Author Topic: Aspects for Themes and Threats... Grrr  (Read 1408 times)

Offline zerogain

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Aspects for Themes and Threats... Grrr
« on: December 01, 2010, 06:51:18 AM »
I am trying to properly address Aspects for my City's theme's and threats.

I think I've got a handle on my themes, but the threat is giving me fits (in that silent growling kind of way).

So our threat for the city of Seattle is based on a tunnel that is going in out here, to replace a commuter bridge.  The city has an underground, and a similar situation with supernatural inhabitants infesting such, adding and modifying to suit.  Additionally some pretty nasty stuff lurks even deeper.

One of our themes is "The Road to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions" - mostly because people in the city may do the most destructive things, but it's usually out of a misguided attempt to "help" or "make things right", which of course tends to muck things up.  Such people are always trying to take the moral high ground, etc.

So our threat (going with the 2 themes, 1 threat model) is "Crap, it really _is_ the road to Hell" to reflect that the tunnel will turn over bad nastiness every dramatically appropriate time frame.  That said, I am having a hell of a time coming up with an Aspect that defines this and how to compel it and invoke it...

Any input?

Offline Amelia Crane

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Re: Aspects for Themes and Threats... Grrr
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2010, 11:59:23 AM »
I'd probably do it differently.  Instead of having the theme "The Road to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions", I'd probably have the threat "The Road to Hell" and the theme "Good Intentions".  Then you have clearer domains for the threat aspect and the theme aspect and the whole city represents the Road to Hell being paved with Good Intentions.

Offline zerogain

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Re: Aspects for Themes and Threats... Grrr
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2010, 07:38:46 PM »
Thank you Amelia, I think we're going to do that.

It's already spawned a few hooks in my head just thinking about how that would change things and it certainly opens up more avenues for us to create interesting stories.

Offline Buscadera

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Re: Aspects for Themes and Threats... Grrr
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2010, 07:43:59 PM »
Also, you might find this useful. It's the City Creation link from a now defunct PbP DFRPG game I was in set in Seattle.
"Gus, I'm a lyrical gangster. I'll use some colorful vernacular and if necessary, you'll engage in fisticuffs" -Shawn Spencer

"Doesn't that suck? I just hit you for no reason. I don't even know why." -Harry Lockhart

Offline zerogain

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Re: Aspects for Themes and Threats... Grrr
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2010, 07:04:39 AM »
''THE ROAD TO HELL'' (THREAT)
The new tunnel digs places it ought not, and the people of the city are going to discover more than they bargained for as this excavation continues.  But beyond that, dark forces are stirring in Seattle, driven by we can only guess what.

What then would be a good aspect for this.  I've been thinking along the lines of "From Bad To Worse", but that's all that's coming up right now.

This also prompts me to ask how Theme and Threat aspects are actually used.  Who uses them, who can compel or invoke them?

For example I'm doing this with one of the themes:

''A CITY OF DOORS'' (THEME)
Though the barrier remains strong, Seattle has a great many connections to the Nevernever.
The Aspect: There's Got To Be A Door Here, Somewhere
Invoke: To find and be able to open a gateway to the Nevernever.  No guarantee as to safety though.
Compel:  To have one find you, usually on accident.

My intent with the invoke is that anyone in the city can find a doorway to the nevernever for a fate point, or accidentally find their way through to get one.