ANACHRONISMS
While the vast majority of the peoples of the Lands of Ub
live in what can charitably be called “bucolic medieval luxury,” there are no
few seeming anachronisms found here and there, some of them quite public and well
known. This is because the Lands of Ub have gone through many different ups and
downs in science and technology, plus the influence of other-planetary
civilizations, not to mention regular if rare jaunts throughout time and space.
A few notable anachronisms for “the day” include:
Black Powder Weapons: The magic-using dwarves of the Pecos
Freehold broke away from their cousins in the Kingdom of Gold almost a century
ago when they developed Black Powder Magic. The cannons, pistols, muskets,
six-shooters, and rifles created and used in Pecos (and sometimes further
afield) are magical, not technological, and their use is frowned upon by the
Wizards Guild and the Church of Frelengia. These weapons are described in more
detail, elsewhere. Suffice to say that they are rare outside of Pecos, and by
reputation are considered only slightly less damning than witchcraft! Those who
wield black-powder weapons are fairly easy to identify, as they cannot wear
armor other than a leather duster (it interferes with the black powder magic),
and they always wear a Pecos Bonnet (various types of hats usually only worn in
Pecos, a land remarkably without shade).
Clocks: These are simply a development of gnomes and
dwarves, who tinker with such things all the time. Most towns and even some
villages have a clock tower, and many wealthier folk have wind-up pocket
watches. Most folks still just live by the rise and setting of the sun (or
moon).
Disc Phonographs: Similarly, wind-up phonographs and
phonograph record discs are not uncommon. The wealthy are able to keep up with
the latest developments and music, while middle-class folk and even some poorer
folk have sets that they have inherited over the years. Recording studios are
found in most larger civilized towns, and local bands and music stars are all
the rage. As production is still by hand, distribution is local at best, though
true fans go far and wide to find the best recordings.
Flying Ships: These devices are mostly magical, though more
“modern” balloon and lighter-than-air designs are coming into vogue through
gnomish influence. Traditional flying ships were developed by an ancient elven
empire, whose history is lost save for the continuation of the magical
tradition and its name that it lent to it – Voisin. Usually constructed of
elevatingoak and upsidaisium, flying ships vary from the classical sailing-ship
with wings design (designed to also be able to sail on water), to the more
modern biplane design favored by the Luisterdal Luchtvloot (Glitterdale Air
Fleet). Such vehicles are so expensive and rare that usually only states and
the wealthiest nobles or magnates can afford them, but the Glitterdale Air
Fleet has developed cheaper magical lighter-than-air vehicles that have
recently been taking on passengers for pay. So far, they only visit a limited
number of locales, but the travel is faster (if correspondingly more expensive)
than any other means, including horse-drawn streetcars. Cost is 1 gp per mile,
and as they do not fly above any dangerous territories, trips can be somewhat
circuitous.
Photography: Photography is well known; it has been common
since the latter days of the Bugsomagnus Dynasty however, it has not advanced
much since then. Pictures are black-and-white or sepia tone; a camera is a
large, fragile, expensive thing; flash powder is still used; and one must still
sit very still to have one’s picture taken. A sitting usually costs 1 gp per
shot, then pictures themselves cost 1 gp for a wallet-sized up to 100 gp for a
huge wall picture. Artists can add color through special painting processes for
additional fees.
Skyscrapers: Buildings with 10 to 20 floors are not uncommon
in the cities of the Great Warner Valley and are coming into vogue outside that
area. Built of brick and stone, these are architectural developments combining
human, dwarven, and gnomish technologies. When the merchant-towns of the valley
found that they could not build out, due to the need for farmland, they
developed a way to build up. And so, the skyscraper was born.
Streetcars: Another development of the towns of the Great
Warner Valley, horse-drawn streetcars ride iron rails through the major streets
of many larger towns today. Locals pay a monthly fee with a discount, but
strangers have to pay 1 cp per ride. Several horse-drawn rail lines run from
Tradertown to Merchantburg, and from Merchantburg to Vendorville; from
Vendorville one can take a rail to Glitterdale and thence to Warlock, and from
Merchantburg to Highdale and thence to Goldburg (with lines from Highdale now
being built to Silverdale and Warlock). A consortium in Glitterdale seeks to
build a line to Burrowburgh but keeps running into trouble with Svinings Viking
raiders and Things out of the Looney Marsh. Consortiums from Merchantburg and
Vendorville both seek to run a line to Beornburg, but the baron and his people
are resistant to such new-fangled foofaraw. Costs vary depending on the line,
distance, and quality of service.
COINAGE
Most all the Frelengian Successor States continue to use the
old Frelengian coinage system:
10 Copper Kopeks = 1 Silver Simolean
10 Silver Simoleans = 1 Gold Grickle
Each of the Successor States mints its own coins, and most
stay to the weights and measures established centuries ago, but there is enough
coin-clipping and counterfeiting that merchants usually insist on weighing and
testing old coins and foreign coins.
Electrum and platinum are not minted, but they are used in
jewelry:
1 pound of electrum = 5 Gold Grickles
1 pound of platinum = 100 Gold Grickles
The metal used to build flying ships (in combination with
elevatingoak) is the much-sought-after and highly valuable upsidaisium. Found
only in clouds and floating islands that are home to cloud and storm giants, this
metal is very rare. It is worth 500 Gold Grickles per pound.
PRESTIDIGITATORS UNIVERSITY
Most magic-users of the lands of the former Frelengian
kingdom learn their trade at Prestidigitators University, at the Mother College
in Warlock in the Upper Elfdale or one of the many smaller extensions in towns
and cities throughout the lands.
Graduation entitles a magic-user to bear the title “Wizard,”
and prominently wear and display the ancient and honorable emblem of the
university, “Sable, a panther sejant Amaranth a quellazaire in mouth Or holding a gasper
Argent,” a charge of arms granted to Frelengo DeFriz, the founder of
the university, by King Bosco, the founder of Frelengia. Displaying the badge
entitles the wearer to recognition as a gentleman (or gentlewoman), certain
rights and privileges of law, and often discounts at many shop locations throughout
the lands. Graduation from P.U. enables the magic-user to hold all manner of
positions and jobs often limited by law to graduates of the school, such as
court magicians, guild wizard, and so forth. They are automatically registered
as a member of the Wizards Guild (an inter-state organization), though they
must pay guild dues to remain in good standing.
While in training, a would-be-wizard is known as an
Apprentice of the Arcane Arts (A.A.A.). Beginning at 1st level he becomes a
Bachelor of the Arcane Arts (B.A.A.); at 7th level he may become a Master of
the Arcane Arts (M.A.A.); and at 13th level he may become a Doctor of the
Arcane Arts (D.A.A.). Advancement to Master and Doctorate levels require the
wizard return to P.U. and present an original spell they have created of the
minimal level required for that grade (4th for Masters, 7th for Doctorate).
Each level of spell mastered is also a ranking, known as an
Order of Rank; Thus, all Journeymen are of 1st to 3rd Order; all Masters are of
4th to 6th Order; and all Doctors are 7th to 9th Order.
Being a wizard also requires strict adherence to the Ancient
and Honorably Arcane Sumptuary Laws of Frelengia whenever in public. A wizard
must wear classical wizard robes, belt, slippers, and brimless pointy hat, of a
color of their choice, with a pattern depending on Order of Rank within the
hierarchy:
Sumptuary Requirements
Rank/Level – Levels -- Pattern Required
Journeyman -- 1st to 6th -- Copper moons, suns, and stars
Master -- 7th to 12th -- Silver moons, suns, and stars
Doctor -- 13th+ -- Gold moons, suns, and stars
The color of the robes, belt, hat, and slippers are at the
discretion of the wizard; however, certain sub-guilds are known for wearing
particular colors. Each sub-guild has a specific color within that color type,
and frown upon others wearing that specific color type.
Black (Eerie Black): Death Magic(Necromancy)
Black (Eigengrau): Darkness Magic
Blue (Ultramarine): Water Magic
Brown (Burnt Umber): Earth Magic
Gray (Feldgrau): Black Powder Magic(Gunsmithy)
Gray (Gunmetal): Force Magic (“pure” magic)
Green (Forest Green): Nature Magic
Indigo (Azure): Air Magic
Orange (Amber): Evocation/Invocation Magic
Pink (Amaranth): Enchantment/Charm Magic
Red (Scarlet): Fire Magic
Violet (Tyrian Purple): Divination/Information Magic
White (Ivory): Protection Magic(Apotropaism)
White (Snow White): Light Magic
Yellow (Gold): Summoning/Conjuring Magic
Wizards must also carry, at all times, a wizard staff
(quarterstaff) and a wavy dagger, whether magical or otherwise.
P.U. Benefits
Good old P.U. gives all its students an excellent start in
the arcane trade. All graduates start with a spell book filled with all 12 of
the basic 1st level magic-user spells, plus two 2nd and one 3rd level spells of
choice.
However, not all students graduate. If a character wants to
have graduated from P.U., they must roll a percentile check against the total
of their Wisdom and Charisma scores multiplied by four. If they roll above this
number, they wash out (d8 to determine year, 8 means they failed in the first
1d4 weeks), and unless accepted into another school of magic, they are treated
as a Hedge Mage or Meadow Witch, with a total number of 1st level spells in
their spell book equal to the number of years before they washed out, or the
Hedge Mage/Meadow Witch total, at a minimum.
Major Campuses of Prestidigitators University
In general, in descending order of prominence, respect, and
resources:
Warlock, Upper Elfshire (P.U.N.C., “National Campus”)
Alville, East Elfland (P.U.K.E., “Kingdom of the Elves”)
Burrowburgh, Carrot County (P.U.C.C.)
Magus, Old Elfshire (P.U.M.A., “Magus Annex”))
Glitterdale, Barony of Glitterdale (P.U.G.D.)
Goldburg, Kingdom of Gold (P.U.G.B.)
Highdale, Regal Realm (P.U.R.R.)
Merchantburg (P.U.M.B.)
Tradertown (P.U.T.T.)
Vendorville (P.U.V.V.)
Settburgh, Badgershire (P.U.B.S.)
Coppertown, Lower Kettle (P.U.L.K.)
