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Macbubble
2012-07-03, 11:38 AM
Hello fellow forum members, I have returned once again for your collective wisdom, and creativity.

I'm in the midst of building an adventure in a homebrew world I have created.
The central idea of the adventure would require some explanation of the history of the world, so you can either read it or not.

History
Long ago in a valley hidden from the outside world, lived a prosperous civilization of Gnomes. The ancient Gnome were the only sentient race of the valley except a race of small psionic tree things. The gnomes used both their magic and advanced technology to live and prosper in the valley. Later on they created the trolls to server them, but that has more to do with the valley and less with the adventure. In order to use their magic the Gnomes had to use gems which their were attuned to. Back then all of the gnomes could use their magic, some may have even been able to use it without the gem. At a certain point in time( after building enough cities, and building to be used as ruins for later adventurers in the valley:smallbiggrin:.) the Gnomes have all or at least most of them, used some kind of machine they have built to leave the valley and get outside into the outside world, probably by teleporting outside.

Since then many years have passed, and the world, or at least the major part of the continent that the Gnomes are living on, is split into 2 big kingdoms. Most of the information about the Gnomes of the past, that lived in the valley has been lost, ergo the 2 kingdoms are very different, and both think they are the right ones in their ways.

The first kingdom, which is also the one the story will be played in,or at least mostly is a kingdom that has the taken the way of the magic gem. The kingdom will call it kingdom A for now, thinks that the right way for the Gnomes is to use the gems as a power source for their gems. The gnomes of kingdom A know that they most be attuned to their gems, and don't see them as nothing more then a power source. Not all of the Gnomes are able to use their magic even with the help of the gems, and that is the way it has been for centuries. The Gnome don't suspect that all of the gnomes can use their power, even though they actually can just don't know how to. The kingdom is ruled by a king who is currently very old, and about to die. The kingdoms is made up of 16 major noble houses from whom the king is the leader of the biggest house. (that is not the way the ruler is chosen, this is just the way things are right now.)

The other kingdom, kingdom B for now has decided to take the technologic side instead of the magical one, they they use the gems as a power source for their inventions. (think a steampunk style but with gems instead of steam) kingdom B is ruled by a council of 11 council members who reside in the capital.

The adventure will be played at a relatively peaceful time between the 2 kingdoms, but that is probably subject to chance when the **** hit the fans at kingdoms A.

There are also a couple of refuge cities in the unexplored part of the continent, where people from both kingdoms live in harmony with each other.

Both of the kingdoms have a race of dwarf like slaves, kingdom B has made its dwarfs from metal and is using them as cheap labourer and man servants. Kingdom has made its dwarf from flesh and souls of the other gnome ( picture the golems from dragon age origins, mindless machines that do what ever they are commended to do, although in kingdom A some of the dwarfs that were made from the souls of more powerful Gnomes, actually became sentient) but the process of making the flesh dwarfs have long been forbidden although the use of them is still legal and today they are used as servants for the more powerful and rich families, and are passed from father to son ( picture the glowing orbs things from "Elantris" (by Brandon Sanderson which is a great book you should read it if you haven't had already) they may serve their masters but they are connected to them and wise to server them, they will not except being freed even if offered to by their master)


The plot up until know, is that an unknown man/woman has found a way to give everyone the power to use the gems without even attuning to them. The way involves surgically inserting a gem into a part of your body, probably your arm. The process is very dangerous and many of the subjects lost their mind in the process and either become mindless machines of destruction, or go on a rampage of mass destruction until they are stopped. The adventure will be and open sandbox one, which will concentrate around the discovery and the problems that it will cause, from the conflict of the kingdom citizens about the use of the new way which many will not survive.

The players in this campaign will be ( not names yet):
Player A: The cousin of the high sit, of one of the smaller major houses.
Player B: The sentient flesh Dwarf who is the man servant and dear friend of Player A
Player C: An elderly servant of the family he serve the dad of player A and his family has served player A family for generations
Player D: This one may change but as of right know he is the mentally retarded brother of player A


Now comes the time where I need your help fellow forum members, I would like you'r advice on a couple of thing

1) I thought of making the discovery of the "way" by the "BBEG" a part of a plan by a council of wise elderly Gnomes from both kingdoms to unite the kingdoms in the time of trouble, they don't wish to rule just unite.( something like the white lotus from avatar the last air bender) I would like your opinion on the matter and any ideas or tips you have to make this one easier to accomplish
2)I would also like you general ideas opnions and tips on the adventure in order to make it much much better :smallsmile:

Chesty la rue

Macbubble
2012-07-04, 11:54 AM
I'll just guess I wasn't clear enough in my questions, or maybe I just rambled on too much.

New question: do you have any tips for a mostly non combat diplomatic adventure?

Chesty la rue

jackattack
2012-07-07, 01:11 PM
For the diplomacy part, keep things moving and keep them on track. Every in-game conversation with an NPC should achieve something (for either side). That doesn't mean that any four encounters will resolve the adventure, but every NPC they talk to about the scenario should at least be able to send them to a next step toward accomplishing the PC's goals. ("I've never actually met the ambassador, I'm just a cook, but I hear he's 'friendly' with one of the maids, if you get my drift.")

Add some subplots, side plots, and/or blind alleys. Not only does this allow you to break the mood (if you need to), it also gives you a way to slow things down if the PCs are burning through the adventure faster than expected.

Similarly, consider throwing in some chances to use combat (or other) skills. A PC might be challenged to a duel or chosen as proxy for someone else's duel. There might be a hunt, or a steeplechase, or games (archery, or obstacles). Information or valuables might have to be stolen or planted to further the PCs' goals. The cook might quit, and a PC has to step in to keep everyone from leaving before diplomacy even starts.

It's really easy for diplomacy to bog down with atmosphere (courtly etiquette, lots of posturing and empty speech, drama for drama's sake, etc.). Players like to succeed, or at least move forward, so make sure they have plenty of chances to do so.

Macbubble
2012-07-08, 07:50 AM
@ jackattack

Thank you for the tips, I wll try to use them as best as I can.


Another question that I have is, because of the weird way magic works, I need a good system to use instead of the spells per day. Something with DC for spells, and DC for fatigue from the spells. Is one like this avilable?

jackattack
2012-07-08, 09:13 PM
I'm not the best one to answer this, but a spell points system might work, especially if there is a DC penalty inverse to the points still in the pool. If you are familiar with the ENDurance rules from HERO System, it's kind of like that.

Or, just allow as many spells as they can cast by successfully rolling against the mounting penalties. In this system, characters would accrue points that count against them, with no upper limit except that the die roll becomes impossible. "Heal" one point every hour or so, with bonuses for resting, meditating, and sleep.

Search, then post, for advice on alternate magic systems. You'll be flooded with suggestions.

Macbubble
2012-07-09, 04:15 AM
@ jackattack

I haven't heared of the HERO system, but I have heared of the Talislanta d20 version. Do you know if it is worth it? I'll check the HERO aswell.

Cheers
2012-07-09, 04:51 AM
I definitely like your original setting and it seems like it can be a lot of fun with some great chances for ideological conflict. on the politics though, i'd be careful.

In my personal experience as DM, (which is not much admittedly) try to keep the politics simple.
Definitely add betrayals, backstabs, doublecrosses, extortions and all that good stuff but keep it limited to only a few factions. Your kingdom A has 16 factions and kingdom has 11. If the players really want to get in the gritty part of politics, thats 27 factions to try and keep up with. With all of them messing around, this will get highly complicated.
As your players will only get partial information on these things it tends to get even worse. Likely discouraging any attempts to meddle in it as none of their actions seems to have consequences or results with such limited information.

TL;DR Looks great. Keep the politics to only a few distinct factions.

jackattack
2012-07-09, 07:09 AM
@ Cheers

Excellent point. If there are lots of factions, make it clear (or easy to find out) which ones are involved in the situation, and which ones are sitting it out.


@ Macbubble

Sorry, I don't know the Talislanta system.

If I was home ruling this, I'd say a spell caster has to roll vs a DC that is 2x the level of the spell he wants to cast.

The caster takes/uses one point per level of spell he successfully casts. (So casting Mage Armor, Mirror Image, and Web total 4 points.) The caster recovers (from) one point per hour he doesn't cast, two per hour he rests, three per hour he meditates, and four per hour he sleeps.

For every 3 points the caster takes/uses, the DC to cast goes up by 1. (Round up.)

You can adjust the numbers and multipliers as you see fit. You can also set an upper limit as a multiple of the caster's INT or END or caster level. Caster level might also be linked to the points-to-DC multiplier.

A fully rested caster can use cantrips all day long. But if he keeps casting his highest level spells, pretty soon he won't even be able to use Dancing Lights.

Macbubble
2012-07-09, 08:01 AM
@ Cheers
I have to admit I just picked a random number for the "factions", so I'll take your advice and lower them a little, although some of the "factions" will be easy to understand.

@ Jackattack

I do like your idea for a homebrew spell system with points but, I want the spells to be more of a do what the hell you like under certain guidelines. The Talislanta has more of that, due to the fact you just need a feat to cast ,and you use skills to make the roll. Combined with the fact that you create your own spells, it just serves my purpose better.

On a different matter, I am trying to decided how to build the cities the gnomes live in. Right now I am thinking for one big city, what do you guys think?

jackattack
2012-07-09, 11:43 AM
Putting everyone in the same city is convenient. Breaking them up among different cities gives you more opportunities to ambush your party while they travel, or introduce sidelines.

Macbubble
2012-07-09, 01:16 PM
@ Jackattack

I was just about to change the comment, I didn't mean 1 big city for all gnomes, I meant that each city will be one giant building.

Cheers
2012-07-09, 01:39 PM
Definitely like the idea of a hive-city, but it seems unlikely without at least some farms (and by extensions farmsteads) dotted across the landscape. A large amount of farmland is required to feed a city and traveling from the city to your fields every day is too much of a commute to be effective. Harvest collection points (a.k.a. farms) seem a logical step.
Alternativly, you can provide for a different food source (subterranean plantations or magically produced) to keep up with your city's demand.

Keep up the good work on the campaign.

Macbubble
2012-07-10, 09:21 AM
@ Cheers

I'll try and think of something, so they wont have to have farm, if you have any ideas of your own I'll be happy to hear them.


I feel like the idea of gnomish royalty isn't setting too well, so what do you guys think of making it that the houses aren't noble, but the houses of a certain kind. For example What if the houses are based on a kind of skill, like music, or gem crafting. Another option is that based on the fact that magic system, is also based on skill. What if the houses are based on the kind of magic ( attack, move, ward, heal).

What do you guys think of that idea?

jackattack
2012-07-10, 02:12 PM
Guilds instead of families, or families with a stranglehold on a particular trade, seem like perfectly viable political system. Ultimately, it comes down to what makes the most sense to the guy who is writing the plots and intrigue.

Splitting the schools of magic along lines of offense, defense, etc. is going to pretty much set the houses'/schools' hierarchy from the outset, and may make it difficult to effect any real change in their ranking.

Cheers
2012-07-11, 04:56 AM
Sorry, accidental double post.

Cheers
2012-07-11, 04:57 AM
In regards to the food situation:

I'm going to make a few assumptions here, so correct me if I'm wrong. I'm sticking to Pathfinder RAW and avoiding the higher level spells (no Tippyverse, thank you very much).
There are only a few spells in this category that can work well.

First create food and water:
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/createFoodAndWater.html#_create-food-and-water
A level 5 priest can support 15 people with this (30 if his widom is high enough for an additional lvl3 spell). Unless there is an abundance of high level priests in this setting, it does not seem viable as a food source except for small hamlets and outposts.

Second is Plant growth:
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/plantGrowth.html#_plant-growth
When cast in enrichment form it serves exactly as you need, increasing the crop yield by a third for the rest of the year. The radius and duration are large enough for a single druid to boost the entire country side surrounding a city. However, despite a 33% increase being rather significant, I don't think it will be enough by itself to remove the need for farms.

Lastly there is Purify food and Drink:
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/purifyFoodAndDrink.html#_purify-food-and-drink
Althoug it does not increase your food production, it does state it can make poisonous food edible. This is however open to interpretation. It either means the food is no longer poisonous or it means it removes any poison put into the food. The first basically allows you to eat poisonous fungi, the second does not as it is an inherent part of the fungi.

My best bet would be to go for a combination of underground fungi farms, local farmland, both improved with Plant Growth and the city preferably being near an ocean for fishing.

On account of guilds and lords:
This seems perfectly viable. Something akin to early democracy wherein each house can choose it's representative to sit on a council perhaps. Or a sole ruler voted amongst the houses.
Regardless of your system, some measure of orderly succesion must be in place otherwise any two powerfull factions can claim the right to rule. With all the consequences of the following open power struggle.

Keep up the good work.

Macbubble
2012-07-11, 06:18 AM
@ Cheers, Jackattack

I was thinking of making the capital an epic sized port city anyway (Just need to figure out the hive thing), so I think I will be using the combination of either underground fungi farms or, greenhouses on the roofs, together with the fishing.

On the matter of guilds I'll probably stick with the idea of guilds for now, and just make it so they have a certain vote on things.

Thank you both for your help so far.

Chesty la rue