GURPS Fantasy , shared world, recruiting

[tantric]

(In Ubantu, the Maasai have horses - there is nothing more terrifying to mBantu than a Maasai charge!)

The basic format for a hero-priest was a kind of medium who could channel only one spirit with a collection of spells and powers. Mostly they channel to ask for advice, but in extremis can be possessed. Their powers are heavily limited by their hero's life - they have lots of taboos. For instance, Ryangombe was big on dogs, so his priests all have dog familiars and get Rider Within for their pets. Sudikambambi had a twin brother, so only twins can join.

Anyway, though I have no interest in adding Ubantu to this world, the idea of hero-cults is, IMHO, very appropriate for fantasy RPGs of any stripe. If you want to run with this, be sure to add in idiosyncrasies of the heroes - it adds a lot to the fun. Ryangombe was killed by a buffalo, so maybe his priests have a Buffalo Dread or somesuch. Don't limit yourself to Africa - Heracles and Theseus need some love, as does the Shining Prince Genji (all his priests have lecherousness!). Much could be done with just the Christian saints, for instance (can a priest of St. Patrick turn serpents?)

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Agramer

Note:that regions history is very,very interesting and can be source for much inspiration ...

We don't have a world map yet, and I supsect it won't be a copy of the Old World with name changes.

That being said, I think that drawing inspiration from actual regions and nations is a good idea.

Agramar, are you going to give us a short write-up on these knights and their iron-rich homeland? Don't forget that TL3+1 armor is bleeding edge technology in this setting- you might want to consider how the armor-smiths keep their lore a secret.

[Agramer]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Don't forget that TL3+1 armor is bleeding edge technology in this setting

Tech level by Field:

Transportation:
TL0:Skis,Dogsleds,Dugout canoes
TL1:Bare horseback,the wheel(and chariots),shipbuilding,sails
TL2:Saddle,roads,Triremes
TL3:Stirrups,Oceangoing sailing ships(Longboats,roundships..etc)

Weapons and Armor:
TL0:wod/stone wpn,primitive shields,hides for armor
TL1:Bronze weapons and armor
TL2:Iron weapons.iron armor(including mail),siege engines
TL3:Steel weapons,plate armor,castles,(early firearms :>>we wont have)

Only TL4 stuff that Id consider is:
Stagecoach - Rome maybe,with all roads of theirs
Precise Navigation - but only as exception in some remote part of world
Pikes - though well have Hellas phalanx
Clockwork - maybe?
TL5 :
Germ theory of disease - isolated also(maybe discovered by magic) could be
interesting

So TL 3+1 plate ,would in effect be Musket proof reinforced plate ... or we could call it Very fine Plate? ... or instead extra DR we can cut down weight.
4ed Lowtech would be soooo useful here.

Originally Posted by combatmedic

- you might want to consider how the armor-smiths keep their lore a secret.

Very secretive metallurgy Guilds inner circle,based on Master+single apprentice only passed from generation to generation(Same as secret of Damascus sword production,which is only guessed at today),that knows how to make such very fine stuff.
Hey Damascus swords are actually from "Georgia",same as Dwarven and Elven Armor.

OR Ores at that locality have "just right" mixture of right elements in it ,so when you use any other iron ore elsewhere you dont get same results ?!?

Originally Posted by combatmedic

We don't have a world map yet, and I supsect it won't be a copy of the Old World with name changes.

That being said, I think that drawing inspiration from actual regions and nations is a good idea.

Good map is of utter importance.

Being able to tell players that,for example, Hellas resembles Iliad type Greece with this and that changes/additions and that Hattusa is mix of Troy and Persian Empire(Immortals are cool ;) ) would speed up sessions and players understanding of situation.

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Agramar, are you going to give us a short write-up on these knights and their iron-rich homeland?

Y,sure ...Ill just need to give it some thought.Atm Im just throwing ideas and trying to help make a picture in my head of world.



On "southern" border we could put some active volcano ,Dinosaurs and African Empire..if we have Sahara between .. that can explain lack of major conflict between Shattered Empire at its peek and African Empire(Niger,Chad,Sudan .. today).

"Jungle Empire" that could employ :
-Triceratops(scale with human) instead elephants
-Velociraptors controlled by Beast masters instead Romans Mastiffs
-Apatosaurus as massive beasts of burden pulling "miniforts" maybe
-some -saurus as riding mount
-we could even squezze Wyverns or something with riders there

[combatmedic]

We will need a good continental/known world sketch map, yes.


We could have early firearms- just no TL 4 guns. Basically, pre-matchlock stuff.

Musket-proof plate makes less sense without muskets. I think I like your idea of lighter, but just as strong, armor better. Should it actually be plate, or just very good lamellar?

Let's not overload on the anachronisms, lest we end up with Yrth. Many fantasy worlds seem to have a weird mix of Early Modern and Medival tech- but our world seems more Classical+ Medieval.

Instead of germ theory, I say we go with humors or miasma. Let magical healing be really desirable, because the non-magical medicine is all TL 0-3 stuff. Yrth has germ theory, after all.

[Agramer]

On Dragons:

Very powerful beasts with 2+ Extra attacks,breathe flame(optional) fatigue based or few times per day limit and could(maybe) spread terror(requires fright check per encounter) or something when close enough(Primordial fears of humanity when they were hunted by them in ancient past)

Very solitaire creatures that need big hinting grounds.Only way to tame them is to find egg in wilderness and when egg hatches Dragon will bond(maybe) with first person he sees thinking its a mother.Maybe with children only(than wed have Dragon riders warrior trained from childhood).Through few more years that bond becomes strong as between loyal dog and master.

To be useful they should have very accelerated growth till maturation.If/when Master dies they die of sorrow or run back to wilderness.

This would limit number of Dragon riders severely and only Mightiest of Nations could field flight or two of them(ofc if they know "The Secret" of taming them).


On Griffins:

Something similar to Dragons though more numerous.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Agramer

On Dragons:

Very powerful beasts with 2+ Extra attacks,breathe flame(optional) fatigue based or few times per day limit and could(maybe) spread terror(requires fright check per encounter) or something when close enough(Primordial fears of humanity when they were hunted by them in ancient past)

Very solitaire creatures that need big hinting grounds.Only way to tame them is to find egg in wilderness and when egg hatches Dragon will bond(maybe) with first person he sees thinking its a mother.Through few more years that bond becomes strong as between loyal dog and master.

To be useful they should have very accelerated growth till maturation.If/when Master dies they die of sorrow or run back to wilderness.

This would limit number of Dragon riders severely and only Mightiest of Nations could field flight or two of them(ofc if they know "The Secret" of taming them).


On Griffins:

Something similar to Dragons though more numerous.

I was thinking no dragons, griffins, unicorns,etc- or only as legends. Like elves and dwarves, those creatures evoke a sort of storybook 'high fantasy' for many folks.

If we do want such 'classic fantasy' critters, why not rework them?
What about this instead:

monoceros= a sort of goat-rhino- swift, deadly, aggressive, with a swordlike horn. Very dangerous during mating season.

drakon= enormous serpents, live in warm wetlands

'griffins': only the size of wildcats. Not mammals, but more like feathered dinosaurs/birds. The 'furry 'portions of their bodies are covered in very fine downy feathers. Their combination wings/forelegs are useful for both short flights and ground movement.

[combatmedic]

Note about monsters-

My thought is that, as we have left aside the standard fantasy races, we should also sacrifice a few sacred cows in the monster menagerie.
Sacrifice or rework, that is.

[Agramer]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Note about monsters-

My thought is that, as we have left aside the standard fantasy races, we should also sacrifice a few sacred cows in the monster menagerie.
Sacrifice or rework, that is.

Rework is just fine.

Though we should try to make Fantasy world and not Ancient/Medieval with little magic.
You need stuff that inspires,sparkles imagination.

Fighting off Wast Cracken thats trying to pull your Trireme under sea.Or get shipwrecked by such monster,survive since single human is insignificant and it didnt chase it just to run into Shark problem.


Dragons = vincente sergelles The mercenary comic.flying lizards
He had several types,smaller fast,larger..etc

Also setting is SOOO good.


On Magic:

Also I think spells as: Invisibility,flight and the like should be non existant in world,since otherwise youd have to setup such defences around Monarchs/High Nobility that itll become ridiculous.
(ever tried preventing 200+ CP Mage from assassinating high profile figure when Mage in question had:
Invisibility spell,Body of Air spell,Flight Spell,Dehydrate on 25 lvl,Mages stealth and teleport...and rest of beautiful 100 spells backed with 20-30 extra fatigues in powerstone)

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Agramer

Rework is just fine:


Dragons = vincente sergelles The mercenary comic.flying lizards
He had several types,smaller fast,larger..etc

Also setting is SOOO good.

Ah , yes, more swords and sorcery!

[Threlgar]

Many ideas that I like, especially the suggestions for dark / pact magic and hero worship. Both fit in well with my original concept - hero worship is a special case of ancestor worship, anyway. Very special ancestors :-)

I can see a party of PCs travel to the shrine of a hero to get some advice. The hero speaks to them through a medium an promises to give them the information they need. If they only could do something for him in the physical realm first ... :-)

Originally Posted by Agramer

This is great :))

You could pack Alternate forms for "Heroes" who worship(and have favour) of such long dead Heroes/Spirits/Demigods

alternate Forms:
+ST/DX....
..."racial memory" or something
..spells ?
Some disadvantage subject was famous about ...etc

Shaka Zulu fighting knights is interesting scene :))

GURPS Spirits 3e used to have a "Spirit Warrior" advantage. Does it still exist somewhere ? If not, would be worth reinventing it...

There are things I don´t like much. Ultra Powerful heroes, for example. I like things gritty and semi-realistic. A couple of those Elminsters and Khelbens etc. is fun, but when you can´t go through a large city without falling over one of them...

TL-4 guns, too. They have too great an impact on warfare, and I really like battles with phalanxes. There are so many settings that feature technology that should have changed society but strangely has not, that this has almost become the norm. Being consistent with these things could contribute to the uniqueness of the setting.

However, this is just my two cents.