Name: Ardus Eimon Sybax (goes by Sybax) Rank: Revenant Major, Commander General of Blackbone Harbor, Master of the Tower Somnambulist and the Stained Sepulcher Description: An ugly, short little bastard with a great paunch belly of woven mismatched flesh. His skin is a mottled gray, clinging tightly to his bones where it still exists. His eyesockets are deep and dark, with sallow cheeks beneath a mop of wiry black hair. His dress is plain, black tunic, breeches and boots. He carries a wickedly curved scimitar on his belt and a bone and brass medallion as symbol of his office.
Bankground: Sybax was given command of the Woefingers and the citadel that sits just south of Necron shortly after the fall of Rhanea. Although it is a small domain to govern, it is one of great importance as it guards the only water access to Necron. The fleet now under Sybax's control is only a fraction of what it once was, after several disastrous engagements with human squadrons. Sybax has spent the last 15 years or so attempting to rebuild the fleet and strengthen the garrison. Most of the fleets activities are small raiding parties on settlements to capture humans in order to turn them into ghouls.
With Eagoths apathy for governance and his withdrawal from his ghoulish dominion, Sybax has been left mostly to his own musings, waiting for an opportunity to better serve his master. With little to do and the menial tasks he is responsible for, Sybax has gathered a reputation for cruel and absurd activities.
Wards: The WoeFingers, (somewhere at the mouth of the river leading to Necron, probably that little island thingy)
I really dig this setting and the characters that have already been submitted. While my writing skills are a bit rusty, I would love to give this a go.
A few questions that may or may not be necessary to answer:
1. How do you, and can you kill an undead? 2. What is the source of necrotic power in this world? 3. Are there any gods/religions of note? 4. What currency if any is circulated?
Thanks!
Name: Ardus Eimon Sybax (goes by Sybax) Rank: Revenant Major, Commander General of Blackbone Harbor, Master of the Tower Somnambulist and the Stained Sepulcher Description: An ugly, short little bastard with a great paunch belly of woven mismatched flesh. His skin is a mottled gray, clinging tightly to his bones where it still exists. His eyesockets are deep and dark, with sallow cheeks beneath a mop of wiry black hair. His dress is plain, black tunic, breeches and boots. He carries a wickedly curved scimitar on his belt and a bone and brass medallion as symbol of his office.
Bankground: Sybax was given command of the Woefingers and the citadel that sits just south of Necron shortly after the fall of Rhanea. Although it is a small domain to govern, it is one of great importance as it guards the only water access to Necron. The fleet now under Sybax's control is only a fraction of what it once was, after several disastrous engagements with human squadrons. Sybax has spent the last 15 years or so attempting to rebuild the fleet and strengthen the garrison. Most of the fleets activities are small raiding parties on settlements to capture humans in order to turn them into ghouls.
With Eagoths apathy for governance and his withdrawal from his ghoulish dominion, Sybax has been left mostly to his own musings, waiting for an opportunity to better serve his master.
Wards: The WoeFingers, (somewhere at the mouth of the river leading to Necron, probably that little island thingy)
Happy to collaborate if my app is accepted. Also willing to adjust my character/wards etc. as needed.
...and then came the men in Iron Ships and scattered before them the armies of the Kingdoms of Brythwin , Angoland, Kareth and Ivarend. In dark and ancient places the old gods slumber beneath the watchful eye of mystics and monsters. Sorcerers and warriors wander the land battling horrors from beyond the reach of the mortal realm. Here are the dark ages in the Land of Bironne...
The Kingdoms of Bironne Bironne is a large mass of islands just to the West of a primordial continent. Ancient civilizations have risen and fallen here. It is a mystical land, a mixture of Arthurian legend (although decidedly darker) post-roman Britain and celtic culture. The eastern shore is barren and rocky, once fertile and dotted with hamlets and farms, now mostly abandoned and destroyed. The iron men have built forts here, just before crossing major rivers towards the inland. A few small towns can still be found here, but in time they too will be plundered.
Inland Bironne. Dark primordial forests cover the land with a few small ranges of mountains and hills. There are many lakes and rivers. Places untouched by mortals. A few major roads connect the larger towns and castles, but the kingdoms do not have the resources to protect the trade routes any longer. Bandits and monster alike haunt these roads looking for prey.
Outside of the civilized lands can be found the ruins of an ancient civilization. Megaliths and fallen temples are scattered all across Bironne. These places are touched by magic and the mist.
The Mist The 'thinning' places where the mortal realm meets the magical. Sort of like the Fae Kingdoms but definitely dark.(A mirror world?) Monsters stumble through these places. A mortal can enter the Mist, but it is extremely dangerous.
Before the Iron Ships came, the kingdoms were at constant war with intermittent eras of peace. Powerful warriors were most often claimed king, with their sons inheriting the thrones. Several decades of poor harvests, colder winters and the arrival of Iron Ships and the plundering warriors they brought have ushered in an era of darkness for Bironne. The kings of Bironne are now forced to unite against the invaders.
People have continued to worship the old gods, but their influence in the world is diminished. Sorcerers still exist, but they are rare, and more often feared among the average Bironnian. Kings still search them out for advice, guidance, or to put them to the sword. Cults have begun forming around the new domains of the old gods. Rebellion among the lesser nobility. And the endless waves of Iron men continue to raid further and further inland.
So What Stories? The setting describes a 'dark age' and that should be put to full effect. Darkness gathers in the land. Monsters and ghosts. But they should be unique, and frightening, almost gothic. They come from places where the boundary between the mortal world and the 'nothingness' occur. Thinning places...
Baba Yaga, Grimlok, the thing from Beuowulf, The monster Gilgamesh slayed. Trolls, goblins, dark dwarves and elves exist, but should be used sparingly and in themselves be unique (unique names, motives and powers). If you need a hoard of baddies consider the Iron Men. Fierce pirates (Vikings) from the west that seek only to raid and plunder. They take slaves, kill indiscriminately and are motivated only by riches and honor (among themselves)
Gods & Magic Arcane and divine power are one and the same. In the age of the Iron Ships, the old gods are weak and cruel. The deities powers are much weakened, some even losing control of their former domains. Magic-users must make a pact with one of the deities and invite that power into themselves. The more they advance their chosen deities ambitions, the more powerful they become.
Two types: The Vaena are true sorcerers, and communicate directly with their god even if they do not realize it. Vaena are randomly born. The other type is called a Svat and they have survived an encounter with the Mist. They are capable of casting spells from any domain, but cannot become as powerful as a Vaena. Svat are like village mystics or shamans. Vaena are more akin to Vainemoinen or Merlin.
The Siblings: Where VIRD was once the god of fire, strength and kings is now reduced to the Lord of Embers.
HETTA once the goddess of water, change and prosperity is no frozen. She rules only ice, preservation and the cold.
The Elders: The god of the underworld, Gogan is now a lord of undeath. Mortals no longer stay dead.
Preka whose domain was healing and life has gone mad and disappeared into the mists.
The Primordials: Atla the world mother. She is the land and waters. The sky. All of Bironne.
Bvurd the watcher. She is the stars and seasons. (everything else)
Been lurking on mobile while I was travelling for work. Against my better judgement, I will dip my hand into this shitpile.
I agree with @Vilageidiotx that "the premise here is flawed". RPs in general tend to die out or implode more often than they are successful. Many lengthy posts have already been made concerning the reasons why. I tend to lean towards mechanics base gameplay, because that is what I enjoy. I simply prefer that kind of experience. I prefer knowing what my character (or nation) is capable of based on solid data. So many arguments about levels of technology and "how does FTL travel actually work?" arguments could be avoided by some concrete numbers. Something, something about creative constraints only make you more creative. That's just how my mind works.
But I also appreciate the level of writing and creativity that goes into an RP like Precipice of War. I am just not that kind of writer or creative person. It's a bit too abstract for my taste or level of commitment. But for some, it is perfect. And there is really nothing wrong with that and some of the best writers on the guild take part in that exercise.
Roleplaying Games, (and I will say Games because it is a structured form of play used for entertainment regardless of stats/mechanics at its basest form) is what the people involved in said RPG want it to be and can make of it.
I also admire @Theodorables standard of NRP. His games are very popular and many veterans of the NRP section jump on board his interest checks, and one just has to sift through the IC posts to see that interested players really get a feel for their nation and post accordingly.
Just a few more things I wanted to respond too cause I'm that guy and it's almost midnight and I just worked a 10 hour shift.
The reason why NRP sections on forums do so badly is because the core player base is a bunch of twisted wound up armchair generals who can't adapt to 'Normal' RPs.
Making generalizations about armchair generals will only bring the nukes. Such a callous thing to say :)
I have been RPing in both RP and NRP for nearly 11years and I have always gotten involved in each forums NRP section... Except this one... As it seems the core players are the worse group I have ever met and they seems to have alienated most of the rest of the forum.
That's just mean. I'm hurt.
@Theodorable No one has even accepted your points as even credible. As a NRP veteran I can tell you that other sites outside of RPG do rather well with narrative NRPs and they live far longer than mechanics based ones.
Disagree. Actually I seriously question your RP credentials at this point. I have seen many successful ones on spacebattles. Not to mention sufficient velocity where the level of nerd is far beyond the comprehension of mere mortals.
If I wasn't so busy with Uni and GMing another RP I would create a NRP and actually show you how you can create a good hybrid that is popular and has good narrative.
Ok. I dare you. For shitz and giggles.
Gotta say it would be awesome to have more NRP guides. I've always wanted to play an NRP but the learning curve seems steep and, talking with people in the past, it doesn't seem like newcomers are very welcome. It's hard to know where to start.
[@clocktowerechoes] wrote one years ago. I haven't read it since he posted it but I remember thinking it would be good for the community as a whole. Here is the link :)
So go play Catan, you filthy nerds.
Nah. I always lose. And I'm too busy reading up on Rhizomes and Gutarri
Characters have 4 stats that are the based modifiers for certain actions. STRENGTH : anything pertaining to the physical. Athletics, combat, etc. DEXTERITY : anything requiring to skillful manipulation of an object (ranged attacks, playing an instrument etc) MIND : intellectual, learning, thinking, but also social, negotiating etc. How intelligent but also how perceptive your CHAR is. WILL : Characters ability to interact with the arcane, supernatural, resistances, determination etc.
Players are given a d10, d8, and two d6's. Have them assign one of the four dice to a stat. Stronger characters (warriors for example) would assign the d10 to Strength. Wizard might assign the d10 to Mind or to Will. Thieves would apply the d10 to DEX, for example.
Have the players write down 5 things their characters are good at or that describes them. (for heavy combat campaigns 3 out of 5 should be combat related). These will be a characters ASPECTS. ASPECTS can be as broad or specific as a player wishes, but make sure they know ASPECT bonuses will be the most commonly used modifier and to get creative with them. EXAMPLE ASPECTS: KICKING ASS SLINGING SPELLS STRONG AF REALLY REALLY SNEAKY I MAKE POISONS etc.
ASPECTS start at +2 and increase by +1 each level. Players then distribute 5 points among the aspects.
COMBAT: Any relevant aspects + appropriate STAT dice to hit. Add the weapon modifier to hit and for damage. i.e. STRENGTH Die (d10) + ASPECT (Kicking Ass +2) + Iron Sword + 1 (how to simplify these hits? or just have PCs keep a table of common attacks?)
DEFENDING: A players (AC) is equal to any equipment modifiers + STRENGTH for melee and DEXTERITY for ranged. Magic resistance is dependent on the spell. Use MIND or WILLPOWER where appropriate.
CASTING MAGIC: Use any spells from D&D 3.5-5.0 Spell casting difficulty is equal to the spells level + 10 If a spellcaster is attempting a spell while adjacent to an enemy add +2 (disadvantage) to the DC. Casting a spell provokes an attack of opportunity.
A 3rd world war erupted sometime in second half of the 21st century. Earth has become a barren wasteland save for the massive cities and arcologies controlled by powerful corporations. Nearly a dozen of these corporations vie for control of dwindling resources on Earth, and newly discovered resources off-world. Sovereign nations no longer exist, and only a few isolated resistance movements remain.
After the widespread destruction of WWIII, there has been a return to conventional warfare. (It's simply more profitable). Scores of mercenary companies have replaced traditional armies, often equipped with the latest and deadliest technology Corporate Labs can come up with. These mercenaries are handsomely paid and have a low survival rate.
You are commander of one of these mercenary companies.
1. What is your gender? A)Female B)Male C)Non-binary gender specific
2. What is your character background? A) Professional soldier. Came up in the ranks of mercenary companies learning the tricks of the trade. B) Product of Corporate Nepotism. Spending Corporate cash for a few kicks could be fun. C) A revolutionary. Damn the man! Fight the power!
3. What kind of company do you lead? A) Efficient, ruthless and profitable. B) Messy, raucous and just barely making payroll. C) Utterly green. It's our first gig!
4. What is your companies area of expertise? A) We get paid to blow things up. B) We get paid to make it look like other people blew things up. C) We get paid.
5. What is your favorite food? A) Cheeseburger. Fries. Pepsi. No Coke. B) A ROYALE w/ Cheese. Metric all the way baby. C) Ahi Burger. Probably wasabi. But only the fresh stuff. D) C-rations. Burger flavor.
This is a "Quest". A format popularized on 4chan a long time ago. It's also a selfish writing exercise for myself.
The GM (me) will give a short narrative about what's going on and a few questions.
Any forum member may vote on the options presented for each question asked.
Players (forum members) can vote on as many questions as they like and come and go as they please.
Each round, you may make up your own option for one of the questions, but only one. You may change your vote as many times as you like until the GM posts an update.
The GM tallys the votes for each question and responds with a narrative post and some new questions.
The narrative will continue based on the options that receive the most votes each round.
Bugman,
Ladypug,
Milkman,
Vampiretwilight
