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Old 04-18-2017, 11:28 PM   #21
Daigoro
 
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

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Originally Posted by (E) View Post
Question 18)
What kind of threats has the city as a whole had to contend with in the past?
Invasions, curses, monsters, natural disasters, mad leaders?
How did the city deal with the problem?
"What kind of threats has the city as a whole had to contend with in the past? Invasions, curses, monsters, natural disasters, mad leaders? How did the city deal with the problem?" the elf-girl asked.

"What do you mean by that?" asked the grizzled barkeep, eyes narrowing, one hand dropping to the iron-sheathed baton behind the counter. "Sounds like you *want* trouble to come to our faire city..."

"No, no, no! Nothing like that at all! I'm just genuinely curious!" she protested.

"Seems to me, it's people like you," he said, eyeing the 10' pole propped against the bar, and the hooded lantern next to it, "who either cause such troubles in the first place, or look to make a tidy profit from fixing them up."

"Leave the lass alone, Merzzy. Does it look like she'll be atop the city gate fighting off Ragor, King of the Fire Giants, next week?" At the end of the counter sat a half-orc woman who herself looked like the veteran of a dozen such battles. "Tip me a glass of sherry, gel, and I'll fill you in, eh?"

With a nod from the elf and a coin pressed to the countertop, Merzzy grunted and furnished the veteran with an overflowing pint glass of chocolatey liqueur.

"Truth be, Merzzy's got the right of it. We get some brand of trouble or other here almost every month, and the city regiment is almost always useless against it. Lucky for us, pretty much every time, there's a band of roving strangers, a team of plucky adventurers or a posse of well-armed passers-by who step up and take care of things. The council pays 'em out a massive reward, then they wander off to some other town that needs saving. Meanwhile, the local stonecutters' guild also hits up council for a lord's ransom to fix up all the damage... just in time for the next catastrophe!

"And there's been plenty. Let's see, this past year we had...
... the 8th Orcish Rampage under Jungard the Horrible. He was bested in a personal duel by a passing Nort'ward Berserker.
... the Siege of the Dinomen. A team of passing mages drew them away and over Half-Mile Bluff.
... the Demonmoss Plague. Overnight, whole town was covered in a black moss, choked anyone who sat still for two minutes. A squad of holy knights slew the Gray Witch Harriotty and lifted her curse.
... the Summer of Flowers. Four separate assaults in one season, from the Petunia King and his Goblin Warhorde, the Wyvern of Roses, the Fell Knight of Tulips, and the Rise of the Revenant Army of the Jasmine Empire."

"Actually, the Rise of the Revenant Army of the Jasmine Empire was more like last autumn. Was during the apple harvest," interrupted Merzzy while he leaned back against the gin shelf.

"Eh, same diff. It's still called the Summer of Flowers, innit? Anyway, you just missed the Chaos Rift, lassie, last week," continued the half-orc, pondering the now dry bottom of her glass. "Some kind of cross-dimension storm-slash-portal spewing out insane magicks opened up right above the Pantheon Basilica. Lucky for us, a ragtag bunch of wandering treasure hunters slipped through and patched things up with the Entity With No Name Or Title and things got back to normal by Midwinter Threeday... Hey, where'd she go?"

The elf's stool stood empty, 10' pole and hooded lantern likewise gone, and the tavern door was slowly swinging closed.

"I think you scared her off, Ol' Wennie. Don't worry but, she should be back after she's levelled up. We might need her to fend off next month's Glass Dragon raid."

"Was that next month?" replied Ol' Wennie the Half-Orc Championess. "I thought we was due for the Ravenous Six Lich Hellpit Demon Host of Ancient Krong'g next month."

"Nup. They changed their schedule to after the rainy season starts. They thought the thick pools of mud would be more atmospheric."

"Fair 'nough, I can see that. Got another sherry for me then, Merzzy?"

----

Question 20
Where can soldier or martial artist types go to get some skill-up packages in the city (which is still unnamed)?
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Last edited by Daigoro; 04-18-2017 at 11:33 PM.
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Old 04-19-2017, 01:04 AM   #22
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

Answer 16 and 18

The reason Cat-Folk are more numerous in the region has something to do with how Newbridge got its name.
Cat-Folk by and large are a bit shy when it comes with dealing with getting wet. Back before the city was much more than a quiet hamlet an enterprising team of Gnomes, Humans and Dwarves built a ferry to haul livestock and ore across the Tovonduin river. Up until then the Beastfolk traders had been traveling either through the mountains to the north or the swamps to the south. Needless to say the Cat-Folk traders preferred taking the ferry to the numerous river crossings required on the mountain trail or the continual risk of immersion that the swamp provided. Soon the group running the ferry realized how lucrative the Cat-Folk traders could be and struck a deal with the elves who at the time ruled the area and built a bridge. Over time the river was made more navigable and the traders began to come upriver as well. To this day there is almost always steady work for those who choose to seek employment working on or guarding the caravans and riverboats that pass through.
Most of the races have their own name for the city of Newbridge, Sinyayanta in elvish, Erothrast in dwarven, Drurscap in the tongue of the Cat-Folk traders.
The city itself had a large bronze statue of a troll commissioned several years ago to decorate the latest bridge. However during a terrible storm battered night the statue disappeared. Some claim that it was washed away in a flood but the plinth was intact and the iron fence that was around the statue was flattened outwards.

Question 21, open question

What are some of the lesser guilds in Newbridge?

Question 22
How stable are the four main council guilds grip on power? Is it likely that political maneuvering or even open conflict will bring one of them down? If so what smaller guilds are likely contenders and which council guilds are weakest?*

*Inventors, Wizards, Alchemists, Merchants.
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Old 04-19-2017, 08:40 AM   #23
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

Q22
The four large guilds continue to maintain their control of municipal politics. There has been some debate about elevating a non-council guild to stop the occasional deadlock state and to deescalate tensions between guilds, but little has materialized. It is doubtful that anyone of the council guilds will collapse in the near future, unless the other three begin to work towards it.

Currently, the Merchant's guild is the strongest, largely because of the political acumen of its leader, Hal the Red (named for his often red face). Through deal making and persuasion, he has built a coalition that dominates municipal politics. Some say this some variety of mind control, while others argue that a man standing 6'4 pouring down on you is hard for anyone to resist. Hal enjoys the support of the other council guilds as he shrewdly stops anyone guild from growing too powerful. The Wizard's and Alchemist's guilds continue to maintain their traditional alliance which keeps them in the middle of the pack. The Inventor's guild is the weakest, though they are working on something that might vault them to the top.

Q23) What is the Inventor's guild working on?
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Old 04-19-2017, 12:58 PM   #24
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

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Originally Posted by KarlKost View Post
Question 13) - what event led the Half Orcs to earn the right to have a presence in the city's council?
Answer 13
Every three or four generations, a new orcish leader emerges from the Orc Barrens and unites all the tribes together under one horse hair banner to lead a Rampage across the more civilised lands.

The first three Rampages followed a similar pattern- the horde would hit a settlement, the town or city's defenses would soon be overwhelmed and it would fall, and an orcish tribal chieftain would be installed as satrap of the occupied city while the Rampage continued onward. Eventually the Rampage would fizzle out or be driven back by defending forces, and after a few years or decades the invaders would be driven from the city. And after each such occupation, a new generation of orc half-breed youngsters would be left behind.

This happened at Newbridge until the Fourth Orcish Rampage, when a young half-orc, Harrick the Boily Browed, rode out against the invading horde and confronted the Great Chieftain, challenging his champion to a duel for the fate of Harrick's hometown. Harrick fought well, but the Great Chieftain's lieutenant fought dirty, and so the would-be Champion of Newbridge was defeated and put in chains, dragged off to an unknown fate.

So thus, when the Fifth Rampage arrived some sixty years later, a new generation of half-orcs who had been raised on the legend of Harrick the Champion rode out to confront the next Great Chieftain and his lieutenants in a series of duels and surprisingly won, abruptly ending the charge of the Fifth Rampage on the banks of the Tovonduin.

From this legend was born Harrick's Half-blood Champions, a small elite fighting unit based in Newbridge, trained to duel, practised in countering orcish fighting styles, and pledged to defend their home of Newbridge. They proved themselves skilfull protectors of the city over subsequent raids, assaults, sieges and monster attacks, often going out to deal with a Fire Giant or Dire Slorn in one-on-one combat, as well as deflecting the brunt of later Orcish Rampages away from the city.

And therefore, to answer the question, the prestige of the unit and its vital contribution to the protection of the city's peace led them to earn the recognition of being on the city council.

That seat is currently held by Lord Champion Jakkrik Pig-Lips, who claims ancestry from dwarf, orc, ogre and human blood, and while many may doubt that they often change their mind when they meet him. Many have questioned his policy of allowing passing strangers to step forward to defend the city instead of sending his Champions to earn the glory, but his pragmatic response is, "If dey's want to bleed for dis city, lets 'em, I says. We'll still be here when none of dem is."

----

Question 24
Where can passing strangers find accommodation in Newbridge?
What is the name of a typical low-level, mid-level and high-level establishment?
Who runs them?
What's a secret each has?
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Old 04-19-2017, 08:13 PM   #25
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

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Originally Posted by Daigoro View Post
Answer 13
Every three or four generations, a new orcish leader emerges from the Orc Barrens and unites all the tribes together under one horse hair banner to lead a Rampage across the more civilised lands.

The first three Rampages followed a similar pattern- the horde would hit a settlement, the town or city's defenses would soon be overwhelmed and it would fall, and an orcish tribal chieftain would be installed as satrap of the occupied city while the Rampage continued onward. Eventually the Rampage would fizzle out or be driven back by defending forces, and after a few years or decades the invaders would be driven from the city. And after each such occupation, a new generation of orc half-breed youngsters would be left behind.

This happened at Newbridge until the Fourth Orcish Rampage, when a young half-orc, Harrick the Boily Browed, rode out against the invading horde and confronted the Great Chieftain, challenging his champion to a duel for the fate of Harrick's hometown. Harrick fought well, but the Great Chieftain's lieutenant fought dirty, and so the would-be Champion of Newbridge was defeated and put in chains, dragged off to an unknown fate.

So thus, when the Fifth Rampage arrived some sixty years later, a new generation of half-orcs who had been raised on the legend of Harrick the Champion rode out to confront the next Great Chieftain and his lieutenants in a series of duels and surprisingly won, abruptly ending the charge of the Fifth Rampage on the banks of the Tovonduin.

From this legend was born Harrick's Half-blood Champions, a small elite fighting unit based in Newbridge, trained to duel, practised in countering orcish fighting styles, and pledged to defend their home of Newbridge. They proved themselves skilfull protectors of the city over subsequent raids, assaults, sieges and monster attacks, often going out to deal with a Fire Giant or Dire Slorn in one-on-one combat, as well as deflecting the brunt of later Orcish Rampages away from the city.

And therefore, to answer the question, the prestige of the unit and its vital contribution to the protection of the city's peace led them to earn the recognition of being on the city council.

That seat is currently held by Lord Champion Jakkrik Pig-Lips, who claims ancestry from dwarf, orc, ogre and human blood, and while many may doubt that they often change their mind when they meet him. Many have questioned his policy of allowing passing strangers to step forward to defend the city instead of sending his Champions to earn the glory, but his pragmatic response is, "If dey's want to bleed for dis city, lets 'em, I says. We'll still be here when none of dem is."

----

Question 24
Where can passing strangers find accommodation in Newbridge?
What is the name of a typical low-level, mid-level and high-level establishment?
Who runs them?
What's a secret each has?
Looking good so far. I gotta say, to this particular question, it ressambles my idea.

I'm pleased to see that some of my initial ideas took root, but it pleases me even more to see some developments I haven't considered before. The idea of each city's district be dominated by one race and having their particular patron God or even Pantheon is particularly sweet, and I'll be adopting it to my setting (it has an entire main nation which is the home of all PCs, so it has regions with more of some races than others, a few rural villages with only a single race, but the main cities are very cosmopolitan, so that idea is great for the main cities).

Could someone perhaps give it a little resume and reorder the questions that are open? I dont have time for it, but it is getting great so far guys, keep it up
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Old 04-19-2017, 08:52 PM   #26
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

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Q23) What is the Inventor's guild working on?
Their main concern is in the field of architecture. The Inventors are the ones that get to fortify the walls, build castles and watchposts both inside the city's walls and on strategic points towards countryside.

For as much politics as there is among the main guilds over political relevance, there is also a LOT of necessary cooperation. The Inventors will build the universities to teach Alchemy and Magic, they'll hire Wizards to enchant their constructions and the alchemists to create special materials. And the merchants are often the patrons of such works.

Aside from that which is the most common of their function, the Inventors are constantly looking to create the things that will both make easier the life of the people and improve the power of the city, but also which will make their pockets filled with gold.

During the time of the legal nightmare that has become the "Golem's Trial", the longest legal process ever on record (dating already above 350 years now, and the process is still open), upon which the Wizards Guild wanted to have the legal rights of the manufacture of Golems since the process clearly use spellcasting, but the Inventors claim that it were totally made using guilds funds and knowledge, and the creators of the Golems, althouth trained in magic under the "Nicellus Arcanum University", were members of the Inventors Guild, and made the creation using the Inventors Guild's resources. That has put a halt over the Golems creation for over 50 years, and the commerce of Golems became a VERY lucrative and illegal business (some historians say that the need for Golems on the black market is what gave birth to the thieves guild), until the Mayor Shurska Ulosky took the brave move of creating a guild ONLY to build Golems that the city needed so much. The Inventors and Wizards are still trying to incorporate that small guild up until today.

Ever since that, the Inventors Guild has established the "Mundane Act", upon which they forbid ANY sort of inventions based on non mundane principles. This has had its pros and cons.

As a con, there are many wonders that could have been created or improved if it had incorporated alchemical and magical principles.

As a pro, there are many mundane principles that would never be developed if Magic were used as a kick fix.

Up to now, the Inventors are working towards automatons (which they hope will replace the Golems and end the question at once), pneumatic weapons using compressed air or water to shoot projectiles, many clockwork devices, flying machines, armored war wagons, and pressurized canons. They also work with artificial selection to try to improve livestock and seeds, they also use mundane Science to study geology for mining and agriculture, as ways to improve without being "Magic dependent". The Inventors try to have a solution for all problems, without resorting to the kick fix of Magic.

Like they are always saying "Magic can solve any trouble. As long as you have a wizard avaiable (and willing to help). But, the right tool will always do it's owner's bidding, without needing years of study or needing to please some spoiled brat to please. Tools are reliable; Magic is not".

Their most recent project is called "Time Renew". They are building a series of clocks all over the city, hoping that this will make daily life much more organized for the citizens.

Question 25 - Why are (or at least, were) Golems so important to the city's economy? How long do they usually last, how are they made, what's their size and most typical use?
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Old 04-19-2017, 10:19 PM   #27
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Point of order:

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the local stonecutters' guild also hits up council for a lord's ransom to fix up all the damage...
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Originally Posted by KarlKost View Post
Their main concern is in the field of architecture. The Inventors are the ones that get to fortify the walls, build castles and watchposts both inside the city's walls and on strategic points towards countryside.
The stonecutters' guild has already been mentioned, albeit in passing, as the town's architecture guild. Should we-
a) drop them?
b) subsume them as a "sub-guild"(?) of the Inventors?
c) use that as a nickname for the Inventors?
d) keep them as separate guilds with separate functions?
e) have them as separate competing guilds for the same function?
f) some other suggestion?
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Old 04-20-2017, 12:14 AM   #28
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

Regarding the point of order. Stonecutters guild vs the inventors guild. This is a suggestion for option f).
With a bit of jiggling both could be true. The inventors guild is currently a political power. What if the stonecutters guild was a political power and is now holding on by the skin of it's teeth.
The stonecutters guild still holds the Council's remit for repairs to city property, walls and so forth. The inventors guild holds the remit for "new construction that incorporates mechanisms and mechanical engineering" and being a council guild they are fairly adept at ensuring new projects fit their remit. They may or may not farm out work to the stonecutters guild.
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Old 04-20-2017, 11:31 AM   #29
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

Technology for DF is a hard subject. A good starting point is this

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_technology

I assume DF is TL 3 but verging on TL 4. The existence of gunpownder or a similar alchemical/magical replacement is optional, and probably very restricted if present. Also, some people will like a "musketeer" template "class", and some do not. So, that point is probably best left open.

Beyond real world medieval technologies, DF settings can have a good many array of fantastic (and possibly unrealistic) devices. Some of those are covered on Fantasy Tech - the Edgy of Reality, like Heating Rays using sunlight and other "Da Vincian" creations. Many "Da Vinci" tales can be incorporated.

If we look for example at World of Warcraft, this setting have a HUGE collection of Steampunk additions, like steampowered motorcycles, tanks and even airplanes. All of those without losing the Dungeon Fantasy feeling (WoW is totally DF).

Therefore, Clockpunk and Steampunk are viable options for DF tech, specially because on many cases those devices need some Magic to work, or are tough out as tools to help on magical efforts. Gunpowder for example, may not be possible without Alchemy, and steam could use magical motors to work instead of just burning coal.

So, that will be a matter of taste. Some people dont like anything more refined than bows and arrows for DF; some others like a little steampunk touch.

By the way, do you guys ever played some Elder Scrolls like Skyrim? The extinct Dwarves in there had some pretty sweet steampunk tech which is still operational on many dungeons. Their automata are particularly amazing alternatives for undeads. So, steampunk used with moderation can fit.
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Old 04-20-2017, 12:00 PM   #30
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Default Re: [Game] Collaborative world building for DFRPG.

DF is really it's own Tech Level, with a generous mix and match approach. I would treat it as TL 3 for rule purposes*, but it's not "pure" TL in any sense.

* mainly because the starting wealth is $1 000 - otherwise I would go with TL 4.
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