Etchings of the Weaver - GMed Silk Road fantasy for four people

Started by Nowan, March 25, 2011, 08:24:47 AM

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Nowan

Etchings of the Weaver

The call to prayer ring out over the cities' beautifully crafted domes. Doves rush up into the hot air currents, mingling with the colourful kites and flags of the noblemen and princes. Down in the alleyways children and dogs scurry home for supper lured by the smell of newly baked bread and spices. Outside the heavy city walls the steppes stretch out with only the mighty rivers to break the monotonous grassland expanses where the uncultured tribes rule on horseback. The steppes in turn give way to mountains, so high they are rumoured to be the abode of the gods. Everywhere there is the whispers of the Djinns, the creatures unfavoured by the Gods, living a twilight existence in a parallel world, only reaching over where reality is weak and belief in them is strong, in the desert caves, in the rotten tree of the jungles and under the surface of the thundering river foam. Welcome to the world of Al-Asina.

*Somewhere in a river bend under a lone Banyan tree sits a shriveled old man, poking his staff into the embers of a dying fire, to you're eyes he is alone, but he is speaking, mumbeling*

“I thought you would be coming.”

*The man nods as if in answer to something, staying quiet for some time*

“I see, this is bad news for us of humankind, and perhaps good for you. I cannot see the road ahead if the old powers return. Is it not written that those days are gone?”

*Again he falls silent but a smile creeps across his weathered face*

“Why am I smiling? We'll it is because I know I do not have to be part of the coming times. You would not tell me this if I was not leaving anyways. Now I spit on you and I hope you will never find it.”

*The man suddenly slumps back against the tree, lifeless, nothing else changes as the river continues to rush through the great steppe.*

OOC:
Hello, I'd like to welcome and invite you to my role-play I have worked on this for quite a while. I know I am a NING but I believe I can do this and it would be a real treat as well as a way for me to show my skills at writing if you would join me. I would like you to read all instructions before committing to joining. You can then send me a suggestion for your character in a PM. I'm usually on at European times in the evening.

The world of Al-Asina is influenced by the Silk Road - an area vaguely stretching from the Arabian Sea to Himalayas bordered by the Mongolian steppes to the north and the Indian jungles to the south. It is a mix of Arabic, Persian, Mughal, Sultanate, Slavic, Aryan, Mongolian, Nepali and other tribal cultures. It is however a fantasy world with made up geography and cities. Magic is rare, there are no staffs shooting magic balls of flame; whatever "magic" there is comes almost exclusively from spiritual devotion, chemistry or plain old trickery. I do not rule out the use of gunpowder but it will not be in common knowledge, use of certain clock-work mechanisms and steam-machines may be possible but this is also considered in the realm of the "mystic".

I cannot give away the story of this RP as part of the quest for the characters is to find out what is going on. All characters will start in the same place so you do not need to work on where your character would be.

There is a goal in this RP - your character may die and you may fail that goal. How you reach the goal is dependent on your actions. Every action has consequences. Your success will rely on your skills as well as your writing - a more well-written post will get a better result in the story. Combat will use the skills, your writing ability and some randomness (dice) to decide the outcome. For the players this mechanism will be opaque and you will have to trust my fairness.

I would prefer an even gender balance of the characters, I will start with 3-4 characters to begin with.

This RP will focus heavily on the demonic/djinns - I will differentiate between Djinns and Daemons in that Djinns live in a parallel world to the humans and are not innately evil. Daemons live in the Abyss and are chaotic beings of spite and rage.

This RP will be HEAVILY DMed. I do this as I see that many RPs fall apart as some players go off on different tangents, some write more and faster than others and often get away from others in the story.

Therefore, in this RP each player will only be allowed one post between each of my posts. In general your posts should be suggesting of what you do (Unless it is a conversation) I will then follow up by confirming what you did and the results.

I will try to post once a day - sometimes I will sometimes I won't but I will not post more often than once a day. If you haven't posted between my DM posts then I will steer your character for that turn, keeping it as passive as possible while still staying true to the role. Since I will be writing quite a lot I will try to keep my descriptions of your actions brief and I will leave the poetry and hyperbole to you.

Example:
Player 1: "I take my mighty broadsword and attempt to cleave the street-urchin in two feeling justified as he spilled apple juice on my steel-tipped boots, If I manage to slay the bastards then I take a look at what kind of things he may carry in his pocket and I look out for more of the little rug rats coming my way."

Player 2: "Is at the potion stall in the market trying to buy ingredients for a stronger poison. Looks terrified on at the attempt of Player 1 to kill the urchin"

DM: "Player 1 succeed in killing the child. The onlookers are terrified and speechless. You find a letter on the boy stating that he had been accepted to boarding school after 10-years of applying himself to his studies. The dark gods are pleased at your actions. Player 1 gains a little experience. All other urchins have fled the scene. The toothless shopkeeper tells Player 2 that he can buy ingredients for stronger poisons for three gold, there is also a health potion for one gold and other smaller potions that to your trained eye look like fakes."

In this RP the general rule is "stick together or die" - this is also to make sure that no-one looses focus of the story or of the other players. There will be times when this rule does not apply.

We are on an adult forum and I love romance and sex. However, to keep the story going I would like any longer "sex-scene" to be done separately - the players (or if I am involved, the player and the DM) will decide how it begins and how it ends so that they can come out of it in one turn. If all players are involved then it can be done ”in-game”, it is just so that some players don't have to wait around for someone having a romp in a nearby barn. A link to the separate thread is of course appreciated 

I will be playing all NPCs unless otherwise stated.

If you have any suggestions of things you want added to the world - people, places, monsters then PM me and I will do my best to get it into the story.

Your character:

Your character starts off as 19 years old (this is for the story line). They will have little or no knowledge of the world and their coming "professions". They may have entered under the teachings of a Guru, stolen some tobacco from their father or be part of a warring clan but they may not have experience of actual combat. Preferably I want the characters to have backgrounds that are mundane - woodcutters, goat-herders or just the daughter of a nobleman..

Your character starts on Level 1 - this mean she or he basically is no better than any commoner at fighting - gaining experience will however go quickly in the beginning.

The shaman is not an excuse for furry sex. I have nothing against furries, but this is not a furry RP.

I will work with you on character creation as I want the different characters to have something to clash over but still enough in common to get along when needed.

Your character will be human - unless I say otherwise.

Base traits:


Strength:
Perception:
Endurance:
Charm:
Intelligence:
Agility:
Luck:
Devotion:

You have 24 points to distribute over base skills - if skill is lower than 1 it will be very detrimental e.g. Charm under 1 is more or less a burn-damaged mute person who smells very badly. A person with Perception under 1 needs thick glasses to see where she is stepping.

Classes - (Choose 1, and 1 specialization for the relevant class)

Alchemist:
The alchemist is adept with all kinds of concoctions. Using simple tools and material found around her the Alchemist can create potions that turn people into stone, make them fall in love, make their memories go away or even change their appearance. The alchemist can coat blades and arrows in poison, create powerful illusions to confuse enemies, create toxic gases and traps. The alchemist can also act as a healer, stopping bleeding, creating antidotes and mending broken bones. In the alleyways of the cities of Al-Aziza the alchemist is respected and never talked badly off for it is said: "People who speak ill of the chemist often fall ill from the strangest diseases".

- Cannot use heavy armour or heavy weapons
- Preferred weapons - Blades, traps, staves

Specializations:
Poisoner: Begins with Acolyte Poison Usage and Acolyte Potion Making (only one who can create deadly poisons)
Healer: Begins with Acolyte Healing and Acolyte Potion Making (only one who can create resurrecting potions)
Illusionist: Begins with Acolyte Conjouring and Mechanization

Rogue:
The rogue is not easily classified. The street-urchin nicking apples and dates from the bazaar have little in common with the traveling courtesans making their living of the weak-hearted nobles. The rogue makes it's living in the shadows, out of the eye of the city guards and local lords. They take what is not theirs, be it gold, favours or a life. In Al-Aziza the rogue is often cursed for his lack of honour, but it is the rogue who survives to fight another day and it his she that the lords come to when they have a problem they do not wish to handle themselves.

- Cannot use heavy armour or heavy weapons
- Preferred weapons - Knives, katars, crossbows, small blades

Specializations:
Chor: Begins with Acolyte pick-pocketing, +1 to Luck and +1 to Agility
Hassassin: Begins with Acolyte Stealth, Acolyte Bladed Weapons and +1 to Agility
Courtesan: Begins with Acolyte Performing and +2 to Charm

Sojourner:
The Clansman makes his living from the sword. They are fighters for a clan, for a lord, for a cause or for money. In the world of Al-Aziza few people get far without the help of guidance through the mountains or escort over the plains. Some of these survivors specialize in using a bow or fighting from horseback while others rely on their sheer strength. Others make themselves invaluable by their knowledge of the land and the signs of humans and beasts. In the words of Sultan Nasr Abdullah: "Scimitar in hand, feet in the stirrups and bow on my back, now where was I supposed to go?”

Can use any armour and all weapons (except for Brute-only weapons)
Preferred Weapons: Any

Specializations:
Steppe-rider: Begins with Practitioner Horseback +1 to Agility (Only one who can use both a weapon and shield from horseback)
Marksman: Begins with Practitioner Archery +1 to Perception (only one who may use longbows)
Brute: +1 Strength +1 Endurance (Only one to use Heavy Axes, Hammers, and Morning-stars)
Tracker +1 to Perception, Acolyte Tracker (has greater knowledge of the land)

Magi:
The seekers of spiritual knowledge and power have many names; Magi, Yogi, Tantric or Ascetic. They all search for their God, either to serve him/her or to use the powers of the immortals to further their own goals. Mastering the human urges and cravings takes years of hard practice but in the end it may lead to realizations not common to ordinary people. Yogis have been said to be able to stay without sleep for years, eating only sand and not showing pain while being stung by a hundred bees. Others use their devotion to lead those weak of faith against the demonic and the Djinns. Still others find the spiritual side in the use of herbal concoctions and special chants to see things that has not come to be yet or to ride in the mind of animals.

- Cannot use any armour or heavy weapons
- Preferred Weapons - Spears, Tridents, Staffs, Ceremonial Daggers

Specializations:
Shaman: (only one who can spirit-walk and embody creatures)
Zealot: Begins with Acolyte Leadership and Acolyte Demonic Resistance +2 to Devotion (can exorcise)
Dervish: Begins with Practitioner Resistance to Pain, Acolyte in all other resistance, needs little or no food or water +1 to Devotion

Abilities:


Every ability has four levels – Acolyte (I), Practitioner (II), Skilled (III) and Master (IIII). To get an Acolyte ability you need to spend 1 ability point, to go from Acolyte to Practitioner you need to spend 2 ability points and from Practitioner to Skilled 3 ability points and from Skilled to Master – 4 ability points.

You begin with 6 ability points – you do not have to spend all

These are the available abilities:
Bladed Weapons – Skilled with swords, knives and anything with a cutting edge.
Archery – Skilled with Bows, Crossbows and Javelins.
Blunt Weapons – Skilled with crushing weapons such as maces, hammers, sledges, staves.
Small Weapons – Skilled with one handed weapons and small bows.
Heavy Weapons – Skilled with two-handed weapons and longbows.
Double Wielding – Skilled with wielding a weapon in each hand.
Shield Skill – Skilled with the usage of a shield both in defense and offense.
Armour Usage – Skilled and agile while wearing armor.

Horseback – Skilled with riding any kind of steed.
Swimming – Faster, stronger swimmer.
Running – Faster runner.

Heat Resistance – Can withstand heat and fire better.
Cold Resistance – Has no problem with snow, ice or cold.
Demonic Resistance – Can withstand the influence of Daemons and Djinns.
Resistance to Pain – Can fight without issue even if harmed – although she can still die of the wounds.

Bartering – Gets better deals from traders.
Smithing – Can repair weapons and armour and even create new ones with the right tools.
Tracking – Can find better paths and track animals and humans.
Performing – Skilled dancer, singer, lover, poet etc.

Healing – Can heal using potions or other methods.
Poison – Skilled at creating poisons and coating weapons or other articles with poison.
Potion Usage – Knows the right way of using potions to increase their effect.
Potion Making – Skilled at creating potions from any material.
Conjuring – Can create illusions through mirrors and smoke to confuse and scare enemies.
Mechanization – Understands clock-work mechanisms as well as optics and the use of advanced navigational instruments

Spirit-walk – Can go into trance and see into future or past as well as far off, it is however hard to control (only Shaman)
Embody – Can take the shape of an animal that she touches, if the animal is killed the person dies (only Shaman)
Excorcism – Can try to force daemons and djinns off from this plane of existence (only Zealot)
Concentration – Through utmost concentration the Magi can perform feats like levitation, telekinesis and hypnosis

Pick-pocket – Skilled at stealing from off a person anything at any time.
Traps – Can disarm and re-arm traps and even build traps herself.
Lock-picking – Skilled at opening locks in doors, chest and anything else.
Stealth – Can go unseen by the naked eye by the use of shadows and misdirection.


This is how your character sheet should look like (Example - not going to be used):
(Personality should NOT be a part of your character sheet - it is for the group to find out through the game)
Name: Kalita
Age: 19
Race: Human
Appearance: (use descriptions - do not describe clothes. In general you may wish to avoid blondes, not fitting to the environment - anything else I will allow, even blue eyes which is uncommon but not unheard of.)
Background: Grew up in a yurt, milking yaks.
Class: Rogue
Specialization: Chor
Weapons: None (you will have no weapon to start with)
Other equipment: None (you will have no equipment at the start - not even clothes)

Strength: 3
Perception: 3
Endurance: 3
Charm: 3
Intelligence: 4
Agility: 5
Luck: 4
Devotion: 3

Abilities:
Acolyte Pick-pocketing (I)
Stealth Practitioner (II)
Traps Practitioner (II)
"Life is to be consumed, spent, used up and then it is meant to be discarded."

Nowan's On and Off - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101543.0

"Etchings of the Weaver" - A GMed fantasy Group RP in a Silk Road setting - now accepting players! - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101790.0

Ebb

This looks like a fantastic game, and I really wish I had time to take on another roleplay right now. I think that a fantasy version of the Silk Road region has a lot of untapped potential.

A quick question about mechanics: Your sample character seems to have 28 attribute points. I see that there's a bonus of +1 luck and +1 agility for being a Chor, but where do the other 2 points come from?

Also, do you have any links to artwork that might help illustrate the sort of characters you're looking for? D&D-ish western Europe and Far East anime art is easy to find; this might be a little trickier.

Best of luck finding players for this.

Nowan

Well spotted Ebb. I seem to have blundered there - She should have two less points assigned. I was earlier experimenting with starting with 26 but then changed it to 24 and forgot to change the example.

An extra update:
The game will have a Sex/Banter Thread for both longer sex scenes and for idle banter between the characters. This is to make it easier to form bonds within the group in a faster way.  The players will be free to post idle talk in the thread at any pace as long as they are specific with where the talk is happening and keeping their knowledge consigned to what they knew when they were at that point of the story.

By Silk Road I also want to specify that it is not so much about the destinations of the road (or route) - Chinese and European culture are not really part of the game. It is instead about the inbetween cultures - Arabic, Central Asian, Northern Indian, Mongolian etc.
"Life is to be consumed, spent, used up and then it is meant to be discarded."

Nowan's On and Off - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101543.0

"Etchings of the Weaver" - A GMed fantasy Group RP in a Silk Road setting - now accepting players! - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101790.0

Nowan

Hmm.. the interest for this thread seems quite low. That is too bad but perhaps it is not time for it now. If you read this thread and for some reason find that you do not wish to participate - please tell me why so that I can improve upon it.

Is it theme that isn't 'up your alley'?

Is it the non-free form system? - You need no experience of it.. since I made it up ;)

Is it a lack of ideas or time?

Is it me being a NING?

Please let me know.

To specify this game would be posted in Human NC - not because I expect much NC or want much of it but I don't want to rule it out.
"Life is to be consumed, spent, used up and then it is meant to be discarded."

Nowan's On and Off - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101543.0

"Etchings of the Weaver" - A GMed fantasy Group RP in a Silk Road setting - now accepting players! - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101790.0

Autumn Sativus

I poked my head in thinking that perhaps Dreamweaver had drawn something, just to make a note. I read your last post. Now, system gamers are a little hard to come by and people who do group games are also a slightly lesser group. You've only had this thread up for two days... give it time before you give up so fast.
Us against the world
Just a couple sinners making fun of hell


~~A&A(updated March 2021)~~Tales~~Wants~~O&O~~Wiki~~

Nowan

Thank you for the input. It's not much of a system. What I wanted to avoid was the confusion of everyone running their own way. I'll give it some more time then maybe I'll remake it without all the numbers but still GMed.
"Life is to be consumed, spent, used up and then it is meant to be discarded."

Nowan's On and Off - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101543.0

"Etchings of the Weaver" - A GMed fantasy Group RP in a Silk Road setting - now accepting players! - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101790.0

aya

Just dropping in to give my input- I like the system, and it seems simple enough for a non-system gamer like myself. Unfortunately, I don't have time for another RP right now, and the setting itself doesn't really appeal to me (race-wise). That's just what I thought though, in case you needed the info to maybe make some edits. Good luck on your search!

AusGre

Hey there, I would be willing to join this RP. I just don't know anything about the Silk Road or anything of that nature, I'd be willing to try though.

Nowan

Ausgre: By Silk Road I just mean the area covering Central Asia, Arabia, Mongolia, Northern India etc. If you are interested then you can go to  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_road and then go on from links and read up a little. No real background knowledge is needed. Part of the story is that your character is quite inexperienced and won't know that much about the world anyways.

Please send me a character suggestion and we will try to get a few more to join (I have some people that may get going, we just need a first mover)

Aya: Thank you for the input. I'm sorry you are too busy to join.

Can I try to convince you otherwise?

Think sultry Arabian nights, belly-dancers, slave-traders, opulence and luxury, jewelery and perfumes, harems, vast sweeping vistas, horses, rick princes, djinns, daemons and magic.

If you want a character not from the area it wouldn't be impossible to be a slave or someone else stumbling in from a far away land, as long as the story is good enough.

Think about it :)

"Life is to be consumed, spent, used up and then it is meant to be discarded."

Nowan's On and Off - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101543.0

"Etchings of the Weaver" - A GMed fantasy Group RP in a Silk Road setting - now accepting players! - https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=101790.0