Character Creation Challenge: Virginia Dare

Continuing my "Spirit of '76" mini-campaign I want to get some more details on who my "big bad" might be.  I say might, because I am not 100% sure yet what I want to do with her save for being the mastermind behind the plot.  I know I want to make what she wants to do sound reasonable and something that most people would want to support. That is if her plan didn't involve the death of millions. 

Given the name of the series, I figure she would fit in fine as the first person of European descent born in the colonies.  She is also the reason I have scrapped many of the ideas I had for Spirit of 76 (including other NPCs) in favor of newer ones.  Still planning on four adventures, but I only have the first two figured out.

I spoke about Virginia Dare briefly before. She is the immortal enemy of Valerie Beaumont. Though their relationship is quite a complicated one. She wants to kill Valerie, but Val doesn't really want to kill her.  I liken their relationship (as it is growing in my mind now) as similar to Holmes and Moriarty or The Doctor and the Master.  

Here she is for Night Shift. NIGHT SHIFT is available from the Elf Lair Games website (hardcover) and from DriveThruRPG (PDF).

Virginia Dare in London, 1976

Virginia Dare
14th level Survivor (Supernatural, Immortal)
Archetype: Immortal Mastermind

Strength: 12 (0) 
Dexterity: 14 (+1) 
Constitution: 16 (+2) 
Intelligence: 19 (+4) S
Wisdom: 17 (+2)  S
Charisma: 18 (+3) P

HP: 77
Alignment: Neutral (?)
AC: 8
Attack: 4

Fate Points: 1d10

Check Bonus (P/S/T): +6/+4/+2

Melee bonus: 0 Ranged bonus: +1

Saves: +5 to death saves. +2 to all others.

Immortal Abilities

Immortals regenerate 1d8 hit points every minute. 

+3 to Intelligence

+5 to all saving throws against magic, poison, disease, and death-based attacks.

Arcane Powers: Charm Person, Empathy

Unique Kill: Can only be killed by Valerie Beaumont

Survivor Abilities
Stealth skills; Climbing; Danger Sense (1-5); Sneak Attack +4, x2; Read Languages 80%, Ritual Magic

Survivor Skills (8th level)

• Open Locks: 145%
• Bypass Traps: 140%
• Sleight of Hand: 150%
• Move Silently: 150%
• Hide in Shadows: 140%
• Climbing 105%
• Perception: 105%

Skills
Research, Insight, History (x2) 

--

Virginia Dare has survived some of the worst times this country has seen.  She is brilliant and her own special abilities to understand and charm others to get her into positions where she can leverage her intellect the best.  She learns what people want and she finds a way to get it to them, for a price.  

She prefers to work behind the scenes but she has amassed a powerbase that when she decides to play her hand it will have devastating effects. 

I just need to figure out what that is.  I have an idea, but not sure how to make it work just yet. Both in-game and for the game. 

Want to see more of the #CharacterCreationChallenge? Stop by Tardis Captain's Blog and the #CharacterCreationChallenge on Twitter for more! 

Character Creation Challenge: Carl Kolchak

Going forward in time to another campaign I have been tossing around for a while.  This one is set in the Summer of 1976.  I don't have much planned yet save that it involves an increased upswing in demonic and supernatural attacks and related phenomena.  

Ideally, I'd love to be able to use a lot of weird shit that made the 70s one of the best decades for occult happenings.  My goal here is to try to figure out what this campaign/set of adventures is all about.

So let's start with the character that made me want to do something in this decade;  Carl Kolchak, The Night Stalker.  Besides, it is the 50th Anniversary of the Night Stalker TV series.  

Here he is for Night Shift. NIGHT SHIFT is available from the Elf Lair Games website (hardcover) and from DriveThruRPG (PDF).

Carl Kolchak 
3rd level Survivor (Human)
Archetype: Corespondent

Strength: 10 (0) 
Dexterity: 13 (+1) S
Constitution: 16 (+2) 
Intelligence: 13 (+1) P
Wisdom: 14 (+1)  
Charisma: 15 (+1) S

HP: 15
Alignment: Light
AC: 9
Attack: +1

Fate Points: 1d6

Check Bonus (P/S/T): +3/+1/0

Melee bonus: 0 Ranged bonus: +1

Saves: +4 to death saves. +2 to all others.

Survivor Abilities
Stealth skills; Climbing; Danger Sense (1-4); Sneak Attack +4, x2; Read Languages 80%

Survivor Skills (8th level)

• Open Locks: 35%
• Bypass Traps: 30%
• Sleight of Hand: 40%
• Move Silently: 40%
• Hide in Shadows: 30%
• Climbing 75%
• Perception: 50%

Skills
Research, Insight, Notice (x2)

--

Want to see more of the #CharacterCreationChallenge? Stop by Tardis Captain's Blog and the #CharacterCreationChallenge on Twitter for more! 

Character Creation Challenge: Doctor John Watson

Wrapping up my tour of the Victorian era with the original dynamic duo of Holmes and Watson.  Today I focus my sights on the good Dr. John Watson.

John Watson is an interesting character.  By all rights, he would have been the star of his own serials; British Army officer, Doctor, not a bad detective in his own right and good with a service pistol.  He was also smart, just not as smart as Holmes.

Here he is for Night Shift. NIGHT SHIFT is available from the Elf Lair Games website (hardcover) and from DriveThruRPG (PDF).

Dr. John Watson

6th level Veteran (Human)
Archetype: Chronicler and sidekick

Strength: 13 (+1) S
Dexterity: 14 (+1) S
Constitution: 13 (+1) 
Intelligence: 14 (+3) P
Wisdom: 16 (+2)  
Charisma: 14 (+1)  

HP: 33
Alignment: Light
AC: 8
Attack: +3 

Fate Points: 1d8

Check Bonus (P/S/T): +4/+2/+1

Melee bonus: +1 Ranged bonus: +1

Saves: +2 to all saves

Veteran Abilities
Combat Expertise, Improved damage, improved defense, Supernatural Attack, tracking

Skills
Medicine x2, Science, Insight, Notice

--

Dr. Watson is a veteran with a lot of training in medicine. This covers his character rather well. 

I hope this gets me motivated for some more Sherlock Holmes posts. 

Want to see more of the #CharacterCreationChallenge? Stop by Tardis Captain's Blog and the #CharacterCreationChallenge on Twitter for more! 

Character Creation Challenge: Sherlock Holmes

Today I want to wrap up my tour of the Victorian era with two of my favorite characters of the time, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. 

I have, sitting on my hard drive or a flash drive somewhere the stats for Holmes for every Victorian-era game I have ever played.   I keep meaning to post them and never get around to it.  So of course today is a set of stats I am coming up with now.

The issue with doing Holmes in many games, but modern occult ones, in particular, is that Holmes does not live in a magical world.  He lives in a world with predictable laws of science that follow predictable patterns.  This is what makes him so good at what he does, he can see these patterns and connections. Holmes works because the world is mundane and what he does looks like magic.

For NIGHT SHIFT there is no one class that would do him justice.  While I could get away with making him a 10th level Survivor (and I feel 10 levels is right) he is missing a couple of key ingredients. So time to try another multiclass.

Here he is for Night Shift. NIGHT SHIFT is available from the Elf Lair Games website (hardcover) and from DriveThruRPG (PDF).

Sherlock Holmes
6th level Survivor / 4th level Sage (Human)
Archetype: Consulting Detective

Strength: 16 (+2) 
Dexterity: 16 (+2) S
Constitution: 14 (+1) 
Intelligence: 18 (+3) P
Wisdom: 16 (+2) S 
Charisma: 10 (0) 

HP: 35
Alignment: Light
AC: 8
Attack: +3 

Fate Points: 1d10

Check Bonus (P/S/T): +5/+3/+2

Melee bonus: +2 Ranged bonus: +2

Saves: +4 to death saves. +2 to all others.

Survivor Abilities
Stealth skills; Climbing; Danger Sense (1-4); Sneak Attack +2, x3; Read Languages 80%

Stealth Skills (8th level)

• Open Locks: 85%
• Bypass Traps: 80%
• Sleight of Hand: 90%
• Move Silently: 90%
• Hide in Shadows: 80%
• Perception: 90%

Sage Abilities
Survivor Skills (factored in above); Mesmerize Others; Lore; Languages (18); Spells* (to Holmes they are not "spells" merely "advanced techniques.")

Spells
First level: Command, Detect Snares & Pits
Second level: Find Traps

Skills
Athletics (Bartitsu), Sleight of Hand, Research, Science, Insight, Notice

--

Holmes combines a variety of class abilities and skills to create one investigator.  Would an "Investigator" class have been better?  Not really.  In this case, I feel the mix of classes and skills point to obscure training and thus a unique character.  Holmes is certainly that.

If you are interested in playing Sherlock Holmes in a game system more suited to the world he lived in then might I suggest both Victoria and Baker Street: Roleplaying in the world of Sherlock Holmes.  Both are very fine games.

Want to see more of the #CharacterCreationChallenge? Stop by Tardis Captain's Blog and the #CharacterCreationChallenge on Twitter for more! 

Character Creation Challenge: Marie Laveau

Sticking with my Victorian-era and moving south from Lincoln's ghost to New Orleans and her voodoo queen.  

But "Wait," you say. "Marie Laveau died in 1881. Long before your 1890s game." True. That's what people believe. There is a lot of confusion about her exact date of death. There is even doubt as to where she is actually buried.   So for my purpose, this works for her faking her death so she could go on do her thing.  Besides there have been rumors that she survived her own death for years.

Marie Laveau is not just synonymous with Voodoo she is very much part of New Orleans herself.  No New Orleans. No Marie Laveau.  Also, what was she exactly?  She was the self-proclaimed Voodoo queen of New Orleans sure, but what *is* that in terms of NIGHT SHIFT? A Witch? A Theosophist? Sage?

No Marie is something special and in NIGHT SHIFT terms she is something from the new Night Companion book.  She is an immortal Spirit Rider.

Here he is for Night Shift. NIGHT SHIFT is available from the Elf Lair Games website (hardcover) and from DriveThruRPG (PDF).

Marie Laveau

6th level Spirit Rider (Supernatural, Immortal)
Archetype: Voodoo Queen

Strength: 10 (0) 
Dexterity: 16 (+2) 
Constitution: 14 (+1) S
Intelligence: 13 (+1) 

Wisdom: 15 (0) S

Charisma: 17 (+2) P

HP: 33
Alignment: Neutral
AC: 9 
Attack: +1

Fate Points: 1d8

Check Bonus (P/S/T): +4/+2/+1

Melee bonus: +0 Ranged bonus: +2; Wisdom is added to Spell attacks (+6)

Saves: +3 Death Saves and area effects, +2 to Wisdom and Charisma-based saves

Immortal Powers

Unique Kill: She has to be removed from New Orleans and killed with a ceremonial knife.

Spirit Rider Skills

Innate Magic (6 spells up to 3rd level); Arcana (100%); Arcane Powers (4); Commune with Spirit (Loa); Limited Power (New Orleans); Magical Battery

Arcane Powers: Charm Person, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Telepathic Transmission

--

As the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, Marie Laveau is tied to the city. This includes the City of New Orleans and the combined Orelans Parish.  She can leave, but her power and her immortality is threatened.

She is a Spirit Rider instead of a witch because I really wanted to try something different.  Plus in voodoo, it is said that the "Loa rides you" when you are communicating with them. This is a description of her powers. Much like Nellie in London, Marie Laveau is someone the characters might have to seek out for information.  

Want to see more of the #CharacterCreationChallenge? Stop by Tardis Captain's Blog and the #CharacterCreationChallenge on Twitter for more! 

Mail Call: Art Package from Djinn

One of the things I feel is my privilege is the ability to share with you my readers and friends all the new and wonderful artists I can find.  I love getting art and if I can help out an artist on the way, well that is even better. 

But when the artist shares something with me?  That is the best of all!

So imagine my delight when the postman rings my doorbell today to have me sign for a package from Italy!

And what a package it is!

I had just featured some art from Djinn in the Shade this morning on my Dirty Nellie write-up.  She was the first artist I have ever had make some art for Nell.

And here is what I got!

This one is one of my favorites and it is based on Witches going to their Sabbath (1878), by Luis Ricardo Falero.  It features her OC sorceress Solaine (who is her Pathfinder/D&D character and star of her own comic strip) and my witch Larina.  There is an uncensored one as well. 

Halloween

Stickers!

Djinn also featured our witches in jail in a new bit of art this week to mark her "shadow ban" from Instagram for having "inappropriate art."  

So I am thrilled to death with these!

You can find Djinn on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram (for now!), and most of all on her Pateron site. She was also one of my first Featured Artists here.

Thank you my friend for such wonderful art!

Character Creation Challenge: Dirty Nellie, Street Fae

So far my dive into Dracula and then Victorian characters for NIGHT SHIFT has been a lot of fun.  Also, my characters have largely been based on other people's characters or, in the case of Lincoln, real people. 

Today I want to do one of my original characters (OCs for the kids online). She is also one of the characters I had in mind for the Supernatural character rules.

I had introduced you all to Dirty Nellie a few years back (2009!) for various Victorian-era games including Ghosts of Albion, Savage Worlds, and Victoriana 2nd Edition.

Briefly, she is a Street Faerie. These are members of the Fae that have chosen to live in cities.  They are like pixies, complete with wings, but are more human-sized, if a bit shorter.  Their wings look like those of the Peppered Moth.   The obvious reason why is due to the case of the evolution of the peppered moth due to the Industrial Revolution.  Just like the moth, these fae have adapted to the grim, gaslit streets of London.

Nell herself is a central figure in my Victorian games.  She begins as a streetwalker but soon works her way up to running the notorious Gentleman's Club (in the Victorian sense of the term) "Mayfairs" in the late Victorian age.  She is an occult information broker and nearly anyone who is anyone in the occult underworld owes her a favor. Knowledge is power and Nell knows everyone and knows what they know.

Here she is for Night Shift. NIGHT SHIFT is available from the Elf Lair Games website (hardcover) and from DriveThruRPG (PDF).

Nellie by Djinn in the Shade

Dirty Nellie

10th level Survivor (Supernatural, Faerie)
Archetype: Party girl Information broker

Strength: 10 (0) 
Dexterity: 14 (+1)
Constitution: 13 (+1) 
Intelligence: 15 (+2) S

Wisdom: 17 (+2) S

Charisma: 20 (+4) P

HP: 55
Alignment: Neutral 
AC: 6
Attack: 3

Fate Points: 1d10

Check Bonus (P/S/T): +5/+3/+2

Melee bonus: +1 Ranged bonus: +2

Saves: +6 against magic and supernatural attacks

Feed: Nell must engage in some revelry to feed.  

Faerie Powers

Innate Magic (Every 3 levels: Magic Missile, Charm Person, Produce Flame, Teleport), Double Damage from Iron weapons, +2 to Dexterity or Charisma, Glamour

Survivor Skills

Danger Sense, Sneak Attack +4 (x4 damage), Ritual Magic

Open Locks: 105%

Bypass Traps: 100%

Sleight of Hand: 110%

Move Silently: 110%

Hide in Shadows: 100%

Climb: 95%

Perception: 85%

Read Language: 80%

--

Nell is a great character and I have loved using her in many games. By the 1890s she is quite rich, very powerful, and someone that the PCs will run into at some point. 

Want to see more of the #CharacterCreationChallenge? Stop by Tardis Captain's Blog and the #CharacterCreationChallenge on Twitter for more!