Riddle of the Gods [RP/Game] Reboot Like Hollywood

[WordsHere]

- Provided by ashdenej.

Right now working on a new campaign in the same setting. Hopefully one that we can actually play to an ending this time. Please stand by.

The lore of the world can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...SHOVc0DDM/edit
It's a work in progress. One that will be fleshed out as I sculpt the new campaign as well as during it.

The new campaign will use some variation on GURPS. You can get the basic rules for it here: http://e23.sjgames.com/item.html?id=SJG31-0004

[MasterBlade]

Reserving a Lunarian while I read lore and stuff. :U

[Daunting]

I'll edit-in/post a character (probably Human, though Ursa looks fun too) once I've read through all th' google docs .

[WordsHere]

Oh, hey, one thing I already noticed I forgot (and I'll edit the OP with too): Don't worry about alignment. Just try to make a consistent character and be able to justify your actions.

[Daunting]

(Also--quick question:
I notice that there're a few references to churches, and to a pantheon of gods. If our character involves religion in some way, should I make up a god, put in "________ [God of ___ and _____]," or somethin' else?)

[WordsHere]

Guh. Again, we're quickly running into Things Words Forgot. The main gods are just the elements plus Light (the sun) and the Moon. You can have fun with it though if you want to be religious because the pantheon does in fact include a plethora of gods. PM me about it if you want to know if something like that is okay.

[chimericWilder]

brb reading
consider this a reserve

[chimericWilder]

I'd like to know more about these catalysts. I get that they're basically magic foci / reagents, but i am pretty sure that you mentioned that they're different based on elements and all. Could we perhaps get some examples or an explanation on this? Also, how you'd go about crafting them yourself and so on.

E: by the way, you forgot a gender bulletpoint in the signup sheet, but i guess its not all-important.

[MasterBlade]

Name: Mizuki Ayako
Race: Lunarian
Age: 15
Description:

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Profession: Wandering Samurai
Minor Skills (pick 5):
Foraging
Tracking
First Aid
Diplomacy

Major Skills (pick 4):
Athletics
Ritual
Incantation
Demonology

Speciality: Traditional Swordsmanship

Bio: Mizuki Ayako, Moonborn Child, was a noble Lunarian born under a full moon. Due to his special birth, he was trained in ritual and tradition by monks, rather than politics of royalty. When the time came for civil war in the Lunarian kingdom, Mizuki was exiled to the main continent to prevent him from usurping the warlord in power. Since that time, he has become a wandering samurai, beginning his quest for inner peace in Renard.
Why You’re Here: For the job of course.
Inventory: Lunar Katana- A sword smithed under a full moon for moonborn princes. Acts as a minor catalyst for lunar-based incantations and ritual seals. It is the only remaining possession from Mizuki's lineage.
Samurai Robes
Small coin purse

[WordsHere]

I'd like to know more about these catalysts. I get that they're basically magic foci / reagents, but i am pretty sure that you mentioned that they're different based on elements and all. Could we perhaps get some examples or an explanation on this? Also, how you'd go about crafting them yourself and so on.

E: by the way, you forgot a gender bulletpoint in the signup sheet, but i guess its not all-important.

A lot of that is mentioned in the lore. The exact method isn't important, but the ingredients are brought together and destroyed in a fire or cauldron along with a crystal or some other item to used to contain the magic. The ingredients would be the sorts of things the god in question would like as offerings such as feathers for the Wind god.
An example would be that you gathered the feathers of a hawk and the whistling grass of the southern plane (which I just made up) and boiled it with a crystal ball to please the god of Wind. The crystal would now glow a dark blue tint. You hold the crystal in hand and chant to the god of Wind about exactly what you want him to do. So you might for instance ask to be quicker or to fly. The incantation will take at least one turn so you can never start casting and finish in the same turn. You must keep your concentration and continue chanting until the spell is cast or have to start over.
The number and quality of the ingredients as well as the skill of the wizard making the catalyst determines the level of catalyst made and thus the level of magic that can be cast and how many times. The levels are mundane, minor, base, major, transcendent, and legendary.
You may make up spells. I will literally let you try anything and decide for myself on how difficult that spell would be and whether or not your catalyst can accomplish it.
Also, uh... just put gender under description then. :P

[chimericWilder]

So the indicated prices are just for the crystal, or for a complete catalyst? Because i think i am mostly looking for information on the crafting Making it cheaper or even free would be much-preferable.

[WordsHere]

The prices are for purchasing an already complete catalyst. You may purchase ingredients for less, but there's a chance of failure (and also critical success, making the catalyst stronger than it would have been if you'd just bought it). There's no kind of magic user at all in this world that has any sort of limit on casts per day so cost is the main way to limit it. A caster should use magic wisely and have a back-up plan while his/her party should try to keep the magic user safe.
As far as starting items, you can have say one base catalyst for your specialization and maybe two minor for each of your other magic skills. You'll be able to cast repeatedly with each and I doubt you will really ever not be able to cast. Just know that when you get back to town it's probably where a lot of your money is going to go.
Nyyyeeeeehhhhhhhh... Thinking about it though I'm willing to go as low as 50 per level. That makes the mundane still just 10 gold and minor only 60. I'm willing to assume each character starts though with one basic weapon and then their preferred weapon as well as basic necessities and another ~100 gold depending on circumstance. For a thief that might mean say a back up short sword and their trusty throwing knives. For a caster though, that would probably mean a dagger or sword and a handful of minor catalysts of [insert the magic you're good at here]. So, especially for starting out, it doesn't matter any way because you get them either way.

[WordsHere]

Okay, okay. Sorry to double post, but this is important because it's a lore update. Before we go any further, I think there's some confusion over currency and it is of course my fault. I think you're thinking of D&D gold, which you don't get a lot of to start with and things cost a lot less there than I was planning. So I'm changing the name of currency.
There's now paper currency at least in Renard. 100 Canns (hooray for making up words on the spot) is actually not that much money. I will stick by my lowering of the cost for catalysts and ingredients though.

[chimericWilder]

Name: Nix
Race: Vulpine
Age: 178
Gender: Male
Description: Short but slim, lightred fur, two short white stripes on either side of his brow
Profession: Farmworker, aspiring spellcaster, wanderer
Minor Skills: Various farmskills, survival, endurance, Water, Concentration
Major Skills: Light, Catalyst Crafting, Catalyst Ingredients, Thrown weaponry
Speciality: Moon
Drawback(s): Very absentminded in particular ways, and often tends to focus completely on whatever he is doing, leaving everything else out.
Bio: An orphan since birth, --- could be said to grow up apart from everyone else - not because he wasnt taken care of, but because he preferred it that way. A little strange, he is often shunned by others, but he hardly minds. Eventually growing frustrated the politics of the non-capital city he grew up in, more because of the principles of politics in general than anything else, he left to find work at a farm, as well as pursue magical knowledge with the money he earned, though at times he would wander off for apparently no real reason, walking the land for the sake of it, for anywhere between weeks, months, and in a few cases, years. Recently having ended one of these wanderings, he has been unable to regain a one of his farm jobs, or perhaps simply unwilling to look any further, despite his tendency to travel for such long periods. Instead, he headed to the capital, willing to try a different line of work, but determined to stay away from what he refers to as pointless politicking. It should be noted that he has no real issue with the Church, but very much disapproves that it, too, is wasting time on endless politics.
Why You’re Here: I believe the above sums it up nicely. Adventuring sounds as good as any other job. Right?
Inventory: 8 Throwing Knives, Basic Moon Catalyst, Minor Moon Catalyst, Two Minor Light Catalysts, Minor Water Catalyst, Purse with 33 Canns, Worn clothes and a stained cloak.

[Dais]

Name: Grigor Bratus
Race: Ursa, Male
Age: 16
Description: Slightly small for an Ursa, Grigor does not look particularly impressive when compared to an Ursa warrior but he can still look intimidating when he wants to. For his young age he looks rather haggard, but still eager.
(I intend to draw a visual representation once I get a question answered and more importantly once I've worked on it a bit. Never drawn a mostly non-humanoid bear before.)

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Profession: Smith's Apprentice(Formerly)
Minor Skills (pick 5): Traveling(Making Camp, Packing it Quickly), Insults, Cooking, Fishing, Skinning
Major Skills (pick 4): Bludgeoning Weapons(Hammers, other Maces), Mining, Hand-to-Hand Fighting, Hunting(With Claws)
Specialty (pick 1, 2 if human): Blacksmithing (mostly larger items, fine things like jewelry are beyond his skill)
Bio: (Spoilered to be safe, it's a little on the long side)

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Grigor was abandoned in a foreign village by his parents shortly after he was born, because his parents could not afford to even keep him fed. After some deliberation the village decided to leave him in the care of the village's smith, Finbar Ellingsen. Finbar was an incredibly talented smith who's work was admired by the entire village. But due to the rise of new technologies Finbar felt that his art was not worth preserving and had not sought out an apprentice even as he began to grow old. The village managed to convince him to raise Grigor to be his apprentice. Finbar was unusually cold for an Ursa, but the villagers reasoned that if he rose a son to continue his craft he ouldn't be as harsh to the boy as he was to some people.

At first they were right, and Finbar was fairly kind and gentle with his adopted son, but as he got older some of Finbar's cold personality began to rub off on Grigor. The two still got along well, but Grigor had trouble fitting in with others his age and spent most of his time with Finbar, especially after he began to learn metalworking from him. As Grigor progressed it became evident that Finbar was an excellent teacher and he an eager student as he became quite good quite quickly. But in turn he became overconfident and started trying to find ways to surpass his master beyond simply becoming more skilled. He and Finbar began to butt heads more and more frequently as Grigor became 14. Grigor sought inspiration from the revolutionary ideas floating about the entire continent. He constantly came up with new theories such as using Earth magic to smelt stronger steel. Magic was actually a prominent theme in his ideas and this offended Finbar. Even more than the rest of the village Finbar put little stock in the use of magic, but Grigor refused to understand Finbar's views.

This growing tension came to a head one day shortly after Grigor turned 15. Finbar had refused to even bring up the point of Grigor succeeding him for over a year and Grigor obstinately brought it up, leading to a huge fight. Grigor struck Finbar, who nearly went berserk and drove Grigor out of his house, disowning him outright.
Not even bothering to find any shelter in the village or desiring to make amends with Finbar, Grigor wandered south searching for more open-minded folk to share his ideas with. He came to like the wandering lifestyle, but being completely unskilled in combat he found little desire to work as an adventurer or mercenary. Instead, he foraged, fished, and hunted where he could, and when he came to a town or city he sought to do whatever odd work he could. His familiarity with metalworking helped him find work with local smiths but he rarely had an opportunity to make use of the skills he inherited from Finbar. Instead he often acted as an errand boy for these men. Gradually he made his way across the border into Renard, but had yet to find anyone particularly interested in the wild theories of a young smith who was fairly rusty and hot-blooded.

He is still quite stubborn and enjoys trading insults more than niceties. He legitimately enjoys metalworking but has little time to practice it and is quite rusty. He doesn't care much for religion at all. He is familiar with heavy weaponry thanks to his profession but prefers to be less encumbered. He is a moderately competent warrior but lacks formal training. He rather enjoys hunting or fishing with just his claws and teeth, but is rather embarrassed to be seen doing so.

Why You’re Here: Just took care of an errand that brought him to Cannis, now simply seeking out lodging for the night and perhaps an opportunity to share his ideas with someone willing to entertain them.
Inventory: Metalworking Hammer, 118 Canns, 184 Rubles, Bindle(filled with a few day's food and some bedding), Journal, Fur Belt

So, questions: 1: Any suggestions as to what an Ursa would wear for clothing? I mean, I imagine with sufficient fur clothing might be almost as much of a hindrance as not so I'm hoping this isn't a silly question.
2: How difficult would it be to learn a little magic after the game starts? It seems like the sort of thing Grigor would be interested in but I myself am not interested in it right away and can't work out how he'd have learned it to start.
3: Since this character is clearly designed around smithing I suppose I ought to ask if you can explain how metal-based crafting might work in this game. If you weren't intending for there to be any player smiths I can change entirely, but as Grigor is now I don't intend for him to be doing metalworking all the time, of course he'd spend more time fighting and whatnot.
EDIT: Thanks for answering my questions WordsHere. Added a quick drawing that I will probably either refine or replace later. Also changed a detail here and there.

[WordsHere]

Ursa wear armor. And that's it. Never cloth because their fur is thick and they have no reason. Magic can be learned through practice. Since you have no skill to start with, even the other players in your party might be able to help with that.
Smithing is fine. You can make items for yourself or to sell from any loot you find. Just say what you're doing when it comes up - as in when you're in town - and I'll explain in more detail.
Now I have to go to work. :<

[chimericWilder]

Since you're saying that 100 canns isnt a lot, and also halved costs for catalysts, a legendary cayalyst would cost 210 canns amirite? I think you might want to exponentially increase the costs of the higher tiers, because cheap superpowerful artifacts are like wut
just a suggestion

[Vancho1]

Name: Simon Wester
Race: Human
Age: 20
Description: Simon is a five foot nine inch tall human male. His skin tone is a light olive, and he has dirty blond hair and brown (subtype honey) colored eyes. He keeps his hair cropped short, and wears a pair of rectangular spectacles. He wears light clothing, colored red.
Profession: Scholar/Scribe
Minor Skills (pick 5): Drawing, carving, singing, climbing, and public speaking.
Major Skills (pick 4): Writing, Analysis, Drinking, and Spell craft
Speciality (pick 1, 2 if human): Light, Unarmed Combat
Bio: The House of Wester is a minor noble family in the land of Lombardy, holding a large house and presiding over two villages. Simon's parents gave him the best education possible after they saw that he took to reading. However, to their disappointment, he also enjoyed getting in fights with the village children and mixing with the common folk. To "cure" him of this, they sent him to an expensive boarding school run by a very strict monastic order. He escaped after several years of schooling, but found that he missed the life of the learned. He managed to enroll in the University of Mayburry, one of the best schools in Lombardy. There, he picked up drinking in taverns with his friends, where his skills at fighting earned Simon much coin. He also took an interest in Light Magic, which appealed to him because he could create images, illusions, and other such things. He eventually graduated, and acquired a catalyst. Unfortunately, his wandering ways have left him nearly broke, as his quest for the best alcohol has cost much time and money.
Why You’re Here: Looking for money, and the best drink in the world.
Inventory: Bandages, carving knife, pens, papers, ink,
Base Light Catalyst - 2 base charges
Base light catalyst - 6 base charges
Minor light catalyst - 5 minor charges
Minor light catalyst - 5 minor charges
Minor light catalyst - 5 minor charges
Minor light catalyst - 4 minor charges
, 135 Canns, 6 Human Gold Coins, 2 lucky coins (Have the word "1 San" printed on them. Made of copper), hip flask w/ 90 proof brandy.

[Daunting]

Name: Cisic Ost
Race: Human
(Gender: Male)
Age: 20
Description: A tall, thin human, who wears light armor beneath thin robes. Dark hair, light eyes, and fair skin. Impeccable poise and posture. Weaker than average, physically, but not extremely so.
Profession: Scholar, from Amman. [OOC: Cleric-Priest person; Moon specialty]
Minor Skills (pick 5):
Sight--Can see further than the average human, and in the dark.
Self-Defense--Basic self-defense. Not the most skilled, but if it came to physical combat he won't just keel over and die.
Charm--Weak magic, which will make NPCs calmer and more friendly towards the party.
Delude--Confuse enemies, or even drive them temporarily insane.
Holy--Those who follow or respect the god of the Moon, and other wielders of moon magic, look upon Cisic more favorably; Cisic has an easier time learning and using moon-related magics. Those who dislike priests, or the followers of the moon god, are less likely to accept him.

Major Skills (pick 4):
Strong-willed--Can resist many mental attacks or attempts at intimidation.
Invoke--Can call upon the powers of Moon-related magic to provide assistance in
Crafting--Can craft basic Moon catalysts and weak catalysts for the other elements; can sense when objects have magical origins.
Knowledgeable--Years of study, both arcane and otherwise, gives him a good "general knowledge" pool about politics, ettiquette, mathematics, &c, as well as deeper knowledge about religion and moon-related magics.

Speciality (pick 1, 2 if human):
Support--Can support others' efforts fairly successfully. In combat, he can weaken or confuse enemies, allowing his allies an advantage; in peaceful negotiations, shopping, &c he can attempt to charm others, making them more friendly to the party as a whole.
Moon-based magics.

Bio: Born the son of a very minor noble, Cisic's bloodlines and familial ties were not enough to secure him a future in and of themselves. However, it open a few doors for him; he began studying under the Church. He was most interested in the moon-related divinity/ies and arcana, and while he is far from mastering them he does show an above-average propensity in the field. [Will edit-ify more bio as I think of it ]
Why You’re Here: In an era when religion is on the wane, being a low-level priest isn't the perfect career, so Cisic has taken to traveling--training and spreading the faith as he wanders--around the world.
Inventory: [Not positive if this is OK to start with, but...]
3x Moon Catalysts (Base)
1x Mundane catalyst for each element
Leather armor (light; small defensive increase)
Priest's robe (little defensive value)
Shortsword, mainly for defending himself.
Leather bag
Healing potion x2
Smelling salts
Small academic books
Map of the region
[some amount of] Gold

Preview-edit:
...ah, dangit, chimericWilder beat me to the moon-mage-guy and Vancho to minor noble scholar... I'll retool this momentarily to a different specialty.

[WordsHere]

Since you're saying that 100 canns isnt a lot, and also halved costs for catalysts, a legendary cayalyst would cost 210 canns amirite? I think you might want to exponentially increase the costs of the higher tiers, because cheap superpowerful artifacts are like wut
just a suggestion

Probably right. I'll tweak it some more. It doesn't matter too much yet. There's a lot I need to tweak. This first part is sort of a test. We'll see exactly how it shakes out and some rules might change a little as we go.

[Oreo]

Name:Aesop Minear
Race:Human
Age:22
Description:Male with an average body size just under 6ft tall, long unkempt black hair, a little weaker than average, has a long crooked nose and dark circles under his muddy brown eyes from long hours of study. really harried and unkempt look. has a greed for power. very little martial skill.
Profession: former apprentice warlock in a coven, now poor street trash
Minor Skills (pick 5):hand guns, wind magic, wizard staffs ( for use as bludgeoning tools), concentration, daggers
Major Skills (pick 4):water magic, arcane knowledge, alchemy(the combination of items to make catalysts), counter magic
Speciality (pick 1, 2 if human):earth and fire destruction magic
Bio:Aesop was originally a highly thought of student of the coven of the Black Hand, but before he could become a full member of the order he became obsessed with gaining more power. Aesop never saw eye to eye with his teachers on most things and would argue all night over the tiniest difference of opinion he and a teacher would have about a spell. Arrogant and hotheaded he was one of the few students who was not against using methods other than magic to accomplish his goals. One day he found out one of his teachers had a spell tome that could increase his power in casting destruction spells, so he sneaked into his teachers room and stole the tome. His teacher found him there and Aesop who would have been no match for his teacher directly through magic, shot his teacher in the head while he was still confused as to why Aesop was there. Now Aesop is living on the streets, poor and wretched doing everything he can to out run the constant pursuit of the Black Hand.
Why You’re Here: Aesop fled to Renard in hopes to finally outrun the Black Hand. Sadly he spots someone he recognizes as a former teacher soon after arriving, and flees to...
Inventory: A tattered black hooded robe with a strange and oddly disturbing symbol on the back
a simple hand musket with one shot and NO spare ammunition hidden in his inside pocket
6 mundane fire catalysts with 5,4,3,1,3, and 6 charges
1 base fire catalyst on his belt and in his pack 2 base charges
1 minor earth catalyst on his belt and/or in his pack 2 minor charges
1 minor water catalyst 6 minor charges
1 minor wind catalyst 4 minor charges
NO MONEY
small amount of rations and the other necessities in a worn out pack
The Burning Tome a thick and heavy book with a red cover and runes on it that can be read from while performing fire magic that he usually caries under his arm for easy reach.

[Vancho1]

I made the recommended edits, WordsHere.

[WordsHere]

Barring a couple other changes, we only need Daunting to post a new character as he said he would. Then I can post a more in-depth intro and we can start. :>

[MasterBlade]

We need a minotaur to be culturally diverse! :O

[Oreo]

i thaught about making a minotaur but honestly couldnt think up a decent back story for one.