csyphrett

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Saw Pixar's short toon collection. It's odd but I liked them all with Lifted and Bounding standing out. CES

Re: Campaign Idea . . . almost. Plumbers. The founders of the Ghost Hunters work for Rotor Rooter. CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Gun Blaze West 3 from Nobuhiro Watsuki, a manga collection where adventurers decided to travel ot a mythical place to be the best they can be. The serial ends as the heroes get over the first hurdle and move to the first set of trials to get to their destination. Watsuki apologized for it not being the best that it could be but I liked it even though it was cancelled at basically the part of the adventure where the hero starts deciding what he has to do to go forward. CES

Re: The Emergence Of Superhumans I agree with Lord of Light where high tech is used to keep people from developing their society. I also suggest other alternate histories where powers make a difference to the world. Girl Genuis has been mentioned. Most Myths, Mage by Matt Wagner, some of Hellboy, Lord Baltimore where the world is changed by the release of vampires during WWI, and something like Randall Garrett's Lord Darcy where England rules most of the world with magic. It seems you have a lot of background chatter, but what's needed is an event. Metaphysician's abberant campaign comes across as supers as greek myths. Phil Farmer tried to link most pulp heroes to a meteor crash in England to create Wold Newton. The picking of a time period will lead to natural changes based on real history. The rest will be easy. CES

Re: Supers: How'd they get that way (and why do so many of them wear long johns?) Most of the games I have run, the players picked and I built something around them. Then came expansions on the background. CES

Re: Into the Past With Strangers Hopefully it will be okay at the end. CES

Re: Into the Past With Strangers 2 Codename: V frowned in the shadows cast by a townhouse on the edges of Embassy Row. Something was going on two places down the row. A lookout stood on the street to warn of raids. V decided to see what the back of the houses looked like. Information had been forwarded through several sections before reaching him. The Germans had been given something to put them on the trail of some new weapon. The moles didn't know what. V frowned at the lookout in the alley behind the house row. The light from a cigarette betrayed him crouching beside a trashcan. The agent watched for other enemies as he decided on his next course of action. Codename: V waited until he was sure he was alone in the alley with the lookout. He vaulted over the top of the nearest fence as silent as a shadow, black long coat belted tight to prevent flapping. He became one with the shadows on the other side of the fence, moving silently to the other side of the yard. He swung over that fence too. The lookout hid to the agent's left. The house's back door beckoned to the right. V glided to the back door. He would just have to chance the guard coming behind him if he wanted to sneak around inside the house to find out what was going on. The agent avoided light from the windows as he searched the house silently. Voices drew him upstairs where he paused at the open door. He didn't need to break things up if he could gather intelligence first. "It looks like we're to execute our orders." The commanding officer's German was precise, almost military. "I will arrange for another meeting with the contact. Prepare to move out. Clean the house. I have a feeling that we won't be in England for much longer." That was interesting. Codename: V retreated from the door as footsteps approached. He hid in a shadow from a window in the otherwise barren hall. He remained motionless as the commander appeared and headed downstairs. V moved back to the door. Four men worked on stuffing papers into a metal trash bin. One of them had a can of petrol in his hand. The agent needed those papers to trail the operation. He couldn't let the spies burn them. V pulled up a black scarf to hide his foxy features. He pulled two automatics from under his coat. He hated to reveal himself so early in the game. Maybe if he made it look like they escaped him. He puzzled over his plan as he revealed himself in the door. "Hands up." V changed his voice as he spoke in German. "I don't want to kill you." The man holding the petrol threw it at the agent in black before reaching for his weapon. The other three men went for weapons holstered on their persons. Reflex carried them forward with their hasty actions before thought told them they were covered. Codename: V shot the metal can. The bullet punched through, striking sparks off the jagged holes it tore through both sides. The fumes caught as the can bounced against the wall. Streaming gas went up in a spider's web on floor and wall. The pistol in V's other hand barked with the same lightning speed. Bullets struck wounding blows, stopping efforts to shoot him. The men went down as he came forward to pull the files out of the small bucket. The wounded spies rushed to the door as V busied himself saving the information from the fire. He let them go. As long as they kept moving, they weren't a threat. Codename: V frowned at what he could see in the spreading smoke. He tucked the papers away inside his coat for protection. He would give them a better perusal when he was away from danger. V went to the door. The agents had slammed it shut on him while he had been inspecting his find. He pulled on it. One of the wounded men had been smart enough to tie the door shut somehow. It was simple solution to their problem. They needed to destroy the files, and kill him. They could let the fire do both if they could keep him in the room. The door and the windows were his only exits. The agent went to the windows and glanced out. The lookout held a pistol up to shoot him if he jumped to the grass. V went back to the door. He had noted the hinges were on his side of the door. He put one of his pistols away and dropped a knife in his gloved hand from inside his sleeve. He placed the point of the knife against the top of the pin inside the top hinge. One swing of the pistol popped the pin out. He repeated the action on the bottom hinge. He turned the door cautiously and produced a gap to step into the hall. No one waited for him there. He would have left a guard to shoot if the target had done what he had. Codename: V headed downstairs. He had no doubt that they would cover the doors to keep him inside the townhouse. They had until police and firemen arrived on the scene. The smoke would kill him first. Codename: V paused in the kitchen. A glance outside the back window told him that they were watching the back of the place. He had no doubt he could shoot his way out. He wanted them to think he was dead. He examined the stove. That might help him fake his death. The agent pulled the stove away from the wall. One yank freed the gas line. He let the fumes fill the room as he moved the refrigerator to give him some cover for the resulting explosion. He retreated to the dining room. He struck a match and threw it in the gas filled kitchen. The explosion blew the back of the townhouse off. It also blinded and battered the sentry. Codename: V slipped away while the enemy agent tried to gather his wits about him.

Re: The Emergence Of Superhumans Exactly what I meant with my post. If the guy is a Superman equivalent, he can basically change the world anyway he wants. The church would bow to him if he declared himself some kind of physical god. CES

1 Mad George Tribolyte ran his slender fingers through his long, curly hair. He sat in his favorite arm chair, glass of wine at his elbow. He wanted a cigar, but decided to wait until he had talked to his guest. He would need a cigar after his talk. "They have arrived, sir." Mister Cook's brawn needed the tailored uniform he wore as the butler. His expression expressed disapproval. "Put the entourage in the parlor." Tribolyte sipped his wine. "Escort the Baron here so we can have our meeting." "Very good, sir." Mister Cook left the room in dignified silence. Mr. Cook returned moments later with Tribolyte's visitor. The man wore an overcoat over a civilian suit. The man could be shot as a spy if caught visiting a British national. "Hello, Baron." George offered a glass but was declined. "I assume your superiors briefed you on my offer." "No." The Baron watched his host with sharp eyes. The butler had put his two aides in another room by the scruff of their necks. "I was told you were willing to offer information to us for a price. I was not told what you know." The Baron had also been told to shoot the man if he was wasting time. "There is a device that can change the way the war will run." Tribolyte held up his hand to forestall any interruption. "Very few know about it, and no one knows where it is. On the other hand, there is a map. It has been broken up and scattered across the world. Once this map has been reassembled, it will take us to this device which I will tell you how to use in return for certain considerations." "Proof?" The Baron crossed his arms. Evidence to justify wild claims was needed before he returned to Berlin without shooting this stranger. "What proof would justify my claim?" Tribolyte sipped his wine. "I have a piece of the map. I know where some of the other pieces are." "I would like to see this piece that you spoke of." The Baron wondered how gullible he was supposed to be. "Certainly." Tribolyte waved a hand. The butler entered the room with a covered tray. He lifted the tray for the Baron to examine the stone on the silver. "Please, don't touch." The Baron pulled a magnifying glass from his coat pocket. He used that to go over the surface of the piece of stone. He wondered about the markings on the surface. He couldn't quite make out what they were supposed to be. "How do I know this is authentic if I am not permitted to touch it?" The Baron felt sure that the piece belonged to some group of ancients that he had studied. He couldn't remember which one. He wanted to take the piece and fly through the window. He refrained from doing that since the Englishman might tell him something valuable as the meeting progressed. "Mr. Cook." Tribolyte waved the butler over. "Watch what happens, my good Baron." Tribolyte took the tray in both hands, holding it away from his body. A light erupted from the surface of the silver. Six large fragments fitted next to the one piece the Englishman held. The Baron noted other pieces had been implied, but remained invisible under the glow of the other man's influence. "Very impressive." The Baron put his glass away. "Why would you give this secret to my country?" "I'm not giving it to you." Tribolyte handed the tray back to his servant. "I'm selling it to you with the provisions that I have the right to claim ownership at any time in our partnership." "You expect us to assist you in gathering the pieces of the map, fund an expedition to the final resting place of the treasure, and then hand it over to you?" The Baron laughed. "I don't think that's possible." Tribolyte laughed too. "Yes." Tribolyte's face turned deadly serious. "That's exactly what I expect, and what you will do." "I don't see it." The Baron pursed his lips. "In the two years since your Hitler has taken over as the Chancellor, he has started expeditions all over the world for mystical instruments and knowledge." Tribolyte waved a hand to forestall any disagreement. "I'm offering something that he will want but can't use without my assistance. A little consideration is not out of order." "You're asking for more than a little consideration." The Baron shook his head. He was in a tight spot. He needed to at least look like he was trying to secure the prize for the Fatherland. "That's fine." Tribolyte waved his hand again. Mr. Cook appeared without the tray in his hands. "Show the Baron out. I will sell the map to the Home Office." "Wait." The Baron raised a hand to keep the butler from trying to manhandle him. "I will allow you to use the treasure as long as you do not threaten Germany." "Then we have a deal?" Tribolyte pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one with a match. "Yes." The Baron looked sick. "When do you want to start this gathering process?" "Tomorrow will be soon enough." Tribolyte smiled. "No one else knows enough to try to gather the map on their own. If we're cautious, no one will know that we have the map until it's too late." "I will let my superiors know what you propose." The Baron turned to leave the room. "Don't take too long." Tribolyte silently directed Mr. Cook to make sure he didn't come back until their talk. "I'm sure there will be an answer in a few hours." The Baron shrugged at the door. "What the answer will be I couldn't tell you." "I understand completely." Tribolyte nodded as the other man paused at the door to look back at him in his white suit and spats. "Politicians aren't to be trusted with anything of importance." "We'll see what they will decide and I will return to discuss the specifics of things." The Baron headed out of the garage and started for the door. His companions joined him at the door. "Come along, men." The Baron stepped out of the door. He wasn't going to give the Englishman satisfaction of the look on his face. "I need to report in."

Re: Implementing a magic system for Garrett, PI Garret is a private investigator in the city of Tunfaire. He has a partner called the Dead Man who is an immobile ancient. Their relationship comes across like Nero Wolfe and Archie Godwin with Garret the POV character as Godwin and the Dead Man as Wolfe. CES

Re: Astro City: Roustabout How much does a ferris wheel weigh? He held one of those up with one hand. CES

Re: Multiform a la Carte? you can build suits as multipowers linked to armor. CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Read the Spy Who Haunted Me by Simon Greene. Edwin Drood, Walker from the Nightside, and others are invited to take part in a scavenger hunt to gain untold treasures and secrets. CES

Re: Urban Fantasy 'white event' idea I dont know if this is useful as a white event but a friend and I were talking about Scryed. Characters gain powers when a piece of another dimension causes an island to form in the ocean. They are walled off and treated as second class citizens and lab rats by the mainland forces. Only one of the mercenaries with a power decided to start doing things to the super police. CES

Re: TV to rpg Both the ghostbusters and TMNT have games but I don't know if GB is still being produced. CES

Re: WWYCD? #80: Future Hope or Hellspawn? I inflicted this on players in one of my campaigns. I was more amused than they were. CES

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? The boy and I went to see UP. I wish I could sail my house around with a cloud of balloons. CES

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Stuck watching both versions of Willie Wonka. Like Gene Wilder better. CES

Re: Beyond the Walls of Sleep 1 Shiori Hasakura found herself walking on a stream of flowing water, smoke as her clothing as she moved. All around her she saw water circle into placid pools that seemed to form images. They radiated emotions to her, anger, fear, love, puzzlement, and one of relief. All she could see in that pool was a bridge. Intuitively, she reached out for the bridge, her delicate-looking fingers brushing against the surface of the water... Shiori found herself walking on the bridge, staring at a sky made of blue brush strokes. Clouds of white streaked under the wooden structure, hiding the ground. A light like the sun shone in her eyes ahead. Someone walked on the planks, eclipsing some of the sun. Deciding that politeness was best, Shiori bowed in greeting to the silhouetted walker and said, "Sumimasen. May I please ask who you are?" "I don't remember dreaming you." The figure stepped out of the sun to reveal an elderly lady, clad in a bathrobe of golden fishes swimming in a blue sea. "I didn't paint portraits. Maybe you're somebody I remembered from the real world." Shiori took a single, graceful and quiet step forward, deeming the old woman no threat to her. "I do not know, yet I *am* a real person, oba-san." She made another small bow. "Hasakura Shiori desu." Then she looked around at her general surroundings for a moment. "If I may ask, what is this place, oba-san?" "This is my dream." A fish jumped from the robe before falling back down in the liquid cloth. "I don't have long. I can feel my time is drawing to a close and when you die in your dreams, you die in the real world." She looked down sadly for a moment before replying, "Perhaps there is something I can help you with during what time you have left, Oba-san?" "I'm afraid that's not possible, dear." The lady smiled. "I'm on my last legs. The doctor should be arriving any minute to watch over my last few minutes. He was such a nice boy." She nodded sadly. Although it was an honor for her to keep such and old and wise person company during her last living moments, Shiori still felt that she could...and *should*...do more. "Then perhaps you would like me give me some message from you to impart to those in the waking world? Or perhaps there is some wisdom that you would like to share?" "I have had a good run." The old woman looked up. "It's just my time." The edges of the bridge began to crumble as Shiori watched. The pieces hovered close together as more and more of the wood started cracking apart. Shiori's eyes widened just a little. What would happen at the point of the old woman's death, she wondered? "Anou...is it safe for me to remain here, Oba-san?", she asked with a little touch of fear. "Remember if you die in your sleep, you die for real." The old lady smiled. "It was so nice to meet you." She turned to walk toward the light at the end of the bridge, fading in color and shape. "Sayonara, Oba-san...and thank you for inviting me," she said sadly to figure as it faded into to light that it was heading towards. Why was it that there never seemed to be enough time for the *important* things? If she had only met her sooner... But now wasn't the time to think about such things! Worried about being drawn in herself. Shiori turned away from the light and tried to *will* herself back into the waking world. Shiori woke up in her bed. Day had not come yet, but she did hear a rooster crow. She knew that some ran wild in the alleys somewhere beneath her apartment. They seemed to have escaped from some pet store and decided to become feral. Her first impulse was to look at her alarm clock and then, after getting up to go to the bathroom, Shiori decided to turn on the TV for a little while. Still a little confused by her *very* vivid dream, she knew instinctively that she needed something to ground her again in the waking world. Channel 14 flicked on with the weather on the ones. The meteorologist analyzed the coming high-low pattern for the coming week. Rain marked the map and seemed to be heading into town in the next few days.

Re: Extra-planar Fantasy Shout out major plot points was about time travel like Tenocritus changing places and arriving in the future, Garric arriving in the past as a stranger to help Ilna, Garric going into a future after he had failed to unite the Isles. But almost everything Cashel was involved in took place sideways to the Isles. Wizards and demigods said to themselves we need a brick to kick someone's butt for us. Who can we get? Let's call Cashel and give him the job. CES

Re: Extra-planar Fantasy Shout out The Death Gate books could fit in here as they take place on a shattered world broken into elemental planes and a deadly maze. I don't know if dream invasions fit but there's a subgenre of them like Dreamscape, Nightmare on Elm Street, Night Warriors, Nightmask, the Simon and Kirby Sandman. CES

Re: Steampunk - Source Material Is any of this discussion helping, GA? There's list of material. The common tropes seems to be a Victorian setting where Steam has replaced the combustion engine on the tech scale, where adventurers battle over new applications of their science. I wouldn't exactly put Bas lag in a steam punk setting, maybe not Castle Falkenstein either ( I haven't read that, but have heard of it.) There's too much magic involved there. I don't agree with Full Metal Alchemist as Steam Punk either. Maybe I am being too narrow but Steam Punk is weird science based stuff to me like Girl Genius, Wild Wild West the show, and/or movie, or Steamboy, or Frankenstein. High fantasy added to that is a separate Genre in my opinion. Something like Steam Fantasy. Does that make sense?

Re: Extra-planar Fantasy Shout out Zelazny and Saberhagen also had a book where Edgar Allan Poe switched with himself. The Poe we know was from the other side writing stories about what he remembered from his home realm, while our Poe became an adventurer over there. I don't remember the name. David Drake's Isles books had a lot of dimensional travel and time paradox in them, especially the parts with Cashel and Ilna. CES

Re: Steampunk - Source Material TV tropes has a list of things associated with Steam Punk. Most of the things discussed are already there. There was also something called clock punk where you take the weird science that comes from using steam to power Transformers and apply clockwork to it. CES

Re: Extra-planar Fantasy Shout out A lot of my favorites have already been listed. Amber and its shadow walking, Roadmarks and alternate history by driving on the highway, Cynosure where guns work here, magic works there, and swords work everywhere, The Nightside buried under London where its always night. Others I have seen are John DeChancie's Castle of a Million Doors where each door leads to another dimension, Zelazny's Madwand where two boys are traded and one becomes a magician while the other becomes a mad scientist, Thomas Covenant's Land, Garth Nix's House with its universe of rooms and subrooms, Dianne Wyn Jones's Chrestomanci where you find worlds by traveling through a no man's land, and Howl who used to live in Wales before building his moving castle. I'm sure there's more that I have seen and forgotten. CES