[Q&A] Raymond Daniel Machuga (Warsong: Fall of Eldorande RPG Player’s Guide)

[20:02] <+Ray> Hidey ho, neighbors! I’m Ray, author, creator and peon to Warsong: The Fall of Eldorande. It’s a tabletop RPG where you play an agent of fate in a dying world, steering the course of history with every decision you make, and action you take.

[20:04] <+Ray> (done)

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[20:04] <+Ray> (Forgot about that! Ha!)

[20:04] <~Dan> Thanks, Ray!

[20:04] <~Dan> The floor is open to questions!

[20:05] <+SirGene> Why different races?

[20:05] <~Dan> Let’s start with the basics: What is the genre?

[20:05] <+Mike_Myler> If we were stuck in an elevator only traveling ten or so floors, how would you describe Warsong: The Fall of Eldorande?

[20:05] <~Dan> (Question pause. 🙂 )

[20:06] <+Ray> Ten floors is what, 30 seconds? There’s a LOT I could type about the game in thirty seconds, honestly. First and foremost, the game is badass. Not just in my opinion, but that of everyone who has played the game, which amounts to 36 people.

[20:07] <+Ray> You are chosen by The Weavers, which are massive ancient unimaginable beings that determine the fate of every single being moment by moment. They look at your destiny and weave stardust into your loom, creating out of you an agent of destiny.

[20:08] <+Ray> Your accord is how you see yourself within your own destiny / constellation. A middle path, as it were. A mix between who your character is and what your Constellatin and destiny demand.

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[20:09] <+Ray> The world is Eldorande.. and it is dying. Time was, the void was held over The Void by the power of the gods. Recently, and quite mysteriously, the Gods have begun to disappear. Some of their power remains, but they no longer reside among the mortals.

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[20:09] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, benc!)

[20:10] <+Ray> As Eldorande falls into The Void, The Void seeps into the world itself, in the physical plane. This is creating Void-Lands, and the Void-Scorched, which are perverted iterations of The Fated. It is also awakening, or creating monsters that the Gods dispatched long ago.

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[20:11] <+Ray> But the most frequent and dangerous of the antagonists are the other Fated. The Tribunals, which were designed by The Fated to guide the world to be the best of all possible outcomes, has become corrupted as the Void Approaches, and many Fated have become Lost, fighting to put Eldorande out of its misery.

[20:11] <+Ray> There is a LOT coming in the world of Warsong: The Fall Of Eldorande, but it looks like we’ve arrived at our floor.

[20:11] <+Ray> (done)

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[20:12] <~Dan> Heh. 🙂

[20:12] <~Dan> I guess it was GKG_Alan’s floor as well.

[20:13] <+Ray> Ha. 🙂

[20:13] <~Dan> Did you see SirGene’s question, Ray?

[20:13] <+SirGene> That is something I wonder about in many games in general.

[20:14] <+Ray> I battled with the idea of races in my game. And it is a decision that I still struggle with. In the end, I like the idea of having an amount of diversity and believe it adds to a player’s options to customize and make decisions during character creation.

[20:15] <~Dan> What races are available?

[20:15] <+SirGene> Fair enough.  I think a lot of times races are an excuse for diversity we could find within one race.

[20:16] <+SirGene> That sounded Racist and not meant to be.  Most Races in say Star Trek are thinly disguised human cultures.

[20:17] <+Ray> Mine are not. They are entirely different cultures with different attitudes, attitudes and biology. But I agree, SirGene, and that is one of the things I battled with in the decision to include or exclude races other than human.

[20:17] <+Jezibel> Not british actors with bits of latex stuck to their forehead?

[20:17] <+SirGene> Fair enough.  It sounds like you have a well thought out back story.

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[20:18] <~Dan> Welcome to #rpgnet, Patticakes!

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[20:18] <+SirGene> I will ask it again first.  Show us a Character Sheet!

[20:18] <~Dan> Howdy, SilverBolt!

[20:19] <+Ray> The final revision for the character sheet is still in progress, unfortunately.

[20:20] <~Dan> Do you have a rough draft? Character sheets help facilitate system discussion. 🙂

[20:20] <+SirGene> It helps to have a visual when we talk about Character Generation and such.

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[20:22] <+Ray> Here is Gula, The Wand Fated, who will be a playable chaacter during my demo, tomorrow.

[20:22] <+Ray> (Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vv6u7f4y8btkvxp/Gula%20Quicksheet.odt?dl=0)https://www.dropbox.com/s/vv6u7f4y8btkvxp/Gula%20Quicksheet.odt?dl=0

[20:23] <~Dan> Thanks, Ray!

[20:24] <+SirGene> Thanks.  I notice rather than Alignment you have motivation?

[20:24] <+Ray> You’re very welcome. You are seeing the playable sheet for a canon character before anyone else!

[20:24] <+Ray> Yes, I felt that alignment never really helped to define a character so much as restrict them. Motivations, to me, define a character and help shape their story.

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[20:25] <~Dan> Clearly, this is a d20-based game?

[20:25] <~Dan> Howdy, Lassekk!

[20:25] <+SirGene> That is a design theory I like!

[20:25] <+Ray> That is correct, Dan.

[20:27] <+SirGene> Soak Value?

[20:27] <~Dan> Just skimming the character sheet, it looks like you’ve made at least a few tweaks to that system.

[20:27] <~Dan> Yes, like Soak Value. 🙂

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[20:27] <~Dan> (wb, Patticakes!)

[20:28] <+SirGene> Is that for squirt gun battles?

[20:28] <+Ray> I have, Dan. As much as I love the D20 system, there are quite a few things I’ve done to make the system my own.

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[20:28] <+Ray> Soak is bestowed by various types of armor or abilities and is used to subtract damage.

[20:29] <+SirGene> Ah, understand the term now.

[20:29] <+Ray> Like a sponge. Except with damage. Very porous.

[20:30] <~Dan> So does Armor Class really refer to armor?

[20:31] <~Dan> Or is it more like a Dex-based avoidance of damage?

[20:31] <+Ray> Actually, this is a rough draft from before I modified the combat values. When you actually have the final draft of the game in front of you, you will see a modifier. Combat is a more involved system. You will roll your attack bonus against a defense bonus. Each are d20. If you roll higher than the defender, you hit.

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[20:32] <+Ray> Gula will actually have a +3 defense bonus, instead of 13 AC.

[20:33] <~Dan> Ah, I see.

[20:33] <+Ray> You can see an example of that system here: (Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2103913595/warsong-fall-of-eldorande-rpg-players-guide/posts/1601550)https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2103913595/warsong-fall-of-eldorande-rpg-players-guide/posts/1601550

[20:34] <~Dan> What are Destiny Points?

[20:35] <+Ray> A new mechanic that embodies the effect destiny has on you, and your ability to affect destiny. Each constellation has a specific usage, such as the Wand’s ability to restore their Magic Points, but there are also mechanics for Destiny Points that span all Constellations.

[20:36] <~Dan> Can you give some examples of the latter?

[20:37] <+Ray> Absolutely. One of them is the avoidance of death. If your character is ever taken to a negative amount of hit points that would cause death, you can spend a permanent point of destiny to stabilize back to 0 Hit Points. You can also use them to automatically succeed on checks, rolls or saves.

[20:38] <+Ray> As you can see, destiny is a powerful thing. I intended it to be.

[20:38] * ~Dan nods

[20:39] <+Ray> They only return through fulfillment of your motivation, however, and even that is through your FM’s (Fate Master) discretion. So they ae very powerful, but also very rare. I intended them as a mechanic that can help push the story and character development forward.

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[20:40] <~Dan> wb, Patticakes

[20:40] <~Dan> What is the Proficiency Bonus?

[20:41] <+Ray> Proficiency bonus rises with level, and positively augments skills, checks, saves and attack types that you character excels at. It represents overall proficiency as a dynamic trait.

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[20:42] <~Dan> Is that why Gula has a +6 Intelligence Save rather than +5?

[20:43] <+Ray> That is correct. You will see certain skills, saves and other things augmented by you proficiency bonus.

[20:45] <~Dan> I see that you use a Magic Point system rather than Vancian spellcasting.

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[20:47] <~Dan> wb, Silverlion2!

[20:47] <+Ray> Yes! I love the idea of a points system! To me, it feels more like a video game RPG in that sense. You gain more points as you level up, as well. Each accord has a diffeent amount that they can and will gain. So you’ll have a set number of spells you know, and a finite capability to cast them.

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[20:48] <+Ray> And to me, that kind of system is a little more streamlined as well.

[20:48] <+SirGene> How about those Races?

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[20:48] <~Dan> Howdy, Le_Squide!

[20:48] <+Ray> SiGene: Can you be more specific?

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[20:49] <~Dan> Howdy, Lin_Chong!

[20:49] <~Dan> wb, Patticakes!

[20:50] <+Lin_Chong> Morning.

[20:50] <&Le_Squide> Hey Dan!

[20:51] <~Dan> Ray: I think SirGene is asking what the races are. 🙂

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[20:52] <+SirGene> Sorry multi tasking.  Yes Dan has it right.  And what makes them unique.  How do they work with your Lore/Backstory?

[20:52] <~Dan> Howdy, KJ|Laptop!

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[20:55] <+Ray> Ah! I apologize. I pulled from Norse Mythology quite a bit while making this game. The Alfar a capricious, extra-dimensional race with pale skin, pointed ears and an affinity for magic. The Dvergar are black-skinned rock-dwellers who evolved when Little Gods feasted on the Ancient whose body was used to create the world, and were forced to take physical form

[20:56] <+SirGene> They sound like Elves and Dwarfs!

[20:57] <+Ray> in so doing. The Halflings are tribal, furry creatures with sharp teeth and sharper spears that only recently were forced to “join society” when the expansions of the Nine Kingdoms advanced into their homes. The Accursed are beings long-evolved from a lost Constellation that had its stars scattered to the four corners. When this happened

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[20:57] <+SirGene> Based on your back story you have to have the different races.

[20:57] <+SirGene> Or at least what I am seeing of it.

[20:58] <+Ray> the Accursed’s physical forms began to mingle with other living creatures, giving them beast-like traits. The Soulless Ones are awakened constructs who were built during the last war between the Nine Nations, and gained their freedom through bloodshed. Aaaand humans.. who are human.

[20:58] <+Ray> SirGene: Once the decision was made, I built the world to accommodate.

[21:00] <+SirGene> So you started with a system and then made a story to make it work.  Some would start with the story and build the system around it.  Either way works

[21:01] <~Dan> Are Humans simply the baseline, or does anything make them special in the setting and system?

[21:01] <+Ray> Actually, no. I started with a story, and built the system to work with the story. From my wording I can see why you might think it was the other way around. I did not consider races to be a part of mechanics when I was first creating the game. Mechanics, to me, were almost secondary to the theme and story.

[21:01] <+Ray> Humans are special, but the reason why will only be revealed later. Spoilers!

[21:01] <+SirGene> I appreciate that as I think any good game has to be about story.

[21:02] <+Ray> I believe a good game starts with a great story. Without my story, this game wouldn’t have been worth making.

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[21:03] <~Dan> Do you consider this to be high fantasy?

[21:04] <+Ray> The Player’s Handbook will reveal hints as to why humans are special, but it won’t be fully revealed until later in the chronology as to the true reason why. And it’s going to be epic.

[21:04] <+Ray> Yes, I believe that this game would be considered High Fantasy.

[21:04] * ~Dan nods

[21:04] <~Dan> Sounds like you have definite Big Bads baked into the setting, certainly.

[21:05] <+Ray> Oh, absolutely. The Void itself is technically an antagonist, in and of itself. Aside from that, Big Bads are a huge part of what will make this game epic. The Adventure Paths will include antagonists that are just as world-changing as The Fated, themselves.

[21:07] <+Silverlion2> Rargh

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[21:07] <+Ray> In Warsong, there are really no small antagonists.

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[21:07] <~Dan> Now, I know we’ve discussed this pre-Q&A, but for the sake of our readers, can you say a bit about what seems to be an extremely low Kickstarter goal?

[21:08] <+SirGene> On a business side, what is the Kickstarter Campaign for?

[21:08] <+SirGene> Oh Dan you are with me.

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[21:10] <+Ray> Yeah, I’ve heard a bit about this. The number you see on the Kickstarter is the minimum amount that I needed to make a small production run. I believe that I should only ask for what I really need, so in that regard, I spent a lot of time digging, talking with print companies and $350 was the smallest amount that I needed to make the production run viable.

[21:10] <+SirGene> Most your awards are PDF so you do have a low cost.  Art complete?

[21:11] <+SirGene> Will you be going through Drive Through RPG?

[21:11] <+Ray> A good portion of the art is complete, but as with anything, the better the Kickstarter does, the better the art will be!

[21:11] <+Ray> Yes, my PDFs will be through Drivethru RPG.

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[21:12] <+Mike_Myler> Tell us about your artists!

[21:15] <+Ray> Right now, my artists have been a sparse and disparate group. Though I am excited to announce that I’ve been talking with Dio Mahesa, who does excellent work. He will be doing our cover art, as well as a few additional pieces for the book, itself! I can’t say it enough.. I’m SUPER EXCITED to have struck an agreement with him.

[21:15] <+Ray> You can see his work here: (Link: http://diomahesa.deviantart.com/)http://diomahesa.deviantart.com/

[21:16] <~Dan> Very impressive work! A fine choice.

[21:16] <+Ray> You can see at my Kickstarter, that if I hit the $2,000 stretch goal, I will be taking on quite a lot more art from him. I geuinely hope that I meet that goal, for that reason.

[21:16] * ~Dan nods

[21:17] <~Dan> So this is a player’s guide… What other books do you have planned, and which of them will be necessary to play?

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[21:21] <+Ray> You can see the books we have planned here, on our blog: (Link: https://highergroundsgamingblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/01/projects-on-the-horizon/)https://highergroundsgamingblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/01/projects-on-the-horizon/

[21:21] <+Ray> The Player’s Guide, however, is all that will be necessary for play.

[21:22] <~Dan> Does the Player’s Guide feature a bestiary, then?

[21:22] <+Ray> The Player’s Guide will have a chapter devoted to antagonists.

[21:23] <~Dan> Can you give us some idea of the scope and contents of the bestiary? What sorts of monsters exist in the setting?

[21:27] <+Ray> The Player’s Guide will have an antagonists chapter that will include the basic threats that you will Encounter in Eldorande, as well as a few of the canon Lost that can be encountered. The Fate Master’s Guide, Book of Small Gods and Book of the The Void books will have a more extensive list of antagonists that your character’s might encounter.

[21:29] <+Ray> Antagonists include the natural flora and fauna of Eldorande, which are fantastic as-is, as well as the Lost and other Fated. There are The Small Gods, who are spirits that occupy and care for various aspects of the world, as well as the denizens of The Void, who seek to hurl Eldorande into The Void itself.

[21:30] <~Dan> That sounds like something to a Void.

[21:30] <+Ray> Har har guffaw. 😉

[21:30] <~Dan> 😀

[21:31] <~Dan> Are the monsters unique to the setting, or are there twists on fantasy standards?

[21:33] <+Ray> All of the monsters I’ve created and used in the books, playtesting and demos have been mostly unique to the setting. Granted, beings like The Small God of Uf-Hara River could be taken as a water elemental, or something similar, I’m sure. The key, in my opinion, is the story and theme involved with them.

[21:33] <+Vorthon> ….Are any of the small gods like the ones detailed in Dunsany’s Gods of Pegāna? Like, spirits of household things and stuff noises in the night and things like that.

[21:34] <+Vorthon> …Ignore that ‘stuff’

[21:35] <+Ray> I’ve never played that game, but it sounds similar. Eldorande is a world of animism.

[21:36] <~Dan> Do there be dragons?

[21:36] <+Vorthon> It’s not a game. S’an oooooold example of worldbuildding.

[21:36] <+Vorthon> *worldbuilding.

[21:37] <+Vorthon> Like, 1905 old.

[21:37] <+Ray> Ah, I see. I’ll have to check it out.

[21:37] <+Vorthon> I really do recommend it. It actually reads like a religious text.

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[21:38] <+Ray> I will absolutely look into it! Thank you!

[21:39] <+Ray> As for the dragons, there ae but not in the sense that most fantasy settings know them. They are powerful, ancient spirits in Eldorande.

[21:41] <~Dan> Cool. 🙂

[21:41] <&Silverlion> It is indeed cool.

[21:41] <+Ray> I wanted not just to redefine them, but take them back to the idea that they first had in fantasy games. Inspiring awe and fear.

[21:42] <~Dan> On a 1-to-10 scale of gritty-to-cinematic, where does Warsong fall?

[21:44] <+SirGene> What does a evening of gaming look like.  I understand about Characters having their destiny and stuff, but what brings them together?  What kind of mission or adventure?

[21:44] <+Ray> Personally, I absolutely love grit. Cinematics are very cool, but I strive for realism, even in a game that is inherently unreal. So to me, that scale can’t be used because this game kind of excels in both.

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[21:45] <~Dan> How is that possible?

[21:46] <+Ray> Generally, the same things that bring any group together. Typically, it’s a common goal or antagonist. Fated of the world are rare, and those who aren’t corrupted are making forming a sane group of Fated even more rare. Strength in numbers is also a darned good reason to band together.

[21:46] <+Ray> Dan: It’s technically not possible! But when it comes to creating a game, I am a little crazy.

[21:46] <+Ray> But, ssshhh.. don’t tell anyone.

[21:47] * ~Dan chuckles

[21:48] <+Ray> One of the biggest things for me is the death mechanic, which players have told me is both awesome and terrifying because if you are dealt a lethal blow, the chances of survival are pretty grim unless you have help. The Sword Fated are destined to “Die By The Sword” as well, making their capability of coming back from a deadly blow even more difficult. This,

[21:49] <+Ray> however, is balanced by the fact that you can use destiny points to bring yourself back. So, to me, it’s both. Scary grit, with crazy cinematics.

[21:50] <~Dan> Fair enough!

[21:50] <~Dan> In the time remaining, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up? 🙂

[21:52] <+Ray> You mean beside the fact that I need everyone to go support my game so it can be awesome for everyone? Why YES! This is a game of destiny, and things revolve around that. Each constellation is both affected and can affect ddestiny, and their effects are widespread. A rather lofty goal of mine, and I say lofty mostly because

[21:53] <+SirGene> Ray that was a pretty good presentation.  Good luck.

[21:53] <+Ray> the sheer logistics are absolute insane, is that when I publish adventure paths, I want my players to be able to submit a form with how their own characters persued and accomplished the goa on the Adventure Path and allwo for the chance to have their actions have a genuine impact on future published adventures.

[21:54] <+Ray> It’s a huge goal, and may not even be possible, but I love the fans so far, and seeing as this is a game about decisions affecting everything in the world, I think it would be absolutely awesome to give some love back to the community.

[21:54] <+Ray> That’s really it though. Thank you for the chance to be here. I hope everyone enjoys the game as much as I do!

[21:54] <~Dan> Thanks, Ray!

[21:54] <+Ray> (done

[21:55] <+Ray> You’re welcome!

[21:55] <~Dan> As a reminder to my readers, here’s my tip jar, if any of you are feeling generous: (Link: https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/the-gmshoes-tip-jar/)https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/the-gmshoes-tip-jar/

[21:55] <+SirGene> Good Night All

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[21:55] <~Dan> Ray: If you’ll give me just a moment, I’ll get the log posted and get you the link.

[21:56] <+Ray> Awesome, thanks!

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