History
The board was originally conceived by a number of Role players (three) who had been playing together online, when a previous game they had been playing had reached an unwanted and extended hiatus. Many of the players were already running games online in some fashion or other, mostly in the Play-by-Email format, so a decision was taken to move all the games to one board. Originally, many of the games were started on individual boards but most have now migrated across on to this main general board. Though to be honest it took some time for many of the games to move to the board, over a year in many cases.
The board has stayed stable though and a number of different games have been tried on it, with mixed success. A number of games coming and going, due mostly to either to the enthusiasm of the players or the DM, though some have floundered for other reasons. At the moment there are currently four main games in progress.
- Dungeons & Dragons, The Realms
- Felbin
- Dragon Warriors
- The Posse
Though the board, focuses on RPG's, also harbours a number of random threads about various topics. The most popular topics have been a general review thread, a discussion on the works of Joe Abercrombie and Dan Abnett, plus the warhammer 40k universe and even the odd comic thread.
Dungeons & Dragons, The Realms
Background
The Forgotten Realms was/is an officially published game world for D&D that has been around for nearly 3 decades. First introduced by TSR in the late 80's, it was seen as a natural successor to the standard world of Greyhawk which had been created by the original D&D designers. A living world the Realms progresses as the each edition of the game has, the campaign uses the 3.0/3.5 ruleset, and the current year is 1373 Dale Reckoning (Year of Rogue Dragons). The world itself is one of fallen empires, ancient civilisations have risen and fallen, leaving behind ancient magics and powerful artefacts. The current level of technology was around that of the middle ages/tudor times with some cities and countries being more advanced than others.
There are currently three campaigns running within the Realms sub-board, these are The Rise of the Lizard King; Might is Right, Right is Might and the Nobles. Each one will be discussed below.
The Rise of the Lizard King
Background
The Lizard King Campaign is set on the Sword Coast and the North. Mostly set in and around Daggerford and Waterdeep but often going much further than that, it is the most established of all the games on the board running for at least 4 years. The campaign centres around the resurrection of an anceint Lizard King, Sssakathka, who had ruled half a millennia ago the sword coast. Defeated by a decendent of the current Duke of Daggerford, it seems that either the Lizard King has been resurrected or something else is using his name. Either way, the aggressive expansion of the Lizard Men and his desire for revenge against the Duke's of Daggerford remains strong.
Characters, The Cromm's Daggers
The Cromm's Daggers are a chartered Adventuring Company, who have links to the Duke of Daggerford and the Lord of Neverwinter. They have numbered over a dozen members at the start but their numbers have dwindled through, mostly through death. Constantly changing their roster has helped the two surivng founders (Cathmhaol & Zeric) stay alive.
Current Roster:
Cathmhaol, a former veteran mercenary, who is the Leader and co-founder of the Daggers
Zeric, is a teenage sorcerer, who is co-founder of the Daggers
Dace, is a former caravan guard and scout.
Rumbleskin Ironeater, a time displaced Dwarf warrior, who was found in stasis in a dungeon.
Maylene, a female duelist who is an old acquaintance of Dace.
Xand, a female priest who follows Helm, the watcher.
Milo Hilltopple, a halfling wizard whose annoyance factor is only matched by his skill.
Rupert Goldenstein, an artefact seeker with incredible thirst for knowledge.
Former Members:
Alive
Delora, a teenage girl who is now ward of Lord Nasher of Neverwinter.
Throgbur, Zeric's brother and traitor to the group.
Missing
Bregl, half elf Bard
Aribella, a female descendent of the gods. A paladin of glorious power.
Grendal, an evil Red Wizard of Thay who joined for a short period.
Eneval, an elven priest, who believed in karma and fate.
Garat Streydrad, a hunter who is always accompanied by a wolf
Garri, a young thief and founding member.
Dead
Alzhedo, Belada Irongoat, Kally, Kirdan, Myr, Perrin, Sir Kendrick - all killed by Lizard King forces
Vane, killed by the betrayal of Niman.
Campaign
The original party were a group of misfits who had joined the Daggerford Militia investigating some reports of disturbances near the grounds of Lord Cromm, they came in contact with the initial raiding parties of lizard men. After a few regular adventures as members of the Militia, the group were hired by a female elf named Niman and hired to investigate the Cult of the Black Wolf. The group, along with new member Dace, went with the female wizard to a forgotten dungeon where they discovered that she was working for the Lizard King, betraying them deep in the bowels of the ground at the mercy of his agents. They also discovered the dwarf Rumbleskin who had fought in the original battle with Sssakathkaa. However, the betrayal ran much deeper than that with the knowledge that Throgbur, Zeric's half brother had now betrayed the group. With a number of their members dead by the hands of the Lizard King's forces, a friend's betrayal, what was left of the group escaped through one of the Realms famous gates. Meanwhile, Sssakathka had increased his activities and taken Cromm's Hold attacking the temple of Helm nearby and prompting action by the Duke of Daggerford to seek the Sword of the Sun, the weapon which originally killed the Lizard King in forgotten time. The Duke sent the youth Garri, to Waterdeep to seek the Sword in its last known location, Undermountain.
The group arrived in a deserted village via the Gate. Discovering it was occupied by the fell forces of the Shade. Fearing their imminent defeat, Zeric spoke to the Shade, making a truce, discovering their location (Neverwinter Forest) and allowed the Daggers to leave. The adventurers then made their way to the town of Neverwinter, meeting up with the Lord and leaving the young Delora in his care. Dace met up with an old friend from his days as a caravan guard, the beautiful Maylene, she and the Daggers' travelled to Waterdeep by boat. Meeting up with the youngster Garri and his protector, the priest of Helm, Xand.
The group entered Undermountain searching for the Sword of the Sun, hiring the halfling Mylo for extra magical firepower. Searching through most of the upper level, the group fell afoul of another magical gate, transported out of the famous dungeon. Ending up in some forest in the North against the Cult of the Dragon and a green Dragon. Captured and with the Tomb explorer, Rupert Goldenstein, the group are now trying to escape from an unknown dungeon in an unknown place.
Might is Right, Right is Might
Background
The Zhentarim are an evil organisation, known as the Black Network. A band of merchants, wizards and clerics, who follow the tenants of the god, Bane. That law and order is rigid and the power makes everything right, a loose analogy of Nazi's the Zhentarim try to rule the Dalelands of the Realms using military might and their series of spies and adventurers. An ambitious cleric named Xarl acted under the orders of his superiors and put together a group of adventurers to try and find the artefact, the Ring of Might.
Characters, The Company of the Red Talon
The Company of the Red Talon is a fake adventuring company put together by Xarl, a high ranking priest in the Zhentarim. It has legal documents for most of the Moonsea and the Dales, allowing it to operate as a legitimate organisation. The groups goals are currently unknown, but they are on a quest for the artefact, the Ring of Might. The high ranking priest Xarl and the warlock Peltar are known associated of these adventurersCurrent Roster:
Sadah Von Saagen, the third son of a Cormyrean Noble. A man of his word with a ruthless streak and current leader.
Jennia Ruddenlock, a former pickpocker and whore from Zhentil Keep.
Sylthas, a male dark elf cast out of the bowels of the Realms now trying to forge his way above ground.
Henryjk the Bastard, from the decadent city of Westgate. Known for killing with a whim.
Ras-Ka, a tiefling and priest of Bane. Fanatical, he's given short shrift by the others.
Zith'ak, a kobold scout who others seem to tolerate, despite his race.
Filarn Ironfist, a monk of Bane who serves as Sadah's bodyguard and special advisor.
Campaign
The Company of the Red Talon, was created by Xarl to find the Ring of Might, which was now in the infamous "Haunted Halls of Eveningstar. Xarl advertised all around the city of Zhentil Keep, hoping to find enough adventurers to take on such a quest. Those that answered the ads became the Company of the Red Talon, funded by the Black Network to find the Ring of Might. Equipped with weapons, horses and a caravan the Company set off to the south, heading towards the country of Cormyr hundreds of miles to the south.
The Company travelled from Zhentil Keep to the war torn city of Yulash, some 60 or so miles away to meet with a Warlock known as Peltar and to gain further details about their quest. On route the Baron Restenford, a local nobleman who was a Zhentarim agent and the man to reunite Yulash was murdered in strange circumstances. Peltar changing their current mission sent the Red Talon's to the village of Garrotten to find the assassin.
The village of Garrotten was a tranquil place, like a leafy English village. Staying in the local Inn, the residents accepted the strange group of non human adventurers, drow, tiefling and even the kobold getting something of an easy life where they would normally be persecuted. Unfortunately, the group found a town that was run by a secretive cult of assassins and that was being run from the castle of the mayor, herself. Rallying friendly forces to their cause, the company are attempting to storm the castle and expose the mayor and the cult.
The Nobles, With Great Power come Great Responsibility
Background
During a quiet time on the board a decision was taken to run an extra game in order to fill in these times, running each game as a single player or maybe a couple of players to allow for extra "screen time" for the players, plus to play an almost non combative game.
The game is envisioned as showing the noble life in a number of towns and cities across the Realms, starting with the city of splendours, Waterdeep. Waterdeep has a complicated and intricate relationship between its Lords (the rulers), the people and the Nobles. The Nobles themselves, though powerful are not the rulers of Waterdeep, as their Lord's are chosen in secret and are mostly only known to themselves (The Lords). Adventurers, Nobles, Merchants and Common Folk all make up the Lords, providing an across class ruling body.
Characters, the Nobles
Bvoris Yoville Thunderstaff, is a young noble who has spent most of his years on his family estate near the High Forest and the town of Secomber. At nearly 20 years old, he is not used to living in the city of Splendors and believes its a corrupt and decadent. Sent by his mother to protect their half of the families interests the young man is in the centre of a whirlwind as the Thunderstaff's have just started producing their patented thundersticks (flintlocks).
Campaign
The campaign has just started with Bvoris at the tailor's trying on his outfit for the "End of Winter Ball". He has met some of his family and the wild youngest daughter of the Wands family, Salura. This campaign has literally just started and there is much more to come.
Next up is Felbin, a campaign set in a twisted futuristic world. As they say watch this space.
