Something like this?

http://turbulence.org/Works/mystery/index.php

Choose your version.

I’m glad you found it interesting. I thought I’d explain the meaning of the various choices as I saw them when I wrote the example. As well as how they could be used to shape a game.

Quote:

Original post by TechnoGoth C1 - An empty white room, a labyrinth, a dark forest, on a path stretching beyond the horizon.

This choice determines how the character sees their life, and shapes the focus of the game they will play.

The white room – Life is empty, the character feels they are missing something, but they know not what it is.
The Labyrinth - The character is lost, and confused, some where along the line they lost their way.
The Forest - The character is shrouded in darkness, they are beset on all side by danger.
The Path - The character sees life as a journey, they are motivated by the search for something more then themselves.

Quote:

C2i – A place you can never return, an enemy in close pursuit, the path continues endlessly behind, the place you have always called home.

This choice determines what is motivating the character on their journey. It could be used to determine characters starting moral, as well as what connections they have with the past.

The place they can never return - There was an incident that character refuses to speak of, but whatever happened there is nothing left for them in the place from which they came, and they can never go home.
The Enemy - The journey the character is on is one of fear and flight. The character’s nemesis is always only a short distance behind them forcing them onwards.
The Endless path – There is nothing behind the character but memories, always moving never remaining in one place for very long the character has nothing but the journey.
The place called home - The character is bored, they have lived for to long in safety and ease and journey to search of more.

Quote:

C3ii – dawn, morning, noon, afternoon, sunset, night.

This choice reflects how long the character feels they have been on the journey and how long they feel they have left. This could be used to determine the characters “life experience” and age.

Dawn – The journey has just begun and there world is still a great unknown.
Morning – The character has started to see some of the world but hungers for more.
Noon – The character has seen many things and encountered many things they had not expected.
Afternoon - The character has begun to grow tired they have seen many things, and yet they still long to see more.
Sunset – It has been a long time since the journey began and they feel there is little left for them.
Night - What is left when you feel you have seen everything? What becomes when the explorer has no where left to explore?

Quote:

C4iii – An injured traveller, a lost child, a dangerous looking criminal, no one.

This choice determines how the character sees others. It could use to determine the personalities and types of people that inhabit the universe.

The injured traveler - The character sees people as weak and in need of help.
The child – The character see people as unable to care for themselves and in need of leadership.
The criminal – The character sees people as dangerous and no to be trusted.
No one - The character finds themselves unable to relate or connect with other people.

Quote:

C5 – Help them, pass by, steal from them.

This choice determines what the characters feels their role is when it comes to the help they feel people need. Could be used to determine how the character interacts with others.

Help them - The character feels they must aid others in their attempts to overcome their problems.
Pass by - The character feels that either the have no right, or no need to involve themselves in others problems and instead leaves them to help themselves.
Steal from them - The characters sees any sign of weakness as an opportunity. If a person can not help themselves then it is the right of the strong to exploit the weak.

Quote:

C6 - Payment, that the traveller accompany you, nothing.

This choice determines what the character feels they deserve for the assistance they render on others. It could be used to determine the types of results caused by the resolution of events.

Payment – Call it greed or taking what your due, but the character feels they are entitled to material rewards for the trouble they went through.
The traveler - Devotion or duty, whatever you want to call it the character believes that the only way to repay aid is by aiding the one who helped you.
Nothing - The character wants for nothing they provided help because help was needed and nothing more.

C7i – A wolf, a tower, a broken bridge, a large sack.

This choice determines how the character sees the world and what it contains. This could be used to shape the world and the events it contains.

The wolf - The character is beset on all sides by danger, they feel that behind every turn lies a new threat to deal with.
The tower – The character sees the world as a place of mystery and wonder.
The bridge – The world is filled with obstacles waiting to hinder the character progress.
The sack - The world is filled with opportunities everywhere you look there is something that can be turned to your advantage.

Quote:

C8 - a crumbling ruin, soaring into the clouds, dark and foreboding,

This choice determines how the character sees the mysteries in life. It can be used to determine how types of mystery that can be explored in the game.

Crumbling ruin – Most of the mystery is gone from life, that which is easy to know is already known. But those mysteries that remain are ancient and long forgotten.
Soaring into the clouds - Every where one looks there is something new waiting to be uncovered.
Dark and Foreboding - The mysteries in life are dark and dangerous. There are many things that can be learned if you can overcome those who which to keep them secret.

Quote:

C9i – Someone to save, something to find, something to learn

This choice determines what the character feels is the result of uncovering a mystery. It can be used to determine what is gained by these pursuits.

Someone to save - Respect, reputation, fame, all these and more will be your reward when the mystery has been solved and explained.
Something to find - Wealth, and power, behind every great mystery in life there is something that can be obtained and that is what you truly seek.
Something to learn - Knowledge? Answers? It matters not if no one knows your name
But uncovering the answers behind the mystery in life is its own reward.


Based on the answers I gave earlier, the type of game I might experience could be something like this:

The explorer, having spent a life exploring the galaxy and learning what there is to learn I have come to terms in someway with the fact I have no place to truly call my home, and while there is not much left I haven’t done; I find myself preparing for one last adventure.

The universe is filled with people just trying to survive problems exist almost everywhere and many are simply unable to help themselves. Calling me a hero or savior would be overly dramatic I merely do what I can, where I can, because I can. Maybe its pride or selfness but I neither what nor need anything from those I save.

No matter where I go there always seems to be something new to discover. Across countless worlds and stars there lie remains of the past, and perhaps even fragments of the future. With each new discovery I find myself learning more and more about the universe I thought I knew.


So it would be a game filled, with exploration and mystery. I might never become rich or powerful in the game but the journey of discovery would be its own reward.