Gauging interest in a play-by-post Swords & Wizardry game ...

[nikolokolus]

I had so much fun playing in Monstrous Bat's DCC RPG game that I figured it would be a shame to let it die. I know he's ready to move on from running the game, but I'd sort of like to get back into the GM's chair since my face-to-face group has been on hiatus since the beginning of last summer. If things go really well maybe we'll even move over to roll20 or something?

I'd like to run a game using a slightly modified version of Swords & Wizardry Complete. The rules are free in pdf format (RPGNow.com, froggodgames.com) and if you aren't familiar with Swords & Wizardry Complete, it's basically a very well organized and written retroclone of original D&D, with all of the supplements (the rules are very light and play like a cross between basic D&D and AD&D without all of the clutter and contradictions).

As for my refereeing style, I firmly believe in impartiality, rulings over rules, description over dice and player driven "narrative" over GM driven, plot rails, wankery - I don't want to screw anybody over, I'm not a sadist GM and I actually like watching players succeed against whatever odds they are willing to risk.

The game would be set in a homebrewed world with a distinctly pulp, antediluvian, swords & sorcery vibe (think: somewhere between Michael Moorcock's 'Young Kingdoms' and Clark Ashton Smith's 'Hyperborea' with a dash of Robert E. Howard thrown in). I'm sure I'll borrow heavily from some published modules that I've collected over the years, mixed in with my own ideas. I do use a few house rules, but I'm open to negotiation.

In any case, if anybody is interested let me know below and we'll see where we can go from there.

 

[Siveon]

Well of course I'm in.

 

[Grimgravy]

I'd give it a shot if the timing works out.

 

[nikolokolus]

Cool. If we get two more it's a go. If we can get six people that's probably close to max, but I'm flexible.

 

[nikolokolus]

Well I guess we're going to have to call this a "no-go." Maybe we'll revisit this at a later date?

 

[Grimgravy]

I'll be watching for it.

 

[Siveon]

As will I.

 

[nikolokolus]

If we got one more person we could probably go ahead, so long as you all are OK with making liberal use of hirelings and henchmen.

 

[Siveon]

I'm more of a pet kind of guy. But they're fine.

Perhaps we could just move on to roll20? I'm sure you'll find one or two players over there. Though, we would then have to deal with non-Codexian heathens. Hmm.

 

[bert]

Guess I could give it a shot

 

[Dwemer Puzzle Box]

No worries, mate :australia: just give me a day or two

 

[bert]

 

[nikolokolus]

I'm more of a pet kind of guy. But they're fine.

Perhaps we could just move on to roll20? I'm sure you'll find one or two players over there. Though, we would then have to deal with non-Codexian heathens. Hmm.

Blech! You faggots are bad enough. Plus I don't know shit about roll20, but maybe if there's enough interest I could learn?

In any case, do we have four people now?

 

[bert]

Yes

 

[nikolokolus]

Alright, I'll post here once I have a game thread in the playground started.

 

[nikolokolus]

Just a heads up, I'm dealing with a sudden death in the family. There's going to be a slight delay - probably next until next week.

 

[Siveon]

My condolences, take all the time you need.

 

[Grimgravy]

Yeah, family first. Do your grieving.

 

[nikolokolus]

Thanks guys.

 

[Helly]

All my condolences, bro.
If you need another player and you don't mind a non-native english speaker I'm in.

 

[nikolokolus]

Happy to have you.

 

[nikolokolus]

OK, I'm back(ish). I'll have a game thread posted probably tomorrow with some campaign background information and links to any relevant house rules and player gazetteer type documents (gods, geography, etc.) In the meantime, think about what kind of game you all want me to run. By default, I tend to run sandbox-y games with plenty of hooks for players to follow or disregard, but if most of you want to be dungeon crawling, murder hobos that's cool or if you just want to engage in political intrigue and heavy role-play that's fine too. About the only thing I can't help you with is a heavily railroaded "adventure path" type game. The main reason I ask is because it helps me know where to focus my efforts and not waste my time with material that doesn't interest people.

If you plan to play in the game, post below rating your playstyle from 1 to 10; 1 being, kill-the-monsters-take-the-treasure, and 10 being, "I just want to role-play," 5 just means you like a fairly even mixture of combat, exploration and intrigue or you don't have a preference.

Because this is a swords & sorcery style game, Tolkienesque shit gets reskinned; Elves as you know them, are replaced with a sorcerous race of "supermen" called Hyperboreans (similar in some respects to the Melinibonéans from Moorcock's Elric stories) Dwarves exist, but they are less tolkien and more rumpelstiltskin and Halflings are a sort of sapient vermin who live in ghettos.

 

[bert]

I don't have a preference for either direction, but if this is a S&S game it'd naturally lean towards combat than political intrigue. It depends on the makeup of the party honestly.

 

[Siveon]

Halflings are a sort of sapient vermin who live in ghettos.

For some reason this made me laugh.

---

Honestly I don't have enough experience with anything tabletop related to really define my preference as a whole, since the only one I've played was right here on the Codex. If I were to guess, however, it would be a 5.

 

[Grimgravy]

Put me down as a 4. After we get some experience with the setting and each other, moving into intrigue could be good.