I apologize in advance for the walloftexty nature of the rules section. I tend to make my things a little complicated, but I also go into intense detail about the way things work, makign it seem even more complicated than it really is (and that's complicated). I also like to make long lists of categories. However if you manage to read through the text and make your character, it's straightforward from there. Please join. I also confess that a few game mechanics-namely the Quickshot/aim attack- were inspired by Deviation-22, which is run by Draignean.
The-ar-chy /ˈTHēˌärkē/ noun: Rule by a god or gods.
The world was changed drastically in 2133 AD. In Detroit, Michigan, the United States of America, a violet stone was unearthed that gave off intense amounts of energy. It was about the size of a three story house, far too large for experiments. The Americans brought increasingly powerful tools to attempt to cut a piece off, but these tools all broke violently. So they resorted to a new experimental technology, the laser drill. It pierced the stone. The resulting explosion leveled the entire state, and several other states were annihilated along with it. But the stone had done much more than create a massive explosion. It brought forth all the gods who had ever been believed in onto Earth. The old countries of Earth were destroyed, as the gods gathered followers and imbued them with the energies left over by the Stone, giving them the powers of magic. Each god controlled his own kingdom, at first in person, than as the ambient energies of the Stone, which apparently... disappeared completely... after the explosion, wore off, with avatars of themselves. So the kindgoms of the gods fought on for several hundred years in gridlock, no kindgoms being able to destroy each other, constantly in a tug of war. That is until the kindgom of Atlas, a greek Titan found a shard of the "disappeared" stone and stabbed the Greek god Hermes with it, and after his energy was removed and put into the stone, killing him, the kingdom of Atlas took the land from his kingdom. Now the other kindgoms, still fighting their wars, are scrabbling to find other pieces of the Stone to gain its power, and also to defend against Atlas. You are four of the faithfuls to a god (or even one of the few remaining atheist lands not believing that the gods are actual gods), sent into the front line of the battles against other gods.
OK, now that I've put out that doozy of a backstory, on to the rules.
The roll of a six-sided die turns out the following results:
-2 or less (via modifiers): Catastrophic Failure: You failed so incredibly horribly badly that it'll take an absolute miracle to get you out of the mess you just caused.
0 or less (via modifiers): Unbelievable Failure: You managed somehow to make the task almost impossible with a truly horrible failure, likely hurting yourself grievously.
1: Epic Fail: You failed so hard you made it harder to accomplish what you wanted to do.
2: Fail: You failed to do what you wanted.
3: Meager Success: You got a small portion of your task completed.
4: Success: You got your task completed.
5: Epic Success: You got your task completed and then some.
6: Overshoot: You undisputedly completed the task and very much more, and you may or may not cause new problems with it. (I don't like 6s to be always failures)
7 or more (via modifiers): Unbelievable Success: You absolutely owned the task you were facing and probably solved another task with a massive success.
9 or more (via modifiers): Astronomic Success: You suceeded so well that you not only crushed your current task but took a leap and a bound to your final goal.
How combat works:
Non-Magic:Both magic and non-magic attacks work the same, the success or failure of an attack is measured upon how much higher the offense's roll is than the defense's.
If 8 or lower than the defender (via modifiers): Horrible Self-Harm: the attacker ends up grievously harmed, prctically losing their fight right then and there.
If 6 or lower than the defender (via modifiers): Self-Harm: not only misses but hurts themself.
If 5 lower: Bad Miss: The attacker's attack goes stray and may or may not hit someone other than the intended target.
If 4-1 lower: Miss: The attacker misses the defender.
If even roll: Graze: The attacker barely injures the defender. Half damage
If 1-4 higher: Hit: The attacker hits the defender.
If 5 higher: Great Hit: The attacker hits the defender hard enough to cause unusual levels of wounding. (Does the maximum for the weapon/spell+2 points of damage)
If 6 or higher than the defender via modifiers: Status Hit: The attacker htis the defender so hard that it gives them a negative status effect of some kind.
If 8 or higher than the defender (via modifiers): Critical Status Hit: The attacker hits the defender with unbelievable force, giving them a crippling status effect that practically takes them out of the battle.
When using Ranged weapons, one can quickshot, which fires a shot per turn but inflicts a -1 penalty, or they can aim their attack, which takes an extra round to im but incurs no penalties.
Ranges in Combat:
Melee: 0-3.3 yards.
Short: 3.6-10 yards.
Medium: 10.3-80 yards
Long: 80.3-150 yards
Very Long: 150-250 yards
Ultra Long: 250+ yards
Character Sheet:
Name: (Duh)
Gender: (Still Duh)
Age and Description: (Also obvious:)
Imbue Status: (Has its own section)
Stats: (Own Section)
Skills: (Own section)
Suggestion for the god followed: (You guys suggest a god (an appopriate one, I don't want to have to carry a sickening memory thank you very much) and whoever gets the most votes or looks the most interesting in a tie will be chosen to be you guys god. Or atheism. I don't care what you pick, modern religion, ancient mythology, cults, heck, you can even use DnD gods. I don't care.)
Bio: (Obvious)
There are three Imbue Statuses that measure how much a person is Imbued. They affect skills, stats and starting equipment at the beginning of the game.
Imbued Mage: Someone fully Imbued, the Imbued Mages have forgone combat training for full knowledge of the energies they have been Imbued with. They're the ones who make the lightning storms on a regular basis They receive 8 points for Imbued Skills. They are knowledgable in operation of only two main weapon categories (ex. Laser, Traditional Bullet), taking a -2 penalty on operation of weapons not in those categories. They are proficient with two weapon sets (ex. Laser Snipers, Traditional Bullet High-Caliber Rifles), and get a -1 that does not stack with the previous penalty in other weapon sets. They are not knowledgable or proficient with Imbued Weapons. However, they are knowledgable of all basic spell categories (Evocation, Abjuration) and spell sets (Evocation (Fire), Abjuration (banishment)), and highly trained in one spell set (they get a +1 bonus to spells from the set)They get 1.5 times the normal amount of Imbued Energy (basically Mana), 75. and two starting spells, as well as an Imbued Rune (which passively helps them in some way), but no starting weapons. They get 6 points to put into a Mental stat (unless it's maxed out) or a combination of several mental stats. (Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) Their base health is 50.
Imbued Warrior: Either someone partially Imbued or fully Imbued who has given up some energy training. Either way, Imbued Warriors are folks who have equal parts Imbued training and combat training, putting both to deadly use in the battlefield. They receive four points in both combat and Imbued skills. They are knowledgable in operation of all weapons and spell categories, but are only proficient with one spell set and one weapon set, although they are automatically highly-trained in the use of Imbued Weapons, which directly fire Imbued Energy. They get the normal starting Imbued energy, 50, as well as a +25 bonus to health, making their health 75. They get 3 points to put into non-maxed Physical stats (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution), and 3 to put into Mental. They at start get an Imbued weapon, a regular starting weapon and a starting spell.
Warrior: The non-Imbued people that serve in the military have been trained extensively in combat. They may not have Imbued powers, but they're rough, they're tough and they know quite well how to shoot you. They receive 8 points in combat skills. They are knowledgable in all weapon categories, proficient in all sets, and highly-trained in two weapon sets. They cannot use Imbued Spells or Imbued Weapons, and get no starting Imbued Energy. They get a +50 bonus to health though, making their starting HP 100. They get 6 points to put into non-maxed Physical stats. They start with three regular weapons and a light armor.
Skills:
Combat Skills:
Unarmed Combat: The guys who are trained in this know how to crack your skull with a punch as easily as they could shoot you. Every 4 skill points provides a half chance to gain a +1 on an attack without weaponry.
Dodging: People trained in how to dodge are very, very hard to hit with anything short of a bullet. They just keep ducking away. Every 4 skill points provides a half chance to gain a +1 on defense rolls without armor.
Improvised Weaponry: If you train in this, you'll be able to fashion a weapon out of practically anything: A stool, a wrench, a measure of wire. Every 4 skill points provides a half chance to remove a point of penalty, then with two it is sure to remove a point of the penalty for using an improvised weapon. If improved enough, you can even gain bonuses to attacks with improvised weapons.
Light Weaponry: Pistols, SMGs, Shotguns, one trained in this skill is agile and adept at aiming the lighter weapons in the arsenal. Half chance to gain a +1 in attacks with a light weapon.
Heavy Weaponry: These guys are the ones using the big lasers and the rocket launchers well. They can deal with the unwieldy but powerful weapons, making them even deadlier. Half chance to get a +1 for heavy weapon attacks.
Light Armor: Give them the Kevlar or the dragonscale jackets, they'll know how to take advantage of the fact that they are very mobile while still using their protection well. Get a half chance for +1 to defense rolls with light armour per 4 points,
Heavy Armor: These are the guys in the titanium plate. They can stay mobile in the armor they rely on to block the big hits, and know how to deflect the force along their armor. Half chance for +1 on defense rolls with heavy armor per 4 points.
Finally, Athletics: People athletically trained can jump over the ditches, jump over the hurdles and roll and come back up shooting. They are the very definition of mobile. Trained users get a half chance to get a +1 on athletic rolls.
Imbued Skills now:
Conserve Energy: The ones trained in this have learned to conserve their Imbued Energy like they do their regular stamina, to fire blast after blast of divine power. Half chance to be refunded a quarter of the Imbued Energy cost for a spell.
Offensive Power: Some mages like the really big fireballs. This is how to make that dream come true. You get a quarter chance to get a +1 on attacks with offensive magic.
Defensive Power: Other mages like shields of force. This training is their boon. Quarter chance to get a +1 on defense rolls with defensive magic.
Mind Power: Like screwing with people's brains? YOu'll love this. Quarter Chance to get a +1 on mind-affecting spells.
Regenerate Imbued Energy: Some mages have the inner focus to devote some of their stamina, turning it into Imbued Energy over time. Per 4 points of invested skill, one regenerates 2 Imbued Energy a round.
Regenerate Health: Some mages focus more on their bodies, allowing their flesh to slowly regenerate. Per 4 points, a health point regenerated each turn.
Finally, Counter Magic: Some mages are dominant enough in their energy that they can actually slightly counter magic, making spells against them less effective. Per 4 points, a point is removed from successful hits and grazes. (Although not Great hits or higher).
Stats are the simple part. Per 8 Points you put into a stat, you gain a +1 to associated rolls. Stats max out at 14, just under what it takes to get +2s on those rolls.You start with 20 points to put into stats, plus Imbue Status stat points.
The skills are:
Physical Stats, the ones that affect physical actions.
Strength: Increases Max weight load by 10 pounds per 8 points, and a +1 to Strength-based Rolls.
Dexterity: Gives a +1 to both Athletic Rolls and Dexterity Rolls.
Constitution: Gives 25 extra life and +1 to Constitution Rolls per 8 points.
Mental Stats, which mostly have to do with magic.
Intelligence: Gives a +1 to all mental rolls such as computer operation, and increases spell damage by four points per 8 stat points into it.
Wisdom: Gives a +1 to all Will and Wisdom (Wisdom=Observation) Rolls.
Charisma: Gives a +1 to all social rolls as well as +20 maximum Imbue Energy points.
Now, for the Weapons and spells- I won't describe them now as everything is customized on your skill choices, proficiencies, and god choices.
I would probably collapse if I had to anyway.
Weapon Categories:
Traditional Bullet: The types of guns that use the traditional gunpowder-propelled bullet. They require solely ammo, but traditional ammo is used more than energy cells are, and traditional ammo is the heaviest ballistic ammo due to the need for gunpowder.
Gauss: Magnetic weapons are simple ballistic weapons that use magnetism to fire ferromagnetic bullets at high speeds. Gauss weapons can have very high-caliber bullets, but if they tend to be prevented from working by smaller amounts of damage than other weapons.
Supercooled Matter: Supercooled Matter weapons are technically ballistic weapons as they use shells of cooled matter that is reignited into a plasma after it leaves the weapon: A charging heat inside the gun when a clip is place heats up tiny mechanisms which will blow up and cause the entire thing to set on ridiculous amounts of fire after it leaves the barrel. Usual ammo is such things as materials that light on fire at room temperatue, ridiculously hot fire. The clips themselves are also energy cells. They do very large amounts of damage with respectable accuracy, but Supercooled Matter weapons require charging each clip, which requires an entire extra turn, and the shells are the worst kind to get set on fire or exposed to too much damage,although they onyl really explode with direct exposure to heat or damage.
Plasma: Plasma weapons are energy weapons which fire superheated plasma which is controlled by magnets in the clip-not the round- although after the specially calibrated magnet range is passed or isn't passed into yet, the shots fizzle out and the plasma expands too thinned to hurt anyone. They require both energy cells to heat the plasma to the incredible level and plasma rounds.
Laser: Laser weapons are extremely powerful energy weapons which fire lasers via a focusing barrel in the weapon. Laser weapons are very accurate, effective at almost all ranges, and highly damaging, but have heavy and expensive energy cells and can't be used to quickshot because they must charge every shot.
Pure Energy: Pure Energy weapons fire pure electricity, fire, cold, etc, out of the gun which supplies the energy and uses energy cells to power it. It typically does high amounts of damage and lasts a long time on an energy cell, but suffers limited range like plasma weaponry, and suffers from low accuracy.
Sets:
Pistol: Pistols are easily concealable light weapons that tend to be the lghtest weapons but pack less of a punch on average than other weapons. Light.
SMG: Sub-Machineguns are light rapid-fire weapons that rely on fire rate to be effective, riddling unarmored opponents with bullets but glancing off of armor. Light
Rifle: Rifles are medium-sized weapons which fire single-shot or semi-automatic clips, accurate at medium to short range, firing fairly large shots, while still being fairly effective at long range. Light.
Assault Rifle: Assault Rifles are fully-automatic rifles which fire medium-sized shots at a high rate of fire. They're effective at fighting armoed and unarmored targets, but eat ammo and cells like a hog. Light.
Shotgun: Shotguns are close-ranged weapons which fire small shots at non-straight directions, creating a spread which is devastatingly effective at close range but fails to be effective at medium to long range. Light.
Sniper Rifles: Sniper Rifles are large weapons which are designed to fire large shots accurately at high range. Unfortunately, they're too heavy and clunky to use at hshort range effectively. Heavy.
MAchinegun: Machineguns fire large shots at a very high rate of fire. They are very heavy bu still light enough to be held and fired. Heavy.
Heavy Machinegun: Heavy Machineguns fire very large shots at extreme speed, but are so heavy they must be mounted to be used by all but people with insane strength. (People with +3 modifiers to strength can hold these and fire) Heavy
High-Caliber Rifle: High-Caliber Rifles fire extremely large shots at a single-shot or semi-automatic rate of fire, accurate at around short-medium range, although still usable at long range. They are clunky and large. Heavy.
Ordnance Launchers: The definition of heavy weaponry, Ordnance Launchers have heavy shots that are devastating with splash damage, hitting things around them with masive damage. THeir shots are very expensive and heavy and take a longer time to reload though, not to mentinon they are heay ad slowing when in shoulder-mounted position. They are effective at medium-long range, but at short range one risks the range of blowing himself up.
Melee: Melee is its own category and set, and requires no proficiency. Melee weapons are compeltely different between each unique weapon, and only share their range of melee only.
Spell Categories and Sets:
Abjuration: The category Abjuration is protective and banishing spells- ones that create force or elemental energy to bind enemies, or bind attacks from reaching casters. The three sets of Abjuraon are as follows: Protective, stuff like shields, Banishing, spells that forcibly move a creature to a different location, and binding which restricts a target.
Conjuration: Conjuration refers to the creation of solid objects, stuff like making walls of steel, and vanishing and creating something at a different location, aka teleporting. The sets of Conjuration are creation and teleportation.
Divination: Divination refers to magic that detects things and finds out information. The two sets of Divination are detection which finds out informatino about areas, items, or people, and scrying, which directly watches or listens to areas.
Enchantment: Enchantment refers to spells which control the mind of an individual. The two sets are charm, which alter target's mind to make them percieve themselves, a second target, or the caster in a different way, and dominate, which forces the target to do something.
Evocation: Evocation refers to spells which create pure energy to use in magic, most often offensively. THe sets are the energy types, Fire, cold, electricity, sonic, and force.
Illusion: Illusion spells are spells that affect the mind to make it see or hear or feel things that aren't real. There are two sets of Illusion, figments which are simple fake illuions, and phantasm, partially real spells which are made of shadow but if not detected act like the real spell and only do partial effect if detected.
Necromancy: Necromancy deals with the magic of raising dead, maniuplating Imbued energy and life force. There are three sets of Necromancy: Death, which affects dead things, and directly killing things via removing life force, Life, which deals with other manipulations of life force, and Energy which deals with manipulations of Imbued energy.
Finally, Transmutation, which changes existing objects in some way. Transmutation is a category and a set as it only has one set, transformation.
Now some final rules to lay down:
I don't care who your character is oriented sexually, but I'm not describing sexual activities. And no rape. Period.
I won't describe things to be exceptionally gory, and I won't include profanity in any of my post. I'll censor it in the quotes.
Please join, this took me hours to make.
1. Draignean
Character Sheet:
Name: Drennen Iben
Gender: Male
Age and Description: 89 years old Iben has the good genetics require to retain a normal looking amount of hair, granted it's almost entirely grey now instead of the black that it once was, but he's earned that. He wears a suit that went out of fashion a couple decades ago, a paisley tie, and a set of wire rimmed glasses. (He could never bear contacts or laser eye surgery) Taken together he looks like a librarian's grandfather who would fall over in a stiff breeze.
Imbue Status: Imbued Mage
Stats,
Strength: 0
Dexterity: 0
Constitution: 0
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 10
Charisma: 8
Skills,
Conserve Energy: 4
Defensive Power: 4
Weapon Knowledge: Traditional Bullet, Pure Energy
Weapon Proficiency: Traditional Bullet Pistols, Pure Energy Shotguns.
Specialized Training: Illusion (Phantasm)
Bio: Iben is an old man in mind as well as body. Before the stone he was a great-grandfather, a happy man who had led a full life and had resigned himself to his fate, a death surrounded by family and friends. When the stone detonated in Chicago it wiped out two generations of his family, leaving him alone in this world on his vacation. His children are dead as far as he knows, he outlived all of his other relations and his wife died having their second child sixty years ago. He is not so young and brash as to "live for Death", but Death is an old friend he will greet warmly when it comes.
2.Imakuni
Character Sheet:
Name: Ima
Gender: Male
Age and Description: (Also obvious:) 23, medium length white hair (began greying as a teenager) and goatee, medium height and weight, serious, older looking face, (which, along with his white hair, makes him look quite a bit older than he is) dark brown eyes, and a light skin tone. Has an authoritative voice, but doesn't really bother talking much to people he doesn't know well.
Imbue Status: Imbued Warrior
Stats: 10 constitution, 0 dexterity, 8 wisdom, 8 strength (Is 14 the cap for character creation, or the cap for the characters period? I don't understand why it would go up to almost +2 otherwise, since there would be no reason to raise it past 8.)
Skills: 4 points to heavy armor, 4 points to regenerate health
Bio: Family defected from Hades's kingdom due to his malevolence to the kingdom which the characters are currently fighting under while his mother was pregnant with him. When he was a teenager, though, his father had a change of heart, and returned back to the malevolent god's kingdom and told them about the boy and his mother. She was killed, but he managed to escape into the wilderness and found refuge with some deserting troops of Hades's army and learned how to fight and use spells. He is now enlisting into Freya's army in order to avenge his mother and fight against malevolent gods like Hades.
3.Character Sheet:
Name: Sonia Cavaliere
Gender: Female
Age and Description: 25 years old, 5'7, 131 pounds. She has sleepy brown eyes, black hair cut rather short, a Mediterranean skin tone, and a tendency to keep things slow and easy. She's a good mage, but she could have been so much stronger than she is now if she just bothered to apply herself. She likes to wear loose clothing that isn't hard to move in, such as long skirts, flat-soled boots, and hooded robes. Her favorite color is blue, so her clothing tends to be some variation of the color intermixed with brown.
Imbue Status: Imbued Mage (Specialty is Conjuration: Creation)
Spoiler: Stats (click to show/hide)
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 2
Constitution: 8
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 3
Charisma: 3
Spoiler: Skills (click to show/hide)
...
Suggestion for the god followed: Freya.
Bio: Sonia was born with a spark of magic; specifically, a calling towards creation and summoning, like the Goddess her family followed. Seeing this as divine inspiration, her family and fellow villagers encouraged her to work at this power and nurture it. Because of that she's a bit spoiled and because the power came so easily to her she's a bit lazy as well. She's not really used to the idea of fighting, but figures if her Goddess gave her that power she'd better use it.
Gauss/Traditional and Pistols/SMGs for weapon picks.
4. Talarion
Name: Casaeron Syrth
Gender: Male
Age and Description: Early - mid twenties, medium length light brown hair, hazel eyes, pale skin. Casaeron is a very nondescript person, with average features. He is of average height and build, and doesn't stand out much in a crowd.
Imbue Status: Imbued Warrior
Spoiler: Stats (click to show/hide)
0 Strength
10 Dexterity
8 Constitution
0 Intelligence
8 Wisdom
0 Charisma
Spoiler: Skills (click to show/hide)
Combat:
4 Athletics
Imbued:
4 Offensive Power
Bio: Casaeron has never been a very skilled person. He wasn't overly good... at anything. No matter how much he tried, it seemed he was always second. All through his life, from the moment he was born, he has been put behind the people around him... so much that now, he believes it is his duty to support those around him.
As for weapon set... Gauss/Rifles
Spell Set: Evocation/Sound
Wait list: Taricus, wolfchild.
Author
Topic: Thearchy: A Sci-Fantasy. (Read 3303 times)