Newsgroups: rec.games.frp,rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: NEW PBeM: Players wanted (long)
From: f00022@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU (M. Shanmugasundaram (F00022@TIGGER.stcloud.msus.edu))
Date: 22 Jul 92 12:14:46 -0600
Reply-To: f00022@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU
Organization: St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN



Welcome to the precipice before a bottomless chasm. . . 
Welcome to the moment of passion before fulfillment or despair. . . 
Welcome to the imagined instant between the release of the guillotine 
               and a fleeting view of pastel sky. . . 

Welcome to THE EDGE. . . 

. . . where things are not as they seem--often enough to clothe the 
	naked truth. 
. . . where Knowledge is Power and power is fatal.
. . . where Fear is a Way of life and a Path to Death. 

INTRODUCTION

I am beginning a PBeM RPG in early September; the nature of the game demands
that player recruitment begin now. While the game is based on one of the
leading systems in the market, it has been radially altered with regard to both
envoronment and mechanics, owing to my dementiae. 

Anyone interested in joining the game should be aware that to begin as
first-generation characters, I will require character resumes by August 7,
1992. These descriptions should not be longer than one page of single spaced
type. I may be lenient, but don't take too many liberties, for both our
sakes. I don't want to waste your time as much as I don't want you to waste
mine. If I accept your character, you will definitely get a chance to expound
on all of your characters virtues and faults. 
                                      
There is currently no player limit for The Edge. If I get swamped, I'll get
selective (I do have a life). 
If I get swamp mud, I'll get selective. I won't settle for low quality 
material just to get players (I have a few locals). 

ALL REPLIES TO THIS POST SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO 

		F00022@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU

WITH "THE EDGE" IN THE SUBJECT HEADER OF THE MESSAGE. 


RUNNING PREEXISTING CHARACTERS (OUTWORLD)

Potential players may choose to run an already developed character or one
generated under my rules and native to my continuum. 
If you choose to run a preexisting character, please take note of the
following:

1)	the system under which your character originated (BTRC), (A)DnD, GURPS,
	HERO, Rolemaster, Shadowrun, Storyteller, _ad infinitum_) is of no
	consequence, except as it has affected your character's development. 

2)	if your character is suffering from any impossible or difficult to 
	handle situation, such as death or godhood, respectively, that is 
	also of no consequence, except as it affects or may affect your 
	character's personality. 

3)	your former character sheet, with all of its characteristics and 
	skill values is of no interest to me. . . what is more useful is 
	a condensed life history of your character, concentrated on memorable 
	moments and events depicting prominent facets of the character's 
	emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual traits (or whatever you 
	feel are important aspects of your character). When I run 
	my game, I would prefer to refer to your past for potential performance 
	rather than some arbitrary numbering system, for which I might need 
	to create elaborate conversion schemes. 

If you would like to run a preexisting character, please email me a one-page
character resume (specifications below). 
Within a week, I'll be able to let you know whether that character is in or 
out of the first-generation running. At that time, I will also provide 
further relevant information regarding play protocols, turnaround time, 
and a request for further specific information on your character. 

RUNNING NATIVE CHARACTERS  (INWORLD)

If you would like to run a character native to my continuum, simply mail me a
request for a character on The Edge. I will provide you with guidelines. 

WHAT IS THE EDGE?

The Edge is a new dementia in role playing. The idea may not be mine, but 
the application is. Do you really know everything you know? Have you though 
about it lately? Have you explored every facet of your character's abilities,
thoughts and dreams? The Edge will help you to define your character more 
clearly than you could simply on your own. It will help you to combine your
character's thoughts with his or her actions. 

Each character on The Edge is an entity with the potential to interact with 
his/her environment and other entities such as themselves. On The Edge, your 
environment is a product of Your imagination. . . rather than me being your 
GameMaster or some other Authority, my primary role is that of an Arbitrator. 
I regret that I must at time take on the role of an Authority, especially when
you might come into conflict with entities who experience existence in the same
manner that you do. . . 
But we wouldn't have a game without at least a few rules, would we? 

For most RPGs interaction is a key element; players on The Edge must focus
on introspection. At The Edge, questions need answers, answers lead to more 
questions, and questions breed questions. The game is intended to be
thought-provoking, with the challenges geared toward psyche rather 
than physique. 


CHARACTER RESUME EXAMPLE: 

The following is an example of what I expect in the way of a character 
resume. Variations are encouraged, but the gist is this: 

1) No character stats--I'll toss your resume on principle. 
2) Keep it short--life histories may be requested later. 
3) Be specific--provide me with names, possessions, details from your past. 
4) Be vivid--unless you intend to play an automaton.
5) Write stylistically--you will be how you write. 
			(I'll do my best to read between the lines)

The sample resume: 

My name is Max. Actually it's not. What kind of fool do you take me for? Don't
even answer that, or I'll kill you deader than dead in more ways that you'll
have time to think about. I didn't get to be Chief Imperial Assassin for
nothing, you know. Just because my predecessor took an extended leave of
absence and I got breveted to the position is no reason to assume I'm any less
capable of performing my duties. And it doesn't matter that I hadn't received
any official targets. The Emperor Nedermaus was a busy man. He didn't have
time to waste with every two-pence bandit in the Empire. That's what I was for.
I had some initiative. . . I led the Dop Squad--the imperial police whose 
primary function was to slay clones of people. There should be only one of 
everybody--its hell on the census otherwise, and besides, you don't need
more than one of any particular troublemaker. 

I used to be a Dop Popper (ok, Imperial Officer). That was my sole function 
(other than being the eyes and ears of the Emperor wherever I went) before I was
promoted. My best kill was a clone of the Heknar, the highest priest to Tran,
the leading deity in the Imperial Pantheon. A blasphemy of the highest order,
no pun intended. But a touch of my Dop Blade and there was vaccuum where 
he used to be. Fantastic weapon, that! Wouldn't give it up for the world--
unless the Emperor told me otherwise, of course. 

And of course the real Heknar didn't understand. He was angry enough to try and
kill me--but right then he needed as much help as he could get for the rescue
mission we were on, so he was obliged to withold. I suspect he may have created
the clone himself, under some misguided belief that he was creating more
servants of Tran. No matter. . . the Emperor's Laws come first. 
No exceptions, no excuses. 

I was the one who implemented the program to confiscate all items which confer 
invisibility on the wielder--any which passed through the gates of the 
imperial city of Ehos, in any case. Of course I have one! You wouldn't deny me,
the only person utterly loyal to the Emperor, equipment which would increase
my efficiency? 

When I became Chief Imperial Assassin, my primary duty became the security of
the Emperor. I was thrilled beyond belief. The one man in the world I admired,
who had joined an entire world into an Empire, _his_ Empire, the Nedermausian 
Empire. . . I was responsible for his well-being. A dream come true, and now
it's a nightmare. I woke up one morning to find the world a gray mist. . . 
everything gone. I could barely feel the land beneath my feet. I don't know 
why I'm alive. I can't seem to find anyone else here. The castle is no 
more. . . the city defenses--I can barely see 10 feet in front of me to 
nothing more than this damnable haze. But if I'm alive, he must be. 
And I can find him. I have my Blade and my Invisibility Ring, and
an odd Spade, an artifact of Water I am strangely drawn to. I have my 
strength, my mind and my soul. . . I must find him. 

========================================================

anyway, that's a brief example of what I'm looking for. 

Please remember, the deadline for submitting a first-generation character is 
August 1, 1992. 



POSTSCRIPT

I just noticed in a gaming catalog, that a new RPG is coming out/has come out,
that is entitled _Over the Edge_. My game system/gaming environment has no
relationship with that one. I provide no challenge to any copyrights/trademarks
that they may hold, nor am I promoting the purchase of that game. 

I am not interested in changing the name of my game at this time. 
I may do so at a later date, if it becomes necessary (I suspect it won't). 

Thanks very much. 
I look forward to hearing from potential players. 

 
Merwin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
M. Shanmugasundaram  	       	 | There are at least two kinds of games. One
Participant: Infinite Game %@	 | could be called finite, the other, infinite.
				 | A finite game is played for the purpose of 
St. Cloud State University	 | winning, an infinite game for the purpose of 
Dept. of Instructional Media	 | continuing the play. . . . There is but one 
f00022@tigger.stcloud.msus.edu	 | infinite game. ---James P. Carse
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp