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Author Topic: Roll to Go Mad: Turn 44 - The Markets  (Read 143075 times)

Niccolo

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Roll to Go Mad: Turn 44 - The Markets
« on: November 19, 2013, 08:28:29 am »

- The Tines of Madness -

Two weeks ago, the sun itself was sundered. Nobody has any idea what happened. Some say that a tremendous magical duel took place. Others say that a mage, overcome with hubris and stupidity, tried to pit his skills against that of the sky. Still others say that a demon tore the sun’s soul out and devoured it, using the power gained to fight the Gods and upend the heavens. All we know is that the land directly facing the sun at its moment of death has been scorched into oblivion and the Elves are no more.

Panic ruled the entire world. Wood and coal became the dominant currency overnight; pyromancers became millionaires as they sold their fire to light the world. But even their magical energy waned as the moon’s glow had long since faded, the Goddess’ eye closed to the plight of the world. With the darkening of the Goddess’ physical presence, magic ceased to flood into the world.

Ice and snow grew everywhere; frosts destroyed crops and killed livestock. The pyromancers held the worst of the ice off from the major cities of the continent for five days, but by the eighth day, all of the lumber in the world had been consumed and nobody could see well enough to cut more.

Inexplicably, a new sun was born three days ago out of the darkness. A white-hot blaze erupted in the sky. Nebulous clouds of pink and orange dust surround the newborn sun. Relief washed over the world, but what the light revealed scared them once more.

The moon was cracked into three pieces. The source of magic in the world and the physical embodiment of the Goddess of Creation was destroyed. Mages found their powers to be erratic, forces once so malleable to their voices hard and brittle, difficult to work. What’s more, casting magic resulted in great pain to the wielder, sometimes even drawing blood.

You are an adventurer who found employment for the Ten-Day-Night as a bouncer at a pub in a small city known as Shas Isa. For a week you defended the innkeeper’s property from hooligans and other criminals, but now the light has returned and the world has slowly calmed. It’s time for you to move on.


- - - - - - - - - -

Hi! Some of you have seen me wandering around the forums, but for those of you who don’t know me, I’m Niccolo and I’ll be your gamesmaster for this little adventure. This is my first time being a GM, but hey, we all gotta start somewhere, right?

Maska is a world from a novel of mine that’s been in something of a hiatus while I study at university. Now, stuck as I am, I’ve come up with a unique RtD: I want you guys to help me build the history of my world. I have a rough plan of what happened during this tumultuous era, but I thought it’d be fun to get a closer look at the world. Of course, given the way RtDs normally go I’m fully expecting it to all be on fire within a week, but that's just how it is.

The Turns So Far
Chapter 1: Ice, Snow and Barfights

Turn 0: Prologue
Turn 1: Barfight!
Turn 2: Let's Beat Up Civilians!
Turn 3: The Incredible Hulk
Turn 4: HULK SMASH!
Turn 5: More Green?
Turn 6: Karma
Turn 7: The Good Priest
Turn 8: Blood and Ice
Turn 9: Shriekwind Bastion
Turn 10: The Quest
Turn 11: The Quietest Village
Turn 12: Shooting the Messenger
Turn 13: It's Quiet. Too Quiet.
Turn 14: Screams and Madness
Turn 15: Enter the Beast
Turn 16: Level 1 Derm
Turn 17: With a Fine Honey Glaze
Turn 18: All Together Now
Turn 19: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Turn 20: Half-Assed Pauper's Grave
Turn 21: Fool Me Once/Fool Me Twice
Turn 22:Plot?
Turn 23: Nope, No Plot
Turn 24: Riding the Dragon
Turn 25: To the Village!
Turn 26: Sunlight
Turn 27: The Village of Cnoc Adh
Turn 28: Of Crystals and Charred Carriages
Turn 29: The Tines of Madness
Turn 30: The Basement
Turn 31: Light and Dark
Turn 32: The Hundred Deaths
Turn 33: The Hundred Tombs



Spoiler: The World (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: The Races (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Magic and You (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Other Abilities (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: April 10, 2014, 06:21:13 am by Niccolo »
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What's wrong with using magma? That's almost always the easiest method.
I have issues channeling it properly to do that method. I end up flooding the fortress with magma.
Check out my RtD!

Niccolo

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Re: Not quite open for business!
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2013, 08:29:00 am »


Current Characters
Spoiler: Lao Thuun (BFEL) (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Felice Nasib (Pancaek) (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Ekoka (GreatWyrmGold) (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Graveyard (click to show/hide)

Waitlist
Spoiler: Zerusth (Spectr) (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: February 03, 2014, 08:54:43 am by Niccolo »
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What's wrong with using magma? That's almost always the easiest method.
I have issues channeling it properly to do that method. I end up flooding the fortress with magma.
Check out my RtD!

Niccolo

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Re: Not quite open for business!
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2013, 08:29:21 am »

Spoiler: The RtD System (click to show/hide)

« Last Edit: November 20, 2013, 02:35:06 pm by Niccolo »
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What's wrong with using magma? That's almost always the easiest method.
I have issues channeling it properly to do that method. I end up flooding the fortress with magma.
Check out my RtD!

Niccolo

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Let's get some players!
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2013, 08:29:41 am »

Aaaaaand we're open for business!
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 08:55:25 am by Niccolo »
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What's wrong with using magma? That's almost always the easiest method.
I have issues channeling it properly to do that method. I end up flooding the fortress with magma.
Check out my RtD!

Harry Baldman

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (0/5)
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2013, 11:25:50 am »

Name: Lyu Brak

Race: Yagalian

Appearance: he has gray skin and gray hair, very much like a typical Yagalian would - his nose is long and bony, and there is a distinctly birdlike look to him, up to and including the winglike flab on his arms. Has pale, wet and cowlike eyes and a drawn, thick-lipped mouth. Is possessed of a not insignificant amount of bounciness and cheer, almost disturbingly so once you consider the context of the situation.

Profession: Itinerant Priest (completely and utterly nonmagical, one might add)

Favored Weapon: iron-tipped wooden staff - one of the tips has a crude iron figure in the shape of a fist affixed to it.

Short Backstory: hailing from Western Yagal, a land of demons and intrigue, Lyubrak specializes in the latter. He was unappreciated in his homeland as a priest - probably because his sermons, what few he managed to perform before being run out of there, did little to protect anybody from demonic attacks - and so took up the road in order to gain at least something from his intense month of listening to assorted fervent worshippers yammering on about this god and that god - all very good, Lyubrak thought, but there was clearly room for improvement, and he knew just the best place to hammer out the details - Cylenia! Okay, maybe there were better places, but still, he thought he could pull something here, something beautiful. Then the end times came, or at least something similar to them - honestly, Lyubrak's been pretty excited about that. It's created an atmosphere of wonderful dread, perfect for sowing the seeds of a new, hopefully profitable faith. He even got a cushy job as a bouncer to weather out the storm with a bunch of other miscreants. All in all, things, as always, are looking good for him!
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 11:33:28 am by Harry Baldman »
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Niccolo

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (0/5)
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2013, 11:35:30 am »

Hm, nice! a priest... I, uh... didn't expect that one. Unfortunately your beginning staff probably won't be iron-capped, since the world is only just beginning to work iron.

Which reminds me, I should probably fill in the pantheon. Although I only know of two Gods... Well, the primary God and Goddess. I suppose their 'children' would be the rest of the pantheon, hm? Mental note: Add that.
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What's wrong with using magma? That's almost always the easiest method.
I have issues channeling it properly to do that method. I end up flooding the fortress with magma.
Check out my RtD!

USEC_OFFICER

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Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (0/5)
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2013, 11:40:32 am »

Spoiler: Baldur Bergfalk (click to show/hide)

Not entirely sure what the point of having elves is if you're using the term race in a non-fantastical manner, but meh.
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Harry Baldman

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (0/5)
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2013, 11:50:14 am »

Hm, nice! a priest... I, uh... didn't expect that one. Unfortunately your beginning staff probably won't be iron-capped, since the world is only just beginning to work iron.

Can it be bronze-capped, then?
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Niccolo

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (0/5)
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2013, 12:02:51 pm »

Hm, nice! a priest... I, uh... didn't expect that one. Unfortunately your beginning staff probably won't be iron-capped, since the world is only just beginning to work iron.

Can it be bronze-capped, then?

We'll see what the dice say, but I don't see why not!
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What's wrong with using magma? That's almost always the easiest method.
I have issues channeling it properly to do that method. I end up flooding the fortress with magma.
Check out my RtD!

BFEL

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (1/5)
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2013, 12:10:13 pm »

Name: Lao Thuun (Cylenia gave me a "China" type feel, what with the way its land was structured, so I went with a Chinese-ish naming convention. Hope that's not an issue. Actually I went Chinese with ALOT of stuff.)
Race: Cylenian
Appearance: Thuun is shorter then most Cylenians, but still quite strong. He has a small tuft of hair upon his chin and his hair is knotted into braids.
Profession: (Is "Warrior-Mage" a type of possibility? If not then I suppose just mage.)
Magical Affinity: Thuun has trained extensively in Life magic.
Favoured Weapon: Shortsword(s).
Short Backstory: Lao Thuun was abandoned shortly after his birth to a monastery dedicated to Solvarion, where he was raised by the caretakers. He learned much there, including the magical arts of Life. When he was coming into his teenage years however, Thuun struck out on his own, learning the ways of the world, and similarly, the ways of the blade.
During the Ten-Day-Night Thuun had fought for his own basic survival, and he regrets many of the acts he commited in his desperation. Using his skill with Life magic, Thuun hopes to assuage the wounds he has personally caused.
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BFEL

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (1/5)
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2013, 12:11:35 pm »

damn 504 :P

well guess I can do something useful with this double-post.

Specifically inform you (if you didn't know) that iron is actually already inferior to bronze from a weaponry standpoint, the only reason it was used so widely later on is because it was discovered to be more plentiful.
Though I suppose in this setting the whole "magesploding" characteristic could make it valuable to people in certain situations.
Just figured I should point this out in case you wanted to make Iron something really strong.

I'm just a serious buzzkill huh?
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 12:19:04 pm by BFEL »
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Indeed, I do this.

Pancaek

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (1/5)
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2013, 12:18:56 pm »

Name: Felice Nasib
Race: Limerate
Appearance: Naturally a lighter complex than most of his countrymen, he is nonetheless bronzed by all the time spend at sea. He's of average height, with a rough stubble and jet black hair, cropped short. His arms and torso bear numerous small scars from working on ships and he has one larger scar above his left eye.
Profession: Mercenary seaman
Favoured Weapon: Bow and arrow
Short Backstory: When he was a child, he never knew his father. This came as a surprise to no-one, seeing as he was the child of a Limerate whore and some random sailor. Growing up around the docks and near the sea always filled him with a sense of ease. In his teenage years, he worked as a dockhand, and in his adult years he became a sailor for hire. Merchants needing protection, scholars off to inspect dangerous lands and smugglers looking for someone to fend off pirates and authorities alike, he's been on all kinds of ships. Mostly favoring the bow and arrow and various things to throw at his enemies, when the fighting starts, there is only so much space on a ship. No stranger to close quarters fighting, he prefers agile dodging and weaving over pure strength.

His recent work got him to Shas Isa, when suddenly the whole world went dark. All the captains, superstitious lot as they are, reckoned it would be best to stay away rom the sea for a while. So here he is, doing a stint as glorified doorman at a pub to pass the time...
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 05:25:27 pm by Pancaek »
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GreatWyrmGold

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (2/5)
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2013, 12:40:31 pm »

Spoiler: Ekoka (click to show/hide)

((Apostrophes are glottal stops, not clicks. For a click, you can use !, e.g. Zue!qki!Ptar. Oh, and how are you supposed to pronounce "qki"?))
((Also, as noted, iron is somewhat inferior to bronze in both effectiveness and, to a greater extent, ease of making the weapons. Iron only became popular because of its commonness, and later because it could be turned into steel. Of course, it screws up magic in this world, so it might be turned into specialty magekiller gear...but that's about it, if tin is common enough or iron rare enough that bronze is easier to find the materials for.))
((And while I'm here, do you care about the ecological consequences of ten days with no sunlight?))
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Xantalos

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (2/5)
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2013, 12:51:59 pm »

RESERVED OH YES
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Quote from: BFEL
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Niccolo

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Re: Roll to Go Mad: Currently seeking players! (2/5)
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2013, 01:11:23 pm »

Spoiler: Ekoka (click to show/hide)

((Apostrophes are glottal stops, not clicks. For a click, you can use !, e.g. Zue!qki!Ptar. Oh, and how are you supposed to pronounce "qki"?))
((Also, as noted, iron is somewhat inferior to bronze in both effectiveness and, to a greater extent, ease of making the weapons. Iron only became popular because of its commonness, and later because it could be turned into steel. Of course, it screws up magic in this world, so it might be turned into specialty magekiller gear...but that's about it, if tin is common enough or iron rare enough that bronze is easier to find the materials for.))
((And while I'm here, do you care about the ecological consequences of ten days with no sunlight?))

Since the Southlanders are fairly heavily based on the Xhosa who use the letters q, c and x, I figured I'd just roll with whatever letters I wanted. Admittedly, I was using some old notes for the world-building. Their name is slightly better in the newer version, but I can't remember it offhand.

The apostrophes are to denote glottal stops, exactly as you think. Zue'qki'ptar is three words. Or one word in three parts. The Southland concepts are a bit odd. The 'qk' is a click that's somewhere between a 'qu' sound and a 'k' sound. The letter 'x' would have been a better representation, but I named the place before I brushed up on my Xhosa.

Besides, fantasy.

And ten days without sunlight... Well, again, fantasy. Food is currently scarce, small plants are pretty much dead, everyone is terrified and the animals are utterly confused. The world's weather patterns are screwed to hell and everything is ice for pretty much as far as the eye can see, although the lowlands are significantly better off, having less water around to ice everything to shit. The world is slowly returning to normal and will do so throughout your adventure. Probably faster than if it happened in real life, and the damage is to a lesser extent, but then again this world has Gods and Goddesses that take active part in what goes down and can pacify the damage to an extent.

And to address the multiple people mentioning the iron vs. bronze thing, don't worry. Iron is not a god metal. I'm well aware that iron by itself is three kinds of crap. It has its uses, yes. But I wanted to create a setting where iron wasn't common, so as to give mages a chance to not go boom. Also so you'd know why steel is scarce, since like one guy has discovered it and quite by accident.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2013, 04:08:49 am by Niccolo »
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What's wrong with using magma? That's almost always the easiest method.
I have issues channeling it properly to do that method. I end up flooding the fortress with magma.
Check out my RtD!
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