Fool's Goals (a loony cartoon caper for all ages)

Creating your character

From a mechanical perspective, I, the GM, will be building all the characters using the rules in _Toon Deluxe Edition_ (the Big Red Book) and its supplements when necessary (Blue, Yellow, and Green) and storing them on roll20. However, I plan to talk with each player between signing up and start of game to discern what kind of character they would like to play so I can make them a character as close as possible to that. Last-minute players will still have pregenerated characters to choose from that are appropriate to the scenario.

Preparing for the session

1. Make free accounts on Discord and Roll20 2. Join my Discord Server (I'll send you a link) so we can discuss your intended character, your cultural context especially regarding cartoons, and your general sense of humor. 3. Fill out the Monte Cook RPG Consent Form, just in case. Most of it isn't likely to come up, but I'd feel extra bad if anyone got triggered in such a lighthearted game. 4. Ideally, watch some old Warner Brothers cartoons to remind yourself of how cartoon logic differs from real world science. Just as a warm-up.

What Steven (malpanda) brings to the table

Toon, run as intended, is a high energy game. Expect voices, sound effects, puns, slapstick, and situational humor. Improvisation based on player choices and random factors. Expect the loose change in your pockets to jingle when you really get into the zone and start bouncing around. You might want to move that ming vase a few yards away from your keyboard before the game. Expect eternal life! --for your character. Cartoons can recover from anything (except that one thing that I promise is _not_ in this game, so don't even worry about it) Thermonuclear explosions? Orbital re-entry? Being turned into confetti and spread across Times Square? You'll be fine. We don't even need to see your medical insurance card. I run this game theater of the mind because what set of maps could possibly keep up? Expect lots of Rule of Cool moments. Expect to laugh. Expect to have fun.

Homebrew rules

Falling Down (the condition that more serious games call 'death') will take a character out of the action of the game for a minimum of 3 rounds. (that is, enough time for everyone else to do one thing, times 3) Furthermore, attempts to sneak back into the action before then may result in your character coming back as a ghost or finding themselves in an absurd afterlife dimension. This condition will persist As Long As It's Funny.

How Steven (malpanda) creates a safe table

Before the day of the game, I will send all the players a link to Monte Cook’s RPG Consent Checklist and ask them to let me know privately what items are yellow or red category for them so I can plan to exclude those elements from the plot of the game. The X, N, and Os can be conveyed over voice chat, as hand gestures, or communicated to me discreetly using Roll20’s whisper command. In addition to open door policy, I plan to schedule one or two 15 minute breaks to let everyone cool off from the frantic pace of the game. It’s my belief that the impermanent nature of the cartoon world softens otherwise dark topics (for example: death only lasts 3 rounds, most conditions or illnesses last only as long as they are funny, a loose perception of reality can override gravity) but that doesn’t mean I’m seeking out dark topics, just being scrupulous about potential triggers. I’m not a therapist, but I’m good at active listening and willing to provide a sympathetic ear if any of my players need to talk after the session.