Ideas for Yrth

[Michael Cule]

When setting up my Yrth's history (via the YRTH 1100 campaign) I didn't scruple to introduce people from parallel worlds (and watched with glee as the various versions of Christianity met and argued) and even from deep in the past. There was an Atlantean City on the West shore of Lake Acheron, the last worshippers of the ancient One God brought there just ahead of the destruction of the Island by the Angel of Rescues.

Neither the players nor the characters had a clue what was going on so neither complained about 'canon' or 'that's not what it said in the book...'

[Astromancer]

Another twist that the multiple worlds trope adds to Yrth is pulling interesting historical figures into Yrth. For example, picture a Cardinal Richelieu, pulled from an Earth that has just been hit by an asteroid (it didn't miss an extinction-level event by much). The Cardinal is now the power behind the throne in an important Dukedom in Megalos. He's figured out the Emperor's secret and is now running a shadow war the free the land. Drop a young Hermann Göring into your kingdom of choice. Let him wed the heiress of a barony or dukedom (the man was "male model" good-looking when young and very skilled socially). Now you have a skilled warrior, gifted administrator, hyper-ambitious, plotter with killer social skills, and no scruples. Just flip through the GURPS: Who's Who and GURPS: Riverworldfor inspiration.

[Alden Loveshade]

For those who haven't done so already, introducing David Pulver's GURPS Banestorm: Abydos can definitely put a twist into an Yrth game.

[dcarson]

How abour banestorming a cross time double of a major figure. Drop a duplicate emperor into Caithness say.

[dataweaver]

How about doing that, and then having that major figure end up being the local blacksmith?

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

How about doing that, and then having that major figure end up being the local blacksmith?

Cyrus McCormick, an important American inventor was a skilled blacksmith. Louis XVI was both skilled at the forge and a locksmith of great talent. Peter the Great was also a skilled blacksmith. But you might do better with a movie star. At least two Hollywood cowboys (but I forget who) were competent smiths in iron, tin, and copper. So the idea works.

[Astromancer]

Having noticed an old book of film stills from 1930s and 40s adventure serials at the local library it occurred to me that an alien (unrelated to Yrth's Banestorm but attracted to similar phenomena) banestorm could blow in a fun problem complication.

Picture that Prince Vultan and his cloud city complete with its whole population has been brought to Yrth. Now I will modify this idea a bit. Although the Hawk Folk should be modeled closely on Vultan and his people they should fit Yttarria's magical setup. Let Alchemy explain both why Vultan's city is in the sky and the Hawkfolk be descended of modified humans and fully able to modify humans into Hawkfolk or simply make it so that any children they breed with Hawkfolk are always born Hawkfolk.

Place the cloud city above fertile hills so that the Hawkfolk can control farms and ranches and the peasants needed to work the same. As the Hawkfolk have enhanced senses they'll see attackers coming from a long way off and in any fight, the Hawkfolk will have the high ground advantage.

Vultan is a jolly rogue and his people would make great wildcards.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

H Although the Hawk Folk should be modeled closely on Vultan and his people they should fit Yttarria's magical setup. .

So they have Flight with both Winged and Dependant on Mana. Still being able to fly in a NMZ if it has zero gravity kind of adds up to zero point feature.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

So they have Flight with both Winged and Dependant on Mana. Still being able to fly in a NMZ if it has zero gravity kind of adds up to zero point feature.

Given how the Hawkmen look in the old serial mana dependent flight seems right, but it doesn't fit with other flyers that are too heavy to fly in fantasy games. Using alchemy to change someone's species or that of their offspring doesn't have to create manna dependence.

[Astromancer]

I intend t start a thread on a specific idea for a Yttarria based campaign. I'll post a link when I can.