Tales of the Drow – GM Guided Sandbox, Freeform (Interest Check)

Started by Barbarian, March 13, 2015, 02:52:08 PM

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Barbarian

IC Thread;
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=226630.msg11122828#msg11122828

OOC Thread;
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=225819.0

Quest Log;
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=225820.0

I had prepared this some time ago. I think now is the time to launch... Don't know if people will be interested, but let's give it a try...

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Tales of the Drow


Note: While this is a game set in the Underdark, Forgotten Realms, it does not require heavy knowledge of the setting. Familiarity with just some concepts, which will be described here, is enough. The game will not take place in a cannon location.

During 8th century DR, long before Drizzt Do’Urden was alive, scouts from the dark elf city of Menzoberranzan have discovered a new tunnel route that led to the surface. This tunnel was also used by Duergars, the dark dwarves and a few other races of Underdark. A small trade post named Querthin was established here, run together in a fragile peace between the Drow, Duergar, and some traders from the surface realms. Neither party had the strength to break the peace or control the situation after an armed conflict.

This is the tale of the drow elves, their slaves and allies who try to run the Drow Lounge and survive in Querthin.


Introduction

Welcome everyone,

In this game, you’ll be playing drow members of House Baenre, some of their slaves and a few mercenaries who help them establish a proper drow lounge in Querthin, a fictional small trade port tunnel in Underdark, Forgotten Realms.

Drow have a highly hierachic, mathernal regime. Drow females are always more important than drow males. A male master sorceror needs to show respect even to a low-level drow priestess. But when adressing a male from a higher rank, female drows also need to consider twice before making enemies with him. Females insulting males of any rank are a common thing though.

While these rules are much more strict in drow cities like Menzoberranzan, here in Querthin things run at a more “flexible” mood. Remember this is a very far and small trade post. Each and every member of the lounge, be it drow or slave is important and useful for the survival. Members of Querthin drow lounge know this and act accordingly. While an open insult to a female or master would still be punished by death, there is also no iron grasp on both males and slaves. One point; slave females have no importance, a drow male can treat her how he sees fit.

The drow worship a spider-goddess named Lloth. She is pure evil and loves conspiracy and chaos, but never openly. She wants respect to females and to high ranked people among her children but she loves it if you scheme a plot, take the place of your superior and leave no trace behind. If your scheme is discovered too early though, prepare for a bitter judgement.

The Game Concept

The game will be mostly sandbox and players will have complete freedom over the matters. No dice rolling required, no sysyem. Talk about them and get the game going as you wish. As the GM, I will only interfere to establish consequences for your big scale actions, if a huge event occurs or if two rival characters really need my judgement to solve matters between them. For example, after some negotiations the lounge makes an alliance with Duergars. Good, do that. Duergars will be allied. Then you push the limits by putting a spy in dark dwarves. Fine, the spy is all working. These are all ok if there is a good story behind. And at last, you want to crush Duergars from within and out. Set up for attack and start it. This is where GM will come into play and declare some consequences.

As for sexual stuff, drow are generally sadistic and their tastes cover a wide range. Torture, rough, bondage, concentual, all are here. Just tell your Ons and Offs in your char sheet and your partner can treat you accordingly. I really don’t know, this game can either be a fight for survival or some crazy sex story. A mix of both is what I prefer, but as players, you will decide it in the end.

Me? Well, I’ll just play some character. My guy won’t be someone very important. Maybe a trader or scout, maybe drow maybe not. He will not be one of the leading characters, just for my part of fun. I’ll design him just before we start, depending on needs of game.

Posting Frequency: At least once per week. If you run silent for a month, you’ll be checked and if you’re not able to continue, your character will be put to rest.

Drow Lounge Composition

The drow in lounge are all members of House Baenre, the ruling house of the drow city, Menzoberranzan. They are specifically selected for this quest and sent here and their true ranks among the members of the city is not so much important. What matters is the hierarchy here in Querthin. High priestess is maybe the lowest level priestess in entire house. No matter, she is the queen of the lounge and this game.

There are also slaves of House Baenre, hand picked to serve at the lounge. A few mercenaries, both drow and non-drow also serve the lounge. There are the drow guards of the lounge, not many, just to ensure the lounge is guarded well. And lastly, there are a good number of goblin slaves, both workers and soldiers of the drow. Guards and goblin slaves are not needed to be played, but if you insist, sure, go ahead and play them. All other groups, I will need players to run them.

The house members are obviously all drows. Slaves and mercenaries can cover a wide range of races, be it drow, duergar, human, elf, dwarf, minotaur etc. As for exotic races like Ilithids, I ask players to avoid them for now, for the sake of simplicity.

Playable Characters
(Note that these are just vague ideas, all can change according to player’s wish. So just tell that if you like to play a different character and change things.)

Drow Members of House Baenre
High Priestess (lounge leader, female, and for the spirit of the game, this is the only character that I ask be run by a player of same gender)
Master Sorceror (any gender, most powerful sorceror of lounge)
Weaponsmaster (any gender, best warrior of lounge, head of armed forces)
House Member I (any class and gender, priestess maybe?)
House Member II (any class and gender, scout maybe?)
House Member III (any class and gender, trader maybe?)

Slaves of Drow Lounge
Slave I (any class, race and gender, slave chief maybe?)
Slave II (any class, race and gender, scout maybe?)
Slave III (any class, race and gender, bodyguard maybe?)

Mercenaries that work for the Drow
Mercenary I (any class, race and gender, trader maybe?)
Mercenary II (any class, race and gender, sorceror maybe?)

More players are always welcome, but let’s try to fill in the blank spots in drows, slaves and mercenaries first ok? When they’re mostly filled we can open more slots for the groups. Still, for characters like members of Duergar Lounge, other trader parties and members of other Drow houses; these options are not available. (For the sake of good development and control over the game) But who knows what future will bring?

We can start this when we have like 3 house members, 2 slaves and 1 mercenary.

Here’s a little character sheet;

Name: Obvious
Race: Obvious
Position: Give me something, he’s at the top, mid or low level, after we start I’ll do a hierarchy ranking.
Appereance: A couple of sentences are fine.
History: At least one good paragraph.
Ons: Few words or a list, your choice.
Offs: Few words or a list, your choice.
Foreseen Frequency: How long should we wait for a post from you? This is important for players that will interact. Once a week? Twice? Everyday?
Image or Images:Obvious

Post your char here or PM me, whatever you wish.

That’s all for now. Let's see if we can get this rolling...

Amarlo


Seduce my mind and my body will follow.
Amarlo's O&Os
Absences and Apologies

abandoneddolly

ooo I love drows so much I named my kid after one. so of course I'm interested.

Barbarian

Wonderful! Thank you for interest. 2 or 3 more people and I guess we can start discussing characters...

VonDoom

Interested, possibly for a character in the position of Weaponsmaster. Is a character with Pathfinder Magus type abilities fine for that, or would a purely martial character be better?
Now this is the Law of the Jungle-
as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may  prosper,
but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

-Rudyard Kipling, "The Law of the Jungle"
O&O


Xanatos

Can I lay claim to High Priestess? I do so enjoy playing Drow.

Oh and I should ask, is PvP allowed without player consent or do players have to agree to go at one another before hand? Its one thing if characters plot against one another, but entirely different to actually enact a plot and effect another character.

Barbarian

I have nothing to do with players playing any gender, but as I stated in the main post, the High Priestess character is the only female character that I would prefer be portrayed by a female player, for the respect to the drow society and the spirit of the game.  :-) She is the only one though, any player can play any char from any gender other than the High Priestess. I hope you don't get angry with me...

Xanatos

Okay. I'll consider other options then. Perhaps a Priestess then, if I am understanding correctly. Hmm, maybe Master Sorcerer. I didn't catch any limits on genders. Perhaps I read through it too quickly.



I edited in this my previous post, but hadn't seen your reply at the time, so I'll repost this here.

"Oh and I should ask, is PvP allowed without player consent or do players have to agree to go at one another before hand? Its one thing if characters plot against one another, but entirely different to actually enact a plot and effect another character. "

Barbarian

Yeah I replied too quick :)

Anyone can plot against any other. When it comes to the actual effects of the plot and someone needs to get hurt somehow, talk about it between yourself. If all are ok with the plot and if you come up with some kind of solution, go ahead and play as it is. If you could not agree, then I will decide the effects of the plot and inform you of the consequences, so you can make your posts along that line.

Xanatos

So it sounds like a mix? PvP is allowed, but is generally sorted by the players. With you having final word if need be. Hmm... that's different. I'll have to think on that. I've had horrible experiences with PvP, so its a huge issue for me in RP's.

I'm aware Drow are intrigue related, but open PvP in Drow games never ends well for the game. Anyway, I could go, but I'll consider what I'll do.

Thanks.

Barbarian

This is the best way I've seen in online RPs so far. I don't like systems and dice-rolling and stuff in here, do something, talk to each other, come to a conclusion like; "in the end I'll take your position, you'll be heavily wounded but not killed, you run and hide until the time is right. cool? cool." I'll only come into play if it's really needed.

But for this game, yes these are drow, of course there'll be PvP plotting and stuff but remember this is a game of survival, you're trying to run a lounge in a highly uncontrolled, unstable place so there'll be a situation like "take down the enemy first before we hit each other"

Xanatos

No, no. I understand what you meant. I'm just used to either no PvP outright or the players agree to PvP or no PvP and that's the end of it. I've never run into a middle of the ground, sorts, by the sound of what your saying. Unless I am totally misunderstanding. Which is possible, its late for me. Heh.

Plotting itself is not a problem. The actual PvP (the end result of the plotting) is an issue for me, and thus I always bring it up in games like this, because a lot of players fail to keep their personal emotions in check when their character is attacked/potentially hurt/killed by another PC. Its ruined more games than I can remember. It also tends to happen in games where people aren't expecting it. Thus another reason for failure to keep emotions in check. Thus why I also like to bring up the question.

So all that said, in the end no matter what else, is player death left up to the players consent? Or do you as GM reserve the right to off a character for dramatic/story purposes?

Barbarian

Player death is up to players. If the dying char's player agree, it is ok. If not, then no death.

We are all playing this for fun, not for beating other. I personally would love a heroic death for my char after pages of played story. Not everyone may agree. So in case of PvP it's best to discuss before things actually come to hurt/kill.

Elf

Okay, definitely interested in this already have a character that might some tweaking to play one of the merc's. Has been surviving as an assassin for most of his adult life most in the upper world. A personal quest would brought him to the underdark. I will work on what changes need to be made shortly.

Amarlo

I plan to play some sort of slave. From what I've discussed with Barbarian the slaves would have been specially picked to be useful to the group, but I'm not fond of being passed around to much. So if anyone is interested in discussing a character with me that would be their personal slave (But would have skills to overall help the group) please feel free to message me!

Seduce my mind and my body will follow.
Amarlo's O&Os
Absences and Apologies

VonDoom

Quote from: Amarlo on March 16, 2015, 08:04:35 AM
I plan to play some sort of slave. From what I've discussed with Barbarian the slaves would have been specially picked to be useful to the group, but I'm not fond of being passed around to much. So if anyone is interested in discussing a character with me that would be their personal slave (But would have skills to overall help the group) please feel free to message me!

I was thinking of a female weaponsmaster who values usefulness in people over anything else (and probably earns some flak for it), so the concept might be compatible? A quick glance at your o&o's shows no interest in f/f, but not every slave ever has to serve as a sexual plaything for the owner.
Now this is the Law of the Jungle-
as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may  prosper,
but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

-Rudyard Kipling, "The Law of the Jungle"
O&O

bubby

Expressing possible interest in the High Priestess, PM sent.

Elf

Quote from: Amarlo on March 16, 2015, 08:04:35 AM
I plan to play some sort of slave. From what I've discussed with Barbarian the slaves would have been specially picked to be useful to the group, but I'm not fond of being passed around to much. So if anyone is interested in discussing a character with me that would be their personal slave (But would have skills to overall help the group) please feel free to message me!

If you want a sexual element to your girl's slavery I could have my merc take her as his slave if that would be allowed for a halfbreed male.

Hello, Bubby. This could be interesting.

bubby

Quote from: Elf on March 16, 2015, 03:28:40 PM

Hello, Bubby. This could be interesting.

Lol.. hey Elf. Not this time around it seems. Have fun though, it looks like this will be great! Been awhile since a good Drow/elf type game was around!

Elf

Quote from: bubby on March 16, 2015, 04:16:16 PM
Lol.. hey Elf. Not this time around it seems. Have fun though, it looks like this will be great! Been awhile since a good Drow/elf type game was around!

Oh, you won't be joining us after all. That is a shame.

Barbarian

bubby would be great for High Priestess, if only she could be more active...

This brings up my few High Priestess player specifications;
1. Be nearly co-GM to me. Expect heavy PM traffic both with me and other players.
2. Be able to make like two posts a week.
3. Be female.
4. Be familiar with the concept of drow. (Reading what I've written in first post is enough) No need for very detailed knowledge.

If you think you're the one, then come on and hit us!

So, let's make a count then;

Amarlo (slave)
abandoneddolly
VonDoom (weaponmaster)
Xanatos
Elf (mercenary assassin)
Barbarian

We have reached a good number, so I guess we can start making character sheets. PM the sheets to me once they're ready (take your time though, there's no rush) and I'll add them to an OOC thread that I'll make soon.

What we really need is a High Priestess. Once we have all the char sheets ready, I'll slowly start this game.

To everyone that has already jumped into the game, thank you all and I'm waiting for char sheets! To possible new players, come on and join the "Tales of the Drow" from the very start!

Elf

Ah I see, yes, while Bubby is an excellent writer from my experience she is lucky to get a post up in two weeks. If you want two a week she is not really the best choice.

This looking very good and I am looking forward to it.

abandoneddolly

I'm still trying to think what I want to be probbaly a slave.
While I love drow, I don't think I have the ability to pull off playing one very good.

Amarlo

Quote from: Elf on March 16, 2015, 03:28:40 PM
If you want a sexual element to your girl's slavery I could have my merc take her as his slave if that would be allowed for a halfbreed male.

Hello, Bubby. This could be interesting.
Thank you for the offer. Hopefully we can start plotting soon :)

Quote from: VonDoom on March 16, 2015, 12:36:17 PM
I was thinking of a female weaponsmaster who values usefulness in people over anything else (and probably earns some flak for it), so the concept might be compatible? A quick glance at your o&o's shows no interest in f/f, but not every slave ever has to serve as a sexual plaything for the owner.

Thank you for the offer but the point of picking one primary master for her was so she wasn't open to everyone sexually. xD

Seduce my mind and my body will follow.
Amarlo's O&Os
Absences and Apologies