Erfworld Empires - ENDED ABRUPTLY

[LTDave]

Hi Folks.

It's been a few days since the Matrix II campaign ended, and I'm starting to get the "gaming shakes".

I'm thinking of running a game like the Erfgame, Titanic Mandate, etc. Players each run their own power, interact with the GM via PMs, and engage each other over time.

Like most of my games, it will be maths-light, fluff-aided, Narrative-Driven, and hopefully full-o'-fun. I'd aim for a turn a week or better.

Are there folks here who might be interested in such a venture?

Post and let me know...

[ETheBoyce]

Let's see if I can't win a third one!

[The Colonel]

YES DO WANT! NOBGRUB SHALL BE AVENGED!

[Nnelg]

I might be in. It depends on the rules, and whether either of the other two forum games I'm looking at right now will have me.

[0beron]

Possibly, depends on rules

[LTDave]

You’re sitting at a table in a basement, with some paper, a bunch of nerds, and a d20…

You’re in front of your Nintendoo, mashing buttons and tearing out some guy’s oesophagus…

You’re staring at a laptop screen, waiting for some guy in Oregon to post responses to your pressing questions about the exact details of a very specific question about a fictional universe that exists only in his head…

You’re grinding for gold in a MMORPG, silently saying “pew pew pew” in your head every time you fire your bow because you saw it on that u-tube video and now you can’t stop the music…

You’re jogging… no wait, that would never happen.

You’re sixty-seven moves into a game of chess when your opponent asks “how do the horsey ones move again?”….
When suddenly:

PLOT!

You are lying on a cold stone floor with a blinding headache, and some weird little guy is yabbering at you about being “the perfect warlord” and “you must save my realm” and “why are you shaped like a potato?” and “hey, it worked for Gobwin Knob.”

Turns out that you have been taken by “magic” to a strange new world, and placed in command of the destiny of an entire nation. Woot! You have arrived in nerdvana.
Oh, except everyone is relying on you. And when you make mistakes, the cute little cartoon people die. Horribly, horribly. And you don’t really understand the mechanics of the universe, and there doesn’t seem to be a rule book you can just pick up and read, and the people here get annoyed when you ask questions like “where does the food come from?” and “so, you guys still boop, right?”

But, hey, destiny is calling. Will you accept the charges?

[WaterMonkey314]

I doubt I'll have time to actually play (classes are starting!) but could I put in a request to be an observer? I like watching what's going on.

[ETheBoyce]

Of course I accept the charges, though I'm sure the long distance rates will be killer

[Fkrts]

I'm in. Sorry about not posting before the plot.

I accept!

Spoiler: show

Will you be creating our sides for us or will we be creating them ourselves?

[Gen_Zealot]

If you'll take me, I'd like to join in the fun.

[LTDave]

No - folks will be designing their own sides. Use the following list I stole from Design-a-side to give some starting units and

•Basics
◦Theme
■Logo
■References?

◦“Play style”
■Offensive/defensive inclinations
■How does the side pay upkeep? Conquest, diplomacy, raids?
■How does the side stay alive? Bigger armies, alliances, hiding?
■Spammer/Elitist? Brute Force/Technicalist? (EDIT: Mass units or elite units? Raw stats or special gimmicks?)

◦Units - give five units for your side as a starting point.
■Appearance
■General stats (Probably nothing specific, unless you’ve got a particular system in mind.)
■Specials
■Connotation (Are they respected? Ignored? Mocked?)

◦Cities
■Proximity to other cities
■Previous ownership, if any
■Approximate Level
■Terrain Preference
■A List of Three or Four Names for Cities

◦Philosophy
■Opinion on the Royals?
■On the Titans?

◦History

•Characters
◦Role (Ruler, Warlord, Caster, notable infantry...)
◦Personality
◦Backstory
◦Relationships
■With characters in the side
■And outside it

◦Appearance

•Relations
◦Alliances
◦Enemies
◦Origins
◦Relative power/size

[Fkrts]

Wome
- Rome
Towershield and Short Sword
?

This is just the start of my side. I want to reserve the name and the general theme.

Oh and ask what references are.

[ETheBoyce]

Name: Ursulan
Theme: Bears
Logo:
References: Bear related media

Play Style: Bearish, which is to say they tend to have two modes, a hibernate mode where they ignore the outside world and leave everyone alone, build up forces, have nap parties etc.; then they wake up and rampage around for a while ravaging everything in their path before hibernating once again.

They pay upkeep through farming/hunting while hibernating and through raiding and razing when "awake"

They stay alive through a strong defensive position as well as being a bit of a wild card, they tend not to choose sides but rather attack whatever suits their fancy; unless they are attacked while hibernating, then they tend to maul the offender to death; so they typically get left alone.

Ursulan armies are typically built around elite units with high base stats that simply shrug off punishment though their units do become Enraged when they become injured or see their brethren fall

[The Colonel]

The Gardeners Alliance

◦Theme: PvsZ
Logo: A sunflower
■References?: Plants VS Zombie

◦“Play style”
Defensive, passive. Their cities are near impregnable. If they ever take a city, the standard tactic is to lure out the defenders, take the city and make it impractical to take back.

Upkeep is paid through Farming, the defenses are their gardens and farms.

They stay alive through having big armies, and a reputation for their cities being damm near impossible to take. Plants being low to no upkeep units that are defense only lends a bite to the bark.

Gardener armies are built around, Gardeners. They are the only unit that can move. Gardeners move around, transporting seed to locations, whereupon arriving they plant them, setting up "Gardens" aka damm near impregnable fortresses (But only when led by a gardener). After the "Garden" has fulfilled its original purpose, it is left by the gardener to grow free.

Philosophy
Opinion on the royals:
The royals are just another side to them. Meh ish opinion.

Opinion on the titans:
The titans are the creators, the gardeners of the great garden that is the Erf. They treat them as a plant would treat its grower. Grateful, but they are not fervent about it.

Units
(Still GOING!)

[Gen_Zealot]

Rogue Church
Theme: Post-Theocratic corruption; thieve, brigands, and killers
Logo: TBA

Play Style
The side isn't defensively minded and when forced into war it will be offensive whenever possible. However, in most matters Rogue Church will not be the initial aggressors. It would be bad for business, and mercenary is the new way to be around here. Upkeep is paid through mercenary work and raiding, primarily hiring out operatives for sensitive work. The side relies on decent relations and expert specialists to ensure its continued survival.

Philosophy
Both questions (that is to say, feelings on the titans and feelings on the royals) are complicated matters for Rogue Church. Their relationship with the titans has waned over many turns and now there's little resemblance between what the side does and what others think the titans wish, but Rogue Church has seldom abandoned their claim of following the will of the titans. This has changed recently along with the question of royalty due to the rise of Overlord DaPope. The new leader cares neither for titans or kings, only the purse, his freedom, and the happiness of his units.

History
When King DaPope I founded his capital, he gave his first underlings very simple instructions:
1) We are of the titans' making and we must follow their will at all times, at any cost
2) The king is the ultimate authority on what the titans wish from us
And for a time all was good. King DaPope and his successors ran the side like a church, preaching the titanic message near and far. Prosperity and peace prospered in this place of profound piety. King DaPope VII was the first to envision a titanic will that included killing. Under his rule the first Zealots were popped and given targets for their murderous mandate. The spirit of the side has never been recovered. After that, corruption and greed began to grow in the hearts of the Church's leaders. The holy aspect of the governing body became aggressive, concerned with destroying anything that existed in conflict with the church or its teachings. Then murder-for-hire became commonplace, and soon other mercenary tricks followed. The religous message was lost and money became the measure of all things. The side transformed from a church to a thieves' guild. And now it's first overlord, his position gained by treachery, holds power.

Units, Cities, Characters, and Relations
*Content under construction*

[LTDave]

OK, so I'm starting to get some ideas together on specifics - I hope to send PMs to the registered players will the next several hours.

What I'm needing is:
1. a series of City names for each side (three or four)
2. three names (ruler, warlord, Mancer)
3. Four unit names for Flyer, Ranged, Cavalry, and Infantry. Assign each a combat value of 3, 4, 5 or 6 (using each number once only)

Cheers!

[The Colonel]

1. a series of City names for each side (three or four)
1) Nurseria
2) Gardenia (It ain't so good you can even eat it on its own.)
3) Boot
4) Weedleburg

2. three names (ruler, warlord, Mancer)
Ruler: Lady Sunflower
Her reign has been the most peaceful ever seen. She was preceded by Lord Threepeater, who died in the successful siege of a city of a long gone side. They are technically a Royal side.

Chief warlord: Lord Peashooter
A warlord with a love of war, who works under a ruler with no liking for such things. He thinks he's been popped on the wrong side.

Chief Caster: Crazy Dave
He's CRAAAZY! Also he's been this sides caster since, forever.

Units
Ranged: Peashooter: 6
Infantry: Potato Warrior: 5
Cavalry: Cattail: 3
Flying: Airweed: 4

[LTDave]

Ok, so I'm working on an initial map, and I've sent four players a PM. If others want to play, join up now-ish...

Players need to make some decisions, and send me some information:

1. a series of City names for each side (three or four)
2. three names (ruler, warlord, Mancer)
3. Four unit names for Flyer, Ranged, Cavalry, and Infantry. Assign each a combat value of 3, 4, 5 or 6 (using each number once only)
{basically, pick which of the four kinds of units is your best, and give it the number 6, next best 5, usw...}
4. Decide if you want to cast your Realm Spell - if it does damage to another nation, specify which nation. Realm Spells expire at the end of the turn, and a new one will be generated.
5. Decide what troops you want to recruit (you can't really do this yet, as I need the combat values for each kind before I can tell you how much they cost) - Each Warlord can have up to 40 units assigned, and your armies are basically there - skip this step for now...)
6. Decide how much money you want to spend on Scouts / Espionage (10S each - you can't use espionage yet - wait till your empires make contact... Scouts will let you see what's in unexplored hexes)
7. That's about it for now.

Cheers

[Fkrts]

City names
1) Wome
2) Vinovia
3) Olicana
4) Cowia

Ruler Name
Julius Ceasaw

Warlord Name
Alexandaw

Mancer Name
Oracle

Flyer - Pegasus 3
Ranged - Cwossbowman 5
Cavalry - Pwododewmia 4
Infantry - Legionaiw 6

No I do'nt want to cast my realm spell

50$

And I'll finish posting my nation around 2:00 Central Time

[The Colonel]

Do we PM you?