What kinds of assignments can you think of for a squad? [As opposed to a larger unit]
What kinds of logistical problems does the company commander need to worry about? [its not just being a great fighter]
How do you recruit/resupply?
Ideas and tangets welcome. All going towards a portion of the Oceansend Gaz.
-OldDawg
Suppose you wanted to take your campaign in the direction of serving in a mercenary company - beginning as a sellsword or mage for hire, and working your way up to you your own unit.
What kinds of assignments can you think of for a squad? [As opposed to a larger unit]-OldDawg
This is very similar to how our campaign started (ours was a standing military force rather than mercenaries, but similar enough).
For low level characters, assignments should revolve around logistical concerns- food, supplies, keeping horses and equipment in good shape. Some general recon work maybe in order. We often were on the periphery on big happenings. As part of a larger battle, they could guard the camp and baggage train, help move the wounded to a safe place where medics/clerics can heal them.
At higher levels, the grunt work disappears. They can focus on recon, and commando-type missions. They will be training new recuits, and leading men, and when necessary rewarding and disciplining them.
What kinds of logistical problems does the company commander need to worry about? [its not just being a great fighter]
Rounding up supplies, particularly food. You need to provide daily food, and since you are not likely to be growing it, you need to find a plentiful, cheap source. This becomes more of an issue when out on campaign because either you carry a little and forage/pillage or you have to have a huge supply train that slows you down.
Equipment needs constant tending to. You will likely have some men capable of basic repairs, but you will need a good smith to provide the bulk of your weapons and armor. New recruits will need arms and armor. You will have to have trustworthy quartermasters to keep an eye on waste and theft. They also have to look out for the pay of the men. Do you give them all their pay to spend as they see fit (and usually recklessly fast) or do you only give them a portion and hold the rest in saving to be paid at a later date?
If you unit is mounted, the care of your horses, and having remounts, will be very important.
How do you recruit/resupply?
Resupply is handled by quartermasters, however they will need to have access to larger settlements to acquire much of what a mercenary will need. Often it will require several communities to find everything needed and depending on the circumstances, it may prove costly. At a unit's base of operations, workers and tradesmen can be hired to craft some items as well.
On campaign, extra supplies have to be bought in advance and brought along- supplying a major campaign in hostile lands should take months to prepare for, and will likely drain the excess goods and supplies from many of communities around the base of operations. If you are victorious, you can resupply from the dead enemies' equipment, and hopefully, their camp. If you lose, it could be long fight for survival.
Recruiting is constant- when you see individuals who may fit a need, you talk to them and try to sell the life to them. You are always looking for more men- more men means bigger assignments, bigger assignments means more money.
I'll post more as I think of it.
Suppose you wanted to take your campaign in the direction of serving in a mercenary company - beginning as a sellsword or mage for hire, and working your way up to you your own unit.
What kinds of assignments can you think of for a squad? [As opposed to a larger unit]
What kinds of logistical problems does the company commander need to worry about? [its not just being a great fighter]
How do you recruit/resupply?
Ideas and tangets welcome. All going towards a portion of the Oceansend Gaz.
-OldDawg
How big a squad of mercenaries?
How big a squad of mercenaries?
If I remember correctly, a real world mercenary squad was seldom bigger than 1000 men.
The mercenary leader was some kind of an investor: his capital was made by his men, so he tried not to waste them during battles.
An interesting thing about real world mercenary companies was that very often the leader was paid with land, titles and castles instead than money.
Many mercenary leaders ended they careers becoming feudal lords.
Sometimes it happaned also that the purchaser hadn't enough money to pay the mercenaries. In this case the mercenary leader took over the purchaser's possessions and sold them to other nobles for treasures and cash.
If the purchaser was already not on his knees he might ask for a neutral judge (another nobleman) to call for a trial and to estabilish the right owner of the lands.
So, don't forget the administrative part of a mercenary company. It must have a chamberlain/paymaster, a herald, and a bookkeeper. Possibly the company is in touch with a lawyer or a notary, too.
Remember that a mercanary company is the product of an evolute medieval society...
If anyone has ideas on both campaigns concerning mercenaries and the general Oceansend area, please post them here.
In particular: I need some ideas for the islands to the east, and possible ruins in the mountains.
-OldDawg
Aside from that, the Mystaran Almanac placed Sea Witches of the Sea Rune (I think that's the title of the JG adventure - it's in the latest Almanac at any rate) on one of the islands. Essentially, it's a band of sea-going amazons who occupy a lone keep. You might want to consider that.
The MA also described the Isle of Dogs as being inhabited by, well, wild dogs (can't remember if this is official or not) - there could be lupins here, too. Beyond that, there could be ruins of old Lietuvan holdings or similar leftovers (and, of course, undead).
Just some thoughts,
Geoff
The MA also described the Isle of Dogs as being inhabited by, well, wild dogs (can't remember if this is official or not) - there could be lupins here, too.
Might be kind of cool to have a Master of Hounds type villainous character with a keep on the island.
Might be kind of cool to have a Master of Hounds type villainous character with a keep on the island.
I like that idea
I also think it would make sense to have a Lupin settlement on the island. Perhaps the two could be connected somehow?
Maybe the island would also be home to Yeth Hounds? It would be nice to have a location for these creatures...
Havard
I will be using this map as a reference since that one first came up on my google:
Strimmen Island:
The orginal Antailian name for this island may have been Straumen Island, meaning the Island of the "Stream" or "Current". This suggests strong currents around the island. Possibly even tied to monsters in the area, water elementals etc.
I also nick-named the nearby peninsula Strimmen Peninsula.
Frigsun Island:
In Antalian names ending with "sun" or "sund" would mean "Sound" or "Strait". The island is likely named after the straits between it and the other two islands. Frig, is ofcourse the old Antalian name for Freyj. It would make a good location for Elf or Fey settlements as Freyj is often associated with such creatures. Alternately, or even additionally, it could be the site of worship of Freyj. The norse liked oudoorsy places as sites of worship, rather than temples. These places would likely have some odd geograpgical feature.
Walrus Island:
Walrusses are the source of Ivory and much sought after for that reason. Sometimes called the Elephants of the Arctic. Taking that anology further, could there be a Walrus Graveyard in the area? And ofcourse...Walrusmen? ;)
I also would not be surprised if the peope of Qeodhar do not sometimes travel down to the coast of Norwold for fishing, hunting or trade...
Havard
Are you planning to include additional details on the dominions in the Oceansend region, as per the Italian MMB and the Mystaran Almanac (as you did for Landfall)? I found this very useful.
Geoff
Are you planning to include additional details on the dominions in the Oceansend region, as per the Italian MMB and the Mystaran Almanac (as you did for Landfall)? I found this very useful.
Yeah, that's the game plan. Out of this particular batch, I don't think any will be adopted as "GazF-canon," but I will be merging both the Italian and MA descriptions of Stormhaven as well as the overall regional landscape. I'll try to give an overview of the Almanac/MA gist of what happens between 1010-1019 as well.
Also, was Kildorak (sp?) ever translated into English?
orginal Antailian name for this island may have been Straumen Island, meaning the Island of the "Stream" or "Current".
Seems plausible. I'll have to give it some more thought.
Frig, is ofcourse the old Antalian name for Freyj
Actually Frig is a truncation of Frigg or Frigga not Freyj(a). Another Mystaran variant of Frigg is Breig, from the Savage Coast. All of which helps nail down a few pieces of GazF cosmology.
I also would not be surprised if the peope of Qeodhar do not sometimes travel down to the coast of Norwold for fishing, hunting or trade...
Yes, they do.
(Isle of Dogs) also be home to Yeth Hounds
I'm not familiar with this particular beastie. What are they?
Might be kind of cool to have a Master of Hounds type villainous character with a keep on the island.
No lupins, but yes, there will be a person like this. I've been debating whether the personality is a villain or hero, though. Some of Geoff's Lietuvan ruins might survive as well.
the Mystaran Almanac placed Sea Witches of the Sea Rune (I think that's the title of the JG adventure - it's in the latest Almanac at any rate) on one of the islands.
I know the 1019 Almanac and Timeline were put out, but I can't find the Adventure supplement listed. Are you thinking of the 1018 edition?
-OldDawg
Seems plausible. I'll have to give it some more thought.
Just tossing out ideas. Use or discard as you like
Actually Frig is a truncation of Frigg or Frigga not Freyj(a). Another Mystaran variant of Frigg is Breig, from the Savage Coast. All of which helps nail down a few pieces of GazF cosmology.
Ofcourse! :embarrass
Yeth Hounds:
I'm not familiar with this particular beastie. What are they?
Actually I meant Yowlers (from the Creature Catalog, p 117 in the 2nd version). Yeth Hounds IIRC is the name of an AD&D creature that is very similar.
No lupins, but yes, there will be a person like this. I've been debating whether the personality is a villain or hero, though. Some of Geoff's Lietuvan ruins might survive as well.
Perhaps the Master of the Hounds hails from Averoigne?
http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/244/%5Ethe-werewolf-of-averoigne%5E-%5Bthe-loup-garou%5D-%28synopsis%29
Havard
Also, was Kildorak (sp?) ever translated into English?
Kildorkak could be roughly translated as Stormhaven. I forget the exact morphology, but I know that I looked through Gaz6 some years ago trying to find a translation of Stormhaven in the dwarven tongue, and was able to find that it could fit together that way. I don't know where/who first coined the term Kildorkak, though.
(IIRC- and I'll double check when I get home- but Rak is the dwarven word for fortress, which could also be viewed as a haven, and Kil had something to do with colors or something. I think the translation comes out to something akin to colorful night fortress or the like.)
Yeah, that's the game plan. Out of this particular batch, I don't think any will be adopted as "GazF-canon," but I will be merging both the Italian and MA descriptions of Stormhaven as well as the overall regional landscape. I'll try to give an overview of the Almanac/MA gist of what happens between 1010-1019 as well.
Sounds good to me. I do have a list of colonial settlements established by the Heldannic Knights during the MA period, if you need it
I know the 1019 Almanac and Timeline were put out, but I can't find the Adventure supplement listed. Are you thinking of the 1018 edition?
No, the references to the amazons were contained in the events. Here's the text of the event in question:
Sviftmont 24, AC 1019: She’s Not a Dog.
Description: Some seafarers of the Thanedom of Muninhold decide to “explore” part of the Barony of Canium. From their ship they spot a tower emerging from mists amid the swamp along the northern coast of the island. They sail towards it, only to find it is apparently inhabited—by fair-skinned women. Thinking this is their lucky day, they launch themselves against the fortress, only to be driven back by a fierce volley of arrows and a sally by maidens armed with swords and shield, who drive them back with ferocious skill.
What This Means: Tales of the beautiful but deadly “shield-maidens” will soon spread beyond Muninhold and Huninhold. This really has little consequence for most of Norwold, except perhaps filling the dreams of easily-excitable warriors. But it is more troublesome for the Barony of Canium to find out that there is a stronghold not under its control on the island.
No one was aware of the existence of this stronghold, a fact that is not uncommon in Norwold, which still has large unexplored regions. The fortress, Rune Citadel, is ageless, having been constructed in the Blackmoor era. It consists of a hexagonal castle of six towers surrounding a central spire-keep.
The shield-maidens came into being when settlers began to colonize the Tranquil Coast. The men of the local native tribe sent their women to the island while they stayed behind to fight the colonists, vowing they would win and then allow their women to return. They failed, being defeated and slaughtered by the colonists. The women decided that this is what happens when they relied on the “protection” of males, and since that time have dedicated themselves to skill at arms and a distrust of the male sex, and worshiping Vanya and Tarastia. They abduct males for mates, or go on brief forays into nearby lands aimed at temporary assignations, and use an artifact housed in the citadel’s shrine to insure that each child born to a shield-maiden is a female child.
What the PCs Can Do: Overly-excitable male PCs might see this as the perfect set-up, and go off for their big score—but should find the Shield Maidens far from easy. The Shield Maidens and Rune Citadel are inspired by the old Judge’s Guild adventure, Shield Maidens of Sea Rune, so DMs having access to that module can use it for some information.
Sounds good to me. I do have a list of colonial settlements established by the Heldannic Knights during the MA period, if you need it
By all means. My general guide for the MA stuff is your old 1015 map. ( I almost overlooked Canium.)
Are Muninhold and Huninhold from the JG adventure, or are they MA settlements?
Norwold is just popping with witches and crones and hags, ain't it ;)
-OldDawg
Geoff
Huninhold and Muninhold are MA colonies, founded by Ostland.
Shouldnt that be Huginhold and Muninhold? If based on Odin's ravens that is?
BTW, it might be even more Norse sounding if a genitive "a" is inserted making it Huninahold (Huginahold) and Muninahold. Or possibly an "s" Muninshold.
Just some more linguistic juggling
Havard
Shouldnt that be Huginhold...
Yes, it should be. And it's mine. I'm moving in. And if you come back, I'll be forced to taunt you a second time-a! :P :D
Juggling is always welcome! Huginshold and Muninshold would probably work perfectly fine.
Geoff