Cortex Steampunk Game 1 OOC Discussion

[IsabellaRose]

41 minutes ago, StarlitSiren said:

Ok, so Millie has a sister and a father in her past. I'm actually going to create a character with a negative connection in the town, if that's acceptable?

Willis Sloan is as close to an outlaw as you can get while still balancing on the right side of legality. He owns and operates a trading post in (town name), but is involved in shady dealings. Millie was forced to borrow money from Willis a few months back, and the interest is piling up. Of course, she could pay him back in a heartbeat if she were still at home, or with the help of her family, but fuck that. And as months tick by, so too does his patience tick down.

This is perfect. Keep in mind, just because they're not on the sheet, doesn't mean they don't exist in the fiction. Family members, past lovers, etc. can and do all exist, even if they're not on the pathways map.

The ones on the map are going to be connected to other locations, PCs, NPCs, and events placed on the map, often in ways you did not expect. You addition of Willis is pure gold. He's an NPC I can use, and I can't wait to see if and how he gets connected to others.

[IsabellaRose]

Oh, and don't forget to add each of the other PCs as a d4 Relationship to your character sheet. I didn't include that in the instructions. 

 

[WritesNaughtyStories]

I went ahead and added a Characters thread for the game.

[Chiyako]

So I am having a bit of issues with deciding on an Origin. Privileged works on paper but it isn't really what defines her, and she lost that status very early. At the moment she keeps up appearances of still holding that sort of status, but little more than that.

Prodigy sort of works. She has always been scientifically gifted. But it hasn't been what has fully defined her either. If anything it has been what has kept her alive, but also gotten her into trouble.

She has been on the run most of her life, never quite sticking to one place long enough due to misfortune and people attempting to track her down for any number of reasons. Considered a criminal (which she most definitely is in some instances) and an abomination, a blemish upon the status of more than one noble clan, and of course a dangerous secret for the Helsink clan.

Would I just use prodigy with a few tweaks?

[IsabellaRose]

1 minute ago, Chiyako said:

Would I just use prodigy with a few tweaks?

Yes, that works perfectly.

It's really not super critical which one you choose, unless you're building an automaton, in which case you'd need to select Constructed. Otherwise it's just semantics, and the only difference is what options it gives you to build the character. You could have an Common-Born origin and still end up Wealthy, or vice versa. It's mostly just to try to help give you inspiration to create the character and think about their origin.

[WickedCadrach]

Ok. I think I've done this correctly? Missy Fisher should be fully set up in the character thread. 

[MagnificentBastard]

A thousand apologies work is very busy today I'll setup a character ASAP.

[WritesNaughtyStories]

I'm about half way through step 1 but I'm stymied by a Distinction and a Resource.

What I have so far is from Outlandish:

+2 Power (power seems crucial to an Ashborn Missionary, but framed as "Power is required to fight oppressive power")

d6 w/ Ashborn (She made me what I am)

My thought for Distinction is something connected to being one of the Unbound - I live the idea of pushing this toward a Shaolin style monk, but don't have a clear vision of what that would look like. There's definitely a "Wanted" element to it - the Unbound are heretics to the New Church and a populist new schism to the Old Church - but I feel like it encompasses a duty to the disenfranchised and a defense of the weak as well, It feels all over the place.

I understand that a Resource is something more than just a bank account, My thought is something like the good will of the local poor? But how to quantify that?

Edited 5 hours ago by WritesNaughtyStories
expalanation for why the Distinction and Resource confound me

[Chiyako]

For Alicia's starting relationship I chose the following:

Aldert Helsink
Current heir to the Helsink noble clan. A large man in peak physical condition, only a little older than Alicia. He doesn't take 'no' lightly and tends to get his way one way or another. Of decent intelligence. Courageous, albeit with some hesitation when it comes to monsters. He was raised to believe the von Vulfs as monsters. Taught skills to bring low the last 'Vampire' of the east. He has people at his disposal. While he seeks justice for the death of his grandfather and the debilitating injuries of his father, he is an honorable man who keeps his word, and not as evil as those who raised him. It is unknown what he might do if he actually managed to locate Alicia, although she has no intention of finding out.

Possibly not currently in town yet but he would have people working for him, and could be someone to rope in later. Or immediately. I'm fine with either! Let me know if you want anything about him fleshed out more.

I think I did relationships and values correctly? I'm kind of stuck on what to choose for Distinctions/Abilities/Assets/Resources. I think for Distinction maybe laying into her genius a bit, although I didn't see one that really fit that well. I may give her an Ability, something that fits more into her being a mad scientist (experimenting on others, even experimenting on herself), although I didn't see one that fit well. Alternatively I imagine part of it may be her trying to replicate what the rumors stated about her father during his demise, leaning somewhat into the title of 'Vampire' if only to scare away people who might try to go after her. Alternatively doing a Distinction based around her body, including the weaknesses of her illness and maybe strengths granted by her experiments.

I am definitely open to suggestions, although I will be gone here for a few hours in a bit, and won't be able to reply to any until after that point.

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Hopefully I've done this right. 

I've added NPC Kirsa Autenrieth a hard-nosed German aristocrat from an old and very very entrenched house, current operator of the Autenreith Talent Agency, and...cultist. She bought and holds Kojo's contract years ago after an incident at one of his concerts and helped control the rumors around it. She ensures he still has shows to play while vehemently refusing to release him out of "a great respect" effectively making sure he is stuck under her employ no matter what he does. She happily plays the part of a dutiful and well connected sponsor while furthering the cults own ends for The Other Theory. 

Kinda spitballing on the relationship stuff but if anyone wants something different you just let me know!

I'll have to finish the rest once I actually get to work. 

[IsabellaRose]

2 hours ago, WritesNaughtyStories said:

I'm about half way through step 1 but I'm stymied by a Distinction and a Resource.

What I have so far is from Outlandish:

+2 Power (power seems crucial to an Ashborn Missionary, but framed as "Power is required to fight oppressive power")

d6 w/ Ashborn (She made me what I am)

My thought for Distinction is something connected to being one of the Unbound - I live the idea of pushing this toward a Shaolin style monk, but don't have a clear vision of what that would look like. There's definitely a "Wanted" element to it - the Unbound are heretics to the New Church and a populist new schism to the Old Church - but I feel like it encompasses a duty to the disenfranchised and a defense of the weak as well, It feels all over the place.

I understand that a Resource is something more than just a bank account, My thought is something like the good will of the local poor? But how to quantify that?

I've been thinking about the early Ashborn. I think they started out a a loose-knit group of disenfranchised individuals, but quickly took on roles to help others. Some became healers, nurturers, keepers of safe houses - the Hearthkeepers. Some became fighters, saboteurs, defends who tip the scales by force, the Firebrands, following in Prudences' footsteps in the way they imagine to be most direct. The violence they visit on misogynists who refuse to accept free women loving other free women earned them the name The Widowmakers. But the group that ended up truly walking close to the same path as Prudence were the Ashwalkers, wandering adherents, defenders of the disenfranchised. 

The Walkers follow the road of solitude and wandering, like pilgrims or monks with no temple but the open sky. They prefer peace, speaking gently and living lightly, but they will not stand by while the weak are crushed. When the innocent, the silenced, or the outcast cry out, the Walkers answer. They fight only when no other path remains, and when they do, they fight without hesitation.

I tried to come up with some Distinctions that felt a bit "Kung Fu" to me. Let me know what you think:

Ash-Walker Distinctions

Pilgrim of the Ash Road

You walk lightly upon the world, carrying little but your will and your fire. The road is both your teacher and your sanctuary.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you choose the harder road or refuse comfort that would be easier to accept.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to appear in a scene as if you’ve wandered into it at the perfect moment.
• d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reroll a die when you act as guide or protector for an outcast.

Silent Protector

You prefer peace, but your silence hides a dangerous resolve. When the weak are threatened, you strike with sudden precision.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you let someone underestimate you because of your quiet nature.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to step into a scene and immediately intercept harm meant for another.
• d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to Decrease your opponent’s Injured or Afraid Stress pool when you fight in defense of the innocent.

Ashen Wisdom

Your scars have become lessons. You know the weight of chains, the fire of ruin, and the need for compassion.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you let empathy for another slow or hinder your progress.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to Reveal you know a story, teaching, or proverb that changes how someone sees their situation.
• d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reroll a die when offering counsel that challenges authority or unjust laws.

Hands That Heal, Hands That Strike

You are trained to heal and defend in equal measure, a wandering monk whose hands carry mercy and violence both.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you heal or aid another at cost to yourself.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to treat physical or emotional Stress as though you had medical supplies or sanctuary at hand.
• d12: Spend a Plot Point to Reroll a die when you turn your healing skill into a weapon (nerve strikes, pressure points, improvised defenses).

 

RESOURCE: For the Resource, it could be as simple as "Hearthkeepers" with specialties of: safety, healing, concealment, quick escape... or whatever you think. Or a location like an Abandoned Homestead or the Caves in the Hills she knows is a safe sport.

Edited 4 hours ago by IsabellaRose

[IsabellaRose]

Oh... and you probably want to wait to write Relationship statements until later. As the game goes on, relationships might form a little more naturally based on the way the system works, and it will be easier to see how your PCs relate to each other based on the way we build the setting and NPCs through Pathways.

[MagnificentBastard]

@IsabellaRose

Where is the link to the Miro board? I tried searching for it but failed to find it.

Never mind I found it

Edited 3 hours ago by MagnificentBastard

[StarlitSiren]

I'll hold off on my relationships to others for now then @IsabellaRose

And I'm VERY afraid of Willis's possibilities :o

 

 

 

[Chiyako]

I should probably remove my relationships sections then, right?
 

[IsabellaRose]

Just now, Chiyako said:

I should probably remove my relationships sections then, right?
 

You can leave them for now. You might just want to double-check them once we're done and make sure your first thoughts are still what you're thinking once Pathways is done.

[StarlitSiren]

I'm a little lost- where did the character sheet thread go? Sorry

[WickedCadrach]

2 minutes ago, StarlitSiren said:

I'm a little lost- where did the character sheet thread go? Sorry

It's under 'Roleplays' not 'Discussion'. Here

[StarlitSiren]

Thanks!

[WritesNaughtyStories]

2 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

Pilgrim of the Ash Road

You walk lightly upon the world, carrying little but your will and your fire. The road is both your teacher and your sanctuary.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you choose the harder road or refuse comfort that would be easier to accept.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to appear in a scene as if you’ve wandered into it at the perfect moment.
• d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reroll a die when you act as guide or protector for an outcast.

2 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

Silent Protector

You prefer peace, but your silence hides a dangerous resolve. When the weak are threatened, you strike with sudden precision.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you let someone underestimate you because of your quiet nature.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to step into a scene and immediately intercept harm meant for another.
• d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to Decrease your opponent’s Injured or Afraid Stress pool when you fight in defense of the innocent.

Can we soften the focus to:

Ash-Walker

You are one of Ashborn's wandering adherents, providing succor and guidance when possible and protection when necessary.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you choose the harder road or refuse comfort that would be easier to accept.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to step into a scene and immediately intercept harm meant for another.
• d12: Spend a Plot Point to Reroll a die when you turn your healing skill into a weapon (nerve strikes, pressure points, improvised defenses). [I could see taking this as an act of healing too]

I hate that it's so scatter-shot, but I think configuring it this way leans into the broader intent of the Ash-Walkers.

A more tightly focused alternative might be:

Pilgrim of the Ash Road

You walk lightly upon the world, carrying little but your will and your fire. The road is both your teacher and your sanctuary.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you choose the harder road or refuse comfort that would be easier to accept.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to step into a scene and immediately intercept harm meant for another.
• d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reroll a die when you act as guide or protector for an outcast.

For the resource, I like the idea of Hearthkeepers. That would add a resource to the Pathways map, right?

Edited 2 hours ago by WritesNaughtyStories

[IsabellaRose]

6 minutes ago, WritesNaughtyStories said:

I hate that it's so scatter-shot, but I think configuring it this way leans into the broader intent of the Ash-Walkers.

A more tightly focused alternative might be:

Pilgrim of the Ash Road

You walk lightly upon the world, carrying little but your will and your fire. The road is both your teacher and your sanctuary.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when you choose the harder road or refuse comfort that would be easier to accept.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to step into a scene and immediately intercept harm meant for another.
• d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reroll a die when you act as guide or protector for an outcast.

For the resource, I like the idea of Hearthkeepers. That would add a resource to the Pathways map, right?

I like the more tightly focused one. I was also thinking we could make it a Heritage distinction. Even though it's not a "species" or anything, it has broader implications and could have a set of connected abilities you could learn over time. I think maybe adding more to the definition/description would help, too. Something like "you know pressure points and can use them for hands-on healing as well as nerve strikes" to cover that. The idea should be that, even without the need to mechanically heal a PC, you should be able to help an NPC with minor injury as a matter of course because it's something you do. 

The Hearthkeepers would not be on the map at this point. You're just adding a single NPC to the map.

[WritesNaughtyStories]

14 minutes ago, IsabellaRose said:

I was also thinking we could make it a Heritage distinction. Even though it's not a "species" or anything, it has broader implications and could have a set of connected abilities you could learn over time. I think maybe adding more to the definition/description would help, too.

At this point, adding this as a Heritage Distinction doesn't change anything, does it?

What do we need to define, the Ash-Walkers or the Unbound (I can see a strong argument for both)? Do we want to see if any of that comes out in the rest of the Pathways?

Oh, and since Resource starts at 2d4, does it step up to 2d6 Hearthkeeper? And what kind of specialties are we thinking, Healer and Safe House?

Edited 1 hour ago by WritesNaughtyStories
Resource

[IsabellaRose]

I think the Unbound are still forming in this time period... there is no formal church yet. Prudence likely still walks the plains. She was set in the wild west. I think this movement is just picking up steam and different forces are influencing it as it solidifies into the codified religion it becomes later. I think there are a variety of people trying to honor what she did for them in their own ways, and many different views on what her legacy should be, and what her actions mean. I like the idea that there is a core set of beliefs, as outlined in The Manifesto of the Unbound, but that different individuals and groups have different takes on it.... but also all still help each other because that's the core of the beliefs.

"I am the storm that shields the meek, the flame that protects the scorned, the ruin that stands as sanctuary for those you cast out."

"I am the ruin of your false sanctuaries, the fire that devours your lies, the storm that scatters your order to ash."

"I am your reckoning, and I promise you this: the scales will balance, but not by your dogma, not in your courts."

"I build a new temple, not of walls, but of arms wrapped around each other..."

Each of those seems to call for a different type of action, and I think different people will hear her call differently. But those who met her directly, who were actually saved by the real Prudence, I think they might be the first Ashwalkers, the ones most like Kwai Chang Caine.

But let's see what happens in Pathways.

 

Heritage Distinctions are handled differently. The biggest drawback I see is that they require a limit (like kryptonite to a Kryptonian, or fire to Martian Manhunter, etc.) so it might not be appropriate. I'll have to dig into the rules more later.

[MagnificentBastard]

Okay started my character sheet and did the Miro board, will do abilities/traits etc...later.

@IsabellaRose

I made my relationship with an automaton that serves as my character's butler and servant, if it has to be character with autonomy I can just make her a cute maid.

Edited 1 hour ago by MagnificentBastard

[WritesNaughtyStories]

4 minutes ago, IsabellaRose said:

Heritage Distinctions are handled differently. The biggest drawback I see is that they require a limit (like kryptonite to a Kryptonian, or fire to Martian Manhunter, etc.) so it might not be appropriate. I'll have to dig into the rules more later.

I think the influence of the established churches might fill in nicely there. The New Church might haul them to the dias for Judgement using the dame kind of enforcers Prudence was. The Old Church might try to get the Unbound run out of town. Push either hard enough and they might call for a trial for heresy - which generally ends badly.