Steve Long

Believe it or not, it was 20 years ago today that Darren Watts, Jason Walters, the Secret Masters, and myself bought the HERO System (and its related IPs)!
 
It's been a wonderful, amazing journey ever since -- one with its ups and downs, like any journey -- but still an awesome one. My deepest thanks to all the HERO fans out there who have made it possible!

Believe it or not, it was 20 years ago today that Darren Watts, Jason Walters, the Secret Masters, and myself bought the HERO System (and its related IPs)!
 
It's been a wonderful, amazing journey ever since -- one with its ups and downs, like any journey -- but still an awesome one. My deepest thanks to all the HERO fans out there who have made it possible!

Believe it or not, it was 20 years ago today that Darren Watts, Jason Walters, the Secret Masters, and myself bought the HERO System (and its related IPs)!
 
It's been a wonderful, amazing journey ever since -- one with its ups and downs, like any journey -- but still an awesome one. My deepest thanks to all the HERO fans out there who have made it possible!

I've been reading a long thread about the Turakian Age setting recently, which naturally has inspired me to think about the setting and ways to add to it -- specifically, the possibility of a city book, since I don't think I've written a detailed Fantasy city book. So I thought I'd find out which cities would most interest y'all, and why. I make no promises, but knowing what y'all suggest will help me guide my imagination.
 
My own personal most-likely candidates would include Aarn, Eltirian, Talarshand, Tatha Gorel, Tor Vilos, and Trisadion, though any of them would be interesting to work on.

First off, thanx for a detailed (and politely worded) post that explained exactly what you were after. There are a couple of intersecting issues here, and figuring out what you wanted to know might have been tricky otherwise.
 
No, that’s not legal — your fellow player is correct and you have in fact been running things wrong for 31 years. (Though in your defense, I don’t believe this issue was specifically spelled out [at least not in a precise and easily-referenced way] in any rulebook prior to 5E. My own gaming group made some pretty serious rules mis-interpretations about Power Frameworks for years before someone pointed out our error. I fought some of the proper interpretations kicking and screaming, but eventually I was intellectually clubbed down with rules text and written examples and had to concede the point.  )
 
. As stated on 6E1 408, while allocating Multipower reserve points is a Zero Phase Action, unless the GM permits otherwise a character cannot allocate Multipower reserve points more than once in a Phase. Having chosen at the start of the Phase to allocate the reserve to Slot 1 (modest defenses, high Running), your character cannot then make a Half Move and re-allocate to Slot 2 (heavy defenses, modest Running).
 
It doesn’t matter if the character begins his Phase with Slot 1 already active; using it or obtaining its benefits in any way means he’s allocating the reserve to that Slot. If he wants to use Slot 2, he has to allocate his reserve points to that using his first Zero Phase Action in the Phase. This isn’t a question of the Multipower reserve “re-setting,” as you put it; it’s that not re-allocating the reserve to Slot 2, and thus maintaining Slot 1, is itself an allocation of the reserve. You have chosen by not choosing in a most Zen-like fashion.
 
In a situation where an enemy with a higher DEX attacks the character when Slot 2 is already active, in theory this “locks” the character into that slot because he’s obtained the advantage of its defenses. This raises two issues. First, I think in this situation that many GMs wouldn’t hold the character to that and would still let him re-allocate the reserve when his Phase begins.
 
Second, it illustrates some potential problems/issues posed by having defenses in Multipower slots — and even worse in this case, slots which combine both defense and movement. This is why the rules state on 6E1 400 that “Characters may not buy more than one Power in a single Power Framework slot unless those Powers are Linked (see above) or the character has the GM’s permission.” I haven’t seen your specific build, and I don’t know what the GM in your campaign permits, but on the face of it the Multipower you’re describing is illegal in and of itself, regardless of reserve allocation issues.
 
Aborting to switch Slots in Segment 9 to gain the benefits of a more defensive slot is legal, unless the GM rules otherwise. 6E2 23 specifically lists this as a “defensive action.”

Re: Another Possible HPA In The Works: Born To Be Wild
 
Sorry, there's no way I'm writing realistic rules for anything for Pulp, especially jungle swinging. I've seen too many Tarzan TV shows.

Congrats! I can barely keep a campaign going for a few months, never mind years. The mind boggles -- but in a good way.

1.  Good question — I’m surprised this one hasn’t come up before.
 
Presence Attacks that cause a target to “hesitate,” as described on 6E2 136-37, are usually made at the beginning of a Segment in which both the attacker and target have a Phase. If that’s not the case, the GM has to decide how long the target remains “impressed” in light of the current situation — Presence Attacking too far in advance of his ability to act may ultimately deprive the attacker of any advantage. In any event, the effect of being “impressed” only lasts long enough for the target to hesitate one time. After that, the characters’ relative DEXs return to normal for purposes of determining the order of Actions in a Segment.
 
When a character “hesitates” due to a Presence Attack, reduce that character’s DEX and EGO to 1 less than that of the character who successfully Presence Attacked him only for purposes of determining who acts first in a Segment. Unlike the similar effect of being Blocked or Thrown, this reduction typically applies as to all characters in the combat, unless the GM rules otherwise. (This may depend on the nature and specifics of the Presence Attack.) Once the attacker takes advantage of this to attack the target, or that Segment passes, the effect ends and relative DEXs return to normal.
 
2.  It’s difficult to say for certain, because we don’t know the specifics of the campaign setting that Arkelos exists in or the magic system that governs his spells. But based on the example his Fire Bolt spell, at least, doesn’t seem to require any Concentration, Extra Time, or anything else that might prevent him from using it as part of a Presence Attack in the described fashion, so the GM chose to allow him to do it even though making an attack would ordinarily require an Attack Action. After all, it’s pretty cool and adds to the fun of the game, so why not? If he tries to do it multiple times every game session the GM would probably rein him in, but once every now and then isn’t a problem — at least not for this GM.
 
3.  That’s really up to the GM based on the situation. I think that most GMs (including me) would let the character who declared that he was attacking make his attack first, then go to the ordinary initiative order for determining the order of Actions for the rest of the characters in Segment 12.

Howdy, Herophiles! My latest book (in PDF form) is now available: The Celtic Bestiary, a collection of monsters and creatures from Celtic myth, legend, and folklore, is now available at the Hero Games Online Store for a mere $12.99! It features 67 monsters, and is just the right thing if you're in a campaign set in Tuala Morn, have a Celtic-influenced setting in your own campaign world, or would just like to have some cool, unusual monsters to throw at your heroes. Please check it out and pick up a copy today!
 
https://www.herogames.com/index.html/store-items/new-for-the-hero-system-the-celtic-bestiary-r399/

The only other thing I've written for Tuala Morn (which is part of an overall setting I call "the Northlands" or "the Septentrion") is my PDF detailing Acquitaine (which is the "France" part of the setting, where Tuala Morn is the "Ireland"). I believe that's on sale in the Online Store (and is on DriveThruRPG as well). I'd love to do more stuff with the setting -- it's one of my most favorite of the many I've created -- but they usually require a certain amount of research and "detail" that make them harder to produce than most stuff. But still, one of these days, some of my notes will get turned into more Tualan stuff.

I hope you enjoy CB! 

Howdy, Herophiles! My latest book (in PDF form) is now available: The Celtic Bestiary, a collection of monsters and creatures from Celtic myth, legend, and folklore, is now available at the Hero Games Online Store for a mere $12.99! It features 67 monsters, and is just the right thing if you're in a campaign set in Tuala Morn, have a Celtic-influenced setting in your own campaign world, or would just like to have some cool, unusual monsters to throw at your heroes. Please check it out and pick up a copy today!
 
https://www.herogames.com/index.html/store-items/new-for-the-hero-system-the-celtic-bestiary-r399/

Re: Haiku Hero
 
Many Hero books
On sale now in Online Store
Please buy some today!
 
 
Ars gratia mercatura!

Good call-out! The technical term for this, which I suspect Carlyle uses at some point(s), is euhemerization -- derived from the ancient Greek mythographer Euhemerus, who first developed the theory that gods must have started out as ancient kings and heroes who gradually got turned into divine figures over time.

Hey, all y'all Champions players! I've got three new mini-supplements available at the Hero Games Online Store. Each of them expands on CHAMPIONS POWERS to offer an new category of powers. They are:   Aquatic Powers, which features nearly four dozen powers for characters who live in or often work underwater. Whether your character is a native of Atlantis, a water manipulator, or has powers derived from a marine animal, Aquatic Powers has just the powers you need to create him!   Hard Energy Powers let a character create energy constructs with sufficient solidity and stability to function like physical objects. Since the character can create a practically infinite variety of hard energy items based on his imagination and the perceived needs of the moment, he has far more power at his fingertips than the owner of any merely physical arsenal. Get plenty of ideas of powers such characters have in Hard Energy Powers!   Super-Magic Powers presents powers for use in creating super-mage characters who don’t use the Super-Thaumaturgy spells found in The HERO System Grimoire. Instead, these characters have powers that follow a distinct magical tradition — such as Alchemy, Black Magic, or Witchcraft — or which hide behind a veneer of Stage Magic. Super-Magic Powers provides dozens of example powers to help you build these characters.   Please check 'em out and pick yourself up a copy!

If those three aren't enough, please take a look at my PDFs of Control Powers and Insect Powers, which are still available -- and be on the lookout for more PDFs containing even more additions to Champions Powers!

I've been reading a long thread about the Turakian Age setting recently, which naturally has inspired me to think about the setting and ways to add to it -- specifically, the possibility of a city book, since I don't think I've written a detailed Fantasy city book. So I thought I'd find out which cities would most interest y'all, and why. I make no promises, but knowing what y'all suggest will help me guide my imagination.
 
My own personal most-likely candidates would include Aarn, Eltirian, Talarshand, Tatha Gorel, Tor Vilos, and Trisadion, though any of them would be interesting to work on.

Yes, I just learned that existed the other day. Gonna check it out sometime soon, if possible.

Yes, I just learned that existed the other day. Gonna check it out sometime soon, if possible.

I would consider the rivers being navigable to decent-sized cargo vessels -- at least equivalent to the "Shaanda barges" -- all the way between Lake Beralka and Aarn (with provisions for getting around the Ettinstone) to be a major factor in Aarn's growth. That would make Aarn the gateway on the Sea of Storms to the Beralka/Shaanda/Mhorec system for traders from the southern Westerlands as well as Northern and Central Mitharia. Combine that with Aarn being the only deep water harbor between Bellinberg and Tatha Gorel, and its proximity to the High Pass into Tornathia, and you have more than enough stimulus to build it into the largest city in the world.
 
Tavrosel, which might be Ambrethel's second-largest city, would derive many similar advantages from its location, as its magnificent harbor would make it the natural exchange point across the Sea of Mhorec for the many desirable goods from the eastern region of Mhorecia: minerals and enchanted items from Arutha, fine iron and steel work from Hrastarin, cattle and leather from Ingushel, gemstones and jewelry from Mount Keluurazond, plus the products of Khoria coming through the Great Pass.

\So, my vote goes to Eltirian. Here's why.
 
A TA city guide should, first, encourage people who read it to want to see more of the TA setting; and in doing so, it should show what gamers can get from TA that they won't get anywhere else.
 
For me, that rules out Aarn. The Great Trade Metropolis is a familiar Fantasy trope, and the text in TA gives nothing to distinguish Aarn from, say, Waterdeep in Forgotten Realms or Nexus in Exalted. Hey, Waterdeep has a big dungeon underneath it, and an eccentric beholder crime lord! Okay, so those are ideas that seem clever to people who aren't, so such lack is a point in Aarn's favor. But unless Steve can think of a way to make Aarn the best damn Fantasy trade metropolis ever, I don't think it's worth his time.
 
Same goes for a hypothetical Sunless Realms city. Buy Menzoberranzan, cross out some names and write in others. Also, it's not a great way to showcase the wider world.
 
Tavrosel, with its mix of peoples and cultures, has a strong case as "Ambrethel in Miniature," but it's still a bit bland.
 
Vornakkia, though, is the part of Ambrethel that I like most, and it seems the most distinctively itself. Maybe it's my imagination, but I think Steve also had a lot of fun writing it and devising all its quirky cults. The cities are all pretty good, but I think Eltirian would work best. It's got the trade city/adventurer's base utility. It has abundant internal instabilities that can drive plots. It has distinctive religion, which is one thing Turakian Age does better than most Fantasy settings I've seen. And it has a strong external conflict -- political, military and religious -- with Talarshand, which is ready to erupt again.
 
In fact, these two cities are so entangled with each other that I'd even suggest a double citybook, detailing them both.
 
Halathaloorm is very good too. I wouldn't complain if Steve chose it. But Eltirian and Talarshand, locked together by long enmity, is just irresistible to me.
 
Dean Shomshak

You certainly make a good case, Dean. And looking at the GM's Vault, if you go deeper into both cities -- literally -- there are even more intriguing possibilities.
 
One other thing that Tavrosel does have going for it is the potential for political and military plots. Several larger nations have influence in Tavrosel's region and would love to acquire it, most imminently and dangerously the Sirrenic Empire and Hargeshite Empire of Vashkhor. Those two great powers have their own ancient enmity, and Tavrosel could become a flashpoint in conflicts between them.

Now that I think of it, the kind of post-chaos scenario Dean talks about could play out most interestingly in the kingdom of Khrisulia in Northern Mitharia. That land has been ruled for almost a millennium by the wizard-king Ansgar, called "Ansgar the Twice-Lived" because, after his magically-prolonged life came to an end, he reanimated himself as a lich. Unlike other liches Ansgar is as benevolent as he was in life, and has governed justly and capably. However, recently his behavior has become erratic: staring blankly and silently at nothing for extended periods, making provocative and threatening statements to neighboring states, lashing out at his subordinates for no reason then apologizing later. His people fear Ansgar is finally succumbing to the evil madness that so often afflicts liches. PCs might very well assume they should take him down before that happens. But when Ansgar died without a named heir it appeared Khrisulia's nobles would war with each other for the crown, and there's no more provision for succession "now."
 
What's really happening is that
 

There is no such thing as too much What We Do in the Shadows.

Bat fight!
 
(Sorry, been watching too much What We Do In The Shadows lately. )

Bat fight!
 
(Sorry, been watching too much What We Do In The Shadows lately. )

Well, by those criteria, I think your optimum vote would be Orasamn. The disadvantage to choosing Tatha Gorel, the city ruled by a dragon, is that Scauromdrax the Magnificent (that's actually what he's called) has over nearly three centuries built up such a reputation as a wise and just ruler, the rulers of other states sometimes seek his advice. Anyone who kills him will probably carry a stain of infamy not just among the Gorelians, but any other law-abiding land they visit. Gorgashtar would be almost the opposite problem, because the lich Varakes isn't the Big Guy -- he's one of the chief lieutenants of the Biggest Guy, Kal-Turak. There will be no resultant chaos because the Ravager of Men will appoint someone else to govern Gorgashtar, but the PCs will now be prominently on the radar of the greatest evil in all Ambrethel.
 
Sargath, the Vampire King of Dragosani, is a usurper who murdered all the former royal family, and killed or "turned" everyone else who opposed him. His capital, Orasamn, has for nearly a century lived under the same kind of fear as the villagers in Transylvania in the novel Dracula. Killing Sargath would not solve the problems for the Dragosa, because it would leave no obvious successor, save among the remaining nobles who are vampires themselves and would probably fight for the throne.