More than 450 years ago, history was changed by a cataclysmic struggle between the forces of darkness and light. The conflict enveloped small and great, mortal and immortal, gods and devils. Few survived it's destructive passing. None were spared it's devastating touch. At the end of seven long years of plane spanning war, the massed forces of those left alive came together in battle one last time at the heart of the greatest kingdom of the age, Nathilus . The destruction wrought that day laid waste to an entire continent and claimed lives in the hundreds of thousands and came to be known as "the Price" as it was what had been required to finally bring the fighting to an end. Across the face of the world there were floods, earthquakes, volcanic upheavals and other catastrophes of unimaginable horror. Formerly great nations were swept by turmoil and unrest. Centers of learning and knowledge fell to bands of starving raiders or ravening humanoid tribes who saw their chance at last. Savagery and barbarity became the standard as morality was swapped for just one more day of life, no matter how crude. Contact between the races dwindled to the point where they seemed myths to one another. The older races of dwarves and elves settled into their ancient kingdoms and licked their wounds, dreaming of regaining their strength someday. And so things stood for many years, until there arose among the humans a man, of vision and determination unmatched, who led his people to prominence and set them on the path to recover their lost culture and pride. The man was named Averon and became high-king of a nation at the forefront of a reclamation of the lost skills and wisdom of the fallen kingdoms. The wars fought to reclaim territory now overrun by the baser races were long and bloody, but saw the alliance of men, dwarves and elves grow strong and faithful. But, of course, time has a way of changing things. Today's world finds itself with as many kingdoms and cultures as the world once lost. Nations struggle for financial supremacy or to recover ancient knowledge before their rivals. Intercontinental travel is a rarity and isolationism the order of the day for most kingdoms. So much of what was known in the days before "the Price" remains lost and forgotten, and yet some progress has been made. The ancient libraries of the Eldritch Citadel have been re-discovered, and even though the destruction wrought by looters was terrible, there is much of value to be found there. Many kingdoms send out expeditions of bold explorers seeking troves or pockets of these lost secrets that may be of use. There are even rumors of a colony having been founded on the coast of ravaged Nathilus. The kingdom of Essandir, long ago birthplace of high-king Averon, stands as a shining beacon of enlightenment and learning despite lying under the shadow of the ever growing forces of their demi-human hating neighbor, Volungrod. For more than 20 years there have been hostilities brewing along the border between these two realms and now they look to be boiling over. You are the descendants of the resilient men and women who undertook the rebuilding of the world. You are the product of their hard work and ingenuity, and as such find yourselves more capable than the average citizen. Your background has given you more than a passing familiarity with arms, armor, tactics and even the eldritch arts in some cases. You find yourselves in the small border town of Frostcreek, last settlement on the trade route north out of Essandir, as it swims in rumors of an impending Volish invasion, a recent discovery in a nearby dwarven mining outpost, loggers suffering from some sort of curse, and a delivery of furs and hides that should have reached town a week ago. A fairly thick crowd mills around you on the docks, making you wonder at the town's prosperity in the face of trouble. The Coldrun River churns south, casting a light mist over the valley behind you as you head up the hill toward the town's thick log palisade. At the gate you stop and look east across the water to the town of Oreport, where teams of workmen are visible loading boats for the trip south. With a shrug, you duck inside the gates and look to see what this new town may have in store for you..... ====================================================================================================================== Ok, so that's basically it; it is an ongoing world, complete with history, religions and an awful lot of lore to be uncovered. It is a project that has been under development for roughly 18 years now, with a few long breaks scattered in. Before this I had experience with and studied the settings of Greyhawk, Lankhmar, Krynn, Faerun and Hyboria, but did not run campaigns there; so, I'm very familiar with world building, but not so much with practical application, I will admit. My campaigns tend to be darker and grittier with less cutesy or fantastical elements and more realistic reasons for the occurrence of events. I try my best to bring you a clever, immersive story that makes the game enjoyable for all involved. I am less concerned (and familiar) with the rules than I am with everyone enjoying the session. I feel that the game should be a shared experience that we all contribute to and enjoy as equally as we can. I have had problems in the past with personality conflicts in my groups and because of them will only give one warning before dismissing someone for being disruptive or counter-productive to the group. I've been involved with RPing games since 1983, starting with the Basic red box and AD&D. For the majority of the new millennium I have played online RPGs, while keeping an eye on various tabletop products, but could never find an area group to join. This all led to me discovering Roll20 and the great options they give us for playing online. I find myself here, skeptically, one more time trying to bring this campaign to life for the right group. My world does not include any extreme race or class - if you're looking to play an anime hero or some mythical mixture of creatures for the class benefits, KEEP MOVING! This game is not for you. If you ARE looking to play a dwarf, elf, gnome, halfling, half-elf, half-orc or human in a traditional style class and want to enjoy the world through exploration and discovery instead of exploitation, please read on. I run a voice only style game in which players are encouraged to play their characters as they see them behaving, but actual "in character" speech is not welcome. If you view role-playing as a chance to practice your Shakespearean improv, my groups aren't for you. Both humor and adult themes are allowed if they don't sidetrack the session. You are asked to provide an image to represent your character as my games are map and token heavy. And, you are asked to keep a forum thread with an updated character sheet. What I ask for from you: 1) Cooperation. With both your group mates and me. Don't be a prima donna. Don't hog the spotlight from them if you can avoid it. Be a team player who is concerned with the good of the group first. Trust that I will involve you in the story unfolding around you in a way that will make you a major character on the pages of the history of Vorkalis. 2) Candor. Be frank and open in your evaluation of how the game seems to be going in your post-session critique. I need a clear view of what you, as players, like or don't like about my style of GMing. All too often someone drifts away if there is a clear channel of communication like this in a group. 3) Camaraderie. I know it's not always possible, but I've found groups made up of players who are friendly with one another work best. To further this, I ask that our players communicate via Skype or the group forums. If you're the sort of person who logs in expecting to be entertained by the session without any interaction since the last one, this group isn't for you. What I offer in return: 1) Depth & Detail. As stated earlier, I have put a lot of work into this campaign and intend to continue to. It's a labor of love and I am looking for the right people to share it with. If you are the sort of player who likes to discover ancient secrets, dig up lost runs, uncover forgotten lore or even just learn tidbits about the region you're traveling through, I promise you'll find your fix here. 2) Maps, Maps, Maps and also a few Maps. Every scene and every setting in my games take place on maps that I have designed and put long hours of work into to bring greater immersion to you. 3) Concern for the Players. After each session you will be asked to submit a critique of what transpired to help me get a better grasp on what you want or don't, like or don't. I strive to keep my finger on the pulse of the group so I can create the best atmosphere for us all. 4) Dynamic Lighting, Background Music, Sound Effects & Handouts. My style incorporates all of the things available through the magnificent Roll 20 platform and I will continually work to make our games more enjoyable for you through their use. I rely heavily on handouts to guide the narrative and utilize a vast fantasy art library to help me with this. 5) Passion. Plainly stated, I love the fantasy genre. I love creating a world in cooperation with you, my players. When we're all clicking, no amount of work is too much to overcome to keep the creation going. So, all that being said, if you're still interested and think this might be the game for you..... I'm looking at tentative game times as Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, 7-10:30 pm EST, Saturday afternoons 1-7 pm EST. None of this is set in stone, but it is a good guess at what we'll try for. Please send me a PM with a bit about yourself and a description of your character for me please.
