The Return: Main Splat

The Return

1. Overview
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The Return is a fantasy game that uses the FEMTO v2.5 system, inspired by the game Pyre, in which the players have been banished to a magical dimension for crimes unspecified. This dimension, called the Echoes, are a seemingly infinite expanse that seems to mirror the outside world. It is a limbo of sorts, fraught with mystery and peril; however, there is said to be a way to reclaim your freedom, although the Echoes guard their secrets well, and none have ever escaped. Five will be the ideal number of players for this game, and the focus will be largely on exploration, having a somewhat open-ended format. Players are encouraged to create a cohesive party that will be able to tackle a variety of difficult situations, and to switch out characters if they feel like trying something different. This game will also expand on the races and elements present in FEMTO 2.5.

2. Setting
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The Echoes, as the name implies, are a sort of parallel dimension to the rest of the world at large. Time and space does not appear to follow the same rules as the real world, and vague reflections of the outside can sometimes be seen. The outside world itself is called the Alicorn Dominion, with the setting as a whole taking certain cues from the show's canon. Luna and Celestia have long since returned to their celestial bodies, becoming the subject of one of the predominant religions in the Dominion, and the land of Equestria has expanded and come to ally with almost all of the known world and its races, with a handful of exceptions. While it is divided into a commonwealth of largely independent kingdoms still, they are all united under one banner and answer to the Alicorn Empress.

Banishment to the Echoes is a fairly common sentence in the Dominion, and in some disreputable parts it is carried out as a means of simply disposing of an enemy. The practice of banishment has been going on for long enough that several settlements have formed throughout the Echoes, the exiles preferring their new life in this dimension rather than trying to escape. In addition, throughout the world, strange objects and structures are commonly found, seemingly transported from the Dominion to the Echoes. This can range from anything as simple as a knife, to a fully functioning abandoned mansion. The means and reason for such things appearing in this dimension is unknown. As a result of this strange phenomenon, many of the aforementioned settlements engage in trading and bartering often, the exchange of goods being fairly common in addition to the exchange of bits.

More information about the Dominion and its kingdoms can be found in section 5 of this Pastebin. Note that this is only a small list of the locations of the Known World, and that players can invent their own if they wish; the world of the Dominion is left ambiguous to an extent, seeing as the game will not actually take place in it. Remember to consult the DM if you decide to come up with something.

3. Character Details
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Despite the bleak premise, The Return will be a fairly lighthearted game. Rather than focusing on the grimness of the situation, The Return will be more about exploring this new and unfamiliar land and finding a way home. Success in doing so is not guaranteed, as no one in history has ever returned from the Echoes.

Overall, the technology level of the Dominion is somewhat anachronistic. Pistols, muskets and gatling guns are every bit as part of the world as swords, armor and sorcery. However, overall, the technology is about on par with the Victorian era of the 19th century, with the most advanced inventions of the time being things such as motors, steam engines and electricity. It is also important to keep in mind the reason why your character was banished. No one comes to the Echoes without a good reason, and everyone has their own. This will also provide me as the DM with some important information that will almost certainly come into play at some point throughout the game. How much backstory you give your character is up to you completely.

Because of the diverse nature of the Dominion, this game will use a wider palette of races than most other Femto games. The Return will include two additional playable races: Felids and Saurians. Hippogriffs are also a playable race, but due to their close kniship with griffons they are mechanically written as them. TR will also expand on the Elementalist system present in Femto, adding two new damage types: Radiant and Dark. More information on both of these expansions can be found in section 5 of this document.

There will also be a character progression system in place in the game, where the party will gain something called Enlightenment Points at significant intervals. For more information, see the Pastebin relating to Enlightenment in Section 5.

4. Party Sheets and Archive
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In this section will be kept a list of the party's sheets, for future reference, along with links to the MLPG threads where the game is run.
	-Garik: Silver Song (https://pastebin.com/b5rsH55R)
	-Pyrite: Rabi (https://pastebin.com/UWSrQmgK)
	-Maali: Aegis Glaze (https://pastebin.com/rRL1vTLc)
	-Timber: Hermodur Aput (https://pastebin.com/tNJqiv4W)
	-Tome: Norvegicus Black (https://pastebin.com/Gx55fcUv)
	-Xenthori: Zunden (https://pastebin.com/8UsNeVy2)

	First thread: https://mlpg.co/q/res/690313.html
	Second thread: https://mlpg.co/q/res/695148.html
	Third thread: https://mlpg.co/q/res/698082.html
	Fourth thread: https://mlpg.co/q/res/701786.html

5. Important Links
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This section will include links to Pastebins with other important information regarding the game.

	Felid and Saurian Modules: https://pastebin.com/6Wv8pt59, https://pastebin.com/dkuWDabk
	Radiant and Dark Elementalist: https://pastebin.com/bVa8dkWs
	Enlightenment: https://pastebin.com/5pUgtPs4
	List of NPCs: https://pastebin.com/dXfjSeRn
	NPC Follower Sheets: https://pastebin.com/ahzCkL5S
	Party Inventory: https://pastebin.com/zYnsg4Mk
	Lands of the Dominion: https://pastebin.com/3MjBxYpR
	Bestiary: https://pastebin.com/pC3tzbpH
	Rosen and Gilder's Caravan: https://pastebin.com/qNkjAyPP