Author Topic: magical bug out bag  (Read 4040 times)

Offline TheMouse

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magical bug out bag
« on: July 30, 2010, 03:29:44 PM »
For those of you not familiar with the concept of a bug out bag, the basic idea is that it's a bag full of the most basic survival supplies you'd need to stay alive for 72 hours. When shit hits the fan, you grab your bug out bag and run out the door. It stays packed at all times and is as light weight as possible, so it minimizes the amount of time it takes to get you out the door as well as the stress it puts on you as you basically run for your life.

There are a number of competing theories on what should and should not go into the normal versions of these things. I'd like to avoid such discussions if at all possible; I'm not really interested on where people stand on the water filtration/ chemical treatment debate, for example. Please try to keep this to magical supplies.

So, what goes into a theoretical PC's bug out bag to keep them alive from magical threats in an emergency situation, with little to no notice, for the period of roughly 72 hours?

Some thoughts:

* chalk (for circles, improvised wards, etc)
* a small bottle of holy water (a weapon against some beasties)
* light weight holy symbol of a religion you believe in (protection from said beasties)

Thoughts? Feel free to include items specific to local situations, although if you do so include the reason the item suits the situation. (For example, if the local faeries want you dead, an iron knife makes total sense.)

Offline Todjaeger

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2010, 03:49:03 PM »
I actually have a character that will, as time progresses, put together a magical 'go bag'.

Rather than bothering to detail all the contents of said bag, I plan on having it used via an Aspect.  That seems to be more inline with the FATE system of thematic storytelling, as opposed to the sort of record keeping/accounting needed for the actual bag itself.

That way, if I come across something which requires a specific mundane or (minor) magical component, I can spend the Fate point, use the aspect and voila, have what I need.

Granted, this wouldn't be allowed for very specific/specialized items, but having holy water when needed, or copper or iron filings, chalk, salt, etc.
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Offline Bruce Coulson

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2010, 03:57:51 PM »
An Aspect would be the easiest way to go, to avoid record-keeping.  And worse, to avoid situations where the player forgot to include something, but the character would have remembered.

Iron fillings, instead of a knife.  Easier to explain, and they have other uses as well.

a small bag of salt (zip-locked).

matches/lighter/some non-magical way to start a fire.

a book of contact numbers/addresses.  Your memory tends to go fuzzy under stress...

holy and normal water (mark them! :))

chalk, crayons, pencils (#2), a pocket knife to sharpen pencils.
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Offline Crion

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2010, 04:31:37 PM »
So, besides the above (good choices, and smart move on the iron filling!), I personally would add the following:

A few candles (either tea lights or a small, 1 hr stick)
Spare, small "focus" items (whether it's an actual focus item or not; sometimes, it's all the mentality, and it may have another use!)
Candy/cereal/protein bar (for yourself or to use as an offering)
Play-doh

I should also note that the items of a bug-out bag, at least in the magickal sense, will vary from practitioner to practitioner. In the local Pagan community, we all have our different practices, so we all have our own materials to bring to a ritual or in a "just in case" scenario (and some of us have "bug out bags" ready to go at home or in our cars). What I have in my personal bag is not the same as my friend's. For example, in my "just in case bag," I have a bag of sea salt, some ashes, a charm purchased at a Shinto shrine during a stay overseas, a chunk of quartz, some tea lights and the aforementioned cereal bar. My friend has a belief that's a bit closer to the Native Americans, so he carries a few feathers (of birds of importance to him), a small shell, a turtle vertebrae, something from a buffalo, tobacco, and sage in his "just in case" bag.

Long story short, really depends on the caster, because in the Dresdenverse, what Harry would carry in his bag/on his person (which probably would consist of play-doh, salt/sand, chalk, matches, candles, some coins, chocolate bar, a drink, holy water, etc) is going to be different from Elaine and Injun Joe Listens-To-Wind because their approaches and belief in magic will be different.

Just tossing it out there, hope it all helps ^^;
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Offline Nomad

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2010, 04:49:16 PM »
A micro travel sewing kit with a few additions like a small magnet and a bone needle and so on.
An adjustable key chain yoyo.
A Magic Marker
Pen, little notebook, small pencil with eraser top
a quill sharpening knife (a very small knife)
A McGyver knife (Swiss army knife in other words ;D)
A keyring light
Candles (Tea and 1 Hour types. Preferably non parafin, ie edible, ones)
A cheap disposable plastic lighter
A high power cigar lighter
A small ziploc of salt
A small ziplock of iron fillings
Holy Symbol
Focus item(s)
Chalk
A few Crayons
Energy Bars
Play doh



There are a few more things that would go into my magic on-the-go bag but these are the barebones I guess.

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Offline MWKilduff

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2010, 07:48:18 PM »
Cash
Clothes
Superglue
Duct Tape
Twine
Bunggie cords
Medical Supplies (include the basics like asprin and pepto)
Crowbar
Hammer
Box Cutters
Silver coins
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Offline TheMouse

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2010, 11:26:02 PM »
A couple of people seem to have missed the point of this a little. You can leave off the stuff that would go into your typical bug out bag (first aid kit, duct tape, water, etc, etc). I'm just interested in the magical supplies.

Offline ryanroyce

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2010, 12:13:35 AM »
An Aspect would be the easiest way to go, to avoid record-keeping.  And worse, to avoid situations where the player forgot to include something, but the character would have remembered.

Iron fillings, instead of a knife.  Easier to explain, and they have other uses as well.

a small bag of salt (zip-locked).

matches/lighter/some non-magical way to start a fire.

a book of contact numbers/addresses.  Your memory tends to go fuzzy under stress...

holy and normal water (mark them! :))

chalk, crayons, pencils (#2), a pocket knife to sharpen pencils.

My mortal monster hunter uses both an Aspect (Pocket Full of Kryptonite) to cover corner-case stuff and a "standard load-out" list of things always in there (pretty much the same list as Harry's bag in Turn Coat) so that I don't have to spend a FP every time he pulls something out of his gym bag.
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Offline MijRai

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2010, 12:20:10 AM »
My mortal monster hunter uses both an Aspect (Pocket Full of Kryptonite) to cover corner-case stuff and a "standard load-out" list of things always in there (pretty much the same list as Harry's bag in Turn Coat) so that I don't have to spend a FP every time he pulls something out of his gym bag.

So, in time he'll have radiation poisoning or something from it?
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Offline toturi

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2010, 01:21:31 AM »
So, in time he'll have radiation poisoning or something from it?
I suspect his pocket is lined with lead. Like Batman, unlike Luthor.

Toolkit (lots of steel/cold iron there, usually comes with a steel carrying box)
Windproof lighter
Supersoaker with Holy Water (from local church)
Bottle of Holy Oil (from local Hindu/Buddhist/eastern beliefs temple - alternate load for supersoaker)
Packet of salt
Marker
Chalk
Dog tags (urban legend has it that the local dogtags are blessed by all of the major religions represented locally)
Stack of Coins (urban superstition has it that the octagon on the $1 coins here are actually warding pentagrams designed to deflect evil)
Map (with the city so built up, there's a house of religious beliefs nearly at every corner, a church there, a temple here, a mosque down the street)
« Last Edit: July 31, 2010, 01:40:50 AM by toturi »
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Offline finnmckool

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #10 on: July 31, 2010, 06:04:50 AM »
A wizard in my group has a spray bottle with holy water, iron powder, salt, and, my favorite...bleach. Because when all the rest of that fails...that bleach in their eyes will SUCK.

Offline GruffAndTumble

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #11 on: July 31, 2010, 06:46:48 AM »
Don't forget a shaving razor, and mail-clipper to neutralize potential tracking spells, and something to destroy the clippings/hair!

Offline MWKilduff

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #12 on: July 31, 2010, 03:13:31 PM »
A couple of people seem to have missed the point of this a little. You can leave off the stuff that would go into your typical bug out bag (first aid kit, duct tape, water, etc, etc). I'm just interested in the magical supplies.

Obviously you are not from the south.  Duct Tape, Super Glue, and Bailing Twine are pure Magic. 

On the non wise@$$ side of this comment...  Duct Tape, Super Glue, and Bailing Twine call all be used in numerous thaumaturgy rituals.  Think about the simple things.  Pull out your little bottle of Super Glue and drop some on the guy you need to tracks shoe, or vehicle.  To make a "leave no trace spell" use Super Glue as a base component, since Super Glue can remove your finger prints IRL.  Magic does not need to be eye of newt or fish balls but something that gives you a connection to the effect you are looking to achieve.

Not to mention Fate is suppose to avoid this kind of micro-management of minutae.  But, being a long term dork and gamer I love my lists so I do still keep them.
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Offline Wyrdrune

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2010, 02:59:27 PM »
and don't forget the paperbag novels... i think in
(click to show/hide)
, harry is talking about his emergency bag, and molly's, and he says something like that there's often a lot of time to pass by, so pack a few novels...

Offline ryanroyce

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Re: magical bug out bag
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2010, 05:01:06 PM »
Harry's "Bug Out Bag"
Food & Water for a few days
2 changes of clothes
medical kit
survival blankets
duct tape
chemical light sticks
a multi-tool
passport
~$200
several favorite paperbacks
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