Cortex Steampunk Game 1 OOC Discussion

[DreamsnThings]

ahhhh gotcha, i actually like duty more for my characters purposes, but if that was the change that makes sense

[WickedCadrach]

1 hour ago, DreamsnThings said:

my new distinction would hopefully be a counter point to honeypot, possibly something less about her seductive abilities and more about her training and skill as a secret agent... something like fem fatal, covert ops, or maybe simply secretive... the goal being to make her more sneaky or agile in terms of her skill set

There is a Femme Fatale distinction in the list. Rules Reference -> Distinctions/Traits -> The Big List of Distinctions/Traits for 1880s Steampunk Western RPG
 

Quote

 

FEMME FATALE / CHARMING ROGUE: Mystery and allure are your sharpest tools. Roll when seduction or intrigue is in play.

d4: Earn a Plot Point when you conceal your true intentions behind charm.

d8: Spend a Plot Point to Gain a d8 Relationship with someone you’ve ensnared — for this scene.

d12: Spend a Plot Point to Reroll a die in any social Contest that leans on desire or risk.

 

Though, from that list: Agile, Sneaky, or even Soldier might hit the mark better for what you're looking for. 

[IsabellaRose]

1 hour ago, WickedCadrach said:

There is a Femme Fatale distinction in the list. Rules Reference -> Distinctions/Traits -> The Big List of Distinctions/Traits for 1880s Steampunk Western RPG
 

Though, from that list: Agile, Sneaky, or even Soldier might hit the mark better for what you're looking for. 

@DreamsnThings I was going to suggest "Sneaky" but any of the other suggestions WickedCadrach made are valid here as well!

 

2 hours ago, DreamsnThings said:

ahhhh gotcha, i actually like duty more for my characters purposes, but if that was the change that makes sense

Also yes to this. I guess I missed another spot where I should have changed it to Honor! But yes, you can step up Honor and think of it as Duty. Same thing, IMHO.

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

The only real difference between Duty Bound and Honor Bound is motivation 
Duty is external 
Honor is Internal 

I quite like Honor better since its the 1880s and worker protection laws were more or less just ramping up, laws were there but kind of a suggestion rather than having the ability to be enforced as easily as it is now, and the only reason you didn't shoot anyone is because you didn't want to deal with the headache of also potentially having to shoot the sheriff. 

Maybe not the deputy though. 

Edited Tuesday at 08:51 PM by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[DreamsnThings]

Spoiler

SNEAKY: You’re fantastic at getting in and out without being seen, with equal parts hiding in shadows, moving without making a sound, and natural agility. You have it all in spades. Roll the Distinction’s die when you’re trying to remain hidden, quiet, or off the radar. Compare this Distinction to Agile, which is about acrobatics and graceful moves, or Right Place, Right Time, which is more luck and good timing than stealthy behavior.

d4: Spend a Plot Point to Reroll any die in a Sneaky roll.

d8: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reroll a second die on a Sneaky roll.

d12: Spend a Plot Point to Reveal that you’ve palmed a small object from a previous scene.

oh hold up... I really like the idea of the D12 portion and i like the idea of rerolling sneaky checks, the thing i need to check is essentially if sneaky rolls are strictly stealth stealth, or if something like... blending into a crowd, causing a distraction that you can use for stealth, or possibly conman style slight of hand? basically im trying to find the line of what counts as sneaky

[IsabellaRose]

14 hours ago, DreamsnThings said:

  Reveal hidden contents

SNEAKY: You’re fantastic at getting in and out without being seen, with equal parts hiding in shadows, moving without making a sound, and natural agility. You have it all in spades. Roll the Distinction’s die when you’re trying to remain hidden, quiet, or off the radar. Compare this Distinction to Agile, which is about acrobatics and graceful moves, or Right Place, Right Time, which is more luck and good timing than stealthy behavior.

d4: Spend a Plot Point to Reroll any die in a Sneaky roll.

d8: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reroll a second die on a Sneaky roll.

d12: Spend a Plot Point to Reveal that you’ve palmed a small object from a previous scene.

oh hold up... I really like the idea of the D12 portion and i like the idea of rerolling sneaky checks, the thing i need to check is essentially if sneaky rolls are strictly stealth stealth, or if something like... blending into a crowd, causing a distraction that you can use for stealth, or possibly conman style slight of hand? basically im trying to find the line of what counts as sneaky

In the list Sneaky says:

"SNEAKY: You’re fantastic at getting in and out without being seen, with equal parts hiding in shadows, moving without making a sound, and natural agility. You have it all in spades. Roll the Distinction’s die when you’re trying to remain hidden, quiet, or off the radar."

I would think conman style sleight of hand might fit better under

"FAST TALKER: You’ve lost track of the problems your mouth has caused over the years. But you’ve learned to use it to your advantage, and it’s now your first line of defense. Roll the Distinction’s die when bluffing or browbeating somebody, giving evasive answers, or otherwise using your rapid-fire communication skills to your benefit."

or

"SNAKE OIL SALESMAN: You could sell anything with charm and fast talk. Roll when bluffing, pitching, or lying."

which both kind of seem like the same thing to me, now that I think about it. See what happens when you try to change up a system to be thematic but you're in a hurry?

 

Alternately, we could add the below Distinction, which I think captures the sleight of hand you were thinking of above.

Quote

 

SLEIGHT OF HAND: You’ve got deft fingers and a talent for misdirection. Whether it’s palming a coin, swapping cards mid-deal, or making someone’s watch disappear, your hands move faster than most eyes can follow. This isn’t stealth or charm, it’s precision, rhythm, and showmanship. Roll this Distinction’s die when your manual dexterity, subtle manipulation, or knack for distraction helps you gain an advantage. Compare to Sneaky (for stealth and concealment) and Fast Talker (for verbal bluffing). Sleight of Hand is about manual trickery, what your hands can do unseen while everyone’s watching your smile.

• d4: Earn a Plot Point when your trick gets noticed or called out, exposing your deception or drawing unwanted attention.
• d8: Spend a Plot Point to Reroll a die in a Sleight of Hand roll when your distraction, flourish, or showmanship keeps eyes where you want them.
• d12: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reveal that you’ve already planted, swapped, or pocketed a small object from a previous scene.

 

•  

[IsabellaRose]

So I'd say if you want to be sneaky, sneaking around, being stealthy, and you could say that maybe while sneaking around you managed to grab something from Senator Dawkins' desk or out of a drawer in the Sheriff's office, that would be "Sneaky". If you want to be playing thee card monte, picking pockets, stealing watches, and generally behaving like the cast of Now You See Me, we'd probably want to add Sleight of Hand.

I think the original designers were trying to keep the list short and didn't have as many high stakes poker games or sneaky spies in the Smallville show as we're likely to have in our game. The d12 SFX for Sneaky bit seems to add just enough of sleight of hand at the end to appease anyone who asked.

[IsabellaRose]

19 hours ago, DreamsnThings said:

Draw an arrow from your sqiare to a new or existing circle ---> commissioner Gordon, miss Ramona's adoptive father and the head of her organization

Draw an arrow back to a lead square ---> note passed, secretes known ---> someone who goes to the Thane-Cash Rebirth Hall knows who I am, my real name was passed to me by someone unknown, theres more going on here than it seems... and they know more than they should.

none of the optional changes seem to be needed for this

of the options MISSION seems the most fitting
I would increase duty as it says because that sounds fitting and im maxed on truth... but uh... thats... not one of the 7 stats that we talked about is duty?

my free boost will be either duty as well (if its real), or passion

my new distinction would hopefully be a counter point to honeypot, possibly something less about her seductive abilities and more about her training and skill as a secret agent... something like fem fatal, covert ops, or maybe simply secretive... the goal being to make her more sneaky or agile in terms of her skill set

relationships being stepped up - missy, edmund, and kojo all stepped up by +1... currently the only player who is at D4 is alicia since its been hard to approach her

+resource - I would like to step up my pherotech atomizer to D8

 

I think thats everything? before i edit anything i want to make sure im not getting things mixed up

Im still very interested, i am getting burned out a tad with the long character creation process but im very invested in the character. obviously im for waiting for dreams, but im bias there lol

Okay, for your steps:

1. Added NPC and the arrow back to your square are both good, and you skipped both optional steps. All set!
2. Honor up x2 as it's the replacement for Duty. All set!
3. Duty was replaced with Honor - do you want to step up Honor or Passion?
4. Distinctions described in my last reply, or we can add one. Choose a Distinction.
5. Missy stepped up to d6, Edmund stepped up to d6, Kojo stepped up to d8. That leaves Alicia AND Millie still at d4.
6. Pherotech is not a Resource. Resources are NPCs and Locations. Currently you have Kyle's Cure-All's and Commissioner Gordon listed as Resources. (see this comment where I describe how NPCs start as Resources, and which ones I'd put where if I were to change them). So you still need to select a Resource to step up.
7. You also need to select 2 specialties for Commissioner Gordon.

[IsabellaRose]

One more thing - you get to find face claims for your NPCs. I'll use thumbnails of them when posting as your NPCs to make it easier to find them!

@Chiyako - Aldert Helsink, Jack Bennett

@AsBloodTurnsEverCold - Kirsa Autenrieth, Joshua Thane, Clayton Cash

@WickedCadrach - Jane Montgomery, Adelaide Montgomery, Red Jenny, 'Judge' Holland Buck

@StarlitSiren - Willis Sloan, Otis "Sparks" Tully

@MagnificentBastard - TIAL-V

@DreamsnThings - Mr. Kay (aka Kyle Cruze), Commissioner Gordon

 

If you don't mind AI generated images and need any help creating something specific, I've become rather decent at generating images in a certain style using an AI generator. I'd be happy to whip some up for you to peek at, no obligation, just an offer to help if you want to see what I can get it to make!

[Chiyako]

Sounds good! I'll go ahead and find them when I am no longer ill.

[WickedCadrach]

I'm going to play around a bit to see if I can find a Red Jenny that I like. But I think I like these for my other 3 NPCs.
(SFW. Spoiler tag to save space)

'Judge' Holland Buck 

Spoiler

Adelaide Montgomery 

Spoiler

Jane Montgomery

Spoiler

 

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Honestly I already had pictures picked out for them....maybe too many cause making up my mind took me hours. 

Kirsa Autenrieth 

Spoiler

Joshua Thane 

Spoiler

Clayton Cash 

Spoiler

 

Edited Thursday at 01:32 AM by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[IsabellaRose]

...and we're ready for Step 6!

Now that your character has faced their Life-Changing Event, we're going to focus on who they are after the event. First, it's your Priority.

After the event that changed your life, you struggle to retain or regain some sort of normalcy, whether it’s the comforts of your old existence, or the circumstances of your new reality. Your Priority is what you cling to in the hopes of finding that sense of grounding. It’s a near-obsession that absorbs you in your daily life. In some cases it’s the tie that binds; in others, it’s that which keeps the demons at bay. At night, when you lie awake in your bed, this is what occupies your mind.

You get to choose between: Friends & Family, Work, Moving Forward, Looking Back, or Performance

Everyone gets to:

• Draw an arrow from your square to a new or existing circle (NEW Extra) or diamond (NEW Location).
• Draw an arrow from any circle or diamond to another circle, diamond, or square.

...and then perform a few other steps based on what you choose as listed over in the rules thread!

[WickedCadrach]

Ok, I'm more or less happy with how this Red Jenny turned out. I'm already looking forward to when we get a face reveal and have to swap her portrait

(warning: blood and spooky vibes)
 

Spoiler

 

[MagnificentBastard]

TIAL-V

Spoiler

Edited 15 hours ago by MagnificentBastard

[MagnificentBastard]

@DreamsnThings

We don't have any connections, is the pharmacy for real? I could see my character being interested if it's legit8mare or if I can get access to drugs which first with the time period.

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Alright!: 
I chose the Performance priority because well...obviously lol. 

I stepped up Honor to D8 because I was already maxed on Glory. 

I upped Virtuoso to D10 because music is this man's life after all. 

I connected Kirsa to @StarlitSiren's Otis Tully as "Whispers to" because attempting to control the flow of information in and out of town for her own ends is exactly something Kirsa would do. Ingratiating herself with an old man would be a good tactic.

I've introduced a new Extra: 
2d4 "The Blue Hour Lady" (Lore, Witchcraft) - She's no spirit, but seeing her is rare enough that people often thinks she's a ghost. She only really appears when sun dips beneath the horizon, for the short time the sky takes on its blue hue. She's a definite mystery, but on the occasions when people speak to the lady she's a friendly if unnerving sort. She knows a lot, but even more than that she knows of things beyond human comprehension. A good payment and she'll even put that knowledge to work for someone else but the payments aren't your simple affair. They're heavy, dark, and uncomfortable.

Its all fair for good benefit isn't it? 

 

Edited 14 hours ago by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[WickedCadrach]

Step 6 - Missy Fisher

--Draw an arrow from your square to a new or existing circle (NEW Extra) or diamond (NEW Location).--

New line from Missy to Jack Beckett (We keep each other's secrets).

@Chiyako I'm imagining Missy meets with Jack to get dirt on the town from his unique perspective, info she can use in her spook shows. Missy might be one of the few people other than Alicia who knows how he acquires his oddities (presumably in some unsavory ways at times?).

Spoiler

Missy lifted the glass of whiskey to her nose, allowing the alcohol to burn away the chemical decay of the mortician's back room. 

Evangeline Monroe. Third row. Seat five. An intractable woman whose scoffing whispers undercut the silence of the séance's more dramatic moments. Missy would have preferred to have found some dirt while she was alive, but Mrs. Monroe was survived by three children and a husband, any of which might decide this was the time to see what all this 'spirit' mumbo-jumbo was about... if only to try and find where Evangeline left some of the more precious pieces of the family parure she was keeping out of her daughter's grubby hands. 

"Ready?" Jack said, tossing back that dirty blonde hair of his with a schoolboy's mischievous smirk. Missy shrugged and gestured for him to continue, allowing a moment's dramatic pause before the lean mortician unveiled the dead woman's breasts with a simple flourish. The con-artist's eyes flicked across the prostrate body's bared chest. Her head tilted. An eyebrow cocked. 

"Evange-line!" Missy chuckled with faux shock and Jack joined in, picking up the whiskey bottle Missy had brought and topping her glass along with his own. "Do you think she did those herself... or...?"

It was Jack's turn to shrug. "Who knows? A shame though, really. Emerald tipped and silver too. But I'm guessing her husband will notice if they're nicked." 

"You think those are for Mr. Monroe?" Missy asked skeptically. "More to the point, if they did go missing, you think he'd call you out for it?" 

--Draw an arrow from any circle or diamond to another circle, diamond, or square.--

New line from Joshua Thane to the Silver Mines (Solves his 'problems' by burying them here)

Performance pathway 

Training, practicing, rehearsing… you’re pushing hard toward some sort of mythical perfection. You can see your goal clearly in your mind and you push yourself harder and harder each day to reach it. Let’s hope you don’t push too far. What is your goal and how are you preparing yourself to achieve it? Have you isolated yourself from friends and family in order to obtain your goal? Is there anything that can stand in your way?

Spoiler

Leaving Clarence Whitty behind was the best decision of her life. Missy was sure of it. The old conman aimed too low. He was dead weight. Stifling. Suffocating. She knew the spook show was gold. But it wasn't about the show, not really. The show was misdirection, a clap on the table while her other hand was already in their pockets. While they were all watching her star rise on the stage—the white linen crowd whose hands had never bled—they swallowed the real trick without question: the lie that she belonged in their world. Millicent Fisher... a proper lady... with servants and investments. Land she wouldn't have to work with her own fucking hands. It would be her turn to sip lemonade on the porch. No more looking over her shoulder. No more leaving town. No more unmarked graves. No more ghosts... imagined or otherwise.

Missy reset the stage, adjusting the intensity of the clacker under the lip of the table. She focused on the subtle movements, the sleight of hand and ventriloquist vocalizations that would sell the moment. They would believe the lie. If she was perfect... they would believe it.

Step up Honor or Glory: Stepped up Glory (d6 -> d8)

Add or step up a new Distinction (Recommended: Athletic, On A Mission, or Willful): Stepped up Corset Tease (d6 -> d8)

Step up an Extra: Stepped up Automaton Heiress Adelaide Montgomery (Wealth, Connections) (2d6 -> 2d8)

[IsabellaRose]

56 minutes ago, AsBloodTurnsEverCold said:

Alright!: 
I chose the Performance priority because well...obviously lol. 

I stepped up Honor to D8 because I was already maxed on Glory. 

I upped Virtuoso to D10 because music is this man's life after all. 

I connected Kirsa to @StarlitSiren's Otis Tully as "Whispers to" because attempting to control the flow of information in and out of town for her own ends is exactly something Kirsa would do. Ingratiating herself with an old man would be a good tactic.

I've introduced a new Extra: 
2d4 "The Blue Hour Lady" (Lore, Witchcraft) - She's no spirit, but seeing her is a rare enough that people often thinks she's a ghost. She only really appears when sun dips beneath the horizon, for the short time the sky takes on its blue hue. She's a definite mystery, but on the occasions when people speak to the lady she's a friendly if unnerving sort. She knows a lot, but even more than that she knows of things beyond human comprehension. A good payment and she'll even put that knowledge to work for someone else but the payments aren't your simple affair. They're heavy, dark, and uncomfortable.

Its all fair for good benefit isn't it? 

 

Don't forget to step up a Resource: Extra!

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Oh right! Stepped up Clayton Cash to 2d8
Thanks Isabella

Edited 14 hours ago by AsBloodTurnsEverCold

[Chiyako]

First I shall be adding a new Extra.

(2d4) Gwenael Auclair (Nobility, Science) - A friendly scientific rival!
An effiminate nobleman with long blonde hair, a thin frame, and eyes afflicted with a similar condition to Alicia's, Gwenael is a scientist she met briefly during her travels through France. The two were initially rivals in a school that Alicia attended at the time, both set to unveil similar scientific discoveries regarding the Human form, only to find their notes stolen during their bickering and scheming against one another and used by a charlatan who claimed the discovery for his own glory. The two made up and combined their efforts to destroy the charlatan's reputation. Through this period of shared scientific pursuits the two hit it off well, even further collaborating on a few minor side projects. Like any proper scientist Gwenael was interested in the oddities of Alicia's body, and while initially this curiosity was only scientific in nature their relationship did end up growing a little warmer by the time she was chased out of France. Only when he finished his schooling did Gwenael decide to join in the pursuit of Alicia, albeit on much friendlier terms.

Spoiler

Next, I will be drawing a line from 'Judge' Holland Buck to Joshua Thane with the following descriptor:
"I would shoot him if it were still legal."
Both were in the war and, from what I read about the two, probably on opposing sides. And now they seem to be somewhat on the opposing side when it comes to the law, in a sort of way. I think they would not like one another.

As for the Pathway choice, I believe what fits Alicia best following her scientific discovery (that being the vastly bolstered regenerative properties of her weird body) would be Work.
While not precisely the breakthrough she was seeking (it is, after all, not a cure to her condition) it is definitely along the same lines and is still an impressive scientific discovery none the less! If anything this would encourage her to push herself harder in her endeavors, as it is clear evidence that she is on the right path and evidence that the Human body still contains mysteries to unearth.

Since Truth is maxed out I will step up Power (from d8 to d10).
I'll change the descriptor to: Knowledge is power and power often decides truth.

Ill add a new Distinction, as I think she has earned it by this point:

Genius (d4)
You’re an intellectual giant. Either you’ve already established yourself in the scientific or academic community, or you demonstrate a great deal of promise. Roll the Distinction’s die when your analytical and logical skills would be of use in achieving a positive outcome, or when squaring off against somebody in a battle of the brains. Compare this Distinction to Clever, which is more about cunning and swift thinking, or Streetwise, which covers common sense.

• d4: Spend a Plot Point to Reveal that you’ve studied a subject and know its basics.
• d8: Earn a Plot Point and Add a d6 to Trouble when you assume others can’t follow your complicated thinking.
• d12: Spend a Plot Point to Reroll any academic or intellectual roll.

Finally, I shall step up The Laboratory (from d10 to d12).

Also I have picked out some pictures which match pretty close to what I was going for when it comes to Alicia's other created relationships.

Aldert Helsink

Spoiler

Jack Beckett

Spoiler

 

[StarlitSiren]

(will hopefully get to this later today! New job has been kicking my ass and I'm soooo tired)