Both are homebrew PnP rpgs I've worked on for several years and both are pretty much in a final state. The games would be handled here in the forums for the slow stuff (character management, economic stuff, planning, shopping) and via chat (probably aim chat) for the more intensive stuff (encounters, etc.).
A brief summary of both systems
Dark Tides
Fantasy setting. There are 4 main regions in the world of Ampira and a whole lot of different possible scenarios. The world is dealing with a lot of internal strife, and to make matters worse a large and vicious invading force mysteriously appeared a mere ten years back and quickly conquered one of those regions.
Mechanics
Skill based system (no levels, no classes). Experience gained towards specific skills whenever rolls are made with those skills. Character points awarded periodically and for accomplishing specific tasks (can be spent on skill experience or a variety of things). Simultaneous combat, relatively simple.
Where it really shines is the two independent magic systems
Spirit Magic
The standard magic system. Spirits are everywhere, and you bind them with spells from your grimoire to cause specific effects. The problem is that spirits are independent creatures, and many are quite powerful. It is possible for you to lose control of a spell, at which point the spirit you grabbed pretty much controls how the spell is carried out. Oftentimes, this will be to your detriment, since most spirits don't like being forced into servitude. Spells themselves are very general and multi-purpose, and players can use each spell for a wide variety of tasks.
An example: One PC, who who will call Zed, had a spirit of vampirism draining his lifeforce due to an earlier botched healing spell. The party mage, Tom, decides (correctly) that if he casts another spell using the vampiric spirit, it should pull the spirit off of Zed. So he uses his safest sounding spell, "Song of Growth", and casts it on a nearby field of grass using the vampirism spirit. He passes his casting check to start the spell, but immediately loses control of the spirit.
So the spirit becomes enmeshed in a uncontrolled and pretty much unstoppable spell of growth, the grass starts growing and lashing out, everyone nearby feels their lifeforce constantly drained as the grass grabs them and drags them in, crushing them to death. Basically, the party's first boss monster.
Dark Magic
The very existance of Dark Magic is unknown to many, and its pretty much the polar opposite of the unpredictable spirit magic. It works, and it works well, but its limited in scope. Almost all Dark spells are destructive, with the few that aren't warping living creatures into abominations or raising them as undead. In addition, the power of your magic and the spells you can cast are determined by how many Dark Points you've accumulated, which are gained by devouring the souls of the recently dead or dying. To make matters worst, casting spells uses up Dark Points, which means Dark Mages are remarkably powerful but generally unwilling to use their magic except in the direst of emergencies - and since in most places any sort of magic is strictly regulated, and Dark Magic specifically banned where it is known, there are other reasons why discretion is advised. Be that as it may, it is exceptionally powerful stuff.
Brutal: Wrath of the Wilds
This game is very different mechanically and play wise though it is still, technically, a fantasy setting. The biggest difference is that you play as a classical fantasy monster, and your goal is to join with the other monsters to drive the civilizing influences out your lands before they completely conquer the wilds.
Play itself is based around sowing terror and causing destruction, and most encounters will be fairly easy to win, if winning is all you try to do. But you don't gain experience for simply defeating most enemies - you gain it for defeating enemies in style. Removing limbs, causing terror, traumatizing people or killing large numbers in a single instant, all of these things gain you experience. Sometimes its better to leave survivors to tell stories of you. Sometimes the scene you leave behind speaks for itself.
And as you do enough damage and kill enough people, your notoriety grows - and eventually squads of guards may seek you out while you're resting, cities will be put on alert, and worst of all - Heroes seeking to make a name for themselves will begin hunting you down.
You start by picking one of dozens of different base monsters, which include mythical creatures and a number of common animals. Then you can choose to apply templates like Infernal, Vorpal, Undead, Armored, Dire, Swarm, Elemental, and more, and buy specific special abilities - but the price you pay is in experience, as each purchase increases the amount you need to gain levels.
Every time you gain a level, you act a bit more quickly and gain a new ability. This are usually set in stone, but it is occasionally possible to buy abilities from the demonic overlords organizing the monster resistance later in the game. Some templates (like Vampiric) can also be passed on to others.
Haven't you ever wanted to be a swarm of three headed undead squirrels with fangs that drip venom? A dragon that buzzes with electricity and shoots laser beams from his mouth? A mimic the size of a house, that pretend to be a safe place for travelers to take shelter from the monsters prowling around outside? All these and more are possible.
So, is anyone interested in joining either?
Author
Topic: Anyone interested in playing... Dark Tides or Brutal: Wrath of the Wilds (Read 2410 times)