Cindergrove (New Group!)

dray

Updates
Hi all! Cindergrove has a new group that you can join here! It opens May 1st, and we'll be kicking off some initial quests, a monthly objective, and some meet & greet RP. If you have a fantasy-themed character who's looking for a home they can help build from the ground up, they are welcome to join us!

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Welcome to the Cindergrove, the ruins of an ancient town that was once burned to the ground by a dragon. Though most of the rest of the town was wiped out, the Cindergrove Taphouse remains. Built on the crossroads of a trade route and a river, Cindergrove Taphouse is a two-story stone-and-wood affair with rooms for a few travelers, a small stables, and a few market-stalls in which merchants on their way to larger cities take pause and try to sell a few of their wares.

Steward Azerius is a Speckle Park Minotaur, keeper of the taphouse, and the would-be mayor of a town he wants to rebuild. Cindergrove was once a great town and a draw for magical and natural studies. To that end, he is looking for adventurers and those looking to trade their loot-plundering and danger-clearing skills in exchange for room, board, and help deciding how Cindergrove should grow.

((Cindergrove is a mixture of a D&D adventure and a town-builder, a little like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley. You as adventurers may hang out in the taphouse and chat among one another, or accept a quest from Azerius' quest board. All quests have a 50% finder's fee (that is to say, Azerius wants to build koffers to help rebuild the town) and the rest are distributed to player characters or NPC's who joined the quest.))

How to play:
You do not have to have a D&D character sheet, just a fantasy-themed character. Some RP takes place in the taphouse, some will take place in simplified quests (eg: you can decide how your character overcomes a challenge, and whether you want character growth with failures or assisting others, and/or quest accomplishment with successes.)

Interested? Please feel free to chat below in the OOC tab or PM me.

Looking forward to rebuilding Cindergrove with you!

dray Topic Starter

Updates
20-04-23: I think we're ready to start testing the alpha version of this game! Please feel free to sign up; the game will officially open after Epic Week 2020 concludes!
~~Chugging along on notice boards and other graphics that will support game play.~~
20-04-19: We're still building, please check back soon!
Upcoming Events
20-??-??: Merchant changeover
20-??-??: Next activity sweep

The Quest Board
Quest Board Week 1
Name: Like, Share & Subscribe
Average Party Level: Any (social/diplomatic quest)
Number of Players Required to Start: 1 (quest is open to multiple players until completion of max # of workers is got. Multiple folks can work together, but you'll mostly be playing off of NPC's.)
Quest Description: See the minotaur Azerius inside the Cindergrove Taphouse for more details. Short version: he is looking for field hands to clear some of the overgrown fields near the taphouse and begin building farm houses for workers. He can host up to 5 unskilled workers (field clearers) and 2 skilled workers (masons and/or farmers preferred.) Can you find these NPC's and convince them to start a new life at Cindergrove?
Question Completion: Round up to 10 new workers to join Azerius in rebuilding Cindergrove's farms. (Minimum 1)
Quest Reward: 1sp per unskilled worker and 1gp per skilled worker, along with a bonus upon quest completion.

Name: R.O.U.S
Average Party Level: Level 1 bebes
Number of Players Required to Start: 2
Quest Description: See the minotaur Azerius inside the Cindergrove Taphouse for more details.
Short version: This is a classic RPG first quest. Meet another adventurer while slaying rats, work out a way to ensure that they can't get back into the larder.
Question Completion: Find and slay all the rats in the larder and figure out how they keep getting in.
Quest Reward: 10gp to be split among the party.

Name: Snicker Snacks
Average Party Level: Any
Number of Players Required to Start: 1
Quest Description: See a Kenku named Rat Trap in the merchant stalls for trade.
Short version: Rat Trap is looking for items and is willing to trade money or useful adventuring gear for them. Learn how to use the merchant stalls and offload any unwanted loot earned in the game. Meet an adorable birb man who loves garbage and garbage people.
Question Completion: When a trade is complete. (Lasts for 1 week before Rat Trap moves on.)
Quest Reward: None but what you can haggle.

Name: Merchant Accompaniment
Average Party Level: 1-4
Number of Players Required to Start: 4
Quest Description: See a Duergar named Thradal at the merchant stalls.
Short version: Thradal is stopping by some trade partners in the foothills 2 days journey from Cindergrove, but goblins block his route. Protect Cindergrove's wagon on the way to his trade partners and back again over the course of 5 days journey.
Question Completion: When party returns to Cindergrove with Thradal and his goods intact. (Or, possibly a less than ideal ending. The choice is up to you!)
Quest Reward: 20 gold to divvy among the party.

-A board image using a notice board creator.

Claiming a Quest
Post to the OOC side of the thread with your character's name and what quest you'd like to take. Once the required number of folks have added their name to the list, you're off! RP to find out how the quest resolves, and come back for rewards (or consequences, if things go terribly awry.)

Generally, the owner of the quest will offer a money, item, or service reward.

Quests are separated into different tiers based on difficulty, risk, and reward. If you joined the game at level 1-4, that makes your character a Tier 1. Tier 2 is 5-9. Tier 3 is 10-17, and Tier 4 is 18-20. Levels can be gained as a reward for completing quests, just like in D&D.

dray Topic Starter

(Reserved part 2)

Rules

OOC Rules:

Be kind and patient.
Keep lines of communication open.
If you (as a player) have a beef, please take it up via a PM to Dray, or if not Dray, please reach out to the moderators of RPR. Please do not mini-mod. If your character has a beef with another character, try following that narrative thread to see where it goes. You may wish to check in with the other player before anything turns violent to be sure they're okay with a PvP fight.
If you have any questions, please use the OOC tab of the thread to pose them, or PM Dray. Please do not intermix OOC and IC chatter in the thread expect for one sentence or less notices.
Interested in running quests? Please PM Dray. As the game grows I would love to have back-up!

RP Format

Please respect one anothers play styles. We aim to play in 3rd person past tense, though during combat we may slip to present tense to keep the urgency of the moment going!
This thread is available for larger scale RP's, like meeting and chatting in the tavern, forming parties, wandering around Cindergrove, etc.
Private RP's are available for quests, moderated by the person who set up the quest and joined by characters who want to fulfill the quest. Quest-specific rules will be reiterated at the top of that private RP chain of messages and will be complete whenever the quest is fulfilled. Characters can transition back to this main public chat whenever they wish.
Any romantic or extremely violent (gory, maim-y) threads must be taken to private messages.
Combat is purely cosmetic, and for your badass character's pleasure. I trust you to make the best narrative choice, but please do not take this responsibility lightly. Help one another, take a hit once in a while, ask difficult questions, and look for the best possible story. That's what makes this game fun for everyone!

Monthly Activity Checks

Monthly check-ins will occur at the start of each month.
You must pass a basic post-count to remain in the game. (We'll start with 5 IC posts per month, accumulated from the main RP or from 1x1 threads.)
If you fail to post for a month, you will be removed from active participation. (You can re-apply, but you may not jump in without re-application.)
If you are removed from active participation you will not lose any gear or XP so long as you kept track of it, unless you would like to for story purposes. (we're more about the social/RP than the stats grinding in this game!)
Have you read these? If so, please remember to add the term specklemoo to your form.
When you check in, you'll be asked to give a count of your posts from the start to the end of the month previous. These include private threads or posts in this public area. You only need to account for 5 for a basic pass, however more activity is awarded in the form of XP, which will allow you to take harder quests.

Character Updates and Tracking

You are responsible for updating your character sheet with new XP, coins, and items.
Even if you do not want to RP item purchases, please leave an OOC note in this thread of what item you purchases from which merchant; this will be updated in the weekly merchant logs as there are limited quantities of things!
You have the capacity to buy, sell, and trade items to one another or to merchant NPC's. Please keep track of sales with other players and update your character's belongings.

Exploration & City Building

You have the capacity to explore the surroundings of Cindergrove without taking up quests! Because of the mod-intensive quality of this game, there will be a monthly reward of exploration for active participation. Keep an eye out on more of that, later.
You have the capacity to help Azureus decide how Cindergrove will grow! A monthly poll will be available for active participants on what to build next. Note that these buildings will cost gold and take time to build, and days will be measured IRL, so the town will grow slooooowly. If your character has suggestions not on the list, they may need to undertake special quests to gain the resources necessary to build.
As the game grows, NPC's will begin to populate the town. You have the ability to take on an NPC, help them grow, and eventually level them up into playable characters. More on that as the game rolls out.

Misc. Rules

Trigger warning for death and danger: Because this is a questing/adventuring game, your character may suffer damage or even die. They are of course not dead outside of the game if you want to RP them elsewhere, but they are considered 'dead' in game until you are able (with another character, maybe the help of friends?) to resurrect them using a service or another player character's powers. This is costly, and can only be done once every three months IRL. Be careful out there! Please be aware that violence and depictions of injuries are likely.
Future rules may be added or amended based on adjustments needed for the game.

Application Process

Fill in the following form and PM Dray with the subject "Cindergrove Application: <Your character's name here>"

Character Name:
Character Link (to RPR page):
Character Strengths:
Character Weaknesses:
Character's Profession: (What kind of skills do they possess that they use day-to-day?)
Character's Inventory: (What items do they keep on their person while traveling?)
If you have read the rules, place the codeword here: (This is an open RP but I'd like to ensure everyone has read the rules and abides by them.)
One Interesting Fact: (What's something that other characters will notice very quickly when they spot yours for the first time?)

Application Intake
OPEN
(Character applications are open, however the actual game will open starting on May 1st!)
(There is a current character cap of 20, and the cap can be raised when the town has grown to accommodate visitors and new adventurers.)

List of Active Characters

None yet. Will you be the first?

(List of NPC's here?)

dray Topic Starter

Cindergrove
Cindergrove Taphouse
NPC's:
-Azerius: Male minotaur tavern keeper
-Tansy Bottlebrush: Female halfling cook
-Jasna Toril: Female elven waitress
Structure: Tavern

Coffer and Earnings:

Coffer: 100gp
From Lodgings: 30gp x 1d10 every 30 days earnings
From Caravansary: 20 gp x 2d10 every 30 days.
2 skilled hirelings @ 2gp per day = 60gp in expenditures
1 unskilled hireling @ 1sp per day = 0.3gp in expenditures
Total Earnings: (Not set up yet)
Total Expenditures: (Not set up yet)

Available Rooms:

Lodgings: At the end of a long day, a hot meal, warm bed, and cozy fire are often just enough to keep most people happy.
- There is space for up to 20 characters to stay here within 5 private rooms.
- Adds earnings of 30 gp x 1d10 every 30 days
Dining Hall: A large room complete with long tables, chairs, and adjacent kitchen, lit by ornate candelabras and chandeliers. The smell of well-cooked meals long passed lingers on in this place, welcoming guests and residents with the promise of a full, satisfied belly.
- Every 7 days, a banquet may be held in this room. The owner of this structure rolls 1d4 (or 1d8 if the banquet includes a meal prepared by an individual with proficiency in cook’s utensils), and divides out the result as points of inspiration to those present. Only one point of inspiration may be given to any one individual.
- If the meal would have special, beneficial properties (as with the goodberry spell or similar), those properties apply to all individuals present that consume the meal.
Caravansary: A small roadside house for travellers, filled with the smells of cooked food and pack animals. Outside,visiting merchants bark their wares, enticing locals with colorful goods from distant lands.
- Roll four times on the Merchants table in the Traders and Merchants section. These merchants are present at this location for 7 days, after which they depart and four new randomly-rolled merchants arrive, continuing this pattern every 7 days.
- generates an income of 20 gp x 2d10 every 30 days.

Cindergrove River
This wide river has a fording point very near to the taphouse. The ruins of old docks for water travel remain where they burned just below the current's surface.

(This area can be built upon or upgraded!)

Cindergrove Fields
The charred remains of the occasional farm house can still be found in this area west of the river and the taphouse, but most of the fields have been reclaimed by weeds and encroaching forest. Perhaps with some elbow grease and community spirit, Cindergrove could become self-sufficient?

(This area can be built upon or upgraded!)

Cindergrove Road
This dirt road trails off to the west to the forests and foothills far beyond Cindergrove. To the east, it can be forded at the Cindergrove River, and briefly passes through the ruins of the old town before returning to forest. Still, enough foot traffic is seen here that the road does not grow over. Maybe a toll would help generate some revenue? But watch out, too hefty a toll and fewer people will want to take this route...

(This area can be built upon or upgraded!)

Cindergrove Ruins
A cleared area east of the river is overgrown with moss, weeds and saplings. Still, with a lot of work and TLC, the solid cornerstones of the buildings here could be built upon again. It might be possible to revive Cindergrove, if everything Azureus says is true...

(This area can be built upon or upgraded!)

Town Map

Town Map Link Here
Credit to Hextml Free Hexmapper
1 hex = 200 ft.

Merchant Stalls
Roll four times on the Merchants table in the Traders and Merchants section. These merchants are present at this location for 7 days, after which they depart and four new randomly-rolled merchants arrive, continuing this pattern every 7 days.
From X-Y Dates
Merchant: ???
(This is a male duergar wearing heavy robes; he can barely be seen but for the slits in his wooden mask and the heavily calloused dark hands that emerge from his layers of rough clothes.)
Wares: Mechanical Contraptions (Relatively poor quality)

Merchant: ???
(This appears to be an elf with dark skin, but a freckling of black scales mark his cheeks and ears, and you could swear you see nubs of horns poking from beyond his nearly matte black hair.)
Wares: Animals (Mounts and Pets) (Good quality)

Merchant: ???
(This monstrously large goliath woman is dressed in full plate armour. She wears an intricately carved tusk like that from an elephant over her shoulder and across the opposite hip. She has an easy smile and laugh, but looks a little menacing even so.)
Wares: Religious Idols and Blessings (Excellent quality)

Merchant: ???
Wares: Knicknacks (Medium Quality)

Merchant Information

New merchants show up once per week (about 4 sets per month)
The available information about the merchants grows as players find out more about them, but their lists are available when they set up shop.
Please fill out the form below and adjust your character sheet accordingly; I'll update the merchant info based on what was bought or sold.
Gear that is sold makes 1/2 the cost back that it can be purchased for to the appropriate merchant. One of a kind items that your character had before arriving are generally for haggle but will sell for roughly the half the price their equivalent in the D&D 5e Players Handbook offers.
Items can be traded instead of using GP, but you will need to do some RP with the merchant (and this counts towards your month's activity!)
How merchants are accessed may change as the game evolves, please have patience if a mod needs to be contacted for NPC RP.

Merchant Buy/Sell Form
(Post this in the OOC side of this thread, then update your character inventory as needed. If there is only 1 item left and 2 people attempt to make a purchase, the first person who posted gets first dibs.)

Item Bought: (Name the item as it appears in the wares image)
Merchant Purchased From: (Name the Wares, like "Animals (Pets and Mounts)" or the merchants name, if you know it.)
Money spent: (Note the amount your character paid and subtract it from their inventory. Note: 1gp = 10sp = 100cp.)

Item Sold: (Name of the item as it appears in your inventory--this must be an item earned through the game, or haggled for ICly before sale is official.)
Merchant Sold To: (Name the Wares, and/or the merchant name if you know it.)

The World Beyond

Credit to Hextml Free Hexmapper
1 hex = 5 miles
New hexes will be offered to explore as a reward for active participation, with introductory flavour text, the chance at finding gold, items, or earning XP, and discovering what sort of Quests can be had in the new area. (These will build on existing quests.)

dray Topic Starter

(Reserved part 4 -- that's probably enough; feel free to chat below this.)

Juls

((Do we need to know anything about Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley to participate, dray? I'm unfamiliar with both, but this sounds fun!))

dray Topic Starter

((absolutely not! It's more the idea of cultivating a community as a side benefit of cooperation and completing quests.

If anything I'm still figuring out the balance of how freeform to make this.

Basically, if you have a character who could fit into a fantasy setting who would be interested in helping the tavern owner, we'll try to make it work.))

Juls

((Great! I have several that fit the D&D vibe, so I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this!))

dray Topic Starter

((Love it! I got your app and will add any details to your character on May 1st. Thank you--I'm looking forward to getting started!))

dray Topic Starter

Hi all, I've moved this thread over to a group called Cindergrove--it's a lot more organized for group play this way. Please take a look and join us. Fantasy themed characters looking to build a home for themselves are more than welcome.

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