Jeff of Jeff’s Gameblog originally posited these 20 questions. I’ve added a handful of my own as well to cover anything else that is relevant.
What races are available to play?
At present, player characters can only play as humans. Dwarfs and elves both exist in the game world, though. Elves rarely interact with humans anymore, preferring to trade with them only occasionally, which is done in the town of Haetrope. A midpoint between human and elven lands. Very rarely, humans are granted passage through elven lands under heavy guard, but that is the extent to which humans and elves interact. Dwarfs, on the other hand, got so fed up with humans that they retreated to their homes beneath the earth, and have not been seen in 50 years.
Evil races exist, but there can be no peace with them. If any other goodly races exist, humans do not know of them.
What is the deal with my cleric’s religion?
Many gods exist, but few are still known to humanity. At present, humans worship one of four gods.
-Iiliu of the Weave is a genderless god, always referred to by name. Iiliu is the warmth bringer, and the artisan. Iiliu is credited with giving fire, shelter, and clothing to humanity.
-Pinebrio is the Knower. The god of scholars, and magicians. He is the death bringer who determines when your time has ended.
-Neve Canri is the lady of chaos. She is the mistress of lies and the queen of death. All undead creatures are her servants.
-Ramrog is the god of pain and of blood. He demands constant sacrifice.
How did my Magic User learn his craft?
There are very few Magic Users in this world. Most magic users do take apprentices, but most of them are also too unskilled themselves to actually pass anything on. If you are a magic user, then most likely you discovered a spellbook somehow in your youth, and have studied it for many years to master its most basic concepts.
Where can we go to buy standard equipment?
Haetrope has a general store, as well as a small blacksmith’s shop. The merchant Demmanar also maintains a warehouse here. His servants maintain it, and while they don’t have a ‘storefront,’ they are authorized to sell off inventory if the price is right, as well as to buy inventory if they think it can sell. There are also other merchants coming and going from Haetrope frequently.
Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?
The people of Haetrope aren’t going to be too happy about you befriending monsters, but for enough gold the Blacksmith might do just about anything.
Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?
It’s no secret that humans suck at magic. The knowledge of it was lost long ago, and those who remain are little more than court magicians doing tricks to entertain bored kings. The mightiest wizard in the land likely lives among the elves, but as humans you wouldn’t know anything about that.
There are the pompously named “Masters of the Eight Circles” along the southern coast. They’re commonly recognized as the masters of the arcane among humans.
Haetrope’s center of social activity, and drinking activity, is The Tower’s Top.
What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?
A vampire lord by the name of Zyric is known to live somewhere to the East of Heatrope, but he is rarely sighted and little is known of him. The Great Wyrm Sinlomar lives on the top of mount Drakeel to the west, and is known to occasionally obliterate human settlements.
Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?
At present there are not. Humanity is at peace with itself, and all the current conflicts are small in scale. Defeating orcs, putting down bandits, and such. But humanity is also expanding its territory at a rapid pace. So far they have not encountered any resistance in the wilderness, but a who knows what the future might hold?
How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?
Most major towns will have gladiatorial arenas, but if you truly want to achieve glory then you must fight in The Iron Battlefield. It was built in the capitol by Maleon Bladebite to commemorate the uniting of the human city states. Maleon is even known to participate in battles there himself from time to time.
Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?
Plenty. But they are secret.
What is there to eat around here?
Haetrope has a long history as a village of trappers and hunters. Meat is their diet. Primarily taken from deer, local birds, and giant rabbits, all of which are quite common. Fish from the nearby river are also enjoyed by the people of Haetrope, though the fish are not plentiful enough to call them a staple food. The meat of a giant spider is a particular favored delicacy in Haetrope, though it is not often available.
Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?
Human history does not go back far enough for anyone to remember such legends. It is clear that humans once ruled great empires, and there are doubtless many artifacts to be found among the ruins of those empires. But until they are found, nobody knows what those treasures might be.
Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?
Sinlomar is the only truly powerful dragon known to humanity. Some have said that mount Drakeel is actually just Sinlomar’s treasure horde, and that she has protected it for so long that dirt has covered it, and trees have grown there. While this is probably just a tavern tale, it is almost certain that Sinlomar’s horde could make a pauper into the wealthiest human alive.