I'm interested if there's still room :)
I haven't done Savage Worlds in along while, and the original DL even longer.... Lol
Couple of character ideas in mind, and would be interested in about anything except the town too big one... Lol
Well, I haven't actually chosen anyone yet. I was looking at 4-6 players, so if we end up with more submitted characters than that then I might have to cut the numbers down to six and keep the rest as backup (dropouts seem inevitable in any play by post :( )
I'd be really interested in trying out Deadlands! I've never played Savage Worlds before, so you'd have to be willing to bear with a newcomer while I got the hang of it.
Are you looking for character concepts at the moment, or still gauging interest?
You seem to have more than enough interest so I'll sit this one out. Will probably lurk in the game thread though.
Pretty much moved onto characters at this point, everyone seems happy to run with the flood campaign, which will make things easier for me :)
EDIT: Alright then Patrik, see you around :)
Alright, trying to familiarize myself with a new system, and working on some character concepts. It looks like we already have some people looking at a huckster (or hexslinger... not sure on the difference yet), a gunslinger, and a mad scientist?
Right now I'm playing around with the concept of a 'classic gentleman'. A boxer type character with a deep rooted sense of honor and dignity, focused on hand-to-hand combo. It may even include arcane (miracles) if I want to venture out into a priest-like feel.
I guess the biggest question is, are we novice, seasoned or veteran level? :)
I think Flood starts at novice. And it is always easier to add ranks than it is to subtract.
In Reloaded Huckster = Hexslinger = Wizard = Warlock, all different flavor names for the same thing.
Smarts: d10
Spirit: d6
Strength: d4
Vigor: d6
Skills: 15 points
Fighting (Agi): d4
Gambling (Smarts): d8
Guts (Spirit): d6
Notice (Smarts): d6
Persuasion (Spirit): d6
Riding (Agi): d4
Shooting (Agi): d6
Spellcasting (Smarts): d8
Streetwise (Smarts): d4
Edges:
Arcane Background (Magic): Huckster 3 powers and 10 points
Powers:
Bolt (Soul Blast)
Obscure
Stun
Hindrances: One Major and Two Minor for 4 points
Bad Dreams (Major): 1 less Fate Chip each session.
Quirk (Minor):
Vengeful (Minor):
Spent bonus points on 1 attribute raise, 2 skill raises
Gear: $250
Boots 8
Suit 15
Watch 2.5
Bed Roll 4
Canteen 1
4 x Playing Cards 1
Gun Belt 2
2 x Holster 6
Derby Hat 1.5
Horse 150
Saddle and bags 30
Knife 2
Pistol Ammo (50) 3
2 x Colt SA Army 24
$250
Worst Nightmare:
Bein’ caught an thrown into a cell… alone. Just me and four wall of bars and stone… and no bastard to talk to.
Definitely going with an itinerant card sharp who has been plying the Louisianan steamboat trade until a certain incident gave him a reason to flee west to Cali and the gold trade. I'll firm it up with more details.
@kdtompos: Yeah what Mark said in regards to Huckster, the game sometimes uses a number of terms interchangeably for different mechanical things but they all round down to about the same thing.
We will indeed be starting at novice Arknight, but if I get some nice, thought out, and detailed backgrounds (particularly if it includes all the stuff from the ten-minute background) then I may be willing to award some starting XP.
Ok, for DL I usually play a Huckster in DL, but I think I want to go a bit more of an outsider and go with a Half French, half Chinese Martial Artist who at the age of 19 has left th monastery and come to the Maze seeking his Half-sister who wrote him a year before about their father dying and business being taken.
PWO here.
Have decided to go with Dr. Ignatius Dione, a medical doctor trained in the east with ties to Detroit from before the British arrived. Has strong Union sympathies and has come west both because family money difficulties following the invasion limited his future studies and because of the amazing stories coming out of the west, particularly from Sioux territory.
He will not be taking an AB. Though his interest in new medicine might someday lead to Shamanism or Alchemy depending on how the campaign goes.
A decent shot, good with a knife and far too curious.
Still working on details, 10-min background, worst fear etc...
This is kdtompos.
T.J. has a strong pugilist/boxer feel, and I'm debating AB(Miracles)
Smarts: d6
Spirit:d6
Strength: d10
Vigor: d6
Skills: (15 points)
Climbing (strength): d6
Guts (spirit): d6
Fighting (strength): d10
Faith (smarts): d6
Intimidation (spirit): d6
Shooting (agility): d4
Taunt (smarts): d6
Edges:
Martial Arts, Arcane Background (Miracles)
Hinderances: One Major, Two Minor
All Thumbs (Minor), Code of Honor (Major), Stubborn (Minor)
Points spent on an (2)attribute raise and an (2)edge
Gear:
Suit - 15
Shirt, dress - 3
(2) Trousers - 4
(2) Shirt, work - 2
(2) Shoes - 4
Watch - 2.50
Suspenders - 1
Derby - 1.5
Mess Kit - 2
Mustache wax - .50
(20) Cigars - 1
(100) Matches - 0.5
Derringer (.41) - 8
(50) Ammo - 3
Holster - 3
Brass Knuckles - 1
Extra funds: $198
I have a question on the 'Martial Arts' edge. It seems to change between Savage Worlds and Deadlands. So I'm assuming that only the Deadlands rules apply (Counts as armed even when unarmed, and can't be swarmed by multiple opponents) and not the Savage Worlds rules (Counts as armed even when unarmed, and fists deal an extra +d4 of damage as if weilding a weapon).
More to come, including a decent background and character sketch.
This is kdtompos.
T.J. has a strong pugilist/boxer feel, and I'm debating AB(Miracles)
** spoiler omitted **
I have a question on the 'Martial Arts' edge. It seems to change between Savage Worlds and Deadlands. So I'm assuming that only the Deadlands rules apply (Counts as armed even when unarmed, and can't be swarmed by multiple opponents) and not the Savage Worlds rules (Counts as armed even when unarmed, and fists deal an extra +d4 of damage as if weilding a weapon).
More to come, including a decent background and character sketch.
Go with the Deadlands version. When the setting book contradicts the core the setting book is always correct. Additionally the Deadlands version of this edge is better. Getting ganged up on is very very dangerous.
Yeah what Ignatius said, setting trumps core. If you or Arknight do end up going ahead with Martial Artist characters, there are a number of additional edges in the Flood book that will expand your options further. Will type them up when I can.
Davachido here, Crunch in the profile (with advancement plan), Ten minute backstory below.
Michael “Shrewd” Lawrence
Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind. 5 is just a minimum...more elements are encouraged!
Shoulder length well kept brown hair, wears stylish clothing on any occasion as long as it is comfortable. A smile plastered on his face that never seems to go away. Even in his darkest moments that smile only grows wider as that is what he is looking for, that turmoil he has never faced, that love for life he needs. He needs to smell that defeat to appreciate the successes of life, so he can be pleased about every breath he takes.
Michael grew up on the Lawrence plantation as the youngest son of a big family. There were 3 sons and 4 daughters. Due to being the youngest boy he had no responsibilities but could live the high life in his youth. He spent the time studying the strange things the world had to offer and fighting. When he was 18 illness took his eldest brother, he didn’t mourn him much as they were never close. Responsibilities finally fell into his lap even then though it was not as many as his older brother. Even when drawing bad luck he didn’t draw the short straw. Michael now has to deal with business deals across America to sell his Father’s tobacco.
Michael decided to juggle his life around by still doing the work his father set him but be a bounty hunter. So he left the plantation seeking to travel the world. Michael doesn’t actually claim the bounties that he successfully kills. Instead he leaves the deal hanging, pissing off authorities as there is never confirmation for the claim, friends of those killed as he doesn’t let them off easy and other bounty hunters as he takes great joy in depriving them of money. In the end it is just so he can have fun eventually becoming a bounty, which he succeeding in doing. Someone forged a letter to claim bad deeds he has “done” so now others are after him.
Often to throw others off his trail he will use his business savvy to give people what they want without actually giving it to them. For example swindling two separate bounty hunters for the same prize and they end up fighting each other. In the end he is a better con man than fighter because he uses other people to fight his battles for him. This has earned him the nickname “Shrewd”. Michael longs for the day someone catches him so he’ll have to step up his game.
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
(Player) Michael will be very happy-go-lucky throughout the game and he sees life and other people as expendable for his fun. He has a soft spot for those he actually cares about, I want him to eventually figure out why that loyalty is important and why he should let everyone have the chance to earn that from him.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
(I will make up this one based upon the backstory you give me with regards to Veteran)
Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
William Grieve, at the start of the story his one and only trusted companion. A bounty hunter that entered the hunting game around the same time as him. William follows Michael’s hair brained schemes and gets paid by stipend from Michael’s estate instead of by normal bounties as they never turn them in. William is the straight man to Michael’s antics, he serves as damage control and a stoic second. A man of few words but a big gun, he will defend Michael to his last breath just as Michael would do the same for him.
(Enemy) Samuel Wolfsun, a bounty hunter that has it out for Michael. He is a very intelligent man and is capable of outwitting most of his opponents instead of beating them in an outright gun fight. Michael has tricked him and gotten to his bounties first just to spite the man. Samuel is a very vengeful fellow and now has an excuse to hunt him, he was the man who forged the deeds to give to a sheriff. So now with an actual bounty on Michael’s head Samuel will go to town hunting the upstart down.
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
Instead of normal demeanour, Michael’s smile is what usually shows his mood. The length of the smile and his eyes will usually give away what he is thinking unless he is trying to hide it.
Michael remembers fondly the day he met Ana, she didn’t know much English at the time but he was able to make her laugh. He sang her the song “When I first came to this land” as he thought it was silly. That night was fun for them both as they were both present for a party they had no interest in. The party was for the adults not children but they past the time with games, songs and counting every star in the sky. Michael thought they were good friends back then but now he looks back at the memory and wishes that he could marry the girl now. She is the only thing that would get him to come home to the South.
Will get around to reviewing your actual characters in a few days, will likely close new submissions then (those who have expressed interest can finish characters but no new interest will be accepted). I'll post when that is the case
Does Chi Focus apply to thrown weapons like Shuriken as well?
I'll have the 10 minute background up sometime tomorrow....
- He’s an ingratiated outsider, not from around here – but has a need to fit in all the same.
- Dapper in dress and circuitous of verbal expression. Half the time it’s hard to figure out exactly what’s being said, and the other half he just don’t make sense.
- Though he carries himself with a swagger and a pose, he ain’t too much for the fighting. More than ready to watch others charge the breach as he ‘holds down the back’. Not afraid of the blood or the killing, just more than aware of his limits.
- Came to the US with his brother… brother is now dead. He was caught dancing lying down with the wrong lassie and was strung up. Got an awful keen eye for ensuring that if justice ain’t done… then at least blood is answered with blood.
- Money is transient, no need to hold on to it. What he wins will quickly be spent, mostly on frivolities and fun.
Step 2: Two goals for the character.
- While he’s a sharp hand with the cards, he’s still found there are some that match him. Ultimately he’d like to remedy that situation.
- Has a firm desire to enhance his visual stature – smarter clothes, a better hat… and most importantly a fine set of well oiled shooters.
Such as this’un
Step 3: Two secrets about the character.
- He’s not into the ladies, and prefers the gents.
- His brother, the dead one… turns out he’s not quite dead. He was hung sure, but between cutting him down and carting him out for burial… well lets just say he up and disappeared.
Step 4: Three people tied to the character.
- Miss Elodie Trammel – was grifted by the character in the past and word is she’s married up and moved West. Wonder if she’s the vengeful type?
- Brothers George and Dean Mickelson – shared the long boat from Australia and he’s kept in touch with them. The Mickelson boys have tended towards the more honest pursuit of first gold, but now the ghost rock.
- Elias Smith – a black server on the train that he’s struck a friendship with. He’s indentured and shunned, but he noticed that he’s got a touch of the Houngan to him.
Step 5: Three memories, mannerisms or quirks.
- Fidgeting – be it poker chit, deck of cards, knife, he’s generally got something in motion within his hands. Is his only true tell when playing cards – as he tends to get serious when he’s got a good hand… something he’s trying to correct.
- Hard to pin down – tends to be noncommittal on his own beliefs and desires and instead speaks in circles when others try to do so.
- Heavy sleeper and bad dreams make him more superstitious than most. Little rituals and taking heavy note of ‘omens’.
That good enough for a looksee and selection GM-Peanuts - or would you like to see some paragraphs strung together as well?
Still haven't had a chance to look at characters in detail, but I figured I'd compile a list of applicants for reference.
Mark Sweetman - Wise-cracking Huckster
Arknight - French/Chinese Martial Artist
Davachido - Michael "Shrewd' Lawrence, fast talkin' veteran of the Weird West
PoorWanderingOne - Dr. Ignatious Dione, educated Sawbones fallen on hard times.
kdtompos - T.J. Beauchamp lets his fists do the talking, with a nasty hook.
Just skimmed your sheet T.J. I'm afraid Fighting is tied to Agility, not Strength, so you'll want to rearrange your attributes and skills I suspect. Also you are aware there is an Arcane Background for Martial Arts right? It's fine if you want to take Miracles, just checking :)
Rigor Rictus - Unknown
Anthony Krast - Mad Scientist
Italics means I don't have any mechanics from you so far. If you feel I have misrepresented your character in my summary (or have missed you completely) then please let me know, that's just my impression from skimming your concept/sheet. New people can still feel free to submit otherwise likely to close recruitment to new entries in about 14-16 hours.
Indeed! Thanks for the heads up. And yeah, I wasn't sure on the martial arts AB, since the character concept isn't so much a martial artist as a boxer. I'm really liking a character concept of this rough and tumble guy trying to turn over a new leaf and saw faith as a strong way to do that, hence miracles. However, I may just use that as flavor for the moment, and leave it open to branch into 'blessed' territory later. I'll keep messing with the stats.
This is beginning to look like a party.
Abram Hestler is a working man turned hired gun. While his old man was a Marshal, and pushed Abram to go in that direction, Abram had no interest in being a lawman, at least not back then. He was nimble, and had a steady hand, which he put to good use as a successful locksmith. He married, had a daughter, and was happy. When his father passed away due to a shootout he was saddened, but with his wife and family to help he was able to get through it. It was a few years later when the doctor came to him and told him that the pain in his gut wasn't something minor, it was cancer, and it was going to kill him. His wife, who had lost her own father to cancer, said she couldn't watch that happen to another man, left, taking their daughter.
Abram squandered all of the success he had achieved on miracle cures and snake oils, searching for one that would provide the cure his doctors told him didn't exist. With no money, no pride, and no fear of a quick clean death by gunshot, he picked up his father's old guns to make ends meet, and discovered he was pretty good at it; really good in fact.
Now he's headed west looking for work, but still holding out hope for some sort of miracle. He's heard the chinamen out west have kinds of medicine doctors have never heard of. Perhaps one of them can help him deal with the cancer before it's too late. If not, perhaps he can find a way to die in a meaningful way; quick, instead of slowly and painfully.
Gentleman Pugilist - A stubborn concience and a nasty right hook
Ten Minute Background
Step 1: write five things about your character’s concept and background, five things that you think are the most essential parts of your character. You don’t have to stop at five, if you like…this is just a minimum.
2. About 5 years ago, in his early 20's, he got caught up in gambling, drinking, and philandering. It's cost him his inheritance, and soiled his image. He now seeks a new setting and clean-slate opportunity.
3. In the valley of these struggles, T.J. latched onto faith and 'better living.' He tries diligently to avoid these past 'vices', though he still feels that itch.
4. T.J. was a bare-knuckle fighter in New York, managing to win a few prize fights in the lower tiers. He left those circles out of necessity, as "the grip of temptation was sorely more than [he] could bear in such sordid settings." - His own words.
5. The Beauchamp family was a rather prosperous New York family, with British and French heritage. Archibald Parker Beauchamp, T.J.'s father was a lawyer, and successful enough to raise his son with proper manners and perspective.
6. Eleanor Beauchamp (previously Whistler... T.J.'s mother) passed away when T.J. was 10, but the family had seen it coming for a few years as the sickness slowly overtook her. Raised mainly by his father at that point skewed T.J.'s perspective toward the more masculine tenets of life. His father, A.P. Beauchamp, presumably died about 3 years back while travelling to Oregon on business. His coach never arrived at the location, and after a year and a half of speculation and litigation was pronounced dead and his estate released. This helped spur T.J.'s vices, and the inheritance he received funded them. The only remaining item of this inheritance is a large ring his dad always wore bearing the imprint of the Fleur de Lis.
6. T.J. is rather level headed, but curt. He assumes that if people don't see the world the way he does, they're misinformed and ought to. He believes that: "Struggles are the very bricks of character, and endurance the mortar." And "a man without dignity and pride is not a man at all." And that a man should "Speak softly, but carry a big stick."
Step 2: List two goals for the character that you, as a player, think would be cool to see accomplished in-game.
2. I want T.J. to learn more about his father, and in turn about his background (for better or worse). He's quite ignorant of the truth (see secrets below), but had ample opportunities for suspicion had he not blindly idealized the man.
Step 3: List two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
2. T.J.'s Father (Archibald P. Beauchamp) was a member of a secret society, which helped spur his prosperity and prestige. It was as a member of this society that he often travelled for 'business purposes', using his profession as a cover. While he really is dead, there's a lot of reason to cover up how he died as well as what he was doing. I leave it to the Marshal to decide whether this secret society was a noble one or a sordid one.
Step 4: Describe three people that are tied to the character though blood, romance or honor. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. All can do something useful for you, if you can get the situations to line up. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
2. Lafayette Bennet Beauchamp: T.J.'s quirky uncle. Where Archibald was the 'responsible' brother, Lafayette was the spontaneous one. He moved west over a decade ago to further his inventing career and business. To T.J.'s knowledge, there's been no family contact for at least 13 years.
3. Silas Eli O'Malley: One of the dirtiest, cockiest, most arrogant sons-of-b~##&es to ever raise fists with T.J. Beauchamp. He was another regular in the prize-fighting circuit in New York. He was on par in skill level with T.J., maybe even a little better. They fought twice, each winning one of the bouts; Jessop O'Malley the most recent of which. At the conclusion of which he spewed a string of crude boasts and humped a pole in effigy of T.J.'s mother. It was one of the few times T.J. was willing to break the law, but was ushered away by his trainer.
4. Jackson Hartly: T.J.'s aged trainer. He's a grizzled old fighter who rather 2-dimensionally fits all the stereotypes. Rude and tough, but cares deeply for his fighters. (Likely wouldn't come up, but still a name that may be thrown around by T.J.)
Step 5: Describe three memories that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
2. T.J. remembers a cool night in May, while riding with Charity to a dinner function of his fathers. They were sitting quietly while he was stealing glances of her as she comfortably watched passerbys, hair gently blowing in the breeze. He remembers thinking to himself "My God, I could marry this woman."
3. T.J. remembers the sickness he felt when he lost his father's house on a pair of snake-eyes. He didn't have the money to even cover his bar tab for the evening, and uncharacteristically had to borrow from a compassionate friend. A local church, whose pastor he had recently met, allowed him to stay there for a few nights while he tried to get his feet under him again. While he's not sure if God actually speaks to people, or if that's just what crazy people and swindlers say. But if He does, T.J. thinks he heard him that first night in the church.
Final Step: Worst Nightmare The ghost of his mother returning. She's decaying with small coals lit inside the hollow sockets where her eyes used to be, and a jaw open further than any jaw should stretch. She's grieved by her son and driven mad by it - unable to rest until she rips his soul from his shredded body and removes this desecration of an offspring.
Fight Poster
Better Character Image
GM-Peanuts: What are your thoughts on using the Arcane Background [Chi Mastery] for a boxer, but reflavoring it away from Eastern Religion? There's some really nice opportunities with that background, but the flavor of it doesn't mix with the character concept.
If you feel it could work inside a re-flavor, that would be worth considering (though I'm still not sure). If not, I'll just stay away from Arcane Backgrounds currently, leaning toward Miracles if deciding to take the option somewhere down the road.
Here's my draft on Jean-Luc :)
I've still got to get some gear, but otherwise I think it's ok...
Race: Human
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Boating d4, Fighting d10, Gambling d4, Guts d6, Investigation d4, Notice d6, Throwing d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 4, Charisma: 0, Grit: 1
Languages: Chinese, English, French
Gear: Shuriken d8 (d4+1, 3/6/12), Unarmed Strike d10 (d8+d6), Nunchaku d10 (d4+d4)
Special Abilities:
•Code of Honor: Honor is key; Keeps word, won't abuse/kill prisoners, etc.
•Loyal: Will never leave a man behind
•Outsider: Shunned foreigner; -2 Charisma except with own kind
•Chi Focus: Chi is the inner force certain martial artists can tap into. The hero uses his Spirit for damage instead of Strength when using martial arts.
•Martial Arts: You know Martial Arts or Boxing.
•Superior Kung Fu: Shaolin Temple: Fighting attacks inflict Str+d6 damage
Personal Details: Son of a French diplomat and his Chinese Translator/servant, Luke (as he's calling himself) was abandonded and raised for several years in an orphanage in Shanghai. Because he was always getting in fights due to his non-chinese look and his heritage the nuns in charge of the orphanage sent him away to a monastery. Once there, he took to the training and discipline like a fish to water.
For the past few years, he trained and worked in the monastery. A little over a year ago, Jean-Luc received a letter written by his half-sister from out of the Maze. Their father had been killed and she was working in a saloon at one of the ports. Sensing from the tone of the letter that there was more to it, and receiving the blessing of the monks he took working passage on a ship bound for Lost Angels.
Tracked Resources:
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1) Son of a French diplomat and a Chinese serving girl.
2) Lived with parents and older half-sister for first three years of life; placed in orphanage after father and sister forced to return to France and his mother died from sickness;
3) Sent to a monastery at age 8 due to the actions of the other orphans due to his mixed ancestry.
4) Constantly had to fight several other students because they took it out on him for losing family in the Second Opium War (1858-1860)
5) While he never was the biggest or strongest, his will and drive kept him going
6) The monastery never felt like home or family.
7) Received a letter from his half-sister informing him of their father's death
8) Father was murdered, leaving his daughter to pay his debts. She's trying to run a saloon in the Maze and needs help.
9) Monks gladly gave him permission to leave and helped him catch a ship to Shan Fan
10) He's hoping that helping his sister will finally give him an opportunity to be part of a family.
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1) He's hoping that helping his sister will finally give him an opportunity to be part of a family.
2) I'd like to see him have the opportunity to become a true master and establish a school or monastery of his own.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
1) While his mother was working as a serving girl, her father was an Admiral in the Chinese Navy and their family crest is on a medallion Jean-Luc wears. (Knows)
2) His mother's father is behind the death of his own father and is sailing the Maze as a Pirate.
3) His sister is being forced to marry the 'gentleman' who owns their father's debt.
Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
1) Samuel Ferris, one of the officers on the ship that Jean-Luc came over on, taught him to gamble and the basics of nautical duties in exchange for teaching him Chinese and some new fighting skills.
2) "Jasmine", owner of a high-end brothel in Shan Fan is a cousin and very fond of Jean-Luc.
3) Yao Fei, a fellow student who left the monastery after Jean-Luc beat him, is working as a 'hired gun' for various people throughout the Maze, doing everything from assault to murder.
Step 5: Describe three memories that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
1) one of the earliest memories Jean-Luc has is of his mother singing him to sleep. Both in Chinese and French, so any chance he has to enjoy music reminds him of that time.
2) Being beaten time and time again for who he is. As a result, he's always quick to help the underdog and defend against prejudice.
3) Seeing the first sunrise in the Maze, the colors in the sky and the smell and sounds just made him feel alive and that this was where he belonged.
I shall be re-using this old avatar for my Australian Huckster.
The French connection shall be via the fact that Raveneau's ancestors were part of the Huguenot diaspora that left France. From France to England, mild wealth to being destitute and a criminal touch leading to a one way trip on a colony ship headed for Botany Bay in the Third Fleet on the Albermarle.
From Australia Raveneau departed to America to escape the colonies and based on stories of wealth and adventure. To most he pretends to be from Louisiana to save any real questions on his past... but his accent isn't perfect.
Close of recruitment delayed a little, one last chance to sneak in a character before I get a chance to review them (my 'day off' yesterday ended up getting eaten up by family :p)
Alright, recruiting closed, those two below in italics who still haven't posted their characters should do so within the next day or else you're out.
The list (again if I've missed you, I apologize, let me know)
Mark Sweetman - Raveneau Delahaye, Wise-cracking Huckster
Arknight - Jean-Luc, French/Chinese Martial Artist
Davachido - Michael "Shrewd' Lawrence, fast talkin' veteran of the Weird West
PoorWanderingOne - Dr. Ignatious Dione, educated Sawbones fallen on hard times.
kdtompos - T.J. Beauchamp, Gentleman Pugilist - A stubborn conscience and a nasty right hook
LastNameOnEarth - Abram Hestler, a man with nothing left to lose, lookin' for a way out of his predicament, one way or another.
Rigor Rictus - Unknown
Anthony Krast - Mad Scientist
Alright, looked over the sheets that I have, still have to review backgrounds etc.
First comment, everyone (except Michael/Davachido) has neglected to spend their free knowledge skill points as mentioned under house rules in this post. Please make sure you do that.
Secondly, given the campaign this is I will be enforcing encumbrance rules and tracking costs and expenditures carefully. If it isn't on your sheet then you don't have it, so if you have bought nothing but weapons and ammo, then your character is running around naked except for his holsters and the box of ammo he is carrying (and will likely be arrested). Don't forget, your character can always buy 'El Cheapo' equipment if he's stretched for cash.
From a mechanical standpoint:
- You have 2 points of hindrances left, this is enough to buy you another edge, a stat increase, or two points of skills (You get a free edge for being human which you may have forgotten).
- You are also encumbered when carrying all your gear (24lbs out of 20lbs encumbrance). This is fine, but all Strength and Agility rolls, and skills associated with those stats will be at -1.
You could solve both of these problems by increasing your strength to a d6, but it's up to you :) Also please note the above with regards to knowledge skills and gear/equipment.
$161 is a LOT of money to be running around with too. Please see above and consider spend some of this so that you're not... ya know, naked.
As to issues with your sheet, you list him as speaking 3 languages, I would like you to choose one of those as his native tongue, and then suggest you spend your 3 free knowledge skill points on Knowledge (__ Language), you only get one language for free. At a d4 you are generally able to follow along with a conversation, but rapid speech or heavy accents will give you trouble, a d8 is representative of being fluent in that language (with an accent, and some problems with idioms and the like), while a d12 is fluent and able to imitate regional accents and be very good and tongue twisters and the like
The other issue I see is that you list a few weapons, but do not otherwise mention what gear your character has. Please see the note above in regards to equipment, at the moment the only thing your character would be carrying is a single shuriken one set of nunchaku, and $217
I also couldn't find a couple of your pieces of gear, specifically the vest, suspenders, and mustache wax. Where did you find those and their prices? $192 is a LOT to be running around with as well, so maybe spend a little more. A horse and equipment (saddle, saddlebags) may be useful depending on how you guys end up choosing to travel.
@GM-peanuts: Yes I haven't had the time to trawl through the equipment section, I will buy clothing, horse, a gun, quick-holster and some other stuff at the very least considering I have lots of money (I'll get to it by tonight I think).
Well, writing up what I had to for Michael took way more time than I had thought, so I will have to get back to the rest of you on your backgrounds over the following days. Apologies (working 12 hours tomorrow *sigh*)
Ok, here's Jean-Luc, revised with Gear and the Knowledge points spent on Languages. :)
Race: Human
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Boating d4, Fighting d10, Gambling d4, Guts d6, Investigation d4, Knowledge: English d4, Knowledge: French d6, Notice d6, Throwing d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 4, Charisma: 0, Grit: 1
Gear: Unarmed Strike d10 (Str), (10x) Shuriken d8 (Str+1, 3/6/12), Nunchaku d10 (Str+d4), Backpack (Contains: Blanket, Canteen, Soap, Suit/Fancy Dress, (2x) Trail Rations) Clothing (Normal), Watch, gold
Note: Encumbrance is 34 pounds. Unless he drops the backpack (which is 29 pounds) he suffers a -1 to Agility and Strength
Special Abilities:
•Code of Honor: Honor is key; Keeps word, won't abuse/kill prisoners, etc.
•Loyal: Will never leave a man behind
•Outsider: Shunned foreigner; -2 Charisma except with own kind
•Chi Focus: Chi is the inner force certain martial artists can tap into. The hero uses his Spirit for damage instead of Strength when using martial arts.
•Martial Arts: You know Martial Arts or Boxing.
•Superior Kung Fu: Shaolin Temple: Fighting attacks inflict Str+d6 damage
Personal Details: Son of a French diplomat and his Chinese Translator/servant, Luke (as he's calling himself) was abandonded and raised for several years in an orphanage in Shanghai. Because he was always getting in fights due to his non-chinese look and his heritage the nuns in charge of the orphanage sent him away to a monastery. Once there, he took to the training and discipline like a fish to water.
For the past few years, he trained and worked in the monastery. A little over a year ago, Jean-Luc received a letter written by his half-sister from out of the Maze. Their father had been killed in an accident and she was working in a saloon at one of the ports. Sensing fromthetoneof the letter that there was more to it, and receiving the blessing of the monks he took working passage on a ship bound for Lost Angels.
Tracked Resources:
. . Bennies - 0/3
Hero Lab® and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com
Copyright © 2004-2013 by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved.
Alright, I've added the last edge, as well as the bonus knowledge points. T.J. has spent some more of his loose change. And as for the additional items, they weren't listed anywhere. I wasn't sure if they were included with things like a suit, but I felt the character needed to have suspenders, a vest, and mustache wax. So rather than just assume he had them (since they weren't available to buy) I gauged prices by other things. All of the items are purely flavor, and were worth the 5 or so dollars spent on them.
Also, for Arknight:
Unless there's something in The Flood guide, I don't believe you're able to get the Superior Kung Fu edge without the prerequisite Arcane Background (Chi Mastery) first. If you're pursuing a martial arts character, you'll benefit greatly from that Arcane Background anyway!
@kdt: Dang it, I didn't see that and that's an issue in Herolab too.
That'll change a couple of things. :(
Here's the revised crunch:
Race: Human
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Armor (Power) d8, Boating d4, Boost/Lower Trait (Power) d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Knowledge: English d4, Knowledge: French d6, Notice d6, Throwing d6
Pace: 6, Parry: 6, Toughness: 4, Charisma: 0, Grit: 1
Gear: Unarmed Strike d8 (Str), Shuriken d6 (Str+1, 3/6/12), Nunchaku d8 (Str+d4), Backpack, Blanket, Canteen, Clothing (Normal), Soap, Suit/Fancy Dress, (2x) Trail Rations, Watch, gold
Special Abilities:
•Code of Honor: Honor is key; Keeps word, won't abuse/kill prisoners, etc.
•Loyal: Will never leave a man behind
•Outsider: Shunned foreigner; -2 Charisma except with own kind
•Chi Mastery: Gain the Chi Mastery arcane background
•Chi Focus: Chi is the inner force certain martial artists can tap into. The hero uses his Spirit for damage instead of Strength when using martial arts.
•Martial Arts: You know Martial Arts or Boxing.
Arcane Powers:
•Armor: Confers 2 or 4 points of Armor
•Boost/Lower Trait: Raise/lower a trait by one die-type (or two with raise)
Personal Details: Son of a French diplomat and his Chinese Translator/servant, Luke (as he's calling himself) was abandonded and raised for several years in an orphanage in Shanghai. Because he was always getting in fights due to his non-chinese look and his heritage the nuns in charge of the orphanage sent him away to a monastery. Once there, he took to the training and discipline like a fish to water.
For the past few years, he trained and worked in the monastery. A little over a year ago, Jean-Luc received a letter written by his half-sister from out of the Maze. Their father had been killed in an accident and she was working in a saloon at one of the ports. Sensing fromthetoneof the letter that there was more to it, and receiving the blessing of the monks he took working passage on a ship bound for Lost Angels.
Tracked Resources:
. . Bennies - 0/3
. . Power Points - 0/20
Hero Lab® and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com
Copyright © 2004-2013 by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved.
Question: Does Boost/Lower Trait stack when used multiple times? If I hit someone twice in different rounds do I lower by 2 die steps?
Increased his strength to 1d6 as recommended, and spent the rest of his cash. Didn't go as far as I was expecting, so he had to go with an el-cheepo horse. Hopefully he can ditch the old nag before long and pick up a more reliable mount.
GM Peanuts:
Aye, gear would be on his horse for the most part - and what's the point of being a gambler unless you're willing to gamble a little ;)
The stats on this profile should be correct... :)
Well, since Rigor and Anthony haven't posted anything it looks like we have our party. PWO/Dr I/DA please send your character soon. Will finish looking over everyone's backgrounds shortly.
Gear looks good now, except I'm not sure what guns you're using, can you give me the name it uses in the player's book? Also where it mentions a Rifle Boot, sure I read that, but can't find it now.
Only other thing, you still haven't spent the free knowledge skill points.
The only problem I see is that your money remaining total and mine don't match up, and you seem to be encumbered with all that gear (-1 to Strength, Agility, and related skills). According to my Hero Lab you should have $91 left, not 69.7, suggest double checking and let me know.
Aye - was partially holding knowledge points until confirmation of party, so will go ahead and spend them now (as well as updating profile page).
Thanks for the tip. $5 is nice to get back. And yes, the intention was knowledge of the New York underground, as in the seedier side of life. I don't know what of that would connect out west, whether there would be connections or just a simple familiarity with how that stuff works. If that is too obscure, I could switch it to a basic knowledge of law, since his father was a lawyer.
Crunch is up. Background will transfer to the web throughout the day as will gear. Would love a cost for a Gladstone bag and med kit. Perhaps there is a Sears & Roebuck catalog for the 1880's or 90's online.
Found this catalog from Philadelphia for 1888-9 what year are we starting in?
Oh and The Flood players guide might be useful. Gotta love Pinnacle for putting this in their free-to-download section
This is Rigor, just to let you know. I post under Rigor Rictus more often than Lastnameonearth. Sorry for any confusion on that point.
Rifle Boot is on page 46 of the Deadlands book (in my edition anyway), left column, lower page under Gun Accessories.
The guns I listed aren't in the book. I'm a bit of an Old West gun nut and I listed a common gun from the period, but one that isn`t in the manual. I paid a cost equivalent to the most expensive gun, the peacemaker, though I think it was actually a touch cheaper. As a gun nut, I found the list curious in how many common guns it left out, and how many mistakes/generalizations were made. Of course most games do that and only a particular brand of nerd notices. Whenever I GM, I usually fill in the blanks in such lists. When something common is left off the list, it makes me itch. The stats for the Remington I listed would be about equal to the peacemaker, for all intents. I can easily go back to something from the book if you prefer.
@T.J. Some of the information may transfer over as the seedy side tends to occur everywhere, but it may on occasion lead you astray as well :) Law could also come in handy, but be less flavourful, so it's up to you which you take.
@Dr. I Wish I had of known about that before I typed all the edges and hindrances up for you guys :p Ahh well, everyone should probably check that out, it has additional setting information and stats relevant to this campaign.
As to what year, the game will be starting in December 1879.
@Abram Ahh, well no harm done, so we only had one player that dropped out then :) As to the gun I'm fine for you to call it whatever you want, just as long as I know what stats it's using and how much it costs. Hmm, is yours the single action, or double action version? Guessing double since you said it was the most expensive one.
I managed to find the Rifle Boot (different page completely but oh well), but not what it does. Care to enlighten someone less familiar with guns?
Re: Rifle Boot: It's just a holster. You see them all the time in westerns; its a long leather holster for a rifle that sits on the side of your horse. Makes the rifle accessible to the rider even when stored. If you Google Image search Rifle Boot, there are a few examples even in the first few results.
Indecently, as far as I can tell, there was never any such thing as a Double Action Peacemaker. Peacemaker was an informal name applied to the Colt 1873 Single Action Army (SAA), and was never formally used by them. What they are probably referring to as the DA Peacemaker was a Colt Model 1878, (Called the Frontier model) a totally different gun, but one that resembled the Peacemaker externally, and fired the same powerful cartridge (.45 Long Colt). While the book says that the DA guns are more advanced and therefore more reliable, the opposite was probably true. Double action guns had more moving parts and more complicated mechanisms, meaning that there was more that could go wrong. They were not nearly as reliable as their simpler, single action counterparts.
Alright, sounds fine Abram :) As to the gun... so a single action then? :p.
You've still got to spend your knowledge skill points too.
In game terms, I think this would be equivalent to using a pre-loaded cylinder to get the effect of the Speed Load Edge, except that with this gun, you'd never actually need an extra cylinder.
As far as I can tell, cost would have been about the same as the Peacemaker. For whatever reason, the army chose the Colt SAA over the Smith and Weason Model 3 Schofield, and so dominated the civilian market as well.
Here's actually a cute video that compares all three. It's from a movie with Russell Crow and Leonardo Decapreo, before either was particularly well known. The Quick and the Dead.
On the matter of the knowledge skills, not sure whether to assign them, or hold off until we know what's covered. Being the son of a lawman, and potentially going that way, so long as cancer or bullets don't get him first, I could take Knowledge Law skill, if no one else needs it.
Well, let me just say that this isn't like Pathfinder, you don't need to have a balanced party or have all the knowledge skills, mostly because there aren't a bunch of set knowledges. The free skill points are there so you can give your character some flavour and a bit of extra utility. So pick a hobby, something that you think may be applicable to the campaign, or just something your character likes and chuck a couple points in, you never know when your knowledge of say... the Union Postal Service, might come in handy ;)
@Jean-Luc Did you write down your character's worst Nightmare? Had a look and couldn't see it, but your posts are a bit scattered, so if you have just point me in the right direction :)
Oh, no i did not...
Worst Nightmare: The streets of the port city are dark and foggy. Jean-Luc walks along, not knowing where he's headed but knowing there's somewhere he needs to be. He hears a woman's scream down an alley and he runs to help. When he gets there, he sees a young woman surrounded by several men. When he steps up to help, she smiles and all the men turn on him. Their faces are almost melted and rotten. Every blow Jean-Luc makes makes no difference and he becomes overwhelmed. The men hold him down ad the woman stands over him, saliva dripping from the corners of her mouth. Where the saliva drips, the ground sizzles. She leans in and whispers 'welcome to my family' as she lets her saliva drip onto his face. Jean-Luc feels his face peeling away,and wakes up screaming...
ALso, I'm not sure where those almost 30$ went, but I'm good with the 69.70.:) Also,yes, he's overloaded slightly. Before anything happens, he really has to drop his backpack which will take him to only having an encumbrance of 5 pounds or so and all stat's normal. :)