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Setting Information.

Posted by ChanceFor group archive 1
Chance
GM, 18 posts
Mon 29 Oct 2012
at 19:31
  • msg #1

Setting Information

As stated elsewhere, this game will be set in the Empire Province of Averland and the Border Principalities (primarily the latter). Characters will take on the role of guards accompanying a merchant as he makes his way from Grenzstadt to Barak Varr. The route is extremely dangerous, but also offers the potential for huge profits to those willing to make the trip. Profits merchants invariably share with trustworthy guards.

The trip must be made in several stages, the first of which runs from Grenzstadt, through Black Fire Pass to Akendorf, a distance of about 100 miles. Of late, travelers and pilgrims along the route have reported increased Skaven activity, but not to a great enough extent that the Mountainguard has stepped up patrols.

I intend to run this campaign in several legs. As player interest remains, we will move through additional segments of the journey, with the occasional side quest to keep things different. Below I will be posting background information specific to our setting and some links in case you are new to the Warhammer world and would like to know more.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Wed 31 Oct 2012.
Chance
GM, 19 posts
Mon 29 Oct 2012
at 19:34
  • msg #2

Re: Setting Information

I owe a great deal of thanks for this campaign to GURPSHammer, found here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/9575409/Gurps-Hammer-20

The ebook also has some great background lore in case you're interested.

Another great resource is Lexicanum: http://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Main_Page
Chance
GM, 20 posts
Mon 29 Oct 2012
at 19:40
  • msg #3

Averland

Averland is one of the richest provinces in The Empire, though it is neither the largest nor the most influential, and its army is famous for its ostentatious uniforms. Its wide, open plains are extremely fertile – thanks to the regular flooding of the Aver and the Upper Reik rivers. Averland is perfect horse-breeding country – the finest steeds for riding and for battle come from here. The province is also noted for its long-horn cattle, and for its excellent wine.

The most important geographical feature is the Blackfire Pass. The pass, a deep, volcanic cleft in the rock, is the only reliable route across the mountains. Nevertheless, the pass is infamous for its terrible weather. A seemingly fine day can turn into a blinding snowstorm with frightening speed.

An old Dwarf road runs through the pass, connecting the Dwarf holds of the World’s Edge Mountains and the lands of the Border Princes to The Empire; trade goods, especially the valuable metal ores from the dwarfs, flow constantly into Averheim, from where they are transported by river into Nuln. It is this trade that grants Averland its wealth, but it comes with a heavy price. The pass is perpetually attacked, mostly by orc and goblin tribes, and keeping the way safe for trade is a difficult task. Guardianship of the pass falls to the Mountainguard, the elite of Averland’s forces.

The Mountainguard are stubborn, implacable veterans with the highest level of training, favouring the halberd and the handgun as their primary weapons. Many wear a devise consisting of a black flame upon a yellow field: the unofficial motif of the guard. The Bergjaeger are a special detachment of the Mountainguard, formed from trappers, hunters and other such rangers. They are excellent archers and master trap-setters who know the pass like no other. Halflings serve both in the state army and in the Mountainguard, and have done ever since Gorbad Ironclaw’s devastation of The Moot, the Halfling homeland.

The dangers of the pass were made all too clear by a massive Orc invasion that occurred quite recently. The Elector Count Marius Leitdorf was slain by the Orc general (later dispatched by the Emperor himself). Thus far, no successor has been named. The pass has been the gateway to the Empire for many other greenskin invasions, most notably those of Grom the Paunch of Misty Mountain (2410) and Gorbad Ironclaw (1707). The pass was also the site of Sigmar’s legendary defeat of the Orc and Goblin tribes, and remains a place of pilgrimage for the faithful and the fanatical.

Averland has very strong links to Tilea, and the influence of that country can be seen both in the province’s heavy use of the crossbow and the half-pike, and in the worship of Myrmidia, the Tilean goddess of war. Averland makes greater use of mercenaries than any other province, and the state army almost invariably includes a high proportion of Tileans. The Knights of the Blazing Sun are the most important Knightly Order in Averland. Templars of Myrmidia, they were formed in 1457 during the crusades against Araby.

Of special historical interest are the ancient ruins called the Three Towers. These structures were built by the Elves of Ulthuan in the distant past, and were more recently the site of a great battle between the Elves and the men of The Empire. The day was won by The Empire, and the towers have since fallen into ruin. They now serve as a hideout for bandits and warlocks, and should be avoided by travellers.

Aside from the capital of Averheim, Averland has many prosperous trading towns. These include Grenzstadt, the last town before the Blackfire Pass; Wuppertal, famous for its wood-carvers; and Loningbruck, a center for wine-making.
Chance
GM, 21 posts
Mon 29 Oct 2012
at 19:45
  • msg #4

Border Princes

The Border Princes are a natural destiny for emigrating peasants and nobles, seeking a better life. Most of these colonists come from The Empire while others come from Tilea and Bretonnia. Many of them are political or religious refugees, but the region is also the natural destiny for deserters and/or criminals on the run from the law.

In former times the Border Princes were largely inhabited by savage tribes of Greenskin but now the land is fiercely disputed by the hardy human colonists and many Orc and Goblin tribes. The human colonists are tentatively organized in tiny kingdoms, small principalities, and independent city-states, but most of them are not better than fortified villages. All of them are targets of fierce Orc incursions and most of them don't survive for very long.

The colonists are somewhat stronger in the north-west while the Greenskin hordes dominate the south-east. Even in the north some Orc and Goblin tribes live in hard-to-reach places like forests and mountains. In the centre of the whole region lies Barak Varr, the great seaport of the Dwarfs. The Blood River is the ultimate frontier, but no place north of the river is completely safe from the occasional Orc or Goblin raid.
Chance
GM, 41 posts
Mon 12 Nov 2012
at 15:37
  • msg #5

Coaching Inns

Coaching Inns exist for the purpose of providing fresh horses and supplies for travelers in the Old World. They also act as sorting offices for mail,and as convenient stops for passengers - few coaches will travel at night. Coaching Inns are usually quite large buildings and may form the focus of a small community, and - where possible - they are sited within villages or towns. When they have to be built in isolation, they are always well fortified. They are smoky, friendly places, where travelers can swill good ale, gorge themselves on cooked meats and talk with fellow travelers. Coaching Inns are also used as bases by the Roadwardens, for whom they are both regular meeting places and organizational centers. Merchants and civic officials also recognize the coaching inns as the safest and most trustworthy places to stay.

A typical menu, and overnight prices are provided here for reference:

Menu
ItemCost
Ale1 Penny/Pint
Beer2 Pence/Pint
Wine: Local, Averlandean2 pence
Wine: Tilean4-5 Pence
Ale and Bread2 Pence
Ale, Bread, Cheese Wedge3 Pence
Ale and bland Stew3 Pence
Full Meal (meat, cheese, bread, beer)1 Skull, 1 Penny

To substitute beer for ale, add 1 Penny to price of a meal. Wine, add 2 Pence. Most inns will have a house special or two.

For Shelter, you may pay 1 Penny to sleep in the Common Room in a corner or on the floor. 2 Pence will get you a room shared with 2-3 other people, and 1 Skull will pay for a private room. If you choose to sleep in the common room, you will have to fight off the occasional rat and will start the next day with -1FP. If you are sharing a room, roll against your Will to see if you can sleep through the inevitable snoring and thrashing from the other people you are sharing a bed with. On a failure, you will also start the day with -1FP.
Chance
GM, 55 posts
Tue 20 Nov 2012
at 02:37
  • msg #6

Nurglings

Nurglings  start as small blobs of filth, feeding on the rancid juices of the Great Unclean One's innards until they are able to leave his body. Even then, much of their existence resolves around their "father". They roam around the Great Unclean One and bicker among themselves for his attention, though there are always some unfortunate enough to get accidentally squashed or picked up as snacks. Nurglings are also eager to follow Champions of Nurgle around, be they mortal or daemonic, feeding upon the flakes of foul flesh these beings leave behind. Their tiny teeth are as sharp as razors, leaving festering bites upon their victims, but rarely killing them outright - although such an attack can prove the beginning of a long, disease-ridden demise.


Chance
GM, 80 posts
Thu 6 Dec 2012
at 01:03
  • msg #7

Re: Nurglings

The Skaven are a race of humanoid rat-men, who inhabit the caves, tunnels, mines, and sewers of the Warhammer world. They control a vast Under-Empire which reaches throughout much of the world. They worship an entity called the Horned Rat, whose high priests form the Council of Thirteen. The direct agents of the Council are an order called the Grey Seers. Most of Skaven society is organised into innumerable clans, all of which are ruled by the Council. Four Great clans mercilessly dominate the weaker Warlord clans.

They are usually around four to five feet tall when they stand up straight, although the largest can reach six feet tall. Fur covers their bodies except for their ears, muzzles, hands and fleshy rat tails and indicates a Skaven's role in society. Most Skaven are brown or piebald. White or grey is rare and indicates leadership, intelligence and especially sorcerous ability. Those with black or dark brown fur tend to be the largest and the color is considered the mark of a born killer, with most dark furred Skaven becoming elite warriors or assassins. Technology is heavily warpstone-based. Virtually everything they create has at least a tiny piece of warpstone in to increase its potency and deadliness.

Skaven are twitchy, agitated creatures. Their metabolism allows them to burn energy at an incredible rate, boosting their agility and speed. This effect also gives them an enormous hunger, which after heavy exertion can be so bad that the Skaven visibly weakens and dies. As a result the Skaven will feast on the dead of either side after a battle. Female Skaven are rare and, at most, semi-intelligent but are capable of giving birth to huge litters very frequently.


Chance
GM, 138 posts
Thu 10 Jan 2013
at 00:39
  • msg #8

Re: Nurglings

I am not the best at describing environment, so assume that the area looks something like this:


Chance
GM, 232 posts
Mon 25 Feb 2013
at 14:19
  • msg #9

Re: Nurglings

Akendorf is a good sized town, known for its tanning operation, found in the southwestern quarter. Its acrid, no, foul, smell often permeates the whole city.

A map can be found here: https://docs.google.com/file/d...dVk/edit?usp=sharing

The corresponding key is as follows:
1 - The North Road
2 - Guard Quarters
3 - Westgate Market
4 - Klaus’
5 - The Tilean Quarter
6 - Pskov’s
7 - Ulric’s Gloria
8 - Palace
9 - Figgario’s
10 - Tanner’s Market
11 - Mike’s
12 - Petr’s
13 - Woodside Field
14 - The Old Town
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