RtH - OOC Chatter Vol 1: Prelude

[Agamemnon]

I figured i'd set up a channel so you lot can talk in one place instead of carrying conversations in each other's character threads. I still want to have the combat system out before I start running the campaign (it feels selfish to devote time to a play-by-post for me to run when other people don't yet have the ability to run the game themselves), but I figure you guys are already wanting to talk about all this some.

So. Let's start simple enough: Introduce your characters. Who are they, why should we care? After everyone has posted, you can start working out how your characters know each other, figure out their commonalities, relationships with each other, etc.

[thirtythr33]

Looking over the other characters, I'm seriously considering scrapping Neith Kahin.

Franz is a level headed local.
Meinrad is a zealot hound.
Denna is a zealot hound.
Marie is a zealot hound.

If I add Neith (another zealot hound) I imagine the poor village will get burnt to the ground in a few short days, with everyone dancing happily in the ashes (except poor Franz).

What might be more interesting is something like a local sheriff, who still wants to destroy the demons/cannibals, but also has to try to keep the Hounds reigned in as much as be can (even if they do technically get the final say).

So what do you guys think? Demon hunting party of zealous purifying fire, or some more party interaction and a little PVP tension?

[Benedict]

Meinrad is a zealot hound.

Been thinking about this. Meinrad is a Machiavellian dog of the Empire, not a religious zealot. Adjusted accordingly to reflect this.

The basic idea is a cross between an Inquisitor and a Mandarin. His means of achieving his ends are through religion and law -- at the moment. His motivation is a structured and ordered Empire where everyone is kept to his place. He'd have no problem at all having a demon-spawn wearing the crown or burning to the stake his fellow Hounds as demon worshipers if that strengthened the Empire.

[EinBein]

Franz is a level headed local.

People get lost in the swamps from time to time... is the guide to blame?

[nemedeus]

Denna is a zealot hound.

well as i said, I'm considering changing in the hound status for a reputation... don't know what I'll do yet. i like Neith.
Also, i can imagine Denna being a local, too (maybe even said local sheriff?), although i would have to rethink the backstory, i figure... I'm not good with backstories

[Benedict]

I'm seriously considering scrapping Neith Kahin.

Personally I like Neith too, especially now that he looks like an Ottoman Cataphract-like outsider. Awesome. Perhaps his motivation is not religious zeal, but obligation/revenge/oath?

[EinBein]

So. Let's start simple enough: Introduce your characters. Who are they, why should we care? After everyone has posted, you can start working out how your characters know each other, figure out their commonalities, relationships with each other, etc.

But let's do what Agamemnon said: Introduce our characters shortly and in one place.

The Boy (only his family calls him Franz) works as a sellsword since nearly three decades. He started as "The Boy" at young age, working for a few professional monster hunters as errand boy, but slowly became a trained privateer himself, offering his service to organizations like the Hounds or temporarily dispatched military forces from the Empire as a guide, headhunter or just intermediary to the introverted locals. In general, he serves the Empire and the state religion as good as any man, but sometimes, when the Empire just searches for a scapegoat and is about to pick someone who might be considered as tainted by more devout men than Franz, but is actualy not guilty of any major crime, Franz takes the liberty to present alternatives...

I just thought... How do you introduce a Secret in SaS? Because there are some ideas of mine that might bias the behaviour the other players in one way or the other?

---

EDIT: Forgot about the rest of Agamemnons request:

As I said already, I imagine The Boy as being employed by foreigners who hope to achieve anything up in the unruly north. Franz knows the best roads, shortcuts, stays, drinks, meals etc. He knows the people. He knows how to survive a night in the open, and how to traverse the treacherous countryside.

Just from the name, he might know Meinrad (read below). Any ideas Ben?

---

ORIGINAL PART AGAIN:

And another topic: Names (referencing to p.22 "Final Details" in our current beta draft)

• Meinrad Godebert - Old German; Meinrad = strong advise, Godebert = bright god
• Marie Lafluer - sounds French-y, but with a twist in Fluer? so definitely another province she's coming from - German-y with the same kind of twist would be Blome, Marie is the same or Maria in German
• Denna Bearing - entirely British; Denna = Old English "living in a vale"?
• Neith Kahin - sounds like British forename and oriental surname, so some region that has been occupied by foreign forces for quite some time
• Franz-Theodor Torfer - clearly German; Torfer is kind of "peat-digger", and references to the parent's occupation, though he never uses this name nowadays

So we have a presumably Garman-y northern swamp-/woodland province of the Empire and maybe a British-y heartland with long-standing occupations in an oriental area and maybe befriended regions or subjugates in a French-y part of the world??

[thirtythr33]

Neith Kahin - sounds like British forename and oriental surname, so some region that has been occupied by foreign forces for quite some time

Neith is more Egyptian/Arabian.
Neith is from an Egyptian goddess and Kahin is Arabic for Priest (كاهن)
For garb and armor hes a mix of Ottoman, Moor and Mamluk but probably not really in terms of religion or culture.
He's from The City of Brass, which is a reference to a story in 1001 Arabian Nights (Which was probably inspired by Alexandria).
So there's inspiration from things like Aladdin, Ali Baba, Sinbad, Solomin's keys, Djinn and Marids.

But yes, I imagine that this Empire has expanded and occupied Neith's homeland, preferably for quite some time or I'll have to drop skill points into Language

I'll likely just change around some of his Drives and Traits, so he's less zealot and more tempered steel.

[Benedict]

Meinrad Godebert - Old German; Meinrad = strong advise, Godebert = bright god

That's precisely the idea. I was sure somebody would pick that up before I revealed it.

PS He calls his horse "Ehrlich = Honest/Honorable".

Who are they, why should we care?

Greater Noble reads

Of course, for every Lord of the House there are dozens of brothers, wives, sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews who get little more than the name out of the deal.

and

By default, your house exists as a 2d faction, but you are closer to an employee of said house than a member of it with standing or influence. Your character’s relationship to the family is represented by a free 2d patron trait instead. You’re assumed to be part of the house’s retinue, serving much as lesser nobility — knights and courtiers, noble cup-bearers, and ladies in waiting.

And a question. Is it ok to replace the armor with a library?

Sounds good to me, but are you going to try and travel with said library, or is the idea that you have a residence in the region?

Now that you mention it, I'd say he has a residence there. And some unfortunate NPC (relative, childhood friend, etc) drops a tale about cultists/demons/cannibals and he requests from HQ to take this mission and/or invites the other Hounds there.

Just from the name, he might know Meinrad (read below). Any ideas Ben?

With all the above what I have in mind is roughly this. That is with Agamemnon's approval.

His father was Pankraz (meaning Pan = All; Kratos = Power) Godebert, imperial knight and landed gentry of the place the story will be taking place (northern swampland). Pankraz had two sons - Meinrad and Felix ( = Lucky). Meinrad is the first born but lacked any martial talent -- he spent his time with books instead. Felix on the other hand was the son any knightly lord would hope for. Tall, athletic, and competent in the arts of war.

Meinrad was sent to the capital to study so that he would become a useful cog in the Imperial Bureaucracy, while Felix remained in their homelands training to inherit the estate. Some years later, after Meinrad had achieved the title of Imperial Censor, Felix was killed fighting against a cult of demon worshipers (Lucky my butt ). Meinrad requested to return to his homeland for the funeral, only to realize that Pankraz had formed an alliance with a necromancer because he wanted Felix brought back from the dead. Meinrad exposed the plan, called the Hounds on them, then had his father through trial, with Meinrad being the main accusing witness.

Meinrad was presented with Hound status after this act, which he immediately accepted.

Btw that's the "A man not to be trifled with" Reputation.

At least that's how the story is told in taverns and whispered behind Meinrad's back.

As for the family ruling the swampland now, it could be some relatives or a different family all-together. I leave specifics to Agamemnon for that.

If he has his room available still in the estate - furnished with books that is - it would be splendid.

So yes, Franz will definitely know of Meinrad by reputation. If we want to twist it even more, Franzs' family might have worked for the Godebert estate, and since these two are of similar age, they might have encountered each other then. Heck, they could even have been playmates, if you agree too.

[EinBein]

That's the stuff legends are made of...

I totally agree to the Torfers to have worked for the Godeberts. And also to having been playmates for a short while, though this had to be before Franz's mother died when he was around ten and he left his violent father for a life as mercenary boy.

[Benedict]

3d Status: Emperor's Hound (2pts)
1d Reputation: The Silverwolf (2pts) - 2d/3pts if Social Class T2. I want this to be a 3d rep but that would require either some way of pushing Hounds Status down 1, or making some concessions i really don't want to make (either no hounds status or *scream* lower attributes! wat do

Just posting here to keep things in one place.

(Puts filthy minmaxer mantle on)
Why not try something like this?

3d Status: Hound Demon Slayer (or whatever cool title you can think of)
(+4pts) 3d Faction.
(-3pts) A station of honor and importance, but with an extremely limited scope of responsibility or influence. Personal champion, bodyguard, herald or messenger.
Net Cost 1pt

Meaning that you are just as scary as any other Hound to normal folks, but of lower status within the Hound hierarchy in terms of command.

That way you could get 2d Rep: Silverwolf with T2 (or even 3d Rep with T3).

And a thought. Have you considered switching Attributes and Proficiencies around? A configuration like A4 B5 C4 P4 W5 Longsword11 Brawl11 Firearm6 sounds scary.

Don't forget that people range 2-8, with 5s being the area of professionals.

Still, don't let me ruin your fun. Just kicking around ideas.

[nemedeus]

Denna Bearing - entirely British; Denna = Old English "living in a vale"?

I didn't know that, but i'm not dissapointed!

but yeah, british all the way. Mind you i changed the surname to "Howling" because i read the paragraph on naming, heh.

Either way, what i really want her to be is a battlefield butcher infamous all over the empire, but she also needs to be able to have done it legally, that's the biggest contention right now, can't get 2pt Status PLUS 4pt reputation without Trait T4 and i a) may need that extra Tier in Social Class to get my plate armour and b) i really feel kinda uncomfortable with going down to T4 on Attributes... grumble grumble

Benedict was faster:

Just posting here to keep things in one place.

(Puts filthy minmaxer mantle on)
Why not try something like this?

3d Status: Hound Demon Slayer (or whatever cool title you can think of)
(+4pts) 3d Faction.
(-3pts) A station of honor and importance, but with an extremely limited scope of responsibility or influence. Personal champion, bodyguard, herald or messenger.
Net Cost 1pt

Meaning that you are just as scary as any other Hound to normal folks, but of lower status within the Hound hierarchy in terms of command.

That way you could get 2d Rep: Silverwolf with T2 (or even 3d Rep with T3).

And a thought. Have you considered switching Attributes and Proficiencies around? A configuration like A4 B5 C4 P4 W5 Longsword11 Brawl11 Firearm6 sounds scary.

Don't forget that people range 2-8, with 5s being the area of professionals.

Still, don't let me ruin your fun. Just kicking around ideas.

You're not wrong on this, Ben. I'm just a silly powergamer and i have a liking of strong-willed characters (might be compensation hah). If i had the points, i would even add a "Keen Sense (scent)" on top, just to complete the wolf-theme... I GUESS i could go A4 B4 C4 P4 W6 and it would still work out fine.

[Benedict]

A configuration like A4 B5 C4 P4 W5 Longsword11 Brawl11 Firearm6 sounds scary.

I GUESS i could go A4 B4 C4 P4 W6 and it would still work out fine.

Heh, I might be sloppy, still I'm honest about it. Made a mistake.

Both configs are 22 attribute points. So I guess a T4 would be something like A4 B4 C4 P4 W5. Still 15d melee 10d ranged is the definition of what you described. Namely. A butcher.

Btw, because of scale, I bumped my bastards' Will down to 5.

[nemedeus]

A configuration like A4 B5 C4 P4 W5 Longsword11 Brawl11 Firearm6 sounds scary.

I GUESS i could go A4 B4 C4 P4 W6 and it would still work out fine.

Heh, I might be sloppy, still I'm honest about it. Made a mistake.

Both configs are 22 attribute points. So I guess a T4 would be something like A4 B4 C4 P4 W5. Still 15d melee 10d ranged is the definition of what you described. Namely. A butcher.

Btw, because of scale, I bumped my bastards' Will down to 5.

Ah, damn, you're right...

you know what, i kinda like your suggestions here. I'll do it like that. Although, i'm almost tempted to go Bows instead of Firearms just for the heck of it. hmmm.

3d Status: Hound Demon Slayer (or whatever cool title you can think of)
(+4pts) 3d Faction.
(-3pts) A station of honor and importance, but with an extremely limited scope of responsibility or influence. Personal champion, bodyguard, herald or messenger.
Net Cost 1pt

Meaning that you are just as scary as any other Hound to normal folks, but of lower status within the Hound hierarchy in terms of command.

I had "Hound Sergeant" before, which would still mean an official member of the hounds, just ranked below whatever 33's Neith would be. Emperor's Hound Butcher. Someone who comes in once the accused have been condemned or something.
If Agamemnon gives it the green, i guess that's a go!


IN OTHER NEWS, i'll be away for the weekend. expect sporadic replies from me.

[taelor]

Marie Lafluer - sounds French-y, but with a twist in Fluer? so definitely another province she's coming from - German-y with the same kind of twist would be Blome, Marie is the same or Maria in German

Interestingly enough, when I first statted up Marie in my notes last year, I originally had her named Marie Blume. I decided to go with Lafluer because I liked the sound of it better. I can change to a more germanic sounding name if we decide we want more consistency in naming.