Difference between revisions of "Book:Introduction"

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The Elysium game strives to blend classic fantasy with new ideas and genres such as mystery, science fiction, horror, humor, and history.  To achieve this end, Elysium gives players the tools to forge characters, places, and events, otherwise impossible in other games.  Fully customizable characters, extensive options, and vivid source material allow players to break through the molds of ''fighter'', ''cleric'', ''thief'', and ''wizard''.
 
The Elysium game strives to blend classic fantasy with new ideas and genres such as mystery, science fiction, horror, humor, and history.  To achieve this end, Elysium gives players the tools to forge characters, places, and events, otherwise impossible in other games.  Fully customizable characters, extensive options, and vivid source material allow players to break through the molds of ''fighter'', ''cleric'', ''thief'', and ''wizard''.
  
==This is a Roleplaying Game==
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==What is this Roleplaying Stuff?==
  
Think of roleplaying like an ancient tribal council, where members of the tribe gather around the campfire and relate the stories of what has happened that day.  There is a tribal Chieftain that rules over the council and keeps order.  Everyone helps in telling the stories.  Now put that scene in someone’s living room, or around a table somewhere.  The tribesmen are the players and the Chieftain is known as the [[Game Master]].  The players have characters they create which take part in an adventurous story that the [[Game Master|GM]] sets up.  The GM plays the part of all the extras, builds the set, sets the scene, plays in the pit orchestra, and guides the story for the players, who are center stage, driving the events that happen.
+
Think of roleplaying like a play or stage production.  There is a story that is being told.  The curtain comes up, the actors deliver their lines and interact with one another, the crew backstage moves the set and changes the scenes.  Now put that scene in someone’s living room, or around a table somewhere.  The actors are called "players" and the backstage crew is known as the "[[Game Master]]." The players have characters they create themselves which take part in an adventurous story that the [[Game Master|GM]] sets up.  The GM plays the part of all the extras, builds the set, sets the scene, conducts the pit orchestra, and guides the story for the players, who are center stage, driving the events that happen.
  
When it's all over, a vivid, memorable story is created and the players delight in retelling their part in it.  Roleplaying is a game like any other, played this time with pen, paper, dice and camaraderie.
+
When it's all over and the curtain comes down, a vivid, memorable story has been created and the players delight in retelling their part in it.  Roleplaying is a game like any other, played this time with pen, paper, dice and camaraderie.
  
==What Roleplaying Is and Isn't==
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==Why People Roleplay==
 
 
Roleplaying has been used by therapists, psychoanalysts and all kinds of self help gurus as a healthy and efficient way to relax, improve mental health, and escape the mounting pressures of the real world, if just for a few hours on the weekends.
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Roleplaying has been used by countless people for many years as a healthy and efficient way to relax, improve mental health, and escape the mounting pressures of the real world, if just for a few hours on the weekends.
  
Roleplaying involves creating an alter ego for yourself to act out around the dining room table in a game with your friends.  You create a character, assign them their stats, round out their personality, and then you have someone totally different you can explore.  We all wonder what things might be like if we were different and this is a safe way to explore that curiosity.
+
Roleplaying involves creating an alter ego for yourself to act out around the dining room table in a game with your friends.  You create a character, assign them their stats, and round out their personality.  Voila!  You now have someone totally different you can explore.  We all wonder what things might be like if we were different or if we lived in a different time and place.  This is a safe way to explore that curiosity.
  
Roleplaying, therefore, is not to be confused with the real world.  The world you live and breathe in now is the real one.  The one in which your character exists is imaginary and completely illusory.  Some people wear capes and carry swords in the real world, but they are usually magicians and circus performers.
+
Roleplaying, therefore, is not to be confused with the real world.  The world you live and breathe in now is the real one (sorry to disappoint).  The one in which your character exists is imaginary (even though it's really cool).  Some people wear capes and carry swords in the real world, but they are usually magicians and circus performers.  So please keep your dangerous cutlery and silly clothes at home, or else someone might think you are a magician and pester you for tricks.  
  
==What You Will Need To Play==
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==What You Will Need To Play This Game==
 
 
 
A pencil.
 
A pencil.
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Imagination.
 
Imagination.
  
These are all that you'll need.  More addicted gamers might use things such as computers, calculators, extended character sheets, miniatures, maps, blunt weapons, caffeine, and pocket protectors.
+
These are all that you'll need.  More addicted gamers might use things such as computers, calculators, extended character sheets, miniatures, maps, caffeine, and pocket protectors.
  
 
==Read This Book==
 
==Read This Book==
 
 
Learn it, know it, love it.  This book holds the key to a happy second childhood and a healthy adulthood.  Imagination is what drives the environmentally friendly machine of human progress.  Laziness and impatience are what destroy the human soul and the lovely green trees.  Mmmm, look at the pretty trees.  So don’t skip parts out of impatience or laziness.  Then you won’t know how to play the game and your GM will resent you.  And playing games and using imagination are therapeutic.  This book isn't that long.
+
Learn it, know it, love it.  This book holds the key to a happy second childhood and a healthy adulthood.  Imagination is what drives the environmentally friendly machine of human progress.  Laziness and impatience degrade the human soul.  So don’t skip parts out of impatience or laziness.  Then you won’t know how to play the game and your GM will resent you.  And playing games and using imagination are therapeutic.  This book isn't that long.
  
 
HOWEVER, if you are a player, do NOT read the sections intended only for the [[Game Master|GM]].  These will be marked clearly DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU ARE A GM.  Or a loser.  You can read them if you want to be a loser, too.
 
HOWEVER, if you are a player, do NOT read the sections intended only for the [[Game Master|GM]].  These will be marked clearly DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU ARE A GM.  Or a loser.  You can read them if you want to be a loser, too.

Revision as of 18:51, 11 April 2010

This is Elysium

You hold in your hands the guide to participating in a game of friends, where players can create heroes or villains—or something in between—which embark on legendary quests or take part in humorous misadventure.

The Elysium game strives to blend classic fantasy with new ideas and genres such as mystery, science fiction, horror, humor, and history. To achieve this end, Elysium gives players the tools to forge characters, places, and events, otherwise impossible in other games. Fully customizable characters, extensive options, and vivid source material allow players to break through the molds of fighter, cleric, thief, and wizard.

What is this Roleplaying Stuff?

Think of roleplaying like a play or stage production. There is a story that is being told. The curtain comes up, the actors deliver their lines and interact with one another, the crew backstage moves the set and changes the scenes. Now put that scene in someone’s living room, or around a table somewhere. The actors are called "players" and the backstage crew is known as the "Game Master." The players have characters they create themselves which take part in an adventurous story that the GM sets up. The GM plays the part of all the extras, builds the set, sets the scene, conducts the pit orchestra, and guides the story for the players, who are center stage, driving the events that happen.

When it's all over and the curtain comes down, a vivid, memorable story has been created and the players delight in retelling their part in it. Roleplaying is a game like any other, played this time with pen, paper, dice and camaraderie.

Why People Roleplay

Roleplaying has been used by countless people for many years as a healthy and efficient way to relax, improve mental health, and escape the mounting pressures of the real world, if just for a few hours on the weekends.

Roleplaying involves creating an alter ego for yourself to act out around the dining room table in a game with your friends. You create a character, assign them their stats, and round out their personality. Voila! You now have someone totally different you can explore. We all wonder what things might be like if we were different or if we lived in a different time and place. This is a safe way to explore that curiosity.

Roleplaying, therefore, is not to be confused with the real world. The world you live and breathe in now is the real one (sorry to disappoint). The one in which your character exists is imaginary (even though it's really cool). Some people wear capes and carry swords in the real world, but they are usually magicians and circus performers. So please keep your dangerous cutlery and silly clothes at home, or else someone might think you are a magician and pester you for tricks.

What You Will Need To Play This Game

A pencil.

A few ten-sided dice. All rolls made in Elysium are made using the d10. The dice should be different in color from one another.

A character sheet. One may be photocopied or scanned from the back of this rulebook or downloaded from our website.

This book.

Imagination.

These are all that you'll need. More addicted gamers might use things such as computers, calculators, extended character sheets, miniatures, maps, caffeine, and pocket protectors.

Read This Book

Learn it, know it, love it. This book holds the key to a happy second childhood and a healthy adulthood. Imagination is what drives the environmentally friendly machine of human progress. Laziness and impatience degrade the human soul. So don’t skip parts out of impatience or laziness. Then you won’t know how to play the game and your GM will resent you. And playing games and using imagination are therapeutic. This book isn't that long.

HOWEVER, if you are a player, do NOT read the sections intended only for the GM. These will be marked clearly DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU ARE A GM. Or a loser. You can read them if you want to be a loser, too.