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Thesaurasaurus
Feb 15, 2010

"Send in Boxbot!"

wiegieman posted:

A disappointingly large percentage of Rifts players were likely cheerfully donning their skull armor and goose-stepping off to genocide the wizards.

Oh look, the perfect excuse to post this wondrous and horrifying thing I saw.





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Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Warhammer Fantasy: Paths of the Damned Part 2: Spires of Altdorf

When one has tired of Altdorf, they have tired of life.

Altdorf is the biggest and most important city in all of the Old World (which is one of the reasons the official population of 105,000 residents in Sigmar's Heirs is hilariously wrong). It is a major international trade hub, connected to the port of Marienburg by the fast-flowing and busy Reik river and situated near some of the least forested and most fertile and safe land in the Empire. One of the issues with this book and its overview of Altdorf is how indistinct it is; remember how Middenheim's write-up was full of excellent local color? How it was a tourist's guide to the city and its businesses, officials, politics, and famous places? Yeah, we don't get that here. I think Chart just doesn't really like doing detailed places (there were none done in Bretonnia, after all, unlike Kislev's cities); we instead get a bunch of stuff on what kind of special effects and stunts would be appropriate in a bar fight in a lower class bar, or what sorts of things could spice up sneaking around a rich mansion. I really miss the proper tour of the city; it's one of my biggest problems with the book.

The idea in the book is that Altdorf is just too big, but also that the presence of the 8 Colleges makes mapping the city unreliable. You gave me a map of Praag, the cursed city razed to the ground after Chaos turned the buildings into flesh and that even now has huge no-go zones of lingering magical corruption. Warhams don't tell me poo poo having lots of magic in it doesn't let you give me a map and a tour; I can sense a cop-out to cover for personal taste. Some of the adventure hooks in sidebars are still good, and the city writing is still focused on how to have adventures in the city, but I find it misses a lot of the sense of place and the 'lived in' quality that Middenheim had by focusing on the generic. We will get descriptions of some of the most important and singular places (like some of the Colleges, the Imperial Palace, Watch Headquarters, the main Court, etc) but for the most part it's just 'Here's a Bar, here's what can happen in Bars, here's some ideas for a Bar' rather than Ashes' 'Here's the Harvest Goose, a specific restaurant owned by an NPC who potentially has a quest for PCs related to his business and its history in the city'. So my writeup of the city is going to be a lot shorter; I'm not going to spend much (or maybe any) time on the generic Here's a Bar stuff.

Altdorf's history starts early, as one of the settlements of the Unberogen Tribe. It's located in a fertile area on a river with good fishing that is easy to transport boats on and the valley it's in is unforested, meaning fewer Beastmen. As you've seen from other books, geography dictates the locations of the great cities of Warhams; they're generally on rivers, or coasts, or in a very important strategic location. While Sigmar was born in what would become Ubersreik, Siggy made his capital in Reikdorf because it had high walls, plenty of food, and access to water. By the time he left for the east, Reikdorf was the largest town in the burgeoning Empire. Reikdorf's farmland began to falter by 300 IC, depleted by hard use and repeated poisoning by goblin raids, but the walls and the river remained. It became a trading hub rather than an agricultural one, importing food and people who found the high walls and developed town attractive. By 557, the Imperial Court moved to Nuln out of disgust for the quickly-and-shoddily built expansions to the city after renaming it Altdorf, the Old Town.

From 600 onward (lotta round numbers in this history) the Cult of Sigmar became a bigger and bigger deal among Altdorfers, trying to replace the Imperial Court and make the city their own. Altdorf being a major trading hub along one of the most important rivers in an Empire built on rivers, this worked out great for the cult, and provided them huge amounts of money that allowed them to bribe Emperor Ludwig the Fat in 990 and get an Electoral Vote. By 1100, when the Empire was about to fall off a cliff labeled 'Skaven', Altdorf had already become one of the great international cities of the setting and completed the grand Cathedral of Sigmar. Altdorf has always been one of the most diverse and eclectic cities in the world, full of foreign diplomats, businesses, adventurers, entrepreneurs, thieves, and sewage. Trust me, we'll get to the sewage. You can't have this many people living in close quarters and not have issues, even with a Dwarf built sewer system.

Boris Goldgather, our old buddy the most corrupt and long-serving Emperor in history, caused a great deal of scandal in the city of Altdorf. His taxes were very, very high and the money very obviously went directly to Boris 'It's In The Goddamn Name' Goldgather and his cronies. The Cult of Sigmar also suffered major embarrassments, with repeated public corruption scandals and fire-breathing priests being revealed with their various harems and other depredations as hypocrites and heretics. Martial Law had to be imposed as the people of Altdorf were beginning to riot against Imperial control, and a genuine civil war might have struck if the Skaven hadn't attacked with the Black Plague. Even worse than the plague, the Imperial Household moved back out of Altdorf in 1124, because Manfred Ratslayer (later books change his name to Ratslayer so it becomes less ridiculous that the Empire had an Emperor named Skavenslayer while pretending Skaven aren't real) was a Middenheimer and wanted to move the capital to Middenheim. The nobility fled with the court, wanting to remain close and influence things; I imagine it was a lot easier for them to stay in Altdorf when the Empire was run out of Nuln because Nuln is a short river trip away, but Middenheim is landlocked and far to the north.

The Sigmarites tried to take control of the city's politics again as economic hardship fell on Altdorf, and they did it in a cynical and stupid way. 'Bread for Believers' was the mantra, with public aid only given out to those who wore public signs of loyalty to the Cult and who took oaths of relatively exclusive loyalty to Sigmar. The citizenry cheerfully and enormously defrauded the system so badly that it ruined the Cult of Sigmar's central branch financially for nearly 300 years, robbing the cult and its gullible attempt to rule the city as something approaching monodominants and using the money and lack of nobles to begin funding the guild system that would define Altdorf politics for over a millennium. You see, the plague had also left a lot of empty real estate in the city, and thus many peasants saw this as the chance to get some free real estate, the best kind of real estate, which triggered a massive influx of migrants to the city. The sudden onrush of peasants leaving their farms ruined the Elector Count of Reikland, and he was forced to approach the city and negotiate with them for the creation of the title of Prince of Altdorf, which would hold the Electoral vote for Reikland. Since then, most Counts of Reikland also hold the title of Grand Prince of Altdorf.

It is in the 1500s that a more recognizable 'modern' Altdorf starts to emerge, where the Burgomeisters bribed the nobility to return to the city so that the city could benefit from being a major center of government and diplomacy as well as religion and trade. With the Time of Three Emperors beginning, Altdorf remained important as the bastion of the Sigmarite Emperors. Also not like the Reik went anywhere. Reikland's princes and counts always seemed to be poor, while the merchants who bribed them to come back always seemed to be rich, because the normal nobility still relied primarily on feudal agriculture while all the best money in the Reikland was coming through Altdorf. This enabled the city to always bribe the supposed 'masters' of local politics. It's in the 1700s and the first Siege of Altdorf by Gorbad Ironclaw and his orcs that the famous Altdorf attitude makes its first appearance. Altdorfers are famous for responding to hardship with snobbery, treating existential threats as beneath them and worthy of nothing but contempt to deal with the terror of being besieged by orcs or attacked by draculas or dark wizards. At the same time as they're writing plays making fun of the people besieging them this century, the local temples will always see a huge rise in offerings as people quietly pray to the Gods for deliverance despite the outward attitude of contempt, and planning sessions go on late into the night as they plot how to actually destroy their enemies. The affectation of disdain is always followed by plenty of actual action to try to deal with the threat, but one wouldn't know it to simply talk to Altdorfers.

The next 400 years were rough on Altdorf, between the repeated sieges, the centuries of civil strife, and the dracula invasion. Once the Wars of the Vampire Counts were done, though, and the civil wars had fallen back to a minor boil, Altdorf began to recover in earnest. Every time the city falls on hard times, after a little while the city is reminded 'wait we live in an incredibly important geographical location and huge amounts of money and trade have to pass through here to get to the sea' and then recovers. The War Against Chaos mostly benefited the Reikland in 2302-2303, because nothing really hit Altdorf (unlike Nuln and its demon street-fighting war that raised up Magnus the Pious) and it was able to sell food, weapons, and industry to the rest of the combatants. In 2304, though, the entire city changed, because a couple elves waltzed in with Imperial permission and Teclis cast 'Summon Fanciful Wizard Colleges'. The rioting and terror was exceptional, even for a city as raucous as Altdorf.

One of the other worries for the city was how quickly the wizards moved in and began participating in politics. The wizards moved like they'd been planning something all along, and the Grand Prince quickly created the idea of the Magister to keep the wizards from becoming impossibly rich and powerful and possibly threatening the nobility. There is an entire set of complex Wizard Law designed to keep wizards from running away with too much money, while allowing them to participate fully in Imperial politics, which is covered more in Realms of Sorcery. All this paled next to the collapse of Altdorf's water system in 2324, which nearly ruined the city. Sewage backflowed into the streets and wells, ruining the city's drinking water and necessitating an emergency meeting of all the guilds to handle the Summer of Cess. While emergency drinking water was handled quickly and efficiently so that the entire city didn't die of thirst and filth, the captains of industry then got together to form a Clean Water Company to prevent further incidents. With all the efficiency one would expect of private industry as opposed to cumbersome government, they then spent 100 years defrauding the poo poo out of this supposedly neutral 'company' and pushing paper around, taking over a century to actually build any real bulwark against another Summer of Cess and letting a great deal of plague, water-borne illness, and public health crisis happen in the meantime while the guilds competed to see who would get rich and who would be stuck with the bill.

Still, a century later, when things were finally complete, Altdorf entered its modern form in 2429. After the deposing of Emperor Dieter for allowing Marienburg independence (done partly to prevent tariffs and things being levied on newly independent Marienburg, to protect Altdorf's status as a tax haven), Altdorf was once again the center of the Empire. Every Emperor since 2429 has been a Reiklander, up to our current Imperial Majesty, His Grace, Prince of Reikland, Grand Prince of Altdorf, Heir of Sigmar and Emperor of His Empire Karl Franz. Ever since the throne moved back to Reikland, the Reikland Emperors have made great progress in making huge piles of money by auctioning off privileges and titles to the grandees of Altdorf. Unlike Boris, they then use the money to engage in wide-spread statecraft and international diplomacy, putting it back into the Empire rather than into the Emperor's personal pockets. 2430 also saw Emperor Wilhelm try to gain control of Altdorf's broadsheets by recognizing and creating an official newspaper, but this went nowhere; they still print whatever the hell they want and Emperor be damned. 2431 also saw many of the city's buildings in need of repair and a huge check on the power of the Bright Order after they caused the Great Fire of Altdorf and blew up their first college building. This is the beginning of Altdorf looking almost as chaotic as Erengard, and if you remember Erengard, City Where Insane Urban Planning Meant a Bank Hip Checked A Castle, that's saying something.

By 2522, Altdorf is rich, multicultural, and full of wizards. The aftermath of the Storm has left the city feeling like there was supposed to be some grand climax that never happened, and with the Emperor and many others away to pursue Archy and the northeast Empire still a little bit on fire (not as on fire as before, but still) and the Cult of Sigmar in flux after the death/not death of Volkmar and the entire mess with Huss and Valten, no-one is quite sure what happens now. Cults plot, burgomeisters scheme, and guilds have fistfights in the streets while the Cult of Sigmar stays uncharacteristically quiet. Tides of refugees from less fortunate regions bring stories of horror that still have some people of Altdorf convinced the end might be nigh, even though the worst danger has passed. The city isn't quite sure how to handle an apocalypse that ended in anticlimax.

Into that confused but extremely rich and vibrant city wanders the Brute Squad. Or rather, they will, later.

Next Time: The Character of Altdorf

jakodee
Mar 4, 2019

gently caress, don’t remind me of that, I see really obvious examples of it everywhere, and I live near San Francisco.

NGDBSS
Dec 30, 2009






Hypnobeard posted:

puts on pedant hat

Well, actually... the British were reluctant to get involved in World War I. There was pretty serious waffling in the cabinet of the time about whether or not to commit troops to the continent. The British Army was tiny compared to the French Army, and there were doubts about whether it was worth it. In the end, they went to war because if they didn't, they'd end up without friends--if Germany wins, well, England's potential allies are now conquered, and if France/Russia win, England didn't help them, so they're still out in the cold.

The French Army was actually considered equal to the German army, and barring serious deviations from what happened in our TL were unlikely to be easily defeated. "Conquered handily" is just applying World War 2 France to World War 1 era. :bahgawd:
That's some interesting historical analysis. Unfortunately that's far more than what ES gave, which remember was "royal relations" + "British exceptionalism". It's not that you can't give reasons for alternate history but rather that the reasons given are just paper-thin excuses for producing a prechosen outcome.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

What Fire Has Wrought: Dragons of the Gods

The Temple of the Reverent Whisper lies in the city of Great Forks. Great Forks is a city of many gods, constantly celebrating them by day and seeking pleasure at the blue-lantern shops by night. The Temple of the Reverent Whisper hangs blue lanterns and streamers at all times, however, and exists not for mortal hungers but divine ones. It is dedicated to all gods and to none, for here, any god can come for any worship they desire…for a price. It doesn’t matter what kind of prayer they need, what kind of ritual they crave. The Temple can provide it. Small or large, dangerous or safe, they study all prayers and know how to perform them. While some gods enjoy tantric sex rituals, most care far more for prayer and worship than any physical pleasures, dreaming of the rush of ego and power that comes from obeisance. The more strenuous and austere the worship, the greater the rush.

Of course, mortals can rarely endure the most exotic, demanding worship rituals. For this reason, the Temple accepts only Dragon-Blooded or rare Exigent priests, for only Exalts are resilient enough to service their clientele. Outcastes in service to the Temple are greatly in demand in Great Forks, recognized in the city as only slightly below the gods they serve in social status. The Temple is nearly always busy, with gods coming to the city from far and wide for its services. Once a year or so, a god may even descend from Heaven for the sole purpose of attending the Temple. This exclusive clientele means the priests are very good at networking, learning all manner of divine gossip. Information is valuable, but the priests know the equal value of discretion. They never speak of what they learn to outsiders. Instead, they “advise” what may be auspicious or not, with an entire wing of the Temple dedicated to this consultation. This wing is the only one in which mortals may enter.

Obviously, the thriving business of the Temple of the Reverent Whisper makes some jealous. Even in Great Forks, where the gods walk the streets daily, these intimate ties with the divine are valuable. Historically, the Temple does not allow competition, and so far it has always succeeded at using its great wealth and the favors owed it by many gods and mortals to stamp out anyone else on the market for rare and exotic worship. The current Headmistress, the outcaste Riela Tenan, has crushed at least three attempts in the century she’s been in charge. She is wise and beautiful despite her advanced age, and she is entirely ruthless in protecting her Temple’s monopoly.

The Seven Storms Brotherhood is a band of thieves and bandits that prey on the merchants near Lake Makrata in the Southeast. They are led by the Seven Storms, a group of outcastes who have terrorized the region for a decade now and are growing in ambition. The Guild and local governments cannot appease or stop them, and the bounties on their heads are always going up. The region has been a pirate haven long before they arrived, of course. Caravans and trade ships are tempting targets, and the region’s mountains and caves make for excellent hideouts, plus Lake Makrata is full of narrow channels, valleys and bridges that make great ambush spots. About a decade ago, two outcastes showed up at the lake, calling themselves Sky-Choking Scirocco and Spring Squall. They were exiles, seeing opportunity in the region for freedom, wealth and power. They made a reputation for themselves as daring and audacious robbers of great skill, attracting many ruthless or disenfranchised followers.

As they gained Exalted lieutenants, they named their group the Seven Storms Brotherhood, each claiming a type of bad weather for their name. Since then, they have gorged on the wealth of the merchants, slaughtering rich and poor alike when they choose. Villages offer them tribute and governors send their armies, but the Storms still rage. They drive refugees out of their farms and into the cities, which struggle to accommodate them. The Immaculates beg the Breath of Mela, the Order’s administrative wing for military defense, to send monks able to defeat or convert the outcastes. Merchant princes hire peacekeepers and guards. It is all in vain, even the massive bounty the Guild has placed, and people are now pooling dwindling resources in the hopes that someone – anyone – can stop the bandits.

The Seven Storms Brotherhood infamously descends from the mountains without warning, vanishing without trace just as easily before any force can go after them. Their outcaste leaders enforce military discipline and are masters of predicting their foes’ moves. When chased, they flee into the mountains, where the terrain and their traps serve as ample defense. Once they have occupied a village or boarded a vessel, they brutalize and rob their victims as they see fit. If angry, they may order other crimes, such as kidnappings or mass murders. Hostages are left guarded by mountain hyenas, which some claim are men and women turned into beasts, for they cry and shout like humans do. Others believe the Seven Storms are Anathema who’ve evaded capture by taking animal form and hiding in the hyena packs. They have many hideouts and extensive knowledge of the mountain caves, but their primary base is a Shogunate-era tower overlooking a collapsed pass along the road to Varangia. Once, the tower’s bell would ring with the sound of elementals bound in the mountain depths and bind them together in chorus, but after centuries of disuse, it has warped, and its noise enrages the elementals, often causing deadly rockslides or avalanches.

The Storms prey on the weak and vulnerable, and any that would work with them must be no less ruthless and bloodthirsty if they want to avoid betrayal. Their leadership accepts only Dragon-Blooded with the will to take what they desire, with no mercy or regret. Sky-Choking Scirocco is their leader, an Earth Aspect of dusky skin and quiet demeanor. His tactical skill and merciless reputation have combined to enforce the discipline the Brotherhood needs to operate at its current level, making them the dominant gang of Lake Makrata. He has defeated most of his lieutenants in single combat by his mastery of Steel Devil Style and his powerful jade daiklaves, the Dark of the Earth. He attempts to manage the gang to keep their appetites manageable, which has not been easy since he’s starting recruiting younger and more impetuous Dragon-Blood lieutenants. He demands that all members of the gang forswear their past, following his example. They know he’s an educated man who prefers to trick soldiers and the Guild to actually exploiting his victims, and some believe that when he gets enough power, he will reveal his true plans for the Brotherhood. No one dares speculate in his presence, however.

Spring Squall is a tanned Wood Aspect who smells of hyenas and poppies. He has trained the local hyenas to mimic human voices, using them for ambushes and distractions as well as keeping captive villages under control. While no slouch with his spear, the hyenas are easily his biggest weapon. His appetites have shaped the Brotherhood’s choices of targets, and he is a novelty-seeking hedonist who often travels the region in disguise to scout or just have fun. While he is often genial and friendly, he has no patience for frustration or mockery. He likes the idea of rulership and is pushing Scirocco to consider seizing territory to rule together.

Blinding Bolt is an Air Aspect and unofficial second in command after Scirocco and Squall. Before she joined the band, she’d already become an infamous pirate on the lake. She is a bald, pale woman with many piercings and tattoos, and her mere presence is enough to terrify most locals, who think her some kind of ghost or death omen. She has studied tactics under Scirocco, mastering the skills he teaches and applying her natural charisma to make most of the bandits more loyal to her than to the Brotherhood. Her own loyalty is unquestionable, though she dislikes the idea of claiming or ruling land. She thinks this will only weaken the bandits, and if Scirocco decides otherwise, she might well challenge him for the right to lead.

A sidebar gives brief suggestions on the other Storm leaders for ideas as PCs or NPCs. Depths That Betray is a spoiled, arrogant noble who makes clever traps to torment victims and evade pursuit. Rain of Ashes is a cruel and aggressive warrior who wears heavy armor to conceal their shameful past. Cold Harvest is a thrill-seeking killer whose loyalty was won in a martial arts duel with Scirocco and who aims to surpass him. Heady Monsoon is a rowdy youth who’s trying to emulate the older Storms in order to conceal their doubts about banditry and their role in it.

Next time: Playing a Dragon-Blood

Halloween Jack
Sep 12, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 11 hours!

NGDBSS posted:

That's some interesting historical analysis. Unfortunately that's far more than what ES gave, which remember was "royal relations" + "British exceptionalism". It's not that you can't give reasons for alternate history but rather that the reasons given are just paper-thin excuses for producing a prechosen outcome.
I'm reminded of Victoriana, the game about Victorian England that exhibited a sub-Wikipedia level of knowledge about social class and political movements in Victorian England.

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!

PurpleXVI posted:

Well what you're not considering is that maybe the 600 police officers rushing in is why it takes Prosek 4 minutes to get away, because he has to elbow his way through a tsunami of cops. :v:

Touche.


Coalition Overkill will start on Thursday.

Libertad!
Oct 30, 2013

You can have the last word, but I'll have the last laugh!



When it came to third party publishers for D&D and its variants, Frog God Games was one of my favorites. Although entirely consisting of PDFs, my library of their books measures in the hundreds of dollars range over the past 7+ years I patronized their business. The Northlands Saga, a book I did a review for last year, was one of my best long-running campaigns. I ran the Slumbering Tsar, a Dark Souls-themed ruined demonic city adventure, for several months before IRL priorities led to my group's disbanding. I admire the company's ability to churn out projects of such length and scope, and while quite a bit of their setting was bland Ye Olde Medieval Cliche Land, it produced some unique properties such as the Age of Sail-flavored Razor Coast or the Arabian Nights-flavored City of Brass. For a while I planned on writing up FATAL & Friends for several of them like I did with the Northlands. The Razor Coast was highest on my to-do list, for it had a similar origin story to Ken Spencer's own Nordic setting: a lone writer having their dream project funded and incorporated into a larger established setting by a popular publisher.

But a combination of factors led to my disenchantment with the company. This robbed me of much of my desire to do full-length reviews, especially given their size and scope. There were many things I wanted to talk about in their works, but I can't really do that in light of what transpired. Things I felt went untouched by pretty much other reviewers, but if brought up in isolation would just look like nit-picking. Much like how the Northlands had its own sketchy content (coughskraelingtrollscough), so too do their other sourcebooks.

Well, after some thought I decided to go forward. Oh No! Frog God Games is a snapshot review of various eyebrow-raising rules, adventures, setting, and plot elements in the company's various sourcebooks. Our first post is going to be brief, covering two books.



The Book: The Borderland Provinces is a regional sourcebook detailing a region of the wider Lost Lands setting. The Borderlands are the outlying kingdoms of the former Foedewaith Empire, who after a disastrous war with the temple-city of Orcus were forced to secede territory due to a lack of soldiers. This made said Provinces the classic D&D Frontier of lone villages and cities connected peripherally by long roads and insurmountable wilderness.

Offending Entries: The Village of Elet:



Ironically this was not hard to find, given that it was one of the first towns alphabetically in the very first kingdom of Aachen Province. The spellcasting mayor is obviously a transgender woman. The town's history quite heavily plays into the false narrative of conservatives and TERF who assert that transgender people somehow want to inflict their identities on other people against their will. "I'm going to make all men into women, whether you like it or not!"

What's strange about the whole affair is that the main writer for this book, Matt Finch, is married to a transgender man. This made me wonder about the possibility that the story of Alisce Elevard was meant to be a revenge-fantasy metaphor against a bigoted society subtext, as opposed to the "force society into legally recognizing you as the gender you aren't" text-text that it became. I shown the offending entry to several transgender friends of mine for their thoughts, and while one acknowledged the former possibility their reactions were more or less negative due to the reasons I mentioned above.



The Book: Bard's Gate is a 5th Edition/Pathfinder/OSR update of a 3.5 city-based sourcebook. Bard's Gate is the Lost Lands' Greyhawk/Waterdeep equivalent, a politically powerful and cosmopolitan trade hub so named for its famed bardic academy. It is more low-fantasy than most sourcebooks, being heavily humanocentric and light on monstrous and overly-powerful entities as city power-players.* The update was also notable for including expies of real-world tabletop figures re-imagined as fictional inhabitants: Tenkar's Tavern became a dwarven cop-turned-bartender of a notable watering hole, and the reviewer Endzeitgeist owned a book shop called Thilo's Insight Geist. Unfortunately not all of the people have their real-world names intact, nor is there a list of which NPCs are based off of real people whether in the book itself or the communities I asked around on, so it's novelty is of limited use to those not heavily keyed-in on figures in the Pathfinder/OSR fandom.

*although it does have some fantastical elements such as a haunted former thieves' guild, a wizard's guild, and an expansive sewer system full of forgotten catacombs and humanoid rats.

Most of Bard's Gate's content is devoted to detailing mundane shops and establishments and as such is light on the fantastical and adventure hook plots. Most of the adventures in back are straight dungeon crawls with a few interesting ones: one is a casino heist where you have X number of rounds to case the joint before security beefs up/realizes something's amiss, with more rounds the more distractions and successful pre-heist plans done. Another involves a rat cult which kidnapped the high priest of Bast as part of a dread ritual to summon a progressively infinite number of giant rats to overwhelm the city; a joke on said monsters being common adventurer fodder.

The Offending Entries: WE have a two-for-one special here! The first is the NPC Lisetha Vinewood, whose backstory is discussed in the Vinewood Estate and Six Candles Inn entries:





Look near the end of the second paragraph under E. Rooms. "Juvenile pique," "somehow escaping from her problems," "lazes about."

This is an 18 year old single mother who just got disowned by her primary caregiver and is now more or less entirely reliant on her mother's secret charity. The father's paranoid and violent behavior as a result of fears regarding the unknown father does not paint a pretty picture of an ideal home life, so I can hardly blame this woman for "running away from her problems."

Adventure: A Matter of Faith


One of the 8 adventures included in Bard's Gate is an intrigue/investigation focused tale, where a rash of mysterious disappearances of children and female sex workers in poor neighborhoods is due to an underground slave trade. In Bard's Gate prostitution is legal and regulated via a Harlot's Guild which provides resources and protection in exchange for monthly dues.* The Wheelright's Guild is Bard's Gate's primary organized crime syndicate. They pose as a network of legitimate businessmen who have their hands in a literal underground Black Market. They want in on the sex trade but don't care about burdensome regulations such as screening clients, the age of consent, or anti-slavery laws which can put a cut in profits towards the Loathsome Creep demographic. As a result, the madams of the Harlot's Guild are looking for hired help to find out what happened to their girls. Another potential allied group investigating are an all-female order of Paladins known as the Sisters of the Maiden's Cross, who recently held a political protest advocating the government to do more in locating the missing people.

*sex workers can work without a Guild membership, but have no access to free resources and the protection of the Guild.

The adventure is open-ended with multiple leads and groups the PCs can contact for clues and aid, with some sub-plots such as said paladin order being on the outs with another holy order also investigating, various ways of infiltrating the Black Market, participating in or sabotaging a literal slave auction, and boat-gondola chases to catch some kidnappers caught in the act.

So what makes this adventure skeevy exactly beyond the whole rape and pedophilia elements being something you shouldn't spring on players without care beforehand?

Well, one of the villains involved is a clown mage by the name of Dropsy who uses his performances to entrance children so as to more easily kidnap them. He also has a recognizable and garishly hideous clown-like mask. Dropsy is the same name as the clown protagonist of an eponymous video game, who in spite of his frightening appearance is a good soul at heart. This adventure turned Dropsy into a pedophile-enabling villain! But that's not the only thing wrong with this picture!



Check the second paragraph. In the world of the Lost Lands, Paladins are still the Lawful Good defenders of the oppressed. Put yourself in the shoes of the kidnapped sex workers: you were drugged, enchanted, or knocked out, woke up in some underground prison, were likely tortured and/or sexually assaulted, and then paraded around in chains in front of a crowd bidding on your sale to be taken to far-away lands and likely never see your friends and family again. You're then rescued by some religious warrior types, who more or less imply that your own actions are sinful, putting you at fault for your circumstances. They then offer you a "second chance" to un-dirty yourself by joining an organization whose regular duties involves killing monsters, cultists, and venturing into dangerous dungeons.

This displays an incredible lack of empathy or compassion by the paladins for what these people went through. And yet the characters and overall adventure text does not acknowledge or seem aware of this. Jenette (the Maidens' Cross leader) and her organization is portrayed as being concerned with the kidnapped prostitutes, but this last bit comes off as being more self-centered in wanting to use the opportunity to evangelize for your organization.


This is just part one of Oh No! Frog God Games! Join us next time as we sail the seas of the Razor Coast and search for the legendary Sword of Air!

Libertad! fucked around with this message at 23:30 on May 7, 2019

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
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#1 Builder
2014-2018

Frog God is also notable for being run by a dude who has a reputation for getting drunk at cons and sexually harassing women.

Bieeanshee
Aug 21, 2000

Not keen on keening.


Grimey Drawer
I thought the Adventures of Alisce were funny, as a trans woman myself. Things only get screwy when the merchants got their noses out of joint, and that only got funnier when she pulled her 'gently caress you, I'm the mayor' card.

MollyMetroid
Jan 20, 2004

Trout Clan Daimyo

Bieeanshee posted:

I thought the Adventures of Alisce were funny, as a trans woman myself. Things only get screwy when the merchants got their noses out of joint, and that only got funnier when she pulled her 'gently caress you, I'm the mayor' card.

Yeah, it's a pretty amusing bit, tbh. Also trans woman.

Oberndorf
Oct 20, 2010



I’d give the sex ring-breaking paladins a little credit too. They are, after all, explicitly holy warriors beating people up in the name of and with the power of their gods. I would rather expect them to attempt to proselytize people. Not that this makes them good guys, by any stretch, just that it’s what I’d expect a militant religious order to do.

Libertad!
Oct 30, 2013

You can have the last word, but I'll have the last laugh!

Oberndorf posted:

I’d give the sex ring-breaking paladins a little credit too. They are, after all, explicitly holy warriors beating people up in the name of and with the power of their gods. I would rather expect them to attempt to proselytize people. Not that this makes them good guys, by any stretch, just that it’s what I’d expect a militant religious order to do.

They're not asking them to not just worship their deity, but become holy soldiers. It's equivalent to asking strippers to join a Private Military Contractor in order to "redeem" themselves.

We can probably have a debate on to what extent paladins should be jerks, but then again I picture paladins less as evangelical Christians and more like comic book superheroes. It personally ties back into the typical D&D rules where paladins are "good guys" by default, and pulling out rhetoric which sounds a lot like typical victim-blaming heaped on those who just went through terrible trauma is kind of...not very paragon of Goodness as I imagine it. And the Lost Lands doesn't really have Dragonlance-style Kingpriest "Lawful Good" assholes to my knowledge.

Libertad! fucked around with this message at 23:48 on May 7, 2019

MJ12
Apr 8, 2009

Night10194 posted:

I always thought the whole 'The Empire were the good guys!' stuff really took off after the prequels' terrible writing made the Jedi seem like a bunch of total pricks, but I'm probably wrong because some nerds have always loved fancy uniforms and jackboots with big guns.

There's also the whole insane Star Trek versus Star Wars subculture which led to some incredible hot takes about how the Star Trek Federation were actually evil dystopian communists who were inferior to the Empire and supporting the Empire was totally a-ok because they were better than communists.

It's pretty insane.

Zereth
Jul 9, 2003



Libertad! posted:

Most of Bard's Gate's content is devoted to detailing mundane shops and establishments and as such is light on the fantastical and adventure hook plots. Most of the adventures in back are straight dungeon crawls with a few interesting ones: one is a casino heist where you have X number of rounds to case the joint before security beefs up/realizes something's amiss, with more rounds the more distractions and successful pre-heist plans done.
What? Why do you need distractions and plans to case the joint? Casing the joint is what you do to get the info to make the plans in the first place! :psydwarf:

LatwPIAT
Jun 6, 2011

MJ12 posted:

There's also the whole insane Star Trek versus Star Wars subculture which led to some incredible hot takes about how the Star Trek Federation were actually evil dystopian communists who were inferior to the Empire and supporting the Empire was totally a-ok because they were better than communists.

It's pretty insane.

They don't have cars, MJ. Cars! How can a country without a high incidence of private automobile ownership be anything but communist!?

Libertad!
Oct 30, 2013

You can have the last word, but I'll have the last laugh!

Zereth posted:

What? Why do you need distractions and plans to case the joint? Casing the joint is what you do to get the info to make the plans in the first place! :psydwarf:

Poor choice of words on my part. The plans/distractions are done before or during the break-in proper, and determine the final amount of "max rounds" for the PCs to do their burgling business. Some of them are meant to occur at the same time as the heist proper, like one PC participating in a boxing tournament with an ogre champion to draw a large crowd's attention.

MJ12 posted:

There's also the whole insane Star Trek versus Star Wars subculture which led to some incredible hot takes about how the Star Trek Federation were actually evil dystopian communists who were inferior to the Empire and supporting the Empire was totally a-ok because they were better than communists.

It's pretty insane.

This was Michael Wong of spacebattles.com IIRC. Dude was quite selective in his understanding of both universes, presuming that Trek's matter materializers were never used for military applications and taking reference to a literal 3-D in one obscure Star Wars novel as evidence that it was an easy to get and widespread piece of technology for the Empire.

Also a Trekkie and political analyst dude did a 2 part series on whether or not the Federation is Communist. Part 1 is here, Part 2 here.

TL;DR it's not. It's closer to democratic socialism or a Federal Republic.

However, one thing he did not touch upon is the ideological differences the Federation applies to more primitive societies: the Prime Directive. This video exemplifies the mindset quite well.

Basically, it's to prevent the Federation from becoming an Empire interfering in less-developed civilizations "for their own good," looking to the previous history of colonialism as well as how the modern Romulan and Klingon Empires turned out. This has led to situations where planets may join the Federation and are far from egalitarian, or prevent the Federation from interfering in regressive societies. Many Communist countries and ideologies often espoused some degree of interventionist world revolution which was used as a pretext for invasions of countries with regressive political systems: China and Tibet, Russia and Afghanistan, etc. The Federation tends to more "lead by example" or hope that their society and economy would become appealing enough that planets on the fence would transition gradually instead, like the Ferengi in Deep Space 9 slowly abandoning laissez-faire capitalism.

And yes, I'm aware that Kirk and Picard have violated the Prime Directive several times, and the Directive itself has some exceptions (like preventing a genocide).

Libertad! fucked around with this message at 10:10 on May 8, 2019

Nessus
Dec 22, 2003

After a Speaker vote, you may be entitled to a valuable coupon or voucher!



When people say Star Trek is communist I think it is generally understood that this is meant in the sense that the material conditions which were the putative goal of communism were achieved, by whatever means, rather than that the United Federation of Planets is avowedly committed to the historical science of Marxism-Leninism. Sort of like how people talk about "democracy" a lot yet very rarely are actually referring to city-states deciding most things through the voting of most or all citizens, even though, as we have all been told fifty thousand times each by libertarians, that is what democracy means, as opposed to the CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC :911: that the USA actually is.

It is a darn shame that libertarians get to decide what words mean, but I suppose under the system of praexology, we have no other choice.

The real answer I imagine is that there are a large number of people for whom "Communist" is an ultimate swear word, rendering anything opposed to whatever is "Communist" good by default. Mysteriously there was a political movement defined by fundamental rigid anticommunism in the 20th century...

Cooked Auto
Aug 4, 2007

If you will not serve in combat, you will serve on the firing line!




And suddenly I remember Stardestroyer.net and its SW vs ST comparisons that I, even then, found incredibly dubious and one sided.

LatwPIAT
Jun 6, 2011

Libertad! posted:

This was Michael Wong of spacebattles.com IIRC.

stardestroyer.net, which is where he hosted his essays about how the lack of evidence of private car ownership must mean the Federation is actually a communist dystopia because cars are a sign of freedom and a society that doesn't have cars must therefore be unfree.


Nessus posted:

When people say Star Trek is communist I think it is generally understood that this is meant in the sense that the material conditions which were the putative goal of communism were achieved, by whatever means, rather than that the United Federation of Planets is avowedly committed to the historical science of Marxism-Leninism.

There are those people, and then there's Michael Wong, who looks at all that in the TNG-era Federation and concludes that, since they're communist, they must also be a Marxist-Leninist dystopia.

Nessus
Dec 22, 2003

After a Speaker vote, you may be entitled to a valuable coupon or voucher!



LatwPIAT posted:

stardestroyer.net, which is where he hosted his essays about how the lack of evidence of private car ownership must mean the Federation is actually a communist dystopia because cars are a sign of freedom and a society that doesn't have cars must therefore be unfree.
How does this gentleman think George Washington got to the White House, a Daewoo pickup?

quote:

There are those people, and then there's Michael Wong, who looks at all that in the TNG-era Federation and concludes that, since they're communist, they must also be a Marxist-Leninist dystopia.
Can we rule out that he's a Ferengi agent?

Loxbourne
Apr 6, 2011

Tomorrow, doom!
But now, tea.

Cooked Auto posted:

And suddenly I remember Stardestroyer.net and its SW vs ST comparisons that I, even then, found incredibly dubious and one sided.

It's nice to see independent valuation of that shithole. I always wondered if it was a reaction to the massive disappointment that was the prequel trilogy. Star Wars was suddenly bad (and ignoring decades of better spin-off material), so some of the nastier and more defensive nerds had to circle the wagons and find something to hate.

Angry Salami
Jul 27, 2013

Don't trust the skull.
What the hell kind of loser would own a car in a world with teleportation as an option? "Oh, hey, I could arrive at my destination instantaneously, but I'd feel more free if I sat in a vehicle for several hours instead."

8one6
May 20, 2012

When in doubt, err on the side of Awesome!

Angry Salami posted:

What the hell kind of loser would own a car in a world with teleportation as an option? "Oh, hey, I could arrive at my destination instantaneously, but I'd feel more free if I sat in a vehicle for several hours instead."

Teleportation will always be the superior form of transit.

Unless jetpacks are available.

Cooked Auto
Aug 4, 2007

If you will not serve in combat, you will serve on the firing line!




Loxbourne posted:

It's nice to see independent valuation of that shithole. I always wondered if it was a reaction to the massive disappointment that was the prequel trilogy. Star Wars was suddenly bad (and ignoring decades of better spin-off material), so some of the nastier and more defensive nerds had to circle the wagons and find something to hate.

It has been a very long time since I read it but I remember thinking the wanking over how great and competent the Empire felt a bit too much. An eyebrow raiser for me was when they were matched up against modern day special forces.
Also weird arguments over turbolasers based on a slight oversight in TESB. :v:

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
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#1 Builder
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What Fire Has Wrought: Rock the Dragon

Dragon-Blooded character creation differs from Solars in a few respects. First, each Aspect has only five Aspect Abilities – you don’t get five out of a larger set, just the five of your Aspect and five Favored Abilities of your choice. Airs get Linguistics, Lore, Occult, Stealth and Thrown. Earths get Awareness, Craft, Integrity, Resistance and War. Fires get Athletics, Dodge, Melee, Presence and Socialize. Waters get Brawl (and Martial Arts), Bureaucracy, Investigation, Larceny and Sail. Woods get Archery, Medicine, Performance, Ride and Survival. You may notice that this gives every Aspect at least one ability that is useful in combat, though Earths don’t get a direct attack ability, unlike the rest. Dragon-Blooded Charm trees also tend to be somewhat more flexible in how they can be used – which is to say, you can get combat effectiveness magic out of Lore and Performance, as examples. It’s a lot harder to make a Dragon-Blood who straight can’t fight than to make a Solar who can’t. This is not new to this edition – DBs have always had better spreads.

They get the same amount to spend on Abilities, and the same three Specialties – but then, after that, depending on your background, you get two additional specialties in any of three abilities based on your background. If your DB studied at the Cloister of Wisdom, they can take specialties in Integrity, Lore or Martial Arts. If the Heptagram, you get Craft, Lore or Occult. If the House of Bells, you get Archery, Melee or War. If the Spiral Academy, Bureaucracy, Presence or Socialize. If Pasiap’s Stair, Athletics, Resistance or War. Lookshyans get Integrity, Lore or War. Clan Burano of Prasad gets Bureaucracy, Integrity or Resistance. Clan Ophris of Prasad gets Athletics, Performance or Socialize. Forest Witches get Integrity, Occult or Survival. For other Dragon-Blood cultures, you work with the ST to pick a list of three abilities and you get two specialties that can be in any of those three. If you can’t figure out a list or don’t want to or specifically want to be from, like, the rear end end of nowhere with no useful background for…some reason, you get one free specialty in anything you want.

Dragon-Bloods get extra Merit dots, too, because they’re cool. They get 13 base, plus another 5 to spread among Backing, Command, Contacts, Followers, Influence, Language, Resources or Retainer if they’re Dynasts, Lookshyan or Prasad Dragon Caste. Because they’re cool. Beyond that, chargen is fairly similar to Solars, except that the Charmsets are way more fun to read. Oh, and you start at Essence 2, not Essence 1. Because Dragon-Bloods get significantly more training, by and large, and also tend to Exalt much younger. If you’re playing newly Exalted DBs, you get less stuff and will be notably weaker.

We get two new Merits:
Sobriquet (2, Purchased): You must have Influence 1+. You are famously known by a title or epithet, such as Bull of the North (real name: Yurgen Kaneko) or the Roseblack (real name: Tepet Ejava). You decide your sobriquet and the reputation tied to it. Once per story, when you get a stunt bonus on social influence that would benefit from this reputation, you can increase the stunt rating by 1. I mean, for two dots I guess that’s not bad?
Well-Bred (2, Innate): You have exceptional Dragon-Blooded pedigree. Whenever you make a bargain check where your bloodline is a factor, such as a Dynastic marriage contract or bargaining with noble families that care about that, you get an automatic success. You get +1 Resolve against bargains when bloodline matters, too. Neither of these is a bonus from Charms.
And a new Flaw:
Thin-Blooded: You must be a DB. Your blood is very dilute. You get -3 on all bargain rolls where your lineage is a factor, and get -1 Resolve against similar rolls.
Note that the game specifically says that your kids Exalting or not Exalting is basically in the hands of the GM entirely, so these are almost purely social benefits/penalties for pedigree. Also we are told that the average Dynast has Resources 3 just from their stipend; having less probably means debt, living beyond your means or not being liked by your family for some reason. Cults are forbidden to Realm and Lookshyan DBs by law, but not Prasadi or outcastes.

Air Aspects draw on the subtlest of elements, ever-present and all-encompassing yet rarely seen. It can be felt, but it can’t be grasped. And yet, air must not be overlooked, for its domain is the tempest, the chill and the thunderbolt as much as the breeze. Air Aspects often gain new perspective after Exalting, seeing things from the lofty view of idealism and grand dreams over conventional wisdom. They often find short-term goals to be less worthy than grand, longterm plans. Their boundless creativity inspires. In battle, an Air Aspect is a tactical genius and a strategic mastermind, elegant and deadly, yet so subtle few notice them. In society, they are visionaries and schemers whose plots span decades, steps ahead of all others. They have the greatest affinity for sorcery and the spirit world of all Dragon-Bloods, as well. They look at their Sworn Kin and see not what is present, but what they could be. They inspire the Kinship to greatness, push them to improve on themselves and show them what they might become. They bring innovative solutions to problems, sweeping away traditions that are no longer needed. Their Aspect markings often take the form of bluish or whitish skin, often cold or cool to the touch. They may smell of fresh breezes, fallen snow or ozone. Their eyes may crackle with lightning when feeling inspiration or strong emotion, or they may always have a breeze about them even when the air is calm. An Air Aspect anima is typically blue or white light, whirling like wind or clouds. Some gleam like light on ice or are jagged and erratic as lightning. Their iconic anima may depict things like air dragons, whirlwinds, thunderstorms, hail or winged beasts. They are associated with the color blue, the Maiden of Serenity, the monthly cycle of Air and the North.

Earth Aspects use the power of the pillars of the world. Earth is enduring against chaos and physical force alike, stable and balanced. When all else fades, earth remains. Earth Aspects gain its stoic calm and endurance. They ignore trifles and bad ideas easily, appreciating the wisdom behind traditions and rituals, passed down by generations of other Exalts. They value things that last, whether longstanding friendships, manses that will survive millennia or crushing defeats their foes will never recover from. They tend to be slow to reach decisions, but once they do, they cannot be shaken from them. They stand firm against all adversity, weathering it no matter how painful it might be. They will not yield to pain or temptation when defending their allies or ideals. In battle, they are strict, traditional and unstoppable. In societies, they build lasting marvels and sense what needs to be repaired. In a Kinship, they form a pillar of strength for the others, supporting them no matter what. They understand intimately the value of the Kinship tradition and the importance of its harmony. They may be the group’s arbiter, judge or disciplinarian in times of strife, for they maintain the strength and stability of the Hearth as easily as they do the stability of their people. They uphold what works and mend what does not. Their Aspect markings often take the form of marble-pale, dirt-brown or stone-gray skin, the smell of loam or clay, or gemlike eyes that sparkle brightly. Some have hardened, textured skin, from chalky to exceptionally smooth to pebbled. Dust may rise where they walk. Their anima banners tend to the white or yellow, shifting like sands or glimmering like diamond. Some rumble like earthquakes or pulse like a volcanic heart, and their iconic anima often takes the form of earth dragons, mountains, towers, or animals known for their stubbornness or toughness, such as badgers or bulls. They are associated with the color white, the Maiden of Battles, the monthly cycle of Earth and the Center.

Fire Aspects wield the energy of Creation, dynamic and restless. Fire engulfs all it touches, consuming it and spreading until there is nothing to burn. Fire does nothing by halves, has no restraint, and even reduced to smoldering ash it can easily spring up once more. And yet, fire is not wholly unsubtle, for no shadow can exist without the flame’s light and no smoke without fire. A Fire Aspect feels everything stronger after Exalting, passions burning brighter in even the calmest heart. They embrace their spontaneity of emotion, doing everything with all of their passion. Nothing is meaningless for them. In battle, they are graceful and brutal in equal measure, flickering across the field with ease. In society, their passion moves hearts and minds, their schemes hidden in the burning light of others’ hearts. They lead from the front, inspiring others to follow, and they are never satisfied with the abstract theory when they can put it into practice. In a Sworn Kinship, a Fire Aspect brings passionate loyalty even in times of conflict, challenging assumptions or playing devil’s advocate but never without a core of love and joy. If they bring chaos, it is only to remind others of their purpose. They are forces of social change, burning away what is not needed so that what is true and right prevails. Fire Aspect markings may include a constant flush to the skin, noticeably higher body heat than normal, or the scent of smoke, incense or ash. Their eyes may glow like embers or they may exhale puffs of smoke. Their anima banners tend to red, orange or yellow, blazing like a bonfire or smoldering like coals. Some cause the roar of a forest fire or the scream of a blast furnace, with iconic animas depicting fire dragons, volcanic eruptions, explosions or animals such as tigers or falcons made from fire. They are associated with the color red, the Maiden of Journeys, the monthly cycle of Fire and the South.

Water Aspects have a power without shape or form, adapting to all things. Water can never be stopped, only diverted, finding another path to its goal. It needs only the tiniest crack to wear down any barrier, and with enough time, it can grind away even a mountain. Its depths conceal much, for good and ill. Water Aspects Exalt and find themselves breaking down what is stagnant, adapting themselves easily to all circumstances. They see from all perspectives, and if conventional methods fail them, they are unafraid to try other ways. They are as happy with dishonorable means as honorable, if it will achieve the required end. Challenge and conflict make them grow stronger. They navigate criminal networks and battles with equal grace, always learning and countering the tactics used against them. Everything they do in society is one step closer to their goals, and their persistence helps them solve mysteries with ease. In a Kinship, they share that persistence with their Kin, helping them grow in the face of adversity. When their Hearthmates are ready to give up, the Water Aspect is there, encouraging them and finding the way forward. They solve problems in any conflict, navigating treacherous paths with ease. Their Aspect Markings tend to a blue-green skin tint, sometimes even skin of deep green or black of all shades. They may smell of fresh running water or the sea spray or even the earth after rain. Some have watery eyes or perpetually damp hair, or their clothes may billow as if underwater. Their touch can leave surfaces slick with condensation. Their animas tend to deep blues, greens and blacks, rippling like water or rolling like waves. Some give off the roar of surf or the silence of the depths. Their iconic displays may include water dragons, whirlpools, tsunamis, schools of fish or sea beasts like the siaka. They are associated with the color black, the Maiden of Secrets, the monthly cycle of Water and the West.

Wood Aspects wield the power of life itself. Wood lives, grows and dies in an eternal cycle, the only element to do so. It sustains and nourishes, and it kills with equal ease. Wood unites the elements together, drawing nourishment from all. A Wood Aspect experiences everything strongly, moreso than any other person. They feel every sensation with a depth that none can match, feeling grand epiphanies in all new things. All experiences and sensations are to be relished in their own way, giving the chance for self-discovery. The sensuality of a Wood Aspect can be found in every aspect of life. In battle, they discover the truths of their own strengths and weaknesses. In dealing with others they learn the secrets of the heart. They almost instinctively understand the ways of plants and animals. They care for their Sworn Kinships the way a gardener cares for flowers, tending to their growth while minimizing their flaws. Each of their Kin is irreplaceable as part of the whole, and their bonds must be nourished to achieve their greatest potential. Wood Aspects are masters of bringing out the finest growth in others as well as themselves. Their Aspect markings tend to a greenish tint in the skin, hair, lips, eyes or blood. They may smell of flowers, pine, fruit or other plants, and some have leaves or flowers growing in their hair or even a light layer of bark on their skin, usually along the back or shoulders. Their animas tend to bright greens, waving like grass or blossoming like flowers. Some are wild and untamed, others arranged like gardens, and they may be followed by the moaning of wind in the trees or the scents of living plants. Their iconic banners may display wood dragons, massive tangles of vines or thorns, huge trees or flowers, or forest beasts such as wolves or foxes. They are associated with the color green, the Maiden of Endings, the monthly cycle of Wood and the East.

Next time: Anima powers

Halloween Jack
Sep 12, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 11 hours!

Angry Salami posted:

What the hell kind of loser would own a car in a world with teleportation as an option? "Oh, hey, I could arrive at my destination instantaneously, but I'd feel more free if I sat in a vehicle for several hours instead."
I'm reminded of The Stars My Destination, where almost anyone can teleport at will, so the ultra-wealthy use conspicuously inefficient transportation to make a grand entrance wherever they go.

There's a bit where the protagonist lands in a seaplane, which discharges a boat, which runs aground and discharges a little car, which then shoots him out of a circus cannon.

Halloween Jack fucked around with this message at 15:24 on May 8, 2019

jakodee
Mar 4, 2019

MJ12 posted:

There's also the whole insane Star Trek versus Star Wars subculture which led to some incredible hot takes about how the Star Trek Federation were actually evil dystopian communists who were inferior to the Empire and supporting the Empire was totally a-ok because they were better than communists.

It's pretty insane.

This is just called Conservativism.

jakodee fucked around with this message at 16:06 on May 8, 2019

Young Freud
Nov 26, 2006

Angry Salami posted:

What the hell kind of loser would own a car in a world with teleportation as an option? "Oh, hey, I could arrive at my destination instantaneously, but I'd feel more free if I sat in a vehicle for several hours instead."

Well, the whole chase sequence in Nemesis happened because Captain Picard wanted to go mudding.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Warhammer Fantasy: Paths of the Damned Part 2: Spires of Altdorf

The citizenry is responding to an overabundance of rioting by rioting

I'm going to be real with you: The Altdorf writeup is dull. Yes, the most important city in the Empire is honestly kind of boring, despite having magic colleges, regular riots, and being a huge hub of international diplomacy and trade. Something is just missing from it all, and more importantly the upcoming adventure isn't actually going to use hardly any material that requires the adventure be in Altdorf besides the wizard colleges. I've had some trouble getting this writeup ready because there's just not much to get excited about; with Middenheim I was reading a lot of neat stuff that I wanted to share like the poor Ducal Arborist's trials and trevails. Here? It feels like a generic big city with a few extra traits thrown in.

And that's a huge disappointment. Chart really fumbled the city writeup, much as I like his other work on WHFRP. Yes, there's a complex system of guilds and local citzenship laws, but Talabheim has the same kind of stuff, so it hardly feels unique. The locals riot at the drop of a hat and are constantly protesting some new tax or outrage (up to and including an excess of riots, which they respond to by rioting more) and are heavily involved in the politics of the city, but Middenheim and Middenland had the same thing. The Colleges are the only part of the city that really stands out as unique, and I would have liked to have seen more writing about how the extremely diverse population of the city get along with one another and what having so many foreign embassies and businesses and neighborhoods does for the city's character.

The two biggest aspects of the city's character that stands out from others are that Altdorfers have weaponized snobbishness as a defense against existential terror, and that the gap between the rich and poor is much more heavily emphasized in Altdorf's writing than anywhere else in the Empire. Wealth stands out more than nobility in Altdorf, especially as the wealthy have access to just buying nobility. People come to Altdorf full of dreams of getting rich, and the local culture encourages them to throw everything at trying. Almost none succeed, because as much as the locals love telling stories of how someone came to the Old Town with just 5 pennies to their name and ended up a massive magnate, for every one of those there are thousands who ended up living in crowded tenements and dying of the flux. Altdorf is billed as a land of opportunity, and this is partly a way to get people in the door; the city relies on immigration. The gap between those who have and those who do not is immense, and while the havers get to live in a beautiful estate walled off from the smell of the city and the constant crowds, the others are bound to wait hand and foot on the lucky few who 'made it'. The 'middle class' is mostly a lie in Altdorf, as living here is so expensive that a reasonably successful Burgher is still struggling to meet their rent and probably in debt. Moreover, that reasonably successful Burgher is being pushed by local culture to throw it all into risky ventures in hopes they'll end up in a townhouse one day, but more likely they'll just end up in the poorhouse after enriching someone else who was already rich.

The disdain of Altdorfers comes from several places. For one, they live in Altdorf. Even the poorest Altdorfer will proudly proclaim they're from the best city in the world and that they wouldn't live anywhere else; this is the greatest city in the greatest nation in the Old World! For two, they did beat Vlad von Carstein and a few other pretty serious threats, and their city really is defended by some of the Empire's best soldiers, swarms of Battle Wizards, and the grand Temple of Sigmar. They have some reason to be confident that if trouble comes knocking, they'll be able to kick it in the teeth. For three, they were completely scared out of their wits of the Colleges when they were first established 200 years ago but similarly completely determined not to show it; who knows, maybe wizards can smell fear. What started as a coping mechanism has become somewhat more genuine after 200 years of wizards walking the streets openly. The average Altdorfer probably has seen someone draw forth a brilliant sword of pure fire to fend off muggers before, and might have witnessed minor demonic incursions or seen other spells or rituals being cast. You really can just go to a shop to buy spell ingredients and potion components in Altdorf; there's a market, and where there's a market, someone in Altdorf will be trying to get rich off it. This doesn't mean the locals are actually blase about wizards, but it's become a sort of local tradition that you have to pretend to be. When a crowd sees magic happening, they rush to talk about how much better of magic they've seen in the past. Even if they end up running for cover as adventurers battle a demon unleashed by yet another idiot warlock, they'll stop to say the demon that was banished last year was bigger.

Another thing that stands out a bit is that in among all the various upper class estates and lower class tenements, privacy is a huge luxury of the upper class. Again, this is more of a general Imperial City thing; most people in cities live in very packed conditions, which is one of the reasons the plague can get so out of hand so quickly. Another is that like most cities in the Empire and beyond, Altdorf has a large number of taverns, theaters, and entertainment venues. More uniquely (compared to Middenheim) is how much Altdorfers enjoy organized pit fighting. People in Altdorf are far from the front lines of violence and war, usually. So they like to go to a fighting pit and watch some lads beat each other bloody, or fence to the first blood, or watch dog fights or cockfights. The upper classes officially disapprove and stick to their cultured operas and plays, but secretly most will hire a bawd and ask them where the best punching is to be found when they get bored. Most person on person fights aren't to the death. At least, not the legal ones.

Altdorf is always crowded, always noisy, and always smells awful. The city constantly struggles with its cesspools and sewers, partly from all the privatization and the lack of an overarching sewer authority. Karl Franz's first major success as a politician was actually partly addressing this problem, though there's simply no way to solve it completely. He got the Stench Act of 2508 passed when he was newly crowned Emperor, playing the guilds against one another in a rush for each guild to accept penalties and taxes on pollution and filth that they assumed would ruin their rivals but be bearable for them. The money then went to trying to fix the sewer system, but even with the sewers functioning reasonably well the city is simply so packed (and so many people still throw their chamberpot's contents out the window of the tenement) that there's no avoiding the smell.

The various place-type writeups are full of 'Here's how to fluff a PC burning a Fate Point in a fight in this kind of location' or 'here's where you can get an improvised weapon' but this information is relatively useless, to be quite honest. I can run a fight scene or a stealth mission in a noble manor just fine. I don't really care about a couple cursory paragraphs on that. I want more about the distinct character of the city, not what a generic tenement looks like. I would like a colorful cast of minor NPCs who need the PCs' help (or who the PCs intend to knock off). But instead, did you know that sometimes there will be ornamental weapons on the walls of a manor house and PCs might use them in a fight scene? Or that taverns are a good place to meet people?

The actual sidebar plot hooks are okay, but again, nothing that really makes Altdorf stand out. The material here mostly just makes Altdorf feel like the generic big city, rather than giving it a character all its own, and that's a disappointment for a city that should be teeming with flavor.

Next Time: Specific Places in Altdorf

Joe Slowboat
Nov 9, 2016

Higgledy-Piggledy Whale Statements



jakodee posted:

This is just real called Conservativism.

Yeah this is really the Cold Warrior ethos in a nutshell. 'Better dead than red' lead pretty directly to stomping out democracy in Latin America, among other things. Also to the widespread American belief that democracy requires capitalism and the kind of economy seen in Trek must require oppression, ironically leading to embracing anti-democratic capitalism in order to stave off communism.

It's painfully effective at preventing utopian futures, I'll give it that!

jakodee
Mar 4, 2019

Joe Slowboat posted:

Yeah this is really the Cold Warrior ethos in a nutshell. 'Better dead than red' lead pretty directly to stomping out democracy in Latin America, among other things. Also to the widespread American belief that democracy requires capitalism and the kind of economy seen in Trek must require oppression, ironically leading to embracing anti-democratic capitalism in order to stave off communism.

It's painfully effective at preventing utopian futures, I'll give it that!

-Must get rid of democracy to prevent capitalism from falling to prevent democracy from falling to prevent...

This goes on.

Edit: But what is the equivalent of this in the Realm, to get a little bit back on topic.

Zereth
Jul 9, 2003



Libertad! posted:

Poor choice of words on my part. The plans/distractions are done before or during the break-in proper, and determine the final amount of "max rounds" for the PCs to do their burgling business. Some of them are meant to occur at the same time as the heist proper, like one PC participating in a boxing tournament with an ogre champion to draw a large crowd's attention.
Oh, okay, I thought that was an error on the part of the professionally done book, since "Casing the joint" refers to examining the place covertly beforehand.

Joe Slowboat
Nov 9, 2016

Higgledy-Piggledy Whale Statements



jakodee posted:

-Must get rid of democracy to prevent capitalism from falling to prevent democracy from falling to prevent...

This goes on.

Edit: But what is the equivalent of this in the Realm, to get a little bit back on topic.

You know, I don't think there is one. Like the British Empire, the closest you get is 'must conquer them to civilize them, and if they revolt it proves how uncivilized they are and we should crack down.'

Probably also a lot of the early free market discourse exists as well, which amounted to 'freedom is opening your ports to our drug trade, China!!' The stunning hypocrisy of the Brits/The Realm pursuing a foreign policy based on the moral right to sell opium in ways that were illegal or at least discouraged in Britain/for non-Dynasts remains remarkable.

The Dynasty is open about its hypocrisy though, because in principle the Realm believes different moral standards apply to the Dragon-Blooded.

Thesaurasaurus
Feb 15, 2010

"Send in Boxbot!"

jakodee posted:

-Must get rid of democracy to prevent capitalism from falling to prevent democracy from falling to prevent...

This goes on.

Edit: But what is the equivalent of this in the Realm, to get a little bit back on topic.

The Realm doesn't need an endlessly-convoluted illogical justification for its foreign adventures because it doesn't pretend to hold human liberties in any kind of esteem. The Empress is the rightful ruler of all Creation and her descendants are the Princes of the Earth. They acknowledge some sort of duty to their subjects, but as a purely-aspirational goal, while their subjects' obligations to them are immediate, concrete, and unquestionable. The Immaculate Order exists at least in part as a safety valve, a check on Dragon-Blooded whose cruelties and excesses grow so great as to threaten the stability of the Dynasty as a whole, because that is the entire point: the stability of the Dynasty as a whole. All other considerations are secondary at best.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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Joe Slowboat posted:

You know, I don't think there is one. Like the British Empire, the closest you get is 'must conquer them to civilize them, and if they revolt it proves how uncivilized they are and we should crack down.'

Probably also a lot of the early free market discourse exists as well, which amounted to 'freedom is opening your ports to our drug trade, China!!' The stunning hypocrisy of the Brits/The Realm pursuing a foreign policy based on the moral right to sell opium in ways that were illegal or at least discouraged in Britain/for non-Dynasts remains remarkable.

The Dynasty is open about its hypocrisy though, because in principle the Realm believes different moral standards apply to the Dragon-Blooded.

The Dynasty is slightly less down with pure free market capitalism because the Guild is right there, being literally the worst people. Like even most Dynasts outside of House Cynis are slightly offput by the Guild.

Unless it enriches them personally, anyway.

Xelkelvos
Dec 19, 2012
Basically, the Realm is still running on Mercantilism principles or whatever countries like Imperial China or Feudal Japan ran by.

Joe Slowboat
Nov 9, 2016

Higgledy-Piggledy Whale Statements



Thesaurasaurus posted:

The Realm doesn't need an endlessly-convoluted illogical justification for its foreign adventures because it doesn't pretend to hold human liberties in any kind of esteem. The Empress is the rightful ruler of all Creation and her descendants are the Princes of the Earth. They acknowledge some sort of duty to their subjects, but as a purely-aspirational goal, while their subjects' obligations to them are immediate, concrete, and unquestionable. The Immaculate Order exists at least in part as a safety valve, a check on Dragon-Blooded whose cruelties and excesses grow so great as to threaten the stability of the Dynasty as a whole, because that is the entire point: the stability of the Dynasty as a whole. All other considerations are secondary at best.

I'd say the stability of the Empress, not the Dynasty. Which is why the whole thing's a firedust keg since she vanished.

Also, good point about the Guild. That would change the rhetoric, if not the behavior.

E: Mercantilism seems most likely, since they engage in lots of trade (the only isolationism is the restriction of trade with Blessed Isle peasants to reduce the chance of uprisings) but they absolutely need a net positive Jade intake to power their economy and for its incredible use value.

Joe Slowboat fucked around with this message at 16:38 on May 8, 2019

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

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#1 Builder
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What Fire Has Wrought: Literally On Fire

Unlike the other Exalted, the anima of a Dragon-Blood isn’t just a lightshow. When a Dragon-Blood hits Bonfire-level anima, their elemental power rolls forth from it as pure destructive force, known as anima flux. While at Bonfire anima, a DB rolls one die of Withering damage against all non-DBs in Close range at the start of each turn, gaining no Initiative from any damage they deal. Crashed or trivial targets instead take one die of Decisive lethal damage. Outside combat, anima flux deals one die of Lethal per minute. Anyone with Hardness 1 or higher is immune to anima flux damage. Anima flux may damage scenery when dramatically appropriate, and because of this, Dragon-Blooded societies tend to favor sturdy stone buildings for their homes or other areas where anima flare is likely.

Any anima effects are considered to be of the user’s Aspect element for purposes of Elemental Aura; more on that in a bit.
All Dragon-Blooded can spend one mote to:
  • Perform minor manipulations of their Aspect element, such as a cooling breeze or lighting a fire without flint or making a flower blossom. This has no mechanical effects, but provides minor utility and can make for easy stunting.
  • Sense the direction and approximate distance to any other member of their Sworn Kinship
Air Aspects can:
  • Spend 5m to use their reflexive move to jump an entire range band vertically or horizontally without a roll and ignore all falling damage for the round. At Bonfire, this is free.
  • Spend 3m to surround themselves with a gust of wind that deflects projectiles, giving a small penalty to all ranged attacks against them until their next turn.
  • Once per day, when performing a non-extended social or mental action to uphold a Principle, get a non-Charm bonus to the roll based on the Intimacy’s strength.
Earth Aspects can:
  • Spend 5m to increase their soak and Hardness based on their Essence until their next turn and get a bonus to Defense against smash attacks and grapples as a non-Charm bonus for the same duration. At Bonfire, this is free.
  • Spend 3m to ignore a small amount of penalty from wounds, poison or crippling for a single tick.
  • Spend 2 Initiative when rolling anima flux to either knock all damaged targets prone or knock all damaged targets away one range band.
Fire Aspects can:
  • Spend 5m to become immune to all mundane environmental hazards based on heat or fire for the scene and gain soak and Hardness based on their Essence against fire-based attacks for the same duration. These benefits automatically apply for free at Bonfire.
  • Once per day, when performing a non-extended social or mental action to uphold an emotion-based Intimacy, get a non-charm bonus to the roll based on the Intimacy’s strength.
  • Deal additional damage with anima flux based on Essence.
Water Aspects can:
  • Spend 5m to use their move action to cross water’s surface as if it was solid land and ignore the normal penalty for Rushing or Disengaging across Difficult terrain. These benefits apply automatically for free at Bonfire.
  • Spend 3m to add a non-Charm success to a roll to Disengage, Withdraw or resist a grapple.
  • Breathe water as if it were air and never take penalties for being submerged in water.
Wood Aspects can:
  • Spend 5m to become immune to mundane plant-based poisons and double 9s on all rolls to resist other poisons or diseases for the scene. These benefits apply for free automatically at Bonfire.
  • Spend 3m to bend like a sapling, ignoring a small amount of penalty to Evasion or a movement action for a single check.
  • Inflict poison with their anima flux.

Much like Solars get Solar XP, Dragon-Bloods get Dragon XP each session. Like Solar XP, Dragon XP can be spent on anything except native Dragon-Blooded Charms. You get two chances to get Dragon XP each session – the Expression Bonus and the Aspect/Role Bonus, each of which gives 2 Dragon XP, for a max of 4 per session.
Expression Bonus
You can get the Expression Bonus by doing one of the following during a session:
  • Express, support or engage a Major or Defining Intimacy in a way that reveals something about your character, develops their personality or provides an enjoyable character moment for the group.
  • Face significant challenges, danger or harm in the course of protecting or upholding a Major or Defining Intimacy.
  • Be significantly impeded, endangered or hampered by a Flaw.

Aspect/Role Bonus
You can get the Aspect/Role Bonus by doing one of the following during a session:
  • Intentionally give up the spotlight of a scene to another PC and set them up for an exciting, dramatic moment or directly support them in such a moment.
  • Roleplay the effects of the Great Curse in a way that reveals something about your character, developers their personality or provides an enjoyable character moment for the group.
  • If an Air Aspect, accomplish a long-term plan that upholds a Major or Defining Intimacy, uncover knowledge through study or subterfuge that furthers your or an ally’s goals, solve a significant problem via application of knowledge, or guide an ally in using their talents or abilities to accomplish your or their goals.
  • If an Earth Aspect, defend, support or expand an institution or tradition in support of a Major or Defining Intimacy, endure significant peril to defend an ally, create a lasting and meaningful institution, tradition or work of craft or magic, or resolve a meaningful dispute between your allies or a group you belong to.
  • If a Fire Aspect, defeat a powerful foe in a way that upholds an emotion-based Major or Defining Intimacy, take needless risks or head into unnecessary danger to uphold a Major or Defining Intimacy, inspire others to uphold one of your emotion-based Major or Defining Intimacies in a significant way, directly further your or an ally’s goals by causing someone to question one of their Major or Defining Intimacy.
  • If a Water Aspect, solve a significant problem or defeat a powerful foe using a new approach after failing before, remove a major impediment to your or your allies’ goals using unconventional or underhanded means, exploit the rules or customs of a government, bureaucracy or criminal association to support a Major or Defining Intimacy, or help an ally recover or learn from a major setback or defeat in a way that grants significant advantage.
  • If a Wood Aspect, learn something from firsthand experience that helps advance or protect a Major or Defining Tie, navigate geographical obstacles or cure dangerous ailments that prevent you or an ally from achieving a significant goal, uphold a Major or Defining Intimacy by pursuing a new experience, or help an ally cultivate a strength or remedy a weakness in a way that grants significant advantage.

Unlike Solars or Lunars, Dragon-Blooded do not have Limit. Their Great Curse is, you see, weaker. The greatest portion of the curse struck the Solars, and the Dragon-Blooded received the weakest part. It still influences them, but its manifestation is wholly in the hands of the player. The main thing you get out of roleplaying the Great Curse is a chance to get Dragon XP, but the entire group must appreciate your actions on an OOC level to do so. If you make it less fun for people, no reward for you. Each Aspect also manifests the Curse slightly differently.

  • Air Aspect: You may react with excessive anger, frustration or despair when the world fails to live up to your idealistic visions for it. You may become so caught up in your ideals that you ignore the consequences they have for others or the suffering they cause, or you may hold such confidence in your intellect and vision that you will accept no insult without retribution. You may take truly foolish risks because you don’t believe you can be wrong.
  • Earth Aspect: You may be ruthless or cruel in defense of cherished traditions or institutions, or may be single-minded and stubborn, refusing any advice. You may respond to an insult or challenge to an important tradition with excessive anger or despair.
  • Fire Aspect: Your emotions and desires are intensified to excess. You may be overcome with zeal for a cause, self-hatred over any imperfections, fury against foes or in defense of loved ones, or self-sacrificing despair when loved ones suffer.
  • Water Aspect: You go to unnecessary extremes to overcome problems or protect friends, or you face down impossible odds without thinking you could possibly lose. You may take any underhanded approach to your plans, no matter how convoluted, in pursuit of personal triumph.
  • Wood Aspect: You may be consumed by hedonism, thrill-seeking or binges that live you overcome by guilt, regret or desire to atone. You may become overzealous in trying to nurture those around you, becoming overbearingly controlling of what you protect or love or merciless in “pruning” undesirable elements.

Next time: A less mindbreakingly bad Charm section.

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PurpleXVI
Oct 30, 2011

Spewing insults, pissing off all your neighbors, betraying your allies, backing out of treaties and accords, and generally screwing over the global environment?
ALL PART OF MY BRILLIANT STRATEGY!
gently caress any mechanic, optional or otherwise, that gives separate XP rewards for the players, especially when different archetypes(or elemental flavours in this case) have different requirements which means that depending on the game, the players may get an uneven number of chances.

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