Knights Over A Scarlet Sea
A homebrew setting for a dieselpunk RPG, inspired by Porco Rosso, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Crimson Skies.
The Scarlet Sea
Overview
Mare Sanguinum, he Aima Thalassa, Eztlihueatl; the Scarlet Sea has been associated with battle and death since time immemorial. The northernmost spur of the Colleterrean Sea, the Scarlet Sea was long considered the dividing line between western and eastern Europe, separating the Tyrnian Peninsula from the Plain of Ulm. In antiquity, it was a narrow expanse of water much fought over by Etruscans and Dorians for shipping routes to their coastal cities. Tyrnian tin and silver mines were emptied to conquer rich farmlands and endless pastures, and by 198 BF the sea was so critical to linking the territories of the Reman Empire that a permanent naval fleet, the only armed force permitted within the boundaries of Tyrnia, was established to control it.
In the modern era, much enlarged by the Great Flood, the Scarlet Sea remains important to global trade. The heartlands of the Teutonic Empire and the goods of central Europe pass through its waters, carried on hundreds of ships and headed for far-flung cities in Africa, Asia, and beyond. Countless smaller vessels ply the coastal trade, while the proven successes of the Great War have sparked a boom in aerial travel.
Nations
The principal nation of the Scarlet Sea is, or was, the Teutonic Empire. This land of proud, fractious princes has dominated eastern Europe for more than a thousand years. That history is coming to an end; the defeat of the Empire in the Great War has unleashed the long-suppressed forces of nationalism and republicanism. As the Teutonic princes squabble for an empty throne and radical reformers plot their overthrow, the delicate fabric holding it together is being ripped apart.
Conversely, victory in the Great War has had the opposite effect on the Tyrnian Peninsula. This region, once the heartland of Europe's largest empire, has long been divided between rival republics, fiercely independent city-states that jealously guard their prerogatives. The defeat of the Imperial Powers and their allies in the region have emboldened the revolutionary nationalists of Tyrnia to agitate once more for their homeland's reunification, by referendum if possible and force of arms if necessary. Older, cooler heads argue for the preservation of historic distinctions and cultures, and are shouted down in the streets. For rising powers such as Nacria or Caltiberia, victory in the Great War has only spelled the end of all they hold dear.
Peripheral to these nations are the lesser states of the Scarlet Sea. Throughout Europe, the victorious Allies created from the fabric of the old empires new states to serve as strategic buffers and to cut off the old empires of the Imperial Powers from key tributaries. In the case of the Kingdom of Thetas, it was the fulfillment of long-held aspirations, and the bloodily-won reward for sparking the Great War. It would dearly love to absorb it's erstwhile neighbor, the Pentinsular Republic, with which it claims racial solidarity, but the strong Teutonic and Nacrian influence on these isles makes them unwilling to be subsumed into the Olm-derived culture of Thetas. This resistance to unification has already lead to the shedding of blood along the mountainous border of the two realms, and many are realizing that the powder keg of Europe may be lit once again.
People of the Scarlet Sea
Veteran
| Brawn | Agility | Intellect | Cunning | Willpower | Presence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting Wound Threshold: 11+Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 11+Willpower
Starting Experience: 110
Starting Skill: Ranged, Light (1)
Three Rounds Rapid: Once per encounter, your character may spend a Story Point to re-roll up to 3 dice when making a ranged attack.
Laborer
| Brawn | Agility | Intellect | Cunning | Willpower | Presence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting Wound Threshold: 12+Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower
Starting Experience: 110
Starting Skill: Resilience (1)
Moment of Glory: Your character may add a total of 3 Boost (blue) dice to Brawn checks per session, gaining 1 Strain per dice added.
Craftsman
| Brawn | Agility | Intellect | Cunning | Willpower | Presence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting Wound Threshold: 9+Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower
Starting Experience: 110
Starting Skill: Mechanics (1)
Journeyman's Learning: Your character may add a total of 3 Boost (blue) dice to Intellect checks per session, gaining 1 Strain per dice added.
Profiteer
| Brawn | Agility | Intellect | Cunning | Willpower | Presence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting Wound Threshold: 9+Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 9+Willpower
Starting Experience: 110
Starting Skill: Negotiation (1)
Spread the Wealth: Your character may spend one Story Point to add an additional Advantage (green) dice up to 3 times per session to rarity/acquisition checks by any player.
Aristocrat
| Brawn | Agility | Intellect | Cunning | Willpower | Presence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting Wound Threshold: 10+Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower
Starting Experience: 120
Starting Skill: Leadership (1)
Blue Blood: Your character may spend one Story Point to add an additional Advantage (green) dice up to 3 times per session to Presence checks by any player.
Intellectual
| Brawn | Agility | Intellect | Cunning | Willpower | Presence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting Wound Threshold: 8+Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower
Starting Experience: 110
Starting Skill: Knowledge (1)
The Liberal Arts: Your character may spend a Story Point to re-roll up to 3 dice when rolling an Intellect check.
Careers
| Soldier | Mechanic | Medic | Captain | Adventurer | Rogue | Socialite | Astrologer | Bard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|