New Gods of Kybel

Alright guys, so this begins a weekly series of notes I'll be posting regarding my New Gods of Mankind Sunday game. These notes will be posted weekly and will be written in a form that is hopefully interesting and entertaining to read. The primary function of these notes is so those curious how a campaign of new gods can be run from week to week can see the way the game flows and understand that the game is very playable. In future weeks I hope to include comments from the players from the perspective of their characters as well. But for now it's just me and some photo's from the game table.



In anticipation of some questions regarding the photos: The map is hand drawn by me using printed hex grid paper; the tokens are stackable game tokens from fantasy flight games; the game itself is published by Dark Skull Studios; the game screen is a .pdf screen printed up and inserted into a four-panel customizable vinyl GM screen made by hammerdog games; the character sheets are a homemade sheet (Dark Skull makes an awesome sheet, but it's an ink hog and these are more "printer friendly").



Now, to the game:

Since this was our first week the vast majority of the time was spent making the characters so let me introduce you to the three of them (this series will assume you know something about the game system, if you don't then I recommend you either by hard copies or purchase .pdf's of the books, they are reasonably priced and totally worth it):



First up we have Aaron:

God Name: Nomaak, The Ever-Burning King

Primary Domain: Fire

Secondary Domain: Knowledge, Passion, Glory

Holy Season: Summer

Inclinations: Harmony with control, Opposed to Transformation

Elite Followers:

Blades of Reaping Flame: D8 body, 10%

The Blood Bringers: D8 Mind, 10%

The Fire Tongued: D8 Spirit, 10%

Symbols:

Clenched fist on fire
Lions
Open hand moving from face to chest
Red

Commandments:

Seek glory in all forms, only glory lives on.
Fan the flames of Passion
To slay or harm a fellow tribesman shall be punished by fire
The land is harsh, and the useless shall be left behind
Keep the fire burning, for it is my protection

Next we have Daniel (not me):

God Name: Armond, The Cold Prince

Primary Domain: Death

Secondary Domain: Horses, Gambling, Cold

Holy Season: Winter

Inclinations: Harmony with Destruction, Opposed to Transformation

Elite Followers:

The willing: D8 Body, 8%

The Cold: D8 Mind, 10%

The Dark: D8 Spirit, 12%

Symbols:

Horses
Black
A silver skeletal horse

Commandments:

Do no harm to tribe or family
Do not fear to die, death is home

Lastly we have Craig:

God Name: Shecter, The Stormweaver

Primary Domain: Storms

Secondary Domain: Agility, Metal, Spiders

Holy Season: Summer

Inclinations: Harmony with Creation, Opposed to Control

Elite Followers:

The Lightning Fates: D8 Body, 10%

Metal Minds: D8 Mind, 10%

Wind Weavers: D8 Spirit, 10%

Symbols:

Pound fist with thumb up
Spiders
Metals with spider engravings

Commandments:

Learn to read the anger of the storm
Education is the way to be closer to your god
Treat others as you would be treated
Keep a lightning rod on your home
When hope is lost, endure
All must practice speed

There are the gods, now on with the game! I will be describing the events of the games based on the observances of an enigmatic wandering spirit who is watching the events unfold, I will insert rules data in parenthetical notation:



I am Thel and I have been tasked by fate with watching the D'lanni, a proud but suffering people in need of the gods who have now emerged among them. For years the have struggled in the lands near the gnomes of Rhok-Drunnor. As they struggled to find food in the frigid winter their tribe was visited by a traveler that spoke of a land known as the Bathes where warm waters well up from the tundra and the soil is rich and fertile in the shadow of a burning peak in the Sky-Scratch Mountains the smokes eternally. Their leaders, tired of struggling against the barbarians and gnomes that surround their current home, have decided to make the long and dangerous journey Frinthward to this fabled land.



As the winter passes and the snows begin to ease the whole of the tribe has packed up and begins the trip (winter action: all tokens migrate). The journey will likely take them a few years to complete, as the lands of Kybel are unforgiving and they have many young children and elderly tribesmen who must move slowly and carefully. They move into the Cold Plains near the Crystal Wastes that lie Naalward. After some time the tribe stops while the storms have cleared and they send out scouts in search of food and other resources that may be of use. One group heads north toward the Crystal Wastes in search of game, they are able to track the movement of several caribou herds before reaching the edge of the wastes (Scout group one stakes out a hunting plan but stops as they near the crystal wastes as they players are unsure of the safety of entering the bizarre barren landscape around the massive crystalline formations, no conflict). Another scouting party heads Raanward toward Zzzalon. These poor fools encountered a salamander slaving party. They attempted to creep between the snowbanks and escape detection but the noise quickly drew the slavers attention and they were forced to flee. I was certain that they would be caught but Shecter turned the wind and drove it hard collapsing a large snowdrift on top of much of the slaving party and Armond increased the bitter sting of the cold slowing and weakening the remaining slavers allowing the scouts to escape and warn the tribe to prepare to move quickly once enough food was gathered. (Scout group two attempts to flee from salamanders starting a conflict. Craig creates a significant alteration miracle that battles the body of the salamanders, meanwhile Daniel creates Minor alteration miracle that combats the mind of the slavers, both players succeed in the resulting conflicts). As the tribe begins to move again (Spring activity: All tokens migrate) forward trackers encounter a small tribe of barbarians roasting game and fighting the receding cold around their fires. After some deliberation with the tribes leadership and prayers for divine guidance the tribe decides to send out missionaries to bring the lost and freezing souls into the warm arms of the gods of the D'lanni. The missionaries approach with caution and gifts and as the speak to these poor freezing humans their words are filled with the burning passion of Namaak, filling the barbarian with awe and inspiring worship within them (Tribe sends missionaries to the barbarians, Aaron casts a minor alteration miracle upon the speakers and a spirit conflict begins which Aaron wins bringing 50 barbarians into the tribe).



As summer thaws much of the snow the tribe is able to make better progress and continues further on their journey (summer activity: Migration). This is a time of joy and celebration for the tribe as two of the three gods festivals are held this season. Namaak's people engage in games and contests that challenge the mind and heart, there are many impassioned debates. Meanwhile Shecter's people compete in more physical pursuits of agility. as the season draws to a close and the tribe prepares for more travel during the colder months, dark warning appear in the Crystal Wastes as a massive storm that howls with and almost human voice begins to form and descends following the tribe as they move.





So there was our first game of the new campaign. Not a whole lot happened, but again the first game was mostly making characters. So what will happen? Does this fabled land called the Bathes really exist, and what of this bizarre storm that is following the tribe? Come back next week to see the further struggles of the D'lanni people and their young gods.

Thanks for posting this play by play action! I noticed you used token movement from the board game which is cool. Looking forward to seeing more.