Introductory Stuff

 What are role-playing games?
What's Tinker's Damn? and Why are you swearing?
Why Did you choose this game for this campaign?
About the Dojo Gorin Campaign
Variations in our version of Dojo Gorin
Major Personalities in our Dojo Gorin Campaign
Sights in see in Harbor Point.
How things went down in our campaigns...

What are Role-playing Games?

What's Tinker's Damn and Why am I swearing?

Why Did I choose Tinker's Damn for The Dojo Gorin Campaign

1. The first is that Tinker's Damn is a relatively new game, meaning that there are no other books. This means that I don't get pestered by people telling me the official rules according to some supplement I've never heard of.
2.  It means my players can get all the info I have for relatively cheap ($12.95 + Sales Tax if applicable).
3. Genre. It seemed the best game for this campaign. The only other games it could really fit in were GURPS (very realistic, Animes are not known for following the die-hard rules of physics), Toon (the opposite problem, too silly, introduce a problem that can't be solved with a sight gag, and it destroys the spirit of that game), and Mekton Zeta (very close, but just a little too serious, I'd recommend using this game to recreate a Robotech or Star Blazers atmosphere here. The other Anime Games I saw were for specific series like Robotech, Bubble Gum Crisis, and Votoms. That pretty much left this game.

About the Dojo Gorin Campaign

Variations in Our Dojo Gorin Campaign.

 
1. Stats: Instead of the usually 75 points, we gave out 105 points, this averages to be around 15 points per stat, including POW. Should a player not play a martial artist, wizard, netguy/hacker, or psi, we give the following option: Use the 105 as normal or put points in the Power Stat and get (Power times 3) points for skills (this is in addition to the normal skill points). Every person so far has chosen an arch type that requires the Power Stat. Players can also use the veteran rules. We haven't used the Boosted or OverPowered options, but if you would like to, feel free.
2. Skills: also 105 instead of the normal 75. This is not as big a boost as it sounds, especially, if you want to play a weapons master or someone like Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory. Remember, those little skills such as Cooking, Piloting-Car, Swimming, and Languages can be very important in Teenager settings, especially with those foreign (alien) students.
3. Traits. Instead of the normal 2 finesses and 2 flaws, I gave up to 5 of each with more, providing it made sense for the character and added to the story. Soul Drake, my cousin tends to get really creative (and occasionally a little crazy) when making a character, and his character Kipp Hoshuryuu was no exception. Kipp, in fact has a complete biography which I may put up in the timeline. As usual, feel free to limit as you wish.
4. Power abilities: (Power X 3) points are given to spend on powers. This does NOT come out of the 105 points listed earlier. I should warn that any GM who uses this rule and the Overpowered Stat Rule runs the risk of having migraines. 360 points spent on powers is sick, twisted, and wrong. If you don't believe me, check out what a 250 level fireball does (Attack spell on p.26). If I read the rules right, this only costs 130 points (assuming one has a power stat of 120). This leaves room for that 250 level shield spell and a 220 level regenerate spell, too. Any GM who allows this has only themselves to blame...
5. Special Martial Arts Maneuvers: Right now, we are developing a list of special attacks and defenses for the martial artist, no matter what disclipine. We are still ironing that out. Some of those are abusive and will be toned down before they get put up here.
6. Experience: Right now, the experience rules are prefect for a "sitcom" atmosphere where nothing changes much. This is good for series like Scooby Doo and similar cartoons. Some cartoons do have characters learning and mastering maneuvers, becoming stronger, smarter, more agile, or whatever quickly. I call it the Rick Hunter syndrome. At the beginning of Robotech (Macross, to be more precise), Rick could barely fly his Valkyrie (if I have the wrong name for his mech, let me know). 18 or so episodes later, he is an ace pilot, second to maybe Max Sterling, but no one else. At the End of the Series, he's not only an ace pilot, but an extremely able Admiral who has command abilities like Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek: The Next Generation. So this is what we've done to try to recreate the Rick Hunter syndrome.
 
• Instead of 1 point per skill use in battle, or just in general, we offer 2 or 3 (depending on how fast you want characters to advance).
• We also offer a "general pool" for points to be handed out at the end for use for any skill. Normally, I'd give out anywhere from 5-10 depending on how good the session went. Normal skill advancement rules apply (10 + skill level = points required to raise skill up one level).
• You can use "general pool points" to raise stats. However, this is more expensive. It costs double to raise a stat as it does a skill of the same level. Ex: to raise Bod from 13 to 14, it would cost 46 points (13 +10=23; 23 times 2=46).
• As a bonus, "general pool points" can be used on character traits. Point cost is the same as a stat to gain a trait. (I.E. becoming inconspicuous (+1 trait) costs 20 points (0+10=10; 10 times 2=20). Point cost to eliminate a negative trait is figured similarly, except you start at the point value it is at. Example is Brick Brained, to catch a clue requires 22 points. (1+10=11; 11 times 2=22). This SHOULD BE ROLE-PLAYED out. If you got the demon dog as your friend, how did you do it. Players will want to know especially for items like Curse of Jusenkyo (a -3 flaw). For those who don't know, those cursed with the Curse of Jusenkyo change form with cold water and back again with hot. This form is depended on what pool in Jusenkyo, the cursed one fell into last.
• Speaking of which, my understanding of this game is that things can only be advanced one step at a time. What I mean is if you want to ditch the Curse of Jusenkyo, it will cost you plenty. (from 3 to 2=26 points, 2 to 1=24 points, 1 to 0=22 points; 26+24+22=72 points. ouch!) This means that all the little Ranma's in the campaign have to deal with Jusenkyo for a long time....
7. As far as the other rule variations go, they can be listed under the "Fast Times At Yojimbo High" section of the Studio Cranium page listed here

Major Personalities in Dojo Gorin

• Davis, Daisy Mae: Student at Gravitron High who recently arrived from the great state of Texas. She is a possible love interest for Kipp Hoshiryuu (or any other player character I wish to torment). Known to carry silver star earings that double as weapons (think Ryoga and headbands in Ranma 1/2). Very outgoing and very possesive.
• Hoshiryuu, Kanin: Kanin was the eldest of three children. He unfortunately was slain in the battle which would also claimed the lives of his parents as well. The only trace of his existence is the Kanin Corporation, ran by those outside the Hoshiryuu Family.
• Hoshiryuu, Karane: Karane is the youngest child. She is a mystery at the moment, for no one is sure of her whereabouts.
• Hoshiryuu, Kasuke Yawakara: Kasuke was the daughter of a sucessful business man and heir to a finical dynasty leading back to the Tokugawa Period. She fell in love with Soun Hoshiryuu and soon married with her father's blessing. When her father died, she and Soun set up her father's businesses to run independently of the Hoshiryuu family. She unfortunately was killed in the Hoshiryuu Dojo Massacre six years ago. She left behind three children of which Kanin would not survive the night. One year before she died, she setup the engagement of Kipp Hoshiryuu and Fujiko Nichihime, as per her father's last wishes.
• Hoshiryuu, Kipp: Kipp is a 16 year old Male keeping in the family tradition of studying in the art of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Right now, he is attending Gravition High School and staying at the Dojo with the Yamma Family, to brush up on sword techniques and to exchange martial art knowledge with the Yammas. Kipp's two major problems are he suffers from the Curse of Juskenyo (changes into a girl) and has little or no recall of his life before the age of ten.
• Hoshiryuu, Soun: Founder of the Hoshiryuu Dojo of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Husband of Kasuke and Father of Kanin, Karane, and Kipp. Soun is responsible for the deal which allows Sebastian Yamma to look after his children should he and his wife be killed and the eventual exchange where his martial arts heir and Yamma's martial arts heir learn under the other master.
• Hoshiryuu, (first name not known): Kipp's grandfather. Never seen by Kipp due to an argument decades ago between the grandfather and Soun over setting Soun up to be a fiancé. It took the death of the fiancé and her two brothers (self-defense according to Soun and Sebastian Yamma, murder according to the grandfather) before the grandfather left Soun alone. No details on his present whereabouts.
• Nichihime, Fujiko: Kipp Hoshiryuu's fiancé. Originally from Japan, not much is known about her.
• (no last name given), Marie: The Yamma's maid and cook. Think Kasumi from Ranma 1/2 and you have this character down pat. For those who haven't exprienced Ranma 1/2, Marie is very polite, pleasant, NEVER loses her temper, and is EXTREMELY CLUELESS. An example (from Kasumi) when Ryoga is trying to kill Ranma, she says "those two are such good friends." Expect similar behavior from Marie.
• Pennyworth, (no first name given): The Yamma's bulter. He is English and serves the Yammas faithfully. There are only two types of situations where Pennyworth reacts. The first is when Marie says something totally clueless. He rolls his eyes to that and hopes no one else notices. He's given up on trying to educate Marie a long time ago. The second is when his paycheck gets cut for any reason. While this has never happened at the Yamma house, rumors have it that Pennyworth goes out of his way to express his displeasure. Otherwise he's always calm and does his job without comment or complaint. Really remarkable considering the chaos that the Dojo expriences.
• Shalian, Meikai: Meikai Shalian was a Chinese Amazon banished from her tribe for reasons unknown. It would have been death if not for the actions of Soun and Kipp Hoshiryuu eight years ago. A debt which she apparently repaid training Kipp three years later. After training Kipp for three years, she departed, telling Kipp there was no more she could teach him. Her present whereabouts are currently unknown, but presumably still in China.
• Yamma, Daisaku: Daisaku is an incredibly smart 14 year old who specializes in the sciences. His goal is to attend MIT and even though he has the brains and grades needed to enter, his father forbids him to get a GED, stating that the social atomosphere in High School is necessary for Daisaku's growth. This has not stopped Diasaku from jumping two grades and taking classes with Kipp and Stephanie. Among Daisaku's bad habits are his insataible curiousity (which makes Kipp wary as Daisaku tries to take his blood to scientific analysis of the Curse of Jusenkyo) and his habit of constantly using large words when small ones will do. Daisaku's only joy in school is his Independant Study during science classes or better yet, staying for science class because the subsitute forgot to send him out of the classroom. Daisaku describes this event as "emprically fortutious serendipity". Stephaine describes it as "pure torture for the rest of the class, especially for the teacher."
• Yamma, Mrs. (no first name given): Mrs. Yamma is the character who is always talked about, but never seen. It is acknowledged that she is the real bread winner (the Dojo bearly breaks even) and that the relationship with her husband and children is a loving one. Not much else is known about the Mrs. at this time.
• Yamma, Sebastian: Sebastian Yamma is the head of Dojo Gorin and is the father of two children, Daisaku and Stepahanie. He also looks over Kipp Horishyuu as a promise to his parents should anything happen to them. Generally, an easy going person, he can break out into a rage if his rules are disobeyed. Swearing (cuss words, not vows) in the Dojo is expressly prohibited. So is entering the "shrine room", which is where Sebastian goes to think. For all his outward pleasantness, he is also a man with many secrets, some of which could bring his loved ones into conflict...and those secrets are beginning to be exposed.
• Yamma, Stephanie:Stephaine Yamma is the eldest sibling in the Yamma Clan and is the heir of Mr. Yamma's knowledge of Kendo. Stephanie is very pleasant and outgoing to most people (she frequently calls her little brother "brat!"). At age 17, she is also growing up to be a lady who is beginning to fall in love with Kipp Hoshiryuu, although she won't admit it for fear of rejection.

• The Dojo Gorin: Home of the Yamma's and Kipp Hoshiryuu. The dojo is the only real place to polish up on the Martial Art skills, whatever style you may have. It's size has not been exactly determined, but it will be big enough to house whatever characters need to be housed there, comfortably.
• Gravitron High School: Home of the Fighting Atoms and school which all my player charactrers attend.
• Harbor Point High School: Home of the Bruisers and the cross-town rivals of Gravitron high.

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