INTRODUCTION

Both Kalluf and Andigo are born into free farmers families, in areas outside of control of any city-state or petty kingdom. You live on large peninsula known as Ung among other names where cities are on the south and to the lesser extent on the east and the west shore, while the middle of the peninsula is wilder and north without almost any human presence. Falco is born into a shipowners family on a island of Guna.

People live in about 20 city-states on Ung, which together cover about 30% of the landmass, while free farmers and several barbarian tribes claim the same percentage in the middle Ung. The rest is either uninhabited, uncharted or in possession of Evil, as there are more than 100 identified hotspots on Ung, at least as old sayings go, and it is probably correct estimate as every city-state has at least two witches, sea-monsters, harpies or whatever right on its borders. As I said earlier, Evil things are almost untouchable in their liars, but they also rarely venture to attack humans far from their strongholds, so they are mostly black areas on the map which are to be avoided.

Kalluf`s farm was destroyed in a raid by a vengeful barbarian tribe, which happens from time to time, as relations between free farmers and the barbarians have ups and downs. He was than taken by neighbors, and raised properly in a large community of free trappers and hunters, all civilized people who left their native city-states not willing to pay taxes. Kalluf quickly grew into a mighty ranger and fighter, and than decided to try to live in a city for a while, as he had enough money from trading hides and furs to buy a house, and was hoping to get a job in growing port facilities of Kimio, a fast growing coast town, because he have heard that strong warriors are very well paid in the Self-defence force, created to protect the port from pirates.

Falco`s life was more-less pleasant and interesting as he was growing up on Guna, learning about trade and ships, until when he was 15 when he was following his father on a long journey and one night decided to leave for a few hours, but he fell into trouble and couldn't`t return for five days, when ship was long gone. After five years in different countries where he was mostly thieving he managed to get home where he realized he is not anymore in any succession plans and that life there is much more boring than he remembered. He stole family jewels and started his own business in trading with pirates he met on his voyages, reselling stolen goods in towns and cities in Ung, pretending to be a rich merchant. But after another three years he became a well known figure in many places and had to flee from arrest several times.

Andigo`s story is much rougher. He lived before age 10 in a beautiful settings of a house in the woods, as parents were farmers living of a lovely small garden, away from other peopple. Later Andigo realized that they were so well off as 50 gardens couldn't provide, and that he never knew really much about his muscular father and his stunning mother. Anyway, after he turned 11 weird accidents started to occur, and parents were visibly shaken, as Andigo heard them planing to send his baby sister away. But one accident (never involving Andigo himself, just parents) eventually took life of his father. After that, mother became lethargic and one day Andigo found only burnt out remains of his house - one last accident. So he set off wondering with his dog Phoenix, always going from trouble to trouble and bringing misery to people around him. He soon accepted that he is cursed and stayed away from humans, watching stars, collecting herbs for a living and philosophizing about his fate.

Their stories cross in a town of Kimio where Kalluf is frustrated as he almost spent all his savings and still cant get local nobles to accept him in the anti piracy force, because they say he has to live five years in the town to get residency, but he knows it is just a game to make him either work as a guard not for salary but as a dependent servant or marry ugly doughier of one of the nobles. In the meantime, Andigo, who was living on the edge of the town was accused of causing a ship to sink by means of evil spells, and he is to be trown off the cliff in a few days as an offering to the gods. Falco came to Kimio as he heard that on of his kis, mighty warrior Daleanus is traveling with Lord Xendex, one of present living heroes, trough Kimio on some epic quest. He wants to talk to his cousin to see if there is any way for him to be accepted back in the family as he more than multiplied what he stole, but is now a wanted man.

This is two years before the time in which we begin the game, when your characters were level 2, before Kalluf acquired monster-hunter, Andigo arcist nad Falco nightblade level. We will first play the prologue, which will set some themes, give you a chance to make some small success or mistakes which will affect the future, and talk a little to some characters. You cannot die in the prologue.

THE WORLD

This is the only post where I will speak to you as players, not to your characters. These are some things you need to know so you can understand the game world better, to avoid your character having non-realistic ideas. When playing live with friends, we had common arguments when players were insisting their characters are mentally able (waving their character sheets with high Reasoning) to invent something new in their game world, using players knowledge from this world (glider, crossbow, etc). Some things are simply out of the question, as you world is on the different technological level, and that’s why this post is important: so you should know what you can and cannot have (for example, in this game iron swords will be rare). Also, socially, it is good to know in what kind of the world you are, so you shouldn’t make mistakes calling on nonexistent social structures. One player mentioned “militia” in his character description. In this world there are no militias, as only middle and upper classes bear arms. So, here we go, these are some guidelines.

There are no other races, just Humans. Exceptions are various evil intelligent things and one mythical race of super humans, said to live somewhere in the world

Technological development is on the level of Greece in time of the Peloponnesian war, 5th Cent. B.C. Steel is unavailable except as a gift from strange people/creatures, there are no long range weaponry as longbows, sailing is limited to hugging the shore, city walls are rare, etc.

Most of the humanity lives as bronze age farmers and herders, simple barbarians, and some 30% lives in organized city-states and small kingdoms, with different types of government

In cities and other more civilized areas society is divided in classes based on income level. Everybody is free, but those who pay higher taxes are involved in war and politics. Egalitarianism among the barbarians (which are 70% of the population)

Much of the world is unexplored

Organized religion is early phase. There are cults, prophets, mystics, wise man, but  not many big temples and not much hierarchy. Beliefs vary from place to place

Free thinking is very cherished, literacy rate is 90% in cities, 30% in the countryside, sciences are in the early stages

Usual weapons are all which not require too much metal: spears, javelins, slings, short bronze swords. Short bow exists, but is considered cowards weapon

No horses

Several major languages exists, several important currencies

There is EVIL in the world. All kind of terrible things lurk in dark places, they are very varied and apparently not in league with one another. They seldom set far from their caves/mansions/huts/whatever, but when they do it is in force, ravaging the neighboring territories, and sometimes threatening whole regions with hordes of undead, monsters, demons, etc. But human forces always come together in such cases, even pausing wars and sieges for that purposes

Magic appears spontaneously in some individuals and usually provides them with abilities to counter evil, and do many useful tasks. It cannot be learned, and is developing spontaneously

LETS PLAY!

Hi there,

This pseudowebsite is here to help you decide to play an PBEM RPG (fantasy) game with me. We shall start as soon we have several players.

This RPG will be no writing competition, or dice rolling dungeon, but game based on the right decisions made by players. English is a foreign language for me, so I cannot ask players for long descriptions of feelings or situations, when I cannot provide the same kind of writing when it’s my turn.

The game world will be a classic medieval fantasy, but with no other races except humans available for playing, and with limited magic. Players are invited to create some standard nonspell characters, as fighters, leaders, rogues, thieves, scholars, monks, professionals, rangers, etc. I tend to use RoleMaster when referring to professions, spells, levels, and so. Knowing anything about it is not a requirement at all.

You are a free individual in a part of a world with little social hierarchy, and people are organized in small communities, towns and such, where persons with power and influence are local leaders, but with little power outside their domains. So you can forget about well advanced social structures as empires, armies, orders of paladins and so. To get a living you have to have a real world profession, and even you may progress to become a more hero-like character, your early profession will say much about you. So please provide me with:

1. Your name and description of the natural habitat of the place you came from (islander, hill billy, city cat, peaceful farmer, forest roamer, nomad, river folk, etc.)
2. Five training blocks, from early age to present, 2-5 yrs. each, such as: 1. I grew up in a farm house, 2. and that left to work for a local rancher, 3. became his trusted cowboy, 4. got captured by a barbarian tribe in a raid, and lived with them for a while, 5. escaped and lived alone on the great plains for some time now, trying to get home
3. Profession. Must be a logical summary of this past experience. This character could call himself a warden, fighter, scout, ranger, trader, farmer, etc...This is important because if he is more of a fighter in his mind he will likely progress in different direction than if he consider himself a farmer (this second case is not inferior at all, as it underlines a practical side, and that character could easily become a local ruler, wealthy trader or so).
4. Psychology of your character, what we used to call “alignment”
5. That’s all. I will send you back your biography with maybe slight corrections, together with a definite list of your skills, possessions, and a few extra touches