The Littlest Fireman

[Lucius]

"Lady! LADY! You got to move! The house is on fire!"

 

The shaking and the terrified words finally reached the woman, foggy

with sleep and with smoke inhalation. She found her infant thrust into

her arms, and was being tugged insistently out of the bed. The distant

sound of sirens and the smell of smoke got her moving quickly, but the

sight of flames at the foot of the stair froze her in terror.

 

Then a hand slipped into hers and the heat, the smell, and fear all

evaporated. A gentle tug from the small yellow clad figure beside her

got her moving again, and with one hand holding his and the other arm

cradling the baby she walked down the stairs and right into the flames.

"It looked like Hell, but it felt like Heaven" she said later. She was

led to the locked front door just as it fell to an ax, and the

firefighter's obvious shock did not slow his reaction as he seized her

and carried her, and the baby, bodily away from the burning house.

 

Two weeks later firefighters responding to another alarm were surprised

to see that somehow one of their number must have gotten there ahead of

the rest; someone wearing the distinctive helmet was already waving from

a fifth story window. The ladder was immediately raised, and two

children were helped out. The third - a boy of seven wearing a child

size firefighter's uniform, the one who had been waving - turned away. The

firefighter grabbed, but his hand passed through the little body like

smoke.

 

The courage of firefighters is a byword, but those who saw this

apparition - always at fires, always when someone needed rescue - were

frightened. Partly because they recognized him; most had either met the

boy or seen his picture. He was one of their own, an honorary

firefighter. And he had died of leukemia a month ago.

 

 

 

 

Okay, I don't have the character and am not sure I'll create it, but I thought I'd share the idea. Maybe someone else can write it up.

 

Plot seeds:

 

There's been a spike in recent months of unexplained fires, mystery blazes where the cause either cannot be determined, or the apparent cause is freakishly unlikely. These are all fires where the Littlest Fireman put in an appearance. Could this ghost, or whatever it is, be causing the fires?

Variant1: The Littlest Fireman keeps pointing. Eventually someone gets the idea of trying to triangulate the directions he points in from each fire. He seems to be indicating a certain apartment block. Somewhere in that building lives the little girl who's been having nightmares lately about fires....

Variant2: All the suspect fires are in heavily insured buildings, and these are the first fires the Littlest Fireman appeared at where there weren't victims to be rescued. He seems upset but just says "Get the bad guy, you gotta get the bad guy" before vanishing. Has someone found an undetectable way to commit arson? Is there a new supervillain with fire powers selling his talent to these businessmen who don't seem so upset that their property burned down? And can you convince the investigating authorities to take seriously the word of a child, and a child who isn't even alive anymore at that?

 

A religiously motivated hero (or possibly a more ordinary person, perhaps a cleric of some faith) has bought a scanner and is rushing to fires, sometimes even getting in the way of firefighters, trying to confront the spirit and exorcise it. "If it IS really the soul of that poor child, it needs to be released to go on to the afterlife! And if it's NOT what it seems, it's obviously evil and needs to be banished." Should the heroes help, hinder, or ignore the would be exorcist?

Variant1: The Littlest Fireman always cries and looks sad when firefighters see him. Is he being compelled somehow to live up to his wish to be "a real firefighter?" Does he regret the wish now?

Variant2: The Littlest Fireman always looks happy when the firefighters show up and even speaks, usually remarks like "Hooray! We saved this kid!" or is overheard saying to a victim "Don't try to move mister, your legs got burned a little, I know it hurts but help is coming, you'll be okay....HEY JOE! This guy needs a stretcher!" If he's doing what he wants to do, and helping people, is it right to try to send him on to wherever he's "supposed" to go?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: My inspiration was a real little boy who became an honorary firefighter through the Make a Wish foundation's efforts and his local fire department's compassion. The child was real although the versions of the story that circulate online are often exagerrated or distorted. I chose not to use the boy's real name because I don't want to cheapen his memory with my trivial bit of fiction.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary notes that if you're curious, you can check out the story at snopes.com

[Basil]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

Excellent! Terrific idea and background.

 

As for the second seed; I'd be tempted to sit the idiot down and explain the difference between soul, spirit, and "psychic remnant." And then smack him and tell him to butt out.

[薔薇語]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

I love the idea! Rep to come!

 

Hope the plot works well for you and your group.

 

La Rose

[games]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

this sounds really awesome

[Lucius]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

Thank you all for saying so.

 

Since I don't see him as a player character, or even an NPC apt to be involved in fighting anything but fires, I'm not sure it would be necessary to write him up. But as a character, these are the powers I see...

 

Desolid (he's a ghost, duh)

Life Support (again, kind of duh)

Some heavy defenses specialized against fire (specifically in the event someone has a fire based power that Affects Desolid. I don't think even the Flames of Hell can hurt his innocent soul.)

 

Here's where it might get expensive:

Usable on Others for Life Support, Desolid, and possibly some Defenses. These would have to be bought Affects Solid.

 

Maybe Healing (with Paramedic roll?)

 

Maybe Suppress Fire

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I have to put out the palindromedary

[薔薇語]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

The Little Firefighter.hdc.

 

I didn't put any disads since I wasn't sure what you would want. But I was bored and thought this would be a good project to take time.

 

Enjoy,

La Rose

[Lucius]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

The Little Firefighter.hdc.

 

I didn't put any disads since I wasn't sure what you would want. But I was bored and thought this would be a good project to take time.

 

Enjoy,

La Rose

 

Someday I may even be able to read it.

 

I hadn't given any thought to disads.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I see palindromedaries

[Hyper-Man]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

Someday I may even be able to read it.

 

I hadn't given any thought to disads.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I see palindromedaries

 

Here's a board friendly version:

 

 

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

4 STR -6 10- Lift 43.5kg; 1/2d6

6 DEX -12 10- OCV: 2/DCV: 2

6 CON -8 10-

5 BODY -10 10-

6 INT -4 10- PER Roll 10-

8 EGO -4 11- ECV: 3

8 PRE -2 11- PRE Attack: 1 1/2d6

8 COM -1 11-

1 PD 0 Total: 1 PD (0 rPD)

1/31 ED 0 Total: 1/31 ED (0/30 rED)

1 SPD 0 Phases: 7

2 REC 0

12 END 0

10 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: -52

 

Movement:

Running: 4"/8"

Flight: 4"/8"

Swimming: 1"/2"

Teleportation: 20"/40"

 

 

Cost Powers END

45 Elemental Control, 90-point powers

30 1) Ghost: Desolidification , Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (90 Active Points); Always On (-1/2)

65 2) Desolidification , Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (90 Active Points); Always On (-1/2) plus Flight 4", Position Shift, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Usable Simultaneously (up to 2 people at once; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (no upward movement. only to cross terrain that use to exist; -1/2)

108 3) Suppress fire powers 6d6 (standard effect: 18 points), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Mobile (+1), Affects Physical World (+2) (165 Active Points); Always On (-1/2) plus LS (Safe in Intense Heat; Self-Contained Breathing), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2); Always On (-1/2)

26 4) FF (30 ED), Hardened (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Usable Simultaneously (up to 8 people at once; +1) (97 Active Points); Only Works Against fire Limited Type of Attack (-1/2), Always On (-1/2)

20 5) Stabalize: Healing BODY 3d6, Requires A Skill Roll (No Active Point penalty to Skill Roll; +0), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Only to heal from Fire and Smoke Damage; -1 1/2), Others Only (-1/2)

30 6) To the fire: Teleportation 20", Safe Blind Teleport (+1/4), MegaScale (1" = 20m; +1/4), Can Be Scaled Down 1" = 1km (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Can Only Teleport To place preceived by Fire Sense Floating Fixed Locations (-1/2)

22 7) Fire sense: Clairsentience (Mystic Group), Discriminatory, Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Targeting, No Range Modifier (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Increased Maximum Range (10,000"; +1/2); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (only to sense fire; -1 1/2)

Perks

3 Anonymity

2 Reputation: The little fireman (A small to medium sized group (firemen and interested parties)) 14-, +2/+2d6

Skills

0 Conversation 8-

0 Language (idiomatic; literate)

3 Paramedics 10-

2 Junior Fire Fighter: PS: Fire Fighter 11-

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 356

Total Cost: 304

 

200+ Disadvantages

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 304

[bigbywolfe]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

I love this idea and the fact that you supplied various plot seeds that could take it in drastically different directions.

It’s endearing, yet could be played up to be very cute, or creepy or spooky.

 

Excellent! Terrific idea and background.

 

As for the second seed; I'd be tempted to sit the idiot down and explain the difference between soul, spirit, and "psychic remnant." And then smack him and tell him to butt out.

 

I wouldn’t mind if you sat me down and explained “the difference between soul, spirit, and ‘psychic remnant.’” I would think the difference would vary a great deal depending on the campaign’s universe. Is there commonly accepted distinction? I mean, many religions do not distinguish between “soul” and “spirit”, and every reference to psychic “remnants" or psychic “impressions” irl have seen have been attempts to explain ghosts and other paranormal activity that, unlike poltergeist and other supposed “spirits”, cannot effect the physical world. Besides, even helpful or “friendly ghosts” are often considered to be trapped in the physical world for some reason. Your solution may be stopping the poor little boy from finding eternal peace. Shame on you.

[Lucius]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

Here's a board friendly version:

 

 

Great work! I can think of details I'd tweak and little things I'd add on (can't ghosts see in the dark? or how DO they percieve things, anyway?)(How about a toy fire ax that does real damage?) but only one major point jumps to mind.

 

I did concieve of the Littlest Fireman as having a massive PRE and maybe EGO as well, for two reasons.

 

1:

The monster - balrog, or demon, or whatever it was - stood amid the charred ruins, the flames wreathing its body illuminating the spotless yellow and ridiculously tiny figure confronting it with only a child's toy fire ax. "Every despairing soul that burns down the business he had himself built up to escape a debt, every corrupted soul that makes a little profit by making an unsafe building, every weak soul that sneaks into the ruins to loot, is a soul lost to me. I grow ever more powerful. This city will burn, and nothing can save it. FEAR ME!"

 

The child raises the toy, holding it more like a holy symbol than a weapon. "I'm a real fireman now. And a real fireman Isn't afraid of anything!!"

 

 

2:

"I'm scared" whimpered the boy pressing back in the closet. "Everything's on fire out there and I'm going to die!" The strange boy looks steadily into the terrified eyes and says "You'll be okay if you come with me. Don't be afraid. Trust me." Wordlessly the living boy puts his hand into the hand of the dead one, closes his eyes, and doesn't open them again until until a much larger pair of hands seizes him up and a joyful voice cries "We got the kid, they're all out now!"

 

 

Some possible limitations:

Psychological Limitations. Fireman's Code for example, or compulsion to rescue people from fires.

 

DNPC. Aren't his parents still alive?

 

Childlike. While forced to confront some things, like mortality, at an early age, he still completely lacks the perspectives of having lived as an adult. There's a lot he won't know or understand.

 

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary thinks Lucius should give in and write the story already. Or find an artist and make it a comic book.

[Cygnia]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

Maybe an Aid to Ego (only useable on those with Psych Lim.: Pyrophobia)?

[薔薇語]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

This may sound odd. But does "+X Ego, w/ Usable Simultaneously, area of Effect (one hex)" need to have "effects physical world?" My guess is that it does. Anyway the edit HD file is soon coming. I will just edit it into this post when I have finished it. I will also work through the disads you mentioned. Also does an attack coming from a desolid character need "affects Desolid" on it to hurt another desolid? Or is that just simply a GM call?

 

La Rose

 

 

As promised the revamped version is attached. Maybe a certain excitable blue man will post a board friendly version, as I do not know how. If only we could attach html format items I could just post the character sheet.

 

In response to the idea of an aid to Ego. I opted for: 5) Inspirational Presence: +15 EGO, Usable Simultaneously (up to 2 people at once; +1/2), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2); Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Only to resist Fear.; -1), Nonpersistent (-1/4). There isn't any doubt here about what the effect will be. It also only works to make them stable against the fear. It will also help the little fireman to resist the fearsome apparitions out there that would dissuade him from his purpose!

 

I also gave him a little firemans axe. It only does 1d6 HKA but that should be enough. It also have a extra 2d6 to harm evil specters that would do such things. It is built as: 3) My Little Axe: HKA 1d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Affects Physical World (+2); Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), No STR Bonus (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4) plus HKA 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Area Of Effect Accurate (One Hex; +1/2), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2) (90 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Only usable against Evil specters; -1 1/2), No STR Bonus (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4). I don't know if that will be enough to really hurt / kill a specter but it should be enough to convince them to go away. Also with it being an accurate AOE attack it will hit. I thought of the power as being something that God (or what ever force is guiding the child) acting on behalf of the child. The SpF/X of it would be a shining light beaming down upon the area as if from coming from heaven itself.

 

I wasn't sure about increasing his PD, seeing as how it is at only 1. But given the circumstances around him, I think that is where it should be. It isn't likely that a PD attack could ever effect him. I also gave him "life sight." I call it sight, but it operates more like his Fire sense in that it is just a targeting Mystic sense. Ie "I feel that someone is over here." Lastly I boosted his PRE to 13. I don't know how high you want his PRE to be, but I think given normal humans 13 is essentially twice as high as a average normal. And he as the boost to ego to compensate (total ego of 23 to resist fear, not to mention a total psyc lim).

 

La Rose

[Lucius]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

This may sound odd. But does "+X Ego, w/ Usable Simultaneously, area of Effect (one hex)" need to have "effects physical world?" My guess is that it does. Anyway the edit HD file is soon coming. I will just edit it into this post when I have finished it. I will also work through the disads you mentioned. Also does an attack coming from a desolid character need "affects Desolid" on it to hurt another desolid? Or is that just simply a GM call?

 

La Rose

 

 

If the two Desolid characters have the same special effects, they effect one another. If they have DIFFERENT special effects, they need an Advantage.

 

Oh, and I saw the ax not as primarily something to use against "evil spectres" but just to use the way real firefighters do, mostly for use on structures.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Affect Palindromedary

[薔薇語]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

Oh, and I saw the ax not as primarily something to use against "evil spectres" but just to use the way real firefighters do, mostly for use on structures.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Affect Palindromedary

 

I realize the axe was for structures, but I thought the Specter thing would be a nice addition.

 

La Rose

[薔薇語]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

I found an export that is board friendly. So here goes what I couldn't produce before.

 

Val Char Cost

4 STR -6

6 DEX -12

6 CON -8

5 BODY -10

6 INT -4

23 EGO -4

13 PRE 3

8 COM -1

 

1 PD 0

1/31 ED 0

2 SPD 4

2 REC 0

12 END 0

10 STUN 0

 

4" RUN -4

1" SWIM -1

0 1/2" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: -43

 

Cost Power

45 Elemental Control, 90-point powers

 

89 1) Appirition : Desolidification , Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (90 Active Points); Always On (-1/2) plus Flight 4", Position Shift, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Usable Simultaneously (up to 2 people at once; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2) (52 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (no upward movement. only to cross terrain that use to exist; -1/2) plus Detect A Class Of Things 10- (Mystic Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Range, Sense, Targeting

 

88 2) Suppress fire powers 6d6 (standard effect: 18 points), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Affects Physical World (+2) (135 Active Points); Always On (-1/2) plus LS (Safe in Intense Heat; Self-Contained Breathing), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2); Always On (-1/2)

 

34 3) My Little Axe: HKA 1d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Affects Physical World (+2); Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), No STR Bonus (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4) plus HKA 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Area Of Effect Accurate (One Hex; +1/2), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2) (90 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Only usable against Evil specters; -1 1/2), No STR Bonus (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4)

 

26 4) FF (30 ED), Hardened (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Usable Simultaneously (up to 8 people at once; +1) (97 Active Points); Only Works Against fire Limited Type of Attack (-1/2), Always On (-1/2)

 

33 5) Inspirational Presence: +15 EGO, Usable Simultaneously (up to 2 people at once; +1/2), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2); Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Only to resist Fear.; -1), Nonpersistent (-1/4)

 

20 6) Stabalize: Healing BODY 3d6, Requires A Skill Roll (No Active Point penalty to Skill Roll; +0), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Only to heal from Fire and Smoke Damage; -1 1/2), Others Only (-1/2)

 

30 7) To the fire: Teleportation 20", Safe Blind Teleport (+1/4), MegaScale (1" = 20m; +1/4), Can Be Scaled Down 1" = 1km (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Can Only Teleport To place preceived by Fire Sense Floating Fixed Locations (-1/2)

 

22 8) Fire sense: Clairsentience (Mystic Group), Discriminatory, Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Targeting, No Range Modifier (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Increased Maximum Range (10,000"; +1/2); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (only to sense fire; -1 1/2)

Powers Cost: 387

 

 

Cost Skill

0 Conversation 8-

0 Language (idiomatic; literate)

3 Paramedics 10-

2 PS: Fire Fighter 11-

Skills Cost: 5

 

Cost Perk

3 Anonymity

2 Reputation: The little fireman (A small to medium sized group (firemen and interested parties)) 14-, +2/+2d6

Perks Cost: 5

 

 

Total Character Cost: 354

 

Pts. Disadvantage

15 DNPC: Living Parents 8- (Incompetent)

20 Distinctive Features: Little Fireman Ghost (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

15 Physical Limitation: Eternal Child (All the Time, Slightly Impairing)

25 Psychological Limitation: Fireman's Code (Very Common, Total)

Disadvantage Points: 75

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 79

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

[Basil]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

89 1) Appirition : Desolidification ' date=' Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (90 Active Points); Always On (-1/2) plus Flight 4", Position Shift, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Usable Simultaneously (up to 2 people at once; +1/2), Affects Physical World (+2) (52 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (no upward movement. only to cross terrain that use to exist; -1/2) plus Detect A Class Of Things 10- (Mystic Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Range, Sense, Targeting[/quote']

Why do you have Desolid, Flight, and Detect all in the same 'power'? Also, Detect what?

 

30 7) To the fire: Teleportation 20"' date=' Safe Blind Teleport (+1/4), MegaScale (1" = 20m; +1/4), Can Be Scaled Down 1" = 1km (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Can Only Teleport To place preceived by Fire Sense Floating Fixed Locations (-1/2)[/quote']

Um, I take it you mean 20km?

[薔薇語]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

Why do you have Desolid, Flight, and Detect all in the same 'power'? Also, Detect what?

 

 

Um, I take it you mean 20km?

 

 

1st.:

The First power was built as a general catch all for being a ghost. So I took the three things I thought a general ghost might have and lumped them all together as a means of keeping them separate from the other individual specific power. The three things being: Desolid, Flight (ghostly walk), and a general detect life force (thanks for catching it lacking the what it detects ).

 

The Megascale is a little off. It was suppose to be scalable from 1km to 20m. I know that scalable isn't suppose to be used in that manner, ie a cheep way of building Medium range movement, but since it is an NPC I thought I would fudge the rules. This was just to avoid building another Teleport that would get you from one near by house to another. IE if the house your in is put out but you have to get down the block to the next one, it would either require him to ghost walk down there or do some triganometry to Megascale Teleport from one point to another then back again but down the block. It was my lazy answer to another Teleport.

 

 

Thanks again for the catch though. It has been corrected on my comp now.

 

La Rose

[Basil]

Re: The Littlest Fireman

 

1st.:

The First power was built as a general catch all for being a ghost. So I took the three things I thought a general ghost might have and lumped them all together as a means of keeping them separate from the other individual specific power. The three things being: Desolid, Flight (ghostly walk), and a general detect life force (thanks for catching it lacking the what it detects ).

Ah, I see. Personally, I would have made three separate powers, but that's a matter of preference, not of "da rools". Also, "detect life" isn't something I'd have thought of WRT ghosts, off the top of my head. But, it makes sense, so why not?

 

The Megascale is a little off. It was suppose to be scalable from 1km to 20m.

I see. A simple erroneous switch; I've done that myself.

 

I know that scalable isn't suppose to be used in that manner' date=' ie a cheep way of building Medium range movement,[/quote']

:tsk:

 

but since it is an NPC I thought I would fudge the rules. This was just to avoid building another Teleport that would get you from one near by house to another. IE if the house your in is put out but you have to get down the block to the next one' date=' it would either require him to ghost walk down there or do some triganometry to Megascale Teleport from one point to another then back again but down the block. It was my lazy answer to another Teleport.[/quote']

Well, your character, your NPC, and your game. I'd never allow it simply because it is so cheap, but I'm not "da Rools Polees" so it's not my business to tell you what's "wrong".

 

Thanks again for the catch though. It has been corrected on my comp now.

La Rose

I'm glad to have helped.