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Messages - Katarn

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1
DF Reference Collection / Re: Dresden Files: Series Timeline
« on: June 24, 2018, 04:16:56 PM »
Additionally, Day One/Zoo Day are late April at the earliest, as Butters mentions two months of of training with Charity (Brief Cases, top of pg. 359 of the hard cover.)

2
DF Reference Collection / Re: Dresden Files: Series Timeline
« on: June 24, 2018, 02:48:51 PM »
How did we get Jury Duty in mid-May?  Dresden explicitly mentions it's a) less than a month after being back in the world (I would assume referring to leaving the island and coming back to Chicago on a more permanent basis), and he explicitly mentions that it's late March (in the hardcover of Brief Cases, pg. 340 about halfway down.)

3
DF Reference Collection / Re: Dresden Files: Series Timeline
« on: June 10, 2018, 01:11:28 PM »
Another (obscure) argument for Storm Front taking place in 2000:

In Bigfoot on Campus, Harry mentions Native American reservations are called "Tribal Statistical Areas" now.  Said term was developed for the 2010 census.  Bigfoot on Campus is set in October 10 ASF, which places Storm Front in the year 2000, or later.

4
DFRPG / Looking for ideas for a campaign set in Toledo, Ohio
« on: May 19, 2018, 11:11:10 PM »
When talking with a friend about common expressions, the phrase "Holy Toledo" came up, and it gave me a loose idea to set a DFRPG game in Toledo, focused less on mortal practitioners and more on faith based magic/characters of all stripes.  A bit of research right away gave me a few ideas:

  • Most major religions have multiple presences in the area- aside from Christianity's general monopoly on worship, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism all have 2 or more houses of worship in the greater metro area
  • Human trafficking is a relatively major problem in Toledo (4th highest in the country), due to it being an intersection of interstates near several major airports and the border with Canada only 40 minutes away.  I was considering having both mortal cops as well as supernatural opposition to this akin to The Paranet Papers' Cult of Ishtar, only with Native American trappings.
  • A major city for almost 200 years, and Native American presence centuries before that, there's a lot of history to draw from in the area.  There was a mostly bloodless conflict called the Toledo War that I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate.  It was a relatively boring conflict, so to use it there would have to be cloak-and-dagger elements to the conflict.  Perhaps a conflict between the 2 of the Vampire courts (or maybe the Sidhe), each backing one of the states?
  • The town's nicknames include Glass City (the country's leading glass producer) and Frog Town (due to the former Great Black Swamp that used to cover the area), both of which could be tied in with demons or other supernatural folks.

I want to stay away from Denarians and Knights of the Cross, at least initially, and instead focus on other fallen angels, demons, or creatures/monsters from other faiths.  Current themes I'm looking at are in this vein:

  • A literal holy war (demons or some such verus another faction, humanity, etc.)
  • Human trafficking, both from a mortal perspective and the supernatural facets
  • ?Possibly something involving 2 Vampire courts and the Toledo War
  • ?Inter-faith unity or conflict on how to address issues (either mortal or supernatural)

I'm hesitant to commit some of the heavier concepts to a game, such as human trafficking.  Any suggestions are heartily welcomed.

5
DF Spoilers / Re: Faerie Queens Full(?) List
« on: March 10, 2018, 03:16:01 PM »
Although not certain wouldn't the current Mother Summer be one of the previous Summer Queens?

Most likely yes, but there wasn't any explicit confirmation I was aware of.  We've seen the Ladies have their mantle passed to someone outside of the court (ie Molly), so hypothetically that could happen higher up as well.  Unless, we assume the Queens and Mothers have an automatic upgrade of the Fae the next rung down the ladder to their position.  (For example, we could assume that if Mother Winter dies, Mab automatically becomes Mother Winter, instead of the nearest vessel getting the mantle, as with the Ladies).

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DF Spoilers / Re: Faerie Queens Full(?) List
« on: March 09, 2018, 01:51:31 AM »
So, would Mother Winter be the closest to the source of Fae power?

I don't follow your meaning.  Do you mean the list order?  That was just arbitrary.  Mother Winter is the only one of the six to be the only one to hold her mantle.

7
DF Spoilers / Faerie Queens Full(?) List
« on: March 09, 2018, 12:58:35 AM »
Looking through the books and the various WoJ, I was trying to pin down a complete list of the Faerie queens (referring to their individual successors):

MOTHER WINTER
*Mother Winter (only holder of the title)

WINTER QUEEN
*Unknown number of predecessors (immediate predecessor died c. 1066)
*Mab (c. 1066 to present)

WINTER LADY
*??
*Mab (unknown to c. 1066, ascended to Winter Queen)
*1 or more unknown Winter Ladies
*Maeve (~200 years ago to Cold Days)
*Molly Carpenter (Cold Days to present)

MOTHER SUMMER
*Unknown number of predecessors (only 1 predecessor in recorded history)
*Current Mother Summer (sometime in recorded history to present)

SUMMER QUEEN
*Unknown number of predecessors
*Titania (c. 1066 to present)

SUMMER LADY
*??
*Titania (unknown to c. 1066, ascended to Summer Queen)
*??
*Aurora (unknown to Summer Knight)
*Lily (Summer Knight to Cold Days)
*Sarissa (Cold Days to present)

I put "??" where it's unknown if there was a predecessor or queen in the time period (for example, we don't know if Mab/Titania had predecessors as the Ladies, and we don't know if there were any Ladies between Titania and Aurora).

8
DFRPG / Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
« on: July 21, 2015, 04:32:37 PM »
Not being a fan of inaction unless you've sacrificed your turn previously a la Riposte/Redirected Force/something similar, I think a Mediocre roll is more appropriate. It still gives you a shot, and you can still burn tags or FPs to get something done.

Absolute inaction is counter to FATE's concepts in my opinion.

I agree.  It ties in with some of what we've seen.  In the example above, Sun (the fighter) lends her skill to the driver in Nairobi and temporarily loses some serious ground in her own fight.

9
DFRPG / Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
« on: July 13, 2015, 05:02:15 PM »
I recall there was also a scene where the African borrowed fight skills from the Asian while she was in a fight.  Other than some brief disorientation, the Asian kept her skill, and won both fights at the same time.  That would be a major problem in a standard game where they all get together into the same encounter.

You could have a standard 1-round of inaction if your skills are being "borrowed".

I believe the two fights technically did not happen concurrently.  Sun (the fighter from Seoul) was briefly utilized by Capheus (in Nairobi) BEFORE returning to win her own fight in Seoul).

Usually you wouldn't have 2 in the same place.  I'd assume you'd have one of the following:
  • A campaign with a single sensate, whose cluster is pre-defined.
  • A campaign with a cluster, each in a different city/country.  They never/rarely meet in person.
  • If the whole cluster is in the same location, it wouldn't make much sense to share abilities, just have each person do their thing.


I think the biggest issue is finding a way to put a large, balancing limitation on the ability.
[/list]

10
DFRPG / Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
« on: July 08, 2015, 03:22:03 PM »
So, he can take any 4 skills or stunts from anyone in his cluster at will, with no particular limitation? And his cluster-mates don't lose their skills while he uses them?

That sounds dubious balance-wise. Though I guess it depends on the composition of his cluster.
Yea, balance was a concern here.  The other cluster-mate in theory, mentally switches places or is in some sort of very basic autopilot.

Perhaps some sort of time limitation might help the balance.  They never seem to draw on each others's abilities for more than a minute at a time.  May a X uses/day sort of system additionally.

Quote
How does the random instinctive borrowing of weak sensates work?
Initially it's just accidentally tapping into each others' senses.  As it person A is listening to loud music on her headphones, and person B a continent away thinks his neighbors are playing loud music.  Or seeing a different person in the mirror.  A combat example early is when one of the sensates- a bus driver in Nairobi- is getting attacked in a rural village.  He accidentally calls upon a clustermate, a Chicago cop, who is able to fire a gun with much greater precision than the original sensate.  It's literally only a single action.  Meanwhile, the Nairobi driver briefly sees himself in the Chicago PD station.

11
DFRPG / Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
« on: July 07, 2015, 03:16:02 PM »
Character looks pretty solid to me, though I've never seen the show.

The additional explanation on the Powers helps, but there's still some vagueness there. For example, what exactly does William get for his 4 Refresh of Mimic Abilities? What abilities can he mimic, and what limitations are there on his mimicry?
Primarily skills, presumably also stunts.  In the original [-X] Mimic Abilities, you can "steal" X different skills or stunts and use them as your own.  You can do this to theoretically anyone.

For my sensate write-up, I treated it the same way except a) you can't take skills/stunts from anyone you meet like the original ability but b) you can only draw on abilities from within your cluster- how much you can borrow at one time varies on the experience level.  Initially, they draw on random abilities instinctively/by accident, but by later in the show they theoretically can draw on each others' skills more (another clustermate's primary skillset, instead of just a single skill).  They can swap these at will.


I haven't watched the show either, but I think the Mimic Abilities is more for stunts and skills than powers.
Correct.  The only powers in this world are that of sensates, whose don't possess any supernatural strength/speed/recovery etc.  Just the connection to share their human skills/stunts.

12
DFRPG / Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
« on: July 03, 2015, 03:19:40 PM »
William Gorski

High Concept:  Chicago's Sensate Cop
Trouble
(click to show/hide)
Other Aspects:
  • Savior Behavior
  • Not Just Letter of the Law
  • Loyalty Through Thick and Thin

Powers/Stunts:
  • [-1]Link Sensates
  • [-1]Sensate Connection
  • [-4]Mimic Abilities
  • Pin the Tail
  • Scene of the Crime

Skills:
  • +5: Investigation, Alertness
  • +4: Guns, Athletics
  • +3: Fists, Discipline
  • +2: Driving, Resources, Endurance
  • +1: Rapport, Stealth, Contacts, Intimidation, Weapons

Refresh: -8

13
DFRPG / Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
« on: July 03, 2015, 03:02:51 PM »
Sensate
Sensates are human individuals who have the ability to be mentally linked to other sensates, and share their senses.  Any sensates who have made eye contact can mentally 'visit' the other's location.  Sensates are born with these powers dormant, which must be awakened by another sensate.  Sensates are born into clusters (sensates sharing their birthday) ranging in size from 2-12 members.  Cluster members can, in additionally to already being linked, can share their skills and abilities.

Musts:  A sensate must have a High Concept reflecting their ability (Sensate Cop, Sensate Actor, etc.)
A sensate must have the following abilities:
  • [-1] Link Sensates (reskinned Soulgaze)- If two sensates from different clusters make eye contact, they become linked and can 'visit' each other mentally.  This connection can be accessed by either sensate at will from any distance.  After the connection is established, its only known damper is heavy drugging.  Members of a cluster have this connection by default.
  • [-1] Sensate Connection (reskinned Ghost Speaker)- A sensate can speak to the other members of their cluster, and share their basic senses (sight, sound, etc.)  This connection can be accessed accidentally, or deliberately.  The connection can be between any number of the sensates within the cluster.  If two sensates outside a cluster have established a link, this ability also applies.  Furthermore, if members A and B of a cluster have both 'linked' with sensate C from outside their cluster, they can have a three-way conversation- however, other members of their cluster cannot 'visit' C until they have linked with C as well.
  • [-1 or more] Mimic Abilities- Sensates are able to draw on the memories and abilities of other members of their cluster, and ONLY their cluster.  Early after their 'awakening' as sensates, this would be a simple [-1] to accidentally access each other's skills, but as the sensates grow in power, they can access more of each other's abilities.  'Link Sensates' DOES NOT grant this ability- it is strictly within a cluster.


Optional Abilities:
  • (click to show/hide)
  • (click to show/hide)
  • (click to show/hide)

14
DFRPG / Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
« on: July 02, 2015, 05:10:41 PM »
So I absolutely loved Netflix's new show Sense8, and after finishing the first season got to thinking about how the characters would be statted up.

For those unfamiliar with the show, sensates are linked humans who can share their thoughts and abilities with people born within their 'cluster' (clusters ranging in size from 2-12).  Furthermore, they can 'visit' any other sensate outside their cluster if they've made eye contact.

So here's a general write up for a typical Sensate Template:

Sensate
Musts:  A sensate must have a High Concept reflecting their ability (Sensate Cop, Sensate Actor, etc.)
A sensate must have the following abilities:
  • [-1] Soulgaze- If two sensates from different clusters make eye contact, they become linked and can 'visit' each other mentally, when combined with Sensate Connection (below)  Members of a cluster have this connection by default.
  • [-1] Sensate Connection (reskinned Ghost Speaker)- A sensate can speak to the other members of their cluster, and share their basic senses (sight, sound, etc.).  If two sensates outside a cluster have soulgazed this also applies.
  • [-1 or more] Mimic Abilities- Sensates are able to draw on the memories and abilities of other members of their cluster.  Early after their 'awakening' as sensates, this would be a simple [-1] to accidentally access each other's skills, but as the sensates grow, they can access more of each other's abilities.  Soulgaze DOES NOT grant this ability- it is strictly within a cluster.


Optional Abilities:
  • (click to show/hide)
  • (click to show/hide)
  • (click to show/hide)


I'd love some feedback, and I'm going to try to write up some of the characters over the next few days.

15
DFRPG / Re: The Take-Out Chain Game
« on: April 06, 2015, 08:21:52 PM »
You hit get hit in the head with the back end of the chainsaw and are knocked out.

You are a Vampire, and a Knight of the Cross hits you with a Weapon: 8 with a Sword of the Cross (holy steroids).

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