When you discover a new planet, I randomly generate what type of world you have discovered. You can colonize and harvest resources from these planets and add them to your territory. Over-harvesting a world will eventually kill the biosphere and cripple your population. You determine the rate at which you harvest resources.
Barren Contains no resources, but structures can be built here. Red Planet Resource heavy planet. Can be colonized, but does not support the population of a Blue Planet. Blue Planet Suitable for colonization. Blue Planets increase your nations population. May contain resources. White Planet White planets are located near celestial anomalies that aid in scientific research. Can also be colonized and may contain resources. Dead Planet Dead planets have been over harvested for resources. Nothing will grow here, although that technology may someday be available.
Planets also have societies on them that are living and breathing every day. Each planet has the following stats: Loyalty: How likely the planet is to revolt or remain loyal to the nation. Dependent on your nations Stability, Government Type, Culture and distance from your capital or homeworld planet. Resources: Number of resources remaining. Hazard Rating: A planet has a hazard rating of between 1-10 with 1 being hospitable and 10 being catastrophic.
Resource Management: For each planet, tell me the rate at which you wish to harvest resources: Efficiently, Moderately, Aggressively. The default rate is moderately.
Nation Advances
As your nation grows, you can expand your nation's abilities and strengths by researching certain technological, cultural and scientific advances. This is a basic frame for what your nation can achieve. Other Advances may be added later and player generated advances are highly encouraged!
Cultural Advances Art Architecture Archaeology Exploration (Allows construction of Unmanned Probes)
Military Advances Intelligence (Allows construction of Embassies) Espionage (Allows construction of Agents)
Technological Advances Colonization (Allows construction of Colony Ships) Terra-forming (Can build Terraforming Platforms) Cryogenics (Allows construction of Cruisers) Mining Efficiency (Allows Aggressive Resource Harvesting)
Units & Structures
Each unit and structure has a Name, Cost, Production, and brief description of how it is used. Military Units:
Armies Cost: 2 The meat of your military. Each army represents thousands of soldiers that can be deployed as you wish. You may assign armies to ships to invade other planets, to defend, or to raze a planet. See the Battles section for more info about armies.
Fighters Cost: 4 Small ships that carry between 50-100 personnel. Fighters provide escort and cover for larger ships, and serve as scouts.
Destroyers Cost: 6 Massive ships capable of transporting armies from planet to planet. Destroyers have high defense, low attack.
Cruisers Cost: 12 The largest class of ship with heavy firepower. Cannot land on planets to deploy armies. Often escorted by other ships.
Bombers Cost: 15 Bombers can also carry armies from planet to planet, but may not bomb a planet the same turn they deploy armies. Capable of orbital surface bombing (effectively razing a planet before it is conquered).
Other Units: Colony Ship Cost: 10 Used to spread your people across the galaxy. Carries 1pop per ship. Unmanned Freighter Cost: 4 Single destination ships used for quick cash. Freighter Cost: 6 The workhorse of the interstellar trade industry, freighters ship resources from planet to planet.
Unmanned Probe Cost: 1 Prod: A crude ship used to scout unknown space.
Agent Cost: 10 Prod: An agent can be deployed into a known territory to gather information. (Specifying which information to reveal is risky at first, but if the agent manages to maintain secrecy specifics can be identified.
Military Structures: Outpost Cost: Prod: Build Outposts on your borders to keep a look out for invading forces.
Fortified Garrison Cost Prod: Build bases to protect your armies on planets you control.
Other Structures: Embassy Cost: Prod: An embassy can be constructed on an allies world.
Terraforming Platform Cost: Prod: Can be constructed around any planet you control. When construction is complete, specify which planet type you wish to produce.
Nation Generation
For billions of years, life has evolved in one form or another in distant corners of the galaxy. For thousands of millennium, intelligent life has strived to achieve interstellar travel. You are one of those races.
The dreaded NS: Nation Name: Ruler: Excerpt: Tell us briefly what sort of life form you are. This may be a few paragraph description or a vignette. Be as brief or winded as you please.
Nation Traits Roll 3d6 for each nation trait. You may assign which score goes where. You may reroll the lowest score. Look up the Trait Modifier on the table below and record the initial roll and its modifier. If all of your trait modifiers are +1 or less, reroll all of them (including your bonus reroll, basically start over). Culture: Economy: Infrastructure: Technology: Military: Stability: - - - - - - Wealth: Infrastructure Modifier + Economy Modifier + 4 each turn. Disregard negative modifiers. Population: Production: Economy Modifier + Technology Modifier + 2 = Production Rate Government: Republic gets +2 Culture, Economy, Technology (score, NOT modifier, adjust modifier as needed) Dictatorship gets +2 Military, Infrastructure, Stability (score, NOT modifier, adjust modifier as needed) Anarchy receives -2 to all Trait Scores for 2 turns. (Pick which government you wish after two turns)
============= Roll Trait Modifier Description 1 or less -5 Abysmal 2-3 -4 Awful 4-5 -3 Bad 6-7 -2 Poor 8-9 -1 Mediocre 10-11 +0 Fair 12-13 +1 Good 14-15 +2 Great 16-17 +3 Exceptional 18-19 +4 Amazing 20 or more +5 Phenomenal
Disclosure Notice: In the spirit of full disclosure (and for easy access), I have referenced the following sites/pages in designing this game: Hyperiums Basic d20 PDF (launches PDF) FUDGE Hack for NRP's
TO DO: Unit Costs Unit Production Time Balance Military Unit Power Balance Production table Finish Advancements Generate map Design Random planet generator Generate NPC's
Murder Mayhem & Unicorns Plot An open-world RPG of Fantasy Politics by Polybius Simple d20 mechanics
The Masters of Veranth have been murdered. One by bloody one, members of the ruling council have met a grizzly end. In the wake of the murders, foreign powers have made bold moves against our fair city-state. The Holy League is once again conducting trials overseen by the Grand Inquisitors and fierce Adjudicators of the Holy Church of Karolath. The ageless rivals of Veranth, the Cypriot League are suspected of hiring mercenaries to disrupt our trade routes. Our sailors are turned into slaves, sold on the blood soaked sandy shores of Saeth Mar...
The young republic of Veranth needs leadership and sound governing. You have been selected (admittedly in haste) to preside over the High Council until such a time as elections can be held. In the wake of the turmoil of the fated former council, allegiances are challenged. Centuries old treaties between the great houses and the Twenty-Four Towers of the Guilds are at risk.
Your Character
You are a member of the High Council, a temporary position until such a time that elections might be conducted. You may be an aristocrat with estates and retainers or a knight, with a company of men-at-arms. Or you may play as a merchant, trading and dealing with other nations. Regardless of your chosen class, you have risen sufficiently enough in the political and social circles to achieve a seat at the council. The fate of Veranth is in your hands.
The Game
This is a game of intrigue and politics and trade and war. There is money to be made, people to kill and an empire to build. The game will be played in turns. Each turn update, you send me your orders (what your character is up to for that season) and I give an update for the events of that season. The IC is fair game for any roleplaying you may wish to do in between turns. You are free to create any NPC's necessary for your narrative stories. Collaboration is encouraged. It should be noted that if you introduce NPCs, I may commandeer them for story purposes.
Follow this list of steps and your ready to submit a character!
Read Classes & Features
Choose a class (Merchant, Noble, Knight, Sorcerer)
Choose a Secondary Characteristic (Primary Characteristics are tied to class)
Choose a name. Make it fit with the setting. (Lore is located in the Character Tab)
Write your Vignette & Master Summary of your character.
PM me your character sheet.
Classes & Features
The Merchant You are a wealthy merchant, perhaps an age-old family of Veranth with coffers stuffed to the brim with gold and jewels. Maybe you only recently accumulated your fortune. Whatever the case, you have been found either influential or rich enough (most likely both) to be appointed to the council. Merchants have a Trading House with plenty of room to store goods and a vault. Merchants also have a Flagship. They are especially good at Trading
The Knight A strict code of honor may or may not guide your sword. A relic of ages past, carried over to Veranth from the mainland, the Knighthood has shifted to a more profit-driven profession in the last century. Knights have 25 men-at-arms that require no upkeep, and are loyal to the death. Knights also command the respect of the common people, who see them as valiant heroes (regardless of their actions). Although this may become corrupted with time. Knights are especially good at Fighting.
The Noble Whether you bought your title or simply inherited the name, a noble commands a court and has access to important figures throughout the lands. Nobles possess an Estate and may Command a Favor at anytime, with anyone. Nobles are particularly Cunning.
Characteristics The emboldened words in the descriptions above are not merely just that-they are part of the simple d20 system I'm using in this game. Whenever you wish to perform an action, I associate it with the appropriate characteristic (A knight leading an attack for instance, or a noblemen brokering a trade deal) and roll to see if your action succeeds and to what degree.
Cunning A silver-tongue. Spies in the shadows. Ulterior motives. Cunning is the wheeling and dealing that is so very necessary in the upper echelon of court politics.
Fighting Martial prowess. Strategy. The ability to lead men into the raging hell-gates of battle or to defend them, to train them, and to use them effectively. It is also the characteristic in single combat.
Trading A sound mind for economics. Understanding the market and how to use it to your advantage. Also the logistics and proper management of vast sums of money and goods.
Secondary Characteristics
Arcana The understanding of the forces unseen at work in the world. There is a thin veil between this one and an infinite number of others. Sorcerers often peak through this veil-and often do not like what they see.
Piety Devotion to a higher god and fellow man. Like Arcana, Piety bridges the gap between the mortal and immortal realms.
Luck The neglected characteristic. It is said at a child's birth his fate is already known.
Increasing Your Characteristics: You may increase your characteristics in a couple of ways the most important being to use them. When you send orders, you may insist that you use a specific characteristic rather than the assumed. For instance, if your negotiating terms for a trade deal, you might suggest that you use a characters cunning rather than his trade. It is up to you how you wish to interpret this course of action. So for the example given, you might suggest you use your characters cunning to blackmail the merchant. Again, you would have to invent the circumstances IC that led to this course of action.
Another way to increase your characteristics is by playing your character in character. For example, if you know a course of action would be detrimental to your character or the city, but your character would do it anyway, then that is playing to your character in character. Another way of putting it is 'Don't META-game'.
These are not the only ways to increase your characters characteristics...
Name: Sir Arlon Fontleroy Class: Knight , Fighting, Luck Summary: A knight of extraordinary skill and luck, Fontleroy finds himself in the right place at the right time more often than not. Vignette ...
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The City
Veranth is a trading city occupying an island some distance away from the mainland. Originally a safe-harbor for pirates and smugglers, in the 500 years since the nation-state has grown into a city of towers, high walls and bureaucracy. The city is surrounded by vineyards, orchards and farmland. The bustling port district has attracted the greatest shipbuilders, ironworkers and specialty crafstmen in the world. The 24 Towers of Guilds ring the walls, each a tiny kingdom too itself. Amidst all of this economic prosperity are the
The Twenty-Four Towers The Guilds of Veranth are unmatched in the world. From shipbuilding to cannon-forging, the guilds attract the most talented laymen in the world and pay handsomely for talent. The Guilds have become increasingly powerful.
The Religion In Old Karoleth, the High Priest rules an empire of the devoted. A dozen kingdoms bow before his holiness. Veranth (and a few other Republics) do not. This has brought tension to the land as nations increasingly interact through trade and politics.
Raxas Nearly a century ago, the Sorcerer Raxas fled to a distant island with his remaining adepts. Magic has nearly vanished from the world, but a few journeymen 'hedge wizards', untrained and unruly wander the lands seeking masters willing to pay handsomely for a court-wizard.
Playing Playing is simple. Make a character by choosing a Class : (Aristocrat, Knight, Merchant) and pick your skills. Aristocrats are good at Cunning Merchants are good at Trading Knights are good at Fighting
Throughout the game, your actions will be dependent on your skill set. Each skill you are proficient in will give a +1 to your action (roll 1d20+skill modifier Vs. Difficulty ) (A merchant wouldn't lead an army into battle, however it is possible!). When you send orders (in between turns) your skills come into play. For example, if your a merchant and you wish to negotiate new or better trade terms with a neighboring nation, I will add your skill bonuses to rolls to determine the outcome. Which brings me to:
Generating Wealth
One of the most important aspects of the game is managing your finances. There are two lawful ways to increase your supply of gold. Trading, by either directly purchasing ships and establishing trade routes, or by subsidizing trade by hiring merchants to make you money.
The other is buying and constructing Industries. Winemaking, textiles like cotton and silk, granaries etc. are just a few of the many industries you might add to the economy. It should be noted that it is possible to saturate the market if their are too many of the same industry in Veranth.
Each industry brings a set amount of gold each season. Vineyards Vineyards are plentiful in the sandy loam of the Veranthian countryside. Here, grapes and olives are grown among the large manor homes of the aristocracy. Pressing olive oil and fermenting wine into grapes is a major commercial enterprise in Veranth and the supply of these goods is in demand the world over.
Windmills After the harvest, the grain is transported to the soaring windmills perched on high cliffs along the coast, where the grain is ground into flour and either turned into bread for the city supply or shipped to neighboring lands.
Textiles Fibres such as cotton and silk are spun into fabric for clothing. Increasingly large guildhalls filled with looms and spindles are emerging as a dominant factor in the growing economy of Veranth as fabric is in demand by nobles the world over.
Glass Foundry An expensive, labor intensive industry that requires skilled craftsmen. Glass is fired from saltpeter and sand at very high temperatures and shaped into vessels, ornamentation, and glass window panes for use in home and church.
Ironworks Blacksmiths produce weapons, armor and shields, but also mundane items like door hinges, locks, barrel banding, cannons and cannonballs-the list is endless.
Orders I prefer specific over vague, and I hope to supply enough in-game information for you to make those determinations. For instance if you wished to increase the military in Veranth, it would be better to say "Hire and begin training 50 men-at-arms to replace those slain at Sterling Shores" rather than "Get some more troops and make sure they are good ones".
To start you will have two major actions that you may enact each turn. Sending messages, gifts, gold etc. is a free action and you may do as many as you wish each turn. This is a political/nation RP so I expect lots of manipulation and correspondence to play a big part of this game. Developing your character through exposition in letters and NPC interactions is encouraged.
Increasing your chance of success You may invest a certain amount of gold in each action, but you have to tell me how you wish to spend that gold. For instance, you may invest 100 gold in your attempt to sway a foreign dignitary to give you favorable terms on an agreement. For each 100 gold you invest, you get a +1 to your action roll. There is no max amount of gold you may invest for each action.
As for me, I will be playing the omniscient 'all'. That is to say, I control the NPCs, the will of the people and the natural elements.
Sorcery (A Primer) Magic in this world concerns the practice of contacting entities from distant planes and binding them to your will for a time. It is an incredibly dangerous practice and requires intense and careful study. It is believed that magic caused the destruction of the ancient civilizations thousands of years ago through careless and relentless use. With each binding, the barrier between our world and the distant planes is weakened. Consider this when casting powerful spells.
The powerful sorcerer Anom Veldt recorded this list in his tome "Demons, Djinn and Entities of Considerable Power" some 400 years ago:
Baal A leather-winged demon from a plane of fire, Baal's magic is concerned with growing, shrinking, withering and multiplying.
Baphomet A horned goat demon from some fiery hell-plane, Baphomet is not to be trifled with. Surprisingly Baphomets magics are not concerned with fire, but rather binding and loosing.
Belphagor Not much is known about Belphagor, but its magic is used for obscuring, hiding, revealing, or locating.
Mammon An enormous giant from a distant plane, the magic of Mammon concerns wealth, money, prosperity and possibly, maybe, conceivably, luck.
Azazel Despite his harrowing name (The Ancients believed Azazel was the god of Destruction) Azazel is rather a tame demon, capable of many sorcerous acts. Consult this being when planning, plotting, staging, or manipulating.
Table of random events 1: Storms in the sea of 2: Fire in 3: Pirate Raids 4: Funeral of 5: Unrest in 6: Crop Failure 7: Vessel Sank 8: Crime Lord emerges 9: War! 10: Noble Squabble 11: Resources discovered 12: 13:
Geography The Sea of Omens lies north and west of the Island of Veranth and stretches well beyond the Cyprot League and as far south as Saeth Mar. It is a cold sea, with terrible storms, and lurking horrors beneath the waves. Brave fishermen, on massive ships built in Veranth occasionally dare to sail in search of some beast-a whale or octopus (whose oil and ink is in demand, respectively), yet always in sight of the Veranthian or Cyprot coast.
Where Giants Drink The liturgists of Old Karolath describe the Sea thus: "I beheld a sea that stretched for days-no months-possibly all of my lifetime and the lives of my children-ever endless in to the cold north. The lands of Cyprot and Veranth faded from view, and all that lay on the horizon was a yawning charnel house of frosted waves, and the wary weight of the unknown. For forty days our captain guided the trio of vessels as best he could, using at his disposal the tools of his trade, occasionally consulting with the Holy Procession destined to Ask the Omens. We had with us a list of queries his Holiness wished us to ask once we arrived sufficiently deep enough in the waters where giants drink..." -Voyages, excerpt 1251 XXX XXX"
In a rather unusual ritual, the Holy Procession, one or two ships provided by nobles or merchants hoping to gain favor with the church, will voyage almost directly into the Sea of Omens, which stretches beyond the knowledge of men, and for three days perform the rituals described in the old books in order to glean some knowledge or insight on troubles in the kingdoms. These rituals are performed on deck, by specially trained priests, the crew banished to quarters for the event. In the modern era, this has become to represent the archaic church-(think exorcism in Catholicism, at least how it is portrayed in movies, and also not that shunned). Rather "Asking the Omens" is a tool for the church to either get rid of undesirables or at the least remove them from court politics for a voyage that can last three seasons. It is believed that great beasts lay sleeping beneath the waves-these are the children of God, banished to the mortal realm for imperfection. Holy writ suggests these creatures may have divine knowledge to impart if the proper sacrifices are offered.
Hurricanes The frigid and terrible waters north and west of the island of Veranth are occasionally penetrated by the mild trade winds of the Innish Sea. The combination of warm, semi-tropical winds in combination with the icy air of the north causes massive cyclone-like storms to form. For centuries hurricanes have been recorded in the histories of all of the Kingdoms that border the Innish Sea. Rarely do these hurricanes pass between the Republic of Veranth and the Cyprot League to the north. Those hurricanes find landfall in the form of many hundreds of minor islands, and loses strength. More often, to devastating economic and material effect, do these storms barrel into the main trading lanes south of Veranth, and just north of Saeth Mar. In this event, a whole trading season may be lost, as the great storms are slow, brutish things that swallow ships and men and all the goods they carry whole. Despite the shifting sands and heavy tides of the Saeth Mar coast, the shores are littered with wrecks of unfortunate ships.
Storms will disrupt trade during the Autumn Months. During this turn, income will decrease and property will be destroyed. Some Hurricanes are more devastating than others and may cause damage in more than one part of the world.
Cyprot Islands
Ancient Cypriot In archaic times, the Cypriot archipelago was a single landmass. The Cypriots were masters of engineering, coliseums, bridges, aqueducts, temples, drydocks, harbors and many more architectural feats, the ruins
The main islands are home to a confederation of nation-states, sea-farers and traders by nature, with a long and lengthy history of exploration and mercantilism. Ruins of the precursor civilization are scattered across the islands, some only emerging from the shallows between the inner islands and the mainland, a crumbling colliseum, towering ramparts covered in barnacles and sea grass, the sea has washed over those dim pages of history and some historians suggest that the flooding may have caused the downfall of that power.
Darker things reside on the many thousand isles as well. Sorcerery has played a part in
Old Karolath
The gleaming cities of Karolath are darkened by the Inquisitors and Adjudicators of the Holy Church.
Saeth Merar
The semi-tropical coastline disguises the harsh and unrelenting shifting sands beyond. Saeth Merar means literally means "land-sea".
Veranth
The Innish Sea
Factions
The Republic of Veranth
The Holy League
The Twenty-Four Towers
Shipbuilding, Blacksmiths, Masons, Textiles, Distillers, Clothiers, etc.
Nation Sheet Government: (Democracy, Republic, Autocracy) Population: in billions Production: base 10 Infrastructure: base 10 Technology: base 10 Wealth: base 10 Trade Slots (0/2)
Current Investments: You may invest in Production, Infrastructure, Trade or Technology.
Military Holdings: Ships Structures
Note:You may assign your own National Class description to each ship Escort Class Ships Slip-Ship Fighter Fighter-Bomber Corvette Frigate
Destroyer Class Cruisers are the only destroyer class capable of surface landings. Light Cruiser Heavy Cruiser Drop Ship Artillery Platform
Battleship Class Battleships may not land on a planet. Dreadnought Capital Ship
Other Ships Research Vessel Recon Ship Freighter Explorer (Colony Ship)
A Renaissance Era Roleplay of Faith, Politics & Warfare by Polybius An OSR Hack
It is an age of conflicting ideas and ideology. Of competing faith, science and mysticism. In the land of Lassa, a resource rich peninsula bounded by water to the east and west, and mountains in the north, city-states vie for power. All is ruled over by the Holy Church of Karoleth, a religion with a 4,000 year old history.
The Inquisition conducted by the agents of Karoleth has found the Duke of Veranth guilty of heresy. While the Duke remains imprisoned, the enemies of the fair city Veranth have seized upon the vacuum of power to expand their influence. The city is in need of strong leadership, strength, and perhaps faith.
Characters
This is the crunchy bit, but it is really simple. You should familiarize yourself with the world information under the Lore header before choosing a name and background. In addition to basic character info, you have Attributes and Skills that determine what your character can do and what she knows. The numbers are very simple: Spend 4 points on Attributes (Charisma, Combat, Fame, Faith) and 8 points on Skills (Grace, Speech, Literacy, Trade, Luck, Leadership, Dueling, Strategy).
In Masters of Veranth, you take the role of an influential and affluent nobleman, merchant, clergyman and citizen of the city of Veranth. The city is without a master and the council of peers is unsure what steps to take to ensure the safety and survival of the city. The Church of Karoleth is eager to step in and declare Veranth a protectorate of the Church and seize the assets and wealth within our coffers. Foreign investors have stopped sending payments for goods and pirates and brigands (perhaps funded by our rival city-states) have begun looting and pillaging our trade-routes and outlying settlements. In order to play the game, you must build a character, pick your attributes and stats and write a brief description of your personality and background.
Name: Read the Lore section to figure out naming conventions. Age: The life expectancy of a Lassan is about 60 years old. Residence: Many wealthy citizens reside in estates, old fortified towers or walled villas. Personality: Include ambitions, personality quirks, anything for other players to have an idea how you will roleplay. Attributes: See below.
Skills: See below.
You can do whatever you want and the enjoyment you get out of the game is in large part dependent on how you play the game. Each turn I will present the players with significant information about Veranth, the Church and important events and NPCs. Using this information, you can determine your strategy for that turn. Some turns may have no dice rolling actions and rely heavily on roleplaying. These are called 'free actions'. Sending correspondence, giving public speeches or engaging in diplomacy are some examples of roleplay only turn actions. Things like conscripting and training troops, waging war and conducting trade rely on rolls of the dice and are called 'strategy actions'.
You may conduct as many free actions as you wish each turn. You have 2 'stategy actions' each turn. Strategy actions require the roll of two six-sided dice (2d6). On a result of 9 or better, the action is succeeds. A critical failure is a 2 and a critical success is 12. Each with appropriate results.
Action Difficulty Table:
Actions have modifiers for the final dice roll depending on how easy or hard the action is. For example if I determine the action is Formidable I add the modifier (-2) to the difficulty. Remember a failure is a 2 and a 9 is a success. You may also use a turn action to inquire as to how difficult an action might be.
Easy: +1
Moderate: 0
Hard: -1
Formidable: -2
Mighty: -3
Impossible: -4
An impossible action would be asking the Pope to give you his hat. A mighty or formidable action would be besieging a city. A hard or moderate action would be spying on another player or NPC. An easy action would be purchasing an item of value for yourself or another player or npc.
You have 4 points to distribute among the 4 attributes. You may disperse the points however you wish including using all four in a single category. Below each attribute is the relevant skill.
Charisma How well you can manipulate people to your will. Grace, Trade
Combat All martial disciplines including warfare and single combat. Strategy, Dueling
Fame How well your name is known throughout Veranth and the region of Lassa. Leadership, Speech
Faith Your piety, should it ever be called into question. Literacy, Luck
You have 8 points to distribute among the 8 skills. These numbers are called ranks. No skill rank may be higher than 4.
Diplomatic Skills: Grace How one conducts oneself at formal functions. This might be at a festival, wedding or meeting with foreign dignitaries.
Speech How well you are at speaking in public. More useful for swaying the opinion of large numbers of (admittedly less educated) people than a single nobleman.
Literacy How well you read and write. Also how many languages you know and if you can reference obscure texts to make a point.
Mercantile Skills: Trade Your ability to make profit by trading goods.
Luck The other side of the faith coin. The neglected skill.
Martial Skills: Dueling Sometimes you just want to get your point across as quickly as possible.
Strategy How you conduct your troops in battle from small-scale urban conflict to sieges.
Leadership Sometimes a strong leader can turn the tide of even a forlorn conclusion.
World Information
Geography
Lassa Peninsula Bounded by water on three sides and mountains to the north, the Lassan Peninsula is a conduit for trade between east and west. Once the seat of power for an ancient empire (also known as Lassa), city states with distinct dialects and cultures have prospered here for the past 400 years under the watchful eye of the Church of Karoleth. Wheat and barley are grown in the south and the central hills hold vast plantations where olives are grown and processed into olive oil. Other important commodities are wool and iron. Ships and caravans from the east heavily laden with jade, gold, silver and spices make for ports along the coast.
Veranth The city where the roleplay takes place. Veranth has made a name for itself as a strong mercantile stronghold with guilds and banks and little outside meddling from the Church of Karoleth. For nearly thirty years art and science has thrived in Veranth under the guidance of Duke Carlo Fiore. That reign has come to an end with the arrest of the Duke and his close associates by the church on charges of heresy, a crime that carries the penalty of death. It seems Duke Fiore funded a the publication of a pamphlet outlining the failings of the church. Fiore is being held in the White Citadel in Veranth until the order from his Holiness, Linus II for execution comes through.
Mersolan The historic rival city-state of Veranth ruled by Duke Giacomo Princep, a wealthy wool-merchant with many family members holding posts in the Church of Karoleth. Long has Mersolan prided itself on maintaining the Abbey of St. Sebastian, the most beautiful and ornate church in all of Lassa. Mersolan has rebuilt the ancient sea wall of the Lassan empire and controls a powerful navy and merchant fleet, reaching as far east as the Jade Empire.
Other notable city-states of Lassa: Cuna: Birthplace of His Holiness Linus II Trato: Home to the workshop of Maccio, the famous painter and inventor Parmos: A northern city-state with strong mercenary presence Vica: Stronghold of the Holy Order of the Knights Sanctus Vitae
The Jade Empire Far to the east is an Empire of such immeasurable territory and wealth that many common citizens consider it a mythical place. It is said that no foreign merchant has ever entered the Empire and left again, instead dealing with intermediaries and guides to secure valuable goods like spices, gold, silver, silk and of course jade.
Factions
The Holy Church of Karoleth Presided over by his Holiness Linus II, with a complex hierarchy of Cardinals, priests and holy appointments, the Holy Church of Karoleth is one of the wealthiest institutions in the world. For 4,000 years the church has existed in one form or another, even during the final centuries of the ancient Lassan Empire. In recent history, the Inquisitions conducted by Cardinal Paccio have gutted the nobility and middle class of the Lassan city-states.
The Guilds Guilds are unions of very skilled, specialized craftsmen devoted to one industry or another. Cloth dying, spinning wool, iron works, shipbuilding etc. are just some of the many guild specialties. These institutions hold control over vast sums of money and are semi-militant.
Mercenaries & Knightly Orders Bands of veteran soldiers roam the Lassan peninsula looking for work. Those given the blessing of the Church are well funded and are often employed protecting shrines, churches and holy persons across the land. Other mercenary bands are more nefarious, and include pirates, brigands and cuthroats. They are not as well trained or funded, but will do almost any job.
Wealth & Spending
A city must pay for its food, defense and any taxes and debts owed to the church or foreign powers.
City Information:
As you can see, there is not a lot of information outside of Veranth that is known.
Tax Income: From Guilds: 5% Nobles: (On property and imports) Peasantry: (2/5ths of production) Expenditures: Church Tithes: Defense: Wages per Soldier: 1g/season
Mersolan Status: Holy League Pop: 73,000
- - -
Cuna Status: Holy League Pop: 48,000
- - -
Trato Status: Independent Pop: 58,200
- - -
Parmos Status: Independent Pop: 39,000
- - -
Vica Status: Holy League Pop: 61,000 Home to the Knights Sanctus Vitae
Someone is assassinating wizards in the kingdom of Bapha. Furthermore, the Queen has taken ill and the Church, under the guidance of Grimalken has accused Witherfinger, the court sorcerer. He has fled to gods knows where. You play as a fledgling wizard fleeing the wrath of the Church.
Magic:
"We are but the dreams of the Universe" Magic users in the Kingdom of Bapha are called Vocifers. They use secret words, chants and manipulate icons and totems to achieve a desired magical effect. The source of the Vocifers' power are the dreams of slumbering celestial beings called Eidelons.
use chants and magic words to manipulate the dreams of sleeping celestial beings far below the earth. These dreams may manifest however the vocifer see's fit with the caveat that the power may never directly harm a living creature.
The Lord of the molten planet walked the web work of titan-metal bridges spanning the volcanic ravines of his domain. A black cloak flapped at his back in the thermal winds, and he carried a long, thin, cruel blade on his hip. Orange light cast strange shadows along the walkway, and gleamed across the runes engraved on the blade.
"Yori mu kravni il Xor."
"I am the sword of the Emperor," thought the Lord. Close at hand strolled his steward, a native of the fiery planet. It waddled beside his master, the trait of some cruel disfigurement inflicted upon him by the last Lord of the Planet, which he carefully concealed beneath dour robes. From his pointed ears hung a breathing apparatus that covered his churlish face. A single oculus of glowing red peared out beneath its' dark cowl.
The Lord wore a breathing apparatus as well, this one adorned with gold and platinum and carved in the likeness of a lampreys' jaws. Spiny teeth embossed on the mouthpiece gave the man a demonic appearance. "Come along Greely," said the Lord through his mask. The syllables he spoke were digitized, and rolled out of speakers concealed beneath the decorative lampreys' teeth in a rattling tone.
Nearby, the rocky ground cracked and a fissure of magma erupted a hundred feet into the air. To touch it was death. The Lord paused and extended his hand towards the fiery column. Greely paused just as he was about to collide with his master, and pulled from his robes a rectangular data pad with a slick glossy green glow. His fingers tapped expertly across the runes displayed.
"Forgive me, m'Lord. The eclipse is almost upon us. It may be wise to make a public appearance before the event. You know how superstitious the peasants can be," rasped the beast.
A hundred rivers of lava cut ravines across the heavily shadowed valley and gathered in immense lakes that extended for hundreds of miles. The Lords factories straddled these lakes and stole their heat to power his forges. The bulbous structures produced titan-metal through a carefully guarded process and were powered by cheap local labor.
"Much cheaper than artificials," thought the Lord.
As Darkstar to his Holiness, Emperor Reva Xem III, it was his duty to produce, profit and to pay taxes. Heavy taxes. For this, the Lord suffered the superstitions of his peasant workers. As long as he gave them leeway to perform whatever primitive rituals they required for peace of mind, the better they would perform in his factories.
"An eclipse you say Greely?" said the Lord through his breathing apparatus. He pulled the face mask free and breathed deeply the searing hot air of his dominion. White-hot tendrils of pain shrieked down his lungs. He coughed, and put the mask back on as tears gathered at his eyes.
"...four-hundred and seventy five years since the last triple eclipse, m'lord. I could record a simple broadcast if you wish to address your subjects. It may help to assuage any superstitions your subjects may hold about the eclipse. Prophets of doom and all that..." Greely bowed his head deeply as he spoke, not wishing to offend his prickly master.
The Lord raised a black gloved hand and the servant fell silent. Iron studs adorned the knuckles, and the servant knew at least two vibro-blades were concealed within-one for each hand. Maybe even an atomic-dart...
"Let them have their superstitions, Greely. I rather enjoy it. I wonder if they'll work up such a fervor as to initiate a panic-induced pogrom." said the Lord chuckling. His laughter chirped digitally through his breathing harness.
Greely cringed. "I certainly hope not, m'Lord. Production of titan-metal was down 7% last quarter and our workforce is still recovering from the last riots. An envoy from the Emperor is due to arrive at the morning meal. Our spies tell us the envoy does not bring kind words from the Emperor..."
Races of the Empire
Name (in color) Scientific Name Flavor Text Description
Phageons (Sanguiaphagia Dominus)
Who would have thought the mere by-product of an archaic bio-engineering protocol would evolve into their own species?
A race of humanoids that act as diplomats, spies, ambassadors, assassins and negotiators at every level of the bureaucratic hierarchy. They possess immensely powerful psychic abilities, and a preternatural insight bordering on precognition, skills that have made them indispensable to the empire despite their monstrous appearance and barbaric customs. They are greatly mistrusted, feared and hated by the common citizen of the Empire.
They are also effectively immortal.
In the earliest eras of the Empires founding, the scientist-sorcerers of the day still fiddled with the preposterous notions of immortality, and after countless centuries of tinkering and meddling with the nature of nature itself, they created the phageons. Hailed as a scientific leap forward in the realm of empathic research, yet discarded for their biological limitations, the phageon project was halted almost immediately after it began (probably due to a reshuffling of resources to fight one of the countless wars of the early eras of Empire). However, an isolated colony of the species survived the immolation of the purge-squads and so began a self-imposed path of evolution that continues to this day.
Whatever door to immortality was unlocked within the phageons biology also holds the species downfall. Without the continuous consumption of blood, a phageons biological functions begin to deteriorate rapidly. Some phageon approach this problem clinically, through complicated blood transfusion operations while others prefer a more...primal approach to their disposition. Ancient folklore has turned the layman and ignoramus against them, the common folk insisting they are demons or monsters. To them, the Phageon are simply 'darklings', (a colloquial term meaning demon or monster), a creature to be mistrusted, hunted, or even killed.
W E L C O M E ● t o t h e ● M I N E R V A ● A R C H I V E
January 11th, 2010 Your assignment just arrived. Castle Rock Complex a.k.a the Minerva Archive. An underfunded Cold-War era research institute and archive that has seen better days. Supposedly, the Castle is on it's last leg and the Federal Government is pulling the plug. Looks like you've got a lot of boring, monotonous work ahead of you cataloging and organizing half a century worth of occult bs. Have fun!
Take on the role of a member of an under-funded research and archive station known as the Minerva Project, aimed at investigating supernatural, extra-terrestrial and occult matters. With a recent bump in funding from a mysterious source (or probably a government oversight) the Archive is considering opening up new investigations and projects. This a non-traditional role play in that there will be no linear plot or narrative, instead relying on the creativity of the players to invent new objects, NPCs, events, data, research and plotlines themselves. My characters are described in the CLASSIFIED section below. More information will be made available in the OOC thread. Thanks for reading.
O R I G I N S o f t h e M I N E R V A P R O J E C T
As World War II came to a close and an Allied Victory was assured, a division of the Nazi Special Research Division was tasked with investigating the occult, supernatural and even extra-terrestrial. The Office of Strategic Services dismissed reports of Nazi activity regarding fringe-science and 'mythological studies', but was soon forced to reassess the threats posed by the Occult Science Division.
While speculation varied, and was undoubtedly confounded by conflicting Soviet reports, the Allies took no chances with victory so close at hand. On May 8th, 1944 these suspicions were confirmed when...
M I N E R V A T O D A Y
Castle Rock Complex, The Minerva Archive, Location Undisclosed
The Minerva Archive is currently innactive as of January 11th, 2010. Only essential personnel are on retainer for final project phases, organization of archive contents and disposal of non-essential archive property. Please report to Director Simon Pierce for final assignments.
W A R N I N G!
C L A S S I F I E D D O C U M E N T S!
Any unauthorized viewing may result in revoked citizenship and subsequent termination by the Department of Defense
Department Directory
Dr. Simon Pierce Director of the Minerva Archive simple_simon@crock.gov
Age: 59
Background: C L A S S I F I E D
Assignment: Department Head Oversight, Minerva Archive, Castle Rock Complex, United States
Quote: "Let's see what this button does!"
Dr. Milo Yanez Chief Archivist M_Yanez@yahoo.com
Age: 38
Bio: Please requisite and submit the appropriate paperwork to view further information.
Assignment: Maintenance and Organization of the Minerva Archive, Castle Rock Complex, United States
Professor Anastasia Sukorov Senior Research & Project Manager for Temporal Displacement Sciences, Castle Rock Complex, United States // Castle Rock Complex, United Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, & America P.O. Box 71, N. Violet Rd, Washington D.C.
Age: 28?
Current Location: Timeline 'B' (probably)
Notable Achievements: Impressive Autograph Collection Including: F.D.R, Abraham Lincoln, Ernesto Guevarra, Thomas Jefferson, et. al.
Mr. Gray Chief Sanitation Engineer, Castle Rock Complex, United States Do Not Contact Mr. Gray
Age: Irrelevant
Duties: per request
Note: If personnel remain in the presence of Mr. Gray for an extended period of time, please report to the medical facility located in Annex B. Do not go to the medical facility in Annex A.
APPLY!
Suggested Roles:
Senior Medical Research Technician || Field Operative || Research Assistant || etc.
Due to archive restrictions on data storage, prospective operatives may only submit the abridged application. Any applications exceeding the data-limit will be immediately disqualified.
Name: Age: Requested Assignment Note 1: Can be anything you wish to tell us about yourself Note 2: Can be anything you wish to tell us about yourself
In the half-forgotten age of a mythic time, the people of Lemuria built great cities, temples and monuments. A Pantheon of Gods visited them often, bestowing gifts of literacy, architecture, writing and warfare. They became a proud, confident people with dreams of exploring the world and even conquering other peoples. While some gods looked on with amusement, some became jealous-even angry. This anger would lead to a great divide among the Pantheon and cause the first Immortal War. But those are just stories...
Immortal War
A devastating war eventually erupted between the gods. Mortals found themselves fighting alongside divine beings. The Gods conjured all manor of monstrous race to fight for this side or that-weapons of war were invented, destroyed, discarded, kept secret. As the conflict spun into chaos, and the chaos into apocalyptic proportion, the land was torn into three separate continents. The Gods eventually broke battle with a truce and departed the mortal realm with little regard to the fate of man. The monstrous races created in the war remained and hid themselves away in the wilds, beneath mountains or in ruins.
Colossal Cities
The cities are famous the world over for their high walls, and complex urban sprawl the likes of which have never been seen in the world. Lavish palaces and temples dominate the cityscape, while in the slums, the poor are crammed together in dingy apartments. Paved stone roads run broad avenues over primitive 'sewer' systems that dispose of filth into distant waters. The cities are supported by vast agrarian settlements in the surrounding lands. Distant trading outposts bring gold, spices, gems, and knowledge home.
Wilderness
The World is largely unknown. The trading fleets dare not venture further than coastal waterways or make for known ports. Monsters lurk in the deep. The same can be said for the interior continents-a near prehistoric level of jungle growth has enveloped the wilderness. Brave heroes venture forth into this unknown often-and return less so.
Mortal War
War still plagues mankind. Over minor disputes-land, honor. Foolish things. The weapons and tactics used by mankind are the same used during the Immortal War. Waves of phalanxes, supported by archers and increasingly surprising use of devastating cavalry charges are the order of the day. Infantrymen are generally conscripts, wielding spear and shield. Armor is rare and expensive, usually handed down from father to son. Infantrymen instead wear light tunics, sandals and a bronze helm. Armies are no larger than several thousand men, and war is waged in the spring, just before or after harvest.
The World
It is a late bronze/early iron age with heavy emphasis on Hellenistic cultures. You may also draw inspiration from Babylonian or Egyptian culture. IF you have any questions or comments, send me a [@mention].
From the HAMPSHIRE CHRONICLE, evening edition, Monday, June 11th, 1875
DISASTER !! MIRACLE !!
PREHISTORIC LANDSCAPE APPEARS!
Danburge, Brecha On the Evening of June 10th, passengers aboard the Airship Bravado were witness to an event of divine magnitude. At 4am, the crew was ordered by Captain Arneld Breschia to rouse the passengers in case abandonment of the ship would become necessary. Navigation of the Frigate Class Airship had become impossible, as an unanticipated heavy fog appeared. The Captain, acting in accordance with aeronaut procedure ordered a drop in altitude.
What happened next is unconfirmed-several passengers claim flashes of 'eerie lights (north) towards the direction of the city of Danburge, and then darkness'. In the morning, dozens of reports claimed that the city had vanished- to be replaced by a landscape that can only be described as 'prehistoric'. Captain Breschia ordered his men to begin a search of the area using the spot lights of the Airship. After 4 hours of searching, and with coal reserves diminishing, the Bravado was forced to make an emergency landing in the nearby town of Great Bridge. The fate of some 250,000 citizens of Danburge is unknown.
In the years before the Miracle, an industrial revolution had gripped the world. Advances in technology and medicine were poised to change the face of the world. Great continent traversing airships dotted the skies. Engines were powerful & efficient. Every infantryman in every Great Powers' army carried a gas powered rifle. Advances in art, literature and philosophy made it seem as if another great enlightenment was at hand. It all ended with the Miracle.
Nearly 30 years ago, cities the world over began to vanish overnight. After the swirling mist, fog and glimmering lights vanished, what remained could only be described as a prehistoric landscape. Humid jungles sprang from the earth overnight. Volcanoes sprouted and spewed smoke and ash into the sky. Primordial swamps, teeming with all manner of nightmarish creature oozed and bubbled. The event was a Miracle. It was a Disaster. The 'Wilderness' as it would come to be known, began to spread.
WORLD LEADERS HELPLESS!! WILDERNESSE GROWS MONTHLY!
Nearly twenty years ago the Disaster that took in an instant countless cities across the globe resonates with the world today. At the Worlds Fair in Hampshire, World Leaders met with top scientists in the newly formed field of PREHISTORIA. Sources confirm that the WILDERNESSE is expanding at an astonishing rate. Reports indicate that several small towns have been enveloped by the WILDS and the civilians forced to flee. An unconfirmed number of casualties have been reported.
Besides the terrible jungle comprises the vast majority of the WILDERNESSE, several sightings of PREHISTORIC-like beasts have been observed. Enormous reptiles and oversized insects of horrific nature. Dr. Simeon Brightweather, of the Royal Academy of Natural History (Overseeing the newly created Department of Wilderness Studies) was summoned By HER MAJESTY QUEEN REBECCA III. The details of that meeting remain unknown at this time.
Efforts were made to curtail the advance of virulent growth. World Leaders, increasingly alarmed at the spread of the Wildernesse agreed to wage an all out war on the growth. The most devastating weapons in the worlds arsenal would be launched at the encroaching landscape.
Chemicals, designed to wage war on man were instead turned against nature. Fired from artillery, or dropped from enormous Airships, the campaign was carried out with great success.
At first.
As the 'weeding' campaign (as one former Monarch put it) continued, the Wildernesse renewed its advance with a seemingly sentient vengeance. Devastating incendiary bombs were deployed and the atmosphere was choked with ash and smoke from the burning wilds. All would prove to be in vain as one by one the capital cities began to be overrun.
From the Personal Log of Lieutenant Percival Arnherst, HMAS Constitution, June11th, 1850
Morning- Mission complete. We found the wreckage of the airship Prescott just north of the Yellow Lake. Poor fellows must have flung everything but the engines overboard to gain altitude. It was all in vain as we found her hull smashed against a rocky outcropping. No sign of survivors. I suppose they ran out of coal. We attempted to salvage their silk sails but the balloon had been shredded to bits...
We are...under similar circumstances. We returned in the evening to find the settlement of New Hope completely wiped out. A giant redwood had sprung from the grounds where the docking bay once stood. Captain Baines pointed us further south. I wonder if we can make it to James-Bridge?
Afternoon- I wonder why I continue this chronicle despite the increasing evidence that in all likelihood our airship is doomed. Maybe all of mankind is doomed? This...Miracle has turned out to be a Devastation. I wonder how Annie fairs back in Whitehall? I miss her dearly. Must remember to bring back something nice from the Fringe.
Evening- We can see the towers of James-Bridge just up the gorge, but a trio of those terrible lizards refuse to budge. Captain ordered a broadside just above the ghastly beasts head in an effort to scare them off. They fled, but one found its' way back. He is a nasty brute-supposing it is a he. His head is nearly as big as the maindeck! What those teeth could do to a man...I don't want to think about that. I wish the fellows would quit dropping flares to track his movement. I can't stand the sight of that scaly beast in the phosphorescent glow any longer-
Ages come and go, but always in cycles. It is a time of verdant apocalypse-wild growth in nature, in magic and the world. Old cities fall and new ones rise on the scattered ruins of an ancient baroque civilization. Time is death. Death is ephemeral.
Ishtar Plain
In a great cataclysmic of seismic activity, twin mountain ranges skewered the Ishtar Plain and destroyed the major cities of a once thriving civilization. A valley formed between the ranges (called Ish & Tar in a later age) and flood waters stormed in to drown the lingering survivors of the cataclysm. A few centuries passed and people began to explore the ruined valley floor. Yawning ruins, have submerged in the murky waters greeted them. From these tunnels and sunken halls came dangerous wildlife- chittering things with claws and spines, boar-fish, gnarl crabs, half-dragons (size, not race), merligronts, spiderhawks (flying spider thing), etc.
The City of Phaengraff (Grafth - City , Phaen - The name of the Valley) City of the Phaen Valley
Over a century ago the first settlements began popping up along the spiny carcass of a fallen Tortugant, a gigantic Tortoise. The creature died from old age, as attested by the twenty-thousand rings carefully counted by semi-scientific historical Society of Krelal. (Tortugants live between 18-22,000 years).
The settlements were established over time, as hunters came to the shell to kill Gnarl-Crabs. The crabs infested the still-fleshy insides of the Tortugant's carcass. The shell of a Gnarl-Crab can be fashioned into armor, clothes, jewelry, or ground to a dust for certain alchemical purposes-hardening, laquer, and used in a process of swordsmithing localized in the Fringe. These properties made the business highly lucrative-for a time. Eventually the crabs moved on or were wiped out. But the settlements remained.
Over time, the crab harvests dwindled, but explorers and adventurers in the area had catalogued a treasure trove of unexplored caverns, dungeons and sunken cities. The Flooded Valley of Phaen harbors secrets and treasure for the taking.
TRAVEL Travel is difficult too and from the city of Phaengraff as it is essentially a series of islands built atop shaky foundations. The streams and tributaries that feed the sunken valley are rife with dangerous wildlife and poisonous vegetation. Only a few 'canals' have been cleared for the larger barges and paddle boats to carry goods to the cities of the Fringe, and even these are dependant on seasonal weather. The terrain around Phaengraff is notorious for changing from season to season. From rising tides, as much as ten feet in some places, to rampant vegetation taking over entire islands in a matter of days.
Travel is facilitated in a variety of ways. More affluent travelers and explorers (like the Wealthy Wix City Merchants) use a kind of primitive dirigible, although these are slow and prime targest for roving flocks of Hawkspiders. The domesticated Lurmegoyff, (a sort of domesticated and hybridized lammasu) can carry single passengers and small quantities of goods. In addition, paddle boats powered by volcan embers occassionally pull into the harbors. There is also a long causeway that meanders through the swampy bushlands around Phaengraff, with a few scattered way-stations (sometimes stocked with food and supplies) that are sometimes manned by outcasts or the banished.
SIGHTS
FOOD The waters and brushland supply ample food if one knows how to hunt. Fish and small mammalian creatures-like rats, possum, etc. Reptiles like lizards, snakes, frogs, turtles are all on the menu. The culinarians of Phaengraff have established a solid reputation for using incredibly hot spices and herbs in their cooking, harvested from the multitude of plants available in the swamps. These are always less quality ingredients as most of the things produced in Phaengraff are shipped to the cities on the Fringe for a higher price.
TRADE Phaengraff exists because of trade. The sunken valley is incredibly dangerous, but also very profitable. Small guilds of merchants have established themselves in
Nasadiya Sukta "Who really knows? Who will here proclaim it? Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation? The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe. Who then knows whence it has arisen?"
RV, 10:129-6
The Rules for this game are 100% untested-and by playing you agree to accept that the GM is a human and makes mistakes. If you see an error, please bring it to the GM's attention with a polite PM. Thank you.
The scope of this role play will encompass the creation & end of a world. Throughout the game you can expect to sculpt the landscape, create creatures and races, and attempt to influence others creations. If your god loses control of his/herself by acting against their intentions and self-image, they will become subject to their own primal nature-effectively becoming monsters unleashed upon the world they helped create.
The World
The Map will divided into regions dependent on the # of players. These regions are under complete control of your avatar until another player(s) begin to exert influence in that region. Players will decide what sort of terrain their region will contain. This is an important step as much of what an avatar can do and create will be dependent on the type of region they have created. Regions may change and diversify later, but in the beginning they will be simple single-biome areas.
Avatar & Aspects
The role the players take is that of a divine entity gifted with powers of creation, essentially becoming a god or goddess. However, to do so you must take a physical form-your avatar. Avatars reside in the mortal realm and channel the magic necessary to create. Avatars must also take on Aspects in order to manifest in the mortal realm.
Aspects are 'tags' associated with your avatar that summarize their capabilities, attitudes and flaws. Aspects can be anything you can think of but must fall into one of the categories described here.
SELF-IMAGE How you see yourself and how you wish mortals to perceive you. Some examples might be: The THUNDER God, Healing Mother, Lord of WAR, etc.
FLAWS Avatars also take on mortal characteristics-including flaws.
INTENTIONS You must proclaim what your intentions are for this world. In broad terms, this will fall into one of two categories: Evil & Good. Although this is entirely subjective, gods who seek to corrupt and destroy are generally considered evil, while gods who create beauty and nurture life are considered good.
Communities
Each region will have a default community. A community is a group of people that start the rp with a neutral attitude. Your avatar can begin to influence the community by bestowing gifts, blessings are revealing yourself to them. The community might build temples or shrines devoted to your avatar, or expand into other regions to spread the gods influence.
Actions & Power
[i]As a god you can do pretty much anything you want. Another god may challenge your action however. This might result in the action failing, or the action becoming subverted for another purpose. As you do more and more actions, your Power will begin to seep into the world. This material power must be directed into Temples, Shrines, or into Items of Power-artifacts, weapons and wonders that exist in the world. If too much of your power seeps into the world, your god will begin to resort to a sort of primal-state, eventually becoming a monster (and part of the GMs arsenal of characters).
You can create a new god at any time. New regions created? Or sub-divide region of former avatar?
The Terran Federation spread throughout the galaxy with a determined optimism to make contact with an alien species. As the decades turned to centuries, and no contact or even trace of another intelligence race was found, the Federation, once united in the goal of exploring and discovering the secrets of the galaxy began to fracture. Civil war erupted in numerous colonized systems. Two factions emerged: The Republic of United Star Systems and the remnants of the old Federation.
T h e W a r
The war fragmented societies. Divisions in ideology and nationalism spurred a war that would last nearly 200 Solar Years. The 'cause' was forgotten as generation after generation fought a war their grandfathers had started. The devastation was reproachable. As the 200 year anniversary approached, a hasty armistice was signed. The will to fight had been lost.
It is the year 2985. Historians will mark this year as the year of First Contact.
Samoria System Planet Enlil Population: 453,781 Affiliation: Republic of United Star Systems (RUSS) Under Direct Military Control since 2941 157.8 light years from Earth
HyperGate Control Room Command Post 2 Hyko Mountain Complex
Even through the titanium shell of the Control Room, Galen could hear the swirling snowstorm outside. It was cold and he wished he had remembered his military issued thermal suit. Instead, he was stuck in his civilian flannel jacket and dungarees. Power had been diverted to all reactive systems for the shift-namely the Hypergate Galen was responsible for maintaining. That meant no power for heat and what little lights kept the room illuminated were a shade of orange.
Galen and a few other civilian operators monitored the Hypergate in orbit around Enlil wordlessly. It was monotonous work but it payed well. It was also very important work, and Galen counted himself lucky as a civilian to get the job. Then again, there weren't many technicians capable of operating a Hypergate this far from the Republican Core Systems.
Galen checked the time. 01:00:00. Only 11 hours to go he thought. He remembered his mug of tamvi, a local tea loaded with caffeine and took a sip. His eyes drifted to the main monitor built into the domed wall in front of the technicians cubicles. Images of local space were displayed along columns of data, figures, ship arrival and departure times. A large glowing circular icon represented the Hypergate, which would flash every few minutes when a ship was requesting departure or arrival. Small ships could come and go as they pleased-something unthinkable during the war, but the larger freighters still needed clearance from command.
These were the big 12km long Hercules class ships that brought supplies to the Samoria system, and carried away raw minerals and ore pulled from one of the six inhabited planets in the system. The icon flashed green, green, green, all night long.
Galen sipped his tea until it was gone and felt himself warm up a little bit. Teri, another technician left to have a smoke, came back smelling of the sweet dried tobacco leaf Galen had given up.
The Hypergate flashed green, green on the main monitor.
"Any more tea, Galen?" she asked rubbing her arms.
Green, green.
"Nope, just the one. Got a smoke?"
Green.
Teri cracked a smile. "How long's it been Gal?"
Green.
"Too long, hey what's the ETA on that Federation Freighter?"
Green. Red. Green.
"Uh...let me see, Galen. That's not until tomorrow. Foskers' shift. You miss all the fun!"
Red. Red. Red.
"What the hell is that?" said Teri blankly, pointing to the main monitor. Her arm was still stuck in her coat sleeve.
"What is wha-Oh god," breathed Galen.
An alarm Galen had never heard before began blasting across all comms systems in the room. The other technician-Galen didn't even know his name-stood up from his desk.
"Holy Shit," said the man.
Galen glared at his own instrument panel. The data coming through the Hypergate was...empty. "Teri-you got anything?" he shouted.
"Uh...not looking good Galen! I've got no readings-no...nothing. There is nothing coming through. It's like the Gate is..."
According to the scholar-priests of theMordat Sakye, the world has been reborn no less than thirty times. Indeed, the very name of the world, Trelae, means thirty in the ancient Samor language of their sect. Each new era is marked by tremendous advancement in knowledge and learning, in arts, magic and technology; and an end that is both apocalyptic and absolute. New civilizations inevitably arise on the ruins of the old, with the knowledge that every great thing that has come before is beyond the capacity or understanding of the current world. But there are great men and women that deny that very notion and seek the knowledge and power of the worlds that have come before.
This role play will take place in a region called the Fringe Cities. A narrow strip of neutral territory that acts as a buffer between the two great powers in the world. TheSamoran Confederacyto the east, across the sunken plains of Shagoth, and theKingdoms of Kathorto the west. The Fringe has existed for nearly 200 years as an intermediary between the powers, a land of city-states ruled by Merchant-Kings, great sorcerers, terrible despots and kind sages.
Adventurers from both Kathor and Samora travel to the Fringe in search of treasures and relics buried in ancient tombs, crypts and fortresses. It is supposed that the Fringe was once the most powerful empire the world had ever seen, but some great calamity befell those peoples, stories propagated by the plethora of ruins and dungeons found all over the Fringe.
Regional Overview || The Fringe
Quick Description: Multicultural , City-States , Races: Any & All Gods:
Historical & Contextual Description A narrow strip of land running roughly south/north, with diverse climates reflecting the geographical extremes. The Fringe was once home to a world-spanning Empire that fell into ruin about 4,000 years ago. Ruins and crypts, dungeons and underground fortresses hold the secrets of that ancient civilization, and adventurers from all over the world travel to the Fringe to uncover treasures and artifacts.
A vast land of plains, mountains, deserts and seas, the Confederacy was only recently unified under the God-King Balthazar. Little is known about the despot as most of his manipulations are done through intermediaries.
Take control of a Corporate Faction in competition for resources and markets against other corporations in a post-modern, post-nation state setting. The game will consist of rounds and turn reports. After each updated turn report, players may post a new In-Character response to roleplay the turns results and/or introduce motives for their factions next turn actions. It is possible to play this game without posting IC responses, but it is preferred that players post IC as this will make the game more interesting and create a collaborative narrative.
State of the World "Progress demands sacrifice." For the great democracies have fallen, and in the wake of global economy, spurred by hyper-capitalist intervention in the affairs of sovereign nations, and the betrayal of the People by the very civil servants summoned to public office, a New Order has emerged, and which will stand for a thousand years.
. Citizenship is an antiquated term as people are considered either 'Employees' or 'Non-Workers' with the limited rights and civil liberties associated with each status. Employees are able to buy things (from their respective corporations at least) rent apartments and generally enjoy a peaceful existence as long as they abide by the Corporate Rules and show up for work.
Non-Workers are considered a threat and a nuisance. Many anti-corporate militant organizations considered terrorists by the Corps and Freedom Fighters by the sympathetic have emerged from the sprawling slums and suburban wasteland ghettos where Non-Workers take refuge. The gap between rich and poor is at historic levels.
CORPORATE CHARTER
Your corporation must have aspects that tell the GM & other players what you are actually capable of doing within the game world. Your charter will also include assets that tell us what important facilities, units, characters and intel your corporation controls.
VENTURES
The lifeblood of a corporation are the business ventures they choose to pursue, invest in and expand. A new corporation chooses (1) starting venture but may invest in a new one as early as the first turn.
Basic Ventures
Agriculture Genetically modified seeds and plants are the wave of the future. With new advances in agricultural science, organic productivity is up %1000 !
Agriculture is a safe bet in any market as the world is always in need of food supplies. Super seeds, highly resistant to pestilence and disease are the crops of the future. And with new technologies finding new ways to use crops such as corn and wheat, this venture has the potential for exponential growth.
Mining Raw ores and minerals provide the basic components for more advanced manufacturing and production. Mining may be highly lucrative at first, but as the venture continues, the supply will be depleted. Environmental repercussions are based on the level at which mining is directed.
Notes: :Corporations must set the pace at which mining is conducted: Aggressive, Moderate, Responsible :Regions affected by mining will suffer a penalty to
"He who can destroy a thing, can control a thing..." -Frank Herbert
Takes place on wonderous planets and multiple planes of existence at the end of time ...
Play a sorcerer of immense power through the visual lens of sci-fi/fantasy art of the 70's & 80's ...
Themes of power, greed, lust and loss ...
Inspired by: The art of Paul Lehr, Frank Frazetta, Jack Vance's The Dying Earth, Magic:The Gathering, The Heavy Metal Films, Metroid, Flash Gordon, The Music of John Carpenter & Many others...
Sorcerer
The sorcerer Veldt hurtled through the thickly curling clouds atop his chimera. Three beastly heads weaved through the air current, and Veldt gripped the reins fiercely. Skimming across an elegantly floating landmass the mount and rider sped, narrowly missing a gushing waterfall. The cool water splashed upon the sorcerers young face, invigorating Veldt and soaking his short, bleached white hair. From one of the chimeras bestial heads came a low grunt of disdain.
Murky swamps and angular ruins lay below, covered in a brightly glowing green cloud of mist and misery. The Luminous Fade, thought Veldt, not without fear. The sentient vestige of a vengeful planet would mire the ruins for centuries to come, slowly disintegrating alien and inorganic materials. With somber curiosity, Veldt could not help but wonder what fate befell the ancient masters of his planet.
The cloudscape cleared abruptly and chimera and rider broke free of the murky air. Before Veldt lay a dismal fortress, scarred black from arcane wars and surrounded on all sides by a lurid sea. The crumbling towers and walls of Castle Acheanbor were covered in shiver-vines, that snapped and hissed at the sorcerer as he circled, searching for a ledge to land upon.
“Steady, Threakin,” whispered Veldt to the chimera. “We have nothing to fear from this height…”
Veldt spied a suitable landing and slowed the beast with a tug of the reins, and an arcane phrase in order to descend. The cracked earth scattered as the thick scaly wings of the chimera beat the air, finally coming to a rest. Veldt dismounted and patted the chimeras lion-head lightly. Ignoring Veldt, Threakin curled its muscular wings and tucked its heads one by one beneath the scaly muscle and feather. Satisfied, Veldt walked towards the castle with caution.
The castle gate, a grid of iron and stone was intact, but raised just enough for a man to slither through. Scorch marks were burnt into the ground, and the wide stone steps leading to the portal were cracked and broken.
Veldt stopped at the steps and produced a clear glass orb from his cloak. “Zyssiz!” in-canted the sorcerer. The orb hissed from his open palm and came to a stop three paces away. A crackling of arcane light appeared, captivating the orb in lightning. Veldt nodded approval and looked to the high castle walls.
Far above, a sickly yellow light shone. A shivering wail echoed through the ruins, and then came the sound of a thousand skittering legs. Veldt raised his gloved hands before him and summoned a sword of flaming white light. He gripped the arcane weapon without flinching and took a few steps forward. The crackling orb followed.
The wailing stopped abruptly as the sorcerer reached the steps leading to the castle gate. Veldt turned to Threakin. “Sleep lightly friend, for I may need to expedite my departure!” said the sorcerer, before stalking into Castle Acheanbor.
The Universe
The once sprawling galactic empires of decadence and indulgence are no more, destroyed from within by vainglorious and scheming men...or the simple taxing of time. In the wake of the great collapse come feudal kingdoms-planet sized bastions of civilization ruled by very powerful men, or alliances of men that hold power over the subjugated races-mutants, demi-humans, aliens and semi-humans, half-breeds, vat-readied, engineered and artificed-the list is endless; but it is mankind that is the dominant species.
Humanity
The billion billions of eons past are greatly diminished in the twilight eons of the universe. Humanity has evolved beyond the ancient kin of long dead Earth, instead awakening to the cosmic fabric that courses through all things. That is not to say all men are sorcerers-in lieu of arcane talent come men with armor, sword and axe or any assortment of feudal device. Called powerful by the weak, barbarian by the strong, null-men and neutrals by many more. There is more than one path to carve out a kingdom however...
The Scream
An expanse of space littered with ruined worlds, portals, black holes, marauding alien hordes and renegade sorcerers. The Scream is expanding, an increasing miasma of lawlessness, chaos and darkness.
Chrystar
Chrystar is a wilderness of unchecked arcane power, curses, ancient temples and visions. Dominating the single semi-tropical continent is the city of spheres, home to the sorcerer Veldt, last ally of mankind. Veldt has allied Chrystar with the Verdigris League in an effort to stave of the approaching darkness of the Scream.
Din Star
Every 48,000 years the Din Star, an enormous sentient armored star activates and begins the journey towards seemingly random planets or stars where it collides fantastically with the celestial object, spreading destruction, death and extinction. Prophecy has foretold of the Din Stars destruction by one who trades his humanity for the ultimate power....
Playing the Game
In Sword & Star you take control of an entire planet, the sorcerer or barbarian that rules it, and the people and resources of that world. Telling a story and roleplaying is only one aspect of the game, however. The other aspect will simulate decades of passing time, the ebb and flow of power and the changes that occur within the galaxy. This game is turn-based, and will utilize Orders to simulate the actions of your world and characters.
I like your ideas (Especially your latest idea) and am therefore leaving a comment as per your instructions.
Thanks man! It's actually an old idea I'm just rearranging the thread. Speaking of old ideas...I'm currently reworking that MERCENARIES! game from a while back.
