I occasionally see a Scion thread 'round these parts, but it's been ages. Anyone down for it? I've read through the core books, but never actually been able to play with anyone (mentioned the possibility with my in-person group once, no one seemed interested). It seems like a really fun concept. I should probably note that I'm asking to play, not GM. Having never actually played, GMing would be well beyond me atm.
We played an in-person game of this a few years ago. It got crazy. We actually made it to the top end of demigod before it fell apart.
Two big suggestions;
1) Have everybody in the group go up in Legend at the same time. If some people chase it while others diversify it leads to problems.
2) Set up different scales of bad guys and set it up so they face off against the heroes that they are designed for. Scion is the type of game where there is a huge difference in combat ability. A bad guy who can challenge a combat-focused hero will utterly wipe the floor with a less-capable hero.
So we usually had one or two big bads that the combat guys needed to focus on and a swarm of lower threats that the others faced. It was not subtle which bad guys were in which group and we had a gentleman's agreement on both side to stay in our lanes.
I'm not sure if I have the resources to join in, but I thought I should share some hard-earned lessons.
It's incredibly cool - Hey Pyros :)
LMK if you want to play, I will see if I can rustle up the books from somewhere.Did you ever read American Gods, or watch it?
Hey Reg. I've got most of the books in pdf. The core ones anyway, I think I'm missing a supplement or three. I'm broadly familiar with American Gods, but I've never read/watched it myself, just been around enough people who have. The novel pretty directly inspired Scion, didn't it?
Scion is amazing.
There is a new edition out. Rules are a bit more complicated as are the pantheon.
The books I have are 1E, but I’m down to play whatever someone is willing to run.
|
The books I have are 1E, but I’m down to play whatever someone is willing to run.
The reviews are interesting, especially about the segragation of the Scion: Origin content and the Scion: Hero content. They all seem to say that the rules and character creation are improved.
So beofre I spring for the PDFs ... what mythos attracts you and whose scion would you be?
Man I've always wanted to try Scion, it just never got off the ground.
The books I have are 1E, but I’m down to play whatever someone is willing to run.The reviews are interesting, especially about the segragation of the Scion: Origin content and the Scion: Hero content. They all seem to say that the rules and character creation are improved.
So beofre I spring for the PDFs ... what mythos attracts you and whose scion would you be?
I've done some checking, and man there's a lot more pantheons in the 2E basic books than in 1E. I'd probably stick to the pantheons I know best, which are all in the core material. I hadn't decided on one specific choice, not knowing what direction a GM might want to take things, but the ones that jump out at me immediately are the Aesir: first choice Uller* or alternatively Tyr, the Greco-Roman pantheon: Hephaestus or maybe Athena, and the Irish Tuatha de Dannan: probably The Morrigan.
*He's not in the core, unfortunately. Not sure how backward compatible things are, he was in the 1E Ragnarok supplement, which I can send you the pdf of.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The books I have are 1E, but I’m down to play whatever someone is willing to run.The reviews are interesting, especially about the segragation of the Scion: Origin content and the Scion: Hero content. They all seem to say that the rules and character creation are improved.
So beofre I spring for the PDFs ... what mythos attracts you and whose scion would you be?
I've done some checking, and man there's a lot more pantheons in the 2E basic books than in 1E. I'd probably stick to the pantheons I know best, which are all in the core material. I hadn't decided on one specific choice, not knowing what direction a GM might want to take things, but the ones that jump out at me immediately are the Aesir: first choice Uller* or alternatively Tyr, the Greco-Roman pantheon: Hephaestus or maybe Athena, and the Irish Tuatha de Dannan: probably The Morrigan.
*He's not in the core, unfortunately. Not sure how backward compatible things are, he was in the 1E Ragnarok supplement, which I can send you the pdf of.
God of Snow, I like it!
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I was also thinking of him as marksman, and how easy it would be to draw inspiration from the life of Simo Hayha, the famed Finnish sniper from the Winter War. Maybe even reference Simo as having also been a scion of Uller, have his rifle gifted as a birthright, something like that.
|
|
I was also thinking of him as marksman, and how easy it would be to draw inspiration from the life of Simo Hayha, the famed Finnish sniper from the Winter War. Maybe even reference Simo as having also been a scion of Uller, have his rifle gifted as a birthright, something like that.
I really do love the idea of scions who are decendants too, maybe not long lost, maybe recent decendants of an unremarkable gransparent or great grandpparent. But an instance where the spark ignits and notice has to be taken.
The cool thing is, that Ullr could reveal all this. He could gift the rifle to you, and brand you palm with a runic snowflake or something.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I have the 2E PDFs and would be interested in playing! I played in an Aesir game before and it was a lot of fun.
Scions I'd like to play: Loki, Cheeby-aub-oozoo, Apsu, Ptah, Òsanyìn, Guanyin.
This seems interesting, would we necessarily need to be a descendent of a god? Could we be like a modern witch, maybe a descendent of Morgan le Fay or something like that?
This seems interesting, would we necessarily need to be a descendent of a god? Could we be like a modern witch, maybe a descendent of Morgan le Fay or something like that?
I’m not as familiar with 2E, but the basic conceit of the game is that you derive your power from a deity. However, in 2E I believe there’s a mechanic for being an “adopted” scion, so some god with an appropriate portfolio could take a shine to you. Or maybe Morgan le Fay was herself a scion and has since ascended to godhood and you could be her scion, GM willing.
The concept could be extremely fun actually, much like the great-great-grandson of Ullr concept. Scion 2E has an Origin Path for scions who "aren't from here" -- in Avalon, where Morgan is basically a goddess, her young decendants would def be witches or druids. It would be a pretty fantastic concept for this scion to have been voted off the island as it were (or an enemy of Morgan's to have found a way to banish them). A character like that would be struggling with Terra Incognita and all of "the magical" being hidden, plus the fact that their fashions were a touch out of date.
Could be a lot of fun.
That could work. Do we have a serious contender for a gm? Maybe Evindyll???
That could work. Do we have a serious contender for a gm? Maybe Evindyll???
(Jason/Evin) - I am absolutely thinking about it AND my response to you came after downloading the PDF of Origins and doing some reading. I just happen to love the premise of the game. We were just watching the new Percy Jackson series the other night so I have additional inspiration.
Sounds interesting
That could work. Do we have a serious contender for a gm? Maybe Evindyll???(Jason/Evin) - I am absolutely thinking about it AND my response to you came after downloading the PDF of Origins and doing some reading. I just happen to love the premise of the game. We were just watching the new Percy Jackson series the other night so I have additional inspiration.
I now have both Origin & Hero.
Anyone still interested?| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Still interested!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Absolutely! Thanks for taking up this idea.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Yes
This has a lot of potential, positive and "less positive"
One of those potentials is that, being based on the real world, there's a lot of information to draw on, but I would be interested in hearing what tone some of you would be interested in. We live in a very real world, how real of a campaign do we want?
An example: crime and specifically homicide rates are at an all time high in Washington DC currently. As a world-crafter, I might actually link that to a resurgence of the Aztec pantheon in DC. The news itself can standin as co-creator of the campaign in many ways.
But I would like to hear from some of you what your thoughts on the world and realism are. A scion of Loki, a descendent of Ullr (who is also a descendent of Sif), these are big things. Let's hear what we think.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
That's a great question, and for me it loosely ties into a Discord discussion about some people's inability (and mine) to play evil PCs. I'm fine with realism as long as our characters have some agency to stop those doing the crimes and save the mortals. I'm not saying we need to be shining-knight heroes, rather leave room for shades of grey and morally ambiguous choices.
For example, Loki could be undergoing a rebranding campaign (hence all the Marvel movies and series that paint them in a more sympathetic light), so there's still mischievousness and trickstery but overall they aim to be seen as one of the 'good guys'.
Of course, using real world news can be tricky as we as players probably have strong opinions about one topic or another (I know I do!), so let's lay out our lines and veils beforehand.
That's a great question, and for me it loosely ties into a Discord discussion about some people's inability (and mine) to play evil PCs. I'm fine with realism as long as our characters have some agency to stop those doing the crimes and save the mortals. I'm not saying we need to be shining-knight heroes, rather leave room for shades of grey and morally ambiguous choices.
For example, Loki could be undergoing a rebranding campaign (hence all the Marvel movies and series that paint them in a more sympathetic light), so there's still mischievousness and trickstery but overall they aim to be seen as one of the 'good guys'.
Of course, using real world news can be tricky as we as players probably have strong opinions about one topic or another (I know I do!), so let's lay out our lines and veils beforehand.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Triggers, lines, and boundaries are KEY!
I would be lying if I said I didn't have any (several) myself.For me, gray areas will be fine, evil will not be.
One of the reasons I think it is great that the PF Remaster eliminated alignment is that there is just no way, linguistically at the very least, that you are ever going to sell me that "Chaotic Evil" just means selfish. Yeah no, sorry, no. Probably not actually sorry ...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
That's a great question, and for me it loosely ties into a Discord discussion about some people's inability (and mine) to play evil PCs. I'm fine with realism as long as our characters have some agency to stop those doing the crimes and save the mortals. I'm not saying we need to be shining-knight heroes, rather leave room for shades of grey and morally ambiguous choices.
For example, Loki could be undergoing a rebranding campaign (hence all the Marvel movies and series that paint them in a more sympathetic light), so there's still mischievousness and trickstery but overall they aim to be seen as one of the 'good guys'.
Of course, using real world news can be tricky as we as players probably have strong opinions about one topic or another (I know I do!), so let's lay out our lines and veils beforehand.
LINES
My assumption here is that the line bars direct storyline interaction/depiction of these things. Referential indicators, like citations in media, would be okay. (These things certainly happen in our world)VEILS
#MEtoo - I want to gently flesh these out a little more at some point also, only to create commonality of understanding.
I will say, I do have a great appreciation for where the rules have already touched on some of these things semi-directly. To say that members of the Theoi "took mortals by force" is wild understatement ... but ... appreciated. I have a background in classical literature. I have read these stories. Homer did not mince all that many words. But "took mortals by force" is a good starting point for "veil translucence" if anything, so good for Onyx in that regard.
I have the 2E PDFs and would be interested in playing! I played in an Aesir game before and it was a lot of fun.
Scions I'd like to play: Loki, Cheeby-aub-oozoo, Apsu, Ptah, Òsanyìn, Guanyin.
So of your concepts, which is your favoite? I did look them all up, they're great choices.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I think it depends on the themes of the campaign. As I'm a game developer, the idea of a scion of Ptah being a game designer is appealing, but I also like the gender ambiguity of Loki and their anti-authoritarian vibes. And I love playing support characters, which the other two would embody.