.jpg - Rooftop view of Dornshire's Parlor District.
- i.imgur.com/81YSlDU.jpg - Street view of an upper middle class neighborhood in Dornshire
( 6 ) High Mereklund, The Citadel: The Citadel is the home of Mereklund's Monarch, a nameless, faceless presence whose authority is neither questioned nor challenged. The citizens wealthy enough to live in the Citadel are known as the Royals, and while the walls are open daily to visitors, there are no Inns or Hotels that will service outsiders, and much like the rest of Mereklund's Monarch-appointed police force, the Citadel Guard is a strict and capable group.
- imgur.com/a/043d9 - A street view of the Citadel's wealthy citizens surrounded by finery
- imgur.com/a/lj3fp - Same street from a slightly different view
( 7 ) Murkmire on Kasai Lake: This farming town is one of several who provide food to the industrial cities in return for money, machines, and the Monarch's protection, although the latter is covered under Mereklund's Border Treatise. Murkmire enjoys the proximity to Kasai Lake, a sprawling glassy blue freshwater source, but the town itself suffers from being seated on unstable, soggy ground, and farming is sometimes difficult.
( 8 ) Barefield & The Western Battlement: If not for the presence of Greenwall City, Barefield would be the most vulnerable township in all of Mereklund. The Western Battlement keeps the citizens under careful watch and comfort, where they provide many types of year-round crops for the cities.
( 9 ) Tallowfield & The Northern Battlement: Tallowfield specializes in butchery and hunting more than farming, but the small city does a fair bit of both. Standing between Heuric and Pellenal, Tallowfield is able to hold competitive pricing on their goods, and so the city enjoys the niceties brought along by a higher influx of money, mainly in the form of mechanical farming and butchery equipment.
( 10 ) Cynith: Cynith is not much more than an overgrown Hunting outpost. It housed a few pureblood Elves early on who liked to call the place a commune, but the Deepwood Stronghold never recognized them as such. Today it mostly serves as a stopping point on the road to or from Heuric.
( 11 ) Breakwater & The Sailor's Eye: Experienced traders and sailors of both sea and sky will tell you; when coming into the Bay of Swords your first time, stop at the Eye. Breakwater is a minor port city that services the Misuto Forest cities and mining towns, but its claim to fame is the Sailor's Eye, a lighthouse that eternally burns without the help of fire or electricity, but instead a large Touched stone that only shows its light to those who are captain or navigator on a ship. All others will simply see darkness, and Breakwater's port is hilariously known for catering to those fears with the staff's ability to play along with the trope that the passengers are all dead and have entered another world.
( 12 ) Runehall: Every continent on Zaelia has a Scar or two leftover from The Departure. Outside of The Reliquary far across The Cursed Plains and the Impossible Kingdom on the other side of Dracos's Divide, Runehall held the most Touched items on the continent, which likely explains why it is now in a state of disrepair. Only a handful of buildings are left standing, and even fewer have implemented use of steam or electricity. Runehall stands as a violent look into the past.
- imgur.com/a/Upk6H - A courtyard view in central Runehall
( 13 ) Gulrek Grove: This Dwarven village is a nod to the ancient past. Looking at this collection of stone houses, clustered together tightly in a small clearing of trees, equipped with a forge and a tavern, one would never guess that Gulrek's Grove was established only two hundred years ago. Old Gulrek himself still stokes the fire in the Goldden Nugget Tavern. The Nugget is the largest building in the village by far, servicing traders and travelers on the roads to or from the Mines, as well as Miners on brief leave to visit family or take holidays.
( 14 ) Pellenal: Pellenal is a large city equipped with Aliston Co's steam tech and enjoys all the same perks as the sprawling metropolises of Aliston and Heuric; an inner-city railway system, running water and electricity, an influx of food goods from neighboring Tallowfield... But Pellenal is a bit different. Different in the fact that the city's Lord, the long dead Pellenal himself, is still obeyed and revered. At this point, many thousands of years since the Rising Age, the only thing left of Pellenal is his sword, kept in Dracos's Reliquary, and a statue of the Man in Pellenal City's main square. The place is more of a church than a courtyard.
( 15 ) Greenwall: Greenwall marks the southern edge of Mereklund. Where the Kabe Mountains have turned to hills, and those hills have turned nearly to flat land, Mereklund's border is pushed to its absolute limit. The Deepwood Elves would not abide any structure of Man further south than Greenwall, and so the city was build exactly on that spot as a mark of Man's defiance. Its southern wall is grown over with ivy and flowers, causing many to mistake the city's name for that fact. The interior of Greenwall is well lit and powered, though the great distance from New Aliston means the connection is not as strong, and Greenwall frequently suffers from what is known as "The Mist", a combination of electrical blackout and steam-release from the city's power supply that plunges Greenwall into a shadowy darkness for hours, even days at a time.
( 16 ) Underfall Mines: Beneath the roaring falls of the Daku River's northern tributary sits Underfall Mines. It was the first gem mine on Mereklund's soil and has proven to be extremely important due to the highly valued gems that are pulled from the caves behind the falls. The Mining Camp itself is not much more than a few longhouses, a smelting pit, and a garrison. The Misuto Forest provides plenty of cover and safety, as well as a detachment of the Citadel Guard.
( 17 ) Overfall Mines: Established a few years after the Mines of Underfall, the Overfall Mines were originally thought to contain the same formations of gems and diamonds. To the delightful surprise of the miners, however, they found gold in the soil around the top of the falls. Enormous amounts of the shiny stuff, at first easily picked from the ground and then, as the operation spread, more of it beneath the river in rock beds.
( 18 ) Delmond's Outpost: Not all Mining Expeditions go favorably, even in the hands of the capable Dwarves. Delmond's Outpost, infamously known as "The Broken Egg", is one of these expeditions. Miners saw red spots in large rocks they assumed to be rubies, and instead, they broke open a nest of baby Horntail Red Dragons, known simply as "Reds". The Reds savagely destroyed the camp at only minutes old and without the help of the brood mother. For years, Delmond's Outpost has been assumed abandoned or worse.
.
- = Terrain Features - Mountains, Hills, Forests, Lakes, Rivers
.
( = ) Kabe Mountain Range
( = ) Kemono Foothills
( = ) Shuryo Woods
( = ) Misuto Forest
( = ) Kita River
( = ) Minami River
( = ) Kasai Lake
( = ) Daku River
( = ) Bay of Swords
( = ) Sendoff Strait