Situated on the southern bank of the River Wye in the Cantref Selyf region of Brycheiniog, a hillfort has stood on the hills overlooking the river since the Holy Empire first established a highway and bridge here centuries ago in the lands formerly known as Garth Madrun Continue reading Bridgeford, Keep on the Brycheiniog Borderlands
As previously discussed, you’ve got your Edimmu (Ghosts, Shadows, Banshee, and Spectres) Gallûs (Ghouls and Ghasts) Rabisu (Vampires, Mummies, and Raksasa) All of those are “unnaturally occurring”. You’ve also got your Skeletons and your Zombies, which are raised by the sorcery of a necromancer. Then you’ve got a variety of creatures that only the Church has categorized, such as the Draugr, Mohrg, and Wight-Wolf. Continue reading The Undead of Lyonesse
In deference to modern sensibilities, Perilous Paths has witches, but they’re not the agents of chaos, evil, and depravity that the historical context would indicate. The loan word in Parsik and Common for darkling witches of either gender who practice infernal sorcery is “ýâtu”, and their dark art “ýâtavô”. The Code of Hammurabi (1.) has things to say about witchcraft, and the context is specifically … Continue reading Witchcraft
The common (trade) tongue is Latin. In the Empire, pretty much everyone regardless of caste (including the Ardu) can speak Latin, plus whatever regional dialect is local to them. The Mushkenu (middle class) of the Empire were literate in the common tongue as well. This was one of the defining features of the Mushkenu, in fact. So, scholars and scribes and teachers may be penniless … Continue reading Language and Literacy in the Empire
The Sumerian “Seven gods who decree” your fate in the city of the dead are: An, Enlil, Enki, Ninhursag, Nanna, Utu, and Inanna. An is the Babylonian Anu. Patron of the nobility, and (literally) patriarchy. The god-kings of the Holy Empire have his blood flowing in their veins. Also, fun fact, where the “Anu” at the beginning of “Anunakki” comes from. Enlil is the Babylonian … Continue reading Meet the Anunnaki
So, a fairly positive spin on “Of Chaos” presented to human worshipers of the cults goes like this: In the beginning, existence was a formless, infinite void of possibility and connection Time and Death arrived; destabilizing the whole thing (the universal consciousness) to fear, loss, and regret Pettty tyrants known to mankind as gods prospered by putting the jackbooted heels of oppression against the week … Continue reading Hare Krishna and the Cults of Chaos
Friendly: clear skies, moderate breeze (1d4 for direction), no precipitation Indifferent: cloudy skies, no wind, no precipitation Neutral: overcast skies, moderate breeze (1d8 for direction), intermittent fog Unfriendly: stormy skies, light wind (1d8 for direction), light precipitation Hostile: Stormy skies and lightning strikes, heavy wind (1d4 for direction), occasional dangerous precipitation Continue reading How’s the Weather?
Psych! Different kind of PC than you’re thinking. If I establish the Demon Queen of Sorcery, when there’s a Father of Miracles, am I just furthering the work of the patriarchy? I mean, necromancers and hags have to get their inspiration from somewhere. Note: As previously mentioned, Wizards and Witches are not inherently of Chaos, but magic is. And likewise necromancers and hags. Although some … Continue reading PC Needs
No luck in Labyrinth Lord, Swords & Wizardry, Adventurer Conqueror King System. Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game (core rules) neither, but their “Equipment Emporium” does. But I’m a sufficient veteran of the primitive economics wars that I go straight to the listings for metal, and see, per pound: Copper, 9 pennies. Tin, 20 pennies. Bronze, 7 pennies. Get the hell out of here with that … Continue reading Looking for Trade Goods
The Imperial Calendar is based on the Neo-Babylonian calendar (which was actually a thing). It’s “Lunisolar”, which is to say the months are based on lunar cycles (the first night of every month is the young crescent moon after the new moon, and the last is the night of the new moon), but the years are based on solar cycles (the first day of every … Continue reading Imperial Calendar
Perilous Paths 