W.Y.R.D.S. Happening

The Pitch
Welcome to Willowveil University
- a Completely Normal University* -
*We thinks one doth protest
too much Dean Willikers!
- W.Y.R.D.S.
The primary purpose of the Willowveil University is to provide a learning environment in which faculty, staff and students can discover, examine critically, preserve and transmit the knowledge, wisdom and values that will help ensure the survival of this and future generations and improve the quality of life for all. The university seeks to help students to develop an understanding and appreciation for the complex cultural and physical worlds in which they live and to realize their highest potential of intellectual, physical and human development. It also seeks to attract and serve students from diverse social, economic and ethnic backgrounds and to be sensitive and responsive to those groups which have been underserved by higher education.

The rumors that Willowveil is plagued with...supernatural...or paranormal...activity is, frankly, wholly unfounded and salacious. Our students and staff are provided the safest and most modern of learning facilities offered anywhere in these United States. It is true that we offer some courses that some would label pseudo-scientific, but that is merely a lack of vision on their part. Willoveil prides itself on it's forward thinking. We are exploring the cutting edge of our world and our confident our scholars will lead us into a bright future. To date, authorities have concluded that all reports of unnatural occurrences are gross exaggerations of completely explainable phenomena, juvenile pranks, or utterly fabricated hoaxes, pending the conclusion of one or two minor incidents still under investigation.

The University is proud to extend to you this offer of acceptance for this fall semester of 20XX. If you accept this offer, please fill out the student profile forms included, and come join us in the cozy city of Anywhere, located in southwest PA.
Sincerely,
Dean Gerald Willikers

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Okay, now that the formalities are out of the way, let's get down to the real business. Something is going on at Willowveil, something the dean and the cops and everyone in charge refuses to admit. That's where we come in. We're the W.Y.R.D.S., Willowveil Young Recreational Detective Society. Yes, our founder had a thing for acronyms, but it's too late to change the name now, moving on. We are a small** student group dedicated to uncovering the truth and bringing to light all weird and unexplainable happenings at this school and the surrounding area. Right now I'm sure you don't believe us, but I know you've heard the rumors. If you want to learn more, come find us on campus - W.Y.R.D.S.

**Small, try two. There are only two of us left V.**

*They don't need to know that yet! You'll scare them off D.*

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The Specifics
Okay, so this will be a Fate Core based game with a few extras stapled on. PCs will be college freshmen attending the dubiously located Willowveil University. There will be mysteries abound to distract you from your course work, but classes will still be important. The first case, the disappearance of your roommate in the first month of school, will bring you into contact with the Willowveil Young Recreational Detective Society. From there new adventures will follow. My preference is that all PCs will work together on these cases, but there is room for you to go your own way at times.

PCs DO NOT need to be normal mundane humans, though that is the default. You might be fae touched, or a demigod, or a damphir, or a werewolf. Or maybe a medium who can see and speak to the dead, an oracle with visions, an alien abductee who came back different. Perhaps you spent your childhood at a school of mages and now you need a real education to survive in the world. Or an interdimensional entity disguised as a cat gave you a talisman that lets you transform into a sailor fuku clad moon warrior. The options are really open ended, but no one will be an over powered Goku type. I'm looking at games such as Dresden Files for how these extras will work.

Additionally, I want to use the Brainstorm mechanic introduced in Atomic Robo. To that end, i will ask each PC to choose a Major. A skill in their normal skill tree that represents their focus of study. This will generally be the skill used to discern the nature of the mystery the plot is dealing with.

We will hash out all the details in the game forum proper. I hope this is enough to get your brain buzzing with ideas.

How to Apply: Post your interest here. I don't need full character pitches or anything. It'll be first five that say they want to play.

The Nitty & Gritty
Adult Content &/or Controversial Themes - This game will be keeping within the site guidelines, but I does take place on an American college campus, and has some supernatural horror elements. There will be blood, likely gore. Nudity, drinking, drugs, and smoking could happen. However I respect Lines & Veils and we will discuss any issues in the forum. Unlimited supply of X-Cards as well. Sometimes we don't know what will trigger us until it happens. I want to keep the game at Fun Spicy & Creepy levels at worst (best?).

Posting/Schedule - I'm in a few games that are 4-5 posts a week, weekend optional, and that speed is working for me. I'm on every day and can answer questions, but I won't move the scene along until everyone has had a chance to post.

Specialized Software - None. We will play right here on the site.

Player Experience - Open to experienced players and new players willing to learn. Fate is a fairly simple game with a free SRD we can reference, but I am pulling in some more advanced elements. I'm willing to teach as well, but I won't pretend to be amazing at it. I will do my best.

This game is explicitly friendly to LGBT and any other minorities or marginalized groups.

This looks interesting. What's the expected spectrum of seriousness (e.g. zigzagging all the way between comedic and hopelessly grim, or staying in the middle of the spectrum, or having a middle-to-latter subspectrum out of the possible range &c.)?

Well...less than total serious. I want to make a reference but unsure if it will land. I want things to make sense...so not Scary Movie levels of zany. But also not Game of Thrones serious. Like Cabin in the Woods maybe? But that also has a lot to do with player actions.

This sounds really fun! I’ve never tried Fate but I’m ready and willing to learn.

How about an actual fairy, a fae demigoddess, or a very fae/fairy-like alien whose home planet (a space peridot meteorite) is in the University Microbiology Lab?

If yes (to any or all) then my only other question is: is it a deadly-to-PCs kind of game? Or are our characters expected to live to venture another day (assuming we don’t do absolutely stupid things like leaping into a dragon’s mouth with a live grenade)?

Many of the games I’ve run in the past were weird, silly and gory. So this might just be my cup of tea (or my cup of chattering teeth, which appear to be dentures, but are in fact a warlock’s disembodied jaw).

I would prefer someone with a more human perspective for the PCs. If you're too far out there, the mystery kind of looses it's edge. That said...I could see way to a compromise.

In your example, the alien could have crashed on Earth years ago, parasitically attached to a baby, over time grown into the human student, and seeing the asteroid on display has "reawakened" SOME of the alien memories, making recovery of more memories a character goal. I could see something similar with a fae amnesia story. But starting on the human end of the spectrum.

As for deadly to the PCs, Fate doesn't really work that way. If a PC takes all their damage, they are removed from the scene and the player and Narrator negotiate the next step. If you don't want your PC to die, they won't. They may not be able to do a lot for a while, but they won't die.

Alright then… consider me interested, but probably gonna go with a human or maybe give the fae-amnesia a shot.

Cabin? Seems pretty cool. Would you say Freaky is also in approximately the same range?

Some thoughts, considerations, and questions:

- I think I would like to go for a mortal human, with some sort of artistic major (I don't fully understand USA's education system, so I will need either to read some wikis or to ask around for explanations), from a well-off but quirky family that recently moved overseas from England (or thereabouts). Previously a member of an aspiring cover band and of the previous educational institution's theatrical club, and would be hoping to re-establish similar memberships in the university.
- What's the expected time between when the characters get into this university vs. when the campaign starts (i.e. how established are their university connections and reputation supposed to be by the time the campaign starts)?
- What's the expected real-world campaign start time (i.e. how much time do we have for prior discussions, preparing characters &c.)?
- How are mortals compare against supernatural/supernatural-touched characters - is everything just built using default Core budgets (with those who want fancy abilities just buying Extras as Stunts)?

I don't know Fate. But I would love to join and learn (hey; it's university after all, right?)

I'll chime in as your fifth, Greel.

I'll need a refresher on FATE. I haven't put a character together in a while and I haven't run across the Extras you've mentioned above.

Goth girl dhampir sounds like my niche.

@vicky_molokh my brother went to art school. So an art major is certainly a thing, and the specialization could be, for example, illustration.

I think I might go with a demigoddess who doesn’t know she’s not mortal…

@Legendary_Sidekick: Just for the record, by artistic I was thinking more of the performative art than crafting art. I.e. theatre and music, not painting. I'm hoping to write down a rough draft in . . . anywhere from half an hour to a day, hopefully.

Also, about character drafts: @Greel, is this the sort of occult mystery campaign where Lore and/or Investigation are de facto mandatory top-three Skills? I'm assuming no and proceeding accordingly, but please stop me if I'm wrong.

1. Concept works. I'm building the forum now. We can finalize details there shortly. 2. Basically 2 weeks. Again more details in the forum shortly. But you'll still be learning names and your way around campus. 3. I'm hoping less than a week of real-time while we get everyone figured out. We do have some new players that may need some hand holding, but it shouldn't take too long. 4. Basically, you get it. I will give everyone an equal starting point and the "powers" will be purchased from that pool.
No, not at all. While potentially helpful, you should build your character as you see the. Skill uses can be more creative in this game.

Thanks for the invite. I’ve got a short write-up of my character, who will actually have Naiad and Oceanid heritage… so salt-water nymph on one side, freshwater on the other.

But I’ll hold off on sharing her story until there’s a thread for that.

(Content moved to discussion thread.)

On the topic of art and characters, is there an established style or group of styles that is preferred for portrayal of characters in this campaign? (E.g. some campaigns prefer near-realistic depiction, some prefer purely animesque, some prefer photographs only &c.)

Nah. I'm fine with whatever works for you. But I sent you an invite and we have discussion going there.

Too late...
Looked interesting, if ever you need someone to fill in...

No real concept of Fate. 5e guy. But the starter sounds so interesting. Athlete, Science Major or perhaps a history major.