How would you use Takofanes?

[OddHat]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Make for an awfully short campaign.

 

Logically, though, apart from a GM deciding that no, Takofanes simply can't do that... if the character had such a capacity, wouldn't he have used it back in the Turakian Age?

 

Answering seriously for a change, to me it's a matter of goals. If I used the CU as written, I'd like to think that the sane version of Takofanes in the Tuakian Age had a goal more interesting than killing everyone and bringing them back as Undead. As to the modern Takofanes, "Wishes to kill or control everyone on Earth" is right there on his sheet, and he has the capacity to do so casually unless the GM intentionally keeps him in check.

 

If the Turakian Tak shared that goal, it would be nice to know what kept him in check then. You could say that the physics of the base CU doesn't allow for the bad guys to win (DC Comics came out with that), but that too isn't a satisfying answer for me.

 

Anyway, as this is a Feel Good about Takofanes Thread, I'll stop kvetching.

[Rapier]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

I use Tak, about the same way McCarthy used Communism.

 

He has a little plan here or there but mostly exists to hang over the character's heads and be threatening.

 

Tak is one of those villains that you can never allow them to see. Kind of like Cthulu. If you ever see him, it's too late and you are ALL DEAD! He is best used as a driving force behind things, but you can't ever allow him to get even close to winning.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

The issue may fall within the realm of SFX. Just because there's nothing on a character's sheet to say that he can't do something, doesn't necessarily mean that he can. When you look at the sample spells for Takofanes in CKC, they tend to come with Limitations that aren't "necessary," strictly speaking; but they do imply that there are some restrictions to his sorcery, so that he can't simply whip up any construct tailored to the metagaming peak of efficiency. Not enough to really count as a Limitation, but a factor nonetheless.

 

But you're right, this discussion really doesn't belong here. I should start up another thread on it.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Use his VPP to build a RKA with an ungodly radius (say, enough to cover the entire earth) with 0 END, Continuous, and No range. Within a minute, everyone on earth without resistent defences is dead. (It's a "low-powered" RKA, 1d6, I think - I can take No Range, and, since it can't get through his defences anyway, can ignore Personal Immunity.)

 

Actually. . . . it's similar to Oddhat's use, but I kill off all the earth first, before offing the PCs.

 

Edit - oooh! Maybe instead use a Major Transform to change all of the oxygen in the air to helium - much easier, and far fewer heroes have the LS needed to survive.

 

I actually suggested something similar to this once, although it required the assistance of Mechanon. It was in response to an observation from (IIRC) ZootSoot that Mechanon and Takofanes might be willing to work together, since they're both prepared to see all life on Earth ended. (I doubt those two egos could coexist for more than a brief period, but that part of the discussion isn't relevant here.)

 

Anyway, I tried to think of a scheme that would fit both their motifs, but also their implied limitations, so that it would require their shared resources. Considering their dual megavillain status it would have to be something globally devastating. What I chose was an alchemical formula Takofanes knows for turning water into mercury, or something equally lethal. Mechanon would provide an orbital delivery system to saturate the atmosphere with the formula. Presto! World-wide mercury rain.

 

One nice thing about constructing the threat this way is that it gives PCs a chance to stop it in time.

[TheTemplar]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

That's an AWESOME Tak/anon major plot hook, LL. Repped as soon as I can! I'd tell my players to be worried about this if I had introduced either Takofanes or Mechanon in the campaign to date.

[Sketchpad]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

I think I'd use Takofanes akin to The Judge from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Maybe have Demon tricked into thinking they can bind him if they re-assemble him, but instead, they find that he's too powerful for them ...

[John Desmarais]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

3. He can get in touch with his past self and help him by giving the past Takofanes warning about how he will be entombed or send the Crowns of Krim to the Turakian Age and crush the resistence. (Talk about "When Worlds Collide")

This is actually quite similar to how I am using him in my current campaign - although it ended up being the PCs who (inadvertedly) went back in time and now have to face Tak (or rather Kal-Turak) during the Turakian Age in order to get home again.

[garou]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

This is actually quite similar to how I am using him in my current campaign - although it ended up being the PCs who (inadvertedly) went back in time and now have to face Tak (or rather Kal-Turak) during the Turakian Age in order to get home again.

It's really Kal-Turak? I'd start combing the land for a sandy-haired boy named Garion (or any reasonable facsimile thereof), and let him deal with it.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

It's really Kal-Turak? I'd start combing the land for a sandy-haired boy named Garion (or any reasonable facsimile thereof)' date=' and let him deal with it. [/quote']Now, now... Garion dealt with Kal-TOrak. That's an entirely different character.

[Egyptoid]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

I'm going to have to examine Takofanes now...

[mattingly]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Edit - oooh! Maybe instead use a Major Transform to change all of the oxygen in the air to helium - much easier' date=' and far fewer heroes have the LS needed to survive.[/i']

And how cool would it be to make the whole planet sound like munchkins for the last minute of their lives?

 

Drain 4d6 PRE; Incantations (Incantations Required by Target, -1/4)

[Cold Steel]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

i was wondering about the connection with Krim. Why doesn't Takofones summon him/her for advice or to aid the Archlich?

[TheTemplar]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Now' date=' now... Garion dealt with Kal-T[b']O[/b]rak. That's an entirely different character.

 

So it should be safe to use "Be Not!" against Kal-Turak, then? I sure would hate to implode.

 

Man it's been a while since I read the Belgariad. I may have to take another trip through those.

[garou]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Now' date=' now... Garion dealt with Kal-T[b']O[/b]rak. That's an entirely different character.

I know, I know. . . one's a crazed diety, horribly maimed and utterly insane, while the other is. . . well, maybe not. One is a horribly typecast plot device, while. . . not much better, huh?

 

All right - one has official stats in the Hero system, and the other doesn't. Yep - completely different.

[Haerandir]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

To be fair, Kal-Turak isn't actually a deity. He's just a near-infinitely powerful human who acts like a deity.

 

As for uses for Takofanes, I've toyed around with creating a series of undead villains that he's created (using the Summon) and sent off to create havoc in various ways. Best one I've come up with is Uncle Samedi, a skeleton in a black, white and crimson top-hat-and-tails outfit, who runs around committing various atrocities in the name of America. I haven't gotten around to statting him up, but his primary campaign function would be to serve as a foil for super-patriots and flagsuits.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

That's an AWESOME Tak/anon major plot hook' date=' LL. Repped as soon as I can! I'd tell my players to be worried about this if I had introduced either Takofanes or Mechanon in the campaign to date.[/quote']

 

You're too kind. FWIW I also outlined a potential time-travel scenario for PCs to see the possible outcome of this scheme, to give them both a warning of what could come and incentive to try to stop it.

 

The world stripped of all life has become divided between a barren desert populated by animated corpses, and a gleaming steel wasteland filled with sterile machines. The border between them would probably seethe with ceaseless warfare of robots against supernatural horrors. Without green plants to process carbon dioxide the air would be unbreathable, and the greenhouse effect would make the temperature inimical to life - not that that would bother any of the current inhabitants. OTOH, industrial pollutants from Mechanon's construction might have swathed the atmosphere in toxic clouds, cutting off the sun and plunging the land into permanent winter.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

i was wondering about the connection with Krim. Why doesn't Takofones summon him/her for advice or to aid the Archlich?

 

Well, according to The Mystic World, [spoiler!!]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Krim's heyday passed tens of thousands of years ago, it seems. So far as anyone knows, the demon-god now exists only through the Crowns and their wearers." (TMW p. 55)

 

So, Krim may not be in a position to do much for Takofanes. Moreover, the current wearers of his other Crowns are mortal enemies of the wearer of the Dragon Crown.

[Chimpira]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

So far Takofanes is like a boogeyman in my game. One of those names that get dropped and makes the room turn utterly silent. My players are not of the point level to challenge a character as powerful as that yet. Right now the Crowns of Krim are the big bad and the players have been preparing to throw down against them. They just recently discovered that DEMON is plotting to take the Crowns so that they might be able to exert influence over Takofanes. The players are working to stop the plan.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Now that's an interesting twist... the other Crowns of Krim being used to control the Dragon Crown, instead of the other way around.

 

As I mentioned on another recent thread, [MY PLAYERS STOP READING NOW! I MEAN IT!!]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm planning on ending my current campaign with a world-devastating plot featuring Tak and the Crowns of Krim. The Archlich finally succeeds in capturing the Crowns, but rather than simply taking their crowns or binding them to his service, he uses them for a ritual to summon something even worse: six of the most powerful and destructive demonic entities abiding on the Earth (culled from various Champions sourcebooks).

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Having read Hidden Lands, Takofanes rising must have sent the Empyreans into a panic, as they once attacked him "en masse" and were trounced. They did weaken his defenses enough for the "good guys" of the Turakian Age to take him down, though.

 

It could be possible that Takofanes might hold a grudge, and start making plans on taking out an enemy that he might still recognise as being dangerous enough to have challenged him, and know him more intimately than anyone else in this day and age.

 

You know, I was just rereading this, when I remembered that the Empyreans already have a major enemy in the Lemurians, and one with significant magical resources. IIRC Arvad the Betrayer, ruler of Lemuria, was around when the Empyreans attacked Tak's stronghold; he might come to the same conclusion as you about the Archlich's attitude, and try to ally with him. Arvad may just be arrogant enough to believe he can manipulate the Undying Lord. And Takofanes would probably be the, uh, entity best qualified to get the Mandragalore working again.

 

Takofanes, King of Lemuria. Commanding the Mandragalore.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

"Some Evils Are Too Old To Ever Die" - QM

 

Takofanes is a Worlds Killing Villain and unlikely to make an appearance as written, but there are hints of Takofane's activities in my campaign. However vague and nebulous.

 

The PCs ever really need to take up the guantlet.

 

 

 

 

QM

[Chimpira]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Now that's an interesting twist... the other Crowns of Krim being used to control the Dragon Crown, instead of the other way around.

 

 

Thanks. A recent episode of Doctor Who said it best. "When a door opens it can be used both ways." (At the time someone was using mental abilities to read another characters thoughts and she read his in turn. He did not even think that would be a possibility)

[Cold Steel]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Maybe all seven crowns would merge into one Cosmic Crown.

 

It would be as ugly as hell though.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

Or, if Krim exists in/with the Crowns, bringing them all together might incarnate Krim on Earth.

[Cold Steel]

Re: How would you use Takofanes?

 

I seem to recall somewhere (i don't remember) Krim had a son/daughter? named Krin?