Blacktarn
Is anyone starting a game any time soon?
Well hopefully. The group I'm is entering the "beginning of the end" phase of the campaign that's been going on for 2+ years. When that ends, I'm hoping to take over DM'ing and try something new. The campaign is very high-power, high-magic so I want to give a low-magic setting a shot.
I'll be using Grim Tales for most of the mechanics. I'm also doing a few other things too: no alignment, no deities (yup, you heard right), VP/WP system, action points, feat-based magic system, etc.
The campaign will a cross between Conan, Dune, and Mad Max and will be set in an area similar to Tibet, Nepal, and Mongolia.
I still haven't decided on whether magic was more prevalent at one time but one thing's for sure is that somewhere along the way (thousands of years ago), some kind of near cataclysmic event occurred (I was thinking of something Cthulhu-esque but not sure yet). Many of the races were wiped or scattered. In order to survive, however, humans and orcs had to put aside their differences and band together.
Fast forward a few thousand years: humans and orcs are relatively
"equal" in number in the region. The only playable races will be human, half-orc, and orc. In addition to racial mods, each player will be able to choose a region as well. For humans, this is one of various tribes or city-states (called tarns). Orcs are nomads and traders. Half-orcs may choose from any background because they associate with everyone.
The tarns are each ruled by a house or clan which is sort of a tradition that has lasted even though their previous civilization is gone. The name of the ruling house also gives the tarn its name: Tarn Sho-Lem, for example. The main BBEG is named Rylamon, who is the ruler of the city named Blacktarn. He was originally the leader of house Ry-Lem but disbanded it, took their name as his own (Ry-Lem became Rylamon) and pronounced himself emperor. It is rumored that Rylamon has powers beyond that of mortal man. Blacktarn gets its name from his tower at the center of the tarn. It is made of a jagged black stone that is not native to the region although no one seems to give it much heed.
So I have the mechanics and overall background for the setting but I'm looking for some adventure and plot ideas for the characters. Any comments, ideas, advice, etc are more than welcome. Thanks!
