Cortex Steampunk Game 2 OOC Discussion

[IsabellaRose]

This is for Group 2, consisting of @SataiRolePlayingGuy, @AsBloodTurnsEverCold, @Warning, and @DreamsnThings.

We're still working from the basic setup premise as described in the original "Interest Check" thread:

"My favorite game system is Cortex, or more specifically, the Cortex Drama system originally developed for the Smallville RPG, improved with suggestions in the Cortex Hacker's Guide, and then brought all together in the latest version of the system, Cortex Prime.

I'm considering running a dramatic game centered around a small group of PCs and their connected NPCs set in an 1880s wild west / steampunk / weird science world. Imagine someone combined the works of Jules Verne, Mary Shelley, Edgar Allen Poe, HP Lovecraft, and HG Wells, added in a dash of Nikola Tesla, a pinch of Indiana Jones (without the Crystal Skull nonsense), mixed in Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, Annie Oakley, Doc Holliday and all the wild west tropes you can imagine, maybe added a bit of mad scientist and supernatural weird west nonsense, and dressed it all up in steampunk finery... and you're looking at the general idea for the setting. There will be over-the-top villains, square-jawed heroes, and buxom babes a plenty. Obviously, given our site, there were be lewd content and a deviation from the more buttoned-down, puritanical ways of the colonial western expansion and Victorian era, and I expect most characters to "get some" on a regular basis. In fact, I intend to add a mechanic that will make it imperative that you keep your honey pot stirred or your wick well dipped regularly in order to keep functioning at your highest level."

 

Let's start with the basics of worldbuilding. Working from that original description:

1. Write down anything that YOU WANT to be in this game, concepts, set pieces, species, tech, etc., for you to enjoy it. If you want there to be Automaton's write it down. If you just think they'd be cool, but you don't really care one way or the other, don't write it down. This is the list of "I want this to be in the world!"
    
2. Write down anything that you DO NOT WANT in the game. If zombies will ruin the setting for you, let us know.

Once we get input from everyone, we'll move on to the Pathways system.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Well this is going to be rather short to start.  Off the top of my head, I cannot think of anything that I strongly do not want, I am rather open minded.  Though I will mention it if someone else suggests something that falls in that category.  I would have to think a little more about things I would strongly like, I am rather open-minded.  But following Isabella’s advice, won’t list things I am just okay with or kind of like, have to consider if anything falls into the stronger like category.

Edited 22 hours ago by SataiRolePlayingGuy

[IsabellaRose]

Okay, so... not a lot of discussion going on here. I'm going to post my lists of what I imagine for this setting and you guys can work from there.

Things I Imagine Being in an 1880s/Wild West/Steampunk/Weird West Flavored Game

• Dusty boomtowns, saloons, and lawless frontier towns.
• Railroads, train robberies.
• Airships.
• Cursed mines.
• Traveling carnivals and bizarre expositions.
• Mad scientists in brass-and-copper laboratories.
• Automatons and clockwork men questioning their humanity.
• Creepy experiments.
• Tesla coils, pneumatic weapons, and steam-powered contraptions.
• Strange inventions with unintended consequences.
• Poe-style hauntings and spiritualism (séances, mediums, spirit boards).
• Folk religion and superstition (totem cults, skinwalker legends).
• Themes & Drama including Progress vs. Peril – new technology brings danger as often as salvation, and Law vs. Chaos – marshals, outlaws, and vigilantes clashing.

Things I Don't Imagine Being in the Game

• Romero-style zombies (mindless hordes shambling about).
• Goofy slapstick steampunk tropes (overly cartoonish tech).
• Overly modern politics or moralizing that break the 1880s frontier feel.
• Alien invasions from outer space (though alien fossils, crashed remnants, or hints of otherworldly influence are fair game).
• High fantasy elves/dwarves or Tolkien tropes. Stick to Gothic, Weird West, and pulp science.
• Overt superhero tropes (no caped crusaders or spandex heroes, this is pulp adventure, not comic book).
• Pure comedy tone. Humor is fine, but the core is dramatic, atmospheric, and weird.

Work from there - add to the lists, delete stuff from them, alter and edit. Let's make something interesting!

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Will see about getting a response with some thoughts in tonight, whether starting the conversation, or building on the replies of others (a chance I will be able to during the day, but can’t guess how likely it will be).

Office closing a little early today, that might help.

Edited 8 hours ago by SataiRolePlayingGuy

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

I was busy and distracted but I'll expand on some things I posted about in the main thread. 
I'll see about getting the ball rolling I suppose. 

On Automatons: 
I think they're a must for this sort of setting, and interesting to have as a sign of the coming advancement. Since we're now in a separate world from the other group I suppose it can be debated if they're new or older though if they're more recent given the 1880's setting we could always say (if we're fine with any historical reference) that after the release of Steam Man of the Prairies (1868) that people did come to realize they were quite partial to the idea of mechanical servants and workers. Research and development went quickly but that didn't leave much time to ponder on the fact that these mechanical creations might actually develop their own sense of selves. God mad Man in his image. Mad man made Machine in his image. What did you think would happen? 

Airships: 
Anachronistic but with the accelerated pace of technology I imagine airships could be around and more luxurious and ready for travel than they really were more akin to modern Hybrids or closer to the Hindenburg without the unfortunate disaster (Normally). Different classes of them like for military use, regular ferry, or luxury. They're practically mastered but they are slow overall. 

Gliders: 
I would think in a world like this George Cayley's ideas (though I do suppose we should avoid literal historical figures) took off much faster than they did in our world which was actually already pretty fast. Essentially John J Montgomery or his equivalent proved that controlled passenger Glider travel was already viable and while they are much faster and much easier to plan they obviously have much lower capacity, are more rare, and cover shorter distances for the time being. Rivals to the airship industry, perhaps ruthlessly so, but the future is creeping up and fast. 

Ruins:
No such thing as a good adventure without ruins of some sort so featuring these heavily would be nice. Ruins of old civilizations no longer named, remnants of worlds that might not be our own ready for plunder, marvel, trade, and dangers that show that just because the future is uncertain the past wasn't exactly much safer nor is its influence so innocuous especially if you got rummaging around in a corpse. 

Magic: 
Esoteric rather than gamified. Rituals, unseen hands, consequences and trades. I do think magic is on a decline but is no less powerful. A witch is a threat, obviously not immune to a bullet (unless her magic is just that good) but being cursed is still one of the worst things that could happen to you...its just not a thing you'll encounter easily. This is more of a sign of spiritual decline though, old traditions beings pushed and snuffed out by "progress" which isn't always positive. Technology can't solve everything and sometimes looking past the studies and surefire things yields unexpected answers. Those dedicated to progress aren't paragons either. Its a type of rivalry. 

Technology: 
Teslatech should probably be more upperclass stuff. Cities more civilized than those "steamers" and whatnot. City Automatons could even run more on that than steam engines or whatever interesting energy source people discovered. I do think the holy grail should be whatever can be salvaged from potential crashed vessels should be holy grail...mostly rumors obviously but one or two people having something they really shouldn't.

Lovecraftian influence: 
A sort of grey force in preference not quite magic, not quite human, something more than alien. Not evil, not good just something unknowable that can be anything because it ultimately doesn't adhere to the binary itself but how the people use it. No clean answers when its involved. Its beyond people but its there. 

Cults: 
I'd like to see cults dedicated to both magic, lovecraftian influence, and tech even the synthesis of the two. I think that'd be fun. 

I do think this group should be more itinerant, traveling from place to place without a solid base of operations except maybe whatever way they choose to travel. A chose train line, a specific zepplin, etc. America is a changing place with dangers all over so for whatever reason they drift dealing with adventures all over a changing nation and the troubles arising therefrom. 



 

Edited 7 hours ago by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

I am not sure if we are just supposed to be listing our own ideas for now, or discussing each others too and other things.  I still don’t expect anything to fall under no for me.  The above works for me if Isabella and the rest of the group thinks it works.  That sort of group for the characters works for me too, might help me cut down on the list of character types I was thinking between.  But a surprising number might still fit, will work my way down to a single choice as we finish up the details.

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Well yes we're meant to be fleshing out the world, seeing what sorts for the players and whatnot rn. What I listed are details I definitely think would make the game world more interesting and would really like so we can discuss and all that so anything you really want you can list, and anything you don't as well but definitely what you might want. Helps keep the players on the same page and of course see what works for Isabella. 

Edited 2 hours ago by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[IsabellaRose]

19 minutes ago, SataiRolePlayingGuy said:

I am not sure if we are just supposed to be listing our own ideas for now

Start with this. Tell me what you want to exist in the setting. If you want people with bunny ears, now is the time to mention it. Also, tell me what you don't want. If anything I put in my last post about what I imagine and what I don't imagine for the setting runs contrary to what you imagine, we need to work it out now, not when we're a couple weeks into a roleplay.

 

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Not sure if I have much to say in that area.  Rather open minded, I would be surprised at this point if there is anything I strongly don't like.  Will keep thinking about anything that falls in the strong like area, but not sure yet if there is anything will fall into that category, rather than just things that fall more into I think it is cool category.