In the Beginning (or a little before)

Introduction

Back in the day, I loved nothing better than to sit down with a pad of loose-leaf, college-ruled paper, some hex paper, some graph paper, and a pencil and some colored pencils and whipping up D&D campaign worlds.  My high school gaming days were never given over to a single, generations-spanning campaign.  We'd switch GMs and settings often, so I ended up writing a lot of campaign worlds.

In retrospect, it is probably a kindness that I didn't keep any of them, because they were pretty bland.  Mostly, it was just an exercise in poorly thought-out maps and ideas where I stuck in everything from the PHB and the Monster Manual.  By the time I got better at world design, I had mostly abandoned D&D as a system.

But the appeal remains.  And now I have this bright, shiny blog that constantly hungers for new content.  So I've decided just for the heck of it, it'd be fun to whip up a campaign world.  Maybe someone will like it enough to offer me money to finish it. :)

So, here are the parameters:

• My world has to have room for every race in the Player's Handbook.
• I'm not allowed to add any new PC races.  I will try to avoid adding new monster races.
• All the Player's Handbook classes have to be present and make sense in the setting.  I am, however, allowed to suggest that certain class/race combinations are frowned upon.
• Should the time come, I am allowed (ye even encouraged) to write new PrCs.  But mostly I'm planning on skipping the mechanical sections.

My goal is to create a basic gazetteer that covers every region in the setting, world and "nation level" history, and discusses races and classes in some depth.  I might also do some maps.  It'd give me an excuse to learn some more about Campaign Cartographer.  When the world guide is done, I'll consider mechanics.  Maybe I'll even use d20, but I'm leaning toward Unisystem, since it's what I dearly love.

But rather than just produce the world book and post it here, I'm going to use the blog to post my initial thoughts, then assemble them into the coherent book at the end.

Now, let's begin.

Setting Flavor

Most D&D worlds derive from Middle Earth, and hence are European-flavored worlds with Elves off to one side, Dwarves off to another, and Hobbits hanging around somewhere.  There are Wizards and Clerics, and incredibly powerful monsters like Dragons, and yet normal, mortal humans tend to rule most kingdoms.  And I'm not going to completely condemn that approach.  It produces a setting that's familiar to most players, so it's easy to communicate.  If you have to spend too much time figuring out the setting, you have a very hard time doing anything else.  Tekumel and Journe have their hardcore fanbase, but they have never reached a lot of popular appeal simply because they're difficult to get into.

And yet, there's no good reason that a D&D world would look anything like medieval Europe.  Why wouldn't magical "technology" have caused massive societal changes?  Why aren't Dragons in charge?  Spell-resistant, damage resistant, magic-using creatures with massive damage capabilities would be hard to beat.

For that matter, why should we limit ourselves to a spherical world floating in space?  How about a flat disc with the bowl of heaven up above?  That'd sure be easier to map, let me tell you.

So my goal for this setting is to find a good middle-ground, to produce a setting that isn't too tied to convention, but stays close enough to it to be comfortable.  I'm looking for a novel approach to traditional material, rather than a whole new paradigm.

Over the next few posts, I'll be looking at many of the common assumptions of a D&D world and seeing how I can bend, twist, and shape them to work for me.

Due to some odd glitch in the blog software, posts to this page all say they were posted by Tim Rayburn.  That's actually true of the "Play's the Thing" entries.  He loaded them up after he set up the blog so there'd be some initial content.  But we don't know why the blog still thinks all the posts are from him.

We'll figure it out eventually.  Till then, I suppose you'll just have to trust me that it's me and not Tim.  Or perhaps you don't really care, so long as the content is good.  Or, for that matter, for all any of you know, "Tim Rayburn" is just my alias.  (But he's not.  Honest.)

Identity on the internet is so ephemeral.

Anyway, despite what the blog settings might say, everything posted after the columns were entered and backdated has been by me, David Goodner, and not by Tim.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled broadcast, already in progress.

Technomancer Press Arms RPG Players
August 8, 2006

Technomancer Press, LLC (TCM) is launching a new RPG Theory line-- books about playing beyond just win/lose or min/max. The first book, due November 23rd, is "The Play's the Thing", a collaboration with columnist David Goodner, RPGnet, and TCM. "The Play's the Thing" features 100 pages of advice for players and GMs looking to get into character.

David writes, "The Play's The Thing is about a player's job in an RPG", and provides an interesting way of looking at playing RPGs.
This collection features entries from David's long-running RPGnet column and makes for ideal late summer reading. "We feel that gamers
are also readers" gambles TCM's Sandy Antunes, "and gamers will want books about playing a more enjoyable RPG."

Sneak peek copies will be on sale at GenCon, and the book will be available via retailers and at the PAX convention on November 23.
Information on Technomancer Press, LLC is at www.technomancer-press.com, RPGnet is of course rpg.net, and retailers and distributors can get our books via their Studio2Publishing account. Subsequent RPG theory books are planned for 2006-2007.

And with that, please permit me to do the dance of joy.  :)

It is my great pleasure to announce the imminent publication of The Play's the Thing by Technomancer Press.

With any luck, it will be available for GenCon in a couple weeks.  I will now dance with glee.

(Fortunately for you, the site doesn't come with video)

Zombie Pirates!

As the Aztec civilization fell to European invaders, the Aztec blood gods took one final stroke of vengeance, cursing a stone chest full of sacred coins so that anyone who stole them would never die, but never live.  All pleasure would be denied the thieves, and the moonlight would reveal them as the rotting husks they were.

Naturally, some pirates stole it anyway.  Now they sail the seas, trying to find every last coin, because the curse cannot be lifted until each one is returned and paid for in blood.

Undead Curse Victim (57-point Quality)

Just in case some enterprising Cast Member decides turning into an immortal zombie would be a good idea, here's what you get for your Doubloon of Death.  Keep in mind, though, that this is a *curse*.  The Aztec blood gods have no sense of humor, and will not take kindly to you abusing their divine justice.  And besides that, it's not very pleasant in the long run.  Generally speaking, this Quality should be strictly theoretical.

The curse turns you into a walking dead man (or woman.  The blood gods aren't sexist).  You'll never die, no matter how much you suffer.  You don't need to breathe, eat, or drink.  Damage doesn't damage you as much as most people.  Pieces can get cut off, but they keep working, and you can just put them back on.  You won't heal from any lost parts you lost before the curse, though.  Essentially, you're completely invulnerable to physical damage.  Some forms of magic might be able to hurt you, though, so don't get cocky.

(Essentially, you're paying for Reduced Damage level 3 for everything (you take 1/10th of any damage received, with no multipliers) and Con/Turn regeneration, which doesn't quite cover full invulnerability, but it should do for most purposes.  Like I said, normally Cast Members won't have this Quality for long enough to really need to pay for it.)

With all that, you'd think people would be lined up 'round the block for a chance to steal some cursed Aztec gold, but there are some pretty significant drawbacks to that course of action.  You cannot feel any pleasure at all.  Food tastes like ashes.  The best wine tastes like lukewarm piss.  (Unless you *like* ashes or lukewarm piss, in which case it probably tastes like something else.  And you need help.)  Your lust can never be satisfied.  You can't really enjoy *anything*.  No, not that either.  Nothing.  Nada.  And if that weren't enough, whenever the moon shines on you, you're revealed as a rotting zombie, even if you just stole the gold a few minutes ago.  As a rotting corpse, you're at -10 to Attractiveness.  You don't actually get any bonus points for this.

Also, the Aztec blood gods have your number.  If you should ever find some way to escape the negative side of the curse, you'll have them as an Adversary worth as many points as the Director decides is appropriate.  Or they might just wait until you're about to get killed and lift the curse.

----

Undead Pirate Grunt

Here's your basic zombie pirate.  He's a tough customer, but not unbeatable, except for the fact he's invulnerable, and pretty mean.  You'll notice that he has Life Points, even though they're mostly pointless.  You still need to know them to calculate decapitation and limb removal.

Undead Pirate Grunt

Motivation: "Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho!  A pirate's life for me!"
Critter Type: Undead
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Constitution 3, Intelligence 2, Perception 2, Willpower 2
Ability Scores: Combat 14, Muscles 14, Smarts 10
Life Points: 38
Drama Points: 1
Special Abilities: Invulnerability (total)

Combat Maneuvers

Maneuver	Score	Damage	Notes
Dodge	14	None	Avoid getting hit
Pistol Shot	14	12	Bullet damage
Punch	14	8	Bashing damage
Sword	14	16	Slash damage

----

Undead Pirate Lieutenant

Here's a pirate a little further up in the chain of command.  He's got life points, too, along with a little Hard to Kill to make him nastier.

Undead Pirate Lieutenant

Motivation: "If anyone so much as thinks the word "Parley," I'll have his guts for garters."
Critter Type: Undead
Attributes: Strength 4: Dexterity 5, Constitution 4, Intelligence 3, Perception 2, Willpower 3
Ability Scores: Combat 16, Muscles 14, Smarts 11
Life Points:47
Drama Points: 2-4
Special Abilities: Invulnerability (total), Hard to Kill 3, Situational Awareness, Nerves of Steel.

Combat Maneuvers

Maneuver	Score	Damage	Notes
Dodge	16	None	Avoid getting hit
Pistol Shot	16	12	Bullet damage
Punch	16	8	Bashing damage
Sword	16	16	Slash damage

----

Undead Pirate Captain

This guy has a really fancy hat, and could easily be a Big Bad, in which case he probably deserves a full character sheet.  As is, he's pretty tough, with 5 levels of HTK and lots of combat related advantages.  There's a reason he's the captain.

Undead Pirate Captain
Motivation: "For too long I've been parched of thirst and unable to quench it. Too long I've been starving to death and haven't died."
Critter Type: Undead
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 6, Constitution 4, Intelligence 5, Perception 4, Willpower 4
Ability Scores: Combat 18, Muscles 14, Smarts 15
Life Points: 57
Drama Points: 5+
Special Abilities: Fast Reaction Time, Hard to Kill 5, Invulnerability (total), Nerves of Steel, Situational Awareness.

Combat Maneuvers

Maneuver	Score	Damage	Notes
Dodge	18	None	Avoid getting hit
Pistol Shot	18	12	Bullet damage
Punch	18	8	Bashing damage
Sword	18	16	Slash damage

Hello everybody,

Some time ago, I decided it was time to learn to use Microsoft Excel, so I built a chart that calculates combat maneuvers for the Cinematic Unisystem, using all the ones included in Angel.  It's not very pretty as Excel worksheets go, but it does the job.

Unfortunately, then I accidentally deleted it.  But fortunately, before that I had uploaded it to a friend's website.  So now I have it again, and I'm posting it here.  That way, when I accidentally delete it again, it'll be easier to find.

EDIT:  Oops, forgot to actually upload the file.  Boy is my face red.

buffy angel cmt.xls (24.5 KB)

The format is changing slightly since I am writing these with benefit of some nifty chargen software I didn't have several years ago when I wrote most of the Buffy Archetypes.  The main thing is that Uniforge doesn't give me output that breaks down where all the stat and skill bonuses go, so you'll have to trust me.

These are, on the other hand, "made fresh" rather than recycling old material.

This one is one I'm playing in a PBP game right now.

 

The Reluctant Seer (Investigator)

Attributes:

Strength: 2 Dexterity: 2 Constitution: 2

Intelligence: 4 Perception: 3 Willpower: 4

Life Points: 26
Drama Points: 20

Qualities (10 + 10 from Drawbacks)

Contacts (Supernatural): 1 (1), Occult Investigator: 1 (4), Supernatural Senses - Basic: 1 (1), Supernatural Senses - The Sight: 1 (3), Occult Library: 1 (1), Supernatural Senses - Insight: 1 (5), Supernatural Senses - Fortune Telling: 1 (5)

Drawbacks (10)

Addiction (Smoking): 1 (-1), Adversary (TBA): 3 (-3), Emotional Problems - Fear of Commitment: 1 (-1), Honorable: 1 (-1), Impaired Senses (Vision, Corrected): 1 (-1), Mental Problems - Cruelty: 1 (-1), Resources Drawback: 1 (-2),

Skills (25)

Acrobatics: 0, Art: 0, Computers: 1, Crime: 2, Doctor: 1, Driving: 1, Getting Medieval: 2, Gun Fu: 1, Influence: 0, Knowledge: 5, Kung Fu: 1, Languages: 4, Mr. Fix-it: 0, Notice: 0, Occultism: 5, Science: 2, Sports: 0

Background on the Reluctant Seer

It all started with the Enigma of Astaroth.  Not Astaroth the demon of Sloth, just some 14th century sorcerer who liked his name.  Like there's fifty Balthazars, ya know.  But anyway, I'm a folklorist.  I studied various occult traditions and folkways for years without ever believing it.  Vampire attacks were just urban myths, like the Highway Hook Murderer (who is also real, by the way).  Wicked witches were just old religious propaganda.

That changed when the Enigma wound up on my desk, which was due to a screwup at the shipping company, but I didn't know that until later.  The Enigma was a book with a strange lock on it.  To open the lock, you had to work out the combination, which was a tricky math puzzle.  I love math puzzles.  So I worked it out.  After that, things got a little weird.  Then things got a lot weird.

I could see all kinds of stuff I didn't want to see, and I kept getting visions of the future.  So I did what anyone would do.  I tried to play the lotto a lot and ignore the rest of it.  An encounter with a fire spirit in the Dean's office put an end to that (and resulted in some not entirely voluntary time in a psychiatric hospital)

Now I'm trying to learn all I can about real magick.  A lot of what I know is true, but a lot isn't.  And let me tell you, nothing's quite as embarrassing as throwing a bunch of poppy seeds at a vampire and having him laugh at you.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not some big bad hero here.  I'm just trying to survive.  That first fire spirit wasn't the only one.  It seems like every month or so, something new and interesting tries to kill me.

Fortunately, I've hooked up with some folks who are into this whole "fight the good fight" thing.  They're not the sharpest tools in the shed, but they have swords and guns and stuff that come in really handy when all the dead bodies in the cemetary arise and try to kill you.

Quote: "I predict that if you don't surrender now, there will be blood, pain, and ultimately death.  I just wish to hell I knew if it was going to happen to you or me."

Roleplaying the Reluctant Seer

You're a smart guy, but not at all a brave one.  And you're geeky enough to realize that it's a terrible cliché that you've taken up smoking, wearing a battered overcoat, and not shaving regularly.

You'd like nothing more than to somehow remove your powers and forget any of this ever happened.  Except...

Except, you like knowing what's going on.  Except, you know what it's like to be the normal person suddenly dumped into the deep end of the supernatural swimming pool, and you don't really want to see it happen to anyone else.  Except, you're pretty sure someone is trying to kill you, and he'll keep trying until you figure out who it is and make him stop.  Except, deep down, you really are a hero.  Maybe it's arrogance, but you know that you need to be doing what you're doing.

Sample Equipment

Laptop computer, The Enigma of Astaroth (a spellbook), Notepad.  No gun.  He doesn't really like guns.

Here's one more Buffy Archetype.  I think I'll try some Angel ones next.

The Teen Wolf (Hero)

Life Points 57/81 (as Werewolf)
Drama Points 10

Attributes (20)

Strength 4/8 (as Werewolf)
Dexterity 4/6 (as Werewolf)
Constitution 4/6 (as Werewolf)
Intelligence 3
Perception 4
Willpower 3

Qualities (20 +5 from Drawbacks)

Acute Senses [Smell] (from Werewolf Quality), Attractiveness (1), Fast Reaction Time (2), Hard to Kill 5 (5), Jock (3), Natural Toughness (2), Werewolf [full control] (12)

Drawbacks (10)

Adversary [Vampires, Demons, and the occasional Werewolf Hunter] (3), Clown (1), Love (2), Secret [Werewolf] (2), Teenager (2)

Skills (20 + 5 from Drawbacks)

Acrobatics 3 Art 3 Computers 0 Crime 1 Doctor 1 Driving 2 Getting Medieval 1 Gun Fu 0 Influence 2

Knowledge 0 Kung Fu 3 Languages 0 Mr. Fix-it 1 Notice 3 Occultism 1 Science 0 Sports 4 Wildcard 0

Combat Maneuvers

Maneuvers	Bonus	Base Dam.	Notes
Claw	10	16	Slash/stab; wolf
Bite			Slash/stab; wolf
Dodge			Defense Action
Kick			Bash
Punch			Bash
Slam-Tackle			Bash; no parry; possible target prone
Stake			Slash/stab
(Through the Heart)			x5 vs. vamps

Background on the Teen Wolf

They say puberty brings on many changes. I'm here to tell you, they don't say the half of it. One day you're joking around with your friends, playing on the B-Ball team, getting into a little inoffensive trouble. The next day you're running down a dark alley trying to get away from a werewolf hunter who wants to stuff and mount you.

The first time the change hit me I almost ate my best bud. We were fighting over a girl. He hit me. He didn't mean anything by it, ya know, but it cheesed me off royally. I snarled at him, and I mean really snarled. Then I felt funny, and Ed was giving me this look. I looked down at my hands, and my nails had grown a little - like an inch.

I ran all the way home, and it only got worse. By the time I was home I was covered in fur, with inch long fangs.

I ran up to my room, trying to avoid my mom. I was totally freaked, so I ended up knocking over a lamp, and a chair, and a table.

Mom found me in my room, and she wasn't surprised at all, just kind of sad. She told me about my dad, who had died when I was like six, and about the gypsy curse and the way it had gradually changed so we could control it. She said she hadn't mentioned any of this before now because she hoped it wouldn't hit me. Sometimes it skips a generation.

Ed was cool, but he was freaked, and he started talking. Pretty soon I was getting funny looks from other people. About a month later I had my first run in with a professional werewolf hunter. Fortunately, he was expecting a mindless monster, not somebody who would slash the tires on his Harley.

We moved after that, though. Of course it seems that we've moved to Weirdness Central. A couple of months ago, I saw an honest-to-god Vampire attacking this girl. I didn't even think about it, I just wolfed out and tore the bloodsucker to shreds. Then this other girl with a wooden stake tackled me and tried to rip my head off before the first girl told her to stop. Then this English guy said something about it not being the full moon, and the girl stopped hitting me, which was really good.

Now I'm helping these people out. On the sly, like. I don't want the whole school to know I'm a furry freak, and I'd kind of rather my mom not know I'm out fighting vampires.
 

Quote: "So help me if you offer me one more dog-biscuit I'll bite your arm off, and I may not wait to change shape first."

Roleplaying the Teen Wolf

You want to be just a normal kid, play on the team, maybe form a band (You're pretty good at that guitar thing), party, you know. On the other hand, you can't just stand by and watch other people get hurt while you can do something about it. With great furryness comes great responsibliliy, right?

You're not about to make a spandex costume, and you sure as heck don't want anyone outside the Scooby Gang to know about you, but when it's time to throw down with the forces of darkness, you're a lean, mean werewolf machine.

Oh, and that girl you saved from the vampire that time is a hottie.

Sample Equipment

"Vintage" car, Letter Jacket, Tire Iron.

The Hierophant (Hero)

Life Points 45
Drama Points 10

Attributes (20)

Strength 2
Dexterity 2
Constitution 3
Intelligence 5
Perception 5
Willpower 8 (3 from Hierophant Quality)

Qualities (20+10 from Drawbacks)

Artist (2), Attractiveness +2 (2), Contacts: spirits 2 (from Hierophant Quality), Enchanter 1(1),  Hard to Kill 5 (5), Hierophant (16), Occult Library 2 (2), Resistance: Mystical 4 (4), Spirit Medium (2), The Sight (3), Sorcery 2 (10)

Drawbacks (10)

Adversary: Forces of Darkness 5 (From Hierophant Quality), Clown 1,  Emotional Problems (Fears Commitment) 1, Honorable, 1 Love (tragic) 4,  Misfit 2,   Recurring Nightmares 1, Obligation (Powers That Be) 3 (From Hierophant Quality)

Skills (20)

Acrobatics  Art 4 Computers  Crime 1 Doctor  Driving  Getting Medieval  1 Gun Fu  Influence 2

Knowledge 2 Kung Fu 2 Languages 1  Mr. Fix-it Notice 2 Occultism 4 Science  Sports 2 Wildcard

Combat Maneuvers

Maneuvers	Bonus	Base Dam.	Notes
Aiming (crossbow)	6		Success added to Crossbow shot
Crossbow Shot	4	16 Slash/Stab
Dodge	4		Defense Action
Kick	3	6 Bash
Club	4	8 Bash
Punch	4	4 Bash
Stake	4	4 Slash/Stab
-Through the Heart	1		x5 to Vampires

Background on the Hierophant

There are things on heaven and earth undreamt of in your philosophy. 

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt (and the scars).

See, about a year ago, my father died.  I never knew I even had a father in any sense other than the theoretical.  Mom left Dad when I was like three years old.  She'd never talk about him.  There was a picture, old and faded and kind of burned around one edge.

So I dealt with not having a dad, and with having a mom who was always a little flaky.  We always had a horseshoe over the door, and mom was kind of weird about spilling salt, but she was totally not into any New Age stuff.  She caught me and some friends playing with a Ouiji board once, and went totally ballistic.  

I found out why not long ago.  

I woke up in a cold sweat after a nightmare.  I don't remember much of the details, but there were flames and... bad stuff.  And then there was this man in my room in an old, battered coat, and leaning on a twisted wooden stick polished to a black sheen.  He looked tired, and a little sad, and exactly like the guy in the picture.

He said, "I'm sorry that I was never there for you."  Then he faded away.

The stick stayed.  I got out of bed and picked it up, and right then I got my first parapsychic migraine.  Years of occult knowledge rushed into me, kind of a crash-course in weird.  My Dad had done something to store up all his knowledge and power in the stick, and to transport it to me.  Mom's horseshoes made sense all of a sudden.

The weird only got weirder after that.  I started seeing things.  Mostly ugly things.  Ghosts, monsters under the bed, that kind of thing.  But some of them weren't so bad.  I learned to leave a cup of milk out for the house fairy, and I never lost another sock in the dryer.  There are spirits all over the place.  Most of them are too busy upholding the fundamental nature of reality to bother talking to people, but a few of them are nice folks.  A bunch of them knew my dad.  It seems that he was some kind of hereditary gatekeeper between the living lands and the Other Side, and when he died, I got his job.

And here, I wanted to be an airplane pilot, or a firefighter.

One of the spirits told me how my father had died.  She led me to the site of his final battle, and to his library.  There was a lot of damage, but even so there was more stuff than I could carry out.  Even if I could have, I don't think mom would have taken well to me moving the Encyclopedia Britannica set she bought out of the way so I could put in a bunch of tomes of dark and forbidden lore.  So I've got it all hidden in some trunks at the back of my closet.

Since that day, I've been trying to do Dad's job.  I'm not very good yet, but I've found some people to help.  It turns out that I'm not the only one saddled with a hereditary destiny that shortens the life-expectancy.

Quote: "I see Dead People.  All the time.  They're even more annoying than living people, and not really any smarter."

Roleplaying the Hierophant

You never wanted this. Well, actually, you fantasized about havin super powers all the time, but you kind of thought you'd be the only one who had them. Ghosts, goblins, ghouls (which are really nasty) and things that go bump in the night weren't part of the equation. 

Still, you're going to give it your best shot. You want to get good at this magical guardian thing. One of these days, the thing your Dad died to banish will come back, and you're going to kick its ass.

He may have never so much as sent you a birthday card, but he was still your Dad, and no elder demon from the third pit of Hell is going to kill him without answering to you, right?

Suggested Equipment

Magic Staff (Making it actually do anything would require scraping up points for the Enchanted Item Quality, so mostly it just looks cool and has sentimental value.  But it does have a knob on the end), Occult paraphernalia, Bomber Jacket, skate board.

*The Magician's Obligation works a little differently than the official version.  His power comes from the spirit world, and if he doesn't toe the line, the spirits will withdraw his power.  If he uses it in ways they don't approve of, he can find his Sorcery cut down to level 1, for instance.  They also cut off the Psychic Friends Network (Contacts Quality) until he makes it up to them.  Jerks.

Gamer Geek (White Hat)

Life Points 37
Drama Points 20

Attributes (15 + 2 from Nerd quality)

Strength 2
Dexterity 2 
Constitution 2
Intelligence 4 
Perception 2 
Willpower 5 

Qualities (10)

Hard to Kill 5 (5), Nerd (3), Photographic Memory (2)

Drawbacks (8)

Clown (1), Emotional Problems [fears rejection] (1), Impaired Vision (1), Mental Problems [delusion: thinks life should be like RPGs] (1), Misfit (2), Teenager (2)

Skills (15)

Acrobatics Art 2 Computers 2 Crime  Doctor Driving Getting Medieval 2 Gun Fu 1 Influence

Knowledge 3 Kung Fu 1 Languages 1 Mr. Fix-it 3 Notice 1 Occultism 3 Science 4 Sports 0 Wildcard (urban spelunking) 2

Combat Maneuvers

Maneuvers	Bonus	Base Dam.	Notes
Crossbow Shot	4	16 slash	Ranged attack
Dodge	4	none	Get out of the way
Pistol Shot (paintball)	3	varies	Ranged attack
Punch	3	4 Bash
Stake	4	4 slash
(Through the heart)	1	4 slash	x5 vs vampires
Sword (ratan/boffer)	4	varies

Background on the Gamer

This was all a big mistake. Huge. Monstrous (or even Shift X). I heard, ok overheard, ok eavesdropped on... some kids at school. They were talking about going out on patrol to hunt down some vampires and a demon prince. I thought they were talking about a LARP. They mentioned an address, and I decided to show up.

I always go all out on costumes and stuff for a LARP. I mean, if you're not going to do costumes, why not just stay in the basement where there's a sofa and potato chips? It turned out to be a pretty good thing I did. I think my chainmail coif saved my life when this goth chick (who turned out to be a vampire) tried to rip out my throat.

The kids showed up then, and a couple of them beat up the vampires. I managed to make myself a little useful - the Slayer broke one of my ratan swords over one vampire's head, and used the pieces to stab another one.

I've been with the Scoobies ever since. I know all kinds of cool stuff about the occult and magic, and I'm learning more all the time. I can also help out with other stuff. I took martial arts for two years, and I learned to swordfight in the SCA.

Quote: "Wow. Critical hit... It means you hurt him really bad. Can I have my bastard sword back now?"

Roleplaying the Gamer

You don't know near as much as you think you do, and you tend to get things from gaming manuals mixed up with things from tomes of occult netherlore, but on the other hand you remember EVERYTHING. You're also reasonably intelligent and can fill in for just about any other geek type in a pinch.

You can't fight very well, which you may figure out before you get killed. However, you have a huge arsenel of archaic weapons, and quite a few of them are sharper and more functional than your parents know.

Byzantine Errant (Hero)

Life Points 61
Drama Points 10

Attributes (20)

Strength 5 (1 from Demon Hunter Quality)
Dexterity 5 (1 from Demon Hunter Quality)
Constitution 4
Intelligence 2
Perception 3
Willpower 4 (1 from Demon Hunter Quality)

Qualities (20 +4 from Drawbacks)

Demon Hunter (4), Enchanted Item 1: Blessed Sword (2), Fast Reaction Time (2), Good Luck 3 (3), Hard to Kill 5 (5), Iron Mind (3), Nerves of Steel (3), Situational Awareness (2)

Drawbacks (10)

Adversaries [Demons and Vampires] (4, 1 from Demon Hunter Quality), Honorable (2), Humorless (1), Mental Problems: Mild Delusion, all supernatural beings are evil (from Demon Hunter Quality), Misfit (2), Reckless (2)

Skills (20 +6 from Drawbacks)

Acrobatics 4 Art 0 Computers 0 Crime 2 Doctor 1 Driving 1 Getting Medieval 6      (1 from Demon Hunter Quality) Gun Fu 0 Influence 1

Knowledge 0 Kung Fu 6      (1 from Demon Hunter Quality) Languages 1 Mr. Fix-it 0 Notice 2 Occultism 5 Science 0 Sports 0 Wildcard 0

Combat Maneuvers

Maneuvers	Bonus	Base Dam.	Notes
Aming	9	--	Add Success Levels to shooting roll
Axe	11	25 (s)
Crossbow Shot	11	16 (s)	See p. 119
Decapitation	6	varies	x5 damage
Dodge	11	--	Avoid getting hit, duh!
Punch	11	10 (b)
Stake	11	10 (s)
(Through the heart)	8	varies	See p. 112
Sword	11	20 (s)

Background on the Byzantine Errant

My order is fallen, destroyed by the Beast.  But we had fallen before that.  I knew it the day I watched my brothers pursue the Slayer as she and her friends fought and bled to protect the life of an innocent.  We were meant to be protectors and heroes, but we had become thugs and murderers.

In the aftermath, I fled.  I found someone to tend my wounds.  My body recovered.

My spirit has not.  My purpose is spent, and all that I believed is dead or in ruins.  I am left with one thing I know to be true.  There are monsters who prey upon innocence, and it is my place to destroy them.

Once we were legion.  A thousand could die to bring down an enemy.  Now I am alone, and I must guard what allies I have carefully.  When I die, no other will come after me.

I only hope that I have found atonement when that day comes.

Quote: "By the light, I abjure thee.  By the Holy Three, I abjure thee.  By the unspoken name... aw, screw it.  Just die, Ugly."

Roleplaying the Byzantine Errant

You were once part of something greater.  Then you learned that it was not so great after all.  Now you fight demons, trying to make up for some of the harm you did.  You're probably a little suicidal, thinking subconsciously that if you die in glorious battle you won't have to keep dealing with your crisis of faith.

You're a pretty handy guy to have around.  The Order of Byzantium taught you how to fight, and how harden your mind against the corruption of the hellspawn.  It was insufficient to protect your brothers from Glorificus, but it serves to give you an edge that the average demon doesn't expect.  And you have a magic sword.

Sample Equipment

Blessed Sword, Chainmail Armor, Crucifix.