What follows are my rules clarifications, or adjustments. As they are not truly mine to distribute, I will not have the rules on the site. They can be obtained by emailing Timothy Ferguson.

[ Character Creation | Allies | Curse | Freebies | Powers ]
[ Artefacts and Creatures | Character Types | Character Curses | Tools ]

Character Creation [TOP]

As the whole PBEM format makes things a little weird, I'll be doing a few weird tweaks.

Auction

I'll be having two blind auctions, one for Forewarning, one for Tools. Basically, the character generation method will consist of:
  • Send in your one-shot blind bid for Forewarning.
    Keep in mind that this is your only shot at spending points on this attribute. You cannot buy up later.
  • Send in your description of your character, along with Orientation.
    I'll be posting an ongoing tally of Openers and Closers, so that you can see how the odds stand. I may encourage some to switch, just so there's a more even balance of Orientation. Since we already know who has highest standing in Forewarning, we can head off any conflicts of concepts early. Once we do the bid for tools, your Orientation is locked in, and can only be changed after intensive IC roleplay.
  • Send in your one-shot blind bid for Tools.
    You send in one bid. Top bid wins. Top Opener and Closer get the Wands, other Tools will be distributed in a grab bag fashion.
  • Finish up your stats.
    At this point, you'll get to spend the rest of your points on items, creatures, powers, and other attributes.
Joining the Game Late
It always happens that someone joins the game late. If you join after we've started playing, you may still be a Player, but you get no Forewarning. Instead, I'll let you buy Preparedness with character generation points. 1 character point will get you two points of Preparedness. If you join after the death of the moon, you cannot be a Player.
Allies [TOP]
In the event that more than one person spends points on an ally, the better allies in a particular catagory will go to those who have the highest Forewarning. Those who have Common and Uncommon Allies will know who their allies are. Those who have Devoted Colleague and Congenial Enemy will not.
Curse [TOP]
Just a reminder that everyone must choose at least one curse worth at least 5 points.
Freebies [TOP]
Aside from Appearance and Skills, there's a couple other things to keep in mind:
  • On the topic of free appearance, keep in mind that the opening event involves a social gathering. Even if you go for big, blobby reality warping creatures, you have to have some way to appear human.
  • Money is free. You can be wealthy. You can be poor. Decide at the beginning.
  • Home is free. Everyone is required to have one permanent place in the greater Twin Peaks area that they call "home". Where they hang their hat. No constant roving via RV.
  • Cars are free. There's no public transportation to get around Twin Peaks. Get a car.
  • Some powers are free. Though this isn't emphasized in the rules, you have the powers of Divination, Summoning, and Baelfire Coercion. I'll describe these in the next section.
Powers [TOP]
Divination
I will cover this later.
Summoning
Summoning allows you to conjure up spirits and minions, which can either possess normal animals, or else can just be freely moving, if rather obvious, demonic looking creatures. Note that this power does not mean that you control them, just that you've brought them to you and held them somehow.
Baelfire Coercion
This allows you to manipulate the fires of the Baelfire during the Game. Your ability in this is based on your Psyche, but while doing this, you will be hindered in your ability to contribute to the Opening/Closing of the gate.
Sorcery
Creating an illusion of an effect takes a quarter of the time it would take to create an actual effect. Also, this power primarily allows you to create one time effects. For longer term/permanent magical items, you'll want to invest in Conjuration.
Conjuration
I've ultimately decided to have this ability rule over the crafting of long term effects. Sorcery allows you to create spell effects in the form of items that are expended immediately. Conjuration, on the other hand, is for forging more lasting items.
Artefacts and Creatures [TOP]
I'm making a few stipulations on items to tone things down a hair.
  • 4 point abilities are limited. Out of your character creation points, you may get one four point ability for your companion. You may get one four point ability for a personal item of power. (for example, a Ripper might get Deadly Damage for their dagger). With preparedness, you can have as many as you want. But you also don't have absolute control, if any.
  • You can get 4 point powers, if they have a significant flaw, at the cost of 3 points. So an item could be invulnerable to damage, unless a silver weapon is used. Note that you cannot mix and match vulnerabilities. A werewolf that is vulnerable to silver cannot have a vest that's only vulnerable to gold.
  • Everyone is required to spend one point on a Companion. Unless you want to wait until after the death of the moon and play a non-Player.
  • Obviously, abilities involving Trump or Shadow Travel are right out. As are items that you can "Hang Spells" on.
  • I'm adding at least one ability, and that is Dreamlands Access. It's a substitute for shadow travel.
    1 point - Dreaming Access
    While dreaming, the item is capable of entering the Dreamlands. Where it ends up in the Dreamlands depends on the type of creature trying to do it. A dog, for instance, ends up somewhere quite different from a cat. Control over this is a little iffy, and easily disrupted by waking the individual up.
    2 points - Astral Access
    This allows the creature to project its conscious mind into the Dreamlands. This is more reliable than the Dreaming Access.
    4 points - Physical Access
    It can physically enter the Dreamlands at will. However, in order to return to the real world, the creature must return to the point where he arrived. Where the creature arrives depends on the type of creature involved.
  • For combat ability, it's largely relative to the type of creature involved. A canary that has the 4-point ability Combat Mastery is obviously not going to fare well against a bear that has the same 4 point ability. Heck, it might not fare well against a bear that has no enhanced combat abilty. It's a canary people.
Character Types [TOP]
Thought I'd make commentary on two of the character types, those being the Cult Leader and the Witch. These are broad catagories. Perhaps among the broadest. Especially witches. As far as I'm concerned, you can have whatever magical focus you want, as long as it's vaguely sinister.

Also, a note to keep in mind is that there's no specific reason why any character type would have to be a particular Orientation. Reasons can be thought of for anyone to be an Opener or a Closer.

Here are some new types that I've come up with, with a bit more of a conspiracy twist, just to give a sense of what can be done. These lean a bit more towards the X-Files brand of horror, but then, X-Files, in some ways, has a Twin Peaks sort of feel to it at times.

Extraterrestrial

Quite simply, you are a creature from another world. By one means or another, you have ways of disguising your alien origin to casual observers. Your needs for survival may be bizzarre. Appearance can vary a good deal, as well as size, and you may need some drastic way of altering your appearance. In Lovecraftian fashion, it is typically horriffic in some way, though there are the more cliche types of aliens, such as the Grays, alien hybrids, or the shapeshifting aliens from the X-Files.

Just as there can be all manner of extraterrestrials, their attributes can vary widely. Most will use Weird Science types of magic, involving all sorts of weird contraptions in their day to day life.

What they could want with the Elder Gods, can vary a good deal.

Man in Black
Men in Black are agents of some sort, typically dressed in sharp black suits with sun glasses. Who they work for is a different matter entirely. Government agent? Private organization? Aliens? As in the Prisoner, it doesn't ultimately matter. The job stays the same: You're out to conceal the truth, and further the goals of your employers. Unless of course, you're a rogue agent. Then you're just trying to stay alive. Check out the X-Files for a good example. Perhaps even peruse the games "Conspiracy X" or "Mage: The Ascension" for more strange alternatives.

Typically Men in Black have good Warfare, decent Endurance, but poor Psyche. They're just doing their job, you know? They drive around in big American made cars with darkened windshields. They have listening devices all over the place. Some are backed by weird alien technology. Some are backed by too much knowledge of how to kill aliens.

Sythetic/Genetic Creation
In attempts to create a superman, you were made. You could be a genetically engineered construct, an android, or a man altered by the wrong system of chemicals. Check out Species, Bladerunner, or Relic for examples of each. You possess abilities beyond those of normal humans, but you're also either dying, or devolving.

Warfare and Endurance are strong points for these characters, though Psyche can be important too. However, situations can vary so much, that it's hard to be overly specific.

[TOP] Curses
Extraterrestrial
Arrogance (5): Your race has spanned the stars for millions of years, and you have to deal with these petty humans? Preposterous!

Fragile (10): Same as Mummy's.

Survival Needs (varies): You have some weird need to survive. Methane atmosphere, steady intake of mercury. The more esoteric it is, the more points it's worth.

Man in Black
Creepy (5): You weird people out. You weird animals out. Small children run at the sight of you. You carry such a creepy and malevolent aura that no one really wants to talk to you.

No Sense of Humor (5): You don't understand the concept of "joking" and take everyone very seriously. You can't believe that someone would lie. The thought of someone joking... that's a little weird. Similarly, you cannot joke around. This is very similar to Creepy in some ways.

Rogue (10): Somehow you've managed to break away from your masters, and are trying to live your own life as long as possible before your former allies try to kill you. Which means you essentially have an army of trained assassins chasing after you.

Slave (5): You are wholly under the control of your masters. Irregardless of what you may want, if you get the call, you have to do what they want. That simple. Not compatible with Rogue.

Synthetic/Genetic Creation
Compulsion (varies): You have been genetically designed for a purpose. And any time an opportunity to carry that out comes about, you _must_ do it. This could be something as simple as procreating or obeying humans, or something as complex as killing off people in a bizarre geometric pattern.

Deformities (varies): Due to some flaw in your genetic design, you have some mark. This is much like the Cult Leader curse.

Dying (10): You're dying. You'll probably live to see the the Game, but in the mean time your body will be slowly breaking down. Your Psyche will likely hold up, but you'll be coughing up blood in the meantime, and passing out once in a while.

Tools [TOP]
I'll be using slightly different rules for the icons. You only get specifics if you win them.
  • Wands of Opening/Closing - The wands, aside from aiding in the Opening and Closing, are potent in the summoning and banishing spirits.
  • Alhazred Icon - The icon is said to have a good deal of control over the servants of the Elder Gods.
  • Ring - The ring is rumoured to be beneficial for spell casting.
  • Pentacle Bowl - The bowl is said to be the origin of Holy Grail legends.
  • Sword - The sword is said to be the inspiration of many legendary blades, including Excalibur.
  • Staff - The staff is believed to protect its weilder from all manner of harm.