9 Rings Background Story 5

Thousands of years later a czar of mankind’s highest kingdom demanded some proof of the history his people had worshiped for so many years. A foolish apprentice in the ways of elder magic, mad with rage at the czar's insolence, sought to bring forth a single demon to teach the foolish king a lesson. But the spell went horribly wrong and with it the nine pieces of Amatavalu was given access to our world again. The dimensions he was banished to had been growing for ages and they were feeding off of Amatavalu’s ever-growing hatred of mankind and off the souls of the corrupted dead.

The lands began to fall quickly, but the Council of the Magi, the greatest mages in all the land, gathered for a secret meeting, devising a plan to save the world. Their plan and the only hope for mankind came in the form of demonic power among mortals. Using an ancient ritual, they merged the blood of demons with mortal men, selecting the strongest of warriors and mages. For only one with the blood of a demon could hope to enter any of the nine dimensions of Amatavalu without going completely insane.

From this ritual, new races of half-human, half-demon were born. Given the ability to use all the skill, innovation, and brilliance of man, combined with the insane power and destructive force of a demon, it is only them whose soul possesses the power to survive in the abyssal dimensions, traverse the Nine Rings and become a power great enough to stop The Dark One, Amatavalu. As one of these half-human, half-demon creatures, it is up to you to once again restore the future of all life in the land, or rise to become a power even more terrible than Amatavalu himself and take the land for your own. The choice is yours…

BASIC GAME PLAY OPTIONS

The game can be played in two different forms – one where the Realm Master is completely describing all that is happening to you while allowing you to make choices and actions, or where the RM sets the stage with a verbal description, but there is also a physical board on which the players move and interact with both enemies and the environment. A board is one of the easiest ways to keep track of combat.

STORY MODE

The rules for adventuring are that the world is as the RM says it is. You can attempt to do what you wish in the world or use certain skills to accomplish things, but the RM decides whether or not those skills may be used for the task you're attempting and how the world responds to your choices. Characters must try to use their skills and abilities to achieve their desired outcome, while the RM's job is to make this a fun and interesting challenge.

Example:

RM – You arrive in Stone Crest Tavern. The two inn keepers immediately recognize that you are not altogether human and shoot you a dirty look across the room. The tavern is of modest means. Cloth‐covered tables and dimly lit candles fill your sight and the smell of rum stings your nostrils. Aside from the two barkeeps, an old woman nurses a lone drink in the far corner and a stout man sits sobbing heavily at the bar. What will you do?

Player 1 – I go over to the man at the bar and ask him what's wrong.

RM – Give me a Diplomacy Skill check.

‐ Player 1 rolls a 25. Skill level was a 56. Check Failed.

RM – The man shoves you away angrily. "I don't need your pity," he bellows. The barkeep to the right of the bar beckons you over. How do you respond?

And so on and so forth. This is how the RM narrates, unraveling the story to the players. For combat, the RM says where enemies are in relation to you and tells you how far you can move and the results of your actions. Rather than it having a physical representation, everything is described.

PLAYING ON A BOARD

The other form of play is more concrete – it involves playing on an actual board. Players are set up on a board (or set of boards) that has obstacles on it to represent the full length of the environment present to the players. They move on the board during their turns and the environment responds on the RM's turn. The RM still describes to you what's going on, but in addition to the description, there are physical representations on the board to show what is occurring in your particular demonic adventure.