TEXT: OCTOPUS' GARDEN
  An Undersea RPG for Kids and Kids-At-Heart
  RPG Geek 2010 – 24-Hour RPG
  designed by
  Dave Bernazzani
  Saturday 7-Aug-2010 5PM
  Sunday 8-Aug-2010 3PM
  
  I'd like to be under the sea 
  In an octopus' garden in the shade 
  ~Ringo Starr-fish~
   Introduction
   
  The sea is teaming with stories and adventures. Under the waves is a virtual symphony of 
  life ripe for players to explore with their imaginations.  All sea creatures sing – though 
  Lubbers (what ocean-life calls any creatures on land – including humans) can rarely hear it. 
  Each aquatic creature contributes to the overall symphony of the ocean. And what a 
  wonderful symphony it is! If you stand quietly on the beach early in the morning and listen 
  carefully, you can hear it.
  Role-Playing is, at the core, “let's pretend”. It's not really any different than when you 
  played Cops & Robbers or Cowboys & Indians or whatever other pretend situations you 
  could envision as a kid. Octopus' Garden is a codified set of rules to help govern this world 
  of make believe and turn it into a more structured game. Now, there isn't anything wrong 
  with no-rules make-believe playing – but some may find it rewarding to impose some 
  minimal structure onto the playing and turn it into a game. Octopus' Garden is designed 
  with a minimum of rules which mostly stay out of the way and allow your story to take 
  center stage. Open up your imagination and have fun!
   What You Need
  The game runs on a pair of normal six-sided dice (henceforth known as a d6 
  – two are designated as 2d6). Each player has their own pair of dice. 
  In addition, a third d6 die is needed per player which should, preferably, be of a different 
  color. This special die is called the Song Die. This die will be used to track bonuses for the 
  players during the course of an adventure.
  The game is designed for as few as 2 players and as many as can comfortably sit around a 
  table to play. Most players take on the role of a single sea creature (called a Player 
  Creature or PC) who represents them in the game world. One of the players has a special 
  role of the Game Master (or GM) – this person sets the stage for an adventure and runs all of 
  the other creatures (called NPCs) in the game world. Turns out the sea is really big – so the 
  role of GM is really special.
  In the appendix you will find a Player Creature sheet that can be given to each player to 
  track their character attributes, abilities, etc.
   Playable Creatures
  Each player in the game (other than the GM) will play the part of a single creature for the 
  adventure. This creature is similar to a part you would play in a movie or stage 
  performance. You control their decisions, actions and their dialog (you did know that all sea 
  creatures can talk to each other, right?!).
  Each creature has a set of attributes which are fixed for that creature type (that is, all 
  Crabs have one set of attributes, all Dolphins another set, etc.). 
  
  ~ Attributes ~
  Attributes are described in words and all have three tiers. For example, the body of a 
  creature can be Weak, Average or Strong. The speed of a creature can be Slow, Medium or 
  Fast. Each of these has associated with it a mechanical effect that is shown in parenthesis. 
  For example, a Strong Mind would grant a bonus of +2 on any checks involving the Mind.
  Here is the full list of attributes for each creature:
  Mind 
  – Weak (-2), Average (0), Strong (+2)
  Body  
  – Weak (-2), Average (0), Strong (+2)
  Spirit 
  – Weak (-2), Average (0), Strong (+2)
  Attack 
  – Weak (-2), Average (0), Strong (+2)
  Durability 
  – Weak (10), Average (15), Strong (20)
  Speed 
  – Slow (-2), Average(0), Fast (+2)
  Size 
  – Small, Average, Large
  ~ Creatures ~
  The following are a list of creatures that can be chosen by the players:
  Fish – Any of an assortment of basic Sea fishes including Sea Bass, 
  Flounder and Ocean Trout. Fish are plentiful and are the backbone 
  of the seas. They are the creature that runs right down the middle 
  of the plate – having no glaring weaknesses nor strengths.
   
  Crab – Crabs are numerous and the most commonly encountered crabs 
  in adventures are the Blue Crab, Rock Crab, Stone Crab and the 
  venerable Norwegian Crab (aka King Crab). Crabs have an indomitable 
  spirit but are not the brightest creatures that Neptune ever created. 
  They have a special ability of being able to crawl sideways (usually 
  called crabwise).
  Turtle – Most commonly encountered are the and the Sea Turtle, 
  Green Turtle, Loggerhead and Stinkpot Turtle. If fish are the 
  backbone of the sea, the Turtle would be the skeletal system which 
  protects it.  The hard shell makes the soft inside easy to protect so 
  long as the turtle remains reasonably upright.
  Lobster – There are four primary types of lobsters: Clawed, Slipper, 
  Spiny and Deep Sea. An occasional gene mutation causes lobsters to be a 
  blue color but otherwise has no in-game benefits. Lobsters have 
  excellent peripheral vision and make good lookouts.
  Dolphin – These are the scouts of the ocean – always looking for 
  danger and are quite stout and hardy when it comes to protecting 
  other creatures (yes, even Lubbers!).  There are 32 species of Dolphins 
  that inhabit the oceans of the world. The most popular are the 
  Common Dolphin, the Bottlenose, the Spotted and the Northern Right 
  Dolphin. Dolphins are speedy and have a good sense of direction. 
  
  Shark – The true predators of the sea are often misunderstood 
  creatures. They hunt to survive and to protect but never out of 
  any sort of malicious intent. For an adventure they are 
  indispensable as front line bruisers – they can take a bit of 
  punishment. The ocean has hundreds of wonderful varieties of 
  sharks – the most commonly encountered in adventures are the 
  Tiger, Bull, Mako, Hammerhead and the Great White Shark.
  Ray – One of the most graceful of aquatic life, the various rays are 
  often hard to motivate into adventure as they tend to keep to 
  themselves. But when the stakes are high, they are very 
  dependable. The most common Rays found in adventures are the 
  Manta, Bluntnose, Cownose, Spotted and, of course, the various 
  Stingrays. Adventuring rays have a powerful stinger attack at their 
  disposal.
  Summary Table of Attributes and Abilities for each creature type:
  Fish
  Crab
  Turtle
  Lobster
  Dolphin
  Shark
  Stingray
  MIND
  Average
  Weak
  Average
  Average
  Strong
  Weak
  Weak
  BODY
  Average
  Average
  Strong
  Strong
  Weak
  Strong
  Strong
  SPIRIT
  Average
  Strong
  Weak
  Average
  Strong
  Weak
  Average
  DAMAGE
  Average
  Average
  Average
  Weak
  Weak
  Strong
  Strong
  DURABILITY
  Average
  Average
  Strong
  Strong
  Weak
  Strong
  Weak
  SPEED
  Average
  Average
  Slow
  Slow
  Fast
  Weak
  Average
  SIZE
  Average
  Small
  Average
  Small
  Large
  Large
  Average
  SPECIAL
  ABILITY
  Can squeeze 
  Into tight spots 
  – grants +2 
  bonus on 
  checks related 
  to tight spaces.
  Crabwise – can 
  walk sideways 
  as well as 
  front/back. 
  Grants +2 
  bonus on 
  checks related 
  to being able 
  to escape in 
  any of the 4 
  directions.
  Turtling! Can 
  pull in legs and 
  head for added 
  defense. Adds 
  +2 bonus to 
  defense against 
  attacks – takes 
  no time to 
  turtle, but 
  takes 1 full 
  turn to 
  unturtle.
  Excellent 
  peripheral 
  vision. Grants 
  +2 bonus to 
  spot and notice 
  anything within 
  a 360 degree 
  radius.
  Sonar – can tell 
  presence of 
  medium or 
  larger 
  creature / 
  object that is 
  reasonably in 
  front of them 
  up to 200 feet.
  Immunity – 
  sharks are 
  immune to 
  toxins, poisons 
  and disease.
  Stinger – the 
  Stingray can 
  attack at +2 
  damage once 
  per encounter.
  
   The Mechanics
  The game works around rolling a pair of standard six-sided dice (2d6). This result is 
  compared to either an opposing roll or to a target number depending on the situation called 
  for by the GM.  If a player rolls equal to or greater than the opposing number, the player is 
  successful. 
  As an example, Charlie the Crab wants to perform a basic attack on Larry the Lobster (a 
  non-player character controlled by the GM).  A basic attack is done using opposing Body 
  rolls. If Charlie (as a crab) has an average (+0) Body attribute while Larry (as a lobster) has 
  a Strong (+2) body. Each rolls 2d6 (the GM rolls for Larry) and the bonus of +2 is added to 
  Larry's roll. The results are compared – if Charlie's roll (as done by the player) ties or is 
  greater than Larry's roll, Charlie would successfully attack.
  In some cases the roll is not opposed. For example, squeezing through a tight crack in a 
  dangerous rock outcropping might be considered difficult and require that the player roll a 
  9 or higher on their 2d6. If the player is a Fish (+2 when navigating tight spaces) they would 
  get a bonus to their roll.
  For rolls that are not opposed, the recommendation for the GM is to keep it simple and use 
  one of the following task target thresholds.
  Task Targets:
  Easy Tasks are vs. the number 5.
  Normal Tasks are vs. the number 7.
  Hard Tasks are vs. the number 9.
  Remember, 7 is the most common roll on 2d6 so the players (even youngsters) should be 
  able to gauge how likely something is to do (and this provides a great opportunity to teach 
  kids about basic statistics!).
  Here are a list of common tasks and the recommended resolution for the GM. These can't 
  cover every possible situation – the GM will determine the best resolution for any given 
  action during the game (and is free to modify those in this table to suit their adventure).
  Task
  Resolution
  Basic Attack
  Body vs. Body
  Negotiation
  Mind vs. Mind
  Intimidation
  Mind vs. Spirit
  Detecting Truth/Lie
  Mind vs. Mind
  Searching for something lost
  Body vs. Task Target
  Swimming through dangerous area
  Body vs. Task Target
  Warn Lubber of Danger
  Spirit vs. Task Target
  Dig and Hide
  Body vs. Task Target
  Decipher Runes/Symbols/Writing
  Mind vs. Task Target
  
   Damage
  Each creature can take only so much punishment before they perish and return to the 
  Great Seabed.  For the sea creatures that can be played as characters, this is shown in the 
  Durability attribute. Weaker creatures can sustain fewer points of damage than Hardy 
  creatures. When this number is reduced to zero or below, the creature has died (a book 
  covering the rituals of burying the dead would fill a good-sized bookshelf).
  When a creature makes a successful attack, they roll 2d6 for the damage and add their 
  Damage attribute bonus to the damage. The damage is applied to the target creature 
  immediately.
   Turn Order
  Most of the adventure will be done without micromanagement of turns. When an encounter 
  (say, a skirmish between creatures) requires Turn Order, each player involved (and the GM 
  for all other creatures) will roll 2d6 and add their Speed Attribute modifier. High numbers 
  go first (break ties by re-rolling).
   The Song Die
  The sea is full of song! Sadly, most Lubbers can't hear it and even if they did, most don't 
  appreciate it. A few rare Lubbers do hear the song of the sea – composed of billions of 
  individual creatures vibrating harmoniously. But this is very rare. So rare are these Lubbers 
  that when a sea creature finds someone that can hear the song, they are no longer referred 
  to as a Lubber but by their true name.
  Each player has a d6 allocated to them known as a Song Die. All player's Song Dice start off 
  in the GMs hands at the start of an adventure. If, during the adventure, the players find 
  themselves in a situation where they can apply the lyrics of a song, they may sing out the 
  line or two (no more, please!) and the GM can award them a bonus point on their song die. 
  If the player doesn't have their die yet, the GM hands them their die and they put it on the 
  number 1. Each time the player does this, they can charge up their song die (up to a 
  maximum of 6). At any time and for any reason, these points can be traded in (can use 1 or 
  more – up to the amount so charged) to change your die rolls (can add points to your dice 
  both for checks, attacks and damage). You may also use it to change an opposing roll (to 
  reduce damage, etc) or change the roll of one of your fellow players (only for good, you 
  can't purposely harm them!). If you use the song die to help another player, you must work 
  it into the story (for example: you brush up alongside the sea monster to distract it briefly – 
  enough time for the player to escape unharmed).
  Song is the economy of the ocean. Remember, there is a reason choral and chorus have the 
  same root!
  
   Sample Adventures
  The adventure is created by the GM and the players join together with the GM to go on that 
  journey. It is recommended that you not prepare heavily for an adventure under the seas – 
  let the players drive much of the action – let it be their story. You will be surprised at just 
  how imaginative they can be! The rules for Octopus' Garden are light enough that they 
  should hardly need to be consulted during play – leave things free flowing and when in 
  doubt just make up a rule to cover the situation. Most of all, have fun!
  Here are some sample adventures to prime the imagination pump:
  #1 Retrieving a Pearl for a royal wedding of King Crabs. The wedding is in 3 days – a great 
  pearl lost to antiquity must be located. But what deep-sea terrors guard the pearl and its 
  secret?!
  #2 Looting an old sunken boat to bring treasure to a down-on-his-luck Lubber who has heard 
  the calling of the sea and hums along with its one true song. The sunken boat most 
  certainly does contain treasure, but there is a reason that it went down. And that reason 
  still lurks in the dark places of the sea-bed.
  #3 Removing a shark threat from the local beaches. For even though many Lubbers may not 
  care for the ocean, the ocean cares for Lubbers.
   Credits
  All images are either public domain cliparts or are used with permission such as the FCIT for 
  the use of the dice images: http://etc.usf.edu/clipart
  The short lyrical sample is from the Beatles Octopus' Garden (Abbey Road, 1969 – please 
  buy this album!).
  Thanks to Stelio for running the contest!
  ~FINIS~
  
  OCTOPUS' GARDEN
  Player: 
  Sea-Creature Type:
  Creature Name:
  MIND:
  NOTES
  BODY:
  SPIRIT:
  DAMAGE:
  DURABILITY:
  SPEED:
  SIZE:
  SPECIAL 
  ABILITY:
  OCTOPUS' GARDEN
  Player: 
  Sea-Creature Type:
  Creature Name:
  MIND:
  NOTES
  BODY:
  SPIRIT:
  DAMAGE:
  DURABILITY:
  SPEED:
  SIZE:
  SPECIAL 
  ABILITY:
  Permission granted to copy this page for use in play.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Collections/Kid Friendly/3. Rules Lite Collection/Octopus Garden.pdf