Strours: Character Creation
Dec 22, 2017 10:53:52 GMT -8
Post by Ezeze on Dec 22, 2017 10:53:52 GMT -8
Shipshaven is a port city on the Southern border of Narin. It sits on the Western bank of Strours Run, right where the river meets the Walled Gulf which in turn connects out to the Iahst Ocean.
It’s not the largest city in the Kingdom of Narin, nor the richest. Both of those honors belong to the capital city, Dandarrin, which is nearly two weeks’ travel by even the fastest boat along the Strours to the North. It is, however, the most diverse – and arguably the hardest to control. Geographic distance combines with a lack of unified ethos in Shipshaven so that generations of the Narin royal family have struggled to bring it to bring it to heel. Some have attempted bribery. Some have attempted direct military control. Eighty years ago King Talebot the Reckless decided that to control the city (and it does need to be controlled; its location is vital to both trade and security) he was going to enlist the help of the locals. He scandalized his court by marrying Rosetta Stillhell, who was technically a commoner but whose father was head of the Shipshaven Merchant’s Guild. Her family was both breathtakingly rich and enormously influential. Rosetta convinced Talebot to ratify the Wavecrester Accords (named after the ship where they were drafted and signed) which guaranteed certain rights to the citizens of Shipshaven regardless of wealth, station or race. To keep his court from revolting Talbot only allowed these rights to extended to residents of Shipshaven. As a result in recent years non-humans have flooded into the city to the point where humans are no longer in the majority.
Today Rosette and Talebot’s eldest son, King Alsandare, sits the throne. He has visited Shipshaven only a few times but has been met by crowds of cheering subjects on every occasion. The crown and the city have come to an easy mutual understanding that will last as long as both feel it meets their needs.
Seven years ago an Israshi warship attacked a Narinian trading vessel on open water. It sunk, taking 80 souls (mostly hailing from Shipshaven or surrounding areas) with it. This attack lead to the War of Wits. Since then Shipshaven has been gripped by unprecedented patriotic fervor. Over the last half-decade almost a quarter of the young men and women of appropriate age from Shipshaven have enrolled in the Narinian navy. A few weeks ago word reached Shipshaven; the war is over. The Israshi king surrendered to Walwyn ‘Smiling’ Drace, an admiral born and raised in Shipshaven.
Admiral Drace’s flagship, the Vehement, is set to dock in the harbor today. The city has gone completely crazy with preparations. Narinian flags (A golden sun on a white and blue backdrop) hang from any surface visible from the harbor and also from most that are not. Work has screeched to a halt since even those houses where no one is expecting the return of a sailor prepare to welcome home Drace, who is already being hailed as a national hero. Every member of Drace’s extended family – children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews – have spent the last week bouncing from party to party as the entire city gears up for the celebration of the century. His plans are to dock in Shipshaven for a day then go to Dandarrin to make a report to King Alsandare in person.
It’s a big day for you, specifically. The Burgomaster himself has extended an invitation; he wants to send a small delegation, representing the young people of Shipshaven, to accompany Drace to Dandarrin. Your parents or your guardian or your mentor or someone else has managed to get your name on the list. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Your group will travel two weeks up the Strours, stay another four weeks in the capital, and then travel back down. You’ll have lodgings and provisions supplied for you. Your only duties will be to see the city, and to be seen in turn by the nobility there. Your little group is already being referred to as the ‘Ambassadors.’
Shipshaven Stat Bloc
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Population: 25,000 (humans 35%, halflings 17%, half-elves 15%, elves 10%, gnomes 8%, other 15%)
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Trade: Transportation and trade, Seafood, Ship construction and supply.
It’s not the largest city in the Kingdom of Narin, nor the richest. Both of those honors belong to the capital city, Dandarrin, which is nearly two weeks’ travel by even the fastest boat along the Strours to the North. It is, however, the most diverse – and arguably the hardest to control. Geographic distance combines with a lack of unified ethos in Shipshaven so that generations of the Narin royal family have struggled to bring it to bring it to heel. Some have attempted bribery. Some have attempted direct military control. Eighty years ago King Talebot the Reckless decided that to control the city (and it does need to be controlled; its location is vital to both trade and security) he was going to enlist the help of the locals. He scandalized his court by marrying Rosetta Stillhell, who was technically a commoner but whose father was head of the Shipshaven Merchant’s Guild. Her family was both breathtakingly rich and enormously influential. Rosetta convinced Talebot to ratify the Wavecrester Accords (named after the ship where they were drafted and signed) which guaranteed certain rights to the citizens of Shipshaven regardless of wealth, station or race. To keep his court from revolting Talbot only allowed these rights to extended to residents of Shipshaven. As a result in recent years non-humans have flooded into the city to the point where humans are no longer in the majority.
Today Rosette and Talebot’s eldest son, King Alsandare, sits the throne. He has visited Shipshaven only a few times but has been met by crowds of cheering subjects on every occasion. The crown and the city have come to an easy mutual understanding that will last as long as both feel it meets their needs.
Seven years ago an Israshi warship attacked a Narinian trading vessel on open water. It sunk, taking 80 souls (mostly hailing from Shipshaven or surrounding areas) with it. This attack lead to the War of Wits. Since then Shipshaven has been gripped by unprecedented patriotic fervor. Over the last half-decade almost a quarter of the young men and women of appropriate age from Shipshaven have enrolled in the Narinian navy. A few weeks ago word reached Shipshaven; the war is over. The Israshi king surrendered to Walwyn ‘Smiling’ Drace, an admiral born and raised in Shipshaven.
Admiral Drace’s flagship, the Vehement, is set to dock in the harbor today. The city has gone completely crazy with preparations. Narinian flags (A golden sun on a white and blue backdrop) hang from any surface visible from the harbor and also from most that are not. Work has screeched to a halt since even those houses where no one is expecting the return of a sailor prepare to welcome home Drace, who is already being hailed as a national hero. Every member of Drace’s extended family – children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews – have spent the last week bouncing from party to party as the entire city gears up for the celebration of the century. His plans are to dock in Shipshaven for a day then go to Dandarrin to make a report to King Alsandare in person.
It’s a big day for you, specifically. The Burgomaster himself has extended an invitation; he wants to send a small delegation, representing the young people of Shipshaven, to accompany Drace to Dandarrin. Your parents or your guardian or your mentor or someone else has managed to get your name on the list. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Your group will travel two weeks up the Strours, stay another four weeks in the capital, and then travel back down. You’ll have lodgings and provisions supplied for you. Your only duties will be to see the city, and to be seen in turn by the nobility there. Your little group is already being referred to as the ‘Ambassadors.’
Shipshaven Stat Bloc
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Population: 25,000 (humans 35%, halflings 17%, half-elves 15%, elves 10%, gnomes 8%, other 15%)
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Trade: Transportation and trade, Seafood, Ship construction and supply.