Minions (zillions of them)

[Aohd]

One of my Characters has by accident of fate become the Lord of the Imps. His ancestor bargained with a godling for the true names of 10,000 demons. The godling technically kept her word but the names where not what he truly sought.

What they lack in individual power, they make up for in shear numbers. These tiny invisible demons can enter the mortal realm by creating crude ectoplasm bodies for short periods. Think Isz from "The Maxx" or Darklings from "The Darkness."

What I am looking for is a way to adjudicate the effect of a power like "Has a Zillion Minions."

[TheMouse]

I'm not sure how to purchase the power, but I'd run groups of the things as though they were individuals. So one cloud of 500 tiny demons might be one character in terms of what it can do, while another group of 100 might be a weaker character.

That keeps things sane.

[Deadmanwalking]

Yeah, what he said.

You might also be able to do something with treating them as an incidental spell effect (Swarm of Imps seems a reasonable spell in the style of Orbius), or having a Stunt or Power allowing him to use the Imps as an attack with his Contacting skill (as swuggested in OW when discussing the Pixie attack in Summer Knight).

[Baron Hazard]

allowing him to use the Imps as an attack with his Contacting skill (as swuggested in OW when discussing the Pixie attack in Summer Knight).

Page number on this rule example? I just searched my pdf and couldnt find it. >>

[Deadmanwalking]

P. 237 under Toot-toot in the Marginalia.

[Esoteric Wombat]

I think the mechanic used should reflect the attitude of the imps. Are they pissed off and have to be held in check? Do they like being in the physical world? Are they particularly stupid? I'm not thinking about the things the imps can do as much as the problems calling them up would create. Sure, calling up 10,000 would be entertaining, but calling up 10,000 imps that want to bite your head off, or like playing pranks, or aren't ever *completely* in your control, would be even more entertaining.
Maybe the imps come with a trouble aspect that the can be compelled for bad/unexpected things to happen.
Heck, maybe the imps are simply a maneuver themselves. Calling the imps would be a maneuver that puts an aspect on the scene.

Or, even better- make a stunt "Lord of 10,000 demons"
The stunt adds a trapping to an appropriate skill, probably Discipline, that allows the player to use the skill to summon minor demons. This trapping allows imp attacks (Ah, get them off!), imp blocks (wall of imps!), and imp maneuvers (imp chaos!) using Discipline.
Alternatively, the player could get a new skill called "Imp Summoning," which he would have to buy points into.
Alternatively alternatively, the stunt would allow demon themed spells, which would fallow the spell rules.

Kind of like above, but I don't think contacts fits exactly, because we already know how many demons you have contact to, and report matters less than ability to control.

[Aohd]

The imps would view the character as their rightful lord and master but having said that, they are spirits and demons to boot. When concentrating, shouting orders and focusing his will on them, they will follow the orders to the letter. They can read his thoughts, so they will often "misinterpret" his negative thoughts as orders. Sometimes this will summon one accidentally. 

The character's high-concept is "Reluctant Lord of the Imps" and his trouble is "Imps are Mischievous little Bastards"

I like the idea of making this a Stunt-like-power. I also want the character to be able to do things like summon an imp or group of imps to simulate a thaumaturge effect. Like a divination might work like: POOF! a kitten sized imp appears and sets about spying on his masters enemies.

 

[Esoteric Wombat]

So maybe he should get evocation and thaumaturgy, with a slight discount for only having imp themed spells. Instead of rote spells he has an entourage of imps that he can call on at all times  for no effort. These imps could maybe be equivalent to any +2 spell effect.  One of them could be a named imp spokesmen with a distinctive personality. If the player wants to produce an evocation/thaumaturgy effect greater than +2 then he would have to make an effort of will to summon the necessary demons, fallowing the spell rules. After that, just add flavor with compels. His two aspect can both add to any spell that he casts, and create an opportunity for any spell to go wrong. 

[Korwin]

"Sponsored Magic: Imps"?

[Esoteric Wombat]

Actually, sponsored magic would work great. My original problem with it was that sponsored magic comes from a greater power that feels you're working in the power's best interest. You have total control of the imps and don't owe favors to anyone, so it doesn't quite fit. But the imps aren't the source of power, the original demon is. You could take sponsored magic and keep the demon in the picture as the sponsor. Sure, the demon doesn't have any direct control over the imps, but with 10,000 imps around it could easily track the PCs and know where they are and what they're doing at all times.  Add in the kind of trouble PCs always get into, opportunities for misdirection and the temptation of power, I bet that demon would just have a field day!

[Kordeth]

Actually, sponsored magic would work great. My original problem with it was that sponsored magic comes from a greater power that feels you're working in the power's best interest. You have total control of the imps and don't owe favors to anyone, so it doesn't quite fit. But the imps aren't the source of power, the original demon is. You could take sponsored magic and keep the demon in the picture as the sponsor. Sure, the demon doesn't have any direct control over the imps, but with 10,000 imps around it could easily track the PCs and know where they are and what they're doing at all times.  Add in the kind of trouble PCs always get into, opportunities for misdirection and the temptation of power, I bet that demon would just have a field day!

Alternately, the mechanic of "how much debt do I owe my sponsor?" maps just as well to "how annoyed/out of control are my 10,000 imps right now?" Sure, you can order them to do difficult, dangerous things (i.e. give you Aspect invocation without paying Fate points) or burn off some of their construct bodies for magical fuel (i.e. let them soak up spellcasting stress), but when you do that, the imps get cranky--and cranky imps get free compels on "Imps Are Mischievous Little Bastards" like it's going out of style.