Kalamos
Level of Lemon Feather
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 12,699
- Points
- 38
Tales of Aygomenia.
The grizzled old Kentarkos scratches his shaggy beard, while poking the campfire with a short stick.
"So you want to join the fun, eh?"
He croaks.
"You want to become a hero."
He chuckles.
"Have your name etched in the marble slab of history..."
The chuckling becomes a raspy cough; the Kentarkos gags, then spits in the fire.
"It is easier said, than done, kid."
The flames cast ominous shadows on his wrinkled features.
"You can lost your sanity, or your soul, trying."
He points a gnarly finger at you.
"But if you are still determined to go..." a baleful glint can be spied in his eyes.
"Take heed of my advice."
Tales of Aygomenia - Tormented Soles.
Tormented Soles is a Fantasy Free-Form Tickling Role-Playing-Game.
It is set in a parallel-Earth kind of world, Aygomenia, and revolves around tickling situations.
We are assuming you are familiar with RPGs and Fantasy staples; in case you are not, let me shed some light.
Experienced Role-Players can skip to "Game Setting" or "Joining the Game".
Definitions - Role Playing Game.
Rocket Propelled Grenade?
Many videogames are misleadingly labelled as "Role Playing Games". They usually revolve around a one-way plot, where you can, at best, create a character from a given selection of stereotypes, and lead him/her/it through a series of pre-determined encounters.
They usually involve conflict: chess-like battles or arcade-style action, you name it.
Your choices as a player are usually limited somehow: you can choose when or where to fight. Sometimes you can choose if.
Still, many video-RPGs boil down to be glorified tactical games. Some are even good at it, once you accept their shortcomings.
But, really, no video-RPG will give you the freedom of action a "Pen and Paper" game will afford.
You are relating to a living Narrator: you are not limited to the choices programmers thought of.
On the other hand, Pen and Paper games, are usually limited on the "media" side: you must rely on imagination alone.
No crisp graphics to portray the friends, the foes and the scenery.
Also, you are expected to take a physical part in the game: you must show up, gather with people.
That requires commitment: no pause key when you are bored, tired or just dying for a break.
E-RPG, games played on Forums or via E-mail combine some of the better parts of the two world.
You can take part when you feel like: just reply to the latest post, and you are aboard.
Plus, your freedom of choice is near unlimited: you can plan with the Narrator for a certain course of action- without waiting for an update patch!
To some extent, you can even enjoy the engrossing media contents videogames offer, since Narrators can present you with pictures, maps or even theme-songs to enhance your gaming experience.
This is the reason E-RPGs are still popular, despite videogames being so mindbogglingly realistic.
Besides, no one ever considered making a video-RPG revolving around tickling-fetish, so...
Yet, you might be still wondering what RPGs are all about.
Acting is the answer.
Think of Drama Society: your character is your role. Gaming world is the backdrop. Players are the actors.
Simple as that.
Definitions - Free-Form.
Free-What?
RPGs work on maths. Every time you elect your character to do something, dice are rolled, tables consulted, results applied.
Everything in RPGs has odds of happening. Or not.
Elaborate rule-sets are written, taking into account various hypothetical situations characters might be involved in.
What are you chances of survival when lost in the Fire Desert of Aygyria?
What are are your odds of hitting an apple on a barrel with a bowshot?
In Pen and Paper RPGs dice and table tell.
In Free-Form RPGs dice-rolls are usually waived, in favour of a streamlined gaming experience.
Focus is usually on Playing a Role.
Most RPGs revolve around building your character's stats.
Free-Forum RPGs revolve around building your character's character!
In a few months of gaming, you can expect your Pen and Paper character to grow a lot. From a blundering first level nobody to maybe a 5th, 10th or higher level lord, lady or golem.
E-RPGs are usually slower paced; Free-Form games even moreso. Even after years of gaming, your character will probably have the same fighting or magical prowesses they started with.
But they will elvove as human [or non-human...] beings.
Free-Forms have a distinct drawback when coming to resolving actions: without numbers, stats and levels, Narrators are usually doubly burdened with making a viable solution up, on their own.
Combat revolves around describing intended course of action, in detail: tactics, equipment, and so on.
The outcome of combat encounters must be determined by confronting posts; usually, better writing beats bad scribbling.
Since combat is usually an unsatisfactory experience under Free-Form, you are not encouraged to take part in it.
That doesn't mean you can't fight; just Narrators won't usually give you too many chances to.
This is a Tickling RPG, after all...
Game Setting.
Yawn... Got it. What about this Fantasy thing?
We'd like to stress Tales of Aygomenia and Tormented Soles are Fantasy Tickling games.
Many stories are products of fantasy, but we are really referring to the milieu, not the realism of the tale.
The game is set in a fictitious equivalent of Early Medieval/Late Imperial Earth.
It has exotic, Fantasy elements as magic, non-human races, and so on, but they are blended into story as normal part of everyday life.
You might be familiar with Fantasy novels, such as The Lord of the Rings, the Shannara books, the Dragonlance saga, and so on.
If you are, then you'll recognize staples of Fantasy literature.
Tales of Aygomenia is a Low-Fantasy setting; that means it resembles more closely its historical equivalent, than most Fantasy novels.
You could consider it a "Parallel-Earth" scenario, with some Fantasy elements thrown it, to spice things up.
Ok, fine with me. How does Tickling fit in it all?
The game has fetish overtones: to prevent story from becoming a boring "I tickle thee, thou tickleth me" thing, we'd like players to take an active role, and play as if their character were real persons.
While tickling is more frequent in Tormented Soles, story does not revolve on it alone.
There is an underlying plot, so, if you get bored with cyber-tickling your fellow players, you can dive in and interact with the world, anytime.
Joining the Game.
Ok, I read the stuff, boy you are long-winded, ain't ya?
How do I join?
Joining is simple, but not that straightforward to let anybody drop by and cause mayhem.
Just joking.
Joining in is as simple as making a character up.
Once it is ready, and we accepted it, you'll be presented with a Starting Action. You can reply to it, and then you are basically aboard.
Where do I post my Character's Description?
You can append it here.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=14975&goto=lastpost
Where can I check my Character's Description for reference?
Character Sheets are usually appended here, once accepted.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=13009
What do I need to know, before I can start playing?
You might want to check the gaming rules, here.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=14028
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=14029
Also, you might want to acquaint yourself with the gaming world, here.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/forumdisplay.php?f=54
Finally, game is divided into Day/Location threads. You'll be told where to start and where to post, here.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/forumdisplay.php?f=53
Is it all? Can I finally join in?
Almost. Be sure to check the "Creating a Character" thread, for in-depth guidelines.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=14037
How often are you going to post, anyway?
I have no real life; I am available around the clock, 24/7.
Rrright.
We usually post new actions for all active characters *once* in a week; depending on inspiration and how much time I can spare, Narrators might post more often than that.
Don't count on it, though...
Mpf... hope it is worth the hassle...
The grizzled old Kentarkos scratches his shaggy beard, while poking the campfire with a short stick.
"So you want to join the fun, eh?"
He croaks.
"You want to become a hero."
He chuckles.
"Have your name etched in the marble slab of history..."
The chuckling becomes a raspy cough; the Kentarkos gags, then spits in the fire.
"It is easier said, than done, kid."
The flames cast ominous shadows on his wrinkled features.
"You can lost your sanity, or your soul, trying."
He points a gnarly finger at you.
"But if you are still determined to go..." a baleful glint can be spied in his eyes.
"Take heed of my advice."
Tales of Aygomenia - Tormented Soles.
Tormented Soles is a Fantasy Free-Form Tickling Role-Playing-Game.
It is set in a parallel-Earth kind of world, Aygomenia, and revolves around tickling situations.
We are assuming you are familiar with RPGs and Fantasy staples; in case you are not, let me shed some light.
Experienced Role-Players can skip to "Game Setting" or "Joining the Game".
Definitions - Role Playing Game.
Rocket Propelled Grenade?
Many videogames are misleadingly labelled as "Role Playing Games". They usually revolve around a one-way plot, where you can, at best, create a character from a given selection of stereotypes, and lead him/her/it through a series of pre-determined encounters.
They usually involve conflict: chess-like battles or arcade-style action, you name it.
Your choices as a player are usually limited somehow: you can choose when or where to fight. Sometimes you can choose if.
Still, many video-RPGs boil down to be glorified tactical games. Some are even good at it, once you accept their shortcomings.
But, really, no video-RPG will give you the freedom of action a "Pen and Paper" game will afford.
You are relating to a living Narrator: you are not limited to the choices programmers thought of.
On the other hand, Pen and Paper games, are usually limited on the "media" side: you must rely on imagination alone.
No crisp graphics to portray the friends, the foes and the scenery.
Also, you are expected to take a physical part in the game: you must show up, gather with people.
That requires commitment: no pause key when you are bored, tired or just dying for a break.
E-RPG, games played on Forums or via E-mail combine some of the better parts of the two world.
You can take part when you feel like: just reply to the latest post, and you are aboard.
Plus, your freedom of choice is near unlimited: you can plan with the Narrator for a certain course of action- without waiting for an update patch!
To some extent, you can even enjoy the engrossing media contents videogames offer, since Narrators can present you with pictures, maps or even theme-songs to enhance your gaming experience.
This is the reason E-RPGs are still popular, despite videogames being so mindbogglingly realistic.
Besides, no one ever considered making a video-RPG revolving around tickling-fetish, so...
Yet, you might be still wondering what RPGs are all about.
Acting is the answer.
Think of Drama Society: your character is your role. Gaming world is the backdrop. Players are the actors.
Simple as that.
Definitions - Free-Form.
Free-What?
RPGs work on maths. Every time you elect your character to do something, dice are rolled, tables consulted, results applied.
Everything in RPGs has odds of happening. Or not.
Elaborate rule-sets are written, taking into account various hypothetical situations characters might be involved in.
What are you chances of survival when lost in the Fire Desert of Aygyria?
What are are your odds of hitting an apple on a barrel with a bowshot?
In Pen and Paper RPGs dice and table tell.
In Free-Form RPGs dice-rolls are usually waived, in favour of a streamlined gaming experience.
Focus is usually on Playing a Role.
Most RPGs revolve around building your character's stats.
Free-Forum RPGs revolve around building your character's character!
In a few months of gaming, you can expect your Pen and Paper character to grow a lot. From a blundering first level nobody to maybe a 5th, 10th or higher level lord, lady or golem.
E-RPGs are usually slower paced; Free-Form games even moreso. Even after years of gaming, your character will probably have the same fighting or magical prowesses they started with.
But they will elvove as human [or non-human...] beings.
Free-Forms have a distinct drawback when coming to resolving actions: without numbers, stats and levels, Narrators are usually doubly burdened with making a viable solution up, on their own.
Combat revolves around describing intended course of action, in detail: tactics, equipment, and so on.
The outcome of combat encounters must be determined by confronting posts; usually, better writing beats bad scribbling.
Since combat is usually an unsatisfactory experience under Free-Form, you are not encouraged to take part in it.
That doesn't mean you can't fight; just Narrators won't usually give you too many chances to.
This is a Tickling RPG, after all...
Game Setting.
Yawn... Got it. What about this Fantasy thing?
We'd like to stress Tales of Aygomenia and Tormented Soles are Fantasy Tickling games.
Many stories are products of fantasy, but we are really referring to the milieu, not the realism of the tale.
The game is set in a fictitious equivalent of Early Medieval/Late Imperial Earth.
It has exotic, Fantasy elements as magic, non-human races, and so on, but they are blended into story as normal part of everyday life.
You might be familiar with Fantasy novels, such as The Lord of the Rings, the Shannara books, the Dragonlance saga, and so on.
If you are, then you'll recognize staples of Fantasy literature.
Tales of Aygomenia is a Low-Fantasy setting; that means it resembles more closely its historical equivalent, than most Fantasy novels.
You could consider it a "Parallel-Earth" scenario, with some Fantasy elements thrown it, to spice things up.
Ok, fine with me. How does Tickling fit in it all?
The game has fetish overtones: to prevent story from becoming a boring "I tickle thee, thou tickleth me" thing, we'd like players to take an active role, and play as if their character were real persons.
While tickling is more frequent in Tormented Soles, story does not revolve on it alone.
There is an underlying plot, so, if you get bored with cyber-tickling your fellow players, you can dive in and interact with the world, anytime.
Joining the Game.
Ok, I read the stuff, boy you are long-winded, ain't ya?
How do I join?
Joining is simple, but not that straightforward to let anybody drop by and cause mayhem.
Just joking.
Joining in is as simple as making a character up.
Once it is ready, and we accepted it, you'll be presented with a Starting Action. You can reply to it, and then you are basically aboard.
Where do I post my Character's Description?
You can append it here.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=14975&goto=lastpost
Where can I check my Character's Description for reference?
Character Sheets are usually appended here, once accepted.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=13009
What do I need to know, before I can start playing?
You might want to check the gaming rules, here.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=14028
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=14029
Also, you might want to acquaint yourself with the gaming world, here.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/forumdisplay.php?f=54
Finally, game is divided into Day/Location threads. You'll be told where to start and where to post, here.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/forumdisplay.php?f=53
Is it all? Can I finally join in?
Almost. Be sure to check the "Creating a Character" thread, for in-depth guidelines.
->http://www.tickletheater.com/showthread.php?t=14037
How often are you going to post, anyway?
I have no real life; I am available around the clock, 24/7.
Rrright.
We usually post new actions for all active characters *once* in a week; depending on inspiration and how much time I can spare, Narrators might post more often than that.
Don't count on it, though...
Mpf... hope it is worth the hassle...
Last edited:
