Game Concept: Shreyas Sampat

From: Mike Holmes, willows - Under Directory: Game Design

This is a RPG about halflings. Halflings live in a world of adventure that spins around them like a thunderstorm. But the halflings themselves are small, and live underground, and are largely forgotten by the world. They live mostly to eat at least seven meals a day, sit around and smoke their leaf, and chat idly about nothing more controversial than the changing of the seasons.

But for some poor halflings, the adventure comes and grapples them by the neck and throws them out in to the storm. Halflings being neither mighty, nor otherwise athletic mostly survive on their simple memories of their home, and getting back. Food reminds them of home, and gives them hope. A full-bellied halfling is actually a pretty hardy little creature, and they can accomplish amazing things when well fed. Fortunately if they do not have the skill of warriors or scouts, they at least have the ability to prepare themselves good things to eat, whereby they fortify themselves to face all manner of evil.

These are the stories of their gustatory quests…

Meals

1st Breakfast

2nd Breakfast

Elevenses

Luncheon

Brunchdinner

Tea

Dinner

Supper

Clases

Some tentative ideas for classes.

Baconfiend - outdone in his foolhardy quest for bacon only by the boozehound's quest for booze, the Baconfiend is an indefatigable pursuer of that choicest of pork cuts. A member of the “Consumer” category of classes.

Bakerian - while perhaps the least “flashy” of the classes, every halfling relies on the simple bread recipies of the Bakerian when rarer ingredients are in short supply.

Beerhunter - one of the “Drunkard” category of classes, Beerhunters are relatively in control of their excesses.

Boozehound - unlike the Beerhunter, the Boozehound member of the “Drunkard” category of classes is often completely out of control. But no class is as prone to acts of courageous stupidity as they Boozehound.

Brunchmeister - The Brunchmeister is broadly skilled in all of the cooking techniques of the morning and noontime meals (everything through Brunchdinner). While a master of no particular meal or cooking style, the Brunchmeister's versatility is still greatly valued.

Expediter - not always appreciated in polite society, the expediter can be a key member of an adventuring team, ensuring that more food gets out than would otherwise, whipping other cooking halflings into shape. A member of the “Chef” category of classes.

Foodie - the foodie is a halfling that has not only tried everything that halfing fare has to offer, but has also gone and tried food from other parts of the world. A good eater near the equal of the Gourmand, the Foodie knows more about foreign ingredients than any other sort of halfling. A member of the “Consumer” category of classes.

Gourmand - while the Gourmand has lesser cooking skills than any other class, they possess great noses for quality food, and more importantly have more Belly Points than any other class (when full). A member of the “Consumer” category of classes.

Glazinator - the enchanters of the halfling world, glazinators increase the goodliness of foods in various ways by adding just the right glaze. A member of the “Toppings” category of classes.

Maitre'D - someone has to lead the way, and the master of the domicile is just the halfling to do it. While not as skilled in any cooking art as any other specialty, the Maitre'D is capable of organizing various foods into great meals, which increases halfling satisfaction no end. A member of the “Chef” category of classes.

Panster - unrivaled masters of pan-frying, and other pan skills.

Pastrymaven - pastries are a very difficult and arcane baking art to master. But the Pastrymaven creates the tasty delights that halflings love most.

Elevensesadin - protector of those meals that are eaten at what the “Biggies” would call odd hours, Elevensesadins ensure that mealtimes are kept nearly sacred. A member of the “Chef” category of classes.

Shadowvegan - considered an almost sinister type by most halflings, the shadowvegan eats only vegetables. Somehow, however, they have an uncanny ability to gain much sustenance from these foods.

Sommelier - the snootiest member of the “Drunkard” category of classes, the Sommelier knows which wine goes with what. As such they are also a member of the “Chef” category.

Souschef - similar to the glazinator, the Souschef creates sauces to top other dishes. They excel at skills such as deglazing pans, and mixing. Souschefs are considered to be members of the “Drunkard” category, and of the “Toppings” category. Oddly not a member of the “Chef” category of classes.

Teatotaller - on the opposite end of the spectrum from the classes in the “Drunkard” category of classes, the Teatotaller instead delves deep into non-alcoholic beverages, especially those that keep the party sharp late in the day.

Toastmaster - a member of the “Drunkard” category of classes, the Toastmaster is good at enabling greater effects from alcohol through clever toasts. Also a member of the “Chef” category of classes.

Those classes not in the Chef, Consumer, Drunkard, or Toppings categories can be considered to be in a general “food preparation” category.

Halfling Stats

Belly Points

A measure of a halfling's capacity to tuck away grub. Belly Points are gained mostly through eating, and lost by adventuring. This statistic is actually composed of two ratings, the Halfling's Full Belly Points, FBP, and his Current Belly Points, CBP. The ratio between these ratings determines the halfling's “Hunger State.”

Overstuffed

A halfling can eat to the point where he has as many as half-again more CBP than his FBP. Thus a halfling with a FBP of 30 could eat up and get up to 45 Belly Points. When between 31 and 45 Belly Points, the halfling would be overstuffed. Overstuffed halflings waddle about slowly, and don't get a lot done. But they aren't in any jeopardy of starving any time soon, and halflings often overstuff “just in case.”

Full

A halfling with exactly as many CBP as FBP is full. This is a happy halfling indeed, and they operate quite effectively.

Hungry

A halfling with less CBP than FPB, but more than half it's FBP is hungry. Our example halfling would be hungry from 16 to 29 CBP. A halfling who is hungry is dangerous to the world, but is also in danger himself of falling into a starving state. Hungry halflings usually seek to become full again.

Starving

A Halfling with less CBP than FBP is starving. A starving halfling is a bitchy little whiner good for nothing but finding more food, if that. Don't let your halfling starve. Please.