Discussion of Scotley's upcoming 4e Swashbuckler Game

[Scotley]

You have generated some cool ideas for our alt-earth history. I enjoy world-building about as much as any other aspect of the game. We can spend as much design time as you want on this stuff if you enjoy it. We'll go ahead and crank up the game in a week or so, but if any of you want to continue to tinker with the world design beyond the game start you are certainly welcome and I'll join in. If we come up with something pretty nifty you are also welcome to run use the wiki and run your own games there. I know we have several competent and creative DM's in this group.

How about human=Romans and the Dragonborn as Moors?

Any ideas for Roma/Gypsy types? Halflings?

 

[Insight]

You have generated some cool ideas for our alt-earth history. I enjoy world-building about as much as any other aspect of the game. We can spend as much design time as you want on this stuff if you enjoy it. We'll go ahead and crank up the game in a week or so, but if any of you want to continue to tinker with the world design beyond the game start you are certainly welcome and I'll join in. If we come up with something pretty nifty you are also welcome to run use the wiki and run your own games there. I know we have several competent and creative DM's in this group.

How about human=Romans and the Dragonborn as Moors?

Any ideas for Roma/Gypsy types? Halflings?

Or Tieflings. Or Bladelings. One of the Lings.

 

[renau1g]

halflings...Ohhh.... good idea. Their racial's line up very well, plus they got a bonus to Thievery and (at least from my extensive knowledge of them based entirely on Snatch) they're known for that, but they're also good with their words (+Cha) or can take a punch (+Con) like Mickey....

That would be a sight, a bare-knuckle champion halfling.

 

[Scotley]

Wow

I've just been going over the group. What an amazing collection of characters.

Leif's Manous Artouche, Human Paladin and noble savage
Vertexx69's Thayoon, the Sharmind Mage street performer
stonegod Wilhelm Gunsmith in Exile human hunter (ranger) and rifleman extraordinaire
Walking Dad's Malkyr Tsul the Drow Assassin but really just a simple traveling performer
Mowgli's Aislinn Easnadh Kalashtar Prescient Bard and prophetic seer
Lou's Alejandro 'Ali' Arroyo Human, Defending Swordmage swashbuckling swordsman
Shayuri's Tamiya Human Thief, lady's maid Duelist, tomboy and infiltrator.
Insight's Colin MacKinnon Dwarf Valor Bard and scotsman (scotsdwarf) with a mission
Rhun's Lucius Devereux Human Fighter and master of sword and dagger
renau1g's Francois d'Yves Drow Ranger and gunslinger

I believe we can have a great deal of fun with this group. We have a nice mix of swashbucklers and a few more exotic, but appropriate types.

 

[Rhun]

I should be able to get my PC finished up this weekend, Scotley. I need to go through some of the recommended changes, and then get him equipped.

 

[pathfinderq1]

With that line-up, the parallels to the 'Foreign Legion' that were mentioned back in the beginning of the thread seem most appropriate. Perhaps that might be used to reinforce the Hounds rivalry with the Archmandress' servants/'Cardinal's guard' equivalent. While the Hounds will accept anyone who meets their standards, perhaps the other group is solely human, or only Franzian-born nationals (or even both). As an aside, the current state of disfavor might be part of the excuse for the formation of such a party- perhaps the old squads were broken up by a manufactured 'royal decree', and new teams were formed by lottery- the PCs being just one of such groups newly thrown together. Despite the large size of the group, they are about right for a military squad.

More ideas are forthcoming- taking a break now for dinner.

 

[renau1g]

I've just been going over the group. What an amazing collection of characters.

Leif's Manous Artouche, Human Paladin and noble savage
Vertexx69's Thayoon, the Sharmind Mage street performer
stonegod Wilhelm Gunsmith in Exile human hunter (ranger) and rifleman extraordinaire
Walking Dad's Malkyr Tsul the Drow Assassin but really just a simple traveling performer
Mowgli's Aislinn Easnadh Kalashtar Prescient Bard and prophetic seer
Lou's Alejandro 'Ali' Arroyo Human, Defending Swordmage swashbuckling swordsman
Shayuri's Tamiya Human Thief, lady's maid, tomboy and infiltrator.
Insight's Colin MacKinnon Dwarf Valor Bard and scotsman (scotsdwarf) with a mission
Rhun's Lucius Devereux Human Fighter and master of sword and dagger

I believe we can have a great deal of fun with this group. We have a nice mix of swashbucklers and a few more exotic, but appropriate types.

*sniff* Poor Francois d'Yves... oh I suppose that's my fault.

 

[Shayuri]

Scrub out lady's maid...that was her mom. Write in "duellist."

I haven't added it to the background yet, but her cover occupation while in Caledonia was a duellist.

Basically, in my mind, it works like this. The fey (and human) lords of Avalon and Caledonia avenge slights with challenges to duels...but since they don't want to risk their OWN immortal necks, they either hire or have as retainers, 'professional' duellists that act as their proxies in these battles of honor.

Naturally, this gives an advantage to wealthier and more influential lords and ladies...which may or may not be accidental, but probably isn't.

Oh, and duels aren't necessarily fought to the death...but that doesn't mean deaths don't occur. Arranging for a high lord's duellist to die of poison just before, or during, a big scheduled fight with an audience is a great way to embarrass them.

 

[Leif]

Insight, you are correct...but not entirely correct. Or rather, I think your interpretation makes our jobs harder than it absolutely has to.

For one thing, we don't have to explain everything. For example, if the Human Empire didn't conquer Avalon, we don't have to know precisely why. Nor do we have to specify the ripples of that alteration in exhaustive detail up the timeline. That level of detail is 99% likely never to be needed in the game, and if it is, we can make something up on the spot.

My thought was that the Humans failed to conquer Avalon because when they crossed the channel to Caledoia, Avalon wasn't there. It was just a big misty patch of ocean. So they squabbled with the dwarves of Alba, installed some colonists and garrisons, and went on their merry. Then Avalon emerges from the mists of the Feywild, and eladrin cross to Calednia with fey magicks and gish swordmages and reconquer the island up to Alba...where the dwarves dig in and hold them off...just like they did against the humans. Then elves are just eladrin who were concieved and born away from Avalon, in Caledonia. Less magickal in nature, a tich more mortal...for better and worse.

And CELTS! Let's not forget the Celts and their shillelaghs!

 

[Walking Dad]

*sniff* Poor Francois d'Yves... oh I suppose that's my fault.

??? Have you given up?