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Xallace
2010-08-31, 09:14 PM
Literally.

The Past

The Multiversal Laws


Deep within the heart of Sigil there exists a faction known as the Fraternity of Order. These gentlemen make it their business to understand law; not simply local laws or governmental decrees, but the very laws of the multiverse itself.

The thing about studying law, though, is that you start coming across loopholes. It's no different with the laws of the multiverse; there are points within the axioms where logic slips by, where the aware can exploit to whatever whims. Most of these are nothing particularly big, but sometimes a lowly cleric might just become omniscient by drowning himself, or a kobold might discover Sarruhks and become a god. When the multiverse senses a loophole like that, it will "fold"- sweep the proverbial dirt under the rug. Not quite maintenance, so much as simply covering up the fact that such a loophole exists. Such gross exploitations tend to happen only once.

Now, over time, these loopholes build up- never really fixed, just kinda forgotten. And that's where the Game Masters come in.


The Game Masters

The Game Masters are a branch of the Fraternity of Order. They're pretty radical - believing that every creature in existence can be broken down into six numerical attributes, for example. Crazy stuff, right?

What's crazier is that, well, they're right. The Game Masters have figured how the multiverse works; Sure, maybe the little details are off, but they see the multiverse's main rules as clear as day- and with the rules, come the loopholes.

The Game Masters were horrified to find out that the rules are full of holes, absolutely perturbed. They checked and re-checked, compared notes, spent sleepless night around coffee pots just compiling and decompiling and recompiling data. In the end, it was true - things were broken, things were loose and full of holes.

What a travesty for them too, to find out that the axioms they romanticized were so exploitable. But then, it hit them. A scheme. A cunning, devious scheme:

"If the rules are so exploitable, why don't we change the rules?"


The Big Plan

The rules needed to be tightened, needed to be... "balanced." Things that didn't work would have to be thrown out, entirely new rules would have to be introduced. This was a huge undertaking, but not the first of its kind; obscure legends told of individuals being able to rewrite the rules of existence; supposedly, it had happened three-and-a-half times before.

This would set the world right, the Game Masters said. This would be perfect.

The Present

The Player Characters

The Game Masters are obviously not the only ones who have figured out how to exploit reality. There are others, scattered about, who have learned these tricks.

The PCs, for example. Individuals from all over the planes, lead together through the holes in existence.


Dissonance Points

One of the biggest parts of the game is the use of Action Points - in this case, each use of action points allows a player to "exploit reality." These include things like: RAW readings of rules without that pesky RAI getting in the way, taking typos in rules for real (Scorpion whip doing a d43 of damage, for example), and using cheesy combos that probably shouldn't work by any stretch of logic.

Not everything is a go, of course. The multiverse has had big offenders before - kobolds, cough cough, among others - and has closed those holes tight. The rest, however, is fair game.


The Problem With Knowing These Things

To be frank, mortals aren't supposed to know about these exploits. It simply should not happen. When someone finds out, the Keepers mobilize.

The Keepers are hairless, eyeless, MIB-esque humanoids found in the Fiend Folio. They keep secrets, and they keep them well. When someone finds out something they shouldn't know, the Keepers show up to make sure that the knowledge is never passed on. Thier methods are swift, efficient, and brutal.

However, knowing rules exploits means that the PCs have an advantage, but not by much. Keepers are relentless, and they are everywhere. It's only a matter of time before all of these Exploiters are silenced for good.

The Future


The Campaign

The game would span across multiple multiverses; Through the DMG, through Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dragonmech, and others. It would be a plane-hopping epic adventure. The players would have to escape continual attacks by the Keepers while figuring out about the plan of the Game Masters. Speaking of which...


The Dilemma

The thing about the Game Masters' plan is this: what happens to everyone in the current universe? If they succeed, how many people die in the process? What will these new rules mean? Will they be worth it? The Game Masters don't care, obviously; the new universe will be perfect. It's completely worth whatever needs to be done.

And the PCs have a decision to make: Will they work with the Game Masters, or against them? A loophole-less universe means that the eternal guardians of secrets won't be trying to kill them day after day, but there's still that whole part about "how many people will die?" Not to mention, what if the Game Masters don't succeed and the new universe has other holes to exploit? Does it all just start over again?

There are dozens of questions to be asked, and the heroes will have to decide quickly before the "4th Multiverse" can be born.

So... whaddya think?

Elfin
2010-08-31, 09:20 PM
So... whaddya think?

A whole heck of a lot of win.

Shadowbane
2010-08-31, 09:24 PM
I've actually DMed something just like this. Be careful, it gets out of hand real fast. :P It's tremendous fun though, and a truly memorable experience.

The Pressman
2010-09-01, 04:37 AM
Be careful, because there is always one more crazy typo. Or rule-breaking kobold menace. Always. :smallannoyed:

Morph Bark
2010-09-01, 05:46 AM
What I find rather hilarious, is that from what I know, this is something like what the Aztecs thought would happen, thinking they lived in the third version of the world (or maybe it was the fourth) and gods would pull it asunder and reshape it anew in a manner like that.

So how many DnD campaign worlds will be visited?

Xallace
2010-09-01, 07:19 AM
What I find rather hilarious, is that from what I know, this is something like what the Aztecs thought would happen, thinking they lived in the third version of the world (or maybe it was the fourth) and gods would pull it asunder and reshape it anew in a manner like that.

I want to say it was the Mayans and the fourth world... but I don't remember exactly. To Wikipedia, away!

And if that is the case I'm definitely running a Meso-American-themed campaign if 5th Edition ever rolls around (and if it is the third world, I'm totally throwing in a bunch of Aztec gods and symbolism to this game).


So how many DnD campaign worlds will be visited?

Let's see. I'm not sure how many will actually be visited in practice, but on the docket: Made-Up Starting Universe, one or two other unofficial campaign settings (like Shadowrun-esque cyberpunk!), Eberron, Faerun, the Dark Sun world, the Ghostwalk world, the Iron Kingdoms world, the Dragonmech world, Ravenloft, Sigil, Rokugan.

That's all I can think of, so... 11 possible worlds to go to as of right now.

DabblerWizard
2010-09-01, 07:32 AM
I think this is a really great idea. I would enjoy DMing or playing in a game like this, either way.

:smallsmile:

FelixG
2010-09-01, 07:38 AM
sounds like alot of fun, i would love a game like that.

PersonMan
2010-09-01, 07:46 AM
Yes. Just....yes.

(That's good, by the way.)

Traveler
2010-09-01, 10:01 AM
The very instant I have the chance to do so, I will shamelessly use this idea with my group. It has everything it needs to be awsome and fun. I approve of this concept.

The-Mage-King
2010-09-01, 10:03 AM
Someone, please, run this.

ExtravagantEvil
2010-09-01, 11:06 AM
I believe he has done something which could not be done before...He won all of the internets by showing us this...

Reis Tahlen
2010-09-01, 01:33 PM
http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/original/lincoln_awesome.jpg

Xallace
2010-09-01, 08:50 PM
Well, thank you one and all!

I'm definitely planning to run this at some point in the near future, though I don't know whether it'll be play-by-post or in real life (probably the latter). What's really going to be fun is using this as an excuse to use pretty much everything I've ever wanted to use in a D&D game.

Karsh
2010-09-01, 08:54 PM
I would definitely play in a game like this. I can easily see it getting out of hand, though.

HunterOfJello
2010-09-01, 09:15 PM
I want to read a well written campaign journal of this campaign. It would be so awesome.


I wish my players were exploitative and generally devious enough to play a campaign like this one.

mobdrazhar
2010-09-01, 09:38 PM
this is just filled with...

WIN!

I would love to be in a game like that!

Remmirath
2010-09-01, 09:59 PM
This sounds awesome. Games spanning multiple worlds/campaign settings have always been fun in my experience, and what you've got there sounds quite interesting. :smallbiggrin:

Chambers
2010-09-01, 11:06 PM
Sounds great. And at the end...

Once the Universe is remade, hand every player new character sheets for a different game system.

If the bad guys win, give them FATAL sheets.

If the good guys win...I dunno. Let them keep their 3.5 characters but play in 4E?

Archpaladin Zousha
2010-09-01, 11:10 PM
I don't really know about this. I like 4e. :smallfrown:

FelixG
2010-09-01, 11:13 PM
Sounds great. And at the end...

Once the Universe is remade, hand every player new character sheets for a different game system.

If the bad guys win, give them FATAL sheets.

If the good guys win...I dunno. Let them keep their 3.5 characters but play in 4E?


At the end you hand them new sheets and say "Now that you beat that campaign, you get to play the bad guys trying to take your past characters down!"

:P

Xallace
2010-09-02, 06:20 AM
I don't really know about this. I like 4e. :smallfrown:

I love 4E.

The Game Masters aren't necessarily the antagonists of the campaign, they're simply the ones getting the ball rolling. Things like "people will die in a cataclysm" from the rules change are entirely hypothetical, and any real danger is more-or-less conjecture on the part of opposition to the plan. What's more, I'd like to present it in such a way that the PCs could choose to be for or against the Game Masters; A new universe is not necessarily a bad thing, that's the point.

And if nothing else, consider the entire campaign but social satire on the pre-4E turbulence in the gaming community.

Heliomance
2010-09-02, 07:16 AM
Want.

Even more, want campaign journal. If you do this, you must document it.

RebelRogue
2010-09-02, 08:35 AM
So basically, it's the Die Vecna Die of 3.5? I dunno, it's a great idea, but I've personally never been too keen on campaign ideas based directly on weird rule interpretations/consequences. I realize this is a deconstruction of the very idea, of course.

Ranos
2010-09-02, 03:13 PM
What about death ? Can your players use an action point to walk away ?
A nice idea overall. I had a similar campaign, based on IHS only though, which was both the main plot motivator and the final boss. From the posts on this thread, it seems to be more common than I thought.

Xallace
2010-09-02, 05:17 PM
What about death ? Can your players use an action point to walk away ?

There is that whole thing about how "being dead doesn't technically impede you," so yeah, if they thought of it. Of course, if the PCs keep on after dying, antagonists are going to start resorting to other means to take them out of the picture. Flesh to Stone, for example.

Ranos
2010-09-02, 06:22 PM
Well, depends on whether the characters or the players are exploiting the system. After all, unless they fall to a save or die, the characters are unconscious before they die.
It would make for a pretty cool character concept though. A dead. Not undead, just plain dead and still walking around. No hit points, no nothing, the character himself is a logical aberration. Keepers ahoy.

Heliomance
2010-09-02, 07:35 PM
There is that whole thing about how "being dead doesn't technically impede you," so yeah, if they thought of it. Of course, if the PCs keep on after dying, antagonists are going to start resorting to other means to take them out of the picture. Flesh to Stone, for example.

Been disproved. Dead means -10 HP means fewer HP than non-lethal damage means unconscious means helpless means treated as having 0 dex means only able to take purely mental actions.

So psions are still fine.

Xallace
2010-09-02, 08:17 PM
Been disproved. Dead means -10 HP means fewer HP than non-lethal damage means unconscious means helpless means treated as having 0 dex means only able to take purely mental actions.

So psions are still fine.

Well, there might be an Ardent in the party... Good to know, though. Still, I'd consider reversing or ignoring death a thematically appropriate use of an Action Point in this campaign.

Edit: I'm thinking about the grand finale, and I think I want it to take place within a sort-of Multiversal Mindscape - that is, some form of a Plane of Dreams. While within this plane, I think it would be cool to let players (and villains alike) expend Action Points to generate much more powerful effects than the usual - perhaps, outright breaking rules rather than going through loopholes. Of course, they can't just say "I win," because it can be countered by the villains' Action Points (who, in turn, can be countered by the heroes' Action Points, so they can't just "win" either).

I think it would be pretty sweet.

Urpriest
2010-09-02, 08:24 PM
If you ever run this as a PbP, I'm calling dibs on a Gurren-Lagaan Themed 1d2 Crusader.

ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWAH!