Well shit. I have been reading through my gurps books quite religiously lately. I bought them cheap at Comicon a few years back. However I lacked the actual rules, they were source books... Or so I thought
I generally dislike PDF's for some reason, much more preferring to read it in my own two hands. I just learn and grasp better that way when it comes to texts like books. So I found a copy of Gurps light on the net and cannot get through it that much because of the medium. However tonight I put forward some effort
Then I figured "I may as well look at the GM's screen they include so I can follow better" then quite annoyingly, I noticed that there was still something else in the large clear packet then the game screen and paper miniatures. A copy of gurps light. Bob Sagget!
Atleast I can learn the system easier now...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sneeze!
I am pretty damn sick, any ideas I wanted to work on have been derailed for a little while so I can recover.
Or rather, my head hurts so much taht when I try to think of mechanics, it hurts even more. God damnit. And I had so many good ideas to work on tonight
Or rather, my head hurts so much taht when I try to think of mechanics, it hurts even more. God damnit. And I had so many good ideas to work on tonight
Saturday, January 9, 2010
New Dungeon Civs
New Civ's for How to Host a Dungeon
*Alien Creatures
Coming from another world, Aliens have landed on the planet and lodged underneath the world. In the olden times they dug out rocky caverns and fed on underground life until they were ready to pillage the countryside of life.
Alien BB represent Aliens, WB represent eggs. Alien rooms are cavelike in nature and their tunnels are winding and jagged.
Setup: If no BB are present on the map, immediately add 1-6 natural caves as per the Primordial Age rules, however each cave always contains a primordial beast.
Choose a spot on the surface and dig a straight tunnel down about a fingers length and end it with a round earthy room with a space egg looking thing inside it, this is the Landing Site and birthing ground of the Aliens. place 2 BB in this room. Make up a name for your Alien Race and write it on your map.
The Alien Year
Spring:
Eggs Hatch. All WB on Egg Chambers or the Landing Site are removed and turn into BB. Dig bead sized rooms near the egg chambers to store the new BB, or put them in empty rooms made for that purpose.
Summer:
Aliens hunt. The Aliens can sense the closest Black Beads to their Hive and tunnel up to a fingers length towards it and if no contact is made dig out a bead sized chamber to rest. Monsters encountered this way are encountered as normal as well as other civilizations. Aliens will generally avoid attacking other civilizations first, they can sense the large amount of prey and decide to wait for a better time. If no encounters have been made, a Alien BB is removed due to Starvation.
Fall:
Aliens expand the hive. roll on the Alien Construction table and build the room rolled. If the room is a unique room that has already been built, roll again.
Winter:
Aliens Mate. Place a WB on the landing site, Hatchery, or other suitable room. Any WB harvested during the year remaining is broken down into base compounds and used to spawn more eggs on a 1 for 1 basis. If there is no space to place new Egg WB, dig out a bead sized hatchery to store the egg.
Construction Table
1: Spawning Pool. Draw a room two beads in size and draw a pool in the middle of it. This room may be used to store a Egg
2:Queens Lair(Unique): Draw a large, fancy cavern and draw a deep pool in the middle. Place a black bead on this room and mark it as the Queens lair. This bead encounters as a 3 bead wandering monster and does not encounter or count as part of the Aliens Civ otherwise. If she survives until the monster age she will become a Alpha Predator.
3: Feeding Chamber: Draw a Bead sized room towards the closest food supply and move a Alien BB to it from a Sleeping chamber.
4: Infestation Chamber(Unique): The Aliens dig a finger downwards and dig out a large three bead room. Put two BB on the chamber. These are Infestation Worms, deadly creatures coming from the aliens biology. These act as wandering monsters but will not encounter the Aliens, but will travel along tunnels dug into the room by non aliens.
5: Spare hatchery: Dig out a bead sized room for future egg storage
6: Spare Sleeping Chamber: Dig out a bead sized room for future Alien storage
7-8: Hunting Tunnel: The aliens dig a finger long tunnel towards the closest BB as per the spring months.
*Vampires
Ancient lords of death, Vampires build a dark and evil mansion above ground only to dig a deep dungeon beneath it for their living quarters. Vampires do not expand much, but they make up for it by becoming a threat later in the game as a Monster Group.
Vampire BB Represent a unit of Vampire Population where a WB represents a unit of Blood Supply.
Setup: Above ground, draw a Vampire Mansion. Under it draw a two bead sized room and place one BB there. This is the start of a Vampires dungeon building and the first "Floor" of their dungeon.
Vampire Year:
Spring:
Vampires hunt for blood. Dig out a room on the topmost floor of the dungeon and place a WB in it. This is a prison containing a poor group of humans led into the Mansion above.
Summer:
Vampires Feed and Reproduce: Expend all WB in Vampire territory as used blood or loot traded for blood to drink. For each expended place a BB in a vampire bunkroom if possible, or dig out a bead sized room representing Vampire living quarters and place the BB there.
Fall:
Vampires Build. Tally the current Vampire population and find the entry on the Vampire Construction list. If that Construction has not been added yet, build it now. Constructions will be built in order.
Winter:
Vampires Expand. Build a bead sized room on the current "floor" of the Vampire Dungeon.
Vampire Construction Table
1: Blood bath. On the current floor, build a 1 bead tall, two bead wide room. This is the vampire Blood Bathes where deals are made and mating is discussed. Place a WB in this room, this WB is a Vampire treasure.
2:Stairwell to the second depth: On the current floor, build a room that is a bead wide but tall enough to extend down to the next floor of the dungeon. This becomes the new focus of Vampire Constructions.
3: Torture Chamber. Draw a bead sized room and label it as the Torture Chamber. Place a WB in this room, it is a Vampire Treasure.
4: Stairwell to the Third Depth. On the current floor, build a room that is a bead wide but tall enough to extend down to the next floor of the dungeon. This becomes the new focus of Vampire Constructions.
5:Ballroom Hall. Draw a long, lavish hall with pianos and statues and architecture. This is where the Vampires enjoy themselves and throw their large sinful parties. Place a Vampire treasure in this room.
6: Armory. Draw a bead sized room on the current floor and label it as the armory
7: Storage Room. Draw a bead sized room on the current floor and label it as the Storage room
8: Slave Quarters. Draw a bead sized room on the current floor and label it as the Slave Quarters
9:Stairwell to the Last Depth. On the current floor, build a room that is a bead wide but tall enough to extend down to the next floor of the dungeon. This becomes the new focus of Vampire Constructions.
10: Master Crypt: Create a large, lavish crypt with several coffins. This is where the dungeon stops building. Set the 10 Vampire population aside and remove all WB in Vampire territory with the exception of Vampire Treasures. The Vampire Population will come into play during the Age of Monsters as a Breeder Group. For now the Age of Civilization has ended for the Vampires.
*Alien Creatures
Coming from another world, Aliens have landed on the planet and lodged underneath the world. In the olden times they dug out rocky caverns and fed on underground life until they were ready to pillage the countryside of life.
Alien BB represent Aliens, WB represent eggs. Alien rooms are cavelike in nature and their tunnels are winding and jagged.
Setup: If no BB are present on the map, immediately add 1-6 natural caves as per the Primordial Age rules, however each cave always contains a primordial beast.
Choose a spot on the surface and dig a straight tunnel down about a fingers length and end it with a round earthy room with a space egg looking thing inside it, this is the Landing Site and birthing ground of the Aliens. place 2 BB in this room. Make up a name for your Alien Race and write it on your map.
The Alien Year
Spring:
Eggs Hatch. All WB on Egg Chambers or the Landing Site are removed and turn into BB. Dig bead sized rooms near the egg chambers to store the new BB, or put them in empty rooms made for that purpose.
Summer:
Aliens hunt. The Aliens can sense the closest Black Beads to their Hive and tunnel up to a fingers length towards it and if no contact is made dig out a bead sized chamber to rest. Monsters encountered this way are encountered as normal as well as other civilizations. Aliens will generally avoid attacking other civilizations first, they can sense the large amount of prey and decide to wait for a better time. If no encounters have been made, a Alien BB is removed due to Starvation.
Fall:
Aliens expand the hive. roll on the Alien Construction table and build the room rolled. If the room is a unique room that has already been built, roll again.
Winter:
Aliens Mate. Place a WB on the landing site, Hatchery, or other suitable room. Any WB harvested during the year remaining is broken down into base compounds and used to spawn more eggs on a 1 for 1 basis. If there is no space to place new Egg WB, dig out a bead sized hatchery to store the egg.
Construction Table
1: Spawning Pool. Draw a room two beads in size and draw a pool in the middle of it. This room may be used to store a Egg
2:Queens Lair(Unique): Draw a large, fancy cavern and draw a deep pool in the middle. Place a black bead on this room and mark it as the Queens lair. This bead encounters as a 3 bead wandering monster and does not encounter or count as part of the Aliens Civ otherwise. If she survives until the monster age she will become a Alpha Predator.
3: Feeding Chamber: Draw a Bead sized room towards the closest food supply and move a Alien BB to it from a Sleeping chamber.
4: Infestation Chamber(Unique): The Aliens dig a finger downwards and dig out a large three bead room. Put two BB on the chamber. These are Infestation Worms, deadly creatures coming from the aliens biology. These act as wandering monsters but will not encounter the Aliens, but will travel along tunnels dug into the room by non aliens.
5: Spare hatchery: Dig out a bead sized room for future egg storage
6: Spare Sleeping Chamber: Dig out a bead sized room for future Alien storage
7-8: Hunting Tunnel: The aliens dig a finger long tunnel towards the closest BB as per the spring months.
*Vampires
Ancient lords of death, Vampires build a dark and evil mansion above ground only to dig a deep dungeon beneath it for their living quarters. Vampires do not expand much, but they make up for it by becoming a threat later in the game as a Monster Group.
Vampire BB Represent a unit of Vampire Population where a WB represents a unit of Blood Supply.
Setup: Above ground, draw a Vampire Mansion. Under it draw a two bead sized room and place one BB there. This is the start of a Vampires dungeon building and the first "Floor" of their dungeon.
Vampire Year:
Spring:
Vampires hunt for blood. Dig out a room on the topmost floor of the dungeon and place a WB in it. This is a prison containing a poor group of humans led into the Mansion above.
Summer:
Vampires Feed and Reproduce: Expend all WB in Vampire territory as used blood or loot traded for blood to drink. For each expended place a BB in a vampire bunkroom if possible, or dig out a bead sized room representing Vampire living quarters and place the BB there.
Fall:
Vampires Build. Tally the current Vampire population and find the entry on the Vampire Construction list. If that Construction has not been added yet, build it now. Constructions will be built in order.
Winter:
Vampires Expand. Build a bead sized room on the current "floor" of the Vampire Dungeon.
Vampire Construction Table
1: Blood bath. On the current floor, build a 1 bead tall, two bead wide room. This is the vampire Blood Bathes where deals are made and mating is discussed. Place a WB in this room, this WB is a Vampire treasure.
2:Stairwell to the second depth: On the current floor, build a room that is a bead wide but tall enough to extend down to the next floor of the dungeon. This becomes the new focus of Vampire Constructions.
3: Torture Chamber. Draw a bead sized room and label it as the Torture Chamber. Place a WB in this room, it is a Vampire Treasure.
4: Stairwell to the Third Depth. On the current floor, build a room that is a bead wide but tall enough to extend down to the next floor of the dungeon. This becomes the new focus of Vampire Constructions.
5:Ballroom Hall. Draw a long, lavish hall with pianos and statues and architecture. This is where the Vampires enjoy themselves and throw their large sinful parties. Place a Vampire treasure in this room.
6: Armory. Draw a bead sized room on the current floor and label it as the armory
7: Storage Room. Draw a bead sized room on the current floor and label it as the Storage room
8: Slave Quarters. Draw a bead sized room on the current floor and label it as the Slave Quarters
9:Stairwell to the Last Depth. On the current floor, build a room that is a bead wide but tall enough to extend down to the next floor of the dungeon. This becomes the new focus of Vampire Constructions.
10: Master Crypt: Create a large, lavish crypt with several coffins. This is where the dungeon stops building. Set the 10 Vampire population aside and remove all WB in Vampire territory with the exception of Vampire Treasures. The Vampire Population will come into play during the Age of Monsters as a Breeder Group. For now the Age of Civilization has ended for the Vampires.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Paranoia LIVES!
The other day I had to get art supplies for my game designing duties and to play a rousing game of how to host a dungeon. As a result I have a pretty cool looking map (Right picture)
Key notes is: No beads. However I found using pennies worked just fine. Pennies on their heads sides were black beads and on their tails side they were white. I generally used dimes to show Alpha predators or the villain.
The black sharpie line is a gold vein. The dwarves went pretty nuts on it, only to be helped by Human Miners in the later generation.
Using fairly gigantic thick airbrush paper I was able to get away with a much bigger map and go pretty big and detailed with some rooms. The next time I try to play a game on it I think I am going to bend the rules a bit and start with more monster groups, as it was I never had more then three groups of monsters because some would starve or get slain because of a lack of foraging ability. I also have to toy around with designing a handfull of civilizations and putting two or three on the map at once. With the large size of the map I noticed that the dwarves don't expand too much once they get nice and comfortable along a gold vein.
HOWEVER
The real news is yesterday after getting my art paper I went to Gamealot and noticed on their new item rack sat a book entitled "Paranoia: Troubleshooters" . With gusto I picked it up and bought it on the sheer premise that it was paranoia and therefore could not steer me wrong. I took it home. Did my game designing thing and then for the rest of the night played How to Host a Dungeon. There the book sat all night.
This morning, I decided to give the book a good look, I read the first chapter only to realize "Wait... this is reading just like the 2004 rulebook!" Now on the bright side, I have yet to own a actual copy of the rulebook, only a PDF. So having a copy is certainly a plus. Going on the official Paranoia dev blog I noticed that they plan two more themed books. Troubleshooter being the traditional thing people think about when they think paranoia (Aka: Fight evil commie mutant scum and probably not survive long enough to report in). Intsec and High Programmer will be later new books to ther series susposed to let us see a different veiw of paranoia.
Mongoose, being the silly fookers they are, get the benifit of the doubt. They have remade game series before and done some justice, as well as made a convincingly freaking awesome Starship Troopers D20 Modern supplement. Intsec is going to be like Troubleshooter but put more beurocratical tape in the mix, some investigation, and of course bringing down pockets of commies.
High Programmer, however, is a strange concept to me. Or rather, the strangeness of a concept as a high and mighty political figure rpg set in such a chatoic and niche world like Alpha Complex. When I think Paranoia, I picture playing as a lowly redshirted grunt doomed to have a equal chance of getting killed before and after the mission starts, not playing as a mighty political figure and battling in a game of wits and espionage against another like myself.
I am actually kind of interested on how they are going to make such a thing feel like paranoia.
HOWEVER
The real news is yesterday after getting my art paper I went to Gamealot and noticed on their new item rack sat a book entitled "Paranoia: Troubleshooters" . With gusto I picked it up and bought it on the sheer premise that it was paranoia and therefore could not steer me wrong. I took it home. Did my game designing thing and then for the rest of the night played How to Host a Dungeon. There the book sat all night.
This morning, I decided to give the book a good look, I read the first chapter only to realize "Wait... this is reading just like the 2004 rulebook!" Now on the bright side, I have yet to own a actual copy of the rulebook, only a PDF. So having a copy is certainly a plus. Going on the official Paranoia dev blog I noticed that they plan two more themed books. Troubleshooter being the traditional thing people think about when they think paranoia (Aka: Fight evil commie mutant scum and probably not survive long enough to report in). Intsec and High Programmer will be later new books to ther series susposed to let us see a different veiw of paranoia.
Mongoose, being the silly fookers they are, get the benifit of the doubt. They have remade game series before and done some justice, as well as made a convincingly freaking awesome Starship Troopers D20 Modern supplement. Intsec is going to be like Troubleshooter but put more beurocratical tape in the mix, some investigation, and of course bringing down pockets of commies.
High Programmer, however, is a strange concept to me. Or rather, the strangeness of a concept as a high and mighty political figure rpg set in such a chatoic and niche world like Alpha Complex. When I think Paranoia, I picture playing as a lowly redshirted grunt doomed to have a equal chance of getting killed before and after the mission starts, not playing as a mighty political figure and battling in a game of wits and espionage against another like myself.
I am actually kind of interested on how they are going to make such a thing feel like paranoia.
How to host a dungeon: New groups
For use in the Age of Monsters
New Breeder Groups:
*Zombies: each BB destroyed by zombies becomes a Zombie BB.
*Rednecks: Starts with one BB, but each BB counts as two.
*Cultists: Draw a room near their lair marked "Dark Temple"
*Automatons: When finding a untouched Dwarven Treasure, two automatons are produced per year permanently instead of one for that breeding group and all that split off it.
New Breeder Groups:
*Zombies: each BB destroyed by zombies becomes a Zombie BB.
*Rednecks: Starts with one BB, but each BB counts as two.
*Cultists: Draw a room near their lair marked "Dark Temple"
*Automatons: When finding a untouched Dwarven Treasure, two automatons are produced per year permanently instead of one for that breeding group and all that split off it.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
FoO Endowments P2
Screams of Tears (Guitar)
Aetulias song can be harnessed by those of pure will and love for the Fire Beast. The haunting Screams of Tears echo throughout the night and spew forth liquid shadow as Aetulias wrath descends upon the slayers of Ormagoden.
* Engulfment of Tears
This Guitar Solo brings forth Aetulias Tears in a safe, and sober form. The essence of her sorrow mixes with a body of water for a amount of minutes equal to successes made, including the 5 required to play the solo. Teary Water is black and thick, like a cloudy ink cloud in the water. This slimy water causes the ingesters stomach to slowly bubble in the stomach, causing him to throw up violently, dealing poisonous bile damage as bashing during the throwing up (Use a resisting poison roll for the ingester). Every 3 successes increases the thickness of the slime and therefore causes more bashing damage. Swimming through the muck also imposes a -1 penatly for every degree of thickness of the muck. Vampires drinking from the fluid lose Vitae instead of Bashing Damage.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The teary waters are too close to Aetulias true tears and therefore bring the Curse of Aetulia which turns mortals that indulge in it become a Tear Drinker. Their skin becomes a pale blueish color and they have the Autonomous Parts Aspect (Antagonists, P27). Tear Drinkers are suicidal and filled with genocidal rage and tend to say dark things.
Failure: No more tears.
Success: Dark, Swampy Waters continue to rise
E-Success: Consider the resulting muck two degrees thicker then it would be with the normal amount of successes
** Ward of Sorrow
Aetulias eyes descend nearby, watching for creatures of darkness. A eye is summoned and is invisible to all but Demons and the Caster, as well as anything with arcane sight. This Eye acts as a ward and the area around it (two feet per success) suffers a -2 Penalty to rolls concerning swift movement and attacks, also increasing the Defense of Friendly hunters by two. This SOlo requires 10 Successes to work
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The effect of the solo is reversed, sapping defense and movement but benefiting the enemy.
Failure: The ward does not appear
Success: The Ward is successfully summoned
E-Success: The penalty and defense bonus is increased by one. (-3 movement to enemies, +3 defense to allies)
*** Down in the Graves
When this 10 Success solo is finished, an area around the Follower begins to sink (Radius=2 feet per success) into the ground slowly. All locations where dead bodies have existed in the sinking hole manifest as black shadows that may be communed with in the thirty minutes they are visable to those touched by Ormagoden. The ground will always sink exactly 15 feet down.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The spirits summoned are extremely hostile and will attack the Follower
Failure: The ground fails to sink
Success: The ground sinks around a radius of 2 feet per success
E-Success: The spirits are extra calmed by Aetulias sweet song and bring the hunters good luck no matter the outcome of the commune with the spirits that dwell there. +1 to roles involving Scream Of Tears solos.
**** Aetulias Rage
This devastating solo wracks the full rage and sorrow of Aetulia upon the target. Usually causing them to clutch their head and cry. The target is forced to make a Wits+Resolve roll (-1 for every 6 successes). Failure means the creature is unable to think straight at all, receiving a -2 penalty to any action not directly associated with mourning Ormagoden such as sitting down and crying. This Solo requires 10 successes
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The effect backfires onto the Follower violently.
Failure: The feeling is not created
Success: The solo works as intended
E-Success: The penalty is one more then normal (Ex: A 12 success solo implies a -3 instead of a -2)
***** Vengeance for Ormagoden
Aetulia will bring pain, Sorrow, and pure death on the foes of Ormagoden. This 20 Success solo ends with a amazingly violent whammy bar abuse. This wailing scream forms liquid and mucky tentacles of Tears that impale the target from below and deal one aggravated damage per tentacle (1 tentacle for every four successes) When the solo is complete, creatures with enhanced senses may make a Wits+Survival Roll at a difficulty equal to the amount of tentacles and may avoid them.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: Your impaled instead
Failure: No impalement
Success: BRING ON THE IMPALEMENT!
E-Success: One extra tentacle is summoned by this solo
Aetulias song can be harnessed by those of pure will and love for the Fire Beast. The haunting Screams of Tears echo throughout the night and spew forth liquid shadow as Aetulias wrath descends upon the slayers of Ormagoden.
* Engulfment of Tears
This Guitar Solo brings forth Aetulias Tears in a safe, and sober form. The essence of her sorrow mixes with a body of water for a amount of minutes equal to successes made, including the 5 required to play the solo. Teary Water is black and thick, like a cloudy ink cloud in the water. This slimy water causes the ingesters stomach to slowly bubble in the stomach, causing him to throw up violently, dealing poisonous bile damage as bashing during the throwing up (Use a resisting poison roll for the ingester). Every 3 successes increases the thickness of the slime and therefore causes more bashing damage. Swimming through the muck also imposes a -1 penatly for every degree of thickness of the muck. Vampires drinking from the fluid lose Vitae instead of Bashing Damage.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The teary waters are too close to Aetulias true tears and therefore bring the Curse of Aetulia which turns mortals that indulge in it become a Tear Drinker. Their skin becomes a pale blueish color and they have the Autonomous Parts Aspect (Antagonists, P27). Tear Drinkers are suicidal and filled with genocidal rage and tend to say dark things.
Failure: No more tears.
Success: Dark, Swampy Waters continue to rise
E-Success: Consider the resulting muck two degrees thicker then it would be with the normal amount of successes
** Ward of Sorrow
Aetulias eyes descend nearby, watching for creatures of darkness. A eye is summoned and is invisible to all but Demons and the Caster, as well as anything with arcane sight. This Eye acts as a ward and the area around it (two feet per success) suffers a -2 Penalty to rolls concerning swift movement and attacks, also increasing the Defense of Friendly hunters by two. This SOlo requires 10 Successes to work
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The effect of the solo is reversed, sapping defense and movement but benefiting the enemy.
Failure: The ward does not appear
Success: The Ward is successfully summoned
E-Success: The penalty and defense bonus is increased by one. (-3 movement to enemies, +3 defense to allies)
*** Down in the Graves
When this 10 Success solo is finished, an area around the Follower begins to sink (Radius=2 feet per success) into the ground slowly. All locations where dead bodies have existed in the sinking hole manifest as black shadows that may be communed with in the thirty minutes they are visable to those touched by Ormagoden. The ground will always sink exactly 15 feet down.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The spirits summoned are extremely hostile and will attack the Follower
Failure: The ground fails to sink
Success: The ground sinks around a radius of 2 feet per success
E-Success: The spirits are extra calmed by Aetulias sweet song and bring the hunters good luck no matter the outcome of the commune with the spirits that dwell there. +1 to roles involving Scream Of Tears solos.
**** Aetulias Rage
This devastating solo wracks the full rage and sorrow of Aetulia upon the target. Usually causing them to clutch their head and cry. The target is forced to make a Wits+Resolve roll (-1 for every 6 successes). Failure means the creature is unable to think straight at all, receiving a -2 penalty to any action not directly associated with mourning Ormagoden such as sitting down and crying. This Solo requires 10 successes
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The effect backfires onto the Follower violently.
Failure: The feeling is not created
Success: The solo works as intended
E-Success: The penalty is one more then normal (Ex: A 12 success solo implies a -3 instead of a -2)
***** Vengeance for Ormagoden
Aetulia will bring pain, Sorrow, and pure death on the foes of Ormagoden. This 20 Success solo ends with a amazingly violent whammy bar abuse. This wailing scream forms liquid and mucky tentacles of Tears that impale the target from below and deal one aggravated damage per tentacle (1 tentacle for every four successes) When the solo is complete, creatures with enhanced senses may make a Wits+Survival Roll at a difficulty equal to the amount of tentacles and may avoid them.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: Your impaled instead
Failure: No impalement
Success: BRING ON THE IMPALEMENT!
E-Success: One extra tentacle is summoned by this solo
Followers of Ormagoden Endowments Part one
Followers of Ormagoden Endowments: Song of Ormagoden
Song of Ormagoden (*-**** Special)
The songs of Ormagoden are complex arts, broken up to the four instruments of Ormagoden and the two paths for each. As such this merit is broken up like the Safehouse merit with dots in each individual Style. Guitar Magic however faces a drawback for its power. When being used in the plain view of Mortals not touched by Ormagodens wisdom, each innocent character (Usually a normal mortal) incurs a -1 to the role that is cumulative. This is Ormagodens will to keep the mystic arts of metal to those truly deserving of its power.
Some of these powers are Solos. The Solo may be started during the characters turn, every turn after rolling to add successes, after enough solo successes are made, the character may finish in order to bring about the solos effect. The maximum amount of successes that may be attracted by lengthening a solo is equal to the amount of successes required x2
Flaming Wails (Guitar)
Once used by the legendary hero Eddie Riggs, the Flaming Wails guitar style is geared towards fierce combat against evil. However these effects tend to be fairly obvious and attract much unwanted attention at times.
* Fiery Lightning
A quick strum of the strings and the will of Ormagoden does wonders. You flat out will lightning to quickly strike a area infront of you and cause immediate Bashing damage that the enemy may use his defense value for.
Cost: None
Action: Instant
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden-Foes Defense
Roll Results
D-Failure: The lightning arc's through your guitar and shocks you instead. Half your dice pool, you immediately take that much in lethal damage from electricity exploding upon you
Failure: Your guitar fails to will enough energy to summon lightning
Success: Your guitar shocks the enemy for one Bashing damage for every two successes
E-Success: Your lightning is so great it forces the enemy to immediately drop any metallic object in their hands and take a extra Bashing damage.
**Fires of Ormagoden
Channeling Ormagodens fiery rage you cause a small fountain of flame to erupt under the enemy and burn them. However, this fire is of spectral nature and will only cause a fire on circumstances of a powerful will of Guitar magic
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Instant
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: Fire engulfed you for a amount of rounds equal to your dice pool, every two rounds taking one aggravated damage.
Failure: Fire failed to be summoned
Success: Fire bursts up and damages the enemy for one lethal (Or Aggravated against vampires) for every two successes
E-Success: In addition to a lethal or aggravated every two successes, your enemy catches on fire for one round for each die in your pool.
*** Fire Tribute
This solo brings the favor of the Metal Gods, flickers of flame illuminating the area dimly. While in the fires of the Metal Gods, weaponry glows red hot and gains 9-again for one round for each success. Roll once more round, successes adding up untill the character finishes the solo, then the effect takes place
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: You actually anger the Metal Gods and bring about blue flames that give every freindly character nearby a -2 to dice pools for three rounds.
Failure: The gods are not impressed.
Success: Five successes minimum is required to complete the solo, every success afterwards increases the amount of rounds it takes place
E-Success: The gods are amazed by your dedication, raising the buff to 8-again.
**** Breath of Ormagoden
When this solo is played, the hot magma breath of ormagoden splashes against the target from the ground and does heavy damage. 12 successes are needed in order to complete the solo, the enemies successes taking away from your own in the contested roll, in addition if the enemy ever reduces your successes to zero then your willpower is wasted and the solo is failed. In order to contest the enemy must sacrifice their round to contest the will of the Follower.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended and Contested
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The solo is botched and your willpower is wasted
Failure: No progress during the solo is made
Success: Ormagodens power pours forth into the Solo, contributing to its power. Every 3 successes is a point of Aggravated damage that splashes upwards as molten rock and splashes against the foe
E-Success: The enemy, in addition to damage loses his next two rounds of play.
***** Facemelter
This solo is so earth shakingly amazing that the enemy will have his face melted all the way off if he is not careful. 20 successes are needed in order to complete the solo, the enemies successes taking away from your own in the contested roll, in addition if the enemy ever reduces your successes to zero then your willpower is wasted and the solo is failed.In order to contest the enemy must sacrifice their round to contest the will of the Follower.
Cost: 2 Willpower
Action:Extended and Contested
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The followers own face slightly begins to melt. Taking Aggravated damage equal to the amount of turns he has been playing the solo.
Failure: No faces melted yet
Success: Progress is made on the solo. This solo deals a point of aggravated damage for every four successes on the solo.
E-Success: In addition to the aggravated damage, the enemy is knocked out from the energy of the follower and is unable to even be woke up for the rest of the scene.
Song of Ormagoden (*-**** Special)
The songs of Ormagoden are complex arts, broken up to the four instruments of Ormagoden and the two paths for each. As such this merit is broken up like the Safehouse merit with dots in each individual Style. Guitar Magic however faces a drawback for its power. When being used in the plain view of Mortals not touched by Ormagodens wisdom, each innocent character (Usually a normal mortal) incurs a -1 to the role that is cumulative. This is Ormagodens will to keep the mystic arts of metal to those truly deserving of its power.
Some of these powers are Solos. The Solo may be started during the characters turn, every turn after rolling to add successes, after enough solo successes are made, the character may finish in order to bring about the solos effect. The maximum amount of successes that may be attracted by lengthening a solo is equal to the amount of successes required x2
Flaming Wails (Guitar)
Once used by the legendary hero Eddie Riggs, the Flaming Wails guitar style is geared towards fierce combat against evil. However these effects tend to be fairly obvious and attract much unwanted attention at times.
* Fiery Lightning
A quick strum of the strings and the will of Ormagoden does wonders. You flat out will lightning to quickly strike a area infront of you and cause immediate Bashing damage that the enemy may use his defense value for.
Cost: None
Action: Instant
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden-Foes Defense
Roll Results
D-Failure: The lightning arc's through your guitar and shocks you instead. Half your dice pool, you immediately take that much in lethal damage from electricity exploding upon you
Failure: Your guitar fails to will enough energy to summon lightning
Success: Your guitar shocks the enemy for one Bashing damage for every two successes
E-Success: Your lightning is so great it forces the enemy to immediately drop any metallic object in their hands and take a extra Bashing damage.
**Fires of Ormagoden
Channeling Ormagodens fiery rage you cause a small fountain of flame to erupt under the enemy and burn them. However, this fire is of spectral nature and will only cause a fire on circumstances of a powerful will of Guitar magic
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Instant
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: Fire engulfed you for a amount of rounds equal to your dice pool, every two rounds taking one aggravated damage.
Failure: Fire failed to be summoned
Success: Fire bursts up and damages the enemy for one lethal (Or Aggravated against vampires) for every two successes
E-Success: In addition to a lethal or aggravated every two successes, your enemy catches on fire for one round for each die in your pool.
*** Fire Tribute
This solo brings the favor of the Metal Gods, flickers of flame illuminating the area dimly. While in the fires of the Metal Gods, weaponry glows red hot and gains 9-again for one round for each success. Roll once more round, successes adding up untill the character finishes the solo, then the effect takes place
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: You actually anger the Metal Gods and bring about blue flames that give every freindly character nearby a -2 to dice pools for three rounds.
Failure: The gods are not impressed.
Success: Five successes minimum is required to complete the solo, every success afterwards increases the amount of rounds it takes place
E-Success: The gods are amazed by your dedication, raising the buff to 8-again.
**** Breath of Ormagoden
When this solo is played, the hot magma breath of ormagoden splashes against the target from the ground and does heavy damage. 12 successes are needed in order to complete the solo, the enemies successes taking away from your own in the contested roll, in addition if the enemy ever reduces your successes to zero then your willpower is wasted and the solo is failed. In order to contest the enemy must sacrifice their round to contest the will of the Follower.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Action: Extended and Contested
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The solo is botched and your willpower is wasted
Failure: No progress during the solo is made
Success: Ormagodens power pours forth into the Solo, contributing to its power. Every 3 successes is a point of Aggravated damage that splashes upwards as molten rock and splashes against the foe
E-Success: The enemy, in addition to damage loses his next two rounds of play.
***** Facemelter
This solo is so earth shakingly amazing that the enemy will have his face melted all the way off if he is not careful. 20 successes are needed in order to complete the solo, the enemies successes taking away from your own in the contested roll, in addition if the enemy ever reduces your successes to zero then your willpower is wasted and the solo is failed.In order to contest the enemy must sacrifice their round to contest the will of the Follower.
Cost: 2 Willpower
Action:Extended and Contested
Dice Pool: Crafts+Song Of Ormagoden
Roll Results
D-Failure: The followers own face slightly begins to melt. Taking Aggravated damage equal to the amount of turns he has been playing the solo.
Failure: No faces melted yet
Success: Progress is made on the solo. This solo deals a point of aggravated damage for every four successes on the solo.
E-Success: In addition to the aggravated damage, the enemy is knocked out from the energy of the follower and is unable to even be woke up for the rest of the scene.
New Hunter: The Vigil Conspiracy. Followers of Ormagoden
The Followers of Ormagoden
Metal, Noise, Blood, and Fire! Tell me what you most desire.
Ancient lore speaks of the beginning of time. All was darkness, the First Ones were a horrible lot, creatures so repulsive they hid in the darkness of the world to avoid seeing how ugly they really were. Living their lives in a utter lie. Then came the Eternal Fire Beast, Ormagoden. A God of Fire, For he was the Cremator of the Skies and Illuminator of Darkness. His body made of white hot metal and his scream piercing thought, ground, and soul as he raged across the skies like a burning comet. The First Ones utterly loathed this God, for the light he brought forced them to see how utterly repulsive they truly were; Dreaming of the day they would kill the Fire Beast and return the land to shadow.
All day the First Ones drank from the tree Madronal, the tree of nourishment. While underground sat Aetulia, who sang all day long to the tree and caused it to create its lovely juices. One day a evil demon captured her so she may only sing to him. Becoming the lands first Demon King. The day of the First Ones arrived. The King used the captured maidens song to lure the mighty Ormagoden to ground where they smothered him with mud. Rather than let himself be put out like a common flame, the mighty Fire Beast let out an earth-shattering scream and exploded like a sun. Millions of pieces of his steel flesh shot into the ground, veining it with ore, pieces of metal, and the flora that would later die with the ancient world. His fire flew up into the sky and became the sun, baking the world and further illuminating the world even to this day. There was so much blood it flooded the world, drowning all the First Ones as it formed the oceans, nourishing the world for the upcoming generations and forever more. His death cry was so loud that it echoes throughout the world to this day. Low creatures felled the god Ormagöden, but his death gave the world the elements from which a new era would rise: Blood, Fire, Noise, and Metal.
According to the Followers of Ormagoden, this is how the world came about. A ancient era of metal, mystery, magic, and creation. Supposedly demons had earlier in existence enslaved mankind. A ancient race of Titans had created music, cars, civilization itself. A web of lies and confusion? Perhaps. The truth? Maybe. It would explain the mystic powers of these men and women of the cult. Some say they may play the bass guitar so well it heals the sick, or play a guitar solo so amazing it melts the faces of lesser men. Acts so absurd anyone bringing such reports are met with time in a asylum.
Regardless of their myths and rumors associated with them, the men and women of Ormagoden are active hunters. The Followers have members all across both coasts in larger amounts, with members in most of the major American cities. The facade is they are bandmembers or otherwise musical in order to honor Ormagoden. Many of them are also proficient in bladed weaponry such as swords or axes that are honed and repaired by unknown methods. They are very enigmatic to the point almost nobody outside knows how they even are coordinated much less how they work their miracles. Some people do believe the idea they do it though music, some people think they will it into existence like a mage, some even more think they are a front group of the Lucifuge. Whether you buy it or not, Followers are amazing at the art they choose whether it be Bass or Guitar.
Warriors of Humanity
Joining the followers is by no means permanent, and their beliefs are by no means pushed on you. However, there is one duty that is bound to you that may never be shaken. As a follower it is your duty to rid Earth of the supernatural, be it demon, vampire, or otherwise. These creatures have disturbed and tampered with the rights of the offspring of the Titans. Vampires are grim mockeries and fallacies of the Titans. Changelings are half breeds, abducted by demonic creatures and swayed from the grace of Ormagoden. Demons however, rub Followers in the worst way possible. Those who summon them easily attract the wrath of Ormagoden. Which is what heavily brought a large animosity between them and the Lucifuge. This hatred naturally stems from the First Ones. When the Titans became the Metal Gods, they left behind humanity, the smaller version of themselves with versions of the first ones as their pets. Eventually they rose up and enslaved them only to later be be banished from the world by a bloodline of heroes.
Around the World
Followers set up no church. However there are common places said to be their hiding place and congregation points. These places are often Concert Venues or Bars, the closest to a church by their standards. This of course makes it nigh impossible to discern a regular metal head from a Follower of Ormagoden. Even more so that they may choose when to will their instrument to bring about effects on the world, allowing them to practice their fret work without blowing their cover. Even more so, there are tales within the order of Followers fooling cocky vampires or demons by not willing their music, and appearing to be simply crazy until the monsters guard is down and they are engulfed in flame or lightning and ultimately banished from this world.
Rockers naturally gravitate towards Rock Venues, and it is not too rare for a group of Followers to form a Band as a cover and even go on tour across the country or even world in order to play concerts and on their off time rid the cities of local monstrosities as they work. Ormagodens scream may be channeled in many ways afterall. The wail of a microphone, the whammy of a guitar, the grooves of a bass, or even the earth shattering quakes of drums.
The Tour of Destruction
A deep tradition withing the Followers of Ormagoden is the rise of Bands and a event known as the Tour of Destruction. In the ancient times this was literally driving along the road until the Band reached Demon infested territory, and the wrested control of it away from them. Afterwards the Band would continue driving. In these modern days, the premise is still there, however do to the requirement of staying relatively low profile they must avoid killing things left and right. Instead the proper manifestation of this event is quite different. The band will tour like a normal band and play shows.
When the Band inevitably runs across obvious hostile supernatural presence, then war is declared right there on the spot. Sometimes, the song being played will suddenly have the singer screaming words like "We go to war" or the band will cover a Man of War song out of the blue. After this declaration is made, the show will end normally. Afterwards, the band will prepare for battle quite litteraly. Tune their guitars, get out their weaponry, and sound the battlecry. There will be a battle of the bands. There will be supernatural blood on the ground while the Followers of Ormagoden avenge their fallen Fire Beast.
After this battle is over, the band packs up and leaves town as planned. This will continue until the Band is either fallen or has successfully played through their entire tour. Then there will be a huge party, the Followers will return to their society and celebrate their kills as vengeance for Ormagoden and Honor to the metal gods.
The Enemy
Their creation myth flat out paints demons as monsters and beings to be destroyed for their attempted enslavement of mankind. Vampires and the other offshoots of humans attract their hatred for deviating from the path of Ormagoden. In short, besides mages; Followers have distinct hatred of the supernatural for transgressions they cause against humanity.
Vampires, Half breed heathens
Humanity is modeled after the Titans, therefore anything directly changing that design is most likely a abomination or shadow attempt at a second Enslavement. Vampires have a special hatred reserved by the Followers. Monstrous, undead creatures pretending to be human and better yet; feeding on them and trying to control them. To them, this already resembles a modern attempt at a second Enslavement and is treated as a declaration of war. The Gods of Metal against the Undead Scourge. The spells of the Followers are useful against them, as they doubt that humanity has the ability to shoot lightning and fire out of musical devices. A grave mistake that has charred and burned many kindred.
However, there are some key details about Follower interactions with vampires. The main way they are discovered is among crowds of fans watching the Bands performance. Unlike regular musicians, Rockers specifically make a point of watching the crowd for obvious supernaturals. Quite often this translate for searching for vampires preying among their crowd. Even if they were not Followers, those are still leeches like the days of old feeding on their fans! Therefore, when they are not chasing stories of demonic summoning; they hunt Vampires that make the mistake of going after their bread and butter.
Changelings, Those who were lost
It is a shame, humans being abducted and made into something arcane and other-worldly. Quite often, the Followers mistake these creatures as demonic. It is sad, as they are therefore treated as demons. Their bodies forming the path of the tour of destruction just like the demons and vampires. However, unlike demons Changelings rarely are discovered due to the innate magic protecting them. Once a blue moon a Rocker will discover or see through the mask protecting a Changeling and confused them as a demon, leading to the eventual hunt of said Changeling.
Demons, Slavers no more
Kill on sight. If humans betray mankind to summon them? Kill on sight. If humans work with them? Kill on sight. Demons are the issue, the problem, and the entire purpose of the Vigil for these individuals, to protect mankind against the forces of demons. There are always rumors within the Followers that if too many demons exist on earth then the Tainted Coil will be birthed once more, something that would bode horribly for the weakened armies of humanity. As a result, any talk of demonic influence that reaches any large pocket of Followers instantly is check into by a Band or traveling group of Followers.
Band Styles
The Followers of Ormagoden divide their society by three styles of music based off of the three Factions during the great Tour of Destruction of olden days. There is slight philosophical meaning behind the forms of music along with the obvious differences between the three styles of music themselves.
Metal Men practice the ancestral music of the Titans and are considered to be the most pure of music and soul. This genre of music involves much headbanging, and is heavy on harmonics in some guitar solos and is heavy on drummers. Experienced Metal Men bands have a skilled Drummer and Bassist for support and very aggressive Singers and Guitar players. Metal Men Guitarists tend to have more fiery guitarwork and powerful symbolic solos. Metal Men Tours will often go sea to sea, sometimes in a zig-zag pattern and are most aware of demonic presence in a area and target such areas specifically for their Tour
Black Sorrow is in honor of the Black Tear Rebellion. The Drinkers of the Black tear were suicidal and fueled by Aetulias sorrow and rage. The Black Sorrow, however took the sorrow of the black metal and made it their own; looking at their situation healthily and screeching their sorrowful and dark tunes leaving a haunting feeling to the venues they play. Black Sorrow Followers follow deep ideals of defensive Bass Playing and Haunting Guitar riffs that demoralize the enemy. Sorrow Tours Prefer to start in the south and quickly go north, usually targeting a specific region like the east or west. Once they arrive in the cold, dark, barren lands on the north they will prosper and play energetic and truly amazing shows in efforts to attract Vampire fans for them to lure to doom.
Flaming Coils Bands shriek and scream heavy metal tales picturing the defeat of the Tainted Coil, the demon empire that once enslaved mankind. Their ideal is to emulate the Industrial Metal of the Coil and turning it into dark songs of liberation and war against the Coil. Flaming Coils Bands feature a more aggressive Bassist and Singer while the Guitarist and Drummer perform defensive solos. The Coils are very niche in their Touring schedule. Often they make it up depending on their location. For instance, a Coils band may be playing in San Francisco, only for them to find out there are demonic cults causing trouble in San Diego. In a result they will postpone their next show in order to make record time and arrive at San Diego.
Status
Gaining Status as a Follower can be fairly easy if you can fill the shoes of a true believer of Ormagoden. Amazing guitar playing and weeding out demons and vampires will earn you the Metal Gods favor and therefore increase your Status in the followers of Ormagoden.
*: You have taken up the Guitar as a Ormagoden Band member. As a result you gain the crafts specialty of the instrument you choose (Microphone, Guitar, Bass, or Drums). You probably have not gone on a Tour yet, but you plan to soon. Your not quite that good at spotting creatures lurking in your shows and have not learned your Music Magic that well yet.
***: You have been around the block a few times, and profited heavily from it. Gain a dot of fame (Musician) Your a musical maestro and popular, your shows sell out almost always sell out. As a resource you also may gain a dot of Resources.
*****: Your a true follower of Ormagoden and have pleased the metal gods on countless occasions. You have been on many Tours of Destruction. Quite often, other bands wish to open for your Band and get included in your Tour. You get two dots of Allies (Ormagoden Tour Band)
All day the First Ones drank from the tree Madronal, the tree of nourishment. While underground sat Aetulia, who sang all day long to the tree and caused it to create its lovely juices. One day a evil demon captured her so she may only sing to him. Becoming the lands first Demon King. The day of the First Ones arrived. The King used the captured maidens song to lure the mighty Ormagoden to ground where they smothered him with mud. Rather than let himself be put out like a common flame, the mighty Fire Beast let out an earth-shattering scream and exploded like a sun. Millions of pieces of his steel flesh shot into the ground, veining it with ore, pieces of metal, and the flora that would later die with the ancient world. His fire flew up into the sky and became the sun, baking the world and further illuminating the world even to this day. There was so much blood it flooded the world, drowning all the First Ones as it formed the oceans, nourishing the world for the upcoming generations and forever more. His death cry was so loud that it echoes throughout the world to this day. Low creatures felled the god Ormagöden, but his death gave the world the elements from which a new era would rise: Blood, Fire, Noise, and Metal.
According to the Followers of Ormagoden, this is how the world came about. A ancient era of metal, mystery, magic, and creation. Supposedly demons had earlier in existence enslaved mankind. A ancient race of Titans had created music, cars, civilization itself. A web of lies and confusion? Perhaps. The truth? Maybe. It would explain the mystic powers of these men and women of the cult. Some say they may play the bass guitar so well it heals the sick, or play a guitar solo so amazing it melts the faces of lesser men. Acts so absurd anyone bringing such reports are met with time in a asylum.
Regardless of their myths and rumors associated with them, the men and women of Ormagoden are active hunters. The Followers have members all across both coasts in larger amounts, with members in most of the major American cities. The facade is they are bandmembers or otherwise musical in order to honor Ormagoden. Many of them are also proficient in bladed weaponry such as swords or axes that are honed and repaired by unknown methods. They are very enigmatic to the point almost nobody outside knows how they even are coordinated much less how they work their miracles. Some people do believe the idea they do it though music, some people think they will it into existence like a mage, some even more think they are a front group of the Lucifuge. Whether you buy it or not, Followers are amazing at the art they choose whether it be Bass or Guitar.
Warriors of Humanity
Joining the followers is by no means permanent, and their beliefs are by no means pushed on you. However, there is one duty that is bound to you that may never be shaken. As a follower it is your duty to rid Earth of the supernatural, be it demon, vampire, or otherwise. These creatures have disturbed and tampered with the rights of the offspring of the Titans. Vampires are grim mockeries and fallacies of the Titans. Changelings are half breeds, abducted by demonic creatures and swayed from the grace of Ormagoden. Demons however, rub Followers in the worst way possible. Those who summon them easily attract the wrath of Ormagoden. Which is what heavily brought a large animosity between them and the Lucifuge. This hatred naturally stems from the First Ones. When the Titans became the Metal Gods, they left behind humanity, the smaller version of themselves with versions of the first ones as their pets. Eventually they rose up and enslaved them only to later be be banished from the world by a bloodline of heroes.
Around the World
Followers set up no church. However there are common places said to be their hiding place and congregation points. These places are often Concert Venues or Bars, the closest to a church by their standards. This of course makes it nigh impossible to discern a regular metal head from a Follower of Ormagoden. Even more so that they may choose when to will their instrument to bring about effects on the world, allowing them to practice their fret work without blowing their cover. Even more so, there are tales within the order of Followers fooling cocky vampires or demons by not willing their music, and appearing to be simply crazy until the monsters guard is down and they are engulfed in flame or lightning and ultimately banished from this world.
Rockers naturally gravitate towards Rock Venues, and it is not too rare for a group of Followers to form a Band as a cover and even go on tour across the country or even world in order to play concerts and on their off time rid the cities of local monstrosities as they work. Ormagodens scream may be channeled in many ways afterall. The wail of a microphone, the whammy of a guitar, the grooves of a bass, or even the earth shattering quakes of drums.
The Tour of Destruction
A deep tradition withing the Followers of Ormagoden is the rise of Bands and a event known as the Tour of Destruction. In the ancient times this was literally driving along the road until the Band reached Demon infested territory, and the wrested control of it away from them. Afterwards the Band would continue driving. In these modern days, the premise is still there, however do to the requirement of staying relatively low profile they must avoid killing things left and right. Instead the proper manifestation of this event is quite different. The band will tour like a normal band and play shows.
When the Band inevitably runs across obvious hostile supernatural presence, then war is declared right there on the spot. Sometimes, the song being played will suddenly have the singer screaming words like "We go to war" or the band will cover a Man of War song out of the blue. After this declaration is made, the show will end normally. Afterwards, the band will prepare for battle quite litteraly. Tune their guitars, get out their weaponry, and sound the battlecry. There will be a battle of the bands. There will be supernatural blood on the ground while the Followers of Ormagoden avenge their fallen Fire Beast.
After this battle is over, the band packs up and leaves town as planned. This will continue until the Band is either fallen or has successfully played through their entire tour. Then there will be a huge party, the Followers will return to their society and celebrate their kills as vengeance for Ormagoden and Honor to the metal gods.
The Enemy
Their creation myth flat out paints demons as monsters and beings to be destroyed for their attempted enslavement of mankind. Vampires and the other offshoots of humans attract their hatred for deviating from the path of Ormagoden. In short, besides mages; Followers have distinct hatred of the supernatural for transgressions they cause against humanity.
Vampires, Half breed heathens
Humanity is modeled after the Titans, therefore anything directly changing that design is most likely a abomination or shadow attempt at a second Enslavement. Vampires have a special hatred reserved by the Followers. Monstrous, undead creatures pretending to be human and better yet; feeding on them and trying to control them. To them, this already resembles a modern attempt at a second Enslavement and is treated as a declaration of war. The Gods of Metal against the Undead Scourge. The spells of the Followers are useful against them, as they doubt that humanity has the ability to shoot lightning and fire out of musical devices. A grave mistake that has charred and burned many kindred.
However, there are some key details about Follower interactions with vampires. The main way they are discovered is among crowds of fans watching the Bands performance. Unlike regular musicians, Rockers specifically make a point of watching the crowd for obvious supernaturals. Quite often this translate for searching for vampires preying among their crowd. Even if they were not Followers, those are still leeches like the days of old feeding on their fans! Therefore, when they are not chasing stories of demonic summoning; they hunt Vampires that make the mistake of going after their bread and butter.
Changelings, Those who were lost
It is a shame, humans being abducted and made into something arcane and other-worldly. Quite often, the Followers mistake these creatures as demonic. It is sad, as they are therefore treated as demons. Their bodies forming the path of the tour of destruction just like the demons and vampires. However, unlike demons Changelings rarely are discovered due to the innate magic protecting them. Once a blue moon a Rocker will discover or see through the mask protecting a Changeling and confused them as a demon, leading to the eventual hunt of said Changeling.
Demons, Slavers no more
Kill on sight. If humans betray mankind to summon them? Kill on sight. If humans work with them? Kill on sight. Demons are the issue, the problem, and the entire purpose of the Vigil for these individuals, to protect mankind against the forces of demons. There are always rumors within the Followers that if too many demons exist on earth then the Tainted Coil will be birthed once more, something that would bode horribly for the weakened armies of humanity. As a result, any talk of demonic influence that reaches any large pocket of Followers instantly is check into by a Band or traveling group of Followers.
Band Styles
The Followers of Ormagoden divide their society by three styles of music based off of the three Factions during the great Tour of Destruction of olden days. There is slight philosophical meaning behind the forms of music along with the obvious differences between the three styles of music themselves.
Metal Men practice the ancestral music of the Titans and are considered to be the most pure of music and soul. This genre of music involves much headbanging, and is heavy on harmonics in some guitar solos and is heavy on drummers. Experienced Metal Men bands have a skilled Drummer and Bassist for support and very aggressive Singers and Guitar players. Metal Men Guitarists tend to have more fiery guitarwork and powerful symbolic solos. Metal Men Tours will often go sea to sea, sometimes in a zig-zag pattern and are most aware of demonic presence in a area and target such areas specifically for their Tour
Black Sorrow is in honor of the Black Tear Rebellion. The Drinkers of the Black tear were suicidal and fueled by Aetulias sorrow and rage. The Black Sorrow, however took the sorrow of the black metal and made it their own; looking at their situation healthily and screeching their sorrowful and dark tunes leaving a haunting feeling to the venues they play. Black Sorrow Followers follow deep ideals of defensive Bass Playing and Haunting Guitar riffs that demoralize the enemy. Sorrow Tours Prefer to start in the south and quickly go north, usually targeting a specific region like the east or west. Once they arrive in the cold, dark, barren lands on the north they will prosper and play energetic and truly amazing shows in efforts to attract Vampire fans for them to lure to doom.
Flaming Coils Bands shriek and scream heavy metal tales picturing the defeat of the Tainted Coil, the demon empire that once enslaved mankind. Their ideal is to emulate the Industrial Metal of the Coil and turning it into dark songs of liberation and war against the Coil. Flaming Coils Bands feature a more aggressive Bassist and Singer while the Guitarist and Drummer perform defensive solos. The Coils are very niche in their Touring schedule. Often they make it up depending on their location. For instance, a Coils band may be playing in San Francisco, only for them to find out there are demonic cults causing trouble in San Diego. In a result they will postpone their next show in order to make record time and arrive at San Diego.
Status
Gaining Status as a Follower can be fairly easy if you can fill the shoes of a true believer of Ormagoden. Amazing guitar playing and weeding out demons and vampires will earn you the Metal Gods favor and therefore increase your Status in the followers of Ormagoden.
*: You have taken up the Guitar as a Ormagoden Band member. As a result you gain the crafts specialty of the instrument you choose (Microphone, Guitar, Bass, or Drums). You probably have not gone on a Tour yet, but you plan to soon. Your not quite that good at spotting creatures lurking in your shows and have not learned your Music Magic that well yet.
***: You have been around the block a few times, and profited heavily from it. Gain a dot of fame (Musician) Your a musical maestro and popular, your shows sell out almost always sell out. As a resource you also may gain a dot of Resources.
*****: Your a true follower of Ormagoden and have pleased the metal gods on countless occasions. You have been on many Tours of Destruction. Quite often, other bands wish to open for your Band and get included in your Tour. You get two dots of Allies (Ormagoden Tour Band)
Monday, December 14, 2009
Down the grapevine
I am always looking for new gadgets to help me run my campaigns. Today I was looking for some and not only found a World of Darkness mass roleplay chat but I also found a neat little tool called Grapevine.
At first it unsettled me how... basic it looked. The icons of the characters look like scavenged (And OWoD) spritework. In fact I had to double check to make sure it was NWoD compatible since it had choices to have Demon and Wraith characters, hinting that the tool is pretty damn old. However when looking over other tools I noticed that none of them actually made it easy for GM's to insert their own merits into the program but supplied a static list. This sucked because some GM's like to homebrew new merits or new books will come out and may have a merit everybody in your group wants.
Grapevine beats this by requiring you to insert all of the sheet elements in yourself from both a list and a "Add custom entity" button allowing you to add specialties, merits, anything you need to the sheet. This is of course time intensive but a blessing I could not find in any other chronicle tool of the six I know of. It even has a space for intensive XP tracking, a lengthy Item library that can be pulled from, a list of rote spells for a mage game, a rumor system, and all sorts of goodies.
Its built mainly for GM's that run large games extremely often. Such as the lads that run the WoD RP chat. Importantly, I had very few crashes when poking around the program. Other chroni9cle tools tend to crash when trying to assign items and equipment. However the only time I suffered a terminal crash was accidentally trying to assign weapons when I had no characters selected.
All in all, Grapevine is a amazing tool set and its very useful if you have time to burn and you want to have a complete WoD tool library at your fingertips, able to assign rumors to play dates and create a full set of items for any use. Its such a find!
At first it unsettled me how... basic it looked. The icons of the characters look like scavenged (And OWoD) spritework. In fact I had to double check to make sure it was NWoD compatible since it had choices to have Demon and Wraith characters, hinting that the tool is pretty damn old. However when looking over other tools I noticed that none of them actually made it easy for GM's to insert their own merits into the program but supplied a static list. This sucked because some GM's like to homebrew new merits or new books will come out and may have a merit everybody in your group wants.
Grapevine beats this by requiring you to insert all of the sheet elements in yourself from both a list and a "Add custom entity" button allowing you to add specialties, merits, anything you need to the sheet. This is of course time intensive but a blessing I could not find in any other chronicle tool of the six I know of. It even has a space for intensive XP tracking, a lengthy Item library that can be pulled from, a list of rote spells for a mage game, a rumor system, and all sorts of goodies.
Its built mainly for GM's that run large games extremely often. Such as the lads that run the WoD RP chat. Importantly, I had very few crashes when poking around the program. Other chroni9cle tools tend to crash when trying to assign items and equipment. However the only time I suffered a terminal crash was accidentally trying to assign weapons when I had no characters selected.
All in all, Grapevine is a amazing tool set and its very useful if you have time to burn and you want to have a complete WoD tool library at your fingertips, able to assign rumors to play dates and create a full set of items for any use. Its such a find!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Who thats Pokethulu!?
When I was growing up I remember shortly getting hit with the poke-craze. I didn't really get too into it, I played Pokemon red and enjoyed it a little bit. But it was after the first movie that I flat out cut it out, it was obviously just turning into a blatant attempt to get my parents to spend more money without putting any skill into their work.
And I was sort of right, more games came out, more movies came out, more lame pokemon were being discovered. Isint there like a thousand of the little bastards around now?
What was more interesting is when Pokemon was twisted by the internet. I am drawing a blank on the name of it at this moment, but there was a adult parody of Pokemon that turned the Pokemon into hot girls in monster cosplay outfits. Oh, and they needed sex daily to survive. Thankfully that sort of thing has stayed as just a basis for fanfics and comics and has not wormed its way into tabletop form yet. One example I saw was a Ant girl that would drag males encountered on their rounds to the hive where every other ant would then dogpile and rape the guy.
Brings me to my focus. Basement dweller sex fantasies aside, theres a better way to bastardize the pokemon ideal without making it about sex. A good example is probably the best crossover ever. Cumberland games took the time to consider what would happen if they slapped Pokemon and the works of H.P. Lovecraft together into one roleplaying game. The result was Pokethulu.
Slightly following in the playful spirit of Toon with the happily simple system much like Ghost busters; Pokethulu is a very entertaining game that implores the GM to set up Episodes inbetween bouts of letting the players roam around capturing and training their Pokethulu. The example scenario I saw was fairly simple and forced a pretty linear path; however it fit the games fairly entertaining ideals.
Players are Cultists (Specifically, under the age of 16, anybody older is susceptible to the powers of the Thulu.) that have gained the wisdom to be able to train and use the Pokethulu. The Thulu themselves are left entirely up to the GM to make them, Several popular pokemon were portrayed as thulu, only maybe one or two of them were actually named and statted. Though its not exactly that hard to come up with a name, just insert a lovecraftian word into the name. Like Jigglypolyp or Hastursaur.
However, the traditional elements like Fire, Water, and the other "Original" ones like Colorless (White) and Dark were of course replaced by non stereotypical elements in favor of Lovecraftian Aspects. The Aspects are Sticky, Icy, Fishy, Decomposing, Fungous, Squamous, Non-Euclidean, and Luminescent. The aspects follow traditional categories of Lovecraftian horrors very well, I like the system they have. Each Thulu has two Aspects and one Aspect they are weak against. A good example is Pikathulu, who is Fungous and Luminescent but weak against Sticky.
The games battle system is fairly easy, lumping dice into four types of attacks that every Thulu has a equivalent of. Injure, Frighten, Dodge and Trap. Cultists have similar attributes that suit the same purpose if they somehow get roped into fighting.
Your players will love playing out their own series of adventures and thwarting the evil plans of Team Eibon on your path through the land becoming the best cultist of them all.
Its a good game, get you one! In fact, click here to get it!
And I was sort of right, more games came out, more movies came out, more lame pokemon were being discovered. Isint there like a thousand of the little bastards around now?
What was more interesting is when Pokemon was twisted by the internet. I am drawing a blank on the name of it at this moment, but there was a adult parody of Pokemon that turned the Pokemon into hot girls in monster cosplay outfits. Oh, and they needed sex daily to survive. Thankfully that sort of thing has stayed as just a basis for fanfics and comics and has not wormed its way into tabletop form yet. One example I saw was a Ant girl that would drag males encountered on their rounds to the hive where every other ant would then dogpile and rape the guy.
Brings me to my focus. Basement dweller sex fantasies aside, theres a better way to bastardize the pokemon ideal without making it about sex. A good example is probably the best crossover ever. Cumberland games took the time to consider what would happen if they slapped Pokemon and the works of H.P. Lovecraft together into one roleplaying game. The result was Pokethulu.
Slightly following in the playful spirit of Toon with the happily simple system much like Ghost busters; Pokethulu is a very entertaining game that implores the GM to set up Episodes inbetween bouts of letting the players roam around capturing and training their Pokethulu. The example scenario I saw was fairly simple and forced a pretty linear path; however it fit the games fairly entertaining ideals.
Players are Cultists (Specifically, under the age of 16, anybody older is susceptible to the powers of the Thulu.) that have gained the wisdom to be able to train and use the Pokethulu. The Thulu themselves are left entirely up to the GM to make them, Several popular pokemon were portrayed as thulu, only maybe one or two of them were actually named and statted. Though its not exactly that hard to come up with a name, just insert a lovecraftian word into the name. Like Jigglypolyp or Hastursaur.
However, the traditional elements like Fire, Water, and the other "Original" ones like Colorless (White) and Dark were of course replaced by non stereotypical elements in favor of Lovecraftian Aspects. The Aspects are Sticky, Icy, Fishy, Decomposing, Fungous, Squamous, Non-Euclidean, and Luminescent. The aspects follow traditional categories of Lovecraftian horrors very well, I like the system they have. Each Thulu has two Aspects and one Aspect they are weak against. A good example is Pikathulu, who is Fungous and Luminescent but weak against Sticky.
The games battle system is fairly easy, lumping dice into four types of attacks that every Thulu has a equivalent of. Injure, Frighten, Dodge and Trap. Cultists have similar attributes that suit the same purpose if they somehow get roped into fighting.
Your players will love playing out their own series of adventures and thwarting the evil plans of Team Eibon on your path through the land becoming the best cultist of them all.
Its a good game, get you one! In fact, click here to get it!
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