We're starting a DFRPG game,
City on the River, next week (hi mremann, who's our GM). It's set in our own Bristol (which mremann has posted about in the past) and is now our main game. We're Chest-Deep with Refresh of 8. For context, the rest of the group is looking roughly thus:
- A White Court Vampire who feeds on greed and runs a gambling joint. Primarily a face/connections character and a deadly shot with a bow.
- A sneaky Wizard focused on Veils, illusions and mind-trickery, specialising in air and water magic (with French mythological inspirations). Secondary is infiltration/stealth and relies on other people to do the wetwork.
- A proto-Knight of the Cross sans Sword for the moment who's a genuine nice guy and doesn't use guns. Ever. Obviously going to be a skilled melee-ist, and is a professor of philosophy.
- Possibly an ex-cop/royal bodyguard with some latent and uncontrolled magical talent.
I love the "building block" physical powers, and since this game was first mooted, I've wanted to play a character who uses them. I want all the supernatural physical boosts, they're just too cool and play right into the sort of character I want to play. One who acts as the group's primary muscle/beatstick. We agreed on a Scion (template is basically a spin on Changeling), and eventually arrived at Vlad Drakul as the sire.
Here's a quick bio (spoilered not because it contains spoilers, but so people can skip it if they like):
Born somewhere in southern Europe and taken by slavers as a child in the 17th century to be raised as a mamluk. A centuries-old warrior who has reformed himself from his violent days. His past was very bloody, including fighting against Napoleon at the Battle of the Nile, then with him in the Russian campaign. All culminating in the fall of the Mamluk Sultanate, which severed the (magical) bonds controlling him. That set off a murder-rampage spanning Europe, the Middle East and beyond, until he was stopped by a Knight of the Cross (wielding the Sword of Hope) somewhere in the Himalayas. Who spared his life rather than kill him.
Cue monastery time to heal and reflect and a new resolve to be a good person in spite of his nature. I'm thinking freelance work alongside the Knights, Order of St Giles and anyone else trying to push back the darkness. The occasional visit from his father to remind him that one day he will call upon him to join his host.
There's also a hazy notion that perhaps he spent a "season" (actually half a century in the real world) riding with the Erlking after being stranded in the Nevernever, causing him to miss a large chunk of the 20th century. But that starts to feel like a little too much squeezed into one character.
Here's the mechanical bits, again spoilered to cut down clutter:
Name: Faris al-Farik ("the Deadly Knight")
High Aspect: Repentant Scion of Vlad Drakul
Trouble: The Beast of Novgorod/History is Written in Blood
Other Aspects:
[To be determined during group-gen]
Skills:
Great (+4): Athletics, Fists, Weapons
Good (+3): Alertness, Discipline, Endurance
Fair (+2): Intimidation, Might, Survival
Average (+1): Empathy, Lore, Stealth
Stunts / Powers:
Cloak of Shadows [-1]
Human Form [+1] affecting:
- Inhuman Speed [-2]
- Inhuman Strength [-2]
- Inhuman Toughness [-2]*
Inhuman Recovery [-2]*
*Bounded by The Catch (Holy Weapons, water, items etc) [+2]
Wall of Death (Weapons) [-1]
Refresh: 1
Physical Stress: □□□□[□□]*
Mental Stress: □□
Social Stress: □□
Languages: Arabic, English, French, some Spanish, Russian and Ancient Sumerian
Bonus points for anyone who gets the reference for his name.
His High Aspect is the keystone for his demonic nature, and thus why he was born in the 18th century yet still lives. Also where the powers come from.
His Trouble Aspect is a reference to the notorious episode when he did Very Bad Things, culminating in his appointment with the wielder of
Esperacchius in the 1830s. Not sure that's exactly where the worst of it happened, but the name seems to fit for the moment.
Not determining the other Aspects is quite deliberate, that's for working out when we get together.
Skills features some deliberate redundancy in having both Fists and Weapons at Great (+4), I've been round on that and can't find any other satisfactory solution that doesn't leave the character seeming incomplete to my mind. As someone who once followed the code of
Furusiyya, he should be capable of handling any melee weapon or fighting unarmed skilfully. Indeed there should even be archery in there, but frankly there's no room. Besides I can imagine he disdained bows (and guns) as the tools of weaklings when he was bad, and avoided them for the risk of collateral damage when he was good.
We've had some discussion about The Choice, which is likely to be a campaign-climactic type event. In that instance his powers would all jump to Mythic and he'd get Claws and Sponsored Magic if he chose his demon side. Obviously if he chose his human side, he'd become a Pure Mortal.
I must admit the notion of a "holy avenger" filled with genuine righteousness coming after him for the crimes of his past really appeals as a focus story. After all, he really is demonic and really did all the things of which he would be accused. There's that whole debate of whether the person you are now can in any way mitigate or atone for the things you did in the past.
Anyway, just wanted to share for debate, critique and whatever else.
