The Lost Room Hero

[AlHazred]

So, I just watched The Lost Room, a new Sci-Fi Channel series. It was pretty good, but I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't seen it. Suffice it to say, it's a series about a group of people after a large number (more than 100) special Objects. Each Object has a weird power and is associated with a particular Motel Room.

 

My question for the boards is, what genre would you put it in? It's sort of like a Modern Fantasy story, with elements of Supernatural Horror. But I could see calling it a Conspiracy Hero game.

 

 

Would you model the Objects? Or leave them unmodelled; after all, if you don't know everything that the Objects do, then neither can your players.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

Genre: it's sort of its own genre, though mostly I'd call it Modern Fantasy.

 

As for modeling the Objects, I'd certainly model their individual properties (and the Ballpoint Pen would be a good entry in TUEP). I haven't yet seen how they work in concert, so I'm not sure on that one yet.

[AlHazred]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I could see going either way on the issue of statting them out. All of the Objects seem to have extraordinary powers, all limited in some inconvenient way. For example:

The Bus Ticket

Instantly teleports any person who touches it - or who is touched with it - to a spot outside Gallup, N.M. The ticket itself remains where it is unless the teleported person was holding it at the time. Round trips are not possible.

The Pen

This deadly Object creates and transfers energy in a dual effect, much like a microwave oven, causing gruesome damage to whoever comes into contact with the ballpoint of the pen. It has the potential to "cook" someone from the inside out.

 

The Eyeglasses

Inhibits combustion within a 20-foot radius. This includes not just fires and explosions but all kinds of combustion, such as bullet firings and the operation of internal combustion engines.

 

The Radio

Anyone who tunes the radio into the correct station will become 3 inches taller.

 

The Wrist Watch

Will hardboil eggs placed within its band. The hands on the watch are frozen at 1:20.

 

I don't know that you need to stat them - some of the abilities are unusually expensive in Hero, but with the limitations imposed on them become pretty cheap anyway. Besides, how's the PC ever going to know how it's modelled?

[Steve]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I'd rate this is a Modern Fantasy campaign myself.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about modeling most of the effects of Objects (all are Indestructible Foci though, maybe with Side Effects), unless (like the pen or the nail file) they could have some combat effect.

 

After all, who really wants to model the ability to hard boil an egg?

 

I'd say this would work fine as a 50+50 campaign, but I could also see it working well at 25+25.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

After all' date=' who really wants to model the ability to hard boil an egg? [/quote']I'd bet good money that Heimforth or Mattingly could do it.

[Curufea]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I'm thinking it could be a great new addition to the Creepy Hotel

[BobGreenwade]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I'm thinking it could be a great new addition to the Creepy Hotel

Maybe you should start a whole new thread on that... one of my favorite "urban fantasy" concoctions is the Hell Toupee, a hairpiece that, after about an hour, causes the wearer to burst into flames. Not an item for the Lost Room setting, but it might work for your hotel.

[sinanju]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

So, I just watched The Lost Room, a new Sci-Fi Channel series. It was pretty good, but I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't seen it. Suffice it to say, it's a series about a group of people after a large number (more than 100) special Objects. Each Object has a weird power and is associated with a particular Motel Room.

 

My question for the boards is, what genre would you put it in? It's sort of like a Modern Fantasy story, with elements of Supernatural Horror. But I could see calling it a Conspiracy Hero game.

 

 

Would you model the Objects? Or leave them unmodelled; after all, if you don't know everything that the Objects do, then neither can your players.

 

It's the genre I called "Secret Magic" and is one of my favorite sorts of games to run (or play in, but I don't get the chance very often). The contemporary world--on the surface--but with lots of Really Weird Stuff going on behind the scenes that most people are completely unaware is happening. The PCs get drawn into that weird world and find themselves dealing with all sorts of unnatural, supernatural events, locations, forces, objects and creatures.

 

Sort of like the World of Darkness (Mage, in particular), but without the gothic angst.

[Mike Dean]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

Sounds similar in a way to the premise of the old Friday the 13th TV series. The genre is sometimes referred to as Mundane Fantasy.

 

Mike

[Edsel]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I wonder if a copy of the, never produced, 5th Edition Horror Hero is in one of the drawers in the room?

[Midas]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

Sounds similar in a way to the premise of the old Friday the 13th TV series. The genre is sometimes referred to as Mundane Fantasy.

 

Mike

 

Yep. That was the show I was thinking of when I saw Lost Room. However, TLR is better written (as a mini series -YMMV if it becomes a series), and the Objects aren't the obvious Monkey Paws of F13: Only one, for example, is a direct weapon (the microwaving pen).

 

The objects seem to develop an obsessive quality the more one uses them, almost a "Ring Lust." Three characters off the top of my head had a definate "Mine! MINE!" outlook. One, The Weasle (Likely to be forever known as George the Pharmacist), even points out a group of desperate derelicts as "Object Losers." At first I thought that he was mispronouncing "abject" then I caught on. In Hero terms, anybody who "owns" an Object gets a Psy Crock based on possession of an Independant focus: And gets to keep the Psy DV after the IND focus goes bye-bye.

 

Quite a bit more subtle than the "You can use the Antique as long as you are willing to be a spree murderer" vibe of F13.

 

Midas

[Mike Dean]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

The objects seem to develop an obsessive quality the more one uses them' date=' almost a "Ring Lust." Three characters off the top of my head had a definate "Mine! MINE!" outlook.[/quote']

 

Out of curiosity, are some characters capable of resisting this sense of possessiveness, or is it inevitable if you own one of these things? When a PC obtains one of these things does he gain the disad for it even if he is very specific about never using it? Keeps it in a lockbox, perhaps? In short, can the problem be overcome via roleplaying?

 

Mike

[Nolgroth]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

Out of curiosity, are some characters capable of resisting this sense of possessiveness, or is it inevitable if you own one of these things? When a PC obtains one of these things does he gain the disad for it even if he is very specific about never using it? Keeps it in a lockbox, perhaps? In short, can the problem be overcome via roleplaying?

 

Mike

Well the guy with the comb was able to get rid of it, but only after getting wounded. Maybe it's a Psych Lim at the Strong or Total level. Getting wounded gave him the bonus to his Ego roll that allowed him to give it up.

 

Also, the main character didn't seem all that affected by having the key for so long. Maybe his overriding obsession to get back his daughter was enough to prevent any other competing Psych Lims. Also, he didn't have it for as long as some people had theirs. The lady with the scissors comes to mind.

 

The people that stored them didn't seem too affected either.

[Chris Henry]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I wonder if a copy of the' date=' never produced, 5th Edition Horror Hero is in one of the drawers in the room?[/quote']

 

Only if it had been published in 1961, predating Champions by 20 years.... oh the paradox!

[Midas]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

Out of curiosity, are some characters capable of resisting this sense of possessiveness, or is it inevitable if you own one of these things? When a PC obtains one of these things does he gain the disad for it even if he is very specific about never using it? Keeps it in a lockbox, perhaps? In short, can the problem be overcome via roleplaying?

 

Mike

 

 

Well the guy with the comb was able to get rid of it, but only after getting wounded. Maybe it's a Psych Lim at the Strong or Total level. Getting wounded gave him the bonus to his Ego roll that allowed him to give it up.

 

Also, the main character didn't seem all that affected by having the key for so long. Maybe his overriding obsession to get back his daughter was enough to prevent any other competing Psych Lims. Also, he didn't have it for as long as some people had theirs. The lady with the scissors comes to mind.

 

The people that stored them didn't seem too affected either.

 

At first blush, it looked like Comb Dude had rounded up some exp and actually bought off the disad. However, in spite of my earlier off the cuff reply, I think that awarding "negative exp" is against the spirit of Hero system.

 

I think I would go with an IND focus, built however, with the cumulative transform (sane to obsessed) side effect. Each time it was used, the user must save vs EGO or take say, one point in DV/transform. The transform would go from minor to strong to total as the Object was used. The lead character made all his saves because the Key was really a distraction to his overridding psy dv. To reverse the transform, one would need to save vs the cumulative transform, with all the negative modifiers, to give the object away. Thus Comb Dude was effectively cured when he gave away the Comb, freely.

 

Midas

[BobGreenwade]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

The one thing that really gives me pause for thought is...

 

What if this had taken place in the same universe as Heroes?

 

Okay, back to the discussion on Psych Lims.

[Midas]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

The one thing that really gives me pause for thought is...

 

What if this had taken place in the same universe as Heroes?

 

Okay, back to the discussion on Psych Lims.

 

I'm a sucker for crossovers, always have been, but I don't see where the two plotlines would overlap.

 

For example, there is a fanfic where Nick Knight (U. S. Army Medical Corps) meets Duncan McLeod (Underground Railroad conductor) during the Civil War. Then they meet again in the 1990s. Both do a double take:

 

Knight {He isn't a vampire...}

Duncan {He isn't an immortal...}

And both try to figure out how the other has lived so long.

 

Where would you have the Heroes cross paths with the mystery of the Lost Room?

 

Midas

[Curufea]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I'd have Sylar's map and Suresh's notes be taken by someone who uses the Lost Room key.

[Midas]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I'd have Sylar's map and Suresh's notes be taken by someone who uses the Lost Room key.

 

OK, following up: Who why how?

 

How would someone in the Lost Room mythos know about the map or notes? The Hero McGuffins are too new to be on the list of either of the Object Dealers' lists, for example: And would they be interested in branching out? Is there even a market for simple McGuffins as opposed to the weird Lost Room Objects?

 

Why would the Keyholder want the map or notes? Just coincedence, or is he someone involved in the Hero Conspiracy? What would having someone swipe the items gain?

 

Not arguing, just asking for expansion.

 

Midas

[Steve]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

Some thoughts that occurred to me while watching the series.

 

 

1) If anything taken from the room becomes an indestructible Object outside the room, I wonder what water from the tap might do if taken outside?

 

2) How did something like the coat (indestructible body armor?) remain in the room when pretty much everything else portable was removed, other than the bed, the dresser and the telephone on the wall?

 

3) Why didn't anyone just try and put everything back into the room for safekeeping? They are harmless inside it.

 

[sinanju]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

OK, following up: Who why how?

 

How would someone in the Lost Room mythos know about the map or notes?

 

That's easy. Because one of the Objects from the room is what CAUSES people to develop Hero powers. He's trying to acquire it, and Mohinder's father found out about it--that's how he glommed onto the existence of the Heroes in the first place. (And it explains the widely spaced sightings of Heroes--someone with the hotel key has been a busy boy....

[sinanju]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

Some thoughts that occurred to me while watching the series.

 

1) If anything taken from the room becomes an indestructible Object outside the room, I wonder what water from the tap might do if taken outside?

 

Good question. Maybe nothing, though, because the water pouring out of the tap wasn't in the room when the Event happened.

 

3) Why didn't anyone just try and put everything back into the room for safekeeping? They are harmless inside it.

 

Because you need the key to access the room. Without it, you can't put things back in the room. If you lose the key, the new guy can take them all. Better to just try to bury them where nobody can get at them.

 

(Though if I was doing that, I'd dump them all in a huge vault in the ground and fill it in with concrete. No nice museum displays, thanks. After all, if I ever want any of them I can just smash the concrete to bits. Won't hurt the objects at all.)

[AlHazred]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

3) Why didn't anyone just try and put everything back into the room for safekeeping? They are harmless inside it.

Because you need the key to access the room. Without it' date=' you can't put things back in the room. If you lose the key, the new guy can take them all. Better to just try to bury them where nobody can get at them.

[/quote']Exactly. Although,

I imagine if the miniseries turns into a series, one of the eventual plot elements is the idea of what happens when all of the Objects are returned to the Lost Room. Does this heal the rip in space/time? Does that person become God? Does a copy of Hero System 6th edition magically appear?

 

[Just Joe]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

I'm thinking it could be a great new addition to the Creepy Hotel

 

I thought about this connection right away as well. My version of the hotel, if I ever design it, will include a few doors that go to the "wrong" rooms. There will also be some portals linking non-adjacent rooms, and at least one room reachable only through such a portal.

 

Other thoughts on TLR Hero:

 

1. I don't especially care what genre it is (though the answers above strike me as plausible).

 

2. I'm more interested in stealing ideas from it than directly copying it.

 

3. I would design objects only to the extent that it was useful to me. The only reason I can see to design them all would be to deal with drains, dispels, etc., which I probably would not allow (and which do not appear to be an issue in the source material).

[Midas]

Re: The Lost Room Hero

 

That's easy. Because one of the Objects from the room is what CAUSES people to develop Hero powers. He's trying to acquire it' date=' and Mohinder's father found out about it--that's how he glommed onto the existence of the Heroes in the first place. (And it explains the widely spaced sightings of Heroes--someone with the hotel key has been a busy boy....[/quote']

 

OK, IF you make Heroes subordinate to Lost Room, but not if you give both series equal backgrounds. Your idea would make the notes and map meaningless for Heroes background; though of course, the map could be used to locate the Occupant, as was done in LR.

 

There would be no more "coming new man" vibes for Heroes, as they would become mere object effects.

 

Midas