The Strange

[Deviltigerr]

The Strange is a game using the Cipher System, technically happening in our modern times but that's not the main thing. In the strange essentially you play people who can translate to other worlds. This translation could mean for example, if you go from being a human male in new york city, you will become a werewolf in a world with vampires, werewolves and other creatures. There are almost an unlimited amount of these worlds, many inspired by our fictions (Camelot, Neverland, some places are more less friendly, some are high tech, some are anime, etc...) Its all kind of awesome. Guess Mighty Max and the comics exiles could be some good inspiration. The system is fairly easy to use.

 

[Thepotatogod]

Can i know this system please? I'm interested.

 

[Deviltigerr]

Sure, basically the gist of it is like that:


-In this game, the player does all the roll defense, offense, rolling skills etc... as the gm, I simply assign the difficulty of the task you need to beat.


You roll a d20+whatever bonuses vs the targeted number essentially.


The cipher system relies on items called ciphers which depending on recursion take different forms, they are meant to be used often and make often the difference between you being low level for example and facing a very strong creature. Ciphers take many forms (belt, guns, needles, pills and come with incredible powers), some more permanent items are called artifacts but usually they cant translate from a recursion to another (usually, there are rare.)


You get to choose among three types of character:


-Vector (Action-oriented): Athletes, soldiers, firefighters etc...


-Paradox : Mad scientist, sorcerers, and people who can break the rules of reality (even in our normal world)


-Spinner: Social specialist, con artists, spinner of lies , tales, striking individuals.


After choosing the type of character, you get to choose a descriptor , each coming with of course their own perks such as: Appealing, Fast, Lucky, Strange, Strong etc... (there are more descriptors out there)


Then you choose a character focus :


-On earth, our normal world, usually you will pick focus like Conducts Weird Science, Is Licensed to Carry, Solves Mysteries, Works the System etc... (there are more of them)


-In some worlds, your character focus could be casting spells like a wizard or even able to create weapons from your body (each recursion/world, you will be able to change, race, gender and focus)


Of course get some equipment.


-There are levels or tiers if you prefer


-There are 3 main stats: Might, Speed, Intellect (usually you spend from any of these stats pools for the abilities)


-Skills


-There are things out there called planetovore (eating worlds) but usually dont need to worry about them.


-You are one of the quickened in every recursions (different worlds out there) there are people like you who are aware of other recursions across the universe and can translate (travel/transform) to other worlds as well. You get to change your abilities and the likes between recursions. It simply allows to blend a little better or survive in some hostile environment, for example while you can choose to still keep your human form in some worlds...being a human might not be the best idea due to for example lack of oxygen etc...


-

 

[xarvh]

My hat in.


Would love to play.

 

[Deviltigerr]

Awesome, 3 people would be ideal(to have all the basics covered) but can work with 2.

 

[Deviltigerr]

Alright so you can start thinking of your characters, you will be a fresh estate operatives.


What is the Estate?


The Estate to the world is a philanthropic organization funding various scientific fields. But it is partially true, The Estate does award scientific grants and the likes. But the Estate actual goal is to protect the Earth and all life on it from the threats of the Strange. The Estate wants to recruit mentally stable people and those who can travel to various recursions. Among the people who can travel to other recursions, there are a few called Quickened. Usually quickened don't need to go through all the red tape and even some with questionable past, might be recruited.


Recursor, the spark and quickened:


Everybody who can travel to other recursions and is aware that there many worlds out there, has the spark, self-awareness of one place in the universe and self. While on earth every intelligent being is self-aware, it's not the case in every recursions. A recursion based on Sherlock Holmes 19th century London would have many people walking the streets like extras in movies, doing the same role over and over again.


On Earth everybody has the spark, percentage varies from recursions to recursions. The Estate usually advises against making some creatures aware of other recursions (We wouldn't want to wake up Cthlulhu give him the spark for example or have someone like Zeus running around.)


Now usually recursor requires special objects (Gates) and the likes to translate to other recursions. As a quickened, you can translate yourself without the aid of any special object and this is why, the Estate wants more quickened.

 

[xarvh]

I might go for a Stealthy Spinner who Works the System.


Probably a non-white woman.


She pulled a big one on a mafia cartel, but was found out and almost killed.


She went into hiding: living like a homeless allowed her to successfully evade the attention of the cartel, but made her paranoid, depressed and haunted by weird visions of worlds beyond.


It wasn't long since she caught the attention of an organization with eyes far sharper than those of the mafia...

 

[Deviltigerr]

Sounds good to me, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Newcomers to this system are welcome as well.

 

[Epiphany]

I've never heard of this system but the premise sounds fascinating. I'm leaning towards a Paradox of some kind but could probably use an example or two to see how things are usually done. Assuming you want a complete newbie.

 

[Deviltigerr]

It's fine, the system is very simple just going to give you an an idea:


-roll 1d20 add +1 or +2 depending on bonuses you have(if any), if you have more than +2, it becomes an asset decreasing the difficulty of the task by 1. For example if the task difficulty was 5, the target number would be 15. You just have to roll 1d20 and beat a 15. Now let say you had 1d20+3, it would become 1d20+2 and the task difficulty 5 would become difficulty 4, making the number to beat 12 instead of 15. All task difficulties are simply multiply by 3 to find out their target numbers.


Just need confirmation that Potatogod is still interested and we should be able to get started soon, will guide you through the character creation.

 

[xarvh]

@Epiphany Another good thing of the Cypher System is that Descriptor and Focus are easy to change after character creation, you don't have to be stuck with your initial picks.

 

[Thepotatogod]

@Deviltigerr Hey,hey, hey! I'm still here~!


I think i might go for a vector type, with a strange descriptor. His focus is probably gonna be a Team captain. Nonetheless,


I'm very much ready to go.

 

[Deviltigerr]

Alright that's perfect will have the thread up soon.

 

[Deviltigerr]

Alright we are going to get started here:


The Strange | RpNation.com - Best Roleplay Forum