B
BrattyCommissar
Guest
Original poster
A successor to the defunct RP of another site, Gates of the Mire. This RP, Journey of the Mire will take place in the same world, same non-player characters, same everything lore yadda yadda. The approach will be different, although the focus will still be on what it was before; exploring the world and discovering what is out there. I can only hope I do a better job at getting to that instead of getting trapped in a single building.
Not actively recruiting, but if you're interested you're free to express this. If you're still interested when such a time comes that you can join, you may be contacted if I remember.
Basic Plot: With their village slowly becoming uninhabitable due to the titular Mire, a group of peasants embarks on a journey for a new home. Along the way, the call to adventure begins to motivate them more than just the call of a new homestead, and eventually they take to exploring and discovering the secrets of their world, living as they never thought possible.
[b]Name[/b]:
[b]Age[/b]:
[b]Sex[/b]:
[b]Race[/b]:
[b]Appearance[/b]:
[b]Homeland[/b]:
[b]Biography[/b]:
[b]Attributes[/b]
[list][*][i]Guile[/i]:
[list][*][u][/u]: [/list]
[*][i]Nerve[/i]:
[list][*][u][/u]: [/list]
[*][i]Savvy[/i]:
[list][*][u][/u]: [/list]
[*][i]Trust[/i]:
[list][*][u][/u]: [/list]
[b]Skills and Crafts[/b]
[list][*][i][/i]: +1
[*][i][/i]: +1
[*][i][/i]: +1
[*][i][/i]: +1
[*][i][/i]: +1[/list]
[b]Inventory[/b]
[list][*][/list]
[/hr][/hr][/hr][/hr][/hr][/hr]
Not actively recruiting, but if you're interested you're free to express this. If you're still interested when such a time comes that you can join, you may be contacted if I remember.
Accepting New Characters: Yes!
Posting Expectations: Minimal? Well, a post per week, each post being at least a paragraph in size would be the absolute least. I would, of course, love if we could maintain a higher average speed or post content. Also, a player expectation will be to partake in the, quote unquote, Investigation system. More on that below.
Rating: Things such as violence, rape, murder, slavery, and prejudice will be present. The darker of these things will not be the focus, necessarily. Sex will also be present but if it becomes a core element of a scene, expect things to fade to black.
Genre: Errant Fantasy? Heroic Fantasy with emphasis on the journey and discovery instead of just 'beat up the monster of the week with my sword'. Fighting will still be a part of the RP, of course.
Atmosphere/Mood: I'm not usually a fan of too dark, so things will usually have a lighter edge. Dark morality will still take place, but the RP will not be grimdark. Sombre, maybe, but grimdark? No.
Plot Flow: Somewhere between Episodic and Open World
Timeline: Medieval Fantasy; Some Magic
Posting Expectations: Minimal? Well, a post per week, each post being at least a paragraph in size would be the absolute least. I would, of course, love if we could maintain a higher average speed or post content. Also, a player expectation will be to partake in the, quote unquote, Investigation system. More on that below.
Rating: Things such as violence, rape, murder, slavery, and prejudice will be present. The darker of these things will not be the focus, necessarily. Sex will also be present but if it becomes a core element of a scene, expect things to fade to black.
Genre: Errant Fantasy? Heroic Fantasy with emphasis on the journey and discovery instead of just 'beat up the monster of the week with my sword'. Fighting will still be a part of the RP, of course.
Atmosphere/Mood: I'm not usually a fan of too dark, so things will usually have a lighter edge. Dark morality will still take place, but the RP will not be grimdark. Sombre, maybe, but grimdark? No.
Plot Flow: Somewhere between Episodic and Open World
Timeline: Medieval Fantasy; Some Magic
Basic Plot: With their village slowly becoming uninhabitable due to the titular Mire, a group of peasants embarks on a journey for a new home. Along the way, the call to adventure begins to motivate them more than just the call of a new homestead, and eventually they take to exploring and discovering the secrets of their world, living as they never thought possible.
More Detailed Information Stuff
The fishing village you leave behind was a small thing, known as Shadecreek. Its population was no more than 60, including children. Most who lived in Shadecreek before the Mire began to take the village were fishermen, or herbalists. The men would usually take to the boats and nets to bring in their food, or if work needed to be done elsewhere, they'd gather and communally labour elsewhere. The woman were usually familiar with the herbs and plants that grew in the dark waters and along the trees, using them to help with the sick and midwifing and cooking meals that made the men strong for their work.
In years past, the village was larger, at least twice as such, but with time passing the village had begun to shrink. The number of merchant ships to arrive for trade dwindled down to zero, and the draw from the nets lessened. Not as many children could be raised to maturity on the smaller diet, but the village was able to sustain itself in relative self sufficiency, but boredom.
There was only one interesting thing that Shadecreek still had to its name, the most deviated of occupants, the Ferryman, a Mister Porter. He was a fisher as well, but he caught only for himself. Sometimes, on dark stormy nights, the single road into town would be unevenly trotted by a horse and carriage, and the Ferryman would be the only one the foreigners would have interest in talking to. Then, the Ferryman would live up to his name. His boat would be used to ferry something, and sometimes someone and their cargo, off into the Mire.
What would come of them there is unknown, Mister Porter was not keen on speaking of it, other than saying he was doing good and honest work. The same as his father. And his father. And his father. The Ferryman has been a station at Shadecreek since times immemorable, although some whisper that he's not the son of a son of a Ferrier, and so forth, but a Grounded. Because of this rumour, he is typically let be.
Other than this solitary point of interest, your life in Shadecreek has been a peaceful, dull experience. Old tales and songs, and alcohol brewed of special swamp plants made up the most of your merriment. But that time has gone. Lacking a carriage, or a boat large enough to hold much that would be safe to travel away, you have taken up only your most important belongings and have walked down the single road out of town with some friends from the village, in search of a new home, and maybe, just maybe, some excitement.
In years past, the village was larger, at least twice as such, but with time passing the village had begun to shrink. The number of merchant ships to arrive for trade dwindled down to zero, and the draw from the nets lessened. Not as many children could be raised to maturity on the smaller diet, but the village was able to sustain itself in relative self sufficiency, but boredom.
There was only one interesting thing that Shadecreek still had to its name, the most deviated of occupants, the Ferryman, a Mister Porter. He was a fisher as well, but he caught only for himself. Sometimes, on dark stormy nights, the single road into town would be unevenly trotted by a horse and carriage, and the Ferryman would be the only one the foreigners would have interest in talking to. Then, the Ferryman would live up to his name. His boat would be used to ferry something, and sometimes someone and their cargo, off into the Mire.
What would come of them there is unknown, Mister Porter was not keen on speaking of it, other than saying he was doing good and honest work. The same as his father. And his father. And his father. The Ferryman has been a station at Shadecreek since times immemorable, although some whisper that he's not the son of a son of a Ferrier, and so forth, but a Grounded. Because of this rumour, he is typically let be.
Other than this solitary point of interest, your life in Shadecreek has been a peaceful, dull experience. Old tales and songs, and alcohol brewed of special swamp plants made up the most of your merriment. But that time has gone. Lacking a carriage, or a boat large enough to hold much that would be safe to travel away, you have taken up only your most important belongings and have walked down the single road out of town with some friends from the village, in search of a new home, and maybe, just maybe, some excitement.
The world around Shadecreek isn't exactly safe, so the legends say. Strange creatures lurk in the water, and in the shadows behind the trees, kept at bay by various charms that adorn the walls of buildings, and lampposts along the roads.
The gods are ancient unknowable beings, and their reasons are further mysteries. The Mire is particularly blamed upon the water god, goddess, or gods, if they still live. The folkloric religion of the region posits that gods can be slain, and current cries of apocalypse claim the rising of the Mire is from a great wound in the heart of a water god bleeding out into the world.
The Grounded are a feared type of spirit that looks like a man. Born of incredible dedication, the Grounded were once mortal men, but their diligence to some cause has imbued them with unlife. They appear as mortal, save that they can no longer abandon their duty. Not even wounds can stop them, they will retain the appearance they had when they first became Grounded. It is said the only way to kill a Grounded, is to destroy either the place they are bound to, or end the duty they continue to perform.
The Grounded are not to be confused with the Undead. The Grounded have not yet died, the Undead certainly have. Whether ravenous spirits that consume human flesh, or the minions of powerful wizards, or dark gods, ghosts and ghouls are feared by the living. However, unlike the strange monsters and evil spirits that are warded off by the charmed lamps, the undead are not so repelled. Fortunately, they are a rare sight, and Shadecreek has not seen them in recorded history.
There are also folkloric creatures that aren't malevolent, such as the presumed existence of lowmen called elves who live without the advancements that highmen have, living even more amongst the trees than Shadecreek. There are also stories of stoutmen called dwarves, who live under the ground, but neither have been seen in Shadecreek. There's very little of an accessible underground to speak of, and the trees not marked for protection by men are thought ravaged by monsters, not elves.
The gods are ancient unknowable beings, and their reasons are further mysteries. The Mire is particularly blamed upon the water god, goddess, or gods, if they still live. The folkloric religion of the region posits that gods can be slain, and current cries of apocalypse claim the rising of the Mire is from a great wound in the heart of a water god bleeding out into the world.
The Grounded are a feared type of spirit that looks like a man. Born of incredible dedication, the Grounded were once mortal men, but their diligence to some cause has imbued them with unlife. They appear as mortal, save that they can no longer abandon their duty. Not even wounds can stop them, they will retain the appearance they had when they first became Grounded. It is said the only way to kill a Grounded, is to destroy either the place they are bound to, or end the duty they continue to perform.
The Grounded are not to be confused with the Undead. The Grounded have not yet died, the Undead certainly have. Whether ravenous spirits that consume human flesh, or the minions of powerful wizards, or dark gods, ghosts and ghouls are feared by the living. However, unlike the strange monsters and evil spirits that are warded off by the charmed lamps, the undead are not so repelled. Fortunately, they are a rare sight, and Shadecreek has not seen them in recorded history.
There are also folkloric creatures that aren't malevolent, such as the presumed existence of lowmen called elves who live without the advancements that highmen have, living even more amongst the trees than Shadecreek. There are also stories of stoutmen called dwarves, who live under the ground, but neither have been seen in Shadecreek. There's very little of an accessible underground to speak of, and the trees not marked for protection by men are thought ravaged by monsters, not elves.
Character Information and Creation
-
There are going to be four Attributes in Journey of the Mire. These represent facets of your character's personality, instead of something like 'strength' or 'dexterity'. They are mental and social things instead. Each will be described in the below tabs in short, with examples of when you would be using them. As the RP progresses, you will level these up and get more of their respective Boons.
- Your ability to manipulate, and skills with subterfuge. You would use Guile when you want to manipulate someone, or trick them. You would use Guile when you want to sneak around an environment, and avoid detection. You would use Guile when you want to steal something, pick a lock, or disguise yourself. You would use Guile when you take the indirect approach.
- Your ability to do what it takes, to break your limits. You would use Nerve for most combat focussed tasks during open battle. You would use Nerve to make, and carry out threats. You would use Nerve to risk life and limb doing a dangerous maneuver, or defy authority, or stare a monster down. You would use Nerve when you take the direct approach.
- Your ability to think ahead, and take in your surroundings. You would use Savvy for pretty much everything related to Investigation, delegating how much information, and the quality of it. You would use Savvy to gain information even when you're not actively looking for it. You would use Savvy to get assurances on plans you make to work. You would use Savvy to use the forward thinking approach.
- Your ability to work with others, or have them work for you. You would use Trust when you need to mend someone's wounds and they're afraid. You would use Trust when you're convincing someone of the truth. You would use Trust when you try to get people to work together instead of fighting. You would use Trust when you take a group approach to a problem.
- Boons are specific embodiments of your Attributes. They give you bonuses to a specific implementation of your Attribute. For example, Nerve is used for direct approaches, like kicking down a door or exchanging blows. You could get a Boon that, say, gives you further bonuses to armed combat so that you do more damage, or can take more damage. Or you could get a Savvy Boon that permits you to get hints from the GM when you're investigating or planning.
-
Where Attributes represents how your character approaches issues, and facets of their personality, Skills and Crafts is the physical aspect of things. It's understanding how to track an animal, instead of just tenacity to keep at it. It's knowing how to hold a sword instead of the nerve to do so brazenly.
As such, it encompasses a lot of different things, from cooking to reading and writing, from swordplay to understanding cartography. And because of that, there's not a concrete list as with Attributes for you to work with. Instead, when it gets to that point, just put down things you think are reasonable, and if they are, I'll approve it.
As the RP progresses, you will gain more Skills and Crafts, or improve ones you already have. -
Magic exists in the world, but very few have access to it. It is possible, and wouldn't be innately harmful for no one in the group to ever get magic. You certainly won't be starting with it. Magic is typically low key, unless there's incredible power and dedication behind it. But, I'm including mention of it here, just in case you do end up getting it.
But I won't include much information on how it works. No, that's going to be something you will have to learn IC. Other than knowing Magic is hard and takes investment, and can come from a variety of sources, you're not gonna get much more out of me here!
The following is a list of Boons that are presently available at start. You start with ONE Boon per Attribute that is scored at least +1 (see Character Creation for information on this).
-
Sticky Fingers: You may have lived in a small village where any crime would be noticed, but that didn't stop you from sometimes taking just a bit more than you should from others. Maybe it was greed, maybe you really needed more, or maybe it was just Kleptomania. ( Bonuses to Petty Theft )
City Soul: You've never been to a city, but you've memorized every single story you've ever heard about them. You have a vague understanding of their workings, and aren't as likely to be overwhelmed in one. ( Bonuses to Town and City Navigation; less likely to get lost or overwhelmed in large groups of people )
Night Cloak: Whatever you were doing at night isn't important. What is important as that your eyes are used to dim lights and less and still able to see. When you're moving in the dark, you're also less likely to be detected. ( Bonuses to Stealth and Perception in the dark ) -
Back Alley Brawler: You're not new to the notion of fighting. You've been in scrapes, actual fights, in the past whether drunk or sober. ( Bonuses to Combat in general )
Adventurous: Most definitely against the wishes of your parents, ever since you were a child, you were adventurous, climbing up on the buildings and trees when you really shouldn't. These skills have stuck with you. ( Bonuses to Environmental Navigation )
Stare Down: Okay, maybe the beast wasn't as big as you like to claim it was, but you did come close to losing your life when you strayed too far from the charms, only to stare down the mindless creature into leaving you alone. ( Bonuses to Intimidation ) -
Keen Eyes: You've got a good eye for detail, catching things that others tend to miss, sometimes picking up on things without looking for them in particular. ( Bonuses to Investigation, sometimes passively notice things without actively doing Investigation )
Basic Tactics: Problem solving is something that comes easy to you, and when you get a basic plan in motion it's usually pretty good. People ask your advice for a reason. ( Bonuses to plans made by you and your character; plans are slightly more likely to succeed if you make them than if someone else does )
Mystic Sense: Not everyone has a natural sense for things arcane and magical, but you can sort of just feel it. The elders claim this means you may be able to eventually conjure spells of your own! ( Bonuses to Detect Magic ) -
Team Player: You're good at working in a group, either due to dedication, or friendliness. More so than others, your participation in an active group effort reaps results. ( Bonuses to actions done as a group )
Triage: You have some real world experience with treating injuries. Nothing too big, mostly animal bites, or scrapes when someone fell off of something, but it's still experience. ( Bonuses to Treating Wounds and Injuries )
Early Companions: You've got family, or close friends, and you guys stick together. You didn't decide to leave with just anyone, you left with your home too. ( Start with 1 to 3 unskilled follower NPCs under your control. If you get 3, at least one must be an elder or child. ALTERNATIVELY: Start with 1 animal companion NPC under your control. Subject to GM approval. )
Name: Your character's name.
Age: Your character's age.
Sex: Your character's biological gender, typically male or female.
Race: Your character's race. For those starting at Shadecreek? Human.
Appearance: Your character's appearance. A picture or description will do nicely. (Or a hybrid of both if you prefer.) If you go with a picture, put it at the top.
Homeland: What village, town, city, whatever... that your character is from. For those starting at the RP's beginning? Shadecreek.
Biography: A description of your character's history, living in Shadecreek. Shouldn't necessarily be too exciting, but go into details anyway. Did anything cool happen in your childhood there? What did you end up doing as your work? Did you date anyone, were you to be married? Were you married? Etc. If you joined later in the RP, replace Shadecreek with where you grew up instead.
Attributes Two Attributes are +1, One is +0, One is -1. For the two that are +1, choose a single appropriate Boon for each. For descriptions, you do not need to copy the text from the boon itself. You can write your own reasons why you get the bonuses the Boon provides. This will come more in handy later when a new character won't have started in Shadecreek, if we get that far.
Skills and Crafts Choose 5 Skills or Crafts of your own, as +1.
Inventory Things you are carrying on your person. Remember, you don't have any animal to carry your stuff for you. Travel light.
Age: Your character's age.
Sex: Your character's biological gender, typically male or female.
Race: Your character's race. For those starting at Shadecreek? Human.
Appearance: Your character's appearance. A picture or description will do nicely. (Or a hybrid of both if you prefer.) If you go with a picture, put it at the top.
Homeland: What village, town, city, whatever... that your character is from. For those starting at the RP's beginning? Shadecreek.
Biography: A description of your character's history, living in Shadecreek. Shouldn't necessarily be too exciting, but go into details anyway. Did anything cool happen in your childhood there? What did you end up doing as your work? Did you date anyone, were you to be married? Were you married? Etc. If you joined later in the RP, replace Shadecreek with where you grew up instead.
Attributes Two Attributes are +1, One is +0, One is -1. For the two that are +1, choose a single appropriate Boon for each. For descriptions, you do not need to copy the text from the boon itself. You can write your own reasons why you get the bonuses the Boon provides. This will come more in handy later when a new character won't have started in Shadecreek, if we get that far.
- Guile: Score -1, +0, or +1
- Any Guile Boons: Guile Boon Description
- Nerve: Score -1, +0, or +1
- Any Nerve Boons: Nerve Boon Description
- Savvy: Score -1, +0, or +1
- Any Savvy Boons: Savvy Boon Description
- Trust: Score -1, +0, or +1
- Any Trust Boons: Trust Boon Description
Skills and Crafts Choose 5 Skills or Crafts of your own, as +1.
- Skill or Craft 1: +1
- Skill or Craft 2: +1
- Skill or Craft 3: +1
- Skill or Craft 4: +1
- Skill or Craft 5: +1
Inventory Things you are carrying on your person. Remember, you don't have any animal to carry your stuff for you. Travel light.
- stuffs like clothes
- more stuffs like some tools
[b]Name[/b]:
[b]Age[/b]:
[b]Sex[/b]:
[b]Race[/b]:
[b]Appearance[/b]:
[b]Homeland[/b]:
[b]Biography[/b]:
[b]Attributes[/b]
[list][*][i]Guile[/i]:
[list][*][u][/u]: [/list]
[*][i]Nerve[/i]:
[list][*][u][/u]: [/list]
[*][i]Savvy[/i]:
[list][*][u][/u]: [/list]
[*][i]Trust[/i]:
[list][*][u][/u]: [/list]
[b]Skills and Crafts[/b]
[list][*][i][/i]: +1
[*][i][/i]: +1
[*][i][/i]: +1
[*][i][/i]: +1
[*][i][/i]: +1[/list]
[b]Inventory[/b]
[list][*][/list]
Whenever the players enter a new area, whether it be a new room, village, field, whatever..., they will be given a general description of obvious things going on within it. However, each are able to, without necessitating a back and forth post in the thread, investigate their surroundings.
A player doing this will instead, contact the GM in private ( A PM, chat, titanpad, googledoc, through Skype, whatever. I prefer Skype, but am open to alternative methods. ), and ask questions of things, typically a 'yes or no' question about the surroundings, or clarification, or things about specifics. General or vague questions are right out. You do not have to ask questions, and indeed someone with Savvy -1 will find that their questions will not get much information, and be fewer in number to others.
Your Savvy score dictates the number of questions the GM will permit, and the quality of answers given. Certain Savvy Boons may increase the number, or quality further, or even allow you to ask for a number of hints during your investigation.
You as a player and character, while encouraged to share anything you learn or see, are under no onus to do so. Anything you do learn should be both described in IC as your character learns it ( typically a post that follows the back and forth Investigation questions; does not need be the entire post ), and shared with others IC only if your character would want to share it. Secrets are allowed, after all.
UPDATE: Upon being asked about it, I've decided to for now not require you to divulge the results of your investigations in the post at all, if you want to keep it even an OOC secret. You only must describe the thing you did to get your answers, you don't have to mention the answers.
A player doing this will instead, contact the GM in private ( A PM, chat, titanpad, googledoc, through Skype, whatever. I prefer Skype, but am open to alternative methods. ), and ask questions of things, typically a 'yes or no' question about the surroundings, or clarification, or things about specifics. General or vague questions are right out. You do not have to ask questions, and indeed someone with Savvy -1 will find that their questions will not get much information, and be fewer in number to others.
Your Savvy score dictates the number of questions the GM will permit, and the quality of answers given. Certain Savvy Boons may increase the number, or quality further, or even allow you to ask for a number of hints during your investigation.
You as a player and character, while encouraged to share anything you learn or see, are under no onus to do so. Anything you do learn should be both described in IC as your character learns it ( typically a post that follows the back and forth Investigation questions; does not need be the entire post ), and shared with others IC only if your character would want to share it. Secrets are allowed, after all.
UPDATE: Upon being asked about it, I've decided to for now not require you to divulge the results of your investigations in the post at all, if you want to keep it even an OOC secret. You only must describe the thing you did to get your answers, you don't have to mention the answers.
Each morning, when not occupied with some sort of prior commitment, the group will IC decide the course of action. Explore or Travel. The NPCs that are gained through Trust Boons also get to vote on whether the group Explores or Travels, with the weight of their vote also decided IC. Likely, children won't have as much weight to their votes.
This will mainly be used to help frame individual scenes, and permit me, the GM, an easier time in keeping track of where you guys are. Because there's a hex grid map. No, you guys don't get to see it, but feel free to try to map things as you go along!
If the group chooses to Explore, they will spend the day within the same map cell as they started. They will seek out possible adventures, or interesting locales, or people within the map cell they are in, but will not be able to find or do everything in the cell all at once. This gives chances to do action scenes, discover ancient ruins, learn more about the world, but also runs the risk of running into monsters, bandits, or other troubles. It will also use up food supplies, and runs the risk of injuries on people in the group.
If the group chooses to Travel the day will be spent primarily moving from their current cell into one of the 6 adjacent ones. Going along roads will have a small impact upon any supplies the characters may have accrued, but will offer limited direction. There will also be a higher chance of highway men and the like. Going off road is more costly on supplies, and has more variety in the issues that you may run in to, but also permits you to go to any adjacent cell instead of just those connected by road.
Based on the course of action the group undertakes, different episodic scenes will occur that represent the day's activities. Their journey will be long, and we're not going to write out absolutely every single thing they do, only the highlights of any given day. Some days may still be uneventful. Be prepared to write dialogue.
This will mainly be used to help frame individual scenes, and permit me, the GM, an easier time in keeping track of where you guys are. Because there's a hex grid map. No, you guys don't get to see it, but feel free to try to map things as you go along!
If the group chooses to Explore, they will spend the day within the same map cell as they started. They will seek out possible adventures, or interesting locales, or people within the map cell they are in, but will not be able to find or do everything in the cell all at once. This gives chances to do action scenes, discover ancient ruins, learn more about the world, but also runs the risk of running into monsters, bandits, or other troubles. It will also use up food supplies, and runs the risk of injuries on people in the group.
If the group chooses to Travel the day will be spent primarily moving from their current cell into one of the 6 adjacent ones. Going along roads will have a small impact upon any supplies the characters may have accrued, but will offer limited direction. There will also be a higher chance of highway men and the like. Going off road is more costly on supplies, and has more variety in the issues that you may run in to, but also permits you to go to any adjacent cell instead of just those connected by road.
Based on the course of action the group undertakes, different episodic scenes will occur that represent the day's activities. Their journey will be long, and we're not going to write out absolutely every single thing they do, only the highlights of any given day. Some days may still be uneventful. Be prepared to write dialogue.
Character Roster
None... yet.
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