@Dog I did, and it is good. One thing I would touch up is that ballistic firearms are finally starting to catch up with manalock weaponry. There a bit of information on them in the WIP Handbook. Ballistic weapons (otherwise known as bolt weapons) are finally beginning to move onto semi-automatic weaponry, but their ammunition capacity is still quite low and they are very loud. Still the most common ballistic weapons are bolt action, hence the name.
@Theyra Tuevo seems like a pretty reasonable character to me. I like that he's knowledgeable in the automotive industry, which could very well come in handy for the resistance in terms of operation and procurement. He seems like a good asset to the team. Tuevo is ACCEPTED. You can move him to the characters tab.
On that note, I'm loving these characters, and how lore friendly they all are. In previous instances in this setting, there were a handful of characters that only scraped the surface on Yggdrasil's lore. So I really appreciate where all of these characters are heading!
Okay! I am going to post my current progress of the Revolutionary Handbook here for now, and continue working on it tomorrow. I have completed the first two sections of it, and will have Allies and the Calendar finished tomorrow, and possibly even the Weather. Keep in mind that the equipment section is going to be filled in with more and more information as the plot progresses. Also, none of these numbers are final, so please don't get settled or worked up about them. This is currently a rough draft that I wish to share. And things will be dialed in a lot better as we near the launch of this RP.
Enjoy what I currently have here. This will be added to the OP when it is done, and the changelog will reflect that accordingly. For now, it will remain here for my own reference and your perusal.
(Mood Music) Greetings, citizen! I am glad you have decided to pick up this nifty handbook and give it read! Over the next few pages, you'll learn about everything there is to know about fighting a guerilla war in the streets of our great city Tyberia. There are a few rules to keep into consideration when carrying this handbook around with you.
One, never be caught with this handbook on your person. Two, if you are about to be caught, destroy this handbook immediately. And three, if you see somebody handing this book over to our new Asgardian overlords, or their known sympathizers, consider them dead to us, and brand them as enemies Tyberia!
This revolution is important, not just for the future generations of Tyberia, but also for the world to see that anyone can stand tall against the might of Asgard. Now that you have been briefed on the importance of our mission, it is time you delved deeper into the revolution! Long live Tyberia!
All of the orange text is 'In Character', as if that is what one would see if they were actually reading the book. Gray text is 'Out of Character' where things are explained mechanically for the player's understanding.
Table of Contents Terms .......... P. 1 Equipment .......... P. 2 Allies .......... P. 3 Calendar .......... P. 4 Weather .......... P. 5
In this chapter of the Revolutionary Handbook, you will be briefed on all of the terms that you will come to use on a regular basis. This section is split into two sub-sections: 'Strategic' terms, involving everything the planning and logistical processes of running a revolution. And 'Slang', which encompasses all of the terms we revolutionaries use to maintain discretion.
Strategic Terms
Opinion
This is how the general populace of Tyberia views the revolution. Are we the silent heroes saving Tyberia from tyranny? Or are we terrorists who care for nothing but wanton violence and destruction? Opinion is arguably the most important thing we have on our side. Without it, we're on our own in this fight, with little to no hope of having others rise up in arms. With it, we are a unified force that outnumbers the occupying Asgardian army. Asgard will frequently run campaigns to ruin the population's Opinion of the Revolutionaries. Excessive collateral damage will also hurt Opinion.
Whenever the GM makes a dice roll involving the general pulic of Tyberia, the Opinion will be added (or subtracted if negative) to the roll, which will help to influence the outcome. There are threshholds that can be reached with high or low enough Opinion that can also influence the costs of supplies and equipment.
+25 Opinion = 10% reduction in Root costs on all equipment +50 Opinion = 25% reduction in Root costs on all equipment, 50% reduction in Mana Crystal costs on all equipment +75 Opinion = 50% reduction in ALL costs on all equipment, -5 Intelligence costs on all missions +100 Opinion = 50% reduction in ALL costs on all equipment, 10 Free Intelligence to be used on missions
-25 Opinion = 10% increase in all Root costs on all equipment -50 Opinion = 25% increase in ALL costs on all equipment, +10 Intelligence costs on all missions -75 Opinion = 50% increase in ALL costs on all equipment, Only 1 Classified can be unlocked per mission -100 Opinion = 75% increase in ALL costs on all equipment, No Classifieds can be unlocked per mission, All allies suffer a -20 penalty whenever the GM makes an Ally related dice roll
It doesn't just boil down to numbers, however. After all, people act in strange ways. It is possible that the people might act on their own outside of what is expected depending on our Opinion. So do what you can to keep it high!
Stranglehold
The longer Asgard stays within Tyberia, the stricter their Stranglehold becomes. If we don't contest them, eventually there wont be any room for us to breathe. Stranglehold works to suppress the public, and it makes our lives as revolutionaries difficult. By attacking Asgardian facilities and patrols, we can lessen this Stranglehold. But we need to be mindful that high profile operations will most likely increase their presence in the city, thus increasing their Stranglehold. As we grow, it'll be inevitable that Asgard will work harder to root us out. We must be prepared for that.
Whenever the GM makes a dice roll involving the Asgard forces, the Stranglehold will be added to the roll. The higher the result of the roll, the harsher the effects. This could mean extra patrols, better trained and equipped soldiers, and many other things. Do what you can to reduce Stranglehold, or at the very least, keep it as low as possible. If Strangehold is higher than Opinion, then the difference between the two numbers is further subracted from all dice rolls where Opinion benefits.
Roots
Even resistances need money to effectively operate. Roots are needed for many things, such as acquiring special equipment or paying guns for hire. Sometimes the revolutionaries must begrudgingly deal with the Tyberian Tan'Raga, such meetings often come at a considerable cost. Roots are what we're going to need in large amounts if we want to keep ourselves equipped. Roots can be used for a variety of things, and it is up to us to figure out what exactly that is. Whether it be for paying our freedom fighters, buying somebody's silence, acquiring weapons and equipment, or saving it for a rainy day.
Mana Crystals
If we're going to get any of the technologically advanced equipment to take down Asgard, we're going to need Mana Crystals. These things are useful for a great deal of things, but most importantly, they power our machines and keep our manalock weapons ready to fire. They come in a variety of colors and power outputs, be sure to educate yourself on these crystals before taking to the field! Crystals are measured by their output, sustainability, radioactivity, and stability.
Output - How much raw power is provided by this color mana. Sustainability - How long this crystal can be exploited before it is render inert. Radiation - How dangerous the crystal is to be around or hold when not wearing the proper protective clothing. Stability - The likelihood of this mana crystal outputting all of its stored mana at once, resulting in an explosion.
Yellow [50 Roots / Mana Crystal] Best used for powering appliances and passive machinery, or any machine that doesn't require a large amount of mana to be powered. Output: + Sustainability: +++++ Radioactivity: + Stability: +++++
Orange [75 Roots / Mana Crystal] Best used for powering small vehicles and industrial machinery. Orange mana can cause burns on unprotected skin. Output: ++ Sustainability: ++++ Radioactivity: ++ Stability: ++++
Red [100 Roots / Mana Crystal] Best used for personal manalock weapons. Red mana can cause burns on unprotected skin, and long untreated wounds exposed to red mana can mutate over the course of two months. Output: +++ Sustainability: +++ Radioactvity: +++ Stability: +++
Purple [150 Roots / Mana Crystal] Best used for anything when some extra oomph is needed. Output: ++++ Sustainability: ++ Radioactivity: ++++ Stability: ++
Blue [200 Roots / Mana Crystal] Best used for powering all types of vehicles and machinery for long periods of time. It is safe to handle for short periods of time. Output: ++++ Sustainability: +++ Radioactivity: +++ Stability: ++++
Teal [300 Roots / Mana Crystal] Best used for heavy mana weaponry that is often times mounted on machines or vehicles. Output: +++++ Sustainability: + Radioactivity: +++++ Stability: ++
Green [PROHIBITED] Very illegal, very rare, and very powerful. Green mana is liable to inexplicably destabilize in the user's hands and mutate a victim instantly. The power output is unmatched by any other color of mana, and the crystal retains much of its mana for a long period of time. Output: ++++++ Sustainability: ++++ Radioactivity: ++++++ Stability: +
Mana Crystals are a vital part of any modern industry, and it is no different to us! We must ensure we can secure a healthy stock of all types of mana. If we can, then our flexibility and capacity for war with Asgard increases!
Using Mana Crystals as a resource depends on the players. All crystals can be used in all machines and weapons with a varying degree of effect. Should a player wish to take a handful of yellow crystals on a mission, then that comes out of the resistances supply. It should be mentioned in the post's After Action Report when a crystal is consumed and for what purpose so the GM can track the usage and respond accordingly.
Intelligence
We're going to need eyes and ears out on the streets to watch Asgard. Every bit of information helps, and Intelligence is how we're going to get it. It can be a beggar in the streets, an investigative journalist, or even a complacent Asgardian that leaks info to us. That's how we'll get a leg up on the oppressors. The more Intelligence we have, the more ways we can tackle a problem.
Before selecting a mission, players of the Revolution may choose to spend Intelligence to reveal extra information about the mission. This is done before actually selecting a mission, so this resource aids in the decision making process, and can influence how the Revolution tackles a scenario quite significantly. Intelligence is also incorporated into any GM dice roll that would involve Asgard working in secrecy, so it isn't a bad idea to stock up either.
Slang Terms
Obviously, if we spoke the words that were on our minds, we wouldn't exactly have the easiest time meeting in public. So we have incorporated a number of key slang words to be used when one needs to deliver a discreet message in public. Anybody who grew up in the streets should already be rather fluent with these words. This, by no means, is a language book. But we felt it important that all revolutionaries at least know the most common words in the revolutionary's vocabulary.
Purely for the player's benefit to help them immerse themselves and their character into the world just that little bit more. The GM shouldn't penalize a player not using this language when they probably should have, unless it is specifically stated within a mission's parameters that slang talk is required for discretion.
Brasser Asgardian soldiers. Known as Brassers for the distinct brass plate armor they wear.
"I saw a group of Brassers two blocks down." "Let's go hunt some Brassers."
Lock Gun, firearm, ranged weapon of any type.
"Get your locks ready! They're coming!" "The lock shipment is on schedule."
Power Mana
"Do we have enough power for the generator?" "We're going to hit a power transport tomorrow."
Rock Mana Crystal
"Go put that rock in the gyrocopter and get it ready." "My lock is dead! Pass me a rock!"
The Goal Tyberia, the removal of occupying forces, freedom
"The Goal is all that matters." "Fight for the Goal!"
Cogger Inventors, mechanics, anyone with a technical aptitude
"The cogger fixed up my arm pretty good!" "That cogger's new ornithopter sure is something."
Job Mission, task, assignment
"We've got a job tomorrow." "Sorry, can't stick around. Got a job to do."
'Umpteenth' Cousin Other revolutionaries, just remember to take note of who is who to keep a consistant story.
"My sixth cousin offered me a job, said it was a family gig." "One second, I'm going to have to ask my twentieth cousin... It's confusing, I know."
Pointer Elf
"The pointer said to speak to you."
Stubber Dwarf
"That stubber has a bit of an attitude problem..."
Conehead Gnome
"I hear the cogger is a crazy conehead."
Brute Orc
"I just got messed up by a brute!"
Hobb Halfling
"Hate to break it to you, but that hobb just swindled you."
Joe/Joanne Human, male/female when singular. Joe can be used to represent all humans in a collective group. Additionally, the singular forms can be used as plurals if every human in a group is the same gender.
"There's too many Joes in this city..." "She was the prettiest Joanne I ever saw!" "We're here to meet some Joannes, don't make it awkward!
Goodie Knight, doesn't matter which order the knight belongs to.
"I hear a goodie showed up in the Goal yesterday."
Sap Amber Roots, Money, Currency (whether it be legal currency or improvised)
"We're gonna need a lot of sap if we want that." "In here, toba sticks are sap."
We wouldn't stand a chance without supplies and equipment. Thankfully, we have plenty of contacts willing to provide us with such modern ameneties. As time goes on, we will have a vast network of contacts to keep us in the fight! As this is just a basic guide for the eager new revolutionary, we've listed some of the most common and important items that everyone in the revolution will encounter at one point or another.
This will be updated as time goes on, featuring newly discovered items and providing some detailed information on them.
Manalock Charger The oldest manalock weapons. These rifles use a catalyzer that must be pulled back to spur the mana crystal in the housing, drawing a dosage of mana from the crystal and readying it for fire. This means that after each shot, the shooter has to pull back the catalyzer, making it a very slow firing weapon. The benefit to manalock chargers is that the power of the shot can be adjusted based on how far back the catalyzer is pulled. If one needs to extend the life of the housed mana crystal, the charger is capable of firing lower powered shots. Additionally, the manalock charger is a very accurate weapon, and a fully charged shot can still do significant damage. Manalock chargers are favored by patient marksmen. Manalock chargers can fit a variety of scopes, but aren't capable of being modified further.
Availability: Uncommon Price: 400 Roots, 4 Mana Crystal
Manalock Rifle The most commonplace weapon found across the world. Manalock rifles are potent weapons and an instant classic for all firearm enthusiasts. They come in many different shapes, but the core components are always the same. The mana crystal is fitted in a housing, and the catalyzer is automatically charged after each shot. It takes a moment for the catalyzer to charge, but it still fires significantly faster than a manalock charger. Manalock rifles are very modifiable. They can be simple constructs of wood, brass, and steel. Or they can be elaborate works of art with gold filigree and ebony metal. The downside to having the catalyzer charge itself, is that the power of each shot is standardized, and can't be altered without disassembling the weapon and modifying the automatic pull distance of the catalyzer.
Availability: Common Price: 500 Roots, 6 Mana Crystal
Manalock Carbine A shorter barrelled manalock rifle for easier handling in close quarters. Functionally the same as the average manalock rifle, but it is sacrificing some range for its better handling and lighter weight. Availability: Common Price: 500 Roots, 6 Mana Crystal
Manalock Cycler A heavy manalock weapon that changed the face of warfare. This weapon is too heavy to be carried and fired from the shoulder by anybody that isn't an orc, otherwise it must be mounted on a tripod, bipod, or a stable enough surface to support the weight. The manalock cycler started off as a gnome's crazy idea to put two manalock rifles together. While the initial idea failed in its execution, it did provide him valuable data for creating the cycler. The manalock cycler features not one, not two, but three mana crystal housings, each with their own catalyzer. When one shot is fired off, it very quickly draws back the next two catalyzers in the firing sequence. The cycler then uses the next catalyzer in quick succession after the first, and the process repeats. A unique attribute about the cycler is taht, since both of the other catalyzers are charged after each shot, this means that the third, and every shot afterward, is firing with a double-charged catalyzer, delivering a far more powerful shot. Additionally, as the cycler maintains firing, the cycling of the weapon gets faster and faster. More modern cyclers have a switch to allow the shooter to disable this fire rate spin-up to conserve the mana crystals' charge. The limiter was also put in place because such rapid catalyzing of the mana crystals made them highly unstable and prone to explosion. Availability: Rare Price: 800 Roots, 20 Mana Crystals
Bolt Rifle A weapon from the Steamtech Era. Bolt weapons don't rely on mana like their modern descendents. They relied purely on mechanic functions. Bolt rifles fired bullets through a rifled barrel. Despite being old and primitive, bolt rifles are still nonetheless devastating to whatever is hit by them. As Yggdrasil moved into the Manatech Era, and weapons began to firing beams of energy, so too did armor to defend against the new threat. This has lead bolt rifles to become increasingly effective, as armor is no longer designed to fully protect against the ballistic power of a bolt rifle. Bolt rifles are still developed in a niche market, and sold to communities that can't afford mana weaponry. It is common for militaries to have at least one soldier in each section carry a bolt rifle in case they come across a heavily mana warded opponent. Bolt rifles can be found with many different types of receivers. They are most commonly lever action, but new bolt rifles hitting the market are more in line with their manalock rifle counterparts, featuring a semi-automatic feed mechanism. However, bolt rifles struggle with jamming problems, misfires, and more weight than a manalock rifle. Personal maintenance on these weapons is far more important, as a clogged chamber or barrel can render the entire weapon useless. To compound the issues, most bolt throwers can only carry, at most, ten rounds before needing to be reloaded. This makes them slower to operate than a manalock rifle, which can fire up to fifty shots depending on the crystal loaded in the housing. Bolt rifles are also much louder and attract far more attention.
Availability: Common Price: 200 Roots
Manalock Pistol A miniaturized manalock weapon designed for very close encounters. The crystal housing in these weapons is small and not well warded against mana radiation, making them dangerous to use with the more potent mana crystals. This has the tack-on effect of manalock pistols not packing much of a punch, but useful in an emergency. If one would dare to use a stronger crystal with the pistol, they might get a few high powered shots off before the housing cracks from the force of the shot, and the crystal begins to destabilize. Manalock pistols are rare as the miniaturized mechanisms haven't reach the global markets yet. Only officers and heavy weapons teams are issued these pistols in most militaries, save for maybe the more elite fighting forces like the Aesir and the House of Storms. Nobles and entrepeneurs will pay a high price for these pistols.
Availability: Rare Price: 400 Roots, 8 Mana Crystals
Bolt Pistol These weapons are considered a classic among firearms enthusiasts, and that has led to them to continue selling well far after the Steamtech Era had ended. Bolt Pistols carry heavy ammunition in a cyclinder, which revolves after each shot. The stopping power these pistols have is respectable, and many police forces still use them for them ease of use and reliability. To make these pistols even more desirable, is that new prototypes are surfacing where ammunition is fed with a magazine for a higher ammo capacity. Bolt Pistols are common enough that it isn't difficult to find such weapons, but their status as collectors items has also made their value skyrocket as of late.
Availability: Common Price: 250 Roots
Brass Armor The standard armor for moderate protection against bolt weapons, and above moderate protection against manalock weapons. Brass as the unique property of being able to diffuse mana better than other materials. Brass armor is standard issue among Asgardian troops, which is how they were coined the nickname 'Brassers' by Tyberians. Brass armor is typically only made for the torso, as the armor can get quite heavy, but stronger folk like dwarves and orcs will wear full suits of brass armor.
Availability: Common Price: 200 Roots
Recycler Masks These masks are made of brass and leaded cloth. They are designed to have a canister attached to the mouthpiece that filters mana radiation from the air, making it safe to breathe. These masks provide very poor visibility for the wearer, but it certainly beats inhaling gaseous mana. Some recycler masks have magnifying optics in the eye slots, while others can use strange gnomish technology to enhance vision at night. These masks, unfortunately, make a lot of noise as the wearer breathes in and out. The tell tale sounds of a man sucking wind through a small, metallic hole can tip off any attentive listener.
Availability: Uncommon Price: 200 Roots, 2 Mana Crystals
Tesla Armor Gnomish engineering at its finest. Tesla Armor can make any wearer an unstoppable juggernaut. Capable of stopping bolt ammunition and manalock shots alike, Tesla Armor is prohibitively expensive and hard to come by. This armor is often made specifically for the wearer, or at the very least, made for the wearer's specific race. Most Tesla Armor is powered by two large blue mana crystals in a pack on the back of the suit. It can mount heavy weapons on each arm, and some suits have been known to carry additional weaponry on their shoulders. Asgard is the only military force to utilize mass produced Tesla Suits. When Asgard strikes with these suits, they strike in groups of two at the minimum, and upwards to ten in a section. Tesla Suits are powered by more than just mana, however. Not even the dwarves are privvy to the secret power source that the gnomes use to animate these awesome suits of armor. Many prying eyes watching gnomish technicians work on the suits can only describe what they're seeing as gnomes inserting bottled lightning into the power pack. The mana crystals are used to supplement the auxiliary systems of the suit and power the manalock weaponry mounted on it.
Availibility: Extremely Rare Price: 10,000 Roots. 100 Mana Crystals, 1 Unknown Gnomish Power Source
Magicar Land based vehicles were quite unreliable during the Steamtech Era, and they were deemed a commercial failure when they first hit the public market since there was little infrastructure to accomodate them. At the time, steam vehicles were relegated to heavy duty military use to fight against the elves. So when a gnome-elf business venture dabbled in the use of mana technology in a failed industry, the world was taken by storm. In a short span of time, the great cities of the world were rebuilding their infrastructures to accomodate roads for these vehicles to drive on. Dubbed 'the Magicar', these vehicles soon came in many different shapes and sizes. Their motivators, or motors for short, were powered by a large blue mana crystal which was able to keep the vehicle moving for upwards to a week! The magicar is capable of reaching a whopping sixty kilometers per hour on flat, open road. As the gnome and elf business partners explored the technology further, they were capable of making larger trucks to haul heavy loads around. Magicars are now the most commonplace way to traverse the great cities. However, roads have been deemed too costly to properly build outside of the great cities, making their usefulness more tenuous in the rural lands of Yggdrasil. There will come a time when Salamanders are replaced entirely by Magicars, but today is not that day!
Availability: Common Price: 1500 Roots, 20 Mana Crystals
Gyro-Thopter Utilizing lightweight materials, paper and wood propeller blades, and an overpowered mana engine, a gnome was capable taking flight without the need of massive tanks filled with gaseous mana! No longer would the skies be dominated by collossal military warships and biplanes! Now, the average person could travel the skies and look down on others, as all gnomes have always dreamt of doing. At least, that is what the advert said. In reality, Gyro-Thopters are a rare vehicle that are only really flown by couriers who can't be bothered with trying to drive a magicar through the bustling streets of great cities. Gyro-Thopters, being made partially of wood and paper, are liable to catching fire if pushed too hard, or being torn apart by storms. Gyro-Thopters are only capable of carrying up to two people, due to limitations of the chassis' construction. Asgard saw it fit to acquire a large number of Gyro-Thopters to be able to scout battlefields and police cities from above. They are remarkably quiet machines, and if flown by an expert, can be quite agile as well!
Availability: Uncommon Price: 3000 Roots, 34 Mana Crystals
Allies
The revolutionaries are not alone in this fight. We have contacts, and these contacts are more than willing to lend us their aid. Most of these allies may not be officially considered revolutionaries, but they share out sympathies, and are interested parties in seeing us succeed. Allies can offer us a wide amount of advantages that we'd be stupid not to take. Each ally is unique, and they're often looking for something in return for their aid. If their conditions are met, then they will either refuse their services, or they will abandon the cause entirely. We need to be sure to keep them happy in order to benefit from what they offer.
Allies are minor characters that can be hired either throughout the RP to provide strong bonuses to the resistance. Many allies are acquired through completing specific tasks on missions, while others can be hired directly with Roots or other resources. All allies have two positive traits, and one negative trait. They also have a monthly requirement that must be met. There are details that explain what happens when that require is met, doubled, or unfulfilled. At the end of every month, the GM will make an Ally roll and compare it to the monthly Asgard roll. Depending on the results, an Ally can be captured, killed, or targeted by Asgard. In most cases, a mission will be generated for that month to assist that Ally. Completing these missions could lead to the removal of their negative trait, a reduction in their monthly requirements, or an increase in their bonuses.
Nicholas Faust Investor
A rich man who lives in the lap of luxury. He wasn't personally affected by Asgard's occupation, but he does see their long term stay in the Tyberia as detrimental, since it will stifle the economic growth of the city. He has discreetly begun to funnel money into the Revolution's treasury in hopes that they can kick this unwanted army out of the city, so he can continue to line his own pockets.
Requirements Nicholas Faust wants to see the Revolution getting results. To that end, he wants at least one mission to be accomplished each month.
If requirement met +3000 Roots at end of Month
If requirement exceeded +5000 Roots at end of Month
If requirement unfulfilled Permanently provides 1000 less Roots than normal. This reduction can happen repeatedly if his requirement isn't met each month. If Nicholas provides 0 Roots for two months in a row, he will become unavailable and no longer support the Revolution.
Traits Discreet - Nicholas is smart with his money, and knows how to quietly move it into the Revolution's treasury without being caught. When a GM makes a dice roll for this Ally, he has a lower chance of being identified as an ally of the resistance. Market Knowledge - Nicholas has a firm understanding of the local economy. He can see when Asgard is trying to influence the economy, so he works around them. Nicholas is unaffected by Stranglehold modifiers when the GM makes an Ally dice roll for him, No Integrity - Nicholas' only true love is money, so it is safe to say he can't be trusted if he falls into the wrong hands. If Nicholas is targeted by Asgard, he will stop providing his bonus to the resistance in order to save his own hide. If he is captured, he will provide a massive bonus to the next to Asgard dice roll the GM makes.
There are many allies that the resistance can find and call upon, but we're going to need to do some work to build our web of networks and contacts. Remember, freedom fighter! We can only win the Goal if we win the people!
Calendar
There are twelves months in this world, and here in Tyberia, there are many celebrations and annual events to be had. Now there is no telling how successful these events will be with Asgard's occupation, but perhaps they'll manage to keep the public happy or content in these hard times. We've put this aide memoire in this handbook in order to keep all revolutionaries informed on the year's events so that they aren't forgotten, and can be incpororated into the planning process!
Mitra The first month of the year. Mitra is a month of rest and calm with no annual events or celebrations. Many use Mitra as a time to recouperate their financial expenditures from the vast amounts of celebrations that took place the month prior. Mitra is a cold month, well as cold as a place can get in an industrial great city such as Tyberia. It is characterized by plenty of oil sleet storms and sludge snowfall.
Romar Romar is generally picked as the beginning of many industries' new fiscal year. There is a great boom in productivity in this month as workers come off of the month of calm. In the first week of Romar, a celebration known as the 'Copper Festival' takes place. It is a large event with plenty of entertainment and thrilling rides. The Copper Festival is usually hosted in Tyberia's largest park just on the edge of Downtown Tyberia. Many business officials meet at the Copper Festival to break the ice between each other in an attempt to broker new relationships. The weather in Romar is most commonly oil sleet and caustic rain storms as winter's end nears.
During the first half of Romar, Stranglehold modifiers are ignored when the GM makes dice rolls. Additionally, if the resistance chooses to not undertake a mission in the first half of the month, three new Allies become available for hire.
Farva Farva is a month characterized by its grand military parades. Each year, recruitment of Tyberia's military more than doubles, and people are instilled with a great sense of pride. However, with Tyberia's military crushed and broken, and Asgard occupying the city, many are likely to not celebrate this year. Asgard has announced that it will be parading during Farva and running recruitment drives for the Grand Empire instead. There is a holiday on the last day of Farva called 'Honor Day', where militaries across the world stand down to honor the warriors that came before them. Weather in Farva is characterized by plenty of caustic rain storms.
All throughout the month, Opinion gain is doubled as the population quietly roots for the revolutionaries. However, with Asgard's show of force throughout the month, Stranglehold modifiers are also doubled. Missions that are undertaken during the second half of the month get the 'Honor Day' bonus, where Asgardian garrisons are minimally manned and patrols are lessened. There is a risk, however, that causing a great deal of damage while benefitting from the Honor Day bonus, that a Opinion can drop sharply as military action during such a hallowed holiday is greatly frowned upon.
Julmer Julmer marks the beginning of spring. The weather has warmed significantly, the violent weather of the first quarter has passed. Julmer is characterized by its calm weather. There is a festival known as the 'Green Celebration' in the second half of the month. The Green Celebration is a time when people plant trees and flowers throughout the city. Many buildings are a lot more colorful and the air smells a little less rancid from pollution. The Green Celebration is about life, and the people of Tyberia try to steer away from violence during such a time.
During the second half of Julmer, any aggressive action seen by the public, or reported by Asgard or the media, can result in a significant drop in Opinion. However, providing aid to the public during such a time can increase Opinion.
Ermus A significant month for most of the world as it marks the anniversary of the transition into the Manatech Era. During this month, production of mana crystals is accelerated greatly. The elves in particular favor this month since mana is so plentiful, and manasmiths often take to the streets to show off their skills in manipulating the energy source. Usually by the end of the month, there is so much mana concentrated over any single city, that it is ended with a violent mana storm otherwise known as 'the Jormungand'. During the Jormungand, mana crystal outputs double, but so does their instability. There is a large amount of ambient mana in the air, which forces many to stay indoors or wear protective clothing and recycler masks. When the Jormungand over a city, whether it be during the month of Ermus, or after, a holiday is held symbolizing civilization's understanding and taming of mana.
During the entire month, all Mana Crystal gain is doubled. There is a greater chance of Green Mana Crystals appearing. During the second half of the month, mana based weaponry becomes far more powerful, but users run the risk of having the weapons malfunction, and their crystals destabilize. As a result, military forces anywhere where a Jormungand takes place often switch to entirely using bolt weaponry. Asgard is no exception in this case. The GM will perform to dice roll to see if the Jormungand carries over into the first half of the following month, or ends at the end of the second half of Ermus.
Helox Helox marks the founding of Tyberia, when the city was first settled as a small port town. The 'Bay Festival' is hosted on the marinas and coastline within Tyberia's walls not long after the mana storms of Ermus end. The Bay Festival sees the marked increase of imports and exports, making Amber Roots more plentiful and boosting the city's economy. There are water based rides and entertaining at the Bay Festival, and it ended with a large fireworks display in the middle of the Tyberian Bay. An airshow is often hosted by Tyberia's sky-navy, and as a sign of goodwill, Asgard has announced that it will continue Tyberia's tradition and perform the airshow in place of Tyberia's destroyed fleet.
Depending on when Ermus' Jormungand ends, all Root gain is increased by 50%. Additionally, the Root costs of all items is discounted by 25%. Whether the Bay Festival take place in the first or second half of the month, the ending of the event WILL result in a sharp decrease of Opinion as the people of Tyberia's hearts and minds are swayed by Asgard's airshow. Due to the calming of the masses, Stranglehold is also decreased.
Trinium The beginning of summer, and a time of rest. There are no major events or holidays during the month as large portions of the populations tend to leave the city and go on vacation. Trinium's industry sees a bit of extra productivity as there are less distractions from the masses. However, the lower population means that Tyberia's Tan'Raga goes into full swing. Home invasions, theft, and robberies are reported more frequently during Trinium. The weather in Trinium is very hot.
During the entire month, Opinion increase and loss is reduced by 50%. Asgard takes advantage of the relative peace of the month to consolidate its power in Tyberia. The Tan'Raga is also very easy to contact during this month as their agents are quite busy. Asgard sends out more patrols this month to try and stifle both the Tan'Raga and the Revolutionaries.
Selna Mid-summer. Selna sees its hottest days during this month. There is a festival held in the first week of the month called the 'Blazing Brassman Festival', where a large brass statue is made in the form of an abstract human. The statue is then super heated to the point of glowing. The festival is one of culture and music, and the celebrations continue until the statue has melted down to a pile of slag. The Blazing Brassman Festival is a time of welcoming newcomers to the city and accepting them into Tyberia's culture. Many traditional foods and goods are exchanged during this time. The gnomes in particular are always a standout culture during this festival, and many go there to get their hands on gnomish commodities not commonly found any other time.
During the first half of this month, rare cultural items are easily found and purchasable. Also during the Blazing Brassman Festival, many new allies become available for hire.
Oppurna Rainy season. This month sees caustic rain throughout the entirety of the time. There are no festivals during Oppurna, but there is a holiday in the second half of the month called 'Walden's Day'. The day commemorates the fall of a tyrannical Tyberian lord-governor some three decades ago. During his rule over Tyberia, the city saw enslavement of its own populace, martial law, and a very clear segregation of the classes. The tyrant was killed when the city united and rose up against him, burning down his palace and killing his entire line of succession. The populace of the city followed a man by the name of Marcus Walden during the First Tyberian Revolution, and voted for him to become the new Lord-Governor. Tyberia saw a swell of pride on this day. Walden's Day commemorates the sacrifice of the revolutionaries of that day, and commits to a day of apologetic mourning for the thousands of enslaved citizens who died during the tyrant's rule.
During the second half of Oppurna, the Revolutionaries receive a considerable bonus in Opinion, Roots, Mana Crystals, and many more allies become available for hire.
Fallmourn With summer past, and autumn now in full swing, the weather takes a cooler turn. Frost and oil sleet starts to appear during this month. Fallmourn is a significant day for both Asgard and Tyberia. For Asgard, Fallmourn marks the moment the Zephyr appeared and conquered their Grand Empire. For Tyberia, it marks the invasion of Asgard into the city a year later, and the end of freedom in the city. Additionally, many Asgardian regiments are rotated out with fresh new forces during this month across all of their theaters. To remind the Asgardians of their subservience, all regiments receive an attache of freshly constructed Legionnaires. Asgard is also known to produce a large amount of its war machines this month, including tanks, air ships, and tesla-armor. It has been announced that Asgard has prepared a special event to take place throught Tyberia this month, but the details of such an event remain a mystery.
The effects of this month, the remaining months to follow, are unknown. All attention is on Asgard's special event which they have neglected to share details about.
Noctum The days are getting shorter in this month, and the fall begins to deepen into signs of winter. Noctum sees regular sludge snowfall and oil sleet. Noctum is a time when Tyberia's economy begins to boom as people prepare for the end of year celebrations in the following month.
The effects of this month are unknown.
Climacta Winter has arrived, and the entire month sees a slew of minor holidays, celebrations, and festivals pop up. It is a month of frivolity and merriment. On the last day of the year, a large celebration is held throughout the streets of Tyberia.
The effects of this month are unknown.
Weather
Weather is usually not something many people think about. Rain, snow, and fog are all natural processes in nature that people often just have to deal with. But things are different in great cities. You see, with all of the ambient mana, industry on a massive scale, and risidual waste being deposited into the atmosphere, great cities have managed to create their own weathers. Make no mistake, these weather can be, and quite often are, harmful to people and machinery alike. If you're new to great cities, then it is important that you are informed of the different types of weathers that can bring about an untimely demise to you or your equipment.
Oil Sleet Mostly common from the late fall months to the early spring months. Oil sleet is when rain is just on the cusp of freezing on its way down to the surface. The rain is somewhere between being a liquid and a solid when it hits the ground. What seperates it from regular sleet, is that the clouds that oil sleet falls from usually have a high particulate count of exhaust from the towering smokestacks of factories and airships. Oil sleet is thick, and if it isn't pushed from streets and sidewalks, it can really bog down the procession of the people. It sticks to clothes, making whatever gets covered in it wet and slick. Oil sleet can jam up machinery as well, meaning that vehicles and weaponry must be properly covered when oil sleet threatens to fall from the sky. In some extreme cases, oil sleet has been observed to be flammable, which makes it wildly unpredictable. Oil sleet, thankfully, doesn't stick well to leather, steel, and stone. Umbrellas have been fashioned out of leather to help protect people caught in an oil sleet storm. Shingles on rooftops are made with a higher volume of stone to prevent the sleet from building up. Oil sleet, if left unattended, can become very heavy. When the air warms up, oil sleet starts to harden and rubberize, making it especially difficult to remove. If oil sleet hardens on people, it can usually be peeled off in chunks. In extreme cases, oil sleet has been seen to have been partially absorbed by skin. The condition of having oil sleet partially absorbed and hardened on the skin is known as 'Sleet Scaling'. It is a common source of cancer among homeless folk or construction workers caught in it on long shifts. The removal of sleet scaling is painful and often involved cutting off the sections of flesh that absorbed the sleet. Having sleet scales can also prevent blood flow, sweating, and can also disrupt how the body naturally distributes heat.
During oil sleet storms, ballistic weaponry is susceptible to jamming and malfunctioning. Vehicles and machinery soaked in oil sleet have a chance of not activating at all. Asgard foregoes the use of bolt weaponry during oil sleet storms. Asgardian soldiers also wear leather protective clothing instead of their signature brass armor during oil sleet storms as well, making them more susceptible to weaponry. Legionnaires will never be seen in oil sleet storms, as they do not function well when soaked in the sleet. Asgard also fields less vehicles during such storms. It is favorable for the revolutionaries to strike during oil sleet storms, but they too suffer the same effects of oil sleet, so they must be thoughtful when they choose to attack.
Sludge Snow Must like oil sleet, sludge snow is the result of industrial waste in the atmosphere mixing with the natural process. When it is too cold for sleet and rain, sludge snow is the result. Sludge snow is heavy, sticky, and freezing cold. Due to the chemicals in the snow, sludge snow is cold enough to cause minor to moderate frost bite with direct skin contact. It sticks to all surfaces like glue, which can be disastrous the more an object accumulates. Sludge snow is also a great insulator, making the deepest layers of it begin to melt over a long period of time. This melted layer creates a sort of thick, soupy brine that is slightly adhesive. Unkempt sludge snow can result in the closure of streets, and it has claimed many lives and machines that have attempted to brave buildups. In extreme cases, the brine layer of sludge snow can be deep enough to envelope a fully grown human on their backs. The brine is also rather caustic as well, so once the snow melts and the brine layer is washed away, it is possible to find the bleached bones of its victims left behind. Sludge snow is hazardous to everything, so when it falls, the city often digs in and waits for the brave removal crews to clear paths so life can continue. This process can take a few days as great cities are titanic in scale, and people can only cover so much ground in a day.
If sludge snow falls, all operations for Asgard and the Tan'Raga are suspended. The Resistance is heavily encouraged to do the same, but it could also be quite the advantagious condition to work in if one is prepared well enough.
Caustic Rain Caustic rainfall occurs normally during the late summer to early fall, as well as a bit during the spring. Due to the pollution in the skies above great cities, it isn't uncommon for rainfall to be acidic in its composition. Some caustic rain even has trace amounts on mana, making it especially dangerous for everyone. Caustic rain doesn't do much to metals, but it can cause moderate to severe burns to uncovered skin. Severe caustic rain storms have been known to cause striations and cracks on cobblestone streets and paths. Usually after a caustic rain storm, workers are out reparing the damage to the stonemasonry all around the city. Vehicles are completely unaffected by caustic rain, and clothing is only ruined if soaked through entirely. Because of caustic rain, the storm drains and sewers of the city are very dangerous. The toxic mist left behind after caustic rain is harmful to the resperitory systems of organics, so people will often wear recycler masks if they absolutely need to leave their shelter. After a caustic rainfall, the air is usually thick with an off coloured citrine fog. The smell is very distinct and burns the nostrils slightly. It leaves behind a sour taste on the tongue and makes the eyes water. While the fog has been deemed to be safe, many will wear cloth masks over their face to battle the assault to the senses.
Dangerous to organics, but harmless to machines, caustic rain will see that Asgard outfits its troops in full brassen suits and recycler masks. Asgard will also field more gnomish automata during such storms. It is also quite common to see patrols being carried out in vehicles as well. Thankfully, the civillian population often remains indoors during caustic rain storms, making the chances of collateral damage quite low.
Mana Storms Easily the most violent and unpredictable storms. Mana storms happen when there is a large enough amount of ambient mana in the air. Dark, glowing clouds form in the skies, and multi-colored bolts of mana infused lightning arc across the sky. This lightning is attracted to all sources of mana, making exposed machinery, as well as exposed mana crystals, common targets of lightning strikes. The resulting strike is explosive and leaves behind mana fallout in the immediate vicinity. Small mana storms are common above mana refineries. Due to the nature of mana storms, manalock weaponry and vehicles are to replaced with bolt weaponry and less reliable steamtech vehicles. With so much mana in the air, it is dangerous for most folk to be outside during a mana storm. Elves however thrive in mana storms, and the abilities of manasmiths are empowered. Mana storms are also a known method of rapidly smithing mana crystals by capturing ambient mana in the air, or risking the danger to capture a bolt of mana infused lightning through a focusing lens. All great cities see at least one significant mana storm per year, the Jormungand, which is the result of mass celebration of the beginning of the Manatech Era. Jormungands are mana super storms which will completely burn all of the ambient mana in the air. While there is at least one jormungand a year, they have been known to occur more than once if a city sees a marked increase in mana refinement at any given time. Due to the mana storms being tied to a city's output, they can happen at any time in the year.
Mana storms double the power of all manasmithing. They also empower manalock weaponry, but make them prone to overloading. Manalock weaponry can also be struck my mana infused lightning, resulting in an extremely dangerous explosion of mana and irradiating the immediate area around the strike. Asgard deploys a higher number of battlemages during mana storms, and their equipment is swapped out entirely for bolt weaponry. Since Asgard's vehicular fleet is almost entirely updated with manatech era vehicles, it isn't common to see much in the way of armoured vehicles during mana storms. Mana crystals are far more likely to be found during mana storms, and they can even be created by a capable enough manasmith.
I like the idea! It adds more to the motivations of the characters and makes things a little less black and white. This could possibly lead to a wonderful dilemma in the story. And boy oh boy do I love player dilemmas.
As a little snippet of what I am working on, here is a piece of the Revolutionary Handbook covering revolutionary slang and code.
Slang Terms
Obviously, if we spoke the words that were on our minds, we wouldn't exactly have the easiest time meeting in public. So we have incorporated a number of key slang words to be used when one needs to deliver a discreet message in public. Anybody who grew up in the streets should already be rather fluent with these words. This, by no means, is a language book. But we felt it important that all revolutionaries at least know the most common words in the revolutionary's vocabulary.
Purely for the player's benefit to help them immerse themselves and their character into the world just that little bit more. The GM shouldn't penalize a player not using this language when they probably should have, unless it is specifically stated within a mission's parameters that slang talk is required for discretion.
Brasser Asgardian soldiers. Known as Brassers for the distinct brass plate armor they wear.
"I saw a group of Brassers two blocks down." "Let's go hunt some Brassers."
Lock Gun, firearm, ranged weapon of any type.
"Get your locks ready! They're coming!" "The lock shipment is on schedule."
Power Mana
"Do we have enough power for the generator?" "We're going to hit a power transport tomorrow."
Rock Mana Crystal
"Go put that rock in the gyrocopter and get it ready." "My lock is dead! Pass me a rock!"
The Goal Tyberia, the removal of occupying forces, freedom
"The Goal is all that matters." "Fight for the Goal!"
Cogger Inventors, mechanics, anyone with a technical aptitude
"The cogger fixed up my arm pretty good!" "That cogger's new ornithopter sure is something."
Job Mission, task, assignment
"We've got a job tomorrow." "Sorry, can't stick around. Got a job to do."
'Umpteenth' Cousin Other revolutionaries, just remember to take note of who is who to keep a consistant story.
"My sixth cousin offered me a job, said it was a family gig." "One second, I'm going to have to ask my twentieth cousin... It's confusing, I know."
Pointer Elf
"The pointer said to speak to you."
Stubber Dwarf
"That stubber has a bit of an attitude problem..."
Conehead Gnome
"I hear the cogger is a crazy conehead."
Brute Orc
"I just got messed up by a brute!"
Hobb Halfling
"Hate to break it to you, but that hobb just swindled you."
Joe/Joanne Human, male/female when singular. Joe can be used to represent all humans in a collective group. Additionally, the singular forms can be used as plurals if every human in a group is the same gender.
"There's too many Joes in this city..." "She was the prettiest Joanne I ever saw!" "We're here to meet some Joannes, don't make it awkward!
Goodie Knight, doesn't matter which order the knight belongs to.
"I hear a goodie showed up in the Goal yesterday."
Sap Amber Roots, Money, Currency (whether it be legal currency or improvised)
"We're gonna need a lot of sap if we want that." "In here, toba sticks are sap."
@Vietmyke, as somebody who helped me create the current version of Yggdrasil, you of course have a very solid understanding of the world and its ways. That understanding is certainly reflected in your character. He seems like quite a unique character with plenty of depth and variety to be a wonderful addition to the revolution! You are ACCEPTED and can move your CS to the characters tab.
On another note, I love that the two characters we have so far are both from races that players have never picked before in previous Yggdrasil RPs. This tickles me, and I can't wait to see colorful cast of characters in action!
On another another note, to keep everyone in the loop. I am currently working on a large section to put into the OP of this thread. It serves a double purpose of being a lore piece, while also acting as the rule set for the RP. In this section, called 'A Revolutionary Handbook', there is details on certain game mechanics. I just want to clarify that these game mechanics are mostly abstract, and are mainly there to add natural problems and inform the decision-making of the group. They also help me stay organized and provide a consistent plot where the group's actions are met with believable responses from Asgard, the Tan'Raga, and the people of Tyberia. So the intent is to have the RP be played out like any other RP here on the guild, just with a way for everybody to understand the bigger picture of events taking place in the RP.
A Revolutionary Handbook will most likely be added to the OP tomorrow, but I am making good progress on it and have the night off. So there is a small chance it can even come out tonight if I'm truly insane enough.
Auriel grit her teeth when the bandit locked his weapon with hers and pressed against her guard. She could smell the man's rancid breath as he asked her if gods recounted the tales of their dead followers. Auriel pushed back against him and brought her knee up to crunch right into his crotch. The man froze and gasped, giving Auriel some time to return some of his tongue and cheek, "Not for the likes of you scum." Auriel then took advantage of her far longer weapon, and pivoted the shaft along the short sword, bringing the shaft to smack across his face. With a quick follow-up, Auriel span the spear and slashed the blade of her polearm in a long stoke across his back. Auriel looked over her shoulder, seeing two more bandits running at her. She was in an exposed position, and she wasn't going to be able to guard properly before they would be on her. Then another bandit was thrown into them, sending them all to the ground. She looked over to Fer and smiled, a token of appreciation.
She looked back to the bandits and felt Fer's presence behind her. She liked his enthusiasm, but his puckish comment about a dance was missed by the holy warrior. Perhaps she was just too serious, or a bit too naïve to catch it. "Now is hardly the time a dance, Fer!" she said, her eyes spotting Cole locked in a duel with the supposed bandit leader.
She saw him use the same move that he had used against her. He seemed to like that counter-attack, and for good reason. It had caught Auriel off guard simply because she underestimated her opponent. But for Cole, he likely didn't have the experience to deal with such a technique. Fighting him in a melee wasn't ideal, and it made her wish the bow hero was here to make up for that. She figured now was a better time than ever to start using some of her magic in order to really seize the initiative. Auriel looked back at Fer for a moment, "Fer, can you keep them off of me for just a few seconds?"
Auriel stabbed her spear into the dirt and put her hands together in prayer. "Heroes of Olde, grant me the strength to smite my foes! Bathe them in your piercing light and deliver unto them retribution!"
As Auriel prayed, a bright light began to shine around her hands. She adopted a throwing stance, her white wings unfurling for additional balance. As she drew her hand back, the light formed itself into a straight spear. Auriel quickly called out to the sword hero, "Cole! Duck now!"
She had to be quick, otherwise the leader would also clue into her warning. She barely even gave the sword hero time to react before she committed to the attack, "Bright Lance!"
As if Auriel had been possessed by some divine gift of strength, Auriel sent the spear of light. The moment it left her hand, the bright lance took off like a missile from a ballista. A contrail of light followed in the bright lance's wake, sucking tall grass and plants inward and along the path of the fearsome bolt of light.
@DogWell consdering you're all members of a resistance, having somebody with a reliable source of production would absolutely be beneficial to the resistance. Just gotta be careful to be discreet about it so Asgard doesn't catch onto you shenanigans.