There's been plenty strangeness in the world for some time, now. You ask some people, there's always been plenty strangeness to go 'round, but seems to me that goin' on twenty-some years now... Well, ever since Gettysburg, everything that came outta that hellish massacre, all the stories. Been more than our share of strange happenings since then. Preachers and nuns what can heal with a touch. New stories 'bout folks gettin' strung up for witchcraft, consortin' with dark forces, and even evidence behind it, some cases. Weird creatures goin' bump in the night and leavin' unsavory tracks come mornin'. The whole West feels on the edge of darkness.
Strangest of all, though, you ask me? Maybe the most common, too, if all the stories are true. Dead men walkin'. Just up and steppin' outta their graves, or up from where they was put down. Some seem thinkin', some seem just plain hungry. Sometimes it's the work of the Devil, or voodoo, something like that. But sometimes it don't seem like nothin' outside. Sometimes they're just so tough or nasty that Hell itself can't hold 'em down--or won't.
First off, the game itself is something I'm calling There Will Come a Reckoning: A Deadlands Megacampaign. If all goes well, this is going to be a massive and enjoyable undertaking in plumbing the depths of the Deadlands Reloaded setting from Pinnacle Entertainment. It's got the name I've given it because I ain't planning to just run a simple little game where we roll through some Savage Tales or one of the Plot Point Campaigns. This is about the whopper of all plot points, the Reckoning itself, and it's gonna have a scope and timeline to match. Those in the know might know what I'm getting at already: in some way, shape, or form, it's my hope for this game to weave through the four major Plot Point Campaigns, defeating the Reckoners and their Servitors across the Weird West. It won't be easy, and it won't be quick. But I'm hoping and thinking that it'll be a Hell of a good time.
On Systems and Books: I'll be running this game using the newest edition of the rules, Savage Worlds Adventure Edition, which just recently came out as a reworking of the older Savage Worlds rules. Don't worry if you don't have the new rules, or if you aren't familiar with the system on any level--I'm more than happy to guide people into it, and open to newcomers as well as old hands. Obviously in addition to this, we'll be using the various books from the Deadlands Reloaded line (all of them, in fact). I'm also open to using rules and options from other Savage Worlds books on a case-by-case basis, so if you're wondering about something being used, feel free to ask. At the moment the main other source I'm thinking of is the Horror Companion. Obviously, there'll be some kinks to iron out applying things to the new rules, but we'll deal with it as it crops up.
On The Number of Players: This ain't too much of a sticking point for me, to be honest. If there ain't much interest, I'll let things drop. If there's a small group of folks who want to play, I'm happy to run this as a solo game, or for a pair of players. Ideally I'm thinking three to five, maybe six on the outset. But without a hard limit in mind, I really can't say beyond, don't worry about it. I can fine tune my plans to keep up with the folks involved.
On Timelines and Such: I don't foresee this being a quick game, so I think it's only right that the recruitment may not go by quick, neither. I'd like to see that folks are interested in sticking around for the long haul, so consider the timeline between this post and the game start to be your first test. What with the holidays coming up and all, I expect other folks to be busy, as I myself will be; as such, I don't imagine I'll close recruitment before the new year rolls around. Even if I do, there's gonna be some additional groundwork to be laid between players getting picked and characters kicking off the game, so don't come in thinking we'll be starting within the week or some such.
On Expectations: I've mentioned already that I don't expect this to be a quick undertaking, right, partner? I try to keep a good pace, since nothing kills a game's momentum like long gaps, but this is a hobby and a pastime--real life and other obligations can, do, and will come first. Some days I get occupied with other business. Most days I have enough free time that I should be able to check in on things and keep it moving, but I make no promises I can't keep. On average I'd hope for a post a day on weekdays, and maybe a post over the weekend, but no guarantees--and I sure wouldn't put my money on any faster rate than that. As such, I have no idea when this game will end. Probably years from now.
On Content and Cautions: The West, for all its charms and legend, was not a nice place. People committed murder, robbery, assault, and worse--often consequently, consecutively, or simultaneously. Factor in actual demonic rituals, dark powers, and monsters, and it only gets worse from there. I don't intend to shy away from any of this in my portrayal of things, and I fully expect to explore a dark and dangerous vision of the Weird West, filled with mature themes and deplorable, wicked villains. That said, I don't want to unduly upset people, so we'll be using a take on the idea of the X-Card. If something crops up that is truly beyond the comfort zone of a player, they can shoot me a PM letting me know, and I'll steer the game away from that topic. This may actually allow for even deeper and darker forays into things, since we all know we can back out if it gets too deep. That said, I don't want this to be an easy fallback; a good exploration of darkness is going to make people at least a little uncomfortable.
I go by the handle Helix Missionary pretty much everywhere these days, since I'm trying to build a brand for myself. I might look like a bit of a newcomer here, but looks are deceiving, pard. I used to be here under the name of Loup Blanc, under which name I had over 10,000 posts including my numerous aliases from games over the years. I played in plenty of campaigns, and ran a handful myself. I like to think I was always a pretty fine fellow on either side of the virtual table, and I hope others would say the same. Some time back I departed these forums due to personal life and times getting a little hectic, but I'm back and here to stay, assuming true disaster doesn't strike.
This ain't my first time running Deadlands or other Western games on here, either. I started up a game with some forum buddies running a Plot Point Campaign, and experimented with running a Western-themed game using D&D 5th Edition as well. I'm a big fan of the genre, hombres, so I'll do my best to do it justice. And I'm happy to chat about my feelings on it if that's all you care to do in this thread.
On My Expectations: I didn't always include details like these in my recruitment threads, but sooner or later it becomes apparent that spelling out what you're looking for can be mighty useful. As such, I highly recommend looking at the following if you haven't already:
Doomed Hero's Guide to Play-by-Post Gaming. This is like your gospel. The man's a legend in his own time for good reason. Learn it well.
Painlord's Advanced Play-by-Post Play Guide. This is like your study guide. The man's also a legend in his own time. This is good stuff.
Loup Blanc's RPG Virtues and Vices. I don't think I'm a legend in my own time, nor do I dare hope to be, but this is a guide I made up for my games, specifically for PbP here on the boards. Please give it a once-over so you understand who you're working with and what I expect.
In general, though, my advice is to pay attention, to really want to play, and to be a decent human being. If you show me those three things, it'll go a long way.
Hopefully, by now, you've read the above spoilers. If you haven't, I'd recommend doing so now. In any case, you're reading on cause you're interested in joining me on this endeavor, and I thank you for that. The following spoilers are very useful if you want to apply for this game. The first is really the only one you have to read; the others are for those folks who want to do some extra legwork right now. If you've got any questions about them, shoot. Otherwise, I hope to hear from you, one and all.
The Concept (and Considerations Thereof): This is the bulk of what I'm looking for, and it can take a lot of forms. At its core, this serves as a sense of your character and what you're bringing to the table, so to speak. Deadlands is a setting with a lot of options, in a system with a lot of options, none of which boils down to something so simple as a race-class combination. This is your opportunity to showcase the type of character you're bringing to the table. Maybe you're a wily charmer who could sell snake-oil to a snake-oil salesman; maybe you're a lean, mean gunhand with something to prove; maybe you're a lapsed priest who's trying to do right in his own way. There's plenty of opportunity here.
The main thing that's worth mentioning is that your character will be a member of an outlaw gang who's just had a life-changing (or life-ending, depending on how they view it) experience, come game start. To put it simply, you fought the law, and the law won--although that ain't really the case. Suffice to say you weren't exactly the most straight-and-narrow saint to walk the earth, although you weren't necessarily the meanest bastard to go six feet under, either. Outlaws come from all walks of life, and I'll accommodate plenty.
Another important consideration is that when you wake up, you're angry. As I'll detail a little more below, you were running with a gang, and doing pretty well, and then you were betrayed. You were gunned down like a dog (so to speak), killed unfairly and without trial or even a fair chance to defend yourself, and that's got you riled up something fierce. Your character doesn't have to be a bloodthirsty killer by nature, but I fully desire you to have vested interest in paying back your bushwackin' murderers tenfold.
In terms of how you present your concept, well, that's up to you. It can be anything from a short descriptor to a full-blown character sheet with complete mechanics. I'd recommend at least a paragraph or two describing what you're aiming for. Pictures and music go a long way, too, as does suggesting who might play them in a film version of the campaign.
Memento Mori: In lieu of a backstory (your posse won't remember much--see the Dead to a Man spoiler if you want to know a little more about why), I'd like for everyone to showcase a single memory their character has upon waking. This can be just about anything, and much like the concept, it can take many forms. You want to write a stream-of-consciousness page of descriptions? Great! Maybe a short scene with some pictures and music for effect is more your style? Fantastic. Even a very solid haiku can work.
The main thing here to keep in mind is: This is how you're telling me about your character. This is your chance to showcase your ability to play a fascinating character in a written format. Make no mistake, I'm about storytelling first and foremost, and I want your memory to tell a story. It doesn't necessarily have to be a powerful one to anyone else, including you or me--but it should be poignant to the character, and that's telling. Any old gunslinger will remember the first time the killed a man, although it can still be a riveting experience if well-written. But when someone's strongest memory is of an afternoon fishing in a stream, or eating a gooseberry pie with their second cousin--well, that says quite a lot.
On that topic, I don't have any strict requirements for the length or subject of your memory. Just keep in mind that it's a single focal point, one strong moment that's stuck with your character to Hell and back. It should be a scene, not an act, and certainly not the whole play. That might mean five seconds, or five months, depending.
As a matter of course, your character's aware of people in the memory, including what they look like and even what they're called--as in, what your character called them. (If you remember your sweet wife, Lily June, then you remember her name; if your memory is of some kid you gutted in the War, you probably don't remember his.) That said, you have no recollection of what became of them after the memory, nor how (or if) you knew or met them beforehand.
Greatest Fear, Worst Nightmare: These are probably one and the same on some level, but either way, I need to know it, so you do, too. Again, you can write this as a simple description: Roy MacArran has an unhealthy phobia of goats. But again, this is an opportunity for you to really present and portray a character. I'm giving you the opportunity to write your own Worst Nightmare: take that and run with it as far as you please. Make it visceral. Make it uncomfortable. Make it real.
In conjunction with your Memento Mori, your character may or may not recognize people, if any, who are involved in your Worst Nightmare. Do with this as you please, but keep it consistent. If I see you using a nightmare to add extra memories to your character, I'll comment on it and we'll change things as need be.
Death Wound: That's right, partner. As already hinted at, your hombre will have taken a dirt nap by the time the game kicks off--emphasis on nap, since this ain't exactly the Big Sleep we're talking about. Something put you down, and something in you wasn't ready to accept that just yet.
Coming back from the dead has advantages and disadvantages, and you can heal from a lot of things--you aren't the average walking corpse that people scream and run from on sight. But deaders of your type never fully recover from the wound that put them down, and I want you to tell me what that is. It can be just about anything that would reasonably befall you shortly before, during, or immediately after a violent fight, and beyond that, I'll leave it up to you. Personally, my short list would include shooting, stabbing, bludgeoning, poisoning, strangling (including from hanging), disemboweling, throat-cutting, and trampling, but I'm sure there's other options out there.
Attributes: 5 points to spend on the five Attributes, as normal for Savage Worlds. However, seeing as you're all starting out Harrowed (see below), everyone gets a free d6 in Spirit. Believe me, you're gonna need it.
Skills: 13 points to spend on Skills, in addition to the free d4 in the Core Skills of Athletics, Common Knowledge, Notice, Persuasion, and Stealth. You get an extra point because I'm generous, because we're using Guts, and because it's an onerous number that fits this game. Obviously, some of the Skills won't be seeing much (or any) use--I won't stop you from sticking a d8 in Hacking but it sure as hell ain't gonna come up.
--Guts: We'll be using the Guts skill from Deadlands Reloaded to cope with Fear tests and other nastiness. The Weird West is a Hellish place on the verge of true darkness, and it takes a special something to cope with it.
--Mean Sonsab%~%$es: Seeing as you're playing outlaws and their ilk, it seems fitting that you'd have an aptitude for scaring folk. As such, you can trade out the free d4 in Persuasion for a d4 in Intimidation.
Hindrances: You can take 4 points, mixing and matching Major and Minor Hindrances at their usual value, as normal. Feel free to take extra for flavor, and for roleplaying for Bennies, but you won't get extra points for building your character.
--An Aside on Hindrances: With many Hindrances being roleplaying heavy, a question can crop up of when a Hindrance is a Hindrance? For example, just because your character comes back with an almighty hatred for the backstabbing bastards that put them down, does that mean you have to be Vengeful? I'd say no, and same goes for everything else. Take a Hindrance if you want it to be a powerful, driving aspect of your character's personality, something that defines who they are and how the world will see them. Just because you're sarcastic doesn't make you Mean; just because you like planning doesn't make you Cautious.
--Harrowed Hindrances: Since you'll be starting the game pushing up daisies (see below), you are allowed to take these Hindrances--although I'd recommend thinking long and hard about some of them.
--Wanted: Yeah, before you start thinking you can get mileage out of this, you're all probably gonna be Wanted off the bat. Not to say you can't take this, but be aware you're only setting yourself up for more trouble with the law if you do.
Edges: You get the free Edge for being Human, as normal, with an added bonus: your free Edge ignores Rank requirements, although it cannot be Legendary, and you have to meet all the other requirements. You can buy additional Edges as normal with Hindrance points.
--Arcane Backgrounds: There's a lot available here. I'll allow anything from the Deadlands Reloaded line, using their latest versions and matching mechanics to the new edition's rules where necessary--as a pertinent example, supernatural Martial Artists will work like Gifted, using Focus as their related skill. Additionally, if you want to play a Voodooist Blessed or a Whateley-blooded Huckster, you can do so, gaining the benefits and drawbacks of the related Edges for free. Finally, taking an Arcane Background Edge gives you a free d4 in its related skill, because I feel like otherwise it's a pricey investment.
--Harrowed: You're all gonna get this for free, plus an extra! See the spoiler below.
Gear: Everyone's got $250 to spend on equipment and belongings as normal for Deadlands Reloaded. Everyone's assumed to start with some clothes, and if you buy extra, it's considered a small wardrobe of like contents, enough that you're not wearing the same shirt and trousers day in, day out. This isn't to say you've got all this on you right when things kick off, but it's good to know what you have to your name. I'd strongly urge everyone to have a small weapon of some kind--you were outlaws, after all.
Grit: Grit is used as normal for Deadlands Reloaded. Characters start with 1 Grit for their Novice Rank, which can be raised or lowered by Edges and Hindrances.
Advances: Finally, once you've built your character as a normal starting-out Novice, apply two Advances. These can be whatever you want as following the normal rules.
Every character in this game effectively gains the Harrowed Edge for free, starting out as a reborn gunslinger with an unholy spirit along for the ride. For the most part, you're in control, living your life more or less as you see fit. Sure, there's some changes, but it's still you knocking around in there--although in our case, your personality may have changed something drastic sometime during the trip to Hell and back. It's only when things get real hairy that you lose control to the demon riding shotgun in your brain.
Additionally, you're set to gain more faculty over your new existence than most. At every rank, including Novice, you gain a free Edge from those available to Harrowed characters, representing your growing prowess as an undead compadre. This is a straight power increase, sure, but I figure you can use all the help you can get with what I'll be throwing at you--and besides, the Harrowed Edges are a lot of fun, and don't often see a ton of regular usage, so I'd like to see what you set up.
Obviously this means you'll start with a Harrowed Edge at game start, so if you're building a character, you can feel free to pick one. They all have their uses, but I'd certainly recommend any of the following: Dead Reckoning (never know when you might want to find a corpse), Death Mask (making yourself look like a living, breathing person certainly has its uses), Stitchin' (healing faster is always useful), or Supernatural Attribute (always useful to come back better than you were). It's worth mentioning that this Edge, and being Harrowed in general, is applied last in making your character, so any effects apply after Advances, and the Harrowed Edge has to meet Rank requirements as well as everything else.
For simplicity's sake, here's the pertinent info on being one of the risen few:
Death Wounds: As suggested above, the wound that put a Harrowed down in the first place never really goes away. It's an eternal ugly scar, and while it isn't as horrible as it was at death, it sure don't look good. Most walkin' corpses cover these up as best they can.
Decay: Harrowed ain't your average walkin' dead, stumbling around with an obviously corpselike demeanor, but they aren't the image of health. Their skin tends to be pale and sallow, not always gaunt but leaning that way. They also don't smell too wonderful. Folks who get up close and personal with your average Harrowed can smell the stink of death on them with a Notice roll, unless the walker "pickles" themselves with alcohol--a quart or so will do the job for a couple days. It makes them smell like a drunk, sure, but a living one. Finally, it's worth noting that you are a walking corpse: your blood doesn't flow, and other bodily functions aren't really carried out. This does mean you don't need to eat or drink, and can't get drunk--although you do need meat to heal, and alcohol can help mask your stink.
Dominion: Your Dominion starts at 0. When the situation calls for it (GM discretion), you make an opposed Spirit roll against the manitou in your head, with your current Dominion as a modifier. On a success, you retain control and gain 1 Dominion, 2 on a Raise. On a failure, the manitou takes control and gets up to some mischief, and your Dominion drops by 1, or 2 on a Critical Failure. On a tie, you're Shaken as you fight off the influence. Dominion can't go below -4 or above +4.
Sleeping: Harrowed only need 1d6 hours of sleep each night, but that's the only real upside. They have trouble pushing to stay awake, since the manitou will just shut things down when it's bedtime: Harrowed have to make Spirit rolls every hour with a cumulative -2 penalty to stay awake, and if they fail, they just keel over on the spot. That said, the manitou keeps one eye open, so they're at least as likely as other folks to wake up if trouble comes knocking.
Undead: You do get some advantages thanks to your zombie-like state. You get a +2 to Toughness, +1 to Grit, and a +2 to Fear Tests (after all, you already lived through dying and your worst nightmare). You're immune to nonlethal damage, and even "death" from Wounds only puts you out of commission for 1d6 days, unless it's you're Incapacitated by a head shot. Finally, you're immune to poison and disease, seeing as you're already a corpse.
Unnatural Healing: In place of the normal healing options of just waiting it out or getting beneficial magic, Harrowed have to rely on their own faculties, which mostly consists of turning meat into their own. A Harrowed can eat a pound of meat, cooked or otherwise, in order to make a Natural Healing roll every five days; certain Edges can improve this rate. Healing rolls and beneficial miracles and tribal medicine don't work on them.
Buckets of Blood: As listed on page 20 of the Savage Worlds Horror Companion. In the dark danger of the Weird West, folk die in spectacularly gruesome fashion, spraying blood that calls for Fear tests and makes it more likely for folks to slip and fall.
Gritty Damage: As listed on page 139 of Savage Worlds Adventure Edition. Effectively, this means that any time you attack someone, you need to roll 2d6 to check where you hit them, and Wounds cause Injuries. I might tinker with this as the game goes on.
Sanity: As described in the Savage Worlds Horror Companion. Sanity starts at 2 + half a character's Spirit die, and goes up and down (usually down) throughout adventuring. My take on the Weird West may be particularly grating on a hero's mind, and the darkness characters face can have greater effects than a short-term shock.
EDGES: A pair of Edges from Deadlands are getting revamped, and a new one is being introduced.
--Hip-Shooting: Instead of letting you use automatic fire rules with your hogleg, this Edge interacts with the ability to take multiple actions on your turn. With this Edge, when you declare two or more attacks using a single-action revolver, you reduce the multi-action penalty on those attacks by 1. With the Improved version, you reduce the penalty by 2. So, for example, if Roy MacArran has the Hip-Shooting Edge and he draws his revolver (an action) and slaps off two quick shots (two more actions) on his turn, his Shooting rolls will take a -3 penalty each.
--Unflinching: This is a new Edge that requires you to be a Wild Card, and either be Harrowed or of Seasoned Rank. Your hombre has the air of having seen it all and done it all, and it shows in the way the carry themselves. You add your Grit to Intimidation and Persuasion rolls, as well as Smarts and Spirit rolls to resist such rolls and Tests in combat.
I believe that's everything, and I hope right truly that it all makes sense. If you've got any questions, please ask, as I'm happy to answer and clarify. Hope to see some fine folks willing to take the plunge and take the fight to the Reckoners!
Gimme that dot.
I am most definitely down for this.
Image: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61oosxV-sDL._UY445_.jpg
Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyuUcTewmBI
Momento Mori: The air is smoky with incense and only a faint hint of afternoon sunlight filters through the loosely drawn silk curtains. Haruto lays across a long massage table, his shirt cast over a rack in the corner. He breaths in a careful, practiced rhythm to block out the repeated stinging pain as needles prick at the flesh of his back again and again. Time passes in a haze of boredom and occasional discomfort until finally the metallic clink of the needle being set aside echoes in the quiet room. He stands slowly, not willing to stretch his back too far just yet. The artist backs away wordlessly and lets him turn to examine his skin in a full length mirror on the wall. A brilliant phoenix in red, orange, and gold covers his entire back, stretching from his waist up along his spine and across his shoulders with flaming wings. He grabs his shirt from its place and digs into his pocket, extracting a wad of paper. Mismatched bills are piled on top of a faded grey-scale photograph. The young man slaps the bills onto the tattoo artist's counter before he glances at the photograph one more time. A dozen teenagers stare back at him, one clearly a younger vision of himself standing at the front with another young man of Asian heritage. He scowls and crumples the photo, tossing it into the garbage as he pulls his shirt on and slips out the front door into the city twilight.
Worst Fear: Haruto feels a deep sense of dread when confronted with ghosts and similarly disembodied spirits.
Death Wound: A brutal blow has scarred Haruto's chest with a mark that resembles a star, still reddish like his skin was just torn into.
Skills: Athletics d6, Chi d8, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Healing d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Occult d4, Stealth d4, Taunt d6
Grit: 2
Parry: 6
Sanity: 6
Toughness: 7
Hindrances:
Arrogant:
Enemy (Minor):
Outsider (Minor):
Edges: Arcane Background (Chi Mastery), Chi Focus, Harrowed, Martial Artist, Superior Kung Fu (Shaolin)
Harrowed Edges: Stichin’
Power Points: 15
Powers: Bolt, Protection
Gear: Backpack, Bed Roll, Bottle of Fine Baijiu, Linen Shirt, Long Coat, Mess Kit, Oil Lantern, Pants, Phoenix Tattoo, Shoes, Straw Hat, $214
Dotting.
I'm in! I love anything Savage Worlds, and it has been quite a while since I've had a chance to play Deadlands.
I dont have the new books, just the old ones, and they are at home, while I happen to be travelling at the moment. Maybe I'll check to see what the differences are and consider buying the new ones.
Glad to see some interest cropping up! Helps keep me sure I'm as sane as I think I am--not to say that's all that much in the long run ;)
kamenhero25, that looks good to me, man. As mentioned in the first post, there'll be more to come once the posse's coming together and we get closer to game start, but for now I think you're pretty solid. Always fun having a martial artist on board.
Rigor Rictus, the biggest changes to core mechanics that I've noticed are doing away with Charisma (most associated Hindrances/Edges just give penalties/bonuses to Persuasion checks) and freely allowing folks to declare up to three actions per turn, with cumulative -2 multi-action penalties--meaning anyone can elect to swing a sword or shoot a gun three times if they're willing to take the -4 to every roll. Beyond that, the skill list has been reworked slightly, including having 5 "core skills" that get a free d4, and there are new options and streamlined rules all over. Overall I like it quite a lot, and it feels like a gentle push towards that end goal of Fast, Furious Fun.
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yes? Yes. YES. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!1!!11!!!!eleven!!!!!!
I'm so in, I came out the other side, turned around, and dove -back- in, that's how in I am.
I'm just like Rigor Rictus in that I have all the old books, but I'm much prettier than he is, so take that into account. ;-)
I've played much SW...but I've never played with an Arcane Background. That you are willing to take that epileptic tiger by the tail and give him a cup of coffee and a free puppy only invigorates my own ardor.
One of my very very very first SW games I had a priest character who began a slow spiral into Dark Magicks. I think I'll re-visit that idea. Some healing, some damages, a sprinkling of other things. I'll mediatate on it.
Once The Lion Cleric (can I call ya "Lion"? Or just by your first name "The"? I'll go with TLC until I get answer. =) decides on her (his? its?) concept, I'll ask her (him? it?) if...they want a shared background. =)
For the record when other people are coming up with concepts, I've finished my concept mechanically; I'm submitting a charismatic pistolero who'll be taking some Edges to invest in being really good at dueling. I'm also a Hexslinger and eventually I plan to pick up an Edge or two for mounted marksmanship. I'm finishing up my background stuff and such, and then I'll put my submission up here.
Welcome one and all, as I check in again. Always good to see more excited faces, especially a couple I recognize.
Any number of concepts are potentially workable for this game, The Lion Cleric, so I'm interested to see what you come up with. So far we've got a shaolin fistfighter and a hexslinging pistolero on the table, which leaves a whole wide world of possibilities still open.
Atlas2112, glad to see the enthusiasm! Indeed, Arcane Backgrounds are a lot of fun, but giving them the slight boost of the free d4 feels good to me--after all, you're already paying to do the magic-ing, so having to pay for the skill to magic with feels like a tax. A former priest potentially falling to darker ways sounds like a lot of fun, and I'm more than willing to work with the Blessed rules to make sure it all makes sense. As a general concept, the Sinnin' rules will probably be more like loose guidelines for us.
Huginn, I look forward to seeing the full write-up. Always useful to have someone who's decent at chatting with folks, as much as it's good to have someone good at putting big whopping holes in them.
I am working on my trapper (sharpshooter) Bavarian Max with his trusted rifle
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@Atlas : TLC is fine, and also easy to type. And also, hooo, we gonna have some fun if you go for a preacher.
@GM : A particular concept's been sitting in my head ever since I opened the Deadlands book this fine morning. While I'd like to get the story and the memories down on paper before I start revealing it, the mechanics of the concept would mostly be social based, and since we already have three people volunteering for handlin' pesky critters, I'll divulge into the Smarts part as well.
Merry Christmas, one and all! Checking in while our family's roast goes back in the oven for a while.
Helikon, sounds interesting to me. I'd love to see how it evolves and shapes out.
The Lion Cleric, your concept also sounds fun and I'd love to know more.
Everyone, it's come to my attention that I missed including something I intended to have in the original post. As mentioned, there's going to be some additional information and character work between recruitment and game start, during which you'll find out a bit more about the setup for the game, yourselves, and one another. However, there's a piece of pertinent information that I hinted at but didn't explicitly state. All the characters will know one another from time spent in an outlaw gang. Just how long you've run with the gang, what crimes you've committed personally, and how you feel about all of it is somewhat up in the air and/or up to you, but you were at the very least hangers-on with the group at large.
Again, I'm happy to work with people on concepts to make things work, so don't think this means anything is invalid. I'm willing to make things flexible to accommodate concepts and ideas.
Definitely interested if you'll have me. I'll see what I can whip up.
Edit:So Helix, I'm thinking with the power boost you're giving character that I could try something I've always wanted to do but can never pull of in these games. A rogue Texas Ranger? or a ranger recruit? he'd have the Wanted major hindrance and a few other thing but would that be ok?
Actually ignore that last edit, my brain just took a sharp left turn.
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Hey folks! Merry Christmas to all.
I'm working on the Memento Mori at the moment, but I thought I should at least post the Concept and the Character block for now.
A 'spoiled dove' that left the gang a while back to live a somewhat honest life, opening a saloon and acting like a pillar of society for a small ghost rock mining town. Up until she was strangled on the floor of her own saloon and the town was burned to the ground by an unknown party for 'their sins'. After her nap, she's filled with vengeance towards whoever done it, and she's off to find the only people she knows may be able to help her find vengeance (and redemption).
Strength: d4
Agility: d6
Smarts: d8
Spirit: d10
Vigor: d6
Vengeful(Major)
Quirk
Heavy Sleeper
Death Mask
Killer Instinct
Snake Oil Salesman
Athletics: d4
Common Knowledge: d6
Occult Knowledge: d6
Notice: d6
Persuasion: d10
Stealth: d4
Guts: d6
Streetwise: d6
Gambling: d6
Investigation: d6
Shooting: d6
LeMat Carbine/Shotgun
Starr Revolver
Quick-Draw Holster
Mess Kit(s)
Advances
5XP: Common Knowledge; Occult Knowledge -> d6
10XP: Investigation; Gambling -> d6
Always happy to see familiar faces, and I'll take all comers, Fenris105, so long as I like the concepts! A Texas Ranger might be tough to wing at least at the start of the game, but given their "shoot it or recruit it" tendencies, I can't say much about possibilities in the future. It's really up to you folks.
The Lion Cleric, I like the concept so far, and the stats look pretty solid to me. The only things worth mentioning are that being Vengeful in a Major way as a Hindrance will extend well beyond just the slaughter--although that's perfectly fine and perhaps very fitting for the character!
The other is a more general comment of another thing I haven't explicitly clarified: The posse's all waking up from their dirt nap together at the start (i.e., they died in the same location). That's not to say that your concept needs any changes--we can easily swing that it all went down in the backwater town where you had your saloon. In fact, I rather like that, and it feels fitting that even a gang member who had stepped away for a while got caught up in things--whether design or happenstance, you won't know just yet ;)
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Merry Christmas to all!
(Oh, uh, this is that alt I'll be using, but it's not ready yet, so no peeking under mah kilt!)
Hey, I'm reading through the book, and I've a quick question about the aforementioned sinnin'.
It has a handy-dandy chart about minor through major, each listed activity sounding more fun and interesting wrong and immoral than the last, but it doesn't really go into the game effects. Like, getting drunk is a minor, right next to envying another's possessions. And then it goes up to major and mortal, but it doesn't . So...okay, I'm the kind of person that if something isn't written down, Imma gonna start poking that beast just to see how hard is too hard...and then I'll run alot. (I'm also that kinds of person that should never meet a bear. Because then I'll go "Who has a fuzzy tummy! Who's a little fuzzy cute?" and then he'll eat me. So, no bears for me. =)
Where was I? Oh, right. So, I guess that whole "loose guidelines" guideline is probably a good starting point. =)
(Hmmmm. But, like, the "adultery" part would only matter at all if'n I was married. Huh.)
So I may have stayed up to too late and drank entirely to much caffeine but here's the crunchy stuff and a basic concept (I'm stealing TLC's format cause I like the way it looks, Please and Thank You!:) )
Ellie Hunt is a very angry young woman who joined this here gang after watching her brother get shot in front of her. She's not sure why but for some reason another Ranger decided to kill her brother (a Ranger himself) for some perceived reason. She's sneaky and damned good in a fight.
Hindrances:
Mean (minor)
Mark of the Devil (minor) {Eyes glow red}
Grim Servant o' Death (major) (I blame Helix for giving me this Idea)
Edges:
Alertness
Dead Reckoning
Silent as a Corpse
Hallowed
Stats:
Charisma: -2
Grit: 2
Pace: 6”
Parry: 6
Toughness: 7
Attributes:
Agility D8
Smarts D6
Spirit D8
Strength D8
Vigor D6
Skills:
Fighting D8
Shooting D6
Athletics D4
Notice D8 +2
Guts D6
Survival D6
Intimidate D6
Stealth D8 (+2,+4)
Common Knowledge D4
Street Smarts D4
I think I did the math right but please let me know if anything looks wrong (open invitation)
oh and Here's a pic
Oh yeah this is Fenris by the way
The first Georg noticed was the smell of earth and copper. A smell so well known to him, that he felt conten. Content till the hunger set in. And the pain, the pain in the lower back. Reaching back with cold, cold hands he sarched for the source of the pain. And with a tug he found it. A knife with a pearl handle. Standing slowly up he looked at his comrades.
Hi! I just found out about this game, and I'd love to join! I already have a PC for a Deadlands Reloaded game that got aborted during recruitment, but it's an AB/Miracles PC, and I don't want to step on Atlas2112's toes since he got here first. Unless both he and the GM are ok with two priests?
If not, I'll start working on something else.
I'm now thinking of playing a Shaman. More details to follow.
In SWADE, AB's regain 5 PP / hour of rest. Does the Shaman's doubling of that still hold if he's "outdoors"?
I understand that SWADE has significantly changed some existing Powers, and added a handful of new ones. How can I find out about the changes, and which of the new ones might be available to a Shaman?
If my Human Edge is New Power, can I ignore Rank restrictions of the Power I select?
Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays! Just popping in quick during a break in family visiting time.
Atlas2112, I'm... not really sure what you were asking? I guess it does come down to the loose guidelines matter, which is fully intended. For example, I fully expect you folks to take part in your share of killing folks, although hopefully they're folks who need killing; in this darker take on the Weird West, the good Lord above (or whoever it is that's giving you magical powers) is aware of that distinction. Likewise, drinking isn't a big deal unless you're getting rip-roaring drunk (which you can't anyway). As far as adultery goes, well, being Harrowed makes that an unpleasant experience for everyone involved, anyway.
Fenris105, things look fairly solid to me on a quick read-over, although Charisma is no longer a thing in the new edition of Savage Worlds, and Street Smarts isn't a skill. Full checkovers on math can come when we move from recruitment to pre-game discussion.
Helikon (and a general announcement I suppose), I will request sheets to be included in an alias on Paizo, to make it easier to check things as needed and work with an easier format for me. As far as the actual sheet goes, he looks pretty fine to me. I think the Memento Mori might be a point of a little confusion, though--it's intended to be a memory of your life before dying, not just the moment when you wake up. I'll be handling that when we kick things off, and believe me, I'm hoping to make it something worth remembering.
The Lion Cleric, no worries! I'm still not planning to start too soon here, and I'll give some heads-up when we're getting there. I'm looking for a few more full concepts and write-ups before I start moving forward.
ZenFox42, I've got no worries on duplicated character types, although I admit variety is the spice of life. Re: drawing weapons, I did miss that change--earlier in the rules the mention readying items as an example of an action--so let's say Roy was busy hoofing it with a Run action on his way to some cover (also a free action, albeit one that adds a -2 penalty to everything else). I'd say Shamans can still double their power point recovery, for what it's worth. As far as changed and new Powers, it really depends on what you're looking for; if there isn't an update online somewhere, the full rulebook is ten bucks on PEG's store, and I could share info on a specific Power or two. Finally, I suppose I'd allow the New Power to let you get a higher-Rank Power, although it'd be a bit at my discretion and Legendary stuff is still off the table.
Y.T., I admit I'm entirely unfamiliar with that cover, but it piques my interest. I'll keep an eye out for more.
Here's my concept put into an alias with a few tweaks then. Ignore the last name, I'm recycling an alias and can't change it.
Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays! Just popping in quick during a break in family visiting time.
Helikon (and a general announcement I suppose), I will request sheets to be included in an alias on Paizo, to make it easier to check things as needed and work with an easier format for me. As far as the actual sheet goes, he looks pretty fine to me. I think the Memento Mori might be a point of a little confusion, though--it's intended to be a memory of your life before dying, not just the moment when you wake up. I'll be handling that when we kick things off, and believe me, I'm hoping to make it something worth remembering.
I will make a character once I get selected, it would be very difficult otherwise to quickly x-check. That being said, the mythweaver sheet does help me a bit better to get into the a bit into the system.
For the memory, I will make another memory from the living. I have already a good idea about it.
Here's the character concept, stats to follow hopefully by tomorrow.
Flying Eagle was born into a peaceful tribe located high in the mountains, away from most of the strife that had befallen the land. Being recognized as having special abilities at an early age, he basically grew up with the tribe's current shaman, learning all the old ways (of magic, not the "Old Ways" in Deadlands). His totem became the eagle feather he found one day while doing a walkabout, and his name was changed to Flying Eagle.
By the time he was in his early 20's, he was a full-fledged shaman, and had even found a girlfriend. Life was good.
That all changed the day a posse of soldiers rode into the tribe, and killed *everyone*, burning everything to the ground. Having taken a bullet to the shoulder, Eagle lay bleeding on the ground, hearing the cries of babies being burned alive in the teepees, just before lapsing into unconsciousness.
He woke up he didn't know how much later, apparently having been taken for dead by the soldiers. He found his love, dead *and* raped. His rage against the white man was bright-white hot, and he vowed vengeance upon those who had slaughtered his tribe.
With nothing left at the tribe, he wandered down into the madness that was "civilization". Finding that he needed money to survive, he started out as a gun-for-hire, joining teams that needed his prowess with arrows, guns, and a hatchet - all the while secretly hating the white men he was working for. He was always on the lookout for a posse of soldiers that were known for attacking Indians, but he never found them.
Then one day, a group approached him asking for his services, and offering substantially more than usual. Asking why, he found out that they were bandits, pulling jobs from bank robberies to train robberies. Seeing a way to get back at the white men that had hurt him so much, he eagerly agreed.
But after a while, the satisfaction of hurting white men eventually faded, and he left the bandit group, a fairly wealthy man. But with nothing to do, he turned to drinking and gambling, and soon was almost broke again.
One night, walking home from a particularly fortunate poker game, in which he had cleaned everyone else out, he heard the loud bang of a gun behind him, as almost simultaneously he felt something hard slam into the back of his chest. The next thing he knew, he woke up with...???
He is angry about being shot in the back. He is sure one of the poker players did it, and wants to get revenge on him, too.
Memento Mori : as he awoke, he dreamed of a particularly lovely day that he had spent with his girlfriend, before the outlaws came. They'd hiked thru the mountains to the sight of a beautiful waterfall, where they swam naked, ate lunch, and make love in the grass under the trees. But as he awoke further, she started to turn transparent, like a ghost. He grabbed for her and screamed her name, but she was once again lost to him, and he felt all that pain of losing her all over again.
His greatest nightmare is that he won't be able to find the soldiers that destroyed his tribe. That hatred has been the only thing keeping him going since the event.
His death wound is a large hole in his back where the bullet entered. Presumably, the bullet is still inside him.
Helix, please let me know if I left out anything that you specifically requested in our backstory.
I'm interested in the Quickness Power, which is Seasoned - is that ok? And can you please tell me if the newest version is *any* different than the SWD version (and if so, how)? Thanks!
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Alright!
I noticed that we seem to be a bit light on DPS. Not that that's critical, but with a rule like "fan the hammer" out there I figured -someone- should take it, right?
Hey, quick question: Is there a real difference between a horse and a mule? I know they're different animals but I've never seen their stats, so to say.
"Mornin' padre," the dangerous man said. The band of armed thieves behind him chuckled.
"Good morning, my son," Father Murphy said. There was nothing behind him except the town of HardWheat.
"You gonna...move outa the way, Padre? Or are you volunteerin' to be first to give up your goods an' join the choir eternal? Yer big daddy White already done gone ahead, so you may as well be next, yeah?" the bad man sneered.
"Neither, may son." God it was hot. Buckets of sweat poured down Conner's back in rivulets. But it was not just due to the heat. "I have come to barter for this town. A town for a town, so to say."
The gang of berserkers laughed. "Well now ain't that th' darndest thing. An' what, pray tell, is so special about this other town that would make it sweeter'n this one right here afore us?"
"This town still has guns. Oh, you'll catch the lot of us, sure, but some few of you will not live to taste the victory. Now, I know for certain that Clearwater, a day's ride from here, has outlawed guns. Done so for five years gone by. That would make it a fair catch." Conner had grown up in Clearwater. He'd swept floors for Mr. Theo to take sweet Ellie to the dance. He'd ranted and raved for them not to take the guns away. 'Twas when that law passed that he took the collar. It was the fastest way out of town.
The rough man before him nodded. "Ayup. That it would. You tell us how t' get there, you got my word, we'll leave you an' this one-horse town t' be."
He told them.
"A'ight boys, you heard the man. Let's go see a town ain't got no guns!" The rabble behind them cheered and whooped and they all galloped away.
The man who was Fr. Murphy rode back to town. A young boy ran up to him. "What happened, sir?"
"I sent them to Clearwater."
"Clearwater? Where is that."
Conner looked down at the lad, his face of stone.
"There is no Clearwater."
Murphy - Flying Eagle can shoot guns and bows (depending on the situation, and whether silence is a good idea at the time).
Also, I've shown in simulations that if two equally matched characters face off with each other, the one that *always* does Fan the Hammer has a 30% *worse* chance of surviving the battle than the guy who just shoots once each round!
Also - everyone : please note that in SWADE, Double-Tap has ceased to be a feature of the weapon, and is now an Edge you have to take to do it.
So, Helix - is there any difference now between single- and double-action revolvers?
Flying Eagle's stats
ATTRIBUTES
Agility : d6
Smarts : d6
Spirit : d12 (d6 base [free], +2 from creation, +4 from Supernatural Attribute)
Strength : d6
Vigor : d6
DERIVED
Grit : 2
Pace : 6
Parry : 5
Toughness : 5
Encumbrance : 30
SKILLS
Athletics : d6
Common Knowledge : d4
Fighting : d6
Guts : d8
Intimidation : d4
Notice : d6
Shooting : d8
Stealth : d4
Tribal Medicine : d8
HINDRANCES
Vengeful (against those who killed his tribe)
Vengeful (against whoever killed him)
Bloodthirsty
EDGES
Free Human : New Powers : Quickness, Boost/Lower Trait
Harrowed (free)
Harrowed Edge (free) : Stichin’
AB/Shaman (Powers : Deflection, Smite)
Supernatural Attribute (Spirit)
Advance : Knack / Christmas
Advance : Elan
MAGIC
Power Points : 15
Recharges twice as fast if resting away from “civilization”
Powers : Boost/Lower Trait, Deflection, Quickness, Smite
GEAR
Colt Peacemaker (2d6+1, AP 1, ROF 1)
Horse
Saddle
Holster
Clothes
Bedroll
Tomahawk (STR+d6)
Spear (STR+d6, +1 Parry, Reach 1)
Bow (12/24/48), 2d6
$25 in-pocket (hidden in boot)
Helix - I took two Vengeful's as Minor Hindrances, which according to the rules means he would hunt them down legally. However, I figured the Bloodthirsty Hindrance would mean that he would kill them if he found them.
I assume we wake up with all our gear (however that works)?
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Checking in again as I've returned home from visiting folks. Happy New Year's Eve to one and all!
Haruto looks fine, and I fully understand recycling aliases. I had over 50 on my old account...
Helikon, no big worries for right now, just something I thought of when looking at the sheet. I look forward to seeing your Memento Mori.
ZenFox42, the problem is less things left out of the backstory, and more that.... you have a backstory. That's something I wasn't looking for for this game.
In lieu of a backstory (your posse won't remember much--see the Dead to a Man spoiler if you want to know a little more about why), I'd like for everyone to showcase a single memory their character has upon waking. This can be just about anything, and much like the concept, it can take many forms. You want to write a stream-of-consciousness page of descriptions? Great! Maybe a short scene with some pictures and music for effect is more your style? Fantastic. Even a very solid haiku can work.
So, while what you wrote is fine, it's unnecessary and more or less a moot point. Players will definitely have a hand in determining the characters' pasts, but this is a game where I want to try something unusual and have backstories revealed piece by piece as we go along--to everyone involved. As far as the Quickness Power, that's acceptable if you spend your human Edge to get it. In terms of mechanical differences, that's something I'll go over with folks as needed once we move out of Recruitment, since right now I'm looking much more for concepts and characters rather than numbers. As for the sheet, I don't see any issues on a first pass, but the Vengeful Hindrance is a general comment on your character, not directed at anyone specifically--you can only take it once.
Atlas2112, I dig the memory. Feels very fitting, leaves some questions for me to explore and potential to play with. As for horses and mules, you could make some distinction I suppose, but there isn't much need. In theory a mule would probably suffice as an El Cheapo horse, quite possibly an Ugly one to represent people noticing that it ain't a thoroughbred by any standard.
Re: Single-Action/Double-Action Revolvers--There's not a ton of differences here. Between the updated action system, my alteration to how Fanning the Hammer works with that, and the Double Tap Edge, there's really very little that separates them, other than Fanning the Hammer only working with single-actions (i.e., the revised Hip Shooting Edges can't be used with double-action revolvers).
The sun was rising from the mountain ahead when Georg reached the haberdashery on the base of the mountain, close to the river. All the postcoaches stopped there, to give the passengers a moment of rest, a warm meal and some decent coffee and a cold brew, if they wanted, or even a shot of some whiskey.
It had been almost a year since George had visited it, and now he returned with a mule packed full of furs, beavers, a bear and quite a few cariboo.
Maureen was comming out of the house, the oldest daughter of the Fitzgeralds with a bucket full of chicken feed. Suddenly her hair was caught in a breeze and it´s lustrous red escaped it´s ribbon.
It was the most beautiful sight Georg had ever seen. She looked at him and a rare smile escaped her full lips. Suddenly the sun was up in the sky and she was laying in his arms, wearing her white wedding gown and her head resting peacefully on his shoulder. They were laying on a blanket in the grass, enjoying the moment. Georg felt utterly happy and at peace.
But then sun was down and he returned to their cabin, just to find his beloved wife laying on the floor. Her dress was ripped apart and her face a mask of pain and blood and fury. A wide cut was across her throat, and all her beautiful body was soaked in her own blood. The pain of this moment was soul shattering.
Then the pain was replaced, by the white hot fire of fury!
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Well thank you, sir! Yes, a mule will be fine, because I'm kind of basing this character off another character, and he didn't exactly have a pretty horse either. =p
Speaking of hip shooting...I still don't get it. ^_^ Let's say I already have the gun out and I take 3 shots, and I have the Edge. What's the penalty? Does each shot just get -2(for 2 MAPs)? It seems that's fair. Looking at it that way, it just cuts the bullet rate by half.
(side note to ZenFox, how does that affect the combat effectiveness? Like, three shots at -2 vs. one shot with Double Tap. ^_^)
Also:
Kamenhero25
Helicon
TLC
Ellie Hunt
ATLAS2112(yeah!)
ZenFox
Alright, you cowpokes, looks like thas'a full posse t'me. *spits* We'za ready t' head'em up an' move 'em out?
Rawhide!
Helix - sorry for the backstory, I got lost in all the things you said you wanted, and figured a backstory was needed. Were the worst nightmare and MementoMori ok?
I'm swapping one Vengeful for Clueless, since he's still relatively new to the white man's world. Altho it's Major, I'm only taking 1 character creation point for it.
Also, regarding reloading : according to the current version of SWADE, you can only Reload one bullet as a Free Action *PER* "regular" Action, so that becomes 1 bullet per turn for single actions (but up to 3 bullets per turn, if you take 3 "regular" Actions, with the corresponding MAP's). At best, you could take a Reload as a "regular" Action, and a second Reload as the Free Action along with it, for 2 bullets per turn (with no other "regular" Actions). Altho *IF* you can take 3 Reloads as your "regular" Actions, and 3 more Reloads as the Free actions off of them, that gets us to 6 Reloads per turn (I'm waiting for clarification on this scenario on the PEG boards, it may require Agility rolls - it does seem that Shooting as your "regular" Action and then immediately Reloading as the Free action *does* require an Agility roll). This is getting really complicated!
Or are you going to stick with the Deadlands version of Reloading, that it just takes a "regular" action to Reload all 6 bullets?
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Hey folks! Sorry for taking so long, I accidentally turned cross-country driver over the holidays. I think I've done north of 2000 miles in twelve days, so I didn't have that much time to sit down post.
I think I have RL Saddle Sore.
I'm currently re-visiting the Memento Mori in my head, and I'll think about how to present the Worst Nightmare. Should be done tomorrow at the latest, unless my muse finds me today!
Ok here's everything, I think. I've made a few updates and changes to her stats and those are in her profile along with most of what I'm posting here. please let me know if I missed anything.
My overall Idea for Ellie was a young woman who was still suffering from the loss of her brother and lashing out because of that. hopefully she'll be able to grow and lose some of the hostility. Ellie is meant to be a survivalist with decent notice and good stealth she's a fighter and isn't afraid to threaten to get what she needs/wants. Right now her memento mori and worst nightmare are the same event but if yo want me to split them I can.
for her Deathmark I left it nice and vague because it seemed like you already had an Idea for how we died, if you want more specifics let me know.
In lue of taking a supernatural edge like huckster or such, I decided I want to focus more on being Harrowed and explore it more in depth. My idea is basically that Ellie is taking to being dead a bit TOO well, hence why I used my edges for Harrowed abilities.
Before she died Ellie was a young woman in her early to mid twenties. She fiery red hair that matched her temper, a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks, and a lean athletic build.
Picture
Ellie is almost perpetually in a bad mood, she is sour and surly with most people that she meets though she has a surprising soft spot for kids, especially orphans. What most don't realize, including Ellie, is that in her core she is still mourning her brothers death and lashing out because of it.
I can't rightly remember how long ago it was now, four, maybe five years? He had finally agreed to teach me to shoot the old double barrel shotgun we had in the house. Man was I excited, I mean how man people learn to shoot from a Texas Ranger? I've said it before and I'll say it again, my brother is the coolest person in the world, way better than even Doc Holliday. We went out back and Alex, my brother, set up some targets against the hill behind our house. He said that it was so I wouldn't accidently hit something or someone when I missed, I hadn't thought of that but then I wasn't a Ranger. The first shot almost ended up with landing on my @ss haha, but I started to get the hang of it. As the sun started to set Alex told me to take my last couple of shots before heading in for the night but before I could pull the trigger I heard the gun go off. Except it wasn't the one in my hand, I heard a grunt next to me and turned to see my brother holding his stomach and then falling to the ground. I remember hearing someone screaming, I think it was me but I'm not sure. I turned around in order to yell for help and that's when I saw him, he was walking towards my brother and I with a cold look on his face and a rifle in his hand, The last thing I noticed about the man was the badge on his chest that was identical to my brothers. Eventually I heard Alex yelling at me to run; my brother never yelled, if he did you knew it was important. The only thing I remember after that was running so hard my legs were throbbing, and I guess that I've never stopped.
She doesn't remember exactly how or why it happened but Ellie was killed by a shotgun blast to the upper chest. It's mostly healed but has left some severe scarring along the upper left side of her chest, shoulder, and a bit on her lower neck. Fortunately her clothing keeps it mostly covered, however it can occasionaly be seen on her neck.
Still working on Drake's worst nightmare, but the physical sheet is all done. I did end up going with an El Cheapo horse, so do let me know what its Hindrances are; I'm sure they'll be amusing enough.
As for the way Hip Shooting now works, it lowers the MAP by 1 for each shot with a single-action revolver. So, if you take two shots with it you're only taking the -1 penalty rather than the -2 per shot. The improved version lowers it by 2, so taking 2 shots with it in a turn would have no penalty while taking three shots would only have the -2. It's basically making it easier to take multiple shots since the normal Fan the Hammer rules are kind of null at this point.
You did mention the group being low on DPS, but if you wanted to reassign some Edges there you don't need to worry about that overly much? Drake is a Hexslinger and gets a variety of powers that give him good damage options. I was planning on taking Hip Shooting at some point in the future as well (along with Duelist and such as I intend for Drake to be a skilled duelist), so if you only took it out of concern that we're lacking damage I don't think you need to be concerned. If you wanted it anyway then it won't hurt to have two people with it, but if you have something you might want to spend that advance on otherwise feel free.
Ready to go out gun´s blazing!
Regarding DPS, Flying Eagle can shoot a bow or a gun (2d6), and attack with a tomahawk or a spear (2d6). And do that *twice* per round with Quickness.
The reloading issue has been resolved, in SWADE it takes one "regular" action to reload 1 bullet. That means 6 rounds to reload a 6-shooter.
Helix, will you be using this or the Deadlands rules that reloading a 6-shooter takes a "regular" action?
Also, I only have Deadlands Reloaded - are there *any* cheap armors available in Deadlands?
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Alright, Drake. I'll take your word for it. Imma step out of the Hammer-fanning game and take something else that fits more in line with this Blessed thing that I'm doing. I'll grab Adept and take Deflection as mah special power.
Right now I'm deciding the fine line between how many pounds of bacon I "can" carry and how many I "will" carry. =p
Hey there, TLC here!
Stats, memory and fear are in the profile. I've left the fear (hopefully) vivid, yet misterious, whereas the memory is, surprisingly for the tone, a happy one. One of a precious few.
I hope you have at least half as much fun reading, as I had writing it!
Y.T. - anything not explicitly covered in Deadlands Reloaded defaults back to the *new* (SWADE) core rules. You now get several skills at d4 for "free" (Athletics, Common Knowledge, Notice, Persuasion, and Stealth), and Helix is giving us 13 skill points. Don't forget Deadlands uses the Guts skill as well.
And assuming you've used your Hindrance points for your Edges, you get one Free Edge for being Human (ignores Rank restrictions), and the Hallowed Edge for free, and another Edge for free for being Hallowed!
Also, don't forget the 2 Advancements.
Hey Loup!
If you aren't full up I think I'd love to get into another SW game.
Y.T. - Helix has the last say, but by RAW you can only improve one Attribute per Rank with Advancements, so you can't have Strength d10. Also, there is no Charisma anymore, and I believe your Grit is 2 (1 to start out with, and 1 for being Hallowed).
Whoo, sorry everybody, been nearly a week since I checked in. First days back at home/work have been pretty hectic. Let's try and do a full check-in here regarding questions and posts about characters--I'll leave mechanics questions for now, since we can discuss those later.
Helikon, I like the memory! The time skipping is a nice effect, definitely something I approve of for this sort of thing.
Father Murphy, I love the enthusiasm, but we won't close up shop and hop on a wagon Out West just yet! (Although see below)
ZenFox42, the nightmare and Memento Mori were fine, yes, although the memory isn't really intended to turn supernatural or haunting (unless that actually happened during his lifetime?). The nightmare can be developed further if you want, becoming more of a concrete scene, although leaving it as is is also fine, as it's definitely something I can work with.
Don't worry too much about the driving lag, The Lion Cleric. I've been there myself plenty and had a small dose of it from holiday travel--probably covered about half that distance in half as many days this year, which I figure gives us the same saddle sore effect. As far as the actual writing, I did enjoy reading it quite a bit! Looks like it was well worth the wait.
Fenris105, Ellie Hunt looks pretty solid to me. If you want the Memento Mori and Worst Nightmare to be more or less the same, that's alright--I can certainly work with it.
Drake Wilson looks fine by me as well, Huginn. Waiting on the other stuff of course, but just try and get it in sooner rather than later!
Y.T., I like what I'm seeing for Hank's concept. The description of the memory is very nice, as is the idea behind the Worst Nightmare. Good stuff.
GM Niles, glad to see another familiar face! You're certainly welcome, just make sure to go over the first post with required info and such--I'm not looking for a full character sheet just yet, more concepts and some displays of what the character's all about, so hit me with that and the rest can fall into place later on.
It's been just over a couple weeks since I posted this recruitment, and I'm very happy with the turnout! People seem very excited to play in this game that I'm very excited to run. All good things must come to a close, however, and so the recruitment is closed to new interest. That said, I want to give people some time to finish working on concepts and characters, writing out memories and fears, so we aren't totally closed down just yet. I'd tentatively say that you can tweak and add until this Wednesday, January 9th, with an official cutoff post coming from me sometime in the evening (Eastern Time in the U.S.). As I've said all along, mechanics are great, but focus on really bringing out the character in your Memento Mori and your Worst Nightmare, showcasing the personality they have and the quality roleplaying you bring to the table yourself. That's what I care about for this game, far beyond party composition or who shoots whom the most full of holes. In the Weird West, any old sap can come out of a grave and shoot somebody--I want a posse who looks good (or bad!) doing it.
The Concept (and Considerations Thereof): "The Tough Guy"
This is the guy people steer clear of. He's the taciturn, usually ugly, thick necked guy the "Boss" points to when he's making threats. The Tough Guy isn't the best shot, or the most magical, or the best scout. However, he can take a punch, or ten. He doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. And may God have mercy on your soul if you get on his bad side.
Memento Mori: The Tough Guy remembers life in a city. He can't remember which one. He remembers the smell of...people...thousands of them, maybe even millions. The recalls the sight of smokestacks, tenements, roof cisterns. He remembers these things...but oddly enough he remembers no people. He remembers a place. His place. Up high on a roof where he could see everything. A special place he would go to get away from...he doesn't remember.
Greatest Fear, Worst Nightmare: Heights. More than a dozen or so feet up and he gets weak kneed. It brings back memories...or something. He won't climb that tree, or that building. No sir. What's that? Am I scared? *cracks knuckles* I'll show you scairt.
Worst Nightmare: Falling. The man has a dream about falling. Falling and falling and falling. He knows the ground is coming up at him, and he never feels it.
Death Wound: He has a scar where his kidney is on his right side. He imagines someone stabbed him there and he bled out. It's a curious thing though...that would mean that someone snuck up behind him. Or he trusted them?