A new RPG idea

[Diplomacy&Warfare]

So, I wanted to try a more open RPG than D&D, where players actually get to come up with their character's abilities. Here's the idea:

• Anyone can join, at any time

• The theoretical goal is to acquire the Nightmare Orb, but traps, monsters, and other players lie in your way

• The actual goal is whatever you want. Try to acquire the Nightmare Orb, backstab your friends, start a side quest, whatever you want

• A "round" ends when I post. Each round, you may post once

• Each post, you state up to 3 actions you wish to take, which can be anything from fighting a monster to fighting your friends to using magic you told us your character could do to using magic you didn't tell us your character could do

• If you choose to move to a different location (ie, moving to the town square, but not moving to a different place in the room), you bring whatever was in the previous location with you, including all other players

• When you post, you declare what you do or try to do, not what happens. This means that you would say "I stab the orc" and not "the orc falls dead with my sword through his chest"

• Excessive chaos is encouraged! Do whatever you want!

Any interest?

[kingofthepirates]

interesting concept. how would characters be decided/made? Do you have pre-prep'd characters with roles, or would players be free to invent their own character, with their own abilities (at least somewhat balanced, probably?), and come up with their own roles?

[Jamiet99uk]

So, I wanted to try a more open RPG than D&D, where players actually get to come up with their character's abilities. Here's the idea:

• Anyone can join, at any time

• The theoretical goal is to acquire the Nightmare Orb, but traps, monsters, and other players lie in your way

• The actual goal is whatever you want. Try to acquire the Nightmare Orb, backstab your friends, start a side quest, whatever you want

• A "round" ends when I post. Each round, you may post once

• Each post, you state up to 3 actions you wish to take, which can be anything from fighting a monster to fighting your friends to using magic you told us your character could do to using magic you didn't tell us your character could do

• If you choose to move to a different location (ie, moving to the town square, but not moving to a different place in the room), you bring whatever was in the previous location with you, including all other players

• When you post, you declare what you do or try to do, not what happens. This means that you would say "I stab the orc" and not "the orc falls dead with my sword through his chest"

• Excessive chaos is encouraged! Do whatever you want!

Any interest?

Are you proposing to play this here in the webDip forum, or some other location?

I would be up for it but I just recently took part in Tugster's "role playing game" and while I respect that he was putting a lot of work into running it, it was more of a board game than an RPG and I spent more time arguing with the GM about his arbitrary, illogical rulings, than enjoying the game.

[Diplomacy&Warfare]

interesting concept. how would characters be decided/made? Do you have pre-prep'd characters with roles, or would players be free to invent their own character, with their own abilities (at least somewhat balanced, probably?), and come up with their own roles?

You get to create your characters, and you can decide on what abilities your character might have, but you can always change it.
"Balancing" isn't likely to exist here. There are no dice and no written-down measure of your characters' abilities.
Overall, the idea is just to open-format it and let everyone mess around with characters of their invention. If you prefer hard rules and serious, hardcore dungeon crawling, you might not like this format.

[Jamiet99uk]

interesting concept. how would characters be decided/made? Do you have pre-prep'd characters with roles, or would players be free to invent their own character, with their own abilities (at least somewhat balanced, probably?), and come up with their own roles?

You get to create your characters, and you can decide on what abilities your character might have, but you can always change it.
"Balancing" isn't likely to exist here. There are no dice and no written-down measure of your characters' abilities.
Overall, the idea is just to open-format it and let everyone mess around with characters of their invention. If you prefer hard rules and serious, hardcore dungeon crawling, you might not like this format.

This sounds great. Where would it run? On Discord?

[JustAGuyNamedWill]

I would play this

[Chairpusher]

I have not played RPG games for years, but would love to try this.

[Diplomacy&Warfare]

This sounds great. Where would it run? On Discord?

I was thinking I'd just run it here.

Round 1
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You walk into the town square of Prosperon, a medieval town. The square is mostly deserted, and the buildings nearby have holes in them. Clearly, something terrible has happened here. Only three buildings have lamps lit: the tavern, a local haven for adventurers; the mystic's house, from which you hear creepy sounds; and the town hall, where several people are arguing so loudly, you can hear them at fifty paces.
Who are you and what do you do?

[Chairpusher]

Efax Goderguth a Dark Elf Ranger, a dexterous individual, quite wise and intelligent, average in constitution. Tall and thin.

Having found himself in the town square of Prosperon, decided to walk into to the tavern. The aim being to ask anyone present about any Adventures that may bring profit. See where you can pick up supplies and see if there are any local or useful maps to purchase.

[DarthPorg36]

Aelvyn "Aleslosh" Daergel, a gnomish sorcerer of incredibly short stature, even for gnomish standards, follows Efax to the tavern from a distance. He's suspicious of Efax, making sure he doesn't get into trouble.

Aelvyn is dedicating towards doing what he sees good in the world, although he's quite chaotic about it, often rushing unthinkingly into battle, or foolishly attempting to save the world single-handedly. He has many scars to prove his frequent folly.

[mOctave]

Qlik Quicklï is a nominal human, also nominally several thousand years old, and has no knowledge of this region's language. He lived a fairly normal life as an alchemist's assistant until the alchemist accidentally cut him loose from the world's timeline and doomed him to skip through time like a very ugly rock across a pond. To date, this remains the only certified act of magic performed by an alchemist. Unfortunately, the alchemist also sent himself flying through time—backwards.

Qlik pops out of the bubble in space-time in which he has spent the world's last four hundred years and his last three seconds. Looking at his now hopelessly out-of-fashion clothes, he carefully inspects his very, very primitive rocket launcher.

Realizing that it may be only a matter of time until he stops paying attention to what's going to around him and blinks back out of existence for another few days (or much longer) Qlik walks over to the mystic's house in pursuit of an elixir that will prevent him from suffering temporal displacement.

If his search fails, Qlik pops back out of existence until the next turn, the prisoner of his mentor's curse.

[Kakarroto]

(I think I can't just not do this, it looks much to interesting to pass up even if I decrease my time in my schedule again, but with current work decision I should be fine. So ...)

The voice of her goddess did still ring in her mind. It was not every day someone of the order did receive a vision, so after a short convent with her cloistered mother and sisters, she got permission to leave and follow the call.

The way here was quite confusing and saddening, most of her travel coin were already gone. So many beggars and orphans, and not much care of the people around. She was glad that she was able to heal some forlorn in the streets, as her goddess preaches, but not all was in her power. It was a different world, much different from her secluded place she grew up in. But she was finally here.

The first thing she noticed was the bad shape the town was in. "Great Mother" she ushered a silent prayer, then hurried into it, looking for where people needed her the most; while she was hoping whatever argument would be solved they were having in the town hall, she was much more scared that the sounds in the mystic's house came from treatment that wasn't too nice on people's bodies, so she tried to check if anyone needed her assistance or healing there.

On her way, Aeraalys Stargazer, the moon elf priest, shortly greeted the wanderer on their way, the Dark Elf and the Gnome, with a smile, though her face turned into concern right after when she dashed to the mystic's house and her long, dark blueish silken hair waves left and right and her robes stretch from the unintended quick movements.

She looked confused and perplexed and stopped for a second when a human shape, also on their way, suddenly vanished next to her, but this mystery could wait if people need her and the goddess aid right now, so she continued her way to the mystic's house.

[Jamiet99uk]

Bram Sandford is a human ranger. He, his liutenant, Wren, a female herbalist and rogue/fighter, approach the town. They are accompanied by a detachment of human mercenaries who report to Bram.

[Diplomacy&Warfare]

Count: 2 moves to the mystic's house and 2 moves to the tavern
I flipped a coin and got the mystic's house.
Everyone moves to the mystic's house. No splitting of the party.
By the way, please do not quote this entire post.

Qlik Quicklï is a nominal human, also nominally several thousand years old, and has no knowledge of this region's language. He lived a fairly normal life as an alchemist's assistant until the alchemist accidentally cut him loose from the world's timeline and doomed him to skip through time like a very ugly rock across a pond. To date, this remains the only certified act of magic performed by an alchemist. Unfortunately, the alchemist also sent himself flying through time—backwards.

Qlik pops out of the bubble in space-time in which he has spent the world's last four hundred years and his last three seconds. Looking at his now hopelessly out-of-fashion clothes, he carefully inspects his very, very primitive rocket launcher.

Realizing that it may be only a matter of time until he stops paying attention to what's going to around him and blinks back out of existence for another few days (or much longer) Qlik walks over to the mystic's house in pursuit of an elixir that will prevent him from suffering temporal displacement.

If his search fails, Qlik pops back out of existence until the next turn, the prisoner of his mentor's curse.

Action 1: Move to the mystic's house
Action 2: If Qlik does not find a way to prevent temporal displacement, he exits from time and space.
Qlik enters a slightly shabby house. An old man greets you:
"Hello there. Is... oh no... have you been temporally displaced-" He sighs as you pop out of existence.
I'm not sure if you're referring to the next turn as in round 2 or round 3, but you can respond in round 2, or not, whichever "the next turn" was meant to be.

Efax Goderguth a Dark Elf Ranger, a dexterous individual, quite wise and intelligent, average in constitution. Tall and thin.

Having found himself in the town square of Prosperon, decided to walk into to the tavern. The aim being to ask anyone present about any Adventures that may bring profit. See where you can pick up supplies and see if there are any local or useful maps to purchase.

Action 1: Enter the tavern
Action 2: Ask about any adventures you could go on
Action 3: Inquire as to where you could pick up supplies
Unfortunately, you failed to move to the tavern. Efax is dragged by some unearthly magic to the mystic's house.

Bram Sandford is a human ranger. He, his liutenant, Wren, a female herbalist and rogue/fighter, approach the town. They are accompanied by a detachment of human mercenaries who report to Bram.

Actions: None?
Bram Sandford and Wren are dragged by strange magic into the mystic's house. The mercenaries, fortunately, are only dragged to right outside the crowded hut.

(I think I can't just not do this, it looks much to interesting to pass up even if I decrease my time in my schedule again, but with current work decision I should be fine. So ...)


The first thing she noticed was the bad shape the town was in. "Great Mother" she ushered a silent prayer, then hurried into it, looking for where people needed her the most; while she was hoping whatever argument would be solved they were having in the town hall, she was much more scared that the sounds in the mystic's house came from treatment that wasn't too nice on people's bodies, so she tried to check if anyone needed her assistance or healing there.

She looked confused and perplexed and stopped for a second when a human shape, also on their way, suddenly vanished next to her, but this mystery could wait if people need her and the goddess aid right now, so she continued her way to the mystic's house.

Action 1: Enter the mystic's house
Action 2: Ask if her assistance is needed healing anyone
Aeraalys enters a surprisingly tidy house, with medicinal cures assorted on the shelves. A cauldron emits the bubbling sounds you heard from outside, some potion being brewed. The mystic responds to your question with a simple "No, thank you"

Aelvyn "Aleslosh" Daergel, a gnomish sorcerer of incredibly short stature, even for gnomish standards, follows Efax to the tavern from a distance. He's suspicious of Efax, making sure he doesn't get into trouble.

Aelvyn is dedicating towards doing what he sees good in the world, although he's quite chaotic about it, often rushing unthinkingly into battle, or foolishly attempting to save the world single-handedly. He has many scars to prove his frequent folly.

Action 1: Follow Efax to the tavern
Action 2: Watch Efax, making sure he doesn't get into trouble
Action 3: Be short
(Okay, I'm joking about that last one...)
Aelvyn is dragged by a chaotic magic into the mystic's house. Efax appears to have been similarly forced into the hut, but he seems fine, if a little bit short of breath.

Round 2
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[Kakarroto]

Talks to the ... mystic(?): "Oh, thank the great mother. I was worried to hear these noises from here and couldn't quite understand what exactly they were. But I also heard a loud discussion, if you can call that, from the town hall nearby? Would you know anything about that?"

"Also, it looks like you know a bit about this persons predicament," points to where Qlik just has been "if you need my assistance feel free to put me to work. I'm not exactly sure I could help since I'm more adept at curing poisons and diseases and not magical afflictions, but still, if I could, I'm happy to help."

[Chairpusher]

Efax found himself drawn into a hut and finding it hard to breath, he felt it must be the fault of the damn gnome behind him. However, just in case it was not.

Efax decided what to do.

Call out who summons me and how can I serve you ?

Ask for instructions on how to do this, in order to stay alive in the face of such power.

Leave and move towards the Tavern.

[Jamiet99uk]

Bram and his company listen to whatever the mystic has to say, and then follow Efax towards the tavern.

[DarthPorg36]

Aelvyn scurries in after the rest of the party, trying to hide under the legs of the ranger so the mystic doesn't see. He has his trusty dagger at the ready, just in case trouble breaks out. He discreetly checks for any captives.

[mOctave]

Qlik pops back into existence, takes one look at the most confused of Bram's mercenaries standing outside, and recoils in shock! This person looks, to him, exactly like his alchemist mentor! Of course, it probably isn't, but there's always the possibility that if it is, the universe would end if any harm befell the mercenary.

Qlik vows to protect the mercenary with his life. Then, he turns around and says to the old man, "Sorry, what did you say?" in Classical Armenian.

[Diplomacy&Warfare]

Count: 3 moves to the tavern

Talks to the ... mystic(?): "Oh, thank the great mother. I was worried to hear these noises from here and couldn't quite understand what exactly they were. But I also heard a loud discussion, if you can call that, from the town hall nearby? Would you know anything about that?"

"Also, it looks like you know a bit about this persons predicament," points to where Qlik just has been "if you need my assistance feel free to put me to work. I'm not exactly sure I could help since I'm more adept at curing poisons and diseases and not magical afflictions, but still, if I could, I'm happy to help."

"Oh, there's a local legend about temporal displacement. Something about an orb as dark as void, some magician dressed like an alchemist, and an orange pig. Or was it yellow?"
And with that, a mystical force pulls you to the tavern.

Efax found himself drawn into a hut and finding it hard to breath, he felt it must be the fault of the damn gnome behind him. However, just in case it was not.

Efax decided what to do.

Call out who summons me and how can I serve you ?

Ask for instructions on how to do this, in order to stay alive in the face of such power.

Leave and move towards the Tavern.

"I'm not entirely sure" the mystic replies.
As you exit the hut, you accidentally knock over a vial. What potion was in the vial and how does it affect you?

Bram and his company listen to whatever the mystic has to say, and then follow Efax towards the tavern.

"Get out, all of you! I have work to do!" the mystic turns back to his cauldron and mixes slowly. You enter the tavern after Efax, but the elf appears to have something on his cloak... something that is bubbling...

Aelvyn scurries in after the rest of the party, trying to hide under the legs of the ranger so the mystic doesn't see. He has his trusty dagger at the ready, just in case trouble breaks out. He discreetly checks for any captives.

I'll let you and the player of whichever ranger you are referring to (The human one with the mercenaries, or the Dark Elf) roleplay that out.
No captives appear to be in the tavern, though several heads turn to your drawn weapon.

Qlik pops back into existence, takes one look at the most confused of Bram's mercenaries standing outside, and recoils in shock! This person looks, to him, exactly like his alchemist mentor! Of course, it probably isn't, but there's always the possibility that if it is, the universe would end if any harm befell the mercenary.

Qlik vows to protect the mercenary with his life. Then, he turns around and says to the old man, "Sorry, what did you say?" in Classical Armenian.

The old man says "I'm sorry, I don't speak Modern Armenian" in Classical Armenian, and then you are suddenly pulled to the tavern. Your head bangs against the door, which had closed behind the others.
Round 3
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