Frontier is a DungeonWorld open-ended 7-Day module, designed specifically
for people who want to play *faster*. Running weekly will mean that
anybody who signs up will need to be prompt about sending orders and
suchlike, but if you are up for the challenge its a great way to play!
The Setting
Frontier is a strange jungle land far to the South-East of Bereny, populated
by fearsome native tribes, savage jungle creatures, hideous new monsters
and dinosaurs! Although it has been travelled to before by a few intrepid
explorers, these have been a very few, very brief trips. It is mostly
unexplored... and extremely dangerous! There are many reasons to travel
to Frontier. Some go to find lost treasures so that they can return,
rich, to Bereny. Others go for adventure and exploration. Many choose
to move to a place where there are no laws and no rulers to tell them
how to live. Such a life comes with a price! No laws means no protection.
What is yours is yours only until somebody stronger than you takes it
away! Only the hard survive in Frontier!
Getting To Frontier
To reach Frontier, travellers must first cross over 1000 miles of terrible
wasteland, with temperatures ranging from freezing (when they first
leave) to blistering heat. Monsters, very little food and a long and
terrible journey make this impossible for most. Only a very few brave
adventurers, seeking to carve out a life in the 'New World', ever make
it. Those who join the game are assumed be some of the hardy few who
have successfully completed the journey and have arrived at the *only*
major settlement, a village called Bordertown.
Bordertown
Everybody who comes to Frontier arrives here first. (Usually half-starved
and barely-alive.) It is the only major settlement in Frontier and the
only place to receive regular supplies from Bereny. Some settle here.
Many move on to explore, get rich, build homes... or die!
The Great Guild Race
Presently there are no guilds in Frontier, although many of the major
guilds of Bereny are looking to expand there if and when some sort of
civilisation begins to form. Consequently, new arrivals can be made
guild members of any Berenial guild on the *first turn only*. Thereafter,
until such guilds have formally 'set-up' a branch in Frontier, they
cannot join guilds. If they choose this option they can be a member
of only *one* guild, no matter what the exclusivity of that guild normally
is. They are assumed to be a 'guild representative' looking into the
possibilities of the new land on the guilds behalf. This is an important
position because guilds will not be allowed to 'set-up a branch' in
Frontier until an area of the land has been significantly tamed and
settled, and until they have a reasonable 'presence' in the land already.
The potential riches of the lost world of Frontier are of interest to
many guilds in this respect and everybody wants to be the first to get
there!
Building A Home
It is entirely possible in Frontier to build a 'base of operations'
which you can call home. Of course, you should not expect it to remain
unmolested. Everybody will want what you've got and many will go to
great lengths to achieve it. In later stages of the game players will
be able to (if they choose to play this way) set-up control and run
an entire village, or more!
Law & Order
There is none. Except that which you make with your own strengths. *All*
character types will be set up with the same general alliegance so they
will not auto-attack one another. But bear in mind that there is *nothing*
to stop them writing specific orders to do so, and we strongly expect
player conflict in a world where there is no law. If this is not to
your taste, you should not play Frontier.
Religion
Priests and Crusaders from Bereny are considered to be 'pilgrims', spreading
the true religion in a foreign land. The Aslani worship aspects of the
Gods of Light already. Tribal characters worship 'animal spirits' in
bloody rituals involving sacrifice and other such bizarre practices.
Magic
Magic functions strangely in Frontier. Safe Haven and the ilk cannot
be reached at all. Other spells have uncertain results. There are rumours
that entirely new scrolls can be found, written in blood on animal skin!
But first the mages must learn to read them in the native tongue...
a task that is a quest all alone! Tribal Witch Doctors start with four
special scrolls all their own.
Politics
Unlike Bereny, there are no leaders in Frontier (although the King of
Bereny does lay claim to the land, there is no easy way to enforce it.)
Therefore, we fully expect players to take control of any emerging positions
of power as the game develops. Of course, this won't be to liking of
their rivals, but in Frontier there are always options. Remember, there's
no law!
RESTRICTIONS
Frontier is recommended for experienced players only. For the first
six-months of play we will *only* accept players who are already playing
the main game of DungeonWorld and you must remain in Game 5 if you wish
to continue the position. This is because we do not wish to encourage
a 'rush' of players out of the 'main' game (even if that is unlikely)
who may then find Frontier is not to their liking and will have dropped
good game 5 positions for no reason. However, with the influx of a lot
of new blood into the game, and Game 5 already extremely busy, we feel
there is space to run this 7-day module as well. As with Game 5, a maximum
of three positions each with ten main characters is allowed in Frontier.
