Game Idea: The Other Side of Rome

[Natalie C. Barney]

Set in Rome for the others that historical books never cover the whores, rogues, slaves, Jews, foriegners and gladiators of Rome during the reign of the Emperor Caligula to start.

Will have some minimal character creation rules and mostly for play balance. Likely a World of Darkness LIGHT EZ VERSION rules so anyone can do a character, they at least are easy enough. YES only normal humans. And this will be historically accurate as I can make it so it will take time to do. I want SERIOUS players on-board first.

No experience is needed in the WOD rules they are going to be minimally used.

[Bishrook aka Fate sisters]

An interesting idea.
I am familar with roman history especially that of the the late republic and the early Empire.
I have read both non-fiction works on daily life in romme during those periods and fiction.(McCullough, Saylor)
(though both concentrate on the political side of roman life they do give many details of day to day life and glimpses into the lower social clases. mcculloughs glossaries and and notes are nice including a list a swaer words and common latin expressions)
I am familar with WOD ezstart rules and have the changing set in my files. I would assume you would just use the core minus the magic. The core rule is simple to understand and simple to run.
What kind of [plots do you have in mind? i prefer stories that have action/adventure themes with some sex and romance. Just palin romance or ssoft porn bores me to tears. I would also like to see the big events impinge but not dominate a story.

[shadowheart]

While I'm no fan of Rome, I do like the sound of this idea. 

I do enjoy serious roleplay, and the challenge of this game idea interests me. 

Never played World of Darkness at all: Are the rules you reference downloadable? *grin*

So ... yeah, count me interested. :)

[GolGol]

I am interested. Very interested, after all I do study history at a university level so ^_^

It's been long time since I played world of darkness. I wonder if anything have changed...

[RogueJedi]

I also am very interested...

Never played World of Darkness either, but could probably pick it up somewhat quickly...

[Natalie C. Barney]

Yes the WOD rules minus magic and mostly used to get things like personal spheres of resource down. As for plots I plan to set this either in the reign of Caligula or near the end of Claudius into Nero's reign. Among the themes will be the rise of Christianity and the different sects one that started the Fire that burned Rome, historically some serious scholars think a radical Christian Sect actually did start the fires. Of course surviving day-to-day will be a major theme. Right now if we get four serious players and another GM so we can have another set of threads with a different theme. And so I can play a PC not just NPC's . Well we can get something started. As for plots I expect their to be politics (even the common low class person in Rome had to deal in this to some degree), sex, survival, class system being played out, religion, slavery vs. free persons and the like.

Right now I'm getting links for areas like Prostitutes, Jews and the like in Roman life and the like. I expect player to be historically accurate so prostitutes will abide Roman law with distinct hair colors and dress. I might play as a player a prostitute of the Dora they always worked and often lived nude and were the most beautiful of prostitutes AND of higher status.

Right now some Background limits will be.:

Resources no higher than 3 (if a rather well-off foreigner or popular prostitute or successful free gladiator could have this level but this is the upper end and better be well explained in the character history) [most will have 1 or 2 if any]

Influence if any at 1 (most popular prostitutes and the like might have some local Roman garrison and the like favorable to them and the like but higher- nope)

Retainers must fit most might have one if they have a lover or a slave if the character has some resources. More should fit the background, is the most acceptable to have 5 dots in.

Allies same as retainers and most likely to have if a successful prostitute Claudius had one that could ask favors of the emperor of good heart for example. But this can hurt if the allie dies or falls out of favor. Like if you were loyal to Claudius' side when Nero comes into power.

Fame ok this can be pretty high Scylla the prostitute that challenged the Emperor Claudius wife was fameous (infameous) but agin no more than 3 Dots without a very convincing reason in the characters background.

Military and others must be low and fit the character a criminal boss might have 1 Dot for his men for example if a leader sorts, maybe 2 at most. A Roman Garrison member of some rank will very likely have it.

Contacts up to 5 no biggie here a streetwise nobody can still know lots of people.

Status (Roman) if you have it will be limited by your position an ordinary Roman Citizen has 1 this includes those from Greece as they are citizens and other similar locations. A freeman or prominant foreigner might have a 1 also. Anyone serving in a military position will likely have a 2. Generally it has to make sense. No you cannot have 5 dots- period no lowly scum has that kind of power!

Can have specialized staus like Status (Jewish) that can be high if its a subgroup. Status (Prostitutes) of 5 Dots makes you a very popular one among that circle. This will not affect Status regarding citizenship. A fameous and powerful Jewish Rabbi is still a Jew and therefore scum to Romans in the main unless they also have money that is an edge that could grant them a tiny amount of status in Roman society.

Skills will be generally period and the basic 30 will include archery, academics, city knowledge (Rome) and the like.

[Lorelei]

I love "Rome" on HBO so I'd be interested in playing as well.

[Natalie C. Barney]

Good now the character generation is going to be loosely WOD Lite, kind of extra light.

Character generation kind of like:

Name:
Nature:
Demeanor:
Residence:
Concept:

ATTRIBUTES
Physical [Strength, Dexterity, Stamina]
Social [Social, Manipulation, Appearance]
Mental [Perception, Intelligence, Wits]
Automatically 1 Dot in each plus 6/4/3 placed in each category.

ABILITY
Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Brawl, Dodge, Empathy, Expressiopn, Intimidate, Leadership, Subterfuge, Streetwise.
Skills: Archery, Animal Ken, Charioteering,  Etiquette, Melee, Performance, Riding, Stealth, Survival, Torture.
Knowledges: Academics, City Knowledge (Rome), Finance, Law, Linguistics, Medicine, Military, Occult, Politics, Science.
Get 11/7/4 Dots (maximum of 3 without Freebie Points

ADVANTAGES
Backgrounds 5 Dots

Freebie Points 21
Willpower 5

www.ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_prostitutionnotes.htm
www.members.aol.com/TeacherNet/AncientRome.html

[Lorelei]

My knowledge of WOD is a little rusty so I have a few questions:

What are the costs for buying things with freebie points again?

And is there a list somewhere online of skills, merits/flaws and backgrounds?  I don't have access to any of the books...

Thanks!

[Natalie C. Barney]

Well I'm not running anything yet. But its ATTRIBUTES 5 fp a dot, ABILITIES 2 pf a dot, BACKGROUNDS 1 fp a dot, WILLPOWER 1 fp a dot.

As for on-line sources I don't know off hand of a source?

[Natalie C. Barney]

Ok I've decided to keep this simple the players must be related family wise and will take place in the quarter adjoining the Jewish Slum, so this should be easy your all going to be in the large underclass in an area with brothels and gambling dens. So good roles would be prostitutes of various classes, rogues, local garrison guards and the like.

This should make things easy so I want a role call on who is interested just go here and let me know THEN I can get a thread and set it up.

[RogueJedi]

i'm kinda interested... prostitutes sound fun...

[Faolan]

I'd be happy to play a centurion guard or maybe a local hunter

[Natalie C. Barney]

Hunter, in Rome well rats maybe you can have a few trained dogs and sell the meat? As for a local guardsman that would work. Before submitting characters let me get an area up with links and the like please.

Minimum age for a character will be 16, a legal adult in the Empire.

[Faolan]

Will it actually be in the city of Rome itself?  because there there was still lots of hunting that happened even near bigger cities then.  I mean i see deer near my house reletively regularly and I live in a city of a couple million.

But I'd be just as happy to play a veteran of the wars who is doing guard duty now that he's mustered out of the regular army.

[Natalie C. Barney]

Rome is pretty much in a cultivated area, remember the city had to be fed. lol 

As for current positions a retired soldier could serve a Senator in their personal guard, easily get a post in the Roman Garrison or work in an area like training gladiators or the like. He might even have gladiators training he bought with his mustering out benefits. Plus he could always be a foreigner serving in the legions that after leaving that set up a brothel in Rome.

For everyone I did put in a request placing the game under HEAVY.

I'll need time to set-up links just let me know if you want to play and what type of charcter so I get an idea.

[Lorelei]

I'm in! 

[shadowheart]

Well, I am in long as someone can help us WoD Newbies with the system!

[Natalie C. Barney]

I'm using a VERY LITE system off the WOD and will post it when the sites up and ready. I use it mostly for game balance and to roll dice when needed.

[Faolan]

I am experienced with WoD if anybody needs help, just PM me.

especially you Shadow <nudge nudge wink wink> :)

[Lorelei]

It would probably be a lot of work butr a list of available skills, merits/flaws and backgrounds would be very helpful for those of us that don't know WOD well.

[RogueJedi]

I am also new to WOD, so I have no clue how to set up a character...

[Natalie C. Barney]

When the site is up its going to have a basic character profile, list of attributes, abilities and backgrounds and we will not be using merits/flaws (aren't really required especially in a non-supernatural game really). So it will be pretty easy to use. As for dice rolls they are easy enough I think to explain especially since I'm keeping it simple.

[Lorelei]

That sounds great.  As for my character idea, I'll probably play a dancing girl, a thief, a prostitute or some combination of the three.

[Natalie C. Barney]

Actually dancing girls were often prostitutes so it fits, but a thief its possible but if she gets caught... mwhahahahahahaha.  :)