Good ideas. I want to maintain a sense that the areas outside of the safe area of the city are...uh...unsafe. These are places that the energy storms occasionally boil up and tear the shit out of everything. Plus, if I use a taint rule, these areas are tainted to one degree or another. I especially want to keep the civilized area squished into one place, so food grown or buildings built in these tainted areas become tainted and spread it to people. Given this, I think PC's should have some method for detecting how tainted a place is, a sort of geiger counter effect. Any suggestions?

Quote from: Berger KingGiven this, I think PC's should have some method for detecting how tainted a place is, a sort of geiger counter effect. Any suggestions?

There could be a specialed detect magic variant.

How about a variant of the canary in a coalmine?  A small animal of a species that is very susceptible to taint.  Keep a few in small cages where you can see them.  If the canary starts chanting a summoning spell or sprouts fins, you're in a hot zone.

Quote from: Berger KingGiven this, I think PC's should have some method for detecting how tainted a place is, a sort of geiger counter effect. Any suggestions?

Weird tech. Something really grungy looking. Preferbly which needs to be powered by crytals or something - which is always in short supply. It should look like a device straight out of a Tim Burton movie

Regards,
David R

Perhaps Chaos is the natural state of the world. The world could be a random bubble in the Plane of Chaos, and be warded by ancient beings of order to keep the Chaos at bay. But eventually, slowly, in spurts and fits, it has to revert to its natural state. Such is entropy, such is life.

Of course, the world could be saved if it could be transported entire to a new plane...

Quote from: Berger KingGood ideas. I want to maintain a sense that the areas outside of the safe area of the city are...uh...unsafe. These are places that the energy storms occasionally boil up and tear the shit out of everything. Plus, if I use a taint rule, these areas are tainted to one degree or another. I especially want to keep the civilized area squished into one place, so food grown or buildings built in these tainted areas become tainted and spread it to people. Given this, I think PC's should have some method for detecting how tainted a place is, a sort of geiger counter effect. Any suggestions?

Detect Taint 0/1 level spell
Gives a Taint rating of an area from 1 to 20 or some such.

Its a fantasy world.  If taint exists, people are going to try and use magic to detect/interact/fix/stop/encourage/defend against it.

Quote from: CyberzombieSo is there anything specifically you'd like ideas on?  Anything you don't want?  You've already said no sci-fi; is there anything else you don't like the idea of?

Getting back to this. I don't want alignments, which is one reason I'm considering the Arcana Evolved rules. I also like the how the religion in Perdido Street Station was kinda low key, and I think the AE classes might model that a little better than standard D&D.

I'd like to keep it lower level magic. I'd especially like to keep the government types as a challenge that can't be faced in straight up fighting. I don't want the PCs challenging the governor and fireballing the city guards, especially because there is only one city. Actually, the tone/level in Perdido Street Station was pretty good on the magic side (disregarding the technology type stuff), too, though I'd like it a lot more mystical and less academic/scientific.

I think the tone I'd like to achieve would lean towards a post-apocalypse movie like Mad Max or The Postman.

Quote from: Berger KingI'd like to keep it lower level magic. I'd especially like to keep the government types as a challenge that can't be faced in straight up fighting. I don't want the PCs challenging the governor and fireballing the city guards, especially because there is only one city. Actually, the tone/level in Perdido Street Station was pretty good on the magic side (disregarding the technology type stuff), too, though I'd like it a lot more mystical and less academic/scientific.

Perhaps you could restrict the kind of spells available in the game. Play up the more exotic classes like the monk, druid etc. You could make the really destructive magic more elemental in nature more in tune with the "enviromental" aspect of your setting.

The city could be riddled with cults all peddling their own brand of salvation and low level divine magic.

Magic use is strictly prohibited and the governor of the city ruthlessly (is there any other way ?) hunts down individuals who use magic or maybe just the ones he thinks are a threat to the city.

QuoteI think the tone I'd like to achieve would lean towards a post-apocalypse movie like Mad Max or The Postman.

Perhaps resources are limited and the City could be like Bartertown in Mad Max beyond Thunderdome. You can get everything in the city for a price. This includes more powerful spells, better weapons, gear for surviving in the "Outside" etc.

Regards,
David R