Author Topic: Son of Loki issues  (Read 2056 times)

Offline dbrowne1974

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Son of Loki issues
« on: September 27, 2010, 06:08:26 PM »
Hello all,

Starting my first adventure here in a few weeks and I have the idea for the BBEG, the son of Loki, but what I'm having trouble is exactly how to make this guy.  I found the thread on Scions but, I'm not sure on how to powerful I can make veils and glamors.  I envisioned him more like making the PC's see things that aren't there, kinda a lowered powered version of Loki from Marvel Comics.  Just plain confused.  Well thanks for any and all help.

Offline Becq

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Re: Son of Loki issues
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2010, 07:05:01 PM »
Well, the rules give general guidelines: you can make veils that are large enough to cover a small group of tightly space people (I'd say the limit might be around the size of a small car, perhaps), or you can change the appearance of something, using Discipline or Deceit to counter attempts to see through your Glamour in either case.  Greater Glamours is more powerful in two respects: you get a +2 on your Discipline/Deceit rolls to pierce your illusion, and you can also create objects or creatures from ectoplasm -- which basically means you can create a freestanding illusion that acts as a real object or creature (ie, a 'illusionary' lion that could actually rip someone's head off!)

These abilities look as though they can be powerful if used correctly, though they are fairly limited in scope (for example, Greater Glamour can only create one thing at a time).  I could see some extremely nasty possibilities for such powers used to potentially destroy characters, especially Wizards.  Consider, for example, the Wizard getting attacked by a pack of ghouls.  He proceeds to blast them ... then the illusion drops, revealing a group of very charred and very human corpses behind.  I don't recommend this, though, as it would be a terribly unfair way to give a player Lawbreaker Stunts at best, and at worst cause the loss of the character to NPChood (zero refresh) or a Warden-sponsored weight loss program.

I'm not very familiar with Marvel's version of Loki, but I gather that his primary ability is to alter reality, allowing him to rewrite history and such.  This is likely far too powerful for a player, certainly, and likely to powerful for an NPC villain, as well.  Of course, a Scion would be considerably less powerful.  Even so, I think that if I were making such a character, I'd go back to the core powers attributed to Loki in Norse mythology.  He was a master shapechanger, a mythic deceiver, and had the physical powers of a godling.  Depending on the power level you had in mind, I'd probably start with True Shapeshifting [-4], add in Modular Abilities [-7ish] (defaulting to Inhuman Strength, Speed, Toughness, and Recover, with an appropriate Catch), and put Deceit at the top of his skill list.

He'd then use his Shapeshifting abilities to mess with the players' heads.  He could appear as the players' friends or allies asking for help, but the players learn later they were helping the Scion instead.  He could get players or their friends in trouble with the mortal police, or even the Wardens.  He could start making the players question whether or not everyone the meet is who they appear to be.  Draw this out over a long period of time until the players realize they are being messed with by someone more than the obvious villains, then let them work on tracking down who or what is causing their problems.

Offline TheMouse

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Re: Son of Loki issues
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2010, 08:13:56 PM »
I know nothing about the Marvel Comics version of Loki.

The mythical Loki, though, engaged in most of his trickery by changing his form and by means of old fashioned deceit. He was very quick witted and great at getting out of -- and into -- trouble. Being a giant, and destined to kill (and be killed by) Heimdall, one can presume he also has fair warrior skills (probably a smattering of Strength, Speed, and Toughness).

Presumably a powerful scion of Loki would possess some or most of these traits to some degree. A skillful manipulator with the ability to change shape to be anyone or anything would be a terrible enemy, likely getting people in trouble with any and all authority figures available for such. Such a character would likely spend a lot of time operating behind the scenes, but he would likely have inherited Loki's gift for getting himself into trouble.

Once direct conflict started, someone with Loki's skill-set probably wouldn't stand up terribly well to a beating from several PCs. Knowing this, he probably would at least try to involve some other NPCs, after tricking them into believing the PCs are against them.

Offline Bruce Coulson

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Re: Son of Loki issues
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2010, 08:59:40 PM »
the modular shape-changing abilities would simulate the mythological Loki's abilities to become multiple creatures.  Loki wasn't as big on illusions (although he was stealthy).

The Marvel version varies depending on the era, but was big into trickery, illusions, and mystic blasts.   Greater Glamour would be the way to go here; things that aren't real....and then some that are.
You're the spirit of a nation, all right.  But it's NOT America.

Offline Crimson Overcoat

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Re: Son of Loki issues
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2010, 09:18:58 PM »
Loki was also the father of more than a few monsters, including the Midgard Serpent and most of the frost giants. He was a real jerk. You could go with a scion of Loki from a different perspective entirely.

You could name the bad guy Norman Gandra. It'd be funny as heck.

Offline dbrowne1974

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Re: Son of Loki issues
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2010, 09:37:32 PM »
Awesome, this help ALOT.  So I could treat the glamours kinda like Sells scorpions right.  With enough planning,time, and power could veils cover a much larger area, say a few hundred feet or larger??

Offline Lukas the Dead

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Re: Son of Loki issues
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2010, 10:17:19 PM »
I have a Scion of Coyote in my group. He loaded up on Modular Abilities, and I trust him enough to not abuse it . . . well, at least to abuse it in high amusing and in trickster themed ways. Anyway, it gives him access to an array of abilities so that he can maximize his trickery.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2010, 10:18:56 PM by Lukas the Dead »

Offline Becq

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Re: Son of Loki issues
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2010, 10:24:22 PM »
Awesome, this help ALOT.  So I could treat the glamours kinda like Sells scorpions right.  With enough planning,time, and power could veils cover a much larger area, say a few hundred feet or larger??
I think that a Veil of that size would be beyond the power of Glamours as given by the power description.  That said, since you are talking about an NPC, you could always declare it as a Plot Device.  Same thing with the scorpion -- in the book it was a summoned creature; as a Greater Glamour it would look and act real, but would probably have to stay within sight of the caster to be properly controlled, since it would have no real sentience.

Offline Crimson Overcoat

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Re: Son of Loki issues
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2010, 10:36:53 PM »
David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty vanish. Look it up.
 
Think bigger. Magic in general is only limited by imagination, skill, and power source. Illusions can take advantage of existing geography and images to make the spell easier. And a Scion of Loki is going to have no qualms about using a mental suggestion tied to the illusion to get more bang for the buck. Just a small "ignore me" suggestion can go a long way. A good example of this is in the movie The Shadow. In it, the bad guy uses illusion/mind magic to vanish an entire building in the center of the city that he uses for his secret base.

Without being mire by things like sanity or morals, you could wreak some major havoc with large scale illusion magic. Illusory plagues that can't be cured, crippling infrastructure with fake traffic shutdowns-you may be starting to get the idea.