How to Play

"Text-Based Roleplaying: Where Your Words Paint the Picture"

What's a Roleplaying Game?

Think of a roleplaying game like a movie with no script. You and your fellow players are the stars of the show—your characters are the heroes (or anti-heroes) of the story. The Marshal is the director, narrator, and nearly every other character in the world. Together, you create a story that unfolds based on your choices, the roll of the dice, and a healthy dose of luck.

The key difference? There is no predetermined ending. The heroes don't always win. Sometimes they don't even survive. Your choices matter, consequences are real, and the story goes wherever the posse takes it.

The Posse

In Deadlands, your group is called the posse—a band of troubleshooters, hired guns, investigators, or desperate souls thrown together by circumstance (or Colonel Brennan's telegram). You work together to survive the dangers of the Weird West, complete your missions, and maybe—maybe—get rich in the process.

What Makes It "Text-Based"?

Unlike sitting around a table for a few hours, text-based roleplaying happens asynchronously through written posts on the Nova website. This means:

You Write Your Stories: Instead of speaking your character's dialogue and describing their actions out loud, you write them as posts on the Nova site. Think of it like writing a novel together, where each player controls one character and contributes chapters to an ongoing tale.

Play at Your Own Pace: There's no need for everyone to be online at the same time. You post when you can, read what others have written, and respond when tagged. This makes it perfect for people with different schedules or time zones.

The Story Unfolds Over Days/Weeks: A single "scene" that might take an hour at a table could unfold over several days in text-based play. This gives you time to think about your character's choices and craft better responses.

Written Record: Everything that happens is preserved on Nova. You can read through past adventures, remember key details, and see how your character has grown. Completed adventures are archived as Stories published through The Dodge City Times.

The Marshal and You

The Marshal runs the game. Think of them as the director, storyteller, referee, and actor for nearly every character you meet. The Marshal:

Describes the world, locations, and situations
Plays nearly all non-player characters (NPCs)—townsfolk, villains, creatures, etc. (Though the Marshal may trust experienced players to handle certain NPCs)
Determines the results of your actions using game rules and dice
Presents challenges, mysteries, and adventures
Keeps the story moving and ensures everyone gets their moment to shine

You and your fellow players control your individual characters. You decide what your character says, does, thinks, and feels. The Marshal tells you what happens as a result.

The Marshal is your best friend and your worst enemy.

They know the secrets of the Weird West and will sometimes put your character through Hell—or worse. Survive, and they'll reward you with wealth, fame, and power. Die, and... well, in the Weird West, death doesn't always mean the end.

How a Scene Works

Here's the typical flow of text-based play:

1. The Marshal Sets the Scene: They describe where you are, what you see, hear, and smell, and present the situation or challenge.

2. Players Respond: On Nova, you write your character's actions and dialogue in third person and past tense. You'll be tagged when it's your turn to post, or can post freely during open scenes.

3. Dice Get Rolled (When Needed): When you attempt something challenging or uncertain, the Marshal calls for a roll. You'll head to Discord and use bots to roll dice, following the Deadlands system. Discuss the results, then return to Nova to write what happens.

4. The Marshal Describes Results: Based on your rolls and choices, the Marshal narrates what happens, how NPCs react, and what the consequences are.

5. The Story Continues: This cycle repeats, building tension, revealing mysteries, and creating memorable moments.

Discord vs. Nova: What Goes Where?

We use two platforms for different purposes:

Nova (The Website): This is where the actual story posts happen. All in-character writing, scene narration, and the permanent record of your adventures live here. This is what people read.

Discord ("Telegraph"): This is your out-of-character communication hub. Discord is used for:

Discussing what to do next or planning strategies
Rolling dice and drawing cards via bots
Discussing Fate Chip usage and mechanics
The Marshal announcing "here's what happened, now go write it on Nova"
Coordinating posting order and timing
General out-of-character chatter about the game

Private Knowledge

Not every member of the posse will be in possession of all the facts. The Marshal may use Discord channels or private threads to share knowledge with specific players—secrets their characters discovered, private conversations, or hidden information. What you do with that knowledge is up to you. Share it with the posse? Keep it to yourself? The choice creates drama and drives the story.

Writing Your Posts

All posts are written in third person and past tense. Good posts have three elements:

Actions: What your character does. McGraw kicked open the saloon door, his hand hovering near his holster.

Dialogue: What your character says. Use quotation marks for speech. "I'm looking for a man called 'Snake-Eye' Sullivan," McGraw said, his voice carrying across the suddenly quiet room. "Anyone here fit that description?"

Thoughts/Reactions: What your character thinks or feels internally. McGraw scanned the room, noting exits and potential trouble. His hand stayed steady near his gun, but his heart pounded like a steam engine.

Example Post: McGraw pushed through the saloon doors, letting them swing shut behind him. The stale smell of whiskey and tobacco smoke hit him immediately. His eyes adjusted to the dim light as conversations died down around him. "I'm looking for Snake-Eye Sullivan," he announced. His gaze swept the room—three men at the bar, two playing cards in the corner, one sprawled drunk against the wall. Any of them could be his target. His hand drifted toward his holster, ready but not threatening. Yet.

Aim for substance. A paragraph or two is usually right for most scenes. Complex moments deserve more detail. Quality matters more than quantity—make your posts engaging and give others something to respond to.

Pacing and Expectations

Post When Tagged: When you're tagged in a scene, you have 72 hours to respond to the tag or let folks know you're away. Real life comes first, but communication keeps the story moving.

Keep the Posse Informed: If you'll be unavailable for a few days, post in Discord so everyone knows. The Marshal can work around absences if they know about them.

The Marshal Keeps Things Moving: If someone's holding up the scene without communication, the Marshal may move forward or have their character act on autopilot to keep the story flowing.

Combat Is Slower: Fight scenes require more structure and die rolls on Discord, so they take longer than conversation scenes. Be patient and stay engaged.

The Newspaper Structure

We organize our campaign like a newspaper—The Dodge City Times:

Issues are major story arcs or campaign chapters (Example: "Issue #3: The Canyon Conspiracy")
Stories are individual missions within an Issue (Example: "Trouble at Black River Station")
Articles are individual posts within a Story—each player's contribution to the mission
Editorials are personal accounts where you can write from your character's perspective, reflecting on events, relationships, or personal goals (like a letter home or journal entry)

This keeps everything organized and reinforces the Western newspaper theme.

Key Differences from Tabletop Play

Time: Tabletop sessions are 3-4 hours of real-time play. Text-based adventures unfold over days or weeks.

Thought: You have time to consider your character's choices, look up rules, or craft better writing.

Detail: Written posts can be more descriptive and literary than spoken improvisation.

Accessibility: No need to coordinate schedules for everyone to be free at the same time.

Record: Everything is saved on Nova. You can reference past events, quotes, and details easily.

Tell a good story. Make bold choices. Roll with the consequences.

Ready to learn the mechanics? Continue to Discord Bot Commands to learn how to roll dice and draw cards on "The Wire," then check out House Rules for campaign-specific modifications to the standard Deadlands system. The Ford County Library has everything you need.