General conversation about whatever, game-related or not.

But let's start with this - where do you want to start the campaign, and what do you want it to focus on?
-is there a particular nation that seems interesting (or uninteresting) to you?
-do you have a preference for how much you want to be dealing with other humans or with monsters?  I didn't really say anything about monsters in the setting writeup, but they are out there in places (and there can be more of them if that's where you want the game to go).
-do you want more information about something with the setting or game rules before you make any kind of decision about this?

Also, if you don't have a copy of the Mythras rulebook, I strongly recommend downloading the free quick start version - http://thedesignmechanism.com/...Edition%20310721.pdf
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:42, Sun 21 Nov 2021.

I will get to my full introduction in a moment.  Just wanted to point out that the map isn't loading in the world thread.

Weird, I can see it on my computer, but not in my phone now that you mention it.  Problem with Flickr maybe?  I'll mess around with it and see what I can do...

I do have a question to help me get clarity in my thoughts.  Can you give some short descriptions of the different magic systems (mysticism, animism, sorcery, etc) with a few examples of spells.  Done some research online and have some thoughts on it, but, want to have more direct information.

I tend to like a game with a good mix of interaction types.  Social(diplomacy, romance, intrigue) can get boring IF you don't have any other interaction...so combat is something I enjoy.  I also enjoy "base-building" type things.  Whether that is guild, clan, or town/village.  I know not everyone enjoys all of those things.

Waiting to see how the magic works and then will get in to how I feel about the cultures.  Is this a home brew world or from printed material?

I'm pretty sure I fixed the map problem - check it and let me know if you see it now.

The world is 100% homebrew.  I'm also open to player input for setting details that I haven't already established.  We'll see what comes up as we play; I don't want to overwhelm people right off the bat, and it's probably better that I don't put much more energy than I already have into defining bits that will never actually come up in the campaign.

Once other players join in we'll see what they say about different activities, but one comment on what you've suggested so far is that I would definitely be on board with your "base building" idea.  I haven't put much thought yet into specific cults/guilds/etc, so this might be a fun way to play around with that aspect of the game.

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There are five types of magic in Mythras, each with distinct mechanics and spells (this is one of the things that got me excited about this system as I was reading it).

• Folk Magic - the simplest form of magic, and the one that is described in the "Magic" section of the quick start rules.  Requires the Folk Magic skill to cast spells, and each spell costs 1MP.  All Folk Magic spells are fairly weak for purposes of interacting with other magic, e.g. bypassing someone else's protection spell.  Sample spells include Bladesharp (increase the damage die of a bladed weapon), Disruption (deal 1d3 damage to an object or animal), and Voice (the speaker's voice is amplified such that everyone in range is forced to listen).
• Animism - deals with spirits - at low levels it's just detecting and maybe communicating with them, at higher levels you can negotiate or coerce them, and also project yourself into the spirit world.  Requires the Trance and Binding skills.  Rather than learning spells, the animist develops relationships with various spirits (or compels them into service), and then gets the spirits to use their supernatural abilities.  MP cost depends on how powerful the spirit is and what you want it to do.  Examples include ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and wraiths.
• Mysticism - intense focus that gives the caster (and only the caster) a variety of supernatural buffs.  Requires the Meditation and Mysticism skills.  MP cost depends on the type and magnitude of effect, but will usually be in the 1-6 range.  Many spells give you a bonus to a particular skill or attribute, but others include enhancements such as Arrowcut (ability to parry missile weapons with your hands or melee weapon), Immunity (total immunity to a specific source of damage), and Pain Control (automatically succeed at Endurance rolls against injuries).
• Sorcery - the traditional "read an arcane tome and learn to manipulate the laws of the universe" style of magic.  Requires the Invocation and Shaping skills.  In addition to simply casting spells, it also lets you modify certain attributes such as the duration or number of targets, and even combine multiple spells into a single casting.  MP cost starts at 1 per spell and increases depending on how many modifications you make.  Sample spells include Castback (spells targeting the sorcerer have a chance of bouncing back to the caster instead), Fly (lets you fly), and Wrack (the all-purpose damage-dealing spell, which gets reskinned with fire or acid or flying blades or whatever as suits your particular school).
• Theism - magic granted by a deity.  Requires the Devotion and Exhort skills.  Magic points must be banked ahead of time by prayer or other acts of devotion, which can only be done at a temple or other holy site, but you can cast spells any time once the points are there.  Spells cost 1-3 MP depending on the power level.  Sample spells include Awaken (bring the deity's awareness and control into a sacred statue or animal), Earthquake (ranging in power from minor inconvenience to bringing down mountains), and Steadfast (all people within the area of effect are immune to mental or emotional manipulation).

Learning a new spell costs 3xp for folk magic, and 5xp for mysticism, sorcery, or theism, and in any case requires that you have access to the new spell.  For animism it depends on the specific spirit you are trying to bind or negotiate with.

For all types of magic, which spells are available depends on the source you learn it from.  For example, a particular spirit cult will be allied with certain types of spirits and hostile to other types, and a particular school of sorcery or mysticism will only teach the spells which align with the philosophy of that school.  There is no "universal" spell list from which to pick and choose like you get in D&D.  It is possible to learn spells from outside of your tradition, but it takes considerable in-game effort.

Is this ‘homebrew’ world a typical ‘fantasy medieval’ one?
Please, what tech levels are we looking at?
Obviously, magics are a staple?

I am happy to join a ‘base-building’ game.

I didn't call it out in the setting thread or put specific numbers on it, but I guess it would be something like Armeia and Dellavria are late medieval (no gunpowder, though that might be developed during the campaign if things go in that direction), Nekhara and Shubotai are more "classic" medieval, Kaginto is a little behind that, and Dargan and Waparitja are fairly primitive (they do have some metalworking capability, but this is what the overall societies look like).

Hopefully that all makes sense, but let me know if I'm not being clear or if you want more detail on something.

Other than being unknowing of a map (I cannot see one in the map tab), I get the point.


I wonder what kind of roles or 'character types' others are interested in playing?
I'm thinking either a somewhat typical* roguish/gambler type, or a sailor.   Maybe a hunter?
         *I like stereo-'typical' types in a system I've never played in before.

Ranking the nations based on which ones jumped out and got some creative juices flowing.  This is in no way a negative towards any of the ones on the lower end...just that my mind didn't jump to possibilities as quickly.

Kingdom of Nekhara
Waparitja/Dargan Clans
Republic of Dellavria
Kaginto Confederation
Armiean Freelands
Shubotai Empire

I can play any number of roles.  I haven't sat down and figured out one specific yet.  Some form of leadership/magic role would be slightly different for me (usually I am more the combat person, and, there is legit chance I go that way again)

I am all for stepping outside your comfort zone.
If you decide to take a leadership/magic role, I'll have my character support you).


GM:
- of the 'Calculating Characteristics' options on page 5, which will you be directing/encouraging us to use, please?
- of the 'Cultures' listed on p11, which is the most like the one we will be playing in, please?

In reply to Player 3 (msg # 11):

Just my non-gm input.  I think the intent is we choose one of the nations in the other thread.  It looks like they've been written up in a similar fashion to the generic cultures in the book.

I could be wrong though.  Not like any of us have a load of character creation experience in this system.  :)

oh, I see.
I'll take a look at that soon.  But I am probably mostly ambivalent to where we are.

Are we playing a multicultural game?   in which we can all choose to play from anywhere in the world?
Or should we all be from the locale where the game starts?

I forgot to mention in my previous post, but as much as my tech level labels might be roughly accurate, more or less, expect plenty of anachronism.  For example, I'm pretty sure war chariots were done well before the late middle ages, but Armeia uses them quite a bit.

The world map is in the setting summary thread rather than Game Map.  I thought that would be easier for reference, so you have the map and the country descriptions all in one place.  If you go to that thread and you still don't see the map, let me know.

Calculating Characteristics - I'm thinking make all the rolls and assign how you want, and if at least two of your rolls are 10 or lower then you can bump one of them up to 11.

Cultures - as far as I can tell, the Primitive/Nomad/Barbarian/Civilized categories in the book are rough guidelines, and a good starting place if your game setting isn't really defined at that point.  Since I have given this setting at least a little definition, you can ignore that bit.  All of the nations listed in the setting thread include cultural skill choices and suggested combat styles and passions.

Note that I am definitely open to new combat styles if you don't like any of the ones listed.  We can talk more about that once we've pinned down what specific culture(s) you guys will be playing.

As for choice of cultures, I'm open for anything that fits, but I think certain options will work better than others for having a multicultural group.  For example, Armeia is the most open to foreigners out of all the nations listed, so you could do pretty much anything there and be from any culture you want; on the other hand, Shubotai is pretty big on cultural assimilation so it would be harder to get away with playing as an outsider there, unless your intent is to be The Outsider with all the baggage that brings.  A mercenary band could be mixed and based almost anywhere, though things might be a little rocky depending on who and where.  Player 1 likes Nekhara the best, so if we just focus on that for a moment I'm seeing options like foreign merchants or diplomats working things out with the new regime, or a Nekharan sorcerer with potentially multicultural retinue traveling around doing magicky things (or, alternately, an outsider coming in to study Nekharan magic).  Hey, maybe the "base building" idea could be a sorcerer striking out on his own to establish a new school, with a new style of magic (ie custom spell list instead of what I have in mind for "typical" Nekharan magic), and we focus the party around that.  No obligation, of course, it's just a thought.

I think that's everything, but if I missed any questions let me know.

Hi all,

I am interested in playing a Ginto Confederate island character from the listed cultures. He could be played anywhere we decide to start though, some places with more of a challenge than others. Excited to try this system out it is new to me, cant wait to work out more details with everyone.

I have a slight preference for being from Armeia or Dellavria, but I can work with any of the cultures. And coming from either of those but now stuck in another could be fun.

It might be useful to match the cultures to their equivalent guideline ones, just for bits of the rulebook that refer back to cultures.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:30, Mon 22 Nov 2021.

So, approximately but not exactly (but good enough in case there are any rules that refer to this):
Armeia - Civilized
Dargan - Nomad
Dellavria - Civilized
Kaginto - Barbarian
Nekhara - Civilized
Shubotai - Barbarian
Waparitja - Primitive