As the lack of posts is sure to show, Deminar has been put on the back burner as I develop new projects.
Currently I've been working on a MegaDungeon that is going to be put into actual play soon and that has eaten a lot of my free time as I prepare it.
Making a complete world from the ground up is hard work, the MegaDungeon is being made the opposite way, with details about the world only being filled in as needed in the course of the adventure and some of it player created, as opposed to under the iron fist of an "official campaign sourcebook." It's quite refreshing and an interesting way to make a world come to life. This has lead me to change the first OSR project put out by OmniPro, to an Adventure Path style series of .pdfs that slowly add levels to the dungeon while also being filled with articles developing more parts of the world as the creative energies hit me.
Deminar is not dead, merely sleeping as it has done before. In the meantime, you can keep an eye on my work over at Matt's MegaDungeon.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Design and Development: Cleric Training
During the construction of my MegaDungeon Campaign I made a reference to the fact that clerics were, at one time, trained by just one faith/religion/order. Later other faiths saw this training and its effectiveness and copied the style or converted trainers to teach clerics of their own. This helps explain away the fact that all clerics, regardless of faith or religion, have the same abilities and spells.
This concept actually works well in Deminar's atheistic to have everything explained and making sense. So, should we "steal" (being a loose sense of the word, since it's already my idea) this concept for Deminar or something simliar?
This concept actually works well in Deminar's atheistic to have everything explained and making sense. So, should we "steal" (being a loose sense of the word, since it's already my idea) this concept for Deminar or something simliar?
Monday, November 22, 2010
Design and Development: Religions
The standard template for D&D religions seems to be that people pick a god and that's the god they worship, sometimes on a racial (read: species, but we're talking classic D&D here) level (the god of elves!), sometimes on a class level (the god of magic!). A farmer prays to the god of farming and a warrior to the god of war. Temples exist for each individual god and you go worship there as you please or whenever mass is.
The question is, should we hold on to that classic style in Bluestone? Are there a variety of temples dedicated to each god that is worshiped in, say, Ashford Bay. Or do they organize the groups into pantheons, something similar to say, Eberron? So perhaps a major god and two minor gods with similar portfolios would be called The Triad and have their own temple or perhaps the humans would mix together a group of gods and the gnomes would group together another (with some potential cross-over, either realized or not) and each have separate worship.
Or maybe a mix of both, some places/species only revere gods individually while others like to group them into pantheons. More things to ponder...
The question is, should we hold on to that classic style in Bluestone? Are there a variety of temples dedicated to each god that is worshiped in, say, Ashford Bay. Or do they organize the groups into pantheons, something similar to say, Eberron? So perhaps a major god and two minor gods with similar portfolios would be called The Triad and have their own temple or perhaps the humans would mix together a group of gods and the gnomes would group together another (with some potential cross-over, either realized or not) and each have separate worship.
Or maybe a mix of both, some places/species only revere gods individually while others like to group them into pantheons. More things to ponder...
Friday, November 19, 2010
On: Sharing the Love
Quick post, just want to point out a few other blog related things I have a hand in:
First off, there is the other project that the team from Omniscient Projects is working on: a rules-lite pulp feel RPG called ExplorerMan! The progress of such can be found on this blog.
Second, I've been inspired to put together my own Megadungeon to run my gaming group through and would feel remiss if I didn't blog about that too, so that's also available to check out.
First off, there is the other project that the team from Omniscient Projects is working on: a rules-lite pulp feel RPG called ExplorerMan! The progress of such can be found on this blog.
Second, I've been inspired to put together my own Megadungeon to run my gaming group through and would feel remiss if I didn't blog about that too, so that's also available to check out.
Design and Development: Spirits
In my last post I mentioned that clerics and druids gain their abilities (from spell casting to turning the undead to shapeshifting) through power given to them by the gods and spirits. This power actually comes out of the being's very essence and thus each mortal he blesses with these abilities makes him weaker (albeit in very small amounts).
I spoke at some length why the deities are very careful with this and why not every holy man has clerical powers, but how about druids?
Like the gods, spirits have to give up their own power in order to fuel a druid, thus, only the more powerful spirits would ever think of offering their patronage to druids. Also like the gods, spirits wish to better their station and look for an opportunity to do so. While spirits do not wish to destroy one another in order to take over (a trait spirits contribute to gods as "picking up from simple mortals"), they are as ambitious as any living creature. Spirits exist in a strict hierarchy, everyone has their place and knows who lords over them and who serves under them. The spirits also place the gods in this hierarchy (and not at the top), for in their minds, the gods are just another form of spirit. The gods pay little attention to their place in the order however. The hierarchy is a complex thing, with much crossover between various groups (a tree spirit, for instance, has a place among other spirits of trees, nature spirits, and spirits of living things, among others) and various positions among the spiritual ladder in each one. A spirit would always like to climb up one of those ladders when possible. A forest spirit, as it grows in power, may become the spirit of a grove, and possible the spirit of a whole forest and with enough effort, the spirit of all natural thing on an island.
A spirit climbs this ladder by... well, that's why this is a Design and Development feature and not a Musing. I'm not entirely sure how spirits rise in the hierarchy, though I know why they do not. They don't destroy each other, for if you killed the spirit of a tree, that tree would die. Even if a greater spirit could "consume" a lesser one, then that tree would lose its individual spirit, something the spirits would never think of doing.
So, a few ideas: Perhaps lesser spirits are required to swear allegiance to more powerful ones, via some ancient unbreakable eldritch pact. Perhaps it is similar to a blood bond in White Wolf's Vampire games, where a spirit is injected with some a great spirit's essence and then becomes its thrall. Perhaps a greater spirit, as it grows in power, increases in size, a metaphysical web spreading from it that enthralls all lesser spirits of similar type within its grasp.
Any of those sound good? Ideas of your own?
I spoke at some length why the deities are very careful with this and why not every holy man has clerical powers, but how about druids?
Like the gods, spirits have to give up their own power in order to fuel a druid, thus, only the more powerful spirits would ever think of offering their patronage to druids. Also like the gods, spirits wish to better their station and look for an opportunity to do so. While spirits do not wish to destroy one another in order to take over (a trait spirits contribute to gods as "picking up from simple mortals"), they are as ambitious as any living creature. Spirits exist in a strict hierarchy, everyone has their place and knows who lords over them and who serves under them. The spirits also place the gods in this hierarchy (and not at the top), for in their minds, the gods are just another form of spirit. The gods pay little attention to their place in the order however. The hierarchy is a complex thing, with much crossover between various groups (a tree spirit, for instance, has a place among other spirits of trees, nature spirits, and spirits of living things, among others) and various positions among the spiritual ladder in each one. A spirit would always like to climb up one of those ladders when possible. A forest spirit, as it grows in power, may become the spirit of a grove, and possible the spirit of a whole forest and with enough effort, the spirit of all natural thing on an island.
A spirit climbs this ladder by... well, that's why this is a Design and Development feature and not a Musing. I'm not entirely sure how spirits rise in the hierarchy, though I know why they do not. They don't destroy each other, for if you killed the spirit of a tree, that tree would die. Even if a greater spirit could "consume" a lesser one, then that tree would lose its individual spirit, something the spirits would never think of doing.
So, a few ideas: Perhaps lesser spirits are required to swear allegiance to more powerful ones, via some ancient unbreakable eldritch pact. Perhaps it is similar to a blood bond in White Wolf's Vampire games, where a spirit is injected with some a great spirit's essence and then becomes its thrall. Perhaps a greater spirit, as it grows in power, increases in size, a metaphysical web spreading from it that enthralls all lesser spirits of similar type within its grasp.
Any of those sound good? Ideas of your own?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Musing: Religion Part 2
One of the common misconceptions (or, indeed concepts if written into the setting) is that every holy man is a cleric or a druid. Every temple you wander into, the head priest is a cleric of some level, often with lower level cleric apprentices. I like to call this the Forgotten Realms syndrome. Deminar is simply not designed that way.
From a game perspective, I've already mentioned my belief that an adventurer should be rare, in order to maintain the uniqueness the player's feel when their characters interact with the world. How special are you when you're one adventurer among a countless horde after all?
Within the world, it wouldn't make a lot of sense either. Unlike the arcane spellcasting of a magic-user that manipulates the very building blocks of creation, divine spellcasters are fueled by the gods themselves (or from various patron spirits amongst the druids). A god has to sacrifice a bit of his own power to give a cleric the ability to cast spells or turn the undead and, despite the power of the gods, their power is finite. Every bit of power given to a patron on Deminar is power that the god no longer has at his disposal to fight off rival gods. The gods are locked in a power struggle, and a god that does not have enough worshipers or who foolishly expends his power on both planar and mortal followers risks having his domain taken over by a lesser god or having his domain absorbed by another major god. Because of this, a god can't simply gift every being that prays to him with power. On the other hand, gods receive their power from mortal worshipers as well as the souls of those faithful that pas beyond mortal life. What better way to convert followers then to show a god's power through a mortal vessel (since no god can directly influence the mortal world)? Like any power struggle, this is a delicate balancing act between attracting more followers through displays of faith and power and holding onto enough power to protect their position.
This is why clerics are more then simply undead hunters, they are also traveling emissaries of their faith. They are divinely appointed to spread the good name (or vengeful wrath) of their god, converting new followers through awe or fear. A cleric who forsakes this duty soon finds himself without his abilities, as even the smallest bit of a god's power is precious and the deity is always looking for the most effective way to use it.
From a game perspective, I've already mentioned my belief that an adventurer should be rare, in order to maintain the uniqueness the player's feel when their characters interact with the world. How special are you when you're one adventurer among a countless horde after all?
Within the world, it wouldn't make a lot of sense either. Unlike the arcane spellcasting of a magic-user that manipulates the very building blocks of creation, divine spellcasters are fueled by the gods themselves (or from various patron spirits amongst the druids). A god has to sacrifice a bit of his own power to give a cleric the ability to cast spells or turn the undead and, despite the power of the gods, their power is finite. Every bit of power given to a patron on Deminar is power that the god no longer has at his disposal to fight off rival gods. The gods are locked in a power struggle, and a god that does not have enough worshipers or who foolishly expends his power on both planar and mortal followers risks having his domain taken over by a lesser god or having his domain absorbed by another major god. Because of this, a god can't simply gift every being that prays to him with power. On the other hand, gods receive their power from mortal worshipers as well as the souls of those faithful that pas beyond mortal life. What better way to convert followers then to show a god's power through a mortal vessel (since no god can directly influence the mortal world)? Like any power struggle, this is a delicate balancing act between attracting more followers through displays of faith and power and holding onto enough power to protect their position.
This is why clerics are more then simply undead hunters, they are also traveling emissaries of their faith. They are divinely appointed to spread the good name (or vengeful wrath) of their god, converting new followers through awe or fear. A cleric who forsakes this duty soon finds himself without his abilities, as even the smallest bit of a god's power is precious and the deity is always looking for the most effective way to use it.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Book Building: Class Write-Up Preview
As I await some feedback about the amount of gods/worship in Bluestone I realized that though I had completed the fluff pieces for the various classes, I never posted any. So, as a bit of a preview/teaser, here's the first one!
Assassin
Assassins are nothing less then professional killers and while one could argue that title could belong to any adventurer on Bluestone, only the assassin does it with such skill, subtlety, and ruthlessness. The very idea to be hired out to kill others, often without any prior knowledge of the target is difficult for many people to understand. Many of the people of Bluestone could not detach themselves morally enough to contemplate such a profession. Of the intelligent species only three, humans, dwarves, and kobolds, find that they have those amongst them that can handle such a lifestyle.
Among Ashford Bay and many of the larger towns, assassins work for various guilds who keep a close watch on the murder-for-hire business, making sure they keep prices competitive and that no rogue killers work without representation. While these guilds are not officially recognized by the Lords of the land, they are the worst kept secret of Bluestone (and still quite thoroughly taxed, even if it doesn't show up on official records). For most citizens, assassins are of little concern, the peasant and merchant classes simply could not afford the prices they charge and that same high cost keeps nobles from wasting gold on the lower class. It is much easier to bribe a guard to take a peasant into a dark alley or blackmail a judge to lay a false sentence on a merchant then to hire an assassin. Assassins main targets are nobles, but fear of retribution from a rival's family means a noble decides to use assassination as only a last resort or if he knows the hit cannot be traced back to him.
A kobold's lack of morality, small frame, and desire to prove himself, means a well trained kobold can make a fearsome assassin. They never will question the morals behind their choice of targets and will not give up on a job until the end result is either the target's death or the kobold's. Kobolds make excellent assassins for more "morally ambiguous" targets; women, children, or clergymen for example. Kobolds have to be well trained however, so not to allow their fleeting minds find another occupation they like better and wind up acting as a squire to the very nobleman they were sent to kill. Humans, and their diverse ethics, make excellent assassins as well, however the ever present (in even the most morally detached person) human condition means they are more likely to have clear cut limits to who they will target. However, humans are better at reacting to changing conditions, and can better handle an assassination attempt gone wrong then an average kobold can.
Dwarven assassins are another matter entirely, as their work is purely military minded. Dwarven assassins are trained to eliminate high profile targets among their enemies, mostly the goblins. A dwarven assassin is ruthless in his pursuit of a goal, and will take out any targets of opportunity that stand between him and his quarry. To dwarves, the goblins are not people, simply the enemy, and a dwarven assassin can be even more heartless then a kobold in pursuit of his target or choice of target itself. However, dwarf assassins are only used against an enemy of a different species, never their own kind. Even though various dwarven clans may have rivalries with one another, the idea of taking another dwarven life, even of a different clan is an alien concept to them. Dwarven assassins, even those that have left their clan, would never join an assassin's guild, for killing another person who you don't have a personal or racial vendetta against is seen as nothing more then murder in their eyes.
While guild assassins are well paid, their targets are few and far between, due to the cost and retributions from their use. Because of this, many assassins also take up adventuring, as a way to supplement their income and continue to practice their skills. A guild assassin is still ever ready to be sent to a job at a moment's notice, however, and adventuring parties with them in the group are not surprised to wake up one morning and find their companion gone. A dwarven assassin that is adventuring is, to other dwarves, a shameful sight. If he is not working for the clan, then he must no longer be part of it. A dwarf assassin joining an adventuring party more then likely failed to eliminate a target and left the clan in shame for his digression. These dwarves will often be very faithful to a party, a combination of the dwarven sense of community and the desire to prove to themselves that they are still skilled warriors.
Assassin
Assassins are nothing less then professional killers and while one could argue that title could belong to any adventurer on Bluestone, only the assassin does it with such skill, subtlety, and ruthlessness. The very idea to be hired out to kill others, often without any prior knowledge of the target is difficult for many people to understand. Many of the people of Bluestone could not detach themselves morally enough to contemplate such a profession. Of the intelligent species only three, humans, dwarves, and kobolds, find that they have those amongst them that can handle such a lifestyle.
Among Ashford Bay and many of the larger towns, assassins work for various guilds who keep a close watch on the murder-for-hire business, making sure they keep prices competitive and that no rogue killers work without representation. While these guilds are not officially recognized by the Lords of the land, they are the worst kept secret of Bluestone (and still quite thoroughly taxed, even if it doesn't show up on official records). For most citizens, assassins are of little concern, the peasant and merchant classes simply could not afford the prices they charge and that same high cost keeps nobles from wasting gold on the lower class. It is much easier to bribe a guard to take a peasant into a dark alley or blackmail a judge to lay a false sentence on a merchant then to hire an assassin. Assassins main targets are nobles, but fear of retribution from a rival's family means a noble decides to use assassination as only a last resort or if he knows the hit cannot be traced back to him.
A kobold's lack of morality, small frame, and desire to prove himself, means a well trained kobold can make a fearsome assassin. They never will question the morals behind their choice of targets and will not give up on a job until the end result is either the target's death or the kobold's. Kobolds make excellent assassins for more "morally ambiguous" targets; women, children, or clergymen for example. Kobolds have to be well trained however, so not to allow their fleeting minds find another occupation they like better and wind up acting as a squire to the very nobleman they were sent to kill. Humans, and their diverse ethics, make excellent assassins as well, however the ever present (in even the most morally detached person) human condition means they are more likely to have clear cut limits to who they will target. However, humans are better at reacting to changing conditions, and can better handle an assassination attempt gone wrong then an average kobold can.
Dwarven assassins are another matter entirely, as their work is purely military minded. Dwarven assassins are trained to eliminate high profile targets among their enemies, mostly the goblins. A dwarven assassin is ruthless in his pursuit of a goal, and will take out any targets of opportunity that stand between him and his quarry. To dwarves, the goblins are not people, simply the enemy, and a dwarven assassin can be even more heartless then a kobold in pursuit of his target or choice of target itself. However, dwarf assassins are only used against an enemy of a different species, never their own kind. Even though various dwarven clans may have rivalries with one another, the idea of taking another dwarven life, even of a different clan is an alien concept to them. Dwarven assassins, even those that have left their clan, would never join an assassin's guild, for killing another person who you don't have a personal or racial vendetta against is seen as nothing more then murder in their eyes.
While guild assassins are well paid, their targets are few and far between, due to the cost and retributions from their use. Because of this, many assassins also take up adventuring, as a way to supplement their income and continue to practice their skills. A guild assassin is still ever ready to be sent to a job at a moment's notice, however, and adventuring parties with them in the group are not surprised to wake up one morning and find their companion gone. A dwarven assassin that is adventuring is, to other dwarves, a shameful sight. If he is not working for the clan, then he must no longer be part of it. A dwarf assassin joining an adventuring party more then likely failed to eliminate a target and left the clan in shame for his digression. These dwarves will often be very faithful to a party, a combination of the dwarven sense of community and the desire to prove to themselves that they are still skilled warriors.
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