That-Shop-That-Was-Not-There-Yesterday Quest

[Vocalend]

A hand grabbed the collar of your shirt. A blanket of cloak covered your eyes from the blinding view outside. The hand pulled you inside.

"What are you doing here? This isn't a place for morta- Oh, oh dear..." You can't place the tone or even the gender of the voice speaking to you, still covering your eyes. Which is good because even as you close them, you can still see colours of sheer wrongness. What even is going on. "...Right, right. We will need to settle this carefully. Let's look back. Can you remember who you are?"

---
You are a shop owner.

Well, you think. That kaleidoscope of lights still confuddled you silly. So let's back track for a bit.

You are:
[] Write In (Name, Gender, Avatar (Optional))

Okay, you managed to recollect that much knowledge. Good, you haven't gotten memory loss or amnesia. That's great. Now your store, floating in the midst of all these... things, is...
[] A hard-earned culmination of your years as a travelling merchant. You've been to the far ends of the world, selling all sorts of things like:
--[] Herbs from the far Arabia, the odd weaponries for wandering mercenaries and brigands, all sorts of odds and ends really. In that line of work, you had to be sharp and perceptive. Your next customers might go for your money instead. (Mundane Medieval/Renaissance Era Background)
--[] Magical reagents, magical swords, magic potions, magic everything really. You're no Wizard of Lark Castle, but you definitely have an eye for magical knowledge. A scholar by trade, not by profession. (Magical Medieval/Renaissance Era Background)

[] Pooled up from your industrious acumen. Who found it in your sheer fortuitous luck to have bought a shop with a workshop attached to it, creating and selling:
--[] Weapons of war. What? With the onset of the Concert of Europe, you made quite the killing, literally and proverbially, at selling expertly made guns in your capacity as a gunsmith. (Mundane Industrial Era Background)
--[] Mechanical constructs. The advent of steam and clockwork machinery allowed you to stretch your Forte to an unforeseen height. Well, okay compared to the Virtuvian Man, you are but a fledgeling, but you do know your way around these constructs...ish. (Steampunk Industrial Era Background)

[] Not yours, as a matter of fact. No, you're just some down-on-your-luck schlub working the graveyard shift. You were the only one taken after the events, though. Your job was to:
--[] Take good care of the pawn shop. Shady figures usually come by in those times. You had to be attentive. Both in the matter of appraising the weirder things that came through the graveyard shift and ensuring the store doesn't get robbed. (Mundane Modern Era Background?)
--[] Handle in the matters of the general store. Though you alternate between graveyard and night shift, your line of work is decidedly relaxed, plenty of time to go procrastinate to deal with other matters. (Mundane Modern Era Background?)

Right? Can you think that much at least?
---
---
So my brain decided that it would shunt its thought process to making a Quest...again. This time though, I made sure that this is planned at least well enough. Fingers crossed at this one.

 

[Vocalend]

Reserved Profile Post and Dramatis Personae.

 

[Vocalend]

Mechanics Section​

Preface

1. In essence, this Quest is one ran narratively. All the mechanics, in the end, are made in order to give some sense of consistency and book-keeping to the Quest.
2. The QM is a believer that most things are not set in the stones. Background events could pass by, narratively or no, without being noticed or until the repercussion is that of a whirlwind.
3. Perhaps most importantly, the rules are not set in stone either. I am someone who is basically starting off from scratch to make a workable system from bits and pieces. Feedback on these rulesets are welcome and even if there are none, expect changes to appear.
4. Lastly, have fun~ If at any point the mechanics are not clear or if parts of my story needs clarification or if you're just curious what some of the terms mean, ask away.

Paradigm Mechanic

Paradigm, in its absolute simmered down form, means 'a pattern'. In this Quest, this is the main adhering mechanic that ties everything together. Every character has Paradigms. Paradigm is their traits, hopes, prejudices, and overall worldview reduced into one or more whole. It allows them to view through the world in their own ways, solving a problem often unsolvable or hard to accomplish than with other Paradigms... and would often seem weird when others try to view things from a different Paradigm.

As a trader, interacting with people with different sets of Paradigms comes easy, though by no means simple. It's your job as a shopkeep to figure out the needs and wants of your clientele and establish a relationship of parasitism mutualism with one another.

In the current state of the game, there are four main Paradigms types:
1. Social Paradigm: This Paradigm governs ones overall stance with interaction with fellow human (or not) beings.
2. Ambition Paradigm: This Paradigm governs ones greatest desires and how far would one go to reach it.
3. Analytical Paradigm: This Paradigm governs ones capability and method of understanding the world, the mundane and magical.
4. Combat Paradigm: This Paradigm governs ones propensity towards... disagreeable conflicts and methods to end said quarrels.

In terms of gameplay, these Paradigms act as a sort of interface... though as a reduction of a whole, these would not be able to encompass the whole complex and often contradictory nature of human (or not?) beings. To help with this, each Paradigms are given a sub-category of Notes, a small one-two line snippets that help to establish the more complex nature of your clientele.

That said, a way of thought could be changed. A revelation would turn a sinner to a saint. A stroke of luck or misfortune would upend one's life forever. A bad day could drive a man to evil. Regardless, Paradigms could be changed through effort.... or other influences.

Appraisal Mechanic

As a trader, one needs to know all manners of details about the items that would be bought and sold. As such, you are to appraise the items in question. To appraise an item, Analytical Paradigm is used. This would reveal details and Qualities regarding the appraised item in question. Depending on the Analytical Paradigm used, different details or Qualities may be revealed... or give complete misinformation.

In the current state of the Quest, aside from narrative benefits of the items themselves, there are two relevant stats attached to Qualities:

Price: This dictates the 'worth' of an item. Though the seller sets the price of the items, this stat works to identify if the selling price attached to the item is higher or lower than its closest 'objective' worth.

Desirability: This dictates the overall 'want' factor of an item. Attached to an item, this stat is dependent on a person's Paradigms. For example, a rogue would have no need for a battle axe, but a warrior would, and to a lesser extent, a woodcutter would buy it if given no alternatives. That said, though different Paradigms modify whether someone would be inclined to buy something for a huge price tag, if the price is right (and low enough), anyone would buy anything.​

 

[Vocalend]

Reserved ?????

 

[Marlin]

[X] Plan default
-[X] Name: Tony Malock
-[X] Gender: Male
--[X] Not yours, as a matter of fact. No, you're just some down-on-your-luck schlub working the graveyard shift. You were the only one taken after the events, though. Your job was to:
---[X] Take good care of the pawn shop. Shady figures usually come by in those times. You had to be attentive. Both in the matter of appraising the weirder things that came through the graveyard shift and ensuring the store doesn't get robbed. (Mundane Modern Era Background?)

 

[Michael Lewis]

[X] Plan The Merchant of Death is (not) Dead
--[X] Louis B. Johnson
--[X] Male
--[X] Pooled up from your industrious acumen. Who found it in your sheer fortuitous luck to have bought a shop with a workshop attached to it, creating and selling:
--[X] Weapons of war. What? With the onset of the Concert of Europe, you made quite the killing, literally and proverbially, at selling expertly made guns in your capacity as a gunsmith. (Mundane Industrial Era Background)

 

[veekie]

[X] Plan Vaguely QUESTionable Pawnshop
-[X] Name: Aurica Holmes
-[X] Gender: Female
-[X] Not yours, as a matter of fact. No, you're just some down-on-your-luck schlub working the graveyard shift. You were the only one taken after the events, though. Your job was to:
--[X] Take good care of the pawn shop. Shady figures usually come by in those times. You had to be attentive. Both in the matter of appraising the weirder things that came through the graveyard shift and ensuring the store doesn't get robbed. (Mundane Modern Era Background?)

 

[tankdrop24]

[X] Plan The Merchant of Death is (not) Dead
--[X] Louis B. Johnson
--[X] Male
--[X] Pooled up from your industrious acumen. Who found it in your sheer fortuitous luck to have bought a shop with a workshop attached to it, creating and selling:
--[X] Weapons of war. What? With the onset of the Concert of Europe, you made quite the killing, literally and proverbially, at selling expertly made guns in your capacity as a gunsmith. (Mundane Industrial Era Background)

 

[Marlin]

[X] Plan Vaguely QUESTionable Pawnshop
-[X] Name: Aurica Holmes
-[X] Gender: Female
-[X] Not yours, as a matter of fact. No, you're just some down-on-your-luck schlub working the graveyard shift. You were the only one taken after the events, though. Your job was to:
--[X] Take good care of the pawn shop. Shady figures usually come by in those times. You had to be attentive. Both in the matter of appraising the weirder things that came through the graveyard shift and ensuring the store doesn't get robbed. (Mundane Modern Era Background?)

Click to shrink...

Could you change the last name to moriarty? Just, holmes... IIRC I read a manga based on a female holmes (descendant).

 

[Mayrun]

[X] Plan The Merchant of Death is (not) Dead

 

[Rossum]

[x] Plan "Capitalism, ho!"
-[x] Name: Alicia Lemongrass
-[x] Gender: Female
-[x] A hard-earned culmination of your years as a travelling merchant. You've been to the far ends of the world, selling all sorts of things like:
--[x] Magical reagents, magical swords, magic potions, magic everything really. You're no Wizard of Lark Castle, but you definitely have an eye for magical knowledge. A scholar by trade, not by profession. (Magical Medieval/Renaissance Era Background)

 

[Zirin]

[X] Not yours, as a matter of fact. No, you're just some down-on-your-luck schlub working the graveyard shift. You were the only one taken after the events, though. Your job was to:
-[X] Take good care of the pawn shop. Shady figures usually come by in those times. You had to be attentive. Both in the matter of appraising the weirder things that came through the graveyard shift and ensuring the store doesn't get robbed. (Mundane Modern Era Background?)

 

[Robotninja]

[X] Plan The Merchant of Death is (not) Dead

 

[Ultramandalore]

[X] Plan Vaguely QUESTionable Pawnshop

 

[Nicklance]

[X] Plan Vaguely QUESTionable Pawnshop

 

[BookMouse]

Really? No love for steampunk here?

 

[giodan]

[x] Plan "Capitalism, ho!"
-[x] Name: Alicia Lemongrass
-[x] Gender: Female
-[x] A hard-earned culmination of your years as a travelling merchant. You've been to the far ends of the world, selling all sorts of things like:
--[x] Magical reagents, magical swords, magic potions, magic everything really. You're no Wizard of Lark Castle, but you definitely have an eye for magical knowledge. A scholar by trade, not by profession. (Magical Medieval/Renaissance Era Background)

 

[Anaja]

[x] Plan "Capitalism, ho!"

It matches what I was going to vote for.

 

[Rossum]

Really? No love for steampunk here?

Click to shrink...

Personally, I think the whole point of running a mysterious shop that appears out of nowhere is to sell magic items. Steampunk gadgets are good... but they really aren't the same as selling enchanted golems, devils in bottles, tiny furry creatures you shouldn't feed after midnight, or wheels of cheese that restore themselves whole after a piece is cut off.

Spoiler

Granted, I would really love to play as some kind of devil, imp, genie, or fey creature running a magic shop in the modern times to mess with people, but I don't see those as options.

I mean the modern day options might sort of imply magic supernatural stuff in a way I don't see... but yeah. I don't see any magic stuff in those options.

Sure we're currently in some kind of magic dimension or whatever, but even then I think having a background of knowing about magic stuff would be the most useful.

 

[BookMouse]

Personally, I think the whole point of running a mysterious shop that appears out of nowhere is to sell magic items. Steampunk gadgets are good... but they really aren't the same as selling enchanted golems, devils in bottles, tiny furry creatures you shouldn't feed after midnight, or wheels of cheese that restore themselves whole after a piece is cut off.

Spoiler

Granted, I would really love to play as some kind of devil, imp, genie, or fey creature running a magic shop in the modern times to mess with people, but I don't see those as options.

I mean the modern day options might sort of imply magic supernatural stuff in a way I don't see... but yeah. I don't see any magic stuff in those options.

Sure we're currently in some kind of magic dimension or whatever, but even then I think having a background of knowing about magic stuff would be the most useful.

Click to shrink...

True. I guess I'll vote for the magic option.
[X] Capitalism, Ho!

 

[Chrestomanci]

[X] Capitalism, Ho!

 

[Unhacker]

[x] Plan "Capitalism, ho!"

 

[kylina]

[X] Plan Vaguely QUESTionable Pawnshop

 

[Edgedancer]

[x] Plan "Capitalism, ho!"

It's all about the money, so no better inspiration to take.

 

[Aabcehmu]

[X] Not yours, as a matter of fact. No, you're just some down-on-your-luck schlub working the graveyard shift. You were the only one taken after the events, though. Your job was to:
-[X] Take good care of the pawn shop. Shady figures usually come by in those times. You had to be attentive. Both in the matter of appraising the weirder things that came through the graveyard shift and ensuring the store doesn't get robbed. (Mundane Modern Era Background?)