Topic: Wheel of Time

[Mossberg]

When I do post the information and such for this, I'll be trying to keep it spoiler free as possible, while still providing information for those that need it.

[Cold Heritage]

Maybe we could set the game at 998 NE, when Eye of the World stuff starts to take place? It's a pretty good jumping on point, since a lot of us haven't finished everything and anyone who's interested but hasn't read the books only really needs to read up on the concepts rather than pick up all of the different plots and events that've transpired. That would preclude the existence of the Asha'man, at least as they are in the books, but it otherwise leaves us with carte blanche to play in the world without worrying about what plot events to alter or discard as well as allowing for a spoiler free presentation.

[Mossberg]

I was actually thinking of something like that. Though we should probably make it to where there is some sort of thing for Asha'man for those that want to play them. I know that's the character that I want. Maybe have one of the previous False Dragons cleanse Saidin, so that madness is no longer an issue and male channelers can start being accepted by some, though not most, of "Randland?"

[Cold Heritage]

That seems like something too important to invest in a False Dragon to me. Maybe a False Dragon gathered several male channelers to his cause and founded a Black Tower, creating the Asha'man, and male channelers are started to be accepted by some because now that they're a faction in their own right they can't be antagonized as they were in the past? The madness that comes with channeling the male half of the One Power could still be present, but it could be handwaved away in the case of player characters because in their individual cases it takes longer to become complete and utterly debilitating.

[Mossberg]

While I agree, we have to think of the "real" consequences. A false dragon building an army of channelers? The White Tower would immediately send Gaidin and Sisters to do what they do. Nations would refuse to work with them for fear of losing the White Tower's support, which may end up turning those that do ally with them and those that don't against each other, creating a continent wide war.

Maybe we can alter it to where the taint doesn't necessarily drive them insane, it just gives them access to their past lives in the form of the voices and such. Lews Therin and the Companions could have just had it all hit them at once, and the pure shock of it drove them insane and caused the Breaking. So people fear the potential for madness, but not the channelers themselves.

[Cold Heritage]

That direction makes the practice of universally gentling male channelers as a matter of course unnecessary and casts the White Tower in fairly negative light, doesn't it? And if male channelers are having access to their pasts lives it seems like they gain an advantage in recalling science, technology, weaves, and knowledge otherwise lost with the end of the previous age.

[Mossberg]

Yeah, I didn't think of that. But that is what the voices are in the book basically. We never learned if Rand was the only one that had it, or if others had it as well. He knew weaves and all sorts of stuff that he would otherwise have no possible way of knowing. Though that could be a result of him being Ta'veren.

[Cold Heritage]

Yeah, it's hard to tell either way. But it seems like if it was a thing that happened to all male channelers it would probably not lend itself to the outcome we want.

To go back to the proposal of a False Dragon founding a Black Tower, perhaps it might be explained thusly: it's a recent development; the current Amyrlin Seat is either a Dark Friend or compromised by one, which stymies any unified response; the White Tower cannot engage in an outright assault on the Black Tower because the Asha'man can kill with Power and the Aes Sedai can't; while other nations do not engage in direct support of the Black Tower, they do not engage in active opposition of it for fear of being destroyed.

[Mossberg]

Well, my main character, an Asha'man, is able to hear a voice. While I haven't had him learn any unusual weaves or anything, the voice itself isn't really insane, just power hungry and violent.

And that could very likely work.

[Zaer Darkwail]

I could say that Asha'man are very recent and very secret development. Example White Tower did not know nothing about big organization which was founded by escaped novices example, so a 'Black Tower' could exist but in strict secrecy. Then they have gained support by blackmailing mostly along with providing a 'alternative' to White Tower Aes Sedais (which most do not trust ironically speaking). Also it's not out of question some Asha'man are actually influential nobles and so provide support/backing by through wealth of their inheritance and noble house wealth. If someone asks why they invest lots money to single farm they can say they just build 'big farm' and Asha'man in there act like farmers while secretly practice One Power for militant and disciplined purpose (having perhaps bigger goals to carve place in world which shuns their kind and want change it and some may even study how cleanse saidin).

Also it's true that Aes Sedai cannot kill with One Power, even while against a male channeler so long male channeler is not dark friend or servant of shadow. They at most block access to their power and let wardens subdue them and then drag to White Tower. But when there is overwhelming number of male channelers; the things tip heavily to their favor in direct conflict.

[Mossberg]

So that people know, I will start posting information about the series in the World Building board. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible, while also helping to explain it to people that don't know the series well enough, but still want to play. I am going to attempt to make a large database of almost anything that may be needed. Anyone that has suggestions, comments or anything else is welcome to comment here or PM me.


Once the thread is started I will be posting a link in the first post on here.

[Cynadea]

You could also use the wiki. It's a pretty good way to keep things organized. I can give a hand there if you are not familiar with it.

By the way, Aes Sedai CAN kill with the OP, they just have to put themselves in a position where their life is in danger. So if a male channeler threatens her life with the OP, she can return in kind. I've played Aes Sedai for like 6 years. I know the ways around the vows well enough.

I like the idea of a secret Black Tower, just like the Kin has managed to kept their identity secret.

[Mossberg]

I wouldn't have any idea how to use the wiki.

They can also send their Warder if they have one.

Never to use the One Power as a weapon except against Darkfriends or Shadowspawn, or in the last extreme defense of her life, the life of her Warder, or another Aes Sedai.

[Cold Heritage]

I'd mostly forgotten about what a sham the vows were when I posted that.

The political ramifications of exposing how toothless their vow not to use the one power as a weapon is to the rest of the Westlands is probably still sufficient deterrent from having the Aes Sedai deploy at the head of an army.

[IStateYourName]

I'd like a group of adventurers that aren't big-time canon characters and aren't the focal point or world-changing events.  At least at first.

To me, one of the big appeals of WoT is the characters began as common peasants.  We got to see them work their way up.

[Mossberg]

That's pretty much what I'm hoping for. A couple of NPC's (or people playing extra characters) may be needed, but I was hoping the players could make up a core group that is going around kicking ass or whatever we decide to do.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Ah yeah, if Aes Sedai, warden or other Aes Sedai life is in danger, then they can use OP to nuke stuff. So if male channeler only binds (like with air weave) Aes Sedai and drags her along, she cannot use OP to harm him (expect return in kind doing binding on him as well). Wardens of course object but Red Ajah (most famed for chasing male channelers and darkfriends) do not have wardens to protect them.

[Siereis]

I would be interested in getting in on this.  I read up to about book 6 a few years back so I am familiar enough with the setting...which I loved.  More than likely I'd look to be playing an Aes Sedai, though I haven't yet thought on what color she'd be...perhaps even red if I am able to work her into a plot with male channelers.

And while you are all still trying to figure out how to allow male channelers into the plot, why just go without the black tower idea?  If we are going on some sort of adventure there doesn't need to be a black tower..does there?  All the males that are looking to be spellcasters in this RP could have learned their power in secret.  Just my 2 cents.

Now onto other questions I had:

1.  I think I read earlier that this would be a sandbox style RP.  Is that still true?  Roughly how much of a directed and dictated plot do you intend to do?
2.  Enemies - namely how are we looking to RP them?  While most of the fun in Wheel of Time comes from character interactions, it wouldn't be a fantasy RP without some Half Men or Dark Friends to explode with fire or decapitate with steel.
3.  Can you elaborate at all on the dice rolls that you spoke about during the initial post of this thread?

[Mossberg]

   1. I guess this is a sandbox rp. Not too sure on the terms, but if someone wants to go off and do their own thing they can pretty much. And the plot is part of what we are still figuring out. I mostly put this thread up to do an interest check and let everyone come up with ideas while I am still building the world.

   2. I hadn't really given it much thought yet, but if need be then I can play them, though people that feel they can handle it may be able to play some as well.

   3. There will be no dice preferably. I may involve them for a minor moment while generating people's OP scores, but they aren't being used for combat or anything as this is going to be freeform.

[Cold Heritage]

And while you are all still trying to figure out how to allow male channelers into the plot, why just go without the black tower idea?  If we are going on some sort of adventure there doesn't need to be a black tower..does there?  All the males that are looking to be spellcasters in this RP could have learned their power in secret.  Just my 2 cents.

I think Mossberg wants his character to be an Asha'man, so that was why I was talking about it.

[Vill]

All Asha'man start out as simply being male channelers. You could work the plot to slowly progress towards establishing a Black Tower: there isn't an exact time table on male's going mad, so it's pretty safe to assume that a lot of the Asha'men were leading normal lives, despite the ability to connect to the one power.

[Mossberg]

I think Mossberg wants his character to be an Asha'man, so that was why I was talking about it.

Not necessarily an Asha'man, just a male channeler.

To go back to the proposal of a False Dragon founding a Black Tower, perhaps it might be explained thusly: it's a recent development; the current Amyrlin Seat is either a Dark Friend or compromised by one, which stymies any unified response; the White Tower cannot engage in an outright assault on the Black Tower because the Asha'man can kill with Power and the Aes Sedai can't; while other nations do not engage in direct support of the Black Tower, they do not engage in active opposition of it for fear of being destroyed.

That seems like something too important to invest in a False Dragon to me. Maybe a False Dragon gathered several male channelers to his cause and founded a Black Tower, creating the Asha'man, and male channelers are started to be accepted by some because now that they're a faction in their own right they can't be antagonized as they were in the past? The madness that comes with channeling the male half of the One Power could still be present, but it could be handwaved away in the case of player characters because in their individual cases it takes longer to become complete and utterly debilitating.

I could say that Asha'man are very recent and very secret development. Example White Tower did not know nothing about big organization which was founded by escaped novices example, so a 'Black Tower' could exist but in strict secrecy. Then they have gained support by blackmailing mostly along with providing a 'alternative' to White Tower Aes Sedais (which most do not trust ironically speaking). Also it's not out of question some Asha'man are actually influential nobles and so provide support/backing by through wealth of their inheritance and noble house wealth. If someone asks why they invest lots money to single farm they can say they just build 'big farm' and Asha'man in there act like farmers while secretly practice One Power for militant and disciplined purpose (having perhaps bigger goals to carve place in world which shuns their kind and want change it and some may even study how cleanse saidin).

All Asha'man start out as simply being male channelers. You could work the plot to slowly progress towards establishing a Black Tower: there isn't an exact time table on male's going mad, so it's pretty safe to assume that a lot of the Asha'men were leading normal lives, despite the ability to connect to the one power.

   Okay, so from all this I'm thinking that there is a False Dragon that is beginning to gather men that can channel, promising safety in numbers as well as a place to actually learn to wield Saidin. It is relatively new, so there are a dozen, maybe two, male channelers or so. Some characters could be working on making their way there, while others can choose their own goals. As far as their relationship with the White Tower, there isn't one yet. The WT is beginning to hear small rumors maybe and could have sent a couple sisters to investigate whether or not the rumors have any truth behind them. We will need to decide on a location for them to set up shop. I'm kind of thinking the Caralain Grass. No part of an actual nation and it seems pretty isolated.

   Anything I'm missing?

[Vill]

That option makes sense and allows for players to start with characters that are not yet main focal points for world events. If I were to play a gleeman, I can imagine he might be motivated to seek out such a rumored gathering: what weaver of legends doesn't want to witness something like this unfolding first hand? Reciting epics is one thing, chronicling them is another.

Although, I'm not dead set on this idea for my own character. Just saying it seems like a good starting point for a plot's forward momentum. It could end up being the waypoint that separate pods of characters are all traveling towards for various reasons. Whether or not their paths cross prematurely would be up to you, GM.

[IStateYourName]

As for my character, I'm picturing playing a sell-sword, probably female, who takes on a job that's a lot more than she bargained for.  Something she would have steered clear of had she known the Shadow and its agents had a hand in it.  She's no coward, but she also (sensibly) seeks to avoid any supernatural entanglements. 



Strengths: She's reasonably attractive, good with a sword, great with a bow, having grown up in the country and brought down many a meal for her family.  She's pretty sharp, and curious.
Weaknesses: She's a little too curious for her own good, sometimes failing to look before she leaps.  She's got a mouth and a temper. 

She is neither "good" nor "evil," having learned the virtue of minding her own business and looking out for #1, but tempering this with desiring not to gratuitously make enemies either ("don't start none, won't be any"). 

[Cold Heritage]

   Okay, so from all this I'm thinking that there is a False Dragon that is beginning to gather men that can channel, promising safety in numbers as well as a place to actually learn to wield Saidin. It is relatively new, so there are a dozen, maybe two, male channelers or so. Some characters could be working on making their way there, while others can choose their own goals. As far as their relationship with the White Tower, there isn't one yet. The WT is beginning to hear small rumors maybe and could have sent a couple sisters to investigate whether or not the rumors have any truth behind them. We will need to decide on a location for them to set up shop. I'm kind of thinking the Caralain Grass. No part of an actual nation and it seems pretty isolated.

   Anything I'm missing?

I think that addresses all of the main points that need to be addressed, and am amenable to this idea.

On the character front, I was thinking of a Borderlander with roots in Kandor and Shienar. While I would like him to be a Warder, I am thinking that he would not have been White Tower trained. The events resulting in my character being Bonded would need to get worked out. If there is no one interested in playing that out with me, I'll hit the drawing board or something.