Author Topic: The Lost Room in DFRPG  (Read 3072 times)

Offline SithLordJoe

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The Lost Room in DFRPG
« on: November 27, 2011, 03:26:04 AM »
So I was rewatching the Lost Room miniseries by Sci-Fi Channel (or whatever it is they call themselves these days.) and I thought that universe would make a great setting for a gang. For those who do not know what the Lost Room is, here a link to the Wikipedia and TvTropes page. What should I be thinking about regarding setting, and the like? And if you would be interested in this sort of game speak up, cause I would likely have it here on the PbP boards...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Room
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheLostRoom

Offline admiralducksauce

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2011, 05:46:48 PM »
That was a pretty cool miniseries.  I think Item of Power covers the bases pretty well, for example the indestructible nature of the Objects.

I wouldn't imagine you'd have to really fiddle with rules too much.  For the most part, the Objects' functions are pretty all-or-nothing.  If you strike an opponent with the Bus Ticket, they teleport to Gallup, NM.  Do not pass go.  Do not roll a saving throw.  Do not collect $200.

Some of them aren't meant to be "balanced".  They're just plot devices.  Some COULD be balanced.  Some are plot device-powerful within a very narrow niche, and those I like the best.

The Key opens any door with a tumbler lock, period.  The wiggle room there is in using Assessments and Declarations allowing you to use (or prevent use of) the Key.

The Pen probably just needs a medium-high Weapon value, and you're good to go.  I'd rule the Eye as having a higher Weapon value, and on a Taken Out result the target is disintegrated (it disintegrated people, right?).

The Comb is a little trickier.  Stop time for 10 seconds, during which you cannot affect the world around you.  I'm not sure how I'd rule that effect yet.  The downside, "Disorientation unless you're standing still after the 10 seconds" seems best handled by a Compel, though.

The Scissors "rotate things".  The trick here is that it really doesn't seem to matter what gets rotated.  If you can see a target, you can exert a basic level of telekinesis on it.  You could throw people like in a grapple, use them to Maneuver, and lift/break otherwise immovable objects like semi trucks and vault doors.  It's like Mythic Strength at range for lifting, but you can't crush people with the scissors.  You COULD throw them off a roof or slam them into the scenery, though.

Those youtube links link in turn to clips of many other Objects, BTW.  Handy little resource for reminding me about all the cool stuff in that show.

Offline SithLordJoe

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2011, 08:59:10 PM »
How would I handle something like the Deck of Cards, which can make strong minds hallucinate and weak ones go insane?

Likewise the Flask, which can make a target incapable of breathing, or the nail file which can knock a person into a deep sleep.

Offline admiralducksauce

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2011, 10:58:15 PM »
Deck of Cards: Weapon:X value dealing mental stress.  Strong minds take consequences like hallucinations.  Weak minds suffer more extreme consequences or get Taken Out and go insane.

Flask: This is like the goddamn "Orbius blocks breathing" thing, isn't it?  Julianna Margolis gets hit with it and she's practically incapacitated.  It seems like it doesn't just stop breathing; it actively sucks the air out of your lungs, else she'd have enough stored oxygen to scissor Kevin Pollack into the wall, right?  Just use whatever suffocation rules you feel comfortable with.  I'm not sticking my hand in that tree stump.  :)

The Nail File I'd run as a consequential challenge.  The user rolls Deceit or Rapport or Presence or something to try to get the victim to look at the nail file.  An unsuspecting victim might just roll at Mediocre; a forewarned victim might defend with Empathy to read the attacker's body language or Alertness to spot what's going on?  Anyway, if they fail, they pass out.

It's not balanced.  It's not supposed to be, but I think at least some sort of roll should be involved if you can.

Offline SithLordJoe

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2011, 11:46:24 PM »
What do you reccomend for the setting itself? Less to do with the actual Objects or the Room, but more along the lines of the cabals and the shadow wars, and the different organizations involved? How do they interact with the unaware public, and how do normals get involved with the world of Objects and all this stuff in general ya think?

Offline admiralducksauce

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2011, 04:20:19 PM »
It's a very Unknown Armies style of set up.  You have a small group of people in the know who form these cults around the Objects.  There are a limited number of Objects and since they're (practically) indestructible, you can't change the amount.  I imagine games revolving around Objects would have some common ground in:

1.  Acquisition: Go out to X and get Object Y from person / group Z.  This could be an assassination attempt, social engineering, a heist job, what have you.  Once you have the Object, the game might take a turn towards:
2.  Investigation: If you don't know what the Object does, attempt to find out.
3.  Is it Worth It?: If you DO know what it does, is it too dangerous to bring back to your masters or keep for yourselves?  Do you use it?
4.  Hold Onto It: Once you've got an Object, other cabals will be gunning for you.  Your Object doesn't even have to DO anything.  You can be killed simply because Kevin Pollack wants to catch 'em all.  :)
5.  Break the World: Eventually your PCs will have a number of useful Objects.  It's inevitable that they will use them.  Depending on the Objects, the PCs could really wreak havoc on society.  Just be prepared for a shadow conspiracy game to suddenly explode into overt paranormal warfare.

Offline SithLordJoe

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2011, 10:50:58 PM »
Thanks again... I will be posting an interest check thread soon enough most likely.

Offline arthurfallz

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2011, 04:03:47 AM »
I loved that miniseries, it had such potential to go onwards. I've brought The Key into a Mage: The Awakening game as well, but thinking of it, Dresden RPG has everything you need to do it. I'd be interested in seeing them all statted up in a small pdf or something if you felt so inspired... it would be a fun resources to refer to.

On a related note, it would be a lot of fun to think of Harry or any other kind of play group trying to deal with the Objects in the actual Dresdenverse. I'm not sure what they would be - the Lost Room was never adequately explained. Maybe an unnatural portal into the Nevernever that broke reality around every one of the Objects?
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Offline Arcane

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2011, 05:10:41 AM »
The Key opens any door with a tumbler lock, period.  The wiggle room there is in using Assessments and Declarations allowing you to use (or prevent use of) the Key.
Actually, I would build the Key this way.

The Key
Demense (The Lost Room) -1
World Walker -2
Item of Power +1
Total Net Cost: -2

The Key basically lets you World Walk directly to its associated demense by "opening"  any door that has a tumbler lock.  While in the demense, you can World Walk to any place on Earth linked to it, which is any place with a door that has a tumbler lock.
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Offline admiralducksauce

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Re: The Lost Room in DFRPG
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2011, 02:17:47 PM »
Actually, I would build the Key this way.

The Key
Demense (The Lost Room) -1
World Walker -2
Item of Power +1
Total Net Cost: -2

The Key basically lets you World Walk directly to its associated demense by "opening"  any door that has a tumbler lock.  While in the demense, you can World Walk to any place on Earth linked to it, which is any place with a door that has a tumbler lock.

Or you could do that.  Nice.