Etherium: My Dodeca System World Concept

[Aisha deCabre]

So, I remember saying once after playing the adventure from the book at Anthrocon 2014 (and loving it) that I might try to come up with my own game to DM.

This is me hopefully making good on that threat. XD

The setting: A modern fantasy/tiny bit solarpunk Earth AU.  It's basically Earth, but if magic and several other kinds of sapient races existed alongside humans (I've made a list of seven of the most common playable races here, along with their specific notes and a few pictures.  I'll probably add more pictures and switch up whatever information needs switching up later).  Many of the locations are the same, many aren't, many others are gone altogether, and there's a whole 'nother small continent floating in the Pacific; 'cause if I'm changing the dynamics of Earth, it's ALL gonna have a domino effect. x3 But the main setting is the large, integrated city of Etherium, resting at roundabout the center of what we call the U.S.

I even made sure that the world can be played with all of the essentials of playing with the book intact; the races were modified from existing ones, everything that can be bought is still there, etc., with a few items that'll be added for a modern AU world that make sense (for example, along with the Riding skill for animals, you might have Driving, cars and planes and stuff x3).  The level of technology is similar to ours in ways (yep, even the magic creature kids are preoccupied with smartphones), more advanced in other ways (like the very existence of the sentient Automatons), while still holding a medieval charm in some other ways (guns, for example, are limited to very few kinds of people, like the police in Etherium; because magic combat can tend to be more effective, after all.  People thus still hunt with bows and spar with swords, etc)...think of a DMFA-type world and you won't be far off the mark.  There's still probably some world-building to perfect, but I'm writing little stories with this world too, and that along with playing games will help it open up more to me in my head, I believe.

Much like D&D tends to have, I'm thinking of adding some optional races that can be played, for the furries here who don't want to play humanoids or dragonoids or androids. x3 There's cat-folk, gryphons, gnolls, and halflings ('cause halflings need more love x3), to name a few off my head; again though, there'll be a bit of discretion on that part, as those races are not at all common.  But really, I just also want to keep the flexibility of character-building open to people as it is in the rules.  The classes haven't changed, or the attributes and skills, the magic system, etc...that's all intact.  All that's really changed is the dynamic of some of the races (and I wouldn't mind having feedback on whether they're all fairly balanced...some were easier than others to do, and I don't want to make just one uber-race that everyone'll pick or one terrible race that nobody will...again, this'll be my first game, I'm happy to have opinions tossed my way x3).

I even have a small first adventure planned out, a little one-shot, so that I can test out my readiness to be a DM and the dynamics of a group of characters, so that I may plan a larger story around them later if I so choose. x3 All that's needed is a where and a when (perhaps even a how) to play...heck, I'll settle for waiting until Anthrocon again if we can't get an online game going XD.  And of course, players. =)  Given how silly people can get, I know I'll be tested well on my GMing, so I hope the testing is within reason. XD  I'll also fill out and scan some character sheets for interested parties to have a go at filling out.

So, if I've garnished a bit of interest, awesome!  And if not, well, I'm happy to put the idea out there anyway and post something new on these boards.

[Darkmoon]

Well I'm certainly intrigued and would love to hear more. Now that I'm actually paying attention (instead of being largely absent from the internet while I get over writer's block) I would love to see what you come up with. It sounds like you have a good start on the proceedings.

I will note, some of the optional races you've come up with are also kind of in the new 1.5 edition of the game (that just finished up it's run on Kickstarter last week, hence why I was taking a long break). If you haven't checked it out, you may want to at some point. It may help you generate some more ideas.

[Sprocketsdance]

I'm totally in if it's an online game

[Merlin]

I totally spaced and forgot to comment on this earlier  I'm quite interested in that write-up! That's a nice mix of races

[Aisha deCabre]

Well I'm certainly intrigued and would love to hear more. Now that I'm actually paying attention (instead of being largely absent from the internet while I get over writer's block) I would love to see what you come up with. It sounds like you have a good start on the proceedings.

I will note, some of the optional races you've come up with are also kind of in the new 1.5 edition of the game (that just finished up it's run on Kickstarter last week, hence why I was taking a long break). If you haven't checked it out, you may want to at some point. It may help you generate some more ideas.

Thank you!  Heh, I was waiting to see when this'd be noticed. x3 And yeah, I should check that out at some point, I always love to have new ideas (and new things to do with the game stuff itself.)  Is it available on the site yet, or I imagine I have to check out the Kickstarter page?

I'm totally in if it's an online game

Sweet! =D It can be an online game; just gotta get the details ironed out.  We don't really need a map to play, so just gathering people up on Skype would work perfectly (I wanna use voice chat if possible), although it would be cool if we had a communal dice-rolling program chat thing too, if not everybody has a D12 to play with.  I'd like to get at least four people interested in my beginning adventure...my time is fairly flexible too, as I only work evenings.  I'm a night-owl, so late-night (EST) games are perfect. XD  Everyone please let me know what works best!  And like I said, if online doesn't work, I hope everyone's coming to Anthrocon. x3

I totally spaced and forgot to comment on this earlier  I'm quite interested in that write-up! That's a nice mix of races

Thanks much! ^^ I hope I'll be able to make it as fun as it looks.

[Darkmoon]

The Kickstarter ended last week, but the new version should be available through the online store within the next month or so. Gotta fulfill the KS orders first then I can open it wide for everyone else.

[Aisha deCabre]

Alrighty, short update on the races page (before I keep forgetting to post here x3), there's pictures added for the werewolves: feral and lycanthrope form.

Also, I think I found us a dice-rolling room to use.   It's Rolz, here, and it's easy to use; don't even have to sign up to join, players just enter in their nickname and the name of the room that I'll be giving out; plus there's an easy tutorial on the dice-rolling script, which I imagine is the same as any of them (I wanna say I played D&D on Roll20 before, but I forget), so, still easy to learn.  But if anyone has a better idea or if the site doesn't work for some, let me know.

Last thing I gotta do is grab a character sheet (Might I be able to ask for a regular blank character sheet from the book itself?  I only need to really just add a skill or two or three as changes; otherwise I can fill out the open-source sheet) for distributing before the first meet.  I imagine it's doable to discuss filling out the sheets together on chat too; whatever works.

So yeah, that said, I guess this is an official call for interest on an online test run.  Who wants to play and what day/time would you prefer to do it? x3

[Darkmoon]

Are you looking for a 1.0 sheet or 1.5? The 1.0 sheets are on the site, under 1.0 itself (at the bottom of that page, free to download).

[Aisha deCabre]

Are you looking for a 1.0 sheet or 1.5? The 1.0 sheets are on the site, under 1.0 itself (at the bottom of that page, free to download).

Ah, the 1.0 sheet'll do just fine!  Much thanks.

[Darkmoon]

Any thoughts on when you might be running this?

[Aisha deCabre]

Well, the official call for interest for an internet try was in my second-to-last (April 30th) post, and nobody replied (not even for confirmation on whether they like the Rolz site for hosting it). XD  I wanted to wait for at least four players, and then print out some sheets and confirm a day.  I might host an Anthrocon game otherwise, but I don't know if everybody who's familiar with the functionality of the game is attending. x3

[Darkmoon]

Good thing the game is easy to pick up and play.

Yeah, the roleplaying section on this site is kind of dead right now. Maybe if you did a call for interest in that section of the forum you might get a few nibbles.