Selrahc
2011-03-24, 02:26 PM
I've been reading Equinox Road and I liked the idea of a high powered World of Darkness game, with a changeling focus. I'm planning to run one for my group next summer, but with the possibility of adding in other supers.
And therein lies the question. I can be sure that if I keep it to changeling things will at least be somewhat in keeping. If I add in other splats.. I'm not sure what would result.
First thing. Are there any high power merits available for the other supers? Equinox road is fairly full of them for Changelings.
Second things.
The character creation method I had in mind was this:
Standard character gen except:
Powerstat=5 to start (Primal Urge, Wyrd etc.)
150xp
11 merit dots.
+2 dots of attributes
+5 dots of skills, and 1 free speciality
+2 dots of powers (Transmutation, Arcana etc.)
Higher power stat can be bought once for 5 merit dots.
Morality can be lowered by up to 3 points, each giving 10xp.
Now this should make really powerful characters.
Does it give too much power to any splat though? Should I intentionally limit down the powers of a particular group? Can anyone see any particularly big problems?
Specifics of the story are in spoilers.
The Lost Crusade.
Intro
A legendary group of 5 Changelings, the Thorns of Echidna, has been operating around the world. Active since the 20s, they really ramped up their activities on a global scale in the late 50s. Interfering with supernatural events everywhere, and smashing the schemes of the gentry wherever they could find them.
A decade ago, they vanished. Rumours about their disappearance abounded.
Now however, one of them has returned.
His reappearance has set the world of the lost ablaze. He is rallying a crusade, to establish a permanent foothold in arcadia, through which to enact large scale rescue attempts of others who have been captured and eventually to bring down the gentry wholescale. He has the secret to allow easy travel between arcadia and the hedge, letting large groups travel there.
Large amounts of the lost have flocked to the banner. Large scale preparations for the crusade are under way.
This is where the players come in. They're exceptionally powerful creatures, known to the Changeling through his prior adventures. He has tasked them to be his chief recruiters of more interesting allies, while he focusses on rallying the greater community of the lost.
Vague story structure...
Act 1.
Consists of following various leads to acquire powerful allies.
Mainly to establish setting and provide recurring characters, as well as get the players used to the power level they are at.
It is the main point where other supernatural settings than changeling will come into play. And they will only recur later if the players or their allies have some involvement with the settings.
Changelings will probably see a lot of merit in the idea(if they think it can succeed), the other factions will need to be bribed or otherwise convinced to help.
I don't expect the game to break at all here. Big powerful potential allies, and it is legitimate to use any measure to convince them to join up. I kind of just want them all to show off to the fullest extent at this stage, and I'll hopefully be able to give them all something to do.
Act 2.
Kicks off when 2 members of the Thorns Motley return, and reveal that there is a traitor at the highest levels of the crusade. This coincides with large scale attacks on the base. The players must prove their own innocence, while hunting down the real traitor.
Obviously when we get to a more predefined plot point, there is more potential for things to break down.
Act 3.
Obviously there is a lot to go wrong in act 2. But as planned act 3 would be the assault on Arcadia.
The players should discover the big secret here, that the entire reason behind the crusade is a lie. Or at best a side effect. The real reason behind the actions of the Thorns is to rescue one of their members, who had transformed into a member of the True Fae. Whether the crusade is successful in its professed motive is going to be up to the players.
Of course this is all just a rough outline. I'll need to do a lot of mechanics work for Arcadia if I ever get there. They will likely be somewhat screwy and dreamlike.
And therein lies the question. I can be sure that if I keep it to changeling things will at least be somewhat in keeping. If I add in other splats.. I'm not sure what would result.
First thing. Are there any high power merits available for the other supers? Equinox road is fairly full of them for Changelings.
Second things.
The character creation method I had in mind was this:
Standard character gen except:
Powerstat=5 to start (Primal Urge, Wyrd etc.)
150xp
11 merit dots.
+2 dots of attributes
+5 dots of skills, and 1 free speciality
+2 dots of powers (Transmutation, Arcana etc.)
Higher power stat can be bought once for 5 merit dots.
Morality can be lowered by up to 3 points, each giving 10xp.
Now this should make really powerful characters.
Does it give too much power to any splat though? Should I intentionally limit down the powers of a particular group? Can anyone see any particularly big problems?
Specifics of the story are in spoilers.
The Lost Crusade.
Intro
A legendary group of 5 Changelings, the Thorns of Echidna, has been operating around the world. Active since the 20s, they really ramped up their activities on a global scale in the late 50s. Interfering with supernatural events everywhere, and smashing the schemes of the gentry wherever they could find them.
A decade ago, they vanished. Rumours about their disappearance abounded.
Now however, one of them has returned.
His reappearance has set the world of the lost ablaze. He is rallying a crusade, to establish a permanent foothold in arcadia, through which to enact large scale rescue attempts of others who have been captured and eventually to bring down the gentry wholescale. He has the secret to allow easy travel between arcadia and the hedge, letting large groups travel there.
Large amounts of the lost have flocked to the banner. Large scale preparations for the crusade are under way.
This is where the players come in. They're exceptionally powerful creatures, known to the Changeling through his prior adventures. He has tasked them to be his chief recruiters of more interesting allies, while he focusses on rallying the greater community of the lost.
Vague story structure...
Act 1.
Consists of following various leads to acquire powerful allies.
Mainly to establish setting and provide recurring characters, as well as get the players used to the power level they are at.
It is the main point where other supernatural settings than changeling will come into play. And they will only recur later if the players or their allies have some involvement with the settings.
Changelings will probably see a lot of merit in the idea(if they think it can succeed), the other factions will need to be bribed or otherwise convinced to help.
I don't expect the game to break at all here. Big powerful potential allies, and it is legitimate to use any measure to convince them to join up. I kind of just want them all to show off to the fullest extent at this stage, and I'll hopefully be able to give them all something to do.
Act 2.
Kicks off when 2 members of the Thorns Motley return, and reveal that there is a traitor at the highest levels of the crusade. This coincides with large scale attacks on the base. The players must prove their own innocence, while hunting down the real traitor.
Obviously when we get to a more predefined plot point, there is more potential for things to break down.
Act 3.
Obviously there is a lot to go wrong in act 2. But as planned act 3 would be the assault on Arcadia.
The players should discover the big secret here, that the entire reason behind the crusade is a lie. Or at best a side effect. The real reason behind the actions of the Thorns is to rescue one of their members, who had transformed into a member of the True Fae. Whether the crusade is successful in its professed motive is going to be up to the players.
Of course this is all just a rough outline. I'll need to do a lot of mechanics work for Arcadia if I ever get there. They will likely be somewhat screwy and dreamlike.