[Other] The Red Peninsula (Worlds Without Number)

[Apidae22]

Recruitment is open, as of 22nd February 2023, for up to three new players. 1 of 3 accepted so far.

Game Name The Red Peninsula

Game System Worlds Without Number

Theme A party of would-be adventurers finds their way in the strange world of Latter Earth.

Flavour Science fantasy/sword-and-sorcery

Plot Summary Welcome to Latter Earth: In a future far beyond comprehension, on an Earth littered with the ruined works of humans and alien Outsiders alike, a group of humble individuals leave behind their mundane lives to make their way as traveling adventurers. They begin as strangers to each other, but learn to work together and to trust each other as each seeks their own fate and fortune in the dangerous lands of the Red Peninsula. The Peninsula is a vast, mountainous region separated from the mainland by an uncrossable desert, scattered with forests, rocky highlands, and alien-influenced regions known as arratu. The habitable regions are controlled by a few squabbling kingdoms and many independent tribes or communities, all trying to survive with scarce resources and defend themselves against monsters, bitter aliens, and each other. People are dependent on medieval-level technologies, as complex physics and chemistry just don't work anymore. Magic works, though, and while it can be a great help, it just as often causes problems. Basically, the characters will use a particular town as a base from which to go on quests in the surrounding area. Whatever happens, if the party survives it they'll return to town to train, recuperate, and use the spoils of their adventure. During their downtime they'll find another quest to go on, and will repeat the cycle. If they live long enough, the characters will get a chance to grow, to see their goals fulfilled, and to make their mark on the world around them. As the campaign opens, the would-be adventurers meet for the first time at a tavern on the road to Sendotasun, a minor city on the western border of the nation of Irla. The walled city has long been a shield against the monsters and not-quite-humans which come out of the western rainforest, and holds a strategic position on the River Ibai. It also acts as a jumping-off point for scholars and tomb-raiders who wish to explore the ruins beyond its walls: cities and outposts of the old Artekan Empire and the more ancient creations of the Outsiders. However, adventure waits for no one, and at the inn a day and a half from the city, our heroes run into trouble on the road... The Story So Far: Six random travelers found themselves working together to drive off the Hostile demihumans, explained belowAnak slavers robbing a roadside inn. After the dust settled, the tears were shed, and the innspeople found safe, they were approached by one of the guests: a noblewoman whose brother had been captured by the slavers and offered a reward for his rescue. These brave travelers followed the slavers into the woods and managed to negotiate for the brother's release, as well as that of a young girl who was also captured. Along the way, they found hope of tracking down a PC's long-missing sister, as well as links between the slavers and a group of long-dead mages. However, they couldn't save everyone, and returned to the inn the next morning victorious but unsatisfied. A storm gathers as the heroes prepare to reenter the woods... An aspiring adventurer could find much gratitude (and possibly riches) were they to lend a hand. This campaign will use the rules from Worlds Without Number, a roleplaying game similar to editions of D&d. If you're unfamiliar with the system, it's not hard to get the hang of. The rulebook is free to download, and I will add reference captions in the game forum.

Tone and Style This campaign is fairly straightforward and is a good fit for new players, veterans, or anyone wanting some good old-fashioned D&d. Tone-wise it won't be too dark or somber, but I won't shy from serious subjects and themes, and I ask that everyone act with maturity. Being an open world, encounters aren't scaled to characters, which means running away or negotiating with foes are perfectly acceptable options.

Applications (Updated) We're looking for up to three new players with any variety of style and any level of experience. The posting rate we've stabilized at currently is once a week. This is somewhat relaxed, but I encourage you not to join this game if you might struggle to keep up with it. If you know the rules for Worlds Without Number, great, but if you don't, that's okay. DM me for help if you want; I also have some references in-game. For now all I need are: A general idea for the character you'd like to play. This should be very basic and should include your character's archetype, motivation, and, if you wish, a little more of a twist or background info. An archetype is very basic, little more than a role your character plays in the world, like a brash warrior, an academic wizard, or a cunning orator. Mix and match as you please. Use those examples, even. A motivation is the reason your character is adventuring. You don't have to be too complex. Seeking wealth or glory, looking to help the world, or settling scores will do. Add twists or extra description if you wish, but keep it short and don't stress about this part too much. I'm looking for players, not characters, and if what you submit is "brash warrior seeking glory" that's totally fine. You'll have opportunities to build on it later on. Also, feel free to submit multiple ideas if you want to. A sample of your writing and roleplaying. You can roleplay your character, you can submit a post from a previous game that you were happy with, or just write a short scene, but the sample should be 200-800 words. I'm mainly looking for clear, competent writing, but you should use this to show your strengths as a roleplayer. A warning to all applicants: WWN is notoriously unforgiving, and no matter how interesting your character is there's a chance they will end their career in an unmarked grave on the side of the road. Good stories come to those who live to tell the tale, whoever they are. Recruitment will close whenever we accept enough players.

Some notes on the setting Most of what you need to know about the setting was covered in the plot summary; this section is for those who wish to know a little more about the world. There are a few playable demihuman species, though humans themselves are varied enough that you don't need to choose a different type just to be interesting. Humans are diverse, and in this region have a culture similar to ancient mediterranean or central-american peoples. Dwarves are gifted engineers with an innate resistance to magic. In Irla, the most prominent dwarves are those of the Draketongue Mountains that form the border with neighboring Sjoen. They are a fierce lot who value justice above all else. Elves are cursed with the memory of past lives. In this part of the Red Peninsula, elves can be found in their secretive mountain villages, as well as on the open sea in a community of sailors and sea-traders that humans call the Islanders. Blighted is the name for the once-humans whose bodies and minds have been warped by the alien overlords that once ruled Earth-- or worse, their human successors. Anakim (singular: Anak) were once the soldiers of these Outsiders, proud and fierce and afflicted with a Hatred of all other humans. Drudges possess immense strength, but childlike wit. And Houri have been engineered so that obeying orders, for them, is hopelessly addictive. Most Blighted, save the Anakim, live alongside un-Blighted humans, though some form their own communities in which they are treated with more respect. Irla is the nation the characters will be starting in. It occupies the southeastern end of the Red Peninsula, bordered by the nations of Syma and Sjoen over the mountains to the north and northeast, by the great rainforest to the west, and by the Ravening Sea to the south, with scattered islands off its coast. While it claims to be a republic, in reality it's divided into different city-states and tribes, each ruled pretty much independently by a sendoa, or strong man. Irlan culture draws parallels to the ancient Greece and Sicily we know of, and its names and language sound similar to the Basque language of southwestern Europe. There are a few different ethnic groups in Irla and the nations around it, but I won't go over them all here. Characters with cultures and names that don't seem Irlan may belong to one of these ethnic groups, may hail from one of the northern nations which lie a few weeks' journey across the Grey Mountains and past Syma or Sjoen, or may belong to the Islanders who take in wanderers from all across the Peninsula and far beyond it.

Past and Current PCs, New Applications The Current Party: Horace Overhill, a simple warrior on a quest to protect his people. Sirona Lakhesis, an elven healer-monk traveling the world in her rite of passage. Lorilana Rosenhart, a scholar and explorer searching for her long-lost sister. Note: Don't worry too much about party composition. Also, to let you know up front: The current PCs are experienced enough to reach level 2, but have not yet trained in order to do so. You will start as a new Level 1 character, partly in order to keep things simple for you. I award XP individually (to an extent) so you should be able to make up the difference. If this is a dealbreaker for you, let me know. I'm open to changing it. Former PCs: Ophorio Maglan, a wandering swordsman and actor trying to make something of himself. Mirai, a trader and reformed criminal looking for her daughter. Silara, a magically-gifted peasant girl running from the tyrant of her home village.

Feel free to ask questions or make any comments you have.

[Tecumseh]

The introduction in which I express my heartfelt interest Oh, me me me. I've been GMing Worlds Without Number for a year but haven't gotten to play. 2 posts a week is very doable. The catch is that I literally have about seven different concepts and it will be difficult to pick a single one. As such, I have some flexibility in case there's substantial overlap with what someone else wants to play. That said, I would start the conversation with an Elven Healer/Vowed combination.

Character Description An adept of life and death, part healer, part assassin. A moral character, a consequentialist, who believes that the ends justify the means. Willing to do a little evil to do a greater good.

Writing Sample (A piece I wrote from the perspective of an elf, but not the character mentioned above.) The elf is lost in his thoughts for a moment. Have I been here before? he wonders, looking around the room. It all seems so familiar... The sense of déjà vu is a familiar one to him, and often distracting. It is the consequence of countless past lifetimes bouncing around in his head, all of the memories clamoring for ascendancy. He must push them down in order to speak. There are warring voices in his head: should he capitalize on the life-or-death nature of the mission in order to negotiate for more, or would that be tasteless given the obvious desperation of the situation? He is, as usual, of two minds about the matter. He will ask for more information first to establish his bargaining position. "The trade routes between here and Gathis?" he asks to confirm. "Is there no relief to be found from the Usuldarum River, caravan sailing downstream from Hodrin or from Akan Lai?" He sips the tea that the Patriarch offers. It is bitter and unpleasant but it is another data point. He files it away accordingly. He is inclined to help, if only in the spirit of adventure, an additional experience to remember for the ages. "A tale as old as Llaigis," he says of the Patriarch's tale. "Sellswords and mercenary bands. Could be home from a campaign abroad and causing trouble upon their return. Or" - more darkly - "it could be the Anakim that emerge from the south and the ruins of Emed-Dar. Capable foes, either."

[Apidae22]

Thank you for your submission! Looks pretty good.

[Apidae22]

Is there anyone else interested in joining this game?

[Aethera]

On this forum, Apidae, you're going to have to give your ad more time for a system not everyone knows. I'd definitely give it a week at minimum, probably longer.

[Apidae22]

Okay. I was unsure how quickly to expect replies. Thank you

[Maghnuis]

Definitely interested, but need to read the rules first.
Some ads are up for a month or more before the game starts. Most give you a good group to choose from much more quickly.

As Aethera mentioned, more obscure game systems may take a longer amount of time to attract attention.

[MercurialJack]

Interested, certainly! Need to have a bit more of a look through the ruleset to think through a character first though.

EDIT: My application is now submitted!

[Sorcerious]

Interested. I have been wanting to try an osr game for a while and have heard great things about this system. I am reading the rules and hope to have something to apply with over the weekend.

[Apidae22]

Thank you, this is very encouraging. Take as much time as you need.

[Hal Hammerhand]

I'm interested in getting involved in something non-5e DnD despite my hesitance to venture from my comfort zone. I am going to try to get something up.

[Effete]

Reading through the free doc. Couple of questions cropped up...

1). On page 18, under the Expert class, the main body text says: "Once per scene, the Expert can reroll a failed non-combat skill check..." then just below, the Masterful Expertise class ability has very similar wording. Is this supposed to be the same ability? Or does an Expert get to reroll two failed skills per scene? More importantly, a partial-Expert class doesn't receive Masterful Expertise, but they do get "all other abilities." The fact that the reroll mechanic is given in two places is extremely confusing as to what the intent is here.

2). Elementalists receive Elemental Resistance and Elemental Sparks by default. These are listed as "Arts" but their description does not use the "Commit Effort" terminology like every other Art does. Are these two abilities meant to be at-will or always-on? The subtleties of the wording would suggest they are, but I thought I should confirm it.

3). Where should we roll dice? Or is full character creation something you're going to handle after applications close?

[Apidae22]

1) An Expert gets to reroll one failed skill check per scene; it's just explained twice. A Partial Expert doesn't get a reroll ability.

2) You're correct, Resistance is passive and always on, and Sparks can be used at will, with no cost in Effort.

3) I will be handling character creation after applications close. For now, you don't need any of the rules, except as inspiration for your character archetype.

[Apidae22]

Good to see you, Hammerhand!

[Effete]

Silara Background: Silara is a petite human girl, shy and timid in demeanor, but not unfriendly. She has recently left her humble farmland home when it was discovered she can use magic. Hopelessly naïvé and intimidated by the wider world, she seeks an unknown future, guided only by the mysterious pendant given to her by her mother. Silara's role in the party would be that of a support character, using a blend of her Expert and Elementalist Mage abilities.   The sun felt wonderful! Every pore on the young girl's face seemed to open up and drink the warmth. She imagined that she, too, shone bright like the sun. A light breeze lifted her hair, and the girl imagined her locks radiating away from her brilliant face in all directions; a flowing corona, not brown, but golden and beautiful. She smiled, and fields of flowers smiled back at her. She raised her arms, and as she did, clouds raced away from her, reluctant to cover such a lovely face. A deep, throaty cough shook the girl from her daydream. Her eyes snapped open and met her father's staring back at her sternly. His wide-brimmed hat kept back the worst of the sun's harsh rays, but beads of sweat still ran in rivulets down his olive-skinned face, dripping off his thick beard. He didn't speak a word; he merely glanced at the ground at the girl's feet, then back up to her eyes. He could have shouted for how loudly he was heard. With a sigh, the girl bent down and picked up the garden hoe, then got back to work. Of course, father was right to be upset. Jagan's men would be arriving soon to collect tribute, and there were still two more bushels to fill. Jagan was the self-appointed governor of this small farming village, but he was really just a bully. He had arrived sometime before Silara was born, and life under his oppressive regime was all she knew. As the story goes, he came during the winter, leading a small band of brigands, demanding food and shelter. When some of the townsfolk tried to chase him off, Jagan slaughtered them mercilessly, lining their bodies in the street as a warning. Rumor has it, it was during this battle that his face became horribly burned. In the end, though, Jagan and his men won, and for his victory, he claimed the old stone mansion on the hill for his base of operations. Since then, he's lived off the 'tribute' of the villagers, and his band of thugs has grown into a veritable army. Silara watched through a small slot between the boards of the sheep pen as the large wagon lumbered to a halt. A team of six horses drew the massive wooden box, already half full with baskets, crates, and large clay milkjugs. Four men leapt down and approached father, who motioned toward the wicker baskets laden with vegetables. There was enough to feed a large family for a whole season, but Jagan's men would consume it in less than a week. Every other farm would also give up nearly their entire harvest today, all going to feed an army that only serves to oppress the people that sustained it. Silara was old enough now to understand that this was wrong, but she was also old for other things, too. This is why she hid in the sheep pen, out of sight; Jagan's men were known to have appetites for more than stolen food. As three of the ruffians loaded their ill-gotten gains onto the wagon, the fourth thug talked with father. Silara could not hear what was being said, but it was clear the man was becoming agitated. Suddenly, he shoved father, knocking him to the ground and following up with a few solidly placed kicks. Silara tensed when she saw her father fall, a spark of anger igniting in her. Each kick fed the flame. She was a candle. She was a bonfire. She was an inferno. She was the sun! Silara woke up on the ground, her father's tear-streaked face inches from her own. "Oh, thank the gods! I thought you wer—" the word caught in the man's throat. Confused, Silara looked around. Grey smoke billowed from the sheep pen only a few paces away. Mother, with a small basket cradled over her arm, was running, holding her skirts up high. Father held her gently, but firmly, to the ground. Next, mother was kneeling over her, the pungent scent of a medicated salve barely covering the earthy smell of burnt hay. That's when Silara noticed her clothes... or what was left of them. Fabrics hung in strips, the edges charred, exposing the girl's blackened skin. Mother mumbled franticly as she slathered the cool gel over her daughter's flesh. Curiously, the girl wondered why she felt no pain. She spoke in a small voice. "I'm okay... I'm not hurt." Mother gasped, wiping away the soot to reveal unblemished skin beneath: that pale olive tone that never seemed to take a tan. The girl's parents exchanged an unreadable look for a long time, before father lifted her up and carried her to the house. That evening, while mother tenderly bathed her, washing away the soot as if she had all eternity for it, father left the house and did not return until dark. He held an old wooden box, dusty and dry-rotted, as if it had sat untouched for ages. The box practically fell apart when it was opened, but the silver broach inside was still immaculate. It was stylized in the manner of a wavy cross, with four tiny gems clustered at the center: aquamarine, fireopal, peridot, and quartz. It was the most stunning thing Silara had ever seen, but even more shocking was when her mother pressed the broach into her hands, saying, "Keep this hidden. Show it to no one unless they have one just like it. They will know what to do." The rest of the night passed by in a rush, and Silara wasn't able to fully comprehend it all until a few days later. Father had given her a large napsack stuffed with nearly half the larder and some changing clothes. Mother gave her warmest cloak and father gave his best walking stick. Before she realized it, Silara was standing on the stoop, bundled for a journey, receiving tear-streaked blessings and well-wishes, then urged to travel north without delay. "Come Korvo!" The brown and white sheepdog stopped digging at the side of the road and rushed to the girl's side, wagging his tail and looking up expectantly every few steps. "I hope they allow pets," she said, eyeing the wayside lodge in the distance, "or we're both sleeping outside again."