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11:13, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Mythos Cards of Divinity Read First!

Posted by The Ancient OneFor group 0
The Ancient One
GM, 1 post
I am the Alpha...
I am the Omega...
Sun 11 Jul 2021
at 22:13
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Mythos Cards of Divinity Read First!

 There are several rules in this game and they are there for players to understand how to play, to give a sense of what's appropriate, and to guide our gameplay. As a result, this requires everyone who participates to be a reader first (please be willing to read the other posts, adjudications, and rules at least!) and a writer second(I don't expect everyone to be a perfect writer, but you should try to write something substantial mostly for worldbuilding fun). We should all try to keep from becoming rules lawyers, but sometimes an interpretation is required. That's AO's job. This game is primarily a collaborative worldbuilding game but should have some moments of excitement and intrigue, thus, the card rules below.

 I also try for a form of fantasy realism, where some physical laws will be necessary to build upon as a foundation. The rest is up to you, lets explore and craft a zany and interesting world where gods get up to hijinx!

quote:
OOC DRAMA - IMPORTANT, Please Read!
 I prefer if you PMed me with any issues you find yourself up against because this will number one, be a drama-free game and this includes any politics brought up that doesn't revolve around the game itself. Everyone wants to play these kinds of games, so people who violate this rule will be ejected from the game, probably unceremoniously. We aren't trying to embarrass anyone and we aren't trying to drive anyone off. If there is an issue that must involve another player, then I would prefer if you attempt to deal with it yourself first with a compromise, then I will attempt to reach the third party for a resolution should that fail. Nothing will sink a game faster than OOC drama, so please do not air your dirty laundry in the OOC or IC, PM me if it comes to that. Seriously, this is the least fun part about running a game, and it really ruins it for me personally and I'm sure many others.


 These games can be intensive amounts of writing for the AO, so please try to answer questions yourself by looking at the rules first, and if you still have a question, bring it up in OOC to see if someone else can help. Chances are I'll get into it once it hits OOC, but I'll try to refrain to stay fresh for the actual writing of the game. I put a lot of time and effort into these kinds of games to make them fun and end up interesting. So please respect that workload by trying to find things out for yourself or asking for other opinions.


I. THE DECK OF DIVINITY
 In addition to the regular god game rules concerning ACTS, I am creating CARDS for everyone to use during an Aeon. These can only be used in the Aeon Myth Thread, which makes a tapestry out of the goings-on of an Aeon. A player may be involved in only one Event at a time, but there can be an Event for each god in play(not in STASIS) until the end of the AEON arrives, no new challenges may be issued after the AEON ends but all may be resolved during the Time Between AEONS break. They attempt to allow gods to do slightly more than the usual god game like creating smaller-scale events, dealing with godly family competitions, attacking or defending a place in creation with godly powers, influencing mortal lives, or more as I fine-tune the idea.

CARDS: For each Aeon, you may draw two different cards and pick one from the choices below. For purposes of opposition, all face cards = 10, so a full three card hand (the amount drawn at the beginning of each aeon) of two kings and a 3 would work out to 23 for a challenger to beat. Though you aren't required to wager all of your hand in defense.
 I. Modifiers that come from cards: Cards can imbue a +1/-1 to a challenge that a subject in creation is involved in. That subject must be the recipient of the card's effects in order for it to be valid, but can be an organization even such as an army, government, or band of merry men. These mods can stack with other blessings so feel free to be creative. Ultimately this will affect the die roll test between a mounting challenge and the one who initiated the action. The tie does however go to the defender, as fortune favors the bold.
 II. The Ante: The Ante must be upped in any case of opposition. So having a strong number card (or cards) to dissuade others from opposing you could be key to success. Otherwise, a challenger must beat this number in order to oppose it.

 King of Hearts: Event card to cause a disturbance in a localized area of creation. Grants a possible +1/-1 if used wisely. (IE: A powerful storm gripped The Town of London.)

 King of Spades: Appear to a Being in creation. The only way to contact a mortal being directly. If imparted special wisdom concerning an attack or blesses them in some way, they get a +1 in tests relating to the communication.

 King of Diamonds: Attack or Defend a population in creation, grants a +1 in any defense. This is to use against mortal forces and will destroy some but not all of the forces at play when used.

 King of Clubs: Attack or Defend against a Godly Assault, grants a force of +2 in any defense or assault and should be treated like the hand of a god directly coming down to tip the balance. (This is used to counter or attack a godly force but not all of the forces in play.)

 Queen of Hearts: Alter a singular noun in creation(but not destroy it or alter all of such nouns). Depending on the form such alterations take, I can grant a +1/-1 modifier.

 Queen of Spades: Crown a Ruler or Avatar to give them a ten-cent divine upgrade for the Aeon. Note this does not include the creation of said Avatar's form and for the duration of the Aeon, this Avatar or Ruler will act on the Deity's behest. Rulers are able to do more to affect a population, but Avatars can perform impossible feats. (This will amount to a +1 modifier for any challenges).

 Queen of Diamonds: Bless any localized population with a gift(something already in creation) for the Aeon. Can be useful as a +1 modifier depending on the gift.

 Queen of Clubs: Make one of your Acts Secret(but not from players, just the 'god characters and any other conscious entity in creation that the god wishes.'). This cannot be acted upon by the other Gods, though they may "search for it". Use of this may be challenged in an effort to thwart whatever is being made secretly.

 Jack of Hearts: Make one of your Acts a Knowledge Act, to investigate a particular area of creation or just to check up on your folks as the Aeon progresses. Use of this may be challenged to prevent "snooping". Is useful against Secret acts and gains a +1 in such cases. Imparting useful wisdom to a mortal force could grant them a +1 stacking modifier against such secrets.

 Jack of Spades: Create one sentient race (problem-solving, self-awareness, planning). The only way to do this. Newborn sentient races are at a -1 to start until they reach a Bronze age equivalent in any test they are involved in. After this time, they are said to have mitigated some of their vulnerability and are considered to be Plus Zero modifiers normally.

 Jack of Diamonds: Create a new kind of lifeform, define the chemistry of your lifeforms, cannot be sentient but will become a new branch of life. Predators or Dangerous creatures gain a +1 in any tests they are involved in, but this may also be stacked with other bonuses as these may feed or become companions to another force with a modifier already, in such cases a +1 could be applied as well.

 Jack of Clubs: Create an organization by sending an inspiring message to your followers. These folks gain a +1 in tests that involve the organization.

 Ace of Hearts: Define a new source of magical power, anyone taught the use of this power gains a +1 in tests for the duration of the Aeon.

 Ace of Spades: Define a Region, alter a region to whatever you desire. Does not include the peoples or kind of life forms currently residing in the area. This would include drying up a lake or turning a region into a forest or desert, etc. This could grant a debuff of -1 to the opposition as the region tests strangers to the newly defined region.

 Ace of Diamonds: Answer a prayer, make someone important and rich (either with valuables or inner-worth) in reward for their worship, this grants a +1 in tests and counts as a conversion as well.

 Ace of Clubs: Create a right place, right time situation where multiple significant minds meet and collaborate on something new for the peoples of their communities. Subtly improving the long-term plans by the godly inspiration. This can count as a conversion attack or defense and as such gains a +1 in any test against their efforts.

 Jokers: Define an aspect of a Country or Region's environment. This can grant a regional modifier to forces from here, depending on how they are defined. IE: The merpeople were not impressed when the surface mages came for them in the water, but the mages were bewildered at the layers of gigantic stinging coral that the merpeople built their homes upon. (+1 defense in this case) Or it could be that weapons made here are stronger due to the productive veins of metal ore mined here in this mineral-rich country.

 Number Card Discarding: Spend an ACT and this card to draw another two cards. Counts as a Plus Zero modifier and may be challenged. In your post, this should be seen as the god gathering his powers up, shoring up his followers, but also a moment of potential vulnerability, as such it is useful to get help when using this card or add it with another card.
╔═════════════════════════════╗
       RULE REVISION ONE:

       *Change to Number Card Rule: Give up One number card and One ACT to draw two new cards.


       RULE REVISION TWO:

       *Adding another use to number cards: Giving up a number card and an ACT can give you one face card you are seeking.
╚═════════════════════════════╝




II. IN GAMEPLAY: Each person who uses a card will pay their face card but as a wager in a challenge to another, they may give up their other number cards to up the stakes. In such situations, I will use the dice roller with modifiers based on the type of card used to do a simple weighted-random effect that should decide the outcome. For Example: If you have blessed an Avatar, they have a plus one in their task. A defender must overcome a d6 +1 die roll with a roll of their own to stop you. Making a race could involve some or all of those people being hunted down if another organization is inspired to search them out and destroy them by an opposing deity for instance.

III. CHALLENGERS: A Challenger's motivation could be to try to stop the card from being fully enacted, and will present some or all of their numbered cards as a wager, and then play one of their face cards as well if they wish. The fun of this will be describing how you will enact this opposition.

IV. PARTNER BACKUP: Any challenge can also be aided by one other deity, for if say one person lays down their face card and has no numbered cards another may add to the ante in their defense as well try to ensure it will remain unopposed. They may also add another face card to help up the modifiers for the challenge roll. In these situations, the 'winners' must split the ante including any cards picked.

V. CONVERSION: Some attacks and defense card modifiers are for when a deity attempts to sway a population away from belief in their god and count as a +1. Of course, a straight-out attack from an army or organization would also be a conversion after a fashion since once conquered a given region may be forcefully converted or the conquered might be killed off almost entirely. This has less bloodshed and maintains the deity in a favorable light for his new followers and can have effects beyond within the populace. (Forceful conversion gets a coin toss to determine favorability in the region, to see if the new faith might take root)

VI. ITEMS OF POWER: Items of Power given or inherited by a person or organization involved in a challenge always gets a +1 modifier to any test. An ITEM that has the power to DESTROY will annihilate opposition if it is successfully wielded as resolved by the Challenge. Likewise, a CREATION power as described by its associated creation ACT will perform its function. An ALTER power will alter all opposition, sometimes in unpleasant ways.

VII. RESULTS: The outcome will be more cards for the winner, the score summed up with those which were added to the ante but only one of the face cards that were tossed in may be recovered. Unopposed challenges always favor the god who laid down the card, something everyone should keep in mind. AO will summarize the results of Challenges and the effects after all plays have been made. 24 hours after the challenger has confronted the Card user. All plays must be made in that 24 hours to the minute, or they will not be counted as part of the Event. All ties go to the Defender but result in losses or consequences on both sides commensurate with the stakes.

     
Each Event should be something like this::
God 1: <short post describing what God 1 wants to do: answers who, what, when, where, and why.> Plays Face Card: Queen of Diamonds, God 1 wants to give the people of the Town a gift of tails so they can scale through their jungle homes easier. +1 is awarded for the gift and he puts a number card, 5 of hearts into the ante for insurance that he can pull this off.

God 2: <short post describing how God 2 meets the confrontation.>  Plays the Card: King of Diamonds, God 2 is going to attempt to prevent this by attacking the mortals with a plague, attempting to making God 1 stop. He gets a +1 and adds a number card 5 of clubs <he must see this number at least in order to challenge>.

AO: So far it's d6+1 vs d6+1. In 24 hours I'll adjudicate any changes and make the roll.

God 3: <short post explaining how God 1 has always been cool, but tails are evil.> Plays the Card: Ace of Spades, Define a Region in support of God 2, God 3 transforms the jungles of Town into the Great Plains, where Tails are useless... +1 and adds his own 6 of hearts to up the ante.

God 4: Was going to get involved but saw the ante was too high for him with his meager 3 of hearts and 2 of spades since he must meet at least the ante at 6.

God 5: Decides to abstain from this Event in order to participate in another one later on in the AEON with all of his cards or perhaps start his own. However, he decides to show his support at least without using one of his face cards since he's got an 8 of hearts to up the ante again to further prevent anyone else from helping God 2 just in case God 4 had a 6 or 7.

AO: rolls a d6+1 vs d6+2 later that day. AO RESULT PARAPHRASED: 6 vs. 5 very lucky for God 1, in favor of tails, the Tailed Townpeople now have a +1 for the remainder of the AEON despite having to deal with a tree parasite that carries a viral plague, killing many tailed people and killing some of the forest trees that in turn create a few patches of wide meadowland to annoy the newly tailed travelers in the canopy. God 1 and 5 also get 16 points from the total ante and God 2 and 3 each get a post about how they will be back to finish the job later. Meanwhile, God 1 chooses the Card: King of Diamonds to replenish his hand and God 5 chooses the Joker God 3 used.


VIII. ROYALTY: The top two persons with the highest total score of cards will win an extra ACT at the end of their First Aeon and the title King/Queen of the Divinity for the next Aeon until a new round of royalty is secured after the first Aeon. The highest score will be known as Alpha and second place will be the title Omega. The Alpha will be able to grant others one ACT or one random card draw to be used in a group project. The Omega will be able to "Plan Their Revenge", those that join them can receive two random card draws to that end.

IX. SPORTSMANSHIP: I expect that in such situations where there is a "winner", the players will give each other a verbal handshake, a well done, thanks for being so cool. Out of character, we don't have to be macho or demeaning and taunt one another either. The goal is to create cool stories and our own "mythology" and have fun while we do it even if that means "losing" sometimes. (Pro-tip: You can't really lose in a game where you're a god, but if you do on the dice roll, make it epic, like everything a god does.)

X. AEON MODIFIERS: AO will endeavor to keep a list of modified things in creation, found in the Appropriately named thread, THE BLESSINGS OF THE AEON thread. At the end of the AEON, a new post will be created to show the new modifiers in play. All mortal forces will die between AEONS. All Immortal Forces, sometimes organizations and countries(depending on two-out-of-three coin toss), will gain a +1 as they've become even more skilled or powerful, per AEON they remain. The only way to remove them is with relevant ITEMS of POWER.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:52, Sat 18 June 2022.
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