Wednesday 27 May 2020

Punth: A Primer Ch. 6

As part of my ongoing Punth project, I have been building up a lexicon of Punthite phrases. These I have set to match with the classes of The 52 Pages (download, author's blog). Along with this, a character chooses background words at creation. Below is a list of the suggested background words in The 52 Pages, along with a few more Punth-specific options.

Some classes are compelled to choose one Background word. (Wizards, Prophets, Dwarves, Elves). This can be avoided by a human-only reskin of those classes; as before, I like Pioneer and Guide for Dwarf and Elf. Dwarves would loose heat vision and active defence, but move at 12. Elves would have Spells reskinned to 'Skills', and possibly restricted to Knowledge and Illusion.

Scholarship

  • Magic: (See Ch. 5)
  • Religion: N/A *
  • History: There were days that were, and days that are. Correct Though will distinguish them.
  • Heraldry: In knowing the signs of men, know their hearts. May our symbols be as true as out hearts!
  • Monsters: As man is surrounded by beasts, so are the Sky-Princes by Star-Beasts. Great as the Sky-Princes are, so are their beasts.
  • Etiquette: The arms of might and justice are ornamented by proper conduct.
  • Law: Knowledge of the codes is knowledge of the state. Knowledge of the state is knowledge of the mind.
  • Medicine: To each disease there is a cure. To each cure there is a formula.
  • Qryth Studies: All things are known by the Codes, the source of which is the Sky Princes.


Environment

  • Underground: N/A **
  • Woodland: Many leaves give strength to a tree; many trees make a forest; a forest sustains a great host.
  • Plains: Between the cities of the plain are the roots of the cities.
  • Sea: To those that return from the engulfing waters, let correct teaching be available.
  • City: From the ziggurats come the Codes. Therefore men gather about them in the cities of the plain.
  • Mountain: In the heights and the valleys both, you walk with the knowledge of the Codes.
  • Swamp: Even where the lands are scattered by water, the state will unite the people.
  • The Ruins: Where the wicked have fallen is no place for men to dwell long.


Profession

  • Blacksmith: All tools pass through the fire. The one who keeps that fire must be peerless.
  • Jeweller: By the cut gem and the untarnished plaque, make prowess known!
  • Architect: The builder's plan must be as strong as the base of the pillar.
  • Stoneworker: Buildings are the bones of the state. 
  • Alchemist: In the potion as in the person, the difference of a single grain may be calamitous.
  • Mechanic: Devices redouble the efforts of a man, as the Codes redouble his focus!
  • Burglar: N/A ***
  • Horse(wo)man: The bond between horse and man is strengthens both. Might and Justice may be found in the reins of a rider!
  • Healer: Health of the body is in the hands of the Physician. Health of the mind is in the hands of the Code.
  • Musician: The sound of the cymbal and the slughorn may punctuate a recitation of the codes.
  • Irrigator: Where the water flows, there will be life. Therefore a path must be cut for the water. Therefore tools must be made. 
  • Sorcerer's handler: In days that are no more, sorcerers had the keeping of the people. Now, the people have the keeping of sorcerers.
  • Procurator: What one land has in abundance, another land lacks. But let no man go in want for food, or the goods of the house, or the goods of the state.
  • Scribe: A good record is a joy to Correct Thought.
* Religion deserves its own post.
** There are no underground Dwarven cities or Gnome communes in Punth. The underground background might be applicable for miners (or Punthite soldiers fighting against the Dwarves?).
*** Burglary is not explicitly described by the codes. See Ch. 3 for more details.



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