this post was submitted on 15 May 2025
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Every Post is an RPG

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Each separate post is a whole RPG world to itself. Consider each thread like a one-shot RPG. Post a premise, some (preferably quick) rules and supply a prompt and then play! Experiment with weird, quirky, non-traditional RPG designs, do freeform and crazy non-sequitur improv. But above all else: HAVE FUN!

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SAVE THE COSMOS, GET THE GIRL, BE A ROBOT WITH A SUPERIORITY COMPLEX DISCOVER STRANGE NEW LIFE AND MEET OR EAT IT. WELCOME TO: GALACTIC FLEET!

Okay, since the John is Possessed game didn't end up gaining traction, let's do a game of Laser's and Feelings. It's a one-page space rpg by John Harper. We'll keep it fast and loose, and base this one the tone of Galaxy Quest/Star Trek/The Orville etc.

  • Choose a Style for Your Character: Alien, Android, Dangerous, Heroic, Hot Shot, Intrepid or Savy.

  • Choose a Role for Your Character: Doctor, Envoy, Explorer, Engineer, Pilot, Scientist, or Soldier.

  • Choose Your Number, from 2 to 5: A high number means you're better at LASERS (Technology; Science; Cold rationality; calm, precise action). A low number means you're better at FEELINGS (Intuition; Diplomacy; Seduction; wild, passionate action).

  • Give Your Character a Cool Space Name Like Dirk Fark-hopper or Something:

  • In Your Inventory: You have consortium uniform (with built-in vac-suit for space walks) a SUPER-SWEET-space-phone-communicator-thing (with built in translator), a variable-beam phase pistol (set to stun, of course...usually).

  • Pick a character Goal: Become Captain, Meet New Aliens, Shoot Bad Guys, Find New Worlds, Solve Weird Space Mysteries, Prove Yourself, or Keep Being Awesome.

  • You have a ship: The Technicolor Nebulae, it's Well-Armed, with a Cloaking Device, only it has Horrible Circuit-Breakers.

STORY:

ALIEN BRAIN WORMS WANT TO EMPOWER THEIR GIANT DEATH RAY WHICH WILL DESTROY AN ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM!!!

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[–] wolfinthewoods@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

ALIEN BRAIN WORMS WANT TO POWER THEIR GIANT DEATH RAY WHICH WILL DESTROY AN ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM!!!

In the remote system of Arcturros 7 madness has ravaged Galactic Fleet's flagship, The Technicolor Nebula, as a routine mission reaches a fever pitch of dire stakes!

The Captain, one Benjamin T. Darcy, once the most valiant man in Galactic Fleet, has been taken over by a ruthless ALIEN MIND WORM, hellbent on utilizing the ship's reality-bending dwarf-star drive, to annihilate an entire solar system. Namely: OURS!

[THE BRIDGE](Scene 1)

The four of you have been called to the bridge by the captain.

For the last week the captain has behaved erratically.

As you stand before him, he has now declared that, "I, Qazix Aqturi, am now in control of this ship, and all will bow down now before the Uzixxi Empire! Once I find the first officer of this ship, together we will use our overrides to turn this ship into a amplifier for our ultimate weapon!

He quickly flees the bridge, shoots the command console as he does, and directs three obviously worm infested redshirts to stand guard over the four of you. Their glazed-over eyes regard you with imminent threat, weapons held at ready...

The smoldering console has rendered your communicators temporarily useless, as evidenced by the sputtering, interiment crackles over yours comms.

Between the four of you and the three brain-drained redshirts, lies the Captain's and first officer's control station, and in front of that, the long boomerang of a desk that resides the controls for the helmsman and the support crew.

The four of you stand between these, which could be used as cover in a pinch.

Until the command console is repaired the comms will not work. And you have no way until then of warning the first officer...

The first officer was last seen in engineering, if the captain...er Qazix gets to him, Qazix will be able to override the ship's drive core with the first officer's key, and complete his nefarious plan.

Sections of the ship can be sealed off, but will only temporarily halt the Captain's advance.

The ship's circuit breakers are horrible, but could be used to your advantage...if one has the skill and the enemy is in a particular area, they just as easily might fry you too....

The Laser's and Feelings sheet linked above has a map of the ship, engineering is the last light blue half-circle in the middle of the back of the ship, this is Qazix' destination.

Don't worry about using a roller to show me what you roll, it just slows things down. I'll trust you guys, if you cheat the gods will know...

Use whatever way you want to roll a d6 and just tell me what mechanic you use (lasers/feelings) followed by what, if any bonuses you should get (+1 for expert/ +1 for prepared) and what your final roll is. I'll narrate your success/failure from there.

Lasers is roll under your number, and feelings you roll over your number. If you think you should automatically succeed, state why you should and I'll make a judgement whether or not you can.

Get creative, screw around, maybe I'll kick you a bonus for something silly, like I dunno, chewing quantum bubblegum which renders you a quantum phantom temporarily able to see hidden locations in the ship from quantum spacetime, or you do something that brings you closer to your goals...have fun and be wacky, who knows how it might help you?

[–] madjo@feddit.nl 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Kidd looks at one of the red shirts. “Maxwell?! Oh man, he owed me money!” Kidd takes out his pistol, still set to stun, crouches behind one of the seats on the bridge and tries to shoot at the red shirt formerly known as Maxwell to try and stun him.

I’m an expert at shooting but I wasn’t prepared for this stand off. I rolled a 2 and a 5.
I think this is feelings? I’m laser 4. So it’s a small success?

[–] wolfinthewoods@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago

You shield your eyes from Danzer's phaser discharge, and notice one of the redshirts is noticeably dazed after you reopen your eyes. Your comrade Hammer leaps over the Captain's chair in a blue, and brings a furious fist down up on the middle crew mate, crumpling him to the ground. Meanwhile, the redshirt on the right is distracted from the ordeal, not noticing you when you take your shot. Not ready to take the shot, you take aim unsteadily and shoot wide of the man's torso, hitting him in the shoulder, due to your haste, the phaser overloads momentarily, causing you to drop your phaser on the floor. The man's eyes narrow at you as he runs towards the back of the Captain's chair, he jumps over while firing his phaser at you...

Each time a scene is resolved, I'll make a new scene post to keep things clean and coherent. Each scene will be numbered for ease of tracking them. I've made a new scene post, so respond to that post with your new action. Once more, if you want to respond to your teammates, respond to their individual posts, but for your action in the scene (even if related to what you and your teammates decide) respond to the scene post. This keep things manageable for me, and for you guys too ;)

[–] wolfinthewoods@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

Okay, internet issue seems to mostly be resolved at home, but either way I can post in town throughout the week if I need to. Second scene is up and ready for actions ;)

[–] codexarcanum@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

(Part of me wants to run after the Captain immediately, trusting the rest of the crew to handle an even fight against the worms, but I'm not clear if that's possible, and it might be seen as Un-Heroic. So.....)

Cory Hammer glances after the fleeing, possessed captain for a moment before focusing his attention on the involuntarily mutinous redshirts blocking his way. "Donovan, you're about to regret turning down all my offers to spar!" Cory, never one for crass gunplay unless strictly necessary, crosses the short distance in a blink, aiming a powerful overhead strike at the worm-thrall!

As a soldier, I'm an expert in punching aliens. I'm also going to claim preparedness on the grounds that both 1) Cory loves to meet new aliens and 2) He is always prepared to "drop the Hammer!" That's a Feelings, so >4: 3, 5, 4. So if you accept the 3d6 that's a regular success with lazer feelings. If you reject my preparedness to drop the hammer (never! never doubt my preparedness to drop the hammer!) then it's a minor success without lazers.

[–] wolfinthewoods@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

After you shield your eyes from Danzer's phaser discharge, you notice one of the redshirts is obviously blinded. You take a flying leap over the Captain's chair and pummel the man in the middle attending to the blinded crew mate, he's a slight man, and his form goes limp as you bring your fist in a devastating blow across his forehead, bringing him down to the ground HARD.

Each time a scene is resolved, I'll make a new scene post to keep things clean and coherent. Each scene will be numbered for ease of tracking them. I've made a new scene post, so respond to that post with your new action. Once more, if you want to respond to your teammates, respond to their individual posts, but for your action in the scene (even if related to what you and your teammates decide) respond to the scene post. This keep things manageable for me, and for you guys too ;)

[–] wolfinthewoods@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

Okay, internet issue seems to mostly be resolved at home, but either way I can post in town throughout the week if I need to. Second scene is up and ready for actions ;)

[–] ObsidianZed@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Danzer, handling the revelation that his crewmates are being manipulated by alien mind worms well enough, audibly yelps when 'Captain Darcy' shoots the console.

"I just fixed that one yesterday!"

He reaches for his modified phaser (he disabled any lethal settings because that's just not right) and flips it from his usual STUN to a setting with a handwritten label that says STUNNING. He calls this his flare gun, a misnomer, he knows. Really it's just an overcharged camera flash.

"EYES!" He shouts to everyone as he tries to flashbang the redshirts with his own eyes closed.

Not prepared for this at all, but knowing how obnoxious it's going to be, I'll say 2d6 with lasers = 2, 6. So 1 success with his number: 3.

After 'firing', he then shouts, "GO! NOW!"

[–] wolfinthewoods@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

If you're still around scene 3 is going up. I apologize for the delays, my Internet has been down for the past two weeks (the drawback of living in the mountains, despite many perks). But feel free to jump back in if you're able ;)

[–] wolfinthewoods@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

Unprepared, and with your eyes closed tight, your shot goes wide of the three infected crew mates. However, one of them can't help but fixate his gaze on your phaser's discharge and becomes the only of the three to be completely blinded.

Each time a scene is resolved, I'll make a new scene post to keep things clean and coherent. Each scene will be numbered for ease of tracking them. I've made a new scene post, so respond to that post with your new action. Once more, if you want to respond to your teammates, respond to their individual posts, but for your action in the scene (even if related to what you and your teammates decide) respond to the scene post. This keep things manageable for me, and for you guys too ;)

[–] wolfinthewoods@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

Okay, internet issue seems to mostly be resolved at home, but either way I can post in town throughout the week if I need to. Second scene is up and ready for actions ;)