I’m working hard on a new setting release, Electric Gods, set on a run away generation star ship overrun by self concerned A.I.
And I will be running a session for up to 6 players at Bris Con at the end of April.
The people have lived in this jungle place, between the Sapphire, the river of birth, and the Jade, the river of death, for thirty years. The local god ForSevOran has cared for the people, keeping the tribal enclave clear and plentiful of food. The great god NeThronSev has avatars among the people and sees far and wisely.
It seems that the supply of AcSticks grows thin and so ForSevOran’s power wanes, and territory shrinks. It sees the dreadful Bat People, servants of ThreatThreSevTo, multiply and begin to raid out of The Past. A crisis brews.
Do the people seek to move into The Future, beyond ForSevOran’s protection? Do they counter raid the Bat People Enclaves? One family, the Kelmin, urge a move across the Jade, into the realm of SevixNinonfi, for ancient treasures lie in the land of the dead. The Macrons, under the Mind Touched Marta, say the jungle beckons across the Sapphire, where the god ThroneTwifa seeks to breach the walls of heaven.
You listen to the council of the elders, and the Seven Voice of NeThronSev. You are the young ones, some expert humans, some born as physical or mental sports, and you glance one to the other thinking the fellowship must choose a path themselves, and the adults will follow if they are wise.
Note: It is helpful if players have a browser on their phone or device and can open https://util-space-one.w3spaces.com/augdiceroller-v5.html. This is a dice roller javascript app that knows the rules and handles the results for you, which makes for easier gameplay.
Game Master: Danny Stevens Session 3: Sunday 29th April 10am – 2pm System: All Us Gamers Genre: Post ApocalypseUp to 6 players for this session
Bris Con Game Entry
Look forward to it.
Also the Cosmic Horror rules have been getting a good work out so they will be coming out in sections in the near future.
Considerable play testing on several parallel releases leads to the creation of version 1.1 of the core. Here is the new set of core books being released over the next few months and numbering rules. Genre extensions undergoing final play tests. Settings still in progress, how they are faring.
The new 1.1 core collection
Development is still under way for Zombies Day Zero, the Horror genre extension and the Magic genre extension. Play testing has led to a lot of feedback and adjusting in the core which has led to a need for version 1.1 of the core materials.
The most notable change is the extraction of various rules into a new core book : “Operations”. Operations collects the concepts for complex actions, and sequences of actions into a cohesive method for handling multi-step tasks.
Additionally the mechanisms for cooperative action have been moved into the Inner Core and reworked to make it easier to run and to understand. The Operations book and revised Inner Core have been released. A revised On Aptitude should be out shortly, and then revised Book of Struggles and Combat Toolkit shortly after that.
The Numbering System
The core books are given version numbers in the for X.Y.Z (e.g. 1.1.0).
X : The first number is the core major version (currently there is only version one). This should only change if there is a major change in mechanism, making rules from one major version generally incompatible with rules from a different major version.
Y : The core minor version (currently version 0 or version 1) indicates that, given both rules modules have the same major version, then there may be some compatibility issues that you will need to resolve. When resolving such issues the rules from the higher version number should overrule those from lower version numbers.
Z : The document errata version. This indicates, if the major and minor version numbers are the same, that the document has been edited somewhat without changing the rules provided. There may be format fixes, clearer explanations, added examples and so forth.
The Genre Extensions
Currently being developed are the Horror and Magic genre extensions. These provide generic support for any home brew game you wish to build in those areas, and they can be combined if desired. In both cases the aim is to keep rules light, and to support clear narrative flow with broad mechanical support to avoid improvisation overload.
The Settings
Zombies Day Zero is nearing completion. It is not reliant on any genre extensions and should be easy to play with just the core and the Combat Toolkit.
Mists Of The Carpathians, set in the time of Vlad Tepes (Dracula) and allowing the magical mythology of the region to be real, continues development and play test as a labor of love. It requires a more fully developed magic genre extension so it will be a while before an initial release is ready.
Time Paths (a time travel campaign with faxed routes between time space coordinates) and Shadows Over the Galaxy (a human dominated galaxy with plenty of political intrigue and something lurking in the dark spaces) are both advancing slowly, but at a lower priority while all the other fronts are tackled.
Hello to all the new followers of this site and welcome.
The magic play test has had a bit of a hiatus as I sort out what is “structure” vs what is “too much detail”. Play tests have gone back and forth a bit with a number of different opinions offered. I’m closing in on the sweet spot.
To give myself a fun break I have gone back to producing one of my earlier product ideas for AUG, the Zombie Apocalypse Campaign. Its taking shape pretty well. A bit harder to play test because it really needs new players each time. Its getting there though.
Here is the introduction:
Just a normal day. On a walk to work. A woman comes running down the street yelling “He’s after me!” Behind her a young man in jeans and a torn T-Shirt, covered in blood, walks forward with malevolent intent on his face. You call to the policeman shuffling across the road, then notice his left arm is just a bloody, torn stump. “What on Earth?” you think “This is like some zombie movie!” Just then a car comes screaming around a corner, a crazy woman clinging to the roof. The car runs down the policeman and zooms on. This isn’t a movie.
Day Zero : Zombie Apocalypse Campaign is a role playing adventure set in a modern day town as the Zombie Apocalypse is just beginning. The players create regular folks as their characters and plot out how they would go about their day if nothing were happening. The game master then notes where in the city the zombies first appear, and tracks the apocalypse hour by hour until it intersects with the adventure player’s characters.
Then all hell breaks loose.
The players try to keep their characters and loved ones alive until the following dawn, and perhaps save some others. The world around them is rapidly falling apart, and characters that are run by the game master are trying to respond to what is going on, some with competent, and some with foolish methods. The adventurers may try and make common cause with them, or may find they are a complication to the goal of surviving.
How will you survive Day Zero?
Zombie Apocalypse Campaign : Day Zero
Its been a lot of fun. Massive encounter tables and interactions between the city alert level, zombie presence level and panicking survivor groups.
Getting others to agree or be obedient by overcoming their will.
Change of Approach for Test 4
During these play tests a general feeling has built up that the casting descriptions should not be so specific. By making them detailed it tends to make people stick to the described castings and not improvise. However its the casting detail where we discover the complexity of the spell being cast.
There are general principles however of range, duration, and difficulty that can surround and support improvised rulings.
For this play test we are dropping the specific example castings entirely, even for the previous detailed ones, to see how play goes with just the enfolding specific structures and spell intents. Please give feedback as to how this works for your play style, particularly if you are a game master.
General Rules
A spell is cast on one or more targets. Its intent is to get them to act in some way, agree to an idea or change their emotions. Targets with sorcery profession or specialisation in spells of imposition turn this in to a struggle.
Where a struggle occurs with multiple spell casters or multiple targets then the rules for the struggle are weakest link for the casting side of the struggle and best of the best for the target side of the struggle.
If a target is willing to receive an imposition then there is no need to test the spell casting, it may be considered an automatic success with the standard casting time and requirements.
Focus must be available to maintain spell effects as usual. If a group has produced the effect then each member of the casting group must keep a focus engaged in the maintaining of the spell. If a member of the group drops out then a struggle opportunity occurs between the remaining group and the targets.
Generally to maintain imposed focus requires some kind of contact between caster and target if they are beyond line of sight.
Residual vulnerability or resistance occurs after a spell of imposition has been used against a target, willing or unwilling. Such vulnerability or resistance has an effect on the difficulty of casting against the target in future attempts by the same caster. It lasts for a time beyond the termination of the spell as indicated below. If a group is involved then each member of a target group has the same vulnerability or resistance toward each member of the casting group.
If a target has such a spell cast on them again, while carrying a previous vulnerability or resistance to the same caster, then the new effect replaces the old.
Cast Result
Effect for new future Impose Attempts
Duration
Inc
-4 DN to impose on target
5 weeks
Xtra
-2 DN to impose on target
5 days
Scs
-1 DN to impose on target
24 hours
Fail
No effect
Mis
+4 DN to impose on target
5 weeks
Dis
Target is immune to impose attempts
1 year
Where a spell is cast on a player character, and it would make the character behave in ways they would prefer not to, then ask the PC to describe how they wish to act and how they will act if the imposition holds. Then they make a save using determination against a DN based on the caster’s success (Scs DN 14, Xtra DN 15, Inc DN 17). Any success amount allows the PC to act as they described they wished to, otherwise they act the other way.
A casting can be held using focus until the effect of the imposition is properly fulfilled.
A casting can try to add others to an existing effect for the same spell at +1 complexity. On a success the targets become part of the group being held to the same imposition, supported by a single focus.
If the new targets resist the imposition then the existing imposed targets get to attempt a resisting struggle.
Details
Specialisation is Spells of Imposition.
Specific Spells for this specialisation that can be learned:
Agree (make the target agree to a proposal)
Befriend (make the target consider the caster a friend)
Bestill (stop the target’s movement and actions)
Confuse (make it hard for the target to make choices or recall things).
Command (have the target perform a single stated task)
Encourage (bonus of +2 aptitude to uses of the determination attribute while the spell continues)
Forbid (prevent the target from taking a specific action)
Forget (make the target forget a specific recent event or piece of knowledge. The spell must be focused for a day to become permanent)
Frighten (degrading of aptitude by -2 when the determination attribute is used, and a push to force targets to flee or hide in subsequent moments)
Enhance (transfer aptitude of +2 to a target where the caster has aptitude for the task)
This is the third in the prototype series, working toward the creation of a Magic system for use with All Us Gamers and specifically for the Adventure Cycle.
The first article in the series lays the foundation.
As with all the prototype pieces, this is unlikely to be the final form of these rules. So when the magic plugin for the adventure cycle is released much of this will probably have changed. This is just the current direction that development is taking. Play tester feedback may change it. Your feedback may change it.
This part has been slowed down by various events related to the pandemic, so its slightly cut down from the original intent. We’ll try and get expanded spell collections out later but there are still some important pieces of the magic system yet to come.
To recap the general structure of magic, it revolves around sorcery specialisations. Each specialisation is needed for a small set of spells. Each spell can have a number of ways to be cast, each with differing complexity. Spells can also combine with other spells to achieve additionalforms of casting. The specialisation provides aptitude for the casting of the spells that belong to it. The sorcery profession provides aptitude to the casting of any spell.
This prototype introduces how a character goes about learning spells.
Learning spells involves getting an “inkling” about a spell, followed by study or training and building your own spell scroll, or tome pages. Your writing can be useful when casting spells or when correcting memorisation errors with the spell.
At character creation, if your character has any magical specialisations then you may choose one, and only one, appropriate spell to have learned already, with an appropriate parchment containing your spell notes.
For a spell, where you have at least 1 aptitude in the specialisation for that spell, then the process of learning a spell is summarised as follows:
Gain an “inkling” about the spell
Complete 10 points of “learning” for the spell.
After those two steps are complete you will then have mastered the spell and may begin casting it. After you have an “inkling” about a spell you may try to cast it but the difficulty is always +2 more than normal casting of the spell, and failure should produce serious spell backfires.
Getting an “Inkling”
The easiest method is to spend an episode with someone who knows the spell and is willing to teach it to you, or reading the notes from a sorcerer about a spell that they know.
Other ways to gain an inkling is through experiencing the spell being cast or finding “natural clues” to the spell. (see below).
Completing Spell Learning Points
Once an inkling is gained the sorcerer must write it down. If an episode was spent gaining the inkling then the writing occurs at that time. If the inkling is gained by experiencing the spell or by natural clues then an episode in the same session must be spent writing it down. Inklings take 1 page of a tome or the a half a scroll.
It then takes the accumulation of 10 learning points to gain the spell as a known spell. Each learning point can be gained in the same way as an inkling, an episode with a knowledgeable sorcerer, reading from a sorcerer’s tome or scrolls, or by having a study episode and writing notes after having experienced the spell in the field or finding further natural clues.
Clues
Clues are something a sorcerer gains in the field about spells, and then takes home to spend an episode incorporating it into their knowledge about a spell.
The first type of clue is when the sorcerer experiences a spell being cast. When this happens during an adventure a sorcerer notes down they have a clue for the spell.
The second type is natural phenomena that give clues to spells. Here the game master decides what such clues are, making them somewhat magical and related to specific spells. For example a clue for weather spells may be an outcrop of rock that is struck by lightning when the sorcerer is present. A clue for a spell of awareness may be an enchanted cocoa tree that grows in a dark grotto. Some clues may be encountered multiple times by the sorcerer, others may be more ephemeral.
Whatever the cause, when the sorcerer gets back to the village they may use an episode to write up an inkling or a learning point for the spells they have new clues for, doing some deliberation and mental exploration at the same time. No matter how many clues are encountered for a spell during a single adventure they only count as one when the sorcerer is writing her notes. The clues don’t carry forward, and more clues will need to be gained in the next adventure. If they are not written up they are lost. So a sorcerer should often retain an episode for after the adventure.
For example the rock being struck by lightning when a sorcerer is present gives them a clue, which they go home and write up. In subsequent adventures they may visit the same rock and take note of the landscape, or the weather that day, returning home with yet another clue. And so on.
Episodes with another Sorcerer
Most sorcerers charge the equivalent of 1 gold crown (100 pennies) per episode spent learning from them. Estimate other costs for learning tools accordingly. e.g. A complete set of scrolls about a spell represents about 10 gold crowns worth of learning. However because of their reusable nature they will probably fetch at least twice that when sold privately, five times that when sold publicly.
Spell Casting Failures
When a spell casting is failed with a Miserable Failure or Disaster result then there are some negative impacts for the spell caster. To determine the impact make a Spell Failure Save.
Spell Failure Save. Difficulty based on level of spell failure : Mis = DN 12, Dis = DN 14. Use mentality. Results:
I – Immune to spell cast failure effects for this spell during the rest of this session.
X – no effect.
S – Spell misremembered and unusable. 1 learning point must be achieved to re-learn this spell.
F – Spell misremembered and unusable. 2 learning points must be achieved to re-learn this spell.
M – Spell misremembered and unusable. 4 learning points must be achieved to re-learn this spell.
D – Spell misremembered and unusable. 6 learning point must be achieved to re-learn this spell. Additionally there is a spell backfire
Backfires
Backfire applies the spell effects to the caster, or to targets the caster would not want to effect, at the game master’s discretion. If focus is possible then the backfire forces focus. The duration, unless otherwise broken, will be random d20/2 moments and the spell caster cannot release the focus for that time.
Struggles may still be used to cancel or take over the backfired spell. The sorcerer who cast the spell cannot avoid struggling to keep the backfire going, but is not required to use focus on the struggle. An ally may choose to take over the back fire via a struggle just so they may dismiss it.
Spells Marked “No Save”
Many spells are marked as “No Save”. This means, if unopposed in a struggle, they affect the target as described. Magical struggles can still be used to oppose such spells.
Spells That Require Touch
Some spells are cast to effect a target that must be touched by the caster. Some spells allow touch to be a choice when cast, touch always being less complex than distance casting.
A touch spell does not need to be immediately applied after casting. It can be held ready on the fingertips by allocating a focus to keep it active until the spell is dismissed or discharged. As usual the focus is not used up by this, but may only be applied to one spell casting at a time.
If the target is trying to avoid the touch then there is a physical struggle, with the touch landing only if the sorcerer gains an Advance. The sorcerer must maintain focus until that time. If the target gains an Advance then the spell breaks and the casting is lost.
Spells That Require Focus to Maintain Once Cast
Several spells can keep their effects going against a target only by the use of focus. If the spell is initiated by touch or at targets within line of sight then if the caster wishes to be able to maintain focus when the target is no longer in line of sight, the casting of the spell is +1 complexity. If the spell is not cast with extra complexity then the focus breaks when the target is out of line of sight.
Don’t forget that other sorcerers may detect a spell maintained by focus and start a struggle over the spell.
Specialisation: Life Spells
Life Spells are spells that alter or effect living things with corporeal bodies in some way that alters their biology.
Spell of Awareness
Casting: Magical Drowsiness
Complexity : 1 target = 1. 2-3 targets = 2. 4-6 targets = 3. 7 – 10 targets = 4. If all the targets are tired then reduce complexity by 1 (minimum 0).
Target : in line of sight.
Cast Time : 6 seconds.
Duration : as long as focus is maintained.
No save.
While the spell is in effect, any action by the target has the following effect applied to it:
the target may not voluntarily use focus.
After the results are determined, and the target has at least 1 focus available, then one focus is exhausted with no effect on the result.
After the results are determined, and the target has no focus available, then the target must re-roll all their success dice once, and determine if they remain successes or become failures, then recalculate the action outcome.
Casting : Enchanted Sleep
Complexity : 1 target = 1. 2-3 targets = 2. 4-6 targets = 3. 7 – 10 targets = 4. If all the targets are tired then reduce complexity by 1 (minimum 0). If all the targets are under a magical compulsion to be drowsy reduce the complexity by 2 instead (minimum 0).
Target : in line of sight at the beginning of the spell cast and for at least half the spell casting time.
Duration : 1 hour enchanted sleep, extended by maintaining focus even if the target is no longer in line of sight. After enchanted sleep ends target will naturally sleep for 3 hours longer.
No save.
When cast successfully the targets fall into an enchanted sleep. Beings in an Enchanted sleep must make a DN 14 save, worst of determination or health, to respond to being awakened by any normal means.
Casting : Magical Awaken
Complexity : 1 target = 1. 2-3 targets = 2. 4-6 targets = 3. 7 – 10 targets = 4. If any target is in Enchanted sleep and there is a sorcerer maintaining it with focus then a struggle must be used to try and break their spell and advance this one.
Target : in line of sight.
Cast time: 6 seconds.
Duration: immediate.
No save.
All targets come fully awake when the spell is cast successfully.
Casting : Alert
Complexity : 1 target = 1. 2-3 targets = 2. 4-6 targets = 3. 7 – 10 targets = 4. If none of the targets are tired then reduce complexity by 1.
Target : in line of sight.
Cast Time : 6 seconds.
Duration : as long as focus is maintained and target remains in line of sight.
No save.
Target has any exhausted focus restored when spell is cast. While the spell remains focused on them the target need not use focus to re-roll fail dice on a result of failure or success. This applies even if the target has no available focus. Focus is exhausted for use in other results as normal. Focus that becomes exhausted while this spell is in effect remains so until they are restored by some other means such as rest, or a new casting of this spell is applied.
Touch a person with an injury. When successfully cast that injury heals by 1 level and sets a new healing check time.
While the spell is being cast any normal healing check is put on hold. If the cast fails then the healing check is made as normal immediately. If the spell is a success the sorcerer may bring on the healing check immediately or have it deferred to the next check time.
Casting : Sting
Complexity : 1
Target : touch
Cast Time : 6 seconds.
Duration : Immediate on touching the target.
If the target is touched they immediately gain a Serious wound as if from a weapon. Armour has no effect.
Casting : Smite
Complexity : 2
Target : touch
Cast Time : 6 seconds.
Duration : Immediate on touching the target.
No Save
If the target is touched they immediately gain a Critical as if from a weapon. Armour has no effect.
Casting : Paralyse
Complexity : 3
Target : touch
Cast Time : 6 seconds.
Duration : Immediate on touching the target, then ongoing saves at intervals.
No Save
If the target is touched they are immediately paralysed. Armour has no effect. A paralysed character may not voluntarily move limbs or speak. They collapse to the ground and are helpless.
The caster may maintain focus to hold them in this state.
When there is no focus being applied then every minute the target may make a save with the worst of health or determination at DN 14. A success breaks the spell.
Casting : Stop Poison
Complexity : 2
Target : touch
Cast Time : 6 seconds.
Duration : Immediate on touching the target.
No Save
When cast on a being that is poisoned the poisoning immediately halts and the target is no longer poisoned. Any lasting effects of the poison up to this point remain and must be dealt with.
Spell of The Senses
These spells alter a targets ability to sense through one of the five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell). The sense to effect must be nominated by the caster when the spell is cast.
Casting : Improve Sense
Complexity : 1
Target : touch, or Line of sight at +1 complexity.
Cast Time : 6 seconds.
Duration : Immediate and focus.
No Save
The target has +2 aptitude when performing an action that relies on the specified sense.
Casting : Diminish Sense
Complexity : 1
Target : touch, or Line of sight at +1 complexity.
Cast Time : 6 seconds.
Duration : Immediate and focus.
No Save
The target has -2 aptitude when performing an action that relies on the specified sense
Casting : Prohibit Sense
Complexity : 2
Target : touch, or Line of sight at +1 complexity.
This is a second in the prototype series, working toward the creation of a Magic system for use with All Us Gamers and specifically for the Adventure Cycle.
This prototype relies on The Inner Core rules, On Aptitude, The Book of Struggles, the injury system in the Combat Toolkit and the spell system from the previous prototype article.
As with the previous prototype chunk, this is unlikely to be the final form of these rules. When the magic plugin for the adventure cycle is released much of this will probably have changed. This is just the current direction that development is taking. Play tester feedback may change it.
Play testers, and a commenter on Facebook, have noted some appearance of complexity in the previous spells notes. Feedback is useful and is so noted. There is already a partially streamlined version and the visual chart in particular is undergoing some tidy up and enhancement to make the fairly simple step of working out a spell casting needed, and its cost, quite obvious with no mental gymnastics required. That will be re-published in a while.
On the To Do list:
0 complexity spells.
Spell Specialisations:
Imposition – Getting others to agree or be obedient by overcoming their Will.
Enchanting – imbuing things with magical properties and Will of their own.
Life – spells that alter or effect living things.
Transform – change living and material things to different forms.
Knowledge – spells about knowing and informing.
Force – spells of physical force to hold, lift, push, or break things.
Elemental Force – Manipulating, creating and dispersing elemental material.
This release is about giving characters the ability to interfere with the casting of spells, and of spells that have been cast and are being maintained by focus. A sorcerer can detect spell casting and focus, and may attempt to take over the spell to either close it down or redirect it. Other sorcerers may join in the struggle over a spell to help out either side.
Detection of Spells
When a sorcerer is casting a spell, or actively managing a spell including using focus to sustain a spell, another sorcerer may detect the spell if all of the following apply:
the effect of the spell is, or will be, in line of sight of the detecting sorcerer.
the detecting sorcerer has at least 1 aptitude in the specialisation for the target spell, or 3 aptitude in the sorcery profession.
the detecting sorcerer has at least 1 available Willpower.
Effect of Detection
If there is currently no struggle over the spell, the detecting sorcerer may initiate one against the caster.
If there is a struggle in progress over the spell the detecting sorcerer may join in on one side or the other.
If the detecting sorcerer has no focus available then they don’t know the exact spell being cast, the target of the spell (if any), who is casting it, or their amount of available Willpower.
If one focus is available to the detecting sorcerer then they will know the spell and its target.
If two or more focus are available to the detecting sorcerer then they also know who the spell caster is and how much Willpower they have available.
Struggle Complications
During a magical struggle the complications have these effects:
Savage – a psychic punch – exhaust 3 Willpower as if required for a spell cast.
Painful – a psychic shove – exhaust 1 Willpower
Soft – miscalculate – DN +2 for 1 moment
Setback – fumble the powers – DN +2 for 3 moments
To continue participating in the struggle each moment a sorcerer must have either control of the spell or at least 1 available Willpower.
Pre-Cast struggle
A pre-cast struggle is when the struggle begins before the cast action is resolved. The struggle will be to go ahead with or prevent the spell, or to control the spell from the moment of casting.
If a pre-cast struggle begins within one minute of the time before the casting action is resolved, then the first struggle moment is at the time of the casting action, otherwise the struggle will run in six second moments.
Prior to the cast action itself an advance means either the caster may continue to attempt the cast or the opposition blocks the cast and it must be restarted if the caster still wants to cast the spell.
At the time of the cast, an advance by the caster means the spell is cast at the level of success the caster just achieved. An advance by the opposition means the caster must expend the base Willpower for the spell but the opposition may cancel the spell or take the spell over act as if they themselves had cast the spell. Only one person may be the caster.
If the struggle has not advanced at the moment of casting then the casting is delayed for a six second moment and the struggle goes another round.
If the caster runs out of the necessary base Willpower before the spell is cast, then the spell cast halts immediately with no effect.
Post-Cast Struggle
A post-cast struggle occurs after a spell has been successfully cast and before its effects cease to be actively managed due to spell duration or focus. The goal will be to maintain or take control of the effects of a spell in progress, or to shut the spell down.
The default struggle moment is 6 seconds.
On an advance by the sorcerer currently in control of the spell they may direct the spell behaviour. If they need available focus but have run out then the spell dissipates.
On an advance by the opponent then control of the spell changes hands and the opponent may direct spell behaviour. Again, if they need available focus but have run out then the spell dissipates.
If the struggle continues then the spell proceeds on autopilot, not directed by a sorcerer specifically. If the controlling sorcerer has run out of focus and it is needed to sustain the spell then the spell dissipates.
As play testing continues there is bound to be some changes to previous releases. Two have recently come up as the magic system has been being tested.
On Aptitude – Slow, Meticulous Actions
This mechanism was designed as a way to avoid dice rolling when someone could just declare they were taking their time to get it right. With the magic system players have wanted to use this to just be sure of a bare success when summoning a weather pattern, however the original values were just too onerous. So we have slimmed down the time multipliers to make it more usable.
The play screen has also been updated with these new values.
The Adventure Cycle – Reputations
The reputation system is great for shaping “in the field” play. However as we played on we found that, as well as generosity and honesty, players wanted reputations for mercy, justice, bravery and a host of other detailed things. Too many of these and things get diluted and nitpicky. So after some variations and trials we have settled on a reputation of “Benevolence”, which encompasses the previous reputations of honesty and generosity and also the other good, or bad, acts in the field.
Reputations like quest, hirelings and companion treatment remain, since they are tied to specific transactions in the game system.
The character sheets have been updated accordingly.
Future System Impact
Part of the future design includes Mysticism, which involves mastering relationships with the incorporeal spirits of the magic world. The initial intent was that fine tuned reputations would be important to them. However this has been revised so that spirits have their own specific behavior likes and dislikes, which they will try to directly observe, enhancing or detracting from the relationship with them.
A prototype part of the magic spells rules. Play test it. Full rules will be released on DriveThru as usual.
This is a first in what I hope to be a series. When developing parts of All Us Gamers I generally restrict revealing work in progress to those people I directly play test with. However the body of players around the world has grown, and this chunk of work is quite large and sprawling, so its time to start releasing playable prototype fragments for anyone to pick up and try out.
This prototype relies on The Inner Core rules, On Aptitude and the injury system in the Combat Toolkit.
This is unlikely to be the final form of these rules. When the magic plugin for the adventure cycle is released much of this will probably have changed. This is just the current direction that development is taking. Play tester feedback may change it.
Additional pre releases may include the 0 complexity spells and magical struggle rules, where competing sorcerers may try to dismiss, divert or subvert each others spell casting.
If you do try this out please send detailed feedback to stranger@strangeflight.com, along with your full name as you would like it to appear on my acknowledgements list in the About page.
This release is about giving characters the ability to cast weather spells. A considerable amount of the magic infrastructure will not be appearing here.
The aim is for a weather sorcerer to be able to call on specific spells, like casting a tornado into existence, when the prevailing weather is right. If the weather is not right then the sorcerer can spend will power on altering the weather to windy, and then throw the tornado. Also multiple sorcerers can work together in series, one shifts the weather from still to breezy, another takes it from breezy to windy and then a more masterful sorcerer can take the breeze and build a tornado from it.
Casting spells is an action, so subject to dice rolls normally. However the rules for taking extra time to achieve a result, found in On Aptitude, should be used quite often by sorcerers to avoid the downside of failure when there is no urgency or pressure on the base casting time.
Lets start.
Spells A spell is the method by which a character may impose their will on matter, energy and the will of others at a distance.
Sorcery Characters may have a profession of Sorcery. It will provide for lots of actions eventually, including initiating magical struggles, but here it is only of help with providing aptitude for casting spells.
Force Magic Characters may have a specialisation of Force Magic. That is for providing specialist aptitude for spells that impose the characters will on matter and energy.
Force Magic Spells There are many spells planned to work with the force magic specialisation, but for now I’m only providing three weather related spells. The existence of well defined spells is important for play. In an Adventure Cycle open table network only the published spells can be allowed. This does not mean that play groups at dedicated tables cannot allow the creation of new spells. When they do they should use the published spells as guidelines for the style, scope and power of any new spells they invent. Spells also have to be learned and memorised by characters but the methods for that are not part of this release. Assume the character knows all the spells shown here if (and only if) they take the Force Magic specialisation.
Castings Specific spells enable a broad collection of ways to cast spells. The castings that are detailed are guidelines. It is expected that players may come up with other ways to cast the spells that their characters know, and the GM can adjudicate with the existing guidelines in mind. Castings have a complexity (minimum of 1). (Consider what would happen if summon hail was combined with tornado as a mixed casting. Its not detailed here. A GM should work with players to adjudicate such things)
Will Power Characters have a reusable resource, called will power. Its total is Determination + Presence + 3 x the level of Sorcery + the level of all spell specialisations (in this case only Force specialisation exists). A future profession of Mysticism will exist that provides some will power increases as well, but that is not part of this release.
Cast Action Each casting is performed as a specialist action that will exhaust some will power. Being a specialist action the character not only needs to know the spell but must have at least 1 aptitude level in either force magic or sorcery. They may have 1 skill level in one and none in the other however. Having no aptitude in Sorcery produces a -2 aptitude for the action, as does having no aptitude in Force Magic specialisation.
Result
Spell Effect Activated?
Will Power Cost
Casting Time
Inc
yes
none
x1
Xtra
yes
x1/2
x1
Scs
yes
x1
x2
Fail
no
x1
x1
Mis
no
x2
x1
Dis
no
x4
x1
Cast Action Will Power Cost When a spell cast action is made the character must have the base will power points available. The base will power required is based on the spell complexity. When the spell is cast the player checks the result at the end of the base casting time. The will power points become exhausted at that time, depending on the results in the table above. If the result causes the exhaustion of more will power than the player has available, then exhaust available focus as a substitute. If focus also becomes totally exhausted and there are will power costs still to be paid, then the caster takes a minor wound and the will power is considered paid. Will power loss occurs immediately on casting. Extra casting time called for will then engage the character in the casting task until it completes, at which point the spell effect may be enacted if the activated result is ‘yes’.
Spell Complexity
Will Power Formula
Will Power Cost
1
0+1
1
2
0+1+2
3
3
0+1+2+3
6
4
0+1+2+3+4
10
Cast Action Difficulty The difficulty of a cast action is 12 + 2 x spell complexity. Beyond this prototype there will be ways for the spell caster to reduce the difficulty using rituals, scrolls, wands and other adjuncts. For this version assume that the spell caster has obtained a -2 adjustment on the difficulty somehow.
Concentration Some spells allow concentration to be used to maintain some effect in an ongoing manner. A character can concentrate on as many spells as she has available focus points. Concentrating does not exhaust any focus. If, after exhausting some focus the character is concentrating on too many spells the character will have to stop concentrating on some of the spells. Concentration, once released or broken, cannot be regained. A new spell is cast instead. (Future magic struggle rules will allow concentration on a spell to be stolen so someone else manages the spell, or even voluntarily handed over. This is not in this release)
The Spells
Weather spells deal with the natural weather conditions, sub conditions and particular events. There are three weather spells: “Air”, “Water” and “Fire and Ice”. Important details about the spells appear on the chart on the last page.
Dealing with the Main Natural Conditions
On any given day the weather will consist of one “Air”, one “Water” and one “Fire and Ice” condition. (Natural conditions are identified by a light grey background behind the name) Natural conditions are considered regional, an area roughly out to 50km distant from the spell caster. A spell caster may cast a local transition (expanding out from the spell caster for 1km).
A mage who knows the appropriate spell for the condition can transition the existing weather condition to another along the lines on the chart between the conditions for the spell. So the spell of air can transition still air to a breeze, and it requires 1 will power base cost. The weather spell of fire and ice can transition from a warm day to a heat wave with a base cost of 2 will power.
If the caster is making a local adjustment to the weather the base cost applies and the spell cast base time is 2 minutes. When the spell is complete the weather change finishes its transition, the caster may then concentrate on it to maintain the condition, or begin casting another transition which will also hold the current weather in effect. When the caster is no longer concentrating or transitioning then the local weather will drift back to the surrounding regional weather, taking 2 minutes per transition.
If the spell caster has a local condition in effect they may then cast the transition to that condition regionally, at the same complexity that would be required for the local transition and a base casting time of 15 minutes.
Regional transitions may also be cast directly, at 1 extra complexity for the transition cost marked on the chart, and base casting time of 10 minutes.
When regional weather has been set it will change naturally for the season. If the weather produced is unseasonal then it will drift into seasonal ranges, taking 1 hour per transition. Concentration or an additional transition casting can be used to prevent the weather drifting naturally at the regional level.
Note that some conditions can only be produced by casting at a regional level as shown on the chart. In addition some conditions can be produced locally but if not changed to regional or held in place by concentration they will rapidly dissipate.
Example
The weather is Breezy, Clouds, Mild Day. A caster wishes to make a local transition to overcast. That has a complexity of 1, a base cost of 1 power and 2 minutes to cast. The difficulty would be 12 + 2 = 14, however for this prototype we subtract 2 so it stays at DN 12. The sorcerer has 1 skill level in Sorcery and 1 in Force Spells. That means there are no specialist skill losses to aptitude and they cast with an aptitude of 2. They roll dice and get a success result, so they spend 2 power and the casting time is 4 minutes.
Now they decide to expand the local effect to regional. Complexity is still 1. Difficulty is 12, base power cost is 1, casting time base is 15 minutes. Again they get a success so this will cost 2 power and take 30 minutes.
The total power cost has been 4 and it has taken 34 minutes.
If they had decided to go directly to a regional transition from clouds to overcast the complexity would be 2, base power cost would have been 3 and base casting time 10 minutes. On a success that would have been a total power cost of 6 and a casting time of 20 minutes. There is a lower chance of failure overall since there is only one action check, compared to the two checks the other way. On the other hand the two step casting might only fail at step two, leaving the local weather to leverage again.
The Secondary Conditions
Main weather conditions may have secondary conditions. So a still main condition may have a mist or fog secondary condition, and an overcast main condition could have rain or snow secondary conditions.
Creating or removing a secondary condition works just as the castings for the main conditions. However secondary conditions are additional to the main condition, not a replacement. Also secondary conditions depend on the main conditions they can transition from. If the main condition changes to one they could not be created for then the secondary condition also dissipates. So a downpour needs a storm in progress and snow needs wither overcast weather or at least clouds.
Also note that there are main conditions in the fire and ice spell area that can determine if secondary conditions in the water area are valid. So for drizzle, rain and a downpour, it must NOT be a freezing day or a Heat Wave. For dusting of snow, snow and a blizzard it must be a freezing day.
Example
Its a cloudy, but not overcast day. The weather is freezing. To summon snow is a complexity 2 casting under those conditions. To make it snow locally only, base power cost is 3 and base casting time is 2 minutes. To go direct to regional the complexity becomes 3, base power cost is 6 and base casting time is 10 minutes.
Weather Indoors
Note that some spell casting can be done to change the conditions inside an enclosed space like a building or cave system. In such a setting then local is considered to be whatever room or chamber you are in and regional is adjoining spaces. This allows a sorcerer to summon a mist inside a dungeon, create an air blast in a room with windows open to a breeze outside, or a splash if the weather outside rainy and the splash can be brought in through a nearby opening.
The Events
Events are consequences of natural conditions pushed by will power to an extreme of effect or unexpected development. Some are momentary, others may linger naturally after the sorcerer has summoned them.
From a role play perspective these are the main game.
The events are:
Air Blast
Avalanche
Fire
Fire Storm
Flash Flood
Flurry
Mud Slide
Regional Flood
Snap Freeze
Splash
Summon Hail
Summon Lightning
Tornado
Air Blast
Summon a strong gust of wind, capable of knocking over a strong and well balanced human.
Line of sight
Requires access to moving air such as the Breeze condition.
Base casting time 6 seconds.
Duration 6 seconds or concentrate to hose around.
Living targets may save or be knocked over.
Tables and chairs etc. may be thrown about 5m and act as non-lethal projectiles.
Avalanche
Cause a large build up of snow to cascade destructively down hill.
Line of sight
Requires at least a small build up of snow which can be amplified.
Base casting time 30 seconds.
Duration as long as it takes for the avalanche to find its resting point.
The progress of the avalanche may be guided somewhat by the sorcerer as long as they maintain concentration.
The snow from a tree can be dropped on targets near it and built to a non-lethal attack that will probably constrain the targets for a moment.
Small amounts of snow can be built into a downhill cascade that will knock targets off their feet and carry them along some distance causing non lethal damage. The spell amplifies the amount of snow and ice in the avalanche.
Larger volumes can be turned into destructive slides that will smash building, cause highly lethal damage to living targets, carry them along great distances and probably bury them, itself a deadly situation.
Fire
Cause some tinder to catch fire using a small lightning spark from dry air.
Line of sight
Requires dry and combustible material and at least warm, dry weather condition.
Base casting time 6 seconds.
Duration as long as the fire has material to burn
The caster may constrain or accelerate the spread of the fire as long as they concentrate.
Fire Storm
Cause a small fire and then whip up flames and burning embers into a wall of flame and sparks.
Line of sight
Requires dry and combustible material and at least warm, dry weather condition. May transition between a fire and a fire storm.
Base casting time 30 seconds.
Duration 1 minute without concentration or a natural source of flammable materials.
The caster may constrain or accelerate the spread of the fire storm as long as they concentrate. It does not need more than the initial combustible materials to maintain its size, but does need new material to grow.
Most beings will need to make a determination save to move through a fire storm, saving against lethal damage at DN 12 as they step through. On a fail or worse then anything combustible they are wearing or carrying catches fire and adds to the size of the firestorm.
If the sorcerer is concentrating they may part the fire storm for one creature at a time to pass through safely.
Flash Flood
Cause a large volume of water to cascade through an area. It will erode a small path, knock over and carry items up to carriage size.
Line of sight
Requires rain or a downpour at the source of the flood.
Base casting time 30 seconds.
Duration as long as it takes for the flood to find a resting point or to spread out enough to lose its force.
The progress of the flood may be guided somewhat by the sorcerer as long as they maintain concentration.
The water from a pond can be caused to flow out at targets near it and its flood built to a non-lethal attack that will probably knock the targets over.
Streams and dry riverbeds can be built into a rushing torrents that will knock targets off their feet and carry them along some distance causing non lethal damage. The spell amplifies the amount of water in the flood.
Larger volumes of water, and smaller flash flood spell castings, can be turned into destructive slides that will smash building, cause highly lethal damage to living targets, carry them along great distances and probably drown them.
Flurry
Throw a flurry of snow at a target making it hard for them to see, possibly confusing their sense of direction, and disrupting concentration and coordination of a delicate task.
Line of sight
Requires snow or a dusting of snow. In a blizzard or gale it won’t hold and is ineffective.
Base casting time 6 seconds.
Duration 6 seconds after concentration ceases.
The flurry may be moved about at twice human running speed by a concentrating sorcerer.
Flurries can be used to douse small flames like candles or lantern lights.
Targets will need to make DN 16 saves.
Mud Slide
Cause a large build up of sodden earth to cascade destructively down hill.
Line of sight
Requires at least a small build up of mud which can be amplified.
Base casting time 30 seconds.
Duration as long as it takes for the slide to find its resting point.
The progress of the mud slide may be guided somewhat by the sorcerer as long as they maintain concentration.
The mud from an overhang can be dropped on targets near it and built to a lethal attack that will probably also constrain the targets for a moment.
Small amounts of loose mud can be built into a downhill cascade that will knock targets off their feet and carry them along some distance causing lethal damage. The spell amplifies the amount of soil and water in the mud slide.
Larger volumes can be turned into destructive slides that will smash building, cause highly lethal damage to living targets, carry them along great distances and probably bury them, itself a deadly situation.
Rock beds and tree roots will hamper mud slides, making the cast more difficult. Trees may end up coming along for the ride, making the slide more deadly.
Regional Flood
Bring about a flood in a region around 6 meters deep.
Region about the sorcerer.
Requires rain or a downpour, and will collect in valleys. Various key outlets for the water may become magically blocked or constricted by trees and boulders.
Base casting time is 2 hours.
Duration is 8 hours after the sorcerer has cast and ceased to concentrate.
Such floods are very destructive, ruining crops, damaging buildings, drowning people and livestock. Use real life flooding as a guide.
Snap Freeze
Cause a target to become frozen. This is lethal to living things and preserves food stuff. Small ponds and buckets of water may be frozen solid.
Line of sight
Requires a blizzard for lowest complexity, otherwise a cool to freezing day will do.
Base casting time 6 seconds.
Duration is as long as it takes for a target to naturally thaw in the conditions present.
Saves against this casting are at DN16, best of health or determination. Any level of success results in non-lethal damage only. A fail gives the target hypothermia (incapacitating injury). Miserable failure and disaster both result in the target freezing to death.
Splash
Gather a litre or so of water and hurl it at a target.
Line of sight
Requires rain, or a downpour.
Base casting time 6 seconds.
Duration instant.
The water flies at the target and can knock objects from someones grasp, topple items of shelves and douse flames like those in a fireplaces or on a torch. The splash can also hurl rainwater into a waiting receptacle like a bucket.
Summon Hail
Produces hail that can injure and break things like windows and pottery.
Visible area around the sorcerer or a specific 20m radius area in line of sight.
Requires a storm.
Base casting time 6 seconds.
Duration 30 seconds after the sorcerer has cast and ceased to concentrate.
Creatures hit by the hail can make DN 16 saves against non lethal damage.
When concentrating the sorcerer can get the hail to make lethal or damaging attacks against specific targets in line of sight every 6 seconds.
Summon Lightning
Lightning spears out from the storm to strike a target.
Line of sight.
Requires a storm.
Base casting time 6 seconds.
Duration instant.
Creatures hit by lightning make a DN 16 save against lethal damage using the best of health or agility. If the save is a failure or worse they are also knocked unconscious after being thrown 5 meters in a direction the sorcerer chooses.
Tornado
Create a tornado of destructive power that can be moved about as desired.
Line of sight.
Requires Windy or Gale conditions.
Base casting time 6 seconds.
Duration 6 seconds after ceasing to concentrate.
The tornado is 5m in diameter at its base.
The tornado may be moved by the caster at double human running speed.
The tornado will hurl creatures it strikes 10m away, requiring a DN 16 lethal damage save.
Small structures like test and thatched huts will be knocked over or shattered.
Loose objects struck by the tornado will be hurled about and may be hazards in their own right.
A framework to run a network of open table fantasy games. Each game master has one or more villages and each player has one or more characters that go on adventures across different game master’s tables.
Characters have their abilities, reputations, social rank and possessions that follow them from one game master’s village to another.
In each village they have their relationships with the local characters, and the tribes and factions in the lands around. They have quests, property and hidden treasure that are specific to a village.
Prior to a Session the Game Master for the session will do some prep on the villagers, the adventure region and encounterable situations. An Open Table Session consists of the following distinct steps: 1) Session Set Up Sequence: Any character creation and existing character tidy up, including closed quest effects. 2) One or more Adventure Cycles as follows:
adventure cycle step 1: Village Episodes Sequence.
Focus Recovery.
pay taxes
Max 8 episodes per character (up to 2 may be reserved for step 3).
An episode always involves a single activity of a specific type. The episodes types a character may enact are: • Buy a Cottage • Buy or Sell Equipment • Buy or Sell Gems / Jewels / Art objects • Enroll Adventure Hirelings • Gain A Companion • Philanthropy • Secure Your Treasure • Seek a Quest • Seek the Right to Buy a Cottage • Socialise • Spend Growth Points • Train a Skill • Work a Profession
adventure cycle step 2: The Adventure Sequence.
Focus Recovery.
Determine quest active for each character.
Play out the adventure
Note acts of renown and infamy
adventure cycle step 3: Village Return Sequence.
Heal characters
Gain growth points for the adventure.
Gain growth points for quests closed.
Test reputations for changes.
Split treasure.
Village episodes. (Max 2 reserved from earlier)
Adventure Cycle Steps 1 and 3, in the Village, are designed to be highly structured to handle adventure “down time”, and generally contain few opportunities for full depth role play. They do, however, provide the context, motivation, and rewards for what goes on in the adventure. The adventure itself is where all the exciting role play happens.
Here is how everything hangs together now.
The adventure cycle provides a play structure that uses the core rules and toolkits to provide character action and development mechanics.
There has been a lot of play testing of the Adventure Cycle, at its peak 2 game masters and 16 players in 4 session streams each week. A lot of extra stuff has been developed in draft form, such as a magic system and dungeon crawl details. These will get polished up and provided later as Adventure Cycle Plugins.
The Adventure Cycle is available now as a “Pay What You Like” PDF, 58 pages, at DriveThruRPG.
As I hit the home stretch on The Adventure Cycle I am also preparing to release a new play aid. A pdf with quick reference for building characters and a screen for helping remember the core rules and combat toolkit during play.
As often happens fate throws obstacles in the path. Power outages at inconvenient moments for example. The latest happened when I was trying to set up printed play aids to use for a photo to go with the release at Drive Thru. The printer died.
After a few moments of railing at the wyrds of fate I found another way to get the image I needed.
All Us Gamers Role Playing Game 