Homebrew System
en
English
Walk the Line: Between Life & Death
*Please read the entire description before applying to play this game!*
Ever wondered how an every day person might survive the beginning of the end? What leads to the world's fall? Who's involved? Why? Well 3-5 players need wonder no more as this game focuses on exactly that! And we're seeking up to 2 more!
The gradual decline of society. The intrigue about what's causing it and how different factions begin to form. How natural and man-made disasters happen and how everyday people handle it all. Not to mention the secrets and conspiracies that might get discovered along the way. All of this and more awaits those daring enough to join!
*But beware!* You're just an average person who's had your life interrupted by everything going on around you. And in order to survive, or perhaps even try to salvage or save what little you can, it seems that you need to gather up a few friends and work together. But who knows? Maybe you'll somehow manage to save the world!
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So what will you all do? Will you seek out a cure for the new infection going around that's changing people's brains and bodies? Will you help with the rescue efforts after a natural disaster? Will you join one of the factions and take on quests for them? Maybe you'll stay on the run, trying to keep ahead of everything happening all around you? Or perhaps you're more inclined to hunker down in one location for as long as possible? The choices are ultimately yours (and your group's) to make!
Just be careful though, as just one wrong move can have deadly consequences! How long can you survive?
*Character deaths can and will occur when you're first starting out! Don't get too attached to your first few characters!*
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This game is set in a world similar to, but not quite, ours. The content will happen on the continent of New USA starting in late autumn of the modern day. The system and story has no magic or aliens, but mutants, militia, cults, bombs, natural disasters, severe disabilities, EMPs, inebriation, broken bones, death, and most anything that can or has happened in real life can and may well happen in game at some point. RP will hopefully be a major focus of this game as well.
Killing your fellow humans will have consequences on both your character and the world around you, so it's not recommended. You're not a playing as a hardened veteran, psychopath, or a serial killer after all, so why would your character be okay with murder? Mention a fruit to prove you've read this very important information. Animals, Mutants, and anything that doesn't resemble a human (anymore) should be fair game though.
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This game is one entirely of my own creation, complete with custom character sheets and a system that I designed from scratch and have quality tested over the last few years. This game has been going for over 2 years now, though the group you might be joining is only a few weeks old. If you join this game, please be aware that, as with all homebrew games and systems, you might experience some bugs or changes from time to time, especially if the base platform Roll20 has a major update.
This game is only for those aged 21 and older as it includes (but doesn't focus on) graphic content, including themes of death, gore, alcohol, drugs, suicide, mental health, and similar. This is a realistic, gritty game focusing on playing as an everyday person as the world slowly falls apart, so if any of these themes are issues for you, or if you're not at least 21 years old, then this game is likely not for you.
This game has a focus on realism with regards to prices, story, roleplay, and what's possible to make or buy. However nearly everything else, such as the inventory, healing, and combat systems, are only loosely realistic. Also, you should be able to craft or upgrade nearly everything in this game so long as it makes sense, you spend the time, have the materials, and it follows some form of realistic logic.
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Some unique key features of this game's system includes...
- Play as one of 26 different professions, each with their own special talent and specialized skill-set that can greatly impact how you play.
- Your character's age, sex, height, weight, and hobbies all play a factor on your starting core stats. Even choosing to play non-binary has an impact by having no impact!
- Inventory is slot/space-based instead of weight based.
- Skills improve the more you use them, but can also decay to a point if you don't.
- Uses the Metric system for map measurements (squares are usually 1 meter).
- Multiple unique status effects that can impact your stats for better or worse.
- Find and drive over 20 different vehicles with stats from cars and bikes to planes and drones to boats and jet skis and more! *Plans exist to expand to over 50 vehicles at some point*.
- Dismantle your old gear or harvest materials and use what you get to craft or upgrade new and existing gear!
- Upgrade your core stats through achievements, both party and personal, gaining a stat point with each achievement. *ie first time fully equipped (personal), first encounter with a new enemy type (personal), first visit to a new location (party), develop a cure for the pandemic! (party), etc*
- Mention a vegetable in your application as proof you've read this entire list.
- A Focus on Tactical and Stealth gameplay, rather than outright combat. This is done by making all combat encounters brutal, where any unarmored humanoid can be downed with a single critical hit or two solid hits. And if they take a point-blank shotgun or grenade blast, they're almost guaranteed to outright die.
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If you want a good idea of what your characters will be going through, consider the following films and shows as they are probably the closest to what this game is all about.
Revolution, The Silence, The Happening, 2012, Twister, Dante's Peak, or any other natural disaster or World-Actively-Ending film/show that's somewhat realistic or feasible today.
Of course, these aren't perfect examples as the game is meant to be paced out over a few years instead of over a few hours, but it should still give a good idea of what to expect.
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The game is expected to be roughly *50% RP, 25% Combat, and 25% Other* across all sessions once you're comfortable with the system.
*Weekly, 4 hour sessions on Wednesdays from 2-6pm EST.*
*Voice chat will be in Discord.*
*Game will take place in Roll20.*
The campaign is planned to last 100 in-game days, with roughly 1-2 in-game days passing every 3-5 sessions, so about 5-10 irl years. The group is currently on Day 20 and has been running since November 2023. The campaign may extend beyond this timeframe depending on the group's actions and interests as well as a hidden, yet revealed feature of the game itself.
Finally, I've put well over 2,500 hours over multiple years into creating this game, so if you wish to contribute financially or in some other way, you are more than welcome to, though it is not required. Details for how to do such will be provided upon request.
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If you're interested in joining this game and have spotted the two application prompts, please visit
https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/399999/walk-the-line-between-life-and-death
and fill out the New Player Application in the thread at the bottom to potentially become another survivor who Walks the Line Between Life and Death!
*I should respond via personal message within 48 hours on Roll20 after an application is submitted.*
*Currently looking for 2 more players, ideally ones that are at least familiar with TTRPGs systems other than D&D.*
*Did you spot the two application prompts? If not, read through this again before applying to play!*