Before Absolute Gold, Demo Basic Rules

Alpha Diop August 12, 2011

This document is a basic explanation of the rules of the Before Absolute Gold RPG System Demo. It contains all the rules that you should know if you are to participate as a player, rules for creating missions, campaigns and adventures will be handled in a separate document. First we will discuss the general setting of the BAG RPG System, the world of Before Absolute Gold. Then we will discuss what makes a character, how to create one, and the basic options available to it. And then we will discuss the rules that enable to interact during with the world of the game. consciousness and existence, the elemental. The elemental ow from nature and power life all around the planet. Several factions and sub-factions exist in this world with their lifestyle based around the types of elemental for which they have more anity. Those factions have the power to change the fate of humanity or the fate of reality itself!

For this demo, characters will be pre-generated after discussion with all participants over what kind of characters they want to play. So this document will not actually present options that can be used to develop a character. And now, lets get on with it!!

The World

1.1

The Elemental

The world of this system is based on the Before Absolute Gold universe, it is a world where humanity is still linked to the energy that is behind 1

There is several types of elemental, quite possibly an innity, however there is 5 grand types that encompass all other types of elementals.

Those are: Power , Logic , Order , ward conicts and devastations. Life , and Chaos . Here is a very short description Those elementals can be di- of some major faction (the name are vided into sub-elementals that dene temporary): smaller , more dened elementals like Fire Boyz: A faction worshipthe elemental of Joy, or the elemenping The Greastest, the greattal of Rage. Most importantly, eleest warrior in the history of the mentals can be channeled through the faction that sacried itself to emotions of sentient beings and used save it from annihilation at the to power spells or aect other peoples hand of Atlantis. Very conemotions. nected with the elemental of Chaos, the Fire Boyz are a fac1.2 The Factions tion focused on a brutal and ery style. There is 12 factions, each focused on a combinations of two types of elementals. This combination dene their values, their type of society , and their capabilities. Each faction has one Global Idealism, an absolute goal that justify their existence and that motivate them toward absolute domination! Among those 12 factions, 2 stand apart, the Fire Boyz and Atlantis. Deep into a mortal rivalry, those 2 factions will move other factions to Atlantis: A faction of that mastered the technological use of the elemental. Their bodies being extremely weak, they had to develop their technology very early to survive, creating the best power armors known. Being able to breath underwater, all their technology is focused on water, including their power armors.

cus on warfare and beauty. Long ago they unleashed upon the world an enchantment that would enforce a set of rules created by the faction. Those rules are said to preserve the status quo, but most believe it is a clever attempt by the faction to police the world. This faction posses the most beautiful but dedicated soldiers. Nature Seekers: A faction focused on the respect of nature, members of this faction live in harmony with nature, from the nomad desert dwellers mastery the elemental of Chaos to the proud and erce giants dwelling in the world jungles, this faction has a deep link to nature that should never be underestimated.

Your Character

Your character like all humans in the Honor Soldiers: A faction fo- world of Before Absolute Gold be2

longs to a faction. He can use the 2.1 The Statistics elemental like any other human but his level of mastery of it depends on Your character will be composed of characteristics that dene his basic its career or way of life. aptitudes. There is 5 physical atIn this game, characters can have tributes and 5 elemental attributes. up to 10 levels (thinking about reducing it to 5, Good/Bad Idea?), the levels represent the level of experience your character has of life, all characters start at level 1, they have already experienced some stus in life but are still looking forward. In this game, levels are just a way to scale the learning of your Way, your Way being the path to power your character has chosen. For example, your character could have chosen to become a DjinnSpeaker, someone who listen to malignious spirits that can tell him the future, or become a GodBreed, a special bloodline of humans with appearance and powers that look divine. As you level, you go through events that makes you a better DjinnSpeaker or GodBreed for example. The 5 physical attributes are: Strength: The physical aptitude of your character. Dexterity: The agility and capacity to react of your character. Intelligence: The mental capacities of your character to analyze and calculate.

Power: The anity with elementals related to the Power elemental. Logic: The anity with elementals related to the Logic elemental. Order: The anity with elementals related to the Order elemental. Life: The anity with elementals related to the Life elemental. Chaos: The anity with elementals related to the Chaos elemental.

The value for each of those at Wisdom: The common sense and mental stability of your tributes would be between 0 and 10. A score of 5 in each of those indicate a character. basic human aptitude. You have 30 Charisma: The ability of your points that you can distribute character to interact with oth- among the physical attributes, and 30 points you can distribute ers, to charm, and convince. among the elemental attributes. The 5 elemental attributes No attributes might be smaller are: than 3 or higher than 10 at the 3

end of this process.

are eects that activate when an el- out of your 3 Trait slots per character. emental is used near the character. Traits are a set of eects that are After you have selected your el- Those eects can give you combat, so- critical to your character. emental scores, the highest elemen- cial, or political bonuses (or maluses). The Energy Table tell how much tal score dene your Elemental Type. Energy your character receive at each For example, if Chaos and Order are Psyche also have Vanquishs, those time frame. This Energy is used to your highest elemental scores your El- eects activate when an elemental to do mostly movements and other sets emental Type is Chaos Order, or Or- which your character respond badly of actions. der Chaos. is used near the character. Those eects are most of time maluses, and make you unable to use elemental 2.2 Psyche for an action frame indicated by the 3 The Game Set Once you have your stats ready all Vanquish. you have to do is select your Psyche. A Psyche also give you elemental The game is played through the inYour Psyche represent the men- (literally). Those points can be used teraction of your character in a game tality you have. Your character can to cast spells or elemental-related set. A game is composed of locause the elemental through his state abilities. A table indicate how much tions, those locations exist at dierof spirit, but also the elemental can elemental and of what type you get ent scales, time passes in the game aect other people around your char- each time frame. through time frames. Your character, if you use a Power ability the acter evolve through all those locacold atmosphere it will create will tions and interact with other char2.3 The Way make people uneasy. acters in order to complete missions. The Way dene the path to power of Through the completion of Missions The Psyche represent how your your character. It gives your charac- your character gains Victory Points, character state of mind is aected by ter two very important things: Traits those points can be used to level and Energy Table. elemental. across dierent path of advancement When you select a Way, you gain (only The Way advancement path is Each Psyche has Triggers, those a free Trait, this Trait do not ll a slot available in this demo). 4

3.1

Space & Time

The management of space and time in this game is very dierent from what is usually done in most RPGs. 3.1.1 Space

Long Range: distance between objects or locations that are far, some real eorts need to be made for you to close the distance.

Armageddon Stage: A stage for events tting worldwide affairs. A Close range at this stage would be the distance between two cities.

Space is represented through distance, things exist through a distance to something else. The unit used to dene the distance between things is Range, there are dierent type of ranges: Touch Range: distance between objects or locations in the immediate vicinity. Things that are at arms reach. Close Range: distance between objects or locations at a short distance of you. Can be accessed through a short run or short jump. Medium Range: distance between objects or locations that are kinda far, you need a run for example to close the distance.

Those 3 stages are separated to Extended Range: distance between objects or locations that each other. Movements that apply in one stage do not apply in the othare very far, sniper distance. ers, in general. For example a jump Most of the time you will only that enable you to cross a Close range have to deal with the 3 rst ranges. distance at the Tactical stage could not make you cross the distance beNow there is a twist to this range tween the two cities at the Armagedthing! Those ranges can be applied don Stage. at 3 dierent stages: 3.1.2 Movement Tactical Stage: the stage of ev- Movements are what enable you to erydays life. Contains loca- move through the stages, between lotions like your dinner table, or cations. Movements are dened by a barrel, to which you can roll, many things: to take cover, of course! the Stage at which it applies: Mobilization Stage: The stage Tactical, Mobilization, or Arfor a city, where locations can mageddon. be a tavern, a building, ect... The stage at which events like the Target Range: the range at a urban war, or the battle bewhich the target location must tween two armies. be. For example the movement 5

could be able to target locations stand is a location. in Close Range. A location can be static or dy the Potency of the movement: namic. determine the possibility of the A static location represent a location movement succeeding. that is immobile in nature. Eects: Here is indicated the A dynamic location is a location that dierent eects the movement is mobile in nature, and that can react to other movements targeting it, apply when executed. with a movement that must target the Medium: The medium by triggering character location and with which the movement can go an energy cost equal or less than the cost of the triggering movement. through. To execute a movement you must roll a d10 as a movement check, your check must be equal or lower than the movement Potency, if your check succeed, then the eects are applied. As a side note, some locations might give bonuses or maluses to certain types of movement. The space of the game is divided between locations. Everything can be a location, for example the place where a character stand is a location, the barrel where it could take cover is a location, the place where the villain An important keyword a Movement can have is Advance. Movements with this keyword in their effect get you closer to the target over time, then if you fail a movement check with the Advance keyword, your next movement check with the same target as the Advance movement get a -1 malus (which can be considered a bonus since you have to roll lower than a target number) for each Advance movement you have tried to execute before with the same target.

Example: you use Walk, a potency 1 movement with the Advance keyword to get to a Close Range location. You roll a d10 and get a 5, the movement fails, when you attempt to Walk again to the same Close Range location, since Walk has the Advance keyword, you get a -1 bonus to the check. You roll your d10 and get 8 - 1 = 7, the movement fails agains. Now you feel tired of walking, you use Run a potency 3 movement. You roll a d10 and since you used 2 movements with Advance before and the same target, you get a -2 bonus to the roll. You get 5 - 2 = 3, the movement is executed and you get to the targeted location, HAPPY DAYS!!! I will explain in detail the goal of this abstraction of space in a later document! 3.1.3 Time

The management of time is also particular. Time is divided in Frames. A frame represent an abstraction of a certain amount of time that elapsed.

Here are the dierent time frames used: Fast Frame: Abstract events that occur at a pace that surpass human reaction-time. A good example would be the time frame surrounding a bullet or a thunderbolt travel. Essantially used at the Tactical Stage. Standard Frame: The most used time frame, abstract events that occurs well within human reaction-time. Mostly used at the Tactical Stage. Short Frame: Surround events that takes some time, but not that much, like searching a room for something, or preparing the casting of a spell. Used at the Tactical Stage and the Mobilization Stage. Long Frame: Surround events that do takes some noticeable amount of time, like the wait for reinforcement , or the casting of

a potent spell. Used essentially Now the important thing to conat the Mobilization Stage. sider is how this time management interfere with gameplay. Pretty much Extended Frame: Abstract the way time pass in the game is events that takes an important through resolving the fastest time amount of time, like resting or frame (the Fast Frame) to the longest waiting some days for a cour- time frame (the Legendary Frame). sier. Used mostly at the Mobi- To resolve a time frame, you let everylization Stage and Armageddon one that want to do an Action of the Stage. corresponding Time frame, until no Sustained Frame: The most character has anymore action to do, used time frame at the Ar- then we get to the time frame above mageddon stage, surround ac- it. If no character wants to do an actions that are sustained over tion at this time frame, the option to long period of time, like days or go to a lower time frame is open, if no character want to do it then the months. we get to an higher time frame. Now Legendary Frame: This time I know it sound damn complicated! frame handle everything that is So here is an example: deemed too long to t in the So we start at the Fast Frame, the Sustained Frame, it could be the preparation of a plan by an characters are facing a bad guy! The entire generation of your clan, characters have no Fast Actions they or the time spent injustly held can do, the bad guy has a Fast Action in an spell bubble by a cor- that give him a bonus to defenses, so rupt wizard (Im looking at you he does it. Nobody want to respond Stephen, when is my charac- with a Fast Action that would follow ter going to be released from the bad guys Fast Action. prison??). 7

Now, the option to resolve this Fast Action frame and go to any higher time frame is open. Any character can veto this option by doing an action of any smaller or equal time frame. In this case, no character want to. The player characters want to do Standard Actions, where the bad guy want to do a Short Action. Since a Standard Action is faster than a Short Action, we resolve a Standard Frame. Now that we are in the Standard Frame, the players characters can do Standard Actions, they can decide the order the actions will be executed among them. However, an opposing party, the bad guy, wants to cast a Standard Action rst, in this case, if there is opposition, what decide the order is the Dexterity of the character doing the action, if the Dexterity are the same, Intelligence is used instead, if they are also the same, the player character gains priority.

acters can add more actions of the corresponding time frame as long as they can pay for it. Once no characters want to cast any more Standard Actions, they have the choice of casting actions of a lower Time Frame (which would be the Fast Frame) or of the same time frame (the Standard Frame). The fastest time frame wins and get to have a new frame of its time resolved. So pretty much we resolve the fastest time frame and go up, most of the time the action will be centered around the Standard Frame at the Tactical Stage. However even at this stage someone could want to cast an Extended Action that would enable the character to rest and heal back to full. In this case, the character has to wait until nobody want to cast any actions of the lower Time Frame, and that the Resolution come to the Extended Frame.

time frame has passed in the game time. For example, the resolution of a Standard Frame with multiple Standard Actions means that one Short Frame time happened in the game, this is important for the recording of the time that has passed in the game. This system is still being worked with as you can see. Which is one of the goals of this test to see if it can actually works in practice. Also another nuance is that at the start of the resolution of a Time Frame, resources that are used to pay for the use of movements or abilities are refreshed to enable them to be used again.

3.1.4

Energy and Elemental

Your movement and abilities are powered by spending Energy and Elemental. Those are provided at the An important nuance is that the beginning of each time frame, the exSo once the order of actions is de- end of the resolution of a time frame act amount awarded depending on cided, the actions are resolved. Char- means that one unit of the higher your Way for your Energy (through 8

an Energy Table), and on your Psyche for your Elemental (through an Elemental Table). Its likely that when you run out of both you will have to wait until we the Resolution gets to another time frame. 3.1.5 Recap

To summarize this section on space and time, you have dierent scales in which both Space and Time are divided. You can do Actions only of the specied Stage or Time Frame, only at the specied Stage or Time Frame. A Tactical Standard movement can only be used at the Tactical Stage, during a Standard Frame, as a Standard Action. In will go in more detail about the goal of those two abstractions of Space & Time in another document.

World Interaction

As a human being there is some basic actions your character are expected

to be able to do, like walk, and talk. 4.1 Interaction Here we will discuss the dierenct 4.1.1 Interacting with NPCs actions you can use to interact with your environment. NPCs exposes interaction actions. This action will most of the time An important concept to under- be named Interact, be can be dierstand the way interaction works with ent and there can be multiple ones. this system is that of Interface. The exposed action will tell its Time Pretty much, you make other game frame. When you choose to do the acelements expose actions that you can tion, the GM will tell you what hapuse on them instead of You having pens depending on the text written the actions on your character. So you on the action section on the characdont have an action to talk to people, ter sheet. This will most of the time but people expose to you actions that nish with an eect being applied, for example you can gain a bonus to an you can use to interact with them. Elemental Score, or a Resource (the How do you interact? You simply concept of Resource will be discussed have to make a check of your choice. later). An interacting action can It can be a Strength check, where only have its mechanical eects you would try to act strong in front be applied once! You can use the of the character to push it to allow Interact action again, and have the you talk to it, an Intelligence check, action be applied again in the story, an Chaos check, or even through the but its eects wont be applied again use a skill check like an Engineering unless noted otherwise. check (Skills will be discussed in the options document). Depending on 4.1.2 Interacting with Objects the result of the check, the actions exposed will be dierent. Objects will also expose actions that can be done on them or using them. 9

For example a spear can expose an ple Rest, but of course you are then action that enable you to throw it to less likely to nish with a dagger a Medium range target. near your throat during your sleep (so yes, you are strongly encouraged to use Watch & Rest, you have been 4.2 Your Actions warned)! Still as a character you have some actions that you yourself can do. Those actions are the basic ones needed, like 5 This is only the BaWalk, Run, Jump, Rest, and many sics more that I will realize are needed after your feedback! Those movement and abilities will be detailed in the There is a lot more to this system, esoptions document that will be made pecially when it comes to interaction with NPC, however this will be left later. for another time as here is all you are likely to need! The system is made 4.2.1 Group Actions such that you can truly have any kind Some action target your Group. As of adventure with it. You can have a party, you and your fellow players warfare with squadsat the Mobilizacharacters can for the Story Squad, tion Stage, you can have a espionnage a game element that exist at all 3 and inltration at the Tactical level, Stages. This game element can be and you can have a caster ght of targeted by actions, for example a epic proportions at the Armageddon Long Action named Watch & Rest Stage. will have your group use a watch rotation system to ensure you will not Also this being the basic set of be caught while sleeping, You will rules, there is also an advanced set of recover less than if you did a sim- rules that is in preparation that will 10

make interaction with NPCs more complex and interesting. Now what you need to do if you want to particpate to the rst demo of the system is to think of a character concept you would like to play, to tell me any information you would need to be claried, and to think of a medium that we could use to host this rst demo play (Skype, or a Facebook page all seems like valid choices). For the characters, you can come up with any concept you want, fantasy, futuristic, or modern, I will do my best to incorporate it inside a Faction and make it t in the setting. Also I need you to think about the psyche you would want for this character, especially when interacting with others, what advantages (political, martial, or elemental) does this character and this attitude gives to your character. This is important as it will help me make the rst Psyche. As soon as everyone send me

those details about the character they options that enable the construction would like to play, I will create some of such character and maybe more.

Godspeed!

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