Modern Soap Opera - Volunteers wanted

[Tonguez]

I want to try an experiment and I need your help!
Anyway the premise is that we create Modern D20 characters to be the cast of a Soap Opera .

The Game has no DM - each Player uses AP to create scenes and to foil other Players Actions (see below). I will act as 'facilitator' making decisions on when and if AP are gained

Rules:
All characters gain Wealth +2 (cause everyone in the soaps is rich)

All Characters should be connected somehow (eg family members, ex-lovers, business associates)

Every Character should have a Secret eg Johan was in jail for murder (but don't tell anyone - excpet me (ie email me your deadly secret ngaiterangi@hotmail.com)

Every Character should have a goal eg Sarah wants to take full control of the company she and her brother PC Bob own (inherited from the parents) but Bob wont allow it

Alleigances = Character Traits (eg Sarah is Ambitious, Manipulating, Rich) would be good 'Soap' traits. PCs gain 1 Action Point if they use their Traits

Taking Actions:
Action Points are used
1 - to begin a scene
2 - to join another PC scene
3 - to foil another PCs action
4- to counter a foil4

Begin a Scene Cost 1 AP
"Sarah sits at her desk on the 8th floor of a high rise office building. Her office is spacious and elegantly decorated".

8 You can begin/join a scene if you are not in a current scene or used your last turn to exit a scene

Join a Scene Cost 1 Ap
Others can now join the scene but may not change the scene
eg there is a call on Sarahs phone "Sarah" says the deep husky voice "its me Johan"...

Foil another PCs actions Cost 1 AP
eg Johan has started the Scene: Johan steps out of the shower and wraps a towel around himself

PC Bob now foils the action with: Not looking where he is stepping Johan slips on the wet floor and falls
-This constitutes an Attack (a trip attempt) and dice are rolled
Hit so Johan falls "and hits his head against the tiled floor

however...

Counter a Foil

Johan is falling but he pays 1 AP and "[/i]Johan quickly throws his hands out cushioning the impact[/i]" Tumble check (Bob can up the Ante and for 1 AP per pip impose a penalty to the check (eg he could use 2 AP and impose a -2 penalty on Johans Tumble check)

If Johan fails his Tumble (and is hurt) Bob gains 1 AP
If the Tumble is successful then "Johan is a little shaken but unhurt"

Gaining AP
Whenever you overtly use a Trait (Aleigance) you gain 1 AP

If you use your background occupation in-game you gain 1 AP

If you HINT at your secret you gain 2 AP

Whenever you successfully foil another Players Action you gain 1 AP

Whenever a Scene you start resolves with a Cliffhanger you gain 1 AP

If you guess another persons secret you gain 4 AP

If you attain your goal you get 4 AP (and +2 Rep)

Dice rolls
I'm sure I can trust you to do your own

SO anyone interested?

DO you think it will work?

Remember NO DM - all players Start Scenes and Foil Actions as they see fit. My job is simply to keep track of your AP gains and your nasty little secret

Its a Soap so do whatever you like - Affairs, Kidnappings, Murder plots, Voodoo cults, elaborate Dream Sequences - they are all valid Soap fodder...

 

[cptg1481]

I want ......in

Hey I love soaps, I wath them with my wife on Soap Net. I am semi-retired so posting is no problem for me.

 

[KitanaVorr]

This sounds like a grand experiment! I'm a little fuzzy on how this will exactly play out but I'm game for a bit of trial and error here!

 

[Desdichado]

I'm in. What do we need to do? Submit character concepts? Full-blown characters?

 

[Tonguez]

I'm in. What do we need to do? Submit character concepts? Full-blown characters?

BACKGROUND

Grandma Elly Mae Templeton-Clampett is the Matriarch of a wealthy Family who have extensive interests in Oil, Banking and Media. Since inheriting the family fortune she has made many canny investments and has shown an ability to keep her finger on the pulse especially when it comes to her Family. However she has finally retired from active management of the Family investments and spends much of her time at home. She has handed management of the Media interest over to her Cousin Jeth Bodine, and is still uncertain as to who will get the control of the Families other interests.

The PCs

You are all somehow connected with the Templeton-Clampett/Bodine Family as Family Members, Spouses (current and ex), Business associates, friends, lovers, personal doctors, spiritual advisors etc etc

Okay post your characters
Here: Rogue Gallery - discuss amongst yourselves how you are linked and ask any questions required.

Remember the Background is intended just as a starter and may have as little or as much influence on proceedings as you choose...

 

[KitanaVorr]

Okay

Here's two character concepts and I can't decide which one I want:

Rei Shimura
Half Japanese/Half American, all lawyer
Beautiful and Sexy (but that's a given, like any soap star can be otherwise) she's manipulative, scheming and will do anything to get what she wants. And what she wants is access to the Templeton-Clampett empire and full control of it. Her law firm represents the family and the corporation, leaving her with much influence. She's sweet as hell to everyone, but underneath lies a viper waiting to pounce. She comes from an old samurai family, and has connections in the US and Japan.

OR

Keiko Matsui
Japanese, engineer
Brilliant and good hearted, Keiko works as the lead scientist at the Templeton-Clampett research center. She's in the midst of working on a huge research project that when completed could skyrocket the T-C finances further into the billions. Shy but good-natured, she is unaware of the evils of the world, only intent on her beloved research. She comes from a very poor family which is supported by her job. All her money goes to them because her mom is to sick to work and her dad must take care of her. She has 5 younger brothers and sisters who all go to school.

 

[Jemal]

I'm assuming this will be mostly roleplaying, but what are character creation guidelines? Level, stats, etc, will affect some things.

I think it'll be a good game. Looking forward to starting a scene with you guys, hehe.

EDIT: BTW, I like the "Beverly hillbilles" references. Gave me some good ideas.

 

[Tonguez]

KitanaVorr

They're both great character concepts and have a good set of hooks for building the 'drama' - so now you need to decide which one to keep (and which one becomes an NPC)

I'm assuming this will be mostly roleplaying, but what are character creation guidelines? Level, stats, etc, will affect some things.

I think it'll be a good game. Looking forward to starting a scene with you guys, hehe.

Yeah lots of Roleplay and 'Skill tests'

Levels - I had considered level 1 (since Soap characters aren't inherently 'powerful' except whern it comes to diplomacy, bluff and similar Charisma test...

We could go level 2 or 3 if you guys think it might be 'more fun' that way HOWEVER starting Action Points at Level 1 (ie 5) and we'll do a 28 point buy

EDIT: BTW, I like the "Beverly hillbilles" references. Gave me some good ideas.

Thanks

 

[Desdichado]

Jonathan Templeton -- Elly Mae's youngest grandson, and a bit of an "outcast" -- he's a teenager with a rebellious spirit who wants nothing to do with the family business. He's got a girlfriend from the Stark family, a local oil rival, and hangs out with "all the wrong people." His mother, Elly Mae's daughter, has been missing and presumed dead since he was a child and his father is unknown, as his mother never married and never revealed the source of her pregnancy.

 

[Jemal]

Michelle Tilfen - 17 y/o female
Nobody quite knows what her connection is, but Ellie-Mae seems to be quite fond of Michelle. She just arrived in town a few weeks ago.

OR

James Crowe - 20 y/o male
James (Jim to his friends) is a cousin of the clampet family, from Canada, and has moved down to here while he goes to business college.