The Green (discussion)

[rust]

Originally Posted by Puck

Any comments on the tree children?

Yes, they look fine, and I really like them !

[Puck]

The skills look a bit high. Are they basic skills or are they for "normal" Tree Children?

They are fine for typical Forest Children, but you probably also need some basic chances for people who want Forest Children PCs.

I am still pondering this a little. In the old days, when playing Runequest, I always used pregenerated stats or arbitrarily penciled in skills for the monsters I created. I never really followed a formula.

Is there some strict formula? Should the initial entry of "Tree Child" have their raw skills based on a newly generated character (strict formula) or a common wind child skills when encountered (more or less arbitrary). The Elf skills that I used as a reference point seem inordinately high even for the other example races.

As for character creation I was going to write a list of profession skills for Tree child (have not got to that yet) (EDIT: I just threw these in the entry). I figured that they should get an automatic bonus of 15% in Jump and Climb and possibly in some perception skills right off the bat before other skills points are distributed. This would be due to their physical differences as well as initial upbringing

Using the table function might be the best. You can read about it in this article

After looking at this I might want to wait a little until I have time to fiddle with it. I am a bit lame and challenged when it comes to computer stuff. I like how it looks, but for now the code thing is much easier.

[Puck]

I have been fiddling with the name of the Tree children a little. Should they be called "Tree children" or "treelings"? I originally called them treelings and then switched to Tree children and used treelings to denote all people who lived in the boughs. I am thinking of changing the name back to treelings and using tree children as a slang term for them.

Frelmick is of course just one tribe: the tribe who lives in harmony with the Nifara. I was thinking of detailing a slightly more wild tribe who are a little more distrustful of man, living deeper in the green. I was also thinking of adding a separate type of magic for treelings that deals with beetles (just read an article in National Geographic about beetles). This magic would be a lot like goblin totemist magic. These other tribes and magic can wait until other things are more hammered out though.

[Puck]

I put up a little more detailed draft for a map of the Green in the Gallery.

[rust]

A fascinating map. I am very much looking forward to reading more about the
places mentioned on it.

[Puck]

Thanks, I really need to work out a few more things like the variety and extent of influence of outside cultures on the Green; the rivermen and coastal cities in particular. I always write up certain stuff, particularly on maps, and then think of something later that doesn't really fit. I believe that writing the Gazetteer will be a lot of fun though.

[Puck]

I have been goofing around with character creation, professions and stuff. BRP 0 has a list of skills for each profession and the player chooses from them. This is pretty easy to write up, but I do not know if it is the best way to go. Would it be better to add something like backgrounds and professions a-la MRQ. I was never particularly satisfied with RQ III. (I personally liked the old traveler method both as a player and a GM. It was alway the most fun and seemed to make great characters. I may do this as an option later). I would be happy for suggestions from more experienced gamers.

I have been fooling around with a MRQ-type skill set for the Nifarite:


Background:
Nefarite:
Climb +20%, Listen +10%, Harness +15%, Spot +10%, Stealth +10% .

Pick any two +10%
Spear, Axe, Bow, Sword, Staff, Shield, Dagger, Dodge.

Any two of the following +10%
Knowledge(Green Lore, Plant Lore, or Animal lore), Literacy (Nefarite)

Any one +15%
Craft (Woodworking, Leather, Resin)



Professions:
Trader:

Many Nifara take to trading up and down the bough roads with various inhabitants of the forests and rivers. Nifara usually trade animal and tree products in return for metal implements tools and weapons.

Appraise+20%, Bargain+20%, Knowledge (Animal or Plant) +10, Language(Other) +20%, Lore(Green)+10%, Literacy (Nifarite) +10%, , Spot +10%, Staff +10%.

Pick one:
Fast Talk, Insight, or Persuade +20%.

Hunter:
Climb+10%, Jump+10%, Knowledge(Animal)+20%, Devise (Trap/ Harness) +20%.

Pick Two 2 +15%
Listen, Spot, Tracking, Knowledge (Green).

Pick one
Hide+20%, Stealth+20%.

Bow+10%, Spear+10%.


Speaker/Healer/Craft worker:

Primary Skill:
First Aid +30%, Craft (Wood, Leather or Potion) +30%, or Language(Other) +30%.

Pick any Three that are not Primary Skills +20%:
Appraise, First Aid, Knowledge (Plant, Animal, Green), Language (other), Literacy.

Staff +10%.

Pick any Three +10%
Listen, Animal Handling, Insight, Persuade, Craft (Wood, Leather or Potion) Spellcasting.


Foragers/Gleaners/Gatherers:
These Nifarites travel the the boughs and foragings. They often visit certain far flung groves to sap and search for valuable plant and tree products
Axe+15%, Climb+15%, Harness +15%, Lore(Plant)+25%.

Pick one:
Bow or Dagger +10%

Pick Four +10%
First Aid, Lore(Green), Hide, Jump, Spot, Appraise, Language (other).

Languages and literacy always seem to pose a particular problem in RQ based games for me. I like the idea of character's knowing more that one language, especially in worlds were many cultures are converging and among more learned classes like spell casters or merchants. Knowing more than one language, and especially literacy, always seems like a point sink though and eats up other skill possibilities.

[rust]

A few days ago I have "jumped the gun" and have used The Green for a first
adventure with characters from my setting.

While investigating the Gate left behind by the Builders in a ruined outpost in
the Great Rift of Pharos IV, they inadvertently activated the Gate and were
transmitted to a portal under the mountains north of The Green.

Since the characters lacked the equipment for an exploration of the region,
they decided after a few encounters with giant spiders and thelike to "hole
up" near the portal and try to figure out a way to use it in order to return
to Pharos IV.

However, they had to go out to search or hunt for food, and this proved to
be extremely dangerous. In the end they only survived with the help of a
wandering group of Mamprusi.

While the characters concentrated on staying alive, the ARC scientists back
on Pharos IV managed to re-establish the Gate's connection with the portal
on Green (as the planet was named), and a security service team rescued
the characters.

The Gate is still extremely unreliable, and the characters lacked the equipment
to determine the precise astrographic position of Green, but I have no doubt
that the ARC (Avalon Research Center) will try to find a way to return to
Green: Some of the organic materials used by the Mamprusi could be most
useful for the colony on Pharos IV.

The players liked this adventure very much, and they especially liked the
Mamprusi - one of them will probably "borrow" them for his own fantasy cam-
paign.

[Puck]

Wow! That is fun to read! That is exactly how I hoped it would play out when I first started writing the Green... Kind of a wilderness that any setting or tech level could interact with. I've kind of fallen into the fantasy route as it is hard to get into a lot of details without falling into a particular setting and ruleset. I think it will be fun to write Sci-Fi options for the Green once I get the fantasy stuff more ironed out.
In the mean time I'd love to hear about any future expeditions into the Green your colonists from Pharos make. If that little excerpt was the pilot for a sci-fi television series or book I would definitely rush out and buy the rest.

[rust]

Thank you very much !

By the way, my favourite scene of this adventure was when a scientist
among the colonists attempted to get some DNA from one of the Mamprusi
("My hypothesis is that they are descendants of genetically uplifted Terran
great apes, so this planet must be a Lost Colony !").
The Mamprusi in question turned out to be female, and she completely mis-
understood the scientist's intentions - as did her mate, the leader of the
Mamprusi group.
The player's attempts to roleplay his character's explanation of what he re-
ally was after by pantomime would have been worth an entrance fee ...