TPM DnD

[Mystic_clown]

I like your third idea Heald. Everyone, if you have an idea on what setting and such this should be, please post your idea and we'll have a poll. Try to include a bit of information about your world and a class list.

[Asilynne]

Since were all posting what wed like to see in a DnD type game Ill post my idea
Id really like to see some sort of a DnD version of A Wheel of Time series. The world in the Wheel of time is so rich and detailed it would be perfect for this sort of thing.
As you can see in this map:

There are many different cities/provences for a character to hail from, and because of this there are a number of classes that one could choose from.
As an example, Domani's are famous for having sly merchants and also for having the most dangerous women in terms of seduction, while the Cairheinians are modest and so restrained they rarely wear colors at all, but are very adept at "The Game of Houses" (which is basically being a backstabbing politician). There are the "savage" Aiel that fight with spears and live in tribes but would never touch a sword from the desert called the Waste, and the Tinkers who travel in what looks like big circus trains who wouldnt do harm to anyone even to save thier own lives.
If we did do a DnD of this though we wouldnt have to go according to the events that happen in the series of novels, we could just set it in this world, because this world is so detailed in everything its almost as if its a real place. Im not sure how many people are fans of it but whether you know about it or not it would be cool imo :>

Heres a link for more info just in case someones curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wheel_of_Time

[Weasel Overlord]

Ugh, not Wheel of Time... If we're wanting to go for detailed and rich worlds, no-one does it better than the man Tolkien. Or did it... ¬_¬

No but seriously. I have issues with the man's storytelling - let's face it, half of Fellowship bored the crap out of me, but he sure put detail into his world creation. Enough to inspire my obsession with stupidly detailed worlds, anyway.

Also: My intense dislike of Wheel of Time is an informed decision. M'not trying to flame Mr. Jordan or anything, I just reaaaally hated his books (which is odd, coming from a person who pretty much likes ALL fantasy she reads). Also, if we're suggesting nice detailed worlds to use, I might as well go ahead and shove in a mention for Ian Irvine, whose worlds and maps and everything are AWESOMELY detailed. But then again, we could all chip in with our favourite book worlds and get nowhere closer to a decision. A solid list for a poll might be a good idea though.

I do like the idea of having the forums though, whoever mentioned that (I forget who). Cos then if we did that, we could tie in my personal favourite idea (lol) of using our own created races from our RPGs. It'd be a much more RPG-orientated version of D&D, rather than just basically having D&D with a book world slapped in.

That's my suggestions.

1) Tolkien
2) Ian Irvine (lol, I bet no-one's even heard of him!)
3) TPM Land. Plus our own races/class-creations.

I'm much more in favour of 3, cos it seems to me that if we started off with an established world, we'd get stuck in the trap of thinking we had to stick with that worlds' rules, characters, classes, races, etc. TPM Land has the possibility for much more originality.

[Heald]

I'm working on a TPM-stylie land. Watch this space. It'll be done within the next day or so.

[Weasel Overlord]

Waaay! Go Heald!

[Heald]

I know. I mean, I have other priorities, such as, oh, I don't know, maybe trying to pass university, but, for some reason, people crazier than the people I happen to share an immediate radius with come first. Maybe I just ought to staple "Pokemon, Pirates, Ninjas" onto my forehead so people know what my priorities are before they introduce themselves to me so I know who is compatible to my lifestyle and who isn't before I undertake some sort of lifestyle.

[Blademaster]

Book-themed worlds... Pfft. You people have zero imagination. Come up with yer own ideas, dammit! Back in my day, we didn't have books to steal our ideas from! Matter of fact, we didn't have books, period! We had to read rocks and brontosaurus femurs with mud smeared on them. And some of those rocks were the size of the brontosaurus themselves! Do you know how long it took to bring those back to the library? No you don't, because we didn't have libraries, either...!

(goes off on a long-winded tirade about everything)

[Heald]

Right, it's a bit long, but it gives a fairly detailed outline of the plan. Feel free to recommend changes, additions or removals, since you're the people that are going to play it.

Setting

Steampunk-style world. Pokemastaria.

Very little electricity, primitive, only used for lighting and telecommunications (public telephones, law enforcement, big companies, the very rich and delivery services are the only people with their own phones).

Weaponry consists mostly of pre-gunpowder weaponry, although armies are beginning to implement cannons, flintlock rifles and pistols have just been invented and are only made by specialists, so are hard to get hold of, expensive and have yet to be implemented widespread. The military has yet to implement any sort of firearms unit.

Trains, hot-air balloons, blimps and horse and cart are the main methods of transport, whereas wooden sail ships are the main water vessels, although iron steamships are beginning to become more common.

There is some magic, although its use is dwindling with the rise of technology. The exception is Ludo, where mages are held in high regard.

Anyone unsure about other forms of technology, just ask.

Beasts range from the normal (i.e. dogs, wolves, birds, fish) to the fantastic (ogres, dragons, werewolves) to the downright scary (giant snakes, giant beetles etc).

Each city governs the immediate area around them; there is no central government, although at present the cities of Miscelopolis, Anima, Logus, Fanfasia and Clasonia are allied together, with their armies answering to a group of 20 Mods and 4 Admins. Mods are powerful people and answer directly to the Admins, who are considered legendary and are rarely seen. This administration, known simply as K.E.V.I.N., is based in Miscelopolis, although they have branches across the five cities.

Geography

Diverse world with cities, townships, different races etc.

Clicky for map



(map courtesy of fantasymapmaker.com)


Miscelopolis – city-state and the largest city, several districts ranging from poor to market to high society. Ruled with an iron fist by both a monarchy and a council of lords, but crime is fairly high. Has the most powerful military in the world.

Genediscus – The greatest city 1000 years ago, until a powerful sandstorm cut it off from the world and the land is now desert and waste-land. Thought to be long-lost, no one has reported back from it for 1000 years, nor has anyone who has set out to find it returned.

Anima – A small coastal port known for its love for theatre. A generally friendly place with a small defence force but a strong navy. Has many alehouses.

Isla de Balla – A hostile island with giant trees and overgrowing vegetation. Many beasts and birds of all shapes and sizes inhabit the island, along with small encampments of visiting hunters. Popular with adventurers.

The PCG Archipelago (Pol, Clubdh and Gamen) – Pol, the largest island, has the main town and port of the archipelago. It distances itself from the issues of the mainland and enjoys a liberal culture with a humid subtropical climate, and as such is prone to storms as well as hot spells. There is little in the way of authority, as although a Lord is elected, there is only a small defence contingent that does not interfere with the large seafaring community, many of which are pirates, who invigilate their own codes on those who transgress them. Clubdh and Gamen are havens for pirates.

Ludo – The second largest city, they are the rivals of Miscelopolis. The land is dry and harsh and there is a strict mentality. They are somewhat behind technologically speaking but boast the largest arcane community, many of the most skilled magicians lie in their ranks. It is more traditional and conservative than Miscelopolis and the people are instilled to be loyal to the King, resulting in high patriotism and a dislike of outsiders.

Rolesplatia Range, Logus - The harshest mountain range in the land, snowstorms are common and the terrain treacherous. Logus is the one town, the jewel of the mountains, where travellers and inhabitants meet. Logus is surrounded by high stone walls with a fine keep in the centre, and keeps a town watch. People here are generally poorer than the rest of the world but the people have high spirits.

Fanfasia – Another port, there is a very enjoyable lifestyle here and boasts many of the most talented artists, writers, poets and philosophers in the land. Not a belligerent nation, they tend to rely on their more powerful allies Miscelopolis for protection, but crime is not a problem internally.

Clasonia – A small town basking in the shade of Mount Ratus, there is a productive industry of miners, farmers and fishers here.

Races

Humans
Nekojin (Cat-people)
Elves
Dwarfs
Halflings
Any other suggested races? I was thinking lizardmen as well.

Attributes

Strength
Dexterity
Constitution
Wisdom
Intelligence
Charisma

Classes

I made some forum-based classes as well as more traditional ones. If anyone has any they’d like to add, change, or take away, please say so.

Trainer – An animal trapper. Can capture animals, beasts etc. and use them to fight. Requires wisdom.

Summoner – A magic user who calls upon a familiar (takes the form of some kind of creature or beast) from another dimension to aid them. The familiar levels up with the user. Requires wisdom.

Warrior – Your basic fighter really. Strength is the key characteristic, and constitution if he’s a tank.

Muse – Any sort of entertainer or artist who applies their work in the field i.e. a poet reciting a battle-hymn, an artist bringing his work to life, an actor striking fear into their enemies. Requires charisma.

Mage – A user of arcane magic. Requires intelligence.

Roleplayer – Mimics the skills and powers of others, although to a lesser effect, but can result in diverse movesets. Can only remember a certain number of actions per level (say 4 + level divided by 4). Must be at the required level to copy (i.e. a level 4 mage spell requires level 4 or above roleplayer), plus must attempt a passing roll for the initial copy (but not for any subsequent use). Cannot mimic certain actions (such as summoning a familiar). Requires charisma.

Flamer – High damage, high risk class, with specialist attacks. Requires dexterity and/or strength depending on their skills.

Rogue – Dexterity is key for the sneak attacker.

Druid – Harnesses the power of nature itself to cast spells. Requires wisdom.

Battlemonk – A powerful warrior who uses high Charisma to boost his stats by yelling in battle and frightening the enemy.

[Weasel Overlord]

Hm, in races, how about something like orcs? Or you know, half-orcs or something (which would necessitate there actually BEING orcs in this world, but there you go). I like the idea of Lizardmen and the Nekojin remind me of the cat folk from FFXI.

For the magey types, what would you think about having Sorcerer and Wizard? (I know, I know, D&D, bad me! But it's still a good setup.) The Sorcerers are the ones who rely on their own natural talents to cast their spells, and the Wizards are the ones who have to rely on scrolls, spellbooks, etc. Written forms, basically. And they can only use them if they have the scrolls, whereas a Sorcerer knows the spells, and does not need scrolls to cast them.

How about adding a Ranger class to complement the Druid? (YAY for the Druids, by the way. I <3 Druids.) Would the Druids have the option to have animal companions, by the way?

[Bulbasaur4]

Yeah, good set up yah got there. I'd open the floor to Shamans too, just because my favorite DnD charry I ever played was a Spirit Shaman. The Swashbuckler class is always a joy too. ^_~ Perhaps create a slot that allows someone to make a up a class, within reason? (perhaps either you or a group of people go over made-up classes and decide whether to approve or not to approve them.)

[Weasel Overlord]

OH SWASHBUCKLER!! YES HAVE THEM!! The only thing that will make me NOT play a Druid is if we have swashbucklers... *runs away*

[Heald]

I wanted to mess around from the original D&D but still staying faithful to what people need. I only really put druids in because you mentioned you love them in an earlier post.

As for Rangers, I was thinking of mixing them in with Trainers so we don't oversaturate the classes, plus Trainer stays in theme with the TPM theme I'm trying to establish.

I decided to combine Wizard and Sorcerer as one class (Mage) since while I acknowledge there are some pretty important differences in classic D&D, this allows it to be a lot more flexible. Plus we have 3 charisma-reliant classes already. However, if enough people want to split them up, I'll happily do so.

As for orcs, I figured orcs are in pretty much everything, and I thought lizard men are cooler. Orcs are usually seen as evil anyway, whereas lizard men often are simply another civilization that can co-exist with warm-blooded species.

And of course any reasonable cross-breeds are acceptable (although I'm not too sure about lizardman cross-breeds). I haven't figured out any particular buffs and skills that each race gets yet, but I'll probably stick to the D&D rules for the known races.

Also, one more thing I wanted to add but left out was the idea of guilds or houses. Basically, your character can belong to a particular house (I was thinking 5 houses in total) which would bestow certain buffs and abilities onto your character, or being houseless would result in being more versatile across the board. Anyway, any comments of this particular idea would be helpful.

EDIT Swashbucklers are traditionally a subset of Fighter (i.e. they use feats and skills that can only be done by people wearing light armour), which I've incorporated into Warrior. You can detail what kind of fighter you're going to be in your character sheet.

I'm unfamiliar with shamans in DnDs though. Aren't they like druids except they are more spontaneous, like sorcerers? If you want, you can outline shamans and their particular abilities, skills and their main attribute.

[Blademaster]

The world of Healdtann...Er, POKEMASTARIA looks respectable, but the thought of technology being so scarce troubles me.

[Heald]

To be fair, traditional DnD has no technology whatsoever, which would just be BORING.

[Weasel Overlord]

But it's steampunk Bladey! Wihch means that any technology there is, is made of extra awesome! I love steampunk. XD

I see your point now about the Rangers/Trainers, and the Mage combined class. People can always make subclasses, after all.

Also, I really like the idea of Houses. Is that like, um, starsigns in Morrowind? Or is it more like Guilds you belong to?

[Heald]

Yeah, that's what I initially thought would be a good comparison, although it has more of a real world weight as well, as these Houses are actual political entities, for example, one house might emphasise magic, one might emphasise charisma, one might have a taste for the theatrical, whatever. But if you happen into a town with the headquarters of a particular house, you might be granted some goodies if it is your house and you decide to visit. Alternatively, randomly a rival house member may try and off you, or a NPC in your house might impart some information onto you.

[Weasel Overlord]

Yeah, I like that idea then. I was gonna edit in something else before, but I forgot it. Have remembered now.

How about alignments? You know, evil, good, neutral, chaotic? Chaotic neutral, neutral good, chaotic evil, &c? It could provide extra fun details to add to our characters.

[Bulbasaur4]

I think instead of having alignments... we should have inner and outer 'traits'. Like in Vampire of the Masquerade, there is an outer 'role' your character plays, which is how they seemto be to others. Then there is an 'inner' role your character plays that no one sees. For example, let me say that my charry, a male mage named Dimitri, has the outer role of a 'Director.' This means he likes to take lead and does things quite blatantly for his own purpose. But in the inside, he is the "Judge" because he secretly is doing things from his own motives on his view of justice... etc.

We could make up our own roles and such.

[Blademaster]

To be fair, traditional DnD has no technology whatsoever, which would just be BORING.

Yeah, but it's kinda hard to have giant robot fights with virtually no technology...

I'm gonna put up my own ideas once I get some sleep. So, uh... Don't close this topic or anything, OK Ben?

[Mystic_clown]

Dave, I couldn't close this topic even if I wanted to. I don't have the power.

A quick question Heald. With the Roleplayers, I'm assuming they can copy the abilities of their allies, but can they copy the abilities of enemies as well, provided they're the same level or higher?

[Drusilla]

I think the phrase 'traditional DnD' in itself is an oxymoron, since one of the ideas behind DnD is to create your own world. I know plenty of people who have had such far-fetched things in their games (lazer guns seem popular...), that it borders on ridiculous.

Drusie doesn't currently have her thinking cap on (her thoughts are somewhere along the lines of, 'AHHHHH ZOMG THE SUNBURN IS KILLING MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!'), but hit me up later on MSN... I should be on tomorrow evening around 10:30, -5 GMT, once I'm off work...

[Heald]

Dave, I couldn't close this topic even if I wanted to. I don't have the power.

A quick question Heald. With the Roleplayers, I'm assuming they can copy the abilities of their allies, but can they copy the abilities of enemies as well, provided they're the same level or higher?

Yeah, they can, provided that the enemy completes the move successfully, then the roleplayer copies it successfully.

[Weasel Overlord]

Like Mimic in Final Fantasy. Or Blue Magic (learning enemy skills). Would the Roleplayer then keep any actions they learned in that day? And then would the slate be wiped clean for the next day, and they'd be left with nothing again? Perhaps we could implement some sort of permanent abilities, if that's the case. You know, that really rare monsters or boss-types can carry. Cos I dunno, the thought of not knowing anything until you meet an enemy/roleplay one of your party is a bit depressing. They'd be slightly useless if that was the case, until they got their abilities.

And if I'm totally taking that the wrong way, then hurrah! It's just like Blue Magic! *does a happy Final Fantasy dance*

[Heald]

Roleplayer – Mimics the skills and powers of others, although to a lesser effect, but can result in diverse movesets. Can only remember a certain number of actions per level (say 4 + level divided by 4). Must be at the required level to copy (i.e. a level 4 mage spell requires level 4 or above roleplayer), plus must attempt a passing roll for the initial copy (but not for any subsequent use). Cannot mimic certain actions (such as summoning a familiar). Requires charisma.

Yes, the Roleplayer will keep them. Your basic level 1 Roleplayer can remember up to 4 things per level. For every 4 levels, you get one more move, so a level 4 can remember 5, a level 8 can remember 6 etc.. These moves can range from spells to feats to passive actions, and once remembered they roll as normal. The main drawbacks of roleplayers are that they have no moves of their own, and not only do they need high enough charisma to successfully copy (I'll explain the exact rules if this setting gets chosen) but they will need to choose what other attributes they want. A roleplayer with low intelligence will not do well copying mage spells, and a roleplayer with low strength will be useless at warrior's feats.

They can attempt to learn any of their party's moves at any time, but must be in battle to copy an enemy's action.

On another note, I am considering allowing the Mage to follow the paths of Wizard (Intelligence), Sorcerer (Charisma) and Cleric (Wisdom), since these determine the source of their magic. As mentioned before, Wizards are studious Mages who use spellbooks and scrolls and have trained throughout their lives, Sorcerers rely on their innate power to call upon spells and Clerics use the power of a heavenly, supernatural or metaphysical entity for their power.

As for the technological side of things, one idea I did originally toy with but decided not to include in the original synopsis was the introduction of steam-vehicles and stuff, such as steambots, steamtanks and even steam-mecha (that giant spider thing out of Wild Wild West comes to mind) could feature. The steamtanks and mecha could feature as both allies and enemies, and steambots could be NPCs, allies, enemies or even part of a new Engineer class who uses steambots to fight for him. Any thoughts?

[Blademaster]

OK, since I've been called out, I'm gonna toss out my ideas. And likely be shot down for being too different from the DnD norm, but... meh. Here goes.

Overworld

The setting is a futuristic world (Here's where everyone stops reading.). The 'dungeons and dragons' of old have been long-since replaced by strongholds made of crystal (More on that later.) and winged machines built for battle.

The futuristic world of... Named-Not-Announced is home to a technology unlike any seen on Earth as of yet. Much like how Earth's technology has evolved from primitive stone tools to wooden crafts and vehicles to metal-based electrical and mechanical devices, so has Name-Not-Announced's technology evolved over the centuries, but they've evolved past machines (to an extent, much how we still use stone and wood) to the next step: crystal.

Crystal technology could best be compared to the Crystal Core of the Gradius series:


EDIT: Since Tripod's being a bitch, just go to this video; it appears at 1:15.


In other words, crystal armor, crystal guns, certain crystalline lifeforms... I could go into the technological details, but I don't wanna chase away the probably 2 people still reading this. If anyone actually GOES for this idea, I'll elaborate.

As far as magic goes, it's here, don't worry. Though unlike in traditional DnD, it's more scientific. Take, for instance, a basic life-restoring potion. In this world, such a thing would be, say, a mixture of steroids and cell-repairing nutrients as opposed to a nameless hodgepodge of ingredients put together by a creepy old guy in a pointy hat.


As far as the world itself goes, NNA is, in keeping with the TPM theme, composed of different 'continents':

Pokemasters Continent: The NNA equivalent of North America/the U.S.A., this land is rather large and composed primarily of working-class citizens and uneducated monkeys who tend to say/do what they want before thinking about it. The crime rate is the highest on the planet, and contact with the rest of the world is... well, let's just say these guys are well-known, and not necessarily for good things. One of the rulers here is rumored to be a Communist.
Games Continent: NNA's England. A fairly small, quiet island, the Games Continent is a technological wonder where various sporting events are held on a regular basis. The people here are peaceful enough, and the rulers are fairer than most, but be warned - these guys are no pushovers.
Anime Continent: The NNA equivalent of Australia. Sparsely populated, this desertlike continent is home to NNA's fiercest wildlife and is home mostly to nomadic creatures. The largest city here is an oasis near the coast, known as ASB. Ruled by a council of FOUR Moderators and home to a population of vicious battlers, you'd best not piss these guys off.
Fanwork Continent: NNA's Japan, this place is small, but heavily populated and home to some of the most innovative and knowledgeable people in NNA. The technological center of the world, this place is known for exporting pretty much anything, anywhere, anytime. Add to that a Council of FIVE Moderators and you've got yourself THE place to live in NNA.
Interactive Continent: The bastard red-headed stepchild of Fanwork. (Lol.)
OK, seriously, this place is very similar to Fanwork and Games in that it is home to both regular competitions and is a major exporting continent, of both information and technology. The technology often associated with being 'magic' is prominently used here and was once a pretty rowdy place (much like the first continent), but it has since calmed down quite a bit.
Archive Continent: NNA's Antarctica. This tiny island is entirely uninhabited by humans, home instead to a massive library known instead as 'The Archives.' These Archives are home to all the history of the planet, logged in what could best be described as a crystal fortress armed to the teeth with manmade defenses, crystalline droids that maintain the facility, and enough computer encryptions to kill a hacker of old age before he/she could get through them all, all at the heart of a multi-environmental island that surrounds the fortress on all sides and is full of different fearsome creatures. In other words, this place is Hell. Enjoy your visit.

Each continent has a Council of two or more Mods. These guys enforce pretty much everything that goes on in their continent and in turn are monitored by the 'ruler' of each continent, who is known as an Admin (Admins and SuperMods are grouped together for convenience purposes):

Pokemasters: Zak
Games: Chris
Anime: Little_Pikachu
Fanwork: Andrew
Interactive: Lady Vulpix
Archives: Kevin

The Admins don't do much unless they are forced to. In which case, you most likely have no chance to survive and had best make your time.

Races

Humans: Uh... Self-explanatory...?
Droids: Humanoids made of crystal. Unlike modern robots, these creatures are sentient. They are quite durable.
Cyborgs: Half-human, half-droid. Stronger and smarter than humans, but also more vulnerable than droids and humans. Twice the strengths, twice the weaknesses. C'est la vie.
Altumans: A humanlike race that relies less on technology and more on their natural strengths and weaknesses. They are intelligent and highly nimble creatures.
Techumans: A human-made race. The polar opposite of altumans, they are weak, but they wield 'magical' technology expertly.
Otherworlders: Aliens. Some are peaceful, some are vicious. But they're all pretty smart.

Attributes

Playing off the attribute systems of Pokemon itself, I made this list:

Fortitude: HP, essentially. How durable you are defensively, this gauges things like recovery time and resistances to certain attacks.
Strength: Offensive and defensive capabilities. Determines physical fitness.
Wisdom: Capability for 'special attack/defense,' this determines other kinds of strength besides your own bodies and dictates what kind of 'magical' and technological offenses and defenses you can perform.
Agility: Speed and reflexes. A strong opponent is easily rendered useless if you're too fast for them to hit.
Intelligence: While Wisdom is the 'know-how,' Intelligence is simply the 'know.' If you're intelligent, you open up lots of potential for other attributes (i.e., say you're intelligent and agile, as well. You'd make for a great covert operator. Intelligent and wise? Congrats, you're using Thundaja while the next wise guy is still stuck on Thunder/Thundaga [Thanks to Crys for the FF spell edumacation. ^^'].).
Charisma: Personality, essentially. Being good-looking and/or a smooth talker has its perks, mirite guyz?

Occupations

Unlike traditional 'classes,' I decided to take a different approach and forego this field entirely in favor of out-and-out jobs. Occupations allow you to earn money which in turn allows you to buy and upgrade weapons, items, accessories, armor, etc.. In this way, a video game RPG system is introduced, like MC mentioned earlier.

That being said, there's a very broad range of occupations. Listing them all would be pointless, since pretty much any real-life job could apply and somebody could easily concoct their own.

But I can at least offer some examples based off of Heald's list:

-A Muse could be an actor, an artist, a writer (or Fanficcer, if you prefer), or whatever else fits into the field of entertaining.
-Or a Flamer (Love that idea, Heald.) could be someone else who 'defies the system,' so to speak. Bounty hunters, assassins, and mercenaries for hire would all fit in this category.

Keep in mind, though, that different Occupations don't require the same Attributes. An assassin, for instance, would require heightened agility, while a bounty hunter wouldn't. So, while certain Occupations may stem from the same Class, in the end, each Occupation is different and therefore must be treated differently, and not as the DnD class that it initially descended from.

Lastly, depending on the Occupation you choose, whoever you work for will pay you. You'll be paid for completed jobs and not paid or even be charged for screwing up. Do good enough, and you'll be promoted. That means more money, but it'll also mean you need higher levels of your Attribute, too.

For instance, say you start off with a sucktastic 2 points of Strength, 3 of Agility, and 5 for Intelligence. Congrats, you're a... uh... let's say, Pizza Boy (Once again, Heald FTW.). Do your job successfully, and you get paid... oh... $10 from your boss. You also gain some experience. Gain enough, and you can move on to the next 'level,' gain an Attribute point (or however it'll work) and become Assistant Manager. Or you can devote the point(s) you earned to an Attribute, like Strength, quit, and get a new job moving heavy boxes and stuff for $25 per job.

This is just a brainstorm on my part and may or may not complicate things, but it introduces a classic RPG element into the system: gaining money to buy and/or upgrade your weapons, armor, accessories, items, and the like. It's like Final Fantasy meets Dungeons & Dragons...

...Wow. An RPG...

...About an RPG...

...ABOUT AN RPG.




FINAL NOTE: All names are subject to change, and all categories are subject to addition, removal, alteration, and the like. This is just a rough draft of my idea.

Coming soon: Teh l33t MSPaint map of teh 0verw0r1d.

[Heald]

I think before we go into any more detail of any ideas, I reckon we should give people time to post any of their suggested ideas, then we can perhaps make a Poll and vote for an idea, and then collectively we can begin to choose what rules and stuff once we have chosen our setting.

Ideally, anyone who wants to post an idea (at the moment, only me and Blade have posted original settings, whereas Asilynne and Weasel have suggested using a book or such as the setting) should post it in the next week, then the poll ought to be up in the week after, then after that we spend a fortnight tinkering with the chosen idea. In this ideal timeframe, we ought to be up and running in about 4 weeks.

I'd like to suggest that once we actually start, the first 'quest' as such is just a prologue that won't bear so much on the story but just to test out the rules so once that is completed, people can post what their grievances were so the rules can be amended and then the real thing can go along.

[Mystic_clown]

We were planning on doing a poll once we've got enough ideas. Yeah, so far we've got you, Asilyne and Blade's ideas. I'm forming a bit of an idea, but it's in the works at the moment. I like the idea about the first story really just being a prologue of sorts.

[Blademaster]

Prologue quest? Sure, I'm down with that. But I think a week is a bit long - if anybody had any setting ideas, they'd have posted them by now. I say we give 'em till Friday, then go weekly from there. And yes, that includes a week tinkering with the idea, as well. We're not that slow that we need 14 days to finalize something that's already been voted on and thus largely complete already, do we?

Besides, we'd be done by the end of the month at most this way.

[Crazy Elf Boy]

Ok, I would like my two cents in here so here it is. I have never played DnD ever EVER that means ever ever ever ever before in my life. So according to my ideals on online MMORPGS I like everyones ideas so far especially the ones of TPM but I do like Blademaster's and Asilynes's ideas (sorry Heald, I just have a passion for some intention of ownership of firearms) but I would like to learn and participate in this game of DnD.

(Also if any of this does not make any sense to anyone let me know because I have done a little partying tonight and this statement might not be grammatically correct ^_^)

[Mystic_clown]

ok, time for my idea.

Setting

Tepokemasta

Magic and technology are heavily intertwined. Stone infused with magical essence known as Magi-stones are used as a power source for machinery, as well as a medium for different magiks. The extent of this magical technology has reached to powering some major cities, forms of transport and communication and recently, into weaponry. However, any new form of technology utilizing Magi-stones is unstable at first, and magi-weaponry is no exception. Because of this, very few specialists have access to magi-weaponry. The only other way to use Magi-stones in combat is to utilize the essence they contain, similar to the way sorcerers cast spells. Apart from that, the majority of weapons used are the same used in the times of old, swords, bows, etc.

Much like Heald and Blade’s idea, the world is based around the TPM forums.

Miscellanio
The widely accepted capital of Tepokemasta. A somewhat large city situated in the mouth of a dead volcano, Miscellanio is possibly the most advanced city in terms of technology, using it to vent the floodwaters during the raining season. It’s not much of a military city, primarily using the mountain surrounding it as an effective defence. The city is one of discussion and new ideas, a city of scholarship and debate. The city is also the main meeting place for the high council, consisting of representatives from each of the cities.

Fanworten
Considered the arts capital of Tepokemasta. Theater, literature and other forms of artwork can bee seen wherever you go. The city itself stretches over a wide canyon, holding itself up like a bridge of sorts. While there were initial concerns of this, it has been assured the city is secured in its lofty location. Because of this, it has been dubbed ‘the suspended city’.

Anstyba
The center of magi-weapons development. Anstyba has been well known for its military strength and the skilled fighters it produces. Do not let this full you though. This is not a city hungry for war, though it follows a strict regime that make the laws of the other cities feel a bit slack. The city itself is located on an island not too far off the shores of the mainland.

Roplaga
The industrial heart of tepokemasta. The city is located along the river Lugos, using a combination of magi-tech and hydropower to power their machinery. The city builds numerous machines used all over the world, and is such mostly populated by the workers. Due to the numerous factories and such, Roplaga isn’t as, shall we say, ‘clean’ as the other cities.

Generis
Possibly the least technological of the cities in tepokemasta, Generis is situated in the middle of a dense forest and is, in essence, a farming community. Using certain types of Magi-stones, Generis provides the best produce for the rest of the world. The city is also a studying hot spot on the magi-stones, learning of their origin, and how one can utilize its essence without the danger of forcing technology upon it.

The Archives
In the frozen lands to the north, legends have spoken a place abundant with Magi-stones in their purest form. Research teams have discovered a gigantic, crater-like formation at the center-most point of this frozen land. However, tornado-like winds prevent them from exploring within. It’s believed that the mass amount of essence from the magi-stones is what’s producing this impassable storm. With the discovery of Recorder Stones, scientists and scholars believe that there may be stones there that contain the history of the planet itself. It’s this belief that has given this legendary place its name.

Gamavali
Rather an amusement part rather than a town, due to the number of people who’ve taken up permanent residence here, it’s considered an unofficial city. This is a place one can go to unwind, play some games, ride the rides, watch the races, grab a bite to eat, or whatever takes your fancy. Gamavali caters for all. Gamavali is situated in the middle of the Bannade desert. The only save way is by going on the Gamavali private railway, which traverses the desert.

Binaryn
A small town located on the same frozen land as the legendary archives. Located on the shores of this icy wasteland, Binaryn is in essence, a fishing town, well known for its prime catch. It’s also the place to stop first if you want to explore the land, otherwise you’ll find it pretty difficult.

Lugos River
A large river, which seems to cut the mainland in two. The river is notorious for the number of aquatic monsters inhabiting it, as well as the exotic fish that it holds. While it’s not impossible to traverse this river on your own, the safest way is to go through Roplaga, which goes across the river. The machines are effective in driving away the monsters, though there is the occasional exception.

Bannade Desert
If anywhere could be described as a No Mans Land, this is it. Scorching heat and ferocious monsters. The only safe away across the desert is with the Gamavali express, and to be perfectly honest, Gamavali is the only real reason anyone would want to come here. Amongst the desert sands lies the old Bannade prison, which has long fallen into ruin.

Races

Humans
The usual stuff, a bit of an all rounder. No real strengths, but no real weaknesses either.

Talems
A humanoid race, a little shorter in statue to humans, with larger eyes. Their eyes are their most outstanding feature as their usually a very bright green, blue, pink or purple and can glow in the dark. Their skin is pale, no matter how much sun they get. Their eyes are adapted to darkness and so are sensitive to light. Because of this, most Talems can be seen wearing hoods, hats, or tinted goggles during the day. Most Talems prefer to avoid technology, though there are some exceptions.

Syfes
SYnthetic liFEformS. Combining magical technology with artificial intelligence, Syfes were originally created to act as servants, much to everyone’s surprise, a number of them began to develop personalities and learn things outside of their programming. They’re humanoid in appearance, though how much they resemble humans differs with each Syfe.

Nekoda
A humanoid races with features similar to those of felines. Haven lived in the wilderness for centuries, its only in the last fifty years that they’ve tried to be assimilated into modern society. A lot have done so without any problems, though few prefer to stay in the wilderness.

If anyone has any more suggestion, they would be greatly appreciated.

Attributes

Strength
Dexterity
Constitution
Wisdom
Intelligence
Charisma

Classes

Well, to be completely honest, I like what Heald’s got down, so I was pretty much thinking of what he’s got. I may edit this later.

[Blademaster]

Aaaaaaaand, teh l33t MSPaint map of teh 0verw0r1d is compl33t:

Key
Tan stuff is flat and barren: beach, desert, and wasteland.
Light green stuff is flat but not barren: grasslands and plains.
Dark green stuff is not flat or barren: forests and jungles.
Dark blue stuff is deep ocean water.
Light blue stuff around the continents and landmasses is shallow ocean water.
Off-white blue stuff at the north and south edges of the map is ice.
Navy blue squares are undersea mountains and valleys that divide the continental plates.
Brown squares are on-land mountains and mountain ranges.
Orange lines are bridges.
Lastly, red spots are the capital cities of each continent:

Pokemasters Capital: The Binary District
Games Capital: TBA (I haven't come up with one yet.)
Anime Capital: ASB
Fanwork Capital: Smiley Town
Interactive Capital: Twilight Town
Archive 'Capital': None (The red dot is the fortress they're stored in.)

The few things that have been named, as usual, are subject to change.

EDIT: Forget the compass, which is... uh... normal. What, did you expect the freaking map to be upside-down?

Also, the map is of the whole planet. Considering the tiny Archive island is about 150 miles across at its widest, it's safe to say this planet is pretty tiny. I didn't bother to measure it exactly, though, because nobody gives a shit how big it is. ...Or, at least I don't, anyway. d:

[Drusilla]

I didn't bother to measure it exactly, though, because nobody gives a shit how big it is. ...Or, at least I don't, anyway. d:

DRUSIE CARES, GO BACK AND MEASURE IT OUT TO SCALE, DAMMIT!!

Just kidding, lol. Seriously... <_<;;

I still don't have much to add, just that I like how things are progressing thus far... I'm more into detail work, myself, so if things get to the point of figuring out detail-ish stuff...

Here are the things that currently come to mind:

What are the attribute bonuses for the different races? Like, would a Talem be kind of gnome-ish, or what? I could work those out, if you'd like... I have a few DnD manuals laying around here, somewhere... And maybe a few more races, as well... Hmmm...

And what about histories? Gods? Societies? Guilds? Governmental infrastructures? Kni- *is clubbed over the head and passes out* x_x;;

[Mystic_clown]

I was waiting to see which overall world gets selected before going into any greater detail, but since you asked.

I pictured the Talems a lot like the elves, a bit weak in strength, but a good boost in intelligence. I pictured the Syfes a bit like emotionless automatons (at least, that's how they start out) so I figured give them a boost in strength, but a weakness in charisma.

The Nekoda I cansee being a quick footed race, but also a bit weak in terms of endurance, so a boost in dexterity, and a penalty in constitution.

As for history and such, I want to work on this if my world gets chosen, but as this is for all TPM, I am happy for people to put their own thing in.

[Blademaster]

And what about histories? Gods? Societies? Guilds? Governmental infrastructures? Kni- *is clubbed over the head and passes out* x_x;;

(hides club behind back)

...What? Somebody had to do it.

[Asilynne]

It was just a suggestion :< no need to bash my precious wheel of time *cry*
And Ive created many worlds of my own Blade so its not me suggesting wheel of time because I dont "have any imagination" :/ You must understand that this book series is my current obsession and that Im really into it right now especially since the author died before finishing the last freaking book of the series so now I have to wait heaven knows how long before his wife can finish writing it based on the notes he left behind @.@
What I wouldnt give to read those notes >.<

Anyway good ideas so far guys, keep up the good work, maybe next time I have a spare moment I can jot down the basis of one of my created worlds ^-~

[Mystic_clown]

Well, it's been about a week or so since we startde putting up ideas. How would everyone feel if we started the poll about now?

[Drusilla]

Drusie says:
So... what poll is this for the DnD thingee?
The Boredom Commands Me says:
which world will be used
Drusie says:
Ah.
Drusie says:
MINE
The Boredom Commands Me says:
do you have an idea for a world?
Drusie says:
No...
The Boredom Commands Me says:
so, no Drusie world


OK, you win... ~_~;;

I'm pulling this one out of the dusty recesses of the RPG forum... the world I created for Dream Of The Archer. I'm not particularly gifted at coming up with names for places, so I'm not going to focus on those as much as the description of each location/geographical feature.

1- Village A. A rudimentary farming village which has just been destroyed by foreign invaders.

2- Village B. Located in the northern foothills of the mountains, on the edge of the tundra. Summers are cool, and winters are downright painful.

3- Capital city of the nation, and second import harbor. Ships bound north or west sail from here. Almost every culture and race are represented as well.

4- City B. Chief import city of the nation, dealing with southern principalities' goods and peoples. None sail north from here, however, due to treacherous waters along the western shore of the peninsula.

5- Crystal Isle, believed by many to be only a fairy tale. None in living memory have ever seen it.

6- Alderford Forest and River. Fear and superstition keep the vast majority of travelers out, and very few who do enter ever return. A place of deep mystery and magic...

7- Ocean... duh. XP

8- Mountains, again feared and avoided by most. It is said that a hermit lives somewhere on the mount with the highest peak...

9- Nondescript plains.

10- River B, used to transport from City B throughout the western part of the nation.

11- Gulf.

12- Barren tundra, leading up to the northern icecap.

Needs a lot of work, I know... As far as peoples, well, I haven't gotten that far... It certainly wouldn't be limited to humans, as in my original idea. *shrugs* I'm hungry...

[Mystic_clown]

ok, the poll is now up, get voting guys.

[Weasel Overlord]

*salutes* Aye aye cap'n! Mah vote is in!

[Blademaster]

Voted.