imp_fireball
2010-07-19, 06:01 AM
Basically, I have this idea for a quick and dirty game (D&D inspired).
Setting is as follows:
300 years ago, a great divide had resulted from cataclysmic magical forces straining against one another. These products of pure greed - great and regular mages alike - the former, composed of tyrants, the latter intertwining energies fueling greater spells. Nations arose and fell rapidly. Many were slain, and created anew. Races were born through the workings of wizards small and large, whether for good or evil.
But what failed most was the semblance of order. The very word 'order' became a mockery of its former meaning. Magic made life so easy. With it, wars were won in a matter of seconds. Millions died and were reborn. Kingdoms sank into the ground and were sewn anew. Life became quite hectic, in other words. The only people who understood it all were the mages.
Until one day, an alien eldritch force came over the land (was it the gods? It couldn't be. After all, all belief in gods was lost long ago) - drawn by the years long discord. So wise, intelligent and powerful was this force that it merely frowned in irritation at what it beheld upon its arrival.
"What purpose is there in life when life is predictable and controlled? We will unmake you. Redefine you."
And so life was redefined, for a time. But the forces that brought about discord, both evil and good, in shock at the loss of their focal of power, struck back. The eldritch presence was eventually driven away from the planet - but the world wasn't doomed.
No, some chose to heed the words of the aliens, spoken so fluently. Religion became a renewed concept. Any reverence for wizards dissappeared. Great, global war began as simple minded, mundane peasants rose up with magic of their own.
Eventually, a consortium of the grandest of wizards was formed. It was here that magic was perfected such that they were able to drive out all control once had over it. Within the planet's biosphere, magic was locked away, only assessible to the consortium. All enemies were in effect pacified to mediocrity. True victory over the world was acheived for the first time in countless thousands of years.
Fortunately, these wizards of the consortium were level headed (and they had to be, to be capable of the decisions they'd made). They chose to impose order upon the world, based largely on ancient values as well as advanced non-magical values wrought from other universes (with the magic they safeguarded, of course).
Universal currency was imposed. Banks and banking sub-divisions were formed.
The world began to experience wild booms in development, undergoing an industrial revolution (like the one on earth, but hundreds of times larger in scope).
--------
Present
The world is under a period of boom/bust. 'Schizo-tech' and 'kitchen sink' tropes are largely imposed.
------
Basically, everyone takes loans from banks - the amount determined by their universal credit score considered by all banks. Credit is based upon reputation.
You win by buying stuff with your loans, keeping a reputation so that your credit score remains good enough to take out even higher loans, making money, buying more stuff and then conquering the world with an army or whatever. This is all surveyed under the watchful eye of the consortium - the wizards are essentially both gods and a universal goverment all in one - they do not meddle in mortal affairs.
I understand that a lot of this would need to be freeform or use some simple mechanic (the most complicated part should be the credit scoring and would be GM regulated). Alternatively, it could be a variant of a 4X strategy game I'm already working on.
Setting is as follows:
300 years ago, a great divide had resulted from cataclysmic magical forces straining against one another. These products of pure greed - great and regular mages alike - the former, composed of tyrants, the latter intertwining energies fueling greater spells. Nations arose and fell rapidly. Many were slain, and created anew. Races were born through the workings of wizards small and large, whether for good or evil.
But what failed most was the semblance of order. The very word 'order' became a mockery of its former meaning. Magic made life so easy. With it, wars were won in a matter of seconds. Millions died and were reborn. Kingdoms sank into the ground and were sewn anew. Life became quite hectic, in other words. The only people who understood it all were the mages.
Until one day, an alien eldritch force came over the land (was it the gods? It couldn't be. After all, all belief in gods was lost long ago) - drawn by the years long discord. So wise, intelligent and powerful was this force that it merely frowned in irritation at what it beheld upon its arrival.
"What purpose is there in life when life is predictable and controlled? We will unmake you. Redefine you."
And so life was redefined, for a time. But the forces that brought about discord, both evil and good, in shock at the loss of their focal of power, struck back. The eldritch presence was eventually driven away from the planet - but the world wasn't doomed.
No, some chose to heed the words of the aliens, spoken so fluently. Religion became a renewed concept. Any reverence for wizards dissappeared. Great, global war began as simple minded, mundane peasants rose up with magic of their own.
Eventually, a consortium of the grandest of wizards was formed. It was here that magic was perfected such that they were able to drive out all control once had over it. Within the planet's biosphere, magic was locked away, only assessible to the consortium. All enemies were in effect pacified to mediocrity. True victory over the world was acheived for the first time in countless thousands of years.
Fortunately, these wizards of the consortium were level headed (and they had to be, to be capable of the decisions they'd made). They chose to impose order upon the world, based largely on ancient values as well as advanced non-magical values wrought from other universes (with the magic they safeguarded, of course).
Universal currency was imposed. Banks and banking sub-divisions were formed.
The world began to experience wild booms in development, undergoing an industrial revolution (like the one on earth, but hundreds of times larger in scope).
--------
Present
The world is under a period of boom/bust. 'Schizo-tech' and 'kitchen sink' tropes are largely imposed.
------
Basically, everyone takes loans from banks - the amount determined by their universal credit score considered by all banks. Credit is based upon reputation.
You win by buying stuff with your loans, keeping a reputation so that your credit score remains good enough to take out even higher loans, making money, buying more stuff and then conquering the world with an army or whatever. This is all surveyed under the watchful eye of the consortium - the wizards are essentially both gods and a universal goverment all in one - they do not meddle in mortal affairs.
I understand that a lot of this would need to be freeform or use some simple mechanic (the most complicated part should be the credit scoring and would be GM regulated). Alternatively, it could be a variant of a 4X strategy game I'm already working on.