Damn it, Peijen, now I'm thinking about it. If I didn't have to go to work tomorrow, I'd probably stay up writing and planning.
Of course, listening to Juno Reactor on the way home didn't help. I kept visualizing elements of the campaign as a trailer set to the music. Hopefully I'll find some time tomorrow to put a lot of it down. So much to say, but I need to sleep.
Island Campaign
Island Campaign
I feel like I just beat a kitten to death... with a bag of puppies.
Spell Point System
Overview
-# Spell Points per Day = [3 x (level + 2)] * (+-5% per two points of relevant ability score) for focused spellcaster classes.
-Biggest spell castable = level + 2 SP.
-I.e., barring enourmous ability scores, everyone can cast exactly three of their most powerful spells (plus some lower level stuff, but never four maxed out).
-9 spell levels become 22.
-Spell damage scales with SP expended (and not with level). Generally +1d6 = +1SP, so spell damage is still limited by level.
-Spell DC scales with TBD (ability score? Level? SP expended?)
-Duration, Range, Size of AOE scales with TBD (level or SP)
-Type of target (single/AOE, ranged/melee, touch/normal, selective/nonselective) will be defaulted to something, but can be changed by expending more SP (e.g., maybe +2 SP for 15' burst)
-Spontaneous casting by default. Can take a limitation of requiring spell preparation/preselection if desired to balance out other class features.
More detail to come on this later
Overview
-# Spell Points per Day = [3 x (level + 2)] * (+-5% per two points of relevant ability score) for focused spellcaster classes.
-Biggest spell castable = level + 2 SP.
-I.e., barring enourmous ability scores, everyone can cast exactly three of their most powerful spells (plus some lower level stuff, but never four maxed out).
-9 spell levels become 22.
-Spell damage scales with SP expended (and not with level). Generally +1d6 = +1SP, so spell damage is still limited by level.
-Spell DC scales with TBD (ability score? Level? SP expended?)
-Duration, Range, Size of AOE scales with TBD (level or SP)
-Type of target (single/AOE, ranged/melee, touch/normal, selective/nonselective) will be defaulted to something, but can be changed by expending more SP (e.g., maybe +2 SP for 15' burst)
-Spontaneous casting by default. Can take a limitation of requiring spell preparation/preselection if desired to balance out other class features.
More detail to come on this later
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Peijen
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just to be sure, in your version sorcerer and wizard are pretty much the same right? Maybe there should be a different multiplier for each class, and I think three of the biggest spell is kind of low unless you let wizard/sorcerer have more fighting ability, but then again we might not have one in this campaign.
Here is what I would suggest, n = level + 1/2 * ability score bonus
low (ranger) = 1 * n
med (bard) = 2 * n
high (wizard) = 4 * n
limited spell selection = +1
preselection = +1
specialization/domain = 1 free spell?
Also casters have access to level 9 spells by level 17 so maybe level 9 spells should be 19 sp and cap the max sp to 25 without epic feats.
Here is what I would suggest, n = level + 1/2 * ability score bonus
low (ranger) = 1 * n
med (bard) = 2 * n
high (wizard) = 4 * n
limited spell selection = +1
preselection = +1
specialization/domain = 1 free spell?
Also casters have access to level 9 spells by level 17 so maybe level 9 spells should be 19 sp and cap the max sp to 25 without epic feats.
I have another dozen hand written pages of notes, but I didn't have time to type most of it in, so I just cut and pasted the only part I had.
As you surmised, 3x is for a primary caster, with 1x and 2x for less focussed classes. 3x makes a low level sorceror more powerful than a D&D version; they can only cast three of their biggest spell, but their biggest spell is similar to a D&D 2nd level spell (tentatively 3d6 or 1d6 burst). I wanted to move spellcasters to more of a shorter-duration/higher-power model compared to fighters. But they can also throttle back to increase their stamina. They can fire 1d6 ranged touch attacks for 9 rounds (10 with an 16+ ability score) instead, putting them on par with a warrior class (touch is prefered against some enemies, but in general the warrior will have better damage and to-hit).
There is no direct mapping from D&D spell level to SP, though the 1/3/5/etc will do as a rule of thumb. The max non-epic spell would be 22 SP, though I am imagining some magic items or specialized feats that would allow a non-epic caster to go higher in limited circumstances.
I'm still thinking about ability scores influence on both SP and DC. I crunched some numbers in Excel and realized that because you need 19 ability to cast a 9th level spell, 9th level spells punch through a poor save progression of a 20th level character 90%+ of the time. Even a good save progression worked out to something like 50%. I'm starting to think about an idea I saw in the hero system where you have a minimum ability to use a spell, and then you only get bonus DC for ability score in excess of the minimum. Spells will still have a base DC proportional to their minimum cost, and you can spend extra SP to boost DC.
Ok, kind of off track there. Back to abilities' effects on SP. I don't like D&D's system because it requires a table to figure out, being largely non-systematic. Direct conversions of the bonus spells to spell points always end up ugly. The percentage seemed more elegant, and was in line with the fighter strength bonus (~5% more successful hits per point of STR). However, a 10 STR fighter can still be effective at level 20. Because of the ability requirements to cast a spell, a 10 INT wizard can't be. So everyone has to have high abilities, which means that everyone gets the bonus (power inflation!), which is probably why the D&D system stops giving bonuses after level 7 for wizards with human stats. So, I'm now thinking of removing the minimum ability to cast a spell. That way, 12 Int helps at every level from 1 to 20, but 10 Int is still viable.
I haven't formalized any of my ideas for balancing characters, but I'm kind of thinking that a 3x spell point pool would cost 50-60% of the character's "construction points", 2x = 30-40%, and 1x 10-15%.
Each SP pool would have a spell list associated with it. Depending on how restrictive the spell list is (and how easy it is to add to it), the pool would cost more or less. SImilarly, the pool would cost more or less depending on how easy it is to cast spells (is it impaired by armor? require material components? Verbal, somatic, etc. Preparation). Domain/school spells would be purchased as a second 1x spell pool I think. But buying a 3x + 1x pool would consume something like 70% of your points leaving you weak in combat, HP, weapon proficiency, skill, racial ability, "feat", etc.
You could also mix and match spell pools in other ways. One doesn't have to be a subset of the other (I guess domain isn't, but wizard specialization is). A cleric/mage could be implemented with a pair of 2x pools. Because you don't lose biggest spell from having 2x or 1x pools, you don't get crippled with worthless spells like in D&D for multiclassing. A slight reduction in SP expendable per spell might be appropriate, maybe -1 for 2x and -2 for 1x. That way you're not out of the league of a full caster, but you're also not slinging exactly the same spells for the first round of combat. That would suggest that at 1st level 2x gets 4 SP, 1x gets 1 SP and 3x gets 9 SP, which is kind of elegant.
As you surmised, 3x is for a primary caster, with 1x and 2x for less focussed classes. 3x makes a low level sorceror more powerful than a D&D version; they can only cast three of their biggest spell, but their biggest spell is similar to a D&D 2nd level spell (tentatively 3d6 or 1d6 burst). I wanted to move spellcasters to more of a shorter-duration/higher-power model compared to fighters. But they can also throttle back to increase their stamina. They can fire 1d6 ranged touch attacks for 9 rounds (10 with an 16+ ability score) instead, putting them on par with a warrior class (touch is prefered against some enemies, but in general the warrior will have better damage and to-hit).
There is no direct mapping from D&D spell level to SP, though the 1/3/5/etc will do as a rule of thumb. The max non-epic spell would be 22 SP, though I am imagining some magic items or specialized feats that would allow a non-epic caster to go higher in limited circumstances.
I'm still thinking about ability scores influence on both SP and DC. I crunched some numbers in Excel and realized that because you need 19 ability to cast a 9th level spell, 9th level spells punch through a poor save progression of a 20th level character 90%+ of the time. Even a good save progression worked out to something like 50%. I'm starting to think about an idea I saw in the hero system where you have a minimum ability to use a spell, and then you only get bonus DC for ability score in excess of the minimum. Spells will still have a base DC proportional to their minimum cost, and you can spend extra SP to boost DC.
Ok, kind of off track there. Back to abilities' effects on SP. I don't like D&D's system because it requires a table to figure out, being largely non-systematic. Direct conversions of the bonus spells to spell points always end up ugly. The percentage seemed more elegant, and was in line with the fighter strength bonus (~5% more successful hits per point of STR). However, a 10 STR fighter can still be effective at level 20. Because of the ability requirements to cast a spell, a 10 INT wizard can't be. So everyone has to have high abilities, which means that everyone gets the bonus (power inflation!), which is probably why the D&D system stops giving bonuses after level 7 for wizards with human stats. So, I'm now thinking of removing the minimum ability to cast a spell. That way, 12 Int helps at every level from 1 to 20, but 10 Int is still viable.
I haven't formalized any of my ideas for balancing characters, but I'm kind of thinking that a 3x spell point pool would cost 50-60% of the character's "construction points", 2x = 30-40%, and 1x 10-15%.
Each SP pool would have a spell list associated with it. Depending on how restrictive the spell list is (and how easy it is to add to it), the pool would cost more or less. SImilarly, the pool would cost more or less depending on how easy it is to cast spells (is it impaired by armor? require material components? Verbal, somatic, etc. Preparation). Domain/school spells would be purchased as a second 1x spell pool I think. But buying a 3x + 1x pool would consume something like 70% of your points leaving you weak in combat, HP, weapon proficiency, skill, racial ability, "feat", etc.
You could also mix and match spell pools in other ways. One doesn't have to be a subset of the other (I guess domain isn't, but wizard specialization is). A cleric/mage could be implemented with a pair of 2x pools. Because you don't lose biggest spell from having 2x or 1x pools, you don't get crippled with worthless spells like in D&D for multiclassing. A slight reduction in SP expendable per spell might be appropriate, maybe -1 for 2x and -2 for 1x. That way you're not out of the league of a full caster, but you're also not slinging exactly the same spells for the first round of combat. That would suggest that at 1st level 2x gets 4 SP, 1x gets 1 SP and 3x gets 9 SP, which is kind of elegant.
I feel like I just beat a kitten to death... with a bag of puppies.
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Peijen
- Minion to the Exalted Pooh-Bah
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Starting condition (unless George disagrees):
3rd level, you can pick any race that have up to +2 level adjustment.
use this set of stats allocated however you wish: 18, 16, 14, 11, 9, 7.
you start with up to 750gp worth of equipment, whatever you don't spend you don't get to keep
swim as class skill
you get full hp for the first three levels
somewhat specific life ambition, I will try to do some character development for your characters when I dm, and George can do his story line without giving a shit about your character. life ambition will be known to other party members because I don't want to deal with people having conflicting goal
Vinny, we are going to George's place this saturday, be at Jason's place by 10AM.
3rd level, you can pick any race that have up to +2 level adjustment.
use this set of stats allocated however you wish: 18, 16, 14, 11, 9, 7.
you start with up to 750gp worth of equipment, whatever you don't spend you don't get to keep
swim as class skill
you get full hp for the first three levels
somewhat specific life ambition, I will try to do some character development for your characters when I dm, and George can do his story line without giving a shit about your character. life ambition will be known to other party members because I don't want to deal with people having conflicting goal
Vinny, we are going to George's place this saturday, be at Jason's place by 10AM.
Last edited by Peijen on Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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VLSmooth
- Tenth Dan Procrastinator
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Er, then I can't make it.Peijen wrote:Vinny, we are going to George's place this saturday, be at Jason's place by 10AM.
:(:(:(:(My couch is being delivered / positioned in a 5 hour window on Saturday (2006-01-14) and I need to sign for it (half payment on delivery).
Also, I have pictures of Cynthia's furniture, but no prices yet, I'll foward to your g-mail.
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Peijen
- Minion to the Exalted Pooh-Bah
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- Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2003 2:28 pm
- Location: Irvine, CA
map
You will be starting on the island on the intersections of 3,4,7,8 The known world for the pc are those 4 sections.
Code: Select all
*
/ / | \ \
/ / | \ \
4 - / 1 / 2 | 3 \ 4 \ -1
+----+----+----+----+
8 -| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |-5
+----+----+----+----+
12-| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |-9
+----+----+----+----+
16- \ 13 \ 14| 15/ 16 / -13
\ \ | / /
\ \ | / /
*-
VLSmooth
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Is that fine when there's money involved though? Also, that require him to be home from 10 am to 3 pm and be comfortable signing for me. I'll ask him when he gets home.George wrote:Just have Luke sign for it. It's not like the delivery people know you on sight.
Unfortunately, there's one other extenuating circumstance. I currently have a rather nasty fever (104 F) with alternating chills. I've been on sick leave since Tuesday. Provided Luke is fine with the plan, and I'm non-contagious, I'll be there!
Ok, my grand campaign plans are out the window. They wouldn't have worked all that well under the circumstances. More importantly, I remembered some inspirations for a more mundane set of adventures.
I'm going to need to run several sessions in a row, before the party has its own ship (though I can work around them having a ship if need be). At the end of that, hopefully, you will have a goal that will lead you to some other DM's territory, while setting up a reason for you to return after I write more.
I lay claim to at least part of one known box a neighboring unknown box (to give me room for expansion). Say 7+6 tentatively. Move me as necessary. Of course, that's as much room as the entire continent of Africa, so it may not be very dense.
Am I correct in assuming the equator is at the 7-11 boundary? I may have to be a little liberal with my climate. Oh well, ocean currents explain all...
So, the known portion of box 7 is hereafter known as the Stormsea. It's not that the region is really any more prone to storms; I just couldn't come up with anything less lame.
There are kind of four countries of interest in the Stormsea. The largest and least organized is the Silesian Empire. However, after a couple centuries of continuous civil wars, there are now at several Emperors claiming the title. None have the forces or organization to actually project their will beyond their own home island, so it's largely anarchy in the rest of the Empire.
This has drawn the interest of the Empire's three neighbors, the Republic of Haven, the Duchy of Gryphon, and X (X being whatever nation the starting island at the intersection belongs to). The Silesian weakness has led to all three planning annexation or conquest. However, following a royal wedding, X has entered a non-aggression pact with Gryphon and has renounced its claims on Silesia in exchange for various other concessions in other spheres of influence.
Haven and Gryphon have been fighting one another by proxy for a couple of years now, by hiring various Silesian factions to harrass each others interests. So far, though, they have avoided direct conflicts with one another.
Map to follow.
I'm going to need to run several sessions in a row, before the party has its own ship (though I can work around them having a ship if need be). At the end of that, hopefully, you will have a goal that will lead you to some other DM's territory, while setting up a reason for you to return after I write more.
I lay claim to at least part of one known box a neighboring unknown box (to give me room for expansion). Say 7+6 tentatively. Move me as necessary. Of course, that's as much room as the entire continent of Africa, so it may not be very dense.
Am I correct in assuming the equator is at the 7-11 boundary? I may have to be a little liberal with my climate. Oh well, ocean currents explain all...
So, the known portion of box 7 is hereafter known as the Stormsea. It's not that the region is really any more prone to storms; I just couldn't come up with anything less lame.
There are kind of four countries of interest in the Stormsea. The largest and least organized is the Silesian Empire. However, after a couple centuries of continuous civil wars, there are now at several Emperors claiming the title. None have the forces or organization to actually project their will beyond their own home island, so it's largely anarchy in the rest of the Empire.
This has drawn the interest of the Empire's three neighbors, the Republic of Haven, the Duchy of Gryphon, and X (X being whatever nation the starting island at the intersection belongs to). The Silesian weakness has led to all three planning annexation or conquest. However, following a royal wedding, X has entered a non-aggression pact with Gryphon and has renounced its claims on Silesia in exchange for various other concessions in other spheres of influence.
Haven and Gryphon have been fighting one another by proxy for a couple of years now, by hiring various Silesian factions to harrass each others interests. So far, though, they have avoided direct conflicts with one another.
Map to follow.
Ok, now that I've gone to the trouble of drawing a map, I pretty much need to have region 7 (or 8 if I mirrored it, but I'd prefer 7).
Map of the Stormsea
It turns out that drawing natural looking islands is a learned skill, not an innate talent. By the time I got to the end of Silesia, I was doing pretty well, but the first drafts of Haven and Gryphon looked weird. Their second drafts are better, but now parts of Silesia still need to be redone. I'll have to go find that old D&D mapping program so that I don't have to retrace the map every time I need to make a change.
Edit: Ignore the notes that don't make any sense. I started taking notes on the map and then realized there wasn't space. I'll type up some more details tomorrow.
Edit2: Clearly I can't copy numbers. The map is the northeast quarter of box 7 and bits of the neighbors. Why I numbered it 4, I don't know
Map of the Stormsea
It turns out that drawing natural looking islands is a learned skill, not an innate talent. By the time I got to the end of Silesia, I was doing pretty well, but the first drafts of Haven and Gryphon looked weird. Their second drafts are better, but now parts of Silesia still need to be redone. I'll have to go find that old D&D mapping program so that I don't have to retrace the map every time I need to make a change.
Edit: Ignore the notes that don't make any sense. I started taking notes on the map and then realized there wasn't space. I'll type up some more details tomorrow.
Edit2: Clearly I can't copy numbers. The map is the northeast quarter of box 7 and bits of the neighbors. Why I numbered it 4, I don't know
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VLSmooth
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Ah, forgot we had a budding doctor on the forums. Well, I just suffered (still suffering?) my latest hot flash and hit 103.7 F.Alan wrote:Sounds like malaria. If you've had mono before (or asymptomatic Epstein-Barr Virus infection) you might develop Burkitt's Lymphoma!
Or else you just have a cold. Or the flu maybe. You see a doctor? 104 is pretty high. Take some tylenol or something.
Calling a doctor tomorrow morning; I don't think I've dropped below 100 F for 4 days.
Here are the notes/symptoms (copied and pasted from e-mail to supervisor):
- Won't be in again tomorrow
- Definitely calling a doctor at ~9 am
* The doctor is covered by UHC and comes highly recommended - My latest hot spell clocked in at 103.4 and 103.7 and is rising
* my head and ears are uncomfortably hot
* the rest of my body is freezing - In retrospect, I don't believe my situation has improved
- I will report the following symptoms:
* hot and cold flashes
* frequent headaches
* occasional sore throat
* massive lack of appetite (includes drinking)
* dry mouth (despite forced drinking)
* massive lack of energy
* involuntary mass sleep-deprivation
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Peijen
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Works for meI lay claim to at least part of one known box a neighboring unknown box (to give me room for expansion). Say 7+6 tentatively. Move me as necessary. Of course, that's as much room as the entire continent of Africa, so it may not be very dense.
Yes, but I will let you extend the cold climate all the way down to middle of section 7 line if needed.Am I correct in assuming the equator is at the 7-11 boundary? I may have to be a little liberal with my climate. Oh well, ocean currents explain all...
Also damn you and all your background story. I don't have anything beyond the first advanture. You can name the starting country if you feel like if not we can make up something.
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VLSmooth
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Ok, now that my temperature is a much more reasonable 95.6 F (not sure that's good...); I have some questions.
- Do we really need to identify all regions of the world beforehand?
That seems unnecessary and limiting. Heck, who says the world needs to be round? It could just be a great experiment by a cosmic being with too much free time
- Weather and climate should not be a problem regardless of position,
especially if we don't specify areas like the equator. This is fantasy afterall - Are we placing preferences on roles to prevent redundancy / contention?
If so, we should place those preferences as soon as possible. I wouldn't mind playing a pure mage for a change, but I wouldn't want to provide competition for those generating the SP system, who most likely want to use it. - Regarding the SP system, how are you exactly going to balance it?
A fundamental problem with finite, yet rechargeable, abilities forces the DM/GM to cater to those players. For example, melee with a few healing potions or 1 cleric dedicated to healing typically last MUCH longer between "resting" than a party of offensive mages. With quickly dwindling resources, the DM/GM is forced into a catch 22 situation. Either (1) rest the party, catering to the mages, taking up game time, and in essence penalizing the melee or (2) continue on, penalizing the mages. Granted, mages could also ration their spells, but it's often unnecessary since player discomfort overrules balance; hence choice (2) is rarely made (example: time critical missions). - Potential balancing SP theory
How about limiting SP, but allowing certain spells to be cast, at the expense of longer casting times? Or perhaps for less SP? Or some hybrid? This will reduce downtime, while also slightly restricting an offensive mage's divinity in combat.
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Peijen
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Alright, here are what you need to know (and if it's too much detail it's all George's fault).
You will be starting on Rising Island of country Peranema, which is rule by the royal family and two other powerful houses. Peranema is an economic power through trade with other countries, and each of the families owns a trading company.
You guys work for Family Lee which is the weakest of all three families, under Captain Geoff. The ship has 12 crews including you. Your ship mates are: Captain Geoff, First Mate Mark, Jay, Ken, Ash, Jen, Tom, and Dan. You guys have been working on this ship for 8 months and you have 4 more months left before you contract is over. At the end of one year you will be paid 500gp for your work.
You are heading south east toward the Nucleus, the largest island of Peranema, and capital of the country is located there.
You will be starting on Rising Island of country Peranema, which is rule by the royal family and two other powerful houses. Peranema is an economic power through trade with other countries, and each of the families owns a trading company.
You guys work for Family Lee which is the weakest of all three families, under Captain Geoff. The ship has 12 crews including you. Your ship mates are: Captain Geoff, First Mate Mark, Jay, Ken, Ash, Jen, Tom, and Dan. You guys have been working on this ship for 8 months and you have 4 more months left before you contract is over. At the end of one year you will be paid 500gp for your work.
You are heading south east toward the Nucleus, the largest island of Peranema, and capital of the country is located there.
No! Not my archnemesis Geoff!
I have more publicly known detail on handwritten notes about several regions of my countries. I also figured out a second phase to the campaign in this region, to follow completion of my previous ideas.
No, Vinny, we don't need to assign all regions beforehand. I left 75% of my square unoccupied and "unknown" and haven't done anything with the truely unknown square. I just wanted to make sure that if I decide that "something" important is out there, that someone else doesn't say "but that's not what I thought was out there".
However, it is nice to have at least a handful of countries described slightly to allow for character backgrounds not tied to the DM's own territory.
As for mundane stuff, like climate, I like to toss in any details I can think of. The reason is that that often sparks my imagination to come up with more relevant things. For instance, look at the map of Gryphon. It's primarily a string of islands wandering off from the rest. I drew it that way because I didn't want to worry about interactions with region 8. I figure everyone tends to move island to island rather than across broad sea. So, now I had a stretch of islands. Why? Well, islands that aren't next to continents tend to be the result of tectonics pushing together, or volcanos from weak points or shearing. Mundane and useless, right? Well, I decided Gryphon would be volcanic due to a shearing fault. That meant the terrain would be very rough. Another place with mountainous terrain and sea coasts in the real world is Italy (I didn't want Hawaii). The latitude is right and the geology is right, so I decided Gryphon will be agriculturally like Italy. Still worthless, right? Well, now I know what kind of resources Gryphon has, both geologically and agriculturally. I can start to set up trade routes (read "adventure hooks"). Also, the lack of arable land means densely populated coasts with urbanization, along with expansionist pressures. Dense coastal populations mean strong fishing, i.e., sailing traditions, which suggests naval strength. So suddenly I have an expansionist naval power with enough background to let me improv all kinds of things. Also, the Italian tie gives me an easy fallback if I ever need to BS something. And half of that I thought of while typing the rest of it. Did anyone actually manage to read all that?
I have more publicly known detail on handwritten notes about several regions of my countries. I also figured out a second phase to the campaign in this region, to follow completion of my previous ideas.
No, Vinny, we don't need to assign all regions beforehand. I left 75% of my square unoccupied and "unknown" and haven't done anything with the truely unknown square. I just wanted to make sure that if I decide that "something" important is out there, that someone else doesn't say "but that's not what I thought was out there".
However, it is nice to have at least a handful of countries described slightly to allow for character backgrounds not tied to the DM's own territory.
As for mundane stuff, like climate, I like to toss in any details I can think of. The reason is that that often sparks my imagination to come up with more relevant things. For instance, look at the map of Gryphon. It's primarily a string of islands wandering off from the rest. I drew it that way because I didn't want to worry about interactions with region 8. I figure everyone tends to move island to island rather than across broad sea. So, now I had a stretch of islands. Why? Well, islands that aren't next to continents tend to be the result of tectonics pushing together, or volcanos from weak points or shearing. Mundane and useless, right? Well, I decided Gryphon would be volcanic due to a shearing fault. That meant the terrain would be very rough. Another place with mountainous terrain and sea coasts in the real world is Italy (I didn't want Hawaii). The latitude is right and the geology is right, so I decided Gryphon will be agriculturally like Italy. Still worthless, right? Well, now I know what kind of resources Gryphon has, both geologically and agriculturally. I can start to set up trade routes (read "adventure hooks"). Also, the lack of arable land means densely populated coasts with urbanization, along with expansionist pressures. Dense coastal populations mean strong fishing, i.e., sailing traditions, which suggests naval strength. So suddenly I have an expansionist naval power with enough background to let me improv all kinds of things. Also, the Italian tie gives me an easy fallback if I ever need to BS something. And half of that I thought of while typing the rest of it. Did anyone actually manage to read all that?