Our characters
Generation 1
Our Hero's Banner campaign world
Jason's comments about 13th century France got me thinking. I found myself at the 13th century Wikipedia page. I want to use this as a starting point. Remember, your characters have to be young nobles, but otherwise can be from different families, nations, or whatever. Hero's Banner is filled with Eastern European names, which we'll use.
Notes from the Wikipedia page:
- Genghis Khan has taken over Asia and most of Eastern Europe.
- The Fourth Crusade sacked Constantinople.
- King John of England signed the Magna Carta.
- Marco Polo reaches China.
So, let's take that and really push it into the world of Hero's Banner. I'm going to use the Hero's Banner country names for convenience and structure. The eastern kingdom of Tucaescu has fallen and been divided. Fighting off the Barbar Legions on their eastern borders distracted them long enough for Prodan, the southern kingdom, which has a king, but is pretty much run by the Holy Church of Our Ancestors, to topple Tucaescu's capitol, Vzděla. Tucaescu is split apart, with some of its nobles joining the forces of Prodan, some fighting bitterly and losing, and some seeing hope in the Barbar leader, Abdul-Raafi, who can crush Prodan.
Ryeic is the western-most kingdom, and has historically been the most powerful, but Prodan has eclipsed it with its excursions south and east. They have long-standing treaties with Prodan, but now look weak: their king has just signed a document reducing his power and distributing much of it to his people. Their navy is flourishing, however, and have started to penetrate the globe. They have a lock on trade with the Far East, a place full of spices and silk and gold. Abdul-Raafi can reach the east by land, but he blocks the Cross from doing so.
Lastly, Uran looms from the north, a cold country full of fur-wearing wild peoples. I don't really know what to do with them.
REMI SEZ: I'm going totally ahistorical here: The Uran are cold Nordic tribes with memories of glories past. Casting an envious eye to the Hordes of the East, they have assembled behind a single charismatic family, their first true Royals, and have begun to move south as thousands behind one, laying aside ancient enmities and traditions for the glory of battle, immortality in song, and endless conquest. Bloody hands, cold hearts and dark minds are about to descend on the Cross . . . and none are ready.
JASON SAYS: Ryeic, totally. King Xenon and his oldest son, Urban. The Knights of the Temple. Father Blaziej, instructor of Sir Pavel, ninth son of Xenon. Bernard, his trusty sergeant-page. Elysande, Handmaiden to Lady Bona of the Stichen Marshes, half-sister to Pavel and his beloved. Right in the flight path of the northern hordes, I imagine. A few see the danger but are dismissed as Jeremiahs. An island kingdom, Ryeic is invulnerable. Her merchant navy enriches everyone as trade explodes. What do we have to worry about - a few bands of raggedy northerners in longships? The marcher lords, flushed with self-importance after bullying their king into submission, of Ryeic now seek business and social alliances with the rulers of Prodan. Nobody wants to pay for an unneccessary war fleet.
OH! Ryiec would be pronounced "REH-viss" in Polish or Czech.
Clinton says: Hell, yes. I'm really looking forward to Monday.
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