Interest Check - Fantasy/Science-Fiction Kitchen Sink

Been thinking of making RPGS for a while, and what better way to get experience then to make a fun, rules-light setting and have my fellow tropers and tropettes test it?

The setting is sort of a world in the style of the 1920s. After fighting a long and bloody world war, the five races (humans, elves, fish-men, goblins, and celestials) agreed to mutual co-existence in order to re-build the shattered world. Ten years later, Theodaad, the city built as a sign of the new union of races, has grown into a thriving metropolis. All is not well, however: old enmities exist from before the war, and peace so far has been tenuous. The economy is firmly in the hands of major corporations and the criminal world.

Essentially, its every fictional depiction of the 20s-30s ever. Most of the stuff that falls under Two-Fisted Tales goes here, from globe-trotting adventurers to mad scientists, from lost civilizations to noir and the occult.

So if anyone's interested, feel free to leave a post.

edited 11th Jul '14 4:59:41 PM by FritzShlomo

Some info on the Races:

Humans: Standard RPG Humans. Nothing really special, save for the usual fantasy/science-fiction inclination to pair off with every species. They are the most common sentient life form, and make up the majority of most societies (majority in this instance being anywhere from 40%-60%). Have limitless potential.

Elves: Not standard RPG elves. They come in several races, actually: gnomes, dwarves, fairies, elves, and wildlings. Gnomes are very magic-based, and tend to be smaller and more frail then other elf varieties. Dwarves, though still taller than their gnomish counterparts, are small in stature, but are much bulkier and heavy-set than gnomes. Fairies range in size from six inches to about four feet, depending on how powerful the fairy is. Their intelligence likewise is dependent on their size. Elves are very similar to humans, save for being a bit shorter and generally being very, very beautiful. They round out the gnomes and dwarves by being in the middle, and could either be skilled in magic or skilled in fighting. Wildlings are a lot like satyrs and fauns, and live a much more tribal society than their other counterparts. As for why they are all considered Elves will be elaborated upon later, but it has something to do with ancient alchemists and gods mucking about with creating life.

Fishmen: A race of humanoids created by unknown, ancient means by the "Elder Race" who are implied to be extra-terrestrial in nature. Created to be servants, when the Elder Race left they were pretty much left to their own devices. Since they were created from humans combined with the DNA of various ocean life, they can mate with humans, and their offspring resemble more human the more often a bloodline intermingles with humans.

Goblins: Like the elves, they are rather more varied in nature then standard RPG goblins. They're more like Tolkien's conception of Orcs, kinda short, stocky fellows. Several races of goblins are noted for being unusually large, and they're more of a middle-ground between Uruk-Hai and "Standard" Orcs. A race of rather large goblins are more like Oni, with their color ranging from bluish to red. Only the fishmen have had a harder time in adapting to post-war life than the goblins, as the tribal nature of many bands was made to give way to more urbanized living.

Celestials: No one really knows what is up with these fellows. All that is known for certain is that they tend to regard everything not related to them with slight contempt. They were barely involved in the wars between the various nations and races, usually serving the role of arms-supplier or taking disguise and causing incidents that would lead to wars. Their dwellings are highly advanced sky-fortresses of unknown origin. They are very similar to the Guild from Last Exile , except they don't control the world.

More info to follow, if people show interest.

edited 11th Jul '14 8:38:29 PM by FritzShlomo

Definite interest

What about the Undead and how hard is it to make artifical life?

Certainly has potential, although I'd like to know how magic works in this world, or if we'll still making that up here.

The Undead come in a number of varieties. Most prominent are the Jiang-Shi "Clans", organizations that Jiang-Shis build up around themselves to exert power and influence. Jiang-Shi (AKA Chinese Hopping Vampires) are essentially re-animated people come back to life because they're tired of being dead. Since their stiffness and weakness to holy objects makes operating any sort of enterprise difficult, they gather together a circle of people who are willing to do their deeds in return for wealth or arcane knowledge from the Jiang-Shi. A Jiang-Shi can bite somebody and turn them into a Jiang-Shi, but this effect is limited. There are also Necromancers who can raise the dead, and Zombies are formed from warlocks and other magic users from the recently deceased.

As for the difficulty of creating artificial life, the Elder Race gave that knowledge to the Fishmen, who are the prime practitioners of it and where the other races get their knowledge from. They're not sure how it all works, but they know if they do certain things or procedures, they can create artificial life. The Elven Races were created partially through this ancient arcane technology and partially through the interference of the "Lost Gods", powerful deities that existed in the past yet mysteriously vanished save for the few that are still worshiped.

edited 13th Jul '14 11:12:19 AM by FritzShlomo

Magic usage varies form individual to individual. Some are very talented in it and can practically use it at will, while others have barely any magic potential at all. Most of the populace is on the low-end, making skilled users something of a commodity. A person, through hard-work, can increase their ability to use magic. Some mage-clans have developed from highly-talented users marrying other highly-talented users over successive generations, to the point that these mage-clans are considered distinct from the norml populace.

Magic is very Vancian. This ranges from buying an Ignition Spell to help light your stove to experimental mad-science in creating magical rockets. A mage can also create magical ammunition, such as fire-bullets for guns.

Magic users can also "bewitch" objects, such as utilizing a motorcycle for flight. This requires a lot of practice and power, though.

Mages are considered distinct from Witches and Wizards, who achieve their powers through contact with the "Phantom Realm/Other Side/etc." and from Warlocks, those individuals who are born with high magical talent but have a hard time controlling it. Some magic-users achieve their abilities through forging contracts with beings from "The Other Side", these beings ranging form simple amorphous spirits to Lovecraftian abominations.

As a final note, Magical Girls and Magical Knights also exist. This job class is created when the girl or boy (usually in age from 7-23, but there are older and younger ones on record) is contracted by beings from the Other Side, usually in return for a wish. Once their wish is granted, they are required (by the rules of the contract) to serve the being they contracted for a certain amount of time. Unfortunately, many contract at a naive age and don't set a limit to their services, thus becoming essentially the slaves of the beings they made a contract with.

Interest.

Definitely interested.

Again, very interested too.

Are we allowed to play as an artificial entity that doesn't technically have a species? In addition, what about elemental entities or ghosts/living memories?

Yes. Robots have been around for a few decades, but there are very few androids running around, and most of them are still mechanical-looking. The Celestials have access to technology to make realistically-humanoid robots, which they use as either servants or for assassinations. These are not Ridiculously Human Robots , though: they don't eat or breath, nor do they have blood. The more advanced androids can develop something similar to emotion, however.

There are also Homunculi, artificially-created humans.

There are also some things on the table for race-modifiers, such as being a ghost, being a zombie, vampirism, were-insert-creature-here, etc.

You realize gynoid is the correct term for a humanoid female robot right? Cause android specifically refers to male robots, and while getting funny moments (like someone thinking they're a bridget) it technically isn't correct usage to call a female robot "android". Plus having both android and gynoid acknowledged in-universe would be humanizing individualism, resulting in a greater and more complex element than just calling them all androids.

I use the term Humonculus to generally refer to any artificial life made from magic, and thus want to know if we can play as less humanoid characters. Oh, and Dopplegangers could be a specific species of Humonculi that (kill and) replace someone perfectly mimicking them in mind and body. Oh and their true form could be a slightly amorphous humanoid shadow that lacks a physical gender.

Are there any particular way those modifers (are believed to) act or function?

So, character sheet? Am thinking Fishman hybrid Mad Scientist.

Now that I see there are enough people who are interested, how about we shoot around idea for campaigns?

Stats: Strength Stamina Agility Perception Intelligence Charisma Luck

Character Modifiers: Ghost (detracts from strength, but you're pretty much resistant to anything physical)

Vampirism (increases strength and stamina and charisma, but you suffer a decrease in luck and agility)

Zombie (You're borderline-immortal, yet people don't really like talking to you and you suffer an intelligence decrease)

Androids/Gynoids (Increase in strength and stamina, resistant to stuff like poison and metaphysical (holy/dark) magic, but elemental magic wrecks your shit and the effects of the Uncanny Valley reduce peoples' willingness to speak to you)

edited 16th Jul '14 12:04:08 PM by FritzShlomo

Man, all I know so far is that I wanna be someone possibly affiliated with one of these criminal organizations. :3

I'm Interested. Will the mood be closer towards the great depression, mafia, bootlegging or more towards the action, adventure, heroics of pulp comics, or all across the board? Also wondering what are the limits we are aloud to take with a character? Such as if we make a joke character how far can we take their antics or if we made an action character how much a badass can we make them. Just for a frame of reference while thinking up concepts.

For campaign suggestions, we could bring the characters together with the interest of starting a "business" with both legal and not so legal methods of gaining cash. Early parts of the campaign would be establishing our "business" and dealing with small time crooks trying to muscle in on our territory. Later parts can have us contending with the mafia or corporations.

If you want to go the more pulp comic route, we could be "problem solvers" for hire and handle the story in a case by case type format with maybe one of the crime families or corporations serving as a main antagonist.

@Kkutwar: I don't think that is quite accurate. Android should just be a general term for any human looking robot. There shouldn't be any distinguishing between genders since robots themselves are sexless. Gynoid seems to come from when a robot's creator goes out of their way to give a female appearance, usually in the form of literal boobs of steel. Since these aren't supposed to be ridiculously human robots, I don't think they would care about being recognized as a gender. Actually, since there is supposed to be racial tensions, you could go the opposite route and have androids be offended by being categorized by a clearly organic view point.

Humonculus idea is fun. Since this is after a great war, doppelgangers could have been created to serve as assassins. This would make them feared and hated by the public and possibly hunted by the government for knowing too much, forcing them to use their powers to hide among the public.

Well, gender technically refers to one's mental sex. It just became associated with the biological one since people don't like to say sex apparently. In addition, while the strictest standardization of robots would be completely inorganic there could be artificiality made cyborgs that are viewed as androids/gynoids due to their mechanical nature being greater than their organic nature. Plus I think only one term would make them seem more like things than living beings. Though in general I do like that idea.

I would say the Dopplegangers are mainly restricted to assuming the forms of others, though I could see them being able to shape-shift their shadow body in weaponized ways. I could also see someone have a shape-shifting cape that's actually a Doppleganger. Oh, and besides manually creating more pureblood Dopplegangers could also be made when one impersonates a pregnant woman.

Well, I'm interested

In terms of plot ideas, I was thinking that anything having to do with another war would be a much more interesting thing to have as a main focus. Maybe have the RP start with people that either want to instigate it or prevent it from happening (with maybe others being completely neutral, especially at the beginning). Because PvP!

Unless that's something you want to really slowly build up to, in which case, I'm still slightly stumped. But I still really want PvP!

edited 19th Jul '14 5:34:30 PM by NaomiHansen

It should be noted that I'm interested.

For those interested in gangs...

There are three main gangs in Theodaad:

The Red Talons gang is a syndicate of other organizations and gangs that fall under the direction of a Jiang-Shi by the name of Gurt Ham Lek, who maintains his authority by awarding those that serve him with arcane knowledge or wealth and by punishing people by draining their souls. Effectively the most powerful gang in Theodaad, they specialize in bootlegging, prostitution, and gambling.

Marty the Gnome's Gang is just as it sounds: a gang led by a crotchety, evil gnome named Marty Halvak. Cruel and unyielding, he effectively controls about 15% of the businesses in Theodaad. He keeps his motives hidden, but apparently he does what he does in preparation for "something bad", in which only the strong will survive.

Then finally there is The White Hand, a gang comprised entirely of varieties of humans and elves that seek to cleanse Theodaad of "the monstrous". They are led by a businessman, who appears to be young but who's name is not known.

About the "Instigating another War": I like the concept, but a friendly reminder to those interested: the feel for this RPG is a bit on the light side. There is some serious stuff, but I still want a whimsical feeling.

At the moment, I'm working on trying to figure out what a character sheet would look like and should have up something by tonight. Feel free to continue giving ideas in the meanwhile and coming up with character concepts: I want this thing to be fun for you fellow tropers/tropettes.

Example Character Sheet:

Name: Lum Ojai Race: Half-Goblin Racial Modifiers (optional) Profession: Mob Hitman Alignment: Lawful Evil

Stats

Strength 6 Dexterity 5 Perception 7 Speech 3 Luck 6 Agility 7 Endurance 4 Intelligence 5 Chutzpah 6

Growing up in a Goblin Village, Lum fought in the final years of the Great War in the army of Galbadh Temurang, a Goblin Warlord who commanded a number of Goblin tribes and chiefdoms and was overlord of several Elven Cities.

With the end of the conflict, Lum has had trouble adjusting to a life without conflict. However, the emergence of organized crime as a significant force gave him meaning once more.

Though he believes that order should rule over society, he doubts that peaceful means will ever accomplish it, and that where there is order there must also be force.

So how many points are we alotted to distribute? Assuming I added right yours comes to 49. And what's the max in any given category?

edited 21st Jul '14 3:48:03 AM by tricksterson