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Everybody has put up a yes or a no, so I'll go for another round: Yes: Magitechnology. The fusion of magic and technology is definitely something I would like to explore - maybe that actually conjures up actual Magitek armors a la Final Fantasy, or guns that shoot magic bullets (Caster shells via Outlaw Star), or whatever. A staple that should open the door for interesting fusion inventions.
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Nov 18, 2015 04:39
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Hm. That's fine with me as long as, aesthetically, they don't end up just looking like tech. Magic should look cool and weird! Yes: Physical magic. Magic should be able to be used by more than just bookish nerds. I don't intend for this to mean magic doesn't take study or does everything - just, a cop is going to be taught restraining magic or magical kung fu to take down criminals or given magical devices to better do their job. A soldier is going to be taught killing magic or given magic weapons made by magic weapon makers. Magic is a tool that does not solely come from locking yourself up to be a nerd. E: Basically - a blacksmith or gunsmith in our world is probably not going to be a bookish nerd. So neither is a magic gunsmith or whatever. Magic is a skill, but it's not the domain solely of our scientist analogues.
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Nov 18, 2015 04:55
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Works for me! Muscle wizards ahoy!
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Nov 18, 2015 05:02
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No. Divine Magic. There are religions, and belief in an afterlife, but there are no gods granting miracles to their followers. Magic is just another force to be harnessed, without any "sentience". That doesn't mean there aren't other dimensions accessible through magic that could be construed to be an afterlife...(also this leaves spirits, demons, fae, etc as options. Just not Gods.)
FewtureMD fucked around with this message at 18:21 on Nov 18, 2015 |
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Nov 18, 2015 17:50
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I'm a little sad that we have now ruled out Alt Coulumb.
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Nov 18, 2015 18:08
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Mors Rattus posted:I'm a little sad that we have now ruled out Alt Coulumb. Alt Coulumb is still a possibility! Just replace every instance of "god" with "fire spirit/djinn/etc"
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Nov 18, 2015 18:24
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Would it be more appropriate to say no gods instead? "Divine magic" in some games reflects clerics (D&D) or people with Power Investiture (GURPS) and potentially Druids (various). It would be worth clarifying that if this would preclude certain magical spells or schools as well or just the absence of higher deific powers that have a real effect on the game world.
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Nov 18, 2015 18:29
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Okay yeah. No gods.
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Nov 18, 2015 18:32
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Dragons enslaving and/or making ancient pacts with djinn is pretty cool and flavorful, anyway, as is them not understanding why humans are upset when their whole district burns down. I pass. I like the list as it stands.
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Nov 18, 2015 20:54
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I'll give some time for Gorbash to get a yes/no in if he wants and then after that we can move to the last part of setup!
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Nov 18, 2015 22:19
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Yes: Space race! At some point there's some sort of space race between two+ powerful nations.
Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 05:16 on Nov 19, 2015 |
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Nov 19, 2015 03:46
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Is this space race like USA vs. Russia, or a literal race in space with formula X magic space cars?
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Nov 19, 2015 05:09
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The former.
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Nov 19, 2015 05:15
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Somewhat disappointed, but I'll go with it (because I wanted Magic Redline to work its way in). Still a good outside idea though. I'm excited to see where it leads. 0.4 - First Pass At this point, interaction with each other and providing feedback about things that are being created is now restricted. I went on at length about this in the OP, but now it is the time that it now enters play. To open the game of Microscope, each player will add a Period or Event. A Period is placed between any two adjacent Periods. When creating this, give it a short description. This is a grand summary of what happens during this time or what things are like. Describe how it is different from other Periods around it as appropriate. Afterwards, specify the tone of the period: Light or Dark. Explain how the tone fits your description. You're never wrong for specifying a tone, but you will need to justify your choice to other players. An Event is placed in an existing Period. If there are already other Events in the Period, determine if this comes before or after one of them, chronologically. Then, describe the Event. Tell the other players what happens. Your description should be specific enough that the other players have a clear picture of what physically takes place. Make sure to include both the start and the outcome of the event. Then, like with a Period, determine the tone (light or dark) and justify your choice to other players. How do I know what goes where? Is there somewhere I can see what's already on the table? I thought about a variety of ways to present the information and since I'm in the mood to try something new but not too new, I will be collecting the information to a Google Slides setup. This should be pretty readable and I can link things up. If it doesn't work, the tried and true method of a Google Spreadsheet, which worked perfectly fine. As long as you're clear about when something happens, I can figure it out. Right now, you can see it, but not edit it: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zTamlrQvCLK-lruUjRTB9KFY7Vm-YbyvjvIIcsveBko/edit?usp=sharing Okay, so what do I do right now?
For this First Pass, this will be order: Turn 0.4a: Quorum's turn Turn 0.4b: aldantefax's turn Turn 0.4c: Comrade Gorbash's turn Turn 0.4d: Mors Rattus' turn Turn 0.4e: FewtureMD's turn aldantefax fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Nov 19, 2015 |
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Nov 19, 2015 06:14
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Nov 19, 2015 06:24
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I will be creating a Period. Sometime during the decline of the Dragon Empire, but before its final fall, the dwarves of Kalgrunak fought a decades-long underground rebellion against the Empire. Whenever the dragons rooted out a nest of dwarven rebels, they slagged the earth into molten ruin, but the dwarves were accomplished tunnelers and maintained a long, Vietcong-like guerilla war across the Empire. It's a time of fear and uncertainty, of paranoia among the Dragons and their chosen elite, and a dawning realization that the Dragons are not invincible after all. This period is Dark. You can summarize it as Decades-Long Dwarven Insurgency.
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Nov 19, 2015 06:32
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I will be creating a Period as well that comes before the Dwarven Insurgency. It is a period of uncertainty as slaves begin to break free of their physical and mental enthrallment, regaining their sense of self. Hope of emancipation rises from these people, who adopt the title of Lucid, whereas their compatriots who are still in the thrall of the Dragon Empire are called Dreamers. Naturally, this is a Light period. The Lucid break free of the Dragon Empire.
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Nov 19, 2015 06:57
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I will be creating a Period that comes about midway through our bookends, long after the Dragon Empire is defunct but well before the Free Nations finally shake off the legacy of the Empire. It is a period of both conflict and hope, when Empress Varakyn of Kelos re-founded the ancient capital and made the most serious attempt to reunify the Empire under one crown. Despite the wars that resulted from her course, the period as a whole saw a flowering of technology, culture, and magic, spurned on by both support and defiance of Isadora's dream. It is therefore a Light period. Varakyn of Kelos attempts to restore the Empire.
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Nov 20, 2015 04:09
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I will be defining an Event, to take place very close to the start of the Lucid period. Kovak Anur steals the secrets of her draconic masters to forge the first Contract with the sun spirit Ten Thousand Shining And Two Great Radiance, the seminal Contract studied and expanded upon to form the core of all later contractual magic. She becomes one of the very first Lucid, and she and her spirit ally go on to become leading lights of the rebels. This is a Light event, as it was the forerunner of contractual magic's spread through the people. Kovak Anur forges the first Contract, becoming the grandmother of all contractual magic.
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Nov 20, 2015 05:18
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I'm creating an Event at the beginning of the Empire Restoration Period. Emperess Varakyn demonstrates the fact that her scholars have deciphered the draconic texts found in a ruin in the hinterlands of Kelos. Unfortunately for the world, she choses to use her newfound command of mental magic on a visiting diplomat from the Barranth Mercantile Confederacy. This is a decidedly Dark event... Empress Varakyn ensnares her first mind.
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Nov 20, 2015 05:41
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Clarification on contract and mental magic: 11:43:55 PM <•MorsRattus> I have a clarification question here 11:44:23 PM <•MorsRattus> Mental magic, is that a separate type of magic from contract magic, like you have your guys that make pacts with spirits, and then your people who use draconic psychic powers? 11:44:56 PM <•FewtureMD> Imma say 11:44:57 PM <•FewtureMD> Yes 11:46:02 PM <•MorsRattus> okay. so someone wanting to do mind control via contract magic probably has to do some weirdass poo poo with clauses and legal language, while a mental mage just shoves their will into your brain 11:46:02 PM <•MorsRattus> that's neat
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Nov 20, 2015 05:59
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Congratulations, everybody! As of this moment, we are no completed with the setup for Microscope (it only took a week to get it done in PBP!) Moving forward we will use the posted turn order in the second post of this thread. If you're unsure of where things lie, then I will slowly (or whenever someone reminds me) be updating both the Google stuff as linked earlier, and also providing permalinks to jump to specific things in the thread. Up first in turn 1 is me, and I am the LENS for this turn. Thinking on what I'd like to set the FOCUS as, I would like to specify Kovak Anur, the first Lucid. This means that following this, all Events, Periods, and Scenes must have some type of connection to this character. To take it a step further, I will also open Turn 1 with a Scene. I will also whip up a handy template that you can use for when you need to open a new Scene down the line: Turn 1a. Scene - Kovak Anur's Elucidation Question - How does Kovak Anur become a hero of the rebellion? Setting the Stage (p 30) - When does this Scene happen? -- This takes place in the Event where Kovak Anur discovers Contract Magic and becomes the first Lucid. - Review Established facts -- Kovak has already succeeded in establishing the first Contract, but does not yet have the widespread fame that would paint her as a hero for the rebellion to rally under. - Where does this Scene take place? What just happened, and what's next? -- This takes place deep in the largest city of the Dragon Empire, where the rebellion is formenting. -- Kovak has arrived at the rebel headquarters now that she has become Lucid. There is a strategy meeting to discuss what to do with her. -- We know that Kovak will eventually become the rallying hero in her lifetime as the first Lucid, but that hasn't happened yet. So far, she is a freed spirit now with newfound power. Choosing Characters (p 31) Required (max 2): - Kovak Anur, the First Lucid - The Rebel Leader Banned (max 2): - Dragons - Rebel sycophants (as in, yes-men; rebels that are critical of the leadership should be okay or neutral rebels etc.) * At this point, each player, starting with Gorbash, picks a character to play in the scene. Then, in the turn order, each other player picks a character. The player creating the scene picks last. Reveal Thoughts (p 32) - Each character, in the same order as above, reveals one thought about the upcoming scene. This can reveal what the character is going to do or highlight something that they expect to happen. - This serves as a hint for other players about where you want the scene to go. Do not reveal thoughts that answer the Question - you can hint or stack the deck, but cannot give a definite answer. - Thoughts also don't have to be 100% accurate - it can be something your character thinks or believes. - If the thoughts are of another player's character, that character decides if that's true and can reveal it in play or when they reveal their thoughts. Once all of the above has been completed, we play out the scene mostly freeform until we find the answer to the question from the perspective of the character selected. This also allows people to shape the world by describing it through the eyes of the character, or introduce secondary or minor characters as needed. As soon as the question is answered, play immediately stops. There are a few more rules covering Scenes that I encourage players to look at starting from page 33 onward along with examples of play. --- Gorbash, your turn to pick a character. Mors is up after you. aldantefax fucked around with this message at 08:30 on Nov 22, 2015 |
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Nov 20, 2015 09:10
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Nores Unn is one of the Rebellions key combat leaders. Nores is a middle aged man, formerly a slave of an Imperial auditor, who would be lost even in the smallest of crowds. Despite his unassuming manner, he is a fanatic, willing to do anything to overthrow the Dragons. He's conceived of and executed several of the Rebels most daring operations, and would be the second or third most wanted person in the Empire if the Dragons were aware of his existence. He doesn't expect to survive the Rebellion, and many of his actions have bordered on suicide missions. His interest in Kovak Anur and her power is entirely about how she and it can be used to strike at the enemy.
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Nov 21, 2015 06:17
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Ten Thousand Shining And Two Great Radiance is a sun-spirit, a being of immense power within its purview but limited greatly by that purview. In forming a contract with Kovak Anur, it achieved greater flexibility, at the cost of sharing its power with her. It does not easily understand the lives of fleshed beings, and it does not easily care about their desires, but it is trying.
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Nov 21, 2015 19:10
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For order in choosing characters, it's: Fewture, Quorum, then fax. Fair warning, after Wednesday I am going to be posting sporadically at best for a few days.
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Nov 22, 2015 22:38
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I think we may've lost Fewture? 
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Nov 28, 2015 05:11
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He is probably out for this week (US holiday) so we should be back on track once he is back online. I am not too worried about it!
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Nov 28, 2015 06:45
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Sorry for the delay, I was hospitalized for the past week, and was away from anything I could post from. I'm going to pass on this scene, and let y'all play it out, since I'm still dealing with a lot of stuff.
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Dec 1, 2015 23:39
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No problem - Quorum, you're up to pick a character, then me, and then we go to the next part for scene setup. Thanks everybody for your patience!
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Dec 1, 2015 23:58
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I will play Tayre Delane, an "elder statesman" of the rebellion. A Dwarf, he is old enough to remember when there was no rebellion, and he has seen numerous comrades attempt to rise up and be crushed by the Dragons. As such, he is cautious, and tends to believe that the rebellion is best served biding its time until the right moment-- he's well beyond his firebrand days, and he's getting a bit tired and jaded.
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Dec 2, 2015 04:38
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Since nobody has picked her yet I will be playing the role of Kovak Anur, the First Lucid. She has come to the rebellion as a means of subterfuge rather than as someone who would be a hero, but due to her unique circumstances and canny ability this meeting takes place. Next up is for everybody to reveal one thought that the character they selected is having about this scene. Note the guidelines in the other post about this; it is something perceived through the character's eyes that may or may not be fully truthful, and does not answer the Question. The purpose of the Scene is to discover the answer to the Question through play - so, if you know what you want the answer to be, you can have a leading thought implying to everybody else what direction the scene should go. Example: Kovak Anur is thinking about how everybody surrounding her is seeking to use her powers for personal gain. She shrewdly expects them to trick her into helping the rebellion raid the Empire's supplies.
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Dec 3, 2015 01:49
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Ten Thousand Shining And Two Great Radiance is thinking that what is hidden and secret must come to light now. It is a sun spirit, and the light of revelation is as much a part of it as the warming radiance or the killing glare.
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Dec 3, 2015 01:58
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Tayre Delane is dreading his fellow revolutionaries' response to this Kovak Anur, and is hoping to find a way to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
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Dec 3, 2015 02:11
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Once Gorbash posts his character's thought, we can actually start doing the scene (which I am happy to begin tonight if Gorbash gets his stuff in soon).
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Dec 3, 2015 03:00
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Nores Un suspects Kovak Anur is a charlatan and is watching for signs to trip her up.
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Dec 3, 2015 03:18
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Kovak Anur, First Lucid She pushes away the plate that was set in front of her. The road she took to get to the capital was difficult, and she was indeed hungry, but business before attending to that. The connection to Ten Thousand Shining was strong, even in this place of civilization. Her demeanor is cool, composed; the Contract made her look ten years older, but that was an acceptable side. "So; I have come to the rebellion for help, to hide from the Empire. This power requires further research since it's not fully understood; if the Empire gets its hands on this, there will be a long age of darkness. What can you do to help me in my hour of need?"
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Dec 3, 2015 05:50
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At this point, the scene is now officially open. If FewtureMD feels up to it he can post as a minor character in the scene, and anybody can narrate walk-on minor characters as needed in addition to their main characters. Once we have the answer to the Question, the scene ends immediately.
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Dec 3, 2015 06:07
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The rebellion members gathered around the table exhaled, and the sound of murmuring echoed around the long room. Tayre Delane slowly unclenched his fists beneath the table. Perhaps this would not be as bad as he expected. "There are places we can hide you, secret holdfasts in the Mountains of the Moon and elsewhere around the empire. But I am not entirely certain I understand. This power, it has changed you? How?" And can we use it?
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Dec 4, 2015 18:12
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"It changes me little, personally, but the things around me can change. Ten Thousand Shining, if you will." Kovak Anur makes the gesture of the First Step of Elucidation at Ten Thousand Shining - the dual meaning of Thought, and Speech.
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Dec 4, 2015 22:44
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Nores Unn watches quietly from a seat in the corner, adjusting his glasses as he watches intently. He winces slightly when Tayre Delane so casually mentions the location of some of their safehouses, but holds his tongue. "If you intend a demonstration," he interjects in a soft voice, "please make it a small one. The Empire does not know of this location, but their Monitors are out in force tonight."
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Dec 5, 2015 02:29
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