Which System to use?

[TheGameBoy]

I'm working with a fantasy world that has only humans as a choice of races. The magic is very psychically based. Mages are blind, but see through magic. What system, that is easily found (or preferably, free) should be used for something like this?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[TheGameBoy]

By the way, I want the game to be extremely Narativist, since I'm writing this campaign into a book.

[Balbinus]

I would probably suggest adapting Hero Wars, which conveniently has its own forum here where you would get more tailored help.  It is extremely flexible and would certainly support narrativist priorities in play.

What do you mean by narrativist in this context though?  DnD could after all handle what you're looking for if you dropped the non-human races and used the psionics rules.  What would be lacking in that approach?

I ask because if we know what would be lacking we can probably better guess how to find it elsewhere.

[ADGBoss]

Well I have a few suggestions that you might consider...

BRP or Basic Role Playing. The system itself is very structured (IMHO) and if you take a look at the Older Runequest stuff you may find some powers that interest you

Ars Magica. There is a free version out there now plus some free scenarios to download and its well supported, has good quality, and is designed with only Human characters in mind.

Harn, I think gives a good feel for a world that is dominated by Humans, and its easy to make the leap to all Humans (manyhave done this over the years)

Possibly even a supers system. Porting something like Marvel Super HEroes from comic to fantasy may seem strange, but the system is pretty easy to use IMHO and many super powers are easily converted to psychic magic.

Sean
ADGBoss

[Bankuei]

Hi GB,

Sorry to say, for you to get any meaningful answer..."Need more input"

Pretty much you've asked for a free Narrativist game.  First thing that comes to mind is the Pool(www.randomordercreations.com, also check James' forum up here), but I'm not sure Narrativist means what you necessarily "think" it means.  Yes, it means putting Theme as the point of play, which can lead to some really moving and cool sort of games, much like Gladiator, or one of your favorite movies or books...But, and big but!  

This doesn't mean it necessarily translates "better" to being read than any other game style.  I've read Battletech game reports that have been rewritten to sound like really exciting battles, when, having played the game, the experience is nothing like it.  Likewise, some folks tell you about their Riddle of Steel experience and it sounds just like the typical geek story("...and one time, at band camp...I rolled 5 successes...")

Again, more input on what sort of play you're looking for is necessary before anyone can give you any kind of real suggestion.

Chris

[TheGameBoy]

Thanks for all of the replies.

As for Narrativist, I want a system that allows good roleplaying and not hack-n-slash. I want realistic combat, when it is needed, but I want a system where Killing things is not the primary focus. Ever read Dragonlance Choronicles? As you read it, it is obviously a RPG campaign in book form, but it plays beautifully.

Here is my world:
Aers. Land of beauty, land of serenity. Long ago, the gods created the Elerith, perfect beings, who's task was to defend and protect the land. They were immortal, beings of immense power and glory. It was their sacred duty to sustain the Human Race.
The Wyyn were the creators of land and fortress. They melded the land to their views, creating immense cities for Humans to inhabit. Thier servants were the Grohls, semi-sentient creatures who's job was to lift stone, and move trees.
Humans were born into this idylic world, but humans are not known for their peaceful ways.
They began to make war on one another, fighting amongst themselves. The World was not what it once was.
Now, the great Spellcasters, the Praetors, have been cast from the land, the Elerith have fled to the far corners of the earth, and most of the Wyyn have given up. The Central lands have been torn by war between the desert people to the west, the Loktorns, and the men of the east, the Rurans.
Now, heroes have emerged, to bring about the natural order once again.

That is the world in which the RPG is going to be set. Any help would be appreciated.

[Mike Holmes]

You definitely want Hero Wars (or the soon to be released edition, HeroQuest). But I'm a raving, fan, so beware.

It really does hit all your points, however.

Mike