It’s very cool to watch a world start to take shape. If you’re like me, the process of campaign design is a lot like raising a child. You conceive the thing, and pretty soon it’s right in front of you; then, the real work starts. You’ve got to teach it, train it, love it, provide for it, nurture it, and, eventually, release it on the world.
OK, maybe not the best analogy, but it’s the best I can do for a Thursday.
At any rate, today, I want to continue answering some of the social questions originally posed in the 41 questions:
- What is day-to-day life like in this world? For PCs? For good NPCs? For evil ones? For the rich/highest social or poor/lowest social?
Lenryn is a rough world. Day-to-day life can be solitary , poor, nasty, brutish, and short. This is especially true for those that are not a part of the Elite. The those on the lowest social rungs can expect that their lives will be of little value to anyone but themselves and the closest of their kin. They are preoccupied with finding their next meal, and avoiding the horrible evils that lurk in the uncivilized areas.
Cities and towns, almost without exception, are walled. Those evils that lurk in the uncivilized areas are known to venture toward civilization on a regular basis. There is not a single farmer who hasn’t, at least once, had an entire year’s worth of crops destroyed by these ravening hordes. Nearly every city has a standing militia, as well, for this same reason. In the more metropolitan areas, the Eladrin have set up magical wards and alarms to protect the outlying areas, but these have their limitations.
Adventurers are regarded in a variety of ways. To the common folk, adventurers are an oddity. To the Eladrin, adventurers are, very often, a threat to their control. To merchants, adventurers are an indispensable source of security as they travel between points of light.
When it comes to people, the lines between good and evil are often blurred. A folk hero to the underclass is likely considered a destructive and evil force by the elites. While some consider the Eladrin as gracious caregivers and protectors, others seem them as jailers. Those that engage in obvious evils, like cold-blooded murder, theft for selfish gain, etc. are shunned by most elements of society.
Merchants are in a unique position, as well. The underclass look to the merchants as either an inspiration or as potential benefactors. The elites look at merchants as common folk attempting to mimic the upper class.
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What is civilization like? Is there any?
Civilization is, as it is in the core D&D world, made up of points of light in a sea of darkness.
- Are there cities? How common are cities? Is most of the world rural or is it urban?
Much of the world is rural. Toward the Straights of Gorana, there are cities and towns within a day’s walk of one another; the further you get toward the outskirts of either continent, the more sparse cities tend to be, often being as many as three or four days ride away.
- What is the form of government? Hierarchical? Anarchy? Oligarchy? Aristocracy? Theocracy?
Governments vary from region to region, with the Eladrin at the head of each sort regardless. I’ve touched on this here and here.
I think I’ll stop there for today. On Monday, I hope to step back once again and look at what I’ve put together so far, try to merge any inconsistencies (there are a few, I know – it’s part of the process).
Enjoy your weekend!
