JR&WoB
Character Development Jeweled Road and the War of Balance
I am in the early stage of setting the game up but i know a few things for people interested in thinking character development. For now I'll put that stuff here.
I will be starting the game in two parts.
The first will be with a small group of players, First Wavers, that will be involved in background of the immediate present of the game. The first Wave had their opening auction and have sorted out a few details. There are some issues related to online play and real world locations. We have not yet started Post playing rather then Chat Playing, but that may be the next step.
The second group will be the main opening of the game and will be open to as many players as i can manage. Probably a total of 7.
The Chronicles of Corwin, as dictated to Merlin, may be considered canonical. The Merlin Chronicles, self dictated, may be considered full of valuable knowledge despite them showing a fictional road to Merlin winning the Throne of Chaos. (Consider it a semi-fictional character diary for 10 pips) Most of the technical details are mostly accurate. But Swayvil is a Title the High Lord of Chaos bears, and he is not a Sawall, a Hendrake, a Helgram, or a Corsican.
The Prequels by John Gregory Betancourt are not part of this universe's history. I have not read them.
Characters may be from Amber, Avalon, Rebma, Chaos, and possibly from Azcala. Characters can have varied backgrounds and come from varied shadows with genealogies from these realms.
Other realms include Mandalay, Bursain, Calmir, Paragon, and the Abyss.
Random has been King of Amber for 70 years. He has faced many challenges.
The current Ambassador from Chaos, Lord Despil of Sawall. His brother Jurt arrived with him, and opened a popular moving nightclub called Thin Whip's Place.
A vast renovation of the sewer systems of Amber and a vast repaving of the roadways of Amber and the cities of Ober, Garn and Yal.
The Creation of the Mark of Mandalay and the sudden creation of the Jeweled Road. The Jeweled Road stretches from the base of Mt. Kolvir to the Abyss at the Fane of Zilla. A widening understanding of the forces of the universe.
A wave of incoming nobles who all have attractive daughters with an interest in Martin, or at least in meeting other sons and daughters of the Elders.
A court filled with new attendees and old retainers. Families who had long ago stopped participating in public service are suddenly sending their children to court. The Golden Circle is flooding the realm with its people in an effort to cash in on the easier interaction between Amber and Shadow.
Creatures from shadow that seem to arrive for no certain reasons with violent intentions.
A rash of murders in the cities of Amber that includes the removal of the victims hearts.
Character Generation These are all under consideration and are not finalized.
Players start off with 250 pips.
Max good stuff is 5. Max bad stuff is 10. Stored points can be spent if dire need arises.
All standard powers will be available when realm appropriate. Chaosians must take shape-change for 35. Amberites, Rebmans, and Avalonians better have a good reason for not taking Pattern and better squirrel away points for it.
Shapechange-35. Pattern 50.
Power words- I view each power word as a unique bit of esoteric knowledge that a player may have learned despite not being a professional student of sorcery. As such a power word maybe be purchased specifically for one pip. If learned in this manner it is worth figuring out how the character gained it in a RP setting.
I have toyed with the idea that learning power words is also part of the process of learning sorcery. My reasoning would be that once a person has gained 15 power words they are able to do complex sorcery having gained enough of a feel for the craft. In this method a person having gained 15 power words would then have the Sorcery Power and be able to use it as such, while also using the less complicated and less powerful power words.
Rebmans have a slight shapechange for air-breathing and water breathing. They will pay 5 pips less for shapechange. Much of Rebma and its surrounds are accessible by air breathers.
Characters from Aztlan should read the heck out of Aztec mythology. However i'm not using any set of Aztec mythology as Canon. My arrangements will be distinctly different. I can direct you if you like and am open to suggestions.
I am at this writing toying with dividing points a bit. Players will start with 250 pips for stats, powers and the special auction. No more than 20 for Special Knowledge Sources.
Ranks as defined by ADRPG are a tiny influence, but often every bit helps. The Rank system in ADRG always confused me a little bit.
