Bay 12 Games Forum

Welp. This is awkward.

Long story short: I'm tired. Ran out of inspiration. I've been GMing for YaK for nearly a year now, with a good three quarters of that as the main GM. I just can't find the motivation to invent new idiocies on every damn six I roll, and my quality of writing has been on a downward slope since the end of YaK 3. So, I resign from my position as a GM officially.

The YaK concept is free to be used by anybody. That's how it started. There isn't a monopoly on GMing. Got an idea? Go for it, and if it looks fun, I might join as a player. If you want to reuse any of the worlds I have previously built or any of the maps I have previously made, go ahead - but ask Iituem if you want to make one in Iitu, since I wasn't too involved in that one. If you want to keep using this thread and be the GM of the current YaK 4, introduce yourself here and see if the players will have you, and I will gladly cooperate in keeping the first posts up to date as you command.

The time I spent GMing for YaK 3 was awesome, and the vast majority of you guys are awesome. I don't regret any of the effort I involved into this, and I hope neither do you guys.

The channel #yak4 will stay up on IRC for all friends, old and new, to visit and discuss in. YaK wasn't the only game popular amongst the players here - HOTRS, Pantheon, Godhood are all frequently discussed (and many other games long gone were, too), and perhaps eventually we'll make a new game to rally the community.

In any case, this is the end of the chapter. It was a fun ride, but it's time for me to move on.

Can't we just ignore the last 2 people until they come back? Or replace them?

It's barely been a day since the last update... Some patience might be in order here...

"Hello, Atlas."[/i]

The Giant stares at you. He is massive - hundreds of times bigger than the dwarves... And he makes no sound. After a while, you start feeling an energy - peace, it seems, is the feeling it is carrying... But the Giant himself appears to be unable to communicate through conventional means - in fact, you are not quite sure he understood what you told him.

Still, peace... That probably means he has no problems with your presence, as long as you do not bother him - or the dwarves which appeared to have made a settlement around the place where he was sitting down.

-----------------

During these years, Thaenos wandered the plains of human lands with his son, and did little else.

((Sorry. There you go:))

[?] The lands around the Hankal fortress are seemingly empty. There are a few peasants here and there, and you see some trappers in the forests... But no troops. Collecting stories would be very dangerous - the peasantry would recognize you as outsiders at once - but then again the only alternatives are to get within sight of the fortress to see what's going on in there, or returning home. What do you wish to do?

((Sorry people, I am late once again))

Fight for control of the clan. Because among the Higlanders, there can be only one!

(Basic armor and +1 to axe fighting)

[5][3] The clan lord visibly shivers when you challenge him, to his shame. However, he steels himself and refuses to surrender right away. Instead, he equips himself with his own axe and simple armor, and he meets you in the yard.

[2+1 vs 3] At first, the two of you simply circle one another. Both attempt to engage, but swift parrying or dodging prevents the fight from starting right away.
[2+1 vs 1] You jump forth and strike at him, and this time he chooses to parry - a grave mistake. While he manages to stop the blow, he staggers from its force, and this allows you to strike him again below the shoulder, this time drawing blood.
[2][2+1 vs 1] He does not surrender despite the wound and his obvious fear. Instead, he returns into the fight with a swift assault, but he is overconfident; his wound holds him back, and all his strike does is open his defense to another attack - an occasion you do not miss, making him bleed at the knee this time.
[6][5+1 vs 1+1] The lord drops to his knee, apparently about to surrender, prompting you to lower your axe. However, instead of dropping his weapon, he attempts to strike you with it from below in a dishonorable move; but he is not quick enough, and you behead him.

The battle his over. The man's clan - your clan, now - watches, silent. In many cases they would be furious, but you proved to be a vastly superior warrior, bringing down a dishonorable foe without taking a hit - perhaps they will remain loyal, for now. What will you say to them?

Spoiler: Letter to the Magnars (click to show/hide)

Leader of the Magnars,
While we have not had the best relations in the past, I hope to bring a new era for my people and I believe the best way to do this would be to meet in a neutral location and discuss the issue of the Undars growing power face to face. Presuming you accept my proposal, I believe it would be best if we each bring four bodyguards at most to ensure things do not go, awry.

Have my spy in the Magnars land move on to the Undars land. Send the above message to the Magnars.

[1] No reply comes. The reasons could be varied - perhaps they refused to come, perhaps the messenger was intercepted, perhaps their stronghold is under siege and they cannot reply, perhaps one of the envoys slipped on a rock or tripped on a root and broke his neck... In any case, you do not know what they stand for.

Milenas stepped forward from his assembled army, whose weapons were not drawn. His voice steady, even though he knew that likely there were at least a few archers lying in wait, he called up to the clan lord of the Kaldrim.

"Your envoy vanished. I felt it was my duty to protect the next, by force of arms if necessary. I intended to bring a portion of my men-at-arms to both yours, and the Valdrim clan-holds, request another meeting, and protect the envoys sent.
I would never bring war against my kinsmen. But if foul play abounds...A show of force might be sufficient to save lives on both sides. Enough men that whoever stopped your envoy, will not think of troubling me."

[1] "Your words are honorable, and the intentions behind them may be, too - but these are dark times. The King is dead, there is war in the kingdom, and a raider fleet pillages our coast. None can be trusted. I will not negotiate with any man who has an army at my gates - send them away, all but your bodyguards, and then we may talk."

So that's how they want to do it? FINE! A KOELLATH TAKES NO BLEMISH ON HIS HONOUR!

Darros sent a message for his retainers to gather his men, it was time for the Koellath clan to go hunting.

Assemble all my troops, march them into the other clan's land, try to entice them to attack and be ambushed by attacking villages and farmland (tactics)

((That would be more logistics))
[2] The soldiers of the other are forewarned of your arrival when a hunter sees you marching into their land and warns a nearby regiment. You will not catch them by surprise. [6] Your tactic works well - too well, in fact. When you attack their villages and farmlands, they quickly realize that they cannot simply hide into their fort and wait to starve - and so, they send a party of raiders against your lands, who quickly get to work pillaging villages and farmlands!

Their hold is now lightly defended, but a storm remains risky - though still, if you'll ever have a chance to take it that way, it will be now. Meanwhile, however, raiders are running free in your own lands, murdering your bondsmen's families and setting their halls on fire...

Try and find more about the veterans' whereabouts and the campaign o98uy7n the riders by sending clansmen as representatives to the Capital.

For too long have we stood alone, if Deaththroe is to stand prominently before the soon to be sovereign, the Riverlands ought to be unified. Though tempted to claim the Riverlands directly, Graharg knows that a simultaneous conflict with two of his neighbours may well end in his own clan's ruins; to that end, Graharg lays claim to the western Riverlands alone and quickly moves with his horsemen to occupy the Beyads' territory and capture any hunters and/or warriors not currently in the fortress, hoping to force a quick surrender by force of arms. Simultaneously, to appease the Aryads, clansmen are sent to propose a marriage between the oldest of Graharg's sisters and their clan head, should he be currently unmarried, or, failing that, a close relative of his.

[3] No more additional information can be found on the veterans from your hold.

[6] Your force sweep, unseen and undiscovered, into the western riverlands. Any and all enemy troops out of the fortress are captured... Which is to say, none are. The clan lord is apparently holding some sort of tourney in his hold - while this means his lands are undefended, it also means he is heavily retrenched. They have not yet heard of your coming - though they will, eventually. What's your next move?

[1] The eastern riverlands, like a large part of the kingdom, do not practice marriage. As such, the lord refuses to engage himself to your sister, unless you want her to become a concubine - which he had the grace to assume was not your intention. [4] He does not say anything about your invasion of the western riverlands through his envoy, but the messenger implies that it does not bother him, as long as no troops invade his territory.

Raesarla travels with her personal guard to take the stronghold of the Aeldrin, Avoiding their warriors before getting there. Decoy fires are to be lit in order to keep their warband from finding our forces before we occupy their stronghold.

[5] Miraculously, you slip your forces unnoticed through the Aeldrin territory and you take their stronghold. [3] The clan lord is not there, but his sister is - perhaps you can use her as an hostage. For now, the hall is under your control - there were only a few servants there, and they won't escape your men - but some soldiers are bound to return eventually. What will you do then, or before that?

"Send a message to the spy ordering him to move on to the Undars."
"Take this to the Magnar stronghold."

((Actions must be at the bottom of the posts and should summarize what the action is, not reference to a previous mention in the post. While this may seem like an unimportant detail, it saves some of the GM's time, it leaves no room for interpretation, and it keeps the post short and to the point.))

He sizes up the man and tries to recall what he knows about his battle prowessin order to challenge him for clan power.

[3,?] As far as you can remember, the man has no particular skill in battle - or, in any case, he is not known for any particular skill in battle. Still, the last few decades were a time of peace, and there weren't much battles were prestige could be acquired - but it seems to be a good indication of a lack of any great talent, since he apparently never boasts of his skills.

[4] As for whether or not the clan would actually accept a foreigner as a leader if he beats his enemy in a duel... It is likely that they would, by pure chance. Your two clans have been close in the past, and as Highlanders you all have a similar way of being; however, despite the fact that they might accept you as their leader should you win, you would not make a lot of friends. It is likely that most of the man's bondsmen would desert rather than fight for a man they swore no oath to, and what they might do once they have deserted is unknown.

[5] The rules of a duel in this clan are as usual: to the death or until one of the two abandons, in which case it is up to the other to decide whether or not to give the fatal blow. There is no precision on weapons used - you would not risk being at a disadvantage if you choose to go forward with your plan.

Will you challenge this man for the rule of his clan? ((Note that if you go forward with this plan, you place your PC's life in the hands of the dice, if he looses and your enemy does not spare him : this is to avoid duels becoming the easier alternative to war. You have been warned.))

Scout only the clan that seems to be weaker, even if it provokes war

[2] You scout the clan which seems to have the weakest army - meaning that you pick one of the two at random and send scouts over there. Your men visit the Sandor territory, and... [1] They do not return. Instead, you receive a messenger who claims at your gates that his clan protests your violation of the established territories, and that if any more troops cross into their border, they would counter such an action with war. He leaves before you can interrogate, perhaps because he fears you will not show any more mercy towards him than his lord apparently had towards your scouts.

Now that your relations with one of your neighbors is ruined, you might as well go to war with them - they won't be your friends for a long time. You would be, however, walking into a relatively unknown territory with no idea of what is waiting for you at the end of the road. Leaving them in peace may look like a gesture of appreciation, and might convince your other neighbor that you did not intend to invade them, but then again not replying anything to an affront like that one may also make you look cowardly... What do you do?

Have the scouts sent to the neighbouring clans try and gather data on the clan's military strength.

Given the veteran's absence, search for someone who might be able to teach Graharg logistics instead.

[6,2] You send scouts in your neighbor's lands, this time attempting to evaluate their military strength. Those going east return with the news that they were unable to infiltrate Aryad lands, but the ones who visited the Beyads inform you that... [3] Their military force appears to be significantly smaller than yours, although they were unable to give you a precise report on the enemy forces' location or movement patterns.

[6,2] There was an outstanding logistician in your clan some time ago... He went with the veteran to visit the King. While this may seem like terrible luck, it makes sense in a way: the King fought many wars in his youth, and forged many friendships which lasted throughout the time of the peace with some of his commanding officers.

[3] One warrior of your clan claims that they were not, thankfully, with the King when the old man went hunting for the last time. Where they are now precisely, though, is still unknown: the King's Hold is a good bet, but then again they're warriors by nature; they might have joined some of the bands forming to stop the raids along the coast.

"Missing envoys. And the Valdrim ignore me. The fools,I would not spill our blood so freely."

Milenas paced back and forth in his map room. Before summoning up his runners.

Summon 3 regiments (1 plain, 2 heavy), March to the Kaldrim clan hold, request a meeting with the clan-chief.

You go forth with your troops, [3] effectively declaring war on Kaldrim unless the clan lord forgives your intrusion in his lands. [3] Upon arriving at the hold, the gates are not opened, but no arrows are fired towards your direction, which can generally be described as a good sign. The Lord of the place arrives upon the walls to address you and your host.

"In the days of the King, messages could be exchanged between lords without envoys disappearing or armies marching upon the lands of old friends - but now the king is dead, and it seems the days are changing. What brings you here, neighbor, with an army at your back despite our agreement to participate in your meeting?"

Scout the two tribes out again, trying to note any weaknessses in their positions.

[5,4] Both clans have fairly strong fortifications and defenses, but their troops are not mobilized inside them - instead, the soldiers mostly patrol the land to ward it against potential raiders or bandits. As such, one could easily assault them in a position that would favor the attacker and not the defender.

Scout the area surrounding Koelling (my castle) for information on the minor clans

[4,6] The clans of Sandor and Eldos are both very friendly towards you. They mostly share your culture, although Eldos has meddled with some of the other clans in its surroundings in the past.

Send men under the flag of the Sea-Guard to each neighboring minor clan-hold(Valdrim and Kaldrim). Request a meeting in a neutral location in a week, that we might discuss the threat of the raiders, and how best to deal with them.

[1,6] You're not quite certain what happened, but while one clan agreed to meet you on a neutral ground, the envoy never reached your land. Perhaps he got intercepted along the way?

Hand command of clan troops to Voric, to carry out their mission as per my orders. Head to Tharios hold with my hunted game and offer it ot the clan head as gift and request meeting.

[?] The clan leader of Tharios accepts to receive you in his halls for a diplomatic meeting, although he informs you that he is curious of your intentions.

Scout out the Lands of the Hankals, if they notice us retreat.

[?] You scout the lands of the Hankals, finding no troops to bar your passage. In fact, it seems like they have sent out no warriors out of their keep in a long time. At least, you manage to go unnoticed.

Go by land to the other side of the bay, keep to wooded areas and stay alert for any signs of these raiders.

[1,2] You do not see any signs of raids in the areas you go through for a long time. However, as you advance across the coastline, you start noticing things: burned down farms, keeps refusing to open their gates, villages with no one leaving the walls... There are clear signs of raids around you. No matter what, however, you never manage to trace down any of them - perhaps because you remained in the woodlands, or perhaps because you were outfoxed...

Send a spy to the Mangars' land.

You send a spy to the Magnar lands, where he does a good deal of nothing until you give him further orders.

Continue to insult and dishonor the forest clan, sending a messenger, out of bowshot, to do so, the messenger himself clad in a grey robe, and about sixteen.

The stronghold remains silent despite your defiance. [?] It seems nothing is happening at all inside - perhaps they're afraid of going out and facing you..?

Scout the warriors of both the minor neighboring clans.

[4] Your scouts manage to remain unnoticed in the woods as they spy upon the nearby strongholds. They come back with relatively accurate reports: it seems the minor clans both have troops mostly made of light infantry and archers, fit for forest fighting. Alarmingly, however, it is unlikely that your troops alone could take either of them on while they defend their fortresses. You'll have to think of something else if you desire war.

Rendezvous with the veteran, asking about his immediate availiability and proceedings.

Try and glimpse more of the culture and political situation of the Baryads and Aryads, as well as whether they had any more intimate ties with my own clan, searching for something that might allow for for Graghar to unify the three clans.

[1] The veteran is not in the stronghold currently. No one knows where he is, in fact - one man mentions that he was one of the King's friends, back when the old man lived still. Perhaps he's gone to the capital, to honor his ruler's death?
[3] Beyond marriages between commoners, there's not much link between you and the minor clans. They have a culture very similar to your, although they are generally less settled due to having more forests encroaching their territories. The political situation is uninteresting - nothing's apparently happening right now in the families of the clan leaders.