Dialectic

[tibbius]

Guys, due to coronavirus, I have little free time so I have to leave the game. Thanks for all the fun, and hope you all take care

We'll miss you. Stay well.

[Leitz]

A funny, at least to me.

Some time back I had been looking at fantasy game tropes, and "randy bard" was on the list. Since I like to write stories and change things around, the idea of a cleric who was very interested in having a family came to mind. My characters tend to be "good", whether or not the game has an alignment system. A good cleric would likely want a family, more than spreading his oats among the flock.

I just realized that Bran was filling that archetype.

Enjoying it so far, too. I like the latitude we're given, as well as the challenges.

[tibbius]

As a DM I do like dungeon crawls and hex crawls and straight-up combat, but a change of pace to something very much focused on roleplay is refreshing.

That said, you may be picking up on / initiating a drift toward eventual armed conflict ... which all of your characters can handle, given appropriate equipment ... which will be made available.

[Leitz]

As a DM I do like dungeon crawls and hex crawls and straight-up combat, but a change of pace to something very much focused on roleplay is refreshing.

That said, you may be picking up on / initiating a drift toward eventual armed conflict ... which all of your characters can handle, given appropriate equipment ... which will be made available.

OOC, I was wondering of we need to hunt down the lycanthropes. Bran certainly wouldn't mind.

[Leitz]

As a DM I do like dungeon crawls and hex crawls and straight-up combat, but a change of pace to something very much focused on roleplay is refreshing.

That said, you may be picking up on / initiating a drift toward eventual armed conflict ... which all of your characters can handle, given appropriate equipment ... which will be made available.

On a totally different note, I have an idea that I'm working on. It would be a dungeon crawl, but you (players) would be play-testing the mess I made of some rules. Combat is usually central to games, and thus something I'm focussing on first.

[Mr Stereo1]

I was enjoying the day to day feel of the game too, but the situation really seems to call for a war. Each village is too weak to reliably fend off a surprise attack by the raiders who easily outnumber any standing force they could maintain. The situation really does seem to call for a coalition and a counter attack, maybe followed unifying into one big village (or really small town!) so we can outnumber any little bandit band and hopefully upgrade everyone's gear and fortifications by pooling skills and resources.

As a DM I do like dungeon crawls and hex crawls and straight-up combat, but a change of pace to something very much focused on roleplay is refreshing.

That said, you may be picking up on / initiating a drift toward eventual armed conflict ... which all of your characters can handle, given appropriate equipment ... which will be made available.

On a totally different note, I have an idea that I'm working on. It would be a dungeon crawl, but you (players) would be play-testing the mess I made of some rules. Combat is usually central to games, and thus something I'm focussing on first.

How many pages of rules are we talking about here? A nice tactical dungeon crawl sounds sweet, but while I'm fine with new systems I really prefer to keep them light these days.

[Leitz]

Agreed. I think Temeni should fall back to Aegium, long enough to get them healthy and productive. Then maybe some migrate to Elaionas, if they choose. Not sure if there are other cities nearby, but that's something to consider. At least a system of runners to notify of threats, or attacks.

I used to do a lot of ancients war gaming, so this is a fun path to take. I see Bran as Militia with Marcus as Warrior. If the militia and warriors are combined then a sort of Light Heavy Infantry. Especially if we can get armor for the militia. Temeni men might serve best as light infantry, or skirmishers. Slings and javelins might be useful.

[Leitz]

On a totally different note, I have an idea that I'm working on. It would be a dungeon crawl, but you (players) would be play-testing the mess I made of some rules. Combat is usually central to games, and thus something I'm focussing on first.

How many pages of rules are we talking about here? A nice tactical dungeon crawl sounds sweet, but while I'm fine with new systems I really prefer to keep them light these days.

For players, there's about five pages counting chargen. It's a mash up of 2d6 OGL and d20 OGL, and as rules light as I can make it. If you've played Traveller, then probably two or three of the pages you already know by heart. Morale is a key factor, charts are not. For example, Marcus would have a Morale of 7 + END bounus. Bran would have 1d6 (Minimum 4) Morale, plus END bonus. Higher is better.

Much of it, as a DM, I'll make up as needed, and then get player feedback after each scene. Then we'll run the next scene, see what needs to be fixed, and continue on. I'd rather recruit specifically, from folks I know, than broadly in general. My last game crashed spectacularly. I think I hold a record, or something. Better to get folks who know what they might be getting into.

[tibbius]

How many pages of rules are we talking about here? A nice tactical dungeon crawl sounds sweet, but while I'm fine with new systems I really prefer to keep them light these days.

I cannot do other than agree. Emphatically. My current favorite rules are There and Back Again, which comes in at 2 pages. However, the rules I'm using for this game are a close second.

Zweihander made me physically flinch when I opened the free pdf download and looked at the table of contents. So much material ... even as setting lore, that is a lot too much for me to digest.

On the other hand, five pages seem quite manageable. I think I would very much enjoy playing in a game with Leitz as GM.

[tibbius]

I was enjoying the day to day feel of the game too, but the situation really seems to call for a war.

I do love emergent story telling. Absolutely none of this was planned ... my original ideas were far less interesting.

[Leitz]

On my game idea, the rules will be released under the OGL. So, that'll add a couple of pages to the rules.

The main thing I want to make sure you understand is that the game will be "open source", and any contributions you make will fall under that. I have neither intention nor desire to sell this thing, and don't want there to be a question later on.

If you're up for that, let me know.

Addendum: Legal Question

[Mr Stereo1]

For players, there's about five pages counting chargen. It's a mash up of 2d6 OGL and d20 OGL, and as rules light as I can make it. If you've played Traveller, then probably two or three of the pages you already know by heart. Morale is a key factor, charts are not. For example, Marcus would have a Morale of 7 + END bounus. Bran would have 1d6 (Minimum 4) Morale, plus END bonus. Higher is better.

That sounds easy enough to learn then. Unless the setting really jars he somehow I'll toss a character together and see what happens. I've had a great time with your RPing as Bran so I'll trust the GMing.

No objections to you using ideas either.

Much of it, as a DM, I'll make up as needed, and then get player feedback after each scene. Then we'll run the next scene, see what needs to be fixed, and continue on. I'd rather recruit specifically, from folks I know, than broadly in general. My last game crashed spectacularly. I think I hold a record, or something. Better to get folks who know what they might be getting into.

"alex takes his pistol and shoots himself in the head"

I was enjoying the day to day feel of the game too, but the situation really seems to call for a war.

I do love emergent story telling. Absolutely none of this was planned ... my original ideas were far less interesting.

Yeah, I wasn't imagining Marcus as that guy but they've gone from thieves to murderers.

Agreed. I think Temeni should fall back to Aegium, long enough to get them healthy and productive. Then maybe some migrate to Elaionas, if they choose. Not sure if there are other cities nearby, but that's something to consider. At least a system of runners to notify of threats, or attacks.

I used to do a lot of ancients war gaming, so this is a fun path to take. I see Bran as Militia with Marcus as Warrior. If the militia and warriors are combined then a sort of Light Heavy Infantry. Especially if we can get armor for the militia. Temeni men might serve best as light infantry, or skirmishers. Slings and javelins might be useful.

Depending on how big Aegium's ruins are I'm pretty sure we could move everyone in together, honestly. It might take years to clear enough farmland and set everything up and people might not be willing to move but in theory there's no reason it couldn't house as many people as it used to.

[Leitz]

That sounds easy enough to learn then. Unless the setting really jars he somehow I'll toss a character together and see what happens. I've had a great time with your RPing as Bran so I'll trust the GMing.

No objections to you using ideas either.

I'll send you a link to the rules. Feel free to make snarky comments. There are 4 classes (Militia, Hunter, Acolyte, Crafter) so far, pick one but wait until I draft the intro to mentally finalize your character. Basic medieval fantasy setting. A Crafter might have "Mechanic" skill, which comes in handy for knowing how to pick locks and find traps. Acolytes have Medic, Hunters have Recon.

"alex takes his pistol and shoots himself in the head"

That was posted late on a Saturday night. I get up early, and spent half a day praying to God that the player hadn't voiced real intentions. I did everything I could to find out if he was still alive. He was, but I have a little more gray now.

Depending on how big Aegium's ruins are I'm pretty sure we could move everyone in together, honestly. It might take years to clear enough farmland and set everything up and people might not be willing to move but in theory there's no reason it couldn't house as many people as it used to.

From what I gather, we could easily subsume Temeni. Probably a decent bit of Elaionas, but they aren't in as dire of a need.

[tibbius]

Thinking that some form of large group combat may arise.

• Here's an idea for adjudicating that (keeping with the "hidden rules" philosophy):
• Each protagonist "leads" a contingent of minions. (Sometimes this won't be recognized in setting, but in the story of your characters they're always the center of action*).
• The protagonist and the minions confront an opposing group of minions led by an antagonist.
• The protagonist's actions against the antagonist, aided and thwarted by their respective minions, determine the course of battle.
• There is a chance with each casualty that the minions on that side will break and flee. Whether the protagonist flees, that's up to the player. Whether the antagonist flees, is up to me.
• None of this necessarily is "to the death." In fact, a rout is more likely than a slaughter.

*not necessarily a realistic view of the world, but one that's fun to indulge in fantasy.

I'm still planning to make all (somewhat) hidden rolls in response to your declared actions ... sound ok?

[Leitz]

I played in an ACKS game based off Three Kingdoms China. There were lots of larger scale battles, and it was handled something like this:

1. Each side rolls for Tactical skill
2. Each player determines if they are being Brave, Average, or Cowardly. The first puts you forward; more risk, more reward.
3. The DM adjudicated the PC actions, and the groups, separately. So the PC could have done very well, but their group lost.
3.1. PC actions could influence, but not solely determine, larger group success.
4. Morale was a key thing. I like that.

As far as rules light goes, I'm for it. Bran is a militia, Marcus is a champion. Bran will do his part, but in a battle that'd be a small part.

[cybersavant]

For players, there's about five pages counting chargen. It's a mash up of 2d6 OGL and d20 OGL, and as rules light as I can make it. If you've played Traveller, then probably two or three of the pages you already know by heart. Morale is a key factor, charts are not. For example, Marcus would have a Morale of 7 + END bounus. Bran would have 1d6 (Minimum 4) Morale, plus END bonus. Higher is better.

Much of it, as a DM, I'll make up as needed, and then get player feedback after each scene. Then we'll run the next scene, see what needs to be fixed, and continue on. I'd rather recruit specifically, from folks I know, than broadly in general. My last game crashed spectacularly. I think I hold a record, or something. Better to get folks who know what they might be getting into.

I've played Traveller - probably one of the few people who like the char gen as much as the game - and i've died a few times in chargen

[cybersavant]

Andrew will reply that he has no idea where Alexander went

[Leitz]

I've played Traveller - probably one of the few people who like the char gen as much as the game - and i've died a few times in chargen

Yeah, I like chargen, and the CT merchanting rules.

Okay, to not hijack this game, if you're interested and have not already PM'd me, please do so. If there are others who game as well as you do, and they are interested, have them PM me. If we get a small group, and you want to play more than one character, I'm fine with that.

[tibbius]

Good!

Let's get back on track. I'll fill in a little bit of dialogue for the Mission chapter, based on cybersavant's comment here, and then I'll segue a bit ...

[Mr Stereo1]

I'm fine with those battle rules, though I expect Marcus is pretty obligated to going all in and might not live too long if we make a habit of fighting. Maybe we could try something underhanded, like a night raid?

"alex takes his pistol and shoots himself in the head"

That was posted late on a Saturday night. I get up early, and spent half a day praying to God that the player hadn't voiced real intentions. I did everything I could to find out if he was still alive. He was, but I have a little more gray now.

Shit, man. That sounds rough and I'm sorry to hit a sore point. I only scanned the thread and I thought it was just drama.

I'll have a proper read through the rules tonight and try to get back to you.