A while back I worked up a combined, modified map, based on three old-school Heritage Dwarfstar mini-game maps from Barbarian Prince, Goblin, and Demonlord. I'm finally getting around to running a game using it. I'll be running using OSE Advanced Fantasy.
Here's the Player's Guide material I worked up that combined the histories and cultures of the three settings:
The Three Kingdoms – Westria, the Midrealm, and Oestria – are the central lands of Nearth, the major human continent of the World of Neorth.
Westria is kingdom without a king, a land still recovering from a Barbarian invasion a century ago, with wild tribes, free towns, baronies, and counties scattered among howling wilderness. The Westrons mostly remain polytheistic, still revering a variety of gods, as opposed to the Midlanders and the Eastrons, who are mostly dedicated to Hosar, God of the Sun. The exceptions are the Theocracy of Hosaria and the County of Aeraviria, which are dedicated to Hosar.
The Midrealm was able to either defeat or assimilate the Barbarians a century ago, but they never recovered and today are embroiled in a life-or-death struggle with the Goblinoids of the Dragonspine Mountains. To make matters worse, the King and the Crown Prince, the king’s sole heir, both fell in battle against the goblins, and so the forces of the realm are divided between the royal cousins Haakon, Count of Brax, and Olaf, Count of Tewks. The combination of invasion and civil war may do what the Barbarians were unable to do a century ago – bring down the kingdom!
Oestria similarly fell a century ago, when the Southrons of the Demon Empire invaded, and they were unable to get any help from Westria or the Midrealm. The Southrons, however, for all they worship demons, are still a civilized people, and rather than destroying Oestria they properly conquered it and ruled it, enslaving its people. However, 20 years ago many of the locals rose in rebellion, and today are free, united by the League of Light through the worship of Hosar, God of the Sun. The Demon Empire has recovered from their losses during that rebellion and are gathering their forces to invade and retake their rebel dominions.
Humans of Nearth
Barbarians (Norse). A century ago, the Barbarians invaded Westerland, destroying the Kingdom of Westria and settling amongst the native Westrons. There are still many Barbarian tribes in the Cold North, and they are not uncommonly encountered in the lands of the Three Kingdoms, as raiders, traders, or even mercenaries. They are tall, pale-skinned, with honey gold to platinum blonde wavy hair, and blue-eyed. Zhor is their Storm-God; his devotees are berserkers who forgo armor and often even clothing and attack in a blood-mad fury, never breaking morale. Names are Norse. Barbarians speak the Barbarian tongue; most leaders at least speak a little Imperial (Common).
Eastrons (French). The Eastrons are descended from a mix of Imperials, Savages, and Barbarians, an older wave of Barbarians known as Northrons. The Imperials, Savages, and Northrons merged following the fall of the Empire of Old to become the Eastron folk. They were always a quarrelsome folk, not as able to unite as the Midlanders or even the Westrons, with the nobles always in rebellion against their king. Then the Demon Empire invaded from the southeast and destroyed the rich eastern heartland of the kingdom, now known as the Dragon Wastes. The eastern dominions were reduced to wild meadows and their peoples were enslaved. The Woodsmen of the Great Woods retreated into their forest, abandoned the Lords of Light for their ancient patron, the Beast Lord, and reverted to atavistic savagery. The western domains were slowly conquered, but arose in rebellion en masse 20 years ago and cast off the Demonic yoke. The Demonic Reconquest has just begun. Eastrons are of average height and build, have pale to tan skin, brown or black straight hair, and hazel, blue, or green eyes. The free peoples revere Hosar, with small cults to the other Lords of Light. The slaves of the east placate the Demon Gods. Names are French. They speak Eastron and Imperial (Common)
Imperials (Italians). The Empire of Old ruled the lands of the Three Kingdoms and more, besides, long centuries ago. Then came the Dark Times of Decadence, Depravity, and Disaster, when the Empire fell to the forces of Chaos. The Three Kingdoms formed thereafter in the north, while the southern lands either collapsed completely and turned wild or devolved into warring City-States. The ruler of each of the city-states claims to be the heir to the Empire and styles themselves as the Imperial Prince or Imperial Princess. The people are still considered decadent and depraved by most right-thinking folks, and this is generally the case. Imperials are short and wiry, with olive skin, black or brown curly hair, and brown or amber eyes. Their religion varies from city-state to city-state, usually some mix of all three pantheons of gods, with the Pagan gods generally dominating as Zoreus, Neora, Incantatrix, and Ferox. Names are Italian. Imperials speak Imperial, which is the Common Tongue.
Midlanders (English). Midlanders are descended from a mix of Imperials, Westrons, and Barbarians, both an older wave of Barbarians known as Northrons and their modern Barbarian cousins. The Imperials, Westrons, and Northrons merged following the fall of the Empire of Old to become the Midland folk. Barbarians invaded a century ago but were bought off with lands and titles and assimilated – most Midlander nobles are descended from this mix, notably the Royal Family and its cadet branches. Midlanders are of average height and build, with pale or ruddy to tan or olive skin, blonde or red to brown or black hair, and eyes of just about any color. Nobles tend to look like Barbarians, and are generally taller, paler and blondish, with blue or green eyes. Nobles and urban Midlanders strongly favor Hosar; rural folk often still follow the older Pagan ways. Names are English, with noble families usually having Norse names. Midlanders speak Midlander and Imperial (Common)
Westrons (Gaels). Westrons are descended primarily from the native peoples of Westria; though conquered by the Empire of Old, and later invaded by tribes of migrating Barbarians, they were never fully assimilated. The Westrons of some areas, however, have stronger foreign bloodlines, such as the peoples of Aeraviria and Hosaria (Barbarian) and Agorosia and Drogathia (Imperial). Most Westrons are divided into semi-barbarized urban peoples of the towns and the semi-civilized barbarians of the countryside, with rustic rural folk in between. Westrons are of average height and build, with pale to ruddy skin, brown to fiery red wavy hair, and green or hazel eyes. Westrons are polytheistic, though most revere at least the Earth Mother, among the other gods. The Aeravirians and Hosarians of course revere Hosar and the Lords of Light, while the Agorosians and Drogathians revere the Pagan gods in their Imperial guises (and have no few hidden temples of the Demon Gods). Names are Gaelic and Welsh. Westrons speak Westron and Common (Imperial).
Demi-humans of Nearth
Dwarves. The Golden Age of the dwarves ended a century ago. The corrupted Duchy of Kabir fell to Chaos and its peoples were transformed into Goblinoids. They invaded the Dragonspine Mountains. The Great Delve of Pelgar fell, with the surviving dwarves scattered across the land. Their only remaining major delve is Ulaaria in Oestria. Dwarves have skin in earth tones, hair in metallic sheens, and eyes that glitter like gemstones, which glow when using infravision.
Elves. The elves are divided not by culture, but by age. In their youth they are Sylvan Elves, living lives of wild abandon in fey woodlands; they are in the spring of their lives; they are short, with green skin and hair and shining emerald eyes; some grow antlers. In their middle age they are urbane High Elves; of medium height, with tan skin, raven dark hair, and shining sky-blue eyes. Grey Elves are elder elves, tall and stately, with pale alabaster skin, platinum blonde hair, and shining purple eyes. The Grey Elves usually guide their realms and culture; the High Elves usually manage the realms and are artisans; and the Sylvan Elves usually guard the realms and are hunter/gatherers. However, there are lackadaisical elves who never amount to much until later in life, so a player character can be a Sylvan, High, or Grey elf – but even as an elder Grey elf, they have little influence or power, no greater wealth, and know little of history or the world.
Halflings. Halflings are hobbits straight out of the Shire.
Lawful Lords of Light
Clergy are known as Crusaders. Symbol is an ankh.
Donat. Lawful Sage-God of Purity, Rectification, Knowledge, and Wizardry. Depicted as a stately, man in fine wizarding robes with a noble beard, bearing an ankh-tipped rod in one hand and a large, thick tome in the other. He and Sekruma are especial enemies.
Duffyd. Lawful Beggar-God of Law, Suffering, Mercy, and Peace. Depicted as a simple, very human man in a homespun robe with a rope for a belt and a beggar’s bowl, with an ankh painted upon his forehead. Duffyd is the psychopomp of the Lords of Light, mercifully freeing the worthy faithful who are dying from their suffering and accompanying them to the afterlife.
HOSAR. Lawful Sun-God of Light, Wisdom, Order, and Rulership. Primary opponent of the Demon Gods. Depicted as a muscular hawk-headed man with a mace in one hand and an ankh-embossed solar disk in the other.
Sulwyth. Lawful Warrior-Goddess of Law, Chivalry, Justice, and War. Depicted as a pale-skinned, athletic blood-red-haired maiden in shining plate mail wielding a sword in one hand and a heater shield bearing an ankh in the other. She and Ninnghiz are especial enemies.
Neutral "Pagan" Gods
Clergy are known as Druids. Symbol is a four-pointed star.
Branwyn. Neutral Fey-Goddess of Enchantment and Magic, aka the White Raven. Depicted as a veiled maiden, matron, and/or crone, with a crystal ball in one hand and a wand in the other. Generally beneficent, but whimsical and fey.
Bruidh. Neutral Woods-God of the Beasts and Plants of the Wilds, aka the Beast Lord. Depicted as a muscular satyr with a cudgel in one hand and pan pipes in the other. Generally savage, and as per his epithet, bestial and foul.
NEORTHA. Neutral Earth-Mother Goddess of Farms and Fields, Harvests and Fertility, Family and Children, Queen of the Gods. Usually depicted as an ample, matronly woman with a cornucopia and a crown of flowers and leaves. Commonly-held beliefs are that Zhor is her husband and Branwyn and Bruidh are their children.
Zhor. Neutral Grim-God of Mountains and Storms, Lightning and Rain, War and Dooms, King of the Gods. Usually depicted as a tall, muscular warrior with a horned helmet, a spear in one hand, and a lightning bolt in the other. He and Shagrath have an ancient enmity.
Chaotic Demon Gods
Clergy are known as Sorcerers. Symbol is a demonic eye.
Ninnghiz. Chaotic Queen of Dragons, Demon-Wyrm, Destroyer, Mother of Ruin. Depicted as a huge dragon, a great wyrm of many colors, and sometimes with two to five heads, always chromatic and of demonic countenance.
Sekruma. Chaotic Queen of Depravities, Corrupter, Mother of Monsters, Bloodsucker, Soulreaver. Depicted as a voluptuous, alabaster-skinned, raven-haired woman with eyes of glistening black in which one can see the stars of the night. Often has fangs, sometimes has many arms each holding a monster or egg, rarely is depicted with clothing, sometimes head is just a skull. Revered by vampires.
Shagrath. Chaotic Lord of Death, The Battle-Master, The Slayer. Depicted as a giant, obscenely muscular warrior wearing only a loincloth and a great helm that obscures his entire head. He is depicted with four, six, or eight arms, each holding a weapon. Favored by the Demon Legionnaires, Goblinoids, and Orcs.
YORGASH. Chaotic King of Hell, Lord of the Pit, Father of Demons, Whisperer in the Dark, the Dark Master, the Fiery Doom. Depicted as a classical balrog, complete with fiery sword and whip. Ruler of the Demon Gods, mate of Ninnghiz; Sekruma and Shagrath are their children.
Coinage
The Three Kingdoms use the following coinage:
Copper (cp) Common
Silver (sp) Guilder
Gold (gp) Noble
• 1 gp = 10 sp = 100 cp
• Dwarves, elves, and halflings use the coins of the Three Kingdoms as well as their own.
• Dwarves mint platinum coins known as Plates (pp), each worth 5 Nobles.
• Elves mint electrum coins known as Stars (ep), each worth five Guilders.
• Halflings mint small copper coins called Farthings (fp) they are 4 to the Common, and are used for gifts and tips. They are also commonly minted by the Three Kingdoms, and are called Beggar’s Bits, used to give alms to the poor.
The Demon Empire uses the following coinage:
Copper (cp) Urudu
Silver (sp) Khugu
Gold (gp) Zhavu
The Old Empire and the modern Imperials use the following coinage:
Copper (cp) Denarius
Silver (sp) Argenteus
Gold (gp) Aureus
Barbarians, Nomads, Goblinoids, and Orcs use jewelry, gems, hacksilver, and foreign coins.
