Neo Shinobi Vendetta: Campaign Sketches

The next portal for our OCI game will be Neo Shinobi Vendetta. I've been doing some pre-campaign planning for that before I turn to the mechanical tweaks we'll need for play. I pitched the game as Ninja Scroll meets Appleseed. Below are some of the details I've worked out so far. This setting is built on classic cyberpunk stereotypes and western-assimilated visions of Japanese cultural elements. 

PREMISE: In Neo-Kyoto, Zaibatsu Clans battle for domination- served by tech-samurai, yogang yakuza, and deadly ninja. But the return of a shinobi family long-thought destroyed may shift the balance of power.

Sources: Ninja Scroll, Wu Xing: The Ninja Crusade, Appleseed, Cybergeneration, Akira, Shinobi no Mono, Lone Wolf and Cub, Tenra Bansho Zero, The Gaean Reach

SCALE: Players take the role of trained ninja bearing strange powers. These come from a variety of sources: cybernetics, deep training, implants, nanowire, special hardware, viroware colonies and all kinds of weird future science. The setting will be science-fantasy, not hard sci-fi. The PC group will carry out missions while at the same time building towards their ultimate aim of destroying enemies who thought them defeated.

The characters will travel and act across Neo-Kyoto. While you might have a shared central base, your adventures will take you across the landscape of this enclosed metroplex. The background and places will be more thematic than specific.

CHARACTER BUILDING: PCs begin by choosing a template. This affects starting stunts, stats, skills, specialties, and refresh. They can then select X additional stunts/powers (depending on how I build this). The may also choose X and Y additional skills and specialties. They may trade refresh for additional stunts to start. Aspects will be handled in the usual exchange way.

THE SHINOBI THEMSELVES

There exist five orders of Shinobi- the history speak of bloodlines, factions and infighting that lead to this state. The five have warred upon one another since their inception. The settlement of the five great Zaibatsu, under the auspices of the Shogun, lead the Shinobi Orders to also align themselves. Each order tied itself to one of the Megacorporations. While they do not act as direct agents of that corporation, they undertake not to go against their interests. Instead, they act as 'for hire' operatives- and avoid striking their patrons.

The Shinobi train in many ways: physical challenges, virtual simulations, stimulus implants, and experimental engrams. This last one brings the carefully crafted advice, experience, and counsel of past ninja to minds of the newly indoctrinated. Somehow- by design or accident- a corrupt engram filtered through to a handful of new recruits. This revealed the truth. The Shinobi were not meant to be the tools of the Zaibatsu. Instead they had once had their own power, existing at the behest of the Celestial Emperor, the Mikado. They had their own agendas but also carried out the Will of Heaven. The shift of power which led to the organizational takeover of SHOGUN had splintered the Shinobi. But more importantly- they had been betrayed. The other ninja clan leaders had managed to subvert the meaning of Shinobi. At least three clan heads had conspired to ally themselves with the Zaibatsu- and had rewritten history in the minds of those ninja clans who did not agree.

This is a game about the revenge you’re going to take.

GAME ISSUES

Current

• From fragmentary evidence, we have to discover who the actual betrayers and their agents are.
• Once we have a name we can work our way up the chain to get at our target and carry out our vengeance.

Impending

• We have to keep our knowledge secret from the other clans and even from those among our clan who still obey the memetic instructions.
• We have be ready when our enemies become aware of our presence and purpose.
• We have to bring down the corrupt system which has poisoned the proper order of the world.

Character Tensions

• Clan & Group vs. Self & Individuality
• Secrecy vs. Action
• Maintain Your Honor vs. Relentless Revenge
• Technology vs. Humanity

NEO-KYOTO

The Neo-Kyoto Metroplex stretches along the coast having swallowed dozens of cities and smaller settlements. It crosses all environmental zones from the icelands of the far north neighborhoods to the heat of the tropical south. Neo-Kyoto is the largest of the city-state metroplexes across the globe. Overland travel between them is rare- requiring venturing out into the wastelands and their dangers. The distance also makes air travel a dangerous option. Instead elites and transports use the space elevator, The Shin-no-Mihashira, to move via low orbit to similar facilities in those places.

The city is divided into prefectures and neighborhoods. Rapid transit systems for those with influence and cash make distances vanish. They see the city as connected and small. But the greater urban underclass or chonin know only their neighborhood and perhaps a few others in the same prefecture. Neo-Kyoto has few places with a singular character. Every prefecture has its shrine, school, theater, and so on of legendary repute. They blend together for the experienced urban dweller. They’re effectively generic. Great machines constantly move through, uprooting dwellers from neighborhoods and relocating them. The machines then renovate the area, sometimes repairing, sometimes tearing down, sometimes making strange changes to the usage. Teams of laborers live on those robots, servicing them The Workgogs operate at the behest of the Mikado, following his design instructions. Special sites like shrines remain untouched unless a punishment needs to be meted out. The restorers avoid neighborhoods with the Mikado’s blessing, often corporate key zones.

BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS

To make things easy, we can define every neighborhood with four details. First, who controls the neighborhood or has primary influence? You’ll see a full list of the power players below, but the most common will be: one of the five Mega-Zaibatsu corporations, Imperial, Contested, Minor Clancorp, Templar, Anarchy, and most rare- Local.

Second, the primary use of the neighborhood,

• Offices: Workboxes for companies and corporations. These can range from a low-rent drone hive to a large-scale and superior arcology containing everything a salaryman could need.
• Residential: Living quarters ranging from densely packed drawer habitats for commuter populations to palatial estates for the wealthiest, usually atop a massive apartment fortress.
• Park: Areas which have gone to seed. In the best cases they offer a planned wilderness with immense and beautiful gardens and restricted access. In the worst the zone has collapsed due to industrial accident, bio-warfare, or ecological subversion.
• Glam: Entertainment districts offering music, art, food, recreation, and all kinds of services to keep the populace appeased. At the lowest rank, these can be rough and tumble- at the highest, elite centers of refinement and decadence. A particular subtype of the Glam is the Theme district which can be historical reenactment, a massive amusement park, or an insane plan to draw in tourists.
• Industrial: Manufacturing centers- sometimes automated and sometimes run by cheap labor. Depending on the production type, nearby neighborhoods may be particularly dire. This also includes underground sweatshop economies and neighborhoods dedicated to handcrafted goods and lost arts.
• Administrative: At the lowest level this represents the central offices for a prefecture- the bureaucracy, records offices, doshin stations, and so on. In more important and wealthy areas these are the offices of the Shogunate itself- managing affairs for the Mikado.
• Temple: Neighborhoods dedicated to the maintenance of a temple or shrine. At the lowest rank they represent a decaying area with locals trying to sustain the old practices. At the highest levels they’re a major site or monastery for one of the two competing orders, The Shinto Appeasers General and the Ikko-Ikki Buddhist Personhood.
• Vendor: The shopping districts. While most neighborhoods have stores, these areas offer a full range of goods and services. Goods cannot legally be purchased through the Network without high-level clearance, but an informal network of buyers and cut-outs creates a underground shopping network who frequent these places. At the lowest level, they’re open air markets filled with barter. At the highest they’re massive neon shopping plexes.
• Academic: At the highest levels these are the centers of scientific research, invention, and study. They may also include the Enforcement Learning Centers for those hoping to pass the lethal Civil Service examinations. At the lowest rank these are keepers of lore, attempting to preserve knowledge and information seen as useless or dangerous.
• Military: Most factions keep a staff of elite samurai warriors. These zones represent training areas, military depots, and weapons testing zones. At the smallest level they may be a particularly famous dojo. At the highest level they’re the deployment facilities for the Shogun’s forces in case of external attack.
• Storage: Warehousing districts. Corporations may have vast and labyrinthine zones filled with apparently useless goods and rejected projects. Others store old goods here- things are much easier to come by than the space to actually store and keep them.
• Blacklight: While they may have another purpose, these zones are hotbeds of criminal activity. They deal in prohibited modifications, restricted weapons, and unlicensed escort holdings. They cater to the most dangerous elements of society and those who wish to operate outside the bounds of moral and legal codes. At the bottom, they’re wretched hives or scum and villainy. At the highest they’re sophisticated and highly structured organizations run by the Yakuza.
• Broken/Contaminated: The neighborhoods have collapsed for one reason or another: poor construction, industrial accident, attacks by outsiders, the capricious curse of the NanoKami. Either they’ve been taken off the list for restoration or haven’t yet come up in the schedule. These places often turn into public dumps for non-perishable goods. In some cases they bear a striking resemblance to the Wastelands outside of Neo-Kyoto. These zones often serve as the entry point for Wastelander infiltrators. 
• Under Construction: Districts currently being refurbished or repurposed by the Workgogs teams. Usually a few stragglers will desperately try to eke out a living there rather than relocating.

Thirdly we assign a Quality or Niceness value to the neighborhood, representing wealth and investment. And then we assign some aspects to it.

Major Factions:

• The Illustrious Orbital Mikado
• The Grand Shogun Protector
• The Five Zaibatsu: Arasaka, Goda, Jinrai, Oyamado, Shiroma.
• The Five Ninja Clans
• Neo-Ikki Buddhist Templars
• Agents of the Kami
• Yazgangers
• Anarchs
• Wildlanders
• Road Wardens
• Magistrates/Doushin Inspectors
• City Prefectures and Neighborhoods: Local authority

KAMI

One force remains outside of the direct control of the authorities, the Kami and the Yokai. These emerged generations ago during one of the War of the Limitless Flowers. Many believe they represent old powers returned in modern form. The less spiritual focus on their actual forms. They see the Kami simply as free-roaming nanoswarms which take a solid presence from time to time. The soul of the Kami is simply an AI which has taken on a particular aspect drawn from classical sources. Whether this was an attempt to adapt, a rebirth of old forces, or a defensive technique used to limit them remains open for debate. The Kami have become objects of veneration and worship- depending on the neighborhood. Some kami exist as localized forces, while others seem to have greater power. Regardless, the kami remain as fickle and rarely seen powers. Their nature allows them to take many shapes and move from place to place silently. Temples and shrines to the kami can be found in every corner of Neo-Kyoto.

On the other hand, the Yokai have a definite form. They have also assumed a form and a role- echoing old creatures and monsters. They are not nanoswarms, but instead robots, androids, or other automatons which have taken on these personalities. If they have transformation capacities, they’ve shifted to appear like them. If not, they’ve jerry-rigged parts, mutilated themselves, or assume disguises. Picture a hauling bot welding plates to itself to look like a scaly beast. More dangerous are those Yokai with a human form and deadly approach. Some hunt the Yokai for bounties or revenge. Unlike the kami, the Yokai do seem to reproduce through some method. Exactly how they transmit their mimetic programming remains uncertain

.

NINJA POWER TYPES

The Shinobi have access to a number of special powers and abilities, drawn from various sources. Players pick a source for their powers. That gives some distinct advantages and limitations. They can then pick powers from the menu list. A few powers will only be available to some sources.

There’s a constant race of technology and incremental advancements within Neo-Kyoto. New devastating weapons appear and as quickly counter-measures are created. New forms of camouflage and jamming arise and the corporations devise cracks and disruptions just as quickly. This has been a game of cycles for generations.

• Cybernetic Implants: The most classic and hard to conceal. These range in sophistication from cybernetic replacement limbs to modular computer implants to under-skin mesh networks. Potentially the most potent and easy to take care of, they still run the risk of cutting the bearer of from humanity as they undergo more transformations.
• Memetic Overlay: Knowledge and training of past generations is carefully kept and stored for future use. Most training within the clans is at least marginally supplemented by memory implants and virtual training. Some prove particularly receptive to these techniques- with potent reflexive muscle memory. These receive full personality overlays, ghosts in their head who can advise (and at times control) the ninja.
• Genocolony: The ninja has become bonded with a pulsing and intelligent organic machine. It quickly shifts to adapt and change the host body in response to changing circumstances. Blood can be pumped more rapidly, wounds can be healed, bone spurs produced. These changes can appear on the simple physical or deeper genetic level. The colony itself must be fed and sustained however.
• Nanometals: The ninja has been bonded with a swarm of intelligent nano-machines. Their blood is supersaturated with them, allowing them to affect materials, change their body, create objects, and a host of other tricks.
• Chi-Field: Every being has a lifeforce- an aura which surrounds them. Through the use of minor implants and viral therapy, the ninja can be more fully put into contact with these forces within themselves and others. These can be tapped for wondrous effect from the subtle to the awe-inspiring. However use the these powers taxes the ninja’s own body, killing them over time.
• Psychic: Over generations the clans have studiously bred those with metaphysical talents. Though their nature still remains mysterious, they know the practical powers of psychokeinetics and precognitives. Often they’re honored as advisors and seers. Still most regard them with some worry- a strange group even among the strangeness of the clans. 

Images from Corvus Belli's Infinity range

21st Century Gaming: Play on Target Podcast Ep. 28

This episode we talk about technology and its use at the game table. We end up being a little more theoretical than practical. We're so embedded in the tech it can be hard to see its impact. The fact that we can have this conversation and others can listen to it is evidence of these changes. I have so many little things I take for granted at the table now- music, wikis, formatted handouts- I often forget how much work it took to equal that ten, twenty years ago. 

I should note a couple of things about this episode. We record ahead of time, which means that things get past us. For example, I mention Storium in the episode. That started and  wrapped a successful Kickstarter after we recorded. I backed it, so perhaps we'll be able to talk about that later this year. We also mention Jacob Wood's "Accessible Games" in the podcast. We ended up interviewing him after this session, but we posted it earlier to coincide with his Kickstarter campaign. 

21st CENTURY GAMING
Play on Target Episode Round Up

ROLL20

I mostly use G+ Hangouts and Roll20. I’m pretty happy with the G+ interface, or at least the version that’s up this week. It bugs me when they make interface changes which increase the difficulty. The constant shifts to the way you invite participants & audience confuse me. I like G+ for Changeling the Lost where I don’t really care about maps or on-screen information display. For that game I need to see the players. On the other hand for the M&M game we use Roll20, with Skype for the audio. We had some problems with Roll20’s built-in audio early on and shifted over. This group has used Skype for MMO playing for years, so they like it. That does mean that we don’t have cameras. That’s OK since screen space for maps is at a premium. All that being said, I enjoy the Roll20 tools, especially since I’m using only the most basic approach.

But others haven’t had as great an experience. Will Hutton has a solid post describing some of the problems he’s had: Five Ways Roll20 is a PITA. I kow some people have taken issue with his comments, but i think its worth looking at reactions across all levels: first impressions and veteran players. That points to think which can be done better- especially to reduce barriers to entry. I've rarely had technical issues myself- except for a couple of minor refresh problems- BUT I’m also using very minimal bells & whistles (and no native audio or G+ integration). Will Hutton’s point about handouts is a good one and echoes my experience. Running to the level I want using this tool requires more prep than f2f. As I’ve said before, part of the reason I run supers riffing on existing properties (Marvel, DC) is that I can usually find good illustrations to drag and drop onto the table. Hutton’s comment on set-up is right on the money for me- even though I’m not using character sheets, lighting, templates, or anything like that. Just using maps and tokens eats up more time than I usually like. But I’ve generally been happy with the results. Game in the Brain also has an assessment of using Roll20 for a year.

My new rules of thumb for assessing new tech tools:

1. It must be easy to prep- or have a hard part followed by coasting.

2. It must be easy to present at the table. It shouldn’t require fumbling around, get in the way of standard play, or eat up too much time.

3. It should offer a net new positive that couldn’t be created as easily with conventional tools. The time investment should balance with the benefit it offers at the table. 

A Shot from Our Most Recent Session.

UNIVERSALITY?

A quick note- Josh makes an interesting point at the end of the episode, that game companies may hesitate from investing in particular apps or systems because they can’t be sure of what horse to bet on. I think that’s a fair concern. We’ve seen some Java-based approaches go the way of the dinosaur and Tabletop Forge die out in favor of Roll20. I wouldn't want to throw too much money at things. However I think there are basic and fairly universal resources which companies could put together: maps & tokens in jpeg or a similar format, fillable character sheets (not necessarily with drop downs), and a general template for presenting the game information on screen. For example, DramaSystem has some fairly wonky bits to it. A general template for presenting that info in a shared online environment would help. You could easily crowd-source that once you’ve set up a simple template. That’s less about App compatibility and more about showing players how they might best organize their on-screen information. As well, I can't imagine companies having in-house app developers, but there's a whole industry of people wanting to do or break into basic app development. I imagine companies themselves could reach out to services like Roll20, EpicTable, or Fantasy Grounds and suggest things. 

I’M SURE RPGS WON’T BE RELEGATED TO THE INTERNET SLOW LANE

I wonder what the unintended consequences technology brings to the table, if any? We make the usual joke about regretting computers in the episode, but is there more beyond that? Long ago I expected that as easy and portable computers arrived we’d have more and more complex systems. The machine would handle the crunchy bits, just like a CRPG. But the problem lies in interface and input. Is it easier to do a roll, calculate on the fly, and look up the results on a table or to use an app and enter in the data for a Rolemaster attack? How much faster is one over the other? 

I have an odd problem which comes out of the way I run my Mutants & Masterminds online campaign. Since we’re playing online, I want to use maps and tokens. Roll20 allows for that pretty well. However M&M doesn’t have the greatest map movement system- even the options in the Masterminds Manual are a kludge. But I want players to have some movement options and feel like they’re zipping along. So I ended up going with zone movement, ala Fate. The rank of your movement power determines how far you can move and still act. Everything is handled based on the players being within a zone. That means the situation's in relative scale to the map, rather than the powers themselves. So I’ve done a fight in a train station and one using a campus map cut up into zones. The only difference is that I impose greater range penalties for the larger-scale maps. It doesn’t make full sense, but it plays well.

However that approach actually means that most available battlemaps don’t work very well. Even Heroclix maps, which you would think would be great, end up a little small. Most tabletop rpgs constrain movement as a crunchy bit. Specialty characters get faster movement doled out as a feat or bonus. If you’re going to use those maps then you’re probably aiming for a tactical experience. You get something like the standard six-hex/yard move in GURPS. So many maps I find – even those I can buy- are often highly claustrophobic and tightly packed. They cover a room, an inn, a campsite, etc. I end up having to piece together and rescale many of them. That makes for some more work- something I hadn’t planned on.

Of course I couldn’t even have nice map pictures without the tech…truly first world gaming problems.

21st CENTURY GAMING
Play on Target Episode Round Up

If you like RPG Gaming podcasts, I hope you'll check it out. We take a focused approach- tackling a single topic each episode. You can subscribe to the show on iTunes or follow the podcast's page at www.playontarget.com.

NO:LA Nightwatch: Villains for a Supers Campaign Seed (Part Seven)

More pre-campaign bits and pieces I distributed to the players- this time VILLAINS! I released a new "sheet" every couple of days leading up to the campaign. I wanted to give the players something they could quickly and easily read. More importantly I hoped these entries would give them names and ideas they could play off of. They would know if they wanted to find out X thing, they could talk to Y person. Note: some of these elements/characters are reworkings from other sources (such as Dr. Simian who I use in everything). 

NO:LA Nightwatch M&M Campaign Set Up (Part One)

The Second Sunder War (Part Two)

Fragments from a Weary World (Part Three)

World/International Incidents (Part Four)

Heroes and Notable Figures of NO:LA (Part Five)

Other NPCs and Superteams (Part Six)

Villains of Note: Technology

Coder: Originally an inventor with a passing fascination with crime, Coder has become more dangerous as the world has come to rely more and more on high-tech instruments and communications. His powers apparently originate from a set of implants which allow him to see, hijack, and reprogram nearly any higher level device. His skills have evolved from being able to make simple alterations to his confirmed current ability to lay in delayed programs and commands. He's also become a connoisseur of the latest advanced weaponry, giving him a significant arsenal at his disposal. While his skills and knowledge might have been employed usefully in the private sector is has become apparent that his devices are intrusive and often cause long-term permanent damage to those he interfaces with. While he is still at heart simply a thief, the scale of his targets has increased significantly.

Fiend XIII: For a brief time in the late 1980's, notorious villain Fate held command of a small island nation located in the Pacific. Seized from a shadowy independent spy organization, Fate declared this island to be his sovereign territory. He began to recruit, willingly or otherwise, notable fringe scientists and super-villains to help him “reclaim” his position as master of the world. For several years, the land of Fate, became a hotpoint for elite organized criminal activity and a distribution center for advanced weapons. However, Fate's plans came to an end in an incident simply known as The Zero Point. Most of the population vanished as well as the bulk of Fate's resources. Interpol's elite super group, Interguard, seized the island shortly thereafter and returned control to democratically elected officials. It would be several years before Fate would make his appearance again.

However, a number of devices apparently created by Fate or his scientists, began to turn up across the globe. Fiend XIII is one of these. Originally intended to be a suit of powered armor, the device has developed a higher level of understanding and an independent agenda. It can reduce itself to a small size not unlike a robotic spider. It can operate in that form for some time, but eventually due to some defect on the part of the device, it requires a human “pilot”. Some have speculated that it feeds on the energy of this pilot, recharging its very specific power source. Most pilots are unwilling, but the Fiend has methods of unpleasant persuasion to convince them. There have been some willing pilots (notably Fiend XI piloted by the arch-villain Grimstar) but most are simply tools for the Fiend's plots. Interestingly, though the destruction of the armor has usually been followed by its managed to resurrect itself, the persona of the Fiend has shifted in each incarnation-- as it the process of rebuilding also includes a reboot that changes the monster.

The Sound and Fury: A team of villains utilizing sonic based technology. While the membership has changed over the years, their modus operandi has not. The effects they can manage has varied from simple destructive vibrations to more complicated neurological attacks. At least three current members are known: Bedlam, whose devices cause disorientation, fatigue, and confusion (because his attacks actually resonate with the target's own physique, armor and even hearing protection is ineffective); Pierce, who can project deafening high intensity beams of sound that can rip through objects when focused; and Mr. White who seems to be able to actually convert his body into a sonic form, making him the break-in master of the team.

Oubliette: The latest organization apparently devoted to supplying advanced devices and weaponry to the criminal population. They were founded by renegade agents of TRIAL, an organization that had existed in one form or another since the Second World War. TRIAL had been the prototypical international spy agency primarily affiliated with European countries but drawing and operating across the globe. During the 1990's and the rise of the EU, a series of public fiascoes derailed TRIAL and resulted in its dismantlement. Oubliette arose out of one of those splinters, but did not assume a real identity as a supplier of devices until after the millennium. They took advantage of the recent destruction of two other groups, caught in the post 9/11 cooperative environment and managed to seize control of many assets in the former Soviet Union. Reports suggest that they have been operating in the United States since the Sunder War.

Villains of Note: Parahuman

Night Jack: A villainous super-mercenary who possesses a body seemingly made of a rubbery Kevlar. He's shown an amazing resistance to damage, even energy based attacks such as Tasers or fire. He can flatten his form, though not completely. He has limited stretching powers, his form apparently snapping back into place fairly quickly. He can bounce, entangle, and slingshot with enormous ease having honed his skills over the years. He is also reportedly blindingly fast. While he has only rarely battled superheroes, these incidents have mostly involved high-profile thefts or kidnappings where his innate greed has gotten the better of his common sense. He has yet to reveal a client, but is rumored to have dealt with some finality to several who betrayed him. So far he has managed to escape from at least five prison cells designed especially to hold him, including one located in the original Block.

Fate: (alternately known as The Fate or The Word of Fate). Fate first appeared in the mid-1970's as a potent recurring super villain who struck in major metropolitan areas. His first several crime involved attacks on superheroes-- and in fact he killed one notable hero of that day, Meta-Omega. Fate became known as a dangerous, but ranting adversary. He seemed caught up in some grand delusion about the nature of the world. After several battles, and likewise several defeats, Fate vanished for several years. When he reappeared he had amassed a sizable organization which he used in various attempts to seize control of key locations, weapons and resources. It was during one of these battles that the superteam Citadel discovered Fate's apparent origin. He had come from the future where he had managed to seize global control-- there he governed a world wholly under his iron fist. But, apparently this empire had weaknesses his enemies had exploited and they had managed to depose him. He had managed to escape back to this day. His first crimes had been targeted at the ancestors of those who had opposed him.

Fate continued his battles through the 1980's when he briefly seized control of an independent island nation and used it as the center point of a vast criminal empire. The destruction of that base and Fate's subsequent vanishing led to speculation of his death. He reappeared in the late 1990's, having disguised himself as the superhero Proximity and infiltrated The Guard. Revealed, he reassumed his identity and began conducting his grand plans again. Again, in battles with superheroes, more details emerged about Fate's background. In his world, he'd had his empire created and established by the millennium-- however many of the events which had led to his rise had never occurred here. In fact, his apparent past-self had gone over to the side of good in this world, becoming the hero, Tangent. Whether this time stream had been so shaken by his actions or if he had never come from this future in the first place, he'd determined to apparently not wait on the Empire he'd hoped would rise and allow him to simply step into control. His plans became larger up until the Second Sunder War. Many of his operations were severely damaged by Sunder's assault and many of those he'd recruited left to join one side or the other. Rumor has it that the death of Tangent in New Orleans has further unbalanced him, but for now that is merely a rumor among the criminal underground.

Fate's possesses several powers. He combines a hyper-intelligence with a certain degree of probability control and limited precognition. He's exhibited the ability to mimic the powers of some opponents but also seems to have control over some gravitational energy. At times he's seemingly internalized that power to grant him protection, super-strength and the ability to fly. In fact, the one common factor in Fate's appearances has been the shifts and changes in his power set. He is considered highly dangerous and is at the top of the DHS most wanted paranormal terrorist list.

Dr. Simian: It remains unclear whether Dr. Simian is a gorilla who gained the power of super-intelligence or a human mastermind transformed into beast. Regardless, he is a dangerous foe who combines enhanced brutal strength with a cunning intellect. His personal team of super-villains, The Safari, has had a remarkable success rate. In fact, he might have a greater success rate if if weren't for his great weakness-- a desire to outwit, trick and trap superheroes. More than most current villains he falls into the classic mode and revels in it. As he said in one prison interview, "I have replaced by bestial bloodthirsty instincts with another instinct, the desire to humiliate my opponents-- which would be better I remain unsure." Simian steered clear of involvement in the Sunder War except for several actions to rescue trapped animals from zoos and parks in the path of Sunder's armies.

Villains of Note: Supernatural

Ghostborne: Apparently born with the natural ability to see and speak with the spirits around us, Ghostborne for many years attempted to help the spirits to finish out their desires and move on. However he did this at great cost to himself, becoming institutionalized and arrested several times. By the time he'd become an adult, he'd had enough of it and he turned his energies to finding a way to control this power and master the spirits around him. Somehow he did, whether through the intercession of an evil spirit or through the powers of a magical instructor, he learned to channel his gifts into a form of necromancy.

Already deeply broken by his experiences growing up, he turn to a life of crime and, as his powers grew, he became a super villain. He can summon spirits and bind their strength to his own, allowing him to become stronger and faster than a normal human. By commanding ghosts he can force them to expend their energy to hold the living or drain a person's strength. Additionally he seems to be able to see the spirits surrounding a person's past and be able to draw out information about them. Two years ago he manage to uncover the identity of a minor supernatural super vexing him by these means. Ghostborne then struck at the hero's loved ones, forcing him to flee the city.

The Changeling: The world of Empyre possesses certain kinds of magic, but they are strictly regulated and assigned to the interests of the Imperial Seelie Masters. More often they rely on certain kinds of supplemental technology rather than outright spellcasting-- magical items, improbable vehicles, and weird machines. Before they closed their gates, one of the real weaknesses of the Empyre was that this combination of technology and complex magic often failed when brought over to other worlds. This combined with the hidebound strictures of the Imperials themselves meant that any attempts made by them against our own world failed in execution.

In this world of strict regulation, there existed some who managed to cling to old ways and elder magics. However these magics were dark, dangerous and stained with blood. One of these practitioners turned his magic to striking against the Imperials at first, but latter against anyone and everyone. Some of his strength came from the ignorance of the populace-- once there had been methods to turn away his dangerous visitations, but they'd been forgotten or kept only in the hands of the authorities. Eventually this bloody trickster drew enough attention to warrant pursuit and the Officers of the Wild Hunt were sent upon him. To make his escape, this criminal manage to break through a sealed gate, appearing on our world. Here he found a people even less prepared to deal with his brand of mayhem. Drawing from our own legends-- said by some to the misreadings or reinterpretations of the rules of Empyre-- he called himself The Changeling.

His method is regular and without obvious purpose beyond causing harm and creating chaos. He finds a family and takes the place of the child, using his magic to disguise himself completely. Then he sets to work. Sometimes his goal is simply to disrupt their lives, to turn loved ones against one another. But often his works are more bloody, pushing his victims with subtle illusions and mind control into psychotic fits, breakdowns and murderous rages. At time his works have infected whole neighborhood, schools and communities. He prefers to prey on isolated places or those already weakened and more easily victimized, as in the case of one of several siblings dying. The Changeling has not been seen in some months, but it is only a matter of time before he reappears again.

Lost Dawn:This organization may trace its roots back to one of the older magical orders-- The Templars, the Golden Dawn, the Masons, but no one has ever been sure. Certainly they would be a fringe splinter group, likely driven out because of their own strange and dangerous beliefs. Historical evidence suggests that they have existed for many years-- references exist in certain heroic memoirs that point to the Lost Dawn having been active and established in the 1920's and 30's. Other evidence suggests that they have many highly placed members and a great deal of wealth held internationally. Some have suggested they assisted Hitler's Thule group, others that they supplied certain special items to crazed figures like Idi Amin.

The Lost Dawn's goal seems to be nothing less than opening the way and heralding the coming of a group of Dark Elder Gods. They may be the ones spoken of by the founder of the FBI's Paranormal Investigation Office, Director Lovecraft. It is unclear whether they are nihilists, corrupted by dark forces or actually believe that they will survive the coming of these creatures. That may be a topic of debate among their own numbers. Regardless, they have access to magical knowledge, vast wealth, and agents with few compunctions. They seem to work towards causing great harm or tragedies perhaps as a way of generating psychic trauma for energy. This way be a cover for other, more nefarious plans.

Hacked Magic: A Homebrew Sorcery

Yesterday I posted a diagram showing how we're handling magic in our new fantasy campaign. It borrows concepts from several places, most especially Mutant City Blue's Quade Diagram. One commenter asked if they could see more of the actually play structure of the system. So today I'm posting the rules for that as I presented them to the players. This is perhaps a little incomplete; I can see a couple of details and clarifications I need to make. We use Action Cards, a card-based homebrew we've been playing since '00. It would probably be considered more a story game and some of the concepts lean heavily on Fate (Aspects, Stress). Where I say pull below, imagine that I'm calling for a resolution roll. I'm hoping some gamers might discover some useful ideas for their own homebrews or modifications. If you have any questions, please ask. 

MAGIC

So you’ve decided to be a magic-user- they have great power and options- but they also have some more rules to work with. But the goal of this system is to have an easy process which still allows you to do cool things. This game doesn’t have spell lists- you can create effects based on your areas of magical expertise.

The basic process is this:

1. CREATION: Figure out what the effect is: this determines the medium & method for the spell.

2. DIFFICULTY: Decide what Modifiers are on the spell: these increase the difficulty of casting and/or stress cost.

3. CASTING: You make a pull to see if you succeed in casting.

4. EFFECT: If you succeed and it is an attack spell, make a pull to hit your target.

5. COST: Mark off Stress for casting

CREATION

Every spell is defined by two terms: the method and the medium. Method defines generally what the spells trying to do (destroy, create) and Medium shows what substance the caster’s using or affecting. These are abstractions and you can create the same effect with different combinations. For the most part they help define what kind of caster your character is. In this system, you use Destroy Earth to cause a wall to disintegrate. If know Create Earth you could magically summon a wall of stone out of thin air.

Players learn “spells” individually, but can use them for varied purposes. Destroy Water, for example, could be used to dry up a stream bed. But it might also be used to dehumidify a room. We’ll get to buying spells after the casting explanation. Keep in mind these definitions are pretty open ended- so you have plenty of wiggle room for creating effects.

METHODS

Control                 Control move and trajectory

Create                   Bringing new into existence

Defend                 Prevent from causing injury

Destroy                Fully remove existence

Imbue                   Enhance/reinforce something

Sense                    Detecting something that exists

Strike                     Cause damage with a medium

Transform           Change something's inherent nature

MEDIUMS

Air                          Weather Forces

Animal                  Beasts & Creatures

Body                      Physical form & Self

Darkness             Shadow & Cold

Death                    Corpses & Souls

Demon/Holy      Power of Evil/Good

Earth                     Soil & Rock

Fire                         Flames & Lava

Healing                 Restoration

Movement          Motion over Distance

Light                      Light & Dark

Plant                     Plants & Herbs

Sound                   Hearing & Noise

Thought               Mind

Time                      Flow of Time

Water                   Water & Ice

Examples-

Invisibility: Transform + Light or Control +Thought

Fireball: Fire + Strike

Flight: Control + Air

Call Birds: Control + Nature

Tough Skin: Transform + Body

Most spells will fall into one of the following types: spells which damage, spells which cause a benefit/penalty, and spells which cause a change effect.

DIFFICULTY

Spells begin with some base definitions: they happen at touch range, they take an action to prep & one to cast, and armor interferes with them. They have a base difficulty of OK and they cost one stress (Wounds or Composure) to cast.

Usually you’ll want to change that up. To do so, you’ll add modifiers to your spell. There are two kinds of modifiers, Easy and Hard. Easy modifiers increase the difficult of casting by +1. Hard modifiers increase the difficulty of casting by +2.

Easy Spell Modifiers

At Range, Fast Casting, More Damage, Last Longer (for non-damage spells), Seeking (no combat pull needed), Stronger Effect, Precise, Triggered, Extra Effect (Minor), Cast in Armor (Light)

Hard Spell Modifiers

Area Effect, Ignore Armor, Go Really Far, Last Longer (for damage spells), , Much Stronger Effect, Independent, Extra Effect (Major), Last Much Longer (for non-damage spells), Cast in Armor (Medium/Heavy)

So a Fireball, would be Strike + Fire with the modifier: At Range (Easy)

An exploding Fireball would be Strike + Fire with the modifiers: Area Effect (Hard)

Players can offset those increases in difficulties in several ways- to a minimum difficulty of OK.

Prep: If your character’s going into a non-surprise situation, you may offset the difficulty of the first spell you cast in a scene by 2. The GM has the right to veto a spell which you couldn’t have had ready.

Time: You can take an extra action to cast a spell in combat. This offsets the difficulty by one.

Aspects: You can invoke an appropriate aspect by spending a drama point to reduce the difficulty by two. Free invocations may also be used.

Talent: magic users may have stunts which reduce the difficulty of casting certain mediums and methods. These stack if they have a talent for both.

Items: Some items may give bonuses to reduce the difficulty as well.

CASTING

You need to make a Mental pull of at least the difficulty to cast your spell. Success with style can give benefits to the casting. Unless you got a Catastrophic or worse, you can attempt the spell on the following round with a +1 bonus. If you drew a Catastrophic or worse, you lose the spell and take stress.

Some effects, like controlling something at a distance, require concentration. The GM may limit the caster to a number of simultaneous spells equal to their refresh. The GM may also increase the difficult of casting new spells by +1 if the caster’s concentrating on other spells. They may also require Physical Concentration (Will) pulls if the caster takes damage while casting or maintaining a spell.

If a spell does damage to a target, the caster must make a Combat pull to hit with the spell. The target then gets a defense. If the caster makes the spell Seeking, then they don’t have to make a Combat pull. It is automatically considered a Masterful result, but cannot succeed with style.

If a spell affects a target, the GM may make a resistance pull versus the caster’s casting pull. This is usually for controlling or debuffing opponents. The GM may skip this to move things along- judging the effect simply on the casting pull or requiring another Mental pull for effect.

EFFECTS

The base damage for a spell is X plus Y rolled damage. Applications of the extra damage benefit offer +2d rolled damage for the first; +1 after that. Healing spells also follow this rule. Damage is reduced by armor unless a modifier is applied to the casting.

Ongoing spells in combat generally last three rounds. Buffs and debuffs usually have the same game impact as adding an aspect or a tag. Of course, they may also effect other mechanics, such as temporary wounds, number of damage, etc. The GM will eyeball these.

Ongoing resisted spells get a resistance roll when they’re applied. If the spell forces an action, players may resist after they take the action. If it does not, the player may spend an action to resist. If they succeed with style, they can take an action. In some cases, the GM may allow a player to spend a drama point to clear an effect. Usually though they can spend the drama point to get a free re-resist.

Area effect and multiple target spells which do damage use this formula. Roll the standard damage +1d for each target and divide the damage as evenly as possible, if the AoE doesn’t allow for a defense pull. If the effect does allow for a defense (sweeping strike, etc), roll the standard damage +2d for each target and divide the damage as evenly as possible (counting folks who avoid the damage).

COST

Casting any spell costs at least one stress- wounds or composure. This stress may not be offset with armor or any other means. Such damage cannot be healed with magic, only with rest. Players decide when they cast a spell which damage type they will apply.

For each +2 in modifiers the caster applies to a spell, they take +1 stress. Some stunts and powers may reduce this, but never below 1 stress. If a caster takes multiple stress from one spell casting, they must apply the damage to one type (wounds or composure). Magic users may take a consequence to avoid taking damage.

BUILDING A MAGIC USER

Take a look at the Schools of Magic chart. That looks a little intimidating, but it’s actually pretty easy to use. In practice it shows you what kinds of spells a magician is likely to know- and perhaps help with investigations.

To begin, a Magic user picks on of the eight Schools of Magic. They’re shown as octagons on the sheet. That school defines the character’s starting spell- and his schools signature spell. The Signature spell of your starting school gives you two benefits when you cast it: you offset +1 difficulty and you reduce the stress it costs by 1. This stacks with other stunts.

Next you may pick five more spells. These have to be connected to a spell you know by a line. For the moment, don’t worry about the red lines. There you go. Now you’re a magic user.

You’ll probably want to buy some skills. Magic itself gives you a repull on casting all spells. You can buy specialties for repulls based on spell mediums or methods. You’ll also want to take a look at the Magic stunts. There are some cool ones there.

In play, when you want more spells, you buy them using the Expand a Power pick (8 points). This gives you two new connected spells. You may only skip Know spells. However, if you want to add a spell which is connected by a red line, you must pay +2 points (making it a Stunt). 

MAGIC STUNTS

• Adept. You may reduce the stress you take when casting a particular spell type. Pick one medium or two methods.  Reduce the stress you take when casting by 1. The minimum stress you take is one point. This Stunt stacks with other effects.
• Blaster. You do +2d damage with a specific medium or method.
• Burner. You may take additional stress to increase the damage done with a spell while not increasing the difficultly. Each stress you spend in this way adds +2 dice damage.
• Cantrips. You know three simple spells- these are absolutely basic effects which may not be modified, cost no stress, and don’t require a casting pull. Suggested cantrips include: Create Noise, Light Room, Jump (10’), Glue, Life Small Object, Pinch, Change Color, Clean, Repair Tear, Bad Smell.
• Mastery. You may offset the difficulty when casting a particular spell type. Pick one medium or two methods.  Reduce the difficulties from modifiers by 1. This Stunt stacks with other effects.   

Quade's Grimoire: Diagramming Magic

In Mutant City Blues players choose their super-powers based on a chart called the Quade Diagram. First players pay points for a starting power. They can then purchase linked powers. Jumping to connected powers costs less than correlated ones, skips can be purchased, and certain flaws can be taken or bought past. The diagram itself comes from the fiction of the setting: powers are genetic and fall into regular patterns. But the Quade Diagram doesn’t simply serve as a structure for character creation. It also acts as a rubric for analyzing a scene. For example if investigators find evidence of magnetic powers and acid spitting at a location, they can infer that two distinct criminals were involved, based on how far apart those two power sets are. It can be useful for eliminating or restricting a suspect pool.

I love the idea of the Quade Diagram (though my friend Gene Ha disagrees with some of the organization). I’ve wondered if that could be usefully applied to other situations: the talents or effects of demons perhaps or maybe something for a world of battling crazed psychics (ala Double Cross). For a long time I’ve tried to figure out how it might be used with a fantasy game. In particular a city guards game, with an emphasis on investigation. Lorefinder, the GUMSHOE adaptation to Pathfinder, takes a more conventional approach. Could a diagram be done and would it be useful?

With the new Guards of Abashan game just beginning, I decided to give it a try. All of this is fairly preliminary, but you can see the diagram I put together below:

The game itself is our homebrew, with the latest version of the magic system. We’ve used that form of magic in three campaigns so far. The actual mechanics borrows from a couple of sources: Greg Christopher’s rethinking of Ars Magica and The Black Company/True Sorcery. Any spell has a rough effect based on the combination of method (what your trying to do) and medium (what you’re trying to do it to or with). Players learn those individual combinations as 'spell's but can modify then on the fly. To begin a Wizard picks one of the eight Schools of Magic. They’re shown as octagons on the sheet. That school defines the character’s starting spell. Players then branch out from there- buying connected spells. Shifts to other areas (designated by red lines) cost slightly more.

OK? So what does that do? Well it gives a little flavor and organizes the magic buying for PCs. It allows them to make some interesting decisions in advancement. Beyond that I’m hoping that will be a kind of fun resource in play. If they find evidence of X spell, they can make some judgments about the School or power level of that caster. I’m usually leery of reference charts and external material. But I think the chart’s easy enough to use that it won’t get in the way and slow things down. Instead it adds color and gives a puzzle sub-system for play. At least that’s how I picture it- we’ll see how it actually goes. One of the problems with this concept is that I had to invest the time in building the chart to actually try it out. I hope it doesn’t end up looking too much like a GURPS Magic pre-req chart.

Just looking at it before I put it into play, I see a couple of things. First, I went with the 8 method/16 mediums to create symmetry. I might want to go back and take a look at that in order to reduce the size of the chart. Second, everything’s a straight line with balanced costs, the only difference being the red line jumps. I wonder if playing with that would add some texture or just complicate things. Third, the original Quade Diagram includes weaknesses as well. I wonder if there might be some way to do that with magic: perhaps particular components or ritual requirement.

I should note that this chart just covers non-divine magic. I have another system for that where you roll a skill to get evidence about divine magic used. It does strike me that, depending on the world-building, you could muck with this in a number of ways. Suppose all magic comes from particular gods; they could be the starting poles in a magic structure. Or how about magic based on different races- with different sympathies tied to lineage (or families of magic).

Anyway, I’ll post more once I’ve seen this in play a few times. 

Some more details on the system behind this for those who want to see the crunchy bits.

Worlds in Peril: A Quick Look

DRAFT ANALYSIS

I was asked if I’d take a look at the early draft materials for the Worlds in Peril rpg, currently about to wrap its successful Kickstarter campaign. WiP is a supers game based on the Apocalypse World engine. As you can see from their campaign page, they’ve done well. I’m late in writing this, but I hope it might inform some people who perhaps hadn’t heard of it. I thought it might be a useful exercise to write out my thoughts and perspective before I read. Please note that this is based on an Alpha Draft of the rules, so I’m going to avoid commenting on art/layout/organization.

I’d consider myself pretty versed with superhero rpgs. I’ve run heavily using several different systems in multiple editions (DC Heroes, V&V, Champions, M&M). I have a pretty decent sense of what works for me in a supers game. My historyof superhero rpgs project- much longer and more involved than I’d expected at the start has jaded me a little on “innovations” in these games. Or at least to too many new mechanical tricks that up the complexity. All told though, I’ve sunk a decent amount of time into reading, running, playing, and thinking about this genre.

Worlds in Peril uses the Apocalypse World engine. I have more limited experience with that. I’ve skimmed through three versions: Apocalypse World, Monsterhearts, and Dungeon World. I’ve also played one session of Monster of the Week. I liked what I saw in AW and in MH- both felt like games where the mechanics fit with the tone and approach of the setting. They offered a new take on a niche genre. On the other hand, Dungeon World didn’t grab me. That’s too bad, as a number of smart and creative people I know really dig it. It didn’t feel like a game I wanted to run or couldn’t do with other rules. But again, that’s a response based on skimming the book and talking to people who’ve played it.

I’ve also played Monster of the Week and I enjoyed that session. But MotW feels a little off from the rest of Apocalypse World. It focuses on combat and procedural elements. It offers a fun ongoing approach to the genre of the title: characters fight a monster each week and have to figure out how to defeat it. But it minimizes options, especially social details. Those aren’t entirely absent, but they’re significantly reduced. In that regard I wouldn’t use MotW for a more open world horror/action game. It cuts back on what the AW engine seems to do best- handle non-traditional “actions” like status, social ties, and mental stress. As with Fate, conflict and overcoming obstacles is more broadly defined in AW, but at the same time there’s a granularity built on the different roles.

OK- WHAT DID I THINK?

Overall my reading convinced me to back the project.

But with a caveat. I have many superhero games and systems I love, so I’m not sure I would get this to the table. It is more likely than most. But Worlds in Peril does offer some really interesting takes on the genre. Part of the problem is that on my read-through, with my minimal AW knowledge, I can’t really judge the implementation of that engine. I know some people have very strong feelings about that. I’ve heard discussions that some premises don’t fit and some games handle moves quite badly (I've seen tremulus cited).

• I really want to see the more polished version of this. WiP has so many ideas and concepts that they’re hard to pick out. The organization of the Alpha version feels very rough- I’m looking forward to seeing the pieces rearranged in a more careful order.
• Worlds in Peril takes a generic world approach. Like Dungeon World it aims to be an open system for supers, tailored to the players’ decisions. That’s a plus in that you could easily use WiP for any setting. I can imagine adapting it to something like Underworld or GrimWar. If you’re looking for a system, then WiP will work for you. If you’re looking for a setting sourcebook or background material to lift for another campaign, then this isn’t as useful. I really hope the final version of Worlds in Peril adds additional material talking about the world creation process. I think that has a lot of potential. How do you negotiate the creation of a collaborative superhero setting? What kinds of details should the GM (or Editor-in-Chief) be looking as the players choose characters? That’s a rich vein left untapped.
• Powers don’t mean all that much in this system. That sounds a little odd, but it makes sense in the context. When I was thinking about this, I imagined that we would get character playbooks based around the power-types (ala City of Heroes Blaster, Tank, etc). But powers appear more as an abstraction- they’re a player-created fiction to allow them to justify and describe certain Moves (actions) in play. There’s no real power list or manifest, except for a few suggestions. You set the general terms for a power on worksheet and then you can apply limitations that offer benefits elsewhere in play. At first I was a little put off by this approach- I’m so used power structures in supers games. But it makes sense for the kind of play Worlds in Peril aims for.
• Character creation involves the group collectively building a team profile. That doesn’t have any mechanical effect- from what I can see, but I really like that concept. I’m probably going to steal that for the next game I run. It would be interesting to have some team-based abilities which could be used up or burned. There may be some mechanics for that in the game, but there’s so much here I may have missed it.
• Apocalypse World games are built around playbooks- easy checklists for different archetypes which players use to define their character. Worlds in Peril has you pick an origin book which gives you a small number of moves, suggested foes, and some perspective on your character’s approach. These include A Death in the Family, The Accident, My Alien Heritage, and so on. That’s then combined with a Drive Book which sets your motivation and goals. The Drive book has a play requirement to gain access to it, which is an interesting idea. These include Reconcile My Past, See Justice Done, Inspire, and so on. I like the two-part playbook creation system. The game offers many options.
• Worlds in Peril is a narrative-heavy supers game. Players have a currency in the form of Bond Points. These are connections, problems, relationships, and so on. In order to guarantee success, you have to burn a bond before you roll. That creates tough choices and interesting stories for the players as they have to balance costs against success. I especially like it because it puts the “disadvantage” system in the players’ hands. That’s closer to something like Fate than to Champions. It also avoids some of the problems of the unnatural and power-tweaking approach which sometimes happens in these games. Effectively the game monetizes the background and play.
• I really like the ideas and examples of the GM moves in the game and what they can do in a supers setting. That’s a nice framework for thinking about running supers games- especially improv games. I’m mentioned before on my blog that superhero games end up taking more prep time for me than other genres. This material offers a new way to think about that for this system and other campaigns.

OVERALL

I wasn’t sure at the start- and it took me a while to warm up to the game. As I said, I’m not an expert judge of AW games. I suspect Worlds in Peril has some interesting twists here which AW/DW enthusiasts might find useful. Certainly based on my limited exposure, it has given me some new ideas for how to play those games. If you’re not an Apocalypse World/Dungeon World gamer, but you like supers games I think you ought to seriously consider this. That’s especially true if you want a narrative and character-based supers game. If you want a more crunchy approach, then you might want another option. But even if you like crunch, Worlds in Peril has approaches and toolkits worth looking at, especially for GMs. 

Feel free to correct me if I've gotten anything wrong. Be sure to check out the Worlds in Peril Kickstarter campaign (which wraps in 57 hours as of this writing).