Freehold
Background
Since the fall of the Arameian Empire, military necessity has proven to be the most efficient catalysis for the development of political institutions. No knows precisely who began settling warlords and officers on the borders between the emerging kingdoms; creating with the lure of land and title a buffer between the newborn warring states. The borderlands have since become a land of tantalizing possibility. It’s a world where a peasant-born mercenary captain can aspire to equal a landed noble, or the schemes of a young nobleman can catch the eye of the Archduke himself. Even during the winter months, when the driving snow brings an end to traditional campaigns, daring raiders venture out to search for clues regarding their adversary’s coming plans. Skirmishes begin early in the spring, rising to a crescendo of violence as the grain turns golden on their stalks in the beginning of autumn. And, beneath the jostling and jousting, there lies the sleeping dragon of the great kingdoms.
The border between Arameia and Starkwater is the most heavily disputed strip of land in all of Adylheim. However, there exists a third party affecting the struggle: Teslan. The maritime power controls a salient sandwiched between the two countries containing the fastest route from grey Spire City to the crumbling city of Aram. This makes the Peak—the point where all three countries share a common border—a point of constant friction in an already tense region. And at this point lies the town of Freehold.
No one knows precisely the history of Freehold. Local history holds the small town was founded by a motley collection of refugees too stubborn (or maybe just too poor) to flee the war-torn borderlands into Starkwater or Arameia proper. By virtue of its utter political, military, or economic worthlessness, none of the great powers has seen fit to lay claim to its ramshackle buildings or mud-clogged roads. It has therefore evolved, through no fault of its own, into a de-facto neutral town; a place where the grunts (and sometimes their masters) can co-mingle outside the business of war. A noble might meet the captain of a free company to work out terms of employment. A spy might listen for the gossip of the soldiers, searching for the kernel of truth in the rumors of conflict.
War is a matter of business, and in Freehold business is good.
Purpose
Freehold is a (hopefully) long-term project in order to integrate new players into the world of Adylheim and give them a foothold in the wonderful world of inter-kingdom warfare. It’s intended to give people interested in a great variety of pursuits (whether nobles, soldiers, or simply adventurers) a common area to share their stories—and call home. I’ll occasionally try to run threads (and provide a month-by-month mini-summary of what’s going on). However, the ultimate goal is to create a shared setting where PC’s can affect the area’s political, military, and economic status through their own initiatives and actions.
The scope of this project is the area surrounding town of Freehold at the point of the Peak—a salient controlled by Teslan that extends into the Starkwater/Arameia boarder. For the time being, as the project hopefully gets off the ground, there will be a number of powerful NPC patrons to help starting PCs get established. They’ll provide commissions for would-be border nobles, work for mercenary companies, and an attraction for possibly foppish noblemen and women. As people become interested in assuming more responsibility, they’ll slowly be phased out and replaced with interested characters.
As a secondary goal, Freehold is designed to improve our writing skills. I’ll try to provide feedback when approving threads, and people are encouraged to think of new ways to give new depth to their characters and their rp’s.
In short! We aim...
Character Hooks
Nobles
Sword-Nobles
Sword-nobles are families who’ve won their noble titles through blood, sweat, and steel. From time to time, those who perform admirably on the field of battle are rewarded with land and fortifications in disputed territories to hold for the glory of their liege-lords. Such goes the theory anyways. In practice, the life of a Sword-noble is precarious. They often have as much to fear from jealous neighbors and more powerful scepter-nobles than their supposed enemies. There is a great deal of nearby land available for players wishing to start a sword-noble.
Scepter-Nobles
Those born into ancient nobility are often thought of as weak and decadent; coddled by their family’s wealth and unable to hold their own in a cold and harsh world. Such is the theory, anyways, and often the source of great surprise. The powerful scepter-nobles who live near the Peak were granted their fiefdoms based on the possibility of a coming war—and the strategic value of the area. As such, they’ve become renowned as teachers of strategy and politics as well as more mundane courtly pursuits. Players willing to play a scepter-noble will most likely be seeking the wisdom of their elders before returning to their family lands.
Knights and Soldiers
While the sword-nobles of the Peak are neither the richest nor most powerful lords in Adylheim, the nature of their lands demands they maintain a larger portion of fighting lands than most other gentry. There’s always openings for players wishing to serve a border noble—and maybe aspire for a title themselves.
Mercenaries/Adventurers
Nobles of all stripes frequently employ mercenaries to bolster their forces during the spring, summer, and fall campaigns. Employment is fast, loose, and lucrative. One day, a given company may be besieging a rival group. Two months later, they might be fighting on the same side against a Teslan incursion. The quality of the mercenaries varies as much as their employers: from little better than bandits to battle-hardened free companies. And some of the more famous groups may have an ulterior motive. Players wishing to play a mercenary or a mercenary captain will never be out of work.
Merchants
The conflict in the borderlands creates a constant demand for new materials to feed the hunger of the war-machine. No noble ever has enough swords, pikes, or arrows. No village has enough food, or livestock, or manufactured goods. There’s plenty of opportunities for players wishing to venture into business in Freehold.
Mages
Drawn for whatever reason tickles their fancy, a number of powerful mages has settled in the immediate area surrounding the Peak. The Lords Arcane of Teslan have established an understanding of sorts with all parties (most of which are powerful in their own way and naturally predisposed towards peace and quiet): sorcerers are forbidden from intruding directly in the struggle over the disputed territories. Which is not to say they’re entirely banned from interfering—just on a level with appropriate subtly. Hedgemages unwilling to live by the accord are quickly dealt with. There are great opportunities for study and learning for magically inclined players—but be warned that you will be watched!
Since the fall of the Arameian Empire, military necessity has proven to be the most efficient catalysis for the development of political institutions. No knows precisely who began settling warlords and officers on the borders between the emerging kingdoms; creating with the lure of land and title a buffer between the newborn warring states. The borderlands have since become a land of tantalizing possibility. It’s a world where a peasant-born mercenary captain can aspire to equal a landed noble, or the schemes of a young nobleman can catch the eye of the Archduke himself. Even during the winter months, when the driving snow brings an end to traditional campaigns, daring raiders venture out to search for clues regarding their adversary’s coming plans. Skirmishes begin early in the spring, rising to a crescendo of violence as the grain turns golden on their stalks in the beginning of autumn. And, beneath the jostling and jousting, there lies the sleeping dragon of the great kingdoms.
The border between Arameia and Starkwater is the most heavily disputed strip of land in all of Adylheim. However, there exists a third party affecting the struggle: Teslan. The maritime power controls a salient sandwiched between the two countries containing the fastest route from grey Spire City to the crumbling city of Aram. This makes the Peak—the point where all three countries share a common border—a point of constant friction in an already tense region. And at this point lies the town of Freehold.
No one knows precisely the history of Freehold. Local history holds the small town was founded by a motley collection of refugees too stubborn (or maybe just too poor) to flee the war-torn borderlands into Starkwater or Arameia proper. By virtue of its utter political, military, or economic worthlessness, none of the great powers has seen fit to lay claim to its ramshackle buildings or mud-clogged roads. It has therefore evolved, through no fault of its own, into a de-facto neutral town; a place where the grunts (and sometimes their masters) can co-mingle outside the business of war. A noble might meet the captain of a free company to work out terms of employment. A spy might listen for the gossip of the soldiers, searching for the kernel of truth in the rumors of conflict.
War is a matter of business, and in Freehold business is good.
Purpose
Freehold is a (hopefully) long-term project in order to integrate new players into the world of Adylheim and give them a foothold in the wonderful world of inter-kingdom warfare. It’s intended to give people interested in a great variety of pursuits (whether nobles, soldiers, or simply adventurers) a common area to share their stories—and call home. I’ll occasionally try to run threads (and provide a month-by-month mini-summary of what’s going on). However, the ultimate goal is to create a shared setting where PC’s can affect the area’s political, military, and economic status through their own initiatives and actions.
The scope of this project is the area surrounding town of Freehold at the point of the Peak—a salient controlled by Teslan that extends into the Starkwater/Arameia boarder. For the time being, as the project hopefully gets off the ground, there will be a number of powerful NPC patrons to help starting PCs get established. They’ll provide commissions for would-be border nobles, work for mercenary companies, and an attraction for possibly foppish noblemen and women. As people become interested in assuming more responsibility, they’ll slowly be phased out and replaced with interested characters.
As a secondary goal, Freehold is designed to improve our writing skills. I’ll try to provide feedback when approving threads, and people are encouraged to think of new ways to give new depth to their characters and their rp’s.
In short! We aim...
- To have fun!
- To provide a consistent, realistic framework for characters to a) get their first taste of RP in Adylheim and b) to venture into the greater political/military struggles raging between the kingdoms. As such, I’ll take a much more active role in providing background, thread-review, and moderation as needed.
- To encourage players to explore the shared world of Adylheim and create new opportunities for themselves and their friends.
- To provide a persistent setting for established characters to wander into and out of as their schedules dictate.
- To provide a detailed setting for players wishing to establish a “home” for their characters.
Character Hooks
Nobles
Sword-Nobles
Sword-nobles are families who’ve won their noble titles through blood, sweat, and steel. From time to time, those who perform admirably on the field of battle are rewarded with land and fortifications in disputed territories to hold for the glory of their liege-lords. Such goes the theory anyways. In practice, the life of a Sword-noble is precarious. They often have as much to fear from jealous neighbors and more powerful scepter-nobles than their supposed enemies. There is a great deal of nearby land available for players wishing to start a sword-noble.
Scepter-Nobles
Those born into ancient nobility are often thought of as weak and decadent; coddled by their family’s wealth and unable to hold their own in a cold and harsh world. Such is the theory, anyways, and often the source of great surprise. The powerful scepter-nobles who live near the Peak were granted their fiefdoms based on the possibility of a coming war—and the strategic value of the area. As such, they’ve become renowned as teachers of strategy and politics as well as more mundane courtly pursuits. Players willing to play a scepter-noble will most likely be seeking the wisdom of their elders before returning to their family lands.
Knights and Soldiers
While the sword-nobles of the Peak are neither the richest nor most powerful lords in Adylheim, the nature of their lands demands they maintain a larger portion of fighting lands than most other gentry. There’s always openings for players wishing to serve a border noble—and maybe aspire for a title themselves.
Mercenaries/Adventurers
Nobles of all stripes frequently employ mercenaries to bolster their forces during the spring, summer, and fall campaigns. Employment is fast, loose, and lucrative. One day, a given company may be besieging a rival group. Two months later, they might be fighting on the same side against a Teslan incursion. The quality of the mercenaries varies as much as their employers: from little better than bandits to battle-hardened free companies. And some of the more famous groups may have an ulterior motive. Players wishing to play a mercenary or a mercenary captain will never be out of work.
Merchants
The conflict in the borderlands creates a constant demand for new materials to feed the hunger of the war-machine. No noble ever has enough swords, pikes, or arrows. No village has enough food, or livestock, or manufactured goods. There’s plenty of opportunities for players wishing to venture into business in Freehold.
Mages
Drawn for whatever reason tickles their fancy, a number of powerful mages has settled in the immediate area surrounding the Peak. The Lords Arcane of Teslan have established an understanding of sorts with all parties (most of which are powerful in their own way and naturally predisposed towards peace and quiet): sorcerers are forbidden from intruding directly in the struggle over the disputed territories. Which is not to say they’re entirely banned from interfering—just on a level with appropriate subtly. Hedgemages unwilling to live by the accord are quickly dealt with. There are great opportunities for study and learning for magically inclined players—but be warned that you will be watched!
I remember (vaguely) that you have a knightly character--we can work out some local background if you like. 
