Homebrew tabletop game system thread the II

[Simon_Jester]

Sigh.

I get the feeling that I'm going to be a bad fit for this go-round; I didn't come to the table in the mood to play a rogue- in the general sense, not the D&D 'thief' skill set, which I obviously didn't sign up for either.

[Kaelan]

@S_J:

Remember the RPG maxim - keep the mage alive (followed second by the clerics). Besides, if it goes like most RPG games our magic PC badges will keep us togeather until it becomes second nature.

[Simon_Jester]

It's not so much character survival I'm concerned about as it is the character behavior. ECR seems to like running fairly thinky games, so it's going to get political and there will be a healthy share of political and moral questions raised as we go along.

We'll manage. I'm just hoping I can avoid falling into a pattern of endlessly and ineffectually trying to convince people to do the decent thing for a change. Larric is the sort of person who would honestly rather not kill anyone and dislikes the idea of stealing- this is really not unusual among humanity at large, but may leave him out of place in this adventuring party.

[Panzersharkcat]

Well, my character is more neutral than anything. He'd be just as happy smashing evil as he would be smashing good. So long as people can incentive him to continue smashing evil people, he'll be happy doing that. Who knows? There might be character development where he eventually becomes somewhat good.

Also, what I find funny is that I'm apparently going to be the party's tactician, given how bad I am at that sort of thing in real life.

EDIT: He's not really going to care who sides with who. He'll just be there for the ride.

[S.L.Acker]

My character isn't a killer or a thief, he's a guy who had a few great moments on the field of battle and now he plays it into soft contracts based on his reputation. He's a bit of a stuck up ass whose main concern will be how the upper-class will see his actions and who isn't very compassionate, but he's also not really evil. With a bit of prodding he might even be convinced that helping the common man for no immediate reward can be worth his while on some non-monetary level.

Going with the rest this party seems more self centered and apathetic to the suffering of the world than anything. That's why I suspect we'll either get hired by people who need skill but not passion, or we'll be accidental hero's who happen to do good because it suits them at the time. If we need a moral compass in the party to prod us once in a while it'll just make for good RP.

[Simon_Jester]

You're right; all this caught me while I was feeling a bit gloomy.

As long as we don't have too many people taking actual pleasure in playing assholes (as distinct from bastards), we should do all right.

[Agent Sorchus]

A small revision.

I'm thinking a mix of Rasputin and Stalin. Female who went to the Warrior Goddess's Seminary but hated it (probably on the fault of the feuds between the different followers). Left prior to finishing, with the intent of using those skills she did learn to con her way through life. Not really a worshiper of the Trickster god, mostly because as a trickster you can't trust him.

Mechanically built to tank, with Rasputin's own luck.

Name: Eliska Klements

Physical
Strength 12 =13-1
default values of 4
Axe 12
Shield 13

Endurance 15
default values of 5
Resist Injury 20
resist survival 10

Agility 11
default values of 4
Dodge 15
Stealth 8

Social
Temper 11
default values of 4
Determination 13
Resist Persuasion 10

Fellowship 12 = 13 -1
default values of 4
Politics 12
Con 12

Charm 9
Default values of 3
Courtliness 6
Persuasion 12

Mental
Logic 14
Default values of 5
Physician 12
Rites and Rituals 14
Runes 10

Creative 10
Default values of 3
Surgeon 12
Preaching 7

Education 7
Default values of 2
History 8
Culture (Clergy) 5

Advantages/ Disadvantages
dis- 3ap Enemy of the the common (honest) workers
dis- 2ap Secret Kicked out of the seminary for walking too fine a line of worship to the god of rebellion
dis- 1ap Exile Will not return to family or relatives who did not appreciate her breaking with the church
ad- 2ap Wealth from living off the backs of more honest people. Could be substituted for patron potentially

6ap remaining probably for healing magics. (I still don't entirely understand the magic system.)

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Sorry about the not much today, I had to go present- hunting, and I do have to write at some point.

The magic system isn't massively clear because it takes a lot of explaining, and a couple of things have happened- out of universe rules changes that became tied to in- universe events.

Magic is taught on the basis, and runs like that obviously, of general field and specific talent. The general field- to use Larric as an example, Passions and Wits are the general fields he actually has abilities in, and they control the scale of the effect that can be achieved, how far you can make it reach. The fields are actually aspected, since the fall of the towers- the magic that comes under Passions for instance is there, and called that, because it's the bits that seem to flow most directly out of the social, temperament and humanly interactive, side- the sudden and extrovert side, at that. An older tradition was dismembered and rearranged to get to this, in and out of universe, some bits are an odd and some a surprising fit.

The talents are rolled for as skills, Substance and Air are the talents he has under wits, and control the subtlety of the effect- how intricate you get, whether you succeed, all that. What you can attempt to do, player's imagination. I want it to be a bit wild and open, and the rules a little hidden and uncertain, for the sake of it feeling more like magic. (And so I can fine tune the modifiers and interaction effects.) Partial success is possible and disaster usually entertaining.
Life magic was used, for instance, to boost a character into man- plus; delay- and accelerate- another's becoming a were; conduct a sex change; conduct a temporary species change; make living things in total darkness glow; get a bunch of inconvenient guards out of the way by giving them dysentery; fake a politically convenient ailment; spot said fakery; to overload nerves and stun; in addition to the very obvious, to heal. Go wild.

Anyway, just to take stock, there are;
Panzersharkcat, playing Alfred Norden, baronet's (illegitimate) son and fairly rough and ready hitter of things;
Simon_Jester, playing Larric Smith, hedge wizard, craftsman and investigator;
Tasoth, playing Fallard Ruel, a quick- tongued rogue;
Kaelan, playing William Ballard, a streetwise watchman and axeman;
S.L.Acker playing Bryan Wright, illegitimate noble's son of some culture and polish and a big sword;
Agent Sorchus playing Eliska Klements, a hedge- talented schemer and survivor;
do you want the magic list or would you prefer a suggestion- which would be Forces 4, Martial Arts (Strength)8- breaking bricks and small walls with the power of your mind,
Talents 8, Martial Arts (Agility) 8 (running up walls, over snow without leaving footprints, etc), Life 8?
Feralgnoll, who hasn't actually come back with a character concept yet.

Yes, "ask not what your country can do for you" wouldn't ring many bells here- but I said I could make plot out of whatever came up, so I'll have to hold myself to that. I still have to sort out some of the derived values from all of you that feed the mechanics, and hand out equipment, but that's soon done. First story bits should be some time tomorrow afternoon, UK time.

[Kaelan]

I'm at the inlaws for christmas. Also typing on an iPad. Upshot is that I may be a bit slow to respond and expect my spelling to go to pot!

[Kaelan]

I'm at the inlaws for christmas. Also typing on an iPad. Upshot is that I may be a bit slow to respond and expect my spelling to go to pot!

[S.L.Acker]

This is looking like a party that has what it takes to get things done, provided we actually decide to do them. It's nice to see a party that isn't made up of the biggest beat sticks a system can provide.

[Panzersharkcat]

Yup. I'm thanking Agent Sorchus for putting points into politics. I think I was the only other one with points in that and it would have been bad having to rely on my piddling 4 in politics. Also, do you want me to remind Feralgnoll to post?

[S.L.Acker]

I have politics 10 as well.

[Panzersharkcat]

That's good. Anyway, Feralgnoll told me he's at his in-laws without much in the way of internet access. He says he should be able to post tonight, though.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Panzersharkcat, yes- prod him a bit. He can join in media res. Here goes.


-----------------

Some parties meet at the pub. It's the traditional cliche, and it does have a core of plausibility to it. The inn is the largest and warmest public space in most villages, and if the place is too small for a permanent market, it serves as that too; as general store, restaurant, gambling den, many things. It makes sense to meet at the inn.

Far too much sense, so obviously that's what didn't happen here. You meet in the burning shell of a rigg house in the aftermath of a botched public execution.


This morning, you were all in or on your way (struggling through the last of the frozen mud of winter) to a small town of around five hundred people, Coroghan, about twelve miles south of Edric's Elbow, a major bend in the Moshar River, and standing on both banks of a small tributary thereunto.

The River Corrow is quite scenic, and almost drinkable without further effort, and Coroghan is in relatively good state because it was too small to invite wholesale devastation; there are good forests nearby, so most of the town is wooden- the square is cobbled, there's a stone church, a stone bridge and a large stone round- tower left over form earlier wars that serves as town hall in good times, nobles' residence some of the time and shelter in bad, but the rest is timber.

The town's practically H- shaped, streets along the riverbank on both sides, garden- plots behind them stretching away, the church with the square in front of it at one joint on one side of the bridge, the round tower on the other. Until midmorning, the locals were counting themselves luckier than their neighbours.

That changed about an hour after dawn, when a young man in exceptionally shiny armour and with a retinue of fighting men arrived, with a captive in tow who did her case no good at all by cursing him with every name under the sun- the case being that she was a witch and should be burnt at the stake, and you peasants organise a bonfire now, chop- chop.

The town's fighting and brawling men got together and grumbled about this, the (two) priests objected vigorously, but were told to shut up or join her; this brought things closer to the boil, and it only got worse when another group of armed men, with different heraldry, arrived from the other side of the river.

The young woman in question might well be a witch, hag, hedge- wizard or some other such thing, but it appeared she was also at least a close friend- 'oh, come on, you know I shared a bed with him' being her response- of the Verderer, an officer of the court, of Qulan, one of the three baronies. The verderer being at this point also the senior survivor. Angry looks were exchanged, swords drawn, and just before it broke into a free for all her other friends arrived to rescue her.

Evidently a very well connected young woman; or a convenient target. Her other friends being a gang of rebellious peasantry- actually, not so much gang as band. Of yeomanry, the upper working class well off enough to hire others to work on their land and equip themselves decently when called to war; most of them have longbows. They announced their presence with a volley, most of the people in the square scattered.

By sheer coincidence (of course it is...), you all end up out of the arrow- storm in the same house, look round, take stock, notice each other- just before a fire arrow lands on the thatch roof.

Actions?

[Feralgnoll]

Ok I'm back. Thanks for the clarifications on the werewolf. I still would like to play one. I'm at my in-laws but I'll have my stuff sorted as soon as I can.

Personality wise, I'm thinking a self exiled huntsman. He is kind and honorable, and trying to right wrongs to atone for his curse.

[S.L.Acker]

Bryan had only planned on stopping over for the night in the sleepy village straddling the Corrow and thus his zwiehander and armor are currently safely packed away in his saddlebags leaving him in his riding clothes with only his arming sword and coin purse at his hip as he observes the commotion. Ever pragmatic his observations center on trying to figure out if there is a profit to be gained by stepping into the mess or staying put. As arrows are knocked by the rescue party he, like the rest of the crowd, knows better than to stay out in the open, and so after a quick glance about he ducks into a nearby house along with a few others.

His thoughts are starting to come around to the option of saving the girl; if only because the lure of currying favor with the Verderer might be worth the risk that she was spewing lies to save her skin. As the first volley starts to land he's made up his mind and is planning on trying to make a dash for the woman using the cover of the arrows. The smoke billowing from the house further serves to punctuate his choice.

Ignoring the others who had also taken cover in the house, the fashionable nobleman steps quickly from the house and its already burning thatch. Wishing for the luxury of waiting for the perfect time to act he hopes that the group who intended to burn the young woman are busy enough finding cover that he won't be assaulted while trying to save her. If it turns out they aren't, well that's why he's drawing his sword on the way over.

EDIT: Any info on the heraldry that my character might have noticed? Also does my character buy her story about being a bedfellow with the Verderer, or is his desire for political power driving him on towards something that if he stopped and thought about it doesn't make sense?

[Simon_Jester]

I'm having trouble coming up with what Larric was doing in town on the fly, 'only passing through' seems plausible, most likely to another town where he has a friend to put him up while he sets up shop again from whatever fragments of his equipment and library he saved from being burned out before...


Larric viewed events with some trepidation and from a distance; he wasn't happy with what was going on, but sensibly kept his mouth shut as a one-way execution turned into a a three-way Zarthani standoff. The fourth way stirred him to action- a flight of arrows will do that, and as said he took cover in the nearest building that looked sturdy enough to stop stray shots.

When a fire arrow ignites the roof, the alchemist decides he isn't in the mood to be burned out of another place of refuge, particularly when it's raining cloth-yard shafts, and decides to take steps.

Air and Substance- he knows from playing around with bell jars that there's a certain je ne sans quoi to air, which can be stored separately, created separately if you get playful enough with water, and without which fire and life both are impossible. His name for it is probably some exotic variant on "the vital principle," but he knows what it is and what it does- and in this case, what he'd like it not to do.

He starts calling out and gesturing at the spreading fire in the thatch, trying to smother it and stop the roof burning off- by persuading the oxygen up by the roof to come down and leave the flames to go play with themselves.

[Panzersharkcat]

Angry that the commotion had woken him up, Alfred gets up. Like with Bryan, his armor is tucked away, leaving him with only his maul. His only thoughts are to grab his armor and he tries to make his way there, taking cover behind houses as necessary. If he gets there, he'll strap on the basic stuff. From there, he will yell from cover, "I am Alfred Norden, son of Friedrich Norden, baronet of [insert name of land]. I command you to cease fire or face my wrath!" He readies his maul if they don't.

(OOC: What is the name of his lands?)

[Tasoth]

Peering outside from the side of the window, Fallard stops his observation just long enough to turn and address the group.

'Lovely weather we're having. First time I've seen a rain of arrows in winter.'

And then he watches Bryan step outside.

[Simon_Jester]

Spoiler

So, we know that some of us react to being inside a burning building by charging out, others react by trying to put the fire out, and Fallard reacts by quipping.

Lovely party dynamic.

[Tasoth]

((crap, I did not notice the fire arrow.))

Having noticed the distinct aroma of a fiery death filling the house, Fallard promptly exits and attempts to gauge which side seems to be the winning side and how to curry favor.

Which results in him promptly heading for the 'witch'.

[Agent Sorchus]

(quick post time, xmas eve is the worst. Don't expect much from me tomorrow either, And yes I'll run the magic tallents as suggested.)

I'm going to do a quick double take on the heraldry of both main groups, obviously not the peasants but if they have any that would be fun too.

Aloud- Those archers are being a bit indiscriminate are they not. Wonder if we could get them to stop attempting to burn the town around us.

Otherwise I am going to take cover in the door/ along the eaves before the roof collapses.

[Simon_Jester]

Larric might normally attempt to make reply to Fallard or Eliska; Banter is on his skill list after all. He is, alas, a bit too busy trying to snuff out the burning roof.

[Kaelan]

William awakes with the outside noise. Upon seeing the band of armed men he instinctively pulls on his chain shirt from under the bed. Listening to the argument outside he senses a setup in motion.

If the lady was a witch there was no way they would have dragged her here with ease, and If this dandy boy had any brains he would have brought a dead body to burn, or just hand her over to the clergy.

Still the young noble looked rather good in his shiny armour, and also appeared to have a few enemies (most likely won't be missed). Looking at his meagre chain, and light purse he also see's his fellow travellers reacting. Magic, verbal challenges, heroics, and quips; looks like a group with potential. His mind made up William lifts up his crossbow and looses a quarrel, "dibs on the armour".