STATUS:
When it is time to write, I want to worldbuild. When it is time to worldbuild, I want to collab. When it is time to collab, I want to write. This is the cycle. These are the rules.
1 yr ago
Current
When it is time to write, I want to worldbuild. When it is time to worldbuild, I want to collab. When it is time to collab, I want to write. This is the cycle. These are the rules.
10
likes
1 yr ago
Do not kill the part of you that is cringe. Kill the part that cringes.
5
likes
2 yrs ago
Sad to say I'm currently experiencing Writer's Block. Luckily I learned Writer's Kung Fu and I can chop the block in half with my hands like Bruce Lee
8
likes
2 yrs ago
Why is the sun like bread? It rises in the yeast, and sets in the waist. Haha! Isn't that so cute? Join my RP or more puns will come.
8
likes
3 yrs ago
What's the difference between a Hollywood actor and a piece of driftwood? One is Justin Timberlake. The other is timber, just in a lake. Hahathisiswhati'mdoinginsteadofwriting
Hey y'all. I've been at this for about 12 years, and I've played a lot of kinds of RP. I like fantasy and sci-fi the most, just because they give me the most to worldbuild with, but I'm cool with almost anything. I just like writing.
You see that city? You can go to that city! But also like the mountains or whatever.
The caravan starts rolling at dawn today, through a forest so green that the locals call it Emerald. People here say that the trees drop gems rather than seeds, and the flowers have flakes of gold for petals. The children and the naïve of the Pilgrimage are already running alongside the caravans- hunting for their fortune in the grass. Everyone in the Pilgrim's Caravan, one way or another, is hunting their fortune. For some it isn't treasure. Some are here to find knowledge, a new life, new experiences.
Whatever the pilgrims seek, this long and ancient caravan will bring them to more places than only this forest. It has led them each already through shifting deserts and into cities vile with chymical odor, through lands lived-in by elves that only speak secrets and across marshes where the splashing water murmurs your name, through valleys where the sun turns black overhead and over mountains made from the bodies of sleeping giants. The caravan has no destination. And it doesn't have a home. It only exists to roam, from one place to another, trading what it needs to keep itself going, but always, always going. Always finding something new and strange and miraculous.
And if you join the caravan tonight- what will you find?
(---/\---)
General Idea
So, the point of this RP is to create a fantasy game where the setting changes regularly. It's episodic, in a way. We can explore an ancient and imperialistic city one week, and then move to a magical jungle the next. There's no set time for how long we'll spend in each Destination- we'll just stay however long feels natural, fill out any stories/plots that arise, and then move on when the players start getting bored.
In-universe, the Pilgrim's Caravan is a large group of travelers, most of whom really do stay in caravans. They travel all across this world called Alwyne, bringing news and merchandise and spices from far-off places to whomever they visit. Travel in Alwyne is a bit dangerous- with the bandits, the goblins, the haunted roads and whatnot- and so the caravan is useful for people who do need to get around. It's big enough to be heavily guarded, but just quick enough to get out of dodge when something shows up that the guards can't beat.
The Caravan has been around for years, for centuries, so much so that nobody even remembers how it got started. Most people go for the obvious guess, that some old merchant company must have commissioned it long ago. But others with more active imaginations say that it was formed by criminal exiles, cast out from their home city and yet denied refuge in any other, or that a great goddess cursed her enemies to roam eternally, or that a child's game of "follow the leader" simply got way out of hand. Whatever the cause, the pilgrims continue on, traveling from one strange place (they call them Destinations) to another.
I'll be playing with you all, as a character who navigates for the Pilgrim's Caravan. But it won't be me picking our Destinations, because...
(---/\---)
Worldbuilding(!)
The Destinations is where the "Worldbuilding" aspect of this game really comes into play. When it comes time for us to go from one place to the next, I'll pick a player to make up our next location. You can come up with anything, as long as it fits the fantasy genre- the world of Alwyne is massive. A goblin city underground where we find kidnapped elves under interrogation, a forest that comes alive with spirits at night. You are encouraged to come up with plots/stories that could take place in your Destination, but reminded that players do not necessarily have to partake in them.
Either way, whatever you think of becomes canon, and I'll record it in the Lore of Alwyne, a log that I will keep of every place, magic, creature and race that we come up with. Because the Destinations aren't the only Worldbuilding element I want to bring in here: if you casually mention (IC) that there's a race of five-eared orcs who live on the other side of the Uftagarish Mountains, and you feel that should be included in our canon, just lemme know. I'll jot it down in the Lore. If this RP goes on a while, future players will see it, and know that someone thought of that. Maybe they'll add to it.
It isn't only about places. I want to flesh out Alwyne with you all!
(---/\---)
On Joining and Leaving
This RP is intentionally set up to handle losses more easily. Because the caravan has people constantly coming and going, if a player drops the RP or goes MIA, we can just say their character left the caravan at our last stop. Likewise, whenever someone new wants to join, we'll say the caravan has just picked them up. This way we can accept new players whenever, and survive losses without grinding down.
(Plus, I'm hoping that our moving to new Destinations can help prevent the RP from dying too quickly. If people are getting bored and posting is slowing to a halt, we can just move on to a new, exciting place to breathe some fresh life back into things.)
(---/\---)
Interested?
If you've read along this far, you might be interested in joining. Character sheet below.
P.S. I have an unfortunate fondness for long sheets that ask you about things like your character's favorite color, and their worst fear, and other nonsense. Most people are wiser than me, and so do not care about these things. If you, like me, are a fool, I've included an optional "extra details" hider within the CS that asks such questions. (At the least, it might help you develop your character a bit!)
Name
(If you've got a picture you're using, right here would be the place to drop it.)
Race, Age, Time in the Caravan: If you're playing a human, or a more familiar fantasy race, you can just write something like "Dwarf, 54, 3 years in the Pilgrim's Caravan." But if you're playing a rarer or custom race, some description of the species would also be warranted.
Appearance: (You can skip this description if you've got a pic, but it is a nice chance to show off your writing.)
History: As long or short as you like; just try to give us an idea of who they are.
Personality: Try to think of how it ties into their history, and into the next section:
Motivation: What's their motivation for joining the Pilgrim's Caravan? Are they looking for adventure, are they escaping a criminal life, do they have a specific place they're trying to get to?
Skills, Strengths and Weaknesses, and Tools: Tell me what your character is good at and what they need to do it, as well as any flaws or deficiencies they might have. If they can do magic, it'll go here. If you have a really unique type of magic (or anything similar), you might want to create a hider that explains how said magic works.
What They Most Want:
If They Had a DnD Alignment, It Would Be:
Three Likes:
Three Dislikes:
Do They Follow Their Heart or Their Mind?:
Worst Fear:
Favorite Color:
Most Like The Animal: That is, which animal they are most like- not which one they like the most.
Favorite Time of Day:
How They Dress:
Favorite Season:
What Gods/Spirits/Whatevers They Worship (If Any): No, M., Jesus isn't an option
(---/\---)
The Fine Print
Hopefully none!
I'd rather not make any real "rules" for what/how to worldbuild here. I want it to be a free space. But most roleplays that I've ran have, at some point or another, had at least one player think of some insane stuff that I couldn't have possibly anticipated when I wrote the rules out. Then I have to choose between allowing said insanity or adding more rules to the game.
So, if we end up needing to make guidelines for the worldbuilding, it'll go here.
1.) No godmodding, no controlling other player's characters. A basic rule in any RP. You know it, you love it.
2.) Cannot kill or otherwise disable another player's character without permission. Obvious, yeah, but I like having it written out.
3.) IC, magical means of teleportation/transportation are rare. This is so that there's still a purpose for the caravan. If it were possible for people to teleport from one locale to another, we probably wouldn't be walkin' and ridin' all slow-like. (Some limited teleportation, of a few meters or in very rare circumstances, can be allowed.)
4.) If conflicts cannot be decided, the GM will arbitrate. This goes for IC and OOC conflicts. I always prefer for people to work things out mutually. Ideally, everyone can agree about who wins/loses potential fights between characters, or who has the upper hand in a negotiation, or so on. But if you can't, I'll step in to try playing judge fairly.
@Crimson Flame I'm headed to bed, but I'll check 'em out tomorrow! In the meantime, you should prolly wrap it up in a hider- makes the thread cleaner :P
I have a concept in mind though am curious on if there's any limitations regarding exactly how long someone has been in the caravan
The caravan has been around for hundreds of years, but I do want to keep its origins a mystery for now. So, I'll say that a particularly long-lived person could have been a part of the Pilgrim's Caravan for up to 300 years. Any longer than that, and they'd probably have heard how it started.
she specializes in "realm-walking". Basically creating portals between two fixed points that her kind are able to travel through. She has gone a little mad from the Astral though, and is not at all a combat character.
Did you remember this bit in the Rules?
3.) IC, magical means of teleportation/transportation are rare. This is so that there's still a purpose for the caravan. If it were possible for people to teleport from one locale to another, we probably wouldn't be walkin' and ridin' all slow-like. (Some limited teleportation, of a few meters or in very rare circumstances, can be allowed.)
If her ability is portal-ing to other physical places, I don't think I'll be able to allow it.
Race, Age, Time in the Caravan: The clan of the fungi! — Yes, I am a part of the mushroom clan… — Cricket, as she introduces herself, comes from a clan of fairies that dedicate their lives to healing the ecosystems of the earth. She is roughly 120, meaning she is practically a young adult in fairy terms. How long has she been a part of the caravan? Roughly 11,250 years — or — one human year.
Appearance: Pictures do not do everything! Cricket is roughly 5 and a half inches tall and weighs slightly over a half pound. You will never see her without her staff that has oyster mushrooms on it (non-toxic), and her outfit usually matches that type of mushroom.
History: Cricket grew up in a specific fairy clan that dealt with fungi and other vegetation of the woodlands. (More may be added in the future?)
Personality: Cricket could be considered “one of a kind” when it comes to her personality. Most think of fairies to be proper things, maybe? She is not proper… Somewhat loud when it comes to it. She is spunky, quick-witted, and constantly going off a whim. She tends to follow her heart, but she is always arguing with it, because of her brain. Some might consider her weird to a point. You can catch the tiny humanoid talking to herself upon decision-making and sometimes just for fun. A little strange – wouldn’t you say? All in all, she is considered a tomboy.
Motivation: Cricket never felt like she completely fit into her clan, back home, so she decided to leave on a whim one day. She was looking for somewhere to fit in, at least a little better, so you could say that she allows her heart to pull her along with the wind. A reason she joined the caravan was out of being a misfit but desiring adventure, something new, and an experience.
Skills, Strengths and Weaknesses, and Tools: Cricket grew up in the forests and wildlife, so she tends to have a lot of use – ful or less — knowledge when it comes to flora, fauna, and specifically fungi. Fairy Ring Creation Healing — Would fall under the advanced level or beginner levels.
Aromatherapy: To heal using scents, fragrances, or perfumes.
Herbalism: To heal using medicinal plants, fungi, minerals, animal parts, etc., often through magic.
Vulnerabilities/weaknesses/etc…: — Iron: harmful, being pierced with iron can be fatal. Iron clashing together, no matter if it is swords or bells, can cause this little fairy to become dizzy or nauseous. — Silver (can burn her) — If someone pours sugar or salt (or sometimes sand) in front of Cricket, she impulsively has to count each grain till she is done counting. — Cream (aka fairy alcohol) — Poppy seed extract: causes Cricket to faint or be very drowsy.
What They Most Want: Pretty rocks.
If They Had a DnD Alignment, It Would Be: Chaotic good
Three Likes: — Rocks and fungi — Buttons — Sugar Three Dislikes: — Iron: smells like rotten eggs — Rue, St. John's wort, and yarrow (anti-fairy herbs) — Lies Do They Follow Their Heart or Their Mind?: Heart 110%
Worst Fear: Iron
Favorite Color: Carrot
Most Like The Animal: A dog, specifically a golden retriever
Favorite Time of Day: Dawn and Dusk
How They Dress: Like a homeless person or hermit — give or take.
Favorite Season: Spring and Fall
What Gods/Spirits/Whatevers They Worship (If Any): Gods? Deities? Spirits!! Pffttt! — who needs those? Those are real? I mean... they are kind of cool, I guess. Please don't smite me. I was just joking when I said you aren't needed.
Perhaps before someone brings something in, they should get your permission first?
The thought crossed my mind. But honestly? It's just not my style. I like to let players have as much freedom and autonomy as I reasonably can, so making folks fill out sheets for items or lore doesn't mesh with the "do whatever!" vibe I try to cultivate in my games.
The chaos works... kinda.
Always happy to see you around Tort. A basic idea thrown onto a WIP character sheet.
Malleck
Race, Age, Time in the Caravan: Malleck belongs to the Ainok- a race of humanoid canines indigenous to Alywne's savannahs and deserts, with significant variety between individual specimens. A quick way to irritate almost all of them is to mistake them for Gnolls, their bitter enemies. He's young for most races, at 20, but reached maturity five years prior, and has been travelling with the caravan for three years.
Appearance: Malleck has dusty fur, blotched with natural camoflague in hues that range from sandy khakis to deep blacks, with a noticable cross pattern that stretches from his muzzle to his nose, the crossbar reaching to the ends of his brows. He has a shaggy plume of hair that's been braided and tied with baubles and other accessories in an attempt to tame it, and bright amber eyes with black sclera. He stands at around 5'5", a normal height for Ainoks, with the typical tight-wound muscle. His fur serves double duty to both cool him in warm environments and warm him in cool ones, meaning he usually eschews more clothing than a simple tunic, covered in straps and bags to help him carry anything he needs on the road.
History: As long or short as you like; just try to give us an idea of who they are.
Personality: Try to think of how it ties into their history, and into the next section:
Motivation: Malleck is a classic example of someone filled with wanderlust, and travels both out of a desire to see the world and to imitate the passage the Dancing Star of Otota makes across the skies. He knows not when his wandering will end, or if it even will at all, but is more than happy to stick with the Pilgrim's Caravan for as long as it stops his feet from itching.
Skills, Strengths and Weaknesses, and Tools: As an open and gleeful follower of Otota, Malleck is expected to be able to bring cheer wherever he wanders. to this end, he has immersed himself in the entertaining arts- music, singing, storytelling and dance. He can work his magic with only a willing audience, but any instrument is obviously a boon. A not-insignificant part of his memory is dedicated to the countless tales he's heard and repeated across his pilgrimage, but for all this knowledge, he is undoubtably rather 'book dumb.' Coming from an oral culture, Malleck can neither read nor write, and he has neither inclination nor patience to dedicate himself to learning how to do so. He also cannot swim and easily and violently becomes motion sick, preferring to walk if at all possible over sitting in a caravan or boat.
As with most long time travellers, Malleck can defend himself, but considers conflict to be a dirty and undivine action, preferring to laugh off an insult than to take a swing. For self-defence, he prefers anything that can extend his reach, distance between himself and his foe- be that a spear, stave or simply a sufficiently long and durable stick. When it comes to magic, Malleck's powers are extremely limited- he is neither a shaman nor wizard- although he practices the Ainok's typical astronomical fortune-telling and can produce a few minor illusions, mend a broken rope or help seal a small cut, anything greater than this is beyond his abilities.
What They Most Want:
If They Had a DnD Alignment, It Would Be: Chaotic Good
Three Likes:
Three Dislikes:
Do They Follow Their Heart or Their Mind?: Heart! Part of the job, honestly.
Worst Fear:
Favorite Color:
Most Like The Animal: That is, which animal they are most like- not which one they like the most.
Favorite Time of Day:
How They Dress:
Favorite Season:
What Gods/Spirits/Whatevers They Worship (If Any): The Ainoks of the savannah worship the stars- which come into view so brightly and clearly each night when the sun sets. They believe that these stars are each Gods in their own right, and that those born under the light and influence of various celestial bodies are favoured or disfavoured by these Gods. Born under the light of the so-called 'Dancing Star,' otherwise known as the Goddess Otota. Being both an incredibly bright star, and one that appears to be the most mobile in the night sky Otota holds a special place within the Ainok pantheon as the Goddess of gaity, enjoyment, fertility, pleasure, and so on and so forth. Malleck considers himself a staunch follower of Otota's light, and it is under her auspex that he travels.
Nice!! If this keeps up, we'll be able to open up an OOC in a day or two. I'm just aiming for a few more players.
By the way- be advised, all, that I just updated the "Race and Age" section of the CS to "Race, Age, Time in the Caravan," so instead of just listing your what you are and how old you are, you'll also say how long you've been a part of the Pilgrim's Caravan (ex. "Human, 32, 3 years in the Caravan").
I think it'll be cool to know who's been around longer, since those senior folks will probably know each other already, whereas the newer characters will be meeting everyone for the first time.
You see that city? You can go to that city! But also like the mountains or whatever.
The caravan starts rolling at dawn today, through a forest so green that the locals call it Emerald. People here say that the trees drop gems rather than seeds, and the flowers have flakes of gold for petals. The children and the naïve of the Pilgrimage are already running alongside the caravans- hunting for their fortune in the grass. Everyone in the Pilgrim's Caravan, one way or another, is hunting their fortune. For some it isn't treasure. Some are here to find knowledge, a new life, new experiences.
Whatever the pilgrims seek, this long and ancient caravan will bring them to more places than only this forest. It has led them each already through shifting deserts and into cities vile with chymical odor, through lands lived-in by elves that only speak secrets and across marshes where the splashing water murmurs your name, through valleys where the sun turns black overhead and over mountains made from the bodies of sleeping giants. The caravan has no destination. And it doesn't have a home. It only exists to roam, from one place to another, trading what it needs to keep itself going, but always, always going. Always finding something new and strange and miraculous.
And if you join the caravan tonight- what will you find?
(---/\---)
General Idea
So, the point of this RP is to create a fantasy game where the setting changes regularly. It's episodic, in a way. We can explore an ancient and imperialistic city one week, and then move to a magical jungle the next. There's no set time for how long we'll spend in each Destination- we'll just stay however long feels natural, fill out any stories/plots that arise, and then move on when the players start getting bored.
In-universe, the Pilgrim's Caravan is a large group of travelers, most of whom really do stay in caravans. They travel all across this world called Alwyne, bringing news and merchandise and spices from far-off places to whomever they visit. Travel in Alwyne is a bit dangerous- with the bandits, the goblins, the haunted roads and whatnot- and so the caravan is useful for people who do need to get around. It's big enough to be heavily guarded, but just quick enough to get out of dodge when something shows up that the guards can't beat.
The Caravan has been around for years, for centuries, so much so that nobody even remembers how it got started. Most people go for the obvious guess, that some old merchant company must have commissioned it long ago. But others with more active imaginations say that it was formed by criminal exiles, cast out from their home city and yet denied refuge in any other, or that a great goddess cursed her enemies to roam eternally, or that a child's game of "follow the leader" simply got way out of hand. Whatever the cause, the pilgrims continue on, traveling from one strange place (they call them Destinations) to another.
I'll be playing with you all, as a character who navigates for the Pilgrim's Caravan. But it won't be me picking our Destinations, because...
(---/\---)
Worldbuilding(!)
The Destinations is where the "Worldbuilding" aspect of this game really comes into play. When it comes time for us to go from one place to the next, I'll pick a player to make up our next location. You can come up with anything, as long as it fits the fantasy genre- the world of Alwyne is massive. A goblin city underground where we find kidnapped elves under interrogation, a forest that comes alive with spirits at night. You are encouraged to come up with plots/stories that could take place in your Destination, but reminded that players do not necessarily have to partake in them.
Either way, whatever you think of becomes canon, and I'll record it in the Lore of Alwyne, a log that I will keep of every place, magic, creature and race that we come up with. Because the Destinations aren't the only Worldbuilding element I want to bring in here: if you casually mention (IC) that there's a race of five-eared orcs who live on the other side of the Uftagarish Mountains, and you feel that should be included in our canon, just lemme know. I'll jot it down in the Lore. If this RP goes on a while, future players will see it, and know that someone thought of that. Maybe they'll add to it.
It isn't only about places. I want to flesh out Alwyne with you all!
(---/\---)
On Joining and Leaving
This RP is intentionally set up to handle losses more easily. Because the caravan has people constantly coming and going, if a player drops the RP or goes MIA, we can just say their character left the caravan at our last stop. Likewise, whenever someone new wants to join, we'll say the caravan has just picked them up. This way we can accept new players whenever, and survive losses without grinding down.
(Plus, I'm hoping that our moving to new Destinations can help prevent the RP from dying too quickly. If people are getting bored and posting is slowing to a halt, we can just move on to a new, exciting place to breathe some fresh life back into things.)
(---/\---)
Interested?
If you've read along this far, you might be interested in joining. Character sheet below.
P.S. I have an unfortunate fondness for long sheets that ask you about things like your character's favorite color, and their worst fear, and other nonsense. Most people are wiser than me, and so do not care about these things. If you, like me, are a fool, I've included an optional "extra details" hider within the CS that asks such questions. (At the least, it might help you develop your character a bit!)
Name
(If you've got a picture you're using, right here would be the place to drop it.)
Race, Age, Time in the Caravan: If you're playing a human, or a more familiar fantasy race, you can just write something like "Dwarf, 54, 3 years in the Pilgrim's Caravan." But if you're playing a rarer or custom race, some description of the species would also be warranted.
Appearance: (You can skip this description if you've got a pic, but it is a nice chance to show off your writing.)
History: As long or short as you like; just try to give us an idea of who they are.
Personality: Try to think of how it ties into their history, and into the next section:
Motivation: What's their motivation for joining the Pilgrim's Caravan? Are they looking for adventure, are they escaping a criminal life, do they have a specific place they're trying to get to?
Skills, Strengths and Weaknesses, and Tools: Tell me what your character is good at and what they need to do it, as well as any flaws or deficiencies they might have. If they can do magic, it'll go here. If you have a really unique type of magic (or anything similar), you might want to create a hider that explains how said magic works.
What They Most Want:
If They Had a DnD Alignment, It Would Be:
Three Likes:
Three Dislikes:
Do They Follow Their Heart or Their Mind?:
Worst Fear:
Favorite Color:
Most Like The Animal: That is, which animal they are most like- not which one they like the most.
Favorite Time of Day:
How They Dress:
Favorite Season:
What Gods/Spirits/Whatevers They Worship (If Any): No, M., Jesus isn't an option
(---/\---)
The Fine Print
Hopefully none!
I'd rather not make any real "rules" for what/how to worldbuild here. I want it to be a free space. But most roleplays that I've ran have, at some point or another, had at least one player think of some insane stuff that I couldn't have possibly anticipated when I wrote the rules out. Then I have to choose between allowing said insanity or adding more rules to the game.
So, if we end up needing to make guidelines for the worldbuilding, it'll go here.
1.) No godmodding, no controlling other player's characters. A basic rule in any RP. You know it, you love it.
2.) Cannot kill or otherwise disable another player's character without permission. Obvious, yeah, but I like having it written out.
3.) IC, magical means of teleportation/transportation are rare. This is so that there's still a purpose for the caravan. If it were possible for people to teleport from one locale to another, we probably wouldn't be walkin' and ridin' all slow-like. (Some limited teleportation, of a few meters or in very rare circumstances, can be allowed.)
4.) If conflicts cannot be decided, the GM will arbitrate. This goes for IC and OOC conflicts. I always prefer for people to work things out mutually. Ideally, everyone can agree about who wins/loses potential fights between characters, or who has the upper hand in a negotiation, or so on. But if you can't, I'll step in to try playing judge fairly.
Current RP I want you to join: https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/191461-caravan-an-episodic-fantasy-with-worldbuilding-always-accepting/ic
Hey y'all. I've been at this for about 12 years, and I've played a lot of kinds of RP. I like fantasy and sci-fi the most, just because they give me the most to worldbuild with, but I'm cool with almost anything. I just like writing.
[CENTER][URL=https://www.nodiatis.com/personality.htm][IMG]https://www.nodiatis.com/pub/8.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Current RP I want you to join: <a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/191461-caravan-an-episodic-fantasy-with-worldbuilding-always-accepting/ic" title="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/191461-caravan-an-episodic-fantasy-with-worldbuilding-always-accepting/ic">roleplayerguild.com/topics/191461-car…</a><br><br>Hey y'all. I've been at this for about 12 years, and I've played a lot of kinds of RP. I like fantasy and sci-fi the most, just because they give me the most to worldbuild with, but I'm cool with almost anything. I just like writing.<br><br><div class="bb-center"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.nodiatis.com/personality.htm"><img src="https://www.nodiatis.com/pub/8.jpg" /></a></div></div>