What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

[Hermit]

Okay, the map got me curious...

The other stuff on the setting in the Free stuff gave me some very brief hints...

but if it doesn't violate anything important, and for those in the know:

 

What are the nations in this setting like?

Is there a standard "Fantasy Kingdom" complete with (mostly) Benevolent Monarchy with knights and so forth?

Is there a mysterious area ruled by a conclave of wizards with fell (deserved or not) repuation?

Is there a pleasant rural area where the next crop of victims... err, adventurers can blossom forth?

Is there a nordic or celtic like region?

Is there a nation or two that breaks these classic types?

[Steve Long]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

There are over five dozen distinct political entities in Ambrethel (if memory serves), so it spans a pretty wide gamut.

 

There are a variety of kingdoms with benevolent monarchs... and some not so benevolent. There are oligarchies. There are a couple of magocracies, and even a small drakocracy or two. There are empires. And on and on.

 

For your "conclave of wizards," the realm of Vûran would fit the bill. It's ruled by a group called the Seven Sorcerers. So might the mysterious and frightening island of Thûn, where powerful sorcerer-priests hold sway.

 

There are plenty of rural areas of various sorts.

 

There are no specifically "Norse" or "Celtic" areas (since I'm going to hit that trope heavy in Tuala Morn), and only one small "Oriental" area (and that more of Tibetan feel -- there are enough fictional Chinas and Japans out there at present). Roughly speaking, you can divide the world of Ambrethel into a number of specific regions/cultures:

 

Westerlands -- think Fantasy Western Europe, kinda.

Mhorecia -- think, hmmm, a sort of Fantasy Mediterranean (though that's not nearly as apt a comparison as the Westerlands-Europe bit)

Khoria -- in some vague ways Arabic/Islamic, in other ways not

Vornakkia -- a whole hodgepodge of weird city-states and realms with no particular cultural analog

Kumasia -- again, no specific analog; some India influences

Southern Mitharia -- vaguely African or quasi-Mediterranean in some ways, in other ways not

Indushara -- think Fantasy India, kinda

Northern/Central Mitharia -- sort of like the Westerlands, but with a more Fantasy feel (e.g., not as much attention paid to a European feudal system, necessarily)

 

And on top of that there are various barbarian tribes and other groups. So, there's a lot of cultural and racial differentiation that you can riff off of if you want.

[Hermit]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Thanks Steve

 

I confess, my players seem to have a love of the typical "Benevolent Ruler" Monarchy, and as I like legends of Arthur and his knights, I concur- So finding out if at least one in that vein is in there helps a lot.

 

The wizard types seem to prefer places where mystics rule... go fig

 

EDIT: Assuming the sales go well enough, are any specific regions of Ambrethel going to be developed in more detail?

[Steve Long]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Assuming sales were to go well enough, I'd have no objection to detailing the entire world, one region at a time -- and for that matter, creating other sourcebooks covering various Ambrethelan topics. The trick, of course, is proper planning -- only X% of people who buy a core setting book are going to buy supplements further detailing that same setting, so sales of TA have to be high enough to make that X large enough to justify planning and writing more books.

[mayapuppies]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

That would be a hint, boys and girls.

[Steve Long]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Heck, no need to hint, I'll tell you right out: we're far more likely to publish follow-up supplements for a particular sourcebook if that sourcebook sells really well.

[vivsavage]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Hi Steve,

 

Here are a load of questions for ya...

 

Regarding the various cultures, are there varying tech levels? For instance, an early medieval tech level in one kingdom, renaissance in another, primitive in yet another, etc. Or is it all basically the same tech levels throughout (plate armor in all kingdoms, no firearms, etc.)

 

Also, is there a coinage system unique to each kingdom, or do they all use a common coin? Is there a "common tongue" or is there a plethora of languages spoken with no common tongue?

 

And (last question I promise!), what about weights and measurements? Metric system...or feet, pounds, and miles?

[Steve Long]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Herewith, a load of answers.

 

There really aren't varying tech levels per se. All the realms are more or less at a sort of High/Late Middle Ages tech level, sans gunpowder and anything else that would detract from the usual Fantasy feel. Some lands might be a little below that (e.g., barbarian wilderlands and such).

 

The coinage in each realm is unique (or, more accurately, has its own name). To save GMs and players trouble, and to keep from driving myself insane developing an arbitrage matrix, all coins of X type are considered equal in value to all other coins of the same type.

 

There's no real "common tongue." The Westerlands and Mhorecia have something called Trade-Tongue that is about as close as Ambrethel comes to that; it's even spread to some other lands, I expect. There is a nice Turakian Age Language Familiarity Chart, though.

 

I wouldn't use metric measurements in a Fantasy setting product like this -- metric terms rank right up there with words like human, genetics, planet, and nation for their ability to ruin the "Fantasy feel." TA uses feet, miles, leagues, and such (though not rods or cubits; I'm not that much of a purist.)

[vivsavage]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Way cool! This sounds like what I am looking for. I like the fact that the coinage isn't merely "gold pieces" and the fact that languages have been well thought out. I'm looking forward to playing in the Turakian Age! BTW, is there a planned "age" after the Valdorian Age? Will the tech levels of the Valdorian age be the same as the Turakian?

[mayapuppies]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Heck' date=' no need to hint, I'll tell you right out: we're far more likely to publish follow-up supplements for a particular sourcebook if that sourcebook sells really well. [/quote']

Sure, just take all my fun away...sheesh

 

Now you've really gone and done it. I just might go and buy this Turakian Age thingy...how do you feel about those apples? Eh, Mr. "I'll just go and tell the world"....Hmmmm?

[Steve Long]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Way cool! This sounds like what I am looking for. I like the fact that the coinage isn't merely "gold pieces" and the fact that languages have been well thought out. I'm looking forward to playing in the Turakian Age! BTW, is there a planned "age" after the Valdorian Age? Will the tech levels of the Valdorian age be the same as the Turakian?

 

Yup, the coins come in all sorts of names -- from fairly obvious descriptives (pieces, pennies, royals, nobles), to names borrowed from history (obols, gilders, etc.), to some that are completely made up.

 

You can find out all about the "ages" in the Hero Universe document on the Free Stuff page. After Valdorian comes the Atlantean Age, then the Cataclysm, then a post-cataclysmic period, then the time of Tuala Morn, then the Age Of Legends... and after that it gets quasi-historical.

 

The Valdorian Age is a "swords and sorcery" style setting. If anything, I'd expect the tech levels to be a smidge lower -- plate armor's probably not as common, f'rex. But that's ultimately up to Allen, who's writing it.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

...metric terms rank right up there with words like human' date=' genetics, planet, and nation for their ability to ruin the "Fantasy feel." [/quote'] Just as a (relatively minor) linguistic note, the word nation is traditionally -- up until the early 20th century, and the League of Nations -- used to describe a distinct people group, not a region of land ruled by a particular government. Thus, when Abraham Lincoln described us as "a new nation," he didn't mean, "a new governmental entity we established for ourselves," but, "a new people group distinct from all others" -- something illustrated quite beautifully in the Ad Council's "I am an American" TV spots from a couple of years back. Referring to Native American tribes as "nations" is proper in this sense; referring to Russia, China, or Pakistan as "nations" is not -- and using the word "nation" in this sense, if done sparsely, would not (IMO) ruin the "fantasy feel," but enhance it.

 

I could give a similar explanation on the word "human"; I'm curious, though, with the various other races exant in the world during this period, what the main race of "humans" is called.

[keithcurtis]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

I think that in general usage, the term nation is used interchangeably (if incorrectly) with Nation-State, which is pretty much a Post-Medieval construction.

Nation doesn't sound very fantasy, though. Arthur isn't the King of the Nation of England.

 

Keith "shootin' his mouth off" Curtis

[BobGreenwade]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

Nation doesn't sound very fantasy' date=' though. Arthur isn't the King of the Nation of England. [/quote'] On the first sentence, true; its use in a fantasy setting would need to be limited, and quite specific in referring to a heritage group and not a citizenry.

 

And no, Arthur isn't the King of the Nation of England; but he might be called "of the Nation of Saxons" (note: of, not from -- as I note, it's his heritage, not his citizenship).

[SleepyDrug]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

All technically accurate, but I must agree with Steve. Nation works, but Kingdom, County, Duchy, Realm, Empire, City-State, Free City, Barony, Emirite, and other such terms sound better

[BobGreenwade]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

All technically accurate' date=' but I must agree with Steve. Nation works, but Kingdom, County, Duchy, Realm, Empire, City-State, Free City, Barony, Emirite, and other such terms sound better[/quote'] Used in that context, "nation" doesn't work -- that's my point. Nation can be used in a fantasy setting, but only in context of an ethnic people-group with a common heritage. It should never be used synonymously with the terms you list.

[SleepyDrug]

Re: What kind of nations are in Ambrethel?

 

true...but it was not a commonly heard phrase