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 The Empire is in danger. The Emperor is dead, and his young heir is assailed on all sides by intrigue and plots. The schemining Minister of the Right seeks to turn her into a mere puppet, and his agents are everywhere. Yet all know him as a capable administrator and absolutely loyal to the Empire, perhaps the only one who can navigate these troubled political waters. The warlike Minister of the Left gathers her forces and none know whether it is to defend the nation, or to carve out her own kingdom from it. Yet for all the whispers of treason, she is the empress' half-sister, and the most skilled general in the land. Who else can defend the Empire from its foes? The honorable Minister of the Center tries to hold everything together, his control of the magistrates and numerous police organizations unquestioned. No one doubts his honesty or his knowledge of the law. But in his dedication to order and justice, is he perpuating tyranny and corruption? Though the new Empress promises reform and succor to the downtrodden, there are those who desire an end to Emperors entirely. Meanwhile, rumors abound that a secret society seeks to restore the former dynasty. Can such drastic actions really change anything? Brigands and thieves prosper in these trying times, taking advantage of the confusion to line their own pockets. But many of them also sponser services for the poor that the burueacracy has long neglected. When so many officials look first to their own welfare and solicit bribes so brazenly, who are the real criminals? These internal concerns may all be dwarfed though, for the Northern barbarians are on the move. Crude and ignorant as they seem, they are entirely without fear and boundless in their ambitions. Has a warlord finally united them into a conquering horde? This age needs heroes. It needs you. But who shall you side with? What will you make of your destiny?  This is a reboot of a campaign I was running previously, where I bit off more plot than I could chew. We're going to restart with a less ambitious, more episodic approach. Rules wise, we're going to use the Tianxia Accelerated version with a few modifications. If you have questions about or need help with Tianxia or the Accelerated version, contact me via IRC or PM. The next few posts will include specific rules for character creation and also an example character. I am holding slots for the players from the prior Tianxia game (KPrime, Ridley, Trix, and Professor Cirno)! I would like 1-2 more players if anyone is interested. Recruit will be open until 10pm Eastern US Time on February 15th. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 01:21 on Feb 8, 2015 |
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Jan 30, 2015 03:11
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Character Creation Tianxia Accelerated uses the standard approaches (Careful, Clever, Flashy, Forceful, Quick, Sneaky). Your kung fu style will be tied to two approaches. Please mark your Style approaches in some way. In the Accelerated version of Tianxia, everyone gets: One approach at Great (+4) One approach at Good (+3) One approach at Fair (+2) Two approaches at Average (+1) One approach at Mediocre (+0) For aspects, choose the following: Concept: The core ideas of your character! Destiny: Your own piece of personal drama! Rival: Someone - or something - that you compete against! (Can be friendly or otherwise) Jianghu: A connection between yourself and one or more other PCs! (Should be worked out with other PCs ahead of time; the other PC does not need to take the same aspect or same incident) Wildcard: Whatever you want! Styles*: See below. House Rules: We'll be using the Interesting Times optional rule. For Combat (and some Conflicts) be using Phase Initiative, which I'll explain in another post. The short version is that I'll resolve actions in logical steps that don't reqiore actual tracking of turn order. This way everyone can post whenver they're able and won't need to wait for others as often. That being said, anything that gives you a bonus to determining turn order will still be beneficial! Modifications: No Secret or Lost Techniques without prior approval. Everyone gets 4 stress. Everyone gets 5 fate points. Everyone gets 4 benefits for free. You can buy up to 6 total benefits; each past the free 4 give me an extra fate point in my reserve. You must spend one benefit on a kung fu style. This gives you the style as an aspect plus one technique. You can use the Signature Aspect stunt from Atomic Robo. One benefit equals: ◄ 1 stunt ◄ 2 kung fu techniques of a style you know ◄ a new known style plus 1 technique As per usual Fate rules, you don't need to figure out every aspect or stunt before the game starts. You at least need Concept, Destiny, and one other aspect though. You also need to pick a style and at least one other benefit. We won't be using Weapon or Armor rules generally, but you can bake the concept into stunts if you want and write it that way as shorthand. In other words, unless you have a specific stunt that says otherwise weapon and armor selection is cosmetic - but feel free to detail this as it certainly adds to the flavor! *** Sample Character Here's a sample character that should give an idea for formatting and what I'm expecting. Sample Character posted:Sun Yue
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Jan 30, 2015 03:13
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Reserved for stuff.
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Jan 30, 2015 03:13
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Doctor Zhang will not be reappearing as I wasn't really feeling him that solidly. Expect a new character!
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Jan 30, 2015 10:27
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quote:Dearest Mother, Lin Xiumei   Couldn't decide which I liked more. :x Stress and Consequences: OOOO [Mild/Mod/Sev] Approaches: Great (+4): Careful SC Good (+3): Clever SC Fair (+2): Sneaky Average (+1): Forceful, Flashy Mediocre (+0): Quick Aspects: Concept: Beautiful and Elegant Court Official Destiny: The Imperial Family is My Family, Too Rival: The Bureaucracy Needs Change Jianghu: Trust Me When I Say I Have A Plan Wildcard: Air of Authority Style: Stone Crane Form Techniques: [2 benefits] Mountain Does Not Fall: You get a +2 bonus to defend against attempts to create an advantage based on unbalancing, pushing, tripping, or knocking over the defender. If a technique from an opponent instead allows them to create such an advantage with free invocations, one less free invocation is granted though the advantage is still created. Stone Weathers the Storm: If you defend with style against a physical attack, you may remove your 1 stress box or convert another stress box to 1 lower instead of taking a boost. Crane Hides in Reeds: Add an additional +2 bonus when using Full Defense to defend yourself in combat. If used to defend others, gain 2 Armor Rating instead. Stunts: [2 benefits] A Friend in Every Port: Whenever you enter a settlement, you may declare youve visited it before and roll Careful against Fair (+2) opposition. If you succeed, you have a friend there who owes you one favornothing costly or life threatening. If you succeed with style, your friend will do any one thing for you that is within their power. War of Papers: Any aspect or boost you create with Careful by declaring your authority in fine print gives a +3 when invoked instead of +2. Mitama fucked around with this message at 02:56 on Feb 21, 2015 |
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Jan 30, 2015 17:08
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Red Sparrow Xue WIP Stress and Consequences: OOOO [Mild/Mod/Sev] Approaches: Great (+4): FlashyST Good (+3): ForcefulST Fair (+2): Clever Average (+1): Careful, Sneaky Mediocre (+0): Quick Aspects: Concept: Ambitious Eunuch Magistrate Xue has served the Empire for as long as they can remember, but for some people, service really isn't its own reward. Destiny: "Not Interested in You, Small Fry" There will always be petty mobsters with more muscle than spine, so why bother trying to stamp them out? Get to know a few, a good snitch might come in handy sometime. It's the ones giving them ideas you have to look out for. Rival: Just A Simple Businesswoman Miss Lei-Kuan, the humble proprietor of a reputable inn. Auntie Lei-Kuan, master of Storm Tiger kung fu who trained alongside Xue's sifu. Tigress Lei-Kuan, the criminal mastermind Xue just can't seem to pin anything on. Jianghu: ??? Wildcard: Mandatory Vacation Sometimes, a hard-working magistrate needs a break. Like when the ship of a local politician goes up in flames and his criminal son dies in the flames. Chief Magistrate Dai Li was quite insitent. Style: Storm Tiger School Techniques: [2 benefits] Tiger Rends the Flesh: When making an attack with one of your style approaches, if the result is a tie, instead of gaining a boost you may choose to make an attack using the same approach that inflicts 2 stress on a hit. You cannot gain a boost if this attack also results in a tie. Storm Shakes the Foundation: When creating an advantage, you may trade free invocations to remove free invocations from another characters advantage. Tiger Rules the Jungle: You may always use Forceful Approach to defend against attempts to cower, intimidate, or provoke you. Gain 2 Armor Rating against any attacks based on such attempts. Stunts: [1 benefit] Mystic Eunuch: +4 defense bonus against all physical seduction attempts ???: Siivola fucked around with this message at 01:01 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Jan 30, 2015 23:50
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a thing will be here have a taste of it 
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Jan 31, 2015 06:15
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Some quick cultural notes for the way I'm doing the setting, since there have been some questions. In the version of Tianxia I'm running, there's pretty thorough gender equality. The primary cultural expectations and Imperial law have that view. Certain societies, religions, or groups outside of the core Imperial lands might have different ideas, but the baseline is that gender isn't something that should be taken into account for what roles a person can take on within society. Sexual orientation is treated similarly, with some caveats. Public displays of affection between couples of any type are increasingly frowned upon the higher up the social ladder they are. The degree to which someone can select their own partner also depends on social standing. Additionally, family is very important, so everyone is expected to get married at some point (unless they become a monk or eunuch, see below) and raise kids. Adoption is widely accepted. Group relationships and adultery are also frowned upon because of these views about family obligations. Class, however, is hugely important, as are familial relationships. Failing to live up to the expectations of class or family, or violating proscriptions on how different classes or families interact (in public at least) has quite a bit of stigma attached. That doesn't mean people of different classes can't interact, but there are standards. Of course, this is a human society so the degree to which people actually care varies a lot, and whether these ideas should be maintained, strengthened, weakened, or entirely abolished is a big part of the Empire's politics. The exception to both class and family ties are monks and eunuchs. It's important to note that in both groups are completely open to both women and men. Monks are considered to be subjects of the Empire but are entirely outside the political and social order, and are in fact largely barred from holding official positions, outside of a few specific offices reserved for monks. Because of their unique abilities, though, there are numerous "advisory" roles they fill that bend this idea pretty far. Eunuchs are always part of the Imperial government in some capacity, and certain magisterial roles can only be filled by eunuchs. The idea is that eunuchs become part of an Imperial family - not members or relatives the ruling dynasty though - and thus all of their loyalties and obligations are directed to the service of the Empire. Eunuchs can choose to lose this status, but this means they also have to resign their offices and tend to lose a lot of political power, and this decision can't be reversed except under extraordinary circumstances and with an Imperial edict. As noted in the core book, there's a mystical ritual for becoming a eunuch. As an upshot of this, the same ritual can be reversed, or a used to transition is someone is so inclined. The ritual is only supposed to be done by state officials to control the creation of eunuchs.
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Jan 31, 2015 17:18
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Sorrowful Hibiki Stress and Consequences: OOOO [Mild/Mod/Sev] Approaches: Great (+4): Quick LT, LM Good (+3): Forceful LT Fair (+2): Careful Average (+1): Sneaky LM, Clever Mediocre (+0): Flashy Aspects: Concept: Silent Protagonist Sorrowful Hibiki was a craftsman's son who had his tongue cut out for speaking out against a corrupt magistrate owned by the gang known as 9413 Hungry Devils. Surprisingly, it hasn't jaded him. Destiny: Friend to all Children Hibiki just wants to live a peaceful life, but at the same time can't bear to see the suffering of those in need, especially children, who remind him of his deceased but much-beloved younger brother. Rival: Mysterious 9413 Hungry Devils Assassin The 9413 are slavers and murderers. Plus, they cut out Sorrowful Hibiki's tongue, though the first two reasons are enough to draw his dislike regardless. He's clashed with them a few times, and his most dangerous foe has been a strange masked assassin who is certainly not Hibiki's unknowing brother, kidnapped in youth and trained as an enforcer. Jianghu: "We Don't Need Words" Hibiki's established a close bond with his fellow party members, and he can almost always make himself understood. Wildcard: Fortune's Fool Hibiki is a great believer in signs, omens, and other questionably accurate sooth-saying. He purchased a deck of strange cards from a foreign merchant, and will consult them whenever he's about to make a major decision or feels at a loss. Whether they lead him rightly or wrongly is up to the invisible hand of Fate. Styles: Sun Tiger, Lightning Monkey Techniques: [3 Benefits] Tiger Rules the Jungle: You may always use Forceful Approach to defend against attempts to cower, intimidate, or provoke you. Gain 2 Armor Rating against any attacks based on such attempts. Monkey Dances in Moonlight: When succeeding on a defence with style, you may create a Distracting Movements advantage with a free invocation instead of taking a boost. Lightning Strikes Without Pause: Gain +2 to Quick when determining turn order. Lightning Splits the Tree: When you succeed with style on a Quick attack, you may remove an invocation on an existing advantage affecting you instead of taking a boost. Stunts: [1 Benefit] Practical Mercy: Gain +2 on Attacks against foes who have rejected your offer to end a conflict non-violently. Questions: Tell me about the person who's had the biggest impact on your life. Definitely Sorrowful Hibiki's younger brother, though he probably doesn't realize the extent of it himself. They were both quite young when he died, and it broke Hibiki's heart wide open. Since then, he can't seem to muster the emotional distance to turn away from suffering. It's what got his tongue cut out, and why his life has turned into an escalating war against organized crime and corruption. Do you think a leader should be feared or liked? Sorrowful Hibiki would need to respect a leader to follow them, and someone who needs to enforce their power with fear does not seem worthy of his respect. Perhaps if a leader's drive to be liked becomes an end rather than a means, that would be harmful, but in general, it is better than fear. This is my first time working with the Tianxia, and second with FAE, so I'd appreciate any advice/recommendations from more experienced people. Is there an IRC channel for this game or Tianxia in general? Green Bean fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Feb 16, 2015 |
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Feb 1, 2015 07:34
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Centipede Hong Stress and Consequences: OOOO [Mild/Mod/Sev] Approaches: Great (+4): Quick SC Good (+3): Sneaky SC Fair (+2): Clever Average (+1): Careful, Forceful Mediocre (+0): Flashy Aspects: Concept: The Centipede Who Changed His Nature Destiny: Always Pursued, Never Caught Rival: Say Their Name, and the Venom Appears Jianghu: Fastest Fists in the Rivers and Lakes Wildcard: Cruel Style, Nice Guy Style: Lightning Techniques: [2 benefits] Centipede Strikes First: Gain a +1 bonus to Quick Approach when determining turn order in physical conflicts. If you end up acting first in the conflict, gain a +1 bonus to that first action. Lightning Strikes Without Pause: Gain a +2 bonus to Quick used when determining turn order. Centipede Bites the Hand: If you gain shifts on a defense, you can sacrifice your action next turn to immediately inflict an attack on your opponent at the shift value of your defense Stunts: [2 benefits] 100 Armed Style: In any contest of hand speed, Centipede Hong wins. Hard-Earned Friendliness: When meeting someone new, Centipede Hong may spend an FP to immediately reveal an aspect about them. K Prime fucked around with this message at 16:05 on Feb 3, 2015 |
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Feb 3, 2015 05:39
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Sister Meiling [timg][/timg] Stress and Consequences: OOOO[Mild/Mod/Sev] Approaches: Great (+4): Careful Good (+3): Flashy Fair (+2): Quick Average (+1): Clever, Sneaky Mediocre (+0): Forceful Aspects: Concept: Experienced Bodhist Nun Destiny: Resist the Raging Dragon Rival: None Mightier Then the Fallen Jianghu: Patient Older Sister Meiling Wildcard: Ear of the Common Folk Style: Heavenly Dragon Techniques: (2 benefits) Heavens Strike the Impure - Gain a +1 Weapon Rating and ignore 1 Armor Rating against enemies who are either Jianghu Rank 0, part of a mob, or have a consequence based around weakened Chi energies. Dragon Rules the Heavens - Gain a +2 bonus to Overcome actions when moving past obstacles or individuals. Dragon Rules the Fields - Boosts from attacks that succeed with style grant a +3 bonus instead of a +2 bonus. Stunts: (2 benefits) The Heavens are Patient - Use the Careful approach instead of Clever for Heavenly Dragon kung fu. Mysterious One You Don't Know About - it is a secret to everyone (except Gorbash) ~*~ Not everyone who enters the temple finds peace. Sister Meiling was...not amongst that number. Indeed, she was well respected . Delivered to the monks as a babe, she dedicated herself to it's purpose. She memorized the sutras and chanted them daily. She attended prayer fastidiously. She took a special delight in tending to the gardens, finding their silent reverence and transitory nature inspiring. She never complained, never took umbrage, to anything. When visitors would come, no matter who the visitor was, she could be found waiting patiently on them, serving them tea, or guiding them through the temple. She practiced the temple's kung fu of the Heavenly Dragon daily, using it as a form of meditation. She was, in many ways, the temple's star student. She was not the only foundling that year; a young man, Brother Chen, was brought in that same year. The two grew up as if they were siblings, or as close as one could expect in the temple. A strange relationship, as, in most aspects, the two seemed entirely different; Sister Meiling was quiet and reserved, dedicating herself to finding inner peace; Brother Chen was sociable and easy going, focusing on how best to spread the temple's teachings to the outside world. When visitors came, Sister Meiling would give a small smile and a cup of tea; Brother Chen would give a wide grin and a story. For Sister Meiling, meditation and prayer came naturally; for Brother Chen, it was something to bear uncomfortably until he could go out and be active again. For all Sister Meiling could achieve, Brother Chen didn't even seem to try. The only activity they seemed to share was practice of the Heavenly Dragon style, sparring against each other as often as they could. Here and seemingly only here did Brother Chen handily do better then Sister Meiling; never once did she win one of their matches. Not that either ever seemed to care; for all their differences they were still siblings in spirit if not in blood. This peaceful existence shattered when the land at and around the temple came to be owned by a particularly corrupt noble. Bandits were sent to harass both temple and village, and though the monks fended them off time and time again, they seemed only to return stronger. Brother Chen began to take it personally; he spent less and less time offering the bandits mercy, and eventually simply ceased giving them the chance to surrender. In time, he stopped letting them run from the fights, either. The rest of the temple saw him grow increasingly troubled, and Sister Meiling tried to talk to him about it, only to be rebuffed at every turn. Finally, he did the unspeakable; on seeing the noble traveling through town, bragging of his involvement, and spitting on the peasants, he lashed out and killed both the noble and his guards. To kill - even to kill a guilty man - could not be tolerated by the temple, not for any reason. Brother Chen was to be exiled. Instead, he fled. For two years he seemed to vanish, only for the temple to hear the occasional story of a demon disguised as a man, wearing their colors, matching guilt with brutality, carving his way through whomever he saw that was judged unfit. When he finally returned, smiling serenely as if nothing had happened, it was decreed he would need to be kept at the temple rather then kicked out in hopes of reaching the man inside. Three monks tried to subdue him - three monks fell dead, still with the serene smile. There was no more Brother Chen, only the raging asura Finally, Sister Meiling approached him tentatively, desperate to reach out to him. His calm face suddenly turning red, Chen screamed of the corruption in the empire, of the constant stream of inequities he saw every day, of the neverending sin and suffering the temple seemed to ignore. When he could not be calmed, Sister Meiling readied herself to fight him and bring him to the ground. Chen had never lost a fight in his life - and this did not break his streak. Sister Meiling was left broken and bleeding on the floor, and a defiant Chen left, giving oath that she would chase him, but never truly defeat him. Months passed. Sister Meiling healed in body. The monks urged her to let go of what had transpired and to stay in the temple. A bodhist must be prepared to let go of all things in life - especially their connections to family. A bodhist cannot turn to anger or vengeance. A bodhist must be calm and patient. She had followed every order given her entire life. Now, she has broken one. Sister Meiling now travels much as Chen did. She does good, where she can. She asks for no reward for her deeds, but merely presents her begging bowl when hunger falls upon her. When she hears rumor of the demon who dresses as a monk, she follows it. She is to most who see her the very model of the bodhist. Inside, she is changing. She does not kill in her wake, but with each villain defeated, she understands a bit more why he became what he became. She feels the anger begin to twist inside her. How much easier would all this be if she would simply strike down her enemies and ensure they never hurt another again? How much good is wasted when evil is always creeping behind to steal it away? She can see now how easily confidence could turn to arrogance, compassion to tyranny, justice to vengeance. She has not fallen yet. She has begun to walk the line. ProfessorCirno fucked around with this message at 14:10 on Feb 19, 2015 |
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Feb 6, 2015 13:38
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Gonna do a thing. It will not be a ham-handed attempt at smushing one of my favorite D&D characters together with Jason Bourne.  e: Instead, it's Toriko. Still a little WIP. e2: There. I may want an additional stunt later, and the one I have might be a touch too powerful. Wen Gong  Stress and Consequences: OOOO[Mild/Mod/Sev] Approaches: Great (+4): Forceful* Good (+3): Flashy* Fair (+2): Clever Average (+1): Quick, Careful Mediocre (+0): Sneaky Aspects: Concept: The Golden Gourmand This land, Shen Zhou, is full of food. From delicately spiced fish from the southern oceans, to thick and hearty soups from the western mountains. Within the Jianghu are those whose life revolves around such foods, seeking the rarest ingredients and the finest, most reclusive chefs, to sup at their table and learn at their stove. Destiny: A Meal Fit For An Emperor With the correct ingredients and spices, the spirit of men may be inflamed, calmed, or enhanced. If the food is just right, perhaps it may bring forth the natural nobility of an Emperor. What honor would it bring to create that meal? And how rare must such ingredients be? Rival: Secret Herbs And Spices Gong has clashed ideologically with the Jianghu chef known as Demon-Swallowing Yang. Yang believes a chef's strength lies in how many secret recipes one knows, and has slain chefs to insure that only he knows how to create certain foods. Jianghu: Wildcard: A Pork Bun As Big As Your Head! Gong's capacity for eating is immense and storied, as is his battle prowess. The stories, however, may be ever-so-slightly more immense than the reality. The pork bun the size of his head was probably three smaller buns, his wine was probably cold by the time he got done with the bandits, et cetera. Still, a good boast can open doors. Style: Iron Dragon and Storm Tiger Techniques: (3 benefits) Iron Cleaves the Stone - Ignore 2 points of armor when making an attack to inflict physical stress. Dragon Rules the Heavens - Gain a +2 bonus to Overcome actions when moving past obstacles or individuals. Dragon Rules the Fields - Boosts from attacks that succeed with style grant a +3 bonus instead of a +2 bonus. Tiger Rules the Jungle - Use Forceful to defend against intimidation/provocation, 2 armor against such. Stunts: (1 benefit) The Kitchen Is My Battlefield: +1 to Flashily attack or create advantages with dishes, kitchen utensils, or food. Dareon fucked around with this message at 14:03 on Feb 14, 2015 |
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Feb 6, 2015 16:01
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Angu Shun Stress and Consequences: OOOO [Mild/Mod/Sev] Approaches: Great (+4): Clever SP/ST Good (+3): Flashy SP Fair (+2): Forceful ST Average (+1): Quick, Stealthy Mediocre (+0): Careful Aspects: Concept: A Vigilante on the Run Destiny: To Find Ones Place Rival: Yin and Yang Jianghu: Wildcard: Never Able To Stay Still Style: Storm Phoenix, Spirit Tiger Techniques: [3 benefits] Ghost Haunts the Shadows: You may use Cleaver instead of Stealth to create an advantage based on moving silently or remaining unseen. Apply a +2 bonus if Stealth is higher then Clever Storm Shakes the Foundation: When creating an advantage, you may trade free invocations to remove free invocations from another characters advantage. Phoenix Beats it's Wings: If you defend with style, you may gain an Off Balance advantage on the target, with a free invocation instead of a boost. Tiger Rends the Flesh: When you tie on an attack using Forceful for defense you can inflict a 2 point shift physical attack instead of taking a boost. Stunts: [2 benefits] I Shall Not Fall Can spend a fate point during combat to reverse a consequence until the end of the battle which at that point the consequence increases by severity by one level. You Shall Not Catch Me Today:Gains a +2 bonus to any escape attempt made in a dramatic manner. Hunt11 fucked around with this message at 02:16 on Feb 16, 2015 |
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Feb 8, 2015 20:03
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Lang Xiaolung Stress and Consequences: OOOO[Mild/Mod/Sev] Approaches: Great (+4): FlashyLD, ST, GP Good (+3): QuickLD Fair (+2): ForcefulST Average (+1): CleverGP, Sneaky Mediocre (+0): Careful Aspects Concept: I Am The Law Lang Xiaolung is a hunter of criminals and an enforcer of justice - a family tradition, in fact. One of the hereditary Xian, or prefects, he hunts lawbreakers and, in theory, subdues them and brings them before the magistrates for judgment. However, he sees it as his own duty to enforce justice, without involving the courts, which he decries as corrupt after the judgment against his younger brother and the splitting of his family. Destiny: Corruption Is Everywhere Lang Xiaolung's own brother, Lang Xiaohu, argued that in these troubled times, it was the duty of the people to rise up and replace a failing dynasty whose master had clearly lost the Mandate of Heaven. Young Xiaohu worked among bandit forces, trying to bring them around to his cause - the cause of reforging the Empire and casting down the corruption within the government, to place at its head a new and virtuous Emperor or Empress - or at least to test the current Empress and ensure her virtue. Such treasonous activity got him tried and convicted in the court of law, and only by the action of his companions was he rescued from death. Lang Xiaolung burns with a terrible anger, both at the bandits whom he blames for making his brother into a criminal, and for the magistrates who condamned the young man to death without giving him the chance to reform. The Empire's legal system is a riddled mass of corruption, but the Empire cannot be abandoned to such reckless and thoughtless criminals as the bandit rebels. Rival: A Family Torn Apart On the one side is Lang Xiaohu, rebel bandit-lord. While he was condemned by the law, Lang Xiaolung still believes his brother can be saved from falling to the depths that the worst bandits have become. The younger brother has lost none of his skill, but bears a terrible grudge against the Empire. On the other, Xiaolung's elder sister, Lang Xiaofeng, saw the incident as a call in the other direction. She has joined the magistrates, working to enforce the law and hold up the current system, to keep her brother from tearing it all down. Xiaolung is caught between his siblings, hoping to keep both from being tainted by corruption and, ideally, from killing each other. Even if it means he must fight them both. Jianghu: Just Get Behind Me Xiaolung is nothing if not confident. Confident that he can win any fight, that he can protect those who fight with him. Even if it costs him, even if it means he is wounded terribly - he can do it. He will take all of that himself, because he is in charge, he is the prefect, and so he has a duty to those that follow him, to ensure that they remain safe. Wildcard: ???? Styles: Lightning Dragon, Storm Tiger, Ghost Phoenix Techniques Dragon Rules the Fields Tiger Rules the Jungle Phoenix Laughs at the Sun Ghost Strikes the Spirit Storm Rumbles in Distance Stunts Signature Aspect: I Am The Law The World Is My Justice: +1 to Flashily attack or defend when using improvised weapons. Benefits: 6 Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 02:34 on Feb 18, 2015 |
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Feb 8, 2015 20:28
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Okay so here's what's going to happen. In around... 44 hours, I'm going to close to new apps. If you have at least something started by then, you'll have about another day or so to finish it. Anyone who is done, I'll be asking a few questions to help me make my selections. See you Sunday! EDIT: I may ask those with reserved spots some questions as well, to help me prep.
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Feb 14, 2015 06:26
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Aaaaand we're closed to new player apps. I will post some questions and more info tomorrow. Picks will likely take place about mid week, and then the game thread will go up over the weekend. EDIT: Feel free to continue to edit/complete your app if you already have one started. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 04:09 on Feb 16, 2015 |
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Feb 16, 2015 04:01
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Before questions, I'll give a little more guidance on some of the aspects. I'm still totally fine with character's starting with one or two aspects not yet selected! For the Rival aspect, if you have one selected already I do need a little bit of a description of the Rival so I can use them. It doesn't need to be much - Sorrowful Hibiki's has plenty. For the Jianghu aspect, you can connect up with one or more other PCs, or you can have it be something that describes how you interact with the group, or the role you play within it, in a more general sense. Lin Xiumei's Trust Me When I Say I Have A Plan or Centipede Hong's Fastest Fists in the Rivers and Lakes do that, for example. Now, questions! For the first round, everyone can choose from one of these three: What is your proudest achievement? Why does it mean so much to you? What is your greatest failure? What did you learn from it? Tell me about the person who's had the biggest impact on your life. And everyone should answer: Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?
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Feb 16, 2015 19:13
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My proudest achievement? The defense of Tailung Temple! Picture it! A dark night, me, on the mountain, gathering rare herbs. Delicious herbs. Suddenly! A cry splits the night! Fire flickers from the nearby temple! I rush to their aid to find two dozen bandits laying siege, having pursued a family of farmers there! It was more like half a dozen. And the temple never caught fire. Furious at their insult to the temple, I leap into the fray! My ladle fells three before it bends to uselessness! A dozen arrows splinter on my wok! They only had one archer, he got off maybe four shots, one of which bounced off the wok. You did hit three guys with the ladle, though. One of them was a monk. Suddenly, the bandit leader appears before me! Half again the size of a man, he wields a club made of a gnarled tree! The leader was maybe a head taller than the rest. Not lying about the club, but it was a small tree. My wok bends to resemble a butt after but a single blow from this monster! Thinking with the speed for which I am famed, I seize my dinner from my bag! A wonderfully-spiced dumpling of egg and black-boned chicken! Dodging his blows, I, with sorrow for such a beautiful meal foist upon such a coarse recipient, shove the dumpling into his mouth! Overcome with deliciousness, he falls to the ground, begging to learn the secrets of my seasoning! He fell down because you forced a dumpling into his mouth. He couldn't breathe. Then you hit him over the head with your wok. Which took a bigger dent from the bandit's skull than his club. Seeing their leader bested, the remaining bandits flee into the mountains. Overcome with gratitude, the monks offer me sanctuary for the night, and the farmers promise to name their next child after me. I, as befits a jianghu chef, feast the monks and family, turning their simple rice into a meal to promote chi flow and tranquility. And of course I taught them the recipe as well. Even today, Tailung Temple is becoming known for its peaceful monks, well-suited to oversee delicate negotiations! Completely true. What it means to me? Well, hrm. The farmers did name their child after me, and, well, I helped some monks along the path to enlightenment... Mostly, at the time, he wanted a fight and he got one. --- A leader should be liked. If you rule by fear, you need to make sure absolutely everyone is afraid of you, or the first person to stand up and strike back will cause waves of rebellion, like a stone dropped into a pond. If, however, your rule is benevolent and just, dissenters will find only resistance when they try to rise up. --- Demon-Swallowing Yang is a thin man (Never trust a thin cook) with an almost perpetual sneer and a penchant for blue in his garments. He is mostly a manipulator and poisoner, able to disguise the taste of many poisons. If he gets in an actual fight, he tends to throw puffs of choking spices in his opponent's face, leaving them open for Eagle Claw-style finger strikes.
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Feb 17, 2015 03:11
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Comrade Gorbash posted: Tell me about the person who's had the biggest impact on your life. For good or ill, my father. In his own way, he loved me dearly, and only wanted the best for me. But that's the key point, isn't it? For me. Not for anyone else, not for my friends, not for the man who sells those wonderful dumplings on Hu Mei street. He would have poisoned a well to give me a single sip of fresh water; burned down a forest to give me a single night's warmth. Love can be as terrible and destructive as hate. quote: Do you think a leader should be feared or liked? I've had feared. I think I'd prefer to try liked, now. All feared gave me was a bad twitch in my left eye and a poison stain on my best robe.
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Feb 18, 2015 02:25
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Comrade Gorbash posted: Tell me about the person who's had the biggest impact on your life. My grandmother was the strongest of the Lang family. Her back was like iron, unbending and strong. She was the face of justice for all who lived within fifty miles. The magistrate bowed his head to her, for he knew she was never wrong. Criminals lived in fear of her, because her hands were as strong as her back, but far more deadly. She kept the peace, protected the innocent and punished the guilty. When she retired to leave the job to my father, she taught us. Those were our happiest days, my brother, my sister and I. It was the roughest we'd ever had it - she was as unbending in teaching us as she was in all other things. We learned the ways of law, of fighting and of justice. I don't know exactly what she taught Xiaofeng and Xiaohu - each of us she took for personal lessons, away from the other two, at some point. But to me, what she taught me - the fighting styles, the methods of tracking criminals - all of that meant less than what she was, what she meant to our family. She was, for me, everything that was Lang. On the day she died, she stood with her back erect and her weapon polished. She stood and held court for the family one last time, though we all knew she could barely stand. She showed no weakness, no fear, nothing but a devotion to ensuring we were on the right path. That is how a Lang should die. quote: Do you think a leader should be feared or liked? It is good to be liked - to have people accept what you say because they want to listen to you. It is important that people know you are just and right. It is important that they should accept your word as true without needing to be forced. But for that to happen, they must understand your strength. I don't know if I would call it fear - the innocent should have nothing to fear. But those who would be your followers must know, in their hearts, that you could destroy them, but will not. That you are the strength that keeps them safe, and the power which punishes those who do wrong. They do not need to like you - they need to trust you. Feared or liked - either can work. Both work best. Those who follow should trust you to judge rightly, and trust you to be strong. Those who face you should be afraid of your justice, and know in their hearts that they have done wrong.
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Feb 18, 2015 02:44
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Comrade Gorbash posted:• What is your greatest failure? What did you learn from it? The same answer to both. Chen, once Brother Chen, was the one who pushed me and helped me grow both literally and in the teachings of the bodhist. That he became what he did...could it be anyone else's fault but my own? I count myself lucky - my greatest failure is one that I may correct. quote:Do you think a leader should be feared or liked? Being liked is unimportant. Being feared is to kill others in their hearts. A good leader should not care for the latter, and seek to eliminate the former.
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Feb 19, 2015 14:40
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XueComrade Gorbash posted: What is your greatest failure? What did you learn from it? Such an embarrassment. I should've worked with a softer touch, but I simply could not help myself when Lao Jun stepped on my tail like that. Sigh. Sifu was, as usual, right about my temperament. I suppose this vacation should do me some good. Comrade Gorbash posted: Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?
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Feb 19, 2015 23:16
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Challengers approach! Picks in 24 hours. EDIT: To clarify, this means I'll pick the folks for the open slots by this time tomorrow. Everyone will then have a few days to finish sheets before the game goes up. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 03:49 on Feb 20, 2015 |
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Feb 20, 2015 03:44
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In addition to our returning champions, I'm going to invite Lang Xiaolung and Wen Gong along for the adventure! Thank you to everyone for applying, you made it a difficult choice. Finish off any outstanding questions, and the thread will go up later this weekend (probably closer to Monday).
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Feb 21, 2015 02:59
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It's a good thing I had a spot reserved. I'm terrible at timeliness. Wild girl, raised by dragons, sent back into the world once she was old enough and able to defend herself to be among her own kind. Doesn't really get civilization all that well. Her rival is a guy she met out on the road who tried to impress her by calling himself "Dragon Fang", but she laughed at him - he's followed her around 'cause he still hopes to get her to like him, also because she bruised his pride by laughing at his nickname and did so in front of a bunch of people in the jianghu. He's a young tough and not bad looking, very cocky, but also a bumpkin himself. Somewhere out there, a family has a scion they didn't know about, and she's gonna find out who she really is eventually. But probably not without some kung fu battlin'! quote:Name: "My greatest achievement? When my masters said I had learned all I could from them and sent me into the world, I was proud. I was also sad. Very sad. I did not wish to leave, I do not know anything about humans, I told them. They said yes, and this is why I must go. I will never forget them, but I will also never again live among them." "Should a leader be liked or feared? Yes. I think a leader should be liked or feared. Did I misunderstand the question?"
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Feb 22, 2015 04:32
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Game thread is up! Ready? Fight!
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Feb 25, 2015 03:44
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Hey folks it's been a bit of a weird week for me so I haven't gotten on anyone about it, but the game thread is up! So far only one person has posted, so it'd be great if everyone got going.
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Feb 28, 2015 21:17
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I'll try and get something up soon. Work is kicking my rear end. (hi posting from work)
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Feb 28, 2015 21:35
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similar, working on it now
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Mar 1, 2015 03:07
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| # ? May 9, 2024 17:44 |
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So I said I was going to explain phase initiative, but I never actually did. Until now! Phase Initiative and You Here's how Initiative in Conflicts work. Everyone posts whenever they're able. I resolve actions in the following order, regardless of who posts when: ◄ Create Advantage ◄ Overcome ◄ Attack Yes this means that if someone posts an attack before you, you can come in and load up extra advantages in an attempt to get a take down after the fact. WORKING AS INTENDED. Because the idea is to keep things moving, you can assign an invoke from Create Advantage to someone who's posted before you to give them a +2 (or better if there's an applicable stunt or technique). This is will cut down on waiting to confirm who's using what. Defenses are, as always, rolled reactively when someone Attacks you. But wait, what about initiative? It still matters, and here's how. If it matters who's action in the same phase resolves first, the character with the higher initiative score has priority. Note that in some cases stunts or techniques may give a character priority regardless of an initiative! Ties are resolved in favor of the PCs, again barring stunts. When a combat starts, I will declare an Surprise obstacle. If your init roll beats this Obstacle, you can create a boost for yourself. It's an either or thing in this case. Either you move quick enough to have an advantage, or you don't. In some cases, different Zones in a Conflict may have different Surprise obstacles. The idea here is to speed things up. Most of the work is on my end. It may get adjusted as we go.
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Mar 5, 2015 04:25
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