NW:0 Prologue

The following is a prologue to the campaign to help fuel character histories and give a sense of place. 🎲 DM

Silias, the city of the serpent's maw

Silias is the busiest port on the western coast and is one of the brightest jewels of the kingdom of Cyrilmoore. The city is built where the Sea Serpent River finishes it's twisting through the mountains and hills and empties into the Vast Sea. Silias is a melting pot of the respectable (and not so respectable) cultures.

The city is lead by the Upper and Lower Councils. The Upper Council is a collection of representatives from the noble houses, as well as a few delegates from the Feywood who have been on the council since it's inception, 200 years ago. The Lower Council is larger, and the representatives serve the commoners of the city. It is filled with ambitious merchants, politically-minded stout folk (dwarves), war heroes who prevented the Yui-Kama invasion, and many more.

Temple after temple serve the populace and their gods, with many temples lasting only as long as a deity is favored. The strongest of the faiths is the Septinity (The Father, The Mother, The Warrior, The Smith, The Maiden, The Crone, and The Stranger). Each sect is lead by a Saint, elected from each church by their own methods. Currently Saint Licen, the bearded lion, in service to The Father, wields the most influence among the Saints. Saint Lindae Willow, more ox than woman, has become the hammer of The Smith and caused quite an uproar in what is usually an all boys club. The Stranger is represented in absentia by post, by an entity named Saint Quill. Attempts to verify Saint Quill have borne no fruit, and the followers of the Stranger are content with that.

Away to the northwest, but still within the city walls lies the University and Temple of Heka. Heka represents the discipline and the deification of magic. As an entity Heka is without mortal trappings and provides all wonder in the world. Hekatites have one weakness, pride, which the servants the crafty Crone, who wields commoner magic, use against them at all turns. Skirmishes are few, but explosive, bloody, and university damned by both the Upper and Lower Councils.

The Stranger's Bride

Silias is the port where the Stranger's Bride returned from it's trip, tattered and torn, with it's crew emaciated and more dead that alive. Most of those who the healers tended to perished. Several of those who survived were offered vast fortunes for their story. One man, old before his years, Ernest Younghusband, sold his tale to the merchant house of Elphinstone Associates.

Elphinstone Associates

Elphinstone Associates is run by a collection of investors, headed by Tomas Dirk. Mr Dirk is renown for his uncanny knack to smell a deal and turn circumstances to his advantage, even when those investments turn sour. Mr Dirk invests a wealth into explorations every few years or so. The opportunity that the Stranger's Bride brings is rumored to be the largest such exploratory investment that he has made to date.

The original sail date was hastened to be moved ahead of schedule by a season, as another merchant house had gathered the funds for their own expedition.

Kean & Vogel Goods

Kean & Vogel Goods have only just recently merged together the interests and businesses of Arther Kean (of Kean Weapons) and Varisssa Vogel (of a collection of diverse businesses under her late husband's name). Together the business is the largest in the city, however the two owners have a tendency to bicker and only bodyguards and lawyers can keep things civil at times.

The whole being more than the sum of their parts, Kean & Vogel Goods has quickly gathered several vessels and set sail a mere two days ahead of The Stranger's Bride.

The Vast Sea

The Stranger's Bride has set sail and Silias has long faded into the distance. Mr Younghusband travels on the ship but is rarely seen, and when seen, is rarely sober. Based on the information provided by Mr Younghusband prior to travel, the (new) captain estimates a three week voyage.