> The Wiki's
>had problems in the last year or so: Charles has been busy with other
>things, and I haven't ben able to edit it for ages: don't know about
>other people? I did consider starting up a new Wiki and transferring
>and tidying both at the same time, but then went back to writing
>fiction instead.
> I did try editing once but got my username/password rejected. I suspect
> the username database is corrupt.
That was my problem, too. I can read but can't write.
> We want more events for 1620 & 1621. At the moment we have everything
> happening in 1619/early 1620.
In terms of Big Events yes, that's right. Smaller ones, I've never tied down the dates for the bits in the novel but mid-1620 is about right. No need to invent new things, just use what we've got, and provide the scenario seeds we've already got that will slot in anywhere.
> That gives me an idea for an event. We've got that peaceweaver of Broyan's.
Who we need to tell other people about, including all the background I ended up not making explicit in the story. (Next aim for me - do the final polish on that if it needs it, put it online so the group can read it and John can pick it up).
> When things get really bad in 1621 the ring put
> pressure on Broyan to make peace. The PCs will probably want to
> scupper that especially if they are aware of what Broyan's trying
> to do. It will fail eventually because Tatius doesn't want it
> either but the negotiations could drag on for quite a while.
I'd have no idea how to turn that into a scenario myself, but go ahead.
>Donald and I know about one or two minor Volsaxi clans, though
>haven't named them, and one Volsaxi warband (but it gets wiped out
>in 1619, so doesn't help much).
> It's after Tatius arrives so early 1620 rather than 1619.
True. Very early siege, either way.
> However the clan will raise another warband to replace it. Probably before
> the end of 1620. Full of young would be heros.......
Like newly-generated PCs, you mean?
> >and perhaps the reason we haven't produced anything about the Volsaxi
> >is the same reason they probably aren't needed: no-one's interested,
> >because we all start our campaigns in Sartar!
> I think we need something to show what's different about the Volsaxi.
> I'm a bit vague on what that is but at the very least it's a *big*
> tribe with more/bigger clans than Sartarites are used to.
That's about as much as I know - well, that plus them using chariots and being laughed at for being backward. Joerg, didn't you look into that? Rob? I believe you had thoughts on the subject?
>NPCs on the Lunar side:
>At least here we're balanced. We know things about the commanders,
>we have a fair idea of the units present at any given time.
> They probably needs filling out with more NPCs. A paymaster and
> a quartermaster for example. A Lunar campaign is going to involve
> fighting the authorities as much as the Orlanthi. They are going
> to win but it shouldn't be easy.
Ah yes, the joys of Lunar Red Tape. How did I describe it? "the infamous Lunar Red Tape, known to lethally tangle the unwary who might attempt to access documents for which they are not authorised. Vesekor, being familiar with the stuff, slides each knot off without untying it."
Fortunately for WW, they don't yet have the system I put in Pavis in 1621: "the new "everyone-mail" system to duplicate all messages on paper so cheap it’s edible, by blasting the original and a stack of blanks with bright light that turns the shadows to charcoal, has encouraged sending rather trivial queries that carry no information but can be used as cheap food." Yes, they're getting literal spam :)
But back at the plot: yes, agreed, quartermasters and so on. Didn't you detail at least some of this for Charmanda to out-wit?
> I think basic supplies will come from local clans, probably on pack
> horses and mules across Fellmoor and by boat though the underground
> caverns.
We'd better work out the extent of these underground caverns, if they can take boats. Where do they come out, how do the Lunars stop them, why can't they be used for escape at the end? (Can they?)
1619, we have the vital supplies coming through Eurhol's Vale...
> By 1621 getting a small boatload of grain through will be a major event.
Sounds about right in terms of build-up and drama.
Weird and wonderful attempts to grow their own food - I learnt things about growing mushrooms in caves while in France.
> The Lunars also have a supply problem - they need lots more stuff
> than the Orlanthi and there are plenty of Orlanthi about who will
> try an see they don't get it. Their main routes seem to be from
> Wilmskirk in the north and Smithstone in the south.
Yes, plenty of caravan-ambush action there.
>We have detail: far too much detail! about the Bat. What we actually
>need is enough freedom that the real answer is "your players did it".
>Give some options, and enough basic facts that the GM can invent what
>they need, perhaps. A collection of ways in which the Bat has been
>dealt with so far?
> I think this is very dependant on the level of the PCs and when
> they arrive at WW. In many ways if the PC's beat the Bat in 1619
> the rest of the seige becomes an anti-climax because there isn't
> another dramatic victory for the Orlanthi.
Maybe... but the Bat IS beaten in 1619, we know this. Whether they lead the fight, provide the plan so others can lead the fight, join in the fight, or just manage not to run away screaming, they'll be in there.
> If the PCs beat the Bat themselves they either need to leave WW or
> they are going to be the heroic leaders of the siege. In that case
> the campaign arc will involve more politics than fighting and how
> the Volsaxi react to their High King being effectively supplanted by the PCs.
Take a look at Rob's campaign. That's more or less what happened.
>The final fall: again, we can come up with plenty of ideas, but how
>the players can get involved will vary enormously from one group to
>another, and what really happens will have to be variable to let it
>work for them.
> I think we need to explain what Broyan does here. Wasn't the concensus
> that he and a few followers went to a short world (Vinkot's Hall?).
That's how he got out, not how the final defence was done.
> How we get Orlanthi PCs involved in that I'm not sure. Probably they
> need to be involved in getting people out to fight again another day.
That's certainly a valid and useful role for them.
What I'm doing with the Swords crew is unlikely to be of use to anyone else (well, the plot as I've planned it - what they actually do may be something wildly different!), since it assumes high-level Humakti magic.
If you've got high-level, magically-powerful PCs, then whatever Broyan's doing mythically is defined as something that their magic enables them to support. This is why I say it has to depend on the PCs, and we need options. Fortunately, I think we have options.
> It's the Lunar side which is going to be interesting and the PCs
> should have got to the level of taking a major part in action.
Although the Lunar side is detailed to the point of leaving very little room for player initiative.
> A section of short stories
> seems a good idea, especially as it involves minimal work.
The whole point of what John proposed was using what we've already got with little or no additional work, just tidying it and making it accessible.
> If we are serious about getting something together we had better
> sort out a structure for the document so we can start finding
> places to put everything and fill in the gaps that appear.
Documents, multiple, I think.
> Who's going to take the lead on this? I know I haven't the knowledge.
John was offering to do that, I thought?
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