After bringing you the first of our keyed areas last week in the form of The Abbey of Fandor and the Hospital of the Holy Fandorians, this week The Kyngdoms continue to explore the streets of Blackfen with our second keyed area, The Dragon's Claw Inn. As well as an overview of this establishment, we also introduce to its occupants, include a map of the building, plus offer an adventure hook for you to explore and build upon.
The Dragon's Claw is a small inn established on the main route into Blackfen. Although it captures some of the passing trade of those passing into and out of Blackfen, The Dragon's Claw mainly serves the local farmers and farm hands who are always ready to play hard after a long days work out in the field. During the day it is often empty and quiet, except for a couple of old farm hands, but during the evenings its comes to life and is often full to the brim.
The sixth issue of the Zinedoms is the first in a three part special which will take a look into the political structure of Karnish, from the nobility in this month’s issue, through to the role of the Crown, the Church and the army, and both national and provisional governments over the forthcoming months. Karnish remains the most important nation in Arrasia and these articles will add both a richer and deeper insight into our knowledge and understanding of that Kingdom. Over the course of the next three issues, we will fully explore how the country is run and how the various parts form the whole.
In this month’s issue we take a look at the nobility of Karnish, who play such an important role both nationally and provisionally and are the lynchpin on which the cogs of Karnish turn. At the heart of national government, rulers of the provinces, and providers of the army, they are essential to the running of the country and no monarch could survive long without them.
You will also find our regular weekly articles on Blackfen, collected together for easy access. This issue we took a look at the roads and buildings of Blackfen, as well as its sewers. We also brought you the first of the keyed buildings to be detailed, with the Holy Abbey of Fandor opening its doors to let you take a look inside. You can now look forward to a new article every week exploring a different building or location within the city.
Finally, with 6 issues of the zinedoms behind us, we thought we take a look at what’s been happening over our first six issues and what you can look forward to over the next six!
After a thorough examination of the city of Blackfen, from the themes that dominate the city, to the people, buildings, streets and sewers, The Kyngdoms exploration of the city now switches to individual places and people that make up the city. Over the forthcoming months we will be exploring a wide range of places located around the city, from churches and city administrative buildings, to inns, shops, and places and people of interest. In all there will be over 70 keyed areas, which will be added to our interactive city map, which will include details about people of interest, as well as adventure hooks and ideas.
In the first of our keyed descriptions, we take a look at The Abbey of Fandor and the Hospital of the Holy Fandorians. Not only is this impressive building the first encountered when approaching Blackfen, it is also one of the oldest buildings in the city. Jarrus Yarmord, the Honorable Magistrate Divine, who has overall responsibility for the administration of all aspects of the abbey and is the Church's most senior clergy in Blackfen, is a powerful individual not only within the Church, but also in city matters, where he sits on the City Council. The Abbey is also home to a small contingent of monks who oversee the hospital that has been a part of the abbey almost since its construction. It has long served the military and though this was widened to the general populace during the years of peace, it has once again found itself caring for the wounded soldiers who regularly make their way back from the front-line in the war with Zykerathox.
The city of Blackfen is not blessed with an extensive sewer system and most of the waste of everyday city life ends up on the streets, attracting vermin and causing disease and illness, as well as a terrible stench. The sewer system that does exist is exclusive to Old Palisade Town and primarily serves the wealthy. The streets where the buildings are connected to the sewers are generally much cleaner and the air much less nauseating.
Despite the relative small size of the sewers, this has not stopped the criminal gangs from moving in and using them for their own aims, using it to pass undetected around some parts of the city. They have also been busy roughly extending some parts of the sewers, creating rat runs under Blackfen that the authorities usually know nothing about and which are used to store contraband and as hideouts. Of course, the sewers have also become home to a number of other unwanted denizens, who find the grime and darkness much to their liking!
A city is a series of connected streets and avenues, so having explored the houses and people who live there, this week The Kyngdoms take a look at the streets and alleys that connect them all together and have a heavy influence on making Blackfen the place it is.
Although many of the roads in Blackfen are cobbled, especially the main thoroughfares and the roads in Old Palisade Town, many still remain nothing more than rutted, compacted mud which turns to treacherous sludge when it rains. The pedestrian footpaths are extremely narrow, where they exist at all, so the roads tend to be rather chaotic affairs where people, animals and carts all compete with one another to make their way along. At night, the streets are usually lit by linkboys who are hired for their services, though the wealthier parts also have street lamps. For the vast majority, however, it is often too dark at night for any journeys outside, except to the local tavern of course!
As a final note, next weeks article (on sewers) will be the last of our general articles on Blackfen, which have given us a broad overview of the city, its people and the themes that dominate. After next week we will begin looking at specific places in the city, keyed to the city map, which will introduce places and people, from tavern owners and shop keepers, through to the wealthy and the criminal.
The release schedule for The Kyngdoms is coming thick and fast at the moment! After the release of our 5th Issue of the Zinedoms, this week we continue our exploration of the city of Blackfen. Last week we took a look at the people who live in the city, so it only makes sense to have a peek at the typical dwellings in which they live.
For the most part, the houses of Blackfen are wooden or stone with tiled roofs. Of course, like anywhere in Arrasia, where you live entirely depends upon the wealth available to you. Mostly, buildings tend to be double story inside Old Palisade Town and single story outside of the palisade, but either way typical dwellings consist of a single room which acts as kitchen, bedroom and communal space. The wealthier, of course, live in larger houses with more rooms and the very wealthy live in large houses with servants.
Most people in Blackfen - and Karnish in general - do not own their own properties, which tend to be owned by the wealthy landlords. They rent out their houses for a fee. Usually, the fees remain stable and within the means of those living there, but when rent increases occur disquiet can lead to tensions and even rioting, something the landlords fear enough to keep their rates fair - for the most part, at least! Despite people not owning their own properties, families nonetheless tend to stay in the same property for many generations and evictions can lead to deep resentment and, often, violence.
After bringing you our Herophet edition (back in Issue 3) we thought it was only fair to keep the balance of evil and good in correct proportions, so this month is all about Damarkan, the better half, as it were. Where Herophet is all about evil and darkness, so Damarkan is all about good and light. Damarkan was the first of the lands walked by the Aslah and was teeming with fantastic life, which they helped and manipulated with their power to create even great life, including the elves, gnomes and halflings. It was in Damarkan that Gort first built Herophet, before it was sundered, and to where the entire history of the universe can be traced.
In this month's issue we bring you a fantastic article exploring the beginnings of time and how Damarkan and the first Aslah came to be and how they set about shaping Damarkan. It also explains how Herophet came to be and what caused Damarkan to be split in two. Our second article looks at the greatest power of Damarkan, Fandor, who defeated Hakkan and brought about the end of his evil reign and that of the Amman empire on Arrasia. Fandor can trace his lineage right back to that of Onnus, whose lover, Desdemar, was murdered by Gort. We also point you in the direction of our exploration of the cosmos, where all the dimensions are explained!
This issue also brings together all the articles released this month on Blackfen, our city based on the Boroder, Fallen Lands border. The city is now really beginning to come together and this month we looked at several keys aspects, with guilds, the military, politics, and its people all coming under scrutiny. This forthcoming month our articles continue and you can look forward to seeing the first of the keyed areas of the city!
Of course, magazines are nothing without those that read them, so feel to get involved at our blog or follow us on twitter and let us know what you think.
A city is nothing without its people so this The Kyngdoms takes a look at those that live, work and rule in Blackfen. Like every city throughout Arrasia, Blackfen offers a wide social stratum, from beggars and peddlars, through to the ordinary workers who make up the majority of the population, to those at the very top, the wealthiest and most powerful individuals.
For the most part, the ordinary folk of Blackfen are honest and hardworking and live their everyday lives in the face of war and the constant threat of plague. Their lives are, generally, decent enough as their work provides them with enough income for their needs and to provide a roof over their heads, a warm hearth and keep them above the poverty trap. Some can even afford the occasional luxury.
Of course, the city is dominated by the wealthy minority, who can be divided clearly into two: those who inherited their wealth (the nobility), and those masters of their professions who have worked for their wealth. Either way, the wealthy are the powerhouses of Blackfen, controlling the top of the political ladder and asserting their influence over any and all areas that matter to them.
Karnish and its Empire grew out of the chaos of war, but quickly established a political and social structure that allowed it to rise to the top and has been the foundation upon which their success was built. Despite recent declines since their war with Zykerathox, the political structure has remained in place and continues to serves the nation and its people well. Blackfen is no exception and being on the front line of the war, the structures long put in place now serve the city and its people to maintain their everyday lives.
The city of Blackfen is controlled by a City Council, consisting of 10 semi-elected members. All of the races are permanently represented on the Council, and the remaining Council seats are voted on every ten years. Although these seats are decided upon democratically, few of the ordinary people of Blackfen (or, indeed, of Karnish) are eligible to vote, with only the privileged few having the mandate.
The City Council is the foremost power in the city, deciding on policy and governing the city. They are only answerable to the Karnish Crown itself, which can overrule any decision the Council make. The Crown also sets taxation rates and policy, which must be upheld by the Council. All of the members of the City Council are significant members of Blackfen, generally highly regarded and capable, and, of course, wield significant influence and power.
As we delve deeper into Blackfen, this week The Kyngdoms takes a look at one of the most important aspects of Blackfen life - namely, guards and the military. Even under ordinary circumstances these would play an important role in Blackfen, but with the war raging with Zykerathox and Blackfen being located on the front line of that war, these are far from ordinary times and their significance to the city even greater.
The Blackfen military is divided into four clear divisions, each with its own specific role. The Silver Watch primarily act as guards who police the everyday running of the city. If they are needed for the defense of the city, their numbers are augmented by the local militia, made up of the ordinary citizens of Blackfen and the surrounding area. The Blades of the Silver Star make up the most heavily armed foot soldiers whose primary role is to defend the city against unwanted threats. They are usually assisted by the Shields of the Silver Star, lightly mounted soldiers whose agility and speed allow them to make swift and deadly raids.
In addition to these organizations, Blackfen is also home to two organizations that add to the defense of the city. The dwarves of Blackfen have formed their own regiment, known as the Dwarven Defenders of the Silver Hills, and are a formidable and hardy band of volunteers who have gained a reputation for their excellent fighting skills and bravery. The Watchers of the South, an organization of rangers found throughout Karnish, also have their headquarters in Blackfen where they assist the army with intelligence and advance warnings of potential attacks.
This week The Kyngdoms takes a look at guilds in Blackfen. Guilds play a major role throughout Karnish and the vast majority of artisans are members. Most guilds are optional to join - though the benefits of being a guild member are usually enough to persuade most to join - though some professions are required by law to join a guild appropriate to their trade.
In Blackfen there are 19 guilds, ranging from the Roofer's and Builder's Guild through to Apothecaries, Alchemist's and Arcanists Guild, and covering nearly all professions. These guilds represent their member's rights and give them a voice in City Council meetings, where the Councilors represent, or fight against, their views. Guilds also have a powerful influence over their own trade, controlling the market and prices that goods are sold at.
Most guild members are Journeymen, who are the rank and file of their profession. These members perform the majority of work carried out in their field and their ability can range anywhere from poor through to good. Many have apprentices who learn their trade by working alongside their journeymen masters, and who will eventually go on themselves to become journeymen of their profession. Of course, the very best rise to the top and are considered to be Master Craftsmen, who usually command high prices and work for the wealthy.
This month’s issue takes a detailed look at the Longstaff Wizards, an arcane organization dedicated to furthering their knowledge of the arcane arts. Although they can be found almost anywhere throughout Arrassia, they have found Karnish and its empire more affable and accepting of their mysterious ways and can be found controlling many of that country’s arcane guilds, giving them a significant voice, both in the guild and in political circles.
As well as looking at the Longstaff Wizard’s themselves, we also take a stroll through the towers they inhabit and which can be found dotted in cities throughout Arrasia. They also control a significant magic and alchemy trade and run shops through which to sell their wares and generate the vast income required to maintain their research.
You will also find this months releases of Blackfen, all brought together for you to enjoy. We began the month continuing our exploration of the gangs of Blackfen over two weeks, bringing you ideas to flesh out as you please. Religion and magic in Blackfen were also covered, both of which help better your understanding of the city.
And finally, after 4 issues of the zinedoms we’d be interested to know what you, our readers, would like us to explore. Is there anywhere in particular that grabs your attention? Some place that you’d like to know more about? Let us know and we’ll see what we can do.
Your site is my first brush with the Kyngdoms, and I am loving what I read. Looks like I discovered you a bit to late as you removed your Fane Trilogy from here and RPGnow.
Any chance that you are going to make them available again for purchase?
Also do you have a timeline for the setting book? Ever consider a kickstarter?
Looking forward to more Kyngdoms!
Thanks for the compliments - it's nice to get some encouraging feedback!
Not sure what I am going to do with the Fane trilogy. It would be good to see it updated to Pathfider, but not sure if I have either the time or the inclination atm.
No timeline for the setting book, though it's something I need to start soon as I'd like to see it available again.
The latest article in The Kyngdoms' exploration of the city of Blackfen takes a look at arcane magic, the arcanist guild and the Longstaff Wizards.
Despite the fact that arcane magic does not play a significant part in the lives of the ordinary folk of Blackfen, it nonetheless impacts on the lives of the people, who usually regard it with awe and suspicion. As well as a wizard's guild, in the form of the Apothecaries, Alchemist's and Arcanists Guild, the Longstaff Wizards are also established there and represent the dominant force amongst Blackfen's arcanists.
The Apothecaries, Alchemist's and Arcanists Guild are the most powerful guild in Blackfen and, not surprisingly, are largely controlled by the Longstaff Wizards, a secretive group found throughout Arrasia who seek a deeper understanding of all things arcane. They also run small and selective magic and alchemy shops which generate an income to pay for their research and other activities.
All wizards in Blackfen must, by Law, be members of the guild. Although this comes at quite a hefty annual fee, it does give access to the guild library, as well as the invaluable knowledge shared with the other members. It also offers some insurance against any unfortunate mishaps.
Religion plays an important role throughout Arrasia, and Blackfen is no different. With eleven religions vying amongst themselves in the popularity stakes, the people of Blackfen have a wide range of churches to choose from. Many like to support more than one church, choosing which Aslah to pray to according to their needs, while others remain devout to only one.
Despite the competition between the churches, they are dominated by Holy Fandorians. The Abbey of Fandor is a magnificent cathedral that is the first building encountered when entering the city and which looms large, visible from almost anywhere. The Fandorians also have two seats on the Assembly of Nine, which represents the nine legal churches of the city, giving them a significant power advantage, as well as having a permanent seat on the City Council.
Despite the power of the Fandorians, all the churches play an important role amongst the community and are well represented. Though tension often exists between them, often on a theological basis, they nonetheless work well together when needed to oppose the City Council and push through humanitarian policies, much to the chagrin of city officials.
In the third and final article on the gangs of Blackfen, The Kyngdoms takes a look at the newest of the gangs, the South Fen Boys, who have emerged as a major player and a deadly rival to the Westons for control over the underbelly of Old Palisade Town.
The emergence of the South Fen Boys has seen a major increase in criminal activity in Blackfen and the blood feud between the gangs, but especially between the South Fen Boys and the Westons, has been vicious. Little is known about the South Fen Boys, except that their influence stretches well up the political strata. Their leader remains a complete mystery and despite desperate attempts by the Westons to use their extensive network of contacts to uncover the mystery, they have yet to do so.
The rise of the South Fen Boys has been dramatic and rapid and they now control many of the black markets of Old Palisade Town. Like the Westons before them, they have yet to challenge the strength of the Black Bears who control much of North Blackfen, though since the majority of their focus has been on seeing off the Westons, their strength in that regard still remains unknown - like much of the organization!
In the last article on Blackfen, The Kyngdoms took a look at the criminal gangs of the city, and in particular The Black Bears, a violent organization who control much of Northern Blackfen and especially the lucrative Blackfen Bay Port.
This week, we take a look at the second of the three major gangs in Blackfen, the Westons. The most established of the gangs, for a long time the Westons had little in the way of opposition. The growth of North Blackfen saw the emergence of The Black Bears, whose power has grown as North Blackfen has grown. However, it is the more recent emergence of a third gang, the South Fen Boys, which has seen an outbreak of widespread violence as they vie for control of Old Palisade Town.
The Westons have seen many of their markets and contacts lost to the South Fen Boys and their power is not what it once was. Their leader, Garan Weston, understands only too well that their continued survival is on the line and has unleashed an unparalleled level of violence against their enemies, but as yet to no avail.
I hope you are seated comfortably, because in this issue we take you all the way to hell! Fear not, we promise to bring you back again – after all, where would we be without you! The third issue of the Zinedoms is all about Herophet and we promise you the foulest and most uncomfortable journey we can manage!
Our main feature this month is a look into the worst place in the cosmos – Herophet! Herophet has played a central role in the history of Arrasia, and none of it has been good. The font of all evil, Herophet was created by Gort as his home and although it wasn’t a fiery hell when he first built it, hate and jealousy poisoned his soul and his home soon reflected it. In this issue, we explore the history of Herophet, as well as looking at what it is like there.
We also take a look at the other hells of Herophet, of which there are many. Herophet itself is split into two, with Pakara making up the other, smaller, part. Both have many other dimensions connected to them, while Herophet itself also has a dungeon that some claim is endless and has many layers that are dimensions in their own right.
No place of pure evil would be worth its salt without its incumbent master of treachery, so we also explore useful information on the site where you can find out more about Zykerathox, the current Lord of Herophet whose rise to power caught many off guard, but who has so far proved to be a worthy master of evil.
No edition of the Zinedoms would be complete without our round up of our weekly Blackfen releases. This month brought you a map of the local geography, helping set the scene for Blackfen. We also finish exploring the themes that dominate the chattering classes and begin to explore a darker side of the city – the world of criminals. In particular we look at the Black Bears, a gang who dominate North Blackfen.
Finally, we would like to encourage you to leave your feedback and let us know what you think. This is already our third month since the relaunch and we’ve been very busy bringing you articles and exploring different areas of the world and site. We really would like to hear what you think about what we’ve done so far.
Every city is marred by its criminal underbelly and Blackfen is no different - indeed, due to its location on the war-torn border with The Fallen Lands, Blackfen attracts more than its fair share of shady and murderous characters, including many pirates who live along the edges of the swamps and bogs that surround the city. Inside Blackfen, three gangs vie for control of the city in a perpetual struggle for supremacy. Over the next three weeks we will take a look at all three gangs and the role they play in the city.
This week's article takes a look at The Black Bears who control much of Northern Blackfen and who under the bloody hand of Kroknic 'The Ugly' - a young female part-orc - have strengthened their hold of Blackfen Bay Port and many of the outlying villages, leaving the Westons and South Fen Boys to fight it out for the lucrative, but bloody market of Old Palisade Town.
This week The Kyngdoms brings you the third and final part exploring the themes that dominate the chattering classes of Blackfen. In the previous two articles we've looked at the defense of the city and the effect of the Black Undeath of Zykerathox, religious tensions, plus the long standing bloody feud between two of the city's prominent families. This week, we explore a little more of the world around Blackfen.
As well as a brief look at the criminal gangs in Blackfen (which will be explored in detail in future articles), this week takes a quick look at Black Lake, on which Blackfen sits, so it should come as no surprise that it plays an important part in the lives of the people. The city is also surrounded by swamp, primarily in the shape of Billet Bog and the much larger Kirn Swamp, which surrounds much of Black Lake. Both are home to a variety of nasty creatures, as well as pirates. Finally, we finish off by taking a stroll to The Hanging Hill, where local executions take place, and Gibbet Grove - a supposedly haunted forest where the trees are cut down to make the gibbets used on The Hanging Hill!
Next week, we began a new three part series, this time looking into the criminal gangs who vie for control over the city.
After a quick interlude last week where we brought you a map of the surrounding area, helping to give a good idea of where the city is located and what can be found around it, we return this week to our exploration of the themes that dominate the city. In our previous article (Part 1) we looked at two of the major issues that dominate the city - namely, its defense and the Black Undeath of Zykerathox.
This week we bring you two more important themes that get the tongues wagging among the local population. Firstly we take a look at religion and its struggle against the City Council to try and get a new wall built around the city. We also look into the feud between two powerful families, the Hirgots and Vendires, which can be traced back several hundred years and which has brought both intrigue and murder to the city.
Next week we will complete our look into the themes of the city, with our third part in the series, looking briefly at the gangs which dominate the city, as well as a look at some of those places on the area map, including Kirn Swamp and Billet Bog, plus The Hanging Hill and Gibbet Grove.
Over the last four weeks,The Kyngdoms have brought you lots of updates about Blackfen - certainly more than enough to give you a good idea of the type of place it is and the type of people who live there. Cities, however, don't exist in a vacuum and they have a huge impact and influence on the land around them. This week, therefore, we thought we'd show a little of what surrounds Blackfen in the form of an area map.
The map shows many of the locations around Blackfen on which it has a direct impact - and some places that have a direct impact on it! A number of small villages and hamlets are located nearby, including Malthorp, Doyndale, North and South Rilinid, Deepdale and more. Several old ruins can be found in the form of the Old Clifftop House, Westmarsh and the mysterious Tilbury Henge. There is also the presence of Billet Bog and Kirn Swamp, which extends around much of Black Lake. Gibbet Grove and the Hanging Hill, where local executions are carried out, are also notable places of interest that arouse both fear and curiosity in the local population.
Some of these places will be filled out in the forthcoming months, offering plenty of tales and adventure, but some will also be left to your imagination to fill out as you please!
The Kyngdoms has released the second of their monthly e-zine, the Zinedoms, an online magazine all about The Kyngdoms fantasy setting and includes new articles, as well as collecting together those released over the past month. In the future, we will also be including short stories set in The Kyngdoms (our first will be released in next month's issue!).
This month's issue is all about the city of Blackfen. Over the last 4 weeks we have released a number of articles detailing the city, which is situated right on the border with The Fallen Lands, a land ravished by war and plague. Each week has brought additional information and insight into the city, so it seemed only right that we should dedicate this month's issue of the Zinedoms to it.
We include a detailed overview of the city, to help get you started, plus each of the four articles released throughout February. We also bring you details on Badathur, the country inside whose border Blackfen now finds itself situated, plus details on the plague that the devil lord Zykerathox set upon the world of Arrasia.
The Kyngdoms is a system-free fantasy setting, free for you to use. The setting offers the perfect backdrop to your Pathfinder game and Blackfen the perfect starting point for your adventures!
The Kyngdoms has released the latest article in our weekly series on the City of Blackfen - the first of three parts exploring the Themes of Blackfen. Every week we bring a new article exploring the city and further fleshing out the detail, until eventually you will have an entire city to explore and use in your games. The Kyngdoms is system free, so can be used as an excellent backdrop for your Pathfinder game. Blackfen offers an exciting place to base your game and as the weeks progress, you will discover both the good and bad of the city, with detailed locations, people, hooks and a wealth of information to fill out your game.
This is the fourth article on Blackfen, having so far brought you a map of the city, overview, plus the history. Future weeks will look at the gangs, magic, religion, as well detailing over 60 locations.
All cities exist on a recipe of half-truths, rumor, propaganda, and lies, and Blackfen is no different. Rumor soon becomes fact, lies are believed, and the truth often lost, buried, or just plain ignored. With illiteracy high and the news passed mouth to mouth, it should come as no surprise that the news and rumors that dominate the thinking of the chattering classes are all too often skewed and misunderstood. Nonetheless, this boiling pot of misinformation forms the basis of the daily news as the ordinary folk of Blackfen understand it and out of which the major themes which dominate thinking have emerged. These can be broken down into 8 broad areas: the defense of Blackfen, the Black Undeath of Zykerathox, religious tensions in the city, the Hirgot - Vendire family feud, the triangle of violence between the three main gangs, Black Lake, Kirn Swamp and Billet Bog, and The Hanging Hill and Gibbet Grove.
These 8 themes will be looked at over the next three weeks, giving the reader a good sense of things that instill fear, pride, horror and plain intrigue into the people of Blackfen. As well as building the overall picture of life in the city, they also offer good ideas for plots and hooks. This week looks at two of the themes which dominate the chattering classes on a daily basis - the defense of the city and the threat of the Black Undeath of Zykerathox.
In the second of our weekly articles detailing the city of Blackfen, we bring you an overview of the city and take a look at what role it plays, its location on the border with The Fallen Lands, and its importance in the war with Zykerathox.
Blackfen is a free weekly series brought to you by The Kyngdoms as part of its system-free fantasy campaign setting. The location offers you an excellent starting point for your Pathfinder game and each week we will add more detail, including over 60 keyed areas, plots, adventure hooks, themes, and details of people and places.
The city will be fully fleshed out over a series of weekly articles, bringing you a fantastic place in which to either base your game, or better yet, a place in which the adventures themselves are set. This week we bring you the map of the city, which will slowly be built up with clickable keyed areas. What can you expect from the City of Blackfen?
over 60 keyed areas
interesting places highlighted
interesting people highlighted
adventure hooks and ideas
details of the city politics
details of the religions
the major themes of Blackfen
the criminal underbelly of Blackfen
a look at the region directly surrounding the city
lots of maps
Like The Kyngdoms: The World of Arrasia itself, the City of Blackfen will be system free, making it a perfect backdrop for your Pathfinder game. You can also choose to use the city in whatever campaign setting you like, should you prefer.
Welcome back, the new site looks pretty good. Do you have any plans to update the Fane trilogy (Cult, Shadow, Tower) to PFRPG?
Hi - thanks :)
I'm going to make the Fane trilogy unavailable for sale later today (or tomorrow), along with all my other 3.5 products. After that I want to get a setting book done, but I don't think I'll be dipping my toes into writing adventures again.
Having said that, if someone (or a group of someones!) was interested in updating the adventures for Pathfinder, I'd be happy to make them freely available to the community. They were a good set of adventures and would work great for Pathfinder, but right now I don't have the time to work on them.
After a month of hiatus, The Kyngdoms website is now back online. The whole site and setting have been completely overhauled, hopefully bringing you a much better experience.
What does the setting now offer?
A new Lord of Herophet has risen
The world of Arrasia is now at war and chaos reigns
Blackfen* - a weekly article bringing you the city of Blackfen
* First article published on the 4th February - and then every Monday thereafter
What does the new site offer?
The Kyngdoms is now system free, so perfect for Pathfinder, or any other fantasy game
a vastly improved online experience
a modern user-friendly website
better navigation and search
improved functionality
some beautiful new images
totally free and no login required
For those of you not already familiar with the world, what is The Kyngdoms?
The Kyngdoms: The World of Arrasia is a classic high fantasy setting, populated with men, elves, and dwarves and chronicles their tales from the beginning of time through to a new age of chaos and war. The depth of The Kyngdoms will allow you to entirely immerse yourself in all the rich detail of this world – from the nations and gods, through to the very history of the world itself.
The Kyngdoms: The World of Arrasia will introduce you to a whole new world to explore, including:
The Aslah – powerful Gods who have shaped the very universe and whose wonderful tales of love and hatred are told in fantastic detail.
Of men, elves and dwarves – the conflicts, alliances and lives of these races all form the very heart of the history of Arrasia.
Arrasia – the world itself which stands at the heart of the cosmos, mapped out in its entirety.
The histories – a series of tales telling the long history of the Gods and Arrasia, rich and fully immersive.
The cosmos – all the dimensions of the universe, from the homes of the gods, to the home of men, elves and dwarves, the world of Arrasia.
Complete is a long way from finished. I don't think it was edited, but converted to Pathfinder. If I'm correct, it's a manuscript which still needs storyboarding, layout, art, and then final proofing. That's a lot of investment. If I'm wrong, and all it needs is art, layout, and proofing, that's slightly less effort.
-Ben.
As far as I am aware, from the details supplied by Lou Argesta and others (including Nic) on the now gonegonegone Sinister forums, the work was essentially complete and ready for layput. Editing had been completed (and by editing, I mean just that, not conversion), artwork was almost complete (there was some talk of a few pieces remaining) and maps were done, except (IIRC) Lou was suggesting that one further map was probably still in order. So according to the information that we were given, there were just a few details remaining and layout. They'd even done a special appendix on sea warfare (or something like that), but this was still to be completed and was going to be released seperately.
It is completely bemusing why Nic hasn't put this out. I'm with the other guys above who said that if it ain't out by the end of this academic summer (so, say, October), then it probably ain't coming. Ever. And that would be sad.
I also agree with what someone else said. I think the majority of us who prepaid would rather get the product than a refund and that it does speaks volumes for what we think of Nic's ability. In spite of everything.
And when it is proven that he cannot/will not do so, I shall stand right beside you.
You'll never get proof. Nobody will. Nic will either repay or he won't. All we can say right now is that it has been 3 or 4 years and there is, as yet, no product and no refund. At what point do we decide it has been proven? 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? The lifetimes of three generations of our sons and daughters? All we can say is that we have been waiting for 3 or 4 years and that we still haven't seen either the product we paid for or a return of the money we paid for it with.
TriOmegaZero wrote:
Until then, Heymitch's evidence of 'it hasn't happened for weeks' is not proof enough for me to berate and disparage a man I do not know. Civil, repeated complaints are what I would submit. Not accusations of lying and con artistry.
Look, I don't think Nic set out to rip anyone off. I really don't. And I don't think that anyone really thinks that either. But he has said a lot of things that have still yet to happen. I don't know when a promise becomes a lie, but after 3 or 4 years of broken promises, I think people calling him out as a liar is understandable. The intent doesn't matter. It is the fact that he has constantly failed to deliver on his promises, over a series of years, that counts. Actions, my friend, and all that.
I think the thing that has stimulated a lot of the accusations that people are making about Nic is the current circumstances surrounding Razor Coast. The fact is, Razor Coast is finished. It was handed over to Nic by Louis Agresta several months ago and all Nic needs to do is produce the final product. It was said (on the now defunct forums) that it was to be released as a PDF and POD, so there should be no substantial overheads that stop the products release (all the maps and art and cover were done, with talk of just one or two pieces remaining, but which weren't entirely necessary). So why hasn't it been released? I don't think that anyone who has paid up their money, or has just been following this saga, can understand this stalling. If anything has really soured people's opinion of Nic and brought about the accusations of lying and con artistry, it is this. The product is there. It is done. So where is it? The fact that it still hasn't been released makes a lot of people feel like they're being ripped off.
I agree with what someone said above. Nic should just get Razor Coast out there and offer his fans something. Hell, I'd even be happy for him to keep my money for Ebon Shroud if he just got Razor Coast out there. I don't think Nic is a bad guy - in fact, I probably think he's a pretty good guy and that is partly why he's found himself in this mess. But Razor Coast is done, so it's difficult to understand why it still hasn't been released and it's beginning to seriously sour people's opinions and lead to accusations. The resolution is simple. Release Razor Coast. That would be a fine start.
Yeah, Nick promised refunds to those of us who pre-ordered Ebon Shroud, guaranteeing we'd have them over three or four weeks ago. Since then, nothing. No refund, no information.
We've been waiting for Razor Coast for, what, two years? Longer? And so far, nothing. If it wasn't for all the hard work that Louis Agresta and his team had put in over the last 12-18 months, then it never would have even gotten to the stage it has (ie finished bar layout and release, AFAIK). I know Louis has been very loyal to Nick, but personally I think it would be a real slap in the face to all his hard work and placating the Sinister community not to release it now, to say nothing of those of us who have been waiting for so long.
And now even the webiste has gone.
So no product, no refund, no information, and now no site. The words 'ripped off' are starting to come to mind.
I'm waiting on the Plague Doctor miniature before placing my order. As an international buyer, I prefer to buy in bulk and save on postage, plus I'd also like to take advantage of the 10% New Year discount, as well as the discount on shipping for orders over $100. I was going to order a handfull, as if were, so this affects the postage discount on my order.
So what's the deal with this miniature? At first it was available for pre-order (for a December release), but now it's listed as unavailable and doesn't seem to be in the product list anymore either.
Could someone officially in the know kindly let me know what the status of this release is and whether it's going to be released (and, if so, when) or not?
Great news - this order arrived this morning :-) I must admit that I wasn't holding out any hope! The box was trashed - squashed and ripped - but amazingly the contents were undamaged.
Thanks for your reassurance and patience, Cosmo - and for the genrerous offer to resend the entire order if it didn't arrive. Fortunately, there will be no need :-)
Unfortunately, this has still not arrived and I'm assuming at this stage that it is unlikely to.
Is there any chance you could start to chase it up? Do you have a tracking number? It might be stuck in a depot somewhere awaiting customs clearance, but without knowing the courier or having a tracking id, there's nothing I can do at this end.
Obviously, since this cost me nearly $200, I'd like to start working on finding out where it is at this time, as I'm still hopeful it can be resolved.
I'm happy to wait a while longer yet. I just thought if you had tracking it might tell me if it's at customs or still in transit. Anyway, thanks again.
I'm still awaiting the arrival of (international) order #979900. It's been almost 3 weeks since I received the email confirming it had been shipped. As it was for somewhere near to $200, I'm obviously just getting a little concerned (only mildly at this point, however).
So do you have any tracking for this item? If you do, it might be a good idea at this point to see what's happening with it.
The boards are difficult to navigate for us newbies, which makes starting up discussions/posting to threads etc a little more daunting. I would like to see an obvious place to discuss rules and general gaming issues - and, yes, even other peoples products.
Basically, I'd like to see some traditional forums here at Paizo. There is (IMO) a number of people now looking for a new home (I certainly am) to discuss their favorite game (I'm talking 3.5 here) and it would seem to me that this would be a good opportunity for Paizo, who have really become the obvious spiritual home for 3.5, to widen their appeal.
I realize that Paizo is a business and that the forums as is are a way for your customers to discuss your products, and this makes perfect sense - but it would be nice to find a new place to talk about the game I still play in a common environment.
Anyway, just a thought. And keep up the good work. I've pretty much turned entirely to Paizo now for my 3.5 fix - so thanks :)
Edit: Ah, I hadn't spotted this. I assumed the messageboard link was it. That's what I've been looking for :)
Armor Proficiency Light (Class)
Armor Proficiency Medium (Class)
Armor Proficiency Heavy (Class)
Martial weapon proficiency (Class)
Power Attack (Human)
Shield proficiency (Class)
Simple weapon proficiency (Class)
Toughness (Lvl 1)
Cleave (Lvl 3)
Greater Cleave (Lvl 5)
Extra Lay on Hands (Lvl 7)
Fast Learner (Lvl 9)
Traits:
Armor Expert
Heirloom Weapon (Campaign)
Ease of Faith
Paladin:
Aura of Good
Aura of Courage (Immune to fear, each ally within 10 feet is given +4 morale bonus)
Channel Positive Energy (2 uses of Lay on Hands)
Detect Evil (Sp) 60 feet at will
Divine Health (Immune to all diseases)
Mercy (Shaken, Diseased. and Cursed)
Smite Evil (3/day) (+3 atk (Cha), +2 dmg*(level), +3 AC (Cha))
Divine Grace
Lay On Hands 6 times/day (Heal 1d6 or Turn Undead 1d6)
Spells: 3(1st)/2(2nd)
Aura of Resolve
Magnimarama:
Magnimarna, Bastard Sword +2
1) Touch of Glory (See Glory Domain) (1/day)
2) +1 Magical Enhancement
3) Bless (As the spell CL 3) (1/day)
4) Cure Light Wounds (CL 1) (1/day on command)(Move Action)
5) +2 Magical Enhancement (replaces +1) (+2 to attack and damage roll)
6) Cure Moderate Wounds (CL 6) (1/day)(Move Action)
7) Keen Blade (+1)
8) +3 Magical Enhancement (replaces +2) (+3 to attack and damage roll)
9) Cure Serious Wounds (CL 9) (1/day)(As Move Action)
Light Load: x < 86 lbs.
Medium Load: 87 < x < 173 lbs.
Heavy Load: 174 < x < 260 lbs
Background:
Born in the small town of Prosser, Mantooth was named so because he was born with a full set of adult-sized teeth. Growing up he looked incredibly bizzarre and raised questions with anyone who saw him for the first time, he himself was happy with his gift as his he discovered his teeth were nearly indestructible. Mantooth Longbrow lost his mother at a young age in a harvesting accident and was raised solely by his father, Mortimer Longbrow. Mortimer, a retired member of the illustrious Six Blades, was left weak and disfigured following mortal battle with the evil sorcerer Yato Kellar. While not able to physically train Mantooth well, he did teach his son much about the virtues of righteousness, valor, and compassion by the ways of Iomedae. In an effort to get his son to follow in his footsteps of becoming a hero, Mortimer gifted Mantooth the very masterwork blade that he used with his time in the Six Blades. Mantooth accepted the gift, rarely going anywhere without it.
At the age of fourteen, Mantooth was sent to the The Iomeadean Temple of Saint Lymirin located in Dennovar, a small trade city located on the shores of Lake Ern and the eastern gateway to the vale. There, he began his studies as a cleric. Upon completion of his first year, which consisted mainly of time spent reading books, Mantooth was taken aside and offered a position in the temple's special Paladin training unit. To be offered a spot in this unit was an honor in itself given that Saint Lymirin is know for it's great guardians and protectors. It was at Saint Lymirin that Mantooth learned to become an expert in armor. As soon as his training began, he was instructed to wear a set of armor that he was only allowed to take off to sleep or bathe.
It was not long after Mantooth had begun training at the Temple when his longtime friend was slain while fetching a pail of water by the stream just outside the town's walls. Mantooth, or the entire village for that matter, would not have known what
became of his friend had he not wandered back into the village early one morning - freshly risen by a necromancer's spell. Mantooth would never forget approaching his friend with questions of where he had been, only to be met with the rotted visage of an undead. Though Mantooth was quick to cast down his former friend with his father's blade, the memory of the event would never leave him; from that day forward he developed a particular distaste for all things re-animated, making it a personal duty of his to destroy the blight wherever he found it.
After having completed his training, Mantooth was no less than eager to create a legacy like that of Mortimer's, and to do so in the name of Iomedae, Mantooth was proud to graduate from the Temple and start to put his vigorous training to use. It was through this training that Mantooth was able to learn to carry out the other virtues of Iomedae: That all those who have no interest in redemption, who find glory in slaughter and death, will be met with the swift justice of a Paladin's blade.
It was not shortly after Mantooth's graduation from the Temple that word was received in the village about an upcoming tournament in the nearby city of Brindol. One afternoon, Mantooth came home to his father's house to find his father's friend, and other retired Six Blades member, Deillyr Starcloak standing in the kitchen waiting for him. It was at that time that he received his sealed letter of sponsorship and show what he has learned in his temple training.
