Faith and Mysticism

[mike_ravenwood]

I've been working on getting my campaign setting shaped into something more lucid so I thought I start this topic and get some feedback on the basic concepts and hopefully get a bit of help on my problem areas.

The Nations of Man

Carisis-- (Pretty standard fare medievil setting) After 100 years of civil war the kingdom remains remains devided. To the northwest the faction of the Faithful keep hold true to the old ways. The Church holds sway over the nobles and peasants. The King rules by devine right, the nobles administrate and protect the kingdom, the peasants toil, and the priests minister to all and explore knowledge and understanding. Any exploration of the mysteries of the physical or metaphysical world by anyone outside the clergy is strickly forbidden. Magic... ya right forget about. All forms of arcane knowledge is considered a form of demon worship and violently repressed.
To the southwest the faction of Learning honor the old ways but are willing to strike out in a new direction. Adavances in philosophy, architechture, even basic physics revolutionize society. The nobles still rule and the peasants still toil, but the priest that minister to the people are more concerned with the morality and well being of the populace than promoting strick obediance to centuries old doctrine. They preach that adances in science and the foundation of Schools of Magic to be Devine gifts to aid in the understanding of all people.

The Guildsmen -- (no working title yet) Pollytheists who have devoted their lives to the pursuit of Art. Their definition of Art however differs than the standard fair. Farming, hunting and war all are considered Art forms. The supreme power is weilded by the Counicil of Elders, one respresentative elected by each Guild, directs the focus of the realm. They emphasize the the balance possible between form and function. Man and nature can exist in balance, this is not to say that they are tree hugging hippies, no tears are shed when they cut down a tree, and they are the amongst the most vicious warriors. Their only disadavntage is their fractured nature. The Guilds decide thing by commitee and some equity must be reached before a decision can be made. So unless the realm is directuly threatened they can be a bit slow to react to events.
(this is the one i'm having trouble with, since the social structure deviates from the standard, I'm having trouble figuring out how to organize their lifepaths. any ideas?)

That 's it for this post. Next two more nations of man and some sample lifepaths, and nation specific traits.

[mike_ravenwood]

I'm going to get a website going and have the more detailed version availible. Should be later this week if work dosen't interfere.

[Verrain]

Sounds like a good start to a setting full of potential confict.

So far as the Guildsman lifepaths go, I don't really see that you need to change much. Peasants, Villages and Cities would be much the same as they always were.

The Noble and Noble Court would have to go of course, replaced by the Council Subpath. It would have many of the things under Noble court. Just remove the ones with noble trappings. I would suggest letting any of the trademan's type lifepaths lead to the Council Setting once past your apprenticeship and that the high council positions require either lower council positions or master craftsman status. You would also want to shift the costs of Guild Affliations and Reputations to reflect the greater influence such would have in that realm.

-- R

[mike_ravenwood]

the reason I wanted to change the structure of the life paths is that the are mosre spread oout and less centralized than other Nations of Man. They have no noblility and the social differences aren't based upon there location in their country's geography. I'm just not sure how they should be subdivided. I thought by clan but that doesn't quiet fee right either. More thought is required while I'm not at work. The rest of the Nations of Man should be posted sometime this weekend.

[Verrain]

Well the ideal way to do out from the sound of things is take each Guild, workout all the lifepaths that would fit under that guild, and have each guild be its own section with perhaps a Council lifepath 'above' that to signify the ruling body.

Problem is of course depending on how you define the Guilds you could have dozens of different sub-paths with only two or three lifepaths in it.

For example, take the Guild of Weavers

Grab Farmer and Shepherd from Peasant for those that raise the plants and animals needed for thread

From Villager take Apprentice, Tailor, Cloth-Dyer, maybe add a Journeyman and Master Craftsman after Talior for the really skilled craftsman. Add Merchant or peddler assuming these works need to be sold. Laborer and clerk for the heavy lifting and recording of things.

Was that the kind of thing you were thinking of? Your biggest concern there will be defining the Guilds wide enough that you don't have to detail dozens of them. And then all the little jobs that don't fit under any of the guilds but still have to be done by someone can get thrown under Outcast since being in the Guilds even on the lowest rungs is the measure of respect. Well hope this was in some way helpful.

-- R

[mike_ravenwood]

I'm trying to find the right balance of guilds. All those smaller mundane jobs are usually childern or young adults just starting in the guild. As far as the Outcasts go threy will be those who have comletely rejected the social structure or have been ejected from it.