A Tale of Two Empires is a a fantasy campaign set in an age of honour and swords, of magic and merchants, where old trade routes carved from the world in blood and steel have borne witness to another war as the armies of Namdara march on the rest of the world, determined to convert the rest of the world to their new religion of Ve and banish all magic from the world for disturbing the natural order of things.
Opposing them because no one else can is Ticaldi, the forest empire, who are using the old lore of war past down by Vaen long ago snd believe that the only victory is one that ensures your enemy no longer has the capacity to make war. Caught between the clashing of Powers are other empires and nations: some trying to be neutral, some supporting both nations, and others have already been destroyed as armies march against each other, both trying to make a better world.
Against this backdrop the half-mad village idiots and cripples gifted with the ability to see into the future to compensate them for all they are not are beginning to speak of legendary dragons, things not seen in time beyond memory, and all look to the skies that the stars fell from to damage Namdara and change the course of the world, and a few wait for dragons, or wonder if we are the dragons ... it is a time of heroes and legends, of magicians and nations, of power and those willing to grasp it.
This is a tale of Two Empires, but empires can rise and fall and few things in any world are certain and changeless. Often, all it takes is a few people in one place, at a certain time ...
BESM, 3rd edition. Since this is a hyborean-style age, no mecha, magnet and such. Unlike other games, this one has two stages of PC creation.
Stage one: You make your PC with 250-300 points. The PCs meet, get to know each other, Do Stuff.
Stage two: 350 point PCs, meeting again some time later -- I’m figuring two years or so, myself. The first stage gives PCs time to get to know each other (and players to know their characters), this one is about the PCs as more seasoned veterans of the war, finding out what side they’re one - if any - and heading towards Big Time Epic Fun(tm)
Notes on mechanics
Different groups have access to different kinds of magic, all which come at a cost: magic gives nothing that isn’t paid for.
The Chosen of Ve: Environmental influence (elements), Power Flux (weather control). Unique attribute: They don’t pay EP for using their power, but their range (unless in a prayer group and so on) is severely limited to about 100 yards for the best of the Chosen. For all intents, they’re priests without healing who try and spread the word of Ve as far and wide as they can.
Having been touched by the god, they seek to touch others and make them understand how wrong their ways are.
Magicians: Power Flux (magic, skill flux etc.) Basically, all power flux counts as magic, except for what those chosen by Ve can do. (The exceptions to this, a rare few magicians who can infringe on their bailiwick, are hunted down.) They pay EP for magic, and it takes them longer to decide on effect/use of power than it does for the Unclean/Speakers and the Chosen.
There have been magicians as long as anyone knows, but after the establishment of various cites and trade routes their power grew as they learned from each other and became more valuable, eventually forming an aristocracy that charges for their gifts
The Unclean. The Ve name for them, there really isn’t a title yet for those born with Dynamic Powers. The EP cost for using their powers is high, but they can do things on the fly easily, as well as do many things no one else can.
Prophecies are calling them the Speakers of the gods, but what they have to say remains a mystery to them as much as everyone else.
Oracles: Village idiots and the deformed, oracles are given a gift of seeing into the past and future to compensate for their loss. Some of them can heal others and themselves, and a rare few can transfer their talent to other upon dying -- either as a blessing or a curse.
Soldiers: The people who fight the wars. Magicians are all well and good, but they’re not good for long term attacks or sieges. And a knife in the ribs kills anyone. Only a fool underestimates a trained warrior.
Tentatively scheduled for Monday nights, beginning Jan 7th in 2008.
Dec. 30, 2007 - added the Politics page. See link at top of page.
Same bat time - added the Tul'zen info. to the campaign page.
Jan 2, 2008 - Added some meta info on the blog.
Jan 3, 2008 - Added a quick list of some characters in Tul'zen PCs might meet on the Campaign page, as well as information on Currency and Languages on the Politics page. This SHOULD be it for the site beyond the Campaign Page, unless players request information on things.