Traveller's Café 2: Discussion, tea, brainstorming & advice

[Alleniana]

Ah, that makes more sense.

For bonus historical relevancy points, make those riches spiritual and to be received after death.

Ok, and for the hell of it, I'll make them Muslim.

Muslim?
In a AW?

[G-Tech Corporation]

Ok, and for the hell of it, I'll make them Muslim.

Muslim?
In a AW?

Budislamics.

Like Dune.

[Ayreonia]

Oh, you are Finnish?

Were they? I mean, back in the Swedish era, Malmo was less Swedish than Turku.

Yup.

Well, in the beginning anyway. Alex I was a nice guy, there's still places named after him around here. His view on Finland was basically "yo, just pay some taxes or whatevs and we're cool. Conscription? Nah, we're Russia, bitch. We got enough men. Just don't rebel or anything."

Anyway, Nordic history is one big clusterfuck of wars, conquests and shifting alliances. It's hard to believe, seeing as how stable and boring this place is nowadays.

[Ammar]

So, would anyone actually like to join my RP?

[Ammar]

The Revolution of Zandeth

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=284785

High Concept: An RP loosely based on the Communist Revolution of Russia.
Genre/s: war, adventure, the usual
Detailed Description: It is the high middle ages in the land of Zandeth, a cold land where food is not prevalent, and starvation is a major problem. The land is ruled by Emperor Cusico, who rules with the force of the aristocracy. Five regions are ruled over by lords, and each lord has servants and serfs who farm little land, manage the animals, and even fight in wars between the lords.

The latest war between the lords led to the rise of Vladius Darius, who believes that the problem is with the aristocracy. Vladius preaches to the workers that the lords have been living the life of luxury at the expense of the commmon man. He says that if it were not for the corruption of the aristocracy, they would all have food oon their tables every night, and not the bare minimum to prevent them from starving to death.

At first, the message of Vladius was interesting, but insane. A system in which everyone shared the production of their work, and no one had an unjust advantage was crazy at the start, but that quickly changed. When a new war broke out, the soldiers threw down their swords in diffiance. They had enough with the lords exploitiing them and taking what little they had. A thousand warriors followed Vladius into battle against the corrupted aristocracy, but the Emperor would have no part of that. With a new threat to his power, Cusico began a new crusade against the revolutionaries by promising untold riches in the afterlife to anyone who remains loyal to the crown and serves in the Zandeth army in the war. With this promise, a new army was formed to crush Vladius and his thousand followers.

The first move was made by Vladius. He attacked on of the lords, taking his property, and finally killing him. The manor the lord lived in was burned to the ground as the revolutionaries shouted "Down with peace! Up with the people!", their battle cry. Cusico's army arrived afterwards, but Vladius was already gone. Now, the hunt is on for Vladius and his followers. If they do not act soon, then all hope for the future of Zandeth is lost.

[Benuty]

Hmm... what would the apocalypse be then?

Nuclear war? Societal collapse? Biblical Apocalypse? Gotterdammerung? Titanomachy? Conventional war? Aliens?

I always fancied a mixture of the biblical end times mixed with Ragnarok caused by angelic beings (who are actually aliens sent by God). The angels battle the rebellious immortals (ie the deities) in order bring on paradise. The Earth however is torn asunder by the forces of Tartarus led by the great whore.

[Alleniana]

Oh, you are Finnish?

Were they? I mean, back in the Swedish era, Malmo was less Swedish than Turku.

Yup.

Well, in the beginning anyway. Alex I was a nice guy, there's still places named after him around here. His view on Finland was basically "yo, just pay some taxes or whatevs and we're cool. Conscription? Nah, we're Russia, bitch. We got enough men. Just don't rebel or anything."

Anyway, Nordic history is one big clusterfuck of wars, conquests and shifting alliances. It's hard to believe, seeing as how stable and boring this place is nowadays.

History is fascinating.

Russia was sorta the casual empire in the Renaissance; they didn't pull centralization or fight all that much or do any of the crazy shit anyone did, except for muck about in Siberia. But then WWI, Soviets, all went to hell.

Yeah, though it's interesting to find how overall stable the borders have been; since the main 3 of Denmark, Norway and Sweden were established, the main changes were a few people absorbing Norway sometimes, and Finland leaving. Apart from that, it was all small fry; Iceland is big, but then there's Jamtland, Aland, Skane, Gotland, Ingria, Livonia, just mucking about and getting kicked about.

[Terintania]

So, what was the general opinion on my RP idea? Yay? Nay?

I'll take what everyone said about it into suggestion.

[Alleniana]

So, what was the general opinion on my RP idea? Yay? Nay?

I'll take what everyone said about it into suggestion.

I like it, though I'm trying to refrain from joining RPs due to time limits.

[Grenartia]

I'm wanting to create a post-apocalyptic wasteland RP. But, I'm stuck between three ideas.

1- Should it be the basic run of the mill MT wasteland?
2- Should it be PMT, with people able to find power armor and advanced tech?
3- Should it be MT, with a medieval twist? As in, swords are more plentiful than firearms and small kingdoms have sprung up with self proclaimed war lords and the like.

3 sounds cool. I've always historical scenarios plus zombies would be interesting.

I've got this idea I've been rolling around for a while now, about the Korean War, except with a severe zombie outbreak/near apocalypse in the middle of it. Made an interesting backstory for it and everything. I'm just waiting until I get more experienced with RPs to do anything with it.

Hmm... what would the apocalypse be then?

Nuclear war? Societal collapse? Biblical Apocalypse? Gotterdammerung? Titanomachy? Conventional war? Aliens?

I have to say, the underlined are all really interesting ideas for an apocalypse.

I don't think the italicized is a form of apocalypse. Kind of like how "bright" isn't a color.

I have no clue what the bolded are.

Honestly, I find it unlikely to spread beyond the Metro Atlanta area, but the National Guard and Federal Law Enforcement would probably be deployed to assist local and state forces.

Yeah, I meant for investigation. Once it is determined to be a biological weapon, the investigation to who did it will be serious.
Also, Atlanta has one of the busiest Airports in the world. I live there, I alone would have spread something like that to Kentucky, Texas, Virginia, Alabama.
It would not be very localized

Indeed.

Well sure, I mean that's what I'm talking about; I don't want to start it too soon, or else there won't be any society. And the society will be a very large part of the RP.

By 10 years afterwards, I reckon communes, family groups, small despotism and the like would be around. By 50 years, I think you'd see parliaments and kings again.

Or maybe even republics.

I don't think anybody will have enough power over anybody else to proclaim themselves king over anything larger than the size of a few counties. Anyways, a large part of it will be the despot of the town using his malicious police goons to enforce his tyranny on the townsfolk.

A few counties is a big place. Bigger than Luxembourg in many cases, and damned, they're big enough to have a king.

Indeed. The entire state of Delaware is only 3 counties. I realize other states have close to that many counties, but most of them are out west where the average county is "lolfuckinghuge", and not the reasonable size you see east of the Rockies.

Monarch. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, yes.

Yes. Grand Duke. The only title that's even more pompous than "King."

At least its not "Archduke".

A civil war rp with magic would be interesting.

But the trick is that such an rp shouldn't be set in America (though it can). I personally feel exploring a different country, like Iraq (where civil war is very realistic) would be cooler.

I have a hard time with settings with magic, especially since so often its poorly-executed, and there's no basic laws/rules/guidelines on what it takes to do something. It just feels like a godmod. And I really don't see the appeal of it.

I don't understand what you mean, exactly.


Shooting it with one bullet wouldn't really do much One thing about spells is that they can affect a wide area

Maybe there could be Light Bombs or Light Grenades or something like that.

Well, duh. That's why you need a lot of bullets. If it can be stabbed to death, it can be shot to death.

Indeed. After all, what is a bullet wound, but a miniature stab wound?

[Nightkill the Emperor]

A civil war rp with magic would be interesting.

But the trick is that such an rp shouldn't be set in America (though it can). I personally feel exploring a different country, like Iraq (where civil war is very realistic) would be cooler.

I have a hard time with settings with magic, especially since so often its poorly-executed, and there's no basic laws/rules/guidelines on what it takes to do something. It just feels like a godmod. And I really don't see the appeal of it.

I have trouble explaining just why I love fantasy so much. I suppose part of it is that I grew up around magic stories and it's not uncommon for me, and I hold some beliefs others would consider irrational.

But I think fantasy is a way to help stories - if someone gets an injury that's otherwise fatal, it doesn't have to be. It only has to be fatal if the story needs it to be. It introduces a new sort of worldbuilding as a tool to play with. It can cause thinking in an unorthodox way, and a lot more.

[Terintania]

So, what was the general opinion on my RP idea? Yay? Nay?

I'll take what everyone said about it into suggestion.

I like it, though I'm trying to refrain from joining RPs due to time limits.

Understandable. But if you like it, other people probably will, too.

In regards to bullets and stabbing, I imagine that slicing vines would be a bit easier then shooting them not to mention that you can't really 'kill' it with either, you can knock it back, but to kill it you'd have to stab and shoot a good portion of the world before it could spread further

[Nationstatelandsville]

I have a hard time with settings with magic, especially since so often its poorly-executed, and there's no basic laws/rules/guidelines on what it takes to do something. It just feels like a godmod. And I really don't see the appeal of it.

I have trouble explaining just why I love fantasy so much. I suppose part of it is that I grew up around magic stories and it's not uncommon for me, and I hold some beliefs others would consider irrational.

But I think fantasy is a way to help stories - if someone gets an injury that's otherwise fatal, it doesn't have to be. It only has to be fatal if the story needs it to be. It introduces a new sort of worldbuilding as a tool to play with. It can cause thinking in an unorthodox way, and a lot more.

The modern story could not exist without the fantastic; realism is a luxury of improved storytelling.

[G-Tech Corporation]

I have a hard time with settings with magic, especially since so often its poorly-executed, and there's no basic laws/rules/guidelines on what it takes to do something. It just feels like a godmod. And I really don't see the appeal of it.

I have trouble explaining just why I love fantasy so much. I suppose part of it is that I grew up around magic stories and it's not uncommon for me, and I hold some beliefs others would consider irrational.

But I think fantasy is a way to help stories - if someone gets an injury that's otherwise fatal, it doesn't have to be. It only has to be fatal if the story needs it to be. It introduces a new sort of worldbuilding as a tool to play with. It can cause thinking in an unorthodox way, and a lot more.

I find defining Magic A is Magic A resolves any qualms I have about fantasy. Though I'm not much of one to talk, since I can't remember the last time I made a realistic RP.

[Valenfel]

For those familiar with Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, I have a question.

How does a Dark Tower RP sound?

One with Gunslingers, "The Touch", muties, all of it.

I'd like to drum up some interest from folks who know the series before trying to come up with something.

Thoughts?

[Grenartia]

I have a hard time with settings with magic, especially since so often its poorly-executed, and there's no basic laws/rules/guidelines on what it takes to do something. It just feels like a godmod. And I really don't see the appeal of it.

I have trouble explaining just why I love fantasy so much. I suppose part of it is that I grew up around magic stories and it's not uncommon for me, and I hold some beliefs others would consider irrational.

But I think fantasy is a way to help stories - if someone gets an injury that's otherwise fatal, it doesn't have to be. It only has to be fatal if the story needs it to be. It introduces a new sort of worldbuilding as a tool to play with. It can cause thinking in an unorthodox way, and a lot more.

And I have no problem with magic as long as its not a godmod. But it shouldn't work like "make a wish and it'll instantly happen, and there's no limits to what you can wish for". In any other setting, that would be a godmod, but not so in magic settings.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

For those familiar with Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, I have a question.

How does a Dark Tower RP sound?

One with Gunslingers, "The Touch", muties, all of it.

I'd like to drum up some interest from folks who know the series before trying to come up with something.

Thoughts?

The Dark Tower is beyond kick-ass and I support this quest, even if I can't join.

I have trouble explaining just why I love fantasy so much. I suppose part of it is that I grew up around magic stories and it's not uncommon for me, and I hold some beliefs others would consider irrational.

But I think fantasy is a way to help stories - if someone gets an injury that's otherwise fatal, it doesn't have to be. It only has to be fatal if the story needs it to be. It introduces a new sort of worldbuilding as a tool to play with. It can cause thinking in an unorthodox way, and a lot more.

And I have no problem with magic as long as its not a godmod. But it shouldn't work like "make a wish and it'll instantly happen, and there's no limits to what you can wish for". In any other setting, that would be a godmod, but not so in magic settings.

That's a godmod in any good magic settings as well.

[Nationstatelandsville]

For those familiar with Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, I have a question.

How does a Dark Tower RP sound?

One with Gunslingers, "The Touch", muties, all of it.

I'd like to drum up some interest from folks who know the series before trying to come up with something.

Thoughts?

It's been attempted many a time before.

Never worked.

I have trouble explaining just why I love fantasy so much. I suppose part of it is that I grew up around magic stories and it's not uncommon for me, and I hold some beliefs others would consider irrational.

But I think fantasy is a way to help stories - if someone gets an injury that's otherwise fatal, it doesn't have to be. It only has to be fatal if the story needs it to be. It introduces a new sort of worldbuilding as a tool to play with. It can cause thinking in an unorthodox way, and a lot more.

And I have no problem with magic as long as its not a godmod. But it shouldn't work like "make a wish and it'll instantly happen, and there's no limits to what you can wish for". In any other setting, that would be a godmod, but not so in magic settings.

No, it would be.

That's not fantasy. That's shit storytelling. If magic was so simple, there would be no fantasy stories.

[Valenfel]

I've tried to drum up interest before.

And yeah. It never worked out. Always wanted to have a successful one, though.

[Alleniana]

I think magic is just that. Magic. It is inexplicable, impossible, unbelievable, and yet it is. But it is not everything, and it is not omnipotent, nor omnipresent. Its defining factor is the unknown. If we knew what it was, after all, that would just be science. Magic is magical.

[Grenartia]

For those familiar with Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, I have a question.

How does a Dark Tower RP sound?

One with Gunslingers, "The Touch", muties, all of it.

I'd like to drum up some interest from folks who know the series before trying to come up with something.

Thoughts?

The Dark Tower is beyond kick-ass and I support this quest, even if I can't join.

And I have no problem with magic as long as its not a godmod. But it shouldn't work like "make a wish and it'll instantly happen, and there's no limits to what you can wish for". In any other setting, that would be a godmod, but not so in magic settings.

That's a godmod in any good magic settings as well.

For those familiar with Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, I have a question.

How does a Dark Tower RP sound?

One with Gunslingers, "The Touch", muties, all of it.

I'd like to drum up some interest from folks who know the series before trying to come up with something.

Thoughts?

It's been attempted many a time before.

Never worked.

And I have no problem with magic as long as its not a godmod. But it shouldn't work like "make a wish and it'll instantly happen, and there's no limits to what you can wish for". In any other setting, that would be a godmod, but not so in magic settings.

No, it would be.

That's not fantasy. That's shit storytelling. If magic was so simple, there would be no fantasy stories.

But I haven't seen much of an improvement in any of the magic settings I've looked over. If there were some sort of a set of basic Laws of Physics with regards to magic, I wouldn't have as much of a problem, and I'd have even less if the actual laws of physics couldn't be broken (bent, yes, but not broken) by the laws of magic.

[Nationstatelandsville]

The Dark Tower is beyond kick-ass and I support this quest, even if I can't join.


That's a godmod in any good magic settings as well.

It's been attempted many a time before.

Never worked.


No, it would be.

That's not fantasy. That's shit storytelling. If magic was so simple, there would be no fantasy stories.

But I haven't seen much of an improvement in any of the magic settings I've looked over. If there were some sort of a set of basic Laws of Physics with regards to magic, I wouldn't have as much of a problem, and I'd have even less if the actual laws of physics couldn't be broken (bent, yes, but not broken) by the laws of magic.

To be perfectly frank, you've been reading shit fantasy, then.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

The Dark Tower is beyond kick-ass and I support this quest, even if I can't join.


That's a godmod in any good magic settings as well.

It's been attempted many a time before.

Never worked.


No, it would be.

That's not fantasy. That's shit storytelling. If magic was so simple, there would be no fantasy stories.

But I haven't seen much of an improvement in any of the magic settings I've looked over. If there were some sort of a set of basic Laws of Physics with regards to magic, I wouldn't have as much of a problem, and I'd have even less if the actual laws of physics couldn't be broken (bent, yes, but not broken) by the laws of magic.

Avatar The Last Airbender, The Dark Tower, A Song of Ice and Fire, His Dark Materials, etc, etc.

Most settings have a sort of Magic A is Magic A.

[Nationstatelandsville]

But I haven't seen much of an improvement in any of the magic settings I've looked over. If there were some sort of a set of basic Laws of Physics with regards to magic, I wouldn't have as much of a problem, and I'd have even less if the actual laws of physics couldn't be broken (bent, yes, but not broken) by the laws of magic.

Avatar The Last Airbender, The Dark Tower, A Song of Ice and Fire, His Dark Materials, etc, etc.

Most settings have a sort of Magic A is Magic A.

Basically, fantasy is sci-fi but with dragons instead of robots.

[Valenfel]

How exactly do interest threads work?

Basic outlines, explanations, ideas, a place for brainstorming?

I'm gonna give it a go, I suppose.