Guinea Pigs wanted! From: Dave Black <dave_black@chshq.dfo.ca> Date: Thu, 03 Apr 1997 00:00:00 +0000 True North Gaming is looking for 5 individuals interested in participating in the development of its new game tentatively called "Shalms of Undagala". This is very much work-in-progress as yet but as part of the implementation process I'd like to start right away with player involvement even though the programming aspects are to come later in the production schedule. Until then I intend to process the turns manually. True playtesting will begin only when programming has been implemented. Since this is a work-in-progress there will obviously be no charge for participating. I am proposing a two week Turn Cycle which should be sufficient for email methods. Below you will find an outline of the game and a Character Generation Form. If your interested please submit the form to: Dave_Black@jungle.achilles.net Hope to hear from you soon! - Dave +++++++++++++++++++ Welcome to Shalms of Undagala. In this game you play the part of a ruler of a small patch of land on the mysterious island of Undagala. This island, recently discovered by roving pirates, is located in the midst of the Endless Sea. This sea stretches from the eastern waters off the Illimbrid Peninsula and off to the east in a seemingly endless manner. It is bounded on the north and south by the frozen wastes. Only a band opproximately 40 degrees in width is ice free in Mythala. The planet is small and its equatorial circumference is a mere 10,000 miles. Like the earth it is not perfectly spherical and so its minimum circumferance going around the poles is 9,000 miles. One minute of Latitude equates to one Reach. In imperial measures that is approximately 2,500 feet or half a mile. Seen in this light the ice free zone of Mythala is approximately 1,200 miles in width. Characters will be from an area centred on the Evermist Sea region of Mythala. This area has a number of small archipelagoes and peninsulas which are inhabited. In the northwest are the Olmian Islands. The Ezmerian Islands are in the southwest. In the northeast are the Dulnian Islands and the Ymallan Peninsula. The Illimbrid Peninsula is in the southeast. The predominant race is comprised of a number of clan-like nations which are collectively known as the Kindred. You can think of the Kindred as essentially human. The nationalities of the Kindred are: Dulnian, Ezmerian, Illimbridi, Olmian, and Ymallan. The Dulnians are typically swarthy skinned and have black hair and brown eyes. They are a quiet industrious people. The Ezmerians are typically red haired and blue eyed. They tend to be introspective and highly artistic. Illimbridis are measured and confident. They are generally flaxen haired and have brown eyes. Olmians are brash and full of daring. They are usually white haired and blue-eyed. Xarians are typically brown haired and green eyed. They tend to be fiercely individualistic. The Ymallans are generally orange haired and blue-eyed. They are greatly feared by the others. Ymallans are fiercely competitive by nature. The Kindred are not the only peoples inhabiting Mythala. Dwarvrim, Elvrim, Knomes and Ogrim have their own strongholds which are scattered throughout all the lands. The Dwarvrim are short, stocky, and temperamental. They love to mine and live in underground communities called �Goms� (derived from a word which translates roughly as �pit� or �hole�). The Dwarvrimish love of Ore (gold) and Krome (silver) is legendary. Their crafters are undisputed masters of metalworking. Only the Dwarvrim no the secret of how to make Steel from Ore, Krome, Brass, and Bronze (the four naturally occurring metals). Dwarvrim typically have brownish-red hair and the males sport thick wiry beards. Their noses tend to be large and bulbuous. The Elvrim are a woodland folk. Slight of frame and just a tad shorter than the Kindred, the Elvrim are renowned for their ability to move quickly and quietly. They can be full of frivolity and gaiety one moment and deadly serious the next. The Elvrim prefer to dwell in dense thickets of shrubwillow or hoarberry whose branches they cause to grow in such a way so as to form chambers and passageways. Overhead the leaves and branches form rooves for their communities. The Elvrim typically have black hair tinged with blue when young. As they age this turns silvery. Their eyes are usually green or blue. Elvrimish ears are pointed. The Knomes (or Halflings as they are called by the Kindred) are the shortest of the peoples in Mythala. They tend to be somewhat rotund - probably due to their great love for feasting! They prefer to dwell in peaceful rural settings near meandering streams where fertile soils are found. Knomes are excellent gardeners and have a knack for cooking. They prefer to live in round hollows carved into the sides of hillocks. These dwellings come equipped with round doors. Knomes typically have white hair and the males usually sport thick bushy moustaches with curved tips. The Knomes, like the Elvrim, prefer to wear shoes which have the toes turned up to a point. The Ogrim are much taller and stronger than the Kindred. They tend to live more solitary lives than the other peoples and enjoy hunting, fishing, a generally tramping about in wilderness areas. Ogrim settlements are usually located in mountainous regions or deep forests. Their skin is rough and often has warts, moles, and other growths which in combination with their penchant for tattoos gives them a ghastly appearance. Other peoples tend to fear the Ogrim as a result. The Ogrim are essentially bald from birth. They have never developed a system of writing and most never acquire literary skills. The non-Kindred races have much different life spans than their Kindred counterparts. Overall the Elvrim are the longest lived followed by the Dwarvrim, Knomes, the Kindred and lastly, the Ogrim. There is also considerable difference between the sizes and weights of the races. Consult the table below for complete details about racial norms for age, height and weight. (N.B. Heights are expressed as Lengths which are roughly equivalent to yards/metres. Weight is in pounds Hefts which are roughly equivalent to pounds.) Kindred Dwarvrim Elvrim Knome Ogrim Young Adult 19 32 38 26 15 Mature Adult 25 42 50 34 19 Older Adult 45 82 100 64 29 Senescent 65 122 150 94 39 Venerable 85 162 200 124 49 Height Weight Race Avg VSh Shrt Tall VTall Race Avg VLt Lt Heavy VHvy Kindred 1.8 1.1 1.4 2.1 2.4 Kindred 150 75 112 188 225 Dwarvrim 1.3 0.9 1.1 1.4 1.6 Dwarvrim 125 100 113 138 150 Elvrim 1.5 0.9 1.2 1.8 2.1 Elvrim 100 75 88 112 125 Knome 1.0 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.2 Knome 75 60 68 86 98 Ogrim 2.0 1.4 1.7 2.4 2.7 Ogrim 175 105 140 210 245 Pirates from the Ymallan peninsula have formed an enterprise called The West Undagala Company and maintain a settlement on an island just off the western shores of Undagala where they sell pillaged goods to the settlers on the mainland. The company also transports settlers from Ymalla, the Dulnian Islands, and the Illimbrid Peninsula to Undagala - for a fee of course, and there, for those who can afford it, they sell off portions of the Undagalan mainland to the wealthier individuals who want to become landowners. The Ymallans are also Mythala�s slavers and they routinely sell those they capture in their stronghold of the Undagalan coast. The reasons for leaving the older established civilizations are many but overcrowding, famines, epidemics, strife and the like figure prominently. Many, especially the middle class settlers, dream of becoming landowners thereby establishing themselves as lesser nobles of a sort. It does not matter to these people so much if their title to the land is bestowed upon them by legitimate governments or cutthroats. So long as they all accept eachother as nobles in the new land then it really doesn�t matter because the legitimate governments of Mythala do not have a presence in Undagala. There is one hitch to the carving up of Undagala - it is already populated! Luckily the Trogs, the most numerous of the original inhabitants, are a backward brutish people. Though fierce in battle the settlers, with their superior weapons and abilities, are often able to establish toe-holds on the continent and force the Trogs back into the wilderness. No one knows for sure how vast Undagala is. Estimates range from 500 to 750 Reaches in the north-south direction and at least several thousand in the east-west. Because it straddles the equator its climate is warm by Mythalan standards although the towering mountains which form the continent�s backbone are snow covered year round. So far only three small enclaves have been established - one called Fenland on the western shore at the equator near the small rugged island named Viz where the Ymallan stronghold of Ryznyk is located, another called Rhokush on the southwestern shore, and another at Nyzia on the northwestern coast. The landholders in these enclaves have adopted the terminology used by the nobility back home and so they call themselves Shalms - unless of course they have acquired additional territories and now have Shalms who take their marching orders from them (in which case they are called Zanths). Upon arrival in Ryznyk the prospective landowner (there is generally only one of these per ship) selects a parcel of land on the mainland and pays the 100 Ore Standard purchase price (1 Ore Standard for each square Reach). By the time the Shalm has received the deed to the land the settlers who wish to go with the Shalm will have loaded a small vessel with their belongings and be waiting to be ferried to the mainland. When they get there they are deposited unceremoniously upon the shore. The next few days are generally busy as they set up shelters and begin preparing defences. They must always be on the lookout for raiding bands of Trogs or other creatures - of which there are many that are dangerous! This then consitutes the first turn. The first turn results will provide a description of the parcel of land (called a Holding) acquired by the Shalm as well as a listing of all the people who have chosen that parcel in which to live, material possessions, monetary resources, and skills - plus a map showing the areas covered by the Holding. From that point on whether the Shalm and his/her subjects survive and prosper depends largely upon the choices made by the Shalm (the actions undertaken by the Player). The Player will be asked to name the Holding, appoint settlers to fill key positions, and to issue orders for Turn #2. (True North Gaming reserves the right to amend names that do not mesh with the fantasy setting.) Each turn is comprised of a set of orders issued by the Player and represents the actions undertaken over various timeframes. These orders cost various amounts of Order Points. The number of Order Points a Player gets is determined by how successful the Player has been in Undagala. At the start of play everyone gets 100 points. The following list provides some indication of the types of orders that can be given. Add Toll Assassinate Assign Item to Unit Attack Attract Armswielders Attract Farmers Attract Fishers Attract Herders Attract Hunters Attract Tradespeople Augment Payroll Besiege Blackmail Borrow Buy item(s) Clear Land Construct Stone Bridge Construct Wood Bridge Construct Stone Building Construct Wood Building Construct Catapult Construct Dungeon Construct Dyke Construct Gate Construct Grainary Construct Guard Tower Construct Pallisade Construct Portcullis Construct Road (Dirt) Construct Road (Cobbled) Construct Secret Passage Construct Stone Walls Construct Trap Construct Well Construct Wharf Create New Unit Cut Trail Create Magic Item Decoy Defend Deploy Magick Item Disband Unit Employ Magick Spell, Power, or Concoction Establish Links to the Armswielders Guild Establish Links to the Crafters Guild Establish Links to the Mercenaries Guild Establish Links to the Rangers Guild Establish Links to the Rogues Guild Establish Links with Mystic Sect Harass Hire Arcanist Hire Armswielder Hire Ascetic Hire Khemist Hire Knave Issue Decree Map Area Negotiate Truce Propose Alliance Predict Weather Prospect Area Purloin Item Reassign Personell Reduce Pay by half Rename Unit Retreat to Send Unit to x/y Send on Quest Skip Payroll Spy Surrender Train Person Train Unit * More information regarding these actions will be forthcoming prior to the commencement of play. (Dave 03-Apr-97) As can be seen from the above listing the choices available are many and the costs (both monetary and in terms of Action Points) range dramatically. At the beginning players should concentrate on Construction projects. In any given turn there can only be one Construction project command. Players should also try to Attract new followers. Every Shalm starts with 10 healthy adults. The breakdown of their professions is determined by the nature of the Holding the Shalm has acquired. Holdings that are predminantly unforested grassy hills are likely to attract more Herders than farmers. Those with access to significant water areas will attract more Fishers than those that are landlocked. Each profession generates revenue for the Holding (in the form of taxes and commercial activity). The amount of revenue generated varies according to the profession. It also costs varying amounts to attract practitioners of the professions to settle in an area. Typically Hunters are the least expensive to attract. On the down side they generate the least amount of revenue. Nonetheless, adding Hunters is a good idea at the start of play to help build up revenue and because later on such individuals can be easily converted to Armswielders and employed in the defence of the Holding. In fact, Hunters can be called upon to defend the realm right from the very start! A Game Turn covers a period of three days. If circumstances necessitate the generation of multiple turns covering one Game Turn then the subsequent turns are called Sub Turns and are attached to the initial one. For example, if a battle between two opposing forces occurs in a Game Turn and cannot be resolved the next turn, a Sub Turn, will complete the battle. It would be numbered Turn 1A. If yet another Turn was required it would be numbered 1B. Orders for all sub turns must be received prior to the next Turn Date. Turn Dates are the scheduled dates on which the Turns will be run. Unless otherwise revised by TNG these dates are firm. In order to particpate in that Game Turn the order for it must be received by TNG by the Turn Deadline Date. Failure to do so causes the system to use a set of standard commands for the Holding. Any catastrophe�s that happen to the realm as a result are irrevocable. The amount of revenue generated by the Holding is expressed in terms of Ore Standards per Game Turn and is derived from the economic vitality of the Holding. ================= Character Generation Form PART #1 - GENDER: What gender will your Character be? Male or Female (Circle your choice) PART #2 - AGE: Will your Character be: a young adult / mature / an older adult / senescent / venerable PART #3 - BACKGROUND: Is your Character from: a background of outlaws & outcasts a background of labourers & slaves a background of crafters & artisans a background of professionals a background of nobility and aristocracy PART #4 - ORIGINS: Is your Character - Dulnian, Dwarvrimish, Elvrimish, Ezmerian, Illimbridi, Knomish, Ogrimish, or Olmian PART #5 - BODY TYPE: Which of the following best describes your Character�s height and weight relative to the norms of his/her species: very short & ___________ average and average short & heavy tall & heavy short & thin tall & thin short & average tall & average average & heavy very tall & ___________ average & thin PART #6 - NATURE: Using �Yes�, �No�, and �Somewhat� how would you describe your Character with regards to each of the following (bearing in mind that you can only select three �Yes� responses and three �Somewhat� responses): Agile: yes / no / somewhat Inquisitive: yes / no / somewhat Clean: yes / no / somewhat Intuitive: yes / no / somewhat Coordinated: yes / no / somewhat Logical: yes / no / somewhat Imaginative: yes / no / somewhat Strong: yes / no / somewhat PART #7 - PERSONALITY: Is your Character cowardly, cautious, brave, or reckless? Is your Character generally kind, generally cruel, or generally indifferent to those around him or her? Is your Character greedy, generous, or frugal? Is your Character honourable, self-serving, or downright treacherous? Is your Character egotistical, proud, modest, or self-depracating? Is your Character suspicious, somewhat guarded or trusting? Is your Character unforgiving, somewhat forgiving, a forgiving? PART #8 - ORIENTATION: Which best describes your Character�s general outlook on life: Benevolent / Malevolent / Ambivalent PART #9 - VOCATION: What is your Character�s vocation - a Crafter, Merchant, Noble, or a professional adventurer such as an Armswielder, Ascetic, Knave, Arcanist, Khemist, Mystic, Performer, or Trader? If non of these suit you please indicate a proposed new vocation here: ________________ PART #10 - WEAPONS: Which, if any, of the following weapons and shields does your Character know how to use. (Armswielders choose up to three weapons, Knaves & Ascetics up to two. All other vocations may choose one weapon or opt to go without in which case the Character�s score will be adjusted upwards.) Blowgun, Body Shield, Buckler, Crossbow, Cudgel, Dagger, Dart, Flail, Hammer, Heavy Axe, Heavy Spear, Heavy Sword, Knife (Chopping), Knife (Stabbing), Light Axe, Light Spear, Light Sword, Light Sword (Thrusting), Longbow, Mace, Medium Sword, Military Axe, Pole Axe, Shortbow, Sling, Staff, Target Shield, Throwing Knife, Throwing Star, Whip PART #11 - LITERACY: Can your Character read and write his/her own language? Yes / No N.B. If Character is an Ogrim then Literacy must be �No�) PART #12 - UNCOMMON SKILLS: Which of the following Uncommon Skills do you want your Character to have? (Remember that you may choose one Uncommon Skill for each age category you chose in Part #2. Note also that if you chose �No� for your answer in Part #12 then you cannot choose Read/Write as an Uncommon Skill.) Animology, Augury, Boat Handling, Charm, Craft-Boatwrighting, Craft-Carpentry, Craft-Clothiery, Craft-Foodstuffs, Craft-Leatherworking, Craft-Locksmithing, Craft-Masonry, Craft-Pottery, Craft-Weaponsmithing, Dual Weaponry, First Aid, Navigate, Play Instrument [specify below], Read/Write (other) Language [specify below], Speak (other) Language [specify below], Stalk, Unarmed Combat Play Instrument(s) *:____________________________ Read/Write Language(s) *:________________________ Speak Language(s) *:_____________________________ * Skills denoted by an asterix indicates that each language or instrument counts as one Uncommon Skill choice. PART #13 - CHARACTER NAME: Players are encouraged to select names which reflect the fantasy setting. True North Gaming reserves the right to make suggestions regarding names that are either too familiar or vulgar. What will your Character�s name be?____________________________________ PART #14 - IDENTIFICATION: Do you wish your Character�s vocation to be identified in the listings which appear in the newsletters? (It is recommended that you choose to identify your vocation unless you are a Knave. If you choose not to identify your Character�s exact vocation it will be listed simply as an Adventurer in the newsletters.) Yes (list exact vocation) / No (list the Character as an Adventurer only) PART #15: - Is your Character: stunningly attractive / good looking / average / somewhat homely / repulsive PART #16: - Is your Character left-handed or right-handed? If you wish you may provide a description of your Character�s appearance including such things are hair colour, length, and style, colour of eyes; distinctive markings; clothing; and personal items (provided they are not particularly valuable). Up