The Official OTC TBRPG Planning and Organization Topic

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

Ugh, could you two get a room? This is for discussing plans for RPGs, not how strong your feelings for each other are.

Rover, you just won.Xom:Imma rant a little bit here so just warning you.Leadership has nothing to do with an RPG Idea. You say a Steampunk RPG would be horrible and it's been "done to death" one moment, but the next you say it would be amazing if Spink were to host one. Make up your mind. I direct you to my reservations with Starscape: I felt that you weren't cut out to GM it, but I didn't fight it that hard. Why? Because i thought there was a chance it could work.The GM is not the central piece of the RPG. The players are. You can have the worst GM ever, and the players can make the game great. And vice versa.My reccomendation?Stop judging people as GM's and judge them based on their game idea and as players. Because everyone deserves a chance.And personal dislike of someone shouldn't sway you're approval or ideal of an RPG idea whatsoever. Who's to say a Steampunk RPG by JC couldn't be just as good as one by Spink? While the past evidences that Spink is a good RPer, you never know.Just saying. Edited December 15, 2011 by Lord Kini Hawkeye

[Noxryn]

So here's some TBRPG, make opinions on it and stuff.

“Don't cry for me,

Just try to see,

The hidden mystery,

I left for thee.”

– Song of the Moon

This war, the epilogue to the last, has been dragging on for what has become nearly a century now. Humans, under the reign of the High King Lucian Amdusias , fight not so much for the right to existence, but rather for the fanatical religious convictions of their leaders – the High King, coupled with his advisory council. The humans, and roughly any other mortal, have been living in such shambles, such disrepair and disgrace, that throwing the blame for the blight upon anything – from vampires to imaginary faeries – has become commonplace. All too often do the preachers of the king take up posts, spouting out rhetoric against the Unholy Empire, as they have come to call Lord Alistair’s domain. Often times, the rhetoric devalues the lives of the vampires – any at all, and even stretching to dhampyrs generously so – and has been known to incite incendiary laws regarding the conduct of dhampyrs in society, as well as many lynchings of suspected vampires. To say the least, the human king and his advisory council have decided to capitalize on the plight of the people for expansion of land, wealth, slaves – to eventually encompass the world, and rise to the pinnacle of power, all in good intention, as the king so often states. Lord Alistair is no better than his human counterpart, although he believes with all his heart that it be so. Just as the High King, now more often known as the High Emperor, devalues the lives of his subjects by letting them rot in their own filth and fight meaningless engagements, Alistair has come to devalue the life of all mortals, stretching the devaluation to dhampyrs as well. Within the Alverlanian Empire, only vampires exist, and only vampires are welcomed with any sort of kindness, and even that is rare. With the magical firmament that stretches across the once blue sky, drenching it an oily black, the subjects, nobles and royalty of the vampire empire are free to go about as they please, at all hours of the day and night. This firmament has become the primary obstacle to mortal crusaders, fighting in the name of Alvaster against the children of Illidian. While humans wish to conquer and consecrate, the vampires wish to capture and devour. Alistair rarely leaves his palace anymore, many believe it due to grieving of his father, others believe it due to an undeserved haughtiness, for Alistair has yet to actually make a true mark upon the mortals.Like any night-child in folklore, the vampires need a supply of blood in order to use their abilities and exist. Lord Alistair Alverlain, a too often deified (or demonized) vampire, has decided to make war with the humans – his end result is to capture them, breed them like cattle, raise them like cattle and then eat them like cattle. Of course, any mortal would not take too kindly to such a morbid way of living. Alistair truly wishes the best for his people, as he often cannot lay his eyes upon the lower tier of his society due to how downtrodden and pathetic they truly appear. Instead of trying to find a way to divert more wealth from the Nobles and Royalty, Alistair instead decided to open the military for recruits of all backgrounds – it is no longer the “ebony elite” as it had been under the command of his father. With this allowance, and to keep ties strong in his military forces, Alistair revived the dead Hunter Corps – a series of elite units used to take out high priority targets, and an elite unit whose first and only leader betrayed the Alverlainian ideals of two centuries past. Unrest exists amongst the vampires as much as it does amongst the humans, in both cases, revolt may be near in the future. Choosing to defy the laws of the land, and to create an existence of independence, an unknown entity formed the Sky Raider Pirates. This organization exists only upon their zeppelin – a massive ship brimming with weaponry and who knows what else. It is rumored that the Sky Raider Captain, often said to be on the Nameless, is a dhampyr of exceptional skill. The claims are currently unfounded, and any knowledge of the Sky Raiders any decide to boast is but speculation on their part. No one knows who their members are, where they are, and only tales of their feats reach the ears of the living; some say that the pirates themselves exist amongst the regular populace, spreading these stories as they happen. Regardless, the Sky Raiders are known for many attacks and raids on vampire military settlements, as well as mortal military settlements, and a number of highly regarded officials have been downed by members of this organization. Of course, membership is highly restrictive in such a distinguished organization, and is only by invite, though the reasons set in place behind that decision are unknown. This organization simply sprouted from the unrest, from the poor, from those considered trash until they chose to take any sort of action. As of the current time, they are merely a thorn in the side of both empires, though they have yet to take on anything major.Simply put, on one side of the fight, it’s a bloody crusade. On the other side of the fight, it’s a need for food fueled by ideas of being inherently better than the others. In the middle of it all are some opportunists, who do not so much care for either option in allegiance and they have their own agenda they choose to abide by.

The Alverlainian Empire (aka “The Unholy Empire”)

They’re all vampires, simply enough. The society they live within is carved elegantly out of the walls of mountains, mountains that also serve as a nearly impenetrable wall to enemy forces. The architecture is gothic in nature, sharp black spires, twisted yet beautiful cathedrals and homes; stained glass windows are commonplace in many of the buildings, often depicting scenes from the Downfall of Illidian. The streets are cobbled and everything is currently powered by steam, including the anti-aircraft artillery weapons that are located underground, only rising by the command of Alistair’s Generals. Despite the beauty, the vast majority of vampires live in the lower-tier of society, often committing illegal acts, fighting for scraps of food, dying for blood and too often holding a great distaste for their leader and the state of disrepair he has allowed his empire to fall into. While the lower-tier are vampires, and considered greater to humans by default, they are still seen as trash by the noble families of the empire. Unlike their poor counterparts, nobles have access to vampiric abilities the lower-tier can only dream of, due to the amount of blood they are allowed to consume and can consume on a fairly regular basis. Due to the powerscale changing with the noble families, they can beat down any rebellions by force and have been known to have fairly cruel attitudes and views of the world. They are the entitled group, and are loyal to Alistair for he is the source of their wealth, privileges and power. Standing on the highest rung of the proverbial ladder are the members of the royal family, currently reduced to only one being – Lord Alistair Alverlain. There is virtually nothing known of the royal family, except for the fear their presence on the battlefield instills into the hearts of mortals and vampires alike. They have been said to have vicious forms, frightening, monstrous and downright unnatural in feel and execution. Currently, there is no known weakness to the royal vampires – some even contest that the sun could not kill them, after hearing the horrific exploits of past royal family members (such as the case of Lord Vladimir II, who decimated an entire enemy invasion force, singlehandedly).The Alverlainian Empire is carved from the mountains that split the continent down the middle, creating a virtual wall that easily keeps intruders out of the empire. Many outposts and stations exist within the mountains, and many settlements have extended towards the uncharted lands, away from the mortal empire, where many different sects of vampires exist with their own rules and regulations, although they all plead allegiance to Alistair. There is a train system that interconnects these settlements to the capital city, Sanctum, and airships are also utilized commercially and are launched from platforms that are quite tall, requiring one to enter an Air-Transit building and then to use the elevator, which is operated with a system of cogs and steam power and ropes and pulleys, and this will deposit one on top of a platform hundreds of feet above the ground.The Royal Military Forces consist of an air force and a land force, no navy is present. The land forces consist of armored soldiers, armor as black as night with only blades to be carried as weapons – they do not have guns. Their armor is lighter, more frail than that of their human counterparts, and this allows them to take full advantage of their superhuman speed, strength and their senses. Regardless of their combat ability, none outside of the Circle of Nine and select members of the Hunter Corps know any magic, so when pitted against a mortal mage, the mage can often win with planning, strategy, cunning and a lot of fire. These forces make up the primary bulk of Alistair’s army, the Air Force considerably smaller and often used for bombing runs, or used to set off chemicals into the human cities in order to kill on a massive scale – these ships are often known as “Reapers” due to the crew members, wearing plague-doctor-esque gas masks, pick up the bodies of the dead after every run.The Hunter Corps is a very secretive organization that is invite-only, more information will be revealed about them as it becomes relevant to the story. (As, it would contain spoilers). All that is known about this organization, outside of them being the elite soldiers under Alistair Alverlain, is that they had been disbanded one hundred years ago, though any information leading to why this happened has been destroyed and citizens who may have lived back then were left in the dark about the illegal operations the Hunter Corps had been involved with.The Alverlainian Empire’s long held religion boasts the Moon Goddess Illidian as the pinnacle of perfection, the Mother they wish to appease and often appeal to for good fortune. Many vampires have extended such niceities to the entities said to aid Illidian – during the Heavenly Rupture, when Illidian and the Aevas (angelic beings at the time, now said to have been forcefully changed into darker entities), and these theological creatures are held up to the highest standard, often depicted as beautiful beings with elegant, spectacular black wings of all shapes and sizes, some even say that the differentiation in wing size and design is how they are ranked in their society. As a result, vampires spit on the image of Alvastar – the God of the Mortals, who is said to have been the God Illidian had rebelled against when the Aevas rose up. Many vampires view Valkyr, the angelic being of the Gods worshipped by mortals, in the same vein as any view dhampyr – disgusting traitors, masquerading in robes of beauty undeserved.Vampires:- Normal vampires, the lower-tier of society: Enhanced agility, enhanced senses.- Military Vampires (Enlisted): Enhanced strength, agility, speed, senses, and have proper weaponry and armor available.- Noble Vampires (And officers): Superhuman strength, agility, speed, senses, and minor powers of shapeshifting (can appear more human/more of their base species) and can turn mortals into vampires (a rare practice, and an honor if bestowed upon a mortal).- Royal Vampires: Unknown.- Vampires are known to live from 500 (low-tier) to 10,000 (royalty) years. The average is around 1,000. (so, when designing a character, think 200 as being twenty in human terms and go from there).- Low tier – nobles can only be killed by fire, beheading, stake through the heart. Getting shot hurts, and getting limbs blown off will put a vampire in a vulnerable state. Only royalty are known to regenerate quickly. (Humans have guns, a few shots can incapacitate a vampire and then cleanup involves staking, or burning -- though, an untrained civilian wouldn't be as effective as a trained soldier).Military Ranks: (Encompasses the Holy Alvastar Empire, and the Alverlainian Empire)- Private- Corporal- Lance Corporal- Sergeant- Staff Sergeant- Master Sergeant- 2^nd Lieutenant- 1^st Lieutenant- Captain- Major- Lt. Colonel- Colonel- GeneralMembers can apply for a rank up to Major to start, but it will be at my sole discretion if such boosts are granted to a player or not. (Promotions are possible in the game, and will be used as rewards – as will a number of other things). If one wishes to start at a higher rank, come up with a good story for why – I don’t care about stats, I don’t care about a character who wants to be the best, I care about story. So instead of saying “cuz I’m awesome and my character is awesome” come up with a backstory, a well thought out, fleshed out backstory.Also, leadership positions open up on a higher scale as a character receives a higher rank in the military forces, if one chooses to join the military forces. This largely means that during story-based battles, it is likely that a character who holds the rank of Brigadier General will have control over a brigade, while a Sergeant would have control over a unit-type force.*Note about terminology: “Enhanced” abilities are just that, enhanced slightly above normal. A low-tier vampire, for example, might be able to punch through a wood wall with relative ease, but they will not be able to much more than that. Same for speed, they cannot move to where eyes cannot track them, but they can still overpower humans in this regard.Note about Dhampyrs: Dhampyrs will find no easy living in human or vampire settlements, though many are located in human settlements as they are hired as bodyguards, vampire hunters, werewolf hunters, and serve in such various ways. Many face harsh discrimination from the people and they are few in number, so only the best applications will be considered, and if need be, there will be a cap imposed on the players if there’s simply too many running around (for story purposes).Dhampyrs have the following abilities:- Superhuman strength, speed, agility, senses, and partial immunity to sunlight. (if a dhampyr has been in the sun too long, he or she will succumb to heatstroke). Dhampyric powers are weakened in the sun, and enhanced at night – so during the day, dhampyrs are more on the level of the standard human and at night they are more comparable to vampire nobles.- Must feed on mortal blood, characters that choose not to feed will lose their abilities and slowly become ill.- Dhampyrs are combinations of vampire and mortal.- Can live for a known five centuries before death. (However, this isn't a solid number as many dhampyrs die prematurely - such as fighting high-tier vampires, or being hunted down by the mortal military forces, or even the vampyrian military forces).These conditions are alterable, and can change through rewards or progression of the story for individual characters.

The Holy Empire of Alvastar

The rise of an empire is something that is often clouded with difficult trials and campaigns, and the land of Alvastar is no exception. Long before any sort of troubles had arose with the creatures on the other side of the mountain, the land of Alvastar was barbaric and tribal. It was a place where humanity was shattered and lived off the ogres and other wildlife, and wouldn’t associate themselves with one another.All this was changed by one man -- a young man who has since been called by many things, but the most common title any gave him was simply “Divine.” This man campaigned across the land, spreading word of a great God with a grand vision for all, a God named Alvastar. He dreamt of a land with grand flying machines, powerful military, and safe and content citizens. The man was blessed with a vision from his master.This man planned his course with purpose and heart. By targeting the smaller, simpler tribes, he was able to establish his presence as a powerful leader quickly enough. Through charisma and Alvastar’s vision, he was able to unite many of the smaller, simpler colonies, and by the time he finished that, the larger colonies found themselves forced to be annexed or eliminated by the growing empire.Currently, the empire is a sprawling and powerful nation that jams life into its borders. The human cities are large but relatively few, and so the interior of the land is thick in trees and wildlife. Small villages and farms are commonplace outside of the Capital cites, and in between those, ogres and dwarves have made civilizations in the forests near the mountains and in the marshlands to the south.The land of Alvastar is not balanced economically. While cities like Veils and the military capital Akastos are sprawling and prosperous, the rest of the countryside is dominated by small villages and farms. Poverty and labor are high for those who can’t find work in the half dozen cities. Akastos is just northeast of Veils, closer to the mountain range that separates the vampires from the humans. It is a fortified city with enough firepower in it at any given time to even put Veils to shame.The north and south halves of the country are split by a thick forest that arcs down the land. This thicket, called Alvastar’s Belt (or simply The Belt) is a dangerous territory, populated by orcs and ogres, and many other mortals who failed to integrate into human society, due to their violent tendencies. Wildlife is untamed here, unlike the grasslands that make up the rest of the country, and passage through is generally reserved for the incredibly religious pilgrims looking for the few shrines Lord Veils had built during his campaigns, or any of the other wizards who search for the rare plants that can be found there.The mortal wizards are the one thing the Alverlainian Empire has no real match for. Settled mostly in the Citadel of Magia, the magicians are a rare bunch. At the age of three, each and every child born in Alvastar is tested by government officials. If they pass the test and their blood is revealed to be supernatural, they are shipped away to the Citadel, and they seldom see their parents afterwards. The magus are not necessarily feared but respected as one would respect a mighty animal. They are dramatically more powerful than normal humans, for obvious reasons, and isolated because of this. Wizards seldom leave the citadel except in dire situations, such as invasion or outbreaks. Regardless, there are an unknown amount of magi working for the King’s Court, acting as bodyguards and advisors on matters pertaining to magical instances, and are often simply emergency personnel in the case of an attack on the palace.Wizards or “magus” (plural: magi), as they call themselves, have a broad spectrum of powers. As the spell book has had hundreds of thousands of years to broaden, no wizard could possibly know every single spell, so wizards often specialize in one certain field, such as necromancy or water manipulation. They are generally forced to one specialization, not only to mental capacity but also physical capacity. Magic usage borrows heavily from physical endurance. The training it requires to master a drastic number amount of spells would render a magus a vegetable. Overuse of magical energies can kill a magus, though there are classified techniques that allow magi to extend their power – these techniques are saved only for those deemed worthy and mentally fit to use them, and are never given away lightly.The Alvastar military forces patrol the streets of Veils at a near constant rate, primarily to keep an eye on the dhampyr population and to keep an eye out for any possible assassination threats to the King. They also exist to remove dissenters, government-bad-mouthers, and people deemed as "dangerous to the whole of society," which is largely left to their discretion. The actual military forces have yet to be truly deployed into combat, and many are often put to protect the capital city. There are specialized forces that exist, but their names are not known to civilians and to even some government officials, simply because what those organizations wish to do is combat the vampires more effectively -- on their own turf -- and they would rather not let the Unholy Empire get wind of their plans.Sometimes captured vampires are brought into the city during the dead of night and even brought into the massive palace, but precisely what is done to them, or what they are being used for, is purely speculation by civilians and military members alike.

Setting – General

General information about the setting, which applies to all sides. The mortal empire, Alvaster, is a three week journey from the Alverlainian Empire on foot. There are no trains that connect these two powers, nor are there any commercial airships that go either way – however, if one was to get an airship, then the travel time would be reduced to about a week. Time isn’t measured in the game, but this is explained so people don’t instantly teleport from one place to the next in less than two sentences.This is a steampunk setting, with militaries combining armor (more fantasy-medieval style) with things like guns, cloaks, tabards and the like. The architecture for humans is more late 1800’s style (like 1880’s), while the architecture for vampires is more akin to the gothic period (look at old French cathedrals and you’ll know what I mean). There is land in between the empires, forested lands, that go back to the traditional fantasy-setting – where there’s lush green trees standing impossibly high, with dangers lurking here and there, along with rivers, oasis’s and whatever geographical features one would want to include.

Locations:

Alverlainian Empire:

Sanctum: The capital city of the vampire empire, home to thousands of individuals and the bulk of nobles. The Great Palace is where Alistair resides, dominating the heart of the city and towering above all – easily visible from any location within the city, and is by far the grandest piece of architecture there. The city itself is large – shops of all sorts exist, taverns, restaurants, and lamp posts line the cobbled streets often dominated by carriages and buggies, the vehicles primarily owned and operated by the wealthy. Airships come and go from the airship platform, known as Airstrip One, which is near the outskirts of Sanctum and is the tallest structure in Sanctum, primarily so that airships can go back and forth with no problems. The platform can hold up to four airships at a time, though in many cases they are used for shipping food to some of the other settlements and often for military deployments. These vehicles can be used commercially, but the tickets are often incredibly expensive. Many people instead choose to travel by train, which will go to many of the Outer Cities, such as Vidian, Vael, and Ashtar – all named after vampires believed to have ascended to Aeva status.Vidian, Vael and Ashtar are all relatively the same. All are deep within the empire’s territory and live in eternal darkness, all have taverns and a few shops and a small number of residents. They all have railroad stations and airship platforms, but nothing else is particularly notable about any of them. It will be up to players to decide what each town will look like, and perhaps even what specializations each town will receive – if a player wishes to start an importing business in Vael, for instance, then that town would likely become larger and receive more traffic than the others. As the game-organizer, I’d prefer to give players more freedom in the setting where I can, so that I’m not dictating everything down to the most minute detail.As far as maps would be concerned, Vael is not far from the empire and is in between both Vidian and Ashtar, Ashtar being closer to the coast line while Vidian is closer to forested regions. Each town receives airship supplies often, in order to support the civilians living there.Vael's only claim to fame is their airship construction, though the massive plant is actually located outside of the city due to the amount of smoke given off as metals are smelted together and formed. The Empire's top engineers work in this plant, and the airships crafted are of only the highest quality.Vidian, on the other hand, creates weapons for the vampyrian military -- primarily swords, knives, daggers, armors, arrows, and all of that. If one is looking for a better set of weapons, Vidian would have the craftsmen who would be able to create it.Minor settlements are allowed to be established – players alone can introduce them if they so wish, and even be in charge of them. Any more information regarding this, PM Spink as specifics will alter based on player, based on location, based on probability and based on conditions – these conditions are not set in stone and will vary from person to person, which is why they are not posted here.

The Holy Empire of Alvastar:

Veils is the capital city, bustling with life and the exuberance of boasting the homes of many important families, the palace, along with government officials and headquarters for the different branches of government. This capital city is protected by a powerful array of weaponry, though much of the weaponry is new and considered classified – primarily so no enemy can get wind of just what goes on in the bowels of the city. The Citadels of the Magi are located in Veils, as is a sizeable airstrip for airships, many suitable for commercial flight from city to city. The primary mode of travel for citizens is often the railroad, as airship prices can be fairly high, and the railroads stretch into each city, often taking cleared routes through forests and the like, avoiding settlements of anything dangerous for obvious reasons.Akastos is the military capital of the Holy Empire of Alvastar, and is fairly wealthy because of it. Akastos is just northeast of Veils, closer to the mountain range that separates the vampires from the humans. It is a fortified city with enough firepower in it at any given time to even put Veils to shame.Asona is the epitome of skewed economics. While Veils and Akastos are prosperous, Asona literally soars above them in terms of numbers and physical location, and is a complete marvel in human engineering, but it only houses a few dozen citizens. Asona is a flying city, created by many platforms latched together, with many industrial flotation devices keeping it elevated. Its inhabitants operate through couriers that are sent to and from the surface, bearing rations and other such supplies, and are paid top dollar. It is primarily populated by the Seers of Alvastar, a religious organization who seldom associate with the “surface dwellers.”Alvastar’s Belt is a location of thick forest, containing numbers of dangers and is often avoided as far as common civilians are concerned. There is not much known of the area, though any traveler should be wary, and travelling at night is not recommended.*Note: Anything that applies to the vampire side, such as allowance for minor settlement establishments, are allowed for the Alvastar Empire as well.

Rules

1) You will respect the staff of this game, and you will respect other players. Disrespecting players can range from minor to major punishments, pending on the severity.2) You will not break any rules set forth by the BZPower administration.3) God-modding is frowned upon and I do not allow it, the goal is to help write a story, not win an unwinnable game.4) PM me your profile, and post it in your first post so all may see.5) Do not do anything major story-wise unless you clear it with me first, this is a precaution primarily to avoid someone accidentally destroying a piece of untold information.6) You may ask me if you want your character to become a Hunter Corps member, or a member of the Sky Raider Pirates. Selection for these two organizations is strict, so if I deny do not ask again – I’ll extend an offer to you if you prove to be a player suitable for that type of position.7) If you have complaints, please take them up with me in PM.8) Do not drag personal issues or disputes into this game, and remember to keep all politically fueled and religious comments out of the game. (There is reason why I stress this rule).9) Remember, this is a friendly environment.10) You may request to make a species, but I hold the right to deny it. (Format such requests any way you would like).11) Remember, this is a story that we are all writing. This is not a game where anyone can win, so don't go out pumping up a character or treating this as one would an MMORPG -- treat it as if you're helping to craft an intricate tale of whatever you wish to roleplay out. Members seen finding loopholes in the rules for unfair advantages, and who take the fun out of the story for other players, will be dealt with as deemed necessary by staff. I don't care if your exploit is "technically within the rules" -- I don't want players who will ruin the fun for others, simple as that.12) Have fun, write a story, or join one.Note: Punishments will be a surprise, so don't break these rules or you may wake up with your character beheaded, floating downstream so that goldfish may feast upon your character's flesh. Have fun now.

Staff

Spink -- Host and Game Administrator

~JC~ -- Co-Host and Game Moderator

Profile: (Remove anything in parenthesis)

Player Name:Character Name:Appearance:Age:Species:Gender:Rank (If applicable):Weapons:Abilities/Powers/Specializations:Faction (If applicable):Biography:Misc:

Current Characters:

Spink - Alistair Alverlain (V), Vayreil (D)*Note: These cities are starting out as threadbare as they are, because I would like to allow players, who would be interested, to establish their own businesses, organizations and such within these cities in order to make them differentiate more from one another, rather than myself making them all up and having to keep up with that.*Note: While species are allowed to be created by players, I provided no concrete form for them as I would rather not limit the creativity or idea of a member. It's also preferred, by me, for players to create a few paragraphs describing their species from a story-perspective rather than from a technical perspective, as it would give me more of an idea of how they would function and play out in the game's established story.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Spink

[Archer Vonn]

we on our JJ abrams trip we are

[Xomeron]

HOLY EPIC BACKSTORY!Anyway. My main objection from the skim I gave it(full reading later) is that I don't get any sort of fantasy-steampunk feel from this. It feels too real, like someone reading a steampunk fantasy to us rather than experiencing it for ourselves. The mention of Fairies at the beginning is a good way of setting it up, but you ruin it by saying they're imaginary; give us a bit of mystery, a bit of wonder in our world.

Edited December 16, 2011 by King Of Shadows

[Noxryn]

HOLY EPIC BACKSTORY!Anyway. My main objection from the skim I gave it(full reading later) is that I don't get any sort of fantasy-steampunk feel from this. It feels too real, like someone reading a steampunk fantasy to us rather than experiencing it for ourselves. The mention of Fairies at the beginning is a good way of setting it up, but you ruin it by saying they're imaginary; give us a bit of mystery, a bit of wonder in our world.

The backstory is more meant to be written as a narration of someone who may have experienced the world, rather than a purely omnipotent take on it. Faeries can be real if players want them, they're just referred to as "imaginary" in the backstory as they aren't common in society and only stories of them circulate. Anything referred to as "imaginary" follows that same general rule, as really, nothing is off limits in terms of species creation and implementation, as long as people stick within the limits of the rules.There's a lot more content that will be added to the game as the plot goes on, but for now, it's just the basics to help players understand the world so they can better immerse themselves within it by creating characters and playing them. The actual TBRPG post isn't, from my perspective, meant to be the immersive quality, but rather the stories players create as they integrate themselves into the world and play the game.

[Archer Vonn]

thanks i liked my story idea too.i see it being real as a compliment. is it possible you're looking for it to be fantasy or steampunk because it was introduced as fantasy steampunk? thing is it is has vampires, magic, orcs, elves, and whatever else you want. if you're looking for a more alice in wonderland type of fantasy then yeah, you're out of luck. but if our vampires seem real to you, i'm not gonna look at that as room for improvement, i'm putting that in my resumee.

Edited December 16, 2011 by ~JC~

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

You and Spink made that together?I didn't notice that when i skimmed at first :PI love it, that's all I can really say. Luvitluvitluvit.Whatever setting it was (again, as I skimmed, i didn't get too much of a steampunk vibe but maybe that's just cause i'm not well aquainted with the Genre) I love it. The pure idea of being able to have whatever you want as your character, while tried and done before, always appeals to me. Especially if it's "mythical"Only question though... are there limits to our species/character creation? I know and understand that you say there aren't but would there be less chance of ours being approved if it's a little "out there" with the context of the RPG.No, i'm not thinking Aliens, more along the lines of Dragonlance's infamous Draconians

[Xomeron]

Huh. I give this a more "World of Darkness" look, it actually seems all right. Needs development, but that'll come. I'd give it a shot.

[Archer Vonn]

of course it needs development, it hasn't started yet.so long as you don't make a ridiculously godmodey species (no lasers, being scaly and 40 feet long, etc) you're aces. this is story time.

[Noxryn]

You and Spink made that together?I didn't notice that when i skimmed at first :PI love it, that's all I can really say. Luvitluvitluvit.Whatever setting it was (again, as I skimmed, i didn't get too much of a steampunk vibe but maybe that's just cause i'm not well aquainted with the Genre) I love it. The pure idea of being able to have whatever you want as your character, while tried and done before, always appeals to me. Especially if it's "mythical"Only question though... are there limits to our species/character creation? I know and understand that you say there aren't but would there be less chance of ours being approved if it's a little "out there" with the context of the RPG.No, i'm not thinking Aliens, more along the lines of Dragonlance's infamous Draconians

There are limits, but by limits I just mean by natural abilities and such -- having indestructible golems, for example, would be denied. Draconian-type things would be allowed as long as they don't fall under the God-moderator area or hold advantages over everyone else. As far as species goes, just as long as it's not too out there (like science-fiction aliens and stuff), then it should be fine.

[Xomeron]

I'm making age-old grimdark Faeries, Shakespeare style.

[Archer Vonn]

shakespeare fans are gonna love what i have in store.

[Xomeron]

If Puck shows up...I don't know what I'll do. But it will be interesting, I can tell you that.

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

Well, what can I say other than "I would totally play Skylight"

[Bloody Nine]

I'm making age-old grimdark Faeries, Shakespeare style.

Shakespearean Fae aren't exactly... grimdark.But my concern would be the ranking thing. It's too much of a hassle to properly hurl ranks at people and whatnot. Edited December 16, 2011 by Undying Light of the Lake

[Noxryn]

But my concern would be the ranking thing. It's too much of a hassle to properly hurl ranks at people and whatnot.

It exists for military purposes and reward purposes. I thought about doing away with ranks at first, but then realized that if people wanted to play as soldiers, then that wouldn't work as military forces are structured in such a fashion. Other TBRPGs have done fine with ranks, even TBRPGs that allow players to start at advanced ones (such as officership, and in the case of this TBRPG, nobility as well) assuming the player can be trusted to have the advantages presented by starting there, as otherwise, those advantages would be stripped and the player's character would likely have a temporary disadvantage to make up for treating other players unfairly. (Unfairly would be, for example, picking a fight with a player's character who was just minding his/her own business and that player doesn't want that kind of interaction. If a player of a lower class vampire picks a fight with a noble, then the player with the noble can use his/her advantages against that player). They also exist from a story perspective, as there wouldn't just be one caste in any society like that, there hasn't been, and it exists for the player who might want to roleplay a rags to riches story, or something along those lines.Any promotions, such as moving up a rank in the military or in society (ie: going from a low-tier vampire to nobility) are some of the rewards. It's an enhancement of a character's ability without needing to break the fourth wall, or have some unexplainable event occur, that would otherwise break the story-feel.Though, those ranks only exist in the two established societies and militaries. If a player wanted to start up their own organization, then ranking wouldn't be needed, although I'd imagine that without structure, that organization would probably become a nightmare for the leader to keep tabs on. It's partly organizational, partly for the story and partly to act as one of many rewards possible in the game.

[Bloody Nine]

It's still a pretty kludgey system. That's the sort of stuff that seems better off as a touch and feel system, rather than YOU ARE PRIVATE. NOW YOU ARE SERGEANT. NOW A WINNER IS YOU! etc etc.

[Noxryn]

It's still a pretty kludgey system. That's the sort of stuff that seems better off as a touch and feel system, rather than YOU ARE PRIVATE. NOW YOU ARE SERGEANT. NOW A WINNER IS YOU! etc etc.

It wouldn't make sense having a player enter the military and immediately be a Sergeant, just as it wouldn't make sense having a Private leading a squadron. If it was purely a touch and feel system, there'd be no point in having it and players wouldn't be able to have characters (if they were able to achieve a high enough rank for their character in the military) take on prominent roles during pivotal story-battles between the two empires. Another reason for having ranks is so that players who show that they are responsible, follow the rules and are good story tellers, can help make decisions during parts of the game that can lead to an important outcome, and not an outcome set in stone. (unless it'd end the game, or something).

[Bloody Nine]

It wouldn't make sense having a player enter the military and immediately be a Sergeant, just as it wouldn't make sense having a Private leading a squadron.

It would, however, make sense for a player who made a 40-year old character to be a sergeant, since fluffwise, he's supposed to be a veteran. But with this regimented ranking system, he'll have to be stuck as a private until he somehow manages to meteorically rise through the ranks in the span of two months or something.

If it was purely a touch and feel system, there'd be no point in having it and players wouldn't be able to have characters (if they were able to achieve a high enough rank for their character in the military) take on prominent roles during pivotal story-battles between the two empires.

If everyone starts as a private, then nobody will be able to do anything cool from the start, anyways. Though I would say that, from the very start of things, an all-out war with battles joined by thousands of people is a pretty bad way to roleplay conflict in the first place. People aren't going to duel and fancy stuff in the first place without breaking up the point of a battle. You're just going to pop out, shoot someone, and shoot someone else. If you're concentrating on the same person for more than half a minute, then you're doing it wrong. But I'm kind of digressing in the first place. A linear progression of ranks runs the risks of1. "Wait, how did a private become a captain in the span of two months?" Suspension, disbelief, blah blah blah.2. Sort of reminiscent of a leveling system anyways.3. Really constrains the type of character you can make. I'd be barred from making, for example, a posh guy from a posh family whose connections were used to get him in a good start of the military, as an, I dunno, second Lt., and would have to learn to grow up as a result (Character development!). Or a grizzled veteran who's perfectly fine as a Sergeant and turned down three separate promotions.

Another reason for having ranks is so that players who show that they are responsible, follow the rules and are good story tellers, can help make decisions during parts of the game that can lead to an important outcome, and not an outcome set in stone.

I'd think that being a good storyteller, responsible, etc is its own reward. You don't need a golden star to show it. And considering the number of ranks you have, it would take a long time for people to get from private to capn, or something like that, unless you're handing promotions out like candy.What I'd suggest is something like such- Keeping the generic bones of the ranks, but allow people to have a character capable of starting at X rank or lower. At the same time, make it harder to progress. That way, if I wanted to play ACTION HERO, then I'd keep him a private, and he wouldn't have to mature through the ranks until he's CAPTAIN ACTION DESK JOCKEY. Likewise, I could build stern, grey-bearded Lt. with an eye for tactics, if I so chose, and so on.

[Noxryn]

It would, however, make sense for a player who made a 40-year old character to be a sergeant, since fluffwise, he's supposed to be a veteran. But with this regimented ranking system, he'll have to be stuck as a private until he somehow manages to meteorically rise through the ranks in the span of two months or something.

You missed a point, players can start at advanced ranks assuming their backstory for it makes sense, and they're able to be trusted with it. If anyone has a good enough reason for it, they can start anywhere from Private - Major in both military forces, but if they abuse the advantages provided by having such a position, then the character is stripped of it as punishment. So, I don't see where this point holds any water, as it's already do-able.

If everyone starts as a private, then nobody will be able to do anything cool from the start, anyways. Though I would say that, from the very start of things, an all-out war with battles joined by thousands of people is a pretty bad way to roleplay conflict in the first place. People aren't going to duel and fancy stuff in the first place without breaking up the point of a battle. You're just going to pop out, shoot someone, and shoot someone else. If you're concentrating on the same person for more than half a minute, then you're doing it wrong. But I'm kind of digressing in the first place.

Again, that's not how it works so it's a non-issue. Because, as I iterated above, not everyone starts at private if they want to be a soldier in the game (which is not forced upon people), but at the same time, they have to abide by the rules if they want the privilege of starting ahead of where, presumably, most players would be. Battles also do not work they way you described, and how battles function was never iterated in the TBRPG post in the first place, so where are you getting the idea that there will be massive fights from the get-go where everyone will die because they have to focus on non-specific targets?

A linear progression of ranks runs the risks of1. "Wait, how did a private become a captain in the span of two months?" Suspension, disbelief, blah blah blah.2. Sort of reminiscent of a leveling system anyways.3. Really constrains the type of character you can make. I'd be barred from making, for example, a posh guy from a posh family whose connections were used to get him in a good start of the military, as an, I dunno, second Lt., and would have to learn to grow up as a result (Character development!). Or a grizzled veteran who's perfectly fine as a Sergeant and turned down three separate promotions.

1) Because getting promotions isn't the only reward in the game? And if someone was RPing that well they'd be receiving different rewards in order to further their own story? 2) Not really, you're not gaining experience points that improve statistics. There's an in-story reason for why vampire officers and the like have enhanced abilities, but I don't feel like spoiling it. If a character is supposed to be the paragon of the military, and does well, and the player writes it well and doesn't cheat the rules, then both in game and out of game it's believable that the character would receive a higher position. It's not "kill X amount of stuff and get a prize" like you seem to want to make it out to be.3) Again, you seem to have not read the part after the ranks where you can do that, so this complaint is a non-issue.

I'd think that being a good storyteller, responsible, etc is its own reward. You don't need a golden star to show it. And considering the number of ranks you have, it would take a long time for people to get from private to capn, or something like that, unless you're handing promotions out like candy.

Being a good storyteller and responsible is nice for a player, but since they are responsible and a good storyteller, I won't limit their creative freedom in some regards as I would the player who is still trying to comprehend the "No God-moderator" rule or the "this isn't a winnable game" part. Players can only work with what they're given, and I'd like to give more to players who show excellence so that others may try to get to that level.

What I'd suggest is something like such- Keeping the generic bones of the ranks, but allow people to have a character capable of starting at X rank or lower. At the same time, make it harder to progress. That way, if I wanted to play ACTION HERO, then I'd keep him a private, and he wouldn't have to mature through the ranks until he's CAPTAIN ACTION DESK JOCKEY. Likewise, I could build stern, grey-bearded Lt. with an eye for tactics, if I so chose, and so on.

But you can do that already. Edited December 16, 2011 by Spink

[Bloody Nine]

Oh, cool.

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

If you need any further proof of a workable system as such, Halo Retribution is similar.Besides, just throwing this out there but age has nothing to do with rank. My Great Grandfather's eighty-five and he never advanced beyond private during WWII. To simplify what spink said, it's a reward just like any other (be it increased abilities, weapons, or just a new character slot in the RPG). but instead of just being granted as an extension to things outside of the RPG, it's an in-game reward.Just wanted to say that.

[Xomeron]

I'm making age-old grimdark Faeries, Shakespeare style.

Shakespearean Fae aren't exactly... grimdark.But my concern would be the ranking thing. It's too much of a hassle to properly hurl ranks at people and whatnot.

Au contraireThe primary plot of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" revolves around choosing which of two decadent monarchs gets to have a kidnapped Indian child as their henchman. Oberon eventually takes the child for his own by brainwashing Titania while he also forces an Athenian youth to fall in love with a woman he hates.That's at least a 6/10 on the Grimdark Scale.Anyway, I really don't want to see a ranking system, but that's more of my opinion. Halo: Retribution is clearly successful, so the system's workable.Will we be able to have players outside the military structure?

[Noxryn]

Will we be able to have players outside the military structure?

Yes. I expect that the majority of people will choose to not be in either military force, it's only there for people who would want to play a soldier, and participation in the military isn't the main focus for plot and the like, as it is in Halo Retribution.

[Xomeron]

Excellent. The character I'm coming up with would do very badly in a standing army.

[Archer Vonn]

c'mon shadow of course you can play outside the military structure...

[Bloody Nine]

I'm making age-old grimdark Faeries, Shakespeare style.

Shakespearean Fae aren't exactly... grimdark.But my concern would be the ranking thing. It's too much of a hassle to properly hurl ranks at people and whatnot.

Au contraireThe primary plot of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" revolves around choosing which of two decadent monarchs gets to have a kidnapped Indian child as their henchman. Oberon eventually takes the child for his own by brainwashing Titania while he also forces an Athenian youth to fall in love with a woman he hates.That's at least a 6/10 on the Grimdark Scale.

Try the Tuatha de Danaan. They went to Ireland, thought that it was an awesome piece of land, and basically forcibly ejected the Formorian inhabitants through war, war, and war. Their king got his arm cut off at the shoulder, so he had it replaced with a pimpin' arm of SILVER. Among their foes was Balor, a guy who could KILL YOU with a look.If straight-up war and bloodthirst doesn't quite suit you, we've also got Puca, who are shapeshifting creatures who prefer to ride around as demonic horses, enticing people to ride them... and then who knows what happens then. The only day they truly behave themselves is on November first. And that's because they're too tired after partying on Samhain/Halloween.Or changelings. If your kid gets carted off by a faerie, leaving a facsimile... your only option is to bake it. I don't think Oberon mentioned that part, did he?And of course, the Fae are the ones who own and start the Wild Hunt. A night of ghost warriors howling, lusting, SCREAMING after the souls of man.So yeah, when compared to the base myths, Shakespearean is kind of vanilla. Edited December 17, 2011 by Undying Light of the Lake

[Archer Vonn]

rpg topic, not debate club. take it to PM, will you kindly.got my moderator pants on, i do.

Edited December 17, 2011 by ~JC~

[Bloody Nine]

The hypocrisy is staggering.

Besides, just throwing this out there but age has nothing to do with rank. My Great Grandfather's eighty-five and he never advanced beyond private during WWII.

I know that. My point was that if I wanted to make a veteran guy, it's more likely that he'd be older than a 20 year old kid, no?

[Archer Vonn]

yeah didnt have my pants on then. gotta step my game up. you know what it is.yeah, you're right there. i made a huffpuff over the fact that kaitan had a 17 year old lieutenant in alkermpa. i'm not gonna approve a 25 year old captain any time soon.

Edited December 17, 2011 by ~JC~

[Kothra]

That was me, not Kaitan. :PI didnt choose the rank either.

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

More likely doesn't mean it's impossible, especially in an RPG setting.I'm not going to debate the rank issue cause it's not worth it. It's been done before, it works.Sides' it's an RPG. Anyone who manages to get a young character to have a high rank should be able to both RP it properly, and write a good enough of a backstory as to why. in the end what everything comes down to is the ability of the player, so... yeah.Sides, if you can, with good enough reason, have a fifty year old veteran with low rank, why not an 18 year old with high-ish rank?Most recruits who get promoted to, say, sergeant, are promoted right out of Bootcamp.

[Archer Vonn]

i've been saying stupid stuff all day, forgive me.point stands. if she can't legally drink, she's too young to order around armed gunmen.because booze enforces positive military decisions. thats a fact. (its not!)it's no reflection on the RPer at all. writing a solid backstory could convince me why a vampire was fighting for a human, but no backstory could convince me that the king thought higher of a 20 year old who's only had a few years experience than a 30 year old who's been serving half his life. partly because i'm going to be playing the role of the king for the most part. partly because it just makes sense.

Edited December 17, 2011 by ~JC~

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

Is the king in direct control of every aspect of the MIlitary though? From what I recall the RPG said that, at least in the vampires side, He'd become a bit of a shut in.Also in reply to your "If they're not of drinking age."I'm canadian. Drinking Age is Eighteen.But anyways, while I can see where you're coming from, there are quite a few cases throughout history where people have been ordered by higher ranked people who happen to be years younger.Just because you're a veteran doesn't mean you have a high rank. Just because you're not veteran doesn't mean you automatically have a low rank.Veteran literally just means you've survived a war, it says nothing of your experience. There are, or as of these days, were veterans who'd never seen actual fighting.

[Archer Vonn]

spink has general control over the vampires, i'm his human counterpart. the king has absolute power on everything, even if most of his underlings do his dirty work. otherwise, we just gonna go in circles. so just random footnotes:i'm canadian too. that was in response to kothra's 17 year old executive officer. and i didn't use the word veteran at all. xP

[Xomeron]

Vodka=Military Mastery. It's how the Soviets did so well in World War II. Only the Fins could out-drink them.But really, I think an eighteen year old girl isn't likely to be an officer, or even an NCO role. Maybe twenty-two, at the least.

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

Mkay.Still though i find it hard to believe that the king personally approves every promotion. There'd be way to many people for that to be even remotely efficient or usable.Just saying - thanks for clearin that up though.There are so many factors in that though - what branch of the militiary they enlisted in, what they did, if they deserve promotion, etc etc.For cryin' out loud, you have the Army, and then you have the Officer's schools. People who come out of the latter are usually officers.Regardless, it's still my firm opinion that if someone is able to write up a good enough, quality backstory to explain how they got what's a higher than average rank, that it should be, in some cases, allowed. The one thing that i don't agree with would be if everyone and their dog was an officer, but still.I dunno, just my views.I guess my main point is that most officers don't listen to their subordinates. It'd suck if your character was completely unable to affect anything just because they're in the military as a private and no one will listen to them. In that case your char would have to go against orders to do something that remotely affects the battle, after which they'd probably be court-martialed and kicked out.I guess the main argument here isn't so much about rank, it's about age. but personally as long as your char is, say, eighteen, i think they should be allowed to have one rank above the base, at least. Otherwise it's just a little bit unfair for the people who want to RP the young character who's thrown into a command role and has no idea what to do.

[Archer Vonn]

i'll bite i misspoke when i said king, but the point remains. i'm not saying if you wanna be young you need to be a private, but i'm gonna draw a line somewhere.

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

Of course. I don't expect to have an eighteen year old field marshal, or it's equivalent. But within reason of course, i'd say maybe... Staff Sergeant max? There has to be a line drawn somewhere yes, but for the sake of RPing the line shouldn't be too short.I digress, i misunderstood as well, so i think we're cleared up a bit i guess (I failed when i originally posted. That'll teach me not to look at the RPG again ><)

Edited December 17, 2011 by Lord Kini Hawkeye

[Archer Vonn]

i think you're over thinking it. i'm not gonna literally set a boundary.

Edited December 17, 2011 by ~JC~