All right, let’s take it from the top, one more time…
What’s your name? Sam W. Oates
How old are you? Twenty
What do you look like?
What did you do before the Recluse incident? I lived in a motel for most of my life in Skid Row in L.A. I was lucky enough to be born in a family that had a shelter over their heads, but that did not change the fact that we were living in extreme poverty. I had to quit school at ten to support the family, mainly in the form of taking odd jobs and doing good ol’ dumpster diving. Father was a drug dealer, and he got shot to death on my eleventh birthday. Police brutality against the homeless and poor were common, and it was a constant issue for me. In theory, I was allowed to take thrown out food from stores, but police often just arrested or beat anyone that did. I mainly got beaten for my dumpster diving.
Mother died when I turned sixteen, raped and killed by someone. I also had no money to pay for my rent for my shitty motel, and I was out in the tents with the rest of the homeless in Skid Row. It was not long before I decided to just pack up whatever I had, and walk myself to New York city. I had nothing to lose. The journey took me some two years to fully complete as I had to take up various oddjobs along the way to support myself, never minding the other obstacles that I had to deal with. I’m surprised that I somehow managed to make it. Once in New York, I continued to do the same old things as I did in L.A. to live. I had a new hobby of picking up trash for recycling as that did give me some cash to buy some basic needs.
Life in New York was a bit better. The city administration made it easier for me to have a food stamp. Police brutality was not as rampant, but finding a spot to set up my tent was a lot harder. There was this one university that had a lot of trash that I could collect, and I did collect and recycled the trash for some dollars. Extra cash is always good. By hanging nearby that college, I somehow gained strange powers even since that gas attack...
What happened after the incident? Super Strength: 0 Agility: 0 Durability: 100 Regeneration: 0 Spider-Sense: 0 Mutation(s): 0
Do you believe in aliens? No.
What are your goals for the future? Poverty is soul crushing. Life is a constant struggle without money. Without money, you’re no-one. In-fact, you do not have the right to exist. The criminalization of poverty is a sin, and it must be stopped. Homelessness is just one part of poverty. Millions are barely scraping by, forced to often take more then two jobs to pay rent or likewise. Medical bills stack up, and people have to pay up or die. Injustice is out there, and I want to change that by revolution. As in the words of Lenin, “This struggle must be organised,” and I intend to organize.
You lived in New York for a while now, right? What do you think of the city? It’s shitty. I don’t like it. It has the issues of late capitalism.
How much technology do you use on a daily basis? I don’t use technology at all. I only have a single phone that I use but that is it.
What do you like? Food, water, and not dying. I don’t have much time to take up hobbies since I spend most of my life trying to not die from lack of said basic necessities.
What do you dislike? Death. I don’t want to die.
Do you think true evil exists? I’m not a philosopher. Go ask Socrates.
Held territory: The Duchy of Lodi is largely devoid of any hills or large obstacles. The whole ream can be described as one massive flat-farm-field. Villages dot the flat-land, working the fertile land year-round. Said villages normally number around a few hundred or so. In few select areas, there are patches of woods and hills but do not expect to see it unless you are actively looking for such. The scenery is very nice and often calming as well, combined with the good weather. Going deeper into Lodi, there is the township of Lucca, the only major urban center in the whole of the Duchy. On a strategic level, Lodi is the fastest and the easiest way towards Helmgart. Everywhere else is not as fast or easily passable. This has its benefits and issues. Trade is made highly easy with Helmgart and other nearby centers of population. On the other hand, invasion is made easier. Helmgart is a fortress while Lucca is just a township. Do you see the issue?
Ruler: Ferruccio Lo Duca is the current duke of the Duchy of Lodi. Ferruccio’s father died early on into his childhood, and Ferruccio’s mother (Marcella Mazzi) took care of Ferruccio until he was old enough to be duke. Marcella was a highly experienced steward and taught Ferruccio everything about taxes, economy, money, math, and anything else that was needed for a competent administer of the realm. Marcella’s personality and traits also heavily were rubbed into Ferruccio’s consciousness. Like her mother, Ferruccio is a diligent, compassionate, and principled person. Combined with his care for the people and realm, it's no wonder why Ferruccio is so loved in Lodi. On the other hand, such displays of compassion do not translate into fame or glory. Ferruccio is largely unknown among the local nobility and elsewhere.
Ferruccio has no interest in spies or intrigue, often fearful of such things. If it was not for her sister (Enrichetta Trevisani), his spymaster, then Ferruccio would have been dead by now - assassinated or likewise. Still on the topic of weaknesses, Ferruccio is not a marshal man. He does not know how to train, lead, and form battleplans, as needed by a proper commander since he never had to do such things in the first place. One last note, Ferruccio is a passionate architect. Not only does he love public works, he actually understands the math, building, and finer details on how to build stuff of grandness.
Economy: The Duchy of Lodi is known for its rich lands of food and beverages. The local weather is highly predictable and suited for agriculture. Famous bakers, brewers, chefs, and likewise, all come here for the purpose of creating wonderful food and drinks. Grains, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, cotton, and flax are grown here. There is a common joke that is told about Lodi that everything will taste will shit after you eat the foods made in Lodi. The dwarfs can testify to this as they are common customers, often trading their iron-works and jewels for plenty of Lodi foodstuffs.
Over the lifetime of Lodi, halflings, dwarfs, Brettonnians have chosen to immigrate to Lodi for one reason or another (likely for the food). These immigrants have left their mark in the culinary history of Lodi, creating dishes, drinks, and bowls of meals, of the greatest taste. Lodi is a melting pot of food culture and the creation of the highest caliber. But do not be confused with all that grandness of food. Staples like wheat, barley, and other bulk grains and foods, form the largest yields and the greatest items traded. Tasty food is just a side-effect is all.
Stonemasons also call Lodi home. A nearby marble and stone mine acts as a good source for the masons for the arts and largely for the purpose of construction. These masons are quite well-established compared to other professions in the town of Lucca. Salt is important as Lodi has a large salt flat that it controls, extracting large amounts of salt that it trades and use. Textiles and dyes are big too in Lodi. Cotton and flax are commonly grown and then transported to Lucca for further processing in textile mills. Dyes like indigo, purple, black, and red, are commonly used in the dyeing of textiles. If not used for dyeing in Lodi then the dyes are shipped out as is in powder or liquid form.
Resources: Lodi has no shortage of food since its fields are highly fertile for all kinds of seeds, and the weather is highly fair to the farmers. For what Lodi lacks is largely good sources of ore. There are no sizable amounts of iron, copper, or likewise, found in the depths of Lodi. The Duchy is forced to import lots of metal-based goods, trading in foodstuffs for such metal items from the dwarfs that are nearby. As for everything else, Lodi is largely self-sufficient in its bare basics for the maintenance of buildings and population.
Active Service: Lodi largely relies on Helmgart and other nearby state forts/troops to protect the realm. The only professional and active force that Lodi has, is the Order of Barley. This order is not one formed by highly prestigious peoples or knights. If anything, these are “commoner” knights. Former farmers and soldiers banding together to protect Lodi. One might imagine that this formation would be inexperienced, but that would be far from the truth. The knights and squires of the order are highly trained and experienced soldiers, skillful in the usage of halberds, marching, maneuvers, and tight formation fighting. The Order of Barley does not use horses as these animals are still quite costly, and the soldiers rather have good arms and armor than ridable animals. Brigandine (with plate arm and leg protection, along with the plate hamlet, being standard) is the go-to-armor for all Barley knights as a full plate suit is too costly and needs servants. Squires, in terms of armor equipment, are given full heavy-chainmail, and their primary arm is still the halbert.
Reserves: Lodi does not have much of a proper reserve since all of them are just poorly trained and equipped levies.
Garrisons: Given that Lodi is largely flat, wooden watchtowers are used to oversee vast amounts of land. Hunters turned watchers oversee the operation of these towers. Two bowmen are always at each tower, and there are a night-shift and day-shifts, ensuring 24/7 watch. If anything occurs, said a raid, each tower is fitted with the ability to light a small fire that can signal to other towers that will also do the same.
Regiments of Renown: The 'hardtack' is a Barley formation known for its excellent record of combat and steadfast nature. The nickname, 'hardtack', is not a joke as they have faced down and beaten things that would normally break apart state troopers. In one battle record, a horde of beast-men attempt to shatter them but the line was held, and any beast that came close quickly got cut down by swarms of halberts. This pattern repeated itself in the history of the formation, with enemies trying to crack the block of men, only to be met with unwavering stance and the masterful usage of the halbert. In addition to their standard armor (wore over their metal-armor), the hardtack wears beastmen leather as another layer of armor. This display is gruesome but often has the side-effect of demoralizing enemies. An empty stack of grain is worn over the chest piece as their tabard. If for anything reason that their primary weapon is lost then a horn-dagger, made from the horns of the beasetmen, will be used in their defense.
Foreign Policy: Lodi has a tight trade relationship with everyone nearby, exporting vast amounts of bulk foodstuffs. Dwarf, Brettonnian, and Imperial traders come and go, doing commerce every-day in the town of Lucca. Often then not, high profile people and local leaders come to do big-time-trade-deals, requesting bulk grains in exchange for something. Helmgart is a close ally as Lodi supplies the fort with daily shipments of food and drink. If anything large threatens Lodi then Ferruccio is able to get the state troops of Helmgart to come to its aid.
Culture: The culture of Lodi is one that concerns itself with the well-being of many. There is a certain comradery among the people that cannot be properly explained, but it is there. People are friendly and open as plenty of traders and strangers come by to do business in the main town of Lucca. Being hostile is just dickish and bad for business. The hospitality here is common.
fledermaus,
Izurich,
Shin Ghost Note,
Guardian Angel Haruki,
ANYM
