...
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Many cycles have moved since the great ship fell silent. No one knows what caused the Lord Hephaestus to sleep, or why the skills of the crafters faded.
In those days there were many sleeping creators, and the ones who had lost the connection of their powers used the last of their energy to wake the others when they could not wake the god himself. However, these too soon started to weaken, some stopped caring and eventually just rotted away, while others grew despondent and took their own lives. In the end, only four powerful souls were left. And they swore to awaken their god, no matter what the cost.
It was done in the main cargo bay of the Aglaia. Large mystic runes and magic circles were drawn on the black metal rock that composes the hull of the ship. Each of the four took a portion of the crafting inventory, and imbued it with enough power to create worlds. These materials they used as a catalyst for their ritual.
By the time preparations were complete there stood only two creators, One was a Gatherer of the most skilled lineage, the other a Master Crafter. Using the last of the magical energy, and all of their effort, they began to transform their bodies into something... anything that could wake their god.
The resulting powers rocked the universes, threatening the stability of it all. In the end, the ritual was bound to fail, the two creators had no clear idea about what was needed to wake the great one. However, such a failure would ruin countless dimensions.
Something had to give, reality bent, and instead of the destruction of everything, creation occurred. Other dimensional crafting ships appeared, complete with their own crew of crafting creators. Even the god himself was reborn in those states: Ptah, Vulcan, Osin, Mulciber, Sethlans. Each one, a different side of a many sided coin.
The powers of the universe are vast, and any of these many creations may yet prove to be as great as the original. Some have failed, and fallen into the same apathy as the original Aglaia. Others might continue. This story however is about what happened after the split.
~
The Halls of the black ship are silent.
The Hammer falls no Longer.
The Bellows blow no wind.
The Klaxon announces no warning.
The Portal is dark and empty.
You know these words. They echo in your brain every morning, and they torment you at night when you sleep.
You are a master craftsmen of whatever your chosen profession is. You've lived most of your life dedicated to your goals and future. But now, these endless dreams keep you awake at night, and while your work has not suffered, your health has.
No doctor, medicine man, or scientist has been able to figure out what is wrong. It has now been two days since you've been able to leave your place of rest. It takes all you have to fight against the madness.
You are tired... And decide to close your eyes just for a moment to try and get some rest before the voices start again.
...
You awaken in a large chamber. Black walls arch overhead. It takes several moments for your foggy head to realize you are not where you were previously. It takes even longer to realize that your fatigue is gone, and your body is perfectly healthy.
Around you are others, but many remain asleep on small slabs of the same black rock-metal. Three others have awoken like you have.
In the center of this room, a woman stands. She has long dark hair, and wears a white toga-like dress that wraps around her intricately. You doubt your eyes but for a few moments she seems to blink and fade in and out of existence. Like a video set on repeat, she is repeating the same few words:
"Crafters, you are our last hope. This is the Aglaia, the ship of the crafter Hephaestus. The original ship. Using the power of the universe itself, we have taken aboard a new crew of creators. Your powers may be weaker than before, but the goal is the same. Craft, Make, Design. Awaken the sleeping immortal who started it all, and claim your spot in the annuls of the universe."
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Revised rules:
One cycle of gameplay will consist of 4 worlds, with 3 turns per world. A turn is consistent to one day, or one action, and is updated when I post. I've shortened the time here to try and keep new blood interested.
There will only be 4 creators per cycle. Others will go onto the waiting list.
Creators that join must choose a profession.
You may write up a short(no novels please, 30 lines MAX) bio on whom your character is. they may be from any time, world, genre, whatever. But their skills must be in making something. Depending on this bio, I will assign each new creator an introductory crafting skill.
You MUST, be able to check this thread at least once every 24 hours. If you miss a turn when I want to post(I will at best only post new turns once every 24 hours, it will probably be longer), there will be only one warning, and you will be skipped that turn, and fined some influence. On the second absence without notification you will be dropped back onto the waiting list, and a new player will be added to replace you.
Each turn, the creators awake will choose a main action. Your choices are GATHER, or CRAFT.
Along with any sub actions, these include inventory management, equipment purchases and any spoken word, or flavor text.
Each main action will be accompanied by an attempt roll. This is a 1-100 roll I make using a random online roller. If you roll above 50 after any modifiers, you will succeed in your attempt. 10 or below is a critical fail, 91-100 is critical success, and will produce changes based on your action.
Modifiers:
- Skills raise your roll by a point per level. you need 100 experience in a skill to raise the skill level, and skills max out at level 40.
- Difficulty modifiers may be added by me, if I deem the action easy or difficult. This is usually 10-20 points added or subtracted.
-Gather actions may be made with a single word action.
-You may choose to search for something specific by accepting a difficulty modifier based on the world difficulty.
-Gather rolls will include an attempt, a quality, and a quantity roll.
-If the attempt roll is successful, a quality roll will be made to determine the influence of the found item, as well as the influence awarded to the creator.
-After a quality roll, a quantity roll will be made, this roll will take the quality from it's roll, to produce the amount you find of the item. Minimum amount of 1.
-Attempt rolls will become gather experience at the rate 1:1.(Note that there is no longer a single 'gather' skill, but many skills based on how you obtain your items)
-Craft actions need information on what you are crafting, and what source material you wish to use.
-You must use at least one item to create something, though you may add as many extra items as you wish.
-Craft rolls will include an attempt, a quality, and an influence roll.
-If the attempt roll is successful, a quality roll will be made.
-After a quality roll, an influence roll is made. This roll is added to the quality roll, as well as half the influence of every source material to produce the base influence of the item
-Attempt rolls will become experience of the relative skill at the full rate of the roll.
Personal inventory has a max of 10 slots. (1 crafted item or 1 stack of raw materials, depending on size.)
Group inventory has no maximum, but will be melted down for fuel at the end of the cycle and returned to an introductory amount.
Inventory management is a sub action, and is first post-first obtained.
If you wish for something in someone else's personal inventory, you must discuss with them in the thread and have them notify me clearly if you wish to use it.
Influence: Since the Lame Smith is missing, influence is done differently.
-I am adopting Eagle's idea of influence cost/reward:
-Giving something to group inventory will gain you influence based on the item's value
-Taking from group inventory will cost the same amount for the item.
-There is a Gallery that is ONLY available for completed goods: ask yourself, is this new item a raw material or a finished product?, only Finished products will be allowed in the Gallery. This will give you twice the influence amount if you donate to this option, but the item will forever become just a display unit.
-Each creator will start with 200 influence.
The Rules of creation:
1. No sentience. Do not create any sort of sentient being.
2. You may only create one thing at a time. This is based on the item, a pair of matching mittens is fine, or even a 'suit' of armor. Something like, I'll make 50 guns this next turn. Will not be allowed.
3. You can create anything, Mundane, Magic, Science. As long as you use a source item to make it.
4. Damage to the Aglaia or her occupants will be deducted from the influence amount of the one who created such. IE: don't make something that will instantly harm everyone around you on purpose. like black holes, supernovas, portable stars, etc.
5. Repeated attempts at failed items are only allowed once. After that the ship will become bored with you, and require a different action.
6. item ownership will come at a first post fire claim. If two people claim an item from group storage the first poster gets it. Personal inventory is only available to the person who is holding the item, you may only use an item from someone else's inventory if they give you the item as a sub action.
7. You cannot create items to make other items. No robots making robots, or making a wand with all your creative powers. There are limits to how far I will let you break the game, and it's best not to push them.
Other game threads for your reading pleasure:
So there you have it guys. I'm shortening the cycle, simplifying the mechanics some, and reducing the amount of players allowed at one time. Hopefully these changes will allow me to keep interested and keep this going a bit longer than the other games have.
I will start as soon as I get four people interested in playing. I need a name, and a profession. Bio is optional, but a little creative explanation will get you some minor skill points here.
You MUST, be able to check this thread at least once every 24 hours. If you miss a turn when I want to post(I will at best only post new turns once every 24 hours, it will probably be longer), there will be only one warning, and you will be skipped that turn, and fined some influence. On the second absence without notification you will be dropped back onto the waiting list, and a new player will be added to replace you.Starting inventory/world:
Three lumps of lead ore [88]
Two old broken glass windowpanes [1]
One massive femur bone, about three feet in length [91]
Four pine 2x4s [68]
One plastic container of fluffy white material labeled 'Cool Whip' [96]
One topaz gemstone [99]
Initial world:
99
Outside the portal many humans go about their business unknown that a gateway to their world has appeared. They move in and out of a large storefront pushing metal carts on wheels. Above the entrance you can only make out part of the name of the building, due to the angle of the portal. The white letters "ll Ma" are visible on blue paint.