Sudden Death Rules and Discussion

Discussion in 'Roleplaying Forum' started by ytzk, Jan 28, 2013.

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  1. ytzk

    ytzk Well-Known Member

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    RULES
    1) A player must post at least once every three days or that player's character will be forfeit = sudden death.
    2) All players will post in a set sequence of turns. When it is your turn, you have 24hrs to post or you forfeit that turn. Forfeiting three consecutive turns = sudden death.
    3) There can only be a maximum of four players at once. New players, or those seeking to rejoin with a new character, must wait in turn for an active character to die.
    4) Signatures should be disabled when posting in the game.
    5) Players must post according to the formula:-

    Prose:- (optional) A description of the action, motives, feelings of your character in the third person, < 20 words.
    Dialogue:- (optional) Spoken words or internal monologue in a unique colour for your character, < 20 words.
    *Actions:- (not optional) Concise description in terms of game mechanics for what your character does in that turn. <20 words.

    EXAMPLE:

    Captain Farthington unsheathed his sword cane and attacked the first intractable rogue blocking the alley.
    Eat steel, you blasted cur!
    *Using sword (skill 1) attacks nearest assailant.

    MECHANICS:
    A starting character will have three hit points.
    A starting character will have two powers/skills at base 1 which can be chosen at creation.
    A character will receive 1 point per level which can be distributed towards hit points, raising skills or learning new skills at a rate of 1:1.
    Each skill/power level = 1 coin. Heads = success, Tails = fail, to be determined by gamemaster.
    EXAMPLE:

    Captain Farthington. Level 1
    Aristocrat and infantryman.
    HP 3
    Sword 1
    Ettiquette 1
     
  2. Yuki

    Yuki Well-Known Member

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    Only four people?
    ... No signatures?
    Max 60 words? What are you, some sort of fascist?
     
  3. werozzi

    werozzi Member

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  4. ytzk

    ytzk Well-Known Member

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    Re:

    Fascism is okay if democracy isn't working, apparently. Besides, maybe my dictatorship will pave the way for more benevolent dictators in the future.

    But seriously, it's unlikely that there will be more than four players anyway and, if there were, it would slow down the game. Signatures really break up the story and I don't think they belong in IC threads anyway. I could stretch the word limit for prose and dialogue to ~50 each, and more for character introductions and/or tacitical discussions, but I'd like to avoid tl;dr. For the purposes of this experiment, speed and efficiency are paramount.

    So far we have four votes, 1 for superheroes (Gross) 2 for arcanum (werozzi + ?) and 1 for gaslight (Yuki). I have not voted.

    Assuming a gaslight London setting, with optional skills/powers that reflect the arcanum spells and technologies, and the premise of an established mercenary squad to streamline our backstories, (analogous to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I suppose, but with less cheese and ham) who is still interested in playing?
     
  5. Grossenschwamm

    Grossenschwamm Well-Known Member

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  6. ytzk

    ytzk Well-Known Member

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    Okey dokey.

    The setting is Victorian London, 1860
    There is a 50 word limit each on prose and dialogue paragraphs.
    There are no ability scores, only skills (anything from the Arcanum skills, plus approved spells or technologies)
    Any listed equipment will be purely cosmetic, mechanics will depend only on the skill level.
    There are no nonhuman races.
    All characters begin as invited members of a private security firm with mysterious connections to the crown.

    Ladies and gentlemen, start your characters... the order of posting character will be the order of play.

    General Example (just an example)
    Born Molesworth Example in 1818, the third son of the Lord of Example, he enlisted as an officer in 1840 and rose to the rank of general in the Russian War. Unmarried and retired, he now spends his time in his favorite gentlemen club, reminiscing over cigars and laudanum.
    Hmm, hrumph, oh indeed, I say! Wot?
    *Level 1 HP=3 Gambling=1 Haggle=1
     
  7. Yuki

    Yuki Well-Known Member

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    You mean the Crimean war of 1853?
     
  8. ytzk

    ytzk Well-Known Member

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    Yep, the very same. Apparently they called it the Russian War in Britain at the time.

    Also, feel free to break the word limit but use it as a guide.
     
  9. ytzk

    ytzk Well-Known Member

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    Update:
    Okay, new rule: Starting characters have 20 points to spend.

    Prose is now limited at 150 words.

    Dialogue is unlimited.

    See how benevolent I can be?

    Examples
    Fat Gentleman.
    Privileged upbringing, some military training, lots of food.
    Level 1
    HP 3 (+2) = 5, Melee=3, Haggle=5, Gambling=5, Persuasion=3.

    Mister Mesmer
    The master of animal magnetism.
    Level 1
    HP=3, Mental=5, Nature=3, persuasion=5, haggle=5, pickpocket=2.

    Doctor Tesla
    The mad scientists' mad scientist.
    Level 1
    HP 3 (+5)=8, Electrical=7, Chemistry =2, + 3 schematics (tesla gun, electroarmor, tesla pistol), firearms=3.

    Prostitute.
    One of several thousand in London at the time.
    Level 1
    HP 3 (+5)=8, Persuade=5, Haggle=5, Melee=2, Dodge=3.
     
  10. Grossenschwamm

    Grossenschwamm Well-Known Member

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    Anthony Starke
    Ferrous Chap

    Born in 1824, Anthony Starke is the brilliant inventor son of brilliant inventor Sir Howe Starke and Lady Marianne Starke. After the catastrophic failure of cables securing the basket of his hot-air balloon, Sir Howe and his wife, along with the basket, plummeted several hundred feet to earth, though Anthony suspected foul play when he noticed the cables of his father's basket had been cut in key locations, rather than simply snapping.

    Anthony inherited his father's business and fortune, as well as earning doctorates in the mechanical and smithy disciplines. He felt he needed to round out his non-violent education with lessons in close-quarters combat. This proved useful when he was kidnapped by a band of ruffians who wanted Anthony to build them a siege engine - he used his available materials to build himself an invincible suit and a fine sword, fighting his way to freedom.

    Good Sir, I sincerely hope you've arranged to be compensated for grievous injury and damage to your property, for I've been slightly perturbed as of late. I desire an outlet upon which to vent my bellicosity, and I do believe you've caught my eye.

    Level 1
    HP 3 (+3)= 6, Smithy = 7, Mechanical = 7, plus 1 schematic (Machined Plate) and one balanced sword, Melee =3
     
  11. ytzk

    ytzk Well-Known Member

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    Horace Smythe
    The Fatman
    "World's Greatest Armchair Detective"

    Old money and idle rich, Horace enjoys backgammon, natural philosophy, fighting crime and eel pie. Although he was pugilist at Cambridge and an old hand with a swagger-stick, he prefers to merely speculate from his gentlemen's club and, if it becomes absolutely necessary, investigate in person.

    He is roughly spherical and immaculately dressed. His equipment includes a valet, Jeeves.

    Brandy? Cigar? Pie? Very well, tell me everything about the case *omnomnom* and omit no detail.

    HP=3(+5)=8, Persuasion=5, Melee=5, spot-stuff=5.
     
  12. Arthgon

    Arthgon Well-Known Member

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    Yes. The Victorian age! One of favorite times! Shall I bring a list with Victorian slang and all?

    Name: Sam Knight
    Occupation: Inquiry Agent

    After "accidently" throwing a child-murdering toff from a high building, Sam was suspended from the 'Peelers' for some time. Still traumatized, (for he was still ill from the wounds (lost a hand and one eye) that was inflicted in an operation against psychotic anarchists) Sam already wanted to leave the Detective Department* (created in 1842) for good. Not to mention he loathed the corruption scandal that is tearing Scotland Yard in two camps.

    Now working as an inquire agent he feels better at his place. While keeping his friends and networks, he still stands on a bad foot with the new commissary. Who is in his eyes too lacks to fight against corruption.

    * Became CID (Criminal Investigation Division) in the year 1878.

    Level: 1
    HP 3+(3)= 6, Persuade 5, pick locks 4, melee 5, Spot 3.

    Cigar? Thanks. *Puff* Now, let's hear all the facts.
     
  13. Yuki

    Yuki Well-Known Member

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    "Abbas"
    The Ottoman

    Born in 1826, three months before the Auspicious Incident in the Anatolia Eyalet, to a janissary agha and his mistress, the daughter of a Pasha. He was not known to be of janissary descent and as such survived the purges which swept the Empire. He spent his childhood and teen years in various western institutions, financed by his grandfather, the Pasha. He took up the study of various languages and cultures, especially their martial practices, travelling the Empire and greater Europe for the majority of his life before finding himself in London in 1851 where an official took note of him and he was offered work as an intelligence operative in service to the Crown.

    He spent the next nine years making a name for himself in the intelligence world, known to colleagues and foes alike only as "The Ottoman".

    Political affiliations:
    (Motherland:) Ottoman
    (Current:) HM's government
    (Hobby:) Bonapartists

    Languages (As many as NOIS knows of, anyway):
    Turkish
    Arabic
    English
    French

    Level 1
    HP 3 (+3) = 6, Melee 5, Persuasion 3, Firearms 5, Dodge 4, Prowling 1


    For one so clever as yourself, you certainly are predictable. *Pulls trigger*
     
  14. ytzk

    ytzk Well-Known Member

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    Yay, a full compliment. Well done.

    Can you cap your skills at level 5, please, Yuki? HP are unlimited, though. May I suggest the extra four points go to dodge skill to reflect martial arts? Very interesting character, well researched. I can see you will be the consulting expert in this game.

    Also, there's no need to lose a spot point to reflect a loss of an eye, Arthgon.

    Bravo. I'll start a storyline in the next 24 hrs.
     
  15. Yuki

    Yuki Well-Known Member

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  16. Arthgon

    Arthgon Well-Known Member

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    Yuki: Interesting indeed. Pasha? That must be Yusuf Karamanli if I remember correcly, right?

    Ytzk: Okay.
     
  17. Yuki

    Yuki Well-Known Member

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    He was the Pasha of Tripoli, there were other Pashas of other Eyalets of the Ottoman Empire.
     
  18. Arthgon

    Arthgon Well-Known Member

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    Yuki: Okay.

    Ytzk: As you may know your class and credit rating was more important in the Victorian times than now. What about using this?

    It could give it a more realistic view on trying to persuading someone who has a different class (Lower, Middle, Upper) than your own. A barrister has more chance to persuade a Lord that Sir. Robert is a murderer than a bobbie, shop keeper et al. You could give a penalty when a upper class toff tries to convince member of the lower class who loathes the filthy rich.

    Also, a member of Upper class can do more than someone of a lower stance. I.E. member of exclusive clubs, higher income, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous, information from higher up. Not to mention, better equipment, clothing, etc.
     
  19. ytzk

    ytzk Well-Known Member

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    Sounds good, Arthgon.

    I will use my discretion to determine how many successes are required for a given situation wrt persuasion etc. Class and old-boy's-clubs will certainly apply.

    Notes on special equipment:

    -Lockpicks, firearms etc come free with skills.

    -Balanced sword will be a tie-breaker in melee combat.

    -Machined plate = -2 to attackers' successes and +2 to player's successes in melee (providing there is a nett success).

    -other tech items will have advantages worked out as they're introduced.
     
  20. Arthgon

    Arthgon Well-Known Member

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    You were talking about spells. I was wondering about that. May I suggest that you have to learn from dusty tomes and/or scrolls first. That would make it realistic than suddenly know them. Some suggestions:

    1) Some tomes needs more time to learn than others.

    2) An outstanding academic with pertinent language skills (knowing the language that the tome is written in) will read a book faster than an earnest bit uneducated and disoriented journalist.

    3) If the tome is written in a language that nobody knows then you need a translator.

    4) Losing sanity? Spells and magic is not something that comes naturally.

    5) Not too powerful spells. It could break the game, if you know what I mean.

    What do you think?
     
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