Lords of the Ring - A Civilization Forum Game
Nov 5, 2017 1:19:41 GMT
serialkillerš“, soundwave, and 4 more like this
Post by Immortal_Dragon on Nov 5, 2017 1:19:41 GMT
Hello everyone, and welcome to my forum game! I barely hinted at it, but I have been inspired by some of the other civ games on the forum and decided to start my own! However, I have decided to really put my own spin to it, read on and find out.
In short, as with the many, many other spin-offs of the original forum game based on Thrive's future strategy mode, you will be taking control of a mysterious force that guides a group of people to create new technologies and interact with many other civilizations and the animals you may encounter.
In the beginning, you will be known as a band, a name for a group of nomadic individuals, and you will be called a civilization the moment your people start living sedentary lives. Not necessarily when you stop living the lives of hunter-gatherers, depending on how your rolls go.
The rules are as follows (taken from Skyguy):
How do I control my civilization? What can I vote for? How will these works?
This game will use similar rules to the original by NicktheNick and the spin off by Lowry, unless I decide otherwise in my capacity as GM. You the player play as a mysterious force that guides your people through the eons. Each round of play, you can make a vote / big policy change for your people. Note that if you are nomadic, this can be choosing a direction/destination to migrate. Your votes can also be anything from choosing to wage war against a neighbor, choosing to convert your population to a new religion, choosing to research a new technology, etc. Don't worry, picking a vote in waging war on a certain target won't neglect everything else in your civilization, it will just mean that your civ will focus on the war, same can be said for most decisions unless such decision prevent the action from occurring. Throughout the game, many things will run in the background even if not directly voted for.
Votes will be rolled for with a d20, to me this allows more possibility and flexibility in my decision making process. The possible outcomes are (generally):
1: total disaster, Fiasco level, someone probably gets hurt
2-5: Mistake and something bad will most likely occur
6-9: Generally, could have gone worse, but not much accomplished towards goal
10-14: Making progress but couldāve gone better
15-19: Well done, you managed to get it done right!
20: Not only did you manage to get it all done, but something great happens too!
Various bonuses can be applied depending on the roll and situation. (For example, during period of good harvest, a bonus will be applied if you vote for better harvesting techniques)
Be aware though that your civilization is large and diverse and the decisions you make only push it into a certain direction. The people can get a mind of their own and you can face internal dissent and revolutions, if you are not careful. The stability of your civilization can also fluctuate based on the how well you direct them. If your stability falls too low, your civilization will collapse, and you must branch off from another, or a successor of your own if not everyone dies, civ. Depending on the stability of that civilization, this may or may not happen peacefully.
Stability ranges from:
Imploding (-3)
Collapsing (-2)
Unstable (-1)
Shaky (0)
Stable (1)
Solid (2)
Sturdy (3)
Stability is a combination of cultural and religious unity, quality of life, political stability, war, disease, famine, resource supply, etc. Think of it like the endangerment ranking in the original.
You also have a power rating, which represents the relative strength and influence of your people.
Power ranges from:
Tiny - 1
Minor - 2
Medium - 3
Major - 4
Great ā 5
Superpower - 6
Power is a combination of military force, population, technological advantage, economic prosperity, and several other factors.
For each level of power, you will able to make 1 vote. Everyone starts at Tiny, so you all start only being able to make 1 vote, but if anyone reaches Superpower they will be able to make 6 votes per round. This is not necessarily better, because more power also means more responsibility, and larger, more powerful civilizations are harder to maintain and can more easily lose stability. Remember, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Power is also relative. You can be a great power in the bronze age by having large armies of chariots and plenty of grain, but if you are surrounded by industrial nations with machine guns and oil refineries, you will definitely lose that Great Power status.
After a time, every so often (frequency may fluctuate), there will be events, these can range from natural disasters to far stranger and more severe things. These will have a severity roll of 1-6, with 6 being the most severe. Anyway, onto the part you're all probably waiting impatiently for!
Round 0
Tribe: Augrela Mata
Stability: 1
Power: 1
Past Policies:
Biological Description:
World Description:
Unlike in other forum games, this takes place on a ringworld. Instead of a regular horizon, the hint of far off lands could always be seen to the far east and far west by your people. Instead of a moon, night is heralded by the progress of a great rectangle that regularly blocks out the sun, after which the sun will always reappear as if it had never left. For the Augrela, this is how it has been, and as far as they know how it always will be.
As far back as your people can remember, you have lived in a sheltered boreal mountain valley, where you have hunted the Astani (giraffe-like animals with thick fur coats much like your own, short trunks, and four-toed hooves) and gathered Degi nuts from the trees whose lower branches you take shelter under during the night. However, these sorts of resources are running scarce as the Astani migrate to other areas and Degi gathering depletes supplies. The lake that supplies your valley with water is also beginning to run low on fish and the other animals you might gather are also becoming rarer.
In response, the elders have sent out scouting parties in as many directions as possible, and they have just now reported back with their findings:
To the north the land quickly begins to slope downward, and the air warms. They report of trees with strange, very wide leaves that catch frequent rains. Wildlife here is very diverse, but could be treacherous.
To the west are mountain trails that quickly wind both up and down the mountains you call home. Unfortunately, they weren't able to go far lest they get lost amongst the paths. Some report of possible valleys much like our own, while others report of cooler forests down below in that direction.
To the east, the mountains have proven to be scalable, but the terrain is very treacherous and the scouts were forced to return by harsh winds and attacks by fiercer predators than you have encountered in the past. Any attempt to go this direction will likely be fraught with peril.
The mountains to the south, however, have been found to be completely impassable. There is no way as of now to progress in any southward direction.
With these conflicting reports, local leaders cannot agree on what to do, and still others have accused the scouts of lying about their findings. Some have suggested trying different directions than those the scouting parties attempted. However, time grows short, and decisions must be made.
For this first round, you will be naming your band, and making a vote to pick a direction. You can even vote to remain if you like. Each one is a bit of a gamble in their own right, with their own challenges, but it is a decision that must be made. Your people's futures are in your hands.
This game will be limited, as of now, to six players (including one slot reserved for serialkillerš“ for helping me come up with this idea) so that I can get my bearings on hosting a forum game. If things go smoothly, I will open up to new entries. Slots will be filled on a first come first served basis.
Rules Regarding Extras a.k.a. Events
Groups (10/10)
serialkiller - Kashar
aviscerator - Yirha
blackink - Kathak
Quantum Crab - Tuuk
oncpapa - Thaku
lordclassyus - Yslach
soundwave - Thourian
GabrielGG - Doggax
agenttine - Taji
The Eternal Flame of Foushoo - Donsou
Waiting List
Louix
NPCs
Azba - A band that remained in the home valley and have enjoyed its return to prosperity
Sartar - A band that is comprised of the descendants of those lost in the western/northwestern forest trails.
Bukar - A tribe that lives by the shore of a lake northwest of the Yirha band.
Donsou - A mysterious civilization that arose from the ashes of the Fern mini-bands in the eastern valley. All signs point to this being a hostile civilization so far.
The Fallen - Civilizations that have fallen into the sands of history due to collapse, destruction, or becoming absorbed into another civilization.
Fern - One of the original bands, collapsed and dispersed into mini-bands that eventually became the Oshala, Doggax, Donsou, and Kashar bands/civs.
Oshala - A tribe that has settled in a small mountain valley neighboring the cave of the Yslach. They are descendants of the original Fern band that have fled the eastern valley their ancestors found due to unknown reasons. Have met their end at the hands of the Donsou of the eastern valley. But not before sending one last warning of what is coming to any who may be watching.
In short, as with the many, many other spin-offs of the original forum game based on Thrive's future strategy mode, you will be taking control of a mysterious force that guides a group of people to create new technologies and interact with many other civilizations and the animals you may encounter.
In the beginning, you will be known as a band, a name for a group of nomadic individuals, and you will be called a civilization the moment your people start living sedentary lives. Not necessarily when you stop living the lives of hunter-gatherers, depending on how your rolls go.
The rules are as follows (taken from Skyguy):
How do I control my civilization? What can I vote for? How will these works?
This game will use similar rules to the original by NicktheNick and the spin off by Lowry, unless I decide otherwise in my capacity as GM. You the player play as a mysterious force that guides your people through the eons. Each round of play, you can make a vote / big policy change for your people. Note that if you are nomadic, this can be choosing a direction/destination to migrate. Your votes can also be anything from choosing to wage war against a neighbor, choosing to convert your population to a new religion, choosing to research a new technology, etc. Don't worry, picking a vote in waging war on a certain target won't neglect everything else in your civilization, it will just mean that your civ will focus on the war, same can be said for most decisions unless such decision prevent the action from occurring. Throughout the game, many things will run in the background even if not directly voted for.
Votes will be rolled for with a d20, to me this allows more possibility and flexibility in my decision making process. The possible outcomes are (generally):
1: total disaster, Fiasco level, someone probably gets hurt
2-5: Mistake and something bad will most likely occur
6-9: Generally, could have gone worse, but not much accomplished towards goal
10-14: Making progress but couldāve gone better
15-19: Well done, you managed to get it done right!
20: Not only did you manage to get it all done, but something great happens too!
Various bonuses can be applied depending on the roll and situation. (For example, during period of good harvest, a bonus will be applied if you vote for better harvesting techniques)
Be aware though that your civilization is large and diverse and the decisions you make only push it into a certain direction. The people can get a mind of their own and you can face internal dissent and revolutions, if you are not careful. The stability of your civilization can also fluctuate based on the how well you direct them. If your stability falls too low, your civilization will collapse, and you must branch off from another, or a successor of your own if not everyone dies, civ. Depending on the stability of that civilization, this may or may not happen peacefully.
Stability ranges from:
Imploding (-3)
Collapsing (-2)
Unstable (-1)
Shaky (0)
Stable (1)
Solid (2)
Sturdy (3)
Stability is a combination of cultural and religious unity, quality of life, political stability, war, disease, famine, resource supply, etc. Think of it like the endangerment ranking in the original.
You also have a power rating, which represents the relative strength and influence of your people.
Power ranges from:
Tiny - 1
Minor - 2
Medium - 3
Major - 4
Great ā 5
Superpower - 6
Power is a combination of military force, population, technological advantage, economic prosperity, and several other factors.
For each level of power, you will able to make 1 vote. Everyone starts at Tiny, so you all start only being able to make 1 vote, but if anyone reaches Superpower they will be able to make 6 votes per round. This is not necessarily better, because more power also means more responsibility, and larger, more powerful civilizations are harder to maintain and can more easily lose stability. Remember, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Power is also relative. You can be a great power in the bronze age by having large armies of chariots and plenty of grain, but if you are surrounded by industrial nations with machine guns and oil refineries, you will definitely lose that Great Power status.
After a time, every so often (frequency may fluctuate), there will be events, these can range from natural disasters to far stranger and more severe things. These will have a severity roll of 1-6, with 6 being the most severe. Anyway, onto the part you're all probably waiting impatiently for!
Round 0
Tribe: Augrela Mata
Stability: 1
Power: 1
Past Policies:
Sapience: Your species has developed the capability of complex and intuitive thought.
Language: You have developed an oral communication method that allows for increased coordination as well as the sharing of complex information.
Oral Tradition: Your people pass down their traditions orally, allowing for hunting techniques, legends, and other information to be passed from generation to generation.
Fire: Your people have acquired the ability to create fire, whether in the form of a cooking fire or a simple torch. It allows materials to be heated to a degree when crafting as well as warms you at night.
Tool Use: Your people have begun using and adapting materials to create simple tools, usually from flint or other soft stones.
Mysticism: With more complex thoughts comes interpretation of the world around you. Your people have begun thinking about their world in a spiritual manner.
Language: You have developed an oral communication method that allows for increased coordination as well as the sharing of complex information.
Oral Tradition: Your people pass down their traditions orally, allowing for hunting techniques, legends, and other information to be passed from generation to generation.
Fire: Your people have acquired the ability to create fire, whether in the form of a cooking fire or a simple torch. It allows materials to be heated to a degree when crafting as well as warms you at night.
Tool Use: Your people have begun using and adapting materials to create simple tools, usually from flint or other soft stones.
Mysticism: With more complex thoughts comes interpretation of the world around you. Your people have begun thinking about their world in a spiritual manner.
Biological Description:
The Augrela are a large (2.5 meters tall on average) species of ape-like humanoids. They are covered in thick hair that is usually a dark brown and sometimes silver-white color. Their hands possess five dexterous fingers, while their feet possess four main toes, and one slightly opposable "toe thumb" that is a holdover from previous generations and not nearly as useful as it used to be.
Foreheads also tend to be large, while noses are usually upturned with large nostrils and a slight tapered tip much like that of a bat. Augrela eyes are small compared to human eyes, and range from brown to black to the rare blue or silver. Canines are fairly prominent and in some individuals can be so large they protrude from their lips slightly.
Foreheads also tend to be large, while noses are usually upturned with large nostrils and a slight tapered tip much like that of a bat. Augrela eyes are small compared to human eyes, and range from brown to black to the rare blue or silver. Canines are fairly prominent and in some individuals can be so large they protrude from their lips slightly.
World Description:
Unlike in other forum games, this takes place on a ringworld. Instead of a regular horizon, the hint of far off lands could always be seen to the far east and far west by your people. Instead of a moon, night is heralded by the progress of a great rectangle that regularly blocks out the sun, after which the sun will always reappear as if it had never left. For the Augrela, this is how it has been, and as far as they know how it always will be.
As far back as your people can remember, you have lived in a sheltered boreal mountain valley, where you have hunted the Astani (giraffe-like animals with thick fur coats much like your own, short trunks, and four-toed hooves) and gathered Degi nuts from the trees whose lower branches you take shelter under during the night. However, these sorts of resources are running scarce as the Astani migrate to other areas and Degi gathering depletes supplies. The lake that supplies your valley with water is also beginning to run low on fish and the other animals you might gather are also becoming rarer.
In response, the elders have sent out scouting parties in as many directions as possible, and they have just now reported back with their findings:
To the north the land quickly begins to slope downward, and the air warms. They report of trees with strange, very wide leaves that catch frequent rains. Wildlife here is very diverse, but could be treacherous.
To the west are mountain trails that quickly wind both up and down the mountains you call home. Unfortunately, they weren't able to go far lest they get lost amongst the paths. Some report of possible valleys much like our own, while others report of cooler forests down below in that direction.
To the east, the mountains have proven to be scalable, but the terrain is very treacherous and the scouts were forced to return by harsh winds and attacks by fiercer predators than you have encountered in the past. Any attempt to go this direction will likely be fraught with peril.
The mountains to the south, however, have been found to be completely impassable. There is no way as of now to progress in any southward direction.
With these conflicting reports, local leaders cannot agree on what to do, and still others have accused the scouts of lying about their findings. Some have suggested trying different directions than those the scouting parties attempted. However, time grows short, and decisions must be made.
For this first round, you will be naming your band, and making a vote to pick a direction. You can even vote to remain if you like. Each one is a bit of a gamble in their own right, with their own challenges, but it is a decision that must be made. Your people's futures are in your hands.
This game will be limited, as of now, to six players (including one slot reserved for serialkillerš“ for helping me come up with this idea) so that I can get my bearings on hosting a forum game. If things go smoothly, I will open up to new entries. Slots will be filled on a first come first served basis.
Rules Regarding Extras a.k.a. Events
When events are described via an Extra, you can respond to these events via an Extra of your own. You do NOT need to dedicate a vote to it. The outcomes of these extras will be determined via a D6 roll, with higher numbers being better. The actual number you rolled in this instance will not be visible, rather it should ideally be relatively easy to tell what you got by reading the outcome.
Groups (10/10)
serialkiller - Kashar
aviscerator - Yirha
blackink - Kathak
Quantum Crab - Tuuk
oncpapa - Thaku
lordclassyus - Yslach
soundwave - Thourian
GabrielGG - Doggax
agenttine - Taji
The Eternal Flame of Foushoo - Donsou
Waiting List
Louix
NPCs
Azba - A band that remained in the home valley and have enjoyed its return to prosperity
Sartar - A band that is comprised of the descendants of those lost in the western/northwestern forest trails.
Bukar - A tribe that lives by the shore of a lake northwest of the Yirha band.
Donsou - A mysterious civilization that arose from the ashes of the Fern mini-bands in the eastern valley. All signs point to this being a hostile civilization so far.
The Fallen - Civilizations that have fallen into the sands of history due to collapse, destruction, or becoming absorbed into another civilization.
Fern - One of the original bands, collapsed and dispersed into mini-bands that eventually became the Oshala, Doggax, Donsou, and Kashar bands/civs.
Oshala - A tribe that has settled in a small mountain valley neighboring the cave of the Yslach. They are descendants of the original Fern band that have fled the eastern valley their ancestors found due to unknown reasons. Have met their end at the hands of the Donsou of the eastern valley. But not before sending one last warning of what is coming to any who may be watching.