Brainstorming Post

[yarnzipan]

Hey folks,

So you're interested in my little idea: a oc/au college game centered around a co-ed 'fraternity' of sorts of cursed scions from ancient lineages/houses, based loosely around the concepts found in The Curse of the House of Rookwood. Well, I'm a firm believer in making a game a shared construction so I'm going to lay out some of the groundwork and then ask a few questions for those who are interested in making this a thing.

• you (player characters) are the scion or latest generation of an ancient line, fallen or still powerful, who has been supernaturally cursed
  
• your curse bestows powers upon you beyond what normal people possess... but every time you use those powers, you chance growing more monstrous, the curse's effect on you becoming more pronounced and visible
  
• some examples visible here
  
• your character is a member of Rho Kappa Delta, an order/fraternity that has been around for a Very Long Time which extends membership to those afflicted in such a way; of course there are old families but... sometimes, someone pisses off a witch/spirit/god/demon/etc. and well... their kid has to pay for it so there's 'fresh blood' every so often as well
  
• orphans, bastards, etc. would definitely be on the table to get a 'mysterious invite'
  
• the game would have a lower AC given The State Of Things, but would include an honor-based/participation-based accounting of how many times in the month you used your abilities, which will be used via dice roll to say whether or not Something Happens
  
• game would be a mix of slice of life with the occasional outside interference; after all, there's witches and vampires and hunters (you are turning into monsters) and sorcerers and all manner of other weirdness out there other than you
  
• there'd also be elements of old family legacies, ancient feuds, family secrets and betrayals, etc.
  
• part of the original system mechanics involves different generations of a family, so if we wanted to switch generations/time periods aka Dark Shadows and play descendants or ancestors, totally down
  
• alternately (or also!) I'd be down for allowing folks to pick up their 'little sister' or 'cousin' who's suddenly afflicted now as of course, death is definitely not off the table
  
• original concept was OCs but I see no reason to now allow for fandom AU'd characters within reason
  
• fandom AUs would be 'depowered' and then 'repowered' via the curse mechanic that exists for everyone else so as long as that works for you
  
• my original idea was to do modern day because, as spartabitch said, the concept of people typing text messages into their iPhones about ancient magic is hilarious

This post is open to anyone and everyone who'd want to contribute thoughts, points of view, or is just interested in the game. I wouldn't mind starting small but hopefully there'd be enthusiasm and a few balls rolling to get us going. So if you have feelings on:

• how the app should be
  
• game mechanics
  
• locations
  
• setting details
  
• any of the stuff up top
  
• or anything else...

Or questions about things, feel free to leave them here

Comments

I'm interested in playing this!

[yarnzipan]

Reply here (doesn't need to be with a specific journal, just to get a rough number)

[skeletones]

Heeey, it's Fritz and I'm interested

[rookwood_esq]

Spiffy! thank you!

[internalizing]

Interested.

[rookwood_esq]

Woot!

[st0rmandstr3ss]

Me with this character!

[rookwood_esq]

Sounds fabulous!

[tetractys]

i am a number

[rookwood_esq]

this is not a pipe

[eaglesonofnone]

So I'm interested in this, for all I'm slightly braindead nowdays. We've talked a little. So... fun!

I have thoughts/concerns on the details!

[yarnzipan]

Slap it down here. Whatever it is.

[st0rmandstr3ss]

Questions:
1. How secret is this in universe? Does magic exist in general and then this is a hidden layer? No magic normally, but Everyone Knows, or is it a closely-kept secret that the students are trying to hide while being regular college students?

2. What genre/feeling do you have in mind? I know you said "slice of life", but with other plot hooks/outside interferences, would they be horror, political/familial intrigue...etc etc. Maybe there's not an answer to this yet though. My leaning would be towards horror, given the "slowly becoming monsters" theme, but obviously it's not the only thing there.

3. Is this set on Earth (regardless of timeline) or somewhere else? I like the idea of it being somewhere else while still essentially being modern, so there's more freedom for people to design the backstories of where their characters come from, particularly for the Fandom AU people.

Probably more questions to come later, if you haven't gotten sick of me.

[rookwood_esq]

1. This is definitely a world where magic is generally hidden; one of the reasons why the fraternity exists is to give the families a place to be among those who are in the 'know' and who understand the many burdens involved in being in this situation. Closely kept but obviously, there's other factions and people who are aware of the supernatural side of the world.

2. I said 'slice of life' mostly to indicate that I intend to give folks time to have normal life foibles in between the supernatural nonsense that might come about. I'd be very down for horror but I admit for me, that usually comes with certain elements of dark comedy and probably some adventure. I think it'd be good to have a balance between characters having agency and reason to take action and times where actions will have consequences and there may not be easy (or even any) way out that isn't through.

3. I was planning on putting it on Earth but with the option for fictionalizing Earth as one likes: if you want to put Barovia somewhere near Romania, if Bruce Wayne apps they can be from Gotham, etc. Having Earth as the 'frame' but allowing for plugging in other fictional bits as needed.

And hey, go for it!

I've got questions about who's appable!

[yarnzipan]

I'm pretty open to ideas as long as what you want to bring plays nice with everyone else, but I'm happy to answer questions.

I have plot ideas I'd like to contribute!

[yarnzipan]

The more the merrier. Seriously.

College/order events

[st0rmandstr3ss]

so, every now and again, having different campus/order-based events seems fun, maybe with a creepy/alarming twist?

Eg, hazing. For some frats that's just not eating for an amount of time, or doing some vaguely weird shit. This is outright life or death, and you have to use your curse at least once to get in.

Or, after-game party gets...very weird. Maybe characters are "encouraged" to participate in weird arcane magic rituals late into the partying? My university burns an effigy of our rivals at stake, irl, before the major game season. Maybe this could be taken a few notches up?

Pre-midterms/finals cram sessions could get strange?? Idk on this one, but the thought of stressed college students suddenly turning over monstrous and then receeding once it's done seems fun

Re: College/order events

[rookwood_esq]

I have some ideas for the hazing, though I'd probably avoid some of the real life frat stuff in favor of, like you said, something that requires you using your curse.

The school I went to had a bunch of weird rituals, odd 'holidays', specific spots and landmarks, etc. and I'll definitely be introducing some of that in there. It could definitely be an interesting 'separator' between people whose parents were a part of the fraternity and those who got their invite seemingly 'randomly'.

And, I mean, it's not like finals and midterms happen during or near holidays on the Wheel of the Year or anything...