By choice or by misfortune, you have found yourself among the Knaves--members of a migrant mercenary and merchant class. Whether lauded as heroes or despised as thieves, Knaves (at least the wise ones) eventually band together into their own traveling parties. This is the story of your party.
The Discovered World, Randunsan, is not always kind to the Knave, so make the most of your advantages or meet a swift end.
The Discovered World
Hi All! Experienced RPG GM/comic creator here, very much a Novice QM! Tough I have dabbled in quests before, this is my experimental first foray on this forum or on this scale. The idea is to do a semi-RPG, party-building Quest. We'll start small, then recruit new party members, swap them out for different explorations, and eventually expand your business model (or possibly watch it all implode around you, who knows really?).
Rules we'll use are based on KNAVE by Ben Milton, an old school style RPG system that's nicely streamlined. I will also use elements of MAZE RATS, also by Milton, and GLAIVE, Knave's revised and expanded cousin by Scott Wegener. Characters can die easily if not careful, but hopefully they get some cool moments before they go. And sometimes a would-be fatal blow is only a scar, and what doesn't kill you makes you stranger!
TO START: We need a beginning pool of Knaves! Anyone can go to Lawbreaker: A Knave character generator and REFRESH to get a random character with its own random stats and inventory. Refresh until you get a character you'd like to SUBMIT to the pool, then copy those stats into your post! PRO-TIP: You can click on the PERMALINK button at the top of the sheet and paste the link in your submission for easy reference. If you thought of a custom replacement name just put it in your post. The generator also gives the character a past event such as a curse, haunting, crime, etc. If you have an idea what that might be, list it in your post, or we can roll on one of our systems' many generators.
Here, I'll put the first Knave in the pool now: Lawbreaker: Axyl Walls
Axyl Walls sounds like a pretty chill guy, an ambitious, neutral-hearted fast-talker! Oh, but why does he have 2 sets of manacles? (Uhhh...) Also, he's been haunted in the past, so I'm calling it now that his ghostly torment has something to do with his vengeful streak...
For a couple of days I'll leave submissions open--anyone wanting to participate please submit up to TWO (2) Knaves. After we get our pool, we'll look over them all and VOTE for one to be our Party Founder! More rules will be explained as we go, and ask if you have any questions!
UPDATE: Submissions will CLOSE on Monday June 14, at 12 Noon EST. I'll launch our first VOTE later that evening.
Traits
Tracker. Wears fashionable clothes, and has squeaky speech. Has a short physique, an elongated face, sunburned skin and limp hair. Is righteous, but greedy. Has been blackmailed in the past. Favours law.
Traits
Mariner. Wears decorated clothes, and has whispery speech. Has a delicate physique, a round face, war paint skin and curly hair. Is generous, but greedy. Has been haunted in the past. Favours chaos.
Traits
Alchemist. Wears perfumed clothes, and has hoarse speech. Has a lanky physique, a ratlike face, rough skin and wavy hair. Is idealistic, but suspicious. Has been suspected in the past. Favours neutrality.
Defense
Attribute
Bonus
12
Strength
2
15
Dexterity
5
11
Constitution
1
11
Intelligence
1
12
Wisdom
2
11
Charisma
1
11
Armor
1
Inventory
Name
Slots
(E) Halberd (d10 damage, 2 hands, 3 quality)
3
Manacles
1
Waterskin
1
Glue
1
Perfume
1
Travel Rations (1 day)
1
Travel Rations (1 day)
1
(9/11)
Janna is a traveling alchemist, and apparently makes both glue and perfume. Which seems pretty practical, honestly. Also she perfumes her clothes. Why is she adventuring? To find more materials to make into better perfumes and glues? Who knows?
Name:
Halia Mosstree
XP: 0
Level: 1
HP: 4 / 4
Traits
Magician. Wears filthy clothes, and has mumbling speech. Has a willowy physique, a sunken face, tattooed skin and bald hair. Is cautious, but wasteful. Has been addicted in the past. Favours chaos.
Attributes
Defense
Attribute
Bonus
Defense
Attribute
Bonus
12
Strength
2
13
Dexterity
3
11
Constitution
1
11
Intelligence
1
14
Wisdom
4
12
Charisma
2
12
Armor
2
Inventory
Name
Slots
(E) Battle Axe (d10 damage, 2 hands, 3 quality)
3
(E) Gambeson (Defense 12, 3 quality)
1
Hammer
1
Waterskin
1
Bucket
1
Quill & Ink
1
Travel Rations (1 day)
1
Travel Rations (1 day)
1
(10/11)
Halia Mosstree is a magician. Who solves problems with a battle-axe, not magic. Halia's best magic trick is the old "cut a person in half" routine, which the axe helps with, although putting the volunteer back together is still unreliable.
Burglar. Wears foreign clothes, and has hoarse speech. Has a tiny physique, a round face, pockmarked skin and cropped hair. Is disciplined, but nervous. Has been exiled in the past. Favours law.
Stats:
Defense
Attribute
Bonus
11
Strength
1
13
Dexterity
3
12
Constitution
2
11
Intelligence
1
12
Wisdom
2
11
Charisma
1
12
Armor
2
Inventory:
Name
Slots
(E) Spear (d8 damage, 1 hand, 3 quality)
2
(E) Gambeson (Defense 12, 3 quality)
1
Rope, 50ft
1
Lantern
1
Grease
1
Incense
1
Travel rations (1 day)
1
Travel rations (1 day)
1
Total:
(9/12)
Matteus is a law-abiding fellow forced into the profession by a vagrant magician signing him up for a grand adventure. Alas, the dwarven company he ended up with was of ill repute, and the conclusion of their tale saw them imprisoned, and Matteus exiled from his homeland.
Otherwise known as "what happens when Bilbo Baggins does not find the One Ring".
Traits
Mercenary. Wears torn clothes, and has blunt speech. Has a sinewy physique, a gaunt face, warpaint skin and ponytail hair. Is righteous, but greedy. Has been haunted in the past. Favours neutrality.
Aedyn Storms, a wandering mercenary for hire. He started his career young with his brothers. Now he is the only one left.
Tends to take every shiny not nailed down. Lives for a good bargain and hordes sentimental things, as negligable trinkets from home are sewn into his pack despite their scuffed appearance.
Despite his greed and appearance, he is actually quite the softie.
Motto: When in doubt- money, when in danger-SWORD!
Name:
Eva Kearse
XP: 0
Level: 1
HP: 4/ 4
Magician. Wears antique clothes, and has mumbling speech. Has a willowy physique, a hawkish face, tattooed skin and long hair. Is merciful, but vengeful. Has been exiled in the past. Favours chaos.
Eva is a student of the arcane who was exiled after a magical mishap of some import. Rather than discourage her, she now delves into forgotten ruins to find new spells for her to work with. Has good skill with the bow and is fervent proponent of killing things from afar.
Forgives minor slights easily, but to break her trust is to invite the inferno to your doorstep. On the lookout for payback to those who exiled her in the first place.
For our purposes we're going to begin with a Founder recruiting one partner (this will be decided by the first vote and scene). I've played KNAVE as a traditional RPG and we've had parties of like 4 or 5, but running it here in Quest form it becomes more like "troupe play", where all the players switch off control on the characters. (Side note - troupe play is very fun!) You might find that some jobs require more or less bodies than usual.
After the initial start y'all can recruit more Knaves, but things like lodging and meals cost money, so it might be wise not to expand too quickly (but again, it's all up to you guys!)
1st Character: Kym Fisher
A guy with a delicate physique but has high constitution. Probably had his heart broken since he was "replaced" (see also: dumped)
Name:
Kym Fisher
XP: 0
Level: 1
HP: 6 / 6
Traits
Cultist. Wears flamboyant clothes, and has rambling speech. Has a delicate physique, a ratlike face, war paint skin and frizzy hair. Is curious, but aggressive. Has been replaced in the past. Favours law.
Attributes
Defense
Attribute
Bonus
12
Strength
2
12
Dexterity
2
15
Constitution
5
13
Intelligence
3
14
Wisdom
4
14
Charisma
4
15
Armor
5
Inventory
Name
Slots
(E) Axe (d8 damage, 1 hand, 3 quality)
2
(E) Brigandine (Defense 13, 4 quality)
2
(E) Shield (Defense +1, 1 quality)
1
(E) Helmet (Defense +1, 1 quality)
1
Mirror
1
Grappling hook
1
Shovel
1
Lens
1
Travel rations (1 day)
1
Travel rations (1 day)
1
(12/15)
2nd character: Nolyn Hoar
A courageous yet vain type of guy, probably loves the hero worship.
Name:
Nolyn Hoar XP: 0 Level: 1 HP: 6 / 6
Traits
Student. Wears filthy clothes, and has dialect speech. Has a stout physique, a bloated face, birthmark skin and wavy hair. Is courageous, but vain. Has been exiled in the past. Favours law.
Vote for our Founder! They will be our first Knave, the one who starts the party and will generally serve as our focus character in the beginning. Voting will end Friday 6/18 at 12 Midnight EST! This weekend I'll have a proper intro for our starting character and get introduced to our setting.
Charismatic to the future party,
Knowledgable to not be fooled on crap.
Wise enough, to avoid the obvious trap
A Chosen of one dark god's new army (maybe)
Okay, shame I missed earlier, because my first click on the link was the disciplined and ripped but lazy magician Kaevin Reed.
I assume disciplined but lazy means commited to finding new ways to not do things. So a magical Victor Tugelbend. And honestly the idea of someone who went into studying magic just because eventually the effort spent learning animate object will eventually be less than the effort of cleaning the house every day for the rest of your life appeals to the programmer in me.
Still I think for the leader I'm voting highest Charisma that isn't a cultist. Because the other choice sounds like a possible disaster.
[X] Axyl Walls
E: also heres Rilie Black, I've never played Knave but this butcher in torn clothes looks like they'd be some kind of archtypical barbarian, except for the fact she's really charismatic.
Chaotic and reckless but also disciplined means they pick what to do on impulse and then do it persistently? They put a lot of effort into the reckless choices? They make a choice recklessly and then methodically work through how to achieve the goal?
The character confuses me but I think the stats are good enough that I don't want to not post it.
Eh, I am sure Mister Kent will make things intresting enough if it comes to that. A cool way to subvert expectations if the cultist isn't actually the final boss in a Darkest Dungeon like scenario.