_ [Open - Plotting Unlikely Twins] Storyline and Recruitment
The Scythe
pen and paper rpg characters since I was a teenager, and I've wanted
to explore their entire story for many years. I'm finally doing it
now.
[Unlikely Twins] is their story, but one of the great things about The
Dragons' Inn is the multiple writer aspect. Rather than tell it all
myself, I really want to maintain some of that table-top, group story
feel.
So I'm recruiting. I need some fellow adventurers. I need some
villain henchmen. And I need some foils and adversaries. And I need
some big boss villains.
I am going to get their story told; chipped out of the granite block
like some sculpture. So that means that I can't be frozen by people
dropping out. I'll need everyone who joins in to give me some extra
info about their character, and we'll make a decision together on how
to handle a dropout ahead of time. That way I can write the character
temporarily, or set he or she by the wayside and move on.
The next two replies will be the plot planning (mainly important for
slots I'd like to have filled), and the info I'll need from anyone
joining.
Robert
The Scythe
Plotting for [Unlikely Twins]
First, off, this is early planning stages. The numbers may get
changed around, branches may get lopped off or added. But here goes.
[Unlikely Twins] 1
Was for demonstrating their mother and father
[Unlikely Twins] 2
Was for adding how they grew up; their formative years
[Unlikely Twins] 3
Was to show what they've become from those years, and the stamp of
their father on them.
[[Unlikely Twins] 4
Was just a quick one to get them out of the cradle and into their own
lives
[Unlikely Twins] 5
In work. It's Finast's apprentice experience and where his quest
comes from. It's almost a geas.
[Unlikely Twins] 6
Planned out. It's Garan and his mentor warrior vs a wizard. It's
also where his quest comes from.
OPEN FOR OTHER CHARACTERS TO JOIN [Unlikely Twins] 7 and possibly 8
Rough planning done. Travelling together to Montfort in search of
information from the College. A fight to show how well they work as a
team.
OPEN - Inn Arrival
This is where they'll met up with any old body who's interested
OPEN - College Research - Finast needs clues. This is where he hopes
to find them. It'll turn out to not be a complete roadmap, so they'll
have misturns and coming back to Montfort at least once or twice.
Needed characters: Guide to the College, especially libraries;
Wizards to ask questions of; Sage info
OPEN - Garan recruits toughs..... Oh, and a good artist
He likes to fight and spar. What better way to check out fellow
travelers than by throwing them around a bit (or so he may think).
His quest needs a talented artist, but it doesn't have to be someone
to travel with them
Potentially OPEN - Finast's First Quest Leg
A full story wasn't available. More info is needed. They find out
where to go to get it, and have to go there. Also, some items he'll
need later will be able to be picked up along the way.
Needed: Intelligent animal(s) (WARNING, expect to die), Tough-
bargaining characters who will only TRADE, not give or sell. Leading
to...
Finast's Second Quest Leg
The full list of things he'll need will be in hand now. They are not
easy. At least one difficult choice will have to be made from which
can never be unmade.
Garan's First Quest Leg
I haven't decided whether to seperate the two of them at this point or
later. Obsessions DO get in the way of brotherhood though, so
possibly. Garan may be able to accomplish things travelling with
Finast. At some point he has things he needs to do on his own though.
All after this is to vague to put here yet.
Future people needed not mentioned above:
A major foil for Garan, and one for Finast. Could be two individuals,
or a group. Not necessarily evil or bad, but will be very much at
cross-purposes. (WARNING: expect to win sometimes and lose in the
end, unless peace is made. Possibly die)
Possibly Run By Me: A Boss villain with serious influence over a
significant area. Getting wind of Garan and Finast probing into your
domain.
Definitely Open: The henchmen or servants of the Big Boss
An extremely powerful person who has something Garan or Finast needs.
Can only be bargained with or stolen from, not fought, but is not
necessarily against them. May be the enemy of the Boss and so might
help them. Possibly a dragon (if the big boss isn't one).
That's as much as I've got for the moment. Feel free to make
suggestions
The Scythe
themselves like normal threads. Adversaries or foils will need more
planning, so please definitely post your ideas here about them and
let's talk about them
Things I need to get from you for adding characters to [Unlikely
Twins]:
1. What will happen to the character if you can't write for a few
weeks - 1 month?
Temporary handoff to me? Sit down and take a break, catch up later?
Other?
2. What will happen to the character if I loose contact with you?
Temporary handoff to me? Their own quest intercedes and they leave?
They die? They become a permanent slave/sacrifice major body part?
Other?
3. If I lose contact with you, how long do you want me to wait before
I do whatever we agreed?
4. What specific words do you want them to say at a minor parting of
the ways? At a major, permanent parting?
The Scythe
Co-adventurers:
Feel free to post here first or have them meet normally along the way.
but once you join up, please post in this thred to answer the "saying
our goodbyes" questions above.
Taking Parts:
Anyone who'd like to take one of the parts mentioned above, please
reply here with some suggested details. If we get too long-winded,
we'll take specific discussions into direct e-mails, but I'd like the
big picture here so people know where the story is headed, and so
people can bounce ideas off each other.
ShadoWolf
I am definitely interested in adding a couple co-adventurers. One
will be a good tough, unless you ask him to fight, a good artist and
healer, and a challenging sparing partner. The other is a good tough,
but most don’t take him seriously. He will be a good sparing partner
and entertaining to boot.
I am not exactly sure what you mean by “intelligent animal”. I have
no problem writing disposable characters, but I need to know what you
are looking for.
As for the villainy: I would love to write some henchmen, servants, or
lackeys. The Villain Boss or primary in the opposition group, I think
it should be yours so you can keep your hand on the rudder. I will
help you paddle.
You can instruct me here, in an Admin Thread, of what you want for
henchmen and animals or email me separately.
As for my co-adventurers, I am working on an introduction and will
post it here shortly. When you get to [Unlikely Twins] 7 or 8, we can
merge them in.
John
The Scythe
Finast is trying to aquire an artifact. To get it he'll need to
create some other magical items. So there'll be a list of exotic
ingredients he'll need to get. Things like, wyvern spleen, or some
such. The creature's doomed, pretty much. Unless in some really
strange case where it manages to negotiate and can part with it.
I haven't completely decided what creature and what body parts. If
it's something like hair, or breath, or hoof shavings, or something,
well then there might be some wiggle room. But I do want a creature
that can say, "Don't kill me." And he's going to kill it. At this
point in the story, he'll be tormented by the decision. But he's
looking for an srtifact of great power, and those things COST.
So, interested in running some kind of beastie? A chimera, or
manticore, or some such? Thoughts on what kind of beast?
Let's keep the discussion here for now. I want to use it to encourage
people to join as it gets more detailed. With Dragons Inn so slow I'm
much more interested in that than keeping surprises for later.
They're going to be written in the story later anyway.
Ok, I'm looking forward to meeting your chaps in 7 or 8. At some
point please post your preferences for items 1, 2, 3, and 4 in case we
lose contact so I know how to gracefully pause your characters.
Robert
AKA The Scythe
ShadoWolf
> Finast is trying to aquire an artifact. To get it he'll need to
> create some other magical items. So there'll be a list of exotic
> ingredients he'll need to get. Things like, wyvern spleen, or some
> such. The creature's doomed, pretty much. Unless in some really
> strange case where it manages to negotiate and can part with it.
>
> I haven't completely decided what creature and what body parts. If
> it's something like hair, or breath, or hoof shavings, or something,
> well then there might be some wiggle room. But I do want a creature
> that can say, "Don't kill me." And he's going to kill it. At this
> point in the story, he'll be tormented by the decision. But he's
> looking for an srtifact of great power, and those things COST.
>
> So, interested in running some kind of beastie? A chimera, or
> manticore, or some such? Thoughts on what kind of beast?
Of the two you mentioned I'd prefer a chimera. Other creatures I have
used, or planned to use, are Centaur, Minotaur, Draconian, Naga, and
magically altered animal/humans: Tiger/women, dog/men, etc.
Let me know if you have a preference, I view it as a writing
challenge.
ShadoWolf
The Scythe
Ok, so I've been looking up the beasts of greek mythology, and I
definitely like the idea of using the Chimera. Male or female doesn't
matter, but including some of the elements of the mythological chimera
would be very cool.
It doesn't have to be an evil beast in this story, intent on doing
harm to people. Nor should it be a nice happy critter that's the
victim of human predation. Rather more of the Greek Mythology style
of personality, where it's going about it's own business like an
animal predator which kills animals and people when it needs to, or
when it can get them.
And of course, it's death is the object of the hero's quest. Sucks to
be a Greek Myth Monster.
Cool man, glad to have you aboard
The Scythe
Ah, just thought of something else. I need it's hide to have certain
properties.
It cannot be detected by magical means. For example, a crystal ball
wouldn't show it.
So he'll need it's hide or it's hair to create leather or cloth to
make a fabric that whatever it covers can also not be detected by
magical means.
It would be great if you could come up with a way to describe that in
writing the beast. It isn't necesarily a visual thing. In
otherwords, it can be seen just fine with the naked eye, but you can't
locate it with spells or supernatural aid.
Robert
AKA The Scythe
The Scythe
A few other notes. I've realized Finast is going to need a hunter and/
or tracker. And not just any, but one of the best ever. Since the
Chimera can't be scryed, it's going to need to be found the old
fashioned way, by finding its tracks..... or listening to rumors about
people dieing at whatever spring it's guarding, or some such.
So next time I update the list of needed characters, that'll be in
there.
Also, now that I've written [Unlikely Twins] 5-2, I know that the BIG
BOSS and henchmen are going to be trolls. I've also got a Demon of
Chaos, and possibly a Goddess out there somewhere as bit parts.
Right now they're all open if anyone's interested. Once I get to
needing them for the story is the first time I'll close them and run
them myself. I probably will follow ShadoWolf's suggestion and run
the BIG BOSS troll unless someone comes out of the woodwork with a
huge burning desire to play the bad guy.
I'm loving this!