As I potter away on the new and improved Verge, I am going to turn to the people that have read / played it for feedback. I will usually have some good, clear ideas, but so many people have already downloaded, played and provided feedback for this game, I thought it would be cool to solicit your ideas too. I might take them on board, disregard them completely, or combine them with what I already have percolating. Let’s see what happens.
My first question is this:
How much “fantasy” should be in the setting?
It is a “dark” and “gothic” setting, so it isn’t going to have too many high fantasy overtones, and I do not want elves and dwarves and the like. When considering your response, the following questions might help: Is magic something that runs and powers “stuff” in the setting or is it purely the domain of people (things) that shouldn’t be trusted? Should it be pure fantasy, or “science-fantasy” (by which I mean magic with a “scientific” feel to it, using devices and gizmos and laboratories). Does magic involve long, dangerous rituals, or can spells be flicked at enemies like gunfire? Is it magic, but doesn’t look like magic? What do you think fits the setting, and what do you think would be cool in play?
Leave feedback below, or via Twitter.
![Design Diary [Neon]](http://nathanrussell.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/NEON-440x264.jpg)
I think you should stay well away from stock fantasy elements. Not including dwarves and elves is a good idea (GMs can always stick them in) and I think magic as just-another-tool is a bit boring. Perhaps magic is dangerous and unpredictable (like in Pratchett’s Discworld).
Given the broad split between the haves and have-nots, I think magic should be something that only the haves can afford. As soon as you give the have-nots something powerful then they are no longer have-nots. Or you could have magic and outlaw it (something of a cliche).
Magic definitely fits into the feel of dark and gothic, though so I would definitely put it in.
You can also make magic something of a precious commodity. For example, if magical energy must be collected (either in a physical form, or in an ethereal sense) and it takes a lot of energy to create a meaningful ritual, then it is indeed something that the haves can do, and the have-nots can’t.
And this leads us to the need of cannibalizing old rituals for their energy..
Hi Nathan
Hope you don’t mind me jumping in with my stream of conciousness. Glad to see you’ve joined me in NaGa DeMon!
This was sight unseen of the original (work internet), so apologise for any non-conformist views, there was just something that made this lot just plop out whole.
First I love the idea of a Dickensian feel, brings to mind GURPS Goblins (not played it though). I can feel standing in the mud and slime coated alley with claustrophobic buildings leaning in over me and the weak light of a gas or candle powered street lantern. Everything’s black in the slums, even during the day the sun never penetrates the closely packed houses and alleyways, you can reach out from one window to touch the next slum, the only real daylight coming through the missing tiles in the attic flat, things stashed under floorboards to keep them from prying eyes. Murderers stalking the streets like Jack the Ripper, preying on mixed-race whores and beggars, the City guard blowing whistles and running around with studded leather jerkins and metal caps, hitting people with the flat of a short sword.
But for the guard there is no checking in, everything is done in pairs, alone on the beat, do you trust your partner? Do you rush in? No-one to complain to about heavy-handed tactics. Why does Lucky Joe keep surviving when all his partners die in horrific incidents?
Natural gases would be cool, as would some sort of large spring that feeds water wheels or a waterfall, so continuous hydro-electricity. Perhaps steam? This is straying towards steampunk though. Although there could be some sort of power created by the Alchemists contained within brass tanks, what would happen if that liquid or gas escaped? How would it affect (again?) the area around it, a fantasy nuclear meltdown?!
I can see magic being some sort of collective concious, a user sits down and enters a trance sending his mind off into the magic realm. Here they can infiltrate other’s minds for information, avoiding whatever natural and/or magical defenses they may have. Detecting the right minds in the thousands in the city could be a serious task, perhaps they need to be closer to ensure it is the right mind? It’s a netrun basically, just conducted within each other’s minds. But what also lurks in the magic realm? Hideous psychic creatures that can occupy even an experienced user, taking them over and using them for their own ends. Some embrace these monsters though doing unspeakably evil acts, some try to conquer them, control them.
Maybe to get into the magical trance requires an addictive narcotic, maybe a type of powdered mushroom, but where does that come from?
I think magic should be ruthlessly enforced, teams of dedicated Witch Finders scouring the city trying to find stray users literally pulling everything apart and bashing down doors impervious to occupants seems cool, this is especially so because I [i]love[/i] playing Witch Hunters, but here they should definitely be [i]the bad guys[/i]. There should also be a KGB-style branch for true mind f***, never knowing who to trust. This makes stray users nervous, always on the run, keeping their head down, trying to find suppliers, not revealing your addiction, perfect for evoking the CP feel.
Alternative to the mindrunners are the Alchemists, trying experiments to create new powers, testing captured mindrunners, breaking glass vials to release noxious fume grenades, shooting thick gloopy liquid that slowly melts through almost anything but can leak and have dire consequences for the firer, or poisoned dart guns that can fire 10 times a second but jam really easily. Perhaps some psychic monsters and powerful users try to control Alchemists in particular.
Mostly though it’s no guns, just fantasy trope weapons, perhaps the odd sword-cane maybe.
On a really separate note the undead would need ear plugs too, ENT’s connected.
I should say those mixed-race mean fantasy mixed-race not human, half-goblins etc.
Damn, Steve! That is very much the feel of the City. I love the idea of “lone beat cops” – I’m gonna steal that one. The idea of “magic net runs” is something I have pencilled in, too, though in my mind they are kind of like “out of body” experiences where the spirit runs the “shadow city”. The plugged-up undead indeed have *every* gap stoppered with pungent fungi and wax!
Thanks for the feedback – It’s great!