The world is known as Oerth, much like our own world except it has two moons rather than one, Luna and Celene. The days and years are about the same length, but the summers are longer and the winters shorter and milder. The calendar, called the Dozenmonth, is divided into twelve months of 28 days each and four week-long Festivals, which are held when the lesser moon Celene is full. Weeks are divided into seven days, one of which is reserved for worship (Godsday) and one for rest (Freeday). It is currently the Readying of the Common Year 576.
Midnight 12 AM to 3 AM
Cockscrow 3 AM to 6 AM
Sunrise 6 AM to 9 AM
Morrow 9 AM to 12 PM
Middaeg 12 PM to 3 PM
Aefen 3 PM to 6 PM
Den / Sunset 6 PM to 9 PM
Starrise 9 PM to 12 AM
Starday - Work
Sunday - Work
Moonday - Work
Godsday - Worship
Waterday - Work
Earthday - Work
Freeday - Rest
Needfest Midwinter
Fireseek Winter
Readying Spring
Coldeven Spring
Growfest
Planting Low Summer
Flocktime Low Summer
Wealsun Low Summer
Richfest Midsummer
Reaping High Summer
Goodmonth High Summer
Harvester High Summer
Brewfest
Patchwall Autumn
Ready'reat Autumn
Sunsebb Winter
The campaign focuses on the northeastern portion of the continent of Oerik, named The Flanaess ("FLAN-ess") after its native Human people, the Flannae, or Flan. The varied peoples of the Flanaess live in a cultural and technological period roughly analogous to 13th-15th Century Europe and Asia.
Long ago, terrible wars between two great empires, those of the Suloise and the Baklunish peoples, resulted in the destruction of both and the impetus for the great migrations of the Human peoples into the Flanaess. Though many kingdoms rose and fell during this time, the greatest of these was founded by the Aerdi tribe of the Oeridian peoples, the Great Kingdom of Aerdy. With the coronation of the first Aerdi Overking came a new calendar which would come to be known as the Common Year. As the dominions of the Great Kingdom spread across the Flanaess, so did her native language, a melding of Old Oeridian and Ancient Baklunish which the Overking declared would forevermore be the "Common Tongue" of his subjects.
Five hundred and seventy-five years have passed since the first Overking was crowned, and the world has since entered an Age of Great Sorrow. Everywhere, evil is ascendant. The once-proud Great Kingdom is said to have fallen into accursed decadence, and her Overkings are mad or daemon-possessed. Nations of hideous humanoid tribes, the Euroz (Orcs), Jebli (Goblins), and their ilk have conquered lands and formed nations built on blood and steel. Whispered rumors speak of a blasphemous Presence which has established a cursed dominion in the north...and everywhere, nations of Men bicker and clash with each other over strips of land.
The March of Bissel
The fertile Sheldomar Valley - also known as Old Keoland, since the King of Keoland once ruled the whole of it - is almost completely enclosed by mountains, with the Azure Sea coast along the southeast border.
In the north of this valley is the country of Bissel, once the northernmost frontier of the Kingdom of Keoland. It was wrested from Keoland by the eastern state of Furyondy in the Small War; this conflict also ended Keoish influence in Bissel's immediate neighbor to the east, Veluna. Bissel became a tributary state of Furyondy for a few decades, but the Margrave Rollo established her independence by saving the life of King Hugh III of Furyondy during a Jebli incursion. The King granted the brave Rollo palatinate status for the deed, and Bissel has enjoyed self-rule ever since.
The March now stands as a bulwark between the Baklunish masses of Ket (immediately to the north-northwest) and the rest of the Oeridian east. It likewise guards Keoland and the south. Bissel receives support from many states in the region, and adventurers, fortune-seekers, and mercenaries from all over the Flanaess can be found in the ranks of the "Border Companies" which comprise the standing army of the Margrave of Bissel.
The Border Companies
Bissel fields four regular companies and four reserve companies; each is 1000 strong and contains contingents of horse, foot, and archers. Favored weapons are the lance, crossbow, pike, fauchard-fork, flail and sword. Bisselite soldiers are very well equipped and well-armored. Each company has a special squad of scouts (numbering 30 to 50) attached when on border duty.
The Blackguards, the regiment to which your character will belong, are one of these scout squads, attached to the Company of St. Aethadoc. The symbol of the Blackguards is the black rat. The organization of the Company is shown below:
The Company of St. Aethadoc - Commanded by Captain-General Tharnn of Randhorn
- Aramin's Regiment of Foot - 360 Footmen, commanded by Captain Aramin
- Nerull's Fletchers - 360 Archers, commanded by Captain Massias
- The Randhorn Lancers - 250 Cavalry, commanded by Captain Sir Berenger val'Assant
- The Blackguards - 30 Scouts, commanded by Captain "Black" Hywgird