Fantasy taking flight [aka Souls of Faerûn]

Since it's been a long time I've last updated this blog (no thanks to this year's Euro), I decided to jot down a wee bit of my own ideas. I have to admit that I'm no guru in the technical end, but I prefer to think that I'm really that damn good in creating concepts. Fit for a king, I know not. Good enough to be a local talent, I hope so. After all, someone should demonstrate to both locals and foreigners that being local talent doesn't mean you need to be an A*STAR scholar. Arylos is a genius not because he's had a superior education (something which Cyrea is known for quite obviously), but due to the cold hard truth that... well, he's really born to be one. In life, either other people would spot the genius or adversity will do the job for them. Sucks to be Arylos, it seems. *shrugs*

Will we see Singapore in the grand plans of Fantasy Flight Games?

Don't we all love to see competition more oft than not? From Korean dramas involving two young noblemen and one peasant lass to any real (?) life (?) drama (?) of two BFFs liking the same moronic fellow (who may be an actual genius for all we know), competition exists everywhere. Whether the new PSLE system works or not may remain an interesting topic of intellectual debate in years to come. For me, it may have come a little too late.

So any alternatives?

Per suggested by the previous title, I may really end up having the honour of making Heather Chua vomit blood big time. Proven genius with a local Singaporean girlfriend who is also rich, beautiful, and intelligent? I don't know whether it's truly possible for an ITE graduate to be labelled a genius since Bill Gates was studying at Harvard before he voluntarily dropped out (theoretically, however, I believe it's actually possible). Whether I'm such a person is irrelevant. Whether I'm good enough to court a local Singaporean girl who is rich, beautiful, and intelligent remains a question of aye or nay. Actually, I'm more interested in doing my own things since the education system more than two decades back has created that monster of a rebel in yours truly.

So will Fantasy Flight Games take note of me? Or perhaps the entire world actually has a decent idea on how I look like? Only time will tell.

Souls of Faerûn: Concept

Intended for players aged 12 and above, this card game is not meant for those who think the fantasy genre as more dangerous than terrorism, pornography, and worshipping your favourite human being. Intended for 2-6 players, this pen and paper game will most likely require some kind of funny (?) negotiations between the PAP government (since I'm no negotiator), Fantasy Flight Games (duh!) and Wizards of the Coast (since TSR was officially dead as a dodo many years ago).

Firstly, Souls of Faerûn is indeed a card game. At the same time, it's also a pen and paper game. Like D&D (i.e. not dinner and dance, but Dungeons and Dragons), Souls of Faerûn requires a decent (if not a talented) DM and (most likely) a few D20 dice. Pen (or pencil) and paper are needed since players will be dealing with numbers once combat commences.

Secondly, the players don't have to create their own characters. No rolling for stats, no need to keep your fingers crossed in case you rolled an eight or worse. Instead, you as the gamers will be assuming the legendary characters in the world of Faerûn via character cards. It doesn't matter whether it's Artemis Entreri or Erevis Cale, neither does it matter whether 'tis Drizzt Do'Urden or Arylos. Point is, the best local talents shall be displayed in the name of Faerûn's finest.

Combat

Combat system is basically the same thing as the pen and paper format. Each character takes turns to perform specific actions with the D20 die being used to decide the outcome of each combat round. Different actions require a different amount of action points, so please take note and get your pen (and paper) ready.

One concept unique to Souls of Faerûn is the individual character's ability. Classified into various categories (I've got a decent idea on that, but I need more time to flesh out the details), this manner of ability can be one out of any of those below:

Evocation [art of conjuration]

Invocation [way of summoning]

Command [manipulation of tactics]

Stance [the technique of duelling]

Not all that glitters is gold

Likewise, not all character cards are... well, characters. Some/most of the cards available will be just a bunch of mooks (or red shirts). Perhaps a few of them are actually elites without a name. Either way, they can (and will) go a long way in helping the player. In short, one character per player and more than one sellswords for that player as well.

Those with a blue border are those which both the players and DM can use (i.e. my BFF can also be your BFF). Those with a red border are those which only the DM can use (i.e. my BFF can be your worst enemy). Of course, the DM can (and most likely will) use both the blue cards in any manner he/she like. After all, the DM is the one deciding who the players will fight (and befriend for that matter).

Rule *insert number here*

Number not as in 34 or any other number. Rather, it's the latest edition of the Dungeons and Dragons rulebook. In fact, it may be preferable that you get the relevant rulebook (i.e. the campaign rulebook). After all, Wizards of the Coast owned (and still owns) the D&D franchise after Gary Gygax decided to rage quit TSR. Remember what I said about the three party talks between WotC, FFG, and the PAP?

P.S: Need to sleep soon. Got work tomorrow. Hope to continue tomorrow.

Not gonna lie, 'tis already 2:13 am.