NO MORE PEOPLE ARE ACCEPTED IN THE WAITING LIST! THE GAME WILL END WHEN ONLY 2 PLAYERS ARE LEFT ALIVE!
Inspired by other RTDs, I decide to do an RTD of my own. The standard roll will be d12 -/+ modifiers :2 rounded up. To keep things different, the genre will be eldritch horror set a few years after World War II. You were all just living your lives and one day you wake up in an old medieval castle with no way out. That's all you need to know.
We will have both health and sanity.
Health will be dealt with realistically - wounds instead of hit points, medicine only treats smaller wounds, large wounds are harder to cure. Don't worry, I intend to kill everyone pretty quickly anyway.
Sanity will work as a meter.
100-80 - Perfectly okay.
50-79 - Stressed. Will have a -1 modifier for all rolls.
20-49 - Scared. Will have a -1 modifier for all rolls and will have to take unnecessary rolls for small things like picking up items, opening doors, walking and etc.
1-19 - Going insane. Will have a -1 modifier for all rolls, will have to take unnecessary rolls and will have hallucination which will further reduce your sanity as well as warp your vision of the surroundings.
0 - Insane. The player loses. His character becomes an NPC under the GMs control which will attack other players.
Sanity can be lost by staying in the dark, getting wounded, seeing scary sights and etc. However the most dangerous sanity reducers are supernatural beings and forces which range from weak -10 sanity spirits, to horrible creatures from different dimensions which can easily reduce your sanity by 40 per turn.
Ways to restore/protect sanity:
Relax. Takes a turn. Gives you only +15 sanity, but costs no items. Won't help scared or worse characters. Can't be done in darkness.
Wash with cold water. Gives you +30 sanity, can only be done if you have/are near water. Won't help characters that are going insane.
Herbal medicine. Gives you +50 sanity. Can be done by any characters, but consumes the item. Free action.
Comfort. Needs to be done by another character. Raises the characters sanity to that of the comforter. won't help characters that are going insane.
Potion of sanity. A very rare item that will give you +100 sanity. A life saver and one of the only ways to save characters that are going insane. Free action.
Alcohol. For three turns the character is immune to sanity loss and doesn't suffer from any symptoms of insanity, but gets -2 to all rolls.
Light is critical to keep your sanity. In darkness you lose -10 sanity each turn and in dungeons (which are pitch black) you lose -30 sanity.
Candles start as a "candle 2/2" item and melt 1 point per turn as you use them. They will protect you from the darkness, but won't help you in dungeons. Torches work the same, but last 4 turns.
Lanterns are more useful items. For them to work, you need lantern oil which is rarer but unlike candles lasts 4 turns. Unlike candles, lanterns will light dungeons, which contain many eldritch scrolls, but also many paranormal forces.
During the game you will be able to find eldritch scrolls from which you can learn spells. However both reading them and casting spells will reduce sanity, forcing the player to choose between sacrificing sanity to fight supernatural forces or trying to escape, but possibly losing more sanity.
Character skills:
Archaeologist. +1 to reading eldritch scrolls/tomes. Casting spells takes 10 less sanity.
Brave. Max sanity becomes 120.
Medic. +1 to medicine rolls. Can heal large wounds. Can use fire to cauterize small cuts.
Brute. +1 to combat and any rolls that require physical strength.
Unbeliever. Takes rolls when seeing supernatural forces. Doesn't lose sanity if the roll is 6.
Relaxed. Relaxing restores 10 more sanity.
Realist. Doesn't lose sanity from darkness and can relax in darkness(dungeons don't count).
Scavenger. +1 to searching.
Character flaws:
Illiterate. -1 to reading eldritch scrolls/tomes. Casting spells takes 5 more sanity.
Weak. -1 to combat and rolls that require physical strength.
Believer. +10 sanity loss from supernatural forces.
Nervous. Can't relax.
Coward. Loses sanity due to darkness twice as fast (except dungeons). Takes 5 sanity damage per turn in dungeons in addition to the normal sanity loss, even with a lantern.
Hasty. -1 to searching.
Over-imaginative. Has hallucinations when scared, but not going insane. However hallucinations only reduce sanity when going insane.
Fanatic. Dark forces communicate to the character. He has to take a roll each time he witnesses paranormal activity and if he rolls 1 or 2, he will be drawn to it.
Form:
Name:<Serious name and surname> (<forum user name>)
Appearance and bio:<Serious>
Skill:<1 skill>
Flaw:<1 flaw>
Status:<Healthy>
Sanity:<100/100 or 120/120 if you took the skill.>
Inventory:<Empty. You start without anything. Clothes don't count as items, they exist in your description. You have an unlimited amount of matches for simplicity. You can carry 5 or less items.>
Note: Don't try to be a smartass and take a skill and flaw which are opposite (like archaeologist and illiterate).
Players (5 slots, insane characters don't count):
Name: Amelius Blackthorn
Appearance and bio: Amelius is an archaeologist who many think has gone "A little over the hill". Prof. Blackthorn used to be an authority on relics that were linked to worship ceremonies. Recently though many have come to doubt his stability, he believes a little too much in what he's been digging up, and those who know him have confessed that he says he hears voices in his sleep telling him where to dig. Almost entirely white haired and wrinkled from the sun, no few scholars pity the 72 year old fading legend. Tan slacks, brown dress shoes, brown overcoat, white button-up shirt.
Skill: Archaeologist
Flaw: Fanatic
Status: Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100
Inventory: Empty.
Name:Christopher Haslag
Appearance and bio:Young, tall and lanky. Has attempted to grow a goatee but his facial hairs isn't really up to it. Wears A T-shirt (usually black or red) and Khakis.
Skill: Unbeliever
Flaw: Over imaginative
Status: Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100
Inventory: Empty.
Name: Wymar Sane (Darvi)
Appearance: Guy in his early 20s. wears fleece jackets and a headband
Skill:Realist
Flaw:Hasty
Status:Healthy.
Sanity:100/100
Inventory: Empty.
Name:Kaguro Draven (KaguroDraven)
Appearance and bio:Kaguro is of just below average hight and is thin for his size, He had dark brown, nearly black, hair that reaches his mid-back and brown eyes. He is oddly pale and usually looks bored or like he's thinking. Wears jeans and a t-shirt with something witty written on it.
Skill:Realist
Flaw:Over-imaginative
Status:Healthy
Sanity:100/100
Inventory:Nothing.
Dead:
-Wallace Johnson (Taricus) 60 points!
Killed by a humanoid creature.
Achievements:
-First to die (10 points. Self-explanatory.)
-Death by Mocking (20 points. Self-explanatory.)
-Bravery Kills (20 points. Fought when he could try running away.)
-Lazy (10 points.Did nothing useful.)
-Bob Smith (Krath) 50 points!
Had his throat bitten by a mysterious beast.
Achievements:
-Too dumb to live (20 points. Played the entire game as an oblivious idiot character.)
-Explorer (10 points. Was on dungeon level.)
-CHAAAAAAARGE! (10 points. Fought a creature like a REAL MAN.)
-Misfortune (10 points. Died due to a double -1 modifier. Ouch.)
Insane:
-Owain Jones (quip) 50 points!
Went insane.
Achievements:
-First to lose it. (30 points. INSANITY YAY!)
-Hint: Not a newspaper. (20 points. Tomes are not toys, kids.)
I know English as a second language and would like to get better at it, especially at storytelling. Feel free to criticize.
Accepted Draignean, Taricus, warhammer651, krath and quip. I have decided you can carry a maximum of 5 items by the way.
I wanted to mention that this will be less Cthulhu and more Amnesia: The Dark descent. So no Cthulhu devouring everyone on turn 1. Also, a player can join the waiting list even if he had already died/went insane already, since, yes I intend to start killing people off at ~turn 6. I'm having 5 player not because of a difficult system, but because I prefer to play at a faster place and focus on characters individually.
Anyway, let's start, shall we?
- - - - - - -
Turn 1: Awakening.
-You wake up on a cold stone floor. The first thing you see is an ancient chandelier. You stand up and look around. You're in the top level of some sort of tower. The once beautiful stained glass windows were shattered and you can feel a cold breeze. You lean through one of the windows. It seems you are in a castle. The night is starry and theres a full moon. You feel you are too tired to think or feel afraid. You look at the room once again. Theres a slightly opened door leading to a stairwell. You open the door. You can go through two doors, one probably leading to a keeps attic and the other one probably leading to the main building.
-You wake up to the sound of collapsing rock. It appears you were sleeping in the middle of a hallway. You're head hurts slightly. The place smells of old blood and decay. Your surroundings are pretty dark, but you don't mind. One side of the hallway has collapsed and you couldn't go there no matter how hard you tried. The other side has stairs that lead up. There is also a rusty iron door on the side of the hallway. The disgusting smell is stronger there. You don't know what's behind the door, but you probably don't want to find out anyway.
-You wake up cold and wet. You open your eyes. You were sleeping in a hallway flooded knee-deep with foul smelling water. You have no idea how you fell asleep there. The hallway has torches on both sides so it's quite well lit. On one side of the hallway, you can see stairs leading up. Upon closer examination, the stairs are wet, so something must of been moved there. On the other side, the hallway leads much deeper and you can't see any end of it.
-You wake up on the floor of a room illuminated by moonlight through a hole in the ceiling. There is an unlit candle on a small table. The room is unpleasantly dry and somewhat cold. There is door leading to another room on one side and a partially collapsed stairway in the middle. Both are dark. The whole place has an eerie abandoned atmosphere. You would rather stay here, but your survival instinct says otherwise.
- You wake up lying against a wall of what appears to be a small church. The place would look abandoned if not the burning torches on the walls. There is only one exit - through a large double door. There is a small chest behind the altar and some bookshelves by the walls. You feel anxious. Something tells you the wisest choice would probably be leaving as fast as possible.
- - - - - - -
Sorry for kind of rushing this towards the end. I'm tired. Better, more atmospheric posts tomorrow. I plan to start tossing in ghosts and shit next round.
Since I forgot mentioning torches, torches will work for 5 turns, but won't illuminate dungeons. I will add them to the first post.
- - - - - -
Turn 2: First scares.
-Going up the stairs you hear the iron door in the hallway creak as it opens. (10 : 2 = 5) You feel a slight shiver run down your spine, but you ignore it (-5 Sanity). You find yourself in a room with a fireplace, a couch and a table with an unlit candle. There is a carpet which appears to be stained with some kind of liquid. ((11 - 1) : 2 = 5) On closer inspection, it turns out to be ordinary mud. However you can't help but wonder how it got here (-5 sanity). You also notice a painting on one of the walls, but it's far away from the fireplace and hard to see. There are also two doors in the room. One is a completely ordinary wooden door. The other door is barricaded with planks and chains from your side and has some writings in unknown languages on it. The sight is disturbing ((11 - 1) : 2 = 5), but you remain relatively calm (-5 sanity).
Status:Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 85/100
Inventory: Empty.
-You notice the chandelier is too high for you to reach. You then decide to close the door. Suddenly all the windows completely shatter, as if an invisible wave of force went through the room. (3 : 2 = ~2) The sight makes you jump and you feel your body shiver ( -25 sanity). However you notice that the force knocked a candle out of the chandelier. You take the candle and look out of the window again. You examine the castle more closely. It is huge and has a lot of towers, some other buildings connected to it such as a church and stable. You notice something move on the castle walls. You focus try to take a closer look, but it suddenly disappears. ((9 - 1) : 2 = 4) You start nervously walking in circles and find it hard to think (- 20 sanity).
Status: Scared (-1 to all rolls, has to take unnecessary rolls)
Sanity: 55/100
Inventory: Candle 3/3.
-You walk through the doors. You are in a dark corridor (-5 sanity from darkness). The door in front of you has a lock on it and something written on it. There is also a door on the side of the corridor. Suddenly you hear something that sounds like... a womans laughter? The sound appears to come from the church. ((6 - 1) : 2 = 3) You jump and turn towards the church ( - 15 sanity). You see that there is now a strange mist coming from the church. You feel somehow tempted to go there. For a moment you feel incredibly relaxed and peaceful. ((8-1) : 2 = ~4) Suddenly you notice you were walking towards the mist. You were very close to the mist. You could possibly reach it with your hand from here. "What the hell is going on here?" , you wonder ((7-1) : 2 = 3) ( - 25 sanity).
Status: Scared (-1 to all rolls, has to take unnecessary rolls)
Sanity: 55/100
Inventory: Empty.
-You take a torch from the wall cautiously climb the stairs. You find yourself in a small room with two exits - an open door that leads to some kind of storage room and a closed door under which you can see a wet trail. You turn towards the tunnel. The end of it is pitch black. You hear the water splashing in the distance, as if something was quickly moving towards you. (9 : 2 = ~5) You do the best to stay calm, however the idea of something chasing you is still horrifying (-20 sanity). You still have the willpower to do something. You know you need to run or hide somewhere right now.
Status:Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 80/100
Inventory: Torch 5/5.
-You grab the candle and light it. You check your backpack. It's completely empty. You go through the doorway. You end up in a small chamber with a few crates and chests. You can't see much in such a dark room. Suddenly the door behind you closes. You try to open it, but it's barred from the other side. (2 :2 = 1) You feel your heart beating fast and you start frantically looking around (-30 sanity). After some time you regain hope. Maybe there is still a way to leave.
Status:Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 70/100
Inventory: Candle 2/3.
Hmm... It appears I'm killing you off slightly faster than expected. And writing like this takes a lot of time. Glad I only took 5 players.
@quip : Write in a less smug and non-TVtropes way, or else karma will get you after 1-2 turns.
- - - - - - -
Turn 3:Losing is fun
-You go down the stairs ((2-1) : 2 = ~1) and fall down, breaking your leg (-5 sanity). You manage to go to the attic. It is dark, so you try lighting your candle ((3-1) : 2), but slightly burn your finger before succeeding (-5). The attic has no exits except the one which you came in through. There are some crates and chests in the room, a small writing table with some kind of book on it ,a chair and a bed.
Status: Scared (-1 to all rolls, has to take unnecessary rolls), broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane), burned finger (-1 to actions that require some dexterity).
Sanity: 45/100
Inventory: Candle 2/3.
-You think about lighting the candle, but it is unnecessary. You decide to relax a little (+10 sanity). You hear heavy footsteps from the hallway you came from. ((6-1) :2 = ~3) You feel a little scared (-20 sanity). Perhaps you shouldn't stay here for long.
Status:Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Empty.
- (-5 sanity because of darkness) You run to the side door ((6 - 1) :2 = ~3) and manage to get there without any accidents. You close the door behind you. You see a wooden pole on the floor and try to barricade the door with it ((4 - 1) : 2 = ~2), but drop it out of stress. You quickly look around the room. You can see a locked wooden door. It looks old enough to break. You hastily search for anything of use ((11 - 1) : 2) and find a lantern and some lantern oil. The mist is getting closer now and it is almost in the storage room. ((10-1) : 2 = ~5) You react quite calmly to the situation (-10 sanity).
Status: Scared (-1 to all rolls, has to take unnecessary rolls)
Sanity: 40/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil 5/5.
-You relax a bit (+10 sanity).
Status:Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 80/100
Inventory: Candle 1/3.
-You head into the storage room (it is dark -5 sanity) and ((5 - 1) : 2 = 2) barricade the door with a chest. However the chest is a light one and could be broken down quite quickly. You search the chests ((4-1) :2 = ~2), but find nothing of use. You can hear the steps closer to you and suddenly something begins hitting the door. The barricade will not last long. ((10-1) : 2 = ~5) You remain quite calm (-10 sanity). There is another door in the storage room. Perhaps you can still escape.
Status:Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 5/5.
- - - - - - -
Turn 4: In which, .
-You yell at the creature something that includes its father, a stick and some sandpaper. You notice a humanoid shape coming out of the hallway. The creature is much larger than you, its body is pale and covered in scars and blood. It is wearing an executioners hood so you can't see its face. By the time you stand up it is already near you. ((5-1) :2 = 4) You panic (-15 sanity). ((1-1) :2 = 0 : 2) The creature grabs you by the head and smashes your body against the wall...
You open your eyes. The creature you saw before is dragging through a hallway you by the leg. You could try running, fighting or waiting for a better chance to escape.
Status:A few broken ribs, broken leg (-1 to mobility rolls, takes mobility rolls when sane), beaten head (-1 to thinking), stressed (-1 to all rolls).
Sanity: 60/100
Inventory: Empty.
-You light your lantern and try to smash the door. ((1 - 1 -1) :2 = -0,5) You fail horribly, unlike the mist which you can now feel on your back, giving you shivers ((12-1) : 2 = 6), however you accept your fate and keep completely calm.
Status: Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 40/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil 3/4.
-Not realizing you're in a medieval castle, you search for a pump shotgun. ((11 - 1) : 2 = 5) instead you find a lantern, lantern oil and a trapdoor through which you could exit. Your candle goes out (-10 sanity due to darkness).
Status:Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 70/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil (4/4).
-You quickly head into the next room. What luck? It appears to have a lock on it from your side and theres a table with the key close to you. You lock the door, just before the creature starts smashing it. However you can see the door will hold. There is a chest in the room, a few boxes and on the wall you can see an old ceremonial knife, which you decide to take.
Status:Stressed (-1 to all rolls)
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife.
-You sit down. Your leg doesn't heal, because it's...well...broken. However your finger does. You open the book. ((8 - 1 + 1) : 2 = 4 ) However it is written in some kind of ancient language. Maybe you could decipher it later, right now it seems to be complete gibberish. Good thing it didn't make you insane, right? Heh, like that would happen!
Status: Stressed (-1 to all rolls), broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 45/100
Inventory: Candle 1/2.
- - - - - - -
New poll!
Also:
Well... getting a little stressed because of that I can see.
Going insane, not so much
It was -5 sanity. It's hardly going insane, just stress.
No, you no I love you.
o Krath u such a homo
Removed loner/social and similar feats/flaws. I decided having you alone all the time would be more fun. Also the castle keeps changing all the time. It has a mind of its own. Also medics can now heal large wounds. There will also be rare potions of health, which I have not included in the OP.
- - - - - - -
Turn 5:
- ((9-1) : 2 = 4) You manage to break the creatures grip on your leg and stand up. The creature faces you ((4 - 1) : 2 = ~2) and punches you before you react. The hit was strong, making you lose balance and fall down. ((5 - 1) : 2 =2) You try to crawl away, but the creature smashes you. You feel enormous pain as the world around you goes dark.
Status: Dead.
-You open the chest from behind, not realizing that creatures don't have the intelligence to make traps and ghosts experience...technical difficulty. In the chest you find some kind of tome. You then use the chest to barricade the door since it is very heavy (no roll because you had plenty of time to do it).
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife, mysterious tome.
- ((7- 1) : 2) You try to smash the door again, but you only succeed after the mist is all around you. You run (( 8 - 1 ) : 2 = ~4) without having any accidents. There is an open door leading into some kind of large hall and stairs leading down into the dungeons. You stop to regain your breath and... holy shit where did those scratches come from?
Status: Scared, lots of small scratches on back and chest.
Sanity: 40/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil 3/4.
By the way, it was the mist.
-You hop down through the trapdoor. It is very dark and you figure you're in the basement level (Warning : entered dungeons). You walk down the hallway and enter a room which has many bookshelves and some kind of statue in the middle. There are also two exits, one leading to a large hall and another leading into a hallway. Suddenly a book falls from one of the bookshelves as if moved by an unseen force and lands open right in front of you. (( 3 - 1 ) : 2 = 1 ) (-20 sanity)
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 50/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil (3/4).
- You open a few containers ((4 - 1) : 2 = ~2), but find nothing. You exit the room before the candle goes out. You hear a screech coming from the tower. ((9 - 1) : 2 = 4) (-10 sanity)
Status: Scared), broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 35/100
Inventory: Mysterious tome.
Darvi is next. Will put him in next turn.
Pssst...Check the "dead" section near the end of the OP.
- - - - - - -
Turn 6: In which you regain sanity.
- You open the book ((5-1) : 2 = 2) and start reading. However you don't understand what's written and feel as if some kind of higher force stops you from reading (-15 sanity).
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 60/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife, mysterious tome.
- ((10 - 1 + 1) = 5) You attempt to decipher the tome and succeed. You learn the spell "exorcise".
Status: Scared), broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 35/100
Inventory: Mysterious tome.
Spells: Exorcise - Attempt to destroy an incorporeal foe. Costs 20 sanity.
Too bad you lack sanity, eh?
-You relax in the hallway (+25 sanity). It appears the mist has stopped following you.
Status: Stressed, lots of small scratches on back and chest.
Sanity: 65/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil 2/4.
-You relax (+15 sanity) and then examine the statue. It appears to be a statue of Hitler. You're not sure though. You don't know any other nazies.
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 65/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil (3/4).
-You wake up in a small storage room full of crates. There is a locked rather weak door in the room. There are bars separating the room in half. Perhaps theres a way to get to the other side. There's an old expensive looking chest on the other side.
Status:Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100.
Inventory:Empty.
Darvi, choose a flaw since I removed antisocial.
- - - - - - -
Turn 7: In which some positions get better and some worse.
-You relax (+15 sanity). There is no need to light your torch. You try to insult the monster ((1 - 1) : 2 = UTTER FAILURE), but your insult turns out weak. Really weak. You now feel like the worlds biggest tool (-100 self-esteem).
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife, mysterious tome.
- (( 3 - 1 ) : 2 = 1) You search the crates, but find nothing.
Status:Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100.
Inventory:Empty.
- (( 10 - 1 ) : 2 = ~5) you go down the stairs without any accidents. You enter a small room flooded knee-deep. There are a few crates and an old, weak looking locked door.
Status: Scared), broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 35/100
Inventory: Mysterious tome.
Spells: Exorcise - Attempt to destroy an incorporeal foe. Costs 20 (-10 = 10) sanity.
-You give "Hitler" the finger. Surprisingly it makes you feel good (+1 sanity). You head into the hallway. Suddenly you hear something running on four towards you in front. (( 9 - 1) : 2 = 4) You remain comparatively calm (-10 sanity).
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 56/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil (3/4).
-You enter another room. It appears to be a library. There is a sturdy locked door and an open door leading to a stairwell. The room is well lit. There are many bookshelves. Most books are hard to read due to their age.
Status: Stressed, lots of small scratches on back and chest.
Sanity: 65/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil 2/4.
Turn 8:Death approaches.
- (( 6 - 1 ) : 2 = ~3 ) You try reading the book again. You don't go insane. That's good. The monster stop bashing the door and leaves.
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife, mysterious tome.
- ( 10 : 2 = 5 ) You break the door. You are in a hallway with an upward staircase and a door leading into a storage room.
Status:Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100.
Inventory:Empty.
- You find a book and try reading it. ((1 - 1) : 2 = insanity) As you read the book, you start hearing whispers of entities from other planes as you feel a sharp pain in your head. (-30 sanity) You feel you are unable to stop reading.
Status: Scared, lots of small scratches on back and chest, possessed.
Sanity: 35/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil 2/4.
- You splash your face with cold water. It helps you remain calm (+30 sanity). You hear another screech, this time closer to you ((11 - 1) : 2 = 5 ). You remain calm ( - 5 sanity).
Status: Stressed, broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 60/100
Inventory: Mysterious tome.
Spells: Exorcise - Attempt to destroy an incorporeal foe. Costs 20 (-10 = 10) sanity.
- You run into the hallway, with a roaring battle cry of "DIE COMMIEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!" and ((6 - 1 - 1) : 2 = 2) you try to hit your enemy, but miss. Suddenly you feel a sharp pain.
Status:Stressed, huge wound on leg (-1 for mobility rolls, always takes mobility rolls).
Sanity: 56/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil (2/4).
Quip is going insane, Draignean will face a ghost and Krath is fighting a creature. This will end soon enough.
@Taricus: Tau are my favorite faction, but I probably won't include them because they aren't popular due to lack of grimdark. I was thinking of having: Space Marines who are declared heretics due to studying chaos artifacts VS Inquisition led Imperial Guard who want to destroy aforementioned SM vs Bloodletter heavy Khornite Chaos SM who open a portal and want to sacrifice all life on the planet for Khorne vs Ork looters who just like to loot and fight. The game would end when someone gets a powerful chaos artifact (SM get the artifact and study it, then send all their chapter in because they no longer risk destroying the artifact. IG/Inquisition force find the artifact and use it to prove that the planet is tainted enough for exterminatus. Chaos uses the artifact, making the portal grow and releasing an ancient daemon easily capable of destroying whole planets. Orks get the artifact and other ork clans hear about it, making many, many looters come to the planet). For large armies I would use a system similar to yours.
Edit: Or I could pull of a Dark Crusade, or even worse - Soulstorm. In case you don't know, those are games in the Dawn of War RTS series set in the world of WH40K. Soulstorm was developed by another team who knew nothing about the fluff. "THE IMPERIAL GUARD LOST 1000 BANEBLADES IN THE CONFLICT! DURR!" indeed.
Also wanted to mention this.
(http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Images/FW/ts9sm.jpg)
(http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Images/FW/ts15sm.jpg)
This makes me feel even sadder about not having the money and intelligence to play WH40K tabletop. Gorgeous, gorgeous miniatures. How do people paint things like that?
Edit: So, do you play tabletop?
- - - - - - -
Turn 9: More blood for the blood god.
-You try reading the book again while whispering prayers to the dead corpse emperor God Emperor of mankind. (( 9 - 1 : 2 = 4) You learn the spell Devourer, however a very risky version of it.
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife, mysterious tome.
Spells: Devourer (Costs no sanity. If you roll 6,5, it immediately kills a material creature and closes all your wounds. If you roll 4,3,2 the spell damages you, if you roll 1, you die. The roll for this spell never receives any modifiers.
-You hear another screech and turn around. You can see something white, with a shape resembling a human being hover towards you. You try to exorcise the spirit (-10 sanity). You start chanting ((7 -1 + 1) : 2 = 4) and the spirit disappears. +10 exp
Status: Stressed, broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 60/100
Inventory: Mysterious tome.
Spells: Exorcise - Attempt to destroy an incorporeal foe. Costs 20 (-10 = 10) sanity.
-You try thinking in Welsh, but that was a stupid idea so I won't even roll dice. The spirit in the book reduces your sanity by 20 as a penalty for silliness. Be glad I didn't finish you off.
Status: Going insane, lots of small scratches on back and chest, possessed.
Sanity: 15/100
Inventory: Lantern, lantern oil 2/4.
-You go up the stairs and find yourself in a room with many candles and a sculpture in the middle. There is a door leading somewhere else and some chests. You feel a strange chill ( 11 : 2 = ~12), but ignore it.
Status:Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100.
Inventory:Empty.
-You try running from the monster ((5 - 1 - 1) : 2 = ~2), however it catches you and bites you in the neck. Bye.
Status: Dead.
It seems I'll kill you off soon enough. KaguroDraven joins next turn.
Edit: Bonus - this is how being a GM feels like.
(http://img30.mediafire.com/dcf4a1ad49df0bdeb0cd5df321e21d5d930e9c5bd8f27ee6be03ac5cd31c92f26g.jpg)
Tab 1 : The post.
Tab 2 : OP, to check your skills and the sanity meter.
Tab 3 : To see what actions you posted and what your status was last turn.
Tab 4 : D&D dice roller. For fairness.
Tab 5 : Mastodon - Crack The Sky. So I don't die out of boredom. I know I have a weird taste in music. Don't judge.
So, yesterday my mother was sick and my father was drunk so I was busy doing chores. Editing this post now.
Edit: Here we go:
- - - - - - -
Turn 10:First insanity of the game.
-You relax (+20 sanity). You get a strange feeling, like you aren't supposed to be here. Perhaps it's better to run?
Status:Broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 80/100
Inventory: Mysterious tome.
Spells: Exorcise - Attempt to destroy an incorporeal foe. Costs 20 (-10 = 10) sanity.
-You try to relax, but you fail because, well, you're being possessed by an evil spirit. It only helps the spirit devour the last sane parts of your mind as everything around you seems to shift and change... You wake up on a cold floor with a sharp pain in your head and a desire for blood.
Status: Insane.
- You search the chests (6 : 2 = 3) and find a candle. Suddenly a cold wind extinguishes all the candles and you hear mischievous cackling. ( 2 : 2 = 1) (-30 sanity)
Status:Stressed.
Sanity: 70/100
Inventory: Candle 2/2
-You carefully walk through the door. Good, it seems there creature is gone. Or so you think. You look right and see the creature running towards you. You start chanting (10 : 2 = 5) and a portal in the void opens. The creature is drawn in and you see it devoured by some kind of giant tentacled creature. The portal then closes.
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife, mysterious tome.
Spells: Devourer (Costs no sanity. If you roll 6,5, it immediately kills a material creature and closes all your wounds. If you roll 4,3,2 the spell damages you, if you roll 1, you die. The roll for this spell never receives any modifiers.
-You wake up with the smell of old blood and rotten meat. You are in an old kitchen illuminated by a torch. There is only one door. It is locked, but looks kind of weak. For some reason there are a few books on the tables. You suddenly hear a man laughing maniacally (hint : quips character.)
Status:Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100
Inventory: Empty.
4 players left. I decided I'll end when I'll kill of each one of you, because that's more fun.
Edit: Btw, I spawned Kaguro in a bad situation, because I want everyone to have an equal chance of survival from now on. His fight won't be very tough tho.
- - - - - - -
Turn 11: In which paranormal forces do stuff.
-You go downstairs. Suddenly a rock is torn from the wall by an invisible force and is hurled at you. (1) It hits you straight in the forehead. You hear evil laughter. ( 6 - 1 : 2 = ~3) (-15 sanity)
Status:Stressed, cracked forehead
Sanity: 55/100
Inventory: Candle 2/2
-You leave the room. You find time to study the book again. (6 + 1 : 2 = 4) and learn some kind of spell, but don't know what it does. You can try to figure it out later (with a +2 modifier) or use it. You hear steps behind you. There is a door in front of you.
Status:Broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 80/100
Inventory: Mysterious tome.
Spells: Exorcise - Attempt to destroy an incorporeal foe. Costs 20 (-10 = 10) sanity.
Unknown spell - Costs 40 (-10 = 30) sanity.
-Most of the books are too old to read, but there is one in average shape. You decide to study it. (10 : 2 = 5) You learn the spell "Burn". Someone starts bashing the door. (12 : 2 = 6) You remain calm.
Status:Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100
Inventory: Empty.
Spells: Burn - Costs 20 sanity. Attempts to set something/someone on fire. Also decreases sanity loss due to darkness by 5 when you know this spell.
-You go down the hallway and enter a room. It appears to be some kind of temple. There is a statue of a robed person, a pentagram in the middle and there are magical symbols and words written in blood all over the room. The room is meant to summon some kind of paranormal force and the words on the walls are chants for the summoning. You think you are able to summon the force this room is dedicated to.
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife, mysterious tome.
Spells: Devourer (Costs no sanity. If you roll 6,5, it immediately kills a material creature and closes all your wounds. If you roll 4,3,2 the spell damages you, if you roll 1, you die. The roll for this spell never receives any modifiers.
By the way, I've been playing Shogun II Total War. My next game may include politics. My ideas change fast.
- - - - - - -
Turn 12: In which warhammer651 summons an elder god.
- ((11 - 1) You start chanting. A portal to the void opens and a creature resembling a huge eyeless human with bat-like wings appears before you. The creature is chained and cannot move. You hear a voice in your head "Human...finish the spell...and I will grant you...one wish...but remember...you cannot leave the castle...". Will you finish the spell? What will you ask of the creature?
Status:Stressed
Sanity: 75/100
Inventory: Torch 4/4, ceremonial knife, mysterious tome.
Spells: Devourer (Costs no sanity. If you roll 6,5, it immediately kills a material creature and closes all your wounds. If you roll 4,3,2 the spell damages you, if you roll 1, you die. The roll for this spell never receives any modifiers.
-You flip off the spirit. You feel a powerful evil force enter the material world. It appears the spirit felt it too as you saw something glowing quickly float away from here.
Status:Stressed, cracked forehead
Sanity: 55/100
Inventory: Candle 2/2
-You see the creature and use the spell (-30 sanity). Suddenly everything around you seems to shift and you find yourself in something that looks like a throne room. There is a lantern and some lantern oil on the floor. You can see a door and a staircase leading into the dungeons. Suddenly you can feel a powerful force of evil enter the castle.
Status:Broken leg (-1 to movement rolls, has to take movement rolls when sane).
Sanity: 50/100
Inventory: Mysterious tome.
Spells: Exorcise - Attempt to destroy an incorporeal foe. Costs 20 (-10 = 10) sanity.
Teleportation - Costs 40 (-10 = 30) sanity.
-(1) You fail to barricade the door and the person breaks down the door. He giggles maniacally as he approaches you.(6 : 2 = 3) You back away and take a butchers knife from a nearby table. Suddenly you feel a great evil enter the castle.
Status:Healthy.
Sanity: 100/100
Inventory: Butchers knife.
Spells: Burn - Costs 20 sanity. Attempts to set something/someone on fire. Also decreases sanity loss due to darkness by 5 when you know this spell.
- - - - - - -
The End:
Christopher Haslag keeps chanting. The ground starts shaking from unseen forces as the evil presence grows stronger.
The chains fall of the demon. "You have done... your part, so I... will do mine. What do you... wish? Power? Immortality?"
"No..." says Christopher "I want everyone else in this castle to return to their normal lives with no memory of this place."
The demon hisses. "You could of had... such power even the gods... fear. Yet you choose... to help... others?"
The man looks at the demon with a determined stare. "If I need to suffer for others to live in piece - so be it!"
"Very well..."
You wake up. It's a sunny summer day. You get dressed and go outside to take a walk, just admiring the weather and the beauty of nature. Your life has been really good lately. You didn't have much work, but earned enough to not worry about money. Nothing could ruin this day.
Christopher finds himself floating high in the sky with the demon at his side.
"You know, human... worlds are created... by the elder gods. To exist they need... to devour souls. They create... life on a planet... and when it grows enough... they come to take it."
"So why are you telling this to me?"
"Your planets time... will end in... a week."
"So I rescued these people only for them to meet their inevitable doom?"
"When elder gods destroy life...they just take the souls from the bodies...no one will even... feel it or notice it. Isn't dying in happiness... better... than living in pain?"
"I guess so..."
"You however... you have a strong soul. You have shown me... the truth about... humanity. As you have sacrificed yourself... for them. I will sacrifice myself... for you. I will let your soul... live in my body."
The demon extends his arm towards Christopher and begins chanting. Soon, Christopher finds himself in the demons body. His old body was dragged into the void.
He enters the void and looks for another world to watch. He did not want to see this one die.
You smile. What a beautiful world!
- - - - - - -
-Wallace Johnson (Taricus) 60 points!
Killed by a humanoid creature.
Achievements:
-First to die (10 points. Self-explanatory.)
-Death by Mocking (20 points. Self-explanatory.)
-Bravery Kills (20 points. Fought when he could try running away.)
-Lazy (10 points.Did nothing useful.)
-Bob Smith (Krath) 50 points!
Had his throat bitten by a mysterious beast.
Achievements:
-Too dumb to live (20 points. Played the entire game as an oblivious idiot character.)
-Explorer (10 points. Was on dungeon level.)
-CHAAAAAAARGE! (10 points. Fought a creature like a REAL MAN.)
-Misfortune (10 points. Died due to a double -1 modifier. Ouch.)
-Owain Jones (quip) 50 points!
Went insane.
Achievements:
-First to lose it. (30 points. INSANITY YAY!)
-Hint: Not a newspaper. (20 points. Tomes are not toys, kids.)
-Kaguro Draven (KaguroDraven) 60 points!
Left the castle.
Achievements:
-Ignorance is bliss (30 points. Survived until the ending.)
-Sorry for not letting you do something interesting (30 points. I just wanted to end this and had a good chance. You were unfortunate for joining so late.)
-Amelius Blackthorn (Draignean) 100 points!
Left the castle.
Achievements:
-Ignorance is bliss (30 points. Survived until the ending.)
-Archmage (30 points. Knew the most spells.)
-Exorcist (20 points. Exorcised a spirit.)
-RPer (20 points. Writes well.)
-Wymar Sane (Darvi) 60 points!
Left the castle.
Achievements:
-Ignorance is bliss. (30 points. Survived until the ending.)
-Doesn't fear ghosts (30 points for flipping a spirit off and not trying to run away.)
-Christopher Haslag (warhammer651) 140 points!
Became a demon.
Achievements:
-Main character (60 points. Rescued everyone and ended the game.)
-Cthulhu phtagn! (30 points! Did the risky thing and summoned a demon.)
-Devourer (20 points. Successfully used the devourer spell.)
-Survivalist. (30 points. Was strong and equipped well enough to take on anything.)
I hope you liked the ending (even though it may look too dark for some people). Ending this now was a hard decision to make, but in the end I decided this was the most climatic possible way to end this. This lived short, but I'm glad to finally say I finished an RTD after several failures. This has given me much experience and I'm sure my next RTD will be much better.
Now, I'm taking suggestions for my next RTD. Also feel free to use this games rules and GM it yourself if you didn't want to end it yet. I blame lack of inspiration and motivation.