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[personal profile] kingtycoon
The Idea here is that some non and inexperienced people want to game with me.  True Story - I was out at the bar and a girl approached me.  "Hey,"  She said, shyly "I hear you play Dungeons and Dragons.... I really want to try it..."  This shit, as you know, happens all the time.  Anyhow - I looked through all the games that there are - and none of them are very easy or intuitive or fun, right out of the box.  Most games are designed for Gamers, not for people new and fresh and interested.  It's a problem of the Hobby, anyway - I made this little Ersatz game.  I decided to make it pretty dependant on external resources - like my Harrow Deck.  I guess I'm putting this here because it's fun to hear what people think.  Also - LJ is hell on Columns and font-sizes - so you know, this looks a lot better in print.

Character Name___________________________

Character Race___________________________

Character Homeland_______________________

Character Role____________________________

Traits & Skills

Strength_______ Quickness_________

Combat_____ Trickery_____

Survival_____ Adventure_____

Crafts ______ Perception______

Charm_______ Intellect___________

Persuasion____ Knowledge______

Animals _____ Medicine _______

Arts _________ Profession_______

Techniques

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Talents

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Languages

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rank Fame Infamy

] [

] [

] [

Adventure Points

Thresholds

Physical

Mental

Social

Gear

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How to Play

First, create your character. You do this by first, choosing your name, race (Goblin, Human, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Gnome, Orc or something else). Then think of your Role in the 5 Man Band (Leader, Lancer, Girl, Big Guy or Smart Guy). Now, prioritize your Traits. You set one at 3, one at 2, one at 1 and the last at 0. The traits are (Strength, Quickness, Charm and Intellect). Now – Draw 3 cards from the Harrow Deck. These Cards establish your character's background and experiences. Note the symbol on the card and it's position on the card.

Shield - +1 to your Thresholds

Hammer - +1 to your Strength

Key - +1 to your Quickness

Crown - +1 to your Charm

Book - +1 to your Intellect

Star – Gain a Magical Talent (roll die to find out which)

Symbol on the Left -Professional Experience. Add 5 to two of your skills (you are Trained in them)

Symbol in the Center – Self-taught. Add 5 to one of your skills and +1 to one of your Thresholds

Symbol on the Right – Innate Talents. Add 2 to 5 skills.

Symbol on the top – Fame – you increase your Fame by 1

Symbol in the middle – Rank – you increase your Rank by 1

Symbol on the bottom – Infamy – in increase your inf. By 1

Races

Dwarf – Add 1 to your thresholds, add +2 to Crafts. You get the Dwarf talent – You can see in the dark and you can sense secret doors and traps.

Elf – Add +2 to Arts and Perception. You get the Elf talent – You are immune to diseases and roll for a magical talent

Goblin – Add +2 to your Trickery and Survival skills. You get the Goblin talent. You can see in the dark and you are immune to poison.

Gnome – Add +2 to your Knowledge and Animals skills. You get the Gnome talent. You can speak with animals

Halfling – Add +2 to your Trickery and your Persuasion skills. You get the Halfling talent. You add 2 to your physical threshold and are resistant to magic

Human – Add +2 to any two skills and you get the Human talent – You can draw a 4th card to determine your characteristics.

Orc – Add +2 to your Combat and Survival skills. You get the Orc talent. You double your Strength trait when dealing physical damage.

Magical Talents

1- Alluring Gaze

2 – Fast Healing

3 – Stone Control

4- Fire Control

5 – Wind Control

6 – Water Control

7 – Touch of Heroism (strength and charm)

8 – Touch of Cunning (Quickness and Intellect)

9 – Animal Shape

10 – Magic Lantern

11 – Vanishing

12 – Animate Object

13 – Animate Dead

14 – Summoning

15 – Banishing

16 – Aura of Protection

17 – Lucky

18 – Curses

19 – Telekinesis

20 – Wizardry

Playing The Game

Every action you take is determined by your Skills. If you have training in a skill it is increased by 5, if you have a native talent it is increased by 2. You can have multiple training experiences for a skill. You also add your trait to your skill. The higher your number for a skill the better you are at something. To accomplish a task, roll under your skill on a 20 sided die.

If you are in a fight, or you are trying to injure/attack someone, you must try to roll under the skill – but the target adds their Threshold to your die roll. For example- if you swing a sword at someone and your Combat Skill is 13 you must roll under a 13 to hit them. You roll an 11 and would hit them, except that their Threshold is 5 – increasing your roll to 16 – so you miss.

Equipment

At the start of the game you will draw cards to determine what your starting possessions are. You also have 1d4 Gold Coins that you can use to buy things in the game.

Your equipment can increase your effectiveness. Tools and weapons will add to your skill – making it easier to accomplish.

They also increase the damage you deal using your attacks.

Weapons

When you hit someone you add your weapon's damage to your Strength. If it is greater than the target's threshold they are wounded.

Small 1 point

Medium 1d4 Damage

Large 1d8 Damage

Clothing

When you want to persuade or taunt someone you add your clothes and jewels bonus to your charm trait to determine the damage that you do to the target's self-control

Nainz -

A Brief History – The Hierarchy of Nainz began with a small feudal dominion based around the castle of Nainz. By strengthening the land's roads and supply lines they were able to dominate many neighboring lands, becoming a powerful nation. For many years these dominated lands were led by wise feudal lords but a major earthquake ruined the local economy and infrastructure. There were massive peasant and citizen uprisings. These uprisings were instrumental in putting the Hierach of Nainz in command of the nation, he in turn established a profoundly stratified bureaucratic and military hierarchy. Everyone was included except for a small group of his favorites – a band of musicians and entertainers who were above the fray. They continue their lives unaffected by the military hierarchy. Later hierarchs were forced to make many political deals and to juggle complex relationships to keep order. The church of Asmoday was inaugurated as the state religion – which in turn firmed up social control, making the center of the society much strengther, indomitably so. In recent years the Military hierarchy has begun to unify around the state, but the old units are still around.

Backgrounds from Nainz -

The Trumpet – New Model Army. Trained in Combat. Professional and survival. You have a weapon, armor and your rank is based on your charm trait. You have the Rally technique. You can make a Talking check – if you succeed you raise everyone's thresholds by 1 for a scene.

The Bear – Nainz Archetype – bigger and strengther than almost everyone. You have training in Arts, Professional and Combat. You have the Might technique. You can make an survival check to perform a feat of remarkable strength once per scene.

The Inquisitor – Clerical Background. Trained in Profession, Perception, Education. You're part of the great church of Asmoday and you have a rank based on your charm score. You have the Accuser technique. You can make a social attack using the Talking skill.

The Juggler – Carnival. Trained in Arts, Trickery, and Adventuring. You have the Juggling technique – you can make multiple attacks with thrown weapons (knives etc...) you can throw a number of weapons equal to your quickness trait.

The Joke – Jester. Trained in Talking, Art and survival. You have the Mockery technique – you can make a social or mental attack using the Art skill.

The Betrayal – Ancient Sect. Trained in Education, Trickery, Medicine. You have ranks in ancient order of the Domnitor – an ancient king. You have the Backstab technique – you can make a trickery check to automatically overcome a target's physical threshold.

The Uprising – Militant Poor – Trained in survival, Combat, and Profession. You have the Mob technique. You increase all your thresholds and damage by +1 for every person who is helping you once per scene.

The Avalanche – Mountaineer – Trained in survival, Adventuring and Animals. You have the Dodge technique. You can add your quickness trait to your Physical Threshold once per scene.

The Owl – Witch – Trained in Perception, Animal and Medicine. You have the Witchcraft technique and can resist magic. You double your Thresholds against magic.

The Teamster – Messenger – Trained in Adventuring, survival and Animal. You have the Swiftness technique – you can increase your speed by 50% for a scene.

The Keep – Old Knighthood – Trained in Combat, Animals and Talking. You have the Challenge technique. You can challenge a target – making a Talking check. If you succeed that target must attack you or automatically provoke an attack from you. You have rank equal to double your charm trait.

Yeb -

A Brief History – The Yeb Subcontinent was intially organized in two separate regions, both based around river valley civilizations. Eventually conflict between these opposed cultures led to a cataclysmic downfall and a dark age predominated. The savage rule of survival was the only law. Nomadic life replaced the ancient civilizations and still remains a major way of life in the subcontinent. The ruins of the old ways were cursed and abandoned, filled with the grave goods of their ancient societies. Knowledge from those places migrated outward, however and spread in the form of civilization in other lands. The natives of the subcontinent absorbed the chaotic life of the wilderness and began prize endurance and fortitude as their primary virtues. Into the nomadic lives of these post-apocalyptic survivors came many visionary leaders – who periodically joined different tribes and held sway over the whole subcontinent. Most revered among these is the Goddess Pharesma who brought the faith of the true divines to the subcontinent. Most reviled of these is Lamashtu – who invited the primordial horrors of the universe to dwell upon the land. There are many traditions among the nomadic people of Yeb and they are in frequent conflict for resources and territory, not ideology or culture. Cultural interactions are much more peaceful and more complex. Yeb's tribes have strength diplomat and warrior cultures that are distinct.

Backgrounds for Yeb

The Forge – Artisan. You are trained in Arts, Professional and Perception. You have the Masterpiece technique. You can make an Arts or Professional check to make items of exceptional quality and value. All of your starting equipment is of double value and +1 effectiveness.

The Desert – Voyager. You are trained in Adventuring, Animals and Perception. You have the Vagabond technique, your threshold doubled against environmental and weather effects like cold and heat, hunger and thirst.

The Eclipse – Monster Heritage. You are trained in Combat, Trickery and survival. You have the Monstrous technique. Whenever you are subject to a Social attack you automaticaly resist it if you choose to attack the person who attacked you.

The Wanderer- Nomad. You are trained in Perception, Adventuring and Animals. You are trained in the Polyglot technique. You speak and read an additional language for each point of Intellect trait you have.

The Waxworks – Tomb Raider. You are trained in Combat, Education and Adventuring. You have the Archeology technique. You can use your Education skill to decipher languages and disable traps.

The Winged Serpent – Angelic – You have an angelic bloodline. Trained in Talking, Education and Healing. You have the Virtue technique. You are immune to poison and diseases.

The Liar – Demonic –You have a demonic bloodline. Trained in Talking, Education and Trickery. You have the Vice technique. You can make a social attack using Talking. If you succeed you can make someone do something wicked that they would not normally do.

The Rabbit Prince – Warrior. You've trained in the warrior traditions of Yeb. You are trained at Combat, Adventuring and Professional. You have the Combat technique – you add +1 to your physical attacks, damage and threshold.

The Twins – Paragon – You've got both Angelic and Demonic ancestors from the ancient lines of Yeb. You are Trained in Talking, Education and Arts. You have the Conflicted technique. Whenever you gain status, rank, infamy or any other social merit, you get double what you normally would.

The Courtesan – Diplomat. You've trained in the diplomatic traditions of Yeb. You are trained in Talking, Education and Arts. You have the Presence technique. You can make a social attack, if it succeeds you can briefly prevent someone from taking any action once per scene.

Tarstir -

A Brief History – The Mercantile Dominions of Tarstir came into existence in the most agreeable territory in the old-world. A land of plenty, easy climate and abundant resources. The first Tarstiris were easygoing and lived in peace among the vast plenty of their homeland. From this the culture of proprietorship emerged as recipes and establishments came to compete with one another in the primitive barer economy. Eventually the concept of owning ideas spread into the concept of owning land and people as well. The maddening vision spread throughout the land and conflict began where none had been. The warfare and the slaughter that resulted denuded some of the land's bounty. Eventually a system of order and orderly transfers emerged, contracts and titles were established. This proved to be a fertile environment for wicked secret societies to emerge and to begin to dominate the commerce of the land. These secret realms were revealed dramatically, and rules of public record were established for the good of all. These rules have periodically been subverted and in recent history There have been dominant and sinister cabals who have legally exerted tyrannical control. Nevertheless the flow of currency and the predominance of law has meant that there is a persistent return to form. But there are still internal threats that operate within the system of laws, some of these have come to govern important aspects of the country, and many have sought to leave Tarstir to escape the constant intriguing.

Tarstir Backgrounds

The Hidden Truth – Detective – You are trained in Perception, Education and Trickery. You gain the Investigation technique. Once per scene you can use your Perception skill in place of another skill to perform an attack as you reveal the secret truth about a person.

The Rakshasa – Smuggler – You are trained in Talking, Adventure and Trickry. You gain the Evasion technique. You can make trickery checks to get past normal scrutiny, you can hide your business from others with ease.

The Marriage – Trader – You are trained in Talking, Arts and Professional. You gain the Connected technique. You can always find a buyer for your goods, you start the game session with double money and you can sell your loot for 50% more.

The Mute Hag – Warlock – You are trained in Arts, Medicine and Education. You gain the Hex technique. You can make a mental attack against someone once per scene. If it succedes you choose one of their skills to reduce by 5.

The Tyrant – Magnate – You are trained in Arts, Professional and Education. You gain the Retainers technique. You always have access to personal servants and bodyguards. You start out with 2 helpers.

The Publican – Libertine – You are trained in Adventuring, survival and Arts. You gain the Romantic talent. You automatically perform a social attack on anyone you meet, if they have no social threshold, they are automatically charmed by you.

The Dance – Barrister – You are trained in Professional, Education and Perception. You gain the Legalist talent. You can declare a person outlaw by making a mental test once per scene. If you succeed that person takes a penalty to all of their thresholds equal to your quickness trait.

The Vision – Intellectual – You are trained in Education, Arts and Profession. You gain the Polymath talent. Once per scene you can use your Education check in place of any other check you would normally have to make.

The Beating – Thug – You are trained in Combat, Adventuring and survival. You gain the Beating technique. You can make a physical attack that goes against all of a targets thresholds once per scene. This attack deals social, mental and physical damage.

The Unicorn – Romantic – You are trained in Talking, Adventuring and Animal. You gain the Loveable technique. Your physical and mental thresholds are increased by your charm trait.

The Cricket – Scoundrel – You are trained in Talking, Adventuring and Trickery. You gain the Scam technique. You can make a mental attack that, if successful, causes a target to give you anything you want.

Thare' -

A Brief History – The Theocracy of Thare was initially a very different place. Law and governance arrived there late as innate concepts, chaos and the sinister law of force predominated for most of its history. Plague, pestilence and all manner of calamity were more common than not, in the poisoned fens that comprise the land's geography. Ultimately it was found that the grave misfortunes of the land were owed to the sinister manipulations of the unseen fairy realm that the land was joined to. The King of the Fey-Folk had gone away, had gone missing, unaccountably, and in his place the spirit world had been left to decay into indifference. Contact between the folk of the land and the fey-folk led to amicable relations and a reconciliation, the chaos and the plagues upon the land began to heal. In time the King of the Fey-Folk reappeared, having been much changed by his sojourn. He strictly forbade the increasing integration of the fey and the mortal, and established a strictly, but fairly governed land. But the habits of the mortal folk were not easily broken. They rebelled against the King with the aid of the ancient and evil denizens of the dark realm, whom they had long ago learned to revere. These pacts were onerous and proved more bitter still than the hegemony of the Fey-King. But a massive uprising of the fey and the mortals together overcame all the hierarchies, the land was liberated and the mingling of the fey and the mortal resumed. Behind the scenes organized efforts resumed to re-establish both the Fey kingdom and the kingdom of the Dark king – these secret sects worked to re-establish order in the chaotic land. Ultimately the strict demands of freedom, personal liberty and conscience began to prevail, the land began, at last, to reward its denizens and the peaceful relationship between the Fey and the Darklings and the Mortals became the ongoing norm.

Thare' Backgrounds

The Big Sky – Liberator – Having learned from the brutal history of Thare' you have devoted yourself to overcoming slavery and oppression in the wider world. You gain the Emancipator technique. You Can make an oration using a social attack against a group of people that can provoke them to rise up. You are trained in Talking, Adventuring and Combat

The Theater – Changeling – You're descended from the realm of the Fairies and have only been raised by mortals. You are trained in Animals, Arts and Trickery and you have the Glamour technique. You can alter your appearance to resemble someone else once per scene.

The Peacock – Halfblood – You're descended from both the Fairies and the Devils. You are trained in Trickery, Perception and Adventuring and you have learned the Paragon technique. You can see in total darkness, like a devil, and you can briefly vanish like a fairie but only once per scene You likely have a very extreme appearance.

The Foreign Trader – Sage – You've learned from all of the extremes of history. You are trained in Education, Profession and Adventuring. You also have the Intermediary technique. You can make a social test at any time, if it succeedes you can briefly calm any conflict and even break up a skirmish

The Fiend – Hell's blood – You are descended from the Devils that once ruled Thare. You are trained in Adventuring, Combat and Trickery. You have the Fiendish technique. You are not harmed by fire and do not need to sleep.

The Locksmith – Duelist – You are a practitioner of the arts of honorable combat. You gain the Combat, Professional and survival skills, and you have the Riposte technique. You can automatically counterattack against any physical attack that does not overcome your threshold.

The Paladin – Sidhe – You are a descendant of the line of the fairy-kings. You are trained in Combat, Art and Animals. You have the Seelie technique. Once per scene you can Grow to twice your size or shrink to half your size for a few minutes.

The Empty Throne – Noble – You are a member of one of the fallen noble houses of Thare'. You are trained in Professional, Arts and Talking. You gain the Bequest technique. You get an additional draw when selecting equipment and you begin the game with 100 gold coins.

The Snakebite – Killer – You're a killer. You are trained in Combat, Trickery and Persuasion. You have the Assassin technique. If you attack someone who is unaware you inflict double damage.

Ambrove -

A Brief History – The Meritocracy of Ambrove is a large and highly integrated nation in that occupies much of the old world. The nation began as a kingdom ruled over by monster, however, a vast empire of diabolical villains who enslaved all the people of the land. From this terrible situation there emerged a movement of order and law based upon the governance of a powerful shaman-queen, who united the people to resist the wicked oppression of the monsters. This land was undone by magical cataclysms unleashed by the overthrown monsters who chose to devastate the land rather than loose the shackles. For many years the land was in turmoil, the people lived in constant fear and near total lawlessness. Slowly, a new order emerged as the land recovered from the cataclysm, it became bitter, hard, inhospitable, a new order of brutal kingdoms emerged. But from these warring, totalitarian states there emerged a powerful, enduring order of knights and heroes devoted to a new, more compassionate order. But these knights were opposed by wicked gangs, evil bands of the remnant monsters – the conflict between these two growing organizations came to dominate the land. Again, driven by warfare and turmoil, the people were fragmented, chaos prevailed, and strength was all that mattered. In the end the different bands of conflicting ideals degenerated into murderous legions that merely spread chaos, death and ruin. But from this dark time one of the great Queen's descendants reappeared, joining the people of the land into an integrated system of law and order, this enduring power prevailed and put to rest the wickedness and death that had overthrown the land. And from this new order a new society emerged, at last, a place of temperance and inclusion, where the domain of Ambrove could flourish, a new nation, conceived in peace.

Ambrove Backgrounds -

The Sickness – Leper – You are afflicted by a disfiguring illness that may or may not be transmitted to others. You are trained in Trickery, Medicine and Perception. You have the Carrier technique. While you are afflicted you are immune to other diseases and poisons. You may be able to give your disease to others.

The Demon's Lantern – Swamper – You are from one of the many inhospitable regions of Ambrove. You are trained in Adventuring, Animals and Perception. You have the Survival technique. You can temporarily increase all of your thresholds by 2 once per scene.

The Idiot – Gobliny – You are descended from the Goblins who once ruled Ambrove. You are trained in Trickery, Combat and Adventuring. You have the Redcap technique. You can temporarily increase your Strength trait by reducing your Intellect trait. You can lower that trait to a negative number.

The Queen Mother – Shaman – You have followed one of the animal totems of the ancient Ambrovians. You are trained in survival, Animals and Medicine. You have the Shamanism technique – you can briefly turn into one kind of animal, chosen when you learn this technique.

The Cyclone – Refugee – You have been driven out of your home by a cataclysm. You are trained in survival, Perception and Arts. You gain the Vagabond technique. You know an additional language at the start of the game and you can learn languages very easily.

The Carnival – Troubador – You have been part of a traveling carnival. You are trained in Trickery, Arts and Adventuring. You gain the Entertainer technique. You can make a mental test using your Trickery or Arts skills. If it overcomes a target's threshold they are fascinated by the performance and oblivious until it ends.

The Tangled Briar – Wastelander - You are from one of the arid steppes in Ambrove. You are trained in survival, Animals and Combat. You gain the Nomad technique. You have a perfect sense of direction and are comfortable in any outdoor environment. You also begin the game with a well trained pet of your choice.

The Survivor – Adventurer – You're already an experienced adventurer. You are trained in Adventuring, Combat and survival. You gain the Adventurer technique. Once per scene you can reroll any die.

The Crows – Outlaw – You've been an outlaw and part of a criminal gang. You are trained in Trickery, Perception and Combat. You gain the Cutthroat technique. You can add your quicknessness trait to all of your damage rolls.

The Mountain Man – Mountaineer – You're from the foreboding mountains of Ambrove. You are trained in survival, Adventuring and Animals. You also gain the Hardy technique. You can add your Strength trait to your physical threshold.

The Lost – Aberrant – You have some monsters in your bloodline and may be fairly monstrous yourself. You are trained in Combat, Perception and Adventuring. You have the Terror technique. You can make a social test at +10 against a target. If it overcomes their threshold – they flee from you in terror, or cower if they can't escape.

The Brass Dwarf – Dwarvish – Your dwarvish ancestry is obvious from your stocky build. You are trained in Arts, Profession and Education. You have the Resolute technique. You can automatically choose to resist anything that would normally frighten you or cause you to be moved physically.

The Midwife – Healer – You've got a real talent for curing the sick and healing in general. You are trained in Medicine, Professional, and Animals. You gain the Cures technique. Once per scene you can alleviate wounds equal to your Charm Trait.



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