Interest Check: Rose Lake Basin (Silent Legions)

I wanted to see if there was interest in a Silent Legions game set in a fictional area of northwest USA called Rose Lake Basin. I'd be able to run a game with 3-5 players, and would be looking for about one post a day to keep things moving. Details on the system are below, but the idea of the game would be episodic horror with an overarching plot; think of a TV show like Fringe with self contained stories along with a longer running plot. It would be a game of hidden eldritch secrets and uncanny horrors, existing just beyond society's peripheral vision and intertwined with history as we know it.

Initial characters would be constrained by the simple rule that they are not from Rose Lake Basin, nor have they ever been there before. They'll wake up in Rose Point missing a month of time. Beyond that constraint, the only other limitation is that they are level 1 characters. I would recommend, though, characters that are capable of working with other PCs, willing to engage with the horrible world unfolding around them, and have an ambition or goal to work towards in the game.

Silent Legions is a game from Sine Nomine Publishing, and is mechanically a gestalt between old school DnD, Traveller, and (very loosely) Call of Cthulhu. Combat is deadly and a route of last resort, and is run via theater of the mind. Like most Sine Nomine games, it's a sandbox game, meaning that the game moves forward based on player choice. When I say it's an episodic game, the episodes are defined by what you as players choose to focus on. The recommended character traits above are what typically help to make sandbox gaming successful.

I have a fair bit built for the game; if there is interest, we would be able to start playing relatively quickly. For instance, the starting region map is completed and is below. Props to Santouche, Cave, and Falconloft for help with that via Discord!

Rose Lake Basin Map

I would be very interested in trying this out, I am very curious about Silent Legions.

It seems to have a bit of a Silent Hill feel. I am getting a little heavy on games, but it sounds like fun. Count me in if you have the space.

This, and a review I read about Silent Legions, sounds very interesting. I don't have the book, though, is that not a problem?

Not at all, the systems itself isn't super crunchy; in fact, the player-facing pieces fill a total of around 50 pages, after which the rest of the book is GM-facing content. Of those 50 pages, around 12 are the rules which can be boiled down to a one-page summary without losing much:

Silent Legions Quick Reference

The only house rule I run for forums play is with combat initiative: NPCs always roll a 5. Any player that rolls a 5+ for initiative goes before the NPCs, any player that rolls a 4- goes after. Players can go in any order within those groupings; the rule just speeds up combat as there's a bit less "Ok, waiting for Player A, then two NPCs go who rolled extremely well, then Player B, then I can go even though I'm ready now."

For character creation, I'm putting together a Google document that will walk you through everything you need. I considered loading those page onto a PDF as well, but it's literally half the player-facing content (and honestly doesn't need to be) so out of deference to the publisher I decided to put together my CC worksheet instead. Since the game assumes characters will die, making new characters is fast.

I would be very interested in playing, as I have just recently gotten the book. I would love to join, do you have a applying procedure in mind?

Also, out of curiousity and if it doesnt spoil anything, will this be a Lovecraft mythos game, a mythos built using the tools in the book, or something entirely different?

Well, it looks like the game definitely has some interest, so I'll probably put the game up later today and let people start joining; I usually use a first come, first served approach with taking players.

The game's Mythos is completely homebrew, and a lot of it (though not all) was built with the GM tools.

Sounds lovely, I'll jump on it when I see it up :)

For people who don't have the book, I put together this character creation document: can everyone see the document and its links, etc?

Rose Lake Basin Character Creation

Looks interesting! And yes document and links work fine.

I thought I posted while leaving work, but game is now up.

I did apply

I saw your name and felt compelled to reply to say...
Here we go Steelers, here we go.

And now the chant is stuck in my head!

As it should be. LOL

I applied :)

Had one player have to drop just before the game started, if someone wants to jump in just before the start we're planning to kick off the game tomorrow.