Interest Check - WWN Fantasy Pirates!

So - Worlds Without Number has a lot of rules for naval adventuring, and I have been trying to set up a Wavecrawl/Saltbox game for a while now!

The Chain is an archipelago, a series of small-ish islands which have been under a massive storm for as long as anyone can remember (there are references to it in nearly pre-historic tomes). However, around five decades ago, the storm lifted. The devil-worshipping Elterian Empire saw this as a sign of diabolic provenance; the world itself was opening up to their recent displays of power. So, they began warring against their neighbours, quickly enveloping and absorbing anyone in their path. Many were taken as slaves, while some got the chance to serve as serfs under Imperial rule. However, their overreach was their undoing; by going to war on so many fronts, even the superior numbers, advanced technology and Hellish interference the Empire could call upon couldn't stop them from over-extending. The Empire withdrew from the fronts to regroup, but not before razing the lands they stood in, to make sure no-one could use them until they returned.

Those who fled the wars moved east, away from the Western Empire and towards The Chain. Now that these islands, seemingly uninhabited, had become available, many chose to set up new lives here, hoping against hope the Empire would not be able to recover enough to move this far East. Now, decades later, they are already putting out feelers as far as the far east of The Chain. Many locals see it as their sworn duty to avenge their fallen friends, family and countrymen, and will defend their new lands to the death.

You are on the front lines of a brewing war. What better time to make a bit of cash?

Themes and Content
Players will take the role of pirates - as such, the content may get a little salty (pardon the pun). The bad guys are slavers and devil-worshippers, so there may be some dark themes with them. I can see it being an R-rated game; grim and gritty violence, plenty of bad language and sexuality. After all, you're pirates. Content and themes are open for discussion.

As a rule, players will not associate themselves with the Empire - no slavers, no turncoats, no colonizers. You are playing the underdog, the broken and battered of a dozen lands, all united under the hope of a better future.

The game will be a player-driven sandbox - you are making your own way in the Chain! I will have a few plot hooks to scatter about, but the majority of game time will be driven by the players.

As it is a pirate-themed game, there will be black powder firearms and cannon. Technology is a bit scattered, but I won't be using WWN's high-tech-based stuff. Mostly 17th century or equivalent.

This game is not only open to, but actively encourages LGBT folks and minority or marginalized peeps to apply and for characters to follow suit.

The System
Worlds Without Number is a free OSR-style game, with a bit more flexibility in character creation and gameplay. Grab the free version in the link, have a read through!

No major house rules or changes, using some of the Naval rules and classes from the Atlas of the Latter Earth.

Game Duration & Posting Frequency
I would hope for a daily posting rate, at least. Obviously, things come up and we can work around it. As for duration, we can run an adventure or two and see what we think?

How To Apply
I am fairly new to running games here, so I am happy to go first come, first served in this thread. Probably looking for 5 players at most.

I will post up some more info about ancestries and cultures of the Chain shortly, but feel free to throw your hat in the ring before I do!

I was eyeing Worlds Without Number for some time, are you open to new guys who have never touched the system before?

With such a nice download, I'm willing to give this game a shot. Do count me in. Smiles. Reading the download now.

Need to check my game load, but I have some interest here...

I know, right? I love a good free version of an awesome game. The paid version has extra content that's even cooler!
The more the merrier! Any questions, feel free to shoot them my way.

Every ship needs a perpetually drunk bosun. Mine will sing shanties when he's in a murdering mood

What about a colonial pyrate who sailed into the Bermuda Triangle and ended up in a different world?

Nah, I'd rather stick with the setting I have made for the game. I'll post up setting info tomorrow!

Woot. I be watching for that post for setting info and such.

I'm potentially interested! I've heard good things about the system many times, but never really had the occasion to think about playing it. I'm keen on trying out some OSR play as well. I'll take a look through the rules and see what I think.

Edited to add:
I read through most of the rules, and I'm definitely interested. Can't wait to see the setting details you'll be adding!

So - some ideas about Cultures. Most of these are fairly quick, and are not designed to be restrictive. After 30 years of mingling, inter-marrying and blended settlements, things can be a lot looser (the average Chainer, as natives are known, can vary wildly).

Dhaoine - Celtic clans
To their enemies - brutal, savage, war-like
To their allies - brave to a fault, always singing, strong loyalty
Ancestries - Humans, Orcs, Ogres, Goblins, Wild Elves

Watu - pre-colonial North Africa
To their enemies - harsh, cruel, sorcerous might
To their allies - wealthy, honest merchants, powerful
Ancestries - Human, Dwarves

Fyrðar - Vikings
To their enemies - Intense, boorish, overproud
To their allies - strong, smart, warrior-poets
Ancestries - Humans, Orcs, Dwarves, Snow Elves, Goliaths

Firigians - Greeks
To their enemies - stuck-up, predatory merchants
To their allies - tactical geniuses, cultured
Ancestries - Humans, Dwarves, Ogres, Hobgoblins

Passoans - Spanish/Portugese
To their enemies - cowards, Imperial lapdogs, untrustworthy
To their allies - stuck in a bad situation
Ancestries - Humans, Tieflings

Pesha - South Asian
To their enemies - expansionist, honour-bound, staid
To their allies - Strong traditions, loyal, fair
Ancestries - Humans, Halflings, Elves

Hurlant - Dark Sun
To their enemies - savage, inhuman, cannibals
To their allies - proud, strong, resourceful
Ancestries - Hobgoblins, Goblins, Ogres

The Sea Peoples - aquatic nomads
To their enemies - xenophobic, inhuman, distant
To their allies - useful, intriguing, curious
Ancestries - Guana, Sea Elf, Pearlers

Again, these aren't restrictive - did your character flee their culture back home to find a new life on the Chain? Were your parents forced to move by the war, bringing their old culture with them? Did your parents find a new culture to join, making you unusual? Or were your family from a long-line of tradition breakers?

If you would like more info, just ask!

The ancestries listed above I will also post shortly!

The islands of The Chain contain scattered settlements if these cultures and more. As it has been around 50 years, players can be Chain natives or refugees from one of these lands.

The islands of the Chain have recently been released from a millenia-long storm; there are hints of a previous culture, but the most common are the cyclopean black basalt-like towers that dot some of the islands.

Very cool. I'm definitely intrigued by some of those ancestries. Do you want us to start sketching/discussing character ideas now, or create characters together once everything's established and the game is opened?

Feel free to sketch your characters out here! Keeps the thread near the top, gets more eyes on it 😁

This one is gonna be long, but here goes nothing!

Cultures and Classes
While examples of all classes can be seen amongst the various cultures of the Chain, some peoples have a particular calling towards one or another.

Warriors are a common sight, regardless of where you go. From the fierce berserkers of the Fyrðar to the heavily-armoured Imperial knights, Warriors come in legion styles and shapes.

Experts vary from humble tradesfolk to wise men, alchemists and skilled theives.

Mages aren't as common as the other classes; some estimates place around one Mage for every thousand people. A combination of magical "spark" and dedication is required to pursue magic - while anyone can practice minor magics, only a scant few have the skills to become even a partial Mage.

Magic traditions are varied across cultures, almost as much as martial ones.

The Dhaoine tend towards a magocratic standard; most rulers of Dhaoine lands are Mages (referred to as Druids). These Druids often present as Elementalists, with a mastery over nature - though to the Dhaoine, magic is as much a part of nature as trees and beasts, so any Mage traditions are acceptable. Even Necromancy is seen as a natural gift, with power over life and death simply an extension of these magical forces. Some may also present as Skinshifters or Beastmasters, showing control over other aspects of nature. Either way, Dhaoine who show magical gifts are often considered spiritual leaders among their people, even when they are not in a position of power.

Dhaoine warriors are hot-headed and at times vicious. They prefer short swords and daggers where possible, though archery is still considered a valuable skill. Their feared Gallowglass mercenaries, heavily armed and armoured, are amongst the best the Chain has to offer.

In Watu lands, magic is considered a sophisticated tool. Most mages follow the path of the Thought Noble; other magics are seen as uncouth and base. Anyone can swing their hands and chant words, but a true master needs only a thought to bend reality. Those who follow other traditions often learn the Mind-Sorcery Focus to help prevent their sorcery from being gauche. Of course, other magical traditions do exist there; the move to the Chain has allowed some of these Mages to present in ways that do not match their culture's foibles.

One exception to this are the Bound Duelists, often called Roosters in other parts of the Chain. Through some strange ritual, they are granted magical prowess in battle, in exchange for being bound to fight a number of duels. These duels are tracked by a token - a metal medallion they can slice a sliver from each time they take a life in a duel. Once their token is no more, they are free to use their abilities however they please, though scant few reach that point before losing their life. These Roosters are considered both brave warriors and ill omens - for when they duel, *someone* must die.

This ritual has been spread from Rooster to Rooster, meaning it's not just Watu who follow this dark and bloody path.

Watu peoples favour plain, elegant weapons - the longsword (called the flyssa) is a common sight, often carefully made to be beautiful without excessive ornamentation.

The Fyrðar hold mages in great esteem, though often at arm's length; great sorcerers are expected to become hermits, living apart from the populace to train themselves. Some rare Thanes do keep Court Wizards, known as seiðmenn, though even they are often kept apart from business not directly magical in nature. Necromancers are generally shunned, but many a Thane has found need of their services at times.

Fyrðar Jotun are often magical in nature; many will use their size and magical prowess together. They are still mistrusted by the Fyodar, but are held in high esteem as wonderworkers.

Fyrðar warriors often wear heavy armour, with a preference for axes and heavy weapons. The Berserkers tend to wear less armour, and often dual-wield hand axes for maximum terror on the battlefield.

Among the Pesha, High Magic is king; other traditions are held to be mere tricks and trifles. Lesser traditions still find their place and uses, but to be considered a Mystic, one must study true magic. Other traditions are treated much like the nouveau riche - still powerful, but somewhat vulgar.

Pesha warriors favour ornate armour, with lots of engravings and details added. Their weapons are similarly ornate, though no less dangerous. Many favour curved swords such as the tulwar and scimitar, and recurved daggers, including the kris and bhuj.

Magic is rare amongst Dwarves - their very bodies rebel against magic. While some traditions do exist, they are commonly Elementalists of Earth, and some Healers do exist - though many Dwarves will refuse magical healing as a matter of course. Where Dwarves excel is in producing Mageslayers; many Dwarves train their natural anti-magical nature to become a weapon against sorcery.

Elves, being so suffused with magic, will more often than not use magic to some degree - most Elves will be Partial Mages of some sort. Elves show no favouritism in Tradition; each Elf finds their own way to express their nature. Those few who do not show any inkling of magic are seen as outsiders; they will often train themselves to become the best they possibly can without magic, becoming powerful Warriors or skilled Experts. Among the Grey Elves, those without magic are exiled as a bad omen, while the Wild Elves will keep them as vital parts of their communities, even as they are seen as... strange.

The Kaldalfar (snow elves) tend more towards sword than sorcery, though those who do follow the path of sorcery often follow the path of the Elementalist, using the chill of their mountain homes against their enemies. Their warriors are stout of heart and quick of blade, with many preferring two-handed weapons designed for slaying the vicious beasts of their tundra home.

The Guana, being a nomadic people, don't have much in the way of Traditions - many Guana Mages are self-taught, or learn at the feet of an elder, meaning they frequently mix traditions and find combinations that work best for their needs. Many will take the role of Skinshifters, adjusting their body as required. Few follow the path of the Beastmaster; they hold animals as companions and friends, not as servants.

Among the Empire, magic is just as cruel and horrific as anything else they turn their eye to. Many take the path of the Accursed, swearing fealty to a distant Emperor who seems to grant them dark, powerful magics. Blood Priests are also a common sight, and some Necromancers find work as despised but useful servants.

Imperial warriors tend towards utilitarian - heavy armour and polearms are the order of the day.

Here's what I'm thinking so far. As a beginner to the system, I think I'll avoid the mage class and go with a Partial Expert/Partial Warrior Adventurer, most likely.

The character I have in mind was born a slave in the Empire. They managed to escape at a fairly young age, or perhaps they were freed during an uprising, pirate raid, or the like. They found work on the boats, and developed the ambition to one day captain their very own pirate ship. And they hate the empire (obviously).

Sounds good! The Empire are not choosy about who they take as slaves, as it's more about domination than specifics. So you have plenty of ancestry and culture options available for that concept!

So, we potentially have 5 players! Any ideas about characters and roles?

For ships roles,mwe can sort those out once we have some ideas out. I will say, in true pirate fashion, the Captain is not the be all and end all of the ship's command - they are in charge during combat, but the rest of the time the Quartermaster tends to keep the shop running. Some ships even ran simple democracy, with every man getting a say in the running of the ship amd elected roles that could be changed with a majority vote.

Even then, that can be mostly IC - players OOC can discuss and plan to their hearts content!

Are we the entire crew, or will there be NPC pirates as well?

I guess I was assuming captain was a role to build up to, not something in reach at the start of the campaign. So I'll happily fill a lesser role, such as boatswain or just regular old pirate. Skills-wise, I'm planning to take the Polymath focus to be a jack of all trades.

Some more questions. Are we rolling for stats here? Are we using origin mechanics for ancestries? Forgive me if I just missed the rules somewhere.

I was thinking of a guy named 'Grul' that is a Jotun (Goliaths) orginally a Fisherman and now is a Pirate.

With the dice system for stats it is hard to go a lot on when those stat roll are rolled per stat. So you don't know what each could be.

Fyrðar - Vikings
To their enemies - Intense, boorish, overproud
To their allies - strong, smart, warrior-poets
Ancestries - Humans, Orcs, Dwarves, Snow Elves, Goliaths

Is where he is from.

There will be NPC crew as well, though you will start with a ship small enough to be manned by the PC crew at minimum. NPC crew can be recruited in almost any port city, should you want them!

Yup, rolling stats as in the book. And yes, we are using Origin Foci for ancestries; I made a few extras for us to use, so just let me know what you want to see!

Feel free to roll stats in here to get an idea for what you might want to play!
Awesome! Here's the Jotun Origin Focus;

Level 1: Gain Exert as a bonus skill. Gain a +1 to your Strength modifier and -1 to your Dex modifier. Count your strength as 4 higher for encumbrance purposes, and your System Strain maximum is 2 points higher than normal.

I'd like to place myself on the list as the sixth at this point in line and take a spot in the 5 if someone doesn't continue with their potential, of those already in line ahead of me.

I have played SWN in a short lasting campaign a few years ago, but haven't looked at WWN yet. I'll do so now.

My really rough concept would be a Dhaoine female Druid (either Shifter or Necromancer) possibly looking for some payback on the Empire for their past wrongs and destroying ancestral homelands.

Sounds good to me! If anyone needs more info on their chosen cultures, just let me know

Stats: I like randomness so I will roll.

"Roll your six attributes in order or assign them
from an array, using Strength, Dexterity, Constitution,
Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Attributes
reflect the basic potential of your hero.
Roll 3d6 six times and assign them in order, or
use an array of 14, 12, 11, 10, 9, 7 assigned as you
wish. If you randomly roll your scores you may
then pick one attribute to change to a score of 14."

So that is: 13,12,11,11,9,7 and change the 7 to 14.

For background rolls: Besides Sail 0
5 Exert, 5 Heal, 3 Craft

Ah - they are in the full version of the game! The Deluxe Core Rules has them.

Grul Currently:

Looks good! I will get proper character sheets set up when I create the game, need to make custom ones!

Rolling for background x3 and taking the better of the results based on concept.

Going with Barbarian as background: Survive 0

Rolling Growth for all three slots: +2 Physical, Exert 0, +2 Physical

Let's just start with stats.

Well that was pretty good. I think I'll swap out the 7 Dexterity for 14, giving me Str 14 Dex 14 Con 10 Int 9 Wis 12 Cha 12. Not too shabby.

After much deliberation, I'll go ahead and roll for skills as well. Background is Slave, giving me Sneak-0. Sorry for the influx of repeat posts, but I'm going to do these one at a time so I can decide which table to roll on next. We'll start with Learning, because I definitely want to grab some skills.

Alright, I've got Convince-0. Let's do another.

Huh. Convince-1. Not what I would have chosen, but not terrible. Guess I'll stick to the same table.

Administer-0. Okay, then.

I am planning on having my character be Human too. Do humans get an extra Foci? I saw the Foci for being Non-human. Are we using that for anyone who plans on playing a race other than Human?

It's not that you get an extra Focus,, you just don't need to spend one of your starting Foci on an origin. Still a bit more flexible, but not massively.

Hey, when running a ship, Administer can be very useful!

Indeed! I was hoping I'd run into an Any Skill on one of the rolls, but rolling is rolling.

Question about Change Form:

At 1st level a Skinshifter gets one alternate form. If that form had wings, say a hawk, would it be able to fly? I ask, because the wording in the Grow Wings art is confusing to me. Is Grow Wings, only to allow flying for forms that naturally can't fly or to allow any form to fly even if it should already have wings and can fly?

So, the text to me says they need Manifest Wings to fly;

"A Skinshifter’s alternate forms use the same hit
points, character attributes, and movement speed as their
normal form, unless modified by particular arts."

So no new movement options or speeds, unless an Art modifies it.

"Manifest Wings: This shape can form usable wings."

Further implies that you need Manifest Wings to be able to fly, as it modified the form to be able to use it's wings.

That's my reading, anyway!

Oh, RageRed - you have one too many Foci. You get Change Form and two Any Ones - the part about the "Free Focus" refers to getting Any One, not an extra one.

I only have one Foci. The one all characters get at level 1. I have fixed that in my work sheet.
She has three Arts (not Foci) as per instructions in the text in the two charts (page 64) that Mage classes get all their starting Arts and 1 Free Foci pick.
Necromancers begin with one Art pick and Skinshfiters begin with two.

Starting Coin for Grul. That would be 100 sp. Grul is a male Jotun that is known for his excellent ship building skills and good sailor a well.Do we roll for our starting HP?

You are correct! Misread your sheet, it's been a long day

I'm still here, it's just been a long day here as well. I should be able to get my character fleshed out the rest of the way over the weekend. Would you like us to work out some previous connections with each other?

Do we have other equipment and gear to choose from that fits our theme? Such as those black powder firearms mentioned in the recruiting post or a spyglass, or a sextant, etc?

That's up to you guys! I planned on starting you guys with a small ship, already as a crew. You can know each other before hand, or you can have been recruited at some point.
You can either use the existing gear packages, or roll 3d6 X 10 for starting silver and use that to buy gear. I will post up the prices for guns in the threads I make for the game!

Fellow Chainers!

Board is open and waiting...

woot. I'm there.

And it seems we still have slots to fill! Any more interest?

I’m interested in this. Sounds cool. Like maybe a Pirates of Dark Water situation.

Definitely a bit of that!

If you would like any setting info, let me know!

Will do. I’m interested in all of it, lol.

I’m reading through the earlier posts on cultures and classes that you have here. Are we waiting to make characters in the game forum or doing it here?

Either or - shot you an invite!

Hi all,

This sounds like an amazing opportunity for a game and I'm definitely interested in joining up if there is still a spot open.

Always wanted to play WWN and the theme sounds like a lot of fun.

We should have another spot free - got any ideas for what you would like to play?

Thanks for the invite, it's pretty hard to pass up playing a Greek Ogre or Hobgoblin. Do you have any more information on the Firigians, Ogres and Hobgoblins. Of course I'll have to see what I roll up as well.

Firigia is a nation with a strong history of seafaring, it's navy only matched by the Empire (at its height). Firigians have a strong culture of education - they founded the Azure City, the prime school of magical learning across the entire world. Mages from all across the world clamour for spaces in these acclaimed halls.

Due to the incursion of the Empire into their lands, the mages in charge teleported most of the Azure City to the Chain; this process is still ongoing, but mostly completed at this point.

The Hobgoblins and Ogres are more recent additions to the Firigian fold, refugees from the blasted lands of Hurlant. After their King decided he would rather lose their land than cede it to the Empire, he had his alchemists work up a truly devastating weapon that left the land broken, magic fouled across the entire country, and many thousands dead or mutated.

The Firigians, their neighbours, took in as many as they could, and made their new members feel as welcome as they could. Some of these newcomers, alongside some adventurous Firigian men, have made their way to the Chain in search of a potential new home.