[Burning THAC0] B2: The Keep on the Borderlands (ooc/setup)

[mistrlittlejeans]

I don't care if we do a persuasion test or not, but it's clear we have all not yet come together in terms of what we want this game to be. My concept was a social character, because the original pitch was for a sandbox game -- Constance's chances for social tests go out the bucket when we leave town, especially since we're can't get them done in town. So I don't care if it's lie or persuade or intimidate, or (as seems to be the case) nothing. I'm happy to rp talking to individuals if that's going to do anything. But I need to know if I'm just not being clear enough in my intentions, or if I am being clear, what the result is.

Right now I feel we're all struggling to do anything. Which is fair enough, since we're just meeting each other, and don't know each other's play styles. But there are things than need answers. One character has no clothes. The player chose that (not buying clothes was a choice), and it needs to be dealt with. Another wants armor because we fear we are going to be outclassed if we head off hunting. We're either going to get those things, or we're not. I understand if the answer's no -- we chose not to invest our 3 lifepaths worth of stuff in clothing or armor. But I feel we need to be guided here: call for a roll, or tell the elf to put on a dress, or say there's a single leather breastplate for the lot of us; or tell me I'm way off the mark here.

If our goal is just to get past the rp stuff to go kill things, I've got the wrong character. But I feel I'm not on the same page as everyone else right now, and I'd like to fix that.

I think a healthy mix of social and combat play would be great. I made Aurvang specifically for a dungeon-crawl, but it'd be a shame not to open up some social skills. I'm expecting a chance to do that. I'm sure there will be some social situations with the bandits and within the caves. I'm pretty sure the Caves of Chaos aren't just a closed dungeon with monsters, but I could be wrong. Anyways, I put my NPC cousin in the Caves, so there should be at least one dwarf t socialize with.

Also, there's no reason Constance couldn't try to persuade/convince 1, particularly starry-eyed Chevalier to join us; if nothing else because he fancies her.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Engrishonly has been extremely busy so most of us have been entertaining ourselves trying to find ways to make tests. I think things will be more straight forward as we move on. Also, Avros is finished now, so we have the whole group.

There is one thing I'd like a little clarification with. I'm still not sure what the protocol is for Tests in BW. Does the player usually call for a test, or just state their intent/task and then the GM calls for the Test? I thought it was the latter, but from the boards I've read it seems more like the former. Maybe it's simply a healthy dose of the two.

 

[Voidrazor]

GM: okay, I'm trying to draw together the Thyatan/Traladaran conflict to the expressions of the conflict within the Elven houses. This is why I asked about the Tlielaxu... I am hoping that there's a point in which your ideas converge with the other player characters, and this is one attempt to start down that path.

Huh? Neither Tliel'laxu nor Umber were intended as Elven houses. I'm hoping to flesh out factions within the Thyatan/Traladaran conflict. The idea being that intrigue flourishes when there multiple factions within the two ostensible sides. So House Tliel'laxu is a minor house composed of Thyatans (with some selkie blood) sworn but not very loyal to House Karameikos. House Umber, if incorporated, would be a minor house composed of Traladarans inhabiting the borderlands region. I also think it would be good to create another Thyatan minor house, more loyal to House Karameikos, that has some sort of titular claim on the borderlands.

 

[engrishonly]

If our goal is just to get past the rp stuff to go kill things, I've got the wrong character. But I feel I'm not on the same page as everyone else right now, and I'd like to fix that.

Well, the Keep is a setting in itself, as is the 3+ day journey to the Caves. In the module as written, there are pieces & parts in the Keep that foreshadow the later elements in the Caves, but there's no reason to go through any particular area that doesn't need going through (either in the D&D or BW).

The D&D involves killing them and taking their stuff, and there are the usual humanoids involved in this... but it's not my intent to rule out creative solutions to the issues posed by the Caves of Chaos, just as I don't want to wave it all away through the presence of a band of knights errant.

I also have the sense that there's some circling back that needs to be done, however. Getting the Elven conflict, Thyatis/Traladar, the House Tlielaxu tied in with the setting at hand... It is important to me to figure out more of the interconnections so that you all can work through your Beliefs together rather than what just happens to come along.

In many ways, who & what awaits you at the Caves (and the Bandit camp) is still dependent on the ongoing conversation we are having here.

 

[engrishonly]

Huh? Neither Tliel'laxu nor Umber were intended as Elven houses. I'm hoping to flesh out factions within the Thyatan/Traladaran conflict. The idea being that intrigue flourishes when there multiple factions within the two ostensible sides. So House Tliel'laxu is a minor house composed of Thyatans (with some selkie blood) sworn but not very loyal to House Karameikos. House Umber, if incorporated, would be a minor house composed of Traladarans inhabiting the borderlands region. I also think it would be good to create another Thyatan minor house, more loyal to House Karameikos, that has some sort of titular claim on the borderlands.

This is probably a good conversation to have with our Paladin (House Umber especially), and perhaps also our Pardoner (her take on the socio-political conflict between the ruling people & the conquered, especially regarding the pardoned adventurers).

The "ownership" of the Keep is an open question. It is in Thyatan hands... So I agree that there should be a minor Thyatan house, not quite disposable but intended to fall at some point.

Okay, almost time to get on my flight.

 

[Voidrazor]

So yeah, what do you guys want to have in terms of local politics? If the Traladarans in this region are subdivided into something like house Umber, I think it would make sense for them to have close ties to the dwarves (or one of the dwarven clans, putting them at odds with another). Is there anything about the religious conflicts you want to add, or specifically NOT have?

 

[mistrlittlejeans]

So yeah, what do you guys want to have in terms of local politics? If the Traladarans in this region are subdivided into something like house Umber, I think it would make sense for them to have close ties to the dwarves (or one of the dwarven clans, putting them at odds with another). Is there anything about the religious conflicts you want to add, or specifically NOT have?

I don't really care what the religious make up of the Keep is, since it has little to do with my character. I do like the idea of having a dwarven clan, or at least some dwarven merchants/nobles or something in the Keep that I can empathize with. I also like the idea of the Dwarven Host having a presence, which I've already established with my beliefs and relationships. i think the two could go hand in hand; a wealthy dwarven merchant clan could be paying top coin OR using it's political influence to use the Host of protection of its caravans to and from the Keep. Maybe it's even looking to expand trade into the less civilized regions, and is using the Host for protection.

Knock yourselves out with religious factions

 

[Voidrazor]

Hmm, it might be interesting if the Dwarven Host was also a pivot point in the human house struggle. If we can assume that the Host is the most fearsome military force in the region (due to numbers, engineers, and a vanguard of cavalry-killing Steel 9 bad-asses), then Umber would be courting their favor based off of historical amity, while the Thyatan house would be appealing to Greed.

 

[mistrlittlejeans]

Hmm, it might be interesting if the Dwarven Host was also a pivot point in the human house struggle. If we can assume that the Host is the most fearsome military force in the region (due to numbers, engineers, and a vanguard of cavalry-killing Steel 9 bad-asses), then Umber would be courting their favor based off of historical amity, while the Thyatan house would be appealing to Greed.

That sounds like fun.

 

[Mathalus]

Wiki's up over here:

Keep on the Borderlands - Burning Wiki

It's still very basic. Feel free to edit and stuff.

 

[mistrlittlejeans]

Wiki's up over here:

Keep on the Borderlands - Burning Wiki

It's still very basic. Feel free to edit and stuff.

Looks good thus far. Thanks for putting that up!