Yet another fantasy setting.

[Iconoclast_]

Thinking about the setting, and thought up some notes on other races in the setting. I'll start with the big three, then start listing the other races as memory serves. (I need to get the ideas out of my head and onto paper, or electronic format)

Humans: Humans were made by the ancient creator as a gift for his children. When Dondro and Adara found humans, they fought over who would control them, because as we all know, kids sometimes have trouble sharing. After a brief struggle, Dondro won the fight and claimed humanity as his prize, which is why humans are a race devoted to civilization and order. Out of spite, Adara claimed the beasts of the field as her "people" and created the spirit beasts, animals who can change into humans. As the creation of the ancient maker of the universe, humans have the ability to use any form of magic, but since they were claimed by Dondro, they are aligned with order and Adara's chaotic nature magic will drive humans insane if they attempt to use it. Humans are the only race in the universe (with the exception of the gods, and maybe the dragons) who can use weaver magic, a style of magic centered around reshaping reality by rethreading the magical cloth that blankets the universe. Humans (or rather, human souls) are the prize the three elemental gods fight over to claim dominion over the element of earth. If a human aligns to one of the three elemental gods, they will spend the afterlife with that deity when they die.

Creations of Weaver magic, Canines and Bovines: During the reign of the first emperor, the discovery of Weaver magic allowed the early magic-users to change animals into human form. Dogs and Cattle are the most well known creation of the early Weavers, and it is unknown what other animals may have been changed during this time. As the creation of humans, Canines and Bovines are able to align to the elemental gods and use the elemental magic associated with that deity. Like humans, Canines and Bovines will attend the afterlife of whatever elemental god they chose to align with. While Canines and Bovines are unable to join the nobility, that is about the limit to upward mobility placed upon them, and it's quite easy for them to become a rich merchant or make their fortune as an elementalist. Many Canines and Bovines, however, strive for more modest professions, like joining the local militia or town patrol, where they tend to excel because of they natural abilities.

Spirit Beasts: After Dondro claimed humanity, Adara became upset with her husband and claimed the beasts of the land as her people. This led the two gods to their eternal dispute, and the endless chase they engage in for the remainder of time. While not all animals are spirit beasts, in fact quite few truly are, those that do manifest the magic of Adara and can shape change into human form and use the chaotic nature magic of the moon goddess. Which animal manifests the ability to become a spirit beast seems to be random, largely reflecting the chaos of the magic that grants them their ability. Spirit beasts all have the ability to speak with and understand animals. This ability works much like telepathy, and doesn't require actual speech, though most Spirit Beasts who use this ability do actually speak when they communicate. While changing back into an animal is nearly instant, changing into a human requires a successful Disguise skill roll. Most Spirit Beasts retain some aspect of their animal form when changed into a human, typically a tail or ears. Tanuki are a notable exception to this.
A Spirit Beast's personality will vary as much as a humans, from friendly and flirtatious, to angry and standoffish. The type of animal the Spirit Beast came from will determine it's personality to a degree, as Felines tend to friendlier towards humans than Tengu are, but there is a great deal of variety of personalities among individual species. All Spirit Beasts tend to be cautious with humans they don't know.

Dragons: Dragons were created to be the playmates of the gods, and so they wield power most people cannot even fathom. Dragons employ a unique form of magic they invented, and most of them have centuries of experience at using draconic magic. In addition, they are inhumanly durable, as they needed to survive their time with the, rather careless, child gods. The only known "dragon slayer" was a human who ventured into a cave owned by a dragon, looking for treasure to steal. He was they only survivor, and was kept alive simply to amuse the ancient being. When he told the dragon a joke, the dragon laughed loudly and told the prisoner "Ha, you kill me!" which earned him the title. He later escaped with his life and a handful of gold coins. It's unknown if any Dragon has ever even died in the world's history.
Dragons regard humans in much the same way a human will regard a mouse. When a dragon encounters a human, the first impulse will be to scare the little creature off. If that fails, they will either chase the person away with magic and flames, or trap the person to keep around for their amusement. If a person is especially persistent and annoying, the dragon may decide to just kill the pest. If a human can manage to amuse a dragon, it's possible they could be rewarded for the effort, depending on the dragon's temperament.
Dragon's don't need to eat (or breathe) but instead live off the magical energy of the universe. Sometimes, however, a dragon will want to experience a taste of food, and will "disappear" a sheep or pig. A dragon's body is filled with energy, and a discovered part of a dragon, like a shed scale, is a powerful magical artifact. Any character capable of using magic will "feel' the magic energy radiating off a dragon's body part.

Sea Life: The creatures of the sea in the world of Panthus. Most are unassociated with any of the gods or forces of the world, but can sometimes be seen by sailors. They are not available to players as playable characters, as they are so strongly associated with the oceans, and most cannot come out of the seas for long periods of time. I may write up the Selkie as a playable race later, however. With the exception of the Sea Serpent, eating the flesh of these creatures is considered cannibalism.

Sea Serpents: It is unknown if Sea Serpents are monstrous eels or sea snakes, but they are extremely dangerous. Ranging in size from ten to thirty meters, they have long serpentine bodies and huge maws that can rip the planks off a ship. Some of the larger specimens are alleged to be large enough to wrap their bodies around whole galleons and squeeze the ship to it's timbers. Encounters with sea serpents are rare, but typically deadly. The most common time to encounter a sea serpent was just after the War of the Three Princes, when the massive explosion shook the oceans and stirred thousands of these creatures into a frenzy. They typically eat fish, but will happily supplement their diet with a random sailor.
Most maritime merchant groups have a bounty on these creatures, and it's possible to earn a thousand gold for the corpse of a sea serpent. It's also possible to die trying to collect on this bounty, and few even try.

Dolphins: Sailors consider Dolphins to be good luck charms, any they are thrilled when a pack rides by. When a Dolphin is within 50 meters of a ship, the crew gains a bonus "luck die" to all skill rolls. Dolphins speak Aquatic, so it's possible to talk to them. They typically talk about how delicious fish are, but still...

Selkie: Spirit Beasts of seals, they are sometimes seen along the coasts. Typically oblivious of people, they have been known to save the occasional drowning sailor. Selkie speak Aquatic, so it's possible to convince a Selkie to help out a crew, typically for a meal of fish or other goodies. Selkie tricksters can use their magic to affect the seas and sea life.

Mermaids: There are actually two types of mermaids, Merrow, the tradition half-human and half fish merfolk, and the Cecaelia, half-human and half octopus. Mermaids are cautious around humans, but typically friendly. Both types of mermaids can breath air and water, and can grant the ability to breath underwater with a kiss. The mermaid's population is two thirds female, which is why most mermaids seen by humans are usually female.
Mermaids are sometimes caught in fishing nets, and a smart fisherman will throw her back. A mermaid's friendship is worth a ship full of gold, but killing a mermaid will earn the wrath of their kind, and it's thought they can convince Aquanos to sink the ships of those people who've wronged them.
It's unknown what the society of the merfolk is like, but rumors swirl about like a water cyclone. Some claim they have cities of gold, deep under the oceans. Others claim they live in villages made of woven sea weed, while still others claim they live in sea caves and seek out humans to cure their boredom. No one knows for sure.

[glinbog]

Iconoclast_,

I think your setting is comming along really well. I love your Weaver Magic concept and the concept is fantastic. very intresting world your building up.

Just wondering, what the CURRENT state of the world is?

G

[Iconoclast_]

Iconoclast_,

Just wondering, what the CURRENT state of the world is?

Sorry, I never got around to answering you. (I got obsessed with the Holiday achievements in WOW)

The Current state of the world is one to relative peace. This is the time when the wars have been fought, and people are ready to explore, expand, trade, and make themselves wealthy or powerful.

The Nobles have lost a good but of political power to the senates of each of the three continents. The merchant class is growing in power, as power for a merchant is just more wealth, and wealth can "buy" influence in the senate, they are likely to become major players in politics in the future. Though this may require butting heads with the nobility.

It's actually rather easy to build a sizable fortune in Panthus. Though, it's even easier to loose everything, as a stray typhoon or attack by sea-serpents can wipe out your assets in mere minutes.

The most valuable asset to possess, is land. Land can grow crops, which can be sold. This is how the Nobility make their money. After this, owning your own ship is a somewhat safe asset, as you can transport people and cargo, which is a good way to make easy money. However, while it takes an army to steal land, a few pirates or a dangerous sea-serpent can rob you of your ship.

Weavers can "make" money by creating objects in great demand. Among the most valuable is a Stasis Box, a simple wooden box that keeps anything kept inside it from aging (or rotting). Especially narcissistic nobles often desire a large stasis box turned into a coffin, which can easily cost 10,000 gold pieces, though it can take over a year to turn a noble-quality coffin (about 100 gp) into a Stasis Coffin. A weaver can make a Stasis Coffin entirely out of the fabric of magic, though this takes 3 years to accomplish, so it's more cost effective to hire a tradesman to make a masterwork coffin and just convert it over.
Smaller stasis boxes, the size of small packing crates, can sell for 1000 to 5000 gp. Rather expensive if you just want to eat fruit in the middle of winter.

The other way to make a fortune, loot the relics of ancient imperial ruins for long forgotten technology. The person who finds out how to make Airships has just found a secret that is literally worth an Emperor's ransom. Even the smallest secret of the ancient imperial weavers is worth a lot of money. However, the corpses of those hoping to make their fortune this way litter the monster infested ruins of the old empire.

Not much safer, an elementalist aligned to Aquanos or Vespir can cast water-breathing on himself and dive to the sea-floor looking to loot sunken ships of their cargo. The lost fortunes of entire fleets await discovery. Though also, there are creatures of the sea, lurking down below and searching for their next meal. Is it worth the danger?

But most people would rather make their fortune the safe way, working for it. The streets of every large city are filled with vendors selling breads, cookies, and pastries made fresh that morning. They can by the ingredients for 5 silver and sell the food for 1 or 2 copper pieces each, easily doubling or tripling their money if sales are good. (and any leftovers mean you won't starve that day) While it's a safe way to make money, it's not easy, and takes a lot of preparation to cook the goods.

And if you do make a fortune, you'll need to hire a bodyguard to make sure no one tries to make their fortune by taking yours by knife-point. With the wars over, paranoid merchants are eager to put a soldier to work guarding a ship, caravan, or just themselves and their family. Bodyguards also tend to get free meals as a bonus. The wealth of a merchant is often displayed by the number of armed guards that follow him around.

Well, there are other ideas I'm sure you can think of. I'll get to work on the Social Classes in the setting.

[Iconoclast_]

Social Status (looks like I lost the original document, I'll type up what I remember and edit in the rest later.)

First, the exchange rate: In Panthus, 1 gold piece (weighing about a shekel, or 1/40th of a pound) is worth 20 silver pieces. A silver piece (same weight) is worth about 20 copper pieces. This exchange rate was set by the Emperor millennia ago, and while there are fluctuations in the value of some metals, for example if a silver mine is found, the exchange rate has kept pretty stable throughout the years, as gold pieces are dug off the sea-floor or rich silver deposits are lost at sea. Clipping of coins is illegal, and merchants are careful to weigh every coin to make sure they aren't being shorted by shady criminals. While coins with the imperial seal are now exceedingly rare, most of the nobles have kept to this tradition of coin-making and the merchant classes are especially tough on those who seek to deface coins. Many noble houses place their own face on the coinage they mint, and several merchant groups have been given permission to mint their own coins, but the value of the coin is based on it's weight, not who's face is one the front.


Slaves: While slavery is not illegal in the world of Panthus, it is extremely rare. The owning of another person as property is looked down upon by most of the populace and a slave-owner will find little help in getting an escaped slave returned to them. In fact, most people will be sympathetic to the slave, and try to help them escape. Anyone wanting to own another person as a slave will have to find some way to coerce the person into accepting their position and not trying to escape. Typically, only criminal groups try to employ slave labor, like pirates who own their own island and need someone to work the fields.

Indentured Servant: While slavery is looked down upon, slavery's kissing cousin, indentured servitude, is widely accepted by the populace. Essentially slavery with a time limit, a contract is drawn up and a price paid for a set time of service. This is the typical fate of those who can't pay off a debt, or are simply too unlucky to make it on their own doing day labor. Sometimes, an especially unsavory type will sell their own children into servitude, though the law prevents any term of service longer than 10 years for children. There are only a few laws pertaining to this practice, but they all serve to protect the servant. Among them, the owner of an indentured servant must feed their servant for the duration, cannot do harm to their servant, nor command them to do anything that would cause themselves harm, they cannot be told to perform any crime, and a servant must be released at the end of their term. Often, the servant will have the date of their release tattooed into their body when the contract is signed.
Nobles buy most contracts for Indentured servants, though an increasing number of merchants are also taking up the practice.

Peasant: Most of the world's population is made up of rural farmers who work the many fields in need of planting or harvesting. The life of a peasant is hard, but not unbearable. While the workday is about 12 hours long, and the pay a meager 10 copper a day, there are some benefits to being a peasant farmer (okay, cheap beer).

The most common form of peasant is the wandering freeman. Traveling from crop to crop and field to field, they labor for their money. They are free to go where they please, but are not paid very well for their labor. Typically, peasants will travel in a circuit, from farm-field to farm-field, working the same crops year after year. Typically, they expect poor pay but decent treatment by the landowner. At the end of the day, they receive their pay, provided they filled their quota, and spend their night in the local inn, eating and drinking and resting till morning, only to awake the next day and start harvesting again or move on to the next farm. The advantage to the peasant life is a reduced cost for food, beer, and sleeping arrangements. Prices found in the inn are listed below. Farm owners who don't pay their workers properly or set unreasonable quotas often find they have few people to work their fields, so there is a natural balance built into the system that keeps things fair for the peasant.
1cp A loaf of bread.
1cp A bowl of soup.
1cp A pint of beer.
1cp A hammock for the night.
5cp Half a cooked chicken. (this is worth about 3 silver in the city)
6cp A ham hock. (worth about 5 silver in the big city)
3cp A bed to sleep in for the night. (this is about 10 cp for travelers visiting the inn, the peasants get a discount)
Most peasants will spend all of their money before the end of the night, mostly on beer. A bed can be shared if the peasant finds someone they'd like to share their bed with, though this often results in the creation of children, and the peasant being coerced into becoming a landed peasant.

The landed peasant has traded the freedom of traveling to where they like and demanding fair treatment, for a small parcel of land on which they can build a house. They are typically paid much less than a freeman, usually per bushel harvested, but they can supplement their reduced income by growing a small garden near their home, and any livestock they can raise. Should a landed peasant decide they are no longer willing to work for the landowner, the forfeit the house they built, as well as all the possessions inside, which is then transfered to the landowner, and then typically to another peasant eager to own a fully furnished home. Few peasants are willing to surrender a lifetime of possessions for the open road, and often a house is passed down to the eldest son or the son-in-law of their eldest daughter. Sometimes, several generations will live in the same house, with several family members going into the field to earn their keep. Children of a landed peasant can become wandering freeman or acquire their own patch of land to build their own house.

The innkeeper is a variation on the landed peasant. Granted a much larger patch of land, they are expected to build a much larger building and house the various rough peasants that show up to harvest the crop. While they are not expected to harvest the crops themselves, they need to make sure that the peasants are fed and housed when they finish their work in the fields. Often they grow extra food in a garden and keep a large henhouse to feed the people who visit the inn. Stables for horses and a pigpen to raise extra meat are also common. Usually the entire family works to make sure the peasants are fed and kept in booze. Sometimes the family running the inn will hire an indentured servant to work at the inn, typically the young children of peasants who shared a bed and had an unexpected surprise several months later. Inns typically have two floors, with beds on the top floor, and several support beams on which hammocks are strung up on the lower floor. The proceeds the innkeeper collects from the peasants (and any other people who visit the inn) are usually split evenly between the innkeeper and the landowner. Some innkeepers brew their own beer, while others just purchase whole tankards of booze from merchants, or have the landowner purchase the booze or brew it at another site.

City Folk.
Freeman Laborer. Many peasants move to the big city to make it big and earn more money, only to find out what a poor choice they've made. While a person working in the city has a much shorter workday, usually 6 to 8 hours, and 1 silver for that work, they find that money doesn't go as far in the expensive city. While the choice of what a person can purchase with their money is much more varied in the cities, from spiced breads and exotic fruits to clothing made on other continents or out of magical cloth, this extensive choice is much more expensive than people in rural areas are used to. Even simple staple foods, like bread and beer, are typically twice or three times what they are closer to the farms. Likewise, rent is usually much more expensive, and a common laborer can find even a small room costs more then they'll make in a month. Not surprisingly, crime is common in the cities, as everyone is struggling to get ahead.
Still, many people do try to make it. A couple can make their rent if they both work, or if they agree to share their place with another couple. Though this requires finding someone you can trust, and that's not easy. Some chose to take a more dangerous job, to make more money, or hire themselves out on ships, making a living at sea and returning home with the earnings. Still, for unskilled labor, the jobs are easy to find, but don't pay as well as they should.

Tradesman and Skilled Labor. The best way to make it in the big city is to get a job as an apprentice and learn a trade. This pays even worse than day labor, but includes room and a meal (and usually 1 cp for extra food or beer). An Apprenticeship can last for two to five years, after which the student becomes a journeyman can can go into business for themselves. However, becoming a journeyman means you have to find people to hire you, and many students (the smart ones) spend their apprenticeship making connections and learning who's hiring as much as they learn their trade. Tradesman usually get paid by the job, rather than by the day, and usually not until after the work in complete. After several years of working at a trade, a tradesman becomes a master, and can hire apprentices of his own.

Criminals. Since it's so hard to make a living in the city, many people turn to crime to fill the coin-purse. Muggers, who rob people at knife-point, are the most obvious of these, though they make up a small part of the crime in a city, and usually get the most attention from the city guard. Burglars sneak into buildings to steal money or goods. Sometimes this is from people's homes, but more often it involves robbing shops and warehouses. They often have to contend with complex locks and armed guards. Those that are caught stealing are usually not brought to the authorities, and few authorities ask questions when a burglar is found floating down the river. In larger cities, the criminals can form a syndicate, where they rob merchants by bribing caravan drivers to "forget" items on the journey. Criminal gangs who manage to acquire a ship are known as pirates. Most pirates end up suffering from some unpleasant fate, either severe malnutrition or a violent death, but a few manage to make it big, and claim whole islands for their domain. These "Pirate Kings" often take people as slave labor to work in the fields and grow food for the crew. Typically this ends in a violent revolt, or with the "king" getting unlucky at sea and leaving the slaves free to make their own fate in the aftermath.

Warriors: If a person has any skill at all with weapons, they can try their hand at being a mercenary. Politically, a soldier is not much above a peasant. They fight for whoever will pay them, and this can be a dangerous occupation. When two people are involved in a conflict, one of them will likely lose, and when there are swords and axes involved in this conflict, that can mean losing a limb. The wars are mostly over now, and the nobles aren't hiring mercenaries like they used to. This means people trained to fight must find someone who's looking for their skills, and thankfully there are several groups now in need of a good sword-arm. Many cities are growing tired of the crime that has some to infest their streets, and the need for city guards, people willing to patrol the city and fight the criminals that have been having a field day in their towns. Likewise, the same criminals are looking for someone to protect them from overzealous city guards, though mostly they prefer to simply bribe the town guards to look away while they pull off their heist. This has led several merchants to hiring their own guards, to protect their assets while on land and then at sea. Caravan guards have always been able to find work. More recently, adventuring groups have been looking for skilled warriors to guard them from whatever may decide an adventuring party would make a good snack. This last group may be the most dangerous employer of all.

In the times when a warrior cannot find work in the city, they can become entertainers in the local pit-fighting scene. Gladiatorial combat among pugilists can make a bit of money and a lot of fame for the fighters, and the "five bags" armed combat is often popular among the spectators, where the gladiators, armed with swords and wearing light leather armor, attempt to cut open five blood-filled goat's stomachs sewn onto the armor, with a prize for the last warrior without "popped pouches". The fame and prestige these fights bring is often better than the money, and there are sometimes casualties in these supposedly safe sports.

One notable type of warrior is the Guardian. While it's possible for a person to simply purchase the enhancement from a Weaver, few people (much less common soldiers) have the kind of money it takes to purchase it outright. As such, a Weaver will sometimes enhance a person with the powers of a Guardian, in exchange for that person serving as the personal bodyguard of the Weaver for a set amount of time. This is typically done via a contract, similar to Indentured Servitude, though sometimes this is far less formal. A Guardian can boost their Strength and Reflexes for a short time when they enter combat, making them more effective (and valued) than the average warrior.

Merchants: Among the most egalitarian of groups in civilized society, this is the highest that a Canine, Bovine, or Spirit Beast can rise in political power, though usually this is adequate for most people. Since only humans can join the nobility, as the only way one can become a noble is though birth or marriage, and it's unheard of for a senator to be anything but human (though, technically, it's not impossible). From the lowly peddler making coin on the street, to the merchant prince, negotiating his future marriage to a baron's daughter, the merchant class is the highest most people will ever rise to in life. Merchants have the potential to make it rich, and for a merchant, wealth is rank. This tends to make merchants a bit paranoid, as losing wealth means losing rank, and no one ever wants to lose either.

The peddler is the lowest rung on the ladder of the merchant class. Street vendors and wandering salesmen, they ply their goods to whoever will pay the most for them, or anything for them, quite often. Peddlers often have little money and must buy the cheapest items they think they can sell, and then sell it to whoever is willing to pay the most for it. Often, this will require a lot of travel. Street vendors, who typically sell food they cooked themselves, are the most common type of peddler, though sometimes a tradesman will hire a peddler to sell the wares they make.

A Shopkeeper is simply a peddler who has made enough money to purchase a building to work out of. Often this can mean a better quality of goods, but not always. Since a Shopkeeper has a steady location to work from, sellers will know where to go to sell to the shopkeeper, and buyers of his goods know where to go to complain if the quality isn't worth what they paid for. A shopkeeper will often work with a tradesman, the shopkeeper out front selling the goods that a tradesman in the back mass produces. Unfortunately, a shop also means criminals know where to go to rob someone, so shops must invest more in protection.

A caravan leader travels from some place where goods (usually food) are produced, and takes them to where they are to be sold and consumed. There are many different types of goods a caravan will haul, from hay for livestock, to cheese wheels from dairy farms, to lumber for a city, or ore from a mine to a smelter. Sometimes the caravan itself is hired to haul the goods, but more often the caravan leader will purchase the goods at one location and then sell them in another. Because a caravan is a massive target on the roads, a large flag for the criminal types, large numbers of guards must be hired to protect the cargo. This cuts into the profits, but a caravan leader will still usually make a living in this trade.

Like a Caravan, cargo can be transported over the sea to a destination. Sea travel allows larger amounts of goods to be hauled much faster than overland caravans, but with pirates, sea-serpents, and freak storms, it's just as dangerous, if not more. A small crew can carry several tons (depending on the ship) half way around the world, as long as food supplies hold out and the cargo doesn't spoil before the destination is reached. Some merchants hire out ships to haul their cargo, while other merchants purchase the ships and own them outright. The richest of merchant princes own whole fleets of ships, though this is rare.

Nobles: The Nobility are descended, they claim, from the ministers who originally served at the first Emperor's court. While just about every claimant to the imperial throne died in the massive explosion that rocked the world and split the land into three continents, several ministers, bureaucrats, and scholars managed to escape the fighting and flee to the far corners of the empire before the disaster. Originally hired as mere administrators over the lands, they eventually began to think of the lands as their own and started to rule over them not as hired overseers, but instead as princes ruling their domains. They hired armies to keep the peace, and then to enforce their rule over the people. As little really changed at this time, most of the peasants just ignored the change in leadership, and went about their business trying to survive and produce another generation of the endangered human race. Over time the Nobles grew in power, but recent events have caused the authority of the noble class to shift to the senate, and this will likely cause strife in the future, as the two groups struggle to come to terms with who really lead the nations.

Arch-Duke: The highest rank among the nobility. This rank is reserved for people who rule several dukedoms, and thus, a notable percentage of the continent. The only current Arch-Duke is the aging Duke Hawthorne of the northern continent, though his death will likely mean his lands are divided up among his sons, who will likely start a war over who controls which territory.

Duke: A duke owns a grant of land consisting of several counties. Typically a Duke rules at the Capitol city or Castle. Usually, a Duke will allow several counts and barons rule the lands under his domain, receiving a regular stipend from the lesser nobles in exchange for rule over their domain. The Duke is responsible for overseeing disputes between nobles under his rule. When a Duke dies, the Duchess takes the throne until the eldest prince comes of age.

Viscount: A viscount is simply a Count who rules over more than one county, usually achieved through marriage. At the rare times when a Viscount rules 50% or more of the counties of a Dukedom, they are instead titled a Marquise, and eligible to marry into the royal family (usually an illegitimate female heir) or alternately, put in line to ascend to the throne as Duke behind the royal princes.

Count: A Count rules over a county. A county is a territory that exceeds 500 square miles in size. Smaller than this and the territory is a Barony. Typically a prince is given a county to rule over to prove he has what it takes to administrate the dukedom. Counties sometimes are divided into two or three baronies, with the count ruling over these territories in the same way the Duke rules over his domain, but more often the Count is administrator over all of the territory.

Baron: A Baron rules over a Barony, a territory of less than 500 square miles. Baronies are typically carved out of a county if the noble ruling the territory has two or three heirs and doesn't wish to have a power struggle for rule of the domain. Often, a pair of Baronies can be united by the intermarriage of two noble houses, and this is sometimes enough territory to qualify as a county, dealing a promotion in rank to the married couple.
Often several territories can be split up between two heirs, only to be combined into different territories when the sons marry nobles of neighboring lands. This makes cartography very hard for map-makers.

Sire: The lowest of the noble classes, often given to illegitimate heirs, a Sire rules over a Shire, a parcel of land consisting of less than 25 square miles. Sometimes the title is given to those outside the nobility as a reward for performing a service to the nobility (it was especially common for rich merchants to receive this title after helping fund the war a noble was waging.) or particular valor in battle alongside a nobleman, though in these cases the title is just that, and doesn't necessarily include a land grant. Not much more powerful, politically, than a mayor, the Sire does have the one advantage of the nobility, the right to demand hostel from any landed peasant in the Dukedom, though the peasants are allowed to request compensation if the noble stays more than one night. A Sire, while technically a noble, does not have the right to ascend to the throne.

Disclaimer: These titles are assigned as such for the game. Do not use the above information as research for homework or tests at school, should the information be required in your studies.

Okay, that's it for now. I'll add more to the list later.

[Iconoclast_]

Scholars, Intellectuals, and Bureaucrats.

Senators: Originally the senate was devised to serve the nobility by establishing a neutral body where the various nobles could peacefully negotiate their differences. Over the centuries the function of the senate has changed greatly, and in some ways they are now just as powerful as the nobility. While the nobility function as rulers and administrators over their personal territories, the Senate serves a similar role for the continent as a whole, drafting legislation and adopting taxes that affect the entire continent, though mostly in the cities where the laws are enforced the strongest.
When the senate was originally founded, one senator from each Country or Barony was sent to the senate, subject to approval by the Duke overseeing that territory. This was typically a trusted advisor or experienced magistrate from the court. To balance things in the senate, Counties with a large city in their territory were allowed to field another senator to represent that city. This lasted for many centuries until the great societal shake ups that caused senators to be elected directly by the people they represent.
Now the Senators are elected by a vote of every landed peasant, villager, and registered city dweller from that barony, county, or city. Typically, a popular mayor will win the election to the senate, or a magistrate appointed by the local noble who has proven to be popular among the people during his time with the court. Ballot collectors, sent out once every 5 years as the senator's term nears renewal or a replacement is needed, go door to door with slips of paper for the person heading the house to vote. Obviously, there is a lot of corruption with this method, and many senators are elected "for life" because of bribes to the Ballot Collectors. The peasants tend not to care, as they rarely understand the political structure well enough to care who is the senator ruling over them.
Senators are granted a small stipend for their work (from the taxes collected), though most make much larger amounts by accepting bribes from Merchants and Nobles to vote a certain way on a pending bill.

Ministers and Magistrates: While the Nobles are charged with ruling over and administrating the land they own, most of the actual work of running the government is handled by a body of ministers. Overseeing these ministers is the magistrate of the court, who is nearly as powerful as the noble himself. In addition to collecting taxes and balancing the budget for the territory, Ministers are the first people that visitors see when they come to the noble court to settle a legal dispute, or on the rare occasions when a criminal case isn't solved "in the field" and needs to be resolved in front of the ruling noble. This requires the skills of both an accountant and a lawyer, and many ministers are very learned scholars.
When a criminal case or legal dispute is brought to the court for the noble to rule on, it is the magistrate who decides what order the cases will be seen in. It's a good idea to be very nice to the magistrate, as some rude individuals have been left to wait for up to a week until their case is resolved. In addition, if the Noble in charge has other work he wants to do (either with his generals or his wife's handmaiden) instead of deciding cases, the job can be handed off to the magistrate to act as regent in his interim.
Ministers are typically treated very well for the work they do, even if the pay isn't the best. They will typically eat as well as the nobles themselves, though they will have to wait until the noble family has finished eating, out of deference. And free housing in the castle is always nice. For this reason, many ministers work very hard to make sure the court and rule of the noble is very stable and secure.

Mayors: Every city, town, and village will elect a Mayor to administrate for a number of years. The elected mayor is then allowed to hire a number of underlings to help in this administration, based on the size of the area being ruled over. In a small village this could simply be the Mayor's wife, while large cities may have whole teams of administers that rival the noble court and are simply adopted by each succeeding mayor. The mayor is allowed to draft local taxes for the town, and is sometimes charged with collecting taxes for the noble ruling over the territory, from which a local "surcharge" can then be added. Most often, the mayor will put a tax on merchants and sales by tradesmen, that will likely hit wealthy travelers (that is adventurers) more than the local population. Often, the noble ruling over the territory will give the mayor an additional responsibility, like making sure enough beer is produced by the local brewery to supply the local inns.
Some people who become mayor see it as an easy retirement, while others see the job as the means to gain popularity and eventual promotion to the senate, where the big bribe money can be made. How honest or corrupt the mayor is will vary greatly from land to land.
In addition to a small stipend paid for from taxes collected, the mayor is also given a house to live in while they administrate local affairs. In large cities, this is often connected to the government building, while in smaller towns and villages, this is typically just the largest house in town, out of which the mayor and his retinue live and work.

Scholars: While the majority of the population is barely literate, if they are literate at all, there are some individuals who seek out and devote their lives to learning and knowledge. Scholars are expected to have knowledge of history, mathematics, philosophy, popular and ancient literature, and the sciences. Regardless of how knowledgeable a scholar is, they are expected to find a job to support themselves, preferably one that will provide them with enough money to purchase more books and continue their studies. Scholars often take the roles of accountants, lawyers, philosophers, librarians, teachers, and naturalists, while others go on to become Merchants, Tradesman, or Weavers, using their knowledge in their new trade.
Sometimes, a young scholar will begin their career by traveling, seeing first hand the various places they've only read about. Oddly, there is a way for a scholar to support themselves on their travels (if not very well). Some agree to teach children in exchange for room and board, in hopes that their child can grow up to have a better life. This can vary from a group of kindly landed peasants, to a local noble looking for a teacher for their children. (which can lead to the scholar becoming a Minister, if they play their cards right)
Other times a scholar can simply go into a rowdy inn during harvest season and entertain the peasants by reading from a philosophical text. Surprisingly to some, a group of peasants are just as entertained by an ancient text on philosophy read aloud to them, as they are by a randy song about the innkeeper's daughter. If the peasants are engaged enough by the debate that typically follows, they may buy the Scholar a hammock and food for the night. Often, young children will listen in on these readings and debates, and while an "alehouse education" may not be ideal, it is sometimes the start of someone's education.
If a Scholar's adventures are spectacular enough, they may be able to write about them and sell the biographies on the market, though with no copyright or trademark laws, these are often copied and re-published without any royalties to the author. Still, the fame and prestige from a popular book may help the scholar find more work, as well as give the author a kind of immortality.
Sometimes in the larger cities, groups of scholars will come together to collect the news that comes in from the ships and caravans, or that's told in the local bars and inns, then compile the information into a weekly "news scroll" that is distributed though the city and surrounding territories. This is a risky business, as sometimes the scholars don't make enough money from the sales to cover their costs, unless they offer to help a local politician or merchant promote their opinion or agenda, for a small fee. If the company of scholars produces enough scrolls, they can compile them into books that can be sold as historical texts and are often kept in libraries in the cities. Old scrolls are just as likely to be used to hold sandwiches and fried foods for street vendors, however.

[Iconoclast_]

Goals with the social classes as presented.

One of the things I'm going for with my list of social classes was to attempt to justify many of the tropes commonly found in fantasy games. The Inn every 50 miles, while highly convenient for us as game masters, doesn't make much sense economically. As such, I'm going for a highly aggressive agriculture society, where fortunes are made for those who own land and produce crops for the people. This means the trope of massive starvation is gone, but I didn't use that much anyway and never saw it as very important for the setting. Food is plentiful for those who can afford it, the trick is making enough to both pay the rent and put food in the table, both for oneself and your family. This preoccupation with growing food is likely a holdover from the mass starvation that took place following the War of the Three Princes.
I've decided to make meat decidedly more expensive than the vegetarian options, similar to senatorial and imperial rome, with the people mostly living off bread and porridge, excepting rich merchants and the noble families. Inns often have assorted animals that can be grown for food, chickens, hogs, goats, rabbits, cavy, and local lake fish caught by the "children" of the innkeeper. While always available, it is not very cheap (though it's typically cheaper than it is in the city). I'll draft another document on food later.

I wanted each of the social classes to have it's advantages and disadvantages. There is, to various degrees, both the opportunity to advance, and the desperation that makes one want to do so.

Peasants have the advantage of plentiful food and cheap beer, as well as a relatively safe and free life. However, they have to work hard for their money, and rarely make enough to save anything of note. Landed peasants trade their freedom to travel for a parcel of land, as well as the right to vote. It's a hard life, but there are enough advantages that people stick with it. However, if you become sick, you can quickly find the need for money, to pay for medicine or hire a Weaver to heal your illness, is very much beyond your reach.

City Folk are free to come and go as they please, and often live in cosmopolitan cities where trade is robust and people can make fortunes. There is a great variety in the big cities, both in terms of food and clothing and other durable goods. However, the city is an expensive place to live, and crime is common as disillusioned people attempt to make their fortune though dishonest means. There are many opportunities in the city, both to make your fortune and to lose it.

The Merchant class is the most egalitarian and upwardly mobile group in the world. Anyone, from any background, can join the merchant class and make their fortune in the world. Few make it beyond the simple street vendor, hawking bread and cookies to the people of the city, but the stories of those who make it big, becoming powerful merchant princes, encourage many to try. However, money is tied to status for the merchant, and anything from theft to the loss of a caravan or fleet, can ruin a merchant and reduce them to a pauper, or worse, selling themselves (and possibly your family) into indentured servitude to pay off your debtors.

Nobles seem to have the best life possible, but this is an illusion. They do enjoy the best food, fine accommodations, and servants to wait on their every need, but they also have to contend with assassination by those looking to advance themselves. They also have to watch out to keep the peasants happy.
A peasant revolt can cause a noble to lose EVERYTHING. However, it's not because of what the peasants can do to the noble, the noble family is safe in their fortress, but rather what the neighbors do in response. A peasant revolt is the opportunity for a noble to conquer his neighbor, and with the backing of "the people" no less. Marching an army into a land where the peasants are revolting against their ruler and promising to treat the peasant far more fairly can easily win the support of the masses, who will then raid your croplands to support the "army of liberation" as they lay siege to the castle. An ousted Baron can flee to the Duke, who has the power to overturn this conquest, but this is VERY rarely done. A nobleman who has irritated the people enough to revolt against their ruler is not seen as wise administrator.
The Nobility is the least egalitarian and upwardly mobile of the social classes. All nobles trace their ancestry to a minster in the original court of the emperor, even if they have to fake their lineage. Illegitimate birth can cause someone to lose their place in the line for advancement, despite the fact that they had no real control over this. It's possible for someone of lower station to marry into the nobility, though the nobles prefer to use marriage to improve their land holdings, though if they are in need of wealth, they could marry someone with a great deal of gold in their coffers.
While being born a "princess" certainly has it's perks, it also means being seen as a bargaining chip in treaties or married off to an older widower in attempt by one's parents to increase the size of their land holdings. Being born an illegitimate daughter of a nobleman means it's even more likely your marriage will be part of a peace treaty or to pacify a warring nobleman.
Those looking to leave the nobility can do so, and join the merchant class or become an adventurer. Any attempt to re-join the nobility depends on the circumstances of your leaving.



The Emperor.
Despite being dead for almost two thousand years, the Emperor still holds a great deal of sway over the people. The Nobility continue to claim their rule based on descent from the Emperor's court, and even try to emulate his court in their own, with as many ministers as they can afford. Weavers and Elementalists still look to the time of the Emperor as a golden age, where the discoveries of old could shape the world. Bovines and Canines are living examples of the power the emperor once wielded. Scholars read histories of the imperial age to peasants in taverns to keep them entertained, and minstrels sing songs supposedly written to entertain the emperor. Even the disastrous War of the Three Princes, which changed the face of the planet and ended the lineage of the emperor, still serves as an example of the costs of unlimited avarice. A lesson that, sadly, often goes unheeded.
Occasionally, a con artist will appear claiming to be a long lost descendant of the Emperor. This is a very unwise thing to do, as the nobility are quick to find such people and torture them till they confess they were lying about the whole thing. Such people are never killed, just tortured until they break, then allowed to live as an example of how unwise it is to fake your ancestry and lineage, especially where the Emperor is concerned. It is possible that an heir of the emperor, born of an illegitimate child, still walks the world. Such a person is advised to keep such a thing a well guarded secret, however.


Well, that's about all I can think of. If there's a group you noticed was missing, feel free to comment on it and I'll try and fill it in.

[Lord Z]

Great stuff, Ico! I am still reading through it. You've clearly put a lot of thought into the economics of your world, and that is groovy. I like your little coins, much more like the Roman coins than those dinner plates seen in most fantasy worlds.

Using the Project Chupa system, is Social Status intended to be a background category?

[Iconoclast_]

Great stuff, Ico! I am still reading through it. You've clearly put a lot of thought into the economics of your world, and that is groovy. I like your little coins, much more like the Roman coins than those dinner plates seen in most fantasy worlds.

There are some things in "traditional" fantasy that I do actually like. For example that Inn every 50 miles of road is very convenient as a GM running a fantasy game, but I felt the need to justify it's existence in the setting. Having bands of wandering peasants travel from field to field harvesting crops seemed like a decent enough justification. They need somewhere to stay after a hard day of work, and that justifies the Inn's existence in the game.

I wanted to create a land of plenty, but a social system where you really have work for whatever you have. There's plenty of good out there in the world, but also plenty of theft, corruption, and danger. The life of an adventurer is for someone who isn't willing to settle for a simple life, eking out a modest living the old fashioned way. But best take care, Opportunity and Danger walk hand in hand.

Using the Project Chupa system, is Social Status intended to be a background category?

No, it's just backstory. Well, I'm going to have a "rich family" perk (maybe "noble" as well) that the player can pick, but I'm aiming for a flexible social dynamic, which is more of a modern mindset. Though, it's becoming common in most fantasy RPGs these days, as few GMs want to tell their players they can't marry the princess they just saved from the dragon. I just want to try and justify it in the setting.

I'm hoping the social status list gives people a resource for creating a compelling backstory for their character.
Were you the illegitimate son of a baron, left to fend for yourself, and trying to prove your worth to the nobility, or the daughter of peasants, abandoned by your mother after being weaned and sold to the innkeeper to pay off her bar tab?
Both character types can become Merchants and attempt to make their way in the world through trade and cunning, or become Elementalists and sell their services on a sailing ship headed across the sea.

Okay, So now that I've got the Social Classes down, I've noticed that the Religion section is a bit bland for the game. I'm not going to change it, instead I'm going to fill in the conflict typically take up by religion and replace it with a host of philosophies that are common in the world. Meaning I'm going to have Philosophy replace Theology in the game. I hope it works out okay.

[Lord Z]

Hello Mista Last,

I like the part in the last post where you state your intention to justify a number of fantasy tropes. I suggest working that into your world description.

I'm looking forward to your Philosphers' War aspect of the game.

[Iconoclast_]

Hello Mista Last,

I like the part in the last post where you state your intention to justify a number of fantasy tropes. I suggest working that into your world description.

I'm looking forward to your Philosphers' War aspect of the game.

Well, "war" is an exaggeration, at most it gets into vigorous debates and people publishing counter-philosophies. There is plenty of real wars going on over greed and politics, but there are no wars fought over religion or philosophy. I'm working on a list of the most popular philosophies in the world, which will (I hope) help to flesh out the setting with some flavor.

Speaking of Flavor, here is the foods of the world article, which should prove I am watching way too much Food Network.

[Iconoclast_]

Diet in Panthus.

Meat.

An important part of the human diet, meat is eaten by people whenever they get the chance. An important source of protein, though a very expensive one. Pigs, Sheep, Goats, Chickens, Turkey, Rabbits, and Cavy (guinea pigs), are all raised as livestock and are common at market. Fish and seafood are available on the coasts and near inland lakes and rivers. Fish are typically eaten locally, as they tend to spoil very quickly.

Bush meat or Game meat, wild animals killed for food, are also served in the markets by hunters. Bush meat has a bad reputation in the city, unfortunately, as some of the less respectable hunters have no qualms with killing a spirit beast and selling them as animals, which is legally cannibalism. Oddly, spirit beasts tend to be rather understanding of this practice, as predatory behavior is just a part of nature. Though they don't especially like seeing examples of it at human markets, especially when it’s a relative hanging from the hook.

Urban meat is collected from animals living wild in the city. Whereas Bush meat can be of questionable origin, there is little question as to where Urban meat came from. The cheapest meat available in the city, if you need to eat and are short on cash (as most people in a large urban center are) this is an option. Just be sure to cook it well.

Beef was banned during the reign of the first emperor, after Bovines were made citizens of the empire, though people continued to eat beef until after the War of the Three Princes, when starvation made the Cow nearly extinct on the western and eastern continents. Cows are now only found on dairy farms in the northern continent. Beef is still illegal, and is the most expensive meat around, found only on the black market for a considerable sum. Bovines never really cared about the sale of Beef, oddly enough, and often dismiss their disinterest with the saying “I’m no more a cow, human, than you are a pig.”

Cheese.

Cheese from goat's milk is common throughout the world, as it's an excellent way to preserve milk for future use, in addition to being a flavorful additive to food. Cheese made from cow's milk is exclusive to the northern continent. Cheese is nearly as expensive as meat, however, and is typically eaten as an expensive snack, or served as a status symbol at parties. Cheese can be eaten as a solid, cut off from a larger block, or melted and made into a dip for bread or vegetables. Hard cheeses are more common, as they a very long shelf life and can be transported farther, where as soft cheeses tend to be eaten locally.

Grain.

This is the food most likely to be traded by merchant ships, as grains can be stored for long periods and survive transit well. Wheat, Barley, Rice, Maize, Oats, and Rye are all commonly available in markets across the planet, and Sesame, Sorghum and Millet are also commonly traded. In addition to being make into cakes, bread and porridge, they are also fermented into alcoholic drinks. Oddly, people in the world of Panthus tend to prefer brown rice (rice that hasn't been shelled) over the White Rice commonly preferred in our own world.

In addition to cereal grains, various species of legumes (nuts and beans) are also traded in towns and ports. Typically, beans are dried to increase their shelf life, though nuts are usually only cooked if there is a risk of spoiling during the trip. Beans are typically made into pastes and porridges, or if they are fresh, eaten raw. Over the centuries beans have become a staple in the diet of most of the world’s population, and they now come in literally every color you can imagine. Nuts tend to be eaten raw or cooked, and sometimes ground up and mixed into breads and cakes. Some forms of nuts (like Carob, Nutmeg, Tamarind, and Caraway) are ground and used as a spice.

Fruits and Vegetables.

Fruits don't have as long a shelf life as grains do, but they can survive a short trip to market. Fruits and Berries can also be dried to improve shelf life, though they are typically sold as fresh as possible. Fruits can also be preserved in sugar water or brine to extend their life, or mixed into Jams, Jellies, and Preserves. Fruits and Berries can also be crushed into juice or fermented and made into alcoholic drinks. Apples, Pears, Peaches, Bananas, Citrus, Melons, Grapes, Cherries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Lingonberries, Raspberries, and Blackberries, are often available at market, but usually only in season.

Green leaf vegetables are also used to make salads, stewed in soups, or added to sandwiches for texture. Romaine lettuce is the most common form of lettuce available, while iceberg lettuce is virtually unknown. Cabbages, both red and green, can also be pickled and made into sauerkraut. Celery, Spinach and Kale are typically eaten raw. Broccoli and Cauliflower can be eaten raw, or cooked by steaming or boiling.

Root vegetables, Beets, Carrots, Cassava, Radishes, Potatoes, and Yams, are popular because of their excellent shelf life, making them easy to transport to market, or store on ships for long voyages. Ginger and Ginseng, are the most common root vegetables used as spices.

There are also Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Olives, Okra, Green and Bulb Onions, Assorted varieties of Peppers and Chillies, and many different varieties of squash, including the pumpkin, available on the markets at various times of the year. Many types of vegetables can be preserved by salting, pickling, or jellied with sugar.

There are many types of mushrooms eaten, but they are typically a local product, grown on nearby farms, or gathered from local forests.

Spices.

In addition to food crops, many varieties of herbs, nuts, roots, and bulbs are grown to make spices that flavor food and make it more palpable or healthier. The spice trade is huge, and those who produce and trade spices tend to make sizable fortunes.

Salt is the most common form of spice, used as flavoring, as well as to preserve meats and vegetables to extend their shelf life. Salt can be extracted from salt deposits on land (rock salt), or from evaporating sea water and gathering the salt left behind (sea salt). Fortunes are made from the sale of salt around the world.

Like salt, sugar, extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets, is used as both a preservative and a flavoring. Used to sweeten foods, it is commonly used in cakes and pies, as well as muffins and cookies. Molasses is made from the process of refining sugar, and can be used as a cheaper substitute in some dishes, or fermented into rum.

Garlic and Ginger, one a bulb, the latter a root, are also used to flavor foods, and can also act to kill bacteria in food. Garlic and Ginger are common on shipboard cuisine, as they provide better nutrition and keep the crews healthier on the voyage.

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Vanilla, Black Pepper, Turmeric, Sage, Basil, Coriander, Cumin, Mustard, Licorice, Fennel, Dill, Mint, Pine Nuts, Ginkgo, Parsley, Sunflower, and other spices are commonly traded across the world.

Other Cash Crops.

Tea is a popular drink made from the tea leaf, drunk by people across the world and served in many restaurants and inns. Green tea made from tea leaves that haven't been allowed to oxidize before being dried, while Black tea is crushed and allowed to oxidize before being dried and packaged. Oolong tea is a tea that's processed half way between green and black tea's methods. Some "artisan teas" are produced, which add other herbs or flowers to the tea leaves to change the flavor. When available, sugar or honey is added to the tea to sweeten it.

Honey is made by bees, and is common enough as most farmers have a bee hive kept on their property to pollinate their crops. Less expensive than sugar, and with a long shelf life, it is commonly used to sweeten foods and drinks. It is also used in the fermenting of Mead,

Flax is grown to produce linen, both fine and course linen cloth, which is a popular cloth in clothing and decoration. Similarly, Hemp and Jute are grown to make Burlap, used in sacks and rug-making. Finally, Cotton is grown to produce cloth of the same name.

Wool is made by sheering the hair off sheep, often done annually. It is a very common type of cloth used in clothing. Silk is a fine cloth made from the cocoons of silkworms. Silk is very expensive and generally only worn by the richest of citizens.