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Exalted sandbox game - interest check

Started by HairyHeretic, May 14, 2014, 12:43:29 PM

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HairyHeretic


Past Lookshy, past Nexus and Great Forks, up the Yellow River to where it becomes the Meander River, through the mountains, to where the river rises, some 3500 miles from the coast of the Inland Sea.

A massive teardrop shaped lake sits amidst an area cleared of the cloud scraping forest that dominates the East. The forest is still there, but a perfect circle more than a score of miles back. By the edge of the lake stands a city, a remnant of the First Age, in places pristine, in places overgrown or ruined, but overgrown no more than one would see in any other part of Creation. The mists that rise from the lake imbue it with an almost spectral feel beneath Luna's gaze, and life is slowly returning to the city, drawn by one very special bounty.

Dreamweed.

Fields surround the city, stretching for miles, small silver towers dotted sentinel amongst them. Normal crops grow at a remarkable rate, anything from 1-2 weeks of growth in a single day, with rich yields that feed the city, along with the catches from the lake.

But the true source of the city's new life is the dreamweed. It grows nowhere else, and when properly refined, its silver berries make an incredible medicine, promoting wound healing, banishing pain and soothing illness.

This alone would be enough to make it valuable. What makes it truely valuable is the rarer plants. The one in a hundred that produces the iridescent berries, the ones that shine like dreams in your hand. When those are refined, taking them is like inhaling the breath of the Dragons themselves.

You feel yourself becoming a Dragon, with the world yours to shape. Every sense expands, everything becomes more real, and yours to control.

While the feeling lasts at least.

But the city is far from civilisation, the journey long and dangerous. The jungles around the city, held back by something unknown, are filled with lethal plants, savage tribes and vicious beasts. Rumour speaks of an Anathema that prowls the forest, one called Heart of Darkness by the primitives that lurk amongst the towering trees. The bordermarches of the Wyld hang just over the horizon, the smell of them like frozen lightning tingling on the tongue, and impossibly fair figures stride through the city, citing ancient agreements and oaths.

Eleven towers, set atop massive outcroppings of rock, float above the city in an ever changing dance. Beneath the city run mile after mile of tunnels and catacombs, silent but for the slow drip, drip, drip of water from the canals above that pass through the city to irrigate the fields beyond.

And at the center of the city, towering over it all, a single vast silver tower, impossibly tall and slender, defying the laws of nature. To approach it is to court death, madness, disaster, or riches beyond measure.


So, this is the idea that I have. The remnants of a First Age city, deep in the east, almost at the bordermarches of the Wyld. Since it was discovered and reopened, numerous groups have come here, some leaving their mark, some leaving nothing but gnawed bones and warnings to those who would follow. Power is everything here, and power and riches a-plenty can be had, as well as danger and intrigue to match.

As a sandbox game there will be no GM overarcing plot. The players will help breathe life into the setting, interacting with it and each other, and driving the game by what they decide they want to do.


And to promote this, everyone who wants to play contributes to help build the setting. As well as your own character you provide an NPC, a group (large or small), a locale or point of interest, and a rumour (pending GM approval of each). These will enrich the setting, and provide stuff for everyone else to interact with.


The City


Some parts have been restored, or weathered the centuries, better than others







Ruined parts of the city


Some parts have not fared so well



 

Beneath the City

What secrets lie in the darkness, awaiting discovery?





And how many bones show that those secrets will not be so easily given up?


The Green

And in the true Eastern forest, beyond the sheltered bubble of civilisation, who knows what will be found...












So ... anyone interested?
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Kolbrandr

Is this for any type of Exalt particularly? Are you inclined towards system, freeform?


HairyHeretic

Undecided as of yet. I was thinking about mostly dragonbloods and could go freeform / rules light / system. Really I wanted to toss it out as a setting, and see what people wanted to do with it.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Kolbrandr

Starting characters? Other? Basically, especially for that giant Taldor campaign I worldbuilt that sadly went nowhere, I enjoy building setting elements, sure, but I prefer to know before investing if it's something I want to invest in, to put it one way.

Said another way, my own preferences are blooded/dynasts (though as long as the blooded generally and dynasts an option that's fine), and use of system. Beyond starting would also be kinda nice, but not a huge dealbreaker.

HairyHeretic

Dragonbloods would probably be the best fit, but I wanted to see what people wanted to play. Mixing Celestials with Terrestrials could be doable, but would likely be somewhat messy as they would probably be on opposing sides.

System v freeform, again, it depends on what the interested parties want to do.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Zaer Darkwail

I prefer system, as setting was build the rule set in mind anyways.

Also I would be dynast DB, probably use my char concept from other game in here (send to threshold to do lucrative business but only if he survives extra hazardous trip to reach the city....and be at least several years away in forming contacts and local network and such).

Kolbrandr

I'd definitely prefer not to mix Celestials/Other thing and Terrestrials.

Basically, while it ultimately resulted in things going to a place where it wasn't really what I wanted to deal with last time, I'm still all the same sort of doing an "interested with reservations" and just noting my general preferences.

Muse

  I'm interested.  (Unless you wind up doing it freeform.) 

  Terestrial exalted would be fine.   Might be fun to also open it to things like elementals of reasonable power levels and such. 

  Hm... 

  Dynasts and lookshy characters mingling in a situation like this might have similar issues to celestials and terestrials in the same game.  It should probably be all dynasts--with the idea that players might work together to form sworn brotherhoods--or all outcaste? 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Teo Torriatte

I'm tentatively interested... I would be ok with a system game.

Pumpkin Seeds


Marie Reynolds

I would  like to play i don't think ill bring over my other idea. I think i would prefer system to free form and would not mind Playing a dynasts or a gente from lookshy depending on the group consesus.

HairyHeretic

Ok, so the general interest seems to be Dynasts (or allies) and a system game. I'm cool with that.

If we work from that premise then, how do we refine it?

Come in as a sworn brotherhood?

Sent by a family, or with the backing of another group?
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Zaer Darkwail

Sworn Brotherhood would make most sense. Perhaps sponsored by individual houses to send do business in the city. All houses got interest on the place one way or another but perhaps different focus; Ragara would see business opportunity and so would Peleps. Ledaal would see historical scavenging, Mnemon would interest on any lost artifacts (picked, repaired and send to Blessed Isle for Mnemon), Tepet would also have business interest or simply recruit any local lost eggs to their house what group would find.

V'neef would have bright ideas making the local dream berries into special brewed wine, while Cynis would use berries as they are as narcotic drugs in their parties. The more military minded houses like Cathak and Sesus would accompany because they got paid perhaps or members who join from those a adventure potential.

Marie Reynolds

Hmm maybe we start off with an event that might bring us together as a sworn brotherhood and play out the growing pains of building such a bond. Though i was thinking of playing a Dynast disgraced and kicked out of family. So thats why maybe an event that could bring the unlikely into the brotherhood would be a good starting point that is just my too cents unless there are other ideas?

Zaer Darkwail

I agree there could be that all players are one way or another 'misfits' to Realm dynasty brought together and then forced to take sworn brotherhood oath and send to distant location to try earn back their 'honor' as their penance from their failures after graduation. Failures of course can vary; some cases failures to accomplish something what was demanded or meet expectations of the parents/house or honest chain of failures.

Muse

Quote from: HairyHeretic on May 14, 2014, 12:43:29 PM
Past Lookshy, past Nexus and Great Forks, up the Yellow River to where it becomes the Meander River, through the mountains, to where the river rises, some 3500 miles from the coast of the Inland Sea.


   Sounds to me like we're deep, deep, deep into territory claimed by the River Country.  The Realm isn't particularly welcome in the River Country—though there is a House Ledaal presence in Greyfalls. 

   If we're to do dyansts rather than outcastes, may I suggest that we come in as a team, preferably an actual sworn brotherhood with motivation to work together?  The spell that creates Sworn Brotherhoods can give us bonus dice when supporting each other along with giving us a certain sense of each other's well being. 

   With this city being so far off the beaten path, but with so much value, I suspect it's our intention to work together to gain control off it?  Thus increasiong our own wealth and importance?  Sure, we'll be working through our various houses to further those ends, but we'll probably wind up cultivating Guild ties in order to get our goods to market. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

AribethAmkiir

Interested.  Though was much more interested in the original concept and idea than what it is being changed into.  Freeform would have been awesome.  The minutiae of the system is just boring, tedious, and often times confusing.  Dynasts who have a history and knowledge of each other as a sworn Brotherhood and who are in good standing with the Realm is much more interesting and believable than Outcastes, who are failures, who randomly find themselves at the city.

I would much rather see characters and players work together to create something everyone was happy with than push their own ideas because that's what they want.  I would like to see this as a collaborative writing exercise amongst mature adults than relying upon the randomness of dice to decide whether something works or not.

Marie Reynolds

I am felixible just mentioned what first came to mind for an iinspiration for me with a concept.

AribethAmkiir

Is "Rules Light" out of the question by now?  Judging by the conversation in the other game people seem to be diehard system fans.

If we went with the Sworn Brotherhood idea what concepts would people be wanting to play?  If we went with the Outcaste idea, what would people be wanting to play?

Zaer Darkwail

The GM asks opinions from folks and overall if most want go by system then it's going to be system.

Anyways indeed the place is deep in river country and dynasts are not usually welcome, so only way to send anyone from Realm to there is someone which Realm does not mind going 'missing'. So that's why I suggested a 'bunch of realm failures' as basis for everyone. They are brought together and told what deal is and are offered to them services of a sorcerer (or one players can do it) form a sworn brotherhood where they all aim to succeed, together, no matter what.

As alone a realm dynast so far off from home may more surely fail than working a together, despite origins or houses where they come from. Overall idea is that it's risky endeavor which has chance to fail (or get them killed) but if they succeed they are 'redeemed' by their houses/families and get return with full honors.

If folks do not like that concept we can go with just successful dynasts who are long standing friends each other deciding taking a huge gamble (which their houses disapprove but cannot stop it but they nor support it too much either).

HairyHeretic

There could be a number of reasons why the group has been assembled.

For example, an outside party is the reason the group has been assembled ...

The Heptagram wants to investigate the sorcerous properties of these new finds, and if there's a stock of First Age artifacts there, all the better.
The Deliberative has heard rumours of some new territory, and judges it unclaimed, therefore a party of loyal Dynasts shall go and plant the flag (preferably through the chest of any troublesome natives who want to argue that call), and expand the borders of the Realm.
The Guild hasn't been able to get a proper foothold, and wants to set things up to they control the flow of trade in and out of this new territory.

Depending on how any given House thinks, they might send their best, or their most expendible, in order to see their obligation met.

If we have a Sorcerer in the party, this could be their Obligation to the Realm, and they bring along their sworn brotherhood.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

AndyZ

Although I think there's enough folks and I likely won't join in, I would like to suggest a compromise between freeform and stats: create character sheets but keep dice rolling to a minimum.  That way, you have them if you want them, but you don't have to make rolls for every single little thing that happens.  Combat can likewise be handled in a way which is more freeform but lets the ST look at the player's sheets to decide results.
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Muse

I have a lost egg adopted by the Ledaal I'd love to try out?  She has a black jade arm with the knuckles reinforced into a samshfist and some really cool artifacts.  :) 

Or a flame duck courtesan who's mistress is trying to snap her out of her malaise to become an adventerous supporter without killing her marketable sensuality? 

Or both... 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Rook Seidhr

Quote from: AndyZ on May 15, 2014, 03:04:37 PM
I would like to suggest a compromise between freeform and stats: create character sheets but keep dice rolling to a minimum.
Sounds sensible to me….

I have a character I created for a game on another board that never actually started, a Wood-aspect sorceress: Cynis Falen Aranet, youngest and favorite daughter of Cynis Falen. She's sort of…otherworldly, not flaky exactly but her attention isn't on the world around her. Her Motivation is to return the Host of the Dragon-Blooded to the ideals of the First Age, and she has a Sidereal mentor.

She'd need a rebuild from the house rules in that game to whatever house rules will be used in this game, of course.

Anyway, please consider me for a spot in the game, Hairy.