The Monkey's Paw...

[amberpup]

Ok, for my first post... How would you model a 'monkey's paw' in DFRPG? Yes, the one from the author W.W. Jacobs story that grants three wishes that always go bad. I got some wannabes vamps npc college students (and their little vamp-wannabe club too) I was thinking it would be interesting for them to end up with one.

Ok, not that interesting I guess for the players but I should have fun!



And my second question for the win, is how would you handle the game mechanics with a group of player characters in a collapsing tunnel?

[UmbraLux]

Ok, for my first post... How would you model a 'monkey's paw' in DFRPG? Yes, the one from the author W.W. Jacobs story that grants three wishes that always go bad. I got some wannabes vamps npc college students (and their little vamp-wannabe club too) I was thinking it would be interesting for them to end up with one.

Ok, not that interesting I guess for the players but I should have fun!

Probably similar to sponsored magic - give them a wish in exchange for one or more points of debt and use the debt to make it go "bad".

That said, it's something I'd be wary of doing.  It's a good way to cause conflict if the players don't think it's fun also.

And my second question for the win, is how would you handle the game mechanics with a group of player characters in a collapsing tunnel?

As a hazard - tunnel makes attacks every exchange (falling rocks, dust, etc) and they need to escape (take it out using travel related skills).

Welcome to the forums by the way.

[devonapple]

With the tunnel: what happens if they lose?

Depending on how important you want the escape to be, and whether or not the PCs are on their own, it could be:
A) a single Endurance roll for each PC (against the "strength" of the collapse) to avoid receiving a mild or moderate Consequence from the collapse (a "consequential contest" in the rules)
B) make the PCs count as a "side," with one person making Athletics checks and the others performing Maneuvers, while the collapse makes simple attack checks each round; each round, compare the collapse check against the PC's Athletics check: if the collapse wins, they gain all overflow shifts as successes, and if the players win, they erase those successes. Figure out how many successes a side needs to "win" and then end the conflict when the collapse has either achieved (say) 10 successes, or if the players have reduced the successes to 0 after 4 rounds.
C) a round-by-round conflict with the collapse acting as a monster which they must "defeat" with a series of Maneuvers and "Attacks" using their Endurance or Athletics checks (or some quick Evocation).

[amberpup]

Hmm.. I didn't think of sponsored magic, but it does make alot of sense. Since the whole idea behind the paw is you shouldn't mess with fate.

As for doing it, my campaign is already out there being a Dresden Files / Burn Notice crossover dealing with a burnt warden stuck in Anchorage Alaska. I doubt a mere 'monkey paw' will ruffle any player feathers, after all the other stuff I've done to them.

As for the cave-in, just break the tunnel into zones with borders, roof being weapons 3 base (The tunnel is only ten + feet down, being a old steam tunnel).


And thx, I've been lurking for a year now but most of my questions are already been asked/answer for the most part. And the rest, are things I haven't even thought of to ask.

[amberpup]

With the tunnel: what happens if they lose?

Depending on how important you want the escape to be, and whether or not the PCs are on their own, it could be:
A) a single Endurance roll for each PC (against the "strength" of the collapse) to avoid receiving a mild or moderate Consequence from the collapse (a "consequential contest" in the rules)
B) make the PCs count as a "side," with one person making Athletics checks and the others performing Maneuvers, while the collapse makes simple attack checks each round; each round, compare the collapse check against the PC's Athletics check: if the collapse wins, they gain all overflow shifts as successes, and if the players win, they erase those successes. Figure out how many successes a side needs to "win" and then end the conflict when the collapse has either achieved (say) 10 successes, or if the players have reduced the successes to 0 after 4 rounds.
C) a round-by-round conflict with the collapse acting as a monster which they must "defeat" with a series of Maneuvers and "Attacks" using their Endurance or Athletics checks (or some quick Evocation).

Very cool... thx!

[Tsunami]

Ok, for my first post... How would you model a 'monkey's paw' in DFRPG? Yes, the one from the author W.W. Jacobs story that grants three wishes that always go bad. I got some wannabes vamps npc college students (and their little vamp-wannabe club too) I was thinking it would be interesting for them to end up with one.

Plot device, since wishes are plot device powerlevel in and of themselves in my opinion.
I wouldn't bring dice rolls into it at all. Just say this Paw grants three wishes.
However, they don't get to describe the actual effect that wish has, they have to tell the Paw their wish.
Realization of that wish then falls to you, and you can twist it around to your hearts content.

[CottbusFiles]

The Paw puts an aspect, related to the wish on the game that get's compelled to get the desired effect to happen.

[amberpup]

 '"It had a spell put on it by an old fakir," said the sergeant-major, "a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow."

As per the novel, with Wikipedia saying its a talisman that grants its possessor three wishes, but the wishes come with an enormous price for interfering with fate. But I have no doubt that the players will avoid this trap, because they're smart enough to be wary of anything that pops up in my game. They already seal a Aswang spirit away that trapped inside Charlie Sheen (giving the idea why he had tiger blood). I had thought at least one pc would put the spirit to use, but I guess having a spirit in your employment that eats unborn babies was a little too much even for him.

But a small group of folks who want to be werewolves and vampires getting such a talisman, now that could only be fun! I want these guys be like the small group Harry met in the novels that were mad at him for preventing their curse, and smoke bombed his home. Role-playing pains-in-the-ass but not really bad kids who got sucked into the large battle that's about to happen in the city.

So cross your fingers for Adolph Lowell, Raven Morgoth, Belinda Tilenis, Lovecharm, Autumn Brimstone, Hope Devonshire, Lanius Nicodemeus, and their Prince and owner of the paw, Julian Night that everything doesn't go straight to chaos once he makes the first wish. But I should mention that there aren't any established vamp courts in the city, since one of the aspects of the city is 'Flotsam & Jetsam'.