IsabellaRose

I never purposely caused myself physical harm, but I sure did put myself in situations where someone else could and very likely would hurt me, and those same situations caused far more emotional hurt than anything else.

That was a new one for me. You and I share a propensity for making bad decisions. I've woken up in more unfamiliar beds than I own pairs of shoes... and I have a collection of shoes second only to Imelda Marcos...

I put it down as "Secrets, (supernatural) Revenge" just so we remember the context. Oh, and just to verify - did you want to change anything on those last two steps?

...and a new challenge is posted!

THE CHALLENGE For Thanksgiving, your challenge is to write a scene, story, or scenario around the theme of seduction, stuffing, and seasonal submission. Write a spicy, sultry, or hilarious Thanksgiving-themed story inspired by the phrase “Stuff Me, Senpai.” Interpret it however you like: literally, figuratively, metaphorically, magically, monstrously... Bring your best anime-style holiday ecchi chaos. School festival? Just a student and their senpai left behind during college break? The two of them at the hot springs trip during fall break? Baking pumpkin pie in an apron (and nothing else)? Food as a flirtation device? Bring the teasing, the comedy, and the steamy fallout. Deadline Midnight (EST) Saturday 22 Nov, 2025 Limits 1 entry per person keep it around 2,000 words, no penalty for going a little over but remember, everyone has to read these to vote Prizes 1st Place: 4,000 EcchiCredits 2nd Place: 2,000 EcchiCredits 3rd Place: 1,000 EcchiCredits

I did the voting for Challenge 44, but never finalized it, so... Tied Winners - @MagnificentBastard and @NyxAvatar69. By my rules, I'll add the prizes for 1st and 2nd and split them evenly, so each winner gets 3,000 EC! Also, since there were only 3 entries for Challenge 45, I decided to award each submission 1,000 EC! @WickedCadrach, @StarlitSiren, and @NyxAvatar69 all received 1,000 EC! Congrats to all our winners!

There IS still a mechanical value to a Healing ability. You can help someone recover Stress, both Physical (Injured and Exhausted), and Mental (Afraid, Insecure), remove diseases and afflictions, identify poisons and toxins... And you don't have to have sex with someone to save them. I imagine sex builds your reserves of energy, using your magical abilities diminishes that reserve. Otherwise you'd have to have sex with someone to affect them with any magical ability, and that would look pretty weird at the gambling table trying to get one over one someone using a little telekinesis on the dice. Also, a Connected Ability isn't something you automatically have. It's something you can take later at a lower cost when you add abilities. So jut because it's listed doesn't mean you HAVE TO take it or ever use it.

Okay, so here's the confusing part. You start an NPC as an Extra (what they call NPC Resources), but as soon as another PC (called Leads in game terms) connects to them, you and the other Player get to decide if you want them to remain an Extra (a Resource) or become a Feature (an upgraded NPC with whom the Leads have Relationships). The confusing part is that it's not when another Lead is connected to the Extra, it's when an arrow is drawn from their Lead square TO the Extra. So Everybody could decide to connect a particular Extra to their own characters, but only when one of them makes a connection back TO that Extra is when they can be elevated to Feature and form Relationships. These NPCs could be Features (Relationships): Kirsa Autenrieth Jack Bennett These NPCs should still be Extras (Resources): Aldert Hesink Clayton Cash Jane Montgomery Joshua Thane "Judge" Holland Beck Mr. Kay Otis "Sparks" Tully TIAL-V Red Jenny Willis Sloan That being said, I'm fine with NPCs created prior to me correcting myself on the rule remain as Features if you really want them to... If I were to separate them into Extras an Features as a "THIS IS HOW IT SHALL BE" GM edict, I'd do this (along with my reasoning in parentheses): Features: Kirsa Autenrieth (as stated above) Jack Bennett (as stated above) Jane Montgomery (believes everything our faux fortune teller says, besotted with Edmund, dreams of meeting and spending the night with Kojo, she's ripe for drama) Willis Sloan (I'd make him a Feature based on Millie's debt to him and his business partnership with Edmund and partial ownership of the Golden Stag. He feels very connected to the setting and story, like he's a mover and shaker and going to make something happen) Borderline, could go either way, but I'd leave as Extras for now: Clayton Cash (Kojo does business with him, his interest in Millie feels more actionable, he's more likely to become a Feature) Joshua Thane (despised by Kojo, and his obsession with Missy feels more actionable, he could bump up to Feature with another solid connection) TIAL-V (the loyal manservant of Edmund, TIAL-V's obsession with Alicia could make him more dramatically interesting, and another solidly emotional connection bump him up) Red Jenny ( Missy thinks she created her, she's been in Edmund's bed before, close, but still an Extra) Extras: Aldert Helsink (watching a location and visiting a location, but not anything that might make him super dramatic to others yet) "Judge" Holland Beck (only connected to Missy so far) Mr. Kay (his connections are only watching and awareness, nothing really emotional or impactful except to a single other Extra) Otis "Sparks" Tully (only connected to Millie so far) That's how I see it, anyway. But as I said, the only ones I'd insist remain Extras for now are the ones created during Step 5: Clayton Cash, "Judge" Holland Beck, and Otis "Sparks" Tully.

No worries. I’m not trying to rush you. That was just a post so I knew where everyone left off.

My bad, I forgot... looks like you're all updated. You just need specialties for Otis as a 2d4 Resource (Extra). Oh, and @WickedCadrach, you need specialties for Holland Buck.

I figured we would just include it as part of her "Elixirs and Tonics" unless you can think of any cool SFX or limits you'd want to attach to it.

I think I caught up! So current state: @Chiyako - Alicia is all set for Step 5! @AsBloodTurnsEverCold - Kojo is all set for Step 5! @WickedCadrach - just need to change Holland to a Resource and select a different Relationship to Step Up, then verify your last two steps (in case you wanted to use a chance to step up a Resource to step up Holland) @MagnificentBastard - just need to verify if you wanted to keep "Magical Legacy" or switch to "Esoteric Sex Mage", and what you think about the "blast" ability I mentioned a few posts back as well as make sure we're all one the same page with magic. @StarlitSiren - still need to begin Step 5. @DreamsnThings - still need to begin Step 5.

Requiring "the blood of others" is creepy and will definitely spread her rumor. I'd be happiest if it were "scientifically based" and she needs an infusion or injection of some sort rather than drinking it. Given her specialties, it seems like needing fresh blood as the final ingredient in some infusion before being able to regenerate would make it seem more vampiric and immediate but also still "scientific" and based on her alchemical inventions/discoveries. As an aside and only partially related, I could imagine her having a "port" installed somewhere on her body that allows for quick injections, sort of like a permanent IV cannula, but made specifically for her use. If that were the case, she wouldn't need to carry needles and no one else could try to use her elixirs and tonics as she would carry them in custom vials made specifically for use with her built-in cannula.

Okay, so per the updates I posted here a earlier... let me find a link. Here. A day after you wrote this... sorry Holland is a Resource until another PC connects to him. SO... you'll need to step up a different Relationship, and I'm pausing on updating your sheet there in case you want to use one of the next two steps to step up Holland instead.

...and then I read everything else in the thread (I should know by now to not respond until I'm caught up) and I forgot about the point that @WickedCadrach brought up. This IS meant to be a low magic setting. Blast seems out of line for magic. Maybe for a steampunk rifle or weird tech, but magic IS meant to be quiet, slow build, more ritual than spellcasting, more let's take the time to collect hair and craft a vodoo doll than "BANG! I zapped you!" I was picturing the esoteric sex mage as the kind of guy who's gather riches, power and authority, collecting strings tied to everyone around town, and using his magic to further his ambitions, not to blast his way out of a saloon fight. BUT... I do like my players to be able to do what they want. So... what if we just define what his blast is, and make it something related to being an esoteric sex magician? Rather than a "flaming fingertip of doom" maybe he has a "eros blast" that can inflict Aroused stress on its target...? It's nothing flashy, invisible to the naked eye, but the end result is the same as if you hit someone with a weapon - disabling erotic sensation instead of pain. It seems more in line with the kind of magician Edmund is. I'm not big on the super speed aspect, either, tbh. The list of abilities is straight from a superhero game, and half of me thought I should edit it heavily before posting, but I figured if I put that stuff in there so we had a point of reference. It definitely feels more like D&D in the wild west the more superhuman abilities we add, especially with the magical aspects. But Super Speed is already something Alicia has with a tonic, so I we'll make it work. I guess I was hoping to keep the abilities tied thematically to the type of character. AND LASTLY, the briefly mentioned point WickedCadrach made. This is not the kind of game where combat abilities matter at all. It's a dramatic roleplaying game. It's designed to have scenes where Lois Lane's skill as an investigative journalist has the same mechanical weight as ALL of Superman's powers, where the trick arrows of Green Arrow can be as mechanically impactful as all the powers of Brainiac, where Lana Lang with zero powers can have as much mechanical impact by arguing with Lex Luthor as Lex can have using his genius to invent a new way to stop Superman... so... yeah. Combat is absolutely NOT important. You don't have hit points. Death is only on the table when it's narratively interesting. This game is zero simulation and 100% narrative. We're telling a story more than playing a game, although our story telling has been gamified. I don't know if that makes sense. I always have a hard time explaining it to people who are coming in from D&D and other simulationist games. Hell, I had a hard time adjusting my playstyle at first. The narrative style TTRPGs are nothing like other TTRPGs I've played. You could play the average guy who mucks out the stalls in the stables and have just as much mechanical effect on the game as a guy buttoned up in a steampunk Iron Man suit with heavy armor and bristling with weapons.

Those connected abilities work for me! Remember that you can always use any SFX from ANY ability once you bump your heritage up to d8.

We need to define what that arrow is - I think you mentioned "owns the deed to the property" or something like that, but I don't want to put words in your mouth. I also need you to draw an arrow back from an NPC or Location to a Player Character. I adjusted "Esoteric Sex Magician" to be more generic in the use of power, but specific to your actual limits (mute seemed like a weird limit for a sex magician, but abstinence makes a whole lotta sense!) See what you think and change Magical Legacy to Esoteric Sex Magician if you want. I think it fits a lot better, based on our discussions. We could always just adjust the Limits on your Magical Legacy instead. I just think the flavor text sounds better. Heritage Distinction: Esoteric Sex Magician: You draw your power from desire itself... lust, devotion, and the charged spaces where the body meets the spirit. Whether a disciple of forbidden texts, a practitioner of occult tantra, or a devotee of Crowley’s new Aeon, your very heritage is steeped in sex magic. This power is potent but perilous: as intoxicating to you as it is to those who cross your path. Connected Abilities: Illusion, Persuasion, Hypnosis, Precognition, Healing (through intimacy) Limits: Abstinence: If you are denied intimacy, desire, or indulgence for too long, your Abilities are Shutdown until you indulge again; Sanctified Wards: Your Abilities can be Shutdown in the presence of wards, relics, or holy symbols that suppress lust or bind desire. d4: Add a d6 to Trouble to Reroll any die due to your magical “luck.” d8: Add a d10 to Trouble to use a Special Effect from an Ability you do not have, connected or not. d12: Add a d10 to Trouble to Reveal that you know a spirit, demon, or sorcerer with information you need. Otherwise, all set!!

bodyguard/assistance works for me. You could even list it as "butler" or "manservant" and it would just cover any assistance that might reasonably be performed by a butler.

I added him as a 2d4 Resource*. See my note in the previous post. You are correct - I changed the original rules from Duty to Honor. It seemed more fitting for a wild west themed game. But I keep referencing the original rules and missing some of my little changes like that. Alicia was already stepped up to d6 during Step 3 Focus, so you can either step her up to d8 or step someone else up to d6.

Something I have been doing wrong... When you add a new NPC to the board, they're supposed to start as a 2d4 Extra under Resources. Then if another PC links themselves to your NPC, the two of you discuss if you want to bump them up to being a Relationship or not. SO... Make no changes to old stuff unless you want to, BUT... going forward, any new NPCs will be Resources instead of Relationships and I'll add them to your sheets that way. ALSO, since most of you will be or already have added an NPC this round, you'll need to add their specialties like we did for locations. BUT... You can also feel free to change your NPC Relationships to Resources if you want. If you do, you can look back through the Pathways steps - I have them all listed in the My Copies of Steampunk characters at the bottom of each sheet. You'll be able to see where an NPC was added as well as how often you stepped them up. If you want to change them to a Resource, do so, and use the Relationship step ups you used for them to step up other Relationships instead. Just let me know which steps you changed so I can update my copy of your sheet. Questions? Ask me! Sorry for the secondary confusion.

Guilty every year until this year. I just didn't end up doing it for some reason. The next person celebrates an obscure holiday that nobody else they know celebrates.

Not guilty, but my mother has told me repeatedly that I need to get my head screwed on straight, so maybe it's time? The next person wants something they should know better than to want.

We can change those SFX for Alchemical Elixirs and Tonics if you want. It's a custom Ability, so I may have cheated and stolen SFX from other Abilities. If you see something that you think fits better, or if you'd like me to brainstorm some possible new SFX, let me know. Because I'm me, I thought of a few that might be interesting, like you could spend a Plot Point to... Push your body past its limits. Add any size die to one roll involving brute strength or endurance, then Step Up your Exhausted or Injured Stress by the same die size as the crash hits. (Adrenal Draught) Briefly perceive the invisible - see ghosts, residual energy, or aetheric fields for one exchange. (Aetheric Distillate) Radiate vitality and allure - Step Up any die in a contest where the flush of health and glow of charm could help. The effect lasts until the end of the scene. (Potion of the Peacock) Subtly twist a small factor of your biology momentarily - alter eye color, heal a scar, or mimic another person’s scent or voice for one scene. (Mercurial Serum)

I think you could make The Invention be that after years of experimentation, she finally uses her tonics and elixirs on herself and feels the changes wrought within her own body. Sticking with your vampiric theme, I think the Abilities that fit best (in order) are: Super-Senses Invulnerability Super-Speed Regeneration Super-Strength And she could easily work Poison in thematically as her tonics could also be toxins. That's just my two cents, so take it for what it's worth. You don't need specific spells. Look at the SFX for Magical Heritage. At d8 you get: d8: Add a d10 to Trouble to use a Special Effect from an Ability you do not have, connected or not. You get any SFX from any ability to use as a "magical effect". That's one of the most powerful abilities in the entire game. Granted, it comes with a pretty big cost, giving me an extra d10 in Trouble to mess with you, but it leaves things pretty wide open as far as what you can do.

Yes, a Heritage is a special kind of Distinction, and begins rated at d4 just like all other Distinctions. Your Magical Heritage is listed under the spoiler for Distinctions, then under the spoiler for Heritage Distinctions, then under the spoiler for Sample Steampunk / Weird West Heritage Distinctions along with its details and relevant SFX.