Above and Beyond will be based on Numenera: Discovery and Numenera: Destiny. And whatever other resources the GM happens to acquire.  And the ongoing weirdness that players make up as we go along.

For now, allowable Types are: Arkus, Delve, Glaive, Jack, Nano, Wright.

All Descriptors and Foci from Discovery and Destiny are available.  It is preferred to eliminate overlap of these, if possible.

If you have a Descriptor, Type, or Focus you really, really want to play that does not appear above, please discuss this with the GM during character creation.  The ability to cite a source and copy or share the pertinent information will likely help your case and be necessary if your choice is allowed.

The game will start in earnest when we have 3-5 active, ready players.  Players ready before that will be able to spend time arriving at Canthus, exploring the aldea and surrounding area, and making preparations for the journey to the Shimmering Veil and beyond.

Some initial experience points may be awarded for good backstories.  Well-written posts and character development are always appreciated.

It is hoped that players will post at least once or twice a week.  The GM will likely check in daily.

People unfamiliar with Numenera and/or the Cypher system are encouraged to apply.  We're all learning as we go and tutorial information will be made available as needed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:50, Wed 12 June 2019.

A billion years in the future ...

"There have been eight previous worlds.  You may refer to them as ages, aeons, epochs, or eras, but it's not wrong to think of each as its own individual world.  Each former world stretched across vast millennia of time.  Each played host to a species whose civilizations rose to supremacy but eventually died or scattered, disappeared or transcended.  During the time that each world flourished, those who ruled it spoke to the stars, reengineered their physical bodies, and mastered form and essence, all in their own unique ways.

"Each left behind remnants.

"The Ninth World is built on the bones of the previous eight, and in particular the last four.  Reach into the dust and you'll find that each particle has been worked, manufactured, or grown, and then ground back into drit - a fine artificial soil - by the relentless power of time.  Look to the horizon - is that a mountain, or part of an impossible monument tot he forgotten emperor of a lost people?  Feel that subtle vibration beneath your feet and know that ancient engines - vast machines the size of kingdoms - still operate in the bowels of the earth.

"The Ninth World is about discovering the wonders of the worlds that came before it, not for their own sake, but as the means to improve the present and build a future.

"Each of the prior eight worlds, in its own way, is too distant, too different, too incomprehensible.  Life today is too dangerous to dwell on a past that cannot be understood.  The people excavate and study the marvels of the prior epochs just enough to help them survive in the world they have been given.  They know that energies and knowledge are suspended invisibly in the air, that reshaped continents of iron and glass - below, upon, and above the earth - hold vast treasures and that secret doorways to stars and other dimensions and realms provide power and secrets and death.  They sometimes call it magic, and who are we to say that they're wrong?"

-from Numenera: Discovery by Monte Cook, Bruce R. Cordell, and Sean K. Reynolds.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:17, Tue 04 June 2019.

Below is a basic template for character sheets.  Please do not use grey text in character sheets.

A(n) [adjective] [noun] that [verbs]  (i.e. A Descriptor Type that Focus)

Character name:
Tier:
Effort:
Armor:
Recovery:
Recovery rolls used:
(a. 1 action / b. 10 min / c. 1 hr / d. 10 hr)

Might Pool:
Current:
Edge:

Speed Pool:
Current:
Edge:

Intellect Pool:
Current:
Edge:

Skills:
example - T
example - S

Inabilities:


Type and Focus Abilities (Esoteries, Fighting Moves, etc.):
name (cost) - brief description

Distinctive and Beneficial Mutations:


Harmful Mutations:


Cosmetic Mutations:


Items:
list of (starting) mundane stuff.

Weapons:
weapon name - light/medium/heavy, short/medium/long range, damage = #, ammunition count

Oddities:
Name and/or brief description

Cypher Max:
Cypher 1: name (level) - brief description
Cypher 2:
etc

Artifacts:
name (level) - brief description

Money Log:

XP Log: (i.e. what you got it for and what you spent it on)
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:43, Sat 08 June 2019.

Numenera uses the Cypher System.  The link below offers an explanation of how this works.  The link is through Monte Cook Games website.

http://cypher-system.com/gameplay/

I find it useful to delineate a few things in the in-game threads using colored text.

Please use orange only for OOC comments and put OOC: at the start of them.

It can sometimes help if Player Character (PC) dialog is in color, usually with each character having their own color, but any consistent means of separating out dialog is helpful.  If there is some color that is harder for a player to read, we can sort that out as we go.

Just a bit of clarification for the sake of choosing skills, there are 3* categories of Numenera activity that can be trained:

Understanding Numenera - what they are, how they work, what level they are, and occasionally what civilization they come from (ex. identifying a cypher you found)

Crafting Numenera - Building new devices with new parts; how to create a reliable effect/product with a given set of materials and plans (ex. building an installation from plans you have)  This also includes repairing numenera.*

Salvaging Numenera - Taking apart existing technology (whole or broken) in such a way as to extract useful constituent parts like Iotum (the Numenera-y stuff), mundane parts (like pipes and wires and plates and such), and shins.  This process can occasionally yield oddities, cyphers, and even plan seeds. (ex. taking apart the remnants of a defensive automaton that you've "killed" to get at the fun bits inside)


Additionally:
For sake of some expediency and to leave the level of entanglement slightly more manageable, a character is ok to proceed with only one connection to another PC determined.  It's totally fine if more than one works and is played, but don't sweat it past the first one.

Each player can pick one Cypher for themselves.  GM will determine the Oddity and remaining Cyphers.

For initial weapon "proficiencies", Practiced means you can use that weapon category with no penalty, but also no bonus.  It is possible, especially for glaives and jacks, to get Trained/Specialized in a more specific weapon category.

If you have any questions, as always, please feel free to ask.

* updated from original post.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:44, Thu 12 Sept 2019.

Numenera Destiny adds community effects and rankings.  Each Type also has a positive effect on the ranking of communities they are helping, related to pertinent skills.  For the Glaives, Nanos, and Jacks without easy access to Destiny, your Tier 1 Community Abilities are as follows and should be added to your character sheets. Tier 3 abilities will be added when that becomes pertinent.

Caveat:  It is entirely possible that these attributes will have no effect on the game at all.  (But hey, what do I know?  I just run the thing.)

Glaive- Community Defender: While you are present within a community, and actively and personally working on behalf of that community, the community's effective rank for damage inflicted is +1.  Enabler.

Nano- Community Scholar: While you are present within a community, and actively and personally working on behalf of that community, that community's health and infrastructure are both increased by +1.  Enabler.

Jack-  Community Fixer: While you are present within a community, and actively and personally working on behalf of that community, the community's effective rank for health or infrastructure is increased by +1.  You choose which is modified during any given community action. Enabler.

Based on my reading of the Mutant "descriptor", you can create a mutant with either:


2 beneficial mutations

or

1 harmful mutation and either:
     3 beneficial mutations
or   1 powerful mutation
or   1 beneficial and 1 distinctive mutation

Independent of the above, you can have 0 to 4 distinctive mutations.

You may choose up to 4 cosmetic mutations. (GM's discretion)


You must decide before rolling which aspects will be determined.  I will allow rerolls for duplicate results or conflicting results (ex. scales and hirsute, or tendrils for eyes and black eyes)
This message was last updated by the GM at 23:58, Sun 16 June 2019.

In my egotism, I state the following:  I have no objection to lurkers.  If you want to follow the exploits of these brave characters, that's cool.  Just ask.

It is possible to overcome an Inability.

If you take training in a skill that you have an inability for, that benefit and detriment net out and you end up with zero effect on the roll.

You can then take Training in that area again, followed by Specialization, to fully max out that particular skill.

For anyone interested in a more-informed gaming experience, I would recommend the following:

https://www.montecookgames.com/consent-in-gaming/

It's a free 13 page document on consent as it applies to RPG groups.  If anyone wants to "fill out" the checklist and submit it, I will certain work to respect that.  Mostly I'd be looking for red flags and things to actively avoid so as not to make Players uncomfortable.

Characters, on the other hand, I have no qualms about traumatizing.

Just a reminder that XP for character advancement costs 4 points each.  You may only choose a given upgrade once per Tier advancement.  Four of the following upgrades are necessary to advance to the next tier:

Add 1 to Edge in one stat
Add 4 points to your stats (you choose)
Add 1 to Effort (increase the levels of effort you can apply to a roll)
Train in 1 skill or Specialize in an existing skill
Learn a new Ability in your current Tier or lower for either your Type or Focus
Permanently increase your Recovery rolls by +2 (house rule, you may only take this a maximum of 3 times)