Based on the Interest thread, I gather that we have four Hunters for the game: Dave, Daniel, Shreyas, and Rich.
I'm going to assume you guys have access to the game. If not, you can find the character creation section and the conflict resolution rules
on our web site. I'll explain the rest as we go along.
After thinking about it, I don't want to put restrictions on the game after all: if you all want to be newly initiated Beast Hunters, we'll do that. I am going to develop some more multiplayer beasts for the upcoming (free) supplement anyway.
What would you guys like? Should there be a tribe, or should we go with Daniel's idea of you being the last few? The answer will obviously matter for the kinds of interactions your characters are going to have.
We also need to decide whether men are considered near-equals (who are just not fit to be leaders) in your tribe, inferior but accepted, or outright mistreated. If the tribe is large, there might be groups within the tribe that differ in this regard.
Almost all of the tribes are nomadic. They are named after their (exclusively female) leaders. If the leader is Rhora, the tribe will be the Rhora-nadan. If another female steps up and assumes leadership, the nadan's identity shifts accordingly. If you don't have any females left in your tribe, you are doomed to die out (since all tribes are matrilineal). Some tribes have feuds, and all of them vie for glory, but they are smart enough not to eradicate each other, unless something really horrible happens.
So... thoughts, ideas?
Comments
Other possibilities could be (unless of course I am totally misremembering Christian & Lisa's setting, in which case no doubt I will be appropriately chastised) a nadan that is near the border of that magical-wasteland-place (sorry, no book nearby.) Or maybe a tribe that is actually traditionally at odds with the beast hunters, for some reason. Or members of a cult that worship the magical beasts, rather than attempts to destroy them. Or... well, lots of options. I'm confident that the chargen system will produce awesome regardless of where we start.
I still don't have internet access from home, but that should be fixed over the next few days.
Name: TaQhar
Traits:
Feral Dogs Were My Playmates PO +1
My Mother Taught Me Focus MD +2
Trust Only Your Own Heart SD +2
My Tribemates Were More Skilled but I Survived PD +3
Our Tribe is Praised in Song SO +1
Kerak Never Could Defeat Me in the Game MO +1
The Jalpa Will Pay For The Death of My Tribe PO +3
Cunning and Quickness Wins the Day PD +1
My Ears Miss Nothing SO +2
I Know the Beasts Like My Own Heart MO +2
Resources:
Hide Armor from the Xalthrax PD +2
My Fathers Flute SO +2
My Grandmothers Bone Spear PO +3
The Litany of the Hunter MD +1
True Names of the Jalpa MO +1
Greatest Student of Baltok SD +1
Inititive:
M 3
P 2
S 2
Damage
M: +1L +1M
P: +1 L +1 M
S: +2 L
I had decided to step back a bit and not be the driving force for setting up the game (and then I got sick), because I didn't want to be the one steering the whole effort, but it seems that that approach backfired.
I can still run the game, but I wouldn't be able to nudge people along very much. If you all still want to do that, great
I'm going with the idea that we are not all necessarily playing Beast Hunters, though I'd be happy to adapt if we'd rather do that (it is more straightforward.)
Name: Qwela
Qwela is a lorekeeper and storyteller of her tribe. From a young age she was taught the songs and dances that make up the history of her people, which is the true history of the world.
Step 1: Your Parents
Qwela's mother was a warrior of the village, known for her fierceness and recklessness. Qwela's father, a weaver, was always a little afraid of his wife -- awed, even. When Qwela was still young, her mother was crippled in battle, and could no longer fight -- reduced to lesser duties, she became bitter and took it out on her husband and child. Eventually the shame and frustration became too much, and she killed herself.
My mother's eyes like lightning SO
I've had worse MD
A weaver's careful hands PD
Beautiful ceremonial garb SD
The memory of my mother laughing MD
Social Initiative +1, +Med to Mental, +Light to Social.
Step 2: Your Tribe
After her mother's death, Qwela's path was uncertain. Though her mother had always planned on her becoming a warrior, her father tried to turn her away, terrified at the thought of losing his only child. Qwela was drawn to the dancers and the storytellers of the tribe -- in their songs she found a way to honour her mother's memory, without taking up her spear. She would learn the song of the world, and sing in it her mother's life, so that none would forget her sacrifice.
When I sing, the stars stoop to listen SO
When I dance, the earth holds its breath MO
The stories of my people SO
The Song of the World MO
Physical Initiative +1, Social +Light
Step 3: Your Enemies
(Tired of the mini-background, and besides I don't want to step on any toes since I'm not sure if we're going for the dead-tribe or what.)
There is no mercy left in me PO
The dead will not let me rest SD
Desperation SO
The dagger that killed my father PO
Mental Initiative +1, Mental +Light
Step 4: Special Training
These traits and resources represent Qwela's specialized tribe historian training, rather than the usual Beast Hunter training.
I know the names of many things MD
I know how to listen, and when MO
Our wise-woman's head MD
Social Initiative +1, Physical +Light, Social +Medium
--* CONCATENATE + ADD NUMBERS *--
Name: Qwela
Hunter: Daniel
Initiative: P2, S3, M2
Traits:
My mother's eyes like lightning SO +3
I've had worse MD +1
A weaver's careful hands PD +1
When I sing, the stars stoop to listen SO +2
When I dance, the earth holds its breath MO +3
There is no mercy left in me PO +2
The dead will not let me rest SD +2
Desperation SO +2
I know the names of many things MD +1
I know how to listen, and when MO +1
Resources:
Beautiful ceremonial garb SD +1
The memory of my mother laughing MD +1
The stories of my people SO +2
The Song of the World MO +3
The dagger that killed my father PO +1
Our wise-woman's head MD +2
Damage Levels
Physical: 2/1/1/1/1
Social: 3/2/1/1/1
Mental: 2/2/1/1/1
I guess we can always add the new characters in later.
Har'qhur
Initiative
Mental 2
Physical 2
Social 3
Traits
My father taught me how to wait silently for prey PO +1
"My mother taught me to question everything" SD +2
I watched my parents die MD +2
Secrets are the best currency SO +3
I learned how to roll with a blow PD +1
Staying hidden keeps you alive PD +3
Nothing they say can hurt me SD +1
My senses can not be fooled MO +1
I can read people's thoughts on their faces SO +2
No one thinks I'm a threat PO +2
Resources
Slim build PD +2
Sharp mind MO +1
Tribal council badge (stolen) SO +2
Small throwing spear PO +1
A sketch of the man who killed my parents MD +3
Chendra, head of the local nadan SD +1
Damage
Mental - 2/2/1/1/1
Physical - 2/1/1/1/1
Social - 3/2/1/1/1
I've been thinking about this over the weekend. We've got some very socially-oriented characters here, but you three will be the last of your tribe. So there won't be any internal politics to be involved in. In order to prepare this appropriately, what would you guys like to be doing with your characters? As in, are you looking to walk the earth settling disputes within and among tribes? Are you going to fight against your enemies to win glory for your dying tribe?
In other words, what's your group's first adventure goal?
Another option that occured to me was that we could add some NPC tribe members, so it's more like a dozen total survivors. This could be modeled fairly easily by all of us swapping out one or two resources for a resource that represents some group of survivors that the character somehow represents or feels responsible for. So I could take 'the village children SO +2' or something, and someone else could have 'the last of the (tribename) warriors PO +1,' etc. This would both modify the overall situation (it's not just three people, it's a somewhat greater social remnant) and maybe make the survival of the tribe more interesting mechanically.
Rich, what's your take?
I've got entirely too much going on.
Sorry for getting everyone's hopes up. I might be able to pull this off in the new year, but with the new job starting, there's no way I can fit this in--there is not going to be any non-work-related internet access.
Again, sorry.