The RPG Alternative, Part 2
Role-playing, with stricter-than-usual rules.
Continued from Part One.
Date: April 4, 2009
Categories: RRRs, RPWs, and RPGs
Saturday, 27 April 2024
Life, the universe, pies, hot-pink bunnies, world domination, and everything
Role-playing, with stricter-than-usual rules.
Continued from Part One.
Date: April 4, 2009
Categories: RRRs, RPWs, and RPGs
((What’s this one about again? Can someone fill me in?))
Thanks, GAPAs !
A summary for anyone who wants to join:
Everyone is currently in the jungle, in the crater of an old volcano which has filled itself with magic healing liquid. Unfortunately, it is highly addictive: after spending too much time in its waters, you can´t leave. Tiff and Zinc have already been affected badly, so everyone is diving into the system of underwater caves and tunnels to destroy the big stone in the middle which contains the magic. But we aren’t the only ones in the lake… *plays jaws theme song*
Tiff:
I followed Zinc, grabbing her arm from time to time and letting myself be dragged so that Snook, Gail, Jean and Ashira ((did I forget someone ?)) could keep up. Those worst stricken swam best… I was starting to worry about Jean. En had been in the water third-longest after Zinc and myself, and was starting to show symptoms.
This is our one chance. I can’t live here forever. I just hope They can all get over it- I’ve already reconciled myself to losing the magic, but Zinc…
My train of thought was interrupted by the distinict feeling that something was wrong. The water was charged, like the air before a thunderstorm.
Then it came around the corner.
“Holy mackerel !” I gasped “It’s huge !”
((Darnit, that leaves me to also post looking at it as huge, and not describing it.))
I was getting the hang of this. Swimming better, breathing easier. It was becoming natural… Wait. I suddenly stopped, and remembered what had been said before we went in. It traps you… I thought I knew why I could swim better. I was being trapped by the lake. I was so wrapped up in this thought line, that I almost didn’t notice when something came around the corner. Then, I did.
Tiff summed up my thoughts. “Holy mackerel! it’s huge!”
Is there any way to add to that?
((YAY! IT LIVES!!!))
Jean was feeling extremely attached to the lake, and was about to swim away from the group to submerge herself further beneath the surface when a gigantic…something appeared from behind a corner! Jean screamed.
“AAAAH!”
“Holy mackerel! it’s huge!†cried Tiff. And Jean agreed.
In front of them was a vast, enormous expanse of white marble and statues, all formed into walls and turrets and towers, and a large bride that opened up in the middle and led into a deep, dark unknown hole that the group could not see past.
“What is it?” asked Zinc.
“It looks like some sort of…of…” said Jean.
“A lost city?” offered Ashira.
“Yeah, that’s it!” said Tiff. “I’ve noticed how the natives have been disappearing…and they never returned to the surface…”
“Was there ever civilization here?” asked Jean.
“Not that I know of, but maybe,” Tiff replied.
“Maybe this is where the lost pilots went…” Jean said to Zinc, quietly so that the others couldn’t hear.
“It’s possible,” Zinc returned. “At any rate, it would be smart to investigate, dontcha think?”
“Yeah,” she replied. “I mean, what could possibly go wrong?”
These being fatally ironic words…
((That should be, “and a large bridge that opened up”…Sorry! :D))
((I was kinda leaving it to LadyG or Zinc, since they both were here longer than me and found the volcano. Oi, Zinc, LadyG !))
Snook:
As Snook stared down at the lost city he began to feel very sad. Something bad happened there. The others were all very surprised at the sight of it all.
Suddenly he heard a voice. (in his native tongue)
Snook, you shall be the one to restore us. You are the one…
You have betrayed once already, and you shall once more, but in the tragic ending, there will be peace. You will find the connections of the past, and use them to help make the future. Many will die, few will live. But the amount of each all depends on you…
Thevoice floated away.
Snook wondered if anyone else heard it, but they stared at the underwater city just as they had two minutes ago. Snook was worried. He wasn’t very smart, but he understood the meanings of what this voice was trying to tell him. He would have to everyone on this island, and maybe the world.
But how would he do it? He didn’t care. Snook knew all about prophecies. Whatever the voice was talking about would be thrust upon him. He did not need to search for it. So he would wait, until the time where he was needed.
((I’m here! I’m here!!! ZIIIINC!!!!!))
“Whoa,” Gail gasped.
“It looks like some sort of… of…” Jean stalled for the right word.
“Lost city?” replied Ashira.
“Atlantis,” Gail muttered under her breath. “The Bermuda Triangle. How is this connected?”
“Maybe this is where the lost pilots went,” she heard Jean say.
“Is there more than one Bermuda Triangle? Because that’s the only explanation I can think of for this,” said Gail quietly to Tiff.
“What do you mean?” Tiff replied, puzzled.
“Well, a bunch of people have been disappearing. Not just natives, but pilots from Raulaand. Unless all the pilots crashed into the volcano, which I doubt, how else would they have gotten here?”
“Wait, how do we know they’re here?”
“Because there’s one of them over there. And I recognize him.”
((6- Right, I know…I was just thinking, though, because the whole plot of the thread was to find out what happened to the lost cargo ship and its’ crew…))
((Uummmmm, what group is Snook with?))
((10- I didn’t think we had groups? Aren’t we all underwater in the lake?))
((We’re all in this lake together.))
Tiff:
“This reminds me of a moving picture I saw once- a scary one, where a murderer threw bodies into a lake. Let´s go look !”
((RoseQuartz, I think you should continue. About before, I was just a little confused with the new thread and all))
They swam closer, very cautiously.
The man turned around.
“Who are you?” he asked.
Gail stared at him.
“Gail Thompson. You worked with my father.”
He stared at her, uncomprehending.
“Can the water cause amnesia?” she whispered to Tiff.
Tiff:
“I’m not sure.” I said. “It causes you to lose touch with reality, and blurs any traumatic past events and anything connected to them. Somehow, you or your father must have reminded him of something unpleasant. The memories come back though- I think.”
“Great. Just great.”
As Snook watched his friend and a strange man talk, he suddenly realized that this conversation could be important. The second the thought occurred, he felt great knowledge come inside him. He didn’t know where it came from, but he liked it. It was the most amazing feeling. Just from knowing what he had just learned, he could unlock an infinite amount of other knowledge, but Snook hadn’t processed that yet, he just looked around his mind at the new language he had just learned.
He swam over.
“Hello, sir. May I ask how you got here? I think I must know it.” Snook said.
Everyone froze instantly. Of course this was a bit awkward underwater depending if you had air in your lungs or not, because you would sink if you stopped mid-breath. Tiff happened to be in that situation, but quickly swam a couple of feet back upwards.
The man seemed very frightened, but getting more calm every second.
“Did… You just talk!?” asked Gail.
“Why, yes! I suppose I did!” Snook said fluently.
“How?!” asked Tiff.
“I…I don’t know. I just felt a burst of knowledge, and now here I am! Oh, it feels wonderful! Everything makes so much sense! What are your names?” Snook was delighted that he could ask them that.
“Jean”
“Gail”
“Tiffany, but you can call me Tiff”
“Ashira”
“Zinc”
((How’d I do!?))
“Oh that’s great!!!” He pondered the origins of each name easily, and compared the similarities of the name and the person. Of course, he didn’t know these people too well, but he was just too happy to care.
“I suppose this is part of the prophecy… Oh, if it is, then I guess my quest shall be soon! Oh, perhaps I need a weapon, no, why would I need that? Oh, this is just too much fun!!!!” He was muttering to himself, but he didn’t seem to know how to mutter, so everyone was once again baffled.
“What prophecy?”
“Oh, don’t you remember, oh I suppose you couldn’t understand it. But then again, you probably didn’t even hear it!”
“WHAT PROPHECY!!!?” This time expecting an answer.
“Oh it went like… it went like… Oh, well I don’t seem to be able to translate it. Our languages are so different! But maybe in time I’ll be able to figure it out!”
Gail whispered to Tiff,”Maybe he’s schizophrenic.” Tiff giggled.
“Well, I most certainly am NOT!” Snook replied. He lived in a small hunting village, so he was never deafened by industrial sounds, and he had to develop a hunter’s ear.
Okay, well this is great, we have a schizo native, a cave-girl, a man who doesn’t remember ANYTHING, and, well you have me.
“Who you calling cave-girl!” Tiff screamed into the river.
Nobody was talking.
Snook looked around in wonderment. He suddenly saw it.
He always wanted it to happen to him. It was every native’s dream. He was being visited by the river god. ((This is a river right!!!???))
It was in the form of a magnificent fish with no name.
“Sol!” That was his name. Snook shouted it.
I have come to help you all, because you clearly need it! I am Sol, to those who do not know me, and I am the Guardian of this river.Suddenly, the crest of a strange scepter appeared on its fins.
“Oh, this is wonderful! Great Sol, bring as success on our journey!”
Snook was soooooooo excited now.
I can see you are very excited with your new skill Snook! Of course, bad things are happening on land. And the island needs your help.
“THIS IS SO WEIRD!!!”
Everyone normal was so excited that someone said it.
((HOW’D YOU LIKE THAT TWIST PEOPLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!?))
((Good one ))
Tiff:
“How do you know he’s a god ?” I asked. “Just because you say so… and why can Snook talk suddenly ? This is freaky, and that’s coming from someone who spent the last few years swimming in a magic lake. And how…” I trailed off.
“We should keep an eye on them.” I whispered to Gail. “I mean, he’s a-”
Fish ? I chose this form to live in the lake. But I see your mistrust. To put it in your words, you can trust me or not- but you won’t be able to leave this lake on your own. If you manage to smash the stone, you’ll drown- it also holds the magic that lets you breathe in here.
“Simple, then,” replied Jean, rolling her eyes. “We take the stone OUT of the water and smash it. Cake.”
The fish stared angrily at her. You cannot remove the stone from the water. It is the stone’s forging place, and therefore cannot be removed from the water. And, even if you DID manage to remove the stone, the waters would retaliate and engulf you before you were able to destroy it.
“Surely you, being an all powerful god and all, could take it out for us?” said Gail.
I would like to, but, alas, once the power of the river is destroyed, so is my own, the fish replied. I must find a new haven to guard, before the stone can be destroyed, for my powers have weakened greatly here and they might soon disappear altogether.
“Well, then, HOW are we supposed to destroy it?” cried Tiff.
((…mind blank. Any ideas?))
Someone cried, “Well then, HOW are we supposed to destroy it?” I think it was Tiff, but I wasn’t sure. Anyway, I couldn’t figure it out either, but I said something anyway.
“Simple. We just discover how we can breath underwater without the stone!”
I don’t know if they took me seriously or not. It didn’t matter much, since the fact that they didn’t burst out laughing was not good. Maybe it had to do with too much lake water, and too great a belief in the impossible.
Tiff:
“Why about one of those breathing bells ((Tunneling under the Thames, anyone ?))? I heard they work ! And maybe we could find a tunnel only half-filled with water. Or… what if this thing has a drain ? It must be above sea-level. If we can avoid being washed out, we could get rid of the water. We just have to be-charm it before it contaminates the ocean.”
“Good idea! I’ll go down and look.”
((COME BACK!!))
Tiff:
“I´ll come with you. What about the fish ?”
((COME BACK EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!))
Meh, writer’s block…
((I completely forgot about this thread. Sorry!))
Ashira:
They were going down? Well, I was up for more adventure. “I’m coming too.”
((Okay, SFTDP, but I was wondering: It says ‘no magic’ in the description of this thread. I honor that, but given that we’re already in a magic well, could one of us be some how be ‘taken over’ by the well, and maybe gain magic powers? They’d be carefully defined as ‘not good’ and they’d leave as soon as we destroyed the stone, but it might be interesting…))
((I would prefer if there were no magic people.))
((‘Kay. Works. We’ve been integrating enough magic that I thought it might be interesting, but that’s fine. Suggestion: Why are we destroying the stone? Why don’t we just let it stay, and stay here forever, happy? Yes, that’s a joking suggestion.))
((Because we have to stay as well, unhappy, forever and can’t leave the lake…POSTPOSTPOST EVERYONE !!!))
((I’m really sorry for forgetting about the thread…))
Snook:
“Why can’t we just drag the ones who cannot leave the lake?” said Snook. Snook wasn’t used to using humane methods… But it could work….
The god was getting extremely frustrated. YOU CANNOT! YOU MUST SOLVE THE RIDDLE! THIS IS A TEST! When you discover the answer, it will be a bit of an epiphany; you will instantly knowthat it is the answer. I must go now! Good-bye, travelers, and Snook, be ready for what is to come!
He swam away, slowly fading in a watery-mist.
“Well, I have no idea!” Snook said very un-assuringly.
((OOPS!!! The italics are supposed to end after what is to come!))
Tiff:
“Okay, I don’t even understand the question. Let’s find the stone and figure out everything else on the way.”
((I’ll be gone for a while, sorry. I think I’ll turn my disappearance into a dramatic plot twist on the way. Might kick-start the dying action.))
“I guess that’s the best way to go. I wonder where it is?” I looked around. “Maybe if we just asked…” I took a deep breath. “WHERE IS THE STONE THAT GIVES THE LAKE POWER?” I shouted, the words reverberating around us, off the rocks. There wasn’t an answer, unsurprisingly. Something else happened, though. Everything went black, for me, and my head exploded in pain. I knew I had been knocked out, though by what, who knew. The last think I felt before the darkness took over completely, was that I was moving through the water, fast.
((My idea is that I was knocked out by some sort of mystical power thing that the stone controls, and the stone is taking me captive, or something. If someone else has a better idea, feel free to act on it. I’ll be back later.))
Tiff:
“Ashira!” I screamed, as she suddenly shot off into the lake. “Wait for us!” I was a pretty fast swimmer, due to months, maybe even years spent in the lake, but there was no way I could keep up with Ashira. “The lake is doing something to her!” I shouted.
((COME BACK!!!!))
((I’ll go post a plea on the monthly thread. May post later.))
((POST HEEEEERE!!!!))
((I’m here often. Write something- I don’t want to DP in the story))
((I’m blocked!))
((Same here.))
((PEOPLE! JOIN! WE HAVE NO WAY TO GET OUT OF THIS!))
((Get out of what?))
((Uh.. did you read the thread?))
((You know, my brilliant plot twist did absolutely nothing. I think we should do something about this all too dead thread.))
Ashira:
I woke up suddenly, as suddenly as I had been knocked out. The red glow that had been throughout the lake was stronger here, and I suddenly knew where I was. Sure enough, when I raised my head I saw in front of me the stone we had all been searching for. Sitting there, a clump of crystals, perfectly benign. Until we attacked it. If we did, I suddenly knew for sure what would happen. The stone would defend itself. The ruined ships we saw here were here for a reason. They were the stone’s army. They would attack. Even if we could find a way to breath underwater, we would be killed by the army. Suddenly, the stone spoke.
I see you have finally awoken.
I stared at it. Since when do stones talk?
I have taken you captive for a reason. You asked for what you want. Not many people do that, and it intrigued me. I need someone to help me. Will you?
I had to remind myself that we were going to destroy this rock, if we ever wanted to go home. I didn’t want to promise without knowing what I was promising, and who I was promising to. I didn’t answer the question. “What are you?” I paused. “You talk like the lake god. Are you a lake god?”
The stone laughed derisively. You have met the fish? Of course. He is my twin brother, the one who trapped me in this stone.
“I don’t understand.”
Very well. I will tell you the entire story. Once, long ago, we cared for each other as siblings should. Then, my brother Sol grew jealous. I do not know why. He began to resent me. It grew, though I tried to convince him I meant no harm, and did not wish to quarrel. He refused to listen. Finally, I became hurt, and found this ‘volcano’. I loved it at first sight, and created this crystal for myself, so that I could know everything that was going on in this lake. It is as close to the middle of the lake as anything could be, and I was content. I forgot my brother, his growing hatred. Then, he came back.
He snuck up on me while I was resting, and chipped off a bit of my stone. I was trapped here, until that fragment is restored to me. You and your friends must find that fragment, and bring it back. Then, you may leave.
I summoned up my courage and asked, “Why can’t we just leave now? Why does the lake trap us here?”
The stone sighed, if that is possible. I meant this to be a healing haven, and I gave the water all sorts of powers, that remain while I am here. But the chipping of my stone mutated the powers. They are different now. They trap people, changing them beyond recognition. Still, if you can find the fragment, everyone will be released. Please, help me.
((Accidental post, sorry. How do you like the new plot twist? I meant to put in something about how she would die if you destroyed her, but I forgot. And if you don’t agree with this, we can just not believe her (I think of the stone as a her, for some reason), and decide she’s trying to stop us from smashing her. Or we can think she’s telling lies, and go with the river god, only to find that she was telling the truth, somehow. That’s the beauty of RPGs. You decide where they go.))
Tiff shot off after Ashira, but she couldn’t keep up. Gail decided to stay behind in case something happened to either of them.
“Hey, what’s this?” she asked, picking up a small piece of crystal. “It’s pretty! If we ever get out of here, I’ll have it made into a pendant.”
((I’m hoping everyone got that.))
Snook looked at the stone. His eyes widened.
“DO NOT TOUCH THAT!”
“Why not!?”
Snook snatched it and covered the slight glow.
“It is very dangerous!”
No one seemed to pay too much attention; everyone was preoccupied by the fact that one of their friends just fainted.
“She will be fine,” Snook reassured.
No one understood how he could possibly know that. Snook knew what to do. He swam down near the faint glow. As he got lower, it was brighter. The glow pierced through any darkness that would normally blind you. He spotted Tiff, and began his way toward her….
((Fishy, I’m confused. Were you talking to me? And wait, who fainted? I’m slightly out of it here…))
((I think I fainted. I don’t know if that’s what he’s referring to though… The post is confusing. We need clarification.))
((He’s talking to Gail. I don’t know if anyone else is there, though… Here, I’ll re-post it.))
Snook looked at the stone. His eyes widened.
“DO NOT TOUCH THAT!â€
“Why not!?†asked Gail.
Snook snatched it and covered the slight glow.
“It is very dangerous!†He replied.
She didn’t seem to pay too much attention; she was preoccupied by the fact that one of her friends just fainted.
“She will be fine,†Snook reassured.
Gail didn’t understand how he could possibly know that. Snook knew what to do. He swam down near the faint glow. As he got lower, it was brighter. The glow pierced through any darkness that would normally blind you. He spotted Tiff, and began his way toward her….
((He’s going tho bring back the piece to the stone, so that we can finally get out of this lake!))
((Oh, thank goodness! I’m getting really tired of the lake.))
((45.1.1.1- I don’t blame you! So, should I do the honors, and RP Snook putting the stone back together, or does anyone else want to describe the epic moment?))
((You can do it. I don’t mind.))
((Yeah. Go ahead. Nobody else is here, anyway. Where is everybody?))
((There’s a missing post that goes right about here. I’m captured by near the stone, and I was talking to it…))
Ashira:
The stone had gone silent. I pondered on what it had said for a few moments, then heard someone – my friends, I hoped – moving around. I called out, “I’m over here!”, and they went quiet. A moment later, they swam through the only opening in this chamber thing, at the top. Snook had a bright red shard in his hands. I realized something. “The shard! Put it on the stone!” He didn’t seem to hear. He was zooming towards the stone at a great pace, pulled by the shard. The stone and the shard connected, and light shot out everywhere. I squinted against it, and thought I saw, coming out of the stone, a young lady. Then the light vanished, and we were back on land. I would have thought that it was all a dream, except for the voice that sounded in my head.
Thank you, Ashira.
((Well, alright! I was actually kind of hoping for someone else to do it….))
Snook spotted Tiff and Ashira looking around. He knew what they were looking for the stone. He smiled and continued to swim. As he approached the larger stone, he could feel the shard in his hand starting to slip. He panicked at first, but then realized that it wasn’t gravty that was pulling on it. It was the stone. The larger piece was ready to embrace its long-lost piece. Snook couldn’t keep them apart any longer. The stone literally (used in the right context this time, Kokonilly) flew out of his hand and perfectly placed itself in the empty fraction of the large gem. It glowed brighter, and brighter. Soon after, it became blinding. Everyone covered there eyes, and when they felt the light retreating, they found themselves back on land. Everyone looked at each other. Snook started to speak, and then realized that he was talking in his native language again. He couldn’t find the English words to say. Everyone was dry. It was as if nothing had happened. Snook, and pretty much everyone else, didn’t know what to say. Nobody wanted to sound crazy, but they wanted to say something. In the end, everyone realized how dream-like it felt, and didn’t say anything.
((I don’t know how to continue… I don’t even remember the goal, but I feel bad that we broke the no-magic rule, so I’m trying to dismiss it. It can still be real, but let’s just forget about it, so that we can get back to the original point.))
((*cough* *echo* COME BACK HERE!!!!))
((Right, right. I’m back. Now what?))
((No idea.))
((By the way, I’ve started editing this RPG. I’m probably not going to finish it until this time next year. ))
((I think we should wrap this up. I mean, it was fun, but we’re hanging on to it by a thread, and there’s three people posting, everyone else has left. Maybe we should just find a ride back home.))
((Yeah…. you’re probably right.))
((Right. I’m wrapping this up, to some extent. In a way that would let it be revived, if somebody ever figured out how to do that.))
Ashira:
We climbed up to the top of the volcano again, looking down on the surrounding terrain. We gasped collectively. All the ships that we remembered from the dream – Or was it a dream? – were below us, with people surrounding them, repairing them. Gail ran toward one. “We were searching for you!”
The sailor she spoke to replied distantly. “Oh, hello. Nice of you, but I don’t know why we’d need it.” He frowned, looking up. “How did we get here anyway? I could have sworn we were wrecked…” He shrugged. “Oh well. Guess it was just part of the dream.” He smiled. “You kids want a ride back to [city you came from]? That’s where we’re going.”
Everyone agreed, and I spoke up. “I’d like to come. Just wait a moment for me to get my things!”
I ran off into the forest without waiting. I had several devices, and I’d have to figure out which ones to take. It took some time to assemble them all, and get back, even with the help of the floating cart I’d found some time ago. By the time I got back, the ship- and my friends- was gone. I stopped short, gazing at the spot it where it had been.
“They left me.” It came out in a whisper. Tears began stinging at my eyes, and I turned toward another ship. “Excuse me?” One of the sailors looked up. “Are you going to [city]?” He nodded. “Can I come?”
I was tired of living alone. My friends had left without me, and that hurt. I’d have to find new friends, but I could do that. Besides, I was going the same place as them. Maybe I’d find them again. I’d have to try.
I boarded the ship, looking back over the jungle where I’d lived for so long.
((That wraps it up for now… Unless this post brings in a flood of people wanting to continue. Which it won’t. But I can wish.))
((Hrm… I would like to wrap up Snook’s part to, but…. does it matter?))
((50- If you want to, do it. It might be possible to revive this thread, if we get enough people interested enough, so maybe do something that allows you to come back.))
((Let’s end this. I don’t think people would want to come since, well, it’s a magic RPG on a thread that says no magic.))
Tiff:
I woke up in a forest clearing with a native staring at me. She asked me:
“Are you the cursed one?”
“NO! She’s gone.”
“You banned the cursed one?”
“Umm… Yes, yep, that was me.”
“Thank you!”
The girl bowed.
“Such a feat as yours must be honored. Come with me to our camp. We need a new spirit warrior to face the cursed ones.”
“What do I get out of that deal?”
“It is a position of great honor and respect.”
“Sounds good enough. And my principal always thought I’d never be able to integrate myself into civilized society!”
( *asks to join and makes profile*
Bluestar Roxinos
Blond hair with Green eyes and freckles
12 years old))