World Truths

Welcome to the Ironlands
Where the land is rough and the people calloused.

Old World

"The sickness moved like a horrible wave across the Old World, killing all in its path. Thousands fled aboard ships. However, the plague could not be outrun. On many ships, the disease was contained through ruthless measures—tossing overboard any who exhibited the slightest symptom. Other ships were forever lost. In the end, those who survived found the Ironlands and made it their new home. Some say we will forever be cursed by those we left behind."

With only three generations passing since the exodus from the old world, fear of the plague is still central in Ironlander culture. I really enjoy the idea that the sick would be stigmatized and competent healers would conversely be greatly respected. 

Iron

"Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish, and even the sharpest blade cannot mark them."

Let's be honest here, big mysterious pillars are cool. The Iron Priests are a good faction to complicate matters and we will touch on them a bit more later in the Truths.

Legacies

"Before the Ironlanders, before even the firstborn, another people lived here. Their ancient ruins are found throughout the Ironlands."

I think that it's interesting when there is history to discover. You can just happen upon ruins and old sites that once had meaning yet have been lost to time. I think for our purposes most people know nothing about the ruins' origin or secrets. Anything we know or find out will be in play.

Communities

"We have forged the Ironlands into a home. Villages within the Havens are connected by well-trod roads. Trade caravans travel between settlements in the Havens and those in outlying regions. Even so, much of this land is untamed."

In my opinion, higher population density makes more problems and a story is only as interesting as the problems the characters have to deal with. In a basic sense, a good portion of the Havens are settled and the surrounding regions have a smaller amount of civilization. Lagging camps in the Deep Wilds, trappers in the Hinterlands, miners in the Tempest Hills, etc. Most of the Ironlands are still untamed.

Leaders

"Numerous clan-chiefs rule over petty domains. Most are intent on becoming the one true king. Their squabbles will be our undoing."

Now on this Truth I went back and forth between this one and the Overseer option for a while and finally decided that I like the drama of warring dynasties and the people caught in the middle more than elections every 7 years. So the hierarchy I will go with is simple: Jarls are regional and report to the Chieftain; both roles are dynastic. Hostile takeovers are the name of the game.

Defense

"The wardens are our soldiers, guards, and militia. They serve their communities by standing sentry, patrolling surrounding lands, and organizing defenses in times of crisis. Most have strong ties to their community. Others, called free wardens, are wandering mercenaries who hire on to serve a community or protect caravans."

So, the warband option might have made more sense considering the Leader Truth I picked but I really like the idea of wardens. So our wardens are basically samurai: they're specifically the warrior caste that were sworn to their liege and to serve for life. And just like the ronin, free wardens are those who choose not to honor the expected duties of the wardens; they would be treated derisively by sworn wardens and likely feared to an extent by commoners. Like knights IRL, wardens are seen as a class in between the commoner and the noble. Levied troops would be conscripted commoners in times of war. 

Mysticism

"Magic is rare and dangerous, but those few who wield the power are truly gifted."

I want some magic in the setting, Rituals are cool and I'd like the freedom to include spellcasters in the setting. I also think it adds more importance to the Iron Pillars and creates some conflict between those who believe the pillars to be divine and others that consider them an arcane mystery. In our Ironlands, it wouldn't be uncommon for a spellcaster or two to live in a community. A hedge-witch, a cleric, a shaman, etc.

Religion

"The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort."

Religion is definitely a thing in the Ironlands. Chieftains have seers and diviners, villages have priests and shamans, and then of course there are the Iron Priests. Other than their obsession with the Iron Pillars I don't think I want to establish what they are too much. If they come up in the story then we can flesh them out as we go but I think it'd be more fun to leave some mystery.

Firstborn

"The firstborn hold sway in the Ironlands. The elves of the deep forests and the giants of the hills tolerate us and even trade with us—for now. Ironlanders fear the day they decide we are no longer welcome here."

Love me some firstborn. Ironlanders aren't the only group to have civilization but the firstborn are more conservative in their expansion. Elves stick their forests, trolls to their lairs, giant to their hills and varou to their territory. The average commoner probably hasn't ever met a firstborn but traders and travelers definitely have.

Beasts

"Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of the Ironlands."

With our truths already emphasizing political and religion/mysticism as points of contention, I didn't want to throw too much at the setting. Juggling too many fronts isn't a good play practice in my opinion. Beasts exist and cause problems, but not so much as there are "Witcher" style characters. If anything communities that are troubled would hire a free warden or raise the problem to their Jarl to take care of with their forces.

Horrors

"We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes."

Same as the Beasts Truth honestly. I like the idea that they are there but I don't want them to dominate the plot of the setting. The Flooded lands may have hags and bloated creatures, ruins may be haunted, and the deep corners of the Ironlands may hide greater evils. If they come up then we will deal with them in play.