Hey there, if I pinged you that is because you had expressed interest in play-testing Realm of Bastions (TTRPG). If you are interested and want to make a character go for it, I'll be capping the amount of people in a single play by post campaign to 4 so if there is more interest I'll run more than one.

Included in the post and subsequent comments will be a game description, lore description, mechanic description, character generation process, and relevant materials for that.

As always if you have interest in reading the whole (250) page .pdf please message me and I'll give the download link.

The Realm of Bastions core rule-set will always be pay what you can as it is important to provide this to anyone who is interested in playing.

Realm of Bastions is a classless & race-less table top role-playing game that promotes shared story-telling. The world that it is based on explores many conflicts in society that are relevant even today, and the encounters may bring up a range of emotions. The Realm of Bastions is aesthetically inspired by Western, Science Fiction, and Fantasy genres exploring some conflicts present in those genres.

The Realm of Bastions is similar yet distinct from the modern world, and will contain themes relating to Technology vs. Magic, tradition vs. innovation, oppressors vs. oppressed, urban vs. rural, among others.

Each Encounter can be designed collectively as an entire group, a single person, or any number in between. The game is designed so that every part of the table top role playing experience can be done so through the Encounter building tools.

The intent of the game is to build friendship through the experiencing of challenging, gritty Encounters while role-playing characters that are capable yet vulnerable. Each player will make difficult choices with their character both in a narrative sense as well as within the mechanics of the game itself.

The game uses a large amount of options to create Actors and then Encounters for which to role-play these characters. The group of players then weave these Actors and Encounters together to create a shared narrative while progressing the Abilities of the Actors.

In the Play by post I will be creating the encounters, I will use another post as the "play by comment" post, this one is where I would like your character to be posted.

In the format of:

Name:

Statistics

Body:

Mind:

Spirit:

Current/Max Stamina: /

Life Paths Experienced:

Active Ability Pool:

Physical Inventory:

Mental Inventory:

Faction Limit:

Faction Points:

Dosh:

Equipment/Items:

Abilities:

Background

For each Life Path experienced please include one to two sentences describing the way the Life Path contributed to the development of the character. In addition please include a physical description of the character.

I'll provide a sample character to help make this more clear.

This is one of the first few times I have run this with others so please be patient and ask as many questions as you can they help me!

  • quartz242 [she/her]
    ·
    3 years ago
    Setting pt.3

    Inners/Middles Guard Towers

      Outside of the Guard Towers are the outskirts of the Dusties, there are rarely any guard members patrolling away from the tower, preferring to hold their fortified position against any threat, their primary concern protecting Inner Bastion.  However if there is a large scale threat such as a fire they will send courier’s for backup from the Guard and Temple. Due to the vigilance of the Outers Guards the Inner Towers used to be quite calm but recently there has been more unrest from Middle Bastion.  There is an attached barracks for resting allowing a rotation of Sentries to constantly guard the Towers.

    Middles/Outers Guard Towers and Bridges

      The first defense of Bastion City these Guard Towers are at the end of massive bridges extending over the chasm made by the three rivers. A large archway with a retractable gate is the only means by which one can access Bastion City by ground, and must pass through these Towers.  Standing on each side of the large archway between the walls separating Outer Bastion and Middle Bastion are huge Pneumatic & Hydraulic powered automatons, maintained by the Daro Group’s engineers at the behest of the God-King. In the past the battles against the ‘Ka meant that these Guard towers would face near constant battles but the past 20 years have been very quiet. Outside of the Northern bridge is the train station to Tou’ka maintained by the workers & the watch it is the busiest of all the bridges.

    Silver Wolf Tavern

      The Silver Wolf Tavern is a rough stone & wood building in South West Middle Sector, there is a small loft inside which is the site of a popular Middle Bastion past-time, wrestling.  Rass Tin the owner is a welcoming and friendly lady.  She runs a bakery out of the tavern, and always serves a perpetual Tassalroot stew with bread & Charto Ales on tap.  The inside is unassuming in its decor, with family portraits on the walls and worn Tassalroot woven rugs on the floor.  There is a mounted bottle of aged Salu Special Spirit on the wall above where Rass Tin bar-tends, a gift from someone very important.  The clientele range from Factory Workers, Farm Workers, Warehouse Workers, to those just passing through Middle Bastion.  Usually fairly calm any trouble raised by patrons is directed to the second story wrestling area.  The goal of which is to bring the opponent to the ground the most in 5 Rounds. During such events the Tavern becomes quite raucous.

    High Priestess Hokaine’s Missionary

      In the northeast part of the Second Sector of Middle Bastion Hokaine has a small house outside of which she performs magic in aid of the denizens of middle bastion underneath a gigantic statue of the God-King.   She preaches the teachings of the God-King in particular the verses about respect for the church, guard, and of course God-King as well as verses pertaining to hard work, and cleanliness. It is rumored that there is a hidden underground area beneath Hokaine’s house that connects to the Church past the walls within Inner Bastion, however most brush this off as words from those jealous of Hokaine’s popularity.  She is a talented user of Magic that assists in the myriad of medical needs of Middle Bastion folk.  In addition this is where the Acolytes & Clerics that operate in Middle Bastion are administrated from, however due to Hokaine’s preference to be hands-on this duty falls to the wayside.  Many opportunistic parties use this to their advantage buying off Acolytes and Clerics for tasks of their own.

    Warehouse & Factory District

      Sector 1 of Middle Bastion is comprised of the Warehouses & Factories owned by various Nobles of Inner Bastion where Material Goods are processed or stores, often tech empowered workers tend to these warehouses & factories and are paid a bit more than the farm workers. Most of the warehouses tend to be shoddily build from wood and earth, with wealthier nobles paying for a full wooden warehouse. The factories on the other hand utilize Stone, Metal and Glass in a completely utilitarian purpose, requiring materials that withstand the heat generated by the Cind-Furnace used to make the manufactured goods.

    The Dusties

      The Second Sector of Middle Bastion mostly consists of The Dusties. The term for the densely packed residential areas in Middle Bastion, simple buildings made of earth and Tassalroot swaths of fabric. On the edge near the farmlands one often hears the sounds of folk songs from nearby farm laborers, or children playing during the day while the night tends to be quiet except near the Ka’mel Ring or the Silver Wolf. The edge near the factories on the other hand are quite noisy during all hours of the day in addition to the pollution as a result of proximity to the Factories.

    Salu’s Ka’mel Jousting Ring and Bazaar

      In Northern Middle Bastion a large encirclement where the Ka’mel Jousting occurs on specific evenings, outside of the ring are a couple food & drink shacks, each one specializing in a particular food or drink.  Also there are a couple of gambling booths to wager on the outcome of the Ka’mel Jousts. Surrounding the ring are the various pens for the Jousters, equipment areas, and training rings.  Densely packed the proximity to their rivals results in frequent outside the ring interference & sabotage.  The spectacle of the Jousting Ring is the highlight for many people who reside within Middle Bastion City.

    Cliff-side Fisheries

      Coveted yet dangerous fishing spots that are accessed by long ladders just outside of the walls of Middle Bastion, or done over the large bridges leading to Outer Bastion. The fishers labor in hopes of catching enough to sustain  themselves and make extra Dosh. Many fishers sit in their spots using extremely long fishing lines to catch what they can from the massive lake formed by the convergence of rivers. They use complex pulley lines to haul their catches up to the surface. They are cleaned before selling fillets to Inner Bastion nobility while the refuse are used to make food for the fishers.  Resulting in a near constant amount of bustling activity outside of Bastion City.

    The sewers

      With many access points across Middle Bastion the vast sewer network shaped from earth and maintained by earth Acolytes from the temple of Bastion.  Primarily used to deal with the refuse & waste from the concentration of people within Bastion City.  As a result of the Sewers extending deep into the earth and intersecting with the Worm Trail there is a constant source of Critters.  This deep, complex network of tunnels is also used as a hiding place for some of Bastion City’s underworld groups, ‘Ka Infiltrators or those who wish to live outside the laws of Bastion City. The fisher-folk and those who frequent the Sewers tell tales of hidden entrances to the Sewers within Inner Bastion.  Navigating it takes a good bit of knowledge of Humanoid, Geography, and Critters but the rewards can be quite good.
    • quartz242 [she/her]
      ·
      3 years ago
      setting pt.4

      Outer Bastion

      The largest region of the Realm by far, the terrain of Outer Bastion is varied and fantastic. The Northern most region consists of the vast Dragon Mountains that start at the Dragon’s Maw Volcano in the Northeast territory of Zeu’Ka. The highest peaks are in the Northern Permafrost known as the Dragon’s Spine. Some of the most fertile lands are in the Tou’Ka Lowlands just south of the Dragon’s Spine. In the Northwest the Dragon’s Tail section of the Dragon Mountains curves around the Sand-Dunes of Zol’Ka becoming the Western Foothills by combining with the hills of the Mirage Mountains. The Mirage Mountains border the Southern Region of Outer Bastion, the highest peaks of the Mirage Mountains are in the Southeast by Phen’Ka. The snow-pack of these peaks feed the Trickle of the Fens of Madness. As the Mirage Mountains trend westward they quickly diminish in size in the Southern region before jutting upwards in the Southwest creating the Red Pillars before getting rapidly diminishing in size to become the Western Foothills just past Lake Den’Ka. Some ‘Ka explorers tell tales of traversing the Dragon Mountains and finding themselves in the Mirage Mountains as well as the inverse.

      Northwestern Sand-dunes

         Northwest dunes are a low desert up to the foothill of the Dragon’s Tail mountain range where the elevation quickly rises.  The Nat'Ka village is based around an oasis deep in the dunes the rapidly shifting nature of the deep sands makes mapping the exact location difficult. The oasis itself is a very large spring fed lake that is quite shallow, coming up to the waist on most people. The Nat’Ka utilize this oasis as a water source and an agricultural source.  The difficulty mapping this region combined with the environmental hazards makes traversing this region of Outer Bastion quite dangerous. The chance of finding a powerful earth spell-caster, valuable gemstones, or a delicious cactus flower tempt many explorers.  Beware the many critters in this region as they have had to develop a myriad of attributes to survive in the harsh sand dunes and take advantage of any opportunity to feed.  Those that have been to the Nat’Ka and back tell stories of a prosperous, peaceful village that is welcoming of visitors.  Bandit King Aloxes is said to have made camp on the Southeastern Edge of the Sand-Dunes in sight of the train running between Bastion City and Tou’Ka. This region is where the terrain becomes arid rolling hills that contain the sand in conjunction with intense wind-storms.

      Northern Lowlands

         North of Bastion City are the Dragon Spine Lowlands, named because of undulating hills and valleys that extends south from the northern Dragon Spine mountain range. Interspersed with the hills and valleys are a wide plateaus however most of the Tou’Ka clans are established in the central valley.  The most established land trade route at this time is the Train between the Tou’Ka and Bastion City. The Tou’Ka towns are widespread and dispersed, governed by various clans. There is no centralized power structure and the traders of Bastion City often spend weeks going from barterer to barterer to find the best deal.  Majority of Tou’Ka is at an altitude where the lowlands are most prosperous however the current leader of Tou’Ka is from the northern region. Where the lowlands start to turn into tundra and has some degree of permafrost most of the year. During the Thawing Season, most of trade in the northern regions is suspended as swarms of predatory insects awake from their permafrost induced hibernation to feed upon anything that moves. Despite the peril of these Critters the concentrated fluids from these critters are used in the strongest herbalism and pharmacology recipes. The myriad of edible flora and fauna of the region is an important source of trade for this village but the primary export is the gunpowder mined here & firearms produced in this region a specialty that is steeped in the traditions of the Tou’Ka. Most Families in Tou’Ka pass down their ancestral firearms to the young members of  their family when they come of age. Very few brave adventurers have traversed north through the Permafrost and through the Dragon Spine, the handful that survive report coming out on on the Southern part of Outer Bastion at the foothills of the Mirage Mountain near the ruins of Zol’Ka

      Northeastern Volcanic Region

         Northeast of Bastion City the huge smoldering volcano known as the Dragon’s Maw dominates the horizon easily twice the size of the rest of the Dragon Mountain Range, the Volcano has been tended to by the Zeu’Ka for as long as the ‘Ka have existed.  The great Firebird itself roosts in the Maw and the descendants of that great beast still inhabit this region of the the Dragon Mountains, making air travel extremely dangerous.  The Zeu’Ka are masters of fire spell-casting and have utilized it to channel the Maw’s lava-flow downward rather than erupting,  At the base of the Dragon’s Maw lies a massive lake, the third largest in Outer Bastion.  The hills of the Dragon Spine as well as the northern most foothills of the Mirage Mountains channel water into this like, while the extreme geothermic activity of Zeu’Ka channeling of the Dragon’s Maw results in the lake being heated. A huge swath of the surrounding foothills have been are desolate as a result of the ash clouds from the Maw.  The boiling mud pots, sulfur vents, and scalding geysers are plentiful, around the lake, which feeds the aptly named Boiling River which flows to the southwest.  The unique materials of this region draw many explorers as well the many poisonous plants and fish have developed from this unique ecosystem.  One unique plant has the ability to slowly alter a person’s appearance from masculine to feminine or feminine to masculine depending on how it is compounded.

      Skyward Monolith

         East of Bastion City nestled in shale hills and in a rare spot lacking geothermic activity the Skyward Monolith juts upward, a testament to the ingenuity, genius, and ability of the famed Inventor Cian.  In exchange for the Technology of the Inventor, Bastion City with the help of Zol’Ka & Tou’Ka invaded Phen’Ka and Zeu’Ka during the Third Desert War to secure the land on which to build the Skyward Monolith.  One of the pioneers of modern Pneumatics and Hydraulics, Cian is also an expert in Mechanical Knowledge.  Over the years the Monolith has become a major trade outpost for air based trade, a close second to the Ot’Ka airship routes. Before the Skyward Monolith air trade was impossible in this region, the Monolith changed this in part because the Skyward Monolith’s defenses are one of the few things that can keep the Ferrochs from overtaking an airship.  The exterior of the tower appears to be made of intricate interlocking gears, pneumatic tubes, and hydraulic piping that extend from the top of the monolith to below the ground entrance.  Many types of Automatons attend to the maintenance of the Monolith as well as defending it.  The minority inhabitants, humans, tend to be older and all are trained in technology from one type or another, and as such the primary export of this trading outposts are materials related to that.

      Fens of Madness

         South east of Bastion City are the Fens of Madness, a swampland made from the Trickle a network of streams from the constant run off from the highest peaks of the Mirage Mountains. Within the waters are a unique material that creates the illusions which are visible as the water flows downward from the Mountains. The verdant combination of rich soil and mineral water has resulted in a diverse ecosystem.  The many poisonous plants create plumes of noxious gas, most of which is hallucinogenic. Throughout of the Fens are the villages of Phen’Ka who use boats to travel through the deeper parts of the Fens.  The denizens of Phen’Ka are renowned for their knowledge and application of Healing, Pharmacology, and Water magic.  The flora and fauna of the Fens of Madness are valued not only for their drug-like properties but also for their health benefit,. The only way to access the tallest peak of the Mirage Mountains where the Living Cloud is said the reside is through the Phen’Ka. The Living Cloud is rumored to be that which gave the ‘Ka their first breath according to ‘Ka creation beliefs.  The Phen’Ka is a loose collection of wooden decking in various stages of decay and simple earthen houses, in a cluster around the trade roads are large warehouses that extend back into the marsh. Since the Phen’Ka are able to thrive were others may be intoxicated the attempts to aggress upon them have failed.  While the Phen’Ka have no official warriors or guardians one Clan has taken it upon themselves to defend the Phen'Ka right to steward their homeland.  The Western edge of the Fens terminate in the Winding Wood before the southern deserts begin, and on the Northern Edge the Fens terminate at the Foothills where the Skyward Monolith stands upon stolen land.
      • quartz242 [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago
        Setting pt.5

        Ruins of Zol’Ka

           South of Bastion City rising out of a vast flat sandy desert surrounded by imposing sand dunes are the ruins of the great city of Zol’Ka. Built from deposits of marble and sandstone from deep beneath the city the proximity to the foothills of the Mirage Mountains and dunes act as a wall. The terrain around is rugged in stark contrast to the flat lands around Zol’Ka, the perfect environment for herds of Ka’mel.  The smooth city is especially magnificent surrounded by the rough and jagged lines of the Mirage Mountains to the south and the Red Pillars to the west. Zol’Ka is a wonder greater than Bastion City, Den’Ka, Skyward Monolith, or Ot’Ka in sheer scale and quality of architecture. However Zol’Ka is almost completely abandoned, and there are many stories of Explorers that have found vast hordes of treasures in hidden rooms in Zol’Ka.  However there are are many more stories of Explorer’s sinking into the walls or floor never to be seen again or ambushed by the large quadruped critters that stalk the flat and quiet sands and foothills that surround Zol’Ka. It is rumored that the Great Worm devoured the people of Zol’Ka for their insolence and disrespect to the avatar of Earth.  However the truth is that a powerful magical ritual resulted in the Earth Ascendant taking control of Zol’Ka and forced the surviving people of Zol’Ka underground to be subjugated or to flee Zol’Ka as refugees.

        Red Pillars

           Southwest of Bastion City are a series of valleys and plateaus that marks the end of the Mirage Mountains, the variation in altitude is unpredictable but usually quite minimal except for the massive Red Pillars that tower over the region.  Sprawling atop these red pillars is the jewel of the ‘Ka, Ot’Ka, organized as a hub and spoke the Council of Ot’Ka has their governing chambers in the center of the massive Bazaar a dense cluster of vendor stalls, eateries, and homes this center pillar has the only staircase etched into the Red Pillar, which is rarely used as there are massive suspension bridges to each of the pillars encircling the Hub. Two air-ship docks in Ot’Ka are the oldest in the Realm and are the busiest as traders from across the realm have docking permits for airships. Porters ready to unload the cargo and take it down the wide streets to deliver to the merchants in the Bazaar, aside from the docks the remainder of the space is used for dense housing for the inhabitants of Ot’Ka.  The fiercest river in the Realm, Totch’asu (The Wailing), winds between the Pillars and as a result it is quite difficult to live or forage beneath Ot’Ka, however fishing these rivers is a vital source of food for Ot’Ka in addition to Tassalroot flour imported from Bastion City.  Masters of Air Magic and Pneumatics the Ot’Ka people are said to have been blessed by the Living Cloud and were taught how to fly. They have bartered their flying devices to the rest of Bastion and are the most established and longest running airship bartering route.  The Ot’Ka wind-riders are masters of flight and pneumatic weaponry and are known to be able to procure anything or anyone that can be found in Outer Bastion, for a price.  Beneath the Ot’Ka beyond the river are the red rock & shale hills. Within this region there are few flora and fauna that have adapted to survive. Only experienced Explorers have survived this harsh region finding calm spots on the river to get water & foraging edible plants, especially nuts and berries found only in this area.

        Lake Den’Ka

           West of Bastion City where the foothills of the Dragon’s Tail and Mirage Mountains meet is the second largest body of water in Bastion, Lake Den’Ka.  Floating atop this lake is the city of Den’Ka, with a bridge connecting to the east and west. The trading road heading east, winds up into the mountains following the creek that feeds Lake Den’Ka before turning North towards Nat’Ka. The trading road East splits towards Tou’Ka and Bastion City, the road heading North towards Tou’Ka runs parallel to the Train tracks and is a frequent place for Bandit attack. At the center of the floating city a singular airship dock rises from the dense buildings and winding narrow walking paths weave throughout the city.  Once the primary trading partner with Bastion City, after the Third Desert War and the surprise attack there has been a general trade embargo. The plentiful resources, experts of Hydarulics, and powerful water spell-casters make Den’Ka a destinations for many types of Explorers.  The Lake exists in a gigantic caldera with the western most edge being where the foothills of the end of the Dragon Tail meet the foothills of the Mirage Mountains.

        The Worm Trail

           The name given to a vast, deep network of tunnels & caves underneath the western half of Bastion, from the Northern Lowlands, south to Zol'Ka and west to Den’Ka.  Legend is that the avatar of earth the Deep Worm bore the tunnels upward so that the ‘Ka could learn the magic of Earth from the wise being.  The Tunnels & Caves themselves are mostly flooded to some degree or another 80% have 1-2 meters of water in them, 10% are dry, and the remaining 10% are completely flooded, mostly those near the lake under Bastion City, the Steam Lake to the Northeast, and the lake of Den’Ka.  Throughout the tunnels there is a diverse ecosystem of critters, moss, lichen, and other fungi.  There are a few rare venomous predators that are the source of many a rumor or cautionary tale of expeditions into the Worm Trail.  Despite the danger the range of materials both organic and inorganic make exploration lucrative.  Some important sections of the Worm Trail are the regions beneath Zol’Ka as well as the Nat'Ka World Tablet.

        The Skies of Bastion

        The skyway of Bastion flows in a fairly predictable path from Inner Bastion to either the 	Skyward Monolith or the Ot’Ka, there are many small flying critters that interact with the 	smaller airships but steer clear of the larger ones.  The only large flying critters are the Ferroch 		in northeast by the Dragon’s Maw.  The danger from sky pirates or a rogue Wind-rider seeking 	quick cash are greater than any critter, usually.  The conditions for flying are usually calm due 	to the Arrest of the Clouds but there are occasionally wind currents that can quickly destabilize 	even the largest sky-ships. After years of study a pattern for these currents has been discerned 	resulting in the creation of the air-ship timetable laying out the most and least desirable safe fly 	times.  Obtaining a favorable space on this timetable is the source of many conflicts among 	the Nobles of Bastion City.