Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

[Eosin]

Advent

 

Introduction

In the year 2012, Luther Black succeeded in his millennia long plan to usurp the power of the Five Kings of Edom but the future did not unfold as he predicted. His previous failures resonated throughout the ritual, riddling it with imperfections and unintended consequences. Now his nearly omnipotent soul is bound as completely as his diseased body was prior to his ascension but unlike the other Kings of Edom, Luther Black is anchored in our world. He is anchored in New York — once the greatest city on Earth — now a city overflowing with Qliphothic energies that are twisting our reality.

 

Officially, martial law quarantines a huge portion of the Eastern seaboard and the New England States after terrorists detonated an experimental Chinese nuclear weapon. It is hard to keep a secret that big unless you bury a lot of bodies but that is exactly what the United States did after the “Zero Point Event.” Weeks of chaos reigned across the states with riots and the near collapse of the government and the world economy. Food shortages created panic and armed confrontations. The media was seized after CNN aired footage of the Empire State Building standing like Shiva among the ruins of humanity.

 

Hungry, alone, and afraid there were few who resisted the militarization of America. Most pleaded to be included in military forces or corporate sponsored para-military forces recruited to keep peace and reassert national authority. America retreated from world events and focused the efforts of the nation on surviving a holocaust unlike anything witnessed in history.

 

Five years have passed since the Zero Point Event but more than a century ago Luther Black began the summoning of the Qliphothic into our world.

 

What is this?

Advent is a dystopian urban fantasy set in the year 2017. The design is meant to allow for campaigns that range from strait up Dark Champions to Buffy to full on World Of Darkness style games. There are futuristic elements to the game but I will endeavor to keep it divorced from a cyberpunk style. I'd prefer to set in in the "now" to avoid the genre bleed over but it'll be another 4-5 years in the game world before DEMON completes the "big ritual."

 

Where is it set?

There are grungy cities pulled strait from Blade Runner to sterile “cities” used to raise clones within the setting. Different campaigns will use different environments. Personally, I’ll use a hybrid of Hudson City and Chicago as a base for the campaign (visuals provided by Blade Runner, map provided by Hero Games). There will be some modifications to reflect the increased importance of the city and to reflect the political and technological changes in the world.

 

The world, however, is imploding. Corporate citizens shuffle through their daily lives blinded to the world around them and placated with bloody entertainment. Beyond the reach of corporate security and US government military personnel, the world is ruled by a single law: might makes right. Street life is a magnificent Darwinian experiment in survival. Those who are fit and resourceful survive while the gullible, the weak, and fools are the food upon which others prey. Between the two extremes, life is an ambivalent force. The lucky are masters of their own fate while others are the victims of fate. Still, it is a world not too different than our own only writ large across the page.

 

Campaign Level

I’ll be working from the premise that the PCs are 75 + 75 to 100 + 100 point totals. Players will be allowed to take on psychic powers as well as unique power sets (such as “The Slayer” or “The Charmed Ones”).

 

Idea Mining

Hero System

I’ll use whatever I can from Hero including Vibora Bay, Hudson City, Arcane Adversaries, Dark Champions, and all the supporting books. Obviously, DEMON features prominently in the setting.

 

Movies

The Mist, Constantine, The Ring, The Craft, Hellraiser

 

Television Shows

Brimstone, Supernatural, Charmed, Buffy

Roleplaying Games

Delta Green, World of Darkness, Conspiracy X, Unknown Armies, Nemesis

 

• That is about it for the introduction. We are hip deep in a cyberpunk campaign right now so no telling how long it will be before I get to run. In the meantime, I have something to poke around on and a reason to write-up funky creatures and conversions.
  
• I am -- of course -- assuming that the other folks in my gaming group will want to play within this setting.
  
• Oh yeah, this marks my return to gaming after nearly a year of being benched due to a wacky schedule. Dang it feels good to be back in the game.
  

[Eosin]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

Link Keeper [i'll link to posts as this grows]

Timeline

Magic

[Edsel]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

It sounds interesting so far. I wish I had more time to think about the concepts you have presented here. I like the mix of supernatural and a bit of high tech in this manner as opposed to the Shadow Run setting which I do not like (D&D fantasy critters mixed with cyberpunk is a turnoff to me).

[Savinien]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

Welcome back!

 

I suppose this game is ftf.

 

*sigh*

[Eosin]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

It sounds interesting so far. I wish I had more time to think about the concepts you have presented here. I like the mix of supernatural and a bit of high tech in this manner as opposed to the Shadow Run setting which I do not like (D&D fantasy critters mixed with cyberpunk is a turnoff to me).

 

I have a violent dislike for elves and guns. Shadow Run makes me ill.

 

Welcome back!

 

I suppose this game is ftf.

 

*sigh*

 

Hey Bud,

 

Yeah, it is FTF. I am still looking at the WOD rules (or any other simple system) for a fantasy PBP/PBeM . I also know that it'll be something of a slowish game. 3-4 days a week I can post with abandon but the other days are much tighter.

 

I also can't stand Hero Central (granted, it could have changed in the last year).

[Eosin]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

Magic

 

Initial Objectives:

1. Keep magic on the QT similar to standard genre conventions.
   
2. Allow diversity but not a hodge-podge of 1,000 different systems.
   
3. Encourage TV/movie tropes.
   

 

Even before the Zero Point Event magic has been steadily seeping into our world from the outer realms but the last two centuries have seen a dramatic increase. There are some who believe that all magic is derived from Qlipothic energies while others believe the powers come from another source (God, The Will, Sympathic Harmony, Spirits of the Lao, etc...) Those who command the arcane largely confine themselves to the shadows lest their notaritey be their undoing.

 

All those who dabble in the mystic arts understand that they place themselves in grave danger.

 

1. The "suits" are out to get you. The powers-that-be would dearly love to backwards engineer magic to perfect it as a weapon against the Zero Point. A person known to command powers beyond the ordinary can expect to be subjected to this backwards engineering -- and if a few eggs get broken in the process so be it. The lives of a few individuals are a small price to pay for a weapon of unlimited potential.

 

2. Anonymity is your best defense. Any mage not in the employ of DEMON is a rival. There will be a single recruitment offer and if the healthy 401K and robust health insurance doesn't sell you then expect a hostile take over of your assets. When members of DEMON's Inner Circle show up the deal is done.

3. The rats are everywhere. Even among friends and family the thought of someone tampering with powers that caused the death of 20 million people is disturbing. Rewards and bounties offered for victims of "radioactive" mutations are enough to test the most stalwart friendship. The snitches console themsleves with the thought that you are getting help and they have food and safety. This means that most styles of magic that need to be taught are very insular and don't recruit outside of a fairly small pool of candidates.

 

The Primary Styles of Magic

 

Familial Magic: Some families have talents that are handed down from generation to generation. Usually these gifts rely on a theme (such as Charmed) but it is also possible that they get their magic from a similar source (such as the Sylvestri or Vandelur Clans).

 

Tradition Magic: There are some who have perfected the craft through generations of study. While there are many such traditions the Circle of the Scarlet Moon is one of the larger and more active. Such fellowships monitor potential recruits for months or even years before approaching them both out of fear of being discovered and to ensure that the recruit possesses talent. You can paint a masterpiece with crayons.

 

Ritual Magic: Some arcane rituals have always simply "been." These are deeply disturbing rites that hearken back to darker days when blood carried power. Still, some study the disturbing text knowing that even a weapon that destroys the user has use.

 

 

Family Styles

Orbing [Teleportation Powers]

More to come....

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[CAMPAIGN TANGENT: What if the power of magic could be tapped as an energy source? Maybe some government research shows that the yield of magic would be significantly cheaper than other diminishing resources. You'd never need to implement this in the game (I would not simply for style reasons) but it might be an interesting wrinkle to the magic using players who find out that they are batteries ala Matrix.]

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

In the year 2112... Five years have passed since the Zero Point Event but more than a century ago Luther Black began the summoning of the Qliphothic into our world... Advent is a dystopian urban fantasy set in the year 2017... I'd prefer to set in in the "now" to avoid the genre bleed over but it'll be another 4-5 years in the game world before DEMON completes the "big ritual."

 

I'm afraid I find the time line described here a little confusing. Could you please clarify what happens when?

 

 

Idea Mining

Hero System

I’ll use whatever I can from Hero including Vibora Bay, Hudson City, Arcane Adversaries, Dark Champions, and all the supporting books. Obviously, DEMON features prominently in the setting.

 

Have you seen this? http://www.allenvarney.com/anopheles.html

[Eosin]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

I'm afraid I find the time line described here a little confusing. Could you please clarify what happens when?

 

In 2012 -- depending on what story you believe -- Luther Black [The Edomite] finished his grand ritual designed to steal the power from the Kings of Edom or an experimental Chinese Nuclear device was detonated in New York. The campaign begins five years from that incident, which is called the "Zero Point Event."

 

[ADDED --- Ah, I had a typo in there indicating it was 2112 instead of 2012.]

 

Have you seen this? http://www.allenvarney.com/anopheles.html

 

Nope, but I'll be sure to take a gander. I like Allen's stuff.

[Eosin]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

Have you seen this? http://www.allenvarney.com/anopheles.html

 

I got around to reading Allen's stuff. That really isn't what I had in mind at all but the insanity rules were pretty nice. Advent is really a dark future, (not quite post-apocalyptic in nature) one that has absolutely gone through some traumatic changes. I envision huge mega cities in the theme of Hudson City or LA in Blade Runner including a profound disparity between those who live within the system ("citizens") and those who have fallen out. It is a world full of fear where fear dare raise their voice. In this future, corporate and Militarized America is nearly as bad as the full on Cthulhu based horror of the Edomite.

 

Speaking of Edom, the Zero Point Event spawned a thousand nightmare creatures; the chittering things of your darkest dreams given form. Near New York, America wages a war of biblical scale to hold back the abyss while the evening news speaks about "containing the radiation" or "euthanizing the poor souls who have suffered radiation induced mutation." Vampiric cabals struggle for control over the streets, corporations, "livestock," and ultimately America herself. The Qlipothic has intruded into our world, in the house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu has awoken.

 

Arcane societies combat the nightspawn, the government, corporations, and even other arcanists. Heroes are fight and die anonymously thanks to elaborate cover ups. Some remember distant times when men stood up for themselves and believe that the world cries for the rebirth of the Cowboy - a man or woman equally armed and willing to go down with all guns blazing.

 

Mystic cowboys versus the corrupt sheriff versus vampire banditos.

 

Yeah, that's the theme right there.

[Eosin]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

Timeline [i'll add to this as I develop the setting]

 

2012 Zero Point Event

2017 Campaign Start [tentatively]

[Nagus Pantojan]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

is this more info on the pbm game we started. If so are you going to try to restart it? Let me know.

 

myron

[Eosin]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

is this more info on the pbm game we started. If so are you going to try to restart it? Let me know.

 

myron

 

Hmmmm, Yes and no. The first was a modern day Delta Green campaign, this is a bit of another animal. The only supernatural within Delta Green are modernized Cthulu horrors and alien conspiracy. And, I am not planning on restarting it. I think that style game is beyond my ability to run over the internet.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

I got around to reading Allen's stuff. That really isn't what I had in mind at all but the insanity rules were pretty nice.

 

I was thinking that it might offer inspiration as to what New York would look like post-Zero Point. And since you want Qliphothic nightmares to be unleashed into the world, Anopheles has a bunch of them, both overt and covert.

 

And there's another point. Have you taken a look at the past timeline for Allen's story, and the suggested events on it? The monsters' program for taking over corporate America could be the basis of a campaign metaplot, and lead to extra urgency in opposing certain "megacorps."

[Eosin]

Re: Advent - dystopian urban fantasy

 

Never fear, I have strong hopes of being able to "borrow" some of the monsters and ideas presented. Thanks for the link by the way....