First Playtest Report
I’ve started alpha testing the new game system and setting I’ve been working on. I thought it might be fun and interesting to tell you about the first full session I ran.
The pipe city of Dru lies south of the Cloudcrystal Skyfields, so it is cold and the terrain is obviously barren. The ancient metal pipes that run in and out of the cliffs and ground come in two varieties. First are the open pipes that the folk of Dru use to move from building to building without facing the harsh chill winds. The second are the closed pipes, in which something warm still flows through, providing heat to those buildings built up against them.
Like the rest of the city, the buildings that comprise the Tichronus estate are fashioned from the etched stone quarried–or collected, or scavenged… it’s a matter of semantics at this point–from the nearby mesas. Lord Tichronus, having been summoned to the crusades in the Skyfields by the Amber Pope, needed someone to watch over his estate and its collection of artwork fashioned from unmodified numenera from the past epochs. He found four individuals, each quite capable.
For a week, these four enjoyed life left alone in a noble’s estate. Fisher, a clever jack who liked to sculpt illusions kept the others entertained. The somewhat more serious Grayden, a strong-willed glaive with curious telepathic powers, searched the place suspiciously and asked the residents of Dru about the nobleman (learning little more than that he was a known womanizer). His fellow glaive, Caracol Vus, a tough swordmaster, kept a watchful eye over things, while Caedmyn, a graceful nano with a penchant for lightning, kept mostly to herself.
One day, a knock came at the door. An elegant woman in a hoverdress of fluttering feathers announced that she was Lady Isaltha, the betrothed of Lord Tichronus. This, of course, was news to the group of estate guardians. Isaltha had brought with her a household of goods on a wagon pulled by equine lizards and at her side were Brune, a hulking figure with a large blade, and Drast, a shorter, armored man with a cyclops helmet. The glass lens of the helmet’s one eye kept turning and adjusting with a whirring noise. Behind Isaltha floated two glass spheres that she called her Vuechi.
“Lord Tichronus is crusading, my lady,” Caracol Vus told her. “You’ll have to come back after he has returned.”
“We were not informed of your coming,” Fisher added. “Nor of your upcoming wedding.”
Eventually, however, Isaltha convinced them to let her in. Caracol Vus was adamant that her guards remain outside. The Vuechi were bonded with her, however, and accompanied her. Fisher crafted a lie that there were ten guards inside, not four, and backed it up with some illusions. Grayden used his telepathy to coordinate his group’s actions. Isaltha immediately began to address everyone as her servants.
“Unload my wagon, and bring my possessions into my new home.”
All the while she looked around the interior of the manorhouse with deep curiosity. Her two “boys” then tried to force their way in, but Fisher prevented it. Caedmyn stole outside through one of the open pipes connected to the manor to watch them. Caracol Vus became more and more insistent that the Lady Isaltha had to leave. Finally, he and Fisher attempted to force her out the door.
The Vuechi reacted defensively and began blazing forth with blue fire. Caedmyn drew upon her powers to command the artificial numenera particles that infused the world now–for she was a nano, and had knowledge of such things–to fend off Drast and Brune. It is easy to understand why so many call them “sorcerers.” Grayden and Caracol Vus, the stalwart warriors, battled with the floating spheres and their energy blasts. Just as Brune smashed through the door, Fisher created an illusion of Isaltha herself, and convinced the brute that the real woman was in fact a disguise. Brune knocked the real Lady Isaltha unconscious, as the glaives destroyed the Vuechi. Then Fisher’s hologram told Brune and Drast to guard the wagon. Clever jack indeed.
The four confused and beaten companions quickly regrouped in the foyer, barred the door, and looked down at the unconscious noblewoman on the floor.
Now what were they going to do?
-
I like the “differentness” of the setting. You are using words that I know in a way that I do not know: nano, hover dress, Skyfields, jack, etc . . . . I’m looking forward to more.
-
I am intrigued by the science-magic and other futuristic elements that provide an exciting twist to the fantasy tone. I thought the following bit was nifty: “Fisher crafted a lie that there were ten guards inside, not four, and backed it up with some illusions. Grayden used his telepathy to coordinate his group’s actions.” I would like to be able to do those sorts of things in a game. Describing Fisher’s illusions as ‘holograms’ also piqued my interest. Stuff like that, along with things like “glaive” to describe the fighters, helps create that sense of not being in a familiar place.
Futurist fantasy seems to have the potential for all the romance of sword-and-sorcery coupled with that sleek, cool feeling I get from science fiction (leaning more towards the utopian variety). In other words, it makes me think of something like “Cloudcrystal Skyfields”.
-
This seems really awesome. I’m not typically a fan of RPG’s built directly into a given setting, but this has me very interested.
-
Michael, no offense to either you or Monte Cook but the Hero System would easily allow those sorts of action in game.
and the setting Mr. Cook has presented is very interesting indeed.
-
Mr. Cook, your settings are always dripping with delightful awesome. You imagination inspires me!
-
That was nice well written report, I’m hooked into the story already as the play testers probably are already. Great introduction to the setting’s feel as well. Have me hungering for more details, What’s an Amber Pope? What are these Crusades? and more immediately who’s that strange woman!
Knowing some of your favorite concepts I already have a check list of things I think you might have included.
Creative use of Illusions (and Psionics) was the bread and butter for my first D&D character. Very interested to see what type of rules, and creative direction your new game system has in store for Illusion and psionic type effects.
How did the flow of the game feel with your first full session under your belt?
How did the players feel during and after their first combat?
Did the players throw anything at you during that first combat that you didn’t quite expect? -
A good way for a first impression. The setting seems to be quite different, but for me it’s to early to say how I feel about it. I just wonder whether it will be something like a single city setting or such. I won’t liek that much, I think.
-
It won’t be just a single city. It will be a full campaign setting with a lot of room for individual GM creation.
-
-
Oh…..k. Shadowrun D20 then. Guess there can only be so many ideas in this world before they are reinvented again.
-
What is the prevailing fashion when it comes to hoverdresses? Are they for women only? Because I do think my character would not want to just walk around everywhere like a sap. Perhaps it is time to take up cross-dressing.
-
This looks very cool. I am excited to see more of it.
-
@Monte: Yay, just what I like most
And there is already a reeeeeally good Shadowrun d20 Conversion
-
Is this a future Earth or some other world? Maybe a colony of post-apocalyptic Earth! Also what is the game system you are using? Sorry for all the questions.
-
Will you be opening the playtest at some point? I’m intrigued by the setting…
-
Pingback: RPG 8 Things About Monte Cook's New RPG - EN World: Your Daily RPG Magazine
-
Pingback: Second Playtest Report | Monte Cook
-
Reminds me somewhat of the future created by Karl Schroeder. Especially as depicted in “Ventus”
Cannot wait to play this game with my group. -
Pingback: KICKSTARTER: NUMENERA - Nerd Tangent | Nerd Tangent
18 Comments