Angst
Rambling and inconsistent
-- The Fated Dead --
Introduction
Tahn wouldn’t hurt a fly. He had grown up north of the big city, where the earth was rocky and cold. The toils of the farmer were embodied in his short statue as well as his level-headed, stoic look. He had thought himself wed to poverty, each day a battle to stay alive, and that’s why he went southwards. Not to gain glory, but to spite the anguish of his life. The Grim Maul arena indeed seemed to be the perfect place to spite life.
Tahn was given a blade in hand, a rusty, dull weapon. He was paid for each kill in the arena, facing naked peasants for the amusement of the city dwellers. He had thought himself bound to brutality, each day a battle to stay alive, and that was why he stabbed his countrymen. When he failed against strong opponents, he was carved in pieces, and then resurrected in short due, to prepare for the next battle.
Tahn was a good boy. But each and every death had his body scarred and carved, and in time his legs were replaced with iron and dark magick. He could not recognize himself in the mirror, all he saw was black fumes from his open esophagus. His old dagger was gone, and in its place a spear so vicious it had a barbed shaft, his fingers were covered in blood. He exited his cell, delighted in the distant yells of the crowd. He clenched his spear even tighter, his amorphous body covered in blood and pus. As he entered the arena, he saw his opponent, a naked, cowering peasant girl. Another victim play, he thought to himself.
Tahn wouldn’t hurt a fly. But whatever he had now become, would.
Welcome!
to The Fated Dead. This is a character-driven IOT where players play as champions in a dark fantasy arena called the Grim Maul. Awesome fights grant the fighter wealth and glory, and even if someone dies, he will be resurrected after the battle. This all sounds nice, but the thing is, necromancers haven’t actually perfected restoration of life yet – whatever injuries the champion has received may remain in his reanimated body, and even the ritual itself may lead to disfiguring. What this means is that even if a champion starts as beautiful as Jaime Lannister, he will surely degenerate into a malformed abomination.
It’s not all downside, though. When recuperating from death, the dead champion’s body will probably be reinforced with machine parts, eldritch flesh or dark magick. The shambling remains may prove to become even more powerful at the player’s discretion. Additionally, beside ordinary or cursed equipment, voluntary surgery and vivisection may have the champion’s body artificially enhanced.
Game updates will account for the respective gladiatorial battles, which may take a lot of forms at the tournament organizer’s discretion. But even champions that aren’t involved in that week’s combat may take opportunities in the numerous activities behind the scenes of the actual arena combat – stuff like equipment shopping, getting on good terms with the arena’s crew, influencing the necromancers, conducting espionage, bribing people to ensure the next fight is in the champion’s interest somehow, and outright assassinating rivals between fights.
So, what will you become?
Game Mechanics
Battles are handled by a stats system that handles the factors and conditions of the champions going into battle. Beside that, players will give directives of how they intend ot handle the battle, which is interptreted by the combat system. The stats system are black box, but you will handle the main stats, which are still being worked on. All I can say for now is that it draws somewhat on Pillars of Eternity.
For progression, champions that win battles acquire some form of prestige and some gold, which they can invest in a number of ways, furthering their own position in the arena. Champions that lose battles may gain prestige, but as they lose it isn’t guaranteed, and they won’t gain any gold.
Gold can be used directly by champions to artificially enhance their own bodies. As you probably expect, losers that are maimed in some way may be enhanced as well during the reanimation process, but the enhancement is fundamentally random. (Unless there are some factors in place such as the losing player being on good terms with - or having bribed - the necromancer/smithy/etc in question.)
Prestige has to do with your relations with the Grim Maul staff as well as the crowd. If they love your carnage, you would probably gain some benefits, don’t you think?
Everyone may place bets on battles, players may even bet on their opponents if they want. What, you thought this world would be morally accountable for anything? Please.
Races/species-wise I actually made a 180° on my first IOT suggestion on the chat – you can only start as humans. This is a concession I need in order to easen the creation of the stats framework. If you want to be something else, don’t despair. The arena *will* make you into something else. However the world is vague enough for you to have near freedom in your creation of a character.
There are no classes, instead all combat proficiency is handled by skills. It is possible to play as a magic-user as much as it is possible to use weapons, the stats are intented to interpret your vision of a fun starting point.
I will provide a map very soon, giving you an idea of the architecture of the Grim Maul, including champion quarters, the smithy, the dark altar, the library and so on. I expect the layout to be quite expansive, as a gladiatorial arena with basically immortal combatants will do nothing but grow and grow in size.
(Lastly, I also expect to prepare some behind-the-scenes plot. But I might not. Depends.)
(Also, just a preliminary note – I expect a certain tone from this IOT. Not that you can’t be something more light fantasy, but don’t expect me to accept an application for a rollerskating bubble gum ninja.)
Purpose of the prethread
● CHARACTER APPLICATIONS! I mean, why not? Might as well see what you guys are imagining. (See below for how to apply.)
● Are you interested in the game? Let me know if you are – I won’t host it without players.
● What do you plan to play? You don’t have to tell me in the thread, if you want to keep it a secret, but you can PM me. This will help me polishing the game mechanics.
● Do you have an idea for a better game title? I like The Fated Dead, but it doesn’t actually communicate it is an arena game. The current thread title is a compromise.
● Tell me what you think of the map (when it’s done).
● Ask me anything.
Character Application
First off, I should describe what is currently canon for the world.
The world is vaguely medieval fantasy with about a hundred known polities, but suffering is a huge thing basically everywhere. The Grim Maul lies dead center in the city state of Sargendourne, a massive rat’s nest of all creeds and kin, of course the cosmopolitan center of the world. The city accounts for over five million people and its quarters account for several sorts of metropolitan microcosms. The west of the city is the Sargen coast, basically one long strand of docks. The north is walled against a rainy waste of Balticesque coldish soil. The east borders a mountain chain named the Humerones. The south of the city borders warm rich Frenchesque farmland. The arena itself is owned by silver mogul Kabal, who also owns the church buildings of all the city’s religions, and he also oversees the Cult of Wonder, which oversees the necromancy necessary to keep the Maul going. The city is kingless, ruled by a small aristocracy, deeply corrupt, keeping slaves and abusing impoverished peoples all over the world.
Application said:
FAQ
● What do you mean by "vaguely medieval fantasy"?
Actually the Pathfinder/DnD5 setting (as much of it I'm aware of at least) just about contains what we're able to do in this IOT.
DISCLAIMER: I still consider this thing srsbsns so if PF somehow allows for say a boxing glove handheld camera artillery, I withhold the right to deny that.
● Can you play as a magic user? (That don't use necromancy)
"Magick" is very widespread in the world and there are plenty of forms that don't use necromancy. Magic users aren't unlimited in powers, but there is enough variance for your particular idea to work - probably.
● Can we use guns? (Such as flintlock weapons)
Yes, early forms of firearms are appropriate to the theme.
● Can I use non-Western/exotic weapons? (such as an Aztec macahuitl?
Yes, as long as it is appropriate to the approximate era.
I'll note if something gets out of hand.
