[Rebel Script ⍺] New Zellatia - Let Us Strive Together

Endless_Serpents

Welcome once again to New Zellatia!

I’m in the process of creating a simplistic system to roleplay in, and I invite you to discuss it with me awhile, then get stuck into rebuilding your characters, and altering them to suit the fuller themes of New Zellatia as a stand-alone setting in a new system.

The current system reference wiki:

https://rebelscript.obsidianportal.com/wikis/main-page

This will be updated and expanded daily.

The current character playbook:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1--UCozYzhdcg4KoYMM2_AO0RyerTFmQsqhGyWsxtl0I/edit

I will be creating a much more artist version as soon as I can.

Darmak

Just bought this dungeon synth album and it's two sequels, and I'ma listen to them while reading that stuff at work because I am a gigantic nerd 🤓

https://youtu.be/qpPT1_qiw1s

Darmak

But for reals, I'm excited about returning to New Zellatia! I miss Baber and friends

Endless_Serpents

Same my man!

Have a tiny FAQ.

So what’s the deal with this?
Basically, this system is all the stuff I’ve grown to love over my decades of collaborative story telling. Only roll if it matters. Roll as many dice as you can convince me is right. Take big risks for big rewards. Rebel Script is a game of conversation, permissions, and ultimately word play. If you can convincingly roll a certain aspect, do it.

Why is it any good to play?
Up front, this is just one game of many. It’s not the world’s greatest roleplaying game tee em. What is has is a snowball effect of trouble, danger and consequence that you the player have a huge say in. You’ll often get yourself into and out of problems by taking ever increasing risks. I’m also trying to emulate the feeling of a cool if silly series or movie you love, with high action because there are less rules, not in spite of it. If you think you can reasonably do it within the established fiction, do it. I want it to feel like how a scene from an action movie looks like, rather than pushing pieces around a largely 2D board.

Can I convert my D&D character?
Yes, if not mechanically. In Rebel Script you start with almost nothing and build your character as you go, rather than picking a class. What we’ll do is start with 5 advancements, and I’ll help you pick the most vital things to bring what made your characters work to bear. Baber will have a single spell to create an echo. Gear will have a bound spirit. Hado will have a couple of rituals.

Where is my HP?
You don’t have any. What you get instead is conditions, which you act out, as it forces you to tackle challenges with new limitations. You have condition clocks next to each condition. Once filled, you gain a permanent debility. Each clock has a different number of segments, and it’s your choice which one you put your condition next to. Obviously, you can cure any condition before it goes too far, too.

So I can’t die?
Yeah, when it makes sense. When you’ve too many scars, and can’t go on, perhaps. Instead you might retire, become lost, even return later to save the day. It might seem softer than HP, but you’ll feel each harm done to you far more in this system than losing numbers, which is more dramatic to me. Trust me, a character can still die.

Endless_Serpents

I can confirm the whole system exists, just not all in one place, nor suitable for you to read. I’ll try to get rituals down tomorrow. They’re basically spells, but you can’t fling them around in battle. Magic overall is simply a challenge (rolling dice) with an established desired outcome. Roll 6? You do it. 4-5, maybe less targets, an unexpected additional target, an unexpected other effect. 1, 2, or 3, that spell goes wild!

Darmak

I like that pic of Almalexia, she's got such a cool design

The Zombie Penguin

Vague suspicious noises! We'll see how this goes.

The Zombie Penguin

I'm so encouraging =P

The Zombie Penguin

Okay, so looking at this a bit more seriously -

Gear would probably have aspects of Quick, Academic, Inquisitive and Sneaky.

Big elements to hit interms of transferring her power fantasty would seem to be her magical grappling crossbow (and it's ability to shoot fire), lighting punches, Sneaky flying cloak, Sneaky/Tough spookyhaunted armor, and her turrets

Endless_Serpents

It’s cool Zombie.

I need a play tester like you. It’s no good if everyone just likes it.

Endless_Serpents

The Zombie Penguin wrote: »

Okay, so looking at this a bit more seriously -

Gear would probably have aspects of Quick, Academic, Inquisitive and Sneaky.

Big elements to hit interms of transferring her power fantasty would seem to be her magical grappling crossbow (and it's ability to shoot fire), lighting punches, Sneaky flying cloak, Sneaky/Tough spookyhaunted armor, and her turrets

So far I’m thinking:

Not complete at all. I need a better playbook to start, so that’s tomorrow’s job.

The grappling crossbow is an object of power. It’ll be able to do all it could, it just won’t run on action economy and exact feet. Instead you’ll just be like “I fire the grappling hook and swing across the gap”. It might be a challenge to fire at a moving target etc.

The cloak is an OOP too.

Your elemental heart is a cohort. It’ll have an aspect or two, and an equal number of flaws, plus an impulse and drive. Through your heart you can, as a challenge, describe a spell that’s drawn from the word ‘lightning’.

Your turret could be a cohort too, but I don’t think you want it to have a mind of its own, so I’d say it was an asset. You can call on an asset at any time to do it’s thing (massive barrage) at a cost (fuel and reloading, maintains if hit ).

The Zombie Penguin

I'd switch out the Academic for the inquistive - frankly, in what we've done so far, Gear's been big on field research than actual research, which i think Inquistive suits better, but then the crafter element is important.

(and this is why i get frustrated with open ended systems in part! >.>)

Endless_Serpents

Don’t think of it like a usual game then. It’s a word game. Inquisitive is way more evocative of how Gear acts, so let’s go with that.

I think once you’re risking it all to get yourself 8d6 on an assault on an fortified temple and calling in your turrets for an knee level barrage you’ll be okay. But again, the play test is to put it to the test with people that like all sorts of games.

Endless_Serpents

The Pitch

As you all know, New Zellatia is a city still being built, with a society still forming. The three stage final boss battle happened years ago, and the world is trying to move on, trying to heal.

The land brings to mind, no surprise, New Zealand, and Hawaii, the Amazon, Japan in the baking summer, volcanic islands and tropical reefs.

What you are is steeped in history, what you choose to be is entirely up to you. You are new breed of heroes, ones that not only slay monsters, but actually give a damn about people too!

Previously On New Zellatia
The heroes met by chance to aid an old lady. The old lady was a beetle, as it happens.

From there many battles were had (notably many demons were slaughtered by a tiny robot gal in their own prison dimension) and the city was saved from a terrible sorcerer-monk. Now imprisoned, the thankful authorities granted the heroes his personal things... and within them they found his plans ran deeper.

That villain had sent a mercenary company far into the wilds in search of something hidden, and best forgotten. The heroes pursued, naturally, bringing with them allies... or so they think!

The Last Adventure
The heroes entered a secluded cavern, seeking a home for two dragonlings. It was a real caper, but in the end they found the pair a place to rest their scaley heads.

Like the start of an Indiana Jones or James Bond movie, this definitely happened, and you can refer to it, but we won’t be playing through it.

I’m going to fill Baber in on something they found out during that adventure.

Character Creation for our Adventure
Since we’ve already come so far, we really ought to be well advanced!

First, get a blank playbook.

Choose a core aspect.

You would choose a heritage aspect, but you already have one. It’s your race.

Discuss and make notes on the character during the pitch, and play to find out more about them during the 1st episode.

When you meet the requirements, take an advancement. In this way you’ll build out the character to fit your growing view of them and the story everyone begins to tell.

I’m tentatively asking you to buy 5 things and take 2 heritage traits, too.

* Gain an aspect.
* Gain a skill.
* Gain 2 traits drawn from an aspect you possess.
* Gain an asset, reveal how.
* Gain a cohort, flashback to your meeting.
* Gain a connection.
* Gain 2 rituals.
* With the host, improve an existing skill.
* Swap out two of your advancements, say why.
* Add 2 equipment slots.
* Add a segment to a condition clock.
* Reset your condition clocks, with or without an explanation.

Together we’ll work out the finer details, and I’ll get you your magic items back.

The Adventure to Be
Fresh off your success in reintroducing an extinct specie into the wild, you’re hot on the trail of the mercenaries.

The trees have grown thicker in the past couple days, and the land has turned humid.

Your path will without a doubt take you to a towering plateau, the known location of the finest Ishtari smith alive. There the mana found months ago will be shaped into Baber’s trident.

Besides that, you’re out in the wilds with only the barest idea where to head, for there’s no good map of the world these days. You know the banner of the Red Palm mercenaries though, so you’re not at a complete loss. You’ll march north into the unknown, for that’s what heroes do!

The Zombie Penguin

So, i'm still wrapping my head around things, but to be clear so far:

Gear's crossbow, gear's armor, and gear's cloak are all objects of power.

How would we be translating gear's magical capaiblity across? She's not as magical as hado, but she's shown off a fair amount of magical oompf so far - Creating a shield out of thin air to avoid getting eaten by dispalcer beasts, unleashing a sonic shockwave for demon punting, constnatly shooting firebolts, and techicnalyl she can shove her crossbow into someone and then heal them with that. Which is pretty werid!

Also it has to be said i was really looking foward to hitting 9th level and getting to cast fireball. Fire and Lighting in general seems to have been the big theme for gear's magic - is it possible that's what her rituals would revolve around then?

How many aspects do we get to start, vs what do we gain on level up?

Endless_Serpents

You start with one aspect, and your heritage (race) counts as an aspect.

—

Mostly I’m thinking we’ll use the spirit rules.

Her heart is a spirit with the power word ‘lightning’. As a challenge (roll dice, determine if action is a success, mixed, or twisted against you), you can cast any spell that’s reasonably drawn from that word.

You make up the spell there and then. It’s potency and reliability is in flux, it’ll depend on your roll. Your spells are going to be much more chaotic than a slow, well thought out ritual.

You might cast Chain Lightning, it bounces through my foes.
Thunder Clap, it knocks them back.
Magnetic Pull, bring iron to you.

—

For all of you, just ask me to make a ritual for you as I’m not finished making them.

A ritual is a spell that takes time to perform. The results have a push and pull. You’ll gain a power for a price. They’re reliable, unlike using the magic of spirits.

—

There ain’t any memorised same-outcome fireball casting wizards in New Zellatia. Magic is not a gun here.

Darmak

Is a gun a gun? 🤔

Endless_Serpents

Darmak wrote: »

Is a gun a gun? 🤔

Yes.

But usually more like this.

The Zombie Penguin

I think i'd still like to get a Spirit with the word Fire, if i can, because i was planning on taking al ot of fire aspected spells, and i like the idea of Fire and lighting being gear's things. it's evocative and an interesting contrast to her sneaky sneaks and inquistive nature.

Also it's very gobliny.

Endless_Serpents

It’s a bit much to manage, since spirits are alive, with impulses and drives all their own. Your heart is luckily on your side, most spirits don’t want to be bound at all!

I’ll just whack a fire mode to your tricked out crossbow for now. We can work up to Gear, spirit master.

—

Where is everyone up to today?
I can individually make your characters for you, then run it by you if you prefer.

It’s real important you tell me what you want to see too. More fights, more history, more new things (how the world has changed), finally putting that mana to use (yes), anything you’re interested in.

Good links:

Heritages
https://rebelscript.obsidianportal.com/wikis/heritage-aspects

Contact Spirits
https://rebelscript.obsidianportal.com/wikis/contact-spirits

Edit:
I’ll make your objects of power (important items) later today. You just focus on your character.

The Zombie Penguin

@Endless_Serpents Ah, okay. Well, something to keep in mind!

So, thoguht because honestly i'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head aroudn things

Could you stat up Luce in two phases

One show us luce as if she was just made, and then stat up Luce as she is now (pretending she's equilvent power to Gear, etc). that'd help a lot i think

Endless_Serpents

Luce] - 0 advancement

Luce begins the Empathetic aspect. When Luce has a challenge that involves judging motives and reading people’s emotions, she add a d6 to the challenge.

Luce begins with the Tunglani heritage aspect. When her heritage would help out, she adds a d6 to the challenge.

—

Luce - 1 advancement

Luce is a cleric of many gods. She takes the advancement “Gain 2 rituals”. Working with the host, she provides the power, and the host works out the price. Her rituals are:

Heal. You can revitalise ash injured person, by taking that harm into yourself.

Hospitality. You can draw a circle where no violence can take place, for all within it, allies and enemies alike.

—

Luce - 2 advancements

As play goes on, Luce wants to be more adventurous. She takes the advancement ‘Gain an aspect’. She picks Hearty. When quick recovery from harm taken helps, she adds a d6 to the challenge.

—

Luce - 3 advancements

Luce now wants to explore what it means to be Tunglani, so she takes the advancement “Gain 2 traits drawn from an aspect you possess.” She looks at the traits related to her heritage here: https://rebelscript.obsidianportal.com/wikis/heritage-aspects

She picks:
* You always move swiftly to those in need.
* Hearing trouble coming is little trouble for you.

Traits are plot armour. They’re blocks against consequences I can put on you.

—

Luce - 4 advancements

Luce wants to be more skilled at caring for people. She chooses a skill, Medicine. No matter what she rolls, she can choose an option from her skill if it concerns healing.

Medicine
You’re a skilled healer, using the most modern techniques available.
* Spot the real problem.
* Stabilise them, no matter the cost.
* Reveal their humanity.

Skills lift the bottom on your rolls. You can’t fail at your skill, but things can still go wrong.

—

Luce - 5 advancements

Luce wants to toughen up, so she takes the advancement “Add a segment to a condition clock.”

When you roll 1, 2 or 3, you’ll take a condition. Put it next to a condition clock on your playbook. When it gets filled, by consequences of your actions (I’ll tell you when you fill a segment of the clock), you’ll gain a scar, a permanent debility. By making one of her condition clocks bigger, she can last longer, and give herself more time to remove the condition before it does lasting harm.


Advancement Options

Gain an aspect.
* Gain a skill.
* Gain 2 traits drawn from an aspect you possess.
* Gain an asset, reveal how.
* Gain a cohort, flashback to your meeting.
* Gain a connection.
* Gain 2 rituals.
* With the host, improve an existing skill.
* Swap out two of your advancements, say why.
* Add 2 equipment slots.
* Add a segment to a condition clock.
* Reset your condition clocks, with or without an explanation.

The Zombie Penguin

Cool! That does help a bit. Thinking furhter, it might be good if you can say luce would be really good in these areas, might be able to do some generla bullshit in these areas, and has weaknesses in these areas?

Dunno. still trying to wrap my head around things

Side note: Gear's crack through her faceplate around one eye would be a Scar, yes? albiet, a minor one since i dotn think we determined it did anything other than look cool/show that she actually has taken a beating at points

Endless_Serpents

Gear’s Objects of Power

Midnight Blessing (worn)
* You fall slowly when you click your fingers.

Garb of the Hagab (worn)
* The sleeves of this garb can conceal items as large as a glaive.
* You can swing the long sleeves of this garb around opponent’s weapons or limbs.
* When the result of a stealthy challenge would be twisted against you, your allies take the hit instead.

Monkey’ Mischief Crossbow (must be reloaded after every shot)
* You can fire a grappling hook and swing from the connected chain.
* Your homemade bolts catch fire on a hit.
* You can overload the crossbow to engage in a volatile, dangerous rapid fire.

Gear’s Specialist Goggles (worn)
* You can see in the pitch black darkness.
* They’re blinding in daylight.

—

Hado’s Objects of Power

Reef Hunter Armour (worn)
* It’s covered in spikes, making grapplers think twice.
* Air pockets in the armour make you float.
* You can release the air to dive at high speed.

Rebel’s Defiance (shield)
* When you act to protect someone, add a die to the roll.

Improved Quarterstaff
* With a twist, the staff becomes almost twice as long.
* You can use this to leap great distances.

—

Baber’s Objects of Power

Dancing Dagger
* When thrown, it comes spinning back to you a moment after sinking in to its target.
* It’s hollow, designed to be filled with poison.
* The handle has spring loaded spikes in it, only you can handle it safely.

Ancient Ensemble (worn)
* It’s heavy as hell.
* It allows you to breath in any environment.
* When your challenge is to endure poison, add a die.

Mark of Xorbt (invisible to the naked eye)
* Contact those you’re familiar with over any distance with your mind.
* Receive contact from the Watchful God as they see fit.

Demon Nails (3 uses)
* Slam one into a being from another world to banish it for good.

—

Cohorts up soon! Thoughts on these?

I’ve alter a few thing to make it a bit more grounded, and expanded some things to keep up with what Gear had.

We’re going fiction first in this game, so while I haven’t written down every possibility, you can leverage your objects in wild ways. Think action movie, not board game.

To be clear, mundane weapons are descriptions. Tell me how you use them, and they’ll at times provide situational bonuses. There’s no damage rolls. Instead I’d rather you describe how you keep something back with a spear, or get up close with a dagger.

Equipment like a lantern is simply marked off on your sheet when you remember you definitely have one. You have 6 equipment slots.

Endless_Serpents

The Zombie Penguin wrote: »

Cool! That does help a bit. Thinking furhter, it might be good if you can say luce would be really good in these areas, might be able to do some generla bullshit in these areas, and has weaknesses in these areas?

Dunno. still trying to wrap my head around things

Side note: Gear's crack through her faceplate around one eye would be a Scar, yes? albiet, a minor one since i dotn think we determined it did anything other than look cool/show that she actually has taken a beating at points

I’m just glad you’re taking part honestly mate.

That’s a good shout! Thanks for offering up a scar. That’s good of you.

How about, “Due to your cracked face plate, you can only roll 1 die when the challenge is to calm someone down”? Gear can be pretty intense for an ordinary person. Besides Gear isn’t some baby sitter, she’s demon slayer!

The Zombie Penguin

Sounds good. Baber also has that cosmetic scar from where Gear's medicining them went So Well.

Endless_Serpents

Haha yeah.

@Darmak
Once you’re done making your character, or ask me to make it and show you for approval, add the permanent scar: “Due to Gear’s handiwork, you can only roll 1 die when the challenge involves climbing”

The injury sends a twinge of pain when you stretch like that. Luckily, you can echo around like a boss.

Endless_Serpents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOOXRR2hiEU
This piece sounds like how I want the next adventure to go!

Condition Clock art

Still working on a more visually appealing playbook. 8-)

Darmak

Sorry I haven't been involved much, I've been dealing with the shitawful cold weather lately and the worry over it. Yesterday I mostly only played Warframe to take my mind off of things.

Endless, those conversions of Baber's magic items look cool! And yes, I would greatly appreciate if you would convert them for me. I think I have a handle on how to do it, but I think you'd do a better job of it.

Endless_Serpents

It’s cool, slowly getting back into New Zelly is fine by me. We’re all busy.

Tell me if you can’t see these. Hopefully you can use them.

Baber!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KXSKhGMYKP0AuY1i4yn6i1jGuEoTXzRtmtTyNg8phpc/edit

Gear!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oWZgYCrjnV7A90xkxYhnMreuvoo0hlvKgIxUdrFNaVM/edit

Hado!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fWdEj7UAgI-onw8p3_N5i7rKathrc6D0a5Z3xUGM0To/edit

An extra sheet for Luce and Manini. When they’re helping you, you can use their aspects as if they’re your own. They’ll be tangled up in any consequences of your actions if you do.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PZF7cYJv0Ar0WfPviwqAQn4VKUKmMu6DZN988-g-rVA/edit

Gaining new advancements is right quick, so if you think you need more to fill your characters back out it won’t take long.

Endless_Serpents

Once everyone is ready we’ll begin. The beauty of this slow play style means we can work through each mechanic as it happens, so don’t fret.

Endless_Serpents

New Zellatia

Let Us Strive Together!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7-XfrpjfFg

Darmak

Baber looks good! I chuckled at the, "Xorbt is watching" bit. Also, I'd forgotten about Fragment! What a good little buddy!

Endless_Serpents

I’m glad you think so. I’m legit exciting to see what your abilities look like in a purely narrative game.

Yeah, I’d forgotten how big the cast was for this! I need to remember the name of the Ishtari smith that lives on the plateau you’re going to pass on your journey.

Also pour one out for the spreadsheet maps. They’ll be drawn from here on out since I won’t have to count squares.

Darmak

It was a short name I think, and I want to say it started with a "J"? Juro? Judo? I guess I could go check the old thread lol

Endless_Serpents

Naw, I’ll do it. That’s definitely my job.

The Zombie Penguin

Gear's missing an object of power btw Endless - she still has her Deck of Many Things But Not Stupid Dangerous Like the 5e Version.

Also her Demon Automatom core she made - I'm assuming this works to let me subvert/avoid the Needs Fuel flaw of her turret cohort?

Endless_Serpents

Heck yeah! I’ve forgotten about that too!

Luckily I made it purposely without a system in mind. It’s still on you.

The Zombie Penguin

I feel like we're really seeing the Goblin in action here, where i keep pulling out Magic items that i've acquired across the run.

Endless_Serpents

In regards to your edited in question. I’m thinking no, the demon core just means your turret has mad accuracy and range. I’m picturing it behaving like a turret from Portal.

It’s more advanced than any artillery others have come up with, yet mobile and small sized.

It’s flaws are only going to come to bear only low rolls. It won’t be a constant issue.

Darmak

I just checked, the blacksmith's name was Juzo!

Also, I had forgotten that Gear had made Baber a neat bow (Demonbanisher Greatbow IIRC) and forgot to write it down in their list of equipment! I don't know if it was statted, but I think it was just a really cool looking longbow?