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Here are a couple of facts which may turn you off about playing in this game. These are Answers you would like to have known in Advance.

1. I'm not afraid of killing my players' characters. No. Really.
This doesn't mean It's going to be a Players vs the GM sort of game  - such a game is fun for no one.
1a. I have written into the mechanics (and plot) a means to die and return from the great beyond - it just won't be some nice magic-user who will resurrect you without an agenda for doing so. [Those spells have been removed from general play.]
1b. There is a list of spells that have been removed from play all across the various class lists.  Healing spells are among them, you might want to be careful about that fight you're starting.

2. This plot-driven 'safety net' won't last forever.  Nor are the mechanics infallible ....so, yes there always a risk of ultimate failure (and the uncertainty factor won't stop me from killing off characters who take risks). Although...

3. Only through great Risk will a character receive great reward.  If you are unwilling to take a risk with your character or you don't get involved.... you won't advance. Not that just talking about the weather can be fun just don't expect me to reward you for it. In my opinion, people who take risks to perform death-defying acts are only amazing when they are actually defying death. Making any risk all better by casting a spell is hardly worth giving you the experience for taking a risk.

4. This is a semi-sandbox style of game. I've got a plot but you want to do something else? Great. Please don't just talk about doing it, Act on it. Don't become upset if the NPC's don't stop talking about the immediate or long reaching plot - that's THEIR reality.  The game agenda is not going to stay on hold until you decide to deal with it. It will continue to move forward, with or without you....just like life.

5. I'm used to a certain amount of player rules bickering. I don't necessarily welcome it but its undeniably part and parcel to the whole GM biz. Players don't like certain rules and neither will I (probably), the difference being I don't need to convince myself to allow it - yet YOU will need to convince me. Now - I promise that I will make all effort to tell you in advance of any rule change or alteration that may affect your character concept.  I will post information to a mutually accessible area, if a change is made in game I will contact the specific people affected - but you are equally responsible to maintain your own awareness of rule changes in effect.  If you want to discuss a rule or condition outside gameplay, I've set up a forum for that purpose. Please use it.

6. I'm big on storyline over combat - this doesn't mean combat won't exist.  It means there won't be truly random events perpetrated by thinking beings. If you're in the magic forest you might get attacked by a Landshark looking for a quick meal, in a city you might get pickpocketed if you look drunk or stupid or rich or any combination thereof - what you won't get is random combat without reason.
Here, combat isn't the only way to earn experience. So there's no reason to seek it out just to advance. Frankly, if combat shows up it will be lethal - you may want to avoid it. You'll probably live longer or at least you'll be more likely to have all of your limbs at the end of the day.... if you're bored without the taste of blood play Path of Exile.[https://www.pathofexile.com/]

7. I'm big on party inclusion. I reward players who invest other players into gameplay without me prompting them to do so. Let's not make this harder than it needs to be, ok?  I'm not asking you to interact because you've all got blinking PC signs, I'm asking you to NOT require written reasons (submitted in triplicate) as to why your PC should WANT to work with other characters. You're all 5th level in a world where NPC's of 5th level can run towns, guilds, den's of iniquity, etc.  Common folk might know who you are before you get a chance to introduce yourself... there is no reason you shouldn't know other powerful people on sight or when you hear their names.

8. The Minimum meaningful post requirement is twice weekly. I'd like a game where each person posts as often as they can... however I have a kid, a car, a job, and a mortgage. So I don't think two posts per player per week is too much to ask. I'll be posting more often than that.  Combats may require people to post more often and I will encourage attendance when it happens. Players who post meaningful posts beyond the minimum will be given access to additional reward.  The people who advance slower may want to tackle other projects than the people who advance faster ... or not.  I have the ability to split the party... it won't make the quality of your game any less, it will only affect the amount of people you interact.

9. Experience is not the only means by which reward occurs. Advancing your whole character is a great combat push, you might even get a roleplay tweak or two. But mostly leveling is designed to make your character or dangerous in combat. Since I'm interested in advancing the plot via role play too - I am enacting several ways to reward roleplay in-game. Some of them may be found in the Merit section of source material.

10.  I'm starting everyone at an advanced level, which means everyone gets a helping of equipment and magic items.  As much as you may this is a wonderful opportunity to buy that ONE item you always wanted... I would encourage you to think twice, or even three times, about investing in one item.  I would hate for there to be bad feelings if a character's only magic item were to be lost, or stolen, or destroyed. And yes, this IS an admission of my intent to steal your prized axe in-game. Don't build your character around his equipment because if it is lost, stolen or destroyed - I'm not going to feel compelled to replace it... even if it means you might decide not to play because your character isn't 'playable' without it. I really don't need that sort of character in my game anyway... and I'll wonder how you made it past my screening process with that attitude intact.

11. This is an exercise in mutual storytelling. Which means you should feel free to describe your interaction with yourself and the physical objects around you in the process of fictionalizing a skill roll. I've written into the combat mechanics the ability for players to perform a bit of God-Modding explicitly against minions or lesser threats - especially should they kill or otherwise render the minion ineffective during an activity.

12. Do not attempt to God-Mod other Players, Named NPCs, or anyone I have not outlined for the purpose. But for the sake of the story, I'm willing to allow it that minimal amount of it especially for window dressing which some NPC's essentially are, if you think an NPC might have the ability to cause you grief via roleplay or combat then you probably shouldn't attempt to GodMod them.  Everything I've ever read online suggests that GodMod'ing is a big no-no. I have received surprised responses that I allow even a minimal amount of it. If you perform outside of these guidelines, I will warn you, and then I will Retcon it.

13. I hate Retcon.  Sometimes its necessary, often its not. If a player forces me to do it too often - I will become annoyed.
Don't make me angry, Mr. Mcgee. You won't like me when I'm angry.

14. Combats are always messy. Initiative lists are built for people requiring a priority to avoid operating at the same time. Many PBP games enforce scene initiative, the Retcon players who post outside of initiative order.
I don't. Instead, I've built rules to speed up gameplay - You should become familiar with them.

15. Post formatting... I've got a preference.  I presume that you can type using both hands but you didn't learn by taking a class in how to format text in High School or College. (hint: they don't teach those classes anymore.), and I know there's no way to grammar check-in these text windows.  If I force you to format this means you'll probably read and reread any post... allowing you to make alterations should you need. Seriously, it's not because I'm anal - its because bland text is hard to read without appropriate grammar or conditional formatting.

16. Most Skills in RAW presume the Player is capable of failing by happenstance. I don't.  I know that when a player WANTS to do something they'll avoid risk by spending time and collecting mods until they sail past the necessary DC regardless of the die rolled. Thus, my difficulty system does not limit a player by complication. It limits THE PLAYER by time invested - task resolution requires player posts.  The more difficult a  challenge the more posts spent writing about overcoming the hurdle. By tying a PC's actions to the posting rate I hope the players will feel encouraged to self-describe an action they attempt. Dice rolls then become about determining HOW WELL they succeed...or mitigating what happens when the player DOESN'T or CAN'T spend time focusing on their task.
With the right ability and a PC may still succeed regardless of the time the player invested... just not as well.

17. Linguistics Skill represents fluency, not Language acquisition. Fluency is difficult. Indicated that its a major hurdle for most immigrating Adults. And, is often used as an indicator of education for even native citizens. Having proficiency in a skill should be as powerful an advantage as feats and class perks [Ex, Sp, Su].

18. Abilities, Talents, Feats, and Perks are only cool when limits are enforced on people who don't have them. This isn't a tough concept. If your character can do a thing that stands outside of the normal rule then its pretty cool, but that ability is far less of an advantage if everyone who didn't invest class points can do that thing, the exact same way, too.  Which means there should be enforced limitations on everyone without that advantage. My game is bounded by:  'What is Possible.' - according to the Core Rulebook [CRB]and the Advanced player's guide [APG] AND 'What is Acceptable.' according to my websites.

Regrettably, this means that some rule systems which have been removed from gameplay.  If you're a glass half empty sort of person that means; there are classes that I've flat out removed or altered to limit their versatility - these are mostly spell casting classes [Tier 1 and 2 classes]. If you're a glass half-full sort of person that means; there is a larger list of classes [Tier 3 and greater] which were changed to be more versatile.

19. I'm here to refine my game world by establishing an adult campaign. I appreciate humor and course sexual innuendo as much as the next guy. I'll probably even portray a bit of it.  But I'm not here share excrement jokes, or generally act like a juvenile - even if I'm portraying a child.

20. If you have questions about a ruling, there's a forum for that sort of discussion - please put it there.  If you have a rational argument - I WIL take a hard look at my rulings and consider the error of my ways. I hate looking like an idiot like everybody else but that means I can't afford not to listen to reason when it's presented as such. I'll only change the way I rule/enforce things in the future avoiding RETCON unless someone died from the prior ruling. *I did mention how much I hate RETCON, didn't I?

21. I'm a straight shooter - Honesty really is the best policy. And it pairs well with integrity, gallantry, temperance, and grit ...concepts which I strive toward but fails to achieve on occasion. At my most fundamental level, I'd like players who will stick around and remain involved, abide by the basic social contract during their stay, and make the overall story more interesting by having them involved in it.