Author Topic: Mummies in the Dresdenverse  (Read 3254 times)

Offline Malefic Polyhedron

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Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« on: July 29, 2010, 06:12:32 PM »
We are looking to start up a game here in the next few weeks and I have a player who has a real fascination with/love for mummies and is interested in playing a mummy (or variation there of) in the game. I was wondering, have mummies ever popped up in the course of the novels? I don't really see anything in the RPG books that cover it and while I'm sure we can piece it together, I was hoping I might have some sort of a precedent to build off of. That way at least we have an idea how something like that functions in the setting. I can see them being anything from mindless shambling cursed creatures to wizened immortal ritualists within the context of the setting and I was hoping to find a starting point.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Mal
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Offline CMEast

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2010, 06:22:42 PM »
I'd base it on the zombie:
Living Dead [–1]
Inhuman Strength [–2]
Inhuman Speed [–2]
Inhuman Toughness [–2] (zero-value Catch)

And modify it a bit. I imagine the catch would be either Fire (a +3 catch, perhaps even +4 if you're obviously flammable so you can take recovery and toughness a little more). On top of that you could easily add Egyptian Items of Power, Ritual magic, Feeding Dependancy if the character happens to eat flesh... you know, lots of fun things like that.

Offline Bruce Coulson

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2010, 06:31:39 PM »
Nothing involving Egyptian magics has really taken place in the books as far as I'm aware.  I'm assuming your player wants to be something other than a mostly mindless avenging machine, or a power-mad sorcerer bent on ruling the world...:)

The most recent variant in the nWoD books for Immortals might be a way to start.  Reincarnation could also work, along with a magical trigger going off and re-activating the PC from his rest in some museum or tomb...
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Offline Bruce Coulson

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2010, 06:32:27 PM »
I'd leave off the Inhuman Speed; traditionally, mummies weren't any faster than a normal human.
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Offline CMEast

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2010, 06:53:19 PM »
I almost said the same thing as speed does seem a little off, but then zombies have it and that doesn't make sense to me either. So I figured I'd just leave it incase he wanted a justification for speed.

I'd personally take off speed, have supernatural toughness and inhuman recovery with a +4 catch for very obviously flammable.

[-2] Inhuman Strength
[-4] Supernatural Toughness
[-2] Supernatural Recovery
[+4] Catch - Fire
[-1] Living Dead
[-0] Human Guise (Looks like a young egyptian noble when he isn't a bandage-bound undead monstrosity)

That's a total of -5 so it'll work for any game. Up the refresh and you could fit in strength and maybe an egyptian IoP.
« Last Edit: July 29, 2010, 07:01:28 PM by CMEast »

Offline Malefic Polyhedron

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2010, 07:00:03 PM »
Yes, we are steering away from "Mindless avenging machine"  and "Power mad sorcerer".  :) I know the various iterations of mummies in WOD have always caught his attention and he is looking at that as well. I think first and foremost he needs to narrow down exactly what he wants out of a "mummy" archetype. Essential a high-concept we can start trying to hang pieces on until we get a build for him that works. But suggestions that have the right feel for the setting are welcome. I think the setting is wide open for a an array of different creatures that could all be classified as mummies.
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Offline Malefic Polyhedron

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2010, 07:08:47 PM »

[-2] Inhuman Strength
[-4] Supernatural Toughness
[-2] Supernatural Recovery
[+4] Catch - Fire
[-1] Living Dead
[-0] Human Guise (Looks like a young egyptian noble when he isn't a bandage-bound undead monstrosity)

That's a total of -5 so it'll work for any game. Up the refresh and you could fit in strength and maybe an egyptian IoP.

That seems pretty solid, we're still learning the system (first attempt at a Fate based game) but I think that's a good option. It has the right feel without being a complete monstrosity and could work well with others. :)
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Offline Arcteryx

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2010, 09:29:16 PM »
That's a pretty freakin' big Catch though. He's one Zippo lighter away from cosplaying Johnny Storm at the next Comic Con.

Offline Doc Nova

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2010, 09:46:55 PM »
That's a pretty freakin' big Catch though. He's one Zippo lighter away from cosplaying Johnny Storm at the next Comic Con.

Hahaha...that's almost signature-worthy, and definitely a line to remember should something dry and flammable ever show up in my game...

As to the OP, the severity of the Catch aside, the rest of the stat-block seems pretty "spot-on" for the classic, baseline mummy.  At a refresh cost of -5, you have room to reduce the catch to "large flame" (like a torch) for most campaigns, or keep it as is and you have plenty of room to toss on some practitioner powers (Sponsored magic feels very appropriate, in my opinion).

Offline finnmckool

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #9 on: July 30, 2010, 02:15:58 AM »
Yeah that joke wins for being as funny as it is nerdy and it's plenty of both, awesomely so, I mean.

Offline Remy Sinclair

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #10 on: July 30, 2010, 05:06:42 PM »
I would take a look at Promethean or Mummy by White Wolf for ideas and good source material to translate to Dresdenverse.

There is a thread that someone is converting old WoD stereotypes over to Dresdenverse. I do not know if he has converted the Mummies take a look.

On building the Mummy.

Other than a Mummy what is he wanting to do? What is he envisioning his character able to do? Would he be able to cast magic like in the Mummy Movies? Is he an Egyptian, Mayan, Mongolian, etc Mummy? Does he just want to be reincanrnated in a new body with no powers but a long memory of skills and abilities? There are a lot of questions I am not sure what you want to do

I would sit down with the player and talk to them making notes and working out exactly what this template would be able to do. I had to do that with one of my players about her idea in my game. Ask questions make a new template.

Offline kihon

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Re: Mummies in the Dresdenverse
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2010, 08:05:19 PM »
Personally I like the basic:

[-2] Inhuman Strength
[-4] Supernatural Toughness
[-4] Supernatural Recovery
[+2] Catch - Fire
[-1] Living Dead
[-0] Human Guise (Looks like a young egyptian noble when he isn't a bandage-bound undead monstrosity)

That's a -9 refresh depending on where you are starting...
-11 to be a ritualist (he has probably seen hundreds or thousands),
-12 is where I'd ideally start him... with full blown Thaumturgy.

Just my 2 cents worth.