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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Recent Additions
Fierce
Fierce is a Fantasy novel released on 1 May 2024. You can read the first chapter on my blog 'Fierce Ch.1 - Straven', which is a medium-level fantasy story with relatable female lead and a dash of romance set in a world of my own creation. It's influenced by everything I've ever read, and loosely based on a Norse 10th/11th century blending with some ancient Roman, although the ships are more like 15th/16th century. Skyss is the northern state the main characters come from, but there is a whole world and other states exist, some of which will be linked to here.
Blurb
On the tiny island of Straven, life is governed by the rhythm of the tides and the seasonal threat of Daelian Raiders. For Yngvild Helgasdottir, a simple fisherman’s daughter, the arrival of the King's Ship Seagull shatters the peace of her childhood and delivers a legacy of shadow and steel.
Thrust into the stinking, opulent streets of Kronstadt, Yngvild and her companion Noren discover a terrifying truth: they are Heroes, carriers of divine blood descended from the Nine Gods of Skyss. As Yngvild takes up her father’s heirloom, the sentient black blade Jafnadr, she is drawn into a web of political assassinations and a centuries-old schism that threatens to destabilise the realm.
The journey takes them far to the south, where Noren’s true parentage is revealed by the ambitious renegade Rojden, a man who views the world as a chessboard for his own imperial designs. When Rojden binds his son with a lethal involuntary geas, Noren is left fighting for his life against his own father's will. Aided by the shapeshifter Inibrakemi and the mysterious daughters of Alfarinn, Yngvild must navigate war-torn Salicia to reach the cursed temple of Estreham. To break the bind and fulfil the cryptic Prophecy of Gudrid, Yngvild must perform a sacrifice that challenges the laws of justice and darkness alike.
In a world where magic is fading but the gods still watch from the shadows, Yngvild the Fierce must decide if she will be a tool of empires or the bringer of justice in the night.
Key Elements and Analysis
The narrative of Fierce serves as a detailed examination of the Hero class within Skyssian society, where divine lineage provides extraordinary abilities such as shapeshifting and the channelling of Rituals or Words of Power. This story follows the personal struggle of a young woman coming into her power. The sentient sword Jafnadr represents a pinnacle of Frijdodr’s craftsmanship, capable of discerning intent and bypassing any physical armour. The conflict centralises on the moral ambiguity of power; while Old Bjorn has spent centuries maintaining a fragile stability through secrets, Rojden seeks to bypass the Board of Trade’s slow influence through direct, magical conquest.
| Character | Lineage | Core Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| Yngvild | Malfin & Fafnir | Justice and the protection of her chosen partner. |
| Noren | Jorunn & Meniaxter | Discovery of the “Lost” and resistance to his father's geas. |
| Rojden | Meniaxter | Consolidation of power and the creation of a unified empire. |
The narrative of Fierce unfolds across a geopolitically volatile landscape where the lives of individuals are inextricably linked to divine lineages and shifting powers. The following comprehensive categorisation of people and places draws upon the chronicles of Yngvild the Fierce.
The People of Fierce
The cast of Fierce is predominantly composed of Heroes, individuals possessing at least one-eighth divine blood—whose extraordinary abilities frequently destabilise the mercantile and political interests of the Board of Trade.
Protagonists and Divine Lineage
- Yngvild Helgasdottir (The Fierce): The primary protagonist and current wielder of the sentient black blade Jafnadr. She is the daughter of Helga Trollslayer and the Justice Oddmundr. Her heritage is a potent mixture of Malfin, Fafnir, Kari, and Frijdodr, granting her power over darkness and maritime conditions.
- Noren Alfarinnsson (Noren the Dwarf): A foundling raised on Straven who is revealed to be the only son of the demi-god Alfarinn and the renegade Rojden. He possesses a natural affinity for Jorunn and Meniaxter, manifesting as extreme physical strength and an innate sense for things “Lost and Found.”
Mentors and Political Leaders
- Old Bjorn (The Counter of Battles): The oldest living Skyssian Hero, rumored to be over a thousand years old and a founder of Kronstadt. He acted as a guardian for Yngvild and Noren on Straven, operating a long-term contingency plan to mobilise the state against Rojden's faction.
- Helga Trollslayer: The Second Sea Lord of Skyss and Yngvild's biological mother. She is a brilliant strategist and Elector-designate, destined to become the First Sea Lord at the new year.
- King Thirfinn: The reigning monarch of Skyss during Yngvild's arrival in Kronstadt, noted for his playful demeanour.
Allies, Agents, and Family
- Alfinna Afarinnsdotir: A daughter of Alfarinn and a powerful shapeshifter often encountered in the form of a bear. She is an expert in the crafting of magical items.
- Inibrakemi Funeresdottir: A special agent for the Department of Resolutions and a master shapeshifter who guides Yngvild and Noren through Cottalem.
- Jerre: A former Cottalemnese cavalry trooper who defects to assist Yngvild and Noren.
- Olaf Ragnarson: Hero and Captain of the King's Ship Seagull.
- Erik: A Board of Trade agent in Beretha.
Antagonists and Renegades
Places in the Fierce Narrative
The geography of the world is divided into powerful mercantile states and ancient, magically protected sanctuaries.
The Kingdom of Skyss
- Straven: A tiny island settlement of roughly fifty people, serving as the hidden childhood home of Yngvild and Noren.
- Kronstadt: The primate city of Skyss and a global centre of trade, housing approximately 250,000 residents. It is the seat of the Council of Electors and the Board of Trade.
- Grunwald: The southernmost part of Skyss, characterised by deciduous forests where Alfarinn was believed to be hiding.
Salicia and Cottalem
- Beretha: The main city in the Kingdom of Salicia, recently besieged and taken over by Rojden's forces.
- Caratis: A port city closed by naval blockade during the Cottalemnese invasion.
- Estreham: The site of the Temple of Clewg, protected by an ancient curse that bars any man who is not an initiate.
- Troll’s Head Inn: An establishment run by retired Heroes Eskil and Arinhildr, equipped with magical geas detectors.
Other Regions
- Mangandalay: A hot, humid river state famous for its high-value silk and pharmaceuticals.
- Trollheim: The northern domain of the silicon-based Trolls, located on the opposite side of the mainland from Skyss.
Helga Trollslayer
| Gender | Female |
|---|---|
| Hero Status | Hero (46% Divinity) |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Skyss |
| Role | Second Sea Lord / Future First Sea Lord |
| Apparent Age | 23 |
| Year of Birth | 634 AM (140 at 774 AM) |
Stories/Function
Helga Trollslayer is a pivotal figure within the Skyssian naval and administrative hierarchy, serving as a bridge between the kingdom's divine heritage and its modern maritime dominance. As the biological mother of Yngvild the Fierce, her narrative function involves the management of high-level state intelligence and the strategic preparation of Skyss for the inevitable confrontation with the renegade hero Rojden. Helga is currently central to a long-running contingency plan orchestrated by Old Bjorn to secure her ascension to the position of First Sea Lord, thereby centralising heroic power within the Council of Electors.
Description
Helga is a Hero of high standing, possessing a 46% divine blood quotient. Her lineage is primarily defined by her grandmother, the Goddess Kari, and her great-grandmother, Malfin. Physically, she manifests the glacial ageing typical of high-status heroes; despite being 140 years old, she maintains the athletic physique and appearance of a woman in her mid twenties. She is traditionally characterised by her auburn hair and her preference for sea-green attire, often wearing a tabard embroidered with two blue ships over her iron mail.
Her personal history is defined by her tenure as a senior special agent for the Board of Trade. During this period, she was mentored by the late King's Justice Oddmundr. Together, they formed an “ideal team” for over a decade, utilising Helga’s unique ability to navigate any maritime weather—a direct gift from Kari—to outpace pursuit and achieve rapid littoral deployment. Her moniker “Trollslayer” and her reputation as an elite field agent were earned during these years of covert stabilisation across the continent of Osnines. Following Oddmundr’s murder, she transitioned into senior naval command, becoming the youngest Second Sea Lord in living memory. She currently commands the kingdom’s most magnificent flagship, the Triumph.
Personal Life
Helga’s life is defined by her clandestine partnership with the Hero Oddmundr, with whom she spent nearly ten years solving international crises. Their relationship resulted in the birth of Yngvild in 750 AM, a fact that was kept secret from the broader Skyssian court to ensure the child’s safety. Following Oddmundr’s decapitation in Trollheim, Helga was passed the sentient sword Jafnadr to hold in trust for Yngvild when she came of age, though Helga could not personally wield it.
Skyssian social mores allowed her to maintain her public standing while grieving Oddmundr, but the discovery of her biological daughter remained a point of extreme personal sensitivity. For twenty years, she allowed Yngvild to be raised on the isolated isle of Straven by Old Bjorn and Helga the Red, maintaining a “cover” that prioritised Yngvild's development away from the political volatility of Kronstadt.
Relationships
People
- Daughter: Yngvild the Fierce
- Partner: Oddmundr (deceased)
- Mentor and Ally: Old Bjorn ( Johansson)
- King: King Thirfinn
- Associates: Olaf Ragnarson (Captain of the Seagull)
Places
- Kronstadt (Official residence and palace)
- Straven (Raise-site of her daughter)
- trollheim (Theatre of her former agent operations)
- Grand Duchy of Dael Riata (Where she conducts diplomatic-naval oversight)
- estreham (Site of her daughter's ritual development)
Jafnadr the Sword
Jafnadr is a famous sword, blessed by the Goddess Malfin - Goddess of the Darkness. The name, in translation, means both equality and justice. It was made for Jafnadr, the daughter of Malfin - Goddess of the Darkness and fafnir by frijdodr.
Appearance
Like a slice of darkness. It is completely black, and the blade absorbs light, apart from a round matt white stone on the pommel. It can also disguise itself when asked to so that people don’t notice it (it still looks like a sword, but not a remarkable one).
Abilities
It is super sharp, and will slice through armour like it isn't there. Also Jafnadr absorbs the memories of its wielder, and those in the close vicinity (albeit more slowly, and it can have difficulty with anyone attempting to resist or with significant divine powers). As a sentient sword it can speak to its wielder via a mental link, but only when the wielder is touching any part of the sword.
Restrictions
Only those descended from the original owner, Jafnadr (a daughter of Malfin and Fafnir) can use it. Additionally it needs to be used without malice.
Other notes
Currently Yngvild Helgasdotir is the wielder of Jafnadr, she inherited it from her father oddmundr (who she has never met).
Pantheon of Skyss
The people of Skyss worship a pantheon of gods that they know exist. Those gods at times manifest themselves and have been known to inter-breed with mortals. Mostly those are in the ancient sagas, but demi-gods and heroes with lineage from the main pantheon demonstrably exist. The Skyssian Creation Story is called The Mother's Dream.
Known Gods
I've not created an entire pantheon, I've simply used a handful of handy gods and goddesses, so this list isn't exhaustive. There are 9 gods in the Skyssian pantheon (and more in other pantheons). These gods are real. People have met them when they manifest (not so recently, they tend not to manifest except under extreme conditions - all the pantheons have made tacit agreements to largely stay out of the affairs of men, other than to offer advice and to work through priests).
- The Mother - Goddess of fertility, love & harmony
- The Father - God of fertility, love & harmony
- Malfin - Goddess of the Darkness
- Aeolf - Goddess of Flames
- Kari - Goddess of the Sea
- Frijdodr - Goddess of the Makers & Miners, muse of creativity.
- Fafnir - God of Justice
- Meniaxter - God of War & Death
Interbreeding with mortals
When Gods or Goddesses breed with humans the offspring are demi-gods, and always of the same gender of the divine parent. Demi-gods have very long life spans, and inherit some of the powers of their divine parent. They aren’t immortal, but they tend not to get ill, and live for a very long time unless they are killed. Some have become Gods in their own right, but not of the Nine. According to the old legends the Goddesses who choose to bear demi-gods do so within a day of the liaison, several have been left with their mortal father to grow up in the world.
Offspring of Demi-gods and humans are Heroes. Anyone with 1/16th divine blood is classed as a Hero. Heroes tend to marry into the nobility or other Heroes. They have extended lifespans by human standards, and tend to be immune to most diseases. Depending on their lineage, and how far removed they are from the original divine coupling, they may heal faster or be able to call on the powers of the Gods & Goddesses that they are descended from. It is not the number of connections that count, but rather the strength of the connections.
Elenchus
| Gender | Hero | Allegiance | Role | Apparent Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | No | Ancient Ashium | Philosopher | Ancient |
Stories/Function
Elenchus serves as the foundational intellectual pillar for higher education in Dael Riata. His teachings form the basis of the “less dangerous arts” curriculum at the University of Dalreoch and the University of Caer Riata. As an ancient figure his primary narrative function is to represent the classical academic tradition that shapes the minds of the Daelian nobility, including King Alasdair V and Diarmid Murchadh.
Description
Elenchus was an ancient philosopher hailing from the early civilisations of the warmer regions surrounding the central sea. His era predates the established histories of the northern kingdoms, placing him in a semi-legendary past.
The fundamental basis of Elenchist thought is the assertion that absolute knowledge is impossible. He taught that human perception is inherently limited and that true wisdom does not come from the accumulation of facts, but from the recognition of one's own limitations. According to Elenchus, acknowledging one's own ignorance is the only valid path toward truth.
His teachings are characterised by a rigorous method of questioning, intended to strip away false certainties and reveal the underlying ignorance of the student. This pursuit of “self-knowledge” is a requirement for any student seeking a Master of Arts degree in the Daelian universities.
Core Aphorisms:
- “The only thing I can be certain of is that I do not know anything.”
- “The path to truth begins with the acknowledgement of ignorance.”
- “Certainty is the death of knowledge”
Personal Life
As an ancient figure, details involving Elenchus personal life are scant, little is known other than he was a prominent citizen in ancient Ashium. His legacy is entirely academic and spiritual. However, in modern politics, his philosophy is sometimes used as a shield by advisors and scholars who wish to avoid giving direct answers to the Sovereign, leading to the occasional dismissal of “Elenchist dodgery” by more pragmatic lords.
Relationships
People
- King Alasdair V: A royal student of Elenchist philosophy during his university years.
- Diarmid Murchadh: A Master of Arts who studied Elenchus extensively at Dalreoch.
- Tatù: A modern political theorist whose pragmatic “armed diplomacy” often stands in stark contrast to Elenchist introspection.
Places
- University of Dalreoch: The primary centre for the study of the Elenchist tradition in the north.
- University of Caer Riata: An institution with a heavy focus on the divinity and philosophies inspired by Elenchus.
- Dael Riata: The kingdom where his cultural value on literacy and education remains a core tenet of society.
