(This is the original, but a repost exists here for more exposure)
I've had this strange craving to run a campaign that loosely combines the following:
Highlander, particularly the part where you slaughter other immortals (err...pseudo-mortals?) to gain supernatural powers
Overlord (anime), because I'm a sucker for Norse mythology and the setting itself.
Themes such as exploration, giants, unpredictable magic, political intrigue, lore-driven mysteries, Lovecraftian references, mortal combat, and mild peril
may or may not have watched both franchises somewhat recently... e.e'
In essence, players from Yggdrasil would get dropped into a pseudo-viking culture where the magic and immortality portrayed in Highlander is well-known, even commonplace. Interesting twist: players can be level-drained by mere NPC highlanders. Because where's the fun, unless there's a challenge?
In any case, here's the pitch:
Bloodlines of Steel and Snow
Story
NPC Perspective For centuries, curses and foul creatures have plagued the land of Norden. Spawned from the fog which eternally shrouds the Devil's Spine mountains, these blights have beleaguered the people Norden time and again. Despite being fierce and proud warriors tempered through constant strife, they resigned themselves to divine pact with beings beyond the stars.
With newfound power the were able to push back the blight, but cursed themselves and the land in the process. Such power had a price. Immortal warriors roam the godless, wintery landscape, coveting the blood of their neighbor. For within their veins lies the power needed to defeat the blight.
In Norden, blood and steel can defeat anything.
On the first night of the new moon, a spear of light pierced the heavens. It could be seen for miles around, but no one in Norden knows whether it is an ill omen or a beacon of hope. Only time will tell.
Player Perspective The Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game YGGDRASIL is in its final hour. Much of the player base has already logged off and resigned themselves to playing some other game. A sentimental few have chosen to stay behind until the very end.
When the servers shutdown, one small band of players was transported to the misty mountains of a foreign land. Bewildered and compelled by curiosity, they began exploring their surroundings. Quickly they realized YGGDRASIL was no longer a game, but their new reality. Now trapped inside the body of their former avatars, what new obstacles await them in the hostile and fantastic land of Norden?
Starting Location
Reference Map Players will be starting in the territory of Norden, which is far to the northeast of the Agrand Council Alliance. (And thus does not appear on this map)
The Norden Highlands:
Our story begins in the frozen north, where the air is dry, the winds bite, and the only the wolves mourn the dead. Once ancestral Hero Kings ruled the land of Norden, all the way from Osthold to Myrkálfheim. Now, giants erupt from the mountain to raid settlements. Ancient magic taints the earth and wildlife, becoming twisted, wicked. Needless to say, the natives suffer a harsh existence here, but survive all the same.
The reign of the Eight Greed Kings witnessed the decline of Wild Magic across the known world, and the fall of the northern kingdoms. Curses and plagues ravaged the populace. The land shattered and a hungry fog separated the northern lands from the rest of the continent. Foul magic lurked in the mist between them, ensuring little more than rumors ever survived the trip through it.
While Wild Magic was nearly extinguished in the rest of the world, it was embraced in the frozen plains. The histories are vague and the only clues which remain are repeated in centuries-old stories and oral traditions. Bleak legends speak of sacrifice, sorcery, and worship of elder powers, but offer scarce details into what really happened. The fact remains, however, that the people of Norden discovered a way to survive the onslaught.
Blood is power. Seize it. Land is your birthright. Claim it. Immortality is a weapon. Master it. Extinction is approaching. Fight it.
This old mantra still thrives in prose and song, and represents the cornerstones of Norden culture. Every child in the north knows their blood possesses latent magic. They know that if they are slain their killer gains their power. It's a fact of life. By claiming the magic power of their defeated enemies, skilled warriors can eventually become nigh immortal, but doing so entails dire risks. Immortals are the target of anyone with an ounce of ambition and a sharp blade. Killing an immortal is neither quiet nor subtle. Once defeated, they must be ritualistically slain. Torrents of magical energy fill the immediate area when one of them dies, and anyone with a talent for magic can sense the disturbance for miles around. Storms clouds often loom over battlefields where immortal warriors have fought and died.
Some families have found ways to preserve power and status through bloodlines, finding safety in numbers. A few clans even claim hundreds of members to their lineage. Unsurprisingly, power struggles between influential clans are not uncommon and occasionally serve as a form of community entertainment.
Norden folk relentlessly purge all forms of disease and infirmity with fire and purifying salts. And, although the plagues are long gone, the cultural scars run deep. Even a mild cough or flu has at times been cured by burning homesteads and the families inside them to the ground.
Köttätande Dimma, The Carnivorous Mist, blankets the land bridge between Norden and the southern kingdoms. Occasionally, the mist spreads to engulf much of Nordens southern coastline as well. Entire caravans have entered the fog bank only for their remains to be found drizzled across the ground as if by a light rain. Empty ships devoid of life periodically run ashore. Dark smears on the deck offer a grim clue as to what fate had befallen the unlucky sailors. It is believed that malevolent ghosts and hungry fey lurk within the mist, preying upon humans and demi-humans alike.
While it's rich in wood and other resources, establishing regular trade routes to Norden has proven difficult at best, and suicidal at worst. Even centuries after the mist appeared, the number of trading vessels which make port in Norden rarely enter the double digits.
Worse still, Norden folk are all too easily regarded as barbarians by outsiders. However, when pitted against seasonal blizzards, savage beasts, eldritch abominations, and the accursed mist there isn't much room for civility. In fact, given the rigors of life in the north, few ever die of old age, save a handful of cunning and reclusive hermits. Despite myriad dangers, the races of Norden are proud, resolute, and steeped in generations of heroism, adventure, and mysticism.
Image Gallery:
I uploaded some thematically appropriate images here. It's just a collection of things which inspired me so far.
Important Locations List:
This is not required reading, but may be useful to some of you.
Steinngrim's eponymous Steinngrimr Magnusson was a prolific sailor and skilled warrior. His wild and imperious nature drove him to plunder countless foreign shores and conquer his neighbors with impunity. With a fleet of ships crewed by native monsters and creatures of the sea, few presented a challenge. The Steinngrim province has long survived its founder, and more than two-thirds of its modern inhabits can trace their lineage back to Steinngrimr through one of his many sons and daughters.
To this day, Steinngrim maintains the only functional sea port and enjoys scarce trade with other countries. Miraculously, even since Jarl Steinngrimr's rule, the Köttätande Dimma leaves Steinngrim's shores untouched during its seasonal spread across the coastline of Norden. Rumors of a dark pact still persist years later.
Jarl Ylfur Sigvaldason, "The Witchtaker", is a wise and venerable ruler, but remains in a tenuous position as leader. A folk hero in her youth, legendary among older warriors, and a cunning mastermind in her old age, she has spent long years stabilizing her family’s province, but not without controversy. Her public support for the lazy king, Snorri Sevenfinger, was unpopular among her own people and clan. Growing unrest may lead the province to collapse, and enemies on all sides are ready for war.
Osthold is one of the few landlocked provinces of Norden and enjoys rocky hills, bitter frosts, and old woodlands teeming with wild game. The great fortress city of Heiðarvíga sits atop a craggy, shale escarpment hundreds of feet a tall, which rises into a snow-capped plateau. Resembling a small, flattened mountain, the plateau is commonly known as Skagen's Shield. Three fortresses are wedged into narrow defiles between steep, jagged cliffs, and each one guards the only passable roads to the top of the plateau.
King Snorri Sevenfinger rules Osthold and several vassal provinces from his throne in Heiðarvíga.
Jarl Ullr Rjurikson rules Fimbulberg, the plains to the north. He and his Black Frost cavalry swear allegiance to the Archdruid Marik, who frequently undermines King Snorri Sevenfinger. The fact has caused heated tensions with the neighboring province of Steinngrim, who has pledged loyalty to the Norden King. The trades routes that enter and exit Steinngrim are the lifeline of Fimbulberg, and is the only thing which has maintained unsteady peace between Jarl Rjurikson and the Jarl Witchtaker of Steinngrim.
Surtr's Breach lies off Fimbulberg's western coast, making fishing and trade almost impossible. Worse still, fire giants regularly raid the defensible cliffs and are a constant source of grief for the people and for the Jarl.
The Hungry downs is a lonely expanse of long, sloping hills dotted with patches of forest. While Jarl Hrathnar rules this area, and is thus allied with the King of Osthold, the downs are ultimately controlled by a powerful witch coven. The Daughters of Keldrbrand have defended (and extorted) the local villages for generations. The witches are regarded with fear and reverence in equal measure, while the Jarl is regarded with ambivalence at best and annoyance at worst. Unfortunately for Jarl Hrathnar, his subjects are the least of his concerns. He must remain loyal to two masters, if he hopes stay alive, and the witch's are notoriously difficult to bargain with.
The tallest peak and largest lake among the the Norden lands belongings to the expansive isle of Singing Tarn. Sharp peaks erupt from the center of the isle, and carved into its jagged hills is the enormous Lake Leyndarmál. A reclusive sorceress known only as Our Silent Lady claims ownership of the entire island and has made the lake her home. She is widely known as reclusive and is absent from the daily lives of Singing Tarn's inhabitants, and is content to let them govern themselves. Unsurprisingly, the majority of Norden's demi-human population lives here and has formed into a collection of small roving bands and communal homesteads.
While there aren't any written laws, Our Silent Lady does not abide any religious worship on the island, not even shrines constructed in her honor. Nor does she respond kindly to anyone who challenges her claim to Singing Tarn. There were once many temples to gods of the wind and sea on the island, but all of them lie in ruin now. It is a widely known fact that praying to Our Silent Lady provokes a swift and fatal response. There is no shortage of campfire stories detailing how a close friend or neighbor suddenly became a blackened, shrivelled corpse. Anyone who dismisses these stories as superstition need only to visit the local burial mounds to discover the truth.
The Steaming Sea extends along Norden's eastern and southern borders, and derives its name from the plumes of dense fog which regularly cover its surface. Sailors who must journey near the Devil's Spine, the isthmus which connects Norden to the southern kingdoms, must be extremely cautious. The Steaming Sea's natural fog frequently bleeds into the Carnivorous Mist, making it impossible to know where the fog ends and the nightmare land begins. The sea itself filled with all manner of mysterious creatures. Blue-skinned elves claim tribal lands just beneath the surface. Capricious and violent sea monsters patrol the waters, preying upon fishermen and sailors alike.
Surtr's Breach lies between Fimbulberg's coast and Black Tarn. It is a massive natural whirlpool which threatens any ship brave enough to skirt around its raging waters. Folk tales have long maintained that at the bottom of the whirlpool is a gateway to Muspelheim. Given how often fire giants emerge from the water to conduct raids, many believe the folk tales are true. More commonly a sea serpent and leviathan will drag unwary vessels into the vortex for a quick meal.
Brionac Forest
Vol Isle
Godsfall Mountains
Additional Information:
You can be a PC or an NPC from Norden (I'd like to have a nice mix of both)
In regards to the Overlord, I'm leaning towards AU or different part of canon timeline. I don't intend for their to be any interactions with Ainz et al. I could be open to it, but it's not in my plans at the moment.
I have a fairly open-ended sandbox setup already. I just need to flesh out and refine my notes further.
Things in the TBD Category
Timeline - I haven't decided if this is before or after the great big fight between the Evil Gods and the Thirteen Heroes.
I like offering mysteries and riddles in my campaigns, but.... not everyone likes them as much as I do, and they may not fit the plot. We'll see.
First Draft - Character Sheets
The Player Name: Age: Gender: Bio: Brief history, novel, or anything in between. Your choice. Go nuts! At the very least answer the following questions: Why did this character start playing YGGDRASIL? Why did they decide to stay until the game servers shutdown? Connection to <insert name here>: Detail how your character is connected to at least one other character that you don't control, who participates in this RP. Were they friends in real life? Rivals? Were they teleworkers for the same soul-crushing corporate employer? Did one cheat on the other's brother/sister/cousin? How/Why do they know each other? Work this out amongst yourselves.
The Avatar "<Describe your character here in one or two brief sentences.>" ( Ex. "A polite and affable troll sorcerer who technically isn't alive anymore")
Name: Appearance: Description and/or Image Origin: YGGDRASIL or New World. Pick one Race: Format = "Race Type - Race Name" ; Race Types as follows: Human, Demi-human, or Heteromorphic Gender: Male, Female, or N/A for certain races Character Level: Yggdrasil : 1-100 New World :1-50 Alignment:Optional -500(extremely evil) -> 500(extremely good)] Racial Class: For example Momonga is an Overlord/Elder Lich/Skeleton Mage. Human races don't have this. Not looking for the full build, since most classes are arbitrarily defined anyway Job Class: Again, I don't need the full breakdown, just the relevant bits. Strengths and Weaknesses: Equipment/Abilities: Only include equipment/abilities here that would be noteworthy or are a core part of your character's fighting style. Player characters are all quite strong and have lots of abilities and equipment so only put very unique things here. No world-class items though. How a normal human would view this character:
NPC Characters "<Describe your character here in one or two brief sentences.>" (Ex. A retired werewolf fighter from the 'Class Act' travelling circus who is notorious for never returning anything she borrows)
Name: Appearance: Description and/or Image Origin: YGGDRASIL or New World. Pick one Race: Format = "Race Type - Race Name" ; Race Types as follows: Human, Demi-human, or Heteromorphic Gender: Male, Female, or N/A for certain races Character Level: Yggdrasil : 1-100 New World :1-50 Alignment:Optional -500(extremely evil) -> 500(extremely good)] Racial Class: For example Momonga is an Overlord/Elder Lich/Skeleton Mage. Human races don't have this. Not looking for the full build, since most classes are arbitrarily defined anyway Job Class: Again, I don't need the full breakdown, just the relevant bits. Strengths and Weaknesses: Equipment/Abilities: Only include equipment/abilities here that would be noteworthy or are a core part of your character's fighting style. Player characters are all quite strong and have lots of abilities and equipment so only put very unique things here. No world-class items though. How a normal human would view this character: Bio/Lore: Brief history, novel, or anything in between. Your choice. Go nuts! If your NPC is from YGGRDASIL, we'll assume someone created you. Who was it? Better question: why? Did they stop playing or were they active when the servers shutdown? etc If your NPC is from the New World, and you get stuck, PM me. We'll brainstorm. I have a brain full of homebrew lore, and only 30% or so is organized and written down. Connection to <insert name here>: Detail how your character is connected to at least one other character that you don't control, who participates in this RP. Who created you? How/Why do they know each other? Work this out amongst yourselves. If this NPC is from the New World, we may be able to work out an alternative.
The Gist It's a cool idea to me, but I'm trying to gauge interest before I invest more time in it.
Anybody down to clown? Any questions? Suggestions? If this gets some traction, I wouldn't mind having someone volunteer to be my Overlord lore nazi expert, so I can use them as a sounding board for ideas. o.o
P.S. This is still under construction, so it's not yet ready for prime time.
Working on a generalized hex map of Norden. No ETA yet.
Rough draft of character sheets are up.
I'm liking the idea of each player intimately knowing at least one other player. They don't necessarily need to know each other in meatspace, but they should be familiar enough such that their relationship amounts to more than "some girl/guy I raided with once". If you get my meaning. Folks who want to play NPC characters don't necessarily have to fulfill this requirement.
Reposted this IntChk under Casual (link in the OP) because there's double/triple the traffic in that subforum.
