capriciouswench (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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rpads2013-06-25 01:25 pm
capriciouswench) wrote in rpads2013-06-25 01:25 pm
The Peculiar Dungeons of Kaalifi: A Pan-Fandom DnD-style RP
The bartender waves you over. You're not sure how you got in the tavern; your mind is in a most unsettling haze, and the space surrounding the heavy door behind you smells strongly of ozone. You decide that the amicable-looking fellow behind the counter is probably the most recognizable figure in this dimly-lit room, and the fact that he's picked you out from the rumbling crowd is both reassuring and slightly puzzling. You find yourself stumbling towards the counter.
He speaks:
"Evening, traveler, and many salutations from the Capricious Hag Inn and Tavern! You're a new face around here; is there anything I can help you with? A room to rest your heels, a stable to water your mount, some drinks for your party or your liege...? Hmm. No, I suppose none of those. I would fathom, from your befuddled expression and your unusual garb, that you're looking for more intangible goods. Well then you've come to the right place still, my friend. Take a seat--have some ambrosia, on the house--and let me spin you a tale.
"Let me be the first to warmly welcome you to the land of Kaalifi. I was once a foreigner here myself, believe it or not, pulled from my world as you were and dumped in the stinking mud of lesser-district Lore. Never you mind how I know that you're from a different universe--let's just say that it's my job to locate the out-of-place, and I've noticed something of a trend in this land, which started long before my arrival.
"I doubt you had the time or spontaneous insight to recognize the inter-dimensional portal that brought you here. The ones that bring specific people tend to dissipate quickly, perhaps reappearing later to bring others from your world, though not always from the same time or place. Other, more complex portals seem to unveil entire pocket dimensions, massive dungeons with creatures exclusive to their relatively tiny universe, never seeming to stay consistent in layout or content. It seems reasonable to assume that they, too, fizzle out eventually, or that there exists some way to close them even temporarily, but I've yet to observe such an event for myself. As it stands, these portals are quickly beginning to take over the continent; and, based on my mediocre understanding of how such energetic temporal anomalies affect space-time in the third dimension, if we let them continue as-is, this whole world will become nothing more than a shredded mess--and us with it.
"Now I don't know about you, but if the prospect of being stuck in a foreign universe with no food, money, or shelter to call your own wasn't motivation enough for finding a way out of here, I would say the imminent destruction of reality itself would suffice. No, no, sit back down, no use running out there and throwing yourself at the problem just yet. Remember the part where you're at a complete loss as to where you are, and without any money or supplies to boot? You won't survive long if you can't cope with the locals. I'll admit, getting to know how Kaalifi runs can be trying, and some of us adapt quicker to its creatures and customs faster than others. It was also part of my job to blend in with with worlds I visited, so that's not so much a problem for me. But others...well, it's not always such a bad thing for them. You may have noticed, amongst the rustic charm of Lore Hold, the gas lanterns? The chain-laden guards equipped with both swords and flashlights? Based on your time, you may have picked up on other abnormalities that I wouldn't pay mind to, but rest assured they exist, thanks to our unwilling time-traveling compatriots. Of course, Lore is a predominantly human settlement, where such changes can be accepted; the older, more traditional races--the elves, orcs, dwarves, the like--would never be so accommodating. It would be in your best interest to get to know how they function, since you'll be working with a lot of them to make a living and get information.
"I'm sure you have a lot more questions, but I am not an encyclopedia of Kaalifi and I can't tell you everything there is to know about it. Some things you'll have to discover for yourself, and hopefully you'll come back and let everyone else know what you've learned. In the meanwhile, I can direct you to others like you and me that have taken the time to specialize in their crafts and can, hopefully, fill in whatever I've missed."
You consider your options.
- Take a look around, for a moment...
- Read the laws of the land
- "What are these dungeons? What happens when I explore them?"
- "What are guilds and what do they do?"
- "Who runs this place?"
- "What sorts of creatures live here?"
- Inspect the local map.
- "What happens when I get in a fight?"
- "I don't think I've formally introduced myself..."
- Check the notice board for previously asked questions
He speaks:
"Evening, traveler, and many salutations from the Capricious Hag Inn and Tavern! You're a new face around here; is there anything I can help you with? A room to rest your heels, a stable to water your mount, some drinks for your party or your liege...? Hmm. No, I suppose none of those. I would fathom, from your befuddled expression and your unusual garb, that you're looking for more intangible goods. Well then you've come to the right place still, my friend. Take a seat--have some ambrosia, on the house--and let me spin you a tale.
"Let me be the first to warmly welcome you to the land of Kaalifi. I was once a foreigner here myself, believe it or not, pulled from my world as you were and dumped in the stinking mud of lesser-district Lore. Never you mind how I know that you're from a different universe--let's just say that it's my job to locate the out-of-place, and I've noticed something of a trend in this land, which started long before my arrival.
"I doubt you had the time or spontaneous insight to recognize the inter-dimensional portal that brought you here. The ones that bring specific people tend to dissipate quickly, perhaps reappearing later to bring others from your world, though not always from the same time or place. Other, more complex portals seem to unveil entire pocket dimensions, massive dungeons with creatures exclusive to their relatively tiny universe, never seeming to stay consistent in layout or content. It seems reasonable to assume that they, too, fizzle out eventually, or that there exists some way to close them even temporarily, but I've yet to observe such an event for myself. As it stands, these portals are quickly beginning to take over the continent; and, based on my mediocre understanding of how such energetic temporal anomalies affect space-time in the third dimension, if we let them continue as-is, this whole world will become nothing more than a shredded mess--and us with it.
"Now I don't know about you, but if the prospect of being stuck in a foreign universe with no food, money, or shelter to call your own wasn't motivation enough for finding a way out of here, I would say the imminent destruction of reality itself would suffice. No, no, sit back down, no use running out there and throwing yourself at the problem just yet. Remember the part where you're at a complete loss as to where you are, and without any money or supplies to boot? You won't survive long if you can't cope with the locals. I'll admit, getting to know how Kaalifi runs can be trying, and some of us adapt quicker to its creatures and customs faster than others. It was also part of my job to blend in with with worlds I visited, so that's not so much a problem for me. But others...well, it's not always such a bad thing for them. You may have noticed, amongst the rustic charm of Lore Hold, the gas lanterns? The chain-laden guards equipped with both swords and flashlights? Based on your time, you may have picked up on other abnormalities that I wouldn't pay mind to, but rest assured they exist, thanks to our unwilling time-traveling compatriots. Of course, Lore is a predominantly human settlement, where such changes can be accepted; the older, more traditional races--the elves, orcs, dwarves, the like--would never be so accommodating. It would be in your best interest to get to know how they function, since you'll be working with a lot of them to make a living and get information.
"I'm sure you have a lot more questions, but I am not an encyclopedia of Kaalifi and I can't tell you everything there is to know about it. Some things you'll have to discover for yourself, and hopefully you'll come back and let everyone else know what you've learned. In the meanwhile, I can direct you to others like you and me that have taken the time to specialize in their crafts and can, hopefully, fill in whatever I've missed."
You consider your options.
- Take a look around, for a moment...
- Read the laws of the land
- "What are these dungeons? What happens when I explore them?"
- "What are guilds and what do they do?"
- "Who runs this place?"
- "What sorts of creatures live here?"
- Inspect the local map.
- "What happens when I get in a fight?"
- "I don't think I've formally introduced myself..."
- Check the notice board for previously asked questions