What would you want in a Mer Role-Playing Game?

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Hmm... currently thinking there should be something like 9-15 different gods, and that my combined origins of merfolk scenario should both be neatened up (fewer random strings) and yet also provide some tie-in for the born-fish merfolk. People seem to like the biological origins (mutant, separate species), with some of the inherited magical qualities (lilim, lesser gods, elementals, faerie, spells, etc) the most. So we need an origin for fish, an origin for humans, and perhaps an origin that can be added to tie both of them together. Maybe mutant fish with a genetic gift for adaptation and interbreeding with anything, and mythical humanoid beings (lilim, lesser gods, demigods, etc) were both present at some sort of spell or artifact or ritual that combined them... and set the process in motion to have them continue to combine for all the centuries that follow.

Thanks for the advice on video chat, mermaid brianna! I'll have to consider that when I set this up. I do have experience with message board RPGs, so we could do the dominant amount of the story there instead.

[malinghi]

Hmm... currently thinking there should be something like 9-15 different gods, and that my combined origins of merfolk scenario should both be neatened up (fewer random strings) and yet also provide some tie-in for the born-fish merfolk. People seem to like the biological origins (mutant, separate species), with some of the inherited magical qualities (lilim, lesser gods, elementals, faerie, spells, etc) the most. So we need an origin for fish, an origin for humans, and perhaps an origin that can be added to tie both of them together. Maybe mutant fish with a genetic gift for adaptation and interbreeding with anything, and mythical humanoid beings (lilim, lesser gods, demigods, etc) were both present at some sort of spell or artifact or ritual that combined them... and set the process in motion to have them continue to combine for all the centuries that follow.

Thanks for the advice on video chat, mermaid brianna! I'll have to consider that when I set this up. I do have experience with message board RPGs, so we could do the dominant amount of the story there instead.

Awesome! So what's the next step?

Do we just need to agree on the rules and details of what the world is like, and then make character sheets and start doing this?

Can we use the RPG message board that Courtney made last year (http://underwatertales.proboards.com/)?

Can we start a thread on MerNetwork for making our characters?

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Awesome! So what's the next step?

Do we just need to agree on the rules and details of what the world is like, and then make character sheets and start doing this?

Can we use the RPG message board that Courtney made last year (http://underwatertales.proboards.com/)?

Can we start a thread on MerNetwork for making our characters?

Some people on here have made some suggestions for the rules (White Wolf, Fate system, True20, Mutants & Masterminds, Pathfinder, etc)... one of the reason it's taken me so long to get on this is because I've been reading through my rulebooks and trying to figure out what systems would provide significant detail to players to let them customize their characters, and which are good for beginners (without too much detail, with flexible, easy-to-remember rules, etc). I can't tell you how many books I've put aside because character creation involves getting out a calculator (and it's pretty apparent why such games are mostly no longer in print today). We'll need to design or select a rules system before we can start a character creation thread. I think we have a pretty good choice of setting (though time period might be a bit confusing... I like the modern idea, and that seems to be the most popular, but there's certainly some appeal for a game set in the Age of Sail/Pirates or a Medieval or Ancient Roman Empire setting... maybe we'll need to encounter either some sort of nautical ghosts or a manner of time travel (being sucked into a whirlpool? traveling through a forgotten crystal grotto? cursed by a sea witch?), so that we can visit those periods instead of being restricted to them. If anyone has any preferences for the setting or options, now is the time to bring them up.

We could possibly use the RPG message board Courtney set up, but I'm somewhat loathe to (that, after all, is her rpg, and it seems like it would be better to do this on either our own message board or on the mernetwork proper).

That said, I really, really wish Courtney would get back to reactivating her underwater tales rpg... I had a character made up and everything, and it just kinda died after I joined. And I really wouldn't be upset at all if people (particularly World of Darkness fans) tried out my Aegir's Cove rpg (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...aegir%27s+cove). But I think that as things stand, Underwater Tales was maybe more social, while this is more story/adventure based (at least at the moment).

[Merman Dan]

Cerulean Seas (PF) is wondrously detailed, but it does incur an additional investment on top of the Pathfinder ruleset.

I wish more Virtual Tabletop apps incorporated movement in three dimensions. Granted, one can use spells and weapon damage in Second Life, in some Sims.

As I have been running adventures in liquid space for years, my needs are somewhat particular. I enjoy having undersea analogs to traditional terrains; mountains, swamps, grasslands, deserts, and more become seamounts, floating "swamps" of sargassum, writhing sea star brambles, seagrass fields, urchin barrens, dead coral "deserts", black smokers, cold seeps, thermoclines, and forests of mangrove roots or massive stalks of coral. Add to that the phosphorescent realm of the depths and the interaction with drylanders in the shallows.

And I would like a magic system that was a bit more natural; a mix of Loom and Aquaria.

[malinghi]

I think the modern day setting is good for now. And there are still plenty of pirates around to act as antagonists (though they're more likely to wield kalashnikovs than cutlasses).

We could possibly use the RPG message board Courtney set up, but I'm somewhat loathe to (that, after all, is her rpg, and it seems like it would be better to do this on either our own message board or on the mernetwork proper).

That said, I really, really wish Courtney would get back to reactivating her underwater tales rpg... I had a character made up and everything, and it just kinda died after I joined. And I really wouldn't be upset at all if people (particularly World of Darkness fans) tried out my Aegir's Cove rpg (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...aegir%27s+cove). But I think that as things stand, Underwater Tales was maybe more social, while this is more story/adventure based (at least at the moment).

As for where to have the rpg, I don't really know, since I don't know much about how these things work or whats best for them. I was kinda thinking a dedicated board might be nice since it would be weird having rpg threads mixed with everything else here. I don't really know.

Also, I wasn't sure if it would be disrespectful to use Courtney's rpg board because we'd kinda be hijacking it, or if it would be disrespectful to go and make another rpg board when she already went through the trouble to create one. Plus I thought hers looked nice.

[Alveric]

When you put it that way, it doesn't seem disrespectful to use it.

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Courtney's board is beautiful, and her set up is a nice one... and I even remembered my screen name and password for it... but can any of us actually add characters or join without her? My impression is that even if she has more time now, she hasn't done anything with the site since January. Some of the advice for posting pictures and borders could use further information and walkthroughs

A dedicated board might be a good idea (or a separate group of threads on the message boards, like the Gender and Sexuality ones, so that people playing the rpg don't have to leave the forum), and it perhaps would be a good thing not to stress the mernetwork's server more than it already has been stressed (avoiding daily or hourly "Server is busy" messages would be nice, too especially while posting longer messages and descriptions of your actions).

[malinghi]

I think the deciding factor in whether we use Courtney's board or not is whether we can. I just sent her an e-mail asking if she would be able to moderate it or possibly give someone else moderator access. If we can use her board we should, and if we can't we'll probably have to make a new one.

Also, about the server problems, thank you for reminding me about that. Its a serious problem and I don't want to ignore it, though frankly I'm not sure what to do. But I need to do something.

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

I think the deciding factor in whether we use Courtney's board or not is whether we can. I just sent her an e-mail asking if she would be able to moderate it or possibly give someone else moderator access. If we can use her board we should, and if we can't we'll probably have to make a new one.

Also, about the server problems, thank you for reminding me about that. Its a serious problem and I don't want to ignore it, though frankly I'm not sure what to do. But I need to do something.

It only is a minor annoyance unless it happens when you're in the middle of a conversation on the chatbox or if you're trying to post something on a thread (particularly if you've spent a longer time writing and researching it, as I tend to).

@ Aeolius - While I like Cerulean Seas' focus, I agree that it's probably not the game for most of us, if only because of Pathfinder's huge (and expensive) books. However, I do need to read through my copy (the online version) of Cerulean Seas and see how they do the 3-D movement system, and figure out how to take some of those elements and use it in a game of our own creation. For the main body of the game's rules, I am thinking a version of Green Ronin's work, either True20 (pretty simple, but flexible, rules) or Mutants & Masterminds (extremely flexible, creative power and character creation system, etc), with maybe a nod here or there to White Wolf.

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Ugh... and I just got a message that the Mermaid Adventures RPG is finally available in pdf form... I'll have to see what they do as well. http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/produc...Adventures-RPG

[Merman Dan]

The cover reminds me a bit of Elfquest's WaveDancers:


More HERE

Edit: apparently the Mermaid Adventures RPG was a Kickstarter . Here's the PDF Character Sheet , for the curious. Official info at Third Eye Games .

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Third Eye Games has made two particularly good product lines so far (Apocalypse Prevention Inc., which, by the way, does allow merfolk (Undine) characters in addition to Creatures from the Black Lagoon; and Part-Time Gods, which features Ningyo in the bestiary and probably would allow a fish or sea god/dess character... even turning into a mermaid might be possible, given the unusual character abilities featured therein), and "good for the whole family" games aren't bad starting points (as illustrated by Green Ronin's Faery Tale), so I'm inclined to find Mermaid Adventures interesting (even if I'm a little annoyed that Sea Urchin Mers somehow made the cut, but Seahorse ones apparently didn't).

[Merman Dan]

.. I'm a little annoyed that Sea Urchin Mers somehow made the cut, but Seahorse ones apparently didn't.

Pester them...errr... suggest an expansion pack, then. I was pleased to see the rebirth of Alluria Publishing via Kickstarter. Here's hoping they get around to all of those expansions to Cerulean Seas they were cogitating (if you see "Waterscapes", that was my idea ).

[malinghi]

I think the deciding factor in whether we use Courtney's board or not is whether we can. I just sent her an e-mail asking if she would be able to moderate it or possibly give someone else moderator access. If we can use her board we should, and if we can't we'll probably have to make a new one.

I e-mailed Courtney and she said we could use it. She said she can grant me moderator privileges. Joy&Raptors, should I ask her to make you a moderator too? I don't think I'm qualified to run the RPG.

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Sure malinghi, that would help.

[Mermaid Cascada]

I think having the game in a time period with pirates would be cool. Or even having it being in modern times where you can create your own mer. Also there could be an evil scientist trying to proof that mers are real. It would be awesome if there were different cities for different tribes of mers and each of the mers should get their own place to stay and be able to decorate it to their liking.

[Alveric]

I just downloaded and looked at Mermaid Adventures. I think it would suit our purposes nicely. Simple rules, easy for the GM to deal with using a board, and easy to modify.

J&RU: Adding seahorse people would be simple.

[Merman Dan]

I would love to see an MMOG similar to Disney's Pixie Hollow, but with a mermaid theme. Y'know swimming around, socializing with other mers, decorating your coral reef or cavern home with undersea treasures, playing mer-themed mini-games, dressing up your mer-avatar in mer-fashion, I think it would be really fun and addictive!

You do know about the mer-community in Second Life, right? You can do all of those things and more, there.
So You Want to be a Mermaid?
Haven of Mermaids

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

You do know about the mer-community in Second Life, right? You can do all of those things and more, there.
So You Want to be a Mermaid?
Haven of Mermaids

Yes, I do... I even have a mer-tail and a flipping motion that I unlocked for free from one mermaid island. Unfortunately, second life really isn't going anywhere, and it lost the momentum it had earlier, it isn't very user friendly and the controls are awkward, also while it is possible to find free tails, true customization requires using L$, which requires having a source of L$ to begin with, and being able to navigate the teleport systems. It might make for an interesting occasional thing, but I don't think it is a practical option for the rpg.

[Merman Dan]

One option that has drawn my eye, of late is Roll20 , a virtual tabletop billed as an "easy-to-use virtual tabletop that brings pen and paper gaming to the web the right way. Built on a powerful platform of tools, yet elegantly simple, it focuses on enhancing what makes tabletop gaming great: storytelling and camaraderie." Mind you, as it does not currently work in Safari, I'm still waiting to try this one.