[PbtA] MoldyNolds' Duskwall Rising

[MoldyNolds]

Game Name MoldyNolds' Duskwall Rising

Game System Blades in the Dark

Theme A group of daring scoundrels building a criminal enterprise on the haunted streets of an industrial-fantasy city. There are heists, chases, escapes, dangerous bargains, bloody skirmishes, deceptions, betrayals, victories, and deaths. My overall mood for this game is going to lean towards the darker side. The setting presented in the book strikes me as very Gothic and gothic. If emo-steampunk-witchcraft sounds intriguing then you'll probably want to read on!

Mood/Flavor/Inspiration Games: Thief Series | Dishonored | Bioshock Series | The Darkest Dungeon | Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura | Arkham Horror Movies/Shows: Dark City | The Robert Downey Jr. versionsSherlock Holmes | League of Extraordinary Gentlemen | Gangs of New York | Ronin | The Warriors | Penny Dreadful Literature: Lovecraftian Horror | Deepgate Codex Series | The Black Company Series | The Aeronaut's Windlass Music: Abney Park | The Cruxshadows | The Birthday Massacre | Victor Sierra

The Game The Setting The game takes place in the cold, foggy city of Doskvol (aka Duskwall or “the Dusk”). It’s industrial in its technological development. Imagine a world like ours during the second industrial revolution of the 1870s—there are trains, steam-boats, printing presses, simple electrical technology, carriages, and the black smog of chimney smoke everywhere. Doskvol is something like a mashup of Venice, London, and Prague. It’s crowded with row-houses, twisting streets, and criss-crossed with hundreds of little waterways and bridges. Also like our world, Duskwall and all known lands are populated by humans, except for perhaps the Tycherosi. The specific cultures and hertiages are explained in more detail in the rulebook. The city is also a fantasy. The world is in perpetual darkness and haunted by ghosts—a result of the cataclysm that shattered the sun and broke the Gates of Death a thousand years ago. The cities of the empire are each encircled by crackling lightning towers to keep out the vengeful spirits and twisted horrors of the deathlands. To power these massive barriers, the titanic metal ships of the leviathan hunters are sent out from Doskvol to extract electroplasmic blood from massive demonic terrors upon the ink-dark Void Sea. Corrupt Bluecoats patrol the streets, shaking down the populace for protection money. Spirit Wardens rigorously pursue deaths within the city to prevent restless spirits from wreaking havoc. Occult forces conduct secret rituals behind closed doors. Factions within the city constantly push up against each other in a dizzying, shifting array of territory grabs and power moves. You’re in a haunted Victorian-era city of eternal night, rife with crime and opportunity, trapped inside a wall of lightning powered by demon blood. The point of all this is to create a pressure-cooker environment for our criminal escapades. Traveling outside the lightning barrier is a very bad idea, so it’s impractical to “leave town and wait for the heat to die down” after you pull off a score. Everything the players choose to do has consequences for their characters and shifts the balance of power around in the city—driving the action for a sandbox style of roleplaying game. The Characters Every player character in Blades in the Dark is a daring criminal of the underworld of Doskvol, known in common parlance as a scoundrel. Scoundrels are familiar with all of the various feats of skullduggery represented by the actions of the game. They’re all able to Skirmish in a knife-fight, Prowl in the shadows, Attune to strange energy, Consort with contacts for information, and so on. Because of the way the dice system works, every scoundrel can roll at least 2d for any action in the game (+1d from pushing or a Devil’s Bargain, and a +1d assist from a teammate). A roll of 2d is pretty good, statistically—a 75% chance of success. This means that all of the “zero rating” actions on your character sheet don’t actually represent deficiencies or gaps of skill; they indicate the actions for which your character is likely to burn stress and rely on teamwork. As a scoundrel of the Dusk, with your crew at your back, you can attempt almost anything. The scoundrels attempt to develop their crew from a ragtag group of poor independents to a serious criminal organization with established turf. They do this by taking illegal jobs from clients, planning their own devious missions, making alliances, destroying their enemies, and trying to stay one step ahead of the law. There are several character types to choose from, each representing a different style of scoundrel: Cutters are intimidating fighters. Hounds are deadly sharpshooters and trackers. Leeches are tinkerers, alchemists, and saboteurs. Lurks are stealthy infiltrators. Slides are manipulators and spies. Spiders are devious masterminds. Whispers are arcane adepts. The Crew In addition to creating scoundrel characters, you’ll also create the crew by choosing which type of criminal enterprise you’re interested in exploring. The crew gets its own “character sheet,” just like a player character. The crew type isn’t restrictive (any crew can pursue a variety of activities); it’s there to help focus the game play by providing unique bonuses and offering some narrative glue to your group. Assassins are killers for hire. A Cult serves a forgotten god. Bravos are thugs and extortionists. Hawkers sell illegal products. Smugglers transport contraband. Shadows are thieves and spies.

Gameplay Play to find out what happens. This phrase stuck with me the first time I read it in Dungeon World, and it's an important enough concept to make its way into the PbtA hack known as Blades in the Dark. I'm a firm proponent of letting the Players drive the game wherever they want it to go. As GM my job is not to railroad, but to recognize when Players are saying "this aspect of the setting/mechanics looks important/fun/engaging" and then expand on that for them. This requires a certain level of initiative from Players in order to jumpstart each new story thread. The title of this game, Duskwall Rising, is an homage to the West Marches style of gaming. There won't be any over-arching epic plots (at least no artificially manufactured ones). I'm going for more of a persistent world with shifting factions and consequences that leave lasting impressions on the PC's, their crew, and Duskvol at large. Plots will be episodic in nature and character-driven, meaning as the GM I'll be looking to each of your PC's individual and group motivations to drive the story forward and see how those motivations change with a changing Duskvol. Gameplay will follow the three modes as described in the rulebook. Each chapter, episode, score, or whatever you want to call it will have its own folder with individual threads dedicated to Free Play, The Score, and Downtime. This is a game centered around leaping before you look. Rarely will you make a Perception test or plan ahead for a score in the conventional ways that other, traditional TTRPG's handle those sorts of things. BitD is a game of instant action and consequences. High risks and high rewards. No battlemaps, we'll be using theater of the mind along with some strategic maps of Duskwall and its districts. Planning and preparation are handled only on a very high-level prior to a heist, and through flashbacks during a heist. It definitely takes some getting used to, for me too, but we'll try and get there together! I don't plan on pulling any punches when it comes to character death. The mechanics allow for a progressive descent into trauma and/or retirement over a number of heists. It is virtually impossible for a scoundrel to go from good health to character death in a single heist. Should we end up playing long enough for death to occur I would consider it a success from a narrative standpoint. Congratulations! We can discuss at that point if you want to continue on as a Ghost, Hull, or Vampire (with their own separate playbooks) or start a new playbook with some free upgrades to keep you on par with overall crew effectiveness.

Posting Rate & Structure   I've never run BitD as a play-by-post game. As a starting point I'm going keep to my usual posting rate of 1 substantive, well written post per week. However, due to the non-traditional mechanics we may have to tweak that to a couple shorter posts spread out through the week. We'll have to see how it goes and discuss as a group. I’m not asking for a full book report in every post, but two sentences with bare bones stage directions just ain’t gonna cut it. I put a lot of time and effort into the games I run to present my players with a decently-polished product and I’d like a return on that investment. I’m part of the game too, and I want to have fun just as much as you do! If the group moves at a faster pace I’ll happily endeavor to keep up. If for any reason (work, life, you just need a break, whatever!) you can’t keep up please, please just let me know. I’ve been there, I’m happy to work with you to find a solution, whether that be slowing down the game a bit, putting your PC in the background, handing control to the GM, or even removing your PC from the game if you feel that is the best course of action. Those that consistently can’t keep up with the pace of the group will be asked to retire their character. I prefer using a discord server for OOC chat as opposed to a site thread. I find Discord much easier to access on the fly for quick conversations, and I think this will work especially well for BitD. Access to Discord and maintaining a presence in our OOC server will be required. I encourage the use of OOC and/or in-game narrative communication to strategize your overall plans, combat tactics, and even social encounters. I’ll get more in-depth with what I’d like a post to look like in terms of structure, but just know I will be asking for things like fieldsets to separate in-game from OOC mechanics, up-to-date statblocks or playbooks, tool tips, a standardized PC image format, and other structural things to keep the game looking clean and easy to read.

Applications No dice rolling in this thread! (We don't roll stats in this game anyway, but I have to say that ) Please post a completed application no later than 11:59am WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5TH (EST/GMT-5) to be considered for this game. My goal is to send invites before the weekend so we can get started with crew creation and housekeeping bits right away and into the game ASAP. A Note on Mature Story-Telling   I’m going to be looking for well-rounded characters to populate this game; multi-dimensional, complex, with unique goals, outlooks, and flaws. Also it’s okay if your PC doesn’t “get along well with others”, inter-party conflict and the following resolution is one of the most rewarding aspects of gaming in my opinion. HOWEVER, inter-party conflict needs to be handled by mature and self-aware story-tellers. Don’t create drama just for the sake of creating drama. I don’t want to see a PC constantly getting under everyone else’s skin for no reason and with no resolution in sight. That’s a sure-fire way to lose your spot at my virtual table. The "that's what my character would do" defense doesn't fly here. In fact, well-executed inter-party conflict should ALWAYS include OOC approval and coordination between the players involved before, during, and after said conflict. At the end of the day we’re all trying to have fun and tell a great story, and the group needs to function as a team. One person’s fun doesn’t get to come at the expense of someone else’s. Respect each other. A completed application should include:   Name: This is probably the least important aspect of the application, but I left it here at the top for tradition's sake. Feel free to change at your leisure. Alias: See above. Playbook: A playbook is what we call the sheet with all the specific rules to play a certain character type in Blades in the Dark. Rather than a general “scoundrel” sheet, the game has seven customized playbooks. By choosing a playbook, you’re choosing which type of scoundrel your character is. Please note, I am not requiring you to fill out a playbook. Other than Contacts and Vice (described below), we'll handle that after players are selected. Just let me know which playbook you're basing your character concept around. Also please indicate here if you are open to entertaining the idea of picking an alternate playbook. I'm going to strongly discourage duplicate playbooks in the party for balance, unless I see a very good reason. If, however, I really like your application and want you as a player I might ask you to pick an alternate. If you feel so inclined I would not stop you from submitting two applications for different playbooks, but it is by no means required. I'd rather see one exceptional application and the willingness (or not) to create an alternate if needed than two mediocre applications from one player. Look: This encompasses more than mere sight. What does your PC look like, yes, but what do they smell like? How do they talk? How do they move? Do they have any defining physical or mental characteristics? I do love some good character art as well. Bonus points if you credit the artist! Motivation: Why does your PC find themselves scraping the bottom rung of Duskvolian society in this rag-tag, newborn crew? This could be a future goal, or because of something in their past. This could potentially be answered in the other sections, but if not please define it here. Most importantly I'm looking for why you will stick with the crew and not abandon them! There are some great questions on page 202 that can provide some inspiration if you like. Heritage/Background: Where did your PC come from? Why did they or their family come to Duskvol? What were they doing before joining this crew? Doskvol is a mix of many cultures and traditions, and, as in most cities, exhibits a paradoxical fusion of cosmopolitan rapport and tribalistic strife. To give you a convenient touchstone for cultures in this fantasy world, they’re compared to various cultures from our world, in the rulebook. This is not meant to be restrictive or definitive, just a short-hand to help you visualize and understand them. In play, it’s your job to flesh out these sketches in the form of specific people, who each embody, reject, honor, or despise their cultures of origin depending on their own outlook and values. Vice/Purveyor: Pick one of the vices from your playbook then take a paragraph or two and tell me about it. Where does your PC usually go to indulge? How do they feel about their vice? Who supplies it to them and how do they get along with your PC? The scoundrels of Doskvol are a special lot. They defy the powers-that-be and dare to prey on those who are considered to be their betters. They push themselves further than ordinary people are willing to go. But this comes at a cost. A scoundrel’s life is one of constant stress. Inevitably, each turns to the seduction of a vice in order to cope. A scoundrel’s vice is their obsession. But with this indulgence comes relief from stress and the ability to once again face the overwhelming challenge of their daring life. Dangerous Friends: Similarly, pick a friend and a rival from the playbook (or make up your own!) and tell me about them! Where did they cross paths with your PC? Where do they keep court? Define the relationship a bit more beyond "friend" or "rival". Role-Playing Samples: Please provide at least two samples of your writing. These can be from other games you've played in, brand new scenes relating to the character you are applying with here, or something else entirely. Do you have access to the BitD rulebook? If not this won't necessarily preclude you from acceptance, however due to the non-traditional mechanics and the heavy lore included in the book having access is a big plus! You can find the player's kit for free on their website HERE Have you played BitD before? If so, was it in-person, virtual, or on RPGx? This is more so I know who I might be able to lean on and/or ask for advice about mechanics and flow. I love it when players try out new systems, and this is still pretty new to me, too. All things being equal I'd strive for a mixture of seasoned BitD players and new players, but honestly this aspect carries very little weight one way or the other. I will attempt to provide at least one round of feedback for each application presented to me within a reasonable amount of time. Applications posted within a few days of the deadline will get less input than those I get to see earlier. I'm ultimately looking for 4-5 players.

About Me   I started playing TTRPG’s maybe about eight years ago when I summoned up the courage to visit my FLGS and take part in the Pathfinder Society games being run there. Shortly thereafter I found a local group kind enough to invite me into their home games every week and I’ve never looked back. Since then I’ve played in over a dozen different systems and become the defacto GM for said home group who are now my closest friends (and who are all older and have played RPG’s much, much longer than me). I've been playing games on RPGx for about three years. This is the second game I've run in pbp-style so please bear with me! I'll be borrowing ideas and mechanics I've seen from other GM's I've played under that I think work well. My first GM'ed game has been played for 16 months and is still going strong! You can check it out HERE if you like!

[MoldyNolds]

Applicants Player Alias 1st Choice Status Humble Hero Redeye Spider Complete cottontailwind Mister Fortune Whisper Complete Hotshot lasgun smiley Cutter Complete HotsuSama Clear Ky Lurk Reviewed Solitaire64 Khunbish Leech Complete Chylopan Beau Slide Complete Niyaga Kink Hound Complete

FAQ Q: I'm very much interested in this but I don't have the book. Is that a problem? A: No problem at all. I'm not super worried about the mechanics, we can go over those as needed. I guess my initial... not concern, let's call it consideration, is that there is a lot of lore contained in the rulebook and I was hoping to not regurgitate it all into a lore thread. If that doesn't bother you, or if you have another way to reference the lore than I'd love to see you apply! EDIT: Psychic Nomad was kind enough to provide the link to a BitD SRD! You can find it HERE. Q: you allowing homebrew? A: Since I don’t fully have a grasp on how the core rules and playbooks balance against each other I’m going to say no homebrew stuff for now. That may change in the future, however! Q: What's the difference between demons/devils and spirits? A: In my opinion, and the manner in which I've chosen to define and separate demons and spirits comes from a paragraph of information under the Church of Ecstasy faction (p286): Quote The purest beings (according to the teachings of the Church), are those entirely without spirits: the demons. Demons are immortal, but never fade into madness or lustful hungers as rogue human spirits and vampires do. They are perfect; and the most devout of the Curch seek to become as they are, to unlock the secret of ascension. Many dark experiments and rituals with hulls, hollows, vampires --and the rare demon-- are conducted in the labyrinthine dungeons below the Church's chief cathedral in Brightstone. Expanding on this bit of info, I draw a very clear line between spirits and demons. Spirits live inside humans until the death of the body, at which point the spirit would normally have entered the Gates of Death, until the Cataclysm broke them. Now spirits roam the ghost field, slowly going insane from being trapped. During that time they have limited interactions with the material world and can, potentially, possess other humans or hulls. Think Ghostbusters, or Poltergeist. Demons on the other hand have no internal spirit. They are unable to possess human bodies or hulls. I would liken them more to djinn or fae creatures. They interact with mortals through carefully worded bargaining or arcane summoning rituals.

[Saratek]

Posting Interest. I'm going to need to take a look at the game mechanics to be sure, but this concept, and the way you've described how it works in regards to Player gameplay interests me.

Regardless of whether this gets passed just interest for me, good luck with both your recruitment and future with this game. It certainly looks like it will be engaging.

[Attitude]

Definitely interested. I have the rules, but I've never played the game (either in-person or PbP). Whether I get chosen or not, I'll be following the game closely. I'm very curious to how flashbacks work.

[MoldyNolds]

Hi there Saratek and Attitude! Posting interest is always welcome

I've played BitD a couple of times as a player and once as the GM and I still don't feel like I've given it the attention it deserves. There is a certain elegance to the mechanics that I feel compelled to explore more fully. My hope is that by playing through pbp we can all take our time and walk through all the different aspects of the mechanics without feeling rushed or "on the spot".

That and the setting just screams at me to explore it through creative writing

[PsychicNomad]

I'm very much interested in this, playing a whisper, but I don't have the book. Is that a problem?

[HotsuSama]

Hmm.

I've been telling myself I'm at capacity or close to it. But a chance at BitD is going to test that.

HMM.

I'll be keeping this in mind and lurking. Damnit, I'd probably play a Lurk too...

[MoldyNolds]

Originally Posted by PsychicNomad

I'm very much interested in this, playing a whisper, but I don't have the book. Is that a problem?

Welcome! No problem at all. I'm not super worried about the mechanics, we can go over those as needed. I guess my initial... not concern, let's call it consideration, is that there is a lot of lore contained in the rulebook and I was hoping to not regurgitate it all into a lore thread. If that doesn't bother you, or if you have another way to reference the lore than I'd love to see you apply!

EDIT: use the free Player's Kit that I linked in the application section. Let me know if you need any assistance!

Originally Posted by HotsuSama

I'll be keeping this in mind and lurking. Damnit, I'd probably play a Lurk too...

Please or Lurk away...lurk away in whatever manner you see fit

[cottontailwind]

Unscrupulous people doing unscrupulous things in an unscrupulous world? Posting for interest/working on an app right now...

[MoldyNolds]

Originally Posted by cottontailwind

Unscrupulous people doing unscrupulous things in an unscrupulous world? Posting for interest/working on an app right now...

Indeed, there is not a scruple to be found among Duskwall. In fact, the absence of scruples was one of the first signs of the coming Cataclysm, according to ancient soothsayers...

[PsychicNomad]

Ok, I've downloaded the player kit, but it's late now, so I'll be back tomorrow.

[Humble Hero]

Most of the moods/flavor you listed are ones I enjoy, so my interest has been piqued quite significantly. I'm in 3 games so far, but might be able to wiggle in a fourth... so, since this sounds really fun, l start formulating ideas for the application!

Application Status Completed

Application Name: Silas d'Averon Alias: Redeye Playbook: am happy to adjust/changeSpider Look: Silas is a thin man, one who wears the hardships of life on his face, through the mixture of wrinkles and scars that surround his scowl. His dark hair is kept short, shaved and faded sides and back, with the longer bulk of the top slicked back away from his eyes. And his eyes, likely his most notable feature, are very different; one ice blue, his original hue from birth, while the other is a sickly orange iris with black sclera, from an incident he doesn't speak of. His face is angular, giving him the pointed chin and defined cheekbones, as well as his long crooked nose. His lips are thin, easily able to sneer or grimace in equal measure, while his teeth are quite healthy save for a chip on one front tooth. Knowing the importance of a first impression, Silas always presents himself well. He favors expensive-looking three-piece suits, of typically dark colors and shades - blacks, reds, blues and grays. He uses large coats and wide collars to broaden his stature, to appear more intimidating with a facade of size, in spite of his lean frame. His intent is to present class, sophistication and above-all professionalism; as each of those is important to how he runs his gang, with a focus on becoming wealthy and influential in higher social circles. Yet, even he knows everyone must start at the bottom... but that doesn't stop him dressing for the position he wants. On the rare occasions when someone might meet Silas in his personal office, he is said to resemble a predatory bird. One that looms over his visitors on a high-backed chair, that is an equally richly decorated piece of furniture with carved wood, gold-trim and velvet cushions. Certainly a comfortable seat, at a large wooden desk, from which to observe the building and expansion of a criminal empire... Motivation: Simply put, Silas wants to control it. All of it. But not as the figurehead; no, he understands that those in the public eye have a bullseye on the back. So he wants to be the puppeteer - the hand that guides the change - from the fathomless recesses of the shadows... all the while moving up in the world. Heritage/Background: Were someone to ask Silas about his past, it would not be a long tale. Born into the low class of Doskvol, his childhood was fraught with danger and threat from the start. His parents were decent people, all told, even though they were forced to make poor decisions to survive. Begging, odd jobs, and other less respectable ventures were pursued, all in an attempt to gain coin and change circumstances. Yet, between the rival gangs, Blue Coats, and religious zealots, climbing from the muck was difficult. Silas' father didn't make it, he died when the boy was five. His mother went soon after, killed amid a drunken altercation in a pub, where she was moonlighting as a barmaid - Silas was eight. Being an orphan in Doskvol was almost certainly a death sentence, yet the boy was cunning and smart, if malnourished and small for his size. He started to make himself useful, he used his size to advantage and spied, he crept into places he shouldn't and learned all kinds of secrets and information that others would pay to know... and he told them, for money, without hesitation. For many years, the skinny pale boy proved his worth, and it was enough to begin to turn life around. Silas' methods had been perfected by young adulthood. He had developed a small network of contacts, his information was regarded as solid by those he typically dealt with, and he even had enough backing to start making 'friends'. And for those people he couldn't afford or charm, he planned and plotted and brought about his own designs to fruition - Silas was not afraid to play the long game. In fact, one of his most prized companions and source of information was a childhood friend, William, whom was routinely, with fancies of heroism and doing goodencouraged to seek out a foster home and then pursue a position in the Blue Collars... and so it came to be. In more recent years, Silas has looked to expand his operation. He understands he is small-time, he knows that his sway over gang territory is insignificant; however, he knows the price of information, what some would pay to know it, and what others would pay to keep it hidden. It all comes down to checks and balances, pros and cons, what can be used now to earn a favor later. And manipulation had become Silas' main source of income, and he was good at it, very good in fact... Vice/Purveyor: Luxury. Silas is addicted to anything and everything that is luxurious or opulent or costly. To him, it is a representation for others to see, to show how much more he has, and therefore (in his mind) how high above them he is. By indulging in every aspect of luxurious excess, he feels validated and powerful in his choices in life, and the continuing desire to have more is what motivates him. Dangerous Friends: Friend: William Turnsby - Blue Coat: A childhood friend that ran with Silas, and others, as fellow orphans. William was a very gullible and trusting sort as a child, and it was clear he wouldn't last long on the streets. Silas helped him see the positives of finding foster parents, or at least adults willing to take him in for their own benefit, and continued to remain in contact with William as they grew. When William expressed interest in the Blue Coats, Silas saw an opportunity. He guided William in that direction, and years later his friend was a law enforcement officer - who happened to be an excellent connection, and childhood friend to boot! Rival: Gareth Billem - Thug One of the first men Silas crossed, when the youth found out information by spying in a steam duct of a rundown spa establishment. The information proved detrimental to Gareth's prospects as a new gang member, where he was - confusingly - open to his friends about a plan to kill the leader and assume the position... and it goes without saying that, had Silas not informed the gang leader, Gareth might have been living a very different lifestyle - rather than that of a lowlife thug, who no one trusts beyond once-off jobs. Role-Playing Samples:   Sample 1 The Wookiee planet never failed to amaze, Caen thought to himself, as he touched down in the YT-2400 freighter on the assigned landing pad. From outside the cockpit, he spied the canopy that filtered rays of sun through, and the trees that were miles tall, with some even that wide. It was mind boggling to consider the sheer size of some of the flora. Still, Caen had been to Kashyyyk half a dozen times, and he was sad to say that most of the wow factor had started to wear off... but not completely. Not yet. "Shouldn't be long, DeeBee," The rugged explorer said as he shutdown the ship systems and walked out of the cockpit. He heard the small BD-unit following in his wake, beeping affirmative. "I'm going to take some extra supplies for this one. Dipping into the personal stores of the ship. So I need you to organize a resupply manifest while I'm out, okay?" The small droid beeped again, before it walked over to the ramp and activated the panel to lower it. While that happened, Caen stepped into the nearby storage area, and began filling a backpack - rations, water, climbing gear, portable tent, a shock net, emergency beacon and other similar items. It was far better to not be left wanting, in his experience. And soon enough the pack was... packed, and with a grunt, Caen shouldered the items. He hoped it wouldn't slow him down too much, but the supplies were important enough not to leave behind. "Keep the ship locked unless it's the supplier, DeeBee," Caen said as he stomped his way toward the ramp. He started down, his heavy boots gripping the walkway easily, before he paused and glanced back to the droid. "Hey, hey, look at me--" The droid did. Caen raised his eyebrows and pointed. "--I mean it... don't let those Wookiee kids in again. They turned the inside of the ship upside down playing. Not happening again." The droid whistled with something akin to a human eyeroll, then pressed the ramp button, which started to raise it. Caen quick-stepped the rest of the way to the landing pad tarmac, then half-jumped off the ramp, to land with a grunt. No sooner had the ramp closed than the explorer heard a young sentient's voice, to which he turned and looked at an attractive humanoid in hiking wear. She introduced herself, Sammi, and was the contact for the Museum that had reached out for the guide contract; she seemed well prepared, a datapad in hand, and had a plan to attack the trail they would take by a set time. Organized. Good. "Oh, hey," Caen said with a nod. He offered a smile, as he adjusted the straps on the backpack. "Yeah, Caen's fine. Good to meet you. And don't worry, I know true boredom... try watching growing patterns of crystals on Ilum for several months, then get back to me." Like his companion, Caen was dressed for the thick forest weather in light but durable hiking gear. Granted, he also had his lucky leather jacket on over the shirt, and his blaster in holster strapped to his right thigh. But essentially the same. However, unlike Sammi, Caen did not have an electrostaff, which he now second guessed about having - it was true that the Hracca Glade had some dangerous fauna. "Yeah, I think we should make Hracca Glade before nightfall. Judging by how much day we have left, we should arrive late afternoon?" It wasn't so much a question, as the estimate was accurate enough. Sammi looked physically fit, there was no reason to suspect they would have a slower pace. "Have you organized campsite supplies? I've brought a portable tent, just in case... but if you have a four-star hotel prepped, just say the word and I'll dump the tent." With a smirk, Caen motioned to the exit of the landing area, which would lead to the city and eventually the hiking trail beyond that. "Shall we? After you..." SOMETIME LATER... The trail wasn't the hardest one Caen had been on. Thankfully. There were some difficult obstacles here and there, mainly to do with crossing the expanse between the giant trees, though the downward portions were the easiest. Going downhill was always the easiest part. One thing that made Kashyyyk very different from other hikes was the fact that most of the paths circled or wove through the giant tree trunks themselves; lots of caved out passageways, hollows through wooden tunnels, rope bridges that had seemingly bottomless drops into darkness, that kind of thing. To help pass the time, and to get to know Sammi a bit more, Caen spoke up: "You mentioned unintended interplanetary seed dispersal... that doesn't seem to be a very common event, right?" Caen glanced over to his hiking buddy, eyebrows raised and genuinely curious. He knew a bit about plants, had re-studied basically every source of information on Kashyyyk's plant-life in preparation during hyperspace, but if it came down to identifying plants that weren't native... it could prove complicated. "So, Sammi, do you work for the museum that's funding this expedition, or have you been hired on like me? What's your area of study?"   Sample 2 The journey to Maplethorne was uneventful, and while the town was very quaint, after a week on the dusty and open roads of the land, it felt like a luxury spring for the tired and dirt-clogged adventurer. Before long, Kaiel sat in the tavern, which was largely empty. Much like the town, the establishment was also quaint compared to some that the teen had visited, but a chance to sit and relax some was a welcome reprieve. The place seemed well cared for, the wooden structure seemed resilient and clean, and the atmosphere was lit well enough to promote a sense of public but dark enough to allow privacy, if sought. Nonetheless, when the barkeep presented the drink, Kaiel looked up at the broader man and nodded a thank you. He sipped the beverage, it was quite refreshing and tasted well enough, before he finished the glass. Another was considered, however the lawman beside Kaiel cleared his throat, which drew attention. "I … uh … I know you have already helped me, and I hate to ask, but you wouldn’t happen to be a sellsword* of some kind. Perhaps our town could hire you to help us with a small problem we are having here?" Kaiel raised his eyebrows, before he nodded slowly. Maybe this was his chance to find and complete his 'test', in a small backwater town that probably had very few troubles beyond rounding up a farmer's escaped cows? No one in the family had said, explicitly, that the test had to be difficult or terribly dangerous... so... "I am, yeah, kind of," Kaiel said, as he looked back to the glass. He didn't want to oversell his abilities, didn't want to give the lawman a false sense of hope, and decided to act more conservative. "What was the problem? I might be able to help." Though unsure of the task, it stood to reason that Kaiel was clearly well-provided for. In fact, he was dressed in relatively fine clothing, with some portions of armor - like a shoulder pad, some chest protection, shin guards and the like - that looked well-kept and sturdy. Around his neck was a necklace of silver chain, with a pendant that displayed his family crest, that of the Proudmoore's. Whether the lawman recognized it, Kaiel couldn't say, but there were a lot who did where the teen usually traveled. 'I wonder if he only asked because I look the part? With this family-provided armor and sword and traveling pack?' Deep down, Kaiel didn't feel like he was an adventurer, and he sure as the sun was bright knew he wasn't anywhere to the level of his siblings or parents when it came to being heroes... "Co-could I get another drink, barkeep?" Kaiel asked suddenly, almost as if he needed to distract himself from plunging into those thoughts about his uselessness all over again. Heck knew he had thought them enough on the road so far. "Thank you." Then, Kaiel turned his attention back to the lawman, and waited to hear what he had to say... Do you have access to the BitD rulebook? I don't presently, but I'm happy to purchase a copy if I'm fortunate enough to get into the game. Given the time of year, I need to be frugal with my limited funds, so I can't buy every rulebook that interests me. That said, this setting does interest me, and I like to support creators, so: I don't, but can. Have you played BitD before? I have not, however I'm a quick study and I think play-by-post is a little more forgiving, in the sense that quality RP posts can make up for mechanic/system deficiencies. And I've set about reading the system information and delving more into it, so hopefully I'll be up to speed by the time it's important to be so!

[Hotshot lasgun]

me me me! you allowing homebrew?

https://itch.io/jam/unusual-suspects...ok-jam/entries

[MoldyNolds]

Welcome Humble Hero! Glad to hear you’re vibing on my flavor choices

Originally Posted by Hotshot lasgun

me me me! you allowing homebrew?

https://itch.io/jam/unusual-suspects...ok-jam/entries

Wow, these are amazing! I peeked at a five or six and while I’m certainly no expert, some of them seem to introduce some new abilities and mechanics. Since I don’t fully have a grasp on how the core rules and playbooks balance against each other I’m going to say no homebrew stuff for now. That may change in the future, however!

[HotsuSama]

Honestly, I'm kinda happy to hear no homebrew. I have no BitD experience and I'm more intrigued to see how it plays as from the original ruleset.

Anyway, screw it. I have a basic concept that I'll flesh out over the next couple of days and post up.