Historians recently unearthed a cache of illustrated scrolls dating back to the Sengoku period of ancient, feudal Japan.
One of these scrolls depicts two unidentified samurai warriors battling one another with what appear to light sabers.
Fortunately, this 'find' has been written off as an extravagant hoax... but we at TimeZero know better, don't we?
Someone has been travelling back to points in the timeline where warfare and strife are abundant and selling high-tech, futuristic armaments to one or both sides.
Who? We don't know.
Why? We don't know that either.
That's where you come in! As operatives of TimeZero, it's your responsibility to prevent this sort of dangerous meddling in Earth's history.
You want to play a brutish caveman? Sure!
A steadfast Roman Centurian? Why not!
An eccentic Victorian inventor? The more the merrier!
A Musketeer? Tres-magnifique!
A gruff SWAT officer from the present day? You get the idea.
Regardless of the archetype you've chosen, at some point in your life - mere moments before you were destined to die in the time-line - a representative of TimeZero appeared with an offer of salvation, join TimeZero or fulfil your own moribund fate.
TimeZero is a pulp-fisted, time-travelling, high-action romp through Earth's history. It plays fast and loose with the more complicated mechanics of time-travel and provides a threadbare excuse to team up a Viking with a Teutonic Knight with a cyborg from the future (etc...) and put them up against the worst that history can throw at them! :D
TimeZero is a third-party product by GRAMel (one of the better licensees working with Pinnacle, check out Beasts & Barbarians). I've been waiting for this product for some time and cannot wait to run it.
History-buffs be forewarned, I'll be doing just enough research to limp through a string of gunfights, sword battles and chase scenes. I'm not going to guarantee historical authenticity. :p
Are you familiar with Savage Worlds?
Character Creation works as per the rules in the core book, with a few neat exceptions exclusive to the setting (like hynotraining, but more on that later).
If not, I can talk you through the character creation process (it's pretty straightforward), but I do recommend that you get the Savage Worlds core book, which is available very inexpensively in print or as a PDF.
"Pick me, pick me!!!"
I'm thinking a gunfighter from the 1870's with a six-shooter in his fist and a steely glare on his face. I'm happy to make a character using just the core rule book but was wondering if you are open to Edges/Hindrances from the Deadlands Reloaded setting.
I am always up for a Savage Worlds game, and this sounds like just the sort of silliness the game was designed for.
I'm not familiar with the particulars of the TimeZero setting, but I'm thinking a shaolin monk from the Tang Dynasty - preferably complete with semi-mystical abilities (as his kung-fu develops). Actual character creation will depend on your answer to Aubster's question, as Deadlands has good stuff for that kind of martial artist as well.
If that sort of thing is wholly inappropriate to the setting, I'd probably go with a less wuxia take on the same character.
Some of the edges/hindrances in setting specific books (like Deadlands Reloaded) will be more/less suitable than others. I would rather you limited yourselves to the stuff in the core rulebook, as it may create imbalance between PCs if some archetypes have access to a wider/better range of edges than others.
If there are a couple of Edges that you really, really, really want, please tell me what they are and I will take a look and decide if they are suitable for TimeZero.
Some of the edges/hindrances in setting specific books (like Deadlands Reloaded) will be more/less suitable than others. I would rather you limited yourselves to the stuff in the core rulebook, as it may create imbalance between PCs if some archetypes have access to a wider/better range of edges than others.
If there are a couple of Edges that you really, really, really want, please tell me what they are and I will take a look and decide if they are suitable for TimeZero.
No problem, I'm happy enough using the standard rules.
Standard rules it is.
Actually, that makes it a lot easier.
I'm interested too!
I've got the new Weird Wars Rome book, but if you're not using them, then I'm OK with that.
I'm thinking either Roman or something futuristic. How do you want us to proceed with character creation? For a futuristic character is there anything I need to know?
Another question: Arcane Backgrounds? Core book or not at all or...?
Aubster's alias for review and approval. Do you mind checking my math?
Five points (1 spent on each stat and then agility raised with points from hindrances)
Agility d8
Smarts d6
Spirit d6
Strength d6
Vigor d6
Hindrances
Code of Honor (Major) - Honor is very important to your character. He keeps his word, won’t abuse or kill prisoners, and generally tries to operate within his world’s particular notion of proper gentlemanly or ladylike behavior.
Loyal (Minor) - Your character may not be a hero, but he’d give his life for his friends. This character can never leave a man behind if there’s any chance at all he could help.
Vow (Minor) - The character has a vow of some sort. Whether it’s Major or Minor depends on the Vow itself. Billy's vow is to fight evil whenever and wherever he can.
Edges (1 free human and 1 from hindrances)
Ambidextrous Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+
Your hero is as deft with his left hand as he is with his right. Characters normally suffer a –2 penalty when performing physical tasks with the off-hand (characters are assumed to be right- handed). With this Edge, your warrior ignores the –2 penalty for using his off-hand.
Two-Handed Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+
A Two-Fisted hero isn’t ambidextrous—he’s simply learned to fight with two weapons (or both fists) at once. When attacking with a weapon in each hand, he rolls each attack separately but ignores the multi-action penalty .
Skills (15 pts)
Notice 1d6
Persuasion 1d6
Riding 1d6
Shooting 1d10
Tracking 1d6
Backstory
Billy was a 19 year-old deputy in the small town of Hope Arizona in 1872. The peace of the town was shattered when the Smith Gang came riding into town. Their first action was to murder the sheriff when he came to put a stop to their vandalism. Billy heard the gunshots and rushed to help the Sheriff but he was already dead by the time he got there and the Smith gang was riding hard for the border. Billy quickly saddled his horse Daisy and set off after the gang before a posse had time to form. He chased them for hours slowly closing on the group. Once they entered the twisting canyons of the Devil's Ridge he lost site of them. Billy continued tracking the gang but unfortunately for him, the Smith's cunningly laid an ambush that Billy walked right in to. Billy was surprised by the ambush and dove into a shallow cave to avoid the flying lead. He had no idea that the entrance to the cave was unstable and a lucky shot by the one of the Smith's caused tons of rock to come crashing down on the entrance trapping Billy with no light, no water, little air and no hope. This is when a time portal opened in the cave and Billy found himself recruited.
Notice 2
Persuasion 2
Riding 2
Shooting 5
Tracking 2
unless I'm mistaken, you owe yourself 2 more skill points?
Notice 2
Persuasion 2
Riding 2
Shooting 5
Tracking 2unless I'm mistaken, you owe yourself 2 more skill points?
Thanks...forgot to type Survival d6
(Qorin's character)
In the year of the metal goat (4028 - 1331 AD by the western reckoning) the boy who would be named Sai Ling was abandoned at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain in Zhongzhou. An elderly monk found him and brought him to the monastery at the mountain's peak, telling the abbot it was the duty of the monks to raise the child as an exemplar of Buddhism.
From infancy, Sai Ling was taught to use his body and his chi in service of the noble truths, and for many years, he never left the monastery. When he was a teenager, a time of troubles came to the middle kingdom. The Mongolian conquerors were distracted by their dynastic struggles, and a revolt of White Lotus followers began. As the war raged, bandit princes rose and stormed the Shaolin Monastery on Shaoshi mountain.
The monks fought valiantly to defend their home, for many, it was the first test of their martial arts in actual battle. Sai Ling was one such, and though his years of training and focus made him strong, too many of his brothers fell under the bandits' swords. Finally, Sai Ling was struck by an arrow from behind, and he collapsed.
He managed to crawl away into the forest, grievously wounded by the arrow and heartsick from the cruelty and destruction he had witnessed. He prepared himself to die, but before he bled out, a miracle. An enlightened one came to him, and told him he could join a new order, fighting to preserve the sanctity of history itself.
To turn away from such an opportunity and accept death would be cowardice, he thought, and he took the hand of the enlightened one, and found himself.... (In the hands of the GM)
Agility d6 Smarts d6 Spirit d6 Strength d8 Vigor d6
Pace 6 Charisma 0 Parry 6 Toughness 5
Faith d8* Fighting d8 Healing d6 Notice d6 Persuasion d4 Throwing d4 Stealth d4
Hindrances: Poverty, All Thumbs, Heroic
Edges: Martial Artist, Adept*, AB (Miracles)*
Powers*: Deflection + Smite
*If AB isn't allowed, obviously some changes will need to be made here.
If there's still room...or you need a replacement here's my British agent from the late 1960's.
Colt Livingston
Name: Colt Livingston
Race: Human
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d4, Fighting d6, Gambling d4, Lockpicking d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Streetwise d4
Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 5, Charisma: 1
Languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Russian
Gear: Pistol (9mm - .38) d6 (2d6, 12/24/48), Dynamite d6 (2d6, 4/8/16), Switchblade d6 (Str+d4), Unarmed Strike d6 (Str), Briefcase, (50x) Bullets (Medium), Lighter, Lockpicks
Special Abilities:
•Habit (Smoking): Annoying and constant habit
•Heartless: Willing to commit casual murder
•Overconfident: Believes he can do anything; Accepts all challenges
•Attractive: +2 Charisma
•Luck: +1 Bennie each game session
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.
PhilOfCalth's Entry
Traits: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Derived Traits: Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 5, Charisma 0
Skills: Fighting d4, Investigation d6, Knowledge(History) d8, Knowledge(Technology) d6, Notice d6, shooting d8, streetwise d6
Edges:
Alertness - +2 to notice
Linguist - Start with languages equal to smart die. Smarts -2 to comunicate in any language. (English, Cave-man, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Latain, Spanish)
Hinderances:
Bloodthirsty(Major) - Never wants to take prisoners, is happy to torcher to complete his goals
Catious(Minor) - Likes to have everything completely planned out before he acts
Loyal(Minor) - Will never betray his friends or his cause
Backstory: To follow when I've read the background
Actually I've taken d6 in stealth instead of streetwise, it seems more in character for a future cop/pshyco
Since several people put forth sneaky / agent type characters I'll do another to fill a different role if needed.
Chaz Mull Synth, Medic from far future
Name: Chaz Mull
Race: Human
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Healing d10, Knowledge: History d6, Knowledge: Science d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Shooting d4, Swimming d4, Throwing d4
Pace: 6, Parry: 2, Toughness: 5, Charisma: 0
Languages: Arabic, Englisy, German, Latin, Russian, Trans
Gear: Molecular Knife d4 (Str+d4), Double-Barrel d4 (1-3d6, 12/24/48), Unarmed Strike d4-2 (Str), Combat Drugs, Blue (Vigor), Combat Drugs, Red (Agility), Combat Drugs, White (Strength), Medical Bag
Special Abilities:
•Big Mouth: Can't keep secrets; Discloses plans and info
•Distinctive Appearance (Synthist): See notes
•Servitor (The control): Servant of a greater entity
•Luck: +1 Bennie each game session
Personal Details: Synths have the new Synth racial ability which has the following effects:
.. They have +2 to recovering from being Shaken;
.. They don’t suffer additional damage from called shots;
.. They are not affected by diseases or poison and they don’t really age;
.. Unlike normal Constructs and to be more humanlike, Synths are affected by
Wound Modifiers.
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.
Actually I was going for more a sneak into a sniper position rather than a sneak into an office and finding the evidence. So I think there's a lot of room for your original character. Sai Ling has some healing. Of course it's up to you.
I like how you took my concept as future people have increased intelligence and reduced strength.
I'm most way through reading the background. I'm going to take a German from an alternative timeline where Germany won WW2. I'll have a full background up tonight and a tenuous equipment. I'll pick my equipment from the core book, if there's anything extra/in character I could take from the TimeZero book someone will need to tell me as I can't see myself buying it straight away.
Also is our GM still around?
Skyrie's Background:
A lost sheep from a future where the Nazis won World War 2, and subsequently became the most dominant world power. Skyrie was a loyal member of the Feldgendarmerie, the nazi military police. Unaware of the war-crimes of his people during the war and he completely believes in the superiority of his race. Skyrie worked as part of a team built to route out and eliminate illegal infiltrators in the perfect Nazi society.
His team assaulted the residence of a group of unregistered people that he how knows to have been Triads. As one tried to escape and Skyrie chased him down only to fall through a Triad time portal and into a world utterly alien to him. A land given over to democracy and consumerism. Skyrie thought poorly of it but without a real identity he decided to go into hiding. It was only after months of living homeless that the Nazi was picked up by TimeZero operatives. He is does not know how they tracked him down.
Having spent months in the TimeZero base, Skyrie was finally cleared for assignment as an operative. During this time he has been studying the alternative timeline and it's more interesting languages. He sees the timeline as his new cause and is utterly loyal to it. The Old Man man sees Skyrie's skills as an investigator, a linguist and as a sharpshooter.
Equipment:
Laser pistol, Knife, Kevlar vest, Handcuffs, Trail Rations
OK I give up on this thread. Count me out if this ever starts up again.
Oooo sounds fun
Commander Kiome Qin Haroto
The Chaos Butterfly
In the corporate future where all governments are ruled by massive Corporations. From green grass lands of Mars to the underground city's of pluto. The he Solar System is theirs to fight over. In this world of tomorrow, Life has many forms, form 100% Biological' "Cheap meat", To synthetics and even Ai life after death forms.
Wars are fought hidden real and virtual worlds here. Where governments try to keep groups from ripping the order of things apart.
Commander Kiome Qin Haroto is a Bio-Mechanical AI synthetic replican, a synthetic Officer in the new Tokyo Anti terrorist task force.
Skilled in counter terrorism, and part of rapid response fire teams. She lead her team into a trap, fighting to give them time to get out she found her self in a fire fight she could not win, It was then That they came.
Hi lads. I'm running a SWs game based in WW2, and we still have a slot or 2 open if anyone is interested:
http://paizo.com/campaigns/TheNaziDefencesWeirdWarsIISavageWorlds/recruitin g&page=last
Just noticed this today. I'm playing in another Savage Worlds PBP game currently and so I'm familiar with the system and interested in learning more. Plus a time-travel campaign is one I've wanted to run for a long time but never had the system or the players interested to do it. So I'm very interested to try to come up with a character and join this campaign.
I'll post again later today or tomorrow with some ideas for a character. I might want to go with a scientist from the Victorian age or a cyberpunk warrior from the near future (something Snowcrash-ish). A samurai would be interesting but it looks like there may be another martial artist from Asia so I'll put that on back burner.
Here is the SW game I'm currently playing, if you want to see some of my posts. I'm playing Arabella Stormworth-Darling.
Exploring the Savage World of Keltica
Edit: a few questions just occurred to me:
Someone asked if Arcane backgrounds were okay. Haven't seen a reply to that yet.
Also will the majority of the settings be earlier times where technology is more primitive? No point in having a tech-savvy computer programmer, for example, if she'll be running mostly in pre-computer time periods.
Since posting above, I got the Time-Zero source book and came across the following:
The following Edges are not allowed in TimeZero: Arcane Background (any), New Power, Power Points, Rapid Recharge, Improved Rapid Recharge, Soul Drain, Champion, Gadgeteer, Holy/Unholy Warrior, Wizard, and Power Surge.
I don't know if the GM will enforce this, but looks like no Arcane Backgrounds.
@Sai Ling: the books mentions some forbidden hindrances, among them All Thumbs, for what that's worth.
The full list is here:
The following Hindrances don’t make much sense in a TimeZero campaign: All Thumbs, Illiterate, Poverty.
The book has new and modified skills, edges, and hindrances and other stuff that might be of interest during character creation, so I recommend getting the book. It's reasonably priced, IMHO.
This thread is from last year, gents.
So it is. Oh well.