TwiLyghtSansSparkles

A certain Newcago schoolboy will be very upset when he realizes that not only was one of his notebooks stolen by a very grouchy Epic, but that said Epic's biggest frenemy ate a few pages.

It DOES.

Yeah….that does sound like her. Now just picture Remington at the end, once she's conjured up bowls and bowls of chicken noodle soup and glasses of water, asking, "So why'd you make me come all the way up here again?"

This occurred to me today. How Aldo sees his magic shows: How everyone else sees his magic shows. (Start at 3:21)

I would really love to read something like this. So do I. I'm not entirely sure exactly how it'll pan out (not being a precog myself) but I'd love to see how crazy a fight between two precogs could get. Ooh. That's….a really good question. Maybe they divide the year into months, determine the month closest to December, and celebrate it that way?

Hugs. You need a hug. You need all the hugs.

True, but what differentiates a precog fight from a lightsaber duel is the escalation. They both start off with guns, say, but in trying to outwit each other they go for more and more bizarre weapons, until one has a chainsaw and the other is waiting in the rafters with a pot of boiling oil.

You could always do what the writers of the Wild Cards universe did and write a series of short stories set in the same universe. And, of course, Ursula K. LeGuin proved that worldbuilding can itself make an unforgettable (and haunting) short story in "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas." I'm going to say yes, because he is continually scanning his own futures for random threats. He would see the bullet coming a moment before it was fired and know which way to dodge; the ensuing fight wouldn't require him to map out the futures quickly so much as it would require him to know the best direction to shoot. Susan does something similar, though when she is in a dangerous situation, she uses people like mirrors, scanning their futures to see whether or not they mean her any harm. Stombaugh definitely has the edge on avoiding immediate danger, since he doesn't have to do the legwork in figuring out precisely when and where a threat will come from, and it's far easier to scan the futures of one person than it is to scan the futures of three or four. However, Susan is able to predict the future far more quickly than Stombaugh; as she has learned how to use the mirror strategy, she has consequently learned to flash through the futures far more rapidly, interpret them based on a few quick details, and trust her instincts (sharpened by choosing what can sometimes be a dangerous profession and by marrying a cop). I do intend to have them fight at some point. Just because I've always wondered what a precog-vs.-precog fight would look like.

Are you trying to make it sound boring so you don't have to write about it? Because it's not working. Things that he can directly see, hear, touch, etc., that are caused by his choices. The butterfly effect would suggest all futures would involve him; however, this sort of clairvoyance lends itself more to extrapolation, which allows him to see precisely how he can involve himself in events he would like to be involved in. Here's an example: He looks one minute into the future. Sees himself sitting at his desk, poring over his notes. From there, the future branches. He can either continue sitting at his desk, or go downstairs to have the kitchen staff make him some tea. He checks out the futures in the kitchen. More branches form—he takes the tea without incident, he looks a moment too long at one of the female employees and causes her to quickly duck out of the room, or he claims the tea is substandard. Each of those three futures branches further; the first would have the fewest and least interesting branches, whereas the second and third would have more interesting branches. However, there is also timing to consider. In the above example, the employee who he embarrasses would leave within the next few minutes, so Stombaugh would need to get down to the kitchen quickly before that happened. If he chose to stay in his room and chart out his futures, all of the most interesting futures would vanish from lack of utilization. His choices cause those futures, and if he isn't there to make the choice, the future doesn't happen. If the "deadline," so to speak, passes before he can make the choice, that particular future ceases to exist. It does involve a gamble, when timing is an issue; the wrong choice, made when he felt there wasn't enough time to chart out all the consequences, could create an undesirable situation for him and others. (And, in the above example, I didn't add that he could see an employee and stop them on their rounds to ask them a few questions. That conversation would be a bit more difficult to predict; I have it in my head that conversations take a bit more time to hash out, since there are so many directions for them to go. He would be able to see what questions he could ask and the immediate reactions that caused.) His clairvoyance is a bit less flexible than Susan's, although both powers require their users to be active participants: In Stombaugh's case, he must make the choice to create a future; while in Susan's case, she must make the choice to inform someone else of the path they should take, which requires trust and all sorts of other things. It…seems a bit confusing, and hopefully I can hammer out all the kinks as I start writing. (I did, for instance, notice that the whole "creating the future" thing has a touch of circular logic to it. How I think this is solved is that Stombaugh would only chart out the choices he was likely to make. He would not, for example, chart out a future where he goes down to the kitchens and dances a little jig while pouring molasses down his throat, because he wouldn't think to do that. It's so out of character for him that he wouldn't consider that as one of his choices, and thus wouldn't see it in his potential futures.)

You really expect to just toss out a phrase like "Nyssan Gazelle-People" and expect people to not be interested? Like Susan, he is a powerful precog, though instead of being blind to his own futures, he's blind to all futures that don't involve him directly. He enjoys the finer things in life but isn't frivolous, devotes his talents to assisting Whitelaw with political strategy, and is currently the only one in the Davenport, perhaps Spokane, who knows Whitelaw is a Super, let alone his power. Other details will come out as I write the scene. That's just what I have set in stone.

No...no Nyssan Gazelle-People? Still working on a name for my Dragon. I was toying with the surnames Vassiliou and Stombaugh, but I have no idea what I'd give him for a first name.

At least I'm not the only one who has never met Sanderson.

You can't see it, but I'm wearing my jealous face. Interesting answers, good questions. And as a former student journalist, I must say I admire your journalistic integrity in writing his answers word for word.

I hate you just a little bit. How was it?

If you want to join a thread, ask permission in the latest Question thread. See the bottom of this page for notes on specific threads. This keeps the game threads clear. Use the Question threads for planning and other random questions as well. (We're pretty informal in those threads, so don't feel shy!) ​ Try to avoid double posts in the game threads. If you have multiple characters, combine their perspectives into a single post. No killing another player's character without permission. Characters can die, but killing another character before the author is done writing them is just rude. If you have an idea for how another player's character could die, approach them in a PM. We're always open to new locations. If you are interested in starting a new location thread, suggest it in the latest Question thread. Let us know 1) which Oregon town or city you would like to open, and 2) what you're envisioning so far as the city government, population, and general power level of Epics there. No god-modding. Writing minor actions for other player characters (e.g., "she looked nervous") is fine if that action is in character. Taking control of another player's character without permission is a no-no. If you want to write another character's actions and dialogue into your post, talk to that character's player. Google Docs (which can be edited and updated in real time) are fantastic for this. If you know another character's weakness, ask that character's player for permission before using it. Speaking of weaknesses, keep them realistic. Epics do have some bizarre weaknesses, but make sure setting them off is possible. ("He can only be killed by someone who truly believes in magic" is an acceptable weakness. "He can only be killed by someone with six fingers on their right hand, a second toe longer than their big toe, who happens to be riding on a unicorn while their best friend Frank the Orangutan plays 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' on his saxophone" is not.) This also applies to weaknesses that can only be set off through rare events of chance. If your character's weakness is a tsunami that could flatten Japan, go back to the drawing board. PM all Epic weaknesses to me and/or whoever the GM of that thread happens to be. When you make a post for your Epic character in the Epics of Oregon thread, write a short scene where they display their powers and post it in their profile. This will help other players see how their powers work in combat. Epic characters can be pretty powerful, but don't make them story-breaking powerful. (No characters whose secondary is "blowing up the universe." That would not make for a fun game.) No one-liner posts. Don't be alarmed when another player asks to turn your character into a pony. This is completely normal, and a sign that you and your character are welcome. Portland: Closed to all new Epic characters, but recently reopened to non-Epics. The Dalles: Closed to new Epic characters, but open to non-Epics. In a town run by non-Epics, where all Epics must either work for the City Guard under strict restrictions, or live as outlaws and risk being killed on sight (and trust me, the mayor there is very good at figuring out how to kill Epics), this actually presents more interesting opportunities for non-Epic player characters. Don't believe me? Ask Kobold King (thread GM) for details. Corvallis: Open to Epics and non-Epics, but ask Comatose (thread GM) for details. Astoria: Situation there is a bit tricky, considering all the powerful Epics currently attacking the town. Ask Edgedancer (thread GM) for details. Salem: New Epic characters welcome. Ask Voidus (thread GM) for details. I'd say "Have fun," but if you have to be told to have fun, then it's not really fun anymore.

Yes. Just to keep things simple. Ish. If anyone has any rules or guidelines (unspoken rules that we all kind of observe that make the games flow more smoothly) that I missed, let me know. Whenever you can get the link working. Does anyone want to start the official TVTropes thread? Hey, that game was fun. I assumed it died out because October ended, which I found disappointing, because there is no month out of the year that is not suited for reading and writing about a bunch of OP Epics and their pants-crappingly-terrifying adventures.

"Chant with me! Author puppet, author puppet, author puppet!" I'll put that in the Rules and Etiquette thread, along with things like... No god-modding (if you want to write another character's dialogue or perspective into your post, talk to that character's player) Ask to join in one of the Question threads, not in the main RP thread If you know a character's weakness, ask the player's permission before using it Try to avoid double posts in the RP threads; if you have to post for multiple characters, combine their perspectives into one post You don't have to create a pony for all of your characters, but it is encouraged. Don't know if I'll really add the last one or not. And I don't know how much a rules thread is really needed at the moment, since I don't think any of those have been violated, but it might be helpful for future players.

Yes it is. If you are unable to answer the Cocoa Puffs Question, the next scene will involve all other characters gathered around your character, pointing and laughing. (Kidding.) Thanks! Anything I should add? Mwahahahahaha!

It's so…pretty. I want to hug it.

Free-form role-playing is less like tabletop role-playing and more like a collaborative fanfic. In this sort of game, each player creates one (or two, or three, or ten) characters, writes for those characters, and develops them throughout the game. (Most of these games don't have a character limit, so create as many as you want, but make sure you can keep track!) Free-form games don't really have a goal. There may be a loose plot (for example, the What Happened in Oregon series center on the destruction of Oregon in the Epic turf wars) but there aren't really campaigns. Most of the time, it's difficult to say what will happen three or four pages out, as long-term plans are loose at best and subject to change. As a result, these games are highly character-driven as opposed to event-driven—that is to say, characters determine what will happen next by how they interact with their setting and with other characters. When creating a character, consider the following: What happened to him/her before they joined the story? What is their personality like? Are they grouchy or cheerful, kind or cruel, focused or flighty, idealistic or cynical? What are three positive traits of this character? (If you're creating a complete monster, think of traits that help him or her—intelligence, determination, ambition, etc.) What are three negative traits of this character? (Flaws that make a character imperfect, like pettiness, self-absorption, judgmental attitudes, etc. It's been said before, but clumsiness is not a character flaw.) If a genie offered them three wishes, what would those wishes be? How would they react if they went to the store to satisfy a craving for Cocoa Puffs, only to find the store was out? What would they do if they went to the laundromat and saw the one person they could not stand had taken the last machine? In other words, who is this person, and what would they add to the story? The point of free-form role-playing is much like the point of good storytelling: Don't focus on creating the most powerful, most brilliant, or most amazing character in the game. Focus instead on creating an interesting character. Create a character who feels like a person you might sit down and have coffee with: You might enjoy talking to them, or you might not, but the idea is to create a character who feels real. It is highly recommended you read the thread you want to join. If the thread is long or Real Life doesn't give you much time for reading, ask current players for a summary. However, reading at least a few posts of characters in the thread you want to join will allow you to answer these questions: How would my character react to my favorite character in this thread? How would my character react to my least favorite character in this thread? How would my character cause problems for the other characters? How would my character solve problems for the other characters? How would my character make their grand entrance, and how would the other characters react? If you answered the problem-causing question with "Not at all," go back and add a few flaws. Free-form RPGs are about telling a good story and having fun doing it, and stories are all about conflict. Flawed characters cause conflict and are interesting to read about. Perfect characters are rarely interesting. Once you have a good character in mind, PM me and the thread starter and go from there. Some notes on Epic characters: In canon, teleportation is supposed to be rare. As many teleporters were created before this was known, Oregon is rather saturated with teleporters now. If you are creating an Epic character, please stay away from teleportation as a power.

I do have a few theories, but I'll just wait and see.

Free kingdoms? Ponies are very convincing.

Sorry. I'm not a fan of the ALA, if you couldn't tell. I will ask about the new board. Please get video evidence of your houseguests' facial expressions.

Maybe. (Still need to read the first book. Checked it out from the library, but since I'm in the middle of finals and rereading Steelheart to help me de-stress, I gave it to my sister first.) I just said LOC because I'm working on a pathfinder for high school civics students and the LOC is one of the resources. I'm not sure. Should I ask?