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
    Factions pt.2

    ‘Ka Insiders

       Very few ‘Ka are allowed to exist within Inner Bastion as the Church regards their Gifts from the elemental spirits an affront to the God-King as such most are denied entry through the gates or not allowed to descend from the airship docks above merchant row.  Some have found a way to remain hidden, infiltrating Inner Bastion for various regions depending upon where they originate from.  In addition, some ‘Ka folk have purchased access to the Inner Bastion from the Daro Group who sell the temporary admission for a very steep price.  The motivation for these vary from a Ot’Ka procuring something for a client, to a Nat’Ka seeking more knowledge for the world tablet.

    Skyship workers

       There is a saying in Inner Bastion “Everyone stands equal on the deck of a ship”  as the Skyship’s are the place where every region and every faction of Bastion can come together, for a path in life.  Most come to hopefully get some good pay for a safe long cargo to the Ot’Ka, while other wish to see Bastion from the skies, while others are a seeking an outlet for their itchy trigger finger taking out a sky-pirate or hoping to come across a Firebird Sprog so they could tell their friends at the tavern.  When docked in Inner Bastion most spend their time at the sky-docks, those from Bastion City are allowed to descend and most make their way to familiar haunts like the Silver Wolf, Ka’mel Jousting, or the Wandering Star possibly to off-load some smuggled goods like hallucinogens from Phen’Ka or embargoed hydraulics from Den’Ka.

    Workers

       The backbone of Inner Bastion are the large amount of workers from Middle Bastion, they cook, clean, serve, porter, just about any job of drudgery a Worker does it.  Among each other they refer to themselves proudly as, Midlla.  Many Nobles call them, Midlings, usually so used to their servitude they don’t take the time to learn any names.  Often using service entrances once they pass through the gates separating Inner and Middle Bastion, they are expected to not be seen or heard.  The exception being on merchant’s row where the merchants loudly hawk their wares.  As with the Workers of Middle Bastion the Workers of Inner Bastion live in Middle Bastion, and exchange their labor for housing.

    Middle Bastion

    Jousters

       In many ways the Jousters are the pride of Middle Bastion, if you asked your average Midla that is.  Ask someone from Nobility and you’ll most likely get a different answer, one probably denouncing the ‘Ka origin of Ka’mel Jousting and how it’s a stain upon Bastion City unless of course they sponsor a Jouster.  The Jousters take on a colored set of armor, mount similarly adorned Ka’mels and then attempt to knock the opponent off their Ka’mel before they are dislodged themselves.  Many Jousters lease their Ka’mels and gear from Noble houses for which they take on their colors.  Some may work other jobs in addition to Jousting on their night, while others train constantly in attempts at being a contender for the championship every summer.  The status that comes with being a Jouster often goes to their heads resulting in haughty, larger-than-life individuals.  Despite some safety measures taken the sport is dangerous, the risk is part of what makes it a very popular form of entertainment.

    Workers

       As with Inner Bastion, Middle Bastion survives upon the labor of the Midla.  Beyond the tasks of maintaining their own tents, and caring for themselves most of the Workers fall into a few industries.  Farming, Factories, and Warehouses are the usual sources of work for the hard working Midla.  Many Farmers point to the fact that they feed the City as a source of Pride, while the allure of technology calls many to the factory where inventive folk are able to pilfer parts here and there, while the Warehouses are the heartbeat of Bastion City, goods going from Outer Bastion trade routes to Inner Bastion markets must first pass through the Warehouses.  A hard life that often starts during the first life phase of a Midla, the crucible of life as a Worker has forged some of the bravest Explorers, stalwart Guards, and capable spellcasters within the Church.  The Silver Wolf tavern is the go-to for many a Worker, while the excitement of the Camel Joust ring draws many the Silver Wolf is a truly Midla place from owners to patrons. Most barter with each other for necessities as their labor is in exchange for their housing.

    Bastion Guard

       Lt. Mizani oversees Middle Bastion, she grew up in Middle Bastion and at heart wishes to see the area prosper, she has focused her efforts on stamping out the Underworld in Middle Bastion which push vice upon the people as well as extorting them. Most of the Guard is stationed at the Gates between Inner/Middle Bastion as the steam-hydraulic automatons are the primary force protecting the Middle/Outers Gate, however some Guard are stationed at the watch towers and to support the Guard within the automatons.  The last remaining few are assigned to “patrol” the remainder of Middle Bastion, a truly massive undertaking. Those guards tend to only go to the areas that an Inner Bastion investigator orders them to.  Other than those orders the patrol-men tend to take orders from the Underworld itself resulting in no actual patrol work being done, instead spending their times at the Taverns.

    The Star Consortium Underworld

       As with the Daro Group the Consortium’s influence in Middle Bastion is behind the scenes as any obvious connection between the Nobility and Middle Bastion would be condemned by the Guard & Church.  The Consortium is currently engaged in attempts to maintain their Warehouses and Farmlands as associated with the Noble families with the Consortium.  Smoked Tassalroot is the primary front for the underworld conflict between the two syndicates.  In addition the Star Consortium is the means by which many Middle Bastion smugglers operate. There are groups of Underworld  associated with the Star Consortium.  The Dreamers operate the Dried Tassalroot operation associated with the Star Consortium while the Cloak lead the Smuggling operations to Outer Bastion, the sky-ship “Outland” is the primary means by which sky trade route smugglers work with temporary docks set up in Middle Bastion when a shipment is brought in.  The ground trade route is actually connected to Aloxes in Outer Bastion a connection that Daro Group seeks to make public in hopes of weakening the Star Consortium’s popular support in Middle Bastion.

    Daro Group Underworld

       In Middle Bastion the Daro Group officially has no operations, however the leaders of the underworld in Middle Bastion all pay their taxes directly to Daro herself.  This is a closely guarded secret and any who discover it are added to Ibis Abosmo’s watchlist. There are three major criminal operations attended by Daro Group’s underworld: Protection, Gambling, and Tasselroot.  Each operation is orchestrated by one underworld leader, with Abosmo as the leader of the assassins who work for Daro and the de facto manager of each underworld group. Protection is overseen by Lupto “Tallow Hands” a hunter from the Northern Scrublands who has found better work as extracting Protection payments from the people of Middle Bastion, he has a small but effective group of ruffians.  The Gambling is centered on two locations the Ka’Mel jousting and the wrestling in the Silver Wolf.  The proprietors of each tavern provide this in exchange for being exempt from having to pay Protection.  Ponna Yol manages the books for the gambling with a large network of couriers running between the operations and the Middle Bastion vaults.   The third and newest operation is that of Smoked Tassalroot, Jol Daro the youngest of the Daro clan has taken it upon themselves to break the Star Consortium’s grasp on Smoked Tassalroot in Middle Bastion.  Jol has decided a swift, brutal, and flashy campaign is the best means by which to achieve this and has recruited many mercenaries to achieve this goal.

    The Pinies

       Life in Middle Bastion is far from easy, from the bloody Underworld conflicts to the perilous & grueling working conditions available to most Middle Bastion people.  As a result there are many young people without any family or place to call their own.  These folk are loosely organized into the Pinies, named as such for the small ring of spines that connect the top part of the Tassalroot plant to the tuber.  Getting pricked by these spines is quite painful and are difficult to remove unless you know the proper technique. The Pinies have no markings or obvious way of discerning them but they have a complex language of their own that those in the know can quickly discern if a person is a “Piny” from the quivering that the leaves of a Tassalroot do when the tuber is ripe. Pinies are the fixers of Middle Bastion, helping the folk of Middle Bastion however they can using the vast network of the Pinies.  The Pinies in exchange for their service get a loaf of bread here, a pot of stew there, a hand me down pistol from a fellow in the Dusties or a favor from a Fire Mage hiding from the Church.  There isn’t any leader as there isn’t any structure in the Pinies rather each provides what they are able to and receives what they need.
    • quartz242 [she/her]
      ·
      3 years ago
      Factions pt.3

      Church of Bastion

         High Priestess Hokaine leads the Church of Bastion’s efforts in Middle Bastion.  High Priestess oversees mostly Earth and Water mages that aid Middle Bastion denizens needs from mundane things like tilling fields rapidly to putting out fires.  However most of High Priestess Hokaine’s time goes to teaching the Holy Text of the God-King to the people of Middle Bastion.  Outside of her large tent is a massive stone statue of the God-King, besides which is her speaking podium, the spacious area cleared around the statue usually fills as grateful people come to hear her words with many devout offering the little spare Dosh they have as donation.  Due to the amount of threats that exist in Middle Bastion a specialized warrior trained by church and guard, Paladin Onola is sworn to guard High Priestess Hokaine.

      ‘Ka Insiders

         A secretive group of ‘Ka folk that have banded together to carve out a hidden existence in cloistered sections of the Dusties, and secret areas of the Sewers.  Together they gather information to sell to the ‘Ka as well as smuggle goods, but they also have a clandestine motivation to seek the destruction of Bastion City as they believe that the death of the God-King will release the Avatars of Magic back into the Realm of Bastion resulting in the ‘Ka return to power. While they are not many each one is a talented and resilient member of their Outer ‘Ka they are organized by the illusive Io of the Sands a powerful master of Earth and Air magic.

      Bastion Separatist Movement

         The Movement is nascent comprised of native Middle Bastion folk who believe that Bastion City needs to isolate and subjugate the outer realms.  The Founders Nadan Omori and Fleel Trask are both from Inner Bastion Noble families that are united in their concern that increased trading with the ‘Ka will undermine their own material interests, primarily market share.  They created the movement to take advantage of the unrest that exists within Middle Bastion, channeling it away from angst towards Inner Bastion into fear of the ‘Ka.  While they do not have a base of operations the Rabble Rousers blanket The Dusties and Camel Bazaar to spread their message calling others to take violent action against suspected ‘Ka and anyone favorable of them.

      Critters

      The critters of middle bastion are mostly beasts of burden, urban pests, or dangerous denizens of the sewers. However the introduction of heavy industry over the past 50 years has resulted in an increase of Critters that feed upon the pollution. Critters can use the Body attribute instead of the stated attribute in any ability and are all Unarmed.

      Outer Bastion

      Nat’Ka [NW]

             The World Tablet is the center of the Nat’Ka world, they have maintained this huge subterranean historical analysis of the realm of Bastion.  Very few outside the Nat’Ka have even seen the tablet but may have met a Nat’Ka researcher gathering more knowledge to inscribe.  The village itself is a dense clockwise spiral around the Oasis deep in the desert terminating in the center of the shallow Oasis where magic is utilized to access the stairs leading downward where the World Tablet is kept in a large cavern which is a hub with many tunnels leading to a circular group of caverns used for farming while most live top-side.  The village has no known form of governance rather all who live there are in harmony with the purpose of the Nat’Ka as a people, taking turns doing the required work as the individual desires.  Sustaining themselves on careful stewardship of flora both subterranean and that which grows in the wholly unique environment of the Oasis.  Preferring to use their knowledge and magic to keep any outsiders from actually finding their village, successful for now.  Some privileged few have been permitted entrance in exchange for particularly rare bit of knowledge happy to exchange rare crystals, minerals, or their own knowledge.

      Tou’Ka [N]

         The Tou’Ka is a widespread civilization, over the wide expanse that is the Dragon Spine Lowlands. Some dwell just outside the Permafrost, making a life in an inhospitable region, most live in the southern region of the Lowlands .  Deeply traditional the people of Tou’Ka are quite versatile in occupation & trade. Many of the Tou’Ka utilize their traditional knowledge to make many goods from the plants and animals in their region. Majority of which is then traded with merchants from Bastion City.  The Tou’Ka are the only ‘Ka of which magic is not a strong aspect of their society, rather use of firearms.  Tou’Ka tradition teaches that each member of the Tou’Ka can find value from martial training as well as from knowledge be that of the land, history, flora, fauna. The highly-educated nomadic warrior class of Tou’Ka is revered by tradition and the decisions of the Tou’Ka require an in-person consensus at the Forum atop a mesa in the Permafrost. Any dissent among them is settled with a duel with ranged weapons, often to the death.  The Lowland of the Scrub is quite fertile and as such many different kinds of trees, shrubs, and flowers grow here which provide habitat for a wide array of animals with few predators besides the Tou’Ka hunters.  At the southern most point of the Tou’Ka lowlands is the great station for the Steam-train that is the primary route of ground trade although some Merchants will use personal Caravans to avoid paying the steep cost of a compartment on the Steam-Train.  Each Clan is based in their own village primarily built out of logs, in addition to combat, Alcohol brewed from local ingredients is a source of cultural pride. The historians and researchers of the Tou’Ka are known for their detailed records regarding the natural world, and for being particularly charming and sociable.  Tou’Ka has a loose affiliation of clan representatives who manage regions of Tou'Ka most have their clan and sustaining the region as their top priorities but a few representatives have been swayed by the power & riches of trading with the Daro Group.
      • quartz242 [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago
        Factions pt.4

        Zeu’Ka [NE]

           Life in every facet is organized around the cabal in Zeu’Ka, a group of shifting number all of which are the most renowned users of Fire Magic and Materials Technology in Bastion.  The Cabal is dedicated to maintaining the Avatar of Fire that dwells within the Dragon’s Maw Volcano. Once in awhile a member of the Inner Cabal is chosen to merge with the Firebird, this sacrifice is considered a great honor. Their buildings are carved out of the volcano itself with most living outside the Volcano finding sustainment where possible on the side of the Volcano or in the Volcanic Mud Flats.  There is a massive corridor from the center of outer Zeu’Ka leading inward to a gargantuan blast furnace fueled by the Volcano.  The Cabal and their attendants dwell in branching corridors and rooms from this large central passage.  The Cabal requires 2 hours of labor each day from each citizen of Zeu’Ka and that the land belongs to the Firebird and as long as those who live in Zeu’Ka steward the land they will not be consumed by the Dragon’s Maw. Visitors are uncommon but the people of Zeu’Ka are quite welcoming knowing how inhospitable the surrounding terrain can be.  The Cabal on the other hand strictly forbid outsiders into the Dragon’s Maw .

        Skyward Monolith [E]

        The skyward monolith faction is led by the monoliths creator, led isn’t the operative word as the few humanoids that reside full time at the monolith pay quite a large amount of dosh to do so. Enjoying absolute freedom and protection as long as their payment continues.

        Majority of the entities in, on, and under the monolith are constructs of pneumatic, hydraulic, air magic, and water magic. All of the physical and mental labor required to sustain the monolith is done by this synthesis of magic and technology. The ground level of the monolith is where the few residential spaces are to be found while the rest of the above ground monolith is used to create and maintain the automatons. With the flat top of the monolith serving as the dock for the airships.

        Beneath the monolith is a gargantuan drill that slowly bores deeper into the earth, the minerals extracted to continue the monoliths growth higher into the sky. The creator has not been seen in many years and in fact perished in creation of the physical computer that exists directly below the residential suites and above the sorting mechanism for the giant drill.

        This physical computer is animated by a sentient incarnation of steam that arose from t he magical energies expended by the creator that resulted from their death, absorbing the consciousness of the creator as well as their magic. From within the physical computer the elemental orchestrates the skyward monolith.

        This is the only place in the Realm of Bastion where Automatons are common, elsewhere they are quite the rarity and most are afraid and wary of them not understanding how they work or considering them agents of the Inventor. Any Actor that has their first three Life Panels at the Skyward Monolith can be “Rogue Automatons” that have broken out of the Inventor’s programming stream.

        Phen’Ka [SE]

           The south eastern ka is a loose collection of clan leaders specializing in a distinct area both physically and in the economic niches they occupy.  The largest region of the Realm even after sustaining losses in territory during the Second Desert War, the lost territory would become the Skyward Monolith.  The leaders convene frequently to discuss matters related to each clan and decide collectively on the best course for the collective, in occurrences of dispute the leaders that are involved in the disagreement choose representatives to travel through the marsh to the mountains of madness to return with insight that decide the matter.  If only one representative returns the matter goes the way of that clan leader.  Some of the larger clans include; those who know the hunt, those who know the plants that heal, those who know the earth. Although a recent surge in demand for hallucinogen among inner bastion has resulted in those who know the plants that hurt, and those who know the water gaining influence.  Similar to the Tou’Ka each Clan has their own village build out of logs from the trees that grow on the highlands between the Fens of Madness and where the Desert of Zol’Ka begins.

        Zol’Ka [S]

           What was once an amazing desert city is now dwelling underneath the sands in a system of caves.  Zol’Ka is controlled by an ascendant ‘Ka earth mage, arguably the strongest in bastion yet unknown to most as the means by which this mage usurped power was the decimation of the population including any resident magic users near the ascendants power. This occurred at the end of the Second Desert War as the previous rulers of Zol’Ka had dedicated all their resources with Bastion City to take Phen’Ka territory.  Now the remaining members of the Zol’Ka tend to fungal farms in the caverns beneath the abandoned acropolis while the ascendant and chosen few enjoy the luxury of life in desirable caverns and access to the surface while the rest toil away hidden from Bastion by the ascendants ability to manipulate the worm tunnels. Desiring at most to remain hidden from hidden from the rest of Bastion so that their benefit at the exploitation of the Zol’ka.  Beyond that seeking luxury goods from other parts of Bastion while maintaining their subterfuge.  Since most of the city was abandoned as a facade the ascendant ensures that occasional discoveries of artifacts and the more occasional death maintains the ruse.  One of the largest means of income is the Great Ka’Mel Drive when people from all over the realm come to Zol’Ka to purchase Ka’Mels from the Chosen in charge of rearing these beasts to drive them across the vast Desert to Bastion City.

        Ot’Ka [SW]

           The southwestern ka are led by an elected representative of all the Ot’Ka.  This representative then delegates responsibility of the aspects of Ot’Ka civilization to advisors.  From sky ship trade to city planning, to defense from earth & sky to housing and food distribution even the periodic Dosh distribution.  All those born in Ot’Ka are allotted housing by the domestic advisor with desirable regions given to preferred parties.  While the advisor of commerce determines stall placement within the hub.  The representative is elected every 6 years and cannot serve consecutive terms.  The current representative is quite accommodating of Bastion City  and there are rumors of a connection between the representative and Daro group.  After the representative and their advisors the associated vendors group has the most influence here, followed by the independent sky fliers who work for no-one but themselves and their client.

        Den’Ka [W]

        The western ‘Ka are led by a ascended mage of water who gains their power via a ritual that merges the consciousness of the ascendant with the sentient element of water that is the lake be neath the city. Working in synergy with each other the inhabitants here and the elemental sustain life here. The ascendant rarely interacts directly with the inhabitants mostly existing as a protector of the city and lake. The inhabitants are collectivized in the aspect of the city in which they ply their trade. From hydraulic technology, to water magic, to cultivating the edible lake flora to maintaining the balance of fauna within the lake guided by the lake elemental. While the ascendant is not concerned about Bastion City’s trade blockade some inhabitants are. Especially the trade syndicate which is seeking to have a new ascendant named, one more sympathetic to letting Bastion City’s influence the Den’Ka in exchange for money & power.

        Bastion Exiles

           The outcasts of Bastion are scattered throughout the Outers.  Since it is a harsh environment most do not survive but those that do tend to be exceptionally strong and resilient.  Those that are able to find life within an outer bastion settlement tend to be quite loyal to that settlement despite most ‘Ka folk’s derision.  Often times this faction is the most likely to engage in piracy both sky and ground through sheer desperation. They all have the mark of exile but most tend to try and cover it up in one way or another resulting in adorned faces & heads.  Those that tend to find pride in the mark tend to be the most vicious pirates exacting their vengeance from the bastion merchants.  If any could make claim to lead the exiles it is either the Sky Pirate Ombtu, a wind mage ascendant who captains the small sky-ship “The Flourish”  a truly unique design of unknown origins that is flown by magic alone.  The other is the Desert Bandit King Aloxes, who often targets the Train between Bastion City and Tou’Ka or the , Ka’Mel drive up from Zol’Ka.  Rumor is that Aloxes has an encampment somewhere in the desert north west of Bastion City, but those are unconfirmed.

        Critters

        The knowledge of outer bastion critters is woefully short as most of it is third hand from merchants who trade with the 'Ka. The critters of inner and middle bastion can be found in their respective areas as well as the ones described here. Critters can use the Body attribute instead of the stated attribute in any ability and are all Unarmed.