CthulhuTech - Sectarian Crimes [Full]

Started by Jaded, April 14, 2014, 12:36:04 AM

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Pretty in Pink

Mild concept rework incoming, and character overhaul shortly after.
[FLOATLEFT][/FLOATLEFT]O.O ~{=}~ Ideas ~{=}~ A&A[FLOATRIGHT][/FLOATRIGHT]

I've taken the Oath of the Drake for Group RP

ReijiTabibito

I hate having so many questions to ask, but...Jade?  Would 'Idiots' (IE, INT 3 or less) be a suitable group for Prejudice?  I am aiming for a Robert Downey Jr incarnation of my Sherlock, here, and he always was a bit...prejudiced towards stupid people (See Lestrade).

CarnivalOfTheGoat

Quote from: ReijiTabibito on April 17, 2014, 03:09:38 PM
I plan on having the sword-cane either way - :P.  Make everyone think I'm a cripple until it's just the right time.

The reason that I divide up the concepts is because it's a question of how my character progresses.  The Investigator will take his EXP and turn it into additional levels in things like the Sciences, education, more Law Enforcement, etc etc.  For Sorcery, a lot of my EXP is going to be tied up in acquiring more spells, Intellect, and Tenacity.  Especially Tenacity.  Regardless of how many Spells I'm going to learn (the current number hangs between 6-8, with myself starting with 2).

Everything is always a compromise. Everything.

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

ReijiTabibito

I'm not following, here.  'Everything'?  If this was one of my standardized tests, I would say False because statements like 'everything' or 'none' usually are on tests.

ChaoticSky

What they mean is that you always have to compromise in character design, to be stronger in one area means allocating more resources to it, meaning other areas will lack. Even within your defined concepts, youll will have to decide how to allocate your exp and other resources between the facets of the character, i believe their overall point is that, your going to have to split your focus anyway, so it makes no difference is you merge your two ideas or not.

SGTDan

“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”  -Dr. Seuss
Proudly Demisexual
Do you love Star Trek? Answer the Call to Duty
My RP Requests

Jaded

Quote from: ReijiTabibito on April 17, 2014, 04:20:05 PM
I hate having so many questions to ask, but...Jade?  Would 'Idiots' (IE, INT 3 or less) be a suitable group for Prejudice?  I am aiming for a Robert Downey Jr incarnation of my Sherlock, here, and he always was a bit...prejudiced towards stupid people (See Lestrade).

Hmm.  I might would be willing to let you take is as a 1 point Prejudice instead of the default 2, just because it isn't something that would necessarily be immediately obvious.  You'd probably have to interact with them for a time before being able to determine it either way. 

Quote from: Pretty in Pink on April 17, 2014, 04:01:35 PM
Mild concept rework incoming, and character overhaul shortly after.

Let me know what you are changing.

ChaoticSky

Tomorrow is off, so ill get my sheet finished then *nod*

ReijiTabibito

Okay.  Sweet, Jade, thanks for asking.  Also, just wanted to doublecheck - Special Services Training is available to anyone, but you need to pay full cost and you don't get the fancy equipment unless you're an Agent?

Jaded

I won't be allowing actual agents of that type.  If you want to take the asset for something it provides, I may permit it though. 

I haven't fully brushed up on them, so not sure what precisely they provide that would be worth it. 

Pretty in Pink

I'm changing her from military into an actual FSB Agent, specialized in infiltration and investigation.
[FLOATLEFT][/FLOATLEFT]O.O ~{=}~ Ideas ~{=}~ A&A[FLOATRIGHT][/FLOATRIGHT]

I've taken the Oath of the Drake for Group RP

ReijiTabibito

Special Services Training allows for the acquiring of any Gunplay Cascade.  It's essentially highly-specialized combat training.  Anything else - the equipment, the erasure from the system - is for Agents only.  The game implies that while certain Cascades (like NEG Unarmed or Handgun Gunplay) can be acquired universally, some requires special training.

CarnivalOfTheGoat

#87
Just so we're all on the same page, the availability restrictions on Cascades are as follows (these are cribbed from pp. 41-50 of VM):

Hun-Zuti (Nazzadi martial arts):
QuoteThose Nazzadi old enough to have been trained as warriors in the original invasionary force of the First Arcanotech War have all been trained in Hun-Zuti to some level. It was a natural part of their fictitious equivalent of “basic training.” Children who were born in the fleet during that time may or may not have yet begun their training, though many started as young as five. Today, Hun-Zuti is a part of the New Earth Government thanks to Nazzadi martial arts schools. Some modern Nazzadi choose to study Hun-Zuti as it is effective and plays to their talents, but it doesn’t necessarily occupy a special place in their culture.

So, now that there are trainers on Earth and Hun-Zuti isn't considered 'special' to their culture, it's probably takeable by anyone who wants it.

NEG Military Unarmed Combat:
QuoteAll soldiers are trained in unarmed combat as part of Basic Training. Since emphasis in the Aeon War is on fighting using guns and other kinds of ranged weapons, most soldiers lose the sophistication of their training in the field. Some choose to continue to focus on it, and it is those who are deadly in close quarters combat.
The New Earth Government also offers military unarmed combat training to civilians. There are those that take on opening schools of their own accord, but these schools are most often run by reservists who take their training to the people. Unarmed combat is popular in many arcologies as many citizens would prefer to have some sort of ability to defend themselves than to just trust the authorities to be around when something goes down.

So, anyone military should probably at least have Student, but anyone can take it.

Eldritch Society Ninjutsu:
QuoteThe Eldritch Society trains Tagers in a modified form of ninjitsu, used by the shadow warriors of ancient Japan. The style concentrates on disabling strikes, hit and run tactics, and attacking from surprise.

"...trains Tagers..." Is your character a Tager? No? Okay then...

NEG Military Kendo:
Quote
With the assimilation of all cultures into the New Earth Government came certain military adaptations. That combined with the inescapable fact that many of the foes that people now face cannot be dealt with in simple hand-to-hand combat led to the inclusion of Japanese swordsmanship as a part of Basic Training. However, like military unarmed combat training, most soldiers lose the nuance of their training in the field. Those that choose to focus on it, however, can become as deadly as some of the horrors they face.
This style of swordsmanship is also offered to civilians. Most often coupled with military unarmed combat instruction, these schools are again typically run by reservists. Kendo is not as popular as straight-up unarmed combat training, because most people don’t or can’t carry swords inside an arcology.

"...is also offered to civilians." 'Nuff said.

Gunplay: Handguns
QuoteThere are few organized schools that teach handgun gunplay and what few that do are expensive and exclusive. They take only those that show promise and who can pay. Military and governmental agents are typically given special dispensation, should they take it on themselves to learn this art on their own time. The only way to develop this sort of mastery for most people is to go
out into the world and put themselves in situations to learn from others who already know – and that typically involves living in a world of regular violence.

So pretty much any Mil/Govt who isn't a paper-pusher could feasibly learn this, and so could some civs...If they had backgrounds that were high-end criminal or assassins. But it's not for Average Joe.

Gunplay: Rifles
Quote...there are few organized schools that teach rifle gunplay. Those lucky few who find themselves inside are often of a military or para-military profession. Those few that pick this up on their own often pick it up on the streets, living dangerous lifestyles.

As above, but probably only SWAT, SPAT, military, or high-end criminal assassins. Not your typical detective or desk sergeant.

Gunplay: Submachineguns
QuoteBetween the military, the world of organized crime, and terrorism, there is a kind of submachinegun combat that makes law
enforcement agencies blush...
Submachinegun gunplay is only taught to elite units and isn’t found in the civilian sector. Your average citizen of the New Earth Government is unlikely to have an opportunity to learn such an art. Those who seek mastery such as this must go out into a dangerous world and find those from which to learn and face great personal peril in order to do so.

So this is high-end military elite units, high-end assassin-type criminals and terrorists...no civilians, and for most purposes the FSB is really a lot closer to being civilian than military. I interpret that list as 'people whose primary job is to kill, quickly and brutally, and everything else is a secondary element'. Most people in the police forces of the world (and even most field agents of most intelligence and secret police forces) are taught how to kill, but it isn't their primary focus.

Note that while purchasing a cascade only costs a half-point specialization (they aren't THAT mighty) the only enforcement agency mentioned in the books which is explicitly stated as having access to it is the Special Services, obviously as above, military elite units, yadda-yadda...But Special Services provides an indicator of how high-end, rare it should be:

Special Services Training (DV, p. 88), costs 4 points and 1 Insanity point. Then a half-point more to get the SMG cascade. And given how rare it seems it's meant to be, that's a lot to spend for what the SMG cascade gets you, unless you also are doing it as kind of a roleplay/special experiment or special project background, but that's between you and Jaded.

Special Services Training (4)
QuotePrerequisite: must be either erupted para-psychic or sorcerer
Special Services training provides your Character with a variety of benefits. He can now acquire any or all of the Gunplay Cascades, if you use those optional rules. If not, he gains two free Focused combat skill Specializations during Character Design. He gains access to the special gear used by the agency*, he becomes a ghost in the system as his identity records and paper trail are carefully erased to maintain anonymity, and he is no longer required to wear visible identification if he is a para-psychic.
However, all Special Services Characters begin the game with one Insanity Point, in addition to any others acquired through learning rituals or para-psychic powers.

*The gear being referenced is from DV p. 81:
QuoteSpecial Services
Weapons
Automatic machine pistols are not common technology. They are unwieldy and require special training. The H&K MP-6A1 is the most common such weapon in production. However, Special Services are specially trained to use such weapons. The kind of things that Special Services investigates requires that they carry a low profile weapon that provides the maximum rate of fire and effectiveness. In fact, the government has requisitioned a special machine pistol to be made especially for the agency’s use. The H&K MP-6S1 has the same caliber (10 mm), capacity (30 rounds), and damage rating (+2) as its cousin, but with a slightly longer effective range (15/25/50) and a slightly higher rate of fire (3 or 2/1-5/15). This gun can be used with the Handgun Gunplay specialization, but its fully automatic capabilities are unleashed using the Submachinegun Gunplay specialization.
Once upon a time, human beings used quite a bit of the element uranium. One of the uses of the depleted heavy metal was as special rounds for weapons. Depleted uranium (DU) rounds are very dense – 84% as dense as osmium or iridium, which are the densest substances under terrestrial pressures. This increased density gives it a smaller diameter than traditional bullets, providing less drag and deeper penetration. The rounds are also often incendiary, especially if it meets with significant resistance. Since there are stockpiles of DU still left, the government has created the DU rounds for their most dangerous duties, including Special Services. In effect, it adds an additional +1 on top of the weapon’s normal damage rating, in addition to its incendiary effects. Most Special Services agents carry one clip of DU ammunition for their MP-6S1’s. It is very difficult to get DU if you’re
not top special forces or in Special Services.
Armor
The suit and coats worn by Special Services agents are more than the standard heavy concealed armor, giving it a 1/2 rating.
Other Gear
Special Services agents have ready access to Corporal Restorative and the Powder of Ibn Ghazi, as well as Glamour Locks.

So to clarify, yeah, I burned 4 points and 1 san for access to the coat, the not-wearing-your-psycher-markings, the cascade, and the potential DU.

The full four-point value would also include actual MP-6S1s (significantly more powerful), and being a non-existent "ghost in the machine" with absolute authority over normal law enforcement, as well as fairly heavy elder magic in the form of easy access to what are (effectively) healing potions, counter-invisibility powder, and supernatural identity masks.

So that's what an SS agent is and what the full Special Services Training asset would get a character if they were one.

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

CarnivalOfTheGoat

Quote from: Pretty in Pink on April 17, 2014, 04:01:35 PM
Mild concept rework incoming, and character overhaul shortly after.

Looks nice!

I must say I'm looking forward to seeing more discussion on how the characters' team will be working together and interlocking of histories/how they know each other and interact (for those who would like to, anyway...I would like to, I'd like for Moth to have been around the FSB offices as a 'consultant' for at least a few months, unless Jaded wants the team to be brand new and everyone meeting for the first time).

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

Jaded

Quote from: Pretty in Pink on April 17, 2014, 11:11:37 PM
I'm changing her from military into an actual FSB Agent, specialized in infiltration and investigation.

Sounds good.

Quote from: ReijiTabibito on April 17, 2014, 11:19:35 PM
Special Services Training allows for the acquiring of any Gunplay Cascade.  It's essentially highly-specialized combat training.  Anything else - the equipment, the erasure from the system - is for Agents only.  The game implies that while certain Cascades (like NEG Unarmed or Handgun Gunplay) can be acquired universally, some requires special training.

It's fine if you want to take it for a Cascade.  As long as you have an in character explanation that doesn't include the actual special services.  I may allow one or two pieces of special gear, but not full access.  Though I would prefer not to have too much overlap, and from Carnival's summary only one requires the asset?

Quote from: CarnivalOfTheGoat on April 17, 2014, 11:57:51 PM
Looks nice!

I must say I'm looking forward to seeing more discussion on how the characters' team will be working together and interlocking of histories/how they know each other and interact (for those who would like to, anyway...I would like to, I'd like for Moth to have been around the FSB offices as a 'consultant' for at least a few months, unless Jaded wants the team to be brand new and everyone meeting for the first time).

I was leaning towards the non-FSB being newer, but if you want to work up a backstory with the others you could certainly have had your character around for awhile.  The local FSB is also intended to be fairly large, so the people may have just seen each other around but not really know each other. 

ReijiTabibito

Quote from: Jaded on April 18, 2014, 12:00:49 AM
It's fine if you want to take it for a Cascade.  As long as you have an in character explanation that doesn't include the actual special services.  I may allow one or two pieces of special gear, but not full access.  Though I would prefer not to have too much overlap, and from Carnival's summary only one requires the asset?

I know it's rude to ask of me, but if I'm going to spend 4 points to acquire the Asset, I would like to have more than just the Cascade access to show for it.  I'm with you, I would certainly restrict access to all things (especially the DU rounds), but I would like to be able to have a piece or two of nice shiny gear to show for the spend.

CarnivalOfTheGoat

Reiji, do you have any thoughts yet on IC reasons why a sorceror/investigator would have that kind of training?

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

Pretty in Pink

I'm fine with Moth and Kitten knowing each other, or at least having run across each other at some point so they at least know each others' callsigns.
[FLOATLEFT][/FLOATLEFT]O.O ~{=}~ Ideas ~{=}~ A&A[FLOATRIGHT][/FLOATRIGHT]

I've taken the Oath of the Drake for Group RP

SGTDan

#93
Quote from: CarnivalOfTheGoat on April 17, 2014, 11:57:51 PM
Looks nice!

I must say I'm looking forward to seeing more discussion on how the characters' team will be working together and interlocking of histories/how they know each other and interact (for those who would like to, anyway...I would like to, I'd like for Moth to have been around the FSB offices as a 'consultant' for at least a few months, unless Jaded wants the team to be brand new and everyone meeting for the first time).

I am unsure as to Keys connections with the group, he may be a liaison from the NEGA and a unknown. Since he would be the only one to be a complete outsider. Plus it would be hilarious to see people's reactions to his whole "vacation" slant he takes to the investigation.

Walking into a blood covered room,

"Whistle You guys take spring break seriously"
“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”  -Dr. Seuss
Proudly Demisexual
Do you love Star Trek? Answer the Call to Duty
My RP Requests

ReijiTabibito

Special Services will frequently recruit sorcerers and para-psychics who show promise.  Mainly from the OIS (as well as people that they detain), but it's not unheard of for SpecServices to go knocking on the door of the GIA or the Bureau for a rather talented person.

CarnivalOfTheGoat

Quote from: ReijiTabibito on April 18, 2014, 12:14:57 AM
Special Services will frequently recruit sorcerers and para-psychics who show promise.  Mainly from the OIS (as well as people that they detain), but it's not unheard of for SpecServices to go knocking on the door of the GIA or the Bureau for a rather talented person.

"Special Services will frequently recruit..."

Yes, but Jaded has said no Special Service agents. I was wondering if you had some other concept in case it was something that you might need help working into the context of the game team.

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

ReijiTabibito

I know.  But the idea of SpecServices cross-training a rather promising potential agent in the future (IE, not this game) wouldn't be unheard of.  Isn't that your idea, as it is?

CarnivalOfTheGoat

#97
Quote from: Jaded on April 18, 2014, 12:00:49 AMI was leaning towards the non-FSB being newer, but if you want to work up a backstory with the others you could certainly have had your character around for awhile.  The local FSB is also intended to be fairly large, so the people may have just seen each other around but not really know each other.

Quote from: Pretty in Pink on April 18, 2014, 12:10:52 AM
I'm fine with Moth and Kitten knowing each other, or at least having run across each other at some point so they at least know each others' callsigns.

I'm picturing Moth being "that weird OIS liaison" who has been stirring around the offices at all hours unpredictably day and night for the last few weeks or so, generally making people uneasy because she's not only one of those weird alien hybrids, but her expression never changes, she's almost creepily quiet (Not when she moves...She's not a ninja, she just hardly ever talks) and she always seems to be around whenever anyone thinks they have a lead on a serious supernatural threat.

Like she's waiting for them to happen.

...And that's the only time she ever seems to have exercised her 'higher service' authority, with a quiet, little monotone "I'm coming," when a team lights out to check into such things, especially if they think it's serious enough to put SPAT on notice. So far, none of the expeditions she has tagged along on have born fruit, and she has basically managed to do a professional job of staying out of the way of the FSB's own professionals while still observing 'over their shoulders' (or, given her height, probably under an arm).

Whether they interact much or not, I am imagining that Darkling's unnamed shrink will have probably diagnosed the basics of Moth's problem within thirty seconds of seeing her (at least in the general terms of "Schizoid disorder, looks like high-functioning autism, probably has trouble expressing herself") and is liable to figure out most of the rest of Moth's troubles in fairly short order.

Pink, I'm going to message you about ideas for Kitten/Moth interaction.

Quote from: ReijiTabibito on April 18, 2014, 12:25:51 AM
I know.  But the idea of SpecServices cross-training a rather promising potential agent in the future (IE, not this game) wouldn't be unheard of.  Isn't that your idea, as it is?

No. Moth has not received SpecServices cross-training.

"Cross-training" implies a few days or weeks or maybe a month.

Moth is the product of OIS having the opportunity to raise an "in-house" White and deciding to try her out as a monster-hunter, so training her for most of her teen years rather than letting her have a 'normal life.'

Quote from: CarnivalOfTheGoat on April 16, 2014, 05:20:31 AM"...pretty much her entire life past around age eight has been manipulated by the OIS's research into how best to make use of White para-psychics."

Quote from: CarnivalOfTheGoat on April 15, 2014, 05:04:02 PM
- Her job is to contain supernatural threats long enough for proper forces to arrive and cordon.

She has law enforcement training so she knows where the do-not-cross lines are, and how to work helpfully with others and contribute her non-combative psychic capabilities to investigations. She has limited special equipment access because it'd be silly to put all that time and effort into an experiment and then have it fail because you put it out there with a popgun. Moth's been being drilled to do her thing for years. Thus some of her by-the-book flaws and why she is so horribly out of her depth when it comes to dealing with people outside of the professional law enforcement/special enforcement community on a purely social basis.

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

ReijiTabibito

#98
Quote from: CarnivalOfTheGoat on April 18, 2014, 12:54:15 AM
No. Moth has not received SpecServices cross-training.

"Cross-training" implies a few days or weeks or maybe a month.

Moth is the product of OIS having the opportunity to raise an "in-house" White and deciding to try her out as a monster-hunter, so training her for most of her teen years rather than letting her have a 'normal life.'

So what you're saying is that all that OIS training might as well be the equivalent of SpecServices Training.  If that's the case, then it's not unreasonable to think that the enforcement orgs - ALL the orgs - have forms of advanced combat training that are similar to SpecServices.  If that's not the case, then it doesn't matter how long your character has been manipulated by the OIS.  If they don't have the training for it, they don't have it.

It's either all or nothing.  You can't say that OIS has advanced combat training that is near-equal to that of SpecServices and expect that the FSB - which is the bigger and more widespread agency - doesn't have it, as well.  If OIS gets it, then so should the Feds.

EDIT: Never mind.

Jaded

Quote from: ReijiTabibito on April 18, 2014, 12:05:19 AM
I know it's rude to ask of me, but if I'm going to spend 4 points to acquire the Asset, I would like to have more than just the Cascade access to show for it.  I'm with you, I would certainly restrict access to all things (especially the DU rounds), but I would like to be able to have a piece or two of nice shiny gear to show for the spend.

What gear are you wanting to have?

Quote from: ReijiTabibito on April 18, 2014, 12:25:51 AM
I know.  But the idea of SpecServices cross-training a rather promising potential agent in the future (IE, not this game) wouldn't be unheard of.  Isn't that your idea, as it is?

I'm fine with the explanation of special training or similar (SWAT training, etc), but would prefer to avoid involving the Special Services at all.  Any gear or training would be through FSB/OIS/Military means (even if normally limited to the Special Services, so I am handwaving some of the canon), the asset is just used to cover the 'cost' out of game and may not be a good investment.