Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

This is a silly simplification, but perhaps useful.

 

Recipe for PBJ:

Step 1: Using a knife, spread a generous layer of peanut butter on one slice of bread.

Step 2: Clean the knife with a napkin or use another knife so the peanut butter and jelly don't mix in their containers.

Step 3: Spread jelly or jam on the other slice of bread. Use slightly less jelly than peanut butter.

Step 4: Put the two pieces of bread together with the peanut butter and jelly sides facing one another.

 

At home in his kitchen where he keeps his supplies, Panpiper makes a PBJ. Panpiper can put the PBJ into his lunch box, if it fits. Panpiper can eat the PBJ whenever he likes, unless someone takes his lunch box. Panpiper can also give the PBJ to Killer Shrike, and Killer Shrike can either eat the PBJ or put it into his lunch box and eat it later, or give it away to someone else to eat. Killer Shrike does not know the Recipe for PBJ and is also slightly retarded in the kitchen and cannot make his own PBJ's.

[薔薇語]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I was wondering if the rules governing Sorcerers are the same as those that pertain to Hermetic Magi? I don't see any pages referencing exact build restraints that apply directly to Sorcerers, that is why I'm asking.

 

Thanks.

 

La Rose.

[Panpiper]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Michalla Bast so looks like Michelle Rodriguez!

I'm thinking Rosario Dawson.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I was wondering if the rules governing Sorcerers are the same as those that pertain to Hermetic Magi? I don't see any pages referencing exact build restraints that apply directly to Sorcerers, that is why I'm asking.

 

Thanks.

 

La Rose.

 

I have yet to do rules for them. However, it's important to note that "Sorcerer" is a catch all term for Mystics who practice an overt style of magic, more dangerous or seductive, and don't generally play by the rules of the Accords...bad guys mostly.

 

Mechanically, its actually a bunch of different mini systems. For many of them I planned to adapt and crib from my copious Fantasy HERO Magic Systems, particularly some of the simplified versions up on the World of Generica wiki...such as:

 

Daemonologist

Elementalism

Necromantism

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I'm thinking Rosario Dawson.

 

Nope. Actually, some MMA lady fighter whose name I don't recall. She had the right look for a scrappy but hot tough chick.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Alchemists

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Ok...seems like a good time to talk about POSSESSION.

 

I fully intend to use the Possession and Projection rules in the Advanced Players Guide to cover most but not necessarily all cases of an incorporeal Spirit or Daemon taking over a host body. This also sets a high bar on "exorcism" as the Active Points total of Projection + Possession is pretty high, but we can get to that discussion later.

 

Does anyone have a strong objection to using the APG options that model this effect so well? By strong objection, I mean "but I don't have the APG!" doesn't count

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Rough cut on an Alchemist:

 

Karl Bocher

 

 

 

Found a good pic and got it ready to go for Karl; I'll finish the write up 2morrow.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Found a good pic and got it ready to go for Karl; I'll finish the write up 2morrow.

 

Karl Bocher is starting to take shape. I need to finish up his Alchemical effects, Complications, and Bio, but the core structure of the character is in place.

[薔薇語]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

This is an unfinished character but I thought I'd post what I have so far (almost done).

 

The following is a Sorcerer Elementalist. He has bound to him a water elemental. His only power is to summon forth various elementals to do his bidding. They are not always cooperative and thus he has to restrain himself on his reliance on them. Besides, he knows that if he doesn't control the elemental, the elemental will run amok and get his head on the chopping block.

 

Rough idea for the name is "Master Tian"

 

 

 

 

 

VAL CHA Cost Roll Notes

10 STR 0 11- HTH Damage 2d6 END [1]

10 DEX 0 11-

10 CON 0 11-

13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12-

20 EGO 10 13-

18 PRE 8 13- PRE Attack: 3 1/2d6

3 OCV 0

3 DCV 0

3 OMCV 0

3 DMCV 0

2 SPD 0 Phases: 6, 12

2 PD 0 2/8 PD (0/6 rPD)

2 ED 0 2/8 ED (0/6 rED)

4 REC 0

20 END 0

10 BODY 0

20 STUN 0

 

Movement Cost Meters Notes

RUNNING 0 12m/24m END [1]

SWIMMING 0 4m/8m END [1]

LEAPING 0 4m 4m forward, 2m upward

 

 

 

 

 

Characteristics Total: 21

 

Cost Powers

27 Binding the Elements: Summon 200-point Elementals, Expanded Class of Beings (Limited Group; Elementals; +1/2) (60 Active Points); Concentration (0 DCV; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), IIF (Sufficient material; -1/4) - END=6

 

Powers Total: 27

 

 

Cost Skills

4 +1 with all Intellect Skills

12 +6 with single Ego checks vs Summons

2 Animal Handler 13-

3 Elementalist

2 1) PS 13-

2 2) Aeromancy Power 13-

2 3) Pyromancy Power 13-

2 4) Geomancy Power 13-

2 5) Hydromancy Power 13-

3 Language: English (completely fluent; literate)

0 Language: Mandarin (idiomatic; literate)

3 Scholar

2 1) KS: Elementals 12-

2 2) KS: Magic 12-

2 3) KS: Supernatural World 12-

3 Survival 12-

3 Traveler

2 1) AK: China 12-

1 2) CK: Hudson City 11-

2 3) CuK: China 12-

 

Skills Total: 54

 

Cost Perks

30 Follower

 

Perks Total: 30

 

Cost Talents

12 Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED)

 

Talents Total: 12

 

 

Base Points: 150

Experience: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

Total Character Cost: 144

 

 

Bound Water Elemental:

 

 

 

 

 

VAL CHA Cost Roll Notes

8 STR -2 11- HTH Damage 1 1/2d6 END [1]

13 DEX 6 12-

6 CON -4 10-

6 INT -4 10- PER Roll 10-

8 EGO -2 11-

10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6

3 OCV 0

3 DCV 0

3 OMCV 0

3 DMCV 0

3 SPD 10 Phases: 4, 8, 12

2 PD 0 2/8 PD (0/6 rPD)

2 ED 0 2/8 ED (0/6 rED)

4 REC 0

20 END 0

6 BODY -4

20 STUN 0

 

Movement Cost Meters Notes

RUNNING -2 10m/20m END [1]

SWIMMING 5 14m/28m END [1]

LEAPING -1 2m 2m forward, 1m upward

 

 

 

 

 

Characteristics Total: 2

 

Cost Powers

Water Elemental, all slots Unified Power (-1/4) - END=

8 1) Bound: Mental Defense (10 points total); Unified Power (-1/4) - END=0

13 2) Body of Water: Damage Negation (-5 DCs Physical, -1 DCs Energy); Always On (-1/2), Perceivable (-1/2), Unified Power (-1/4) - END=0

3 3) Elongating: Stretching 4m; Unified Power (-1/4) - END=1

7 4) Body of Water: No Hit Locations; Perceivable (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) - END=0

22 5) As slippery as Water: Desolidification , Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Does Not Protect Against Damage (-1), Cannot Pass Through Solid Objects (-1/2), Unified Power (-1/4) - END=0

13 6) Elemental lifestyle: LS (Eating: Character does not eat; Self-Contained Breathing; Sleeping: Character does not sleep); Unified Power (-1/4) - END=0

6 7) Deflected Energy: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%; Always On (-1/2), Perceivable (-1/2), Limited Power (Does not work vs. AoE; -1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) - END=0

5 8) Into the Bottle: Extra-Dimensional Movement (Single Dimension); OAF (Bottle; -1), Concentration (0 DCV; Character is totally unaware of nearby events; -3/4), Limited Power (Returns when Bottle is busted; -1/2), Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) - END=2

9 9) Replenish : Regeneration (1 BODY per Hour), Can Heal Limbs; IIF (Source of Water; -1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) - END=0

 

Powers Total: 86

 

Cost Martial Arts

3 Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 18 STR for holding on

4 Choke Hold: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND

4 Reversal: var Phase, -1 OCV, -2 DCV, 23 STR to Escape; Grab Two Limbs

4 Martial Escape: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 23 STR vs. Grabs

5 Offensive Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 5 1/2d6 Strike

 

Martial Arts Total: 20

 

Cost Skills

9 +3 with Martial Arts

6 +1 with all Agility Skills

3 Water Elemental

2 1) Acrobatics 12-

2 2) Breakfall 12-

2 3) Concealment 10-

2 4) Contortionist 12-

2 5) Stealth 12-

2 6) Teamwork 12-

 

Skills Total: 30

 

 

Cost Talents

10 Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED); Unified Power (-1/4)

 

Talents Total: 10

 

Value Complications

5 Susceptibility: Intense Heat 1d6 damage per Minute (Uncommon)

20 Vulnerability: 2 x Effect Fire / Heat (Common)

25 Distinctive Features: Water Elemental (Not Concealable; Extreme Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

 

Complications Points: 50

 

Base Points: 200

Experience: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

Total Character Cost: 148

 

 

The Water Elemental has a few tricks (still needs to be worked out - especially the Martial Arts). I Unified most every power to reflect that they stem from its nature. The Elemental is exceptionally strong against physical attacks but is quite weak vs energy and especially fire based attacks. All the more reasons that Tian avoids summoning fire elementals (unless they are VERY weak and even then...).

 

All in all, the character(s) have a lot of precision work to be done (I for one, just noticed that I didn't reduce the Elementalist's strength yet - nor do the complications). But I figure I'd put the general idea out there for an overview. I should be able to finish it up tomorrow night. If there is anything that looks odd or just plain wrong, let me know and I will correct it / explain it tomorrow with the final (HDC) versions.

 

Lastly, I thought this would help round out the selection a little since there is currently two wizards and an alchemist. With a sorcerer (Elementalist) now, the only one left is an occultist.

 

La Rose.

PS: The name will most certainly change from Tian, I just haven't come across a good name. Tian, IIRC, is mandarin for (the) heaven.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Master Tian himself looks good on first review, though I might configure his Summon Power slightly differently (I need to read the 6e Summon to see what if anything has changed before being sure). Also, since I haven't ported Elementalism into HtbM terms yet there might be some changes...such as a limit on the point level of summoned things, and so forth, to keep it on-scale with the rest of the setting.

 

The Elemental looks ok except that I'm not 100% sold on applying Unified Power to everything.

 

I really like several aspects of the character. First, he's not an Americano; its good to have a little diversity. Jimmy Chen is Chinese-American and Karl Bocher is German-American, but that's just flavor; this guy actually feels foreign. Secondly, Master Tian isn't like one of the other characters mechanically speaking; he feels very different. Thirdly, it's a character concept I wouldn't have come up with or thought of myself, which is the fun part of collaborating.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Karl Bocher is starting to take shape. I need to finish up his Alchemical effects' date=' Complications, and Bio, but the core structure of the character is in place.[/quote']

 

Karl Bocher is basically done, though I might make a couple minor tweaks.

[薔薇語]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Master Tian himself looks good on first review' date=' though I might configure his Summon Power slightly differently (I need to read the 6e Summon to see what if anything has changed before being sure). Also, since I haven't ported Elementalism into HtbM terms yet there might be some changes...such as a limit on the point level of summoned things, and so forth, to keep it on-scale with the rest of the setting.[/quote']

 

Good idea. Always helps to have two sets of eyes checking the rules. The goal of the summon is for him to be able to bring into existence any type of elemental: air, water, fire, earth, blend, etc. More importantly is the ability to summon at less than full power because of the nature of the power / magic being very dangerous for his health (I.e., a bounty being put on his head). It would be understandable to scale it back from 200pts to 150pts so that the summoned being has the same points as the general PCs.

 

The Elemental looks ok except that I'm not 100% sold on applying Unified Power to everything.

 

Normally I'd build the character with Elemental Control but 6th ed got rid of that. The justification for that mechanic build is that they are all tied to the same special effect. If one could affect the nature of the elemental, then it should be able to affect all aspects of the elemental. That to me suggest EC / Unified. YMMV, and it is your universe.

 

I really like several aspects of the character. First' date=' he's not an Americano; its good to have a little diversity. Jimmy Chen is Chinese-American and Karl Bocher is German-American, but that's just flavor; this guy actually feels foreign. Secondly, Master Tian isn't like one of the other characters mechanically speaking; he feels very different. Thirdly, it's a character concept I wouldn't have come up with or thought of myself, which is the fun part of collaborating.[/quote']

 

I thought the character would be a nice change of pace for me. I hadn't done a magic user and thought something elemental would be nice. I was going to have him be more akin to the "Avatar: the Last Airbender" characters but decided to change that up quite a bit and go with a simple Elemental Binder.

 

La Rose.

[薔薇語]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Attached is the HDC file for my version of Master Shuida (the character formerly known as Tian) and Bo (his elemental). Neither one is built to the 150pt cap but I assume that just gives them room to be modified to best fit.

 

Shuida is "Water - Achieve." It is the name given to him upon binding Bo, a water elemental. Bo is the name that Shuida gave his elemental and means "wave."

 

La Rose.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Attached is the HDC file for my version of Master Shuida (the character formerly known as Tian) and Bo (his elemental). Neither one is built to the 150pt cap but I assume that just gives them room to be modified to best fit.

 

Shuida is "Water - Achieve." It is the name given to him upon binding Bo, a water elemental. Bo is the name that Shuida gave his elemental and means "wave."

 

La Rose.

 

Im working w/ this character now. I think Im going to have to port Elementalism to do the character proper justice, so it might take me a couple of days.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I'm going to be late to work...but: Elementalists

[Panpiper]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I'm going to be late to work...but: Elementalists

Some things are more important than work. ;-)

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Some things are more important than work. ;-)

 

Yeah...sex, drugs, and rock & roll!

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I happened to browse the Here There Be Monsters site w/ IE rather than my usual Firefox and realized that for some unknown reason IE is ignoring all the bulleted list formatting, and looks horrible. I'll try to sort that out tonight. I wish someone had mentioned that previously

[Panpiper]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I happened to browse the Here There Be Monsters site w/ IE rather than my usual Firefox and realized that for some unknown reason IE is ignoring all the bulleted list formatting' date=' and looks horrible. I'll try to sort that out tonight. I wish someone had mentioned that previously [/quote']

Hmm... I'm not sure what you are referring to. I normally browse only with Firefox, but booted up the thread with IE to see what you were talking about. I went through all 13 pages and saw nothing untoward. All looked fine to me.

 

Edit:

 

Doh! You were talking about the 'Here There Be Monsters' site on 'your' server and here I was looking at this thread. I feel stupid.

 

I should be used to that by now.

[薔薇語]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I happened to browse the Here There Be Monsters site w/ IE rather than my usual Firefox and realized that for some unknown reason IE is ignoring all the bulleted list formatting' date=' and looks horrible. I'll try to sort that out tonight. I wish someone had mentioned that previously [/quote']

 

I use chrome as my default (and FF as by back up). The only thing that I find odd on your site is when you click on the "mystic" shortcut under the "playable origins" list. It seems to just re-load the same page but with the shortcuts being reduced to just the three (now five) links. That just seems odd to me. I'd normally expect a new general overview page to pop up with links to the five origins.

 

That is the only oddity I have noticed on the whole of the site.

 

La Rose.

[薔薇語]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I'm going to be late to work...but: Elementalists

 

I just got done reviewing this. I like it. A couple things spring to mind: the bound version are bought as followers and the point cap on them. If I'm reading the point cap correctly, Bo would have a point cap of 125 because "Base (75)+ Complications (50) + Exp (0) = 125. I wasn't sure if the pool was calculated in as part of the Base or not and thus whether or not it augmented the Follower cost. Also, the way followers are built would seem to make such character origins unworkably expensive (Bo, for example, would be 70+ pts). Just an observation.

 

La Rose.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I use chrome as my default (and FF as by back up). The only thing that I find odd on your site is when you click on the "mystic" shortcut under the "playable origins" list. It seems to just re-load the same page but with the shortcuts being reduced to just the three (now five) links. That just seems odd to me. I'd normally expect a new general overview page to pop up with links to the five origins.

 

That is the only oddity I have noticed on the whole of the site.

 

La Rose.

The dynamic navs on the site don't work in chrome or safari (web kit browsers in general). Known bug. What you are experiencing is that there are a couple more levels of nav below where you're at that you can't get to in chrome. I would suggest that you always use FF or at worst IE for killershrike.com

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

I just got done reviewing this. I like it. A couple things spring to mind: the bound version are bought as followers and the point cap on them. If I'm reading the point cap correctly, Bo would have a point cap of 125 because "Base (75)+ Complications (50) + Exp (0) = 125. I wasn't sure if the pool was calculated in as part of the Base or not and thus whether or not it augmented the Follower cost.

 

The free Pool points explicitly are not included; thus 125 not 150.

 

Followers are bought in the Followers & Contacts Pool, so its basically half cost as 1 real character point buys 2 Followers and Contacts Pool.

 

Also, the way followers are built would seem to make such character origins unworkably expensive (Bo, for example, would be 70+ pts). Just an observation.

 

La Rose.

Run that by me again please?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Urban Fantasy Setting: Here There Be Monsters

 

Hmm... I'm not sure what you are referring to. I normally browse only with Firefox, but booted up the thread with IE to see what you were talking about. I went through all 13 pages and saw nothing untoward. All looked fine to me.

 

Edit:

 

Doh! You were talking about the 'Here There Be Monsters' site on 'your' server and here I was looking at this thread. I feel stupid.

 

I should be used to that by now.

Well...yeah; that's where all the real content is going up. People are looking at the final version posted up on the site, and not the rough cuts here in the forums right?