Before the Fading of the Light [D&D4, NC Exotic-System]

[Hikari]

From beyond the Uleguerand Range, beyond the land our forefathers once called the Valdeaunian Front.  They swooped on blackened wing from the heights of Zi'Tah, far beyond the chastened lands of Li'Telor.  They scurried from beneath Derfland, through tunnels clear to Kuzotz.  They rose from the waves at Kolshushu, from deep beneath the Kazhami Sea.

Everywhere the Beastmen showed their feral visage, we met them with cold steel and hot spellfire.  They paid for every inch of territory in blood spilled, and even as we fell back toward the long-forgotten fronts of wars fought long ago, we were heartened to know that we had seen this enemy.  We had been in this dire hour, and emerged victorious; so too would we cast the hordes back to the barbaric periphery of civilization once again.

So it was we knew what must be done: we would lure them to the stellar fulcrum, to Qufim where their aims always seemed to lay.  There, under the eyes of the Goddess we would give of ourselves our best, to force them to bring out all their wickedness against us.  There, atop the graves of a million dead before us, we would bring forth the mightiest of our arms, and call upon our greatest sacrifice to put them to and end...

Never did we bother to ask what banner the Beastmen rallied behind with their Shadow Lord long gone.  Never did we question why they came from so far afield in such great numbers, and fought with the desperation of those who could never retreat.  Never did we stop to consider what may lay beyond the seemingly endless waves of their rampaging hordes...

The armies of men lay broken, our nations spent on an empty victory and fading glory.  Only now do we see that the Beastmen were not invading--they were running.  Nothing yet remains to stand before the coming darkness, and soon all men will know what things even the blighted sons of Promathia know well to fear...

This is our final hour.  Goddess preserve us all.

~The Final Account of Prince Trion d'Oraguille at the Battle of Qufim

***

The common trope of the fantasy campaign is to play the unlikely heroes standing before a vast and terrible army of evil and chaos, civilization's last hope against the coming darkness.  This game is going to be a bit different: humanity has already lost.  The situation is truly and completely hopeless; civilization lies in ruins, there are no great allies in reserve to turn to or armies to be raised, no chance to beat back the barbaric hordes and win the day.

The heroes, instead, are survivors riding the crashing wave of a fallen civilization.  How will they sift through the ashes of a ruined world--how will they survive, and will simply surviving be enough?  What does it mean to be a hero in a world that can't be saved?

I'm looking for a moderately sized group.  Players should be able to post frequently enough to keep a good group pace going, and also be willing to play one-on-one at times if need be.  The minimum level of play will be Non-Consensual Exotic, and if there's an expressed desire we might push things closer to Extreme.  For obvious reasons, players should be comfortable with kinks to include, but not limited to, rape, gangbangs, public use, bondage, sado-masochism, etc.

The game will begin at humanity's heroic last stand against the Beastmen, the Battle of Qufim.  From there it will branch out to explore the aftermath and be largely determined by the desires of the characters in terms of direction.

For the moment, please express interest and preferences only, do not make a character.  I will decide on what starting level and non-core options will be available once I have a better idea of what sort of group we have.

[Whiskey Jack]

The concept certainly has me interested.

I think it could go in a lot of directions with good potential for different characters who have their own unique approaches to surviving the fall of civilization. I do think that, more than anything else, this kind of game would depend on a carefully monitored/constructed dynamic between the player characters. All the poignancy of doing what it takes to survive the downfall of your species is lost, after all, if none of the other characters care about what you're doing. It's pointless for one character betrays the survivors to insure his own comfort if it doesn't send waves of turmoil through the other members, leading to fractured alliances, moral dilemmas, and lots of twisted, convoluted plotting.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Sounds like an interesting idea.  I don't have any Fourth Edition materials though...my familiarity with D&D pretty much ended at Second Edition.  But I'd love to play a female character picking her way through the rubble, bumping into various assorted nasties...

[Rachubka]

Bugger. I loooooove FFXI, but really don't know much about system play. :S I can probably pick it up if given the chance, but I hate being a burden to all those that aren't so patient.

[DeviantMunster]

I may be interested in this as well! Seems fun.

[Anathanasia]

I really like the basic start, and love the NC-exotics. Damn, I just love everything you want your players to be merely 'comfortable' with, Hikari! =D

I could be interested, and as you can see in my own profile, I am all about a rapid post cycle. Also, just in case it's not obvious anyhere else, I am versed in 4e Dnd, even having a good chunk of the books in real hardcover version, not just PDF!

[Kate]

i would be interested if i could be quiet blantantly a perverted domme (Not necessarily domming other players). I do adore futa and non-human themes and body manipulation. I however have no idea how well that may fit into others plans (starting a sex cult is my number 1 fantasy) nor do i know version 4 of dnd

[Chloe Milev]

I'm game.  And I'd most probably join your cult.

[Ignaddio]

Ye gads, this is engrossing. I'd love to play in this, although it seems you've amassed more than a full party. Still, if it's an option, I'm incredibly game.

[Kate]

i would like to play a demonic futa (a girl with a penis) who mainly tries to have followers (but what we do with them can be the parties choice - im not power hungry over what the followers of the cult actually do - i will seek powers or artifacts to change peoples bodies in perverted ways and make them biologically dependant on certain sexual actions ... other than that ... anyone that helps me can feel free to order them around and get them to do whatever they want - as long as you dont torcher them or kill them without reason i wont have an issue - want them to build you a ship or a temple or a castle because your bored ?

hey ? you helped me find the -whatever-thing that made the followers immune to diseases right ?
and you think what i am doing with some of them with horses is a little sad ? hmm fair enough i guess.

well hey ... feel free with my blessing to tell those who want to try something else to join you and just go for it - take whoever willingly joins you ... and i am sure at least a thousand would and see waht you can do  ...  wanna mess with genetic sexual experimentation on them because yoru bored ? take what oyu think you can use that may help and go nuts ... oh btw if you work out anything interesting tell me ok ? if you dont want to .. fair enough i guess :) ...

hmm how about some trade agreements ? if your going to set up shop there ... chances are you can get some good alchemy things in the forrest about you .. trade excess my city and i will give you these cystal balls so your spy network is humming and you dont have to deal with suprise armies at your footstep crap. oh one more thing .. can you please take sandrah ?

I fused her nature with a horse - and recently she has been begging people to ride her litereally like a horse. She is nice and all but i have a hundred things to do ... and havent found time - I know you have your own horse .. but please take her off my hands cause if she hears others have ridden somewhere without using her i swear i will not hear the end of it ...

http://perfect139.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/centaur.jpg.w300h247.jpg

(hmm .. i like this idea do you all think it doesnt really have a place here thoug and should be in ... that other dnd  system game about dragons instead ?

[Hikari]

i would like to play a demonic futa (a girl with a penis) who mainly tries to have followers (but what we do with them can be the parties choice - im not power hungry over what the followers of the cult actually do - i will seek powers or artifacts to change peoples bodies in perverted ways and make them biologically dependant on certain sexual actions ... other than that ... anyone that helps me can feel free to order them around and get them to do whatever they want - as long as you dont torcher them or kill them without reason i wont have an issue - want them to build you a ship or a temple or a castle because your bored ?

hey ? you helped me find the -whatever-thing that made the followers immune to diseases right ?
and you think what i am doing with some of them with horses is a little sad ? hmm fair enough i guess.

well hey ... feel free with my blessing to tell those who want to try something else to join you and just go for it - take whoever willingly joins you ... and i am sure at least a thousand would and see waht you can do  ...  wanna mess with genetic sexual experimentation on them because yoru bored ? take what oyu think you can use that may help and go nuts ... oh btw if you work out anything interesting tell me ok ? if you dont want to .. fair enough i guess :) ...

hmm how about some trade agreements ? if your going to set up shop there ... chances are you can get some good alchemy things in the forrest about you .. trade excess my city and i will give you these cystal balls so your spy network is humming and you dont have to deal with suprise armies at your footstep crap. oh one more thing .. can you please take sandrah ?

I fused her nature with a horse - and recently she has been begging people to ride her litereally like a horse. She is nice and all but i have a hundred things to do ... and havent found time - I know you have your own horse .. but please take her off my hands cause if she hears others have ridden somewhere without using her i swear i will not hear the end of it ...

http://perfect139.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/centaur.jpg.w300h247.jpg

(hmm .. i like this idea do you all think it doesnt really have a place here thoug and should be in ... that other dnd  system game about dragons instead ?

I don't know about the other game, but it's definitely missed the mark I'm shooting for by...  quite a considerable distance.  I'm afraid it's just not something I'm interested in running for you at all.

As far as the 'full party' goes, I'd be curious to know who's still on board since this post laid fallow for quite some time with a limited amount of interest.  If people still want to play, we'll see what we can do, though it looks like at this point we may have to set out more explicitly what the exact premise, genre expectations, and the like are.

[Kate]

lol fair enough ... abort retreat ... lol

[Anathanasia]

... If people still want to play, we'll see what we can do, though it looks like at this point we may have to set out more explicitly what the exact premise, genre expectations, and the like are.

I'm definately interested in further discussing the premise, which sounds me a bit like a post-apocalyptic survival horror in a fantasy setting. Is that what you're trying for, Hikari? I like the core idea there, and I'd personally like to see it lean a little more into Extreme, mainly to cover some bestiality maybe.

Beyond that I'm pretty open. Hi magic or low, doesn't matter, and I think both of those are do-able. A high magic setting of fallen empires and demons could be very cool, but low magic might fit the dark tone a bit better.

[September]

This is a very intriguing idea.  Have you thought about what kinds of female characters would fit the story?  I know this isn't very PC, but I would quite like it if only the boys got to be warriors, just to avoid several iterations of the Action Girl cliche.

[Phaia]

you wanted a concept! ;)



Bards of all the different guilds had set aside their quarrels and came as one to meet the beast men hordes. They had spread out among the forces and then they sang. They sang of hope and strength, light songs of home and hearth. And their words lifted the blades and spirits of all around. It was not enough!


The young woman pulled herself up; blood covered a great deal of her, but only a bit was her own. She had stood with the other bards, singing as the horde overran them. Her teacher had fallen on top of her almost smothering the life in her. Standing she lifted the still intact ancient lute from the teacher’s back and gathered up a gleaming sword then her eyes lifted and she saw the real enemy. Perhaps one of the first since her guild had been at the forefront of the battle.

The sight she saw coming filled her with dread and fear. Moving as quickly as her aching body would allow she checked the others, and gathered a few surviving things then fled following in the steps of the beast men. The last bard of her order, perhaps the last singer left anywhere.

It was her duty to watch to keep the knowledge alive of what she saw. So she went in search of others then she saw the banner of Prince Trion and made for that.



Phaia

[Ignaddio]

Well. If I may, I'd like to recommend a cue from the fall of the Roman Empire. 

As I understand it, this is when the Roman Catholic Church gained a real foothold and became a powerful, unifying force. (Feel free to correct my somewhat weak knowledge of history, but I still like the idea.)

Perhaps in the shambles of civilization, a new, formerly marginalized church gains a rise in power as it promises sanctuary and salvation to the public, from the highest king to the lowliest serf. The party members may feel at odds with the new church, suspicious of its intentions, or be hired to investigate them further by members of the shattered royal family or sundered church of (whoever). Contrarily, they may be hired to establish a foothold, rooting out minor dangers or putting down rebellions, or oversee the exodus of the new beleivers to a centralized location. Perhaps it is here that they witness sinister goings on, sacrificing the willing to a captured and hobbled Beastman, or perhaps the intentions of the church are genuine; it matters not, the church's existence and rise to power is worth plenty of conflict in either direction.

That said, this is only an idea; I'm not married to it.

[Caelan]

Is it to late to express interest?

This is a very intriguing idea.  Have you thought about what kinds of female characters would fit the story?  I know this isn't very PC, but I would quite like it if only the boys got to be warriors, just to avoid several iterations of the Action Girl cliche.

I do like this idea. Especially if its leaning to post apocalyptic. Females if in short supply wouldn't be encouraged to become warriors. I have experience with D&D 3.5 but not 4.0 I do have the basic books for 4.0 though. 

Yeah...as to what kind of roles i like to play...I like to play the "tortured souls or past" type not necessarily weak. I very much LOVE doing detailed backgrounds for my characters and watching their personalities take shape.

[WyzardWhately]

I'm interested, and sufficiently familiar with 4E to help others.  I have the full version of the character creation software, so I can output standardized sheets for people if they so desire.

None of the less-than-extreme possibilities mentioned above disturb me much.  My preference is generally to play a predator rather than a victim, but we'll just have to see how the dice fall.