Thursday, October 26, 2017

Exploring the Elfin Kingdoms

Who's winning the King's War today?

  1.  A powerful and ancient second generation elf, hoping to win the war so he can die and pass the kingdom on to his children (and do it right this time)
  2. A powerful and ancient second generation elf, hoping to win the war so he can achieve true immortality and reign forever with grace and terror
  3. An eminent third generation elf whose father cleverly won land with political marriage and intrigue
  4. An eminent third generation elf whose father won land by attacking his neighbors in dishonorable raids in during the great crusade
  5. An eminent third generation elf who won lands for himself during his youth and has his eyes set on a beautiful princess in a neighboring kingdom
  6. An eminent third generation elf who won lands for himself during his youth and has his eyes set on an plain princess in a neighboring kingdom for political purposes
  7. An eminent third generation elf who won lands for himself during his youth and has his eyes set on a dirt poor and gorgeous human peasant in his own kingdom
  8. A half-elf bastard knight who became a major player through the favor of his king
  9. A half-elf bastard knight who became a major player through sneaky stabby tactics
  10. A Human? What?

No, but seriously, who's actually winning the War?

Witch-Queen Pim is, though none of the other elves will admit it. From her city in the sea, she reigns over all the elves warring upon the land. Her magical power is unmatched anywhere in the world. In the dreamlands, she is next to a god and has deals with the most powerful among the dreamland's sedentary deities. When she steps upon the mainland, the war stops so the elf-kings can lay their coats at her feet.
Average out the above pictures to see what Witch-Queen Pim looks like
[Her kingdom in the sea is pretty cool so I'll write about that sometime]

What is this kingdom like?

  1. Lots of domes and spires. Light pink stone and dark wood. Shepherd peasants live in bright tents. Heath dominates the land.
  2. Sloped Roofs and green-painted wood. Kites affixed to every surface. Peasants work ripe vineyards. Knights wear hand-stitched scarves detailing funeral rites.
  3. Arcades below support gardens above. Streams run in every direction, starting rivers in other kingdoms. Most peasants are grain farmers and are often raided by the neighboring kingdoms.
  4. Buttresses and spines decorate the palaces. Peasants practice forestry and live in cottages. Knights wear the chitin of large spiders.
  5. Crystals adorn turrets and crenellenations. Peasants live below ground and are often miners. Shells are used as currency where gold is common.
  6. Fortified mansions replace palaces here. Peasants most often hunt, so meat is plentiful and eaten undercooked by the nobles. Horns and antlers replace weapons when steel is scarce.
  7. Almost the entire population dwells in decrepit and beautiful ruins. Peasants farm glowing fungus for ethereal elf-bread. Armor still bears groves where runes were writ in the last age.
  8. Roll again, but it's entirely underground. If this result is rolled again, it's further underground.

What menaces this kingdom?

  1. Non-violent heredity squabbles
  2. Violent heredity squabbles
  3. Famine
  4. The elves are killing their human peasants
  5. Big bad monster
  6. Roll twice more. This result can be rolled again. Elf kingdoms suck for humans.

How big?

  1. Literally just a hamlet
  2. 1d4 hamlets, 1 town
  3. 1d4 towns, 1 city
  4. 1d4 cities, 1 capital
As a rule of thumb, they fit in a 6-mile hex. They can be larger, though.
This one is ruled over by King Locrantz. He's kind of a jerk.

Why isn't the witch queen smiting them all now?

No one knows.