Character creation

Each Corpus Christie game starts with the refs developing a 'web of plot'. We create secrets, motives for murder, mayhem and other skullduggery, and a number of 'tropes' we would like to see represented in our game, such as 'the flying ace' or 'the femme fatale'. Players submit an expression of interest in the game, along with a list of tropes they would like to play, and we will try and cast appropriately. Once casting is complete, character creation becomes a collaborative process. The players receive their secrets and trope, and then flesh that out into a character with a background (e.g - is your flying ace an aristocratic hotshot? Or a working class girl who disguised herself as a man so she could learn to fly? Is the femme fatale really made of ice or does she have some additional weaknesses?) and send us a name and photo so we can make sure you've been added in fully to the world. 

Stats and Skills

 

We do not have a hard rules system, and the majority of this game will be run based on what is narratively appropriate with minimal challenges. However, under certain circumstances skills may be relevant. Therefore, before game we’d like players to send us up to four skills they think are particular representative of their character (e.g – medicine, law, occult, mathematics, fashion). Feel free to be creative with these – there’s no set list.

Combat Rules

As always, combat may occur. It is our intention that violence in this system is intended to be shocking and scary – this is not a heroic combat system.

There are three types of damage call that you may hear – STAB, BANG, and BOOM.

STAB and BANG both deal a single point of damage. BOOM (which is expected to be rare and indicates something like a hand grenade going off) does two points of damage.

If your character takes a single point of damage, they are considered to be in shock and in pain and can only do simple things until they have received medical attention.

Receiving medical attention will not restore health levels (you have just been shot/stabbed!) but you can act as normal with some cosmetic limitations, such as an arm in a sling or walking with limp or stick.

If your character takes two points of damage, you will be incoherent / screaming in pain - can do nothing except be wounded until you receive medical attention.

Receiving medical attention leaves a character on two points of damage with dramatically limited movement / action but you can interact; you may have sucking chest wound or a slow wound to the guts – it’s painful and debilitating.

Normally characters die either when they choose (if you feel it would be dramatically appropriate) or if a player or if a monster/ ref calls killing blow. The latter can only be done after inflicting 2 levels of damage. As an example, in a ritual of sacrifice - you make your ritual incisions (STAB x 2, to do two levels of damage) and then call killing blow when you cut out the heart.

Poison

 

There may be poisons or drugs available with role playing or mechanical effects, which may be used by some PCs or NPCs. When you are consuming food or drink, please check that there is no artificial colour laid on top. If it does have some obvious food dye, then please tell a ref.

NOTE – the colour is there as an OC marker only. You will not normally see those colours IC. In some cases (for example, your character is doctor/chemist/drug addict) you may have the ability to ‘see’ certain colours to indicate your experience with said poison.