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[OOC] Urban Arcana One-Shot
JacquesCousteau
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
The Urban Arcana Campaign Setting for d20 modern combines our modern world with a more fantastic one where magic and monsters are real and where adventurers still rule. Your big ugly neighbour with a penchant for fighting and drums might be an orc and that newscaster who you can't take your eyes off might be working with something more than his natural charm. In the world of Urban Arcana, very little is as it seems and once you pull back the veil, you can never go back.
One of my favorite PBP games took place in the Urban Arcana setting, and thusly I was hoping to whip up a low-level one shot (or two) for the boards here. Having never DMed before I was going to run one of the modules from the book for a first taste and then if it goes well, continue into my own little story. As I don't particularly like the idea of shadow creatures popping out of the ether from time to time and the poorly explained reasons why they fit in, this campaign will feature a world in which humans don't remember a time before the shadowkind were here and are both aware and used to them. Although this takes away from some of the themes of Urban Arcana, I think it should still lead to an interesting game with more options for the players.
The setting is in current times, in a small, quickly growing city where the adventurers live, or are passing through. Although the expansion is financially good for the city, the gap between the rich and poor is increasing exponentially as criminal organizations and megacorps make grabs for the city's future. The majority of the populace therefore lives in Old Town, where mob toughs from Downtown shake down business owners for protection, drug dealers walk the streets unbarred and dirty cops turn a blind eye. Downtown is much the same, but with bigger stakes and where the rich folk watch safely from penthouses and bulletproof limos. Again, since it is a one shot the story will probably be rather linear, although with the flexibility of PBP I might be able to accomodate some exploration.
For character creation I was hoping for level 1 characters of any race with LA < 3 using a 29 point buy or you can request to have me roll your stats with old 4d6 drop lowest method and let you assign them. I have quite a few d20 modern books, and as long as you can reference any feats, etc. that aren't in the core rules you can probably have them. Since this is a one shot (even though I enjoy RP) I don't expect a hugely detailed character background and if you want to apply, just give me an idea you have for a character and their reason for being in town and we can go from there.
Characters:
Horseshoe: Brendan The Brick Doyle
jdarksun: The Bug
INeedNoSalt: Jainna
JacquesCousteau on
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Could you roll me a pregenerated character?
I'd play whatever you decided on, and I'm good at improvising RP from a provided backstory.
(I like the challenge of pregens, and I don't mind being the "plot device" character).
I could give you pointers, however.
As far as getting some pointers, that would be awesome Mithrandir, as although I have a bit of a story arc in mind, I'm not quite sure about what NPC's to include or other little immersion tricks like that. If you want to play JD, it's pretty simple and you're definitely welcome. I figure the start will be whenever we get enough people or if only a few want to join then when they're all ready (more can be added later).
Surprise me.
EDIT: EL's will just make your character's experience "act" at a different level, so for EL+2 races, you will need the experience of a level 3 to move to class level 2 (IE you will start with 3000/6000 xp instead of 0/1000)
What's funny is, I was thinking on it. "I do like Urban Arcana's setting... but I really, really hate d20 modern."
If you're doing PBP, I could probably force deal with it. I'd probably make a Drow something-or-other.
You should take a look at Horseshoe's Star Wars PBP, which I think is handling my biggest problem with d20 in general (the lack of cinematic excellence because of overwhelming rules) pretty well.
Edit: I can imagine playing an Aasimar Fast Hero paladin-hero-with-a-gun, that'd be awesome.
Well, I'm not sure what JD is thinking, but I'm sure if he also wants a fast hero I could always accomodate (just send more guns after you
If there's an empty slot I'm definitely in, though.
Don't have my books handy but I'm probably going to look at aiming to be a Shadowjack eventually.
I'll toss together a sheet and get some stats rolled up by you whenever you get a chance.
It's not ECL 1, just Class Level 1. So you can be a LA+2 race, you'll just be stuck at level 1 longer than everyone else.
I think.
This is true. And also, JD your character sheet is fine, except as tiefling you forego the additional starting feat of humans, so you only get 1 (Point Blank Shot if you choose to keep it). I probably should've mentioned that when I PMed you the racial stats. And also, in your experience tally, it should say 0/2000. Otherwise it's looking good.
I can't afford to buy anything else if I buy a pistol that isn't a revolver.
Likewise if I buy a bullet-proof vest.
Blah, the woes of police-officerdom.
I present Jaina, Aasimar Fast 1 Beat cop. Terrible counter to the Tiefling criminal. I don't have all of her equipment on there, because I have to figure out how to get her armor, a weapon, and other stuff without dropping to 0 wealth instantly.
car opening kit, cellphone, chemical light sticks (5), clothing (casual), colt double eagle, disguise kit, evidence kit (basic), fire extinguisher, first aid kit, flashlight (penlight), flashlight (standard), handcuffs (steel), holster (hip), holster (concealed carry), lock release gun, map (road atlas), metal baton, multipurpose tool, patrol box, pepper spray, Ruger Service-Six, sap, search-and-rescue kit, speed loader, spike strip, stun gun, undercover vest, uniform.
And with a wealth bonus of +5 you get a beretta M3P, and an evidence kit (presumably deluxe).
Whoever decided to take the wealth system and apply randomized starting funds to it is an idiot, and also, I hate how little room for variation there is between the Hero types.
So blah, count me out. I don't want to have to play off being a police officer who can't even manage standard issue gear, and I don't want to be a carbon copy of another character.
Nah, don't worry about it. Your character was in and done first, anyway.
Because you can't take Double Tap until level 2? o_O
My train of thought on my character didn't get past "I can't have a gun and body armor? Well what the fuck, that's standard gear. THANKS, retarded wealth rules!"
I guess I can understand planning a character out, but since it's a one-shot, I don't see looking too far in advance as a necessity.
I took Evasion instead of +5 Move Speed and Armor Proficiency instead of PBShot because I wanted to differentiate my cop from your criminal, which was the only real design decision I made.
I don't know what the hell an occupation kit is, I read his post as "Here's stuff police officers probably have, with your 5 wealth you can afford... these two."
I think it was: here's your starting package, and with 5 wealth you can upgrade these two items.
It was absolutely a blast and was one of the finest campaigns I have ever run.
It's also a completely ridiculous setting and you can't even hope to take it seriously.
Horse is right, all those items are yours plus those two bonus ones for your +5 wealth (Of course it drops you to 0 wealth though). The Modern Player's Companion book has really handy (and awesome) starting packages. Horse's character was 1 wealth point away from a Chevy Cavalier (ha).
EDIT: Also INNS, your character sheet looks fine, except you forgot to give yourself +1 base reflex save (for fast hero).
EDIT2: Also also, you forgot your +2 racial bonus to listen and spot.
Well this changes things. >>
Binoculars (standard), bolt cutters, brass knuckles, briefcase, car opening kit, cell phone, clothing (business), clothing (casual), disguise kit, duct tape, duffle bag, fake ID, flashlight (standard), flask (ha), holster (concealed carry), knife, leather jacket, lockpick set, money belt, Pathfinder, sap, suppressor (pistol). And your wealth +5 items: Desert Eagle, sawed-off shotgun (This almost seems overpowered, but I can deal if you guys want a healthy challenge).
I dig criminal tiefling just on account of having a cop aasimar.