NEW GAME IDEA
Main | Character Creation
There are no great men, only great circumstances with which ordinary men are forced to cope.
- Admiral Halsey
This is basically an idea for a quick, occassional (i.e. when we're bored) game for 2-3 players. The setting is Modern Earth using the UA system, mostly because it allows customisable skills AND the pcs are mortal.
PLAYERS
"Christine, if you know exactly who and what you are, complete with shortcomings as well as talents, then you never have to waste your time or energy trying to be anything else."
- Joan Brady, "God on a Harley"
So far Keith and Caltak have expressed interest in playing. A few other people, including Baliaodoc, Pan Ku and Reykemias have also. The game will be filled on a first come basis. If you want to make a PC and doubt you'd be able to play often, feel free to make a PC to pop in every so often.
PLAYER CHARACTERS
Civilisation is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with blood from people killing, stealing, shouting, and doing things historians usually record, while on the banks, unnoticed, people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs, write poetry and even whittle statues. The story of civilisation is what happens on the banks.
- Will Durant
The Pcs should ideally be between 16 and 25, 18-20 being the optimum age, since your PC is done high school but not necessarily off to college or university yet. Your PCs are perfectly normal humans, except for something "extra." What this extra something can be us up to each PC (or the PCs for the game can work out a group one - some minor abilitites that, when they work together, are impressive. Think Captain Planet, but not as powerful.) Also note that each ability must cost something to use. The child in Sixth Sense is an excellent example of a power.
As the game is Unknown Armies, each PCs special power will begin at 40% efficiency, linked to Body, Mind, Speed or Soul as a skill. This is a bonus and not paid for from regular skill points. A PC could use those to increase it to 55% (the maximum in any skill for a begining pc) if the stat it's linked to is high enough.
Character Creation is covered here.
BACKGROUNDS
Finally Carol clapped her hands and said we were all going outside to play follow the leader, the game that asks the burning question: Are you ready for tomorrow’s society?
- Richard Bachman, “Rage”
Your PC likely has a job and/or family and their own life to live outside of whatever the game encompasses. Backgrounds are needed to some extent in order to give the GM game ideas and add a bit of realism. While making a PC background, also note that you should make your PC able to work as a team player as well as hold their own in combat, or have some other uses that make up for not being able ot fight well. As well, have skills besides combat (which is needed to survive) otherwise you'll be really bored.
SAMPLE "SOMETHING EXTRAS"
Perhaps the coming challenge is not, as Yeats put it, that 'the centre will not hold,' but that the boundaries are blurring.
- Cilve Barker, "Sacrament"
Bend Spoons: Your PC can bend spoons with his mind. Sometimes, he can do little stuff like open a stuck door or twitch some dice. It is unreliable for the most part and tires you as if you'd bent the spoon by hand.
Empath: You can read the emotions of others. Sometimes they read yours as well.
Finder: You can find lost things, but often when you stop looking for them. Sometimes, they find you. You carry a gun.
Mental Domination: Read Stephen King's novel Firestarter for this idea (dealing with the childs father, whose power allowed him to control others but he could only use it so many times and it eventually burned his brain out and killed him).
Pattern Worker: Your PC can see the patterns that link people together. Friend, loved one, acquaintance and the like and know how people relate to each other. Its a cross between an empath, seer and wizard at times.
Second Sight: Your PC sees what others don't. Ghosts, spirits, dreams, the little folk and the like. This is a hard power to RP and your pc isn't likely too sane.
Seer: Your PC can see the future, sometimes, and occassionally change it.
Telepath: You can sometimes read the minds of others, but its confusing, hurts and is dangerous. Talk to Alcar about this idea.
Tulpa: Your PC has been created by someones mind in pure effort. It took them 9 months and you got formed. They either can't or won't disassemble you. You do not age and your creator keeps you alive by being alive and thinking of you.
Vampire: Talk to Alcar. Its NOT munchy, and definitely very difficult to be one and remain sane.
Witch: The catch-all term for magic, this will only be allowed if a PC chooses to have magic and the other PCs don't object to its inclusing in the game. The three-fold rule will apply, as well as another GM rule about killing others who have magic.
Wizard: Your PC can see the lines of probality connecting people and events as well as sometimes tweak them a little.
Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow that talent to the dark place where it leads.
- Erica Jong
NOTE: The key thing about PC powers is that they are NOT god-like and all have a price. The more powerful it is, the more costly it is to use and the more dangerous it will be to you. Also, your PCs won't be able to go around, oh, proving people can read minds. The game idea for telepathy won't work that way nor will magic and the like in any traditional sense.No one will toss fireballs down main street, for example.
NO-NO's
We all create monsters in our minds. The only important difference may be which of us lets our monsters become real.
- David Brin, "Earth"
This is, above all, a simple quick game. Yes, you're PCs are different. Yes, you can do things (most) other people can't (or won't or refuse to admit then can) ... but you're not Supermen. You're not insane psychopaths, even if you DO play a vampire. This game is basically about the idea of ordinary people called upon to do unordinary things, or ordinary things that end up having an odd twist to them. If you think you're PCs speacial extra is a bit much, talk it over with the other players and get their ideas on it, as well as the GMs. Above all, make a PC with a few good reasons for getting together and STAYING with the other 1-2 pcs. For the GMs sanity, if nothing else. :)
LOCATION
There is little beauty left -- but much ugliness. Little wilderness -- but much emptiness. No explorers -- but many exploiters. There is no art -- no music -- no literature -- but only entertainment. And there is no philosophy. This that was once a living place for humankind has become their killing ground.
- Timothy Findley, "Headhunter"
The city of Ashford is the setting for the game. This city is set in Anywhere, Canada /United States. Basically the games revolve around the small 100,000 person commnuity with some scenic mountains, a large retired community, woods and cottages. A map idea will grow as the city does and the players add their own locations/ideas for it.
GAME PREMISE
He realised that nothing he said in turn could convince the other man that another world existed outside -- or more frighteningly, inside -- the boundaries he'd lived with all his life.
- Tanya Huff
None.
Actually, the game is basically about (semi) ordinary people called upon to do unusual things. For example:
- Bikers move into the neighbourhood. Your family could get hurt and local property values go down.
- You here rumours the kids at school have tried a new drug, that makes them see REALLY odd things
- A friend of a friend went missing in the Slums. No one has seen her for two days.
These are basic plot ideas. Conpiracies/magic stuff might be added, but at a low-key level. I.e. The "coven" of local witches is 3 girls who saw the movie "Practical Magic" and got inspired. The local teachers curriculum had changed and they have decided that people need artsy courses over tech ones to succeed in life or old Mr Jameson down the road has been acting really nice lately ...and no one knows why would be two examples of "conspiracies."
Note that, as with most worlds I make, there is going to be a dark undertone to this one. Its not quite our world, or perhaps its what we would see if someone removed the blindfolds ....
"No one believes that its a dead-end street," said Fabiana. "The signs all say so -- but no one believes."
- Timothy Findley, "Headhunter"
Main | Character Creation