(Recruiting) D&D 5e - Island Survival

How Do You Live On An Uncharted Island?

I've run a version of this on Roll20, and a version that flailed and died on Sufficient Velocity. It's time I tried it here.

Here's my elevator pitch: anyone played a game like Crash Bandicoot or Final Fantasy X, and washed up on a sandy beach? Have you seen Castaway with Tom Hanks? Hell, have you read the classic Robinson Crusoe? That's your brief glimpse into what you can expect with my game. In the vein of recent craft-like game ARK: Survival Evolved, you will wash up on the shore of a deserted, uncharted locale, not a stitch on your body. From there, gather what you need, find shelter, and survive grueling conditions on the island. Major plot development will fall into the organic or subtle background varieties.

Start at Level 1. Feel free to be any race and class you want, except for Warforged and any other race with significant survival advantages, like "does not breathe" or "does not need to eat."

I will be introducing playful anomalies in any magic, so use caster classes at your own peril. Likewise, you will not be arriving with any equipment, constructs, familiars, etc. In order to make use of an animal companion or familiar as your build describes, you will have to go through the process of acquiring a new one as if yours were lost. Anything needed (i.e. guano, sulfur, brazier, bar of silver) you will have to find and/or make on the island.

The setting is not the Forgotten Realms, nor Ravenloft, nor any published setting. However, if you are most comfortable building a character from one of those worlds, or the one you usually play in, I am happy with that. They all have equal ability to arrive at the island by unspecified space-time shenanigans. There is little about the island I can give away, for spoiler reasons, but you as player should be ready for wild animals, monsters, survival challenges, and little in the way of civilization. Should you encounter any true NPCs on the island, their ways will likely be strange to your character, and they may not use a language you understand. You will need to explore, innovate, and fight with brains and brawn.

Or you will die.

That sounds interesting. I assume it's DnD 5e.

I assume so as well

Yeah.... passive perception is linked to wisdom, isn't it?

That could interesting

Sounds really fun! I want to try this!

Additional Details

No Roll20, Discord, etc. will be provided, and this game is intended to be "rolls-lite" where possible, and 'theater of the mind.' For now, I'm fine taking on a lot of players. If it gets to be too many, I'll work something out.

Roll or point-buy stats as you prefer. The game will not be biased in favor of those who have the best stats. If you want me to go "easy" on you, play a Dwarf, Human, or Halfling, and pick the Fighter, Monk, or Rogue classes. These are the ones with the material least likely to provoke my "fun" sense of humor, as they best fit a harsh survival game.

If you really want to play, but have to take a stand on modesty, I am willing to negotiate very limited pieces of covering. No armor, period.

At any time, any player may make the exact comment "I wish for something amazing" or "Things sure are quiet." If you propose a vote for "Amazing," and at least one player seconds that vote, I will drop in something nice to improve quality of life. Guard it well and spend it carefully. If you propose a vote for "Quiet," and at least one player seconds it, I will send something the party's way. It will not be nice, and it will target the people who voted in favor, in priority over the rest of you.

I will exercise judgment on what should be allowed in my game. If a mod disagrees, I will graciously work to fix any problem, if given the opportunity.

The setting and events will be unfriendly to characters, fun for players, and often bleak. Players will be expected to find fitting, in-character ways to improve morale, when they feel it is needed. Just don't annoy everyone by over-doing it.

This game will be violent and will not be pulling punches on that, but the emphasis is on realism, not on gratuity for "realism's" sake or crudeness. Keep any torture abstract and in spoilers (if it occurs). I will not tolerate any attempts to torture player characters in a means beyond the gravity of injuries sustained in combat/by traps. Likewise, if your character demonstrates gleeful enjoyment of torturing NPCs, you will receive less mercy than players who do not do this.

I will be significantly limiting violent descriptions of what happens to juvenile characters, and portrayal of sexual material. Players will NOT be allowed to harm underage characters, nor engage with players in sexual activity in any way. Two consenting players are welcome to declare their characters are getting involved, but we will "fade to black" on that note.

This game is not meant to condone real-world activity involving substance use. However, player characters will be free to drink or ingest whatever they set themselves to, so long as they're willing to accept the consequences. Substance use is not an excuse to grief players.

On that note, I expect conflict between survivors at varying points. Handle it with maturity. That is not a request. If anyone gets the sense you are trolling or being aggressive OOC, I will discuss matters with you in private, and your character will be suspended from play until I give the go-ahead.

Just call me Gilligan and I'm ready to get lost someplace. Interested.

One of the things I love about the GP community is that stuff like this is rarely an issue :)

I will provide two outs to what would otherwise be Perma-Death. Your first out is a "Lucky Break," in which you somehow manage to escape your certain demise. I can revoke your right to Lucky Break as I see fit.

The second out is "Broken and Bloodied," in which your character's life hangs in the balance, but the mercy of players or the DM will let you survive at a cost.

Once your two outs are spent, permadeath ensues. No new character will be admitted until a restart is called or everyone else dies, and I see interest in doing a second game.

A note on how to Roleplay: As this is a "rolls-lite" game, you are welcome to embellish a little more than would be normal in a D&D game. If you go with pretty generic descriptions, or frame things as what you're searching for (rather than what you find), I don't mind you providing a little set dressing. I can then come in and make your general descriptions more specific, confirm what you find, and point out absences that you can investigate further. Another thing I can do is tell you whether the area you move to is occupied, how much time it takes to get there, and so on.

As of my writing this reply, I have sent invites to everyone who has shown interest.

If I choose to go for exotic race spell caster happy to allow DM have all of the fun on my PC ... I just hope that fun be targeting my PC only and will not endanger other PCs.
P.S. If this is harsh survival game indeed and PC deaths are inevitable, I will rather play short and colourful life :)

I don't punish other people for the actions of an individual. Fairly certain that violates the Geneva Convention. Just focus your design process and roleplay on enjoying the experience. No one who is against a bleak island survival should play. We'll all have the most fun when we lean into it, rather than buck the proverbial reins.

I'm certenly ready to get it a go. Washing naked up on a beach on some unforgiving island could be fun. I'll be rolling stats once I'm invited to the game and will properly go for rouge or druid (full knowing that I'm going to have fun with the material components)

You were among the first wave of people invited.

Hmmm.... in thinking of either a barbarian or a cleric

Barbarian works great. Cleric will lack any vestments, holy symbol, etc. until you fashion them from found materials. Also, everyone added has access to a Waiting Room thread to communicate in instead of here.

Dang, this sounds fun! That posting rate though. 😲

It's not accurate. I put a large number to cover my bases. I'm...honestly not sure if it means me or players. I haven't used this site in forever.

I totally missed that
@WalkerOfSorrow are you planning to have a posting rate of more than 1 post pr day / 7 posts per week? If so I'm backing out, as it is a pace I can't keep up with