Gisk

How Saturated is the Market for Fantasy Adventures?

@One Who Tames

So what are your preferenes and/or expectations as far as post length go? That sort of thing can be a killer to me. I'm personally in the camp of "writing only what you need to." Particularly when characters are interacting.

Lemme preemptively defend myself here.

Say Mary and Jane are arguing in the kitchen. Mary starts her post saying that as they argue, she starts to wash her dishes(angrily), and then ends the post with her putting the dishes away(angrily).

Well then here comes Jane's turn to post. Jane doesn't like it when Mary just keeps on doing things while they argue. She feels like she's being ignored. Jane wants to, as soon as Mary starts washing, grab a plate and smash it on the ground.

Now we have a problem. There are two options here:

A) Mary has to re-write most of her post because Jane's post derailed her sequence of events.

B) Jane doesn't get to break the plate, because Mary's post didn't allow her time to react to what was happening in the world.

Neither solution is fair, but if we had a shorter post in the first place we could avoid this. Instead, Mary gives her reply, and then the post ends with her starting to wash the dishes. Jane's can include her grabbing a plate and smashing it, but she also makes a post that allows for a reaction to this(as opposed to speaking an entire paragraph while smashing every single plate, which also would not be a reasonable thing to do uninterrupted).

Sorry to go off the end with that. From what I've read so far we're pretty well on the same page as far as play style goes, so I just want to make sure I'm understood about this as well.

Open World Adventuring

I'd do this one with you. Some questions.

Are you also going to play multiple characters(I assume that by that you mean like a supporting cast etc) or would you only be playing the one?

Do you already have any world in mind? Particularly you mention the main character's family and home town/village.

What works do you get inspiration from?

About me:
26 years old(well, nearly 27)
Been doing RPs since high school. Don't recall exactly when I started, but I'm past ten years now. Most of that time was on this site.

My own inspirations:
Harry Potter(sue me)
Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series
The Dark Tower
The Dresden Files
D&D lore
Same for MtG lore
The Last Airbender
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

It's weird, I read so many books in high school but now I can't for the life of me think of many of them.

How Saturated is the Market for Fantasy Adventures?

@One Who Tames

- Of course, as the title said, how saturated is the market here? Is there "fantasy fatigue" or are people not as interested in a gritty adventure?

Theres a lot of people here, I don't think anyone has a clear cut breakdown of demographics as far as genre preferences go. You just gotta put your interest check out and see if people like the game.

- Would anybody enjoy a combination of free-form and dice in their story-driven adventure?

Yes, so much I would. I've tried to do it a couple times, but have never really had anyone bite. There is a tabletop section, if you haven't looked there, but it's mostly specific systems like DnD a d pathfinder. I reckon you're looking for more of a hybrid.

- Would you join a RP knowing there is a strong likelihood that you will end up going through a few characters due to deaths?

I've been waiting for an RP to kill one of my characters.

- How much grounding, consistency and "realism" do you like in your fantasy settings?

I hate seeing people wielding six foot long swords, and boobplate armor and that kind of thing.
I want magic to be consistent and reasonably well defined.

- Could you bring yourself to play a (mostly) normal person in a land where magic exists?

Totally.

- Did you like Game of Thrones but think to yourself, "Gosh, I wish more people ended up dying".

N-no

- Is Final Fantasy Tactics the best Final Fantasy?

Man I dunno, I've barely played any of them.

Of Blood and Magic

Cassandra’s eyes widened suddenly as a hand glided over her shoulder, and dropped a scrap of paper. In the same motion, the hand raised up and its owner asked a question. This gave Cassandra a reasonable excuse to turn back and see who had dropped the note. It was a nice looking guy, close to her own age, with long hair. When she looked at the note, she smiled and after he had finished asking his question, she flashed a subtle thumbs-up over her shoulder to indicate the affirmative.

The lesson continued, and Cassandra had to scribble out where she had written “Alfonsi Model” at the top of her current page, and write “Varissean Model” underneath it, continuing her notes from there.

While this class would clearly lean more toward arcane magic, they were still focusing on how that would fit together with affinities. While an important subject to some, Cassandra felt her grasp over her element was as firm as she needed it to be at this point, and was wishing they would get onto a more generalized topic.

That is, until she saw the video of a mage being Consumed while utilizing a basic primary magic. Her eyes widened in horror; her tutors had never shown her anything like that. She had been able to shrug off the pictures of injuries and conditions caused by dissonant kickback. Maybe that was because they were still photos, and she didn’t have to witness the damage occur, but mostly this was because she figured she wouldn’t have that problem since her affinity was a primary.

When the floor was opened for questions again, Cassandra once again joined those raising her hand.

“So a focus cushions, or buffers the mage from dissonant kickback. Does it have any help to prevent resonant over-drain? Or is there like, maybe some kind of anti-focus that could stabilize the resonance to a manageable level?”

She went from dismissing the idea that she would need a crutch like a focus, to desperately hoping that such a thing would help her in less than a minute. The thing was, overextending her magic was exactly the kind of pitfall Cassandra knew she was likely to step into.

Of Blood and Magic

”Astorio,” Cassandra couldn't keep the bad taste she had for the name out of her voice. Of course, there weren't actually any Astorios in her study group, but it seemed she kept falling under their banner whether they were there to orchestrate it or not. ”I haven't met anyone in my group, though.” She finds know much of anyone, but again she obfuscated her social isolation.

”I guess we'll be…”

Whatever they would be, the group at large didn't find out, because at that moment the bell signaling the next class tolled throughout the campus. Cassandra was standing before the peel had finished echoing.

”Later, then! Lilie, I look forward to seeing you in the next class we have together. It was nice to meet everyone. Maybe we'll get a chance to eat a whole meal together later, she gave a practiced and socially appropriate giggle to cap it off. Expected pleasantries. Reiterate her connection to the group. Soft suggestion that she ought to be invited for the next meal time.

She made all of this sound quite natural, then ruined the effect by immediately turning on her heel and walking away without another word.

Cassandra made her way to the next class, her spirits lifted after what she thought was a very successful first attempt at making friends. She could do that again! Moreover, Lilie really did seem to enjoy her company, which warmed her heart more than she could say. Surely others would too?

Her teacher in this next class seemed a great deal more pleasant than Count Varis, though that might not be difficult.

Cassandra knew a little of what went into the lesson already, but found that she was getting a much more complete context than her tutors had bothered to provide. It made sense that, despite being trained early, they hadn't really touched on that much arcane magic. After all, it wasn't until just a few months ago that the lock on her powers had been removed, and she was able to access even just her own affinity.

She had been expecting a practical exam. Of course, what kind of school wouldn't have one? She had not, however, anticipated that she would have to take it with her partner. She would have to report this to Amaris immediately, lest she allow a scheduling conflict to develop. She shuddered at what Master Valius would have to say if that happened.

Cassandra honestly wanted to get on with the lesson, and so she immediately raised her hand to get the questions out of the way.

”Isn't it possible that more non-human have the capacity to use magic than we know about? Almost all of those examples of plants and animals were displaying Primary Affinities. If Secondary and Tertiary Affinities aren't used instinctively often, it might be that most plants and animals with a capacity for magic just never actually display any.

Of Blood and Magic

Cassandra
Dining Hall

To Cassandra's immense relief, Lilie answered immediately in the affirmative. She took another sip of her drink before putting it down on her tray, which she picked up. She scurried across the dining hall, dodging anyone who threatened her person space, and accidentally setting fire to one of the paper butterflies as it landed on her cheek and startled her. She kept hold of her tray and didn't break stride, trying to pretend that hadn't happened, and ignore any comments that were floating after her.

"Lilie!" upon reaching the table,she addressed the member of the group that she knew. Her entry point into the socialization. "Thanks for the invite, I didn't have any other friends in the hall." Make sure everyone knew she was already welcome. Downplay the fact that she was alone.

"How'd you meet so many friends so fast?" A mild complement and subtle hint that she should be introduced.

@Hero@Obscene Symphony@Trainerblue192

Of Blood and Magic

Cassandra
Dining Hall

Cassandra had grabbed some food, a burger and fries, with an energy drink from her own personal stash, in case that wasn't bad enough for her. Amaris was still nowhere to be seen, though to be fair what would she need to go to the dining hall for? Cassandra was trying to assume everything was natural, though she had a strange feeling she couldn't shake. The Countess's disappearance had just been so sudden, it couldn't help but feel ominous.

She did see a friendly face, however. Lilie had just enetered the hall. Cassandra had put her food down on a table on the periphery of the room, but after seeing her friend(?) from class, didn't quite sit down. Lilie was with friends, in a group already, and Cassandra didn't know any of them. She bit at her lip, and took a pensive drink from her can, then pulled out her phone. She tapped out a quick message.

can i sit wit u

A text gave Lilie the opportunity to give a soft decline, ignoring the message and perhaps pretending she hadn't seen it. To keep from causing offense. Cassandra was unthinkingly using her training in social navigation for exactly the opposite reason she had been taught it.

@Hero

Of Blood and Magic

Cassandra
Dining Hall

Cassandra got caught up in the surge of people, but managed to fall briefly in step with her vampire. They didn't talk as they walked, Cassandra didnt want to be the one to initiate a conversation, and Amaris had opted for silence for reasons of her own. Despite being shorter, Cassandra's stride took her a little ways ahead of Amaris, and so she looked back when they had reached the dining hall.

"I'm starving, and I think that... Countess?"

She was gone. It had been a short walk, but even so with their silence, Cassandra couldn't be sure when they had separated.

She bit at her lip. Should she have followed? Was there a que she had missed? She decided no, probably not. The Countess had been straightforward with her so far(or so she thought), Cassandra didn't think she would pull some bullshit test.

She continued, now nervously looking around, hoping she would see Amaris before too long and be able to join her.

Raindale University For Witches [+18]

"All night would be best," he said, cocking his head in some confusion over her antics. "But just make sure you can give me a reasonable expectation of how long. I dont want to be this close," he held up thum and forefinger barely a hair's breadth apart, "And then suddenly lose my edge."

When she proffered a hand, he shook, and pulled a battered leather wallet from his back pocket.

"You mean dollars or pounds? I've got some gold dollars from like eighteen fifty, if that suits your fancy."

Raindale University For Witches [+18]

Dana blinked at her, a strip of bacon halfway to his mouth.

"Alright, I'm getting called out by a spoon. I just like to eat things that are closer to their natural state. Bread takes so many different changes before you eat it. Movin' on. I want a owl's eyes, and a hound dog's nose." This was a simple enough request in general. Baby's First Magic, even. Except there was that pesky Law of Equivalent Exchange. "Trick is this: I can't lose my sense of touch, or my sense of taste. It can make me deaf, take away my balance, but I need to be able to feel and taste."

Senses were simple things, and typically when a practitioner wants to increase one, another has to be decreased in exchange. Like many pieces of magic, one could get the desired effect and then worry about the cost later, but Dana couldn't afford that now.

"Probably I could do it myself, but I can't risk accidentally numbing my hands or tongue."