Help me decide what game to run next!

After getting out of PbP for a while, I started up an all-orc-and-goblin D&D game here after getting a wild hair up my ass about such a setting. (There's a link in my signature.) And, surprisingly, running it with pretty regular updates takes a lot less time out of my already busy schedule than I thought it would. Maybe I'm getting good at this. All that aside, the bottom line is that I want to run another PbP alongside it, and having been in a position as a player where I so ache to roleplay but can't find anything that interests me, I'm going to give the player base some choice in this one.

Now, I could have posted a poll, but mostly I just want to hear from people who'd be interested in any of these concepts I'm about to lay out. Then I can pick the one that gets the best response, start a proper recruitment thread (with all the spots probably filling up immediately with people from this thread), and all that rot.

So, here's what I'd be interested in running--

• RIVETS ETERNAL -- This is my Steampunk setting, about four years in the making. It takes place in a world in which most non-metropolitan areas are resource-barren, a catalyst for the previously unexplored areas of the globe to be explored and harvested to maintain steam technology. Humans and Dwarves form much of the pompous upper crust of society, while Gnomes and Goblinoids fill in the lower classes, tending toward being mechanics, zeppelin stitchers, and the like. Elves, their ancestral homes harvested long ago for fuel, have been enslaved as long as even the long-lived race themselves can remember. The main metropolitan area of the world, Trenchtown, takes the form of an enormous cog, policed by a shadowy and oppressive Milita. A distant neighbor to the east, Zeakaden, is a haphazard and slapdash gambling city, seemingly cobbled together from pieces of other settlements. Zeakaden is ruled by a monarchy of undead called Deadmen, though the "Live" rulership of the city is passed annually as stakes in a game of chance. Airships, flintlocks, steamwork armor and clockwork pulp.
• THE DARK AND THE MEMORY -- A post-apocalyptic fantasy setting. Humanist in nature, this setting is the result of the sort of magical arms race that I think would develop in a D&D world. Dwarves presumed to be forever locked in their underground strongholds, Elves long disappeared, Gnomes and Halflings exterminated, mere men seek to eke out an existence in the ruins of what was. Isolated settlements, lots of horrific mutations, a big focus on the scarcity of, well, everything: weapons, armor, equipment, food, medicine. Lots of horror elements as well as just good ole' fashioned humanist drama.
• THE TROUPE OF THE PAINTED SOUL -- I haven't given this one a lot of thought, but I think I'd set it in Forgotten Realms, though, for me, using a published setting is rare as hell. Essentially the PCs are all specialized agents in this Harper-like group of traveling mummers who provide their services of espionage, assassination, infiltration, subterfuge, social manipulation, etc. for a rather hefty fee.
• A BLACK CORNER, A STAIN -- Perhaps a more accurate representation of what I do with published settings, turn them on their head. Basically, imagine a Forgotten Realms in which Ao glimpsed that which should not be glimpsed and all of Toril has gone mad. The big names like Eliminster are now terribly mad, figures of terror rather than awe. Inexplicable, mind-rending horror reaches even as far as the Dalelands. A Shadowdale filled with the shades of former residents. A great, intestinal purple worm steadily devouring Cormyr. Drow fleeing in droves from something darker.

Ask away, give me input, help me decide what (else) to run!

Rivets Eternal sounds interesting. Who doesn't love airships, firearms and steamtech? I'd be curious to know which venue you'd plan to have the campaign take place in though. Is it meant to be a gritty urban campaign set in bowels of Trenchtown or a wide-ranging campaign with the PCs playing airborne surveyors and prospectors out in the wild hinterlands?

I don't usually gravitate towards humanocentric campaign settings like The Dark and the Memory. It'd seem kind of a shame to play in a setting where all the regular tropes of fantasy RPGs are all extinct; it'd make me long for the mythic golden age of the past. I'd be curious to hear more about the campaign's theme; is it supposed to be a hard-living world a la Dark Sun? Is it an everyman-for-himself kind of setting devoid of any established ruling government?

The Troupe of the Painted Soul is oddly enticing; I've been considering running something similar myself for years so would welcome the opportunity to play in such a campaign. Intrigue, danger, stealth, specialized PCs on secret missions; what's not to love?

A Black Corner, a Stain. Wow. I wouldn't have a clue what to play in such an unusual setting. It's particularly difficult to wrap one's head around such a crazy and chaotic theme. Can't say it appeals to me much.

While I think Rivets Eternal sounds really neat (that's saying something; I'm not a big steampunk fan), I'm more interested in the last two. It's not because I'm a big FR fan (I'm not), either. The Troupe of Painted Soul sounds something right up my alley. Secret Societes and thesbianism?. Does anybody remember the Thesbian kit for bards from 2e? One of my favorite past characters was one, and he would fit right in to your idea.

I also like A Black Corner, A Stain. Mostly because I always love messing around with the Forgotten Realms. I'd love to see what other ideas you have about this.

Ambrus said:

Rivets Eternal sounds interesting. Who doesn't love airships, firearms and steamtech? I'd be curious to know which venue you'd plan to have the campaign take place in though. Is it meant to be a gritty urban campaign set in bowels of Trenchtown or a wide-ranging campaign with the PCs playing airborne surveyors and prospectors out in the wild hinterlands?

I don't usually gravitate towards humanocentric campaign settings like The Dark and the Memory. It'd seem kind of a shame to play in a setting where all the regular tropes of fantasy RPGs are all extinct; it'd make me long for the mythic golden age of the past. I'd be curious to hear more about the campaign's theme; is it supposed to be a hard-living world a la Dark Sun? Is it an everyman-for-himself kind of setting devoid of any established ruling government?

The Troupe of the Painted Soul is oddly enticing; I've been considering running something similar myself for years so would welcome the opportunity to play in such a campaign. Intrigue, danger, stealth, specialized PCs on secret missions; what's not to love?

A Black Corner, a Stain. Wow. I wouldn't have a clue what to play in such an unusual setting. It's particularly difficult to wrap one's head around such a crazy and chaotic theme. Can't say it appeals to me much.

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Thanks for the feedback. As far as Rivets goes, I've run a ton of games in the setting, ranging from air pirating romps, stories of men impressed into the Militia, detective thrillers, horror games starting with a downed airship, to light hearted goblin-centric things. So, as for just what form this particular PbP took, that's really the purpose of this thread -- giving the potential players some voice in what they play. This is really no different than discussing a possible game with real life players, huh?

For The Dark, that longing for a golden age is kind of the point. The world isn't as clean cut as "good guys" or "bad guys" -- survival is key, and in that sort of a situation it is the staying with or departing from ones morals that really "makes the man." While some areas of the world are actually harsh to inhabit, for the most part people are living where they originally settled -- forested areas, etc. The aftermath of the apocalypse makes for some unstable and unknown circumstances, but a lot of the hardship comes from simply starting over.

Pozatronic said:

While I think Rivets Eternal sounds really neat (that's saying something; I'm not a big steampunk fan), I'm more interested in the last two. It's not because I'm a big FR fan (I'm not), either. The Troupe of Painted Soul sounds something right up my alley. Secret Societes and thesbianism?. Does anybody remember the Thesbian kit for bards from 2e? One of my favorite past characters was one, and he would fit right in to your idea.

I also like A Black Corner, A Stain. Mostly because I always love messing around with the Forgotten Realms. I'd love to see what other ideas you have about this.

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I sort of knew messing around with Forgotten Realms would get people excited. It would even be pretty easy to work in elements of A Black Corner with Troupe, even. The one hurdle would be that I'm mostly familiar with 2nd Edition Forgotten Realms. so I'd need to bone up on the 3rd Edition stuff, though I'm sure I'll end up departing from canon quite a bit.

As far as my own personal DMing style goes, I'm obviously really into roleplaying, so bear in mind that any game is going to be about 75% roleplaying and 25% hack & slash. I mean, while my Blood Sun game started in the middle of a combat, the fluff will be a'comin'!

Rivets Eternal - I like it, I've been trying to get into a game like this (steampunk) for some time.

The Dark And The Memory - Interesting as a grim-n-gritty kind of game.

Troupe of The Painted Soul - Holds attraction because of the "specialists" aspect of the game.


Rivets Eternal holds the first place, ahead of Dark and Troupe, leaving Corner far behind.

note: I find "Corner" to be too vague, perhaps some more words on it would pique my interest.


*Sorry for the lack of actual imput beyond my opinion, perhaps I'll compensate for that in a future post.

Land Outcast said:

Rivets Eternal - I like it, I've been trying to get into a game like this (steampunk) for some time.

The Dark And The Memory - Interesting as a grim-n-gritty kind of game.

Troupe of The Painted Soul - Holds attraction because of the "specialists" aspect of the game.


Rivets Eternal holds the first place, ahead of Dark and Troupe, leaving Corner far behind.

note: I find "Corner" to be too vague, perhaps some more words on it would pique my interest.

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Actually, I was thinking, for The Dark and The Memory I might use Black Company d20 but I'd need to pick up another copy of the book because my awesome ex-girlfriend sold a lot of my stuff. Black Company d20 is probably the greatest grim & gritty setting I've ever seen, Green Ronin did it if you're interested.

It would help if with your discussion you'd do this, sort of rank what you'd like to play most, just so I can get some sort of idea of what the majority of people wanna play in.

definately Rivets for me.... NPC Lords slooowwww running recruitment thread has given me the itch for something more.... techish than magic-ish.... again I'm new to steampunk and would more than likely need help in creating a character... either that or ask ALOT of questions... but if that's fine with everyone definately Rivets is my vote..

Personally I think the Troupe of the Painted Soul would be an absolute blast. The first two seem very interesting, with Rivets having a complexity I feel none of the others do, but for my style, Troupe gets my vote today!

well, I usually prefer more D&D/Fantasyish, steampunk's not really my cup'o'java.
both 'The Dark' and 'Black Corner' both have the same appeal to me, A kind of 'hopeless' world where the PC's would be (At least in my vision) heroicly trying to survive and maybe helping others along the way..

I'm heading out of town this weekend, but right now I'm thinking about combining Troupe and Rivets. There's really not a steampunk game on the boards, and most people seem to be interested in the party makeup of Troupe as opposed to the actual setting.