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Heroic Knight
 
Group: System Moderators
Last Login: Saturday, October 04, 2008 5:20 PM
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| So a friend and I were talking about Maelstrom and pondering going along (I have a ponce/pirate coat now, yay!) but couldn't decide which culture would be most fun to play. As we spoke about the Cultures it became clear we had reached quite different conclusions about one or two of the IC Cultures in regards to what their OOC influence was. I suspect this is because we each read the backgrounds in isolation and without discussing them. Also, it's likely that the players have added their own flavours to the cultures by now giving them more definition then can read IC. Some are more clear than others and some seem like a mix of one or two historical places, my Newbie question is, what are the basic OOC influences for each culture?
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"Stick around!"
-Governor of California throwing a hunting knife into a man's chest
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Heroic Knight
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Last Login: Thursday, August 07, 2008 5:26 PM
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Well I think that the Alkyon influences are predominantly derived from 18th Century Swiss and Dutch cultures. It's by no means as simple as that but in the broadest of terms I'd say that was about right.
"When I want your opinion, I'll read it from your steaming entrails"
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Knight
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Last Login: Saturday, June 16, 2007 1:16 AM
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Malathian culture as far as I have tasted it at events is sort of rough and ready pirate culture with usualy dodgy Irish / Scots accents / overtones.
I'm sorry Allen, what? Could you dumb that down please?LT - Runt S McEwan PD - Steven Mahr
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Prodigal
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That's a hard question to answer because every group tends to have its own take on the culture. So you get Pirate Malathians, Highland Scots Clan Malathians, Sharply Dressed Trader Malathians. The basic impressions I've got are:
Flambard: Tea-drinkers (french or english, strict codes of politeness and sense of hierarchy, the Lower City actually know everything and do everything because the Upper City are too constrained by propriety). Mill-en: Tea-drinkers with an edge of desperation (more towards the French side of things). Alkyon: Scholarly tea-drinkers, university faculty types.
Malathians: Pirates or Scottish/Irish clans. Merisusi: slightly rougher-looking pirates and sailor types.
Rukh: Arabian hospitality.
Tritoni: Matriarchal jungle tribe. Also the church of Huntress.
Kamakura: Japanese badgers.
Amun-Sa: Egyptians, of the pyramid-building variety.
Maya: Dragons (and their lackeys) in traditional Western fantasy style.
Bantustan: African tribes with a good dash of blunt, bluff attitude.
Frieboden: German, military.
Fidelia: Religious fanatics, either paladins / holy orders (Teacher) or mountain tribes (Huntress). I haven't really seen them in play.
Of course, church groups and trade houses often have their own very distinct flavour, but that tends to be much more on a per-group basis rather than per-allegience. Also, don't forget the natives and Awakened! Both are absolutely excellent, get bucketloads more plot and shiny things and less shuffling coins and paper and standing in queues, and you can even use your ponce/pirate costume for Awakened as they can show up with any group... not that, uh, I'm biased or anything, but Awakened do seem to have more options and non-numbers-game stuff to do.
Maelstrom: Jessily the Wemic, previously Tourmaline of Weaver
CUTT: Kerriville the Ninth, previously Ref 07/08
EOS: Study the Venin
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and Minimeister
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Smitt (5/24/2006)
So a friend and I were talking about Maelstrom and pondering going along (I have a ponce/pirate coat now, yay!) but couldn't decide which culture would be most fun to play. As we spoke about the Cultures it became clear we had reached quite different conclusions about one or two of the IC Cultures in regards to what their OOC influence was. I suspect this is because we each read the backgrounds in isolation and without discussing them. Also, it's likely that the players have added their own flavours to the cultures by now giving them more definition then can read IC. Some are more clear than others and some seem like a mix of one or two historical places, my Newbie question is, what are the basic OOC influences for each culture? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Not another pirate! Right, now I've got that out of my system. Feel free to play one, but I feel that the angle has been done to death and that I couldn't play one without feeling that I was using someone elses idea. (There's a lot of really good ideas, but there's a _lot_ of generic pirates). Would you consider playing a non-human? If the answer is "no" then that limits your scope considerably. If the answer is yes then the Gnolls are really into their frock coats and fabulous hats. Also, consider the fact that there are Trade Houses and Churches who are also important in the game. PS I don't play a gnoll, I play a Rukh, so my bias is towards ludicrous pants, looking fabulous and having the best hospitality in the game. 
There is only overconfidence and terror.
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Heroic Knight
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coffmeister (5/24/2006)
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Not another pirate! Right, now I've got that out of my system. Feel free to play one, but I feel that the angle has been done to death and that I couldn't play one without feeling that I was using someone elses idea. (There's a lot of really good ideas, but there's a _lot_ of generic pirates). There is ? i thought there were none left ? as it's actualy more profitable and less hassle to actualy trade rather than steal from people. You get alot of people pretending to be pirates in the game but most just actualy transport stuff (and make more money) as for the angle being done to death, i dont think so, it's my belief that maelstrom has had alot of people pretending to be pirates and has just lacked actual competant pirates. There have been alot of "jack sparrow's" and other's saying "argg mehearty", but an actual pirate that put's fear into ships captains just at the sound of his name and has colony shipping quakeing in their boot's..... i ain't met one yet. As for the culture the best way i've found is to get an idea of a background that you wish to play what skills resources you wish to take then have a look at race/culture to see what fit's with your idea of your character then adjust as nesecery, it'll avaoid alot of hassle later on.
Trying to learn how to think before speaking since 1981 Now i must learn the art of thinking before typing..... (it may be a while)
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Knight
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Flambard: Tea-drinkers (french or english, strict codes of politeness and sense of hierarchy, the Lower City actually know everything and do everything because the Upper City are too constrained by propriety). Mill-en: Tea-drinkers with an edge of desperation (more towards the French side of things). Alkyon: Scholarly tea-drinkers, university faculty types.
Malathians: Pirates or Scottish/Irish clans. Merisusi: slightly rougher-looking pirates and sailor
types.
Rukh: Arabian hospitality.
Tritoni: Matriarchal jungle tribe. Also the church of Huntress.
Kamakura: Japanese badgers.
Amun-Sa: Egyptians, of the pyramid-building variety.
Maya: Dragons (and their lackeys) in traditional Western fantasy style.
Bantustan: African tribes with a good dash of blunt, bluff attitude.
Frieboden: German, military.
Fidelia: Religious fanatics, either paladins / holy orders (Teacher) or mountain tribes (Huntress). I haven't really seen them in play.
I have to say that the confusion for new players is evidenced by how even long term players differ in outlook. Here's how I see the colonies for instance:
Flamaberd: Elizabethans.
Mill-en: decaying french nobility looking over their shoulders for Robespierre.
Alkyon: Flemish merchantmen with protestant work ethic.
Merisusi: Viking reavers of the Beowulf tradition.
Rukh: flamboyant arabian storytellers.
Kamakurans: Mostly Japanese feudalists, but don't forget the chinese influences.
Maya: I see Maya as a fusion of Aztec and Spartan influences with a little bit of Japanese feudalism thrown in.
Freiboden: revolutionary peasants - think Paris Commune with German accents, citizen's militias and rebel infantrymen with muskets. Add a dash of militant trade unionism and bloodthirsty Russian socialism/communism.
Fidelia: Vikings meet crusadors with a good deal of late medieval Russia thrown in.
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Heroic Knight
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Last Login: Thursday, September 25, 2008 7:01 PM
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As for natives, the Onontakha Snakes are decidedly Native American in outlook; the Tlaxti Wasps are vaguely Aztec / South American. Haven't seen much of the Azarchs.
(And I'm involved in starting a new group at the event after next, which will be partially based on the ideal society in Plato's Republic.)
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Maelstrom: Auriel, Seraph of Fire and Stone, Lieutenant of the Teacher's Host in the Lands of Hell, Celestial Messenger of Lord Sun.
CUTT Head Ref 2007/08
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