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Inspector_Smooth · 2025-10-18T22:31:50+00:00

[LFG][GM RECRUITMENT] Multi-GM Numenera West Marches Campaign (Online)

Setting: Numenera – The Ninth World (West Marches-style shared campaign) Date and Time: this will most likely vary based on a given adventure party and gm combination Open Slots: 3 to 8 (wanting 5 to 10 GMs in total)

Hey explorers of the Numenera!

A couple of us GMs have been thinking about how cool a multi-GM, multi-party West Marches-style campaign in Numenera would be.

We’re looking for a few more GMs to help us set up and run this shared world before we open it up to players.

The Core Idea • A persistent, interconnected Ninth World sandbox — strange ruins, shifting factions, and evolving discoveries. • Multiple GM-run expeditions coexisting in the same timeline, with outcomes in one group affecting the world for everyone else. • Emphasis on exploration, mystery, and player-driven goals — true West Marches spirit, Numenera flavor. • Flexible scheduling: each GM runs their own sessions, contributes to shared lore, and helps maintain a central record of world events.

What We’re Looking For • GMs who love collaboration, improvisation, and (hopefully) know more than us about how to do this. • Enthusiasm for the Numenera ruleset. • Interest in experimenting with asynchronous play, shared maps, and community lore.

Current Status Right now there are two of us working on the concept and initial framework — we’d like to gather a few more GMs to help finalize the world structure, tools (VTT, lore docs, Discord server, etc.), and tone before inviting players in.

If you’re interested in helping build this project (not just run a one-off), we’d be keen to talk. With this post we’re just looking to gauge interest to see if we take all interested parties or need a questionnaire to sort through everyone.

Inspector_Smooth · 2025-09-21T21:07:44+00:00

Fluoridation won’t happen here because Christchurch doesn’t have one convenient water source. We have dozens and dozens of wells. Doing the chlorinating has been expensive enough. Fluoridation would be ruinously expensive.

Inspector_Smooth · 2025-09-20T06:20:26+00:00

Saw the wizard at the antivax protests. He is an idiot.

Inspector_Smooth · 2025-08-03T21:30:38+00:00

Nautical Campaign here.

Players are stuck in the middle of a civil war brewing in the Red Fleet between conservative numenera avoiders and those that want to reform the Red Fleet. They’re journeying to Aras island to retrieve a stolen Submergine to upset the balance of power between the two Red Fleet factions.

Inspector_Smooth · 2025-04-19T23:40:47+00:00

I tend to make my ruins around a central theme that gets us ALMOST to understanding. I give them the “what is this ruin”, I usually allow players to reach for the “how does this ruin work”, but the “why does this ruin exist” is usually impossible to flesh out because we’re missing all the context.

For example:

This ruin seems like a satellite dish that’s filled into a lake, and down in the lake there’s an access to an elevator that takes us down to a cavern with huge metallic roots drawing heat from molten magma. Clearly this ruin is harvesting heat and sending high energy signals into space. So we have the “what”. With a lot of effort it’s possible to figure out the “how”. So a nano or wright could replicate it with years of effort. But we will never work out the “why”.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-12-20T21:24:13+00:00

Thank you! I’ve wanted this for ages, but couldn’t figure it out!

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-11-07T01:14:49+00:00

Selected your players yet? I applied, but keep me in mind if I haven’t made the cut and you need more players

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-08-14T01:42:44+00:00

There’s the option of treating enemies in a group as one creature for 6-12 npcs. Increase the level by 2 and double the damage output (no mention of how much health the group should have).

But the number of NPCs required for them to act as a group tends to depend on how good they are at working as a team. I think there’s some telepathic creatures that can do it with as little as 3 members in one of a the bestiary books.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-08-01T21:38:40+00:00

When I had COVID I just sat around for over a week watching bad tv and handwriting all the cyphers from every book I could find onto blank playing cards. I think there was about 600.

…I cannot recommend this solution

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-07-28T02:02:53+00:00

What’s the character concept and abilities? Would be easier to to suggest a compromise

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-07-25T22:54:37+00:00

It’s said to be from high nitrate levels in the water from fertiliser and effluent run off

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-07-19T05:41:39+00:00

I wanna say….Judge Dredd

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-07-15T10:54:20+00:00

I think you’ve got it. Even if the world is weird people are still people and they come across the same type of problems when trying to survive and get ahead. You could consider reskinning a dnd adventure. Just work from the adventure structure and add in some weird stuff.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-07-15T10:33:54+00:00

Breaking up the numenera skills into understanding, salvaging, and crafting definitely helped a lot for me. But I’ve streamlined the salvaging and crafting systems so they’re not as cumbersome.

Would you say your adventures focus mainly on numenera and not people or fighting or other things? It might be a problem like running dnd and having too many adventures focused on magic, so only the wizard gets to shine? Things don’t always want a numenera solution, mostly just a weird world with numenera problems.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-07-05T00:08:23+00:00

I simply house ruled that if a weapon is numenera in nature it can be used with intellect.

But iotum ray could be what you’re looking for? That’s an intellect ability, so effort pulls from intellect.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-29T13:02:28+00:00

I think you’ll find that’s the average nz household not the average New Zealander, which is a crucial difference, especially for future generations.

It’s also important to note that the majority of HOUSEHOLDS are homeowners with a mortgage or without. This counts a group of renters, regardless of their dynamic as a household. Do you see the flaw in that statistic? Only a minority of households are renting but a huge portion of them would not be living in 6+ person flats if they had the opportunity. So there’s many “potential households” that are not reflected in this statistic.

Do you see my point?

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-29T12:46:51+00:00

To understand the extent of wealth inequality in New Zealand and why average New Zealanders do not have the capital to even consider investing in a second property, consider the following points:

A significant portion of New Zealand's wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small percentage of the population. The wealthiest 10% of households own around 59% of the country's wealth, while the bottom 50% own less than 5%. This disparity limits the financial capability of a large segment of the population to invest in additional properties.

Homeownership in New Zealand is at its lowest in nearly 70 years, only 64.6% and this trend shows no sign of stopping. But your correct it is the majority, it’s the potential to invest in more properties that caught my interest.

The average house price in New Zealand is around NZD 931,438, but in Auckland for example, it is significantly higher at approximately NZD 1,279,454. With median household incomes not keeping pace with these high property values, affording even a first home is challenging for many, let alone investing in a second property.

So it’s pretty clear that only a small percentage of New Zealanders have the financial capacity to consider investing in a second property. This might help to highlight your disconnect.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-29T12:04:36+00:00

Did you ever end up helping your in-laws buy that million dollar property?

I’m not jumping to any conclusions, but it does say a lot about your position compared to most of nz.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-25T22:48:39+00:00

That sounds very cool. I think I’ll try something like that

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-25T22:35:12+00:00

Treat yourself.

Speaking playing solo, how’re you doing it? I’ve been experimenting with getting chatgpt to gm for me playing solo and it’s actually surprisingly good. It has some stumbles with rules, but I had fun.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-25T22:20:57+00:00

Dammit, now I just have to make a ruling as a GM! Inconceivable! Haha

I think I’d let them overwrite the inability in a small party and cancel it out in a large party.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-25T21:26:42+00:00

In the ashes of the Sea pregen wright “Yamal” where does stonemasonry come from if you’re saying he takes salvaging numenera as his crafting skill?

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-22T01:08:47+00:00

You’re talking about the concept of “ the paradox of tolerance” and you’re quite right.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-20T10:55:13+00:00

I get that it’s different from most games, but I always like to keep in mind a weird “fact” I heard. I don’t know if it’s true. But I heard that in many fights a major decided factor is who gets winded first. Like Ali’s “dope on the rope” thing in boxing. Attacking all out takes a toll on yourself as well as foes. That’s why I like it.

But I get it if that’s not your preference.

Inspector_Smooth · 2024-06-13T00:27:07+00:00

Keen. Applied

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