dnddad
Journeyman Douchebag
They're bullywugs aren't they Pat...
Posts: 200
Preferred Game Systems: WEG D6 Star Wars, Shadowrun 2nd, Battletech 3rd, Mechwarrior 2nd, AD&D 2nd, AFMBE rev, Savage Worlds Deluxe, Usagi Yojimbo, Marvel Super Heroes Advanced
Currently Playing: Frostgrave & Boltaction
Currently Running: from my problems
Favorite Species of Monkey: Spong
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Post by dnddad on Sept 8, 2017 8:18:19 GMT -8
Sounds a lot like the Siege of Kharkanas from the Malazan series. Somehow, I missed this response. I've only read the first book of the Malazan, and that was a few years back. Is this the same as the siege of Capustan? Nope, it's a different siege all together against two places in 2 different dimensions/warrens. Pretty schnazy.
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Post by chronovore on Sept 9, 2017 7:18:55 GMT -8
Somehow, I missed this response. I've only read the first book of the Malazan, and that was a few years back. Is this the same as the siege of Capustan? Nope, it's a different siege all together against two places in 2 different dimensions/warrens. Pretty schnazy. If you have a moment, can you go over the things you liked about their dimensions-spanning siege for me? I won't be getting through a stack of 3cm thick Malazan books anytime soon…
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dnddad
Journeyman Douchebag
They're bullywugs aren't they Pat...
Posts: 200
Preferred Game Systems: WEG D6 Star Wars, Shadowrun 2nd, Battletech 3rd, Mechwarrior 2nd, AD&D 2nd, AFMBE rev, Savage Worlds Deluxe, Usagi Yojimbo, Marvel Super Heroes Advanced
Currently Playing: Frostgrave & Boltaction
Currently Running: from my problems
Favorite Species of Monkey: Spong
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Post by dnddad on Sept 11, 2017 9:53:06 GMT -8
Nope, it's a different siege all together against two places in 2 different dimensions/warrens. Pretty schnazy. If you have a moment, can you go over the things you liked about their dimensions-spanning siege for me? I won't be getting through a stack of 3cm thick Malazan books anytime soon… So during the siege it took immense amount of casters working together to open a gate large enough for rank/file troops to pour through, and then they had to focus it all to a single area that was the least resistant to the magic involved. They basically had to sacrifice their powerful casters, most dying in the process from the amount of magic used to get a gate open while the place being defended resisted it because it was a magical place itself and rent the opposing magic. It was a blood bath. The defenders had some really powerful people(basically demi-gods) defending it and a few were able to hold the army at bay due to the bottleneck of the gate. There were other ideas about dimension warfare from the books like opening a dimension of fire onto a city, or likewise opening a dimension of water onto one as well. Just let the elements do their job. Or open a gate where giant demons live and let them come/go as they please and banish them after the job is done. The best part about Malazan is that if gave providence that each dimension was its own universe that had its own rules, peoples and places. Fishermen of one dimension are horrible hulking demons to another. I'm probably just rambling, but I hope this helps.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2017 16:26:04 GMT -8
Stumbled onto this late. First thought I thought of for some reason was the Rathi Overlay from MtG's Phyrexian invasion. Basically short-form: they magically rewrote the land by placing their territory (and therefore their armies)... like if for some reason you overlaid Helm's Deep over Boulder CO. #Chaos
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Post by chronovore on Sept 11, 2017 19:57:38 GMT -8
If you have a moment, can you go over the things you liked about their dimensions-spanning siege for me? I won't be getting through a stack of 3cm thick Malazan books anytime soon… So during the siege it took immense amount of casters working together to open a gate large enough for rank/file troops to pour through, and then they had to focus it all to a single area that was the least resistant to the magic involved. They basically had to sacrifice their powerful casters, most dying in the process from the amount of magic used to get a gate open while the place being defended resisted it because it was a magical place itself and rent the opposing magic. It was a blood bath. The defenders had some really powerful people(basically demi-gods) defending it and a few were able to hold the army at bay due to the bottleneck of the gate. There were other ideas about dimension warfare from the books like opening a dimension of fire onto a city, or likewise opening a dimension of water onto one as well. Just let the elements do their job. Or open a gate where giant demons live and let them come/go as they please and banish them after the job is done. The best part about Malazan is that if gave providence that each dimension was its own universe that had its own rules, peoples and places. Fishermen of one dimension are horrible hulking demons to another. I'm probably just rambling, but I hope this helps. This does help, thanks. The main idea I'm likely to steal is having the most powerful NPCs in the region pit themselves against the invasion, and perishing. Even as the invasion is (temporarily) thwarted, the resulting power vacuum will provide a tremendous opportunity for drama and reshuffling of roles.
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dnddad
Journeyman Douchebag
They're bullywugs aren't they Pat...
Posts: 200
Preferred Game Systems: WEG D6 Star Wars, Shadowrun 2nd, Battletech 3rd, Mechwarrior 2nd, AD&D 2nd, AFMBE rev, Savage Worlds Deluxe, Usagi Yojimbo, Marvel Super Heroes Advanced
Currently Playing: Frostgrave & Boltaction
Currently Running: from my problems
Favorite Species of Monkey: Spong
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Post by dnddad on Sept 15, 2017 7:37:09 GMT -8
Absolutely. Who else is going to stand up to inter-dimensional invaders other that the most badass dudes in town. I'm seeing some 7 Samurai schenanigans going on. Lets me know how it turns out. Make sure the invaders are using the gates in other ways than just letting troops through.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2017 18:24:24 GMT -8
Absolutely. Who else is going to stand up to inter-dimensional invaders other that the most badass dudes in town. I'm seeing some 7 Samurai schenanigans going on. Lets me know how it turns out. Make sure the invaders are using the gates in other ways than just letting troops through. I do like the idea of the gates having other effects, whether intentional (environmental 'overwriting' to make the current plane more hospitable) or accidental (the opening of the gate having an effect on the laws of physics or magic in the area)
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Post by chronovore on Oct 8, 2017 23:34:54 GMT -8
I'm returning to this thread for review before the party encounters the effects of this type of invasion/siege on another city. The invaders have taken over a city as a sort of short term tactical win and a test run before turning their invade-y eyes toward the larger goal.
The main thing is, this first victim city will have borne the brunt of the invading force without the benefit of defensive wards. It's a rout, with no survivors.
I may use the "overlaid territory" and then have its perfect overlaid-nature interrupted by a few telltale buildings which had individual wards.
…but I still haven't figured out /why/ the invaders are encroaching.
Typically wars have been for resources or even land, but what about a philosophical conquest? Eradicating a separate belief, similar to how Borg did not respect the need for individuality?
Any other ideas?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2017 15:53:48 GMT -8
On the overlay:
What is the reason first and foremost? Possibly the first city was a ley nexus, where all the mana lines converge, or at least several. If they are heavily magical or use magic as a resource, the reason to overlay their 'invasion' is two-fold: first, it puts more resources into their hands (like capturing oil wells in our world) as well as denying same resources to their enemies. Think of it like this: they give themselves a +5 Mana increase, and hurt the enemy byu giving them -5 mana. It's essentially a ten-point swing.
Perhaps also, this first invasion was a test. A test to see how to overlay without destroying infrastructure. Not just how not to 'scorched earth' a new holding, but how best to not allow your enemies to escape for slave labor/blood sacrifice/etc
Maybe these invaders - only you know about them - need the mana to ascend. Maybe they're even noble and enlightened, but just see us 'mere Primeys' as below us, much as we'd sacrifice animals, they need to steal our mana to evolve.
Just some thoughts
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2017 16:01:04 GMT -8
And also, if the first 'overlay' was a success, how? Did they have an advanced scout? Did all the high level heroes truly die in the attempt to stop it? Are some captured?
Was one the 'inside man'? Did someone barter information in exchange for power/prestige in the New World? Did they pull a Syndrome from Incredibles and let this invasion happen, thinking they could stop it and be a true hero?
BTW, I'm currently also stealing these ideas for a Fate Core game of NEST. Such a great setting.
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Post by chronovore on Nov 8, 2017 23:10:20 GMT -8
Thanks for the heads-up on NEST. I've grabbed a copy, and hope it doesn't remain a "decorative" PDF on my reading device.
Update tl;dr: Party has encountered a devastated town which has fallen to the force which will lay siege to their home. The town is dead and surrounded by a floating hedge. They're returning home with intel, and hope to spur defensive action.
Question: They can describe what they saw, but not what happened.Even knowing what the attack does to a town, without knowing how it is delivered, how can they defend against it?
Longer Siege update: The party has traveled —with a military escort, no less— over a week to reach a large town which has fallen prey to the fate which is next targeting their home city. The Tooth Faerie, which is one of the campaign's foils, told them that seeing the town would help understand what's coming for them.
They reached a town which had fallen. On the outskirts of town, the farms had all been attacked by hordes of fomorians. There were signs of violence: dried blood, windows and doors bashed inward, but no bodies. Each farm as they approached the town was in the same condition. As they approached and the town came into sight, a massive, gunmetal colored bramble was floating above the city, with writhing thorns and tendrils. It sketched a rough circle around the entire town, and all within it was in shadow, and devoid of color. No hearthfires burned, nor could any movement be seen. The party and its guardsmen stationed themselves about 50m away from the floating ring, and discussed how to reconnoiter the town.
I'm a big fan of incorporating the players' speculation whenever it is more interesting or consistent with the facts they've discovered. Somehow the party's thief got it into his head that there were tendrils that reached the ground from my description of "floating," but it might lead to something interesting and didn't break what I had planned, so why not? It's easier to let players fill in details rather than correct their assumptions.
He's also drawn a connection between the Tooth Faerie, which had writhing vines as part of its appearance, and the bramble above the town. This wasn't my original plan, and I've not figured out if it would interfere with things to incorporate, so it's still ambiguous.
The party's monk has communed with the town's fungal network and determined that the fungus has enjoyed several weeks of generally darker weather, as it's not fond of sun, and is working its way through a large pile of new "food" that it's breaking down and incorporating into itself, in the center of town. They also tried asking the fungal network about any living beings it could sense or magic residue, but the fungus either didn't know or didn't care about that.
The plant indirectly attacked, so the party has now retreated and is on their way home.
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