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0. Introduction Welcome one and all, to this Choose Your Own Adventure thread, set in the mythic and magical world of Glorantha! Glorantha  Glorantha is a setting developed primarily by one Greg Stafford, and is the setting primarily used in the RuneQuest and HeroQuest RPG systems, as well as the excellent video game King of Dragon Pass. Glorantha is heavily inspired by our own world's early Bronze to early Iron Age periods of history, as well as mythology and epic poetry, such as Beowulf, the Kalevala and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Our real world knowledge and concepts of physics, biology and other sciences are meaningless in this world, which is a literal cube of earth mass, floating in an endless sea. The gods and heroes are all real, tangible entities, and the myths are the mortal people's way of remembering the events of what is called the God Time, or the God Plane - the existence before the birth of Time, which helped save the world after the apocalyptic period known as the Great Darkness. The setting is famed for the amazingly detailed (and seemingly impenetrable to newcomers) lore, detailing the various cultures and their histories, myths and way of life. In this game, you will all help lead the life of an individual from one of these cultures, as well as his companions. The Orlanthi   "Orlanthi" is a term used to describe the various people across the world who primarily worship Orlanth, the storm god that killed the Sun and later helped bring him back from the Underworld to save and renew the world. It is a blanket term, applied to various, sometimes very differing, cultures. However, it is still a useful guideline. Orlanthi, as generalization, tend to be boisterous, violent and honorable. Their basic social structure is the clan, with various clans preferring to live in walled villages, herding their precious cattle, farming their land and routinely beating each other up in raids and dust ups. The Orlanthi, like most people of Glorantha worship a pantheon of various gods and goddesses, offering gifts and sacrifices to most of them, but usually initiating into the deeper secrets of only one or two gods. Something to keep in mind, is that when the Orlanthi say "all", they usually mean "every 8 out of 10 people". With that in mind: All men are initiated into one of the many subcults of Orlanth the Father, King of the Gods and god of Storms. All women are initiated into the cult of Ernalda the Mother, Queen of the Universe and goddess of the Earth. Various individuals sometimes initiate into other cults. Your will be leading an Orlanthi youth throughout this adventure. Game Specifics Decisions will be made based on a majority vote, with ties being decided by me. I will try and post at the very least once a week, hopefully more if the interest is there. And to all Glorantha veterans out there, don't forget - Your Glorantha Will Vary. I. Character Generation 1. What are you? Gender roles in Orlanthi society are divided, but equal, with a lot of mobility for people who are not happy with what they are doing. Some cults have gender restrictions, so keep that in mind. A. Man B. Woman 2. Who do you worship? Pick one. You will be able to learn the mysteries of other cults later on, but for now you have only been initiated into the secrets of one of these cults.   A. Orlanth - Thunderer, Adventurer, King of the Gods. Orlanth is the King of all the Gods, a title he earned by killing the Sun and then, when the Great Darkness came, going into the Underworld to save him and bring about the Dawn. A natural leader, Orlanth created the Storm Tribe to help various gods and people come together and protect each other during the violent and turbulent Storm Age, following the death of the Sun. Orlanth is the god of men, and only men can initiate into his cult, though all can worship him. Orlanthi tend to be violent and emotional, usually acting first and thinking later. However they are also loyal to their friends and family, and strive to right the wrongs they have made. Orlanth's motto is "Violence is always an option.", and he also adheres to his father Umath's stance that "Nobody can make you do anything."  B. Ernalda - Earth Mother, Provider, Queen of the Universe. Ernalda is Orlanth's wife and the goddess of fertility and women. She is the Earth, with all of it's bounty and power. She is the one who urged Orlanth to kill Yelm, the Sun and she has always tried to keep her husband in check, tempering his violent nature with pragmatism and kindness. Ernaldans are often seen as pragmatic, detached manipulators. While that is certainly an aspect of them, they are also kind and caring, willing to do anything to protect their husbands, children and clan. They try to think things through before acting, unlike the emotional men. Ernalda often has to remind Orlanth that "There is always another way", stopping him from doing something that might hurt people in the long run.  C. Vinga - Adventuress, Warrior Vinga is either Orlanth's daughter, Orlanth himself or his Female aspect, detached from the Male one. She is the Red Haired Woman, and is the only way a woman in Orlanthi society can initiate into the secrets of the male cult of Orlanth. While most women only initiate into the cult for a short period of time, when they need to avenge themselves for example, there are still some who initiate permanently. Vingans tend to act a lot like men, being impulsive and brash, emotional and prone to short term thinking. While seen as kind of odd by Orlanthi, they are still accepted and celebrated just like any other person.  D. Barntar - Farmer, Herder, Wrestler. The Free Carl. Barntar is Orlanth's son, and the god of the free farmers. He is the one who first discovered the secrets of the plow and wrestled the Storm Bull into submission and forced him to pull it and help plow his fields. Barntar is the most widely spread subcult of Orlanth (and as such, restricted only to men), as most Orlanthi tend to be farmers or cattle herders. While he is still one of the Thunder Brothers (the name for the various Storm deities that are part of Orlanth's tribe), and he fights in the clan fyrd, he is no warrior. As such, most Barntar initiates do not go out of their way to seek fortune and glory, but strive to work their land or take care of their animals and help the clan. However, like all Orlanthi, when adventure is called upon them, they pick up a weapon and fight with the best of them.  E. Issaries - Talker, Trader, Traveler. Issaries is the Storm Tribe's diplomat and merchant. Unlike the Storm gods, he prefers to talk things over, instead of just fight people. He helped Orlanth on his Lightbringer's Quest, as he helped navigate the Underworld, and as such he is an important part of Orlanthi society. Issaries initiates tend to be quite knowledgeable from all of their travels, and strive to be fair and honest traders, aknowledging that by helping people talk and trade with each other the world becomes a better place. The Issaries cult is also the birth of the language Tradetalk, which is the most wide-spread language in the world, used by most cultures to conduct trade and negotiations. Despite that Issarites tend to learn a lot of various other dialects and languages to help them in their duties. Of all "non-mainstream" cults, this is perhaps the most beloved one by the people of Orlanthi society.  F. Lhankor Mhy - Knowing God, Scribe, Keeper of Truth. The God of Knowledge and Writing is an old sage with a long, flowing beard, and one of Orlanth's companions on his Lightbringer's Quest. He is the repository of all knowledge in the world, and there are no secrets hidden from him. Lhankorings, his initiates are usually the only ones in their clan to hold the sacred secrets of writing and reading. They act as sages, lawspeakers and historians, recording and remembering the traditions of their fellow clan members, and helping the Chief and his Ring to solve the various legal problems of clan life. One should remember, though, that Lhankorings are no dotting old men and women, hiding away from danger and blood. They are still Orlanthi and, as such, they are just as willing to grab a spear or a sword and wade into combat or adventure, especially if rare and hidden knowledge is the prize. Even so, Lhankor Mhy initiates are seen as odd, if respected people. They seem interested in all kinds of, seemingly pointless, knowledge, which rarely relates to either cows or grain. Members (male or female) must have a long and flowing beard. Most women simply wear artificial and fake beards.  G. Humakt - The Sword, Oath-Maker. God of Death and War Back in the God Time, Eurmal the Trickster went into the Underworld and there found the weapon called Death. He used it on Grandfather Mortal, and from then on everyone - gods, monsters, spirits and men were able to die. Humakt, one of Orlanth's brothers saw this and took away Death from the Trickster and hid it away, severing his link to his family and clan to stop himself from showing preference. He knew that everyone and everything must die sooner or later, and didn't want his feelings for his family to stop him. After much trepidations, Humakt did rejoin Orlanth, but not as his kinsman, but as his Champion - part of the clan, yet outside of it. Humakti are grim, cold,emotionless and usually feared by both friend and foe. Most regular people tend to keep away, or even run away in fear from Humakti initiates, for their very presence can sometimes cause death. Feared and ostracized, they still respected and supported by some clans and Chieftains, for they are the pinnacle of Orlanthi warriors and are capable of using the most powerful of magics of War and Death.  H. Odayla - Hunter, the Sky Bear. Odayla is one of Orlanth's sons, but not from Ernalda, but from a spirit of Nature. He is wild and untamed and prefers the wilderness to the farmstead or clan hall of his kin. His most famous feat was when he hunted and killed the Sky Bear in mythic times. Odaylans act as hunters and scouts for their clans, providing food for when the fertility rites and the cattle magic fails, also providing leather and bones for craftspeople in villages and cities. They are often seen as crude and wild by more settled Orlanthi, and the Odaylans don't bother dispelling this view. They are quite anti-social, rarely gathering in to groups, even between themselves, unless they have to. Odayla is associated with the runes of Air and Bear. 3. What is your strongest virtue? The Orlanthi generally hold these six to be the most important virtues. While you should always strive to maintain all, pick the one that you feel is your strongest. A. Honor B. Provision C. Defense D. Obedience E. Justice F. Hospitality 4. What are you good at? Pick three skills you are better at than the average person of your clan. A. Farming B. Redsmithing (bronze-working) C. Hunting D. Poetry E. Healing F. Fighting with a weapon G. Fighting without a weapon H. Other (Like what?) 5. What magic do you have? Besides the powers of the gods, most people know a few spells, own some charms or were simply born with magical talants that help them out in their daily life. Pick three. A. Spit Fire Charm - A small stone charm that allows you to spit a ball of fire if you put it to your lips. B. Stop Sword Wound from Bleeding- A spell that allows you to close up wounds on yourself done by swords. C. Bladesharp - A charm that allows your bladed weapons to become sharper. D. Speak with Alynxes - You know how to speak with alynxes, the large cats that Orlanthi use instead of dogs. E. Hide in Forest Charm - A charm that holds a forest spirit that allows you to hide in wooded areas. F. Shatter Stone - A spell that allows you to turn stones to rubble. G. Listening Wind Charm - A wind spirit that can listen to distant things and allow you to hear them. H. See in Darkness - You were born with the ability to see in darkness like you would in the day. I. Resist Magic Charm - An iron ring that helps you stop magic aimed at you. J. Water Seeds - A bag of seeds that, when planted in the ground, would make a tiny water spring sprout from them. Coming up later: More information on your background , picking your companions and choosing a name! Jenx fucked around with this message at 18:56 on Mar 18, 2014 |
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Mar 17, 2014 17:59
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The Story of Yrsa Paper-Cut Below is the story of Yrsa the Lhankoring, a weaponthane and scholar of the Karmaki clan, as she fled the Lunar army into Prax, and towards the sartarite city of Pavis. I. Character Generation II. Background III. Yrsa Travels East * Part 2 * Part 3 * Part 4 IV. Out on the Praxian Plains * Part 2 * Part 3 * Part 4 * Part 5 * Part 6 * Part 7 V. Leaving Moonbroth * Part 2 * Part 3 * Part 4 * Part 5 VI. Into the Ruins * Part 2 * Part 3 VII. Halari and Ironspear visit the Paps * Part 2 Character Sheet Yrsa Paper-Cut  (her third rune is not revealed yet) Yrsa Paper-Cut is the story's main protagonist. She was a weaponthane of the Karmaki clan from Sartar, until her clan was destroyed by the Lunar Army, and for which she despises the Red Moon. She is an initiate of Lhankor Mhy, but unlike most initiate she is happy to use violence to solve her problems, and she has explored various ruins and sites in search for knowledge. Aside from fighting, farming, reading and writing, she also knows how to recite and create poetry, speak with alynxes and is good at diffusing tense situations Amongst her possessions are her riding She is currently the without her weapon and gold, stuck at the plateau on which lies the ruins of Dwarf Knoll. Lionfish Golden-Eyed   Lionfish is an Esrolian trader who joined the party on his routine travels to Pavis. Despite being quite knowledgeable about Prax and how to travel through it, he is a slimy and cowardly little man, who always hides behind his sunglasses and has an annoying and punchable grin. He is an initiate of Argan Argar the troll god of trade and communications. So far it seems he doesn't hate the Lunars and can be seen talking to them like with anyone else. He appears to be able to see in darkness and is familiar with a lot of languages including Sartarite, Esrolian, Tradetalk, New Pelorian and who knows what else. He seems to be a competent trader and has so far always managed to find what he's looking for. He has a riding horse on which he travels along with his trollkin slave, named Grag, whom he loves to beat up and abuse. He is currently the Talking Companion to Rostala, a fact that he relishes. He is traveling with a caravan to Pavis. Esrolare Harvasdottir   Esrolare Harvasdottir was/is a priestess of Ernalda the Earth Mother and along with her daughter Darasin she is traveling to Pavis and has joined Yrsa and her party for protection. She has a controlling presence and is used to people obeying her orders, although she also shows genuine compassion when it is needed. Uncharacteristically for an Ernaldan, she is quite passionate, although she still remains down to earth and practical in her thinking. She fled Sartar after her clan was raided by the Lunars and while she is not as open of her distaste for them as Rostala is, she still hates the Lunars and is making plans to strike back at them. Her ox-driven wagon carries her and her daughter's possessions like her considerable wealth and a copper idol of Ernalda that she is quite protective of, and is bringing to the Pavis Earth Temple for safe keeping. She has a strong affinity for the Mastery Rune and has displayed her ability to make people heed her words when she proclaims something or issues a threat. She also claims she is a competent healer and can use her magic to stop wounds from bleeding. She is currently helping Yrsa and Rostala in organizing a larger caravan in which to travel, so as to protect the precious statue. Rostala   Rostala is a wanderer and adventuress from Sartar, a strong and competent fighter, who joined the party after she heard what the Lunar Army had done to Yrsa and Esrolare's clans. She is an initiate to Vinga Thunderous and has an open and passionate hatred for the Lunars which she displays constantly, with little regard for subtlety, almost always looking for trouble. Aside from her natural prowess in combat, she also wields powerful battle magics and is exceptionally strong. Aside from her bronze sword and leather armor her only notable possessions are several flint-tipped javelins which she claims she can hurl as thunderbolts at her enemies. She also has several protective charms that help her stay unhurt in battle. She is currently the leader of the party's Ring, as suggested by Yrsa, and while she is still uncertain in her ability to lead she is becoming more comfortable in her new role with the help of Yrsa and Esrolare. She is leading the caravan to Pavis. Halari the Gentle   Halari is a worshiper of Heler, the Storm Ram, the Orlanthi god of rain. He (and sometimes she) is compasionate towards other people and usually tries to solve his problems through means other than violence. While not a particularly good fighter, she is none the less a very powerful magician who can call down storms and rain if she so choses. He wears a loose robe that can fit both a man and a woman, and carries a short bronze sword in case she has to protect herself. His goal in life seems to be to free the Zola-Fel river from the Lunars, so that the city of Pavis can be free. He had a vision sent by Heler that said that Pavis must be freed for the Lunar Empire to fall. She is currently on a quest to retrieve a sacred White Bison by the Eiritha priestesses from the Paps oasis. Other Notable Characters * Ironspear, an Elmali warrior from some western clan that nobody seems to have heard of. He carries a magical spear with an iron head and is a very powerful warrior. Also he's kind of a wet blanket. * Whispers-to-the-Grass, an ancient-looking High Llama shaman who has decreed his spirits ordered him to join you. Apparently, his llama can talk. * Destor Ortossi, a trader of the powerful Garhound family of Pavis County. He has offered to speak on your behalf and make you weaponthanes if you swear loyalty to his chief. * Derrik, a brash young man from Moonbroth, who is infatuated with Esrolare. * Rostalos Pol-Joni, an Orlanthi nomad who is accompanying you on your travel to Pavis. He has befriended Rostala. You suspect it is because they share both a name and a passion for wandering and rude jokes. Jenx fucked around with this message at 17:05 on Jun 30, 2014 |
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Mar 17, 2014 18:04
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Ground floor on a Jenx thread!  Lhankor Mhy woman (ok, I mostly just want the mental image of our character wearing a fake beard all game  )Hospitality is our greatest virtue. We're good at poetry, fighting with a weapon, and farming. We can talk to Alynxes, we have a listening wind charm, and we know Bladesharp.
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Mar 17, 2014 18:42
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Great to see this up  1. (B) Female 2. (B) Ernalda 3. (E) Justice 4 (A) Farming, (E) Healing, (H) Diplomacy 5. (C) Bladesharp, (D) Talk to Alynxes, (J) Water Seeds So I'm thinking that our hero could be a quick witted Ernaldan, who is good at building up, supporting, and leading a core of people around her. While ernaldans don't make for your traditional hero, they can very, very good at negotiation, leadership, and manipulation, among other things.
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Mar 17, 2014 18:58
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Haifisch posted:Ground floor on a Jenx thread! I endorse this character!
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Mar 17, 2014 19:00
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1. Lady (because Orlanthi gals are bad rear end the the world needs more bad rear end ladies) 2. Odayla (She bear smash!) 3. Defense 4. Bare handed brawling, hunting healing. 5. Stop sword bleeding, hide in forest shatter stone.
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Mar 17, 2014 20:48
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Wow, this looks awesome. I love this world. 1. Lady 2. Vinga (Adventures are rad!) 3. Honor 4. Fighting with a weapon, Hunting and Poetry. 5. E. Hide in Forest Charm - A charm that holds a forest spirit that allows you to hide in wooded areas. H. See in Darkness - You were born with the ability to see in darkness like you would in the day. I. Resist Magic Charm - An iron ring that helps you stop magic aimed at you.
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Mar 17, 2014 21:16
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More Glorantha is never a bad thing. 1. (A) Male 2. (A) Orlanth 3. (F) Hospitality 4 (A) Farming (F) Fighting With a Weapon (H) Oratory 5. (C) Bladesharp (G) Listening Wind Charm (H) See in Darkness A traditional Orlanthi warrior who likes nothing more than coming home after a hard days working/fighting and telling the good tales from times past to anyone who'll listen. Just as happy talking it out as fighting with an enemy. e: I meant Male, being an Orlanth worshiper. Stupid copy/paste... Major Ryan fucked around with this message at 23:33 on Mar 17, 2014 |
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Mar 17, 2014 22:44
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Haifisch posted:
This is a good idea and we should do it.
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Mar 18, 2014 01:36
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Gotta agree with some of the trend. Lhankor Mhy worshipers with fake beards are awesome. 1. (A) Female 2. (F) Lhankor Mhy 3. (F) Hospitality 4. (B) Redsmithing, (D) Poetry, (F) Fighting with a weapon. 5. (D) Speak with Alynxes, (F) Shatter Stone, (I) Resist Magic
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Mar 18, 2014 14:30
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Finally I can play in someone ELSES Bronze-Age CYOA.... and I love Dragon Pass. I want to be a female wizard. 1. B. Woman. 2. F. Lhankor Mhy - Knowing God, Scribe, Keeper of Truth. 3. B. Provision 4. D. Poetry, x 3 5. E. Hide in Forest Charm - A charm that holds a forest spirit that allows you to hide in wooded areas. F. Shatter Stone - A spell that allows you to turn stones to rubble. I. Resist Magic Charm Your vote numbers are out of order. Diogines fucked around with this message at 15:22 on Mar 18, 2014 |
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Mar 18, 2014 15:20
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Diogines posted:Your vote numbers are out of order. Thanks. This is what you get when you edit the drat post a thousand times. Anyway, I'm calling voting closed for now, so let's see what we've got. 1. What are you? A. Man - 1 B. Woman - 8 2. Who do you worship? A. Orlanth - Thunderer, Adventurer, King of the Gods. - 1 B. Ernalda - Earth Mother, Provider, Queen of the Universe. - 1 C. Vinga - Adventuress, Warrior - 1 D. Barntar - Farmer, Herder, Wrestler. The Free Carl. E. Issaries - Talker, Trader, Traveler. F. Lhankor Mhy - Knowing God, Scribe, Keeper of Truth. - 5 G. Humakt - The Sword, Oath-Maker. God of Death and War H. Odayla - Hunter, the Sky Bear. - 1 3. What is your strongest virtue? A. Honor - 1 B. Provision - 1 C. Defense - 1 D. Obedience E. Justice - 1 F. Hospitality - 5 4. What are you good at? A. Farming - 5 B. Redsmithing (bronze-working) 1 C. Hunting - 2 D. Poetry - 6 (or 8 if we count that last vote!) E. Healing - 2 F. Fighting with a weapon - 6 G. Fighting without a weapon - 1 H. Other (Like what?) Diplomacy - 1 Oratory - 1 5. What magic do you have? A. Spit Fire Charm B. Stop Sword Wound from Bleeding - 1 C. Bladesharp - 5 D. Speak with Alynxes - 5 E. Hide in Forest Charm - 3 F. Shatter Stone - 3 G. Listening Wind Charm - 4 H. See in Darkness - 2 I. Resist Magic Charm - 3 J. Water Seeds - 1 The character we shall control through this adventure, it would seem, is going to be a bearded cat lady with a very, very sharp sword. And guess what - I actually have an illustration for that!  Part 2, coming right up!
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Mar 18, 2014 19:17
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II. Your Background 1. What secrets do you know? As an initiate of the Knowing God, there are things you can do that other people can't. You can read and write in the Three Sacred Scripts, you can cast sorcerous spells and learn new ones, you can tell if someone is lying to you or not and you can try and remember obscure facts and knowledge. You are not allowed to ever write something you know is a lie, and you must strive to protect the sanctity and truth of the written word. Though you were expected to stay in the Temple Library and study like the rest of the initiates and apprentices, your wanderlust got the better of you and you became a Wild Sage, roaming the land in search for knowledge and secrets. You came back only when it was time to help on the fields and when you had to observe the holy days of Lhankor Mhy at the Library in the town near your village, where you often got into arguments with the priests, These are secrets you have learned about your god or goddess during your initiation or in your travels. You should never reveal the knowledge of these to people who are not part of your cult, less your god's spirits of retribution come to you. You may pick only one secret. You will have the chance to learn more as the game goes on. A. How Lhankor Mhy Found the Truth - You know the details and secrets of this myth and, theoretically, know how to re-enact it in the Hero Plane. B. The Alien Combination Machine - You have had access to the ACM and are able to learn spells from foreign or ungodly manuals without becoming corrupted by their evil. C. The Knowing Feat - You may attempt to learn a piece of information through the power of your god, even if it's something you have never read or have no way of actually knowing by yourself.  Your ancestors moved to Dragon Pass long after it had been settled. The Colymar were already an old tribe by that time, but your ancestors were fiercely independent and refused to join them, or any other tribe. Thus, the Karmaki clan was born. They fought and traded with their neighbors and refused to bow down to anyone's authority. That all changed with the coming of Sartar the Founder. His promise of peace and unity overwhelmed their sense of independence and they joined him in founding the kingdom of Sartar, the same kingdom that your parents and you yourself were born in. When you were a child, a woman with red hair and a shining star on her forehead had come to your village. She had talked with the chief and the Ring, and soon a lot of warriors, including two of your brothers had marched off to fight against the evil Lunar empire that had started to take over the kingdom. Your brothers did come back, but the news they brought were grim. You grew up with a sense of foreboding around you, and it seemed there was a reason for it. 2. What was your role in your clan? This will determine the social status you held in your clan, and what wealth you have with you on your trip. A. Hunter - Cottar B. Sheep herder or simple farmer - Cottar C. Cattle herder or free farmer - Carl D. Carpenter, Redsmith, Mason, some other crafter - Carl E. Poet or Skald - Carl F. Scribe - Thane G. Weaponthane or Huscarl - Thane H. Priest - Thane I. Something else (Like what?) Two weeks ago, a group of foreign soldiers marched towards your village. They wore bright red, and their banners carried the evil rune of the Red Moon. They demanded that your clan relinquish all of it's cattle and much of it's harvest as punishment for their part of the rebellion. Your clan could not stand this, and rose up in arms and charged the army. The results were expected. The Lunars slaughtered everyone who dared raise their hand against them, killing seven out of every ten people in your clan. They desecrated your temples, smashed the shrines of your ancestors and looted everything they saw fit. At last, they left. The Karmaki clan was no more. Your people were either killed or scattered. You gathered what possessions you had. 3. Do you hate the Lunars? Your clan opposed the Lunar invaders, but what is your personal view of them? A. Yes! B. No! (Why?) After your clan was destroyed by the Lunars you decided to head East, towards the wastelands of Prax and the city of New Pavis, like many other Sartarites did before you and are doing now, as they flee the invading Lunar Army. This was not an easy decision to make, but none of the tribes around you wanted to help you out - your clan's independence had backfired, for nobody wanted to put their neck on the line for you. 4. Who came with you on your trip? You met a lot of people as you traveled East. You couldn't possibly take everyone with you, but it is still safer to travel in a group. Who were your companions? Pick three. A. Rostala, worshipper of Vinga Hedkoranth(Vinga Thunderer). She favors flint tipped javelins. B. Esrolare Harvasdottir, an Ernalda priestess from the Blue Badgers Clan, and her 12 year old daughter Darasin. C. Lionfish, worshiper of Argan Argar. A scheming, oily little man with a slick, surprisingly well groomed black hair and beard and a trollkin thrall he calls Grag. D. Halari Fairface, a beautiful young man who seems to have an affinity for waters. He seems kind of odd, but you can't quite put your finger on why. E. Olamarth Stoneface, a herder from your clan. His family were all killed and he joined you in hopes of finding vengeance. His name comes from the time he broke a stone with his head. F. Ironspear, an Elmali warrior from a far way clan you have never heard of. He fights with a magical spear with an iron head. You had only been to a city once in your life, but you had heard rumors that Pavis was a marvelous place. That Orlanth was still worshiped there, under the nose of the Lunars, and that there was food for all and mysteries that waited exploring. 5. Who are you meeting in Pavis? Do you have any contacts in the city? Do you have someone to help you get used to your new place and give you a hand? A. A member of your clan. B. A member of your family. C. A member of your cult. D. A friend. E. Someone else (Who?) F. Nobody This is your story. Your future lies uncertain before you. Will the future generations speak of you with good or ill? Will they even remember who you were? 6. And lastly - what is your name? Orlanthi usually have first name and for a second name they either use their clan name, the name of their father or mother (adding -son or -dottir after it) or use a colorful and descriptive title. Jenx fucked around with this message at 20:39 on Apr 9, 2014 |
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Mar 18, 2014 19:35
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Jenx posted:And to all Glorantha veterans out there, don't forget - Your Glorantha Will Vary. Heroically, I will have to persevere and not be a nitpicky, pedantic son of a bitch. B. The Alien Combination Machine. There are a lot of strange sorcerous cults in Pavis, including Pavis' own and the new Lunar ones. E. A skald. A strange career for a Lhankoring, but still in their wheelhouse. B. Yes. We're Lhankorings, a group that has been historically lax in hating foreigners who bring new knowledge. But they also killed our clan, so let's steal their knowledge and melt their faces with it. A. Rostala, because we need a headstrong young Arthur-type as a pupil, B. Esrolare, because there isn't a single group in Pavis or Prax that doesn't owe some respect to the Great Earth Goddess, and E. Olamarth, because seeing an Orlanthi trying to deal with the poo poo that the Praxians herd would be pretty great. C. A member of the cult. Why not? Yrsa Paper-Cut.
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Mar 18, 2014 20:10
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Alien Combination Machine, for reasons given by BryanChavez. Weaponthane. We're a bearded catlady with a very, very sharp sword, and wish to use it. (The sword, I mean. Although we also wish to use our cats and beard eventually.) We hate Lunars. They're weirdos who killed a bunch of our people. Of course we hate them. Rostala, because Vingans rule, Halari Fairface because we need the token odd person(other than us ), and Esrolare Harvasdottir to act as the stable grounding for our group.A member of the cult. I'm bad at names, so I'll second Yrsa Paper-Cut.
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Mar 18, 2014 20:24
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Let's go with the Alien Combination Machine, since we seem to be the curious type. Weaponthane. We're headed to the city of adventurers, after all. We hate Lunars. It might not be an all-consuming hate, but until we learn otherwise they're the enemy. Lionfish, because you never know when someone underhanded will come in handy, Rostala because we need some more muscle, and Halari Fairface to add some mystery to this little group. A member of the cult. I like the name, but I'm not sure that vellum cuts so I instead endorse Yrsa Rock-Bother for a habit of sticking our noses everywhere.
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Mar 18, 2014 21:04
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1. Alien Combination Machine - Because forbidden knowledge is fun! 2. Weaponthane - Crazy cat lady of doom! Doom I tell ya! 3. We hate Lunars - Those fuckers are hogging all the knowledge for themselves!  I mean, they killed our people, oh no  4a Rostala - Because come on, how can we not hang out with a Vingan? 4b Esrolare Harvasdottir - Everyone loves Ernalda. 4c Grag - I guess we can take that Lionfish guy along too if we have to. 5. A member of the cult - Why have one nitpicky know-it-all when you can have two? 6. Yrsa Nitpicker - Goon
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Mar 18, 2014 21:52
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Alien Combination Machine - because that is an incredible series of words. Sheep cottar - a humble profession. We do not hate the Lunars - they are strange and perhaps dangerous, but they are also compelling and act in unexpected manners. Ironspear the stranger, Rostala for Vingan representation, and Lionfish but really for Grag. Cult, obviously. Ysra Paper-Cut
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Mar 18, 2014 22:35
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Haystack posted:Let's go with the Alien Combination Machine, since we seem to be the curious type. Bring forth Grag! Also these other things. But mostly Grag!
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Mar 18, 2014 23:11
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1. B. The Alien Combination Machine 2. B. Sheep herder or simple farmer Humble backgrounds are more interesting I think 3. A. Yes Screw the Lunars! 4. A. Rostalla, B. Esrolare & D. Halari Having an Ernaldan in the group will be good for diplomatic encounters or should anyone need healing, the Vingan is for extra protection and the Helering can come because I think it'll be funny. 5. C. A member of our cult 6. Yrsa Rock-Bother Looking forward to this!
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Mar 19, 2014 00:58
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my dad posted:1. Alien Combination Machine - Because forbidden knowledge is fun! I like all of these!
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Mar 19, 2014 03:04
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BryanChavez posted:B. The Alien Combination Machine. There are a lot of strange sorcerous cults in Pavis, including Pavis' own and the new Lunar ones. All of these.
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Mar 19, 2014 06:02
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1. (B) Alien Combination Machine, Pavis and the big rubble seem a perfect place to find grimoires. 2. (D) Mason 3. (B) No, we don't hate them, there's a lot worse out there than Lunars to hate. 4. (A) Rostala, (C) Lionfish, and (F) Ironspear. The worshipers of three different Spear Gods, what could go wrong? 5. (C) A member of the Pavis Knowledge temple 6. Yrsa Many-Names
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Mar 19, 2014 06:08
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1. Alien Combination Machine 2. Weaponthane  3. We do not hate the Lunars. Not yet, at least. First we need to find out more about them, and what are they truly like, then if we don't like what we see we will (and steal their knowledge)4. Rostala, Esrolare, Lionfish 5. Member of cult 6. Yrsa Paper-Cut
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Mar 19, 2014 14:28
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I was thinking of waiting until tomorrow, but I think we have a pretty definitive look of the character already, so here's the votes: 1. What secrets do you know? A. The Alien Combination Machine - Wins by a landslide! 2. What was your role in your clan? A. Hunter B. Sheep herder or simple farmer - 2 C. Cattle herder or free farmer D. Carpenter, Redsmith, Mason, some other crafter - 1 E. Poet or Skald - 2 F. Scribe G. Weaponthane or Huscarl - 6 H. Priest I. Something else (Like what?) 3. Do you hate the Lunars? A. Yes! - 8 B. No! - 3 (The Lunar sympathizers have been outlawed and executed after the taking of the poll) 4. Who came with you on your trip? A. Rostala - 11 B. Esrolare Harvasdottir,& Darasin - 7 C. Lionfish,& Grag - 7 D. Halari Fairface - 4 E. Olamarth Stoneface - 2 F. Ironspear - 2 5. Who are you meeting in Pavis? A. A member of your clan. B. A member of your family. C. A member of your cult. - 11 D. A friend. E. Someone else (Who?) F. Nobody 6.What is your name? Yrsa... Paper-Cut - 5 Rock-Bother - 3 Nitpicker - 2 Many-Names - 1 (Of course the others might still get used!) The adventure will begin proper tomorrow, when I can think properly!
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Mar 19, 2014 22:07
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III. Yrsa Travels East As you fled your village, you managed to save some some scrolls from the Temple, as well as taking the Alien Combination Machine with you, to save it from the Lunar plunderers. You grabbed your horse and your sword, Steel Feather, and left off. You have been on the road for two weeks now, ever since you left your destroyed home. As you were leaving, you were met with Olamarth, a carl from your clan. Once he learned you were planning on hiding out in Pavis, he begged to come with you so he could plot his vengeance against the Lunars. You refused. As you were riding away, you could hear him shouting curses at you, calling you a traitor. Eight days ago, you met a strange couple of adventurers. One appeared to be an Elmali and introduced himself as Ironspear, and the other was a strange looking man called Halari. He did not appear to be a youth, yet his face was beardless. They traveled with you for a while, but you split ways as you headed further east, and they mentioned they will head South to Esrolia before venturing into Prax. You each bode the other luck in your travels, and promised to meet each other in Pavis, if all of you survive. Four days ago you met someone who claimed to be a merchant heading to New Pavis on his regular trip. He introduced himself as Lionfish Golden-Eyed, and said he would very much enjoy your company along the trip. He had a miserable looking trollkin with him, which he regularly kicked and hit with the butt of his spear. As you gathered later, the trollkin even had a name - Grag. As you were talking with him, a powerfully built woman with short red hair approached you. She gave the Greeting, and introduced herself simply as Rostala and did not give a clan or family name. She said she had heard you, and was interested in joining. "Do you have any business in Pavis?" you asked. "No." She simply answered, then looked back at the distant Red Moon. "But I need time before I can come back prepared." It is now Clayday, Death Week of Earth Season, and it's getting kind of dark. You met a woman and her daughter, who were riding a wagon, drawn by a pair of oxen. They carried all kinds of things with them, and at the back had a clay statue of Ernalda the Mother. The woman introduced herself as Esrolare Harvasdottir of the Blue Badgers Clan. As you offered her hospitality at your campsite for the night, she explained a story eerily similar to yours. She and her daughter were heading towards Esrolia, but they found out from travelers that Lunar Patrols had made the trip there quite difficult, so they had decided to leave for Pavis instead. You offered them to travel with you and after some thought they agreed. As everyone else was getting ready to sleep, you took your spot near the campfire as the first guard shift. Things were quiet, save for the birds from the nearby woods, until you heard a very loud rustle from behind the wagon. Jumping from your spot, you drew Steel Feather from it's scabbard. 1. Do you try to wake anyone else before you go investigate? A. No, let them sleep. B. Yes, Rostala C. Yes, Lionfish D. Yes, Esrolare
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Mar 20, 2014 10:49
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E:  WHO IS THERE!? SHOW YOURSELF!
my dad fucked around with this message at 11:20 on Mar 20, 2014 |
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Mar 20, 2014 11:17
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D. We're already good at fighting, so we need a negotiator on the off-chance this could be resolved by talking.
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Mar 20, 2014 12:22
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C. Lionfish. It's dark, lets wake up the person who can possibly see in the dark.
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Mar 20, 2014 13:52
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Xander77 posted:D. We're already good at fighting, so we need a negotiator on the off-chance this could be resolved by talking. Seconding this.
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Mar 20, 2014 17:04
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A Let's not wake someone up just because we saw a bush rustle.
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Mar 20, 2014 17:24
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A No need to wake anybody up.
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Mar 20, 2014 20:24
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my dad posted:E: E WHAT DO YOU WANT? IMA TRYIN' TO SLEEP!
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Mar 20, 2014 21:35
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A We're good for the moment. Let's check it out ourselves before waking everyone else up.
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Mar 20, 2014 21:41
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Xander77 posted:D. We're already good at fighting, so we need a negotiator on the off-chance this could be resolved by talking.
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Mar 20, 2014 23:25
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Xander77 posted:D. We're already good at fighting, so we need a negotiator on the off-chance this could be resolved by talking. This'll do.
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Mar 21, 2014 01:17
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Xander77 posted:D. We're already good at fighting, so we need a negotiator on the off-chance this could be resolved by talking. This seems like a good idea.
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Mar 21, 2014 05:11
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You quickly move towards Esrolara and gently nudge her. She tiredly opens her eyes, though when she sees your drawn blade she instantly awakes and gets up. "What is it?" she asks, as she also hears the rustling in the bushes and starts to look around herself. "I am not quite sure myself, but it might..." You are cut off mid-sentence by an almost animal-like squeal. As you whip around you see Grag the trollkin screaming as an enormous gray wolf has it's teeth around his throat. As the trollkin starts shouting in broken Sartarite "No hurt! No hurt! No hurt!" the wolf growls and tightens it's bite. Everyone else wakes up, but before they can react, you find yourselves surrounded.  Half a dozen wolves have appeared from the shadows, watching you intently with a frighteningly human gleam in their eyes. Two men, naked save for a wolf skin hanging from their shoulders, covered in markings, painted runes and talismans also emerge from the darkness. They are each carrying bronze short swords, and look around at your curiously. Werewolves, Telmori. The older man approaches closer. "Which of you is leader here?" he asks 1. What do you respond? A. Say you are the leader. B. Say someone else is the leader. (who?) C. Remain quiet. "You are in Telmori territory. Your fire has scared away the game we have been tracking for days. You must make amends for this or be punished for it." You instinctively know that the man is not lying to you. This situation could explode at any moment, as you've read the the Telmori are vicious when slighted and would not hesitate to slaughter all of you. Rostala clutches the handle of her sword, but the moment she moves two of the wolves get closer to her and bare their teeth. She does not draw her blade, though she also doesn't let go of it and looks at you with a questioning look. Esrolare looks at you and whispers "Remember, there is always another way. Let me talk with them." You make a quick look around your camp. Esrolare's daughter is huddling on the ground, a wolf standing near her, but it hasn't closed in yet. Grag has stopped shouting and is simply whimpering as the wolf still holds it's jaws around it's neck. Lionfish doesn't seem to care much what's happening to his thrall, though he holds his spear in hand and looks around the Telmori as well, with an discernible smirk on his face 2. How do you deal with the Telmori? A. Seize the moment, attack them! B. Try and negotiate with them. C. Let Esrolare negotiate with them instead. D. Something else. (Like what?) (Also, is this set up working for you guys? Should the posts be longer, shorter, more frequent, or give more time between them? Would you prefer if I post more or less pictures along?) Jenx fucked around with this message at 09:40 on Mar 22, 2014 |
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Mar 21, 2014 14:44
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Are we going cross country, or staying along the road? 1) B. Say Esrolare is the leader. She's our elder, and we can always work something out later. 2) C. Let Esrolare make peace.
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Mar 21, 2014 14:59
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 17:28 |
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Since most CYOAs I've seen end due to author fatigue, I'd say that whatever format feels the most natural to you is the best. Hm... Saying that we're the leader, but having Esrolare talk to them might be seen as an insult. On the other hand, saying she's the leader has its own set of problems. 1) C - I honestly can't decide, so, I guess this would be the result. 2) C - She is our best bet here.
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Mar 21, 2014 15:15
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