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, welcome to Confusion in Catheran

12:33, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Background

Posted by Finger of FateFor group 0
Finger of Fate
GM, 1 post
Game Master
Thu 13 Jun 2019
at 19:46
  • msg #1

Background

This is a very late Medieval (TL-3) or early renaissance (TL-4) period game, depending on where and whom your character is.
Money is simple 1 Copper Piece (cp)  = $1; 20 cp = 1 Silver Piece (sp) $20 ; 10 sp = 1 Gold Piece $200
cp are called pennies and there are half Pennies and farthings as small change.
sp are called silvers or Stags
5 sp is a Florin = $100
10 sp is a crown = $200  a substantial silver coin
1 gp is a sovereign  = $200
5 gp is a pound, or Guinea

It is late Spring in Catheran, the Grand Duke of Westlans and his Family have gathered in the Capital of Catheran to preside over the Feast of Flowers. A Spring tradition that welcomed warmer weather, new crops and fresh vegetables after a winter of dried fruits, winter vegetables and careful husbanding of food to make it until spring. The Feast celebrated having made it. Young lambs, calves and piglets culled from the herds were cooked for all to enjoy.
Only Malcolm would not be present as his Father had made him Duke of Catheran this past winter, and as his new responsibility was set on his shoulders, Young Malcolm had chosen to go north behind the receding snows to see his feudal lords and how they were doing. He knew winters could be harder up here and would send stored grains and young animals north to aid any who had suffered serious loss over the winter. While much of this went to the farmers, the lords benefited and they knew it.
In the pre-dawn light, armed men swarmed into Catheron, the Capital of the Duchy and slew the Grand duke and his family, every man , woman and child. They slaughtered the guards on watch and those stumbling from their barracks. Any who resisted, died. Then Marquis Nervil D'Astard entered the city square and informed the council, who had been dragged fro their homes in whatever they wore, indeed some in bed clothes, That he was now Duke of Catheran, and Gurt  Hardra De Stang, Duke of Zenther, was now King of Westlan. He further clarified that all this silliness of commoners questioning Nobles was over. A Nobles word was law, and his word was Law to all Nobles.  Commoners would do as told and be glad that they had jobs. Taxes would change and he would brook no argument or trouble. Raise your hand against the lawful Duke and you would pay with your life and perhaps that of your family as well.  Now get to work, there will be no feast.

His riders go out both to tell the lords of the lands and to find Malcolm, last heard to be in or near Zornath. He is to be killed on the spot and his corpse brought back to Duke D’Astard to prove his demise. All Catheran is in shock as they hear the news, which spreads like wild fire. Riders gallop from town to castle to Village passing the word, few can believe what they hear, but all know something terrible has happened.

       It is a week later, all Catheran knows and the commoners iare not inclined to accept things… many of the new dukes red, green and blue body guard are dead. The soldiers from Zenther are having some trouble, for if they are sent out in small units they are either attacked and destroyed, or they kill their officers and desert. The Large Force can go where ever it wishes, but can’t be everywhere at once. The Nobles who back Zenther are gathering their forces to finish subduing Catheran … those that oppose the revolt are escaping to the north as best they can … Nobles are not trusted anywhere in Catheran right now, with few exceptions.

        You may choose your side and make your character. young men 20 and under get 150 points; men up to 32 get 165 points; men 33 and older get 175 points. Any character may also be a woman with the same age limits on points. Commoners are limited to commoners weapons (knife, axe, spear, short bow, sling etc.) , while Nobles may have pretty much whatever they choose… except that rural Nobles get TL 3 medieval gear while the Nobles in the Cities get TL 4 Renaissance gear. City Nobles are seen to lean toward Zenther and the revolt as well, whether true or not.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:25, Sun 07 July 2019.
Finger of Fate
GM, 2 posts
Game Master
Thu 13 Jun 2019
at 20:07
  • msg #2

Background

Elves-
The High Elves (Sindarin) are absolute vegetarians, abhorring even milk, as “taken from a needful animal”; Fur shed after winter, dropped horns or anything the animal left behind is acceptable to use, if you have a use for it. Plants are seen as renewable and thus leaves, seeds, nuts and such are seen like an animal discarding winter fur, not harming a plant. Great care is taken to prevent harm or a death of a plant, and all prosper under High Elf care. The High Elves are not averse to bending some animal and plant forms to their use, so creating rooms in large trees or having branches join such trees to make walkways up in the canopy are not seen as harmful. Likewise, having birds scout for them or horses help carry their loads is acceptable, so long as the animal is not hurt and is recompensed in some way. Roots and tubers are taken, but only sufficient to thin the plants, never to eradicate them.  Protein needs are barely met by legumes and careful diet selections. Ferrous metals are rare and little used. Their abilities are acknowledged for knives and wood cutting tools, but the negative effects of ferrous metal on Elves and their magic are not appreciated. Given their magical aptitude, an elf can make a wonderful, strong blade of obsidian or glass that will cut anything they need cut. Most of their needs for weapons or tools are provided for in their magical abilities. Human-High Elf mixes are unknown ... they may not even be possible, but no High Elf would consider such an abhorrent act. Were it to be forced, the off-spring, if any, would be dispatched as an anathema to Nature, with no right to live. Elven respect for life stops absolutely at the limit of the natural, so Orcs and half breeds are exterminated on sight, as unnatural aberrations of the natural order.
The High Elves are all thin and given to being tall. They are quite magical, and quite intolerant of those who “despoil” by cutting trees, eating meat or using animal products, like leather.  They attribute their magical powers to their diet, although others who follow it never gain any powers from it. High Elves live around 3,000 years naturally, although some die by accident or harm earlier than that. Their numbers do not swell, as reproduction is rare and very costly to the woman in terms of health, with so limited a source of proteins in their diet.  Most High Elven women will give birth twice in a life time, with decades or centuries between children. There are no formal families, with all in a tribe being a part of the whole, and the whole cares for all it's members.  Men and women pair off as they see fit, and move in and out with each other as the spirit moves them. The Tribe is the critical group. Parentage is only loosely followed, mostly to prevent inbreeding and incest. With that exception, male and female may live with whom they choose, regardless of 'age'.  All within a tribe care for and raise the young, taking pride in teaching them and in their subsequent accomplishments. The aged and infirm are cared for by all, for what they have provided in the past and for their knowledge and wisdom, passed down through the ages. The death of a tribal member is a huge happening of great impact. The remains are never burned, and never buried. They are carried to certain caves and placed on shelves carved from the rock in catacombs of ancient origin.
A High Elf might have a natural fatigue of 8 or 10 and a magical fatigue of 40 or 50 (4 to 5 times the normal human level).
The Forest Elves are shorter, slightly darker and a bit less rabid, although they are largely vegetarians too. They will use milk and cheese, as ‘so long as there is no harm to the animal’ and will eat eggs that are not fertilized. The High Elves consider them heathen, and base born, although not as bad as Humans or Orcs … although in fact, they are the only other race/group the Sindarin have any significant dealings with. They too are magical, but to a much lesser extent than the High Elves (about half , say 1.5 to 2 times the magical fatigue of a High Elf). They are also healthier and physically stronger. They use magic to bend wood and make unparalleled bows. They too have little use for metal, and use it in very small amounts for knives mostly. Their reproduction is better and the Forest Elves are growing in numbers. They have normal life spans of perhaps a thousand years. Inter-breeding between High Elves and Forest Elves is almost non-existant, as both societies see it much as we would having sex with a sheep. The Half-breeds are not accepted in Forest Elf society and will be summarily killed by High Elves. The very few who have survived, lived among humans. Most were left by Forest Elf mother's on a human doorstep, and watched from a distance as they grew. The mother often tried to pass on her heritage and skills, but Forest Elves prohibit this sort of contact, bring a quick end to any such they find. A child who appears to know too much may be subject to magical mind-wiping. Most Humans see elves as evil and dangerous for this reason. A very few Elven Mothers have fled with their child, although few survived long or did well in the Human world.
Finger of Fate
GM, 3 posts
Game Master
Thu 13 Jun 2019
at 20:32
  • msg #3

Background

The Western Coast of Westlan is an inhospitable place due to those who live there, The Elves, the Yecka  and the Pygmies (Frog Lickers) all despise most humans, except for a very few brave traders, known to the Pygmies who bring metal weapons for rare herbs, spices and pretty rocks (jewels).

In most cases, to get to the west coast, you must pass through the lands claimed by the Wild Folk, who are escaped serfs, mostly from Zenther along with criminals who found it wise to get lost and some others who wanted to get away from the organized life.  Not even a benevolent rule would suffice for them; the wild folk are free and would fight desperately to stay so. They had occasional meetings with the Wood Elves for trade and to avoid any conflicts, or to deal with marauding Orc bands. High Elves were avoided like the intolerant Lords of Zenther.

To the East, the Great desert is inhabited by the Desert tribes. Their customs and life style are quite foriegn and little known to all but the few who have crossed the desert to the East to the Empire of Sylpha, to which Westlan nominally belongs.

Kir to the South of Zenther is a rugged, arid land that will not support organized agriculture or herding. The local tribes are unfriendly and often vicious. Ships and boats on the river in Kir are always in danger.
Finger of Fate
GM, 104 posts
Game Master
Fri 5 Jul 2019
at 00:23
  • msg #4

Background

 In the countryside the Zenther affiliated groups had to be doubled to 12 and now are being increased to 20, as ambushes of them are becoming regular. Several villages and hamlets close to these ambushes have been burned and the residents taken off in chains, even the small children.  D’Astard’s and other Lord’s riders scour the countryside in large groups, looking for information on Malcolm, the Duke and his forces.
The Populace is up in arms, and regardless of not being soldiers, they are causing havoc in the Nobles forces at a not inconsiderable cost to themselves.
Finger of Fate
GM, 169 posts
Game Master
Thu 18 Jul 2019
at 03:44
  • msg #5

Background

The Classes in Catheran are perhaps a bit different than what you surmise.

MaleFemaleHereditaryClassRank
EmperorEmpressYesRoyalty 9
KingQueenYesRoyalty 8
Grand DukeGrand DuchessPerhapsNobility 7
PrincePrincessNoRoyalty 7
DukeDuchessYesNobility 6
MarquessMarchionessYesNobility 5
Earl / CountCountessYesNobility 4
ViscountViscountessYesNobility 3
BaronBaronessYesNobility 3
KnightDameNoGentry* 2
SquireLadyYesGentry 1
Page--Yes**Gentry 1
No TitleNo TitleYesCommoners 0
No TitleNo TitleYesSerfs -1


Royalty refers only to the monarch and his/her immediate family.

Nobility refers to peers and their families. The Peers are barons and above who are not Royalty, and sit by right in the House of Lords. Their titles and lands are hereditary. Nobility may only be conferred on a person or family by the Ruler.

Gentry refers to anyone gentle but not a Peer, either descended from nobility (a non-inheriting child at age 17) or a knight, or if raised to Page/Squire by a Knight or Noble. They are addressed as Squire or Lady  ___, if they hold no other title.  Gentry women who marry become the social class of their husband. Non-inheriting sons become commoners. All Gentry are expected to own Armor and a Sword/weapon with which to defend the Kingdom, and must respond if a call to arms is issued.

All others are Commoners (Free) or Serfs (Un-free). A Guilded master is entitled to the title “Master”, but is a commoner. A Guildmaster from a recognized guild in the Kingdom is recognized as Gentry, but this is NOT hereditary.

*Knights are not noble. They are Gentry, but may sit in the House of Lords, if landed. Knights and peers' sons (who are not entitled to a seat in the House of Lords) may sit, by election or appointment, in the House of Commons. This also has appointed guild members, important men (often Gentry) and wealthy men elected by their town or the commoners of the surrounding hundred. The House of Commons is the voice of the people, and may recommend courses of action to the King. Note that a Knight bachelor may not sit in either house. An ordinary, undifferentiated and un-landed knight is a Knight Bachelor.

** Pages are a special case, they are considered Gentry if they hold no higher Social Rank from their parents. A Page ceases to be a Page on reaching 17, and becomes a Squire if no other, higher rank is conferred or inherited. Any Noble (or Knight), who is willing to pay for the upkeep and education of the Page, may create a Page. This is seen as a reward to an exceptional young person or to their family. A Page is addressed as Young Master _____ or Maid _____.

Certain ecclesiastical titles are also ranked with the peers. Bishops have a rank equal to that of a Viscount and are addressed as Your Holiness. Archbishops rank with the Dukes, and are addressed as Your Grace. A Cardinal ranks as a Prince and the Pope ranks as a King or Emperor. These are NOT hereditary titles, but they do have a seat in the House of Lords.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:52, Tue 14 Mar 2023.
Finger of Fate
GM, 638 posts
Sun 29 Sep 2019
at 20:44
  • msg #6

Background

Measurements-

Most measures are imprecise at best, many rely on body parts that change with every individual. The standard is a grown man of 'average' size. Typical are:

The Thumb (width) measured at the base of the nail. There are about 12 thumbs to a foot.
The hand, a measurement across the palm, excepting the thumb to the opposite side of the hand, most often used for horses, but not necessarily limited to that. About 4 thumbs.
The Span, the distance from thumb tip to little finger tip with the hand spread out as far as possible, roughly two hands or 8 thumbs.
The Foot, normally a mans foot, so women have to adjust, is about three hands long. Guilds requiring measuring often have a foot long stick.
The pace is a normal walking step.  A pace is a span or so smaller than a yard.
A yard is the distance from tip of nose to the end of the out stretched hands finger tips.There are three feet to the yard, which is the normal long  distance measuring method. It is used for measuring cloth, lumber and similar moderate sized items where some exactness and uniformity is needed. Normally certain people are used for consistency's sake, and as this is a fairly regular measurement, many guilds have "official" Yard sticks.
A Fathom is the distance from one out stretched finger tip to the other, with both arms out to the side at shoulder height. Often used for rope, and depth measurements made with rope. It is also defined as two Yards.
A league is defined as 5,000 paces. Often the people doing the pacing are practiced hikers and the normal man will find the "league" to be several hundred paces longer than 5,000, as he counts his steps. Sometimes it is useful to know what your pace count per league is.
1 League is close to 3 statute Miles or exactly 2.5 NM  [5,000 yards]

Weights are measured in pounds, ounces and various adjustments from these.
A pound is defined by the Guilds to be a certain weight. Small Stones are trimmed to this weight and sent to the various Cities as a standard from which other weights may be judged. It is becoming common to use metal weights for these, but the stones are still the official measurement.
A Stone is 14 pounds.
A Quarter is two stone.
A hundred Weight is four Quarters.
A Ton is 20 hundredweight
Smaller weights are the grain, the weight of one grain of wheat.
The pennyweight, or dram, is about 25 grains. It is the legal weight of a silver coin
The Ounce is 16 pennyweights/Drams and there are 16 ounces to the pound.

Volumetric measure is a bit more complex. The Pint is to weigh one pound. the variation in weights of various commodities made it normal to define the pint as that volume used to hold one pound of water. This now a standard set by the Mangai, and most guild halls that deal with volumetric measure will have a "standard" pint with which to maintain commonality.
2 Pints are a Quart
Four Quarts are a Gallon
5 Gallons is a cask (about 40 pounds)
10 gallons are a Pony Keg (about 80 pounds).
50 gallons are a hogshead (about 400 pounds).
5 hogsheads are a tun (about 2,000 pounds)
Note that the weight of the contents is what's important, so the weight of the keg is not considered. A Tun of beer or wine will weigh very close to 20 hundred weight (2240 pounds), making everything work out.

The standard period of time is the watch. There are 6 watches per day, nominally 3 day watches (morning, midday and afternoon) and three night watches (Evening, Midnight and the wee hours). Each watch is composed of 4 hours, although these are not easily measured, so terms like early in the watch, or about mid-watch are frequently used. Minutes are known, and defined as 60 counts (1 and 20, 2 and 20 etc. until 13 is reached, then just straight counting to 60). Counting more than a minute or two is most unusual, although the mathematicians have defined the hour as 60 minutes, but this is not widely known or cared about.

Money is confusing, as shaving coins is widespread. The Guilds attempt to enforce a weight standard with scales, but Kings tend to be irritated by commoners telling them their business, so it is a legal standard if the King chooses to pay you with his coins, regardless of how out of round they may be; although merchants are quick to quibble over a King's penny that seems a bit light or oblong.
Finger of Fate
GM, 1572 posts
Fri 16 Oct 2020
at 22:59
  • msg #7

Background

The Duchy of Catheran stood on the east side of the Pillars of the sky, a rugged and exceptionally high mountain range which is the home to several strange peoples,  the Frog-lickers in the jungles of the southeast and the wild-folk of the cooler and higher northwest foot hills. The rains tapered as you moved east, tempered by the streams and rivers from the hills and mountains, pouring into the  Magnaflume river. Across the river, the dunes were the end of the green lands and the start of the Great Desert. The rest of the Empire of Sylpha were perhaps a month or mores travel to the east across the great desert, but that was too remote for direct control, and trade was limited to the caravans of the Desert Tribes. Some contact was also made by sea, but the trip was much longer and far more dangerous due to numerous shoals and unfavorable winds. It was slightly easier to come from the Eastern Empire to Westlans by sea, but still more ships foundered than made the trips successfully. Then, as there were no ports on the Coast, a long trip had to be made up stream through Kir and Zenther, neither of which were friendly to the ships.
To the south of Catheran, across the Marimagno lake, lay the Duchy of Zenther. Zenther was about the same size as Catheran, a bit wetter, warmer and decidedly less well off, as there a strong feudal system squeezed the commoners into poverty, while most of the nobles lived in lavish style.
Most of the Wild Folk were those few who had escaped this and fought for absolute freedom in the northwestern foothills. Not even a benevolent rule would suffice for them; the wild folk were free and would fight desperately to stay so. They had occasional meetings with the Wood Elves for trade and to avoid any conflicts, or to deal with marauding Orc bands. High Elves were avoided like the intolerant Lords of Zenther.
The Frog-lickers were a different story, Priests had traveled there to save their souls, only to be killed and eaten, armies had invaded to conquer them, only to be killed and eaten. Explorers had gone in sneakily and openly, few of whom returned to tell tales. A few traders made trips into established trading sites and they provided the known worlds very limited view of what these people were like. They were darker than most and knew their environment intimately … their name came from their habit of licking a specific variety of frog, as the skin secreted a powerful hallucinogenic secretion as a defense. This secretion becomes impotent within minutes of coming off the frog’s skin, so cannot be stored.  Licking it does no harm to the frog other than making it feel like it is about to be eaten, which it doesn’t like. They are reasonably common in the jungle, so no harm is done. The effect makes the Frog-Lickers high, and while not making them drunk, does give them a feeling of euphoria and capability to perform prodigious feats of strength and endurance for periods of an hour or so. The down side is that another exceptionally similar frog is deadly poisonous, leading those who attempt to copy the Frog-lickers habits prone to a slow, ugly and sure death. They are also quite common and the Frog-Lickers use their secretions as a poison with which to hunt, as it’s lethality is retained for several days. Meat cooked after killing is rendered perfectly safe. Needless to say, the various people whom the Frog-Lickers have killed off have been so poisoned. It’s effects on introduction to the blood stream is apparent within a minute or so, and no known antidote exists. If ingested by licking, the effects are slower, with cramping, seizures, bloody diarrhea and a slower death, but one that is just as sure. The Jungles and the Frog-lickers are best left to themselves.
------------------------------

Within the Duchy of Catheran, things were going very well. The weather had been good, the crops were plentiful and trade was booming. The Current Grand Duke , so appointed by the emperor hundreds of miles away, insisted on treating all fairly, and a peasant could be confident in a fair hearing against even a noble in the Ducal Courts.  The Duchess busied herself mothering the Duchy, seeing that the poor and infirm ate and had both shelter and clothing. No food was ever thrown out after a dinner or a great feast, it went into various kettles prepared in the Dukes own kitchens for the poor and the infirm. Clothing was washed and altered to provide for those less fortunate, and the Duchess was well known and loved throughout the capital’s less well off citizens. The neer-do-well were kept out of the free hand outs by the guards who looked for able bodied men and woman to serve in various state jobs, like soldier or low level public servant. Since these were often those who did not want to work, they kept far, far away from the “free” handouts.
Roads were in good repair, and work was constant on maintaining and lengthening them (using low paid public servants). The rivers and lake were all well served by various trading vessels.
Indeed, it was hard to find anything to complain about; but there is no way to please everyone, and thus it was here too. There were those Nobles who grumbled about the uppity peasants and the vast amounts being squandered in roads and public construction while taxes weighed on those with money. Birth rights didn’t mean what they used to and the forced land restructuring that gave peasants a parcel of land 450 paces by 450 paces from nobles hunting and farm lands, in return granting the nobles a return on those lands for 50 years, irritated those Nobles who lands were being usurped. That they all made or stood to make a fortune in both cash payments and future taxes, soothed few, for it was their birthright to own those lands the Duke was spreading among the people of the Duchy. Who cares if the average peasant was twice as wealthy as he had been 20 years ago, or 5 times better off than those in Zenther to the South.  Not even that the Nobles prospered as never before stopped the grumbling in back rooms and private estates. Indeed, even some wealthy Merchants joined in grumbling against the good treatment granted to the average citizen, for their special status was eroding too. It might seem remarkable that bulging coffers did not make up for the loss of power over other people’s lives, but such was the case.
----------------------
In Zenther, things were quite different, serfs were there to be used. Lazy and indolent, they needed a strong hand to keep the working.  Taxes were heavy to support the nobles as they wished to live. The commoners struggled to find or earn jobs that were somewhat easier than being a serf.  But no one was really safe, for if a Noble wanted something you had, he could pay your price, or decide you were overcharging and pay less, or just take it as something no commoner should have.  Your family was no safer, for any noble could take your wife, daughter, son or even you for whatever purpose and for as long as they wanted. If a Noble killed or maimed a commoner, they obviously deserved it, but if a commoner even bumped into a Noble, he was in great trouble … God help him if he caused a Nobles death.  A few Nobles, realizing that their serfs are the basis of their income, treat their serfs with better conditions and more food, although it cost them status and a lower life style, as well as being weak in the eyes of their Duke and his chosen Lords. They also suffer some depredations as stronger lords steal their healthy serfs, when the Lords die off.

Gurt  Hardra De Stang, The Duke of Zenther was an angry man, the Emperor had raised that bumbling weak fool in Catheran to Grand Duke and told him to work on improving Zenther. Catheran’s bloody serfs complained to the man and he listened! He took their word over that of his Nobles! And The Emperor wanted HIM to help Zenther!
Well he show them who had power, he’d show them who commanded respect … just wait and see.

------------------------
Kir was a poor country, populated by tribes of hunter-gatherers. There was an overlord of some sort, but few cared or made any effort to work with these tribes. They had little to trade and generally relied on taking what they wanted. Any sort of well armed group was left alone, but anything perceived as weak was fair game.

+++++++++++

The Marquis Nervil D’Astard, Lord Guardian of Yanna, Spirue and the west, rode down the poor muddy track in Zenther, toward his meeting, as common people scurried into the mud and filthy water of the roadside ditches to make way for him. He smiled, that was what he wanted, people to fear and respect him. That was why he came to sell his services to the “King” of Zenther. He would allow himself to be called the Duke of Catheran, at least until he found a way to become King himself.
Never again would some lesser woman refuse him, never again would he have the Duke telling him he was not being fair to that low class rabble who worked his land. They were born to serve their betters, and he would make it happen, as it had been in the past. If he wanted a nice road, they’d damn well build for him, or he’d have their hides.
Behind him rode 40 of his personal bodyguard and 20 more rode ahead, hand picked men who understood, their welfare was directly tied to his success; men who didn’t want to work too hard, but would rather take from those who were less strong than they were. He had 3 companies of these fellows, each 100 man company color coded so they knew each other on sight. He played them off each other and made sure that they never, ever shared a drink, a meal or anything together. It was always a competition to take first and screw the other company…and he handed out the rewards. Today twenty of the Red Company men lead the march, with twenty each of the Blue and then the Green bringing up the rear. Sixty well armed and trained mounted men should give pause to any potential troublemaker. He had made sure they had new Surcoats and the best-looking leatherwork… and of course, they paid for the privilege of having new gear. He smiled… and they fought to come along … they knew that he was going to come out of this with more to pass around. The 80 men of each company left behind knew that they had not done as well … and they would try that much harder to please him in the future.
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