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GreenDrake Investigations: Las Vegas


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5th Column Character Sheet

The game is set in the Kindler universe, a setting Carver and I have been working on for several years and are currently writing a novel series in. We wanted some more critiques and interaction with the setting, so here we are to let you all play in the new playground and with our 5th Column system. Below are the character creation rules, a link to the 5th Column ruleset, and some information on the setting for everyone. I’ll try to be thorough, but pleasepleaseplease ask questions and point out issues!

 

Playable character races:

Human - standard human, the most numerous and accepted species in the Kindler ‘verse

 

Euliod - The ‘gentle giants’ are on average two to four feet taller than humans and broader as well. They are said to be descended from angels and often choose guardian positions within various religious organizations to work in. They refer to humans as their ‘little cousins’.

 

Shifters - From wolf to rabbit, there are shifters. Able to change into the shape of their animal, shifters occupy a second-class citizenship because of how they came about. Namely, at some point way back when a mage took animal form and mated with a true animal; yeah, it squicks people out. Most shifters have been pushed off into less desirable roles in life, but since their collective actions in WWII, acceptance has slowly been growing. (Mammalian animals only.)

 

Vampire - Only rumored until recently, vampires just came out of the coffin. Their legal status is still being debated, though the vampires themselves all claim to desire to join society fully, even paying taxes now! Public opinion on the matter waffles with each new revelation about the nature of vampires. Anyone wanting to play one will have to deal with being restricted by sunlight. Talk to to me if you’re interested and we’ll see if we can work a concept out.

 

Asylum Members (Bound) - Humans bound to a vampire. They don’t crisp in the sun, but people think they have to be crazy to let themselves become tied to an undead creature. It does come with some nifty perks, but also an overlord.

 

Daemonteknon - Mommy was a human, Daddy was a spirit or so the rumor goes and things got weird at some point. Daemonteknon are a catch-all for “everything else”. Bring your concept, we’ll see if we can make it the right kind of weird. Deets are third-class citizens, as a note. Most people are completely freaked out by them and they can be mistaken for monsters depending on the build.

 

History and Culture Notes:

History has gone much the same way, though it was delayed for a while. Some notable changes focus on the fall of Rome, the rise of Christianity, and what Jesus actually did in this world. Before Christ, demons ruled all the major empires of the world, including Rome. Rome, in fact, had the Demon Twins, which is widely regarded as why it got so large and lasted so long. Christ traveled from the Middle East to the Far East during his young adulthood and figured out how to take black powder and make a weapon out of it. He shared how to produce these “guns” (read: arquebus) and formed an enormous army out of the province of Judea. He marched on Rome and when faced with the Demon Twins it is said that God gave him the means to banish demons from the world. The spell cost Christ his life, though he was resurrected three days later and continued his crusade across the known world. It is said that he did not return to Heaven until all demons were banished from the world. Christians claim that Euliod were created when God chose women of virtue and piety among Christ’s followers to carry the children of angels so they could watch over humanity once Christ was gone back to Heaven (after the demons were banished). Also, there are basically only Episcopalians and Catholics among the Christians; other Protestant groups never became popular enough to permanently establish themselves as significant denomenations.

 

Religion traditions are the way in which magic is taught and is much more central in the Kindler ‘verse than it is in ours. Not every person is religious, but there are no real atheists in the world. A fair number of deists or agnostics, but magic and known history of demons in the world is a bit much to ignore.

 

Magic is taught through religious institutions, but especially now, the methods are very scientific. Teach the same spell the same way and your students will get the same results.


 

The game will center around the GreenDrake Investigations Las Vegas Program. The Program is like a master’s degree in magical investigations, training agents to be the best magical PI’s in the world. The LV Program is also a first in that it teaches, among many other subjects, magical techniques and spells outside a religious institution. If it was going to happen anywhere, it would be in Sin City.

 

Characters should be savants and/or overachievers; the program doesn’t accept minors, those without a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, or those with debilitating mental or emotional issues. They’re looking for the best of the best, and they’re willing to take in shifters, deets (daemonteknons), and even vampires and bound to find them.

 

 

The Fifth Column RPG Base Ruleset - Characters begin as Veterans.

We're most of the way through the 5th Columns for this setting; primarily we have to finish fleshing out regular human magic and what the euliod get. Feel free to ask questions even though we don't have all the 5th columns up. We can still give descriptives even if we don't have all the mechanics yet. 

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Cool deal. I figured the appearance of Rock'em Sock'em Jesus wouldn't necessarily change that, since a lot of current religions at least acknowledge that there WAS a Jesus...but it needed to be asked. :)

I think my grizzled, troubled, ex-military mage could work here...though then again, if we're playing newbies being trained that might actually not be appropos.

I shall think on it!

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After taking a long critical look at our 5th Column system, I've decided that it's still just not ready for use over the web (in person is easier because explinations are faster). So! We're heading over to M&M 3rd Ed for this game! 

Character Creation Rules:

Jack of All Trades and Eidetic Memory better have kick-ass reasons/story hooks behind them. 

PL 7, 105 PP

Powers should be thematic - If you're a shifter, take shapeshift. If you're human and can kindle magic, take magic. Feel free to put together a theme for your character and run it by me, but I may return with a suggestion of another species if your power(s) theme towards them. 

I highly suggest focusing on a "lateral" character; I will be awarding PP on a regular basis, but the PL won't go up all that often. This is a magic game, not a superhero game. :)

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Here's my shot at a PL7 veteran combat mage...see if it works okay.

Dale Cazantino

Abilities 30
Strength 0
Stamina 2
Agility 0
Dexterity 2
Fighting 3
Intellect 4
Awareness 3
Presence 1

Defenses 9
Dodge 2 (1) (5 with bracelet, 7 with Manifest Soul)
Fortitude 5 (3) (7 with Manifest Soul)
Parry 3 (7 with Manifest Soul)
Toughness 2 (7 with bracelet)
Will 8 (5)
Initiative +0

Skills 34 (17)
Athletics 5 (5)
Expertise (Military) 7 (3)
Expertise (Magic) 10 (6)
Insight 6 (3)
Intimidation 7 (6)
Perception 5 (2)
Persuasion 7 (6)
Technology 5 (1)
Treatment 5 (1)
Vehicles 3 (1)

Powers
Spells 30pp
- One Hundred Ways to Die
Damage (Ranged, Multiattack, PF Variable (Magic) 2, PF Accurate 1) +7, 24pp

- Hexat
Affliction (Ranged vs Will, Extra Condition, Burst Area, Limited Degree, PF Reversible, PF Affects Insubstantial 1; Impaired-Vulnerable/Disabled-Defenseless) +7

- Disjoin
Nullify (Broad (magic), Perception, Simultaneous) +6

- Ward
Create (Continuous, Selective, Affects Insubstantial 2, Subtle 2) +5

- Mage Hand
Move Object (Perception, Subtle 2, Precise 1) +7

- True Self (all powers are Sustained)
Enhanced Trait: Strength 6 (12)
Enhanced Trait: Fighting 4 (8)
Enhanced Trait: Dodge 2 (2)
Enhanced Trait: Fortitude 2 (2)

- Thunder Road
Teleport (Accurate, Extended, Easy, Limited to Extended, PF Change Dir, PF Change Vel, PF Inc Mass 2) +5

Shield Bracelet (Removable -1) 7pp
Protection 5
Enhanced Trait Dodge 3

Advantages 12
Benefit: Wealth 1
Benefit: Security Clearance 1
Equipment 1
Languages 2
- Spanish
- Latin
Ranged Attack 3
Ritualist 1
Assessment 1
Connected 1
Fearless 1

Equipment
Holdout Pistol 4
Flash Goggles 1

Totals:

 

Attributes: 30
Defenses: 9
Skills: 17
Advantages: 12
Powers: 37
Total: 105/105

Complications
- Motivation: Grudging Idealism. Despite everything, Dale still wants to make the world a better place. He doesn't seriously think it's possible anymore, and he's more than happy to turn a semi-honest buck in the process, but he still goes for the missions where dangers to innocents are eliminated and freedoms are protected; complaining the whole way.

- Funny Way of Showing it: The more Dale likes someone, the less respectfully he tends to treat them. He justifies it as preparing them for a harsh, uncaring world...but there is of course more to it than just that.

- I'm a Monster, Mal; Having already damned himself, there are now very few lines Dale won't cross to accomplish what he's after. He makes no excuses for himself, and willingly shoulders the burden of his deeds so that others who are not already spoiled won't have to.

- Power Loss: For all Dale's tattoos and embedded spell components, he still needs his hands free and voice to make his magic work. Bound and gagged, there's not much he can do mystically, though his magic devices still work.

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I am going to shelve this proposal. I am not quite up to running a homebrew system or setting right now, so I don't want to get this started only to have it fail almost immediately. Sorry! 

Carver and I are likely to be back with the Kindler setting and 5th Column system later, after we've worked on it more and done some face-to-face playtesting. 

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