To begin, a collection of ideas:
Ironlands - colonized dark woods and mountains, rich in iron, timber, fish. Dark gods in the woods, bestial ogre-beastmen (inbred), dragons, giant wolves, bears, boars. Fallen order of knights, recently conquered Utlanders or Ironlanders. Church of Law and knightly men intrigue, fight incessant wars, betray and ally. Wizards and witches dependant on ancient stones and human sacrifices continue their woody paganism, gather lore in secret texts. Twelve Books of Law (the Canon).
Naming: very Game of Thrones - achronistic auld english sounding for the dominant culture (Westmen?), "Artos Murrell," while Ironlanders or Utlanders more Nordic feel - Grimdr Son of Vron.
Notables of Lore and Politics:
Lord Foehammer, heroic king recently smashed invasion force - invaders clever horse archers?
Church of Law purports to support ennobling idea of rule of law, jockeys with kings and counts, but venal and corrupt, jealous of its prerogitives. Symbol: Sword and Scales. Justicar bodyguards like paladins, fighters with starting paladin-proficiencies.
Local Count/Baron/Lord at war with neighbors, extorts adventurers. Local official needs adventurers because old chapter house of the Sword Brothers who converted area plagued by Cold Mists.
Some sort of iron islands just off the coast.
Prelimenary monster list:
some sort of bestial ogrish or trollish foe - big, strong, inbreding, cannibalistic. So trolls maybe - 7', horned or tusked, hrim, formori sea trolls, cave sensitive to light
But giants more powerful, like lesser chthonic gods, the gods having elemental/demonic powers.
dragons
elks, giant boar, big bears, big wolf packs
wights and skeletal warriors - Cold Lands of the Dead reach out into misty clutches - ghosts, banshee too
fey-ish goblins?
sinister dryad/nymphs - very bacchanaelian, wild hunt master variety. Tempt with sex and magic.
earth gods - not like God of Law (immortal, unknowable, clockwork undergird of reality), instead slayable, meetable, etc. basically demons - called something Badass/frightening. have elemental aspect, like ton of hit dice. frost gods, shadow gods (balrog-ish). found in deep caves, high mountains, deep woods, the sea, etc.
hag-witches: powerful female wizards with some hag-powers (strong, consume others ofr immortality) due to connection with magical spot
Groans - earth/tree creatures, very hard to harm
beastmen (need better name) -
this
Classes and Races:
new templates for each class: knight-fighters, rangers, etc.
dwarves - secretic folk, have mountain king somewhere but sworn to secrecy, greedy, smell gold, good in tunnels, tough
elves - aka changelings, no known elf-lands, but said to exist in circles in the woods, given natural magical affinity by upbringing. oft cast out from human homes when changeling nature suspected. cold-forged iron (very rare) can paralyze them upon touch.
clerics - serve Church of Law, meant to convert the heathen Utlanders and their nature gods of iron, lightning, battle, sea, so on.
wizards - free cantrips & detect magic through check, can use swords but not armor. viewed with suspicion by Church, but their knowledge of arcane, ability to see and use magic valued, so often there's a court wizard. Scholastic wizards are Westlander wizards who have agreed to abide the Canons of Law.
bards or skalds - Utlandic bards treated with reverence as a kind of pre-Law priest.
