Joined: Sep 09, 2009 Posts: 2360 Location: SW WA state (Highvale)
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 3:20 pm Post subject: Map of Gorna
Hey,
I am in need of a map of Gorna (from Duchy of Geoff), whether Canon or not. If any of you has such a map you would be willing to share, please send the hyperlink. I've read as much about the city as I can, but cannot find a pre-generated map that I can use and don't have time or inclination to make one up from scratch. I can make personal modifications to it, if needed. Just need something as a template, if nothing else.
Joined: Sep 09, 2009 Posts: 2360 Location: SW WA state (Highvale)
Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 10:15 pm Post subject:
Ok, so Gorna, pre-wars, is a meager 4800 people. Compare that to other capitals, and that is SMALL. For crying out loud, even Greyhawk City is nearly 10x bigger, and it's not even a nation.
So...here's my conundrum. As a center of pretty much everything for the Duchy of Geoff (commerce, military, culture, you name it), I would figure that it would have a Mage's Guild. But with such a small population (even the entire nation is only about 65,000 souls) I am beginning to wonder if that would make sense. If there's a Guild of Wizards anywhere in Geoff, it stands to reason that it would be located in Gorna.
Either the Mage's Guild is SMALL...or I could have it as part of the existing Temple of Wee Jas that is noted on the map.
If the former, where should I place it? Near the Temple of Wee Jas, or in another 'quarter' of the city?
Joined: Jul 26, 2010 Posts: 2349 Location: LG Dyvers
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 1:13 am Post subject:
Lanthorn:
Maybe the Mage's Guild is so small it is actually only one old mage in the city that tries his darnedest to recruit young apprentices and befriends (and tries to recruit) every wizard that passes through the city.
That would make for a very interesting NPC to enteract with the PCs.
Perhaps it is a very small group of old wizards in the same boat - say three or four of them. They can be found sitting around various places (each other's towers, the library, book stores, coffee shops, etc.) grumbling about how nobody has the patience or aptitude for studying any more. "Durned youngin's'd rather run off in the hills swinging a sword than learn anythin' worthwhile!"
Joined: Aug 03, 2001 Posts: 2845 Location: Michigan
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 3:09 pm Post subject:
There's a small arts and scholars quarter just south of the central green with six buildings in total. I'd turn one of those buildings into a library (the sage in residence charges a fee to use the collection), another into a small mage guildhall (the building that looks like a pyramid with a wedge taken out), and another into an art gallery (run by a master artist and a few apprentices), then a museum (stuffed monsters; ancient Flan, elven, and giant relics; strange objects from the Barrier Peaks), a book shop, and then an alchemist lab (full of caged animals for testing, rare ingredients, specialized equipment). I'm sure the temple of Wee Jas has books, but they're probably hard for the uninitiated to gain access to.
Not to butt into 2e but just my 2cp worth.... I went the other direction with Gorna... IMC they are almost prejudicial against the arcane arts due to the back history of the region as it relates to the Occluded Empire and Vecna's Rise to power.. In fact in our Gorna, they have laws restricting the assemble of more than a few wizards to reduce a chance of resurgence in the eyes of the rulership...
Again though, IMC Gran Duke Owen I (an Illusionist/ Fighter if I recall) PAsst during the battle versus the Giants, leaving his son Owen II (paladin) to sway far to the "left" on the law scale.
Now the problem the PCs are confronted with are not only past prejudice against casters, but a shortage when dealing with the Dark Elves. This has created some interesting Roleplay and a reliance on the old faith druids to step in to support them. And those few casters have essentially gone "covert" to aid in less than direct means.
Joined: Sep 09, 2009 Posts: 2360 Location: SW WA state (Highvale)
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 1:00 pm Post subject:
Thank you both!
As it turns out, just near the Temple of Wee Jas, there is a round structure labeled "Wizard." Perhaps this IS the Guild of Mages, rather than merely the house of one.
Joined: Aug 03, 2001 Posts: 2845 Location: Michigan
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 5:30 pm Post subject:
Lanthorn wrote:
Thank you both!
As it turns out, just near the Temple of Wee Jas, there is a round structure labeled "Wizard." Perhaps this IS the Guild of Mages, rather than merely the house of one.
You could consider that block and the one next to it to be a sort of expanded "arts and scholars quarter," with the Two Lutes for Love Tavern a popular hang-out for artistic and scholarly types and the moneylender a local patron of the arts and sciences. The buildings in those two blocks could add more than one sage or master artist.
The gazetteer of the Grand Duchy of Geoff on that same website mentions a council of high mages composed of one mage of each specialization responsible for the protection of Geoff, reporting directly to the Grand Duke. The current High Mage, leader of the council, as of 618 CY is said to be Gleep Wurp, the Eyebiter, one of the pregenerated PCs from the GDQ series. So I imagine the wizard's tower belongs to Gleep Wurp, or whoever currently holds the position of High Mage (though Gorna is apparently still in the hands of the giants in that campaign).
As in Dark Lord Galen's campaign, this gazetteer has organized mage guilds banned in Geoff from the time of Vecna to the giant invasions, though during the war against the giants a mage guild called the Cyvrin was founded (not based in Gorna, of course, since the town was occupied by giants).
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