User:DrAckroyd/RPG

Ghyll Overview

Ghyllians are insect-like humanoids with seven fingers, two arms, two legs, and a single head. They stand about 1.5 meters tall. They have two sexes. Ghyllians live in social structures such as families, but which are further extended into larger groups ending with a hive presided over by a Hive-Lord. The Hive-Lord is responsible for assigning each Ghyllian their task in life as a child in the form of a question that only the individual can answer.

Ghyllians have large cities, some of which have elected heads of state (usually called Mayor). Many Ghyllians also belong to any of a number of Societies, institutions, clubs, and social organizations which sometimes come into armed conflict with each other. Ghyllians thrive on grouping and bonding in groups. It is not unusual for a Ghyllian to belong to three or four different groups and give complete loyalty to each. Therefore Ghyllians are very careful which groups they associate with.

Because of this overlap of culture and society there is little need for governmental armies or police forces. These functions are handled through the hiring of Mercenary corps. Battles are not fought over property and things but over ideals and morals. There are neither jails nor formal court system. Ghyll is run as a multiple hierarchy under the Hive-Lords. Each hierarchy deals with its own. By the time the Hive-Lords need to get involved it would have to be something that threatens the complete existence of Ghyll.

Ghyll has mechanized industry and mass transit (although much is still animal powered). They do not have flight technology yet. They have a crude mechanical knowledge but a highly advanced chemical knowledge. Even with primitive machines their chemical knowledge makes them capable of incredibly sophisticated constructions using a process they call Technomancy. The pinnacle of these achievements is the semi-aware mechanical race called EctoMechonauts.

Ghyllians are fortunate to have discovered certain naturally-occurring compounds with distinctive and unique chemical properties and have isolated them and reproduced them through a semi-ritualized practice called TheoAlchemy.

Ghyllians have a deep reverence for philosophical thought without needing a complicated Pantheon to support it. While there were once many different deities worshipped by thei Ghyllian forebears the modern Ghyllian tries to balance his theology on simple, practical ideas like the “Heh-Blammo” balance, or answering the Hive-Lord’s question.

There is an ascetic tradition among Ghyllians known as the Brotherhood of the Lantern. These monks contemplate things such as the morality of selfishness and the power of the “Heh-Blammo” balance in nature. Some of the brothers go into isolation while others pursue scholarly studies.

Ghyllian scholars are among the highest regarded of Ghyllian society. Presumably because they have not only answered their Hive-Lord question but have surpassed it. Scholarly study can be a lucrative pursuit.

Character Profile

Name: 
Gender: 
Hive (Family): 
City: 
Group affiliations: 
Skills: TheoAlchemy (Chemistry), Technomancy (Mechanical Skill), Theomancy (Philosophy), Libromancy (Reading/Writing), TheoArcheology (History), AuroArcheology (Rumor and Folklore), TheoStrategy (Military Skills), Accountomancy (Merchant Skills) or other skill groups you can think of.
Background: 
Hive-Lord Question (answered?): 
Achievements: 
Goals: 

Game Premise

You and your comrades are now part of the newly formed Ghyllian Second Mercenary Union under the command of Baron Hank von Grupang. Von Grupang is famous (ask anyone) for having put down an uprising in the local tavern that threatened to break out into a full-scale takeover of Folktown.

He used his wits and managed to put down the uprising before it reached epic proportions, and now you (and your mates) have been drafted (more or less) by him into this group. He is determined to find out the roots of the “Folktown Uprising of Kendrit Naught” and it is your job to help him.

Along the way, you may discover that there are dark forces at work in your beloved Ghyll, and that when your paid profession is to turn over rocks and look under them, you see a lot of dirt.

Plots

Plot 1: Who Killed Roger Dabnit?

Roger was the first victim of the uprising, and it was his death that tipped off von Grupang that something was amiss. Following the trail he discovered the uprising. He stopped it and executed the ringleaders but did not have the luxury of time to investigate the larger conspiracy. This is your task.

Find the remaining members of the “Folktown Uprising of Kendrit Naught” and question them about their leaders. Follow the trail of clues to find out who is behind the conspiracy.

Plot 2: Yermina Rising

The conspiracy ladder grows longer with the mysterious involvement of the Carsokian Clan in the Uprising. It seems almost too fortunate that one of the Clan is now contacting you for help. What could Yermina Carsokian want that she would come to you for help? Does she have information that will help you?

Plot 3: Lightning never strikes the same place twice

Yermina's information has lead you to the city of Iganefta-on-the-sea where you are following up on her assertation that the Carsokians are innocent and that the Uprising is a power-play by the Lightning crime family. Of course, snffing around Johnny Lightning is more than a little dangerous.

Plot 4: I feel a little ele-faint

Barely escaping Iganefta-by-the-sea you begin the race back to Folktown to see who gets to the Folktown Social Club first. Of course it is you versus DermPachyges Courier Service. The one who gets there first can perhaps misdirect Johnny Lightning before the message is received. If you can do that, you might buy the time you need to gather the rest of von Grupang's mercenaries.

Plot 5: Folktown Showdown

As the truth is revealed then s**t hits the fan and the Conflict That Is Not Happening becomes the Conflict That Is In Your Face. But von Grupang and Lightning are agreed on one thing, nobody outside the combatants in the two forces can know that there is a war between them going on in the streets of Folktown on the busiest shopping-day of the year.