Characters & Creatures from the Nightside

[vultur]

The Nightside series by Simon R. Green ... hopefully bringing it up on a Dresden board isn't the sort of oil-and-water that Star Trek/Star Wars can be.

Seriously, though, a lot of the creatures and characters from there would be great additions to a DF game.

To stat them out, one has to make an assumption about the general power level of one universe vs. the other. For these stats, I've generally lowballed it, since it makes the beings more usable in ordinary DF games; they don't really represent what I think those beings' true power should be. So these are built with the assumption that John Taylor in the first book ("Something from the Nightside") is an Up to Your Waist level character, who has spent 6 refresh on powers. (Note that by the current book "The Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny" he is MUCH more powerful!)

This puts Shotgun Suzie and Dead Boy at about the same, as for most of Taylor's other allies. Setting the bar this low brings the real powers down to somewhat sane levels: Razor Eddie at maybe -16ish, Lilith in the high twenties, the Lord of Thorns at a "mere" -30 or so, etc.

Generally, the critters are about as scary as they should be for Feet in the Water/Up to Your Waist characters; you may want to toughen them for stronger characters. At those levels, -8 refresh cost Harrowing are still horrifying, especially in packs, but for full-fledged Wizards and Knights of the Cross they may not be.


John Taylor
High Concept: Returning Prodigal Son of the Nightside
Other Aspects: Some Call Me a Prince; Lost in the World; Hunted by my Enemies; School of Hard Knocks; Family Legacy Haunts Me


Skills:
Good (+3): Investigation, Intimidation, Endurance, Discipline
Fair (+2): Conviction, Fists, Alertness, Stealth
Average (+1): Might, Athletics, Contacts, Presence, Survival

Stunts:
Scene of the Crime (Investigation): At a crime
scene, +1 to Investigation rolls. He arrives at
findings one time step faster than usual.

Powers:
Channeling [-2]
Marked By Power [-1]
The Sight [-1]
Soulgaze [-0]
Psychometry [-1]

Stress:
Physical: ooo
Mental: ooo
Social: ooo


Total Refresh Cost: -6

Notes: He does have actual PI skills, which are demonstrated in the books where his finding magic gets locked down (Hell to Pay and The Unnatural Inquirer) or too dangerous to use (parts of Agents of Light and Darkness, for example); thus the Good Investigation and Investigation stunt.

Channeling represents all the magic 'tricks' he possesses apart from his Sight.

Marked by Power represents that everyone knows that he is destined to be a major player, if not *why*.

Taylor's Third Eye is more expansive than the Dresdenverse Sight, so he gets Psychometry as well.

This is a basic, and very conservative, build. By the current point in the series he's acquired much greater magical skills (possibly represented by upgrading the Channeling to Evocation?), supernatural healing (Inhuman Recovery, with a Catch of silver), and expanded what he can do with his Sight (probably Supernatural Sense), and a few new mortal stunts (No Pain, No Gain, an Investigation- or Contacts-related stunt, and maybe something else); probably putting him somewhere in the general range of -12 refresh cost. His main skill increases will be in Contacts (dramatically!), Intimidation, Alertness, maybe Endurance and Presence...

His Aspects are going to change a *lot*, too. At some point "Lost in the World" will get swapped out for "I Belong With the Monsters". "Hunted by my Enemies" goes away after that gets resolved in Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth, though I'm not sure exactly what replaces it - probably an Aspect related to his troubled relationship with Suzie Shooter.  Somewhere in the Lilith trilogy (Hex and the City - Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth), the "Some Call Me a Prince" Aspect changes slightly, to something like "Could Have Been King". Even the High Concept may change slightly by the end of book 10 to reflect his new, less marginalized role...



The Harrowing
High Concept: Faceless Homunculi
Other Aspects: Implacable

Skills:
Good (+3): Fists, Endurance
Fair (+2): Intimidation, Might, Athletics
Average (+1): Conviction, Discipline, Awareness
Other skills at Mediocre.

Powers:
Claws [-1]
Inhuman Recovery [-2]
Inhuman Strength [-2]
Inhuman Toughness [-2]
 The Catch [+0]: unknown; we've only seen them beaten by brute force
Living Dead [-1]


Stress:
Physical: ooo(oo)
Mental: ooo
Social: ooo

Total Refresh Cost: -8

Notes: These faceless homunculi, created from human corpses, are always found in groups. If they're still not scary enough (and they're meant to be -very- scary), give them Addictive Saliva or Claws (Venomous) depending on what their needle-fingers are injecting. If further boosts are desired, give them Pack Instincts and upgrade their Toughness to Supernatural.

[rickayelm]

While he does have a few abilities such as his stare down power that would be evocation, most of his tricks come in the form of minor magical objects like his aboriginal finger bone and his excorcist coin. So I would probably give him ritual(crafter) rather than channelling.

[KOFFEYKID]

If I remember correctly the Harrowing have needle fingers, so I would give them Claws, and the upgrade Venemous.

[vultur]

While he does have a few abilities such as his stare down power that would be evocation, most of his tricks come in the form of minor magical objects like his aboriginal finger bone and his excorcist coin. So I would probably give him ritual(crafter) rather than channelling.

The stare down/evil eye, the bullets-out-of-guns trick, that sort of thing.

Also I think the pointing bone is essentially a focus item for an evocation; it says in one of the books that they're useless if you don't know how to do the spell.

[Archmage_Cowl]

personally i would stat him up as an emissary of power for lilith and give him sponsored magic(lilithian) at a -5 (making it more soulfire like cause he can use it without her consent) that would represent his finding things as a divination at the speed of evocation which would also represent how much it harms him. thats just how i see him. (P.S. Didnt come up with the lilithian idea. Someone else here had it i just think it fits.)
       
Also i would probably give the harrowing supernatural Toughness. Anything short of a god had trouble hurting them.

Not even considering those though i think this is a great idea. I love the nightside! (actually literally just finished Hell to Pay.) Keep it up i would love to see someone like razor eddie (even if he would be to tough to be a player character likely)

[JosephKell]

I think John Taylor should have a new "drawback" power I call "Beacon."  Beacon puts a compel or temporary aspect on the character using a power impacted by Beacon unless they pay a fate point.  This aspect would be something like "John Taylor is Here" and allows a group of enemies to show up by tagging the temporary aspect (or to try to put a block on him using his third eye as a free action).

This Beacon would only impact The Sight and (Reverse) Psychometry.  I say Reverse Psychometry because JT sees where things went (or how to get to them), not what the object witnessed.

This means that JT in a story can use his Third Eye a few times (as long as he is willing to spend a fate point).

But I strongly disagree with Archmage about JT being an Emissary of Power and having sponsored magic.

I don't think the Harrowing need "Living Dead," I know they are made from dead bodies, but they don't seem to need it (plus having Living Dead and a Recovery power seems really tacky as part of Living Dead is that you don't heal naturally).  I would actually give the Harrowing no Endurance but Mythic Toughness using the Hacate Hag style catch (mild consequence gets rid of extra boxes and moderate+ consequence loses the entire benefit).  In this way, once you start to hurt it (inflict consequences) you basically got it.  Eddie Razor got through the Armor:3 by just being super bad***.

It is the same way that I see Dead Boy.  Originally I was thinking "Explosives" would be the catch as only dismemberment really matters against him (and more traditional dismemberment can already be represented as a lot of effect increasing the stress to overcome the toughness).

[luminos]

I don't really see a reason for making the beacon a power of its own.  A regular compel against the aspect relating to Taylor's powers would work just fine, much like wizards use their high concept for hexing stuff and not a custom power.

[JosephKell]

I don't really see a reason for making the beacon a power of its own.  A regular compel against the aspect relating to Taylor's powers would work just fine, much like wizards use their high concept for hexing stuff and not a custom power.

That didn't occur to me.  But it seems really harsh.  Assuming I have it right for how compels work.  Assuming it is phrased as "They Spy My Third Eye" how is it compelled?

JT uses a Third Eye power, so is he compelled to either (1) spend a fate point to stay below the radar, or (2) accept the complication (YS 101)?  (With the complication being either an enemy showing up, a mental attack, or a nearby enemy trying to block his usage of his third eye power)

I guess JT has a lot of turn around on fate points...  And it is more advantageous to be able to get fate points instead of only pay off temp aspects.

[rickayelm]

I was just rereading Something from the Nightside and realized that since his powers only work in the Nightside John Taylor would have sponsored magic(nightside)-3. His power is fueled by the Nightside and he can't take it out of the Nightside so the Nightside would be a place of power that sponsors his magic, there is a one point reduction of cost because he can't take the power out of the nightside.

[JosephKell]

I was just rereading Something from the Nightside and realized that since his powers only work in the Nightside John Taylor would have sponsored magic(nightside)-3. His power is fueled by the Nightside and he can't take it out of the Nightside so the Nightside would be a place of power that sponsors his magic, there is a one point reduction of cost because he can't take the power out of the nightside.

Normally I would agree, except for two things.
1.  His powers work in other dimensions (Shadows Fall, the Necropolis Graveyard, and the Salvation Army Sisterhood's hidden convent, etc).
2.  The only place his powers don't work is on normal Earth, where none of the action takes place.

Because his powers function just fine in the places he needs them to function, there shouldn't be a discount.  Also, the only people that have said sponsored magic was Archmage_Cowl and now you.  His powers came from his mother when she shaped him, but they are entirely his since then.  If his powers were sponsored, they would've stopped working after Book 6.  Ergo, not sponsored.

[Archmage_Cowl]

Because his powers function just fine in the places he needs them to function, there shouldn't be a discount.  Also, the only people that have said sponsored magic was Archmage_Cowl and now you.  His powers came from his mother when she shaped him, but they are entirely his since then.  If his powers were sponsored, they would've stopped working after Book 6.  Ergo, not sponsored.

I think his powers are definately Could be sponsored. he actually talked to his gift in shaper than a serpents tooth and it claimed to like his mother better than him. When he tried to use it against her it tried to stop him from hurting her. I think that sounds similar to sponsored magic at least. (Though maybe not sponsored from her for those actions).

[prophet224]

Great idea, and this could become a long thread pretty quickly.

As far as JT - pretty good so far, and put a vote in for non-sponsored. 

I want to take a look at Eddie Drood and the torc, too.

More later when there is more time...

[Sh33p]

Stat Razor Eddie and I will love you forever.

[JosephKell]

Eddie Razor as an NPC.

Eddie Razor
High Concept: Punk God of the Straight Razor
Trouble: Immortality Stinks (Seriously, It Kills Flies!)
Other Aspects: No Justice Like Vigilante Justice; Ivory Hilted Straight Razor; Gray Greatcoat; Untouchables Are Within My Reach; With The Good Guys (and no, they didn't get a say in that)

Skills:

• Endurance
• Great (+4): Athletics, Weapons
• Good (+3): Alertness, Intimidation, Stealth
• Fair (+2): Discipline, Investigation, Lore, Survival
• Average (+1): Burglary, Conviction, Might, Presence

Stunts:

• Deep Shave (Weapons): Razor Eddie might brush the surface, but the injury is felt deep.  If Razor Eddie hits with his Ivory Hilted Straight Razor he adds 1 damage to it.  This effectively increases the weapon score of the Ivory Hilted Straight Razor by 1.

Powers:

• Supernatural Speed (-4)
• Mythic Recovery (-6)
• The Catch (+0) is Eddie can't recovery from wounds inflicted by his own razor.
• Item of Power (Ivory Hilted Straight Razor) (+1) grants the following powers when held by the Punk God of the Straight Razor
•     "Claws" (-1): Increase the weapon value of the Ivory Hilted Straight Razor by 2.
•     Worldwalker (-2)

Stress:

• Mental OOO
• Physical OOOO, Mythic Recovery, additional Mild physical consequence
• Social OOO

Notes:
    Razor Eddie is very fast (Initiative is "Supreme 3") and lethal with his Ivory Hilted Straight Razor as (Great Weapons and Weapon:4).  It is also hard to pin him down (Athletics is treated as Fantastic for most uses and Legendary when sprinting).  He also comes back from a lot of punishment (recover 3 mild physical consequences a scene and all physical consequences are gone before the next scene).

Total Refresh Cost: -13

Build Notes:
  I did think about Physical Immunity and Inhuman or Supernatural or Mythic Toughness.  Maybe just provide the stress boxes for half cost?

  The Razor Item of Power is a [+1] discount because you can't realistically use it against him because he seems to slip it into some sort of hammer space when not used and only he can find it.  The Item of Power discount basically off sets turning a Razor (Weapon:1) into a Weapon:3.  Instead of a "this satisfies catches" I decided that just doing a ton of stress works.  If he somehow had fate points, when using his razor against someone that thought themselves protected by power or wealth from the repercussions of their evil deeds, Razor Eddie could tag his high concept, IHSR, Vigilante Justice (maybe not if someone put bounty papers on the target?), and Untouchables Are Within My Reach.  So 4 aspects, or a possible +8?

Next Up is Deadboy!

[JosephKell]

Deadboy
High Concept: Lingering Revenant (Seriously!  I got my Revenge, why am I still here?!)
Trouble: Dead Inside (Outside Too!)
Other Aspects: Possession is Ten Tenths of the Law; "Took Home This Fabulous Future Car" (In Rod Roddy voice); The Dead See Everything; He's The Quick And The Dead; Tell Me I Didn't Lose Another Finger

Skills:

• Superb (+5): Lore
• Great (+4): Fists, Discipline
• Good (+3): Athletics, Endurance, Investigation
• Fair (+2): Craftsmanship, Intimidation, Might, Presence
• Average (+1): Alertness, Conviction, Deceit, Rapport, Resources

Stunts:

• Just Throw Some Duct Tape On It (Craftsmanship): Deadboy (or anyone else) can use Craftsmanship to fix (or jury-rig) himself to temporarily remove a physical consequence's aspect.

Powers:

• Living Dead (-1)
• The Sight (-1)
• Inhuman Speed (-2)
• Inhuman Strength (-2)
• Supernatural Toughness (-4)
• The Catch (+2) is that once he takes physical consequences, the Toughness goes away: he loses the Armor:2 if he has a Mild physical consequence, and loses the benefits of the ability entirely once he has taken something moderate or worse.  Please note that Just Throw Some Duct Tape On It (stunt above) can prevent the Catch from applying.

Stress:

• Mental OOO
• Physical OOOO(OOOO), Armor:2 (until a Mild Physical Consequence), Lose extra boxes after a Moderate or worse Physical Consequence
• Social OOO

Notes:

Total Refresh Cost: -9 (doesn't factor in if his car is counted... that thing is bad***)

Build Notes:
    He doesn't have a speed power.
    His fist damage is just upped by his Inhuman Strength
    His Toughness Catch is the reverse of the Hags (which seems really punishing to begin with, as if something forces you to take a consequence it probably already spilled into the toughness boxes).  Once he starts falling apart (mild consequence) he falls apart faster, instead of just falling down.
    His Stunt is basically a combination of Adding a trapping and allowing others to use the trapping awesome.