You play the Elemental!

[Altharis]

I've been thinking about a rpg based on "the magician's apprentice" by walt disney, in which you play the brooms!
You play as an elemental being animated for a purpose.... but what is it?
I'm going to be using the nameless system with a twist, when you draw an ace of yor trump suit, (water = hearts, fire = diamonds, earth = clubs, air = spades)
You unleash the elemental inside!
Cheers,
Altharis

[Callan S.]

Cool! Is there anything that you think is good but could be better, that you want some help or observations on?

[Altharis]

Hi! And thanks for noticing,
For advancement, i'm making a system called "Shards"
As an elemental, you are made of a shard of your home plane, every mission you may find a shard of said home plane.
Shards give you a size increase (and consequent stamina and strengh increases) and a new ability.
I'm working on a tech tree for the shard powers.
For one of the branches of the Fire elemental trees, i'm working on a progressionf rom "Ignite", a power that aloows the fire elemental to raise their body flames to dangerous level, I'd like there to be a progression for slinging fire and a progression for manuevrability and maybe one for phisycal might.
Can you help?
Cheers,
Altharis

[Callan S.]

I'm terrible at helping, I just ask questions. :)

That tech tree...well, imagine in real life you were blacksmithing a sword. You go to some lengths to forge the metal, fold it, add the handle - anyway, you do alot of work.

But what is the intention for the sword? That's what I feel in terms of this tech tree - what is the intention for it? Don't get me wrong - a sword is just cool and so would an elemental tech tree. But what is the intention for it? Is there something you want to explore with it. Could you name that in one sentence?

[Altharis]

Haha, oh well, a good question is great help in it's own way.

Very hard question, with a great metaphor..... I guess I just want to give an option to my players to feel the glory of burning things and release their elemental nature.

Is that the right answer?

Cheers,
Altharis

[Adam Dray]

Was the "a purpose... but what is it?" a rhetorical question or a real one?  Do you as the designer have an idea what the purpose is?

Can you give me a link to the Nameless System? I googled and found some links but none really seemed to be what you are talking about. I assume you're making a supplement to that system to play out this Fantasia-like game, right?

[Altharis]

The pupose, depending on the dm, can be either. I have no idea except what i would use for my campaign.

Here's a link: http://www.bayn.org/nameless/

[Adam Dray]

So, what do you need our help with?

[Altharis]

I'm not sure.... i've got a sketchy idea of a tech tree in my head, but that needs work... i've got ideas for ability modifiers by race etc. etc.

All in all i don't know what you can do.... just ask some questions maybe.....

[Sovem]

Ok... can you describe the elementals, some more? Your talk makes me think of the classical fantasy elementals--animated spirits composed of a pure element. But your original post made reference to the brooms in The Magician's Apprentice. What is the relation? The brooms strike me more as a golem type thing than an elemental.

[Altharis]

You play as a piece of element, ripped out of you homeland and bound with magic to serve his will.
This bond has now been broken, and you are not compeled to serve him; but the same bond ties down your elemental nature.
For example: Air cannot fly or discorporate, except occasionally. Fire does not burn, except occasionally. etc. etc.
You have a mind of your own yet you were created like the brooms, to serve a purpose.
The reason i referenced the brooms is to give an idea of what you were created for.

[Adam Dray]

Okay, so start designing!

[Altharis]

Well, i am desiging every day! i've been compiling new ideas almost every minute of my life!
Is there a formal process for designing i should know about? I'm relatively new to the forge....
Cheers,
Altharis

[Ron Edwards]

Hiya,

Whoops, Adam, you scared him!

There's no formal design process at the Forge. It's all you. Adam is merely encouraging you because he likes your idea and looks forward to the next step. That next step is totally up to you: summarize your rules ideas and make them available through a download of some kind, or play them yourself and post about it in the Playtesting forum, or ask questions in the Publishing forum if the logistics are relevant at this point, or whatever.

We're interested.

Best, Ron

[brainwipe]

I like the idea that each character elemental has a tied connection with whoever summoned them. Like a puppet, you have a purpose. You may not like the purpose but you'd have to do it before returning to your home plane. After completing the task that you're summoned for, you might want to give a bit of the old retribution back to the magician who cast you in the first place. Elementals turning nasty could be quite good fun.

Also, it's interesting to see how this might be a team game. Perhaps a number of diffrent elementals cast at the same time for a similar purpose. Different elements have different powers and then must work together without killing each other. Interesting stuff.

Looking forward to how this pans out.