Interest check - Worlds Without Number

[sulldawga]

I am currently running a sandbox pointcrawl over at rpg.net using the Worlds Without Number ruleset. I am contemplating running a second game in the same world here on Unseen Servant. No PC vs PC conflict but the game world would be dynamic (i.e. if Party A already cleaned out the Haunted Halls before Party B gets there, it's empty).

If I did fire up a second game here, would anyone be interested?

You will note that I mostly disappeared from the board around the spring of 2020. I had gotten a job that was taking up a lot of my time. I recently switched to a new job which affords me more free time for gaming so I'm back.

[cybersavant]

i'd play - demihumans allowed?
what about classes from SWN?

[sulldawga]

Demihumans don't exist in my game, at least as far as anyone knows at the beginning of the game. So human PCs only to start.

Only classes allowed are the ones in WWN or Atlas of the Latter Earth. I am trying to keep things simple at the start of the game.

[ybn1197]

I've never played WwN but I have played SwN. I love the simplicity of the system. I'd be interested.

[sulldawga]

I've never played WwN but I have played SwN. I love the simplicity of the system. I'd be interested.

Good news is that, just like SWN, there's a free version of the rules for WWN so you can check it out without a commitment.

[Rex]

Do you have a link to the free version?

[ybn1197]

I've never played WwN but I have played SwN. I love the simplicity of the system. I'd be interested.

Good news is that, just like SWN, there's a free version of the rules for WWN so you can check it out without a commitment.

Do you have a link to the free version?

Thanks to you both, however I have the full version. Just never played it.

[sulldawga]

Do you have a link to the free version?

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/34 ... ee-Edition

[Rex]

Got it. I will look it over. Thanks!

[sulldawga]

Demihumans don't exist in my game, at least as far as anyone knows at the beginning of the game. So human PCs only to start.

Only classes allowed are the ones in WWN or Atlas of the Latter Earth. I am trying to keep things simple at the start of the game.

Just to expand on this thought for a bit: I have wanted to run a sandbox game for a long time now and have amassed quite a large collection of rulesets, primers, gazetteers, and websites dedicated to the concept. Instead of enabling me to create this perfect sandbox world, it has created decision paralysis. So I've decided to run the game at the beginning as close to RAW (Rules As Written) as possible. Some of you may be familiar with Thirdkingdom and his publications like Into the Wild and Filling in the Blanks. I'm only using WWN, AotLE, and a couple of thirdkingdom's books to begin.

If the game starts and has legs, and a player wants to do something outside the box, I am open to it. Just not now.

[Rex]

I just did a quick read of the rules and it looks interesting. I am up for giving it a try.

[sulldawga]

Let's give it a couple more days. I'd feel more comfortable launching a game with four PCs. But if you three are willing, we can go with a smaller group.

Here is the basic plot of the game: For over a century, the western border of the Kingdom of Caral has been the Moche River. Wide and fast-flowing, it was a powerful natural barrier to all things weird and wild and enabled the Carallians to focus on other conquests. However, as the wars died down and peace settled over the land, the population of Caral has grown unabated. Many a citizen has gazed longingly at the miles of arable farmland on the west bank of the Moche, land claimed by the Carallians but never occupied.

About a year ago, the people of Ket, a town on the Moche known for its fishing boats, were joined by a large military contingent. The bridge over the Moche was restored and many Kingsguard engineers were seen heading west. Rumors of new frontier forts being built spread across the kingdom and everyone from landless peasants to disgruntled apprentices flocked to Ket in the hopes of finding new opportunity. Between the arrival of the Royal Engineers and the crowds of hopeful settlers, Ket has been transformed from a sleepy town to a small bustling city.

A month ago, everyone’s prayers were answered as the King announced that the day after the Spring Festival (the traditional end of winter celebration) would be Land Grant Day where the fastest and most daring settlers could cross the river and claim pre-marked homesteads up to one hex (six miles) away from the Ket Bridge.

There are a few, however, who have traveled to Ket for other reasons. For these intrepid explorers, the opening of the western lands means access to the hidden and forgotten treasures of centuries ago. There are fortunes to be made, reputations to be established, perhaps even new kingdoms to be founded!

All this begins on Land Grant Day, in six days' time.

[Urson]

This sounds like it has possibilities. I'd like to join, if you have a spot.

[Leitz]

What sort of DM are you; Dark and Gritty or Cinematic? Will starting PCs be scraping for coppers or not need to check their purse before buying a horse? In terms of power and capabilities, how would a first level PC in this game compare to the average 1st level 1st edition AD&D character?

I tend to play for the team, hate PvP, and live for the story. Quick and easy death is a joy killer for me, but when the time comes, my PCs will take the risks for what's right.

[Marullus]

I love *WN games, and would be glad to play.

[cybersavant]

character concept : partial accursed or wise

[Rex]

I have the free rules. It doesn't look like the accursed or wise is mentioned. Should I pick up the regular rules and if so could I get a link the the correct version? Thanks.

[sulldawga]

What sort of DM are you; Dark and Gritty or Cinematic? Will starting PCs be scraping for coppers or not need to check their purse before buying a horse? In terms of power and capabilities, how would a first level PC in this game compare to the average 1st level 1st edition AD&D character?

I tend to play for the team, hate PvP, and live for the story. Quick and easy death is a joy killer for me, but when the time comes, my PCs will take the risks for what's right.

I am neither Dark & Gritty nor Cinematic but definitely lean more toward the former on the scale. I generally strive for realism more than anything else. I have found that the easiest way for me to communicate my playstyle is to make all PCs humans to begin with.

I am hopeful to make this game give opportunities for all three legs of the proverbial D&D stool: combat, exploration, and social. Intelligent enemies will run away, or negotiate (you get XP credit for these encounters). Not all of them will stand there and die if losing a battle. It will sometimes benefit the party to parlay.

That being said, I am flexible and am striving toward making my answers to player questions be "yes" or "yes, but" and not always "no". One of my players in my rpg.net game wanted a giant armadillo as a mount. It didn't exactly fit the tone of the game but... I told him he could reskin a mule if he wanted but he would need to save up to buy a specially made saddle to be able to ride him.

PCs start at 1st level so no, you won't have enough money to buy a horse at the beginning. However, I find PbP games have a pretty slow pace so I will be using the Fast Levelling option for XP.

As regards your power and capabilities question, the answer is I'm not sure. I'm 51 years old so I have played a lot of 1e AD&D but it was decades ago. I'd say in general, you won't die unless you do something stupid or the dice are exceptionally unlucky. This game is set up "West Marches-style" in that the regions closer to the home base have weaker enemies and it gets more dangerous the further away you go.

I don't fudge rolls but I also strive to be a neutral arbiter. I don't play an adversarial role against the PCs.

Hope that answers your questions.

[sulldawga]

I have the free rules. It doesn't look like the accursed or wise is mentioned. Should I pick up the regular rules and if so could I get a link the the correct version? Thanks.

Those classes mentioned are from the Atlas of the Latter Earth. That book is optional and I'd share any relevant information with the party if I used anything from there. I am fine with people using them but anyone that wants to be a partial Wise needs to understand that this game isn't low magic and it's your call to play a class considered "generally too weak".

The Accursed is a PC pacted with some otherworldly power in exchange for magical gifts and an eldritch weapon against their foes. The specifics of their alliance will vary, but their powers blend well with concepts reliant on deceit, bargains, and trickery.

The Wise are those of a special class, one intended for low- or no-magic campaigns that still need a representative scholar, priest, or witch. While their abilities are generally too weak to be appropriate for the usual full-magic settings, they have access to certain tricks that no one else in a no-magic game might have.

No need for anyone to spend money for this game but I will mention that WWN and Atlas of the Latter Earth are currently on sale at DriveThru.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/34 ... out-Number
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/41 ... tter-Earth

[sulldawga]

Looks like we have enough to play. Let me refresh my memory on how to get a game rolling on these boards. In the meantime, feel free to start thinking about character ideas.

My house rules:

• Use a dice roller for all rolls and post the link. I prefer Orokos but am open to other rollers like the one associated with this board.
• Feel free to assign rolls to whichever attribute you like
• If you roll exceptionally badly, I may allow you to replace two scores with 14s instead of just one
• Max HP at level 1
  Reroll all HP each time you level up; if you roll lower than the previous total, add one HP instead