CharlotteOz
Explorer
It was called the Last War as a warning.
For a hundred years, ever since the rite of succession in the Five Kingdoms was ignored and a thousand years of relative peace came to an end, the continent of Khorvaire has been seized by war. Desperation pushed the limits of magic to destructive heights undreamed of, birthing a new race of animate constructs, delivering new modes of flying transport, and culminating in an unclaimed act of magical terrorism, wiping the nation of Cyre off the face of the continent.
Sick and weary of war, two years ago the Treaty of Thronehold was signed, putting an end to the Last War, with the best of intentions of ensuring it was the Last War - because another, on the scale witnessed, could end all life on the world of Eberron. The magical constructs called the warforged have been granted personhood, and struggle to adapt to a world without war - as does everyone else. With a hundred years of grudges across national lines, with everyone knowing someone who died or suffered in the war, there are a lot of people in Khorvaire not willing to let bygones be bygones.
Those are just the threats within the Five Nations. The emissaries from Sarlona are eagerly stepping in to help with refugees and shortages, but nothing comes without a price. The lost continent of Xen'drix is opening to exploration, and could contain anything - including nothing more than a sad repeat of the history of colonialism against its drow natives. There are stirrings of activity within the Cult of the Dragon Below, their long-term insane goal being the revival of the dread wyrm Tiamat - and the dragons of Argonessen are heard to be taking an unusual interest in the affairs in Khorvaire. There are tales of a warforged god building a nation in the ruins of Cyre, and the Dragonmarked houses - centers of magical trade, and relatively unscathed by war - are up to something.
To hold the world together may be an impossible task.
But for some of the individuals emerging worldwide, only nothing is impossible.
What's the game? A superhero game set in Eberron.
Where's it hosted? Off-site, located here. It's currently in progress, but we've lost a few members and are recruiting new ones. I've decided to try off-site recruitment in addition to recruiting on-site.
Why Eberron? Eberron is a setting for Dungeons and Dragons that advances the general feel and timeline of the "fantasy consensus universe" from medieval Ye Olden Times to the stories of the post-World War 1 pulp era. Less Bilbo Baggins and more Indiana Jones.
In the consciousness of Western society, the pulp heroes gave way to the superheroes in the late 1930s and early 1940's. This is a game about Eberron making that transition.
Why superheroes? They're awesome, and I feel that a pulp fantasy universe allows for fresh possibilities with the genre, either taking fantasy archtypes up to the level of superheroics, or lending superheroic archtypes a fresh perspective within Eberron's borders.
Where in Eberron is this set? Initially, Khorvaire. Not to say that you have to come from there, but that you have to wind up there by the time the team is ready to form.
What's this about a team? One of the unusual things I want to do with this game is that I want to run it comics-universe style - as in, every character initially has a solo thread where you have your own adventure, then you get together with the team in a group thread, then we have both your solo thread and your group thread going simultaneously. Like how members of the Justice League or the Avengers have their solo books and then the team book - or if movies are your frame of reference, how we get Captain America or Superman movies in between Avengers and Justice League films.
So how will that work? Like this.
That's a little unusual. It is! But play-by-post gives us an ideal place to pursue it, since the slower pace means more attention can be focused on the individual members.
Also, if you don't want a solo thread, you don't have to have one past your introduction, so if you think it's a bad idea, it won't directly affect you. If you don't want to be in the group thread, that's also something I can accommodate.
What system are you using? Mutants & Masterminds 3rd Edition. Starting PL is 10; starting PP for new players will be 155.
What style or tone of play are you looking for? Akin to the DC Animated Universe of the 90's and 00's, or the better Marvel movies. Realistic on an emotional level - as in "this crazy thing that happened is crazy" - but not necessarily on a physics level ("what tensile strength is required for Big Crazy Thing to be real?") and with the social impact level limited so that it doesn't get in the way of the genre. Essentially, the core truth of the game's tone is that it's a world with superheroes and that needs superheroes.
How many people are you looking for? I'm looking for three new recruits!
Can you give me an example of a superhero in Eberron? Sure. Here's the three we have currently:
And here's the three that have stepped down due to time constraints or that have outright quit:
I'd rather any new concepts step on their toes should they return to us. Eberron has a lot of room for everyone.
What restrictions are you putting on powers? Basically, Teleport - especially round-the-world teleport - is off limits, and don't get too out-there with arrays or with one-hit-and-they're-down powers.
What other things should I consider when making a PC?
I still have questions! Ask them below!
I'm interested! Sign me up! Again, looking for three players. If you want in on this, pitch me on your concept and we'll see how good it looks. And again, this game is off-site, so if that's a dealbreaker, I'm letting you know up front.
For a hundred years, ever since the rite of succession in the Five Kingdoms was ignored and a thousand years of relative peace came to an end, the continent of Khorvaire has been seized by war. Desperation pushed the limits of magic to destructive heights undreamed of, birthing a new race of animate constructs, delivering new modes of flying transport, and culminating in an unclaimed act of magical terrorism, wiping the nation of Cyre off the face of the continent.
Sick and weary of war, two years ago the Treaty of Thronehold was signed, putting an end to the Last War, with the best of intentions of ensuring it was the Last War - because another, on the scale witnessed, could end all life on the world of Eberron. The magical constructs called the warforged have been granted personhood, and struggle to adapt to a world without war - as does everyone else. With a hundred years of grudges across national lines, with everyone knowing someone who died or suffered in the war, there are a lot of people in Khorvaire not willing to let bygones be bygones.
Those are just the threats within the Five Nations. The emissaries from Sarlona are eagerly stepping in to help with refugees and shortages, but nothing comes without a price. The lost continent of Xen'drix is opening to exploration, and could contain anything - including nothing more than a sad repeat of the history of colonialism against its drow natives. There are stirrings of activity within the Cult of the Dragon Below, their long-term insane goal being the revival of the dread wyrm Tiamat - and the dragons of Argonessen are heard to be taking an unusual interest in the affairs in Khorvaire. There are tales of a warforged god building a nation in the ruins of Cyre, and the Dragonmarked houses - centers of magical trade, and relatively unscathed by war - are up to something.
To hold the world together may be an impossible task.
But for some of the individuals emerging worldwide, only nothing is impossible.
What's the game? A superhero game set in Eberron.
Where's it hosted? Off-site, located here. It's currently in progress, but we've lost a few members and are recruiting new ones. I've decided to try off-site recruitment in addition to recruiting on-site.
Why Eberron? Eberron is a setting for Dungeons and Dragons that advances the general feel and timeline of the "fantasy consensus universe" from medieval Ye Olden Times to the stories of the post-World War 1 pulp era. Less Bilbo Baggins and more Indiana Jones.
In the consciousness of Western society, the pulp heroes gave way to the superheroes in the late 1930s and early 1940's. This is a game about Eberron making that transition.
Why superheroes? They're awesome, and I feel that a pulp fantasy universe allows for fresh possibilities with the genre, either taking fantasy archtypes up to the level of superheroics, or lending superheroic archtypes a fresh perspective within Eberron's borders.
Where in Eberron is this set? Initially, Khorvaire. Not to say that you have to come from there, but that you have to wind up there by the time the team is ready to form.
What's this about a team? One of the unusual things I want to do with this game is that I want to run it comics-universe style - as in, every character initially has a solo thread where you have your own adventure, then you get together with the team in a group thread, then we have both your solo thread and your group thread going simultaneously. Like how members of the Justice League or the Avengers have their solo books and then the team book - or if movies are your frame of reference, how we get Captain America or Superman movies in between Avengers and Justice League films.
So how will that work? Like this.
- Solo threads: origin story for you
- Then team thread: the team comes together for its first big adventure.
- Then solo threads and team thread running in parallel: or close to parallel, with perhaps some time off in between. Future story ideas may be seeded in group threads and followed through in solo threads, or vice versa. If something life-changing happens in one thread, we assume that the other thread took place before that.
That's a little unusual. It is! But play-by-post gives us an ideal place to pursue it, since the slower pace means more attention can be focused on the individual members.
Also, if you don't want a solo thread, you don't have to have one past your introduction, so if you think it's a bad idea, it won't directly affect you. If you don't want to be in the group thread, that's also something I can accommodate.
What system are you using? Mutants & Masterminds 3rd Edition. Starting PL is 10; starting PP for new players will be 155.
What style or tone of play are you looking for? Akin to the DC Animated Universe of the 90's and 00's, or the better Marvel movies. Realistic on an emotional level - as in "this crazy thing that happened is crazy" - but not necessarily on a physics level ("what tensile strength is required for Big Crazy Thing to be real?") and with the social impact level limited so that it doesn't get in the way of the genre. Essentially, the core truth of the game's tone is that it's a world with superheroes and that needs superheroes.
How many people are you looking for? I'm looking for three new recruits!
Can you give me an example of a superhero in Eberron? Sure. Here's the three we have currently:
- Acolyte Tobias, who hosts a sliver of the Silver Flame within him, and can use it to harm, heal and ensnare. He is a rare manifestation of the power of the Silver Flame, and people such as him are called, in the history of the church, The Torchbearer.
- Lysa, on the eve of the Mourning that wiped out the nation of Cyre, found her mind transplanted by her father into the body of a prototype warforged with great strength, force missile cannons, and the ability to fly. She makes her home in Sharn, and has taken on the name of Steel Falcon.
- Faz, whose background is mysterious and who appears to be a changeling - but his shapeshifting abilities, wherever they come from, are an order of magnitude above any other changeling's powers.
And here's the three that have stepped down due to time constraints or that have outright quit:
- Adaa, who was bred to be an Inspired and a host for the quori her whole life, but at the crucial moment, decided to fight back and found a psionic strength within her she never knew she had. She travelled to Khorvaire to elude her pursuers, and has found a home there.
- Matteus, a nobleman and thief-catcher who was cursed by a demon to burn everything he laid eyes on. With the help of an artificer friend, he wears a set of goggles to help contain his cursed gaze - goggles he lifts the lenses on with great hesitation.
- Captain Cyre, a soldier from the midst of the Last War who was meant to be enhanced with a variety of mystical artifacts and carefully implanted traits to be Cyre's ultimate weapon, and a symbol of all it stood for.
I'd rather any new concepts step on their toes should they return to us. Eberron has a lot of room for everyone.
What restrictions are you putting on powers? Basically, Teleport - especially round-the-world teleport - is off limits, and don't get too out-there with arrays or with one-hit-and-they're-down powers.
What other things should I consider when making a PC?
- In terms of background, the game's scope is Khorvaire, so you should either be from there, or be living there/about to start living there. Don't feel you can't go intercontinental with your concept, but you do have to wind up in Khorvaire at some point.
- The game can accommodate both scaled-up D&D characters as well as superheroic archetypes, but I tend to tilt towards superheroic archetypes as a personal preference.
- Ideally, your background should contain at least two, if not more, of the following types of characters: parental figure, rival, partner or ex-partner, love interest or ex-love interest, nemesis, friend, or mysterious figure.
- Give me a rough idea how you want your first "origin issue" to go. Bearing in mind that all threads are public, so any information in these threads will be readable by anyone.
- You don't need a "superhero name," but if you don't pick one, the papers are probably going to give you one once your activities are noticed.
I still have questions! Ask them below!
I'm interested! Sign me up! Again, looking for three players. If you want in on this, pitch me on your concept and we'll see how good it looks. And again, this game is off-site, so if that's a dealbreaker, I'm letting you know up front.