The Crimson Markiz

A play-by-post game of Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies hosted at rpg.net. A link will be placed as soon as the in-character and out-of-character threads are posted. The recruitment thread is here.

Players

So far, we have the following interested players:

• Gilbetron
• Glyptodont
• Danny K
• Insertname

The game will be GM'd by roryb

Player Characters

Below, feel free to jot your preliminary character notes and stats so we can tweak them here and refer to them by link. Below is a sample character. He will not be featured in this game, but feel free to copy and paste his entry template to make things faster or more uniform if you like.

Riko Regaldo

played by roryb

Foible: "I'm the greatest fencer in the Seven Skies!"

Motivation: Good [+2] Rescue the Empress... FF

Nationality: Good [+2] Barathi D

Past: Good [+2] Merchant

SWASHBUCKLING FORTE: Good [+2] Fencing

• Simara Fencing School: Playful (idiom), Dagger (weapon), Rapier (weapon), Dual Weapons (weapon)
• Other Techniques: Parry (maneuver)

Other Forte: Good [+2] Imperial Spider

Other Forte: Good [+2] Gift (of the Griffin)

Other Forte: Good [+2] Reputation (of a dangerous killer)

Training Points: 0

Style Die: 3

Story Hooks: Rescue the Empress, Barathi

Character Damage Ranks & Story Hooks Key

F = Failure Rank

W = Wound Rank

Strikethrough = burned story hook

Style Dice

Dice in Circulation: 14

Bowl: 10

When the GM awards a Style Die for Feeding the Plot, or Good Form!, add a style die to your character's record. Also, don't forget to subtract one from the bowl. Likewise, when you spend a Style Die for something in the game, return it to the bowl. The bowl can never have more than the total number in circulation.

If you get a Style Die for any reason (which comes from the "Box"), the total number of dice in circulation increases. Usually, the GM will do this; but if you happen to remind the GM that you are playing to your character's Foible, then you may do this yourself. Just remember to increase the total number in circulation. Don't forget that you can Good Form! Gift one another. Doing so will pump another die in the circulation.

Every five scenes will constitute a "session", and thus reset the bowl and amount in circulation. So...use what you have by scene five. Create the World. Create NPCs and dictate facts.

For clarity, everyone who makes a change in their Style Die, both to the character record and the bowl, should note such in your spoiler block IC notes, or out-of-character post.

Format

Keep text in all in-character posts just that―in character. Use the [sblock=OOC][/sblock] code to mark out-of-character things in these IC posts, including rolls for Challenges and Duels. The GM will try to foresee approaching Challenges and list some possible TN's. If you want a TN NOW, but don't want to wait for a response from the GM, take your best guess. There are some notes in the rules for general descriptions, such as "difficult for trained professionals" and the like.

Generally, I'd like players to do all the rolling. The more results you see, the more chance you all can craft an interesting narrative of those results (and, thus, get more Style Dice!). Rolls can be listed in your [sblock=OOC][/sblock] spoilers. If a character is facing a minion squad, which will be the large majority of foes they will face, the GM will list how the dice will be divvied in advance, such as:

• Minion squad (5): Good Guards (+2). Strong attack 4/1

The above example shows how the squad's five dice will be divided between attack and defense. Four dice (the best of two) for attack, one for defense. Players can roll these so the game can progress quickly through Duel turns.

For more dramatic Duels with important foes (Villains or Arch-Villains), the GM will likely handle the rolls of the bad guys.

In your posts, be cinematic and colorful. Cliches are your friend! The trick is to be flavorful and descriptive without being overly prosaic. We don't need compendious exposition—just quick, pithy, memorable narrative. Please refer to your characters in the third person.

Setting the Dials

Aesthetics: I'm thinking Action with a good dose of Villainy for the bad guys, and whatever themes the players want to bring into it. This will be a one-off episode.

Firearms: Just another weapon.

Good Guy vs. Bad Guy Islands: No decision here until all players have submitted their characters. I like a good bad guy nation. Barathi machinations always seem sinister to me!

Justify Why PCs are Together: ???

Mysticism: A cost of 1 Style Die whenever a big effect is desired (treated as a Challenge). TN is variable according to the magnitude of the effect required. MOD used for basic Challenges and Duels.

Poison: A variety of uses, depending on the strength of the poison.

Team Sanctum or Team Vehicle: If everyone likes the idea.

NPCs

I'll list stats of NPCs. There will be no secrets here!

Setting Notes

Below will be the game's gazetteer with a few notes on locations, personages, and items. Everyone should feel free to update this for everyone's benefit.