The Ways of the World
Mike Brines
The Ways of the World
Ways represent philosophies and religions that give a civilization their particular world view. They also bestow special abilities. Ways often have limitations and you can usually only embrace one at a time. Switching is difficult, akin to a societal revolution in thinking.
The Way of the Spirit. Followers of this way devote themselves to the study of the gods, for if the universe is truly under divine control, then those having favor with them gain an important advantage. The world is a grim and terrible place full of hostile forces: storms, famine, pestilence, wild beasts and wicked men. A fearful individual alone stands little chance against such forces. Rather than face such dangers alone, it is far better to have assistance from on high to ease one’s way.
So they study the gods to seek ways to someday learn enough not only to answer the eternal questions, but also to gain influence over the divine rulers of the natural world in order to bend their power to serve their own purposes. The man who is a friend of the gods is truly fortunate, but a man to whom the gods owe a debt, now that man has power you can bank on. This truth lies at the heart of every religious sacrifice and ritual. They’re all designed with two things in mind: to appease the gods and avert calamity, or else to place them in your debt, a favor you can call upon in a time of need.
Followers of the Way of the Spirit earn Karma through sacrifices to their god or gods, and by supporting the priesthood—every wealth spent this way gains one Karma, which can be used later in place of casualties and damage. The GM tracks the Karma and deducts it as necessary. Followers of the Way of the Spirit may choose to be ruled by a High Priest instead of a king (but he still needs a funny hat costing 400 wealth.)
The Way of the Will. A practitioner of magick looks upon religious effort with cynical distain. A typical student of the magical arts believes an attempt to put the gods in your debt is chancy at best. “As if the sacrificial blood of a few smelly goats could buy power, influence and control over awesome beings with the mystical powers of the universe at their command. The petty sacrifices most people believe to influence the gods would hardly suffice to bribe their local human governor, and the ridiculous rituals the priests lead them through must serve only to put smiles on the faces of the gods at the sight of the poor, pathetic fools deceived into abasing themselves so. Nay, the gods do have power, power that comes through knowledge denied to ordinary mortals. The surest way to achieve power, influence, and control over the forces of nature is not to attempt to influence those who hold that power, but to learn their secrets and wrest that power from their hands in the same way mythic Prometheus wrestled the secret of fire from them. I would not worship the gods; I would be one.”
Followers of the Will seek hidden knowledge but rarely share it, preferring instead to concentrate it into their own hands. Eventually the one with the greatest Will rises to the top, supplanting the chieftain or king as all-powerful leader. This Sorcerer Supreme (or Witch King or Magus or Great Wizard, or whatever title they prefer) uses his newfound wealth on components to cast great magics that can smite neighboring civilizations, destroying fortresses, laying waste to cities, and killing people. To order a spell cast, specify the means used (for example an earthquake, a rain of stones, a sending of spirits, infestation of plague rats, etc.) the target (which must be a city, fortress, campsite or sea zone you could normally attack), and how much was spent to cast it. It does damage equal to the casting cost but the GM chooses the casualties. Cities themselves can be damaged. If a player has a damaged city, any wealth he gains must first go towards repairing the damage before any can be used for other purposes. Magicians may recruit subordinate T1 magic users at a cost of one wealth each.
The Way of Rui. Ruist thought focuses on the cultivation of virtue in a morally organised world. It values order, thrift, compliance with authority, and the work ethic. They stress the Five Constants: benevolence, justice, knowledge, integrity, and proper action. Followers of the Way of Rui value discipline, enabling formations of ranked T4 infantry such as pike squares or legionnaries at a cost of four wealth each if they have metalworking; and T5 armored cavalry or lancers for five wealth each if they have metalworking and domesticated horses.
The Way of Chaos. This way has no "proper" rituals or social order and emphasizes naturalness, spontaneity, and being in harmony with the universe. "Action without intention" is their slogan. They worship Apophis—the serpent god of chaos—with "random acts of violence." Chaos cultists are frequently persecuted by followers of other Ways, especially followers of Rui who don't appreciate their random "improper" actions and general disrespect for others' property and persons. Persecution has led to cultists becoming very secretive and living double lives.
Followers of the Way of Chaos can recruit cultists. Cultists cost two wealth, have T0 and can only be recruited in a foreign-controlled city the chaos player could normally attack. Their presence there is secret, but once the number of cultists there equal the cost of for the chaos player to build a new city they can be exchanged for control of it. Cultists cannot move but can be exchanged for T1 militia but have to be then used to attack that city. Any city with cultists in it is treated as an extension of Chaos territory for the purpose of recruiting cultists or attacking with assassins, scouts or spies, so cultists can spread through other player's territory. Followers of the Way of Chaos can make one assassination attempt per turn against any one place they could recruit cultists. Specify one individual target. If the target is present in that place they are killed. (So does the assassin, but they're expendable.)
The Way of Nature. This way seeks harmony with Nature and as such rejects urban life.
Followers of this way may recruit T3 Rangers for three wealth each. Rangers have First Strike and count as three scouts. If they domesticate horses or Moa they can recruit T4 First Strike mounted rangers for four wealth each.
The Way of the Warrior. Followers of this Way worship Crom the Uncaring, a god that values strength and self-reliance. They never pray for help, for Crom would never give it anyway—he helps those who help themselves.
For three wealth each, followers of this way may recruit T3 Berzerkers, warriors with a weapon in each hand and a crazed look in their eyes. If they domesticate horses or moa they can recruit T4 raiders for four wealth each.
The Way of the Machine. Followers of this Way seek answers to life's questions but value logic above faith and require proofs before they will accept answers, proofs they can touch or see. They limit their search to things logically explainable in the mundane world; the answers must be perceptible to our five senses or they are unacceptable. Philosophers consider any answer that involves supernatural forces or a deity to be somehow “cheating” and not worth their time. "The universe follows rules—rules I can use to my advantage in the Game of Life." These mechnically-minded followers value "what works" and distain "vacuous theories." A Ruian sees the daily tides as evidence of the orderliness of the world. A Chaos cultist sees them as evidence "the universe moves differently at different times." But a Machinist ponders how to harness those tides to work for him.
Machinists with metalworking can construct mills (wind, water, and tread) to increase productivity, recruit crossbowmen, and build orinthopters, catapults, tortices and clockwork warriors. Their ships harness the magic of hydomancy to move using the power of boiling water. Adding mills to a city makes that city count as two for game purposes but costs as much as building another city. T3 First Strike crossbowmen cost three wealth each, Flying T1 orinthopters cost two wealth each, and T10 clockwork warriors ("Clockies") cost twenty wealth each. Catapults cost twenty wealth and require ten artillery crewmen to fuction. If crewed, catapults add 20 First Strike toughness each to the army or ship they support. Catapults don't count as "people" and are captured if their side loses the battle. A "tortoice " is a crank-driven DaVinci-style "tank" costing 10 wealth that protects ten non-mounted warriors, giving them +1T each.
The Way of Alchemy. Alchemists search for the means to control nature, to harness it to their desires. "Nature follows rules. I care no who made those rules. I only care to know how to use them to achieve my goals." To this end they shun the physical toil of the Machinists in search of the transformative secrets of chemistry. It isn't long before some lucky alchemist survives his invention of "Alchemist's powder" and develops primitive rockets, bombs, and firearms.
The Way of Alchemy require metalworking. Alchemists can distil a liquor resource out of one sugar or wine or grain plus one timber or coal resource. They can make rockets for one wealth each that are expended in battle for a 4T First Strike attack. Fougasse cost 1 wealth each and work like a rocket but only on defense. They're only expended if triggered by an attack. Alchemists can recruit T4 sappers, flamers, or grenadiers for 4 wealth, T3 First Strike harquebusers for 3 wealth, and with horses or moa domestication, T4 Pistoleers for 4 wealth. (No, they aren't First Strike.) Alchemists can build cannon for 30 wealth each that require ten crewmen and Flying airships for 2 wealth per crewman. Airships can drop "bombs" costing 1 wealth each that do a T4 attack but each bomb carried takes the place of a crewman. Airships fly but the crew are only immune to non-flying or First Strike attacks if they have First Strike. (A swordsman in an airship can't take a swing at a guy on the ground without him being able to hit back too.)
ME Brines
Still looking for comments. If Nature seems weak I thought we might give them the exclusive use of Terror-dachtyls, sabercats and dinoriders. Nature lovers seem like they'd be beastmasters too, right? It fits the theme.
To buff out the Way of Warriors, I thought perhaps instead of
berzerkers being a unit type maybe it's a type of attack. Instead
of a T3, after the First Strike losses come out, the enemy
attacks, Warriors deduct those losses, then whatever toughness
they have left hits back at triple strength but dies in the
process. This makes for a devastating, although expensive attack.
Kind of like those world war 2 Japanese Banzai attacks.
My main concern is whether Alchemy and Machine are "over the
top". I did rein in the wizards a bit. They don't get to choose
their victims.
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In a world where butter, sugar, and caffeine are illegal, can a baker turned revolutionary give the People back their just desserts? The Donuts of Doom, a silly steampunk novel and cookbook available @ https://www.amazon.com/Donuts-Doom-ME-Brines-ebook/dp/B005U41R0I/ref=la_B005H3CVNE_1_18?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1532647412&sr=1-18&refinements=p_82%3AB005H3CVNE