Mystic Empyran: Forum-Based RPG Scenario

[Snow]

You and your fellow godlings seek the lost Cornerstones, pieces of a destroyed world, so that you can rebuild it in your own image. Your powers depend on who you are, and your decisions shape the elemental balance of the worlds you visit. Spread lies and violence, and those things become part of the realm's very nature. In the many-tiered city of Nitar, you've heard rumors of a Cornerstone, but the city's people and the layers beneath them won't make it easy to get...

Seeking up to four other players for this short scenario, a demo of the game. Free download at here of the demo; more info at here, copy of the download at here. Since that last one is my copy and is probably watermarked, I'd appreciate if you not redistribute that so that I'm not hassled for "pirating" a free download.

How to play this: Pick one of the five sample characters. We'll begin with the sample scenario, asking each other questions. Say, due to the forum format, that anyone can answer another player's question, and anyone can ask in any order or vote to move on with the scene.

[Stormkit]

Looking over the book, it looks like character creation is really not that hard and you could easily generate your own characters. Just pick five character traits, justify related powers at the three levels, and determine what element that personality trait counts as to figure out how many points they get in what element. I'm pretty sure the starting build is having a certain number of dots that you can distribute to give yourself one deep character trait and two superficial with the last two undeveloped.

[Snow]

Each sample character has 1 dot in each element, plus 4 elsewhere, except Shiele who has 5 due to a possession. I have no idea how those work. Sure, if you want to do a custom character, but I'd play one of the sample ones (maybe Shiele?) for simplicity.

[Stormkit]

The four extra dots were related to what traits were developed how far. For instance, the academic character had 'academic' at deep level. Since that was a light trait it put two more dots in light. She had two other superficial traits, one of which was light so she had a total of 1+2+1=4 dots in light element. Looking at the other characters will show they also had their elemental stats determined by their traits with superficial=1, deep=2, and presumably all-consuming=3.

Shiele for instance has the one extra darkness point for his possession thing. Then he also has 'furtive' and 'duplicitous' at superficial for the other two. 'Pride' is a light trait and 'Secretive' is a stone trait so he has a 2 in light and stone also. Each character then used 42 (or 43, I'm uncertain as to what caused that difference) to distribute between their five traits in whatever combination they desire for the initial build.

[Debra]

Howdy! Newcomer to the forum here. Snow talked me through this system in IRC and I whipped up a possible chara sheet based on personality traits I picked for a character of my own design.  If folks want I could post a copy here?

[Snow]

@Debra: Sure!

@Stormkit: Ah, that makes sense. So, in Mystic Empyran, first you get the personality, then you get the elements. Then you get the women. 42 points in any traits in the sample book (or the whole one if you own it), then, but for sanity's sake try to keep it to 5 or so traits like the sample characters. Looks like 7 points gets you the "superficial" level power plus one element point, and any less still lets you use that power but only when spending "anima".

[Snow]

New character idea:

Hikaru Of the Islands
"Actually, no, that's not how it works; let me explain why that price is far too low."
Profession: Seafaring Trader
Likes: Fish, Sailing
Dislikes: Ignorance, Unfair Deals
Physique: Sleek
Attitude: Scatterbrained, talkative, opinionated
Appearance: Hikaru is a shaggy, tanned man with otter-like ears, hands and tail. His hands glow gold and blue, and the rest of him tends to ripple softly like sunlight seen through water. Sometimes he forgets that he's just grown to twice his usual size, especially while explaining why you're wrong.
Tenets: Everyone has a lesson they need to learn. Cheaters must be punished. The new world must be built only by fair-minded people such as myself.
Elements: Electricity 4, Air 2, others 1
Gear:
-"Harek's Gift": A sapphire and pearl necklace that gives the wearer an otter's swimming and breath-holding. And webbed hands and tail.
-"The Spice": A shaker of delicious and varying spices with endless capacity, though the output can't be stored.
Traits:
-Fair: Kinetic (A) 12 (can fling things really hard or slow them down)
-Demagogue: Lantern (E) 10 (glows, can calm creatures)
-Excitability: Indeterminate Size (E) 7 (can grow; no strength boost)
-Mischievous: Phased (E) 9 (can reach through walls)
-Acrobatic: Liquid Flesh (W) 4

[Debra]

Back, work and life kicked my butt for a few days there.



Name:

Bridge


Profession:

Travelling Merchant


Likes:

Motivated people, ideals


Dislikes:

Bystanders, loafers


Physique:

Lean, soft



Attitiude:

Calm, friendly


Appearance:


Bridge is a very graceful creature of deerlike features. However he is virtually never seen with antlers and this combined with the warm and softspoken way he deals with others has often put him in a spot of being mistaken for a fetching doe rather than a buck, not that he minds the mixup.

Often is not always though, as he grows angrier his features will become more hardened and antlers will begin to appear. Those that are familiar with his Death Oath abiliy can judge the power of said oath by the size and shape of the antlers that grow as a result. When the oath is satisfied the antlers are shed, the longer the oath goes unsatisfied the more cracked and brittle the antlers become. If the oath is unsatisfied within a day of it being made it is very easilly apparent just by looking at the poor state his body is in.

In everyday appearance Bridge appears to be an ordinary passing merchant carrying  wares in a deerskin rucksack. He has a one handed sword sheathed at his side but what traveller possesed of any kind of wealth isnt armed?



Gear:

Deer souled pack

Looking and functioning mostly like an ordinary rucksack most of the time, when Bridge spends one anima the rucksack unfolds more leather and animates into the shape of a fully bodied and sly witted stag. Able to follow commands in this state the rucksack is able to make off with a rucksacks worth of items so swiftly as to evade almost all pursuit and deliver it to where or who Bridge specifies.


Glass Dagger(not his main armament, that is a standard and unmagical one handed sword)

Although it seems to be a very fragile looking weapon it can pierce deeply through most known armor. But only once as it will explode into a thousand glass shards once it has been stabbed into a foe.




Primary tenet:

Creation isnt limited to worlds out of aether, with the right guidance you can create gods out of mortals


Secondary tenet:

To bring out the best in yourself, bring out the best in others


Tertiary tenet:

I will negotiate with you for days to avoid conflict if its possible. You will know I have ceased negotiating when you find yourself dead.




Elements score:

Fire: 2

Air:1

Light: 4

Darkness:1

Stone:1

Electricity:1

Water:1

Anima: 1


Character traits:

I decided to take a crack at creating my own personality traits/spells but didnt assign any points for these as Im unsure how many we have to spend, Helpful is likely deep to start and vengeful and humble are superficial with nurturing and calm being emerging.

Helpful
Vengeful
Humble
Calm
Nurturing


Helpful / Light

Mysterious Merchant

"It was the damndest thing, I'd all but given up hope of finding the part we needed but then I bumped into someone on the way back and he actually dropped the exact part ! Said he'd been trying to sell it all week and would gladly give me a deal on it just to get it off his hands!"

Superficial

The Eidolon has a sense for items that people might find themselves needing as well as a vague sense as to who the people are who need them. While this requires purchasing and carrying the item the eidolon always eventually finds who is in dire need of it. This doesnt at all guarentee it will be sold at a profit though as its not uncommon for people who need it to be broke.

Deep

Similar to above but now the merchants inventory seems boundless. The merchant can seemingly pull just about anything in existence out of his ruck sack as long as its value isnt beyond the merchants purchasing means.


All Consuming

The merchant has one item theyve carried their whole lives without even realizing it. An artifact of immense power that will be exactly what is needed at a precise moment in the merchants travels to stave off disaster of global proportions if it is placed in the hands of a grand hero. After parting with it the day will be saved but the merchant will be nowhere to be found afterwards and will never be seen again.



vengeful / Fire


Death Oath

"One shall stand, one shall fall."


Superficial

The Eidolon makes an oath to kill someone or something that has wronged him or his companions. This ability grants the eidolon a significant boost in physical ability, but if the target survives the attempt to kill it then the Eidolon who made the oath is severely weakened for hours if not days to weeks after depending on the severity of the oath.

Deep

Similar to above but with greater increase in granted strength at a penalty of even greater harm to the body if the target survives or escapes, possibly leaving the Eidolon on his death bed for weeks and definetly requiring medical intervention to avoid death.  Only evoked for avenging the gravest of crimes.


All consuming

Two people. One Oath. One dies that day and one doesnt. No exceptions.



humble / Light


Critical appraisal

"Some can bluster through unknown challenges knowing they are strong. But being weak I cant possibly afford to not my enemies strengths."

Superficial

An Eidolon with this trait doesnt have the most powerful of abilities himself but makes up for it with a keen eye for the abilities of others, able to deduce strengths and weaknesses from even the tiniest of hints or coax information with even the most seemingly innocent of questions.


Deep

At this level the Eidolon doesnt even need subtle hints. The Eidolon could judge the extent of a persons abilities even if they were doing nothing more than standing still.



calm / Water


Undisturbed Soul


Superficial

The Eidolon is able to remain calm and in control in the midst of harrowing ordeals and bloody horrors that would send others reeling. This has the side benifit of at the very least giving the Eidolon an idea as to whether his emotions are being tampered with or not as well as a bonus to resisting such tampering.


Deep

The ability to remain calm against mental horrors now extends to remaining calm in the face of massive physical trauma as well. Not even flinching for an instant from the loss of a limb and able to slow heart beat to such an extent that it slows bloodloss. Mental resistance is also significantly fortified at this level.



nurturing  /  Light


Word of Inspiration

Superficial

Some can inflict terror and madness with words that seem to come from otherworldly planes of existence, strange hideous languages in long dead alien tongues.

This Eidolon prefers to use soft words that inflict creativity and ability instead. Speaking a simple and seemingly intanglible word that grants a temporary boost to another who is undertaking a titanic effort.


Deep

In those who possess significant strength of will already such as adventurers, mages and kings this ability doesnt increase in strength from the superficial level, but for those who are unpassionate such as a gate guard or a baker apprentice this word can now open their eyes to things they never believed they could possibly do. The few days for which this person is under these effects will likely be the most productive and enriching of their entire lives.


All consuming

Sometimes a mighty conqueror will stop and look back upon the path they carved through a world that resisted their efforts in vain and realize it all started years ago with the cryptic advice of a mysterious stranger.

[Snow]

Our heroes are just outside the city of Nitar, a bastion of civilization surrounded on three sides by the all-consuming Aether. According to a sage they have met in their travels, a cornerstone is hidden in the ruins deep beneath the city of Nitar―in the undercity upon which the current metropolis is built. Nitar is a steampunk city of five tiers of buildings, with over a million people.

Walking along the road to Nitar, you and your comrades spy a cart that is tipped over in the road. The cart’s owner, a small man with a large mustache, is holding a rifle tightly and peering nervously around into the forest and woods. It is uncertain whether he is waiting for help, attempting to fend off bandits that might still be in the area, or simply a bit paranoid. The party includes two merchants: the deer-like Bridge and the vaguely ottery Hikaru (see revised post above), along with anyone else who jumps in. (Stormkit?)

Hikaru asks anyone: "Can we tell what goods are in/spilled from the cart?" And: "Are we carrying some reasonably valuable trade goods of our own?"

(If you'd like to play, jump in with a character description, answer one or both questions however you like, ask any others you want, and if you like, move to quit asking and resolve the scene.)

[Stormkit]

Name: Ren, Who Forges Fate
Profession: Jack of Several Trades
Likes: Friends, Candy
Dislikes: Boredom, Meanies
Physique: Childlike
Attitude: Enthusiastic, Curious, Outgoing
Tenets:"If nothing is happening, it's cause you're not trying hard enough."
"Strangers are just friends you haven't made yet."
"There is no such thing as something you do not need to know."
Elements: Water - 3, Electricity - 2, Dark - 2, Light - 2, others - 1
Can't think of specific word, but desire to have friends - Animal simulacron (Water) 15 pt.s
"An odd child... I've seen him face down the mightiest of foes, but he seems scared of such a simple thing as being alone..."
Summons animal companions to do stuff. He can communicate with them quite well by either talking or telepathic connection though they act like typical animals. Can be asked to perform simple tasks and are usually amicable/friendly to him. He picks up traits from animals he recently summoned like fur, ears, etc. Superficial is to summon few small creatures. Deep summons several small creatures or one or two large. Consuming is many small, several large, or one/two huge (elephant size) or mystical. Amount that changes ramps up with level and at all consuming he may become completely the animal he summoned for a while, losing much of his dexterity and ability to communicate. Despite taking the form of said creature, he gets no benefits from it. Turning into an otter doesn't let him swim better. Being a bird doesn't let him fly higher than he was tall anyway. Being small doesn't let him fit into tight spaces as it's like there's a force pulling him out if he tries to fit in one. Etc.
Hyperactive: Speedy (Electricity) 7 pt.s
"Drat that child! I turn around for two seconds and he somehow manages to disorganize my desk, spill my coffee, and vanish from the room!"
Exactly what it sounds like: superficial is lightning reflexes, deep is enhanced speed, consuming is go very fast with inability to move at normal speed, often marked with impatience for normal speed folks. Visually, he is never quite still, always fidgeting and may sometimes even look almost blurry around the edges.
Cheerful: Ghostfire (Light) 9 pt.s
"Something about that grin is unnerving... Maybe it's the lighting from the fireball, or maybe it's because I've never seen him frown."
Running low on ideas. But basically this lets him cast willowhispy type things that cast light and can move around, a la Brave. At deep, they can also give off heat and burn things and allow him to see energy signatures of things. Unlikely to reach consuming, but may make him insubstantial. Visually, typically has at least one whisp just kind of hanging around near him.
Exhibitionist: Illusion (Dark) 7 pt.s
(From book)
Capricious: Windborne (Air) 4 pt.s
(from book)

Items:
The Hoshi Orb
By spending an anima, he can capture himself inside this orb (fits in closed fist). While in the orb he can still see and hear what's around him, capable of hamster ball type locomotion (though looking in the orb you'd see an energy swirly thing, not a mini body), talking, and using his powers. May require an anima to escape from also. Cannot exit if there is not enough room.
Bag of Games
This small pouch has pieces to a game in it. The specific pieces seem to change unexpectedly, but could be dice, jacks, chalk, cards, etc. Any child's game that could conceivably fit its pieces inside a pouch could be inside this thing. If not put back in the bag, playing pieces will evaporate once not being played with. Bag will not work if no one nearby actually intends to play any sort of game, but the definition of 'game' can be very flexible. Basically if you can convince a kid something is a game (tossing coins and getting one to balance perfectly in a cup, and several other similarly made up games), then it counts for the purposes of the bag. Trying to use any item from the bag as part of *not* a game will cause the item to explode into dust motes. But if you incorporate your alternate use of the items *into* the game... it has a chance of working.

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"Well..." Ren replies doubtfully, "I see a couple of scattered vegetables, a few cabages... looks like a food merchant. But he has to have something more valuable than that, even if we can't see it." He starts picking up enthusiasm. "Maybe it's better trade goods, maybe it's just gold, but if there wasn't something or other then he wouldn't look so on edge. I bet it's something cool like a family heirloom! Or maybe he's a drug smuggler!" As he ends, his tail is wildly wagging from excitement. He summoned a fox earlier so he has a tail and fox ears at the moment.

He rolls his eyes at the second question. "That's a pretty silly this to ask! Half of us are merchants, so of course we have valuable trade goods!" He barely pauses a for breath as he starts to speculate. "You guys don't like showing me your wares after the last time I used your roll of silk for a picnic sheet, but I bet you have more stuff like that, not to mention spices! And ivory! And other exotic stuff! Bridge always seems to have weird niknak thingies to sell people. Sometimes it's jewelry, and then he has like... really practical items such as cooking pots. I still can't figure that out. As for me, I don't really have anything like that. Anything I have is stuff I intend to keep!"

Ren then skips off to the side a bit. "Anyway, if we're asking possibly silly questions... has this guy seen us yet? I can't really tell. He doesn't seem like he's looking at us... but you never really know." He comes back over and tries to clamber up on Bridge to get a better look around up and down the path. "Oh, and is there anyone else around besides us around? I kind of wasn't really paying attention earlier."

[Debra]

Bridge smiles at Ren, though his twitching deer ears betray that after seeing the merchant he is also staying alert to the forest around us. "Maybe he is on edge not because he has something valuable, but because he had something valuable and has been relieved of it by others." He explains in a dulcet tone, taking a moment to glance around before starting to step forward. "Shall I try and calmly approach him that I might ask what has troubled him so? With so many of us being traders we are ourselves a prime target for robbers."

[Snow]

(OOC) Debra, we're in the "establishing questions" phase. That means going around asking questions about the situation and answering them before taking action. So, at this point you should make up answers to Stormkit's questions: has he seen us, and is there anyone else around. Then, ask more or move to go ahead and start acting.

[Debra]

Bridge ducks down suddenly, getting himself and the piggybacking Ren down just before the crack of a rifle shot can be heard in the air. He chuckles a bit sheepishly as he sets Ren back on the ground. "Well he might not see us but with him being alert and us gabbing like that out of sight he definetly heard the four of us. Luckilly there doesnt seem to be anything or anyone else on the road at the moment with how twitchy he seems." He reaches into his rucksack and pulls out of all things a white tablecloth, he looks like he wants to try using it to calm the person with the rifle but before doing so he looks to the shy orphaned child who makes up the fourth member of the party.

"I really didn't want to expose you to this kind of danger if I could help it but often life on the roads leaves little choice. Do you have abilities that let you look after yourself in a fight? And do you have any other abilities like skill in negotiating or enhanced senses that can help us now?" He asks in a quick, hushed voice.

(Was PMed by fear tiger asking to help develop a shy orphaned child chara. Figure this is as good a place as any to figure out abilities.)

[Feartiger]

Name: Silvar
Profession: Orphan, Merchant's apprentice
Likes: Animals, Candy
Dislikes: Crowds, Pointless cruelty
Physique: Scrawny
Attitude: Shy, Cautious
Appearance: A small, pale child with silvery hair covered almost head to toe by a cloak that is obviously too big for him. Hidden beneath the cloak are a set of wolfish ears, a tail, and sharp claws that all are the result of the family heirloom he wears as well as a small dagger that he rarely uses.
Gear:
"Crest of the Alpha": A necklace in the shape of a combat scarred wolf's head that ensures that the wearer is never truly alone. It allows its owner to summon a fairly large wolf for whatever means they have in mind, be it foraging food or helping in a fight, at the cost of a darkness anima. Strangely enough the necklace has a small curse on it that gives the wearer wolf like featured that won't go away even if the necklace itself is removed. On nights of the full moon the necklace's power grows to the point where it forces it's owner to be transformed fully into a wolf, and if the necklace(in the form of a collar so it fits better) is somehow removed the person will become trapped in that form if the crest is not returned before the end of the night. If this happens the only way to turn back is to get the crest back and be wearing it at the end of the next full moon. There is also a rumor going around that say's the necklace will grant great strength to those with great confidence but that one is much harder to prove.
Tenets:
"The path to battle is best avoided."
"Home is where ever your most welcome."
Character Traits:
Ghostly(Self Conscious)Air: The Eidolon is able to become invisible at will. At the deep level they are also intangible while invisible and can make others in direct contact with them invisible as well for up to 5 minutes after they have lost contact.
Keen Sense(Vigilant)Light: All the Eidolon's senses are above average. At the deep level the sense are improved even more and they are able to completely process a situation in less than a second, such as knowing how much money someone has just by listening to their pockets while they walk.
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Silvar covered his ears and hid behind Bridge when the rifle was fired. He only calmed down enough to come out when he heard his mentor address him. He shook his head nervously when he was asked if he'd be fine in a fight, but seemed to give his abilities a thought before responding, "N-not sure how good I'd be at negotiating right now sir but my senses are certainly better than most." He peered at the cart owner while still firmly gripping Bridges shirt then into the woods behind the man before shuddering."Are there any large predators known to live in these wood?"

[Snow]

"Creatures?" says Hikaru. "Why yes, of course. The prakk are predators that live in the undercity, where we unfortunately are probably headed, and it's said they sometimes get out and escape the city. Some fools even try to tame them! They're all skin and bones and claws, sometimes running in packs. Then there are the crystal slags -- shiny slimelike things -- and the gutslags which are some sort of pollution elemental, coming from the factory runoff. I suppose any of those could've leaked out. Or even..." He shudders. "Floodsouls, the risen ghosts of miners killed by water and steam in the lightless tunnels."

"Well, then. Someone ask the poor man if we can help!"

(I have no more questions. If you're willing and don't have more questions, take an action. I'll GM first. If you talk to the man, here's a suggested reply hidden by spoiler tags, to help you decide what to do... It's based on a random draw.)

"A pack of prakk!" he says. "Here one minute and gone the next. This was no accident, mark my words. I'm not the first merchant to be raided like this on the way into the city for trading outside the railroad system. The last two were even more outspoken than me against Lord Gharl the Devourer. Head of the city's Guild of Law, you know. The man's banned worship of the Seven Spirits and he's a nasty, gluttonous isolationist little tyrant who can eat you right up if you question him." He looks the party over. "You must be sympathetic, right, your Eidolon-ships? You look like followers of Lemnas the Otter, Atamos the Stag, Terelt the Fox, and Kinado the Wolf. Can't you do anything about Gharl's tyranny while you're here?" (It so happens that all four party members look somewhat like the canon elemental spirits, so clearly in this man's eyes, the PCs are devout believers! You'd have heard of them but probably not know much beyond that they exist, and squabble due to conflicting personalities.)