Caleb Jensen

Celestial Sphere: The Fight for the Cosmos in the Age of Pain is an entry to the October 25 Ronnies. The challenge was to write a game using two of the four terms (Cosmos, Fight, Pain, and Sphere) to create a 24 hour RPG. I took the whore-route and combined all four into one game that pretty much wrote itself. Although I think it would be a fun game, there are much better entries you should check out.

You take on the role of a Constilation sent to earth to try and repair the damage done to the Spheres of the Cosmos in a time of chaos.

In the beginning all was as it should be. The Spheres existed in harmony, and the Cosmos was balanced.

Since the beginning of time the Celestial Sphere was where a Hero would find themselves when they fell. From the Mortal Sphere these fallen heroes could still be seen as Constellation, and they provided hope and guidance to the inhabitants of the Mortal Sphere. The Constellations (or Celestials as they called themselves) took pride in their position, and proudly looked down from the heavens, offering assistance and support to those who needed it.

The change started subtly, with mere ripples in the Celestial sphere, subtly warping the distances between places. Those few Celestials who even noticed the change were not believed at first. Others claimed that they had simply gotten lost or that they had been mistaken in their direction, these distortion in the sphere continued and grew larger until no Celestial. these distortions warped the sphere to the point that not all of the Sphere orbited the Mortal Sphere. Tales began circulating of heroes going missing, or becoming eternally lost.

The effects on the Mortal sphere were even greater. Since the two spheres had always been closely bound what effects one inevitably effects the other one. With out the guidance and memories of the Constellations to guide them the mortals began to loose their way. Soon memories began to fade of the legends of old, and magic itself began to disappear from the Sphere.

Before the Celestials had a chance to respond to the situation on the Mortal Sphere or fully comprehend what was occurring on their own Sphere, things took an even more sinister turn. In the newly remote areas of the Celestial Sphere tears and dark holes began to form. In the area around these ‘black holes’ the Celestials started to feel a draining of the very energy that sustained them, the Divine Manna. Those brave heroes who began to investigate the phenomenon disappeared. The first Celestial to return from a chasm, was Vulcan, and he did so heavily wounded, barely clinging to life. When word of a survivor came Celestials from all over the sphere came to see if Vulcan had learned something that could possibly bring an end over the sphere came to see if Vulcan had learned something that could possibly bring an end to their troubles. When asked what he saw the hero responded with one word “pain” and promptly passed away, something which had never happened in the Celestial Sphere before.

It was then that the Chasms erupted with activity and a dark army spilled from the chasms, as though Vulcan’s death had some how summoned them into existence. From the void came drove after drove of beasts and demons of all sizes. These ‘Gorgons’ fell on the assembled Celestials. The battle that ensued was swift and brutal, but in the end the Celestials stood victorious.

The heroes had managed to beat most of the beast back into the darkness, but a few managed to escape, by slipping into the Mortal Sphere and taking the guise of mortals.

The Celestials are aware that these Gorgons are in some way responsible for this new Age, the Age of Pain, and they must now hunt the remaining Gorgon, whither they be in the heavens or the earth. Only by defeating the beast can they ever hope to understand the source of the damage done to both the Mortal and Celestial Spheres. As the greatest heroes of the Mortal realms they are charged with regaining a balance between the spheres, or they are doomed to watch the Age of Pain become the Age of Oblivion…

It’s not long, there are no pictures, it’s not polished. But who has time for all of that. It’s in TXT, but you don’t have time to download a PDF anyways. Spazz is a game that was written in 68 minutes. I wanted to make it in an hour, but the Pressure got to me. No more time to describe. Got things to do.

12:56pm -1:57pm (4:12 with spell check) Sept 25th 25
Spazz:

Spazz is set in a world like our own. Exactly like our own. There is no time. None at all. You can’t relax. You have work to do. People are depending on you. If you mess up then the whole thing is over. Pressure and Strife keep getting in your way. You have Limitations, but you have Ambitions too. And thru it all there is always some one yelling at you. some one who keeps throwing things in your way, some one who controls everything you do. Everything’s a Struggle, and your the Victim.

—————Items needed———————–
Paper
Pens
at least two clocks and /or stop watchs where you can measure seconds
Ten minutes
Two or more people

—————-Atmosphere————————
Here are some ideas to set the mood for a Spazz game:
Get 25 ticking clocks.
Get Strobe lights.
Drink Triple caffeinated coffee
Play Traditional Japanese music played at triple speed, backwards, on repeat.
Get into a life or death situation.
Play in a cramped room or closet.
Have everyone write an RPG in one hour while playing.

————————–Terms——————–
-Yeller: The person who tells you what to do, what other games would call a ‘GM’ or ‘Game Master’.
-Limitations: The piece of paper that tells you what your character can do, what other games would call a ‘Character Sheet’.
-Strife: The thing that stops you from doing what you want. what other games might call a ‘check’.
-Pressure: The amount of time you have to do something, what other games might call a ’round’.
-Struggle: The events that happen that keep you from achieving your goals; what other games might call a ‘Story’
-Ambition: The thing you are trying to do; what other games would call a ‘goal.’
-Qualification: The thing you can do. What other games might call a ‘skill’

————————-Roles———————-
-Yeller: The person that tells you everything that is happening to the victim.
-Victim: the person who is trying to get something done

———————–The Pressure———————————
The Pressure is the amount of time you have in order to do something. The Pressure is counted in seconds.

———————-Starting a Struggle—————————
Wait ten seconds, then everyone yells “not it” the person who yells “not it” first is the Yeller. Everyone else is the victim.
can’t agree who was first? start over.

———————-Limitation Creation—————————
Pressure to create Limitations: 45
-Each Victim gets a piece of paper. Is it crumpled up? If yes, the victim better find another sheet of paper quick.
-Each Victim gets a pen. If the Victim only brought a pencil, they had better find a pen quick.
-Each Victim writes the Victim’s name on the paper. Did the Victim put the Character’s name in the upper left hand
corner? If so crumple the paper up and start again.
-Each Victim makes a list of things the Victim is good at. Are there less then 5 skills? If so crumple the Character up and start again. These are the victim’s Qualifications.
-Each Victim puts a number next to each Qualification. Do any of the numbers come to more then 5? If so crumple the sheet up and start over.
-Add all the numbers on all of the Victims’s limitations. Does the total number come to more then 32? If yes then crumple the Character up and then start over.
-Show the Yeller the Victims Limitations. Does it make sense? If not start over.
-Did you complete the Task in the Pressure? No? Start over.

———————–The Struggle——————————–
Pressure: 6
The Victim calls out an Ambition. Then the Victim starts to explain what he would do to get to achieve the Ambition. The Yeller may tell the Victim what situations the Victim would encounter if they did the things the Victim describes. If any of these things would stop a Victim from obtaining their goal a Strife has started (see below). Continue this process until the Ambition is achieved. If the Pressure is over, so is the game. I’d say start over but no one should have time for more then a ten minute game.

————————–Strife————————————
To resolve a Strife follow these steps:
1) The victim tells the Yeller what qualifications that are on the Victim’s Limitations that would help the Victim over come the Strife. If the Yeller agrees with the Victim then proceed to step two, if not then the Victim has ten seconds to explain why the Qualification would help. If the Yeller still doesn’t agree then start step one over. If the Victim has no Qualifications that would help, then you must put an X on the Victims Limitations and proceed to Step 6.
2)Yeller yells out a term and a number. This number should be less ten four.
3) The Number next to the Qualification is now the Pressure.
4)The Victim then call out a number of words that are related to word called out by the Yeller equal to the number the Yeller yelled.
5) Did more seconds pass by then the Pressure? If so put an X on the Victims.
6) Are there more then 3 X’s on the Limitations? If yes, the game is over, start over.
7) Continue on with the Struggle where you left off.

——————–The Ambition———————————–
Did the victim achieve the Ambition? If yes, good for them, they have completed a menial and pointless task. Want a reward? No time. You have millions of other tasks to do. Have you go t a stable relationship? no? Get a girlfriend. Is it time for work? Yes? Go to work. Got a job? No? get one. Going to school? Do your homework. Have you done your taxes? Do them. Come one, get going! I don’t have enough time to tell you what to do with the rest of your life. Go away!… OK you can add a total of three to your Qualification, and if everyone agrees you can use the limitations next time you play the game. Like you have time to play the game again. The Pressure is on!