43 replies to this topic

[berelinde]

DMed by me, 3.5E rules. Set in Calimshan.

More details will follow if there is interest.

Edited by berelinde, 13 April 2007 - 10:23 AM.

[Kellen]

Ooh Calimshan.

I know nearly nothing about Calimshan. Except that it might be something like medieval Arabia?

I'm interested but unsure if I would be able to join. The setting is entirely unfamiliar to me, and I might not have the time to learn about it.

But hey! Still of interest, and I would love to play.

[berelinde]

Actually, that might not work out so badly. Ideally, none of the characters should be from Calimshan, or know much about it. They're strangers, looking for work.

And when you're a stranger in Calimport, life is definitely an adventure.

[Kellen]

Ah, but I'd still like to know about the area.

Why would it be ideal that we weren't from Calimshan?

And I'm guessing Calimport is the capital...

[berelinde]

If you want to know more about it, here's the sourcebook I'm using:

http://www.wizards.c...d/dnd/downloads

It's a downloadable file, but I wouldn't recommend printing it out unless you have six or seven printer cartridges you weren't doing anything else with.

For those that don't want to read through all that, I'll put together a brief summary later.

My reasoning behind having no one really know the area is that it allows players unfamiliar with the campaign setting to become accustomed to it at the same pace as veteran players. Also, there is no guarantee that my idea of Calimshan will be 100% in-line with anyone else's. This puts everyone on a level playing field. Also, the hook I'm using to gather the party relies on the idea that the people involved might be in Calimport looking for adventure, for work, or for ready opportunities to hire on as a mercenary.

So characters would be 1st level, and hail from somewhere that isn't Calimport.

[berelinde]

Calimport has been called the City of Glory, but also the City of Slaves, sometimes by the same people. There is certainly nothing unambiguous about it.

Calimport is the capital city of Calimshan, located south of Tethyr and Amn. It is home to 2 million souls, and is divided into seventeen wards, each of which is further divided into sabbans, which, in turn, are divided into drudachs. As very few streets in Calimport are named, locations are identified by giving the drudach, the sabban, and, if necessary, the ward. Drudachs might be thought to correspond to streets of blocks, sabbans to neighborhoods, and wards to districts.

Calimport is a walled city, with the walls serving as viaducts for the wealthy. Drudachs are surrounded by a wall eight to ten feet high, topped by a road about as wide. Sabbans are also surrounded by walkway-topped walls. The wards are not enclosed by their own walls, however, but use the walls of their constituent sabbans.

Eighty-five percent of the wealth of Calimport is owned by fifteen percent of the populace. That fifteen percent, together with their retinue, is allowed to use the upper walkways. The poor are confined to the swealtering streets. Those who are permitted to walk in the clean air do not descend to street level, but instead call down to servants on the ground to carry out their orders. Businesses that cater to the upper class frequently offer elevated entrances to their premises, or, if business is conducted in cooler basement rooms, provide a ramp from the sabban-walls to the basement so that their clients need not walk on unexalted ground.

Slavery is legal in Calimshan, and rampant in Calimport. The city census lists 5 slaves for every free citizen, despite the fact that 35% of the citizens of Calimport own no slaves at all. There are a few enlightened souls about, but most people accept the status quo.

Calimport is, in fact, a port city, the largest in Faerun. Breezes off the water might carry some blessed coolness inland, if it weren?t for the walls that block it. For this reason, anyone who can afford to do so keeps their living quarters above street level, or below it, in cooler subterranean rooms. The palaces and villas of the rich soar over the stifling heat below, and can often be used as landmarks.

Each sabban has at least one minaret, for the watch. These delicate spindles are built upon a single slab of solid rock, which allows them much greater height and slenderness than might otherwise be possible. Others besides the watch build towers, though, so a sabban might boast of more than one.

If Calimport?s towers reach for the heavens, its basements and tunnels grasp at the underworld. Some speculate that Calimport is built on rock, or sand, or compacted silt, but mostly, it is built on top of Calimport. A city spanning seven millennia will have grown over time, but, as it did not grow outward, it grew upward. As buildings fell into disuse, they were toppled and other buildings erected on their foundations.

In addition to the extensive network of cellars and basement rooms, Calimport has its own literal underworld, called Calimport Mazad, or Calimport Below. It is a network of tunnels, undercellars, and chambers, a city beneath the city. It holds portals to the underdark. Calimport Mazad is populated by those who might not want to do business under the light of the Calimport sun.

No one would argue with the assertion that Calimport is corrupt. Guile and intrigue are the constant companions to the political machinations taking place every day. There is no benevolent ruler here, serving the interests of the downtrodden. A Calishite learns very young to trust no one.

[ronin]

I am already playing a campaign but if at the beginning there is a need for people I would be very interested to play. If too many people are interested then just let them have first dibs.

[Kellen]

So characters would be 1st level, and hail from somewhere that isn't Calimport.

If they hailed from beyond Calimshan, as said in your second post, they would likely need to be more than level one to arrive at Calimport safely, yes?

So often people do that. Your an adventurer, who's been adventuring for a time, but you're level 1. Or you've been training for years, but are level 1. It seems a silly thing to me.

[berelinde]

About the level, we'll see how it goes. Had this gone as a PnP campaign, I was planning to start at level 3.

If I only get experienced players, I will allow everyone to start at level three. If too many have never played PnP before, it will be first level.

@ Ronin: I was planning on having up to 8 players, which is plenty of room for newcomers. Your plan sounds good: start out playing, and if more people want in than can be accomodated, you can always drop out, if you like.

Edited by BGhead, 11 April 2007 - 08:58 AM.

[Kellen]

Cool.

Would you mind if I played from a smaller town in Calimshan. I'm not entirely sure yet, am looking up more info and such, but it might be quite an intriguing place to be from.

I have questions about the setting, but I will read that Calimport pdf and see how many are answered in there.

[ronin]

Bluenose will have to make another password procted subforum for the new campaign.

[berelinde]

Would you mind if I played from a smaller town in Calimshan. I'm not entirely sure yet, am looking up more info and such, but it might be quite an intriguing place to be from.

Not sure if you'd like it all that much, but we'll see how it goes.

[berelinde]

Just as a heads up, we have 4 more interested parties, who'll introduce themselves when the time comes, but we're still OK for space.

[igi]

What exactly does tihs involve (i.e. if I said yes, what would I actually have to do?)

[cmorgan]

I'm in - nothing flashy, straight mercenary sellsword from Greyhawk sorry Baldur's Gate area.

Advertisement; Sword Available For Hire.
Have Sword, Will Travel. Humanoids My Speciality. No Dragons. Will Work For Food. Experienced At Caring For Horses. Strong Oarsman. Knowledge of Baldurs Gate and Area. Can Read. No Job Too Small. Inquire Behind Local Stable Near DungHeap.

Edited by cmorgan, 11 April 2007 - 02:39 PM.

[berelinde]

Responsibilities would include generating a character using 3.5E rules, coming up with a personality and a backstory for said character, checking the forums at some point on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (or more, as you please), and posting your actions for the coming turns.

If everybody posts, the game moves ahead, and the DM may post for the next turn before the next official post time, but if someone misses their turn and doesn't post before the DM posts (at the regular time, not at an interrim time), their turn is skipped. If any player anticipates an absence of more than a couple "sessions," it might be best to ask another player to run the character for a bit.

In other words, if people are around and posting, the game might move faster than 3 clicks a week. If they aren't, 3 clicks a week it is.

Any legal character class is fair game, as is any human or demi-human race. Nothing OTT like vampire or half-dragon characters, please, but with the crew that has inquired, I think you already know how unbalancing that would be. You would use a point-buy system, with 29 points available.

I'll be posting links to a character generator, dice roller, and other related playing tools once the forum is set up.

There are 3 people interested who have not put their names on this forum. One probably will, as soon as he registers at SHS.

If you are unfamiliar with play by post, it moves more slowly than a gaming session in your dining room. But at least you know who ate all the cheetos.

Edited by berelinde, 11 April 2007 - 05:14 PM.

[Celestine]

I'm in and so is my friend. I'm thinking what character I want to run though.

[Orix DustBlade]

I'm in and so is my friend. I'm thinking what character I want to run though.

i am in

Thanks

[berelinde]

Welcome aboard!

[igi]

If you are unfamiliar with play by post, it moves more slowly than a gaming session in your dining room.

Unfamiliar with play by post, and with real life sessions as well.
Hence I haven't a clue how to play