A Game of Thrones - The Defenders of the Vale

Ibram Gaunt · Dec 10, 2005

This is the OOC Thread for the Defenders of the Vale campaign. We are currently full but please post if you want to be contacted later down the line in the event of an opening.

The members of House Redfort have long stood with House Arryn as bannermen of the Vale. From the Eyrie, the Arryns have ruled for many generations with honor, respect and the rule of law.

The stalwart members of Redfort continue their service to the Warden of the East in any and all ways that service can be rendered to their leige.

Munin · Dec 10, 2005

Oh yeah. I've been dying to get in on some GoTs action.

Sign me up!!!

I'm new to PbP, but if that's not an issue, I'd love to play. My wife and I are huge fans of the series.

WargamerX · Dec 10, 2005

Oh, please, let me in (as a player)!

I've been wrestling with how to run a AGOT campaign myself, and am even in the process of rereading the series for ideas.

Enforcer · Dec 10, 2005

Oooh! Oooh! Pick me! I'd love to play in a AGoT game!

Ibram Gaunt · Dec 11, 2005

That's four of us so far, lets start tossing around some ideas of settings and characters we'd like to play.

First off, how many have the AGOT d20 book?

There are several ways to play....

Noble House, all players are part of a single noble house in some way or another. Be it the nobles themselves, or retainers, loyal kinsmen, etc.

Game of Thrones, each player runs a noble house. This would be more of a meta game than a standard d20 party type game. Very time intensive for the DM and loads of record keeping.

Band of Heroes, this would be the typical d20 party. Players would play commoners, travellers, or other lowborn types. This could be in an adventure seeker group, mercenaries, or other special pupose groups.

I want this to be a game about what the players want to play so lets hear some ideas. Also if I'm going to DM, I would like for players to post at LEAST once a day. I'm new to PbP too so we can all learn together. I would like about 5 players maximum with maybe 2 more alternates that can float in and out as needed.

WargamerX · Dec 11, 2005

IG,

I have the AGOT book.

As for preferences - I'd like to try the Noble House mode of play; but am fine with any of the above (though I agree with you, the Game of Thrones style is a whole-lotta-work for a DM).

As a suggestion (this is more for fellow players), if we go with the Noble House version, there really is a lot of flexibility there. You just need one or more players to be in the noble family - the rest can either be man-at-arms, sellswords, freeriders, maesters, bannerman (kind of a sub-Noble house), or even a young member of another Noble House as a ward. Really the sky is the limit - only you'd have to bend a knee to the Noble House members in polite society.

My two cents.

I totally support the post at least once a day idea. I'm in four other PbP games now and most of them move at snail speed (1+ months playing in one and we have just entered the second room!).

Tyrmatfrage · Dec 11, 2005

Count me in. I have the book, and I'm fine with any style of play, but I would prefer "Noble House" because that seems to capture the spirit of the books the best, IMHO. And as WarGamer said, it really is the most flexible.

I have a couple character concept ideas floating in my head, but will have to hear more about where and when you plan to set the game, plus feed back from other players before I settle on what to play...

dave_o · Dec 11, 2005

I love A Game of Thrones but, unfortunately, lack the d20 book. :\

Ibram Gaunt · Dec 11, 2005

Dave-O: You're still welcome to play. I'll just have to do most of the work for building your character for you.

Munin, Enforcer......any ideas from you two?

I'm very prone to running a Noble Houses style as well. I'm completely up in the air as to the area and house to play but what do you guys think about timeline? I'm thinking of starting about 10-20 years before AGOT. In that space it would be possible to play in a familiar environment without messing around with official cannon too much.

Characters....
Please don't make characters until we nail down time and setting first but I plan to do the point buy system with 25 points. I'll award one extra point for a detailed background story (1 page is sufficient). Another point for taking the quiz on page 286 of the rulebook and one final point for a character portrait, drawing or picture. I'll also be awarding Background points during the game for additions to these. A character description and outline of their known background will be posted for all players to see in the Rogue's Gallery. Only myself and the player will have a copy of their character sheet.

Gameplay...
I'll be rolling all dice. I'm also probably goind to do initiative in secret and call for actions in the upcoming round and once everyone has responded, i'll post the results. I really want this to be more about roleplaying than hack and slash although I do enjoy game mechanics. Not all characters have to be of the same ECL. If one wants to play a child, more power to you, I'll work to ensure you fit in fine.

Any other thoughts?

Khairn · Dec 11, 2005

I'll be unwrapping the book in about 14 days, and would love to join in at that time if you have the space available. (or join in now if you can help in creating the character)

Starting the game a generation before AGoT would be lots of fun. Plenty of intruige and jockeying of position amongst the Houses.

Since there is a wide gulf seperating the style and feeling of houses in the north vs their counterparts in the south, what region would you be calling the "home turf"?