User:Nylen/Colonies New Realm (based in Wetham)

Ground rules (from Danaris and the Colonies GM)

• This is a marauding realm, focused on raiding rather than expansion
• The characters are dark evil men that worked for one of the Lich King's unholy death knights, Lord Salak, before founding their own realm
• The realm will start off as an ally of the Lich King's Dominion (which is an NPC realm)
• The new realm will receive initial help from the GM (recruitment centers, fortifications, funds)
• Undead armies in the realm's regions will remain there as militia with the secession (but cannot be recruited later)
• The capital is the region of Wetham

From this starting point we get to make our own choices, but we need a backstory. (How we arrived on the continent originally, how/why we got rid of Lord Salak, why we founded our own realm, etc.)

• Joining the new realm: It is still being looked into how we will join the new realm. We should have clarity within a day or two. (Joining an NPC realm is not built into the game code right now.)

Plan pitched for final approval

• Name: Helheim (The full realm name is also just "Helheim" for now. The ruler will expand it after discussions within the realm.)
• System: Theocracy (worshipping Krákan, the crow-god of death and the afterlife)
• Banner:

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  Small (for map): 

• Council position names (initially... I expect these might change after direct discussion):

   Ruler: Mester ("master"/"champion" in Norwegian and Icelandic)
   General: Øksen ("The axe" in Norwegian)
   Judge: Beinakvörn ("Bone grinder" in Icelandic)
   Banker: Myntveileder ("Coin overseer" in Norwegian)

• Initial background for the realm's foundation:

   Lord Salak requires new people to lead his undead hordes in battle. He invites a cult of warriors who worship death and the afterlife, thinking they would be a good fit. These warriors arrive in Wetham, but quickly depose him, as he'd have them lead the armies from the back. Not leading the army from the front is considered dishonorable conduct by the newcomers, as their life goal is to die fighting in a battle.

• A bit about how we intend to handle the "evil marauder realm" thing:

   We intend to present an alien culture to the realms of the Colonies: One where death is celebrated and is part of daily life. Bones (animal and human) are used and worn as decoration. Undead, despite representing a perversion/distortion of death, are accepted (though also felt sorry for, as they do not get to pass into the afterlife). Killing others in battle (even those unarmed) brings both the killer and the perished honor, so the enemy should be granted every opportunity for this honor in the raids (meaning men, women and children should all be slaughtered). These warriors don't consider the butchering of people as evil, but of course it is perceived as such be everyone else.

Ideas / Plans (expand with your own)

Realm theme ideas

• "Undead" vikings (player characters are humans in service of a viking deity of death/underworld) (+1)
• High magic - all PC characters are resurrected living citizens. All unit names have an undead "theme" like "skeletal" "undead" "zombie" "banshee" etc. in the name. (+1)
• Women-dominated society - All women are 7ft+ tall (men are more diminutive), Nobles or positions of power are held only by women, men are shunned and treated as little more than chattel. The fire goddess was angered at the Nornian (Jotun?) subjugation and demands retribution. For a people who worship fire, they are oddly immune to cold. (Must be why they dress so scantily…)

Flavour(s)

• Armor and ships decorated with bones and skeletons
• Using Germanic and/or Scandinavian characters (ä, ö, æ, ø, å, ý, ó, é, etc.) in titles and unit names
• A noble society that sounds threatening on the surface, but are otherwise silly in a monty-pythonesque way (take themselves seriously, not realizing they are being silly)
• Ties in to the serious silliness and the Germanic theme above: Serious sounding titles, which are in fact silly (example: "Putzfrau" for female judge, which just means "cleaning lady")
• Ties in with Helheim, which is the afterlife for those who died a dishonorable death (= didn't die in battle): Make it traditional (but nor mandatory) to play the hero class. When someone dies in battle, a new character seeking redemption can take their place (same player, new character).

Realm name

• Helheim
• Helland (derived from "Hel", which is a different name for Helheim)
• Stríðsveldi (= "Warrior/War Empire in Icelandic)
• Helvíti (= "hell" in Icelandic) (+1)
• The Ashen Empire (+1)
• Trädgård
• Hordaland
• Hordemark
• Nornia
• Jotundra

Deity ideas:

• Krákan (= "The crow" in Icelandic), a two-headed raven, the master of death
• Hræsvelgr
• Loki
• Hangatýr (Basically an evil take on Odin whom hung himself from Yiggdrisil to gain knowledge. Envisioned as one who tempts others into questionable (suicidal?) acts all for the sake of gaining power or knowledge from the "Ancient Runes")
• Flamberge (The Holy Flame - Fire Goddess of Vengeance) - ties in with the "Women-dominated society" theme

Backstory

• An ancient conqueror society ruled by a council of high mages, once considered a golden age in its prime. It fell into ruin thousands of years ago as the great mages of the Empire studied dark magic. The realm has been mostly forgotten to history except that the "Ghost council" has mysteriously been resurrected and now work to rebuild their former fallen empire. The living nobles have all been resurrected by the council too. The society at large uses "dark" magic to fulfill the Ghost council's "DECREE FOR DOMINATION" Victory for this society is obtained when all of the (now hidden) "Ancient Runes of Power" have been claimed. (+1)
• Nobles of the realm claim to have just walked out to land from underneath the sea, having been returned from the underworld by their deity. (In actuality they more likely arrived on ships from an unknown island.) Those who have been on the island for a longer time will claim to have acted as forward scouts for the return. (+1)

Banner

(Description or image)

• Large:

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• Small (for the map):

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Government system

Theocracy themes

• In service of a viking deity of the dead, lead by a champion of the deity
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Tyranny themes

• Lead by a "standard" chieftain
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Council position names:

Ruler

• Mester (= "Master" or "Champion")
• Dæmi (= "Example")
• Fjærleder (= "Feather leader")

General

• Jägermeister (= "Master hunter")
• Øksen (= "The axe")

Judge

• Beinakvörn (= "Bone grinder")
• Bøddel (= "executioner")

Banker

• Mesterplyndrer (= "master looter")
• Myntveileder (= "coin supervisor")
• Soulbroker

Players

https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=1134
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=32761
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=37817
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=39432
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=40303
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=40344
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=40345
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=40700
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=40703
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=40844

+ players joining directly through the Colonies Game Master:
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=37369
https://battlemaster.org/UserDetails.php?ID=39624