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So for today's #PCEmber I decided to go with a game I fell in love with the setting and the design, heck even the layout and art is just BEAUTIFUL.
That's right, I'm diving into "Balikbayan" by @temporalhiccup for Day #6.
That's right, I'm diving into "Balikbayan" by @temporalhiccup for Day #6.
Balikbayan is a Belonging Outside Belonging Game, where you gain and spend tokens to tell the story that you play in by doing certain moves.
The setting of Balikbayan has been described to me as "Post-Colonial Philippines Cyberpunk"
And you know I love post-colonial stuff!
The setting of Balikbayan has been described to me as "Post-Colonial Philippines Cyberpunk"
And you know I love post-colonial stuff!
“It is the far future. Earth has been abandoned for generations. Humanity left for brighter stars, richer planets and shining colonies. To fuel their dreams of a better tomorrow, the humans turned to the Elementals and their magic.
This magic is an invaluable source of power and labor. Machines were created to harness and enslave the Elementals .
You were one of these Enslaved Elementals. You are machines that echo the legendary magic you once possessed.
You were one of these Enslaved Elementals. You are machines that echo the legendary magic you once possessed.
You and your friends are among the few who have managed to return to Earth. What remains of Earth’s cities is falling apart. The Corp won’t let go of you so easily either. But shining through the cracks is a magic that is ready to be reborn.”
It draws a bit from PbtA where you do have playbooks.
I went with the Tikbalang.
"raw strength, power, sweat pouring down flesh. Now I am ///PERFECTION///, now I am Machine. I am liquid, I am movement, I am power, I am any form of anthropomorphic animal
I went with the Tikbalang.
"raw strength, power, sweat pouring down flesh. Now I am ///PERFECTION///, now I am Machine. I am liquid, I am movement, I am power, I am any form of anthropomorphic animal
meeting the tenacity of steel. //
I AM MY OWN MASTER NOW
GENERATIONS AGO, ALL ANIMALS OF THE EARTH DIED OUT. YOU CARRY THE EARTH’S MEMORIES OF THEM, HOLO-MAGIC THAT GIVES YOU THEIR STRENGTH, AGILITY, SPEED, ABILITIES, AND FORM. AS A TIKBALANG
I AM MY OWN MASTER NOW
GENERATIONS AGO, ALL ANIMALS OF THE EARTH DIED OUT. YOU CARRY THE EARTH’S MEMORIES OF THEM, HOLO-MAGIC THAT GIVES YOU THEIR STRENGTH, AGILITY, SPEED, ABILITIES, AND FORM. AS A TIKBALANG
YOU CAN ACCESS THESE MEMORIES AND BECOME ANY ANTHROPOMORPHIC VERSION OF THESE ANIMALS.
PLAY TO FIND OUT:
￭ What is the relationship between machine and animal, when no one living remembers animals?
￭ Do you trust everyone with wisdom from the Spirit Realm?
PLAY TO FIND OUT:
￭ What is the relationship between machine and animal, when no one living remembers animals?
￭ Do you trust everyone with wisdom from the Spirit Realm?
How open or closed off are you?
￭ Who are you really if your form is ever changing?
LURE
when someone asks the TIKBALANG for protection or sagely advice, they gain a token.
￭ Who are you really if your form is ever changing?
LURE
when someone asks the TIKBALANG for protection or sagely advice, they gain a token.
TIPS [ I love this since it really helps you lean into your character's story and really enjoy who they can truly become]
￭ Be adaptive, change forms often
￭ Engage with what remains of the Spirit Realm
￭ Make your character fallible and relatable
￭ Be adaptive, change forms often
￭ Engage with what remains of the Spirit Realm
￭ Make your character fallible and relatable
Let's get into choices!
NAME:
A name that sounds like the call of an animal
Bray
She/her pronouns
CHOOSE YOUR HUMAN FORM:
Something soft and dangerous.
Short and thick, Bray dresses much like a cottagecore human with oversized sweaters, overall skirts, and berets.
NAME:
A name that sounds like the call of an animal
Bray
She/her pronouns
CHOOSE YOUR HUMAN FORM:
Something soft and dangerous.
Short and thick, Bray dresses much like a cottagecore human with oversized sweaters, overall skirts, and berets.
CHOOSE YOUR TRUE FORM:
Liquid metal always moving in a vaguely humanoid shape.
Reflective like mercury.
WHAT YOU HOPE FOR:
Recover my stolen memories
BONDS [CHOOSE TWO]:
A holoartist elemental disguised as a human
a fading Elemental who mentored me
Liquid metal always moving in a vaguely humanoid shape.
Reflective like mercury.
WHAT YOU HOPE FOR:
Recover my stolen memories
BONDS [CHOOSE TWO]:
A holoartist elemental disguised as a human
a fading Elemental who mentored me
WHAT CONNECTS US [ CHOOSE ONE, ASK LEFT ] :
You’re the only one who’s seen my original form. What does it look like, and why is it our secret?
You’re the only one who’s seen my original form. What does it look like, and why is it our secret?
The moves that come with the character are super rad too! You don't choose these, they automatically are available.
SHAPESHIFT : Download Shamanic Protocols that connect you to the strength and abilities of any animal.
SHAPESHIFT : Download Shamanic Protocols that connect you to the strength and abilities of any animal.
NAME ANY ANIMAL, DESCRIBE HOW YOUR FORM CHANGES TO BECOME THE ANTHROPOMORPHIC VERSION OF THAT ANIMAL. For as long as the protocols remain stable and your heart is strong, you have the abilities associated with that animal.
SPIRIT SPEAK : Open channels to the Spirit Realm that survived Earth’s downfall. DESCRIBE AND CREATE A RITUAL. NAME ONE REQUIREMENT, THE GM WILL NAME THE SECOND. Once the ritual is completed, you gain limited access to the digital remains of the Spirit Realm for a time.
An Animal Spirit Guide will offer wisdom.
Here are the moves where you will gain and spend tokens. Neutral tokens can be used whenever but do not have any benefit other than helping provide for the story.
Here are the moves where you will gain and spend tokens. Neutral tokens can be used whenever but do not have any benefit other than helping provide for the story.
STRONG MOVES [SPEND A TOKEN]
￭ Use your magic with unerring grace
￭ Make what you Hope for more real
￭ Allow your animal instincts to reveal the truth
￭ Receive timely help from the Spirit Realm
￭ ASK: HOW DOES THE SPIRIT REALM STRENGTHEN ME?
￭ Use your magic with unerring grace
￭ Make what you Hope for more real
￭ Allow your animal instincts to reveal the truth
￭ Receive timely help from the Spirit Realm
￭ ASK: HOW DOES THE SPIRIT REALM STRENGTHEN ME?
NEUTRAL MOVES
￭ Use your magic with consequence
￭ Take action, inviting risk
￭ Call out to Spirit, see who or what answers
￭ Listen to the City’s Heart and listen
￭ ASK: WHAT SHAPE FEELS NATURAL IN THIS MOMENT?
￭ Use your magic with consequence
￭ Take action, inviting risk
￭ Call out to Spirit, see who or what answers
￭ Listen to the City’s Heart and listen
￭ ASK: WHAT SHAPE FEELS NATURAL IN THIS MOMENT?
WEAK MOVES EARN A TOKEN
￭ Lose control of your shape and abilities
￭ Prioritize the Spirit Realm over reality
￭ Reveal a dangerous vulnerability
￭ Give into the Fading and feel mortal
￭ ASK: WHAT PRICE DOES THE SPIRIT REALM ASK?
￭ Lose control of your shape and abilities
￭ Prioritize the Spirit Realm over reality
￭ Reveal a dangerous vulnerability
￭ Give into the Fading and feel mortal
￭ ASK: WHAT PRICE DOES THE SPIRIT REALM ASK?
And that's really it for character creation itself!
Together, you would build relationship questions (like the one noted above (What Connects Us). And then from there we discuss and world build the Enslaved (those we have left behind), The Corp (our previous masters),
Together, you would build relationship questions (like the one noted above (What Connects Us). And then from there we discuss and world build the Enslaved (those we have left behind), The Corp (our previous masters),
Our Magic ( what powers the machines that we are), Our Fading (we left behind immortality a long time ago), The Heart of the City ( powerful and unknown), and Our Allies.
I love world building for this because it is beautiful can go in so many wonderful directions!
I love world building for this because it is beautiful can go in so many wonderful directions!
If you would like to get Balikbayan yourself, here you go! https://temporalhiccup.itch.io/balikbayan
If you would like to watch an actual play of it, why not check out the one that I was in? It was myself, @temporalhiccup , @acegiak , and @SeanNittner on @ActualPlay ! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNuXiEYyM4isVv4RjS-KdeU9dXeDn8KWG
This is it for day 6! I swear I will not be behind again!
Or rather, I'm trying my dangest.
Or rather, I'm trying my dangest.
