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i think you're way underestimating the cost of what it took for the redguard to repel the thalmor. the place is cut off from the empire entirely and pretty much fending for itself right now, not exactly capable of making them much more miserable than they are already

 

also: your job as a gm fishing the planning topic for ideas is to do something that interests the vast majority of players. if they're not interested, or you spurn too much of their advice, they're not going to have a lot of desire to play. just the tip

 

-Tyler

Edited by tylerlicious definicious
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SAY IT ONE MORE TIME 

TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND

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I guess I've always preferred it when everything is fine and dandy, and then goes to Oblivion, i.e. Oblivion, where the day is fine and dandy until someone, say... assassinates the Emperor. That's kinda why I wanted to have it be in Hammerfell, because as far as we know, Hammerfell is in a good place right now. The Crowns and Forebears are cooperating, the Dominion got kicked out of there, everything is in working order. As GMs, wouldn't it be fun to make their lives miserable? Say, Daedric attacks, return of some pretty angry Dwemer who've been stuck in Oblivion for a few eras, of course dealing with dragons, instigating a civil war...

 

It's just an interesting setting to me. Morrowind, on the other hand, has been pretty torn up already, it'd be hard to make things worse; Argonians from the south, the Red Year, the evacuation to Solstheim... Azura isn't exactly smiling upon the Dunmeri people. And that's just the Fourth Era! First Era had the Nordic invasion, the Battle of Red Mountain, the Dwemer going *poof,* Nerevar dying... To you guys, that sounds interesting, but to me, that just bores me. 

 

To me, it's more fun to make characters miserable than to make miserable characters.

Personally, I thought the idea of a game was to have fun and to write a narrative, not to cause misery.

 

 

i think you're way underestimating the cost of what it took for the redguard to repel the thalmor. the place is cut off from the empire entirely and pretty much fending for itself right now, not exactly capable of making them much more miserable than they are already

 

-Tyler

 

Also this. Morrowind is a far happier place at the time of Skyrim than Hammerfell, as despite the war it's more or less rebuilt and is well away from both Imperial and Thalmor conflict or dominance.

-Dovydas

Edited by Grochidom In Progress
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Misery is the best kind of narrative, for finding a way out of misery tends to lead you down the rabbit hole. The more miserable your characters are, the more hope matters, the better their motivations, stuff like that.

 

As for what Tyler said, yeah, I've gotta keep what the players want in mind, but it has to be fun for me, too, or I won't have any enjoyment out of it. It's not like we can just compromise and say "put it in Cyrodiil!" I have no interest in running a Morrowind RP. I'm sorry, but that's just how it is for me. My job right now is to get you guys to see things my way, with varying success.

 

Also, yeah, by 4E 180, Hammerfell is wrecked, but this RP would take place 30-45 years after that, which, while probably not enough to pull the place together all the way, would've definitely have helped healed some of the wounds. 

 

Also, Hammerfell is specifically cut off as a province. It's still in a pretty good position for trade, considering it borders three other provinces. As a trade center, Hammerfell's got it pretty good, especially in border towns like Dragonstar, Elinhir and Rihad that are pretty well placed if you want to get from High Rock to Cyrodiil and don't want to go all the way around through Skyrim (especially since I don't think there's any direct route from Skyrim to High Rock that isn't by sea or through Hammerfell)

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In my opinion, a GM's job is to get people to play his game, by getting them to agree his premise is good, i.e. getting them to see things his way. However, I'll give you the benefit of the me-being-slightly-less-knowledge-than-you and say you're right.

 

Well, right-ish.

 

I don't want to do Morrowind for two reasons; 1). Morrowind doesn't interest me as much as Valenwood or Hammerfell do and 2). if I did a Morrowind RP, I'm nowhere near qualified enough to do the province justice. I'd rather not end up shooting myself in the foot later on because I'm nowhere as interested in Morrowind as you guys are and thus will probably end up doing a huge disservice to you fans. Hammerfell interests me more and I can tell my story there without nearly as much risk to screwing up lore.

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The largest flaw of that reasoning, from the perspective just of someone observing this discussion, lies with the words "my story" and "I don't want". You're right, the duty of a GM is to run their game as best they can and make people want to play it. But it isn't the GM's story that is being told. An RPG is an interactive story, one that, if done right, is influenced more by the players than by the GM.

 

Even in a heavily guided story, like FTL was, the outcome of events is influenced by the players. A GM can know everything about the situation, know what the world is like and where they think the plot is going, but they cannot (should not) be able to say "my story", To keep a game running on a single plot-line, towards one ending, is called "railroading". And such a method is one of the fastest ways to anger a playerbase.

 

A playerbase, I might add, that needs to be drawn in by your premise. If the desire of a potential playerbase is for one sort of game, then that's what they want. Trying to make something completely different runs the risk of pushing away the players you might otherwise have. That doesn't mean a GM should cave to demands easily, but if the majority opinion runs one way, that should be taken into account.

 

Just my two cents.

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I kinda agree with you about majority opinions and the like, but the story of an RP is largely that of the guy in charge; the outcome is player-influenced, the way they get there is player-influenced, but the starting point is the GM's world, to shape until it's ready to go.

 

When I say "my story," I actually mean "my world." Yeah, it's player-influenced and based off another IP, but it's my world to shape for the players. The things that happen are all to allow players to do what they want. The GM says "once upon a time," the players fill in the blanks. If I'm not interested in the world I've created, then it'll show. It's the difference between being told you can do something and being told you must do something. I'm not interested in Morrowind, as a setting. When I'm not interested, then the game suffers for it because at that point, I don't care anymore. At all. Period.

 

I'm serious about doing an Elder Scrolls RP, but preferably in a setting I'm comfortable with. 

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To be frank, no, it isn't the story of the guy running it. It is the duty of a GM to set the stage, and act as a guiding hand by introducing plot points and information. A GM plots out the large events intended for the game to hit, and should roll with the punches from there.

 

Especially for a setting like the Elder Scrolls, games that are entirely designed for you to play a story the way you want to.

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To be frank, no, it isn't the story of the guy running it. It is the duty of a GM to set the stage, and act as a guiding hand by introducing plot points and information. A GM plots out the large events intended for the game to hit, and should roll with the punches from there.

 

Especially for a setting like the Elder Scrolls, games that are entirely designed for you to play a story the way you want to.

 

 

When I say "my story," I actually mean "my world." Yeah, it's player-influenced and based off another IP, but it's my world to shape for the players. The things that happen are all to allow players to do what they want. The GM says "once upon a time," the players fill in the blanks.

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Okay, Ben, I think I've got a compromise to help you out of the trouble you're having with getting people to go along with your premise.

 

Hear me out here, this is going to sound weird at first;

 

Oblivion as the primary setting.

 

A lot of people are worried about provinces being cut off or isolated, right? No plane of Oblivion is any more cut-off than usual.

 

Want a good conflict to keep the whole thing rolling? Oblivion is a tangled mess of conflicts, some of which make more blood than sense. It's perfect!

 

And, as a bonus, it's Oblivion.

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Okay, Ben, I think I've got a compromise to help you out of the trouble you're having with getting people to go along with your premise.

 

Hear me out here, this is going to sound weird at first;

 

Oblivion as the primary setting.

 

A lot of people are worried about provinces being cut off or isolated, right? No plane of Oblivion is any more cut-off than usual.

 

Want a good conflict to keep the whole thing rolling? Oblivion is a tangled mess of conflicts, some of which make more blood than sense. It's perfect!

 

And, as a bonus, it's Oblivion.

On one hand, it's as brilliant as Albert Einstein with a scientific calculator.

 

On the other, it's dumb as a bag of soup.

 

If that confuses you, bear with me.

 

Oblivion is a perfect setting, with so many different possibilities to explore. With the Shivering Isles DLC, we know humans live in Oblivion, AND with Morrowind, we know the Dwemer live there too!

 

However, we still run into problems, two of them. Problem 1). It's got the same problem of "which plane?" We've got 16 for all the princes except Sanguine, thousands for Sanguine himself and Talos knows how many that just sorta float around Feasibly, I could only write up enough quality places for one plane.

 

Problem 2). I really wanted a Hammerfell RP, and because I'm a selfish son of an elf, I ain't budgin'.

 

But, you gave me an idea; We'll alternate between Tamriel and Oblivion. The catch is that I'll take a vote. Whatever plane of Oblivion YOU guys pick will be included as the other half of the setting. Will the Isles be the main focus? Quagmire? I don't know. You guys will pick. It'll share main setting responsibilities with the province I choose (Hammerfell, High Rock or Valenwood, maybe Alinor but ehhh) while you choose the Oblivion plane.

 

Does that sound fair? 50% my choice of setting, 50% your choice of setting.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My father would often tell stories of the old country and its magicks. I was too young at the time to remember, our homeland ravaged by war and famine as so many others had been before I was old enough to even speak. He'd tell stories of the miracle workers in the villages who could heal any sickness, the exalted priests who could summon the rains during even the worst droughts. He'd speak so highly of those skilled in the art, remembering fondly to better times. Then the War came, and with it, an end to those magicks. Gone were the days of superstition and faith, replaced with steel and coal and medicine.

 

When my father grew old and dying, I asked why there were no miracle workers in this new land. It was a land of innovation, of opportunity, why did no one seek to marry magic and industry together? He gave me no answers before he passed on, leaving me only with his books and his stories to guide my path.

 

In time, I learned the Art. There were many who were doubtful of my quest, many more who rejected my goals entirely. I learned nonetheless, seeking to understand why the Art had died in the homeland and never resurfaced. I didn't find the answers I sought, but I did find what I needed to revive the Art. One day, soon, I will be able to prove to the world what a modern day miracle worker can accomplish. I only need students, to teach what I know to.

 

There are obstacles, as there always are. The War brought with it a great change of power, leaders overthrown and replaced with puppets. A great many would see the magicks forever forgotten, or worse, controlled and exploited solely by them. With the right applications, the right technologies, the world could become a utopia, but utopias aren't profitable. They will do whatever it takes to stop me, so I must begin in secrecy. I cannot risk exposure finding those who are gifted enough to make use of the Art.

 

That is where you come in.

 

Rails, Guns, and Magic

A OTC RPG

Hosted by Alex Humva

 

How This All Works

 

This game is set in an alternative world similar to our own, set during a period roughly corresponding to the 1920s. The game's story takes place in the small but successful nation of Awhye, a country shielded from the events of the War and founded on immigration. Players will be part of a group that is working with the intro character, Mayra Castellano, to find magically gifted individuals around the country and to, at times, use their skills to try and make the world a better place. Player characters may or may not make use of the Art, depending on the preference of the player. New players are recruited into the group whenever the group makes a stop in a city. The main force behind the game will be the overarching plot of gathering a magically gifted force, as well as the more individual conflicts along the way, along with other trends and conflicts that are happening in the world.

 

The Nation of Awhye

 

Founded 79 years ago, the United Republic of Awhye is a small country located by the sea, across the ocean from the world's major powers. While it has far larger and more powerful neighbors surrounding it, its rich natural resources and substantial industrial base has allowed it a position of power its small size wouldn't suggest possible. Awhye was largely unaffected by the horrors of the War, instead producing industrial goods and weapons for both sides and enjoying a substantial economic boom from it. The nation is still coasting off of its boom cycle, its economy prosperous and an overall happy sentiment across the land. This only serves to disguise underlying problems in its society and economy, however, and there is discontent amongst the masses that the wealth earned during the war has largely been reaped by the elite. Historically disenfranchised groups continue to work for recognition in society, and conflict amongst the different immigrant populations has lead to numerous skirmishes and riots.

 

Old Country Magicks

 

Magic in this setting is an unrefined art, having never benefited from rigorous study or experimentation. Because of this, it has mainly been the work of small-time miracle workers in villages, being used to cure children of the plague or help the crops grow. There was some work by clergy members in the past to better understand the underlying mechanics of magic, but centuries of superstition has left any real knowledge buried under hearsay. With time and the Industrial Revolution, magic was nearly eliminated, years of misinformation making it difficult for new practitioners to perform the great feats their forebearers had and the rise of modern technologies making many of the feats entirely obsolete.

 

For the modern magic user, the use of magic is almost entirely based on instinct. The work of Mayra Castellano has helped to provide a framework for her followers to use, but their initial work with magic was based on their own instinctual skills. All can learn the Art, but some have a greater aptitude for it than others. Those who discovered it on their own usually did so during bouts of passion, often unknowingly. Magic is not a precise thing, working in broader strokes and requiring very fine manipulation in order to be used in the smaller scale. This is why miracle workers were known for being able to summon rainfall, but could never quite control the severity or the length of it. Similarly, curing diseases ended up being more a boost to the overall immune system than any specifically targeted attack on the disease itself.

 

A good analogy for this game's magic and other, more popular fantasy magics is the difference between the gravitational and the electromagnetic forces. Both forces exist throughout the known universe, and both are extremely powerful. Gravity is a big, sweeping thing though; difficult to control, known for making massive influences (see: the solar system), yet also existing on the smaller scale. Indeed, every atom in the universe is attracted to every other atom via gravity, no matter the distance. Electricity, conversely, is far easier to control, is known for smaller things (see: your phone) as well as larger feats. This game's magic is gravity: big, unyielding, but still capable of being used in smaller circumstances.

 

So what can a magic user actually do? In theory, anything, but in practice, magic relies on manipulating existing forces to get the desired outcome. The example of summoning rain is a good one: a magic user sets out with a goal in mind (making it rain), and then via some sort of ritual to hone their focus, makes that happen with their mind. The ritual itself is a placebo, but still extremely important for the magic user to focus their actual intentions properly. From this point, nature is given a helpful nudge in the right direction: the wind changes a bit, clouds begin to form, somewhere water evaporates quicker, all adding up until finally there's storm clouds rolling in.

 

The same can apply on a lower scale. The practice of brewing potions is an example of how magic users can manipulate nature on a smaller scale; the potion itself, like the ritual, is powerless, but it serves as a mental focus for the magic user to push things in the right direction. A fire potion may simply be a flammable substance that, with the urging of a magic user, is far more potent than its basic chemicals would suggest. Effectively, a magic user is capable of doing anything that could happen, if the laws of nature were sufficiently greased and a bit drunk. The limitations end up being the user itself, who doesn't know if any of this will even work, and must be very mentally fortified in order to get the outcome to be what they want. Otherwise, nature will take its course, only now in an unpredictable fashion.

 

Important Locations

 

By no means definitive, this list includes the initial starting locations and will expand with more cities as writing time permits and as the cast explores more cities.

 

City of Eternal Light: The principle port city of Awhye, the surrounding metro contains nearly twenty percent of the nation's population and serves as a vital economic point for dozens of nations trading in the region. Its buildings are the most modern in the nation, new forms of steel allowing for the construction of immense skyscrapers and truly labyrinthine docks. It's also a hot bed of violence, with many dissidents hiding in the outskirts around the city. Its name comes from a species of bio-luminescent jellyfish that drift to the surface at night, lighting up the harbors and giving an eerie glow to the beaches.

 

City of Shattered Glass: The capital city of Awhye, it is a surprisingly calm and reclusive city, nestled inland towards the mountain range. A substantially smaller city than the City of Eternal Light, it is nevertheless vital, serving as a major rail hub for almost the entire nation. It contains many historic sights, along with the government of Awhye itself. A comparatively old-fashioned city with brick and mortar buildings, its streets are lined with electric street cars and its skyline is filled with black smoke nonetheless. Its name comes from the initial settlers, who found vast plains of obsidian glass in the valleys and hills surrounding the city.

 

RPG Rules

 

  • Follow all BZPower rules.
  • Common sense, common sense, common sense. Use it please.
  • No autohitting without prior plotting or excuses as to why you’re going to hit your opponent.
  • Death is something that can happen, though as is the case in real life, it can be remarkably hard to kill people at times.
  • No godmodding, this includes metagaming. 
  • Listen to the staff; if you have a problem with a decision, do so in a respectful manner.
  • Have fun.

 

The Profile

 

Name: (Self-explanatory)

Gender: (Yep)

Age: (How old are you?)

Profession: (Everyone's gotta work to make ends meet.)

Speciality: (This is for magic users; while theoretically capable of anything, all magic users have something in particular they're good at.)

Skills: (We all have some; keep it reasonable, please.)

Items: (Any particular weapons or sentiments or such that came with you?)

Appearance: (Yep.)

Personality: (Why does your character do what they do? What makes them tick?)

Biography: (What’s your life story?)

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Getting a bit of setting confusion here - Awhye is supposedly this coastal nation with a valuable postwar economy, so why exactly would the troubles of the War be affecting it at all beyond backstory reason? Since I'm guessing this isn't a real world RPG, what kind of analogous country would exist for Awhye? The best I have is something in South America, though in my head a former Ottoman territory would make more sense.

 

Magic system is kind of hazy, especially coming from someone who actually loves reading a well done magic system. Probably something a good co-host can help with. Something about the manipulation of already existing materials seems vaguely Avatar-ish but as long as you keep that toned down I'm not mad at the concept or anything.

 

Rules are a bit sparse, but  the writing and enforcement of the rules is one of the cohost's primary roles for when the host is working on story, so that'd probably be something to get done first before going any further on this.

 

-Tyler

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When I first saw the title and started reading the intro, I thought this was going to be along the lines of the video game Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura. Further reading disproved that notion. That said, I still find the premise interesting.

 

I'm not as concerned with the setting as Tyler, though I'm kind of agreeing with him about the magic system. I mean, I get what you are trying to do with it, but I imagine it would be confusing to apply in the game itself. Maybe that's just me.

 

Also, I think it would be more interesting if players could also create characters who appose this group of magically gifted people. There is obviously a lot of opposition to this group, and I just think it would create some interesting conflict if players could create characters on both sides.

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In my opinion, a GM's job is to get people to play his game, by getting them to agree his premise is good, i.e. getting them to see things his way. However, I'll give you the benefit of the me-being-slightly-less-knowledge-than-you and say you're right

I'd actually argue against this line of thinking. As a GM, your job is not only to pitch the world and game you want to play, but to also work with your prospective players to help foster an environment they actually want to experience, influence and be a part of. If you plop down a game and say "My way or the high way" you won't attract a lot of players to your game who weren't initially interested in playing it anyway. But if you put out a concept, an idea, and get help from the community you want to play with to craft it into something they, as players, are excited and enthusiastic to play and be a part of, then you're way more likely going to have a successful game.

 

A GM's job is more to drive the narrative of a story, to say what does and does not go against rules or reality of the world's setting. A lot of it is presenting events and situations for your players to work through and come out of, and while having fixated events isn't necessarily a bad thing (such as an important character death that drives into the next arc of the story), I always found it more fun when player input is put into all aspects (even if it's some players behind the scenes who want to plan an exciting plot-twisty sort of thing).

 

Players are just as important to the actual inception of a game as the GM is: I don't suggest spurning their input if they go through the trouble to provide it.

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Getting a bit of setting confusion here - Awhye is supposedly this coastal nation with a valuable postwar economy, so why exactly would the troubles of the War be affecting it at all beyond backstory reason? Since I'm guessing this isn't a real world RPG, what kind of analogous country would exist for Awhye? The best I have is something in South America, though in my head a former Ottoman territory would make more sense.

Main thing the troubles of the War did was the political changes; a lot of old regimes were destroyed during its events and with it a lot of new social and political movements were born from it. Those movements made their way across the ocean, and so there's a lot of push for them in Awhye. As for a good analogy, the idea I had in my head while conceptualizing this was a more trade-dominant Uruguay. While I don't want to hold myself down too much to specifics without more thought, a good concept to keep in mind for this game is that we're in an old colony in South America that became independent within recent memory and used its resources to secure a position in the world.

 

 

 

Magic system is kind of hazy, especially coming from someone who actually loves reading a well done magic system. Probably something a good co-host can help with. Something about the manipulation of already existing materials seems vaguely Avatar-ish but as long as you keep that toned down I'm not mad at the concept or anything.

Definitely will be rewriting it for better quality and clarity.

 

 

 

Rules are a bit sparse, but  the writing and enforcement of the rules is one of the cohost's primary roles for when the host is working on story, so that'd probably be something to get done first before going any further on this.

Am a bit curious on what rules are missing, as I thought I hit all the major ones.

 

 

 

Also, I think it would be more interesting if players could also create characters who appose this group of magically gifted people. There is obviously a lot of opposition to this group, and I just think it would create some interesting conflict if players could create characters on both sides.

I would definitely love for this to happen, but I'm not sure the current climate would allow for two sufficiently-populated groups. You are very welcome to play as a double agent or such, though; that'd make for some interesting conflict. And of course, I intend to allow players to orchestrate their own plots so there's always that option.

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Here we go, the first draft of an Elder Scrolls RP. I know it's too short, but... eh... It's a work-in-progress. Also, I've decided to go with an original location for the RP, so I don't anger anyone by not choosing their favorite province. Now I'm angered EVERYONE because I didn't choose their favorite province :D

 

EDIT: Uh-oh... Um, why is the text going off the screen?

 

Cold... So cold...

 

I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t cold. I’m a Redguard, not a freaking Nord! I don’t do well in the cold.

 

Ah, forget it. Surely someone will come to save me. Right?

 

Right?

 

 

FROSTHAVEN

An Elder Scrolls RPG

 

 

In the year 1E 122, a strange island appeared northwest of of High Rock. No one knew where it came from, but it was clearly inhabited. However, no one seemed to want to get close enough to the island to try and talk with these people

 

And so it came to pass, that in 1E 126, an expedition was led to this island by a Nord warlord named Kodiak Wolfheart and an army of 100 men on ten longships. Armed to the teeth, and carrying enough supplies to feed a small army, they set out to the mysterious island.

 

They never returned.

 

In fact, the same would hold true for expeditions across the millenia, until one fateful day during the year 3E 406.

 

That day, an Imperial expedition was able to land on the island, now known as Frosthaven, and establish contact with the locals. They were Nords, suprisingly enough. Rather peculiar Nords, but still Nords.

 

The weird thing was what they called themselves; the Children of the Wolfheart.

 

Still, the Imperials paid no heed to these natives. After securing the allegiance of the island in 3E 411, a settlement was built on the west coast of the island; a town called Snowpoint.

 

Of course, not everything is as it seems. A strange temple has been unearthed, and inside this temple is quite possibly the greatest discovery since magic itself.

 

Divinity.

 

The year is 3E 428. This is Frosthaven.

 

RULES:

Follow all BZPower rules.

 

Please use common sense. My facepalm is overworked as-is.

 

No autohitting. There will occassionally be unavoidable attacks wherein they can’t be dodged unless someone pulls something out from their butt, but please try and keep those to a minimum.

 

You can die, though it is hard, if you take a fall and land inside an erupting volcano (or something similar), you are dead. Period.

 

No godmodding or meta-gaming.

 

All characters must be approved before playing as them.

 

Don’t bunny other people’s characters unless they ask you to or give you permission.

 

Listen to the staff; if you have a problem with a decision, do so in a respectful manner.

 

Please, don’t pull items from nowhere. Looting something, yeah. Fine. Just, approve it first, please.

 

Have fun.

 

CHARACTER CREATION:

(NOTE: All characters must be approved first before playing as them)

 

Name: Simple enough.

Race: (Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Orc, Argonian, Khajiit, Imperial, Breton, Nord, Redguard)

Class: Just a general overview of your character and skills they would or would not logically have, I.E. A blacksmith probably isn’t very skilled in necromancy)

Age: Duh.

Appearance: How your character looks. Try and keep the race and appearance in check, for instance, when have you ever seen a purple-skinned Imperial?

Personality: Your personality.

Biography: A quick overview of your biography.

Inventory: All your stuff you start the game with. All items must be approved by staff.

 

SAMPLE CHARACTER:

Name: Eponine Faircroft

Race: Breton

Class: Assassin

Age: 28

Appearance: Young, petite in nature, soft features, blue eyes, short black hair, a scar on her cheek.

Personality: Cold and distant, but has a strange love of animals. Kills without remorse.

Biography: Abandoned by her parents as a baby, Eponine was taken in by a small gang of assassins competing with the Dark Brotherhood. During this time, she was trained by the assassins to become one of them. However, her “family” was killed by Brotherhood assassins when she was 24. Angered, she tracked each one of her family’s killers down. The only one left is living amongst the Nords of Frosthaven.

Inventory: A suit of light leather armor, a fur cloak, and a steel kopis sword.

 

LOCATIONS:

 

Snowpoint: The Imperial capital on Frosthaven. Home to the Cathedral of the Nine, as well as Fort Goldmoth (the Imperial garrison and administrative building,) many shops and the Six Fishes Inn. It is built on the west coast.

 

Norstam: The northern village of the more traditional Children of the Wolfheart, their culture is very similar to traditional Skaal culture. They mostly live in huts and cabins, though a large longhouse dominates the village and is the home of the tribe’s Chieftan. It is built on the very north tip of the island.

 

Tordenkirke: The southeastern city of the more modernized and cosmopolitan Children, their culture is closer to that of Nords and Bretons, living in a great stone city built hundreds of years ago. It’s central feature is a great castle from which the King of Tordenkirke reigns supreme over his domain. It is built south of the Eastern Forests, on the coast.

 

The Eastern Forests: A great, dark forest on the east coast of the island.

 

The Snowpoint Forests: Still great, but less dark and on the west coast.

 

The Wolfheart Mountains: Running down the center of the island is a great mountain range, said to be the coldest part of the island. 

 

The Temple of the Wolfheart: Built into the mountains, this is temple built to the One of the Wolf Heart, Imperial forces quarantined it after several people went missing inside, with the only survivor claiming that they were attacked “by a great wolf.”

 

Murkule Cave: A cave said to be the home of a great treasure, it will only reveal itself to those who are worthy. It said to be located in the eastern forests.

 

Tordenkonge Barrow: Just west of Tordenkirke, it is the tomb of the Kings of Tordenkirke since the Second Era. The Barrow has been abandoned for a few hundred years since a lich decided to make his home there.

 

Fort Heartfire: A fort built by Imperials early into the colonization of the island, Fort Heartfire was abandoned after a freak blizzard killed everyone stationed there.

Edited by IcarusBen

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Actual, the only gods who fully manifested on Nirn around this time were the Tribunes. Aedra are stuck as planetoids, and Daedra don't have much influence. Heck, by 3E 428, the Tribunes lost the HoL and lost their power, leading to the murder of Sotha Sil by Almalexia, the slaying of Almalexia by the Nerevarine, and the disappearance of Vivec. Finding a god fully manifested on Nirn is a pretty big deal. Of course, I'm leaving it intentionally vague as to the identity of this god.

 

As for why I hate your screen... I don't. It formats fine in the editor, but it goes wacko in the actual post. Can someone tell me to fix that?

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My first thought is that it's pretty weird that a Nord, belonging to a culture based on Scandinavia, would have a first name derived from Alutiiq. That Kodiak is visually similar to Kodlak, a known Nord name, does not change the very different linguistic roots, much as the English word 'embarrassed' and the Spanish word 'embarazada*' are very different.  That a Breton has a Greek sword is slightly less weird, considering the Greco-Roman influences on the Imperial culture.

 

Moving on to the meat and potatoes, this is pretty different from anything yet seen in the Elder Scrolls series. New island, new deity, etc. It's a risky decision for an RPG set within an established universe. There is also very little stated as to what's actually going on, now that it's 3E 428 (I mean, apart from the Nerevarine rocking out in the province everyone wanted to go to), so there's precious little to critique in terms of what the players will actually be using/facing/dealing with when playing the RPG.

 

*embarazada, adj. Pregnant.

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From I can tell, canonically, all of Morrowind/Bloodmoon/Tribunal was during 3E 427.

 

The kopis is, on Nirn, a Skaal weapon. The Nordic Sword item in Dragonborn isn't called a kopis, but it's very visually similar.

 

As for Kodiak Wolfheart, I'll use the excuse BethSoft gave for the whole daikatana controversy; "It's not Alutiiq. It's a Nord word that is coinceidentally similar to Alutiiq."

 

Originally, it was supposed to be that large 90-degrees-counter-clockwise-L northeast of Morrowind, but I realized that TR might use that, plus the climate's a little weird, so I moved it between Atmora and High Rock. The reason I used an original-ish concept (lotta Solstheim influence here, as well as Windhelm influence for Vindkirke and Ebonheart/Firewatch influence for Snowpoint) is so I'm not limited by lore as to "oh, I can't do this." I'm going the ESO route and putting an event in where it never previously happened. In this case, it's the fact Frosthaven popped up.

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Tribunal definitely takes place in 428, and it wouldn't matter if it didn't because we're still being robbed of a setting where cool stuff either just happened or is happening in Morrowind - the place we all wanted - and we're missing it because Morrowind isn't interesting to you no matter what cool stuff happens there.

 

Gonna need a lot of selling on this concept tbh

 

-Tyler

Edited by tylerlicious definicious

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If you're going with the Skaal-Nordic sword as an example of a kopis, then the Orcish sword is an equally valid example. Either way, as mentioned, the kopis isn't really an issue, since there exists a generic Hellenistic culture in Tamriel anyway.

 

For Kodiak, okay, you paraphrased someone else's cop-out. That's one way to deal with it, I guess.

 

Thank you for bringing up ESO, actually - as you may know, ESO has been a pretty tough sell with the community, in part because of tossing brand new events into the past. The ESO approach is a very ambitious one for something like this, and something you need to be very careful with. I'm not saying it can't work, but you need to proceed very carefully to be sure you sell people on your RPG.

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The biggest problem with this seems to be everyone wants Morrowind, when I simply don't. It's mostly because we've already gotten a great description of Vvardenfell, and I don't feel up to writing out 44 different town bios, combined with every single dungeon. If it was something like taking Vvardenfell and having every PC fulfill the role the Nerevarine did in the various side missions, then yeah...

 

Wait. I've gotten an idea.

 

Since it appears Tyler, one of the OTC judges, is going to be finicky about approving my concept... Yeah.... this could work...

 

Okay, so, Frosthaven's going under the knife for some very major proofreading. In the mean time... I'm starting to come on board with doing a Vvardenfell (no, I'm not doing all of Morrowind) RP, if someone wants to help me with writing it.

 

Also, one more thing, and both Elder Scrolls wikis will back me up as well as pretty much any loremaster or writer, all of Morrowind/Tribunal/Bloodmoon happens 427. Maybe not for you, but in terms of canon, it happened over the course of a year.

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3E 427

The events of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind take place.[163]

The Nerevarine is discovered, and at the same time the Prophecy of the Nerevarine is revealed to be true.

The Nerevarine reclaimed the Moon-and-Star from Azura, proving himself to be the true Incarnate of Nerevar.

The Nerevarine became the Hortator and united all three Great Houses to oppose Dagoth Ur.

Dagoth Ur is killed at Red Mountain by the Nerevarine.[163]

 

3E 428

The events of The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal take place.

The Nerevarine reclaimed Trueflame as his weapon.

Sotha Sil is betrayed and killed by Almalexia who is then killed by the Nerevarine in self-defense.

 

3E 429

The events of The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon take place.[164]

The Nerevarine is named a Blodskaal (Bloodbrother) of the Skaal Village on Solstheim.[164]

The Nerevarine defeats Hircine[164] and stops the Bloodmoon Prophecy from being fulfilled.[164]

Raven Rock is founded.

 


 

-Tyler

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3E 427 — The Blight
  • The Morrowind government, already weakened in power over questions of authority, is further threatened by the re-awakening of the ancient curse of the Blight from the giant volcano Red Mountain.
  • The legendary Nerevarine arrives in Vvardenfell by order of the Emperor, destined to kill Dagoth Ur and bring peace to Morrowind.[43]
3E 427 — Discord among the Tribunal 3E 427 — Bloodmoon Prophecy

 

Read harder. I'll trust the wiki that's been around for longer.

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You feel free to do that. Given that both Wikis only cite the pages for the games/expansion packs themselves, meaning that there's no way to know for sure, I feel comfortable enough in having disproved your claim that

 

both Elder Scrolls wikis will back me up as well as pretty much any loremaster or writer

 

and say that I hope your Morrowind RPG turns out okay. I would play it if it does.

 

-Tyler

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So, I'm not such a massive TES buff. Only just started playing the series, ironically starting with Morrowind. So after reading this, I decided to do a little sleuthing of my own. I started the same way I would when attempting to do a research paper or debate (which I've been doing for four years now) and had conflicting information; which is to completely disregard the sources in conflict, and start looking for others. Thus began my searching of the internet for sources not directly linked to either of those.

 

found two sources that both indicated that the events of Morrowind and its DLC were spread out over the course of more than one year. Choosing to go with the eldest source for information is noble, but flawed; age has nothing to do with how likely the site is to make a mistake. Now, I did not pick and choose these sources; these are the first two timelines that I found that provided a summary of the in universe events of the game, while not having any direct ties to the previously noted Wikis. My opinion thus bolstered in the direction they indicated, I delved into the sources cited by both parties.

 

The Elder Scrolls Wiki is actually in conflict with itself'; the individual pages list the events as taking place in 3E 427, but their main timeline spreads them out. UESP does not contradict itself, but its information swims against the flow of the bulk of sources that I have found.

 

Now, in and of itself, this does not prove UESP wrong. However it places it as the minority source, with no others that I can find to back it up. Balance of probability indicates that it is incorrect, and at the very least this proves that the timeline is in serious contention. Which means it's probably wiser to go with the majority consensus not only of Wikis, but of players, in order to avoid complications.

 

 

On the subject of the actual game itself, I can't speak too much to the plot, given that I don't know much about TES. However, I would note (as others have) the hazards of creating entirely original material in an existing time period. In some instances, where the period is largely undefined, that can work out fine. Here, however, you are placing entirely new material in close proximity to very established events, regardless of which timeline you choose to believe,

Just my two cents on the game thus far.

Edited by Riku Tryon
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To Riku... Okay, yeah, you're right... UESP is the minority source. HOWEVER! In the discussion page for the Third Era timeline, they talk about how there is no official source saying that Bloodmoon takes place in 3E 429, and that because there is no primary source, it should be placed during 427. Both of your sources don't cite anything by Bethesda, which is kinda important for a second-hand source. Granted, UESP doesn't cite anything either, but it was a group consensus from people dedicated to getting everything about ES lore right. It's been a more reliable source than IGN or TESWiki, so... yeah. 

 

In essence, there are more sources that are less reliable saying one thing, and less sources that are more reliable saying another. Does that make sense? Probably not. When I finally snap and get dragged off to the looney bin, I'll be kicking and screaming "IT WAS ONE YEAR! ONE YEAR!"

 

And to Tiragath.... Yes. Yes it does matter. Do not question my nerd credentials. They are long and they are many. 

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doesn't really help your case that you're the only person saying it's the reliable source to end all reliable sources, especially when the only thing that makes what it says on the timeline reliable is your word that it's reliable

 

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Actually, I consulted those Discussion pages myself a few moments ago to get a firsthand look. A Discussion page for Bloodmoon specifically does not exist on the UESP, and the Discussion page for the timeline (which does refer to Bloodmoon specifically) only makes mention of the fact that one editor couldn't seem to find a source saying it took place in 429, and one other saying they assume it was a typo. They then edit the page to say 427. By no means is this a community consensus, it is the consensus of two people who do not say that there is no canonical source, just that they cannot find it.

 

 

Granted, UESP doesn't cite anything either, but it was a group consensus from people dedicated to getting everything about ES lore right. It's been a more reliable source than IGN or TESWiki, so... yeah.  

 

This, additionally, is by definition true of any Wiki devoted to TES. And the UESP is a Wiki, it simply is one under a different name. As you yourself admit, it also cites no primary sources, and the consensus is reached by two individuals. The UESP's reliability is solely built upon your own claim, as there is no quantifiable reason that it should be more devoted or more accurate than any other such Wiki, save for the fact that it was started earlier. Which, as I noted, doesn't really mean much in terms of the internet. 

 

What we have here is what would be called, in the vernacular, a source clash. And the first method for discerning the truth in a source clash is to toss out the conflicting sources entirely (for the purposes of the conflicting subject), and instead look to what other sources have to say, which in this case indicates 429. When neither quality nor reliability can be said to be greater from one source than another, and both lack primary sources, it is preferable to look to others to see what the consensus is.

 

 

Ultimately, however, what it boils down to is that the timeline is in contention. Which probably isn't the best omen for trying to place a completely original game right in this middle of that contention. :P

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Hence, my putting Frosthaven under the knife and asking people if they want to help write up something for Vvardenfell.

 

I'm still counting UESP as my default source for stuff, but fine, I'll use 427-429 as my timeframe. I don't agree with it, but apparently, everyone else does.

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Hence, my putting Frosthaven under the knife and asking people if they want to help write up something for Vvardenfell.

 

I'm still counting UESP as my default source for stuff, but fine, I'll use 427-429 as my timeframe. I don't agree with it, but apparently, everyone else does.

What exactly do you want to do?

 

Serious question.

 

Your RPG ideas haven't really appealed to the potential playerbase, yeah, but that doesn't mean that the playerbase would want to help write something up.

 

This is your RPG you're talking about.

 

Not ours.

 

I mean yeah we'll be a big factor when you set it up.

 

But do you want to do?

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You don't have to agree with it; you don't even have to address it. The only issue with the timeline is that you're choosing to put it right in the middle of the contested few years. Switching it to, say 430 would place it in a spot that the events of Morrowind and its DLC have certainly already occurred, and you're still set a few years before the next big event, which if I recall correctly, is Oblivion set in 433.

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To Umi, I'm not the most knowledgeable person on the topic of Vvardenfell. If I had someone to help, just to take even a little bit of the workload away, that'd be great. Plus, you need a partner anyways here. I couldn't just plop Frosthaven up, I'd have to get someone to help. Since it seems unlikely ol' Tyler there would accept Frosthaven, and I believe it has to be a unanimous vote, I might just write up a Vvardenfell RP.

 

And to Riku... eh, yeah. I could move it to 430. I... don't know why I didn't think that. 

 

EDIT: Thank God for loremasters. I bring you this; http://forum.uesp.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=38954. In this thread, someone brings up a lorebook found in Skyrim that's a timeline of the Third Era. In it, it shows that both Morrowind and Bloodmoon take place in the same year. Now, even in the timelines you all found, Tribunal took place between Morrowind and Bloodmoon, therefore, Tribunal takes place in 427.

 

Now, about source clashing?

Edited by IcarusBen

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wow that's really cool

 

maybe if you didn't have to be such a smug little of a winner with that last line i would actually openly give you credit for going the distance

 

-Tyler

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