[Forum Game] Factions of Abrana

[iisbroke]

Factions of Abrana
IRC is #Broke_games
Ended

Welcome to Factions of Abrana; a game meant to simulate internal power struggles in a fictional city-state. In this game players will work to elevate, or create their own factions so their characters can rise to power. Yet, they must also learn to work together as there are other forces at play, such as random nature events and foreign powers which seek to claim the wealth of Abrana.

Anyone looking to sign-up can. Do note you can only sign-up as a factionless now since the sign-up thread is closed. For more on creating your character sheet see the [Character Stats] section below.

Orders
There are two (2) orders in total for all players whether they own a faction or not. An order must be specified if it is a character order or faction order. Faction orders are more powerful and allow for more to be done, but offer less in the way of progressing character stats (see below section). Character orders are the opposite, they offer little rewards beyond progressing your character stats.

Each order involves both a primary and secondary stat to be used regardless of being a faction or character order. These stats are rolled on a 1d6; except for hindered and specialty stats which the player picks in character creation. These stats modify their rolls in orders because each order has a primary and secondary stat being used. Orders can be on anything, they can be to buy more farms, set up a smuggling contact in a foreign nation, visit said nation, start working on a coup, or just party until you drop. It is preferred these are clearly stated as well. Here are some examples to give an idea of what does and doesn't make a clear order.

Bad Example: William will break into the apartment using his strength, then sneak around looting the place. After which we will talk to the owner to give more money from intimidation, and use his knowledge of fine arts to know the best things to take.

Good Example: John believes he can break into a house. This will require more strength than stealth so he will be just breaking down the door. (Primary stat martial, Secondary stealth).

As you can see short clear and concise orders are preferred over long and confusing ones. Not to mean long ones will be ignored so long as they make their intention clear and follow the rules.

If that still isn't clear follow this simple template:
What type of Order(s)
The Order <some text> (primary stat, secondary stat).

The Order <some text> (primary stat, secondary stat).

Spoiler: Stat Descriptions

STATS: Abridged description

Everything does change based off orders, events, and how the players change their stats. That means this is all going off of the Placeholder stats.

Warships - these are ships meant for war, their base price is 25 abras.

Soldiers - these may not do all the fighting but they're the best for it. They cost a base of 5 abras to get through orders.

Workers - these convert other and raw materials into sellable resources. Base price of 2 abras.

Agents - these are the stealth master. Factions need these to do stealth based orders. 10 abras.

Population - all people in a faction that do not fall under the above. They each consume 2 food seasonally, to account for people who eat more than their share, and seasonal food spoilage. Also as a balance for the fact money can be made off them.

Trade Income - money made from trade

Tax Modifier - this is how much money is made off of each population count.

Tariff Modifier - sometimes people want to discourage foreign trade, so there are higher taxes placed on citizens for importing goods.

Trade Modifier - is the average income taken in through taxes off of exporting goods outside the city.

Deposit - money/debt accumulated throughout the game.

Net Resources - total resources made, which can be used to sell or even help with building things if stated in orders.

Surplus - accumulated resources

Resources Made - the resources produced that turn.

Food Produced - net food production. Underneath in stats is the food turn income.

Raw Materials - all materials made of buildings which need workers to convert into resources.

Farms - worth a base of 500 abras, resources can be used to replace abras to any degree but at twice the amount, producing 1000 units of food a turn.

Fishing ships - worth a base of 100 abras, resources can be used to replace abras to any degree but at twice the amount, produces 200 food a turn.

Hunters - worth a base of 4 abras, produces 75 food a turn.

Food Surplus - accumulated food. After every winter a percentage between 60-90% will be rolled to remove that amount from the surplus to represent food spoilage.

Mines - cost 500 abras, resources can be used to replace abras to any degree but at twice the amount, produces 1000 raw material

Lumbercamp -cost 200 abras, resources can be used to replace abras to any degree but at twice the amount, produces 400 raw material

Other Resources - any raw goods that do not fall under the domain of Minerals nor Lumber.

Resources
There is a large amount of resources in this game. This section will just give an abridged description. First are warships, which are used for naval battles. Second, are soldiers, these are your fighters and their quality depends on your rolls. Third, agents, these are your thieves, spies, and other intrigue based employees. Fourth, workers who convert miscellaneous (other) resources into tradable items, such as turning flax into ship sails, they help with increasing income. Fifth, population, these are your taxed citizens.

The rest of the resources are just general money, which is used to buy things. Resources, whatever none food items produced which can be traded or used. For instance to expand on the city walls an amount of resources will be required, such as stone, tolls, and even workers for labor. Food, the most important. Should someone run out of food, people begin to starve and die. This goes for factions and the City as a whole.

When it comes to purchasing and building things there are some general guidelines I use. I say guidelines because the prices can change based on the stats the player is using in the order, and how it is being used. For instance rather than buy a farm at full price, you could supplant the resources you're making to reduce price rather than buy all the material.

City Politics
A fair amount of players will be members of the leading city body, the Echelon. Both storied, random, and player caused events will happen throughout the game. Some of these will put the city at risk. While the players may want to become ruler of the city, if they squabble amongst one another it may lead to the city's destruction.

This is the political aspect the game. Players will need to make alliances, and deals with one another in order to gain more power within the city together. They also will have to put their differences aside to survive. If the city falls then so to will the players, as they are part of Abrana.

IC
IC is an acronym for In Character. In this instance IC means a post made from the perspective of your character, or others involved in that character’s story. Though people will own their own faction they still are running it through a character. EVERY player will be required to make an IC every two turns, so two weeks. If a player does not they will be kicked from the game. I'm not a hard ass though, your IC can be as simple as your character sipping water while stating their thoughts on what they did (results of their orders).

Naturally there will be some conflict amongst players and their ICs. Please bring these to me and an investigation will commence. The more evidence you have on whatever claims there are will help as well. I try hard to be an objective GM.

Character Stats - these are the abilities of your character.
Martial: Rolls involving fighting, or just physical force in general.

Wisdom: Rolls that require knowledge of certain things, foreign relations, city layout, best fighting techniques, whatever.

Diplomacy: Rolls that involve diplomatic situations, treaties, election, the like.

Stealth: Rolls that involve intrigue

Administration: Rolls relating to money, trade, and the like.

Layout for a character sheet.
Name:
Faction/Factionless:
Character Stats:
•Specialty- only one ex) martial (martial rolls are with a 1d10)
•Hindrance- only one ex) administration (admin rolls are with a 1d4)
Faction Traits: Optional for Facitonless. Will be rolled upon to see which are gained.
•Positive - up to three allowed, can't all have the same effect.
•Negative - up to three allowed, can't all have the same effect

 

[iisbroke]

LORE & MAPS

Abrana
Circa 1547 the City-State of Abrana still stands. It has only been in existence for five centuries, yet has gained considerable power. Controlling the Kart Bay, and the major rivers that flow in/out of it Abrana has become a trade nexus. A small collection of villages grew in size, by working together, until finally becoming one massive city. These villages were Oakville, Eastvale (now Eastbale), Waterton (now the Harbor), and Abran (where Rivergarde now stands).

Only four centuries ago did it gain enough power to separate off the Kingdom of Cynia and become an independent state. Since then it has only grown in power and influence. Spreading north into the wild frontier of the barbarian lands, and filling out the areas between the Talon Foothills and Kart Bay. While small compared to many of their neighbors Abrana is just as powerful as any of them.

The city is one of the largest in the world, and has many natural barriers. The Talon mountains to the West, Erie Marsh to the Southwest, and the vast dense Fenaria Forest to the North and East. It is also highly influential, yet highly corrupt.

Government
The government of Abrana is best described as a messy unique item. Officially it is referred to as democracy, but a limited one. Any wealthy, native born, landowner can vote freely in the lower assembly (known as the Bevy of Proprietors). Only leaders of prominent standing and factions can actually determine policy, making it more of a large oligarchy that votes who leads. These groups are powerful lords, merchants, clergy, and organizations. These make up the upper assembly (the Echelon). Many gained power by coercion, flattery, bribery, and intimidation to gain support from their constituents in the lower assembly.

Within the city itself many power struggles occur. Throughout the city state the various guilds have formed what they term, guildoms - domains solely belonging to their guilds. They often have conflicting policies with each other that can flare up in coups and event private wars in the streets. Other smaller groups push for control of the state, cults (recognized and denounced), gangs, ambitious commanders, and really anyone that can acquire the right type and number of cronies.

In times of extreme duress the Bevy of Proprietors are allowed to elect from the Echelon a tyrant. The tyrant is given full control of the government for a year. They may not revoke laws or pass new ones without the approval of the Echelon, but beyond that they have total control. They can direct the military at their leisure, make foreign policy, and decide on trade. Beyond legislature they are both the Judge and Executioner, and the Echelon the jury. The last Tyrant was fifty years ago, when barbarian raids where at their peak.

Currency
Each nation has it's own coins but Abrana's silver coins, the Abra, are particularly trustworthy and pure. As such they are used throughout most of the known world, and are highly sought after forms of currency.

Technology
Industry is still nothing more than hand crafting items, more powerful businesses have a myriad of apprentices and journeymen assisting, yet there is no machinery to automate beyond mills turning with the power of the river or wind., nor true assembly line. In war there are new additions of handheld cannons that are progressively becoming better by the day, many crossbows have already begun to be replaced. The more trained and skilled archers of old are still in moderate demand though. Many of the old ballista's along the walls of the city are in the process of being replaced with various cannons as well. ((So roughly the same as it was between the 1400-1600's in Europe. So both Late Medieval and Early Renaissance techs are allowable)

Military
See post here.

Magic
In reality there is no such thing as magic, at least not what is said in the fairy tales. That however does not mean the belief in magic is non-existent. It is quite pervasive. Many people believe in dream interpretations, alchemy, hexs, miracles, and other such things. For what matters is not if something is real just what the consequences of that belief are.

Religion
There are a myriad of religions within the lands of Abrana. All ranging from sketchy cults, to organized hierarchies. Most players can just come up with which ever religion they desire. Here is a list though of the largest religions in Abrana, in order of greatest to smallest number of worshippers.

• Olonite - Olo is the god of trade and luck. He is quite popular among the merchant class, and ironically the thief class as well.
• Druidism - druids worship nature in general. Their chief diety is Edona. Her shrine can be found north of the city, and is a holy sight to the religion.
• Pantheonii - is a polytheistic religion native to Abrana, Cynia, and other neighboring lands. There are many deities but the main ones are: Zuno God of War, Hestia Goddess of Architecture, Desirii Goddess of Love, Jacoppo the Trickster, Aquato God of the Sea, Deaghon Lord of Order, and Isiliea Goddess of Nature. Olo used to be god of tade before his cult grew and split off from the rest of the pantheon.
• Munkaric - is worshipped throughout the Eerie Swamp. Based on the worship of an unseen force known as Munkar, it is deeply routed in the traditions of the area. It is also infamous for it's alleged human sacrifices and witchcraft. Many proper Abranans avoid the swamps.
• Hisso - this is a cult that has become rooted in the area known as Physt. Not much is known about it as they keep to themselves, though they are mistrusted due to their strange snake based rituals.
• Styxian - this is a death worship religion. It has several beings they worship. The first is the"Boatman" who ferries souls to the other side. Next are Archeron and Styx, anthropomorphic interprutations of the rivers of death and woe. Next is Tartanus, who punishes the sinners. Elysio, who rewards heros. Finally Limbius, the watcher of all those who were neither sinners nor heroes.

Races
There is one race, human. Still that doesn’t mean there is tolerance for those of different cultures or ideologies.

Diplomacy
Tyrants have to deal with their neighboring nations while avoiding the intrigues of their subjects. Factionless can attempt to form contacts or even visit these lands if they wish as well. Maps of the world with information of the various nations can be found at this link.

Locations

City of Arbana
•Adwick Hold - On the bones of an old ruin fort Adwick was built. It is a powerful and imposing citadel whose control of the river fork has allowed Abrana to dominate trade.
•River Garde - A recently constructed fort controling the Main Street Bridge.
•Oakville - the oldest part of town. As wealthier families moved away from the docks immigrants moved into the run down structures. It has since become a confusing maze of crime ridden paths. Even proper soldiers avoid this area.
•Eastbale - the far eastern part of the city. Originally meant to be Eastvale it gained the current name from the thick accents of its residents.
•Partrician Plaza - this it the current center of Arbana. Here is where many of the more prominent merchant families and offices can be found.
•Harbor - This is the life blood of the city. Here ships from the far flung reaches of the world arrive to buy and sell.
•Fort Hull - this place is less a castle and more a prison. The old cathedral was transformed into a military structure a few centuries ago (after its religion was outlawed), and then later a prison. Its vast network of catacombs turned into a dungeon complex.
•Market Row - given the name of a large series of businesses it has expanded over time to become the whole southeastern district of the city. Here is where most goods brought in from the harbor, or outside are manufactured and sold to the citizenry.
•Fighter's Guild HQ - this is where freelance and full time sellswords come to enhance their skills, rest, and obtain new contracts. There are fighter guilds all across the world, and Abrana is no different.
•Foriegn Embassy - if you are a foriegn dignitary, than this is where you should go. Here they can provide some amnisty in case of any faux paus.
•Thieves Guild HQ - strange enough, the head quarters of Abrana's thief guild is well known. Thing is they often are employed by powerfu citizens to rob rivals, which has given them enough secret allies to stave off the guard.
•Merchant's Guild HQ - want to learn about the latest trade deals? Need to stor your money for safe keeping? Just like the smell of money? Then come here to the merchant's guild, also known as the Craft's Guild Compact.
•Broekn Bridge Tower - now you may think it is spelled odd for the same reason Eastbale is, but no it is just mispelled and no one bothered to fix it. This used to be part of a bridge that connected Oakville with the Erie Marsh, now it stands as a guard post for southern Oakville.

Fields of Scorn
•No Man's Land - just outside the bulwark is a kill zone. Here many who have sought to take Arbana lay in a scarred landscape. There are still bodies leftover from the most recent would be warlord.
•The Bulwark - this is a collection of ramparts and barricade just outside the main wall. Here is where most soldiers and militia forces congregate in times of war to defend their city.
•Physt - an old villa gifted to one of the newer religions in the region, Hissos. Physt has become a mission for this cult, which has been attempting to convert people in mass.
•Varham - during an historic siege in 1124 the attackers built this fort as a forward position. Originally made entirely of wood, recurring attackers have added on to it in various sieges creating a small castle. Currently Varham is the first line of defense for Arbana from the south.
•Morgan - a small crossroad village founded in 1548 by people seeking refuge after a Cynian civil war.
•Herny's Orchard - a close knit community of farmers who specialize in apples and cider.
•Night Owl's Inn - once a small schak to rest one's head, now a whole village that tries to eek out a living on the Abranan-Cynian border.
•Croford - is a large village who supplies timber and barley for their Count at Varham.

Fenaria Forest
•Shrine of Edona - the goddess of nature her shrine was made by the original settlers of Abrana but has since fallen into disrepair. As the influence of other religions spread her secluded enclave gets more at risk.
•Olo Monastery - Olo is the god of trade/luck and thus he is quite popular. He the second oldest religion in the city.
•Melbarrow - a large collection of farms and a major supply of food for the city.
•Lanberg - Abrana has a curfew so people attempting to enter the city at night must wait. On the northern side is small congregation of fishers and trappers who live in a tiny palisade. In it is a large bustling tavern for travelers.
•Furrier Post - off in the woods is a common stopping ground for fur traders coming from the dense north forest.
•Birchwood - a woodcutter's camp.
•Trade Post - not everyone wants to or can make the full trip into the City of Abrana, especially if you are of the barbarian tribes. Entrepeuners have set up a trade post on the fringes of Abranan and savage border in order to open up new trade lanes.
•Merholm - is a war camp filled with mercenaries. Once raiders these people have simply been hired to hold back their kinsmen in exchange for some land, food, and most importantly gold. Yet, what will happen when Arbana can no longer pay them?

Erie Marsh
•Cwynburgh - slightly isolated the hamlet of is situated in the Eerie Marsh. They are often left to their own devices so long as they pay taxes. Whenever they enter the city proper they come into conflict due to their radically different culture.
•Disj Hall - the estate of a powerful yet somewhat reclusive baroness. She only makes appearances in her annual celebrations, her source of income is unknown.
•Drydock - the original owner of Disj Hall made his fortune with shipping. As such he built a large drydock in between his mansion and Cwynburgh. While it is no longer owned by anyone individual it is still in heavy use, producing ships for various buyers in Abrana.
•Swamp Castle - they said it couldn't be done, but they built a castle on a swamp. Then it sank into the swamp. . . So, they built a second castle, that sank into the swamp. Then they built a thrid castle on top of the last two. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But, the fourth castle stayed up. Now it is the strongest castle in the land with a deep underground network through the older castles.
•Witch's Hut - witches of the Munkaric faith are said to reside in this swamp. Be careful or else they'll turn you into a newt.
•Odd House - no one really knows who built it, or why.
•Ruined Tower - this tower used to be part of a bridge between the Erie Marsh and Oakville. That bridge was burned a long time ago, but the dilapidated tower still stands in contrast to it's still in use sister structure across the way.
•Wraithrest - often called death home, this fortress is more like an elaborate mausaleum. It has sprawling catacombs and the landscape is blanketed with graves. It is believed to be haunted.

Talon Foothills
•Ruins of Falco - once home to a powerful family they were driven out by a bloody coup which forced them to leave behind their fortified manor in the mountains.
•Silverton - buttressed against the mountains and thinly spread out. It is a collection of mining communities and quarrys. As the name suggests the major export is silver, followed in quantity by tin, marble, and copper.
•Tula - is a minor barony which was gifted to the Knights of Zuna, God of War.

Kart Dale
•Blackborough - small village along the western Kart Bay.
•Poorton - Recent wars have caused many refugees to slowly trickle into the countryside. They have formed a hodge podge of tents along the Fenier River on the outskirts of the city.
•Tolly Manor - the home of a powerful landowner in the western region.
•Hunter's Hut - one of many hidden lodges in the wilderness for hunters to squat in.

Outside Abrana
•Ferry, Cynia - named for its ferry station, this barony has been steadily transformed into a defensive position should a war with Abrana start.
•Brookswood, Cynia - a small logging community.
•Val, Cynia - a castle meant to protect farmland along the Abranan-Cynian border. It has a minute drydock supplied with materials from Brookswood.
•Caerdwyr, Byrnisc - a settlement for a Byrnisc tribe deep in the heart of their lands.

District Map

City Map

 

[iisbroke]

Players
Stats​

Aedan - Faction/ Echelon
Alexander23 - Faction/ Echelon
Baboushreturns - Factionless
Barkardes - Faction/ Echelon | Deceased character(s) 1
BlackBishop - Faction
Corman50 - Faction/ Echelon
Dadarian - Faction
Demarchese - Facitonless
Duke Dan "the Man"- Faction | Deceased character(s) 1
Galren - Faction/ Echelon
Gen. Marshall - Faction
Gorganslayer - Faction/ Echelon
Ironhide G1 - Faction/ Echelon | Deceased Character(s)1
Iisbroke - Factionless
Luftwafer - Faction
Mikkel Glahder - Faction
Noco19 - Faction
Oxfordroyale - Faction
Plutonium95 - Factionless
Rovsea - Faction / Echelon [probational]
Sneakyflaps - Faction/ Echelon
Terraferma - Factionless
Victor Darksee - Faction/ Echelon

Notable NPC Characters
Grandmaster Darrin Brass of the Merchant's Guild- Echelon
Grandmaster Griffith Treharne of Fighter's Guild- Echelon
Archmage Azat Chachkhiani of the Mages Guild- Echelon
The Unknown Man of the Thieves Guild
Commander Reuben King of Fort Hull
Field Marshal Glen Clark
Field Marshal Hwaetsige Leeson
Knight-Captain Ewald of the Order of the Horse
High-Priestess Mariska ter Brinke of the Olonite faith- Echelon
Alderman Neifion Carwe of Cwynburgh
Mayor Guy Andra of Melbarrow



Former Players:
2kNikk - Factionless Quit
Deaghaidh - Faction/ Echelon Quit
DutchGuy - Faction Quit
Gerhard Lindt - Factionless Quit
Korona - Faction Kicked for Inactivity
Teep - Faction Kicked for Inactivity

NPC Faction Slots - Players may take these spots if they wish.
Merchant's Guild - Abrana is known for it's mercantile nature. They are also the main bankers within the nation.
Thieves Guild - A dubious cabal of thieves who reside within the slums of Abrana.
Fighter's Guild - an assortment of individual sellswords, mercenaries, and thugs. Together they form a hodge podge organization of hired muscle where people congregate at their guild halls in order to find contracts in need to be picked up, or place help wanted adds.
Apothecary Guild - Victor Darksee
Mages Guild - at odds with the apothecary guild, who split off, the mages employ all sorts of mystical services to their patrons. Scrying, hexes, charms, et cetera.
Assassin's Guild - Gorganslayer

Acknowledgment:
I would like to thank @Gen. Marshall for the maps he helped create. I also thank @Luftwafer, @Gorganslayer, @Tristanxh, and @Mikkel Glahder for their help in the beta testing. Also thank you to everyone who supported the game in the Game Concept thread.

​

 

[iisbroke]

First Orders will be due by 13 Friday, May 2016. After which I will give a first update that weekend.

EDIT:
After which this post will be transformed in to an Archive post with links to every update.

Archives

Pre-Update; Winter 1546, Starving
1st update; Spring 1547, Festivals
2nd update; Summer 1547, Plague
3rd update, Fall 1547, A Fine Harvest
3.5 update, Mini Winter 1547, The Echelonic Debacle
4th update, Winter 1547, Treachery
4.33 update, Mini Spring 1548, Of Men and Giants
4.66 update, Mini Spring 1548, Defense of Abrana
5th update, Spring 1548, A "friendly" letter
6th update, Summer 1548, War of Cynian Aggression
7th update, Fall 1548, First Blood
Epilogue, A Premature Departure

 

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Pre Update (this update is meant to show players what these posts will look like)

Spring 1547

COOL PICTURE!
caption​

event (stat changes)
Bandits (-33% Trade Income)

Echelon
Things being petitioned and asked of the Echelon members that they need to vote on. IF not these things may get steadily worse over time. Powerful players can also petition things if they want. It will cost an order to see if it gets through the Bevy to the Echelon.

EX)
Merchants are demanding protection from the bandits. What action should be taken?

The Bevy of Proprietors are pushing an order to reduce the size of the city guard. Their reasons are that it would increase income that can be spent on other things.

Dignitaries from Tirith have arrived. They are asking Abrana for financial aid in their war against the Galatti Horde. They say "While this will cost much you will be compensated upon our victory against our uncivilized brethren. Remember too that we are close friends." (RElations with the Grand Chiefdom of Tirith are 70/100)

Player
order results. (stats changes)

 

[Sneakyflaps]

Character name: Henry FitzJames, Count of Varham
Age: 29
Strength: Administration
Hindrance: Stealth

Bio: Henry, commonly referred as simply Varham, came to inherit his birthright five years ago upon the death of his father. He was born at Varham castle, the seat of the family from where they rule the vast tracks of land they own. The county itself is massive, yet the people within it are spares and barely any production occurs, something which has always resulted in the counts losing out on influence. Outside the small village of Varham which accompanies the castle, you have to walk far and long before you meet any other men, and when you finally do meet them, they are often just travelers. Despite this then the counts have wealth and cultivated lands which allows them to still function properly.

During his early years, Henry grew up with his family, getting tutored by men handpicked by his father. As he grew up and eventually turned 17, he was allowed to take an extended education in Abrana, where he went to university. He rarely came home to visit his family before his tenure ended in the city, and as he returned his father felt disappointed that his son, at least in his eyes had forsaken his family.

Seven years ago he came home, his relationship with his father was never restored. When his father died in five years ago Henry became the new count. He went through the old ceremony where the Crown, which is meant to signify the Palatine power, was vested on his head by a priest of Deaghon.

Henry has a younger sister and brother, he is unmarried and has 3 bastards.


Faction:
Name: The county of Varham
Traits:
The edict of 1329 and 1403: The edict of 1329 fell during a time of trouble for the city state of Abrana was under siege, the Fields of Scorn had been overrun by enemies time and time again and as such the Tyrant decided a new approach had to be made. As such he appointed the son of his mistress as the new baron of Varham and granted him the lands, rights and responsibilities to the region. It worked and stability was brought to the region, the edict gave him the lands south of the Bulwalk, thus granting great tracks of land, even if it was burned down and useless.
That however changed in 1403 when war with Cynia loomed on the horizon. The Baron of Varham for lack of better words extorted the council at the time to increase his rights. Had they not done so, the Cynia armed would have marched, quite possibly with Varham men against the gates of Abrana. To ensure the loyalty of the questionable Baron, the council bribed him and elevated his barony to that of County Palatine, thus securing his loyalty and his men against Cynia which they successfully defended against in the following war.
(County of Varham’s border begins at the Bulwalks and covers all lands south of it. County has a palatine status.)

Spotted legacy: The rulers of Varham has often been in conflict with the interests of Abrana, earning them a less than reliable reputation in the city and has hurt their image. Shady dealings by the family and at times exthaution tactics have resulted in many within the city finding them as unreliable as the thieves. (-diplomacy in Abrana)

 

[Ironhide G1]

House Tolly

The Coat of Arms with the Oak Tree
Deep Roots are Not Touched by the Frost

Possession: Tolly Manor

Spoiler: Faction Traits

Strength: Landed, wealthy
Weakness: Distance

Summary of House Tolly's History to 1548, For the Hasty

The History of House Tolly is as old as the human presence in Abrana, as far as the records show. The name Tolly itself comes from the old word for oak, which long ago was Tolly. This was because the first Tollys established their home in an oaken forest near Kart Bay, next to the tallest oak tree- named the Tolly Tree. The founder of the House, Renly Tolly, is considered the first settler in the Abrana region, around seven centuries ago. It is unknown where the Tollys came from, though historical records seem to show that they are settlers from the Cynia.

Other settlers started to populate the region surrounding the little house. Because of the oak forest, the little village became to be known as Oakton. Due to its strategic position, other villages began to populate the area. Oakton, the oldest and the the largest, was the leading village, of which the Tollys were the masters of. Two centuries after lord Renly built his first house, the villages united to form one unified city of Abrana, under the council of the village leaders and prominent nobles of the area called the echelon, of which House Tolly was one. A century later House Tolly, especially with the help of at the time Tyrant Gerald Tolly, fought against the Cynian rule of the city. Independence was won.

Barely 50 years later, an ancient Oakville house, the Foxime, were exterminated in a peasant riot. Concerned for his and the house's safety, he used his considerable power and wealth to build an estate on the other side of Kart Bay. He donated the original House of the Tollys to the echelon, and to this day it remains standing next the the old Tolly Oak as a place for records and is a historic museum. For roughly a century of so Abrana was at peace. But wars, invasions, rebellions, and other events have rocked the city. For example, under Tyrant Veronica Tolly, she successful beat back an invasion from Cynia.

The Tolly family has lasted for nearly seven centuries. We have seen Abrana at its best and worst. But we remain. And hopefully we will, for years to come.

Lord Wallace Tolly, age 39

Spoiler: Character Charts

Strength: Cautious and wise
Weakness:too Cautious
(The trait works as a two way street)

Died 1548
The Attack on Tolly Manor

Spoiler: Genealogy

Spoiler: Original Bio

House Tolly is an ancient house. It was one of the original families on the city, even before its independence. A noble and proud house, it remained in the city until during a revolt an equally old house was hunted and murdered. Thus they moved out of the city several hundred years prior and by the citadel, which they claim to have built, which contains some element of truth. Ever since the withdrawal from the city they have lost the protection of the city walls, and the citadel was helped to be built, or at least partially funded, by them so that they may have protection. Throughout the generations the manor itself has grown into a defensible self sustaining community. The manor itself is situated on a hill overlooking Kart Bay. The fastest acess to the city is by a ship from Black borough. Recently refugees have come to the manor, and Lord Wallace, a extremely cautious man(which naturaly has both benefits and drawbacks), is growing concerned. The manor itself is a large protected building, but he doubts it could hold if the refugees all attacked. Of course the family had generally always been defensive, and while very few of the ancient houses are left, Lord Wallace is determined to keep the family alive.

Lady Rebbecca Tolly, age 19
Current Leader of House Tolly
Strength: Martial
Hindrance: Administration

Lady Rebbecca was named after her mother. Her mother was a beautiful noblewoman with the unusual trait of blue hair, named Rebbecca, of House D'Horti. This was passed down on her two daughters. Rebbecca however may share physical appearances with her mother, she is quite different. The eldest child of Lord Wallace, she is unlike both of her parents. While her mother was kind and gentle, Rebbecca is headstrong and stubborn on occasion, and unlike her father's shyness, she is very amiable and smiles a lot. She also does not act like a proper lady of the court, instead, she is a trained fighter and leader, and practices her fighting skills, and usually wins, against her father's cousin. Her preferred weapon is the sword, and she fights with a light and quick style. She is excels in many different things, however, she cannot deal with money properly, and struggles with simple math, which she relies on her sister. She takes care of Rachel, and the two act as a pair most of her time.

Lady Rachel Tolly, age 17

Lady Rachel, Lord Wallace's second child, is much more like her mother and father than her sister. She is very calm and gentle. She also inherited the shyness from her father. She admires her sister very much, and feels she is the only person who understands her, and is the only person she really confides in. She and her sister act as a pair: she is the ;brains' behind the 'face'. She loves books, and has read nearly every book in her family's library, and can manage money and wealth. She can even defend herself with a spear, as Rebbecca taught her self defense. However, her fatal flaw, her shyness, is much worse than her father. She can barely even talk to anyone outside the manor; and she speaks only a little to her family and to the servants. But she is content so far with her life and her own. However recently she has taken interest into the boys she sees around the manor, but her shyness keeps her from speaking up.

Sir Nelson Tolly, age 29

Sir Nelson Tolly is the cousin of Lord Wallace Tolly. He is a Knight for House Tolly, in charge of all the soldiers defending the manor, though while he is decent at fighting he is by no means the best. He is very different from his older cousin he is far more handsome, caring, as well easy and outgoing. He follows his own Knight's Code, and highly values honor and valor. He does not skulk around or stab people in the back. Strangely though he has a sense of both pride and humility, as both show in different areas of his life. He is very chivalrous, and treats ladies especially with respect and honor. In short, he is close to the perfect Knight in the way he behaves. However, he does not have all the physical capabilities that a true knight should have, but he makes up for it by the way he acts.
​

 

[barkardes]

Barthirias the Wise

Spoiler: Character Signup

Name:Barthirias
Faction:Swords of Abrana
Character Stats:
•I will destroy my enemies with my mind and tactics!(specialty:wisdom)
•Why would I count money since I have my men to count them?(Hindrance-administration)

Swords of Abrana
Barthirias was a commander in the military.He served his country with his sword.But he was known for his intelligence more than his usage of sword.He succesfully avoided the raids of Thiggudor at minimum costs.Then some day,he wanted to open a mercenary company.Since he was known in the public,he became really popular and those who seek adventure joined him.He raided the lands of foreigners and had a great loot.
Urovenia hired his forces against attacks of their enemies and Barthirias' army gained huge experiences in this war.
Then an attack by Thiggudor came.They almost took the city.But Barthirias was coming with it's force.He had a promise from the government.He would have farms to feed it's army,A salary would be given to the company's army,a new castle would be constructed for Swords of Abrana,which would be named as River Garde and Swords of Abrana would join the city defences along with the military for this compromise.He rushed to the city and entered to the city from the gate which wasn't yet captured by the enemy.He took Thiggudor's completely by surprise and slaughtered all of them.Government kept their promise since it's army was completely crippled.
With farms to feed it's army,no need to give loots to it's men and a castle inside the city gave them a huge advantage.Since joining Swords of Abrana meant being well-fed and well-paid,their numbers kept growing.In a year,they became the main military power of Abrana.

Spoiler: Faction Signup

Faction Traits:
•Positive -
1.Good Fighters-This faction has a good amount of fighters and most of those are trained well,and well-disciplined.This makes them a considerable force in the battlefield.
2.River Garde-This faction has the castle of River Garde inside the city.River Garde is the set of operations of Swords of Abrana.
3.Farms-This faction has enough food to feed it's soldiers with it's farms in Melbarrow.
•Negative -
1.Newly founded-Since it's newly founded,it has less money than other factions
2.Poor relations with outsiders-Since this faction rose with raiding neighbouring villages,foreign powers won't want to cooperate with this faction.

 

[oxfordroyale]

Jon “the Bloody Bastard”, Captain of the Bloodcrows

Age: 27

Faction: The Bloodcrows

Character Stats: Specialty – Martial, Hindrance – Diplomacy​

Bio: Jon was born from the union between minor Abranan noble and a prostitute, and was thus tainted with the stain of bastardy from the outset. Like many prosititute's children, Jon spent the early years of his life living in the brothel where his mother lived and worked, tasked with chores and menial duties and forbidden to speak to any of the clientele. It was an unenviable but comfortable life, with a guaranteed source of income, regular meals, and place to sleep every night away from the rain and cold and worse besides. However, once Jon’s mother grew too old and younger, more beautiful girls took over her regular clients, serviced, she and her son were evicted from their home and forced to live on the streets. Crushed by the weight of poverty and burdened by the near-suicidal depression of his mother, a seven-year old Jon turned to petty thievery to survive. By day he picked pockets and outran the city guard; by night he lay huddled beneath a ratty blanket in the slums of Oakville, dreaming sleeplessly of wealth and the better life he could by with it – a life that seemed forever from his reach.

Life on the streets was mean, brutal, and dangerous, with young pickpockets like Jon rarely surviving outside of a gang - they would be caught and hanged by the city guard, beaten to death by adult criminals, or captured by slavers and sold to the highest bidders in a far-off foreign land. Fortunately, Jon’s charisma coupled with his physical maturity compared to his peers enabled him to rise as a leader of one of a gang– when he was ten, he formed the “Brick Street Brigade” with several of his friends. For five years no man or woman in Abrana was safe from their greedy little fingers, though they tended to target the upper class who, naturally, had much more to steal. Thriving off their success, the Brigade soon amalgamated other rival gangs, eventually monopolizing child pick-pocketing in southern Oakville. Jon had built himself his own little world, and within its walls he was king.

Said walls came crashing down when Jon’s mother died of a severe illness when he was fifteen. Lacking the prior motivation behind his thieving, Jon grew depressed and despondent, eventually resigning as the leader of the Brigade. He desired nothing more than to leave the city that had taken so much from him,, and so he jumped at the first opportunity that would allow him do so: he joined the Bloodcrows, a sellsword company, as they were passing through the city.

Traveling with his new band of brothers first as a squire and then as a fully-fledged soldier, Jon fought in half a dozen wars in the service of half a dozen foreign powers. He fought with the feared Darkurian legions in the far south in their wars of conquest, repulsed raid after raid by the fierce and bloodthirsty Thiggudor and Vikas tribes in the north and east. Over the years Jon developed a reputation not only as a skilled fighter but a cunning and resourceful leader highly adept at recognizing the weaknesses in an enemy and exploiting them to maximum effect. As his martial prowess grew, however, his humanity ebbed and waned. War has a habit of making animals of men, and Jon was no exception – the bright, eager, energetic pick-pocket in the streets of Abrana became a hardened killer, a friend of death, and the mercenary’s creed that values money over all else has long since been adopted as his own. He approaches war, among other things, with a cold and calculating intelligence and pragmatism, leading many to view him as ruthless. For example, when Jon was given responsibility for the siege of a town by the Captain, he rounded up all the important captives and threatened to torture and execute them before the onlooking defenders unless the gates were opened, promising to spare the townspeople within if they conceded – the threat worked, but the town was sacked regardless. This infamous incident led to Jon being nicknamed “the Bloody Bastard” by his friends and enemies alike, and bolstered his reputation as a ruthless but successful sellsword.

When he was twenty-one, Jon single-handedly captured a Darkurian general and ended an important battle with extremely low casualties. As a reward he was promoted to second-in-command of the mercenary company, a position of incredible significance and effectively making him the chosen successor. Six years later Captain Reynald Redeye was slain by an arrow in battle (ironically, through his eye) and Jon was chosen by the other lieutenants as the new Commander of the Bloodcrows. Depleted by years of harsh campaigns, Jon has now led his company back north to Abrana, taking a contract with city-state in order to find potential recruits at the war camp of Merholm.

Spoiler: ICs

A Message to the Citizens of Abrana
One Year Earlier
A Long Awaited Exodus
Bastards, Princes, and Other Ambitious Men (Joint IC)
A Most Interesting Woman (Joint IC)
Monster

The eponymous "blood crow" can be seen on the company's banners; a crow soaked in blood within a red ring on a field of black.​

Faction Traits:

Positive(s)

- Elite: As a result of the sound and effective leadership of Jon and the Captains before him, the Bloodcrows are an organized and highly disciplined force that operates with near-military precision – an exceedingly rare trait among sellsword companies. There is a clear chain of command that maintains rank cohesion and effective leadership in battle, and orders from the Captain and his appointed officers are followed to the letter. They march quickly and in good order, and every man among them is highly trained – most are also battle-seasoned. The armor and equipment used by the Bloodcrows is of a high quality. All these things have led some to consider the Bloodcrows an elite sellsword company. (martial +)

- Reliable: In the several decades that the Bloodcrows have operated they have never once broken a contract. This is notable given the notorious unreliability of sellswords, and has contributed to their reputation as an elite and respectable force. They have often been hired on solely for their historic adherence contract, with many would-be employers distrustful of the greedy and treacherous natures of sellswords in general. (diplomacy +)


Negative(s)

- Small: While an elite fighting force given their highly selective recruiting methods, the Bloodcrows are also one of the smaller sellsword companies in the known world, numbering only a few thousand. As a result, despite their reputation they can be overlooked by those desiring larger forces, and in battle they are mostly used to supplement regular soldiers or other sellsword companies. (diplomacy - /battle +)

- Expensive: As the members of the Bloodcrows are often of a much higher quality than other sellswords, they are also harder to retain – higher wages on average are required to keep members from pursuing job opportunities in other companies. This also means that the Bloodcrows require more money from their employers in exchange for service, which can be a problem given their small size. (diplomacy - /administration -)

 

[Corman50]

Name: Lord-Captain Arthugh Lenley
Faction: The Tyrant Guard
Character Stats:
•Specialty- Martial
•Hindrance- Stealth
Faction Traits
•Positive -

• Elite- The Tyrant Guard are among the most the elite soldiers in Arbana (bonus to martial),
• Respected- The Guard holds a very prestigious and honored post, earning them the respect and admiration of their peers (Bonus to diplomacy)

•Negative -

• Division- In recent years the guard has found itself increasingly divided, as the Old Guard stubbornly clings to traditional tactics and roles, while the new generation brings an influx of new ideas for the Guard. (Internal problems)
• Tyrant's Orders- While most of the day-to-day running of the Guard is left to the Lord-Captain, command is ultimately left to the Tyrant and his orders are ultimately absolute. (The Guard MUST obey direct orders given by Tyrant or face penalties)

Faction Bio: The Tyrant's Guard was established in the early days of Arbana's independence, the reason being the need for a trusted force of soldiers who were not (expressly) loyal to any one family or organization. The Guard has grown to become one of the most revered military organizations in Arbana. They receive the task of protecting key government facilities including the Assembly and Foreign Embassy, chief among the Guard's duties however is the protection of the Tyrant himself. In addition they are tasked with various minor duties like securing high value prisoners and accompanying diplomatic missions.The Importance of the Tyrant's Guard is so noteworthy that the Lord-Captain has a seat on the Echelon.

Membership wise, the Tyrant's Guard is very much a noble organization. Its earned a reputation as a place were nobles can send their second and third sons. While this is true for the most part, there have been cases when members of the city watch and other groups have been accepted into their ranks, though these cases are rare. Officially the Guard is lead by the Tyrant himself, however in practice the job of running Guard lies with the Lord-Captain who advises the Tyrant on matters relating to it. In recent years the Guard has seen a growing divide as the development of new technologies has encouraged a younger generation of guardsmen to seek a change in Guard's tactics as well as overall role, while veterans are firmly content with the manner the Guard currently operates in.

Character Bio: Arthugh was the second son of the Lenley household at the time of his birth. Lenleys are a family of some importance who currently hold a seat among the Bevy of Proprietors. While control of the House ultimately passed to his brother, Arthugh certainly was the more noteworthy. After join the Tyrant's Guard, Arthugh first gained notoriety after single handedly dispatching a group bandits while protecting a Proprietor. After that event he continued to prove his prowess not just in his own Martial but to lesser in administration and diplomacy as well. As time passed he steadily rose through the ranks, eventually obtaining the rank of Lord-Captain. Lord-Captain Lenley has served in this position for nearly a decade with distinction and intends to continue to do so.

 

[Victor Darkstee]

Spoiler: Valthurion

Name: Valthurion

Character bio:
One hundred dead men and what do you have? A battlefield full of corpses and a soldier's meagre wage. A single dead mark and what do you have? A permanent solution to someone's problem and a hefty coin pouch. This became Valthurion's outlook on life for quite some time, why work hard for little reward when you get work less for greater reward?
As his career continued, Valthurion thought it best to diversify his murderous art by expanding into poisons. It was convenient that the local apothecary guild of Abrana was looking for a new aprentice as this would of course allow Valthurion to both study and have a legitimate daytime profession.

It was not long after that an event that was the very epitomization of Valthurion occurred. A knight had become burdensome to the good image of his order. Raping and pillaging after his battles, this knight was a savage brute but still remained part of this order and had to be dealt with very carefully. It was decided that a duel was the best way to bring about the legitimate death of the errant knight. Now Valthurion was a master of arms of course however the prospect of fighting toe to toe in a duel against a hulking knight in plate armour seemed far too tiresome. Instead Valthurion simply brought a heavy crossbow to the duel and fired an armour piercing bolt, coated in a potent poison, into the knights chest and then calmly turned and walked away. The brute charged forward yet was unable to reach his goal before succumbing to the poison coursing through his veins.

Eventually Valthurion's skill grew so much that he was appointed the new guild master of the Apothecary guild. It was in this position of power that Valthurion extended the guilds activities to more profitable ventures...

Character Stats:
•Specialty- Martial
•Hindrance- Administration

Spoiler: Boatmen of Styx

Faction: Boatmen of Styx

The Boatmen are experts in infiltration and assassination and have found that many are willing to offer them good coin to ply their trade. Essentially an assassin's guild the Boatmen operate on the edge of the law and are seen as a necessary evil by some. It is also said that while the Boatmen are known to have killed many people, they have always maintained strict confidentially to protect both themselves and their clients, making it difficult to tie individual deaths to them.

Not many of the common folk know the faction as the Boatmen of Styx as by day they operate as the apothecary guild so they may openly practice both alchemical and surgical techniques. Somewhat ironically, it is these same techniques used to deal death that are most often sought out by clients to give life. It would not be uncommon for a Boatmen to have saved as many lives as he has taken.

It is also a common misconception that the Boatmen are strongly religious. For many who join the guild it is more of an understanding and respect regarding death itself with perhaps a select few who embrace the Styxian pantheon more overtly.

Faction Traits:
•Positive - Masters of Shadow - Bonus to Stealth

•Negative - Lost in the Shadows - Administration (Coordinating a guild is hard if you can barely find any of your guildsmen)

More to come later.

 

[iisbroke]

NEWS:
I noticed an issue with Food Produced stats. I've fixed everything but now the city is starving so good luck with that. Some stats have changed, with players having less farms than initially.

At the bottom of this post will be a pre-update. That means Echelon members will need to vote on how to solve the latest issue brought forth to them. You may discuss it in thread or out, but be sure to send your votes with your other orders on Friday the 13th. (no votes do not take up an order)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

Winter 1546

ECHELON:

The city has had a particularly harsh winter and is now out of food stuffs. There is also a massive influx of refugees from our war torn ally of Tirith. While the shortage is minor the people not able to receive the food will start to die. The Bevy of Proprietors is asking that the Echelon make a decision on what to do. There are a few suggestions. One is to purchase surplus food from Blackborough, and even Varham if necessary. Still others within the Bevy have asked that food be purchased from a neighboring nation at a price of 1 gold per food. Perhaps the Echelon has other ideas as well, but a decision must be made.

 

[Rovsea]

Name: Johnathon Blackcreek Mayor of Blackborough
Faction: Township of Blackborough

Character Traits:
~ Positive: Administration - Being Mayor means knowing how to run things.
~ Negative: Stealth - Being from Blackborough means that you can't intrigue.

Faction Traits:
Positives:
~ Enterprising: The people of Blackborough don't see themselves being nearly as busy as those people from Abrana, but within the scope of their businesses Blackboroughans pursue progress with a single mindedness that is almost frightening. They are always trying new things to advance their business propositions forward.
~ Orderly: The people of Blackborough pay taxes on time, rarely cause any serious trouble, and are generally regarded as quite respectful; not nearly enough people visit Blackborough that the townsfolk can lose business to rudeness. As a result the likelihood of these people causing unrest over any smaller issue is negligible.

Negatives:
~ Non-militant: While there is a standing guard and Blackborough is hardly undefended, the people themselves, being so orderly, can hardly be called upon in any sort of military crisis. The local militia are trained half-heartedy at best, and nobody really considers an armed threat seriously, not with Abrana a much juicier target just the other side of the lake.
~ Inept Schemers: Not only do the people of Blackborough view schemes with some mistrust, they also couldn't follow through on one if they tried. Just last year somebody, for the first time, tried to bribe their way into the office of Town Sheriff. The attempt failed because none of the parties on the receiving end of the money realized they were being bribed. People stopped trying to use Blackboroughans in plots after that.

 

[oxfordroyale]

Overnight hundreds of pamphlets and posters appear throughout the city; they are plastered to entrances to alleyways, nailed to the walls of frequented taverns, and handed out to random passers-by on the main thoroughfares. Several are sent by courier to the residences of the most powerful noble houses in the city, not to mention the headquarters of the most influential guilds. Within days, anyone of even the most meager importance within the city has read or at least heard of the arrival of the Bloodcrows in Abrana and their eagerness to advertise their presence.

​

Whether you mean to wage a foreign war, launch an attack on your enemies, protect a caravan or settlement, or hire a household guard, the Bloodcrows offer you our services and guarantee customer satisfaction. We are a force two-thousand strong, highly disciplined and impeccably trained, and known throughout the world for our daring exploits in the heat of battle as well as our determination in tough campaigns. We are also known for our loyalty, for we have never once broken a contract; our word is strong, our contracts writ in blood. Hire us and you shall not be disappointed.

We are currently encamped at Merholm while we search for new recruits. Send a rider to seek us out, and a meeting shall be arranged at the place of your choosing.

- Captain Jon of the Bloodcrows​

 

[Duke Dan `the Man`]

Name: Commander Alister Carnigie of Swamp Castle
Age:32
Traits: Martial
Hinderance: Stealth

Alister was born to the Carnigie family, a family of descent from the last king of Cywnburgh. His family moved to Arbana shortly afte rhis birth, but he stayed loyal to the cause of giving the city its independence. As a young man, he joined the ranks of the city guard and and quickly proved his capabilities as a fighter. t the moment, he is the elected leader of the Defenders of Arbana, a position he's just earned

Faction: The Defenders of Arbana

Commonly seen as the poor mans Tyrants Guard, their ranks are filled from anything from common beggars to men who just missed the cut for the Tyrants Guard. The Defenders have no other duty but to defend Arbana and follow the elected leader for life. The leader is leader for life, no matter what happens

Faction Traits

Positive: Military Force - The Defenders are a military faction, so they are expected to have military prowess (+Martial)

The Commoner's Faction - The Defenders are commonly seen as a place that commoners go if they can't join the Tyrant's Guard. This is true, but those who can join the Tyrant's Guard will leave the faction to join them. (More members in faction, if the Tyrant's Guard invites anyone of this faction to their faction, they will join them)

Negative: Too many people: Many people are part of the Defender, many of them are not so skilled in fighting. (-Wisdom)

Extortion: Who needs diplomacy when you can just take what you want? (- Diplomacy)

 

[Gorganslayer]

A painting of Cartyr - A heavy use of artistic license has been utlised
Name: Cartyr Bromm

Faction: Guild of the murderous Night

Specialty: Stealth

Hindrance: Wisdom

Faction Traits
- Shadow Walkers
o the guild members are highly trained in the art of stealth and remaining undetected, enabling them to get around the city with ease
[stealth bonus]
- Contacts in High Places
o many a corrupt official or noble has some form of contact with the guild, meaning they can pull strings to get contracts and equipment
[diplomacy bonus]

o Street Rats
o the guild relies on contacts and networks in the lower classes for most of its information, they are not known for their higher education, or well off background, meaning few have extensive knowledge beyond that of the street
[wisdom debuff]
​

Bio: A mysterious figure, Cartyr is the resident leader of Abrana's local assassins guild. A calm and collected man, few can remember exactly how Cartyr rose to become a member of the echelon and the guild's leader, he seemingly appeared overnight. Rarely seen outside of the Echelon meetings but always appearing where the guild is needed, his elusive figure and legendary violence has led to many of the peasantry believing him to be some form of dark spirit or vampire. In truth he is little more than a man who seeks to keep as much of his personnel affairs out of the public eye, while taking great effort to know as much about his possible targets or threats. For Knowledge is power and he guards it well.

The Guild of the Murderous Night pre-exists the foundations of Abrana. Originally existing as an occultist pagan organisation the group gradually transformed to include powerful figures in many of the small villages that would form Abrana. With the foundation of Abrana the guild took the time to massively expand beginning its efforts to undermine and ingrain itself in the dregs of society who were often all but willing to render themselves in service to the guild in exchange for the protection of its members and the promise of the occasional warm meal. Meanwhile the upper echelons of the organisation suitably entrenched their authority within the city-states upper government, directly becoming involved in the echelon and placing several key individuals in the bevy. Over time the guild shifted from its occultist and pagan views to a more corporate form, becoming the official assassins guild of Abrana. Today the Guild has its influence spread strongly through Abrana, with the political intrigue of the city-state serving as a valuable lifeblood and currency for the group. Many higher authorities have used the guild in various manners at some point in time, while others are in say way shape or form subtly guided by the guides puppet strings.

The guild is heavily stratified into three castes, the first and most important form the Naggorath, these are the traditional families that founded the guild many generations ago, and are all important nobles and dignitaries to some extent and form, it is rare for them to be involved in operations themselves, instead they are responsible for overseeing the guild and maintaining its standing in Abrana, be it through conventional means or other more esoteric methods. The second tier is the Anir, or agents - these people are most commonly drawn from the many orphans and abandoned children that litter the putrid streets of Abrana, trained at a young age they are taught in the ways of the night and the blade, forged into the perfect tools to do the bidding of the Naggaroth. While this training does serve to make them into fine agents, they lack to the general knowledge of many officials and are prone to oft violent acts. The final caste are the Alith. These form the peasants and other serfs or servants that are pressed in to undertake the menial tasks that maintain and keep the guild in shape, such as cooking and maintaining the guilds facilities, they are usually faced with heavy reprisals for any steps out of line, but for the life of a peasant the regular food and protection is often seen as a worthwhile trade.

The Guild operates many smaller facilities across Abrana, from smaller farms or mines forced into working for the group as payment for a guild operation (the number of jealous farmers or mine owners is quite alarming) or that have found themselves under guild control for various reasons. The Guild also operates several safehouse, with most in Abrana itself, but the rest scattered across the various regions under the city states control. The guilds main facility however is of course the infamous swamp castle. Its hidden nature deep within the swamp, combined with the fortifications it provides and the many tunnels to the castles that precede it have made it the perfect base of operations for the guild to hide, plan and enact its various goals and contracts safe from those who might try to interfere.

Another embellished image, this time of Swamp Castle​

 

[iisbroke]

Nations of the World​

Aladic (Hungarian Based Culture) - also known as the civilized ones, Aldic is home to a group of steppe nomads which have settled down. They are still just as dangerous as any other group, yet unlike the others of Tataria, they can be reasoned with.

Andalizia (Moorish Based Culture) - the black men of Andalizia are known for many things, knowledge, culture, and horsemanship. They own a fertile river valley, where the bulk of their population resides. The rest of their realm is desert and mountains with various nomadic tribes how roam it.

Aphinia (Greek Based Culture) - is a nation which is more known for breaking alliances than making them. It has a powerful spy network, and contacts in many places. This makes a lot of neighbors dislike them.

Basque Theocracy (Basque Based Culture) - the Basque think their rulers are gods and as such they are a theocracy. They previously controlled trade along the waters of the western sea.

Brynisc (Welsh Based Culture) - native hostiles of the Erie Marsh and lands south of it. Friendly toward their kinsmen of Cwynburgh. Afterall Cwynburgh was promised freedom once before during a war against Cynia, but Abrana quickly invaded the settlement toward the end and enforced martial law, which remains today.

Cyrus (Latin Based Culture) - a small kingdom whose main income is fishing. Its value is less from natural resources and more from position. From here someone could control much of the eastern sea. Luckily the high and thick walls of Cyrus' capital have prevented this.

Darkurian Empire (Mesopotamian Based Culture) - from the far south. Have been pushing into other neighbors at a drastic speed. Expansionists but not yet a threat having no shared border with Abrana.

Despotism of Espano (Spanish Based Culture) - Espano should be credited as being able to hold off the expanding Dharkurian Empire. While it is on its last legs many watch to see how much longer it can last before falling. And, people also wonder who will be the next target afterwords.

Draengleic (Italian Based Culture) - Along the old sea Draengleic trades often with Illyria and has warm relations with them. It forms a bridge with the eastern lands, and benefits greatly from it. They are best known for dragon worship.

Fronconian Principality (French Based Culture) - the most powerful of the principalities, Fronconia is a fearsome and affluent kingdom. It has recently been progressively wittled down by coastal raids from Thiggudor, and is planning an expedition to do a counter invasion.


Galatii Horde (Scottish Based Culture) - the tribes of Galat are fierce and crazed. They have organized under a single leader and are have been at war with Tirith for two years. A member of the Abranan Echelon assassinated their leader leaving them a none threat.

Grand Chiefdom of Tirith (Gaelic Based Culture) - is the land just west of the Talon foothills. It is from them so many of the refugees are coming. They are currently Abrana's only true allies.

Grand Duchy of Ionica (Greek Based Culture) - this realm is known for its navy which was been attempting to put an end to Thiggudor raids in the region for a long time, with little results.

Grand Duchy of Kolonicus (Greek Based Culture) - a powerful realm whose main focus is art and major export is marble.

Hurambian Principality (Bohemian Based Culture) - another principality, they pride themselves as vanguards against the tribes of the east. They are known for their pike formations, and determination. They are heated rivals with Urovenia to their south though.

Illyria (Latin Based Culture) - the Illyrians are remnants of an old empire which has long passed. They guard the western world and are often at war with places like Andalazia and the Volga Khanate.

Jarldom of Holstein (Scandinavian Based Culture) - once another Principality it was assaulted by a combined force of Saxian and Thiggudor raiders. Now it is owned by Thiggudor barbarians who have more than once moved ships overland to raid west, against Abrana.

Jarldom of the Isles (Scandinavian Based Culture) - forty years ago Ingstad the Fearless sailed with a hundred ships to the Basque islands and took what he wanted. Rather than simply leave he remained and now controls half of the once powerful theocracy. From here they raid multiple nations yearly.

Jarldom of Sutherland (Scandinavian Based Culture) - After seeing the success of Ingstad his brother Thorstan the Bear invaded the Dharkurian coast. Here he fought several bloody and prolonged conflicts but has managed to take hold of what he terms Sutherland.

Jarldom of Uterland (Scandinavian Based Culture) - meaning outer land, Uterland was formed by Hakon Crow's Eye. With financial support from several backers Hakon invaded a stretch of land owned by the Socotra Sultinate, and has been hindering their trade ever since.

Kingdom of Cynia (Anglo-Saxon/English Based Culture) - Abrana's southern border is shared with this kingdom. Abrana centuries ago was once a part of this Cynia but broke away in revolt league uprising. Naturally relations have been mixed over the years.

Kingdom of Hurdan (Slavic Based Culture) - Hurdan once helped Abrana in its rebellion, though indirectly. As Cynia was moving forces to crush the rebellious city, Hurdan decided it was a prime time to invade. As such this distracted Cynia with a more threatening foe, which allowed Abrana to break away. A trade deal with the D'Horti-Mediza Noble Compact gave Hurdan advanced military technology over their neighbors. Now in order to pay of their debts for the weapons they are using it to spread rapidly into their neighbors.

Kingdom of Serbin (Slavic Based Culture) - once a part of Hurdan a few hundred years ago the two kingdoms split as the crowns passed to separate sons. A bastard who was favored by the father received Hurdan to the north, and the legitimate heir obtained Serbin in the south. They have been rivals ever since. Is in a brutal war against Hurdan who has much more advanced technology.

Lordship of Hibernia (Gaelic Based Culture) - little comes out of Hibernia besides sheep and wool. It is a relatively peaceful nation but has formed several alliances with its neighbors. As such it is offering considerable resources to Tirith in its war.

Lordship of Wealh (Welsh Based Culture) - Along the sea is a neutral nation which tries to stay out of the politics of its neighbors. They favor the use of long bows. They do hate Cynia for its expansion into their Byrnisc kin.

Lorstan (Italian Based Culture) - A secluded land in the Grailc Mountains. Not much is known about Lorstan except that it has managed to hold its borders for several generations.

Marsinia (Greek Based Culture) - before the Dharkurian Empire there was a greater one which ruled the world. Marsinia was founded by them and is now sandwiched between several hostile kingdoms, with little income.

Naxian Principality (French Based Culture) - a proud and resolute people. One of the many principalities to the north of Abrana. They have a strong core of armored knights which they have used in numerous wars with their neighboring princes.

Polskian Principality (Slavic Based Culture) - the huzars of Polskia are quite notorious. What the principality is better known for though is being hired out by its neighbors to help with other wars. Their greatest rival being Franconia.

Saxian Principality (German Based Culture) - Out of all the northern princes those of Saxian are the most nautical. They are fierce rivals of Sikmaland and Thiggudor raiders, having borrowed their naval technology. This has allowed them to halt many large Thiggudor raids in the water, yet they have also aided the savages in assaults against mutual enemies.

Sumesko (Finnish Based Culture) - a collection of tribes, much like Thiggudor and Vikas, yet of a vastly different culture.

Sultinate of Socotra (Arabic Based Culture) - Socotra is a bread basket, owning a plentiful river delta. It dominates the grain trade throughout most of the Southern and Eastern world. Their relations are poor with Abrana. The reason is Abrana and Sikmaland had supported a Thiggudor invasion, to reduce trade competition.

Republic of Sikmaland (Frisian/Dutch Based Culture) - a rival state to Abrana these two have never fought directly against each other, but the merchant republic has often been belligerent toward the merchant guild of Abrana, often convincing other nations to embargo Abranan traders to ensure Sikmalander monopolies.

Tataria (Altaic Based Culture) - a vast area filled with uncountable amounts of steppe nomads.

Thiggudor (Scandinavian Based Culture) - land full of raiders in the far lands. It takes several months for them to reach Abrana by sea. Though Merholm has many of their kinsmen as river guards these barbarians are crafty and often find ways to still attack Abrana or its surrounding countryside every now and then.

Urovenian Principality (German Based Culture) - to the far north is Urovenia. A powerful princedom that is known for its military force. With it the state has managed to hold off several Vikas and Thiggudor attacks throughout recent decades.

Vikas (Baltic Based Culture) - neutral Tribes further East. These tribes infiltrated the eastern lands almost a century and a half ago. They have since built up their own hodge podge of chiefdoms. They rarely unite and often temporarily. Some tribes freely cooperate with Abrana, some ignore, and others attack.

Volga Khanate (Altaic Based Culture) - it is unsure if these were the original inhabitants of the region or came after the Vikas tribes populated it, but the Volga Khanate has a firm hold of it's plains. They worship some sort of sky god, and are prone to raiding into Illyria and the other Greco states with their massive horse army.

 

[Rovsea]

An Open Letter to the Echelon:

The Honorable Mayor of Blackborough Township,

My Lords, it has come to my attention that within the City of Abrana itself there is a great want and need for a greater quantity of affordable foodstuffs. The City of Abrana itself makes considerable economies off of tariffs, taxes, and the general commercial exchange of goods, and as an entity has quite a bit of available capital. I know several businessmen down at Blackborough's meager docks, and they assure me that Abrana itself collects some 20,000 or more Abras ((curency name?)) seasonally from these fees and dues. And so, let me make a proposal.

For some measure of this income, I would propose that Blackborough Township, which itself has a large quantity of arable land and a sizeable expected crop turnover, provide food for some 20,000 citizens of Abrana for the coming season and seasons further. This compensation would take the form of 4,000 Abras seasonally in exchange for the food to feed 4% of Abrana's population. This price is negotiable to some extent, but we must be reimbursed for our troubles.

((I'm proposing an exchange of 40,000 food for 4,000 gold every turn, indefinitely.))

Sincerely,
Mayor Johnathon Blackcreek​

 

[BlackBishop]

Spoiler: Nation Sheet

Layout for a character sheet.
Name: Harrel Wulfson
Faction/Factionless: The Black Banner Mercenary Company
Character Stats:
•Specialty- Martial
•Hindrance- Diplomacy
Faction Traits
•Positive -

Berserkers (bonus to combat)
Veteran Tactician (bonus to wisdom)​

•Negative -

Drunken brawlers (Malus to diplomacy, stealth)
Exiles (Malus to administration)​

The Black Bark Banner

A nefarious group of Thiggdorian exiles who have sought refuge in Abrana, forming a mercenary company. Named for the brutal battle which bore their desertion from a Thiggdorian jarl, the banner reached the shores of Abrana nearly two years ago. While most discard the dozen warriors as mead swilling brawlers, they have managed to gain a reputation as competent soldiers in certain circles, despite their barbaric tactics. The details surrounding their desertion and subsequent flight from Thiggdoria are largely unknown.

Captain Harrel Wulfson
Wulfson is known to be ruthless when it comes to battle, yet fiercely protective of his men. Marked with inked runes from his time in a Cynian dungeon, the captain carries his ill gotten runes with a sense of grim pride, his face being a road map of pain and loss that has molded the hard man he is today.

Janna Half-Tongue
Janna is the shield maiden of Captain Wulfson and his paramour. She is a fierce warrior with a wild bloodlust that is unleashed in the heat of battle, often driving fear into her enemies. The shield-maiden is also mute, not having uttered a word since she lost her tongue during the flight from Thiggdoria. Her loyalty to Wulfson and the banner is absolute.

Friek Goldeye Thruldson
Cousin of Wulfson and his chief lieutenant, Friek has a passion for gold and decadence that often brings him into conflict with Wulfson, though the blood shared between them and his gift with sword and tactics keeps his presence tolerated. Since coming to Abrana, and seeing all they hold dear lost, Friek has become increasingly isolated and begrudging of the captain's leadership.

Brynjolf Stormseer
Second lieutenant in the banner, and the oldest among them and some would say wisest. Byrnjolf is said to be attuned to the will of the Gods and forewarned Wulfson of their danger leading up to their exile. His counsel went unheeded, now Wulfson does little without Brynjolf's omens.

Hafir Algeirsson
Hafir is the standard bearer of the group, and master sergeant. Hafir has a clear head for danger and is cautious, fearing the banner is in danger of fading away.​

 

[Plutonium95]

Richard the Third, by the Grace of Deaghon, King of Cynia
​

Factionless

Character Stats:
•Specialty- Wisdom
•Hindrance- Administration

Bio:
Richard, the only surviving son of Charles I and Edith, the daughter of a wealthy Abrana lord, was born at Mildenford Palace only sixteen years ago. Richard was educated by tutors, along with his sister, princess Anne, and the children of many other nobles. At the age of three, Richard was appointed Lord General; a purely honorary position, but one that would be a sign of things to come as he took to his martial education quickly. He was invested with dozens of other, lesser titles over the next several years.

Richard began leading troops at the age of fourteen as his father, the King's, disputes with his brother became irreconcilable and erupted into civil war. He participated in campaigns over the next next year, fighting valiantly and winning truly impressive victories while his father commanded the main loyalist army, but ultimately losing ground to the rebels who placed his forces under siege in the loyalist stronghold of Camsbury. Richard successfully held the castle for nearly two months before his father's army was defeated in battle, leading to his trial and execution. Richard, now the rightful king, was begrudgingly convinced to flee Camsbury via a secret tunnel with just a few servants and what wealth they could carry in gold and jewels.

He arrived in Abrana where his sister was already living in exile, settling into the home of his maternal grandfather. From here he hopes to gather support to retake his rightful throne from his treacherous uncle, though how his presence will influence the politics of Abrana still remains to be seen.