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View Full Version : Using nWoD for an Ancient Roman Sci-fi First Contact political intrigue



Ichneumon
2010-08-10, 08:55 AM
So, I had this idea for an Ancient Roman Sci-fi First Contact political intrigue game in which my players would play people from the Ancient Roman era (like Roman militia, gladiators, celts, etc) who, while traveling by boat to Italy, get in a huge storm and their boat gets thrown to the moon where they make first contact to Bug-faced humanoids. The aliens first think they are gods and everything goes well, until a war brakes lose between 2 factions and the players have to chose sides and fight of assassins, while trying to find a way to return home.

Now, I'd like to use the nWoD system for this and would like to know what problems I might face. Currently, I only own the core nWoD book and Geist: the Sin-eaters. I wouldn't be against buying more books, but only if it would really add to the game.

Now, the core game book has a chart for archaic armor and melee weapons so I think that will go fine. I am aware I'll have to create the stats for any aliens and such myself, but I think I can handle that, I've always been good at fudging statistics for NPCs.

Anyway, I'm just asking advise and opinions.

Kurald Galain
2010-08-10, 09:04 AM
I would say that nWOD is an extremely versatile system and is quite capable of handling this.

It's worth considering to add or remove some skills pertaining to the setting. A standard one is replacing firearms by archery, and drive by charioteering; I believe that's in the manual. Also, replace computer with bureaucracy, and occult with religion.

Aside from that, I would recommend adding some kind of Social Rank stat (because that tends to be rather important in Rome) and skills for Xenology, Alien Tech, and Lunar Science. At the time of first contact, these would of course all be zero.

JeenLeen
2010-08-10, 09:26 AM
Are the PCs going to have any supernatural powers, or are the Sin-eater powers those held by the aliens?

I could see both working. Mundane humans having to deal with the alien mentality which I've heard is sometimes in Geist sounds interesting.

Ichneumon
2010-08-10, 09:31 AM
Actually, I wasn't planning on using Geist at all, and if I'd use it only for the aliens. I only mentioned it because it is one of the two books I own.

Oracle_Hunter
2010-08-10, 10:19 AM
I suppose you could do it - just tweak the skills or somesuch. The biggest problem has always been about scaling the damage between "primative" weapons and modern ones, so keep an eye out for that.

I mean, there are probably better systems for this sort of game out there, but if you only have nWoD go right ahead.

What exactly are you worried about? :smallconfused: