Metal, Magic, and Lore - Building my MML Setting

[nrtrandahl]

Thanks Andy, Vito, and Ryan for such a wonderful rpg! MML pays emphasis to realism (especially when it comes to combat) from what Ive seen, and that is exactly what I want in a game. I like when my players are hesitant about combat. The setting im considering creating for use with MML will be in a realistic post-medieval (1500s-1600s) land. And most of the campaign setting will detail a vast urban metropolis where the wealthy and noble live in extravagence and the poor suffer from poverty and disease in the city's poorer districts. Some random thoughts I have when thinking about the setting are realistic swordfights with rapiers, little to no armor except for some ceremonial varieties seen on king's knights, little to no magic except maybe some life elementalism which is kept hidden from the city's populace, clothing and customs appropriate to Reniassance-era Earth, breakthroughs in science, architecture, and art, a vast scholar's college in the city, no races except for Men. This setting would be very very heavily-inspired by Ellen Kushner's fantasy series (Swordspoint, Privelage of the Sword, and Fall of Kings).
I know MML is written for the medieval fantasy setting of the Middle Kingdoms as a default but I just want to take the rules to a more realistic and advanced timeframe. Just wanted to know if something like Im thinking is possible with MML?

[AndyMML]

nrtrandahl wrote:

Thanks Andy, Vito, and Ryan for such a wonderful rpg! MML pays emphasis to realism (especially when it comes to combat) from what Ive seen, and that is exactly what I want in a game. I like when my players are hesitant about combat. The setting im considering creating for use with MML will be in a realistic post-medieval (1500s-1600s) land. And most of the campaign setting will detail a vast urban metropolis where the wealthy and noble live in extravagence and the poor suffer from poverty and disease in the city's poorer districts. Some random thoughts I have when thinking about the setting are realistic swordfights with rapiers, little to no armor except for some ceremonial varieties seen on king's knights, little to no magic except maybe some life elementalism which is kept hidden from the city's populace, clothing and customs appropriate to Reniassance-era Earth, breakthroughs in science, architecture, and art, a vast scholar's college in the city, no races except for Men. This setting would be very very heavily-inspired by Ellen Kushner's fantasy series (Swordspoint, Privelage of the Sword, and Fall of Kings).

I know MML is written for the medieval fantasy setting of the Middle Kingdoms as a default but I just want to take the rules to a more realistic and advanced timeframe. Just wanted to know if something like Im thinking is possible with MML?

The short answer to your question is “yes”.

We wrote the entire game to be flexible and scalable so that GMs can breathe life into their campaigns with little, if any, restrictions. One of my earlier campaigns focused almost entirely on the race of Men and the only Beasts were those animals found in nature. Magic in that game was restricted with the common man on the streets believing that magic either didn’t exist or was associated with evil, occult practices.

A world history and racial descriptions are part of the Basic game Player’s Rule Book. However, these elements are not overwhelming or written in a manner such that the game system will not function without them. I think you’ll find that with creativity and a little hard work your campaign world will work quite nicely with the rules presented.

I have not read the books you’re referring to, however it sounds like they are a cool back-drop to your own imaginings. I’ve recently experimented with some new concepts for campaigns, and I’ve even jotted down some notes for a campaign setting in the Steampunk genre.

One of the keys to a great MML campaign is immersing the characters in a rich setting that inspires wonder, awe and adventure. The game’s rules reinforce that feeling of reality established by the GM. So, the two work together to provide the player with a truly exciting gaming experience.

As your ideas develop, we can highlight some other aspects of the MML game system, such as skills and character background/social class.

Best Regards,

Andy.
Co-Author
Metal, Magic and Lore.

[VitoMML]

Nick, thanks for the inquiry, and agian, thanks for also being on our Facebook forum.

You had asked good questions to me regarding this topic, so for others' benefit and in support of Andy's answer, I posted some specific examples of how you can use our rulebook to tailor to such a campaign:

1. For little to no armor, look at the individual armor protection values on pages 150 - 153. If a player is hit, you can determine the Hit Position normally, but then simply use a single material from this list. If the exact material isn't there, you can use your GM discretion by making a slight modification to any of these APVs, if you need to.

2. Rapier: Refer to the weapon stats for the Scimitar on Page 207-208. If I were doing it, I would make the weapon a bit faster with a higher initiative, and lighten the damage slightly. The Attacks could be Thrust or Cut. The weapon would defend fairly well.

Andy has been doing a good amount of note-taking as he has been an avid reader of genres in various settings/time periods. Keep sending us some notes!

V