As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
Options

[Open Recruitment] Dungeon World: Seeking Delvers of the Menank

Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMABaton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
edited March 2017 in Critical Failures
Backstory
The middle of a craggy desert is no place to make a living. Not usually, anyway. The travelers who founded Argent Springs did so because of a…special feature the area had. There was a seemingly infinite source of water pouring out of a strange spire poking up through the earth like a roughly snapped bone.

Menanki_-_The_Spire.png?1487165773

The life-sustaining silver-gray liquid is enough to quench the throats of those living in the town and there is enough left over for some farming to be done. That is not the only thing that the spire, called Menanki by the settlers, offers. A solitary entrance sits 10 feet above the ground and through that entrance is a vast catacomb of twisting halls, eerie sounds, unnatural lights, and the promise of unfathomable wealth.

Adventuring companies spring up around Menanki, bringing new blood from all over the continent to this growing town. Argent Springs slowly expands and begins to depend on Menanki for more and more. Crops aren't plentiful enough for this many people. Slain monsters are brought back for meat. Unneeded relics are traded away for staple materials.

Some of those willing to delve into the unknown come back with stories of misshapen beasts and unknown devices. A few find valuable materials or secrets. Fewer still come back with artifacts of unknown purpose but palpable power. A great number never do come back.

Which will you be?
The World
*This town basically survives thanks to adventurers. they bring back valuable shit out of the Menanki, and bring back food in the form of dead critters. Not much farmland out here. Not enough water to support too much farm AND keep people from dying of thirst.

*A lot of businesses in town are sort of like… not oriented directly to adventurer folks but some definitely have that kind of tilt to them. they set up near the entrance to the dungeon to sell weapons and rations, appraisers for relics and such. If a business becomes the official X of the Y company, that’s a big thing for them. That could like… change their lives in a big way.

*There are already three big adventuring companies in town. they have relatively low turnover and do not often seek to bring in new blood, unless said new blood has proven themselves capable in some big way to make them worth bringing into the fold

*There are a handful or so of smaller companies that manage to eke out a living, but are more… meat-grindery? you guys are one of the smaller ones. One of the smallest ones, actually.

*The Menank is a dead area as far as pesky things like laws go. If you encounter a party of adventurers from another company, there's nothing stopping either of you from killing the other, save for the thought that you may lose down there. And the knowledge that if you strike first and one of them lives to tell the tale, times will get rough for you.
Operational Ideas
*Instead of using character bonds we will be using character FLAGS. Basically it is something that other people can do when interacting with your character that lets you show a bit of their personality. For example, I made a bard and she is new to the game and enthusiastic but still rough around the edges. Her flags are
Self-conscious--Give me a chance to play my music for you so that you can judge it later
Young, Scrappy, and Hungry--Convince me to partake in a dangerous plan under promise of fame and possible riches
. Triggering someone's flags gets you xp at the end of a session, so you are encouraged to interact with other characters and learn a bit about their backstory and such. Please don't try and powergame things and get the max amount of xp every session by sitting at a table and trying to tick off every box. That's lame. Don't do that.

*There will be a job board system on the obsidian portal. Before a session begins (hopefully a day or two before, so I have time to plan at least a LITTLE of this stuff) you all will pick what you want to do that session. You can take a job off the job board, choose to explore the Menank, or venture out in the vast and unforgiving desert without rhyme or reason! It'll probably be great.

*As far as map making goes, if you are on a quest I will have some basic map for you. Usually VERY basic. If you're wandering, keeping up with where you went is up to you all. (I'll either pop you down on a populated map or a blank one where you guys can collaborate and fill things in as you please.) Remember, you may be re-using these maps for future delves! So it is important to make good notes of obstacles and things you can't get to just yet.

*There will be a sort of company expedition journal that will go up on the Obsidian Portal page. What happens is after a session, folks who took notes on what happened that session can submit them on the forum for the campaign, also located on the obsidian portal page. The people who went on said expedition can vote on which one they like the best and that one gets entered into the company expedition log. If someone wasn't on that expedition, this is basically the only info they will get about the area you guys went to. They can watch the streams of course, but I'm hoping we can keep player knowledge and character knowledge a bit separate on this one.

All are welcome to attend. Not mandatory to make every session by any means. Looking to get parties to mix and match a bit to keep things fresh
Our first sessions are 2/28 and 3/2. We'd love for folks to come aboard and sign up!
Links below:
Roll20 Campaign link: Need this to be able to actually join the game on session nights: Click here
Obsidian Portal link: Need this to be able to RSVP for sessions and discuss/read about things: Click here
Discord link is here

I know GG put out a similar thing with 13th Age recently. I promise neither of us is trying to chomp on each other's flavor and if you are interested in both campaigns I encourage you to sign up for both.

If you have any questions at all, please let me know!

Video will be streamed here:

Archive video will be here:
www.youtube.com/ThatDnDPodcast
Audio ripped from said video will be here:
http://www.thatdndpodcast.com

Erin The Red on
«13456719

Posts

  • Options
    Grunt's GhostsGrunt's Ghosts Registered User regular
    To show my support for this, I'm thinking of a dwarf fighter. I got the book today so I'm flipping through it now!

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Oh right I forgot to say, I have a Google drive folder with the materials you will need for character sheets and whatnot

  • Options
    QuantumTurkQuantumTurk Registered User regular
    Hello hello. I'm a cleric . That's all I know right now.

  • Options
    DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    Working on a Dwarf Cleric... this game is separate from our previous campaign, right? I don't to write a bunch of shit about my god yet until I know.

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Working on a Dwarf Cleric... this game is separate from our previous campaign, right? I don't to write a bunch of shit about my god yet until I know.

    Totally new everything

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Hello hello. I'm a cleric . That's all I know right now.

    Welcome aboard! Can never have too many healers.

    Also a note to all reading, we are limited to the base classes at the moment but if certain quests are done and certain boxes are checked, there is very much the possibility of more classes opening up in the future!

  • Options
    OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    I look forward to waves of Teh Nu Hotness as we unlock stuff.

    "Good news everyone, we just got back from the spire and we found this cool book on OHGODWHYISEVERYONE ON FIRE".

    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • Options
    jdarksunjdarksun Struggler VARegistered User regular
    Yeah, mark me down for like a fighter or a ranger or a gunslinger or a leper or a grave robber or an abomination.

  • Options
    Grunt's GhostsGrunt's Ghosts Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    Jarl Darkiron
    latest?cb=20130628063857

    There are some who remember the Jarl as a lovable fighter. He was always the guy who threw the first punch in a bar fight, and normally the guy who threw the last. And afterwards, he'd buy people a drink. Fighting was his love, his passion. Many people would challenge him to contest of strength and might, and Jarl wouldn't back down...

    Then one day, a day that most drunks in Argent Springs still talk about today, someone called Jarl out to fight. But instead of his normal grin and cheerful acceptance for a fight, Jarl just knocked the guy out in a single punch, dropped a few coins, then walked out of the bar, not saying a single word. Then, according to those who followed him, he walked straight into the dungeon, alone, and wasn't heard from for years. Those who braved the dungeons would find rooms filled with different beasts and creatures, ripped apart and mutilated, piled high in different rooms. Closer looks revealed that the kneecaps of the creatures were missing. Then one group found Jarl deep iin a room fighting a Hydra. Instead of killing the beast outright, he did what no one would ever suggest one do, he keep ripping off the beast's heads. There were nearly a hundred heads floating around when the group stepped in and killed the Hydra. They nearly got killed themselves with Jarl attacked them. Thankfully, Jarl was tired and wasn't able to press his attack hard. The group took him down and out of the dungeon. It seemed that Jarl had lost his mind, and was fighting the monsters of the dungeon bare-handed. When asked why, he only replied "Because it's what I do. I fight. Nothing more, nothing less."

    Jarl looks like a madman, which he is. His eyes, once soft with joy, are now harden with some sort of dark realization that seems to haunt him. His hair had always been a bit unkept but now it's wild, and gray where it once was black. His body looks built for combat, but covered in scars from those fights. His hands are nearly talons, with long black nails and stained in blood. His outfit, for lack of better words, is bones, more importantly, kneecaps. No one is sure why he has started collecting kneecaps and no one has ever questioned it expecting a logical answer.

    Grunt's Ghosts on
  • Options
    EgosEgos Registered User regular
    How many players are you taking , TRV?

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Really there's no upper limit. I am capping each session at 6 people, but our player pool can be as big as needed to fit all interested

  • Options
    DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    Egos wrote: »
    How many players are you taking , TRV?

    Yes.
    The basic premise is a changing cast depending on who can make which session and what not. I don't think TRV has set an upper limit but it is larger than you'd expect.

    DevoutlyApathetic on
    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    I have been heartened by the response so far and want to emphasize for folks that if you have never played an RPG before that is totally fine.

    We can teach you! Also dungeon world is rather newbie friendly, I think. All you do is tell me what you want to do and we figure out what roll applies. Everything is 2d6+a modifier, save for weapon damage. That one is anywhere from d4 to d10

  • Options
    MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    I was a cool crazy cleric who survived living in Menanki before it was cool.

    But in all seriousness, super excited to see where these games go and how the company develops over time.

    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • Options
    QuantumTurkQuantumTurk Registered User regular
    Go go cleric riot. Which says something interesting about this apocalypse.

  • Options
    Grunt's GhostsGrunt's Ghosts Registered User regular
    "In the hardest of times, one should remember to remain steadfast with their believes in the Gods, who have not abandoned us. We must seek to honor their glories as we seek to undo the harm the heretics caused to our world!"

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    @QuantumTurk did you sign up on the obsidian portal page? I'm bad at matching forum names on occasion, hah

  • Options
    QuantumTurkQuantumTurk Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    Just did. Rules on non pregen races? I'm happy to just be a human or dwarf, just thought I'd ponder a bit on a different move, as having a wiz spell or talking to rocks does not feel like my dudes bag.

    Edit: or I think i did anyway. not sure if just being a "fan" is enough? Also tossed a char sheet up on the google drive. Sorry for the delay, was out of town.

    QuantumTurk on
  • Options
    AistanAistan Tiny Bat Registered User regular
    I... would like to try this. I don't know much about Dungeon World other than listening to season one of Friends at the Table. I do have a current D&D campaign i'm playing in, but the sort of roleplaying that requires compared to dungeon world is pretty different it seems.

  • Options
    DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    Aistan wrote: »
    I... would like to try this. I don't know much about Dungeon World other than listening to season one of Friends at the Table. I do have a current D&D campaign i'm playing in, but the sort of roleplaying that requires compared to dungeon world is pretty different it seems.

    Yup.

    We'll be gentle.
    We will not. We will make it fun though.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
  • Options
    QuantumTurkQuantumTurk Registered User regular
    DW is super easy. Don't worry about "moves", just say what your character does, the GM will let you know when to roll. Don't "I hack and slash the goblin" DO: "I charge the goblin, bringing my hammer around to clear it's head off its neck like a baseball from a tee" The ROLL is the same (probably) but it gives the GM a LOT more to work with (on a success: head flies off, maybe lands amongst others, scaring them, on a fail maybe I got too carried away and threw the hammer, maybe i swung myself around too hard and fell, maybe my focus let something else get behind me.)
    The other big non-intuitive thing I've seen from D&D/other rpg players is with tags. If a weapon is "fiery, dangerous" that does not mean it rolls extra damage or does double to trees or something defined, it's more about narrative positioning. A DM probably will let it be better against wood/flammable things. It probably also is a lot of trouble in a fight around objects you'd rather not burn up.

    Also I'd be down to run a session sometime after we get rolling a bit, unless you wanted to do them all (which is also fine!)

  • Options
    OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    Just remember that when they ask you "are you sure you want to do that?" the answer isn't yes.

    It's HELL YES

    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Just did. Rules on non pregen races? I'm happy to just be a human or dwarf, just thought I'd ponder a bit on a different move, as having a wiz spell or talking to rocks does not feel like my dudes bag.

    Edit: or I think i did anyway. not sure if just being a "fan" is enough? Also tossed a char sheet up on the google drive. Sorry for the delay, was out of town.

    Nah man no worries! Just didn't want you to miss out due to lack of RSVP or whatever.
    Doing standard classes for now but if you want an alternate race I can propose a move/perk related to that race and you can see if you want that?

    I think I sent you an invite just recently. Marking yourself as a fan lets me know to invite you at least :)

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Aistan wrote: »
    I... would like to try this. I don't know much about Dungeon World other than listening to season one of Friends at the Table. I do have a current D&D campaign i'm playing in, but the sort of roleplaying that requires compared to dungeon world is pretty different it seems.

    Season one of FatT will definitely get you on the right track. Austin is good at the things. But yes as stated above its more tell me narratively WHAT you want to do and we can figure out what roll sounds best to see if you pull it off.
    Also I'd be down to run a session sometime after we get rolling a bit, unless you wanted to do them all (which is also fine!)

    I am totally down for letting other folks run at some point. I figure I'll dm the first x amount so we can get a feel for the world and try and get a flow going and then once people settle into the rules and stuff I'm fine swapping out with folks. I already made a bard and she is ready to go and prove her worth!

  • Options
    NeoTomaNeoToma Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    Alright i'm fuckin in.
    When you say standard classes does that include Immolator, Barbarian and Arcane Duelist?

    edit: I think I'll go ranger with crows? get on some Odin shit

    NeoToma on
  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    edited February 2017
    NeoToma wrote: »
    Alright i'm fuckin in.
    When you say standard classes does that include Immolator, Barbarian and Arcane Duelist?

    edit: I think I'll go ranger with crows? get on some Odin shit

    PM me your email for an invite or favorite the obsidian portal campaign thing and i'll invite you that way!

    Also the immolator etc aren't available yet. Just the stuff that came with the original DW printing. Those 3 i think were FROM the same folks but came out later so those are the first... stretch goal?

    Erin The Red on
  • Options
    SutibunRiSutibunRi Montreal, Quebec, CanadaRegistered User regular
    This sounds like fun, I see many clerics, but a distinct lack of playing with forces beyond the ken of mortal men, so, I'll be a wizard!
    Now to figure out chargen.

  • Options
    AistanAistan Tiny Bat Registered User regular
    Trying to think of what kind of character i'd want to play. Maybe paladin? Would be kind of fun playing a person who feels like the world is shitty enough that we can't go around making it worse for each other... but if anyone does break the rules all bets are off and there's no sense taking them in and wasting resources on keeping someone like that in prison where they aren't contributing.

    I'm not sure what to do with the flags though.

    I think I signed up for this obsidian portal thing correctly and favorited it, profile there should be the same name as on here.

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    SutibunRi wrote: »
    This sounds like fun, I see many clerics, but a distinct lack of playing with forces beyond the ken of mortal men, so, I'll be a wizard!
    Now to figure out chargen.
    The Wizard
    Dungeon World has rules. Not the laws of men or the rule of some petty tyrant. Bigger, better rules. You drop something—it falls. You can’t make something out of nothing. The dead stay dead, right?

    Oh, the things we tell ourselves to feel better about the long, dark nights.

    You’ve spent so very long poring over those tomes of yours. Conducting experiments that nearly drove you mad and casting summonings that endangered your very soul. For what? For power. What else is there? Not just the power of King or Country but the power to boil a man’s blood in his veins. To call on the thunder of the sky and the churn of the roiling earth. To shrug off the rules the world holds so dear.

    Let them cast their sidelong glances. Let them call you “warlock” or “diabolist.” Who among them can hurl fireballs from their eyes?

    Yeah. Didn’t think so.
    http://www.dungeonworldsrd.com/classes/wizard/#Spellbook

    Fill out that first page for wizard and then pick 2 level 1 spells to have alongside your cantrips

    PM me if you need any help!

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Aistan wrote: »
    Trying to think of what kind of character i'd want to play. Maybe paladin? Would be kind of fun playing a person who feels like the world is shitty enough that we can't go around making it worse for each other... but if anyone does break the rules all bets are off and there's no sense taking them in and wasting resources on keeping someone like that in prison where they aren't contributing.

    I'm not sure what to do with the flags though.

    I think I signed up for this obsidian portal thing correctly and favorited it, profile there should be the same name as on here.

    Flags are things that your other party members can trigger that sort of emphasize aspects of your character. Like for my bard:

    Self-conscious--Give me a chance to play my music for you so that you can judge it later

    Young, Scrappy, and Hungry--Convince me to partake in a dangerous plan under promise of fame and possible riches

    Basically it's a little roleplaying prompt that encourages other folks to engage with you. There's a better explanation on the campaign forums if that helps any?

  • Options
    NeoTomaNeoToma Registered User regular
    Tags:
    Grizzled -
    Stupid like a fox-
    Vain -

  • Options
    RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    Creepy shapeshifter, I mean Druid, reporting in

    What do I need to do to get on the Obsidian Portal page and such?

    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Ringo wrote: »
    Creepy shapeshifter, I mean Druid, reporting in

    What do I need to do to get on the Obsidian Portal page and such?

    make an OP account, and then click the link on the top post and favorite the campaign and i'll toss you an invite

  • Options
    BotznoyBotznoy Registered User regular
    I am interested but not totally sure of the mechanics of how it would work/be run?

    IZF2byN.jpg

    Want to play co-op games? Feel free to hit me up!
  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Botznoy wrote: »
    I am interested but not totally sure of the mechanics of how it would work/be run?

    We would be playing via the website roll20
    It's got the virtual tabletop and webcam/mic stuff built in. Dice rolls and chat and all are built in so that part is covered. I have PDFs of materials that you'll have access to when/if you decide to join

    Character introductions and planning and RSVPing will be done via obsidian portal

    We currently have like 20 people? And will pick up to six of them per session to come on an adventure of their choosing from a job board that I will be adding to.

    Does that answer things? If you have any more questions feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer!

  • Options
    AistanAistan Tiny Bat Registered User regular
    Ahahah goddammit.

    I accidentally created Emma from The Last Remnant.

    Oh well.

  • Options
    BotznoyBotznoy Registered User regular
    It sounds super cool, I'll deffo take an interest. Now to have a read through of the manuals!

    IZF2byN.jpg

    Want to play co-op games? Feel free to hit me up!
  • Options
    SutibunRiSutibunRi Montreal, Quebec, CanadaRegistered User regular
    I'm seeing so many things I could do with this character in the future, just in the context of how he could be extremely useful to the adventuring company as an organization.
    Ethereal Tether
    When you have time with a willing or helpless subject you can craft an ethereal tether with them. You perceive what they perceive and can discern realities about someone tethered to you or their surroundings no matter the distance. Someone willingly tethered to you can communicate with you over the tether as if you were in the room with them.


    Basically the wizard would have live video feeds for all/some of the people, but everyone else would just have radio contact with the Wizard? (Trust would be a big issue here, who wants to let Big Brother see everything they see?)

    At low levels, provides information on if the mission is going sideways, so as to get a rescue mission/body retrieval team sent out right away rather than days later.
    Combine it with the 7th level spell Shadow Walk for instant travel to the mission group with backup/body bags.
    or with the 9th level spell Perfect Summons to pull one person from the mission group out of danger, or someone not on the mission into it.

    But I'm struggling to figure out a backstory and good Flags. I tend to have trouble figuring out character personalities until boots have hit the ground.

  • Options
    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    That's understandable!
    For that ethereal tether thing I would probably Houserule it if it wasn't that way already that it would act similarly to an ongoing spell where you could have one tether going at a time. Or maybe establishing others would be increasingly difficult rolls or something. But that's a later level advanced move so we have time to figure that out

  • Options
    SutibunRiSutibunRi Montreal, Quebec, CanadaRegistered User regular
    My initial reading of ethereal tether was with the idea it was one tether at a time, due to noting the limit on Telepathy.
    The lack of stated limit kinda let my imagination run wild.
    In the cold light of day, I'd dare say the second someone became indispensable in a non-combat position such as the envisioned Big Brother, there would be pressure to avoid doing risky things like dungeon delve.
    It's probably more of an NPC role than a PC one.

Sign In or Register to comment.