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The (overly) serious D&D interest thread...with discussion re: players

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Ironeye Cutmaster-san from SoCal Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
Cutmaster-san
#626: Apr 20th 2010 at 12:52:50 AM

@arim: I like those ideas. But, yeah, you really don't need an Aspect which only serves to give you something to tap every time you roll Rapport or Intimidate. The puzzles thing is much better.

@Matrix: I like.

@Everyone: Once I have the player list (Deadline, Thursday at noon, forum time), I'll be able to set everyone up for Phases 4 and 5. Realize that you only need a character concept and your first 6 aspects for that—I'll be helping people with skills and stunts on Friday during the session (or via this thread/PM is you can't make it).

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.
Matrix Since: Jan, 2001
#627: Apr 20th 2010 at 12:56:58 AM

Okay, some notes on Pyromaniac and Disdain for Ignorance:

Pyromania obviously primarily applies when insane, however, while sane she does show a fondness for fire and things that burn, like fireplaces and cigars.

Her Disdain for Ignorance has good and bad aspects: She is a philanthroper, specifically a strong supporter of education and care for the mentally ill, but those who frequently espouse ignorant beliefs quickly draw her ire.

Matrix Since: Jan, 2001
#628: Apr 20th 2010 at 1:04:59 AM

To get a feel for what Sarah the Singed looks like: [1]

Look at this picture. Ignore the fantasy mage bling. Replace it with a white button-up blouse, a blue pinstripe skirt, and blue low heels (a compromise between looking good and actually being able to, ya know, walk). Optional items: Cigar, Glasses, Fedora, Tommy Gun.

edited 20th Apr '10 1:09:34 AM by Matrix

Thnikkafan ? from Faroe Islands (not really) Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: I made a point to burn all of the photographs
?
#629: Apr 20th 2010 at 2:36:40 AM

I'm in, at least for now.

My character concept: A "savage" who has had his brain replaced with that of... some sort of smart guy (haven't decided).

He'll probably be a Genius Bruiser, although he won't actually be that smart.

Er, crap. Do I write the background for the brain character or the body character?

edited 20th Apr '10 2:44:58 AM by Thnikkafan

Anyone who assigns themselves loads of character tropes is someone to be worried about.
Karalora Since: Jan, 2001
#630: Apr 20th 2010 at 7:17:34 AM

Why thank you, Ironeye.

I'm especially proud of "My Name's In the Papers," because there are at least three meanings there. There's the usual use of the phrase, which is that she's rich enough to be mentioned in the society pages with some regularity. There's the obvious fact that her father owns a newspaper, with "name" in this case being a sort of metaphor for the family fortune. And it's also a reference to her mother's side of the family, with the noble bloodline being likened to a pedigree or "papers." And all three of those meanings have story possibility.

The deal with Cousin Vicky—which didn't fit neatly into the descriptive paragraphs—is that her side of the family is noble but no longer rich; they had to liquidate most of the family assets in order to pay off old debts. She has nothing against Millie per se, but considers it a travesty of justice that the Yank cousin has all the money. She could be anything from a minor complication to an outright villain, depending on her scheme du jour for getting her hands on the Diamond fortune (or any other fortune—this gal's greedy!) She could even be a grudging ally on occasion. I plan to develop the character some more when we get a chance to talk on Vent, but I also want to leave some things open.

@arim, maybe instead of "Benevolent Megalomaniac," the Aspect could be something like "Utopian Dreamer"?

edited 21st Apr '10 7:21:57 AM by Karalora

Ironeye Cutmaster-san from SoCal Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
Cutmaster-san
#631: Apr 20th 2010 at 12:32:50 PM

@Staggy: Write whatever background you think is necessary. Unless the body comes with some sort of baggage, it'd probably be best to focus on the brain, since that's the actual "person" in the character.

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.
Thnikkafan ? from Faroe Islands (not really) Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: I made a point to burn all of the photographs
?
#632: Apr 20th 2010 at 1:29:32 PM

On second thought, there won't be a direct brain transfusion. He's just going to become super-smart by Science! and that should save other issues.

Oh, and his name?

Samson, the World's Smartest Savage!

Phase One: Origin

  • Samson, or at least the savage that later would become Samson, was found living in the Orient. Or was it Darkest Africa? Or the Amazon? Or India? Or that British penal colony? Nobody really knows where Saxton came from, espescially not him, and his look can best be described as "colored". However, the colony was British (or was it French, or maybe Dutch...), and from what facts have been gathered, he was the strongest warrior of his village, a companion to animals and the pride of his civilization. He might have even been the chief, although evidence is dodgy. However, he remembers next to no details about this time period.
    • Ambiguous Ethnicity
    • Forgotten Origin
Phase Two: The Great War
  • Samson was well out of the way of the trenches and the tanks, and so he wasn't concerned with the fighting. However, Allied scientists thought otherwise. They captured him for use in a super soldier program. He was infused with a concoction created with the brains of five of the greatest men that had died during The Great War. And so, Samson was created! However, while the talents, smarts, and skills of the minds inside him, as well as the skills and strength that Samson had, he lacked the memories of any of them. Taking pity on the amnesiac Samson (and noticing how events on the day that he said he was born before experimentation matched up with similar events on January 1st, 1901), an aging Centurion gave him the name of Samson, told him of a club in Washington D.C. that could use him, and chose Samson as his replacement before passing away.
    • "I have the brains of five men!"
    • Purposeless Soul
Phase Three: "Samson, the World's Smartest Savage, in... Journey for the Jewels of Justinian!
  • "Samson, the World's Smartest Savage! The strength of Heracles, the bravery of Achilles, and the brains of Odysseus, all in one man! But Samson may be faced with his toughest challenge yet! Constantinople is gone, replaced by the decaying splendor of Istanbul. But treasures from that golden era live on yet! And Samson has been sent to find it! Can Samson outwit Abin al'Jirayah, the great Arabian jewel collector, and his assosciates, open the Door of Belisarus, and find the legendary Crown of Justinian before evil can lay it's hands on it?
    • Just Out Of Reach
    • Foe of The Society of Gemsetters

Skills:

  • Superb
    • Might
  • Great
    • Survival
    • Weapons
  • Good
    • Science
    • Academics
    • Endurance
  • Fair
    • Art
    • Resolve
    • Athletics
    • Alertness
  • Average
    • Empathy
    • Intimidation
    • Engineering
    • Deceit
    • Mysteries

Stunts:

  • Herculean Strength [Might]
  • Piledriver [Might]
  • Anything Goes [Weapons]
  • Animal Friend [Survival] (reptiles)
  • Wrestling [Might]


Okay, time to elaborate on the aspects.

  • Ambiguous Ethnicity: He's sorta like the Model T. He looks like any color and ethnicity he wants to be like, so long as it's colored. Your idea is better: He looks like any ethnicity except the one of the person looking at him.
  • Forgotten Origin: Self-explanatory.
  • "I have the brains of five men!": Less self-explanatory than you'd think. When he says he has the brains of five men, it's actually a bit literal. If something shuts his brain down for whatever reason, it's possible that he'd shrug it off. However, he gets scatterbrained if he thinks too hard, and there's a tidbit of multiple personalities. But mainly, it's a boast. He's intelligent, pure and simple.
  • Purposeless Soul: He doesn't have a true purpose in life, overall. No true long-term goal in sight or major plan. However, he is pretty good at following any sort of medium-term and short-term plan, and he may or may not be good at improvising.
  • Just Out Of Reach: Things have a tendency to be just out of his way. A gem too far up, a foe too fast, a plane too low on fuel, whatever.
  • Foe of The Society of Gemsetters: Self-explanatory.

edited 20th Apr '10 7:37:18 PM by Thnikkafan

Anyone who assigns themselves loads of character tropes is someone to be worried about.
Lanceleoghauni Cyborg Helmsman from Z or R Twice Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In my bunk
#633: Apr 20th 2010 at 7:03:15 PM

JESUS CHRIST YOU POINTY EARED BASTARD.

Even with no life I only have so much time to devote to nonschool!

"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"
JinxedBlackcat The Ultimate Bifauxnen from Blurry Edges of Genderfluidity Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: Buried in snow, waiting for spring
The Ultimate Bifauxnen
#634: Apr 20th 2010 at 8:16:25 PM

Major Samantha “Sam” Gears

Phase 1: Childhood

Sam Gears grew up in the poorer section of town. Her family lived in a little home rather close to the local airport her father worked at. She loved to follow him to work and watch him maintain the various airplanes. Once she got to high school she took up auto shop classes and most of her time was spent around the grease monkeys there in.

  • 1. Wrench Wench
  • 2. Street Savoir-Faire

Phase 2: War Time

When the war rolled around Sam bided her time until she looked old enough and dashed off for the Air Force at 16, fudging her age of course. She was stationed in London and made frequent flights to France. She quickly became a world class pilot in her squadron attracting the attention of a Captain named Roger Gray. Sam was soon Gray’s wise cracking protégé. Sadly, on one particular mission Gray’s plane was shot down in France and never found.

  • 1. A Quip for Every Occasion
  • 2. Speed Demon

Phase 3: Major Sam Gears and the Sparrowhawk’s Descent

In 1920 Major Sam Gears was flying over the Himalayan mountains in her personal craft The Sparrowhawk. When a horrible blizzard caused her to crash land in the Tibetan wilderness Sam quickly learned there was more to the landscape than the snow.

  • 1. The Sparrowhawk
  • 2. I’ve Got A Lucky Rabbit’s Foot

Skills

  • Superb:

    • Pilot

  • Great:

  • Good:
    • Drive
    • Survival

  • Fair:
    • Athletics

  • Average:
    • Fists

STUNTS

  • Flying Ace
  • Barnstormer
  • Plane Mechanic
  • Walk Away From It
  • Personal Aircraft

Trinket:

Lucky Rabbits Foot (it’s green)

edited 20th Apr '10 10:28:49 PM by JinxedBlackcat

Real Life rwby rose
Lanceleoghauni Cyborg Helmsman from Z or R Twice Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In my bunk
#635: Apr 20th 2010 at 9:58:08 PM

  • Anton Korvanatz, Tsar of Gears.

  • Phase One: Origin
    • Born In Russia to a clockmaker Anton's parent emigrated to the US when he was only 3 to escape the terrible labor conditions. His father continued his work for a prominent maker of fine watches, passing his trade down to his son, as well as allowing him to get a decent education. Taking to science quickly, he let clockwork and machinery lag behind a bit as a result of his new studies.
      • Clockwork mind
      • Husky Ruskie

  • Phase Two: The Great War
    • when the great war broke out Anton had been working onboard military vessels, his skills being highly valued. When the captain got the call to war the crew decided they'd rather have a kid who could fix their gear rather than a shot of new blood into the ship. they forged his legal documents for him and entered him into the American Navy Serving aboard the US Battleship Grand Destiny. His Mentor, Chief Engineer Jameson continued to teach him the fine details of how every subsystem worked, and even gave him training in Bladed Weapons and Guns. However, escorting a fleet of Merchant Vessels to England his ship was struck by a German U-boat and He and his Jameson Fought tooth and nail to patch the failing systems and restore hull integrity. Fighting a losing battle Jameson Grabbed Anton by his overalls, threw him through the Bulkhead and quickly closed the door. As the last of the bolts slammed shut the hull patch gave out, washing the older engineer away. He finished out the war, returning home saddened deeply.

  • Phase Three: Anton Korvanatz in The Midnight Train to Moscow
    • Travelling by train to Moscow to Visit family Anton discovers that it will take all his wits as well as the help of a friendly thief to make it back home to America. Kidnapped by communists an old friend from the underworld came to bust him out. Now He must navigate the Moscow Underworld in his attempt to escape to the Scientific Conference at Zurich with the Communists hot on his tail.
      • Infamous Skill
      • Friends in Low places

  • Stunts:
    • Scientific Genius
    • Scientific Invention
    • Weird Science
    • Mr Fixit
    • Personal Gadget

Skills:

  • Superb
    • Science
  • Great
    • Engineering
    • Stealth
  • Good
    • Burglary
    • Resolve
    • Resources
  • Fair
    • Guns
    • Investigation
    • Weapons
    • Academics
  • Average
    • Empathy
    • Athletics
    • Alertness
    • Survival
    • Contacting

edited 21st Apr '10 9:41:08 PM by Lanceleoghauni

"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"
arks Boiled and Mashed Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Boiled and Mashed
#636: Apr 20th 2010 at 11:23:38 PM

I'm thinking of joining. I'll try to get something up once Ironeye has enough time to fill me in completely.

Video Game Census. Please contribute.
Ironeye Cutmaster-san from SoCal Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
Cutmaster-san
#637: Apr 20th 2010 at 11:50:47 PM

@arks: I've got a midterm on Friday, so I'm going to be pretty busy until then. Just show up on Vent somewhere in the 9-9:30 range (your time), and we can get you set up.

@arim: I just happened to look over your skills and noticed that they don't exactly seem to fit his backstory, though I suppose that's because he'd require a lot of good skills based on his back story. Even still, with all of the espionage and sabotage he did, I would imagine that either Stealth or Deceit would be above a +2.

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.
arimnaes Falls Up Since: Apr, 2009
Falls Up
#638: Apr 21st 2010 at 9:52:03 AM

Well, I assumed the point was that his talents for social interaction stemmed not from inherently amazing charisma (hence the merely fair scores for Deceit and Rapport) but rather from a great understanding of how other people think and feel (high empathy score) and his ability to hypnotize people with whom he speaks (one of his stunts lets him substitute his Mysteries score for either Deceit or Rapport once he's engaged in ongoing conversation.)

Karalora Since: Jan, 2001
#639: Apr 21st 2010 at 10:31:26 AM

We never did get around to addressing Cousin Vicky before I signed off last night, so here's some very preliminary stuff.

Aspects to include:

  • Tarnished Silver Spoon - Referring to her status as money-drained nobility, as well as her tendency to be tempted by corrupting influences.
  • Gold Glint in Her Eye - Paired with the above, refers to her drive to become rich again.
  • "Blood is thicker than water." - She's reluctant to actually hurt Millie (although she has no such compunctions concerning Millie's companions). But by the same token, she's more than a little obsessed with the Diamond family fortune and, given the choice, would prefer to seize it over any other money or treasure. Because it's technically family money.
  • "Take them, <fill-in-the-blank>!" - She still has one loyal bodyguard/retainer (name to be determined, but should be nice and foreign—probably Egyptian or Indian).

Her Skill selection should include Weapons (she's a fencer) and Art (she's cultured!), and probably Mysteries at Good or above, since she's delving into all sorts of things in her efforts to rebuild the family fortune. I want her to be basically Millie's foil, so some of her Skills should mirror Millie's but be used in very different ways.

Other than that, I'm open for suggestions. It might even be a good idea to leave some of her character sheet blank for now, so that she can bust out nasty surprises as needed.

edited 21st Apr '10 4:35:51 PM by Karalora

Ironeye Cutmaster-san from SoCal Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
Cutmaster-san
#640: Apr 21st 2010 at 12:55:02 PM

@arim: Ah, so he got through

Dana began conducting missions of espionage and sabotage, at first to serve the interests of the Ordo Corvi, and later directly in aid of the Allies once the organization committed to bet on their victory.
almost entirely with his hypnosis ability, if I'm understanding this correctly.

@Kara: Well, yeah, if you don't want to build the entire thing, I can going ahead and secretly fill in the rest in thematically appropriate ways, ensuring that you all don't know what's coming. smile

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.
arimnaes Falls Up Since: Apr, 2009
Falls Up
#641: Apr 21st 2010 at 1:09:41 PM

That's correct. While he's not incompetent at normal social interaction, he doesn't approach it in the same way most people do. When he's trying to get someone to do something for him, he takes a very systematic and logical approach in mapping out the levers of their personality and then operating them like a machine, with his hypnotic powers as a sort of override switch.

Matrix Since: Jan, 2001
#642: Apr 21st 2010 at 2:23:55 PM

I now notice that arim is kind of playing a sort of nicer Adellion.

Thnikkafan ? from Faroe Islands (not really) Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: I made a point to burn all of the photographs
?
#643: Apr 21st 2010 at 6:08:09 PM

A ''SpiritOfTheCentury''-specific thread is up now.

Anyone who assigns themselves loads of character tropes is someone to be worried about.
Karalora Since: Jan, 2001
#644: Apr 22nd 2010 at 6:04:48 PM

What exactly is the plan for gaming this weekend? Are we taking the weekend off from D&D in order to launch the Sot C game? Are we moving to the summer schedule? I hope it's not the latter, because I have a 4:00 dinner at my mom's on Saturday. I haven't missed a session yet and I don't intend to start now if I can avoid it.

Ironeye Cutmaster-san from SoCal Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
Cutmaster-san
#645: Apr 22nd 2010 at 6:09:02 PM

I was holding off on claiming Saturday so that arim could have it if he wanted. Alternatively, arim can take Friday and I can take Saturday, but I thought that he was going to take Fridays off for the foreseeable future. Whatever arim chooses, I'm taking one night and holding the first session the Friday after.

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.
Karalora Since: Jan, 2001
#646: Apr 22nd 2010 at 6:27:54 PM

I guess, then, I am specifically requesting that whatever we do, we don't move to the new D&D schedule. Because holy fuck, would this ever be the worst session to miss.

Ironeye Cutmaster-san from SoCal Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
Cutmaster-san
#647: Apr 22nd 2010 at 6:30:01 PM

I suppose the two plans are then:

  • If arim wants to finish up the current arc this weekend: D&D on Friday, finishing SotC character creation/rules discussion on Saturday
  • If arim doesn't want to finish this weekend: SotC Friday, nothing Saturday

edited 22nd Apr '10 6:30:15 PM by Ironeye

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.
arimnaes Falls Up Since: Apr, 2009
Falls Up
#648: Apr 22nd 2010 at 6:37:43 PM

Let's finish tomorrow night at the usual time, if that's amenable to everyone. There's something I'm planning to do on Saturday, and the next couple of weekends will be busier for me than this one, so it's those weekends that I'd like to take off.

Oh, just to clarify, it's Saturday evening that I'll be out. Although... hmm. It'll be too early relative to you guys for us to meet regarding Spirit of the Century before I go. Well, if the meeting has to be on Saturday, and it's mandatory attendance, I don't have to go to this thing. It is something I'd like to do if there's a way to make the scheduling work, though.

edited 22nd Apr '10 6:42:15 PM by arimnaes

Karalora Since: Jan, 2001
#649: Apr 22nd 2010 at 6:52:46 PM

My immediate thought, arim, is that it wouldn't be very sporting of us to set up this alternate game in order to allow you to have a life outside of gaming over the summer, and then force you to choose between your life outside of gaming and the alternate game. But I guess it all depends on the specific hours involved, and how vital it is to have all the Sot C characters integrated from the start.

arimnaes Falls Up Since: Apr, 2009
Falls Up
#650: Apr 22nd 2010 at 6:55:41 PM

Yes, I'm... still not entirely sure what the extent of my participation will be in the game. I'm tempted to suggest that the people with whose stories my character intersects be allowed to have an extra connection, so that they still have history with two other characters if it takes me a long time to show up (or if things get sufficiently hectic for me that I end up never actually playing at all.)


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