Game Design and Project Resources: The Workshops Quarter > Norbayne

What is Norbayne?

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Phoenixguard09:
Well guys, what is Norbayne?

Norbayne is a homebrew RPG that I've been developing with a heavy reliance on the humble D10. It is a relatively high fantasy setting but in such a way that the various species could possibly exist.

It's plausible rather than, "Chaos did it."

People familiar with the games might detect definite Elder Scrolls overtones but these are more or less unintentional. Alright, sue me. Sometimes Bethesda actually managed to do something sort of unique. Usually the unique stuff was crap but sometimes, just sometimes, it was ok. And so I pinched it, renamed it, made significant changes etc. The inspiration might still be noticeable but that should be all it is. Inspiration.

What makes Norbayne different from all your other two-bit fantasy worlds? Possum people.

No, in all seriousness, there has been a lot of thought put into the plausibility of beings existing, with large amounts of research being done in the fields of speculative evolution, alternate domestication, cryptozoology, palaeotology, anthropology and zoology. Probably a couple of other 'ologies added in there too but that aught to do for now.

Oh, and yes. There are possum people but it makes sense and they're awesome.

Anyway, more information will be made available to the public as I work on it because above all else, Norbayne is.... a work in progress.... Like you didn't see that coming. That revelation was about as subtle as a thrown English teacher.

Phoenixguard09:
Alright then. A friend of mine informed me that there are a number of assumptions that must be addressed when one creates a fantasy world.

I have them here with my commentary following in red:

1. Humans dominate the world.
Not necessarily. Large areas are dominated by other races. Norbayne itself is populated by the Midlanders (human) and the Feartarbh, the remnants of a minotaur empire. Sothbayne and Unterguardt both have human presence while the Wardenfells are populated by the Leathe (possum people) and the Danann (elves... sort of.) All in all, humans might be the most varied of the races but they, by no means, rule the roost.

2. Gods are real and active.
Unknown. They certainly aren't active although most folk believe they exist.

3. Magic is real and can be used by anyone who learns it.
True. It exists in three forms:
- Arcane magic is a talent, much like being able to sprint. Everyone's capable of it but many just never bother. It requires the caster to expend some of their own vitality to power the enchantment.
- Black magic involves "squeezing" the aethyric energy from a daemonic entity from the Otherworld and using that energy to power the spell. As a daemon cannot be killed, Black magic is far more powerful than Arcane magic but is also more dangerous because daemons do not appreciate being used.
- Spirit magic comes from the land itself. Power can be drawn from the environment to power the spell. This is the weakest form of magic but does not carry as much risk.

4. Opposite alignments fight each other.
Cemented alignments don't exist in the same way as D&D. Evil is a matter of perspective, just as it should be.

5. Arcane and Divine magic are inherently separate.
There is no Divine magic because the gods are uncaring. On the other hand, the three types of magic that do exist are inherently separate.

6. The wilderness is separate enough from the cities to justify 3 wilderness-oriented classes.
True. In D&D these classes are Ranger, Barbarian and Druid. Norbayne loses the Barbarian but the wilds of Norbayne are still quite a substantial part of the game.

7. There are hundreds of intelligent species of creatures, but 99% of them are considered "monsters".
A little over the top but true in principal. There are many intelligent races who are looked down upon by the more "civilised" peoples of the world. These can't be played as of the core rules, but it would be easy enough to allow them.

See the Races of Norbayne thread for more information. http://s4.zetaboards.com/Battlehammer/topic/9653280/1/#new

8. Arcane magic is impersonal and requires no "deal" with a supernatural being.
True.

9. Beings from other planes of existence try to influence the mortal world, usually on behalf of gods/alignments.
Untrue. Daemonic entities do exist but they exist to further their own agendas. They are creatures in and of themselves. Some may serve a more powerful master but even this daemon is not a god.

10. Magic items are assumed to be available, and game balance proceeds from that assumption.
True but rare.


Hopefully that cleared somewhat up for you. ;)

Silver Wolf:
I like the sound of it. Good luck with the project! :D

Phoenixguard09:
Thank you Silver. :) It is progresing quite nicely. ;)

Clockwork:
Heya, hope this thing is alive and well still :D

It looks really cool, I've always loved intelligent minotaurs in fantasy lore.

I have 2 questions on magic, if I may. You say that arcane magic can be learned like sprinting, however some people are naturally better at sprinting than others; I assume therefore that some people will be naturally better at arcane magic?

Secondly; Daemon and Spirit magic come from resources, but is everyone able to learn that? You say everyone is capable of Arcane Magic so I would assume that everyone has magical potential in these forms as well. From this I'd reason that among the more tribal/people with little to do, there would be a much greater number of mages. From this I then reasoned that that majority of the upper classes would be proficient at Arance Magic at least (unless the practice is frowned upon, especially as it has a token of blood magic there) as well as barbarians (assuming that this is in a 'past age' setting rather than shadowrun style 'future setting' as this isn't definitively stated here.

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