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Session Zero (Sundered isles)

My character is named Xentos. He’s a Waterborn Harpooner with a dolphin companion.

He was found as a child floating in the open sea, protected by a pod of dolphins. (I really just wanted a dolphin buddy) He has no knowledge of his past before that.

In his early adulthood, he there was a mutiny among the crew, which lead to the death of Xentos’s mother figure, Captain Barza, and stranding Xentos on a remote island.

I’ve named the island Skull Island. Named after a land formation that, when the moons are aligned properly, appear to have shadowed empty eye sockets. And is usually surrounded by Bleakmist

Xentos was trapped on the island for _13 years_. Hey, don’t blame me. Blame the dice. I have the man a 25% chance to escape per year and the dice have just decided to be mean.

He spent the time using a rusty harpoon to hunt large sea creatures for food.

And talking to a dolphin. And Captain Barza’a hat.

He’s only slightly crazy. He does seem to think he speaks fluent Hat. (And heavily accented Dolphin)

I already know how the session is going to start. Just need to find time to actually play.

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Was just going to mention Masks.

Sure, your character has super strength. And under normal circumstances, you probably could throw that car. But last night at the dance, your crush said something about you that you overheard. Something about you being kinda scary looking, but you’ve always been a sweetheart and never cause undue collateral damage and that they really appreciated that about you.

So now you’re in your head. If you throw the car, will they still like you? What if you hurt someone? Will she think you’re a monster? Maybe you shouldn’t throw the car. And while you’re hesitating, The Strong Force throws a whole bus at you. Oops.

(Influence, shift danger down, mundane up. Followed by a failed roll and a “Take a powerful blow”)

Is there any ttrpg system saying : "Player characters are very capable and only held back by their emotions sometime" to justify frequent successes and occasionnal failures ?

I don't really like the idea of attributes as they often are depicted.

In an unreal world, why not acknowledge that anyone is very able in body in mind, minor inpairements which could be affecting them (i like to depict those in meaningful ways if i can), and test whether or not their feelings are in the right place to test whether or not they'd manage to handle a task ?

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Ok. How about one of these for a blog title thing?

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Day 1 (Sundered Isles in-character journal)

Captain Barza is dead.

No one lives forever. Not even a great pirate captain. But I always thought she would end up dying in battle. Some kind of last stand as she goes down with the ship, swearing up a storm at her enemies and the drowned gods she believed in alike.

But that’s not how it happened. Instead she died laughing, Mid-bawdy tale, When a bullet found its way into the back of her skull. Fired point-blank by her own first mate. Then she was tossed unceremoniously down a cliff into the sea.

I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it happen. Part of me still wants to believe that it was all just a nightmare. That I’ll wake up anytime now in my bunk, and find the captain at the ship’s wheel. She’d toss some kind of insult at me for crying like this. Call me names. But she’d listen to my story anyway. She always made time to listen to her crew.

But this is no dream. And the captain’s body has already gone cold.

I’ve taken her bondstone, and her pistol. Tomorrow I try to remember what she’s told me about her drowned gods, and commit her body and soul to the sea. She deserves more. But it’s the best I can do.

Tomorrow, I’ll explore this island where I’ve been marooned.

Tomorrow, begins my quest to avenge the Captain.

But today, I just need to survive.

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Sundered Isles Human Coloration Oracles

When I play Ironsworn, I always have a hard time deciding on eye, skin, and hair colors for random human NPCs. I'm sure there are oracles for that out there, but I wanted to make my own that fits the 1D6 and 2D10s dice setup of the Ironsworn system.

I also wanted to make my own so I could include a way for there to be occasional random nonstandard coloration using the cursed die mechanic from Sundered Isles.

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My Truths.

Have some background lore for my Sundered Isles solo game.

Also I decided not to use the Playing with Myself Tag, even though it's a very good tag for this kind of content.

Eons ago, a vast cataclysm shattered continents.

Lands broke apart in an apocalyptic disaster. Powerful cities fell. Fire, lava, and ash scoured what remained. The isles, scattered like broken shards, are the vestiges of these once-great lands, the gravestones of a fallen dominion. Life eventually returned to this realm, but the wounds do not fully heal.

Two centuries ago, a powerful empire dared to claim these isles as their own. Ruined places are all that remain to mark their hubris.

The tattered banners of the fallen empire lie amid ravaged fortresses, wrecked ships, and abandoned cities. In some places, nature reclaimed these sites. In others, people return to build anew upon the graves of these former invaders. Meanwhile, scavengers—like gulls picking at the bones of dead fish—scour the remnants in search of plunder.

It is an age of industry.

The winds of change are upon us. Some of these innovations inspire awe— flying machines that sail among the clouds, metal diving bells that plumb the greatest depths, and mechanical limbs of intricate design to replace what was lost. But industry is also an insatiable fire. Mines, smelters, and factories reshape our lands to feed those flames. Titanic ships seek dominance of the isles. Is it only a matter of time before our steadfast wooden ships and the simple ways of our communities are relics of a bygone age?

Since the distant time when iron was first hammered into form, seafaring folk of this world carried iron bondstones as sacred keepsakes.

Each bondstone is unique—a relic of kin and culture—passed from one generation to the next. They are said to connect the soul of its keeper to their homeland or loved ones as if by an invisible thread. Thus, if lost at sea, our spirit may return home rather than remain entombed in the remorseless depths. We swear our vows upon bondstones as promises that follow us to our death—and beyond. But bondstones can also embody the curses of lost lives and forsaken vows, and bearing that weight can make them feel as heavy as a ship’s anchor.

Bleakmists are a curse upon the isles, confounding navigation and severing connections between communities.

Bleakmists are a damnable, seabound fog. Mariners tell of inexplicable sensations within the cursed waters of the mists—whispered voices, the ghostly clanging of ship bells, half-seen phantom shapes. Some bleakmists never dissipate, forming an enduring barrier that only the most foolhardy attempt to navigate. In other places, mists gather with little warning. Once you enter a bleakmist, it’s hard to predict where—or if—you’ll emerge.

Imperial forces vie for dominion over the Sundered Isles.

Imperial colonization and exploitation is a creeping tide that threatens to engulf the isles. Colonial governors oversee ever-expanding settlements, while powerful trade companies control key trade routes and resources. Imperial agents conduct missions of subterfuge and assassination. Treaties between the empires are forged and broken on a whim, and mariners can never be certain of what flag will fly over a port from one day to the next.

Our faith is as diverse as the people.

Many have no religion, or offer an occasional prayer out of habit. Others pay homage to the gods of our ancestors as a way of connecting to their roots. Some idolize the natural order of the world, and see the divine in the ebb and flow of the tides or the whirling dance of the stars. Then there are those who see this diversity as imperfection, who seek only to bend the world to their righteous will.

Magic is rare and mysterious.

The isles lie at the nexus of the new and the old, science and superstition, the known and the inexplicable. This collision of realities is a powerful but chaotic force, and rare folk can manipulate these unstable realities to cast spells and perform rites. In some cultures, mystics are respected; in others, they are feared or even outcast.

Beasts lurk in watery depths and within the reaches of remote islands.

All manner of creatures dwell among the isles—including rare and incredible beasts of legend. Among them are colossal great whales and elder rays, larger than our greatest ship, and blade-winged sea dragons. Some foolish souls hunt these creatures for riches or sport. Others revere and protect them. A few are beast-bonded, forming an enduring friendship with their beast-kin.

The veil between life and death is as fragile as gossamer.

In the darkest reaches of the isles, ghost ships stalk the seas, undead guardians protect ancient tombs, and drowned sailors emerge from the depths in search of absolution or vengeance. Others may scoff at these tales, but we know the truth—death waits for us all, but is not always an end.

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New Game!

I know it's been a minute. I haven't posted since like. 2 jobs ago. But hey, I'm back with the itch to play something.

So I've picked up Sundered Isles, the Seafaring fantasy expansion to Starforged. So let's get to playing.

There is a very dangerous tag to this post. I should probably check to see what sort of content is attached to it, but sometimes, I like to live dangerously.

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going to start a "good plants for people with ADHD" masterpost based on what's survived me

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So I just realized I could probably recreate a whole battle screen situation to play Fabula Ultima with. So… a console simulator for a ttrpg console game simulator.

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Me upon discovering an online game that helps you learn git: haha I've been using git for years now, I could skip ahead many levels, methinks hahaha no, no, I'll be humble and start on level 1

Me on level 5: You can do what??? There are commands for what???

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Fabula Ultima 2

After waking, the trio continue to explore the cave. While generally uneventful, it took the better part of the day to finally find a way out.

However, the look of relief on their faces was quickly replaced with concern as they spotted a huge column of billowing smoke right where the village should be.

Making their way there, they find Khalibian soldiers equipped with flame spewing backpacks torching the town.

The trio get into a fight with a pair of them and quickly take them by surprise. Afterward, Puck and Riza searched for any signs of life and found none. Fortunately, they also failed to find any bodies. A quick investigation reveals a trail that lead deeper into the forest.

Riza immediately tried to follow it, but was stopped by Shaar. "They are after me. Wait for me to draw their attention and lead them the other way then go find them.”

“That’s suicide” says Puck, who refuses to let him go through with it. Eventually all 3 decide to act as a diversion to give the villagers time to escape. They scrounge for supplies before making a lot of noise and fleeing.

[I decided to go with a weird roll here. Dexterity to represent speed, and Willpower for both the courage to act as bait and as a standin for charisma]

They manage to tread the fine line of staying just far enough ahead of enemy soldiers while still letting them catch sight of their prey so that they don’t decide to double back. The merry goose chase continues for another full day before they decide to finally ditch their pursuers.

The trio decide to head toward the nearest big city, but find the main road out of the valley blockaded by more soldiers. Puck leads them to a small hiking trail that theoretically would get them through, but at this time of year, is dangerous.

They manage to get to about the half way point before they run into trouble. More frost wolves! This pack includes a grizzled and scarred wolf leading them, who surprises the trio my casting Ice magic!

Already low on resources, the fight is difficult, and by the end of it the trio is barely standing. They run into a cave as the weather picks up, turning into a blizzard.

FANCY TRANSITION

An older man is fighting for his life. Riza’s grand father, who is managing to hold his own against overwhelming numbers with little more than a twirling staff. At least for a little while.

Eventually, he is subdued. The crowd of soldiers parts as the commanding officer from earlier walks through.

“So this is where you were hiding. Oh how the mighty have fallen! To think a hero such as yourself has been reduced to a sheep farmer out in the boonies.”

The man just glares.

The officer continues. “We could use you and your expertise. You were always my favorite instructor, and we can always use someone of your talents training our soldiers.”

The man spits on the officer.

The officer backhands the man.

Scene ends.

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Fabula Ultima World Building

General World Lore

This is a world where there was in fact a legendary hero who defeated an Ultimate evil in antiquity, however in the process, the great Tree of Mana burned down.

The Tree was the source of Mana, and ever since, free flowing mana has been in decline.

This has happened slowly. Slowly enough that people have acclimated to it. Some even think its a hoax. (Think Climate Change in our world)

Magicrystal is a mineral that can store mana. Magicrystals that existed prior to the death of the Mana tree are still full of magic, and is a Valuable resource that is mined.

Once an area is completely tapped of Mana, including having any remaining magicrystals strip mined, it begins to fill with a new, darker energy colloquial called "Miasma". The true nature of Miasma is still a topic of research and debate.

High concentrations of either Mana or Miasma can spawn monsters.

Nature of Magic

Magic is taught in academies that are nominally politically neutral.

Mages use magicrystals to fuel their spells.

There is still enough ambient mana to slowly recharge magicrystal to levels that can power personal level spells. However, only mined magicrystal is energy dense enough to power large works. It has been observed that magicrystal that has been in a mage's possession for long enough can sometimes charge faster than expected. Research on this phenomenon is still underway.

Politics

The most technologically advanced nation is the Empire of Khalibi, which relatively recently underwent an industrial revolution fueled originally by now dwindling Magicrystal reserves.

Despite running low on Magicrystals, their advancement has not only refused to slow, but has somehow progressed even faster. How exactly is a state secret.

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Fabula Ultima 1

Let me preface this by saying that I have no idea how tumblr works. But what I'm _intending_ to do with this space is to use it to share my solo RPG adventures. Which at the moment is playing Fabula Ultima, the TTJRPG, combined with Mythic Game Master Emulator.

Let me introduce our first 2 Characters.

This is Puck. The genius inventor kid. (You can tell because of the goggles!). He's a Tinkerer 3/Loremaster 1/ Sharpshooter 1

This is Riza. She's the grandaughter of the village's guard captain. She's a Guardian 3/ Weaponmaster 2

Anyway, why don't we start the first scene!

The scene starts with a panning, top-down establishing shot. You see an Idyllic little village with pastures and farmland nestled in a little forested valley, where tufts of grass can still be seen peeking out of recently fallen snow. For a moment, what appears to be a flaming ball of light flashes across the screen. The camera shakes, and a flock of birds is noisily scared out of a tree, flying toward the camera and the screen goes black.

Riza is looking for Puck, who was supposed to be gathering healing herbs, but seems to have wandered off. But Riza knows her best friend well, and knows to find him wherever that shooting star landed.

Scene cuts to Puck, who finds himself at some kind of crash site. The tech seems out of place, but Puck is already waist deep in the engine bay as if he had been swallowed by a metal monster.

When Riza arrives, Puck had already dismantled several bits of the vehicle, and was rummaging through the pile of parts. He doesn't even notice the pair of frost-blue wolves stalking toward him. Riza calls out, and we start our first fight!

Puck is armed with a pistol and a combat jacket, and Riza has a full suit of plate and two shields. (We are not going to ask why she is walking around in full plate. That's just the way it is.)

The enemy is a pair of frost wolves, which are wolves. But frosty. It's an easy tutorial fight, and our 2 heroes come out of it with barely a scratch.

However, the crash and the subsequent fight seemed to have loosened earth on a near by slope, and there's a sudden landslide! Cue scene of Puck and Riza running for their lives until they find themselves in a cave, with the landslide closing off the way they entered.

With no choice but to move forward and hope there's another way out, they eventually come across an injured person. He's wearing robes, and there is some obvious battle damage that shows the person was probably in the crash earlier.

Puck pulls a potion from his pack and gets the hooded figure to drink up, healing him. Just then, there's a growl from deeper in the cave, which turns out to be a massive Cave Bear!

Fight 2, START

This fight is much more difficult. Our heroes make it out alive, but just barely, having to use up all of their potions as they whittled down the beast's ginourmous HP bar.

Here I spend a Fabula Point (FP) to declare that Hooded person has some emergency supplies that the bear was tucking into. Inside there's a tent (That's weirdly non-reusable but that's standard for JRPGs). They set up camp in the cave as the person pulls down their hood, revealing their face and introduces himself as Shaar. Prince of Khalabi. Formerly 7th in line to the throne after his father and elder siblings, but now on the run after his uncle instigated a coup.

He says that he's looking for someone who is supposed to live around here. He mentions a name. Puck and Riza look at each other with obvious confusion. Riza turns back to Shaar and says "I'm sorry. My grandmother passed away a few years ago.... this was her armor that I'm wearing."

FADE TO BLACK Scene change, the camera is now following a man in armor that is wierdly similar in style to what Riza was wearing (But obviously in a different color that I haven't decided on yet). He is on a flying ship of some kind, the same sort of outlandish tech as seen in the crash. He's overlooking the same valley.

A soldier comes by and kneels before giving a report. "Sir. We've found the escape pod, but not the prince. There is however village nearby, and it's possible that he went there to find aid. Soldiers are on their way there now."

"Damn him." says the commanding officer. "Why couldn't he make this easy and die like his father." The rail he's holding is suddenly crushed beneath his grip. "Send word to the helm. I'll be leading the search myself. We'll just have to burn the rat out."

FADE TO BLACK