[CLOSED] Rules-lite, Magic University setting

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ClosedCustomPublic5 / weekhtech
In this game, you will play as first-year students, young adults in a magic university inspired by Hogwarts and Strixhaven.

This game uses a rules-light and stripped down version of the Cortex Prime ruleset.


Jan 7, 2025 7:42 pm
Misthaven University

An adventure for two to five magic university students

At last, the moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived! We’ve made it to campus, donned our uniforms, and claimed our tomes. Our academic journey at the illustrious Misthaven University begins today! As first-year students, we’ll learn new spells and explore the hallowed halls of the Biblioplex, uncovering the secrets of its labyrinthine stacks. We’ll dive headfirst into the vibrant social scene, from lively debates to wild revelries in our favorite gathering spots.

But whispers of danger lurk in the shadows. Strange happenings creep into the corners of our lives, testing our courage and wits. Will we rise to become the heroes Misthaven needs, protecting our newfound home from unseen threats? Or will these small disturbances grow into a storm that could consume the entire university? The choice is ours—our fate begins now!

🎯 Our goal
Playing in Misthaven should feel like stepping into a magical adventure and tale of discovery—a coming-of-age saga where young adults embark on a journey to become wizards and witches.

The game should blend whimsical fun with thrilling adventure, highlighting the dynamic relationships between player characters and a vibrant array of NPCs—enigmatic professors, mischievous fellow students, and the ever-intriguing and unexpected staff members from a magical university.

While I’ll be bringing you an overarching adventure plot and interesting NPCs and locations, this experience is meant to be a collaborative one. I’m looking for co-writers and co-creators, not passive spectators. You’ll have opportunities—and perhaps the desire—to create and control other supporting characters (NPCs) and contribute to world-building, all to enrich and deepen the story of your own player character. While optional, this level of engagement is highly encouraged to make the narrative truly unforgettable.

At the very least, if you're not ready to try creating something new and spend some time answering my prompts in your posts, this game might not be for you. But if it is, Misthaven should offer us a journey full of wonder, danger and heart – ​​a world where magic and mystery await us at every turn.
🧙‍♂️🪄The setting
Our game will take place at the Misthaven University, a place heavily inspired by Hogwarts, Strixhaven and similar places. Besides that, the world is a blank canvas - a generic medieval fantasy world teeming with magic. Eitherway, being accepted to Misthaven University should be a rare and prestigious honor, a dream cherished by countless aspiring mages. Misthaven is not merely a place of study—there are jobs, extracurricular activities and the ever-present need of bold adventurers.

For further details, see the Misthaven University thread in the game forums.
🎲 The Game System and Rules Version
This game uses a rules-light and stripped down version of the Cortex Prime ruleset, without plot points and adapted to our setting. All of our rules are free and available in the game forums. For the roleplaying and storytelling parts, though, common sense and the acceptance principle - when someone in a scene states something before you do, accept it as truth - should be more than enough.
🎨Character generation
Players will create their characters in a session zero, by answering prompts from the GM, using their creativity and choosing (or rolling) the numerical stats. This will be a story driven creation, where numbers and stats will be secondary. You should focus on creating an interesting character, not on exploring and min-maxing the Cortex Prime rules. You will have the freedom to design your magical student cultural background, desires and personality exactly as you envision them—bring your unique creation to life and make them truly your own!
📆 Game Duration and Post Frequency
This should be a 5 posts/week game - daily posts, weekends not included, are preferred but quality is more important than quantity. It's also understood that life comes first, and holidays may interfere.

Duration is expected to be at least 6 months, while we write the students first year's adventures. We will reevaluate after that but there is potential for at least 3 more years until they graduate.
💻 Specialized Software and Resources
None.
👋Who am I?
I've been on Gamers' Plane for more than a year and have DMed some sci-fi and fantasy games. I believe in sharing with the community and most of the games I've DMed are public. The latest two are here and here. Check them out if you wanna!
📢 Public forum
This game will be public, so people can follow and read our posts, if they want to. Some private notes and closed messages can be used by the GM or the players, especially during chargen and for some controversial parts.
🐣 Player Experience Requirements
No previous experience with the game rules, PbP or Gamersplane.com are necessary. I'm more than willing to teach and help.
🎟️ How to Apply
I will select 2-5 players based on interest shown here or via DM. Please tell us a little bit about your player character, this magical college student stepping into a new world filled with untold mysteries, boundless knowledge, and the promise of adventure.

If possible, I prefer to include some well-known, trusted players and some people I've never played with before. But the selection at the end can be based on a random roll, the phase of the moon, solar flare activity, or complete whim. IF anyone is interested, of course.

I will also send out invitations and onboard people in phases. There is extra effort during session zero for the GM because each PC has its own thread. I'm minimizing this with phased invites. So even if I've already started the game, if I haven't closed this thread and posted here that I've reached the maximum number of players, you can still sign up.
🏳️‍🌈✅️ Marginalized Groups Welcome
This game is explicitly friendly to LGBT and any other minorities or marginalized groups, owlins, orcs, trolls, vampires and studious folk of many other origins. Please, let us all be fans of each other and all their characters.
Last edited January 10, 2025 11:31 am
Jan 7, 2025 7:47 pm
Pinging @Eltesla, @Qralloq, @Harrigan and @Beguiled_Beetle as promised.

I am inviting people in phases, so if you're still interested just let me know. =)

If someone else wants to join us, feel free to apply here.
Jan 7, 2025 9:15 pm
I'm still very interested! After thinking about my initial concept a little, I decided that I like it as is, so I'll copy it over here.
Eltesla says:

...A basic concept I've got off the top of my head is that of a naïve homeschooled elf that set out against her parents' wishes. At eighteen years old, she is physically and mentally mature but still considered a child in the eyes of elven society. Thus, when she expressed a desire to leave home and attend university, her parents were quick to reject the idea. They believed she wouldn't be ready to leave for at least a few more decades. Of course, she disagreed, so she secretly sent out applications. Of the acceptance letters that came back, one stood out among them: Misthaven University. Despite her parents forbidding her to go, she packed up and departed for Misthaven. She couldn't pass up the opportunity to attend such a prestigious university and see what the outside world was like.
Jan 7, 2025 10:36 pm
I am new here, but interested in settings like these.


My character idea:

She grew up in a quiet, picturesque village where magic was more myth than reality. She loved listening to grandmother's bedtime stories about witches, wizards, and enchanted worlds. These tales painted magic as something wondrous and limitless. She grew up believing in the beauty of magic, untainted by the harsh realities of its dangers or complexities. When her acceptance to Misthaven University arrived, it felt like one of those bedtime stories coming to life.

She is naive, chipper and optimistic and has a unrealistic romantized belief in the wonders of magic. This might conflict with actual hard work at university and makes it easy for others to exploit her trust.
Jan 8, 2025 2:58 am
Thanks for the tag. I'm definitely still interested.

I'd like to explore a privileged character, raised in obscene wealth, but a REBEL and a misfit discharged from more typical preparatory schools and sent to Misthaven to GROW UP. Now, cut off from his parents funds, he has to make due on his own while still footing. His magic stems from a series of BAD CHOICES that he'll always have to regret.
Jan 10, 2025 11:32 am
Everyone was invited and I am closing this recruitment thread. =)

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