[Other] Savage Worlds - Deadlands: Hell on Earth (Post Apocalypse) - The Siege of Crooked Cre

[Tyeal]

Maaaaaaan... I've always had a big soft spot for the flavor and setting of DeadLands. Even post-apoc I do love me some Weird West shenanigans. Might be straining my gaming allotment but I can't pass up the chance to play a Huxster or a Shotgun Preacher. Application coming soon!

[Hotshot lasgun]

alright, lemme get cooking

how many advances, if any do we get?

i also take it we arent using the level headed or quick edges?

if there is no objection, i will cook up my own race from the swade corebook

adaptable (2)
low-light vision (1)
immune to poison (1)

no core skill (persuasion) (-1)
environmental weakness (light sensitivity)

[Hotshot lasgun]

reaper



agility d8
smarts d6
spirit d6
strength d6
vigor d6

edges

ace (free edge)
steady hands
veteran of the wasted west
menacing
fast healer


hindrances:

bloodthirsty (major)
impulsive (major)

athletics d6
common knowlege d4
driving d8
fighting d6
intimidation d6
notice d6
occult d6
shooting d8
stealth d4

backstory Certainly, let's create a revised backstory for Reaper, taking into account the Bloodthirsty and Impulsive Hindrances. **Backstory: Reaper, the Bloodthirsty Light-Sensitive Mutant Biker** Reaper, whose true name has been long forgotten, was born into the anarchy of Hell on Earth as a mutant with striking pit-viper features and an insatiable thirst for violence. His sensitivity to bright light only fueled his penchant for darkness and destruction. **Early Life:** Reaper's early years were marked by chaos and rebellion. His parents struggled to control their aggressive and impulsive child. His mutation made him sensitive to light, and the glaring sun was an ever-present torment. But rather than cower from it, Reaper's anger and defiance only grew stronger. As a teenager, he began running with a gang of ruthless, bloodthirsty mutants and bikers who shared his love for mayhem. It was during this time that he earned the moniker "Reaper" for his penchant for swift and deadly attacks on rival gangs and unsuspecting travelers. **Biker Brotherhood:** Reaper's gang was known as the "Ravagers," and they were infamous for their brutality and unpredictability. The gang's creed revolved around chaos and anarchy, with no rules and no limits. They rode modified motorcycles through the wastelands, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Reaper reveled in the blood-soaked brotherhood, and his terrifying mutation and violent nature only made him more feared and respected among the Ravagers. Reaper's bike, "Venomous Fury," was a reflection of his own twisted soul. It was adorned with spikes, skull motifs, and a reinforced windshield that allowed him to engage in ambushes in broad daylight without being blinded by the sun. **The Path of Bloodlust:** Reaper's impulsiveness and bloodthirstiness were both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, they made him a ferocious warrior, always ready to strike at a moment's notice. On the other hand, his lack of control often led to violent confrontations, even within his own gang. His reckless nature and desire to dominate often caused chaos among the Ravagers. Reaper's path of bloodlust was a dark one, marked by violence and mayhem. He had no ambitions of finding a sanctuary or making the world a better place for mutants. His only goal was to quench his thirst for violence and destruction. **Surviving in Hell on Earth:** Despite his impulsiveness and bloodthirstiness, Reaper managed to survive in the harsh wastelands of Hell on Earth. His heightened senses, coupled with his mutant abilities, allowed him to be a formidable adversary in combat. The wasteland was a brutal place, and Reaper thrived in the chaos it offered. Reaper's story was one of unrestrained aggression and a relentless drive to indulge in his dark desires, even as he navigated the unforgiving world of Hell on Earth as a bloodthirsty mutant biker named Reaper.

[taleteller50]

@ Arkanis: Currently we have 3 active and the Max I will go to is 6 but even if we get no one I'll still run the game. What I'm looking for are players who can have fun and interesting characters to help develop the story. So long as you check both boxes you have a decent chance of being accepted.

@Tyeal: Great to meet another Deadlands fan but keep in mind that Wasted West is not a carbon copy of Weird West; it's an evolution. Hucksters and Blessed are a part of the Weird West setting but changed by the time of Wasted West.

Hucksters, specifically Metal Mages (Huckster & Mad Scientist Combos), transformed into Junkers after Manitou's became more dangerous and Tech spirits more prevalent. Doomsayers and Templars are the new Blessed, worshiping either Radiation or The Saints respectively. That said, one of my favorite characters I played as for years was a Tarantino style Blessed with a ton of guns; holy shotgun included

Even if your idea is more Weird West then Wasted there are ways to make it work. Harrowed who was sealed away for years, getting lost in the Hunting Grounds until you popped out in the future, Omega Man, and a few more. Think about it, look into Hell on Earth itself, and I look forward to your idea.

@ Hotshot Lasgun: Zero advances to start but you can take Veteran of the Wasted West if you want. It gives you 4 Advances but a random drawback too.

Initiative is first post first served for combat so Edges dealing with any of that don't really work here. If there's something you need for your build, we can discuss it and form an alternative Edge with a similar but compatible effect.

There's only two races you can use with this game; Human and Mutant (Home Brewed). Technically to can still be a Human and a Mutant by taking the associated Hinderance but the Mutant Race is a more Mutated individual; especially if you take the Hinderance as well.

This all said your 'Custom Race' is fine as is and I'll allow it but he would be a type of Mutant; likely with pit viper like eyes or something similar to account for his eyesight/poison theme.

@ Everyone: Please note that I will give more attention to applications with interesting stories or personality then ones with only character stats. Show me that you're an imaginative writer and you'll definitely have a spot in the game.

[Tyeal]

Character App Name: Father Paul McNab Profession: Wandering Preacher Edges: Arcane Background (Templar), Tale Teller Hinderances: Night Terror (Major), Quoting Scripture/Praying (Minor), Enemy (Demon)(Minor) Stats: Stat Value Agility d6 (-1) Smarts d4 Spirit d8 (-2) Strength d6 (-1) Vigor d8 (-1+Hinderance) Skills: Skill Value Athletics d4 Common Knowledge d4 Notice d6 (-1) Persuasion d6 (-1) Stealth d4 Faith d6 (-2) Fighting d6 (-2) Shooting d8 (-4) Survival d4 (-2) Background: A vast ever-shifting hellscape. That's what I wandered fer... God only knows how long. Myself an' my brothers-in-arms were storming this fort that had been taken over by mad cultists, tryin' to summon some thing or another. They had enough firepower an' explosives that if every they did do that thing they kept swearin' by, they were a problem. We went in all hellfire an' desperate prayers, but we pushed too late. Whatever they were doin' worked. An' I got dumped somewhere that looked like Idaho but was... warped. Must've wandered fer years. Time was hard to keep track of in that place. All sorts of shamblin' corpses an' monsters an' babblin' godless freaks were there as well. I got real good with my sword out there. Ammo was akin to water. Anythin' bigger than me got a buckshot greetin' before I turned tail. That worked. Fer a time. Got into a real bad scrap with this metal man throwin' grenades an' throwin' what I can only call 'magic'. Melted th' ground so I didn't stick around to get him to clarify. Broke my arm by th' time I shove my barrel in his mouth and gave him both barrels. Was pretty sure I was gonna bleed out or get eaten after that. But God had other ideas. I was shown a vision. My home state, with a wave of hellfire washing through it. Reducing everything an' everyone to ash. An' the survivors were nothin' more than burnt shamblin' horrors. Everyone was dead. I had nothin' to go home to if I ever got out of this f*ckin' waking nightmare. Just as I was thinkin' doing a repeat of what I did to that metal man, it started raining. Fer th' first time, it was actually raining. It was hot rain, stung at my eyes an' skin. But th' numbness of my arm was going away. It was hurtin' again. It wasn't sittin' at a funny angle anymore. It was healed! Could move my fingers an' everything! I stood up an' stepped on somethin'. A Bible. With all blank pages. There was just one thing written inside th' cover: 'Stories will seed new life.' After that, I just... left. Still have no idea how. One night I fell asleep by a fire tucked away in a lil' cave. An' by morning I was looking out at a completely different landscape. Seeing more of those motorized carts flyin' across flat ground, mechanical animals, roving bandits an' God only knows what else. It's also where I happened across someone callin' themself a Templar. An' took me to see their leader, Simon. Simon... is a born leader. Even with him being a handful of years younger than me, that man has a pull. Ya can't fight it, like tryin' to swim up a waterfall. He helped t'show me what I nearly lost in that twisted land an' just how much it's missin' in this Hell on Earth. Since then I've kept a low profile, stickin' to what I know best. Bein' a preacher. Had no clue how badly I'd stand out. While tellin' folks my sword's just a rusted heirloom I lug around. Been tryin' to find my brothers-in-arms ever since an' figure out what th' Hell happened. But in that awful, awful place, folks called it Th' Hunting Grounds, it did give a lot of time to think. Ponder where my faith comes from now. An' how I got these powers...

[Hotshot lasgun]

i had an idea for an edge called regenerative scales

it lets reaper make a healing roll once every day instead of every five (if thats too strong, feel free to play with it)

id also like serpentine agility: +2 to athletics rolls when trying to fit in, through or around something you have no place being in

[taleteller50]

@ Hotshot: The problem with mutations is they're typically random. I'm ok with the pick and choose you did with your 'race' but that's as far as I'd be willing to take it.

There's also the fact that your suggested Edge is a little more powerful than an Edge would be. Fast Healer is like your Regenerative Scales but limits healing to every 3 days.

Serpentine agility is balanced but I would call it Double Jointed rather than make it exclusively a mutation. You could still say it due to mutation but as an Edge non-mutants could still take it.

If you really wanted once a day healing, I would suggest becoming a Harrowed with the Stitchin' Power. That way, not only can you not die short of a head shot, but you heal wounds daily. Sure, you smell of the grave and have a literal demon knocking around your noggin, but that's what booze is for.

(For the smell that is. That demon's going to be trouble one way or another.)

Some might think being undead makes it so you can't be a mutant but that isn't true. The radiation that mutates people is as much spiritual as it is physical, so your soul is still susceptible to it even if you're undead.

Also, don't forget a d6 in Occult to take Veteran.

As for you background:

 

Don't forget, it's only been 12 years since the bombs fell. Reaper could have still grown up a mutant but he wouldn't have been born that way; not unless he's only 12 currently.

The Ravagers already exist in the game as a group of cannibalistic mad men around highway 33 and 32. That said, Reaper could be from a different group with the same name.

Having a tinted windshield on Venomous Fury would be superfluous and unnecessary. Unless Reaper had his head against the glass at all times he would still be bothered by daylight. Better to just say he has tinted goggles. Miller, one of the characters who's player dropped out, has a similar mutation.

Why would Reaper want to help Crooked Creek or it's people? Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with dark or villainous characters but what would link him to the current party other then as an antagonist. Does he know Bill and owes the old biker something? Maybe he's trying to be penitent around other characters. Some of the new possible characters do include a Ronin Bounty Hunter and a Templar. Maybe Reaper's gang was picked off by him/them but Reaper convinced them to give him a second chance.

He was probably lying about turning over a new leaf but it's either that or get taken in/strung up.

Reaper absolutely fits in with the Wasted West but why would he be with the other. more heroic, characters?

[Tyeal]

Alright! Got a simple backstory punched up. I know I gotta sort out his powers still but I believe Father Paul McNab is ready to wander the wastes.

[Hotshot lasgun]

Personally I feel reaper is a watchdog and hunter for crooked creek. He’s a hard bastard, but is useful when something needs a fast brutal and violent response. I feel he’s kept at arms length by the community but is still fed and clothed

[taleteller50]

@Tyeal: Just to confirm you understand, the Templars are an actual order of heroes based in Boise Idaho. For Father Paul to be a Templar he would need to have met Simon and joined the Templars. Also, and I don't think you were aware of this, but typically trading the red and white in for black means you've become an Anti-Templar; more akin to Anti-Paladins then their heroic counter parts.

Otherwise the background makes sense. He was a Blessed from a previous time period who was flung into the Hunting Grounds. By the time he got out the bombs had already fallen, leaving him to wounder for a time; likely found by Simon and the Templars who helped Paul reconnect with his faith and set him on his current path.

Does that sound right?

@Hotshot: If Roland is Reaper and by Crippled Creek you mean Crooked Creek you'll have a problem. After the Combine came through the only people who could leave Crooked Creek were those who were on a hunting trip; ie. the current players. Otherwise the Combine promised to kill 5 for every one person missing. They also had the roads patrolled.

Now a don't doubt that Reaper would be the type of person to not give a $hit about others at the Ranch but he also doesn't seem the type who would have been there in the first place. Better for him to be an outsider who gets involved with the group in some way.

[Tyeal]

Originally Posted by taleteller50

@Tyeal: Just to confirm you understand, the Templars are an actual order of heroes based in Boise Idaho. For Father Paul to be a Templar he would need to have met Simon and joined the Templars. Also, and I don't think you were aware of this, but typically trading the red and white in for black means you've become an Anti-Templar; more akin to Anti-Paladins then their heroic counter parts.

Otherwise the background makes sense. He was a Blessed from a previous time period who was flung into the Hunting Grounds. By the time he got out the bombs had already fallen, leaving him to wounder for a time; likely found by Simon and the Templars who helped Paul reconnect with his faith and set him on his current path.

Does that sound right?

I didn't know that about the anti-Templars... Was trying to have him pose as typical preacher-man as he's not yet sure how liked/hated the Templars are. And I'll make mention of that encounter with Simon in his backstory.

Otherwise, yep! You got it.

[Hotshot lasgun]

@Hotshot: If Roland is Reaper and by Crippled Creek you mean Crooked Creek you'll have a problem. After the Combine came through the only people who could leave Crooked Creek were those who were on a hunting trip; ie. the current players. Otherwise the Combine promised to kill 5 for every one person missing. They also had the roads patrolled.

Now a don't doubt that Reaper would be the type of person to not give a $hit about others at the Ranch but he also doesn't seem the type who would have been there in the first place. Better for him to be an outsider who gets involved with the group in some way.[/QUOTE]

all fine!

[taleteller50]

Tyeal: You could still pose as a Preacher in black, I was just wanting to mention about the Anti-templars since they are typically the ones who 'give up the red and white for the black'. As far as Templars go they have a mixed reputation. To many they are heroes who defend the defenseless and slay monsters. To others they're self-righteous @-holes who only protect those who fit their limited view of innocent.

Many Anti-Templars became what they are because a Templar could have saved their settlement but didn't because the people turned away mutants, made deals with road gangs to survive, or other morally questionable practices.

Templars save those they feel are worth saving and are willing to fight to protect themselves. They protect the good, not the grey.

They also tend to travel in disguise until they judge people to be worthy of their help so traveling as a preacher makes perfect sense, even if most have lost faith since the bombs.

[Hotshot lasgun]

can i have some help with reaper, so he can take veteran of the wasted west?

[Cap Ut]

Originally Posted by Hotshot lasgun

can i have some help with reaper, so he can take veteran of the wasted west?

If you're looking for the requisites, they're Spirit d6+ and Occult d6+. If you satisfy them with your starting points, you can take the edge and proceed to spend the other 4 Advances.