Autumn 113
Master Vitale,
I am pleased to announce that there have been little disruptions to the ongoing harvest, and our scouts in the West have predicted fair weather over the coming days. Mayor Adel and Miss Tierre both extend their humble appreciation for your continued sponsorship of their woven works by promising an additional shipment dispatched on the morrow.Regarding your request, I must regretfully decline. While the harms troubling your people brings me great sadness, I cannot afford to dispatch any forces south of the city until the harvest is complete. Rest assured, I have instructed my men to conduct a thorough investigation come Winter, fair winds permitting.Complimenting this letter is list of names I had some of my men cobble together. It details able-bodied folk that could be persuaded with coin or otherwise to conduct a more rapid response.I wish you fair weather, and good health.
Jean Intenelli
BGM: The Witcher 3 - The Slopes Of The Blessure
Monstel
Held by House Maltina for seven generations, the Kingdom of Monstel is one of the most influential sovereign polities in land the Muridae people call Benerra. It spans from the great Tyr River in the East all the way to the stony foothills of the West and from the forests of the North to the marshy Southlands.It's capital: the City of Monstel, is a testament to the ingenuity of its brilliant-minded citizens, with layers of masonry interconnected with high towers topped with ballistae and archer platforms. The city itself was erected on a large mound, the remains of a oak that perished long ago in a lightning strike. Over many years, the compacted soil and root systems have been hollowed out to form a multi-layered metropolis with countless warehouses, workshops, and abodes. Various elevator systems and stairways connect the levels together to form a cohesive urbanscape.
Art by Hristo Chukov
It's said long ago, several chiefdoms of local mice allied together, unifying their strength against the migratory predators from both North and South. The late Alessandro of Lovire led an expedition to the Northeast with intentions to build a great city that could not only house his own, but all mice from across the lands. His banner would take root in a secluded poppy grove, a place now known as Castlora. It took three years to rouse a settlement worth its weight, a sprawling array of fieldworks and mills leading to a simple pallisade set into a foundation of heavy stones. Alessandro's greatest pride rest at the center of these walls: Castlora, the fortress which towered over the surrounding flowerbeds. While a humble outpost by modern standards, for its time Castlora stood as one of the most formidable castles of the known lands. Strung in banners of scarlet, dyed in the colour of the region's now iconic blossom, this now independent town became its founder's greatest achievement.Unfortunately, Alessandro would never see the full dream he had envisioned: a sprawling, glimmering metropolis for all mousekind. In his stead, Stelle of Lovire, his second-eldest daughter, would take after his ambitions of a unified Muridae people. She set her eyes on a destination that was only described in tales of old, the only known place where a great flash from the heavens struck not once, but twice. This divine intervention felled a great oak tree, reduced in an instant to nothing but ash and splinters cast across the soil. Many years would pass until Stelle's party would find the place of legend, an abundant meadow of herbs, mushrooms, and delicate mosses. At the center of this verdant clearing lay the final remains of the Great Tree, an exposed ball of ancient roots standing against time, a great mountain to construct the great Muridae city.
Aven
While Monstel is a destination to behold, this story will take place far from its sap-lit streets and urban tunnels. At the sixth bend of the Tyr lies the humble Duchy of Savos, the Southernmost developed territory of the Muridae kingdom. Duke Basil Cita of Fervera has been busy recuperating his losses from the Great Famine, much like his neighbors. While the reptilians of the South have been warded off for the time being, the disarray and damages of a prolonged conflict are strenuous, especially without the industrial capabilities of the other Muridae states.Even further south of Fervera, deep in the forested frontier lies the village of Aven, one of the last stops before entering sprawling wilderness. Home to about two-dozen, its residents are hardworking and optimistic bunch, taking pride in establishing a new home for themselves and future generations. The village has been carved into the base of an elderly apple tree, uprooted long ago by a mighty storm. Nestled beneath its stubborn roots is where its new residents have built their new home, sandwiched between the heavy trunk above and the erected palisade that wards off curious animals. While small and hastily constructed before the heat of Summer, Aven's future could be a bright one. Only time will tell if its people, and neighbors, will allow such fruit to reach maturity.
Folk
This fertile valley is home to a plethora of creatures big and small, mighty and wise. Over the recent millennia, the spread of technology to new species has led to the rise of civilizations, cultures, and their associated troubles.This campaign only features a select few of the intelligent folk that have made their homes within the land known as Benerra to the Muridae people. The following are the choices players may explore:
Ardillón
An adventurous kind that have taken to tree-top bastions that protect their cities from many ground-based threats, the Ardillón are native to the woodlands and groves dotted across Benerra. They leverage their natural talent of climbing and acrobatics to pursue a spirit of adventure, making natural explorers, postmasters, and caravan escorts. They are often spotted by their large, fluffy tails which keep their balance while traversing suspended boughs. Their moderate scale and athletic prowess have garnered a reputation as skilled men-at-arms, lawmen, and trade workers. In the Great Famine, it was Ardillón mercenaries who, employed by the late Muridae Queen, fended off the Ka'shak reptilians from infiltrating the Central Kingdoms.
Art by Pratama Galang
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Natural Athletes | As a historically nomadic folk, Ardillón have developed a culture around athletic prowess in professions, games, and the battlefield. While their size prevents navigating intricate or tight spaces, no simple obstacle can easily imprede them. |
| Average-lived Species | The average Ardillón live up to 32 seasons or 8 years in age |
| Average Scale | Start with (3) body stress boxes. You can take a hit, but try not to. |
| Example Names | Adan(m), Marcos(m), Teo(m), Julia(f), Natalia(f), Veronica(f) |
Muridae
Art by Vuong Nguyez
A resilient folk who's legendary history has been marked by the long standing remains of great stone fortresses, the Muridae are a familiar native to all lands West of the mighty Tyr River. Their camaraderie and creativity shapes them into skilled engineers, artisans, and scholars, working tirelessly within their fortified cities. It's these impregnable bastions, lined with crossbows and ballistae, that serve as a safe haven against the most fearsome predators. Despite the Great Famine, their standing military remains one of the most veteraned forces in Benerra, with legions of professionally trained and employed soldiers managed by some of the land's most competent commanding officers.
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Adaptive Hands | As a communal folk that truly grasps the concept of their mortality, Muridae are a highly motivated and ambitious kind that are capable of leveraging their gifted minds to a variety of skills, practical and social. |
| Short-lived Species | Average Muridae live up to 24 seasons or 6 years in age |
| Small Scale | Start with (2) body stress boxes. Rely on numbers and force multipliers. |
| Example Names | Actrus(m), Otello(m) Ventura(m), Elsa(f), Luisa(f), Propsera(f) |
Payan
Native to the swampy woods that cradle the various bends and twists in the Tyr River, the Payan are an amphibious species that have mastered waterway navigation. They can slip undetected using thick underbrush and muddy banks to conceal their light footsteps, using invisible pheromone trails to travel without a trace. They are diverse in colours and adornments such as frills and sails, making each family unique to their own lineage. Over the years, many Payan have taken residence among the Central Kingdoms and are invaluable assets as alchemists, pathfinders, gatherers, spies, and smugglers.
Art by Taylor Shook
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Socially Inept | Payan spend their lives dedicated to a particular craft, and because of their lengthy lives, become highly valued artisans. This comes at the cost of social skills and a low desire to socialise with others. |
| Long-lived Species | Average Payan live up to 80 seasons or 20 years in age |
| Small Scale | Start with (2) body stress boxes. Rely on numbers and force multipliers. |
| Example Names | Chaar(m), Pishan(m), Sotow(m), Aruwe(f), Kaschich(f), Maara(f) |
Recruitment
Creating a new character is always a daunting process, however this short guide will (hopefully) help you in navigating the foundations. This has been broken up into sections that mirror the sections for the campaign's character sheet.
Concept
Every character begins with a concept, which has been modified from Fate CORE's ruleset. A character's concept is now broken into multiple elements including: birth year (age), species, hometown, belief, and trouble.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Your character's name, silly! |
| Age | How old is your character, measured in seasons? Elders tend to have greater experience and wisdom, while youths have greater athletic and creative capabilities. |
| Species | What species is your character? Over generations, the folk of Benerra have developed unique traits and attributes. |
| House | Privileged folk who were born into a landed family would be a member of a house which at the cost of many political strings, has financial benefits. |
| Hometown | Where is your character from? This ties into their background and relevant skills from dense, industrialised cities to quiet subsistence villages. |
Traits
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Belief | What's something that motivates your character and their actions at the very core? It should describe their perspective on the world, or their local environment. |
| Goal | What does your character want to accomplish, right here and right now? |
| Instinct | What's something your character does automatically without much thought, this would likely be formed developed as a habit over their lifespan. |
| Free Aspect | This is for you to get creative! You can put another belief, instinct, or other descriptive aspect into this space. Keep it relevant to your character though! |
Skills
Skills are specific processes or fields of knowledge that your character has developed experience or educational know-how for. These are arranged on the skill "ladder," a stacked list that shows the proficiency of your character in the different skills you choose to build them around.A comprehensive list of skills are available in the character sheet template under "Skill Registry."
Equipment
While beautiful, this is a dangerous land, especially for smaller folk. One cannot rely purely on knowledge and technical aptitude to survive, survival chances must be bolstered by quality tools, arms, and protective measures.Each character has a total of four equipment or "Gear" slots which can be occupies by tools, weapons, utility items, or armour pieces. While static in nature, each item can be personalised to the character through unique notes, traits, or descriptive flavour to enhance their value to the story.Note that violent confrontations are potentially deadly encounters. Groups are far, far safer alternatives to solo travel, especially beyond the reach of local garrisons. Any adventure should require careful planning and consideration.Equipment, items, and other supplies can be stored at a Party's base camp, either a literal one or a residence of sorts in a town, city, or military installation.