Today and throughout February, we will turn the spotlight on the various culture and race options for PCs in Dead Queens of Morvena. We begin by looking at the Kingdom of Drimsy, the center of Occultism and the locus of education in the eastern nations.
Drimsyn: Educated
Haberdim is the capital city of the Kingdom of Drimsy. At its center is the King’s Citadel, standing atop a stepped pyramid rising seven stories. The top two stories of this pyramid house the sages and bureaucracies which advise the king. Below these top levels, the middle two stories of the pyramid serve as an operations center for military and law enforcement, and the lower three stories are known as the “Halls of Knowledge.” The majority of the citizens of Haberdim spend at least two years as a student within the Halls of Knowledge. While many individuals take a liberal survey of the kingdom’s disciplines, more than a few decide to specialize in a single discipline, gaining knowledge and building a reputation throughout their careers. PCs from Haberdim have been educated in the Halls of Knowledge for at least two years, and have gained some specialized knowledge in at least two disciplines offered there.
• Intellectual Culture: An educated Drimsyn begins with Smarts d6 rather than d4.
• Studied: Take a free d6 in two Knowledge skills common to Drimsy (Agriculture, Alchemy, Astrology, Cosmology, Fetherruin, Forestry, Linguistics, Mathematics, Occultism, Philosophy, and Religion) or take a free d8 in one of these Knowledge skills.
• Ivory Tower Club: After years of education, the Drimsyn elite tend to develop close connections with philosophers and scholars. They gain the Connections Edge. The GM should decide which specific group the character has connections with.
• Soft: The educated class of Drimsyns engage in more intellectual activity than physical. At character creation, a player must spend two points for each die of Strength he wishes to purchase.
• Stick in the Mud: Drimsyn elite are not known for making snap decisions. They prefer instead to gather as much information as possible before making any major decision. Characters gain the Cautious (Minor) hindrance.
Drimsyn: Lower Class
Blasenport sits close to the tremulous border of Fetherruin, and it is here that Merchants Road stretches west into the wilderland, winding its way eventually to Xinchur. The economy here is one of border trade, dominated by haggling, smuggling, and worse. The streets of Blasenport are mean. All citizens of this vibrant, dirty city, from lords of merchant houses down to the all-too-common swindlers and street urchins, learn how to defend themselves as a matter of survival. The arm of the law of Haberdim is short, and only infrequently concerns itself with the matters of Blasenport. Order is enforced brutally and inconsistently by rival gangs, many of which are “patronized” (funded and managed) by the various merchant houses and trade organizations. PCs from Blasenport are impoverished individuals struggling to survive in the rough climate of the city; they may be desperate to get out, and find that a migration to the frontier town of New Morvena is their best chance to become successful.
• Blood Is Thicker: Drimsyn folk have strong family ties, and it’s not uncommon for them to consider close friends or working associates to be part of their “family.” Harming or insulting anyone from a Drimsyn family is often met with retaliation. Characters gain the Connections edge to an extended family or gang, and must take the Vengeful (Minor) hindrance.
• From the Streets: The PC has grown up on the rough streets of Blasenport, and starts with one free Novice Edge, plus Fighting d6 and Streetwise d6.
• Impoverished: Characters must take either the Illiterate or Poverty hindrance.
• Lower Class Stigma: Drimsyns of lower class suffer a -4 Charisma penalty when dealing with educated Drimsyns.
