Monday 16 September 2019

Erehwen: An Overview

So I've had some irons stuck in my fire. A setting called K'thyna and another called Erehwen. If you remember I mentioned Erehwen before when I answered 20 setting questions about it. Back on August 21st.

Well I also hit up Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator (which since has hit version 1.0). After a bit of tweaking this is what I got:


This is the continent of Ukush. Or at least it's southern portion. It's roughly 1,800 km by about 1,600 km in size, or about 2,880,000 square kilometres in area. It's a small continent but more than big enough for our needs. It's a tropical region with a high mountain range dominating the center of the landmass, providing a cooling effect to the surrounding land.

hot stuff
The Temperatures of  Ukush
The equator is somewhere off Tiorvia's southern coast and not by much.

There are 14 cultures, 16 nations and at least 10 sophont species on the above maps. But we're only really interested in one nation. There, on the eastern side of the map, that cool spot. Erehwen.

Erehwen and Neighbours
The Realm of Erehwen (yes: N-E-Where backwards; or possibly "New Here") surrounded on all sides by the Alvaborszag Prectoriate, the Principality of Beobwon, the Duchy of Eigionia, and the kingdoms of Pachargia, Tintaria and Thorn.
While Eigionia and Pachargia are separated from Erehwen by mountain ranges, and Alvaborszag is literally in the mountains, the rest are not. Thorn's and Erehwen are connected by two rivers, and the borders to Beobwon, Tintaria and Thorn are completely open.

Culturally and religiously, the largest and most expansive group (with 9,2 million believers) are the followers of the Old Way and the New Way; "Kirzastianity" according to their religious and cultural rivals. Although the faithful would never dead-name a deity like that. However I'm neither faithful nor writing about a real thing so I'm going to call it Kirzastianity.
It's an essentially benign religion; a balance between the responsibility and traditionalism of the Old Way and the acceptance and innovation of the New Way. Its popularity lies in that 100% of the Erehwen born clergy can work miracles. In the rest of the world no more that 10% of the clerics or any religion can perform miracles (PC clerics are, of course, always among the miracleworkers).

Alvaborszag, Beobwon, Erehwen, Tintaria and Thorn are all predominantly Kirzastian. There are even believers in the eastern part of the Muuttusan Empire.

This is slightly problematic in that Alvaborszag is supposed be the protectorate of the Vangrian culture; the "orcs". Although the o-word is a racial slur. However so many Vangrians have converted to Kirzastianity that the former culture is essentially dead.

Beobwon still contains pockets of the original Luari culture.

Thorn has a problem in a home-grown non-theist movement, Pasburism, that denounces the Powers and promotes the populace to find power in sorcery and eldritch magic. It's also a republican movement in that it decries the "divine right" of monarchs to rule. In all fairness the Old and New Powers only claim the authority to decide the ruler of Erehwen; there is no official record of their opinions regarding the rulership of other nations. While only 1% of the human population have the "talent" to work eldritch magic, the Pasburists have developed a method to share that ability with their less fortunate fellows. The number of these "Warlocks" is unknown but spreading. They openly walk the streets of Ameshil, in packs, tussling with the army and templars. Even the Beobwonian city of Fiverbury has turned to the Pasburist cause. Rebellion is brewing.

County of Lyster, each hex is 40km
Trouble is also brewing on the border between Alvaborszag, Beobwon and Erehewn. The county of Lyster, which has a silver mine and the only road into, or out of, Alvaborazag, has been part of Erehwen for centuries. But in the last year the Count defected to Beobwon and took everything. The current Erehwenian monarch, the outlander, Maya I said something about teaching the count to play games with thrones. Whatever that means.


Tarragon is the unlabeled circle in the middle
Meanwhile over in Tarragon City, where I want to base my campaign, the monarch has ordered the abandoned dungeons beneath the castle, the mysterious Tarragon Oubliette, opened to explorers and is looking for volunteers to delve its depths. There are concerns that enemies of the realm might be seeking to plunder the city's depths.

Thursday 12 September 2019

A Brief Apology

Sorry I've not blogged anything in almost three weeks. I've been 'distracted' by poor health. Nothing serious, but enough to throw me off my stride.

I'll get back to you with something in the next few days.

Thanks in advance for your understanding.