Saturday, September 18, 2021

ANSWERING PHLOX'S 51

GLoGhack: Hypogeum

1. How do I make enough money to have regular meals? (Deus)

Folk will probably feed you if you help them, but currency is not really a thing.

2. What do people do to get Fucked up around here?  (Vayra)

Its hard to find a substance in Hypogeum that isn't psychoactive. The local wisefolk could probably direct you. Sorcerers are arguably constantly fucked up on mana potions.

3. How much racism are we talking? Fantasy racism or regular? (Vayra)

A little racism, as a treat. Humans think Folk are stupid babies, and Darklings are demons. Folk think humans are cool weirdos and maybe thieves, and Darklings are honorable warriors and sorcerers who I'd never like to meet, no sir. Darklings think Folk are hedonists, and humans are possibly creatures of ancient myth. Everyone thinks skeletons are very mysterious, and grimalkin are just humans but friendlier and sneakier.

4. Who's the nearest religious figure I can annoy? (Vayra)

The folk have temples of various sorts, and wisefolk (sometimes relic-seekers) run them. In general, ridiculously easy to co-opt.

5. Why do most sensible people avoid [Magic Users]? (Gorinich)

In order of magic-ness: Sorcerers undergo violent mood swings, relic-seekers are servants of some power, Sword-artists are master murderers as a matter of course, Fools are clowns, Clever-Things are thieves, and Strife's-Children generally lack empathy and fear.

6. What's the local sports team? What do they play? are they any good? (Vayra)

Folk play War. Its basically capture the flag with clubs. Do they know what actual war is? Its still pretty dangerous, because the main field is the parts of the dungeon between two settlements. The teams are simply named after colors, but humans tend to give them more fanciful exonyms, which the folk accept. Your team are the blue mushrooms, and are kinda trash.

7. What's my sword made of? I started with three rations, what are they? Are they any good? (Vayra)

Swords that come from the Otherworld might be made out of steel, but swords around here are made out of sword, or whatever material you gave the folksmith. Your rations are probably mushrooms, moss, or shadowmeat. Its pretty good. Sweet.

8. What actually is a GLoG? (Everythings)

GLoG is a kind of Taoist Alchemy

9. Where can I find some orbs? (Gorinich)

It is hard to find places without orbs

10. What do orbs do? (Gorinich)

Orbs are the most common type of relic, and are easy ways to get spells, though you'll have to do some research to get the spells out of them.

11. Why's the Milk gone? (Everythings)

No cows. If someone gives you milk, don't drink it.

12. Can I have a pet? Can I have a weird pet? Can it talk? (Vayra)

You can only have a weird pet, cause animals don't tend to get isekai'd with you. Humans sometimes keep Folk as "pets".

13. Am I allowed to be famous from the start or do I have to figure it out in play? (Vayra)

You can be famous in the starting village. This doesn't mean that much.

14. Am I allowed to be cursed from the start or do I have to figure it out in play? (Vayra)

Depends on the curse.

15. What possible explanations would you accept for me being a time traveler, or from a different dimension? (vayra)

Possible explanations: you are human. That's it.

16. Is evil real? What is it? (random_interrupt)

Maybe? Some seekers collect and study "evil", but we're not really sure if that means anything besides aesthetics.

17. Frogs? (Everythings)

Yes but also no.

18. What's the best combat aircraft available? How much does it cost? How much does a flight of four of them cost? (vayra)

Angels supposedly exist. Is that a combat aircraft? Does casting flight make you a combat aircraft? It can make you a ICBM, I guess.

19. That's too expensive. How can I steal one/four? (vayra)

Shut up

20. Are italians real? why not? Can I say my rations are ragu, in case I run into some? (vayra 🙄)

Italians are real. You can start with ragu.

21. Is there some kind of wizard boss, or kung fu boss, how good is his kung fu/wozerdry? (random_interrupt)

There's probably one of each among the darklings, and maybe one among the skeletons?

22. What's the die I'm going to be rolling for checks? Is my character aware of its existence? What's the save vs. existential horror? (fifth)

d20. aware of the dice? If you are a sorcerer you might be. No save, just choose whether you want to comprehend or ignore. 

23. How many children am I allowed to start with? How about chickens? (vayra)

Humans don't start with any, or at least any present. Folk can start with some. Chickens aren't present. 

24. What's the deal with demons in this setting? Pure evil, just a type of creature, incarnations of desire or sin, depends on the subtype? (sylvanas_iii)

some Humans call Darklings demons. more often, they call Fairies  or shadowbeasts demons, and are there more correct. They are just a creature, though.

25. Same as the above, but with angels (sylvanas_iii)

Angels are supposed to exist, and they are just. Humans that developed wings. Sometimes they call the spoiler above angels.

A darkling sorcerer

26. How mad do people get when you pick their pockets? Are we talking "fight to the death" or "nooooo stooooop" or somewhere in between? (vayra)

Darklings fight to the death, Folk are "nooooo stooooop". Grimalkin will take it as a challenge to steal back from you. Skeletons nobody knows, but speculation is that they'll just wait until you die and hope they can pick it up later, unless its very urgent.

27. How long is a round? How is momentum tracked? [Can I make a peasant railgun] (fifth, abridged)

Six seconds, probably. If you could get enough momentum, it'd probably count as a sword-artist's sunder, or if the person is the one with momentum, the strife-child's motif. No, an object can only be passed twice per round.

28. Do I have to be from around here? can I be from space? (random_interrupt)

As previously said, humans are from vaguely the modern world. Maybe you were an astronaut? Ditching the spacesuit would be wise, I think.

29. Roll under or roll over? What are the ability scores and what's an average score? (sylvanas_iii)

Roll over. Standard six. 3d6 or 4d4. or 4d6 and you don't start with a class.

30. What happens if I steal another player's character sheet? can I mind control them, or do I become them? (fifth)

 You get to control them, yes, for the purposes of being ridiculous or not having to wait for their player.

31. How easy is it to learn to cast FIREBALL? (sylvanas_iii)

Sorcerers start with sorcerous blast, which can be fire. They might also be able to distill the spell Set Alight. Relic-seekers could find both, depending on what their relic theme is.

32. What happens at 0 hp? is it different for NPCs? What about below zero? (Vayra)

At 0 hp you get knocked out. Same for npcs, but not the same for shadowbeasts. When you generate your HP, you also generate your -HP the same way. -HP is kept divided by the dice you rolled (i.e. if you roll 3 and 5, it is divided like 3+5, or 5+3). When a negative hit die is depleted, you suffer a wound. If all are depleted, you die. Some NPCs have 1 HP and only -HP.

33. How much xp do I get for buying pizza? (fifth)

am I the one to determine that?

34. Does destiny exist? Can it be changed? Can I stand outside it and watch you all like a spectator at a puppet show? (random_interrupt)

People generally agree that it does. People generally agree it can't. If you manage to watch it, you're probably still a puppet.

35. what direction do numbers go in? (fifth)  

West

36. Have you playtested any of this? (Vayra)

Do I look like someone who's finished a draft to be tested?

37. How many types of magic user are there? do they stack? (sylvanas_iii)

A quote: "Magic is just the academic application of metaphysical power which fighters also wield more bluntly to, for example, be able to take 20 times as much damage as a normal healthy adult". That is to say, they're all magic users. Yes they stack. 

38. Are there sumptuary laws? like, will I get flogged for wearing magenta? (random_interrupt)

Some Folk do that. Most don't.

39. What are the important dates to know? Big festivals, metaphysical anniversaries, eclipses, comets, etc? (vayra)

Without the sun, moon, or stars, or really any repeating temporal variation, there is no such thing. Sometimes two or three folk will decide its party time, and then that's what happens. 

40. Can I play as many goblins? a Mimic? a literal dragon? (sylvanas_iii)

Maybe, Maybe, Maybe

41. What exactly is a hitpoint anyway? Toughness, luck, skill, or chi? (random_interrupt)

Its chi. Attacking someone with any hitpoints just bounces off their AT field or whatever. Which is why some things only have -HP and some attacks bypass HP

42. What kind of goblins are there in this world? if there aren't any, what's the closest thing? (sylvanas_iii)

Folk are vaguely goblins, but also vaguely kobolds and vaguely bullywugs etc.

43. If I play a priest, do I have any actual political power, or will I get treated like any other dusty knave?  (random_interrupt)

Depends on so many factors the question cannot be answered tidily. 

44. Can I use this class I found on the internet with the same name and concept as one you've provided? (phlox)

No, probably not. I've tried to make things rather flavorful and self-contained. You can suggest revisions to the classes though, I'm very open to those

45. What's the optimal substance to consume before playing this GLoGhack? (and why is it orbs?) (everythings)

Sourpatch kids or other fruity, sour candy.

46. How many classes are on offer? How many of them are magic things? (sylvanas_iii)

Sword-Artist

Strife's Child

Clever Thing

Fool

Relic Seeker

Sorcerer

As I said, they are all magic.

47. Can I play (insert literally any character here)? (sylvanas_iii)

Maybe. Try to change the name though.

48. How much do I have to read? (phlox)

You never have to do anything

49. Will we actually be using the inventory rules, or can I just pretend? (phlox)

Its all pretend

50. Why? (purplecthulu)

Desperate Escapism

51. Whom? (fifth)

Thee

some froggish Folk exploring


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