RPG fans...

[Steerpike]

Anyone interested in a play-by-post game I am thinking about starting in January? Uses a rules-light version of d20 rules. If you're familiar with any version of D&D, it won't be a problem. The game will be on the grittier end. Getting some players together so I thought I'd look here.

 

[Reaver]

Count me in.

​

 

[Steerpike]

Count me in.

Thank you, Sir. If I get enough players, I'll get some preliminary details out. Characters will rise from humble beginnings to either die horribly or, just maybe, save the world.

 

[Ankari]

Sounds like fun. I'm in

 

[Sparkie]

I'd like to try. I'm familliar with D&D, in that I bought the 3.5 core rulebooks and read them incessantly. Alas, I confess to never actually playing the game. I'd like the opportunity, but if you're not keen on having a n00b like me in the mix I'm cool with it. Regardless, I'll be following any related threads.

 

[Steerpike]

@Ankari - Great! Glad people are interested.

@Sparkie - Experience level is no issue. You are welcome to join the game. If we can get at least one more we'll be set!

 

[ThinkerX]

Hmmm...I've got a pile of old AD&D rulebooks around here...but its been twenty years since I actually played the game. Might be worth a try...

 

[Philip Overby]

I'd be open to playing something. The RPGs around here seem to come and go. Would we be playing here on Mythic Scribes or through email or something? I'm not sure what play-by-post means. I'm only familiar 2nd Edition and a little of 3rd Edition D&D.

Anyway, I'm cool to play!

 

[Shockley]

I'm down if you'll have me.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Play-by-post sounds like Endless Hunt or Quest of the Week, in the sense that the quest is ongoing, you post when you can, and maybe Steerpike will establish limits up-front such as "respond directly to any given prompts" or "if you fight, just post the first attempted attack and the dice and otehr factors determine the outcome."

Are we all forming a party? It sounds like death is possible, so I probably should bring fresh meat, and maybe even deviate from my usual archetype.

In any case, I'm interested to learn more about this game. I think I've been running and NPCing games, but haven't just plain played one here yet!

 

[Steerpike]

Hey guys, thanks for the interest. A bit more information:

1. Play-by-Post is basically a D&D game (or whatever system you are using) run in an online forum. You will have characters and form a party, then write out your actions in the appropriate thread. If we do the game here at MS, we can use online die rollers that let you post your results in the forum. I have a couple of other forums in mind, if it is not a good fit here, and those have built-in die rollers that you can use. I've learned from running these in the past that "post when you can" will kill a game in a hurry, particularly if you have a lot of people, so there will be some kind of time limit to post each turn. If you miss it, it's generally no big deal however, you just pick up again in the next round.

2. The rules will be similar, by and large, to the tabletop version of the game. One notable difference is that I don't use initiative when running an online play-by-post game. The reason is simple - waiting for everyone to get a post in slows things down, by nature. Waiting for everyone to post in a certain order can bring things to a stop.

3. For character concepts, the standard classes and races will be available. Off the top of my head, races include human, elf, dwarf, halfling, and half-elf. Classes include Assassin, Thief, Ranger, Fighter, Magic-User, Druid, Illusionist, Cleric, and probably a couple of others. I'll provide a detailed overview of rules, races, classes, etc. I am also thinking about adding in a custom class, the dwarven runecaster, with the proviso that it will be a more difficult class to play, but someone can give it a try. Race and class suggestions will be entertained, but keep in mind this is a gritty, traditional-style game.

4. If you want to play a spell caster class of some sort, there is something you should know in advance. In this world, magic has been more or less lost for a thousand years. Any spell casters in this group will represent a small number of such casters in the entire world, at least among the primary races (inherently magic creatures may exist that have certain powers). These characters will have to seek out magic knowledge. When you gain a level, you won't automatically get a new spell because there is nowhere you could have gone to learn it. That said, however, the campaign will provide opportunity to learn new magic so these characters will progress.

5. People have differing views on the standard D&D alignments. I'm using them. You have to choose an alignment at the start of the game. This is only a starting place, however. Your alignment will be determined by your actions in the game, and not by what is written on your character sheet. There are no alignment restrictions, but evil characters will have a very hard life indeed when it comes to this particular game.

6. This is a traditional-style game in terms of theme. The flavor of the game will be gritty. The plot is strongly centered in good v. evil.

If the above is still appealing, you are all welcome to play. I'll get more information out as soon as I can. In the meantime, be thinking about a character and that character's background. When we start, I'll also need an avatar for your character because I will post maps from time to time and these will be use to show your character's location.

More questions?

 

[Phietadix]

Sounds fun. I have played NWN on the computer, its a version of D&D but I've never played tabletop before. Still I'd like to try this.

 

[Sparkie]

Starting to get excited now...

Steerpike, about the magic: Is there a division between arcane (wizardry, ect.) and divine magic (for clerics, ect.), or is it a mash-up?

 

[Steerpike]

Sparkie:

Good question. You guys will get some details on the history of the world and why magic is the way it is. There are basically three types of magic: earth magic, which the dwarves knew of old; life magic, given to the elves; and then a sort of residual background magic that permeates the universe (humans and others can call on this, as can dwarves and elves). Any divine magic that is life-giving, positive energy is treated a bit differently from other magic. Elves gifted humans with the secret of this magic ages ago, and it can be used in relative safety. Only dwarves can use their rune magic, though the arcane magic humans and others typically call on can replicate some of the effects (though it isn't as flexible).

So, if you are a cleric, for example, you will have a subset of spells (the healing, positive energy spells), that basically draw on a source that appears mostly distinct from the other sources. Any spells you use of a different sort are treated similarly to arcane spells, because they ultimately come from the same source. Elves are particularly adept at life magic, as you might expect, and gain bonuses to it, while dwarves gain bonuses to use of their rune-based earth magic.

To provide a brief overview of the state of things - at the end of a great war around 1000 years prior, a bold, risky gambit with magic was used to save the world. The end result was that it did something to magic in the world. Scholars debate precisely what happened, but it did two things of importance: 1) it made clear that the background magic that any race can tap is tied to the earth magic of the dwarves, while the elven life magic is much less tied to the other two; and 2) it made magic dangerous to mess with. The reasons for this are also debated by scholars, but the upshot is that any magic other than life magic is dangerous to people, and especially to those who aren't trained to deal with it.

The background magic can be tapped by anyone, of any class, who takes the time and follows the proper procedures. Spell casters are trained to deal with it and can do so with much less risk. Because of what happened at the end of the great war 1000 years past, and because of the inherently-dangerous quality of magic, there is a great deal of superstition and fear associated with the use of magic. It is not unreasonable to suggest that in many parts of the world, open use of magic is a good way to find yourself hanging from the nearest tree.

Hopefully that makes sense. It will make more sense, I hope, when you guys get the full background and rules.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Good call on the time limit for posting!

 

[Philip Overby]

Everything sounds good to me. Will this be an ongoing game or will it have an ending? (When we did Endless Hunt it had "seasons" that way players could opt out if they didn't want to continue.) Just wondering if this is an open-ended world game or more limited to a module type of thing that has a specific ending. I like the idea of giving a time limit to post. I would hope that everyone that wants to play is serious about it and posts according to when they should.

 

[Phietadix]

Maybe it lasts until you're character dies? Then if you want to quit you just commit suicide.

 

[Steerpike]

The game has an ending, though the overall story arc can be lengthy. There are steps that can be taken to address that, however. The characters start at level 1 and may become heroes (they're not heroes to start with), or may due on the side of a mountain somewhere, forgotten by the world. If your character dies you can make a new one if you like.

For those of you who are going to play, give me your preference:

1) play in a thread here on Mythic Scribes (need approval from site admin); or
2) play on a site devoted to play-by-post RPGs (a lot of these have built in tools for that purpose, though I can make either option work just fine).

 

[Sparkie]

Option 1 is what I'd prefer, approval permitting. If that's not possible, no problem.

Are there any sites in particular you'd recommend Steerpike? If so, I'd like to check 'em out.

 

[Reaver]

For those of you who are going to play, give me your preference:

1) play in a thread here on Mythic Scribes (need approval from site admin); or
2) play on a site devoted to play-by-post RPGs (a lot of these have built in tools for that purpose, though I can make either option work just fine).

Either one is fine by me.