Wyrmstone: Come sail away with me, lad!

[Crafty_Pat]

So thanks Crafty, MORE eager anticipation. >.<

 

Well, we can't take all that much credit for Wyrmstone, other than giving them license to use the system and giving them the room to make their world awesome.

It's great to see things shaping up for a great 2008, though. It looks like a lot of what we've had brewing for months is coming together, which is deeply gratifying.

[Valentina]

D&D Elves are generally so homogenized that much of the fun is sapped out of them.  We wanted to create some real divides between the Elf nations, so that a Celestial Scion elf will actually be inclined to look down on one of his tree-dwelling cousins as uncouth and dedicated to a backward culture.

They already do that - the three elven nations of the Dragonlance setting all look down their noses at each other to the point that one actually made slaves of another. Even in Greyhawk there were sufficient cultural differences between the stupidly high number of elven subraces.

Elves are the single most diverse and internally fractious race next to humans in D&D.


Similarly, a caste system as employed by the dwarves really doesn't gel with a caliphate/islamic culture - it's a lot closer to Indian and Japanese cultures.

The Dragonlance elven nations deserve conceptual execution en masse for the crime of being humans with pointy ears. The only DL setting races I have any respect for are the Minotaur nations and the Kender.

[Forcegypsy]

The most interesting take on elves I've seen thus far from D&D has been the two elven nations on the continent of Kolvaire. The Eberron races in general are interesting, it's just that the system lets you down when you really want to show off the uniqueness. Spycraft shouldn't have this problem. The Darksun Elven nomads were pretty cool too.

[tenebrae]

Well, since there are Horse Nation (Valenar) and Scorpion Nation (Xen'drik Drow) feats in the upcoming OotS: Classic Fantasy, if earlier previews are to be believed, I think Eberron can be easily recreated using Fantasycraft.

[I'd assume Aerenal elves are basic 'high' elves, unless there's a Baboon nation feat I don't know about.]

[Gentry]

The Eberron races in general are interesting, it's just that the system lets you down when you really want to show off the uniqueness. Spycraft shouldn't have this problem.

I agree completely.  Eberron really *wants* to make the races different, but the system mechanics themselves make that harder to do.

What Eberron does have going for it is really kickin' art.  It's much easier to tell that there are different kinds of elves when you can see a picture of the different kinds of elves, and how they dress and whatnot.

Which brings me back to the "Wyrmstone needs artists" mantra.    Having a visual reference for stuff goes a long way toward helping people wrap their paradigms around new things.

[s.revenant]

I noticed on the Wyrmstone website that you're looking for artists, and I "Know A Guy" (TM).

I was just wondering what particular style(s) you're looking for to see if it's worth pitching to him.

A good style?

I think the best thing is to shoot me some of his samples, I can see from there?

[s.revenant]

Would a Wyrmstone character slot into the LSpy character ring?

With the advent of Unlimited vs Signature characters, the idea of a character ring is fairly invalidated.  I think Unlimited characters add a whole new ease of flexibility and play to the OP community, something definitely needed.

[s.revenant]

I'm still wondering if there are indeed 997 Sermons of Shahan, and if the Longstrider clan claim to have the missing 3.   

This of course comes from an earlier game played, where one player is playing a Dwarf and he came up with the scriptures known as the 997 sermons of Shahan.

So anyway, Wyrmstone is designed as a Community setting.  It is intentionally designed to be built by the community.  Since no scriptures were previously designed and the 997 sermons has a cool flavor, it is something easily added to the canon--so yes, there are 997 sermons of shahan, and maybe there are 3 aprochryphal sermons carried by the longroaders

[MilitiaJim]

Would a Wyrmstone character slot into the LSpy character ring?

With the advent of Unlimited vs Signature characters, the idea of a character ring is fairly invalidated.  I think Unlimited characters add a whole new ease of flexibility and play to the OP community, something definitely needed.

This may want a bit of fiddling.  I don't play in living games much, at conventions about exclusively, which means three times a year if I'm lucky.  I would be VERY happy to have a fantasy slot in my character ring. 

Are the signature certs necessary for every +1 longsword, or are they just for really spiffy stuff?  I would not mind only gaining certs for cool stuff if it was assumed my character just did something yet unknown and gathered "standard" magic items while my superspy was off actually gaining most of the XP.  (That made sense in my head, I promise.)  The example:  I have a 4th lvl Spy, so I could build a 4th level wizard, who would only have common magic items, a +1 dagger, but wouldn't have anything super sweet that would be rewards for modules, like a flaming dagger.

There go my seven cents, I hope they made sense.

-Stew

[Gentry]

Those make fine sense.  Have no fear.

On +1 swords,

The gear system still has to get nailed down a bit.  The clearinghouse rules in the core rulebook don't translate especially well to a game where you're allowed to keep stuff you find.    Crafty's got some gear variants in the works, and one (or more) will doubtless find its way into the FantasyCraft rulebook.  When that happens, we'll have a better idea how to work certs.

However, some basic thoughts exist at wyrmstone.org.  Surf around the various play guides there. 

On Unlimited Characters,

There's a separate thread discussing those specifically.  I'll reply on this idea there. 

[Desertpuma]

I'm up for continuing the rings and such. Consider I'm biased beacuse my primary character is almost 17th level and I'd be able to bring an equal level character into Wyrmstone. ... In all honesty, he would be on par with most of the highest level LG characters that might be ported over.

[mirror]

Are the signature certs necessary for every +1 longsword, or are they just for really spiffy stuff?  I would not mind only gaining certs for cool stuff if it was assumed my character just did something yet unknown and gathered "standard" magic items while my superspy was off actually gaining most of the XP.  (That made sense in my head, I promise.)  The example:  I have a 4th lvl Spy, so I could build a 4th level wizard, who would only have common magic items, a +1 dagger, but wouldn't have anything super sweet that would be rewards for modules, like a flaming dagger.

I'm not exactly sure how this is going to work but once the alternate gear rules come out and they define the availability of items in Wyrmstone, you will be able to make some darn nifty items with just the basics gear stuff.

During playtesting Mardut, my Dwarven Imam/Ambassador (Advocate), carried around the Will of Shahan (a scimitar with the ability to unleash blast of Holy Fury(TM)).  I created this by taking a scimitar(broad sword - caliber 1 weapon pick) applying a PR 4 Divine Attack(Caliber 3 Gadget housed in the scimitar) and then adding an extra use (caliber 1 gadget pick for battery life).  I also applied the Wicked and Detailing Kit upgrades to the scimitar (caliber 1 weapon pick for 2 upgrades).  And that was at level 2.

I'm not sure how a simple +x to the weapon is going to work in the system though.  I think an upgrade with an exponential increase in the number of upgrades required per point like +1 = 2 upgrades, a +2 = 4 upgrades, a +3 = 8 upgrades, etc.

I have really loved the setting of Wyrmstone and just love using the Spycraft rules for fantasy in general.  Can't wait for Fantasy Craft.

ps I am the one who came up with the 997 Sermons of Shahan.  I just thought that 997 as the last prime number before 1000 was mystical.  And don't believe anything those Longroaders have to say.

[s.revenant]

But if you find parts that are close enough, and you get a jones to share your ideas ...

Tell me where and I'll do that.

Have you joined the wyrmstone players list?

We are working on methods to allow people can help out right now, and this will be communicated tho those on the players  list.  Go to wyrmstone.org -> community -> chat/email.

[s.revenant]

Are the signature certs necessary for every +1 longsword, or are they just for really spiffy stuff?  I would not mind only gaining certs for cool stuff if it was assumed my character just did something yet unknown and gathered "standard" magic items while my superspy was off actually gaining most of the XP.  (That made sense in my head, I promise.)
-Stew

You have the right gist of it.  The gear system will classify standard items vs restricted items.  Standard items will be the conventional things available to anybody (+1 longsword, etc).  The restricted items will be the really cool stuff, and your certs will give you access to the restricted (i.e. cool) stuff.

[MilitiaJim]

You have the right gist of it.  The gear system will classify standard items vs restricted items.  Standard items will be the conventional things available to anybody (+1 longsword, etc).  The restricted items will be the really cool stuff, and your certs will give you access to the restricted (i.e. cool) stuff.

Sweet.  If I could add a Wyrmstone character to my Crafty ring, I would jump for joy.  (Or at least be indecently cheerful while investigating the dining hall looking for food.)