Any interest in another Fantasy based Play by Post RPG?

[Double Deuce]

Am thinking about running a fairly short Fantasy Play by Post game and wanted to test interest here. It will likely be using HârnMaster (3rd Edition) which is a really low magic, gritty system. Knowledge of the rules and system are not needed (think of it a slightly more fantasy version of Pendragon) you just need to go with the flow and have some creative fun. Available character occupations will be pretty much open to anything  that fits the scenario and I will provide and maintain detailed character sheets for each players. For those who may not be familiar, HârnMaster does not use classes or levels.

Basically I want to test a small module I am working on for possible FtF play but prefer the slower Play by Post pace so I can work out the bugs and rewrite stuff as I go. I am hoping for 3-4 players but should be able to proceed with just 2 or so. More details to follow shortly.

Any preliminary volunteers?

[Double Deuce]

Basic premise is that you are all citizen's of 'x' village when the local Sheriff comes calling on your Lord for assistance in locating a missing person. As members of the village Militia and being Freemen with a trade as opposed to the regular Serfs you get loaned out to the Sheriff as extra muscle in case he needs it.

[TheCommandTent]

You know I'm up for it!

[Double Deuce]

I'm currently working out a point buy system for stats and stuff so players have more control over the character creation. Some things still need to be generated on my end but not really anything that affects short term character design. For character occupation, there are not really any restrictions, you'll be able to pick the one you want (but I'll roll for parent occupation which can affect a small amount of skills you start with).

For more personal stuff you'll be able to pick your own like height, weight, eye and hair color but everyone will be a Human Male this time around. I will also allow players to pick as many other things as I can so that you get as much customization of the character as possible.

More to follow as I put it together.

NOTE: For anyone who wants to look it over I have attached an editable  HârnMaster 3 .pdf Character Sheet to the 1st post in this thread.

[Double Deuce]

The character builder software I have I am planning to use covers way more stuff than the character sheet attached in the 1st post of this thread, like 9-10 long in some cases because you can enter a lot of information into it. The only real problem with the software I have found is, when I try to print it out to .pdf format it prints each page of the character sheet as its own document/file but I'm working on that.

One advantage though is that it has the ability to print a character sheet overview to about  1/2 page in size. I'll see if I can post some of those too, for reference.

[Double Deuce]

I am also considering other scenario angles that take place in Northern Harn where the players will start as either Ivinian (Vikings in Harn) or Jarin (Harn local population) and go from there. Final decision would probably be whatever the players prefer.

[Double Deuce]

OK, here are the basic guidelines for creating your character. Any questions just ask. The PDF in post #1 is an editable PDF so you can enter your information into a downloaded copy, save it and re-attach it back to this thread. You can also post your data directly into replies in this thread as text. Either way will work and I will use that information to work up your official character sheet. If you read through and say that's way too much work but still want in on the game, post a general character concept (using some of the information below and I will generate your character using that information for you.  8) ).

CHARACTER DESIGN
Point based Character Design is the method we will use for generating player characters. It works by setting attributes to a number, and then each player will take a pool of points and allocates those points to increase the attributes deemed most valuable.

KEY ATTRIBUTES
Set all seven key attributes (STRENGTH, STAMINA, DEXTERITY, AGILITY, INTELLIGENCE, AURA, and WILL) to eight (08). Use a pool of thirty (30) character points (CPs) to increase attributes as desired. No attribute may be increased beyond the species maximum (Human maximum is 18).

OTHER ATTRIBUTES
Use a pool of (20) CPs for the following attributes . Some choices have negative CPs, which give players more CPs to further improve attributes as desired.

Appearance Attributes
Height: Players choose one of three height averages: Short (–3 CPs), Average (+0 CPs), or Tall (+3 CPs).

Frame: Players choose one of: Scant (–4 CPs), Light (–2 CPs), Medium (+0 CPs), Heavy (+2 CPs), or Massive (+4 CPs). NOTE: FRAME modifies a character's
WEIGHT, which in turn affects STRENGTH and AGILITY.

Comeliness: Set attribute to 08. Each increase of two points is +1 CP; each decrease of one point is –1 CP. Minimum attribute score is 03 and maximum is 18.

Physical Attributes
Set the remaining four Physical Attributes (EYESIGHT, HEARING, SMELL and VOICE to 08). Each increase of one costs one half (1/2) CP.

Personality Attributes
MORALITY choose from among Diabolical (03–04), Unscrupulous (05–07), Corruptible (08–10), Law-Abiding (11–13), Principled (14–16), and  Exemplary (17–18).
DEITY choose from among the following (the # range after the Deity information is where your must MORALITY fall within). NOTE: some Deities are illegal to worship in some areas.

Agrik (evil god of fire and war) 03–13
Halea (goddess of wealth and pleasure) 05–16
Ilvir (god of sorcerous beasts)  05–16
Larani (lady of paladins) 08–18
Morgath (evil god of the undead) 03–07
Naveh (god of thieves and assassins) 03–10
Peoni (lady of healing and virtue) 08–18
Sarajin (viking god of battle) 05–16
Save-K'nor (wise god of riddles) 08–18
Siem (god of dreams, elves, and dwarves) 11–18).

Medical & Psyche
By risking medical and mental traits, bonus CPs can be obtained to improve attributes, but never an attribute that is affected by the trait.
+2 CPs per random Medical Trait roll (most are bad such as Epilepsy, Leprosy, Addiction and and physical deformaties, while some are beneficial such as Ambidextrous).
+3 CPs per random Mental Trait roll (i.e. Phobias, manias, and other mental disorders).
There is a maximum of three rolls per table.

Family Attributes
Family attributes and background will be generated randomly.

Choose 2 Occupations from either of the following 2 lists, with both coming from the same "list grouping" (Designate 1 as your Parent Occupation covering up to Age 14 and designate 1 as your career occupation from Age 14+)

FREEMAN (Unguilded)
ANIMAL TRAINER
BEGGAR/SCAVENGER
CARTOGRAPHER/ARTIST
COOK/SERVANT
FARMER
FISHERMAN
HERDSMAN
HUNTER/TRAPPER
LABORER/LONGSHOREMAN
RATTER
SAGE/TUTOR
SCRIBE
TEAMSTER
THATCHER
TOYMAKER

FREEMAN (Guilded)
ALCHEMIST
APOTHECARY
ASTROLOGER
CHANDLER
CHARCOALER
CLOTHIER
COURTESAN
EMBALMER
GLASSWORKER
HARPER/SKALD
HIDEWORKER
INNKEEPER
JEWELER
LEXIGRAPHER
LITIGANT
LOCKSMITH
MASON
MERCANTYLER
METALSMITH
MILLER/MILLWRIGHT
MINER
OSTLER
PERFUMER
PHYSICIAN
PILOT
POTTER
SALTER
SEAMAN
SHIPWRIGHT
TENTMAKER
THESPIAN
TIMBERWRIGHT
WEAPONCRAFTER
WOODCRAFTER

[Double Deuce]

Not to derail the current thread but I have also considered making this into a play poll game and just running it along the lines of a one of those old option driven gamebooks.

We could either use the character that Dan (TheCommandTent) creates for the basis of the game/story or I could throw up the character creation steps into a thread and using polls, the group could cooperatively create the character. The 2nd option could be pretty time consuming though and maybe not the best way to go about it.

Thoughts?

[TheCommandTent]

I'm cool with it either way, I just need to find time to sit down and create a character.

[Double Deuce]

HârnMaster character generation is notoriously time consuming even when cut down to its most basic form so I could also pre-gen one in the software I have based on general information and go from there.

[TheCommandTent]

HârnMaster character generation is notoriously time consuming even when cut down to its most basic form so I could also pre-gen one in the software I have based on general information and go from there.

Ok here is my attempt to create my character.  Let me know what I screwed up and if I forgot anything.

[Double Deuce]

Ok here is my attempt to create my character.  Let me know what I screwed up and if I forgot anything.

Looks good on initial review. Based on the Deity, I'm guessing your leaning more towards this being a Viking themed game? If so, let me know and I'll start plugging him into the software and flesh out the rest of the character sheet.

[TheCommandTent]

Ok here is my attempt to create my character.  Let me know what I screwed up and if I forgot anything.

Looks good on initial review. Based on the Deity, I'm guessing your leaning more towards this being a Viking themed game? If so, let me know and I'll start plugging him into the software and flesh out the rest of the character sheet.

Viking themed would be cool.


Was hoping one or two more guys would jump on board with this.  I know from experience DD is a great GM.   If not I am sure they'll be chomping at the bit to jump in once they see how much fun we are having  :)

[Double Deuce]

Viking themed would be cool.

OK, here is your draft character. I just plugged it into the standard character sheet and need to recheck the numbers, especially for the skill levels based on occupation and stuff. I am also plugging it into the software I have that generates about a 9 page character sheet, in excrutiating personal detail but its mainly for me to add notes the PC may not be aware of and track other stuff.

[Double Deuce]

Just an FYI. HârnMaster is a % based system (roll 1d100 under your skill to succeed). When testing versus stats you usually roll against a multiplier of your stat (x1, x2, etc) and as with skill checks, lower is better.