(Summary by Pedro)
The game starts with three figures emerging from the wastes: the thrill
seeking motor-head Dean McQueen, the quick-handed scout August, and a
mysterious drifter who goes by Murdock.
Seeking
to find a contact in the slums of Atlanta, the trio make a
quick stop to grab supplies. They come across a duo, fresh from the wastes: the
seasoned Chuck, equipped with an exo-suit, who originated from a
distant Arc City, and an odd 'shaman' named Patton Murphy who calls upon the
names of his Ancestors.The
trio comes upon an argument between the two newcomers and the merchant at a
bullet stand. Patton eventually turns his
attention to other stalls; trading his services to repair a merchant's
robotic prosthetic arm for a cutting torch. The others browse around.
With Patton gone, the old lady begins to barter with Murdock. After much
deliberation, he decides to make her an offer she cant refuse: a
quick trigger pull from his firearm. She drops
with a shattered shoulder, and everyone hears the merchant's cry. The
group slips easily into a bandit mindset. August and Murdock
get to work swiping her wares while Dean and Patton lay down fire on
any threats. Lacking a weapon, Chuck uses his Exo-frame to
defend the merchant stall. As soon as the raid is done, the group flees
deep into the old ruins of the city, only stopping when safety is certain.
The
gang decides to lay low in a ruined office building. August utilizes
Dean's flammable urine to start a fire and Murdock comes across what can
only be described as a 'big-ass rattlesnake.' After killing it, the
gang shares stories over roasted reptile.
Chuck reveals that he
used to be an official in an Arc City to the North-West, exiled when his citizens deemed him an
incompetent leader. Inside the exo-frame Chuck is a dwarf.
Dean
and August explain that they used to run with gang called the
Scorpions. The two became fast friends as a raiding team-- Dean as driver and August shooting. When their leader began to launch fewer and fewer raids, the duo hatched a plan to
steal a motorcycle and run off with some supplies, to make a living for themselves.
During their escape, the motorcycle was destroyed when Dean attempted to thread the needle through a gap between two pursuit vehicles.
Patton hails from a settlement at Fort
Benning, where the people are descendents of soldiers from before the bombs fell. Fixated on keeping the history of
their country alive, the base has gradually devolved into ancestor
worship. Patton's family were renowned battle-medics, now
referred to as 'shamans'.
Murdock refuses to reveal
personal information, stating that all that matters is 'the here and
now.' He addresses their curiosity by saying he was born in the wastes and
has learned from it all he needs to survive.
Later, August takes
the group to his contact: his twin sister, June. Although her garage
remains, he doesn't find her there. He questions an old man, and is told that his sister has gone into hiding and that if he's
truly her brother, he'll know where to find her. The scout decides to
head over to his uncle's bar.
His reunion with June is cut short. Upon finding her he is given a steel case, car keys, and curt instructions to leave the city. She explains that
there is a tracking device on the case, which will allow her to find him
as soon as she can. Further inquiry nets only that she cant say anymore. August relays this
information to the rest of the group.
June's car, they realize,
is stored in a warehouse not far from the market they raided
previously. As such, the gang takes precautions in escaping the city. While Dean and August make their way to the vehicle, Patton lends them
sniper cover. Chuck and Murdock wait outside the market.
Though Dean
and August make it to the modded Dodge pickup unscathed, trouble worms its way once more into the marketplace.
Patton spies suspicious individuals prowling the area, one of whom attempts to mount his building for his own sniper's nest.
He easily ambushes the man with a knife and deems his
comrades threats. Once they brandish weapons, he begins to pick them
off.
Hearing gunshots, Dean and August quickly move into action. Dean takes the wheel and August cocks his
gun. The marketplace is taken by surprise by the sound of engines roaring to life, and Dean
blares the horn as he pulls out. Patton drops another raider with a
well-placed shot and as the merchants turn their weapons on the
vehicle several swiftly meet their end under the truck's wheels. Others fall as August guns them down. August names
their blood-soaked and flesh-striped ride the "Blud-Bucket" and Dean
remarks that he's never driven a more beautiful car.
They're able to rendezvous with the others and hit the road.
That
is, until they find themselves pursued by a Scorpion's truck
outfitted with a trebuchet. Dean is able to weave out
of the projectile's path while Patton ends the fight quickly with a
bullet through the driver's head, although the remaining gang
member still manages crash safely.
The group
reaps the spoils on their conquest; taking firearms, siphoning gasoline,
grafting a pivot mount onto their truck and sabotaging the raider's rig
before speeding away.
Patton points out that the team should find
shelter. August and Dean reply that anywhere near Macon would be a safe
bet considering the settlement doesn't get many visitors. They
come across an abandoned farmstead along the way and decide to
make camp there.
Giant crows populate the farmstead, but Patton
proves himself a competent hunter, providing a fresh meal for the group. Not
much is found, but August manages to scavenge a deck of cards and supplies
to repair the parts of the group's short wave radio previously removed to fix a
merchant's robotic arm.
Between giant crows, ghouls, and card
games the group finds themselves fairly occupied. Patton continues to proseletize to Chuck, while Dean and August act as scouts on the roof of the
barn. Murdock keeps to himself.
One night, Dean catches movement
on the road and moves to wake the others. They decide to park the
Blud-Bucket behind the farmstead and send August out to keep an eye on
the road. He has the case in hand, expecting June.
And although
he spies the feminine form of his sister, it's the
taller, bulkier form behind her that surprises him.
June: "August?"
August: "June!"
A
man walks up and rests his rifle in the sand, a broad machete at his
side and a bandanna over his mouth. Pulling it down, he reveals a
scorpion brand on his neck and a scowl on his lips.
"August..."
Aug 4, 2015
Jul 23, 2014
Juggler Class and some Thoughts on Trade
I'm working on an adventure for a group of jugglers and drew this up this morning.
Juggler (Draft 2)
HD 1d4
Light Armor
Light Melee Weapons
Skills:
Juggle: The juggler can simultaneously hold (juggle) items of size value equal to 3 + Dex mod, where Small = 1; Medium = 2; Large = 3
Juggled items can be thrown. Items can be caught into the juggling pattern so long as this is within the maximum total size value of the juggler.
Juggling requires both hands.
If the juggler takes damage, he must make a Dex check to continue juggling.
Throw: The juggler can use items or melee weapons as projectiles, as though making a normal ranged attack. Melee weapons do their normal damage.
The juggler can also throw an item to an ally. If the ally is not occupied, she catches the item. If the ally is occupied, catching requires a Dex check.
Catch: Jugglers always catch thrown items.
Weapon Notes:
A thrown torch has 25% chance of igniting the enemy, who then burns for 1d4 damage per round until the flame is extinguished.
A metal juggling ball (like a small cannon ball) can be thrown for 1d4 damage, and is a small item.
Standard club is small item, 1d4 damage. Heavy club is medium, 1d6 damage.
TRADE:
Just a few notes for my own purposes, preliminary to the development of some more complex tables for commerce in cities.
- Termine Bay: Inexpensive standard goods, obscure church items can be bought from the temple if you have connections, many more exotic items in transit but you have to buy them off merchants who are already shipping them
- Riverstadt: Lots of blackmarket trade. This is the place to get illegal items, but it will cost you.
- Marsheville: Has everything, but proximity to the emperor means taxes are collected more strictly, which drives prices up. Moderate blackmarket trade
- Halfhill: Has tech. Too bad it is almost impossible to get into the city, and most of the good stuff is proprietary of Count Ferdinand. Still, there are smugglers...
- Mesa: It's hard to get much of anything out here, but they have a healthy market for textiles and other such dry handicrafts.
- Sudenport: All sorts of great stuff. They sell things on the street that are illegal in the empire. A weak sense of law leaves scams common and quality control nonexistent.
Juggler (Draft 2)
HD 1d4
Light Armor
Light Melee Weapons
Skills:
Juggle: The juggler can simultaneously hold (juggle) items of size value equal to 3 + Dex mod, where Small = 1; Medium = 2; Large = 3
Juggled items can be thrown. Items can be caught into the juggling pattern so long as this is within the maximum total size value of the juggler.
Juggling requires both hands.
If the juggler takes damage, he must make a Dex check to continue juggling.
Throw: The juggler can use items or melee weapons as projectiles, as though making a normal ranged attack. Melee weapons do their normal damage.
The juggler can also throw an item to an ally. If the ally is not occupied, she catches the item. If the ally is occupied, catching requires a Dex check.
Catch: Jugglers always catch thrown items.
Weapon Notes:
A thrown torch has 25% chance of igniting the enemy, who then burns for 1d4 damage per round until the flame is extinguished.
A metal juggling ball (like a small cannon ball) can be thrown for 1d4 damage, and is a small item.
Standard club is small item, 1d4 damage. Heavy club is medium, 1d6 damage.
TRADE:
Just a few notes for my own purposes, preliminary to the development of some more complex tables for commerce in cities.
- Termine Bay: Inexpensive standard goods, obscure church items can be bought from the temple if you have connections, many more exotic items in transit but you have to buy them off merchants who are already shipping them
- Riverstadt: Lots of blackmarket trade. This is the place to get illegal items, but it will cost you.
- Marsheville: Has everything, but proximity to the emperor means taxes are collected more strictly, which drives prices up. Moderate blackmarket trade
- Halfhill: Has tech. Too bad it is almost impossible to get into the city, and most of the good stuff is proprietary of Count Ferdinand. Still, there are smugglers...
- Mesa: It's hard to get much of anything out here, but they have a healthy market for textiles and other such dry handicrafts.
- Sudenport: All sorts of great stuff. They sell things on the street that are illegal in the empire. A weak sense of law leaves scams common and quality control nonexistent.
Jul 17, 2014
On the Uniform of the Battle Mages
Those in Hommund who are convicted of magic use in Hommund are faced with a choice: execution or enlistment. It is no wonder their ranks swelled so quickly.The Battle Mage Corps is the only force authorized in the use of magic within the range of Rohan's empire. Where they walk the streets in blue coats and shining helms, the townsfolk usher their children inside and watch the passing breathlessly.
Some wonder why the Mages are not more heavily armored. Surely they could be better protected, they could be even more untouchable.
There are two answers to this question.
The first is the reason of practicality. In the interest of breeding an army overnight, it was not practical in the early days of the empire to commission fitted suits of armor for thousands of men. Magic-users, too, are accustomed to long hours of study. While the Mages are trained in competent swordsmanship, both for self-defense and fitness, many more hours are spent studying tomes and memorizing spells. With a light uniform, the fit Mages are free to march for hours and still have a calm, even pulse and a clear head to recall every word of incantation.
To suit up in plate is to acknowledge a change in environment between the tower and the streets. This is going to war. But magic is above all a mind game, and it is important that the Battle Mages be untouched by any stress of a battleground environment, where the mind dulls and slows and becomes subject to urgent gut responses. No, the Battle Mages study in their uniform, in something manageable for constant wear, and they learn to associate it with the comfort of the school, and they will have it like a blanket of safety out on the street.
Likewise with the pervasive use of the uniform. Every Battle Mage must wear it, and so breed the feeling of brotherhood that comes with the identical appearance and close association. So you can see that the Mage's uniform is designed to encourage a feeling of calm, safety, and brotherhood in the face of danger, so that it does not in fact appear to the Mage as danger, and his mind is left unfettered to manage his spells with removed efficiency.
Just as the garb inculcates a feeling of unity between the Mages, the heavy beaked helm forms a separation between the Mage and his surroundings. Inside the helm, outside sounds are dulled, everything is clearly outside the self, and one's identity is definitively anonymous. Those familiar with the psychological effects of masks will see where this is headed. A Mage who cannot be identified by others cannot be held accountable for his cruelty, and uniformity of the Corps encourages the mentality of us-and-them, as does the training of the Mages. They have a power all but their brothers lack, they are superior, they study and are smarter, they are above the peasants and commoners, they are special. They are told this day after day until the townsfolk seem but insects. The thick helm blocks out distracting sounds and the pleas of commoners, anything that might distract from the magical cants that resound in the metal case.
The second answer is more terrifying, and is all that the city-goers know: the Battle Mages do not wear armor because they do not need it. They are nightmares, they are wizards with charms and curses in their defense. There is no use in striking them, there is no use in fighting back.
The best one can do is to stay out of their way.
Some wonder why the Mages are not more heavily armored. Surely they could be better protected, they could be even more untouchable.
There are two answers to this question.
The first is the reason of practicality. In the interest of breeding an army overnight, it was not practical in the early days of the empire to commission fitted suits of armor for thousands of men. Magic-users, too, are accustomed to long hours of study. While the Mages are trained in competent swordsmanship, both for self-defense and fitness, many more hours are spent studying tomes and memorizing spells. With a light uniform, the fit Mages are free to march for hours and still have a calm, even pulse and a clear head to recall every word of incantation.
To suit up in plate is to acknowledge a change in environment between the tower and the streets. This is going to war. But magic is above all a mind game, and it is important that the Battle Mages be untouched by any stress of a battleground environment, where the mind dulls and slows and becomes subject to urgent gut responses. No, the Battle Mages study in their uniform, in something manageable for constant wear, and they learn to associate it with the comfort of the school, and they will have it like a blanket of safety out on the street.
Likewise with the pervasive use of the uniform. Every Battle Mage must wear it, and so breed the feeling of brotherhood that comes with the identical appearance and close association. So you can see that the Mage's uniform is designed to encourage a feeling of calm, safety, and brotherhood in the face of danger, so that it does not in fact appear to the Mage as danger, and his mind is left unfettered to manage his spells with removed efficiency.
Just as the garb inculcates a feeling of unity between the Mages, the heavy beaked helm forms a separation between the Mage and his surroundings. Inside the helm, outside sounds are dulled, everything is clearly outside the self, and one's identity is definitively anonymous. Those familiar with the psychological effects of masks will see where this is headed. A Mage who cannot be identified by others cannot be held accountable for his cruelty, and uniformity of the Corps encourages the mentality of us-and-them, as does the training of the Mages. They have a power all but their brothers lack, they are superior, they study and are smarter, they are above the peasants and commoners, they are special. They are told this day after day until the townsfolk seem but insects. The thick helm blocks out distracting sounds and the pleas of commoners, anything that might distract from the magical cants that resound in the metal case.
The second answer is more terrifying, and is all that the city-goers know: the Battle Mages do not wear armor because they do not need it. They are nightmares, they are wizards with charms and curses in their defense. There is no use in striking them, there is no use in fighting back.
The best one can do is to stay out of their way.
Oct 25, 2013
RPG Person Profile
I'm currently running (at home):
An old-school DnD format of my own invention.
Tabletop RPGs I'm currently playing (at home) include:
ODnD dungeons in a FLAILSNAILS-esue fashion with a group of friends.
I'm currently running (online):
The "Hommund 99" campaign in Old School DnD
via Skype and roll20.net
Tabletop RPGs I'm currently playing (online) include:
Just the game I'm running.
I would especially like to play/run:
Old School DnD
Traveller
Cyberpunk 2020
...but would also try:
Call of Cthulu
Anything that isn't very plainly idiotic or published by WotC
I live in:
Florida, USA
2 or 3 well-known RPG products other people made that I like:
Vornheim
Lamentations of the Flame Princess Weird Fantast Rollplaying
The D&D Rules Cyclopedia
2 or 3 novels I like:
Frank Herbert's Dune (the whole series, really. Especially Dune Messiah)
Zak Smith's We Did Porn
Craig Thompson's Blankets
2 or 3 movies I like:
Oldboy
God Bless America
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Best place to find me on-line:
www.randemise.blogspot.com
I will read almost anything on tabletop RPGs if it's:
I really do not want to hear about:
Products published by WotC,
Problems that should not be problems because people should have common sense.
I think dead orc babies are ( circle one: funny / problematic / ....well, ok, it's complicated because....)
Something that appears in my games for the purpose of realism. Some players care and some don't, but it's worth it for those players who get another level to think about from it, and it doesn't bother the rest.
Game I'm in are like (link to something)
This
Oct 22, 2013
Game Summary - Session 6
Having received a letter from a friend in the Adventurers' Guild, the players decided to take up a mission in Termin Bay. They journeyed back down the river and asked around. In the tavern, they met a barman who refused to believe the stories, and a suspiciously helpful fellow named Blake.
Blake volunteered to aid the search, and after a surreptitious Detect Danger spell, they agreed to allow his company.
Journeying into the forest at night, they were unable to find the rumored lair of the hag (or ghost, or who-knows-what), and set up camp, keeping watch on the forest and on their new companion.
In the morning, Blake awakens early to "get breakfast". Roderick follows him only to find that the traveler has truly gone out merely for eggs and firewood.
After breakfast, the group returns to town to meet up with newly arrived companions, and again embarks on the search. After some time, they arrive upon a dilapidated hovel. Investigation yields naught but maggots and stagnant water, but the shed behind the shack is more interesting. There, a large hole underneath sinks into the ground. As adventurers, they obviously descend.
Inside, the path is blocked. Clause swiftly kicks down the barricade, triggering a rain of jagged rocks rigged to fall. Unconscious, Clause is left with Blake by the entrance of the dungeon.
The group presses on through dug-out tunnels, soon finding another pit. Again, they descend.
The dirt gives way to stone, and torches burn in hewn halls. They find stalactites dripping a viscous fluid green and vile. A room nearly filled with it causes them to turn back, and they come upon a great atrium filled with tents, lit by torches. The laughter of children and patter of small feet echoes, and soon the source approaches:
Dozens of small children.
The kids flee at the sight of the adventurers, shouting.
The party examines the tents and adjacent camping rooms for a few minutes, before the children return with a band of teenagers.
"What are you doing here?"
There is much shouting and argument. The adventurers try to ask questions as the teens insist that the group leaves. There are threats: the children claim to be protected by some strange power, but will not name it.
In the end, the adventurers decide to leave. They recover Clause and inform Blake. Back in Termin Bay, the party informs the local guards of the children and their lair. Staying the night in the inn, the group sets out for Riverstadt in the morning. Blake agrees to join the team until the end of the season, when he must return to Lockewood.
In Riverstadt, the party pays a visit to the local Adventurers' Guild. Their next job: An expedition into the mountains of the Northwest to aid in the establishment of a new base.
The day is the 51st of Winter, Year 99 after the War
Blake volunteered to aid the search, and after a surreptitious Detect Danger spell, they agreed to allow his company.
Journeying into the forest at night, they were unable to find the rumored lair of the hag (or ghost, or who-knows-what), and set up camp, keeping watch on the forest and on their new companion.
In the morning, Blake awakens early to "get breakfast". Roderick follows him only to find that the traveler has truly gone out merely for eggs and firewood.
After breakfast, the group returns to town to meet up with newly arrived companions, and again embarks on the search. After some time, they arrive upon a dilapidated hovel. Investigation yields naught but maggots and stagnant water, but the shed behind the shack is more interesting. There, a large hole underneath sinks into the ground. As adventurers, they obviously descend.
Inside, the path is blocked. Clause swiftly kicks down the barricade, triggering a rain of jagged rocks rigged to fall. Unconscious, Clause is left with Blake by the entrance of the dungeon.
The group presses on through dug-out tunnels, soon finding another pit. Again, they descend.
The dirt gives way to stone, and torches burn in hewn halls. They find stalactites dripping a viscous fluid green and vile. A room nearly filled with it causes them to turn back, and they come upon a great atrium filled with tents, lit by torches. The laughter of children and patter of small feet echoes, and soon the source approaches:
Dozens of small children.
The kids flee at the sight of the adventurers, shouting.
The party examines the tents and adjacent camping rooms for a few minutes, before the children return with a band of teenagers.
"What are you doing here?"
There is much shouting and argument. The adventurers try to ask questions as the teens insist that the group leaves. There are threats: the children claim to be protected by some strange power, but will not name it.
In the end, the adventurers decide to leave. They recover Clause and inform Blake. Back in Termin Bay, the party informs the local guards of the children and their lair. Staying the night in the inn, the group sets out for Riverstadt in the morning. Blake agrees to join the team until the end of the season, when he must return to Lockewood.
In Riverstadt, the party pays a visit to the local Adventurers' Guild. Their next job: An expedition into the mountains of the Northwest to aid in the establishment of a new base.
The day is the 51st of Winter, Year 99 after the War
Oct 12, 2013
Game Summary - Session 5
31st of Winter, Year 99 after the war;
As the players sailed downstream out of Riverstadt, harsh winds and heavy snowfall beset the party. The fields are covered in snow and when the sun sets before they reach the bay, the adventurers lift the boat from the river and camp in the forest.
The blizzard continues the next day when they reach Termin Bay. The town seems empty, with most building snowed in. They return their kidnapped hirer to her sister's home, digging out the door to let her in, and decide to waste no time in paddling upstream in the blizzard to return to Riverstadt.
The blizzard lasts another day, and the party is forced again to flip the boat on the shore, and hikes for hours in the snow to find the shelter of the forest where they can make a fire. Illness affects a couple members of the group. In the morning they hike back to the boat. Snow is still falling, but the blizzard has stopped. The dig out the boat and continue, and the journey up river takes three days in all.
Upon their return, they inquire among the Revelation about a place to fence their stolen jewelery. The Revelation does not deal in foreign goods, but a man says he can arrange a meeting with a former contact the next day.
The party goes to the Red Raven tavern and meets a man to whom they are able to sell the stolen goods. The man tells them that, if they wish for connections who can give them more jobs, he may have a mission. They should decide and return the next day.
Of course they do, and are told that there will be a ball among the elite from Riverstadt and Marsheville in a few days. The Diebenstadt has a lock-breaking device they would like to have field tested, and some documents are located in the building that they would be willing to buy. They will have to acquire suitable outfits, and can gain entry with forged invitations.
The party gears up, and has a tailor make suits to suit them, at their price range, and in a few days they go to the party.
Entering, they attempt to mingle with the upper strata. Eko bothers some noblemen and eventually descends on a young lady who criticizes his cheap suit. The party banters for a moment with the frustrated heiress before she leaves in a huff. A young man approaches, angered that the adventurers have been antagonizing his lady friend. They persist in insulting the man, and before long Eko throws the first punch.
Roderick and Jean slink away (Clause is hidden on the street outside with the hounds) as Eko thrashes the young nobleman. Exiting the ballroom, Roderick and Jean alert the guards to the fight, who go rushing in to end it. The hall is undefended as the two sneak down the hall toward the document room.
Meanwhile Eko puts up a good fight, now taking on the nobleman's two friends, and knocking one out in swift order while blocking and dodging blows. One guard tackles the other nobleman, and the second guard fails to restrain Eko.
Roderick and Jean use the device to break the lock into an office where they gather up documents from a desk and a large chest, which also contains a sum of coins and a signet ring.
Eko tries to stomp another guard on the ground, but the guard manages to rise and draw a dagger. Eko takes his first hit of the night when the blade cuts through his side. Still conscious, he feigns a faint and falls. More guards are called to drag the men out and cover abandoned posts just as Roderick and Jean reenter the ballroom.
Four guards drag out the combatants, bound or unconscious, to the street outside. The party inside rumbles with shocked murmurings and fainting maidens.
Roderick and Jean hurry off down the street. The guards try to awaken the pummeled young men. When he suspects they will imprison Eko, Clause releases the dogs on the guards. One guard falls straightaway. Clause reaches the combat as the guards begin to fight off their canine assailants.
When one guard slays a dog, Eko can feign unconsciousness no longer, and joins the fight. Eko falls. Roderick and Jean, watching from a distance, try to sneak up on the fight. All the guards are down save one, who backs up to the wall. Seemingly of higher rank, he is a capable combatant, but has lost his weapon in the fray.
Jean is forced to come to Eko's aid. Roderick attempts a sneak attack, but is seen, and the guard takes him out. Finally, with all other fighters lying on the ground around them, Clause manages the fatal blow, splitting the last guard's skull.
Jean and Clause flee with their fallen comrades over their shoulders, back to The Revelation.
The next morning Morgan, leader of the Revelation, asks them to leave, to not endanger the gang by fleeing here after their crimes. Clause expresses his displeasure with the operation, and Jean says goodbye.
They reach the Red Raven, but their contact does not arrive. They decide to stay at the inn across the way while the others recover, and keep an eye on the Red Raven.
Their contact arrives on the third day. He says some among the Diebenstadt disapprove of their more obsequious methods, while others could make use of their talents. The decision has been to allow them membership to the coalition of thieves, but some will not do business with them. If they will adopt a more covert strategy, more doors may open.
They are paid for their mission, and given the name of their contact: Derek the Raven ("it's a long joke"). Codes are passed for contact purposes, and Derek is interested in the signet ring. He says he will return in a couple days with an offer.
The day is the 43rd of Winter, Year 99 after the War.
As the players sailed downstream out of Riverstadt, harsh winds and heavy snowfall beset the party. The fields are covered in snow and when the sun sets before they reach the bay, the adventurers lift the boat from the river and camp in the forest.
The blizzard continues the next day when they reach Termin Bay. The town seems empty, with most building snowed in. They return their kidnapped hirer to her sister's home, digging out the door to let her in, and decide to waste no time in paddling upstream in the blizzard to return to Riverstadt.
The blizzard lasts another day, and the party is forced again to flip the boat on the shore, and hikes for hours in the snow to find the shelter of the forest where they can make a fire. Illness affects a couple members of the group. In the morning they hike back to the boat. Snow is still falling, but the blizzard has stopped. The dig out the boat and continue, and the journey up river takes three days in all.
Upon their return, they inquire among the Revelation about a place to fence their stolen jewelery. The Revelation does not deal in foreign goods, but a man says he can arrange a meeting with a former contact the next day.
The party goes to the Red Raven tavern and meets a man to whom they are able to sell the stolen goods. The man tells them that, if they wish for connections who can give them more jobs, he may have a mission. They should decide and return the next day.
Of course they do, and are told that there will be a ball among the elite from Riverstadt and Marsheville in a few days. The Diebenstadt has a lock-breaking device they would like to have field tested, and some documents are located in the building that they would be willing to buy. They will have to acquire suitable outfits, and can gain entry with forged invitations.
The party gears up, and has a tailor make suits to suit them, at their price range, and in a few days they go to the party.
Entering, they attempt to mingle with the upper strata. Eko bothers some noblemen and eventually descends on a young lady who criticizes his cheap suit. The party banters for a moment with the frustrated heiress before she leaves in a huff. A young man approaches, angered that the adventurers have been antagonizing his lady friend. They persist in insulting the man, and before long Eko throws the first punch.
Roderick and Jean slink away (Clause is hidden on the street outside with the hounds) as Eko thrashes the young nobleman. Exiting the ballroom, Roderick and Jean alert the guards to the fight, who go rushing in to end it. The hall is undefended as the two sneak down the hall toward the document room.
Meanwhile Eko puts up a good fight, now taking on the nobleman's two friends, and knocking one out in swift order while blocking and dodging blows. One guard tackles the other nobleman, and the second guard fails to restrain Eko.
Roderick and Jean use the device to break the lock into an office where they gather up documents from a desk and a large chest, which also contains a sum of coins and a signet ring.
Eko tries to stomp another guard on the ground, but the guard manages to rise and draw a dagger. Eko takes his first hit of the night when the blade cuts through his side. Still conscious, he feigns a faint and falls. More guards are called to drag the men out and cover abandoned posts just as Roderick and Jean reenter the ballroom.
Four guards drag out the combatants, bound or unconscious, to the street outside. The party inside rumbles with shocked murmurings and fainting maidens.
Roderick and Jean hurry off down the street. The guards try to awaken the pummeled young men. When he suspects they will imprison Eko, Clause releases the dogs on the guards. One guard falls straightaway. Clause reaches the combat as the guards begin to fight off their canine assailants.
When one guard slays a dog, Eko can feign unconsciousness no longer, and joins the fight. Eko falls. Roderick and Jean, watching from a distance, try to sneak up on the fight. All the guards are down save one, who backs up to the wall. Seemingly of higher rank, he is a capable combatant, but has lost his weapon in the fray.
Jean is forced to come to Eko's aid. Roderick attempts a sneak attack, but is seen, and the guard takes him out. Finally, with all other fighters lying on the ground around them, Clause manages the fatal blow, splitting the last guard's skull.
Jean and Clause flee with their fallen comrades over their shoulders, back to The Revelation.
The next morning Morgan, leader of the Revelation, asks them to leave, to not endanger the gang by fleeing here after their crimes. Clause expresses his displeasure with the operation, and Jean says goodbye.
They reach the Red Raven, but their contact does not arrive. They decide to stay at the inn across the way while the others recover, and keep an eye on the Red Raven.
Their contact arrives on the third day. He says some among the Diebenstadt disapprove of their more obsequious methods, while others could make use of their talents. The decision has been to allow them membership to the coalition of thieves, but some will not do business with them. If they will adopt a more covert strategy, more doors may open.
They are paid for their mission, and given the name of their contact: Derek the Raven ("it's a long joke"). Codes are passed for contact purposes, and Derek is interested in the signet ring. He says he will return in a couple days with an offer.
The day is the 43rd of Winter, Year 99 after the War.
Oct 11, 2013
Game Summary - Session 4
The players, seeking a job, consulted some thieves until they were referred to a tavern keeper on the other side of Riverstadt.
The barkeep gave them the address of a woman who was willing to pay adventurers to kidnap her from her unhappy marriage.
The players gladly accepted the task, and spent the day observing the mansion.
At night they posted Leia as watch and climbed the tall fence. They took a guard by surprise and killed him, then reached the balcony and entered through a window.
They found something of which they had not been informed: an infant child. They spent some time trying to wrestle information from the nurse (as well as physical wrestling) who came to comfort the crying baby. Eventually they simply beat the nurse unconscious and left the charismatic Eko with the baby.
Crossing the hall, they found the master bedroom, and woke the master of the house and his wife. The sir was quickly subdued, as well as slayed a guard who came to the aid of the residents. The woman turned out to be the one who hired them. They took their payment and a jewelery box and left. A house servant begged them to leave the child, but was swiftly punched out. The party descended to the lawn, past the other servants watching in horror.
That same night, they rode a ship on the south river toward Termin Bay.
The day is now the 31st of Winter.
The barkeep gave them the address of a woman who was willing to pay adventurers to kidnap her from her unhappy marriage.
The players gladly accepted the task, and spent the day observing the mansion.
At night they posted Leia as watch and climbed the tall fence. They took a guard by surprise and killed him, then reached the balcony and entered through a window.
They found something of which they had not been informed: an infant child. They spent some time trying to wrestle information from the nurse (as well as physical wrestling) who came to comfort the crying baby. Eventually they simply beat the nurse unconscious and left the charismatic Eko with the baby.
Crossing the hall, they found the master bedroom, and woke the master of the house and his wife. The sir was quickly subdued, as well as slayed a guard who came to the aid of the residents. The woman turned out to be the one who hired them. They took their payment and a jewelery box and left. A house servant begged them to leave the child, but was swiftly punched out. The party descended to the lawn, past the other servants watching in horror.
That same night, they rode a ship on the south river toward Termin Bay.
The day is now the 31st of Winter.
Sep 29, 2013
Game Summary- Session 3
After being nursed back to health by their fellow thieves, the players awake in the warehouse lair of the gang, and those who fell early are made aware of the loss of their friend, Inigo.
They travel out to his grave to find a priest speaking holy words over their fallen comrade. Corpse of their friend hardly buried, they recruit the cleric, Jean, into their party.
Asking around the gang for jobs to do, they learn of an impending execution that the gang plans to interrupt. Illegal halflings in Marsheville have been captured and will be hanged for unlicensed emigration from Halfhill.
The players have only a few days to prepare, and they lend their assistance in strategizing.
When the day comes, the halfling fugitives are led out from the courthouse into the square. A crowd gathers to see the hanging. Eight guards line the gallows, a small band of thieves looms on the adjacent rooftop, including the players, with bows at the ready.
Before the charges are read, a hail of arrows falls upon the guards, some wounding, others bouncing off armor, one striking into the crowd. The crowd begins to scatter as ropes fall from the rooftops. Clause descends into the maelstrom as guards scramble to the ready.
The next volley of arrows begins to fell guards, and the crowd still stands between the law and a direct fight. Halfling prisoners throw themselves low in fear, uncomprehending of what is happening.
When the crowd is gone from the square, only three guards remain. Clause runs to the gallows, deflecting blows and hacks down one guard. A citizen tries to interfere and is likewise cut down. When Clause turns to face his final opponent, the guard lies dead with an arrow in his throat.
The halfhlings are quickly untied and lead up ropes to the rooftop. A scout shouts that more guards are on their way. The gang slips down the other side of the roof, where escape ropes have been readied. Down a series of tight alleyways, carrying the slower of the halfling refugees, the gang ducks into a winery cellar, where they have been allowed refuge by a sympathetic citizen. They lie low in tentative celebration until nightfall, when groups split off to return one-by-one to the gang's hideout.
On the way back, the party's group encounters a group of young men beating a homeless man. With little hesitation Clause slaughters two of the men, and the third is slain with an arrow as he tries to flee. They lift the limp and broken body of the homeless man and carry him back to base. Amidst the party they do what they can to make the injured man comfortable and bind his wounds.
They travel out to his grave to find a priest speaking holy words over their fallen comrade. Corpse of their friend hardly buried, they recruit the cleric, Jean, into their party.
Asking around the gang for jobs to do, they learn of an impending execution that the gang plans to interrupt. Illegal halflings in Marsheville have been captured and will be hanged for unlicensed emigration from Halfhill.
The players have only a few days to prepare, and they lend their assistance in strategizing.
When the day comes, the halfling fugitives are led out from the courthouse into the square. A crowd gathers to see the hanging. Eight guards line the gallows, a small band of thieves looms on the adjacent rooftop, including the players, with bows at the ready.
Before the charges are read, a hail of arrows falls upon the guards, some wounding, others bouncing off armor, one striking into the crowd. The crowd begins to scatter as ropes fall from the rooftops. Clause descends into the maelstrom as guards scramble to the ready.
The next volley of arrows begins to fell guards, and the crowd still stands between the law and a direct fight. Halfling prisoners throw themselves low in fear, uncomprehending of what is happening.
When the crowd is gone from the square, only three guards remain. Clause runs to the gallows, deflecting blows and hacks down one guard. A citizen tries to interfere and is likewise cut down. When Clause turns to face his final opponent, the guard lies dead with an arrow in his throat.
The halfhlings are quickly untied and lead up ropes to the rooftop. A scout shouts that more guards are on their way. The gang slips down the other side of the roof, where escape ropes have been readied. Down a series of tight alleyways, carrying the slower of the halfling refugees, the gang ducks into a winery cellar, where they have been allowed refuge by a sympathetic citizen. They lie low in tentative celebration until nightfall, when groups split off to return one-by-one to the gang's hideout.
On the way back, the party's group encounters a group of young men beating a homeless man. With little hesitation Clause slaughters two of the men, and the third is slain with an arrow as he tries to flee. They lift the limp and broken body of the homeless man and carry him back to base. Amidst the party they do what they can to make the injured man comfortable and bind his wounds.
Sep 24, 2013
MetaWarGame Revisions and Additions
Revision:
In a battle between two factions:
Former Rule: Winner loses 25% of his forces
Loser loses 75% of his forces
Revision: Because this does not make tons of sense for armies dramatically separated in size:
Winner loses forces equal to 25% of the opponents army
Loser loses forces equal to 75% of the opponents army
Thus, you must be careful when facing a larger force, as a Pyrrhic victory is entirely possible.
Addition:
To combat another faction's mass recruiting, a new ability:
Slander- Works just like recruiting ( [Fol]d[Rep] ), but you choose a faction to target, and your propaganda troops sully that faction's name. Targeted faction loses troops in location where you slander, equal to your roll.
Also, in order to maintain at least the semblance of a regular schedule, I will send out the MetaWarGame emails every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
This way, people with Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedules can send in actions on Tuesday and Wednesday; and Tuesday, Thursday schedules can send in Monday and Wednesday.
Since Friday is game night (if we can keep that consistent), there's Saturday to send in actions for Sunday.
If you don't send anything in, it is assumed your faction is busy with other things, as are you. However, this will not confer the benefits of lying in wait.
In a battle between two factions:
Former Rule: Winner loses 25% of his forces
Loser loses 75% of his forces
Revision: Because this does not make tons of sense for armies dramatically separated in size:
Winner loses forces equal to 25% of the opponents army
Loser loses forces equal to 75% of the opponents army
Thus, you must be careful when facing a larger force, as a Pyrrhic victory is entirely possible.
Addition:
To combat another faction's mass recruiting, a new ability:
Slander- Works just like recruiting ( [Fol]d[Rep] ), but you choose a faction to target, and your propaganda troops sully that faction's name. Targeted faction loses troops in location where you slander, equal to your roll.
Also, in order to maintain at least the semblance of a regular schedule, I will send out the MetaWarGame emails every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
This way, people with Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedules can send in actions on Tuesday and Wednesday; and Tuesday, Thursday schedules can send in Monday and Wednesday.
Since Friday is game night (if we can keep that consistent), there's Saturday to send in actions for Sunday.
If you don't send anything in, it is assumed your faction is busy with other things, as are you. However, this will not confer the benefits of lying in wait.
Sep 19, 2013
Gods of Hommund
Weirdunn, the Grieving God
Weirdunn is the most ancient of the gods. He is father to the natural world and to the other gods. After he had created the earth, he was seduced by a woman, who bore him three children and revealed herself to be the evil goddess Vessa. Vessa brought chaos into Weirdunn's world, and he wept for what his creation had become, and his tears became the world's heroes.
The first son of Weirdunn and Vessa, Rensol was born and went forth unto the world, told by Vessa to create as he would. Rensol gave form to the Dwarves, a fierce race after his own mind, and gave them courage and skill in practical crafts.
The only daughter of Weirdunn and Vessa, Tsura went forth into the world and created the Elves. She gave them the forests that she so loved, and imbued them with her special gift: arcane magic.
The last child of Weirdunn and Vessa was diverted from the others. When Weirdunn was able to caution Rensol and Tsura about their dual nature, Vessa distracted Gulmar with the promise of food, and told her favorite son to create whatever he wished. So Gulmar in his sloth lazily created the humans, a race without any particular talents.
Vessa seduced the Father of Gods to loose her creation upon the world, but seeing most of her children won back to the side of Weirdunn, she was enraged and cursed their creations. She banished the Dwarves to deep below the earth, where no one could ever see their magnificent towers and wondrous fortresses. She cursed the Elves with near-endless life, such that they would be forced to watch all the mortal things in their forests wither and die, and when the other gods in pity granted the humans their best traits, Vessa imbued them also with her worst, and forced them to always be in conflict between their natures.
Weirdunn is the most ancient of the gods. He is father to the natural world and to the other gods. After he had created the earth, he was seduced by a woman, who bore him three children and revealed herself to be the evil goddess Vessa. Vessa brought chaos into Weirdunn's world, and he wept for what his creation had become, and his tears became the world's heroes.
- Weirdunn presides over the fortunes of heroes, and is the god of wisdom and learning.
- He is depicted as an old man, often weeping.
- Weirdunn is worshipped in temples of marble, usually only sparsely decorated. The church looks down upon opulence, and prefers minimal frivolity in its architecture.
- Weirdunn's followers fast at the change of seasons to feel the sorrow of their god. This is usually accompanied by meditation. Winter is the most important fast.
- Weirdunn's color is white, sometimes with blue trim.
- His elements are water and ice.
- His animal is the owl, and white owls are especially sacred. It is believed that there is somewhere a white owl with a man's eyes, through which the god can see his world more closely.
- His clerics wield the halberd, some scholars believe this has to do with the extensive reach of the god, or possibly with his greater distance from the mortal world.
- The church of Weirdunn preaches understanding toward heretics and nonbelievers.
The first son of Weirdunn and Vessa, Rensol was born and went forth unto the world, told by Vessa to create as he would. Rensol gave form to the Dwarves, a fierce race after his own mind, and gave them courage and skill in practical crafts.
- Rensol is the god of battle and all honorable competition. He watches over soldiers and the brave. He is the patron of the Dwarves, and among them is known as Dwarvenhammer. The souls of those who die in battle are his to reassign.
- Rensol is always depicted in armor.
- Rensol is worshiped in mead halls constructed out of the strongest trees. The prestige of such halls, used for warriors' celebrations, is judged by the weapons and armor hung on the walls by storied and pious soldiers and heroes.
- Those who wish to serve Rensol as priests must have served in conflict before appointment, and upon each rise in rank swear an oath to combat a chosen sin. In order to maintain rank, the highest ranking member of any congregation of Rensol must lead a crusade against his chosen sin every five years, and rid the world of one sinner for each man under his command. As such, many armies have a squadron, sometimes even a legion, of battle priests fighting in the name of Rensol to purge the world of the wicked.
- Rensol's color is red, with black and sometimes gold.
- His elements are stone and lightning. Which of these is most prominent varied by culture.
- His animal is the ram.
- His clerics and paladins wield the hammer or the great sword. This too varies by region.
- Rensol's priests think nonbelievers honorless cowards, and will respond violently to heresy.
The only daughter of Weirdunn and Vessa, Tsura went forth into the world and created the Elves. She gave them the forests that she so loved, and imbued them with her special gift: arcane magic.
- Tsura presides over the forests, and governs the forces of arcane magic. She is the goddess of love, lust, and marriage. She is the patron goddess of the Elves.
- Tsura is depicted in thin or sheer robes, or in a garb of vines, with fine features and long black hair worn down or in braids.
- Tsura is traditionally praised in natural, often vine-covered and surrounded by gardens, wooden buildings. Her priests are all women, and none who serve her may be virgins, for all who serve Tsura must know Her gifts. For this reason, many houses of prostitution will contain a small shrine to the goddess, and many temples are havens for sorceresses.
- Houses of Tsura year-round practice the growing of grapes for wine where possible, and at the start of Spring a festival is held. Plays are performed (comedies are the most honored), wine and other drugs are consumed, and often orgies break out, but violence is absolutely forbidden. The festival lasts until all the temple's wine from the past year has been consumed, and it is custom for attendees to bring their own stores to extend this time. This festival usually takes place in a field outside town, and the festival is seen as a necessary release of restraint, so that it does not build up in the public so as to become harmful.
- Tsura's colors are green and pink.
- Her elements are air and vegetation.
- Her animal is the elk.
- Her clerics wield staves, either the thick bludgeoning sort, or quarterstaves, varying by region.
- Her church preaches understanding towards nonbelievers.
The last child of Weirdunn and Vessa was diverted from the others. When Weirdunn was able to caution Rensol and Tsura about their dual nature, Vessa distracted Gulmar with the promise of food, and told her favorite son to create whatever he wished. So Gulmar in his sloth lazily created the humans, a race without any particular talents.
- Gulmar is the god of wealth and civilization. He is the creator of humans. His nature makes him a gluttonous god, and his vices make him Vessa's favorite son. Merchants and politicians pray to Gulmar.
- Gulmar is depicted as a jovial and rotund man in elaborate robes.
- Gulmar is worshiped in elaborate and ornate marble temples, often with high ceilings and decorations of gold.
- Gulmar's pious observe a day of rest every tenth day, where shops are closed and families are expected to eat together. A feast is held in the temple, with wealthy members bringing dishes and drinks. During the night, the doors are left open for the poor to feed on the scraps.
- Gulmar's colors are green and black, sometimes gold.
- His element is metal.
- His animal is the boar, though sometimes satirized as the pig.
- His clerics wield the mace primarily, and any of their weapons is often richly crafted and decorated.
- Gulmar's church denounces heretics and nonbelievers.
Vessa seduced the Father of Gods to loose her creation upon the world, but seeing most of her children won back to the side of Weirdunn, she was enraged and cursed their creations. She banished the Dwarves to deep below the earth, where no one could ever see their magnificent towers and wondrous fortresses. She cursed the Elves with near-endless life, such that they would be forced to watch all the mortal things in their forests wither and die, and when the other gods in pity granted the humans their best traits, Vessa imbued them also with her worst, and forced them to always be in conflict between their natures.
- Vessa is the goddess of chaos and evil creatures. The souls are the wicked fall under her domain, to be reincarnated as twisted monsters.
- Vessa's face is never depicted, as to do so is believed to bring the worst of ill-fortune, even to her own followers.
- Her colors are black and grey, and occasionally deep purple.
- Vessa's worshipers are opposed to any sort of law or government.
- Her animal is the jaguar, or similar cats. Black panthers (/lions/cougars/etc) are especially sinister.
- Her clerics wield morning stars, or sometimes whips.
Sep 17, 2013
Faction Leaders
The Empire
Emperor Locke Nosc Rohan
Lvl 10 Vampire Fighter (Ranger) perpetually Age 29 (chronologically 53)
Better known as Emperor Rohan, the fearsome former adventurer is relegated often to his palace because of his vampirism. Nevertheless, he still stalks prey and has lost not a whit of his killer instinct. This gives him a fearsome aura which adds intimidation to his skills as a master manipulator in diplomacy.
In MetaWarGame, Emperor Rohan can be used to grant a bonus to Rep
The Explorers' Corps
General Michael Cunningham
Lvl 8 Human Fighter Age 53
Appointed by Rohan to lead his explorers, the former knight of Dale was given by Vessa a loyal black feldragon, which makes him a fearsome sight on the battlefield.
In MetaWarGame, General Cunningham can grant a bonus to Mgt
The Halfhill Regime
Lord Ferdinand
Lvl 9 Human Paladin (Vessa) Age 51
The paladin of Vessa has an evil vision: he sees many possibilities of what could be. Of mercenaries, he saw an army, of the halflings, a workforce, of Halfhill, an industrial city-state. Ferdinand has nearly enslaved the halfling city, and brought forth untold wonders of industry, many of his own ingenious design.
In MetaWarGame, Lord Ferinand can grant a bonus to Res
The Halfhill Resistance
Commander Abram Burrowdale
Lvl 10 Halfling Fighter Age 48
The guerilla captain of the Halfhill resistance grew up a poor bandit in Marsheville. Taken in by the military, he served in the early days of the Empire before defecting due to disagreements with the imperial zeitgeist. Thinking to remove himself from Rohan’s Empire, he retired to Halfhill, only to find a cause that dearly needed his experience. He has taken his training home and carefully gathered a rebellion as the walls have risen around Halfhill and now leads covert bands to bring down Ferdinand.
Emperor Locke Nosc Rohan
Lvl 10 Vampire Fighter (Ranger) perpetually Age 29 (chronologically 53)
Better known as Emperor Rohan, the fearsome former adventurer is relegated often to his palace because of his vampirism. Nevertheless, he still stalks prey and has lost not a whit of his killer instinct. This gives him a fearsome aura which adds intimidation to his skills as a master manipulator in diplomacy.
In MetaWarGame, Emperor Rohan can be used to grant a bonus to Rep
The Explorers' Corps
General Michael Cunningham
Lvl 8 Human Fighter Age 53
Appointed by Rohan to lead his explorers, the former knight of Dale was given by Vessa a loyal black feldragon, which makes him a fearsome sight on the battlefield.
In MetaWarGame, General Cunningham can grant a bonus to Mgt
The Halfhill Regime
Lord Ferdinand
Lvl 9 Human Paladin (Vessa) Age 51
The paladin of Vessa has an evil vision: he sees many possibilities of what could be. Of mercenaries, he saw an army, of the halflings, a workforce, of Halfhill, an industrial city-state. Ferdinand has nearly enslaved the halfling city, and brought forth untold wonders of industry, many of his own ingenious design.
In MetaWarGame, Lord Ferinand can grant a bonus to Res
The Halfhill Resistance
Commander Abram Burrowdale
Lvl 10 Halfling Fighter Age 48
The guerilla captain of the Halfhill resistance grew up a poor bandit in Marsheville. Taken in by the military, he served in the early days of the Empire before defecting due to disagreements with the imperial zeitgeist. Thinking to remove himself from Rohan’s Empire, he retired to Halfhill, only to find a cause that dearly needed his experience. He has taken his training home and carefully gathered a rebellion as the walls have risen around Halfhill and now leads covert bands to bring down Ferdinand.
In MetaWarGame, Commander Burrowdale can grant a bonus to Rec
The Diebenstadt
Guildmaster Bertram Geiger
Lvl 10 Human Thief Age 45
The master of the city of thieves had a vision as a young man: to draw together all Riverstadt’s myriad gangs under one roof for the benefit of all whose ambitions were held back by the law. A master diplomat, Geiger tentatively attained this vision, and though the trials have been many, this day he sits atop the Throne of the Undercity, above a counsel of crime family Godfathers and psychotic gang leaders, and with his silver tongue directs them all.
Lvl 10 Human Thief Age 45
The master of the city of thieves had a vision as a young man: to draw together all Riverstadt’s myriad gangs under one roof for the benefit of all whose ambitions were held back by the law. A master diplomat, Geiger tentatively attained this vision, and though the trials have been many, this day he sits atop the Throne of the Undercity, above a counsel of crime family Godfathers and psychotic gang leaders, and with his silver tongue directs them all.
In MetaWarGame, Guildmaster Geiger can grant a bonus to Rep
The Hexenshard
Archmage Kedra Shultz
Lvl 11 Human Magic User Age 30
The daughter of the previous archmage, Kedra was a child prodigy of the Hexenshard. By her late teens, she had acquired skills many would not achieve until late in their lives. Now, though half the age of most members, the young genius leads the Hexenshard from her fathers’ manse outside Sudenport, scrying on the goings-on in the faraway Empire and waiting patiently to achieve her ends.
Lvl 11 Human Magic User Age 30
The daughter of the previous archmage, Kedra was a child prodigy of the Hexenshard. By her late teens, she had acquired skills many would not achieve until late in their lives. Now, though half the age of most members, the young genius leads the Hexenshard from her fathers’ manse outside Sudenport, scrying on the goings-on in the faraway Empire and waiting patiently to achieve her ends.
In MetaWarGame, Archmage Shultz can grant a bonus to Res
The Adventurers' Guild
Guildmaster Aaron Maas
Lvl 11 Human Fighter Age 41
As a young man, Aaron Maas ventured deep into the Great Forest and did not return for nearly a decade. It is said a different man returned from that forest than entered it, some believe he was taken by spirits, others that he fought so ruthlessly for survival as to have become something less than human. His gaunt features and sunken dead eyes certainly do not contradict this. Nonetheless, he returned to save the Adventurers’ Guild, which had floundered under the weight of Imperial restrictions. An avid freedom fighter, even in the middle of his life, Maas can be a cold strategist or a berserk warrior, and this combination makes him one of the most effective hands-on leaders in Hommund
Lvl 11 Human Fighter Age 41
As a young man, Aaron Maas ventured deep into the Great Forest and did not return for nearly a decade. It is said a different man returned from that forest than entered it, some believe he was taken by spirits, others that he fought so ruthlessly for survival as to have become something less than human. His gaunt features and sunken dead eyes certainly do not contradict this. Nonetheless, he returned to save the Adventurers’ Guild, which had floundered under the weight of Imperial restrictions. An avid freedom fighter, even in the middle of his life, Maas can be a cold strategist or a berserk warrior, and this combination makes him one of the most effective hands-on leaders in Hommund
In MetaWarGame, Guildmaster Maas can grant a bonus to Rec
The Weisekirk
Archbishop Marissa Leon
Lvl 10 Human Cleric Age 56
An orphan raised by the church, Marissa joined the Order of Clerics and quickly ascended the ranks, vetted by countless field missions, and spent years training new Clerics. By the time the Archbishop died, she had proven herself his most trusted aide, and her fellow clergymen knew that Weirdunn wished her to lead them. Though aged, Marissa’s roots have not left her, and she is still a warrior at heart. Restrictions of the church keep her from frequent military engagement, but as a general, she has a fearsome fire that inspires troops.
Lvl 10 Human Cleric Age 56
An orphan raised by the church, Marissa joined the Order of Clerics and quickly ascended the ranks, vetted by countless field missions, and spent years training new Clerics. By the time the Archbishop died, she had proven herself his most trusted aide, and her fellow clergymen knew that Weirdunn wished her to lead them. Though aged, Marissa’s roots have not left her, and she is still a warrior at heart. Restrictions of the church keep her from frequent military engagement, but as a general, she has a fearsome fire that inspires troops.
In MetaWarGame, Archbishop Marissa can grant a bonus to Mgt
For MetaWarGame, all leaders will begin the game in the faction's headquarters.
Sep 16, 2013
MetaWarGame Player Map
Just a utility post, folks.
For those involved in the MetaWarGame, here is your map:
I recommend printing it out so you can mark it up, since some of you know information about locations and bases, etc, and others may learn more. Also, those that choose to send out exploration bands will want to fill in blank hexes.
For those involved in the MetaWarGame, here is your map:
I recommend printing it out so you can mark it up, since some of you know information about locations and bases, etc, and others may learn more. Also, those that choose to send out exploration bands will want to fill in blank hexes.
Sep 15, 2013
Hommund 99 - Session 2
The day is the Eighth of
Winter, the year 99 PB (Post Bellum)
Having
packed the requisite supplies and convinced their companions Leia and Inigo to
join them, the intrepid party bids farewell to Mesa. Goodbyes are said to
parents, and Alvaro gives his son Inigo his Guards’ Shortsword, in exchange for
the promise that he will be safe.
The
group descends into the cold winter desert: Clause, Inigo, Leia, Adam,
Roderick, and Leia’s hanger-on Eko. The meet the exiled cleric Ulrich on the
lift and agree to travel together. By the end of the first day they reach the
snowy mountains to the north of the desert and set up camp.
Unprepared
for the bitter cold, members of the party begin to succumb to illness, which
only worsens in the three day journey through the mountains. The group manages
to avoid confrontation with a small pack of wolves, and they scrape by on the
meager rations they have. Out of the mountains, they are forced to camp through
a snowstorm until morning when they can see the trade post town of Hanbei.
The
group, short on cash, spends what they can afford on warm beds for Adam,
Roderick, and Ulrich, those most shaken by illness, and the rest of the party
sleeps on the floor. Since their thief is too sick to steal more coin, they buy
a few winter coats where they can.
Ulrich,
once up and moving, spots a group of prostitutes in the town, and takes it upon
himself to shame them on behalf of the church. Finding their counter-argument
surprisingly convincing, he turns to soliciting services, but doesn’t have
enough money. Ashamed and discouraged, before leaving he reaches out for a full
two-hand grope and finds, after the initial shock, a knife slipped between his
ribs. In shocked anger, he draws his halberd as the courtesan shouts for her
companions. As the other girls round the corner, Ulrich’s polearm falls and
slices halfway through the woman’s neck. She falls, gasping, to the snow and
dies. Her backup stands, shocked, before the priest frantically brandishing his
weapon. Ulrich fails to notices the soft steps behind him, and when the garrote
seizes his neck he falls, choked, and is dragged into the wagon.
Inigo
sees Ulrich dragged into the cart and rushes to see the courtesans, who deny
knowledge. But Inigo clearly knows what happened. “Look, can I at least get a
finger or something?”. The girl disappears for a moment into the wagon and
returns to drop something into Inigo’s open palm. The Halfling quickly pulls
back and kicks snow over Ulrich’s severed member. Eyes wide, he turns and tells
the party that they have lost Ulrich. Later Clause, who has been hiding out in
the inn, goes out into the cold to intimidate the prostitutes into returning
Ulrich’s belonging to the party. Inigo leaves some coin behind as a sort of
karmic recompense.
Looking
for work to be able to afford to leave, the group encounters a small band of
gang members. Anti-imperials, they plan to attack the caravan that has just
arrived for supplies, and which is headed out to the Border Fort with a load of
rations. The party, though some are still recovering from illness, decides to help,
and they formulate a plan. The robbery is to occur on the third day the party
has been in town.
The
party and thieves station three groups of archers along the street, one for
each group of three guards around the caravan (the thieves have assessed that
there are twelve guards total, so more are likely on break). Another thief
waits to give the signal to the thieves’ wagon, which will circle and pick up
the group in the event that things take a turn for the worse. An unfortunate
situation complicates this, though: with heavy snow, some archers have been
forced to remain behind to dig out the cart and part of a path, and help will
surely come slowly when it does.
Inigo
volunteers to sneak into the midst of the carts once the guards are distracted,
to set fire to them and then run. The archers are meant to shoot to provoke the
guards into giving chase. In their heavy armor, the caravan guards will be
unable to pursue.
As an
alternate plan, the group first sends the prostitutes to solicit the guards,
but the imperial men are steadfast, and the women walk away unsuccessful. The
archers share their cue, and open fire.
As
planned, the guards rush to attack the bowmen, and Inigo, waiting for them to
run further, launches his own arrows.
When
the guards gain ground, the thieves turn to flee as per the plan, but the
adventurers decide to hold their ground and fight. Inigo, realizing he may have
less time than he thought, runs at full speed into the midst of the caravan.
The
guards take their first swings, and the adventurers too. Some thieves continue
to flee, but most, seeing their companions in trouble, stop to continue
shooting. Inigo, arriving swiftly among the wagons, realizes the mistake of his
speed: the other three guards are sitting in one of the wagons, and he has run
nearly straight into them. They draw their weapons and step down into the snow.
Things
are clearly taking a turn for the worse. Guards knock down Eko and Adam
quickly. Clause follows after felling a pair of guards. A valiant thief holds
off an imperial man long enough for Leia to stabilize Adam. In the midst of the
melee, Inigo takes a blow to the leg and falls to his knees, the next swing
cleaves his jaw off into the snow. Grasping his mangled face, Inigo gasps as
blood runs over his open hand. Everything begins to go dim as he falls for the
last time.
Eko’s
dogs rush to save Inigo, unaware that they are dragging a corpse. One of the
band of thieves rushes in to grab Inigo’s torch and lights a wagon, dodging the
swords of the other guards.
Soon
Leia too falls, and the thieves’ cart is arriving in the distance. Arrows and
blades have by this time slain numerous guards and thieves alike. Roderick
makes a run for the bandits’ wagon. The thief in the center manages to set all
four wagons ablaze before he is slain.
When
the wagon arrives, it is only in time to drop off men to give aid to the
fallen. By the time the conflict ends, Inigo, four thieves, and ten guards are
dead, and the imperial wagons all ablaze. The dead are gathered and the wagon
quickly leaves town. All the adventurers besides Roderick (who avoided the bulk
of combat) are unconscious with grave wounds.
Over
the next ten days, the party regains consciousness one-by-one, and find that
they have been nursed to health in a gang hideout in Riverstadt, and that their
companion and brother is dead.
The day
is the 25th of Winter, 99PB.
 |
| RIP |
Sep 12, 2013
MetaWarGame Draft 2
Faction Attributes:
Following (Fol) - Abstract number of units and amount of resources available for actions.
Speed (Spd) - Initiative Order
Might (Mgt) - Multiplier die for military efforts
Recon (Rec) - Multiplier die for covert tasks
Resourcefulness (Res) - Multiplier die for research and innovation
Reputation (Rep) - Multiplier for diplomatic endeavors
Faction Actions:
Contested rolls are written as attacker vs defender.
Fol represents the resources assigned to a particular task.
Actions marked with a * need not be completed in a single attempt. If an attempt to recruit yields a number less than 1 (a decimal), you may keep this number and add it to a later attempt to recruit. Research bonuses may be added together and used at once, so that decimals may likewise be added.
Move - Transport units up to 4 hexes (24 miles) per day. For each day of travel without stopping at a base, troops incur a cumulative -1 penalty to combat rolls.
Attack - Fol x Mgt vs. Fol x Might (+Fort)
Spy - Fol x Rec vs Fol x Rec (+Fort) where the defender's Fol is the number of units in a base.
Spying takes travel times+1d4 days.
A failure by 5 or less indicates that the spies have been spotted, and fled without finding information.
Failure by more than 5 indicates that 1d4 quarters of the Fol has been lost, and defender can make a roll (Fol x Rec vs Fol x Rec; where your following is what remains after loss) to interrogate the spy and gain information as a normal spying attempt, without risk of loss.
Research* - Assign a number of Fol and an area of research (Mgt, Rec, Res, Rep, Spd)
Assigned Fol is occupied for Res/Fol x1d10 days.
When complete, research grants a Res x Fol/10 bonus that can be applied to a roll in the chosen area at any time.
Once a research bonus is used, all factions who are aware of its use roll Res and subtract from 10. This is the number of days for which the bonus may be used against them. Factions who learn of an unused research bonus through spying may make this roll as soon as they learn of the bonus.
Recruit* - Gain Fol x Rep/20 points of Rep
Build Base - Assign Fol for 1d10 days to build a base. The number of Fol you assigned is the Base's Fortification (Fort). You may fortify an existing base in this same way in 1d6 days.
Lie in Wait - Factions that take no action in a day go first in the next day. Multiple factions winning initiative this way go in order according to their initiative.
Secret Actions - Roll Rec and add as many points as you want. Subtract the number of points added to the Rec roll from your roll for the action you are trying to do secretly. The adjusted Rec roll will be subtracted from any Spy rolls to try to learn of your actions.
War
Thanks go to Noisms for bonuses and the general idea.
Bonuses to combat rolls.
+1 to troops stationed on higher ground
+1 if the battleground has been fortified (stakes, ditches, etc.)
+2 if the battleground has been strongly fortified (walls, towers, etc have been constructed)
+2 if surprising or ambushing
+1 for each battle won without disbanding, rearranging, reassigning this army (e.g.: the name of the Tenth Legion carries weight as long as it is the Tenth Legion, and not a different group of the same name)
The winner of a military conflict loses 1/4 the assigned Fol.
The loser of a military conflict loses 3/4 the assigned Fol.
The same goes for the Fort score of any bases involved.
Bases
A faction's Fol is distributed among its bases.
It is not necessary to have more than one base in a city.
Building a base is rather noticeable, and other factions with bases in the city are likely to know if a new base is being built.
If you do not have a base in an area where you are trying to act, you must move Fol to that location, taking travel time. The same goes if you do not have enough Fol to complete a given action.
An empty base (one where all Fol has been assigned to actions and moved elsewhere), if known to another faction, may be claimed while its occupants are away.
If all a faction's bases are destroyed, that faction loses half of its Fol (calculated after any losses from combat or any such attempts.
Faction Leaders
Some factions already have leaders, others have councils or generals who are unknown. I will post the known leaders here, and tell the rest of you in secret who leads your factions.
Leaders will each have an area of specialty. A leader is assumed most often to be overseeing the workings of the faction as a whole. Thus, a leader assigned to a specific task grants a +1 bonus to rolls with that task, at the cost of -1 to all the faction's other actions during the time of the chosen task. A leader assigned to assist in a task which is his/her area of expertise grants a +3 bonus to rolls, and the same penalty to other actions.
You must always know where your faction's leader is located. This location is often secret, but may be discovered by spies.
If a faction's leader is killed, the faction incurs a penalty of -5 to all rolls for 1d6 days until a new leader can be found, whereupon the penalty decreases by 1 point each day until it is 0.
Known Leaders:
Empire - Emperor Locke Nosc Rohan
Explorers' Corps - Captain Michael Cunningham
Weisekirk - Archbishop Marissa Leon
Halfhill Regime - Lord Ferdinand
Following (Fol) - Abstract number of units and amount of resources available for actions.
Speed (Spd) - Initiative Order
Might (Mgt) - Multiplier die for military efforts
Recon (Rec) - Multiplier die for covert tasks
Resourcefulness (Res) - Multiplier die for research and innovation
Reputation (Rep) - Multiplier for diplomatic endeavors
Faction Actions:
Contested rolls are written as attacker vs defender.
Fol represents the resources assigned to a particular task.
Actions marked with a * need not be completed in a single attempt. If an attempt to recruit yields a number less than 1 (a decimal), you may keep this number and add it to a later attempt to recruit. Research bonuses may be added together and used at once, so that decimals may likewise be added.
Move - Transport units up to 4 hexes (24 miles) per day. For each day of travel without stopping at a base, troops incur a cumulative -1 penalty to combat rolls.
Attack - Fol x Mgt vs. Fol x Might (+Fort)
Spy - Fol x Rec vs Fol x Rec (+Fort) where the defender's Fol is the number of units in a base.
Spying takes travel times+1d4 days.
A failure by 5 or less indicates that the spies have been spotted, and fled without finding information.
Failure by more than 5 indicates that 1d4 quarters of the Fol has been lost, and defender can make a roll (Fol x Rec vs Fol x Rec; where your following is what remains after loss) to interrogate the spy and gain information as a normal spying attempt, without risk of loss.
Research* - Assign a number of Fol and an area of research (Mgt, Rec, Res, Rep, Spd)
Assigned Fol is occupied for Res/Fol x1d10 days.
When complete, research grants a Res x Fol/10 bonus that can be applied to a roll in the chosen area at any time.
Once a research bonus is used, all factions who are aware of its use roll Res and subtract from 10. This is the number of days for which the bonus may be used against them. Factions who learn of an unused research bonus through spying may make this roll as soon as they learn of the bonus.
Recruit* - Gain Fol x Rep/20 points of Rep
Build Base - Assign Fol for 1d10 days to build a base. The number of Fol you assigned is the Base's Fortification (Fort). You may fortify an existing base in this same way in 1d6 days.
Lie in Wait - Factions that take no action in a day go first in the next day. Multiple factions winning initiative this way go in order according to their initiative.
Secret Actions - Roll Rec and add as many points as you want. Subtract the number of points added to the Rec roll from your roll for the action you are trying to do secretly. The adjusted Rec roll will be subtracted from any Spy rolls to try to learn of your actions.
War
Thanks go to Noisms for bonuses and the general idea.
Bonuses to combat rolls.
+1 to troops stationed on higher ground
+1 if the battleground has been fortified (stakes, ditches, etc.)
+2 if the battleground has been strongly fortified (walls, towers, etc have been constructed)
+2 if surprising or ambushing
+1 for each battle won without disbanding, rearranging, reassigning this army (e.g.: the name of the Tenth Legion carries weight as long as it is the Tenth Legion, and not a different group of the same name)
The winner of a military conflict loses 1/4 the assigned Fol.
The loser of a military conflict loses 3/4 the assigned Fol.
The same goes for the Fort score of any bases involved.
Bases
A faction's Fol is distributed among its bases.
It is not necessary to have more than one base in a city.
Building a base is rather noticeable, and other factions with bases in the city are likely to know if a new base is being built.
If you do not have a base in an area where you are trying to act, you must move Fol to that location, taking travel time. The same goes if you do not have enough Fol to complete a given action.
An empty base (one where all Fol has been assigned to actions and moved elsewhere), if known to another faction, may be claimed while its occupants are away.
If all a faction's bases are destroyed, that faction loses half of its Fol (calculated after any losses from combat or any such attempts.
Faction Leaders
Some factions already have leaders, others have councils or generals who are unknown. I will post the known leaders here, and tell the rest of you in secret who leads your factions.
Leaders will each have an area of specialty. A leader is assumed most often to be overseeing the workings of the faction as a whole. Thus, a leader assigned to a specific task grants a +1 bonus to rolls with that task, at the cost of -1 to all the faction's other actions during the time of the chosen task. A leader assigned to assist in a task which is his/her area of expertise grants a +3 bonus to rolls, and the same penalty to other actions.
You must always know where your faction's leader is located. This location is often secret, but may be discovered by spies.
If a faction's leader is killed, the faction incurs a penalty of -5 to all rolls for 1d6 days until a new leader can be found, whereupon the penalty decreases by 1 point each day until it is 0.
Known Leaders:
Empire - Emperor Locke Nosc Rohan
Explorers' Corps - Captain Michael Cunningham
Weisekirk - Archbishop Marissa Leon
Halfhill Regime - Lord Ferdinand
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