Pavis & Big Rubble Companion: The Directors' Cut Relaunch

[Agentorange]

12 minutes ago, Ian Thomson said:

 

So I need three gangs for the scenario, and am almost certainly going to use D./O for one of them and Lanbril for another, but I'd like a third. I can make it up if necessary, but thought I'd check and see if there was actually an option already in existence

 

What about an imported gang ? One that has come upstream from the Corflu and and the coast ? Expanding into new territory. Something connected with pirates in Mirrorsea bay

[Ian A. Thomson]

50 minutes ago, Agentorange said:

What about an imported gang ? One that has come upstream from the Corflu and and the coast ? Expanding into new territory. Something connected with pirates in Mirrorsea bay

Please expand upon that idea and throw it to me in a PM here. My plan is to have one local Lanbrilli, the one Local Orlanth Thief, and an exotic one, which is as yet undefined. You may be about to get a credit for yourself in the zine :)

[Ian A. Thomson]

7 hours ago, jajagappa said:

Or they might be Argan Argar worshipers - lots of good potential there.

 

Please expand on that idea and say more. I though AA was honest, but at this stage trolls are not common in Pavis City, so yes they could be sneakin around the authorities for sure. Maybe even human AA from Heortland?

[Bill the barbarian]

39 minutes ago, Ian Thomson said:

Please expand on that idea and say more. I though AA was honest, but at this stage trolls are not common in Pavis City, so yes they could be sneakin around the authorities for sure. Maybe even human AA from Heortland?

Based on what Jeff and many others have said about merchants (of late and long ago), throw in real world/silk road intrigue, and I must conclude that I see merchants as business folk/ambassadors/mobile embassies/eyes & ears (spies) and ne’er-do-wells of the first order! The market places should be alive with intrigue! Just don’t forget those wardings!

Now we all know trolls are moral, good natured buffoons, who would never sink to engage in such shenanigans, so I must conclude the AA are innocent as lambs, all!

😉

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by Bill the barbarian

[jajagappa]

14 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

Please expand on that idea and say more. I though AA was honest, but at this stage trolls are not common in Pavis City, so yes they could be sneakin around the authorities for sure. Maybe even human AA from Heortland?

AA is the god of surface darkness, i.e. shadows, and the son of Night.  His Runes are Darkness and Harmony, and he provides a way for communication between humans and trolls (or Darkness in general).  He is a god of trade in that sense, but you could also interpret him as the god of the Black Market (and that's a natural connection then with thieves).

 

 

[Joerg]

20 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

So I need three gangs for the scenario, and am almost certainly going to use D./O for one of them and Lanbril for another, but I'd like a third. I can make it up if necessary, but thought I'd check and see if there was actually an option already in existence

Not all gangs need to be theistic cults. The Black Fang is a spirit cult, and has other criminal activities than just killing folk.

Krarsht and Thanatar are involved with crime in human society, and lay worshippers may escape detection as chaotics.

Spoiler

Look no further than the Black Fang for some Krarsht association...

Then there are Lunar criminal elements, possibly a weird half-illuminated concept of property being theft or similar. Recruited by a syndicate operating under the radar, and put onto the trail of whatever your scenario may focus on. Or alternatively a bunch of low-ranking Dart competitors out here to foil another house's activities.

Gagarth might lend some power to a gang of Praxian outcasts taking to urban crime rather than herd raiding.

Griselda and Wolfhead are another gang without clear cult association.

 

20 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

Good to know about Guilds. These will each be in their own Guild, but also have a loose alliance despite being rivals. Loose alliance against the authorities, since any anti-criminal activities are bad for everyone

Guilds generally are recognized clan-like substructures of the city, and subject to the mayor city rex and their council. There could be guilds harboring clandestine activities while presenting a face of respectability and reliability even in Orlanthi society, although the Lunar Dart Competitions are a lot more likely to produce such activities. But there are provincial Orlanthi who have been exposed to such Dart Competitions and who may have adapted to those. And there are explicit bandit clans - often relying on tribute as a means of subsistence, like the Varmandi in their old days after being ousted from Greenstone.

[Ian A. Thomson]

What Season, or types of Season would one expect to find river fogs rolling in and obscuring the streets in the evenings in the districts along the river in Pavis City? I'm guessing the colder season (is that Darkness?) or maybe Sea Season would make sense?

[Bill the barbarian]

 

Interesting how both of these incredible foggy days in Cairo happened in January. That would be the equivalent of Dark Season.

 

 

 

[Rob Darvall]

On 2/26/2022 at 4:28 AM, Joerg said:

Not all gangs need to be theistic cults. ...

Krarsht and Thanatar are involved with crime in human society, and lay worshippers may escape detection as chaotics.

Then there are Lunar criminal elements, possibly a weird half-illuminated concept of property being theft ... Recruited by a syndicate operating under the radar, and put onto the trail of whatever your scenario may focus on. Or alternatively a bunch of low-ranking Dart competitors ...

Gagarth might lend some power to a gang of Praxian outcasts taking to urban crime rather than herd raiding.

Griselda and Wolfhead are another gang without clear cult association.

...There could be guilds harboring clandestine activities ... provincial Orlanthi who have been exposed to such Dart Competitions ... explicit bandit clans -...

Add to all of these various rebel or resistance groups. RW historically these have had to subsist through criminal activity beyond their stated fight.

[g33k]

18 hours ago, Rob Darvall said:

Add to all of these various rebel or resistance groups. RW historically these have had to subsist through criminal activity beyond their stated fight.

Yep.

And by the same token, any group widely-suppressed by the rule of law is liable to find that thieving ranges from "highly tempting, and altogether too convenient" to "virtually unavoidable."

[Akhôrahil]

On 2/26/2022 at 10:33 PM, Ian Thomson said:

What Season, or types of Season would one expect to find river fogs rolling in and obscuring the streets in the evenings in the districts along the river in Pavis City? I'm guessing the colder season (is that Darkness?) or maybe Sea Season would make sense?

Do we know what date Iphara's High Holy Day is?

[Ian A. Thomson]

8 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

Do we know what date Iphara's High Holy Day is?

I don't, but the heads-up about this deity is helpful in itself

I've chosen dark season because it being colder as well suits the tone I want :)

[g33k]

One other notion you might consider -- "simple" thievery as cover for deeper plots.  A "pseudo" thieves' guild...

The Black Fang Brotherhood is mostly an assassin's group, but sometimes pretends to be a "mere" thieves' guild.

Krarsht sometimes operates as a local "Thieves' Guild," with most of the membership not realizing the true nature of the organization.

In occupied Sartar, many of the active resistance fighters tried to seem like "mere bandits" to the Lunars.

I could also see the Lunars organizing a "Thieves Guild" (or infiltrating an existing one) as part of intel-gathering and "softening up" a target, in the years leading up to an invasion (and/or leaving such a group behind, when forced to retreat).

Etc...

[davecake]

I’d tend to agree with @metcalphthat EWF cantraps and minor magics are best done in RQG rules as spirit magic with different names and minor variations, learnt from draconic beings rather than by normal shamanic or rune cult methods but essentially the same, and looking a bit draconic. 

Draconic EWF magic I think is basically a variation on Dragon Magic that Dragonewts use, and can only be learnt by non-Dragonewts after experiencing draconic Illumination, and then with difficulty. It’s mystic and strange and is almost all around manifesting aspects of the physical or spiritual form of a dragon, and actually using it other than in draconic ritual has adverse spiritual consequences. Even some draconic beings, like wyrms, find it incredibly difficult and usually don’t use it, and very few humans seem to have become good it. 

EWF sorcery is different to either, it’s sorcery based on a different understanding of the metaphysics of the world, around the EWF magical plan of restoring (their idea of) the Golden Age. It’s effects aren’t necessarily draconic. The magic of Pavis, and the magic of the Remakers, and probably ultimately Delecti (though that creepy old vampire uses all sorts of things) are all examples of it. It’s not usually written in Western like Malkioni sorcery. Pavis: GTA says it is written in Auld Wyrmish - if true, this would both make it more draconic, and of very limited value to human sorcerers (a sorcerer cannot know a spell at higher than their Read/Write skill, and a human cannot know Auld Wyrmish at high than 25%). Not entirely useless, you can still bump it up with ritual and meditation and sympathetic magic, but definitely a huge restriction. But I’m unsure if Auld Wyrmish even has a written form, so maybe it means Old Pavic? 

I really like the Pavis grimoires though, so I like the idea and think it is worth keeping. So maybe just switch it to using Old Pavic? 
 

[davecake]

Flintnail is just an Openhandist and Individualist dwarf sorcery school using dwarf Maker Magic - it seems mostly Rock caste magic, but there might be a little from other castes mixed in, maybe a little Tin dwarf magic. 

[Kloster]

1 hour ago, davecake said:

(a sorcerer cannot know a spell at higher than their Read/Write skill, and a human cannot know Auld Wyrmish at high than 25%).

1 hour ago, davecake said:

But I’m unsure if Auld Wyrmish even has a written form, so maybe it means Old Pavic? 

IIRC, a human can not speak Auld Wyrmish higher than 25% (although I play the score can be higher, but only for understanding, not for speaking), but there is no limitation for humans on written form.

[Joerg]

8 minutes ago, Kloster said:

IIRC, a human can not speak Auld Wyrmish higher than 25% (although I play the score can be higher, but only for understanding, not for speaking), but there is no limitation for humans on written form.

Draconic enlightenment will remove that barrier, I suppose. Some of the surgery may aid, too.

[Kloster]

2 hours ago, Joerg said:

Some of the surgery may aid, too.

Yes, I seem to remember something like a surgery based forked tongue.

[dumuzid]

split tongue, sure, but split brain too, according to some versions

[Kloster]

2 hours ago, dumuzid said:

split tongue, sure, but split brain too, according to some versions

Never read anything about that.

[Ian A. Thomson]

PROGRESS REPORT & PLAN

Vol. 01: ‘'Rough Guide to Pavis City (894ST)’
(Turning the Rough Guide into a Campaign Background. Scenario Seeds, RQG stats, Epic New Scenario…)

** I have finished the layout. Now it's awaiting final proof checking, then goes to a proper skilled layout person to be tweaked. STATUS- Nearly done!!

 

Vol. 02: ‘Adventures in Pavis City (894ST)’
(Turning the Rough Guide into a Campaign Background. Scenario Seeds, RQG stats, Epic New Scenario…)

** Volunteers working on stats (quite a lot done); huge new scenario nearly complete (another few hrs); summary cults and professions section well-underway; layout well-underway.

 

------------------

Further volumes are all at the same point. Original material has been reclaimed from pdfs, and a new plan made of which articles/pieces go where. In the very near future (next few days) I will start to place this text into the JC Word template and do basic layout. Starting from the beginning. Commencement date for the main campaign is likely around 1619ST.

The only major piece for which permission has not been gained yet is Pavis County (which will hopefully be a big chunk of Vol 05).

------------------

Vol. 03: ‘City on the Edge of Forever’ [New Pavis]
(Backdrop Religions/Cultures from original Companion series, updated to RQG, plus new intro. scenarios.)

Vol. 04: ‘Ghosts of Our Ancestors’ [Big Rubble]
(Early adventures, Old City Inhabitants/Locations and start of Grey Company campaign; all updated to RQG.)

Vol. 05: ‘Outside the Walls’
(Pavis County, Zola Fel River & Praxian material from original P&BR Companion series. Updated to RQG)

Vol. 06: ‘The Destiny of Pavis’ [Big Rubble]
(Advanced Grey Company adventures & Rubble locations from the original series. Updated to RQG.)

Vol. 07: ‘The Liberation of Pavis’
(An expansion on my Wedding of Pavis and Liberation of Pavis campaigns, which have so far only been released as rough pdfs. +RQG [Dependent on official publications.])

[Vols 03-06 will also include supporting P&BR material from other publications e.g. Tradetalk. All updated to RQG.]

Edited March 4, 2022 by Ian Thomson

[Ian A. Thomson]

I can't resist posting this. (Vol. 01 now awaits only final proofing to be complete, then the layout tweaking. Content is completely finished and full general layout done - just without extra flourishes yet)

The Founding of Pavis City ................................. 7
Who was Pavis? .............................................................. 8
The Rise of the Third Council ....................................... 8

The History of Pavis City ................................... 9
The Golden Years [Timeline] ........................................ 9
Nomad Terror (First Stage) [Timeline] ....................... 10

Getting There ................................................... 11

Pavis County .................................................... 11

City Districts .................................................... 11

City Life ............................................................ 14
Accommodation and Refreshment .............................. 14
Seven Masks of the Pavis City Council ...................... 20
Leading City Personalities ............................................ 21
Daily Life in Pavis City ..................................................27
Embassies ..................................................................... 28
Common Religions ...................................................... 28
City Markets ................................................................. 29
The Servants of Harmony ............................................ 30
Health ............................................................................ 31
Getting Around Town ................................................... 31
Food .............................................................................. 32
Council Buildings ......................................................... 32
Public Amenities .......................................................... 32
Night Soil Crews ........................................................... 34
Labrygon’s Canal .......................................................... 34
City Parks ..................................................................... 35
Religious Festivals ....................................................... 36
Major Temples ..............................................................37
Other Notable City Locations ....................................... 41
Other Races and Cultures ............................................ 43
Laws and Customs ....................................................... 44
Crime & Punishment ................................................... 46

Beyond the Walls ............................................. 48
New Sun Dome County ................................................ 48
Feroda ........................................................................... 48
Prax ............................................................................... 48
The Paps Earth Temple ............................................... 49
Sogport ......................................................................... 49

Appendix 01: The Seventeen Foes of Waha ...... 51

Appendix 02: The Eighteenth Foe of Waha ...... 53

Appendix 03: Future History of Pavis City ....... 54
Nomad Terror (Second Stage) ................................... 54
Time of Darkness [Troll Occupation Timeline] ......... 54
The City Defenders ...................................................... 58

Appendix 04: EWF Sorcery & Mysticism ......... 59

Appendix 05: Old Pavic Architectural Styles .... 61

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Ian Thomson

[Ian A. Thomson]

Zebra Carriages??

For MGF purposes I have included one paragraph in the Rough Guide to Pavis City to indicate that carriages are pulled around the city via zebras. However, this could be another animal if there is some massive religious reason why zebras could NEVER be used this way? Comments

(I already have mule carriages, but they are not MGF. Needs to be another animal even if it annoys the nomads.)

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by Ian Thomson

[g33k]

52 minutes ago, Ian Thomson said:

Zebra Carriages??

For MGF purposes I have included one paragraph in the Rough Guide to Pavis City to indicate that carriages are pulled around the city via zebras. However, this could be another animal if there is some massive religious reason why zebras could NEVER be used this way? Comments

(I already have mule carriages, but they are not MGF. Needs to be another animal even if it annoys the nomads.)

 

+Zebra's:  They are the "Praxian herdbeast" of Pavis!

I expect there are occasional "exotics," as well... even horses!

[StephenMcG]

I like the idea of Ostrich carriages - birds pulling carriages would be more exotic, even for Pavis.