Hi, folks!
I have reached an odd place in my life. One of the biggest reasons that I started the Red Dragon Inn so many years ago was that I couldn't seem to find the time to play any face to face D&D, and I wanted to keep an outlet for that in my life. Forum-based games became my refuge, despite the flakiness and slow pace inherent in the style. Today, I am DMing three face to face games - the most concurrent in my lifetime - and I'm having a great time! But I find that I miss the in depth storytelling that the slow pace of forum-based games allows.
So here I am, recruting for a new game.
This will be an old school, second edition D&D game, utilizing my house rules that I've developed over the past thirty-four years of DMing. Old dogs, new tricks, etc. etc.
The game will take place in Audalis. Specfically, it will be set in - or at the least, start in - the Sylvari empire. Please read the following highly relevant setting inforation.
The Sylvari are viewed as haughty, arrogant, prideful. Their typical lifespan is eight hundred to a thousand years, giving them so much time to perfect whatever callings may interest them. They are tall - think Tolkein elves - and graceful. Their long lifespans also lead to them being resistant to change and slow to let go of old greivances.
Today's Sylvari empire is roughly half to two thirds of the land mass it once covered, thanks to a bitter war with the Anathari - the second race of men - nearly two thousand years ago. The Anathari claimed vast swaths of land, burned Sylvari cities, created new settlents on top of their ruins. Some three hundred years later, the Anathari civillization collapsed, but their descendants - Drannon and Sendria - have never been freindly with the Sylvari. The third race of men, the Apanonese - ancestors of modern Ertain, Coria, and Pardinal - have never been trusted by the Syls, though in recent years, a small amount of trade has been opened with Coria.
The Sylvari fought two wars with the Khordaldrum - one more than two thousand years ago, one about seven hundred and fifty years ago. Indeed, there are elders alive who remember that second war, who even fought in it. As such, the khords are viewed with extreme distrust to this day.
In short, the Sylvari are quite isolationist and xenophobic; the word "racist" would not be out of place to describe their general attitudes.
Why is this important? Because it impacts your available character choices.
Characters may obviously be sylvari. There are three kingdoms - Alloryen, the northern kingdom, is the most magical-leaning of the three. Londelirinen, the central kingdom, is the most artistic of the three. Maelamin, the southern kingdom, is the most military-focused of the three. Obviously, any syl from any kingdom can be anything (a mage from the south, a warrior from the north, etc). This is just some background flavor; I will add more to the Q&A thread shortly.
Half sylvari characters are available. Note that a character born of rape would be pitied, whereas one born of an open union between syl and human would probably be looked down on in many circles. In either case, expect "pure" syls to view you as tainted, lesser, bastard, etc.
Humans from certain cultures of the first race of men - i.e. the natives to the continent - are viewed more favorably than those of the "civilized" nations. The Chindari and the Lendoreans are both cultures that embrace many sylvari values - harmony with the land, the don't seek to control territory, etc. The Yanathera are more warlike but again live in harmony with the land, so while not as well liked by the syls as the other two are, they could perhaps be an option. If your heart is set on being a human, I would recommend considering one of these barbarian cultures, and figuring out why on Antaron they are allowed to enter the empire.
The syls desipse the raiding Vidarak and warlike Arvox Collyra. I cannot see one of these being present anywhere in the empire.
The civilized human nations will not be great options for a character. Drannese and Sendrians are still Anathari, as far as the sylvari are concerned; these are hated enemies. The Ertainians and Pardinese are little better, barely tolerated by the empire. Corians have worked hard to establish some minor trade with the empire, but are still held at arm's length. You would have to have some incredible backstory reason for me to consider a civilized human as a character.
Again, the khords are extremely distrusted. The only thing that saves them being outright hated like the Anathari is the fact that their wars did not lead to territory loss by the empire - but many syls died to khord axes, hammers, and spears, so the odds of a khord character being accepted are close to nil.
Cidals are tolerated in sylvari culture. Not loved, perhaps, but tolerated. As such, a cidal character - be it stump, pick, or loaven - would be allowed. Brathunspar are viewed much the same way - tolerated.
If you have some more exotic character idea, I reserve the right to approve it on a case by case basis, again heavily dependent on the story.
With all of that said, I am looking for a party that is mostly to completely sylvari. There will absolutely be fighting in this game, but I plan to focus heavily on the story, as collaborative storytelling and creative writing is where forum-based games really shine.
I am looking for six players, any class is allowed. I will roll with any party composition that you wish to use, but for maximum survivability, I would recommend two wariors, a mage, a rogue, and two clerics. Alternately, one cleric and one cleric multiclass, or swap the rogue for another caster or warrior.
I would urge mage players to strongly consider membership into the Circle of Arcane Enlightenment, as the syls are very pro-Circle.
Characters must be of good or neutral alignments, or have a superb roleplaying reason to be evil. Note that I am looking for heroes and collaborative efforts, so players who wish to scheme against the party need not apply.
I am not yet set on starting character level, though I am considering the 2-4 range.
Posts must be at least three to four short paragraphs. "Jimbo is angry and attacks the orc." is not a suffienct post. This game will be slow, we need storyteling - expect to share your character's thoughts, feelings, etc. Feel free to use flashbacks to share your character's history with us, give us tidbits of stories or songs they have heard, etc, etc.
I want to see one to two posts per week.
I want to see interesting backstories and compelling characters. Again, we are telling a collaborative story against the fraework of D&D here. That said - this is still D&D. Characters can and do die. If that's not something you can deal with, this may not be the game for you.
For stats - roll 4d6 six times, drop the low die from each, arrange to taste. I am looking for heroes, so you should have 2-3 stats that get a bonus, one stat that's a 17 or 18. I reserve the right to nerf or buff stats as I see fit. Do not roll HP, I will do that for you. Assume that your character has all necessary gear that an adventurer needs - armor, weapon, backup weapon, torches, bedroll, backpack, common spell coponents, etc.
Casters, I will work with you to get your spell list. Arcane casters, be prepared to create a unique spell of a level you can cast.
Poyential players, please respond with interest.
At this time, this game is full. You may post interest to be considered as an alternate.
Confirmed character concepts:
Female sylvari bladesinger - Esther
Male bófir fighter - Octavia
Female sylvari cleric of Vilathera - Breebles
Male cidal rogue - Eol Fefalas
Female sylvari mage - alovet
Female sylvari cleric of Lysora - vibechecker628
Male sylvari ranger - Chessicfayth
Shadows of the Empire Q&A
Shadows of the Empire
Neva
