Campaign (see previous post)
Feb. 26th, 2007 08:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackBased in Cambridge in our world is a small-medium cooperative agency employing about thirty people on and off, who hire out small teams of fighters, wizards, etc in other worlds to solve problems of all sorts. Most are from this world, a couple from Sun City, a few from other worlds with regular traffic. In exchange for a week of risk, danger, adventure and excitement you're paid enough to live very very comfortably at home the rest of the time. Most recently you're asked to join a team sent to Sun City.
Sun City, about the size of London, but with weather more like LA. A horrendous mix of modern amenities, mediavel architecture and weapons, and the occasional android, like every children's scifi cartoon you've ever seen. Fairly modern, though the concentration of fighters, wizards, etc make modern weapons useless, and the world a touch more dangerous and whole lot more fun.
Most people are ok if they keep their wits about them, and *you* can make mincemeat out of anyone harrassing you, but there's plenty of dark corners the police haven't figured out how to get rid of yet that'll cut off your nose if you poke it in uncautiously (large animals lurking in the bushes and snatching tourists and tramps, sinister temples, undead-infested under-sewers, touchy wizards who like their privacy). And of course, if you make too much of a fuss the police will talk to *you* -- they're not *all* canon fodder.
In the Big Tibet quarter, a variety of eastern-ish temples have slowly accumulated. The Temple of the Bright Sun, and Church of the Gibbous Moon are both descended from the same sect. The Church now specialise in serving cosmic balance by summoning minor demons and elementals to do their work for them, though are not one hundred percent good at this. The Temple now specialise in achieving enlightenment by being able to backflip and punch bricks.
The original sect used to revere an idol, a gold baby inset with jewels, with vague but impressive powers. Centuries ago some temples of the original sect got too uppity, and it was broken up, the idol being broken into several pieces and lost. The Church seek the idol for enlightenment and temporal power; the Temple think it is a distraction, dangerous, and an embarrassment and would prefer it remain lost.
Now rumours abound about where the pieces might be. At least one is thought to be in Sun City, and at least one in another world. The Temple hear the Church may be close to finding it, and hire your agency to do so first.
Notable NPCs. The mentor, Fyron. Only a couple of levels higher than you, but semi-retired, on retainer to the university, but kept around in the agency for advice and occasional support. Often the middle-man in arranging clients and teams.. Thin, generally wearing a crumpled suit and sometimes academic dress. Catchphrases: "Did you know the romans did that too?" and "My god, what did you get yourselves into now? OK, tell me everything and I'll see what I can do."
The guide, S. Zen. A monk of the Temple of the Bright Sun, assigned to show you round the temple and answer general questions. Tall, fit, generally wearing shell-suit trousers under a yellow robe. Quite good at hitting things, and full of childlike enthusiasm. He precipitously rushes in where he sees something that needs doing, and is eternally keen to try out a new weapon he really hasn't been trained with, even when he'd be a lot more effective with his bare hands. Catchphrases: "Whoah, dude, that's so cool. Can I have a go?" and "I'll save you, miss. Kiai-charge!"
Of course, this is all off the top of my head and would be changed round depending what sort of campaign I find we want.
Sun City, about the size of London, but with weather more like LA. A horrendous mix of modern amenities, mediavel architecture and weapons, and the occasional android, like every children's scifi cartoon you've ever seen. Fairly modern, though the concentration of fighters, wizards, etc make modern weapons useless, and the world a touch more dangerous and whole lot more fun.
Most people are ok if they keep their wits about them, and *you* can make mincemeat out of anyone harrassing you, but there's plenty of dark corners the police haven't figured out how to get rid of yet that'll cut off your nose if you poke it in uncautiously (large animals lurking in the bushes and snatching tourists and tramps, sinister temples, undead-infested under-sewers, touchy wizards who like their privacy). And of course, if you make too much of a fuss the police will talk to *you* -- they're not *all* canon fodder.
In the Big Tibet quarter, a variety of eastern-ish temples have slowly accumulated. The Temple of the Bright Sun, and Church of the Gibbous Moon are both descended from the same sect. The Church now specialise in serving cosmic balance by summoning minor demons and elementals to do their work for them, though are not one hundred percent good at this. The Temple now specialise in achieving enlightenment by being able to backflip and punch bricks.
The original sect used to revere an idol, a gold baby inset with jewels, with vague but impressive powers. Centuries ago some temples of the original sect got too uppity, and it was broken up, the idol being broken into several pieces and lost. The Church seek the idol for enlightenment and temporal power; the Temple think it is a distraction, dangerous, and an embarrassment and would prefer it remain lost.
Now rumours abound about where the pieces might be. At least one is thought to be in Sun City, and at least one in another world. The Temple hear the Church may be close to finding it, and hire your agency to do so first.
Notable NPCs. The mentor, Fyron. Only a couple of levels higher than you, but semi-retired, on retainer to the university, but kept around in the agency for advice and occasional support. Often the middle-man in arranging clients and teams.. Thin, generally wearing a crumpled suit and sometimes academic dress. Catchphrases: "Did you know the romans did that too?" and "My god, what did you get yourselves into now? OK, tell me everything and I'll see what I can do."
The guide, S. Zen. A monk of the Temple of the Bright Sun, assigned to show you round the temple and answer general questions. Tall, fit, generally wearing shell-suit trousers under a yellow robe. Quite good at hitting things, and full of childlike enthusiasm. He precipitously rushes in where he sees something that needs doing, and is eternally keen to try out a new weapon he really hasn't been trained with, even when he'd be a lot more effective with his bare hands. Catchphrases: "Whoah, dude, that's so cool. Can I have a go?" and "I'll save you, miss. Kiai-charge!"
Of course, this is all off the top of my head and would be changed round depending what sort of campaign I find we want.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-28 04:38 pm (UTC)Both. If everyone else has a sixth level character, and I have two, I'm basically better than everyone else, and take up more of the combat round.
-And- I don't really want two seperate D&D characters; I proposed the idea for the roleplaying opportunity rather than any potential stat tweaks I might enjoy.
There's details to work out, but we know what we want to gestalt to look like, so we can work back from there. Does that make sense?
If what you're saying is that we can craft the numbers to get what we want, then yes. Otherwise, no.
if you'd like to see them able to split up you could craft appropriate drawbacks.
I think a decent model is one of a consciousness 'cloud', where the body has to be enveloped in the cloud to function. It can move and stretch, but only to a certain extent, and the 'thinner' it stretches itself, the less control it has (this would amount to some circumstance penalty to saves, attacks etc.)
If the bodies are seperated, it could well be that only one can be conscious at a time; the entity simply can't stretch far enough. So if the teenager is kidnapped, the party would be subject to a five year old barbarian utterly freaking out =P
For the purposes of saves, I say under ordinary circumstances they share a save, as the reflex of one will be equivalent to that of the other. However, if some strenuous activity is performed (anything that involves delicate and/or powerful movement, or concentration), it might be that the character I'm focusing on is granted a +2 to saves, while the slack one takes a -2 penalty.
If you're the sort of DM who likes the "You've been stabbed in the eye. You're now blind!" style of play, we could try to keep track of which one is injured where, but I think it'll be simpler to have a simple hit point total.
We could work out precise details on Sunday/Monday.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-28 05:01 pm (UTC)Yeah. But don't worry I'll only propose things in line with a normal power level. The concept could be *open* to abuse, but only if you try hard, and you're not going to do that :)
take up more of the combat round.
That's what I'd like to avoid, there can so easily be too much faff with ordinary classes already :)
I proposed the idea for the roleplaying opportunity rather than any potential stat tweaks I might enjoy.
Sorry, yes, I know. And is good. I know it's not *necessary* but I like to have the idea straight in my head so when -- inevitably -- it comes up (eg. someone is kidnapped and wants to fight her way out), I'll have some idea of what she should be able to do and some rules to apply. And also, it might be useful some other time. One day I might have characters who meld into a GIANT ROBOT :)
I think a decent model is one of a consciousness 'cloud', where the body has to be enveloped in the cloud to function.
Hah, ok, I like that idea. That makes sense to me.
If you're the sort of DM who likes the "You've been stabbed in the eye. You're now blind!" style of play
Actually, I haven't played *very much* so I'm still not sure what sort of DM I am... Keeping track of things in general terms (eg. you are attacked by forty kobolds. *eschews dice* 5% of them make a critical hit...) makes sense. But you should certainly have the possibility of one body go through a door first and zapped by a fireball, and fall unconscious, leaving the other to act as best she can...
We could work out precise details on Sunday/Monday.
Yeah. (I do hope we'll get together. There's half a dozen people *hopefully* playing, but I'm not exactly sure who really will. I should let you know shortly). We should get together to talk about idea (though that's mostly sorted) but the mechanics will only be boring to other people :)
Option 4 -- ok, this sounds ok
Date: 2007-02-28 06:02 pm (UTC)The two girls have different bodies, but invariably are right next to each other, participating in the same conversation. Often they work together like one person with four arms, which in a way they are, even if they also react to things differently sometimes too. In combat they'll almost always be fighting together, surrounding someone or going back to back.
When they're separated by about 10 feet they become distressed. Any more and one falls unconscious, the gestalt animating only the other. If she chooses, or if she's knocked unconscious, the gestalt can find its way back to the other, but with difficulty.
Mechanics
In DND terms, when they're together they act as a 6th level barbarian (or other level/class), and spells, traps, etc act on them both together. Damage is assumed to affect them equally, so in normal combat they will be knocked unconscious at the same time. The exceptions are:
(i) If one acts individually (either because the other is there but not doing anything, or because they're separated) she has half the hit points, half the attack bonus, and half the strength bonus.
(ii) If a non-area attack saps half the remaining hit points at once, one girl is assumed knocked unconscious.
(iii) If a non-mental spell affects only one creature, it does. Eg. a ghoul touch would paralyse one but not the other. (But damage is just treated like normal)
Does that sound simple enough?
Re: Option 4 -- ok, this sounds ok
Date: 2007-02-28 10:32 pm (UTC)Although the 10 feet limit to unconsciousness is a bit steep. If I get bull rushed I'll lose have my stats and won't get it back until my other body recovers.
I think 10 feet is sufficient for causing distress, and beyond that, act as if individual (half stats), but don't lose consciousness until a much greater distance (25 feet?) so both my bodies can make efforts to be reconnected.
Re: Option 4 -- ok, this sounds ok
Date: 2007-03-01 02:09 am (UTC)If I get bull rushed I'll lose have my stats and won't get it back until my other body recovers.
Of course, the rules as they were written don't *let* you be bull-rushed, because you act as a Barbarian and you can't bull rush only half of a character :) And even if you were, you're not wiped out -- one of your bodies will still be conscious, and the other is only incapacitated so long as it's 10' away, if you can rejoin, you would have been immediately ok.
But yes, that compromise is fine. I only suggested unconsciousness because it fit the flavour and because if they *can* act separately I'd rather have some proper stats for it, but saying half-stats is ok for now, as it won't come up often.