Marullus wrote:Sandboxing Into Next Year
If I continue on, I'll be running one, perhaps two, expeditions into the unknown. That leaves a lot of your PCs in town. This modifies the principle of "the town is not the adventure." In this case, it becomes "the town is not Marullus's expeditions." I think it would be amazing for you to continue sandboxing under your own steam, telling the stories of your other PCs at and between the settlements of the sandbox.
Ideas I'll put out there...It's a sandbox. Why not take more ownership?
- You can engage in simulationist roleplay in the town setting(s), pursuing your character's non-adventure goals. You can play NPCs for each other to engage each other's story in addition to portraying your normal PCs. Just ask each other and do it by consent. ("Hey, I'd like to have someone play a crotchety blacksmith that I can apprentice for - who's willing?" or "Will someone play a farm girl who might take pity on me despite my wretched appearance?")
- If you are Lord/Lady of location, you can generate attractive NPC locations for other PCs to come play in. You can run NPCs and your PC to play out stories there. Your PC can even offer storyhooks to other PCs that they can pursue to develop an intrigue, work out a discovery, etc.
- If I'm stepping back, I'm willing to allow sub-GMs. If a PC Lord hires other PCs to go and do something adventure-y in his hand, open an Expedition thread and run the storyline for them in your sub-forum. Mini-plots pursuing adventure within different sandbox areas can allow you to continue to introduce new beginning PCs to the game (for you or other players). I'm happy to help provide plot hooks (tying to to the broader world) as long as I don't have to GM more daily expedition threads, but you're welcome to also create "troubles" in your own lands to open expeditions that other PCs can expedition to solve.
Based on the conversations I've had with folks so far, here's what the proposal for sub-realms currently looks like.
- Gaul Map - Aug 2021 - Sub-Realms.png (124.31 KiB) Viewed 2232 times
Map points: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17
IC Base: The City of Gaul (1)
IC Ruler: The Archduke (NPC)
GM: Marullus
Plans:
With the completion of the Demon Hole, Baxtaw and Pendleton will use the Archduke's funds to build a wizard tower on top of the entrance, sealing and protecting it. This tower will become part of the Frogmorton Ford setting, which will be the center of wizarding in Gaul (with towers for their Guild, Pendleton, Earc, and perhaps Hagaseth).
Hagaseth will also move to Gaul, vacating his dwarven tower home in favor of human settlement. He will set up a tower and will attract apprentices from the south (NPC wizards recruitable by those with Friendly status). Baxtaw/Pendleton could recruit him to conjoin with their guild effort (if they become his apprentices) or they can stand alone as separate entities.
Adventure Opportunities:
These are settled lands and for the most part this isn't for adventuring. The settlements of Gaul and Frogmorton Ford are here and open for PC free-play.
There is more to be discovered in the demon hole, and access to it will be exclusively for Wizard Guild Members once it is sealed. These expeditions will need a GM who I pass the map and notes off to (and can't be Dram or Zhym). Starbeard may be interested in picking up this GMing duty based on ideas he has.
Realm 2: The Eastern Forests of Amistad
Map points: 19, 17, 18
IC Base: The Town of Amistad (19)
IC Ruler: Lady Halfpint, the Hobbit
GM: Starbeard
Plans:
"Blackjack" Amistad, who owns the mill in Frogmorton Ford, established the lumber outpost (19) at the river junction in the forest. He has secured the ogres (17) to guard and protect the road in exchange for their right to build an ongoing settlement along it. He has plans to entreat the Cyclops giants (18) with proper giant-sized clothing and tools to aid the community with both their strength and their giant-sized fruit gardens. (It is unclear if/when Amistad's player will return to the game.) The proud townsfolk, stemming from the extreme loyalty of the lumber company, have named themselves the Town of Amistad in his honor.
Lady Halfpint, a hobbit of renown, was granted this territory by the Archduke. She will have an expedition to explore it, particularly looking to establish relations with the local pixies and to establish a vale of hobbit-homes adjacent to Amistad proper.
Adventure Opportunities:
The forest still holds many mysteries, being a mroe typical sylvan realm. Ents, Centaurs, Pixies, Dryads, and Cyclops have all already been encountered here. There are frog-like Boglings from the swamps across the river, and the fortune-telling Fated Sisters of the Sinking Tower (22) to the north. This is also a northern outpost and potentially could interact with the Orc settlements to the north.
Starbeard has several plots he's interested in trying here, which will allow Onlyme to continue playing Halfpint in the adventures. These adventures are likely to be more mid-level, given the dangers of a sylvan adventure campaign.
Realm 3: The Towers of Beith
Map points: 8, 13, 16
IC Base: Earc's Tower (13)
IC Ruler: Lord Earc
GM: Alethan
Plans:
Already the home of a budding population of Beith's servants, the ArchDuke has assigned Lord Earc this territory to make better headway at civilizing it to protect the western flank of Gaul. Earc is establishing himself among the faithful of Beith, occupying the former Kobold Tower, and recruiting a troop of Beith Rangers to patrol the lands and the nearby forests. This area has Beith's Watch as its central IC settlement. It already has the Beith Meetinghouse, Inn, and Witchwood in addition to Earc's new tower home. With the addition of the Rangers, the road to Gaul will now be secure, but much adventuring can still occur in the areas around and beyond Beith's Watch.
Adventure Opportunities:
This territory contains the City of Zhint, which will be a major adventure location until it is cleared. The city is known to have tunnels dug by the dwarves to help collapse its walls and these tunnels are now convenient layers for creatures that have come since. This is known to include flying dragon-like creatures, communities of albino apes, and other vermin. At least one family of ragged hill giants has been spotted here. The city ruins themselves are known to be infested with kobold traps and the Necromancer Zhint specialized in the creation of corporeal undead, which likely inhabit the crypts of the city. There are a variety of low- to mid-level adventure opportunities here.
This territory also includes the central forest, which includes some of the history behind the Morlocks, the ruined city inhabited by higher baboons, and more that remains undiscovered. (The Well of Worlds sought by Clay is located further west.) This territory has the highest potential to interact with the orc societies to the north.
The adventures of this realm will be run by Alethan. That means Earc (and his other PCs) don't adventure here... Lord Earc will function as the primary NPC in this territory and will commission adventuring groups to handle troubles within his realm. Earc can still adventure in other areas or in the main exploritory expeditions.
Realm 4: The Central Principality of Jarkul's Realm
Map points: 2, 7, 14, 15
IC Base: Olaf's Tower [formerly Guhra's Tower] (14)
IC Ruler: Lord Olaf, Axebearer of King Drunil
GM: Zhym
Plans:
With the successful reclaimation of both Guhra's Tower (which secures the southern road), and the Mines of Verdun (formerly Scatha's Lair and Hall of the Goblin King), the dwarven lorekeepers elevate King Drunil, who establishes claim over all lands formerly held by King Jarkul. Wagons-full of dwarves begin arriving immediately from the south, settling in before winter. The Mines of Verdun are repopulated and become the central city for dwarves and the seat of the King; gold, silver, and electrum are once again successfully mined here in abundance, enriching the kingdom's claims and prospects dramatically. (An IC Settlement for the Dwarven Kingdom will be opened.)
Care of the Central Principality (comprising the goblin-infested territory between the Mines of Verdun and Gaul) are given over to Olaf Olafsonsonson, who's legendary heroics are acclaimed by the new dwarven kingdom. He is asked to take over care of Guhra's Tower, becoming the Lord Protector of I'didmi'dum and the Southern Road.
Adventure Opportunities:
There are several enclaves of goblins besides Guhra's band which inhabit this area (including problems of wolves, wargs, and ogre allies), as well as some mystical ruins and the occasional bandits along the southern road. This is the primary realm for low-level PCs to make their mark, as goblins are a suitable threat for characters beginning in the game.
Zhym will GM this zone, running expeditions for the low-level PCs. That means Olaf (and Zhym's other PCs) don't adventure here... Lord Olaf will function as the primary NPC in this territory and will commission adventuring groups to handle troubles within his realm. Olaf can still adventure in other areas or in the main exploritory expeditions.
Realm 5: The Lands of Baudhil
Map points: 11, 10, 9, 12
IC Base: The White Tower (11)
IC Ruler: Lord Commander Bremen
GM: Marullus
Plans:
Bremen is already established in his claim over these lands east of the river. With roughly 150 soldiers at his command, he is second only to the forces of the Archduke, who has not chosen to contest him at this time. Bremen claims divine authority directly and rules the Order of Baudhil - lawful knights bound in a religious order and obeying church doctrine exclusively under his dominion.
Bremen's forces are only enough to secure his city, which surrounds his White Tower, and the road to and from Frogmorton Ford. While he claims all surrounding lands, there are many denizens in those lands who might disagree... subjugating the surrounding realms is still a challenge that Bremen (or others) must face.
Adventure Opportunities:
This territory contains the Keep of the Yoldessi Plains and seat of Dreadlord Nystoreath, as well as the outlying outposts of that realm. Frog-like boglings inhabit a settlement along the river to the north. The central city remains a haunted ruin. The barrowdowns south of the city have been cleared of their greater mysteries but have areas yet unexplored. There are several other locations of interest which PCs have learned of but not yet pursued.
Given the nature of Bremen's hold on this region, it requires a GM other than Rusty Tincanne. Bremen must participate as a player in this region's story to some degree. I'd prefer to turn over this realm to a sub-GM to allow my time to be spent on exploratory missions further out. Please let me know if you're interested.
Realm 6: Bastion of the Templars
Map points: 23, 24
IC Base: None yet
IC Ruler: Lord Molay, or another NPC
GM: Available
Plans:
Once the Demon Hole threat is resolved, those PCs will also be in the Archduke's graces. The main demonic threat then shifts to the west, where Foxy O'Hare and her companion riders discovered a great blighted area a day's ride beyond the city of Zhint. Since all sworn Templars cannot hold wealth or title of their own, all rewards to them by the Archduke go to the Church of Eruanna and the Templar Order. They will use his aid to establish a stronghold in the realm west of Earc's holdings - a far-flung outpost meant to be the first defense against threats in the borderlands, populated by the faithful of Eruanna to protect the lands of men and dwarves alike. (It doesn't hurt that a human settlement there hems in the dwarven expansion, bolstering the Archduke's claims in the north.)
The red-robed Order of Monoc and the peaceful Hill Giants both are known to reside here in addition to whatever lives in the blighted lands; an opportunity to make friends or foes in the fight against evil, or to discover the true causes and intentions of those outside the influence of Gaul.
Adventure Opportunities:
This area has a lot of promise and room for development. It can be a fertile GMing opportunity for a different type of roleplay opportunity - characters doing heroic deeds on the edge of the unknown, discovering and thwarting the literal Forces of Evil.
This realm is a stub - I'm hoping there's a GM who wants to take it on and tie it to the greater campaign world.
He's really hoping for a Baron-dom after he gets back. I just need to figure out the best way to play politics with the Duke.
