Hi Guys, sorry about the not posting, life has really been kicking my ass hard these last few weeks. I will be needing a little assistance getting into the swing of things, my brain is a wee bit fried from Murphy's law...
Rising conflict: What doesn't kill us
I got reckless. After all, who in the world would believe that a 9 pound kitty that liked to sneak into museums and private showrooms was actually a 5' 10" 130 pound college student majoring in Anthropology? someone did. I ripped off the wrong people and they came after me with a vengeance. While I was in my classes one day they found my house. I came home late that day, If I had been home on time I still wouldn't have been able to save my mother.They must have gotten there right after i left. No, they didn't kill her, it would have been kinder. they put out her eyes, split her tongue and crushed her fingers. they carved sigils into her flesh and beat her until she almost died. They torched our house. Then they dumped her at an emergency room. Turns out one of the items i had stolen was the prize possession of a cult of madmen. They had set a watch on the hospital and waited for me to show up. I did. The nurse came in and insisted that visiting hours were over, No i couldn't sleep here. i left the hospital and was heading for a hotel when the lights in the parking garage went out. That was not as big a deal as you might think, i have amazing night vision. the crowbar, on the other hand put the lights out much better. when i came to i was in the trunk of a car, we were moving and i had some sort of bag over my head. my ears were ringing, my head was throbbing and i think i could taste purple. Then the car hit a rut in the road and i bounced into the roof and go go gadget concussion, lights out again. When i woke up next i was sitting upright, tied to a chair with that stupid sack still over my head. The place smelled like blood and expensive incense, with undertones of fear, and something else that it took me longer to identify. death. The whole place reeked of death. I have no idea how long i was there, it felt like days. then i heard foot steps running around, more than two sets, running fast. Then an explosion and again nothing at all. When i regained consciousness again there was something cold dripping on my face and i had a slab of building material wedging me into a corner. the chair was broken and it was easy enough to wriggle out of the slackened ropes, but i was trapped under the rubble. i might have gone mad if it had taken longer to find me, but i have no way of knowing how long i was out. When i started screaming for help I was heard and the firemen managed to get me out without crushing me under the debris. when i was safe in the ambulance i passed out again. I found out later that there were more than a dozen recent corpses in the warehouse, and even more buried underneath, dating back to before there was even a warehouse there. i spent a week in the hospital bed, and hated every minute of it. my mother was on the mend, but she would never see again. her fingers were too badly damaged to even write, but her tongue would heal well enough to talk, they said. If her broken mind ever came together enough to face the world again, that is.
Very cool background story, Sasha.
In case the amount of detail was putting people off Simon's story, I've rewritten it in the story-skeleton format:
When a seemingly typical couple seek Simon Whittaker's help with their troubled sleep, he confidently sets out to face the nightmares plaguing them. But can he survive when it turns out the things haunting them are far more deadly than he had counted on?
Zoe, that looks good to me, I really like the angle of Eddie even being present for the incident.
Simon, I don't think it's the length of your first story that is keeping people from clamoring for a guest spot in it. It just seems to be a little restrictive as to where anyone else can fit in. Probably because the thing is only affecting one couple. Maybe if it was a little more widespread, forcing the thing to move around.
Good point. Perhaps it could be a Black Court vampire, and these are just the latest in a string of victims?
This opens things up more for others to have noticed something amiss, and the motives of the vampire might provide opportunities too; maybe it isn't just feeding on the victims, but also subtly dominating them to accomplish something in the mortal world... preventing the refurbishment of one of the now abandoned, but once-magnificent hotels it is using as a lair?
That I can get into! Eddie, after all is a bit of a professional squatter. He certainly doesn't have friends this far west, but has had to stay on the move for some time now. Finding himself in Detroit, he is amazed by the number of large derelict buildings that he can stay in.
Is Simon still a social worker or has that been revised? That could be a great tie in for Eddie as well. I know Simon doesn't like to mention the supernatural unless the other person does first, but Eddie doesn't conceal his electricity too well. His bipolar personality would also warrant the need of help. So as a character I think Eddie and Simon would be very compatible. Perhaps I should change my official trouble to Bipolar Personality.
Or a whole city block, all in the same night?
Simon wasn't the social worker, that was an idea for one of the 'faces' for the city. He does tend to want to help people, only Simon's more focused on internal problems than societal ones. If Eddie is a patient, then it's not infeasible that he might have an appointment not too long after Simon is inevitably overwhelmed by the vampire and taken captive, leaving Eddie to track him down. Alternatively, once Simon is taken prisoner, Eddie could happen onto the scene completely by coincidence, looking for a place to spend the night.
Or a whole city block, all in the same night?
That's one thirsty vampire! Unless it's using that many people for something else, a ritual? Or perhaps it simply wants that many people as thralls to mount a protest/demonstration.
There's also the fact that she is trying to find out what happened to her fathe and how she has her shapeshifting powers. Zoe realises she isn't the brightest, but she is determined; thus she works hard and questions.
Maybe Simon could foolishly try to confront Zoe's demon, or maybe get attacked by it during a dream-exploration of Zoe's memories regarding the night her father died.
There's also the fact that she is trying to find out what happened to her father and how she has her shapeshifting powers. Zoe realises she isn't the brightest, but she is determined; thus she works hard and questions.Maybe Simon could foolishly try to confront Zoe's demon, or maybe get attacked by it during a dream-exploration of Zoe's memories regarding the night her father died.
The second would be interesting, but I tried to leave it upto Ryuko to flesh out the specifics. Sorry I haven't got round to adding more bit of a weird situation with my friends.
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Maybe Simon could foolishly try to confront Zoe's demon, or maybe get attacked by it during a dream-exploration of Zoe's memories regarding the night her father died.
My God this is a great idea. A wonderful, terrible idea. I'm gonna ask that if you do this you do it sometime during play because I would not want to miss it.
That said... just so you know... Simon is nowhere near a match for Zoe's demon. If that is what it is *DunDUNDUN!!*
That said... just so you know... Simon is nowhere near a match for Zoe's demon. If that is what it is *DunDUNDUN!!*
Oh, I wasn't under any other impression :). Hence the 'foolishly' part.
That's cause she has lots of demons and issues.
Can I ask that everyone make an attempt to go ahead and finish out their character sheets with powers and skills, as well as rotes and foci for the spellcasters? I'd like to make sure I have a handle on what everyone can do before starting the game.
I'm about to head to bed, but I'll post up a character sheet in the morning.
I've got an idea for a stunt, but I'm not sure if it's a little too powerful, or if being so specific balances it out. What do you think?
Lucid Dreamer: While in dreamscapes, or certain other dreamlike areas of the Nevernever, you can use your Conviction to make attacks, manoeuvres, and blocks, and your Discipline to defend against attacks and manoeuvres.
I would say it would be fairer with Conviction as Attacks and Blocks and Discipline for the rest. Of course that really depends on what your Conviction and Discipline come out to be, but I like the idea.
To me that depends upon how often you are in the dreamscapes - but if it's not every combat then it seems fair.
Yesterday 1 of my PC's surprised me with Off-hand weapon training, so his weapons damage is 5!
Conviction comes in below Discipline, so making more of it rely on the latter makes it more potent, but like Zoe said, if we're not in dreamscapes all that often, then it's not a big deal.
Yesterday 1 of my PC's surprised me with Off-hand weapon training, so his weapons damage is 5!
Wouldn't that need him to have a weapon:4 in his main hand, anyway, with a weapon:2 in his off hand?
Two desert eagles :O (so 2*Weapon:3), although the players have a couple of home-brewed interesting stunts Presense=Physical stress & Deceit for Physical defense.
Anyway...
After moving to Detroit Zoë feels even more lost in the world but she tries to create a purpose for herself. She wants to help those in trouble and try and prevent the unprepared being abused. Sure that she can protect those that need it; Zoë takes to the streets on an evening. Trying to act as a vigilante, she goes to bars and get a feel for the major players in town.
Unfortunately she is really out of her depth in gathering the intelligence, most of the time she ends up being chased out of bars. With her ability to sense the 'weak' in a herd she follows the natural victims from bars and clubs - shadowing them and protecting those that are the most vulnerable. This proves especially useful when she finds crack-houses or vampire bars where they prey on the weak. She develops a small reputation as a shadowy avenger.
Whilst at a wine bar with her Aunt Rowena and her 'associates' she over hears that a General Motors is developing 'Hydrogen-Fuel Cell' Technology and that the research labs at the University is going to be robbed by the mob. Is this simply Industrial espionage or something more sinister?
Thus one evening, after leaving her threapist she heads over to the labs. She waits from the roof-top as she sees a group of 'men' enter, upon confronting them it appears they are ghouls
Are we going with the ghoul throwdown in the lab? Followed by Blair helping Zoe track the ghouls to their hideout, then perhaps Zoe sneaks in, and steals the information back?
Yes, that sounds great. Of course we can have more than 1 other PC in a first story; so if anyone else wants to join.
Alright, will everyone give me a quick rundown on their last 3 stories/aspects? Or at least as much of them as you have. After that I believe I will begin and allow you to work out the rest among yourselves as you play so that we can not stall this out.
Zoë Version2
First Story (Abridged)
Unfortunately she is really out of her depth in gathering the intelligence, most of the time she ends up being chased out of bars. With her ability to sense the 'weak' in a herd she follows the natural victims from bars and clubs - shadowing them and protecting those that are the most vulnerable. This proves especially useful when she finds crack-houses or vampire bars where they prey on the weak. She develops a small reputation as a shadowy avenger.
Whilst at a wine bar with her Aunt Rowena and her 'associates' she over hears that a General Motors is developing 'Hydrogen-Fuel Cell' Technology and that the research labs at the University is going to be robbed by the mob. Is this simply Industrial espionage or something more sinister?
Thus one evening, after leaving her threapist she heads over to the labs. She waits from the roof-top as she sees a group of 'men' enter, upon confronting them it appears they are ghouls
Guest Star #1(Abridged)
But today Zoë had a mission, bolstered by their sucess at returning the knights mantle to the Summer Court of the Fae However her companions had other duties and Zoë knew she had the ability to continue alone, she had to prove to herself that she was capable and able to find the truth about who was behind the death of her friend Sally.
When Zoë arrived in NY, Sally was her first and best friend. A clued in young woman Sally studied diligently, investigating anthropology and aboriginal history. She served as a great insiration to a slacker like Zoë. Sally had found out that vagrants and rats had recently disappeared from the parts of the old subway system. Specifically a hobo had found a statue amongst some old debris. He had been hoarding it but had suddenly been found murdered, with strange markings according to 'rumours'. After a party Sally was run off the road by a trio of identical men....
Snapping back into the present, Zoë shocked a couple of people in the car as she suddenly stood up. She was going to visit 'Toothy' Hulson near the abandoned station where the disappearances happened. The track after this section had been closed to the public after a landslide and collapse of a tunnel in the 1940's.
The section of Subway built in 1870's using Irish (navvi) blood, was designed by an eccentric Jedediah Hulse using hidden cache of gold. It describes a strange elliptical patterns rather than direct routes, which he claimed to the council were to avoid bad spots. After his disappearance at the turn of the century this line was never expanded. Recently strange sounds have been heard, singing? Machinery? But no-one should be down there; of course the poor, lost, destitute, insane, wanted or unwanted use these tunnels but now even they are starting to leave!
Getting off the train and waiting upon the platform for Toothy, Zoë watched a young man lost in his thoughts (Eddie).
More stuff here - including Toothy giving her the statue?
With a screech of metal, a carriage flew into the station - too fast and derailed. Smoke, fire and sparks racked the station, the emergency lights covering the scene in a blue luminescence. Zoë stumbled over to the young man, coughing the smoke out of her lungs and wiping the blood from the scalp wound. She sees into his eyes, a crackling lightning filling them. 'Did he do this?', she thinks a small growl forces it's way out of her mouth.
He flees but she catches up to him, she changes into a lion!
Redirecting the current from the live central rail through Zoë's; she convulses in shock. Her yowls ring out through the tunnels. Eddie escapes.
Zoë & Eddie meet-up and find the ghoul enclave in the tunnels.
The answers the couple provided, particularly the strangely parallel dreams they experienced, raised the oneiromancer’s suspicions, and so he invited them to try what he described as a relaxation technique, but was actually an opportunity for him to perform a ritual to reveal evidence of a supernatural predator preying on their dreams. Everything proceeded as it had done many times before; the telltale signs of some outside influence slowly appearing to Simon’s eyes through the billowing clouds of incense which surrounded the half-sleeping pair. With his suspicions confirmed, he went about the careful process of convincing them it would be beneficial for him to help them perform a similar technique in a place they felt more comfortable, such as their home.
That evening, feeling confident in facing whatever creature was harming the couple, or at least identifying it so he might be better prepared for a later confrontation, Simon set out with his ritual components to the address they had provided him. Upon his arrival the couple greeted him with as much politeness as they could muster given their unrested state, and after brief pleasantries they proceeded to prepare for sleep. Everything proceeded well, and it wasn’t until about to begin his ritual that Simon was confronted by his terrible mistake; the thing feeding on the couple was not merely confined to their dreams, but was a fiend straight from the pages of Stoker; a black court vampire.
Completely outmatched by the vampire in the waking world, Simon was easily overpowered. Rather than kill him immediately, though, the vampire chose to make use of the practitioner in it's own nefarious plots...
After a brief but passionate confrontation, Blair storms off vowing to keep a close eye on the oneiromancer. Concerned over the safety of his patients, Simon then delves into the mystery himself, and pulling into the hospital car-park later that night, to visit the most recent victim, he arrives just in time to see Blair heading towards his own car, followed by a dark looking figure. As Simon watched, the figure aimed something at the man's back, and acting mostly on instinct, Simon managed to manoeuvre his car between the pair. The energies of some terrible spell crash into vehicle just as it moves into place, and with his attack thwarted, the shady character flees the scene.
This is enough to convince Blair that he and Simon are on the same side, so working together, they manage to identify the culprit as Abraham Verghese, a contract negotiator turned sorcerer, and lay a trap for him within the dreams of the one-time apprentice wizard.
Zoe's attention was distracted that evening, though, by the surrounding conversations. While Simon and Aunt Rowena chatted, Zoe was intently listening to what sounded like plans for a robbery... but the very moment that the last–and potentially crucial–details were spoken, was the same moment Simon chose to annoyingly demand her attention with his offer to help her in any way he could. Free of charge or course, for the niece of his friend.
So looking at my Guest Stars & who appears in my story - I still have my Guest star Redux & everyone but Sasha has been in it. Thus I was thinking my 2nd Guest Star could be in her First Story?
I have altered it slightly in my profile, with the Aspect: 'On the Prowl.' - though I will think about it a bit more.
Sorry that it's taking me a little longer than expected to get the crunch down. I bought the books as soon as they were out and devoured them, but have never found a game so I have to relearn most of it.
Curiously, he explores the hotel trying to find the source of the rhythm. When he opens the door he sees a man, the same one from his dream, locked in a cage and a creature that smells of death pouring over an old leather bound tome. A fight broke out but Eddies stunning shock had no effect on it. For the first time, he had to resort to lethal force to even survive.
IS there anything in particular you are having difficulty with Tesla? I am very good at any of the evocation and foci rules in the game, though I'm not great at rituals.
So far my biggest problem is finding rules friendly ways to do more with my lightning beyond blasting and stunning(blocking). Even then, if I want them to be tased longer than a single exchange, I have to continue spending actions. (Never-mind, I just sorted that bit out, and that's only if I want a powerful block that I maintain. Star Wars Emperor style) Would this be handled as a grapple?
I was also thinking of other spells based in self enhancement, but I'm not sure if I would be able to even do that without ritual. Would I be able to use spell maneuvers to apply temporary aspects to myself that I could invoke?
I also have an idea for an enchanted item I would Like to run by you.
Eddies Coat:
This black denim trench coat has fine copper wire inlays stitched into strange patterns. Through detection of magnetic force and bio-electrical pulses, the coat infers a semi-precognitive sense upon Eddie. Allowing him to avoid hits that would otherwise harm him
Would this be handled as a block or armor? I was thinking a bonus to his dodge rolls would be appropriate but I can't find any way to do that by the rules.
You could do a permanent bonus to dodge but I would advise just treating it like armor as it would handle itself if you weren't paying attention.
You can place self-enhancement spells, it takes 3 shifts of power to place an aspect on yourself/others, meaning that as long as you end up with a discipline and conviction over 3 you will be free to do so with rotes. (Note that you can do rotes which require foci if you wish)
You can maintain blocks though it is easier with weaker blocks since each extra round of the block is another shift of power and you're unlikely to have more than 3-4 shifts of power to play with. If you mean to keep someone on the ground without them being able to get up... I guess that could be handled as keeping the STUNNED aspect on them for more exchanges, meaning you would have to put more shifts of power into it. It takes 2 shifts of power to maintain a manuever upon someone, so in this case it would take 5 shifts to keep someone stunned for two exchanges.
Anything else?
5 shifts? Nice, that puts it perfectly in rote range provided it's tied to my focus.
How about if the coat was able to allow me a dodge roll in passive situations (Lore #) times per session? Might not be the best idea, I should just go with the armor as long as you say I've provided sufficient justification to using lightning as armor.
Well the point was to flavor as a dodge while mechanically treating it as armor. Your idea isn't bad but the armor is more useful at what I believe to be a cheaper rate power wise. (I'll check that and get back to you)
Either way it's up to you, but Armor helps whether knowing about the threat or not.
EDIT: All right, here's the breakdown. You can have a quarter of your Lore as Armor persistently. (Lore / 2 For full time / 2 shifts per point of armor) Which leaves you with likely Armor: 1 full time.
Or you can take it as what you said earlier, Lore times per 'Session' move against physical attacks you aren't even aware of.
Or you can do a persistent half of your Lore as a persistent block. (Lore / 2 for full time / 1 shift per block) The downside to this as opposed to above is that every attack which gets through will shatter this block until the next time your turn comes up (meaning that if Goon #1 gets through your defences then your coat is deactivated when Goon #2 tries later that turn)
So if it takes 3 shifts of power to inflict an aspect on myself or others, does that mean that to have anything meaningful on myself, I would need at least 5 shifts of power, or I lose the aspect before my next exchange? Seems a little pricy and risky just to give myself AMPED UP or GROUNDED. Or am I misunderstanding things?
You are misunderstanding. Once you place an aspect you will have it on yourself permanently until you choose to discharge it (by using the free tag on the aspect). To make it more persistent you are making it able to be tagged more than once before being taken out. Note also that you can take multiple actions in a turn, at the cost of each action making every action that turn sloppier (2 actions gives a -1 to each action, 3 actions gives a -3 and 4 actions gives a -6. Four actions is heavily advised against)
I also have stuff about your coat above.
NOTE: I made a mistake earlier, it's one shift per extra manuever/free tag you can make, so a five shift can take a guy down for 3 turns.
Okay, I really like the idea of a persistent block that can shatter. It gives a great visual of being off balance from having to dodge too frequently. Now as a hypothetical say I have a Lore of Fair. That would make the coat with a block of 1 refreshing every exchange. But since I have extra enchanted item slots to use on it, I can give the coat more power. Strength of effect +1 per slot used. I'm assuming since it's /2 it would take 2 additional slots to get a block 2 but could I devote more slots than that, or would it exceed the double lore rule?
You would be able to use another slot to add +1 to the affect, so that would be a Fair block at all times. That's 2 of your slots, and I believe all you'll get assuming you're not taking Refinement (Though you can fine)
I'm taking refinement instead of Ritual, no matter what I thought of I couldn't see a way to lightning flavor thaumaturgy other than the Victor Sells way. Giving me 3 focus slots and 6 enchanted item slots.
Does that mean that I could have a persistent 4 block? Speaking of which, I can't find persistent enchantments in the book. SO either it costs 4 slots for a persistent 4 block or it would give me 4 block 3 per session. (how are sessions handled in PBP anyway?) I'm not seeing the downside to a permanent protection.
Sessions are really just my own personal decision. I will warn you when a session ends and when another begins.
Now... I dunno about a persistent four block. That just seems... really powerful. I'd rather you split up your slots a little more.
How about an even split? Two items each at 3 slots. One being the coat at persistent Good block, the other is a ring that gives me the AMPED UP aspect 3/session and of course my focus giving 1 offensive power and 2 offensive control.
That sounds great. Makes sense too. Eddie seems extremely ready to attack, but it seems most of his defences will be covered by his items so he doesn't have to worry about it himself. That's just fine.
My not having played this game before is causing problems. I cannot quite figure out how to set up the rotes. Do I want foci in my rotes? I know that if I use them, I have to always have them, but what is the benefit? I couldn't quite parse it out.
The benefits of using foci in your rotes is that they will be more powerful (+1, or more, to either power or control, the latter only really being useful if your Conviction is higher than your Discipline, or your need to make an aiming check with the rote); if you choose not to use them in a rote, you'll need to make the control check if you ever want to include a boost from your focus... which seems a waste of your foci to me.
You can still cast the rote spells that require any foci you're missing, but you need to make a Discipline check equal to the shifts of power you're using, or face backlash to either yourself or the environment.
It might be an idea to use your foci with most of your rotes, and have one without them for an emergency where you don't have your foci.
Guest Star Redux - Sasha Mau's (?)
Aspect: Lands of her feet
Whilst on a stake-out, Zoë sees a robbery go down. Unable to aprehend the thieves during the crime she follows them to the hide-out. Once there the commissioner of the burglary, double-crosses Sasha just as Zoë smashes through a window. The distraction allows Sasha to escape with her goods. Zoë avoids being 'offed' and runs. Later she tracks down Sasha but the confrontation doesn't go to Zoë's plan...
All right. I'm gonna go ahead and start the game later tonight. I would like everyone to continue making sure their guest star bits are finished but I'll be throwing up our first post in an hour or two.
Grargh! The post monster ate my almost completed profile. I'll have it up in a while.
Eddie, you've taken Supernatural Toughness as a -0 refresh, but a Catch can't reduce the cost to below 1. You're probably better off taking Mythic Toughness against electricity for the -1 (-6 base, +2 due to being a specific source of damage, +2 since 'not electricity' is fairly common, and another +1 since anyone who sees you shooting electricity from your fingertips is going to have an inkling that you might be somewhat resistant to being damaged by it.)
I actually talked to Ryuko about that very issue. He told me that Mythic generally isn't for players and that my resistance won't come up much so I should take supernatural at -0. Also, I can't get enough of the phrase "Things that are not electricity are easy to come by"
@Zoe, I love it, thank you, I think that is the last thing i needed to finish up.
I will post everything this afternoon, couldn't quite finish it today, surgery and sleep took up too much of my day.
Surgery :O
Hope you are alright (or something awesome like work in the theatre).
Cool, glad to help.
Also, I can't get enough of the phrase "Things that are not electricity are easy to come by"
Yep, I can't help but smile when I hear a phrase like that.
