Bloodstone + Dark Tower

[Savinien]

So, I got thise weird idea for a cross-genre campaign setting. I'm thinking of David Gemel's Bloodstone books with Jon Shannow and The Dark Tower books by Stephen King with Roland Deschaine.

 

My first vision had a Knight riding on a destrier battling an Ettin. The Knight had a chivalrous code, wore a brown duster, cowboy hat, and brandished a peacemaker. I have two ideas. One, a sort of shadowrun Western setting (see post in NGD).

 

And the other a hodge-podge of tech and magic.

 

I'm toying with the concept of a Mid-World that used Ka/Ki/Mana to keep the world in existence. As the barriers of quintessence crumble, all time and all things invade and can exist. The higher tech something is, the greater chance of failure (activation roll).

 

I don't know if it would be better as an off-the-cuff sort of thing like option one, or a heavy setting with Rifts-like tech and magic woven into a single setting with clunky game mechanics...

 

Thoughts?

[Twilight]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Hope your version has a better ending then the Dark Tower series did.

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Hope your version has a better ending then the Dark Tower series did.

 

I'll do my best and keep your thoughts in mind.

 

There are some various theories on why the books ended that way. Check out wikipedia.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Damn it!

 

Thread not about me

[Twilight]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

I'll do my best and keep your thoughts in mind.

 

There are some various theories on why the books ended that way. Check out wikipedia.

 

I did. That's how I found out how it ended [i pretty much dropped the series after what happened to Jake in the first book.] There may be reasons for it but when you build a villain over a series of books, and even some unrelated books as King did, there should really be a better payoff then what we got.

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Definitely an interesting premise. I will keep on eye on what is discussed. For my input, I think that both tech and magic should have activation rolls as the "mana" touches and leaves the various planets/dimensions/whatever.

 

"Crap! Mana drop! Pull out your 6 shooters and drop your wands!"

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Conceptually, I'm going to go with a Western Fantasy route. For whatever reason, the people of Mid-World have learned how to use gunpowder and have an mid-1800s Earth tech as far as weapons go.

 

Mid-World is the nexus of all else, the center of the multi-verse. To the majority of the denizens of Mid-World, it is business as usual. A fuedalistic society rules with vassals protecting the people of their land in exchange for food and men when the lord calls.

 

Magic exists, but spell-casters are a cagey lot and rare enough legend and mythology has exaggerated their powers. Hedge-wizards and healers exist and every sort of sorcerer wields quintessence any number of ways. A sort of Camelot exists with an Order of Knights wandering Mid-World and keeping the peace.

 

The Crimson King has designs on conquering the multiverse. The Mid-World Beams and the fabled Dark Tower are the lynchpin. Using Bloodstones to suck quintessence from people and nearly anything, the power of the King grows.

 

At this point, the Knights of Eld are slowly becoming corrupted by the temptation of the Crimson King. The Veil is weakening and Mid-World's myriad realms are leaking into it.

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

With gunpowder, are there also cannon? I'm curious where magic plays into it. With the power of gunpowder essentially making armor obsolete perhaps magic has become the "new armor" or "anti-gunpowder". If you get shot, but magic can heal the wound quickly that reduces the strength of gunpowder somewhat. There could easily be an escalation of warfare weaponry caused by the use of gunpowder if there isn't something in opposition to slow it down. Perhaps only certain people know how to make it and thus it is in short supply?

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

I'm thinking of making gunpowder weapons chivalric weapons. tHat would preclude any non-nobles from having access to it. I'm planning on building armor with built in limitation against gunpowder weapons.

 

Magic will be rare enough that the masses won't be able to be protected for any length of time against gunpowder weapons. Maybe, a powerful minion of the Crimson King could put a spell on a number of soldiers, but it would likely be more plot device than the norm.

 

Also, having gunpowder weapons being chivalric arms... Not many people can use it against you, either. Hedge Knights and landless nobility wouldn't have the equity to build the nicer armor as the more powerful houses would.

 

I haven't quite decided how 'political' the game will be. My Fourth Age campaign is fairly heavy into politics, so I may go lighter with this. I'm thinking most stories will revolve around insurgent monsters and the minions of the Crimson King with PCs being Knights of Eld sent in to deal with the trouble.

 

Never know though, I'm pretty into Game of Thrones right now, so I may play with the honor of the Knight and where it fits into the political houses.

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Game of Thrones is an excellent story to emulate. However, I would play in this setting regardless of its structure. It really sounds very cool the more I read.

 

So the armor will be like kelvar essentially?

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Game of Thrones is an excellent story to emulate. However' date=' I would play in this setting regardless of its structure. It really sounds very cool the more I read.[/quote']

 

Thanks! I'll take that as a compliment. As I'm hoping you can tell, I'm sort of sifting some GoT feel into the politics of 4A at HC. Though, it may be minimal compared to what I could with the overtly feudalistic society I'm considering for Mid-World. Both of my author inspirations used the 'tempation of men' against themselves for 'evil' purposes. (I guess that's more Tolkien-esque, oh well).

 

So the armor will be like kelvar essentially?

 

I'm not sure what you're asking? Armor will look like medieval armor and work identically with Fantasy Hero specs except for a 0 pt lim Doesn't work vs. gun-powder/firearms.

 

I'm thinking about the other uses of gun-powder and how it would affect mass combat. My original vision had the area the first arc would take place in as relatively unified. But, if vassal lords of the King had issues and attempted conquest, it would eventually require a putdown of the rebellion...

 

Something to think about, RP! Thanks.

 

PS: I still just picture guys riding horses while using lances and six-shooters. They'd be fighting dragons and ettins and the like.

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Ooohhh... I misread that. I thought they would wear armor to protect them from gunfire since they would probably give up on armor in favor of being able to get out of the way of being shot. I guess if there is still a need for armor in other situations than it would probably hang around. Another possibility it to make all gunfire penetrating or armor piercing to reflect armor's diminished effect, but still provide some protection.

 

I was just thinking about what a "rifle joust" would look like...

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Ooohhh... I misread that. I thought they would wear armor to protect them from gunfire since they would probably give up on armor in favor of being able to get out of the way of being shot. I guess if there is still a need for armor in other situations than it would probably hang around. Another possibility it to make all gunfire penetrating or armor piercing to reflect armor's diminished effect, but still provide some protection.

 

I was just thinking about what a "rifle joust" would look like...

 

I didn't want to put the advantage on the weapons because it wouldn't be AP against other forms of protection (such as magic).

 

I would guess that the activity of jousting wouldn't have shifted from the lance into that of firearms. It may have, I guess, but for whatever bizarre reason, I only saw Knights using hand-guns. Rifles may have the stigma of dishonorable?

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Good point. Perhaps then a reduced protection versus gunpowder weapons. I wouldn't make it 0 for 0 points. That seems a bit harsh and I would imagine the knights would quickly dump it if that were the case.

 

Hmm... That is a good point, but also raises another. Since they would be use to the ever popular duel, would they have gun duels or sword duels?

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Good point. Perhaps then a reduced protection versus gunpowder weapons. I wouldn't make it 0 for 0 points. That seems a bit harsh and I would imagine the knights would quickly dump it if that were the case.

 

Hmm... That is a good point, but also raises another. Since they would be use to the ever popular duel, would they have gun duels or sword duels?

 

I'm not sure... There would have to be more thought about the sturcture of government and where House Knights fit in. I didn't picture the Knights that used pistols to where armor. They'd be well aware of how insignificant it was.

 

But, perhaps, other races have not yet learnt the impact power of firearms? Perhaps the elves, orcs, and the like, still use regular armor? The whole concept is still at the the barest burgeonings of an idea.

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Perhaps the knights would reduce the armor they wear. Sort of like the Conquistadors. Just go to a breastplate, bracers, and greaves to protect the most vital areas, but still provide maneuverability.

 

I would imagine that there would be a "Gunpowder Makers Guild" that kept the secret to its creation within the confines of the nobles. There would also probably be a Gunsmith Guild. Also, because of the improved technology to make the metals that could handle the explosive force there would be improved metal tools and related items.

 

I just realized that the armies would probably be smaller as well. Since a knight armed with two 6-shooters would be easily equivalent to several men.

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

What if only the Knights of Eld have the secret of 'six-shooters'? They are the sacred order of Knights (think jedi from Star Wars). Only they have these weapons that set them apart?

 

Cap and ball or 18th century gunpowder exists as well as cannon. Puts a different spin on it? Then, other chivalric Knights still wear the arms and armor of their house. The armor is becoming less popular as Houses put arquebus in the hands of their infantry and a heavy charge isn't as omnipotent...

 

This makes the guilds you mentioned even LESS prevelant and the Knights of Eld MORE powerful.

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

To make sure I understand, so the Knights of Eld have repeaters with bullets ala 19th century while everyone else has the 18th century tech?

 

So who makes the arms and ammo for the Knights of Eld? So they create it themselves, or are those the guilds that I mentioned?

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

It may be that the Knights of Eld have already slipped through the Veil and visited other times/locations to get their tech and guard that secret with their lives. The rest of Mid-World has stagnated technologically because of the influence of the Crimson King?

 

I don't really know. I'm just brainstorming.

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Me too.

 

Ooh... That could work. The Crimson King has seen the power of the Knights of Eld's weapons and know that if he lets that technology become widespread he would then have to deal with it.

 

OR... What if the KoE were only able to bring back a limited number of guns and ammo! This would make them more akin to magic items with a limited number of charges. The Crimson King than sealed off the pathway to the world they got the weapons from so there is also a quest to open that pathway before their ammo runs out.

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Could work... I really don't know! Which would be the 'most fun'?

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Hmm... probably walking around with an endless supply of ammo.

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

Possible... If the KoE had members slip through the veil and learn stuff from other 'times', they may know how to reload shells. This could allow an endless supply of ammo, but only at 'base'. They only allow on Maester to know the facts of building the pistols. That way, even if a KoE is taken captive, he cannot give up the information of how to build the higher tech weapons!

 

Of course, all of this status quo would be changed if the Crimson King can lower the Veil on his own and get other tech... Rebreak the beams and take the Dark Tower. Sort of a cool premise for early story arcs/campaigns in the setting.

[RPMiller]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

They would need the tools to reload the shells as well... Plus they would need to know the formula for gunpowder and have the various minerals available. Those Maesters would be much sought after and probably need guards 24/7.

 

The tech escalation would possibly mean that the imagary of the campaign would change fairly rapidly... "Whoa! He just shot a red beam from his gun, and it cut through that castle wall like it was butter!"

[Savinien]

Re: Bloodstone + Dark Tower

 

They would need the tools to reload the shells as well... Plus they would need to know the formula for gunpowder and have the various minerals available. Those Maesters would be much sought after and probably need guards 24/7.

 

The tech escalation would possibly mean that the imagary of the campaign would change fairly rapidly... "Whoa! He just shot a red beam from his gun, and it cut through that castle wall like it was butter!"

 

Yep. The Maesters would probably be Aged Knights. When they lost even the ability to 'make shells', they would likely 'pass on' as opposed to retiring. Perhaps, the Knights of Eld's, as an order, would ...

 

Lost my choo-coo