IsabellaRose

It's not necessarily an issue. It's just that I had a general idea of what kind of game I wanted to run, which I put out there with tons of references to give everyone an idea of what I wanted to run and see who would be interested in specifically that type of game using the specified rule set. So you can see where I might be slightly confused when it starts to change away from that and into something entirely different. Like I said, I enjoy being collaborative. I like anthros; I'm building a game with someone else that's almost exclusively anthro player characters. It just wasn't my vision for this particular game. I imagined something a bit more... science gone wrong, possible supernatural evil that might also just be mundane evil appearing supernatural... darker, maybe. More gritty with a more realistic take on steampunk tech and possible supernatural issues. All that being said, I definitely feel like the two groups should be in completely different worlds. So I'll break the discussion and create a Cortex Game 1 OOC Discussion for the players in Group 1 and a Cortex Game 2 OOC Discussion for the players in Group 2. We can build the separate worlds with the realities each group wants in those individual threads.

I'm not trying to sound confrontational, but I'm afraid I might sound that way, so please just take this as an honestly curious question, because that's what it is. If you weren't familiar with the references I posted in the original interest check, then what made you interested in joining this roleplay?

My first post specifically said: "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." If you look at the authors I cited, they all used speculative fiction to examine the rapidly accelerating scientific and industrial progress of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and they were often inspired by contemporary scientific ideas. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley addresses the ethical dilemmas of scientific experimentation and the potentially monstrous results of "playing God," a concern later explored by H.G. Wells in The Island of Doctor Moreau. Jules Verne's Voyages Extraordinaires featured incredible, scientifically grounded inventions like the submarine Nautilus, but Lovecraft and Wells often portrayed technology as a gateway to horrors. Adding in the real-life wild west heroes, the often outrageous and futuristic ideas of Tesla that blurred the lines between science and fantasy, the adventure and hints of supernatural power of Indiana Jones, mad scientists and weird west (supernatural horror) were all meant to evoke a specific image of the setting which we seem to be moving away from. The main thing about most of those sources is that the protagonists are all very human, even when dealing with very supernatural, alien, or horrific threats. The mysterious, the magical, the monsters and otherworldly entities, they're all things the characters have to come face to face with, to deal with, to survive, sometimes to defeat, sometimes to live with... So you can see where this is moving away from my original idea for the game. I'm not saying I don't like some of those ideas, just that we're moving away from the setup, and some other players may be less interested in a world of cute floofy anthros since that wasn't part of the original pitch. SO... maybe the two games aren't in the same world. I've heard from most of the Game 2 players who seem to enjoy similar setting and character ideas, but not from most of the Game 1 players.

OMG! Remind me to tell you about my bunny girl sometime. I'm playing her in a similar setting, but as part of a traveling circus/ "freak" show that also ends up having secret "adult" shows after hours where the pervy settlers can watch horse anthros fuck bunny girls... and more!

This might work as your origin, but as we step through character creation in the Pathways system, you'll be connecting your character to locations, NPCs, the other player characters... the entire point of the game is that it is focused more on the dramatic interaction between characters rather than the nuts and bolts of combat or exploration, or the details of inventory management. So if a character starts out as a lone "I don't know anything" kind of person, they'll know something and have connections to various places, events, and people by the time we're ready to start playing. That's a perfect thing to add during the Pathways process! Everyone will create NPCs during the Pathways game creation/ Character creation /game setup process. But then I'll play them as the GM. Cortex is more or less a traditional TTRPG from the perspective that you have a character and the GM plays the rest of the world.

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about! I don't specifically mean things need to be "exactly" like the sources I mentioned, but give me a plot hook, a piece of history, an NPC, a setup... something I can work with. The setting is generally the "real world" of 1880s, altered with steampunk tech, and adding in some supernatural "weird west" ...weirdness, I guess. Anyone different, who looks different, etc. Is going to probably be treated as such by the settlers. Think of old western movies, tv shows, and books. People who were different were feared. Now, that's not to say that somewhere in the recent past something happened (WNS's "Farmer" experimenting) that created many hybrids, and they could have even been around long enough that people have heard of them, so maybe the "holy crap what ARE you" fear is slightly mitigated. But in general, we're looking at a population of settlers with mixed education, many religious and superstitious, who might see anything different as the work of "the devil". At least that's how I'd probably run it, unless we come up with a good reason to have them be accepted as a normal part of society.

No one would need to actually play that character, unless they wanted to, but knowing that they were out there, and what their goals were, would give me things to work with from a world-building perspective. Having a "you experimented on me" NPC out there, or a "my father made you" son of said NPC, could lead to some interesting emotional interactions.

One thing I'd request is that the origin of any and all animal/human hybrid type characters be the same. For worldbuilding reasons I'll need to know "why" they exist, how they were created, and where they come from. Having a limited number of them from a single source I can work with. But having them "just because" won't work for me. Because this is a shared world, so they will exist in both games, even if none of the players in the other game play them.

I don't mind yuri characters at all. Keep in mind that the game premise includes sexual situations, and the core mechanics use your relationship with other PCs and NPCs as a primary trait when rolling. So if you want a lot of yuri storylines, you'll want to include NPCs that you can get involved with and see if any other PCs are up for that. I personally didn't imagine kemonoimimi in the setting, but if the group says "hell yes, let's include them!" then we can and will! Also, consider the wild west, weird west, steampunk setting, and some of the fictional works I referenced in the opening post. The Island of Dr. Moreau comes to mind. You could have characters who are essentially kemonomimi but are survivors of a Dr. Moreau-esque experiment. They don't have to look like experiment survivors, they could just look like girls with animal ears and tails and maybe have some vaguely animal-like traits. I'm a HUGE fan of reimagining things to fit the setting. I think we can make almost anything work, unless its just hands down going to ruin the setting for others.

Groups are split into 2: Group 1 - @MagnificentBastard, @WickedCadrach, @Chiyako, @WritesNaughtyStories, and @StarlitSiren Group 2 - @SataiRolePlayingGuy, @AsBloodTurnsEverCold, @DreamsnThings, and @Warning I'd like to start discussing basic worldbuilding here for now. This will be a shared world with potential to cross characters from one game into the other. So for everyone, here's your first 2 Assignments: Write down anything that YOU WOULD LIKE 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!" Write down anything that you need to EXCLUDE from the game. If zombies will ruin the setting for you, let us know. Our lists may contradict each other. In general, I prefer to err on the side of leaving something out if it will ruin someone's experience, even if a couple other people want it included. In general, there are so many options and ideas for the world, even if we leave a few out, it will still be an amazing place to play! I'd like to keep this an open and collaborative discussion, working together to make an amazing world in which to play. After we get the general world stuff set so we know what exists and what doesn't, I'll create 2 new threads for Game 1 OOC & Setup and Game 2 OOC & Setup. I'm excited!!

Combat will happen, but yeah... it's not like you're rolling a Strength-based attack using your basic attack bonus plus to hit modifiers against an armor class and adding damage modifiers if you hit... You'll build a dice pool like any other contest. Start by stating your intent and how you're building your dice pool. "I'm taking this guy out. I'm going to use my d8 Progress Value (with a statement: "science is the path to a better life for everyone") because he wants to stop progress and put this town back to the "old days", and my d10 Relationship with Bob The Mechanic (with a statement: "Bob can teach me!") because he's directly threatening Bob the Mechanic, and my d10 Pheromonal Alchemist distinction because I'm using one of my tinctures on him, for a dice pool of d8+2d10. Roll your dice. Your result sets a target for him to try to beat if he fights back. Then I'd build a dice pool for the bad guy and when someone wins, the other person takes Stress. If it Stresses the loser out (their stress goes above d12) they're out of the scene. Which type of stress is maxed out will color the way they're taken out. So no, you don't need to build a character for combat. Build a character like they're going to be the star in their own novel. **GROUPS** I should have everyone split into 2 groups by end of day. There wasn't a lot of "I HAVE TO PLAY WITH THIS PERSON" or "I'LL NEVER PLAY WITH THIS PERSON" so I'm not going to worry too much about that. I'll do my best to try to keep people with others they requested, if they did, but mostly I'm going to try to split the groups based on their seeming interest in the specific group setup ideas I posted earlier.

I added a section to the rules reference about creating SFX, how to, why, and examples.

So for this, I think we'd use it 2 ways - the first would be using an SFX to create a d8 temporary asset, an "elixir I just pulled out of my ass" kind of thing. The other would be to take time to create an elixir for a purpose before you need it. We'd need to figure out what's different about a planned elixir and a "wait, I'm mixing this right here on the spot" one, probably a better chance of success or more chance of unpredictable results. This could absolutely work. I'll come up with some SFX ideas for it to see what you think.

Cortex Prime gives you three main distinctions, but the original Cortex Dramatic uses Distinctions more like Traits. So instead of a Distinction being specific to your character like "Outlaw Gunslinger" or "Lady's Handmaid Automaton" that is pretty specific, you'll get to add or step up Distinction/Traits like "Marksman" or "Shameless Flirt" at most steps of the Pathways process. But also, we can create custom Distinctions as I outlined above to give each character something unique.

Any one of those will work! I've been developing custom Distinctions to give some flavor to the various character types. For the Mad Scientist you'd have a Tinkerer distinction or something more focused on a certain area of mad sciencing - Maybe chemistry, Galvinism (Frankenstein), vivisection and surgical evolution (Dr. Moreau), or some other specialty. The Sky Pirate would have an Airship Signature Asset, possibly even a crew as Resource/Extras. The automaton could use the Automaton heritage distinction I outlined above. For the wild west tropes, they could lean hard into the Distinction Traits I listed in the Rules thread, like Daring, Gunfighter, or Marksman. I'll put the SFX rules in the rules thread. It tells the basics of how to build an SFX, what types of costs to use, what types of benefits you might get. You have to be careful balancing your SFX because the dice add up quickly.

I'm posting the basic rules and custom build info here. This will be edited, but locked to prevent it getting messy. LEADS, FEATURES, AND EXTRAS Your stories will be populated by all sorts of characters: heroes and villains, damsels in distress, plucky sidekicks, untrustworthy scoundrels, and everyone else who lives wherever you set your story. Characters come in three flavors in the Cortex Dramatic Roleplaying Game: Leads, Features, and Extras. Leads are the characters that your stories are about; a different player controls each Lead. It’s the players’ job to tell an interesting and compelling story with their characters. Each Lead has a sheet of information and game stats that describes him: what’s important to him, how he gets things done, and a few other details. Features are the characters that fill significant roles in the rest of the story. Features push the Leads to act, whether by hatching some fiendish plot or by falling prey to one. Each Feature also has a sheet, which looks a lot like a Lead’s sheet. Extras are the characters that mostly live in the background. Sometimes they have names, sometimes they’re just sort of there. While they may get the Leads to react, they’re almost always acting under someone else’s orders. Extras don’t have a sheet like Leads or Features; you can record any necessary details on an index card, sticky note, or whatever. Character Creation Values Relationships Distinctions/Traits Abilities Resources Stress SFX Trouble/Doom Pool Rolling Dice, Assembling Dice Pools, Complications, Plot Points, and Contests/Tests Growth Pathways

Heritage Distinction: Automaton Heritage You were not born, but built, brass gears for bones, steam for breath, an alchemical spark for a soul. Your strength is unmatched, your endurance endless. Humanity looks at you not only with awe, but also with fear and suspicion, and the same science that gave you life can be turned against you. You may be a marvel, but you are also a machine. d4: Earn a Plot Point when your Abilities are Shutdown by technological interference, sabotage, or loss of power. d8: Spend a Plot Point to directly interface with a piece of technology, analyzing or controlling it as if it were an extension of your own systems. d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to use a Special Effect from a connected Ability you don’t have, describing it as an overlooked function or hidden gear revealed within your automaton design. Connected Abilities: Invulnerability, Regeneration, Super-Strength, Super-Senses, Speed, Technopathy Limits: Electricity, Magnetism, Maintenance (requires repairs or fuel to recover)

Give me more ideas and I'll see if I can come up with cool distinctions for them.

Distinction: Disciple of the Scarlet Path You follow the forbidden teachings of esoteric masters, alchemy of the body, sorcery of the flesh. Desire is your medium, ecstasy your fuel. In ritual or passion, you channel occult forces through the mingling of breath, touch, and will. But indulgence is a dangerous path: every spell leaves you hungrier, every ritual risks binding you as much as your target. Possible SFX SFX: Ecstatic Power Spend 1 PP to Step Up a die when casting a spell fueled by intimacy, temptation, or seduction. If you fail, Step Up your Stress. SFX: Shared Ecstasy Spend 1 PP to create an Asset on an ally (Empowered by Ritual d8, Enflamed Desire d8) after drawing them into a ritual or act of passion. SFX: Overindulgence Gain 1 PP when your pursuit of pleasure, ritual, or lustful energy complicates the scene, whether it’s unwanted attention, suspicion, or your own craving clouding your judgment.

Night Watch

@DreamsnThings - That would play well with the "aroused" and "orgasmic" stress tracks. I like making the sexual aspect grant mechanical benefits as well. I'm thinking if we want to focus on the lewd aspect, we could all have an "Erotic Distinction1" to which we could attach various SFX2. Distinction: Pheromonal Alchemist You are a scientist of scents, a chemist of desire, bending biology and chemistry into invisible weapons. Your steampunk vials, atomizers, and tinctures turn pheromones into tools of persuasion, distraction, and control. But the volatile nature of your work means sometimes the reaction is stronger than intended — intoxicating not only your enemies but yourself, and sometimes making you the target of your own concoctions. Possible SFX: SFX: Enchanting Aroma Spend 1 PP to Step Up your Effect Die when using pheromones to charm, seduce, or distract. SFX: Intoxicating Backfire Gain 1 PP when your pheromones affect you instead of your target. SFX: Tailored Brew Spend 1 PP and Add a d6 to Trouble to directly Step Up a target's Aroused Stress track, describing how your pheromones overwhelm their senses. SFX: Overdose Reaction Once per scene, you may choose to step up your pheromone-based Effect Die and take an Aroused Stress die of equal size, representing the strain of your own body reacting to your formula. 1 Distinctions are like Aspects if you've ever played Fate. They're a description of an ability, talent, power, or something that your character can do. Using @DreamsnThings example she could have a "Pheromonal Alchemist" Distinction (example above) that would outline what the ability does and any costs associated with it. 2 SFX are Special Effects that are attached to Distinctions. If Superman had a Kryptonian Distinction, his SFX would be stuff like Freeze Breath, Heat Vision, Invulnerable, etc.

As lewd as you like. I’m 100% behind rampant sexual antics when I run games.

The setting references I originally posted include a historic timeframe as well as real-life and fictional material that is more or less based on our real world and thus, very human-centric. I don't see fantasy species existing in this setting, but an automaton, or possibly something supernatural-ish, given the weird west / mad scientist vibe. I would expect from the initial proposed setup something more along the lines of a Frankenstein's Monster, Jekyll/Hyde, Dr. Moreau's creations, etc. over vampires, werewolves, etc. More science gone awry than actual supernatural species. That being said, I could see room for some magical beings like skinwalkers, or east coast/old Europe witches, etc.

Okay, so it looks like the list of interested players is: @SataiRolePlayingGuy @MagnificentBastard @WickedCadrach @DreamsnThings @AsBloodTurnsEverCold @Chiyako @StarlitSiren @WritesNaughtyStories @Warning So we can split that into either 2 games of 4 and 5 players, or 3 games of 3 players each. HOWEVER WE SPLIT IT, they will all be in the same world, and all in the American west so that if we end up with drop outs we can merge groups. Or so we can do fun crossover/team-ups later, if we decide to. My request to everyone: Message me privately if there's anyone you REALLY want in your group, or anyone you'd prefer not to play with. I won't share any details with anyone or the group, but I'll try to split up the groups to accommodate any requests, if possible. If there are no requests either way I'll just draw names out of a hat.

I've been thinking about what would keep all the character's together, a sort of group framing device. In a supers game it would be easy - you're all on the same team. In a sci-fi game, you're all the crew of the same ship. Or you're all members of the same criminal gang, or the same strike force, or... well, you get the idea. I want the players to decide together... but I decided to spew out some ideas, in case people are wondering, "how can we all be linked together?" So without further ado, another list. Ideas for ways to keep the Player Characters together The Town’s Defenders – they all live in a strange frontier boomtown (part steampunk, part mining camp, part trading post/railroad stop/hub), and are forced to band together when trouble strikes. Inheritors of a Mystery – each PC received part of a will, deed, map, or strange device from the same eccentric benefactor. Some may be related to each other, or to the benefactor. Circus / Traveling Show – they tour together as performers, engineers showcasing their latest scientific inventions, trick/sharpshooters. They run into some sort of "trouble of the week" in each new town, and their individual (or collective?) pasts follow their caravan. The Brotherhood / Sisterhood of the Peculiar – they've all been recruited by a secret society to investigate supernatural threats across the frontier. Fugitive Caravan – they're all running from something (law, debts, curses), and survival means sticking together. Expedition Crew – they've been gathered by a wealthy patron or eccentric scientist for an exploratory mission (ruins, lost civilizations, hidden labs, etc.). Victims of an Experiment – they survived a mad scientist’s invention gone wrong, and are tied by trauma, strange abilities, or scars. Blood or Found Family – literal relatives (siblings, cousins), or bound together as a surrogate family of misfits. Debt to a Benefactor – someone powerful saved them once, and now they “owe favors” (could be a government agency, railroad baron, outlaw boss, supernatural patron). The List – their names were all written together on a strange parchment found in the papers of someone being investigated (supernatural? criminal? something else?)