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Author Topic: Multiworld Madness II. One Long Darn Corridor (Turn XXII) (game thread)  (Read 51813 times)

Sean Mirrsen

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This is the game thread for Multiworld Madness II. For discussion, questions and signups, as well as the current waiting list, see the discussion thread. Unless you are a player submitting an action, please refrain from posting here.


Multiworld Chronicles
Chapter 1: Multiworld Madness
(take two)


A clean, empty room. Its perfectly proportioned walls have seen no change for uncountable eons since their creation, thin angular lines faintly pressed into their surface reflecting the light of the ever-glowing ceiling and the faint red glow of the carpet on the floor. The whole room, walls, ceiling, floor and carpet, have all been created for a purpose, and have stood waiting for the right moment.

Now.

For the first time in countless millenia, the ceiling's light blinked, momentarily immersing the room in profound, impenetrable darkness. If any living being would inhabit this room, this mere fragment of a second would seem like an age of unimaginable panic to them. Though perhaps, when the darkness finally ceased, that being would take comfort in the light's reappearance.

But all things in existence are relative, slaved to the perception of such beings as are there to perceive. And thus, when the profound darkness gave way to light, and five human beings suddenly found themselves standing in a brightly lit metal room, they experienced the same onset of unimaginable panic. And for them, it would be much longer before they might again find comfort.

This story is about them.

======

The five humans are Jake Marshall, Derek Coonan, Frederick Barbarossa, Jay Kayell, and Alix Meier. They stand in the middle of the room, nearly naked save for some unfashionable grey underpants. And for Alix, a slightly fashionable tank top.

They have no memory of themselves. Oh, they know who they are, they know what they like, their personalities are untouched. Moreso, if someone would give them a "Known History Of The Known Universe" questionnaire right now, they'd probably score 100 points without so much as trying. But anything of the world that relates directly to them - where they lived, how they lived, who they knew and what they did - any memory of that sort is a complete and total blank. They know only their names, and the mysterious phrase ingrained in their minds - "You are here for a purpose. Find the nine keys and complete your task. Good luck."

They are trapped in a cubic room, ten meters to a side, with walls of dim, unreflecting metal covered in fine line patterns. The floor is mostly covered by a thick carpet with hard nap, there are meter-wide strips of bare floor along the walls. The carpet is impossible to lift or move, even a little.

Three walls of the room are bare. The fourth has a number of curious items. In the center, at roughly chest-height, is a protruding patch of shiny white metal, about the size of a postcard. Embossed upon it are nine squares, arranged as a phone's keypad and marked with deeply imprinted Roman numerals, I through IX. Pressing these "buttons" yields no effect.

Left of the keypad, the wall sports a cluster of five doors - thin doors, like those of a personal locker. Indeed, upon closer examination, each locker bears a name plate corresponding to the names of the humans.

Right of the keypad, the wall has a large black panel, some two meters long and one meter high. It looks like a screen of some kind, but the surface feels like metal, and there are no controls whatsoever anywhere near the panel.

So, now the humans have taken stock of the situation. They are nearly naked, but the lockers might provide something. They are trapped and have no idea what to do, but perhaps the keypad will start working, or the screen will show them directions. What do they do next?
==========
=== STATUS ===
(click images for status pages)
==========
Locations:

==========
Characters:

==========
This first turn, I introduce a new little mechanic called the "special action". This action is mandatory, but as a bonus, it's also complementary to any normal action.

This turn's special action is getting your character some clothes - state what you would like them to be, your character will open the locker and find... something that may or may not be what you were looking for. Best of two Luck rolls will be used to determine the contents of your locker.

=== NOTE: On Differences from the previous Madness game ===

Unlike most games of this type, and the previous game in this series where you would randomy gain powers by trying to perform them, the process of improving your character is slightly different here.

Instead of starting out butt naked and helpless, your character is simply amnesiac. This was true in the previous game also, but was not used in this quality. Your character is a person with some kind of background, which he simply does not remember. Due to this, trying out a skill and suddenly succeeding at it will mean that your character was actually proficient in this skill all along. Same with abilities. However, this will only work for skills and abilities it would be possible for your character to have (you can't know how to throw fireballs unless you're in a universe where this ability is not unheard of, no matter how rare). Also, you would be wise not to abuse this mechanic. Even disregarding the effects in the following paragraph, focusing on one or two good powers instead of trying to be a jack of all trades is a generally smart thing to do.

Also, crossing universe barriers will now come with a price. Every supernatural ability and item you've acquired in the universe you're leaving will need to pass a check, and will either be lost (if it's a power) or depowered (if it's an item) if it fails. The success rate for abilities depends on your character's proficiency with them, and for items it depends on their complexity and dependance on the universe's unique physics laws... and your luck, of course.

There, that seems to be all. Remember, questions go into the discussion thread. Let's play this thing!
« Last Edit: February 25, 2013, 04:08:50 am by Sean Mirrsen »
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Multiworld Madness Archive:
Game One, Discontinued at World 3.
Game Two, Discontinued at World 1.

"Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems."
- Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India

Darvi

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2011, 05:32:53 am »

In?

For the waitlist I mean.
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Sean Mirrsen

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2011, 05:34:25 am »

In?

For the waitlist I mean.
There are notes at the beginning and end of the first post about this.
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Multiworld Madness Archive:
Game One, Discontinued at World 3.
Game Two, Discontinued at World 1.

"Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems."
- Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India

Darvi

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2011, 05:35:25 am »

blahblahblahdidn'tpayattentionetc.
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Zako

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2011, 10:17:55 am »

Nice start for the new thread darvi, or should I say derpi? It's ok though, just as long as you keep it to the discussion thread, which is probably it's purpose in the first place.

Jake's head swam with a mixture of sensations. Vertigo, shock and a slight pressure inside his skull were the main ones he was feeling. Bending over, he takes a few deep breaths and collects himself.

Where am I? What's happening? Who are these people? Questions flooded his mind as he straightened. He took a quick inspection of himself and upon seeing both his lack of clothes and injuries, he decides that it would be best to find clothing. Maybe these other people know something?


See what these other people know. Don't forget to introduce myself.

Special action: My locker contains the following clothing: A pair of standard combat boots, thick dark green socks, a pair of camoflauge military fatigues with belt, a black t-shirt, a leather jacket, a blue baseball cap and a pair of black sunglasses.
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Dermonster

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2011, 11:26:36 am »

FORUM ATE MY POST

Derek eyed the others warily. He supposed they would make good meat shields if worst came to worst. He had absolutely no intention of dying, wherever they were.

"Now what do we have here... " he said as he opened his locker.

Special: Open locker to find robes, pants, gloves, shoes, and shoulder pads, all in a purple and blue color scheme. They are all covered with glyphs of unknown make or purpose. You are pretty sure they don't actually do anything. The shoulder pads have balls of odd blue fire sitting in circular depressions.

Reg: Convince someone to give me their hat.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2011, 02:51:08 pm by dermonster »
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I can do anything I want, as long as I accept the consequences.
"Y'know, my favorite thing about being a hero is that it gives you all kinds of narrative justification to just slay any ol' jerk who gets in the way - Black Mage.
"The bulk of [Derm]'s atrocities seem to stem from him doing things that [Magic] doesn't actually do." - TvTropes
"Dammit Derm!" - You, if I'm doing it right.
Moved to SufficientVelocity / Spacebattles.

Frelock

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2011, 02:36:13 pm »

Reg: Search under the rug.[/i]
The carpet is impossible to lift or move, even a little.
Just sayn'

Fre shook his head as he tried to gain some sense of the situation.  A screen that shows nothing.  Buttons that do nothing.  A locker with his name on it.  And four other souls as clueless as he.  "Strange" he thought, then immediately wondered why it was strange.  After all, he couldn't remember anything about himself.  This could have happened to him a hundred times before.  And yet that didn't feel right.  Perhaps he would remember things, with time.

When Jake introduced himself, Fre responded.  "Greetings, I am Frederick Barbarossa..."  His voice tailed off.  He felt like there was something to add to the end of that.  A title?  A profession?  It didn't matter anymore, he supposed.  Still, he felt like he had to add something.  A thought popped into his head.  He did remember one thing, a purpose given to him.  "...Seeker of the keys."


Special action: Open locker to find a cotton undershirt; leather jerkin, trousers, and high boots; red tunic; a fur cape/cloak; and a simple gold circlet.

Action: After introducing self to others, experiment with buttons while watch screen for developments.
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Sean Mirrsen

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2011, 03:33:48 pm »

I'll note here that you will equip all of the locker contents as part of the Special Action. (Spend a turn dressing up? Even I am not that cruel.) So, your new action is likewise unnecessary, Derm.
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Multiworld Madness Archive:
Game One, Discontinued at World 3.
Game Two, Discontinued at World 1.

"Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems."
- Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India

Dermonster

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2011, 03:35:40 pm »

Well okay then.
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I can do anything I want, as long as I accept the consequences.
"Y'know, my favorite thing about being a hero is that it gives you all kinds of narrative justification to just slay any ol' jerk who gets in the way - Black Mage.
"The bulk of [Derm]'s atrocities seem to stem from him doing things that [Magic] doesn't actually do." - TvTropes
"Dammit Derm!" - You, if I'm doing it right.
Moved to SufficientVelocity / Spacebattles.

Jay Kayell

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2011, 02:12:40 pm »

Jay Kayell felt a vague sense of great purpose, though that could just as well have been something he ate. With no memories of how he came to be where he was and no idea of who he was beyond a simple name and the knowledge that he had to find some keys, he wasn't quite sure what to do. There were four others in the room with him, but they didn't seem to know much more than him. In the wall he found a locker with his name on it and decided to investigate, hoping to find some clothes at least.

"I'm Jay," he said to the others,feeling no need to elaborate further.


Special action: From his locker he pulls a pair of black jackboots, a pair of blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a black leather vest.

Action: Investigate screen, smack it if it gets no reception.
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Kashyyk

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2011, 03:58:29 pm »

Although all four of them could have sworn they'd saw an old man, with long white hair and bird as part of their number, when they looked again they were confused to find a woman in his place. However as soon as they saw her they knew she had always been there, and the old man was just a figment of their imagination
(I hope you don't mind me doing some mild acting for your characters?)

Special Action: From her locker, Alix pulls a pair of assault boots, a pair of thick socks, black jeans, white cotton t-shirt, checked shirt and some sunglasses.

Action: After introducing herself, she aids Frederick in poking buttons.
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Sean Mirrsen

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. A new Beginning. (game thread)
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2011, 10:33:43 am »


=== TURN 001 ===




Zako: Special:[3][1]; Socialize(CHA):[4]

   Jake Marshall opens his locker to find a pair of jungle-camo BDUs, matching socks, a brown leather jacket, military-issue jungle boots, a black t-shirt with a large smiley face print, a red baseball cap and some stylish black sunglasses. The clothes don't feel exactly like what he would wear, but they are much better than nothing.
   As he puts them on, he strikes up a conversation with the others, who are getting likewise dressed. A short exchange of knowledge confirms his fears - none of them have any memory of their own lives. It is a strange feeling that he himself also experiences - being able to tell the whole life stories of countless historical figures he never knew, but not having a word to say about himself. He finishes dressing in grim silence.

dermonster: Special:[4][2]; Obtain someone's hat(CHA):[3] vs. target(CHA):[3]

   Upon opening his locker Derek feels surprise, partly due to the odd selection of items, and partly because of how well said selection seems to appeal to him. A robe, pants, shoes and gloves in his favorite purple and blue colors. Tucked into the top shelf is a pair of shoulderpads, dark purple with inset orbs of blue glass that reflect light in intricate patterns, creating the illusion of flickering flames. Dressing himself quickly, Derek suddenly realizes that he has no headgear. "This will simply not do." Looking around, he sees that the military fellow - "Jake Marshall" it was, he said - has a baseball cap on. A red one, but it's close enough. "Hey Jake, can you spare a moment?"
   Unfortunately, luck was not on his side today. No amount of pressure or pleas could persuade Jake to give up his cap. Due to the hard facts that Jake had no reason to do so and that Derek had no real reason to take it, the matter resolved itself in a stalemate. Status quo still endures.

Frelock: Special:[4][3]; Experiment with buttons(INT):[3]

   Frederick pulls a white tiger fur cape out of the locker, followed by a red tunic, a cotton undershirt, a leather jerkin, and some simple boots and trousers. Finally, he retrieves a plain circlet of some shiny metal from the top shelf. "I begin to suspect some of us were LARPers" he thinks to himself, glancing sideways at Derek's strikingly purple robes. "If we were, this session ought to be good." Thusly dressed, and praising to himself the brilliant people behind the exceedingly effective white tiger repopulation program, Frederick walks over to the curious metal keypad on the wall. He begins thoughtfully pressing keys, watching for any changes in either the pad, or the "screen" next to it. After a few minutes of random poking around, there is no effect visible whatsoever.

Jay Kayell: Special:[4][1]; Investigate screen(PER):[1]=>(INT):[5]

   In his locker, Jay is considerably surprised to find his favorite street outfit, a black vest with blue jeans complemented by a white shirt and some boots. Putting it on seems to momentarily evoke some memories of the past, but the feeling passes all too quickly, again leaving Jay alone in his mind. "Gotta find myself something to do, or I'll go nuts in here." With that thought, he approached the big black screen-looking part of the wall, and started to examine it while Frederick and Alix fought over the keypad.
   Minutes tick by, but the screen shows no signs of life. Nothing at all. Jay Kayell was irritated. He pored over every inch of the screen's surface, looking for something that could trigger an event, anything at all that could be used as a control. But there was nothing. Fre and Alix seemed to have pressed every button on the pad in every conceivable way, but there was still no reaction. The screen was useless. No buttons, no controls, no response to touch. Jay resorts to pounding his fist on the black surface, to no avail. "Stupid screen! Why! Won't! You! WORK!" he shouts, strikes punctuating his every word. And suddenly, as he headbutts the screen with that last word, it dawns on him. "No buttons, no touch response - no power! It has to be activated! And if there is no button to turn it on, that means..."

Kashyyk: Special:[4][4]; Help Fre experiment(INT):[2]

   Alix Meier, still uneasy from the lingering feeling of being a white-haired old man (*shudder*), approaches the locker with her name and opens it. Inside she finds a chequered shirt, a cotton t-shirt, black jeans, some thick socks, a pair of combat boots and sunglasses. Fairly common stuff. She quickly puts the clothes on, tying the shirt's sleeves over her waist, wearing it like a semi-skirt. Briefly lamenting the lack of a mirror, Alix looks around for something to do. A large man in a white tiger cape seems to be having some problems with the panel in the wall. Intrigued, she offers her help. The man - Frederick - refuses. Alix insists. The few followong minutes are spent in a frantic battle of dexterity, as she and Frederick attempt to outmanuever one another's hands on the keypad.

   Taking a step back, and feeling a little like Gandalf, Jay Kayell takes a deep breath and shouts at the top of his voice.

"ACTIVATE!"

   Immediately, the light dims slightly. A faint hum is heard for a few moments, and then the light returns to its full strength. Nothing else seems to happen...

   And then, the buttons on the panel light up red. The screen also "lights up" - though its surface remains dark, impossibly small LED lights lining its edges all begin glowing a deep red color. Words of an alien language appear on the screen. A few seconds later the words change, but they no longer seem to be in the same language. Finally, a little later the words change for the last time, appearing now as plain English text.


WELCOME, SEEKERS
Your arrival here is only the beginning.


   Everyone slowly turn their heads to look at Jay Kayell, who is grinning madly, nearly beaming with delight. "Yes! Just as I thought. No controls, no response, it's like a TV when you lose the remote. And you do remember how the engineers solved that particular problem, don't you, Fre?" Frederick looked back at the lit panel. Of course he remembered. He couldn't believe it didn't occur to him sooner.

   "Yeah. Voice control."



==========
=== STATUS ===
(click images for status pages)
==========
Locations:

==========
Characters:

==========
Comments in the discussion thread, please.
Logged
Multiworld Madness Archive:
Game One, Discontinued at World 3.
Game Two, Discontinued at World 1.

"Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems."
- Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India

Dermonster

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. Into the maelstrom. (I) (game thread)
« Reply #12 on: October 08, 2011, 10:53:08 am »

"Oh, you got it working then? Nice. I'm going to assume we have a shit-all idea of what it does, though. The keypad should do something now, right?"

Hit the V

(This action should probably go last so you can possibly have a mysterious voice dole out info.)
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I can do anything I want, as long as I accept the consequences.
"Y'know, my favorite thing about being a hero is that it gives you all kinds of narrative justification to just slay any ol' jerk who gets in the way - Black Mage.
"The bulk of [Derm]'s atrocities seem to stem from him doing things that [Magic] doesn't actually do." - TvTropes
"Dammit Derm!" - You, if I'm doing it right.
Moved to SufficientVelocity / Spacebattles.

Jay Kayell

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. Into the maelstrom. (I) (game thread)
« Reply #13 on: October 08, 2011, 11:46:10 am »

"Boo-yah, motherfucker," Jay says sagely to no one in particular. The screen had called them seekers, which confirmed their earlier knowledge that they were to find nine keys. Seeing as how there was no door leading out of the room the keypad was likely the key to doing what they were meant to do.

"Nine keys, nine buttons," he mumbled to himself, approaching the keypad.


Press button I
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Zako

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Re: Multiworld Madness II. Into the maelstrom. (I) (game thread)
« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2011, 12:03:34 pm »

"Well, that certainly helps. Nice going." Jake says as he pulls on his leather jacket after a moment of thinking. It suddenly occured to him that he had pockets, which he hadn't checked yet.

Put my BDU top back in my locker then search my clothing and locker for useful stuff.
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