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Sean_RDP

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Everything posted by Sean_RDP

  1. Just a couple quick bullet points to keep folks updated. Ashes of Blade & Bone Work has begun on the basic manuscript as well as in depth design discussions. I am hoping to have a free preview coming by the end of May. Fingers crossed. Quest21 The system document is almost finished. At that point I will be uploading it for a preview. Aiming for end of May or beginning of June for that. Secrets Not a big secret but I do have another D100 adjacent system in the works. I know it sounds like a ton on my plate but I am not much better organized than before. Thanks! S
  2. Me too. Seriously, I appreciate the interest. We should have 5 more thing by Wednesday. Maybe even 10 thiings
  3. Many years ago a group of players that was close to B5Wars (Babylon 5 tactical space combat) managed to put together a kitchen sink edition of the rules, without any copyrighted material. I was not part of the making, just the using but it is a remarkable document. So it can be done!
  4. That sounds amazing. Will there be elements of the Eternal Champion in your world as well?
  5. That does have a Pathfinder vibe. Still I wish I spoke and read French lol
  6. I think for a D&D feel, either OpenQuest or (Mythras) Classic Fantasy would fit the bill slightly better than Magic World. But all of them are good and worth giving a shot. Magic World, despite it's name, is actually a bit more low magic because sorcery requires high POW and a high INT is good to have as well. Where in the others, magic is a bit more accessible IMHO. I have not played Age of Shadows though I have looked through it.
  7. I would not anger the Fishwives!
  8. Oh man, that is so very cool
  9. I barely have 5 things this week, but I may have something on the Quest21 forum this weekend. So a few more things... Blindness - This is a mixed bag for Sorcerers & Alchemists. In the short term it can be a benefit if the Sorc/Alch can handle the shock. For a very powerful magician, one that has the ability to control their environment, it can be a great boon and the most powerful magicians may eventually let themselves go blind. However, for new or middle of the road magicians it can cause madness as they are forced to internalize their relationship to color and magic. Many fanatics blind themselves, thinking it will grant great power but they inevitably go mad. There is a spirit world - There are spirits and the Gek are adept at seeing and contacting them. However, any shamans are not using spirit magic; they are using sorcery or alchemy or the Gek weird combination of the two. Especially in Gek culture, but also among the giants, worship of ancestors is a thing. Spirits & Shades - Speaking of the spirit world, all spirits are non-threatening, unless you anger them. They are those ancestors who have moved on with no issues. Shades are those spirits or parts of spirits for whom death was not a release or relief. Undead will be built off of these ideas. Hive Cities - Generally the humans live in cities that are called hives. Think about the most crowded looking Warhammer Fantasy or Zweihander city and the add two more levels and smoosh it together. That is the hive cities. Weird, anime and (European) renaissance inspires styles. Add in some Asian and African accents. The land between is far less crowded and the towns tend to be two horse communes. Adventure Design - GM Advice - Part of the GM advice section will talk about four part story structure instead of three; trying to shake up the standard story constructs and adventure ideas.
  10. And we are funded with just under two days to go!
  11. Just to remind folks we are at 70% with 7 days to go!
  12. And we are now over 60%! Still going strong.
  13. We are nearly at 50%, which is pretty good. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reigndragon/dirgezine?ref=6uzgj9
  14. I am not saying it has a Jethro Tull inspired musical theme, but lots of Tull is played while writing it Seriously, Wizards does have some influence here. In fact I have an old (non-d100) set of concepts around here about a post-apoc world where everyone plays a Wizard of some kind. So do not be surprised if some aspects find their way. Mostly some of the weird.
  15. A day late, my apologies. This week we talk more about magic and how it is perceived. And how color interacts with the lore of the world 5 MORE Things About ABaB The "11 Fundamentals" of Magic. There are 11 fundamental elements that make up the universe. They create the the basic language of magic and spell casting as well as affecting Allegiance for those who are not sorcerers or alchemists. Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Light, Dark, Law, Chaos, Life, Death, and Void. There was once a 12th Fundament - Infinity - but it is gone now that the "gods" are gone from the world. As we know, the gods are unknowable and when they left, they took their "magic" with them. Colors: Sorcery & Alchemy. Color or the lack of has a powerful relationship to magic, both sorcery and alchemy, Sorcery mutes color and alchemy enhances color. So as a sorcerer gains in power, knows more spells, gets better at spells, he or she will start to become color blind. They will also begin to lose hair, skin, and eye color. The ultimate sorcerer is practically an albino or like looking at a Sepia toned individual. It is obvious. The upside to this is that they see clearer details since they eventually see only in shades of grey. The opposite is the alchemist, who begins to see a ton of colors and vibrant colors and becomes very colorful. The ultimate alchemist might look like an over saturated watercolor. They see vivid colors, but the downside to this is that they suffer headaches and migraines from always seeing some intense color. Magic has consequence. Drakes. A fourth dragon type has been added. They are small, winged, have camouflage, are intelligent enough to speak and act as messengers much as a parrot might. Lore. I wanted to talk about some of the Lore of the world itself. The world was in a golden age and sorcery was pursued in its more powerful forms. Several of the most powerful magicians of the time sought this knowledge and their experiments began to draw color from the world. This began to kill the world itself, not taking its life force but removing the fundamental color and vibrancy of the world. This began a holy war that ultimately lead to the gods abandoning the world altogether and the Infinity Fundament no longer workin for magic. People had to return color to the world on their own and this gave rise to Alchemy. It is rumored that there is a being known as the Ageless Seer from the Golden Before who is both the ultimate sorcerer AND the ultimate alchemist. Dangers in the World. The world is full of dangerous people, places, and things. There are colorless zones and saturated color zones. The Saturated zones are physically dangerous and the Colorless zones are mentally and emotionally dangerous. There is a piece of the ocean known as the Colorless Sea. It is very dangerous to go there. The old (Davinci) machines are still lying around in the badlands. Retrieving them is not as easy as it sounds. There is a cult that has infiltrated every society and every species that seeks to create another Ageless Seer.
  16. Sean_RDP

    ABaB: AMA?

    Ask Me Anything... basically letting folks ask any question they want
  17. Sean_RDP

    ABaB: AMA?

    This may be a month or two off, but if I were to do an AMA for Ashes of Blade & Bone, would folks be interested in that? Doing it here and or on Reddit? Just thinking out loud at the moment. Thanks!
  18. Looking at about 25 to 30 at this point. Some more contributors are on board.
  19. So I launched a thing unrelated to BRP or Q21 specifically, But still RPG related in general. If you feel inclined to back the project, that be great. A project near and dear to me, affording underrepresented folks in the RPG sphere a chance to showcase their skills! It is never too late contribute or help fund this project! D.I.R.G.E.zine
  20. The Sunchasers In the lower market is a modest building that once housed a small commune of weaver women who made money sewing clothes. The Weaving Widows all eventually died off (the last two from plague) and their house / business was sold to five soldiers from the south who had once served in a military order. This was five years ago and ever since, the Sunchasers (as they call themselves now) have been a fixture around town. Interrogators for Hire The Sunchasers are known for three things here in Tindale: Drinking Hunting down of Sorcerers Getting Information It is said their leader, Yustinian, was trained to be a master torturer and knows how to gain information from the most tight lipped of men. The other four members of the Sunchasers have their own reputations as well, some of them not good. Despite this, they are good neighbors and good tippers. The Sunchasers Yustinian Fairhart - human warrior (m) Haerindeel Blade - elven assassin (f) Gossymer Ghan - human archer (f) Shorter Rex - dwarven warrior (m) Tok - human sorcerer (indeterminate)
  21. I think Wednesdays will be teaser day and Fridays official updates? This works for now. Five (MORE) Things about Ashes of Blade & Bone It is NOT Earth. I am not sure if I said this somewhere else, but this world is definitely not Earth. There are a few reasons for this and to be honest, it works out better this way. We are able to create a world from whole cloth, to make it as fancy fish as we want, and not have to worry about Earth geology, geography, and cultural identities. It also helps us (try) and redefine fantasy and Sword n Sorcery a little. At least in terms of relying on literary IP directly or indirectly. Dragons, Wyverns, & Wyrms. For the moment I know there will be dragons and (if you read the official thread) creatures known as wyrms. Wyverns are one of my favorite dragon like creatures so if I can find a way for them to make sense, I will do so. This is actually a hard question for me to answer, because if you say "no dragons" that definitely pushes the boundary of fantasy, but does it zero out some of the fun? So I decided there would be dragons and dragon like creatures. Wyrms. These are smaller, maybe no more than 4 meters long, 6 meter wing span. They will have some kind of sorcery inherent to their being and in that case, their use as spell components will make them desirable to hunt. How intelligent will wyrms be? Maybe they get smarter as they age or have some kind of inherent understanding of the world. Dragons. Here is where I want to go to new places. Dragons will not be as large as say, a Gloranthan dragon, but certainly I want them big. Instead of a lair and followers, I want each dragon to have its own ecology. Birds or animals that live around or follow the dragon. Parasites that clean its skin. Influenced by Godzilla, more like forces of nature than mere creatures. Perhaps each dragon is unique in form, similar, but each has features that are its own. Wyverns. If they end up as part of the ecology, I am thinking they do not fly, but glide. They will be very fast when running. A poison stinger obviously. Sea Serpents & Krakens. In the great world ocean the last children of the gods live on in sea serpents and krakens. There are also parts of the world open for exploration if the GM wants to send the players on a sea voyage. I am sure the krakens do no mind. No Orcs; but Interesting enemies. It is easy to dress up an orc up in new clothes and give it a new name and say "hey look!" If you want orcs, put orcs in your game! The question you have to ask is what niche does an orc or orc-like fill in the ecology of your world? Do I need that niche and if so, where can I find something else to fill that niche. Have not decided yet, but I know we are going to stay away from some fantasy tropes. Why do characters adventure? One of the most important questions to answer is where does conflict come from? Society is trying to change, but the world has not healed from its apocalypse and it may never recover. There are strange forces constantly trying to destroy or warp these societies and the tension is palpable. And even though the various societies are looking to gain some stability, the roaming and aggressive adventurers do have their place. At least for now. Of course what happens with Allegiance will also affect the reasons and conflicts. Stay tuned.
  22. That is an interesting take on the lore. We have not delved back that far, but certainly it may be possible.
  23. They are just meant to be taller than humans, a different evolutionary path from back in the day. Originally I had considered giants that were maybe 8' to 10' tall as opposed 6' to 7', but I wanted to keep the various species closer in size. I think the ancestors of the giant would have been 10' tall or even bigger but over the years the smaller giants survived while the larger giants died off.
  24. A first pass at Frost Giants. As you can see they are tied to their element (air) but not necessarily tied to the cold. It also establishes two areas of geography that will be significant. This helps us map out key areas of adventure and interest. Also note that typically cold creatures are associated with "The North". We may be trying to break that with this world. In addition, what is an air or storm wyrm? Something to ponder. Frost Giants These tall and lanky giants have fine white or blue hair and pale skin with a hint of blue or violet in patches around their necks and pelvic regions. They are creatures of air and storm, embracing the cold weather of their homes or the stormy seas of the southern lakes. STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX APP 2D6+6 3D6 1D6+15 2D6+6 3D6 3D6 3D6 Frost giants tend to live in nomadic bands made up of a dominant mother-priest, her consorts, and the extended families. When the mother-priest dies the two most powerful women of the tribe journey to the home of their matron air wyrm and gain her blessing, before doing battle. The loser leaves with her closest consort to try and form another band of their own. Often they migrate to other lands or live as loners, moving from place to place. The winning giant returns to her band and continues the cycle. The frost giants of the southern lakes follow the storm wyrms and often live on large ships or in seaside moots. Less nomadic than their cousins, they still follow the same tradition of the mother-priest. Among these storm followers however, the succession battle is always to the death.
  25. Looking at the waterfront, which I am guessing is a river front? That gave me an idea. The Fisher Wives One part business and full time cult, the Fisher Wives venerate Brithyllbren "Trout king" a powerful and legendary being of the river. Brithyllbren ensures the fishing is plentiful only as long as the Fisher Wives offer sacrifices every day to appease the otherwise capricious godling. They also sell charms, clean fish, and run a daylight only fish fry, cooking tasty treats for the folks and travelers. The other fishers do not mind this as the Fisher Wives provide a great service along the river. Brithyllbren Brithyllbren is in reality a fey by the name of Bralbraen, a being exiled from its own shadow home by other fey. Bralbraen wandered for a time, not interacting much with the humans and others of the Southern Reaches. Bralbraen took over an orc tribe for a time but found it was bored. Eventually Bralbraen found Tinsdale and the river. The fey assumed the form of a local legend, the Trout King, and began its own cult of humans. It has resided here in the river for over two hundred years as Brithyllbren. The Temple Market The temple is an open air building near the docks. Here the Carpgwrag (carp wives) skin and clean fish brought in by the fisher folk, for a small fee of course. Shadgwrag (shad wives) cook and fry fish for donations and the highest priests, the Craygwrag (Crayfish wives) perform rites and initiate women into the cult as needed. Currently there are twenty (20) initiates and eleven (11) priests. Cora Troutgwrag is the high priest of the temple and has spent a fortnight in the river with Brithyllbren. The Cult The Fisher Wives are all women, either widows or never married but all unmarried as they belong to Brithyllbren. That is not to say they do not take on human partners, which many do, to meet those mortal needs of love and family. But they are beholden to the cult and to their fish god. There are five levels of membership, with no fixed number of members except at the Troutgwrag level, of which there is only one. Initiate To be initiated into the cult the woman must be unmarried and familiar with fishing or boating. This translates into a Craft: Fishing or Sailing of 25% or better. An initiate is not taught any sorcery and may not advance until she has a POW of 16 or better. They receive special blessings from the priests and must work in the temple one day per week. Carpgwrag Those that show promise and can devote at least half of their time to the cult are tested and invited to become true wives of Brithyllbren The least of these are the Carp Wives. They must have a POW of 16 and have been cult members for a year. These are taught 1 sorcery spell (see below) by the Troutgwrag. Currently there are 5 Carpgwrag. Shadgwrag Shadgwrag are those who have at least two years in the cult and are proficient (50%) in their one spell. These are promoted and given a second sorcery spell to use. There are 3 Shadgwrag Craygwrag The crayfish wives are second only to the Troutgwrag. They are taught a third sorcery spell and run the day to day operations of the temple. Occasionally one of them will go to another town along the river on a mission for Brithyllbren. There are only two Craygwrag. Troutgwrag Cora is the high priest of the cult. She speaks to Brithyllbren at least once every moon and it is said he takes her beneath the river for trysts from time to time. Cult Sorcery Cora knows all of these spells (and perhaps more, non cult sorcery spells). Animal Friendship Banish Tumult (water only) Bounty of the Sea (Cora or the Troutgwrag only) Guide Water Summon Elemental (Cora or the Troutgwrag only) (water elemental only) Wave Walking
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