Twenty Quick Questions: Setting

Here is some pertinent information for all new and returning players, plus it gives some information about the setting as a whole in bite-sized chunks. The twenty questions  about setting are shamelessly stolen from Jeff Rients’ blog.

If one is a cleric then they are from Europa, or basically the fantasy equivalent of non-Scandinavian Europe in this setting.  Clerics are typically going to be English, Frankish or Italian, although they could be from anywhere.

Player character clerics typically belong to the Great Church (basically, a faux Catholic church affair) and worship the monotheistic deity The Lawgiver.  However, The Lawgiver does not seem to intervene in mortal affairs in any way.  Clerics are more your typical warrior-priest type of character.

If one is playing a Viking character that has divine magic, they will of course worship the Norse deities.  They, as well, do not seem to intervene in mortal affairs, although many say they can see their influence everywhere.  What the truth is, no one knows.

There are potentially other gods to worship, including a number of demons, entities, other pagan dieties or “small gods.”

There’s an open-air marketplace around the old well near Norsemen’s Rest that has some goods for sale, and also at the harbor some sell items directly off their knarrs that come in from the trading cities to the south.

There are also a few tents on the outskirts of the Trade Town that serve as shops for a few tradesmen:  a smithy, an armorer (generally working on commissions for for Lars Troll-Killer), a fletcher (also typically laboring for Lars), a baker and a leech from the far south of Europa.

If you are in need of the services of a wizard then you can go to the tower overlooking Trade Town, which is the abode of Alim the Mad.  He hails from Araby and performs services for… a price, not always denominated in silver.

Finally, if you have come into your fortunes you can go to Giovanni’s wagon, an Outlander from Roma who therein sells the goods imported by Alim the Mad from across Europa and Araby.

Well, yeah… the thing is that this game takes place in the dark ages.  There is no such thing as plate armor.

You might be able to get the smithy or armorer to make some ring or chain mail for them, but I can only imagine that they will not look kindly on your request.

The volva Alva the Serpent-Hearted is feared as the most powerful wise-woman in all of Midgard.  Grim the Hairy is a legendary shapeshifter, but it is of great debate if he actually exists or not.  Eirik the Wise is frequently cited as the greatest rune caster in all of Midgard, although he is extremely old by any standard.

In Europa the Forbidden Arts have not been practiced openly for many generations, but there are some who do not fear the wrath of the Church.  One of those who practiced without fear was Paschalis, but she disappeared around the time of the great plague.  Still, there are those who still say she is still seen periodically to this day.  Harwyn the Sly practices his creed, but is nominally in the employ of the Church as a Magister.

Albeit not a wizard, Grief could perform impressive feats of sorcery.  If she is still alive however, most agree that the Witch Queen is the most powerful and we may yet grovel at her feet.

I am sure both Tonbee the Tall and Thyri Giant-Slayer would both claim the mantle, but others say that the axe of Gomgnur of Ostland is the most fearsome blade one could have ever met.

The leader of the Inquisitors for the Church, Lorman of the Shield was distinguished in battle and all before him fell.  He formed a warrior order known as The Paladins who are all fierce warriors in service to The Lawgiver.

That is up to some debate.  If it’s the richest in Midgard, it’s surely Torleif One-Ear, Jarl of the Danes.  If it’s the richest in Europa, then most people would say it was obviously The Ardor of Law.  Some say a merchant named Yasser Abbas in Araby is extremely wealthy as well.

Some will say if she survives, the Witch Queen likely has many fabulous treasures from bygone times, but will only invoke her name in whispers lest she hear her name spoken.

Now, if you are talking about in Trade Town, then you are likely talking about Leif Troll-Killer, who finances the whole affair through levies on others who are exploring the ruins of The Onyx City, or perhaps Alim the Mad who seems to have a never-ending supply of silver to dole out for baubles recovered from the ruins.

If you are in need of magical healing you can visit Malfrid at the temple of Eir, who may be able to help you.  Also, you can visit the outlander in the tent of colorful tapestries and heralds who worships The Lawgiver, who some say can perform miracles.

Also, some people swear by the leech that has set up shop under a wood and canvas lean-to near the beaches on the outskirts of Trade Town.

Well, if Malfrid, the outlander priest or the leech can’t help you then perhaps that apothecary who is sometimes at the harbor has a cure-all that helps, or there may be someone visiting Norsemen’s Rest that can do something.  Life is hard on Thule…

In theory it would be possible, but in practice, no.  Magic-users jealously guard their hard-earned secrets and are unlikely to share them freely.  However, there are stories and legends of covenants of wizards before the outlaw of the practice of magic in Europa.

Another reason that magic-users are wise to be circumspect in the practice of their art is the potential for repercussions from the Church.  Any practice of magic may bring sanctions or punishment, but it is unlikely that minor practice of the Forbidden Arts will draw any attention, especially out here in Thule or perhaps anywhere in Midgard.  However, bold displays of power may bring about the ire of members of the Church and perhaps the attention of The Ardor of Law and Inquisitors.

In Hedeby one could find most anything they seek during the trading season.  This being Thule, the pickings are slim and typically limited to the desperate or the occasional travelling merchant or scholar who lands at the harbor.

For some things, though, you can visit the tower of Alim the Mad and perhaps one of his assistants can help.  Bring a full purse of silver, though, you will need it.

People are flocking to Trade Town, so I suspect you can find some loitering down near the harbor or outside the Norsemen’s Rest.  Occasionally a group of Vikings come into town and rent out their swordarms to explorers.  If you’re really desperate there may also be some men who would join your company if you sprung them from the gaol pits as a thrall before they starve.

Lars Troll-Killer men are everywhere, so Trade Town is safe enough.  Nonetheless, pretty much everyone carries weapons since the camp feels a little… exposed?  Justice is swift and can be harsh so I wouldn’t take to fighting or other misdeeds.

Practice of the Forbidden Arts is not allowed by order of the Church under pain of torture, disfigurement or death.  However, this is not Europa and the Church holds no sway here.

The closest thing to a tavern is the great hall of Norsemen’s Rest, which is the name of the great hall of the Axes Of Odin and one of the only permanent structures in Trade Town.  Pretty much anything you’d do in a tavern in Europa you will be able to do there.

• A white drake has been seen plying the skies north of Trade Town.  Where it lairs is anyone’s guess.

• The crew of Sigurd’s Folly was traveling to Thule with two other longships but through the accursed fog they could tell the other two were smashed by great tentacles that broke the surface of the sea.  Some say that Sigurd and his men killed the other crews and looted their ships before continuing to Trade Town.

• A ship that circumnavigated Thule reported seeing a giant troll-like creature that stood at least a fathom higher than any in the tales back in Midgard.  It made for a good tale and rounds of drinks at Norsemen’s Rest, but no one else reports seeing the beast.

Years ago the wars with the Vikings and Grief ended, but there are still occasionally skirmishes with some bands of raiders at smaller outposts.  Things have been peaceful for some time, which is why Ingolf Thorstein had had the breathing room to start Trade Town to explore Thule.

I’ve heard that on the night of the full moon, a fighting ring has formed along the shoreline south of the harbor.  There is supposedly a cash purse for the winner, but… who knows if that’s true or not?  I guess the only way to know for sure is to go see.

There could be cults for worship, and stories abound about different factions and societies within the Great Church (although they are not told openly).  Politics can also turn deadly in places like Trade Town and no one is sure whose hands turn the screws most of the time.  It may take some doing to uncover what sort of dark corner you are looking for.

At the market there is always someone tending a small fire cooking something or other, but if you’re made of money you can get something to eat at Norsemen’s Rest.  Alternately, perhaps you could catch something and start a small fire at the marketplace and set up a tent to sell roast polar bear or something…

During the Chaos Crusades a great number of religious relics and artifacts were lost in the fighting; finding those would be a great boon and probably fetch high prices.  Their disposition with regards to the Church is not known, though, although a few have been found and their rightful ownership not contested (or fell outside the gaze of the clergy).

Also, it is said that the forces of Chaos that the Great Church opposed had an immense amount of powerful magic, much in the form of weapons, armor and other items at their disposal.  Those things may still be at the sites of the battles, ripe for the taking!

The Witch Queen of the Hinterlands is rumored to have a number of great treasures.

The Northmen say that Grief carries a sceptre that could lay waste to entire armies.

Don’t you listen?  An ice drake was reported to the north, but what it may or may not have is unknown.