Greetings and salutations, ladies, gentlemen, boys, girls, neithers, boths, and in-betweens! So, I recently posted an interest check thread about a PbP set in the Neath, the setting of the game Fallen London and all its sister games, and I think I got enough people saying they'd be interested to warrant a recruitment thread. Here's a link to that thread. Now, I know I need to actually describe the setting in order for people to... you know, actually know what it is, so I'm going to do that in a moment. But, before I do that, here's a link to the unofficial lore wiki of the Neath, which will provide a lot more info than I will. Also, a lot of the stuff I'm writing here is mostly copied from the wiki because I'm lazy. Still, I ask that you avoid any pages that are marked as spoilers, because... you know, spoilers. Secrets are mostly meant to stay secret. Now, without further ado, let's get into it!
The Neath and the Unterzee
The Neath is a massive cavern, located about a mile below the surface. The vast majority of it is filled with water, a great underground ocean called the Unterzee (or just the Zee), from which various small land masses rise. The Neath, however, is no normal cavern. Things exist there that would be ordinarily impossible, laws that those on the Surface consider an essential part of life are weakened, or perhaps even nonexistent. For example, maps don't quite work in the Neath, since geography is... well, fluid. An island in the Unterzee can be in one place one day, then you can return to that exact place a week later and there'll be nothing but water and probably an angry behemoustache. Even in Fallen London, the streets shift and change. Still, certain things are constant. Fallen London and the settlements around it lie on the Zee's western shore, to the south is the Elder Continent, to the east is the zee-god Salt's domain, and don't go NORTH. Time is also very much not constant in the Neath. One could make a cup of tea, in the morning leave on a week-long voyage across the Zee, and return to find it still piping hot.
One of the most important differences between the Surface and the Neath, however, involves death. Or, rather, the lack of it in the Neath. Unless one has been quite literally dismembered, they can typically recover from an untimely death with little hassle besides a bit of a headache. Generally, unless one has their head or heart removed, been chopped into mincemeat, or fallen victim to certain substances such as cantigaster venom, death is little more than an inconvenience. Death of natural causes has varying results, but usually it results in the afflicted becoming a tomb-colonist. Tomb-colonists are sort of in between life and death, and are typically wrapped up in bandages and shipped to the tomb-colonies. Naturally, this has resulted in serial killers such as the body-hopping Jack-of-Smiles becoming far less feared than they used to be, much to their displeasure, and certain games such as Knife-and-Candle involve players competitively murdering each other. Still, death at Zee is generally permanent, and once one dies in the Neath, they can never return to the surface, for true sunlight becomes deadly.
Also, in the Neath there exist seven impossible colors, which, much like all of the Neath's many delights, cannot exist on the Surface. There is Irrigo, the unremembered color, the light of absence. Violant, irrigo's counterpart, the unforgettable hue. Cosmogone, the color of remembered sunlight, under which fungus flourishes. Peligin, the color of the Zee's waters, as well as the flesh and bones of its beasts. Apocyan, the color memory and the brightest coral. Viric, the drowsy color of shallow sleep, which causes plants to grow at an exponential rate. Finally, gant is the color one sees in the dark, the one which remains after all other colors have been devoured.
Fallen London, the Bazaar, and the Masters
Forty years ago, London was stolen by bats. It is widely known that Queen Victoria, now known as the Traitor Empress, arranged the Fall in order to save the life of her Prince Consort, who was dying of typhoid fever. She struck a deal with the Masters, who kidnapped the city and brought it down to the Neath to rest under the spires of the Bazaar. Prince Albert was saved, but he does seem rather wan these days, and the Traitor Empress and the rest of the royal family stay shut behind the doors of the Shuttered Palace, rarely interacting with the public. Fallen London is known as the Fifth City, because it is the fifth major city to have fallen to the Neath.
The Masters of the Bazaar have taken complete economic control of Fallen London, and almost all legal commerce takes place beneath the auspices of the Echo Bazaar's spires. It's hard to say exactly what the Masters are. They call themselves Mr, but they may not really be men at all. There are certainly many rumors about these cloaked, hunchbacked, whispering things. People say they're fallen angels, stunted pterodactyls, mobile colonies of fungus, and all manner of outlandish (and honestly rather believable) things, but they always dismiss any personal questions with a wave of their gloved hands.
The Echo Bazaar sells and buys all manner of things. From common items such as clothing or pets, to the more intangible like secrets and souls. Love stories seem to be of particular interest to it, however. When London fell to the Neath, it was made to dispose with the pound. The currency of the Bazaar is echoes, though Londoners were allowed to keep their pennies. 100 pennies is equal to a single echo. The more notable may be allowed access to more interesting goods, as well as the Bazaar Side-Streets, where many lucrative business opportunities exist.
Other Notable Locations
The Elder Continent exists on the south shore of the Unterzee. It is a vast, warm, and humid landmass, home to wildlife, demographics, and kingdoms the likes of which London has just begun to dream of. It is much, much, older than London, hence the name. London's sole imperial possession, Port Carnelian, exists on its coast. The major power of the Elder Continent is the Presbyterate, with which London has had a... complicated relationship. The land and its people are imbued with a great amount of life, even more than those in London, which is probably a result of the land's close proximity to the zee-god Stone, the mountain of light.
Parabola is the land of dreams, which exists beyond mirrors. It is most commonly accessed by using the sweet (but addictive) substance known as prisoner's honey, and is the common haunt of artists, writers, and others of bohemian inclinations. It is more than just a dream, though, for those who use prisoner's honey actually disappear from the physical world for a time, before returning. It's possible for one's body to return before one's mind, however, resulting in the condition of being honeymazed.
The Khanate, or New Khanate, is Fallen London's major rival nation in the Neath. Its inhabitants, known as Khaganians, are descendants of the people of the Fourth City. They are an incredibly technologically advanced nation, and though smaller than London they are still quite formidable. They worship the sun and the sky, referring to it as the Deep Blue Heaven.
The Tomb-Colonies: home to outcasts, the generally disgraced, and of course, bored mummies. (Fallen Londoners call them tomb-colonists, but their concerns are far from colonization.) These dreary encampments lie north of London. Londoners who are just too scandalous, decrepit, or unappealing for polite society are often forced to reside here until their names are cleared. Life in the tomb-colonies can be depressing, especially when a sudden movement results in a loss of a limb or two. Because of this, it's no surprise that many tomb-colonists choose to visit or reside in London proper, often seeking excitement or a reminder of their old lives.
Hell is the domain of the devils, west of London. Oh, by the way, there's devils in the Neath. After the Fall, upon finding themselves literally next door to Hell, Fallen London attempted to invade Hell in the disastrous Campaign of '68. It went straight to hell, but not in the way they wanted it to. These days, Hell and London live relatively harmoniously, and the soul trade booms in London. (Though some unsavory individuals called spirifers are known to steal souls to sell to Hell, much to the chagrin of their original owners, who don't even get a promise of payment out of it.)
The (more or less) People of the Neath
Humans aren't the only sapient inhabitants of the Neath. (These are just the playable races, there are other sapient things that exist in the Neath too, such as devils, pentecost apes, tigers, the list goes on.)
Clay Men are living statues from the far-off land of Polythreme. They come to London as workers, and you’ll often find them among the Docks hauling cargo. Though they have their own language, called Loamsprach, Clay Men can speak English. If you don’t recognize them by their grey countenances, you can instantly recognize one by his DISTINCT AND PECULIAR SPEECH PATTERN.
Rattus Faber are an unusual breed of rat: they are sentient and can make tools, even complicated weaponry like rifles and explosives, and generally operate like tiny cunning humans. (They are bipedal as well.) There is a large population of these on PigmoteIsle, though that is not their location of origin. Where exactly they came from, and how they evolved from normal rats, is unknown.
Rubbery Men are mysterious crosses between squid and humans who cannot speak intelligibly. Rubberies deal a brisk trade in amber; they are also eager to take their amber back. Despite their apparent harmlessness, they still face xenophobia and its effects - devils refuse to take their souls, and occasionally one is stoned to death. Even so, at least one of them has risen high enough in society to be an at least semi-influential businessman; he's called the Tentacled Entrepreneur.
Alright, I think that's most of the lore that I need to share for now. Just like the game of Fallen London, this game will begin in New Newgate, a great stalactite-prison. (Think alcatraz, but on the roof of the Neath.) Let's get on with applications! I'm not going to ask you for a full character yet, simply because the Neath is such a bizarre setting that doesn't fit seamlessly with 5e. However, a basic idea of what kind of player your are and any concepts/questions you have would be appreciated. We'll work on your characters once the group is selected.
Also, I have some Neathy races and backgrounds for you to look at, if those help spark your inspiration. You don't need to play any of the races or backgrounds that are in these, they just exist if you want to play them. For example, you can play a vanilla human, or you could play a dwarf as just an especially short, especially beefy human, or you could play a halfling as an especially hulking rattus faber.
As far as your class goes, if you have an idea of which one you might want to play, I'd like to request that you try and stray away from full casters. The magic of the Neath is very specific and typically less flashy than that of typical 5e. We can still work something out, but it's likely that your magic will be a mix of different types of actual magic, such as the shapeling arts, the correspondence, etc., as well as talents/technology.
Application:
D&D Experience Have you played/at all heard of FL before? Time Zone Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.) Questions Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.)
I'll probably close this thread... uhh, whenever I feel like it, depending on how much interest I get. I'll update with a time after maybe a day of recruitment. Welcome, delicious friends.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
D&D Experience: I've been playing for three or four years. Here in the forums I can say Have you played/at all heard of FL before? Never played and the only instance where I heard about it before was in the interest check. Time Zone: UTC - 3 Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.): When it comes to background I would like to play a common, poor guy (Neathtouched human) turned disposed criminal that was ultimately discarded by whoever organization he worked with. The character could be a smuggler or a Pawn, sent in a mission doomed to fail and attract the authorities' attention in a specif moment. Maybe there was another, more important smuggling operation taking place or if the character was a Pawn then maybe a Knight or Rook was working in another mission and needed the law enforcers distracted. I am absolutely fine accommodating the possibility that you, as the DM, feel would be better for the game. Class-wise I would like to make the character a Charisma Caster. Questions: I would like to know how open you are to the idea of homebrew subclasses in the came.
D&D Experience: About 5 years? Or is it 6 now? Oh god Have you played/at all heard of FL before? I played like 5 minutes of the Sunless Sea Time Zone: GMT+3, my sleep schedule is pretty bonked though Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.): I have a few, but the one that really speaks to me right now is a pugilist! It so perfectly fits the theme of this. Specifically, I think a scrappy neathtouched pawn that fancies some prisoner's honey every now and then. Although I'd love to hear about all the other races as well, like demons and uh tigers? I just think its worth mentioning that in a setting as flavorful as this I'd certainly make a character that plays off its themes in some way, be that them leaning more into the morbid comedy or the eldritch horror of it. I don't really think they are mutually exclusive, so ideally I'd have both! Questions: Just about other races and probably some more lore questions will float up down the line if i get grabbed Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.): Do you intend for the tone of the campaign to follow the vibe that the text is communicating? Cause I am getting a very specific sense and mood that I adore and I'd just like to know if you had the same in mind or something different that is just set in Fallen London.
D&D Experience: Played PbP for almost a decade, been playing real-time for the last 6 or so. Have you played/at all heard of FL before? Nope! Time Zone: Eastern US Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.): Clay Man Rune Knight who inscribes the runes into his 'flesh'. Questions: Ability score method? Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
D&D experience: Four years, most of which has been spent as DM (table top, virtual table top, and play-by-post) Familiarity with Fallen London: Just my recent reading of the lore provided by the wiki; no spoilers, of course Time Zone: UTC - 8:00 Concepts/Ideas I have: After my first read through of the material, I have two ideas, both of which I find equally appealing. The first is a revolutionary clay man fighter who believes the time has come to overthrow the corruption of the Masters. The second is a neathtouched Khaganian human paladin (or paladin-like fighter) who has equal, and sometimes annoying, zeal for honoring the Khanate and the Deep Blue Heaven. Questions: None at this time Something I would add: This seems like a good opportunity to challenge and stretch my imagination
D&D Experience: Have dabbled for over 30 years but would consider myself very inexperienced, I’m more Side Show Bob than Conan the barbarian ! Have you played/at all heard of FL before? No and No - but have enjoyed what I’ve read Time Zone London UK Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.) I like the idea of the Rattus and the challenge of playing something so small but mightily troublesome. I have a feeling this little Rattus would be an Explorer, he is slightly at odds from the rest of his brethren, as his family (he believes) are descended from a pet rat that was, in its day, very well cared for by the son of the Traitor Empress, and this makes him small, challenging, irritating, chaotic and primarily privileged! Questions: I’m rusty with the rules so may struggle to grasp possibilities especially in a setting not directly 5e, so will understand if this doesn’t work for you Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.) This slightly reminds me of Neverwhere, it’s a fab book if you haven’t read it
Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.) This slightly reminds me of Neverwhere, it’s a fab book if you haven’t read it
I love Neverwhere! It and Fallen London exist in the same place in my head, I love worldbuilding with that sort of... I don't know how to describe it, but they've both got that same feeling to them.
That’s very exciting TheHumbug - it’s such a great book and I love the concept - I think your players are going to have a fab time - and regardless of my little rats involvement - I wish you a very successful campaign
Okay, I think I'm going to give this a few more days, maybe 'til Tuesday, and then I'll close it and choose my little crew. From there we can work individually on your characters and then hopefully get started relatively soon after.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
D&D Experience: More than a year Have you played/at all heard of FL before? Unfortunately, never. Time Zone: Concepts/Ideas you might already have:
A bohemian fortune teller lady obsessed with black magic, curse, witch craft and production of poisonous gas or deadly nerve agents.
Questions: What will be the starting level? Will you allow the use of firearms? Anything else you want to add: I have another character concept which might make my PC a fellow revolutionary, but a bit more radical than the one proposed by Man_of_Dust.
Experience: Honestly, not much, I've spent the better part of the almost past two years RPing in the taverns, while occasionally applying for a PbP game.
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? No, I have not.
Time Zone: I forget what it is specifically, but I live in one of the USA's eastern coast states, so that should be enough info.
Concepts? I though about a Blind Elven Arcane Archer, but over the weekend I lost a little interest in it, but I'm still interested in trying it out.
Questions? Not a whole lot, just what are the more specific aspects of the setting, such as how magical is it? What time period is the closest that is being represented by this setting, like, is it close to some time in the dark ages, or closer to more modern times, or somewhere inbetween? That is all I can think of for now. Good Day!
D&D Experience - I've been playing for about three years, but mainly just some one-shots and a campaign run by my friend.
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? - Sadly no.
Time Zone -US Standard EST. (GMT-5)
Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.) I'm really thinking of a cowardly, rough, and tumble ladies man of a cowboy, probably a foreigner from the west due to his outlandish behavior? I'm not really thinking of anything very competitive or battle-capable, just something for interesting roleplay. Another idea was a everyday person in London, with a small knack for adventuring.
Questions - Similar to Makkiu's question, but a bit larger of a request. Would a homebrew class be allowed?
Questions? Not a whole lot, just what are the more specific aspects of the setting, such as how magical is it? What time period is the closest that is being represented by this setting, like, is it close to some time in the dark ages, or closer to more modern times, or somewhere inbetween? That is all I can think of for now. Good Day!
Fallen London is set in Victorian London, and the current FL timeline has it just at the turn of a new century, 1900. Due to forty years in the Neath, however, some technologies have stagnated while others have flourished. In general, just think dark (but comedic) Gothic Victorian London. As for magic, there are a number of things one could call 'magic,' but they are mostly never seen by common people. Stuff like correspondence sigils, the shapeling arts, red science, glasswork, kataleptic toxicology, etc. For the most part, though, magic has limited uses.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Questions - Similar to Makkiu's question, but a bit larger of a request. Would a homebrew class be allowed?
Pitch it to me, and we'll see! I know I'm at least going to be allowing one homebrew class, which is Mage Hand Press' gunslinger, since I'm going to be using the firearm rules from that supplement.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Questions? Not a whole lot, just what are the more specific aspects of the setting, such as how magical is it? What time period is the closest that is being represented by this setting, like, is it close to some time in the dark ages, or closer to more modern times, or somewhere inbetween? That is all I can think of for now. Good Day!
Fallen London is set in Victorian London, and the current FL timeline has it just at the turn of a new century, 1900. Due to forty years in the Neath, however, some technologies have stagnated while others have flourished. In general, just think dark (but comedic) Gothic Victorian London. As for magic, there are a number of things one could call 'magic,' but they are mostly never seen by common people. Stuff like correspondence sigils, the shapeling arts, red science, glasswork, kataleptic toxicology, etc. For the most part, though, magic has limited uses.
Red Science sounds cool, first, what is it? Second, could I make a character who uses it?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Want a place to roleplay in your spare time? Here:Lord'sRestInn
Please don't hide your imperfections, if one part is beautiful, it all is.
Red Science sounds cool, first, what is it? Second, could I make a character who uses it?
Them's some spoilers, I'm afraid, red science is a very late-game thing in the game of Fallen London, and its very existence is unknown to most Londoners. You could potentially make a character, but as I mentioned caster characters are going to be hard to work with, and I'd rather not have more than one or two in the party.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Red Science sounds cool, first, what is it? Second, could I make a character who uses it?
Them's some spoilers, I'm afraid, red science is a very late-game thing in the game of Fallen London, and its very existence is unknown to most Londoners. You could potentially make a character, but as I mentioned caster characters are going to be hard to work with, and I'd rather not have more than one or two in the party.
Ok, I tried to do my own research on it, and all I got from it was that it was similar to (In spoiler, not sure of saying how it's similar to something is a spoiler, but warned nonetheless, to anyone who does not already know.)
Similar to Artificers.
But, regardless, I have grown fond of Rubbery Men, so if I am chosen, I'll most likely play one. I'll take some time to think about class in the meantime.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Want a place to roleplay in your spare time? Here:Lord'sRestInn
Please don't hide your imperfections, if one part is beautiful, it all is.
I don't like rp-heavy games, I LOVE them.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Greetings and salutations, ladies, gentlemen, boys, girls, neithers, boths, and in-betweens! So, I recently posted an interest check thread about a PbP set in the Neath, the setting of the game Fallen London and all its sister games, and I think I got enough people saying they'd be interested to warrant a recruitment thread. Here's a link to that thread. Now, I know I need to actually describe the setting in order for people to... you know, actually know what it is, so I'm going to do that in a moment. But, before I do that, here's a link to the unofficial lore wiki of the Neath, which will provide a lot more info than I will. Also, a lot of the stuff I'm writing here is mostly copied from the wiki because I'm lazy. Still, I ask that you avoid any pages that are marked as spoilers, because... you know, spoilers. Secrets are mostly meant to stay secret. Now, without further ado, let's get into it!
The Neath and the Unterzee
The Neath is a massive cavern, located about a mile below the surface. The vast majority of it is filled with water, a great underground ocean called the Unterzee (or just the Zee), from which various small land masses rise. The Neath, however, is no normal cavern. Things exist there that would be ordinarily impossible, laws that those on the Surface consider an essential part of life are weakened, or perhaps even nonexistent. For example, maps don't quite work in the Neath, since geography is... well, fluid. An island in the Unterzee can be in one place one day, then you can return to that exact place a week later and there'll be nothing but water and probably an angry behemoustache. Even in Fallen London, the streets shift and change. Still, certain things are constant. Fallen London and the settlements around it lie on the Zee's western shore, to the south is the Elder Continent, to the east is the zee-god Salt's domain, and don't go NORTH. Time is also very much not constant in the Neath. One could make a cup of tea, in the morning leave on a week-long voyage across the Zee, and return to find it still piping hot.
One of the most important differences between the Surface and the Neath, however, involves death. Or, rather, the lack of it in the Neath. Unless one has been quite literally dismembered, they can typically recover from an untimely death with little hassle besides a bit of a headache. Generally, unless one has their head or heart removed, been chopped into mincemeat, or fallen victim to certain substances such as cantigaster venom, death is little more than an inconvenience. Death of natural causes has varying results, but usually it results in the afflicted becoming a tomb-colonist. Tomb-colonists are sort of in between life and death, and are typically wrapped up in bandages and shipped to the tomb-colonies. Naturally, this has resulted in serial killers such as the body-hopping Jack-of-Smiles becoming far less feared than they used to be, much to their displeasure, and certain games such as Knife-and-Candle involve players competitively murdering each other. Still, death at Zee is generally permanent, and once one dies in the Neath, they can never return to the surface, for true sunlight becomes deadly.
Also, in the Neath there exist seven impossible colors, which, much like all of the Neath's many delights, cannot exist on the Surface. There is Irrigo, the unremembered color, the light of absence. Violant, irrigo's counterpart, the unforgettable hue. Cosmogone, the color of remembered sunlight, under which fungus flourishes. Peligin, the color of the Zee's waters, as well as the flesh and bones of its beasts. Apocyan, the color memory and the brightest coral. Viric, the drowsy color of shallow sleep, which causes plants to grow at an exponential rate. Finally, gant is the color one sees in the dark, the one which remains after all other colors have been devoured.
Fallen London, the Bazaar, and the Masters
Forty years ago, London was stolen by bats. It is widely known that Queen Victoria, now known as the Traitor Empress, arranged the Fall in order to save the life of her Prince Consort, who was dying of typhoid fever. She struck a deal with the Masters, who kidnapped the city and brought it down to the Neath to rest under the spires of the Bazaar. Prince Albert was saved, but he does seem rather wan these days, and the Traitor Empress and the rest of the royal family stay shut behind the doors of the Shuttered Palace, rarely interacting with the public. Fallen London is known as the Fifth City, because it is the fifth major city to have fallen to the Neath.
The Masters of the Bazaar have taken complete economic control of Fallen London, and almost all legal commerce takes place beneath the auspices of the Echo Bazaar's spires. It's hard to say exactly what the Masters are. They call themselves Mr, but they may not really be men at all. There are certainly many rumors about these cloaked, hunchbacked, whispering things. People say they're fallen angels, stunted pterodactyls, mobile colonies of fungus, and all manner of outlandish (and honestly rather believable) things, but they always dismiss any personal questions with a wave of their gloved hands.
The Echo Bazaar sells and buys all manner of things. From common items such as clothing or pets, to the more intangible like secrets and souls. Love stories seem to be of particular interest to it, however. When London fell to the Neath, it was made to dispose with the pound. The currency of the Bazaar is echoes, though Londoners were allowed to keep their pennies. 100 pennies is equal to a single echo. The more notable may be allowed access to more interesting goods, as well as the Bazaar Side-Streets, where many lucrative business opportunities exist.
Other Notable Locations
The Elder Continent exists on the south shore of the Unterzee. It is a vast, warm, and humid landmass, home to wildlife, demographics, and kingdoms the likes of which London has just begun to dream of. It is much, much, older than London, hence the name. London's sole imperial possession, Port Carnelian, exists on its coast. The major power of the Elder Continent is the Presbyterate, with which London has had a... complicated relationship. The land and its people are imbued with a great amount of life, even more than those in London, which is probably a result of the land's close proximity to the zee-god Stone, the mountain of light.
Parabola is the land of dreams, which exists beyond mirrors. It is most commonly accessed by using the sweet (but addictive) substance known as prisoner's honey, and is the common haunt of artists, writers, and others of bohemian inclinations. It is more than just a dream, though, for those who use prisoner's honey actually disappear from the physical world for a time, before returning. It's possible for one's body to return before one's mind, however, resulting in the condition of being honeymazed.
The Khanate, or New Khanate, is Fallen London's major rival nation in the Neath. Its inhabitants, known as Khaganians, are descendants of the people of the Fourth City. They are an incredibly technologically advanced nation, and though smaller than London they are still quite formidable. They worship the sun and the sky, referring to it as the Deep Blue Heaven.
The Tomb-Colonies: home to outcasts, the generally disgraced, and of course, bored mummies. (Fallen Londoners call them tomb-colonists, but their concerns are far from colonization.) These dreary encampments lie north of London. Londoners who are just too scandalous, decrepit, or unappealing for polite society are often forced to reside here until their names are cleared. Life in the tomb-colonies can be depressing, especially when a sudden movement results in a loss of a limb or two. Because of this, it's no surprise that many tomb-colonists choose to visit or reside in London proper, often seeking excitement or a reminder of their old lives.
Hell is the domain of the devils, west of London. Oh, by the way, there's devils in the Neath. After the Fall, upon finding themselves literally next door to Hell, Fallen London attempted to invade Hell in the disastrous Campaign of '68. It went straight to hell, but not in the way they wanted it to. These days, Hell and London live relatively harmoniously, and the soul trade booms in London. (Though some unsavory individuals called spirifers are known to steal souls to sell to Hell, much to the chagrin of their original owners, who don't even get a promise of payment out of it.)
The (more or less) People of the Neath
Humans aren't the only sapient inhabitants of the Neath. (These are just the playable races, there are other sapient things that exist in the Neath too, such as devils, pentecost apes, tigers, the list goes on.)
Clay Men are living statues from the far-off land of Polythreme. They come to London as workers, and you’ll often find them among the Docks hauling cargo. Though they have their own language, called Loamsprach, Clay Men can speak English. If you don’t recognize them by their grey countenances, you can instantly recognize one by his DISTINCT AND PECULIAR SPEECH PATTERN.
Rattus Faber are an unusual breed of rat: they are sentient and can make tools, even complicated weaponry like rifles and explosives, and generally operate like tiny cunning humans. (They are bipedal as well.) There is a large population of these on Pigmote Isle, though that is not their location of origin. Where exactly they came from, and how they evolved from normal rats, is unknown.
Rubbery Men are mysterious crosses between squid and humans who cannot speak intelligibly. Rubberies deal a brisk trade in amber; they are also eager to take their amber back. Despite their apparent harmlessness, they still face xenophobia and its effects - devils refuse to take their souls, and occasionally one is stoned to death. Even so, at least one of them has risen high enough in society to be an at least semi-influential businessman; he's called the Tentacled Entrepreneur.
Alright, I think that's most of the lore that I need to share for now. Just like the game of Fallen London, this game will begin in New Newgate, a great stalactite-prison. (Think alcatraz, but on the roof of the Neath.) Let's get on with applications! I'm not going to ask you for a full character yet, simply because the Neath is such a bizarre setting that doesn't fit seamlessly with 5e. However, a basic idea of what kind of player your are and any concepts/questions you have would be appreciated. We'll work on your characters once the group is selected.
Also, I have some Neathy races and backgrounds for you to look at, if those help spark your inspiration. You don't need to play any of the races or backgrounds that are in these, they just exist if you want to play them. For example, you can play a vanilla human, or you could play a dwarf as just an especially short, especially beefy human, or you could play a halfling as an especially hulking rattus faber.
As far as your class goes, if you have an idea of which one you might want to play, I'd like to request that you try and stray away from full casters. The magic of the Neath is very specific and typically less flashy than that of typical 5e. We can still work something out, but it's likely that your magic will be a mix of different types of actual magic, such as the shapeling arts, the correspondence, etc., as well as talents/technology.
Application:
D&D Experience
Have you played/at all heard of FL before?
Time Zone
Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.)
Questions
Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.)
I'll probably close this thread... uhh, whenever I feel like it, depending on how much interest I get. I'll update with a time after maybe a day of recruitment. Welcome, delicious friends.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
D&D Experience: I've been playing for three or four years. Here in the forums I can say
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? Never played and the only instance where I heard about it before was in the interest check.
Time Zone: UTC - 3
Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.): When it comes to background I would like to play a common, poor guy (Neathtouched human) turned disposed criminal that was ultimately discarded by whoever organization he worked with. The character could be a smuggler or a Pawn, sent in a mission doomed to fail and attract the authorities' attention in a specif moment. Maybe there was another, more important smuggling operation taking place or if the character was a Pawn then maybe a Knight or Rook was working in another mission and needed the law enforcers distracted. I am absolutely fine accommodating the possibility that you, as the DM, feel would be better for the game. Class-wise I would like to make the character a Charisma Caster.
Questions: I would like to know how open you are to the idea of homebrew subclasses in the came.
I'm very open with them, as long as they line up with the world well enough and aren't ridiculously unbalanced.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
D&D Experience: About 5 years? Or is it 6 now? Oh god
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? I played like 5 minutes of the Sunless Sea
Time Zone: GMT+3, my sleep schedule is pretty bonked though
Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.): I have a few, but the one that really speaks to me right now is a pugilist! It so perfectly fits the theme of this. Specifically, I think a scrappy neathtouched pawn that fancies some prisoner's honey every now and then. Although I'd love to hear about all the other races as well, like demons and uh tigers? I just think its worth mentioning that in a setting as flavorful as this I'd certainly make a character that plays off its themes in some way, be that them leaning more into the morbid comedy or the eldritch horror of it. I don't really think they are mutually exclusive, so ideally I'd have both!
Questions: Just about other races and probably some more lore questions will float up down the line if i get grabbed
Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.): Do you intend for the tone of the campaign to follow the vibe that the text is communicating? Cause I am getting a very specific sense and mood that I adore and I'd just like to know if you had the same in mind or something different that is just set in Fallen London.
I sent you a PM with a homebrew subclass. I think it fits the world and I hope it is balanced.
D&D Experience: Played PbP for almost a decade, been playing real-time for the last 6 or so.
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? Nope!
Time Zone: Eastern US
Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.): Clay Man Rune Knight who inscribes the runes into his 'flesh'.
Questions: Ability score method?
Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.)
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
D&D experience: Four years, most of which has been spent as DM (table top, virtual table top, and play-by-post)
Familiarity with Fallen London: Just my recent reading of the lore provided by the wiki; no spoilers, of course
Time Zone: UTC - 8:00
Concepts/Ideas I have: After my first read through of the material, I have two ideas, both of which I find equally appealing. The first is a revolutionary clay man fighter who believes the time has come to overthrow the corruption of the Masters. The second is a neathtouched Khaganian human paladin (or paladin-like fighter) who has equal, and sometimes annoying, zeal for honoring the Khanate and the Deep Blue Heaven.
Questions: None at this time
Something I would add: This seems like a good opportunity to challenge and stretch my imagination
Probably rolling, with standard array if you don't like what you get.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
D&D Experience: Have dabbled for over 30 years but would consider myself very inexperienced, I’m more Side Show Bob than Conan the barbarian !
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? No and No - but have enjoyed what I’ve read
Time Zone London UK
Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.) I like the idea of the Rattus and the challenge of playing something so small but mightily troublesome. I have a feeling this little Rattus would be an Explorer, he is slightly at odds from the rest of his brethren, as his family (he believes) are descended from a pet rat that was, in its day, very well cared for by the son of the Traitor Empress, and this makes him small, challenging, irritating, chaotic and primarily privileged!
Questions: I’m rusty with the rules so may struggle to grasp possibilities especially in a setting not directly 5e, so will understand if this doesn’t work for you
Anything else you want to add(fun facts, misc. comments, etc.) This slightly reminds me of Neverwhere, it’s a fab book if you haven’t read it
I love Neverwhere! It and Fallen London exist in the same place in my head, I love worldbuilding with that sort of... I don't know how to describe it, but they've both got that same feeling to them.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
That’s very exciting TheHumbug - it’s such a great book and I love the concept - I think your players are going to have a fab time - and regardless of my little rats involvement - I wish you a very successful campaign
Okay, I think I'm going to give this a few more days, maybe 'til Tuesday, and then I'll close it and choose my little crew. From there we can work individually on your characters and then hopefully get started relatively soon after.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Application:
D&D Experience: More than a year
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? Unfortunately, never.
Time Zone:
Concepts/Ideas you might already have:
A bohemian fortune teller lady obsessed with black magic, curse, witch craft and production of poisonous gas or deadly nerve agents.
Questions: What will be the starting level? Will you allow the use of firearms?
Anything else you want to add: I have another character concept which might make my PC a fellow revolutionary, but a bit more radical than the one proposed by Man_of_Dust.
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Experience: Honestly, not much, I've spent the better part of the almost past two years RPing in the taverns, while occasionally applying for a PbP game.
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? No, I have not.
Time Zone: I forget what it is specifically, but I live in one of the USA's eastern coast states, so that should be enough info.
Concepts? I though about a Blind Elven Arcane Archer, but over the weekend I lost a little interest in it, but I'm still interested in trying it out.
Questions? Not a whole lot, just what are the more specific aspects of the setting, such as how magical is it? What time period is the closest that is being represented by this setting, like, is it close to some time in the dark ages, or closer to more modern times, or somewhere inbetween? That is all I can think of for now. Good Day!
Want a place to roleplay in your spare time? Here: Lord's Rest Inn
Please don't hide your imperfections, if one part is beautiful, it all is.
I don't like rp-heavy games, I LOVE them.
D&D Experience - I've been playing for about three years, but mainly just some one-shots and a campaign run by my friend.
Have you played/at all heard of FL before? - Sadly no.
Time Zone - US Standard EST. (GMT-5)
Concepts/Ideas you might already have(i.e. race, class, background, etc.) I'm really thinking of a cowardly, rough, and tumble ladies man of a cowboy, probably a foreigner from the west due to his outlandish behavior? I'm not really thinking of anything very competitive or battle-capable, just something for interesting roleplay. Another idea was a everyday person in London, with a small knack for adventuring.
Questions -
Similar to Makkiu's question, but a bit larger of a request. Would a homebrew class be allowed?"Where do these guys get all their ideas?" - TommoBoi, to WOTC
DM of Night of the Nutcracker.
Fallen London is set in Victorian London, and the current FL timeline has it just at the turn of a new century, 1900. Due to forty years in the Neath, however, some technologies have stagnated while others have flourished. In general, just think dark (but comedic) Gothic Victorian London. As for magic, there are a number of things one could call 'magic,' but they are mostly never seen by common people. Stuff like correspondence sigils, the shapeling arts, red science, glasswork, kataleptic toxicology, etc. For the most part, though, magic has limited uses.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Pitch it to me, and we'll see! I know I'm at least going to be allowing one homebrew class, which is Mage Hand Press' gunslinger, since I'm going to be using the firearm rules from that supplement.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Red Science sounds cool, first, what is it? Second, could I make a character who uses it?
Want a place to roleplay in your spare time? Here: Lord's Rest Inn
Please don't hide your imperfections, if one part is beautiful, it all is.
I don't like rp-heavy games, I LOVE them.
Them's some spoilers, I'm afraid, red science is a very late-game thing in the game of Fallen London, and its very existence is unknown to most Londoners. You could potentially make a character, but as I mentioned caster characters are going to be hard to work with, and I'd rather not have more than one or two in the party.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Ok, I tried to do my own research on it, and all I got from it was that it was similar to (In spoiler, not sure of saying how it's similar to something is a spoiler, but warned nonetheless, to anyone who does not already know.)
Similar to Artificers.
But, regardless, I have grown fond of Rubbery Men, so if I am chosen, I'll most likely play one. I'll take some time to think about class in the meantime.
Want a place to roleplay in your spare time? Here: Lord's Rest Inn
Please don't hide your imperfections, if one part is beautiful, it all is.
I don't like rp-heavy games, I LOVE them.