Interest Check - Group Horror Adventures [MUL]

Started by Iofiel, September 15, 2008, 01:19:27 AM

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Iofiel

So. I've been D/GMing for years and there parts of system-based gaming that I love and parts of it I hate. I've been wanting to run a serious horror-based game for quite some time now, but never had the players to do it before IRL. So I'd like to put the idea up here.

Skorn. A world of my design, whose balance of light and dark has just tipped extremely to the side of dark. It is medieval dark fantasy (medium-low magic, high horror), with all sorts of nasty creatures and plenty of reasons for people to make other people miserable. Grand horror fun. For those familiar with D&D and anime, my inspiration for the setting came from Berserk, Ravenloft, and Heroes of Horror, with a healthy dose of Survival Horror (e.g. Zombies!).

Being on this kind of forum, there will obviously be all sorts of sex going on; it would easily range up to non-consensual exotic/bondage (e.g. Berserk), and some parts could go to extreme (blood/sacrifice, mostly). Specific detail would be up to the receiving/giving players, but I'm very flexible for providing extended scenes. The game would largely be dark, but the players could make it as light as they chose to.

Now, the part I'm unsure about, other than getting players interested in this kind of setting, is whether or not to have it be system-based. If you're interested, give me a reply and your vote on system or not. I'd love to handle as many players as showed interest, and there would be a lot of big group and solo/small group action available for everyone.

Aiden

Berserk you say.....Dibs on *Gatzu! (character)

*The crazy barbarian warrior, with a huge sword/axe.

Iofiel

Quote from: Aiden on September 15, 2008, 02:11:05 AM
Berserk you say.....Dibs on *Gatzu! (character)

*The crazy barbarian warrior, with a huge sword/axe.

Inspired by, not actually containing the same characters or mythology. XD

But you can play a similar character, if you'd like.

Aiden

That what I meant, I like to play the large, meat head guy with a short fuse and a large sword/axe.

Transgirlenstein

I would be down depending on what system is used if any
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Iofiel

Quote from: trippingsatyr on September 15, 2008, 02:54:09 AM
I would be down depending on what system is used if any

Could you give more details on which ones you would like to play with?

I'm currently considering freeform, minimalist D&D, D&D 3.5, D&D 4.0, or World of Darkness generic.

magnamos

First I would like to mention that my opinion is influenced by the fact that the DnD 3.5 ist the only system I barely know. I have no plan of the others (mostly played Shadowrun :( ) though I'm interested in World of Darkness. Rumor has it that it can be easil adapted to nearly any other system.

I think it would be nice to leave it freeform but have a System as a Backbone when it comes to combat or really tricky tasks.

I would like to play the Demonologist/Necromanceress who aims to understand the forces that have taken the land. Instead of destroying them and wipe them from the plane of existance she tries more to embrace her dark side and put it to a good use. Her knowledge would benefit from a little excursion with an adventurer party and they could benefit from her knowledge. (i.e. "NO NO, hit the left eye, it's the left eye, the rest of this demon is invurnable!" ). She's not the common scholar though. She mastered many spells from the forbidden knowledge of Dark Magic which serve her not very well in battle against monsters. Fighting Fire with Fire is not always efective. That why she won't set foot before the gates without a decent guardian. Someonelike a shorttempered bulky guy with a hughe sword/axe ;)

...or the innocent Priestess who's not THAT innocent (Getting raped by a demon is not fun but it becomes fun if you blessed your juices before and turned them into holy water x) ).

Could you possibly give some more detail on the setting. It sounds like there are a few giant fortresses scattered through the landscape and survival outside there walls is almost impossible unless you're a really skilled Warrior and/or Mage. I think that kinda cuts down the choices of characters.

Zaer Darkwail

I would be okay with 3.5 edition and with that edition is rich enough variety allow wide scale of characters. But 4th edition is simpler and allows use of mass combat easily with minion classed zombies and only big worry is the BBB behind the swarm which you need get to.

Anycase I am interested to this game, system or no system. Also I do agree in world filled with darkness sex would be rather quite common way to humans 'escape' grim present with lust cloud their minds a second (or fill heads with ale) in fortress cities as Magnamos mentioned.

Iofiel

Quote from: magnamos on September 15, 2008, 04:39:11 AM
I think it would be nice to leave it freeform but have a System as a Backbone when it comes to combat or really tricky tasks.

...or the innocent Priestess who's not THAT innocent (Getting raped by a demon is not fun but it becomes fun if you blessed your juices before and turned them into holy water x) ).

Could you possibly give some more detail on the setting. It sounds like there are a few giant fortresses scattered through the landscape and survival outside there walls is almost impossible unless you're a really skilled Warrior and/or Mage. I think that kinda cuts down the choices of characters.

I was actually thinking of doing it mostly freeform. But I wanted people to decide on it.

What you're describing at first is the Forbidden Scholar archetype... an awesome role, to be sure. :D
Priestess idea... unconventional holy (wo)man. XD

There are quite a few towns throughout the lands, and civilization has been in decline for about 1-2 years now, since the 'Big Event of Darkness' that released all kinds of bad stuff into the world. Not everything has fallen, and not everything will for many, many years; many forces of darkness are actually interested in fighting each other, as well, and it's not a simple matter of Good vs. Evil. The countryside is certainly more dangerous now, but simple peasants still live in largely defenseless towns.

Quote from: Zaer Darkwail on September 15, 2008, 04:46:06 AM
I would be okay with 3.5 edition and with that edition is rich enough variety allow wide scale of characters. But 4th edition is simpler and allows use of mass combat easily with minion classed zombies and only big worry is the BBB behind the swarm which you need get to.

Anycase I am interested to this game, system or no system. Also I do agree in world filled with darkness sex would be rather quite common way to humans 'escape' grim present with lust cloud their minds a second (or fill heads with ale) in fortress cities as Magnamos mentioned.

After considering it further, I'm going to not do 4ed. It's too flashy/DBZ for my tastes.

Again, the countryside is still alive and (partially) well. It's a time of transition for the world (I always love those) that I'm throwing you all into.

magnamos

I can already see the badass farmers with there forks.

"WANNA EAT MAH BWAIN YOU DEAD LUMP?! WELL COME AND GET IT! *snortspit*" ...Zombie dies...finally

Joking.
The whole setting sounds really exciting. I would love to play it... if someone is willing to help me a little with the rules ;)

Transgirlenstein

D&D 3.5..I cna also highly recommend Savage Worlds
Busy with freelance writing work.  Replies slow.  Feel free to prod me. 

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Zaer Darkwail

Hmmm, only partially familiar with Savage Worlds trough game where I was hand held led trough char creation process. Freeform or system, either is fine but more freedom in freeform but in combat some ruling determine how badass our characters are in combat.

Iofiel

#12
I think I'll do freeform with some background statistics to determine certain outcomes with more standardization.

As far as races go, you have one option: Human. What you do with demons/undead/monstrous humanoids is certainly your business and may affect your character physically, but you'll start out (if not end at) Human. If for some reason the opportunity for a demon/whatever PC comes into play later, I'll discuss it with them, but that's for later only.

On the planet Skorn, this game will be taking place in Nadir. The greater continent where Humans reside is split down the middle by a giant mountain range named the Behemoths; this mountain range is rumored/known to contain monsters and dangerous supernatural even before what went down, so no one in their 'sane' mind decides to head toward them. Nadir is the land East of the Behemoths, where the Humans first arrived on their world. The clime you are in is a mix of temperate grassland (Southern end) to temperate forest, with pockets of hilly land, swamps, highland, and turns into more arctic environment as one goes North.

Origin of Humans: It is a widely known legend of fact that the Humans here did not begin here. Once, over two centuries ago, your ancestors dwelled on another land, another world entirely; it is by the machinations of denizens on this world, known simply as the Ancients to your people, that Humans were abducted into Skorn through a portal of some sorts. On Skorn, Humans were the slaves of these Ancients, who were wiser, taller, stronger, more elegant beings whose life spans were measured by generations of Human ones. These Ancients regarded Humans at best as amusing toys and useful labor, while at worst pathetic creatures and vile scum. The course of time ground on, and the Ancients acquired more and more Human slaves from their world until the activity of this portal drew attention: one day, something else came through the portal that had never been on Skorn before.

A Demon. Demons came to Skorn from this other world, and the Ancients had little idea how to stop them. After the first, a few more came, and then hordes of them burst forth into Skorn, sweeping its lands under a tide of chaos and blood. Humans divided into groups, some running off into the wilds to hide, some siding with their Ancient masters, and others joining with the Demons. As the Demons marched even, other terrifying creatures came from the portal as well, most notably the Undead, which then sought to war with the Demons as well.

In the end, it was the Ancients that one, but at the cost of their race. Their kingdoms broken, their people slaughtered, enslaved, fleeing, or wounded, they made a pact with some power and banished the Demons from this world. Or so it was thought.

The Humans of the land wise enough to hide throughout the conflict were the only ones left in Nadir, and came out to dazedly claim the land and build their own civilizations, making use of what little of the Ancients wasn't pillaged or looted. And thus human civilization grew, their acquisition and industriousness leading to them spreading through the land in the course of a few years.

Despite several civil wars in time, the Humans largely prospered. This prosperity became threatened a year ago.

No one understood how or why it happened, but not only a Demon, but a dozen-membered Demon Cult made its nature known to Nadir after getting caught sacrificing citizens of a far Eastern town. A rash of demon worship spread from this incident, as it was made known to Humans that power could be obtained through an oath and the bidding of something greater...

The hearts of those tempted by darkness have twisted society's prosperity, and the wilds began to be taken by evil.

This is the world you are making your character into.

Transgirlenstein

This works.  THen I am interested :)

I just need to think of a character...any rough idea what would and would not be appropriate for your setting?
Busy with freelance writing work.  Replies slow.  Feel free to prod me. 

Formally Tripping Satyr, Tripping Snake and QueenTrippingserpent.  Often known as Trip.

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Zaer Darkwail

Well, if we got Gatsu as meatshield/melee guy I would like to play a dark grim witch hunter/tracker with long rifle (slow to reload so does not beat bows but it has enormous kick in damage).

Iofiel

Regarding characters. As above, you can only be Human. The tech level is low, so there are no guns or powder, and complex machinery is at a primitive state. Keep that in mind when making a character.

There will be no classes. Any profession you state yourself as having will be akin to you saying you work an office job; it's what you do, or what you say you do, at least. You will be given and can request pertinent skills, which you should think of in terms of the profession.  Further traits and abilities will be granted based upon your character's history and personality; essentially, the more extensive your character writeup, the more you can be given.

Nadir uses a feudal system by and large, with a full-fledged nobility and a yet-small trading class. Average citizens are more prepared for combat, but still not trained as, say, Knights would be. Joining with a Mercenary company is the easiest path for a commoner to get military training.

There are several forms of magic in the world, but only two your characters will have access to right now.
1) Oath/Pact magic; this requires you to be in a subservient bond to a supernatural power/being. None of you can have this without paying homage to a Demon or other monster.
2) Ancient magic; the Ancients left behind fragments of their knowledge of manipulating the essence of other realities to conjure powerful forces via a 'spirit' medium. A handful of people have glimpsed into these secrets and come back with understanding of how to manipulate these forces and bind a 'spirit' medium (called Avatars, shortly). You'll have to impress me to start out with this. :D

Barring magic, think of what your character will be doing in the world (i.e. what you want to be doing), why, and where/how they've come from and want to do it. I'll post up a character bio next.


Iofiel

In case you didn't notice, I added world setting several posts up; you two posted before I finished it.
Here's the character bio. Fill it out as much as you'd like, but the more you give me, the more I'll have to work with. You will likely not start out with any remarkable items or abilities, beyond skills that any mortal could learn. If you want to be a demon/monster hunter, the idea of the profession has only very recently surfaced, and you would not yet be any manner of veteran in it. Fill this out and pm it to me to keep your identifying info secret from the other players.

Name:
Age:
Height/Weight:
Physical Description:
Social Class:
Profession(s):
Family:
Goals in Life:
History:
Sample Gear:

I'll make the note that I encourage both inter-player conflict and cooperation. :3 It's oodles of fun both ways.

shadowheart


Iofiel

Quote from: shadowheart on September 15, 2008, 06:05:47 PM
If you still have room, I am interested!

I am willing to handle up to 10 people. ;D I have lots of threads and plots already set up, and more will be created based upon everyone's characters, so there's no lack of content, and I'd be excited to smash so many people into each other.

*evil villain cackling*

Iofiel

I've started shadowheart on her way. Once each of you gets a character, I'll start you up as well.

Iofiel

Quote from: trippingsatyr on September 15, 2008, 02:04:27 PM
This works.  THen I am interested :)

I just need to think of a character...any rough idea what would and would not be appropriate for your setting?

Just run anything questionable by me and I'll respond.

I have two characters submitted to me so far, and one is already started!

Aiden

Sent my character idea, followed the template.

Zaer Darkwail

Have send my characther too and waiting my turn get into game also.

Iofiel