Hollow Pine will follow much the same layout at Trep 1, so old players need not fret and new players can reference it for a hint on how things will go. The action will be faster, more visceral and unforgiving. Msh was rather saintly in her tolerance of crap. But I, however, intend to resurrect my much-loved and long-missed 'list' from the second 'Blades of Retribution'. Idiotry, poor writing or just annoying me moves you up the list. When it comes time to kill, those at the top had best be shitting their britches.
This game is not a competition, it is a collaboration of writers and ideas to create a narrative. No successful RP does not understand this basic principle. Play well, give ground where needed and die with grace and this will be something special to remember.
This is just an intro to let people know that things are taking off, feel free to post up a character sheet here along the following guidelines.
-------
You're going to miss your flight, you're sure of it. A million stops on the chartered bus mean that you'll be making the airport even later than the usual pack of late arrivals. This was supposed to be express! Instead you're making stops to pick up every bastard who booked the damn thing.
Next time, you'll take a taxi.
Your luggage is stored below you in the bottom sections of the coach. Around you, people yawn lazily as they think similar thoughts, and wonder wistfully about what they are doing and where they are going. Bus 412 makes this run every day, picking up those who book it, but it still carries a mass of stories in it's baggage racks.
Hollow Pine Lodge reads the unlit billboard, though you can still see it in the fading dawn. An overblown trailer park is what it is, with a few added luxuries to fool foreign tourists into spending their cash on a wheeled hellhole when they could be in any number of high-price hotels. There is no litter around, however, and it would seem the place takes itself pretty seriously. Nevermind, you're meeting up with the last of your number then it's off to the airport and destinations beyond.
Odd, doesn't seem to be any lights on. You spot the problem immediately, a tree fallen over power lines had outed the power. No problem really, unless the poor bastards didn't have gas heating. Snowstorms had been on and off the past few weeks, in a blizzard this place would be one big block of ice. Which makes sense, really, given how everyone is sensibly out of sight in warm rooms.
The bus circles past the main office building, attached to the heated swimming pools and squash centre ('play while you stay!' is scrawled a cross the side of the attached complex), but when no passenger appears you slowly circle around the main road. This park is HUGE! Easily a good hours walk from end to end. A lone main road circles lazily through the outer limits, with smaller roads pushing into the centre of the park and allowing people to access their rented trailers.
Another loop, and nowhere to turn around. Figuring that the passenger might be inside, the driver parks the bus outside the main office building and jumps out, swearing at the cold, to bang on the door. This continues for a good 30 seconds before he shrugs, gives up and returns to the drivers seat.
He's a good man, the driver. Took the time to get to know each passenger personally as they came onto the bus.
Now... what was it you told him again?
--------
Here's where you post your character sheet. I'd like to keep OOC to a minimum but reasonable questions and concise answers are perfectly acceptable. I reserve the right to demand entry to any player i deem to be of an unsuitable standard. This will not likely happen, but it's never a bad idea to cover your bases.
Some quick rules:
1) Sanity: I reserve the right to dock sanity points for people who give their characters too much info they don't have. For example, if your character jumps off the bus at this point, swinging a machete and challenging the monster, he is obviously insane and will be treated as such. As far as you know, this is a normal trip.
Sanity is measured on a scale of 1-10. 10 is normal, 0 is bestial with fear or rage. Adjust your character accordingly as it falls or rises.
Body Temp. Measured on a scale of 1-10 for convenience. 5 is normal. 6 is heated, which is what you are in now (The bus is luxury, you know!). 0 is lethal for the unprotected and 10 is unbearably hot, such as those in flames or other places of incredible heat.
2) Location: I am trying to get a map made of hollow pine, so i may plot your location on it every new round. You cannot see things that your character could not see, and there will be a limit on how much you can hear. Both attributes will be altered by the weather. Sound, you will find out, is very important.
3) Fighting: If you want a make a lot of noise and wound each other over who is the more dominant character, then i approve. It makes killing you that much easier.
4) Posting rules: Once a round. A round is denoted by a day passing or every player posting once. In that post you may move a preset amount, interact with items and talk. I think you can have 2 extra posts for dialogue a round, because i'm generous. I highly, highly, highly suggest you coordinate these with your conversation partner before posting, as it makes things ever-so professional.
5) Monster Rules: The joy of this is that there aren't any. You have to trust me to wield this villain with sense and fairness against you, otherwise he becomes exploitable. I think by now i might have earned some respect for my ability to do this. You will be given every chance to succeed, and then it will be taken away.
6) Write for the better of the RP, not your character. What a phyrric victory it would be to survive the monster by being a shrewd writer and screwing everyone over. Have fun and enjoy it, and write well so that everyone has fun.
If we have 10 players, then for the cost of one good post you will get 9 good posts in return. I can't say there isn't a better deal out there, but i've yet to find it. Run your posts through a spell/grammar checker and everyone will thank your for it.
And... here we go!
Eviljoe, if you would?
*Ahem*
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the scenic sights of Hollow Pine resort. Mind the snow, enjoy the view and reflect on the fact that there are far worse places to endure the final bus-stop of your life.
The Brothers Joe Present: Trepidation 2, The Horror At Hollow Pine
Take an umbrella. There might be splatter.
This game is not a competition, it is a collaboration of writers and ideas to create a narrative. No successful RP does not understand this basic principle. Play well, give ground where needed and die with grace and this will be something special to remember.
This is just an intro to let people know that things are taking off, feel free to post up a character sheet here along the following guidelines.
Name: [Characters Name]
Occupation: [Affects what they can do in-game. Don't try to garner an advantage by being a survival expert, or some other cheeky damn-fool option. It only moves you up the list and closer to my swinging arm. In truth, it makes very little difference, it just helps proceedings]
Junk in your Pockets: [Oddly easy to understand]
And some more interesting stuff.
Reason For Going To The Airport: [Why is your poor bastard on the 412 flight-bus, stopping over at Hollow Pine? Read more for information]
Backstory: [Doesn't need to be much, a quick rundown of his disposition will do]
Physical Attributes [Exactly what it sounds like. Would-be he-men should know right now that it makes a jelly-dick of difference in the game]
Occupation: [Affects what they can do in-game. Don't try to garner an advantage by being a survival expert, or some other cheeky damn-fool option. It only moves you up the list and closer to my swinging arm. In truth, it makes very little difference, it just helps proceedings]
Junk in your Pockets: [Oddly easy to understand]
And some more interesting stuff.
Reason For Going To The Airport: [Why is your poor bastard on the 412 flight-bus, stopping over at Hollow Pine? Read more for information]
Backstory: [Doesn't need to be much, a quick rundown of his disposition will do]
Physical Attributes [Exactly what it sounds like. Would-be he-men should know right now that it makes a jelly-dick of difference in the game]
-------
You're going to miss your flight, you're sure of it. A million stops on the chartered bus mean that you'll be making the airport even later than the usual pack of late arrivals. This was supposed to be express! Instead you're making stops to pick up every bastard who booked the damn thing.
Next time, you'll take a taxi.
Your luggage is stored below you in the bottom sections of the coach. Around you, people yawn lazily as they think similar thoughts, and wonder wistfully about what they are doing and where they are going. Bus 412 makes this run every day, picking up those who book it, but it still carries a mass of stories in it's baggage racks.
Hollow Pine Lodge reads the unlit billboard, though you can still see it in the fading dawn. An overblown trailer park is what it is, with a few added luxuries to fool foreign tourists into spending their cash on a wheeled hellhole when they could be in any number of high-price hotels. There is no litter around, however, and it would seem the place takes itself pretty seriously. Nevermind, you're meeting up with the last of your number then it's off to the airport and destinations beyond.
Odd, doesn't seem to be any lights on. You spot the problem immediately, a tree fallen over power lines had outed the power. No problem really, unless the poor bastards didn't have gas heating. Snowstorms had been on and off the past few weeks, in a blizzard this place would be one big block of ice. Which makes sense, really, given how everyone is sensibly out of sight in warm rooms.
The bus circles past the main office building, attached to the heated swimming pools and squash centre ('play while you stay!' is scrawled a cross the side of the attached complex), but when no passenger appears you slowly circle around the main road. This park is HUGE! Easily a good hours walk from end to end. A lone main road circles lazily through the outer limits, with smaller roads pushing into the centre of the park and allowing people to access their rented trailers.
Another loop, and nowhere to turn around. Figuring that the passenger might be inside, the driver parks the bus outside the main office building and jumps out, swearing at the cold, to bang on the door. This continues for a good 30 seconds before he shrugs, gives up and returns to the drivers seat.
He's a good man, the driver. Took the time to get to know each passenger personally as they came onto the bus.
Now... what was it you told him again?
--------
Here's where you post your character sheet. I'd like to keep OOC to a minimum but reasonable questions and concise answers are perfectly acceptable. I reserve the right to demand entry to any player i deem to be of an unsuitable standard. This will not likely happen, but it's never a bad idea to cover your bases.
Some quick rules:
1) Sanity: I reserve the right to dock sanity points for people who give their characters too much info they don't have. For example, if your character jumps off the bus at this point, swinging a machete and challenging the monster, he is obviously insane and will be treated as such. As far as you know, this is a normal trip.
Sanity is measured on a scale of 1-10. 10 is normal, 0 is bestial with fear or rage. Adjust your character accordingly as it falls or rises.
Body Temp. Measured on a scale of 1-10 for convenience. 5 is normal. 6 is heated, which is what you are in now (The bus is luxury, you know!). 0 is lethal for the unprotected and 10 is unbearably hot, such as those in flames or other places of incredible heat.
2) Location: I am trying to get a map made of hollow pine, so i may plot your location on it every new round. You cannot see things that your character could not see, and there will be a limit on how much you can hear. Both attributes will be altered by the weather. Sound, you will find out, is very important.
3) Fighting: If you want a make a lot of noise and wound each other over who is the more dominant character, then i approve. It makes killing you that much easier.
4) Posting rules: Once a round. A round is denoted by a day passing or every player posting once. In that post you may move a preset amount, interact with items and talk. I think you can have 2 extra posts for dialogue a round, because i'm generous. I highly, highly, highly suggest you coordinate these with your conversation partner before posting, as it makes things ever-so professional.
5) Monster Rules: The joy of this is that there aren't any. You have to trust me to wield this villain with sense and fairness against you, otherwise he becomes exploitable. I think by now i might have earned some respect for my ability to do this. You will be given every chance to succeed, and then it will be taken away.
6) Write for the better of the RP, not your character. What a phyrric victory it would be to survive the monster by being a shrewd writer and screwing everyone over. Have fun and enjoy it, and write well so that everyone has fun.
If we have 10 players, then for the cost of one good post you will get 9 good posts in return. I can't say there isn't a better deal out there, but i've yet to find it. Run your posts through a spell/grammar checker and everyone will thank your for it.
And... here we go!
Eviljoe, if you would?
*Ahem*
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the scenic sights of Hollow Pine resort. Mind the snow, enjoy the view and reflect on the fact that there are far worse places to endure the final bus-stop of your life.
The Brothers Joe Present: Trepidation 2, The Horror At Hollow Pine
Take an umbrella. There might be splatter.
