Lords of Shadow (Ready to post!)

[Apple Thief]

Session Zero​

Lords of Shadow was inspired by series like Castlevania, Vampire Hunter D, and stokerian vampires in general. I mostly made this RP so I could experiment with 5th Edition rules with my one friend, but I'd like to use an ultra rules lite D6 system for everyone else. If you're interested in joining, send me a PM! I'm sure I can find room for you in this game.

As long as your character fits within the backdrop of this world, they're probably fine. Heck, even if they aren't a perfect fit, I'm sure we can still make something work. I don't like limiting character designs because I feel it can negatively affect the creativity of players. Speaking for myself, I get a little bummed out anytime I feel limited by something, so I try not to limit other people very much.

Other players will be specific characters, but I plan on Dungeon Mastering this RP by presenting myself as NPCs, narrating the effect of a player's actions, or presenting them with challenges or obstacles. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I hope anyone willing to try it out will be pleased with the way I like to run things.

 

[Apple Thief]

Lords of Shadow​

In a war over the cycles of life and death, Count Blackstone lead his undead hordes to a pyrrhic victory against the goddess Amarynth during the Blood Wars. Per the surrender agreement, the soil was blackened and rendered infertile, oceans turned to blood, and the sun would never again shine save for once a year.

With the world wrapped in darkness, those who feared the light and feasted on blood would inherit the earth.

Vampire overlords sit in their dark citadels while mortals are captured or hunted for sport. The enslaved live to serve their pale masters while those special among them are stolen in the night, never to be heard from again. And yet, hope is not yet lost; rumors persist of a prophecy where mortals will cast down the vampire and bring the world into an Age of Light.​

It is now the year of our dark lord 984 B.W. :
The Age of the Vampyre.

You are a denizen of the Ashen Lands;
a slave, a vampire hunter, or perhaps a Lord of Shadow.

The Ashen Lands are ruled by Count Blackstone from the Crown Castle while his petty Lords of Shadow squabble and fight. Most mortals live under the heel of their vampire overlords, but it isn't impossible for unique individuals to rise above the shackle and become nobility or gain lesser citizenship. Many individuals come to glory and fame through Bloodsports (widely recognized arena system) and eventually gain normal citizenship this way.

Of course, even if you become equal to vampires in the eyes of the law, you may still be treated as inferior or only slightly better than the peasants and slaves that form the bottom of their hierarchy.

Think of this setting as a feudal era ruled over by vampires where there are a handful of options to gain 'rank' in society. You don't strictly have to be a starving peasant or a slave, it just frames the setting really well to describe the mortal races like that.​

 

[Apple Thief]

The Dice Mechanics
I looked at several rules lite D6 systems and put this together with the pieces I liked. You get some attributes, you can roll the appropriate one for any situation, easy game easy life. If you have any ideas or see any balance issues, please let me know!


Four Attributes:
Every encounter in the game can be represented with an attribute roll. Combat can also be resolved with a small number of rolls and can be looked at as a sort of skill challenge. Might flesh out combat a little more later, but for now, this works just fine.

* Might: Physical strength and prowess.
* Agility: Dexterous movements and reflexes.
* Wit: Mental fortitude and intellect.
* Charm: Persuasion and speaking skills.


Character Creation:
Think of pips like pieces of a pie (cut into three unhealthy portions, haha). It might seem weird, but it makes rolling a little more consistent and helps balancing.

* Each attribute starts with a point in it (the average person's stats).
* You start with 12 points to assign to your attributes.
* Also start with a special ability, bonus, or skill related to your background (starting perk).
* Instead of each point giving another D6, each point gets you a 'pip'.
* Each die is broken down into three pips: 1d6, 1d6+1, 1d6+2.
Example: 1d6, 1d6+1, 1d6+2, 2d6, 2d6+1, 2d6+2, and so on.


Levels:
* Distributed at major parts of the story.
* Each level gives you 3 points to spend on attributes.
* Points can be spent on Perks or Spells as an alternative way of building your character.


Perks/Spells:
* Grants the user a special passive or active ability.
* No set list, we brainstorm these to be specific to characters.
* Can also be rewarded instead of purchased.

Health:
* Five parts to health: Healthy, Wounded, Injured, Crippled, Unconscious.
* Start at healthy.
* Perks might give you more health or toughness.
* Failing certain dice checks may lower health.
* Rest points, magic, etc can restore health.
* I'll try to be abundantly clear about when/where these points are.

Combat:
* Handled like a series of skill checks.
* Up to the player what to roll, I'll place an appropriate level of difficulty.
* Turn based combat. You'll have many turns to fight, but failing certain checks may injure you or make subsequent checks harder.

 

[Apple Thief]

Suggested Post Requirements​

You don't have to follow this posting example if you've got your own style, but it's very attractive and I suggest using it if you don't have anything else planned. Plain posts are alright I guess, but dressing them up really sends a good message to everyone involved.

[border=8px inset #9e1616][side=left][font=georgia]
[IMG]Picture here![/IMG]
[CENTER][b][u]Age:[/u][/b] (Age here)
[b][u]Race:[/u][/b] (Race here)
[b][u]Gender:[/u][/b] (Gender here)
[b][u]Health:[/u][/b] (3/3)

[tabs]
[tab=Skills]
Bows: 1 (0/10)
Cooking: 1 (0/10)
Sneak: 1 (0/10)
[/tab]
[tab=Gear]
Chest: Tattered Rags (+0)
Legs: Tattered Rags (+0)
[/tab]
[/tabs]

[/CENTER][/font][/side]

[CENTER][font=georgia][SIZE=7][B][I][COLOR=#9e1616][U]Julius Vermin[/U][/COLOR][/I][/B][/SIZE]
[SIZE=6][I]Lord of Castle Dire[/I][/SIZE][/font][/CENTER]


[font=georgia][SIZE=4] Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah[/SIZE] [SIZE=4][I][COLOR=#9e1616]Blah blah blah blah blah[/COLOR][/I][/SIZE]





*Sometimes you gotta play with the space down here for the left side section to not look funny. Sometimes the dotted line will go through the bottom of the post, I'm not sure if there's code somewhere to make it fit with the text. I wonder if I could put a picture and stuff on the left and the stats on the right to shorten it?




[/font][/border][font=georgia][/font]

Example Post​

Age: (Age here)
Race: (Race here)
Gender: (Gender here)

Might: ( ?D6+? )
Agility: ( ?D6+? )
Wit: ( ?D6+? )
Charm: ( ?D6+? )

​

Julius Vermin
Lord of Castle Dire​

Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah

 

[Apple Thief]

~Let the posting begin!~​

 

[Apple Thief]

Age: 223
Race: Vampire (Human)
Gender: Male

Might: ?
Agility: ?
Wit: ?
Charm: ?

​

Julius Vermin
Lord of Castle Dire​

Moonbeams spilled in through the window and across the dining area. Angular shadows cast by the oddly shaped furniture clawed their way across the soft light like fingers reaching for a throat. In the remaining dark sat a Count Julius Vermin, the lord of this black castle, and he was mildly amused. A small fire behind him revealed his sharp features in the orange glow, a slight smirk etched upon his lips. The person he waited for was not late, but rather Julius was early; if he was anything, it was punctual.

The gaze of Julius fell across the opposite end of the table where a 'feast' was meticulously placed.​

Bowls of muddy water and leaves, plates of maggots and worms, and an especially rancid cup of filth adorned the far side of the dining table. Of course, only an eye for magic could reveal this much; to the layman, it truly appeared to be a feast. The guest he would soon receive would know the difference and that's precisely what Lord Vermin was looking forward to. Sensing the time was right, Julius called out for a nearby slave waiting in an adjacent room.

"Wretched thing, bring me Phaecerys. Now."​

 

[Cadmius Clairmonte]

"At once, my lord," his pale-grey servant softly spoke before disappearing into the winding halls of the castle. Quickly he returned with the heavy footfall of Phaecerys fast behind him. He led Phaecerys to her seat opposite Lord Vermin, gave a quick bow, and departed.

"My apologies, your grace," her stern voice filled the room. "I am not deserving of such a feast, nor am I dressed for the occasion," she spoke calmly, her humble words nothing more than a practiced routine. She picked up a spoon and went for a bowl of soup. As she slid the spoon into the bowl, she felt a strange carving feeling, but she didn't know what it could be. All she saw was a simple broth, but what she felt were maggots writhing as her spoon went through them. Fearing some trickery, she put the spoon down.

 

[Apple Thief]

Age: 223
Race: Vampire (Human)
Gender: Male

Might: ?
Agility: ?
Wit: ?
Charm: ?



​

Julius Vermin
Lord of Castle Dire​

Julius let his eyes linger on the departing servant before turning his attention to Phaecerys. As always, she came when he called and her lines were full of grace but devoid of any meaning; she played the part of the noble well. Even better, she hardly even reacted to the malicious 'feast' he had meticulously placed to get a rise out of her. As always, Lord Vermin could not break this mere human and it greatly disturbed his ego.

Suddenly, the smirk on his face transformed into a full smile that revealed all of his pointy teeth. "Phae, darling!" Julius bubbled, his hands raised dramatically. He rose from his seat and slowly walked the length of the dining table as he spoke, "Nonsense! You are always dressed for the occasion in my lands. If anything, I was the one that was overdressed. Of course, we didn't come here just to dine and gossip; there's something we need to discuss..."

Julius stopped halfway down the table to grab a glass of wine and hold it up against the moonlight, painting a section of the room a dark red behind him. "The Blood Moon will be upon us in a week." he started while carefully rotating the glass, "This one's special, Phae. Count Blackstone himself will be hosting a grand tournament of sorts in the Crown Castle. We've been invited to attend. Both of us, you see. And there's even a special prize..."

"The tournament winner gains their freedom and their lord gets to attend a special meeting with the Count himself."​

 

[Cadmius Clairmonte]

Phaecerys' eyes light up, "A grand tournament? How exciting. It's sure to be more interesting than the droll celebrations of the previous blood moon. Although maybe the appeal of it all was simply lost on me. I don't find the taste of blood very appealing, as much as I love spilling it."

She pauses for a moment.​

"Let me ask you something though, my lord. If I win, must I accept the gift of freedom? Or perhaps, Count Blackstone would be so generous as to offer me an appeal for a different prize," she says, trying to mask her intent behind a childlike voice, as if she's begging her parents for a new toy. "I've seen much of the Ashen Lands. I don't find the prospect of roving them freely any more fulfilling as hunting creatures in them at your behest. And I'm sure you would enjoy holding onto your prize fighter for longer as well."

 

[Apple Thief]

Age: 223
Race: Vampire (Human)
Gender: Male














​

Julius Vermin
Lord of Castle Dire​

Julius' mind was ablaze with thoughts of foiling such a juicy prize for Phae when she casually asked for another prize. He nearly broke the wine glass he was holding out of pure surprise, but he was able to keep the damage to a mere crack along the side.​

You filthy pig! I'll rip your veins out and hang you with them!​

Lord Vermin's wide smile tweaked ever so slightly at the corners, one of the few helpless signs of his explosive irritation. "Oh, but I am humbled that you would choose to stay by my side. What have I done to earn such a faithful companion?" Julius spoke capriciously, "If the Count is anything like I remember him, I'm sure he'll likewise be humbled by such a selfless request."

Flashbacks of being bathed in holy water and flayed, thrown into pits of hungry hell hounds, and being torn apart then reassembled over and over came to Julius.​

"We shall find out in a week. We leave in a few hours, so be sure to gather whatever you'll need in the ring. Maybe swing by the armory and grab some of the healing potions we have stocked; I hear Lord Garmin's contender this Bloodmoon is a creature without peer. That fool will never understand the worth of a man, but I would fear his selections just the same."​

 

[Cadmius Clairmonte]

Phaecerys' face darkened with disappointment at Lord Vermin's outburst. She got up and said, "Yes my lord. I will be in the courtyard when I am ready to depart."

She visited the master smith in his under-forge first, deep beneath the castle. As she descended the blackstone stairs, hot air swelled up past her carrying ash and the sound of hammering. Roaring bellows kept the fires going as soot stained workers melted away impurities in metal, but the fires did little to light the place. Phaecerys approached the master smith who did not notice her presence until she shouted above his hammering, "Master Garrus! I am here for my sword. Lord Vermin is waiting upon me so I must be quick." An ancient tiefling stands in front of her with a head of grey hair and a broken set of horns that sit on top of his scarred face. He doesn't move. His eyes stay locked on the breastplate he is mending. After giving it a few more swings with his hammer, he sets is aside and looks at Phaecerys. "You're sword is here," his voice low and raspy. He walks a few feet and takes an elegant rapier off of a nearby sword rack and hands it to her. "Next time, don't break it with your sword magics. Why bother breaking your sword when you could just stab 'em? I've got enough that needs fixin' without you breakin' more." Phaecerys fastens the sword around her hip and says, "I keep telling you. My magic makes my sword strike with power as well as speed. And besides, I do stab people with it. Sometimes I stab a little too hard. I mean really, you should have seen the creature I broke my sword on. Well anyway, thanks for your service."

Phaecerys gathers the healing potions from the armory as instructed before returning to the courtyard.

 

[Apple Thief]

Journey to the Crown Castle​

Before long, Lord Vermin and Phaecerys would find themselves idling in the velvet interior of a black carriage along the misty trails and treacherous cliffside roads that composed Vermin's estates. When they weren't traveling the bleak countrysides, long stretches of farms growing all manner of strange fruits tended by slaves could be seen. Vampire foremen and lesser undead would clear the way quickly as they saw the emblem of their lord passing through; the sign of a rat perched atop a skull on the side of Vermin's carriage.​

After three weeks of travel, the weary entourage arrived at the Crown Castle. Jumping ahead, we now find our characters within the bowels of the Crown Castle mere hours before the Blood Moon Bloodsports begin. While Vermin sits in a special viewing area carousing with other vampire nobles, our very own Phaecerys would find herself preparing in a waiting area for her turn at combat with many other fighters.​

Before combatants found themselves in the ring, they were to be carefully inspected by a doctor to ensure they could provide sport for whatever they faced within the ring. It was uncouth to send weak or sickly fighters to die quickly for the nobles that came so far to see a worthy spectacle. Causing whispers and rumors amongst the ringside goers on this Blood Moon would be that a mortal doctor would be tending to the various gladiators and creatures who would fight in the ring.

It almost seemed like an insult on this holiday of vampire superiority over the mortal races, but nobody would question Count Blackstone's choice out loud. Fortunately for the doctor, it was there amongst warriors and monsters where the luxury to be who you were came freely; mortals, undead, and even magical beasts chatted and sparred within this space where rank, creed, and race meant nothing compared to a passion for violence.​

 

[Cadmius Clairmonte]

The fighters crowded amongst each other in the gorges of the Pit, surrounded by boulders and towers of rock that stood as high as ten men. All manner of creatures stood there. A few goliaths towered above all others, shadowed only by a hill giant. Elves, men, and other creatures all shared space within the Pit. There was no comfort found in the Pit, no where to sit or lean except upon jagged stone. Except for the circular stone wall of the arena, which had appropriately become coveted space for the waiting fighters. After a long while, a woman in dark robes entered the pit alongside two guards in plate armor. The physician. She approached a lone drow elf standing under a looming rock tower. Every once in a while he would cough, but when he noticed her coming he straightened up.
She spoke quickly, "What is your name?"
"Vicantris." His voice was deep and grating.
"Who is your lord?"
"I have none, I came-"
"How long have you had that cough?"
He pauses for a moment, "I don't know. It's nothing, a simple cough."
She finished writing in the ledger she brought, closed it up and handed it to one of the guards.
Looking at the elf she said, "I want you to take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can."
Puzzled, he looked at her as if to ask if she was serious. Realizing she was, he drew in a deep breath, and paused at the top. A few seconds passed and he erupted into a fit of coughing, covering his mouth with one arm and clutching his side with the other. When the coughing ceased, he moved his arm away from his face and upon his coat sleeve was a small stain of blood. Without hesitation, the physician took her ledger, wrote another line in it and said to the elf, "You have ash rot. You will not be fighting in the tournament, he will escort you out of the Pit." She gestured to one of the guards. "Wait you don't understand!" he yelled as the guard grabbed his shoulder to turn him around and shoved him forward. Phaecerys stood nearby, and watched as the drow was removed from the Pit. The physician looked at the others around her. There was a group of three fighters standing together and talking, but in the corner of her eyes stood Phaecerys. When she noticed Phaecerys standing alone she walked straight towards her.
"Name?"
"Phaecerys. And yours?"
She looked up from her ledger, "Sedra. Lord?"
"Vermin."
"Excuse me?"
"His name is Lord Vermin."
Sedra paused for a moment. "Right. Okay. You haven't had a cough recently, have you?"
"You think I'm going to start coughing up blood?"
"No, I think you're fine. At least until the fighting starts." she muttered.
"Excuse me?" she balked.
"I only meant-"
"Right. I deserve to be in this tournament as much as these other fools, and I'll be fine without your help, doctor. Have fun patching up everyone else."
"Usually you'd think I would, considering my position." she said sarcastically, "You might wish for more foes, but I don't wish for more patients. Not everyone likes a good bloodbath. Some can't stomach it as well as others." she replied, before walking away.