Once upon a time the world was a fair place full of magic and wonder. Sorcerers pondered the mysteries of mana in their high towers while alchemists unraveled the secrets of science in underground laboratories. Artisans crafted masterpieces which would last throughout the ages and people rejoiced in the freedom and cultural diversity of their societies. It was an age of discovery and unprecedented prosperity, whose marvels we shall never see the likes of again.
Because the world has moved on.
The only things that remain of that world are ruins and broken baubles, glimpses of what once was and could still have been, had it not been for the disaster. We don’t know much about what actually happened, but what we do know is that it wiped out our glorious ancestors and their civilization in an instant. One moment they were there, and the next they were gone.
Without the might and order imposed by the ancients, barbarian warlords and raiders began seeping into the once civilized lands from the wilderness surrounding them. The world was plunged into chaos as warring tribes struggled for dominance in the ruins of the past. Horrors long forgotten crept out of the dark places of the world, spreading terror in their wake. The once peaceful land became untamed and unforgiving.
This is the reality of things, a thousand years after the apocalypse. It is an age of blood and strife, and age of fire and smoke. This is the Age of Iron.
This here is a game about the dangerous lives of a group of adventurers in a world where everything has gone to shit. The setting is post-ap fantasy steampunk. Think Morrowind meets Conan the Barbarian meets Mad Max: Fury Road. We will quest through the badlands, explore ruins of the past and battle all sorts of crazy people and beasts. This is a high-pace adult game with a clear focus on style, action, grit and a bit (a lot) of fun.
Apart from being awesome, the game is also about creativity and cooperation. When creating your character and playing the game, you will get the chance to flesh out the lore of the world in the process. Do you have a cool idea for a place that the group could discover? Make it happen. Do you have another cool idea about the place your character is from? Make it real. I will provide the base from which we together will make our world. I will also oversee the process so that things stay cool. Odd is cool but silly is not. Keep with the style.
When writing a post in this game, you do it like you were describing a sequence from a movie. You focus on what it looks and sounds like. No internal monologues. No three-paragraph intermissions with the inner thoughts of your hero. Show, don’t tell. If your character is angry, keep us guessing until we can see it. If your character is slicing an orc in half, tell us all about the gory details but save us the inner struggle.
What you need to know for starters is that your characters story begins in the wilderness of Koraha. It is a great, big steppe ruled by many warring clans of Taniwahns. The Taniwahns are big, bad humanoids with a foul temper and a taste for smashing things to a pulp. Where you came from and how you got here is your business. But you’re here now. Apart from being vast and devoid of nice things, Koraha is the home of some seriously impressive ancient architecture. Here are the skybridges, stretching from one end of the plains to the other, one hundred paces up in the air, supported by great pillars and arches, constructed by some kind of nigh-indestructible stone. Who put them there and why is long forgotten. It is said they originate in ruins high up in the mountains on the edges of the steppe.
Magic is a thing. It originates from a kind of mystical energy known commonly as mana. A sorcerer can use this mana as a powersource for casting spells. The ancients had awesome magicians capable of amazing feats, like calling down thunderbolts from the sky or levitating. They were in control of the magical forces. Magi in the post apocalypse can be just as potent, only... they're more unstable. Advanced attempts end in the mage going *BOOM* more often than not. I'm picturing magic as something extremely dangerous that warps reality in disturbing ways when unchecked. Harnessing it promises great rewards, sure... but it's very risky and the cost can be terrible.
Alchemy is also a thing. If you're acquainted with the Dwemer of Morrowind, you know what I'm talking about. If not, it's basically a more steampunkish form of science. Big brass pipes and automatons, crossbow rifles, weird minerals and all that jazz. It was all probably functional in the time of the ancients, but a thousand years of decay has left everything a bit rusted and odd.
I’m not going to provide a character sheet, because I trust you know how to make one yourself. Pictures are not mandatory, but appreciated.
Questions and comments below.
Red Wizard