Universalis 1

This is Universalis playtest which started here. To reply, use edit button and add your reply under the text. Sign it with ~~~~ (this will turn automatically into your signature).

Story so far: link

Players (listed in turn order): EvilCat, Neonwhite, GiacomoArt, davina

Components

• Characters
• Locations
• Props

Tenets

• Naval adventure.
• Lovecraft-esque horror. (Details, 2)
• Pseudo-historic setting of Elizabethan time. (Details)
• Moral choice between sin and virtue.
• No supernatural facts or components can be introduced into the game until there are 3 or 4 characters marked with "sympathetic" trait. (Details)

• No interrupts.
• Try to challenge only such details and/or in such way that preceding text wouldn't have to be overwritten.
• If a player doesn't act on his turn for a day, the next player can take the turn for free, or any other player can take it for 1.
• Refresh rate for each scene based on the number of players who get refreshed: 12 for 2, 8 for 3, 6 for 4, 5 for 5 or more.
• When newly created Components are introduced to the Scene, Events describing their discovery are free.

Scene #2: During the Storm

Framed by EvilCat

Components palette:

the Caribbean Sea	Storm - {{#replace:sinister, supernatural, violent, heavy rain (x2), howling winds, monstrous waves|, | - }}	Spanish galleon - {{#replace:cannons, huge|, | - }}	Pirate sloop - {{#replace:cannons, agile|, | - }}
Master component: armed sailor - {{#replace:melee weapon, wheellock pistol|, | - }}	Nicole Tissot, pirate queen	Galleon's crew - {{#replace:armed sailors, crew|, | - }}	Sloop's crew - {{#replace:armed sailors, crew, experienced, great teamwork|, | - }}
Sharks - {{#replace:a slew|, | - }}	Will Bowyer, seadog	Ship's boys #1 and #2

Scene #3: Separated

Framed by GiacomoArt.

Components palette:

Tropical beach - {{#replace:along an inlet, clear blue sky, littered with flotsam|, | - }}	Nicole Tissot, pirate queen - {{#replace:French, red hair, cruel, off-hand dagger, strong spirit, sympathetic character, sore, tired, thirsty|, | - }}	Santiago, former prisoner - {{#replace:recently betrayed, nightmare and sense of foreboding, has saber, has wineskin|, | - }}	Coconut palms - {{#replace:a patch|, | - }}
Coconut thief crab - {{#replace:large, holds a coconut|, | - }}	Barrel

Scene #4: Isle of Teeth

Framed by NeonWhite.

Isle of Teeth - {{#replace:sinister reputation, reefs and rocks surrounding|, | - }}	Will Bowyer, seadog - {{#replace:armed sailor, experienced navigator, disrespects Alano, intolerant of weakness|, | - }}	Men - {{#replace:disrespect Alano|, | - }}	Alano, biologist - {{#replace:wounded, lucky, disrespected by sailors, fascinated by dog things|, | - }}
Master component: Dog things - {{#replace:ugly, nasty bite, fact: unknown species|, | - }}	Small rowboat

Scene #5: ???

Coin count: EvilCat - 8, NeonWhite - 20, GiacomoArt - 20, davina (currently inactive) - 25 .

Replies

Reply under this header, please.

Neonwhite

Location: Isle of Teeth 1 Time: Present (0 coins) Will and his men arrive on the island They head inland in search of a route to the high ground Alano starts to fall behind the rest of the group Will Bowyer (1 to introduce) Men (1 to introduce) Small rowboat 1 Alano, wounded 2 The Isle of Teeth 3 Sinister reputation Reefs and rocks surrounding New coin count for Neonwhite: 25 - 12 = 13 left

Meanwhile, a couple of miles away, Will Bowyer was having trouble convincing his men to moor the small rowboat in the quiet inlet.“Curse you blasted cowards! I don’t care if this is the cursed home of Lucifer and his host of Demons. You will follow orders and land this boat or I’ll drown each and every one of you like the rats you are!”

Uttering “Deus, adiuva nos!” (God, help us!) and with many fearful signs-of-the-cross, the crew pull hard against the waves, maneuver the boat up to the rocks and secure the bowline. The men clamber out and take stock of the lush island surroundings.

Will pointed to the high cliffs overlooking the ocean to the East. “We’ll make for that outcropping, tend a watch fire and wait for rescue. A couple of days at most by my estimation and we’ll see another merchant ship. Don’t you lads worry yerselves. Those stories are naught but wives-tales told to frighten children.”

As he lead his small band of men into the forest, Will sought to reassure himself. He too had heard the sinister tales about the “Isle of Teeth”, named for the vicious reefs and rocks lurking just below sea level on most sides of the island. All of his considerable skill had been needed to safely pilot the boat through those teeth on on to dry land. The stories were superstition and fear and easily dismissed in the bright light of day, but a small doubt gnawed away in his mind.

The sun rose high in the sky as the men forged further inland, seeking a clear path around to the top of the cliffs. They moved in single-file, at times struggling against the close vegetation.

Alano had been having trouble keeping up all morning. The gash in his thigh ached and the strip of cloth he had wrapped around it was now soaked with the deep crimson colour of his blood. Will pursued a relentless pace and Alano fell farther and farther behind…

Neonwhite 12:08, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

EvilCat

Dog creature attacked Alano. A sailor shot the creature. Fact: the creature is of unknown species. Dog things (4 coins), master component nasty bite, ugly Alano - new traits (4 coins, took over for 1 Coin): biologist, lucky disrespected by sailors (relationship trait, autotrait for Will and men: disrespect for Alano) fascinated by the dog creature. 12 - (3 + 4 + 4 + 1) = 0. Oops, no coins %)

Not accustomed to a life of danger, Alano had enough trouble keeping from what sailors would call "whining". He knew that compared to them he was a weakling, they knew it as well, but at least the facade of mutual respect held things together. He paused once more to give his leg a rest and promised that this time he will ignore the pain, catch up with sailors, keep pace...

When a hairy, dog-like head appeared from one of the trees, he didn't believe his eyes. A part of his brain decided that it's too much, and so Alano stood breathless and motionless while a grinning beast silently approached him.

A loud bang of a pistol freed him from this stasis. The dog creature was lying a few yards away; its left eye, where the bullet entered the skull, was a bloody mess. A scent of burned powder spread in the air. Sudden rush of thoughts swarmed Alano's mind, as if trying to dominate his will: "What species is that thing? The powder got wet, it wouldn't have ignited. I think I screamed. Is it canidae or felidae? Is it even carnivora? Did I almost die? Is it edible?"

EvilCat 15:07, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

Neonwhite

Will - new trait (1 coin): intolerant of weakness 13 - 1 = 12 coins left.

Scowling fiercely, Will strode over to where Alano lay prone. *Smack* The backhanded blow struck Alano squarely on the cheek. "Come to your senses man! Next time you fall out of file like that I'll feed you to the beasts myself. Now get on your feet and march."

Shaking his head Will took his place at the head of the line and ordered the men to move out. The sailors cast uneasy glances between themselves and gave a wide berth to the still warm corpse of the unknown creature as they fell into line behind Will.

<End of Scene>

Neonwhite 08:37, 22 April 2009 (UTC)

EvilCat

Don't rob yourself of extra coin. Fixed that %) (not 12-1=11, but 13-1=12). Also updated coin count for everyone.

I bid !four coins! on the new scene. I must say that my wealth encourages me for complications. Please, spill your thoughts. Yay or nay?

EvilCat 09:21, 22 April 2009 (UTC)

GiacomoArt

I'll bid !15 coins!.

What I found when I had low wealth and introduced a complication was that it provided me with a handy way to do SOMETHING, but it didn't really rebuild my wealth at all. I was still trapped into introducing more and more complications just to participate, or else end the scene.

I took time out to re-build my wealth so that I could try introducing complications with some forethought this time. I have hopes it will work better that way. And if not, I should still learn something new about using complications.  :o)

--132.79.13.15 15:43, 22 April 2009 (UTC)

NeonWhite

And I'll bid !zero coins!. Looks like the scene goes to G.

Happy to enter into complications as you wish. I'm more interested in trying things than being overly worried about the outcome. I don't see any point in feeling hamstrung by a lack of coins if it is a collective concern. Is it permitted to spend a coin on a rules gimmick to give everyone a bonus 10 coins as a one off gift going into the next scene (i.e. refresh of 18 this round)? Feel free to veto this if you disagree for any reason. (My rules book arrived today, so I will finally be able to start learning the rules in a more rigorous manner). Neonwhite 17:00, 22 April 2009 (UTC)