Funnel World PbF: Villagers!

metalface13 wrote: Why are we doing Dungeon World instead of DCC, btw? (also is all this out-of-character stuff spoiling the thread?)

I believe the "game proper" will be started in a new thread. I'm sure the boss man will let us know where OOC stuff can go.

metalface13 wrote: Why are we doing Dungeon World instead of DCC, btw? (also is all this out-of-character stuff spoiling the thread?)

I love DCC but I love DW more right now. No awesome baroque tables but more flexibility and ease-of-use. I'm trying to have my cake and eat it too -- we'll see how it goes!

Yeah, there will be another thread for the actual game. I'll let you know how to post in-character and out-of-character stuff. I'll try to keep it simple. I'm not too much of a stickler about that stuff, but there are some organizational things that will help, since we have 18 PCs to juggle here.

I downloaded the DW book and when I run my next fantasy game, I think I will try either straight DW or a mash-up od DW and Savage Worlds. I do like the DW system for the "sandbox" idea I have.

Okay, I'm still waiting to see if Doc is going to roll up some dudes. In the meantime, I will lay down the basic foundation of play.

The very basics you need to know at the outset are:

1) I describe the situation
2) You imagine you are your character
3) You describe what "you" do
4) I use the rules to interpret your actions in game terms

Focus on the story and your character within the story. The less you worry about the mechanics, the better. I will explain the mechanics as we go, so you understand what's going on, but don't fall into the trap of putting the rules first. Put your characters first.

When I make a post in the game thread, I will answer any side questions first, then address one, some, or all of your characters. I will end each post with a direct prompt of some kind, the most common being "What do you do?"

When you post in the game thread, post any OOC ("out-of-character") stuff at the start of your post, and follow that up with what your character does. Because you each control 2 characters, start your description of each character's actions by putting the character's name in bold type. When you describe your character's actions, do it in the first person, as that character. And when your character speaks, put the speech in quotes. For instance:

Stephen Dedelus
I say, "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to wake." And then I swing my cudgel at his head.

Here is a pdf of the Villager character sheet . Print one of these out and use it to fill in the relevant info once I give it to you.

And here is your pre-game intro:

Since your grandmother was born, and since her grandmother before her was born, the ruins of the monastery halfway up the mountain called Hvitr’s Horn have been avoided by all but the most foolhardy. Some say the monastery and the village surrounding it were drowned in a river of fire that flowed down from the mountain’s top. Others say Hvitr himself smote the place from the heavens, in order to punish the warrior-monks who had turned from the way of Justice. In any case, the ruins have lain cold and dead upon that stretch of rock called the Forsaken Fell for as long as you have been alive.

And you would have been happy to continue avoiding it until they planted your body next to those of your forebears in Meervold’s cemetery. But once folks started disappearing, it wasn’t long before fingers were pointed up at the Fell, and now, a month on from the first went missing, there is clear sign that someone—or some thing—is calling the ruins home. Strange tracks, screams in the night, lights bobbing along the mountainside. Those who remain tremble in fear behind shuttered windows and barred doors.

Are you going to let it go on like this? Are you going to let the place you call home die, one poor soul at a time? Are you going to flee, like many already have?

No, you are not.

The following brave souls have decided to climb to the Forsaken Fell, to search the ruins of the monastery for abducted villagers, and bring them home alive. They are separated by player name so you can see which ones belong to you. These description were dictated almost entirely by your rolls, but there is still a lot of room for personalization. After reading the whole shebang, post your answers to the questions listed under each of your characters, and fill in the "bond" indicated. For each bond, fill in the blank with the name of another villager not under your control.

THE VILLAGERS OF MEERVOLD

The_jake_1973

Illdauga is a mute woodswoman who was bored of life in Meervold before people started disappearing. She and Salbja are the two smartest of the motley crew that has decided to get to the bottom of the mystery at hand.

* How did you become mute?
* What do you think lies beneath the ruined monastery?
* Bond: I have much to teach ______ about being good.

Hafle spends his time in the wild, foraging for food to supplement his meager diet. Despite his poor health, he is strong and remarkably agile. He is also wise to the ways of the world, and if he could keep his temper in check, he would make for a compelling leader.

* Why are you so unhealthy?
* Why do you consider the Forsaken Fell an abomination against nature?
* Bond: ______ misunderstands me when I say that s/he is the most powerful among us.

Da Bid Dabid

When Steini the Trapper shows up in Meervold, he always looks haggard from time spent in the wild. People respect him for his incredible brawn, but he’s not the most attractive fellow, and it always seems like bad things are happening to him. He is circumspect and patient, though it might be that he just never has much to say.

* What valuable thing did you lose?
* What doom is said to await those who dare climb Hvitr’s Horn?
* Bond: I blame _____ for losing that thing I valued.

Gera is the owner of Meervold’s only tavern, but she’s always felt she was bound for better things. She’s a hale and hearty soul who knows a thing or two about human nature, even if she's also known for dropping drinks in peoples’ laps on a regular basis.

* What is the name of your tavern?
* What friend or family member has recently gone missing?
* Bond: I am bound to _____ because s/he is my brother/sister.

repoman

Arkif is Meervold’s constable, but some say he has a dark past. Something must keep him awake at night, because he always looks tired. In all respects he seems a perfectly average man who happens to have been granted the right to subdue and incarcerate anyone the Council of Elders deems a troublemaker.

* Why are you a wanted man?
* What do you hope to find on the expedition you are about to undertake?
* Bond: I will protect _____ from himself/herself.

No one knows where Salbja came from, or how she manages to make a living. She has beautiful braided hair -- the longest in town -- and a trusting nature, which in turn makes most people feel kindly and trusting toward her. She’s stronger and smarter than most folk in this backwater, and some say she wins every wager she makes.

* Why have you come to Meervold?
* What treasure has been rumored to await those who dare descend into the ruins of the monastery?
* Bond: _____ is destined for greatness, because s/he has “that special glow.”

ThirstyMan

Meervold’s only blacksmith is a woman named Gudfu, recognized easily by her head of curly hair. Most people in the village are quite fond of her, but none know that she is a coward at heart. She always seems to have the sniffles, and has made a lot of bad decisions in her life.

* How did you come by your blacksmith shop?
* Why have you agreed to this doomed venture, despite your cowardly nature?
* Bond: I will soothe _____’s concerns about money.

Etirr is the only shepherd trying to eke out a living on the barren foothills of Hvitr’s Horn. He comes down from the hills rarely, and stays only long enough to do his business. Not that anyone minds, since people tend to steer clear of his rough appearance and the cloud of bad luck that seems to follow him wherever he goes. The hills have made him hard and strong, but have not helped him become less clumsy. Or less stupid. Less really stupid.

* Why are you a wanted man, and by whom?
* Why is there only one sheep left in your flock?
* Bond: I saved _____ from drowning in the well.

Gary Sax

No one in Meervold can argue that, despite the fact that she is often covered in clay from her work as the village potter, Jorda is among the more physically attractive residents. Her constant naysaying and generally pessimistic outlook keeps people from getting to close, though, even though she is wise beyond her years.

* What friend or family member has recently gone missing?
* What is your prediction of the outcome of this dangerous undertaking?
* Bond: _____ has much to teach me about anger.

Solvi, like his fellow woodswoman Illaudga, is a person of no words. No one knows whether he was born mute, or simply chooses not to speak. Living in the wild has not helped his frail constitution. Someone saw him juggle three handaxes once when he thought no one was watching.

* What vow have you taken, and why?
* What did you see in the woods close to the Forsaken Fell?
* Bond: _____ must forget about his/her lost love.

metalface13

Gerdga worked the iron mine on the north side of Hvitr’s Horn before miners started going missing and the mine was shut down. She is known for being strong and quick-witted, but that may be more due to how she is perceived than to any actual capability on her part.

* What friend or family member has recently gone missing?
* What did you see in the mines that one time, and why did you never tell anyone?
* Bond: _____ is destined for greatness, because s/he has “that special glow.”

Othilde gets by digging through refuse heaps and foraging in the scrubland outside of the village. She is stocky of build and trusting of nature; the latter trait, in combination with her near-animal intelligence, has led her to be duped by the unkind on a regular basis. There are many contenders for the roles of village fool in Mervold, but none can hold an unlit candle to Othilde.

* What was last the interesting thing you found in someone else’s trash?
* Where are your parents?
* Bond: I will convince _____ of the value of knowledge.

DukeOfChutney

Brother Thunke came to Meervold on a pilgrimage to visit the site of the long-lost Hvitric monastery, and found a village paralyzed by fear, half of its population gone missing. He is shy and reclusive, but considers himself above the peasantry with which he now finds himself surrounded. Years of walking the holy roads has made him strong and healthy, but a life of misfortune has denied him intelligence, wisdom, and personality.

* Who is your deity?
* Why is the Hvitric monastery of interest to your deity?
* Bond: I do not trust _____ because s/he is stupid.

Some consider it a miracle that Ligri survived his infancy, given his weakness and generally poor health. His skin is so pale that he is known around the village as “White Ligri.” Nonetheless, he’s a companionable fellow. His father, a carpenter to whom Ligri was “apprenticed,” has recently disappeared.

* What do you think happened to your father?
* What did you see that time you wandered onto the Forsaken Fell as a child?
* Bond: I lied to _____ about my feelings.

stormseeker75

Thorgana came to Meervold to buy some iron ore, only to find the mine shuttered and most of the miners missing. After hearing the stories of the ruined monastery on the slopes of Hvitr’s Horn and smelling gold, she fell in with the gang of villagers who intend to plumb the depths in search of their missing kin. Being a dwarf, she is strong of body, outspoken, and opinionated, although she does possess an unhealthy habit or two. She is wiser to the ways of the world than any of her erstwhile companions, and almost all of them are utterly fascinated by her.

* Why is your health not what it should be?
* What, in your wisdom, do you think awaits this expedition?
* Bond: I will convince _____ of the value of honor.

Gunnva is an overweight, illiterate fisherwoman who plies her trade on the waters of the Baldesmere, and is known for being the village’s champion arm wrestler. She once found an ancient elven gold bracelet inside a trout, which she promptly traded to a traveling merchant for a side of bacon.

* Why do you care that your fellow villagers have gone missing?
* When you look up at the ruins on the side of the mountain from your boat, what do you think about?
* Bond: I stole from _____ because I needed to practice stealing.

Dr. Mabuse

Meervold is home to only one ox, and Fride is its keeper. Before tragedy befell her people, Fride would rent her services, helping with any heavy hauling or hard plowing that needed doing. Her gray hair attests to the fact that she is the oldest of those who have climbed Hvitr’s Horn this day, and she believes that the good fortune that has allowed her to live this long will see her through whatever lies ahead. Her fellow villagers respect her as the wisest member of the Council of Elders, though some say she has a foolhardy streak.

* What is the name of your ox?
* Who among your number would make the best leader?
* Bond: _____ owes me a kiss.

Like Brother Thorde, Valga came to Meervold on a holy pilgrimage. But she had not heard the legend of the monastery; her goal was Hvitr’s Horn itself, a mountain which figures in many stories of the pantheon. She is a hardy soul, toughened by walking for weeks at a time, regardless of season, and recognizable at a distance by her long hair. When she discovered the village’s terrible plight, she felt a stirring in her heart, and vowed to join the brave souls who had chosen to put an end to whatever has befallen Meervold.

* Who is your deity?
* Why is Hvitr’s Horn a holy site for your deity?
* Bond: I respect _____ for leaving me alone.

Jason Lutes wrote:

Dr. Mabuse wrote: Dammit I totally misread the OP I thought there was only 1 spot left. I want in on the next one!!

None can deny the wish of Doktor Mabuse. Roll up a couple of hayseeds and then pray for their lives!

Thanks Jason! Sorry for the delay, it was game night tonight. HERE WE GOOO!!!!

Villager #1
1. 10
2. 6
3. 11
4. 12
5. 17
6. 11
7. 14

8. 71
9. 3
10. 1
11. 2

12. 32
13. 40

14. 4

Villager #2

1.10
2.12
3. 16
4. 10
5. 15
6. 10
7. 8

8. 73
9. 1
10. 10
11. 3

12. 55
13. 48

14. 9

Gudfu

* How did you come by your blacksmith shop?

Two years ago Gudfu was a mess, she was into all the vices known to man (or woman come to that). She enjoyed the taste of those Grenfawl mushrooms and the nice feeling they gave and the crushed up Jotor tree bark which gave her an amazing ability to talk constantly, about nothing, for hours. That Dwarven Ale, sold in the tavern, was a particular favourite of hers. Supplying the Dwarfs with Grenfawl and powdered Jotor, just seemed like a good way to stay happy and floaty. Unfortunately, Gudfu loved to gamble but, being pretty poor at bluffing, due to constant inebriation, her hard earned money frequently went into other peoples pockets. Debt was a constant state of affairs with her and so was her uncontrollable desire to sleep with attached men (particularly when partaking of Jotor and Ale), much to the annoyance of said mens wives.

For some reason, she developed a runny nose nearly all the time, although it was relieved a bit with another snort of Jotor, it never really went away. Neither did the debt.

On one noteable, inebriated night, Gudfu actually came out on top when she won a Smithy in a high stakes game of 'What card is stuck on my forehead?'. To be fair, she knew her card was high due to a partial reflection from her ale glass which she thinks no one noticed. In reality, everyone noticed but had actually joined together to buy her the Smithy (which she would have been too embarrassed to accept) and agreed to pretend she had won it in a card game. In this way, the other villagers hoped she would mend her ways, work on the business of smithying and stay AWAY from their husbands. Idle hands and all that.... Call it an intervention of sorts. The original owner was due to retire, so he was fine with the other villagers financing his retirement while the Smithy would still be operating in the village. Perhaps a way for Gudfu to pay her debts and really turn over a new leaf. Yeah right.....

Gudfu has made a surprisingly good job of running the Smithy but, in reality, it is a centre for the collection and distribution of Jotor and Grenfawl to the outlying Dwarven communities. She kicked the Jotor habit (although those sniffles are still bad) and, as a result, her promiscuity reduced (a bit). The villagers thought that their intervention worked reasonably well. Gudfu is on the edge of making a highly lucrative distribution deal with the Elves (who absolutely love the way she makes powdered Jotor) and she stands to make a LOT of money.

* Why have you agreed to this doomed venture, despite your cowardly nature?

The main contact for the Elves, Ewar, disappeared a week ago and, rumour has it, it was something to do with what lives up in the monastery ruins. She has to find this guy or her dream of owning the fastest horse and cart with shiny wheels, will come to nothing. Not to mention that new swimming pool she wanted installed in the basement. Best to pretend to be all altruistic and find this guy or at least his money or something....

* Bond: I will soothe Gera’s concerns about money. She knows a bar tab extant for at least a year is serious but everything is going to get better soon.....right???

Arkif:

Why Arkif is a wanted man:

Arkif was lucky or so he once thought. He survived the wars unscathed when so many of his comrades did not. He found his childhood sweetheart, the most beautiful girl in town, waiting for him and with her father's blessing they got married.

War changes a man and Arkif was not the boy who left for the campaigns. He took to drinking, hard. His marriage suffered. The beautiful angel he had married was now a nagging harpy. Always complaining, never happy.

For her part, she started looking elsewhere for the affection and attention Arkif could no longer give. She was often seen in the company of a young monk visiting from a distant monastery.

Arkif remembers the night he returned home from the tavern drunk and angry. He remembers opening the door to his cottage and finding them together. He remembers....nothing more until morning when he awoke to find her dead body in his arms.

He was angry but he did not kill her. Despite all he still loved her. No! It had to be the monk! The townsfolk wouldn't believe him though. They'd place the blame on him. He had to find this monk and prove his innocence. And so, gathering some belongings he fled the town to look for this Monk of Hvitr.

What Arkif hopes to find?

Arkif believes that the monk he seeks has fled to the ruined Monastery. He will be found and he will be brought back in chains to answer for his crime.

Bond: Arkif hopes to protect Gudfu from herself mainly by derailing her schemes of creating an illegal and illicit Jotor empire. The Elders, thinking that his military past and knowledge of the outside world made him qualified, made him constable and that's one thing he hopes to do right.

Salbja:

Why has she come to town:

The Great Cosmic Wheel has brought Salbja to town. One does not choose. One flows. One lets the Cosmic Wheel spin. The Universal Music that binds us all sings in our ears and we listen. It's beautiful, brothers and sisters. Peace, Love and Understanding is where it's at.

What she hopes to find:

She has come to town because that is where the Wheel and the Music said to go. There are songs about the Monastery of the Fell. Really, really great tunes. They said there is a crystal in the treasure rooms. A crystal with power to bring about "total consciousness". If she could get that crystal that would be a real trip.

Bond:

Jorda, she's got that glow. You know, like a super aura that you can almost feel. Salbja is convinced that Jorda, despite her pessimism is a conduit to the Great Cosmic Wheel. If only she would open her eyes and really see!

Dr. Mabuse wrote: Thanks Jason! Sorry for the delay, it was game night tonight. HERE WE GOOO!!!!

Awesome, Doc. Now I just need a couple of follow-up rolls from you:

1. Roll 1d6
2. Roll 1d4

Illdauga

How I became mute:

In parts of this land, a smart woman who speaks her mind draws ire and suspicion like a lodestone does the metal of my trusty axe. I had the unfortunate luck to be born in just such a place, Timber. A town of fair size that exported hardwood, a woman’s intelligence was not valued, only her pliable nature and how many children she could birth. I was an oak amongst a forest of willows. I made no apology for my sharp tongue, nor for my contempt of the menfolk in general. In hindsight, I ought to have heeded the willows and their quiet resolve.
My father took it upon himself to find a match for me from among the cretins in the town. I ignored all council from my mother and found all of my suitors wanting for this reason or that. Exasperated, my father had given up for a time until well-heeled lad came through the town. I do not brag on my looks, not now, but I was a comely lass then. My father and the gentleman, Gustavus, agreed on terms for the marriage and it was settled in their minds. Not so in mine.

This marriage heralded the end of my independence, such as it was, in my mind. I had nary a thought to give this lad a chance. During a feast my father held for the proposed couple, I had perhaps too much mead and let fly with choice words for my father, Gustavus, and men at large. The tirade did not go over well. It was the last straw for my father. He made a fine example of me to assuage the family honour of Gustavus’ and his own honour. I was cast out and the instrument of my damnation cut out and fed to the dogs.

The forest was all I knew, so I fled, axe in hand and a pack on my back. The days were hard, but I am a fast learner. I finally found myself in Meerfold and found a village that seemed to accept women who were not all willows.


What I think is in the monastery:

I have heard foul noises from the monastery on nights of the new moon. There must be evil afoot in that place and the disappearances only confirm that thought. I owe this town to do what I can to rescue the missing.


Bond:

I have much to teach Brother Thunke about being good.


Hafle

* Why are you so unhealthy?

Holt is a bustling city spread around Stirling Bay on the eastern coast. It is famous for the local seafood and the deepest anchorage within 500 miles. Sauteed baby sea dragons in a brown butter sauce will always be a favorite dish on mine, even though it is impossible to get in this burg. I come from a family of sailors and that was to be my destiny as well. I was nimble enough in the ratlines and strong enough to reef the mainsail without pause. Once. After that I was spent. A sailor who gets winded easily is not of much use to the crew. So landbound I was.

My foul temper, as violent as a winter squall, came to the fore more often after leaving the vessel. I had to work less savory jobs and finish them quickly less my poor health cause me to end in a gutter. An angry person makes a few enemies in my new line of work. An erstwhile bedmate saw fit to let slip my health issues and those enemies came running. I had gotten much too comfortable with her and she saw the bloody handkerchief I coughed into. That was it. She cashed in and I was on the run.

I made landfall in Meervold, well away from my foes. My health is no better, the bloody lung still plagues me when I over exert myself. I know I do not have much time left. This I have been told by a few chiurgeons. As I get closer to the veil of death, I feel compelled to do some right after a life of wrong.

* Why do you consider the Forsaken Fell an abomination against nature?

You would be hard pressed to not feel the rank evil that rolls off the slopes around the ruined monastery. It goes against that small part of me which enjoys the good in this world. I would see it consecrated for Aegis, the Goddess of the Sky before I die.

* Bond:

Thoganna misunderstands me when I say that she is the most powerful among us.

Just have to say that these character backgrounds are flippin' awesome. I am already heartbroken that some of you will die.

I need one final roll from each of you: roll 1d100 and report the result. Not one roll per character, just one roll.

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