Cortex Steampunk Game 1 OOC Discussion

[DreamsnThings]

6 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

That's exactly correct. I kind of made it a two-pronged use. Both are "oops, too much" but I figured it could be used more ways that one. 

Glad to hear that!

6 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

How does this sound:

d4 Honeypot: You know how to make people want you and how to turn that desire into opportunity. Whether through calculated charm, feigned affection, or dangerous intimacy, you lure others into vulnerability and extract what you need: secrets, access, or obedience. You can fake love, but the danger lies in sometimes feeling it for real. Roll this Distinction’s die when romantic, sexual, or emotional manipulation could give you an advantage.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when your false relationship becomes emotionally complicated for you OR when someone discovers your deception and turns your tactics against you.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to Reveal (or begin without resistance) a romantic or sexual connection (past or present) with an NPC, granting you temporary leverage or access.
• d12: Add a d8 to Trouble to Step up your Effect die when manipulating a target who already desires or trusts you.

with my reference point on how the system works this feels practically perfect!

6 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

This is absolutely correct! You don't need to ask anyone's permission to step up the relationship with them. You could step up your relationship with someone to d12 "Soon he'll love me as much as I love him" and they could have a d4 "She can't be trusted" relationship with you. It's all about your perspective on that character. 

You'll have plenty of chances to step up your Relationships. Based on the Umbracite angle and your "agent for some group/office" status, you could really step any relationship up at this point.

gotcha... fuck i was hoping a couple people might suggest some sort of interaction because im still trying to catch up on the backlogs of group one XD ... plus if I only have one step up right now from a D4 to a D6 ill probably want a connection with the musician, with the justification that "he may be useful as an "in" to a party later, its worth keeping him close" or something like that?

[WickedCadrach]

7 minutes ago, DreamsnThings said:

plus if I only have one step up right now from a D4 to a D6 ill probably want a connection with the musician, with the justification that "he may be useful as an "in" to a party later, its worth keeping him close" or something like that?

That's a perfect place to start!

And like Izzy said, there's going to be more chances to raise other relationships as you get further on the Pathway steps.

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Kojo "Ticket to the party" Amankona 

But yeah good place to start. I'm fine if you want Carlo (Kojo) to be familiar with "Jolene" already but yeah just bump em up by what your character would think and any other details can be proposed like Kojo could have visited the Pharmacy plenty for medicine in hopes to manage the headaches managing his uh...articular condition brings so they might be somewhat familiar. 

Edited October 5 by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[DreamsnThings]

...I had whiplash for a moment because i forget her fake name was jolene XD, I would like to set her up as having a mildly friendly flirty relationship with kojo. maybe he likes taking her as a date to these kinds of things because she was not only fine with you flirting with other girls but actively seemed to encourage it when she went off to go check on something... when in actuallity she went off to investigate a lead she went to the party for in the first place.

hell I could see the two of them starting play as fuck buddies full on potentially, well we can have his headaches be how they met at the pharmacy, depending on how significant you want their starting relationship.

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Lol 
Well that'd be fine with me! It'd be useful for her and he'd definitely take her to these parties as thanks for her help with getting the medicine he might need. Wouldn't even really ask questions as she went off. 

[StarlitSiren]

I'm currently trying to decide just how suspicious Millie is of our newcomer...

[MagnificentBastard]

3 hours ago, DreamsnThings said:

gotcha... fuck i was hoping a couple people might suggest some sort of interaction because im still trying to catch up on the backlogs of group one XD ... plus if I only have one step up right now from a D4 to a D6 ill probably want a connection with the musician, with the justification that "he may be useful as an "in" to a party later, its worth keeping him close" or something like that?

My character is a notorious womanizer, how your character feel a about yhat is a good place to start.

[Chiyako]

Alicia is a mad scientist on the run partially for the experiments she runs (alongside other criminal aspects like the occasional grave robbing, murder, theft, etc) and partially because people believe she is a Vampire.

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

This is a strange group when you think about it 

[DreamsnThings]

2 hours ago, MagnificentBastard said:

My character is a notorious womanizer, how your character feel a about yhat is a good place to start.

"a man who thinks more with his groin rather than his brain, could be useful in the right situation"

 

2 hours ago, Chiyako said:

Alicia is a mad scientist on the run partially for the experiments she runs (alongside other criminal aspects like the occasional grave robbing, murder, theft, etc) and partially because people believe she is a Vampire.

"Kay has made a couple requests to an odd scientist on the outskirts of town, seems like an odd ball is being treated like a freak, it could be nice to get a favor or two from someone very smart with very few morals

18 minutes ago, AsBloodTurnsEverCold said:

this is a strange group when you think about it 

yes, yes it is, its great!

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Its best to keep the relationship statements light and actionable as well when you're adding them to the map and sheet

[StarlitSiren]

Millie Gearheart is a neurodivergent coded, socially awkward, repressed engineer and gun/gadget smith operating out of a workshop by the train station. She's considered an oddball due to her difficulty connecting with people. @DreamsnThings

[IsabellaRose]

@DreamsnThings - as long as you stepped up a relationship, you should be all set with Step 1 - Origin. 

Now you can jump into Step 2 - you get to:

1. Draw an arrow from your square to a new diamond (NEW Location). Label the connection (line) to define it. Add it to your sheet as a Resource. Post about it in the Discussion thread so we all know what it is. (I'd recommend the Pharmacy unless there's another location you want more, but you can always add more locations later)

2. Draw an arrow from a circle or diamond that you added to any another circle or diamond. Label the connection to define it. Post about it in the Discussion thread so we all know what it is. (This is a wild card - connect your NPC or location to literally any other NPC or location... go wild, make it unexpected!)

Then select your Youth step from Apprentice, Drifter, Rebel, Believer or Outsider and do what it says! If you have questions, need help, or have an idea for another customer Distinction or Ability, just let me know!

[StarlitSiren]

Not me listing a few practical ideas for inventions and gadgets in Millie's workshop... and a few practical ideas

[DreamsnThings]

On 07/10/2025 at 15:06, IsabellaRose said:

2. Draw an arrow from a circle or diamond that you added to any another circle or diamond. Label the connection to define it. Post about it in the Discussion thread so we all know what it is. (This is a wild card - connect your NPC or location to literally any other NPC or location... go wild, make it unexpected!)

well since i was told to make it unexpected i made mr kay and red jenny brother and sister, with mr kay currently unaware of that fact

On 07/10/2025 at 15:06, IsabellaRose said:

1. Draw an arrow from your square to a new diamond (NEW Location). Label the connection (line) to define it. Add it to your sheet as a Resource. Post about it in the Discussion thread so we all know what it is. (I'd recommend the Pharmacy unless there's another location you want more, but you can always add more locations later)

I added the location kyles cure alls! intending it to sound generic and unengaging to avoid getting too much traffic since its meant to be a base

On 07/10/2025 at 15:06, IsabellaRose said:

Then select your Youth step from Apprentice, Drifter, Rebel, Believer or Outsider and do what it says! If you have questions, need help, or have an idea for another customer Distinction or Ability, just let me know!

from this list... apprentice or believer are the only ones that seems fitting for now, now that said i have been trying to find the youth step for about 2 days now to find out what any of this means... unsuccessfully! XD send help please

[WickedCadrach]

4 minutes ago, DreamsnThings said:

apprentice or believer are the only ones that seems fitting for now, now that said i have been trying to find the youth step for about 2 days now to find out what any of this means... unsuccessfully! XD send help please

I got you! In the TTRPG Club - Roleplays tab, there's a thread for Cortex Steampunk Rules Reference . Just open that page and scroll down to the Spoiler tab labelled for Pathways (it's at the bottom). Open it up and then go to the section for Youth. In that tab will be the directions for what to do depending on whether you pick Apprentice or Believer. 

 

(Side note: The Mr. Kay and Red Jenny connection is wild Love it. )

[DreamsnThings]

ok... so it boils down between apprentice and believer basically being a difference between boosting a resource or boosting a relationship... practically speaking with one ill empower my umbrella well the other ill boost my relationship with kay

13 minutes ago, WickedCadrach said:

(Side note: The Mr. Kay and Red Jenny connection is wild Love it. )

i thought that would be a fun mix up for the story :3

[WickedCadrach]

8 minutes ago, DreamsnThings said:

ok... so it boils down between apprentice and believer basically being a difference between boosting a resource or boosting a relationship... practically speaking with one ill empower my umbrella well the other ill boost my relationship with kay

Yep! That's the essential difference. Once you update your character sheet with the choices for whichever Youth path you choose, I think you'll be ready for the next step.

[DreamsnThings]

well I would like a new distinction so i kinda need to know what that entails... i think ill go with believer and double boost kays relationship to represent my characters devotion to her cause... alternatively I could double boost the pherosol to make her really secret agent-esk...

...?

wait do i technically have my pherosol yet?

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Pherosol is such a good name. 

Edited October 9 by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[WickedCadrach]

27 minutes ago, DreamsnThings said:

well I would like a new distinction so i kinda need to know what that entails... i think ill go with believer and double boost kays relationship to represent my characters devotion to her cause... alternatively I could double boost the pherosol to make her really secret agent-esk...

...?

wait do i technically have my pherosol yet?

You have Pherotech listed on your sheet. Not sure if that's the same thing? @DreamsnThings

The Distinctions are also in the Rules Reference thread. Scroll down to Distinctions/Traits and then down in that section to The Big List of Distinctions/Traits for 1880s Steampunk Western RPG. You can pick one there or work out something unique with Izzy (like you did with Honeypot). Though, I might recommend boosting one of the Distinctions you already have instead (Honeypot or PheroTech). 

[IsabellaRose]

1 hour ago, DreamsnThings said:

wait do i technically have my pherosol yet?

You can have a parasol, but you'll have to use one of your "add an ability" steps to add the Pherosol as an Ability with the "Gear" limitation. Gear limitation generally means that you can be separated from your item, or run out of ammo, or have it broken in a scene, etc. You'll always be able to recover it, repair it, or reload it, but hampering your ability to use it temporarily is a good way to earn plot points to help you win the day later in the game.

1 hour ago, WickedCadrach said:

You have Pherotech listed on your sheet. Not sure if that's the same thing? @DreamsnThings

Oh, right! We could give Pherotech the "gear" limitation and say it's your parasol Pherosol. 

[DreamsnThings]

11 minutes ago, IsabellaRose said:

You can have a parasol, but you'll have to use one of your "add an ability" steps to add the Pherosol as an Ability with the "Gear" limitation. Gear limitation generally means that you can be separated from your item, or run out of ammo, or have it broken in a scene, etc. You'll always be able to recover it, repair it, or reload it, but hampering your ability to use it temporarily is a good way to earn plot points to help you win the day later in the game.

Oh, right! We could give Pherotech the "gear" limitation and say it's your parasol Pherosol. 

pherotech is intended to be tied to my gear since its meant as more of a tool rather then my own skills (honey trap being the portion that is my skills<3) so adding the gear tag to pherotech would be perfect!
that said I would also like to expand upon the pherosol to function as more than just a perfume bottle and work as a spys multitool in some capacity, so if that needs to be a separate gear piece that's fine by me, especially since i believe i have the option to add a distinction in this step?

[IsabellaRose]

2 minutes ago, DreamsnThings said:

pherotech is intended to be tied to my gear since its meant as more of a tool rather then my own skills (honey trap being the portion that is my skills<3) so adding the gear tag to pherotech would be perfect!
that said I would also like to expand upon the pherosol to function as more than just a perfume bottle and work as a spys multitool in some capacity, so if that needs to be a separate gear piece that's fine by me, especially since i believe i have the option to add a distinction in this step?

You can add any ability to your gear, or your could add additional gear with their own abilities (something concealed in the heel of your shoe, in your bonnet, or perhaps a ladies pocket watch, things you would be able to bring into someone's parlor when they expect you to leave your parasol at the door. Flavor stuff doesn't require the use of an ability, but things that you plan to use to influence contests will. 

For instance, you can say your Pherosol has an automatic lockpick in the handle, and we'll go with it - you can pick locks with it. But if you want to add a d8 Automatic Lockpick to your dice pool when trying to escape through a locked door before the person pursuing you catches up, you'd need to add it as an ability. I know the system isn't familiar to most people, so please let me know if you'd like me to elaborate on how that works.

Just let me know what kinds of abilities we want it to have, and I can build it custom for you. But it should be an Ability, not a Distinction. Distinctions are more like skills, talents, personality quirks, etc. Abilities would be things like "automatic lock picking device

[DreamsnThings]

1 hour ago, IsabellaRose said:

Just let me know what kinds of abilities we want it to have, and I can build it custom for you. But it should be an Ability, not a Distinction. Distinctions are more like skills, talents, personality quirks, etc. Abilities would be things like "automatic lock picking device

ahhh well with THAT in mind there are 4 main points I would like to incorporate into it, if not right out the gate then as we go

1. its main purpose is to be a handy way to apply pheromones into the air around me, so giving it options to more directly influence who gets affected by them, how far they can spread, or what kinds of effects they can have all would be appreciated, this is the catch all part that puts phero in the pherosol
2. being able to open the umbrella and use it as a parashoot or even a short burst of flight would be a wonderful tool in an agents kit, allowing fun methods to enter or exit buildings if need be
3. similar to 2, being able to open the umbrella and have it work like a reinforced shield, something that could deflect lower caliber bullets if that ever becomes relevant would be wonderful
4. this is kind of a catch all, i saw in an example that you can spend plot points to turn a temporary asset into a permanent one, I want to frequently do things like that with misc tools tied to the pherobrella... be it an automatic lockpick, detaching the hooked hilt of it to use as a grappling hook, or using the tip to shoot a laser to melt through iron bars... i basically want to have the leeway to create temp tools and turn them permanent later... which sounds like that itself wont be an issue

im sure i could break those down further but thats the basic idea?