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Author Topic: The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread  (Read 33845 times)

RPGPundit

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« on: March 07, 2014, 10:05:03 PM »
It had been about a year since I did the old one, so I figured it might be time to do a new one.  It will be hanging out here in the main forum for a while, and may eventually be moved and stickied at the Pundit's forum.

So, if you have any question at all to ask me about Arrows of Indra, please go ahead; those questions and answers might also get reprinted on my blog!

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JeremyR

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2014, 11:48:32 PM »
Are there any further products in the line planned? Adventures, etc?

Any plans to use a similar set of rules for a different setting? There's no shortage of other mythologies that haven't been covered.

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2014, 10:04:43 PM »
Quote from: JeremyR;735334
Are there any further products in the line planned? Adventures, etc?


A: At the present time there isn't any material being actively worked on, however there is a very good possibility that sometime down the line there will be a setting book that will detail at least one region (probably the Bahlika Kingdoms) in more detail.

Furthermore, as the game is "open" there's always the opportunity for someone other than myself to produce adventures or source material for it, if they wanted to.

Quote

Any plans to use a similar set of rules for a different setting? There's no shortage of other mythologies that haven't been covered.


A: These rules were, on the whole, created for this specific setting.  If I did some other pseudo-historical setting (say, fantasy epic china, or aztecs, or something like that), I might use the some similar rules in terms of the very basic core mechanics, but I would not (for example) use the same magic system, monsters, magic items, races, etc. because so much of this additional material is directly driven from the Indian mythological concept.

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Chivalric

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2014, 10:59:36 PM »
Quote from: RPGPundit;735572
Furthermore, as the game is "open" there's always the opportunity for someone other than myself to produce adventures or source material for it, if they wanted to.


What method of going open did you pick for the game?  How much of the rules stuff is open?  How much of the setting?  What parts are not able to be used by another author without getting your permission first?

JeremyR

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2014, 01:18:36 AM »
The rules are all open, the setting isn't.

When I meant the rules, I didn't so much mean the India specific stuff, but the basic stuff, like the skill system, which is really one of the better ones I've seen in an OSR style game.

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2014, 08:00:46 PM »
Quote from: NathanIW;735575
What method of going open did you pick for the game?  How much of the rules stuff is open?  How much of the setting?  What parts are not able to be used by another author without getting your permission first?


A: I think for the specific of this answer you'd need to ask Bedrock Games (Bedrock Brendan on here).  As I understand it, all the rules are open; what you can't do is just cut-and-paste the setting material into your book, nor can you use the art or the maps. Aside from that, anything goes.
Note that its not quite right to say the setting "isn't open"; because of course most of the setting is just directly taken from the Epic Indian milieu itself.  For me to say that you can't use that would be like if Greg Stafford claimed you couldn't use Camelot or Silchester or the Welsh in an RPG because those are in Pendragon.
So really, as long as you aren't doing a cut-and-paste of the specific way I wrote up the setting stuff, and as long as you don't use the maps or art, you can do anything else with it.
And I'm sure that if you talk about it with Bedrock games, they'd be glad to consider endorsing it; and if you talk about it with me, and I found it interesting enough, I'd be glad to endorse it too and maybe help out a bit with it.  I'd be tickled pink if old-schoolers wanted to write adventures or sourcebook material for Arrows of Indra.

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2014, 08:02:12 PM »
Quote from: JeremyR;735584
The rules are all open, the setting isn't.

When I meant the rules, I didn't so much mean the India specific stuff, but the basic stuff, like the skill system, which is really one of the better ones I've seen in an OSR style game.


Thanks!

The skill system is definitely something I'd use (again, not the exact same tables, but the same structure) if I were ever to do another OSR rulebook; and that I'd be glad to see other people doing too.  I think its one of the most innovative parts of the game.

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LION & DRAGON: Medieval-Authentic OSR Roleplaying is available now! You only THINK you've played 'medieval fantasy' until you play L&D.


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Dark Albion: The Rose War! The OSR fantasy setting of the history that inspired Shakespeare and Martin alike.
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Also, now with the CULTS OF CHAOS cult-generation sourcebook

ARROWS OF INDRA
Arrows of Indra: The Old-School Epic Indian RPG!
NOW AVAILABLE: AoI in print form

LORDS OF OLYMPUS
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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2014, 11:17:02 PM »
I've posted the questions and answers for the first few comments above in my Saturday blog entry.  I'll be posting these on my blog as I go along.

If there are more questions, go right ahead!
LION & DRAGON: Medieval-Authentic OSR Roleplaying is available now! You only THINK you've played 'medieval fantasy' until you play L&D.


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Dark Albion: The Rose War! The OSR fantasy setting of the history that inspired Shakespeare and Martin alike.
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Also, now with the CULTS OF CHAOS cult-generation sourcebook

ARROWS OF INDRA
Arrows of Indra: The Old-School Epic Indian RPG!
NOW AVAILABLE: AoI in print form

LORDS OF OLYMPUS
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Bedrockbrendan

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2014, 07:22:11 AM »
Quote from: RPGPundit;735969
As I understand it, all the rules are open; what you can't do is just cut-and-paste the setting material into your book, nor can you use the art or the maps. Aside from that, anything goes.
Note that its not quite right to say the setting "isn't open"; because of course most of the setting is just directly taken from the Epic Indian milieu itself.  For me to say that you can't use that would be like if Greg Stafford claimed you couldn't use Camelot or Silchester or the Welsh in an RPG because those are in Pendragon.
So really, as long as you aren't doing a cut-and-paste of the specific way I wrote up the setting stuff, and as long as you don't use the maps or art, you can do anything else with it.
And I'm sure that if you talk about it with Bedrock games, they'd be glad to consider endorsing it; and if you talk about it with me, and I found it interesting enough, I'd be glad to endorse it too and maybe help out a bit with it.


This is all correct. And if anyone wishes to do this, but still has questions, they can email me at BedrockBrendan@gmail.com

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2014, 03:24:49 AM »
Great!  Meanwhile, as seen in another thread, I just did an entry about running AoI in an earlier period of Indian Myth.
LION & DRAGON: Medieval-Authentic OSR Roleplaying is available now! You only THINK you've played 'medieval fantasy' until you play L&D.


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The most famous uruguayan gaming blog on the planet!

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Dark Albion: The Rose War! The OSR fantasy setting of the history that inspired Shakespeare and Martin alike.
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ARROWS OF INDRA
Arrows of Indra: The Old-School Epic Indian RPG!
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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #10 on: March 21, 2014, 06:53:58 PM »
Ok, so I'm moving this to the Pundit's forum now; as always, if someone wants to ask a question, they will get the best answer possible here.
LION & DRAGON: Medieval-Authentic OSR Roleplaying is available now! You only THINK you've played 'medieval fantasy' until you play L&D.


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The most famous uruguayan gaming blog on the planet!

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Dark Albion: The Rose War! The OSR fantasy setting of the history that inspired Shakespeare and Martin alike.
Also available in Variant Cover form!
Also, now with the CULTS OF CHAOS cult-generation sourcebook

ARROWS OF INDRA
Arrows of Indra: The Old-School Epic Indian RPG!
NOW AVAILABLE: AoI in print form

LORDS OF OLYMPUS
The new Diceless RPG of multiversal power, adventure and intrigue, now available.

Molotov

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Skill Checks
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2014, 12:00:18 AM »
I'm reading through my brand-spanking-new copy of Arrows of Indra, and a question pops up for me going through the Skills section (p 33 - p 43).

The text under Explanation of skills reads: "All regular skills (including special skills or actions based on bonuses granted by class or race) are checked by rolling a d20 ... "

I get this applies to background skills, but I'm not clear on what regular skills are (I don't see the term elsewhere). More specifically, do class skills follow this skill check rule (or perhaps some of them; some don't seem to reasonably call for rolls).

Likewise, are Enlightenment Powers subject to skill checks? I'd think not, given both what they represent and the fact that they aren't skills (or at all regular), per se.

Apologies if I'm being obtuse, or if I missed a prior explanation.

... as I continue to read, the The Task Resolution notes on p 64 seem to indicate yes, re: class skills. I'd still appreciate any clarifications. I feel particularly daft.

Thanks!
« Last Edit: March 26, 2014, 12:46:22 AM by Molotov »

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2014, 05:08:33 PM »
Quote from: Molotov;738898
I'm reading through my brand-spanking-new copy of Arrows of Indra, and a question pops up for me going through the Skills section (p 33 - p 43).

The text under Explanation of skills reads: "All regular skills (including special skills or actions based on bonuses granted by class or race) are checked by rolling a d20 ... "

I get this applies to background skills, but I'm not clear on what regular skills are (I don't see the term elsewhere). More specifically, do class skills follow this skill check rule (or perhaps some of them; some don't seem to reasonably call for rolls).

Likewise, are Enlightenment Powers subject to skill checks? I'd think not, given both what they represent and the fact that they aren't skills (or at all regular), per se.

Apologies if I'm being obtuse, or if I missed a prior explanation.

... as I continue to read, the The Task Resolution notes on p 64 seem to indicate yes, re: class skills. I'd still appreciate any clarifications. I feel particularly daft.

Thanks!

A: First, thanks for your enjoyment of Arrows of Indra, and for sharing that here!

Second, Skill checks are done with any skill that actually requires a roll. "Regular" as a word in the description you mentioned was perhaps a mistake.  It might have been better to just say "many skills use rolls; those that do all use the same mechanic...", but I suppose its too late now; though that's what this Q&A is for, in part!

Which ones require rolling?  Any skill that has a relevant skill presented in parentheses somewhere in its entry.  So in the background skills you see things like "Farming(CON)", Accountant(INT), Herbalist-doctor (INT), Merchant (CHA), Religious Dancer (CHA), or even something like "Spy (usually CHA)".  Any of those can require rolling.  

Note that this doesn't mean they MUST always be rolled. As the rules note, a big part of having even a +1 in an skill means that you don't necessarily have to roll.  For very basic things related to the skill, the GM can just rule your character knows it, or how to do it.  Even for simple tasks, you can now "take 10", rather than actually rolling.

You'll note that among background skills listed in the main book, only "Translator" would never be rolled.  However, with class skills its quite different: only a few class skills are actually rolled.  For example; the priest's "Theology (INT)" and "Demonology (INT)"; fighters' "Charioteering (DEX)" and "horsemanship (DEX)"; the siddhi's "Astrology (INT)"; or the thief's "Poison Knowledge (INT)", "Urban Survival (WIS)", "Appraisal (INT)", "Sense Motivation (WIS)", "Disguise (CHA)", and "Object Lore (INT)".

All the other class skills, things like the priest Arcana; fighter's Proficiencies, combat Maneuvers, or Command; siddhi's Asanas, Mantras, an d Mudras; or the thief's Language/Literacy, Manipulation, kukri, katar or sling Training; all of these are NOT rolled. No standard checks are performed; they all do what they do.  Some of the descriptions of these skills clearly provide bonuses to other types of rolls (attacks, reaction checks, etc), others require other types of roll (saving throws on the part of the victims of a Mudra to avoid mind control, or disintegration or to believe an illusion, etc).  But there's no "D20+ attribute vs DC" check for the skill itself.

Likewise, Enlightenment powers require no checks.  

I hope that clears things up for you?
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Dark Albion: The Rose War! The OSR fantasy setting of the history that inspired Shakespeare and Martin alike.
Also available in Variant Cover form!
Also, now with the CULTS OF CHAOS cult-generation sourcebook

ARROWS OF INDRA
Arrows of Indra: The Old-School Epic Indian RPG!
NOW AVAILABLE: AoI in print form

LORDS OF OLYMPUS
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Molotov

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2014, 12:49:56 AM »
Yes, that explains it quite nicely. Thanks for taking the time (and words) to clarify.

And sure beats an SASE. ;)

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The New Arrows of Indra Q&A Thread
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2014, 04:42:47 AM »
Quote from: Molotov;739468
Yes, that explains it quite nicely. Thanks for taking the time (and words) to clarify.

And sure beats an SASE. ;)


Hah! Indeed it does!
LION & DRAGON: Medieval-Authentic OSR Roleplaying is available now! You only THINK you've played 'medieval fantasy' until you play L&D.


My Blog:  http://therpgpundit.blogspot.com/
The most famous uruguayan gaming blog on the planet!

NEW!
Check out my short OSR supplements series; The RPGPundit Presents!


Dark Albion: The Rose War! The OSR fantasy setting of the history that inspired Shakespeare and Martin alike.
Also available in Variant Cover form!
Also, now with the CULTS OF CHAOS cult-generation sourcebook

ARROWS OF INDRA
Arrows of Indra: The Old-School Epic Indian RPG!
NOW AVAILABLE: AoI in print form

LORDS OF OLYMPUS
The new Diceless RPG of multiversal power, adventure and intrigue, now available.