All Long the Watchtowers
All Along the Watchtowers
It’s late August in 2005. While the good times keep rolling, the Big Easy is about to get rolled. Malevolent agents toy with the capricious whims of Mother Nature seeking to undermine the gilded cages of long forgotten horrors.
Can you weather the storm?
Mortal Knowledge
New Orleans, the Big Easy, is a place known for indulgences into hedonism and yet a strong adherence to quasi-religious tradition. Diverse cultures existing side-by-side, yet their lives rarely intermingle beyond a whisper in the night. For the right price, the right word in the right ear, you can find anything here. Bustling with the commerce entering and leaving the city, New Orleans rests on the bones of the Old World while cashing in on newest technology and trends. People stick to their own kind; rich vs. poor, white vs. black, secular vs. religion, there are walls built around the way people live their lives and consequences for stepping off the path. People might talk in the tilt of southern refinement, but they have their hands on a PDA plotting your downfall.
General Supernatural Knowledge
Vampires, vampires, and more vampires. The city’s culture is steeped in the romantic notions of the gothic vampire. So many visitors seek out a brushing experience with the Vampire, it’s not uncommon to see the real thing and delusional wannabes walking down the streets savoring the attention and adoration their faux-mystique provides. Ironically, while this covers provides and excellent cover to their more benign attempts at feeding it is the blatant depravity of those blood drinkers that has drawn the ire of so many of the Elder Red and Black Court. Where once they could blend into the streets and festivals to sate their needs now they must content with the cows dressed as wolfs poaching their claims as well as the herd dog hunters seeking to win themselves as set of trophy fangs. The White Court has used this danger as both their shield and their sword, striking down those wayward souls whose own courts do not bother to police. Safe in their feeding, the White Court urges own the party and drives the revelry further and further.
Specific Supernatural Knowledges will find their own section in the Wiki as the game progresses
All Long the Watchtowers Comments
Gotta say, last session was legendarily epic. Illuminati Dresden ftw! :)
Ok… Well I guess I will explain the why’s and wherefores of hardcoding the Aspects. I had planned to use the creation of new hard coded examples as an easy source of FP (though limited by one or two extra per game session). The reason for this is that it would be a good litmus test for whether this is an Aspect that will get the kind of use you expected and act as an exercise for seeing the Aspects as being flexible things… because I don’t think everyone is on the same page about their functions.
Though that idea may be moo (like a cow’s opinion), as something that I have gotten some feedback on has gotten to me. It would appear no one has really read the rule book much beyond char-gen and powers, which is a bit of a problem for me. (And before people start complaining about not having the time to do so, I am not really interested in hearing it. I am sure your reasons are great, but i am not really sure i have it in me to fight for something that most people are not willing to put the time in to make work.) In the end, this system just requires a bit more from the players than others.
So the game on the 24th will be one of two types; we will either just gun it through the only plot people have said they are interested in to end it or we will walk..nay, crawl through the many options the system offers. I doubt very much i will feel inclined to do the latter at this point.
Before the question gets asked, I will not switch mechanics in mid story as I have this “connection” between the way a story is thought out and the how the mechanics function… it would just come out weird for me if we tried.
I also have to disagree in furthering the definition of the aspects. I only believe it will detract further from them. As they were before, I felt they got an adequate amount of use. With the further definition, I only will be more frustrated with them I believe
I am Jacob Pritchard and I approve this message.
Well, I will continue to disagree with the further defining of aspects as they are supposed to be fluid and if we begin to manifest them in a solidified way we remove the abstract nature of them. Either way, the cards would be good so we can help each other spot aspects that could be relevant, until we get used to the process ourselves.
Fuck em all, let God sort em out……my wisdom for the day.
Wes that is a great idea and I have no issue with giving an extra Aspect that the group would share.
Talking with Jake(and disagreeing with him) I think it may be a good idea to have each player take three of their aspects, three parts of their character that they want me to pay attention to and write out them out as Name, Invoke, Tag, Compel. You are not limiting the Aspects flexibility, just giving some direction. I have also bought some over-sized index cards so people can put their Aspects on them to let others use them (or suggest to me that something could be used).
Also, I will take Jake’s advice on using “hard” compels in which you will either accept the Compel I offer or pay that amount of Fate to resist. This is actually how it is written, but there is “soft” compels in other FATE games and I mixed them up. It is also the job of the player to help compel their own aspects. Its one of the reasons I told people to write Aspects in way that can be used in a sentence. So if you think you can use it, say it while holding up a Fate from the middle bowl and I will let you know if you can have itor not.
Additionally, I will start “Calling for Scene.” Basically, I will frame the scene, tell you what is going on and then people will be in character when they talk, no matter what they say unless it is directed at me for rules/setting clarification. So there is no out of character talk when the Scene is on until I call for scene again.
Also next game, on the 24th is looks like, will start off with a bit of combat to help illustrate the options and flow of the game. One of the KEY ideas of the system is the use of concessions to end a fight instead of standing there and taking all the Consequences that you will then have to live with. As an example, Jakes character took a pretty heavy tackle/mauling from the were-gators. Now, the character filled up all of his Consequences in a single attack (which I did not realize was so severely affected)… I was wanting you to be captured to further the story in a certain way, but unless I railroad you, how would you know? I would have to go meta and tell you before hand, Concessions can help this, if you take a huge amount of stress just say “hey I am getting taken out of the scene instead of facing don’t kill me” or hey can I get lost in the swamp (calling for a Survival check based on the Consequences you would have taken) but get away from them?
I would like to get some feedback after that game to see what needs to change to make things enjoyable.
I am 100% sure I am changing my character. Either I will be dropping white council and becoming a sorcerer (perhaps with a template that makes me non human), or becoming something different entirely, which is much more likely.
As an idea, perhaps we could force everyone to take an aspect relating to a group, much like you said about the sabbat. So we could all take a variation of the aspect.. superhuman league of friends or something to that effect.
One variation would be, leader of the superhuman league, another would be knight of the superhuman league, etc etc.
It would be even better if Dave would give us an extra aspect, just to fill the forced aspect. This aspect would give us solid group cohesion in theory, along with a nemesis or foe that is targeting our group, thus giving us a reason to work together. This would sort of be like the paranet on the dresden files, only encompassing all supernatural creatures. And perhaps make renegades of white court, shapeshifters, etc, a little more common to give a good reason that we have found each other in this city.
Just an idea
Do you think that the connection to hearing “make a Sabbat pack” is born in familiarity? I mean let’s take a look at Sabbat as an Aspect; we can take it a few ways like:
Shanghi’ed into the Sabbat
Invoke: Social conflicts that you can bring your superior war record
Tag: Tagged against you when the upper echelon question your blood
Compel: The Sabbat killed you for their “Crusade,” you better follow your orders or they could get nasty.
Raised a Shovelhead, Embraced a Lasombra
Invoke: Social situations to justify the Shovelhead method or when defending the purity of the Clan (maybe to learn Lasombra secrets)
Tag: When your beginnings are brought into focus
Compel: When called to act on behest of the Clan
Groomed by the Grimaldi, exalted by the Tzimisce
Invoke: Call on for all any Diplomatic roll or when working with other Tzimisce
Tag: When someone uses your “humane nature” against you
Compel: Forced to Deal with “Family” matters
Before you had sited Infamous Sire as something better than an Aspect, which I have to disagree with and ultimately because there is no mutual ground in that flaw. You have to communicate what you as the player want from it and what the ST expects to be able to do with it. In an Aspect format, that “Infamous Sire” could become:
Escaped Childe of Gregor the Wailer
Invoke: When someone tries to scare you or trap you, you will find a way…
Tag: When someone compares your actions to the madness of your sire
Compel: You must hide the “gifts” Gregor has left for you all across the city before the Scourge assumes its you.
When taken this way, you have laid out what you want to happen and how you expect to be abused… Now, saying this, we should have went through each aspect and written out these examples to really cement them in.
One of the complaints that I have heard is the need to for a cohesive group with a goal. I agree. I disagree about what that means and how it is presented I think. The Threats and Themes are the scaffolding for these things and as a group we all decided that’s what we wanted… again, a failing on me for not expressing it properly I think. Going back to the Sabbat Pack idea here are a couple of interpretations of Threats and Themes:
_Together we are Stronger _(Theme)
Aspect: Pack Mentality
Invoke: To gain a bonus in Morale
Tag: To predict the actions of the pack members
Compel: To submit to the Vinculum / Pack Authority
Revel in the Glory that is Vampire (Theme)
Aspect: I’m a Naughty Vampire God
Invoke: Pretty much any time you act in a way that is Vampire
Tag: When taking actions that use Vampire nature against you
Compel: Act like a Nietzsche Wannabe Prick
_The Great Jyhad _(Threat and Theme)
Aspect: Behold the Sword of Cain
Invoke: To find out secrets about the Antediluvians
Tag: When taking advantage of those half-truths that you have believed
Compel: Take up the Crusade against the Camarilla puppets
_The Path of Evil Revelations _(Threat)
Aspect: The Inquisition is Always Right
Invoke: a Bonus when confronting Heretics
Tag: A bonus when installing a moment of doubt
Compel: The Inquisition “proves” an action you have taken (or a loved one that you will defend) was in service to demons
Had these Threats and Themes been presented (along with the Faces that represented different factions within the city) to you, I don’t think you would have an issue embracing the flow of the game. Again, this may be because I am spelling out what the Invokes and Compels are going to be used for, but the same basic principle is the same.
This is what I sent to Dave, figured I’d share it:
Honestly I haven’t really enjoyed the game, just the hanging out. Part of it is that I’m not feeling the game, part is that we’re always out of character. I’d rather just break out Munchkin when we’re all together like that.
The aspects may help you but I don’t feel they do anything for me. I feel a lot more connection to the other characters just hearing “make a sabbat pack” rather than what all those character aspects are supposed to do.
I’ll give it another shot if Jake and Wes are changing their characters and we can make a cohesive group with a purpose. (Clarification: I’m not saying that because I didn’t like the characters but rather if we’re changing the group anyway) So far its felt like bumbling into clues to the various plots with no real goal. Maybe I just don’t like “something is weird figure it out” type games. I know thats basically what Mage is but what is lacking is a goal. Otherwise it feels like we’re being lead around even if we decide where to go. If the bone cathedral was the only goal of the group I think wed get a lot more done. Or any one of the multiple plot hooks. I think we should be like a white council A-team.
So I think the story is good and the system is ok gameplay wise. But the way its supposed to move the plot forward is totally lost on me (and I think everyone else). Unfortunately that seems to be why you like it.
While I have read and honestly can respect your thoughts on the fate system, I still am not sold on it. Where you feel it grants you latitude and freedom to develop I feel it is constricting and pedantic. I have no realistic idea what my character can and cannot do on a quantitative level. I found out that based on a one roll I, despite being one of the highest ranked people in the world with lore can absolutely not even find my own ass with my hands. Granted that was a shitty roll but it goes to show, I have no realistic idea what my character can and cannot do easily. If i regularly botch my best skill rolls, how am i supposed to gauge my strengths and weaknesses. Regardless of the nitty gritty, I dislike the system and feel that the bargening aspect of it, while interesting in theory, is frustrating.
Now, that was negative, here is the positive. I had fun last game. Dave, you made the game fun. I enjoyed a lot of what we were doing, and with the exception of that one gripe I had which was only a small amount of game play overall, the story is compelling and interesting. The only times I was not having fun was when I directly interacted with the rules.
Point here being, Dave, you have put a lot of work into this, we all have, on some lesser extent. I don’t want to scrap the game, the ideas, the plot, the story are all awesome. My gripe is with the system. You have made several points in the past about some of the positives of the NWoD system. Although I am not as aware of the fluff in that system I feel it offers a more quantitative approach to designing a character. It falls to us to add the “human” nature to him. I don’t like hack and slash games. My past 3 characters have been primarily defensive and knowledge driven. I intend to continue that. The exploration and footwork is what makes the “ah-ha” moment worth it. I do enjoy a little combat, it is nice to flex once in awhile but I like the combat to be meaningful. I don’t have a problem with the way the game is going. A little more info here and there may be nice as I am still trying to work out the spiderweb of intrigue that my character would have been aware of to some extent prior to the game. Anyhoo, I digress….
IF YOU SKIM THE REST PLEASE AT LEAST READ THIS*******
First and foremost all of this is a GAME. We need to keep that in mind while discussing our OPINIONS regarding the rules and systems. None of what has been said here, from where I am sitting, has been an attack on anyone’s person. I know discussions get heated and I would hate to see this group break up. As several have said in prior posts, I enjoy the social aspect of this more than anything and a game system I’m not in love with is still better than no game at all (al la Wess).
I wanted to give myself a bit of time before responding to this laundry list of complaints/comments. One I am hoping not to sound too pissy/ranty, but also I wanted to make sure I touched on most of the issues present because they deserve some answers. To be fair, I think that playing a WoD-style game (please read this as Urban Fantasy since that all it is) is really the only thing besides pure fantasy I am willing to play/run. Face facts, Dresden is practically a Mage game as is.
I am sure most of you are aware of the fact that I am mechanics whore. I have more systems than is needed and more games than I have the resources to play. I am ok with this, but I am also of the opinion that there is no such thing as a universally good system or one that can handle all instances of play. System matters. It is the systems function to perpetuate the setting themes and play goals. I have no issue with learning new rules and I think it’s downright lazy to try and shoehorn a bad rules set into something for which exists a better rules set. As for the FATE systems (yes there is an s on that because FATE is a tool box that can be used for many things and there are others that handle different play styles better than this one), I think that the Dresden Files version emulates the genre well… if you take into account that its drama focused as opposed to being driven by “realistic” ability. I mean it’s not much of a story if magic could just solve/reveal everything and saying that such things can be countered with the right measures either ends up punishing the players for choosing what they wanted to play when the other method gets exalted or damned by the needs of the story. It’s a hell of a catch 22, I mean how fast does the Millennium Falcon go? At the speed of plot… but that answer requires player buy in and trust that tragedy, while being hell on the character can/is/should be fun for the player instead of resorting to (IMO) a trite exercise of escalating awesomeness == fun. Not everyone sees the fun in the hell that they can drag their characters through, but as long as it’s the character and not the player then it should be enjoyable. Additionally, the flow of the game is meant to be similar to that found in the books: get beat up, get some of the plot revealed, get further beat to hell, make final stand and prevail (by expending all the FATE you earned in the previous steps) discover some deeper truth of the world at large. I think it will do this if people let it, but that doesn’t mean people will always enjoy it. One of the reasons that I like the FATE system because it encourages the players to be rewarded for creating characters as opposed to the little tin gods that most games fall into with their lists of useless flaws and ever increasing feats/levels. Unlike flaws from oWoD, Aspects define the character in many more facets and in a way that lets the player push the envelope instead of hoisting all the work on the ST to remember (and 5 Aspects each actually seems like it is too much, 3 may be better since there is already a hell of a lot of work to do as an ST. If it wasn’t work, maybe people would be more willing to do it). To me the city creation should have been like a love letter for what you wanted in the game to happen… I am guessing that was not made clear though from some of the comments. So here it is; the plot was planned by you guys and the ‘players in the game/plot’ were created with your player and character knowledge. The process should have been one in which the group was created with a like minded goal and interwoven history (maybe even some interpersonal conflict) in mind with the resources and desire to interact with the plot. That’s why there was the creation of the Faces and Threats/Themes were done before the character creation. The faces are people in the area that you are aware of, if even only tangentially, that would be involved in the threats and themes. The very method of setting things up is so the GM can say after the first scene “what do you want to do?” and the players can take the reins and DO something instead of just reacting to the prods of the ST. Personally, I like the idea of running a game with a bit of a meta-level that is not being poo poo’ed on by this tight lipped hatred for not “being in character” all the time. Otherwise, I feel like its this stream of consciousness style of play that always seems to leave people not really sure what they hell just happened. Instead you have distinctive scenes with quantifiable goals that focus character interaction that is actually interesting to share and can be appreciated as if an audience watching a play unfold before them when not in the scene. This is ultimately a failing on my part for not making this work and at this point I feel a little soured on the experience… which may be affecting the way I feel about the following:
So… running vampire… yeah, I have no desire to run with the old system… none. The old mechanic promises to do something that it can’t, which is the idea of balancing morality, choice, and the beast within, and I do not desire to fight against it. Besides, no one really wants to play that, every game just devolves into supers with fangs… and really if I wanted to play in that kinda lame world, I would just play in a supers game that I know of. As for the new world of darkness vampire, well it’s not something I have had run into the ground for years and some of the aspects make a lot more sense…. just not sure I want to run it, not excited by it. Another point that should be drawn out here is that I am also a media whore, I watch/listen/read a lot of shit… a LOT. So I tend to see the themes/concepts of WoD as written as being a played out and/or derivative crap. In fact, the only thing that even remotely interests me enough to run is something fantasy (like Dark Sun or in New Crobuzon) or along the lines of oWoD Mage or Wraith but not by those rules and not as it was written… and to be fair I am not sure that I want to put the time into it to make it something that I would be excited about… especially when I know from my experience with the dozen or so attempts at making the oWoD rules work for Ahtalis how frustrating it is for both the players and the me. Hell, it was like pulling teeth to get people to read the Ahtalis stuff and ultimately unsatisfying for me to have even tried it, especially after being told that the game was poorly veiled attempt to trick people into reading my work so I could wank off on the things I wrote(now, considering the source of that comment, I should let it go, but that’s just not how that sort of thing works now is it). It was the fact that people liked the Dresden Files books and had (mostly) already read the majority of the series that made me want to run it… well that and my fanboy crush on Jim Butcher and Fred Hicks.
I agree with Jeff. Dave, we appriciate all the time and energy you have invested and I personally see no reason to waste it if we do move systems. Why not make slight modifications to the setting to convert it to WoD. It is a hotspot of supernatural in WoD as well. I am still pretty hung up on the bone citidel and we have not made a ton of progress so the majority of the integrety of the campign is still intact.
Dave I appreciate the time you put into this, I hope it doesn’t sound like we’re putting you down. I know you love systems that cover all aspects of a game. I’m basically on the other end of that and love subjective nonsense rules. I think Cyberpunk is probably one of the most flawless systems ever, you roll a D10. That plus bullet-proof skin = Game On.
It seems like in most games settings are made first and the characters are injected into it. We get in there session 1 and respond to everything the npcs are doing or have already done. But what if I want to get into a game and start doing things the npcs are trying to keep up with? You have to know that that’s what the game is though. If you try to start a game and just say, “Ok what are you doing?” most players will stare at you. Some will go to the nearest bar looking for a quest.
But what if it’s planned? If the storyteller and players set out to make a game about a Sabbat pack infiltrating a city to overthrow it, it seems the players would always have an idea what they could be doing. In practice the game would probably involve a lot of boring legwork and
stealth rolls. But we’d have a mission and a group focus. I suppose you could define a threat and an aspect to that. Did the Dresden game have us make a theme and/or aspect for our group? That might have helped if not. I don’t recall choosing something like that.
Something I’ve wanted to try for a while in Vampire is what I call the Seinfeld game. It’s a game about nothing. There’s no overall plot or point the ST is trying to get the players to. Instead the ST makes all the NPCs and defines their relationships. The players make their
characters, but they pay special attention to things like merits and flaws. There are a lot of flaws in the books, and so often you pick some and they never come up because there’s no time for them in comparison to the overall plot. You take Infamous Sire because it’s 1 point and you
know it will never come up. Hunted, Haunted, Werewolf Companion, True Love, Ward, Dark Secret, Vengeance, Amnesia, Medium, Spirit Mentor, True Faith (maybe…), Boon, Mistaken Identity, Judicial Ties, Underworld Ties, those are all in the 2nd edition players guide. There are like 80 other books. If you’re playing in some stupid chronicle where the party is trying to track down Samuel Haight’s fifth cousin you’ll never ever get to touch on any of those things.
But instead you make a character and really expand on it. You know who your sire is, maybe you’re friends, maybe you hate each other, maybe your sire is still in love with what they thought you could be but you’ll never be that again but they won’t believe it and they love you and they’ll never let you go (see: True Blood.) With all of that I don’t think the ST will need a plot. Just pick one of those flaws and roll initiative.
But this is all up to Dave. I don’t want to make him run something he won’t enjoy. He really liked the Fate system. Unfortunately we either did it wrong or this just isn’t the group for it.
Being the only guy that hasn’t read the books I must say the setting seems decent but not entirely well suited to an RPG. The White Court / White Council, Black Court / Black Council thing is just annoying. Also there are a lot of beings in this world that don’t have free will. Last time I checked that’s an important part of making decisions.
It looks like downtime on this site is approaching so I’ll try to get this typed. The system was passable. I thought it was mostly needlessly complicated, though. The aspects thing I just didn’t get. I don’t think it helped me in knowing what I could or should be doing or helped me understand the story or plot or setting.
So yeah. WOD. :)
Sure I’d be up for Old WoD (New just turned me off in a lot of ways due to how the drastic the changes to Vampire were), I’ve only ever played one face-to-face session of Vampire and I’d like to check it out more. But I also would really hate to torpedo all the time and effort invested in this current campaign as well…
Along those lines, Dresden to me is a lot clunkier than other FATE systems I’ve checked out. Legends of Anglerre handles it a lot more elegantly IMO, and gives you double the amount of aspects in order to keep the game flowing better and keep you comfortably in fate points. It’s also far harder to play a Wizard in Dresden than in Anglerre. Honestly, that fits the setting perfectly, anyone who’s read the books should know that it kinda sucks to be a Wizard. But in a tabletop setting it’s still a pain and makes one not want to play that role. I noticed pretty quickly that the least fun class to play seemed like it was the Wizard, because of how bogged down they were and how much they had to keep track of in a given session. I don’t blame someone for being frustrated at how they handle.
I have no problems with my character, and I’m greatly enjoying myself, probably because I don’t have the headaches our two wizards are dealing with. But in the end I’d go with the group decision as well. I haven’t done WoD in a long, long time.
As for the setting change, I am also in favor of WoD, though honestly I’d like to see what the new WoD has to offer. Dave and I have played this system a myriad of times, and I’d like to see what has changed, because I have faith that White Wolf has made it better. And as for Dave being the legendary WoD DM, that is hard to refute. Most of my best gaming memories comes from WoD with the Scambler at the head of the table. He definitely rocks that boat.
However, I will also abide by the decision of the group. Game in setting I am not as fond of is better than no game.
I unfortunately also find it difficult to get past the obvious flaws in the system. And while we are all new to the system, the flaws that are present are already visible, and we have only played two games. As previously mentioned, the cookie cutter character is a big turnoff. Secondly, after the second game it was already being discussed to change the mechanic of the third eye, an inherit part of the wizard. Two games in and mechanic changes are already in effect? Just seems an ill omen for the system.
Hmm, well, I personally feel that the system is inherently and drastically flawed. I am not a fan of the fate systems in general. My vote is for an old WoD game as it has a very similar atmosphere as to what we are doing now and it offers a much better constructed look at the morality aspect of things. E.G. Monsters desperately trying to hold onto their humanity. The reason I say WOD is two fold. One the setting is awesome. Two, from what I have heard Dave is a legendary DM of the WoD universe. I have never had the chance to play in a WoD game of his beyond one session and I would really like to see the rubber hit the road.
/end thoughts
I’m thinking I need to re-examine my character’s aspects and skills, right now they’re not meshing quite as well as I’d like. I suggested to Dave that we sort of borrow from Legends of Anglerre’s goal system. I find it helps a lot to outline your character’s personal goals, so you always are working towards something.
Personally my biggest plot threads are:
The history of the warehouse: what otherworldly connotations it may carry, especially for the Fae. If it’s linked to some sort of nevernever hotspot, it would be good to own the place… just in case.
Whatever is up with Callahan. There’s a lot going on below the surface I want to know more about. Does he gotz magic? What kind of magic is it? Is he a potential threat to Winter Court power? I’m thinking of maybe making him a personal assignment for my character, figuring out more about him and the like.
Anyway, my .02 on the whole system issue is this: I think we should stick with Dresden, because we’re all still new to the system and I think we’ll step more into the flow of things as we get more comfortable with it. I find it to be a very good system, maybe I’m more partial towards Anglerre, but FATE overall I really love. My vote is to stick with it.
Also, I feel it is important to say, espically after reading this again, my issues are not with you or your approach Dave. I just find myself not enjoying the system and sadly there is nothing you can do to change that. I enjoy the company more though and it will always win out.
My honest opinion is this. I can create goals and “aspects” in any game. I do not need them to be manifest in the detailing of my character. The idea is interesting but I don’t feel it is entierly practical. The world interests me, so do not think my gripe is with that. As far as player creation of the world, I like to work with the DM to make something that fits but ultimatly give him final say. I am not a fan of the co-authorship of a game. I really found myself wanting to like this system, just on principal, but as I told you earlier Dave, I find myself wishing we were playing a Vampire game instead. Old WOD, not the new one, just to be specific.
I’m beyond what happened to my character now. I have began the process of writing a new one. If we opt to continue I will use him.
My personal vote is for WOD, to be completly honest. I will side with what the group as a whole wants though, and be happy. It is the social interaction I really value and that occurs regardless of system. :)
Well this is going to sound bad in text format, but what the hell.
Get over it Jake. One of the best things about when Harry talks about the Soulgaze is that it is dangerous and capable of scarring him permamently, its why he rarely does it. Also, he has no clue what it looks like to others. Now the “demonic” thing is coming from a young were that was just blasted and was in fact in Shock (its one of the things I used as a Consequence so he did not die). The same is true of the Sight… now I should have read the Sight better after the first game when it was being used as a crutch instead of talking to people.
As for as the justification for attacking the were, I agree with you. Lethal force should be met with lethal force, but in those moments of realization of your actions so is PTSS which is pretty much what you displayed.
I think that personal goals are a good idea, though at this point do we want to continue? It sounds like a lot of dissappointment in the system and some of my goals. I personally have no desire to play in games where there is not something like Aspects to help motivate/guide players to get into their character headspace and I like the idea of allowing the player the chance to help shape the world in a real mechanical way. This system does that. Now, I understand there is some issues with the system producing mechanically “cookie cutter” characters and with the courseness of the Refresh system it really is laid at the feet of the players to create their own color to make the characters different. That all said, that is not for everyone.
Ok, to respond to Carlin’s post.
Bone Cathedral is my first and foremost concern, regardless of character I am interested in it.
Following that, the red court is bringing a lot of heat on the supernatural community, ie lacroix’s plan to set lose an army of reds.
I wouldn’t mind eliminating the White Court head, the big white snake, and the situation while im on my list of things to do.
Also, ignore my spelling and typos. I’m seeing several already.
I have to be honest. I am downright pissed at how that last game turned out. First of all, we defended ourselves against an agression who initiated combat by lethal force. I do not feel our intentions or the outcome of that fight was inherently evil.
Secondly, as much as I regret harming a child, I would, in real life, shoot a 17 year old who attempted to shoot me. I’d feel bad about it but you bring lethal force to bare I am going to respond in like.
Third, as far as the soulgaze goes, I was completly unaware of the effects of a soulgaze, assuming it worked similarly to the sight. Granted I should have researched it but had I known those effects were possible I would not have done it, peroid.
I really dislike that I had a plan for my character and in one session he has been reduced to a homicidal maniac simply because of the wording of a situation.
While I’m on this rant, my soul does not look like a demon dave, grizzled war vet sure, disenfranchised pessimist sure. Souless abomination, not a chance.
Thems my thoughts. Also why I am scrapping that wizard and making a new character.
so i don’t want to just say the idea and not fallow through …
i say everyone is wanting to work on the plot idea of the bone palace
my character also wants to finish fixing the fall out for the last 2 games
ie: smooth over the brother sister tiff, and clean up the mess of the 2 wardens
if we all make a list of the plot ideas we want to see developed then we can help Dave move the story those directions so why doesn’t each player post the plot hook that most interests them as well as a personal plot point for there character
Awesome, glad to see we’ve got a place to discuss the game and keep us all updated on it! :)