Structure of Play

Structure of Play
Most of these elements don't have any mechanics wrapped around them. But, I think it is important to understand how the game was designed to flow.

1. Brainstorm topics, ideas and themes that everyone would be interested in.
2. The group determines who is the Mastermind.
   
3. The Mastermind combines those ideas into an Antagonist that they are excited about.
4. The Mastermind describes the Antagonist and what they are currently doing.
5. The rest of the players design characters around the themes/activities highlighted by the Antagonist.
6. The Mastermind should develop Plots around each characters' Goals.
7. The first Session starts
8. Each player Selects a Scene
9. Once the players have all had a turn, the Mastermind sets a scene.
10. Scenes continue until the Session is over.
11. Sessions continue until each character is able to complete their Story Arc (they complete or change their Goal).
12. Story Arcs continue until the Adventure is complete (At least one Story Arc is completed for each character).

The Scene is the smallest unit of play. Players take turns setting Scenes.
The Session is defined as any continuous period of time where the group is playing together.
Next, is the Story Arc. This is the Plot that unfolds when a character attempts to support or refute their Goal. A Story Arc is considered complete when either a Goal is accomplished, or the character changes their Goal.
Finally, there is the Adventure. This is a Series of Story Arcs that proceed until each character has completed at least one Story Arc each.
Does that make sense to you? What do you think?

Flowchart

I made a flow of the main conflict rules:
http://create.ly/g160mgwi1


Does this make sense. For a flowchart like this, where should I add/remove details?

1-month submission

- Dave M
- Steampunk Crescendo
- http://docs.google.com/View?id=dd2cfjrt_303ns628gq
- Vampires save the world! Or do they? A clever mix of Steampunk, Victoriana, Magic, Superscience and vampires!
- 7-day, 14-day, 1-month, Intrigue, Fleur de Lis, Dividers
- Nate Hasiak, Dan Maruschak

Notable people

OK,
So, I had a list of 290 possibles, I narrowed it down to 87 (hooray for me).
The problem I have is Quantity vs. Quality and the Faction Mapping.

So it breaks down into 4 possibilities:
1) Keep the quantity, do not map each person to a faction.
2) Keep the quantity, map each person to a faction.
3) Cut the quantity and describe each in further detail, do not map each person to a faction.
4) Cut the quantity and describe each in further detail, map each person to a faction.

What would you suggest?

Notable people
A. Frank Glahn - German Dowser. Frank is an Arcane Scholar, Published Author and Sorcerer.
Adriano Colocci - Italian-born Romani scholar and activist. He travels the countryside tries to document the conditions that the Rom are experiencing.
Aleister Crowley - English practitioner of the dark arts. Aleister gains notoriety through controversy.
Alexander Graham Bell - Scottish-born Inventor in America. He is brilliant, creative and competitive.
Alexandru Ioan Cuza - Romanian Domnitor. He formed the first united Repulic of Wallachia and Moldavia. He was always deeply entrenched in politics throughout his whole life.
Alexis-Vincent-Charles Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym - French Demonologist and author. He writes extensively about the mystic arts he has mastered.
Alfred Nobel - Swedish Inventor and Industrialist. Alfred is currently selling arms under the Bofors trademark while he continues his inventing in his workshop.
Antonio Meucci - Italian Inventor, he is currently working on inventing the telephone.
Anyos Jedlik - Hungarian physicist, engineer and priest. He is currently working on inventing the dynamo.
Arthur Thesleff - Finnish-born Romani noble, scholar and activist. Arthur is currently scouring the Finnish countryside documenting the current conditions of all Gypsies.
August Strindberg - Swedish author and Alchemist. August is struggling to combine Magic and Science in an art known as Alchemy. He hopes to understand the nature of the universe.
Augusta Ada-King - English Scholar. Ada is writing programs for Babbage's Analytical Engine while working to advance the field of mathematics.
Catherine Labouré - French Visionary and nun. She is famed for her acts of healing and mercy.
Charles Babbage - English Inventor of the computer. He is working to aid the railways, signal corpse and of course mathematics with his inventions.
Charles Joseph - Austrian-born Romani Scholar.
Cornelius Smith - Britain-born, Romani, Christian evangelist. After Cornelius heard the good word, he spread to all who would listen in England and America.
Daniel Zion - Bulgarian Rabbi and cabalist.
David Livingstone - Scottish Explorer and medical missionary.
David McRitchie - Founder of the Gypsy Lore society, Scholar.
Deguchi Nao - Japanese mystic, martial arts master and founder of the Foundation School of the Shinto religion.
Dmitri Mendeleev - Russian Inventor, physicist and chemist. He created the periodic table of elements.
Elenor Smith - English noble, author and activist.
Eliphas Lévi - French magician and mystical author.
Ernst Mach - Austrian physicist, philosopher and psychologist.
Ezekiel Smith - English evangelist for the Church of England.
Fátimih Baraghání (Táhirih) - Persian mystic and religious leader.
Ferdinand von Zeppelin - German noble, inventor and industrialist.
Florence Nightengale - English medical missionary, politician and scholar.
François-Alphonse Forel - Swiss scientist and scholar of the science of lakes.
Franz Polgar - Hungarian mystic and hypnotist.
Frederick Henry Hedge - American minister, mystic and Transcendentalist.
George Hall - Non-Romani activist
George Ivanovich Gurdjieff - Armenian Sufi mystic and spiritual leader.
George Smith - English persecutor
Gérard Encausse - Spanish physician, hypnotist and mystic.
Gina Ranjicic - Serbian Romani Singer.
Gregor Mendel - Czech priest, scientist and geneticist.
Grigori Rasputin - Russian mystic and adviser to Russian nobility.
Gustave Eiffel - French engineer, entrepreneur and metallurgist.
Harry Blackstone - American magician and pioneer in arcane lore.
Hazrat Inayat Khan - Indian noble and Sufi mystic.
Heinrich Grellman - Pioneer and the original Gypsy scholar. He was the first man to document any details about Gypsy society.
Henrich Wlislocki - Transylvanian scholar
Hong Xiuquan - Chinese teacher, mystic, visionary and iconoclast.
Huo Yuanjia - Chinese mystic and martial artist.
Illia Naumchev - Macedonian Activist.
Imam Shamil - Russian political leader, religious leader and Sufi mystic.
Jack "Scamp" Gilderoy - English-born "King of the Gypsies."
Jaja Sattler - German-born Romani priest and scholar.
James Crabb - Scottish missionary to Gypsies.
James Prescott Joule - British brewer and physicist.
Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata - Indian industrialist and engineer.
Jean Hugard - Australian author and magician.
Johan Taikon - Swedish-born Rom.
John Bosco - Italian priest and teacher.
John Henry Anderson - Scottish magician and philanthropist.
John Lloyd Stephens - American explorer, writer and diplomat.
Jožef Stefan - Slovenian physicist, mathemetician and poet.
Julius and Agnes Zancig - Danish magicians, mentalists and occultists.
Lakshmi Bai - Indian noble and rebel leader.
Lawrence Hargrave - Australian engineer, explorer and inventor.
Leon Mandrake - Canadian magician, conjurer and mentalist.
Lewis Howard Latimer - African-American draftsman and inventor.
Marcus Garvey - Jamaican Political Leader
Marie Laveau - American voodoo mystic and adviser.
Max Théon - Polish-born Cabalist, sorcerer and spiritual leader.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad - India-born Muslim mystic and spiritual leader.
Mohan Lal (Zutshi) - Indian explorer, diplomat and author.
Muhammad Abduh - Egyptian mystic, scholar and lawyer.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah - Pakistani politician and soldier.
Nicolae Bălcescu - Wallachian journalist, historian, soldier and revolutionary.
Nikola Tesla - Serbian engineer, mathematician and inventor, he is mastering AC power and promoting it to anyone who will listen.
Nikolai Przhevalsky - Russian-born noble, explorer and geographer.
Osborne Reynolds - Irish engineer, scientist and inventor.
Patricio Hearn - Greek-born journalist, author and scholar.
Paul Kruger - South African explorer, soldier and Boer leader,
Raphael Ankawa - Moroccan Rabbi, cabalist and community leader.
Rodney Smith - English-born Romani evangelist.
Shlomo Elyashiv - Lithuanian Rabbi and cabalist.
Shoghi Effendi - Persian mystic and spiritual leader of the Bahai faith.
Solomon Eliezer Alfandari - Turkish Rabbi, scholar and cabalist.
Thomas Alva Edison - American Inventor, he is engaged in the "War of the Currents" at this point in time.
Umar Tall - Senegalese politician and Sufi mystic.
Wang Yuanlu - Chinese Taoist priest, scholar and mystic.
William Butler Yeats - Irish poet and mystic.
Yosef Chaim - Persian Sephardic Rabbi and cabalist.
Zélio Fernandino de Moraes - Brazillian medium, sorcerer and founder of the Umbanda Branca religion.

[AP] Newer Playtest

OK,
Dan and Jon helped me playtest this time, we used the 14-day version of the rules.
I did not get a good test of the Antagonist campaign setting mechanics. Both of my playtesters made characters before the session.

I had planned on usign another Antagonist, but Jon wasn't feeling him, so I fell back to the Baron from the previous playtest. This proved a bit of a mistake.

So, I forgot to mention about half of the prequel info about teh Baron, how close he was to the characters' friends and family and a few other things.

The freeform part went awful. I am in the process of fixing that now.

Dan did manifest vampire powers and I got to use a weakness. It worked as I expected and it was really fun. I think that there is an odd tension around narrating in the weaknesses. Maybe there needs to be a code or something to identify which are controllable by the player, their opposition or the mechanics (like the character is defeated, etc.). But, it is still close to how I wanted it to work.

After everyone got a scene, I stopped play and we talked about the mechanics. the general feeling was that the Conflict rules were fun and not tedious, and breaking them out 3 or mkore times a session would be more fun than the freeform rules I had been using.

[AP] Early Playtest

I was playing with Nate and Shane. The version was pre-7-day Release.

I made a mistake and forgot to setup the Protagonist ahead of time. IT worked out in the end though.

But, it worked out, I madfe a villain, Baron Krueger. An actual Baron from the old country who is kicking people out of their homes in Chicago in order to fulfill his Goal of building a railway from Chicago to San Fransisco.

I established that the Baron has been causing trouble in neighborhoods in order to get people to sign their deeds over to him. He was using thugs and never seemed to appear to be doing anything wrong. His lackeys had just cleared out a tenement about 1/2 a mile away from where the characters' friends and family live.

So, up to this pojint, it was chargen na dme talking. Once play started, the freeform resolution mechanic was pretty awkward. At the time, I had chalked it up to my inexperience with freeform. Once we got to a point where the Conflict rules took over, it was fun.
I forgot to tell the players how easy it was to manifest vampire powers, so no one did that.
The Conflict was a nail-biter and if I had played a little hard, I might have won.
One aspect that is so great is that whenever I discuss conflict strategy, it inevitably devolves into if you had played X, I would have played Y and canceled it. That is exactly the feel I was going for so, that was awesome!
Dave M

Productive Playtesting

Whew!
That was great to get an outside opinion. Thanks Dan and Jon!
What did we learn?
1) We need more conflict! Also, rolling dice is fun!
2) We need more antagonists
3) We need less freeform
4) We definitely do not need to know why the character is in the scene.
5) Ability scores should not come with the lifepath

We are playing Dan's game on Saturday and Jon's as soon as it is ready for playtest
Dan's blog
Jon's blog

14-day Submission

Hi!
Here is my new Game Chef update:
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dd2cfjrt_28d9dsqmdf
I tightened up some of the writing, made the lifepath a little more evocative and made explicit some things that were not actually in the rules...

Entry data:
- Dave M (aka dindenver)
- Steampunk Crescendo
- http://docs.google.com/View?id=dd2cfjrt_28d9dsqmdf
- Vampires save the world! Or do they? A clever mix of Steampunk, Victoriana, Magic, Superscience and vampires!
- 7-day, 14-day, Intrigue, Fleur de Lis, Dividers
- Thanks!: Nate Hasiak, Dan Maruschak

Setting the Scene

Help!
Here are the mechanics. Basically, players take turns requesting scenes. When it is your turn, you must provide the followng infor for the scene to start:
1) What kind of scene is it?

a) Exploration - The purpose of the scene is to explain the relationship between character(s) and the rest of the setting.
b) Exposition -The purpose of this scene is to understand the characters' thoughts, motivations and relationships better.
c) Manifest - The purpose of the scene is to explain how a character got a new vampire Power (and weakness). At the end of the scene, apply a +1 Corruption/-1 Purity (never above +3 Corruption/-3 Purity).
d) Research - The character is developing a ritual or Invention.
e) Planning - The character(s) have an objective and this scene is supposed to show how the character(s) are preparing to accomplish this objective.
f) Confrontation - The character(s) have identified the Antagonist and are meeting them face-to-face.

2) Where is the next scene set?
3) When is the next scene set?
4) What their character is trying to accomplish (just an overview, the details will emerge during the scene)?

What has me tripped up is this 4th bit. I used to have it phrased, "Why is their character there?" But, I got very practical answers (e.g., I just walked through the door). What I want to do is find a balance between, the character's overall objective in the scene and not pre-narrating the scene and taking the steam out of it...

Any suggestions?

More Playtesting

Whoo hoo!
OK, the new scene framing rules worked much better (except for "why is your character in this scene?" I have to re-word that).
Conflict worked as designed, but the nature of the conflict has to be fleshed out better in the GM notes.
Christie made a cool character and she had almost no questions to ask me. I think that part is working out well.
Char sheets
I have to work on a better way to describe the Action types that affect Goal, Drawback, Purity and Corruption. I know it's a good mechanic, but I don't know how to evoke the right "feel" of it...
Still, good progress!
Dave M

Playtest Draft submission

As part of my effort to win the Sept 7th Medal, here is my submission:
Steampunk Crescendo Playtest Edition
Please send comments, critiques, suggestions, questions to: dindenver at yahoo.com
Thanks!

Awkward?

In my mind, this sounds about right:
"Still, rumors persist, among those knowledgeable of the ritual, that the price will be paid in full, once vampires take a number of lives equal to those saved from the plague."
But, something tells me that it is awkward for some one else to read...

Any suggestions?

Rules Framework

How do you play?
Players decide who will be playing characters and who will be playing the Mastermind.

The Mastermind will give you a preview of what kind of villainy they intend to perpetrate and then the rest of the group makes characters for that adventure.

Once the characters are made, players (including the Mastermind) take turns narrating what their characters do, while the Mastermind describes how the world of SPC responds to their actions.

Setting scenes is accomplished by taking turns. Each player (Ending with the Mastermind) takes turns setting a scene. They should include the following information before the scene starts:
1) Where is the next scene set?
2) When is the scene set?
3) Why their character is there?

Once that is established, the other players can decide if there character is in the scene.

Then the Mastermind can describe the initial scene including Goons and Antagonists. And the players can describe how their characters react to the new situation.

There are six possible outcome systems that can be used when a player declares their character's actions:
1) Free narration - In other words, it happens as they describe it. This is the case for most actions. There is just no reason to believe that the character can't perform the action and no one is there to stop them. Use of Powers, Weaknesses, Rituals or Gadgets work as described, no mechanics are necessary.
2) Pure intentions - It happens as the player describes it, and their Purity track is moved one towards Purity (+1 Purity/-1 Corruption). Use of Powers, Weaknesses, Rituals or Gadgets work as described, no additional mechanics are necessary.
3) Corrupted intentions - It happens as the player describes it, but their purity track is moved one away from Purity (+1 Corruption/-1 Purity). Use of Powers, Weaknesses, Rituals or Gadgets work as described, no additional mechanics are necessary.
4) Leverage - The player can trade progress towards their goal for personal gain. Usually this is required if the action is selfish, but not particularly impure (+1 Drawback/-1 Goal). Use of Powers, Weaknesses, Rituals or Gadgets work as described, no additional mechanics are necessary.
5) Advancement - If the character's action entails self sacrifice and advances their goal, move them one closer to their Goal (+1 Goal/-1 Drawback). Use of Powers, Weaknesses, Rituals or Gadgets work as described, no additional mechanics are necessary. If the Goal equals +4, then that goal is accomplished and the player of that character should immediately get to set a new scene in which their goal is obtained (the scene should last until the character has a new Goal, players are free to change their Drawback as well). At the end of the scene, their Goal/Drawback should be zero (0).
6) Conflict - Someone opposes their actions. The rules for Conflict are used to see who gets what they want.

a) Players decide which characters are in the conflict.
b) Players declare their characters intentions.
c) Mastermind sets the Intention Target Number for each character based on his OR and the context of the intentions.

i) Relatively easy: -2
ii) Hard to imagine: +2
iii) Character advancement (+1 to a pool, etc.): +2
iv) Advances towards Goal: +2
v) Advances their Drawback: -2

d) Mastermind declares intentions for the antagonists (goons do not get to declare intentions) and sets Intention Target Numbers.
e) Mastermind declares action type for antagonists.
f) Players declare action type for their characters. Action types consist of:

1. Action - Use a talent. Select a Talent and get a bonus die. In other words, you will roll 4 dice and keep three.
2. Overpower - Activate a power, follow the Rules for that Power.
3. Invoke - Activate a Ritual - Roll no dice and use the dice assignments provided by the Ritual.
4. Activate - Activate a Gadget - Roll one less die. Use the dice assignment provided by the Gadget and assign the other dice normally.
5. Manifest - Player can have their character manifest a new Vampire Power. They pick a new Vampire Power, a Weakness of equal cost and apply +1 Corruption/-1 Purity to their character. The character can use the Power in this turn.
6. Exploit - Activate a weakness (players activate Antagonist's Weakness, Mastermind activates character's weakness).
7. Pure act - Add your Purity to any one die before dice are assigned. Lower Purity by one (-1 Purity/+1 Corruption).
8. Corrupt act - Add your Corruption to any one die before dice are assigned. Lower Corruption by one (-1 Corruption/+Purity).
9. Selfish act - Add your Drawback to any one die before dice are assigned. Lower Drawback by one (-1 Drawback/+1 Purity).
10. Inspired act - Add your Goal to any one die before dice are assigned. Lower Goal by one (-1 Goal/+1 Drawback).
11. Feint - +2 to the Cunning Die, -1 to Ambition Die.
12. Brutal - +2 to Cunning Die, -1 to Vigilance Die.
13. Guard - +2 to Vigilante Die, -1 to Cunning Die.
14. Protect - +2 to Vigilance Die, -1 to Ambition Die.
15. Anticipate - +2 to Ambition Die, -1 to Cunning Die.
16. React - +2 to Ambition Die, -1 to Vigilance Die.
17. Defend - Select another character. When they take Abuse, they do not take Abuse, your character does. -1 Ambition Die, -1 Cunning Die.
18. Ambush - Player can change their Intention. they get a new Intention Target Number and keep their current Progress. they cannot accumulate Progress or cause Abuse to others this turn. They can still take Abuse though. -2 to Vigilance Die.

g) Calculate bonus and penalty dice. For Bonus dice, roll one extra die. For Penalty Die, roll one extra die.
h) Throw the dice! According to the rules of the bonus and penalty dice, choose which three to keep (If you threw a penalty die, one of the dice you pick, must be the lowest die you rolled, if you threw two, keep the two lowest dice).
i) The Mastermind assigns dice to Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance.
j) The rest of the players assign dice to Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance.
k) The Mastermind assigns bonuses and penalties.
l) Players assign bonuses and penalties for their characters.
m) For each pair of players opposing each other, compare the following values:

i. Ambition Pool + Ambition Die vs. Ambition Pool + Ambition Die. Whichever player has the highest total, gains Progress equal to the difference.
ii. Cunning Pool + Cunning Die vs. Vigilance Pool + Vigilance Die. If your Cunning total is higher than their Vigilance total, they take Abuse equal to the difference.
iii. Vigilance Pool + Vigilance Die vs. Cunning Pool + Cunning Die. If your Vigilance total is higher than their Cunning total, you escape harm.

n) If your Progress total is equal to or higher than your Intention Target Number, you achieve your Intentions.
o) If your Abuse total is higher than your Obstacle Rating, your character is taken out of the conflict and your opposition gets their Intention.
p) The Mastermind narrates the action for the scene so far.
q) If no one has sufficient Progress to accomplish their Intentions and no one has taken enough Abuse to take them out of the conflict, jump back to step "e" and continue until at least one character is able to achieve their Intentions through Ambition or Cunning.
r) For everyone that has Progress greater than their Intention Target Number, they get their intentions from the scene. If more than one character gets their intentions, players can take turns narrating one Fact for every 2 points of Progress. A Fact is one sentence with no more than one verb and two nouns. Facts cannot be used to cancel or negate any previously established Facts. The Player with he highest Progress goes first. Characters go before Antagonists.
s) Every character with Abuse takes some sort of harm or setback during the scene. Those with Abuse equal or greater than half of their OR should receive a penalty die on their next roll. Those with Abuse greater than their OR should take penalty dice on every roll in their next scene.
t) If a character's Goal equals +4, then that Goal is accomplished and the player of that character should immediately get to set a new scene in which their goal is obtained (the scene should last until the character has a new Goal).

In the end, I won't be writing it in this outline form, but this should be good for a playtest format.

What do you think?

We had fun!

The finished characters (including the Antagonist) are here:
http://casualgamerscorner.pbworks.com/SPC

We made characters (faster than I expected) and fought an evil rail baron (who was, coincidentally and actual Baron from the old country).

The night cultivated with them stealing his coach and kidnapping him.

Overall, the mechanics worked as expected, but I am going to have to flesh out the scene framing instructions and tweak the Gadget creation rules.

Good stuff!

Playtesting tomorrow!

Here is the wiki I put together for our game:
http://casualgamerscorner.pbworks.com/SPC
The Nate's character page is a complete character and the Shane's Character page is a blank char sheet I slapped together for Shane.

FYI

The CharGen stuff, I all wrote in the last day and a half. the numbers generated by it are within tolerances of the mechanics, but I don't know if the characters will be interesting...

CharGen

Character Creation
How do you make a character?
Before you begin the character creation process, please take a moment to think about your character. The world of Steampunk Crescendo is a vibrant one with lots of potential for stories and conflict. What kind of character would be fun for you to play in this environment? What are they like, what is their name? How do they survive, or even flourish in this harsh world?
Once you have this all sorted out, please start a character sheet and fill in the following:

1) Name - What is your character's name?
2) Clan - What Romani Clan do they hail from?

Clan	Description
Argintari	Clan/Silver smiths
Aurari	Clan/Gold washers
Bayash	Romanian Clan
Bergitka	Polish Clan
Beticos	Spanish clan
Bosa	Armenian clan
Cale	Spanish clan
Chivute	Clan/white-washers
Churari	Clan/Metalworkers
Costorari	Clan/Tinners
Cutitari	Clan/Metalworkers
Domba	One of the Original Roma predecessors (Still live in India)
Drindari	Clan/quilters
Ferari	Clan/Iron workers
Gabori	Clan/HVAC
Gurbet	Austrian Clan
Haladitka	Russian Clan
Kaale	Norse Clan
Kalbelia	Clan/Snake charmers
Kalderash	Clan/coppersmiths
Kovachi	Clan/Blacksmiths
Kwiek	Polish Clan
Lautari	Clan/Musicians
Lingurari	Clan/Woodworkers
Lom	Armenian Clan
Lovari	Clan/Horse Traders
Lowara	Clan/Horse traders
Luri	Iranian Clan
Machvaya	Serbian Clan
Manouche	French Clan
Mestere-Lacatuchi	Clan/Locksmiths
Nawwar	Middle east clan
Paryatan	Pakistani Clan
Plyuni	Polish Clan
Potcovari	Clan/Iron workers
Romanichal	English Clan
Romungro	Hungarian clan/Musicians
Rudari	Clan/Woodworkers
Salahori	Clan/House builders
Sepedji	Clan/weavers
Sfirnari	Clan/Horse traders
Sinti	Germanic Clan
Sitari	Clan/Woodworkers
Skokra	Latin American Clan
Spoitoresele	Clan/White-washers
Ursari	Clan/Bear trainers
Vlah	Romanian Clan
Wandria	Norwegian clan
Xoraxai	Turkish clan
Zlatari	Clan/Gold washers

3) Goal - What is the character's current goal?
4) Drawback - What is the one issue/weakness that the character faces that could stop them from achieving their goal?
5) Initial Pool - All characters start with Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance Pools of 1.
6) Lifepath - Follow this lifepath system to make a new character:

A) Lifepath - First Step - Childhood
What was your character's life like when they were a child?
Immigration - You and your family came to this country from Eastern Europe. During this era there was a flood of Romani immigrants who were just recently emancipated from slavery (+1Ambition, +1 Cunning, +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one of the following: Missile, Athletics, Divination, Education, Barter, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Stealth, Medicine, Craft or Will).
Migrant City Workers - You and your family went in to town frequently to get work (+1Ambition, +1 Vigilance +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one of the following: Missile, Athletics, Barter, Romaniya, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Medicine, Craft, Will, Etiquette).
Kampina - You grew up among other Rom, with little exposure to Gadje or Mahrimos (+1Cunning, +1 Vigilance, +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one of the following: Missile, Athletics, Divination, Barter, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Charm, Invention, Stealth, Medicine, Craft, Will, Arcane Lore).
Ghettos - Many Rom were forced to live in cities much to their dismay (+1Ambition, +1 Cunning, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one of the following: Missile, Athletics, Divination, Barter, Vampire Lore, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Stealth, Craft, Will).
Bad Crowd - Everyone you knew growing up were criminals (+1Ambition, +1 Vigilance, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one of the following: Missile, Athletics, Barter, Vampire Lore, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Stealth, Medicine, Will).
Forced Adoption - Many governments attempted to institute forced adoption of the Rom in order to help them assimilate, you were one of those adopted out of their own families (+1Cunning, +1 Vigilance, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one of the following: Missile, Athletics, Barter, Melee, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Stealth, Will).

B) Lifepath - Second Step - Early Education
How did your character learn the basic skills required to survive?
Your Parents - It is a Romani tradition that sons learn from their fathers and daughters learn form their mothers. You grew up in a family that respects that tradition (+1Ambition, +1 Cunning, +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Divination, Barter, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Survival, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Stealth, Medicine, Craft, Arcane Lore).
Fortune Tellers - Your character grew up among the mystery and mystique of the Fortune Tellers learning how to help people and how to tell the difference between wisdom and smooth talk (+1Ambition, +1 Vigilance, +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Divination, Barter, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Stealth, Medicine, Will, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).
Apprentice - Your were trained by a Master of his profession (+1Cunning, +1 Vigilance, +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Missile, Athletics, Divination, Education, Barter, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Melee, Survival, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Tactics, Stealth, Medicine, Craft, Arcane Lore).
Public Schools - Against your families better wishes, you were raised in the rough and tumble environment of the Public School System (+1Ambition, +1 Cunning, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Missile, Athletics, Education, Barter, Melee, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Stealth, Will).
Lookout - Your character learned the world of crime while doing odd jobs for criminals, lookout, bag man, they had colorful names for the routine jobs you did for them (+1Ambition, +1 Vigilance, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Athletics, Barter, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Stealth, Will).
Gangs - your character joined a Gang for protection and then they learned the in's and out's of gang life (+1Cunning, +1 Vigilance, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Missile, Athletics, Barter, Vampire Lore, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Tactics, Stealth, Medicine, Will).

C) Lifepath - Third Step - Professional Training
What was your character trained to do in life?
Healer - Your character has mastered the art, science and magic of the Healer (+2 Ambition, +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Divination, Barter, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Survival, Awareness, Charm, Invention, Medicine, Craft, Will, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).
Sorcerer - Your character has mastered Magic (+2 Vigilance, +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Divination, Education, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Survival, Awareness, Invention, Tactics, Stealth, Medicine, Craft, Will, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).
Tinker - your character can invent just about anything, and that is there trade (+2 Cunning, +1 Purity/-1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Education, Barter, Romaniya, Awareness, Charm, Invention, Tactics, Medicine, Craft, Will, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).
Vampire - Your character has already fallen to temptation (+2 Ambition, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Missile, Athletics, Education, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Melee, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Tactics, Stealth, Will, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).
Soldier - Your character fights for a living (+2 Vigilance, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Missile, Athletics, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Tactics, Stealth, Medicine, Will, Etiquette).
Thief - Your character benefits from the suffering of others (+2 Cunning, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Missile, Athletics, Barter, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Stealth, Will).

D) Lifepath - Forth Step - Experience
What has your character done since they learned their profession?
Vampire hunter - Your character has been barely able to scrape by as they hunt down and destroy vampires (+1 Ambition, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Missile, Athletics, Vampire Lore, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Tactics, Stealth, Medicine, Will, Arcane Lore).
Fence - Your character has become successful in a life of crime (+1 Cunning, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Education, Barter, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Will, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).
Drabami - Your character has been practicing their healing art (+1 Vigilance, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Divination, Education, Barter, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Survival, Awareness, Charm, Invention, Medicine, Craft, Will, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).
Stalker - Your character has been stalkiing their prey (Starts with a Vampire Power/Weakness, -1 Purity/+1 Corruption [never above +3 corruption/-3 Purity], choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Missile, Athletics, Vampire Lore, Melee, Survival, Awareness, Thief, Charm, Streetwise, Invention, Tactics, Stealth, Will, Arcane Lore).
Vizier - Your character has been able to earn a living using magic (Starts with a Ritual during character creation, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Divination, Education, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Awareness, Charm, Invention, Tactics, Stealth, Will, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).
Inventor - Your character has been able to earn a living using science (Starts with a Gadget during character creation, choose one, that you don't already have, of the following: Education, Barter, Romaniya, Vampire Lore, Survival, Awareness, Charm, Invention, Tactics, Medicine, Craft, Etiquette, Arcane Lore).

7) Determine Obstacle Rating (OR) by (Ambition + 2 x Cunning + Vigilance + Lowest Pool).
8) You are ready to play!

Introduction

Introduction
SPC is a roleplaying game in a world gone wrong. Players will portray characters that wield supernatural powers with little or no constraint. And still it will not be enough to keep back the darkness...
Your character is a Rom. A nomad that some people call Gypsy. Your character must find their way through life, while living under a bloody shadow. What path will you choose? Your character faces a strict code of conduct, internal turmoil and harsh prejudices.

What is this game about?
The world of Steampunk Crescendo takes place in an alternate earth. This game is about oppression. Every element of the setting is designed to keep the characters in their place. This game is about power and the will to use it. Ultimately, this game is about change. The world of SPC is changing. How will the characters adapt to that change and how will the characters affect the direction of that change?

What is steampunk?
Steampunk means many different things to many different people. In Steampunk Crescendo, steampunk means the point in time and space where the industrial revolution, the Victorian era and fantasy collide. It is the ultimate dystopia where oppression, magic, super science, industry, Rom and vampires combine to make a world of challenges for the players to overcome.

What is dystopian?
Everything is happening bigger and faster than it ever could before. The world is changing. The people of the world are adapting to this change in different ways. Many individuals and organizations have seized this opportunity to advance themselves and their interests ahead of those of their fellow man. Rail barons, oil barons and other robber barons have created the engine of big business. The massive government effort required to build a modern infrastructure (railways, telegraph, etc.) and the ease of communication has given birth to big government. In these times of uncertainty, big, global churches are evangelizing, spreading and trying to guide people through the unknown. And the Industrial revolution has given birth to the Military-Industrial Complex. In fact, every authority across the world has gotten bigger. Even crime bosses are running mafias instead of gangs...

What is the industrial revolution?
Production, commerce and consumption are occurring at scales previously unimaginable. The advent of the steam engine and the factory are allowing the construction and distribution of goods that were previously impossible. What this means to most people in this era is two things: first, they may have to learn a new profession if their old profession becomes obsolete, second, those that take advantage of this change will gain in wealth, power and influence.

What is Victorian?
The Victorian era is an era of myths and legends to you and me. But the time itself is marked by very particular trends:

1) "Appearances" all aspects of Victorian culture are driven by what things look like to an observer. Fashions were rigorously puritanical and any organization or individual was measured by their observance of rules and their contribution to society.
2) "Imperialism" many nations took part in the phenomenon of colonizing the new world. Of course, the new world was already populated. And this, in turn, led to a previously unprecedented level of conflict around the world.
3) "Culture" many nations and groups distinguished themselves from others by their level of civility. And in their minds, civilization. This can be seen in colonial Africa, colonial South America and on the frontier of the United States. Where "primitive" people were marginalized because they were not "civilized."
4) "Enlightenment" successful people were obliged to provide for the less fortunate. We can see this today by the number of hospitals and universities founded during this time.

What is magic?
In the world of SPC, magic is a force of nature (like gravity). Sorcerers can change the very laws of physics with magic (if only temporarily). Magic and science exist hand in hand. In fact, some scientists have used magic to discover more about the physical sciences.

What is superscience?
The borders of human knowledge are expanding rapidly in this era. Some of the names that we consider common science terms (e.g., volt, watt, hertz, etc.) are, in fact, the names of science pioneers from this era. In Steampunk Crescendo, science is turned up to 11. The wildest fantasies of Tesla and Da Vinci are easily possible in this fantasy milieu.

What are vampires?
Steampunk Crescendo brings another twist to vampires. Vampires exist. They have awesome powers. The have debilitating weaknesses. But they are not the undead. Instead, they are Rom that have fallen to temptation. That vice manifests as vampiric powers and vampiric weaknesses. They all have different powers, they all have different weaknesses and they all have different tell-tale signs. The only common thread is, they all feed on human blood.

Who are Rom?
The common term for them is: "gypsies." They do not normally refer to themselves by that term. Rom are nomads. They are migrant workers. But. they are not seasonal migrants and they do not migrate with the movement of any crops or herds. Instead, they master a niche profession and then deliver it to small communities that are not big enough to support that profession full time. For example, the Kalderash were Tinsmiths that repaired tin implements from town to town. No single town needed a full time tinsmith, but they all needed tin items repaired. So, the Kalderash would repair their tin tools. And when that was done, move on to the next town.

Because of their nomadic nature, they have evolved into a very insular society. They bond strongly with each other, but are distrustful of outsiders. Sometimes this is accepted. But most times their distrust is returned in the form of mistrust and suspicion from outsiders.

Some outsiders see Rom as helpful people, friends even. Others perceive them as rude and distrustful. Still others see them as mystics, fortune tellers and entertainers. Many people think they are criminals and frauds. Still others view them as nature spirits, the original hiipies as it were. And some do not even know that they exist outside the world of romantic fiction.

The tale of the Rom is one that reflects their dualistic beliefs, in other words the idea that every person has an equal capacity for good and evil.

By the 17th and 18th centuries, they had spread to inhabit almost every continent. At this time a terrible plague was ravaging most major cities of the world.

Among the Rom, a Divano was called. The Sudija assembled saw the mahrimos that was corrupting the entire world and they knew what they had to do. A farmeci ritual was called for. Specifically, a vuzol farmeci ritual big enough to save the world. It took a year and a day to prepare, but on the first new moon of the next year, the ritual was performed.

It worked, too well in fact. Since the ritual was performed, the bubonic plague has been nothing more than a distant memory or the subject of scholarly debate. Few people know about this heroic act. Fewer still know about the terrible price it exacted.

Every Sudija involved in the ritual became a vampire. As long as they were marhime, this did not change their lives. But, if they succumbed to temptation, they would manifest powers and weaknesses and crave human blood. Many Sudija were upright men who not only upheld Romaniya, but lived by Romaniya steadfastly. Imagine their horror when they discovered that not only were they vampires, but so was their offspring (even those already born and those adopted into the family). And so it has been for nearly 200 years. Still, rumors persist, among those knowledgeable of the ritual, that the price will be paid in full, once vampires take a number of lives equal to those saved from the plague.

And that's who the characters are, blood descendants of one of the original Romani ritual casters.

Well, this is the intro I have so far. the writing is a little rough, but I hope there is a nugget of inspiration in there...

So, um, how does this work?

All,
Can I post my system on my blog, or would that be too much static?

Crying Wolfman Test

Seeing if this tag thing-y works for me...

The post wherein I announce my intention to cheat...

All,
For good or ill, I am going to adapt Steampunk Crescendo for Game Chef.
I have the Intrigue theme all wrapped up and it won't take much to include at least some of the ingredients (I already have some good ideas).

One week to make a playtest document is a little more aggressive than I had planned for, but I am up for the challenge!

Game Chef 2009 is Live!

All,
I love the format of the new Game Chef.

I don't even have time for it. But it is so cool, I will make time in order to support it!

More to come as soon as I get my ingredients...