I have been considering a new role playing game called MeMe.

The basic concept is that that there is a non-corporeal organisation that the players are part of. It is quite likely that the organisation that the players are members of is along the lines of Law, and they are opposing another force such as Chaos.

Neither side can effect the world without possessing some mundane person.

I envision that either side can potentially see when someone is possessed.

When the player wishes to achieve something, they state a low number of characteristics/skills/location that they require.

I picture that another player takes what the the original player has requested and puts more detail onto the person.

The original player may keep who they possess for a reasonable amount of time, or may decide to only posses for a limited amount of time.

I picture that in all likelihood that the players will be reacting to thwart the plans of the opposing force. I also picture that the players characters with have some level of supernatural ability to be to see how events will progress if uninterfered with.

I do have a concern that the people that the characters possess will be too perfect and am trying to come up with a reasonable mechanic for limiting that.

I also picture that the mundanes that are possessed may be potentially be adversely effected if not properly handled by the possessor.

Mechanically, I'm thinking relatively simple. No desperate need for the entities that the players actually play to be mechanically described, more like an order of being with some set mechanics for aspects like possessing someone, level of information on how events are going to progress. The mechanics for the people who are possessed also need to be simple as there is the potential for a large number of them.

So yes, the idea is relatively nebulas at the moment, but I'm wondering what people think and the areas which need the priority of being firmed up on.

So, let me see if I understand.

I'm playing a disembodied agent of Chaos. I want to break down some of the credit rating industry's stranglehold on human value. (Why am I thinking Fight Club?) I tell the other players I need a mortal who's employed in the financial services industry, and who has some facility with explosives from his upbringing by an ex-military dirtbag stepfather. The players with agents of Law characters stat out my mortal, and also give him some racist traits, anger management issues, and some petty theft and battery priors.

Yeah, if the opposition is determining the characteristics of my mortal, I don't think you have to worry about the mortals being too perfect. They'll want to give me traits that are going to hamper me.

I like it.

Question: Who determines what my supernatural ability is?

Paul

Thanks very much for the reply.

I did forget to mention something. Some mundane people may be considered too important to be controlled by either side. It can assumed that 'higher ups' are busy contesting control, and the net effect is no one controls them.

You raise am interesting point, I presumed that the players would be on the same side but clearly from your example this doesn't have to be the case. There I had been considered with players helping too much!

Regarding the supernatural ability, the basic idea is that the players are of an order of being and as such have access to a level of racial abilities. Of course as the idea is still being formed, this doesn't have to be the case, in fact I am thinking of personality types like Sapphire and Steel which could potentially work.

So, what differentiates my disembodied agent of Chaos from every other disembodied agent of Chaos is just the supernatural powers I have?

Right now I'm really digging on my mortal finance-dude-with-hate-issues host. And I like the idea that he comes to harm if I don't handle things well. I think if all an agent of Chaos is is some supernatural powers and some specific ideas ("break the credit rating industry") about how to advance Chaos, that players are going to more strongly identify with their mortal hosts than with their disembodied characters. What do you think?

Paul

I think you've raised a point I hadn't put much thought into so far, that is I've been concentrating on the fact that you do stuff by possessing people.

The area of what you are needs more work. Initial thoughts concern orders of Angels and Demons, however I think I'd rather steer away from it being a religious thing.