Grotty Fantasy

[Nihilistic_Impact]

I picked that term, grotty, as I want to step away from gritty; move back towards the days of yesteryear.

By this I mean I want to move away from the sprawling epics of plodding doom that dominates modern fantasy. I have drunk heavily of it and while I have enjoyed the occasional draught I have been poisoned and corrupted. In my desperation I yearn for the fierce tales of old; Conan and his panther like movements, Fafhrd and Grey Mouser thieving some treasure that is soon loss, Shadowspawn poised upon the dagger's tip or even Elric's struggle with the bloodthirsty Stormbringer.

These are not the extent of my inspirations; but what I draw upon is something rough, unsure in its presentation as it forces barbarism onto civilisation. What I seek is to create a Sword & Sorcery setting. One that draws upon the city of Lankhmar, Sanctuary or the fabled Citystate of the Invincible Overlord.

For ideas I pull from classic fantasy, and even some modern like the Gentlemen Bastards, Malazan Book of the Fallen or the Black Company, along with Old School Dungeons & Dragons with the modern revival movement.

So what it is that I want is to create a setting, jointly, and let loose our characters upon it. I am very much a fan of emergent story telling and the use of random tables.

I am not interested in sex, but high adventure. Well maybe a little sex.

EDIT:

With my spare time I've made a little,

map

 

[Nihilistic_Impact]

I suppose I can provide some inspiration for what I'm looking for in an urban sword & sorcery. So with that in mind let me introduce my readers, the few that take an interest in this, to a few of my thoughts. First, based upon the idea of a Thieves Guild from Fafhrd and Grey Mouser I present the Gilded Hand, or alternately named the Gilt Hand. My mind is fickle and waivers between the two. Second will be the Bramble Crown, a generic name for the guild assassins of my nebulous and unnamed city.

To begin with the Gilded Hand it must be said that they do not control all the crime within the city, only that they hold the reins of power. A furtive whisper of an organisation at the lowest of the street levels becomes a truth where tribute and worship is required. The Gilded Hand is said to be run by five Masters/Mistresses, one for each digit upon the hand. They are a strong force within the city and placating them is the first step to securing the streets.

The Gilded Hand practising an odd cult in that is deifies it's former heads, though without benefit of any names as secrecy is an utmost value to any thief. Upon their death a Master/Mistress will have it's head removed along with their left hand which will have the flesh removed so that the bone may be decorated with gold, silver and gems of brilliant display. They are then kept in secret chambers for the upper echelons to give due homage to.

Now the Bramble Crown is a loose consortium of individuals that do knife work for a price. They are freelancers and untied to any noble house, they range from the lowest street killings to the assassination of kings. They are professional killers.

What sets them apart from any would be killer is the pride they take within their work, for they have rank within the Gilded Hand. They are allowed to attend the most sacred rituals and give worship to the forebearers. In addition to this is that upon their backs they tattoo the history of their violence. A skull upon their shoulders is the root of a tangle of thorny vines that'll grow as they do their work. Hence the name of Bramble Crown.

This last idea is partially based upon the Court of Night Blooming Flowers from Kushiel's Legacy by Jacqueline Carey. The original thought of sacred prostitutes is one I am willing to bring into the city as well, under the name from this source, another source or produced all its own.

With the next post I suppose I can go into more detail as to my inspirations, or into such resources as I can borrow from Table Top Role Playing.

 

[Nihilistic_Impact]

It has been a while since my last update, but I suppose I should continue with my setting. With a drink at hand and some appropriate music, in this case I am listening to Hammers of Misfortune's The Bastard album, and so am ready to continue. At first I had thought that I should provide some possible characters.

Sadly I don't have any truly, though a few drift in my skull like Dolmance the disgraced swordsman, Siena the abled Amazonian or Dar my agile thief who dabbles in assassination. With so little details for these, or others, I feel I should speak as to who occupies the fantastical city of my head.

Let me give my city a name, Novum Crosier. At it's root is a hack of Vornheim by Zak S. of D&D with Pornstars and Corpathium by Logan of Last Gasp. I provide this information should anyone seek out their respective blogs as they are truly fascinating.

Now some of these details are stolen straight from Logan; I do try to interject some of my own thought or others stolen from else where. The people I shall describe are the: Moors, Morgen, Sranc, Cathars, Nonmen, Dogheads, Amazons, Beguines and Goblins.

Moors, are a people steeped heavily in mysticism. They posses a skin that is jet black in appearance, their eyes have no pupils and are an intense milky white. Most seem to be traders and merchants and it is whispered that they can taste lies when spoken to them.

Morgen, a complex people who upon their births are devoted to one of their strange star gods. Complex calculations are utilised to determine who they serve, giving them their surname. Their skin is alabaster, almost translucent, in its whiteness, their eyes epicanthic. They practise a most unusual act in that upon the death of one of their own they will ritually consume it.

Sranc, the pale mongrel men that are much akin to our own worlds Germanic, Franc and English populations.

Cathars, the seemingly more civilised cousins of the Sranc. They ascribe to a history that is rich in its honour; but just as bloody. They have only been at the game of empires longer.

Nonmen, based upon the creatures of Moorcocks's Melnibonians. They are ageless elven creatures that inhuman morality that view humanity as little more then cockroaches at their feet. Most of them have vanished from the world, preferring their own little demi-planes of existence as they slowly die out. It is rumoured that their women are barren.

Doghead, are mostly human in appearance save for one crucial aspect. As their name emplies they have the heads of dogs. They are a devote race with many theologians and mystics. Just as much they are an inquisitive people that full well know the value of a careful trap.

Amazon, these are warrior woman who have spurned the society of all others. Their trust in the strength of arms as lead to an interesting practise where they will capture male fighters of suitable strength to live amongst them. Some say that they need not the company of man to reproduce.

Beguines, are a unique group as they are not a racial grouping of any sort; but the result of woman finding regular society not to their liking and seeking an answer within spiritual matters. They are a welcoming sort to any wandering mystic or theologian; but other wise insular in their commune styled existence.

Goblins, are a people diminutive and green in hue. They are generally wild and short lived in comparison to others. They hail from the tribes of God and Magog and are required to pay a stranger tax when they choose to reside within the walls of Novum Crosier.

These are the people of the city, now their could be other smaller populations within its borders; but they would not amount to a full percentage of the statical composition of Novum Crosier.