[Ryuutama] There and Back Again
Darth Luke Picard
Of the U.S.S. ExecutorRegistered User regular
Of the U.S.S. ExecutorRegistered User regular
Welcome to my thread for Ryuutama, the "Natural Fantasy RPG". What the hell does that mean, you might be asking? Well, it means that it is a game about travelling, exploring, and dealing with the spirits of nature. Also fighting monsters, and being poisoned and injured and potentially falling off a cliff on your way to the next town, but hey, no one said walking was a walk in the park!
So, yeah. Ryuutama is a game where ordinary people travel in an innately magical world, for the sake of preserving that same world. For you see, the world was born from four Dragons, and their decesdents continue to be what make the world go round, and these dragons are not sustained on the flesh of mortals or mountains of gold, but instead they must feed on the tales of adventure and interesting things.
As such, it is a tradition in this world that every man, woman, and child, will at some point go on a capital-J Journey that lasts between 1 and 2 years. This period of travel is fully supported by the community, who will protect your home, family, and job while you are away helping to keep the world spinning (or floating. Or sailing. Its complicated.)
But this is not the story of heroes destined to save the world, though that can potentially happen (and the world is far from safe). Instead it is the story of ordinary people who have decided it is their time to undertake a Journey beyond their previously limited lives, and see the wonders that await them out in the great wide world.
Players can choose from one of 7 classes mixed with one of 3 Types to create their unique character. This is not a game with massive skill lists and hundreds of feats--instead, it is about a very few things and the people who now how to do them. The most detailed bits are the magic, which are drawn from the four Seasons, but tapping in to the magic of this world does not make you anything close to a mighty wizard who will outshine your Cobbler travelling companion.
Additionally, one of the unique things about the system is that the GM gets a character as well, who levels up along with the PCs. The interesting bit is that if a GM uses the same "Ryuujin" with different groups, it actually is the same being and continues to grow. A GM can actually have a stable of Ryuujins that can show up to observe the party during different parts of their journey, greatly effecting the type of tale that ends up being told.
I'm looking for 3-5 players interested in taking a Journey. If you don't end up enjoying the system, that's alright! You can hop out whenever you'd like (though I'd appreciate you waiting until a town is reached just for the sake of immersion, that shouldn't be very long, and obviously its not a requirement if you're not having fun!).
If you're interested, please go ahead and !signup and start thinking of a character. We will be building the details of the world together as a group, so your characters don't have to be fully fleshed out just yet.
If you'd like a copy of the game, you can get a pdf from Drivethrurpg for $14 Right Here. But it isn't required, and I can supply the needed information to anyone who wants to play without the book.
Right now I've just got the basic summaries of the classes up, but I'll have more detailed bits up soon (once I know if they'll be needed, or if everyone who signs up ends up with the book) So right now, feel free to just think about your character in general terms, but if you have specific questions about a class skill or mechanic, feel free to ask!
Classes!
Minstrel
A traveler among travelers, minstrels trek from town to town while showing off their skills in song or dance. The Minstrel has various skills that can support the party in a variety of situations.
* Skill: Well-Traveled; Knowledge of Traditions; Music
Merchant
Traveling tradespeople who exchange goods from various locales for gold and jewels. Merchants have skills that allow them to buy goods for cheap and sell them for a higher price. They are also good at negotiation using conversational skills.
* Skill: Well-spoken; Animal Owner; Trader
Hunter
Workers who make their living amidst nature, using wisdom and technology to shoot down their prey. Hunters are able to find food in any land or climate while en route to their destination. They can even eat monsters.
* Skills: Animal Tracking; Trapping; Hunting
Healer
Medics who earn respect from everyone by curing illness and healing injuries with herbs. You’ll want to make sure you have a Healer with you if you are traveling through potentially dangerous lands.
* Skills: Healing; First-Aid; Herb Gathering
Farmer
Workers who live in harmony with the providence of nature. In order to procure their food, they’ve got to set their hand to a number of different tasks, giving them practice with a single skill from another class.
* Skills: Robust; Animal Owner; Side-job
Artisan
Craftsmen who make useful things, beautiful things, delicious things, and other varieties of items. Artisans are able to fix things that break along the way to their destination. They can also create the everyday objects they need.
* Skills: Trapping; Crafting; Repair
Note: You are a particular type of craftsman, specializing in one of the following: Weapons, Armor, Shoes, Capes, Staves, Hats, Accessories, Food, Sundries, Camping Equipment, or Containers.
Noble
A member of a noble house, they are accomplished in both the literary and military arts, and have been instructed in correct etiquette. However, nobles are not quite suited to outdoor life and are not very good at traveling.
* Skills: Etiquette; Refined Education; Weapon Grace
A traveler among travelers, minstrels trek from town to town while showing off their skills in song or dance. The Minstrel has various skills that can support the party in a variety of situations.
* Skill: Well-Traveled; Knowledge of Traditions; Music
Merchant
Traveling tradespeople who exchange goods from various locales for gold and jewels. Merchants have skills that allow them to buy goods for cheap and sell them for a higher price. They are also good at negotiation using conversational skills.
* Skill: Well-spoken; Animal Owner; Trader
Hunter
Workers who make their living amidst nature, using wisdom and technology to shoot down their prey. Hunters are able to find food in any land or climate while en route to their destination. They can even eat monsters.
* Skills: Animal Tracking; Trapping; Hunting
Healer
Medics who earn respect from everyone by curing illness and healing injuries with herbs. You’ll want to make sure you have a Healer with you if you are traveling through potentially dangerous lands.
* Skills: Healing; First-Aid; Herb Gathering
Farmer
Workers who live in harmony with the providence of nature. In order to procure their food, they’ve got to set their hand to a number of different tasks, giving them practice with a single skill from another class.
* Skills: Robust; Animal Owner; Side-job
Artisan
Craftsmen who make useful things, beautiful things, delicious things, and other varieties of items. Artisans are able to fix things that break along the way to their destination. They can also create the everyday objects they need.
* Skills: Trapping; Crafting; Repair
Note: You are a particular type of craftsman, specializing in one of the following: Weapons, Armor, Shoes, Capes, Staves, Hats, Accessories, Food, Sundries, Camping Equipment, or Containers.
Noble
A member of a noble house, they are accomplished in both the literary and military arts, and have been instructed in correct etiquette. However, nobles are not quite suited to outdoor life and are not very good at traveling.
* Skills: Etiquette; Refined Education; Weapon Grace
Types!
Attack Type
You're adept at fighting and are naturally tough.
* +4 HP, +1 damage, 1 additional Mastered Weapon
Technical Type
You have great focus and excel at overcoming adverse circumstances.
* +1 bonus to Concentration, +1 Initiative, +3 Carrying Capacity
Magic Type
You are magical! You can tap into both Seasonal and Incantation Magics.
* +4 MP, Acquire 2 Incantation spells per level, Acquire Seasonal Magic.
You're adept at fighting and are naturally tough.
* +4 HP, +1 damage, 1 additional Mastered Weapon
Technical Type
You have great focus and excel at overcoming adverse circumstances.
* +1 bonus to Concentration, +1 Initiative, +3 Carrying Capacity
Magic Type
You are magical! You can tap into both Seasonal and Incantation Magics.
* +4 MP, Acquire 2 Incantation spells per level, Acquire Seasonal Magic.
Basic Character Idea sheet!
Name:
Gender:
Age:
Class:
Type:
Image Color: (this can be a character's favorite color, or merely a color that they always seem to be wearing even if it isn't on purpose).
Outward Appearance:
Hometown:
Reason for Journeying:
Personality:
Other Details:
Gender:
Age:
Class:
Type:
Image Color: (this can be a character's favorite color, or merely a color that they always seem to be wearing even if it isn't on purpose).
Outward Appearance:
Hometown:
Reason for Journeying:
Personality:
Other Details:
Darth Luke Picard on
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Posts
Average [d6, d6, d6, d6]
Standard [d4, d6, d6, d8]
Specialized [d4, d4, d8, d8]
You may assign the dice in the selected layout in any way to your character's 4 stats, which are:
Strength (STR), which dictates HP and Carrying Capacity, it effects rolls with most melee weapons, and contributes to your daily Condition and movement.
Dexterity (DEX), which influences rolls with small melee weapons and all ranged weapons, as well as your Initiative, Movement, and Camping.
Intelligence (INT), which influences Initiative, Direction and Camping checks, as well as things like knowledge and perception rolls.
Spirit (SPR), which dictates MP and influences your daily Condition and the casting of spells.
Your HP will be: STR x 2
Your MP will be SPR x 2
Your Carrying Capacity will be STR + 3
You get all 3 starting abilities from your class, as well as 1 Mastered Weapon, which is, basically, a weapon you are comfortable using. Using a weapon you have not "mastered" results in your character losing 1 HP with every attack. You'll get a free weapon from your Mastered Weapon category.[/b]
Classes!
Well-Traveled - +1 to Journey Checks (Travel/Direction/Camping Checks. Always in Effect.)
Knowledge of Tradition - You can get more information about things you see and hear. Roll [INT + INT] to remember something about something from old songs or legends you know.
Music - Once per scenario you may choose one terrain or weather type you are currently traveling through and gain a song about it. For example, a character in a rainy grassland might learn "Rain Song" or "Ballad of the Grassland", but not "Desert Rumba". You may later use the song only if it matches the specific condition in which it was acquired: for example, "Rain Song" cann be used anytime it is raining. You can name your song whatever you like.
Performing the song gives all party members a +1 bonus to their next roll. Critical: +3 Bonus. Fumble: Any PCs with Condition of 6 or less gain the [Muddled: 6] status effect. Roll [DEX + SPI] against TN of the Topography. Each use reduces the Minstrel's HP by 1.
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Merchant
Well-Spoken - Negotiation Checks [INT + SPI] get +1. Always in effect.
Animal Owner - Normally a PC may have a single animal without having to worry about how to feed and water it. Merchants may have 2 additional animals without paying food or water.
Trader - You may buy items at a reduced price or sell items at an increased value when welling/buying 4 or more at the same time. Roll [INT + SPI]
Results: 10% Adjustment (6-7), 20% Adjustment (8-9), 40% Adjustment (10-13), 60% Adjustment (14-17), 80% Adjustment (18+)
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Hunter
Animal Tracking - Find a monster's/animal's location. +1 bonus to damage against what you find. Roll [STR + INT] against a TN of the Topography.
Trapping - Harvest materials from a defeated animal/monster. Roll [DEX + INT] against a TN of Monster Level x2.
Hunting - Receive a number of rations equal to Check result - TN, but you cannot participate in the Camping Check. Critcal: All food is Delicious. Fumble: Afflicted by [Injury: 6]. Usable once per day. Roll [DEX + INT] vs Topography.
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Healer
Healing - Target character recovers HP equal to the result of [INT + SPI]. During combat, recover only the result of [INT] (just 1 die). Uses 1 Healing Herb and 1 day's water ration.
First Aid - Relieve a character's status effect for 1 hour. Then, reduce that status effect's strength permanently by a number equal to the Healer's level. Roll [INT + SPI] vs a TN of the Status effect's strength. Can only be used on a character once per day.
Herb Gathering - Find a single Healing Herb. Critical: Find 3. Fumble: Afflicted with [Poison: 6]. Can only be done once per day. Roll [STR + INT] vs Topography. Herbs found depend on terrain. Herbs are only good for a single day, unless you use a disposable herb bottle to keep it fresh for up to a week.
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Farmer
Robust - +1 bonus to Condition Checks. +3 bonus to Carrying Capacity.
Animal Owner - Normally a PC may have a single animal without having to worry about how to feed and water it. Merchants may have 2 additional animals without paying food or water.
Side-Job - You may take a skill from another class, with a -1 penalty.
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Artisan
Trapping - Harvest materials from a defeated animal/monster. Roll [DEX + INT] against a TN of Monster Level x2.
Crafting - Make an item from your specialization. (Weapons, Armor, Shoes, Capes, Staves, Hats, Accessories, Food, Sundries, Camping Equipment, Containers). Requires 1 day per size of the item, and 1/2 the gold cost of the item (or appropriate materials equaling as much). Roll [STR + DEX] vs a TN depending on the cost of the item. 6 (100g or less), 8 (1000G or less), 10 (10,000g or less), 14 (100,000g or less), 18 (More).
Trail Cooking Skill - Only available if Food is your specialization. Upgrade the taste of the rations of a number of party members equal to (Check Result - TN). The taste improves in order from: Gross Rations -> Rations -> Delicious Rations. Critical: All party members participating in the meal gain a reroll on the next days Condition Check. Fumble: All party members participating in the meal that roll less than 6 on the next day's Condition Check suffer the condition [Tired 6].
Used just before eating rations in the wild. Roll [STR + DEX] vs Topography. Before the Skill Check is rolled, a number of rations equal to the number of people eating is consumed. (So, uses double rations)
Repair - Repair an item and return its durability to its original value. Requires 1 day per size of the item, and 10% of the gold cost (or appropriate materials). Same TN as Crafting.
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Noble
Etiquette - Leave a positive impression on someone of high rank or status. Roll [DEX + INT] contested.
Refined Education - Know detailed information about the things you see or hear. Roll [INT + INT] to call upon your education.
Weapon Grace - Choose Blade/Polearm/Bow; it becomes an additional Mastered Weapon. If chosen category is already a Mastered Weapon, gain +1 bonus to Accuracy Checks. (You gain this weapon for free as well as your initial weapon).
Types!
You're adept at fighting and are naturally tough.
* +4 HP, +1 damage, 1 additional Mastered Weapon
Technical Type
You have great focus and excel at overcoming adverse circumstances.
* +1 bonus to Concentration, +1 Initiative, +3 Carrying Capacity
Magic Type
You are magical! You can tap into both Seasonal and Incantation Magics.
* +4 MP, Acquire 2 Incantation spells per level, Acquire Seasonal Magic.
Weapons!
Light Blade: dagger, short sword, wakizashi, etc.
Accuracy: [DEX + INT] +1
Damage: [INT] -1
An accurate but weak weapon. 1-handed
Blade: broadsword, rapier, katana, etc.
Accuracy: [DEX + STR]
Damage: [STR]
A weapon with good balance between accuracy and damage. 1-handed
Polearm: longspear, trident, lance, etc.
Accuracy: [DEX + STR]
Damage: [STR] +1
A weapon with high damage. 2-handed
Axe: battleaxe, greataxe, etc. (Though, we can also make an identical category for big blunt weapons as well. We'll just call it Hammer.)
Accuracy: [STR + STR] -1
Damage: [STR]
A weapon with poor accuracy but which takes advantage of the bearer’s strength. 2-handed
Bow: shortbow, longbow, crossbow, slingshot, etc.
Accuracy: [INT + DEX] -2
Damage: [DEX]
Can attack from long range, but has poor accuracy. 2-handed
Unarmed: unarmed combat, using a stick, etc.
Accuracy: [DEX + STR]
Damage: [STR] -2 (Using an improvised weapon makes this -1 instead)
Attempting to fight without a weapon. Uses both hands.
Magics!
Examples of basic magic for the 4 Seasons:
Spring Magic can wake the sleeping, heal, grow flowers, or even "beautify" someone temporarily.
Summer Magic can improve Condition, entangle people in thorns, or distract spellcasters with the sound of crickets.
Fall Magic can summon a pile of dead leaves, raise a Harvest Moon to clear the weather, make someone weep, or even preserve food.
Winter Magic can summon a block of ice or a flurry of snowballs, it can protect someone from Mental afflictions, or even put someone to sleep.
Full info sent to the players!
Item Modifiers & Specialty Goods!
Characteristic (Cost) - Modifier Effect/Explanation
Cute (x2) - The shape or color is cute
Beautiful (x2) - The shape or color is beautiful
Sturdy (x3) - The item’s durability is doubled
High Quality (x5) - Weapons: Accuracy +1, armor: +1 defense, others items: +1 to item bonus
Used (x0.8) - The item’s durability is 0.8 x its original value
Gross (x0.8) - The sight of it makes you uncomfortable
Uncool (x0.8) - Old, or made with poor style sense
Smelly (x0.7) - Has a horrible smell that doesn’t come off, even after washing
Cursed (x0.5) - The user suffers a -1 penalty to Condition checks every day
Broken (x0.5) - Unusable until fixed
Mythril (x10) - Reduce armor penalties by 1, size value is -2 due to lightness, durability automatically starts at 5
Orichalcum (x50) - Will never break. If worn, Max HP and MP +2
Specialty Goods
These are goods that are regional specialties. When you buy these items in a town, you may resell them at a full price in another town.
Small Goods - 100g - Size 1 - Jewels, accessory, spices, etc.
Medium Goods - 500g - Size 3 - Fruits, Vegetables, Crafts, etc.
Large Goods - 1000g - Size 5 - Furniture, woodworking, etc.
Resolution Mechanics!
If you roll double 1's, that's a Fumble and you fail spectacularly. However, everyone (including the Fumbler) gains a Fumble Point, which can be used to boost a later roll.
If you roll double 6's or max on both dice (so, a 4 on a d4 and an 8 on a d8, for example), that is a Crit, and you succeed with extra awesomeness.
Additionally, any character may Concentrate on a roll to gain a +1 Modifier. The cost is either Half your current mana, rounded up, or 1 Fumble Point. Concentration can't be used on Condition Checks, Initiative Checks, Damage Checks.
I do not have the book yet (though I may pick it up in when I get paid next week), but I have been incredibly interested in this game since hearing about the Kickstarter (only too late, as is often my luck!)
I have an idea for a character, looking over the classes--a kindly old chef, who has come to see the magic of the world through his cooking (so a Magical Type Artisan with a focus in food).
A lumberjack Farmer with a big axe sounds like fun.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
I'd love to give the system a shot. Will give the book a look-over soon as I have a spare moment but a Hunter looking for the perfect place to found a new town seems like a fun character.
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
@Mayabird Do you think you'll be able to be reasonably active? The game is fairly heavily RP-focused, so if you're not around for it, it might not work too well. That's my only concern.
@jdarksun @Mayabird @Marshmallow @OptimusZed @Grunt's Ghosts @Dex Dynamo I updated the 2nd post with more character creation info. Still need to get more detailed spell info, but that'll have to wait til tomorrow, along with the class abilities.
Oh, also, something I forgot in the initial basic character idea sheet, is think of a Personal Item. Try not to have it be anything actually useful, unless its the weapon you're getting for free. Just something that means something to your character that they'll be bringing with them on the trip.
There Are Far More Paths Than Destinations
For every road that leads somewhere important, there is an additional number of inexplicable "scenic" routes that don't seem to serve any practical purpose at all. It is a wise traveler who heeds their maps and the warnings of locals closely, and takes care to stick to the trusted paths, but those brave travelers who take the road less traveled may sometimes find their efforts rewarded in both mundane and mysterious ways.
Name: Edmund Kristoff
Gender: Male
Age: 60
Class: Artisan (Food) (Trapping; Crafting; Repair)
Type: Magic Type
Image Color: Caramel Brown
Outward Appearance: Very tall but with a big ol' pot belly. Gray hair tucked behind a hairnet at all times. Clean-shaven. Thick laugh lines across his face. Big beaming smile.
Hometown: Dinsel, a small port town known for its annual week-long swap meet.
Reason for Journeying: To taste the foods of the world, and to bring back treats and jokes for the little ones back home.
Personality: Warm. A jokester, but in a corny, grandfatherly way. Regularly performs sleight-of-hand magic tricks in his downtime. Can be a bit of a snob around cocktails. Sees the best in people--sometimes a bit too readily.
Other Details: Did not discover magic until very late in life. He considered it above his station, until he happened upon a spellbook, whereupon he learned that a magic spell written out in a spellbook is just another kind of recipe.
Strength: d4
Dexterity: d8
Intelligence: d6
Spirit: d6
HP: 8
MP: 16
Carrying Capacity: 7
Mastered Weapon: Light Blade (Hunting Knife)
Personal item: A deck of lovingly-crafted playing cards. He likes to claim they're magical, but that's just an excuse for card tricks.
Skills: Trapping, Crafting (Food), Trail Cooking, Repair
Seasonal Alignment: Fall
Incantations: Arrow Compass, Tastegood Taste
And for a world detail:
There is Power in the Old Ways
There is some small amount of technology in the world. There is steam and electricity in some of the larger cities, there are select, simplistic mechanical conveniences people have access to (left purposefully vague but nothing too advanced). But these conveniences are pointedly left behind when undertaking a Journey--because, it is said, the Dragons find they have a way of sapping the energy from stories. There is a power implicit in following tradition, and in adding your unique footprint to a path walked by many throughout history.
I'll try to have a character submission up as soon as possible.
Edit: Or rather I will if you get a space open.
@Dex Dynamo love the character! Don't forget your +4 MP from being a Magic type!
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Class: Minstrel
Type: Attack
Image Color: Forest Green
Outward Appearance: Blue eyes, blonde hair worn medium-long, red feathered cap, green tunic, red breeches, yellow traveling boots, and brown cloak; though Chris is a walking color riot, he is not flamboyant in attitude, preferring instead a quiet smile and plucking a calm, roving tune on his harp. Wears a rapier at his hip.
Hometown: Damcyan
Reason for Journeying: Wanderlust. Chris wants to see the whole world if he can.
Personality: Quiet and introverted around strangers, a bit more open around those he considers his friends.
Other Details: The son and one heir of a noble, Chris doesn't want that life and instead has run away to see the world.
STR: d6
DEX: d6
INT: d8
SPR: d4
(not sure if musicianship is dex or int)
HP: 12
MP: 8
CC: 9
Skills: Well-Traveled; Knowledge of Traditions; Music
Mastered Weapon: Light Blade (rapier? epee? foil?)
Personal item: A fine harp, and a rigid carrying case for it.
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Class: Hunter (Animal Tracking; Trapping; Hunting)
Type: Technical (+1 bonus to Concentration, +1 Initiative, +3 Carrying Capacity)
Image Color: Orange
Hometown: Shuzma, a frontier village that got along very poorly with neighboring settlements.
Reason for Journeying: To find a suitable tract of wilderness to attempt establishing a new town.
Personality: Deliberate. His tempo may be slow and steady, but he has a powerful desire to learn new things and demonstrate his strengths. His eagerness to boast and challenge is tempered by consideration for others, but when he meets someone who shares his passions their friendly arguments might go on and on for hours.
Other Details: He has a deep respect and admiration for those with hard-won skills earned through direct experience, especially if they deal with creating new things or working with one's hands. On the other side of the coin, he dismisses most forms of book learning and classroom teaching as a waste of time. Even though he maintains a detailed journal of his own findings and travels, he only keeps them for his own benefit, and can't imagine that anyone else would ever find them useful.
Strength: d6
Dexterity: d6
Intelligence: d8
Spirit: d4
HP: 12
MP: 8
Carrying Capacity: 12
Mastered Weapon: Bow (A simple hunting bow)
Personal item: An old, unreadable coin. Little more than a corroded disc of metal the size of a flattened bottlecap.
We Final Fantasy Now:
18 gold in wallet, 200 contributed to group funds.
We might have enough interest here for a second game. I'll dig into the rules more tonight.
If there is ever a dearth of players in the distant future I might reevaluate whether or not I want to make a character, though.
@Mayabird @Marshmallow @OptimusZed @Grunt's Ghosts @Dex Dynamo
Once we get basic character's created, then we can do shopping.
While we're waiting, lets make the world-building Official! Anyone can answer these, or you can go fully collaborative. But I'd like everyone to contribute something to World History. Also, feel free to answer questions that aren't on this list. Already loving that the world has many pointless paths, and is also decently advanced, but puts it aside it for the sake of tradition and The Journey.
World Name - What is the world called?
Shape of the World - What is the physical shape of the world? Is it a disc? Is it the inside of a hollow world? A tower? On the back of a space-turtle-dragon?
World History - What are some major events that have occurred in this world?
Representative Countries - What are a couple of major nations in this world and what are they like?
World Enigma - Is there any great mystery in the world? No solution needed, just something like "Legend says there are 88 treasures hidden throughout the world." or "No one knows what lies beyond the great wall at the edge of the world."
If you want to go wild with the shape of the world, you could have the world literally be a giant space tree. The major nations are on the enormous center trunk and everyone knows the world is cylindrical. If you travel around one direction, far enough, you end up the place you came from, but the others you go out to the branches or roots. If you dig far enough down you hit the bark (which isn't wood as on regular trees but kinda similar), strange sap emerges from deep crevices, but the surface still seems, well, planet-like, with hills and lakes and rivers and such. It's like the rain forest trees that have so much growth on them that they end up being covered with soil from decaying plant matter, only it's a much, much larger tree.
@jdarksun That puts you in. And in regards to your rapier, they're classified by the book as Blades, using STR + DEX, with STR for damage. But I think that's just due to its length and nothing to do with its actual characteristics as a weapon. So, if you'd like to run it as a Light Blade, I'm totally cool with that, which makes it DEX + INT + 1, with INT - 1 for damage. Up to you. Also, being Attack Type gives you a 2nd Mastered weapon.
And when I was talking about "giant world tree" I mean truly enormous, like traveling a circuit around the circumference to get back to where you started could still be a thousand kilometers/miles/whatever long-distance measurement system, so a substantial Journey to get back to where you started. Someone who had been all the way around could be nicknamed a Ringer...assuming we wanted to go down this path. I have other lore in mind if people want to do this.
So then, if you follow a path and it suddenly ends, maybe it knows something you don't, and there's something big and valuable hidden in the wilderness ahead.
World History: The Grand Accord
Long ago, the nations of the world all met and attempted to hammer out some rules and regulations that all could agree on and abide by, especially in terms of diplomacy, the travels of their citizens, environmental concerns, and so on and so forth.
Though no one nation can agree on exactly who did what, somehow things did not go as smoothly as hoped, and only about half the attending nations were able to agree on any terms, the rest vowing to go their own way and do things by their own methods.
Though no actual hostilities have resulted yet, as might be expected the relationships between countries that have and have not accepted the Accord are strained. The members of the Grand Accord are often concerned about the aggression and wild ways of the unaffiliated nations, and the self-named "free" nations are on the permanent lookout for undue Accord influence in their territory, or even fearful that the According nations will one day band together and force them to all accept the Accord one by one.
Tolly's hometown, Shuzma, is part of one of the countries that abides by the Grand Accord. A major reason the frontier town gets along so poorly with the neighboring towns is because it has far more in common with the adjacent nation of Cloehark, a wild-west-esque collection of settlements that are not members of the Accord.
(For the group and game, it could be that the Grand Accord is a villainous, bullying empire, or an enlightened bastion of culture and tolerance, and the "free" nations might be filled with opportunistic thugs and brigands who are a constant thorn in the side of the civilized nations, or perhaps they are a loose collection of individualistic nations that value freedom of choice and their traditional ways, content to live-and-let-live so long as others do them the same courtesy. Or of course anything else in between.)
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Class: Farmer (Bonus skill: Weapon Grace; Axe)
Type: Attack
Image Color: Red
Outward Appearance: A huge, bearded man with tan skin and growing gray streaks at his temples. His clothing is that of a practical woodsman, with tough breeches and boots under an oddly checkered shirt and hat.
Reason for Journeying: The search for his father, a nearly legendary figure in Sean's home town who left sometime shortly after his birth.
Personality: Outwardly serious, but prone to outlandish behavior when the mood strikes. Takes great pride in his skills as a lumberjack and will accept any challenge that tests his skills, no matter how ridiculous. Sean is boisterous and gregarious, but has few close friends.
Other Details: Sean's bravado masks a gnawing fear that when he finally finds his wayward father he will somehow disappoint him. His mother, a very outgoing person herself, loves to tell the legends of her husband to the other villagers and enjoys the prestige she gains from it, but she never honestly expects the man to be found. Fierce winters and natural disasters have convinced her that her husband cannot possibly be alive, and she attempted to forbid Sean from leaving to look for him.
Game stuff, I think.
Dex: d6
Int: d4
Spi: d6
HP: 20
MP: 12
Mastered Weapons: Axe (+1 acc), Polearm
Woodsman's Axe: [d8+d8], d8+1 dmg
Carrying Capacity: 14
Skills: Robust; Animal Owner, Weapon Grace (Axe)
Gear: 13/14
Basic Kit (150/3)
Axe (Free)
Sturdy Clothing (Free)
Wollen Hat (200/1)
Rations x10 (100/10)
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
As a party, it's suggested you buy a pack animal anyway. I hope you can convince everyone to let it be an ox. :P
World History: Fifty years ago, the town of Sin Kefri sank into the earth. No one knows why, or how. It just... sank, like a ship with a leaky hull. There was no mudslide, no crevasse, and afterwards, the land looked like no one had ever settled there. People have questioned and investigated ever since, but no one has been able to come to a conclusion.
Representative Country: One of the great centerpieces of the Great Accord, Valsor, the "land of Academies," is a country defined by its educational hierarchies. Everything about your station in life is determined by the degrees on your wall. This creates a double-edged sword--people stay in school for decades, producing volumes of knowledge and discoveries to share out with the world at large, but also creates an extremely high-stress environment within schools, as students clamor and claw for higher positions and better grades and recommendations. Many people move out of Valsor strictly because they cannot handle the competition and backstabbing involved in being a student.
* * *
A little world detail:
Guidebooks: Some of the larger nations and city-states, past and present, have produced guidebooks for those on their Journey, some for their own inhabitants and some for them and visitors. They can range from a glorified pamphlet with rough sketches of maps and a few notes about locations to leatherbound tomes that list nearly everything one could need to know about living off the land and traveling. Many travelers go without, but guidebooks often make excellent souvenirs, and it's not uncommon for someone to visit an area, carrying a battered guidebook from decades or a century earlier, looking to visit places that intrigued them.
I don't want it to be a strategy guide cheat sheet sort of thing, and the group can decide not to use them, but I figure that if everybody goes on a Journey there'd be interest in printing things like this. Part tourist guide, part "this is how to do first aid when you don't have a healer and DO NOT EAT THESE BERRIES!" Out of date guides for more distant lands seem like they'd be the most potentially amusing - what if they had part of a book about Sin Kefri that was printed seventy years ago? "Their tall walls that sparkle even at night sound magnificent! We should go see them!"
World Name - "Sakura" is what it is called now by many since the end of the Dragon Wars, but that is not its true name.
Shape of the World
It is known that where dragons choose to dwell, their element follows. Should a Desert Dragon come to take up residence in a new land, soon heat and sands will follow, just as the earth and rock will rise up as a Mountain Dragon settles down. Legend says that the world was once a perfect sphere, but as both dragons and men grew more common, it became a crowded place. This lead to the Dragon Wars, where foolish, fearful men waged war to be masters of their world. But as death came to both sides, the world itself began to die, and eventually the wisest of the human race sought peace with the Seasonal Dragons, and so it came to be.
But there was great mistrust among the lesser dragons, and they decided to leave the world of men as far as they could. The dragons of earth, of the Wastelands, and Alpine, and Cliffs migrated south, while the dragons of green things and the sky moved north. Over the thousands of years that have passed, they changed the very shape off the world. The Roots, as they are called, are a truly magnificent mountain range that reaches out into the void with many jagged limbs. Meanwhile, in the north, The Canopy emerges, a series of floating islands surrounded by clouds and connected to the world below by an assortment of means, but most usually twisting stalks of stone wreathed in vines, grasslands, entire forests, or even swamps. The islands, or The Leaves beyond The Branches, are largely unexplored if only due to sheer volume.
World History - What are some major events that have occurred in this world?
The Dragon Wars - A war fought against dragons by fearful, greedy Kings. In the end, a few humans sparked a rebellion and threw down the tyrants for the sake of peace with the Seasonal Dragons. The lesser dragons were mistrusting, which lead to the birth of the World Tree, or Sakura, as it came to be called for the cloud-covered islands that bloomed in the northern hemisphere. As part of the peace, the Ryuujin came down to live among the humans, both to seek nourishment for the great dragons, but also to watch for warning signs that darkness had returned to the hearts of men.
The Grand Accord - With the end of the Dragon Wars, the world was forever changed. Wickedness had nearly led to the destruction of the world, and those wise elders who sparked the Rebellion wished to keep it from happening again. The nations of the world all met and attempted to hammer out some rules and regulations that all could agree on and abide by, especially in terms of diplomacy, the travels of their citizens, environmental concerns, and especially a limit on their individual ruler's powers.
Though no one nation can agree on exactly who did what, somehow things did not go as smoothly as hoped, and only about half the attending nations were able to agree on any terms, the rest vowing to go their own way and do things by their own methods.
Though no actual hostilities have resulted yet, as might be expected the relationships between countries that have and have not accepted the Accord are strained. The members of the Grand Accord are often concerned about the aggression and wild ways of the unaffiliated nations, and the self-named "free" nations are on the permanent lookout for undue Accord influence in their territory, or even fearful that the According nations will one day band together and force them to all accept the Accord one by one.
Tolly's hometown, Shuzma, is part of one of the countries that abides by the Grand Accord. A major reason the frontier town gets along so poorly with the neighboring towns is because it has far more in common with the adjacent nation of Cloehark, a wild-west-esque collection of settlements that are not members of the Accord.
The Vanishing of Sin Kefri - Fifty years ago, the town of Sin Kefri sank into the earth. No one knows why, or how. It just... sank, like a ship with a leaky hull. There was no mudslide, no crevasse, and afterwards, the land looked like no one had ever settled there. People have questioned and investigated ever since, but no one has been able to come to a conclusion.
Representative Countries - What are a couple of major nations in this world and what are they like?
Valsor - One of the great centerpieces of the Great Accord, Valsor, the "land of Academies," is a country defined by its educational hierarchies. Everything about your station in life is determined by the degrees on your wall. This creates a double-edged sword--people stay in school for decades, producing volumes of knowledge and discoveries to share out with the world at large, but also creates an extremely high-stress environment within schools, as students clamor and claw for higher positions and better grades and recommendations. Many people move out of Valsor strictly because they cannot handle the competition and backstabbing involved in being a student.
Cloehark - a wild-west-esque collection of settlements that are not members of the Accord. The hold quite a bit of land to the south near The Roots.
World Enigma
No one knows what lies in the heart of The Roots, nor the center of The Canopy.
An area idea I've had bouncing in my head, though I don't know how well it fits here:
Representative Countries
Miwai - better known by its nicknames, such as the Wall, the Greenway, the Ancient's Road, and others. It is possibly the world's narrowest country, or maybe the world's longest city-state. It is built primarily on and hanging off the remains of a massive, ancient construct, said to predate the Dragon Wars. It appears to be an enormous wall, taller than the jungle canopy around it, and wide enough at the top for four carts to pass side by side. Who built it, how, and why have been lost to history, but Miwai is the quickest route across its jungle and has become a major trade and travel route. At the time of the signing of the Accord, Miwai was two separate but connected nations, with one signing and one not. They have since combined, but it is hard to tell where its current loyalty lies.
Gender: female
Age: 17
Class: Healer
Type: Magic Type (Spring Attunement)
Image Color: White
Outward Appearance: A slight girl with blonde hair and sky blue eyes, Madalene typically wears a a white, hooded gown over purple leggings. She keeps her hair back with a purple headband and wears a pair of tan leather boots.
Hometown: Seaside Village, a small cliff-side fishing village that faces the Inner Sea
Reason for Journeying: Rite of passage
Personality: Madalene is a gentle spirit who would rather not resolve conflict through violence. She is outwardly warm and joyous, though with a tendency toward introversion. Her strong sense of empathy makes it easy for her to become embarassed, even for other people.
Other Details: Madalene comes from a long line of healers - from her mother's mother, to her mother's mother's mother, et al. Upon reaching adulthood, they leave home to complete their rite of passage. With only the clothes on their back and limited supplies, they're expected to wander the world, healing the sick and helping where they can. The journey will only end when they find a village without their own healer to call home.
Image:
Strength d4
Dexterity d6
Intelligence d8
Spirit d6
HP 8
MP 16
Capacity 7
Mastered Weapon: Shortbow [Accuracy 2d6; Damage d6]
Healing - Target character recovers HP equal to the result of [INT + SPI]. During combat, recover only the result of [INT] (just 1 die). Uses 1 Healing Herb and 1 day's water ration.
First Aid - Relieve a character's status effect for 1 hour. Then, reduce that status effect's strength permanently by a number equal to the Healer's level. Roll [INT + SPI] vs a TN of the Status effect's strength. Can only be used on a character once per day.
Herb Gathering - Find a single Healing Herb. Critical: Find 3. Fumble: Afflicted with [Poison: 6]. Can only be done once per day. Roll [STR + INT] vs Topography. Herbs found depend on terrain. Herbs are only good for a single day, unless you use a disposable herb bottle to keep it fresh for up to a week.
Seasonal Magic - There are two types of Magic. Seasonal and Incantation. It is believed that all individuals in the world are attuned with a particular Season. Some are simply able to call it actively in the form of Seasonal Magic. The other form, Incantations, are performed via spellbooks with the verses written within.
-Arrow Compass MP 4 / Duration 12hours / Range touch
Cause a magical compass to appear. +1 on Direction checks.
-Cure Touch MP 4 / Duration Instant / Target 1 person / Range touch
Heals a wound in an instant. Caster rolls [INT](1 die) and heals a target's HP for that amount.
Shortbow 0 1 [Acc: DEX+INT-2 / Dam DEX]
Wakizashi 400 1 [Acc: DEX+INT+1 / Dam INT-1
Cute clothes 100 -
Walking stick 50 - [+1 bonus on Level 3 or lower Terrain]
Soap 5 1 Just add water!
Travel bag 10 1 Holds: 3
Herb bottle 100 - [Magical keeps up to ten herbs for one week]
Basic kit 150 3 Holds: 5
Backpack -
Sleepbag -
Wooden utensils -
Waterskin -
Ratons x2 -