New: Threshold: The Descent (Room X) (free-moderation, closed-ended, email, human, historical, rpg)

From: donotreply@pbm.com (PBM List Autoposter)

Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2007 07:13:06 +0000

Name:		Threshold: The Descent (Room X)
Costs:		0
Email:		wyntersong zat foreverpeoplerpg.com
Frequency:		every 2 days preferably
URL:		http://www.foreverpeoplerpg.com/php
Type:		Horror
Last-Update:		2007Sep18
Keywords: free-moderation, closed-ended, email, human, historical, rpg

Description:

The year is 1865. The physicians who work within the drab corridors and
tiled wards of Greycleave are troubled. For, in recent months they have
seen an increase in cases of extreme lunacy. The wards are crammed to
capacity, every gurney in the hospital is in use as a temporary bed and
dealing with this influx of madness has placed an enormous strain upon the
hard-working physicians. But they are dedicated and tireless; determined
to find the root cause behind what seems to be an epidemic of insanity.

Of all the doctors at Greycleave, none have worked so tirelessly as head
physician, Avesham Sheckles. But even Avesham, usually an oasis of sanity
at the heart of the asylum, is troubled. For he has uncovered a common
denominator in the lunacy of those under his charge. The inmates of
Greycleave share a mutual and mortal terror; an incongruous fear of a
simple door in the basement of the asylum. A rusty metal door, bearing a
plaque inscribed 'Room X'.

Describing the door with wide eyes and trembling lips, Sheckles' patients
identify a dark corridor, the door almost hidden in shadow at its
extremity. Even those inmates who have never strayed beyond the security
of the upper wards seem to know of the door's exact location, of its
rusted metal and wrought iron hinges, and of the dark plaque upon its
face. To them, the door is the cause of an unbearable phobia. To Sheckles
it has become a subject of diverting curiosity.

Thus Sheckles decided to ride the hospital's single, wrought iron elevator
down into the bowels of the asylum to examine the door, to open it and to
debunk the irrational horrors of his wretched patients by returning with
first hand knowledge of what lay beyond.

But he never returned. and now the illness afflicting the inmates has
worsened. A meeting is held and the nervous, yet dependable doctors left
in Sheckles absence are in agreement. Having studied Sheckles' case notes,
the doctors concede that something must be done. To them and to them alone
falls the unenviable task of finding the missing physician, and getting to
the bottom of this root insanity. In order to do so, they must ride the
elevator down into the cellar and investigate the door marked X.

Threshold: The Descent, Room X, is a blood-curdling horror of the Silent
Hill variety which sees players step into the shoes of a group of Georgian
doctors about to embark on a search for their missing colleague. Their
search will take them to the cellar of the asylum, to the door marked X,
and across the threshold, to what lies beyond.

This is a free PBEM played using a commercial module written by David
Sharrock. We'll be using two systems: first is the free rpg system Key-RP
which is freely available to download to Your Games Now

Second is the email scripting system, Quest, so players will need to get a
copy of that in order to play. The snazzy full version is available at
Your Games Now for $2.50, or you can download the free 'Cheap Seats'
version from Forever People Digital Press website.

Downloads:
Key-RP (free)
http://www.yourgamesnow.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers
_id=45&products_id=1731

Quest ($2.50 version)
http://www.yourgamesnow.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers
_id=45&products_id=1655

Quest (free Cheap Seats Quest, Notepad file)
http://www.foreverpeoplerpg.com/php

Knowledge of the above systems is not necessary as they are easy to pick
up as you play. This is a close-ended game of indeterminate length. It's
never been playtested as a pbem, so I don't know how long it will run, but
it's sure to be lots of fun as I've already moderated it once as a pen and
paper game.
This isn't an adult game persay, but it does contain adult themes and
horror, so I'm setting a gamer age limit of 18.

[ This is a new entry for the PBM List. You can find the list
itself, and instructions for adding games or comments, at
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/pbm_list/ -- greg ]