Mathilde discards her pickle along with the honeycomb detritus. "You mean Rootman Jerrod? He's real?! How's that song go? 'Something, something, down with the roots.' Then something else about blood on his boots? That Jerrod?"
When Remy nods and shrugs, Mathilde purses her lips and shrugs in kind. "Sure then, if he may know something. What about the temple as well? Should we see if there's anything there that could shed light on the situation?"
Having said his piece, Remy is more than happy to assist Hagar and Charlotte in cleaning up his honeyed prophecy. "Er... careful please, with they... oh, sure, but maybe not the... oh, very right. Nevermind." Whatever he is attempting to salvage is quickly scraped up and discarded. Forlorn, he stares for a moment down at the sticky print that remains on the floorboards--the silhouette of a hand, if you squint hard enough.
"Oh, you must mean Jerrod!" he calls to Syrina. "The oldest man in the village, right? I mean, he doesn't quite live in the village, but just on the outskirts in his hovel. Certainly he would be the oldest, no?"
Assuming it's ok to make up some lore. Adjust this all accordingly, GM BrOp...
Jerrod is a well known hunter who lives just outside of town. He is rarely seen except by those who go out to barter for some of his game. He is incredibly self-sufficient and even the oldest members of the town remember him much the same as he is now--old, reclusive, and peculiar-- even when they were kids. He is the subject of numerous folktales that kids like to repeat, and no one seems to know exactly how old he is... but it must be high, no?
"Sometimes I trade honey for a bit of his stock. It preserves well, you know. I haven't been to see him in a while, but perhaps we could pay him a visit?"
"Yes, yes... er, the site is but a window into what is. It is... is but a remnant now," Remy mumbles as he stares down at the honeycomb melting at his feet. He's still shocked at Candace's immediate recognition. Few have such insight so intuitively.
"So then, our... our 'militia' is growing, no?"
Then, in acknowledgment of Syrina's query--"Oh... yes. I would forgo my compensation. Monetary compensation anyway. I just... I owe this to the bees."
There's a loud slap as something falls wet and heavy on the floorboards near the backdoor of the Pig and Pickle. Remy stands there, poised with his gnarled staff and feet spread wide like a prophet of old. The fire in his eyes suggests the same. "Now you have to believe me," he mutters to the room, looking down at the sheet of honeycomb recently dropped at his feet. Then louder, with growing confidence, "Now you HAVE TO believe me!"
He nods vigorously at the discarded mat of honey and hexes, slightly cracked and mundane enough, though clearly out of place. "You can see it now, can't you?" His voice rises and falls as if he's talking to himself, then remembers the audience and his desire to project. "Can't YOU? I told you it was at the standing stones. You didn't believe me. But the bees know. They've known for a while. Look at this. LOOK at this!"
He swings his staff to indicate nine different parts of the hive, which all look relatively the same as any other part. "... and here, wait no, here I mean. You see it? Do you see the stones?! We have to go. I'm not the only one with losses. You all have felt them. This is where our answers lie."
* * *
Seated uncomfortably close to this charade, alone and nursing a large pickle she really isn't enjoying, Mathilde becomes increasingly aware of how visible she is sitting right beside the strange scene of tea-leaf-honeycomb-divination.
She tries to stand slowly to step away--give the man some space--but the scraping of her chair against the floorboards gives her away.
Her eyes grow wide as Remy applauds her sudden adoption and haste to set off. Mathilde goes to shake her head in defiance but her eyes instead fall upon Syrina--successful and lauded Syrina.
"Yep," she hears herself croak before she registers the impulse. "Um, yeah. I was... I was thinking the same and I'm ready to go. Right now even." She brushes the barely-chewed pickle aside and coughs into her fist while mustering confidence, then settles into a more comfortable stance at that awkward angle she often adopts.
"All this country needs is a little more water and a better class of people to move in."
"Yeah, they say that's all hell needs."
1871 - You and yours got it in the neck good. Ain’t that always the way it goes? That flannel-mouthed demon had an offer too good to be true, which you were too enticed to pass up. Now, nearly a decade down the trail, that four-flusher’s got your world up the spout, and Hell itself is damn close on your heels. But that doesn’t hold a candle to what you can dish out in return, and I wager you’re fittin’ to euchre the devil himself; soon as you can figure how. Safe trails.
********
This game is a High-Octane, Supernatural, Spaghetti Western Son-of-a-B**ch, ridin’ a crazy horse called Fate Core.
• Spaghetti Western - A style of Westerns (gunslingers, outlaws, wide open ranges, and lawless territories) characterized by gritty noir style antiheroes, darker plots, and over-the-top action. It's somehow pulpy with larger than life heroes as well as deadly.
• Supernatural - Demonic bargains, clairvoyants, shamans, mythical beasts, voodoo practitioners, undead, mystical relics, werewolves, forgotten gods and cultists... yeah, everything you can fit into that grisly trough. It's not everywhere, and most people convince themselves that those stories are hogwash and tall tales, but you know it’s the Simon pure.
• High-Octane - While this is heavy role-play by nature of a story game system, it's going to be relatively fast paced and hard hitting (for a story game). Character development happens during the action, as I don't intend many opportunities to catch your breath. Do that when you're dead. I also have next to no intention of keeping this historically accurate to the period. I foresee quite a few blatant anachronisms, and maybe an occasional accidental one, but there’s no way you’ll mistake it for anything but a western.
Tom Mix wrote:
"The Old West is not a certain place in a certain time, it's a state of mind. It's whatever you want it to be."
As for Fate Core, the core rules can be downloaded here at whatever price you deem fit; and there's a fantastic SRD. We’ll stick fairly close to that, but we’re not exactly playing according to Hoyle. I’ve got some modifications to throw in to really dial in the setting and better suit a PbP format. But as long as you twig Fate Core, you’ll slide into this without any problems at all.
********
Oh yeah, and if you're looking for a concept on what Fate Core embodies -- what sort of mindset am I looking at in this system? -- check out:
Phew, I almost didn't get in my daily post! It's late though, and I still have some prep for tomorrow. So the top of the next round should come tomorrow around 11 or so PST.
For the oddly curious or voyeuristic:
My wife flew out of town for the week, and (luckily) was able to bump up her flight schedule to this morning in order to avoid some severe weather due tomorrow (when her flight was originally scheduled). So to cut to the chase, I took the day off of work to watch our three, young children. Tomorrow they're with grandma!
So the post that I typically get up on my lunch break, didn't happen because lunch breaks don't exist with toddlers/preschoolers. That's my excuse/explanation. And if I missed anything, please let me know, as I feel today's post was a rather hectic catch-up on my end.
How about this. Here's a Google Docs Spreadsheet. Anyone can edit it, and people are responsible for keeping their own character info and link up to date.
The current format lists PC name (with link to profile), beside class.
It will stay linked on this post on the first page, or Divinitus could link it into the heading (not sure if that works on recruitment threads though) :/
Applicants: Keep linked characters up to date, and remove if you no longer wish to apply. Also a good idea to post interest in this thread to keep bumping it.
GMs: Either remove the applicant if you accept them to your campaign or (preferably) have the player of the PC do so. That way those still on the list are still looking for games.
Alright, now I can answer some things! First, thanks for your patience with my absence most of yesterday. Second, thanks for being good sports with some difficult moves. This is getting pretty nasty for a "first fight". Let me explain why:
Why Is This So Nasty?:
Dungeon World does away with the philosophy that in order to make an opponent difficult, you need to give them a million hitpoints. Typical dragons only have 16 hit points. This nasty Red-Man Draugr has pretty meager HP as well... but that's not what makes him difficult. Instead, in Dungeon World, things become more difficult through the fiction (how nasty it is to try and get near them or execute a successful attack) and by the severity of the hard moves the GM makes in relation to them. Check out this article for a great example--> 16 HP Dragon
When someone gives me an opportunity for a hard move, I'm trying in most cases to make them tougher than you'd expect with a first fight because you guys are engaging the most difficult opponent there. I'm also making soft moves with him constantly to reflect his difficulty.
Fights should be tough, I want you guys to sweat a little. But I really am fans of these fantastic characters, so don't think that I'm just trying to kill you all off. The game's no fun that way.
------------------------------
Brynjolvar, I may have given you the wrong impression of how moves work. Usually you do roll to determine the results of an action, like we're familiar with in most RPGs. Which means you talk about what you're doing and the actions your taking but leave the results of success or failure open ended for the roll to decide. Then the GM interprets the roll to let you know how your attempt played out. You're doing it well, I just want to try and explain it better than I had.
There's just a couple things that set DW apart in this area.
Monster Moves/Druid Shifted Moves
Beginning and Ending with Fiction
Monster/Druid Moves:
As you may have noticed, I never roll things to determine how successful NPCs are with any action. They just do things, and their success or failure is inversely connected to your own. If you're doing well, they aren't. If you're doing poorly, they're extremely dangerous. So I am constantly setting up threats with them, and if you're successful then the threats are thwarted. If you're unsuccessful then painful/disastrous things happen. And when a monster makes a move in the latter instance, it just happens (like the Draugr's Icy Touch on Baelgrin... I didn't have to roll anything to make that move).
When a Druid shifts, he/she gets a handful of moves that can be used in that form. They operate identically to Monster Moves in that you can spend your hold to simply make that happen (successfully) if the fiction allows it. For instance, GMs commonly assign some sort of "Get Away" move like "Retreat to the Woods" could be one for the wolf. If you're in a really nasty spot, you can just spend 1 hold and that happens. No rolls are needed, you just safely get to the woods (assuming you aren't tied up or in some creature's belly, etc.)
So only in that way do you have the option of doing something chancy that automatically succeed!
Begin and End with the Fiction:
This is Dungeon World's term for emphasizing the story over the mechanics. It means that whenever mechanical stuff like rolling dice comes into play, it needs to arise out of a fictional description, and result in further fictional description. This way, it's always about the story rather than descending into simply mechanics.
Let me give you some bad examples, followed by a simple correction:
Svolli the Dwarf is facing down a spider the size of a grizzly bear. He sees the massive arachnid at the base of its web as he turns the tunnels corner.
Svolli's player: "Oh nasty! That thing most definitely can't stay! I'm gonna hack and slash." *rolls dice
This is super common in RPGs, but ultimately pretty stale because it doesn't begin with fiction. It began with mechanics: "I'm gonna hack and slash". He might as well have said "I click space bar 20 times until its dead." He's describing mechanical rules, not a story rooted in the fiction.
Player rolls an 11 for complete success, without repercussion. Then rolls damage for 6.
GM: "Nice roll! You do 6 damage to the Spider. He looks pretty pissed now and..."
Likewise, this becomes rather common but is equally stale as the mechanical action doesn't get interpreted back into the fiction. "You do 6 damage" isn't a story element, it's mechanics. to end with fiction, it needs to be interpreted back into the story the same way the mechanics arose out of the story.
Better Example All Around: Svolli the Dwarf is facing down a spider the size of a grizzly bear. He sees the massive arachnid at the base of its web as he turns the tunnels corner.
Svolli's player: "Oh nasty! That thing most definitely can't stay! I rush around the corner and bring my axe crashing down into whatever legs try to get in my way first. I'll chop 'em all off if I need to!" He then rolls Hack and Slash (mechanics) because it arose out of what he described. Player rolls an 11 for complete success, without repercussion. Then rolls damage for 6.
GM: "Nice roll! So that's 6 damage. Your axe cleaves through three of the arachnid's legs on its left side, causing it to collapse lopsided to that side. But there's still some fight in it, and he looks pretty pissed..."
In this example the mechanics happened because the action was actually happening in the fiction, and then got interpreted from mechanics back into the fiction as well. It's about the story, and the mechanics are just there to help direct it.
The best advice I've heard on how to keep this in mind is to always be asking yourself "How?" whenever you dictate an action. This will push you away from the mechanics and into fictional actions that describe them.
Example: I'll Defy Danger with my characters incredible speed.How?By dodging out of the way of the falling rocks.How? By diving to the side and rolling beneath an overhang in the cavern walls.
The final iteration is way more story intensive than the first, which was simply mechanics.
If any of you are looking for a relatively quick read that will REALLY help you overcome some of the hurdles we typically bring from other RPGs, I couldn't recommend this guide highly enough! Link is in the first post of Recruitment Thread
------------------------------
Then we get to interpreting your rolls. Generally as a player, I'd leave things open when you fail a roll in the same manner you would with a partial success, rather than trying to interpret the fail yourself. If you set up a specific failure, but I have a different one in mind you may end up with both. And in Dungeon World, a 6- doesn't always mean failure. It just means that I make a move to really complicate the situation. And sometimes, that means you could still succeed at the attempt.
For instance: if trying to Spout Lore, when getting a 6- I find it far more interesting to spout some lore about something but have it be incredibly bad news than to just not recall anything.
------------------------------
Next, character rolls or niches. The druid, by design, tends to bleed into just about every area. Depending on what form you take you can fight, scout, travel, persuade, etc... Tofa I think explained it pretty well. I think even if we end up with two people that can become bears, it should work out in a way that still protects niches. Especially because Signy will have access to fury as a bear that you will not, and you will have a myriad of other animals that you can shift into. There's simply one area where the mechanics bleed together, but the fiction distinguishes.
------------------------------
Finally, Sala brought up something interesting in a PM that's worth noting. Not everything your character does will need a roll. I'll only ask for rolls if failure seems particularly interesting or the action is potentially dangerous.
She wants to throw an object somewhere, but there's no clear cut basic move for doing so. As far as I'm concerned, you just throw it and it ends up basically where you want it. You're heroes, after all.
------------------------------
If I missed any questions, please draw my attention to them or ask again. I'm not trying to ignore any, just catching up.
*Oh* also: that was a pretty pointed hard move against Baelgrin to freeze your mouth. It fit with the fiction, but I didn't really think about the horrendous implications for a bard. When I update gameplay you'll find that you're beginning to regain use of your voicebox, since really it's just your lips that were frozen. Charisma penalty, certainly, but not a total shutdown of your niche. That's crappy!
Tofa: Any of those sound pretty awesome! I look forward to whatever solidifies between now and then.
And while I'm waiting to see if some of the others check in, here's some generic questions.
Questions For All:
Everyone gets to answer these. Which means that there should be at least as many different answers as players :). Also feel free to provide multiple answers to any of them if they inspire you, as these are hard to overdose on.
What incredible signs have occurred that indicate the end has come? How do people know this is Ragnarok?
Sub-question: Why will Spring never come?
What rumors have you heard regarding the gods and the reason for the sudden silence?
What taboos have long been respected by your culture, but now are beginning to wane with the end?
When the Wise Women interpreted the strange visions you've been having, what did they warn you against?
Personal Questions
Baelgrin the Old
As a revered Skald, you are a wealth of stories and insight. Tell me a little about the people that were, before this cataclysm hit. How did communities work and what were people like? You're welcome to draw on the ship concept that Sven was developing. We are not confined to it however, since we will no longer have a Sea King.
Tofa the Valkyrie
You know the world beyond, or at least what it used to be. What were the gods like before they fell silent? How did they interact with humanity, and how did humanity show their reverence?
Scratch that Monday thing, I think I'm all set. I've put up the introductory post. I likely won't be able to resolve anything until Monday still, however.
I put the beginning up though so you can be thinking about it without having to wait three days for stuff to start rolling. Please feel free to continue to set up bonds and mess with the map if you need to.
Brilliant. I'm glad to see even a little interest! I have no doubt as well that you'll find the AW book well worth the big of coin.
In case anyone is deterred from giving this a shot by not wanting to purchase the book, I'm not requiring it. I'll gladly help you through the rules (which are incredibly simple) and you can decide later down the road if it's worth grabbing. Having it, however, will greatly increase your understanding of how it all works and provide some great examples.
Here is a list of the current playbooks (classes, if you prefer):
Clockworker - you are the master tinkerer, constructor of and friend to all things mechanical.
Dandy - you are the socialite queen bee with your own entourage of sharp followers and a witty tongue.
Pugilist - you have fists of fury and are always a sucker for spectacle.
Rocketeer - you're the dashing hero, with an experimental device and a blatant disregard for your own well-being.
Automaton - you are a mechanical being seeking sentience, or perhaps not.
Ogre - you are impossible to miss, and terrifying to anger. People wouldn't like it when you're angry.
Alchemist - you are more than just a healer, you are a man of SCIENCE!
Professor - you use your encyclopedic wit and daring-do to fuel heart-pumping adventure.
Duelist - you are the master of sword or pistol, and unmatched in single combat.
Corsair - you are the commander of a stolen vessel and crew of the skies.
Engineer - you are a mechanic and logician making sure the trains are ever punctual and in peak condition - master of vehicles
Idol - you are the glamorous celebrity everyone adores and host to a throng of loyal fans
Urchin - you're a survivor at the bottom of society, and the best one there is.
Ringmaster - you are the master of your own establishment, in the business of entertainment and spectacle.
Magician - you are an entertainer of the most fantastic variety, spinning illusions and mastering misdirection
Fox - you are the shadows, with sticky fingers and an appraising eye
Surgeon - you hold life in your hands. You can save it... improve it!
Soloist - you are a virtuoso musician with a smooth tongue and captivated audience
Investigator - you see everything, master of puzzles and gadgets.
Many of these are a work in progress with the creator still. I'm more than willing to tweak things as well to best embody a concept someone might have.
Human Bard 2 | HP 14/14 | AC: 14, t:12, ff:12 | Fort 0, Ref 5, Will 3 | Init +2, Perc +3
The crew is rushed up to the main deck before Diego has the opportunity to heal Alessandra discreetly. Luckily Ms. Longfarthing is being retrieved. So Diego pats the young half-orc on the shoulder lightly before rising. "You did well. Perhaps I can heal more this evening. he whispers, as if she can hear him.
---------------------------
Diego feigns flattery when Plugg remembers his name. "Aw... the rest of the crew thought you didn't care." He quips with a grin, but trails off quickly remembering that he ought to lay low a bit longer still.
Alessandra wrote:
Aware that the bilges are filthy, she unwinds her pink scarf from around her neck and hands it to Diego before they all go their separate ways "You remember how this goes, right?"
The tattooed man clicks his tongue, folding the scarf into something he can keep easily while he works. "Particular about this I'm gathering." he says with a nod. "If they kill me for it, I expect you to avenge my death." He turns to head off to his own job, but stops about two steps away to amend that last statement. "And when people tell the tale, I'd appreciate it if you make it sound like a killed some of them myself."
-----------------------------
Swab Check (Con):1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19 Influence Check (Diplomacy with Cog):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 Right on. Take me to the high-rollers table before this wave crashes.
"You seem a man that appreciates good stories of awful men. Diego voices to the man in the blue bandanna as they mop. "Which every tale on the high seas is, right? It's a harsh reality to live, but it's a damn exciting story to tell. Do you know of any yourself? I'm always looking for more to add to my arsenal, and the darker ones get the best mileage."
Human Bard 2 | HP 14/14 | AC: 14, t:12, ff:12 | Fort 0, Ref 5, Will 3 | Init +2, Perc +3
The young man smirks at Alessandra, especially the threat at the end. Little does she know the background he has with half-orcs--and enough experience to recognize the friendship apparent in such violent talk. He simply offers a nod of acquienscence, still grinning as he folds the scarf he's been handed into a tidy triangle.
Perhaps she's right, it would be good not to kick the hive too much, especially if others might be at stake. He looks to the others:
Reflection:
Shaeda has a fire that's contagious to be around. And more appealing than that, she's an individual. Diego notes the flotsam and shells that adorn her clothing, impressed by the unique style as well as humility. She's bold, spunky, and fierce; which are alluring traits.
Bellara has poise and command. She could captain a ship if given the chance, and men would follow. Hell, men would likely follow her anywhere based on looks alone. But there's significantly more beneath that. He can't tell if she tries to conceal that, with her masculine attire and formal demeanor, out of a desire to be seen as more or out of self-consciousness. Whatever the reason, it's certainly not what defines her, and anyone who reduces her to such will suffer a significant loss.
Alessandra has the capriciousness of youth. She has a quick temper, but is quick to make friends... which is ironic as Diego imagines she's been hurt in that realm fairly often. McGunners opened his eyes to a lot of the prejudice he would have otherwise overlooked. And even from this single long day of experience, Diego can tell she deserves far better than that. She clearly puts effort into looking human, but hopefully can see the beauty she possesses through that orcish blood.
And Rogar has been to sea... he said something about not wishing to be back here just this morning. He's stuck in this predicament, but deals with it with strength. The ale may be a vice, but it's not a crutch. Diego has a suspicion the dwarf's actually quite brilliant--which is a little intimidating, as Diego prefers to think he knows the most. It's very likely that the grizzly alchemist has him surpassed by leagues.
I'm assuming that Diego has already used his night time action in (attempting to) entertain the crew. So there will be no attempts to influence anyone at this point... but it seems out of character not to address Rosie's fiddle.
Diego spends some time talking to the Halfling that spoke of a fiddle she used to own. The young man had assumed that the five of them press-ganged last night were the only ones forced aboard the ship, though such an assumption is rather foolish in retrospect. "Taken, maybe..." he proposes, "but perhaps there is a way we could get it back." His eyebrows raise, with a confident glint. "Music would make evenings here far more bearable. Have you any idea though where equipment taken might be kept?"
He can't help but think of his own lost equipment of course, especialy the ivory pipe that Filligree had left in his care.
Mandus: Your flesh crackles and burns as you consume the flame. It's excruciating as well as invigorating. Take 1d6 damage, ignores armor. Heavy in the air is the smell of burning lizard, and the weight that only you feel. You know that you must avoid fire now, as long as the curse remains--the smaller the fire, the closer you may come and the less they will burn... but large fires could spell your end from a distance.
Things like candles, oil lamps, etc. you can extinguish by getting close enough, with no real pain. But the bigger a flame is, the further its heat reaches creating the real possibility of you consuming it at risk to yourself. I'll work with you as well on creating a custom move for expelling the flame.
Morgan and Skorabor: You both are quick to reach the trough, but the flames are devoured before the water is needed. You have no idea what just happened here, but the air feels heavy.
Horn:The +1 forward is perfect."I need to get back." The mink pleads with you. "I'll tell you what you want, but you must release me, please! I cannot say her name, but we call her the Oak. She is the forest, and you're less in control than you think. We all are." He's panting hard as he tries to continue. "It's just me and the wargs. They were to guard the tunnel while I lead the shadows. If there was anyone else, I still wouldn't be talking. And please, these sutures are what keeps my soul within. I can't escape this body yet, I know where my soul would go!"
Gil grunted as the claw reached through his leather tunic, leaving the garment strangely untouched but still causing pain to flare in his chest. As he landed, he quickly checked himself, realizing that the unnatural creatures touch had torn at something other than his flesh. Clutching his chest as the now fading pain continued to stab at his heart, his eyes opened wide as his attention returned to his assailant. "Dont ignore me you filthy mongrel!" He roared, repeating his previous gambit as he sailed through the air to attack.
With his opponents back turned, Gil this time managed a perfect somersault. As he cleared the creature, he reached out and swiped the painting from the wall, slamming the flaming piece of art into its faceless head.
However much like his blade before it, the painting did nothing but sail through the creature with little effect.
Giltharon:
I'm sorry for all of the spoiler text, but I want to help bring understanding to a system that a LOT of people struggle with at first. I think you misunderstand the Crazy Leap move. Moves, in general, aren't things you select like in most RPG's, but are triggered as part of the narrative you describe. Crazy Leap triggers whenever you leap into the air all swashbuckler like - but would have to involve leaping from a balcony or ship's rigging, or swinging from a chandalier, or off of a rooftop, etc. So I don't think it fits in this situation, though you're welcome to fill your actions with acrobatics.
The good news is that in that situation, when you do leap off of things like that, you can use a hold to simply deal your class damage... don't even worry about hack and slash rolls, part of the move is dealing damage on your way down to... wherever.
Last time I treated it more like a Defy Danger, leaping over the shade to avoid being attacked. Defy Danger doesn't earn you any hold, but neither does it cost any to Hack and Slash. This time, it isn't attacking you, but is instead devouring the fire. So honestly, you could just grab the tapestry and pull it into it's face. No moves needed there if it isn't focused on you, and I'll treat it as such. Likewise, with it's back to you you don't need to roll hack and slash. You just stab it, and deal damage! This will all be reflected in the reply below, but I want to help it make sense.
Though the Hack and Slash roll wasn't necessary, and you'll still deal damage, take the xp from it.
Oops, and your armor should have prevented 1 damage from that attack. I missed that you had leather on.
Gil: In a single flourish you grip the flaming tapestry in one hand while you thrust your blade into the shadow with the other. The last of the trailing flame is devoured as the tapestry covers the shade and the floor plunges once again into complete darkness. Your cutlass, however, drives deep.
Roll 1d8-2 for damage.
Gil and Skorabor: Even as darkness engulfs the group again, the two of you can trace the outlines of the three (two?) remaining shades as well as Barley. You also realize that the other 3 aren't fully gone, that they linger in the corners and the rafters where light could not reach as they regain their strength. Perhaps physical means aren't as potent as we thought.
When Numeo reaches the park, he slows his stride and scopes out the park, looking for any lurking threats. If there are people present, he studies them carefully, looking for telltale bulges. He also looks in the windows of the buildings bordering the park, trying to look casual as he does so. The most dangerous step you can take is the one right before you're safe, Numeo thinks to himself, remembering the lessons of the mentor that taught him alchemy.
Yay! Mark another xp!
It's impossible to see much of anything in this darkness. You can smell the soil and foliage of the park, come alive by this coastal storm. A flash of lightning burns an array of silhouettes in your vision, but every shape your imagination is able to attach to something dangerous as well as harmless. You're not sure if you see movement or if it's just the rain all around you.
Then you hear the crunch of glass beneath your foot. You lift it to examine whatever you just stepped on and find a familiar looking monacle. You're certain you've never seen it before, but you can smell goblin blood on it. You have an uneasy feeling that follows that realization.
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
Stephanie knows little of religion, but has learned a little bit of human nature. There seems to be a mockery occuring in this room, with one statue bound and the other painted garishly. "I agree, let's not do anything until we have a better idea of what's going on here. Does anyone know anything of these gods?"
She desperately wishes she could use her cantrips at this moment, feeling naked and vulnerable without them. You never realize how much you appreciate the ability to conjure light, or clean your clothes, until the means to do so have been removed.
She suddenly realizes that she's been subconciously lifting the hems of her robes so as not to let it come too close to the ground, ever since she lost her cantrips.
Nunships are evangelical in nature. They have no defenses and are often filled with naive' proselytes dedicated to spreading the word of their deity. They are widely recognized by the flag of their faith which they fly prominantly. There seems to be an unwritten code, even amongst seedier sorts, that protects nunships from attack - since their nature is benevolent and peaceful. Especially since there's rarely anything on board worth pillaging. And stealing their flags for the sake of a ruse is widely believed to be inviting the wrath of the gods themselves.
However, as the concept has spread throughout other burgeoning faiths, there has developed a phenomenon in which nunships have attacked other nunships of an opposing religion.
Few are aware of this new phenomena, but you are aware that through this development has come a sort of "battle nunships", which arms these frail but devoute "peacemakers" in order to pursue or defend from other "battle nunships". This variety is only recognized by the subtle introduction of red somewhere amongst the flag of their faith, which they fly to designate themselves as nunships.
The latter is hardly common knowledge. How did you come across it?
The plan is to get the gamethread started today, with the actual adventure. If you're half as excited as I am to get started, Monday is just too far away.
Let me outline a few things here though first, just so there's no confusion regarding the way I intend to run this, and you all know exactly what to expect:
There are no turns. If you've played Dungeon World before, you're used to this. At a table, it still keeps a semblance of order, but online it means a lot of people acting at once. It also gives you a chance to step in and help where it might be needed. (Example: If Quelthas is casting a spell and gets a 7-9, Everett could use his turn to jump in and defend him from the potential complication. Or if Numeo is falling of the side of the ship and rolls a 6, Obed could use the Aid move in hopes of bumping that 6 up to a less frightening 7.
In this chaos, however, I ask that you not take too many moves before I can respond. Defying Danger, then Hack and Slash make sense together in some situations (and if you fail the first, it may simply negate the latter). But if you've already declared a Hack and slash move on a creature, then before I reply to resolve it also decide to defy danger to get away and go defend a comrade who's in trouble... you have 3 moves now to be resolved. If those all go poorly it may kill you outright before anyone else can jump in to help.
Some people can post a lot, some may only be able to get a single post per day. I will try to keep an equal pace by not resolving some actions until everyone gets a chance to jump in.
Regular Pacing. I'm hoping that one post a day (on weekdays) isn't too much to ask. Sometimes it may be more frequent, but I will not let it get too far before everyone's had a chance to post. Weekends, however, are family time for me, so I likely won't be able to do more than maybe ask some questions or resolve small actions.
I'll give you a heads up if I'm gone for a bit, and would appreciate the same so I can maybe NPC you for the short stint. And if the group is waiting for 24 hours without a reply of any sort, I reserve the right to NPC or make a soft move.
Basic respect. And this probably doesn't even need mentioned, but there are people behind the characters you're playing with. There may be in character conflict, but I would like you to keep it in game. Likewise, any in character conflict I would like to be mutual... if you want to steal something from a character, check with that player and make sure they're ok with this happening. I will do things to complicate your lives, you don't need to be watching out for the same from each other. (Waking up to find yourself tied to the mast is one thing if the ships under attack and I forced that, it's another to find out another player has done it).
Make it a conversation. I don't feel the need to isolate questions or thoughts to the discussion thread, and keep only tangible actions in the game thread. I expect it to look like a conversation there. So ask questions. Share plans. Etc. Then we can use the discussion thread for other things, like debating what the best kind of bear is or how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop.
----------------------
There are still some things to iron out on the character sheets, but I feel ok moving forward even with them. I would like to see a character sheet for Quelthas though, so I at least know HP and stats.
Quick Check-in:
I only had time for a quick perusal, but it love the backgrounds and that you guys are starting to get Bonds together. Here's some quick thoughts that I'll likely expound on when I have more time.
Backgrounds
Fantastic, most of you have more than enough for us to get started with, and we'll all discover more as we play. Honestly, very excited about these characters. Sebastian is the only one with a character concept that could still use something more (and you've already said you're working on it.). I have a great feel for how he is, and I look forward to getting a glimpse of why he is.
Bonds
Since you're already getting some together... You don't need one for every other character, but are welcome to. Keep in mind though that this is what bonds you together, why you are more than acquaintances. So if I have a Bond with someone I don't just describe how I feel about them, I describe what ties us together through fate. Did he save your life? Do you hope to learn something from him? Do you need to prove something to him, or prove superiority, etc.
Also, this should be something that can resolve in some capacity (that's how you get xp from it). Obed's Bond to Squart, for instance, could be resolved should he manage to convert Squart or at least fully inform him of his heritage. This is perfect!
Obed's Bond to Sebastian, however (to show both praise and constructive criticism with the same character) would likely only resolve if Obed sacrifices Sebastian. It would be better to create a connection that doesn't depend on another character's death.
Drives
Because the nature of a pirate theme blurs morals a bit, I have opted to replace the alignment mechanic with a drive mechanic. A Drive is what motivates your character at the deepest level. What determines success, what would he face danger for, what becomes the measure of his purpose? This could be amassing fortune, or power, or romance, or fame, or friends... Maybe justice, or obedience, etc. There's some examples on the sheets. You can use those or come up with your own.
You will gain an experience point when you achieve a significant victory in that direction, or willingly complicate things in a significant way because of it.
For example: If driven by romance, you would gain an experience point when you got the duchess to fall in love with you. Victory! Or if, while at the Duke's festival you sweep up his wife in a dazzling display and kiss her in front of your now furious host. Willing complication! If, instead, at the party you get a low Parley roll and as the GM I use that opportunity by having the Duke find out about your affair, no xp. Yes it's a complication in the name of your drive, but it came about as a GM lead complication, not a willing and intentional one.
I can explain this better later. Obed's Drive, for example, would earn him xp whenever he achieved a significant advancement in freeing his god, or when he willingly created a dangerous situation in the name of serving that god.
The Sleeper
I have some proposal's for Obed's god and his direction. I love this character and look forward to watching him meld with the group. But I want to adapt some things so that I don't frustrate you or your character concept. If his ultimate goal is the end of the world, or every race but his own, I as a GM couldn't let you achieve that. That's frustrating as a player! I want to be able to let you guys achieve your ultimate goals (even if I make it incredibly hard along the way).
One of the main rules for GMs of this game is to be a fan of the characters. This means making them the stars, and rooting for you to pull through. I don't want this to lead to a point where I'm rooting against your goals because I'm rooting for the survival of the other players.
But I already am a fan of your character, and I think I know of some ways to make this work and let you play an evil character that we all still root for *sinister grin*.
This has already taken far more time than I actually have! So I'll explain some of those ideas later. Thanks for all your creativity guys, this will be fun!
"Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates" - Mark Twain
I know these are pathfinder boards, but I'm looking for a couple more players willing to try this great system!
Dungeon World is probably the most dynamic and natural feeling setting for an RPG that I’ve ever come across. It’s simple, it’s creative, and it’s dynamic.
The entire focus of this setting is the fiction (the story) and the fantastic characters that make that story happen. The mechanics are intended to rise out of the fiction and spur you on into further adventure by introducing complications, rather than determine if you can do what you desire. In fact, as a GM I don’t even roll any dice – instead I prompt you, the players, to roll when failure might present interesting options and build the story according to those successes and quirks.
Don’t worry, it’s not completely free form. As a GM I do everything that would typically be expected of one wearing that cap: setting the scene and mood, providing interesting hooks and dilemmas, roleplaying NPCs and dangerous creatures, and describing the events as they unfold around you. What makes this different is that these things explode out of what you, the adventurers do. It’s got that vintage, old-school aroma.
This is what I mean. Everything that needs to be resolved is performed by rolling 2d6 (with a minor modifier for stats). A result of 10+ is a complete success, a result of 7-9 means you succeed but there’s a complication, and a result of 6 or less means that you jot down a point of experience and I make things interesting. That’s right, even the lowest roll may not mean you fail at the action, it just means things are heating up. Your actions aren’t defined by the mechanics and the roles, those dice rolls instead rise out of the fictional actions to build a dynamic and fantastic encounter.
Example? Certainly!
Say you want to ride the Kraken’s tentacle up into the top rigging of the ship so you can flick one of your daggers down at one of its bulbous eyes just below the water’s surface. That sounds like a pretty dangerous move, but you’re going to rely on your quick reflexes to hitch that ride and jump free at the right moment. You roll 2d6 and add a bonus from your dexterity (because you’re a slick one!). *That may actually be two death defying moves... riding the tentacle and leaping free into the rigging. But for the example, let's be generous.
10+ on the results: saddle up! You cling to that tentacle and ride it up into the rigging, snagging a rope that swings you to the top beam of the main mast. Now let’s see if we can find that eye!
7-9: Phew, you made it, but there’s a complication. Maybe you lost your throwing dagger in the process, time to improvise. Or maybe the tentacle you just rode is getting ready to smash back down into the mast you’re clinging to!
6-: Mark 1 more point of experience. Maybe you slipped on the deck in your attempt, completely missing the tentacle and now find yourself sliding toward the edge. Or maybe you succeeded in riding the tentacle, but instead of lifting you into the rigging it slipped straight back down into the waves with you hanging on for dear life. Now what do you do?
The point of this setting is to let the players really act through their characters. You don’t make the above decision because you have a “Ride Tentacles” feat; or slag your way through a mess of rolls determining the distance of your jump, your grip vs. the slipperiness of the appendage, and the probability of catching a rope at the top. You do it because it’s what your character would do, and it sounds awesome. And you rest assured that whether it works the way you planned it or not, it’s gonna make one hell of a story should you survive to tell it.
I also have some other options, including some bonus playbooks for alternate classes and rules that I’d share with those playing, but I’ll get into those details next…
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
Terquem wrote:
”Your offer is welcome, Daughter of the two races. There is nothing you can do for me. I will remain here, and protect this room for as long as I can. But you should know this, the Vampire Queens power is not fixed, it ebbs and flows with the natural rhythms of the world and the worlds beyond. With each ritual she perfects her power grows and when her power grows the power of those that serve her also grows. Be careful. If you can end the curse, I will leave this world.”
Stephanie bows low to the ground. She's touched that the others are even considering what a potential coup would mean for her, but also feeling rather embarrassed that such a thought frightens her a little.
Before they leave the room, she finds a moment to speak with Miagnik. "If you would be willing," she whispers, "I would like to hear more of goblins and spiders. It appears my intellectual pursuits have been rather selfish, and there is much I still need to know and understand."
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
The flames around her quickly ignite the hems of her robes, though the gnome continues her charge through the inferno. Once she reaches the previous room she immediately drops to the floor in an attempt to extinguish the flames rising towards her waist.
Damage:1d6 ⇒ 4 Reflex Save for Clothing:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Reflex to Extinguish:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Assuming I'm interpretting rules right: Failed save means FIRE! 1d6 Damage. Clothing needs to make a reflex save or take the same damage (not sure if it gets my bonuses?). Finally, rolling on the ground to extinguish allows another check with a +4 bonus.
Move Action to leave room.
Standard Action to Extinguish.
As the flaming fabric is smothered, the flames diminish leaving a wide-eyed and soot-covered gnome prone on the rock floor. She looks up at the others in a panic, unaware of whether her clothing survived the blaze but suddenly alerted to the possibility.
"DIVERT YOUR EYES!" She squeels, trying to muster a shakey authority. "I may not be decent!"
Gnome* Wizard/4, HP 15/23 (2 NL), AC 13 (T-13, FF-11), Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +4 ---- Init. +8, Perc. +2
"BLASPHEMY!" Stephanie yells as the bugbear names "Vardug" as the Goblin King. "Lies! All lies!" Her cheeks are growing flush with anger, her voice rising in pitch. "My father is the Goblin King, not... Vardug..." She reacts as if saying the name leaves a bitter taste in her mouth. "And he still lives, with my mother to verify his right to the throne! "Take it back!" She demands. "You filthy treasonist! Take it back!"
Still breathing heavily, face red with anger, she pauses for a moment near the cauldron. She looks to the others, then back at the pot--replaying the bugbears last words in her head. Her voice is suddenly controlled again, silky even; and one eyebrow slowly begins to rise. "Wait, you say you've had nothing to eat? Yet this looks like a stew right here?"
Ah, I'll allow this window. New submissions are allowed until 10:00 PM EDT TONIGHT (3:00 AM tomorrow GMT), at which time recruitment closes for everyone.
Splendid, I was hoping you'd give Gobo Hordes the chance. I hate seeing Goblin enthusiasts miss these opportunities. Plus, if this is going to have a horde of the best gobbos ever, we want to be sure we're thorough!
Yeah, putting together maps gets frustrating sometimes. They're really only needed to understand placement though, so the aesthetic doesn't bother me much if GMs go for the extremely simple route.
If you're going the extra mile to really get the look down, that's awesome. But that's just icing on the cake sometimes.
For resources: pyromancers.com is a great site for creating some really great looking grids, if you have the time to play around with it.
And Google Docs is great for hosting maps that everyone can see. Just link to the document in the gameplay thread.
I'm sure there's many more, but I'll get ya started with a couple.
