The Story
It's always a good day when you discover a vintage board game in the back of a sketchy antiques shop right? That's exactly what the gaming club president of Briarwood University thought when he found a legitimate copy of "Heroes of Auric: Into the Tangle". A vintage board game from the eighties, "Heroes" sees the players taking up the roles of four warriors of the Auric Kingdom who've been sent out to defeat an ancient evil: The Twilight Witch. Each hero offers a unique playstyle and players can work together or on their own to claim the glory of slaying the witch. Later expansions offered new quests and heroes to flesh out the game, but hardcore fans agree Into the Tangle was far and away the best version.
However... something is very wrong with this version of the game. Despite a clearly sketchy shopkeeper, the president buys the game on the spot and gathers the - very - small board game club to try it out at the next meeting. Each player chooses their characters and skillsheets. No sooner do the pieces touch the board when all the players find themselves suddenly being sucked into the game! Upon waking up, the players find themselves trapped within the world of "Heroes of Auric". Having been transformed into their respective characters, they must now navigate this strange new world if they want any hope of returning home!
The Base Game "Heroes" of Auric are as follows -
- Galeth the Magic Swordsman: A wandering mercenary with a heart of gold. Galeth's always on the lookout for coin and his next meal. In his travels through the kingdom, he's gained a unique talent for swordsmanship and he's mastered the minor magics (a rare feat for a commoner). With his powers, he's able to enchant his weaponry and allies to take on monsters most normal men might struggle against.
- Aqua the Merrick: An insatiably curious shapeshifter. Aqua's people are often looked down upon in polite society because their race has a history of being tricksters and deceivers. Aqua has the power to commune with nature and transform into any beast she's slain. After a battle, she collects a trophy from her fallen foe (hide, horn, claw, etc.). So long as she carries it with her, she may call upon the creature's power and transform!
- Rufus the Magus: A disgraced student from the Mage's Academy. Banished from his school after the "Potions Lab Incident", Rufus began to pursue his magical studies in secret. Whether it was pouring over ancient texts in forgotten libraries or wandering the ancient ruins across the continent, his knowledge of the major and minor magic rivals even that of the Royal Archmages! Rufus brings a blend of elemental and healing magic to the table.
- Lady Kira the Shadow The runaway princess of Auric, Kira longs for nothing more than to escape the confines of the royal palace and see the world. In the wake of the Twilight Witch's chaos, she's found her opportunity. Slipping out one night, Kira donned a disguise and enrolled herself at the local Adventurer's Guild. After several months of her double life, she's become handy with bow and dagger. Kira can maneuver the high society world with ease, or strike at her enemies from long distance.
Expansions
As mentioned above, "Heroes of Auric" would eventually offer players several expansion packs due to its niche popularity back in the day. The expansions would offer players new storylines, locations, equipment, and most of all: New Heroes. While players could enjoy the expansion packs on their own, they were designed with the intent of being combined with the base game. Playing an expansion with only the two new heroes increased the difficulty significantly. While many fans preferred "Into the Tangle", some expansions found their own followings among fans. Two of the more popular ones being "The Savage North" and "Mechanical Mayhem".
"The Savage North" would take players on a journey to the Northern end of the continent after hearing rumors of beasts going wild, attacking settlements, and disrupting trade caravans. Players would ultimately be brought into conflict with the Yuki'r, an ancient winter deity sealed within a massive glacier.
"Mechanical Mayhem" saw players going west to Derolo, the "Land of Machines". While there on a diplomatic trip, the various automatons and machines that enabled daily life in the kingdom began to go haywire. Unlike previous campaigns, "Mechanical Mayhem" offered a story with more intrigue, espionage, and offered players a more "modern" setting as opposed to the high fantasy worlds in the other games.
The Savage North Heroes-
- Freyja the Savage: A barbarian from one of the northern tribes, Freyja is no stranger to hardship. Having lost her family early on during a mass blizzard, she vowed from a young age to never be "weak" or lose those close to her again. As a result, she's devoted her life to combat and survival. Freyja gets up close and personal with her enemies, ready to pummel foes with her axe, club, fists, or whatever item she's picked off the ground.
- Kida the Shaman: More grounded than his expansion counterpart, Kida devotes his time to learning the ways of the north. He's turned the vicious weather into his ally, and wild beasts become friends with a slight enchantment. Kida's tribe prefers isolation to interacting with the rest of the North, making Kida something of a black sheep as he travels to make sense of the chaos. His tribe worships and fears the Yuki'r.
Mechanical Mayhem Heroes-
- Wolfe the Inventor: Hailing from a noble family of Derolo, Wolfe von Valora's ancestor was the main who pioneered the "black powder" that serves as the basis for all Derolo's weaponry. Wolfe however, is a pariah among the nobility for his mad desire to innovate and improve upon his ancestor's work. It's quite a common occurrence to hear muffled explosions when passing the von Valora household on the capital streets. Wolfe brings his knowledge of 'advanced' weaponry (i.e. crude pistols and explosives) to the battle.
- A.U.T.0. the Bot: A custom automaton that loyally serves the von Valora household. Auto's name is an acronym for "Advanced Utility Technician Model: 0". Built by Wolfe's father, Auto is a bizarre combination of science and sorcery. Auto is a notoriously tricky character in the fanbase because many of his skills are made to support Wolfe. As a result, it's generally recommended that new players avoid using him until they've learned the game. (Fun fact: Years later at a panel, one of Auto's designers was asked whether Auto was male or female. His replay was "Auto is Auto. We always referred to Auto as "It")
Hey all. To those who didn't see the interest check, this is meant to be a simple fantasy story as I'm getting back into writing more. I'm not looking for a big group and want to fill out the first four slots. Expansion heroes have been provided for extra players. Since the interest check filled up pretty fast, I'm allowing first come first served for those players first. Anyone else and your CS will be judged based on the overall quality of the application. Not trying to exclude people, but I'm going to be picky with this one and don't want it blowing up on me. See below for your CS. Format/color them how you want.
