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Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

I...hadn't considered that.

 

Of all the options I've seen, AP RKA fit the power best. I am, however, willing to accept that it's off limits, so I think I'm going to ditch the power entirely, and come up with something to replace it. When the most obvious mechanic is unavailable, it makes the power awkward to build.

 

Possible replacement:

 

- Wooden Fist: 1.5 Knockback (+1/2) for up to 35 Active Points of Strength, Uncontrolled (+1/2) (25 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (Mystic Armor; -1/2). End Cost: 2

 

~Gabriel

Heh. Reminds me of the one I played around with, way over the campaign AP limit. The idea was to curse someone horribly for transgressions. She had to give three warnings, and you had to be stupid enough to bodily threaten her in her home those three times, but once you did, it was 5d6 of Major Transform- Human into Human with Unluck. Depending on just how bad your karma was, it would be anything from 1d6 to 3d6, healed by mending your ways or finding someone to remove the curse (fat chance with Unluck like that).

A completely useless nine, ten points that would nevertheless be awesome to see happen, just for the looks on their faces.

I have a couple other 'home defense' ideas, including a Teleport UAA (for guns and knives), Invisibility to Clairsentience (only while at home), etc.

I got a big shopping list.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

An ordinary wooden spike, no. But this is magical wood that he's conjuring out of thin air and propelling at incredible speeds. If it were Range Based On Strength, I would agree with you.

 

I liked the Enraged, too. It fits his background well. Buying down the activation roll and upping the recovery roll will leave me some room for other disads I had in mind.

 

I think I'll go the RKA 1d6, AVLD (+1½), Does BODY (+1)(52 Active Points) route. It's not super effective, but I like how the mechanics fit the sfx: enchanted wooden spikes that punch through ordinary armor, but are stopped cold by spiritual defenses.

Which reminds me, I need to make my Mental Wards resistant and build up some Stability Wards... But then, Ward hasn't had to deal with true spiritual combat all that much yet- something any true Taoist Immortal would have one up on her (and with good reason!)

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Hunted: Ryan (the Star Mage)' date=' As Powerful, Mildly Punish (5 points)[/quote']

 

... That's what I had.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Anyway, next revision, juggling about my disads. I'll note that I still feel uncomfortable not having the phys lim not slaved to the wards they spring from; it's less a matter of "You're getting back points" than "That's what the power does, so if the power goes away, what happens to my Phys Lim?"

Re: Find Weakness, again

You missed the point I was trying to make.

 

How many different types and combinations of defenses do we already have in HERO without adding Find Weakness/Lack of Weakness to the mix?

 

Lack of Weakness becomes 'just one more type of defense' that an 'invulnerable sfx' character has to purchase to cover his 'shtick'. Why is this necessary? As I've already pointed out, Find Weakness can only have 1 of 2 possible sfx (targeting a spot or hit location-lite & modifying the attack aka Naked Advantage). It serves no purpose other than to broaden the types of defenses necessary for some character concepts.

But that's part of the problem- I personally think AP (RSR) is a little, well, clunky for the desired effect. It forces a skill roll every time you want to change the attack in any way at the very least, makes things more complex for the gamer just approaching the game, and despite what you say, Hyper-Man, makes things a little less clear (which is not something the HERO System needs right now).

Not only that, but suddenly Hardened has to do quadruple duty instead of the triple it already has, and GM workload is increased by building Hit Locations for everything, even things that aren't supposed to have Hit Locations by definition.

Can Find Weakness be abused liberally? Hell yes, I've done it myself. So can Teleport and pretty much every power in the book (with the possible exception of non-resistant defenses and even then I'm not sure).

So yes, I think FW has a place in HERO. It's a remarkably useful beginner power because it can be used 'out of the box', and does not require any sort of mucking about with to get the desired effect, especially in cases where the GM doesn't want to muck about with Hit Locations or the Player doesn't want to muck about with Naked Advantages. Is it appropos for all campaigns? No, but that's why it has the little exclamation point.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Check out the master list of disadvantages and see what tickles your fancy. You could create like a Cop Code or Heroic Code or something else. Some of them go from 15 to 25 points and may encompass more of the feel you want. You could then juggle a 15 pointer down to a 10 somewhere else.

... Am I allowed to take more than 50 points in Psychological Limitations in this case?

If that is the case, does he really quality as a hunted? Maybe a larger Rival is really the way to go.

Rivalries are not defined by Frequency, unfortunately, so the only way to make that Rivalry stronger is to make it either have more enmity or make Ryan stronger, which really isn't the case.

Re: A DC Animated-style HeroMachine

What, there isn't one named "Double Deuce" who uses boxing gloves?

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

CvK is not required' date=' but there needs be a real reason why you did not take it.[/quote']

 

Well, that's the problem, I can easily see her not wanting to kill anyone, and it extending to actively preventing all loss of life. I'm just not sure which Psych Lim to get rid of; a big part of the character is that reluctance to open up which is represented by the wards, and the beginnings of detachment from humanity because she feels she can't relate (hence why she's throwing herself back into hero work after being in semi-retirement for the past five years).

 

Just to clarify: Does Ryan know you are the Ward? Do you know who Ryan's alter ego is?

 

Yes to both, which is why neither of us is too eager to reveal/unmask the other, and have retreated to more... Petty forms of attack (mostly showing up the other, etc.).

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

(

 

Code vs Killing and Protect the "whatever" are seperate. Batman has a code vs killing, but Upholds Justice is how he persues his carrer. You wont kill great, but it is not the same as protect the weak, protect the innocent, defend the public trust, etc. You could have protect the weak and no code vs killing (ahem Punisher).

 

Ryan ws not going kill anyone at the school, he was just being a nuiscance and still you stepped in.

I mostly put in CvK because it's required by the campaign... I'd have put in something like "Code of Optimus Prime: Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. To protect that freedom and the well being of those weaker than I is my charge. Now let's go kick some ass."

ok, so Ryan is a costumed "villian" and your rival?

That's correct.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Your choice about where you want to live. 1/2 of the population lifes in Center City.

 

Ok, starting with Disads:

Distinctive Features: Always Shows Up In Tarot Divinations as THE WARD, Arcana II (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable Only By Small Group) - Just Tarot Divinations is a small group within Divination, which is a small gorup unto itself. I would say shows up at The Ward on any Divination. I know The Ward is a card in a Tarot deck, but its not that simple... the Death card does not mean Death (just change), and it goes on and on. -- still 5 points.

Hint: 'The Ward' is not a known Major Arcana in any real-world tarot deck.

Physical Limitation: Limited Physical Sense (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing), ok. What is this limited physical sense. I must have missed it in the background.

She doesn't have a fine sense of touch, a side effect of having her Basic Wards up all the time, which was why I put it originally as a Side Effect of the Basic Wards. You wanted it as a Disad, and I made it a disad.

Reputation: Bit of a Cold Fish, 8-, Care to define this a bit more. Is this your secret id or your super Id. This might be best explained as a social limitation, not a rep. You already have the fear of comittment, this may just roll with it.

Yeah, it was pretty much springboarding off the "Fear of Commitment". Remember, she's been an adventurer since freshman year.

In your background you have this large need to protect people, but no disadvange points to it. Nothing like Protect the Weak or Protect the Innocent. I mean...

 

I would loose one of the 15 point Psychogical limitations and put in some Protect Disad.

Part of that is CvK- it extends to all sentient beings. And I think Code of Optimus Prime doesn't quite fit.

You have a rival, so I assume it is a rival in your private life not your super one. I dont see it listed in your background specifically. Maybe another "diviner" or a nearby shop owner who does not like what your store brings to the neighborhood. Thoughts?

No, this is Ryan, the Star Mage's other student. Mostly it's a rivalry in the "I'm the only one who gets to stomp you dammit" sense, at least as I see it.

All of your stats are below normal charastic max except Ego and recovery. Thought about taking a 20 point normal char max? You EGO would cost another 6, but so would your recovery. Drop your recovery down to a 10, and you would be at 350. You could then rework some of your disads. Thoughts?

 

We already went over your powers and skills (which look good).

As for NCM, I tend not to use that, and it's a little silly for a character who is a mystic, and therefore can probably justify all kinds of characteristic increases through acessing other permanent spells. She'd just get around it, in other words, and that's not in the spirit of the disad.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

I ask all this because it really paves the way for the rest of it (I am trying to understand disads against the backdrop of your background). You are hunted by the local authorities, but they don't classify as less powerful in this town, they are as powerful. Being a hero while the locals want to put cuffs on you is going to be difficult (but not impossible and it can be a great chance for RP).

"Okay, based on what you just did, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and twelve seconds. Make it look good for the cameras."

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Okay, I've made the appropriate changes to The Ward. About my only concern is that she is on the edge of town; her response time to anywhere but The Bends (River District), Cinder City, Switchback and the Market District is going to be slower than the rest. Given that I want her to have the classic Old Haunted Mansion in a 'bad' part of town, this might be unavoidable.

Surprisingly, I'm not sure why, but she's not for the Rookery. I'm actually tempted to take the River District- central River District- because that seems like a nice hotbed as well.

Maybe I'm thinking about this too hard?

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Market District – an area that experienced a renaissance before the Battle of Center City. Known for its redbrick streets with gas lights. It houses the middle and upper class love of movies' date=' wine and song. Something akin to the French Quarter in New Orleans. An upper class red light district rests in the north western edge of the district.[/size']

 

 

By red light district, I mean prostutition and OTHER illegal activities (opium tea houses for one). You might want to pick another section of the market district. When Fed posts my campaign info online, take a look at the map. You may have a better feel from it.

Yes, I know! That's why she'd have a practice there- what better place for a superhero to set up shop than in a hotbed of iniquity? And what better place to set up a for-pay clinic than in a place that's thick with prostitutes who are unwilling or unable to go to a normal doctor and yet able to pay?

Ok, so you are an herbalist. Do you have a bent as to the style: Eastern, Western New Age, etc. You need to put some of your KS that way and I recommend a PS: Apothacary/Herbalist. MOST of the NW section of the Market District has an Eastern feel. Not so much a China town, but definiate asian.

Not certain. Currently leaning toward the Eastern. Already making those changes. Keep in mind that this is largely a matter of "integration"- 'how does Sara Kite fit into the community as of the start of the campaign?' question. As of last revision, she's a recluse who lives in the old haunted mansion... I'd like to change that just a bit.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

There is a district very similar to the French Quarter in New Orleans.

I set up her house there (northwest portion of Market District); this is a large part of why I'm asking.

If you want to open a small shop and sell New Age Healing Crystal, pendants, whatever... you are more than welcome to. Small business owners are not perks, you have to work at it. My toon in Fed's game is a small business owner (Spitfire Transportation - she has a Panther Helicopter). Depending on the type of business effects role playing. I would assume you business would operate at night (say 6 PM to 1 AM) Tuesday thru Saturday. There are other questions: do you do house calls? Are you just a healer? Do you perform any other magic services (tarot, crystal ball, etc). Do you actually perform magic, or is it just smoke and mirrors? Etc.

I was thinking a small herbalist's shop/alchemic apothecary, perhaps. If/when I attain an apprentice, this is probably what said apprentice will be up to; until then, I deal alone with people who are unwilling or perhaps unable to go to a normal doctor- or even trust an herbalist's opinion more!

House calls would likely be rare and/or cost extra, if only because if you have to call the herbalist in for a house call you should be in serious trouble and/or there are likely to be certain... complications.

As for whether I actually do magic, the answer is 'yes'. However, it's restricted to, as I stated above, herbalist's potions/salves, etc. Less "Earth-shattering healing abilities", more "Oh, she makes teas and things. Cleared up my cold really quickly." and "Well, this one time I came to her with... an odd complaint, and she mixed something up for me right there."

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

OK.

40 points of force wall gets you 16 points of defenses (8m). For each 1m from your multipower gives you 2 points of defenses.

41 points of force wall gets you 11 points of defense, transparent. (8m) For each 1m from your multipower gives you about 1.375 defenses.

 

You could take:

11 PD Force wall, Transparent (8m)

11 ED Force wall, Transparent (8m)

Balancing however would drop from 8 PD/ED to 5/6 or 6/5 PD/ED. If you are looking at using the Force Wall to protect yourself and whoever falls in behind you, then an 11 should be plenty for most attacks. A machinegun is going to be around 2d6 RKA. It would take a fantastic roll to get 12 dmg, so you would be safe in most cases. If the are mixing the lot between standard RKA and incendary RKA (which is an ED attack) they would get owned... but your force wall would still be up

Hm. Done.

Regarding campaign setting: What is the current view on therapeutic magic/ esoteric medicine? I might adjust her points a little to allow her to practice in the red light district (and thereby also make money by going where others won't).

Re: Worth a thousand words?

Hm? Oh, she's just very agile. Ridiculously agile. Agile to unstoppable levels. She can't say, break through a wall on a move-through, but she really doesn't need to. She's not a speedster, but she is a Martial Artist.

Couldn't tell you the origin, though yes, I did note the file name.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Background is fine and stats are fine.

 

Powers:

You have 2 Force Walls, as 8 point slots.

Sgt. Pepper's Shield I: Force Wall (14 PD) (Alterable Size) (40 Active Points)

Sgt. Pepper's Shield II: Force Wall (14 ED) (Alterable Size) (40 Active Points)

 

They way they currently read, either of them can be taken down with 1 body of damage from another damage type (so the PD wall will get dropped by a torch and the ED wall will fail against a bullet). Lets say you put up a 7 PD wall and a 7 ED wall. Which one comes first? If the ED wall is first and a thug smokes a 9mm your way, the ED wall will fall and the PD wall with soak it. If you make the walls Transparent (a 1/2 advantage) you max wall strength will be 9 (at a cost of 41, so your multipower would have to bump 1 point). It is perfectly playable as is... you just need to be sure to be on your layering game.

That's the idea- I'm not sure how to illustrate the idea that this is really one force wall that she's adjusting as she goes. suggestions are welcome.

You have a VPP, which is ok. There are a few rules:

1. All powers must be approved BEFORE the start of a scenario. Since we will be playing online, you need to let me know you are "researching" a new spell. Create it in Hero Designer and just drop in your playergm message. Such as....

I am research this:

Magical Insight- Electronic Defenses: +5 with Cryptography (10 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4)

2. A no to a spell means no. For instance, lets say you want to make a spell that gives the Transparent advantage to your force wall... er, no.

3. Anytime you want to add something to your character as a characteristic, make it an AID.

4. If you ask me to do something "on the run" during an adventure, the answer is going to be no. See #1 above. Now, you could resubmit later and I might say yes.

5. All VPP powers must Cost Endurance. If they do not, then add the limitation please. It is not much, but it does require effort/energy to perform your magics.

 

It is a small VPP, but the chance for abuse is still there.

This is fine. I mostly put in the ones I did as background.

I notice you have...

Mental Wards: 3 poiints of Mental Defense (8 points total)

I just dont see the other 5 points.

That's where 24 EGO comes in. EGO/5 is added to all Mental Defense.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Submitting The Ward to Thebes.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

I'm resubmitting The Ward for consideration.

Re: Worth a thousand words?

No, no. She lost that hand. And got One Big Attack.

She has three abilities- that One Big Attack, the Tactics skill to find a way to make that One Big Attack, and the Skill Levels to do insane things to land that One Big Attack.

Add to her Running and give her some token Armor for the costume and you're golden.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

And now we come to our new WWII Campaign, which we've been running a bit as an alternative to our modern champs game. A little lighter on the points (225), with a entirely new set of characters:

American Agent: He's a skillmonkey with a couple of nasty Ego-based tricks up his sleeve.

Lady Liberty: She has a mental killing attack. 'Nuff said.

The Professor: Imagine Professor Farnsworth in WWII. About like that, really.

U.S. Steel: An uneducated- but not unintelligent- high steel worker. Tricksy brick. Prefers his real name and rank- Pvt. Murray Coleman, and is pretty much the only guy on the team who does, apparently.

American Express: Yes. Seriously. He's a teleporting speedster. We don't leave home without him (because he's our CO).

The Sentinel: A Martial Artist who is telepathically bonded to his cape. The trick? It's also a radar array.

Best out-of-context:

GM: Polly want a blitzkrieg.

After listening to the GM do really bad German accents, one of the players notes that:

American Express (OOC): [in character] Some of us know German.

U.S. Steel (OOC): Not the GM.

The GM, trying to explain to American Agent what he's getting over his Mental Awarness what has Discriminatory, Analyze and Targeting:

GM: But [the minds] are kind of... funky.

American Agent: Like how?

GM: Like... Not quite human, but almost.

The Professor (OOC): They're lawyers.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Here's a tentative history, and sheet changes to match.

Limited Physical Sense is off the Master List of Limitations. I've changed it to Slightly Impairing because she can remove the wards, and I'd be more comfortable with it as a Side Effect of those wards rather than a Phys Lim because of that- The wards can be drained, suppressed, or dispelled, while this physical limitation doesn't go away, which strikes me as a little screwy given the concept (her wards restrict her sense of touch slightly).

Of course, because the basic wards themselves changed (from Armor to basic PD/ED), it might be a moot point.

I changed the name, since that largely seems to be the problem with the character- the concept is sound, the idea is sound, really, there's very little wrong with the sheet itself. You just don't like the name, or the joke attached , which I'll admit came into your campaign like a guy in the back row of a Philaharmonic performance shouting "FREEBIRD!"

I removed Linguistics entirely, and I'll admit I was using it as a catchall for all the neat obscure languages one finds in tomes of magic. Other methods would be welcome suggestions.

The Ward

Player:

Val Char Cost

13 STR 3

17 DEX 21

15 CON 10

10 BODY 0

18 INT 8

23 EGO 26

15 PRE 5

18 COM 4

13/28 PD 0

13/28 ED 0

4 SPD 13

14 REC 16

34 END 2

25 STUN 0

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

2 1/2" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 108

Cost Power

18 Mr. Kite's Abjuration: Elemental Control, 36-point powers

19 1) Force Field (15 PD/15 ED), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (37 Active Points)

19 2) Flight 15", Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (37 Active Points)

5 The World Bends To My Will!: Luck 1d6

20 Basic Wards: (Total: 20 Active Cost, 20 Real Cost) +10 PD (Real Cost: 10) plus +10 ED (Real Cost: 10)

3 Mental Wards: Mental Defense (8 points total)

30 You Have No Defense: Find Weakness 13- with Magical Attacks

40 I'm not the best mage, but I'll have to do: Multipower, 40-point reserve

4u 1) Blackbird: Energy Blast 8d6 (40 Active Points)

2u 2) We Can Work It Out: Missile Deflection (Any Ranged Attack) (20 Active Points)

8m 3) Sgt. Pepper's Shield I: Force Wall (14 PD) (Alterable Size) (40 Active Points)

8m 4) Sgt. Pepper's Shield II: Force Wall (14 ED) (Alterable Size) (40 Active Points)

2u 5) It was twenty years ago today... : Cosmetic Transform 8d6 (Myself into Sgt. Pepper and back) (40 Active Points); Limited Target (Myself; -1)

15 The wonder of the Apple SpellBook- lightest digital tome on the market!: Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool), 10 base + 5 control cost, (15 Active Points)

0 1) Magical Insight- Electronic Defenses: +5 with Cryptography (10 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4) Real Cost: 8

0 2) I'll just duck out then, shall I?: Teleportation 5" (10 Active Points) Real Cost: 10

0 3) Ooh, bad tear, that: Healing BODY 1d6 (10 Active Points); Limited Power Only to Mend Clothing (-2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Real Cost: 3

0 4) Hm, better set the Fresh Air Rune...: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing) (10 Active Points); Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) Real Cost: 7

0 5) Just a moment, a bit tuckered...: Aid REC 1d6 (10 Active Points); Concentration (0 DCV; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4) Real Cost: 6

0 6) The Lighter in the Thumb Trick: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1 point, Continuous (+1) (10 Active Points); No STR Bonus (-1/2), -2 Decreased STUN Multiplier (-1/2), Reduced Penetration (-1/4), Cannot Be Used With Multiple-Power Attacks (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) Real Cost: 4

0 7) I'll just pick this up then, shall I? : Telekinesis (6 STR) (9 Active Points); Gestures, Requires Gestures throughout (-1/2), Limited Range (-1/4) Real Cost: 5

0 8) Let's make sure that stays there, shall we? : Entangle 1d6, 1 DEF (10 Active Points); Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) Real Cost: 7

Powers Cost: 193

Cost Skill

3 Acting 12-

3 Computer Programming 13-

3 Concealment 13-

3 Conversation 12-

3 Cryptography 13-

3 Deduction 13-

3 Persuasion 12-

3 Power: Magic 13-

3 Scholar

2 1) KS: Defensive Magic (3 Active Points) 13-

1 2) KS: Magic (2 Active Points) 11-

2 3) KS: Personal Wards (3 Active Points) 13-

2 4) KS: Wards (3 Active Points) 13-

3 Scientist

1 1) SS: Archaeology 11- (2 Active Points)

1 2) SS: Chemistry 11- (2 Active Points)

1 3) SS: Electrical Engineering 11- (2 Active Points)

3 Seduction 12-

3 Stealth 12-

Skills Cost: 46

Cost Perk

1 Money: Well Off

1 Reputation: Mage Heroine (A small to medium sized group) 8-, +1/+1d6

1 Reputation: The Ward (Cartomancers) 8-, +1/+1d6

Perks Cost: 3

Total Character Cost: 350

Pts. Disadvantage

10 Dependent NPC: Arthur, Local Bookshop Owner 8- (Normal; Useful Noncombat Position or Skills; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID)

5 Distinctive Features: Could Have Been A Model (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

10 Physical Limitation: Limited Physical Sense (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)

5 Distinctive Features: Always Shows Up In Tarot Divinations as THE WARD, Arcana II (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable Only By Small Group)

5 Hunted: Astronomenon 8- (As Pow, Mildly Punish)

10 Hunted: The Star Mage 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)

15 Hunted: Unknown Organization, Probably The Third Eye 8- (Mo Pow, Harshly Punish)

20 Psychological Limitation: Code Vs. Killing (Common, Total)

15 Psychological Limitation: Feels Naked Without Her Wards Up (Common, Strong) [Notes: Her Basic Wards have been up so long that she feels very uncomfortable removing them; this leads to some other nasty side effects (Limited Touch, DF).]

15 Psychological Limitation: Lonely (Very Common, Moderate)

5 Reputation: Bit of a Cold Fish, 8-

5 Rivalry: Professional (Astronomenon; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry)

5 Social Limitation: Fear of Commitment (Occasionally, Minor)

10 Social Limitation: House is Haunted (Frequently, Minor)

15 Social Limitation: Secret ID (Frequently, Major)

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

From a very young age, Sara Kite was shown to have an aptitude with magic. Mischevious and full of energy, sometimes, she just made certain things vanish. Cards, small coins, on one occasion a large play ball she had caught with her face. Her luck, also, was undeniable, winning against most of the other children in Snakes and Ladders and other similar games.

You'd think this kind of thing might make her popular, or at least, make other students somewhat wary. But surprisingly, it evaded most of the kids' attentions, until early on in second grade, when the school psychologist approached her parents about putting her in an accelerated program. They agreed, and she was whisked off to another school, still public, where she didn't know anyone, felt alone, and her intelligence and perspicacity failed to impress. Still, there were those inexplicable moments where she could make things disappear, or reappear, or deal out just the way she wanted them.

And then there were the special classes. These were the ones she didn't have with anyone else. Well, there was Ryan, but he was a boy, so it didn't count really. And they were taught by the same psychologist who put them in the advanced program. They learned all kinds of neat stuff- like how people moved, and how stars aligned, and how if you worked your mind just right, amazing things happened.

It slowly dawned on Sara over the next five years that many of her peers, even in the accelerated classes, did not have this ability. She considered it odd, but really didn't set herself apart from her peers until the day she almost decided to fly home. Their gasps of shock as she started to float a foot off the ground quickly taught her that showing off what she'd learned might not be the best thing to do.

Middle school came around, and with it, a stricter social strata than elementary school. Quickly ostracized because she had to occasionally leave class for no apparent reason- to see the same psychologist!- Sara finally had the nerve to ask what, precisely they were learning.

"Magic, of course," he responded, and subsequently revealed himself as not only Dr. Collins, psychologist, but also as The Star Mage, a man whose identity Sara still does not truly know. With that, Ryan and her educations began in earnest. The Star Mage taught many things to them over middle school, but most importantly, he taught control. Tight control. When Sara's powers started to flare immensely in freshman year of high school, that tight control saved her life- and Ryan's, as well, when his powers began to spread like wildfire.

With this newfound power, Ryan started to treat their classmates like playthings- an attitude Sara objcted to. Having seen Primes on TV, Ryan took a mask and a name.

This was not something Sara was going to let pass. But when she approached the Star Mage, all he asked was:

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

She soon set to work researching every protection the Star Mage could find for her. After several weeks' hard work, she enacted her first true ward over the school- which prevented Ryan's pranks, albeit temporarily. The feeling of triumph, of correctness, was impossible for the young girl to ignore. She wanted to use magic. She wanted to protect people. She told the Star Mage as much.

"With laws being as they are, Sara Kite can't do that," The Star Mage noted, idly.

"Then I'll make someone who can." the next few days were set towards making a transformation. A good one! One she could be proud of using! One that would have her favorite things of all! She'd wanted red hair... and green eyes... you couldn't forget the pink, of course, and a name... Something good. She looked around, trying to find an inspiration.

She happened upon her cartomancy deck. Eh, she had a moment, why not ask the cards? She shuffled the deck, flipped the first card, and got a card completely unknown to her: Her, just as she had envisioned her new identity, save with a blank, white face, and floating sigils all about her. At the top, II, taking the place of the High Priestess. At the bottom? "THE WARD".

Of course, where Magical Girls go, monsters soon follow, and Sara Kite's life became one of daring and adventure as she foiled not only Ryan, but other arcane threats to the student body, all while learning from the inscrutable Star Master at Ryan's side. Of course, they both knew, and the uneasy truce that existed between them in the classroom only served to make the battles more intense with each passing month. They even helped each other out when they weren't at each other's throats.

It all came to a head senior year, when, foiling Ryan's bid to become a god of Arcana, a greater threat appeared, which nearly destroyed them both. It took all of both their respective abilities to bring this one down, and while they didn't like each other, a sort of mutual respect emerged- they may foil one another, hurt one another, but if something outside this private little war came through, they'd both face it. And whoever won first would gloat.

The Ward and Ryan went their separate ways to college, the Star Mage releasing them from his tutelage. They'd taught each other well, and now it was time to see how they expanded into other disciplines.

Sara eventually used her knowledge of magic and defenses to become something of a trained expert at cryptography, getting a degree in the subjects from Cal Tech. As arcane threats emerged, The Ward temporarily resurfaced, and Sara realized that her time in the spotlight, albeit unwanted, was probably drawing near...

Returning to Thebes, Sara bought an old house in the northwest corner of the Market District- specifically, the one where that old kook McCreedy used to live.

How was she supposed to know his familiar had gotten around with the rats in the basement...? Needless to say, she got the job, and they pay her rent and their half of the food bill, mostly with technical writing. This allows her to live quite comfortably (though she has some problems getting them to pay up on time), and the balance is made with luck... and a little bit of playing the markets when she gets special foreknowledge.

Re: Distinctive Feature: Always Shows Up In Tarot Divinations as Individualized Card

I haven't discussed it with the GM, no, but it was just something I thought of on the fly, and would be interesting in any setting that had cartomancy as a regular divination technique.

I just come up with stuff that I think would be fun to see played out. What it eventually comes to is for others to decide.

Re: Distinctive Feature: Always Shows Up In Tarot Divinations as Individualized Card

The latter. Actually, both. In the former case, as the Significant. In the latter case, however he/she may affect the situation.

Character always shows up as a single card, that is especially meant for them, in any Tarot divination that includes their involvement somewhere in the reading.

This odd twist of fate happens even if the deck involved does not normally include the card. It includes the card for that one reading, and it vanishes thereafter. It should be particularly telling if that individualized Arcana stays in the deck...

I know it's Not Concealable, and Noticed and Recognizable, but I'm not sure about the Group or Senses used.