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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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King's Palace
Summary
The King's Palace is the main administrative and ceremonial centre of the Kingdom of Skyss, situated on the eastern bank of the Northern Fjord within the capital city of Kronstadt. It serves as the official residence of King Thirfinn and houses the executive organs of the state, including the Council of Electors and the King's Small Council. The complex is noted for its grand white stone architecture and its situation within a vast, meticulously maintained park designed to insulate the royal household from the pervasive urban odours of the surrounding metropolis.
Geography and Layout
The Royal Park
The palace is topographically isolated from the dense tenements of Kronstadt by an expansive parkland. This green belt is not merely ornamental but serves a critical public health function: the distance and vegetation act as a buffer against the intense smell of rot, sweat, and night-soil characteristic of the city’s industrial sectors. The park features colour-coordinated flower beds and paved stone roads that are kept free of refuse, contrasting sharply with the overlapping upper storeys and filth-strewn alleys of the mercantile districts.
Maritime Access
The palace is serviced by a grand white stone wharf on the Northern Fjord. This facility is separate from the primary mercantile docks and the Board of Trade slipways. It allows for the direct arrival of high-ranking officials and foreign dignitaries, such as those arriving on the King's Ships, who are then escorted through the park to the palace proper.
Architecture and Interior
The Great Hall
The entrance to the palace involves a traversal of a paved diagonal courtyard leading into a polished stone hallway. The Great Hall is accessed through imposing polished wood doors flanked by guards in blue livery, each armed with halberds. The interior is defined by:
- The Celestial Ceiling: A massive overhead mural depicting the summer sky at one end, fading into a winter night at the other, with superimposed images of the Nine Gods of Skyss.
- The Blue Carpet: A ceremonial walkway leading to a central dais and high table.
- Roast Trestles: Large trestles set in front of the table for the presentation of whole roast animals during state banquets.
The Small Council Room
Situated within the administrative wing, this chamber is panelled in birch wood and furnished with nine ornately carved, high-backed chairs. This is the main site for high-level state administration, where the secretary of the Board of Trade, the Keeper of the Keys, and the Keeper of Treasures meet to coordinate national policy and diplomatic gifts.
Official Residences
The wider palace complex includes multiple side buildings that serve as official residences for high-ranking naval and judicial officers. For example, Lady Helga Trollslayer maintains a residence here in her capacity as Second Sea Lord. These buildings are typically three storeys high with wood-panelled internal walls, stone fireplaces, and glazed windows (a significant luxury in the northern latitudes).
Political Function
The palace is the site of the King’s daily administration of justice and the receipt of petitions. While King Thirfinn acts as a senior arbiter, most executive power regarding the collection of taxes and enforcement of the peace is managed by the Electors who convene within these walls. The palace also houses one of the copies of the Book of Heroes, the definitive genealogical record of those carrying divine blood.
Relationships
People
- King Thirfinn: The current occupant and elective monarch.
- Lady Helga Trollslayer: Resident official and future First Sea Lord.
- Council of Electors: The body that meets here to determine the succession.
- King's Justice: High-ranking legal officers who operate from the nearby House of Justice but report to the palace.
Places
- Kronstadt: The primate city containing the palace.
- Board of Trade: The commercial authority whose offices are located near the palace docks.
- House of Justice: The main judicial building located one hundred yards from the palace gates.
King's Justice
Summary
A King's Justice is a senior judicial official within the Kingdom of Skyss who is sworn by a magical geas to uphold the laws of the realm and maintain social harmony. These officials possess the delegated authority of the monarch to hear legal cases, discern the truth through specialized rituals, and pass binding sentences. Their primary role is the administration of justice across Skyssian territories and waters, ensuring that the King's peace is preserved through scrupulous fairness and the resolution of blood prices.
Description
Judicial Authority and Function
The office of the King's Justice is one of the most respected and feared positions in Skyssian society. A Justice has the legal authority to pass sentence at any time and in any location, including aboard ships in Skyssian waters. Their mandates include the power to:
- Sentence individuals to death for capital crimes, such as leading a raiding crew.
- Bind convicted individuals into crown service through a magical geas.
- Impose fines or requirements for goods and services as restitution for legal breaches.
- Act as a senior arbiter in inheritance disputes, contractual disagreements, and clemency petitions.
The Power of Truth
The most distinctive capability of a King's Justice is the supernatural ability to extract the truth from petitioners and the accused. It is a common Skyssian maxim that “you cannot lie to a King's Justice and live.” While not strictly literal, a person can attempt a lie, the Justice will immediately perceive the deception. This is achieved through the use of Words of Power and an intense focus on the motivations and intentions of others. If a subject refuses to speak voluntarily, a Justice can use these words to compel a confession, a process that is described as being significantly more painful than a voluntary statement.
Relation to the Pantheon
The order of Justices is closely associated with the mystery cult of Fafnir, the God of Justice and Equality. Many high-ranking Justices exhibit physical manifestations of this divine connection, such as eyes that shift to purple or violet when they are channelling their power to discern the truth. In formal legal proceedings, a Justice may use a relic, such as the sword Jafnadr, to serve as a conduit for the god's sight. A death resulting from a judgement involving such relics is viewed as a divine judgement directly from Fafnir, which legally waives the requirement for a blood price.
Headquarters and Administration
While Justices often operate as itinerant special agents, particularly those attached to the Board of Trade or the Department of Resolutions, their administrative heart is the House of Justice in the capital city of Kronstadt. This facility serves as the primate repository for legal records, such as the ledger of outgoing ships and records of sentencing. The House of Justice is managed by the Keeper of the Rolls, who coordinates with the Council of Electors to ensure that standardisation is maintained across the kingdom's legal framework.
Relationships
People
- Oddmundr: A deceased King's Justice and former BoT special agent who was the father of Yngvild the Fierce.
- Hilda Helgasdottir: The current Keeper of the Rolls and a senior officer within the House of Justice.
- King Thirfinn: The elective monarch who serves as the senior arbiter and to whom all Justices ultimately report.
- Yngvild the Fierce: The current bearer of Jafnadr, whose combat actions are interpreted through the lens of a Justice's divine judgement.
Places
- House of Justice: The primary administrative building for the order in the capital.
- Kronstadt: The primate city where the most significant legal judgements are formalised.
Concepts
- Words of Power: The specific tier of magic used by Justices to compel truth.
- Geas: The magical bond Justices use to bind criminals into crown service.
- Blood Price: The legal debt that Justices are tasked with resolving or waiving.
- Book of Heroes: The genealogical record used by Justices to verify the divine lineages of those they judge.
Hilda Helgasdottir
| Gender | Hero status | Allegiance | Role | Apparent Age | Year of Birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | No | Kingdom of Skyss | Keeper of the Rolls | Middle-aged | [TBD] |
Stories/Function
Hilda Helgasdottir serves as the top judicial administrator and a senior member of the King's Small Council in Kronstadt. Her professional function is to manage the legal records and archives of the realm, providing the statistical data required for state-level decision making. Within the narrative of 774 AM, she acts as a grounding source of intelligence regarding international criminal trends, specifically reporting on the decrease in raiding activity from the Kingdom of Dael Riata. Her work ensures that the King's Justices and the Council of Electors have an accurate ledger of sentencing and legal precedents.
Description
Hilda is a woman of professional and somewhat severe demeanour. She is characterised by her tightly bound light brown hair, which is marked by streaks of white, suggesting many moons of service to the Crown. In her capacity as a senior officer of the House of Justice, she wears formal black robes that reflect the gravity of her office. Unlike the more flamboyant naval officers or the Heroes of the realm, Hilda projects an air of quiet efficiency and meticulous observation.
Personal Life
As the Keeper of the Rolls, Hilda resides in the capital and participates in the daily administration of the Kingdom of Skyss from the King's Palace. She occupies one of the nine high-backed, ornately carved chairs in the birch-panelled Small Council room. There, she coordinates with other senior officials, including the Secretary to the Board of Trade and the Keeper of the Dockyard, to maintain the standardisation of the King's law.
In the late summer of 774 AM, Hilda participated in a council session regarding the upcoming royal wedding of King Alasdair V of Dael Riata. She provided critical testimony that Daelian raiding reports had fallen, noting that fewer raiders were being brought before her for sentencing. This observation was vital for the Council's assessment of northern stability and the potential diplomatic benefits of the King attending the wedding.
Relationships
People
- King Thirfinn: The elective monarch to whom she reports.
- Olaf_Olafsson: The Secretary to the Board of Trade and her colleague on the Small Council.
- Harald_Bjornson: The Clerk of the Privy and chair of the Council.
- Ingrid_Kemisdottir: The Principal Secretary to the King and Keeper of the Keys.
- Captain Freya_Ingridsdottir: The Keeper of the Dockyard and senior naval officer.
- Henrik_Johansson: The Keeper of Treasures.
- Lady Helga Trollslayer: A primate official whose naval actions Hilda's department records.
Places
- House of Justice: Her primate place of labour and the repository of her records.
- King's Palace: Where she attends Council meetings in the birch-panelled room.
- Kronstadt: Her home city and the administrative heart of the kingdom.
Concepts
- King's Justice: The judicial order for which she maintains the rolls.
- Standardisation: The administrative goal she supports through record keeping.
Olaf Ragnarson
| Gender | Hero status | Allegiance | Role | Apparent Age | Year of Birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Yes | Kingdom of Skyss | Captain of the Seagull | 40 | 617 (157 in 774 AM) |
Stories/Function
Olaf Ragnarson, frequently referred to by the moniker Olaf the Ready, serves as a primate naval commander within the Skyssian fleet. His professional function is primarily logistical and tactical; he provides the maritime mobility required for high-stakes missions managed by the Department of Resolutions. In the narrative of 774 AM, Ragnarson is the “mover” who ensures the seekers can bypass blockades and reach extraction points. His competence and loyalty to the Skyssian state make him a reliable instrument for Lady Helga Trollslayer and Old Bjorn in their efforts to neutralise southern threats.
Description
Olaf is a seasoned Hero with a divinity rating of 32%. Despite being over a century and a half old, his divine blood ensures he retains the physical vitality of a man in his prime. He is characterised by a well-groomed black beard and a muscular, commanding physical presence. Unlike the younger midshipmen under his command, who carry small dirks, Olaf bears a full-sized naval sword as both a badge of office and a practical tool for boarding actions.
His reputation, “the Ready,” was originally a piece of light-hearted sarcasm from his former mentor, Old Bjorn, regarding Olaf’s early career difficulty in locating his battle gear. However, in his maturity, the name reflects his genuine operational readiness. He is an expert in Skyssian naval patterns, particularly night-sailing and littoral operations, which allow his vessel to appear and disappear in hostile waters with a speed that baffles less capable navies.
Personal Life
Olaf's career is defined by his long-standing association with the upper echelon of Skyssian intelligence. He served as a midshipman under Old Bjorn before the latter's retirement to Straven, and the two maintain a relationship of mutual respect.
In late 774 AM, Olaf commanded the Seagull during the Cottalemnese crisis. He was responsible for the night operation that landed Yngvild the Fierce and Noren on the coast of Salicia, successfully bypassing the Cottalemnese naval blockade. He later executed the high-risk extraction from the derelict fort at Ocaso, using the Seagull’s empty cargo hold to evacuate the party's horses and personnel under heavy cavalry attack. He is known to be a fair but firm commander, rewarding his crew with bonuses when they are successful.
Relationships
People
- Old Bjorn: His former commander and mentor.
- Snorri: A trusted Lieutenant serving aboard the Seagull.
- Ranald Magnusson: A raider captain Olaf helped capture and bind into the King's Service.
- Olaf Gunnarson: A Board of Trade field operative (often confused with the Captain due to their shared forename).
Places
- Kronstadt: His primary home port and seat of the Skyssian Admiralty.
- Beretha: The Salician port where he coordinated with local Board of Trade agents.
- Ocaso: The derelict fort where he performed a successful tactical extraction.
Concepts
- Board of Trade: The authority that regulates the maritime traffic he monitors.
- Skyssian Navy: The organisation to which Olaf belongs.
Jerre
| Gender | Hero status | Allegiance | Role | Apparent Age | Year of Birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | No | Kingdom of Cottalem | Cavalry Trooper / Guide | 30 | 744 AM (30) |
Stories/Function
Jerre serves as human anchor for Yngvild while Noren is incapacitated during the southern campaign of 774 AM. Originally a trooper within the Horse Guards of the Kingdom of Cottalem, his function evolved from a simple riding instructor to an essential ally in the seekers' escape from the renegade Rojden. Jerre provides the necessary understanding of horses for mobility and local knowledge required to navigate the Sierra Cobre and reach the sanctuary of Estreham. His presence offers a grounding contrast to the high-stakes magical conflict, representing the resilience and inherent “humanity” of the ordinary soldier caught in the machinations of Heroes.
Description
Jerre is described as an “older man” of approximately thirty winters, characterised by a well-maintained moustache and dark stubble. Physically, he is a “solid” and “muscular” individual, possessing the wide-legged gait and physical grace typical of a career cavalryman. He is an exceptionally skilled rider and was assigned to the detachment of Major Duerte during the siege of Beretha. His temperament is defined by a blend of prudence and professional discipline; he frequently echoes the Skyssian maxim “No rush to die,” having learned it from a great uncle who shared the same philosophy.
Though Jerre lacks divine blood and is not recorded in the Book of Heroes, he was the recipient of a unique magical enhancement. During the retreat from the Citadel, Yngvild the Fierce used her divine will to grant him permanent night vision, allowing him to see in total darkness as if it were bright moonlight. This transformation, while initially alarming to him, was essential for the party's nocturnal traversal of hostile territory.
Personal Life
Jerre was born in a large Cottalemnese town, the youngest son of an innkeeper. His childhood was spent in the stables, where he worked as a groom. Following his father's death, Jerre was evicted from the family inn by his eldest brother, fifteen years his senior, to make room for the brother's own children. Lacking an inheritance or a home, Jerre sought a career in the Horse Guards, viewing military service as an alternative to poverty and an opportunity for adventure.
During the Cottalemnese invasion of Salicia, Jerre was assigned to escort Yngvild into Beretha. During this operation, he demonstrated significant loyalty by acting as her “prisoner” to bypass sentries, an act of honour that solidified his bond with the seekers. His affection for Yngvild was noted by the sentient sword Jafnadr, who suggested the trooper might be in love with her. Jerre provided critical care for Noren while the latter was catatonic under a geas, using his experience with casualties to secure him during the flight to the Temple of Clewg. He later found sanctuary at the Troll's Head and assisted in the final rearguard action and extraction at Ocaso.
Relationships
People
- Yngvild the Fierce: An ally and object of his affection; Jerre provided her with essential training and protection.
- Noren: A ward Jerre helped transport and defend during his recovery from a magical bond.
- Inibrakemi Funeresdottir: A resolution agent with whom Jerre coordinated during the overland trek.
- Erik Erikson: A logistical operative Jerre worked with during the purchase of spare mounts at Riggin Dale.
- Major Duerte: Jerre's former commanding officer whom he successfully abandoned at a wayside inn to aid the Skyssian mission.
Places
- Kingdom of Cottalem: Jerre's homeland and the nation he served as a Horse Guard.
- Beretha: The Salician city he helped infiltrate under the guise of a prisoner.
