[OOC] Dogs In The Vineyard (Sanctuary Valley)

SAW776

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

- - -

"We went west. We went through massive canyons, dryer than they were deep. We roughed mountains, so high they held the angels. We knew fields so long they must've surely circled the Earth their length over. We saw oceans and sinkpits, we drank from His pools, and we felt their cool refrain on our faces. We walked until our horses gave out, and our feet went ragged, and we knew, yet, we were not but a fraction of the road to be traveled, a bead of sweat towards the work that had to be done."

- - -

"You got two choices, boy - I'm'll count to three, and you either got that gun on the ground and you're prayin' to the King I don't blow yer head off right here, or you still standin' on the shoulders of demons. Either way, that thing's still pointed at me in three seconds, I'm gonna get real ornery, boy, REAL ornery. Look me in the eyes - God's will is in these eyes. You know it, Praise Be.

Don't make me waste a bullet.

One.

I'm countin', boy.

Two."

- - -

DOGS IN THE VINEYARD

Dogs in the Vineyard is about God’s Watchdogs, young men and women called to preserve the Faithful in a hostile frontier territory. They travel from town to isolated town, carrying mail, news, and doctrine, healing the sick, supporting the weary, and pronouncing judgment upon the wicked. Sharpshooters, Cowboy-Priests, and Holy Horsemen alike - a town welcomes you with celebration and honor, but what you’re there to do is stir up its dirt and lay bare its sins.

The setting is a fantasy inspired by pre-statehood Utah, the Deseret Territory, toward the middle of the 19th century. Picture a landscape of high mountains, icy rivers and cedar woods, falling away westward into scrublands, deserts, buttes and swells. The summer skies are heartbreaking blue, but the winters are long and killing. "Mountain Men", ancestors of those who properly own this land before it was ravaged from them, maintain an uneasy truce with the frontiers in some places, and outright wage war with them in others,

Picture religious pioneers, fleeing persecution and violence in the East. They’re trying to establish a society based on faith and righteousness out in this frontier. They’ve made the long trek westward but they’re still in danger: their towns are small and isolated, vulnerable to attack from without, sin and corruption within. Under pressure, their pride becomes sin, their anger becomes violence, their resentments become hate. Winter and the demons howl...

You are God’s Watchdogs, holding the Faith together.

- - -

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversaries are demons, as roaring lions they walketh about, seeking whom they may devour."

- - -

Each session is a single town, where the Dogs arrive to deliver mail, perform ceremony, preach wisdom, and, most importantly, deal with any problems that may arise. The Watchdogs have unspoken authority to drag sinners out into the street and shoot them, convert them to the Faith, or try to ease them of their hardships (even if their authority is sometimes challenged by non-believers, or the local Law who doesn't want any trouble in his town).

The Dogs must deal with the sin, they must lay Judgement, but how they do that is up to them: do they preach and speak wisdom? Are they diplomatic? Are they fair? Or will all sins meet the same fate at the end of a gun?

The ethics and moral problems of how to deal with each case are what makes Dogs in the Vineyard so fun to watch. One Dog is out for blood, the other seeks to find a more peaceful solution: how will things resolve?

- - -

"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

- - -

THE FAITH

The whole name of the Faith is the Faith of All Things in the King of Life, Reborn.
The whole name of the Dogs is the Order Set Apart to the Preservation of Faith and the Faithful. Casually, the King’s Dogs or Life’s Watchdogs. Dogs are always called Brother or Sister by their first name: Brother Jeremiah, Sister Patience.
The Faith is the only true religion in the world. All other religions are a) actively demonic, cults created by Faithful leaders fallen into sin; b) corrupt and decadent, like the majority religions of the East; or c) idle nonsense, like most of the religions in the wider world.

TERRITORIAL AUTHORITY

Representatives of the Territorial Authority will generally be either a claims officer or other bureaucrat, or a circuit rider not unlike you Dogs. Only larger towns will have any sort of Territorial law enforcement — a sheriff — but he’s most likely to be Faithful, elected to the job by his congregation. The Territorial Authority’s real concern is that taxes are paid and nobody interferes with the mail — it worries about “keeping the peace” only insofar as lawlessness interferes with taxes and mail.
It’s worth pointing out that the Dogs are authorized by the Faith to do some things — like shoot sinners in the street — that are against the law. Exercise your authority cautiously.

- - -

You don't need the rulebook: The requisite rules are below.

Example Dog:

Brother Jacob Robertson

Strong History
(13d6 in Stat dice, 3d6 4d8 3d10 in Trait dice, 1d4 3d6 2d8 in Relationship dice)

Stats:
Acuity 2d6
Body 4d6
Heart 2d6
Will 5d6

Traits:
1d6 - My family wanted this for me; I do it not for them, but for the Lord my Master.
2d6 - I'm a decent shot
1d8 - My faith is unshakable
1d8 - My face just looks scary in order to frighten evil
2d8 - I'm good at fist fighting should it come to that
1d10 - I'm terrifying with a knife
1d10 - I love children
1d10 - I'm a dog

Relationships:
2d6 Father Daniels
1d8 God

Possessions:
1d6 Coat - It looks professional and cleanly made, but it has few colors and is somewhat uncomfortable to wear. This coat has no compassion sewn into it, only expectations. There's a large Sign of the Tree pattern stitched onto the back, and another of a dog onto the right breast pocket. This could easily be a much nicer coat with a bit of elbow grease.
2d4 Six Shooter - The barrel needs to be cleaned, the sights realigned, and the trigger is a little sticky.
2d8 Hunting Knife - Well made, well polished. Serrated edges halfway down, and a fitted grip.
1d6 Book of Life - Standard Print version from the Temple of Life with a couple circled passages.
1d6 Jar of Consecrated Earth - Woops, how'd that worm get in there?
1d6 Horse - His age is starting to show, but he's no where near done yet.

My Accomplishment:
"I hope that this miserable creature can now be a good enough dog for the Lord."

Some Helpful Things
Antique Guns
Appropriate clothing for the era (and again)
Fiery Words for a Dog to say, from the Book of Life

admanb

I'm down. I've never played, but I own, have read, and believe I understand the rules.

SAW776

Hey, if I can be clueless going into this, so can you. :P

To be honest, i'm not a huge fan of the setting, but I figure I should run it as is a couple times first before I go changing things.

SAW776

Well this isn't a good sign. >.>

simonwolf

Oh SAW, I'd be happy to join in. I've been thinking about running this game myself.

SAW776

Woo!

Yeah, I'm hoping I can run this since it doesn't involve maps or anything--I always had time for the RP stuff, it was just the combat things that I lost the ability to take care of with D&D.

Paranoia833

I'm up for it. I've read through the rulebook, although it was a while ago, but never played before.

Crimson Phantom

I'd be down to play but I have to admit I've never heard of the game before

SAW776

The rules are actually pretty simple. You don't actually even really need the book to play--it mostly contains info on running the game. So not having heard of it isn't too big of a deal. :P

simonwolf

You should steal the OP from the old Vineyard game, SAW. That covered pretty much everything a player needs to know about the game.

SAW776

simonwolf wrote: »

You should steal the OP from the old Vineyard game, SAW. That covered pretty much everything a player needs to know about the game.

Was thinking of doing just that. :P

SAW776

robotsunshine wrote: »

CHARACTERS

You play one of God's Watchdogs, called to service in the Faith. You travel between isolated congregations called "Branches" and hold the Faith together. You have a long coat - colorful, beautiful, hand-pieced and quilted by your friends and family back home. It is your badge, a powerful symbol of your authority. You represent Judgment and Mercy on behalf of God, whom we call The King of Life.

Starting characters can be male or female, but are between 18-23. They've had two months or so in training, education, and ceremony to prepare, and they know one another. They are unmarried virgins, trusted to travel in mixed company.

When your character arrives at a Branch and finds a problem, he or she can take whatever steps are necessary, and non one can justly complain. Your character acts on behalf of the King of Life - if anyone has a problem, they can take it up with Him.

Does this mean you can't sin? No. But you're the only one allowed to judge your character's actions. Your conscience is in your own hands - are you a remorseless monster, or a destroying angel? The game can't tell the difference.

STEP ONE: What's your background?

- Well-Rounded: Your character is straightforward, balanced, and effective, a good choice for men born into the Faith.
17d6 in Stat dice, 1d4 4d6 2d8 in Trait dice, 4d6 2d8 in Relationship dice

- Strong History: Your character has a good education, lots of experience, or specialized training.
13d6 in Stat dice, 3d6 4d8 3d10 in Trait dice, 1d4 3d6 2d8 in Relationship dice

- Complicated History: Your character had a troubled, dangerous, or challenging upbringing. It's a good choice for those converted into the Faith.
15d6 in Stat dice, 4d4 2d6 2d10 in Trait dice, 5d6 2d8 in Relationship dice

- Strong Community: Your character is socially adept, and from a strong, caring family. It's a good choice for women born into the Faith.
13d6 in Stat dice, 1d4 3d6 2d8 in Trait dice, 4d4 4d8 3d10 in Relationship dice

- Complicated Community: Your character is socially vulnerable, or from a broken or destructive family.
15d6 in Stat dice, 6d6 2d8 in Trait dice, 4d4 2d6 2d8 2d10 in Relationship dice

STEP TWO: Place your stats

Divvy up those Stat dice between your stats (don't roll them!). If you had, say 10d6 in Stat dice, you could put 2d6 in one Stat, 3d6 in another, another 3d10 in a third Stat, and the last 2d6 in another.

The minimum for each stat is 2d6, with no maximum.

ACUITY - You are perceptive, alert, educated, clever, savvy, or well-read.
BODY - You are big, healthy, strong, wiry, muscular, tall, graceful, quick, or steady.
HEART - You are compassionate, attractive, charming, gentle, courageous, enduring, faithful, or likable.
WILL - You are tenacious, aggressive, confident, unflinching, strong-willed, or unshakable.

STEP THREE - Traits!

You get to make these up. Whatever you think would be relevant or interesting to your line of work: Horsemanship is a good one, and so is Preaching and Biblical Lore. But you can also word them to be little tidbits of history, like, "My mama used to read to me from the Book of Life every night before bed" could be a Trait. Or it could be facts about yourself - "I taught myself how to shoot a gun".

Either way, give yourself some and assign your Trait dice to them. You can double up dice as much as you want, but only one type of die per Trait (you can have Horsemansip 1d6 or 7d6, but you can't have Horsemanship 1d6 1d10 or anything like that). If you need some Trait inspiration, write "I'm a good shot" as your first Trait, and then use that to branch out - where did you learn to shoot? From whom? Why did you learn to shoot? etc.

When assigning dice, don't match die size to Traits by competence (higher die sizes are better), but by how important or interesting that Trait is to your character. "I can shoot a can from a mile away 1d4" versus "I'm not sure about my line of work, and I doubt myself 3d10" means that the latter is a lot more important to you, and factors in prominently to how things will unfold.

d4 - such Traits make it more likely you'll suffer consequences in conflicts. Take them as disadvantages, but also as complications: "I'm a good shot 1d4" means that you can shoot, but when the guns come out, your life gets more complicated.

THE RULE - You HAVE to either take "I'm a Dog" as a Trait, or in the next step, take a Relationship with the Dogs. Your choice.

STEP FOUR - Relationships

Name a couple of people your character has some sort of relationship with and assign them dice (following Trait dice rules above). Don't make many, save the dice for later on in play, when you can make new Relationships on the fly.

Blood - when you meet kin, you get then as a Relationship for fre at 1d6. You can spend dice if you want to change that.

STEP FIVE - Belongings

Name some things you carry with you. If you decide they need dice, give them to them (as in, do you imagine they'll come up in a relevant way in conflict with other characters? Weapons will, and so may bibles. Use your judgement, but don't worry - you can improvise their dice on the fly if you need to). There's no limit, just what you could reasonably carry with you. We won't get picky.

Dogs might carry books, stationary and pens, a water flask, or other things. They definitely carry their coat, a gun, the Book of Life, a horse, and a jar of consecrated earth,

Giving them dice - give them the appropriate dice if normal.

Normal thing - 1d6
Excellent things - 2d6
Big things - 1d8
Excellent and big - 2d8
Crap things - 1d4

A good knife 2d8
Old boots 1d6
An old, bad revolver 2d4 (1d4 for being crap, +1d4 for being a gun)
Massive shotgun 1d8 1d4

If the thing is a gun, it gets an additional 1d4 no mater what it is.

Your coat - give this dice, and write down what patterns and colors it has. Most coats start at 2d6, being excellent. Feel free to change that though.

SIXTH AND FINAL STEP - Your accomplishment

Say something that you have your character accomplished duirng initition into being a Watchdog. (Maybe it's, "I hope I earned the respect of my peers," or, "I hope I learned to solve conflicts without violence," or, "I hope I shook my fear of all things demonic and corrupt." Don't pick something that'll break your character if it goes sour.)

Next, you and the GM (hey, me!) will have a mini-conflict, which will perfectly explain the dice rolling rules of the game to you (if you can tell if one number is higher than another, you can do this). At the end of it, we'll discover how your accomplishment went, and you'll get a new d6 Trait for it, even if it went bad.

HELPFUL RESOURCES
Your name is going to be Brother or Sister something. Here's some great names, just for Dogs in the Vineyard: http://www.bullypulpitgames.com/projects/names/milk_and_honey2.pdf

BACKGROUND

By the time you're 12 or 13, your Branch Steward is possibly considering you to be a Dog. The Steward guides and watches you up until about age 17. At 18-20, the Steward interviews you and asks you to be a Dog. You say your goodbyes, pack, and head East to the Dogs' temple in Bridal Falls City. You train for two months, along with about 15 others, depending on the spiritual haul.

Your teachers' goal isn't to make you a Dog - that's your job. They are there to:
- prove or cull you
- train you
- educate you
- initiate you
- inspire you,
and what you do with that is up to you.

Meanwhile, at home, your family and town are busy making your coat. Everyone comes to ceremoniously give a stitch. The condition and beauty of your coat reflects those back home. Afterwards, it is blessed with consecrated earth and a laying-on of hands. Towards the end of your training regimen, you receive mail from home, and it's your coat, along with letters and notes.

You serve as a Dog for about three or four years. Your coat gets damaged, and the communities you serve will repair it or replace it out of respect. This is a typical case, and your Dog's mileage may vary.

Next, you get a route and companions. You return to the Temple about twice annually.

Your duties:
- deliver mail and news
- participate in local ceremony or office
- deliver doctrine or interpretation to the Branch and its Steward
- preach
- participate in (but hold yourself away from) social functions and celebrations
- help out with physical work

It goes without saying that Dogs don't drink (booze, coffee, or black tea - instead, they go for herbal tea or soft drinks), and only old people smoke anyways.

SAW776

Here's how the rules work: Say yes or roll the dice. Repeat that to yourself every second of every scene. Look at what's happening - the cobbler's wife seems unhappy. Say yes, or roll the dice. She's ducking out of service, saying she feels ill. Say yes, or roll the dice. She's been doing this for weeks now.

Say yes (I agree, that is acceptable, it makes sense) or roll the dice (oh-no-you-fucking-don't, I don't want the scene to go this way, it would be better if someone intervened)

You constantly want to move towards the next conflict (conflict, here, means when we roll dice to see what happens). See, here, you don't roll the way you do in say, D&D or White Wolf. If you want to do something, then you do it. Do you see the ambush before it happens? Depends - is it dramatically appropriate? Does the rest of the group care? Say yes or roll the dice. You have the option to interrupt anything, even what the GM says, and force it into a fight. So look for the next possible conflict. Be aggressive! You don't have to roll to see if you can pick a lock, or things like that. It's on a grander scale. Let's look at how to do a conflict, first, and this will make more sense.

There's a problem. Someone didn't say Yes. The GM decided to pick on you. Something's wrong.

1. Establish what's at stake, anyone can suggest this. The stakes are what the conflict is about, what we're fighting over, what's so important.
   - What's at stake is, does your brother shoot the woman?
   
2. Set the stage. Fancy up the scene and get everyone in the mood.
   - Dust swirls around our feet, only to spiral down the road behind me. I've got my finger on the trigger and I'm shaking my head. It's unbearably hot, everyone's sweating. By now, school's out, and the kids nearby are wise that something's up - they're crowding around. The woman's crying, and my brother's pointing his gun straight at her.
   
3. Who's participating in this conflict?
   
4. Take up dice depending on how you want to enter the conflict (these are called Arenas):
   - We're just talking (Acuity + Heart)
   - Things are getting physical, but we're not fighting (Body + Heart)
   - Fist-fights (Body + Will)
   - We pulled out the guns (Acuity + Will)
   
   You can roll your Relationship dice if the Relation is what's at stake or is your opponent.
   
5. Everyone rolls their dice for all to see.
   
6. Take turns Raising and Seeing.
   To Raise, say what your character does and put two dice forward. Do something your opponent can't ignore.
   - (dice: 5, 6) I stare him down, not even flinching when he shifts the gun to me. I act like I hadn't even noticed. "Jed. Stop this. You ain't got it in ya, and there ain't no reason for all this. Put it away. I don't wanna have to put my hands on you, but I will if I gotta."
   
   To See, put forward any amount of dice that equals or exceeds the standing Raise (less dice is better). So, the current Raise is 5 and 6 (above), with is 5 + 6 = 11. So you need to put forward some of your dice that equals or betters 11.
   - (4, 3, 3, 2) I see he's not kidding. And, honestly? I don't have it in me. I can't shoot my brother. I couldn't shoot this woman... I won't say it out loud, but I'm afraid. My gun lowers to my side, and I take a few steps back, not wanting to get tackled right off. "Alright, Samuel. Alright. We gotta talk, though, okay...?" I'm almost in tears. "She done me wrong, brother..."
   • When you See, if you can do it with one die, that's Reversing The Blow. You turn the Raise back on your attacker somehow (he swings, but you grab his fist and squeeze, forcing him down; he tells you the King of Life has a place for him, and you remind him how the Steward said Heaven had no place for a sinner such as he). Keep your See die - you get to (and have to) use it for your next Raise!
     
   • If you See with two dice, that's a Block or a Dodge. Say how you defend against the attack.
     
   • If you See with three or more dice, that's Taking The Blow. Say how the blow lands and how your charater reacts. You also get Fallout Dice, which will later on change and affect your character, possibly for the worse. You take a number of dice equal to how many you used to See, and set them aside - if the blow wasn't physical, those dice are d4s. If they were physical, then they're d6s. If a weapon was used against you, it's a d8, and if it was a bullet, it's a d10.
     
   • If you don't want to See, you can Give. This is a pretty standard action, don't be afraid to do it. You lose the Stakes and the conflict, but you get bonus dice for a follow-up conflict! You do NOT Take the Blow or anything, you basically get out of the conflict free, and you don't win it. Take your single highest die and keep it for a follow-up conflict. A follow-up conflict's stakes follow directly from the previous conflict's resolution. You can actually try the exact same Stakes again, but to do so, the number of participants, the location, and the opening arena (Just Talking, Fist-Fighting, etc.) must be different, all three.

Follow-up conflicts and Giving are important parts, and we will all be pushing towards them. Fight with all your heart, but don't be afraid if you need to Give.

That's the structure:
- Stakes?
- Stage?
- Who's involved?
- Roll dice
- I Raise, you See.
- You Raise, I See,
- etc., until someone doesn't have the dice to See

Also, if more than people need to See a given Raise, that's acceptable. Their Sees are different and exclusive, though - they don't add their dice to beat yours. They beat you separately. And yes, you will sometimes be Raising and Seeing against each other as players!


ESCALATING
That's all well and good. Let's say we're Just Talking, and I'm about to run out of dice. What I can do is Escalate, and move out of Just Talking into, let's say, Fist-Fighting (the arenas are Just Talking, Physical but not fighting, Fist-Fighting, and Guns). I get to roll my Stats for Fist-Fighting and add those dice to my already standing dice, and of course, the conflict's taken a turn, where we're not just talking, we're actually fighting.

You can only roll a Stat once per conflict, so if an escalation calls for you to roll Acuity + Heart, and you've already rolled Heart, just roll Acuity.

TRAITS AND THINGS
When you use one of your Traits as a Raise or See, you get to to roll its dice. Same for a Belonging. You can only roll a Trait / Belonging once per conflict. You can keep using in the conflict as much as you want, you just don't get the dice for it.

You roll their dice before putting them forward, and you don't have to use them if you don't like them. You can even use them for a separate See or Raise.

CEREMONY
You can do neat spiritual things, like Call someone by their True Name (said to summon demon's attention and obedience), Sing Praise, Recite from the Book of Life, or Make the Sign of the Tree (right hand, palm out, shoulder level, fingers wide spread) as part of a Raise or See, especially against demons. It looks badass.

FALLOUT
Nasty stuff!
- Roll all your Fallout dice after conflict. Add the two highest together.
- You'll be presented with a list of Fallout Consequences according to the sum, and you get to pick something to add to your character. Less than 8 is pretty safe, with only short-term damage. More than 8 is lasting harm, bad stuff, and more than 12 is injured. 20 or higher, and your character is dead.
- Fallout will be dealt with as it happens, since it's not immediately relevant. Just know that it's bad.

simonwolf

SAW, you better edit out the old characters from the OP, or a hard rain's gonna fall.

SAW776

Whoops. Thing is a mess to edit with all the code. Totally forgot about that.

admanb

One thing that should be noted, because I think it confused a lot of people, is that while Fallout is "bad" in the game, it's not necessarily "bad" in the mechanics. Fallout effects can actually cause you to gain traits or relationships, which make you "stronger" in future conflicts.

The reason I mention this is because it points out a fundamental theme of the game: there is no such thing as winning or losing, you're just trying to tell a story.

Unless you're dead of course. That's pretty bad.

simonwolf

admanb wrote: »

One thing that should be noted, because I think it confused a lot of people, is that while Fallout is "bad" in the game, it's not necessarily "bad" in the mechanics. Fallout effects can actually cause you to gain traits or relationships, which make you "stronger" in future conflicts.

The reason I mention this is because it points out a fundamental theme of the game: there is no such thing as winning or losing, you're just trying to tell a story.

That's part of the reason playing this game is hard, with people who are used to the idea of making your character as amazing as possible to win the big challenges - they'll often willingly take Fallout from low-scale challenges, just to build trait dice.

This game really is designed more for collaborative storytelling than winning big boss battles, is all I'm saying.

SAW776

Yeah, definitely. I mean, Fallout from a gunfight can kill you flat out if you roll 2 10's, but other than that, Social Fallout is generally good.

The idea is that you grow as a person from losing arguments and stuff, or you can even learn how to fight a bit better from getting smacked up side the head.

Getting shot or repeatedly stabbed, however, you might want to avoid when you can, however.

SAW776

Also, it should be noted that aside from "big boss battles" that Dogs can usually win anything by escalating to a gunfight.

The idea is--and really, I think the true "enemies" in the game are the decisions that you're faced with. Are you really willing to shoot someone who disagrees with you? And if you are, that's totally fine--but are your teammates going to be okay with that? And where's the line to who you're willing to shoot and for what reason?

That, I think, is what fascinates me most about the whole game.

3cl1ps3

Holy shit, this looks cool. If it's not full I'd like to play.

Is it going to be PbP, or IRC meeting, or what? I can, unfortunately, only really do PbP because I have a very hectic work/life schedule.

SAW776

Well, I guess we can run this like any other RPG recruiting then, since there's more applicant's than open spots--you guys can make up your characters and we can see who looks like they'd make a good/interesting team!

Also, one thing I want to point out regarding verbal conflicts. One of the key things is that a Raise has to be something that the target can't ignore, so, you can't Raise with a "Yeah huh!" or a "Nuh uh!". It has to be something with some oomph behind it.

This means that you might have to Give or Escalate not because you're out of dice, but simply because you don't know how else to tackle the situation.

I'm hoping this will keep the Dogs from essentially walking all over people in group debates just because they've got a crap ton more dice, and I also think it adds that bit more tension of whether or not you're really willing to push something just to win.

Hopefully no one has a problem with that, and we can always work on it as we go to strike a balance.

edit: Also, its PbP.

El Skid

I never did get to use my dog, and it looks like my pulp game has just gone out the window...

Colour me interested. Here's my character, feel free to comment:


Character Name: Talitha Brown
Age: 22
Background: Well Rounded

History:

Talitha was a tomboy growing up. She never really cared for the things of women, though she learned them because her father made her. But she pushed the boundries whenever she could, learning to read and write very well, helping her brothers with some un-ladylike chores, and generally being a dissapointment to her mother.

When she reached her 14th birthday her grandmother died and left her a very old copy of the Book of Life. Grieving for her grandmother, who had been quite close, she read through the book, and marveled at the miracles and compassion shown therin- up until that point in her life religion had been a stuffy set of rules that wanted her to do things she didn't want to. Quite quickly, though, she reformed her life, dedicating it to the Father and helping those around her to hear His message, and to better themselves so that they could serve him better.

Being a quick learner and caring greatly about others (especially children), she finished her schooling and stayed on as an assistant to the teacher, and from there became a teacher herself. She was found to be incredibly smart and passionate about her work, and began to make a big difference in the community. Her children became well behaved and conscientious, and also started to show remarkable knowledge of- and observance to- the Book.

Her only remaining rebelliousness was that she steadfastly refused to marry. This eventually came to the ears of a Dog, who confronted her about refusing to marry a local boy her parents had selected for her when she was getting outside of marriageable age.

"Sir, with all due respect- that boy is not worthy of me. When I marry, it will be to a man who is intelligent enough hold to up his end of a conversation with me, and strong enough to stand by me and do what needs to be done in His name. Until then, I'll remain chaste, happily spend my life serving the Father of All Things and teaching others the joy that comes with doing so."

Talitha is extremely compassionate and intelligent, though she doesn't like violence. Though she carries a gun with her, she rarely uses it, preferring to turn sinners onto the right path rather than to remove them from the way altogether.

Numbers and such:

Stats(17):
Acuity: 5
Heart: 8
Body: 2
Will: 2

Traits: (1d4 4d6 2d8)
I live to teach: 2d8
I learned how to shoot if I have to: 1d6
I've learned alot from books: 2d6
I'm a dog: 1d6
I have a soft heart: 1d4

Relationships(4d6 2d8):
Father Jethro 1d6
Mayor Thaddeus 1d6

Belongings:
My Coat 2d6- A suprisingly pretty coat- Her family helped half-heartedly, but her students and their families put extra care and attention into it: She was well respected, and the work and planning that went into it shows.
Old revolver 1d6 1d4 - Hardly ever used, but a gift from the mayor of her town.
Book of Life 1d8 1d6- A very old copy handed down to her by her grandmother
Bessie- my Horse 1d6- A very calm mare- not the fastest, but she hardly ever starts or gets excited
My books- 2d8- A collection of the most important books she owns and has found. Books on Math, Philosophy, Grammar, Etiquette, even one that she keeps well hidden on recognizing and dealing with demons... Whatever she is reading now, or thinks might come in handy.
Jar of Consecrated earth 1d6
Sewing kit- 1d6
Pots and Pans- 1d8 Hand-made to her specifications, these are light-weight but conduct heat very well

Accomplishment: I hope I proved that I am as deserving of the title of God's Watchdog as any man is

SAW776

Ooh. That'll actually be an interesting character considering the town I've created.

Crimson Phantom

I'll be rolling up a character for this pretty soon, just need to do it during one of my breaks from work today.

El Skid

SAW776 wrote: »

Ooh. That'll actually be an interesting character considering the town I've created.

I love the word 'interesting'. It can mean so many things.

SAW776

El Skid wrote: »

SAW776 wrote: »

Ooh. That'll actually be an interesting character considering the town I've created.

I love the word 'interesting'. It can mean so many things.

Oh yes, there will be blood. :twisted:

Actually, I'm kind of curious how it'll turn out. I was really tempted to use a pre-made town, but then I thought "what the hell."

I'm just hoping I pulled off a good balance, so that the choices aren't too easy and obvious. Though, really, even if it is a simple choice as to who to blow away and who to talk down, I guess those sorts of towns aren't necessarily bad either.

It'll be interesting. :P

3cl1ps3

Character name: Charles Wolfwood
Age: 19
Background: Strong history

Numbers:

Stats (13)
Acuity: 2
Heart: 2
Body: 4
Will: 5

Traits (3d6 4d8 3d10)
I'm an incredible shot: 3d8
I'm a Dog: 1d6
I will hound my target to the ends of the earth, never will I fail: 1d8
I can handle myself in a fist fight, or with a knife: 1d10
My way is that of the Lord; repent and I may have mercy upon you: 1d6
I always find what I'm looking for: 1d6
My mind carries me through the worst; my body is but an anchor weighing me to this earth, and its suffering and pain is temporary and meaningless: 2d10

Relationships (1d4 3d6 2d8)
Bill, a childhood friend: 1d4
Father Black: 1d6

Belongings
A massive, powerful repeating rifle: 2d8 1d4
A brown, well-made leather coat with many internal pockets: 2d6
A large, sharp hunting knife: 2d8
My father's Book of Life: 1d8
A jar of consecrated earth: 1d6
My horse Zeke, a large black gelding: 1d8
Rope, always useful: 1d8
My grandfather's harmonica, a rusted scrap of a thing: 1d4

Accomplishment: I hope I proved my worth to my parents

Background:

Charles's parents are rich and powerful, both of them being incredibly accomplished. Since he was a child he has felt eclipsed by them (and indeed, his parents have never seen him as being worthy of their name). He spent most of his time with his uncle, himself a Dog, who taught him how to shoot and showed him the Wisdom and Compassion of the Lord, revealed in the Book of Life. His uncle left when Charles was 15, with the parting words "Remember what I've taught you, boy, and strive to serve the Lord in all things; urge the sinner to repent, but have no mercy upon those who will not."

Charles follows this advice to the letter; he will try to convert the fallen, but if he perceives it as being a lost cause he will simply kill them. He is tall but very lean, and incredibly determined. He isn't stupid, but he has no desire to learn and would rather shoot his way out of a situation then think his way out of it. He is kind to his friends, but tends to be merciless to heretics.

He is absolutely committed to bringing back, or if necessary destroying, those who have fallen from the way of the Lord. He will fight through the worst of injuries, his indomitable will carrying him through everything. His eyes seem to burn like ice; though his mercilessness makes him a force to be reckoned with in a fight, he is often rebuked for being too unforgiving and unwilling to understand those who have fallen from God's path.

His only desire in life is to serve God as one of His Watchdogs.

SAW776

One thing for each of you, actually.

@El Skid: You either need the trait "I'm a Dog" or you need to assign some relationship dice to the Dogs.

@3clipse: You can't stack dice of different sizes into a single trait or belonging unless its a gun. So your Book of Life, for instance, needs to be either 1d8 or 1d6, it can't be 1d8+1d6

Other than that, your character will also lead to interesting things in this town. Especially with El Skid's. :P

3cl1ps3

SAW776 wrote: »

One thing for each of you, actually.

@El Skid: You either need the trait "I'm a Dog" or you need to assign some relationship dice to the Dogs.

@3clipse: You can't stack dice of different sizes into a single trait or belonging unless its a gun. So your Book of Life, for instance, needs to be either 1d8 or 1d6, it can't be 1d8+1d6

Other than that, your character will also lead to interesting things in this town. Especially with El Skid's. :P

Fix'd =P

SAW776

I'd really like to be able to start the game by monday, so, I guess I'll set the deadline for these to sunday night, and then we'll start with Initiations once I get the players chosen.

El Skid

SAW776 wrote: »

@El Skid: You either need the trait "I'm a Dog" or you need to assign some relationship dice to the Dogs.

Other than that, your character will also lead to interesting things in this town. Especially with El Skid's. :P

Fixed- "I can do anything a man can do" and "I'm a dog" are pretty much interchangeable alot of the time, at least in my character's case.

admanb

Name: Aidan Bloom
Age: 21
Background: Complicated History

Stats (15):
Acuity: 5
Body: 2
Heart: 4
Will: 4

Traits (4d4, 2d6, 2d10):
I'm a good shot: 1d6
I can play most stringed instruments: 1d6
I hate shooting at another human: 2d4
I have a sarcastic, cynical sense of humor: 2d4
I'm philosophically curious: 1d10
I rarely talk, but people tend to listen when I do: 1d10

Relationships (5d6, 2d8):
I'm a dog: 1d6
Widow Carlson: 2d8
Brother Christensen: 1d6

Belongings:

My Coat: 2d6 - a simple coat with a large, elegant five-pointed star on the back, stiched with gold thread by the Lady Carlson.
Standard revolver: 1d6 1d4 - a basic gun, used mostly for putting holes in trees and old buckets.
Jar of consecrated earth: 1d4 - usually carried in a side pocket or somewhere similarly inconvenient.
An almost brand-new Book of Life: 1d6
Daniel: 2d6 - a prize-winning horse, a gift from the Lady Carlson.

Accomplishment: I hope to prove it's possible to do things my way.

Background:

Aidan never felt quite right about his training as a dog, but as he was selected by a well-respected Steward, he accepted it. His philosophical curiosity doesn't fit the Dogs more straightforward views, but as long as he's doing the job he'll act as he's expected -- as long as it doesn't conflict too much.

The Widow Carlson is the most important figure in Aidan's life. A middle-aged woman whose wealthy husband died shortly after they married, she filled a role that Aidan's simple, but loving parents never could: a discussion partner. Aidan's habit of bringing up philosophical arguments had a tendency to get him in trouble in his early life, which eventually led him to stop bringing them up and contributed to his overall refusal to voice an opinion. But Carlson, an old friend of the family, noticed this change and began inviting him over for discussions under the pretext of having him do landscaping for her. This became a weekly habit interrupted only by the most intense periods of Dog training.

Aidan's approach to the Dog lifestyle is largely neutral. He is no fanatical follower, but he's not an insidious subverter either. As long as he's not forced to do anything he considers abhorrent, he'll gladly serve alongside other Dogs to bring peace to congregations.

SAW776

El Skid wrote: »

SAW776 wrote: »

@El Skid: You either need the trait "I'm a Dog" or you need to assign some relationship dice to the Dogs.

Other than that, your character will also lead to interesting things in this town. Especially with El Skid's. :P

Fixed- "I can do anything a man can do" and "I'm a dog" are pretty much interchangeable alot of the time, at least in my character's case.

Actually, I'll allow that if you'd like, as I can totally see that being true.

Paranoia833

Sorry about the delay, friday was an important day for me and I had a lot on my plate. Anyway let's hope I've got this right:

Brother Virgil Croswell

Acuity 3d6
Body 3d6
Heart 5d6
Will 4d6

Traits:
3d4- I hate using guns
1d4 -Inclined to forgive and forget
2d6- I know what it’s like to hold a grudge
2d10- I know that even the smallest sin festers if left unchallenged

Relationships:
2d6- Danny Lovejoy, The drunk I converted to the faith
1d8- Steward Mathews, taught me right from wrong and trained me for the dogs
1d6- I’m a Dog
2d6, 1d8- undefined

Belongings
2d6 My Coat- Lovingly stitched by Virgil’s mother and sisters, the work that has gone into it is testament to their mutual dedication.
2d6+1d4- Pa’s gun. Though rarely used, Virgil keeps it immaculate.
1d6- Book of Life. A common edition, the book is showing its age, but that’s from frequent use rather than neglect.
2d8- Fine hunting knife.


History:
Virgil’s early childhood was fairly uneventful. His parents were good, clean-living folk of the faith, just trying to get by on the easternmost fringes of the vineyard.

All that changed when, at the age of 13, Virgil saw watched his dad die while out hunting. The shot that killed him was an accident, his murderer a drunken migrant with bad experiences back east who saw a guy with a gun and didn’t think before firing. His father took a bullet to the gut and died several hours later, all the while telling his son to go back and take care of his Mama and siblings and not to go east on some fool grudge.

Virgil was as good as his word, and while he could never quite let go of his anger at the injustice of it all, he did everything he could to keep his family afloat. It was a few months later when, among a group of men travelling west looking for work, he spotted the man who’d shot his father. Unable to stop himself he took his father’s old gun and, without saying a word to anyone, left west to follow him. It took him a few days to catch them up, and within a few hours he had the man in his sights, separated from his comrades. He could’ve taken his vengeance there and then, but Virgil just couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger.

Throwing caution to the wind, Virgil stepped out of his hiding place and leapt at the man. Still a kid, Virgil never stood a chance in the ensuing brawl, but when the man recognised who Virgil was, he fell apart. Both battered and exhausted, Virgil learned that the stranger had lost his friends to bandits on the road years ago and sought solace in drink. Seeing that the man was genuinely wracked with guilt, and realising that he couldn’t bring himself to kill the man, Virgil talked with him and eventually persuaded him to come back with him to see the Steward, and abandon the snare of alcohol for the true absolution of the King of Life.

From that day forth the Steward took exceptional interest in Virgil, and a few years later, asked him to become a dog. Since then Virgil has always tried to solve disputes with words, not guns, though he’s always known it would only be a matter of time before drawing a gun would be the only way to prevent a greater evil occurring.

Accomplishment:
I hope I never have to kill for my faith

SAW776

Looks good to me.

I'll have to think on how to run your Initiation given your Accomplishment, but I'm sure I can figure out something interesting.

SAW776

Alright, so, deadline is in about 8 and a half hours or so--about 5:30pm Eastern.

psycojester

Hmm sounds like a cool game, if you're still taking players i'd like to throw my hat into the ring.

Brother Jonah Stanton

Numbers

Complicated Background

Stats
Acuity- 3d6
Body- 3d6
Heart-4d6
Will- 5d6

Traits
Shaky on the finer points of the faith - 1d4
Mediocre Horseman- 2d4
Hot temper- 1d4
Quick with a gun - 2d6
Been scrapping since I was a pup- 1d10
Determined to prove himself- 1d10

Relationships
Jessica Mathers- the girl I left behind 1d6
My pa, Alexander Stanton, the dirty rat who ran out on our ma 1d6
Father Nathaniel Felspar 1d8 raised me and my brother
My brother Elijah Stanton was a Dog; I’m trying to live up to that 1d8
(2d6 undefined)

Belongings
Coat- Jonah’s Coat is a long black frock coat, it’s hem, collar and wrists decorated with an inexpertly sewn black and white checkerboard pattern.
Wicked Sharp cut-throat razor- 2d6
Dusty ‘faithful mongrel’-1d6
Horse ‘disobedient hellspawned monster….. that happens to be horse-shaped’- 1d4
Elijahs Book of Life- a little battered but it’s important to me 1d6
Revolver-1d6+1d4

Accomplishment- I hope I’m somebody my brother would respect

Background

Jonah & Elijah spent the first 4 years of their lives living with their parents in a tight-knit Faithful community in a big city back East (not sure if it exists in the Dogs universe if it does assume New York). Things were just dandy until the boys mother fell ill. The Twin’s mother was bed ridden for several months during which time the boy’s father ran out, leaving the children and the community to care for their mother as best they could.

After her passing the Stanton brothers were placed under the protection of Father Nathaniel Felspar at Lifes river orphanage, left to their own devices for most of the day and tutored in the ways of the Faith in the evenings. Elijah took to the Faith like a fish to water, always passionate and eager, Jonah less so. To Jonah the big city held more interest than the Faith and he spent as much time as possible running with the city’s urchins and street folk, learning to cut-purse, sneak thief and brawl in the alleys and gutters. But in spite of their differences the Stanton brothers loved each other.

On his 18th birthday Elijah was sent West to complete his training and serve as a Dog, Jonah went with him.

During the journey westwards Elijah took a bad fall from his horse and shattered his leg. Days from civilisation and unskilled in medicine, Elijah’s leg went bad and festered. As his brother lay dying, Jonah stayed with him, nursing him as best he could and reading to him from the Book. When Elijah eventually passed, Jonah buried him, took up his brother’s coat and book and continued westwards, determined to honour his brother’s commitment to the Faith.

Jonah’s knowledge of the word of the faith is less than perfect, and sometimes his solutions tend towards the most direct possible course. But none doubt his drive and commitment.

SAW776

Alright, thread's up!

http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=95949

El Skid, 3clipse, and admanb are the three dogs this time around.

However, if this goes well I'll probably run another game after this one.

admanb

Oh, what are we using to roll dice? Are we just gonna use the honor system?

SAW776

Invisible castle. If you check my post, the underlined things that say "Brother Isiah's Roll" or "Charles' Father's Roll" are links to invisible castle. Just link to the roll and then list the numbers like I did in that opening post.

Figure that should keep everything good and clear, though if anybody has any suggestions, feel free.

Cheeseliker

Ugh, too late again it looks late. Good luck everyone and I'll be keeping an eye on this.