Hi all.

As something of an author in my own time (if a newbie to this forum after posting this thread in the wrong place the first time) I thought that I'd have a go at GMing a game based on one of my books in progress. For stater's here's all the basic lore (there's a lot of it sorry).

You make your own characters with the information provided, PM me if you want any additional info or any help troubleshooting a class.

The continent of Coast has been in a state of uneasy peace for almost a decade now after a particularly exhaustive, destructive, war that claimed the lives of over half the region’s population. Now, however armies are once again mustering, even as the Decadence draws near recruiting sergeants and criers mount sandboxes whilst, in the larger towns, parades and orations draw more men and women to the sword. This time, however, the continent does not fight itself, but a much larger threat. One from the outside.

From the North and West comes the Celian Empire. Men who have unified their homeland and now seek to bring a lasting peace to a world too prone to war. Many would have seen the coming of the Celians as a blessing, were it not for their Dogma against the ‘Lowlander Races.’ However the ethnic price that unification with Celian would cost is nothing compared to the second threat, one creeping slowly in from the South East.
The League Entire, a coalition of nations that care for the people under their protection…as long as their subjects’ coin lasts. After that...well, it is rumoured that the Hungry Gods that the League Entire worship have not yet had a day when their sacrificial alters have run dry.

Orsal.
A northern kingdom, Orsal has benefited from trade with Celians for the past few years, receiving coin for the valuable ores its numerous mountains produce. Now, however, as they face the threat of invasion, they use this coin to raise battalions and expand their mines, cursing themselves for equipping the enemies they are now likely to face.
Orsal’s king is Bedrion, a middle aged man who was key to brokering the peace ten years ago. His shrewd mind is as apt at diplomacy as it is at tactics and any foe invading his lands will pay for every step in blood.
Most Orsalians are diligent, hardworking and practical people, however due to their history of trade they have their fare share of expatriates and refugees in their midst. The kingdom attracts a large amount of Dwarves in particular due to its massive mining infrastructure and gem trade. Orsal craftsmanship is rumoured to be the finest in Coast and caravans frequent its mountain passes, carrying shipments of weapons to the other kingdoms who are less able to respond so readily to the call of war.

Valsavathar.
Also known as the frozen heart of Coast, Valsavathar is ruled by the aged and sadistic Skantea who, it is rumoured, has held his throne for over one hundred and fifty years. Valsavathar is locked in perpetual midwinter and its hardy people have endured for more than three generations, fighting an ongoing battle against hunger and wind.
Skantea keeps a small army, knowing that only a fool would ever want to conquer his lands and only an insane fool would dare try. Valsavathar is home to the Green Circle, one of the four organisations of Coast’s mages. Beholden to Skantea, they have stopped snow and hail from overwhelming his bleak kingdom and are widely sought after for their talents at weather magic.
Only humans native to Valsavathar reside there, as no refugee is foolish enough to make the frozen heart his or her home.

Imeyon.
A kingdom of fields and farms, Imeyon is a paradise that attracts people from all over Coast, not all of them friendly. This is the major reason why Imeyon has one of the strongest standing armies on the continent, despite its gentle appearance. Expertly trained and now equipped with arms from Orsal, the army of Imeyon was seen as the reason why neither the Celians nor League Entire attacked Coast after its previous war, ten years ago. Now it is hoped that these fine calibre soldiers will drive the invaders back, forming the centre of the newly assembled allied armies.
Imeyon is home to many peoples, each is given the freedoms of the others and all coexist peacefully, believing that cooperation is what has kept their country a paradise compared to lands like Valsavathar. It’s king is Kollun, a young man who is rumoured to be blessed by the Gods themselves and who shines with an inner light. Of course, there are many rumours that abound about the wonders of Imeyon, not all of which are true…

C’narl
A south western kingdom, C’narl has an unusually high population of Vekth, creatures whose skin is the texture of stone, if only slightly less firm. In fact, recent audits are beginning to show that Vekth numbers are fast outstripping humans as their agitation over the war sparks more Unions each year. This is not to say that Vekth are instinctual or animalistic. They are at least as intelligent as humans and share similar philosophies. The fact that C’narl is ruled by Hourk, a Vekth Packlord, proves this.
C’narl is a pious kingdom, where people sometimes put more stock in divine portents and omens that even royal proclamations. Each year, thousands of pilgrims swarm to the Overtemple of Rissok, C’narl’s capital, to witness the Flawed Dance, an epic performance that speaks of the First Days when the Gods still walked amongst men.

Sena
The eastern kingdom of Coast, Sena is the centre of magical learning on the continent, hosting the magenta and orange circles of magic. Still, some claim that both combined would struggle to best Skantea’s green circle…although most of those claimers hail from Valsavathar itself.
Sena is ruled by Ilourien, an eleven Praetor-Mage who is as much warrior as he is sorcerer. The most reclusive of the kings, Ilourien has been seen as a weak ruler for the past ten years without a war to occupy him. However, now that conflict threatens, the Senaen mages and their lord will be bound to turn the tide against the sorceries of the League Entire and War Magics of the Celians.
Elves outnumber men in Sena, as do Myanmade, a jungle-dwelling people, misplaced by the Celians’ invasion of their homeland. The two peoples have many traits in common and coexist surprisingly peacefully.

Krath
The southernmost kingdom of Coast, Krath is ruled by Dragon, a warrior-king who is renowned for his short temper and seemingly infinite ego. A militaristic nation, Krath has long aspired to train a military capable of meeting Imeyon’s finest and a mage group able to match Skantea’s green circle. Instead they have created a state where personal freedom is limited and virtually the entire population has joined the military. Normally such a nation would starve. However Dragon hires out his men to protect borders and act as neutral guards during peace conferences between other nations. His soldiers also guard pilgrims on their way to C’narl and ‘crusade’ against known bandit groups and lairs. Hence, Krath has a surprisingly good reputation throughout Coast despite its warlike nature.
Krath is also home to the crimson circle, mages who experiment with new forms of magic and strive to decode foreign secrets and teachings of the arcane. Whilst seen as eccentric and, in some cases, mad. The crimson have turned the tides of many conflicts to Karth’s favour. Karth has a massive population of displaced Myanmade, gladly taking in their exiled warchiefs and warriors. Indeed, Dragon’s personal champion is a Myanmade by the name of Kilbiaz Thrullwing, once the First Warchief of the Myanmade before they fell into ruin.

These following races can be included in the peoples of Coast(playable races).

Humans: Yep…you got it, they’re human.
Racial attribute modifiers: +1 Guile +1 Knowledge
Racial Skill modifiers: +1 to all chosen class skills.


Elves: Similar to the stereotypical fantasy elves; live in forests, are powerful mages. However in this variation they are susceptible to disease due to their slight physiology.

Racial attribute modifiers: +1 Alacrity +1 Intelligence
Racial Skill modifiers: +2 Nature +2 History/Mastery
Notes: -2 to defenes/saves against poison and disease
+2 to defences/saves against nature damage

Dwarves: Hardy, short, master armourers and smiths…ect. However, in this variation, Dwarves are limited in what weapons/armour they can use, due to their size and the usual volume of armour they tend to wear. Surprisingly good mages.
Racial attribute modifiers: +1 Fortitude +1 Knowledge
Racial Skill modifiers: +2 Endurance +2 Craft
Notes: Dwarves are not impared by enclosed spaces and can in all but pitch darkness.

Vekth: Similar to gargoyles except taller and without wings. They are heavy and slow but when they hit people that person generally don’t come back for more. A pious race that frowns upon ‘sin’ and ‘deviation from virtue’.
Racial attribute modifiers: +1 Strength +1 Knowledge
Racial Skill modifiers: +2 Religion +2 History
Notes: Vekth have resist 5 physical/force damage but vulnerable 5 spirit/nature/psychic damage

Myanmade: Seven feet tall and with ashen grey skin, Myanmade are a race in exile, almost completely forced from their homes by the Celian Empire after a fierce territorial war. Now scattered across the lands and determined for revenge, Myanmade warriors go to any length to strike back at the Celians, even joining the shadowy ranks of the League Entire.
Racial attribute modifiers: +1 strength +1 Control
Racial Skill modifiers: +2 Endeavour (basically athletics and acrobatics combined) +2 Track
Notes: Myanmade suffer more in enclosed spaces due to their size, also they count as being one size category larger than average.
Hatred: +1 to hit Celian Empire Foes.


Weapons and Magic:

Due to its violent history, Coast’s armies have expanded around new technologies of warfare, whether they be arcane or mechanical. However, none of the contraptions devised by the continent’s peoples compare to the latest addition to their military arsenal, an innovation that ended the last war due to its horrifying potential. Greenjade.
A glasslike ore, Greenjade is so volatile that to crack its surface is enough to trigger a detonation that, depending in the amount used, could blast apart anything from a squad of men to an entire street.
Because of this, Greenjade is notoriously hard to mine and even harder to craft into conventional weapons. However, when heated the ore looses much of its potency and is able to be shaped safely like glass, allowing it to be crafted into moulds for arrow and quarrel heads as well as vials into which a second chunk of Greenjade is placed so the rupture of the outer shell triggers its detonation.

Magic varies depending on the country of its origin, the League Entire, for instance, is home to Blood Magic and Necromancy whilst the Celian Empire his home to ‘conventional’ Battle Magic. In Coast there exist four Forms of magic, one for each circle:

Healing/Protection-Magenta Circle

Nature/Weather-Green Circle

Elemental-Orange Circle

Chaos-Crimson Circle

Magical power is drawn from belief; the more distant a person seems from the material and the more mental prowess he enjoys the more likely he is to be eligible for Mage training. This functions due to the many layered nature of the world Coast is part of. Like layers of an atmosphere there are demi-worlds that are layered above and below from which mages can harness and draw power and, occasionally, use to traverse short distances when alignment is correct. In general, demi-worlds above the crust are associated with the High Forms: Healing Magics, Weather Magics and Blood Magic. The ones closer to the crust are considered the Common Forms: Elemental and Natural Magic. Finally, those below the crust are considered the Deeper Forms: Necromancy, Protective and Spiritual Magics. Of course, many more Forms of Magic abound than those listed here. These are simply the Magics likely to be encountered on Coast, in the League Entire and Celian Empire.

There is, however, a second way of drawing otherworldly power. One gifted to the world by the Gods themselves. So-called Divine Form, is a school of magic practised by priests and holy warriors. Instead of drawing upon power from a Demi-world, Divine Form draws power from the realm of the Gods, channelling the latent energies of the divine beings into spells. This means that, in theory, anyone with the correct training can be a divine mage, however the more devoted and attuned to a God you are, the more easily power comes, hence, only the most pious ever achieve greatness with their spells, Vekth are particularly good at this form of magic.


Edit: Added rough racial outlines for attributes and skills.

Deities:
These following deities are available to the players.
Bonuses denote the bonuses a divine class gains from worshipping the God. Other classes may get this bonus by taking the Pious feat which represents an innate boon granted by latent divine energy.

Arcus: The God of Light and patron of Inquisitors, Arcus is seen by some as a god of good whilst others see him as a being of unthinking persecution. The Inquisitors are an order of warriors gifted with divine powers to hunt down those who practice Dark Magic, a terrible force that is anathema even to the Hungry Gods. Due to the peaceful nature of Coast and its isolation due to the encroaching influences of the Celians and League only a small post of inquisitors is maintained, located in Valsavathar where they use the inhospitable terrain to train prospective recruits…and keep an eye on Skantea.
Bonuses: +2 to Insight
Improves vision by 1 point
Limitations: Must be an Inquisitor.

Viel: The God of Thieves and Deceit, Viel is a capricious God who delights in confusion. However, he frowns upon cruelty and wanton or malicious thievery. Due to his innocent nature, many see Veil as a good God, despite his motivations and morals. Indeed, many thieves guilds subtly prompt Veil’s worship as a God of good so their own activities are supported.
Bonuses: +2 Thievery
+2 Bluff



Degaran: Also known as the Old Man, Degaran is the God of Nature. It is said that during certain celestial events he can be seen wandering the old places of the world, swathed in a brown cowl and cloak and accompanied by Alstev, an ancient Grey Raven. Degaran is the closest thing to the Neutral God of the Pantheon, simply seeking to protect nature from the unnatural. Like nature he shows neither compassion nor malice and he is loath to act even in times of dire need, believing that nature will dictate the outcome…of course, if this moment of dire need has warped nature Degaran’s intervention is another matter entirely…
Bonuses: +2 Nature
+1 To hit unnatural foes.

Veiromus: The patron God of Mages, Veiromus supports the belief that every man has the right to choose his own destiny. Many thieves worship Veiromus as much as they do Viel, believing that they are free of fate. Soldiers also pay him homage, hoping that he will ward away that chance arrow or spell. Almost all mages worship Veiromus and each circle maintains an elaborate shrine in his name, hoping for his favour to aid their endeavours.
Bonuses: +2 Mastery (Arcana/Spellcrafting)
+2 to defences against traps

Tain: The God of the Dead, Tain enjoys little worship save when his name is invoked in curses. Unlike the rest of the pantheon Tain is said to reside in the mortal world, watching over the lives of all from an obsidian throne carved from the peak of the world’s tallest mountain. Despite his seeming vulnerability, no God has dared attack Tain nor claim his black throne for none wish to shoulder his eternal burden, nor to feel the weight of his wrath.
Bonuses: +2 Detection (perception)
+1 Damage against divine and animated foes.

Gariael: The God of War, Gariael lauds martial prowess over all else, believing that martial prowess is the foremost skill. Warriors of all kinds revere him and the Amber Blade, Coast’s foremost mercenary company, has obtained a religious sanction to use his symbol as their emblem. Gariael despises the use of Greenjade and magic, believing that true warriors fight with true iron and steel or darts and quarrels, not foreign alchemies or otherworldly power.
Bonuses: Gain an additional level of training in a weapon you can already use or gain basic training in a weapon.
+1 Damage against elemental or magical creatures.

Andath: The God of Prudence and Knowledge, followers of Andath are always said to have a plan. Whilst soldiers revere Veiromus or Gariael their commanders and tacticians revere Andath as well as scholars and research mages. Andath’s teachings contradict those of Veiromus somewhat when refering to arcane lore, suggesting that one should seek knowledge in moderation rather than blindly scrabble for skill and lore. Due to this the two Gods are often portrayed as rivals in the Flawed Dance, each attempting to gain enlightenment through their own means; Veiromus fuelled by a passion seeking his own path whilst Andath listens to others, carefully researches and plans, knowing that the path he follows is stable whilst the unstable foundations of Veiromus’ could collapse at any moment.
Bonuses: +2 to non-attack knowledge checks.
+1 damage whilst you have combat advantage
against an enemy.

Ossinda: Also known as the caring mother, Ossinda is the Godess of Protection and Unity. Healers give praise to her and mothers pray to her to safeguard their children. This protective attitude often sparks disagreements between Ossinda and Degaran, the latter believing that it is nature’s way to dictate disaster or safety. It was said that once Degaran caused a city holy to Ossinda to be struck by a heatwave to prove that nature could, at any time, break apart the fragile bonds of unity. In retort, Ossinda sheltered the city’s crops and people with her gaze, diffusing the heat with a mystical veil. Soon afterwards Veiromus stepped in to support Ossinda, arguing that it was not nature’s way to dictate fate. Andath and Gariael supported Degaran against Ossinda and Veiromus whilst Veil offered superficial support to both sides. In the end Tain took the lives of the people of the city to save them from the petty disputes of the Gods, showing them the mercy of death.
Bonuses: +2 heal
Healing powers you cast heal for 1D6 more.

Alea: The patron Godess of Seduction and Beauty, Alea enjoys using her charms to manipulate the rest of the pantheon, making up for her comparative weakness to them. Sometimes known as the Forbidden Lady, Alea urges her followers to use charms and wits rather than strength to overcome their foes. Some say that with her attitude she would marry Veil if not for both of their capricious natures. Alea poses a problem to many pious individuals as she often gives religious sanction and patronage to the many of the courtesan troupes in Coast, forcing the devout to redefine what they call sin.
Bonuses: +2 Charm
+1 to hit with illusion attacks.


Note: As you make your own class/character the skill bonuses are simply there to show you the sort of actions this God's favour would aid you in. If you want you could say +2 bonus to checks involving healing rather than +2 heal since there are no defined skills as such.

Just thought that I might want to add this (after playing too much Dragon Age over the weekend), a few skills you'll get from being from a certain kingdom depending on which type of class you are.

Orsal:

Races Allowed: All.

'Mundane' Class: +2 Dungeoneering
'Arcane' Class: +2 Enchant
'Divine' Class: +2 Insight

Valsavathar:

Races Allowed: Humans.

'Mundane' Class: +2 Hardiness
'Arcane' Class: +2 Concerntration
'Divine' Class: The only holy order present in Valsavathar are the Inquisitors who get bonuses of their own.

Imeyon:

Races Allowed: All.

'Mundane' Class: +2 initiative
'Arcane' Class: +2 Nature
'Divine' Class: +2 Diplomacy

C'narl:

Races Allowed: Human, Vketh.

'Mundane' Class: +2 Detect
'Arcane' Class: Mages from C'narl train in Valsavathar, Sena or Karth.
'Divine' Class: +2 Religion

Sena:

Races Allowed: Human, Elf, Myanmade

'Mundane' Class: +2 Tracking
'Arcane' Class: +2 Mastery
'Divine' Class: +2 History

Karth:

Races Allowed: Human, Myanmade

'Mundane' Class: +2 Cohesion (Bonuses given by flanking, ect..)
'Arcane' Class: +2 Improvised Checks
'Divine' Class: +2 Chanelling (a hybrid between concerntration and arcana for divine classes)

Well, I'm certainly interested. You'll have to give me a bit of time to look over all of the lore, though. Just know you've got a player from me, though I need to make a character, of course.

I'm thinking something a bit different to what I normally play...

Very interested Count me in, just sooo much to choose from!

Well I can start with two players. It would make sense that since you're going to be members of the military other players filter in as you go along.

Now, just a few more notes...

Spiritual Magic:

Spiritual Magic is a Form of magic that is generated from the lower tiers of the Demi-Worlds. Unlike its closest counterparts, weather magic an necromancy, Spiritual Magic involves striking not with the physical but the (you guessed it) spiritual. Where a combat mage would hurl balls of fire or encase himself in shields of whipping wind you instead fire lances of Aether and layer your body in subtle warding magics that alter your essence ever so slightly to ensure that projectiles stray.

Spiritual Magic is available to Myanmade only however, due to the nature of Myanmade culture and a direct consequence of their practice of spiritual magic an Myanmade may not choose to use the Divine Form (they gain the background benefits from Divine Form as the two are similar and are assumed to use the same attributes). So you can still make a Myanmade Paladin but he'll be much different to his Vketh counterpart.



Starting off...

You have signed up to your Kingdom's military as the threat of invasion looms ever closer to Coast's lands. Each of you has been posted into a new 'recruit battalion' which have travelled to Karth to take part in a parade and adress before all six Kings of Coast.
Perhaps it is by chance, or Tain could be tuning his lyre of fate, twisting fortune's strings in preparation for a new lamentation in the history of the world, that a certain few recruits have all stopped off in the same tavern with a few of the others...

Well, how about we wait for another two or three days? I have suddenly quite a few things to do, especially finding that I'll be absent from the Internet for a week coming up, and I'm hoping for at least 3 players for a game like this.

I'm fine to wait a few days. I'm just saying that the game system means that I can add characters in later with relative ease.

Anyway character sheets will be posted tomorrow and a Q&A Thread will be started. The sheets are flexible, so if you want to 'add' another class specific skill don't hesitate to ask. Also I must ask that you PM me your classes since I assume that you are all strangers to each other when you meet in the tavern. If two of you are from the same kingdom then I'll PM you the other's sheet since you're assumed to be in the same squad. After we've all started I'll put up the sheets in a Characters' Thread.

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Are you still accepting players?

Anyways, here's a sample character sheet, one of th first allies you'll get:

Name: 'Mad' Rege'
Race: Elf
Class: Bombadeer
Background: Foregin Elf (no bonus)

Attributes:

Brackets indicate a bonus from his race.

Strength- 2
Fortitude- 2
Intelligence- 5 (6)
Knowledge- 5
Control- 7
Alacrity- 6 (7)
Charisma- 2
Guile- 2

Feats:
Jaded look- Rege' gains +2 to hit when firing a Greenjade projectile.
Easygoing- People just like Rege'...despite his perchant for high explosives.
"Watch your step!"- Rege' gains a +2 to detect traps and allows 1 ally within 5 squares of him to re-roll a failed balance check each round.
Sapper- Gains the sapper skill; used to lay and disable Greenjade explosives.

Skills:

You gain +4 to skills you think your character would be trained in. Ability modifiers are caculated by taking your attribute and subtracting 2 from it.

Trained Skills:
Sapping (control) +5 (9)
Thievery (control) +5 (9)
Endeavour (alacrity) +5 (9)
Endeavour (strength) +0 (4)

Racial Skills:
Nature (knowledge) +3 (5)
History (knowledge) +3 (5)

Equipment:


(You'll probably just have standard-issue military stuff and a few personal items).

Rege's equipment is slightly better than yours will be, however he can't really get any new items like you can.

Heavy Crossbow (foreign design)
Rege's homemade armour (hauberk, vambraces, leggings, greaves, boots) Designed to shield from Greenjade explosions.

15 'normal' quarrels
5 'shard' Greenjade quarrels
5 'lance' Greenjade quarrels
5 'shatter' Greejade quarrels

An assorted collection of Greenjade explosives.

Background:
-



Please PM me the characters since you'll all be strangers to each other.

For those of you who're looking at joining here's a second copy of the Skills/Feats. This can also be found in the Q&A Thread.

History (knowledge attribute)- Your ability to recall past events you have heard of.

Heal (knowledge)- Your ability to administer first aid.

Nature (knowledge)- Your ability to forage and interact with natural environments. Replaces diplomacy when dealing with animals.

Channelling (knowledge)- Your ability to control divine/spiritual power.

Detection (knowledge)- Your ability to spot hidden or concealed objects.

Tracking (knowledge)- Your ability to follow trails and other signs of passage.

Mastery (intelligence)- Your ability to control non-divine arcane power.

Insight (intelligence)- Your ability to tell if people are lying or not and detect illusions.

Craft (intelligence)- Your ability to repair and/or make items.

Dungeoneering (intelligence)- Your ability to interact with man-made environments and forage in them.

Enchant (intelligence)- Your ability to enhance an item with arcane energy (must be an arcane class of some kind).

Cohesion (intelligence)- A sucessful Cohesion check allows you to deal an additional 1D6 damage whilst you and another ally have combat advantage against an opponent.

Reaction (intelligence)- A sucessful Reaction check negates an enemy's cohesion bonus.

Religion (intelligence/charisma)- Intelligence: Your knowledge of divine scripture and prayers. Charisma: Your ability to petition a God's aid (ie: remove a curse from an item). The latter is in many ways a divine substitute for Mastery and Enchant.

Diplomacy (charisma)- Your ability to win people to your side through rhetoric or to placate an angered person.

Streetwise (charisma)- Your ability to interact with an urban environment.

Charm (charisma/guile)- Your ability to win someone over to your side through your dazzling personality or good looks.

Bluff (guile)- Your ability to lie.

Concerntration (fortitude)- Your ability to cast spells whilst impared or distracted (arcane classes only).

Hardiness (fortitude)- Your ability to shrugg off deliberating conditions.

Endeavour (strength/alacrity)- Your ability to run, jump long distances and perform physical feats.

Theivery (control)- Your ability to pick locks, mend delicate objects or sabotage equipment.

Just sending out a notice here, whilst the game seems to have picked up again now that exams are mostly over I'm hoping for at least one more player, I can carry on without, as long as no-one drops out now.

Alright, now suspecting that one of my players has dropped out (sorry if I'm wrong Haruspex) I do need a 3rd player for Flux Wars. Preferably not a mage but having 3 wizards in one group is always fun.

So, anyone up for some RPing? In a semi-freeform world?