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Adventure! RPG: American Revenants - AR - Discussion Thread


phoenix

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Okay! As you can see from this thread , there is a new game in town. Cottus Centimane and I will be collaborating as your Storytellers.

This ain't your daddy's USA

The game will begin in New York City, the United States of America. A deadly plague has just been unleashed upon the world, and now all but a fraction of a percent of humanity lies dead on the ground. Living corpses are beginning to walk the earth, hungering for the flesh of the living. In the wake of these events, men and women with superhuman abilities and mystical senses have begun to appear. Strange, huge wheels are turning, and humanity may stand in the space between the gears...

* * *

Watch this space.

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New game! Woot! :jumping40:

New Zombie game too!

Can I use a chainsaw & shotgun, huh, can I?! ::getsome

From the intro post it looks set in modern times (not 1920s) - which is cool: Resident Evil, Evil Dead, Night of the Living Dead... there's a lot to work with in the way of genre material.

I think I'll be eagerly watching this space for more details... ::biggrin

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You're correct, the game will be set in the present day, in a world more or less exactly like our own (except for the whole 'everyone's dead part', natch). This of course means that it falls outside Aeonverse canon, in case anyone was wondering.

We wanted to make sure there was interest before we got too carried away with it, but obviously there's interest so we'll go ahead and post some more info soon. For now I'll say that char-gen is mostly unchanged except for the Backgrounds (since most of 'em are useless in a world where everyone's dead).

I'm gonna wait 'til phoenix and I have nailed down all the details (he's in bed right now, so everyone keep it down ok?) before posting actual char-gen rules, but I can give you guys some general information. As I already said above, this is not the Aeonverse. There was no Hammersmith event, there will be no novas, nor does it seem likely that the Trinity-verse will ever come to be (though it's unlikely that this game will run quite that far into the future, so who knows? ::wink ).

As far as Inspired go, both Mesmerists and Stalwarts are a brand new deal, no one's ever seen or heard of one before. Daredevils, being essentially normal human beings operating at or near peak human capacity have, in all likelihood, existed for millenia, though they've never stood out quite so much as they do now (the end of the world does tend to help one discover the outer limits of one's abilities after all). Assume that before everybody up and died on you, everything was pretty much the same as it is in our world.

Before the plague hit every PC was a NON-Inspired person. They may or may not have had skills that would be useful to surviving in a post-apocalyptic world with zombies in it, but they definitely didn't run around with the Eon Society for Gentlemen, accompanied by their sub-human sidekick and their semi-intelligent giant wolf-creature, saving the world from Baron Zorbo or exploring the mysteries of the Hollow Earth. Basically, players will take on the roles of ordinary men and women who suddenly find themselves in possession of extraordinary skills, talents, and abilities, and living in an extraordinary and terrifying new world.

This is going to be a survivor-horror game, so expect to spend most of your time running, screaming, hiding, fighting, or weeping openly. More likely some combination of several of those.

So you guys still interested?

Can I use a chainsaw & shotgun, huh, can I?!
Boy, I sure hope so!
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Before the plague hit every PC was a NON-Inspired person. They may or may not have had skills that would be useful to surviving in a post-apocalyptic world with zombies in it, but they definitely didn't run around with the Eon Society for Gentlemen, accompanied by their sub-human sidekick and their semi-intelligent giant wolf-creature, saving the world from Baron Zorbo or exploring the mysteries of the Hollow Earth. Basically, players will take on the roles of ordinary men and women who suddenly find themselves in possession of extraordinary skills, talents, and abilities, and living in an extraordinary and terrifying new world.

Since you've told everyone this, I'm betting you get at least one generic Adventure! character which includes some, or all, of the above elements you mention not being in the game sent to you... if you don't then it must just be people picking on my games to do that sort of thing... ::tongue ::wink

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Since you've told everyone this, I'm betting you get at least one generic Adventure! character which includes some, or all, of the above elements you mention not being in the game sent to you... if you don't then it must just be people picking on my games to do that sort of thing... ::tongue ::wink

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. Actually, phoenix, during our most recent IM chat, was listing some of the ridiculous stuff that we didn't want to see in submissions (x-wings, lightsabers, that kind of thing). My response was that I'd just apply a heavy xp-fine to the first player foolish enough to submit something so ridiculous. "You have been fined 10 xp for polluting the gaming environment with dangerously stupid ideas." ::ohmy ::devil

Phoenix seemed fine with it. ::indifferent ::wink ::tongue

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So what of certain other adventure type rules and backgrounds....artifacts, medical experimentation, other super science, genetically engineered zoo animals, menagerie, kingpin, in charge, sanctum, and knacks...?

Are they all disallowed or is it merely that they have to fit into the setting? As an example consider that in the resident eveil movies there were genetically engineered super soldiers as well as monsters...

Part of the answer to the above question Im sure will include your guy's version of how people become "empowered." Super science? part of the plague (retro-virus), magic? Whats the deal yo?! ::huh

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Well, like I say, I want to confer with phoenix one last time before we post 'official' char-gen rules. But we've more or less finalized the rules regarding backgrounds because that was one of the big questions, and we also have a real good sense of the 'feel' for this game.

So what of certain other adventure type rules and backgrounds....artifacts, medical experimentation, other super science, genetically engineered zoo animals, menagerie, kingpin, in charge, sanctum, and knacks...?
As I said, the world of American Revenants is essentially identical to our own world. So no Adventure!/pulp type gear or backgrounds. This would include pretty much everything you listed above. There are some exceptions, and you'll see exactly what I mean when we post the char-gen rules (probably tomorrow). Good examples of these would be Menagerie, Sanctum, and Knacks in general. I believe phoenix's word regarding Menagerie and Sanctum were, 'usefulness is fine, exoticism isn't'.

Knacks are wide open. Take whatever you want.

The key point to remember is that we aren't going for a 'pulpy', or even especially exotic, feel for the game. Resident Evil is a fun example of the zombie genre, and the enhanced capabilities of some of the main characters is a good example of what it might be like for some of your PCs, but it's not a very good example of the world of American Revenants as a whole. Picture a cross between The Stand, by Stephen King, and Dawn of the Dead (either version), throw in a dash of Silent Hill (the video game not the movie), and you've got a pretty good idea.

This is a world that has only just now become strange. Before the plague it was the same world you and I live in. So genetically engineered animals, medical enhancements, and super science is totally inappropriate (this is not to say that you can't have a highly trained attack dog, for one example, you just can't have a highly trained attack dog the size of a pony who also happens to be sentient). Kingpin or In Charge? Uh, well, if you really wanna spend the points on those I'll try and talk phoenix into going along with it. But seeing as how everyone's dead, I'm not real sure why you'd want to be the Kingpin, or In Charge of 'em.... ::unsure

I was joking about the xp-fine thing, but if I were serious then Artifacts - of any kind - would probably qualify for multiple xp-fines. Hopefully this clarifies some things for you.

Part of the answer to the above question Im sure will include your guy's version of how people become "empowered." Super science? part of the plague (retro-virus), magic? Whats the deal yo?!
As I said before, Daredevils are (in our interpretation of things, cuz I know there are others...) humans who, through courage, luck, and training, manage to achieve amazing feats and regularly achieve the impossible. But they're still humans. So there's no explanation there, they just 'are'.

Also as I said, Mesmerists and Stalwarts only appeared after the plague. Now, as to what exactly caused them to appear?

Not telling. ::wink

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I know you'll probably cover this when you post your chargen rules, but just to get us thinking in the right directions: as far as Gadgets are concerned, are they banned totally, or are some which fit the setting allowed? Specifically I was thinking of whipping up a chainsaw with the One Man Army Knack, & a shotgun with the Enhanced Impact Knack, since both kinda' call to the Bruce Cambell in me... Neither would be 'superscience' as such (so it wouldn't be a shotgun with, say, a glowing crystal powering it) - just 'normal' items rules-modified to fit the genre.

One other question - you mention that 'mystics' have appeared, but then also seem to be saying that there's no 'magic' as such in the setting: does that mean all 'mystic' types have to be mundanes who suddenly develop powers for no apparant reason, or could they have unearthed tomes of magic & such (I doubt it based on what you've said so far, but you never know... ::wink ), or even have been studying magic before the 'event' - but it's only started working since?

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Can I use a chainsaw & shotgun, huh, can I?!

As a matter of fact, you can't not use those things... ::cool

One other question - you mention that 'mystics' have appeared, but then also seem to be saying that there's no 'magic' as such in the setting: does that mean all 'mystic' types have to be mundanes who suddenly develop powers for no apparant reason, or could they have unearthed tomes of magic & such (I doubt it based on what you've said so far, but you never know...), or even have been studying magic before the 'event' - but it's only started working since?

In general, don't plan on playing a Mesmerist or a Stalwart who knows why he or she has superhuman capabilities. Of course, you can always make a New Age character who's studied paganism and now can see energy flows, but that doesn't mean that guy understands his new powers any better than anyone else. In fact, he might have some wacky ideas that conflict with the way his powers really work.

Of course, if your character wants to try and convince everyone else he knows exactly what's going on, I have no problem with that. ::sly

Gadgets are not totally banned, and modified shotguns or chainsaws is a good direction to be thinking in. Those examples you mentioned would be fine. More than one Knack on a single Gadget would be pushing it; however, Advancements are fine. Finally, unlike in mainstream Adventure!, we're not going to guarantee that your Gadget will always be around - if you drop your chainsaw, it won't necessarily just turn up again.

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Finally, unlike in mainstream Adventure!, we're not going to guarantee that your Gadget will always be around - if you drop your chainsaw, it won't necessarily just turn up again.

So... we'd have to Dramatic Edit it back in then, eh... ::sly

In case anyone's not noticed - I bags the chainsaw & shotgun wielding dude! ::getsome

Unless the chargen rules steer me different I'm thinking: high Willpower, Daredevil, with Death Defiance, Indomitable Will, & Perfect Poise... & the aforementioned Gadget shotgun & chainsaw. I was thinking British ex-military type, but to be honest I think I'll actually prefer to have him even more 'Ash' & be just a guy who worked in the housewares section of a big department store - faceless employee who, after years of putting up with b!tchy customers, has developed the world's strongest Willpower... ::biggrin

... 'Shop smart, shop S-Mart!'

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Baby? You got reeeeeal ugly. ::biggrin

I might just make the damsel in distress (a housewife shopping at S-Mart?) with nothing but a crapload of inspiration points to spend for lucky breaks ::wink

Looking forward to seeing character gen rules!

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Well dern it, my battery done gone died one me and now Cottus has skedaddled... Hang me if that feller ain't slipperier'n a buttered 'possum... ::unsure

I'm going to go ahead and post the chargen modifications, which are mostly Backgrounds-based. Please send your character submissions to Cottus. [As long as he's not around, might as well delegate labor... ::tongue ] And I would strongly encourage that before you go ahead and write up a character sheet, do what Prof and Zeke did, make one of these:

"Ima play a shotgun-toting miscreant from the rural South with a bad eye and an accent."

Send it to us first [him] just so you don't waste your time if we end up shooting down your idea.

Oh, and the bad eye thing reminds me: some Merits may be allowed, but no Flaws. And Merits are one of those things it may behoove you to ask about in advance...

Limits to Chargen

Chargen will be straightforward, with some modifications to the backgrounds listed in the Adventure! core book. Instead of the 7 Background dots you'd ordinarily start with, you get none. You may still buy them with Bonus Points or Transformation points, but see below.

Backing: No Backing is available in this game, because all human organizations have been decimated or simply destroyed by the plague.

Cipher: Everyone's a mystery the same now. No Cipher allowed.

Allies, Contacts, Followers, Mentor and Nemesis: You know people, perhaps plenty of them. None of them has a pulse, and some of them want to feast on you. [You can build this Background up once you get a feel for the new North America, but you can't start with it right away.]

Gadget: Don't expect to be able to use this Background, at least not right away; it's a little pulp-ish for what we're shooting for. But feel free to ask.

Influence and Reputation: This is fine. The survivors might have heard of you.

Menagerie and Sanctum: Maybe. But don't push it. [usefulness is fine; exoticism isn't.]

Resources: This background is useless, at least right away. Maybe one day, the Resources Background as you know it will return...

Background Enhancements: No.

Where are we now?

In New York, or nearby. Your character doesn't have to be from there, or even live there, but he does have to be there at the start of the game. Everyone's dead, and some of the corpses are moving. Once your character's approved, feel free to post in the thread describing how your character's reacting to this. And remember that New York's a big city. Chances are strongly against you running into each other or the NPCs just yet, although there's nothing really wrong with it if you do.

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So I was thinking of playing a dude with a giant wolf genetically modified to be a zeppelin... ::tongue ::laugh

,,

Seriously though...

Since you are changing around some of the rules, would you consider allowing cross-type knacks within reason? The first idea that popped into my head was based on the common zombie-movie staple that if you get bitten...you're f---ed. I was thinking maybe a stalwart type with Regeneration and Optimised metabolism who for some reason is immune to zombiefication. Whether this is due to Stand-like mysticism or a more resident evil T-cell antibody type thing is up to you guys, since we don't know the cause behind the plague. Anyways i was thinking it would be cool to take touch of life and make him the party healer. If you would rather not cross knacks maybe it could be like a blood-transfusion gadget or something. Of course then I would need to make them a medical/scientist type to even know that was possible..and then I would need to buy a sanctum..some kind of medlab that is secure from the outside (for research and contamination issues).

,,

Maybe he even represents the possibility of a "cure." Whether or not that is true or even possible given your background notes is again, up to you...but if people thought that it would sure make a neat story hook.

,,

Lastly i had a cool idea for a possible menagerie within this setting that could perhaps be quasi-mystical...I had the idea of maybe a bird who isn't neccesarily a follower...but always shows up and looks at my character funny...but he has learned that when he follows the bird it always leads him to safety or where he needs to be...like to other characters or someone who needs to be rescued.

,,

Just the first ideas that popped into my head. I dont have to use any or all of them but it was the direction that I was thinking...feedback?

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Unless the chargen rules steer me different I'm thinking: high Willpower, Daredevil, with Death Defiance, Indomitable Will, & Perfect Poise... & the aforementioned Gadget shotgun & chainsaw. I was thinking British ex-military type, but to be honest I think I'll actually prefer to have him even more 'Ash' & be just a guy who worked in the housewares section of a big department store - faceless employee who, after years of putting up with b!tchy customers, has developed the world's strongest Willpower...

OK.

Since you are changing around some of the rules, would you consider allowing cross-type knacks within reason?

Nope, sorry.

I was thinking maybe a stalwart type with Regeneration and Optimised metabolism who for some reason is immune to zombiefication.

All player characters have survived the plague so far. What makes you think you're not already immune? Of course, there's only one way to find out... ::sly

Anyways i was thinking it would be cool to take touch of life and make him the party healer. If you would rather not cross knacks maybe it could be like a blood-transfusion gadget or something. Of course then I would need to make them a medical/scientist type to even know that was possible..and then I would need to buy a sanctum..some kind of medlab that is secure from the outside (for research and contamination issues).

Touch of Life would be fine for a Mesmerist character. If you want to be a Stalwart, you could always be a former Emergency Medical Technician. Having, say, a backpack full of that kind of gear wouldn't even require you to have a gadget, just five minutes in a stopped ambulance somewhere.

Lastly i had a cool idea for a possible menagerie within this setting that could perhaps be quasi-mystical...I had the idea of maybe a bird who isn't necessarily a follower...but always shows up and looks at my character funny...but he has learned that when he follows the bird it always leads him to safety or where he needs to be...like to other characters or someone who needs to be rescued.

Well, this setting has no allowance for intelligent or half-inspired animals. However, animals like ravens or gray parrots are already quite intelligent, and are common as pets in the States. Such an animal could also stay handily above the zombified fray. Finally, "My bird leads me safely out of the maze" sounds like Dramatic Editing to me.

I might just make the damsel in distress (a housewife shopping at S-Mart?) with nothing but a crapload of inspiration points to spend for lucky breaks
I'm thinking of making a "Universally Deadly" stripper...and yet...she's had no formal training

::biggrin Sounds good, as long as she's not intended to be "just comic relief."

This reminds me of something that Cottus reminded me to tell you guys: your characters might die. You can make a new one if that happens, but we're pulling no punches on die rolls. We've agreed that to properly achieve the survivalist/horror tone, the threat of death has to be legitimate. Because this is an Adventure! game, it might be a little more bright in tone than your typical horror movie; it's quite possible that none of your characters die. But these aren't Scoobie-Doo zombies you're dealing with here.

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Okay guys, I'm back from work, and phoenix is turning in for the night (we're like a 24 hot dog stand, there's always one of us around to conduct business with). As phoenix said, I'm the guy to send your submissions to, so get to writin'!

The character concepts given so far sound pretty good for the most part (that's me being cautious, they actually sound great).

To clarify on the Gadget and Menagerie question Sky: a 'blood transfusion' gadget isn't appropriate, sorry, though as phoenix pointed out, you could always use existing medical gear to treat the wounded. As for your bird idea, I like that, it's got potential. If you decide to keep that element of the character then I'll look over what you've got when you send it in, and we'll go from there.

Another thing for you guys to keep in mind is, 'where in New York am I?' also, 'why am I there?' If you don't want to, or don't think you can, come up with a location that's fine, we'll come up with one for you, but then you'll have to take what you get.

Initially your characters will be starting out 'alone'. That's in quotes because, depending on what we work out, and what happens after you start posting, you may well end up with some company (not necassarily living company, but company nonetheless) earlier than the other players might.

As phoenix indicated in his last post this is a survival-horror game, which means that you will each be (hopefully) kept on your toes, and dreading what's around every corner and lurking in every shadow. Unlike many other games gear will be very important, and none of it is 'unlimited'. So you've found yourself a gun? Great. But how many bullets do you have to go with it? You've got yourself some water and some rations, also good. But they're gonna run out eventually, so where are you planning on getting more from when that happens?

Obviously, certain PCs may well have less of a problem in certain of these areas than others will, but no PC will be completely immune to these kinds of concerns. Also, while this game does have a definite long-term plotline that phoenix and I have worked out, it's also a very 'open' game (or it's intended to be anyway). Meaning that you'll be able to (attempt) to go just about anywhere you please, and we'll have something waiting in that direction for you. Of course, there will also be a primary storyline for you to follow as well, and it'll exist in 'real-time' (from an IC perspective), so you'll want to stay on top of that too.

That's all from me for now. Feel free to post or PM any questions you have, and I'll be looking forward to reviewing submissions from ya. ::wink

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Unlike many other games gear will be very important, and none of it is 'unlimited'. So you've found yourself a gun? Great. But how many bullets do you have to go with it? You've got yourself some water and some rations, also good. But they're gonna run out eventually, so where are you planning on getting more from when that happens?

Unless you're planning on changing it I'd presume that, if desperate, Dramatic Editing can solve these issues ('Hey, this dead guy I just shot in the head was carrying a box load of 12 guage shells - great!').

DE should also make this, as you mention, a little less deadly than an actual horror flick, even if you are using 'real' dice rolls... of course, that encourages us all to be heroic too, to keep the Inspiration flowing, but doesn't make us so paranoid that we lock ourselves in somewhere & do nothing. Considering how DE can be used to tag onto someone else's Edit too, it also encourages us to seek each other out (there really is safety in numbers!).

Love the Universally Deadly stripper concept Zeke - classic! ::laugh

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Unless you're planning on changing it I'd presume that, if desperate, Dramatic Editing can solve these issues ('Hey, this dead guy I just shot in the head was carrying a box load of 12 guage shells - great!').

DE should also make this, as you mention, a little less deadly than an actual horror flick, even if you are using 'real' dice rolls... of course, that encourages us all to be heroic too, to keep the Inspiration flowing, but doesn't make us so paranoid that we lock ourselves in somewhere & do nothing. Considering how DE can be used to tag onto someone else's Edit too, it also encourages us to seek each other out (there really is safety in numbers!).

Right. I'm really looking forward to seeing how characters use Dramatic Editing creatively to keep themselves alive (and Cottus is too). Just don't expect not to have to.

Skylion, I'd also like to clarify why I'm not allowing cross-Knacks at all. It's because cross-Knackery would make the PCs more powerful, and less different from each other. And in this game, I think the PCs are already on the edge of being too powerful for true horror, and since it's a combat game I also worry about them ending up too similar to each other. So I value strict class divisions because they work for me in those two ways.

Another clarification on something Cottus said: a blood transfusion Gadget is actually a pretty cool idea and not inappropriate at all. A blood transfusion gadget that simulates Touch of Life is over-the-top. Plus, you still have to worry about getting supplies of fresh blood.

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Unless you're planning on changing it I'd presume that, if desperate, Dramatic Editing can solve these issues ('Hey, this dead guy I just shot in the head was carrying a box load of 12 guage shells - great!').

Yep, this kind of thing is fine. And risking getting attacked, and thus having to shoot some poor, already dead, schmuck in the head, is going to be necassary in your searches for more supplies anyway. So this is even more appropriate. Searching bodies (when you have the chance) probably isn't a bad idea. Assuming you can stand the smell....
DE should also make this, as you mention, a little less deadly than an actual horror flick, even if you are using 'real' dice rolls... of course, that encourages us all to be heroic too, to keep the Inspiration flowing, but doesn't make us so paranoid that we lock ourselves in somewhere & do nothing. Considering how DE can be used to tag onto someone else's Edit too, it also encourages us to seek each other out (there really is safety in numbers!).

Love the Universally Deadly stripper concept Zeke - classic! ::laugh

Yup, this will be a little less scary for you guys than it would be for a normal old human being ('zombie-fodder' might be a better term for them). And to reiterate, neither of us is out to kill any players, so it may never happen. We just wanted to be clear that in this game almost every enemy you meet doesn't just want to kill you, they want to eat you as well. Hopefully everyone will survive successfully and no one will have to go back to the drawing board, but no one should be surprised if they do end up having to.

And that stripper concept is pretty kick-ass. ::biggrin

Another clarification on something Cottus said: a blood transfusion Gadget is actually a pretty cool idea and not inappropriate at all. A blood transfusion gadget that simulates Touch of Life is over-the-top. Plus, you still have to worry about getting supplies of fresh blood.
What he said.
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Re: Phoenix's intial response...

You guys are turning out to be tougher in char gen than Potts without his tea-time and buscuits! ::laugh

Mores seriously though, the blood transfusion idea was based on the idea I had before it...like having a character with a super-immune system (like how infusions from Midnighter or Wolverine work). Since we are allowed to create empowered stalwarts with regen and such it didnt seem like too far of a stretch. Maybe his blood is the gadget itself, with the charges being how many pints he could safely use in a day or something....

Again just throwing ideas out there...mostly cuz I wanted to be the healer if possible...a vital roll to play in survival horror.

Thanks for the feedback on the bird idea Cottus..I'll see if it works on this end. What did you think of a story hook being my characters preternatural immunity? Even if its not true the perception of a cure makes for some good story tension. I have to say I dont trust you guys that just cuz we survived we are immune to being turned into zombies by being bitten....

Again, just furthering the discussion. Please nobody flame me... ::unsure

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Why does the healer have to be able to regenerate?

Love the Universally Deadly stripper concept Zeke - classic! laugh.gif

And that stripper concept is pretty kick-ass. biggrin.gif

::biggrin

If she loses a leg someone must, of course, install a rifle in its place... ::tongue

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I think on the whole Sky you'd be doing better to simply be a Mesmerist. I know you're trying to be 'immune to zombiefication', but what makes you think Optimized Metabolism would protect you from a previously unknown phenominon that reanimates corpes in the first place? You'd definitely be immune to all known diseases, but unknown ones are a different matter all together.

But I wouldn't worry too much about it. ::happy ::sly

I kind of have a problem with the idea that a single pint of your character's blood can apparently do for someone else what it takes every drop of blood in your character's body to do for him. There's something of a mismatch there. Also there's the fact that your character wasn't Inspired until after the plague hit, which was about a week ago, so my next question that needs answering is how your character figured out that he could do this, that his blood ignores the usual limitations of Type, and perhaps more importantly, that it was even safe to inject his obviously altered blood into others in the first place. If you think you have answers for these questions then go ahead and keep trying, but I'll be honest and tell you that I'm really not too keen on the idea (not that that's stopped you so far ::tongue ).

Again, if you really want to be the healer you should be a Mesmerist. Also again: gadgets that qualify as 'artifacts', 'super-science', or 'mystical items', or something similar are most likely going to get shot down each and every time. A gun that does more damage than normal (or has a fun knack attached to it like Prof's) is fine, a gun that is actually a highly advanced sonic weapon that uses the Mind Hammer knack to do damage isn't (even though this is still sort of believable in a pseudo-scientific way). Also again again: none of you guys were Inspired until only a few days ago, so please bear that in mind as you're coming up with your character's details.

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Why does the healer have to be able to regenerate?

It was an idea for a theme...

I think on the whole Sky you'd be doing better to simply be a Mesmerist. I know you're trying to be 'immune to zombiefication', but what makes you think Optimized Metabolism would protect you from a previously unknown phenominon that reanimates corpes in the first place? You'd definitely be immune to all known diseases, but unknown ones are a different matter all together.

Optimized Metabolism was likewise part of the theme...it was the regeneration I figured would save me...the whole healing factor thing kicking in like wolverine or midnighter.

I kind of have a problem with the idea that a single pint of your character's blood can apparently do for someone else what it takes every drop of blood in your character's body to do for him. There's something of a mismatch there.

Again it was just an idea, inspired by the super-blood of midnighter (From the Authority in case anyone didn't know). HIs blood was able to cure him of AIDS in under a week and saved The Doctors life when he was very near death. Must be too exotic for this game I suppose, but then again, having stalwart or mesmerist knacks is pretty exotic no matter which way one slices it...

Also there's the fact that your character wasn't Inspired until after the plague hit, which was about a week ago, so my next question that needs answering is how your character figured out that he could do this, that his blood ignores the usual limitations of Type, and perhaps more importantly, that it was even safe to inject his obviously altered blood into others in the first place. If you think you have answers for these questions then go ahead and keep trying, but I'll be honest and tell you that I'm really not too keen on the idea (not that that's stopped you so far ::tongue ).

I did mention in there about this person having to be a medical researcher. Someone who would have an interest in the pandemic. Someone who would notice an unusual change in their healing and metabolic rates. Someone with access to a lab to test themselves and discover the changed properties of their blood.

Again, it the first idea I had as I was walking out the door to work today...it hit me and was inspired or so I thought. This is without even going through the book...just thinking of what would be a fun type for me to play. Which brings up a good point...Potts picks a gadget that is fun to play with knacks and thats cool...so I thought I had an idea that would be fun to play with (if you didnt allow cross-kancking which is what I asked first). If you dont like the idea then rule it out and its okay...if you want me to come up with a rationale I think I have done that pretty well. Also keep in mind that given the scarcity of Inspiration and the actual in-gmae difficulty of performing a transfusion under survival-horror type duress and I thought it was reasonable...with a mesmerist and the full-on knack its actually way less grounded in science (SCIENCE!) and way more exotic...ie you touch someone and they are healed. I was going for a more grounded and gritty approach.

Again, I was just putting the idea out...please dont bite me 'ead off...

Quite frankly Im not all that atteacted to playing mesmerists in general..especially "mystic healer" types in this kind of setting. I may change my mind when I get home to my book, but for now Im just not inerested in doing it that way. I thought my idea and rationalle had much more panache.

Also again: gadgets that qualify as 'artifacts', 'super-science', or 'mystical items', or something similar are most likely going to get shot down each and every time. A gun that does more damage than normal (or has a fun knack attached to it like Prof's) is fine, a gun that is actually a highly advanced sonic weapon that uses the Mind Hammer knack to do damage isn't (even though this is still sort of believable in a pseudo-scientific way)

Please note that I did *not* ask for any such gadget.

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[How would he know] that his blood ignores the usual limitations of Type...
If he has "O-" blood then he already knows it.

Someone with O- blood can give to anyone, but they can only take from someone else with O-. Similarly, someone with AB+ can take from any man with any type of blood, and any woman who hasn't had children (it gets complex if you involve that).

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If he has "O-" blood then he already knows it.

Someone with O- blood can give to anyone, but they can only take from someone else with O-. Similarly, someone with AB+ can take from any man with any type of blood, and any woman who hasn't had children (it gets complex if you involve that).

Yeah, I was aware of that. I was thinking more in terms of the fact that, from an IC perspective, if you're a medical researcher and you know you've got type O, but your body (and blood) suddenly develop massive regenerative capabilities, it stands to reason that something is different! And that's something you're going to want to take a look at and really study before you go pumping large amounts of it into another living person. And seeing as how the players have been Inspired for only a few days... it just seemed a little questionable.

But you'll all be happy to know that I've been talking to Sky over IM and we may have reached something like an agreement. So this little debate is pretty much over with for now.

Discussing things with him did make me realize that perhaps phoenix and myself haven't been as clear as we could have been regarding the setting. So I'll take another stab at it:

There's a couple of things about the world of American Revenants that make 'exotic' or 'more than normal' or 'Adventure!-esque' or whatever. These are: almost everyone on the planet has just died (that's a biggie), undead creatures have started roaming the streets (definitely worth noting), and Inspired have begun to show up in the past few days (also definitely worth noting). In all other respects this is the same world that you and I live in. Obviously, the world of AR is rapidly moving away from our world, and it will soon be far, far stranger than even most A!-type worlds, but it's going to take a little while to get there. Right now the world is only about 5- or 6-days-strange. You guys will be playing right from the very beginning of its weirdness, and will have the opportunity to play a major roll in the shape that it takes.

I hope some of this clarifies things, but if it hasn't then please feel free to ask. I really don't mind answering (although I do get real sarcastic from time to time, what can I say?).

Edit: BTW Alex, does this mean you're gonna come play with us?

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... And to reiterate, neither of us is out to kill any players...

Glad to hear it: killing player characters is bad enough, killing players is really going over the top, in my humble opinion... ::sly

Just another quick question on the Gadget Background: if, like you seem to have said, Gadgets won't have any of the usual 'protection' that they have in 'standard' (whatever that means) Adventure! - i.e. they're ultimately disposable - then is there any advantage at all in blowing valuable chargen dots on the Background, instead of just spending a few temporary Inspiration dots to take the same item as starting equipment? If there isn't, then why not just ban the Gadget Background completely & say we all have to spend temporary Inspiration to take such items anyway?

On the other hand, is there any particular reason why Gadgets won't get the usual 'return to sender' protection? After all, it's essentially just a specific, free, form of Dramatic Editing for items which are core to a character's concept - in theory we could blow Inspiration on normal Dramatic Editing for the same effect (unless that's ST veto'd as well).

I'm happy either way - just need to know where to spend dots on the ol' character sheet. ::wink

A couple of unrelated questions on the Menagerie Background: can it still be used to 'summon' wild animals & the like, as in the standard game? You've mentioned that we can't take 'exotic' animals or Inspired animals as part of the Background, but could we take, say, 5 dots & control an army of a thousand wild dogs?

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Hey all, jus tthought I'd throw my hat in if there's still room. Had an inspiration (no pun intended) last night. I'm thinking a 'good ole boy' from the south who was up visiting a relative. Basic concept is a redneck hillbilly who, among other things, is a hunter (specifically a crossbow hunter). Complete with an old Ford pickup truck and his trusty ole huntin' dog.

While I would typically go with a daredevil, I'm thinking of going with a stalwart (with things like Cool Hand and Heightened Senses), just to make sure I don't step on the Prof's toes too much. Thoughts?

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Glad to hear it: killing player characters is bad enough, killing players is really going over the top, in my humble opinion...

What part of HORROR/SURVIVAL didn't you understand? ::tongue ::biggrin

Re Gadgets:

Well, the advantage to having Gadgets is mostly that they're significantly higher-quality than the kind of stuff you'd be finding in a dead man's jacket, even through Dramatic Editing. Having thought about it, I don't have any problem with your Dramatic Editing them back into your storyline; I just won't be bothered to do it for you. Does that make sense, or have I failed to answer your question? ::unsure

PoB, your character idea sounds good. Looking forward to seeing these char-sheets... ::biggrin

A couple of unrelated questions on the Menagerie Background: can it still be used to 'summon' wild animals & the like, as in the standard game? You've mentioned that we can't take 'exotic' animals or Inspired animals as part of the Background, but could we take, say, 5 dots & control an army of a thousand wild dogs?

No, too crazy. I see where you're coming from and I know it's a perfectly legitimate use of the Menagerie Background in out-of-the-box Adventure!, but in this game the army of dogs falls into the category of "too pulpy for this game and genre".

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Hey all, jus tthought I'd throw my hat in if there's still room. Had an inspiration (no pun intended) last night. I'm thinking a 'good ole boy' from the south who was up visiting a relative. Basic concept is a redneck hillbilly who, among other things, is a hunter (specifically a crossbow hunter). Complete with an old Ford pickup truck and his trusty ole huntin' dog.

While I would typically go with a daredevil, I'm thinking of going with a stalwart (with things like Cool Hand and Heightened Senses), just to make sure I don't step on the Prof's toes too much. Thoughts?

::thumbup1 Sounds good, send me a draft.

RE: Prof's Question (and in addition to what phoenix just posted):

The issue of gadgets can be looked at in much the same way as the potential for PCs dying. So, just as we're not going to be purposely setting up PCs for gruesome deaths, with no way of escape, we're also not going to purposely take your gadgets away from you, with no way of getting them back. But just as we're also not going to be coddling any PCs and fudging any dice rolls just to keep players alive and healthy (not that that happens in many games these days anyway), we're not going to safely tuck your gadgets away in our special Gadget Storage Locker until a suitably 'convenient' plot point comes up for us to reintroduce it. Basically, your gadget, just like you PC, can be irrevocably lost, but if you're smart and keep your head on straight neither of those things will happen to you.

And yes, before anyone asks or points it out, DE can make a world of difference in both of these situations if applied correctly, and at the correct times.

Does this make sense?

Edit: the pack of dogs question: a thousand dogs is too 'pulpy' (well, too something anyway) because it's a thousand dogs. Again, this being a world that's only had a few days to get strange (and this being a world where, so far, no animals have gotten any stranger than normal) this is more weird than the circumstances will easily allow for. On the other hand, if you've got the group of loyal german shepherds who used to live you with at (wherever your PC used to live - almost certainly not within city limits, wherever it was) still following you around, that's fine.

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RE: Prof's Question (and in addition to what phoenix just posted):

The issue of gadgets can be looked at in much the same way as the potential for PCs dying. So, just as we're not going to be purposely setting up PCs for gruesome deaths, with no way of escape, we're also not going to purposely take your gadgets away from you, with no way of getting them back. But just as we're also not going to be coddling any PCs and fudging any dice rolls just to keep players alive and healthy (not that that happens in many games these days anyway), we're not going to safely tuck your gadgets away in our special Gadget Storage Locker until a suitably 'convenient' plot point comes up for us to reintroduce it. Basically, your gadget, just like you PC, can be irrevocably lost, but if you're smart and keep your head on straight neither of those things will happen to you.

And yes, before anyone asks or points it out, DE can make a world of difference in both of these situations if applied correctly, and at the correct times.

Does this make sense?

I hate to speak for the Prof, but I think the issue is less, 'dammit, they took my gadget away', and more, 'damn, I spent character creation points on that and now it's gone and I have nothing to show for it' (at least that's what I'm worried about). What I at least would like is something to the effect that if a gadget purchased (either with bonus points, transformation points or experience points) is somehow lost or destroyed, then we would be allowed to 'bank' those background points to either find said gadget, perhaps acquire a different gadget, or roll them into another background (ie. Prof loses his shotgun, but the intrepid survivors find themselves in the city zoo where (using DE) he is befriended by one of the tigers there... or some such).

Did I articulate that well enough?

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I hate to speak for the Prof, but I think the issue is less, 'dammit, they took my gadget away', and more, 'damn, I spent character creation points on that and now it's gone and I have nothing to show for it' (at least that's what I'm worried about). What I at least would like is something to the effect that if a gadget purchased (either with bonus points, transformation points or experience points) is somehow lost or destroyed, then we would be allowed to 'bank' those background points to either find said gadget, perhaps acquire a different gadget, or roll them into another background (ie. Prof loses his shotgun, but the intrepid survivors find themselves in the city zoo where (using DE) he is befriended by one of the tigers there... or some such).

Yes, that makes sense. But being able to lose a Background is nothing new. You can piss off a Mentor, burn your Sanctum to the ground, etc. I want the Gadgets in this game to be more similar to Trinity Devices (I modified my gun so it shoots out the handle!) and less to mainstream Adventure! Gadgets (I modified my gun so it turns into a biplane!).

But being able to roll over Background points invested in things you've lost actually sounds fairly reasonable to me. I don't see this happening often enough for it to be a big deal, especially with Dramatic Editing.

Cottus, any objection?

I'm thinking a Fireman with With A Single Bound (sp).

Cool. ::ultracool

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But being able to roll over Background points invested in things you've lost actually sounds fairly reasonable to me. I don't see this happening often enough for it to be a big deal, especially with Dramatic Editing.

I think rolling over background points can cause problems if they don't roll over into something similar...

"Dammit, wish I knew a wise man to explain these things to me!"

*Ditches souped up car and buys mentor*

...

I think it's much less troublesome to just say you can lose it and you can DE it back (or a near replica)

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Ok, here's my first thought: a girl who worked on a fake phone-in psychic line who has since developed mystical (mostly sensory) abilities. She never believed in any New Age stuff before, but now it's real. Either that, or a professional stage magician who did kid's parties and conventions. A mesmerist, one way or the other.

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Heritage, those both sound very awesome. Glad someone wants to play a Mesmerist. ::ultracool And glad you're on board!

I think it's much less troublesome to just say you can lose it and you can DE it back (or a near replica)

Right, that's how I feel. Under no circumstances will people just be able to just write in a dot and add a Mentor (or whatever) without making one's acquaintance first through roleplaying. But in the unlikely event that someone lost a one-dot Gadget earlier in the game, when they meet someone who'd count as a one-dot Mentor, they wouldn't have to pay.

::rolleyes Sheesh.

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Okey doke Zeke, I just put up phoenix's intro post for Bunny. You are good to go!

And in other news: Alex and Heritage, both of your ideas (well, all three of your ideas ::huh ) sound great! Send over your concepts when you're ready and I'll forward 'em to phoenix and we'll get you guys started.

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