Setting Sail

After a bit of a delay, the Savage Worlds Freeport campaign, aka the Sea of Spheres campaign, will be kicking off this upcoming weekend. In this campaign, Freeport is something of the center of a multiverse. The Sea of Spheres are the waters that lie beyond and between the oceans of various realities or spheres of the multiverse. These worlds are collectively known as the Continent to the residents of Freeport. The realms of the Continent are not a multiverse in a physical sense (a la Star Trek and other science fiction) but rather in more of a literary sense (a la Chris Bateman’s perspective on Michael Moorcock’s multiverse or Million Spheres and Seas of Fate).

It is comprised of as many different styles and settings as needed for the game. The Continent is made up of any reality appropriate for a fantasy genre dominated by humans (more or less), is no more technologically advanced than Earth’s early 1700s, and follows most fantasy style tropes that a player wants to use as a background for their character or that I want to use as a backdrop for an adventure. Players are encouraged to come up with their own world for their characters to hale from within this broad guideline (although getting too exotic…especially just to be exotic…is likely to lead to a lot of difficulties during play). Want to play a viking type? Go for it. Want to play a Spanish Conquistador type? Enjoy. Want to play a swashbuckling rake? Have fun. Want to play a crusading holy warrior? It is all yours…but Freeport isn’t the most sacred or respectful place. Want to play a gelatinous cube humanoid with gelatinous rayguns? Umm…no.

It may even be the case that the Sea of Spheres is really just a normal ocean. However, anytime a ship sails too far from the shore of the Continent it is either lost at sea or wanders into the waters around the Serpent’s Teeth and Freeport. From there, the ship can sail on to the distant shores of a different land (possibly literally, possibly figuratively) or return home. As the literary crossroads for this literary multiverse, Freeport is home to peoples from all across the Continent and many, many more pass through the port on their travels. Despite its history as a haven for piracy against the nations of the Continent, Freeport is an important center for trade and travel. There is no other place quite like it in the multiverse and sailing the waters of Freeport’s ocean is the only known way to go from one realm of Sphere to another. Exactly why this is the case is a mystery that many ponder but none have definitively answered.

The focus of the campaign and the central location remains Freeport but the PCs may, at times, find themselves traveling the Sea of Spheres to other lands for various reasons.

The starting cast of player characters, in no particular order, include (click on the character’s name for the full write-up):

Pta Seth: A priest of the Scarab-Goddess, Khepekh, Pta fled his homeland after being slated for ritual sacrifice after refusing to assist the God-Emperor subvert the natural cycles of death and rebirth. He has served as ship’s nurse on the Maiden’s Tear for many years now, sailing to strange–at least to him–lands. (Pta is played by Jamie)

Tory Lancashire: A bit hot-headed, with a strong sense of justice and to protect those who cannot protect themselves, Tory recently fled her home after killing a nobleman who assaulted another woman. No longer able to pursue her aspirations to become a Lancashire constable, Tory hopes to find a place where her blades and other skills can advance the cause of justice and aid those who need her protection. (Tory is played by Rachel)

Jimmy: Hailing from lands ruled by Izrador (aka the Midnight campaign setting), Jimmy watched his entire family raped, mutilated and slain by servants of the Shadow when he was a child. Payback is the notion that has dominated Jimmy’s life. After murdering one of the individuals responsbile for his family’s tragedy, he sailed for foreign lands to hone his skills to the point that, one day, he can return and slay the rest of those responsible for the death of his family, especially Zebrim the Slayer. (Jimmy is played by Todd)

Gilliam “Gills” Flynn: A sailor and a fisherman, Gills may feel as at home on–and in–the water as on the land; he has probably spent more of his life at sea than not. After serving with an honorable merchant captain for many years, Gills found himself shanghaied onto the Morangie, a privateer ship. After sparking a mutiny (albeit a largely justified one), Gilliam and his fellow mutineers were tossed overboard with chain-shot belts. The only survivor, Gills looks to rebuild his life and overcome any bad reputation he may now have as well as seek vengeance against the captain and crew of the Morangie. (Gills is played by RJ)

Zahndethus: A young noble and aspiring wizard, Zahndethus is haunted by a curse that befell his family’s ancestral lands and, possibly, follows the young man. A band of werewolves, calling themselves the Order of the Fang, descended upon the family’s holdings and, within a year, had driven away or killed most of the people. In a night of slaughter, they then fell upon Zahndethus’ family, slaughtering all of them, leaving Zahndethus fleeing for his life. The displaced noble now looks to develop his arcane abilities to the point that he can one day return home and rid it of this curse. (Zahndethus is played by Robert)