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Hyperborea » African and Asian races » 9/26/2018 6:40 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 15

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Moorish corsairs raided as far north as England, maybe some of them kept going.

General Discussion » Alignment in your game » 2/24/2018 8:00 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 26

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I concur that alignment is a roleplaying device, not a game tool.  How I do it:

Law builds up, Chaos tears down.  Both are necessary in the cycle of existence, it's just a question of where you are in that cycle.  Chaotics don't much care about long term consequences, Lawful types do.

Good vs. Evil is a matter of scruples.  If there are things you simply won't do (and what those things are depend mostly on culture and upbringing) you're Good.  If you have no restrictions except what you think you can get away with, you're Evil.  

Most people are Neutral.  They don't think too much about alignment, they just do what they have to do to get by while trying to stay out of trouble.. There are a few philosopher types who go on about Balance and the like, but it's rare for anyone in Hyperborea to have that kind of leisure and comfort.

Personal relationships transcend alignment.  Consider Garrett and Morley Doates in the Garrett P.I. series.  Garrett knows Morley's a bonebreaker and lifetaker, while Morley thinks Garrett is something of a fool who's going to get himself killed someday. They're still friends who'll risk their necks for each other.  Even Bun Bun from Sluggy Freelance, who's as Chaotic Evil as they come, will defend his friends: "They may be nerds, but they're MY Nerds.  Back off".  

 

Hyperborea » Flat, Concave, or Convex? » 2/08/2018 2:03 am

jcstephens
Replies: 22

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Every time I try to visualize the orbital mechanics of Hyperborea I get as headache, so I try not to think about it too much.  

Hyperborea » Swampgate Log Palisade » 1/10/2018 7:23 am

jcstephens
Replies: 14

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foxroe wrote:

Oddly specific player questions about the log palisade can be a hook as well:
"We useta get dem trunks from da Ebon Mere up north, but sometin up dare got piss-drunk mad atus, so we stopped. Day waggon dem in from da east now. Best ya stay away from dat Ebon Mere place..."

That's what's going on here.  I like picking at the background, and encouraging my players to do likewise, as it gives me inspiration to expand on things.  For example: after thinking about who paid for the wall I've decided that the merchants of Khromarium (who put up the money) are having second thoughts about the survivabilty of Swampgate, and are trying to get their investment back as quickly as possible.  They've been taking peat moss and bog iron as payment, but in order to accelerate the process have persuaded the K City Council to start sending up debtors and petty criminals to work in a chain gang.  The locals aren't going to like it...

Hyperborea » Swampgate Log Palisade » 1/01/2018 6:13 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 14

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My vision of the Wastelands was based on Dartmoor, as portrayed in The Hound of the Baskervilles.  Hills and valleys, streams and ponds, and lots of bogs to get stuck in.  But few if any trees suitable for a palisade.  .  

Hyperborea » Swampgate Log Palisade » 12/31/2017 12:08 am

jcstephens
Replies: 14

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I've been thinking about Swampgate, trying to anticipate questions from players.  One of the things I've been wondering about is the log palisade that surrounds the entire town.  That's a LOT of logs, and the Lug Wasteland isn't particularly known for timber.  Where did they come from, and who paid for shipping them?  

Rules Discussion » Common Tongue » 12/05/2017 8:08 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 32

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Koine Greek would probably be the closest historical equivalent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koine_Greek

 

Announcements » Second Edition AS&SH Hardbacks Have Arrived! » 12/03/2017 12:16 am

jcstephens
Replies: 90

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I just got notified mine's ready to ship!  Apparently I missed the invoice for shipping when it was first sent, I just paid it and hopefully I'll be seeing my copy soon.  A LOT of people I know are curious about it, and I expect to get a game going after the holiday break.  I might even be able to drum up a few more sales.

General Discussion » Mysteries of Hyperborea » 11/22/2017 2:43 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 11

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My Hyperborea exists in  a place known only as The End Of Time.  It's relationship to the time-space of Old Earth is unknown and probably unknowable.

With the exception of Xatthoqqua himself (who may or may not possess the powers ascribed to him), there is no proof any of the Gods actually exist.  Divine sorcerers claim they receive their powers from otherworldly beings, but may be deluded since sanity was never a requirement for being a Sorcerer..

Hyperborea is a HAUNTED place.  The overwhelming majority of it's history is buried by time and catastrophe, the excitement starts when buried things resurface.

Hyperborea » Winter is coming » 11/08/2017 1:11 am

jcstephens
Replies: 27

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Don't forget fuel as well, it gets mighty cold without a fire.  Hyperborea probably has no coal, and it's going to take a LOT of wood and charcoal to last through the long winter.  Peat moss too, maybe some of what's getting shipped out of Swampgate is being stockpiled.

Swordsmen & Sorcerers » Demihumans! » 11/03/2017 6:08 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 67

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1970 wrote:

I have to admit that one of the reasons I like AS&SH is that there are no demihumans attached to it.  I may still port in faeries, but the scary ones from Grimm's Fairy Tales, not the LotR kind.

Or Carcosan Space Aliens.  Or both!  It all depends on where you've set the Weirdness dial.

Rules Discussion » Horsemanship » 11/03/2017 6:03 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 8

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I just figure that any action not spelled out in the rules is covered by attribute checks.  If you've got Horsemanship you can do horsey stuff automatically, if not roll against whichever attribute seems most appropriate.

Announcements » Second Edition AS&SH Hardbacks Have Arrived! » 10/27/2017 3:55 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 90

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Obviously the backers get first priority, but is there any estimate as to when pre-orders will start shipping?

General Discussion » Rich's Wishlist » 10/17/2017 5:11 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 9

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foxroe wrote:

I'll second that. Even if it could be split into a players' manual and a referee guide it would be a boon to slower hardware. Plus I could always just point folks to the players' PDF if they don't feel like spending the full $70.

Put me down for requesting a separate 2nd edition Player's manual as well, I in turn would recommend players in my upcoming post-holiday campaign purchase it. 

Hyperborea » Religion in Khromarium » 10/01/2017 2:31 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 3

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My take is that the whole thing is another one of Xathoqqua's elaborate practical jokes and that he's actually encouraging infighting among the high clergy.  Lower level clergy either walk a tightrope between the factions, or else find excuses for spending time away from Khromarium.  At the lay level it's probably just a matter of "keep calm and chew lotus", as long as you stay clear of the politics you'll be fine (usually).  And the other religions sit back and enjoy the show.

Hyperborea » Atlanteans in your campaign » 9/28/2017 12:40 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 11

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The only game benefit I give Atlantians is that they're all strong swimmers; they never need to make CON checks no matter how long they've been in the water.  And they do have to get a weekly soaking in salt water, though a sponge bath from a bucket will suffice.

As a matter of role-playing, all Atlantians love long luxurious baths and will happily spend hours in the tub if circumstances permit.  In Swampgate there is only one genuine bathtub; it's in the Thieve's Guild safe house and they charge extortionately for the use of it.  The center of the Atlantian community in Khromarium is a Roman style bathhouse, with all the decadence and intrigue that implies.

Hyperborea » Military forces in Hyperborea » 9/28/2017 12:22 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 6

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The way I see it, Khromarium is providing troops and construction materials to Swampgate in exchange for all that peat and bog iron they're taking out of the area.  Those logs for the perimeter wall likely didn't grow locally, and I doubt they were cheap.  One more source of tension between the City and the locals.

General Discussion » Photobucket » 7/07/2017 3:16 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 11

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About the illustration above - where did it come from and is there more?  

Hyperborea » Underborea? » 7/02/2017 2:19 pm

jcstephens
Replies: 29

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In my Hyperborea, it's literally the Mythic Underworld: the abode of Gods, demons, and legendary beings of all descriptions.  The Shadow Realm where the souls of the dead go is down there as well.  A trip to Underborea would be the climax of a campaign, something only the mightiest of heroes would dare attempt.

 

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