General WoD Discussion #5: Chronicles of Duty: Modern Darkness

[Warpwolf16]

Howdy, I need advice about how to handle XP. I am thinking of running a Play by Post game of Werewolf:tA20. How do other storytellers handle experience in the medium of a forum game?

Also anyone have opinions of Werewolf 20th?

[SaurOps]

Howdy, I need advice about how to handle XP. I am thinking of running a Play by Post game of Werewolf:tA20. How do other storytellers handle experience in the medium of a forum game?

Also anyone have opinions of Werewolf 20th?

W20 could have changed a few more misnomers among Traits and articles of lore, but it's presently the best version of W:tA, and I don't look to the future of Paradox Wolf with many high hopes, given everything from BNS's Werewolf LARP rules and setting and the apparent focus on LARP that WWP seems to have.

[AshfireMage]

Good news! I may have managed to convince one of my friends (who I think would really enjoy V:tM) to play with me. We were kicking around character ideas, and she seemed to really click with the idea of a Toreador.

Now, I've never played a rose before. Although my observation indicates that it's one of the harder base clans to screw up completely (obviously there's still skill involved in playing a really good one, but it doesn't seem like the the kind of clan where you can go ridiculously and horribly wrong very easily if you use common sense). She also seems most inclined to play a young character, which will probably also help.

What I'm looking for is tips for playing the clan (or the game in general, although I can help her with that) from a newbie lore standpoint. She's already pretty familiar with rp-type things (we're DnD buddies) and we're playing online using a ruleset that's been modified heavily enough that any mechanical advice would be unlikely to be useful.

Thanks!

[Sith_Happens]

In other news, Stranger Things = great CoD inspiration.

[RavensLand]

My group is batting around playing a WoD game, Hunter or Changling the Dreaming with things leaning towards changling. I've played VtM before and was wondering how much a difference mechanically there might be. Some of the terminology in changling has been difficult to grasp, does anyone know a place that lays it out better than the books?

[SaurOps]

My group is batting around playing a WoD game, Hunter or Changling the Dreaming with things leaning towards changling. I've played VtM before and was wondering how much a difference mechanically there might be. Some of the terminology in changling has been difficult to grasp, does anyone know a place that lays it out better than the books?

There are slight deviations in Ability grouping in older WW games, and M20. You should probably ignore them and use the Vampire or Werewolf lists; Changeling can just swap out Primal-Urge for Kenning and Rituals for Gremayre with that approach, and imbued can use a more or less normal hunter's sheet.

I'm not really sure where the specific issue is with terminology. Is it a confusion between chimerical vs. real damage? Fae vs mortal seemings? Chimerical vs. Wyrd cantrips? How to use Arts and Realms together?

Changelings have fae and mortal seemings. Most of the time, their fae self is out but unseen because people need to be enchanted or around a changeling when they call upon the Wyrd and make dreams reality in order to see it. It's only not out if you suffer chimerical death (q.v.)

Chimerical damage is a special odd category that measures how close a changeling's mystical self (read their fae mien) is to being beaten into quiescence. Whether or not it gets divided into bashing and lethal wasn't broached in 2nd edition, on account of it being pre-Revised, but it "kills" in a dramatic way where you can "come back to life" after a bit; it leaves your human self unharmed (refer to The Mists chart to determine how long the changeling's fae mien is out for). Real damage cuts into both, and kills as usual. Death by iron also kills the reincarnating fae soul, and can result in the changeling becoming a ghost.

Chimerical cantrips only affect the Dreaming and things of it, leaving the real, physical world unaffected. Wyrd cantrips have a real world effect (they don't require calling upon the Wyrd to use; a changeling that does call upon the Wyrd casts only Wyrd cantrips while in that state, however).

Arts are effects that a changeling can produce. Realms describe what the changeling can apply them toward. Just affecting people requires some degree in the Actors Realm, while affecting manufactured objects requires Prop and natural objects, Nature. Affecting things of the Dreaming requires Fae. All of these have a very specifically-targed effect unless you also have Scene to affect an area, and take place right then and there, unless you have Time to delay the effect. While there aren't many Realms, because they're meant to include a broad, fairly all-encompassing list of things that can be affected, Arts are many and diverse, ranging from commanding lower-ranking fae to do your bidding (Sovereign) to various different forms of movement (Wayfare) to heating and setting things on fire (Pyretics) or chilling them and encasing them in ice (Kryos).

As a special note, if you have Fae 4, you can counter other changelings' cantrips.

[Grytorm]

Ah hello again. Nothing that useful to say but I got a copy of Hunter the Vigil: Witchfinders(?) for $16. Not bad.

[Morty]

Witchfinders was a bit disappointing. I felt like it focused too much on the "burn the witch" aspect, whereas there's so many ways hunters might interact with magic-users. One interesting thing it did, though, was the Mysteries. They gave us a middle ground between minor dabblers from Second Sight and Awakened Mages, who are so stupidly powerful that meaningful interaction with hunters is impossible. The "middle tier" witches had more to their name than rituals and/or minor psychic powers, without casually warping reality.

[Silus]

I've a ruling question regarding a call by the GM/DM/ST during my last Vampire 2E game.

So my actions during the game cost two party members some Humanity and their Touchstones and I'm sitting here like "...Wait something don't add up".

So we kidnap some random lady off the streets of NYC with the intent on turning her into a "juice box" (note: Not my idea). We knock her out, get her back to the base, and put her under the knife. Her limbs are surgically removed, as is her tongue and eyes, then she's turned into a vampire and put into a harness in the basement.

So my guy, who is...well unhinged is putting it lightly (He's an absolute sadist and all around monster even by vampire standards, more like the Major from Hellsing than anything really) decides "Hey, waste not" and picks up one of the discarded limbs for a snack. Bam, humanity loss for that. Not for the whole kidnapping, mutilation, and eternal-imprisonment-while-being-eaten-daily-by-the-vampires-that-imprisoned-you thing, but because my guy (who I remind you is like OWoD Malkavian levels of insane) opts for a light bit of cannibalism.

What's done is done but I was kinda wondering what ya'll's thoughts would be on this. Seems a bit...unbalanced in the ruling. (Edit: Not saying I wasn't expecting a humanity hit for the cannibalism, but what's the deal with no humanity loss for the juice box treatment?)

And on a totally UNRELATED note I discovered Princess: The Hopeful and holy crap I wanna play it so bad. Might need to wait for the group to start up a Hunter game though :/

[Milo v3]

I've a ruling question regarding a call by the GM/DM/ST during my last Vampire 2E game.

So my actions during the game cost two party members some Humanity and their Touchstones and I'm sitting here like "...Wait something don't add up".

It's really odd that the rather monstrous acts didn't ping humanity....

[Morty]

The parade of monstrousness definitely should have caused several humanity breaking points, yes. Not having any until the arm-snack things strikes me as weird, to say the least.

[Silus]

It's really odd that the rather monstrous acts didn't ping humanity....

Funny thing is, apparently I didn't lose any humanity, just those that witnessed it XD

[Milo v3]

Did the GM at the very least have people lose humanity for embracing the victim?

[Silus]

Did the GM at the very least have people lose humanity for embracing the victim?

Yup. Well one guy lost humanity for embracing the victim.

[Sydonai]

If I remember this correctly the Diamond Order once offered the Free Council the position of "Rule breaker"/"Rebel" in Atlantean symbology.
They refused the offer, but how would the setting be different if they had accepted?

[Sian]

Paradox Interactive have just announced that they have a Werewolf: The Apocalypse game underway... Partnering with Cyanide (as developer) and Focus Home Interactive (as co-publisher, focusing on a console port, I guess?)

Linky

I'm intrigued ...

[Morty]

In other news, we finally have an outline for Hunter: the Vigil 2e. Hopefully we'll start getting more information now.

[Milo v3]

In other news, we finally have an outline for Hunter: the Vigil 2e. Hopefully we'll start getting more information now.

Very different outline to the other Core 2e books, which makes sense since you can't really have chapter 1 be the pick your clan & covenant when a hunter might not even be in a compact or conspiracy.

[Sith_Happens]

Paradox Interactive have just announced that they have a Werewolf: The Apocalypse game underway... Partnering with Cyanide (as developer) and Focus Home Interactive (as co-publisher, focusing on a console port, I guess?)

Linky

I'm intrigued ...

Huh, I pretty much took it for granted that their first game would be Vampire, was not expecting it to be Werewolf instead.

[Sydonai]

Huh, I pretty much took it for granted that their first game would be Vampire, was not expecting it to be Werewolf instead.

They already had two Vampire games.
Also three almost-in-name-only Hunter beat-em-up games, and an aborted werewolf game.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampir...%93_Redemption
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampir...%93_Bloodlines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter...g_(video_game)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter...oning:_Wayward
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter...ning:_Redeemer
http://whitewolf.wikia.com/wiki/Were..._Heart_of_Gaia

[Sith_Happens]

I meant "they" as in Paradox Interactive, who were involved in none of the games you just listed.

[Anonymouswizard]

Huh, I pretty much took it for granted that their first game would be Vampire, was not expecting it to be Werewolf instead.

To be honest I was also completely expecting Vampire, they've certainly focused on it enough. My theory is that you're going to be a surprise White Howler who has to prove they aren't a Black Spiral Dancer.

Of course, I'm hoping for being able to pick your Tribe/Auspice/Breed, because I'll darn well be playing it at least twice (once as a Glass Walker and once as a Silver Fang, to see how much it changes) if that's the case.

Now to wants, I hope it's story-based while still having an open-world, and I definitely want the main character to be part of a pack. I'm really interested to see what they'll do with the five forms, I suspect there's going to be a focus on Homid and Crinos, which is a shame because Glabro, Hispo, and Lupus are also interesting (Hispo and Glabro as alternative combat forms, and Lupus to add in some fun movement mechanics). I'll likely be happy if they just give me a decent sized town/city and surrounding countryside to run around in lupus form.

Actually, I can see shifting between forms being important for getting around in the game. If I'm unable to shift to Homid to climb onto a roof before shifting to Lupus to jump off it I'll be highly annoyed.

So yeah, I'm intrigued, but half because I highly prefer the setting of Apocalypse to Masquerade, and half because if well made we could have some very interesting mechanics.

[Sydonai]

To be honest I was also completely expecting Vampire, they've certainly focused on it enough. My theory is that you're going to be a surprise White Howler who has to prove they aren't a Black Spiral Dancer.

So, Heart of Gaia?
edit: warning, it's just as much of a gorefest as you would expect.

[Grytorm]

Hello again, remembered a plot idea I had for a hypothetical game of Promethean the Created that will never happen.

The plot would be the PCs find flyers with pilgrim marks on them inviting people to a revival meeting in the American west, maybe Nevada. This could be the method used to draw the Throng together out of character. The place where they end up would be a tad bewildering with a mixture of stereotypical middle class people and counterculture groups including a heavily tattooed biker gang in attendance. If the PCs ask about the flyers they get told that the leader made them. Socialization and pursuit of the pilgrimage would occur. Eventually things would start to break down and the players would meet the organizer as they are forced to leave. He tells them some supernatural figure (Quashmal) told him to tell them to move eastwards for some vague reason.

After that the next story would involve the players travelling across the desert. They would be trapped by a freak rainstorm in an abandoned structure inhabited by Pandorans. Mostly wanted to share my thoughts.

[fishyfishyfishy]

Hi guys, I'm preparing for a M20 Chronicle that I'll be running in a month or two. It's a game where the player characters are members of the Technocratic Union who are in a special division that attempts to save mankind from the horrors of the supernatural. Theme and mood is a cross between various media like The X-Files, Stranger Things, Men In Black, Ghostbusters, Fringe, Warehouse 13, and Torchwood. The idea is to capture the feel of covert government-type agents dispatched to solve mysterious and often horrific events occurring all over the country. Each story will highlight a different city or town that is experiencing its own supernatural phenomena. The player characters will be from all over the county, and occasional scenes will take place in their homes and show a bit of their life outside the Union. Each story arc will begin with a debriefing in headquarters, followed by the James Bond-esq equipment scene, and then deployment. From there the players will choose their own path to unraveling mysteries and advancing the plot. Meta-plot and other game lines are mostly ignored. The Avatar Storm/Dimensional Anomaly occurred and has faded away by this point, though I'm not sure if I should stick with that for reasons I'll mention below. The Technocracy has gone through some changes due to losing contact with their leadership, and more moderate-to-less-extreme leaders have taken charge in their place. Other supernaturals exist, but for the purposes of this chronicle the Mage cosmology is assumed to be the correct one and any such characters that show up will either be enemies or short term NPCs. Each story is self contained, though they are all connected in a way. The players will take on various supernatural threats across the country which are all seemingly unconnected. I was considering using Threat Null as the main cross-story antagonist through this chronicle. Perhaps I should use the plot arc that the Dimensional Anomaly is being maintained by the Void Engineers to keep them at bay? What thoughts does the playground have?

[Sith_Happens]

Quick CofD question: can angels conceive children?

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Demons can, I see no reason why Angels couldn't.

[Milo v3]

Demons can, I see no reason why Angels couldn't.

Demons can because they are physical beings and biologically identical to human, Angel on the otherhand are ephemera even when materialised.

Angels don't even have hormones or a pulse, so if one was meant to have a child I'd imagine it'd be through possessing a human or some succubus style "first part of the occult matrix is collecting DNA from x cult, second part is processing DNA through y ritual, third part is materializing an angel which outputs that DNA, fourth part is performing z ritual which grants said angel a cover which gives it oppertunity to output the occult genetic material".

[SaurOps]

They already had two Vampire games.
Also three almost-in-name-only Hunter beat-em-up games, and an aborted werewolf game.

Two aborted Werewolf games, one of which was going to be made by Capcom (the Street Fighter RPG deal was originally going to go both ways, but things went south). Granted, it's not very impressive, since it makes a Crinos Werewolf wallop things many times before they die, but it was in development for a bit.

[AshfireMage]

Quick mechanical question: Do vampires lose Humanity for things they do under the influence of Dominate?

I know it's difficult to use the discipline to force people to defy their nature, but difficult is not impossible, and depending on the individual, it's quite possible for there to be a lot of horrible things that aren't truly opposed to their nature, but still not something they'd do normally.

Sorry, just occurred to me while trying to figure out an appropriate humanity score for a character.