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Pirates of the Tethys Drawing from the style of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies of mixing pirates and monsters. All PHB races are allowed. Backgrounds on the various races are included here, following the general world description. The Great War has left the interior of Felsaf, the Mainland, scarred. This war, by some called the Wizard’s War, has left many people looking at practitioners of arcane magic with suspicion. The arcane arts are not outlawed in most populated areas, but some more rural hamlets have been know to hang witches, warlocks, and the like. The last thriving metropolis on Felsaf is the port city of Tortuga, with its brilliant green citadel. The city itself is governed by a group of lords from the local district. The Council of Lords looks primarily to the economic and military interests of the city. The religious needs of the city are primarily looked after by the Church of Pelor, god of the noon sun, and the foe of the Stormbringer. Many other sects and churches are also found in city, even a number of overtly evil aligned sects that hide themselves in the darkest parts of the city. For all its shining glory and cosmopolitan population, Tortuga is a trouble city; the den of thieves, pirates, and any number of other scoundrels. Nearly all goods that come from the Sea of Islands must first pass through Tortuga. Members of all races make their homes in Tortuga. Humans were the first settlers in this area and are still the most numerous. The great citadel and many other buildings throughout the city have been wrought by the stonecraft of the dwarves. The wondrous gardens of Tortuga were grown from seedlings that the elves carried with them out of their homelands. Recently, gnomes and halflings have begun moving away from their tribes and families to make a living in the city. Even a number of savage humanoids from the far north have made their way to the shining promise of Tortuga and the Sea of Islands. Humans- Humans take to the sea well as they do all things. The City of Tortuga was originally part of a greater human nation, the capital of which was located much further inland. When the Great War laid waste to much of the land further inland, many soldiers, merchants, and adventurers moved here to ply their trades either along the coast or in the Sea of Islands. Notably, Lord Admiral Wilson has vowed to clean up both the City of Tortuga and all the surrounding seas. He has become the primary obstical to all illegimate activity in the area. For the most part, the other members of the Council of Lords ignore illegitimate activities in their districts. Or, some may even “tax” the activities in their districts. Dwarves- The Dwarves of the Stonewright clan were commissioned by the Council of Lords to rebuild the Citadel of Shells in Tortuga. Many of them have decided to relocate themselves permanently to this city of men. The best conventional armor and weaponsmiths are still dwarves. The dwarves largely live in their own quarter of the city, though many of the public houses throughout the city have dwarven proprietors. Elves- The elves migrated en masse when their capital and forest stronghold were overrun by the demons and twisted creations of the Warlocks of the Cibre. They carried many seedlings with them and much knowledge of the arcane. In fact, so intertwined are the elves skills in magic and nature, that many of their wizards and sorcerers will carry wands made of special woods to help them focus their powers. To some extent, elves are the only arcane caster that many people will trust, because they are elves and “they’re supposed to be magical”. On the other hand, the most fearful will distrust all elves even if they are not spell casters of any sort. Gnomes- With the great suspicion and fear of magic, more room has been made for the development of technology. This is where the gnomes have found their place in society. Their natural mechanical inclinations have lead them to be the forerunners in technological development after the great war. The first great discovery was made by the gnomish alchemist, Gimberfizz. He discovered a powder that could be decanted from alchemist fire. When this powder was exposed to fire it would explode violently. The next invention was one of their most important inventions ever: the flintlock musket. Flintlock weapons have become a common sidearm for nearly all people who need any type of protection. They only have one shot, but it packs a wallop. Halflings- Some of the sneakiest rouges and most daring pirates are also the smallest. The halflings have taken to the underworld of Tortuga like fish to water. Natural thieves, pickpockets, and fast talkers, a hafling is the man you want to have in your crew anytime that you want to keep things quiet and on the down low. Half-elves- Half-elves fill the same societal niche in Tortuga that they do in most other places. Half-orcs and other savage humanoids- They also fill the same niche. Notably, they will be hired as muscle on many vessels. However their tendency towards lower intelligence tends to limit their usefulness at running a sailing ship. One notable exception is Grush or as he is normally known, Redbeard. He is one of the most ruthless and feared captains on the Sea of Islands. The Sea of Islands- The port city of Tortuga is located at the northeastern margin of the Tethys Sea, or as it is more commonly known, the Sea of Island. The Tethys is virtually swarming with merchants, traders, and explorers of all kinds. With all these other more legitimate forms of traffic comes piracy. There are hundreds of islands in Tethys, and only a few of them have been settled with in historic memory. There are no complete maps of the sea, and the Council of Lords have offered a sizable sum to the person or company that is the first to provide a complete map of all the sea. Some islands have not been explored by mainlanders for many years. Some have recently been found to house populations of “wild” natives or many different species. In this sea, monsters are a real threat.
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October 19, 2008
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