Midgard Concept and Info on the 1st Midgard Module, Barbarian Lands of WTP Options

[Domi]

NOTE: the name changed from Friggia to Midgard due to Friggia being not the best-sounding word

Here is what I can put up for public preview, until I have screenshots, dialogues etc. This is of course the easily put together part. What I will do next is detailed groundwork describing each area, listing all njNPCs and quests that will belong to that area (which, understandably, will not be previewed).

As this is non-commercial project, and I do not see any framework done for kit-race-abilities-GUI-whatever specifics, I will be simply using character set-up as per BG2. I am neither interested in learning nor proficient with the kits/GUIs, etc. If that framework will be done before I have finished the module, I'd gladly use it.

I still have no idea how the world map is handled in WTP, so I am working on the assumption for now, that I will have a separate Friggia map (and I don't want to think yet how to do it).

Here is the concept of the first module to be set in Friggia - it's going to be boring as hell to read, I suppose:

This post has been edited by Domi: Sep 28 2005, 08:22 PM

[Domi]

Friggia Module 1, ‘The People of the Waves’ (first of 4, each named after the Barbarian Nation, ie People of the Wind, People of the Stone, and People of the Soul)

It takes place on Friggia the Lesser

Setting:

Note: If Sea Serpent Animation cannot be done, Sea Dragons will replace Sea Serpents in naming and role.

Friggia the Lesser (Lesser Friggia) and Friggia the Grander (Grand Friggia)

Friggia is an Island Realm consisting of Friggia the Lesser (southern island) and Friggia the Grand (northern island), separated by the Serpent’s Channel. The two Islands maintain strong ties, but an outsider will do well to refrain from attempting to go to Friggia the Grand. No Southerner had been known to return from such a voyage to the mainland. It is said that a Great Serpent in the Channel devours the weak of spirit – and, naturally, every southern outlander falls into this category. Mythology aside, it is a common assumption that the Grand Figgia maintains a fleet of longboats that capture any tall ship that wanders too close to its coastal line. The fate of those who make it to the Grand Friggia despite this blockade is probably grim.

Friggia the Lesser is a land of traders and populated mainly by the People of the Waves– one of the Three Barbarian Nations that populate Friggia. They are skilled mariners and shrewd traders, sailing their longboats to all the Southern coastal cities. They are direct descendents of the very first fishermen that settled Friggia, and a fiercely proud of it. Historically, some of the clans settled the relatively more fertile West of the Lesser Friggia and formed a few agricultural settlements. They are regarded as weaker folk and almost equated to Southerners.

Serpent’s Market, ironically, refers to all the coastal areas *not* facing the Serpent Channel, that strikes North-East (and Grand Figgia). It hosts numerous clans and their longhouses; the Clan Elders, usually three of them, the Clan’s Chieftan and the Clan’s blind Shaman are those who hold power, but anything of importance would not be decided without the Sitting of the whole Clan. A trader will be wise to visit as many villages as he can to buy marine animals skins and furs, amber, northern blue pearls and the green ice – the fabled ice of the Friggian Glaciers that does not melt, unless subjected to direct fire. The People of the Waveswill gladly buy food stuffs, exotic wines, golden jewelry and the bright gems of the South.

[Domi]

People:

There are Three Barbarian Nations: People of the Wavesthat are common on the Lesser Friggia (predominantly human); People of the Wind (predominantly human) that occupy the central steppes of Friggia the Grand; and People of the Stone – the descendants of the outlaws and the Old Raiders that populate the Highlands of the Friggia the Grand. Among them orcs, half-orcs, orgillions are as common as dwarves and humans.

The rumor has it, that there are fourth People – the People of the Soul, who populate the fabled Shining Tower somewhere in the North of Grand Friggia, but no Loremaster had ever been able to confirm it. Barbarians, even deadly drunk, corrupted and decrepit keep their mouth tightly shut whenever anyone asks of this Nation.

Non-human population is represented by the Gnomish villages, collectively called Vertograd, that migrate continuously through the Fog – the Western Forest of the Grand Friggia - and centered on the Turret – the tallest mountain in the world, according to the gnomes. The wise say that there is a pattern to gnomish migration, and a purpose, but so far nobody had come to understand it (apart from the gnomes).

[Domi]

Magic, Divine and Arcane:

The Vid: the source of this cult is unknown. It is hypothesized that the Barbarians inherited it from the ancient civilizations that occupied Friggia long ago. Vid is a four-sided column that is found throughout Friggia, oriented to the Four Corners of the World and each side decorated with an androgynous face. The faces represent Sea, Earth, Air and Life. All Barbarians venerate the Vid, by leaving the offerings by the columns, but there is no clergy or active religion per se. It is rather a memory of the religion. Many scholars saw the parallels between this deity’s aspects and the Three Nations – especially the Loremasters who argue in favor of the existence of the People of the Soul.

Aside from this strange cult, the Barbarians venerate all the things of the world and their ancestors. Each Barbarian is bound to an animal, plant or what have you – his or her totem. The totem is always found during a vigil that marks the young person’s entry to the adult life. This and other religious ceremonies, connected to the society and ancestors are administered by the Shamans – they can be both male and female. Their mystic powers are based on Seeing, Communing and Foretelling. Barbarians’ relationship with the nature is taken care of by the druidic rights. Druids of Friggia are ‘elemental’ – they can be seen as a new take on the Vid - and channel Sea, Air, Earth or Fire. Barbarians think of both the Sea and Air as ‘female’, the Earth and Fire as ‘male’, and that’s how the elements are depicted.

Wizards are practically unknown among the Nations on Grand Friggia, but on Lesser Friggia there is a School of Magic founded by a renegade Sorceress from the South, and the gnomes are said to use magic.

[Domi]

Central Storyline for Module 1:

I would like to have a mix of main storyline and some free-style roaming. However, the module will remain doable, so it will be small. At the moment I think of 11 major areas with 4 that are free-style adventure, and can be dropped at need. Others can be shaved off too if I find the volume too much to cope with.

PC starts at a level 3-4, and has been recruited with other mercenaries for a trade mission to Friggia, equipped by the High Lord of Fort Unity, and headed by Count Elyss of House Meron. They set sail on the Fort Unities caravel the “Unyielding”.

En route, the ship is attacked by a mysterious flotilla of longboats. As the battle rages, the Sea Serpent rises from the depths. It tips the scale in favor of the attackers. Count Elyss of House Meron falls. PC is called upon to join Nord in fleeing the ship by launching a boat to complete the secret mission.

At this point PC chooses to either play as a single player or with the joinable NPCs. If he declines the offer to join, the joinable NPCs will later form two parties of their own, which can be either joined in or will confront the PC at some point or another.

The single PC will have three tasks: to discover what was the secret mission, to gather the information of who had attacked the ship, and finally finding the means to go to Grand Friggia.

The PC who plays with the joinable NPCs will have two tasks: to gather the information of who had attacked the ship, and finally finding the means to go to Grand Friggia, but he will gain (perhaps) an NPC-related side quest in compensation.

[Domi]

Joinable NPC List:

I will try to avoid the overly tragic past trend for the NPCs, but each of them will have a personal ‘hook’ of their own, something to talk about. None of them will resemble Imoen, if I can help it.

// On the “Unyielding”

Wind Nord (Filip Du Boisvert ) – male, human paladin from the Human Realm, LG
Hildury Bigstone – female, half-orc, barbarian/cleric, from the Orc’s Realm, CN
Salomeya Orcini – female, half-elven Bard, from the Human Realm, NE
Laofeng Shong – male, halfling rogue, from the Halfling Realm, TN

//On Friggia the Lesser

Jaemal – male, human, sorcerer, from the Desert Realm, NG

This post has been edited by Domi: Aug 18 2005, 04:21 PM

[Domi]

NPC Preview: Salomeya Orcini (Portrait by Amok, from his Song of Ice and Fire Galleries (Val) with some recoloring)



Salomeya Orcini – half-elf, from Fort Unity

STR:10 DEX:16 CON:12 INT:17 WIS:14 CHR:17 Neutral Evil, Jester
Special: Has backstabbing ability and a special item: garotte, that allows her to backstabb like a thief

Biography # 1: Her Starting Biography, it expands and changes as you learn more about the NPC:

~Salomeya Orcini hails from Fort Unity, where an elven mother raised her. Her father, as is evident from her race, was a human, and by all signs, absent in her life. She is a traveling minstrel and came to Kio in the search of employ. There, her art brought her to the court of Count Elyss Du Meron. She does not make a secret out of her status as Count Elyss' mistress on the bord of the "Unyelding".~

Banter Examples - these are all drafts, comments, corrections and suggestions are welcome, of course:

// With Jaemal:

~(Salomeya is tuning her lute. The soft sounds fold themselves into a sad tune, and Salomeya begin to sing, sotto voice.)~
= ~In Sylethia, there stands a hill
silver with blooms in the spring
There dance the sprites
And the fallen mighty
When the stars sing.~
== P#JAEMB ~This is not your usual fare, minstrel.~
== P#SALOB ~You, an aficionado of my art? In this case, I will have you know that I sing everything written for a woman’s voice, not just my own compositions.~
== P#JAEMB ~I look forward to hearing more of your borrowed repertoire, Salomeya. ~
== P#SALOB ~I would not count on that to happen in the near future: I do not like repeating myself, and there are preciously little songs that were meant for a troubadour in skirts.~
== P#JAEMB ~Yes, I have noticed, that women are rare in the profession. The trials of the road, I presume.~
== P#SALOB ~Stupidity. I am not inclined to talk of women’s vices first thing in the morning, Jaemal. Not with a eunuch at any rate.~
= ~(She tilts her head to her lute and resumes singing.~
= ~In Sylethia there stands a hill
There come the widows
When love is too much to bear
To dance in the arms of the dead
When the stars sing.~
= ~In Sylethia there stands a hill
Where my beloved would be
Shall I put on my bridal wreath
To wed into shadows in the spring
When the stars sing.~
== P#JAEMB ~Does this hill exist, Salomeya?~
== P#SALOB ~Oh, I don’t doubt that there is some sacred knoll, with a few tufts of grass, and a couple of goats, in Sylethia. Songs lie less often about things, than about feelings. This, at least, is honest - another reason why I sing it. What woman would want to pass into the darkness for love?~
== P#JAEMB ~Love, Salomeya, could guide a person through the darkest places. ~
== P#SALOB ~That's enough platitudes for one morning, eunuch, and my lute is tuned. (Cases her instrument). ~
== P#JAEMB ~Remarkably, it is not the instrument that sounds false, when you sing about love, honor or beauty; it is the singer.~
== P#SALOB ~ (Laughs)~
EXIT

//With Hildury:

== P#SALOB ~Can you drop the visor of your helmet, ogre? ~
== P#HILDB ~Salomeya, don't you be seeing that I be a half-orc, not an ogre?~
== P#SALOB ~This is exactly why I asked you to close your visor - I don't want to see *what* you are...~
== P#HILDB ~Your people has suffered many grievances from my kin. I be different though - you need not fear me, Salomeya. ~
== P#SALOB ~Don't flatter yourself: I don't give a fig about historical connections, ogre. I despise you without prejudice, so to speak, because you are a blight on everything I cherish about the womanhood: ugly, ungainly and painfully slow of wit.~
== P#HILDB ~Don't you think I not be wishing to be slender and graceful like you?~
== P#SALOB ~Does a duck dream of becoming a swallow?~
== P#HILDB ~Swallow? No, not a swallow, but I do wish to be what you are, only with more of purity.~
== P#SALOB ~Phew, must you have spoiled everything with this last? Only a princess of blood on her wedding night wishes for purity, and that belatedly.~
== P#HILDB ~Because it be a woman of quality, who’d be deserving of a great man.~
== P#SALOB ~Oh, fool....~
= ~Wait! Oh, no! Oh, yes! It *must* be it! (Laughs delightedly) This is just too rich: the ogre is in love with her chaste knight!~
== P#HILDB ~You be -~
== P#SALOB ~Right, of course!~
== P#HILDB ~Please, do not-~
== P#SALOB ~Tell him? Of course not, Hildury, at least not until this drama needs a new twist to remain entertaining. ~
EXIT

//With Laofeng:

== P#SALOB ~We have heard oh! so much about your 'gift' and your passion, Laofeng, and yet, you have never taken a second look at my lute.
== P#LAOFB ~(Shrugs) I've thrown glances aplenty your way instead, Mistress. I've my uhm... priorities.
== P#SALOB ~Ah, a curse of being beautiful...
== P#LAOFB ~Er... dangerous is more like it. I'm into beauty of a lasting kind, if you know what I mean.
== P#SALOB ~Yes, of course. The antiques, like my lute. It's Stadris' work, six hundred years old, and it is as magnificent as the day it was made. And, unlike women, only growing more expensive with age.
== P#LAOFB ~Nay, yon lute is a tad younger than that. By uhm... five hundred and ninety five years or so.
== P#SALOB ~What?
== P#LAOFB ~It's a fake, Salomeya. A good one, mind, but still a fake.
== P#SALOB ~Your.... talent told you this? The bells aren't ringing or some such nonsense?
== P#LAOFB ~Nay, my talent is only with jewelry, Salomeya. It's one man on a million who could er... divvy all stuff. Most of us are just uhm... one or two things. Like furniture or paintings or jewelry. I'm a divvy with jewelry.
== P#SALOB ~Then why-
== P#LAOFB ~Lacquer, Salomeya. Every master has his own lacquer. Yon lute was in hue like the honey of the mountain bees a couple of years back, but now, look, it starts darkening at the seams, uhm… here and here. 'Cause they aged it, trying to get patina right... and did not know Stradis' lacquer recipe. Every master has one, and Stradis took his to his grave. Oh, and the mother-of-pearl inlays, here and here - it's from the Southern Seas. Stadris only ever used Northern mother-of-pearl, it's not so rich, but he liked it more.
== P#SALOB ~You must have a truly exciting life, shorty, to remember things of that kind.
== P#LAOFB ~Uhm... these are the signs that an amateur could see. Plus, there is also what only a professional like me would know.
== P#SALOB ~Pray tell, I am dying of curiosity... (yawns)
== P#LAOFB ~I know the fellow who makes 'em, Stradis lutes, un' or two a year. Uhm... A good, solid work. But not worth what you paid for it, Salomeya. Next time, hire uhm... someone like me to find you the real Stadris, and don’t waste your coin.
== P#SALOB ~Did I say that it was me, who paid for it? Phew, shorty, next time I'd take an offence for such a vulgar assumption.
== P#LAOFB ~S-sorry, Mistress.
EXIT

This post has been edited by Domi: Sep 1 2005, 01:19 AM

[Domi]

As per Hendryk's advice, changed the name for this realm, from Friggia (which is not exactly the best sounding word) to Midgard.