Village

[VandalSavage]

I will certainly assist as much as I can, again as long as there is a character, preferably of the beast persuasion, in it for me :)

Yes, as I was imagining it, you and I would manage the beasts and other NPCs.  I might want to play a townsperson as well.

As far as the 'calls from the woods', the beasts would perhaps be able to mimic somewhat?  Your friend lost withing the edge of the wood calling you to come help them.  That may be enough incentive to lure someone into the forbidden territory.

Indeed.  I was thinking that between those four rules, someone would find some reason to break them.

The curious voices.  The urge to sneak out at night.  The marrying young.

On the latter point, let us make it '18'.  It is less realistic for the reason that the rule exists - which will be revealed later - but more compliant with site rules and modern customs.

[VandalSavage]

Might we get a 'role call'?

I have Steve down for beastliness, and Valerian and apple as strong possibilities to play curious cats.  Is that about right?

Anyone else?

[Airindel]

I must admit that I find the idea very appealing and tempting, and I'm deeply considering playing if the lot of you have room.

[VandalSavage]

I must admit that I find the idea very appealing and tempting, and I'm deeply considering playing if the lot of you have room.

We most certainly do.  Welcome to the Village.

[Valerian]

Be seeing you... No, wait, wrong village.  Oops.

Anyway, yes, that is correct; I would like to play a villager.  And I suppose she'll end up being a curious villager, given the plot.  Heh.

[Airindel]

We most certainly do.  Welcome to the Village.

Most excellent then. Consider the village to have another citizen, more than likely curious too, and drawn to darker things...
From reading the thread, and those whom are interested, does this mean we are a village full of women? (Considering how one is to be married at a younger age)

[VandalSavage]

From reading the thread, and those whom are interested, does this mean we are a village full of women? (Considering how one is to be married at a younger age)

A married woman, a girl of 18 who's yet to find a suitor or a rule breaker - a woman who is over 18 but has not yet been married.  After all, someone needs to break the rules if the monsters are to be riled.

I will be setting up some setting information soon, once I confer with the good Mr. Steve.

[Airindel]

As it is, I'm thinking of playing a younger woman, 17 years, being courted although depending on the information that is set up after you confirm details with Steve, that could alter slightly when I draw up the character.

[VandalSavage]

As it is, I'm thinking of playing a younger woman, 17 years, being courted although depending on the information that is set up after you confirm details with Steve, that could alter slightly when I draw up the character.

I am certain that will work fine.  Here are some cursory details about our Village - "the Settlement":

The Settlement is old, countless generations old.  It is isolated up in forested, steep hills.  The climate is Mediterranean.  The technology level is medieval, equivalent to the heights of Roman development.  The style of the culture is Phoenician, Sidonese, Syrian.

There is no religion.

[Valerian]

Literally no religion at all?  Or just nothing remotely organized?

Also, how large is the village?  Isolated as it is, that may cause some interested problems with intermarrying...

And while we're on that subject, perhaps some of our characters should be sisters (or brothers).  There could be a bit of rivalry between a younger but more outgoing sister who's anxious to marry and an elder sister who's being slow to find a husband, for instance.

[Airindel]

Val, if you are interested in working out a background together as you just suggested, and it was something that I thought of last night, then by all means, please feel free to drop me a line.

[VandalSavage]

Literally no religion at all?  Or just nothing remotely organized?

Literally no religion at all.  Rather suspicious, I admit, though people raised in such an environment may not realize that.

Also, how large is the village?  Isolated as it is, that may cause some interested problems with intermarrying...

And while we're on that subject, perhaps some of our characters should be sisters (or brothers).  There could be a bit of rivalry between a younger but more outgoing sister who's anxious to marry and an elder sister who's being slow to find a husband, for instance.

The Settlement is about eight hundred to one thousand people in size.  I would imagine that it is clannish in structure, and prone to as large families as environmental sustainability and hazards allow.

By all means, come up with clan names for yourselves, and share a heritage.

[Stevej101]

If I remember correctly there was something in the movie about the younger sister wanting to marry earlier then the older, though I believe it was the boyfriend who wanted to marry the younger and the the older wanted to marry him.  Something like that anyway, so I see no problem with whatever back story you would like to have.

Talking with VS with this in PM I am waiting for him to read my replies and I think we will have the rough of the opening post placed here for discussion with all of you.

Please stand by.  :D

[VandalSavage]

I discussed the background of the Settlement last night with Steve, and he noted the idea of presenting some of that information to you for approval.

Whereas I would agree in part that you should know some of what you might be getting into - or what might be getting into you - I would refrain from giving you the history of the place.  After all, the mystery of the monsters is a main element of the atmosphere.

So, in order to respect the notion of limits while not pulling back the veil, as it were, I'll present you this explicit warning:

The monsters are really monsters of some kind.  They want to drag you back to their lairs and do unsightly things to you.  Said things most assuredly involve sex.

Bearing that in mind, I hope everyone wants to continue.  I will establish a thread in NCEF entitled 'The Settlement [Home]' and another, 'The Settlement [OOC Discussion]' for those purposes.

[Valerian]

Darn.  No Sidonese names, and precious few others, but here's what's listed in my database, if they're any help to anyone (in spite of the bad formatting):

Genos    Phoenician  Male    Sun worshipper 
Hannibal Phoenician  Male    With the grace of God  Variants: Anibal, Hanibal 
Tanith    Phoenician  Female Goddess of love          Variants: Tanitha 

Adar   Syrian Male Ruler, prince 
Aram  Syrian Male High, exalted 
Ashur  Syrian Male The god of war 
Eljon  Syrian Male Going up, rising

And Airindel and I are plotting...

[VandalSavage]

Plotting is good.  I am always in favor of plotting.

Hebrew names would also work.  Hittite, and Egyptian.  Possibly even old Greek.

I will open those game threads forthwith.

[Airindel]

I was going with an Arabian name of some sort myself. Is that suitable?

[Valerian]

Egyptian, in even worse formatting, unfortunately:

Amenti African---Egyptian Female Goddess of the west 
Ammon African---Egyptian Male Hidden, secret Amon, Amun 
Asenath African---Egyptian Female Thorn bush Acenath 
Geb African---Egyptian Male Earth   
Hathor African---Egyptian Female Love (Goddess of love) Hathora 
Horus African---Egyptian Male God of the sky   
Isis African---Egyptian Female Spirit, supreme goddess 
Keb African---Egyptian Male Earth (Egyptian god) 
Kiki African---Egyptian Female Castor plant   
Mishiki African---Egyptian Male From the east   
Neco African---Egyptian Male Unseeing, blind   
Nefertiti African---Egyptian Female The beautiful one approaches   
Neith African---Egyptian Female Goddess of the home Neit 
Nen African---Egyptian Male Water spirit 
Nenet African---Egyptian Female Goddess Neneta 
Osiris African---Egyptian Male God of rebirth and resurrection   
Qadesh African---Egyptian Female Goddess Qadesha 
Rameses African---Egyptian Male God of the sun   
Sed African---Egyptian Male Savior, rescuer   
Sef African---Egyptian Male Yesterday 
Sekhmet African---Egyptian Female Mighty, strong   
Sesheta African---Egyptian Female Goddess of the stars Seshat 
Tafne African---Egyptian Female Goddess of light   
Thoth African---Egyptian Male God of the moon and wisdom   
Toeris African---Egyptian Female Great, powerful Toerisa 
Zahi African---Egyptian Female ?

I'm not going to copy and paste all the Hebrew names.  :-P  They are available for the curious at http://incompetech.com/named.

[Stevej101]

Chuckles at Vals lists of names.

sorry love, but I remember when we were working on the bunker you thought it was amusing that I could show you a site where you could buy one, it seems we both enjoy some research for the sake of reality :)

[Valerian]

*blush*  Yeah, yeah... Heh.  Well, I did all that work compiling, I might as well share the wealth, so to speak...

[VandalSavage]

I was going with an Arabian name of some sort myself. Is that suitable?

Most certainly.

If you care to search names by meaning and culture, check out www.behindthename.com

[VandalSavage]

I have posted a brief setting description to open the game thread. 

[Airindel]

Is there anything you are specifically looking for in a character sheet, my dear man?

[VandalSavage]

Is there anything you are specifically looking for in a character sheet, my dear man?

Nothing comes to mind, my fine woman.  I would expect a basic background, perhaps a rough sketch of their personality and proclivities, but so far as my interests are concerned, I am satisfied with the characters being developed over the course of the story.  Naturally, since you are intending to have your character related to another player character, you will need to write some manner of background.  But I can think of no real qualifications for the sheet.  I rather enjoy things being presented in the course of the narrative.

Steve?  Anything you would like developed ahead of the game play in terms of the characters?

[Stevej101]

Brief background, age, maybe a little bit of a description.  Other then that I agree, I would much rather let the story develop as it goes.

As it appears that VS and I are the GM's and characters my stand is that I'll let the game move as it will, GM there for conflict resolution only, but having either writen with or at least read everyone that has shown interest I think the GM position is going to be a relatively simple task.