Table of Contents
Welcome to James Kemp's Wiki
This is a collaborative web platform that allows people to edit1) the web pages to provide additional content for some of the stories I have written and the roleplaying games that I am involved in, whether as a player or GM.
There are several namespaces operating slightly different wiki subjects. These are, in no particular order:
- Skyss - Story Background - a fantasy novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2016.
- Perfects - background for the near future story and some police roleplaying that I ran in that universe
- Theocracy of Daprav - A D&D campaign that I ran with Glasgow University Games Society around 2002-3.
- Jim Wallman's Universe - a roleplaying by e-mail campaign that I play in, this is an unofficial wiki and none of it is canon unless Jim says it is.
- Interstellar Freelance Unlimited - subset of the Universe pages covering the activities of a mercenary company that we are currently roleplaying every Full Moon.
- Earth Imperium pages. These cover the activities of the Government of the Solar republic (aka Earth Empire) in Jim's Humanity Will Prevail campaign, including the Earth Imperium News Items.
- Free Worlds Alliance - covering the activities of another emerging polity in the Humanity Will Prevail campaign. Mostly contributed by Eric Moroney.
- Universe Background - page collecting the various bits of background info that have come up in various e-mail discussions for the campaigns set in Jim Wallman's Universe.
- Master map of the Universe (6Mb PDF, as at 3212).
- Delta Green - some roleplaying campaigns about horror and conspiracy. The main one was set in Berlin in 1953.
- Free games rules - a collection of free rules for wargames and other sorts of face to face games that I have designed or run.
- Wargames rules - I'm not just a player of games, I also do rules for them from time to time as well as one-off games. A primary outlet for this is through Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Other free rules - at the moment just those for the 1689 (Orange or Lemon? and Bonnie Dundee, respectively about the debates in the Scots Parliament and then the military campaign of Viscount Dundee during 1689) and The Other Side of the COIN (about what makes people become insurgents). All games that I have have produced for Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Background for a near future universe where I have written some fiction and also run some roleplaying games in.
Comments and complaints to me at webmaster@full-moon.info please.
James Kemp
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Kingdom of Skyss
the standard crest of Skyss, a circle of seven circles, gold coins when painted, and crossed axes in the middle with a boat prow underneath. Usually it was rendered on a blue circle with coloured paint. The boat was green and the axes red. This coin had a small hole drilled where the top-most of the seven coins went.
Government
Skyss is a non-hereditary Kingdom. Established almost 800 years ago it was founded by the College of Heroes to stabilise the area and ensure good government that supported trading rather than raiding as the primary activity. Skyss has gone from being a dangerous backwater on questionably viable land to a major power that maintains peace over a large area.
As well as the office of King, and the nine Electors, the main factors in this common prosperity are the Board of Trade, navy, and justice.
The Kingdom of Skyss is the pre-eminent maritime hegemon of the continent of osnines, exercising near-total dominance over global commerce through its administrative apparatus and naval superiority. Centred upon the primate city of kronstadt, the kingdom acts as the world’s primary “middleman,” controlling approximately 5,000 of the 6,000 active merchant hulls currently traversing known waters. Its society is characterised by a highly developed urban hierarchy, a unique system of functional social associations in lieu of marriage, and a historical reliance on the power of heroes individuals of divine lineage whose influence was codified following the Great Schism.
Governance and Law
The Monarchy and Civil Administration
The kingdom is a non-hereditary monarchy currently ruled by king_thirfinn. Governance is facilitated through a sophisticated Small Council comprising senior officials known as “Keepers,” including the Keeper of the Keys, the Keeper of the Cloth, and the Keeper of Treasures. Strategic intelligence and economic regulation are managed by the Board of Trade, an organisation so pervasive that it maintains “blue hut” offices in nearly every significant foreign port and trading hub on the continent.
Judicial Apparatus
Law is administered by the kings_justices, an elite cadre of senior officials, many of whom are Heroes. These Justices are sworn by Geas to uphold absolute justice and possess the divine ability to compel truth from the accused. The legal unit of the kingdom is the collective group rather than the individual, ensuring community survival takes precedence over private interest.
Culture and Household Structure
Functional Associations
Skyssian culture eschews the southern institution of marriage, instead utilising formal associations to organise labour, property, and residency. Skyssians formally constitute themselves into:
- Households: Communitarian legal units for property ownership and residency, often inhabiting s single building or a small compound.
- Crews: The primary social and labour unit for the maritime population, often sharing communal meals and spiritual devotions.
- Colleges and Companies: Professional guilds and merchant organisations that manage higher learning and international trade.
Interpersonal Dynamics
Social mores in Skyss are notably open and relaxed. Physical intimacy is viewed as a mutual pleasure to be taken where offered without the expectation of exclusivity or lifelong fidelity. Child-rearing is an act of personal choice, with high-status figures like the demi-god Alfarinn selecting partners based on specific traits of integrity rather than formal bonding.
Maritime Hegemony and Industry
Shipbuilding and Technology
Skyss maintains its naval dominance through the recent adoption of standardised components and construction patterns, shifting its yards from artisanal workshops to industrial assembly hubs. This standardisation has compressed construction timelines by nearly 50%, allowing for rapid fleet replenishment.
- Kronstadt Shipyards: The capital operates 14 massive slipways capable of constructing 400-ton vessels, supported by an “army of dock workers” and a network of numbered warehouses containing pre-fabricated kits.
- Fleet Composition: The Royal Navy utilises specialised vessels such as the seagull class (~120–150 tons) and the 200-ton Albany class, which features complex square rigging.
Economic Impact
The kingdom's annual trade volume is estimated at 1.27 Billion Siller. Skyssian merchants primarily trade in high-value commodities, including jewellery, precision metal tools, and perishables, leveraging their global logistics network to ensure peace and stability—predominantly because war is “bad for business”.
Geography and Climate
Territorial Extent
The kingdom occupies the western_isles, including the settlement of Straven, and significant mainland territories such as heimdal and the southern province of grunwald. It is bordered to the north-east by trollheim, separated by the volcanic range of aeolfberg.
Environmental Conditions
The climate is subarctic to temperate, with regions in the far north experiencing “the dark time” two full moons of winter where the sun does not rise above the horizon. To maintain their massive industrial output, the Skyssians practise intensive silviculture, growing timber in blocks of sequential sizes to ensure a permanent supply of masts and planking.
Relationships
People
- Monarch: king_thirfinn
- Royal Navy Command: helga_trollslayer (Second Sea Lord), olaf_ragnarson (Captain of the Seagull)
- Justices: Old Bjorn
- Enemies: rojden (Renegade Hero)
Places
- kronstadt (Capital)
Concepts
Noren
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Hero Status | Hero |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Skyss |
| Role | Protagonist |
| Apparent Age | 20 |
Stories/Function
Noren serves as a primary protagonist in the narrative of Fierce. Originally introduced as a simple fisherman from the isolated island of Straven, his discovery as a Hero of divine lineage shifts the story toward a conflict of global stakes. He functions as a moral anchor for Yngvild Helgasdotir, providing a calm, disciplined contrast to the more volatile political environment of kronstadt and the southern kingdoms.
Description
Noren is an exceptionally tall and strong young man, possessing a “V-shaped” physique with broad shoulders tapering down to a muscled frame developed through years of rowing. He has fair hair, gleaming blue eyes, and is notably clean-shaven, earning him the ironic nickname “The Dwarf” or “Bjorn the Beardless” among the elder residents of Straven.
Raised as a foundling by Old Bjorn, Noren grew into a highly competent fisherman and navigator. He is characterized by his promptness, professionalism, and a strict adherence to social norms and decency. He possesses a natural charisma and a divine talent for timing, often appearing exactly when significant events are about to unfold.
Following his departure from Straven, it was revealed that he is the son of Alfarinn, a demi-god of jorunn, and rojden, a renegade Hero. This heritage grants him rapid learning abilities and significant strength, though it also made him a target for his father. During the Cottalemese invasion, he was subjected to an involuntary geas by Rojden, which nearly cost him his life before being broken by a divine sacrifice at estreham. He has since been initiated into the mysteries of Jorunn, focusing his divine affinity on “the Lost and Found.”
Marriage and Scandal
Noren is deeply committed to Yngvild Helgasdotir, Old Bjorn's foster daughter. While no formal marriage has been recorded, the two are considered together by their community and share a powerful romantic and spiritual bond. Their relationship was tested when Yngvild was forced to perform a symbolic ritual sacrifice to the goddess Malfin - Goddess of the Darkness to sever Rojden's mental hold over him.
Relationships
People
- Mother: Alfarinn
- Father: rojden
- Sister: alfinna
- Lover/Betrothed: Yngvild Helgasdotir
- Guardian/Mentor: Old Bjorn
- Enemies: Agents of the Board of Trade loyal to Rojden.
Places
University of Dalreoch
Summary
The University of Dalreoch is the premier institution of higher learning in Dael Riata. Located on the banks of the River Reoch just outside the capital city of Dalreoch, it is renowned for its studies in the liberal arts, philosophy, and its cutting-edge (if occasionally volatile) research into alchemy and transmutation.
Description
Campus and Architecture
The university is situated on a walled bank upstream from the River Fort. The main campus is dominated by a grand, triple-towered stone building featuring extensive colonnades. Adjacent to this is a long, low stone structure which houses the university library, considered one of the most comprehensive repositories of knowledge in the north.
Because some of the academic practices involving fire and transmutation are notoriously dangerous, the university's laboratories are located on the far side of the island. These labs are constructed as small stone and earth buildings with very light roofs, designed to be easily rebuilt following the frequent accidental explosions that occur during experimentation.
Academics and Research
The university offers a traditional education in the Liberal Arts and Philosophy. It is a center for the “less dangerous arts” within the main towers, while the island labs host the foremost experts on fire and transmutation.
Recently, the King and the Estates have been negotiating a new Charter to establish a Chair of Naval Engineering. This move is intended to formalise the study of ship design, leveraging the kingdom's timber resources and seafaring heritage to improve the royal and merchant fleets.
Governance
The university was founded during the Ruary dynasty, with Ian Gilruary (the future 1st Earl of Dalmuir) serving as its first Chancellor before the wars of the 520s. Today, it remains a prestigious stop for the Daelian nobility. Many heirs and high-ranking officials, including the current King and several Earls, were wards or students here.
History
Established in the early 500s, the university has survived centuries of civil war and foreign invasion. During the minority of King Alasdair V, the Earl of Ardmor (Sean Alpin) ensured the young monarch received a thorough education from the university's faculty.
In the current political climate of 774, the university serves as a neutral ground for the kingdom's savants and philosophers. It is currently a focal point for internal reform, with petitions before the Estates regarding the recognition of new faculty positions and the pardoning of scholars who were previously caught on the wrong side of the Queen’s War.
Relationships
People
- King Alasdair V: An alumnus who received a top-tier education at the institution.
- Sean Alpin: Earl of Ardmor and senior patron who oversaw the King's education.
- Diarmid Murchadh: The 7th Earl of Uisdean, who matriculated in 753 and holds a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts and Philosophy.
- Earsaid Alpin: The current Reader of Naval Engineering and leading candidate for the proposed new Chair.
- Professor Sioltach: A noted academic and expert on local history and fortifications.
- Ian Gilruary: The university's founding Chancellor.
Places
- Dalreoch: The capital city located just downstream from the university.
- King's Keep: The royal seat where many university graduates go on to serve as clerks or advisors.
- Dael Riata: The kingdom served by the university's research and educated elite.
What is known about the 19th Duke of Glasholm?
Diarmid Murchadh
| Gender | Hero | Allegiance | Role | Apparent Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Yes | Dael/Ranald | Supporting | 35 |
Stories/Function
Diarmid Murchadh serves as the 7th Earl of Uisdean, acting as a reluctant but vital bridge between the rebellious “Sea Kings” and the central authority of King Alasdair V. Having succeeded to the title following the controversial death of his cousins, his primary narrative function is navigating the blood feud between his house and the Crown while maintaining the stability of the Kingdom.
Description
Diarmid is a dark-haired man with the first signs of grey showing at his temples. Born in 739, he was the grandson of the 4th Earl and never expected to inherit the Earldom. Consequently, he received a sophisticated education, matriculating at the University of Dalreoch in 753 to study Liberal Arts and Philosophy. He is a Master of Arts and a seasoned traveller, having visited Berenicia, Zushonia, and Skyss as a courier and assistant to the Secretary of State.
Politically, he is strategic and cautious. He is a veteran of the Queen's War, where he served as Agitant of the Unicorn Troop. Though he lacked a mount, he campaigned with the troop in support of Queen Caoimhe. Following the Queen's exile, he developed a close friendship with Iain Alpin while acting as a courier to keep links with the exiled monarch open.
Marriage and Scandal
Diarmid’s personal life and succession are mired in tragedy and political tension:
- First Marriage: He married Niamh Sioltach, the youngest daughter of the Earl of Duffjord, in 756 as a reward for his service to the Unicorn Troop. Niamh died in childbirth in 763, though their son, Diarmid, survived.
- Second Marriage: In 773, he married Senga Riata, a woman highly educated in statecraft and household management. They recently welcomed a daughter, Caoimhe.
- The Succession Scandal: Diarmid became Earl in 773 only after his cousins, the 5th and 6th Earls, were killed by the King at Caer Suibhne. While the King claims they attempted treason, Diarmid is privately convinced of their murder and the breach of hospitality, though he has been forced to swear an oath of allegiance under threat of extirpation.
Relationships
People
- King Alasdair V: His sovereign, whom he distrusts but serves to preserve his family lands.
- Senga Riata: His second wife and close confidante.
- Sir Iain Alpin: A long-time friend from their years in exile and service to the former Queen.
- Diarmid Murchadh: His eldest son and heir (born 763).
- Murdo Sioltach: His former father-in-law and a key naval ally.
Places
- Uisdean Mor: His ancestral seat and the heart of the Murchadh raiding power.
- Dalreoch: Where he spent his youth as a student and courtier.
- Caer Suibhne: The site of his cousins' deaths and his own forced oath of allegiance.
Gallows Market
Summary
The Gallows Market is a large public square located at the eastern end of Gallows Street, just outside the inner bailey of Dalreoch. It serves as a dual-purpose space for both the city's commercial trade and the administration of royal justice through public executions and proclamations.
Description
Marketplace and Infrastructure
The market is one of the wider thoroughfares in the capital. The square is surfaced with flagstones featuring permanent brass inlays that mark the specific pitches for market stalls. On special occasions, such as the arrival of Lady Elizabeth Wallis, the market is meticulously cleared of detritus by city labourers to ensure the flagstones are visible.
The Gallows
A permanent gibbet stands within the square, serving as the focal point for the city’s high justice. Condemned criminals are traditionally marched the “long way round” from the King's Keep down Gallows Street so the crowds may witness justice being done before they reach the market square. While the gallows are often cleared of remains during festivals or royal weddings, they remain a potent symbol of the King's authority.
Royal Proclamations
Beyond trade and execution, the market is the primary site for royal announcements to the people of Dalreoch. It is here that King Alasdair V made his most significant political move in 769, proclaiming his personal rule and the end of the regency. The event was secured by Sir Iain Alpin and the Life Guard, who prevented the erstwhile regents from interfering with the King's address to the gathered citizens.
History
In the run-up to the royal wedding of 774, the Gallows Market became a site of covert violence despite the official “Rules of Hospitality” governing the city. A local figure named Aodh MacAodh utilized the empty gallows to execute an accused rapist named Iain Stone, pinning a sign to the body to justify the act. This incident occurred under the cover of night while the city was mobbed with newcomers and tourists.
Historically, the square has been the anchor of the city’s “New Market” district, which sits between the Old West Gate and the outer walls, separating the affluent inner city from the bustling merchant and dock districts.
Relationships
People
- King Alasdair V: Sovereign who asserted his right to rule in this square.
- Sir Iain Alpin: Commander of the Life Guard who secured the market during the King's proclamation.
- Aodh MacAodh: A local operative known to frequent the market and its surrounding closes.
- Bhaltair Gilranald: The former regent whose influence was curtailed by the King's proclamation here.
Places
- Dalreoch: The capital city containing the market.
- King's Keep: The starting point for the procession of the condemned to the gallows.
- Water Gate: A nearby district and gatehouse often used by those visiting the market.
- The Drum: A raucous tavern located on Gallows Street leading into the market.
