FAQ & Extended Rules. | The Menagerie

Grayell

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FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 16:32:23 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 16:32:23 GMT -5

CONTENTS.

Adventuring: In multiple threads.

Adventuring: Solo, with friends or with a Game Master.

Comparative Weapon Speed and Power.

Item Creation.

Liaison, Kinship and player vocabulary.

Magic vs Melee.

Poisons & Herbals, Thieving, Survival and Medicine.

Poisons - Making and Application.

Player vs player dynamics.

Talents - numeric and non numeric bonuses.

The flow of game play.

The role of the Game Master.

Last Edit: Aug 4, 2013 20:14:45 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 16:47:08 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 16:47:08 GMT -5

Poison & Herbals.

The Thieving talent mentions poisons. Poisons would generally be made from such things as plants, toxins from animals and exotic ingredients.

The Survival Talent pertains to self reliance in the wilderness, which would directly pertain to herbs and animals, both useful and dangerous.

The Medicine Talent would of course involve pharmaceuticals and their uses, as well as their dangers. This would include the usage of prepared ingredients to deal with ailments.

The Ingenuity Talent requires no elaboration here, it would be required to prepare, extract, mix and develop complex combinations or forms of such ingredients, whether for medicinal use or something more sinister.

To better understand the difference in how these skills relate to poisons and how they are both effective in their own way in this manner:

Thieving: Thieves of sufficient understand how to identify a poison, what it's application is and what it's effects are. This would include complex poisons consisting of many ingredients. They would understand to SOME degree the chemistry of these poisons in that they know what is in them. A master thief would be capable of mixing complex recipes for deadlier poisons.

Thieves are NOT chemists, scientists or alchemists. An understanding of these things would benefit a thief who wanted to make truly complex and dangerous poisons which required the use of such instruments. Mixing ingredients (for example powders) would not be beyond a thieves scope, but altering the state of a raw ingredient is not something they can do with the thieving skill alone. Better to purchase the ingredients in the state they are required prior to simply mixing them together in the correct proportions.

Thieves are NOT adept at identifying exotic materials required for poisons. A thief may know mandrake is required for a poison, but without another talent would not know it from any other plant.

Survival: It is required of a survival oriented person to understand the difference between edible, medicinal and dangerous plants and animals. A survival talented person of sufficient skill could identify plants or animals that could be utilized in a poison, but would have no knowledge of the poison or it's components. He could tell you a specific plant or herb had very dangerous effects and what those effects would be in the same manner he could identify a useful plant and it's benefits.

Knowing that a herb has a certain dangerous effect does not make a character capable of making complex poisons. A survival oriented person COULD utilize one ingredient in say, someone's drink to poison someone or drug them. The effect would merely be the natural effect of the substance used.

An adept survivalist would be aware of what part of a plant is good for what and basic, outdoor applications such as a tea, poultice or powder. To further this knowledge, he would need to invest in Medicine or a like field.

Medicine: Medicine would of course indicate that the character is versed in the use of just that, medicine. Medicines are made or synthesized from natural ingredients and these ingredients are most commonly herbs. In a fantasy setting, this would include other exotic ingredients. The interest of the practitioner would be in the benefits of such medicines, but a knowledge of their side effects or dangers would of course be a given. This does not make this character a chemist as again, the Ingenuity skill would be required to concoct such things.

Last Edit: Mar 1, 2013 6:15:02 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
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Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 16:59:00 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 16:59:00 GMT -5

Making and Application of Poison.

CREATION OF POISON.
If you run a store that deals in poison, it is assumed you simply have the means or methods to supply your store. All poisons sold will be of a basic nature and approved by admin.

If you are in an adventure and choose to make a poison for whatever reason, you will have to meet the demands of the GM and they will ultimately decide the outcome and so on. You may want to consider the following though:

You will need sufficient skill for the complexity of the poison you wish to make.
You will need the ingredients, you cannot fabricate these.
If advanced enough, you will need the equipment to modify the ingredients and create the poison. You cannot fabricate this.
You will need a vial or container suitable for the poison. You cannot fabricate this.

APPLICATION OF POISON.
Poison applied to weapons is not permanent. You are required to carry your vial of poison/s and use them in their manner of application prior to use. Taking the time to poison your dagger and engage an enemy or three would be considered poor role play. Likewise, poisoning your weapon 3 days before striking someone and having it work would also be considered poor taste.

Last Edit: Aug 12, 2011 2:05:36 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 17:59:46 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 17:59:46 GMT -5

Adventuring in multiple threads.

Our game permits players to participate in as many adventures as they like, but we strongly encourage each player not to bite off more than they can chew. If you have limited time on your hands and too many threads to reply in, you will find that your quality of RP and overall participation suffer. You'll receive less reward and at worst, drag the adventure down for other players.

We suggest you only join in adventures you are strongly interested in and can commit to participation wise. Also, please consider your schedule and the schedule of the other players involved.

THE TAVERN.

The tavern is free rp at any time. It has no effect on events elsewhere and is our general tomfoolery area although we still encourage strong RP and you must remain in character.

HOW DOES CHARACTER KNOWLEDGE WORK?

Upon completion of any adventure or story, your character is considered to have any knowledge gained from that adventure or story at the start of your next new adventure or story. Knowledge gained from a completed adventure or story can not be carried over into adventures or stories that began before the knowledge was gained. .((Much the same way equipment works))

This rule does not include the Tavern or solo RPing in your "home" as these tend to be open interactions with little to no set conclusion

Please, do not mention events in other threads and adventures that have not been completed as yet. We have rules about abusing OOC knowledge and the best way to avoid it to only refer to events after they are completed and in the past.

INVENTORY WHEN YOU'RE IN MORE THAN ONE ADVENTURE.

In the event your character is participating in more than one adventure, you equipment is of no concern. However, you cannot take the same USABLE items to more than one place at the same time. Doing so means using it in one place removes it from the other and complicates game play. If you would like to carry 3 potions in two different adventures, you must have at least 6 potions in your inventory.

You cannot change your carried items when on an adventure of course, you're stuck with what you set out with unless you come upon a store in that adventure. Items purchased outside that adventure will go to your inventory. If you start a separate adventure, you will of course have access to those new items in that new adventure.

Last Edit: Jan 22, 2013 10:31:41 GMT -5 by Neko

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 18:55:41 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 18:55:41 GMT -5

Magic vs melee.

This one is another often asked question. How does a guy with a sword stand up to a mage's best fireball? Well in all honesty, he really doesn't. He tries to dodge, block and absorb or soak whatever damage is incoming and he hopes like heck all his important bits are there when he is done. There is no pure, physical counter or defense against magic. Of course, physically interrupting a physically-based magical attack can work. A shield can work wonders. But if someone hits you with a lightning bolt, what do you do?

There's not a lot you can do, in all honesty. So how is that fair?

Well in all honesty, a mage doesn't have a lot at his disposal to stop a warrior lopping his head off. It might not be as flashy, it may not have the range either; but all he needs is the talent, the weapon and to close the gap. Magic Talents and other combat talents do not trade off equally, nor negate one another. It simply comes down to who gets the deed done.

If you think the mage still has the advantage? He has to prep his attack, have his element available and he has to hit what is likely a very quick, very menacing target.

Last Edit: Mar 1, 2013 3:04:32 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 21:48:16 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 21:48:16 GMT -5

Adventuring - going solo, with friends, or with a Game Master.

ADVENTURING SOLO

If you'd like to start a thread and simply RP in it feel more than welcome to do so. You should also have a thread considered your character's 'house' which serves the same purpose. Many players also create a character journal in their thread, granting insight into the thoughts of that character.

If you start your own thread, make a note in the first post if you're open to GMs or other players joining in.

Please be sure not to play out anything which directly or indirectly effects other player's characters. For example: blowing up Wistvale.

ADVENTURING WITH FRIENDS

Much like PRing solo, you can do this very thing with friends. The same guide applies to this as solo adventuring.

ADVENTURING WITH A GM

Whether a GM jumps into your adventure or you join an adventure set up by a GM, you have to remember that the GM is narrating events and the unfolding of events. How much creative control the GM takes is entirely up to them and they will be sure to let you know.

The only way to be assured a reward at the end of your adventure is to play with a GM. That is not to say you cannot receive a reward elsewhere, but it's not a sure thing.

Grayell

Building the world anew...
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Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 21:58:47 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 21:58:47 GMT -5

THE ROLE OF THE GAME MASTER

Game Masters are staff members who run adventures and control the flow of those adventures for players. Simply role playing with your won agenda can be fun, but nothing provides the intrigue and challenge that a GM can provide. When playing with a GM, you are indeed a player in their game, their story.

Playing with a GM is also the only assured way to get a reward at the completion of your adventure.

GAME MASTERS AND THEIR INFLUENCE

A GM will specify how much control he/she wishes to have over the adventure. Having a GM take more control is not a way to ruin your fun but instead allows them to follow their plot, being sure to make it more exciting for the players and preventing them from having to deal with unexpected eventualities.

- SIMPLE NARRATION -
A GM who takes up simple narration is simply going to lay the story out for you and allow you to act in your own manner and move along at your own pace.

- NPC CONTROL -
It is quite common that a GM will allow you to do as you please but will still choose to control the NPCs and variables beyond your direct control.

- SPECIFIC CONTROL -
A GM with specific control will want to remain in control of how you perform with say, a puzzle. This means you can attempt to perform certain actions, but the GM will tell you the outcome. They may allow you to role play all combat, only to take control of combat with a boss monster and so on.

- FULL CONTROL -
They may take full control or state that they will 'confirm all actions'. In an adventure. This means that you as a character can act out what you are attempting to do including combat - but cannot state the outcome of your actions. The GM will instead post, detailing what occurs as a result of your actions throughout the adventure.

Last Edit: Aug 9, 2011 21:59:46 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 22:10:07 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 22:10:07 GMT -5

THE FLOW OF GAME PLAY

If you are playing without a GM, all role play is off the hip and at the participants pace.

If you are playing with a GM though, the GM will set the pace. We generally like to let everyone take a turn before we jump in and the thread with multiple posts.

To make this process easier, we have some very simple terminology which we used to describe the ebb and flow of combat.

TURNS.

Turns are very simple and means you, as a player takes their turn - one post. Any one person making a post means they have taken a turn.

At certain times, you are free to conversate in character and if it does not effect the progression of the plot, is not considered a turn or infringement on your GMs pace. Follow your GM and ask if you're unsure.

Players do not have to follow a set order when taking turns but instead post when they are available.

ROUNDS.

A round starts when a GM posts. A GM making a full post (and not just answering a question or pointing something out as a courtesy) signifies the end of one turn and the start of the next.

Every participant should take a turn in one round.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN ONE ROUND?

That actually depends on the flow of time in an adventure. Follow the pace being set by the GM and other players. In combat, time generally tends to slow down and a turn consists of immediate defense and offensive action or using an item and so on.

Extended turns in combat rob the excitement from combat - it doesn't feel as challenging if you heal, resurrect someone, cast a spell, cross a moat and then kill 10 enemies in one round. Combat should be urgent and immediate.

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 9, 2011 22:28:59 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 9, 2011 22:28:59 GMT -5

ITEM CREATION

The Ingenuity Talent does not grant you the ability to simply start crafting items for your own benefit or profit. All items that make it into the game must be reviewed and balanced and by default, the Ingenuity Talent does not allow you to make anything permanent unless it is completely and utterly mediocre and does nothing to benefit your character beyond say, having a nice chair to sit in. The Ingenuity Talent indicates your character is something akin to MacGyver and capable of crafting temporary things in order to overcome adversity. They may also have a knack for dismantling things such as traps and the like.

If you would like to create an item and have the talent points invested in the appropriate talents, you cannot do so without meeting these guidelines:

Do not expect to be permitted to create items. You should anticipate being told no, as this is not a crafting game and balance issues are a pain.
You must submit a 'recipe' for your creation in detail to admin for consideration of anything other than a basic, non permanent item.
You must either obtain the items required or have a reasonable story as to why you can come up with them yourself.
Items crafted for flair and RP purposes are generally more acceptable than items created to empower the user.

These rules apply to ANY creation of items, equipment, usables and so on.

INGENUITY AND EQUIPMENT CREATION/REQUESTS.

Per the rules for item creation, characters with sufficient points in the Ingenuity Talent can request that admin approve an item idea or invention. Characters who have this Talent, per it's description, are great tinkers and are skilled in both inventing and creating things which may deal with problems and help them overcome adversity. They can also, occasionally, create permanent items or equipment that they can use.

Here's a few pointers, should you have some ingenuity:

You cannot create magical items, without extraordinary circumstances that would make it possible.
You will need gold for materials, as sourcing these may be impossible as a character.
You can create items for other characters but again, there will be cost involved.
The greater your ingenuity, the more potential you have with this feature and the more cost effective it may be.
Do not presume your creation will be approved by admin. Make sure it is well though out and designed.

Last Edit: Jul 15, 2013 8:36:40 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 16, 2011 14:18:13 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 16, 2011 14:18:13 GMT -5

LIAISON VS VOCABULARY VS KINSHIP

LIAISON.

When addressing a character's verbal skills, Liaison may seem like a useless skill as some players have a greater gift for writing than others or know a lot of big, shiny words. In play this translates to an eloquent character, regardless of the character's background or their education.

Liaison doesn't mean that the character simply has a better command of his language. That rests with the player and we can't just have the character performing liaison and not write their actual speech. But where Liaison comes into play is in HOW they speak, not the words they use. A character with Liaison has better delivery, their tone of voice is capable of adapting to the situation and it makes them a better communicator. This effect does not have to be portrayed through their words but instead should simply be considered by other players. The simplest example of this is talking to a dog in a nice manner, whilst calling it terrible names. The dog is still happy with the tone of your voice as it is much more important than the words used.

KINSHIP.

A character may or may not have a great grasp of language but again this rests on the player. Kinship and Liaison are very different however, as Kinship does not require speech to be effective. A character with Kinship could be considered to emit some form of an 'aura' that influences how they are perceived. This becomes more evident with interaction and speech and means that such a character can speak in a gravelly, rough voice and whilst it's not entirely enticing to the listener, they communicate well through the 'energy' that they give off.

A character with kinship does not make a great salesman or say, hostage negotiator. This is because simply having people 'feel' your point of view or intent does not sway their opinion either way. They may detect your sincerity, but if they aren't inclined to side with your opinion it has little effect.

Last Edit: Aug 23, 2011 20:09:30 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Aug 28, 2011 16:38:17 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Aug 28, 2011 16:38:17 GMT -5

BONUS TO TALENTS AND TALENT APPLICATION

Numeric Bonuses.

Firstly, regardless of numeric bonus to any talent, all talent's are capped at 5 points. The talent scale is quite simple, a 0 being an average person's degree of aptitude and a 5 meaning the character has mastered the use of that talent. Level 5 does not indicate supernatural ability, but instead indicates the very extreme of human potential in that talent.

Numeric bonuses granted by gear of other methods cannot push a character beyond 5 at this time.

Numeric penalties CAN however, reduce you BELOW 0. A character with a negative impact to Brawn would mean they are less than average, or weak. When a talent is negative, it has the adverse effect it should.

Numeric bonuses will stack.

Non-Numeric Bonuses.

Because we don't have stats but instead use role play and common sense, many items in the game grant a NON NUMERIC bonus, meaning that the bonus does not increase the entire talent. This is commonly used for specific application of a talent rather than the entire talent.

Terms commonly used are as follows and are listed in their power of influence:

Slight, minor, moderate & major.

These kind of bonuses will stack. Here is a quick breakdown on how these terms add up:

2 X slight = minor. 2 X minor = moderate. 2 X moderate = major.

If someone has a slight and minor bonus influencing the same thing, they would be half way between minor and moderate.

Again, these are role play terms that will be recognized by the GM, but will not be given a definite, numeric value.

Last Edit: Jun 19, 2012 7:39:14 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Jun 29, 2012 8:38:17 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Jun 29, 2012 8:38:17 GMT -5

COMPARATIVE WEAPON SPEED AND POWER

Melee weapons are broken down into sizes for simplicity, as all do much the same thing. Ranged weapons are not all so simple and therefore, are considered by their specific type.

It can be said that the faster the weapon, the less damage it does. It hits more frequently, but does not have the brute damage potential of larger weapons. Here is a simple breakdown of speed vs power for both melee and ranged weapons.

MELEE WEAPONS
SPEED - Unarmed - Small - Medium - Large - Polearms - 2 handed - POWER

RANGED WEAPONS**
SPEED - Shuriken - Throwing Knives - Wristbows -Bows - Crossbows - Glaives - POWER

* Please note, speed refers to deployment speed or how fast a weapon is 'fired', not the speed at which the projectile moves.

** Please note, power is also relative to ranger. A more powerful ranged weapon will travel further.[/size]

Last Edit: Mar 1, 2013 3:11:19 GMT -5 by Grayell

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Mar 1, 2013 3:06:15 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Mar 1, 2013 3:06:15 GMT -5

PVP dynamics.

One of the frequent debates in our game is who can beat who and why. This guy has 5 points in his chosen combat style, but the other guy uses two kinds of magic and has maximum agility, making him harder to hit and so on. It's a hard thing to consider, weighing up two characters; and there is certainly no mathematical equation to help sort it out.

But every now and again, it gets to being more than a debate. Characters actually get down and dirty and start swapping blows and then, there is bound to be a worse debate on who should win the encounter. Now, when players simple concede because they think it would be a better story, or the other person simply wrote better, or someone just decides it should end at that time; that is wonderful. People being able to write both victory and loss is admirable. But the question remains - how do we know who is top dog?

We have a rule for this actually; the definitive rule. It applies when the talents that are clearly applicable are just too evenly matched. And no, having higher points in Lore doesn't mean you have read more Martial Arts manuals and therefore, your Martial Prowess is actually better than someone else. That's clutching at straws. The system is simple, so ignore the semantics. It goes like this:

Between two evenly matched characters, Acclaim is the deciding factor.

Now, that sounds like a terribly definite statement and in the sake of simplicity it should be. Of course, a character with more Acclaim is liable to have better gear and Acclaim is, of course; a measure of their experience. Just how seasoned an adventurer they are. That doesn't help if your character is a scholar and you're not in a spelling bee mind you.

Now, the thing is this: Acclaim does nothing but earn you Talent points. And you have those when you start out. The reason for that, is it is assumed your character has some life experience before they enter our world. Sure, it's nice to let the senior member win a fight out of courtesy or respect, but I will be very honest with this.

If a new character has the same points in a talent as a senior character, they have the same skill level. They may not be as seasoned, but they have the same skill level. Yes, that means that a character with all of 10 posts and 5 Talents points in Martial Prowess can hold their own against a character with 1000 posts and the same points in the talent. Both have mastered their art.

That is why Acclaim carries that second connotation and we consider just how experienced, or seasoned, or well rounded a character is. Not because it's something that we can actually measure, but because it deals with the issue of just whom should win in such an encounter and prevents any arguments beyond that.

Other skills and whether they influence combat.

It's been asked many times. Should higher endurance win the fight? Should higher brawn make you hit harder, or shoot further? Can agility make you harder to hit?

The answer to this question is both yes and no.

All of these Talents define your character and are the framework for what they can do. In a fight, their actions should reflect their Talents of course, but should not be the deciding factor. If you have 5 Brawn and 5 in your melee skill, it simply means the other character with equal melee and no Brawn is more efficient, or fights in a different manner which is just as dangerous. Sure, agility may mean you can dodge a lot more frequently, but the character without the fancy footwork might just block more.

The definitive Talents in combat are the combat skills.

Grayell

Building the world anew...
- Character Sheet -

Posts: 6,097
Acclaim: 1055
Gold: 4307

FAQ & Extended Rules. Jul 15, 2013 8:26:12 GMT -5

Post by Grayell on Jul 15, 2013 8:26:12 GMT -5

Flight

Flight is a complex thing and I have often said it is not allowed, due to it being easily abused and utilized as an easy means to both solves problems and get to places. That all important journey through the cursed woods suddenly isn't an issue, getting inside the enemy keep is all too easy and really, flapping about can just get plain annoying. In my best effort to minimize any confusion however, I will break down what is and what is not acceptable, as a skilled wind mage could very well 'fly' to some degree.

You can:

Utilize wind magic in a practical application to glide, float, hover or even 'fly' some short distance. This will cause the user to fatigue quite quickly, as lifting ones own body off the ground can require far more finesse and concentration that say, a rock. A rock doesn't mind if it tumbles about.
Use wind magic to compliment any acrobatic feat in a like manner, say extending a leap, slowing a fall, redirecting momentum.
Use wind magic in accordance to any item which states the user may glide, float, hover or fly short distances, per the instructions attached.

You cannot:

Use flight as a means of everyday, normal locomotion.
Take off much like a super-hero might.
Sustain flight and complex aerial maneuvers.
Have wings as part of your anatomy.

Flight makes life much tougher on a GM and makes things a hair tough to manage and predict in a game that does not force players to memorize spells prior for use later on. With that in mind, we ask that you use any such application of wind magic appropriately and not to simply over-power or over-convenience your character.