Barrows & Wights

Everyone most annoying Blogger (that me) has started to produce his very own Retroclone.  

One reason why I been silent of late...


The goal of Barrow & Wights is to produce a variation of the classic RPG rule set that is as simple as possible for pickup play and online play. Boiling it down to the basics and allowing others to houserule to whatever flavor they wish. 

Like my "Village of Bex" this will be a totally free publication that I do not expect or plan to gain any money benefit, just hopefully someone will find it useful.  This is also a example of what one can do with artwork that is in the public domain.  So far two of the main publications are complete.  

1.  Dungeoneers Guide - Intended for players, covers levels 1-14,  This has plenty of art and goes over character creation and the seven basic classes (Cleric, Fighter, Magic User, Thief, Dwarf, Elf, and Halfling.) Combat, and how magic works.

2.   Adventuring Guide - Intended for players, this is a 13 page low art document that covers characters from levels 1-5.  This is all a experienced player would need to reference while in play.  It is also a much smaller document then the Dungeoneers guide.

The next two are to be completed.

3.  Referee Guide - Intended for referees, this will be the referee guide for Barrows & Wights, and will include everything from treasure tables to guidance on how to make a custom class for the system.   Will also have some maps and other items that will be useful to all referees.

4.  Barrows Guide This will have all the optional rules, Optional classes (Ranger, Wood Elf, Barbarian as examples), treasures great and small, custom monsters, and other rules that might be considered for the house-rules of the game.  

Thanks for your time reading this, if you have any question, corrections, proofreading and so on please let me know, as I plan to update this onwards.

Update

Still working on it.  I might be working on doing a OD&D style white box game, and the 11 kingdoms might be the home for the OD&D setting.  

Blackgate Megadungeon

This is the preliminary dungeon design for the Blackgate megadungeon.   I plan to make a few more splits off the main level, but want to fucs on making the upper levels first.  

Updates

I know no one reads this, as I see the depressing numbers. however some updates

I will be keeping tenpenny bay, but might make the mega-city as another name.

Also, I am planning to place a few large dungeon complexes on this map.

Barrowmaze is located in the western Isles

The Sewers under Blackgate lead to a major megadungeon complex.

I still plan to add Dyson delve

https://rpgcharacters.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/dysons-delve-deluxe.pdf

and Rappan Athuk somewhere on this map as well.

The Grand Dutchy of the Western Isles quick rundowns.

The Grand Dutchy of the Western Isles

Language: Coranan (Isles dialect)
Culture:  Valen
Capital:  Isakrag (population 5,000)
Brief Overview:  Isolated from the rest of the the world, the Grand Dutchy of the Western Isles fended off Vikish raids and helped unify themselves under the leadership of Heron the III.    While the other kings have not accepted the Heron dynasty as a true kings (due to Heron the III being the son of a butcher), their power cannot be questioned.  The Dukes focus on Naval power, while each town has its own militia to fend off raiders.   Currently the ruler is Kragan (the first of his name), the 5th of the Heron dynasty to rule the Western isles.  

Coat of arms/Flag: A blue Heron on a red background.   

Economy:  The economy of the western isles is dominated by the cold, but rich currents that hit the Isles, fishing the rich waters of the Isles has always been a major source of food and trade goods.  In addition, farming the rocky soil and hunting the Western Tusk Seals have been secondary sources of food and income.  Serfdom does not exist in the Western Isles, and the legal system is based on the concept of exile, with violators of exile orders facing beheading.
Governing: The Dukes appoint traveling judges and appoint village mayors, who both serve for life (unless they decide to retire in there dotage).   On death of a Duke, there is a Moot where the Mayors elect the new duke from any of the decedents of Heron the III.  Currently there are 32 such men and woman who could be elected.  

Imperial Church

Many regions of the Eleven Kingdoms has what is referred to as a "Imperial Church" that follows the gods of the old Empire of Man.   Many times this is the old, established church with lands and structure.   The Church has twelve (12) gods that are viewed as worthy of worship.  Four (4) Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic gods.   

Lawful

Adpeh – The God of Knowledge and Law 
Miphic – God of Magic and mystical secrets
Evangeline - Goddess of healing
Yulia – Goddess of Peace

Neutral
Kralic – God of peaceful death
Vassa – Goddess of Divination, Justice, and Truth
The Unknown one – god of the unknown
Steenhoth – Goddess of the Hearth

Choatic 
Xi the Unpredictable
Cameral – God of madness
Alexis – Goddess of Taboo
Janos – God of Battle

In addition.   There is a number of gods who are not part of the Church that are very popular across the kingdoms, and are not part of the new faiths.


Minor Gods/Goddesses

Kithal, the Dwarf-father – God of the Dwarves
Concorda – Goddess of Truces
Jasper – God of Charity
Cansor the Robed – god of darkness
Illumin - Goddess of light
Haros – God of Fire
Harkas – Goddess of the hunt
Hefron Stormbringer – Goddess of Storms



There is also finally some age old gods that are viewed as demons or evil beyond measure.  These are called Haraindiko Lords.  

Haraindiko Lords

Akella (Magic)
Lekkli the Shapeless (Slimes)
Mortica the Pale (Undead)
Orkfather (Patron of Orcs)
Slaymon (Worm of Wisdom)
Zug (Might)
Linsat (Treachery)
Marcos (Corruption) 
Jessafas (Flaming Truth) 

Money in the Eleven Kingdoms

Much of the money used in the Eleven Kingdoms is based on the old coinage of the the Empire of Man.    The basic coins are

Copper Farthing = CP
Silver Dragon = SP (worth 10 CP)
Gold Drake = GP (worth 10 SP)
Platinum Imperial = PP (worth 10 GP)

Due to traders accepting these coins, many kingdoms still mint these coins, sometimes direct copies of of older Imperial coins, and other times copies with the current ruler on it.   However many kingdoms produce their own unique coins that supplement these coins.

The Silver Pennies or Viklaw Penny (VP) - a small coin that are commonly coined in the Viklaw, as it a continuation of the Vikish currency.   Each VP is worth five CP.

Groat - (GR) a large copper coin with trace amounts of silver, these are coined in Highrock as the local mines produce ore of that quality.   They are worth 4 CP and are very common in some areas.

Brass Piece (BP) - a brass coin coined heavily by Blackgate, each is worth 1/2 a CP.

Eight-Piece - (8P) - a very large (2 coin weight) coin of very pure silver.  Can be cut into eight pieces by any blacksmith.   each piece is worth on SP, so a uncut 8P is worth 8 SP.  Minted by private mints after the silver horde of the Dragon Arguoton the Red was taken.    Still used by merchants as it is much lighter then SP.

Electrum Crown (EP) - A mix of gold and silver, worth 5 SP.

Dwarven Koynis (DK) - The main currency of Dwarves, it is a mix of copper, silver, and gold worth 11 SP.

Kish (KP) - Commonly used by overseas traders, these are a 1/2 weight copper coin with a hole in the middle to allow them to be strung up in strings of coins.  They are worth 1/2 of a copper piece, but are disliked by merchants due to the need to remint them for general use.

Table of currencies by value.   Bold are the standard imperial style coins.

Name (Abbreviation) - Weight - Value
Kish (KP) - 1/2 - 1/2 CP
Brass Piece (BP) - 1- 1/2 CP
Copper Farthing (CP) - 1 - 1 CP
Groat (GR) - 2 - 4 CP
Silver (Viklaw) Penny (VP) - 1/2 - 5 CP
Silver Dragon (SP)- 1 - 10 CP
Electrum Crown (EP) - 1 - 50 CP
Eight-Piece (8P) - 2 - 80 CP
Gold Drake (GP) - 1 - 100 CP
Dwarven Koynis (DK) - 1 - 110 CP
Platnum Imperial (PP) - 1 - 1000 CP

Imperial coins are accepted everywhere.   Other coins may or may not be accepted without exchanging.   to exchange coins to Imperial coins will cost a 10% fee by the banker.   by roleplaying they players may find a merchant who is in need of a odd coin who will buy at par.

Languages of the Eleven Kingdoms

There are many languages in the Eleven Kingdoms.

High Imperial - The language of the long lost Empire of Man.  While found in many old ruins, it is only spoken by a few sages, and by the priesthood of the Imperial Churches, as many of the holy texts of the faith are written in High Imperial.   Even the "Black Counts" of Tenpenny Bay, famous for their long usage privately of High Imperial, have mostly reverted to more modern languages.

Common (Vulgar Imperial) - a debased version of High Imperial.   While it cannot be used for complex speech, it is used daily for basic trade and directions.   Everyone will know enough Common to carry out basic speech.

Coranan - A modern language descended from High Imperial, it is the most common languages in Coranath, Sudaum, and Highrock.   It is also common (40%) in Whitetower)

Duranum - A isolated language that is spoken in Deca and Dunvale.

Infernas - Many times translated as "The black speech" this is the unique language of Blackgate and the surrounding lands.

Paish - Spoken in the eastern kingdoms of the Kingom of the East and Greygarden.   It is also common in Whitetower (40%)

Vikish - Spoken in the Viklaw, it is generally split between Eastern and Western branches, which are intelligable to each other, where Western is spoken by newer arrivals, and Eastern from families that have lived in the Viklaw for more then a generation.

(Note: Whitetower speaks 40% of Coranan and Paish, and 10% Vikish and Duranum.)

In addition, there are minor languages that may be discussed later, such as cants and other rare or dead languages.

The Eleven Kingdoms - A primer

The Eleven Kingdoms take place on the Aumish Islands, which have a total landmass of around 315,000 square km (Around the size of the British Isles).   Generally most people refer to the islands in general as West Aum, East Aum (consisting of the southern portion of the eastern island) and Northern Aum (the Northern, uncivilized portion of the eastern island).

The Eleven Kingdoms consist of many languages, cultures, and people, even if it may be isolated from large population shifts.   The area gets it name from the Eleven Human Kingdoms that dominate the islands, each one struggling with each other to unify the lands, and survive from the many issues that surround islands.   The largest city by far is Ten-Penny Bay, at nearly 90,000 souls, the next largest city, Blackgate, has only around 20,000 citizens.   Even the kingdom moniker is misleading, as not all the kingdoms are lead by kings/queens.  

There is various languages throughout the kingdoms,  there is a common trade language, who sages call Vulgar Imperial, and the common man calls Common, but for most it is limited to trade, obtaining a room at a Inn, or basic directions.   Otherwise the local language will be needed to be used, or a translator obtained.  

The Eleven human Kingdoms are as follows:

The Grand Dutchy of the Western Isles
The Kingdom of Coranath
The Kingdom of Deca and Dunvale

The City State of Blackgate

The Kingdom of Sudaum

The Viklaw

The Kingdom of Highrock

The Kingdom of Greygarden

The Republic of Whitetower

The Axolotl lands

The Kingdom of the East

Each of these kingdoms will be detailed in later posts. 

In addition, there is a number of smaller human settlements, ranging from the College of Adytum to the Wildmen of the North, and the Elvish kingdoms of Nora and Navagal, and the dwarven high king at Kurzum.  

I have decided to use the falklands as the base map for this project.  

The name of this setting is now known as "The Eleven Kingdoms" Campaign.  

Welcome back to myself

I have been away for too long, but I am restarting this blog as I am getting my creative juices going.

I am starting a project, where I am going to develop a Fantasy game world from top to bottom.   I am going to make it manageable by making it Great Britain or Japan sized.

However I plan (and hope) to develop this in full, ranging from adventures and a megadungeon to detailing the cities of the realms.  

First up, naming the world and working on a map, which may be from public domain sources.