The Risus Monkey has a new home at: http://www.risusmonkey.com. Please update
your bookmarks and links accordingly.

Thanks,
Tim

Hello, I'm a huge fan of Risus and a member of the International Order of Risus.
I'm writing this post as a call to the most dedicated users of the system. I
started a risus pbem-rpg that has run its course and is no longer active. I want
to give myself one more chance to get another Risus powered rpg going, but I
need help.

I'm fighting a personal war against the dark forces of boredom and monotony.
Risus is one of my weapons. I'm a passionate fiction writer and roleplayer that
is looking for something to do. I have an idea to create an open ended, freeform
game using Risus. I'm open to any ideas, themes, whatever.

I need to get some people interested and wanting to work with me, and that's why
I'm posting this. I'd even consider a chat based game using instant messaging,
provided we could get enough people together at a regular time.

I'm an avid reader of many genres, sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, a little horror
(especially H.P. Lovecraft) I can work with a wide variety of themes, ideas,
comical or serious games. This is the first and only appeal I'm going to make to
start something. Otherwise I'll have to take on other projects. Things like
novel manuscripts or screenplays in order to keep my writing skills in shape.
It's a hard and lonely road for anyone that's tried.

I don't want to take up too much time so I'll end my post here and see if I get
any responses. I've run successful (at least by my standards) games in the past
and I'm willing to do so again, but only to a point. Risus fans of the world
unite!

My plea to the Risus community got some good responses, and generated some
interest for a super hero themed Risus pbem-RPG. Thanks to those who helped with
their ideas. This game will hope to be something of a dark comedy, inspired by
Mystery Men and Watchmen. Here are the links:

Main site: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/mysterywatch/

OOC messageboard: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/msysterywatchooc/

I think this could be a fun project, so I hope you'll check it out and give it a
chance. I think it will present a lot of great opportunities for world building,
Risus character designs and some interesting interactive storytelling.

Pete Schweighofer pointed this out to me today:

http://playthisthing.com/ring-thieves-and-risus-anything-rpg

Cool.

Favorite part: the "System Requirements."




|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

Just thought I'd pass along that Obsidian Portal: http://www.obsidianportal.com/
added Risus as a supported system last week.  I have put together a custom
dynamic sheet to go along with this development.

So, if you are looking for an online campaign manager, you might want to check
out Obsidian Portal.

Larry

For a long time, the Risus homepage had a logo. After a time, it was replaced
with a similar logo. After a time, that was replaced with a still-similar logo.

It has happened again.

It's just, the bigger my monitor gets, the teensier that logo was looking, so it
was time :)

Don't worry ... I haven't dared update that stunning late-1990s design
sensibility with something more modern :)





|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

I would like to invite everybody to take a look at my Obsidian Portal
campaign site at http://www.obsidianportal.com/profile/GuyHoyle . OP
is a cool place with some interesting RPG campaign management tools.
You can track PCs and NPCs, keep a campaign log, detail places and
background and have a discussion forum, keep secret GM-Only info,
etc.and a lot more. Our own Larry Bullock has designed a character
template for Risus, which I have been trying to abuse shamelessly;
I've posted a few sample characters as examples (in my Hoyle's
Henchmen section; the other one, Encounter Risical, doesn't have much
there yet).  Please check it out and let me know what you think; it's
still in the early stages, but I have high hopes for it.

Guy

If you're a new member of the International Order of Risus and considering
sending off for your membership card, do so! They have magic time-travel
powers,* can heal the sick**, and guarantee sexual conquest on the part of the
holder.*** Plus, each comes with a stick figure on the back.****

BUT ... be sure you're using the most current mailing address (follow the
bouncing hyperlinks on the Cumberland site), since we've just changed address.
Note that it looks suspiciously like the old address (we're in the same
high-rise) but the apartment number has changed.

The Post Office _should_ be forwarding any mailed to the old addy for awhile,
but best not to take chances ...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* Anecdotally reported. Individual cards may not actually have magic time-travel
powers, and those with such powers may require specially gifted time-travelling
IOR members for effective use.
** This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Some
cards may be unable to heal the sick. Not for human consumption. Novelty use
only. Not for novelty consumption. May be unsuitable for novelty use.
*** Privately. Success with others present may vary.
**** Sometimes two. Or, more precisely, sometimes both.



|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

I've been bulking up my Risus-based Encounter RISICAL! site over at
Obsidian Portal. It has some sections on character generation, as well
as a map of the Land of Map (with cool little map markers that you can
click on!). Take a look, and leave some comments if you like.

Guy

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the risus
group.

   File        : /Alternate Formats/Risus-ePub.zip
   Uploaded by : ghalev <sjohn@...>
   Description : Risus in the ePub format (for iPhones and whatnot) converted,
formatted, organized and kindly provided by two-fisted Larry Bullock.

You can access this file at the URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/risus/files/Alternate%20Formats/Risus-ePub.zip

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/members/forms/general.htmlfiles

Regards,

ghalev <sjohn@...>

Hello everyone - just thought I'd pop in and let you know that I've
added a new optional rule set called Perks.  Like Lucky Shots and
Questing Dice, perks are more fun things you can buy with character
creation dice!  Give them a look, let me know what you think, and as
always, have fun playing!

http://risusiverse.wetpaint.com/page/Perks
<http://risusiverse.wetpaint.com/page/Perks>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Just posted a supplement for Risus adding Mecha to the mix and a bunch of
optional rules.

Check it out.  It's located here at the Risus Wiki: 
http://risusiverse.wetpaint.com/page/Risus+Mecha

I've posted a very minor revision to the Submissions Guidelines, mainly to
update the mailing address. There are no other substantive differences, just a
tweak here and there. They are available from the Risus homepage; snag 'em and
read 'em! They rock with fun.

And a general update in teaser form: since the release of these guidelines there
has been a healthy flood of Risus proposals crashing over the transom, I must
say -- more than I expected, and I expected a few. Most of these (for 'tis the
cruel way of the world) have been turned away with a loving pat on the backside
(sometimes, they got goosed) but a couple of them have passed the outer gates
and are sneaking with purpose toward the castle gardens. One, in particular, is
virtually guaranteed to be contracted sometime in the next few weeks, and
another is in the hopeful-discussions stages.

So, if all goes well (and it's feeling like it's going to) we'll see a number of
cool Risus things over the next year or three as a result.

More would be nice. In particular, everybody's been (and I mean _everybody,_ no
exceptions) has been proposing sourcebooks, but I'd _love_ to see some
adventures (group or solitaire) proposed. A writer proposing such a thing would
stand out, yea verily.

So, here's celebrating what I've seen so far, and here's hoping for the future.
Hope this finds you well, and bouncing those dice with friends.



|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

So, I also dabble in fonts, right? More than dabble lately, but that was
accidental. Anyway, several times I [week]day I'll get an email requesting terms
for a commercial-use license for Dirty Headline, or Apple Butter, or A Love of
Thunder, the new one ... or someone needing to commission a Croation glyph-set
for Nicotine Stains, etc. No big. Helps with the groceries.

Today someone ... VERY clearly a non-gamer someone ... wrote to inquire about
commercial use of the Risus LCB Kringlebats font.

On automatic, I typed "No, sorry that font isn't for ..." but then I paused. I'm
just curious as to what the heck anyone would DO with it, commercially. Apart
from me, I mean. A sheet of stickers for scrapbookers? Christmas cards? Baby
food? I'm stumped.

I should have asked.

Anyway, instead of saying no, I cited a price, so we'll see. If the unlikely
happens and it gets licensed, I'll try to keep an eye out for what would
presumably be a very odd Risus collectible, whether it wants to be or not :/

And either way, that was better than caffeine for opening my eyes on a Sunday
morning.




|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

No, not a new translation, though that would be very cool.

In the city of Iskenderun, Turkey, stands "Kafe Risus." I must eat there
someday. They have an awesome sign.*

In Caferaga (Istanbul Not Constantinople, Turkey Not Ottoman Empire), stands the
"Risus Cafe." I must eat there too. They don't seem to have an awesome sign, but
they have an even more awesome window.*

The Risus Suite Hotel* is in Alanya, Turkey ... I figure I'd stay there, walk to
the other two. Could take a while.

Turkish Risus Convention, anyone?



- - - - - - -
* See their Facebook page.
* Do a Google Image search for Risus Cafe; it'll be top row ... note that the
window trim is almost even purple! Sorta pinkish-plum really, but still.
* Looks a bit pricey for a free, six-page resort hotel.



|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

... because the first-ever freelance Risus worldbook contract has been signed,
and things are looking good.

News forthcoming, but for now, anyone thinking of being on the blindtest team
should clear up some gaming time in October ... I'll post soon(ish) with details
on how to apply for the testing squad, in the usual place for such things, but I
figured a heads-up was in order. ;)

Eagle-eyed Risus observers already know at least a little of what the book is
about.

And I gotta say it's already been very exciting. I enjoy wearing the Editor cap,
being a demanding and picky so-and-so and all that ... but so far this writer is
leaping through the hoops with unexpected style, and the outline - after a few
hammer-passes and exchanges - is one of the most crackling-with-potential I've
seen. I'm already drawing stick figures for it, natch :)

So, a new step, hopefully the first of many.

Email me privately (sjohn@... - do not mail the list with this, please) with
the answer to this question: who do you want to see writing worldbooks and
adventures for Risus? Maybe it's someone I haven't heard enough about, and maybe
I'll track 'em down and attempt to throw advances and contracts and things their
way. Let me know who's rocking your gaming table lately.



|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/55572/risus-the-anything-rpg

I've been so asleep at the wheel I didn't know boardgamegeek had added an RPG
version!

Belated thanks to those who got Risus on there, rated it, etc!




|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

Just a quick progress update on the new book:

(1) I've seen some chapter drafts, and I'm all abuzz and atwitter. Vaguely agog,
also.
(2) The call for playtesters went out and is already seeing groovy responses.
Many thanks to those who have applied.
(3) Adding specific historical costumes to stick figures is a pain in the butt,
but I guess it's time I learn to draw a little and stop coasting :)



|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

http://www.scenegrinder.com/page/features

They mention Risus when describing what rule systems their software supports!

I'm not sure if I'd seen this Kringle review before; I think I knew only of the
Demian Katz one and the one entirely in German.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art65085.asp

Anyway, 'tis groovy.




|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

Just a brief to say that after several years of intending to run A
Kringle In Time one of these years, I'm actually doing it tomorrow
afternoon. I'm shooting for three sessions (which will probably put us
well into January, given holiday travel plans and such, but oh well).
Tomorrow is making characters  and probably chapters 1&2. Next time
3-4, which may be over ambitious, and then the big finish in a third
session. Not all the players can make it, so we'll probably end up
fudging bizarre ways of introducing new characters at some of the
travel points. Wish me luck.

--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Puckett / jason@... / http://jasonpuckett.net

At 04:24 PM 12/4/2010, you wrote:
>
>
>Just a brief to say that after several years of intending to run A
>Kringle In Time one of these years, I'm actually doing it tomorrow
>afternoon. I'm shooting for three sessions (which will probably put us
>well into January, given holiday travel plans and such, but oh well).
>Tomorrow is making characters and probably chapters 1&2. Next time
>3-4, which may be over ambitious, and then the big finish in a third
>session. Not all the players can make it, so we'll probably end up
>fudging bizarre ways of introducing new characters at some of the
>travel points. Wish me luck.


Hope I'm not too late with the good-luck wishes; this email stood in the queue
all night because I was out late playing Robo-Rally :)





|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

That's fantastic! Good luck! I'm jealous that you're going to spread it out
over several sessions. Last time I tried to do that, I only finished the
first two chapters. The other time I ran it it turned into a marathon
session that felt a bit rushed (and we had to skip Jerusalem).

I'd love to hear about how it goes.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Wow.

Our PCs are:

A faerie changeling commodities trader (he had his ears clipped),

A 200 year old retired bareknuckles boxer turned Buddhist monk,

And a Christian missionary possessed intermittently by a Hindu monkey demon.

Our really weird player couldn't make it to this session.

They seized upon the tactic of force-feeding Gluttonous Santa to death, and
adapted that idea later to out-pervert Perverted Santa, with a final
deathblow I can only describe as "vengeance of the yak." Poor Philo. He's
going to need a lot of therapy.



On Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 7:29 AM, S. John Ross <sjohn@...> wrote:

>
>
> At 04:24 PM 12/4/2010, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >Just a brief to say that after several years of intending to run A
> >Kringle In Time one of these years, I'm actually doing it tomorrow
> >afternoon. I'm shooting for three sessions (which will probably put us
> >well into January, given holiday travel plans and such, but oh well).
> >Tomorrow is making characters and probably chapters 1&2. Next time
> >3-4, which may be over ambitious, and then the big finish in a third
> >session. Not all the players can make it, so we'll probably end up
> >fudging bizarre ways of introducing new characters at some of the
> >travel points. Wish me luck.
>
> Hope I'm not too late with the good-luck wishes; this email stood in the
> queue all night because I was out late playing Robo-Rally :)
>
> || S. John Ross
> || Husband · Cook · Writer
> || In That Order
> || http://www.io.com/~sjohn <http://www.io.com/%7Esjohn>
>
>
>



--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Puckett / jason@... / http://jasonpuckett.net


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I cannot *wait* for the missionary character in particular to get to
Jerusalem. (That aspect of the character is on the quest because he wants to
save Christmas, even though he disapproves of all this Santa Claus stuff.
His monkey-demon aspect just really loves killing things.)

The first session went really well. It was everyone's first Risus game, and
my first in years. Everyone got right into the spirit of the rules and came
up with great inappropriate cliche uses. The missionary lectured people, the
broker debated economics with the Keller executives, and the old monk used
his Geezer cliche several times to complain  about young people.

Right at the beginning I realized I couldn't think of any possible reason
that Dasher would recruit these weirdos to save the world. I thought fast
and settled on, "He looks around the bar and quickly identifies you as the
PCs, so he singles you out of the crowd."

I am probably going to have to compress things a bit if I want to fit the
remaining three chapters into two sessions, but I think everyone's having
enough fun so far that if we run over into a fourth that'll be okay.

On Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 10:30 AM, Tim Ballew <ethernaut@...> wrote:

>
>
> That's fantastic! Good luck! I'm jealous that you're going to spread it out
> over several sessions. Last time I tried to do that, I only finished the
> first two chapters. The other time I ran it it turned into a marathon
> session that felt a bit rushed (and we had to skip Jerusalem).
>
> I'd love to hear about how it goes.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>



--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Puckett / jason@... / http://jasonpuckett.net


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

"I've done things in this game that .... [trails off into silence]" --
a player from tonight's Kringle game
"I knew this was going to be nuts, but .... [trails off into silence]"
-- a player who missed the previous session

The party was joined when they landed in 1843 by Aleister Algernon
Kent, a petty thief and opium smuggler. For reasons best known to
himself, he joined their quest to destroy Santa. The party were
immediately suspicious of Scrooge, and turned on Avaricious Santa
immediately after returning from the graveyard battle. As a result,
the fight against Angry and Tim was pretty tough! I ended up nerfing
Great Cthistmas somewhat just so the party didn't get completely wiped
out; they were pretty drained by the time he showed up.

Incidentally, the graveyard battle was probably the toughest fight
we've had in the game so far due to the hazardous terrain rules.
Aleister was beaten by a zombie and the player decided that,
logically, he had become a zombie as a result, so he swapped out his
Boxer cliche for Zombie.

What's funny about the game so far is that the players have such a
strong sense of their characters' abilities that they're restricting
themselves to stick to rules that don't exist. E.g. Player: "If the
lake water resists magic, I can't turn into my monkey-demon form while
I'm in the lake." Me: "Um, okay, but that's totally up to you."
Player: "I know, but it makes sense." Me: "...makes sense?"

After tonight, we have agreed that Risus needs to go into the regular
game rotation.

--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Puckett / jason@... / http://jasonpuckett.net

>For reasons best known to
>himself, he joined their quest to destroy Santa.

If I weren't so under the weather this week, I'd be terribly tempted to knock
together a d100 table of private motivations to join a quest to destroy Santa.

I'd try to have the self-discipline to have no more than five of them be
childhood gift disappointments, because that's too easy, though it would be
awfully tempting to have entries like:

41 - Gobots are not Transformers, and it is unforgivable to confuse them.

>Incidentally, the graveyard battle was probably the toughest fight
>we've had in the game so far due to the hazardous terrain rules.
>Aleister was beaten by a zombie and the player decided that,
>logically, he had become a zombie as a result, so he swapped out his
>Boxer cliche for Zombie.

Simply appending "Zombie" to the beginning would have done as well, but that's
an excellent example of Risus thinking either way :)


>After tonight, we have agreed that Risus needs to go into the regular
>game rotation.

I just need to learn if they save Christmas! Because if not we'll need to make
other plans for the holiday ...




|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

> I just need to learn if they save Christmas! Because if not we'll need to
make other plans for the holiday ...

Unfortunately we'll be saving Christmas well into January. Fortunately for
us it's a time-travel story.

On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 9:24 AM, S. John Ross <sjohn@...> wrote:

>
>
>
> >For reasons best known to
> >himself, he joined their quest to destroy Santa.
>
> If I weren't so under the weather this week, I'd be terribly tempted to
> knock together a d100 table of private motivations to join a quest to
> destroy Santa.
>
> I'd try to have the self-discipline to have no more than five of them be
> childhood gift disappointments, because that's too easy, though it would be
> awfully tempting to have entries like:
>
> 41 - Gobots are not Transformers, and it is unforgivable to confuse them.
>
>
> >Incidentally, the graveyard battle was probably the toughest fight
> >we've had in the game so far due to the hazardous terrain rules.
> >Aleister was beaten by a zombie and the player decided that,
> >logically, he had become a zombie as a result, so he swapped out his
> >Boxer cliche for Zombie.
>
> Simply appending "Zombie" to the beginning would have done as well, but
> that's an excellent example of Risus thinking either way :)
>
>
> >After tonight, we have agreed that Risus needs to go into the regular
> >game rotation.
>
> I just need to learn if they save Christmas! Because if not we'll need to
> make other plans for the holiday ...
>
> || S. John Ross
> || Husband · Cook · Writer
> || In That Order
> || http://www.io.com/~sjohn <http://www.io.com/%7Esjohn>
>
>
>



--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Puckett / jason@... / http://jasonpuckett.net


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>
>Unfortunately we'll be saving Christmas well into January. Fortunately for
>us it's a time-travel story.

A solid point. :)



|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn

It's a new year, with multiple Risus thingies planned for it, and so once again
I find myself in spiffing-up mode.

The call is simple:
    (A) If you know of a webpage that the Risus homepage should be linking to,
but isn't, email me at sjohn@... and let me know. For the last few years, the
Risus community has grown so robust that I'm left out of the loop on virtually
every new thing in it, which is on the one hand fantastically cool and awesome,
but on the other hand leaves my link collection kind of ratty :(
    (B) If you know of any genuine, for-real, permanent dead links on the Risus
homepage, email me at sjohn@... and let me know (please be specific; I get
some dead-link reports that are so vague I can't even guess how to begin acting
on them ...)

Happy 2011, and hope it's as Risus-filled for you as it seems certain to be for
me :)



|| S. John Ross
|| Husband · Cook · Writer
|| In That Order
|| http://www.io.com/~sjohn