BACKGROUND

The Peoni Church manages almost all orphanages on Harn. At some point you were all taken in by the local Peoni Church as orphans at a very young age (most between 3-5 years old) and cared for by the Irreproachable Order (Male Clerical Order of Peoni). During that time and at a very young age (most between 3-5 years old) you were identified by representatives of a small militant sect of the Peoni Church based in western Kanday as being “special”. Having been singled out, members of this group arranged for you to be transferred to and “adopted” to be raised/trained as priests at their temple located in Ryce with the local church headquartered in Dunir. However the priest at the local temple in Ryce had other intentions. This small Peoni sect were not adherent the peaceful teachings of Peoni. Instead they have taken a more militant position and interpret the teachings of Belsirasin “known as the Weeping Warrior” to be more aggressive. They are not so fond of the Peoni Church having to rely on the protection of the Church of Larani and feel they should have their own soldiers. However they also know that these actions and attitude would likely get them all reprimanded if not excommunicated even with the Peoni penchant of forgiveness. For that reason the real training has been kept out of sight and well secreted. Although you have been well trained in the teachings of Peoni (as part of your cover) and are very knowledgeable acolytes you have also had other militaristic training. Only a few of the priests at Ryce and your other trainers know the true story.

In the Peoni Church every month from the 14th through 17th is held the Greater Sepelah also known as the purification ritual. It is during this time when all the priests are attending this ritual you are sent away to spend this time cloistered at a small villa (with high walls) under the guise of gardening and reflecting on your religious teachings. It is during this time you encounter the mysterious knights who come to train you for those four days in the art of combat and the way of the warrior. Each knight spends 2 years making these monthly pilgrimages and providing your training. After two years he is replaced by another and is never seen again. During their time with you, each knight focuses on certain aspects of warfare such as scouting, riding, tracking, the spear, bow and sword. They teach much more but some things are forgotten over time due to lack of interest or you simply lack the innate talent to retain those particular skills.

Another winter has come to an end and it is the first day of the New Year. And so it has been for the better part of 20 years, until today. This morning you have been awakened earlier than usual and your presence requested at the main chapel. Today is the day you will put your training to use in the real world.

It is Nuzyeal 1st in the Year 720 TR.

ESCAPING THE PAMESANI GAMES

Continuation of the forum game that I am running over at the Armchair General website.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

EPISODE III – THE SEARCH

Soon after Kolbein and Magnus returned to camp, watches and security were re-established. Before bedding down it seems that the majority had agreed to take up the search for the missing members at first light. Although Kolbein and Magnus managed to locate the entrance to one of the mining caves they were not in a position to enter and look around further as the noises they heard indicated armed guards just inside the entrance . . . . . . . . . . . .

The new day was greeted with everyone already awake and assembling weapons and other supplies for the coming trip. A large breakfast was available and a few even commented how this was the first real “breakfast” that they had in at least a month. By now everyone also had access to a spear and dagger, yet there were still only 2 shields available.

As the party assembled and discussed the order of march, Yeldin and Heris decided that it might be better if they were to just wait at the camp in case the others returned.

BACKGROUND

The Peoni Church manages almost all orphanages on Harn. At some point you were all taken in by the local Peoni Church as orphans at a very young age (most between 3-5 years old) and cared for by the Irreproachable Order (Male Clerical Order of Peoni). During that time and at a very young age (most between 3-5 years old) you were identified by representatives of a small militant sect of the Peoni Church based in western Kanday as being “special”. Having been singled out, members of this group arranged for you to be transferred to and “adopted” to be raised/trained as priests at their temple located in Ryce with the local church headquartered in Dunir. However the priest at the local temple in Ryce had other intentions. This small Peoni sect were not adherent the peaceful teachings of Peoni. Instead they have taken a more militant position and interpret the teachings of Belsirasin “known as the Weeping Warrior” to be more aggressive. They are not so fond of the Peoni Church having to rely on the protection of the Church of Larani and feel they should have their own soldiers. However they also know that these actions and attitude would likely get them all reprimanded if not excommunicated even with the Peoni penchant of forgiveness. For that reason the real training has been kept out of sight and well secreted. Although you have been well trained in the teachings of Peoni (as part of your cover) and are very knowledgeable acolytes you have also had other militaristic training. Only a few of the priests at Ryce and your other trainers know the true story.

In the Peoni Church every month from the 14th through 17th is held the Greater Sepelah also known as the purification ritual. It is during this time when all the priests are attending this ritual you are sent away to spend this time cloistered at a small villa (with high walls) under the guise of gardening and reflecting on your religious teachings. It is during this time you encounter the mysterious knights who come to train you for those four days in the art of combat and the way of the warrior. Each knight spends 2 years making these monthly pilgrimages and providing your training. After two years he is replaced by another and is never seen again. During their time with you, each knight focuses on certain aspects of warfare such as scouting, riding, tracking, the spear, bow and sword. They teach much more but some things are forgotten over time due to lack of interest or you simply lack the innate talent to retain those particular skills.

Another winter has come to an end and it is the first day of the New Year. And so it has been for the better part of 20 years, until today. This morning you have been awakened earlier than usual and your presence requested at the main chapel. Today is the day you will put your training to use in the real world.

It is Nuzyeal 1st in the Year 720 TR.

ESCAPING THE PAMESANI GAMES

Continuation of the forum game that I am running over at the Armchair General website.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

EPISODE II – SOUTH, INTO THE FOREST

Having dispatched the tribesmen and looked after the two with minor wounds you have decided it is time to move on.

After several minutes of scrounging makeshift weapons and a few quick conversations you make a final survey of your surroundings. The trail in the distance now seems overly silent, the battle having ended some time ago. You can only image the scene of carnage that would be found should you decide to venture in that direction.

The clearing you are in is fairly small and in any direction that you go you will likely be entering very dense forest.

Slowly you all begin to head south. Fortunately, the day is still young and even with the thick forest you should be able to reach the running water you hear not far away and in good time.

Perhaps you may even manage to pick up a few medicinal herbs along the way.

ESCAPING THE PAMESANI GAMES

This is a forum game that I am running over at the Armchair General website.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

EPISODE I – FREE AT LAST

It has been almost 3 weeks since you were all herded together onto the slaver’s ship and set sail to the west. Although kept below decks at all times some of the others were able to get a glimpse of the surroundings and gauge the direction and distance you had come since that fateful day. The consensus seemed to be that after about 6 days at sea the ship turned south and headed inland down a fairly large river, following it for another 8 days or so. At the rivers end you were all unloaded like cattle at what appeared to be a fairly well established trading post. As for who may lay claim to this camp it was impossible to tell as no banners, flags or other symbols were evident.

After a brief nights rest you were loaded into cages on the backs of oxen draw wagons, about 10 to a cage and the caravan headed off to the south into a very dark and foreboding forest.

Over the next 4 days the caravan slowly worked its way south through the dense forest. Although your guards were many and heavily armed (and all on foot), you could tell from their actions they were extremely nervous and jumped at the slightest sound coming from the forest around them. During the day no one ventured far from the trail with the exception of a few scouts but as darkness fell it seemed as no one dared to enter the woods for even more than a few feet. During stops, the guards slept in shifts along the trail and to avoid alerting anyone to their presence no campfires were lit. Any equipment that might rattle or clang was padded to lessen the sound. Prisoners were forbidden to speak but many managed to pass messages in hushed, barely audible voices. When they were heard they were quickly prodded by the base of a long spear. Repeat offenders often found themselves being jabbed by the pointed end and they quickly learned to stay quiet.

On the morning of the 5th day as the caravan is getting ready to move out and the scouts are arranging their gear to take up their patrols the oxen began getting extremely nervous. Their handlers try to keep them under control but things are going downhill fast and anxiety building. This was not a good place for defending against any threats lurking nearby.

Suddenly as if from out of the thin air itself gangs of half-naked barbarians swarm the trail and desperate close in fighting erupts between them and the guards.

You and the rest of the prisoners quickly find these barbarians have no intention of freeing you as they quickly dispatch all those held in each wagon as they manage to reach it. Slowly they are making their way to your wagon. Fearing nothing to lose, the driver urges the wagon up into the woods as fast as the scared animals will go. Finally, after going about 200 feet into the thick woods and bouncing off of trees the wagon can no longer handle the stress and begins to come apart. At some point, the cage you are riding in falls free, coming to rest on its side, the once locked door wrenched open by the impact.

You think to yourself “free at last” but as you struggle to regain your feet and your wits, you hear the sound of approaching feet coming through the bushes.

What to do now?

The campaign setup continues and a new campaign name has been determined. It will hereafter be known as the “Goblins Rule, Dwarves Drool!” campaign.  The campaign will use the Rolemaster RPG Ruleset using Fantasy Grounds II (for online play via a Virtual Tabletop) and takes place in the world of Harn in the southwestern corner of the Kingdom of Kanday near Hebon Keep. The majority of the action will be centered around the village of Mezint.

Details of the village and its citizens will need a lot of fleshing out but much of that will come as the campaign progresses and the information becomes available to the PC’s.

The PC’s will play the roles of hobgoblins from a tribe in the hills south of Mezint. The tribe is currently involved in heavy fighting with a nearby dwarven clan for supremacy of the area. The fighting has been long and bloody with both sides looking to gain an edge against the other. The PC’s have been recruited by the clan leaders and dispatched into the surrounding countryside to “find” that edge.

Characters created so far include a hobgoblin Rogue and a hobgoblin Fighter. I have also included a goblin NPC Seer who will be there to support the party as needed.

Well, I have been sitting here thinking up what the theme of my first online RPG campaign should be. I am seriously considering doing something way out of the ordinary such as a monster based PC campaign. The players would roll up Goblin’s as their PC’s (both Goblin and Hobgoblins races would be eligible) and I would limit the character classes to non or limited magic based classes.

The exact classes would be dependent on the game system that I finally decide to use which at this point could be any one of a 1/2 dozen. I am leaning toward using Rolemaster or 4e D&D although I am seriously lacking in my skill level for both of those. Another factor will be the availability of a good, solid Fantasy Grounds based ruleset to support my online game.

Having looked over all of the available Virtual Table Top programs out there I decided to go with Fantasy Grounds II and the Ultimate License. This license basically allows anyone with an unregistered copy to connect to me as host and use the players side of the software without having to purchase even the “Lite License”. It comes with a couple of rulesets already available however more can be purchased for modest prices. Unfortunately, HârnMaster is not one of them. While the 4th Edition D&D Ruleset does come with FGII, that game system is not something I am really excited about.

At this time I am seriously looking at the Rolemaster Classic Ruleset which is some ways is closer to HârnMaster than the majority of other systems out there especially if you limit the use of magic through some custom house rules. I do plan to use Hârn as the world setting though. Since I have not played anything Rolemaster for at least 25 years or so it will take some time to get caught back up and then learn how the Rolemaster Ruleset functions in FGII.

The  Image Gallery and Wiki have been installed but still need to have their final configurations and format tweaked.  You can find the links below;

BBESI Image Gallery

BBESI Wiki

We have also decided that we will probably take the information being compiled for an online campaign using the Fantasy Grounds II Virtual Table Top and any custom modules and post that here as well.  Once completed, any  items that will be made available to the public should be available for download from the site here and probably the wiki as well.

This blog is intended to track the progress of an online RPG Campaign that I am considering starting up. I have also plans to development some custom content for a few of the RPG’s out there specifically, Twilight 2000, Savage Worlds, d20/D&D 3.5 and maybe PathFinder. Not sure about any D&D4e stuff especially with the current WOTC GSL written the way it is.

At some point I also plan to integrate a gallery and a wiki.