Outer World AMA - Answers

Original Post

I'd like to know more about the tabletop rpg that Arnaldo Porras is working on

• Arnaldo: I mean...I was working on this thing called BREACH!! but it was just a bunch of notes. Though after all this if I managed to get it anywhere with it the one thing I wouldn't do is let whatever artist worked with me on it draw a version of me in the book, that's for dang sure.

I'd like to know which animals are the most common pets or companions and why.

• Darla: Most people keep Purrs and Growls as pets - they are pretty common and occasionally useful around the house. Pudge Grubs are sort of popular too, though they are more commonly eaten so I wouldn't count that.
• Challa: Rokko-Do's and Mokko-Do's are common mounts and often trusted companions. I guess Bumpo's are pretty ubiquitous too, as far as beasts of burden go. Though I'm used to the Bald Bumpo variant, being from the Blazing Garden and all.

I'd also like to know know what trail rations ate usually comprised of, what they hunt, fish, and gather in the wild, and what common meals they most look forward to returning to after a long, hard adventure/For all: What's your favorite food?

• Darla: As far as trail rations really depends on where you come from! Like Stahlfeld mostly has dried Figgies and Slime Jerky but various cereals and fungus are big in the Wistful Dark. I heard people in the underland eat moss sometimes.
• Darla: My favorite meal after a long trip is actually Skitter Tail Kabob! Ol' Riggs back in my hometown of Sprocket still makes the very best ones, too.
• Mariah: I like sweets the best! Probably Charisma Crunchies the most, but after a long trip I won't be picky.
• Challa: Nothing beats charred Pudge Grub. That first crispy bite? Heaven!
• Arnaldo: I haven't gotten used to the food yet. Like imagine if food had a volume button, everything here tastes like someone turned everything all the way up.

What would Arnaldo's biggest example of 'culture shock' be after arriving from Otherworld?
Also, what's the biggest difference between a Champion and a Battle Princess?

• Arnaldo: A...a lot of things. So many things talk here that don't in my home world, for one.
• Challa: As for your second question, Champions (like me) rely on their might and valor to do...well, just about everything really. I can best anyone this side of the Twilight Meridian with a sword, but I can hold my own in a public debate as well.
• Mariah: Battle Princesses are able to use Heart Magic! I can summon my sword, or hear someone's feelings, or - well, a lot of things. I do know how to fight too, just not quite as well as someone like Challa.

For all but Mariah (I guess Churly could answer if they want): "Would you kiss a robot?"

• Churly Paws: Hey look, you scratch my ears, I'll do you a solid, thems the rules.
• Darla: I mean, if the right robot came along, certainly...
• Challa: Would I? I have already!
• Arnaldo: I'm married so no - but apparently relationships with robots (well, bio-mechanoids at least) isn't that odd a thing here.

For all: Why do you adventure?

• Challa: It was either that or help run my family's backwater province in No-Folk's Land. At least this way I get some excitement.
• Darla: Gosh, I'd love to own a shop one day! But I need the money to do that. So I guess I'm hoping for a big break.
• Mariah: I just want to see the world and help people! That and it seems like a waste to know magic like this and not use it.
• Arnaldo: You're not gonna believe this, but my mastery of excel spreadsheets and e-mail doesn't really wow anyone here so I don't have a lot of options.

This one is for Challa: What was the most dangerous monster you had to fight, and what was the outcome of the battle?

• Challa: I did battle with a terrible flying creature called a "Grim Wing" once. Some byproduct of ancient Calian Bio-Sorcery, from what I understand. My companions and I managed to trick it into crashing into a small area, where we swarmed it and were able to take it down, but not before it broke Wumble's arm and mauled one of our Mokko-Dos.

For Arnaldo: What is your favorite part of the Outer World? Does it make all the danger and weirdness worthwhile?

• Arnaldo: It's pretty here. Like I can't explain it, but the colors are more vibrant, the oceans and sky are the bluest blue I've ever seen. Most of the people are actually pretty nice - I guess it's something I'll value no matter what happens. That said, I really do prefer not risking my life 90% of days, thanks.

Mariah: What are the top three things that you'd want a visitor to the Wistful Dark to be aware of?
For anybody: what’s money like in the outer world? Is there banking or notes, or do you have to haul treasure around?

• Mariah: Really it depends on what part of the Wistful Dark they are in, but I guess the most important thing is to bring a light if you can't see in darkness. Other than that; most brigands are still more trustworthy than the "noble" patricians and definitely don't eat any mushrooms before checking them first.
• Darla: As for money, some towns have banks and such but it's mainly for locals. We have three levels of currency though and most trade cities can exchange them so that does make life a little easier.

THIS!
QUESTION'S!
FOR!
CHURLY!
PAWS!
Two part question:
1) Just because you're her Heart's Companion, does that mean you automatically like/respect Mariah? Or is it a thing where sometimes individuals like yourself have a Jafar/Iago relationship?
2) *OOOS* *A* *WIDDLE* *COOTIE* *PIE*?

• Churly Paws: So a Heart's Companion is made when a Battle Princess first learns Heart Magic. We are meant to be guides of sorts, so we are sort of a reflection of them, which does mean we are pretty fond of the idiots. However, our disposition and personality are based on what our Battle Princess lacks; dame sunshine here is good and trusting, so I'm kind of a suspicious jerk to balance it out. Also I'm obviously the cootie pie here, gimme a tummy scratch you mook.

Darla, what's your favorite recipe?

• Darla: While it's not my favorite food, I really love making reedy noodles in red-fruit sauce! It's a great way to feed lots of people and it's easy on the tummy, so you can really pack it away after a long trip and not make yourself sick.

Arnaldo, what do goblins smell like? and did you leave anyone special behind in other world? have you got plans to go back?

• Arnaldo: I mean...the goblins smell like everyone else here I guess? One was wearing a lot of perfume but I don't think that really counts. And my wife is probably pretty worried. Supposedly there is an old compass that can get me home but finding it has been...eventful.

If so, is there anything in this world you would be willing to stay for?

• Arnaldo: I guess if someone really needed me? But like, I'm just an office worker whose got some Merlin powers, I can't imagine that happening.

Outer World AMA

Grey remains hard at work on layout but I want to keep you all informed and entertained, so with at the suggestion of the BREAK!! discord server I've come up with a fun way to disperse setting lore:

Welcome to the first Annual Outer World AMA (As Me Anything)! The below adventurers are happy to field any and all questions you may have about them, the Outer World, or anything else you can think of! 

(Though obviously inappropriate questions will be ignored. Play mostly nice kids)

Mariah Doeheart, Battle Princess from the Wistful Dark (And her Heart's Companion, Churly Paws)

Darla Cookpan, Factotum from The Twilight Meridian

Challa Goodboots, Champion from the Blazing Garden

Arnaldo Porras, Sage(?) from the Otherworld

Just comment below with a question and who it's directed too. Answers will be collected and posted in later journal entries!

On Setting

Since we are in one of those periods where Grey is at the layout millstone, I thought it was time for a good old fluff entry:

A friend of mine asked me about how I wanted BREAK!!'s setting to presented. His concern was that thin line between presenting too much that it bogs down the game, and too little for it to be of much use. I'm pretty well familiar with that line admittedly, as it's one I've crossed back and forth a lot in my many, many years of running (and more recently) writing game-stuff.

One thing to say right off the bat is that a lot of the heavy lifting for this sort of thing comes a game's art, and I've been gifted with a talented and imaginative co-creator whose not only excellent in conveying the ideas I have, but also contributes a lot of his own into the mix. I feel like if there wasn't a single word on the Outer World in the main book, it would still be a pretty tangible concept thanks to Grey's art alone.

But there are words in the book about the Outer World. A short atlas of sorts, but also a lot that's baked into the gameable bits. The setting is revealed through character options, gear, monsters and such as much as it is explicitly stated. Part of this is because I really don't want to be boring and linger on one thing for too long (it's already a pretty big book) but also part of an overarching idea of mine.

I say it a lot but I'm a fan of a sort of "Toy Set" style approach. Your handed the pieces of something, and a guide on how it is intended to be used. You have everything you need to run with it and make it your own - even if the direction you go in isn't something we would have ever thought of. Additional materials will try to stick to the same method. Ultimately, our goal is for BREAK!! to not to have one setting, but lots, all reflected differently by the (hopefully) many people who enjoy it.