Lloyd Dupont Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 (edited) This is not a question about the rules, this time! In my current campaign, despite the appearance, I already have a long term plan for the players. Without getting into too much details, an important pivotal plot point is that they will have to contact some powerful entity (whose particular description is still left to my whim and change for now).. But the point is that they will have to give "it" something magically very precious and it will grant them the power to open planar gates... My current plan, in the BRP setting / universe / ruleset was that they will had to collect many "Power Stone", a rare mineral resource, the crystalised blood of elder powerful creature of yore, that can be used in lieu of permanent POW sacrifice. And trade it for the gate power. That would have been inprinted in their soul through a process very much like how Sorcery work in BRP. Now... this idea doesn't translate directly very well (as far as I can tell) into the RD100 ruleset. So I am here asking for suggestion on how to emulate such a suggestion. I had a few ideas so far.... First idea, inline with me not liking powerful magic much, I was not planning to have Focus, (you know, the main extra rule of the Arcane magic section). But then it hit me, maybe focus and power stone can remain as one and the same. As prised natural focus. 2 birds with one stone. I keep focus and they are very sought after. So this is a very prized resource to trade... But how would the entity grant planar knowledge now? It's not quite a divinity and beside the players would not be swearing allegiance to it (my current idea is the entity is going to be some sort of "elder undead" power, not a lich though, more like a ancient necromancer living in a pocket plane, or maybe something Cthonian - as in from the Cthulhu mythos) Edited August 30, 2019 by Lloyd Dupont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosenMcStern Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 First thought: permanent Consequences. Either the PCs can give up a valuable Positive Permanent Consequence, or they get a negative one. Another possibility is Channelling points, rather than Focus. Not everyone has Focus, but anyone who uses magic has Channelling. Giving up points of Channelling means that a part of the character's subconscious mind is engaged with "something", for instance keeping "dark thoughts" that the entity has instilled in their brains at bay. Should they be forced to use the Channelling points to keep a spell running at some time, then the "dark thoughts" are released and initiate a long-lasting conflict to take control over the character's mind. Or something similar. There are other similar examples in old threads. 1 Quote Proud member of the Evil CompetitionTM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 The channeling dark thoughts idea is an interesting one. And you even added another plot twist to it, that is cool! The consequences I am still cautious and unfamiliar with them. But they are starting to grow on me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zit Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 The contact with the entity will probably be played as a conflict (should even be), with dangerous consequences if they fail. Instead of collecting things to pay, they may collect or gain different objects, traits, stunts or positive consequences which give them support boni for the ultimate Conflict. A gift may be a required condition, but also a quest. A few ideas beyond the power stones : an old knowledge (about the creature or its weaknesses, which may encourage the PC to learn a new trait), an artefact (could be a software), an altar or a energy field to des/reactivate, a special feature (ex. the entity's language). You may even make a meta-conflict, allowing one round at every Downtime until they win (or loose). Every round they loose, they get a negative consequence (e.g. the chanelling dark pool) until they achieve total victory. They can contact the creature when it is at 0 RP. 1 Quote Wind on the Steppes, role playing among the steppe Nomads. The running campaign and the blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 (edited) I was definitely planning to make it a conflict! But good of you to remind me! (it's not written down yet) Which basically the more they lose the greedier the entity will be.... And angry if they change their mind... In fact collecting some of those gifts would be part of a quest that they will be hinted at soon! Edited August 31, 2019 by Lloyd Dupont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zit Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 beyond gifts, encourage them to find supports to gain bonus. Quote Wind on the Steppes, role playing among the steppe Nomads. The running campaign and the blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 1 hour ago, Zit said: beyond gifts, encourage them to find supports to gain bonus. Care to elaborate? I am at loss as to what kind of support could be useful here? For more background information... this undead / necromancer lord, as it is developed so far would be an enemy of the dark elves as well and not care much for the players (human).. hence it's why it could be.... convinced to help a bit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zit Posted September 1, 2019 Share Posted September 1, 2019 What is he looking for ? What does he like ? What is he missing ? Does he need something to increase his powers ? What would make the PCs more convincing (a stunt, a power, a feature, an artefact, a knowledge, a positive consequence...). I imagined during a game shamans trying to convince a powerful desert spirit. The PCs used sing (spirits like songs), acting (replay the mythic feats of the spirit), the support of an ancestral dead hero they managed to free (to show how serious they are), a sacrificed horse (to feed the spirit), a regional knowledge (to help finding the right words) and of course Persuade. Some quests in a previous adventure may bring positive consequences (make allies, eliminate ennemy of the necromancer, some secret knowledge showing the necromancer's weaknesses, an item he's been looking for, the grave of his old lover, a secret language to talk with him, a genealogy allowing him to find forgotten dead...). You may find some ideas, but even better, have your players find ideas. 1 Quote Wind on the Steppes, role playing among the steppe Nomads. The running campaign and the blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted September 1, 2019 Author Share Posted September 1, 2019 3 hours ago, Zit said: but even better, have your players find ideas Hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zit Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 I'm vry serious ! It is much fun to find a way to use your abilities, and players are sometimes very imaginative. It is one of the aim of Conflicts. And it reserves some surprises to the Narrator as well. Quote Wind on the Steppes, role playing among the steppe Nomads. The running campaign and the blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 (edited) I was no mocking you, I was more like, you willy old one! Edited September 3, 2019 by Lloyd Dupont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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