Game Description
Approaching Terror
In the fantasy city of Celscor, where the mathematical “Runic Magic” is commonplace and “Inborn Magic” is feared, a series of bizarre killings have lead authorities to believe that there is a serial killer on the loose. It is not known whether the killer is human or an Orcnea, one of the numerous and varied monstrosities that lives in the Wastelands that separate the cities of Serapis. A Magus, who must keep his/her Art a secret from all but his/her closest companions, has gathered together a small band of talented acquaintances to try to put a stop to this fiend.
What You Need to Know About the World
I am trying to keep world information minimal so that the group can all participate in world-building, but here are some basics that we will be starting with:
Celscor is a major city, known for its mastery of machines and Runic Magic, in the region of Serapis.
Cities in Serapis tend to be very large and vastly separated.
The Wastelands between cities are mysterious and feared.
The Wastelands contain Orcneas, the generic name for numerous chaotic beings, ranging in power, intelligence and malevolence.
Major settlements, of which Celscor is no exception, usually have very high walls surrounding them that are adorned with Runes which act as a barrier to keep out Orcneas and their mind-poisoning influence.
It is possible, but culturally uncommon, to travel to other cities.
Magic is an everyday part of culture.
Mathematic magic driven by Runes that give special properties to what they are marked onto is the only acceptable form of magic. Anything else is associated with the Orcneas.
Engineers build machines that are powered by Runes.
True Magi with Inborn Magic are very rare.
True Magi, when known for what they are, are feared and often treated as Orcneas.
Game System
This is a playtest of an experimental system that I am working on.
See here for more details.
This game is about marrying freeform and traditional Pen & Paper RPGs together. Everyone shares in the creation of the setting and has great freedom in writing what their characters are doing, but the main plot (and other bits, like combat) is driven by the GM to retain structure, direction and mystery.
Posting Expectations
At minimum, players should expect to post at least three times per week.
I will try to post as often as I can, but I generally only have a little time very early every morning.
There are
some rules about posting format.
I would prefer longer than one-sentence posts. On the other hand, I’m not a fan of very long posts. Try to interact with others as much as possible.
How to Apply
Submit here by March 23rd with your character’s name in the thread title. Please
read the character creation post first. I am looking for three to five players total, one of which will play the Magus. Only one Magus will be selected, so feel free to submit another character to be on the safe side. The other characters were either contacted by the Magus because of previous adventures with him/her or because they were connected to one of the victims.
After the 23rd, there will be a week of setup and we will start on the 30th.
Approaching Terror
