[WoD] Emperor of the Fading Suns: Cloak & Dagger

[Roastbeef]

Beez: Aaaaw yes, nice avatar!. Killer Bees picture from the Magic the Gathering card game from back in the day. Brings back memories.

Yes, for sure, I could go up to a sixth player. If you want to join the party, I'm keeping the door open for you.

Your experience with WOD (Old World of Darkness in particular) is only a small detail. I can guide you along and teach you some of the ropes as we progress through the game. Basically, usually, the ST tells players what stats to use for a lot of situations that need to be resolved with the rules anyways. Don't worry about it.

Secondly, any of the powers from any of the books are available (provided that they fit in this universe and make a minimum amount of sense game wise). There is nothing stopping you from picking vampire, mage or other disciplines / spheres / powers right at character creation. You can do this, a combination of the supernatural and science (bioware / cyberware) or just stick with plain ol' science (bioware / cyberware augmentations).

I'm not against players being creative and coming up with their own powers / augmentations as well. Obviously, these will need to be ok'd by myself first to ensure balance. I will also decide the cost in point terms of these created powers / augmentations.

So, no, you will not be playing a straight up normal human being when the game begins.

If you have any more questions, go ahead.

[The Rogue Trader]

Hi, I still have to track down that book (I'm still at work today) and I don't want to create the character before reading it, but I like your idea of being treasure hunters with an hidden agenda. Makes for a more Two Fist/Pulp character concept than the "The Great Game" one like I previously tought, but the field archeologist that just pretends to have his head up in the clouds sounds fun
It means that for the Movie of The Book, I will no longer cast Ben Kingsley for my character, but Sean Connery (as in Dr. Jones Sr. ).

[Roastbeef]

The Rogue Trader: The whole treasure hunter / 2nd Republic technology scavengers idea was only meant to be a front or believable cover story for the Imperial Eye agents as they attempt to make their insertion upon the world of Pandemonium. You do not have to use this cover as the embodiment or direct influence for your own character. As agents, pretending and playing parts comes with the profession after all.

The Scravers might not like a new gang of upstarts out there in the wilds of Pandemonium going after hidden treasures, but that is the risk you run.

It's up to you as to whether or not you really need the actual book in order to prepare a character for this game. I think that the Fading Suns wiki gives any stranger to the setting a pretty decent grasp of the universe, but that's just me. I guess some people want to immerse themselves more in the setting... that's your choice.

[Wineballs]

A sci-fi universe that is inspired by Dune? I am extremely interested but I have to check my available time. Did I miss a deadline being mentioned or are you still gathering interest? How many posts per week are you looking for?

[Beez]

WIP

 

Name: Bartimaeus Anderson

Physical Description: Anderson is about 5'7, 130 lbs. Blonde swept-back hair, brown eyes. His clothes are the stereotypical brown/tan archaeologist's clothing, with boots meant for digging around all day. Clean-shaven, with a narrow face that would probably fit a goatee but is lacking one at the moment. Doesn't look very strong. Holds himself with confidence, as if he knows he could do what he wants if he felt like it.

Personality:

[The Rogue Trader]

Yes, the Wiki is useful for polishing details, but I'm an old-school man, and in order to get a better ovelall picture, I prefer a more organic description. I work this way.
And, since Fate works in his odd ways too, now, instead of the d20 edition I was tracking, I'm holding a 2nd edition (1999) rulebook The fluff sections look identical anyway.
I think I've enough material to pin down a character, then I'll proceed to flesh him with OWoD crunch.

[Roastbeef]

Wineballs: Greetings to you! Thanks for the posted interest in this game. Much appreciated!

Currently, we are still in the very early throes of starting up this game. I have not yet had to shut the door on any newcomers because I have several players who are still working on their characters / character sheets or who have yet to submit anything. Officially, I have 6 very interested people, but only a few of them have sent me anything as of now.

I understand that this time of year is a very busy time... a lot of players on here are students going through the end times of their semesters and just trying to survive. Plus, we do have the holidays coming up too soon enough. People will be away to see friends and family and all of that. And finally, I have yet to meet one person on this site who is familiar with the Emperor of the Fading Suns source material. Thus, they need to read up more on the setting before preparing something. So, I understand all these factors and I am very much patient due to this.

In terms of a deadline to submit characters, I'm aiming for the end of this month. I hope people will be able to get their material to me before the new year. However, this deadline is not set in stone: If I manage to get some finished characters before then (at least 5) I will start this thing up sooner.

In terms of posting rates, I would like the involved people to be able to participate at least once every two or three days at the most. I myself am usually on here daily, but that's me and I don't expect people to be able to follow my own schedule. I would like the game to advance at a good pace.

If you have anymore questions, shoot!

[Roastbeef]

The Rogue Trader: I understand you very much on that point. Sometimes you need that book in your hands to get that extra feel for the material. Good job on finding an actual book! Yes, the setting information / fluff is identical to the D20 book.. that is why I didn't want to re-buy everything I already own just to have the D20 system version of things.

See my secret text below for more input on the start of your character:

[Wineballs]

So, as I was going over the intro post yesterday, I was inspired to write up a character who was a former monk/priest/templar non-magic scoundrel type of guy. Then I just now noticed there was already someone playing something along those lines. WOuld it be bad form to write up a character like that or will it actually work within the game?

[Roastbeef]

Wineballs: Well, so far we have a few characters who are still officially attached to a few of the Church of the Universal Sun's groups and who are still card carrying members of their respective clergies. Quite frankly, you don't have to throw out an idea for a character just because people have similar concepts. After all, no two Eskatonics, Amaltheans or Orthodoxy priests are the same despite sharing the same role in society. You just have to focus on what makes your character an individual.

Besides, I'm kind of starting to warm up to the idea of a traveling troop of clergymen / women who are secretly working for the Imperial Eye.
Church based characters seem to be all the rage at the moment. I'm a little surprised.. given the game's theme, but it's not necessarily something that will not fit into the game. I can see how this would be practical from a purely intelligence gathering / covert operations perspective.

I'm not holding a limit on how many characters can belong to any group. Follow your heart and mind to create the character that you want to play... that is what is important after all.

[Wineballs]

Ok, I had a scene in mind when my character is introduced to his monastery. He's a former clergyman now and a bit restless. I have no name and appearance in mind yet so that's why this is a bit rough around the edges. Let me know what you think:

RP Sample "How was your trip?" The man asked monotonously without breaking his stride. The boy beside him tried to keep up. Travel had been exhausting all by himself, jumping God knows how many systems before touching down in a shuttle. "It was alright." He said, panting. "When will dinner be served at the monastery?" He never saw the back of the hand coming: he was minding the floor hurrying his step and the next moment he was sprawled on his back with his bag next to him. "Dinner will be served when you've done your chores, lad." The old man in the frock yelled unembarassed by the crowd of onlookers. "Now keep walking, I don't much care being away from my work." The boy scambled to his feet, grabbed the bag and slung it over his shoulder as he started to run after the monk who did not wait for him to get up. Taking big steps alongside the big man, he dared to look back at the shuttle as its engines groaned followed shotly by the hiss of hydraulics as it started its ascent to the heavens. "You know what you are?" The monk asked but didn't wait for an answer. "You're what I like to call a third son." "For generations the ruling nobility of the known universe has lived by the rule of two sons. One to learn diplomacy, politics, how to earn loyalty. A second to learn warfare and fighting. One keeps the other in power, it keeps the family from being torn apart by in-fighting, or an accident happening upon either son." He paused his speech as they headed out the fortified wall of the old city and into the rural fields beyond where the son was starting to touch upon the horizon and casting an orange glow about the clouds above. "But a third son--" He scoffed. "A third son is nothing but trouble. No father has time for them. They become mother's boys. They want to grow up reading books and learning to play the violin or some silly endeavour like that. And then when their brothers become respected noblemen and generals, they feel the need to claim some part in it, as though they would have that by birt hright." He grabbed the boy by the ear. "Nothing in this universe is earned just by who you are, you must make it so. You hear, lad?" The boy rubbed his sore ear and started walking a bit further away from the old monk. "Tomorrow you take your oath." The monk said much calmer as the monastery came into view. "You will denounce your father's name. You will denounce your family. You will denounce all that you are and ever will be. You will denounce everything except God. You will be nothing in the eyes of anyone." The monk clasped his hands inside his wide sleeves as they came upon the front gate. "That is the only way you can serve Him."

[The Rogue Trader]

Well, with a deadline like that I can take my time creating my character.
Just some questions about how the oWoD rules work with non vampires (I played only VtM and just a couple times):
- You said energy weapons inflict aggravated damage: what does this means for mortals that can't soak damage?
- Similarly, what exactly the purpose of virtues for mortals? Maybe Conscience and Self-control are used for keeping teurgy and psi under control?
- Some disciplines are activated with a blood point. Since we can take them, we just use them at will?

[Sageheart]

Finals coming along, working on final essay now. Expect to get app up sometime tomorrow! Should have it finished by Thursday.

[Roastbeef]

Wineballs: Very good stuff! Thank you for the writing sample that shows the early beginnings of your character. Nice writing too by the way. Looks pretty solid to me.

Just a few minor corrections: The Church and people of the Known Worlds refer to "God" as the Pancreator. Generally, this is also a sexless being. The prophet Zebulon was a human male and is a Jesus-like figure that sparked this new belief system throughout countless worlds.

Also, only a few Church organizations actually have monks (the rest use standard clergy ranks such as priest, bishop etc). Brother Battle (Militaristic order of monks who dedicate their lives to fighting for the Church), Temple Avesti (Inquisitors and the ultra-conservative sect of the Church... the standard Orthodoxy is also split along the Red Robes and White Robes. Red Robes are more conservative in their outlook and have a strict interpretation of the Omega Gospels whereas the White Robes are more progressive.) and the Hesychasts (mendicant monks).

If none of these orders appeal to you, you can always have your pick of the other groups for use in your character's back story.

The Rogue Trader: To answer some of your questions...

- You said energy weapons inflict aggravated damage: what does this means for mortals that can't soak damage?

Personal energy shields / shielding are the name of the game when it comes to mortals protecting from lethal or aggravated damage. The more efficient the shields on your character (the more advanced models), the more of this type of damage you can soak and avoid. Level 2 shielding gives you two soak dice. Level 3 shielding gives you three soak dice etc.

Personal shielding systems also come with a certain amount of energy levels. This amount of energy levels is usually equivalent to 2 X(times) the shielding model. i.e Level 3 shielding system X 2 = 6 energy levels. Level 1 shielding system X 2 = only two energy levels.

Also, some top tier armor (Ceramsteel) can help you soak any unsoaked / hits that get through to your character as well. Only top tier armor can stop aggravated damage.

Aggravated damage eats two levels of health and two levels of your personal energy shields per impact. Aggravated damage quickly eats up shield energy levels. For every hit successfully soaked by your shielding, that costs two energy levels on your personal shielding system. Once your shields are down (all your energy levels are used up or if you have no shields to begin with), your health takes two levels per hit.

Certain heavy caliber energy weapons...blaster canons, fusion guns (i.e Furystorm Canon)... can cause leakage and go through your energy shields. A single hit from heavy caliber weapon needs to be soaked twice just to stop that one hit. Anything else passes. Energy weapons are deadly stuff. However, they are not very widespread in the common population because they are very expensive and the ammunition itself for these types of weapons is also very expensive. Only elite forces, regular military forces (House standing armies), certain organizations and those with some good cash on their hands usually sport these types of weapons.

Aggravated damage cannot be healed at all by mortal characters (even after long periods of time) and can only be stopped by some top tier armor (Ceramsteel).

If your character takes a plasma shotgun blast to the leg, he / she will need top quality medical help to get health levels back and this only after a very long term of hospitalization.

Examples of aggravated damage sources: Plasma, Fusion, Blaster and laser. *Also, supernatural sources of energy damage.

Lethal Damage (bullets, melee attacks) can be totally stopped by shielding. You soak damage with your shields, but there is no cost in energy levels for successfully blocked hits. There is also no chance of damage leakage through your shields from most lethal damage.

Again though, certain heavy caliber "slug guns" (bullet firing weapons), rocket firing weapons (bazookas etc) and obviously explosives can also count as aggravated damage. For instance, having 50 pounds of TNT explode next to your character will count as aggravated damage and the associated penalties will need to be kept in mind.

One last thing... the damage level chart has been expanded. You have more health levels in this game.


- Similarly, what exactly the purpose of virtues for mortals? Maybe Conscience and Self-control are used for keeping teurgy and psi under control?

These virtues can add to your Attribute rolls to pass tests or when they come to be in use... Self-Control can add to the composure attribute. Courage can add to a willpower roll etc. Yes, self-control can also be used to keep your psi powers / theurgy in control as well... there can be rolls to determine if the character's desired effect happens according to plan or takes some "collateral damage" along with the results.

Also, your humanity is still important even if you're not playing undead monsters trying not to sink into a dark hell of moral decay. Being agents of the Imperial Eye will no doubt test your boundaries and for some characters will be a serious problem as they wrangle with their own convictions.

Characters with low humanity / low conscience can be sniffed out by those with the means (supernatural).

Sure, you can play a more callous / sociopath of a character, but everyone has the default humanity path and virtues. There are no penalties associated with low humanity besides being detected by "touched" characters or perhaps not being able to access Pancreator / Church theurgy powers. For the more dirty of the dirty masses, you can turn to darker sources of power.

- Some disciplines are activated with a blood point. Since we can take them, we just use them at will?
Instead of blood points, willpower points will be used. Don't worry, I don't tend to give out a small amount of willpower points. You should have enough with which to be able to activate your powers without having to completely drain your allotment of willpower points... you will still have plenty for other uses.

[Roastbeef]

Secret text for The Rogue Trader: