Chuubo's Marvelous Wish Granting Engine

[Zaleramancer]

CMWGE is technically a successor or spin off of the game Nobilis. It's by Jenna Moran; a diceless tabletop game.

It's meant to evoke the mood of a sort of quieter, intrapersonal game. Sort of like a slice-of-life anime but where the characters are probably gods or superheroes or angels or something.

It's named after one of the sample NPC characters- Chuubo, who has a Marvelous Engine that grants wishes! He can also turn into a giant snake, but it never helps.

The author also posts game content on tumblr, which includes more example "arcs" (think character classes but more narratively focused).

One of those was called Awakening and it felt very, very much my New Beginning character- it involves being a strange abstracted being that pushes into reality, enlightens others into becoming copies of it; bestows strange tricks and tools that rely on it's own arcane methods.

(As a side note, Wulf, your character probably would use the Called Away arc, based on how your character does things.)

[Celadon's Penultimate]

I'll definitely be giving this a look.

[Zaleramancer]

So my NB character, who I don't remember a name for because [it] stopped being me at some point..

[IT/THEY] probably has a Magical Skill. (Magical skills are skills that cheat and do things that aren't natural.) Probably this version of Vancian Magic.

It (Incomplete) probably looks something like:

Skills

(Magical) Vancian Magic 4
Arcane Snippets 3
Knowing that this was gonna happen because come on guys, or otherwise being as smug know-it-all 1

Perks

Garden Perk : My Demiurgic World-Body

Arcs

Sickly Mystic (Awakening) 5 / Immortal Shepard (Keeper of Gardens) 5

[IT/THEM]'s Second Self is a titanic world forged from the shattered remains of the man [IT] once held. It is a thing of cybernetics and sorcery, trapped between worlds in a strange inter-dimensional void. That's the realm [THEM]. It's the actuality, the true form and place- but it's hardly the only place [IT] can influence.

Like the creeping limbs of an octopus, [THEIR] power stretched out into the world. It transforms people into avatars, awakening the knowledge within them that they were part of [IT] all along. Others are forged from the flesh of [THEIR] world-body itself and sent out into the world as EYES and EARS and FACES.

[IT/THEM] has Weaknesses, of course. The old name, the mortal name long abandoned- that can compel and repel [THEM]. Things that can harm an eldritch being of magic and steel can thwart [IT]- the proper mystic rituals and the rite magical objects, the proper programming and the understanding that comes with them-

-[IT] can be hurt and exorcised by this.

[IT/THEM] offers blessings and tools and tricks- magic secrets, weird objects:

1 MP: A stone with a hole worn through it, which offers a +1 tool bonus to seeing the unseen.
2 MP: A secret about an enemy you haven't met yet. It rumbles in your mind, ambiguous and shadowy, until you need it- then you realize a secret weakness! It only works once, of course, for obvious reasons.

(Placeholder)

[Zaleramancer]

If anyone wants me to offer suggestions as to what their character's arcs in CMWGE might be:

Are you...

...someone who deals with weird or forbidden things? (Blue or Binding Arcs)

...living to become something or to find your true place? (Orange or Knight Arcs)

...torn between two worlds or two states of being? (Green or Otherworldly Arcs)

...a larger-than-life figure? Cool and cinematic and amazing? (Red or Storyteller Arcs)

....always striving to become better, stronger, faster? (Yellow or Aspect Arcs)

...someone who has something you guide or protect or wield? (Purple or Shepherd Arcs)

...a bit hollow, a bit hurt and alone? See (Silver or Emptiness Arcs)

...caught in fate, guided by forces greater than yourself? See (Black or Mystic Arcs)

Pick the one that most resonates with your character; then select two-three additional ones.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Zaleramancer wrote

If anyone wants me to offer suggestions as to what their character's arcs in CMWGE might be:

Are you...

...someone who deals with weird or forbidden things? (Blue or Binding Arcs) Yes

...living to become something or to find your true place? (Orange or Knight Arcs) No

...torn between two worlds or two states of being? (Green or Otherworldly Arcs) No

...a larger-than-life figure? Cool and cinematic and amazing? (Red or Storyteller Arcs) Yes

....always striving to become better, stronger, faster? (Yellow or Aspect Arcs) No

...someone who has something you guide or protect or wield? (Purple or Shepherd Arcs) Yes

...a bit hollow, a bit hurt and alone? See (Silver or Emptiness Arcs) No

...caught in fate, guided by forces greater than yourself? See (Black or Mystic Arcs) Yes

Pick the one that most resonates with your character; then select two-three additional ones.

[Zaleramancer]

Blue or Bindings arcs are about bad things and weird things and stuff you'd better left untouched!

You are ..

..a keeper of dark and forbidden things, a sealer and tamer of monsters, a fighter against a mysterious OTHER! You've got the Immortal Bindings arc, Gatekeeper.

..someone with a hidden life and the master of a single trick or skill or technique. You've got a belt full of gadgets or an endless array of mysterious martial arts moves. You've got the Frantic Bindings arc, Gatecrasher.

..broken, hurt, shattered.. but from your wounds you've drawn strength. From your pain- power! You've got the Sickly Bindings arc, Wounded Angel.


Red or Storyteller arcs are about being huge and cinematic! They're about being stylized and cool!

You are..

..something bright and holy- a sacred presence with numinous light, who touches the mind and soul. You are high and holy. You've got the Immortal Storyteller arc, A Creature of the Light.

..you're part of a story! You're kind of a hunter! You might be a trickster or someone just strange and larger than life. You've got the Frantic Storyteller arc, A Creature of Fable.

..you're a strange creature, lacking something vital. You can pull it out of people, pluck lies or eyes or luck. You've got the Sickly Storyteller arc, A Creature of Delirium.


Purple or Shepherd arcs are about guiding or wielding or protecting something. They're about the connections between you and others.

You are..

..a high and might ruler who shapes their realm with but a touch. You forge great guardians and messengers from the very substance of your realm. You've got the Immortal Shepherd arc, A Keeper of Gardens.

..someone who cares deeply for a set of people or places or things. Your deep connection brings forth their inner power and being. It makes them into miraculous and powerful things. You've got the Frantic Shepherd arc, Sentimental.

..a person so powerful and willful that you bend other's lives around you like an anvil bends hot steel. You reshape relationships and find minions everywhere. You've got the Sickly Shepherd arc, Impresario.


Black or Mystic arcs are about mysterious forces beyond you or anyone else.

You are..

..the embodiment of some concept or reality that draws power and form from the impressions of others. You are a many winged angel of hope, or a many armed god of destruction. You have the Immortal Mystic arc, Primordial.  

..(The frantic mystic arc has yet to be posted; as such remains a mystery. It's called Prophet.)

..an abstract or alien presence reaching into reality. You bring the strangeness of a distant land to this world, along with strange blessings and the ability to absorb things into your paradigm. You have the Sickly Mystic arc, Awakening.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Zaleramancer wrote

Blue or Bindings arcs are about bad things and weird things and stuff you'd better left untouched!

You are ..

..a keeper of dark and forbidden things, a sealer and tamer of monsters, a fighter against a mysterious OTHER! You've got the Immortal Bindings arc, Gatekeeper.

Zaleramancer wrote

Red or Storyteller arcs are about being huge and cinematic! They're about being stylized and cool!

You are..

..you're part of a story! You're kind of a hunter! You might be a trickster or someone just strange and larger than life. You've got the Frantic Storyteller arc, A Creature of Fable.  

Zaleramancer wrote

Purple or Shepherd arcs are about guiding or wielding or protecting something. They're about the connections between you and others.

You are..

..someone who cares deeply for a set of people or places or things. Your deep connection brings forth their inner power and being. It makes them into miraculous and powerful things. You've got the Frantic Shepherd arc, Sentimental.

Zaleramancer wrote

Black or Mystic arcs are about mysterious forces beyond you or anyone else.

You are..

..(The frantic mystic arc has yet to be posted; as such remains a mystery. It's called Prophet.)

[Zaleramancer]

Alright!

The mechanics of Gatekeeper revolve around an "Other" that you define. It's what your character captures and binds and controls. You can search it out, seal or weaken it, or compel it to serve you; also imbue people with spells or magic abilities relating to it.

They're also devoted to an ideal of some kind, a principle they follow and protect.

For example, if you had an other of fire, then your character can find fires, weaken them or seal them away into gemstones or something, or send fire out to hurt people or save people, or otherwise serve your principle. You can also imbue people with weird fire powers or things related to fire.

The mechanics of A Creature of Fable revolve around being sort of cinematic in some way. You've got something you accomplish fairly easily; your appearance is iconic and hard to alter. You can peel away people's abilities, making them non-functional temporarily. You can grant emotional revelations or strip them away. You can summon people from afar. You can give people peace.

The mechanics of Sentimental revolve around Treasures- items or people or things you care about. You can usually only have a certain number of them, but each one gains a miraculous power that you can unleash. This ranges from merely existing to being able to use their powers to solve any problem, given time.

Prophet is a mystery!

Do these sound like your character? Are there any you'd like to repick? If you'd like, I have some suggestions.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

I can see my character in that description, for sure.

[Zaleramancer]

Hmm. Two of the Green/Otherworldy arcs are also possibilities:

The Child of the Ash (Immortal Green) arc involves turning into a giant kaiju, while the Called Away arc (Sickly Green) is about being torn between the real world and a distant fantasy land with strange creatures and treasures.

One of things things to consider is how your character goes about doing things. How does he solve problems and deal with issues?

[Zaleramancer]

For example, on reflection, my character's main arc is probably Troubled, the Frantic Emptiness arc. It's kind of about being the sneaky know-it-all git.

It literally has a power called Scheme; allows me to do things like:

...read playing cards to find out what's going on.
...say, "I've got a plan," and actually have the plan work out.
...show up out of the shadows, nearly anywhere.
...be drawn to dark and forbidden things sometimes.
...have a fancy costume.

Combined with Awakening it gives my character a lot of knowledge gathering ability.

[Zaleramancer]

That also, however, means my character has little head-on direct power, which suits him.

He might have the following set up:

Awakening, Troubled, Keeper of Gardens and Gatecrasher.

Probably in something like... (assume I stick to an 8 arc limit)

Troubled 3/Awakening 2/Gatecrasher 2/Keeper of Gardens 1

Troubled gives me...

...a title that's probably "Supreme Sorcerer and Wondrous Wizard."
...a cool outfit, probably a well-fitting suit in some atrocious color and a cape with lots of weird magic things.
...the power to use crystal balls, playing cards, pools of water or similar magic ornaments to find spy out information.
...the ability to use my heavily item based magic to solve problems using schemes and plans (I knew about this all-along, because I've got batman level planning skills.)
...random visions about nearby dangerous magical items that people shouldn't be playing with (but I totally want to own).
...the ability to slip out of problematic effects and powers by letting them work, then slipping away unnoticed (or even turn them against their originator).
...the power to mess with people's actions and powers by screwing with subtle magic stuff in ways they won't notice probably.
...the ability to make things really difficult to notice.

Awakening gives me...

...unworldliness and the fact that my true self is some distant and alien computer-god-thing.
...the ability to sublimate my physical form into an ambient presence.
...the power to give people weird tools and odd spells from my home realm of bizarre technomagic.
...the ability to enlighten people to the fact that they were always my avatars from the far and distant lands, or the power to turn things I've made into copies of me.
...the ability to call up the old skills of people I used to be because they realized they were me, or because they can do stuff I can't actually do but they could.
...the power to absorb things into my realm, dragging them into the terrifying library-world that used to be my body. Spooky.

Gatecrasher gives me...

...the power to know a lot about the intersection of technology and magic.
...the power to keep people from realizing there's a secret world of reality warpers and wizards and stuff.
...stupidly high durability.
...the power to realize when someone changes reality, or to be somewhere important when needed.
...the ability to pull out new magical artifacts that I had all the time, really and totally didn't make up just now.
...use my bullshit magical stuff to do a few things, or turn people's powers back on them.  

Keeper gives me...

...a toxic aura that turns things into books and paper and metal.
...the power to shape my world-library like it was clay in my hands.
...the power to shape guides and messengers from the books and cyber-materials of my home.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

 Most impressive.

[Mik_Hael]

Always good to know when ancient demonic forces share the same family name as me.