Nehwon
Samstag, 19 Weißhexe, 3023
Scope
The motivation behind building Nehwon
Gathering all of the information, maps, modules, characters, and events, past, present and future my campaign world, Nehwon.
Eventually I plan on transferring this world over to Caroline and/or Gwendolyn Peddie at I get older or near death so that they (hopefully) will carry on my work; additionally I hope that they transfer the information forward when they get to that point in their life where Nehwon no longer fits in their life or they are towards the end of their own.
The goal of the project
A unified source of campaign events and facts about my campaign world.
Nehwon's Unique Selling point
I'm integrating the World of Nehwon from the time that I started playing it back in the mid-80's (1984/1985). Some of these notes and adventures (including the adventure module "The Golden Arm of Karja Tal") I created in the very beginning.
Since then, I realized I wanted to create my own world, but at the same time, I'd invested so much time, love, and energy into Nehwon that I didn't want to give it up. Thus, I've decided to integrate the World of Nehwon into my own iteration, making Fritz Leiber's world of Nehwon a mere continent, a small one at that, on my much larger world. I believe this satisfies my dual desire of honoring my past and opening the doors so that I can creatively build a world for the rest of my life.
Theme
Genre
Nehwon is a fantasy world where magic is powerful but generally unavailable to the Common. Magical items are uncommon and difficult to obtain or make. Civilized cities have cobblestone streets, sewer systems, and well engineered buildings and walls. Technology varies between the Iron age and the Medieval. They may be likened to the Romans or thought of as southern medievals in their industriousness and knowledge of the sciences.
Western Nehwon is a version of Germanic Europe. Lankhmarian Language is German, whereas Common Language is English. The remainder of Newhon is yet to be discovered and mapped, but for certain there is a much larger world than is seen on Western Nehwon maps.
Reader Experience
The world has a overall dark, serious, and gritty feel. Alliances are tenuous and ever-changing, thieves may not only rob you, but kill you for the sheer dark pleasure involved. Ills of society include but aren't limited to Human trafficking, slavery, murder, conquest, extortion, bribery, government corruption, usery, organized crime, substance use and abuse, religious extremism, addiction and other unhealthy behaviors, idealistic extremism, racism, misogony, homophobia and other such things. On the other hand, there are displays of hope, charity, heroism, righteousness, salvation, selflessness, empowerment, egalitarianism, and overall promotion of happiness, peace and tranquility. It all depends on what part of the world you find yourself, what part of the city or village you're in, the company you keep and the beings you trust.
Reader Tone
Generally dark and filled with Gravitus. Politically it is as complex as "Game of Thrones". Mythically it follows the framework of Germanic / Anglo-Saxon / Celtic Pantheons and includes eldritch themes including the Cthulhu Mythos and the Dark Tower (Stephen King).
Most common folk are just trying to survive and turn coin. Apart from traveling merchants, most remain within a small radius of where they work and live, as survival requires that they pay close attention to their careers and households.
That said, those that are lucky enough to have been born at a higher eschelon of society and those who have been class trained are looked upon with a blend of fascination, fear, love, and envy. Common folk live vicariously through tales of heroism, peril, betrayal, intrigue and other forms of drama. As such, player characters will often become a focus of attention when they are in population centers. This focus isn't usually obvious and overt, however curiosity leads most folks to the long stare, the prying ear, or for some, a direct approach that includes questions, requests for stories, and a demonstration of magic and magical items.
Recurring Themes
The world is ancient and as such, there are ruins and other evidence of civilizations that have risen and fallen from centuries or even millenia ago. Many magics, ancient arcana and lore are blended with newly discovered spells, magical items, and constructs. The world has both a great depth and breadth to its histories and magics.
Character Agency
Character agency is high and all characters' stats are rolled with an advantage. I want my players to feel that their characters are stronger, faster, smarter, or wiser than the common world citizen and that what their characters do makes a difference and matters. Most of the world's population is filled with common merchants, farmers and craftsmen; player characters have the makings to be true heros or villians.
Focus
Drama
For thousands of years, it has been generally accepted that dragons have gone extinct or have been slain. Currently, the Kult Drachen has traveled through the Caves of Ningauble from Faerun, with the express purpose of creating a portal that will usher in a new era of Black and Green dragon wyrmlings, with longer range plans of bringing the remainder of the chromatic dragons.
The King of Lankhmar has been corrupt, as was the three generations of Kings before him. This particular King is very power-hungry and is actively creating situations, diplomatic relationships, and gathering resources to prepare to usurp and take control of the entirety of Lankhmaria and its cities. For that reason, he is actively working with Kult Drachen to accomplish their mission and in return, the Kult has promised use of their Dragons as an opening assault maneuver to wage war on all of Nehwon and accomplish the King's goals.
The Kingdom of Tôp which lies somewhere southeast of Nehwon has been aware of the kingdoms of Nehwon for decades. King Huron VIII has heard rumors of Kult Drachen's activities and has sent spies to various kingdoms in Nehwon to confirm their authenticity. Mentaur, one of King Huron VIII best spies, has learned a great deal about Kult Drachen as well as The Order of Ix. While he sides with neither, he is actively trying to dismantle Ix as they would destroy the dragons that the Kult are cultivating. King Huron VIII would like to obtain these dragons, taking them away from their intended owner, King Edwynn Werrish II.
Additionally, the kingdom of Tôp aims to politically, if not physically, engulf Western Nehwon's kingdoms and take control of the area, giving all power to King Huron VIII.
Tensions have been increasing between the Kleshian and The Quarmallian as of late. Being ancient foes, the two kingdoms have never gotten along, but for the most part, they have left one another alone and they are in a Cold War with one another.
Rumours about why these tensions are increasing abound but the two most prominant stories include:
- The Kleshian are becoming more and more powerful and accepted amongst the general population of Western Nehwon. The Quarmallian, who have been driven underground centuries ago, feel that their role in the world should be greater and that they should at least in part, return their kingdom to the surface. Part of their plan to do this is to re-enslave the Kleshian, as they had once done.
- There is rumor of a Kleshian man and a Quarmallian woman having become hand-fasted and have had several children. If true, this family would killed by either kingdom if they are found. Kleshian and Quarmallian seers have independently seen the rise of a new royal family of blended Quarmallian and Kleshian blood, and that this royal family will begin a new era in both of their civilizations. Their goal is to unify both kingdoms and create long-lasting peace in southwestern Lankhmaria, something most citizens of both kingdoms do not want nor trust.
The water level at the Sea of Monsters has oddly been rising and falling lately. In the past few months, the water level has been slowly rising, causing the land within a 5 km distance from its shores to become soggy. The water tables have risen significantly and local water wells have become tainted with the waters from the seas. One year ago, the opposite occurred; the sea's water level decreased by approximately 2 meters, causing damage to the docks located at Karja Tal and Ildebreth. Thankfully this lasted for a few months only, as the melting ice waters from the glaciers to the north eventually filled it back to normal capacity.
The rising and falling has never occurred before in recorded history and has scholars concerned. Some scholars believe something is happening at the bottom of the sea and that it should be explored. The problem with this is that the sea's depths have never been plumbed. Sailors of this sea say that at the center of the sea, there is no bottom -- that it just keeps going downwards towards the center of M'Brell. These stories of course have to be taken with a grain of salt, as they are after all, sailor tales and mostly are heard in sea shanties.
Nehwon has had its share of cults throughout the millenia, however in the past few decades, new and darker cults have been on the rise. These cults involve Eldritch beings at their core. The Cult of the Black Goat has been especially problematic in das Hinterland region of the area where local farms say that many of their young adults have been lured into their dark organization. A newly formed cult called The Cult of Greater Cthulhu has been rumored to be on the uprise in Lankhmar and Ilthmar, but no one has ever admitted to being part of that cult as of yet. The temples in Lankhmar in particular are on guard and aim to destroy these cults if they are ever encountered, not only to ensure their own place along the Street of the Gods, but because they truly feel an unparalleled evil emanating from these cults which must not be allowed to prosper.