Sean_RDP

Here is the basic write up as it will appear in the QSG. I think it fits into the idea that the world has reacted to the people and brings their Myths to life. In this case the world decided it needed to teach these new inhabitants how to use the inherent magic of Skaerune'. Weird Magic Skill Synergy: Dance The magic of the natural world. Gifted to men by Weirdlings, creatures that are part of an unseen world and exist just before dawn. This unseen world has no name, but it is thoughy to exist just before the Morninglands came to exist, so in some respects it is a time, not a place. A weirdling has no true form and can appear to be anything it wants. After the men and women of the First City arrived, these strange beings began to teach them how to draw energy and form from this unseen world. The first Great Spirits were weirdlings in human form, teaching others how to use the spiral tattoos to capture a moment in time from the unseen places. This moment in time gave them power to mend wounds or sharpen blades or start fires. It is not known by any when the first Blood Tattoo was used, but the secret of these darker spirals allows even greater power to be captured and used to fuel the Weirds (or Spirals as some call them). Unlike Sorcery which can be highly variable or Soul Magic which depends on Aura and training, Weird Magic is strictly linear. A weird of 1 MP will get 1 potency. A weird of 3 MP will get 3 POT and so on. As an example, Mend Wounds III costs 3 MP to cast and heals 3 Hit Points. The power of weirds can be increased, but no more than one instance of a given weird may appear on the same body. So one cannot have Mend Wounds I on one hand and Mend Wounds IV on the other. It is possible to use a weird at a lower potency however, by spending fewer MP. All weirds / spirals cap at 4MP of POT. Bloodweirds and Bloodspirals cap at 8MP.

So as I get to editing and tweaking the Spiral Magic section I realized the name was too arbitrary for no good reason. Spiral Magic spells are called weirds and so there is no reason not to call it Weird Magic. I will be re-writing some of the fluff and words and maybe even the mechanics of Weird Magic. It is still the most common magic and still deals with spiral tattoos that involve the magic. I feel pretty good with this change.

So I admit I really like this bit. Special Note: Synergy in Sorcery & Item Creation There are some special things to take note of when Sorcerers assist one another. A sorcerer can cast a spell and gain assistance from another sorcerer or two. These sorcerers do not have to know the same spell as the main caster. Instead they lend their knowledge of sorcery using their Sorcery skill. In the creation of items of power, it is also possible to give assistance in the Imbuing stage. Those who know the right Songs can assist the one forging the item with their Singing skill. In this case however, they MUST know the correct song ritual being used. Item creation will appear in the full Skaerune' rules.

A few thoughts: -So instead of one Grail Quest theme ala Pendragon, there are a multitude of such thematic quests based on the culture of your birth or the culture of your heart? -Again, referencing Pendragon but also the style of play I have seen myself and others engage in, are seasonal questing and a long term legacy theme going to be integral to the game now? The creation of families, the establishment tribes, perhaps even the creation of characters' own mythological quests for others to follow in their footsteps? i.e. my character Leto's quest to retrieve the Newtling god's eye from Snake Pipe Hollow is so epic or hits certain benchmark's it becomes "Leto's Quest For The Eye" and is something other characters can go a hero questing for? -How will exposure to chaos or illumination affect the runes and the relationships?

I do not have it, but are the demons ranked in some way? Type I, II etc...? Maybe its 1 INT per level of demon? Just guessing.

Okay that is all I have not for now. I have to get back to grind.

Name: Phalon and Phom Lonesmith; The Twins STR: 14 DEX: 13 SIZ: 15 CON: 12 INT: 10 POW: 10 APP: 13 (11 Phom) Descriptive Features: Phalon (pr. fey-lone) and Phom (pr. foam) are tall and well built men in their thirties. Each is bald and clean shaven and does their best to clean up after a hard day's work. Phom has suffered some scarring to his face and is not as attractive as his brother, but both are handsome men. Phalon generally wears his leather apron over a bare chest and Phom wears a heavy leather cote. Both have tattoos of green dragons on their right arms. Occupation: Blacksmiths and Miners Skills: (Phalon /Phom) Craft (Blacksmith) 80%/70%; Craft (Miner) 40%/80%; Bargain 45%/50%; World Lore 43%/38%; Repair/Devise 64%/68% Background: One day a landowner named Phoron Lonesmith took his wife and daughter to war with him. He left his land and business in the care of the town, planning on coming back. Two years later the only one to return was the daughter, Phaerena and she had two handsome babies with her. Phaerena had her hands full and ran the family black smith, apprenticing the boys when they were old enough. The family home lay outside of town and was mostly neglected. It sits over a small iron deposit that is hard to mine even though it is not deep. Phaerena could never keep miners working there and when one was killed, she had it closed up. When they were fifteen, the twins went off to find adventure, returning seven yeas later as men. By this time Phaerena, who was always frail, was near dying of some lun malady. Once their mother was gone, the boys used their wealth and vigour to not only keep the family business going, but also the family mine. Over time, with some hired hands as help, the mine has produced enough ore to keep the two brothers accomplished smiths. Neither man has married but both are popular with local ladies and the local children, who the brothers regale with stories of dragons and elves. Hook: A gang of brigands is harassing the family home. Phom needs to hire someone to protect his miners for a week or two until the brigands move on. Three of the local orphans have gone missing and the brothers are putting together search teams to find them. An order comes in for a magnificent sword with exotic materials for the hilt. Phom begins to travel to find some of these and needs companions for his trip.

Name: Beddler of the Red Masters; Softhands STR: 11 DEX: 12 SIZ: 11 CON: 15 INT: 13 POW: 17 APP: 10 Descriptive Features: Beddler is short and slight of body, with a whispy voice and effete mannerisms. He always smells slightly of garlic and lavender, but is fastidious with his appearance otherwise. Beddler rarely shows his face, but it is thin with a hawk;s nose and piecing eyes. Short black hair sits atop a smooth scalp. Beddler wears robes and peasant boots, but is never seen without a red collar that he says is locked in place and cannot be removed. Occupation: Alchemist, Scribe, and Letch Skills: Potions 93% ; Nature 45%; Scribe 50%; Oratory 52%; (Disguise? 64%?) Background: Beddler has been a visitor to Tindale for a decade, maybe more. At least five times every year he comes to the town and sells potions to the locals. He also does a fair bit of business as a scribe. Although he has never performed any sorcery, Beddler's reputation as a sorcerer is full of wild adventures, some of which he gladly tells to any passing children or adventurers. His order is known as the Red Masters but no one has ever seen another member of his order. Beddler explains that this is because they are dying out, their teachings lost. People of the town feel better when he is around and the local brothels come alive, often decorating their buildings and parlors in purple and black in hopes of tempting the notorious womanizer to visit. Beddler will often gift love and beauty potions to the women and men who work the brothels and is known as a good tipper. Hook: Beddler is coming to town and the competition among the brothels is becoming a bit cutthroat. Melinda Mallyn is paying good coin to guard her garden of purple flowers and Fthon Gille is paying equally well to seem them destroyed. A local girl is very sick with Orc Lung and needs an infusion to be cured. A living orc is needed for the ritual and Beddler knows where a few can be found. A famous bard is coming to Tindale and Beddler has been paid to scribe the man's songs onto scrolls that will "sing" them when opened. For this he needs a special ink that requires bat guano and night blooming roses. He is hiring someone to collect what he needs.

I do enjoy writing adventures and am already working on a MW setting (To share and for home or con use). In the mean time however, I present Tegwen The Stabler or Snake Eyes Teg Name: Tegwen the Stabler (Snake Eyes Teg) STR: 11 DEX: 13 SIZ: 13 CON: 10 INT: 12 POW: 11 APP: 13 Descriptive Features: Tegwen has long brownish red hair that is tied up in a bun most of the time, a scar under her left eye and her eyes are misshapen, giving them the appearance of being snake like. She dresses in simple riding leathers and boots, is well spoken and mannered on the few occasions she speaks. Tegwen is taller than many of the other young women in town. Occupation: Stable Girl Skills: Ride 75%, Nature 47%, Craft (Leather) 48% Bargain: 54% Track 35% Background: Tegwen came to town about a year ago with a single sack on her shoulder and a wicked looking blade on her hip. She took work at the local stable where she tends mounts and helps the occasional stray or sick cat. Tegwen also trades riding lessons for hides that allows her to make leather for herself and others, selling them to the locals for small amounts of coin. Many suitors come to call on her, but Tegwen rebuffs them all and spends her free time at the local tavern keeping an eye out for travelers from the north. In particular she asks about dwarves more than anything or anyone else.. As such she seems to always have a juicy bit of gossip available for trade. Hook: A local nobleman takes an interest in Tegwen and is willing to pay to find out about her breeding and lineage. A dwarven merchant from a northern town ends up dead and it was known that Tegwen had been following the man earlier in the day. A horse breeder is coming to town and Tegwen is buying up all the hides she can to turn into leather goods for trade. A dwarven bounty hunter comes to town with a wanted note for a woman matching Tegwen's description. Some local children say they have seen a Unicorn by a local pond and Tegwen has been taking afternoon "rides" out there.

So things are getting very close. Yes I know, its just a QS guide but it feels like something bigger. I have been designing games for 30 years, but none of them really saw the light of day beyond friends and acquaintances. With a lot of things in life, sometimes it just is not the right time. Well this is the right time and I am getting a little nervous about it. People are going to look it over and judge it good or bad or, which would be worse, not worth anyone's time. I do not think that will happen but it is one of those things that sit in the back of your head. I have come to the conclusion that Item Creation, beyond being its own chapter will really amount to a fourth kind of magic. Especially Alchemy which will be something avilable to anyone. I am pretty excited about this.

Still going and still editing. I also ran into some extra work I had to take on to pay bills, so it is taking longer than I anticipated. I will kick another progress report near the end of the week.

Ok, got it.

Yeah and I mean this with no disrespect, but the free Quick Start does not win me over much. Its one reason I am putting as much as I am into Skaerune's QS guide, because Magic World's did not pull me in. When I get a chance to go over the full rules I imagine I may be more impressed. I may take some time to do it today and look over the full game.

You know you people keep making a case for Magic World, I may actually pick up the PDF before too long

I do think 12 works better than 10. As for explaining how to use SR, I think that RQ2 over explains it and the explanation in the book does not flow very well. So if going that route, a revamp would definitely be in order. And not just changing words, actually working out the flow of SR and everything that goes with it so that explanation = desired effect. Does anyone know why the changes from RQ2 to RQ3 were made in the first place?

So I responded, but I wanted to pitch an idea that I pitched a little in my response, but will expand on here. I was personally involved very heavily with Living Greyhawk and to a lesser extent Living Dragonstar. The RPGA was pretty big and was spread all over the place back then with lots of different games. I am not here to praise or condemn, but I saw what it could do for a game and for content creation in particular. Literally hundreds of 4 to 8 (and in one case, 16) hour modules that could be played at conventions but also played at home. In later incarnations they have focused Adventure League and such on the FLGS, which is fine. It gives a GS a reason to pimp a game or company if they have things that can happen at their store bringing in 20 to 30 new or rare customers. So it works out for everyone. And by taking on volunteer module authors, it trains a new generation of potential game designers or world builders and teaches them some of the finer points of writing in someone's world, yet still being innovative. It can be hell to adminstrate, I won't lie but the potential publicity and ground swell could be enormous. With good GM support, anything is possible.

I like it. I do not have any specific suggestions, but I like the idea that the creatures can up their game with a little extra magnitude.

I think it would make a difference between say a second generation spacer and a fourth generation spacer. Eventually they will adapt to their new environment and things may or may not be different. Just something to keep in mind.

My reading of the Summon OWC in OQ2 is basically this: You have to know what kind of creatures are available to be summoned; you might want to assign them a magnitude depending on how powerful such a creature might be in your world. Using the OQ2 monsters as an example: Elementals for instant might be rated at Magnitude = (.5)Size. I really just eye ball the Demons, as some appear more powerful than others. So maybe rate them in order of perceived power. 3, 6, 9, 12. Then the Demon or Elemental or whatever has to make a Persistence roll. If it fails, it will do the bidding of the sorcerer. If not, it won't and might either go home or punch the sorcerer (and his - her friends) in their stupid face! In any case, teaching a new gamer the intricacies of Magnitude, Distance, and Duration might be a lot to take in, unless that is all they player is really doing. Duration and Magnitude are probably the two that would be manipulated the most in regards to Summoning. What I might suggest to make this system a lil streamlined: -Instead of using MP to increase one category (MAG, DUR, DIS) use them to increase them all at the same time -Instead of a Persistence roll for weaker creatures, just rule that if the Sorcerer has a POW greater than the summoned creature, he or she automatically dominates it. Only if POW is equal or the OWC's POW is greater should you ask for a roll. If I were building an OQ2 Summoner, I would suggest: Create Familiar Dominate (Species) - In case the Persistence roll is needed and succeeds. Its a second chance to dominate the creature. Protective Sphere - Modify this if need to keep out summoned creatures as well as Spirits Summon Other Worldly Creature, maybe even break this down into specific spells for Demons, Elementals, etc.. EDIT: Maybe also Other World Portal. That way you can send the creature back or allow it to leave. You could also use this is as a RP moment, allowing the sorcerer to negotiate with a summoned creaure

It feels like it might be redundant, but I have not been on the forum long enough to feel that out. (Not to derail...) I was considering seeing if there might be a desire specifically for gamer design (as opposed to play or general) questions. Again though it might very well go unused.

So sometime either at the end of this week or the beginning of next, the Skaerune' Quickstart will be out. For those who are interested, I will be trying to run some G Chat hangouts and hopefully running a few n person runs of the adventures designed to go with it. I will also be posting a thread specifically for errata and commentary.

So I am going to be spending this week trying to finish the QS guide and getting it edited. So we may bleed into early Feb before its done, but editing will be important. The rules all seem to work fine

Well now I can say I have something of a better website up. It is pretty bare bones. I am using my old site and instead of getting rid of it, I decided to make use of it. http://reigndragonpress.weebly.com/ So... Getting a Domain and perm website and copyrights and trademarks.. 25%

This is not a problem. Marriage is primarily about land, wealth, children, and a certain social aesthetic. It is business as much as it is religion, maybe more so. So one could be married AND have lovers of any sex. So you do not have to choose one or the other.

Rough Draft of Design Document - 100% Skills: 40% - Finally have my names as opposed to old school place holders. Now I have to write a short but sweet description of each. Experience - 100% - REAL happy about this lol Resistance - 100% - REAL happy about this also Item Creation - 40% - This chapter will be huge but will not be in the Quickstart rules. In some ways items may become more important than spells Soul Magic - 100% Sorcery - 50% Spiral Magic - 75% Hit Points & Hit Locations - 100% Armor, Weapons, & Equipment - 75% Cults of Skaerune - 30% Salt Island - 20% SRD/Design Doc - 30% Skaerune' Setting 40% Quickstart Guide 50% First Short Adventure: Delivery to the Sea is 75% done. Bestiary 25% - Like my new format Getting a Domain and perm website and copyrights and trademarks.. 0.001% Bold Items Saw some Change Things are looking good for an end of month release of the QS Guide. I redesigned it a bit, cut out a few things here and there that were not needed. I am feeling pretty good about it. The adventures to accompany are another matter, but Delivery to the Sea will definitely be done. And then I may release the other two in February.