Prologue
The empire of
Madesta is the undisputed power in the world. You have grown up
in the empire hearing the stories your fathers and uncles told of
the conquest of the northern alliance.
The war had been waged to a stand still over a period of eight years.
It wasn't until alchemists within the empire refined and perfected
the use of gunpowder that the tide of war was turned in favor of
the empire. The long rifle had such an impact on the battlefield
that within two years the commanders of the Madestan army had forced
the unconditionial surrender of both Rhinehold and DuMandr.
After the war Queen Candenalli proclaimed that to maintain the strength
of the empire that all men of fifteen years and women of like age
whose skill is favorable to the army, shall be required to serve
one year in her majesty’s army.
The Queen passed away two years ago. Her eldest son, Sevichu Candenalli,
rose to power and started a campaign to tame wilder lands and remove
the humanoid races of orcs, goblins, bugbears and gnolls. Trolls
and ogres, considered a greater threat, seem to stay away from the
civilized areas of the empire without need of policing.
To aid the new King in this task King Candenalli continued his mothers’ practice
of conscript service to the empire. You having reached the age of
conscription and have been summoned to serve in the Kings army.
The city state of Madesta is home to a population of nearly a million
people. The empire is nestled in the plains of the Anispar Mountains
near the inner-costal waterway Dungeness. Her beautiful building
spires and onion domes reach to the heavens celebrating the prosperity
of the people and the city. Madesta is an ancient city. The oldest
portion of the city is the castle and the curtain wall. This area
is now known as the Bailey District. Beyond the curtain wall is the
new city, home of the working class. The structures here change in
architecture favoring more modern building styles the further you
get from the center of town. The area outside the Bailey district
is divided into five sections: Crossroads, Lakeford, Farrgate, Hearth
and Millhollow. Roads connect each of these areas. To their credit
each district is its own city. The primary industries of each district
are what founded them, but each has its own infrastructure to maintain
law, supply goods and provide recreation.
Crossroads – The primary district is home to the market.
Lakeford – The largest and busiest port in the world.
Farrgate – Military camp and furthest point from the city proper.
Hearth – Home to the industrial center. Ore, smiths and Vulcan
industries.
Millhollow – Grain processing The population of the empire
is made up of several cultures.
The noble-class tend to be more a Spanish-like culture. The southern
reaches of the empire are more Scottish-like and the bulk of the
merchant class and labor force are Scottish-like. At the far southern
rim of the empire are a tribal people that live in the desert and
jungle areas there. This African-like culture lives in relative isolation
from the empire. Some Madestan hunters and explorers frequent the
region, but it is largely unexplored. The tribes of this area are
not unified but are collectively known as the MuTou. Very few MuTou
live and work in the empire, but those who do function in labor oriented
functions. An advanced tribe of MuTou lives in the town of Dre on
the east side of the Anispar Mountains. These people, who call themselves
Kerger, are prized mercenaries.
The New World
It is well know that a colony exists in the new province of Mahgina,
named after the queen who funded the expedition. What is lesser
known is this colony was the cause of the war. Rumors support the
idea that this is a lawless place on the edge of a swamp. Disease
and plague have caused great hardship to the homesteaders there.
The first settlements there are almost thirty years old now. A
large fire in the main town of Kinestaya fifteen years ago caused
the town to be rebuilt from scratch, which according to some locals
wasn’t a bad thing. The rebuilt town is now a well-fortified
and organized grid plan.
Timeline
1454,April -Battle of Fort Senna, Beginning of the war.
1454,May -Discover New world
1455,Jan -Kinestaya settlement established
1464,Oct -Treaty of Kowloon
1467,Aug -Kinestaya fire
1468,Feb -Slavery legalized and the Panphar Company formed.
1480,Oct -Queen Mahgina Candenalli dies
1481,Jan -King Sevichu Candentalli’s coronation.
1481,June -Kemmer, General in Rhinehold army, goes to ruins in Longleer.
1482,Oct -The characters turn 15 years old, conscripted into army.
1482,Nov -Characters investigate trouble near Longleer.
1482,Dec - Aloysius Guthrie returns to Lancaster Keep in Mahgina.
1483, April - The Piranese Square massacre
1483,May -Year of service completed Sparrow departs for Kinestaya.
1485,July - Aloysius Guthrie breaks with home country of Rhinehold.
1487,Jan Characters reunited.
Today
You have received a letter from the King’s Royal Academy. You
have been selected to serve in the Cuirassier division reporting
to Captain Danzig. The Cuirassier’s are a coveted post in the
military. The mounted rifle corps is a very well respected group
and Captain Danzig is a decorated war hero. You are required to be
at the academy in Farrgate on October 1st at 8am to report for duty.
Several Prestige classes will become available later in the campaign.
Among them a Frontiersman, Boccor, Duelist, and Eavesdropper.
Frontiersman is a custom class of ranger adept in swamp tracking
spirit warding and long rifle.
Boccor is a specialized cross of a wizard and a cleric attuned to
the spirit world and the undead.
Duelists are multi-weapon street fighters geared toward man-to-man
combat.
Eavesdroppers are a Rogue class with enhancements to infiltration,
information gathering and high society mingling. |
