Orpheus (OOC)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Extreme =&gt; Extreme Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: AndyZ on 28-06-2011, 17:31:52</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>28-06-2011, 17:31:52</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Here's the OOC thread for the Orpheus game.<br><br>http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=112962.0 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=112962.0) - Main IC Thread<br><br>http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=111788.0 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=111788.0) - Off-camera Thread.<br><br>Please make sure you keep http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=111037.0 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=111037.0) bookmarked, because I'll add rules changes on there, and people can post character sheets on there as well.<br><br>I'm thinking about starting things off to allow for some freeform RP between the characters before everything gets up and going.&nbsp; What do folks think about that?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>29-06-2011, 19:39:39</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				I'll be using the Off-Camera Thread for some introductions and the like while people get ready.<br><br>When I get the Main Thread going, I'll be using that to progress the story, but you're always free to use the Off-Camera Thread to tell your own story, chat with people and get to know your co-workers.<br><br>If you want to meet with an NPC Off-Camera, just let me know.&nbsp; However, I'd like people to mark setting in the Off-Camera Thread to avoid confusion, as well as allow someone to do multiple things off-camera simultaneously with minimal confusion.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>05-07-2011, 01:15:43</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				We're almost ready to start.&nbsp; Everyone has the basics of a character, I just need three of you to put down the character sheet basics in the Interest Thread.&nbsp; Pictures, Backgrounds and the like can wait; I just want those down as an indication that you feel ready to start.<br><br>Some things I'm making a listing on.&nbsp; If you don't know what these are, you should:<br><br>Vitality<br><br>Spite<br><br>Drones and blips<br><br>Spectres<br><br>The various ways you can manifest<br><br>What powers (aka Horrors) you have and how they work<br><br>Pigment (aka Black Heroin)<br><br>If you don't know what any of these are, let me know.<br><br>As soon as HairyHeretic, Imogen and Kytn have posted characters on the Interest Thread, I'll put down a Main IC Thread and start things out.&nbsp; It's worth noting that you don't get XP for Off-Camera stuff, but it does give people a chance to chat outside of the usual rhythm.<br><br>Right now I'm thinking about 5xp per mission (with a little more for a phenomenal job, a little less if someone keeps delaying the group) with a week or so in between missions, and a week off every third week to allow the Sleeper's body to thaw out and not suffer necrosis.&nbsp; This may change based on how things go and how people feel, but is what I'm thinking right now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>05-07-2011, 03:59:35</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				I'm changing the rule for Stains:<br><br>Stains will be usable by characters even if they don't have 4.0 Spite yet.&nbsp; The maximum number usable at once depends on your rating along with how much Spite you're willing to tap at once, and activating them with Spite only makes them last for a single turn as normal (although you can keep tapping Spite to make them last even longer).<br><br>This is in direct contrast to what I've already told everyone.&nbsp; It means you'll be allowed to start using your Stains from the start of the game, but at the cost of tapping Spite to do so.<br><br>It's listed in the house rules, but I'll mention it here because I already told everyone differently.&nbsp; I'll try to check with everyone and let them know as well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>07-07-2011, 22:36:26</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Posting method:<br><br>Right now I'm looking at having me throw down a post, letting everyone either respond or to let me know in some fashion that they pass because their character isn't doing anything notable, and then I'll post again.<br><br>If your character isn't going to do anything for a particular "round" of posting, all you have to do is let me know through one of the various messengers, and I'll skip over you.&nbsp; It's easier than having someone forced to throw together a paragraph of saying nothing if the person is predominantly busy.<br><br>For initiative, my current plan is to have everyone roll initiative, and then everyone who goes before the NPCs can go, the NPCs go, and then everyone gets a round without having to worry about posting order.&nbsp; Orpheus is actually designed to have an L5R-type of initiative, but since that can be difficult for forums, I'm going to try out this way instead.<br><br>Init example for what I'm thinking:<br><br>Bob (PC) - 13<br>Jane (PC) - 11<br>Spectres (NPC) - 9<br>Joe (PC) - 7<br>Steve (PC) - 3<br><br>Bob and Jane would get to go, then the Spectres, then all four of the PCs would go, then the Spectres, then the PCs, etc.&nbsp; However, if Jane posted faster on the initial round, she could go before Bob.&nbsp; Likewise, after the spectres go, anyone can go in any particular order just based on how quickly they post.&nbsp; In my experience, it helps speed things up significantly, but if it ends up having its own problems, we can go back to the normal method.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>12-07-2011, 06:43:18</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				The rules on whether it takes a turn to activate Stains or not are seriously iffy.&nbsp; That's White Wolf for you, but still makes me sad.<br><br>Here's what I decided.&nbsp; If your Spite rating is less than 4.0, it takes a turn to manifest your Stains.&nbsp; You roll however many points of Spite for however many turns you want to activate a Stain, and for that many turns, the Stain is active.&nbsp; This is because it effectively takes an action to come to terms with yourself and call forth a darkness you're not really comfortable with yet.&nbsp; They appear at the end of the turn and disappear at the end of the corresponding turn.&nbsp; <br><br>For example, if you activate a Stain on round X and tap 3 Spite, it'll activate, be active for your next three turns, and then deactivate when your turn on round X+3 is done.&nbsp; If you activate Adder's Scales to get some armor for 1 turn, and get attacked before you can go again, the Adder's Scales will protect you, but will disappear at the end of your next turn.<br><br>Once you reach a Spite rating of 4.0, you're comfortable enough with your Stains that you can activate them reflexively.&nbsp; You then can form the Stains on the effective beginning of your turn, allowing you to form a Stain and attack at the same.&nbsp; Tapping multiple Spite at this point also lets you do multiple Stains.<br><br>Example, if you activate two Stains by tapping two Spite while you have a 4.3 Spite rating, Dagger Tongue and Adder's Scales, you can use Dagger Tongue that turn and Adder's Scales will likewise protect you before your next turn.&nbsp; However, when your next turn rolls around, they'll both vanish unless you tap more Spite on that round to keep them going.<br><br>I feel as though this is an effective compromise, but I realize it may be confusing.&nbsp; I will change it if people start getting puzzled or the like.<br><br>Also, when people post, I would appreciate if you can put in the header for your Vitality, Willpower and Spite ratings.&nbsp; This will make things easier for me.&nbsp; While I guess you don't have to, it will certainly keep confusion at a minimum.<br><br><strong>Natalia Peterson, Vitality 5/8, Willpower 2/4, Spite 2.0</strong><br><br>Post the values as of when your turn begins.&nbsp; Otherwise, more confusion will happen when someone isn't sure whether the two Vitality they just used has been accounted for with their current value.&nbsp; Everyone should start with full Vitality and Willpower, and the Spite should be an interger.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>12-07-2011, 16:07:47</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Got bored, threw down a list of various stuff.<br><br>Vitality - Vitality is the life force.&nbsp; It's comparable to Essence, Legend, Blood Points, Glamour, and whatever else in various games.&nbsp; In your human body, you regain Vitality at a rate of one per hour, but outside of your body, you regain it at a rate of one per day, assuming you spend 8 hours resting and relaxing.&nbsp; (Ghosts can't sleep.)&nbsp; Unless you're a hue, your Vitality can exceed your starting rating, to a maximum of 10.<br><br>Spite - Spite is a lot like Shadowlands Taint.&nbsp; It helps to think of it as having a decimal rating, such as 4.5 with your starting amount either being 1.0 or 3.0 depending on a few different things.&nbsp; Spite doesn't go away when used; tapping into it gives the chance to gain even more.&nbsp; Your rating tells you how much you can use per turn, to a maximum of five.<br><br>Drones and blips - Weaker ghosts who don't know they're dead and are doomed to relive their deaths over and over again.&nbsp; Freeing them from their tethers to help them pass on is the only known way to reduce Spite.&nbsp; In order to do so properly and attune yourself to a ghost, you have to share the same Shade (aka Nature grouping), but you can spend a point of Vitality to check what someone's Shade is.<br><br>Spectres - Ghosts who have completely given themselves over to their Spite.&nbsp; Humanity 0 Vampires and Shadowland monsters are basically the same things as this.<br><br>The various ways you can manifest - Without spending any Vitality, you can manifest as a minor form which varies from Shade to Shade.&nbsp; Spending one point of Vitality gives you a bit more substance but usually only gives you half your various dice pools to affect physical things, while spending two points of Vitality lets you appear as more or less human.<br><br>What powers (aka Horrors) you have and how they work - Speak with me about this.<br><br>Pigment (aka Black Heroin) - A new designer drug that's been making the rounds for a few years now, Pigment has been known to allow people to see ghosts and sometimes even project.&nbsp; However, users who have taken it have their souls washed out and faded (becoming Hues upon death) and cannot pass on.&nbsp; Orpheus both works on missions to find out more about Pigment and attempts to stop the trade however they can.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>15-07-2011, 15:07:19</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Some useful things your character can do: <br><br>Dead-Eyes: You can see ghosts without a roll, even when you're in a body, even if it's not your body.&nbsp; You can even see how much Vitality a ghost has, which is supposed to require a roll but I don't see any need for that.&nbsp; &nbsp;If you want your character to know how much Vitality a ghost has, just ask me before you post and put in something about scrutinizing when you do post.<br><br>(Note that when I say ghosts, I also mean out of body projectors)<br><br>Detect Nature Group: By spending a point of Vitality, you can figure out the Nature Group, aka Shade of another ghost.&nbsp; This won't tell you the exact Nature unless your Nature matches that of another ghost, in which case you know that it matches.&nbsp; Here's a list of the Nature Groups:<br><br><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Banshee</li><li>Haunter</li><li>Poltergeist</li><li>Skinrider</li><li>Wisp</li><li>Mystery Group 1</li><li>Mystery Group 2</li><li>Mystery Group 3</li></ul><br>Incorporeal and Invisible: By spending a point of Vitality, you can willingly pass through physical objects for the duration of a scene.&nbsp; If you haven't done so during a scene and something passes through you, however (like someone walks through you on the street), you lose a point of Vitality for each turn where something like that happens.<br><br>It's worth explaining here that ghosts don't fly.&nbsp; They still have to walk around like normal people unless they have special powers that let them move around otherwise.&nbsp; However, gauze (ghost flesh) is lighter than water, and ghosts can effectively walk on water while not manifested.<br><br>Manifest: I believe I've explained this in detail.&nbsp; Feel free to ask if you still don't know.<br><br>Misery Loves Company: By spending a point of Vitality, you can attune yourself with a ghost in the same Nature Group as yourself.&nbsp; This takes an action but helps you deal with a particular ghost for a scene.&nbsp; This gives you bonus dice for social rolls and also helps you break a static repeater (blip or drone) out of its routine so that you can talk to it and find out what's going on.<br><br>Sense Lifeline: By spending a point of Vitality, you can sense the tethers which bind a ghost and keep it from passing on.&nbsp; This comes in the form of clairvoyant flashes.<br><br>Sever the Strand: Once you find out what a ghost's tethers are, and you've helped those things get done in order to help a ghost pass on, if you match the Nature Group of the other ghost, you can spend 10 Vitality in order to help the ghost realize that the problem has been resolved and break the tether.&nbsp; Doing so raises the character's temporary Vitality rating to 10, even if they're a hue and therefore aren't supposed to be able to exceed their Vitality rating.&nbsp; <br><br>Sever the Strand is the only known way to lower a character's Spite rating.&nbsp; The actual book rules, where various ghosts can lose temporary Spite from removing each tether, is different from the rules which I'm used to, where the character who helped the ghost pass on and matched the Nature Group gets to lose an entire rating of Spite. <br><br>Thievery: It's possible to steal Vitality from other ghosts with whom you share a Nature Group.&nbsp; Make physical contact and roll Willpower, difficulty 6.&nbsp; Each success by which you exceed the target's roll gives you a point of their Vitality.&nbsp; However, doing so gets you Spite.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>19-07-2011, 18:51:22</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				I would like to get things started to the mission.&nbsp; Does anyone need more time or more off-camera stuff?<br><br>If preferred, we can run it that your characters have only known each other for one week, which would allow people to get to know each other more in game, but would also keep the crucible from sharing Vitality yet.&nbsp; If people say that they prefer that, we can swap to it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Orpheus (OOC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>21-07-2011, 16:44:36</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				I'll suggest August 2nd as the Mission day.&nbsp; That'll work out nicely enough, put the 19th as the initial meeting and the 26th as the surfing competition.
			</dd>
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