Tormented Soles - The Original Thread.

[cassandra1]

The question is, how will stats come into play? Why have stats if they are just there for show? I'm not going to stand around telling people, "No, your Defense attribute is too low to get up from that attack. Delete that post." or "An explosion that big should do more than 10 points of damage. You shouldn't be getting back up because you have 8 HP and you should be dead now." And considering that this is a tickling RPG after all, we won't be getting into many battles anyway.

 

[Kalamos]

I feel we are completely missing the... er... point. 😀

I suggested, over the older thread, to implement TICKLING stats.
Only them.

And on a second thought we decided to avoid stats altogether, since stats means roll-playing instead of role-playing.

Experience points and stats are just devices. A means to translate into a numeric form what a char can do over a tabletop or a console game.

But we don't need them, since we are creating our chars on the go, as realistic [if not real] persons who act on our behalf in a make-believe fantasy world.

As cassandra just stressed, this is a tickling rpgs. It is an experiment at creating a free-form game with a twist.

We don't need experience point for a couple of reasons: games based on experience and levels are usually strong on combat - be it physical or magical.
You get point for vanquished foes and completed quests.

This leads to the second reason: this is meant to be a "social" rpg, where chars meet and mingle, first and before.
I admit my fault: the first char ever was mine, and it was a swordsman.
I went for the first fantasy stereotype I could think of, so I could show how to create a stat-less char from nothing to those who were unfamiliar with free-form.

I've started with a theme: first of all his race. Being halfelven, my char was probably longer-lived than most humans, yet he shared a human outlook on life and time.

So I supposed he'd married at least twice, and maybe he'd outlived some of his human-blooded relatives. It would make sense if halfelves really existed.

This gave me an insight on his values and attitude. When he was younger, he wanted to do and see it all. Then, after outliving all of his human relatives he realized he was different. And so he settled down. For a while.

But I envisioned him as being restless. He is bound to die, eventually, but just not now. So when his sons and nieces had become of age, he felt he was still young - being at a less than a third of his lifespan - and started off again.

I wanted to have him fairly independent. In a fantasy world that means being able to defend himself. So swordmanship came to me naturally.

Plus, I had him have a battle wound that was both an excuse for his skills with a sword [he is good, but not perfect] and a possible ploy for some tickling action.

Again, I left his belongings fairly vague. I didn't want to bother with minute math, plus I didn't know where adventure would take place, and deciding his gears made little sense.

Since I envisioned my char as a wanderer, I expected him to suit up according to climate, fashion, availability and all.
I didn't want him to stick up as a foreigner everywhere he went.
Plus it made sense since he visited a lot of places as a sellsword [a typical fantasy stereotype] and in a century of travelling he probably picked up local traditions, customs and maybe even languages.


As you can see, I tried to "craft" a well-rounded char without a single dice roll.
He has motives, feelings, habits. He does what he does because he has reasons to. Not because rules or rolls say so.

Don't think in terms of "battle prowess". Think of your char as a your alter ego in a novel.
In a good novel you won't hear the mage say "sorry chums, I expended all my mana points, better quaff some blu potions", nor the fighter reply "yeah, me too, I'm low on HP but another red potion wouldn't fit in the backpack's slots".

Of course, ADnD novels are another matter... 😉

 

[RaineSage]

Heh, methinks that people here don't casually RP very much. I think ya'll're putting way too much thought into this.

 

[Ticklish_shorty]

To Kalamos:

You obviously noticed what i was getting at. its gonna be especially hard to make a setting when there are so many loners out there right now. Ive played alot of pen and paper rpgs....and there is a multitude of characters in this game...ive never dealt with so many characters at once....its obviously up to Cassandra how she wants to start this...but im willing to lend a hand if its needed. I'll throw out some ideas for ya if you want them. What we should do...and sorry if this has been mentioned already...is move all the characters that are playing into a separate thread...for easier access....keep this one open for discussion on this rpg. Its understandable why there are so many swordsman and fighter types out there...this is set in a fantasy setting...that in the middle of a struggle for power. Dont get me wrong, i have absolutely no problem with it at all....just stating a fact. Anyways, enough of my ramblings...if you would like some help im willing to give it.

 

[Kalamos]

-> RaineSage

That's why I'd say: let's start now.

Just bring your char as it is. Let cassandra make up an initial setting, and find a *simple* reason for your char to be there.

You're a fighter? You're part of a carovan, defending some merchant?
You came by ship? Looking for employment? You are fleeing from something. Debts? Enemies? Obnoxious lovers?
Name your reason.

Think Bisanthium. A large port city where you can find what you want - for a stiff price - or where you can hide - for a stiffer price...

In ancient times travel was hazardous yet people had to travel all the time.
There were no mass transport system. Only really precious and portable goods - like spices or gemstones - actually got exported.
In any other case carrying the customers on-place was easier.

Let's start, ladies and gentlemen. My halfelf risks dying of old age here. 😉

 

[RaineSage]

Amen. I like the way you think.

We should probably wait for cassandra to start this off though.

 

[cassandra1]

Think Bisanthium. A large port city where you can find what you want - for a stiff price - or where you can hide - for a stiffer price...

I like that. Lots of things can happen in a busy city where there are many services, including fantasy mainstays like the taverns and secret hideouts for various illegal guilds. We can use that as the setting for the RPG when we start. 😀

What's Bisanthium? If it isn't used elsewhere, can I use that name for the port city we are starting in?

What we should do...and sorry if this has been mentioned already...is move all the characters that are playing into a separate thread...for easier access....keep this one open for discussion on this rpg.

It has already been mentioned. 🙂 I will copy every character sheet in this thread and paste them in the new thread which will be labelled "Character Sheets". If you have any more suggestions, you post them here and not in that thread.

 

[cassandra1]

Kalamos, where's your character sheet? I can't find it.

 

[Kalamos]

-> ticktort

there is a multitude of characters in this game...ive never dealt with so many characters at once..

That's the plus side of having a full forum and PMs to manage many chars.
It's easier than having a tabletop session since the master can take his/her/its time, and write something for everybody involved in the adventure.

Handling a larger *live* group is harder, since they act together - and you must keep all of them interested.
However large an *online* group is, they post a different times, they don't see each others, and they can be involved in the adventure even if their own char isn't directly involved.

Its understandable why there are so many swordsman and fighter types out there...this is set in a fantasy setting...that in the middle of a struggle for power.

I feel it is because most console/computer RPGs revolve around combat because real interaction is impossible - and most players here [me included] come from Video-RPGs. 😀


-> Cassandra

What's Bisanthium? If it isn't used elsewhere, can I use that name for the port city we are starting in?

Bizanthium/Bisanthium is just another way to write Byzantium - that is, Constantinople. 😀

Just an older spelling. Wonder where I picked it up. 😀

Using corrupted, modified spelling for fantasy city is a stample of fantasy literature.
Just think of the Warhammer world, where names are created after real world places, to be similar yet different [Miragliano, Kislev, Tilea, Reikland, Bretonnia, etc].

I have an idea almost ready, I'll be posting it real soon.


Reg's.

 

[Kalamos]

Here we go, I compiled a quick list with all the players - we are 16 unless I missed somebody - and relative chars.

Also, I added 4 people who might like to play one-shot roles.
That's means we're 20.


01 Kalamos
Kaldred - Kalatharan T'on Galrem.
HalfElven Male 115 - Sellsword

02 HisDivineShadow
Valdor
Human Male 35 - Twin-Swords Artist

03 Zarnler
Velkator
Human Male 48 - Warrior

04 Featherfeet
Gabe the Blue Shadow
Human Male ?? - Immortal

05 cassandra
Rachel Drake Teniel
Human Female 20 - Former Princess

06 ticklishrilina
Rilina
Human Female 19 - Apothecary/Robber

07 tukano_2
Castorp Kentari the Placid
Human Male 48 - Bard/Heretic

08 ElFewja
Lucius Brimstone
Human Male 25 - Adventurer

09 Alchemy
Edward the Adequate
HalfElven Male 25 - Swordsman/Bard

10 AussieMonkey
Goku "the furred sage" Nylethoai
Ma-Mang-Shan Male 21 - Monkey-Monk

11 Kleptomaniac
David Zullen
Human Male 18 - Mercenary

12 ticktort
Philamius Ammiratisque
Human Male 150? - Galthari General

13 Bignorm868
Killinya Softly
HalfHimerian Male 19 - Reptilian Warrior

Mystic-Fury
Human Female 24 - Bowwoman/Former Slave

14 Hue
Robert T. Lee
Human Male 19 - Mercenary/Wanderer

Nightmare
HalfDragon Male ?? - Monster

Raptor
HalfDragon Male 2934 - Warrior

15 M'Lady Kit
Ava - Avarra Xenya Silver
Human [Dragon Blooded] Female 102 - Assassin

16 RaineSage
Raine Sage
HalfElven Female 173 - Swordswoman.


Drago69
NPC

MayDay
NPC

nessonite
NPC

GEORGIATKLER
NPC


I added them by entry order - so, if I missed somebody you can tell me *where* your char was. I'm sure I lost Hue's fourth char.

Just for statistics: out of 16 players, 13 chose fighting chars - that means only 3 went for non-fighting roles. None chose pure-magical or mystical roles.

Kaldred, Lucius Brimstone, Edward the Adequate and David Zullen are "normal" wanderers and mercenaries.
[They'd be Warrior/Rogue/Rangers under DnD rules]

Valdor, Velkator and Raine Sage are combat/weapon specialists - thanks to magic or mystic abilities and equipment.
Avarra Silver is too, under her own fashion, since she is an assassin rather than a full-blown warrior.
[Paladins/Rangers/Dark Guards/Assassins, whaterver... Just very *high* levelled. 😉 ]

Gabe the Blue, Philamius and Robert Lee are "epic" characters: the first is immortal because of a curse; the second is probably immortal too [dark magic involved?] and general to a kingdom's army; the third has full host of dragon-related monsters around [or against...].

Goku and Killinya are the only plainly non-human chars: the first is a simian martial artist. The second is a reptilian warrior.
[A Monk and a Warrior/Ranger]

Castorp Kentari and Rilina rely on wits rather than brawn: Castorp is a bard, while Rilina is an apothecary/robber. Neither of them wears or wields anything larger than a knife.
[Bard and Rogue]

Finally, Rachel Drake Teniel is a princess in flight from a role she despises; apparently she has no weapon training, or survival skills - and if anybody found about her true identity, she might be in big troubles.
General Ammiratisque might be especially interested in "recovering" a living heir to one of the Galthari kingdoms.


We have a nice host of chars, and I start seeing how they could meet or mingle.
Hope I haven't forgotten about any of them.

I'll post my own sheet later. 😉


Reg's.

 

[BigNorm]

one qeustion still nags me, where can we fit tickling into all this? the losers get tickled? or what?

 

[Ticklish_shorty]

Yeah, i'm beginning to see a good way to get things rolling here and fit everyone together. The reason i made an epic character is because im not gonna really get to post very often....i figure ill make a few random apperances early on....but as things heat up...perhaps ill play a more important role. who knows...anyways..this is shaping up nicely.🙂 cant wait t see it start up🙂

 

[tukano_2]

Glad to see the character sheets' thread up, Cassandra 🙂
It would be nice to have the eventual relative pics there too, so far mine and Kalamos' (when it will come back).

 

[ElFewja1]

Yea, we're definately taking this way too far into D&D lol. When you started listing classes next to our names.. =p. Hey, what time period will this be in? Cause you know, I dont want any Jesus walking around - Yea, he saves, but he takes half damage! Its cheap!

I believe the true definition of an RPG was a game where characters progress over time; problem being that far too many people associate RPG to D&D and all of that, hence this. Granted, I set my character up as that whole adventurer/mercenary type, its can *easily* be used in the setting we're trying to place; c'mon, mercenary, hired to go tickle someone. It works.

I agree with Kalamos (btw, youre a big D&D fan arent you? ^^) that stats should be left out, as it will push this game more towards fighting than we want. Now my theory on this is that we should start it off, have casandra give the city layout, and general idea of whats going on, and leave it for a week and see what happens. At some point we're going to have to start, and since its about 95% chance that there will be problems that need to be fixed, we should get them out of the way. Rather than talk about it, lets give it a whirl and see what happens, fix whats needed; it should be faster than talking about everything that could/may/will go wrong and trying to fix it that way, anyway.

Thinking about all this brought up one question though; about how much power will casandra have as the Dungeon Master and how much will we have as individuals? An extremly detailed 2 page description of the city, with npc listings, complete guilds, taverns, places to aquire work, dungeons, etc. would be great, but that will take away from what the people themselves can add. But in the reverse, I can imagine how hard this will be if for example casandra just says "Heres the city, theres a tavern here, a guild over there, and here are the boundries of each factions control over the city. Lets start." you know. No one will know what to do, leaving it probably to D&D vets like kalamos to start things off. Doing that will then give the players too much power which may ruin the game a little. Yea, we should have full control, but if there arent limits then I have a feeling itll be a bit awkward, to say the least.

At any rate, Im having a dizzy spell and cant think coherently. Ill come back to this later.

 

[cassandra1]

one qeustion still nags me, where can we fit tickling into all this? the losers get tickled? or what?

The ticklees get tickled. There are no winners or losers unless you're talking about battles. If you're still unsure, you can wait till events start to unfold in the RPG and the tickling comes in to see how it works.

Hey, what time period will this be in? Cause you know, I dont want any Jesus walking around - Yea, he saves, but he takes half damage! Its cheap!

It's not set in our world, you know. We are just starting out so lets not worry about time period at the moment. Or should the need arise, just come up with a year followed by a fictitious abbreviation (I figured a fantasy world shouldn't use B.C. and A.D.)

Thinking about all this brought up one question though; about how much power will casandra have as the Dungeon Master and how much will we have as individuals? An extremly detailed 2 page description of the city, with npc listings, complete guilds, taverns, places to aquire work, dungeons, etc. would be great, but that will take away from what the people themselves can add. But in the reverse, I can imagine how hard this will be if for example casandra just says "Heres the city, theres a tavern here, a guild over there, and here are the boundries of each factions control over the city. Lets start." you know. No one will know what to do, leaving it probably to D&D vets like kalamos to start things off. Doing that will then give the players too much power which may ruin the game a little. Yea, we should have full control, but if there arent limits then I have a feeling itll be a bit awkward, to say the least.

I'll allow anyone to make additions to the city and any other location we end up in. You can even make up a guild that wasn't in my initial description, as well as create your own NPCs to fill the minor roles like bartenders and shopkeepers. :happy: In fact, if my character enters the city and I describe it as a thriving port filled with rich people, another roleplayer can insert his character into a poorer part of the city, creating for himself the slums even though I may have said nothing about slums in my posts.

Yes there are limits on what you can add 😀 . No robots, aliens, guns, engine-driven vehicles, invisible buildings and giant objects that drop out of the sky.

 

[Kalamos]

Yea, we're definately taking this way too far into D&D lol. When you started listing classes next to our names.. =p.

Not classes, just initial roles/occupations. 😀

I don't want to turn the game into a DnD hackfest.
But I used to play it - a while ago - and certain terms have stuck. Besides, I don't even like the DnD gaming philosophy. 🙂

It was just meant to describe the "distribution" of the various roles.

I believe the true definition of an RPG was a game where characters progress over time; problem being that far too many people associate RPG to D&D and all of that, hence this.

Technically speaking, "role playing" should be about "acting". Chars probably should evolve, as real people do - but progression should be different.
Again, DnD experience here: I just dislike the level system, and when I think of "char progression", DnD levels come to mind.

I agree with Kalamos (btw, youre a big D&D fan arent you? ^^) that stats should be left out, as it will push this game more towards fighting than we want.

Nay. I don't like D&D/DnD. I dislike parts of it, but it was the first RPG I've ever known, the first fantasy novels where AD&D based, likewise where the first RP-videogames I used to play on C64-Amiga.

So, while I don't like the rule-system, I am familiar with it - and with its stereotypes.

Besides, I am not even fond of role-playing: I actually like turn-based tactical games.
I liked the Pool of Radiance series and loved the Champions on Krynn series.
I liked Baldur's Gate I, but I found Icewind Dale 2 a bit shallow.
I really loved Planescape - Torment, but eventually lost interest when the char levelled up.

Fact is: I like these games when chars are low level enough, and battles are a fair tactical challenge. As they grow in power, magic and class skills tend to dominate, the DnD rules kick in... and well... I find everything gets boring. 🙂

I hoped for best with Temple of Elemental Evil... but as far as I know it is still crippled, and I'll just keep replaying the web demo. 😀

But I am decent at designing settings and giving free ideas. That's why I'm sticking around. 😀

Now my theory on this is that we should start it off, have casandra give the city layout, and general idea of whats going on, and leave it for a week and see what happens.

I have another idea I'd care to share. Designing a full city is a big task.
On the other hand, a small settlement isn't half as taxing.
So... since a big port usually has smaller satellite ports around... why don't we start in a tiny port? Maybe an island, or peninusula.

This way we can start playing our chars, cassandra can see what appeals to the players, and we don't have to restrict access to the full city just because the areas haven't been designed yet.

Being stranded in a port wasn't that strange: maybe we are low on supplies, maybe a mast broke, or rows got bent.

Since most of us/them are soldiers it would also make sense if we met at a local mustering point - a province port.

It would be perfect for most of the freelancing warriors - they are looking for a new employment.
It would work for the weapon specialists/epic chars - for example General Ammiratisque might be there to review the troops, and the others might have some hidden agenda.
And of course a lecherous bard and a thieving apothecary might fleeing from wrathful husbands or patients.
Finally, being the last place were palace guards would be looking for her, a princess might be seeking passage on a barge full of mercs. Risky but nobody will find her there.

Lets start." you know. No one will know what to do, leaving it probably to D&D vets like kalamos to start things off.

As I said I have no problem taking care of the smaller details. 😀

I don't want to impose, but if nobody feels like starting, I am eager to give some initial momentum to the game.

Besides, I'm not so keen on playing a full char: I could easily demote my char to an NPC and take up some of the mastering/organization responsibilities - it would be cassandra's game, and I'd be taking care only of the details [place names, background history, and so on].

I realize I am very vocal. But I don't want to give a D&D slant to the game. 😀
I'm just eager to play, and rather than have a nice char and no adventure, I'd prefer to ditch role-playing my char, and take up dm'ing.

But cassandra said she'd rather run the game alone.
So I don't know. 😉

My offer stands.


Reg's.

 

[cassandra1]

On second thought, I could use a hand in DMing. Kalamos, you can be my co-DM whenever the need arises. We will still roleplay our characters in the RPG, but we can do the DM's job if necessary. How about it?

 

[Kalamos]

I have an idea that requires an NPC... I ditched it when first making my char since it made little sense, but now I could use it: if you'd like the idea of "mustering" the warriors to a single place, they might need a drill master.

Depending on when and where you place the gaming world, mustering could be a precise science - every place had academies that formally trained soldiers for specific roles - or a random affair, managed by local barons.

If we envision Bisanthium as being similar to our world's Byzantium, then something in between might be used.

Elite troops are being trained in exclusive schools. Maybe they are knights, sappers, artillerist [even without gunpowder artillery is viable in most fantasy settings], or battle-wizards.

But regular and irregular troops might be hired locally: they get some basic equipment - say, an iron helmet, a spear and maybe a shield - and they form the "vanguard" of the main army [I know, it refers to another thing, I used the term loosely 🙂 ].

They could be the skirmishers, or the light infantry meant to follow up light-cavalry charges and deal with the survivors.

A mustering point could be lead by locals, and drill masters/instructors choose where to send whom, to do what.

While it would be a bit "warrior intensive", and restrict a bit the scope of adventure, it would be a good reason to draw in most of the chars.

Besides, where soldiers go, money flows, so traders would flock in, and markets would be chocked full with customers. Again, a good reason to draw in most of the non-fighting chars.


Thanks for accepting me on-board. 🙂
I hope it turns into a great game for everybody.

 

[Hue]

Character # 4 Info. The second and final member of "The Terrible Twosome"

Name: Roberta C. Lee

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Weapon(s): 2 daggers, 2 Samurai Swords, 1 knife, and 10 throwing stars

Features: Long brown hair shoulder length, height = 5’ 5”, weight = 115 lbs. Wears her daggers at her sides, her swords on her back (like Leonardo from TMNT), and her throwing stars are kept in a belt packet on her right side. Roberta wears black knee high boots, gray pants, blue shirt with red skull on the front.

Occupation: ASSASSIN

Bio: Roberta has a vengeful spirit. It started when she was 10 and the cause was one of her best friends and her brother. These two tricked Roberta and lured her into a trap where they tickled her mercilessly for twenty minutes. Roberta vowed revenge and two years later, she got it by first killing the brother and then punishing the sister by NON-STOP tickle torture ‘til death claimed its victim. Her own brother Robert tickled Roberta again for forty minutes then he disappeared. Roberta was 15 years old at the time, but she vowed to have her revenge on him. When Roberta was 16, she joined a group called, “The Dark Assassins” who would go around from town to town, city to city, looking for whoever needed or wanted someone eliminated and they would go out and kill that person. Their price was 100 pieces of silver per victim. Roberta destroyed the group when one of the ‘victims’ was her other brother Tommy, whom Roberta was very fond of, and once she found that out, Roberta’s temper went into the ‘black’ zone. She was so furious that she killed the group of assassins and the one who wanted Tommy killed. Roberta went on her own way trying to hunt down Robert and seek her revenge against him, when she met another vengeful soul. RAPTOR was on his own manhunt for NIGHTMARE for a similar account. The two vengeful souls agree to help each other out and joined forces. They call themselves, “The Terrible Twosome”. No group of any number survived against them, mostly because Roberta and RAPTOR killed the leader of the group fairly quickly and that sent the rest running to their death. No one ever lived from Roberta and RAPTOR, either in battle or running away like cowards.

 

[ElFewja1]

Assuming casandra approves of the idea, count me in as a recruit kalamos. Just, question; would it be more of a guild, militia type thing, army type thing, etc.? Either way, Im interested, but yea. If it comes down to it, maybe Ill just have my character hanging around the area because he's interested, but not signing up. *Shrug*

 

[cassandra1]

Accepted, Hue.

Assuming casandra approves of the idea, count me in as a recruit kalamos. Just, question; would it be more of a guild, militia type thing, army type thing, etc.? Either way, Im interested, but yea. If it comes down to it, maybe Ill just have my character hanging around the area because he's interested, but not signing up. *Shrug*

When you said "count me in as a recruit", does that mean you will be using the character you already created, or make a new one? I don't see any problem with Kalamos' idea, though I do not fully understand what he actually meant. 😕 Is he ditching his half elf character for a drill master, or is the half elf still around and the drill master is an NPC playable by anyone?

And I suppose I will be using the name Bisanthium for the city we start off in. I told you I'm not good with these fantasy names.

 

[Kalamos]

The half elf is going to be the drill master.

It would make sense, plus in the original draft he was meant to be a weaponmaster/trainer. I later discarded the idea: I feared it would make him too powerful.

But with his past and training, I think he is fairly suited for the job.
Of course nobody is - required - to do anything. 🙂

It was just a plot idea of mine: drawing in all the warrior chars to a mustering point, looking for a job as soldiers/mercs.

I would suggest all the involved players to add a brief post to explain what their char are looking for in Bisanthium [the older name for Maxiamorea, capitol city of the Morean Empire] - or more precisely, in the military port of Kaphractos, in the Tharagyan peninsula. 😉

 

[Kleptomaniac1]

Seems a lot of people are worried about "dice" and "experience" and "fighting"...this isn't going to be a video game, more like a fantasy role-play where you can interact more.

Perhaps simply at the "start" we should have a place where we could start off sort've together.....perhaps the same town, whether staying there or just arriving, and some sort of offer posted up. Perhaps a chip captain looking for crew to escort him to unexplored land (ooo,tickling plants..tickling natives..mwahahaha), just something like that. Then after that "mission" is done, we would have a feel of how we want to play...and then we can part ways, or follow those we like...

 

[cassandra1]

The half elf is going to be the drill master.

It would make sense, plus in the original draft he was meant to be a weaponmaster/trainer. I later discarded the idea: I feared it would make him too powerful.

But with his past and training, I think he is fairly suited for the job.
Of course nobody is - required - to do anything. 🙂

It was just a plot idea of mine: drawing in all the warrior chars to a mustering point, looking for a job as soldiers/mercs.

Excellent idea. 😀 We can do that. Of course, those who do not wish to join the soldiers/mercs can have another reason to arrive in Bisanthium.

You will be in charge of deciding what tasks to give the soldiers, right?

I would suggest all the involved players to add a brief post to explain what their char are looking for in Bisanthium [the older name for Maxiamorea, capitol city of the Morean Empire] - or more precisely, in the military port of Kaphractos, in the Tharagyan peninsula. 😉

Okay, that's a few more names we can use for the locations within the RPG. Kalamos, you should write fantasy novels now. 😀

Hm... I did some thinking about what to do with my character and I realize that a princess with no combat skills would have no reason to be anywhere near soldiers and mercs. So I've decided to make some changes to Rachel, giving her some impressive magical abilities. It also makes it harder to subdue her.

 

[Kalamos]

-> Kleptomaniac

Exactly my thought: let's have the chars gather and get to know each others [and themselves] before embarking in the full adventure.

A good ploy could be...


"Emperor Oralack died: no official successor had been appointed, and all blood heirs were either small babies or withered old fools.

Only three men, Oralack's nephews, stood and vied for succession - but the Geramorea - the Imperial Senate - rejected their claims and elected an infant as a puppet sovereign.

So the Galthari Brothers started worming their way in the shadows, by corruption and murder, to sway Geramorea's decision's to their favour. But when success and throne finally seemed at hand, a mysterious dagger took the baby Emperor's life and threw Empire into chaos.

Geramorea took power as a temporary measure, while House Galthari almost collapsed, torn by distrust.
Kin accused kin, distrust degenerated into hatred. Hatred into strife.

Each Factions accused the others of the murder - and the once proud House Galthari became a sorry shadow of its former self.

Geramorea passed strict laws to cement its power, and effectively barred from succession even the most collateral heirs.

The three Factions had been prohibited from fielding imperial troops to settle a family feud - officialy for the greater good of the populance - so they sent out agents looking for help elsewhere."

...

"They said it was just a rumor, but now you have hard proofs: it is true, the Galthari feud is for reals, and the Brothers are hiring out.

It was supposed to be a secret, but when money and war are involved, secrets rarely remain so.

Every rogue and ruffian knows the Brothers are dead serious: they are about to wage war against each others.
It is only a matter of time, they say. Maybe summer. Or even spring.

And when one will rise victorius from the strife... there is still that old Geramorea's score to settle."

...

"Your role in the forthcoming war, you ask? Why bother, you say?
Ah... riches, duty, vengeance. You name it.

Oh... so you want to stay neutral, eh? Your choice, but heed me well: either you help them, or you are against them.

They're starting proscriptions: before you know, you are on their black list, and you are as good as dead.

The agents are secretly scouring the cities for sympathizer of the enemy factions. Those they can't recruit, they imprison.

And when they got theirs paws on you... they know how to make you talk.
You'll better make up a name soon, and the poor scapegoat will take your place...

Don't feel too sorry, it could be you in those dingy dungeons."


-> Cassandra

Excellent idea. 😀 We can do that. Of course, those who do not wish to join the soldiers/mercs can have another reason to arrive in Bisanthium.

I'd say that intro should help. 🙂

You will be in charge of deciding what tasks to give the soldiers, right?

No, they are in charge. I am only here to examine the would be recruits.

"We want no trouble makers if we can help it... plus, we don't want to attract Geramorea's attention just yet, right?"

Okay, that's a few more names we can use for the locations within the RPG. Kalamos, you should write fantasy novels now. 😀

😉



Reg's.