RQ Homeland Karolera

Description

(Taken from Guide to Glorantha, pages xxx-yyy. Used without permission as fair use.)

The land is fertile, with extensive forest and light jungle broken by many rivers. Most river valleys have been cleared by people for rice planting, and the annual floods bring rebirth for farmers and fishermen.

The foothills are covered in light woods ranging from subtropical in the south to temperate and cold coniferous forests in the north. Many woods have thickets of bamboo as an understory, replaced by rhododendrons at higher elevations.

Just north of Kralorela proper lies the Kingdom of Ignorance, more properly titled Bliss of Ignorance. This is a human land, though it has an immense slave class of miserable trollkin. It is now an autonomous province of the Kralorelan Empire, whose common folk have proved unable to be lifted from their misguided ways. The favorite deities here are worshiped nowhere else, and these people have never had a ruler who followed their own ways.

Inhabitants

Most of the residents of Kralorela are human. Dragonewts, Wind Children, mermen (mostly hostile), and other non-humans lurk at the fringes of civilization.

Culture

Kralorelan. Kralorela is a remnant of an elder age. Its rulers strive to perfect an isolationist policy which was broken only twice, once by the God Learners and later by Sheng Seleris. As a result of these incursions, they consider all outsiders to be God Learners and deal severely with any intrusions into their realm. Since the Opening, they have kept almost everyone away. The only exception is through the city of Lur Nop.

The Kralorelans know that their civilization is the most perfect in the world. They believe their arts are the most refined, their soldiers the most courageous, their cuisine the most delectable, their rulers the most inspired, and their magic the most impressive. When presented with evidence to the contrary, they maintain that moral superiority makes up for crude ostentation.

Language

Kralori, a Vithelan language. At one time there were fifteen different languages in the area now covered by the Dragon Empire, but the famous ruler Vayobi standardized speech, taking the best of the old dialects and discarding anything inappropriate. Now all citizens of the Dragon Empire speak one elegant tongue.

Stultan, another Vithelan language, is spoken in the Kingdom of Ignorance. Scholars consider it to be a crude and bastardized form of the original Kralori language, predating Vayobi’s time. It uses many troll idioms and loan words from Darktongue.

Government

The civilization is ancient, based upon Golden Age customs long lost to the rest of the world. A single emperor rules all with legendary benevolence, assisted by appointed officials called exarchs and mandarins. The empire is divided into eight provinces for administrative purposes.

The emperor is rarely involved in mundane matters of state; court policy is made by exarchs, eunuchs, and mandarins, and imperial politics are decided by the effective central administration.

Military

The regular Kralorelan military consists of four mobile armies and three navies, plus the elite Five Dragon Warriors of the emperor’s bodyguard. The entire military is commanded by an officer called Archexarch Seven Dragon and Wisdom.

Each army is commanded by a Master General who has worked his way to this revered position through many years of work, skill, and luck. Exarchs of the eight provinces provide quotas of men and equipment as commanded by the Archexarch Seven Dragon and Wisdom.

Most military units consist of wellequipped, trained heavy infantry. They are divided into regiments of about 1,000 fighting men, half of whom are spear and pike men, the others who are archers or crossbowmen. All soldiers also carry swords and shields. Cavalry is rare because the Kralori do not know the secrets of raising great war horses. The Kralori usually hire Praxian or Pentan nomads if they feel they will need mounted troops.

Magic flying creatures, especially Spearbirds, are sent as reserves or pursuit forces where other nations would use cavalry. Dragons are also used, though less often, as are many other creatures.

The Five Dragon Warriors are so called because each of them can summon or turn into a dragon at least five times. Only twenty guard the emperor. Other qualified candidates patiently wait for their turn to prove themselves by working for the Exarchs or as field commanders.

The Kralorelan fleet remained intact throughout the Closing, although confined to the Suam Chow. Their merchant ships are called junks. Their warships are huge oared war barges which can be easily linked together to make a floating island, where men fight as if on land. Some war barges use animated corpses as their oarsmen, with more oars for the foot soldiers to use in case of emergency.

Creating a character

To create a character from Kralorela follow the steps presented here:

Base passions

Homeland: base passions

Passion	Value
Love (Famliy)	60%
Loyalty (Kralorelan empire)	60%
Loyalty (Ancestors)	60%

Occupation tables

Roll 1d20 for parents occupation, or choose from the table. Kralorela is a Caste based society so if your character is not a bandit or martial artist he, or she, should have the same occupation or caster as his/her ancestors. PC can take any none caste profession, but should take -10% to his/her loyalty (Ancestors) passion.

Note that mandarin occupation is open to anyone who completes the imperial tests to become one.

Homeland: parent's occupation

Roll	Occupation	Caste
1	Bandit	None
2	Martial artist	None
3	Entertainer	None
4	Thief	None
5	Warrior	None
6	Merchant	Trader
7	Sailor	Trader
8	Crafter	Artisan
9	Healer	Artisan
10	Scribe	Artisan
11-13	Farmer	Grower
14	Herder	Grower
15	Fisher	Grower
16	Priest	Mandarin
17	Philosopher	Mandarin
18	Noble	Mandarin
19	Ship's officer	Mandarin
20	Wizard's apprentice	Mandarin

Family history

This table determines the history of player characters grandparents and parents. Years are approximate outside of dragon pass, but they correlate fairly well with the years in family history sheet.

Homeland: family history

Year	What happened
Your grandparents history
1582	In 1587 a fleet of strangers arriwed to sea of Suam Chow. Strangers arrive: Roll Result 1-15 Didn't even hear about it. 16-18 Witnessed it, and the punishment of these evil invaders. Gain Loyalty (Kralorelan empire). 19-20 Fought agains the invaders. Gain 1d3% reputation as your grandparent took out an eye from an invader.
1597	There was a trading mission to the East isles. Roll 1d20, +10 if a maritime profession. East isles trading mission: Roll Result 1-14 Didn't even hear about it. 15-17 Took part but stayed in ship. Gain Loyalty (Crew). 18-20 A friendly native of the islands gave your grandparent a gift. Roll 3d6+2 on heirloon table. Gain Loyalty (Haragala).
1602	A new Martial arts society is formed. The Three petals society looked for a worthy opponents to prove their worth. Roll 1d20 +10 if Warrior, +15 if Martial artist. Three petals society established: Roll Result 1-14 Didn't even hear about it. 15-17 Fought against the Three petals society and died. Gain Hate (Three petals society) 18-20 Fought with great glory. Gain 1d3% reputation and Honor passion.
1603-1604	There was shortage of food that caused rioting. Roll 1d20 +5 if caste is none (Other that warrior) or grower. +5 if Warrior or Mandarin. Food riots: Roll Result 1-5 Managed to get some food to the starving masses. Gain Loyalty (Kralorelan poor) passion 6-8 Died in the riots. 9-15 Survived 16-20 Succesfully defended the rulers. Gain Loyalty (Exarchs) passion.
1605	A large trade fleet was sent to island of Vormain. Roll 1d20, +10 if a maritime profession. Vormain trade mission: Roll Result 1-14 Didn't even hear about it. 15-20 Took part, never came back. Gain Fear (Vormain) Passion.
Your parents history
1608	This year your parent took the Mandarin exam. Roll 1d20 +15 if Grandparent was in Mandarin class. Vormain trade mission: Roll Result 1-14 Failed the exam. 15-20 Succeeded with exam, (Maybe with Grandparents connections). Parent is now in Mandarin caste, if he/she was not in before, choose or roll for a new occupation.
1610	If father is your favourite partner: your mother was kidnapped, If mother: one of your mother's kin was kidnapped. The cultripts were not found. If there is another player from Kralorela roll from table instead: Normal year: Roll Result 1-2 Died, roll on the random cause of death table. 3-19 Normal year 20 Windfall, add 1d6*100 Lunar worth of coins.
1613	A red fist society had a feud with Three petals society. Roll 1d20 with +10 if Martial artist. Red fists vs. Three petals: Roll Result 1-2 Died of other causes, roll on the random cause of death table. 3-14 Normal year 15-17 Aided Red fist society, gain Loyalty (Red fist society) passion. 18-19 Aided Red fist society, died fighting. Gain Hate (Three petal society) passion. 20 Aided Red fist society, fought with glory. Add 1d3% reputation and gain Loyalty (Red fist society) passion.
1615	Criminal Triads were fighting for controll. Roll 1d20, -5 if Thief or Bandit, +5 if Mandarin. War of Triads: Roll Result 1-6 Aided the benevolent society of fragnant lotus in their fight. Gain loyalty (Fragnant lotus Triad) passion. 7-14 Normal year, despite all the calamity. 15-20 Aided state officials to bring the crimnals to justice. Gain Loyalty (Exarchs) passion.
1616	Nothing much happened this year. Roll 1d20: Normal year: Roll Result 1-2 Died, roll on the random cause of death table. 3-19 Normal year 20 Windfall, add 1d6*100 Lunar worth of coins.
1618	A local mystic came and promised to change all of your parents silver to gold. Roll 1d20: Mystic: Roll Result 1-15 Your parent drove the charlattan away. 16-19 You parent lost all their fortune. If you had any monetary windfalls, they are all gone. Gain Hate (Charlatans) passion. 20 It actually worked, add 1d6*100 Lunar worth of coins.
1619	Another year when little happened in the glorious Kralorelan empire, may the Dragon Emperor be blessed: Normal year: Roll Result 1-2 Died, roll on the random cause of death table. 3-19 Normal year 20 Windfall, add 1d6*100 Lunar worth of coins.
1620	Your parent started to doubt that the Three petal society was up to no good. Roll 1d20: Investigation to three petal society: Roll Result 1-10 False evidence found: Roll on -10 to Three petal society on trial table. 11-15 A witness offered information but was found murdered before your parent could talk to them. Proceed to the Three petal society on trial. 16 A witness offered information but was found murdered before your parent could talk to them. The murder was blamed on you parent and they were executed. Consider yourself as none class on your mandarin exam in 1622. 17-20 Your parent managed to save the witness with the aid of someone. Choose one of your loyalty or love passions, and add 10% to it. This was the ally.
1621	You parent took the Three petal society to trial on the kidnapping that hapenned in 1610. Three petal society on trial: Roll Result 1-5 Your parent was murdered before the trial could begin. Gain Hate (Three petal society) Passion. 6-15 Not enough evidenc was presented to the magistrates. 16-20 Three petal society was implicated in the kidnapping. It was dispanded and you gain compensation from their confisicated wealth. Roll 3d6+2 on heirloom table. In adition there was found some correspondence with their unseen master.
Your personal history
1622	This was the time of your mandarin exam. Roll 1d20 add +5 if your parent was a mandarin. -5 if none. +10 if you decide to cheat (make a note of this). Your mandarin exam: Roll Result 1-16 You failed. Choose a new occupation if your parents occupation was mandarin. 16-20 You passed. You may choose a Mandarin class ocuupation for yourself.
1623	A mission was sent to the faraway Dragon Pass. Roll 1d20 -5 if Mandarin: Mission to Dragon pass: Roll Result 1-2 You were chosen. If you leave roll 1623 and 1624 again from the main rulebook. You may also try to get out of this duty but then you will take -10% to you Loyalty (Kralorelan empire). 3-16 A nice and boring year. 17-18 Interresting times. you were badly injured. Roll on random causes of death table by what. 19-20 Gain a random boon.
1624	While walking on a street a large group of Three petal society thugs ambushed you and sold you to a slaveship.

Rune affinities

Fire +10%

Cultural skills

Homeland: skill bonuses

Skill	Value	Cultural weapon	Value
Swim	10%	Broadsword	10%
Charm	20%	Dagger	15%
Dance	15%	Spear	10%
Orate	20%	Crossbow	15%
Speak other language (Tradetalk)	20%	Punch	10%
Burecaucarcy	20%	Kick	10%
Customs (Kralorela)	10%
Read/Write (Kralorela)	05%