Hlawith flies carefully to the balcony outside LJ's room, landing as gently as she could and hopping awkwardly inside. Luckily, Azuri'ith was there watching Arielle and he was able to help her get LJ off her back and laid her gently on the bed.
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Hlawith lands nearby and extends a wing bending as low as she could, to make it easier for Devlyn to settle LJ on her back. :I will see to it that Starsong gets safely back to her room. You may cease worrying about that at least. And I hope that the boy recovers soon.:
A small snake slithers through the Eyrie, looking for bird's eggs. He will find that all eggs have been collected into safe havens and are well guarded.
The starhawks form regular patrols, leaving the daylight watch to the celestial eagles. The nestlings are moved inside the caves where they will be more secure, the older fledglings set to tend to them if there was fighting.
:They are in the Eyrie at present. Fly in at that balcony,: she says, pointing out the balcony leading off of the bar.
:It is a difficult path that she has ahead of her, Herald. Learning to master such power rarely comes easily. You will have to help her learn. I think that she is through the worst of it, if that helps any. We will make sure that the young ones are well cared for until the two of you can return.:
:Herald, I am making this contact as narrow as I can. After I am done speaking with you, I will break contact and all of us will keep our distance from Blodwen until she stabilized one way or another. The world we come from is one where gifts of the mind are not just common but normal. All of us possess them. But there are some rare few who possess an extraordinary gift. Not just to use one talent, but all of them. These Hyeas can also serve as conduits for the power of others making them powerful weapons during times of war. We have known since she was a hatchling that Blodwen contained the potential for this, so we placed careful blocks within her mind to prevent her from accessing her powers too soon and damaging herself. But when we removed them, the walls remained and stronger than ever. She will not even hear or acknowledge any mention that she might possess this potential. I do not know why. I do know that often it...does not go well for those with this gift when they first come into their power. You are about to find yourself in the middle of a phychic storm and I pray that you are strong enough to withstand it. You must help her find her way through. Either she must rebuild those walls or she must accept what she is.:
:Herald, what I needed to speak with you about has become considerably more urgent. You have to learn to look before you leap, young one. You are soulbonded. What you do affects her. Right now you need to get her away from a poplulated area immediately.:
:I will go and organize the others. I am especially glad that you are safe, Blodwen, now that I know what sort of enemies that you were facing.: Hlaawith takes off and flies over the Eyrie. To Sky
:All hatchlings should be spoiled once in a while,: Hlaawith says with amusement.
Hlaawith flies over to the nest to check on the young ones. :I am glad to see that Keehaar is growing well. And that you are safe. I was concerned when I saw the Herald go streaking out of here earlier. But you are safe and sound, and enjoying your new family I see. The hatchlings look to be growing well. And you look happy, Blodwen. I am glad to see that.:
:Ah, so that's the way the wind blows, is it? You're barely more than a child yourself. But I suppose that is inevitable in these troubled times. Well then, I wish you well young Blodwen. I am sorry for your loss, but glad that you have found a new family for yourself. Good flying.:
Hlaawith looks startled at the question. :Didn't Hlawerry tell you? Tlawen was in the same group as your parents. They were blasted out of the sky by a dracolich squad. I am so sorry. Did you need one of the older ones to come and claim Keehaar?:
Three of the starhawks go down from the dracolich's attack. Another three fly in to take their place. They attempt to infect the dracoliches with a spark of life using reality revision.
Another three starhawks join these ones and prepare to face the dracoliches, readying a powerful Energy Wave to send against them.
The starhawks circle over the field using their powers as best they can, as well as their beaks and talons. Three of them band together to hit the advancing line of skeletons with a telekinetic push.
Two large starhawks fly above PlantJack doing their best to clear his way.
:Yes, I would like that very much, Sky.: she says eagerly. Blodwen seems eager to learn more about him and his kind.
Seeing that the dwarves have left, Sky reverts to his elven form. Drawing paint from his belt pouch, he draws several sigils of protection on the floor. When he is finished, he waves his hand and the sigils fade from sight. He then returns to his nest, opting to climb instead of flying to it. When he see the hatchlings still asleep, oblivious to what happened, he smiles and pulls a flute from his pack. He begins to play a soft tune that floats throughout the Eyrie and eases the young of the Eyrie in to a deeper restful slumber, while calming the adults. Everyone either dreams or remembers high places and soft breezes, calm air and windstorms. :You play beautifully, Herald.: Blodwen tilts her head.:It seems to me that it would be very strange to be without wings. It does not bother you?:
A large black bird swoops down and lands in front of the dwarves, towering over them.
:Lady, I don't know what to do. They all woke up with nightmares at once.: The overwhelmed Blodwen is trying to comfort a dozen chicks and fledglings all at the same time.
:I am Blodwen. And this fledgling is Keehar. When the greater battle comes, we will watch over the chicks for you. You need not worry for their safety.:
Blodwen ruffles his feathers with her beak. :I know, little one. I too wish I could join the fighting. But this time it is our job to guard the chicks.:
Keehaar krrs sulkily, but does help the other Starhawks
Blodwen watches the others leave sadly. She wants to join the battle too, but she promised. And someone has to stay.
:I know, little one. I too wish to join the fighting. But some of us must stay to preserve our future. Will you help me watch over the newly hatched chicks? It is a solemn duty, and a necessary one if the Lady's Herald is to fight without distraction.:
:Why would there be any questions, Herald?:
:Sky Cloudgather, you must awaken. The eggs are hatching. And trouble is coming:
:They are still well. Growing as they should. I will help you for as long as you need. If they begin to hatch, I will alert you, and lend you what strength I can.:
:If you wish to serve, I will guard your eggs until you return. I would not prevent one from joining in the fight as they wish. I promise I will look after them as if they were my own.:
The starhawk slowly circles over to the main balcony, where it bends down to allow JH to dismount.
The starhawk takes off, slowly circling above the Eyrie so that JH can get a good view. LJ flies alongside. He can see from above that the nests are indeed arranged in the pattern of a swirling galaxy, and a good many of them are already filled. He can also see something LJ hasn't noticed yet, which is that the balconies along the cliff face are arranged in the same pattern.
The starhawk lands near JH and lowers itself to allow him to climb on.
:Would you like to see the Eyrie from above, Earth Champion? I could carry you, if you so choose.:
A large black bird glides silently over to the balcony in front of the open cavern in which the omniportal sits. :Welcome back, Lady: It gives a bob of its head, that appears to be the avian equivalent of a respectful bow.
:We will fly with you, Lady. The cloaked one is gone, for now, but there may be other dangers. We will guard: Two of the Starhawks accompany LJ as she flies back to the Sanctum.
Suddenly, Lynora sees a cloaked figure nearby, just outside the Eyrie. It seems to want to get in, but the wards are preventing it. Lynora feels a momentary chill, getting the feeling that this is not something she wants in the Eyrie. Before LJ can speak a word about the strange figure, two starhawks fly out to confront it.
:We will fight for you also. We will guard you from harm.:
The flock of mysterious birds flies in on silent wings, dark as night itself. They too settle into the nests that have been prepared for them.
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Operation Flyswatter
Following two brief years of relative peace, war once again opened its ugly jaws to envelope the populations of the Inner Sphere and Periphery in its brutal grasp. Now in its eighty-fourth year, the Third Succession War continues the long downward spiral of destruction and devastation as the powerful leaders of the five Great Houses continue to dream of being the next First Lord of the Star League. But unlike its two predecessors the First and Second Succession Wars which lasted a combined seventy years and resulted in entire populations being brutally wiped out and the loss of massive amounts of technological capabilities and knowledge, this war is a less intense affair. Often, but not always, governed by the Ares Conventions, the Third Succession War is a war of attrition being waged by already exhausted nations. Exhausted, but certainly no less willing to continue the fight. With loyal House forces ever stretched thin or engaged in key missions and the most important theaters of war, the great House lords often turn to mercenaries to take on those tasks that might be riskier, less important but still necessary, or need a certain amount of deniability. For those with the means and willingness to pay, there is always someone willing to take on such things. So it is with the Company. A mercenary's life is certainly not easy. Any given day could be one’s last. A mechwarrior strides into battle piloting the mightiest machines of war ever created by humanity. Fusion powered behemoths the smallest of which could still reduce a city to rubble in a matter of hours. Artificial lightning, roaring autocannons, and volley after volley of pummeling missiles are the mechwarrior’s tools of trade. Tools held in the hands of just as capable enemies. Survival is never guaranteed in the mercenary trade. But it beats being stooped in a field picking radishes or hiding, shivering helplessly in the dark during yet another enemy raid. As the pilot of your own mighty Battlemech, your fate is in your hands. Together with your comrades in the Company you each seek glory, honor, riches, fame, revenge or just a way of life that lets you see the stars and maybe make a difference somewhere to someone. It came together quickly. A chance meeting. A few drinks. Jokes suddenly turned into real suggestions and opportunities. Opportunity that quickly turned into reality along the distant outages of known space. Following a series of highly effective bandit raids all along the anti-spinward borders of the Lyran Commonwealth, Free Worlds League, and the Magistracy of Canopus the three powers attempted to temporarily put aside their usual differences and struggles to deal with the pirate threat knocking at their back doors. Initial efforts at such a diplomatic challenge failed utterly, especially with the Lyran’s still up in arms regarding Free Worlds moles within the highest branches of their military. Unwilling to completely give up, Magistrix Selene Centrella, who still grieves over the loss of her sister to pirate raiders, conceived and initiated Operation Flyswatter. Financed by various elements of all three powers, but relying completely on cheap mercenary units, the operation is envisioned as a multi-pronged raid on several known pirate worlds. The task is simple. Engage and destroy as many bandit owned mechs and their identified support infrastructure as possible. Teach them that although the great powers may be busy growling and barking at each other, they are quite capable of turning and biting at anything stupid enough to yank their tails. The Company fit the needs of Operation Flyswatter perfectly. A reinforced, over tonnage light lance perfect for quick raids and carrying off salvage. A need for cash. Or at least one pilot with a burning hatred of pirates equal to that of the Canopian leadership. T’s were crossed, i’s dotted, and signatures authorized. A few weeks later the company had its orders in hand. Signed and authorized by Canopian Liason officer, Captain Marsha Vikkhas. The jumpship Glory’s Crossing jumped you into a distant star system at the back end of nowhere. The rattle and rumble of the Leopard’s drives were constant companions on the three day long trip in system. The dropship acquired on the cheap, no questions asked, from a more than questionable dealer on Solaris VII was ancient, but the old bird could still fly. Plus, already having most of the weapon bays and aerospace hangars gutted made fitting it out to hold two additional light mechs that much easier and cheaper. Slowly the on-screen images of your destination grew. Stettin. More specifically, Stettin III, the only habitable planet circling a MV2 red dwarf star. Surprisingly, the ball of mud is a fairly pleasant place. Ample oceans and water provide plenty of moisture for the vast temperate forests that cover much of the main continent. Previously colonized sometime around the founding of the Star League, the system was once considered part of the Rim Commonality and the Free Worlds League before vanishing from most maps near the beginning of the Third Succession War. The last known outside contact with the inhabitants of Stettin III was in 2864 when a minor garrison of the Third Free Worlds Guards still maintained a presence. The force was pulled out with the end of the Second Succession War later that year and the FWL never returned. Intelligence operations traced the activities of a minor pirate band calling themselves Hector’s Hellions back to Stettin III following the recent raids of Free Worlds and Canopian space. Initial scans identified the probable locations of the raider camps including within what records indicate would be the former colony capital. Your orders from Captain Vikkhas are to scout the second location while the Golden Janissaires, a heavy mech outfit accompanying the mission to Stettin, hit the colony capital. A heavily forested and marshy area referred to as the Rat’s Maze Marsh surrounding what appears to have once been a minor space port and timber harvesting operation. ”Far as the powers that be are concerned, this whole system is hostile.” Captain Vikkhas announces from the bridge of the Janissaries larger Union class dropship as each of you debark from the Leopard in the only patch of solid, clear ground within a dozen klicks of the Beta target destination. ”Records of the Hellion’s previous raids suggest the unit consists of a few heavy’s and mediums supported by two light lances. We expect the heaviest resistance at target Alpha. But if you find anything in those swamps, you’re authorized to wipe them out.”
Feel free to continue any character building/strategizing and other questions here. We'll get GP going a little later this week.
Band of Blades is a low magic, dark military fantasy campaign with gobs of undead and other horrors, alchemy, black powder, and a general tech level around the late European Renaissance. The party are all members of the elite mercenary force known as The Legion. Having just suffered a catastrophic defeat, The Legion must now survive the long retreat to safety and reinforcements at Skydagger Keep. The BoB rules are based off the same system as Blades in the Dark. Blades in the Dark SRD This is a narrative based system that uses a simple d6 dice pool to determine successes, complications, and failures. In addition to the regular playbook characters, players will also take on the downtime roles of Legion Commander, Quartermaster, Spymaster, Lorekeeper or Marshall. We will likely make a few modifications to some of these roles to better fit the PbP format or to make the bookkeeping aspect a little bit less time consuming. Character injury and death is quite possible. However, having a character laid up by injury isn't a game ending event for the player, it just means they pick up a new Recruit or Soldier playbook. While the game rules allow for 'character sharing' among the player group, in order to accommodate the PbP format and need for aliases, once a player establishes a character, that player will generally be the one to post/play as that PC from that point forward. Looking for a general posting rate of once a day which I try to keep to as well. Download copies of the playbooks and role sheets. I can post a bit more on setting as well as the Chosen and Taken if there is further interest.
Mercenaries Wanted.
Opening a thread to see if anyone is interested in a Battletech campaign based on a mostly untested set of homebrew rules based on the FATE Core system and elements from various Forged in the Dark rulesets. Why come up with new rules when there are already three or four systems out there? Mostly to just see if I could make something like Battletech fit into a FATE type narrative system. Something that could be a bit more seamless between mech combat and all the other RP opportunities outside of the hexmaps and laser blasts. Most of the FASA or Catalyst rpg rulesets never really seemed to work very well, so I thought I'd try using some of the more recent narrative mechanics. Set in the Battletech universe in the year 2950 deep in the Third Succession War. No clans, no omnimechs, and LosTech is very much a thing. The party is a new merc company looking for glory, reputation, cash or whatever else comes to mind. This is meant to be a more narrative oriented game stressing roleplaying and character elements in addition to the usual big stompy mech combat which is also much more narrative and theater of the mind oriented than standard Battletech. For anyone interested and willing to give them a look, the draft of the rules can be found here. If there's interest from 4-6 players, then we'll go ahead and dive in. General posting expectations: Usually I try to post once a day, occasionally once every other day and maybe once over a weekend. Hopefully players are able to do the same in order to keep things moving. Lethality: Average. FATE is a pretty forgiving system, but it's tough to walk away from a PPC hit to the cockpit of your Locust. Story Type: This is an open sandbox game once things get past the opening scene or two. Starting Location: The Inner Sphere, likely along the Periphery. Final location determined once the PC's are set. PC Homeworlds: Any Inner Sphere or Periphery. No clans. Battletech in General: Check out the Battletech Wiki
Setting up Gameplay...
Just setting up a potential new PBP campaign to playtest the FATE Core rules homebrewed to fit the Classic Battletech setting during the late Third Succession War period. Rules are linked in the campaign tab along with other key information as I get it added. Since this is very much a trial run of these rules, I'm keeping the campaign closed to a few invitees and the focus will be a bit more on the rules rather than the RP. Although the whole goal of putting this into the FATE system is to dramatically increase the RP potential of the Battletech universe and all of its setting materials and background. So the RP will definitely happen, or at least that is the hope. More to come...
The surface of Drinax IV is not a pleasant place in the best of times. This was not the best of times. A raging wind pummels Senior Tech Gregory Tuval as he attempts yet again to breech the ancient facilities security. The bulky gloves of his vacc suit do not make the task easier, but the suit is a necessity to avoid the hot, poisonous , and radiation strewn atmosphere that surrounds the planet below his home. He’s seen pictures of the once green planet, with it vast fields of grains and forests whose mighty trees towered hundreds of feet into the air. Great green towers reaching for the clear blue skies. Pictures of great cities with floating gardens, grand music halls, casinos to make any gamblers heart skip a beat. A thriving, vibrant, world full of life and vigor. Tuval glances away from his work to quickly scan the drab sickly yellow and terra cotta landscape. Baked hard and scoured by the constant blowing sands that circle the planet. With a sigh that merely echoes within his glassteel helmet, he returns to the task at hand. ”How’s it coming Tuval?” The comm is filled with static. ”Slow. The entire panel is shot and I feel as if I’m trying to work with donuts rather than bloody fingers.” He replies, finally managing to make the last connection to the portable power unit. ”Well, try to pick it up a bit. We’d all like to get the hell back home as soon as we can.” ”Going as fast as I can sir. Probably all a fraggin’ waste of time anyway. Nothing left down here but sand and lost dreams.” ”You’re likely right Tuval. But the King believes otherwise and he pays the rent, so work faster.” ”Aye sir.” Checking the power unit again, he initiates the connection. For a moment nothing happens. The panel embedded in the rock is blank. No sign of life at all. Tuval curses. If he couldn’t get the panel working, they’d have to try and cut through the heavy blast door that secured whatever facility this used to be. ”I’m not getting anythi….wait a minute.” A flutter of light on the hard screen and then the Imperial logo. Tuval whistles softly. ”I’ve got something. Did the anyone say anthing about this being an Imperial facility?” ”Imperial. Sure, the old Sindal empire still ruled Drinax. That’s Oleg’s claim to fame and comfort. Where you been Tuval?” ”No, Mendel. I mean THE Empire. Third Imperium. Imperial Navy to be precise. Because that’s what’s up on this panel right now.” Several moments of silence. During the interim, Tuval can’t help but dream of what might be hidden beyond that thick blast door. Imperial traders still occasionally came through the system but they only brought basics or the occasional luxury good. Actually finding an old Imperial Navy facility, that could be a game changer. Did the Mad King know? Tuval’s thoughts are interrupted as the logo disappears and is replaced by a red emergency lockdown icon. The technician grins. The emergency is a few hundred years past. And I know just what to do. Most systems had standard emergency overrides so that rescue personnel could get through quickly. Tuval had spent several years as part of the fire brigade for his sector back on the City and even did a tour with the deep space rescue crews. He taps a few codes into the panel. The fourth works. The logo flashes green. Moments later the blast door starts to grind open and air several hundred years old hisses free. ”Haha! Hey Mendel. We’re in!” He says stepping through into the dark narrow tunnel.
For those in our usual face-to-face group, we'll give both FATE and PbP a go to see if it works out for folks. Go ahead a post something here in Discussion so I know you've logged in, found the thread and are set to get started with character generation. I've posted some initial basic background info, skill lists, and other useful FATE info in the Campaign Info tab. Feel free to ask questions or start considering aspects, stunts, skills, etc here. Don't forget potential aspects related to other PC's or an NPC. I'll be posting some potential NPC's including other crew members over the next couple of days.
Opening the discussion thread. Post your final PC's and any initial questions here.
A butterfly dashes through a balmy jungle in far off Cathay. Its gold and black wings fluttering madly as it darts through the dense trees. It dives past screeching monkeys. It flits over and around the occasional oblivious human, elf, or dwarf. Any of those supposedly intelligent beings might wonder why a butterfly would be in such a hurry. Where was it going? Why was it in such a hurry? Why were its tiny eyes burning with such intensity? But being absorbed in their own minor problems these supposedly more intelligent beings were quite uninterested in the butterfly. Thus the subsequent events that changed their entire continent and created lasting effects throughout all of Midgard are allowed to come to fruition. Perhaps if they had paid better attention, they would have stopped the butterfly. Caught it before chaos played its cruel trick upon the world. Waylaid it for a matter of seconds, and by doing so savings many lives. Alas, the world will never know. The butterfly rushes on. For just a moment it turns to look at the sun and curses with frustration as the yellow orb creeps further toward the horizon. It is this distracted glance that causes the butterfly to run right into the storm dragon’s eye as massive serpentine form casually flies south seeding storm clouds as it glides along the valley of the mightiest river in all Cathay. ”Owww!” Cries the butterfly as its head slams into the dragon’s eye. ”OWWW!” Roars the dragon, blinking rapidly as the butterfly legs and antenna poke and jab his vulnerable eye. ”Watch where you’re going!” The two holler in unison. ”What do you mean, watch where I’m going?” Shouts the butterfly. ”I clearly had the right away.” ”Why do you believe that?” Questions the dragon, eye still blinking furiously. ”Afterall, doesn’t my size and power automatically grant me the right away? Why should I yield to you? Being small as you are, you should yield the way to me.” ”Size has nothing to do with it!” Growls the butterfly while eyeing the scattered storm clouds traveling in the dragon’s wake. ”I am traveling east, which gives me the inherent right of way. But on a more practical matter, and perhaps more relevant to your nature, I am also a great conjurer of storms.” Having a curious and philosophical nature the dragon found itself intrigued by the butterfly’s response. Conjurer of storms, indeed. He is barely able to suppress the mighty laugh rumbling within his chest, yet he can’t help but feel curious. This feeling is peaked even further by the dragon’s boredom from not really having anyone reasonably intelligent to speak with for months. Just screaming victims and boring pleas for mercy. So rather than simply incinerating the tiny insect, the dragon replies. ”Ah…well. I don’t see how one your size can possibly generate a storm of any significance. Prove me wrong in this and I will forgive your running into my eye. First, I will give you something to strive for.” The dragon whirls its mighty claws through a nearby cloud turning it from a mild, puffy white cotton ball into a basalt gray rumbling anvil charged with electricity, rain, and wind. Moments later lightning strikes a small village and hail pummels crops causing the villagers to shout their desperate pleas for forgiveness, deliverance, or offers of worship and servitude. ”Now that is power and a good storm my flighty friend. Not only the power of the storm, but power to call up the prayers and force the worship of those with less power.” Says the mighty dragon watching its conjured storm drift down the valley and dissipate. ”An impressive display indeed.” Says the butterfly. ”But a mere trifle. Notice how your storm already loses strength and dwindles to a mere shower.” The butterfly flits over and lands upon the dragon’s large nose. ”If you wish to conjure a storm, this is how you do it.” He adds and then begins fluttering his wings rapidly as he launches himself from the dragon’s nose. Corkscrewing around the dragon, the butterfly spins, swirls, whirls, and twirls all the while its fluttering is wings as fast as a young lover’s heart. Finally he comes to rest again upon the dragon’s nose. ”There. Now that’s how you conjure a storm.” He says panting and trying to catch his breath. ”What do you mean?” Rumbles the dragon looking at the clear sky with no rain in sight except the distant remnants of his own storm. ”You’ve conjured nothing. You’ve proven my point. Your storm is nothing compared to mine.” ”Not true my friend.” Replies the butterfly. ”Do you not see how the wind has been aroused by my dance? How even now it teases and tickles the water in the air, stirring it to greater agitation. Already the wind tumbles down this valley toward the sea. There it will be noticed by Mother Ocean herself. At first the wind will blow upon her surface like a lover in the night stirring her waters. Soon enough the two will join together in a frenzy of passionate fury and glorious, unstoppable destruction.” The dragon squints down the valley, its practiced gaze picking the delicate air currents. ”Hmmmm….” It rumbles thinking as it watches the winds whirl and spin out toward the sparkling blue of the distant sea.. Eventually he bows his head to the butterfly. ”It seems you have the right of things my friend. Your storm will eventually put mine to shame. But it will take some time to do so. Thus while more powerful in the longer term, one must have time for its potential to play out. And time is not always something one can easily afford.” Turning its gaze back upon the butterfly, the dragon bows its mighty head. ”However, time aside, you have proven your point and I yield the right of way.” Returning the bow, the butterfly ponders the great dragon his eyes thoughtful and scheming. ”You are correct about the troublesome dependence on time. If I might be so bold, perhaps you would be interested in traveling together for a while?” The dragon’s eyes light up at the butterfly’s suggestion. ”Indeed, I was about to make the same offer.” As thus was born a companionship that would last for the next thousand years and see much of Cathay and the surrounding lands brought under the tyrannical might of the Throne of Storms. But that is another tale for another time. Instead our interest lies far to the west toward that setting sun. There a small ship sails upon the open waters bearing cargo and passengers north to a destination they may never, ever reach.
Opening up recruitment for a new 5E campaign set in the world of Midgard by Kobold Press. Game Name: Adventure's in Midgard – South (Survivors of the Delightful Rose) Party Size: 4-6. Ruleset: Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Setting and Sources: Midgard from Kobold Press. The initial adventure begins off the Corsair Coast in the Southlands aboard the trade ship Delightful Rose. A world map can be found here. Game Action Types: “Theater of the Mind” with no tactical maps. The adventure begins aboard ship but will quickly transfer to land. Simple survival will be an early theme to be followed by exploration and other possibilities depending on the actions of the party. Players can expect to encounter smaller villages or communities, ruins, wild tribes, and unknown mysteries. Terrain early on includes aquatic, jungle, and underground. There may be larger urban settings down the line, but probably not for some time. For an example of my general DM style you can check out my other Midgard PbP Lethality: PC death is possible. Encounters may or may not be ‘balanced’ for party level and monsters may or may not be straight from the books. Running away is always an option, except when it isn’t. Story Types: Generally a sandbox style campaign with emphasis on the characters actions, goals and growth within the story. The hope is to have a good story with the focus being on character and group development with fun and interesting combat highlights, puzzles, and NPC encounters. Choices will often have consequences. Finally, the group should be good or neutrally aligned, no evil PC's. (Chaotic alignments are fine.) Experience and Rewards: We will be using experience points for leveling purposes. Magic items will be less frequent compared to a standard D&D game. When discovered, some magic items may potentially be more valuable, powerful, or dangerous. Starting Level and Stat Generation: 1st Level, 27 point buy, no stat lower than 8, no stat higher than 18. Common Initial PC Hook: Each PC finds themselves aboard the Delightful Rose, a trading carrack, as it sails up the Corsair Coast to its final port of call, the freewheeling and notorious trading city of Mhalmet. Allowed Character Classes and Options: All from PHB, XGE, Midgard Heroes Handbook (MHH), and Deep Magic by Kobold Press (DMKP) Allowed Races and Options: All regular PC races from PHB, XGE, and MHH – except Centaurs Allowed Backgrounds: All from PHB, XGE, MHH, DMKP Additional Character Background Details: Characters should have a rough background with at least one or two hooks to offer RP opportunities to either other party members or NPC's. These can expand on existing Ideals, Bonds and Flaws, or be something additional. A few simple bullets are fine. Whatever works to get your own creative energy flowing. Note that all of the PC’s have spent the past several weeks together aboard a small sailing vessel. All PC’s will know each other at least to that extent. Additional region and race information is on the Campaign tab. PBP Posting Expectations: Please post at least once per day and let me know if life events will keep you from posting for a few days. I plan to do the same. I don’t have a set end point for this game. It will go as long as we have interest and all are enjoying the experience. Recruitment Time Frame: Recruitment will be open until November 19, 2020. Selections will be made by me based on character concepts and RP potential or by random die roll.
Rain patters the canvas tops of the three wagons that make up Rook Bentknee’s little caravan and your homes for the last several days. So far the trip up the western coast of Courlandia has been an uneventful but rain-soaked slog. Yet another bank of dreary, dark gray clouds rolled in this morning to pound the coast like a blacksmith’s hammer. The fourth such storm in as many days. The driving wind and rain turned the already moody and unpredictable waters of Ghed into a churning fury unfit for ship or beast. Fortunately the storm spent most of it’s fury by midday, but the wind and driving rain have now given way to a steady drizzle and chill air more fitting for winter rather than the early spring of Mustering. The wagons creak and groan as wheels slowly churn through the mud. The weather again bringing the caravan’s pace to a sluggish crawl as the oxen struggle to pull their loads through the muddy, soaked coastal roads of northern Courlandia. ”Just a bit further you lazy beasts!” Shouts Bentknee giving the reins of the lead wagon a quick flick to encourage the pair of draft animals. The two animals low their disgruntlement at such conditions but struggle on managing to keep the wagon moving along the road. ”Aye, we’ll be to the next village soon enough. Then we’ll all be able to rest a bit and get out of this foul weather.” He says while making a futile attempt to wipe the rain from his brow. The old kobold has been a decent employer so far. Listening to advice when asked for, treating both beast and guard fairly, and guaranteeing a fair wage once the caravan arrives in Nargenthal. At the handful of villages visited so far, he has been a hard but fair bargainer. Seemingly respected and well known by several of the village elders who eagerly listen to the current news and gossip of the Crossroads he shares with the eager information starved ears. ”Worst Khors-damned weather I’ve seen making this trip in the last ten years.” He says to no one in particular for at least the fourteenth time. He reaches down to rub the gnarled, twisted knee that gives him his limp as well as his surname. ”If it wasn’t for Britta pulling me outta that bit of trouble with those gnolls down south, I’d pack it all in and retire. Spend my days warm and dry next to the big fire telling tales at the Moon and Owl in Zobeck rather than trundling supplies out to the hinterlands of the Red Queen’s backside.”
Opening the Discussion Tab.
Hello all. Inspired by some of the other 5E games being run on this site, I thought I would go ahead and take my turn as a DM for a bit. Right now I'm looking at a medium length (guessing about 60 days PbP timeframe, but could go longer) introductory adventure along the Bay of Ghed in the north central realm of Courlandia in Midgard. This will be a mix of published encounters with a dose of GM modification. Would start at 1st level and likely end up at 3rd. If players are active, have a good time, and wish to continue, we can venture on from there. The simple initial hook is that everyone is a member of a small caravan traveling the western coast of Courlandia. PC's can be caravan guards, refugees fleeing Krakova, simple travelers visiting distant relatives, running from enemies, scholars seeking folk magic, whatever, as long as there is a reason to be part of the small merchant group. A couple of other things to note. I'm looking to run this without many (or any) maps, so much more “theater of the mind” focused. In light of that I'll be using a zone system for combat encounters. More details to follow if this whole idea looks like it will fly. For those not familiar with Midgard there are several additional common PC races from bearfolk, to ratfolk, to trollkin and ravenfolk. These are in addition to those in the PHB. A map of the world is available here and some additional information on regions can be found here. Don't worry if you don't know much about the Midgard setting, I'm happy to share PC vital data and stats during recruitment and character development as well as in-game as needed. Those unfamiliar with Midgard are certainly welcome. If you do happen to own the Midgard Heroes Handbook, all options from the book will be accepted into the game. The PHB and XGE are the other two accepted sources for PC's options. Unfortunately content from options beyond those three sources will not be allowed. Posting expectations will be a least once per day. I will commit to the same. If life happens, please let the group know and we can bot for short periods of time. About Me:
I've GM'ed and played all kinds of RPG's from 1E to GURPS to Pathfinder and a few others sprinkled in to the mix. I'm still fairly new to 5E but have really enjoyed the system and lighter rule set.
I like the PbP format for the better RP opportunities it can offer and the way characters can really become something more than just stats and die rolls. So with that in mind as a GM I do try to work with PC backgrounds, hooks, and character goals. I've also learned to keep the length of each PbP adventure or campaign element much shorter than the typical Adventure Path. (See my previous Kingmaker game for something that is much to long for PbP.) So even if this game ends up continuing beyond the first adventure, the additional story lines will be of similar length to allow for PC's to come and go as needed If it looks like there is enough interest, I'll open a recruitment thread later in the weekend or after the New Year.
After receiving your copy of the charter, the Lord Mayor’s secretary told you, the expedition to the Stolen Lands is set to depart from the Rostov Market Gate today, the 25th of Calistril. He mentions that you are to meet up with your fellow charter-bearers and a small group of settlers that have answered the early calls and opportunities offered by the Swordlords in this new venture. He says that although little trouble is expected during the week long journey to Oleg’s, your first duty is to see the settlers safely to Oleg’s before engaging in other exploration. This early in the year, the weather isn’t ideal for travel, the roads are typically muddy or snow covered. However, fortune must be smiling on the expedition as a recent series of heavy winter storms has ended and today the sun is out providing some welcome light and warmth after weeks of gray, rain and snow. As you arrive at the bustling Market Gate, you notice a group of four wagons of diverse size and function, each occupied by an equally diverse set of passengers. Although there is a significant amount of traffic arriving and departing to and from the north, east, and west, this group appears to be the only one getting ready to travel south.
The second wagon is smaller than the first and driven by a large Ulfen with long blond hair and beard, braided and neatly in traditional custom. A pipe hangs from his mouth and a steady stream of sweet smelling tobacco smoke drifts into the air. The familiar shape of a large anvil can be seen sticking up under the heavy tarp covering much of the back. Behind the smith’s wagon is a mule drawn cart. Holding the reins is a watchful Halfling woman who leans over and speaks quietly to a striking brunette woman wearing a simple dress of green cotton, sturdy leather boots, and a heavy oiled leather coat. Although her clothing is of good quality, her beauty seems diminished by the slightly thin, pale look of someone who hasn’t eaten well for several days. The final wagon is hardly noticed beyond its pair of odd looking owners. Dwarven twins, sit on the driver’s bench, but dressed in entirely different manners. The first wears the typical gray and brown earth tones common among many clans. His brother, however, is wearing a brilliant red and yellow overcoat lined with purple silk, and all of that is topped with a brilliant red and purple stripped, slightly crooked and worn top hat which stands a good foot above his head. Currently the two are busily arguing over some minor mundane matter while they wait for the rest of the expedition to gather and get under way.
First, I'd just like to say thanks again and I hope everyone enjoys the game. To get things started if you could all give me your time zones (Mine is US West Coast, PST) and just let me know that your characters are all final and ready to start that would be great. A couple of other formatting and 'house rule' notes before we begin: Critical Hits will cause double damage, but I will also add some other effect based on the situation. I have numerous charts to roll from including the old Rolemaster set which are still fun. Critical Fumbles are possible with a natural 1 and a confirmed miss. I will determine the result based on a d100 roll from you. During combat please begin each post with a spoiler containing the round, your Initiative, AC, HP Current/HP Total, Reflex, Will, and Fort Saves. To help me find things quicker and easier, in the IC thread please do use the and "bold normal dialogue." If you have questions feel free to ask, otherwise feel free to discuss roles, tactics, kingdom names, marching orders, etc. I'll have the first actual Gameplay post up a little later today.
Looking for those who would be interested in a Kingmaker campaign, however, this will be highly modified from the AP material. While the basic premise is the same, many, encounters and the overall story line will vary a little (or a lot depending on what happens) from what is presented in the Adventure Path. Kingdom building and running rules will remain the same as those presented in the AP. Character Guidelines
Party will be selected based on character background and ability to work well together. Although I’ve been GMing for over 20 years (mostly home brew campaigns), I’m new to the PbP games. Any ideas for maps or other useful tool suggestions will be welcome. Depending on interest, I'll likely close recruitment by Friday, December 30th and plan to get things rolling on January 2nd or 3rd. |