The game's a single encounter, where I'd like to try an encounter format I came up with specifically for pbp. According to my hopes, it's shorter, less complicated, more creative than the traditional approach, while still structured and based on character abilities.
All in all, I'd like to unify encounters (combat, social, exploration, whatever else you can think of) into a single, consistent, creative, fun, and system-agnostic format. Since the format is an add-on to a game, I still need a system, this time it's 5e.
The encounter has Hp (which I call progress), the characters can 'damage' it and when it runs out of Hp it's solved. However, every turn the encounter itself can 'attack', which can mean a lot of different things.
In this particular encounter, it inflicts time, and events that hinder the PCs. It's about getting across a river. It has three stages, depending on the current Hp (progress): this side, middle, other side. Each stage has its own list of events, each of which defines the losses and the necessary rolls.
During each turn, after the turn's event is revealed but before making any rolls, every player can activate any character ability or use any item in creative ways to get bonuses either for making progress or dealing with the turn's event. Or whatever rolls you make. Tell me what you use, you'll get some bonuses.
The very simple story: The Enemy is a dark presence rising in the west. Lady Paula Karamito, a paladin of some renown went to investigate a few months ago. A few days ago the town where the PCs are staying received a message from her by a homing pigeon: Two children have witnessed an agent of the Enemy. I've escorted them near Wideford and sent them there. I left them to draw away the pursuers, but it's only a matter of time before they find the children. Get them before they are caught.
You are the people sent by the town to rescue the kids and the lore they have. You are standing on this side of the river, watching the two frightened kids holding each other's hands on the other side. The task is time-critical, as you can see a group of riders approaching in the distance, by the group's estimation about half an hour from the ford.
All players with a finished character will be accepted to the game, and I'll make (or you'll make) groups of up to five to play through the encounter. I'm looking for short-term fun, and lots of useful feedback on the idea.
Malkavian Grin
Josh
Laird Ichofox
RobBadener
Laird_Thorne
Gilda
bloodsprite
Arcticus
Datura ferox
ValisSirana
meseszovo
ChaosCircle
Anemone
![[LPF] Brinestump Marsh](//mwbaldrcdkstack-ipbuploads6f377ba5-6asvxg6ywium.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/monthly_2023_03/BarloAvatar.cropped.jpg.6c64ea9961db958bcce7dd949ab0c38f.jpg)
Paro
Handle
darkhugh
Toomanywins
AlexanderML
Death_Knight
mildly_competent
sunshadow21
Miltonian
SithShrink
![[LPF] Brinestump Marsh](http://mwbaldrcdkstack-ipbuploads6f377ba5-6asvxg6ywium.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/monthly_2023_03/BarloAvatar.cropped.jpg.6c64ea9961db958bcce7dd949ab0c38f.jpg){kind=avatar}
