World Background
The following is designed to give you a brief overview of the areas of the Known World from which characters may come, along with some brief information about the Bladelands. For full details of these countries, other areas of the world, religion, knighthoods, guilds, etc, please download the full Bladelands Rules and World Background documents from the System Introduction page.
Introduction
Bladelands is a pseudo-medieval, fantasy world based on a European geography. The action will all be set on a group of islands located where the British Isles are in the real world; these are the Bladelands of the title.
Players are not permitted to play characters from certain groups initially. For the time being there is no point pursuing this as you will not be permitted a character from these cultures. Some of these are excluded because their equivalent are to be found in the Bladelands (such as the Celtic Irish, Scottish and Welsh), some because we have plans for their development (such as the northern and Scandinavian nations - no Vikings). We do not have certain character groups in our world background at all. These include Africans, Indians, Steps Nomads (such as the Mongols and the Hun) or any Orientals (no samurai, ninjas or Kung-Fu masters).
Historically, characters may come from between the dark ages and the later medieval period. This is all pre-renaissance; we will not permit characters from the renaissance period or later.
All the characters entering play to begin with will be assumed to be very recent arrivals from the mainland areas. Characters will not be permitted who either come from the Bladelands or who have lived there for any period of time. The players will not know a great deal about the Islands and so it is best if their characters do not either.
Please note that the Bladelands world is not a sexist one, but for ease of reading male pronouns are used. So for "he", read "he/she", for "son" read "son/daughter", for "Lord", read "Lord/Lady", etc.
The Known World
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Although the countries of The Bladelands Chronicles largely correspond geographically to those in the real world (France, Germany, etc), we ask that you refrain from any outrageous or comedy accents.
Aragon
Much like the Spain of our world, Aragon lies at the western end of the mainland. It is a land divided. The death of the old King, Alphonse, three years ago has left the country with two Kings and a Queen. So far Aragon has not descended into civil war but the three children of the old King have begun to argue and it is said that all sides are beginning to hire mercenaries.
Bretton
Bretton is where modern day France would be. It is a land of contrast. From the rich north to the poor south only the nobles have it good and the peasants are getting fed up with it.
Essen Confederation
The Essen confederation corresponds roughly to modern day Germany. Made up from many small city states, the Essen Confederation is ruled over by an Elector Council. They then elect an overall leader for the next five years. Strength in numbers is their motto. Despite this the city states often quarrel and there are many mercenary companies who take advantage of this.
Savolska
This country represents modern day Russia and Poland.Vast and sprawling as this country is the population is still quite small. Much of it consists of great forests or is too cold to properly inhabit. The people are as brutal as the climate.
Papacy (the Holy Land)
The Papacy is located in what would be Italy but has suffered horrific natural disasters in its past. It is the seat of religious power.Under the watchful eye of the Grand Pontiff and his Cardinals, the Papacy delivers religious edicts to the rest of the world. Religion is every where from the peasant hovel to the Court of Kings. The power of this nation is disproportionate to its size. This is religion on an industrial scale.
Aetolia
Aetolia is situated in modern day Austria, Bosnia and Serbia. However it has an ancient Roman feel to it. Once a prosperous nation, Aetolia has never recovered from a catastrophe some two thousand years ago. Now the Aetolians are very introverted. They stick to old ways and endeavour to uphold this with a large military. National service is the only way to true citizenship.
Achaea
Located in an area corresponding to modern Greece. Much like its neighbour Aetolia, Achaea offers increased citizenship rights for military service. Unlike Aetolia it is ruled by a King called Tiresias. The people are more welcoming of foreigners. The military are renowned for their spearmen.
Thessaly
Thessaly is modern day Romania and Bulgaria but in a ruined ancient Greek style. Broken by the second great cataclysm 200 years ago, Thessaly has lost its former glory. Once renowned for grand architecture, art and especially jewellery, Thessaly has become a backwater nation. Despite this, the people are pulling themselves into the current age and are adopting foreign ways.
The Bladelands
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The Bladelands are at the very edge of the known world. Separated from the mainland by a wide stretch of treacherous and stormy seas, they are remote and inhospitable lands.
These isles are the most magical lands in the known world. Many travel to them to seek their destiny, or their fortune. Rich in resources both magical and mundane you would be forgiven for thinking that the Bladelands would be home to a thriving and civilised culture. But with the abundance of magic comes an equal measure of danger.
The most peculiar and defining feature of the Bladelands are the Bladestorms which descend on areas where large numbers of people gather together to fight, killing all in their path. This makes it impossible to gather large armies. For this reason the Bladelands are split up into much smaller fiefdoms than the kingdoms and countries that cover the rest of the world, since no one ruler can gather the fighting men necessary to dominate more than a small area of land. It is generally thought these Bladestorms are caused by the overabundance of magic in the Bladelands.
There is only one port, called Sanctuary, access to which is controlled by the Guild of Navigators.
The following fiefs have existed for some time and are relatively stable. New fiefs are constantly being set up in the border areas – many of them fall rapidly, over-run once more by the indigenous population and local wildlife. The action of the game is currently set within the fief of Saltwash, although this may change in the future. Information for new characters about their arrival to the Bladelands and knowledge of the fief is given with the pre-event information for each event. See the Events chapter of the website for more information.
Sanctuary
The only safe port for large ships in the Bladelands. Sanctuary was set up in the spring of 2004 when the Bladelands once more opened to traffic. All trade and travel to and from the mainland goes through Sanctuary. It is the most “civilised” of the fiefs, and is a substantial town with a large bridge across the wide, deep Dragon River. The lands immediately around Sanctuary have been cleared of the majority of the wild creatures and Keltoi tribes that once inhabited the area. Sanctuary is primarily controlled by the Merchants’ Guild, aka the Bank of Schwyz, although the Navigators’ Guild control travel between the Bladelands and the mainland.
The Vault
A large gold mine controlled by the Bank of Schwyz. They have closed off the entrance to the mine with huge Vault doors, making it almost impenetrable. Inside, as well as continuing the mining, they forge the Gold Lions which are the foundation of the currency on the Bladelands.
New Valencia
Founded by a group of Aragonians from Valencia.
Fort Alphonse
Held by the Knights of Don Rodrigo, and named in honour of the last true King of Aragon. Many of the Knights have left Aragon for the Bladelands in disgust at the current state of their home country, and a large number of them have ended up here.
Urbis Polybus
Set up by Phonecians, mainly to take advantage of trade between the mainland and the Bladelands. They export rare Keltoi artefacts and the magical herbs and minerals that are available on the Bladelands. Excellent seafarers they mostly transport their goods along the coast to Sanctuary. They cannot sail directly for the mainland because there is no harbour for deep water vessels – jagged rocks around the coast make it passable for small vessels only, and then only for very experienced sailors.
The Arena
Used as a training ground by the Sons of the Mountain, they capture foulspawn and other dangerous creatures from the surrounding area and pit them against their new recruits.
Dragon’s Ford
The first place where it is possible to ford the Dragon River. This is a Savolskan settlement mainly used as a staging post between Orc Town and Sanctuary. Creatures captured at Orc Town are brought here before being put on river boats bound for Sanctuary.
Orc Town
A group of Savolskans hunt in the lands around Orc Town, capturing foulspawn and shipping them back to Savolska as slaves.
The Mausoleum
A huge Keltoi graveyard, originally dedicated to the beings worshiped by the Keltoi. The Church of Rhianos has claimed this land and its priests devote their time to digging up the remains of the Keltoi and re-burying them according to the Church Law. It is a long and arduous job, not yet completed, but once it is the church have plans to build a cathedral there in honour of Rhianos.
New Venicia
Set up by a group of Aetolians. Named after the old Capital which sunk after the great cataclysm some 2,000 years ago.
Reich Bejorklund
Ruled over by the self-styled Baron Bejorklund, a very troublesome and aggressive leader. He intends to take and hold as much land as possible, whether from the natives or other come-overs. Thankfully to date the fowlspawn, Keltoi and other creatures of the Bladelands have kept him occupied, but once he has subdued the more war-like locals his attention will do doubt turn elsewhere.
The Aerie
A heavily fortified stronghold, the Aerie guards the higher of the two major passes running north through the mountains from Sanctuary. Run by Lord Falconer, a minor noble from Breton.
Durstholm
Head of a mercenary company from the Essen Confederation, Count von Durst decided he was fed up of working for others and fancied ruling somewhere for himself. His loyal group of mercenaries followed him to the Bladelands.
Saltwash
Ruled by Lord Thomas of House Morreaux, one of the noble houses of Breton. Being a younger son from a poor branch of the family, Thomas decided to carve out land for himself in the Bladelands.
School Town
Founded by an extremist branch of the church of Rhiannan. The priests there are strong believers that their duty is to bring civilisation to the Islands, by force if necessary, and they are seeking to gather together all the local fiefs to make war on the Keltoi in order to save them from their savagery and lift them up to the state of civilised worshipers of the Powers. They also have extremely strong views regarding purity and see abnormality as the mark of evil – something which has brought School Town into conflict with the neighbouring fief of Saltwash.
Three Pillars
Set up by the Cult of Heracles. So named because it stands near a ruin which has 3 large pillars.
Four Pillars
Set up by the Cult of Hercules. So named because they wanted to out-do the Cult of Heracles, so built their own building with four large pillars at its corners, in a typical display of one-upmanship. These two fiefs spend the majority of their time competing with each other in almost every way.
The Black Rose
A recently established fief, on the borders of Saltwash, Durstholm and Four Pillars. Run my Lord Montoya. This is the fief in which Bladelands games are currently set.
