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That'd mean running two games... and either introducing the rules slowly or cutting out complexity... right? Or am I misunderstanding you?
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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You could run the game for a couple weeks and have her watch, then join the game after that time at a prearranged spot.
Posts: 1892 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Well, I just sent my submission. It hasn't bounced back yet. If you don't get it, let me know....
Posts: 2506 | Registered: Jul 2003
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OK, so I asked most of these questions in an email to Twink, only to have it occur to me, "Post them, stupid!" Sorry if I've overlooked any previously-asked questions.
(For the record, you rabid vultures, I've already sealed a spot. Finally! In on the friggin' ground floor )
What is to the north of Khadanira? Geographically, culturally, politically, etc. Since the caravan is coming from the north, I'm considering making my character a native of those regions. What is imported from the north in return for the gems, grain, and stone exported there? (Possibly relevant for any professions or skills my guy will know)
Are the mounts horse, or camel, or other? Re: sorcerers and wizards (foreign), are there actual laws against them practicing magic openly throughout Khadanira? Is it merely restricted to the cities? (To know how a wizard or sorcerer might behave in a samll village, or a caravan)
Are there clerics or soldiers of Maruh in Khadanira, or are they not persecuted or anything? What deities do the southern barbarians worship?
Are the rare Elves any different than those described in the handbook?
Do characters start with any Fate points, like Tom or Ty's games? Finally, do we start at new-L3, or almost-finished L3?
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I've had about ten submissions or people say that they were absolutely definitely going to submit something, plus two or three more people who may submit something.
I'll definitely be linking the archives for whoever's interested.
There are two nations to the north of Khadanira – Masuur, and a second, as-yet-unnamed country. Masuur is the equivalent of Assyria. I haven't done any design work on the other country yet, so if you want to have a character come from there, you get to make it up. If I like it, it becomes canon.
The caravan will be leaving from northern Khadanira, from a city about 150km south of the river that marks its northern border.
Khadanira trades stone, gems, and grain with its northern neighbours for fruit and vegetables, preserved goods (meats, dried fruit/vegetables), some livestock, and certain delicacies (chocolate among them).
Mounts for soldiers and messengers are horses; for merchants with caravans it's camels, typically extravagantly adorned with cloths and pillows for their comfort. For short treks, donkeys are used as pack animals.
The rule of thumb for wizards is "don't cast spells in big cities." Elsewhere, whether you're foreign or native, it's fine.
There are clerics of every god in the Khadaniran pantheon in the nation, but in Khadanira city itself, they are almost always either priests of Maumatuch or Maruh. In other cities, there is a wider variety.
Soldiers are loyal to the God-King. There are garrisons in each of the major cities, and the cities are allowed to use the soldiers with some autonomy, but their first loyalty is always to the monarch.
The Berwaan have gods of their own, but I haven't named them them yet. Making stuff up is allowed.
Physically, no, the elves get all of the same racial bonuses and everything. If you do want to be an elf, though, email me with your idea, because there's some world-specific stuff that they do additionally.
As to fate points, I haven't decided, so as far as stats are concerned do them as though you don't have a fate point.
You'll be "just started L3."
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:The rule of thumb for wizards is "don't cast spells in big cities." Elsewhere, whether you're foreign or native, it's fine.
Wait...so if my character were to cast a spell while en route to a big city, if full view of everyone else in the caravan, he wouldnt' be informed on upon reaching said big city? That might change how I was conceiving of playing the character I submitted to you earlier--assuming that I'm one of those chosen to play, that is.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Probably not, depending on what his role was with the caravan and who else was part of it. Obviously a zealous priest WOULD put you on the wanted list, so to speak, but most normal people wouldn't.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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Babynames.com is also a good resource. It can make your character's name mean something to them. Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Do a google search for "Babylonian names", or "Persian names", or something like that. I found a name I liked well enough that I didn't even modify it, but he was obscure enough of a historical figure (from the perspective of a 21st century American--his subjects probably wouldn't have agreed) that I didn't think it would get in the way. I wouldn't name my character Nebuchadnezer, or Gilgamesh, or anything like that.
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Fallow, my real name is at the bottom of my first post to this thread, if you're interested in knowing it.
I'm quite flabberghasted by the amount of interest in this game. There are more than enough submissions to run two separate six-player games!
IMPORTANT UPDATE
This is something that characters don't need to know – it has no impact on character design – but that players should probably know before they jump into the game:
After ancient Babylon, the next strongest influence in my development of things has been the work of H. P. Lovecraft. In other words, the game is going to get very dark.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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When are you going to decide on the players, and when are you planning on getting the story started?
Also, I have never played on-line in a manner like this. How does it work? Do we do it all via email? That seems like it would take forever. Do we ever get together in a chat room to play?
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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The deadline is Saturday. The absolute latest I'll choose the party is the following Saturday, but I'll most likely be settled on them much sooner than that.
This will be play-by-email only. Have a look at the archives for Slash the Berzerker's game, which are here, to see how PBEM works. Generally speaking, Slash aims for one turn per day, Monday through Friday. My game will likely be slower than this, depending on how the rest of this month goes for me.
Yes, it takes a long time to do things. Patience is a virtue in PBEM.
Edit: As to system functionality, once the characters are created and the game starts, I roll all of the dice.
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Porter, it does go slowly, but it allows for much deeper roll playing than pen and paper roll playing does. You can really craft each of your responses if you're interested in doing so, and there is plenty of time to consider how your character would react to circumstance.
Elizabeth, I wouldn't be put off by not having played before. I hadn't played D&D for years before starting Matt's game, and Suneun had never played, and neither of us are having any particular trouble yet. New players often try to tell the DM (twinky, in this case) how other players or the environment itself reacts to their player character, which is a no-no, but it's easy enough to learn the games boundaries through trial and error.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Could you give me some more information about the priests? Do worshipers of different gods have access to different spell domains as is the case with normal D&D? Also, what are the favored weapons for these "gods"?
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Actually, I've received a good number of submissions from folks who haven't played before. For those who wind up in the party, I'm quite happy to help them with the specifics of character creation (stats and whatnot), and with the rules as need arises.
>> Could you give me some more information about the priests? Do worshipers of different gods have access to different spell domains as is the case with normal D&D? Also, what are the favored weapons for these "gods"? <<
Spell domains are determined by character alignment alone, rather than by character alignment and deity alignment as described in the normal rules. Thus, an evil priest who actually has true power can still be a priest of Maumatuch, who is ostesibly a "good" god.
As to favoured weapons I have no idea. I haven't even sketched out the entire pantheon. The idea is that if you want to worship a god who doesn't currently exist, make one up – favoured weapons and all, if you like – and I'll tweak it as needed before adding it to the world's canon. Thus far at least one character submission has brought a new god to the pantheon.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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I don't mind that. I just like my character, and not knowing whether I'm in or not is killing me!!
Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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If you guys can't wait until Saturday, you'll have a hard time waiting for me to help other people do up character sheets and waiting for me to send out turns once things get rolling
Since I'm posting, I may as well reiterate my committment to running a very dark game, including the potential for the game ending by reason of characters going insane rather than dying.
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twinky, I just sent you the back story for my character. It explains how he came to be involved with the caravan as well as where he learned his fighting skills.
If you think my character is a good fit for your game, I can make any minor or major adjustments that need to be made.
Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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Twink, can you give us some idea of how often missile weapons of any sort are used in Khadanira?
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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All the time. Soldiers are light and fast, and what's probably the optimal Khadaniran soldier from a mechanics perspective is a quick mounted warrior with a short bow and scimitar.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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I know that is Ty and Matt's games, characters have been granted a magic item at the beginning of the game (either a single +2 item or two +1 items in Matt's case; I can't remember how Slash handled it). Are you going to do something similar?
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Slash did the same thing Matt did, except that Slash didn't necessarily grant special attributes if you put both points on the same item (e.g. Rennik's axe detects people, but Garyth's sword just has the bonuses--which is, mind you, still pretty cool.)
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Considering the time that this campaign is based on, what will the technilogical level be? Standard D&D? Bronze age?
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I'm hesitant to answer that question with a broad statement. I think based on what I've said publically about the world so far, everyone should already have a general idea.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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Twinky, what would the physical appearance be of a native to northern Khadanira? I could guess, but I'd probably be wrong, and I think you or co-creator Slash would have a pretty good idea.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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OK, let me re-phrase. Are there any mundane items from the Player's Handbook that will be unavailable to the characters? Long bows? Crossbows? Longswords? Tanglefoot bags?
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Longbows would be unavailable, I think. They weren't widely used in the period. Also, horses are very much emphasized-can't use a longbow mounted. I'm not sure about alchemical items; since they're not magical, they don't fall under anything Twink has mentioned yet. Swords would be used, but I think at the time they were largely bronze. Slash would know, too
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Twink, I think both Slash and I allowed items based on the recommended GP value for characters of a given level.
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