Risus, freeform Town of Noth OOC

[drack]

Spoiler: First post from recruitment/general rules

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I want to run a freeform game using the Risus system:

Risus is a rules-light RPG system that uses a simple and flexible mechanic based on clichés. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to play Risus:

1. Character Creation:
- Choose a concept for your character. Think about what kind of character you want to play, such as a Sneaky Rogue or a Wise Wizard.
- Assign clichés to your character. Clichés represent your character's abilities, skills, or personality traits. Each character starts with 10 dice to distribute among clichés. You can distribute them evenly or assign more dice to clichés that represent your character's strengths.

2. Task Resolution:
- When you want to perform an action or overcome a challenge, the GM (Game Master) sets a target number of dice for the task. This represents the difficulty level.
- Roll a number of six-sided dice (d6) equal to the dice you have in the appropriate cliché.
- Count the number of dice that roll a 4, 5, or 6. These are considered "successes."
- If the number of successes equals or exceeds the target number, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail.

3. Risus Dice Mechanics:
- You can use dice from any cliché to attempt any action, but using a cliché that matches the action will give you more dice to roll.
- If you roll more than one six (6) on the dice, you achieve a "bonus die." You roll an additional d6 and add it to your total successes.
- If you roll no successes, it's a "botch." The GM can introduce complications or negative consequences.

4. Combat and Challenges:
- Combat and other challenges follow the same task resolution mechanic. The GM sets the target number based on the difficulty of the task.
- In combat, each character has a "combat cliché" that represents their combat skills or fighting ability. Players roll dice from their combat cliché to attack or defend against opponents.

5. Drama Points:
- Each player starts with a pool of 10 Drama Points. Drama Points can be spent to gain an extra die on any roll, turn a failure into a success, or introduce narrative elements.
- Drama Points can be regained through good roleplaying or when the GM awards them for dramatic or entertaining actions.

Risus is designed to be lightweight and easily adaptable to any setting or genre. The focus is on collaborative storytelling and creative problem-solving. Remember to work with your GM and fellow players to create an engaging narrative and have fun!

System: Risus
Player Count: 4-6?
Style of Play: Roleplaying
Allowed Content: it's really open to players
Character Creation: Make a post on the forum or a google doc or anything else easily accessible.

• Backstory: Skirt Length
• Experience: 10 Clichés
• Wealth: Whatever makes sense for the backstory
• Alignment: n/a

Open to pretty much anything.

Spoiler: Basic setting info/prompt

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I dunno, allot of these characters look pretty fun and while all I know about this system is what was in the first post, it sounds like an easy game to run for a hands off GM. Guess I'll take this over and see where it goes. As such Jack is out, bel can make a character if he wants.

Two hundred years ago a council of legally appointed arch-magi thought to expand the empire beyond their world by means of dimensional magic. They meant to graft an adjacent world to their own, but unfortunately it went wrong. This was not your world, and even today it is probably not the most important one much to the objection by their own arrogant egos. Nevertheless this was eventually found to be the cause of the event known as the shattering. Countless worlds fragmented and divided than stitched together into an unknowable, potentially infinite span. While academics contest whether the world is in fact flat or where these other worlds even came from, the reality remains. Countless civilizations with different levels of technological proficiency and varied access to magic and similar other powers which bring their own rules to play. Oddly even when stitched together the boarders between one world and the next keep the magical and physical constants of that world in play, maintaining frozen wastelands beside scorching deserts and ragged mountain scapes made of water instead of stone.

Understandably there was a period of confusion, but many of you may not even remember those times. The world is disunified, but not overbearingly hostile for the most part. Most worlds understand the boons that trade and travel bring, but few things are as dangerous as travel itself. The lot of you however seem to have one thing that brings you all together, figuratively that is. You are generally adventurous folk who trust in your abilities to travel and are drawn across the world for different things. That is how you managed to make your way to the sleepy little town of Noth. Noth is not your destination of course, in fact it's rarely anyone's destination, with the only real allure of the place being the strange weather they experience. The same weather which has kept the lot of you from progressing on your travels for a full week to the day! Blasted rain! It's unknown if the rain of Noth has spacial bending or simply illusory properties, but anyone who sets out into the rain tends to find their way back to town a few hours later.

Noth is a town of just over two thousand inhabitants, and has all the amenities one could realistically expect from a small modern city in decline. The people are good natured and friendly enough, but seem to be perpetually dour, which is making the experience on the whole somewhat distasteful. You may start anywhere you so please. This is a sandbox and will likely depend in large part on player to player interaction as you form and shape the world around you. You may meet, you may choose not to meet, in either case you are likely stuck here for a while.



I think I'd like a background too, and for "Handsome, charismatic and well-connected" to be swapped for a cliche rather than a collection of cliches. Socialite, noble blood, spoiled rich kid, ect.

Everyone who applied is accepted should they choose to continue. Hope you crazy kids have fun with it.

Oh yes, first person to post in the OOC gets to make a table out of everyone else's character posts there.

I'm tempted to give one extra cliche to folks that has to be strictly and unequivocally negative for character development so that nobody sounds like a marry sue, what are the group's thoughts on this?
IC thread
OOC thread

Unless you wish to work out a joint background, it is assumed you are not yet introduced, merely in close proximity due to circumstance.

[JNAProductions]

Spoiler: Connie

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Spoiler: Cliches

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Connie, The Clockwork Naga
Tinker 4d6
Brawler 3d6
Naïve But Goodhearted 3d6

Spoiler: Backstory

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Created by Gregory Hurtzfield, Connie usually stands about 5' tall. However, that's because she tends to coil and slither lower to the ground-at full length, she's just over ten feet long. She's powered by an unknown source, something Gregory called "The Spark" before his disappearance. While Gregory had many experiments and creations, Connie was the first to be sentient-and as such, he felt a strong parental attraction to her. He raised Connie to help those in need, to always stay curious, to learn and grow as a person, and all manner of other good things.

Connie worked as his lab assistant for a half dozen years before Gregory vanished. He had been investigating something strange and potentially groundbreaking, but one day when he went away for a research trip, he just... Didn't come back. Connie maintained the lab for a month before finally breaking down, realizing that her father was gone. She took some time to gather herself, packed a bag with everything she could think of taking with, powered down most of the lab's gadgets and gizmos, and left to search for her dad.

Spoiler: Wealth

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Patchwork clothes, given to her by a drunkard who told her "Yer can't be walking about with your baps hanging out!"
Lots of spare parts, chemicals, and other laboratory paraphernalia
Key to Hurtzfield Laboratory

Reposting Connie.

Spoiler: Table

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Jack Flickerwrought, Fey	drack
Connie the Clockwork Naga	JNAProductions
Aleika, Retired(?) Adventurer	MakuDawnLight
Kree the Baby Dragon	truemane
Georgie the Cosmic Lich Barber	Enceladus
Gertrude, Underpaid Guardian Angel	Inspector Valin
Veteran Adventurer Shera Halen	herastor
Albert du Croft	Kaworu
Fin "Quickfingers"	Heavenblade

[herastor]

Neat. Thanks for the chance to try this. Concerning negative clichés, dunno. I'm fine if we try it. I don't have enough "grasp" of this system to say it's better or worse.

Veteran Adventurer Shera Halen

Spoiler: Clichés

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Spoiler: Axe Maven (3)

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"Swords are better than axes? Fine. Spend a week out in the wilds, chopping up logs for a fire, and tell me how well your people-sticker handled it."

Shera is a bona fide expert with axes. As long as she has one on her person, there's not much she can't face or overcome. Weapon, tool, impromptu party favor, Shera and her axe can do it all.

Spoiler: I Know a Guy (3)

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"That looks a little like draconian script... Since we're in town, we could get Sage Wilhelm to look at it. He still owes me a favor after I took care of his invisible frog problem."

A storied list of contacts and acquaintances is almost as essential to any veteran adventurer as their weapon. Shera is no different. Through them she finds the best deals, the most lucrative jobs, and plenty of advice.

Spoiler: Side-Effects May Include... (2)

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"Oh, the scales? They don't bother me too much and it'd cost me a literal arm and a leg to get the mutation reversed. Could be a lot worse..."

Back when Shera was just starting out, she bought a combat enhancement potion that was on sale. "Gain the power of the lizard warriors of the south." It worked, she got a little scaly, but its effects never subsided. Eventually she just accepted that this was the new her. Now she's stronger, tougher, quicker, and gets the advantage of a fifth limb in the form of a massively powerful tail.

Spoiler: Bizarre Normality (2)

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"I could've ended up like Carl. Had to take the poor guy to an apprentice necromancer to get patched up. Ended up with his head sewn on backwards."

Adventurers, more than any other group, brush up against the strange and horrifying on a regular basis. The ones that make it past their first year learn to take almost anything in stride. Dealing with mind-bending monsters on Monday is often followed by a grocery run on Tuesday.

Spoiler: Wealth

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Breaker, her axe

Battle-worn leather and chain that often needs replacement bits

A pack that needs to be cleaned out at some point

Two leather bound journals stuffed with extra notes and reminders

A rarely used house in town

Spoiler: Background

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Shera Halen was nothing special growing up. Daughter to a pair of shopkeepers, she spent many days helping to organize wares on shelves or in the storeroom. Life was boring, except for the times when some of the local adventurers would step past the threshold to sell a curio they'd obtained. In passing she would hear their tales of casual daring and her imagination filled in the details she'd miss. As she got older, she managed to pester a dwarf named Huthern Frobic into teaching her the ways of the axe. He was a good teacher, and she was an apt student. Once she felt ready, she left home to join the ranks of the intrepid.

The first year was full of mistakes and transformations. After she gained her scales, she was not certain if she was really cut out for the life she'd dreamed about. She ignored that cynicism and toughed it out. Her second year brought her to places beyond her limited imagination and wealth enough to retire comfortably. She wasn't in it for the money, however. It's been ten years now and Shera is living her best life, carousing, fighting, traveling, and always on the outlook for her next big adventure.

[Inspector Valin]

Gertrude - Underpaid Guardian Angel

Ever wonder why Heaven doesn't intervene when the Dark Lord's about to conquer the kingdom, or some awful monster is rampaging across the land? Demon cults are all over the place, summoning hellspawn and trying to take over the world. Meanwhile all the forces of light can usually provide is a faint glow and a few words of wisdom before leaving priests and heroes to go sort things out themselves. Why is that?

Mostly it's budget cuts. It takes way less holy light to answer a prayer or bless a sword than it does to send someone down in person. Sometimes its departmental crossed wires: no one seems to be able to get the Watchers and Thrones to talk to each other, so whole flights of warrior seraphs don't get dispatched until the fight's already over. Now and then it's down to one pompous old oaf who blathers on and on about the importance of defending the Celestial Realms, mortal free will, how they never got heavenly intervention when they were a mortal, ect.

Occasionally however, Heaven's officials do dispatch angels to the mortal realm. Human faiths record a few instances of this: an archangel materializing with a peel of trumpets to herald the celestial hosts taking to the field of battle. More commonly however, it's a minor heavenly official who has to troubleshoot their way through various divine problems. While mortals mythologize seraphs and devas as great and worthy warriors of the light, most of angel kind are closer to functionaries. Someone has to make sure the world keeps turning, that souls go where they're supposed to, contracts with the other powers of the cosmos are honoured and that the grunt work of divinity gets done.

And that is Gertrude's job. She's been away from Heaven for a long time, and is a long way from the picture of bright, shiny optimism she once was. She's tired, cynical and beaten down by having to deal with other people's problems. She gets sent orders via celestial dispatch, and it feels like every time she's close to done, Heaven has another job for her to handle. The only things stopping Gert falling is a vague but persistent sense of duty towards the light, and a far larger portion of sheer bloodymindedness. Even if her job's stupid, it's her job, and she'll get it done: come rain or shine.

Spoiler: Clichés

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Overwhelming Cynicism: 4
Master of Heavenly Bureaucracy: 3
Battered Sword and Tatty Wings: 2
Doing The Right Thing: 1

Spoiler: Wealth

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Gert's still got a notched, banged up flaming sword that's seen far too much use. Sometimes it takes a few swings to get the fire going, but it usually works eventually. Her wings are often concealed under a thick coat: they're grey-brown, sagging a bit and without the impressive plumage of her peers. It's not like she's had time to beautify herself. Gert doesn't have much else in the way of material possessions, but somehow she usually manages to have a small flask of whisky on her person.

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Well, glad to be here! As to negative clichés, I'm down to try it. Going with Gert, I'm a, little torn between her general cynicism or her tiredness being her main negative.

[Heavenblade]

Quickfingers "Fin", low life urchin with a talking sword

Spoiler: Clichés

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Low life urchin - 3d6
Talking sword - 2d6
Defender of the helpless - 3d6
Big dreams, empty pockets - 2d6

Spoiler: Wealth

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#Two boots
#one cloak
#one purse
#zero coins
#one too many talking swords

Spoiler: Background

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Sir Edward VII, the beloved, lord-protector of the realm, knight-commander of the order of the golden lion, and viscount of the thriving city of Velinar, was destined to wield"Elmera", the sword of the sapphire king - a legendary blade, said to speak in times of need, and guide its owner to great deeds. The blade has been silent for a thousand years, carried by generation of the same family, all waiting for the day the blade shall speak once more.

That made the entire family line, Sir Edward included, a group of massive douchebags, who treated everyone poorly, and made everyone generally miserable. But how can you complain about the heroes of prophecy?

Well, if someone can, it is Fin. The young urchin had quite a lot to say about the ruling family of Velinar. Unfortunately, one day Edward heard him, and decided to publicly humiliate him and throw him in jail as a response.
So, Fin did the natural thing - on his way out of the cell the moment the guard stepped away, he took the opportunity and stole Elmera. As it turned out, the blade wasnt silent on purpose - it just refused to speak to any members of the Edwardian family out of spite. It was so happy to find another champion, that it immediately started to spill everything - loudly, alerting the guards, forcing Fin to run for his life.

And while Fin is running away, trying new and inventive ways to silence the constat blabber of the magical artifact, which keeps trying to push him to perform heroic deeds and right the wrongs he sees in the world - Sir Edward had to follow. For if someone will figure out that the blade is speaking once more, it will raise some very serious questions about his worthiness to hold said blade.

With a full army in pursuit, and a talking sword on his back, Fin is getting more and more desperate to find a path to safety, to a new future - maybe eben one in which he is a Hero

The negative clichés sound good to me - his will probably be "being poor", or some variation thereof

[Inspector Valin]

Just to be clear JNA, Gert's not trying to be subtle. At all. That's far too much work for her current mood. Connie's free to notice this strange woman following her.

[JNAProductions]

Just a quick roll, to see which side of Connie is gonna be more apparent in my next IC post.

(3d6)[4][4][5](13) Brawler
(3d6)[3][6][4](13) Naïve

Brawler wins! Don't worry, it'll be easy to talk Connie down, but her initial response here will be "A fight's a-coming!"

[JNAProductions]

We still going?

[drack]

I think so, looks like the two parties who are posting are just starting to interact, so waiting on hera or heaven. Haven't really seen anything for NPCs except the asking for a free meal which was resolved before I saw it, so I don't think we're waiting on me. Looks like we might have lost a few folks with the handover, but that's normal enough.

My thought was to let you explore and develop your characters a bit before the rain stops, the rain itself being somewhat of a background plot that can resolve itself on its own or be prodded. You guys want anything in particular from the game, or just let you run wild and see what mischief naturally evolves?

Edit: Oh yes, and feel free to banter in the OOC

[herastor]

Still here. I don't get to post much on my work days. Whether heaven responds or not, I'll post tonight unless something comes up.

[JNAProductions]

GM, I'm thinking we should maybe get a comment from the barista? :P

[Heavenblade]

(3d6)[6][1][5](12)

Attempting to steal something from the scary adventurer!

[Heavenblade]

(1d6)[4](4)

Attempting to steal something from the scary adventurer!

Double posting since Im not aure on how exploding dice work here -

(1d6)[4](4)

Edit - 3 successes

[Kaworu]

Hi people :D

My character got accepted, yay :3 Below is the CS:

Spoiler: Albert du Croft

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Albert du Croft

Cliches:

Adventure archeologist with guns (4)
Charismatic aristocrat (3)
Well-educated (3)

Backstory:

Albert was born a second son to the du Croft family of aristocrats. Since a young age, he felt a pull towards adventure and history, which he combined, by becoming an action archeologist. After mastering his body and mind (not to mention gun shooting!) he went to many ruins across the world and brought a lot of ancient artifacts from there back to his own nation national museum.

He has an unshakable belief in his own abilities, speaks multiple languages, travelled the world and is one of the authorities on ancient history and archeology, with a fair share of anthropology. Well-dressed, with a handsome smile and impeccable manners, he felt like a fish in water both in and out of ancient ruins.

Usually there are some journalists that follow after him, ready for gossip and hot newspapers pieces.

EDIT: Also, I have no idea how to introduce him now xD Maybe we could "pass" the action towards the tavern and there I will introduce my character? ;-)

EDIT2: Albert now has a pic! :D

[drack]

GM, I'm thinking we should maybe get a comment from the barista? :P

Whoops, forgot to re-open this tab when my computer crashed a few days back. Lets see what we've got.

Ah, hot drink, gotya. ...and I procrastinated too long, barista it is

EDIT: Also, I have no idea how to introduce him now xD Maybe we could "pass" the action towards the tavern and there I will introduce my character? ;-)

EDIT2: Albert now has a pic! :D

1) anywhere in town works, alternately feel free to be in the coffee shop, and it seems you figured that out
2) nice

[herastor]

Out of time tonight. I'll post in the next few days. I can catch up.

[JNAProductions]

Tinker Roll: (4d6)[5][1][3][4](13)

Edit: GM, how do you feel about us taking some more narrative control? Just to keep things moving. :)

[drack]

Edit: GM, how do you feel about us taking some more narrative control? Just to keep things moving. :)

Feel free I'm of the assumption that Albert's companion is an NPC that he'll be controlling given that it sounds like he found a sycophant to follow him.

Additionally there's a format that I tend to like using in freeform. Players state their actions as they intend for them to play out, take for example a monologue or in combat a combo of strikes. Should one wish to interrupt such a sequence, they can simply declare that they can simply declare that interruption. I find this allows for a somewhat more flowing style.

For example:

Tom drew back in his chair, clearly offended. "You think me a coward!? You think I did all this to hide? I have devoted years to this plan, I have sacrificed my happiness, my health, I have risked my life to engage in this folly at all, and you, you dare?"

Hearing Tom's initial outcry, David quickly speaks up, preempting the angry triad that's sure to follow. "No, no, you misunderstand me! I know you're no coward Tom, that's not what I'm saying, I'm saying that people, other people who don't know you, will assume the worst! That's why we need to act quickly before they cause a stir!"

or

Serra reacted quickly, her leg snapping out in a kick to push the foul creature far enough away for the cain she was bringing around with her left hand to catch it in the jaw, forcing it to stagger to the side. Rolling gracefully away from it she drew her gun, struggling to take aim.

The creature is lighter than you imagine, giving way readily under Serra's kick, but slipping out of range as the cane brushes past its face leaving her momentarily unbalanced, now absent the expected recoil. With feral intensity it jumps, diving at her, its hungry parted jaws snapping tightly around her exposed throat..

Serra stumbles, trying to compensate for the momentum, but quickly abandons the idea when she sees the creature lunging for her, instead she allows herself to fall heavily to the ground, the hairs on the back of her neck rising as the creature's monstrous form passes uncomfortably close to her own collapsing figure.

Basic framework gives a bit more freedom to interact with people without compromising their control over their own character's actions and fate. Likewise lets GM step in if something's clashing due to information disparity or the like.

All in all it's a sandbox game so I see no real reason to constrict you more than I have to, if you're so inclined I'm even open to the adventure being run largely by player input with myself as an arbiter should conflict arise. Feel free to add to the setting, world, or characters as you feel you should, I may comment OOCly or ICly as required. Everyone should likewise feel free to speak up if they think we're waiting on anyone in particular since the most common reason for games to stagnate is everyone waiting for each other to make a move. Likewise if you feel I should be taking a more active role, I can.

Like I said my initial reason to take this up as a GM is that it just seemed like such a flavorful band of characters that it'd be a shame not to let them play out, so I'm pretty open to ideas and preferences.

Edit: That IC post looks like it might be an invitation to give you a plot, but given the topic at hand you might have something in mind? Setting as it is I'd probably have it point to the rain itself as such a phenomena, but if you have an idea I'm open to letting you run with it. I should however make a post about cookies considering the attention they're receiving.

[JNAProductions]

Give some plot, if you’ve anything in mind.
If not, I can advance it myself :)

[drack]

It's a sandbox, so most I've got in terms of plot is just a setting for you to play around in. Feel free.

[Kaworu]

Hi people.

I kinda do not wanna be problematic, but... uh... I kinda feel like my PC hadn't really become a member of the group yet? And it would be kinda weird if he would follow you into the rain...?

Sorry? :( But I kinda see an issue here and I would like to talk about that?

Eh... I feel like I *AM* problematic :( Sry :(

[JNAProductions]

Hi people.

I kinda do not wanna be problematic, but... uh... I kinda feel like my PC hadn't really become a member of the group yet? And it would be kinda weird if he would follow you into the rain...?

Sorry? :( But I kinda see an issue here and I would like to talk about that?

Eh... I feel like I *AM* problematic :( Sry :(

Ask Connie if she's okay with you going with. She's a friendly lady. :P

Because, it should be noted, the entire group were strangers to one another about ten minutes ago, in-game.

[drack]

Hi people.

I kinda do not wanna be problematic, but... uh... I kinda feel like my PC hadn't really become a member of the group yet? And it would be kinda weird if he would follow you into the rain...?

Sorry? :( But I kinda see an issue here and I would like to talk about that?

Eh... I feel like I *AM* problematic :( Sry :(

Be proactive!

Remember, being charismatic isn't solely about basking in the attentions of others, nor simply looks, but rather also being conversational and likable as well.

Likewise you are not forced to party up. This is a stumbling block I often see people have trouble with in sandbox games. I wish there was more I could do to help with it, but it's something that i'd have allot easier of a time helping with as a player. You see, GMs are notorious for railroading players with plot and lining up what they can and can't do to some extent. While i admit to being more the flexible verity when i do use a plot, the idea with a sandbox is that there is no direction given, no plot forcing you onto it, and the players are in complete control of what direction they want to give themselves, reaching deeply into their characters to bring out their own innate sense of direction and pull, which weaves itself into a plot. I admit it's a common problem that I've seen from both sides of the GM screen so to speak, but ultimately what to do when granted freedom is something people have to feel out and explore for themselves. Something that's only harder to grasp if I start telling you what to do.

I guess my advice here is to relax, let loose, and worry less about meeting expectations than in enacting your characters upon the world, really exploring them and letting them take life in your hands. For example i opened this post with a description of charisma, but charisma takes on many forms, so it is just a suggested path, not the right way, nor one of the few ways, but one way among many.

As for plausible towers, there are a few cell/radio towers, a lighthouse, a church steeple, a somewhat taller hotel built with the intention of an overlooking view of the town, and a somewhat shorter and fatter apartment building. As always, don't feel too constrained to my list, I'm open to ideas.

[Kaworu]

Hm... I will try to come up with something :-P ;-)

[herastor]

Getting used to that level of freedom is something that takes getting used to. My brain is fried from work, but I should be able to post tomorrow.

[drack]

Sorry about that guys, went afk for what I thought was a day or two to help someone move and it turned out to be a week or two instead.