Recourse: Hunters of the Last Arcade
The world is not ending, but you are at its end.
The Arcade, an endless spiral, amalgam of fallow architecture and lost men. A place not forlorn but for its origin, thought to be the very beginning of time, perhaps before... or so they say. In fact, the Arcade is a place of infinite possibilities for those it pulls from the Actual. Ostensibly, a sufficiently skilled, ambitious, and lucky individual could attain any goal they set, certainly far beyond the grasp of the unclaimed masses outside the gates. However, those unwise to the fickle nature of the Arcade will find themselves consumed by its eldritch mysteries. Not to mention the other claimed souls who scatter to find any advantage they can muster.
For those who can survive this gauntlet, a much lauded prize. The badge of a courser, agents of the ethereal 'leaders' of the Arcade, the Viziers. Sent through the seemingly infinite doorways leading into the Actual, Coursers are handed terse orders to be carried out by any means necessary. Usually simple in nature, but tremendously difficult, these missions offer vague rewards believed to be well worth their insane risk.
Expect heavy casualties.
Recourse: Hunters of the Last Arcade is an adventure roleplay suited for multiple groups of expendable characters. The game has a high/dark fantasy setting with a sci-fi edge at times. Expect your standard high fantasy classes to be mechanically compatible, but twisted to the needs of the dark, relentless setting.
This is the typical series of major events: A team of 4 to 6 characters uses their starting money (or money earned by other 'benched' characters) to prepare before entering a gate, or portal, to another world. They explore the area, seeking their main goal while facing any number of combat and non-combat challenges. Surviving members who make it to the goal often face a significant challenge (a large fight, significant dilemma, or dungeon). After suffering further losses, the remaining team must return to the gate to reap the rewards. The cycle begins anew with any surviving characters, along with newly rolled recruits.
I try to combine light, punchy mechanics with narrative flair. Expect a degree of randomness. Expect critical failures to hurt significantly. Expect grandiose last stands against formidable enemies.
Survival depends on cooperation, strategy, and compelling characterization. One will see the mission is complete. Two will mitigate losses. All three might see your character through several missions.
