Negotiations
This is the description of an event that Bill will be running at GenCon
2001.
General Information
The trade negotiations at the ducal palace for the coming year's harvest
of golden willow sap will be difficult. And that's not counting all the
other intrigue...
Characters
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Drall, 42 yo farmer, husband of the village healer.
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Hope, his 19 yo daughter (healer in training)
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Ferd, 35 yo crippled smith
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Doug, his 17 yo son
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Esther, 18 yo daughter of the village headman
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Allan, 21 yo Duke's sheriff
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Mark, 23 yo miller's son (NPC!)
Historical Background
Note! Don't worry about the names here too much.
The twelve kingdoms of the Anvers River valley had successfully fought
back the incursions of the barbarian hordes of the great steppes north
of the Black Mountains for centuries until the Great Betrayal five decades
ago. Lord Markam of Gheldar had a long running dispute with Lord Matthias
of Wimblas and when they marched together to face a barbarian incursion
Markam betrayed Matthias and nearly the entire Wimblan army was destroyed.
Thus began the 50 years of the Great Betrayal. Over the course of the
next decade Markam and his new allies crushed Anish, Entia, and Bok before
finally being stopped. Markam was slain in single combat by Lord Jaeson
of Oromir at the Battle of Nighon Ford in Acks and for a time things went
well again for the twelve (now seven) kingdoms. Acks was retaken and its
Lord restored and the battles for Entia were going well.
Markam's youngest son Malfoy had been exiled by his father for practicing
dark magics. When his father died Malfoy returned, slew his siblings, and
took control of Gheldar and its conquered lands. He instituted horrible
practices of worship of the dark powers and infused by the dark powers
he defeated the allied kingdoms armies and turned the course of the war
once again his way. It is said he even had wrested control of the barbarians
from their shamans.
As of today a stalemate of sorts has been reached. Gheldar, Wimblas,
Anish, and Entia are firmly in the hands of Malfoy and decades of battles
back and forth has left most of Bok a burned wasteland.
Your Home
Your village, Golden Willow, is in the uplands area of Oromir, far away
from the wars to the north. It is a peaceful, almost idyllic area where
the worst one has to worry about is the odd goblin raider making off with
a chicken.
Besides farming the major occupation of the area is the cultivation
of Golden Willows. The sap of the Golden Willow is highly prized by alchemists
and is used for all sorts of elixirs. The willows grow all over the uplands
area of Oromir but are especially prevalent around your village.
The Magic System
The magic system is based on the normal GURPS magic system but interprets
Magery differently. The Circle
of Powers document describes it in full.
Maps
Character details
Drall
Drall is a farmer. Drall is not native to the village but came here with
his wife about 20 years ago. It is obvious he once was a warrior but he
won't speak about his military career, even with his best friends. He has
three children.
Drall's skills: farming, combat/weapons, leadership, tactics, etc.
ST: 12, DX: 14, IQ: 11, HT: 14
Combat Reflexes, Toughness, High Pain Threshold
Hope
Hope is Drall's daughter and her mother is training her in the mystical
arts to someday be her replacement as village healer. She is trained in
the healing, plant, food, and mind magics as well as similar physical skills.
She met Allan several years ago and they are sweethearts; they plan to
wed one day. She has a younger sister and an infant brother who she dearly
loves.
Hope's skills: healing, people
ST: 11, DX: 13, IQ: 12, HT: 13
Magery 2, Empathy
Ferd
Ferd almost lost his hand (and his life) in a smithing accident several
years ago. The healer saved his hand though it never completely healed.
Ferd is tremendously strong, even for a smith. He learned his craft during
his five year service in the King's army in the east. He has an excellent
reputation and people come from nearby villages to have some of their more
tricky smithing work done by him. He and Drall are close friends.
Skills: making stuff, strength, some combat
ST: 19, DX; 10, IQ: 11, HT: 11
Combat Reflexes
One Hand
Doug
Ever since the accident that crippled his father Doug has had to do almost
all the smithing work in the village. His father was an active man and
his inability to do much work chafes at him and drives him to hover over
Doug as he works. Doug hates and resents this. For his age Doug is quite
large and strong and looks to take after his father someday.
Skills: making stuff, some combat
ST: 15, DX: 12, IQ: 12, HT: 13
Magic Resistance
Esther
Esther's father is the headman of the village and a well-to-do merchant.
She is an only child. He had her trained by the best scholars he could
afford to someday take his place and further the family fortunes. She also
is an adept and has received some magical training. Her best friend (from
infancy) is Hope and there are no secrets between them.
Skills: social, some magic
ST: 10, DX; 12, IQ: 15, HT: 12
Magery, Charisma
Allan
Several years ago Allan was assigned to patrol the lands hereabout. This
was both an honor for one so young and an insult because this is the backwaterest
backwater of the kingdom. It has worked out for the best because he met
Hope and fell in love with her. Hope's father is a puzzle to him; he never
talks about his background even though he was obviously in the military.
Something about him bothers Allan too. Allan has a nose for sniffing out
trouble before things get too bad. Other than an occasional goblin raid
(easily beaten off with little or no loss) there hasn't been much to do.
As a "dashing" outsider and in the king's service none-the-less he has
become a hero for the local lads.
Skills: outdoors, some social, combat/weapon
ST: 11, DX: 14, IQ: 12, HT: 13
Alertness, Danger Sense, Handsome
Mark
Note: Mark is an NPC.
Mark is the son of the well-to-do miller of Golden Willow. His father
and Esther's father do not get along and frequently get into fights over
matters dealing with the harvest of the willow sap. Mark's father thinks
that more sap can be harvested but Esther's father argues that will harm
the trees. Mark has tried to stay clear of these arguments but the bad
feelings have rubbed off on him and he has not had much to do with Hope,
Esther, Allan, and Ferd for several months now.
Skills: milling, animals, some social
ST: 13, DX: 11, IQ: 11, HT: 12
Strong Will
What About Bringing My Own Character?
For game and scenario balance Bill will provide all the characters.