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Zac

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  1. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign
  2. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign I am going to chime in my "pre" approval of the character. The inter party conflict may arrise, but it is nothing extreme. Salem Dislikes Bigots (or species-ists), it does not matter where they come from or what they are. Job (the previously un-named Pure) had it locked down in his background too, "He has no prejudices against any group... and sees no difference between pures, beasts, muts or weeds. They are all just trying to live." I find it odd that the two of the three Pures spout racial equality. Maybe the trend is carried over into the game world too? Maybe the Pures feel they have been left out of genetic lottery and want their shot at the DNA Jackpot just like everyone else
  3. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign
  4. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign I am going to state the obvious here You can take the Concealable for being a Beast to Not Concealable. You are 7'3" 250+ lbs fur covered nightmare The term Garu finds a home in your new form I would take the 5 points and drop your DNPC down a peg... make her more skilled. I like that you stuck to your guns on the outcast, being your size and with your background it makes sense. Considering your immense size do you think the 15 STR is still ok? I could easily see a 7'3" tall werewolf walking around with a 20 STR. If I were to shave points I would just drop your Skill Master +3 to +2. Also, you can change the LS: Immunity to Bad Water to one point by picking a 1 post LS and just typing over the name OR just reduce it through the added and delete the characters. That will drop your 2 xp over issue. Make your final decision to the build and repost. I pretty much consider Dances to be in. Send a message to Fed asking for permission to enter the game. You have a thumbs up from this half of the team.
  5. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Can you post the newest version? I can look it over tonight and see if we can ADD a new player to HeroCentral
  6. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign
  7. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Stats look fine. Power look fine too. Again, fine. 1. You have come city knowledge but not the area knowledge of the land between them. Considering you spent a lot of time travelling, I would drop the CK: Lo and replace it with AK: Lo Road. Lo Road + the Waste Plains + Mountains gets you just about the entire region. 2. Replace "Common" with Amrikana. It is the common tounge. It should also be the language you spoke, since Trade Sign is not actually a spoken tounge. 6 ft 2 would have a Large Size disad for a Ggaru who lived in the Ggaru culture, but you dont live with them anymore. Here are some "Large Size" Disads for the usual world (source: The Master List of Disadvantages). I dont agree with the Master list 100% for costs, as sometimes there are just wonky Also, their costs are to a general campaign, points dont reflect some campaigns accurately. Tall Infrequently, Slightly 5pts. This character is taller than is normal, and is significantly taller than is average. Because of this, the character is uncomfortable is tight spaces (such as elevators, buildings with low-ceilings, compact cars, etc.) He has difficulty finding clothing that fits, and even when he does usually must pay higher prices for it. Shower heads are usually positioned so that, when running, the water spray strikes him right in the belly. In addition, the character is intimidating to those around him, whether he wants to be or not. Any Persuasion roll gains a +1 bonus, but all other Interaction Skills dealing with people suffer a -1 penalty. If the character is taller than 6' 6", try Giant instead. I don't agree with the Persuasion bonus for being tall. If you want a higher intimidation roll, buy up the skill. I do agree with the negative to interaction rolls ("How are the clouds up there Dances"). In addition I would also impose a -1 to all stealth related rolls. The race does not wear clothing, so the extra price is not paid. However, if you do want to wear something like armor, etc the fitting cost will increase the price. So, for 5 points you could get the Tall disadvantage. However, you need to bump your height up another inch or so. Giant Frequently, Greatly 15pts. A character with this Disadvantage is dramatically taller than a normal person without actually having the Growth power. The character is at least 6'6" tall. In addition, the character probably weighs in excess of 250 pounds, even if not massively built or obese. Though most people who qualify as giants are physically imposing and capable of incredible feats of strength, they also have low stamina and often suffer incredible health problems. The most common problems are arthritis and heart disease, even when they try to keep themselves in shape. This translates as a limit of 15 on their Constitution scores. In addition, he suffers all the same penalties of being Tall, and cannot also take that Disadvantage. Also, a true Giant usually eats more than a normal person, even if he is not overweight; food costs go up proportionally. For a superheroic-level character this Disadvantage might not be appropriate. In that case, try the Physical Limitation Heavy instead. I would let Giant float as 15 pointer. This disad would mean your CON max is 15 and you eat twice the amount of food. I would add you can't purchase your END up past what your CON gives you. You would also be prone to needing additional rest for the long trips on the road. For game play you would suffer from issues regarding being tired 25% earlier than others. So, if a full days movement is 8 hours, yours would be 6 hours. Outcast is fine, but it will probably impact you whenever you run into other Ggaru (besides your DNPC). Tries to keep the fact that he can speak Tradespeak needs to change to "Hides the Fact he can speak non-ggaru". This would mean he tries to keep the fact hidden from everyone, not just other ggaru. However, he has become an Outcast among the Ggaru. If they know why he is an outcast, then its not much of a secret. Let me explain, a freakishly large Ggaru walks up to a Ggaru war party. They are going to point and bark out "Its the Dark Cloud of Chu'pik. Keep your forked tounge and bad medicine away from us and we will leave you in peace." The Trading Carvan master who employed you as a guard asks another party member "What did that Ggaru say?" (because he can't ask you, Ggaru don't speak Amrikana). Catch 22. Is this the delimia you envision? The background is tied together very well. It shows why you are an outcast, how you came to Fedrex and your need for Cargo. As a side note, you have tracking with your nose and tracking as a skill. Which do you see as your primary use for tracking? Keeping the skill is fine as you have two sources to track from but I need to talk with Fed about complementary roles. Also, you could get additional PER for the same cost as the track skill (3 points) with Smell so your Smell PER rolls would be improved. +1 with Smell/Taste PER is 2 points and +1 Range Mod for Smell is 1 point. You already have the Keen Nose for Disease, I dont have problem with a better roll. You really only have 9 points in Powers beyond the racial norm (a Mutie Beast if you will, or is that a Beast Mutie?)
  8. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign 1. ok 2. I dont think you took away from the Ggaru "powers" you just removed their disad for speach (which is ok). I was refering to the few abilities that you have: armor, mind link, smell disease 3. PS: Cartography - sounds fine, I just did not see any logic or char history for the power. I dont mind weaponsmith, I just did not see it in the background. You had "Shaman" and then weaponsmith... seemed like a streatch. However, if you wanted Weaponsmith: Primitive Weapons then that would make a lot of sense in context. I was just trying to envision a native american type tribe forging swords and poleaxes AK and whatnot, as new info comes in it is understood (and welcomed) that characters are refined. 4. Disads - ok. Put up when when you can and we will move things along to the next level. I really see a lot of strengths with the character and some real differences from the standard Wastelander type (which is a good thing).
  9. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Ok, I will run down some of the numbers BUT I am in a time crunch. I want to be more through BUT I want to give a starting point. A few points I see. 1. Just buy up your basic stats, no need to define them as a mutation. If you want to break the normal char max, then a power would be the way to go. I don't want to split hairs (its kinda anal on my part really ), it just makes things easier to group for little ole me 2. The true mutations I see are Protective Hide, Smell Disease and Mystic Bond. You also did not get the Ggaru "standard" mutation and put something its place (which is fine -- the Ggaru are a starting point not a destination for char design). Nothing really untoward here but resistant PD/ED seems a tad high for a hide. I also don't see your pet? 3. As a player you have to pay for everything outside the game Everyman Skills, so you have to buy the Ggaru skills and language if you want them. Also, you have some skills that seem weird. PS: Cartography? If you grew up in a tribal culture, PS would be more along the lines of hunter, tanner, etc. You also have weaponsmith, but there is no explination in the background. If you were being trained as a Weaponsmith in your tribe, then PS: Smith or some such seem to make more sense. You have AK: Fedrex, but what about the Waste Plains (where you grew up)? After all you just appeared in Fedrex. The default may be Fedrex, but considering your background you can change it. 4. Disads - You are trying to keep a secret you can talk, but from who? If you are trying to keep a secret from other Ggaru then its going to drop to Uncommon. If you want to keep the secret from everyone, then Very Common is fine. Also, you want to Find out the Fate of Parents, but its an uncommon,moderate. So if it comes up at all, the character can blow it off over a hot coffee with no ill effects. I like the overall background but tightening it up in line with disads and skill set would be helpful. Not being rude, just typing fast as I head out the door
  10. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Fed is handling all the dirt on Fedrex and Cassock (or what is left of Cassock), while I am handling the remainder of the towns. So, I will have to defer to him.
  11. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Here is a map of the "known" lands in the campaign. There is no scale to speak of, everything is measured in days BUT a day on an Ancient Highway on flat ground is a sight bit different than a day in the mountains on a modern road. In some places that modern road may be little more than an improved goat trail!!! [ATTACH=CONFIG]34641[/ATTACH] Area Knowledge, Specific AK: City – Cassock AK: City – Fedrex AK: City – Lo AK: City – Seven Wells AK: City – Undertown AK: City – Unirad (Sulfur Springs is an off limits area at the beginning of the game.) Area Knowledge, General AK: The Burning Lands (you need a good explanation for this one!) AK: The Great Var (everything north of Cassock and East of the mountains) AK: Lo Road (everything south of Cassock and East of the mountains) AK: Mountains AK: Waste Plains Area Knowledge, Overview AK: Region – HiWest
  12. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Here is the list of Languages "Common" to the campaign area. This is subject to change as we tighten up new species or other groups in the area. At the minimum these are on the list: Literacy - 1 point. If you take this, any language that has a written component the player can use at the level purchased for the original language. Ancient - most a character can purchase at the start of the game is Basic Conversion (1 point). Most knowledge is going to come out of the Book of Gideon, what little is left on ancient signs, etc. This language has a written component. Amrikana - this is a polyglot language bastardized from some version of Ancient spoken today in the HiWest the players hale from. It has been so marred by oral tradition and no written word it is unique. Mexikana - another polyglot language. You hear it more in Lo but understand it is very common in the SowWest. It also lacks a written word. Trade Sign - a language that has no spoken component involved. No one knows where it came from, but it is used by everyone who is serious about bartering and trade. Using your hands, traditionally under a table or beneath a cloth, people use their fingers to tap, swipe, shake, etc the other persons hands. Usually two people sit down at a table over a glass of Good Water or a Roll, pleasantly discussing the goings on of the day. Under the covering they are haggling the price, count, quality, etc of the goods in question. No one else would know the deal, what the deal entailed, etc. The catch is the person would have to use no more than two limbs, with no more than two fingers per limb, due to the deformities of muts and the nonhuman form of many beasts. 1 point allows simple transactions (X for Y), 2 points allows for most transactions, more points gives speed and the ability to be subtle. If a character has Literacy they can make the necessary symbols to conduct transactions in writing. Ggaru - used by the Ggaru, no "written" component but includes markings and, ahem, signs at the 4 point level. Aiogs - pulling their language (just have them adding an occasional gnash, short barks, trills, etc that Prarie Dogs use now in their speech patterns) Most Pures, Mutes and Beasts have no clue how to read. Almost all interactions are oral with rituals and storytelling passing lore down from generation to generation. Elders usual have at least a partial copy of the Book of Gideon and give out The Word from time to time. Most business use large signs to denote purpose of the establishment. Box text to follow...
  13. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Sounds fine. A few questions: 1. Do you still have the bird? If so, do you want to make it a pet? If so, is it for looks or does it have some usable abilities? 2. How old do you want to be? Ggaru are considered adults by the time they are around 10, past their prime in their 30s and very old would be around 45 or so. And to clarify, we are using the standard 75/75 Heroic norm for characters with Normal Char Maxima in play.
  14. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign
  15. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign I am going to defer to Fed on a lot of this. We both came up with a modified Rite of Passage and melded it into its current form. However.... Yes. The end result is the goods benefit the community. As long as the cargo continue to provide benefit then the community benefits. Lets say the character brought back a working solar array. The town decided to hook the solar array up to a watchtower equiped with a set for four fixed lights on a turret chasse (they took the front end off an 2059 Impala). As long as the solar array provided power to the lights the town would grant citizenship. However, the player is now responsible for its upkeep. The player decides to sell the rights to a local farmer (for whatever they agree upon). For all intensive purposes the farmer brought in the goods and has to maintain the tech. I would say the agreements must be made before the goods are "turned in" or the council would have to vote on the equity of the deal. Another example, the player brings back four cases of Ancient Food from a rediscovered military cache. A case of food provides enough food for a single pure to live off for a month (or a Mute two months). Considering the goods will last forever, the town decides each case will be worth a season. The player decides to give the time to a impoverished group of six refugees in the fall. The town council grudging agrees to the time, but uses the able for manual labor re-enforcing defenses and keeping the worst watches during the night. As above, yes. Really the Rule of Cargo is used so someone has to benefit the community to stay. Farmers give a portion of their crops to the community, skilled craftsmen do the same, etc. So, if a player wanted to sell/give/whatever to someone else they could. The only exemption I would see is if someone was banished from Fedrex. Banished people don't return on pain of death. This is a society with no penal system. The local sheriff is resonsible for keeping the peace and criminals are brought before a "jury of their peers" for trial. Most punishments are met out at the end of a rope. They symbol of the Sheriff is a badge emblazoned with a red cross. An old metal sign nailed above the Fedrex gate reads "Bring those you love inside; Protect People, Pets and Plants." However, in the book of law it clearly stats that undesirable "pets should be spayed and neutered"!! People who steal from Fedrex take away the survival of the community. Stealing from a vendor may result in a swift beating and being banished from town. Stealing water from the storehouse would be stealing directly from the mouths of the town. Jail just means where you sit until the trial is over. If a youngester steals from a vendor would probably be whipped in the town square and have to repay the vendor. This could easily result in a person becoming a servant of another until the debt was fairly repaid (repayment would be determined by the sheriff in small offenses, if it was large enough to bother the council then a trial is in order). The locals don't tolerate fights within town limits or within sight of a watch tower. Fights can easily cause property damage and the good people of Fedrex did not scrape by this far to see some sodbuster destroy the infrastructure. I could easily see major offenses result in confiscation of property followed by death or banishment (and banishment without gear would equal death for most). I don't think anyone would agree to a thief getting caught, the thieif returning the good and then the thief saying "Well take X and we will call it even." A vendor might do that before he reported it to the sheriff, but once the law is involved the community would demand some sort of accounting. Otherwise justice for those who have would be different than justice for those with little. Now, that may be realistic but in a frontier type of world but repeated disturbances could invariably result in a mob taking matters into their own hands.
  16. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Fed and I have not made a "go to ground" rule on this but as I see it... Nightvision is defined as being able to see in total darkness just like it was daylight. Low Light would be the close same, but some ambient light is still necessary. Also, low light tends to be shades of monochrome (black and white for biological, black and green for tech -- like NVGs). Most of the time I will not be hitting players with the "modifiers" unless it is serious, my mantra will just be to Role Play though it. If you have standard vision and decide to keep on treking, well... chance are something is going to get the jump on you (other senses not withstanding). If we really NEED to go to modifiers then it will be the +4 to counter but background light is still necessary. The less ambient light that exists the more the modifier is reduced. Dark clouds at night (obscuring the stars), no moon (or the clouds are so thick it is obscured) would be almost the same as sitting in a dark hole underground. Take that same scenario and put for lights in the distance, improves to +1. Clouds begin to break and a few stars peek though, +2. And so on. If Fed comes back and dashes this ruling to the wind, then I will defer to his vision on vision Having actually worn NVGs, trained with them, fired down range with them, etc they are not ACTUALLY as great as "just like daylight". However, we are playing a game of a future where Muts and Beasts asks for Fries just like everyone else at the drive thru, so I can throw some realism out the door
  17. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign
  18. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign I finished the game map today, Fed and I will be going over scale tonight. Right now the trip from Unirad at the top of the map to Lo at the bottom would take around two to three weeks. We are also finalizing the barter system with our central currency (ha ha!) Gun Powder, or Powder, is measured in Horns. One Horn of powder is enough to make 20 shots. This is produced in Lo though with the destruction of Cassock it has become hard to get a hold of lately. Most people don't have the black powder weapons or can't afford the shot. Lo has the corner on the Sulfur market and has the best mills for mixing the ingredients. Hemp is measured in Pouches. One pouch is enough to make 6 to 8 rolls. Unirad produces Golden Hemp (the true gold color of the plant), a top grade product that only seems to grow in Unirad. Others have tried to grow it, but it does not take on the golden hue or have the namesakes more powerful effect. Good Water is measured in Cans. Seven Wells produces Good Water but its more than that. Somehow the "fizzy" Good Water from Seven Wells is able to clean up other Bad Water, so a little Seven Wells water can really go a long way (1 can of Wells can purify at least 10 cans of Bad Water). Now, other people can produce Hemp, make Gun Powder or sell Good Water but you get what you pay for. A Can of Standard Good Water may only be worth 1/10th the market value of Wells Finest. Powder not made at Lo has a higher misfire rate. Vendor: "This is Powder from Lo, not that cheap chaff produced in Undertown. Sure, Aiogs can mine... but do you really want all that dirt fouling your shot when it counts?!?" Buyer: "Let me see you burn a shot?" The vendor burns a charge with a satifying flash. The buyer is impressed. Buyer: "I will trade you a horn of Powder for a can of Good Water" The vendor knows his shot is worth way more then a can of water. He open the can and smells the familiar fizz of Seven Wells finest. Buyer: "Its a Can of Wells of course." The vendor knows the price is thin, even in this heat he smells a short sell. He retorts, "We seal the deal by sharing that roll you got there?!" The buyer agrees. They exchange goods and the buyer passes the roll to the vendor. Lighting the roll the vendor takes a toke and coughs, "What kind of crap is this? This ani-no goldie." The buyer smiles and takes a hit with a grimace, "Who said anything about goldies."
  19. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign
  20. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign The Great Var is an Ancient City decimated during the Final War. It is now overgrown with all manner of flora climbing though and amid the buildings. Very few people who trek into the Var looking for Cargo ever come out again. Those who survive tell tales of ground to hot to walk on, carnivorous flying plants and horrific wild beasts. Most believe these tales are just nonsense talk from people who have drank to much Bad Water and yet, no one you know has even entered into the Var and returned. From a character creation point the Great Var is the closest place you would consider HOT from radiation. The Burning Lands may be another but even the air there is a poisonous fume. It is like the sky became ill disposed to the very earth's fetid breath and push the ground down in on itself. Only the Aiogs seems interesed in the Burning Lands with their countless underground expeditions. People call the Aiogs crazy, but they do turn up with more Ancient Artifacts than anyone would seem to have the right to aquire. They are also beset upon by Cinders, so it would seem digging to deep after the Ancients does have its own counterweight in death and misery.
  21. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign I have not "created" any true shape shifter at this point. I have a few plants that have the ability to mimic, but a 'were' critter is currently an unknown. Ggaru, Aiogs and Cinders are all Beasts. Ggaru are Coyote/Dog crossbreeds that mutated, where the Aiogs are mutated Prairie Dogs. Cinders are basically very large ants, with the soldier varity being able to vomit forth a gout of chemical flame. Players can play Ggaru and Aiogs but the Cinders are currently just a monster. I am still working on the Aiogs but here is the "Monster Manual" entry for the Ggaru: Ggaru Val Char Cost Roll Notes 10 STR 0 11- Lift 100.0kg; 2d6 [2] 11 DEX 3 11- OCV: 4/DCV: 4 10 CON 0 11- 10 BODY 0 11- 8 INT -2 11- PER Roll 11- 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 10 COM 0 11- 5 PD 3 Total: 5 PD (0 rPD) 2 ED 0 Total: 2 ED (0 rED) 2 SPD 0 Phases: 6, 12 4 REC 0 20 END 0 20 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 4 Movement: Running: 8"/16" Leaping: 2"/4" Swimming: 2"/4" Cost Powers END 3 Low Light Vision 19 Canine Nose: (Total: 19 Active Cost, 19 Real Cost) +1 PER with Smell/Taste Group (Real Cost: 2) plus +4 versus Range Modifier for Normal Smell (Real Cost: 2) plus Tracking with Normal Smell (Real Cost: 5) plus Discriminatory with Smell/Taste Group (Real Cost: 10) 4 Running +2" (8" total) 1 1 Life Support (Immunity: Bad Water) Talents 3 Lightsleep Skills 0 Language: Ggaru (idiomatic) (4 Active Points) 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Atatl, Javelins and Thrown Spears 2 Survival (Temperate/Subtropical Forests, Temperate/Subtropical Plains) 11- Total Powers & Skill Cost: 36 Total Cost: 40 0+ Disadvantages 10 Distinctive Features: Beast (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Distinctive Features: Mutated Animal - Genetic Marker (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Large Group) 10 Physical Limitation: Semi Upright (Frequently, Slightly Impairing) Notes: This character can walk on two legs, but must run on all fours. His pelvis is slightly elongated from the typical butterfly shaped human pelvis. Apes and monkeys are good examples of this Disadvantage. When running on all fours, this character may not hold any objects in his hands. All such objects must be holstered, stored, or otherwise put away. 10 Physical Limitation: Animal Mouth (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing) Notes: The character can't speak most languages. This is not to say they are incapable of speaking, their mouth/lips/tongue/vocal cords are unable to form most complex sounds. Characters will instantly fail a Mimicry roles to impersonate most languages, but may be quite adept as ones that exist in the natural world. Species that have this trait usual have their own language (hence the Infrequent) and are quite capable of understanding other languages. Total Disadvantage Points: 40 Background/History: The Ggaru (the Gg is pronounced like a growl and the U at the end is long like a howl) are a tribal hunter/gather culture that exists on the plains to east of the ruins of Var. They follow the large roaming herds of Uff as their primary source of food and materials. Their main weapon is an Uff horn Atatl tipped with bone, obsidian or metal head that they use in volley fire attacks. As a matriarchal society the Chief is a woman and makes all decisions that involve the pack, however the War Leader is always a male. Women bear litters of two to six pups a season but only the Chief decides who may have a litter. Personality/Motivation: Ggaru are very similar the American plains Indians that took advantage of the Buffalo herds. Where the plains Indians supplemented their diet on Buffalo, the Ggaru hunt the Uff almost exclusively. While they are not xenophobes and will allow others to move through their lands, they will not tolerate squatters. As a people they lead a harsh but relatively simple life. They only wear the bear minimum of clothing, focusing more on harness for tools than modesty. Powers/Tactics: The Ggaru are pack hunters adept at surviving on the plains for as long as anyone can remember. A hunting party usual consists of six to eight males that will harass an opponent with Atatl javelins in waves. Uff are hunted using a traditional tactic common in carnivores where one beast is separated from the herd and eventually killed. The remaining tribe will proceed to uproot the camp from the current location and move to the spot of the kill to establish a new camp. War Parties consist of males and females making up between twelve to twenty members. They understand the concept of capturing an enemy, but rarely do it. Those that are considered a threat are dealt with harshly. It is not unheard of for a Ggaru Chief to broker a deal with another pack or even outlying tribe (like a human village) for trade. This trade is usual sealed with the trading off offspring for a season or so. Appearance: Ggaru are semi upright bipeds averaging about in the mid 5' range and weighing about 120 lbs. They have mottled dark fur over their entire body, with pointed ears and a canine snout. Their hands and feet are very pawish but they are capable of using tools. Their dialect is compromised of barks, wines, howls and yips; supplemented with body posture. Their society has an oral culture and no written language, though they do use marking (both visible and scent based) in their travels. Packs usual have thirty to forty adults, half as many juveniles and a litter or two. If a Ggaru is unable to benefit the pack it is usual cast out by the Chief or forced into a hunt (where they are usual killed). Everyone in the region knows about the Ggaru; like settlers would know about local indians as they proceeded westward. There are many Ggaru tribes but it is unknown if they fall under great tribe, shogun, etc. They are not known to worship any particular gods but they do revere spirits and their ancestors. The characters should not have any first hand knowledge of the Ggaru unless it makes sense for their background. Ggaru's within a Ggaru community have PS that would be found in a tribal culture, with a rare few having more mercantile like trade skills. One tribe of Ggaru allows the Aiogs in Undertown to come onto their lands to collect Uff dung. In return the Ggaru get items they need in trade.
  22. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Yes, players can have characters that have come from other area. I am working on the "known lands" now and hope to have PDF up in the next few days. I will also be posting some info on some of the other species common to the area, as well as additional languages. Currently Fed and I are discussing a form of currency, but the barter/trade system is going to be a huge part of the game. There are no such thing as Cryptic Alliances. You must be paranoid There is a group known as the Purists, but how much you know is about them is still being determined. Hidden alliances and secret societies are "obscured" from the players view at this time. However, knowing how a GW influenced game would run, it would not be illogical to think there is some group out there who seeks their own rise in power born on the necks of another. Considering this is a "city-state" world, vying for power and power sharing are all part of the process. The "known lands" are as follows, if the area was a watch Cassrock would be the joining of the hands. To the 12 oclock position would be the Great Var, to the 3 oclock are the open plains, to the 4:30 position would sit the expanse of "Undertown". To the 6 oclock lies the Burning Lands. To the 8 oclock would sit Fedrex. Now, distance is not exact but it takes over a week to get out of the mountains and down into the foothills where Cassrock once stood. The Great Var rests maybe two days north from Cassrock. The Burning Lands start about three days south and go on for at least a weeks travel south. Undertown is about three days travel from Cassrock. A few days south of the Burning Lands lies the Village of Lo and the Gateway to the Oracle (who resides a full two week trek up into the mountains). The Fort of Seven Wells escaped the Ancients wrenching blow that created the Burning Lands and lies about a week travel from Fedrex or Cassrock, depending if you travel through the mountains or out into the foothills and then back into the mountains. It is one of the few sources of pure water and one of the largests bastions for trade in the region. Cassrock and Undertown use to share the glory as which was the better, but that debate has been silenced of late. The plains are home to the immense herds of Uff (large, eight legged hairy beasts with great horns standing about 3 meters at the shoulders) wander, feeding on Willow Grass and Tanglevines. The plains are also home to the beastly Ggaru, a tribal people who don't mind people crossing their ancestral lands but don't tollerate squatters (think of indians that lived in the american plains, bingo). The Ggaru stand on two legs but run on all fours, hunting in large packs and using a Uff Horn Atatla as their main weapon. Undertown is home to the Aiogs, a short race of beasts who trade almost as avidly as they tunnel. Undertown seems to grow by the day and is home to over a thousand Aiogs. If Cinders did not eat so darn many Aiogs, the Aiogs would be more prevelant than grass. Aiogs trade with the Ggaru for Uff Dung (for farming) and Uff Hides (for leather working). Ggaru in return get metal and stone tools. Aiogs trade medicines and food with Cassrock who use to act as a middle point between Seven Falls. Seven Falls sells pure water and is a trading post for prospectors, skinner and trappers. At present Ggaru and the Aiogs speak their own language. Ggaru dont have the ability to speak any other languages due to their canine like snout. Aiogs can "get by" speaking Ggaru and the Trade Tounge common in the Wasteland. The players get the Trade Tounge (or Common, or Wasteland-ese) as the default language. The Language of the Ancients is seldom heard but by priests speaking from the Scrolls of the Gideons (translated at the intro to the game), or from Ancient Tech. Other languages may/will exist but we (Fed and I) don't really want to turn the game into some European Rennisance for Art and Culture No vaults for Fedrex. That may be possible, but these Alliances you keep speaking of are delusions of a paranoid mind When we finalize all the societies Fed and I will let you know which ones you have heard rumors of, which ones you really know about, which ones you can drop points on, etc. This is not a "Gamma World" game but one flavored by the Post Apoly genra. GW and Fallout are notable influences, but we are borrowing from all over to be honest. Movies like the Postman, Mad Max and Cyborg (I know, ole Leftie is hardly a credible source but... it was a Wasteland) are easy to see, but stealing a little bit from a load of other sci fi into "our" little corner is what we are after. We really don't want to go down the same ole roads of Mad AI's or Secret Societies gone amuck for Starfall.... at least that is what we are saying at the onset
  23. Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Fed and I have discussed a number of these regarding cybernetics, wetware, chemical enhancers (like a Sandevistian speed boost via inhaler), etc... most of this is going to be a NO at the start of the game with a big HOWEVER. However, if you wanted to set some points aside at character creation with a cavet A Pure sets aside 25 points of disads asking for cybernetics (so he is a 75/50 character at the start of the game). After discussion it is determined the players wants a blaster stuck into his arm (just like the cover of the ole Gamma World Red Boxed set) and some enhanced senses. The GM decides a Endurance Reserve is in order with a low recovery and a increased recovery with the limiter for additional power source (like -1 requires Broadcast power). The player then gets his blaster, an Enhanced Sense for Detecting Power Sources, IR Vision in his right eye and some added armor (covering his head and right arm). The player then takes the Physical Limitation: Intrusive Cybernetics, Physical Limitation: Missing Right Hand and maybe a Distinctive Feature: Cybernetic Enhancements. A Mute and a Beast also asks for some enhancements after seeing what the Pure has planned. During the course of play the characters encounter a group of Skinjobs (androids that look human, though the skin part maybe lacking) who accost the players as patients who escaped from a Mental Asylum. The players are put in confinement (the Altered Humans are sent to the infirmary for "treatment", the mutated animals are sent to the kennels and the mutated plant is left alone as the Skinjobs don't even comprehend it). The Pure player gets his cybernetics. Unfortunately all did not go as well for the Mute. He was treated with retro virals and a large dosage of nanites to cure him of his diseased condition. He is then changed from a Mute to a Pure His Mute disads are replaced by Cybernetics and yada yada yada. It goes completely south for the Beast. The Medbot in charge of this whole outift decides the Beast is diseased with an incurable condition and marked to be put down (that would be the most Humane thing to do). The players then make good on an escape by disabling the broadcast power station, hauling off with a small amount of Cargo and saving their friend from the gas chamber. As the game wears on the player sets some xp aside and asks the GM for an upgrade. The upgrade could be arranged through experimentation, accident, helpful npc, etc. Again, this might be a complete subplot of an adventure or just something role played out on the side between adventurers. I think the main point is the player is "probably" not going to get to pick and choose his exact enhancements. I would not discourage a player from submitting his idea in points, especially the disadvantages. After all, you are going to be RPing the final product Who knows, what you dream up may be completely ok, but just like Mutes all powers will be looked over.
  24. Re: Not "Secret", not "Public", just "Identity" I took your midwording and wish to redact my "snarky" statements. No offense taken and I hope none were in kind. If so, my sincerest appologies.
  25. Re: Not "Secret", not "Public", just "Identity" Please, don't make assumptions about my knowledge. I don't assume to know anything about your knowledge or your manners. Asking anyone to ask someone else about something when that someone else is present is childish to the nth degree. My 5 year old daughter does that when she is upset with one of her friends. "Dad, tell Tina that I am not her friend." Tina looks at my daughter and then me, "Well, you tell her...", I throw up my hands and tell them to settle it amongst themselves. I really don't want to liken anyone on this board to getting upset that a friend pushed them down the slide, sat in their place at the lunch table or dropped their doll in the mud on the playground. If you want to tell me something, tell me. I think jwpacker's original question to the board was pretty straight forward. He wanted to get other peoples opinions. However, jwpacker has not asked me about this yet. To be honest, I don't think alot about disads a player did not take. I don't have a loads of free time and spending it on non-productive ponderings does little good. He may never ask. If he did ask, then I would tell him.... For "my" game, not taking a disad means its not a disad. It does not matter what it is. [The following may come across as lippy, not my intent. Just an example.] We can play what if with this all day long: Secret ID, DNPC, Psych Lims, Hunteds, etc. What if I have a player who has a very large family, owns a business, has hundreds of employees and wants to take a DNPC of a childhood friend. Fine, one DNPC. They can roleplay their interaction with their co-workers, relatives and internet dating club BUT the only DNPC is the childhood friend. Want to see how this passes the test: insert another disad in its place. Player did not take a Psych Lim: Fear of Heights, I am not going to put the screws to him when he is fighting on top of the Empire State Building. Player did not take a susceptibility salt water, then the only thing he has to worry about when fighting Aquaguy on the beach is getting sand kicked in his face. I think the Secret ID, Public ID, No ID, Obscured ID has become overly clouded (but interesting reading). Individual GMs have the final say in their campaign. If they want players to pick, then players pick. If GMs don't care one way or the other, cool. If a GM does not specify and then they put the screws to the player, that may make them a bad GM. However, it could just as likely be they are an inexperienced GM. It is really a shame that so many posters wade in with the Bad GM Hammer, evidently having completely forgotten what is was like to be a New or Inexperienced GM. It is one thing to read boxed text from a prepared adventure and another to make an adventure (or campaign) from scratch. There is a learning curve there that only comes from doing (just like role playing). I guess so many have been railroaded by GMs who think it they are actually competing against the players or GMs think that role playing just means large rewards (Monty Haul), those players have forgotten the excitement of the game. These kinds of players usual become sycophantic point mongers and rules lawyers unless they get a steady diet of good GMs and a true gaming community. Endlessly arguing about the best possible builds or holding a game up for hours and hours while they stroke the point of a particular nuiance of the rules. Alas, don't dispair. There is hope for such lost gamers. They just need to seek out a good community and, with therapy, they can come around to becoming productive Players/GMs once again. [Ok, that last bit was lippy. I admit it!] The rest of the post to jwpacker I "assume" was directed to me. But, since I don't feel like trading snarky innunedos, I am dropping the ball here.
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