Here's your teaser you bastards:
It is a World of Darkness...
Geist: The Discarded
Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business, is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things. ~Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus puerisque, 1881
The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich. Consequently, the modern poor are not pitied...but written off as trash. The twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which a beggar is a reminder of nothing. ~John Berger
*
Hello, I'm Dianna Navaro. Tonight on our continuing story on the city's poor population, we examine the trends and causes that has led to the highest concentration of homelessness and poverty in the city's history...
...are calling it a full on depression, unemployment is up by 6%, and hundreds of New Yorker's have lost their jobs in the last...
...despite millions of dollars spent on urban renewal and increased police presence, the drug epidemic running rampant in the cities' poorer neighborhoods has not abated. Gang violence fueled by competition over new designer drugs is on the rise...
...are asking for leads in the suspected abduction of eight-year-old Darnell Wilkes while walking home from school Wednesday afternoon. This is only the latest in a string of juvenile disappearances to rock Red Hook in the last few months. The mayor's office has declined...
...three days later another body was found near the entrance to a storm runoff drain in Washington Heights. Police are refusing to comment about rumors that the bodies were severely mangled...
*
A city that never sleeps will have the most restless spirits of all.
The city of New York is crumbling. As the economy fails, hours are cut, jobs are lost, and mortgages fail, the people of New York are crushed beneath mountains of debt. The privileged few; those barons of industry whose excesses helped create the problem in the first place, coast through life either ignorant or uncaring of those beneath them. Drug use is rife as citizens turn to narcotics to escape the grind of their daily lives. This is in turn leads to crime, as the desperate and the unscrupulous attempt to make money any way possible. Crime begets violence, and violence begets death, as gang members and police engage in running battles in the streets. Entire tenements and housing projects become informal fortresses and drug labs.
The misery of the poor seems unending, until they finally die....then it gets much, much worse.
OK, just so we're clear we can take this nice and casual. I know this is a hectic time of year for everyone, so there's no need to rush when that would likely just smash this thing into the ground.
Signups CLOSED
Here's who's currently on the list of maybes/ will dos:
Crobar-
Sevorak-
Carmady and MoosehatIV - you two are both in if you want. I'm not going to squash one of you out after you both came up with good concepts.
For
SHEETS-
http://mrgone.rocksolidshells.com/ On the left side of the page click on the "NWOD" tab, and then Geist. From there pick the Version 2, two page sheet. You can send it to me as an attachment in a PM.
Obviously this would be an urban campaign. Expect some combat, negotiations, and NYC Underworld (both the literal and figurative ones spelunking.) We can hammer out the details later, for now lemme hear what you guys and gals have.
UPDATE- 11/03- My local gamestore called, and my copy of
Geist: Book of the Dead is in!
UPDATE- 11/ 06- Well they messed up something fierce, the book is NOT out yet and god knows when it will be. That kinda took the wind out of my sails a bit, but don't worry I've been reading your ideas and I'll have some commentary soon.
UPDATED- 11/8/09- Lotsa stuff, OK the Book of the Dead won't be out for 2 weeks or so, sucks, but no biggie.
UPDATE- 11/11/ 09 I got my grubby paws on Book of the Dead
UPDTAE- 12/ 29/ 09- Hope you had a good holiday, just posted the blurb, you'll have a few things coming at you soon
- Added Mr. Gone's patented sheet-builder to OP.
- I've made a few posts offering some commentary for your characters.
- Post #16 is important because it gives you some more info about what I'm looking for background-wise. I'm hanging around the forums pretty often, so if you PM me you'll likely get a response before too long.
- Now that we have a (mostly) finalized player list we'll have to discuss time constraints, availability, and what not.
As we have 4 players now, the Krewe members can really flush out various roles in the krewe.
Here's some suggestions based on what I've seen so far, feel free to disagree-
Crowbar- (Veritas) - All-round smart-guy, he can handle the mental heavy lifting
Carmady- The Man- I think he would work well as a "Face" for the group
Sevorak- Lotsa of ways to go, we
could use a tough guy, and the "wimpy kid turned avenger" line could work well
Moose- thief/ swindler
As for the sheets here's some skills and how useful they'll be
Mental:
Academics, Computer, Investigation, Occult- Very useful,- City history, geography, the underground, gangs, crime rates, the Underworld, murders etc
Medicine- You won't be fighting
constantly but there will be a few scraps
Crafts- Variable, you guys might come up with something.
Politics- Useful. Don't want to suggest any specialties till we're further along
Science- Not really
Physical:
Anything but Drive is a good choice (sorry Carmady.) Survival should be oriented toward NYC underground and the Underworld as well.
Social:
All but animal ken, if it does come up I'll use another skill.
Posts
I'd give you a sheet, but I don't know how you want it.
Until he died, that is.
In school he was always the weird kid, the kid that you'd find in the library during recess, and, as is usually the case, the kid that got picked on a bit more than the average. But no one ever thought it would kill him. During the winter of his Senior year of high school, less than a year before he was set to go to Columbia for pre-law, some of the "popular kids" invited him to one of their parties and Justin jumped at the chance to finally be accepted. He never expected that they would take him out to the hills and push him out of the car. Of course, they never expected the worst blizzard of the year to come that night, and they certainly didn't expect him to die in it.
But he did. At least for a little while. Until the Howling Man came to him after he curled up under a tree, too cold to go any farther. With ice crusted all over his bare body and a voice that sounded like the wind keening through the trees during a snowstorm, the Howling Man made him a deal. And Justin accepted.
They almost looked surprised when he showed up at school the next Monday. They definitely looked surprised when the police showed up. They never were convicted of the crime they committed, "boys will be boys," "no harm done," and all that jazz, but everyone knew what they had done.
Justin graduated high school and moved on to Columbia. But the Howling Man came with him. In the big city he saw so many shades of people who died from the same torment that afflicted him. The bullied, the homeless neglected in the alleys. He couldn't just stand by and leave them to their sorrows. He had to do something.
Sheet to come later.
Use the 2nd version of the 2 page interactive sheet. It's pretty good.
EDIT: Here's a more specific link:
http://mrgone.rocksolidshells.com/pdf/GtSE/Geist2-Pagev2_Editable.pdf
Ok, so I take it you want the relationship to be openly antagonistic, then? As in The Man thought your PC would be a pushover and get to wear him like a meat suit, only your boy isn't having it?
This would also help explain why "The Man" is only good with old school technology.
Just my two cents.
... now to actually figure out a character for myself...
Pretty much, although the Geist would be supportive of the character's more ambitious acts. The Geist's actual intentions are something I'd like to leave a little open, although The Man would wave away any questions on the matter (likely in some belittling manner, i.e. "Someday you'll understand").
Funny you should say that, I actually intend to have him dying in the '20's. He'd have been a business shaker, who had used any (and I do mean any) means to get his pet projects through. The building idea is something I'll definitely have to consider; it builds a pretty sweet connection.
I pegged the old-school tech deal as a measure of how exposed to death an object had been.
Looking forward to seeing yours, eh?
Anyhow, sheet...
Geist: The Man
Virtue: Hope
Vice: Pride
Archetype: Gatekeeper
Threshold: The Forgotten
Intelligence - 2
Wits - 3
Resolve - 2
Strength - 3
Dexterity - 4
Stamina - 2
Presence - 2
Manipulation - 2
Composure - 2
Crafts (Autos) - 2
Investigation - 1
Medicine - 1
Occult - 1
Politics (Scandal) - 2
Athletics - 1
Brawl - 1
Drive - 2
Firearms - 1
Larceny (Lockpick) - 3
Stealth - 2
Weaponry - 3
Persuasion - 1
Streetwise - 2
Subterfuge - 1
Fast Reflexes 1
Psyche - 3
Keys - Industrial, Stillness
Oracle 1
Rage 1
Shroud 2
- Exp -
Str 2-3 : 15 xp
Athletics 0-1 : 3 xp
Firearms 0-1 : 3 xp
Oracle 0-2 : 18 xp
(This leaves me with some xp left, I know. If the characters are considered to be in a Krewe, they'll probably go towards that. If not, it'll likely go to Haunt.)
- Equipment -
(I used Armory for this, let me know if that doesn't fly)
Keystone - Switchblade
Industrial, Stillness, Persuasion
Carried:
Lockpick Set (Say, +2 Bonus?)
Digital Camera
Not carried:
.38 Special (Not registered in Ted's name, should that be an issue)
Mid-Size Car (In Ted's name)
Oh wait, you're only going for three and I'd totally have to bump someone else out. Nevermind. I shall just watch and see if I'm into Geist enough to get something going when I have the time.
Oh, I agree. That is generally the reason used for why, but I figured that a geist that was supposed to be the constant pushing force of modernization would most likely want to be using a laptop, not a WWII typewriter.
But that is just me. I just love tweaking ideas.
Anyways, I should be throwing together a character today after work. Working on a concept for an earth type guy with a geist who was sealed up behind a wall.
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showpost.php?p=11781574&postcount=823
OK, this guy was made up for the other game CJ was going to do, and with a little tweaking he can fit right into this one.
First off, how did this guy die again? I couldn't find the post where you said it.
As a historian, Veritas could be useful in researching the areas of the city that the PCs will have to trek through. A little knowledge will likely go a very long way. I assume that stat-wise you would be modeling him as the krewe's "Brain"? That would be quite useful for the krewe.
Manifestation/ ceremony-wise I would go with stuff that directly affects ghosts. Summoning/ banishing/ fighting etc. The Stigmata Key could be explained in that Veritas poured his blood, sweat, and tears into his work. Pumping up his Psyche would also be a good idea, we could work out how it works with their Synergy rating later.
Speaking of which, have you any ideas for the geist? Perhaps a historian from the Renaissance, writing on parchment of skin with a quill dipped in blood? Keep in mind the theme of the chronicle, too.
As for sloth as his vice, you could still have allies in that Veritas is a useful (if not well-liked) person to have around.
I could have left you to die inside that bank vault, Marcus.
Marcus let out a deep sigh and pressed his forehead against the cool metal of the safe before looking over at the figure that constantly followed him. “And I am grateful. I really am. But do you really need to be bothering me right now?”
The Dead Man's Gold let out an exhalation of phantasmal air, making the molten gold that poured from his mouth splatter and turn to mist before striking the ground. The twin rubies that had been heated and allowed to sizzle into his eye sockets held nothing, but boredom and contempt for everything around him. However, he remained quiet.
“That is what I thought.” mumbled Marcus as he turned back to his work. The combination that they had received from the tattered essence of some old biddy of a ghost had been shoddy at best and a the last number had to be guessed, but what can you expect from an old lady who's last task keeping her from the grave was for someone to look after her “precious Mr. Mittens”? After dumping the cat with some relatives, Marcus had returned to her abandoned home to reap his rewards. After all, the dead don't need their valuables, do they?
12-32-7-56 … no... 12-32-7-57... no...
You know, when I acquired my wealth I could have bought have bought manors, estates, even a small castle. What can a safe in an old womans run down home possible be to be worth our time. Can't you pick a better target?
“By “acquired” you mean “stole” and look what happened to you.”, said Marcus angrily turning back to his work “You were tortured, bound in chains, and buried alive for Christ's sake! I think one can learn from your mistakes and decide not to steal from people who can dump molten gold down your throat!”
… You need not remind me. The sentence was puntuated by rivulets of the molten yellow liquid streaming down his chest, over the thick rusted chains, and through the thick clumps of dirt that still clung to his once fine clothes before hitting the ground and steaming into a ethereal mist.
“Well then you can stop bothering me for give seconds while I-” CLICK
With a triumphant sound the handle clicks open, letting the safe door swing forward. Inside are a dusty passport, an old silver gravy boat, a massive photo album of a cat wearing different hats, and less than a 400 dollars in musty money.
Well, now we can retire from this life of crime...
“Shut up, Gold. Just shut up...”
TLDR
Marcus was a small time thief who tried for the big time in a vault robbery. However, he ended up locked inside an underground bank vault for nearly two weeks before a very surprised worker found him. With no food or water they found him inches from death in a nest he had constructed out of money.
During his time in the vault the Dead Man's Gold came to him and offered him a second chance. Gold was a swindler from a forgotten age. He stole noble's gold and their daughter's hearts. When he finally got in over his head, a coalition of embittered wealthy men put a stop to him once and for all by burying him alive.
After a speedy trial and a short sentence (With good behavior), Marcus was back on the street. And with his new partner, his is ready to stop stealing from the living. The dead however, have a lot of money they aren't using.
Crap. That got long too. This might be a trend.
This is good, there's a lot of ways you could go with this. For his Archetype you have some strong seeds for Reaper, Gatekeeper, and Advocate. What's the Threshold going to be, Silent? Forgotton? You could even swing a Cold elemental-based Torn (Justin and the Howling Man's anger is so hot it's collllllllllllllllld.)
Great work, don't apologize for the length, the more you give me, the more I can give back to you. Now, get you're sheet together!
@ Carmady- Good foundation, there's a lot to work with. Now do you think you could/ would want to specialize him as more socially oriented? Instead of a charmer, though, he could be a browbeater. As for your sheet take a look at the OP for some more concrete guidelines.
@ Everyone-
The scene that Moose typed out is a great attachment to a main brick character background text/ stats, because it shows me a typical "day in the life" of Moose's Sineater. It also displays both his relationship with his geist, and how it manifests/ acts. Moose's Archetype (Bonepicker?) is presented strongly as well.
If it's not too much trouble, I'd like everyone to type up a small little scene to accompany your sheets. It doesn't need to be more than a paragraph or so, but the more detail you give me, the more I have to work with. Show, don't tell. Try and feature both Archetype and Threshold, as well as a typical Bound/Geist interaction. Along with your list of Manifestation dots, could you also give a little mention as to what the most common ways your character would use them? You don't have to go Key by Key, Mani by Mani, just a basic little primer.
I am still tossing my sheet together. I am trying to figure out exactly what keys I want to use. I am debating using Passion and Stillness which might sort of gimp me combat wise.
Sorry bout my slowness, work + caught a cold + the new monkey island came out
I'm was going for an Advocate Prey when I wrote the concept. I'm going to go over the archetypes again before finalizing a choice though.
It's cool man. Don't forget you have 50 free exp so you could totally spend 10 on another Key. Don't worry about being some super soldier, either, challenges will be scaled with your abilities. Focus more on what you specialization would be- thievery. If you have any questions lemme know
@ Sevorak- I forgot about Prey, yeah that works better lol.
Name: Marcus LaGrange
Geist: The Dead Man's Gold
Virtue: Prudence
Vice: Greed
Archetype: Bonepicker
Threshold: The Silent
Character Sheet!
Intelligence - 1
Wits - 3
Resolve - 3
Strength - 1
Dexterity - 3
Stamina - 3
Presence - 2
Manipulation - 3
Composure - 1
Investigation - 1
Medicine - 1
Occult - 2
Larceny (Lockpicking) - 3
Stealth - 3
Weaponry - 2 (raised by 1 for 6 exp)
Persuasion (Fast talk) - 4
Socialize - 2
Streetwise (Black Market/Fencing) - 3
Subterfuge - 2
Psyche - 3 (3 merits + 16 exp)
Synergy - 7
Encyclopedic Knowledge (****)
Keys - Passion, Stillness, Grave Dirt (10 exp)
Caul - 3
Shroud - 2 (18 exp)
- Equipment -
Keystone - Heart of Gold (A wooden walking cane capped with a golden skull)
Passion, Stillness, Subterfuge
Carried:
Lockpicks (Concealed)
Pocket Knife
Not carried:
Shotgun (Nick name: Mr. Shotty)
Transportation:
Aging Porsche (Recent acquisition from a job)
Marcus LaGrange
Marcus is the type that is always looking for that one big score to end them all. He wants the big time. He wants to live the life, drive the cars, and swing with the best of them. Coming from a life poverty and nothing he is constantly trying to raise his station in life towards a goal that is always just out of reach.
The Dead Man's Gold
When manifesting his powers the chains around him shatter and drape around him like a royal cloak. Passion tends to make his gemstones and finery shine, while grave-dirt tends to enhance his more subterranean features.
From there, it doesn't take too long to find the body of Miss Maria Amber. At least they still file the same. I pop the door open and roll out a chilled corpse. I try not to vomit. They'd tried to clean her up, but there was only so much they could do. Somebody cut her up good. I pull up the Oracle, and touch her cleaner shoulder lightly.
I feel pain. Complete, total, pain. I feel something stick into my back. I feel lungs flooding with blood, a choking, gagging, cough...
I remove my hand. Getting stabbed has a distinct feel to it.
See, five years ago, this guy named Otto Lutz cracks. He starts talking about how the dead are watching him, telling him to do things. Maybe he was a sensitive. I don't know. Anyhow, he figures they're lonely. So he makes them friends, mostly by stabbing people. And to make sure they don't watch him too, he tears the hell out of their faces afterwards.
Sound reasoning, right?
Anyhow, the mayor denies that they've got a serial killer on the loose. The media does the opposite. The police won't comment. Meanwhile, people are dying. It's about three months before Lutz is caught. He gets a lethal injection, of course. Only reason I know any of this is that a friend of mine and I chatted while we took some golf clubs to the mayor's car. But for different reasons. Nobody really liked him.
Back in the present, I roll the tray back into its cubby and shut the door, turning to come face to face with a startled looking security guard. We stare at each other for a moment before he slowly raises a radio to his face.
"Tony, I've got some... punk in storage. You wanna call 911?"
The Man is amused. I'm not. I look towards the lights, and will the lights to die. It takes me a few tries, but soon the fluorescents flicker and fade. I hear the guard fumble and curse. Soon, he pulls out a flashlight, and the beam jumps around the room.
I'm not there.
At least, so it looks to him. In reality, I haven't moved. But the Caul does its work, and all the guard sees is rows of shelves. Shocked, he runs to a door, opens it, and swings the light around. Apparently concluding that I had gone that-a-way, he sprints through the doorway. I listen to the squawking of his radio fade before I leave the way I came. As I walk through the rain back to the hotel room, I feel The Man beside me.
Who is Lutz possessing?
It was a pointless conversation. He knew everything I knew. But he liked to talk, and I indulged him.
"I don't know. I think he's switching it up."
What will we do now?
"I think I can find where he is, or where one of his hosts is. I just needed to know it was him doing it."
And if we find Lutz...
"We find his tags and burn 'em."
His anchors?
"Whatever."
But if it's a host...
"We talk to 'em. Find out whatever we can about Lutz's habits."
His hosts, should they be in anyway aware, will consider themselves murderers. They'll admit nothing.
"They will."
I feel something cold in my hand and find the switchblade. I think I'm losing control of it. It keeps appearing when I don't want it. I hold it up anyhow.
"Can't be too hard to convince them to talk, right?"
The Man was pleased. We were moving forward, no matter the cost.
Name: Ted Higgs
Geist: The Man
Virtue: Hope
Vice: Pride
Archetype: Gatekeeper
Threshold: The Forgotten
Intelligence - 2
Wits - 3
Resolve - 2
Strength - 2
Dexterity - 4
Stamina - 2
Presence - 3
Manipulation - 3
Composure - 2
Crafts (Jury Rig) - 2
Investigation - 1
Medicine - 1
Occult - 1
Politics (Scandal) - 2
Athletics - 1
Brawl - 2
Firearms - 1
Larceny - 2
Stealth - 2
Weaponry - 3
Empathy - 1
Intimidation - 3
Persuasion - 1
Streetwise (Rumors) - 3
Subterfuge - 1
Fast Reflexes 1
Fighting Finesse (Knives) 2
Psyche - 3
Keys - Industrial, Stillness
Oracle 1
Rage 1
Shroud 2
- Exp -
Str 1-2 : 10 xp
Res 1-2 : 10 xp
Investigation 0-1 : 3 xp
Medicine 0-1 : 3 xp
Occult 0-1 : 3 xp
Empathy 0-1 : 3 xp
Subterfuge 0-1 : 3 xp
Fighting Finesse (Knives) : 6 xp
Haunt (Fluidity 1) 0-1 : 2 xp
Oracle 0-1 : 6 xp (Did that way wrong earlier)
(49 xp spent.)
- Equipment -
(I used Armory for this, let me know if that doesn't fly)
Keystone - Switchblade
Industrial, Stillness, Persuasion
Carried:
Lockpick Set (Say, +2 Bonus?)
Digital Camera
Not carried:
.38 Special (Not registered in Ted's name, should that be an issue)
Nice.
I'm just doing this for a rough draft; I was going to send you the sheet when we got to the final copy. If you want the current version, it's all written out.
Moose, you can use Foxit (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/) to save PDF edits.
On a happier front, I've really been inspired by Book of the Dead so I think I've got some good stuff for you all.
Just getting in character. 8-)
Alrighty, sheet is all sent.
I am on the west coast and i work weekdays generally 8 till 4ish. I am free M-Thurs evening generally but I am generally out debauching myself on the weekends. Sunday is a wildcard.
I'm looking over your sheets, the PCs are shaping up nicely. Now let's talk about the Krewe. I think the PCs should know eachother and be an "informal" krewe. (We can work out the relationship later.) It gives us room to expand as we RP into a true ceremonial krewe.
As for how they all know each other, we could just simply say we are some of the more powerful sin eaters (What with the 50 exp and all) and we have seen each other around the flesh fairs. If we all live in the same area (or even city) we would most likely be able to call in favors with one another to get help with a particularly nasty spirit. ("Marcus, I didn't want to have to bring this up, but you threw up in my car last month after Deb's Party. Time to pay up")
But that of course is the simplest solution. I am down for something more elaborate if we all feel like it.
Geist: The Howling Man
Virtue: Justice
Vice: Wrath
Archetype: Advocate
Threshold: The Prey
Intelligence - 3
Wits - 2
Resolve - 3
Strength - 2
Dexterity - 3
Stamina - 2
Presence - 2
Manipulation - 3
Composure - 2
Academics (Research) - 3
Computer - 2
Investigation (Crime Scenes) - 3
Occult - 2
Politics - 1
Athletics - 2
Brawl - 1
Firearms - 2
Stealth - 1
Survival - 2
Contacts (Columbia Faculty) - 1
Resources - 1
Eidetic Memory - 2
Psyche - 2
Keys - Cold Wind, Primeval
Boneyard 2
Shroud 2
Ceremonies - Pass On, Final Vision
- Exp -
Shroud 1-2 - 12
Animal Ken 0-2 - 9
Pass On - 2
Final Vision - 2
Composure 1-2 - 10
Persuasion 2-3 - 12
Brawl 0-1 - 3
50 spent
- Equipment -
Keystone - Canteen
Cold Wind, Primeval, Firearms
Not carried:
.38 Special
EDIT: like, do you guys think 50 is too much? I just noticed the section where it gives exp listings, and it has 35 exp as "established Sin-eaters" I had you guys envisioned as not being new on the street, but at the same time not having much influence (which was part of what our game would be about). If anyone here has some more experience with the systems, let me know, again this is my first time GMing.
You know what screw it. We're good with these sheets. I'll just up the stats for everything else. OK, we can say that the krewe knows eachother by reputation and occasionally working together. You all have your own little niches in the Bound Community, but until now you haven't seen any reason to to try and join another krewe.
I'll be giving each of you hooks (prolly in a PM) and your opening scenario soon. Hopefully all the sheeting and what not will be done by Monday. I'll prolly throw up some mroe flavor text soon to prep you for your first Chapter.
And remember, if you ever think something is too easy you can just beef the thing up a bit. I am a big fan of rule zero.
Also, before you do that too much remember my main combat tactic is pointing a shotgun at a beastie, saying "oh god oh god don't eat me", and then firing wildly in its direction. :P