Karazan - the new city

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Kiaransalyn
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Karazan - the new city

Post by Kiaransalyn »

Would you like to take part in a new role-playing game? If so, please reply to this thread.

The game is set in a demiplane, whose inhabitants have travelled there from Faerun. More details will emerge as the game progresses.

In the game, your character is approximately level 12 - 15. Although levels aren't that important. Your character also leads a small organisation, typically a noble house.

The purpose of the game is to build up the strength of your House, and help the small city of Karazan survive, thrive, prosper and grow.

Questions that the game hopes to explore are:
Will your House become the leading house?
Will your deity become the matron/patron deity of Karazan?
What does a city need to survive?
Will Karazan prosper or collapse into a welter of savagery and death?
Last edited by Kiaransalyn on Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bergeth'fryn
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Post by Bergeth'fryn »

Sounds fun to me. Any other character restrictions?
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Post by Kiaransalyn »

[quote="Bergeth'fryn":16t7ztvo]Sounds fun to me. Any other character restrictions?[/quote:16t7ztvo]

None that I can think of. Obviously, if you play a Beholder, then you might cause gameplay problems. :)

The way I see gameplay progressing is that each PC represents a House (or guild). The game takes place in the council chambers, where each House is striving for influence, and demonstrating what it's done to deserve such.

As the DM, I'll control some external events that happen from time to time in the settlement.
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Post by Talwyn Aureliano »

Some questions if I may?

I'm curious about the politics of the city.

Will it be Llothian dominated?

What dieties are allowed/tolerated or rejected? Is it simply a stuggle by the various factions to promote their chosen deity?


What other non-drow races are tolerated/allowed? And what rights [if any] or restrictions will they have imposed upon them?

Is commerce important or are we looking at more intrigued based RP?
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T'risstree Helviiryn
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Post by T'risstree Helviiryn »

Ok,

as I understand it, you want the players to set up their own house or guild, then fight/ally/intrigue whatever amongst ourselves to establish the predominate house?

So as an example, as Matron of House Helviiryn, I'd be in charge right? I could have my human concubine with me as well huh? ;) :devil: [he will look cute in his little leather gimp suit :p ]

And since I'm in charge of my house, if I want us to be followers of Eilistraee thats OK? I've been following yours & tal's discusion over on the general thread and I'm assuming you want the entire drow pantheon all there?

Also how powerful are the houses? Do we have house troops, wizards, insignias? How much money do we have?

Will one player be restricted to one house? Can two players be on the same "team"? also how many named NPC's are we allowed to have?


I like the idea you have outlined and am possibly into joining in once I know some more about the set up.
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Post by Arya Baenre »

So then if we are the house, does it matter what our level range and abilities are, as we will all be playing as more than one person?

And also, is this a drow-focused RP? If so, would we keep with the matriarchal society they have? (for example Talwyn wouldn't have his own house under his rule? I mean ... if T'risstree got bored with him or something and he decided to make his own house :devil:)

And yeah. I like the way this thread is going, the RP sounds fun. :D
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T'risstree Helviiryn
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Post by T'risstree Helviiryn »

Get bored with my widdle cutie pie? :p

Nah...he's too funny 'n he can be schmexy too but maybe when he gets too old and starts to smell like an old man.... <phew> I might have to have him put down :devil: It will be a mercy killing, mostly painless ;)

Besides,I don't think that Talwyn won't be allowed to set up his own house or guild as he is a human. At best he'd be barely tolerated in a proper Drow city and he'd be targeted by any evil house for sure.

sure he's a good fighter but one human paladin against an entire evil Drow house? As much as I like him...I don't like those odds :/

Besides, he'd not leave...if he knows whats good for him ;)
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Post by Arya Baenre »

That's a good point.

So then I'm guessing that means that we are doing drow, and we are following Llolth?

But just how well is it going to sit with a bunch of Llolth followers that there's a priestess of Eilistraee not only in their midst, but with her own house? :P The city will be destroyed.

We can team up, you and I. I'll give you information from the inside, and you remember me when Talwyn and his paladin buddies blow those houses to the nine hells. :devil:

Also, I don't know that much about Eilistraee: do her followers even have a house system like drow do in the Underdark?
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Post by Kiaransalyn »

Gosh! Lot's of questions. :)

[quote="Talwyn Aureliano":13qu7ypl]Some questions if I may?

I'm curious about the politics of the city.

Will it be Llothian dominated?[/quote:13qu7ypl]

It won't be dominated by any deity at the start. Also, at the start, the city will be very small, barely more than a village. The actions of the players decide how the city grows. Will it become a regional market-place, a place of pilgrimage, a place of education, primarily agrarian?

If at some point, the city decides to build a temple, then there will be a decision based on which gods to worship at that temple. Obviously, the deities will have to have shown themselves worthy of worship. For example, people may not like Umberlee, but every time the catch is landed, the fishermen are glad they worshipped her.

[quote="Talwyn Aureliano":13qu7ypl]What dieties are allowed/tolerated or rejected? Is it simply a stuggle by the various factions to promote their chosen deity?[/quote:13qu7ypl]

At the start of the game, the struggle will be one of survival. If the Houses choose to stand alone and not operate as a city they open themselves up to being picked off one by one.

A quick-note on game-play. I envisage most of the game-play taking place in the council chamber. The council meets at the beginning of each season. So there are three months between each meeting. Each player represents their House or their Guild. Actions taken to benefit the city, (and increasing the prestige of the PCs organisation) will be reported on the Council. As DM I will communicate to players via PM the success of their actions.

At the start of the game, the number of members in your House are very small. The more successful you are, the more your House grows in terms of number.

[quote="Talwyn Aureliano":13qu7ypl]What other non-drow races are tolerated/allowed? And what rights [if any] or restrictions will they have imposed upon them?[/quote:13qu7ypl]

I'm imagining most players want to play drow. Duergar, humans, half-drow are also suitable. Obviously, choosing mortal enemies will be difficult in terms of game-play. Once I make the opening post of the game (which'll probably be in the next hour or so) you'll get more idea of setting and more an idea of what prevents complete war-fare breaking out.

[quote="Talwyn Aureliano":13qu7ypl]Is commerce important or are we looking at more intrigued based RP?[/quote:13qu7ypl]

Commerce is always important, and intrigue and commerce mix well.

It depends how you work together as players. If you are in aggressive competition (e.g. Menzoberranzan) then the game will be different in style then working together (e.g. Waterdeep or Ptolus).
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Post by Kiaransalyn »

[quote="T'risstree Helviiryn":1wav5uos]Ok,

as I understand it, you want the players to set up their own house or guild, then fight/ally/intrigue whatever amongst ourselves to establish the predominate house?[/quote:1wav5uos]

Hopefully, you will work together and also intrigue. If it gets to fighting then the game will be tricky to run. There's a mechanism in place (which will become obvious in the game) to prevent fighting. Obviously, at some point a fight might occur, but that shouldn't happen at the start.

I would like the players to set up their own House (or guild).

[quote="T'risstree Helviiryn":1wav5uos]So as an example, as Matron of House Helviiryn, I'd be in charge right? I could have my human concubine with me as well huh? ;) :devil: [he will look cute in his little leather gimp suit :p ]

And since I'm in charge of my house, if I want us to be followers of Eilistraee thats OK? I've been following yours & tal's discusion over on the general thread and I'm assuming you want the entire drow pantheon all there?[/quote:1wav5uos]

Yes, if you want to be Matron Helviiryn, go right ahead. Whatever you want to do with your human concubine is your business, but don't bring him to council.

Since it's your House, you can be Eilistraeen. Other faiths could flourish there too. Obviously, all faiths should tend towards neutrality. so, for example, a Lolthite House would be N (CE) or CN (NE/CE). In practice this means they can deal with all manners of outsiders since their outside alignment is Neutral. Inside their walls they can take their true alignment.

That said, I find alignment annoying. So if everyone is OK with the idea, we can just overlook statements like: "Well, my House is Chaotic Evil and we just don't want Chaotic Good neighbours..."

There will be more than enough real concerns to prevent dogma being an issue. Especially at the start.

[quote="T'risstree Helviiryn":1wav5uos]Also how powerful are the houses? Do we have house troops, wizards, insignias? How much money do we have? [/quote:1wav5uos]

Good questions. The game is set in a demi-plane. There may be a way home, i.e. back to Faerun. You will start with no money. The plane has its own tender, which you can borrow. (You'll soon meet the person you can borrow from.)

I picture the players as follows: You and your followers are refugees. You've left some place hoping to find something new. The game is set shortly after Lolth's Silence ends. During her silence, you and your followers saw a chance for a change. Maybe you sought to overcome the dominance of the Lolthite clergy. Maybe the crops kept failing where you lived, and you wanted out. What all players have in common is that they decided to move away from their home. However, as you cast a spell to help your travels, your magics interfered with other magics, (maybe the very magic Lolth was using to wrench the Demonweb Pits away from the Abyss) and you find yourself in a new strange place. One of your inhabitants will meet you soon after your arrival.

Your Houses will be quite weak. Your followers form a small band.

I picture players as being somewhere between 12th - 15th level.

Going off the Leadership table (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#leadership) a 12th level player will have one cohort (so Matron Helviiryn's leatherboy could be 8th level) and 8 first level followers. You can decide if you want those followers to be fighters, experts, wariors, etc.

CL Coh 1st 2nd 3rd
12 8th 8 — — — — —
13 9th 10 1 — — — —
14 10th 15 1 — — — —
15 10th 20 2 1

Old insignias won't work, but new ones will, once you make them.

To make things fairer, roll a d4 to determine what level your PC is at. 1 = level 12, 2, level 13, etc.

[quote="T'risstree Helviiryn":1wav5uos]Will one player be restricted to one house? Can two players be on the same "team"? also how many named NPC's are we allowed to have?[/quote:1wav5uos]

[b:1wav5uos]One House per player.[/b:1wav5uos] Only one House (or Guild) representative can sit at council. If two Houses merge at some point, then one player will have to step aside (or play a new role).

You may want to have a few named NPCs. Occasionally, you might even one to control that NPC in council (example, a ranger of your House gives a report).

[quote="T'risstree Helviiryn":1wav5uos]I like the idea you have outlined and am possibly into joining in once I know some more about the set up.[/quote:1wav5uos]

I'm glad you like the idea, and I hope my answers have helped. As I've said [b:1wav5uos]game-play is restricted to council. Each council is held at the beginning of each season.[/b:1wav5uos]

My reasoning for this is it helps the 'play by post' approach concept. It also puts all the PCs in one place, so it's easier to DM. Finally, actions taken by your House occur off-stage, i.e. they are decided by PMs between me and you. Therefore whatever your House's success or failings no-one needs know until you tell them. Although this assumes that another House hasn't chosen to spy on you during that season. At the start, Houses have got more urgent things to do then spy on each other.
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Post by Kiaransalyn »

[quote="Arya Baenre":34xwi7md]So then if we are the house, does it matter what our level range and abilities are, as we will all be playing as more than one person?[/quote:34xwi7md]

Your players level will be either 12, 13, 14 or 15. Roll 1d4 to determine it if you like. (And if all players miraculously roll 4's then so be it.)

Your main PC will be the head of your House. For nearly all of the game you will be playing as one character, but it's possible that other members of your house will be acting under your orders.

[quote="Arya Baenre":34xwi7md]And also, is this a drow-focused RP? If so, would we keep with the matriarchal society they have?[/quote:34xwi7md]

It's up to the players. I'm assuming you'll all want to play as drow. But, of course, there'd be some lovely roleplay if someone wants to play a duergar, or another race.

As for the matriarchal society, that depends on the PCs. If all of you play drow matrons then it'll be a matriarchal society, if your PCs want that. If there are two male members of council then your PCs will have to be flexible.

At the start, it'll be a struggle for survival.
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Post by veraka »

This RP sounds most intriguing, but being the warrior/fighter that Veraka is, I can't see him having any real, decent part in this little RP, unless of course, there's a drow female that needs a hired sword, or just feels like a having a decent, obedient (and I say that lightly) male around, then Veraka might fit in.
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Post by Kiaransalyn »

[quote="veraka":2tzukbkv] being the warrior/fighter that Veraka is, I can't see him having any real, decent part in this little RP, unless of course, there's a drow female that needs a hired sword.[/quote:2tzukbkv]

From what you say, your PC wouldn't work in this game. Acting as a sidekick wouldn't give you much satisfying game-play. Of course, you may choose to play a new character for this game, and that new character would have their own House.
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Post by T'risstree Helviiryn »

alright, you've answered my questions and I get what your setting up here.

I like it :D

Talwyn honey, looks like you'll be on your own on this one :/
As much as I enjoy having you as an equaland by T'risstree's side, in this case it ain't gonna work.
So we can do it two ways, your paladin is an NPC who is T'risstree's concubine within her house or you play him as he is [if thats what you want?] and set up a human enclave within the city.
Having a human enclave lead by a LG paladin would create all sorts of interesting conflicts but I think you should run that idea by Kiaransalyn first.
Otherwise play a drow or a duergar?

Okies, my house :D

I used this dice generator [url=http://www.thievesguild.cc/generators/d ... p:zkf2j2s1]HERE[/url:zkf2j2s1] to roll a 3 on d4

I'm looking at being a Cleric/Rogue/ShadowDancer - 7/5/3
I'll have to modify my character to get the skills and stats appros to those levels.

My house is House Helviiryn [does it matter which city we originally came from? she originally came from Rilauven]

We used to follow Lloth but during the silence, used the opportunity to switch to the worship of Eilistraee, since she COULD still grant clerical magic at the time plus her creed and ethos were more profitable to the house.

House Helviiryn specialized in the crafting of useful non weapon like magical items plus it was also good at producing ShadowDancers [spys]. It was a middle ranked house of reasonable power in it's original city of Rilauven. T'risstree's mother, Matron Mother Mizzrym made sure they dominated the middle ground.
In this RP her mother and older sister are dead due to whatever reason which led T'riss to flee with the remains of her house to this place.

Her right hand is an older male named Guldor, drow Fighter/Rogue. His is the leader of the house forces. His 2nd in command will be Shyntdar, a male wizard. Those will be my two main NPC's of the house for the moment.



Is there anything else you need to know?
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Post by veraka »

[quote="Kiaransalyn":hkzcmrr6]
From what you say, your PC wouldn't work in this game. Acting as a sidekick wouldn't give you much satisfying game-play. Of course, you may choose to play a new character for this game, and that new character would have their own House.[/quote:hkzcmrr6]

True enough; but this RP would be set back a number of years in Veraka's life; it COULD perhaps be a lesson politics that he has to learn the hard way; and from what one person has already brought up, it would definitely be challenging, in a character development kinda way.

After all, one has to learn the broader spectrum's of the world; if they don't, they die.
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