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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: CrimsonJoker on June 27, 2014, 05:59:33 PM
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So I was playing around with concepts for various villains for my PCs to go up against, including Vampire Mob Bosses, my own take on the Jade and Violet Courts, and a Wizard with Outsider powers related to song, but when I inevitably throw Denarians at my players as requested I wanted to do something new with it, which was when I hit upon an idea. What if a Knight Of The Cross switched teams to work with the Denarians for a reason that I have not yet determined (I have four different candidates for the Fallen Knight).
In my game I house ruled that there were more Crucifixion Swords employed by God's Knights than those made from the nails, with the second set having incorporated the thorns from the Crown Of Thorns. And its been shown that NON-Knights can use the Swords in-canon by Lea and Susan.
My wonder is how I would display this mechanically. My idea was to have his/her Holy Powers be rescinded, give them a Coin, and have them be able to still use their Sword through a loophole in its tenet. Would that work? Are there problems with my line of thinking altogether?
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The first time a Sword of the Cross was used to do something contrary to its purpose by their own wielder - such as slaying an innocent - they'd be destroyed.
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I'm not sure what you want, here. A Denarian, as in someone with an actual coin, who also utilizes an IoP sword with the same powers as, say, Amoracchius?
Like Belial said, that's not exactly possible. If you want to give him an unholy sword IoP, with similar powers, that's quite a bit more doable.
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It's also possible the Sword he has used to be one of the Holy variety... but when the Knight fell, he corrupted it turning it Unholy. Also, maybe the sword was unmade by a foolish act and then remade into something more fitting to a fallen knight.
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I kinda figured, so its good to have confirmation. I like the thought of a Fallen Sword though. That's more than a little interesting.
As for what I was looking for, Im going for a former Knight who betrayed his bretheren for the promise of power, to show just how dangerous a Knight can be.
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Hmm. A Weapons-focused Denarian, then? He/she would probably be like Nicodemus in that they probably wouldn't have a massively obvious "game face". I could put something together, but it'd be fairly high Refresh.
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My take probably wouldn't be playable at a Submerged level, but I could probably do one for 12 or so refresh. Slightly higher level game, probably no spellcasting (but there is no evidence that all Denarians can do spellcasting). You could also be a Fallen Knight who is limiting what powers he gets from his Denarian (by choice or by necessity)
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We had a pretty cool concept for an additional sword with a somewhat different agenda, though Teggetto, the player, had to drop out before the game started.
The idea was a Knight of the Cross somewhere in the 12th century was slain in battle and in the process, Esperaccius was shattered. A Valkyrie had an interest in him and recruited him to the Einherjar, but since he dies simultaneously with Esperaccius, some part of the sword lingered in his soul when he was resurrected. When he later took up a sword and went into battle, the sword turned into the Echo of Esperaccius, as the remnants of the sword flowed from his soul into the new sword. The original Esperaccius had already been reforged at that time. Mechanically, it is pretty much the same thing, though it has more of an undercover agenda than the original swords.
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It's also possible the Sword he has used to be one of the Holy variety... but when the Knight fell, he corrupted it turning it Unholy. Also, maybe the sword was unmade by a foolish act and then remade into something more fitting to a fallen knight.
How about the Knight of the Cross having to let a friend die because saving him with the Sword would have unmade it? That's a nice fertile ground for building resentment on, where he keeps there Sword but grows steadily angrier at the sacrifices he's having to make for a cause that wouldn't even let him save his friend, until he goes up against a Denarian and is convinced over to their side. He breaks the Sword by betraying his comrade in arms, perhaps killing him, perhaps not (I'd go with not because story potential). He takes up the Coin afterwards and the Fallen guides his hand in corrupting the sword into something more fitting a Knight of the Blackened Denarius.
I actually quite like this idea. I may use it in a story at some point.
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We had a pretty cool concept for an additional sword with a somewhat different agenda, though Teggetto, the player, had to drop out before the game started.
The idea was a Knight of the Cross somewhere in the 12th century was slain in battle and in the process, Esperaccius was shattered. A Valkyrie had an interest in him and recruited him to the Einherjar, but since he dies simultaneously with Esperaccius, some part of the sword lingered in his soul when he was resurrected. When he later took up a sword and went into battle, the sword turned into the Echo of Esperaccius, as the remnants of the sword flowed from his soul into the new sword. The original Esperaccius had already been reforged at that time. Mechanically, it is pretty much the same thing, though it has more of an undercover agenda than the original swords.
Interestingly, Jim gave an interview recently where he said that Amoracchius and Fidelacchius have been broken and reforged before, but Esperacchius hasn't.
Doesn't have to impact your games though, just thought it was an interesting tidbit. Love and faith are often lost, but hope endures.
I expect Esperacchius to break some time around the start of the Big Apocalyptic Trilogy.
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Interestingly, Jim gave an interview recently where he said that Amoracchius and Fidelacchius have been broken and reforged before, but Esperacchius hasn't.
Nope, it's been Amoracchius that's never been broken. It's allegedly the same one as Excalibur. Esperacchius is supposed to have been Durendal.
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I used the legend of the 4th nail to have a secret sword of Uriel that is only brought out in the direst of circumstances or when God's will required penance. I associated the three other swords with Michael, Rafael, and Gabriel and since Uriel in Dresden is Heaven's wetworks man, he had the secret sword of repentence, or Piactacchius. It had slightly different abilities culled from the Custom Powers list (I also think it might have give Incite Emotion: Guilt). I'll have to see if I can locate my notes.
Here's info on the Romany Crucifixion Legend (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romany_crucifixion_legend)
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I used the legend of the 4th nail [...]
Right, that's a cool way to go, too.
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Maybe you could have his coin fused with his sword, as sort of a dark copy of the Swords of the Cross. He could summon it into his hand at any time since it's his coin, which would be a fairly scary trick -- he could walk into a building past security, unarmed, then immediately have a sword in his hand.
What power level are your PCs, and what skill level do their attacks/defenses tend to be at? With that information, I could write some stats...
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Maybe you could have his coin fused with his sword, as sort of a dark copy of the Swords of the Cross. He could summon it into his hand at any time since it's his coin, which would be a fairly scary trick -- he could walk into a building past security, unarmed, then immediately have a sword in his hand.
Oh that's a scary freaking trick. I LIKE THAT!
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Maybe you could have his coin fused with his sword, as sort of a dark copy of the Swords of the Cross. He could summon it into his hand at any time since it's his coin, which would be a fairly scary trick -- he could walk into a building past security, unarmed, then immediately have a sword in his hand.
What power level are your PCs, and what skill level do their attacks/defenses tend to be at? With that information, I could write some stats...
They currently have 11 Refresh, and they'll either have 12 or 13 by the time the Knight shows up. From what I recall of there stats I have a Knight with Weapons 5, a Wizard with Conviction/Discipline Great, a Werebear who acts as the Tank offensively, and a WC Vamp who's stats I can't recall but he's fast, has Awareness as his Superb stat, and who I assume can put up a fight since he's a former marine but he hasn't shown off much.
I love the coin idea.
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Here's an interesting concept I had for a time;
Alice Liddel
High Concept: Blood Knight Trouble: Pretty Smart - Also Insane
Aspects: Faerie Foe, Family over Faith, Vow of Vengeance
Her family plagued by faeries and dream spirits of the Nevernever when she was a little girl, Alice was granted a holy sword to defend them when she proved her mettle by beating the spirits in several of their mad games. Unfortunately, it was revealed that the family had unwittingly invited the spirits in the first place and Alice's attempts to use the sword to free them failed. This drew the attention of one of the Fallen, who convinced Alice that she should save her parents from insanity by killing them as death would be preferable to madness.
Bathed in the blood of innocents, the holy sword was corrupted, inviting in and amplifying the demon's power. Young Alice realized what she'd done and was filled with grief and rage against the supernatural; the holy powers for not saving her family, the faeries for playing their mad games and the powers of Hell for urging her to that resolution. She's roamed the Earth ever since, slaying beings of these three categories her goal.
Skills:
+6: Weapons, Athletics
+5: Alertness, Lore
+4: Discipline, Might
+3: Endurance, Conviction
+2: Empathy, Presence, Raport
+1: Stealth, Survival, Riding, Scholarship
Powers/Stunts:
...It is what it is: a once broken, then reforged former holy sword - weapon 3.
...Indestructible
...Purpose: Slay supernatural beings without cause, reason or excuses
...True Aim: +1 to weapons skill
...Slice and Dice: +2 weapon rating
...Vorpal Strike: degrades victim's toughness powers by 1 step
[-1] The Vorpal Blade
[-4] Supernatural Strength
[-2] Supernatural Speed
[-4] Supernatural Toughness
[+2] Catch: powers of Faith
[-1] Strategist: may use weapons as a knowledge skill for tactics, fighting styles and combat/war planning.
[-1] Running Stand: +2 to dodge in any exchange she ends a move in the zone she started from.
[-1] Way of the Sword: +1 to attacks with European-style blades.
[-1] The Insanity Defense: may accept a debt against her Trouble to automatically defend vs a mental attack.
[-1] Chessmaster: +2 to Knowledge declaration rolls directly used in conflict.
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Nope, it's been Amoracchius that's never been broken. It's allegedly the same one as Excalibur. Esperacchius is supposed to have been Durendal.
Word of Jim gives it as Kusanagi and Excalibur not being the original blades. Then again, reading over that snippet implies that all three of the blades have replaced at some point.
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They currently have 11 Refresh, and they'll either have 12 or 13 by the time the Knight shows up. From what I recall of there stats I have a Knight with Weapons 5, a Wizard with Conviction/Discipline Great, a Werebear who acts as the Tank offensively, and a WC Vamp who's stats I can't recall but he's fast, has Awareness as his Superb stat, and who I assume can put up a fight since he's a former marine but he hasn't shown off much.
I love the coin idea.
If an above Submerged wizard doesn't have Superb in either conviction or discipline, I'm assuming he's not massively combat optimized. In that case...
OK then.
High Concept: Fallen Knight
Other Aspects: Host of Ferrumiel, Master Swordsman, Arrogant and Cruel, A Bloodstained Past
Skills (38 skill points)
Superb: Weapons, Athletics
Great: Alertness, Discipline
Good: Endurance, Intimidation, Lore
Fair: Contacts, Empathy, Resources
Average: Conviction, Driving, Might, Presence, Rapport
Stunts
Calm Blue Ocean (Discipline): +2 to Discipline to control emotions
Swordsman (Weapons): +1 to Weapons attacks with swords
Wall of Death (Weapons)
Powers
Inhuman Speed [-2]
Inhuman Strength [-2]
Inhuman Toughness [-2]
Supernatural Recovery [-4]
The Catch [+2]: holy
Sponsor [-0]: take sponsor debt on Weapons rolls; agenda: to kill and corrupt
Ferrumiel's Coin-Sword [+0] - not an Item of Power rebate since he can summon it into his hand at any time
It Is What It Is: one-handed arming sword, weapon:2 (weapon:4 with his strength)
Indestructible
Soulstrike: allows the wielder to make mental attacks in melee, weapon:2 (no strength bonus) [-1?]
Hellfire Blast: allows the sword to be used for ranged attacks, up to two zones [-1?]
Stress
mental ooo
physical oooo(oo) Armor:2 bulletproof vest, Armor:1 if not wearing armor or when hit by stress that bypasses the vest
social ooo
Total Refresh Cost: -13
That gives him Fantastic physical defense, Fantastic mental defense against emotions (Great otherwise), and Fantastic attacks (physical weapon:4 melee or ranged, mental weapon:2 melee). He can shed a mild consequence as a supplemental twice.
Depending on how combat heavy your players are, you might want to give him Supernatural Toughness (physical stress oooo(oooo) Armor:2, and adding 2 to his total refresh cost) and give the sword True Aim (boosting his attacks to Epic, and adding one more to his total refresh cost). What I have above isn't that much stronger than a PC at your level, so since he'll be facing 4 PCs, a boost is probably a good idea. But I don't know how good your players' defenses are, so I'm not sure whether to add the True Aim or not.
EDIT: added True Aim suggestion, more aspects, Fallen's name, worn armor
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I like it, thanks. I took True Aim into consideration, but I won't know whether it's needed or not until the time comes. They aren't ready for Denarians yet, but when they are they'll be in for a Hell of a fight! :)