Psychoneights (Begun) (PbP)

IC Thread.

In a land of magic, from the levitation of a unicorn to the shape-shifting of a changeling, it's very easy to overlook Psychics. Rest assured though, they are very real, very necessary, and very dangerous. An adept psychic can delve into a mind and bring its owner out of the deepest pits of despair. They can heal, protect, and bolster their own minds and those of the people around them. However, an equally powerful but untrained psychic could, without meaning to, destroy the minds of everypony in a twenty mile radius.

For this reason, the Celestial Association of Psychoneights created a camp. Built over a large Buffalo burial ground and laden with Psitanium arrowheads, the camp was named "Whinnying Rock" by the Buffalo who once lived there and is still called such today. There, trained Psychoneights help young psychic fillies and colts to learn to deal with, control and understand their powers. It's supposed to be a safe place where any pony from foal to teenager with psychic powers can practice, learn and better themselves in peace, and usually it is. However, with the beginning of a new summer in Whinnying Rock, one of the counselors has been found in their room, completely locked inside themselves. All attempts at delving into their psyche have failed and everyone is worried. The CAP has considered moving the camp this year, but the high deposits of Psitanium are all that's keeping some of the foals in control of themselves. So the question is, what do you do.

Player Characters:

Important Information (Or things that all characters will know off the bat):

I'd be happy to provide tips in building the world/npcs/adventures and getting into the basics of GMing. PbP is a very forgiving way to dip into GMing. I'm sure you'd do just fine, especially since you have time between posts to really think about how you want to handle things.

I would be very appreciative. We should probably do the lions share of it over PM though. Either way, thank you.

Elacular wrote:I would be very appreciative. We should probably do the lions share of it over PM though. Either way, thank you.

Of course. Feel free to PM me whenever you like.

I figure as long as you plan some time to keep to making a few plans when what you've had starts to get really thin you'll be fine.

That makes sense. I'm gonna make sure my story's well put together before I get started so that I don't end up tying myself into a plot knot. Thank you for the advice.

I equally worn don't plan too much... Or you'll be very upset when it doesn't go that way... Just make sure you don't end up having nothing planned for the future and you'll do fine.

I am interested in having a spot, if/when you manage to get a spot. (Interestingly, this could tie in quite nicely with Dancing River's backstory...)

I am a new GM myself, but I have a reasonable amount of writing experience in general, so I can help in that regard as well.

I would appreciate that a great deal. Right now I'm working with Stairc-dan to get my setting together and make sure I don't utterly crash and burn. Also, I'm going to keep the information I give you minimal since you also seem interested in playing. Not that I think you'd metagame, I just wanna keep some stuff to myself.

Elacular wrote:I would appreciate that a great deal. Right now I'm working with Stairc-dan to get my setting together and make sure I don't utterly crash and burn. Also, I'm going to keep the information I give you minimal since you also seem interested in playing. Not that I think you'd metagame, I just wanna keep some stuff to myself.

Naturally. And I would likely ask you to. It helps, though, to have some one giving you criticism from a PC perspective too.

(Incidentally, if any of my own players read that, yes! I want to hear your opinions!)

Alright, with a great deal of help from Stairc-dan (thanks by the way) I am now ready to accept characters for the game. Since I'm new at DMing, I'll only be accepting five characters so that I don't get overwhelmed. Your characters can be campers or counselors, but they must be psychic in some way. That doesn't mean they can only have powers from the Psion tree, though, be creative.

Glad to help out. Hope you have fun.

Against my better judgement, I would like to request a spot - although it'll be a while before I can make a character sheet (Google Drive is being witchy.) Thinking maybe a pyromaniac of some kind...

I presume we're using the newer Abilities system?

Yup. I'll save you a spot. And yeah, we'll be using abilities for this.

Here is a text version of Sergeant Pyro!

Should suffice until I get to the library and make a Google Doc, anyways.

Backstory:

Abilities:

Combat:

Looks like a good counselor. I will be glad to see the actual Goggle docs, but this works great for now.

Good to know! Although I just looked and realised I forgot his Element (Honesty, or alternatively Loyalty) and his special move (Crippling Strike).

EDIT: I also decided to fill out Stairc's questionare:

1) What makes your character get out of bed in the morning?
-) Discipline; when the sun comes up, so does Pyro. 

2) What keeps your character awake at night?
-) Paranoia, usually.
 
3) What would your character dive into fire to obtain?
-) That warm, tingling sensation of being on fire...
 
4) What does your character think he wants more than anything?
-) The joy that comes from bossing around recruits as he molds them into the meanest, most efficient killing machines on the planet. Or, formerly, Royal Guards.
 
5) What does your character actually want more than anything?
-) The feeling of accomplishment when he realises he's teaching something to somebody rather than sitting around at home. 

6) Who is the most important person in your character’s life? Why? Describe the most important moment in your character’s relationship with that person.
-) Pyro's father. I'm not going to describe him in detail; I want the GM to have some room to fiddle. But it was a conversation with Dad that convinced Pyro to join the Guard.
 
7) What is the most important place in your character’s life? Why? Describe the most important moment your character ever spent in that place.
-) Boot Camp. Enough said...
 
How would you summarize your character in 1 sentence?
-) Pyro is a drill sergeant that likes to burn things.
 
9) What do you, as a player and artist, hope to gain by playing *this* character?
-) As a player, I'm trying out a number of new abilities and strategies that I haven't used before - and a few that aren't done often at all (I think, I don't know.) As a writer, I want to see what happens when I have a measure of authority, balanced by responsibility, and the needed strength to carry it out.

10) What's a distinctive visual feature that makes your character stand out? Such as a vicious scar across a man's throat that makes him talk in a rasping voice, or the emblem of a white lion set into his ever-present armor.
-) The Sergeant's Cutie Mark is a set of sergeant's stripes against a flame. His mane has the appearance of always being on fire - I wonder who his hair stylist is?

11) How are your values connected to your character’s values?
-) Pyro is determined, honest, and reliable.

12) What secret would your character least like the world to know?
-) The exact circumstances behind his discharge. (I'll send a PM if Elacular wants to know.)

13) What is the most important organization to your character’s life? Why? Describe the most important moment in your character’s relationship with that organization.
-) The Equestrian Royal Guard - considering it provided him with a lifestyle for years. His biggest moment was likely when he was promoted to Sergeant, and then Drill Instructor.
 
14) How are at least two ways your character might change by the end of the campaign?
-) Pyro is going to have to learn that his two favorite solutions ("Yell at it" and "Set it on fire") are not going to work in every scenario. He's also (hopefully) going to learn that everyone else has feelings too, and he doesn't have to bury his.
 
15) Why do you, as a player, want to play in this campaign? What are your favorite parts of roleplaying?
-) I want to see how Elacular does with his first GMing attempt - and perhaps learn some lessons with him that I won't have to repeat in my own campaign(s). (That is not meant to be insulting in the least - but everyone makes mistakes and I'd rather only one person made each one.)

I'm glad you filled that out. Anyone else who wants to make a character, I'd like it if you filled that out and showed it to me. Your answer to 15 is entirely understandable and no ire is gathered from it. Also, please PM me the detailed answer to 12, you've made me very curious.

Would I need to know things about Psychonauts beyond the generalities of the game?

As a Counselor I asked some questions. A Camper probably wouldn't need to.

In all honesty, not really. If you want to be a counselor I'll fill you in on what you need to know. If you want to be a camper, you'll learn naturally just like a camper would. I will be editing the first post to include some details and links to make it easier for you, but don't worry about not being a badge-earning cadet just yet.

Cool, I'll probably have a cadet rigged up sometime later today then.

Still working on the questionnaire, but I've got her filled out mostly. She's also not a unicorn, though I can just readjust if that'd be a problem.
Cloud Hopper, sleepy psychic pegasus

Cloud seems pretty cool, so she's accepted. Also, since I've accidentally been a bit vague, I'll make it clear now: any pony, dragon, Minotaur or whatever can be psychic. Psychic powers don't equal magic and vice versa.

Out of curiosity, would psionic healing be allowed? Would precognitive ability be allowed? Would the latter be considered psionic for the campaign?