Monster of the Week: Nexus Nixes

Game Master Darkfire142

One would think the small City of Yorkton in the middle of Canada would be a boring place to live. But when a city is built on a Nexus of ley lines it becomes a place rife with supernatural activity, it is the citizens of the city that are caught in the crossfire. But there are some that make a stand against the troubles and seek to both protect the city from that which threatens it and face down the ambitious powers who wish to use the Nexus for their own end. You are those people.


Silver Crusade

Here we can do out of character discussion and character building. To complete character building, we will need to build character links. What players will need to do is ask a question to each other player character using the questions on the sheet or by inventing your own that is relevant to your relationship. This can help with story building and is a reason how your character knows one another and why they might get involved together. It does not have to be a pleasant relationship though and it can be adversarial if that would better describe your connections.


M

Thanks for selecting me. I will start creating a profile. But what do you mean by ask questions? You mean the History section of the playbook? That doesn't have questions.

History
Go around the group again. When it’s your turn, pick one
for each of the other hunters:
• You are close relations. Tell them exactly how you’re
related.
• Initially rivals, you both now respect each others’
talents.
• Romantically involved, or you just have a crush on
them. Ask them which they prefer.
• They’re your hero, exactly the kind of monster hunter
you aspire to be. Tell them why you worship them.
• Good friends. Tell them if it’s from way back, or
recently.
• You’re a bit suspicious of them (maybe due to their
unnatural powers or something like that).
• They introduced you to the existence of monsters.
Tell them how you feel about that.
• You saved their life from a monster due to an unlikely
chain of events. Tell them what.


The Flake Average Fit Human Male
Stats:
Charm +1, Cool -1, Sharp +2 ,Tough +1, Weird 0

Dotting this Thread


The Professional

Thanks for selecting me as well. I can pretty easily do a post per day, as an FYI, and on certain days can post several times.

Also, we pick a bond with each of the other hunters, right?

Anyway, hm... I think I'll suggest the following character links right now:

Maxwell Silver - Kyle White

    They pulled you (and maybe your team) out of a terrible
    FUBARed mission.

My thought is I'd like to give your character a stroke of "badass normal" right away by having the heart-of-gold college kid have saved the old war veteran from a really bad situation somehow. Any thoughts?

Maxwell Silver - Joe Arden

    You met on a mission and worked together unofficially. And successfully.

The way I see it, the Bulwark doesn't like spellcasters much. I figure they were both hunting the same monster and just happened to have bumped into each other (and maybe scuffled briefly). But when they realized they were on the same side, they pooled their resources and worked together.

Sound good?

Also, @GM: May I change my standard outfit from a shabby suit to a worn trenchcoat? Or is that laying it on a little thick?


The Flake Average Fit Human Male
Stats:
Charm +1, Cool -1, Sharp +2 ,Tough +1, Weird 0

Thanks for putting this together

Eugene and Kyle
I'm thinking of 'The Tin Man' Blog my character has would be the kind of place the a Mundane would go to, which would be how Eugene and Kyle would know each other.

Eugene and Maxwell
Maxwell being part of an organization is automatically "The Man" And Eugene has him on his radar

Eugene and Joe
Following Inlaa's idea -> If you work with "The Man" the blogger will know and be wary of
Alternatively if Joe has been quietly combating evil Eugene might only be seeing wake of the lives saved and suspect you are more than you seem as a town psychic.

Eugene and Edgard
I'm guessing people who possess strange abilities often have incidents in there youth or when the powers manifested that would put you on the radar

If all these assumptions are true and they all these people gathered in Yorkton The Tin Man would be there.

Silver Crusade

Sure you can have a Trenchcoat if you want. The listings are merely suggestions not forced choices. The history section is used to create your character links and past contact.


Playbooks. Hunter Worksheet

Okay, I have included an entry from my history in parentheses below for each member of the group:

Joe and Silver:

I think (A comrade-in-arms. You’ve faced the biggest threats together.) could work with your idea.

Joe and Tin Man:

I think (You thought they were dead, and now they’re back. hat “killed” them?) could work for us, especially if we met before either of us arrived in Yorkton. Perhaps I watched you get chased by a monster while fighting a couple of my own and blamed myself for your death, which proved to be false because you managed to survive.

Joe and Kyle White:

How about (Your magic-fueled rescue of them introduced them to the supernatural. Tell them what creature was after them.)? Would this work for you?

Joe and Edgard:

Since you're a psychic, how about (Mentor from another life. Ask them what they taught you.)?

Silver Crusade

A mentor from a former life might not work for Joe and Edgard. He's a regular guy who ended up accidentally getting empowered by the Unseelie Fae. His pretty new to all of this and thus probably wouldn't be a good mentor, especially since the Unseelie Court has a dubious reputation.


Charm +2 Cool +0 Sharp -1 Tough +1 Weird +1 | Moves: Opps!, Let's Get Out of Here, The Power of Heart Mundane | Hunters

So Kyle hasn't been in the area very long and I want to keep exposure to the supernatural to a minimum. Maybe there is a sense of something weird going on but I'd rather the first mystery be his first real jump into the deep end.

Edgard Falk- Good Friends - He's the only one in the group he knows personally yet. Weather before or after the spooky event is up to you.

Eugene Caldwell - Blog - This flows into Eugene's backstory. There is a small cult following at the school on Eugene's blog. Kyle doesn't take it seriously but may be what he and Edgard initially bond over.

Maxwell Silver - Suspicious - I am imagining Silver keeping his job at the school as a janitor as a cover. Old black man sweeping the floors is pretty unassuming. But rumors abound about the witch he stopped. Bulwark covered it up but people still talk. Kyle sound a story on Eugene's blog that sounds suspiciously like the same event, adding credibility. Now he goes out of his way to get the old man to talk. "How was your weekend Mr. Silver? Not too crazy right?"

Joe Arden - Also suspicious - Joe runs a psychic shop. No one takes that seriously. Kyle visits with some friends that want to poke fun at the palm reader. They all get a laugh but Joe says some weird stuff that rattles him.

If we have to be more closely connected I can revise.


The Flake Average Fit Human Male
Stats:
Charm +1, Cool -1, Sharp +2 ,Tough +1, Weird 0

Tin Man, Edgard and Kyle

So the Cult following link could be for Edgard and Kyle assuming they know each other and the people who do follow the blog then when reality set in I'm a resource etc.

Tin Man and Joe

I like the known before thing, we could reminisce about that time with vampires, succubi, etc.. and the astonishment when realize we are talking again when something almost killed us both like a volcano eruption and neither of us was sure the other survived. (though likely with the kind of character Eugene is he would have figured out Joe is alive and would have perhaps not made it his first priority to talk to contact you, most of a character flaw than a distrust)


The Professional

A couple changes to note: instead of working at a middle school my character works at the college those crazy kids are going to. Also, his outfit will change based on his cover for a given mission, but he will default to wearing what I will list as a Plaid Jacket and Jeans for maximum "I'm totally just a regular old man" vibes.

Okay, my newest ideas for character links given the above info...

Maxwell Silver - Kyle White

I'm going to couple your idea of your character being suspicious of old Max with Max having orders from the Bulwark to keep an eye on Kyle. This is because Kyle follows Tin Man's blog and generally seems a bit TOO curious about the supernatural.

Generally, Maxwell thinks your character is a good kid, but definitely realizes he's gotten a bit wise to the strange happenings around town and would rather he not get involved. After all, he's literally just some kid. The supernatural is dangerous.

Maxwell Silver - The Tin Man

Maxwell actually once had orders to "deal with" Eugene after he posted some information on his blog that the agency considered dangerous. Maxwell did NOT want to actually kill Eugene, so he would've tried to scare Eugene out of posting the relevant materials at first. I assume Eugene wouldn't back down easily though, so Maxwell would either A) have brokered a deal with him involving information or B) have destroyed something Eugene was using as a source of information. Your choice.

Maxwell Silver - Joe Arden

I think we're pretty squared away here. Maxwell has worked with Joe off the books and actually trusts him enough to go to him when he thinks he's in over his head. Besides, it's easier to ask Joe for help than his mysterious superiors.

Maxwell Silver - Edgard Falk

I'm having trouble deciding on a link for your character. I've narrowed it down to three ideas:

1. You're on the Bulwark's watchlist, like Kyle. Maxwell would probably view your character with some suspicion and have a basic understanding of the fact that he has magic.
2. "You are related. Tell them how close." What if your chaaracter was dating Maxwell's niece? Maxwell hasn't started a family, but he could have siblings that did, and maybe one of them has a daughter that's going to this college the group seems centered around. This allows Maxwell to be the old man sitting on a front porch polishing his shotgun at some point.
3. "They pulled you (and maybe your team) out of a terrible FUBARed mission." I'd be happy to let you decide the details on that one.


Inactive

Edgard Falk - Kyle White
Yeah, friends from before the college and the spooky event. And that leads to - "You’ve known each other some time, but since your powers manifested, you keep them at a distance emotionally."

We still communicate, but not as often or close as before.

Edgard Falk - Maxwell Silver
I'll go with #3 - Maxwell's mission went really bad - let's say a banshee went nuts - so Edgard asked a favor from Finch. Of course, someday he will deeply regret about that. But for now, a man's life is saved.

And now for my connection. "You used your powers on them one time. Decide if it was for selfish reasons or not, and tell them if they found out about it."

Maxwell had troubles with some work, or lost something, so Edgard helped him a bit with his magic. Of course it went awry and instead of help things got worse. Edgard thinks Maxwell probably don't know for sure that it was his doing, but the veteran has his suspicions.

Edgard Falk - Eugene 'The Tin Man' Caldwell
"They saw you use your powers for selfish or vindictive reasons. Ask them who the victim was, and then tell them what you did." - I'll add that to your "put you on the radar" connection. Who was the victim?

Edgard Falk - Joe Arden
"They taught you to control your powers, to the extent that you can control them at all." - That sounds right. After Edgard was contacted by Finch and understood what happened he went to Joe Arden - the local psychic - for advice.


Charm +2 Cool +0 Sharp -1 Tough +1 Weird +1 | Moves: Opps!, Let's Get Out of Here, The Power of Heart Mundane | Hunters

Edgard Falk - I wouldn't say before college. Kyle is an American study abroad student. How long ago would you put the spooky event? I was hoping months to maybe a year.


Inactive

Ah, I missed part about study abroad. Spooky event... I'd put it about half a year ago.


Charm +2 Cool +0 Sharp -1 Tough +1 Weird +1 | Moves: Opps!, Let's Get Out of Here, The Power of Heart Mundane | Hunters

That will work. So full story is, he finds himself part of a study abroad program under mysterious circumstances. Maybe a supernatural circumstance. Maybe just forgot. But its fine cause the place is nice and the people nicer. Edgard is one of his first friends and they find they have similar interest in the supernatural. They sometimes read Eugene's blog and other rumor sites, not realizing how accurate his is. Edgard takes it a little more seriously which is why he goes to the seance and Kyle doesn't. After that, they still hang out but less often and Edgard seems more distant. Kyle isn't sure why but he isn't going to pry.

Even though he doesn't do the seance, he does visit the odd ball psychic for a laugh. He isn't laughing at the end. He says some things that really get him thinking. There are some subtle hints that things aren't what they seem, especially around Edgard and Silver. Rumors had surrounded the old black man for a while and the story on Tin Man's website corroborated. Kyle prods him from time to time but isn't aggressive or bothersome. But now both him and Edgard on on Bulwark's radar, especially after Edgard's failed attempt to help.

As a side note, the TV show Supernatural is where his interest in real world supernatural stuff came from. He is also a big fan of martial arts movies, which is why he has a nun-chucks and +1 Tough.

Silver Crusade

Ok going to set a few ground rules before we start.

1. This is meant to simulate supernatural TV series like Supernatural, Buffy, Sleepy Hollow, Lost Girl and numerous others. Keep things to a PG 13 rating so swearing to a minimum and the gory details to what restrictions you might see in such series.

2. Sexual conduct should be handled tastefully. If sex scenes do too get involved, please use a "Fade to Black" mechanic, using an implied interaction rather that go into descriptive details.

3. If something is offensive or crosses the line you have the option of "X" carding the interaction. Merely tell me and we'll adjust the scene appropriately to something acceptable by the players and the keeper.

The Start and End of a Mystery is up to the Keeper to decide. Other than earning experience from failed rolls or moves, you also will earn experience at the end of a Mystery using the proper guidelines.

I will begin each mystery with a teaser of some sorts. Certain clues will be given in these teasers that will show up in the game but your characters have no pre-knowledge of it so do not break the 4th wall and assume your character knows something. Any "Before Mystery" moves are done AFTER the teaser is done, not before.


The Flake Average Fit Human Male
Stats:
Charm +1, Cool -1, Sharp +2 ,Tough +1, Weird 0

For Edgard
The victim was a man at a local bar mistreating the woman he was with

For Agent Silver
You burned my damn map, The Tin Man almost had a map of all the black sites the Bulwark uses when they have "bag and tag" missions.


The Professional
Quote:

Ok going to set a few ground rules before we start.

1. This is meant to simulate supernatural TV series like Supernatural, Buffy, Sleepy Hollow, Lost Girl and numerous others. Keep things to a PG 13 rating so swearing to a minimum and the gory details to what restrictions you might see in such series.

2. Sexual conduct should be handled tastefully. If sex scenes do too get involved, please use a "Fade to Black" mechanic, using an implied interaction rather that go into descriptive details.

3. If something is offensive or crosses the line you have the option of "X" carding the interaction. Merely tell me and we'll adjust the scene appropriately to something acceptable by the players and the keeper.

That all seems very sensible, thanks.

Before I forget though, Zaitherin: do you think the Bulwark should remain a private organization, or would you prefer it to be actually related to the government (but still dubious and clandestine)? Since I'm cool with either, I figure it's worth asking for your opinion.

@Edgard Falk: That sounds good to me. A banshee went crazy - one of Maxwell's few real monster hunts he's taken part in so far (as he's still new to this) - and one of the other agents died in the ensuing battle with the creature. Modern weapons just weren't doing much. But then Edgard helped him out, and while it saved Maxwell's life and destroyed the Banshee, it got Maxwell's teammate killed. But Maxwell doesn't realize that Edgard is the reason the Banshee was beaten.

@Kyle White: Sounds like we're pretty well set up. Good stuff!

@Eugene 'Tin Man' Caldwell: That sounds good. Agent Silver burned Eugene's map. And if you want, Eugene may have managed to get something of Silver's that gives him a little more insight into the Bulwark; loses his old information, but gets something else out of it.

Silver Crusade

The Bulwark can remain a private organization. It probably has some government connections though as it would need them in order to act outside the normal laws of the land. You chose Dubious Motives and Secretive Hierarchy as its Red Tape which means that some of the activities they make you do are somewhat questionable and high level personnel are unknown to field agents and they typically operate through middle-men.


The Professional

That works for me.


Playbooks. Hunter Worksheet

@Edward: How about this: You came to me to learn to control your abilities, and I helped you, but didn't explain why. Secretly, I know that in a previous life, you were also an actual psychic, and you helped me when I needed it?


Inactive
Eugene 'The Tin Man' Caldwell wrote:

For Edgard

The victim was a man at a local bar mistreating the woman he was with
...

Edgard hexed him, making the man "accidentally" break the glass and deeply cut his arm.

Joe Arden wrote:


@Edward: How about this: You came to me to learn to control your abilities, and I helped you, but didn't explain why. Secretly, I know that in a previous life, you were also an actual psychic, and you helped me when I needed it?

Well... I'm okay with that, if Zaitherin's okay with that too.


Charm +2 Cool +0 Sharp -1 Tough +1 Weird +1 | Moves: Opps!, Let's Get Out of Here, The Power of Heart Mundane | Hunters

So gameplay's up apparently.


The Professional

Alrightie - I'll post when I get home from work tonight (11 p.m. Central).


The Professional

Sorry about the silence. Got busy IRL. Working on a post after I finish one for the other campaign I'm in!


The Professional

By the way, GM: How quickly do you want us all to stumble into each other and group up?


Charm +2 Cool +0 Sharp -1 Tough +1 Weird +1 | Moves: Opps!, Let's Get Out of Here, The Power of Heart Mundane | Hunters

To all my games. Going to be on vacation from tomorrow to Sunday. I will have my phone but I hate posting using a touch screen. Phone is new a little sensitive so some words don't come out right.


Charm +2 Cool +0 Sharp -1 Tough +1 Weird +1 | Moves: Opps!, Let's Get Out of Here, The Power of Heart Mundane | Hunters

Also, waiting on Heather.

Silver Crusade

Sorry for the slow response this week. I am on vacation right now.


Inactive

Sorry but I won't be able to post until Monday, at least - the part-time I took turned out to be quite time-consuming. But that's just for two more days. Three max.

Silver Crusade

I will do some posting Monday as my holidays are done, for now.


The Professional

Awesome! I'm ready to see how badly the morgue crashing goes.


The Professional

Should be around in a little bit to post. I was lying down due to illness. Should be posting in 30-60 min.


The Professional

Just waiting for the Kyle/Edgard encounter to resolve. I'll post after that, but I want to make sure Kyle gets some proper screentime (and maybe a chance to make a few more rolls).

Silver's going to pretty much demand that everyone start working as soon as dawn has struck. He wants to make sure nobody else gets hurt.


Playbooks. Hunter Worksheet

Likewise. I'm waiting on Kyle to be brought into the proceedings and then we'll go from there.


The Professional

I'll be making an IC post tomorrow morning before work. I'd rather not wait so long that I forget the game exist, so I'll start having Agent Silver reach out to Joe and begin his part of the investigation.

Silver Crusade

Still keeping an eye on the game. Just waiting for the party to decide what they're doing before filling in the details.


Playbooks. Hunter Worksheet

feel free to do that.


The Professional

Oi-oi, folks! Just checking to make sure everyone's still alive and kicking.


Playbooks. Hunter Worksheet

Yarp, still here.


Charm +2 Cool +0 Sharp -1 Tough +1 Weird +1 | Moves: Opps!, Let's Get Out of Here, The Power of Heart Mundane | Hunters

Edgard is calling you.


Inactive

Still here.


The Flake Average Fit Human Male
Stats:
Charm +1, Cool -1, Sharp +2 ,Tough +1, Weird 0

I'm here


The Professional

CLEAR! *BZZT, hospital noises*


The Flake Average Fit Human Male
Stats:
Charm +1, Cool -1, Sharp +2 ,Tough +1, Weird 0

*BEEP*


The Professional

On suspicion of my computer having a virus, I will be reformatting my computer. Expect 1-2 days of wait before I can post again. Sorry!


The Professional

(More specifically, I aim to post in the morning. However, I work tomorrow, so if I'm still downloading key software for my PC and such tomorrow or if my computer is dead... Well, yeah.)


The Professional

Firstly, I’m going to be posting different versions of this in different games that I’m in, but I want to make sure that it’s known why I’ve been absent for roughly a week - from the whole forum, not just this thread. And it goes like this:

1.So, as I probably posted previously, my computer decided to go berserk and I needed to reformat it.
2. It then decided that a day or two later would be a great time to die altogether. Problematically, I have no other device capable of browsing the web.
3. Then my nieces chose to visit for a couple days, and I was spending time with them.
4. At the same time, my mom has been recovering from surgery, meaning I’m doing more driving than usual…
5. ...my car wound up needing some heavy repairs…
6. ...and work has frankly become pretty uncomfortable for me, so I’m actively searching for a new job.

With all that said and done, I’ve lost a lot of spare time and a LOT of money. I did replace my computer (and hoo boy is the new computer nice), but as such I’ve realized that I’m going to have to drop out of a few games.

I will be LEAVING in this game, but I feel I needed to give an explanation for my absence anyway. And I don't mind trying to find a proper out for my character first - or just giving you control over his fate if you prefer. I'm cool with whatever you want.

I apologize for the inconvenience, and I sincerely hope there’s no bad blood caused by my absence.


The Flake Average Fit Human Male
Stats:
Charm +1, Cool -1, Sharp +2 ,Tough +1, Weird 0

Did our scooby squad derail?


Playbooks. Hunter Worksheet

I think so

-Posted with Wayfinder

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