Insight
Adventurer
AGAINST THE WITCH KING
This is an OOC / Recruitment thread for my new game, "Against the Witch King".
This is a "pulp fantasy" game (a la Conan, Kull the Conqueror, Red Sonja, the Hyperborean Cycle, Nehwon (Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser), and so forth). It will use the Savage Worlds rule set.
PLAYERS
I am recruiting between 3 and 6 players for this game. Prospective players will need to have access to the Savage Worlds rules (enough to create and advance your character) and will also be responsible for some aspects of world building (see below).
Here is a link to the "Test Drive" rules, a free download from the publisher.
We are likely to come up with additional house rules, new edges and hindrances, and other modifications to the standard rules. There are none in place at this time, though.
CHARACTERS
Characters should be designed to fit the general theme and tone of this game (see below). They are built using the Savage Worlds rules.
Starting XP: Characters start play with 40xp and are Veterans.
Race: The only allowed Races are Human, Half-Elf, and Half-Orc. I will allow *1* each of Half-Elf and Half-Orc; these are considered rare in the setting (see below).
Skills: Because of the setting (see below), certain skills may be less valuable. Among these are Investigation (lack of libraries and printed resources), Piloting (no flying vehicles), and Streetwise (it may be a long time before you run into a "community" in which to use this skill). Repair is also of dubious value, but I suppose that certain character concepts might be able to make use of it.
Hindrances: The following are prohibited - All Thumbs, Death Wish, Elderly, Outsider (unless proscribed by your Race), Pacifist, and Wanted. Illiterate is probably a wise hindrance to take unless you are a scholarly type (quite unusual, but perhaps not among heroes).
Edges: The following are prohibited - Connections, Noble, Rich (or Filthy Rich), and anything that requires an Arcane Background not present in this game (see below).
Arcane Backgrounds: The only Arcane Backgrounds present in this game are Magic and Divine. In addition, the edge, "Arcane Background" now also requires either Smarts d8 or Spirit d8 (depending on which arcane background you choose) as a prerequisite.
Powers: The following are prohibited at start (they may become available later) - Banish, Dispel, Drain Power Points, Greater Healing, Healing (Divine characters may take this, but it is prohibited to those with the Magic background), Summon Ally, Teleport, and Zombie.
Gear and Starting Cash: Characters start with the game-equivalent of $500 (obviously, it will be called something else in the game). At least half of this must be spent on equipment or goods of some kind. Keep in mind that this is a "low-tech" setting, so even some of the medieval items are not available. The most obvious examples are Rapiers, Halberd, Lances, and any kind of Plate armor.
Characters may start with a horse or similar mount, or may have an ox-cart or something along those lines.
THEME & TONE
This is a relatively "dark" or "pulpy" fantasy game. The characters are downtrodden, to a certain extent, and start the game well away from home, in a hostile land. The characters are free to act of their own devices; in that sense, the plot will be quite "sandbox-y". Once the game gets going, certain plots, as discovered (or created) by the heroes, will drive the game.
The characters are "heroes" only in the sense that they oppose a greater evil. They are not expected to act in a heroic manner. In fact, the characters are likely to be acting out of self-preservation for the most part. This is not to assert that the characters should be "villains", either. They should be "three-dimensional" characters who act because of their own motivations and the environment in which they find themselves.
SETTING & WORLD BUILDING
This is a "low-tech" fantasy setting. The standard technological level of the setting is about "Dark Age Europe" level, after the fall of Rome, but prior to the advent of Feudalism. The stirrup has not been invented, so horsemen are dangerous, but not "killing machines". There are likewise no knights or the equivalent. Armor is around chain mail level. Weapons are less sophisticated than even the early medieval period. There are bows, but no crossbows.
Kingdoms exist, but they are very tentative; kings can only reign over what land they can control by force; there are no diplomatic agreements or treaties demarcating territory or borders. For this reason, kingdoms are small and numerous, but traveling through their lands does not guarantee safety by any means. Kings are essentially warlords who command hordes of loyal followers to attack and conquer their neighbors. There is no feudal system, nor systems of peerage. The only "noble title" is king (or, rarely, queen) and perhaps prince or princess. The only landholders are the monarchs. But, because there is no feudal system, there is very little taxation. If a king wants something from a subject, he just takes it; no need for a tax collector.
Humans are the vastly dominant race. Elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, and so forth are mostly legendary. A select few have ever met these creatures and even fewer have regular interactions with them. The same goes for "monsters", such as dragons, giants, undead, monstrous humanoids, and so forth. There are different sorts of humans, however, and we will explore those as the character creation continues (and probably develop the ideas more as the game goes on).
This is also a "low magic-frequency" setting. Magic is rare and wondrous. Those who work magical spells or create divine miracles are extremely rare and notable (unless said casters are secretive about their abilities). Magic items are all legendary things, unseen by most people and known only to a few.
The GM (Insight) will provide a skeletal framework of a setting. This will allow players to conceptualize their characters and start thinking of what they want to do. From that point, once characters are accepted, the players will be responsible for some aspects of world building. Players will definitely be responsible for "filling in the blanks" where facets of the character are concerned (where the character comes from, his past, and so forth). If players wish to become more engaged in the world building process, this is welcomed.
POSTING RATE
The GM will post around twice a week, perhaps more often if sitations warrant (and the GM has the time to do so). I expect that players should be able to do the same.
The GM will notify the players of any expected lapses in the game due to absence or work duties.
*** RECRUITMENT FOR THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED ***
*** THIS GAME IS SLATED TO START ON JULY 1st ***
The RG has been started.
[MENTION=48762]Leif[/MENTION] [MENTION=7663]Starman[/MENTION] [MENTION=59043]Walking Dad[/MENTION] - Here's the recruitment thread!
This is an OOC / Recruitment thread for my new game, "Against the Witch King".
This is a "pulp fantasy" game (a la Conan, Kull the Conqueror, Red Sonja, the Hyperborean Cycle, Nehwon (Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser), and so forth). It will use the Savage Worlds rule set.
PLAYERS
I am recruiting between 3 and 6 players for this game. Prospective players will need to have access to the Savage Worlds rules (enough to create and advance your character) and will also be responsible for some aspects of world building (see below).
Here is a link to the "Test Drive" rules, a free download from the publisher.
We are likely to come up with additional house rules, new edges and hindrances, and other modifications to the standard rules. There are none in place at this time, though.
CHARACTERS
Characters should be designed to fit the general theme and tone of this game (see below). They are built using the Savage Worlds rules.
Starting XP: Characters start play with 40xp and are Veterans.
Race: The only allowed Races are Human, Half-Elf, and Half-Orc. I will allow *1* each of Half-Elf and Half-Orc; these are considered rare in the setting (see below).
Skills: Because of the setting (see below), certain skills may be less valuable. Among these are Investigation (lack of libraries and printed resources), Piloting (no flying vehicles), and Streetwise (it may be a long time before you run into a "community" in which to use this skill). Repair is also of dubious value, but I suppose that certain character concepts might be able to make use of it.
Hindrances: The following are prohibited - All Thumbs, Death Wish, Elderly, Outsider (unless proscribed by your Race), Pacifist, and Wanted. Illiterate is probably a wise hindrance to take unless you are a scholarly type (quite unusual, but perhaps not among heroes).
Edges: The following are prohibited - Connections, Noble, Rich (or Filthy Rich), and anything that requires an Arcane Background not present in this game (see below).
Arcane Backgrounds: The only Arcane Backgrounds present in this game are Magic and Divine. In addition, the edge, "Arcane Background" now also requires either Smarts d8 or Spirit d8 (depending on which arcane background you choose) as a prerequisite.
Powers: The following are prohibited at start (they may become available later) - Banish, Dispel, Drain Power Points, Greater Healing, Healing (Divine characters may take this, but it is prohibited to those with the Magic background), Summon Ally, Teleport, and Zombie.
Gear and Starting Cash: Characters start with the game-equivalent of $500 (obviously, it will be called something else in the game). At least half of this must be spent on equipment or goods of some kind. Keep in mind that this is a "low-tech" setting, so even some of the medieval items are not available. The most obvious examples are Rapiers, Halberd, Lances, and any kind of Plate armor.
Characters may start with a horse or similar mount, or may have an ox-cart or something along those lines.
THEME & TONE
This is a relatively "dark" or "pulpy" fantasy game. The characters are downtrodden, to a certain extent, and start the game well away from home, in a hostile land. The characters are free to act of their own devices; in that sense, the plot will be quite "sandbox-y". Once the game gets going, certain plots, as discovered (or created) by the heroes, will drive the game.
The characters are "heroes" only in the sense that they oppose a greater evil. They are not expected to act in a heroic manner. In fact, the characters are likely to be acting out of self-preservation for the most part. This is not to assert that the characters should be "villains", either. They should be "three-dimensional" characters who act because of their own motivations and the environment in which they find themselves.
SETTING & WORLD BUILDING
This is a "low-tech" fantasy setting. The standard technological level of the setting is about "Dark Age Europe" level, after the fall of Rome, but prior to the advent of Feudalism. The stirrup has not been invented, so horsemen are dangerous, but not "killing machines". There are likewise no knights or the equivalent. Armor is around chain mail level. Weapons are less sophisticated than even the early medieval period. There are bows, but no crossbows.
Kingdoms exist, but they are very tentative; kings can only reign over what land they can control by force; there are no diplomatic agreements or treaties demarcating territory or borders. For this reason, kingdoms are small and numerous, but traveling through their lands does not guarantee safety by any means. Kings are essentially warlords who command hordes of loyal followers to attack and conquer their neighbors. There is no feudal system, nor systems of peerage. The only "noble title" is king (or, rarely, queen) and perhaps prince or princess. The only landholders are the monarchs. But, because there is no feudal system, there is very little taxation. If a king wants something from a subject, he just takes it; no need for a tax collector.
Humans are the vastly dominant race. Elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, and so forth are mostly legendary. A select few have ever met these creatures and even fewer have regular interactions with them. The same goes for "monsters", such as dragons, giants, undead, monstrous humanoids, and so forth. There are different sorts of humans, however, and we will explore those as the character creation continues (and probably develop the ideas more as the game goes on).
This is also a "low magic-frequency" setting. Magic is rare and wondrous. Those who work magical spells or create divine miracles are extremely rare and notable (unless said casters are secretive about their abilities). Magic items are all legendary things, unseen by most people and known only to a few.
The GM (Insight) will provide a skeletal framework of a setting. This will allow players to conceptualize their characters and start thinking of what they want to do. From that point, once characters are accepted, the players will be responsible for some aspects of world building. Players will definitely be responsible for "filling in the blanks" where facets of the character are concerned (where the character comes from, his past, and so forth). If players wish to become more engaged in the world building process, this is welcomed.
POSTING RATE
The GM will post around twice a week, perhaps more often if sitations warrant (and the GM has the time to do so). I expect that players should be able to do the same.
The GM will notify the players of any expected lapses in the game due to absence or work duties.
*** RECRUITMENT FOR THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED ***
*** THIS GAME IS SLATED TO START ON JULY 1st ***
The RG has been started.
[MENTION=48762]Leif[/MENTION] [MENTION=7663]Starman[/MENTION] [MENTION=59043]Walking Dad[/MENTION] - Here's the recruitment thread!
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