The Wheel of Time

[Mutant for Hire]

You really should ask Steve Long. I mean he did the WoT RPG book. I'm sure he'd love to help out with more WoT stuff.

[Lord Liaden]

For interested parties, we have other great WoT HERO stuff on the boards:

Character writeups:
http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12881

Magic system writeups:
http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24376

[Nolgroth]

So, Nu Soard Graphite, you said that you were about 3/4 done with the Blademaster martial arts stuff. Have you "officially" completed them yet?

If I were to throw together a Wheel of Time for HERO website, would you mind if I used the blademaster rules? I've been debating the idea for a while and I think that I might have enough mental energy to actually build and maintain a project like that.

(And bump to keep the thread alive.)

[NuSoardGraphite]

No, I have been unable to complete that project due to some other considerations (computer problems and whatnot. I'm not using my own computer at this time)

Feel free to use them as much as you wish. Its why I posted them.

In a month or so, I should be able to get back to them. There aren't really that many to finish writing (I just hope the pages I was referrencing still exist!) so it shouldn't take too long once I get back to it.

In fact, I may competely revise them, so they are better implemented, as what I posted here was my first draft....

[Ndreare]

You really should ask Steve Long. I mean he did the WoT RPG book. I'm sure he'd love to help out with more WoT stuff.

Noy likely, When doing Fantasy HERO he implied he did not like Wheel of Time. It was right after he finished Wheel of Time the Role Playing Game, so mabey he was fed up with it? I remeber his asking though for Suggested Reading from board members and it was one book he mentioned in a negative light. (I would put a link here but am unable to find anything older than Feb 2003 in the search)

(Also I am sure there would be copy right concerns with him owning the company to work on another companies licenced material.)

[Nolgroth]

I can definately relate to the "other considerations" issue. For the last couple of years, work has been sucking all of my mental energy. Now things have settled down a little bit and I'm starting to feel the urge to create and expand what we've done with WoT (and other stuff too).

Well, if you are planning to re-create the system, I'm open to waiting around for it. I have a lot of stuff to do myself. At least the basic web page layout is prepared so all I have to do is create content. Of course, that is the hard part.

Good luck.

[Nolgroth]

Noy likely, When doing Fantasy HERO he implied he did not like Wheel of Time.

I remember the thread. Mr. Long was highly disinclined towards WoT. Sounded like he just didn't like the series at all. I've noticed that WoT has the love/hate reaction among those who read it.

[Nolgroth]

Back to a relatively "on-topic" question. What time period do you think would be the best to run a campaign in. As far as I see it you have several choices.

Age of Legends
Sounds very much like our own modern world with the exception of being much more of a Utopia than we have. Ter-Angrael seemed to provide the basis for clean energy and a technology that is at least what we are used to, if not higher. In Nynaeve's first battle with Moghedian, there was a mention of travelling to other planets.
I think a campaign in the Era would have to be after the Dark One's prison was breeched. The War of Power/Shadow would make a great campaign backdrop, though I have the feeling it may end up being like Military Fantasy.

The Breaking
Obviously a dangerous time for everybody. This would very much be a post-apoc type of setting. I can't imagine any sort of stable base for any communities.
We got to see what the Aiel went through with Rand's visit to Rhuidean, but what about the other people that eventually settled the remaining part of the world. Could be fun to play in, but I think a campaign would include a great deal of small conflicts.

The Covenent of Ten Nations
The world is starting to settle down and order is restored. The Ogier have just completed Tar Valon. Plenty of action and intrigue to be had.

Trolloc Wars
Another ideal time to role-play in. What more could you ask for? Massive amounts of Trollocs, Myrdraal and other Shadowspawn crunchiness. Of course, most things would tend to be large scale. Afterall, Manetheran was destroyed and Aridhol became Shadar Logoth during this time period.

Hawkwing's Empire
Another timeframe where intrigue and action can take a very important part. As another option, the journey of Luthair Pendraeg to Seancean might be a fun campaign to play with.

Between Hawkwing and Rand
A huge space of time that could encompass a lot of different styles of adventures. While there were many documented cases of momentous events, there is still enough leeway to do some pretty interesting stuff.

Interlude:
With the exception of the Age of Legends, you are going to have problems with having any male channelers. They are going to go insane, rot to death, and/or be hunted down and stilled or executed. While this would certainly be a feasible character concept, it might make for some mighty uncomfortable role-playing. These time periods are definately a call for non-channeling males.

The Dragon Reborn
This is the most likely time period to play in. Most details of the world setting are known. Male channelers may be able to hold off the effects of the Taint until Rand cleanses it.
Many new and old things are coming into their own in this time. Wolfbrothers and the Hornbound are being reborn. The old rules and expectations are breaking down. Almost anything can happen in a world nearing apocalyps.
The downside to this era would be running the campaign without crossing paths with the majority of the named characters. Also, Tarmon Gai'don would certainly be a campaign pauser, if not stopper.

The Fourth Age
Supposedly the world will be Broken again by the Dragon Reborn. What happens after that is open to speculation. There are a few references to scholarly work completed during the Fourth Age, but very little of the world condition has been revealed.
In some ways, this is an ideal setting to play in. There are no boundaries or expectations to live up to. The male half of the Source is clean and ready to use. You can do almost anything with the setting....
....Almost like creating a new setting unto itself. Moving into the Fourth Age would almost like not being in the WoT universe at all. Of course, references to the Third Age and the Dragon Reborn and the Second Breaking could be intertwined readily into the setting.

So there it is. Any thoughts?

[Nolgroth]

Just a link to study the chronology of the WoT setting.

http://www.sevenspokes.com/index.html

[Eosin]

I think the trolloc wars era is best for a huge number of reasons - I started to detail the setting under d20 but never finished.

Check out this thread on the relevant info for the era.

[Nolgroth]

Fantastic resource Eosin. I really like the way that each nation was encapsulated into a single message with all the functional details required. I also like the conditions summary at the bottom about the state of the Ways and such. Those little bullet comments are very useful.

My one and only objection to running in any pre-Cleansing of the Taint timeframe would be that male channelers are really not viable, long-term characters. I would also think that if a PC running a male channeler decided to declare himself the Dragon Reborn, their could be problems.

Of couse, that's what Portal Stone Worlds are all about.

By the by, how much useful information (meaning non d20 specific) can be found in the role-playing books? I keep my distance from d20 material so I was just wondering if it would be a reference worth shelling out the cash for.

[Eosin]

The WOT d20 RPG can be fairly useful but the overwhelming majority of it is rules - funny enough that is where I got most of my use. Knowing the different weaves, overchanneling, Initiate vrs Wilder type stuff helped me with my Hero version of WOT. If you can find it in a used section, I would consider picking it up. However, my site basically has everything one could ever need to play the game in any system but d20. It also has 100 or so roll laying Wheel of Time geeks who are great company and love to dig in on any project.

[Eosin]

Fantastic resource Eosin. I really like the way that each nation was encapsulated into a single message with all the functional details required. I also like the conditions summary at the bottom about the state of the Ways and such. Those little bullet comments are very useful.

Thanks. There is a bucketload of research in that post fest.

My one and only objection to running in any pre-Cleansing of the Taint timeframe would be that male channelers are really not viable, long-term characters. I would also think that if a PC running a male channeler decided to declare himself the Dragon Reborn, their could be problems.

True, but there is evidence of male channalers being wearily welcomed during the trolloc wars even by the Aes Sedai. They will eventually go insane but once you start a game in WOT you are automatically playing in a Mirror World so why not leave the players guessing as part of the suspense of the game? Just don't tell anyone if the taint will be cleansed or the dragon will be reborn in your game until it happens or doesn't happen.

[Ndreare]

Back to a relatively "on-topic" question. What time period do you think would be the best to run a campaign in. As far as I see it you have several choices.

Age of Legends
Sounds very much like our own modern world with the exception of being much more of a Utopia than we have. Ter-Angrael seemed to provide the basis for clean energy and a technology that is at least what we are used to, if not higher. In Nynaeve's first battle with Moghedian, there was a mention of travelling to other planets.
I think a campaign in the Era would have to be after the Dark One's prison was breeched. The War of Power/Shadow would make a great campaign backdrop, though I have the feeling it may end up being like Military Fantasy.

The Breaking
Obviously a dangerous time for everybody. This would very much be a post-apoc type of setting. I can't imagine any sort of stable base for any communities.
We got to see what the Aiel went through with Rand's visit to Rhuidean, but what about the other people that eventually settled the remaining part of the world. Could be fun to play in, but I think a campaign would include a great deal of small conflicts.

The Covenent of Ten Nations
The world is starting to settle down and order is restored. The Ogier have just completed Tar Valon. Plenty of action and intrigue to be had.

Trolloc Wars
Another ideal time to role-play in. What more could you ask for? Massive amounts of Trollocs, Myrdraal and other Shadowspawn crunchiness. Of course, most things would tend to be large scale. Afterall, Manetheran was destroyed and Aridhol became Shadar Logoth during this time period.

Hawkwing's Empire
Another timeframe where intrigue and action can take a very important part. As another option, the journey of Luthair Pendraeg to Seancean might be a fun campaign to play with.

Between Hawkwing and Rand
A huge space of time that could encompass a lot of different styles of adventures. While there were many documented cases of momentous events, there is still enough leeway to do some pretty interesting stuff.

Interlude:
With the exception of the Age of Legends, you are going to have problems with having any male channelers. They are going to go insane, rot to death, and/or be hunted down and stilled or executed. While this would certainly be a feasible character concept, it might make for some mighty uncomfortable role-playing. These time periods are definately a call for non-channeling males.

The Dragon Reborn
This is the most likely time period to play in. Most details of the world setting are known. Male channelers may be able to hold off the effects of the Taint until Rand cleanses it.
Many new and old things are coming into their own in this time. Wolfbrothers and the Hornbound are being reborn. The old rules and expectations are breaking down. Almost anything can happen in a world nearing apocalyps.
The downside to this era would be running the campaign without crossing paths with the majority of the named characters. Also, Tarmon Gai'don would certainly be a campaign pauser, if not stopper.

The Fourth Age
Supposedly the world will be Broken again by the Dragon Reborn. What happens after that is open to speculation. There are a few references to scholarly work completed during the Fourth Age, but very little of the world condition has been revealed.
In some ways, this is an ideal setting to play in. There are no boundaries or expectations to live up to. The male half of the Source is clean and ready to use. You can do almost anything with the setting....
....Almost like creating a new setting unto itself. Moving into the Fourth Age would almost like not being in the WoT universe at all. Of course, references to the Third Age and the Dragon Reborn and the Second Breaking could be intertwined readily into the setting.

So there it is. Any thoughts?

It would have to be the "Fourth Age" (as called by some ) I also like the idea of playing in the anciant past. But I think things would not be as utopian as they make it out to be. Remember it was "An Age of Legends" and legends often founded on fact are never really fact. But it would be cool to have all that magic controlled and used against the players.... Uh I mean for the good of mankind.

[Nolgroth]

It would have to be the "Fourth Age" (as called by some ) I also like the idea of playing in the anciant past. But I think things would not be as utopian as they make it out to be. Remember it was "An Age of Legends" and legends often founded on fact are never really fact. But it would be cool to have all that magic controlled and used against the players.... Uh I mean for the good of mankind.

I would agree with you about the not-so-Utopia of the Age of Legends except that Mr. Jordan claimed that it was in The World of the Wheel of Time. He said that the concept of war was forgotten, there were no great diseases, blah blah blah. Now once the Bore was created, things would be a whole lot different. You have the Forsaken going over to the Shadow, Friends of the Dark thinking they can get in on the spoils and soon after, Trollocs and other Shadowspawn. The War of Power (Shadow) would be the best time in the Age of Legends to play. At least in my opinion. As Eosin pointed out, the campaign could be a Mirror World and the Age of Legends could have been different.

Now the Fourth Age would be one of the easiest to run in. I think that I would prefer that to the Third Age or Age of Legends. The absolute hardest part would be to build connections, in the players' minds, with the Wheel of Time setting. The best thing I can think of is to liberally tell tales, from a Gleeman's point of view perhaps, of the happenings during Tar'mon Gai'don and before. The trick would then be to start the exaggeration that occurs over time. Rand could be seven feet tall and wield a sword of Light. Perrin Goldeneyes could transform into a wolf and kill Trollocs by the thousands. Mat could never lose a battle and laughed in the face of Aes Sedai. Even the wondergirls could have their own tall tales, though the truth of their accomplishments will mostly be relegated to Tower lore.

So, the next question is whether or not the Asha'men join with the Aes Sedai and form a unified society of channelers. Do the whitecloaks still exist? What is the state of the nations. Does Andor still exist? Cairhein? Where are the Seanchan? Have they integrated with the remainder of the nations? Do they still seek conquest?

Obviously one or more of these questions may well be answered by the conclusion of the Wheel of Time setting. But who's going to wait six to eight years before running a WoT game?

My, but I can be long-winded. Now back to your regularly scheduled Board Discussion Forum.