Mechanika by Gaslight - Steampunk World of Darkness RP Planning/Interest Thread

[LordImperial]

Any thoughts on faction/order?  The two playable factions are the Council of Nine Mystick Traditions and the Free Council (which is not treated as an Order in this setting).

The Council of Nine is comprised of the following:
The Adamantine Arrow
The Guardians of the Veil
The Mysterium
The Silver Ladder
The Ahl-i-Batin
The Akashayana (Akashic Brotherhood)
The Chakravanti (Euthanatos)
The Dream-speakers
The Sahajiya (Cult of Ecstasy)

The Free Council (created at the suggestion of Queen Victoria - who in this setting Chrysalized as a Sidhe) includes:
The Celestial Chorus
The Order of Hermes
The Verbena
The Electrodyne Engineers (Sons of Ether)
The Analytical Reckoners (Virtual Adepts)
The Explorators (Void Engineers)
The Skeleton Keys (Ksirafai)

The remainder of the old Technocracy (the New World Order, the Invisible Exchequer/Syndicate, the Aesculpian Order/Progenitors, and the International Brotherhood of Mechanists/Iteration X) are Ministries of the Exarchs and Seers of the Throne...

[Re Z L]

This looks very interesting...

I'd play a mage, but having grown up with Ascension I find the Awakening rules to be so horrifically restricting to me   :-(

I'm dubiously interested in the game, it seems kind of...disparate I don't really see any real unifying among all of the different supernatural groups, or maybe that's just in my own head.

[LordImperial]

Personally, I haven't found Awakening's magic system to be particularly restrictive even in comparison to Ascension.  A bit more streamlined and balanced, perhaps, and I've played both.

As for the ties between the supernatural groups... for the werewolves, mages, and fae, there are oaths and agreements between certain groups which provide that tie.  As for the rest, it's up to the players to establish character ties.  But I'll have more information on the setting available soon.

[RubySlippers]

Oddly I favor the older Sorceror rules than the new ones for non-mage magic workers you could do so much have a person who crafted items of magic or a psychic or someone who had one area they did well or who worked with the fringes of static reality. The rules here he asked me to use seem in some ways limiting in places.

I'll come up with something.

[LordImperial]

I'll take a look at Sorceror and see about doing a quickie conversion to the NWoD system...

[RubySlippers]

I just like more options, the more the better. I do like the basic system for the nWoD but well more options can't hurt.

[LordImperial]

I totally get that.

[RubySlippers]

The mage rules for me are at least simpler than the older ones but it seems non-mages lack overt power but gain more options all over, so seems a good compensation if you add more of the older rules.

[LordImperial]

Well, the quick and easy conversion of Sorcerer to Second Sight would be to convert the spells.  I think I can use the guidelines for converting Gifts from Apocalypse to Forsaken from the Werewolf Translation Guide to do that...

[Anon315]

Hadn't given order a great deal of thought... I'd be council of Nine though, as the Daoine are generally AA or GotV.

[RubySlippers]

Well, the quick and easy conversion of Sorcerer to Second Sight would be to convert the spells.  I think I can use the guidelines for converting Gifts from Apocalypse to Forsaken from the Werewolf Translation Guide to do that...

Spells? They can construct items with whatever power they get power from should be easy to figure out for any of the the core Thaumaturges. I suggest for those using non-magic sorts of things like inventors just assume the device my be plausible using the top fringe science at the time short of what a Son of the Ether or other tech mage could do. That is what I want to have access to. :)

[LordImperial]

Oh!  In that case I've already got some rules for that - Enlightened Scientists (sorcerer-level, not Mage level) create their items which can replicate the effects of psionic powers or spells, without a cost, but with a bit more prep time to get the device ready.  They can even replicate Mage rotes as though they were Merits two dots higher than the rote level.

EDIT:  I should note that they cannot replicate Prime effects at all...

[RubySlippers]

I hate those rules.

In Sorceror you get devices that do one thing and are flexible I had one character ,modern, with a debit card that always had $99 on it every day and a laptop that always worked (regardless of interference and never ran out of power) the first was a one dot device and the latter a three dot device. I don't want to replicate existing powers what is the point of that I want cool limited use items that are unique and I can replicate for others.

I want to craft actual items see Sorceror (Revised) the power Enchantment its the you can make items one you will get the idea.

If not what ,well flexible and fun, is the point of devices over getting powers your better off with a power by a long shot even if you must burn some willpower or something.

Anyway I will wait to see more game information before deciding on a character, setting and such.

[Marie Reynolds]

I would leave the Technocracy out of the Exarch Grouping the would want to kill black bag and erase their existence just like everyone else.

[LordImperial]

All right.  Let me go over the material in Sorcerer, and I'll see what I can do for you.

As for putting some of the Technocracy in the Seers, they actually fit really well - the Technocracy (Guide to the Technocracy notwithstanding) was primarily about control of reality, and the Seers and their Exarch masters are primarily about control over magic, which essentially amounts to the same thing.  The Seers who have influence over Sleeper society perpetuate the Lie that "there's no such thing as magic" while trying to hoard that magic for themselves.  So there's a slight shift from "destroy the reality deviant superstitionists" to "wipe out our rival magi so we can have more power," but that's ultimately what the Technocrats - particularly the New World Order and the Syndicate, the ones in positions of power who hadn't deluded themselves - were about anyway.

[RubySlippers]

I suppose I could just buy items as Merits and assume she made them, any occultist worth a damn should have some skills in that. Maybe just tie the dots you can buy to Occult and require a relevant specialty would suffice. Dots for these should not be hard there are examples in Sorceror (Revised) under the Enchantment path. Even a one dot item can be useful but note the costs should tweak down as Merits these items tend to be less powerful than full mage items maybe one could buy them at a reduced cost. You could call them a Minor Magic Item or give more points to buy the ability to make one say for every point in the new Merit Crafting you get two dots to get enchanted items or cool tech toys. Just some ideas.

[LordImperial]

Mage and Sorcerer are my next projects for conversion, followed by Changeling.  Once those are done, I'll post the finalized character creation guidelines, along with a link to a Scribd collection for the relevant documents.

[RubySlippers]

I have a working idea a fiction writer who is an Acolyte of the Dark One thaumaturge who uses the communion with the Dark One to inspire her writings with insights and wisdom to pass on to others, most of her free merits are not going into any magic ones. She is more a personal seeker in this case and devoted to her vice, lust in this case, and her virtue is her faith. I prefer to use old fashioned means to get what she desires beauty, fame and wealth not reliant on magic.

Likely I will lower her morality two points for more xp to beef her up some in spots plus she is Left Hand Path so much of the common morality is kind of off in any case. ;)

[LordImperial]

Interesting.  Secret Hellfire Club member, hmm?

[RubySlippers]

Perhaps, she is not one of the leadership sort but will be very socially talented and fairly nicely educated. The Dark One needs all kinds she is more get the ideas and beliefs out there in an acceptable way (or not if under a pen name) and let that do the work of corruption. But she would likely hook up with others to play.

Trust me with the basic build I have fitting into a club and being naughty is quite acceptable she is a force of feminine power in a civilized cloak. :D

I have a draft character just want to work out some things.

[Re Z L]

Those naughty, naughty left-hand path followers...

[RubySlippers]

Well at least the LHP people have some sense of morality in most cases, there are exceptions even if they degenerate a little here and there.

EDIT:

I found a pic for my character decided to go for a classic hot ginger since well gingers have no souls to begin with so following her path should not be an issue. :D

[Re Z L]

Well at least the LHP people have some sense of morality in most cases, there are exceptions even if they degenerate a little here and there.

EDIT:

I found a pic for my character decided to go for a classic hot ginger since well gingers have no souls to begin with so following her path should not be an issue. :D

Sounds like a good idea  ;D

[RubySlippers]

Here is what I have so far, am leaving history open until I know more about the setting and no possessions yet.

DEBORAH SZALDOR

Thaumaturgical Tradition: Apostle of the Dark One
Virtue: Faith
Vice: Lust
Concept: Writer

ATTRIBUTES
MENTAL
Intelligence 2 Dots
Wits 3 Dots
Resolve 2 Dots
PHYSICAL
Strength 2 Dots
Dexterity 2 Dots
Stamina 2 Dots
SOCIAL
Presence 3 Dots
Manipulation 2 Dots
Composure 3 Dots

SKILLS
MENTAL (-3 Unskilled)
Academics 2 Dots
Crafts 1 Dot
Occult 3 Dots <Specialty: the Left Hand Path>
Science 1 Dot

PHYSICAL (-1 Unskilled)
Athletics 3 Dots <Specialty: Sex>
Weaponry 1 Dot

SOCIAL (-1 Unskilled)
Expression 3 Dots <Specialty: Fiction Writing>
Persuasion 3 Dots
Socialize 3 Dots
Streetwise 1 Dot
Subterfuge 1 Dot

MERITS
Barfly 1 Dot
Communion 4 Dots
Fame (Writer) 1 Dot
Natural Immunity 1 Dot
Resources 3 Dots
Status (Hellfire Club) 2 Dots
Striking Looks 2 Dots

Health: 7
Willpower: 5
Size: 5
Defense: 2
Initiative Mod.: 5
Speed: 9
Morality: 5

APPEARANCE


Tends to dress in public quite proper for a young lady but is not one to wear a corset she enjoys breathing properly, suited to the weather overall and modest in wearing makeup and other things. She always wears her silver magical medal similar to a catholic saints medal but with the classic symbol of the Dark One an inverted pentagram hidden inside a design. One her right hand is a silver ring with the symbol of the hellfire club hidden in a designed of geometric shapes. In private often dressed down a great deal to a sheer silk white gown and a smile weather permiting. For the Hellfire club she is usually nude save for her medal and ring no used dressing for the kinds of things that go on but will wear a red robe designed for warmth if needed.

She is of above-average height and average build, has a nice pubic mound of matching hair and is fit but not overly so. She is twenty years old.


PERSONALITY
Is faithful to the Dark One and is eager to help the Apostles in any plans as long as its not putting her at to much risk. A lustful creature she readily has sex with men and women (and others but not corpses or children she respects those under the age of consents innocence) and her favorite act of communion involves sex. Being wealthy, having some fame and beauty she favors using those over magic she considers a shortcut to things not promoting ones efforts as a superior being. And she enjoys her writing she can pass on the insights and wisdom of the dark one in a form subtle and effective in works of fiction and she sees her role as laying a legacy of works that will affect the minds of many over the centuries. In public she plays the proper lady of means supporting charity and being active in the community in her case she enjoys promoting the educational options of poor girls into both careers and on to university studies, quite respectable.

HISTORY
tbd


POSSESSIONS
tbd

[RubySlippers]

Any news on this game, when do we start this?