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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Mr. Death on July 09, 2012, 07:38:21 PM

Title: White Council social activity
Post by: Mr. Death on July 09, 2012, 07:38:21 PM
So I have an idea in mind for a scenario, and was looking for some brainstorming ideas.

Basically, I want to start the scenario with some kind of wizardly gathering, but not one of their serious business gatherings. So, aside from the occasional beheading or official meeting, do the wizards ever get together in a social context?

Like, is there a Warden's Ball? Holiday celebrations? Birthday parties for those wizards reaching their third digit? Really extended family barbecues? Apprentice graduation parties?

If it helps, the game I'm running takes place around Proven Guilty/White Night in the timeline, so any gathering would probably have to take the Red Court War into account in some manner.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: JediDresden on July 09, 2012, 08:52:38 PM
My friends and I have talked about an old car show. 

In the small town celebrations around where I live they always have a carnival, parade, and a old vintage car show.  At our local parade they had the vintage cars join the parade and my friend commented that there must be a White Council Convention in town.  Ever since then I have been trying to work a White Council Meeting under the guise of an old car show into my campaign we are running right now.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: AstronaughtAndy on July 09, 2012, 11:08:12 PM
Well I don't think you'd ever see the Senior Council all going out for a beer, particularly after the war with the Rampires started. The thing to remember with wizards is that they can live for centuries as long as they dont meet an early violent demise, which means your average wizard is going to have a healthy level of paranoia and a preference for staying inside his wards.

Younger (sub-century age) wizards, though, I could see occasionally getting together. Like the Ordo but for major talents. Perhaps to compare their foci and maybe have the occasional practice duel/wizard off. But its seems unlikely they would hang out in a public place.

And traveling the Ways does have its risks...Getting to a wizard party might be a story hook worth exploring.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: ways and means on July 09, 2012, 11:10:31 PM
The white council is a pretty diverse lot but I imagine the different cliques and societies within it get together some times for drinking and debating magical theory.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Praxidicae on July 10, 2012, 10:02:29 AM
And now my brain is stuck on the sheer havoc a bunch of Drunk apprentice mages could wreck during a night on the town...Oooh, plot idea forming.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: YPU on July 10, 2012, 07:06:11 PM
And now my brain is stuck on the sheer havoc a bunch of Drunk apprentice mages could wreck during a night on the town...Oooh, plot idea forming.

I am pretty sure drunk does not improve the amount of power one can muster tough.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Mr. Death on July 10, 2012, 07:06:53 PM
I am pretty sure drunk does not improve the amount of power one can muster tough.
It would positively ruin the amount of control they'd have, however.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Sanctaphrax on July 10, 2012, 10:40:45 PM
I doubt that the Council has official social activities.

But most Wizards probably have Wizard buddies. So there'll be parties.

Especially for Wizards from the old magic families. If every Galloway and every Langtry has been a Wizard since the birth of Christ, they've probably got a little magic subculture going on there. Most likely an aristocratic one, given their wealth and power.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Silverblaze on July 11, 2012, 01:26:19 PM
Key Parties...seriously.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Sanctaphrax on July 12, 2012, 05:49:56 PM
I dunno about that. They say power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Silverblaze on July 13, 2012, 04:15:08 PM
I dunno about that. They say power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

Ah.  To some it probably is.  Good call.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: InFerrumVeritas on July 13, 2012, 07:01:32 PM
I am pretty sure drunk does not improve the amount of power one can muster tough.

Magic is about belief, right?  When I'm drunk I believe that I'm the most powerful thing since sliced bread.  And probably phrase things that way.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Mr. Death on July 13, 2012, 07:31:19 PM
Now I'm starting to wonder if there are any Drunken Master type wizards, who're so-so when they're sober, but turn into badass spell slingers when they're tanked.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Becq on July 13, 2012, 07:47:29 PM
Now I'm starting to wonder if there are any Drunken Master type wizards, who're so-so when they're sober, but turn into badass spell slingers when they're tanked.
Refinements bought linked to Human Form?  :p
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: admiralducksauce on July 13, 2012, 08:17:14 PM
Now I'm starting to wonder if there are any Drunken Master type wizards, who're so-so when they're sober, but turn into badass spell slingers when they're tanked.

There won't be unless you make them!  Go, man!  Stat like the wind!  :D

I'll also be totally ripping this idea off.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Sanctaphrax on July 13, 2012, 10:18:37 PM
Refinements bought linked to Human Form?  :p

Actually, I think your version of The Catch would be better.

Or perhaps some kind of Sponsored Magic?

Hm.

Expect a Drunken Master martial artist and a Wizard in a few minutes.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Sanctaphrax on July 13, 2012, 10:59:01 PM
Doing this has made me realize: The Catch should applicable to stunts.

Drunken Master (Feet In The Water)

High Concept: Drunken Master
Other Aspects: Life Of The Party, Just An Old Drunkard
Skills:
Great: Fists
Good: Endurance
Fair: Might, Alertness, Performance
Average: Presence, Empathy, Conviction, Discipline, Deceit, Athletics, Rapport
Stunts:
Martial Artist (Fists): Use Fists +1 for combat-related maneuvers and Declarations.
Just An Old Drunkard (Deceit): +2 to Deceit when using it to feign harmlessness or weakness.
Footwork (Fists): Use Fists for all physical defence rolls.
Powers:
Natural Weaponry [-1]
Inhuman Strength [-2]
Inhuman Toughness [-2]
The Catch (Must be tanked, affects all Powers and Footwork) [+3]
Total Refresh Cost:
-5
Refresh Total:
1

Drunken Master Wizard (Submerged)

High Concept: Wizard Of The White Council
Other Aspects: Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Jack Daniels, Collateral Damage
Skills (Sober):
Superb: Lore
Great: Scholarship, Discipline
Good: Conviction, Presence, Resources
Fair: Contacts, Investigation, Rapport, Deceit
Average: Empathy, Endurance, Craftsmanship, Athletics, Performance
Skills (Drunk):
Superb: Lore
Great: Discipline, Athletics
Good: Fists, Endurance, Conviction
Fair: Alertness, Presence, Might, Rapport
Average: Investigation, Contacts, Resources, Performance, Deceit
Powers:
Evocation [-3]
Thaumaturgy [-3]
The Sight [-1]
Soulgaze [-0]
Wizard's Constitution [-0]
The Catch (Must be tanked) [+2] affecting:
Refinement [-3]
Personality Change [-1] (Beast Change reflavour)
Magic:
Sober Evocation (Spirit, Water, Earth): +1 Spirit Control
Drunken Evocation (Fire, Spirit, Water, Earth): +1 Fire Power, +2 Spirit Control, +3 Spirit Power
Thaumaturgy: +1 Alchemy Control
Foci: Wand (+1 Offensive Spirit Power and Control)
Enchanted Items: 4 Potion Slots (Strength 5)
Total Refresh Cost:
-9
Refresh Total:
1
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Becq on July 13, 2012, 11:46:43 PM
I was going to say this:
Quote from: Me
Actually, I think that a Drunken Master concept might be best created via aspects and compels.  Considering a Drunken Master is likely to be smashed all of the time (or at least as much of the time as possible), I'm not really sure it should be worth any refresh at all.  I would be hesitant to apply Catch-like rules to it, because the Catch implies that there is a means by which an opponent can bypass the power(s) in question.  You could make an argument for your Feeding Dependency customization -- though my position would still be that the downsides don't really justify doing so.  Using aspects (probably a high concept) fits better, in my opinion.
but as I was writing, my opinion has begun to shift a bit.

I think I still don't like using the Catch specifically, for the reasons above.  But you could also generalize the Catch into a more general Limitation, using fairly similar rules.  But I think its important to make such a limitation carry an actual disadvantage if its going to grant a refresh rebate.  I'm kind of thinking that for a Drunken Master, the Limitation should be that it can only be used while under the effects of a drunk-related consequence (probably a social consequence).  Severity doesn't matter (a mild consequence 'wears off' quickly, which becomes a mixed blessing to such a character).  So this Limitation carries it's own disadvantage mechanic -- compels against the consequence, as well as the temporary loss of a consequences.  Probably more advanced Drunken Masters would counter this disadvantage by acquiring a stunt (perhaps granting an extra mild social consequence only for drunken consequences) -- which is fine, since you're basically buying off your Limitation.

I dunno how balanced any of this is, but it could be amusing!
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Sanctaphrax on July 14, 2012, 09:19:31 AM
Um...the Catch already is a general limitation. Not sure how to make it more so.

I was operating under the assumption that getting hammered enough to activate your Powers would take significant effort. If that won't be true in your game, you really shouldn't give that Catch a 50% value the way I did.

Not a huge fan of the consequence idea. If I have to take an extreme consequence at some point, then I can remove that limitation completely by fluffing my consequence as drunkness-related.

And that's just the first thing that comes to mind. Point is, that sort of thing encourages silly gamesmanship.
Title: Re: White Council social activity
Post by: Silverblaze on July 15, 2012, 12:49:09 AM
Pin the tail on the ward hounds.... wonder if wizard con regrows lost limbs.