Interest Check: Riders of the Storm (5e)

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Nov 15, 2018 9:28 pm
Hello everyone, I am a newcomer to the site, and I thank those of you who take the time to read through my pitch for a game below.

I would like to tell you this — a story of a lifetime.

As a youngster I grew up around tales of fantasy. I have always had a strong love of Chinese Mythology. Tales like Journey to the West, films like the House of Flying Daggers and the Monkey King have always held a special place for me. I consider it an honour and privilege to run this, a game I have wanted to run for a very, very long time.

Not only will there be strong elements of oriental mythology running through this game as a basis for the concept, but I will also weave something a bit more fantastical through it too. Consider this then a mixture of fairytale weaved in throughout the mythology, with my hope being that it will give you a game unlike any other you might have seen before.

My intention for this is that it will be a very deep, intimate and (I hope) thought provoking experience. It is, ultimately, a very character centric, character driven experience and I am looking for strong writers and storytellers to share this with me.

Some of you may not even make it to the other side, such is the dangerous journey you are about to undertake.

Combat will have its place here, but it won’t be for the sake of combat. I feel that the point of combat is lost when you get a situation where a group of characters come across a group of orcs, and you roll dice to resolve the outcome. My idea of combat is "you are sailing down a river on a leaky boat. On either side of the riverbank orcs aim arrows at you as the raft you are on threatens to fall apart. One of them leaps onto the raft and draws a sword. And what’s that in the distance? It’s a waterfall.....". I will frame those sorts of encounters within the 5th edition ruleset.

The game will be set in the Forgotten Realms, within the little explored region of Shou Lung and the Hordelands.

I have a role to play in this story too — that of a young man whose destiny it is to show you the way to the river of your dreams. This unwitting guide will accompany you throughout the majority of your journey. He will be an untrained orphan, and ultimately his fate will be yours to decide.

My intention, whatever happens, is for this to be a tale that will stay with you for a long, long time — I hope you will choose to walk it’s path with me.

Here is the basic outline for my game concept. If it is something that interests you, let me know below and I will arrange to set the forum up and send out the relevant invites. I am looking for about 5-6 of you to join me on this journey.

***

Behind the walls of an impenetrable mountain range, deep within the Unapproachable East, there lies a kingdom of unimaginable beauty. A kingdom where the walls are set with beautiful rubies, and where the streets are lined with gold and inlaid with glittering gems. There, inside this lost kingdom, the streams run with silver, and the people that live within.....they live lives of idyllic tranquility.

It was not always so.

Once, many hundreds of years ago, there dwelt an evil warlord by the name of Tan Chin. The ruler of a fell realm of demonic oni, the warlord travelled down the Great Silk Road, deep into the mountains of this mysterious realm, and he spied the hidden kingdom of unearthly beauty. Tan Chin, desirous of this kingdom, vowed to conquer it and bring its subjects under his rule. Returning to his realm, he raised an army of demons and hurled them against the kingdom in his obsession.

This hidden kingdom, this Shangri-La of humankind was not defenceless though. Inside its walls, the fiercest monks and martial artists gathered, and with the courage and blessing of the Padhrasattava, stood against the approaching demon army. Standing at their head was the blessed of the gods themselves, Tsenya Garbo, their leader. Tsenya, realising that hundreds of thousands of lives would be lost in the battle, instead challenged the warlord Tan Chin to single combat. If Tan Chin won, he would have Tsenya's realm for himself. If he lost, he would have to take his army and leave, never to return for five hundred years. In his pride, the warlord accepted the terms, so convinced was he that he would win the duel.

The two of them battled with both sword and spell for three days and three nights in a war that seemed that it would never end, so perfectly matched were the two. Yet at the end of their bloody conflict, Tsenya Garbo finally emerged victorious.

Defeated and bloodied, the warlord nevertheless honoured the terms of their battle -- the gods themselves demanded no less. Taking his army, Tan Chin retreated to the empire of Solon, and there he consolidated the grip on his throne. As he did so, he kept his jealous eyes on the beautiful realm he so desired for his own, even as he once more built up his power. And as years rolled into decades rolled into centuries, the warlord remained patient, for the time would come when the terms of their conflict would pass, and the time would come to strike once more.

And as the years passed, Tsenya Garbo grew old and complacent. So certain in his belief that he was protected and beloved by the gods, he became nothing more than a shadow of the man that he once was. And as the armies of Solon gathered their strength once more, and the warlord began to dream his dreams of conquest, his victory seemed all but inevitable......

Five hundred years have passed since that fateful battle, and whilst Tsenya Garbo has forgotten that which came before, the warlord once again turns his gaze eastwards.....

***

Soon, the Unapproachable East will erupt into the bloodiest and deadliest conflict that Faerun has ever seen. And into the middle of this conquest, a group of adventurers will stumble into the centre of this deadly situation. Lost and alone, they are tasked with averting a war between two kingdoms. Soon however, this mission will become one of deadly import for them.

And thus begins an epic quest set in a mystical and beautiful part of the Realms that has only been seen by the luckiest few. This will be a tale of life, of love and heroism against almost unimaginable odds. This is a tale of beautiful princesses, a tale of fearsome dragons, of demons and the living dead, and of knights in shining armour. It is a tale that will live on, both in this world and the world beyond. It is a tale that you will carry in the deepest parts of your heart and soul for forevermore.

Will our heroes become the destined champions that fate would decree them to be, or will they be lost in the shadow that sweeps over the land?

Come forward my champions -- come be the protector of the weak, and the heroes you were always destined to be.

This is an epic quest the likes of which the Realms has never seen before....and will never see again.
Last edited November 15, 2018 9:30 pm
Nov 15, 2018 10:22 pm
Sure, I'll participate. If you'd prefer newer players, I can become an alternate. I do have a fondness for the Empires Adventures trilogy.
Nov 15, 2018 10:24 pm
It was ahead of its time, and I’d be happy to have you on board.
Nov 15, 2018 10:54 pm
Awesome, the more the merrier! 3/4 more and we’re a go.
Nov 16, 2018 12:33 am
You had me at "oriental mythology." Where do I sign up? :-)
Nov 16, 2018 5:23 am
You write beautifully. I would be happy to play in such a game but even if there isn't space I just want you to know that I really enjoyed reading that.
Nov 16, 2018 7:03 am
There is still space and room for one or two more too, and thank you for the compliment!

I shall set up the game when I get back from work tonight and fire out some invites, then we can take it from there.
Nov 16, 2018 8:07 am
I’ve fired off the first four invites as above. I’ll get everything in the forum set up tonight when I get back. Still room for two more.
Nov 16, 2018 10:04 am
Thank you for the invitation, Evil Dedd! For those, like me, who don't check their email, here is the game link.
Nov 16, 2018 6:35 pm
Thanks Jabes :). The forums are up and running barring any other background info I need to post. I still have room for one more before I close, however if not I'm happy to begin the game with the five of you.
Mar 3, 2020 7:04 pm
Way back when, I advertised the above game. Unfortunately I left the site soon after posting this quite suddenly so the game never took off. To those players involved in this, I massively apologise — it was never my intention to do so and it was something that happened quite suddenly.

That all said, what I’d like to do is give this game another shot if possible, and get it right this time. Originally I had a number of interested players as noted above, if any of those players are still interested let me know, I’d love to give this a shot and give it the chance I think it deserves. If anyone else is interested in being a part of this, let me know below too and let’s see what we can do to bring some life to this concept :).
Mar 3, 2020 7:52 pm
Would be best if you opened up the game. I would be interested.
Mar 4, 2020 2:01 am
I pray that you will invite me again! :-)
Mar 4, 2020 2:17 am
This looks pretty darn interesting!
Mar 4, 2020 5:55 am
Sounds like an awesome opportunity for character building in a complex and realistic world. I’m in if there’s room
Mar 4, 2020 6:19 am
I’ll see about getting something set up and invites sent out later today :)
Mar 4, 2020 7:28 am
Invites sent and game link is here: https://gamersplane.com/games/2361/

In the meantime there are two potential slots remaining for anyone else who wants into this.
Mar 4, 2020 8:50 am
Could be interested to join. A few questions if i may ?

How do you all consider Kobolds, Goblins, and others ? Are they monsters which give XP ?
Mar 4, 2020 9:04 am
I'm also interested. I'm not a fan of combat for combat's sake and it sounds like you're not either.
This looks like a great game for character play and a story, so if you'll have me, I'm in.
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