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Kai Tave posted:I was wondering when we'd get to this. For me it's always kind of confusing because, setting political beliefs and personal morality aside, it seems like a tabletop system and setting that isn't meant to be grimdark and awful should be inclusive in that fashion if only because having to deal with homophobia and bigotry should be the player's choice and not the natural world state. You can always make up a character who's an rear end in a top hat despite the otherwise reasonable environment, but ignoring a canon level of awfulness requires you to throw out setting aspects.
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Jul 25, 2015 20:26
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chiasaur11 posted:*snip* To me, at least, this really does seem to be a case of "If you don't like it, don't play it." Blue Rose is hewing to a different type of fantasy setting and work - I'm familiar with some of the source material listed, and Blue Rose has felt pretty faithful to the fundamentally different assumptions about morality and how the setting works from the norm. And, as always, there's the option of your gaming group changing whatever aspects of the setting you don't like if you choose to play it. Explicitly or otherwise. I already voiced the idea that maybe it is time to start instituting democratic reforms and reducing the deer-chosen ruler to at most a figurehead. You've made it perfectly clear you don't like the political assumptions about the setting and the motifs of the kind of fantasy Blue Rose is trying to emulate. That's fine, it's stated explicitly at the very beginning that this isn't supposed to be a traditional mainstream fantasy setting. It's a weak defense often misapplied, but I feel it's warranted here.
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Jul 25, 2015 20:36
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Sorry for the delay, being sick loving sucks. Let's continue. The Laughing Strangers: Dancing at the Crossroads quote:Well, good morning, Mr. Congressman! By my ears, I am bettin' you got just a ceiling full of thoughts right now, all tied up like you are. I swear you look like a denim full of concern! It is almost memorizing how sweat and worry just seem to fall out of you like penny candy stolen from the five and dime. I bet you hadn't even felt the dangers coming on since you were sleepin' all deep, It was like they had walked up a dusty road from a long way away and now are tracking fret across your bedroom floor. Of course, I can understand wakin' up knowin' you tried to cheat me might be a bit of a jangle on the nerves. Ain't that just the thing about makin' deals ya got no intention of keepin', though? Who's up for some pretentious trickster bullshit? And yes, all those typos and mixed metaphors are copied straight out of the text. Behold the Beast: quote:Laughing Strangers believe they are the living soul of Tales. The Laughing Strangers are questions that lead to more questions, trials of faith challenged and bright days in epiphany. To Laughing Strangers, all life is a story, and the spicier it is, the more it settles like a warm sun across your belly when it's done. quote:Of all the breeds, the Laughing Strangers are the ones most likely to drag a soul kicking and screaming down the road less traveled. Tricksters, thieves or creatures of your worst and best intentions, Laughing Strangers will always be more than you bargained for. quote:When Laughing Strangers are in War-Beast form, any breath of softness mistakenly associated with Laughing Strangers is choked away. These are not the ferals who deal death mercifully and quickly with sheer brute strength. No, Strangers offer their wrath with different teeth. They will bring it in razor cuts of forever... switchblade knives of please-let-me-die. Breed Traits: An entire paragraph that's best summarized as "Since this is a giant pile of animals that are only related by the fact that they're tricksters we can't make sweeping generalizations." Habitats: So now we have sweeping generalizations. Thanks to zoos and ship travel, all Laughing Strangers can be found all over the world. Predators and Prey: quote:Raccoon and rat are omnivores... if it is edible, they will try it. Fox is a carnivore, yet is also so famous a token of prey there's a sport tied around the hunt. Hare is a vegitarian, yet for the changing breeds, he has no compunction against killing as long as it's creative and makes his point. Spirit-Ties: Legends state that when the tales are no longer told about the animal tricksters, they will cease to exist. Which is why they're so insufferably annoying, if people can't stop talking about them they'll live forever. Kin: The only generalization that can be made is that you can't make generalizations. Yeah that's basically what they say. Society: Despite their perception of lone travelers they crave companionship. They're caring parents and either raise their young themselves or let hand-picked guardians take care of them so they can take over later in life. quote:Stereotypes Again, there's descriptions for the five accords. It's more of Brucato verbally masturbating all over the page with the most absurd metaphors I've ever seen. I'll just quote the sun-dancers. quote:The spinning penny on the sidewalk has more worries than the Laughing Stranger basking in the Sun-Dancer accord. Vertigo delirium paints itself sky-bright over all the lives she wriggles through. Nipping at heels till the blood stains her lips, she keeps those around her jumping - and aching for a moment of predictability.  Minjur: Charan's Children Rats. Originating in India where rats aren't viewed with the same negative esteem compared as the rest of the world. Minjur are believed to be the reincarnated souls of childre, humans who become Minjur are held in the highest esteem. They're treated as royalty, educated and guided in wealthy pampered homes until they decide to leave and make their own way in the world. According to legend, death is the only place they can't go. Their gifts allow them to go anywhere, at the least they will never get lost. At the best they can simply go from place to place without bothering with the niceties of 'everywhere in between'. They're headstrong and arrogant and unlike other changing breeds they actually don't care much for their animal kin. If they were worthy of respect they would have been born Minjur. Appearance: They're all Indian. "Dark of eye and brown of skin. Slender, elegant and yet still too angled and sharp to ever be considered classically handsome." Their primal form are foot long rats. Their war-form isn't much bigger than a human, and "looks like a mangey chow dog" also apparently in war-form they're plague carriers, and any wound will bring forth toxic vengeance. You're correct, there aren't any rules for that. Breed Favors: Darksight, Fang and Claw(bite) 1(L), Needleteeth Breed Bonus: They get 9 dots for aspects rather than 7 because they're so physically weak. And can take bag of trick aspects. THey also get a +2 bonus when hiding from creatures size 5 or larger. Form Adjustments: War-Form: Str +1, Dex+2, Sta+1, Man-5, Size 5, Health +1, Speed +2, +2 to perception Primal Beast: Strength 2, Dex+3, stamina 2, size 3, health 5, speed +15, +4 to perception rolls. That wasn't a typo, since they're so small their stamina is set to a value when they shapeshift. Meaning that going into a fear frenzy will more than likely straight up kill a ratfolk. Otherwise there really isn't much that's great about Ratfolk.  Baitu: The Luck Keepers quote:Wherever there is temptation, so are there the baitu. Lauging strangers born from Man and Hare, the Baitu are the keepers of crossroads and the watchers of time. Though their animal kin are disturbingly numerous all over the world, the Baitu themselves seem as unusual as the last perfect, desperate moment. Rarely appearing when you still feel you have other choices, they're deal-makers, luck-changers, birth-blessers and devilish agents of fortune. Powerful allies and fatal enemies, Baitu bring legend into the lives they run past ..... What? I have no idea what any of that is implying. The text goes on to imply that most stories of Loki or Satan were actually Baitu "testing" people. But they're also the store clerk who insists that you buy a lottery ticket because you 'feel lucky today'. They use their gifts of luck to help people but never themselves, because Hare are prey, and the Baitu honor those old traditions. Sometimes the people they're helping will take credit for the Baitu's gifts and pass them off as miracles. But there's a price for all miracles, and the Baitu will always collect. Also: All baitu are vegitarians. Appearance:Baitu are always either ebony black or Albino in their human forms. Their primal forms are rabbits.. and.. uh quote:In War-Beast form, Baitu are all that wingless devils should be. Long, lean and knife-like, they appear as convivial as a syringe. Their ears lengthen and grow sharply pointed. This often gives the impression that they wear horns... a misconception most of the Luck Keepers find humorous. Bipedal, these creatures stand about six-and-a-half feet tall. Still they weigh amost nothing given their height; most do not reach 120 pounds. This leaves them the dexterity of a whip and the speed of the blooming pain that follows a single-tail's bite in the skin. Background: Most offspring of baitu are the children of parents who cut a deal with a mysterious stranger and "paid the price in bed"... what the gently caress Brucato I thought you were better than this. Considering how fecund rabbits are the Baitu gift runs surprisingly light in their children. Breed Favors: Keen Senses(All), Nine Lives, Speed 10 Breed Bonus: They have access to bag of trick merits, the +2 bonus to hide from size 5 creatures, and 9 dots to spend on aspects, not 7. Form Adjustments: War Form: Str+1, Dex+4, Sta+1, Man-2, Size 5, Health +1, Speed+2, +4 to Perception Rolls, Fang and Claw(Bite) 1(L) Primal Beast: Str 2, Dex +4, sta 2, size 3, health 5, speed +15, +4 to perception rolls, bite (L). Their speed shouldn't increase that loving much, Brucato keeps forgeting that humans do, in fact, have a speed factor. where as for the math for that Primal Beast speed to actually make sense that human speed factor would have to be -1. In a rather astonishing show of restraint, Brucato didn't call them sexy once. And the only real mention of sex is the fact that almost every human Baitu is born because their human parents sold their body for luck. Which is kind of terrible. Archunem: Moon's Masked Children Raccoons! The "Scratching Hands" naturally range from Mexico to southern Canada, but they roam as far as russia and china. Social to a fault, they prefer to travel with other Archunem. If they aren't avaliable they'll travel with normal Raccoons, failing that they'll just gather up groupies from wherever they happen to be. "If other breeds feel cocky enough to have a Hand in their midst, the Archunem will gladly share their experiences, test the breeds' patience, and teach them lessons they probably need, yet don't really want." You know, this character archetype wasn't funny in the old world of darkness when it was attached to the Nuwisha and the Qualmi, it didn't need to be attached to a giant pile of animal breeds and an archetype that's also avaliable to all characters. "Witty, inquisitive and - plainly said - snarky, Archunem call a wily trickster tune. Humans flock to Archunem for as long as their skin lasts. There's something intrinsically desirable about the ones your mother warned you about." Quote what I just said again. Appearance: They tend towards native american blood. Their primal forms are large northern raccoons, apparently 100 lbs heavy raccoons, 3 times larger than the largest Raccoon ever seen in the wild. Their War-beast form is.. quote:Distantly related to the bear, furious Hands grow into their heritage. Bipedal, most stand at almost seven feet in height and weigh close to 450 pounds. THeir needle sharp teeth lengthen; their dark masks stretch back and flow into their hairlines. Leaving most of their humanity behind, Hands in War-Beast form look as though they have forgotten their dual nature. Their hides toughen, their muscles become granite, and their limited manners disappear Background:Now Brucato is writing stories. quote:When the Moon was not yet old enough to choose her heartmate, her gaze fell upon the Earth and all the jewels of Life he wore within his fur. He was strong and solid and already wed to the Sky. Moon was still intrigued. She watched and teased and lit His mountains with Her impish intentions. She stole away Sky's eyes by outshining Her stars, and then she went to Him. She was too young and he was too merciful. He held her wrists and took Her hands away from his face when she Approached him. His displeasure was a low rumbling, a warning, a voice low in tone and rich with threat. From the sound of Earth's growl, Bear Became. From her reply, she laced Bear's Becoming with Her curiosities and fevered needs to test the boundaries of Earth. I hate Brucato so much right now. Anyways, the Archunem try not to love anyone, for once they do they love deeply. If they find a mate they mate for life. Breed Favors: Fang and Claw (bite) 1(L), Size 3, Nine Lives. Breed Bonus: 9 dots, bag of tricks aspects, +2 to hide, same as everyone else Form Adjustments: War-Form: Str+1, Dex+2, Sta+1, Man-2, Size 5, Health+3, speed+2, +2 to Perception Rolls Primal Beast: Str 3, Dex+2, Sta 2, size 3, Health 5, speed +7, +2 to Perception Rolls. Once again, Brucato forgot how the rules to the damned game work. War-Form shouldn't have +3 health with only +1 stamina and no increase to size. And the Raccoon's speed increases to an absolutely ludicrous degree when they're not any faster than humans by default.  Reynardi: The Beautiful Rogues Foxes... and not only that Reynard the fox, I'm not going to like this am I? quote:Oh, the merry trials of Fox! Of light, of breath, of taking and knowing, these are the children with souls as bright as a thousand new penny-whistles. They are Lazarus' first chuckle freed from the grave. They are Lucifer's last sigh of resigned acceptance. Wanting to know the Truth is wishful thinking. No longer noticing the blood on your legs from the thorned brambles you had to run through to find it is the ecstasy of Answers. This is where you come to know the Reynardi. TO learn from these rusty rogues is to hear the first sweet notes of wisdom in the laughter of the wind. Let's just summarize the rest. Unlike those "dishonorable Kitsune", Reynardi have a code of decorum and honor. A trick isn't worthwhile unless it's a trick with style, and it's only okay to lie if that lie has a kernel of truth. They always show courage. Even if it's only in those brief moments before they run the gently caress away. Appearance: "The fox-gift manifests most often amongst people who have been pushed too far too long." I wasn't aware that oppression was a genetic expression. Primal form can be either arctic, gray, or red foxes. the war-beast form... appears to have been formatted wrong as it's a smaller, thinner font size to squeeze more text into the column width. Anyways, They turn into fox-people. "All lightness, grace and speed, their ancestors may have educated the finest swords to glow dangerously as they slide from the scabbard." This purple prose is growing increasingly tiresome. Background: Usually Caucasian, sometimes asian. "Reynardi are the sort who would crap on a king's throne while he stood for applause" Breed Favors: Fang and Claw (bite) 1(L), Nine Lives, Speed 9 Breed Bonus: EXACTLY THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE MOVING ON Form Adjustments: War Form: Str+1, Dex+2, Sta+1, Man -2, Size 5, Health +1, Speed +2 Primal Beast: Str 3, Dex +3, Sta 3, Size 3, Health 6, Speed +7 So these stats are actually correct, which makes me think that they were one of the breeds Brucato stole from war against the pure, and then copy pasted them for *everyone else*. Seriously, the "whip thin swords" that are the Reynardi have the exact same stats as the "Stolen Bears" that are the Were Raccoons. And so far every single trickster has had the exact same damned breed bonus. Mistai: The Laughing Strangers Oh gently caress me it's the Coyotes. quote:As other beasts fall back further into a disappearing wilderness, Coyote's brood advances. In trashcans, parks, and back yards, they creep through the night, facig down dogs and mocking humans at every turn. Is it any wonder that Coyote's get appear so frequently in folk tales? The changing gift embraces him, or perhaps it is Coyote who has embraced the Gift? He's randy enough to have done it, to be sure. "These lonesome folk share survivor morality, not guilt. Just as so many tricksters, Mistai know what it is to live between glitter and gultch." So did Banjo and Kazooie. quote:Some folks claim that Coyote's brood reincarnates the souls of America's First People. Picking hungry through the ruins of their old land, they have no great love for their conquerors. Whether those claims are true or not, these tricksters hone their jests with a cruel, symbolic edge. Mistai pranks inspire bitter lessons for those who care to read past the bloodstains. Occasionally, these ferals bring down a child and feast - whether out of revenge, hunger, or some combination of the two is left, as usual, for other folk to answer. Coyote's folk are not in the habit of giving answers to the ignorant. Appearance: I withheld the Mistai artwork until now  quote:In human form, Mistai tend to be just a little bit darker than most folk find comfortable to be around. Mistai might be the street person sitting on the brick wall watching with eyes too clear and hands too trembling, or the woman in the grocery store at 4AM, pregnant and soft and hungry still. Costumes and illusions are Mistai talents and their gift. Behind their masks, however, Coyote-folk seem rangy, underfed, underloved. White or native, Latin or black, Mistai live off the scraps of a larger world even before Coyote's gift transforms them. quote:Just as other trickster breeds, Coyote's brood have no War-Beast form beneath their skins, instead Mistai favor their human aspect, but with lean and beastly features. Softly furred with silver-gray and dry grass brown fuzz, Mistai wear their Coyote heads proudly. Seen so often in shadow, these faces look like masks from a Western fever dream. Tall - seven feet from soil to hat - Coyote's children remain slim. They are never idle chatterers; their silences let other tell too much. The other Trickster breeds *do* have war forms, and your 'throwback' is bigger than half of them. Background: Remember that joke I made about them loving their way across the disenfranchised of America? quote:Just as their fabled progenitor, Coyote's brood are fiercely carnal. Folklore professors scrubbed those legends clean, but the truth's still walking and loving its way across America. Like so many tarnished dreamers, these ferals are often gone by daylight, leaving behind regret, perhaps a musky smell and the occasional baby to raise. That child, born on the wandering side of a sheet, may inherit his sire's Changing Gift more often than not. This venereal prolificacy could be the key to the Mistai's survival Breed Favors: Alarming Aclarity, Fang and Claw (Bite) 1(L) Breed Bonus: They get 9 dots for aspects, and their bag of tricks poo poo. They also lack a war beast form but that apparently doesn't hurt them much. Form Adjustments: Throwback: Str+1, Dex+2, Man-2, Health+1, Speed+2, +2 to Perception Rolls Primal Beast: Str-1, Dex+4, Sta 3, Size 3, Health 6, Speed +7 +2 to Perception Rolls So the STDs of the american west have a phantom health point that comes out of nowhere. Can this chapter be over now? Other Species Oh god why Wapethemwa: The White Beast Opossum-shifters. Fantastic. Guess what? They also live off of the dregs of human society and suffer for their ignorance of their condition. They thrive in the rural areas where it's easier to steal what you need to get by. And the older possum folk often move to the mountains where they live in "Splended dirt-poor isolation" because we need to solidify the stereotypes we're reaching for. They can arise from any american ethnic group, but are primarily Anglo and scottish-Irish, with a significant African American presence. Regardless they're Barbwire thin with beady eyes that are "Their most attractive features", sure. "In primal form, White Beasts grow to many times their size. Their beady eyes grow darker and rounder, and they develop the characteristic possum 'waddle'." What? No? Primal form is the beast form, brucato, they wouldn't grow many times their size to become smaller. And they develop the possum waddle because they are possums in that form. Their war beast form is six feet tall with "weight proportionate to their size", since that's within the human norm I have no idea what he's implying. but they have possum heads. Breed Favors: Extra Limb(Tail), Fang and Claw (Bite) 1(L), Nine Lives Breed Bonus: They all have one dot in survival, and a free speciality in survival, in addition to all the other standard trickster poo poo. Form Adjustments: Str+1, Dex+2, Sta+1, Man-4, Size 5, Health+1, Speed+2, +2 to Perception Rolls Primal Beast Str 3, Dex+e, Sta 2, Size 3, Health 5, Speed +4, +2 to Perception Rolls Another war form that's almost identical to every other war form. A primal beast form that doesn't mesh with the actual description of it. And we round out this incredibly uncomfortable chapter. Next Time: Badly Airbrushed Dog Dicks Kurieg fucked around with this message at 20:45 on Jul 25, 2015 |
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Jul 25, 2015 20:39
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Is that Bunnyman Nathan Explosion? Now that's metal.
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Jul 25, 2015 20:42
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pkfan2004 posted:Is that Bunnyman Nathan Explosion? Now that's metal. It wouldn't surprise me if he was a trace of Nathan Explosion artwork. Someone else did it with Dante.
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Jul 25, 2015 20:44
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Within the text of Blue Rose, within the section I just went over in fact, it's unambiguously pointed out that two of the sovereign's own closest councilors think she's not up to the task. The son of the last king doesn't think she's up to the task. I would say by this point that it takes a pretty drastic and/or willful misinterpretation of the text to look at this state of affairs and come away with the idea that the magic deer is a perfect flawless method of succession that can never go wrong and prunes away all possible conflict because clearly even people within the setting itself don't seem to agree with that. Also the Culture legitimately is managed on both a macro and micro scale by a group of godlike AIs who take a very direct hand in the management of their society. The magic deer shows up to choose a sovereign and then peaces out unless things go drastically wrong. If your problem with Blue Rose is that you feel things are too much in the hands of otherworldly forces, I'm not sure how the Culture is an improvement. I'm also not sure how you can say that Blue Rose cuts off plot hooks like "people are accusing this person of being evil, what's the deal" while simultaneously acknowledging the fact that nobles can and do get fall into corruption but brushing that off as "well yeah but that happens in every setting." It's there as a plot hook for you to use and the game isn't shy about informing you of it. As for Blue Rose implying that people should think things like equality and tolerance are good, well, they should. I have no problems with that, and given the hue and cry that went up from certain quarters when D&D Next had the temerity to include a sidebar promoting diversity I'd suggest that maybe whatever "lack of trust" you feel the writers have regarding the matter may be warranted.
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Jul 25, 2015 21:34
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Forces of Hordes: Skorne The word sabaoth refers to a large collection of cohorts under one leader. After Vinter's reforms, the term was adapted for divisions in the armies, and each dominar controls a sabaoth of varying size. Warriors of tyrant or lord tyrant rank are subordinate to a dominar and lead cohorts. Traditionally, the cohort is the largest armed force a single house could field, and the difference between tyrant and lord tyrant is subtle, indicative of a cohort and house's size and influence. It is not uncommon for a lord tyrant or prestigious tyrant to command other tyrants, though rarely permanently. In the Army of the Western Reaches, cohorts range from 2 to 5 thousand warriors. Any skorne promoted to tyrant who does not already command a house is given permission to found one, gaining all the privileges of rank including the right to build a fort to support their dominar. Tyrants and dominars of older houses tend not to like them much. Cohorts consist of ten decurium, which vary in size. Most cohorts include a variety of skorne disciplines, including Cataphracts, Praetorians and Venators. Because a cohort is all of a house, the exact mix varies. Specialists outside the warrior caste, like paingivers and extollers, also accompany them based on the tyrants' support. They may sometimes be classed as equipment, similar to ammo and warbeasts. Each dacarium is led by a primus, usually a Praetorian or Cataphcract. Every modern decurium can act as an independent force and is accompanied by at least a few ranged soldiers, and a primus has wide latitude to carry out objectives. Subordinate to them are the veteran dakar, who led taberna of between 20 and 50 skorne, usually made of one discipline. The taberna is the core of a battle line and the standard used to evaluate relative strength. It derives from the skorne word for a tent, as in ancient times they shared a tent while campaigning. They are tightly knit and work together for years, often with unique rites, traditions and superstitions. The warriors are then divided up into datha, six to ten soldiers trained in a single discipline, led by a single dakar equivalent to a sergeant.  Paingiver Bloodrunners are part assassin, part warrior. Murder is their art, and they are distinct within the paingiver order. Death empowers them to flicker through shadow, exploiting any gap. The tradition has existed for centuries, and they are the closest paingivers to the warrior caste, though they do not follow the hoksune code and see no shame in striking from stealth. They study anatomy to learn how to make precise attacks and exploit the power of death and shadow. Traditionally, they work in small groups on surgical strikes, especially to seize assets without destruction. Since Morghoul took over the caste, he's been using them as his messengers, vassals and executioners, deploying them to cut out threats to the empire like cancerous tissue.  Tyrant Vorkesh sometimes leads the Cataphract Cetrati as a living paragon. Even as a child, he knew he was born to be a Cataphract, undertaking the kar praxas or 'day of full height' as young as possible in his generation. He headed into the Northern Marches with only armor and a spear, returning with the five heads of a desert hydra. For his valor and adherence to hoksune, he was granted the ancient halberd named Arm of Rahaal by Primus Mokraas, loremaster of the Cataphracts. It bears the sacral stones of many champions. Vorkesh's skill in battle makes him very useful, despite his lack of any mortitheurgical skill. He tolerates these arts, but he prefers not to rely on them, and the ancestors that protect him allow no sorcerous interference. Makeda does not entirely trust the mystics, and Vorkesh makes for a good protection from them.  Immortals are spirits rescued from the Void, serving as companions to the ancestral guardians. Their bodies are carved from stone and clay, and they wield very heavy blades, heavier than any mortal can lift. Immortals may die a hundred times, but as long as their sacral stone survives, they can fight again. Many skorne have died in the west, but they fearlessly give their lives to gain land, and the many ancestral guardians accompanying them have collected many souls. The cost and time of constructing new bodies for them is nothing compared to their power, especially when the immortals fight alongside an ancestral guardian that chose them. The living, reminded of their chance to live after death, find courage in their silent presence, hoping to join their ranks.  The Praetorian Ferox use the speed and agility of their mounts to kill. They are a forward strike force, and the ferox they ride are very graceful, with enough raw strength to tear through infantry. They are desert predators that mow through enemy lines, then turn back to cut them down from behind. Mount and rider move as one, using a spear and vicious fangs. Ferox have long preyed on the herds of belek, korbesh and kopaar kept by the skorne, who learned to respect their cunning and power. Though they were tamed long ago, the paingivers see it as vital to preserve their savagery, and the Preatorians that ride them are often scarred by their violent outbursts. They do not have a bond of affection, nor is it similar to the bond between horse and man. Rather, it is a wary respect between killers.  The Praetorian Karax are the backbone of the Army of the Western Reaches. They carry immense shields, drilling extensively in defensive formations. At a command from their dakar, a karax unit go into the xenka formation, protecting themselves from explosive blasts, shrapnel and flame. With another command, they drop to their knees, shields forward and heads down to allow the Venators to attack, then stand again. Swordsmen behind a karax line can advance without fear. House Kalvat fielded the first karax cohort during the War of the Exalted, when they faced Dominar Helzar, who relied on incendiaries. The karax shields endured his blasts, winning the day. Some skorne believe promotion is harder for the karax than others, as their training diminished individual initiative, but even so, none can dispute their ability to advance unharmed no matter what's going on.  A Praetorian Swordsman Officer and Standard sometimes leads the swordsmen. More Preatorians than any other force in history serve in the Army, gathering at the Abyssal Fortress daily to march to the front. They live by hoksune, and their trials will never end. They constantly push themselves higher. Those that stand out become dakar, and rising further takes even more than that - they must have loyalty, respect, intellect and skill at command. Only the elite are raised to primus. These officers are rightfully arrogant, commanding many skorne. They lead by example, and no losses are too great if they secure victory, so they direct their men in order to take full advantage of their skills. Tyrants rely on them heavily to execute orders and keep order, and their discipline is flawless. Next time: WITNESS ME
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Jul 25, 2015 21:44
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Doresh posted:Monsters grow into bigger monsters. I really like this idea. Because being a lvl 99 Goblin is boring and un-intimidating, but growing into a titan. Now, that's boss.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:01
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It sounds like the cervidaemocratic process basically goes "This person, as of now, has the best potential to be monarch. Later, mortals" with the occasional "I am revoking your queen card". If this queen had fallen off a barn three years prior, it might well have been that guy seething, or one of a dozen other people who were only very fractionally behind her on the multi-axis scorecard. It sounds more like the deer makes a good and just polity substantially easier, rather than certain.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:05
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Even that tiny little bit of Blue Rose fluff is dripping with possible plots. Maybe it goes in a totally different direction, and Sayvin decides that rather than stay in Aldis and struggle for power, he's just going to gently caress off and go start his own kingdom
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Jul 25, 2015 22:06
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Kai Tave posted:I was wondering when we'd get to this. It's not so much that it's bad for there to be a good, liberal faction, but it just always seems kind of jarring to me when the author clearly backs a given group in the setting. It was just as bad in Eclipse Phase when the authors were brutally jerking off the socialists/anarchists. It's hard to define, but even though I agree that these are Good Things, it's possible for a setting to come off as preachy about them. Or just as generally the author's fantasy. Especially when it's just one nation in the setting that's embraced all of this, then it just feels like all the others easily become caricatures of things the author doesn't like. For some reason it seems to pop up the most in fantasy, in my experience, where I guess it feels even more incongruous because so often it's just the one nation embracing modern values that the author supports, while the remainder feel relatively period-appropriate. I really have a hard time putting words to it, but I think this is the best I can do for describing my antipathy.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:11
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PurpleXVI posted:It's not so much that it's bad for there to be a good, liberal faction, but it just always seems kind of jarring to me when the author clearly backs a given group in the setting. It was just as bad in Eclipse Phase when the authors were brutally jerking off the socialists/anarchists. It's hard to define, but even though I agree that these are Good Things, it's possible for a setting to come off as preachy about them. Or just as generally the author's fantasy. The main issue for Aldis itself here is that the Golden Hart is presumably a singular entity... unless you can find it the Silver Doe and produce fawns for the nations of the world. 
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Jul 25, 2015 22:16
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Nessus posted:Well that's how a lot of systems and ideas get started; they begin in one location and spread out, even if there are often approximate parallels in other areas. (For instance, the Norse had a more democratic system than Greece ever did, but we call it "democracy" instead of "althingism") Or kill the Golden Hart. Blue Rose has unintentionally reminded me of Dragon Age Inquisition more than once, and one DAI quest involves a golden not-deer said to be a divine emissary. You can escort it back to the elves... or you can kill and skin it because hey, golden deer, that poo poo will look great as a rug. The Golden Hart's appearance is highly predictable, and while it's immune to sorcery I haven't seen any suggestion that you can't chop the thing's head off. There's a plot against the crown right there: arrange the queen's death elsewhere so no one will know to be in the place where the Hart appears, and have troops there ready to make venison for dinner because you can predict to the second when and where it will appear. Or break the Blue Rose Scepter, or replace it with a fake. Maybe it's been replaced with a fake and not every current noble was in touch with the Light when they were tested.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:22
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Maybe the Light is a lie and the darkness is the true way of happiness and personal fulfillment. The deer exists only to install a puppet who serves the sheep-god of the Nazarene! Also, something about hating science and independent thought.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:25
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Or just play it straight because not everything has to have a dark twist to it, jfc.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:26
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Lynx Winters posted:Or just play it straight because not everything has to have a dark twist to it, jfc. This is basically my take, my suggestions about killing the Hart or stealing/breaking the Scepter were just immediate thoughts that occurred to me for villainous plots. Blue Rose has been charming me pretty well with "Aldis is, by and large, a genuinely Good kingdom run by Good people even if they're not always the wisest or most competent, roll with it."
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Jul 25, 2015 22:29
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There is literally no reason to grimdark up Blue Rose, that's the dumbest thing you can do with it. Forces of Hordes: Skorne  The Nihilators are a cult obsessed with earning exaltation in battle, seeking out the most violent deaths possible against the most impossible odds to gain extoller attention. The roots of the cult date back to the earliest parts of skorne society, when Xarvaax the Flayed was the greatest disciple of Morkaash, who created the paingivers. After Morkaash's death, Xaavax and a few other devotees headed into the Shroudfall Mountains to test the limits of self-inflicted pain. Several died, but those that returned found new zeal, and the cult steadily grew on the fringes. Their rituals are a radical reinterpretation of Morkaash's teachings about enlightenment through suffering, incorporating Voskune's codes of honor. Paingivers learn anatomy to hurt foes or tame beasts, but nihilators learn it to transcend their bodies via pain. They perform ritual sacrification, using the pain to achieve a meditative state allowing them to ignore even crippling injuries. They are like berserkers, able to enter a blood frenzy. They become blinded by their desire for glorious death, becoming unable to tell friend from foe, and as many die on the blades of other skorne as on the enemy.  A Tyrant Commander and Standard dictate the flow of battle when present. They adapt to shifting circumstances, giving orders to keep the entire force going. A tyrant is both tactician and warrior, standing at the front to lead the skorne. Their mere presence gives the army precision and the ability to move as one whole. The standard bearer presents the symbols of both the tyrant's house and their cohort, accompanying them at all times. The banner shows all the tyrant's battle honors, reminding the skorne of their duty and the expectations of their ancestors. A tyrant must always be ready to hold any position to the death, should their dominar require it.  A Venator Catapult Crew is part of a centuries-old tradition. While cannons and guns have become widespread, most house armies still believe catapults vital to any campaign, as they can be built far afield, away from centers of industry, even mid-battle. The crew cranks the firing arm using twisted ropes with immense torque, then launch their projectiles huge distances. The preferred projectile is a heavy ball filled with steel shards and explosives, which explodes massively on impact. Catapults do have an advantage over direct fire cannons, such as their ability to launch projectiles into the air, over obstacles. While the Venators are usually tasked to construct and deploy the catapults, their operation falls to lower castes, leaving the frontline soldiers free to fight.  The Venator Flayer Cannon Crew use their flayer cannon to fire hundreds of vicious needles at immense speeds, making the corpses they create very hard to identify and causing grievous injury. The flayer cannon is a new weapon, based on the century-old reiver guns. After Vinter expanded on their usage, the skorne began to fully appreciate the versatility of these gas-powered weapons. The cannon is a simple but effective extrapolation of the handheld reiver, and while the firing cone is heavy, the cannon is tripod-mounted for stability and accuracy. The frame is light and easy to assemble, and a cannon can be manned by a small team of trained Venators.  A Venator Reiver Officer and Standard lead the Reivers sometimes. They were the lowest of the warrior caste until very recently, but dealing with humans has forced new tactics. The ranged weapons preferred by the Iron Kingdoms have led to increased reliance on the Venators and their reivers. Their most prominent masters have risen through the ranks, and while none are yet tyrants, they are becoming respected. The rank and file of the Praetorians and Cataphracts still disdain them, but the tyrants and dominars are seeing their use, recognizing that the Venators are devoted to their own interpretation of hoksune and are as honorable as anyone. The best become primus, showing fanatical devotion and courage the same as any skorne commander, and some have begun to hope that they may, one day, have a Venator become exalted.  Agonizers are embodiments of pain, manifesting their misery in an aura of suffering. Few realize that they are actually infant titans when they see them, selected at birth to be subjected to horrific procedures meant to turn their suffering into tangible force. They are starving creatures, skin taut on their bones, riddled with scars and impaling hooks and barbs. Even the most hardened criminals of the west would be hard-pressed to perform such cruelty, but the skorne see it as just another weapon from the titan breeding projects. Their existence is the result of experimentation on titans to maximize fertility, which produced small and weak children, too sickly for combat. They were failures until exploratory surgery and torment exposed the potential of tapping into and projecting their pain on others. Now, some titan cows are set aside from each herd to breed agonizers. Fortunately for them, few survive more than a single battle, and death is a sweet release from their pain.  A Paingiver Bloodrunner Master Tormentor is an unrivalled killer. The shadows cloak them, and they cannot be tracked in the dark. They cut through foes with great skill. They are few, but among the most feared paingivers, the most skilled assassins of the skorne. Their signature razor lash takes immense skill to use, able to kill quickly or slowly as the wielder desires. With their specialized mortitheurgy, they can ride the pain they cause to gain immense mobility, savoring the energy like fine wine. Next time: I got a rock.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:32
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That the Golden Hart shows up and literally kicks out an evil Soveriegn after a time feels anticlimactic. The setting does sound rad though i'd never get it on the table since even my most progressive friends rallying cry is "why aren't we killing yet?".
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Jul 25, 2015 22:47
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PurpleXVI posted:It's not so much that it's bad for there to be a good, liberal faction, but it just always seems kind of jarring to me when the author clearly backs a given group in the setting. It was just as bad in Eclipse Phase when the authors were brutally jerking off the socialists/anarchists. It's hard to define, but even though I agree that these are Good Things, it's possible for a setting to come off as preachy about them. Or just as generally the author's fantasy. Well, let's look at this. Blue Rose brings up a few things that most fantasy RPGs don't, like homosexuality and the tolerance thereof. If you didn't want to run the risk of being accused of taking a political stance or being "preachy" then one way to do that would be to simply not bring the matter up at all. Most fantasy RPGs don't and it works out fine insofar as they DON'T weigh in to tell you that gay people are icky perverts. But Blue Rose is a romantic fantasy game, and in romantic fantasy you pretty much need to touch on the matter of romance at some point. And if you're going to be discussing that in the context of your good kingdom of justice and equality then, well, that kingdom is going to look a lot less good if someone asks "okay but can gay people get married?" and the response is "wellllllllllllll..." (This is, by the way, one reason why the cervidemocratic system works out well for Aldis...because since the line of succession isn't based on bloodline it means that homosexual sovereigns aren't forced into the ugly choice of having to sire offspring with someone they aren't attracted to solely to ensure an heir to the throne. While I'm sure that some people might view this as an interesting conflict, I think it's to the benefit of the themes the game is trying to evoke that it doesn't go that route, which has the potential to be rather offputting.) On the one hand I can understand how reading an RPG setting that's clearly someone's political essay can get ridiculous, be it Eclipse Phase's laughably dismissive treatment of religion or a paean to the glorious furry neo-libertarian corporatocracy. I will say, though, that Blue Rose's "preachiness" is about as uncontroversial as it gets. As a political opinion it suggests that justice, equality, and tolerance regardless of sexuality or race are good things and that prejudice against those things, for whatever reason, is not a good thing, and I think it's kind of hard to argue against that without debating yourself into an unsavory corner. I'm sure that the authors of Blue Rose DO believe this themselves...Steve Kenson is gay himself among other things...but there's a marked difference between a game suggesting that we should strive to return to an enlightened monarchy and a game suggesting that bigotry is bad.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:49
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That middle catapult operator is so pissed that he has to carry the ammo while his buddy gets to fire the thing. Skorne continue to win the pauldron arms race.
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Jul 25, 2015 22:50
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Kai Tave posted:Eclipse Phase's laughably dismissive treatment of religion or a paean to the glorious furry neo-libertarian corporatocracy. While EP's treatment of religion is absurdly awful, the latter is actually the core conceit of Hc Svnt Dracones, not EP  Re: Blue Rose, I agree that it's more open/blatant about acceptance, equality and redemption than other fantasy games, and I don't really mind it. I dig grimdark mudpile settings like Warhammer Fantasy and I can go for stifling societal strictures a la Legend of the Five Rings (yet furthermore, destroy John Wick) but I also dig being in a band of matchmakerhobos and friendship makers in a setting full of sparkles and flowers. If you don't feel up for it it doesn't mean you're a horrible rear end in a top hat necessarily, you can just give it a pass like you've done for countless other settings already.
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Jul 25, 2015 23:08
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Night10194 posted:Hell, wouldn't it even be possible to help the guy and steer him back towards the Light? It seems like that, too, would be in-genre. His name is literally Saving, that's probably the main idea.
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Jul 25, 2015 23:11
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Cythereal posted:Or kill the Golden Hart. Blue Rose has unintentionally reminded me of Dragon Age Inquisition more than once, and one DAI quest involves a golden not-deer said to be a divine emissary. You can escort it back to the elves... or you can kill and skin it because hey, golden deer, that poo poo will look great as a rug. Or the Golden Hart could be captured or imprisoned somehow to prevent it from choosing a new monarch (I really think the Golden Hart is probably immortal, so you're better off encasing it in concrete than killing it). Or Queen Jaellin replaced with a doppelganger and thrown into a prison a la "Man In The Iron Mask". Or put into some bizarre mashup of Sleeping Beauty and Warhammer 40K, rendered comatose but still alive. There's plenty of possibilities if the GM is creative. The thing about the Blue Rose setting is that it makes things difficult for everyone and that's were the tension lies. The murderhobo heroes might not be able to depose a wicked aristocracy through force of arms but, at the same time, Sayvin's can't dump 50 legions of terror troops and completely wipe the party.
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Jul 25, 2015 23:43
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A good way to look at it, I feel, is to approach the matter from a perspective of a would-be evil overlord. You can't just claim the throne by force of arms unless you have a truly overwhelming army at your beck and call already and you can't personally swipe the throne through guile. Those are the challenges and limitations you're working within. So how do you go about subverting, weakening, and/or conquering Aldis then? There's enough room to work with that it's not an impossible task, you just can't brute-force it with the obvious solutions.
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Jul 25, 2015 23:51
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Is the idea of a golden deer a trope in fantasy settings? I know it was a thing in the 2014 Beauty and the Beast movie with Vincent Cassel, and as I was driving home last night I swear I passed by a "Golden Hart Enterprises", which creeped me the hell out seeing as I go through that road every week and never noticed it before (I'm probably just reading too much Lovecraft lately)
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Jul 26, 2015 01:41
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Harts are a symbol of nobility and stuff, so one being gold is like double royal. Wiki. That Old Tree fucked around with this message at 01:55 on Jul 26, 2015 |
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Jul 26, 2015 01:48
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gradenko_2000 posted:Is the idea of a golden deer a trope in fantasy settings? I know it was a thing in the 2014 Beauty and the Beast movie with Vincent Cassel, and as I was driving home last night I swear I passed by a "Golden Hart Enterprises", which creeped me the hell out seeing as I go through that road every week and never noticed it before (I'm probably just reading too much Lovecraft lately) The Deer is following you. He can tell you have not yet won the struggle within yourself and learned to love the Rad Magic Deer.
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Jul 26, 2015 01:50
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Watch out for portals and mysterious wizards talking about magical destiny. Or check with your tailor about your dress size.
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Jul 26, 2015 01:56
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Forces of Hordes: Skorne The Extoller Soulward has the solemn duty of preserving heroes on the battlefield, and evne the warriors treat them with deference, for they choose the exalted. The rites which cleanse them for their office have a deadly risk, for to learn the secrets of the extollers, they must pluck out an eye and replace it with a crystal oculus that reacts to spiritual energy. Many die of the shock and pain of the process, but those that survive gain insight and the power to speak with the exalted. This is no easy task, for their advice is cryptic and they can lead to madness. Exact procedure must be followed when awakening the eldest and most potent ancestors. Senior extollers sometimes hear voices in their minds, like echoes of another's thoughts. A soulward must have the iron will to push past these and invoke the true guidance of the exalted. Their unique vision allows them not only to see souls, but to seize and rend them, so they may kill with no more than a look.  A Paingiver Task Master has the job of managing the slaves of the skorne. Those slaves whose strength and skill with violence is good enough are given reprieve from their heavy labor to fight instead. Task masters drive them into battle with wicked man catchers, both to goad the unwilling and to catch new meat. In the hands of a paingiver, a man catcher can hold someone in place as their slaves descend for the kill. These slaves are their greatest weapon, learning to fear and obey them in the hope of a quick death in combat rather than the endurance of more tortures. At the command of a task master, the slaves surge forward even into the worst of battle, ignoring their injuries. They know that they will be allowed to die of their wounds only when their masters allow it.  Void Spirits are skorne ghosts that, through some unnatural urge, have returned to the living world. Even short exposure to the Void damages them, ripping away their memories and leaving only a hunger to kill. They hate all life, siphoning its vitality with their touch and leaving only shriveled husks behind. They clutch at the souls of those they kill, to give them the same pain they suffer. Skorne may fear the Void, but they know it is wrong for the dead to return. Tampering with Void forces is almost blasphemous, and ordinarily the skorne would destroy these spirits immediately, but now, the skorne must use any weapon. Makeda's decree authorizing their use in battle has caused strain, particularly among the extollers, who are disturbed to see dead spirits bent to such unnatural purpose. These nightmares were once rare, but recently, their numbers have reason. Many mystics claim that Mordikaar the Void Seer is responsible for the growing presence of these hateful dead, and he has taught mortitheurges and extollers how to transform them into weapons.  Aptimus Marketh is not like most extollers - he cares more about manipulating the spirits of the dead than exalting them. He holds exaltation in the highest regard, and he believes most skorne are undeserving even of becoming companions to the ancestral guardians. He believes the modern skorne are decadent, unlike the past. By his standards, most skorne who die do not deserve anything but to have their souls used to serve his goals. Those that die near him and are not undeniably heroes have their souls torn to bits to fuel his sorcery. He has a grand collection of relics containing sacral stones of some of the most exalted skorne in history, most notably the sacral stone of Lord Tyrant Nikuvox, the conqueror that won the First War of the Hezaat River, who inhabits the obsidian skull Marketh always carries. In return for acknowledging their glory, these spirits willingly serve him. The spirit that inhabits his weapon, Gravitas, is one of his ancestors and can unravel magic easily. Gravitas was crafted in the time of Lord Tyrant Novaak, and it is said it was this weapon that struck him down as his dying curse released the kovaas upon Halaak.  Hakaar the Destroyer has existed for almost a thousand years, once as Lord Tyrant Hakaar during the War of the Exalted. Politics were of little improtance to him, and he began the war as a Praetorian primus of House Tyreth. He was distinguished for his skill in the skorne battles, devoted to hoksune, and he was unhappy with the treachery of his dominar, who changed allegiances throughout the war to whatever was best for him. On the third time, when the dominar led his army to fight a bold but ill-planned battle in Tor-Halaak, Hakaar was angered. His men lost their chance at glorious death, and they did not interfere when he killed his own dominar, then led a counterattack in the face of certain defeat. In a great display of skill and leadership, he and his men seized control of House Tyreth, expunging his dominar's name from history entirely. Hakaar was known for his sword skills, and he spent his life fighting overwhelming odds in the field that would become known as the Graves of the Exalted. By the time he died, skewered by a dozen Cataphracts, he had cut down scores of enemies, wearbeasts and Dominar Helzar, who had started the war. There was no question that he was exalted. The finest stoneworkers of the skorne built the ancestral guardian for his soul, and he was placed in an alcove of honor in Halaak, where he sat motionless for a thousand years, ignoring all extollers. He first stirred when Makeda seized power from Vinter, heading west and ignoring all who approached. He did not stop until he reached the Abyssal Fortress, where he approached Makeda and knelt before her. His arrival is a great omen, for he does not act save in the most desperate struggles. Those skorne that see him know a terrible battle is coming, but take heart that is there, for if the greatest warrior of a thousand years chooses to join them, only the greatest deaths await.  Tyrant Rhadeim is the head of all of the Praetorian Ferox in the Skorne Empire. He is fast enough that by the time the enemy regroups to deal with him, he is already elsewhere, attacking their flank. He rose to prominence by ambition, courage and ingenuity. He will adapt to any situation without care for his orders or his safety, bringing unpredictability to an otherwise regimented army. Makeda values his unconventional approach, though some say her willingness to send him on risky missions is as much punishment as honor. Still, he doesn't lose often. He was raised as the heir to House Bashek, an ancient lineage long associated with the ferox. According to legend, they were the first skorne on the Plains of Sortaan to tame the ferox into half-wild steeds. They rely little on paingivers to tame their ferox, considering it vital that they retain their natural ferocity, so long as they obey. House Bashek eventually came under the rule of Archdominar Vaactesh of House Balaash, Makeda's grandfather. Balaash has since become one of the more influential vassals owing directly to Makeda. Rhadeim took to the forex young, walking fearlessly among them even as a child. The cat handlers said he had the gaze of a basilisk, able to stop a ferox with but a look. He began to train as soon as he was old enough to sit in the saddle. In time, he earned the Lance of Bashek, a relic containing a shard of the sacral stone of the founder of the house, and by tradition the extollers must confirm that ancestral spirit approves of its bearer. Reportedly, it can mortally wound any foe when wielded by a skorne with its blessing. Rhadeim serves both as recon and rapid-strike, leading his men on scouting and raiding attacks far afield when not directly serving the army. More than once, he's plundered vital food and equipment for Makeda. He fights with almost a prescience of where the enemy is weak. As soon as he spots weakness, he heads for a kill, and his subordinates claim he's half-ferox, with predatory instinct as good as his mount's. Few can hold his stare long. The End! So, what's next - Legion of Everblight or Trollbloods?
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Jul 26, 2015 03:37
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Trollbloods! Save the freaky mutant elves for last.
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Jul 26, 2015 04:42
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Looks like Delgo hit a rough patch after his movie flopped.
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Jul 26, 2015 04:55
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The earlier purple prose furry poo poo of CB was just laughable, but this racist garbage in the Trickster section has actually got me angry. Literal vermin-people who depend on impoverished minority cultures as breeding stock is like something straight out of RaHoWa. Who the gently caress at WW thought this was a good idea? This is like hiring the guy who wrote FATAL to write a D&D supplement.
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Jul 26, 2015 05:18
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It was literally written for the folks who loved the furry parts of oWolf, never to be referenced by any other nWoD book at all, ever, with an entirely different nWolf book for non-wolf shifters.
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Jul 26, 2015 05:31
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quote:Werewolves: Hard to respect a critter who's big claim to fame is getting down with his mangy trans-gendered self in granny's old flannel pajamas.... Um. Phil? Goatfucker? Whatever? You somehow forgot the gender-bending habits of the western canon's most famous trickster lapine, Bugs loving Bunny? And yeah, magic, odd-coloured deer, particularly golden ones, show up at least as far back as the Greek myth cycles. Blue Rose's seems to come off as a particularly quiet Aslan figure, so I imagine that you could kill it, but it'd come back later on when goodness was restored and shadow withdrawn from the land by the PCs' actions. Similarly, the impression I get of... getting the Hoofprint of Shame is that it only happens when the corrupt monarch has been dethroned. The PCs are Good People who don't really want to kill anyone, including Mad King Assbite, so when they have him in chains and the kingdom needs a new sovereign, the Deer shows up to mark the new one, mark him to limit his potential for public shenanigans, then fucks off again to leave the talking animals and their psychic pals to sort out the next chapter Aldis's existence. Bieeanshee fucked around with this message at 05:48 on Jul 26, 2015 |
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Jul 26, 2015 05:40
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Honestly, it doesn't surprise me so much that Brucato was tapped to write this book. There was a 5 year gap between then and now when he didn't work for White Wolf and went completely off the deep end. What does surprise me is that after he wrote this book they still brought him back to helm Mage 20th anniversary edition.
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Jul 26, 2015 05:47
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PurpleXVI posted:It's not so much that it's bad for there to be a good, liberal faction, but it just always seems kind of jarring to me when the author clearly backs a given group in the setting. It was just as bad in Eclipse Phase when the authors were brutally jerking off the socialists/anarchists. It's hard to define, but even though I agree that these are Good Things, it's possible for a setting to come off as preachy about them. Or just as generally the author's fantasy. This is bringing me back to my brief time on RPG.net, which was full of Blue Rose jokes, and I don't get it. All RPG is somebody's wish-fulfillment. Why is a bunch of math nerds pretending to be mighty wizards and murderhobos any 'better' than romantic fantasy, or drama kids liking Vampire, or oMage's solipsistic philosophy, or even Satyros Brucato's hippie pagan mishmash? I probably know more people IRL who'd be into the latter, actually, as gross and terribly written as it is. But they're not the typical RPG crowd. We've probably had more debate over the magic deer - which is just an extension of the Tolkienesque Light and Dark magic morality that replaced sword and sorcery - than over characters cutting themselves for power in Unknown Armies. Maybe because UA doesn't align with any easy stereotypes.
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Jul 26, 2015 06:35
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Bieeardo posted:Um. Phil? Goatfucker? Whatever? You somehow forgot the gender-bending habits of the western canon's most famous trickster lapine, Bugs loving Bunny? That, or you could go the Mononoke angle and have its death unleash a monstrous creature of dissolution and decay that annihilates everything in its path. Probably won't be fun for the party, though.
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Jul 26, 2015 06:48
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Kai Tave posted:Well, let's look at this. Yeah, obviously, as far as RPG's go, Blue Rose is pretty well miles ahead of Hic Svnt Dracones or Eclipse Phase in terms of writing, and there's no FATAL-esque bestiality twist to it, either. I suppose it would just feel a bit better if Aldis wasn't the only enlightened nation, as said. Usually in that case it tends to make the other nations/factions look like bad caricatures of those who disagree with the author. And personally I prefer to just entirely skip issues of romance and sexuality in game writing and leave the players and individual groups to figure that stuff out to the extent that they need to, within the limits that they're comfortable with. Count Chocula posted:This is bringing me back to my brief time on RPG.net, which was full of Blue Rose jokes, and I don't get it. All RPG is somebody's wish-fulfillment. The degree to which an RPG is "wish-fulfillment" certainly varies. Like, it's possible for someone to write a setting they like, with elements they like, without picking out real-life ideologies and enemies to mock or elevate. It's possible to have a setting where, while obviously some are more morally upstanding than others, the differences aren't cartoonishly huge and there's a sense of an objective, rather than masturbating, narrator. quote:Why is a bunch of math nerds pretending to be mighty wizards and murderhobos any 'better' than romantic fantasy, or drama kids liking Vampire, or oMage's solipsistic philosophy, or even Satyros Brucato's hippie pagan mishmash? I really have no idea where you're getting this from at all.
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Jul 26, 2015 06:57
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You can't have purely 'objective' art. RPGs might present themselves as guidebooks to imaginary places, but they're written by human beings with explicit and implicit biases. For example, one blogger talked about how D&D's setting assumption that a Lawful Good church would still charge for healing reads as odd to a Canadian. Blue Rose just makes its biases explicit. And as far as it goes, teaching teenagers and young adults who might play an RPG that 'tolerance is good' is probably better in the long run than 'by killing a bunch of things, you can be more powerful than whole kingdoms'. It's just odd that Blue Rose gets singled out. I don't want to play it, and it's setting doesn't appeal to me, but there's more objectionable things on every page of Unknown Armies, and I'm sure it would be easy to find setting elements to complain about it thread favorites like Feng Shui and Apocalypse World.
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Jul 26, 2015 07:59
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chiasaur11 posted:It's also profoundly undemocratic. It's saying that, at any time, there is a Best Person, and they deserve to rule over their fellow humans. Contrast to Chesterton's Napoleon of Notting Hill, where the king is chosen completely at random, because the basic premise is the democratic idea the common man (or woman) is about as worthy to govern as anyone else. Though this was posted earlier I wanted to come back to this once I was no longer phoneposting to address it specifically because it highlights something that often gets overlooked in the discussion of Blue Rose's deer-appointed royalty which is that yes, the Golden Hart appears to choose "the best" person for the job, though what criteria it chooses by is a completely unknown factor so saying the Hart's choices are unarguably The Best, Period is making several unsupported assumptions (and certainly not every character we've seen thus far thinks that Jaellin is the best choice for the job), but the thing about the Golden Hart is that while it may select the sovereign it does nothing to force the people of Aldis to abide by this decision. The magic deer doesn't cast a spell on people to make them obey the chosen sovereign, it doesn't make them a deal they can't refuse by causing the land to fall into misfortune if the sovereign isn't obeyed, it doesn't even stick around to prevent threats to the sovereign's life after the coronation. It is entirely in the hands of the people of Aldis to look at the sovereign the Golden Hart has appointed and go "no, we reject this choice" and appoint someone themselves while someone with a golden crescent on their forehead fumes impotently. They don't do this though. They don't do this because give or take a few unfortunate incidents the Golden Hart's choices seem to have worked out for the best. The Golden Hart's choice for sovereign is entirely a matter of trust...the Aldin people trust that the Hart chooses someone who will lead them with justice and fairness, prosperity and wisdom, and so far that trust has been rewarded. The people could appoint their own sovereign any time they wanted to if they felt that they could do a better job of it, and they even still have the Blue Rose Scepter to check if someone is aligned with the Light or not (once), but I think characterizing Aldis' government as "profoundly undemocratic" overlooks that it's ultimately the will of Aldis' people that the Golden Hart choose their sovereign. Anyway, it's about that time again.  Brought To You By the Aldis Board of Tourism Last time we covered the government and its various ins and outs. Now let's take a look at stuff that concerns the citizens of Aldis as a whole. Calendars! Aldis has a 12 month calendar of 360 days. Eleven months are named after the Primordials and gods of Light while the 12th month is "Gravihain" or "the end of grief" named after Gravicarius. In Aldis Gravihain represents the defeat of the Exarchs while disciples of Shadow view it as a sacred time to perform dark rites. I've never really gotten excited about a fantasy setting's calendar before, but if you do then there you go. Education! I covered this last time...everyone in Aldis, even non-citizen residents, are entitled to six years of primary schooling covering literacy, math, history, and geography. People who are wealthy and/or ambitious can hire private tutors, there are museums and colleges where people can go to read books for free, all that good stuff. Marriage! And romance! Aldis accepts marriage between any two legal adults, regardless of of the sexes involved. Aldins also love them some marriages, and as mentioned earlier they are persistent matchmakers, always trying to hook their friends up and engineering wacky hijinks to try and get them to hit it off. I made that last part up because it's an amusing mental image, but the matchmaker part is straight out of the book. There's no cultural prejudice against people who are straight or gay and anyone showing such prejudices is considered ignorant or, if they're real jerks about it, bigoted. The Jarzoni exiles living along Aldis' eastern territories are generally the only folks in Aldis who have problems with who's boinking who. (Something I noticed is that the writers have a fancy fantasy term for people attracted to the same sex (cara daunen) and the opposite sex (cepia luath) but nothing for, say, bisexuals, which stuck out at me if only because Aulora, the goddess of law and justice, is a lover of both the Primordial god Anwaren and the goddess of Light Goia, so you'd think there'd be some fancy-sounding term for folks like that but nope.) Along the central valleys and southern islands it isn't unheard of for people to enter into a polygamous star marriage, named for the multiplicity of stars in the sky. There are much rarer throughout the rest of Aldis, and the Jarzoni exiles in the east of course think it's super weird and maybe immoral. AKA What Happens To People Who Act Like Player-Characters Aldis, despite the many efforts of its sovereigns and nobles and magic deer, is not a shining utopia free from strife. Crime still happens. Sometimes it happens for understandable reasons, sometimes it happens because people are still people and consequently possess the inherent capacity to be huge dicks to one another, but since Aldis' mind-control satellite system is still in the early planning stages they must, like any other nation, decide how to handle the matter of crime and punishment. Aldis' criminal justice system, being the product of pinko commie bleeding heart liberals, is primarily concerned with restoring the social harmony a crime causes instead of punishing the guilty. The first step in any judicial investigation is everyone reporting the details and findings to a judge, either the local noble or a magistrate appointed by the nobility. A noble personally presides over cases involving serious crimes like murder, treason, or sorcery, while either nobles or magistrates can handle anything else. Anyone who dispute's a magistrate's ruling can petition to have the local noble retry the case personally. Once the judge hears the details they decide if a trial is necessary and, if so, makes sure everyone involved has an advocate. During the trial an adept Truth-Reads people who testify, determining whether they're lying about who stole who's pig. Because a skilled adept can easily concern lies the truth usually comes out pretty easily and things proceed swiftly and fairly. The judge then begins the process of determining how the victims should be compensated and the criminals rehabilitated. Almost all criminals undergo psychic counseling from adepts skilled in the healing arts. Psychic counseling, not psychic surgery. A psychic adept can access someone's innermost thoughts to assist them in identifying behavioral and mental problems, but Aldin morals as well as the healer's code of ethics affirms the mental sanctity of every being. Long-term psychic influence of any kind, even with the best of intentions, without the patient's express permission is considered the foulest of sorceries. All a psychic counselor can do is help you to help yourself, but the success rate of such counseling is quite high. Mention is made here of the adept-priests of Jarzon forcibly "reforming" criminals, heretics, and dissidents with the psychic arts, however, and this is another point of tension between Jarzon and Aldis. Murderers and other violent criminals are confined while they undergo counseling, implying that less serious offenders are granted more personal liberty so long as they're making restitution and a shot at reforming. These violent criminals are released once they've successfully subdued their violent urges. If, in the words of the book, they prove incorrigible then they're fitted with something called a peace torc, collars imbued with the Calm arcanum, which prevents them from further violent acts. Here's where I'm going to skip ahead and dip into mechanics for a moment so we can see just what this Calm arcanum entails verbatim: quote:You can drain intense emotion, calming those around you. The target creature must make a Will saving throw or be drained of all extremes of emotion. The creature is calm and incapable of taking violent action (although it can defend itself) or doing anything else destructive. Any aggressive action or damage against the subject breaks the effect. A successful Will save means the creature acts normally. This arcanum suppresses (but does not dispel) arcana relying on emotion, such as Heart Shaping. While the Calm effect lasts, the suppressed arcanum has no effect. A nation fitting people with "pacification collars" or something similar is a time-honored way for fantasy and sci-fi authors to helpfully point out for the benefit of the reader HEY THESE PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY EVIL while also playing on peoples' fears of, say, anti-depressants turning them into drooling zombies that can barely remember their own name, so it's certainly no surprise that some people reading Blue Rose get to this section and immediately go "I knew they were secretly evil!" Of course peace torcs only appear to be used the most serious and untreatable and/or unrepentant violent criminals and what it does is, basically, prevent them from taking violent action and shave the extremes off their emotions. No stumbling and drooling, no will-less subservience, the recipient is even allowed to defend themselves should they be attacked, so even comparisons to the Ludovico technique fall flat (no aversion to Beethoven either). This sort of thing can be a touchy subject, but I feel like it's handled about as well as it could be given that Aldins consider it hugely unethical and Shadow-leaning to simply reach into someone's head and rearrange their thoughts, even if they refuse to stop, say, murdering people. Many criminals are required to pay fines or make other reparations in proportion to their crime. Someone who stole food to feed a hungry family is given a lecture on proper behavior and then receives assistance in finding work so they won't need to steal to eat anymore. Someone who stole an expensive jeweled bracelet because they wanted a bunch of money without having to work for it, on the other hand, might have to not only return the bracelet but pay a fine equal to half its value. Half the money of such fines goes to the person who was robbed while half goes to the crown. Criminals who can't pay their fines, are repeat offenders, or who've committed serious crimes may be assigned a period of indentured servitude lasting anywhere from six months to three years depending on the severity of their crimes. During this period of servitude one third of the criminal's wages get split between the crown and the victim, and after their period of indenture is over they're free to go live and work wherever and however provided they stick to the straight and narrow. And lastly, criminals who consistently refuse to reform, who continue to do break the law time and again despite the best efforts of Aldis' justice system, are exiled. A cloven hoof is tattooed on their foreheads similar to the mark the Golden Hart kicks onto a sovereign who loses the mandate of deer-heaven and soldiers escort them to the nearest border. Serial violent offenders get peace torcs in an effort to keep a bunch of violent criminals from showing up on someone else's doorstep to start murdering and wreaking havoc. Jarzon executes such exiles on sight (unless the reason they were exiled is betraying Aldis to Jarzon) and so exiles are advised to steer clear of Jarzon if possible, but Jarzon sounds like it sucks anyway. Bippity Boppity Blue As mentioned earlier, part of what makes romantic fantasy is that magic is a commonplace part of everyday life, and Aldis is no exception to that. The arcane arts pervade Aldin society and are a cornerstone of its exceptional success. Healers cure diseases and extend lives, psychics relay messages, and magical items and artifacts, some left over from the days of the Old Kingdom, help the nation to prosper. The most common of these magical items are those arcane crystals we've heard so much about. The secret of crafting entirely new types of crystal geegaw has been lost but skilled crafters can duplicate existing ones so that's cool. Shas crystal globes provide light and heat to the streets and homes of all but the most destitute, ranging in size from walnut sized traveler's lights to the yard-diameter crystal globe that light's the palace's main hall. Other types of shas crystals pump and purify water, which gives Aldis an unmatched level of sanitation. Oh, and we finally find out what "crystons" are...they're weapons made from shas crystals. Okay, cool. When most people consider magic in Aldis they tend to break it down into two broad categories, the healing arts and the psychic arts. Adept healers are universally beloved and respected, and even in Kern the Lich King's servants don't harm them for fear of provoking a popular uprising...only if the healers defy the king directly do his servants apprehend them. Everywhere else though the attitudes towards psychic practitioners are more divided and complex. Most Aldins view psychic arcana as perfectly natural and respectable, but some isolated Aldins (remember the kingdom is spread out enough to require traveling nobles) view it with more suspicion and even fear, and many psychic couriers learn not to advertise their skills when traveling abroad...while outright assault is rare, suspicious townsfolk can be anything but friendly to someone they suspect might be reading their minds RIGHT NOW. Of course Jarzon continues to be a wet blanket about such things, and they even spread rumors about Aldin psychics turning people into their puppets and playing with their minds like toys. Because Aldis is generally a well-meaning place that respects the rights and privacy of individuals that also happens to be a place where one person in ten can psychically sense someone's feelings and a significant chunk of the population can actually read minds, psychic ethics are taught from an early age. The ability to sense others' feelings is treated as nothing more than possessing an especially keen sense of hearing or eyesight. The only significant consequence to this is that Aldins tend to be more honest and forthcoming about their feelings than people elsewhere. The ability to delve into or alter someone's mind is a more serious matter, however. The only times it's considered acceptable to use such arcana is if the psychic has the subject's permission, the psychic is using the ability to save lives or prevent a serious crime, or an official decides the use of the arcanum is necessary for the common good. Otherwise it's a gross invasion of privacy, and anyone misusing them to gain advantages over others can expect heavy fines if not exile for repeat offenders. Fortunately using psychic arcana requires a measure of concentration and anyone with any arcane talent can instantly sense if someone nearby is using psychic arcana. For non-criminal abusers of psychic powers social pressure comes into play with most people avoiding the inconsiderate individual and telling others about what a goonlord they are. Of course, this means that people who happen to be naturally persuasive, especially those who actually do happen to be psychically talented, often get accused of using their psychic abilities to sway peoples' minds, more often in isolated villages and small towns. In cases like this the most common result is people with the Second Sight following them around for a while to make sure they aren't up to anything hinky, and if they prove themselves trustworthy those concerns soon abate. But of course where there are politics there's intrigue, and where there are psychic politics then you get psychic intrigue. Everyday citizens are content to let the rules of courtesy and the assistance of trustworthy adepts protect them from illicit psychic influence, but politicians and wealthy merchants often feel the need for additional protection (perhaps not unwisely). Some learn to psychically shield themselves or carry enchanted items which can do that for them or glow in the presence of someone using arcana, and some even hire other adepts to safeguard them. Oh but remember that adepts can use Object Reading to learn secrets about a person so you'd better guard your personal possessions as well. The fantastically paranoid make a habit of burning their loose hairs and nail clippings. And of course attempting to use psychic arcana on diplomats or foreign traders is a serious crime and likely to result in further disastrous consequences such as diplomatic incidents and trade bans. Even though the Merchant Guild would love to have a leg up on their trading partners, these sorts of shenanigans are a good way to see yourself excused from your position. All assuming you get caught, of course. Also familiars exist, woo. Find an animal you share certain characteristics with, bond to it. They live twice as long as a normal animal of their type and are about as intelligent as small children. Killing a familiar is considered a serious crime in Aldis but of course the Purist priests in Jarzon consider them suspect. Some breeders raise various types of familiar but by law they can only sell them to other licensed dealers or those with the potential to bond with one. Matters of Faith So, religion. We've already met all the setting's major players, deity-wise. The people of Aldis are deeply spiritual and honor both the Primordials and the gods of Light. They aren't a theocracy though so foreign faiths are welcomed provided they aren't of Shadow for reasons that are as much practical as anything else. As the tales go direct knowledge about the gods is spotty because Selene hoards it all and Gaelenir has only been able to reveal a tiny bit so far, so there are no direct answers to questions of faith and no religious tradition is considered objectively correct. This may also help explain how two nations like Aldis and Jarzon can worship some of the same gods and come away with two very different interpretations of how to properly venerate them. There's even mention made that some sages postulate that the gods don't actually exist, but most people do believe in them. The only near-universal religious affirmation in Aldea is a staunch belief in reincarnation. Pretty much everybody believes that souls reincarnate in some form or fashion. In Aldis the prevailing hope is that souls will reincarnate until they find their way back to the Eternal Dance. Jarzon is the only nation where reincarnation isn't affirmed, instead they believe that perfected souls eventually transcend material existence to join the gods of Light directly. So, I mean, again this is another instance of Jarzon doing something differently than Aldis does seemingly just to be contrary, but in this particular case it seems like more of a "six of one, half a dozen of the other" thing. Oh, and there's no hell. Yes, the Shadow exists but the Primordials and gods of Light prevent souls from being cast there so the Exarchs can get hosed. In Aldea the closest thing to eternal damnation is being trapped as one of the unliving, an animated corpse or spirit wandering the world and unable to move on, which is why the undead are viewed as abominations. The book details four major Aldin holy days but it's pretty standard fare, nothing super exciting or interesting. They have a big spring festival and a somewhat more solemn midwinter festival where everyone hopes for a bountiful spring etc. etc. The Feast of Anwaren occurs during the autumn equinox and features lots of honoring the dead and recounting the tale of how Anwaren will perish at the end of autumn but be reborn in the spring. And lastly we get a couple paragraphs on Jarzoni Purist sects of which there are a number residing within Aldis' borders on account of Jarzoni heretics and exiles seeking refuge somewhere they aren't likely to be cast into purifying flames. The Hierophant of Jarzon takes the fact that Aldis protects these refugees as a personal insult. The Jarzoni residing within Aldis are more moderate than the theocratic hardliners back home but there's still plenty of tension, as many Jarzoni refugees have trouble adapting to Aldin culture with its psychic talking animals and commonplace arcana and its magic deer while Aldin nobles are worried that Jarzoni refugees are going to flip out and start purging heretics...or worse, might be Jarzoni agents secretly working for the Hierophant. Some members of the Sovereign's Guard and the Rose Knight order are also unfortunately not as tolerant as they could be and see no difference between these refugees and the Jarzoni who regularly raid towns near the Veran Marsh. At this point I've given up predicting how many more updates it'll take until we're at character creation. We're closer than we were though! That has to count for something. Next Time: Wanted: three to six able-bodied protagonists for magical adventures, must be able to lift 50 pounds and work well with others.
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Jul 26, 2015 08:22
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