The Official OTC TBRPG Planning and Organization Topic

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

Well, it's been a few months at this point. But a while back, I expressed a desire to create an RPG set in the Dragon Age world, and had begun compiling it together. Now, at long last, I present the finished product for critique and examination by the rest of the OTC forum - Dragon Age: Burning Towers.

 

I have a bit of a problem at the moment, though. I have... no staff. If there is anyone with any interest in helping to staff this, and I could most certainly use that help, then it would be much appreciated.

The Chantry teaches us that it is the hubris of men that brought the Darkspawn into our world.

The mages had sought to usurp heaven. But instead, they destroyed it. They were cast out, twisted, and cursed by their own corruption. They returned as monsters; the first of the Darkspawn. They became a Blight upon the lands, unstoppable and relentless. The Dwarven kingdoms were the first to fall. And from the Deep Roads, the Darkspawn drove at us again and again, until finally we neared annihilation… until the Grey Wardens came. Men and women from every race; warriors and mages; barbarians and kings; the Grey Wardens sacrificed everything to stem the tide of darkness, and prevailed.

With the Blight defeated, the Tevinter Imperium whose magisters had brought it upon the world was left weakened. From the south, barbarians led by the Prophet Andraste reduced it to vestiges of its former glory. Yet not long after the establishment of the Chantry and the beginning of the Divine Age, a Second Blight struck the land.

It has been just over a century since the Darkspawn were driven back. Though many had hoped it would be the last Blight, this was too much to ask. The Dwarves continued facing the Darkspawn below, while the Grey Wardens have remained ever vigilant above. Yet knowing is not always enough to prepare.

In the year 3:10 Towers, the Darkspawn surged to the surface from the central lands of Thedas, bringing forth numbers to make this Third Blight larger than any that had ever been seen before. The Grey Wardens immediately raised banners, while the empires of Orlais and Tevinter took to their own borders.

The Blight spread north to Tevinter and south to Orlais, destroying entire cities in its wake before being pushed back. Despite these minor victories, the bulk of the horde and the Archdemon at its head remained, and the Blight continues.

It is now 3:21 Towers. The Blight has begun spreading east, ravaging the independent nations of the Free Marches. The great empires tend to their wounds, leaving the Marchers to their fate, and the Grey Wardens to deal with the Blight.

This is where the story begins.

––:: OVERVIEW ::––

 

Dragon Age: Burning Towers is a standard text-based RPG designed to allow easy access to both veterans of the game series and those who have never played before, yet who are still intrigued by the concept of facing off against the hordes of darkness in a fantasy RPG.

 

It is probable events will proceed as they do in canon, but player actions may alter the exact details of how they come about. With the fates of thousands on the line, there is only so much one person can do.

 

Players begin the RPG by selecting an origin location from a selection below. This determines starting location, objective, and abilities available. The rest of the character can then be designed as the player sees fit, and they may start play as soon as a character is approved.

 

––:: HISTORY OF THEDAS ::––

 

Thedas is a continent set in presumably the southern hemisphere of its world, and the primary setting for events in the world of Dragon Age. In the ancient days of the world, it was inhabited primarily by the empires of the dwarves below ground and the elves above.

 

However, in time there came humans, and from humans came the Tevinter Imperium, a powerful empire that replaced the elves on the surface; worshippers of the Old Gods and ruled by powerful mages. The elves who survived were forced into slavery; the dwarves formed ready alliances with the new empire.

 

According to the Chantry, the mage-lords of the Imperium consorted with demons to learn powerful blood magic, which they used to travel to the Fade. There, they set foot within the Golden City – heaven; the home of the Maker – and corrupted it, twisting it into the Black City and returning to the world as the Darkspawn, terrible creatures.

 

The Darkspawn went deep into the bowels of the earth, spreading their taint until they reached their prize – the sealed Old God of Silence, Dumat. Upon his rising, the First Blight began, lasting nearly two centuries before the coming of the Grey Wardens, who made use of secret rituals to destroy him.

 

It was not without cost. The Blight was no minor conflict; it was a battle for survival. Thousands had died, and the once great Dwarven empire was reduced to four cities (of which only one remains today). When the Darkspawn returned underground, flooding the Deep Roads which once connected the empire, they resumed conflict with the Dwarves. During this time, their numbers were replenished, and they began to seek out the next Old God to corrupt.

 

The Tevinter Imperium was also left shattered by the Blight, but not yet done. From the south, the Prophet Andraste led an uprising of barbarian hordes. While her life was lost, her teachings survived as the Chant of Light. The ruler of the Imperium converted, and established the Imperial Chantry.

 

To the south, the empire of Orlais formed amidst the conquered barbarian lands, devoted fully to the teachings of Andraste and her god, the Maker. There was a new Chantry established, and a new calendar begun that would make every 100 years an age. Thus began the Divine Age, and soon after, the Second Blight.

 

It is currently the Third Age of the Chantry, which has been named Towers. Thedas is in the middle of its Third Blight.

 

––:: COMPREHENSION ::––

For those who are unfamiliar with the Dragon Age setting.

 

Thedas – The known world.

 

The Fade – A mysterious dream world inhabited by spirits, believed by many to be the realm of a god or gods. It is separated from the mortal world by a metaphysical Veil. It is possible to enter the Fade while dreaming, though non-mages forget all but small fragments of this. It is possible for mages to enter the Fade while lucid. Physical travel into the Fade has only been done once, and with disastrous results.

 

Spirits – Creatures of the Fade, who latch onto a specific purpose. Some are seen as good, such as a Spirit of Faith or a Spirit of Justice. Others are viewed as malevolent, representing aspects such as Pride or Rage, and are known as demons. Some, such as wisps, are non-sentient. Most spirits have no interest in the affairs of mortals; demons are the exception. They can enter the mortal realm through tears in the Veil, possessing corpses or the living. Those without a body to possess become Shades. When a demon possesses a mage, they are twisted into a dangerous and powerful creature known as an abomination.

 

Chantry – The Chantry is the largest and most powerful religion in Thedas, with almost all human countries outside of Rivain following it. There are two branches of the Chantry, the Chantry in Orlais and the Imperial Chantry. The largest temple is the Grand Cathedral in Val Royeaux, Orlais. It’s completion led to the naming of the current age as Towers. The Chantry is headed by Divine Faustine I, with numerous Grand Clerics below her. The Chantry preaches the belief in the Chant of Light, which states that man’s worship of the Old Gods turned Maker away from them. If the Chant is ever sung at all four corners of the world, the Maker will return. They were founded by the Prophet Andraste.

 

Circle of Magi – Among the commandments of the Chant is “magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him.” The interpretation varies. In both Tevinter and Orlais, mages reside in towers known as Circles, separate from those outside; the difference is, while in Orlais this is by force, it is an honor in Tevinter. Mages in Orlais are never allowed to hold any position of political power; in Tevinter, mages actively take part as officials in the Chantry and the government. Each of the other Andrastian countries also has at least one Circle of Magi, though they are far less strict than those in Orlais. There is quite a bit of friction between the two countries for this reason.

 

––:: COUNTRIES OF THEDAS ::––

 

Tevinter Imperium

Capital City – Minrathous

 

The Tevinter Imperium was once a powerful empire under the rule of mages; today, it is still among the two most powerful nations, yet still all but a shadow of its former glory. Despite the laws of the Chantry, the passing of years and strong Tevinter tradition allows the magisters – mage-lords – to retain power, along with an elected Archon.

 

The current ruler of the Tevinter Imperium is Archon Vespasian. In terms of social classes, the highest ranking members are the Altus, the greatest of mages from whom the majority of the magisters and First Enchanters of the Circles come from; all can be traced along a long ancestry of mages. Those mages with no pedigree of a magic-rich bloodline, or who cannot trace back to the old Tevinter mage-lords, are the Laetans. The rest of the population form the Soporati class.

 

Blood magic and other such arts are forbidden by the Chantry, and never openly used or taught in the Circle. Despite this, it is still a tradition taught secretly from master to apprentice. Such practices are quiet, but even those aside, Tevinter is considered a decadent place. It is one of the few places where the slave trade is allowed; in particular, the enslavement of elves.

 

Despite pressure from the Grey Wardens, the Imperium has yet to send aid to the Free Marches in combating the Blight.

 

Orlesian Empire

Capital City – Val Royeaux

 

The Orlesian Empire (or simply Orlais) is the second major power player on Thedas, and currently the largest. It is a distinctly Andrastian civilization where the Chantry holds immense power over the people and the land. It is ruled by the order of a single emperor or empress; presently, this is Empress Jeaneve I, best known for her creation of the elite guard force known as the Empress’s Arm.

 

All power and authority falls to a single Emperor/Empress, but there are many other nobles and aristocrats below. Within Orlesian courts, a Great Game is played among the upper class, constantly trying to usurp and play each other.

 

Mages have no haven in Orlais, living under the heavy guard of the Templar knights who serve the Chantry. Mages who do not join the Circle are brutally hunted down. Only during times of war are the mages truly given a chance to exercise their power, usually against the Darkspawn. Other Andrastian countries are more similar to this than the Imperium, but none so harsh.

 

Despite pressure from the Grey Wardens, the Empire has yet to send aid to the Free Marches in combating the Blight.

 

Free Marches

Major Cities – Starkhaven, Kirkwall, Tantervale, Nevarra

 

Much of central and eastern Thedas is the Free Marches, the region between the Orlesians and Tevinters which is currently being struck hard by the Third Blight. The people here are known for being incredibly independent, having to fight their way to such a position from the Tevinter Imperium who once ruled over them.

 

The Marchers have no central government, instead being a collection of dozens of city-states; the four listed above are among the largest, in particular Starkhaven. Presently, there are a number of military coalitions being formed in some of these nations.

 

The largest geographical feature in the Marches is the Minanter River, which cuts roughly evenly through the Marches. The Darkspawn have been particularly aggressive against the city-states of the river, with many having already fallen against them.

 

Other Nations

 

The Anderfels is a monarchy in northern Thedas, to the west of Tevinter. It was once part of the Imperium until being abandoned in the Second Blight; it was held by Orlais for most of that Blight, but it separated from the empire not long before its end. Despite not itself being involved in the current Blight, it is the location of Weisshaupt Fortress, base of the Grey Wardens. The Anders people are highly Andrastian.

 

Antiva is a monarchy in eastern Thedas, to the east of Tevinter, that has formed around the city-state of its namesake. Monarchy is best used in the loosest of terms; plutocracy is far more accurate, as it is the merchants and traders who rule. Antiva is a nation abiding by the Chantry, though not so much as the Anderfels or Orlais. They are most famed for the House of Crows, an elite guild of assassins, including some both skilled and bold enough that even Emperors and Archons have died at their hands (the threat of retribution at the hands of the Crows is a main reason few countries dare to assault the otherwise militarily weak Antiva).

 

Rivain is a monarchy to the east of Antiva and most certainly not an Andrastian country, most being pantheists and following wise women and seers (who are frequently hedge mages). Communities are known to be very tight knit, with people frequently bartering with and helping each other and currency being used more for foreign and inter-community affairs. Rivain is one of the few countries where elves and humans are on frequent friendly terms.

 

In south-east Thedas is the land of the Alamarri Tribes, a large group of barbarians native to the region. Andraste comes from among these barbarians, and it is from here that the Chant of Light first began; both the Free Marches and Orlais were founded by the sons of native Alamarri. Despite this, the region itself is still very disjointed. The main tribes are the Chasind Wilders of the south, the Avvars of the hills, and the Clayne of the lowlands. Within this region are the Frostback Mountains, the location of the Dwarven kingdom Orzammar, one of the few remaining Dwaven thaigs (“colonies”) to still stand.

 

––:: THE BLIGHT::––

 

Darkspawn

The Enemy of Thedas

 

The Blight has occurred twice before in history, and in all events, goes about like this. It starts with the Darkspawn, horrible and twisted creatures who generally reside beneath the earth in the remnants of the old Dwarven Empire, which are known as the Deep Roads. Here, from the abominations known as Broodmothers, they are allowed to breed with only the dwarves and Grey Wardens to oppose them.

 

The Darkspawn are usually disorganized, doing little more than skirmishing with the dwarves and venturing once in a blue moon to cause trouble on the surface, but never in greater numbers. One thing motivates them – the call of the Old Gods, tugging at their psyche. When they find one, their corruption spreads and turns it into an Archdemon, which leads its minions to the surface. The dwarves take advantage of this time as a reprieve; for the human kingdoms, it is a time of terror with the butchering of thousands.

 

The Archdemon is a nearly invulnerable creature. To combat it, Grey Wardens undergo specific training that makes them uniquely suited to the task. This has garnered them a great amount of respect in many countries, along with the influence needed to raise an army for combating the Blight.

 

The Darkspawn come in four main varieties. The most numerous of all Darkspawn are the Genlocks, a stocky breed combining strength and hardiness with nimbleness. More intimidating are the Hurlocks, who stand taller than the common man, while being far more horrifying and brutish; they are the shock troops of the Darkspawn armies. Shrieks are a rarer form of Darkspawn possessing speed and agility. Ogres are even rarer still, with less than a hundred accompanying the horde. Twice the size of a man, with massive horns and the ability to take down fortress walls, they are living siege weapons. Among each breed of Darkspawn there are particularly strong and cunning ones known as Alphas, who often lead groups. The most powerful Darkspawn of the Alpha variety are Emissaries, who are both intelligent and capable of magic-use.

 

Perhaps even more dangerous is the Taint, a disease which the Darkspawn carry with them. Plant life dies where the Hordes walk, while the Taint wastes away at the bodies and minds of people and animals it comes in contact with. This leads to the creation of Ghouls; for animals, they become more terrifying and dangerous; for people, they begin to go insane, serving the Archdemon as though they were themselves Darkspawn.

 

The black blood of the Darkspawn is where the taint is strongest; small doses lead only to sickness, but given the time, any amount is fatal. Only the Grey Wardens are supposedly immune.

 

Grey Wardens

The Heroes of the Blights

 

The Grey Wardens are the greatest enemy of the Darkspawn; it is they who hunt and slay the Archdemon, they who lead armies against the Horde, and they who continue fighting them in the Deep Roads even when the Blight is at its end. They are led by the First Warden from their base at Weisshaupt Fortress in the Anderefels, though they have many other ranking members and bases, such as Soldier’s Peak in Alamarri lands.

 

The Wardens are recognized by their griffon heraldry, combined with their actual employment of the majestic creatures in battle. They are also known for not being particular picky in their choosing of people – they are chosen for their abilities alone, not where they came from. Racial, social, national, or criminal backgrounds are ignored once one is a Warden; religiously, most are Andrastian, which means forbidden arts such as blood magic are frowned upon.

 

The Wardens possess a few rites as an organization to help them. Numerous treaties they have signed allow them to call upon the many species and countries of Thedas to assist them in times of a Blight. They also maintain a policy of neutrality with other nations. Additionally, at any time a ranking Warden may invoke the Right of Conscription to induct any person – willing or not – into the order. The Right provides the person any necessary protections of the law and on more than one occasion a criminal has been save from the chopping block at the Warden’s request.

 

Being a Grey Warden provides great political protection and respect, enough so that even the Antivan Crows stray away from attempt contracts upon the Wardens.

 

––:: RACE ::––

 

There are three available races –

 

Human – The most numerous (if divided) race of Thedas, united only in times of Blight; even now, nationalism has proved a major delayer of this unity. Their society is heavily influenced by the prevalence of the monotheistic faith of the Chantry that most follow.

 

Elves – Shorter and more slender than humans, with distinct pointed ears, the elves once dominated Thedas with a powerful empire built on magic; they were devastated by the Imperium and forced into slavery. They earned freedom allying with Andraste, but it was short lived; despite attempts to rebuild their society in the Dales, the Chantry crushed them after the Second Blight. Most now reside as the nomadic Dalish Tribes, still maintaining what little elven tradition remains; others reside in walled off Alienages with human cities, forced to follow the Chant, or are slaves in Tevinter.

 

Dwarves – The ancient Dwarven Empire once stretched the Deep Roads under all of Thedas; they were crushed during the First Blight, leaving only four thaigs (cities/colonies) remaining; today, only Orazammar remains as the last great thaig. The dwarven folk are short, stocky, and strong. They do not dream, as they cannot naturally enter the Fade; thus, they are highly resistant to magic, but cannot wield it. They possess a “stone sense” that allows better navigation underground. Both of these traits are diminished over time spent on the surface. Dwarven culture is highly rigid and traditionalist; they revere no gods, only their ancestors and the Stone itself; the most respected of their people are Paragons, whose worth is great enough to be considered a living ancestor. Their society is built around castes, as inherited by parents; surface dwarves, excluding those who are recruited into the Grey Wardens, are considered without caste.

 

––:: USING MAGIC ::––

 

Mages are beings uniquely capable of interacting with the forces of magic; due to this, dwarves (who are unable to connect to the Fade) cannot be mages, being unable to control the forces of magic. In Thedas, magic is one of the natural forces; its use is often inherited from parents to children, but can also appear spontaneously. The Imperium was known to keep long genealogies of mage families.

 

As previously established, magic originates from the Fade; numerous spirits also dwell within the Fade, residing across the veil. While anyone can be possessed by a demon in the right circumstances, mages are at an increased risk of this happening. Possessed mages are distorted into beings known as Abominations, whose power is great enough to wipe away whole villages.

 

Mages as a whole can utilize spells from four schools of magic; they start off with access to the basic Arcane abilities, and training in one school of magic.

 

Arcane powers are the most basic spells. This allows mages to generate shields to ward against attacks or bolts of arcane power. This is what allows a mage to skillfully wield the staff they utilize as their primary weapon.

 

The first School of Energy is the Spirit School. It is a school of mystery that studies the invisible energies surrounding beings, yet not quote natural; power is drawn from the Fade itself with this school. It covers a wide range from direction manipulation of mana to the studying of spirits, and is an esoteric school commonly misunderstood by the general populace as blood magic. Despite this, it is highly useful. Using Spirit allows a mage to target an enemies minds, bodies, or magical energy; the gamut runs from anti-magic wards or shields, to draining the mana of an opponent, to animating the dead, to stunning bursts or fields of force energy.

 

Sometimes called the School of Power, the Primal School is the second School of Energy, balanced by Spirit; it concerns the more visible and tangible forces of nature. The magic of war, it allows destruction by using fire, ice, and lightning. Most peasant think of this school when thinking of magic. The power of the elements are at the hands of a mage using these spells. Spells of this school can also be used to bolster the attacks of allies with flaming or ice-gripped blades, to create centralized blasts, or to cause dramatic storms.

 

The School of Entropy is the first School of Matter; it is the opposing force to Creation and thus called the School of Negation. Nothing can live without death; destruction brings forth new beginnings. Entropic magic utilizes these forces to cause erosion, decay, and destruction. Spells of this school allow mages to cripple enemies by targeting their life force, putting curses upon them, or even putting them to sleep.

 

The School of Creation, or School of Nature, is the second School of Manner; it balances and complements Entropy. Creation magic manipulates natural forces, transforming what exists and bringing new things into being. It requires considerable finesse to master, but is highly valued in a mage when found. Spells of this school allow mages to cure or defend allies, create glyphs to ward off foes or bolster allies, and even create swarms of insects to assault enemies.

 

Beyond the major schools of magic, there are secret arts and forbidden rituals of magic aplenty; magic is open to many options beyond this, though the Chantry would prefer they were not known.

 

Characters who choose to be mages have two choices – to have originally come from one of the Circle of Magi towers (in which case, their reason for being outside the tower must be noted) or to be an apostate; a mage independent from the Chantry, but looked upon with mistrust by most. Apostate characters may find sanctuary through their actions, or by joining the Grey Wardens.

 

The most dangerous mages are those who practice the forbidden art of Blood Magic, which is taught by demons in exchange for dark promises. Blood Mages are in particular danger of being influenced by demons and turned into abominations; however, they are also incredibly powerful. Blood Mages and others who practice such forbidden or demonic magic are known as maleficarum.

 

Asides from the Dalish and the people of Tevinter or Rivain, most view magic as dangerous and have little faith in its practitioners ability to control it. This is doubly true for apostate mages, who many immediately assume to be maleficar. The Grey Wardens are one of the few organizations that this does not apply to.

 

––:: ORIGIN STORIES ::––

 

The world is full of a number of wondrous things, and allowing full access to players, while desirable, is quite frankly impractical. The stage being set, the majority of players will start the game in one of two possible origins –

 

Warden Recruit – Your character has been recruited into the Grey Wardens, whether by volunteering, request and acceptance, or by being forced into the situation by the Right – if the latter is the case, than frankly it’s a much better situation than the one you were in before the offer. Race or class does not matter; what does matter is that before you can be officially put through the secret Joining ritual, you have a mission.

 

There is a small detachment of Grey Wardens and allied soldiers led by Warden-Constable Endres who have been tasked to clear out the remaining Darkspawn in a destroyed village just outside the city-state of Hunter Fell in the Free Marches. There is a decent sized group of recruits, including yourself; each has been provided a vial, you must fill it with Darkspawn blood – an odd request, but one which Endres has deemed instrumental to your joining.

 

Alvara Refugee – While the Grey Wardens actively pursue the Darkspawn, there are many residing in the Blight-ravaged Free Marches who are just trying to stay alive – with no safe way to return to your original home, and no way to fight the Darkspawn on your own, you have thrown your lot in with a group of fellow refugees with hopes for the best.

 

Alvara Keep, built by the Tevinter Imperium atop a destroyed elven fortress; mostly destroyed in the First Blight, but still defensible enough to suit your needs. With nowhere else to go, over a hundred fleeing refugees have made their last stand here. At the moment, you make your stand with them, as the first Darkspawn groups have found you…

 

––:: CHARACTER CREATION ::––

 

The follow profile must be filled out to participate in this RPG. There is no limit to character number, within reason.

[b]Name[/b]:[b]Gender & Species[/b]:[b]Appearance[/b]:[b]Abilities[/b]:[b]Equipment[/b]:[b]Personality[/b]:[b]Origin Story[/b]:

Character abilities are the things they’re good at – favorite weapons, what kind of armor they can use, and so forth. If a character is a mage, this should be indicated here, along with the magical abilities that they possess. Mages rarely possess the necessary physical ability to use all but the lightest of armor (if that) or basic weaponry; usually, they keep to robes and staves.

 

Equipment reflects what your character has; while some things may be a given and need not be mentioned such as boots and gloves, do not take advantage of this to suddenly have a new weapon. Most characters will not have enchanted items; if one is presented, it must follow the rules of the source game. The exceptions is mages, who are allowed (and expected) to carry magical staves to enhance spell power and generate bolts of energy from their latent mana reserves in an emergency when they’re too spent to cast spells.

 

Personality must be forty words and reflect that there are certain flaws to the character which are both relevant and exploitable. The Origin Story should include both the origin story and a character biography of at least sixty words. While it can be as detailed or concise as you like, it must cover their life from birth to present.

 

The following notes are meant for Dragon Age veterans, or those who chose to do some further research on the setting.

Characters are allowed to start off with the abilities of or similar to one of the games specializations, if you properly explain what abilities are entailed and give a source for them. Any characters whose abilities are derived from spirits in any manner must be handled personally by the GM, who reserves the right to withhold any abilities deemed impossible/unlikely to be had (such as Arcane Warrior).

 

Characters who are mages are not generally allowed to start off with spells that would require higher than a score of 29 in Magic, or that otherwise come from the “Fourth Tier” of spells. This applies to specializations as well. NPCs may be able to teach them when encountered, but even then it would take some time to learn. This also applies to all spells from Awakening. Examples of these spells are Animate Dead and Blizzard.

 

Characters can possess Silverite quality weaponry at best; Red Steel quality armor at best. There must be some explainable reason for anything better than Veridium quality. You are allowed to have one-two weaker runes in your weapons.

 

––:: RULES ::––

 

Playing the game itself requires players utilize IC (In-Character) and OOC (Out-of-Character) when making posts, as such –

 

 

 

IC: Warden Recruit (Village)

 

The recruit barely raised his shield in time, and even then felt his arm crushed back against the devastating blow of the raging Hurlock’s mace striking the steel. Thanking the Maker for the shoddiness of Darkspawn craft, he slammed his shield into the creature with as much strength as he could muster. What would have knocked most men to the ground barely fazed the creature, which simply let out a dark laugh and continued pounding him back. Worse still, a few yards away, a berserking Genlock had finally finished ripping a villager apart, and was now closing in with mace in hand…

 

OOC: Err… can I get some help here!?

 

[-01-] Follow all BZP Rules & Guidelines and all OTC Rules & Guidelines as a player of this RPG.

[-02-] Dragon Age is a game targeted for a more mature audience. Many things presented in-game should not be shown on this forum. This is not a horror RPG – violence and bloodshed will happen; overtly visceral descriptions or rampant carnage are not allowed.

[-03-] Characters in this RPG are above-average, but realize this is the middle of a Blight. Darkspawn are dangerous, and singlehandedly surviving an encounter against even a few uninjured is a miracle. Greater foes, such as Ogres, will require group effort even with mages involved.

[-04-] NPCs are not to be abused. The folk of Thedas are a tough sort, and while a common soldier is no match for a Hurlock, they are smarter. Most NPCs will be below the level of your characters, but there are also plenty who are stronger. Encounters you run in to should be tough, where you need the help of your allies. Story may take precedence over total realism, but you won’t single-handedly fight off an angry mob of peasants with pitchforks.

[-05-] Do not instigate major game changing events like blowing up a castle or demon summoning without explicit permission from the GM. You may, however, run smaller scale sub-plots on your own if you so desire.

[-06-] There is to be no god moding in this RPG. This means no striking another players character without their permission, allowing some hits to strike you, actually playing it realistically when you are hit, and minding your ability to fight (mages have a limited reserve of mana and without anything to restore it will run out of power rapidly; extended melees will tire anyone, which means the longer a fight goes on, the worse your fighting will be). Do not bunny (controlling other player’s characters without their permission).

[-07-] If you join this RPG, you are expected to be at least semi-active. If three days or more pass and you have not replied to another player, the staff are given permission to bunny your character if necessary to advance the plot. Try to let us known in advance if you will not be active. Emergencies do happen, of course – a forum RPG should be your last priority.

[-08-] You are not allowed to create a character expy for this RPG. You are not allowed to create a character who is a carbon-copy of a deceased character for replacement.

[-09-] Without permission from the GM, you may not rewrite or modify character profiles.

[-10-] Do not harass other players, for any reason. If you are a staff member, this applies doubly – you are expected to uphold the highest standards in terms of behavior. Be civil.

[-11-] Have fun.

 

Punishments for violations of the rules will be at the judgment of the GM, though other staff members may also suggest and/or implement their own ideas and will be frequently deferred to. The first punishment will usually be no more than a warning, while violations beyond the third are almost guaranteed to result in character death.

 

Game Master [GM] – Toa Levacius Zehvor

Staff Members [sM] – [none as of yet]

 

The Game Master [GM] is in charge of the game and has full authority over it and all characters within, to be exercised as necessary. They may approve all character profiles as they see fit.

 

Other staff members, the Staff, have the permission to approve profiles and may be granted other powers as necessary, or assume emergency power if the GM is gone. Staff members are expected to be at least somewhat familiar with the game series (even if they may not have played it), and have the maturity to handle even troublesome players. Contact the GM if you wish to be made a Staff member, but keep in mind this does not guarantee a spot.

 

––:: AFTERWARDS ::––

 

I’d like to say thanks to anyone and everyone who has ever RPed with me or been a player in an RPG that I have made on this forum. Frankly, I’ve learned a lot over the years from just the experience alone, and fully intend to put all of that accumulated knowledge to a practical use.

 

This RPG is the result of quite a bit of time and study into making sure that it is accessible to anyone, regardless of experience with the series. So why not join?

Edited November 21, 2013 by Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Havelock Vetinari]

Oh, have I been waiting for this.....

[Flex Lord Splash]

DRAGON AGEEEEE. This looks awesome man. I'm willing to staff if you need someone.

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

DRAGON AGEEEEE. This looks awesome man. I'm willing to staff if you need someone.

 

Thank you for the offer. I already have two staff members picked (thanks to Kaithas and the Otter/Grochi) so I think I'm good for now; I might need more people later down the line, but I want to see what activity is received before going too extensive.

 

Anyways, I'll be posting this up on the Request Topic in just a few moments.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

Edited November 23, 2013 by Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Snelly]

I've seen what happens when a GM with too much power railroads an entire plot.. (It sucks.)

 

Personally if I was going to play this game I'd want to be able to choose wherever I want to start my character, choose whatever skill sets and abilities I have regardless of location, and be able to make my own plots. Don't see that with this one. That's not 'too much power' for a player, that's normal rpging. If the GM controls every aspect of the game then well...it's more like reading a book than actually being involved for everyone else.

Edited November 24, 2013 by A billion cats

[Havelock Vetinari]

I'm glad to see some rules that have ways of dealing with players dropping off the face of the world at least. Keeping plots moving is important. Can't count the number of times I've seen a plot lag for weeks because someone couldn't be bothered myself.

 

I think people are over-reacting.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Basilisk

[Canis Lycaon]

I've seen what happens when a GM with too much power railroads an entire plot.. (It sucks.)

 

Not when it is done well, and Lev can do it well. Voyage of the Requiem IV's plot was entirely controlled by Lev, and most of the player base wanted it to come back in another contest.

[Alex Humva]

Some questions for my current RPG project;

 

• Who all is interested in a low-fantasy RTS RPG, set in the time period of the dawn of the Roman Empire, using a well defined and focused magic system?
• Would you rather be able to use your own race for your civilization, or would a human-based world with the occasional mythical creature be preferred?
• If you answered yes to your own race above, would it be a dealbreaker not to be able to do so?
• How many are even interested in RTS RPGs at all?

[shadow pridak money gang]

• Yes
• The latter.
• N/A
• Yeah, sure, I've always wanted to try my hand at one.

-Tyler

[Havelock Vetinari]

-Yes.

-I would like the opportunity to create my own race. I have a few concepts in mind-humans should be dominant of course, but if you can give a justified (and very long) explanation of your race and it's place in the world, I feel it should be allowed.

-My involvement would be questionable. Not saying no or yes, but questionable.

-Of course.

[Lara White]

Since I kinda got ignored in favor of Dragon Age, I'm going to ask again: Would anyone be interested in a Warren Commission RPG?

 

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

Not when it is done well, and Lev can do it well. Voyage of the Requiem IV's plot was entirely controlled by Lev, and most of the player base wanted it to come back in another contest.

 

No, I really didn't. I ended up failing terribly in the last month (and before) simply because I didn't have the time to maintain it like that. I will never again attempt an RPG in that format simply because I don't have the time to. If I put that much time into running an RPG here I would be neglecting multiple real-life responsibilities.

 

Personally, if I were to give my philosophy - it is best, when setting an RPG in a massive world, to give them the option to design their own character, but have it in such a way that they can share the same circumstance or event for at least a short time, and from there determine whether to follow an established storyline, or whether to create their own and follow that one. I believe that I have, in fact, granted that. The player has as much power as they wish to have. The GM controls only one aspect of the game - the story of the Blight itself, and the events which lead to its defeat. The involvement of the players is exactly as much as they want it to be; to follow one story, or to create their own.

 

Either way, they do in many ways make it their own.

 

 

• Who all is interested in a low-fantasy RTS RPG, set in the time period of the dawn of the Roman Empire, using a well defined and focused magic system?
• Would you rather be able to use your own race for your civilization, or would a human-based world with the occasional mythical creature be preferred?
• If you answered yes to your own race above, would it be a dealbreaker not to be able to do so?
• How many are even interested in RTS RPGs at all?

 

 

 

* Why not?

* Mixed species. Humans vs. Orcs is boring; there would be civilizations where you have giants and lizard-men fighting side by side. Make it Arduin-like; anything and everything goes.

* No

* Never tried one before. I have a desparate need to face off against Basilisk in the field of glory at some point, though, so why not?

 

Since I kinda got ignored in favor of Dragon Age, I'm going to ask again: Would anyone be interested in a Warren Commission RPG?

 

Yes, as long as cool, suave accents are acceptable.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Havelock Vetinari]

Perhaps one could choose to have a "mixed race" nation/empire/collective/whatever in exchange for some sort of disadvantage?

[shadow pridak money gang]

Since I kinda got ignored in favor of Dragon Age, I'm going to ask again: Would anyone be interested in a Warren Commission RPG?

 

 

If you need any help with this, feel free to ask. I'm curious as to what you're going for here and I'm a rather big fan of the Kennedy era.

 

-Tyler

[Alex Humva]

I could see half-breed civilizations with the other outlying sapient creatures that never properly formed civilizations themselves. Half-dragons, half-snakes, half-trees...

 

You'd incur no real benefits or disadvantages, but it works pretty well into what I had planned. So long as we don't question how a sapient tree and a human had a child together, all is well in the world.

[Havelock Vetinari]

By mixed race I meant 75% 25% other populationwise. So 25% Serpent Men, with the rest of the population being human.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Basilisk

[Alex Humva]

Hmm. I could see human conquest having brought other sapients into the fold. Never built proper civilizations on their own, but when combined with humanity, they got to where they are today. I could allow that.

[Havelock Vetinari]

My plan had more or less been to have an ancient civilization fall apart completely with the remnants lingering throughout the ages, until humanity arrived on the scene. Cue partnership and empire. Remnants contributing their knowledge of spells and half-remembered technology and humanity providing the manpower and civilization-building.

[Snelly]

I could see half-breed civilizations with the other outlying sapient creatures that never properly formed civilizations themselves. Half-dragons, half-snakes, half-trees...

 

You'd incur no real benefits or disadvantages, but it works pretty well into what I had planned. So long as we don't question how a sapient tree and a human had a child together, all is well in the world.

 

Half-cat.....

 

:3

[Havelock Vetinari]

Humva.

 

What have you done?!

 

[Alex Humva]

Idunno man, since when are cats mythical creatures? =P

[Snelly]

Idunno man, since when are cats mythical creatures? =P

Well there was Egypt. :3

[Havelock Vetinari]

I'm going for an arabian/Egyptian motif as well. This'll be fun.

[Lara White]

Ah, I'm glad to see a positive response. First question: Should I stick with the 1960s period or change it up?

 

[shadow pridak money gang]

I'd say stick with the 1960s, if at all possible. That was a pretty big decade in American history with a lot of possible ground to cover, both with the Kennedy family and with the climate of the country in general; there are a lot of things that could be done with it on a lot of different fronts.

 

-Tyler

[Canis Lycaon]

Warren Commission sounds really cool, but it wouldn't be called that exactly, would it?

 

But where is this taking place? America, or a fictional country?

[Lara White]

At the same time, I'm concerned about placing this in real history, because politics is kinda verboten around here. If I were to simply replace the Kennedy assassination with a different version, I'd have to rely on the good faith of the players (and the occasional slap on the hand. it'd be kinda a thin line.

 

Also, something else that occurred to me: What would you guys think if I made the assassin one of the players?:

 

W:

[Makuta of Time]

How about if Kennedy didn't die and was not assassinated

[Canis Lycaon]

How about if Kennedy didn't die and was not assassinated

But- what- huh?

 

The RPG is going to be a mystery about who killed the president.

[shadow pridak money gang]

How about if Kennedy didn't die and was not assassinated

 

It would defeat the very premise.

 

Now, what we could do: an alternate reality version of the whole affair in which Jack Ruby failed to kill Oswald, and then a look into various branches of local and federal government dealing with the whole thing from there.

 

-Tyler

Edited November 25, 2013 by Tyler Durden

[Lara White]

How about if Kennedy didn't die and was not assassinated

bwuh

 

 

Now, what we could do: an alternate reality version of the whole affair in which Jack Ruby failed to kill Oswald, and then a look into various branches of local and federal government dealing with the whole thing from there.

 

-Tyler

 

I don't follow your meaning?

 

[Constructelf]

Tyler: do you mean that if Oswald didn't die, the police could extract more information from him and investigate deeper?

[shadow pridak money gang]

 

How about if Kennedy didn't die and was not assassinated

bwuh

 

 

Now, what we could do: an alternate reality version of the whole affair in which Jack Ruby failed to kill Oswald, and then a look into various branches of local and federal government dealing with the whole thing from there.

 

-Tyler

 

I don't follow your meaning?

 

 

 

Constructman has it on the mark; fifty years ago, Lee Harvey Oswald was assassinated by Jack Ruby right outside the Dallas Police HQ in front of an audience of millions two days after Kennedy's assassination, but what I'm suggesting is a game in which this is a sort of divergent point in history where this assassination attempt fails and then a possible investigation of the Kennedy assassination with the supposed killer still alive.

 

-Tyler

[Alex Humva]

Ever since the collapse of the First Ones, humanity has been scattered and lost over the land of Elorena. Two thousand years of chaos and warlords reduced a once grand civilization to a motley collection of towns and cities that could scarcely be called civilizations. It would be fittingly known as the Age of Chaos, with the foul creatures that roam taking advantage of humanity’s fractured status. Alliances with fellow sapients would be made and broken with every breath of the wind across the land.

 

The Age of Cities would start when Emperor Kámen Meč unified the three cities of the World’s Crown. During this time, humanity would cease it’s chaotic scabblings, formalizing war to an art and sport rather than senseless violence. The land would be tamed, and the fantastic creatures that wandered it, subjugated. Soon, sapients began to live amongst humans, intermingling co-existing in the new nations that sprung up from the ashes of the old age. Half-breeds became common, man learned how to wield the power of the earth and create refined metals, and the art of diplomacy was perfected by the kings of the land.

 

Nearly six hundred years after the Emperor Meč’s unification, the Fountains of Mana were uncovered. Ancient shrines from the Age of Legends, these fountains were filled with mana, a strange magical substance. It was discovered in short order that when exposed to mana for a long period of time, one gained magical abilities, capable of doing wonderous things with a mere thought. It was from this the first Council of Warlocks was formed, wizards from around the land who sought to institute a noble endeavor to grant all the ability to use magic and to bring humanity closer together. The Age of Magic had begun.

 

It would fail with the declaration of war between the Southern Ithu States and the Great Sea Cities. The conflict tore the Council apart and made its vision little more than a pipe dream as humans and their sapient citizens continued to exist as their own, independent, entities. Warfare had changed now, however, with magic being used to destructive effect unheard of before the Age of Magic.

 

It would be two hundred years more until the present day arrived. The nations have more or less become stable, but now, the rulers of the land look towards the future. No empire has ever stretched the whole of Elorena, but for the first time, an opportunistic ruler could very well achieve it. The emperors of the past would be shamed by the abilities now possessed by humanity. Someone will rule the land; the only question is who.

 

Fountains of Mana

Hosted by Alex Humva

Co-hosted by Silvan Haven

 

The Game Itself

 

This is Fountains of Magic, a low-fantasy RTS RPG that involves players taking the role of guiding their civilization through diplomacy, military action, and cultural struggles. Rather than role play an individual, you have the daunting task of role-playing a nation. It’s surprisingly easy skill to get the hang of though, so don’t worry.

 

The World We Live In

 

The world this RPG takes place in is some unspecified Earth-like planet; our slice of the action takes place in a small subcontinent area. The climate varies somewhat, with the southern-most parts experiencing more moderate temperatures and the northern-most bits experiencing harsh winters. As such the environment is more or less a consistent gradient, with a few isolated areas experiencing different weather patterns. Geography can be explained by this handy map:

 

[Territories controlled]-[World Regions]-[Region Glossary]-

[GIANT STAMP OF NOT IN ANY WAY FINISHED OR FINALIZED, MAJOR WIP]

 

The civilizations of this world are approximately in the early first century AD, for a parallel to our own world. Bronze and iron are the mainstays of the day, with steel in its infancy but still not quite perfected by civilizations at large. Travel is as you’d expect, horses and feet making up your primarily means, though with the introduction of magic, enchanted roads have greatly increased the rate at which men can travel the world. Farming does still take up a large portion of the population, with only around 20% of the population engaged in other activities. Please keep this in mind when doing your day-to-day affairs.

 

Fantastic creatures are an occurrence in this world, but not to the degree you see in something like high fantasy. Some creatures, like dragons and treemen, still roam this world free of human interference, often secluded away from civilization in remote places. Almost all others have been incorporated into the expansive human civilizations. Sometimes these are half-breeds, combinations of humans and other races, but often they are simply another species all-together, coexisting with the human majority. As it stands there is no nation with a non-human majority, but there do exist nations with significant non-human presences. As a player you are welcome to create your own race(s) to have exist within your nation.

 

The Mechanics

 

Running a whole nation can be daunting, and indeed, if everyone had to manage every mundane task we’d be here all day figuring things out. As such, there are a few systems in place to help players and GMs alike keep things straight. A core feature is the Economic Point (EP) system: this is how you handle things like buying armies, settling new lands, building important buildings, and maintaining your wizardry stocks. Your civilization produces a set amount of EPs based on the region(s) you currently control. This system is cummulative, as in your EPs can build up over time to allow for greater purchases. You “produce” EP once every half in-game year, or every 26 days in real life. You can then spend your EP on whatever you will. For you more visual learners, look at it this way:

 

• You begin on day 1. You have 10 EP.
• You build a dam for five EP. You now have 5 EP.
• You hit day 26. You gain 20 EP. You now have 25 EP.
• You build two dams. You now have 15 EP.

 

This can then be made more complex by maintenance; that is, some things cost money over time, and deducts EP out of your budget immediately. Take this example:

 

• You begin on day 1. You have 10 EP.
• You commission a hundred man army. This costs you 1 EP per pay cycle. You now have 9 EP.
• You hit day 26. You gain 20 EP. You deduct 1 EP for your army. You now have 28 EP.

 

Simple enough, right? How you manage your finances is often a significant factor of play, and will require you to make decisions on what to buy and, potentially, what to conquer to pay for your expanding army.

 

Waging War

 

War is inevitable in these sorts of games, and indeed, is a crucial part to expanding as a player. The backbone of any war is the army; for the sake of balance, there’s some standardization to army costs and upkeep. A company of men, consisting of a thousand soldiers, costs a flat 1 EP to produce and 4 EP to upkeep. They take 14 real days to train. This is, however, a company of professional soldiers, equipped with some form of good armor and weaponry. You can choose to, instead of professional soldiers, rally together a levy force. These levies are the common folk, armed minimalistically and trained little. They cost 1 EP for ten thousand soldiers and cost 1 EP to upkeep. They take two real days to “train.”

 

You are able to, of course, upgrade the equipment that your army uses via commissioning projects, something talked about later. Maybe you produce some more swords, maybe you make a never-ending supply of bread with magic, it’s really up to you. Alas, for soldiers that deviate from the standard foot soldier, you will have to request the pricing specifics for that particular soldier type. Do this by talking to your local GM. In addition, units will keep their veteran status; for instance, if you rally levies up and then disband them after the war to return to their farms, you have the option of specifically calling those levies up again in the future. They will benefit from the experience and be better than stock levies.

 

Now, knowing how to buy your troops is all well and good, but how do you actually fight with them? This is a contentious area in RTS RPGs, and one that often produces the hardest of feelings. Often fights will devolve into “my guys shot your guys!” “no, mine did!” As such, it’s requested that civility is exercised, and to keep in mind that at the end of the day it’s just a game. How a typical battle should go down is player A initiating the attack, player B responding to the tactics presented, and then this will go back and forth until a victor is decided. A GM will be there to give a causality report. If the battle cannot be decided in a reasonable span of time, a GM will declare a victor in it. Above all else, use common sense when battling.

 

The tl;dr of this section:

 

• Professional soldiers (1,000) cost 1 EP to train and 4 EP/cycle to upkeep. They are trained soldiers who remain soldiers.
• Farmers-made-soldiers (10,000) cost 1 EP to train and 1 EP/cycle to upkeep. They are farmers with swords.
• Units keep their veteran status.
• Battles should be conducted with some form of civility and common sense.

Magic!

 

This game has magic, as evidenced in the opening post. You might ask, how do I get my wizard army? Well, in order to do this you must control a Fountain of Mana; all players automatically start with one, but random ones are scattered around the map as well. You post something along the lines of “I sent a guy to become a wizard,” and then you wait. It will take seven real life days to create one wizard; it’s a very long process in-universe. Alas, you can only one one guy bathe in the fountain at a time, so you can’t just pop out an army at once. Obviously, if you control two fountains then, you could make two wizards at a time. This creates some strategic drive to hold fountains.

 

But how does your wizard work once you actually have him? Well, magic can be placed into three categories; you decide which your wizard will be and bamft, he’s that type. This is a one time deal however, you can’t change it once you have your wizard made.

 

• Creation: These wizards are creators of “life” , who make creatures to do their bidding. This exists in two types;Golems: Creations made from the materials of the world itself, these are crude but cheap things, raw material held together by a creator's willpower and granted minimal intellect. They are weak, requiring minimal effort to shatter their magic and reduce them to a pile of garbage. They are also capable only of following simple orders, and must have a commander, magical or not, to guide them. They are, however, capable of being made out of literally anything, and can be mass produced by a creator/many creators.Creatures: Creations made from a combination of raw material and a base, living, animal. These do not rely on any magical force to keep them together, but exhibit the needs for food, water, and other amenities possessed by all living things. The only limit to the monstrosities that can be made are the amount of creators involved, the materials used, and the time creating it.
• Battlecraft: These wizards are battlemages, specializing in the art of battle. They manipulate earth and fire to devastating effect, pummeling their foes with rocks, setting things alight, or in more complex methods, raining down fiery meteors from the heavens or causing the ground itself to eat advancing troops.
• Alchemy: By far the most diverse field of magic, these wizards are alchemists, specializing in the making of special potions to imbue effects to living things and enchantments to imbue effects to inanimate things. The range of possible effects for potions and enchantments is exceedingly wide.

 

Wizards will likely form one of the core features of a player’s production base; creators can create quick armies and elite units, battlemages are obviously useful in battle, though their skills can also be used in the construction of fortresses, and alchemists obviously can do a wide range of things, from enchanting weapons to never dull to making potions that allow your soldiers not to sleep. How doing these things will work is you will fill a little form out specifying what you want to do with your wizards and send it to the GM, who will ship you back a time to produce and a cost associated, if there is one. After all, you can’t create your golem armies instantly.

 

Managing Your Civilization

 

Now, we’ve discussed EP, but so far we’ve only touched on the warfare aspects of using it. You can also use it for civic improvements, and indeed, is likely what you’ll be doing a large amount of the time. Civic improvements consume EP to do all manner of things, from investing in better farms to building entirely new settlements to reinforcing your walls, so forth and so forth. This is done primarily on a case to case basis; you say “hrm, I think I’ll build more farms,” and send the GM the specifics of how many more farms you want to build and where. The GM then gives you the necessary information and bamft you’re chugging along. Some improvements will also help your EP, costing initial EP to build but then producing extra EP as you go along. This is pretty handy for when you need to expand your economy without going on a conquering spree. You can also do things like build more smitheries, to help with weapon production and such things.

 

Settling is a bit special: when you commission a new settlement, you need to tell the GM were specifically it’s going be. Depending on how far it is, you’ll get a time to completion on that. You can issue only one charter of settlement at a time, however, and you must keep in mind that new towns provide no initial EP bonus, nor do they follow any sort of set formula to making EP. Often, towns are used to claim areas of the map, or to provide a place to station soldiers to guard a vital resource.

 

Rules of the Game That You Should Follow

 

1-Remember that you’re still on BZP.

2-Common sense. This cannot be stressed enough in a game like this, common sense is perhaps the most important rule of them all. Just think about things before doing them, ok? It creates a lot less problems that way.

3-Going god mode, wiping out whole armies at once, not approved of unless you have the means. Being crafty, setting up an ambush, and crushing the enemy is all well and good. Sending three hundred men against three hundred men and saying you came out unscathed while they all died is rather terrible, though.

4-The GM’s ruling on something is final. Continuing to pester them about it results in a slap. If you think you’ve been wronged, you can take it up with the other GM and things will get resolved via private decorum.

5-Speaking of decorum, be nice. Yes, these sorts of games often require a significant time investment and yes, losing horribly never feels nice, but it is at the end of the day a game. It’s not healthy to get too stressed out about things.

6-Funsies apply, so go do cool stuff.

 

Various Bits of Paperwork

 

You’ll find all the forms you need here for getting things done. Fill them out as required, shouldn’t be too confusing.

 

Profile Submission Form

 

Nation’s Name: [What’s your nation known as?]

Nation’s Characteristics: [What are some characteristics of your nation?]

Nation’s Society: [How’s your society?]

Nation’s Perk: [Here’s where you put your list of perks]

Nation’s History: [What have your guys been up to?]

 

Spell Submission Form

 

Spell Description: [Yeah really I just need a basic description of what’s going on]

Spell Cost & Time: [i’ll fill this one out]

 

Project Submission Form

 

Project Description: [Whatcha be building]

Project Cost & Time: [i’ll fill this one out]

[----------]

There are a few things missing and incomplete, like there's no national perks and the mapping stuff is a WIP, and a few other things, but it's complete enough to give people an idea of what's going on. Thoughts, comments, tomatoes to throw, I'll take most things.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Strategist Alex Humva

[Canis Lycaon]

So, Humva, about this game- can we have non-human races or no?

 

Also, I think 26 days may be a bit too long for EP refreshment. Perhaps 14 days?

Edited November 25, 2013 by Canis Lycaon

[Havelock Vetinari]

Deserts. Do we have deserts for Egyptian themed civilization?

 

If not, I will be forced to go Steppe Nomand and rain a STORM OF ARROWS upon the world.

[Silvan Haven]

The desert is sort of in the bottom middle of the biggest chunk of land. Right now the colors have more to do with height then anything else.

[Alex Humva]

You can have non-human races, but they'll never be a majority and I'm going be pretty strict about what benefits they have.

 

A 14 day cycle could work, yeah. I was thinking 26 because it's every half in-game year but 14 would be quarterly so that'd make sense.

 

@Basilisk Things would be so much easier if you read the region glossary =P

[Havelock Vetinari]

Ah. That would explain it. I don't click links to websites I don't know about. I was kinda forced to there, did not enjoy the experience, I must say. At all. I won't be doing it again.

 

So. The Howling Desert.

 

Works.

 

Hm. Lemme see, Roman Legions were around ten thousand men. They were very very good. At 5 EP per upkeep....

 

Yeah. Wow. We're going to be fielding insanely small armies.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Basilisk

[Alex Humva]

Roman Legions were 5,000 soldiers with 5,000 random peeps who followed them around.

 

They were also the Roman Legions. Kinda special in history. None of us are really world conquering empires yet.