Jump to content

Grimm TV show done Mythras stile.


Belgath

Recommended Posts

OK been running a M-Space LutherArkwright campaign twice a week with my kids for couple months now. We were having a grate time with M-space untill my oldest son {the ship captain} The left at the beginning of January for college. Tried running game twice since then, and all I Managed was to get my kids depressed. Well over the long holiday break that just ended today my kids have been watching the last five seasons of Grimm. So they now want me to run a Game based in the Grimm world.

So I'm thinking LutherArkwright will be the best System to use.

1st It is based in the modern.  2 The rules for traits would be easy to adapt to use for the different type of Humanoids. 3 Use The dependency rules to model the hard to control aspects of each humanoid type. 

I would probably try to have a list of trates and abilities available for  each humanoid type. The players then would be able to pick  two or three traits and a special ability from that list. A player  choosing to be a Hexen Beast for example would get to  choose Sorcery or Psionic for their  special abilitie. Dependencies would be violence & Authority. Traits Menacing & Sensitive to things using Sorcery or Psionics 

The wolf type don't remember what they're called Would have increased smell perceptions, strength and tuffnes. Exc exc. I guess I'm just looking for ideas and how you would run this, or model this type of game. 

Edited by Belgath
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh and if and if you know the show well, or a good resource for The creature types and their abilities it would be much appreciated. I really don't want to have to watch all the TV shows  to get the names right or their abilities. I'm sure if I get it  wrong my kids will let me know. Which I hope to avoid doing too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A quick look turned up a fan wiki for the show: http://grimm.wikia.com/wiki/Aunt_Marie's_Book_of_Lore

My cousin got me watching Grimm a while back and I've pondered how I might do the Wesen in a game. They're not exactly monsters in human disguises, they're more like the hereditary werewolves and shapeshifters on True Blood... dual natured.  Maybe some sort of familial spirit bond.

It's been shown that the creature aspect can be suppressed, removed or shared. The transformations are mostly at will but there is a degree to which they're not.

The show is pretty clunky/silly at times but the folklore/background (like with Supernatural) suggest a lot of interesting stuff that could make for fun roleplaying.

Edited by Simlasa
to add words
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From what I recall of the magic and powers on the show they're kinda all over the place.

The Grimm has abilities that seem a bit like the Mythras Mysticism... improved strength, reflexes, sight, smell.

The Hexenbeasts can cast complicated ritual spells, but they also do stuff that seems more like psionics... throwing stuff and people around at will.

Some of the other Wesen have innate powers than can poison or stun or whatnot.

Then there's all the herbalism stuff with Rosalie and her spice shop... mixing up magical concoctions for whatever problem comes up... though usually having to research in her books. She's sort of like the good witch to the bad witch of the Hexenbeasts.

There are a few other weird critters that aren't really Wesen or Grim... like La Llorona.

Would the Players want a more localized policework and 'monster of the week' type campaign as seen in the earlier seasons of the show? Or more of the politics and faction intrigue that's been looming larger in later seasons?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would be the localized policework with the monster of the week  As this will be for my kids ages 16 14 11 and 9 if they start looking for more intrigue ill add that in. For right now I have one that want to be a Grimm and the rest Wesen. So i was going to lit the players build PC as normal in LA. But the traits available and dependency would be determined by Wesen type. non Wesen would not be able to use psionics or spells. Grimm would have 1 trait and Mysticism. I would probably make Hexenbeasts have to chose spells or psionics. The hardest part will be building a list of most of the possible traits and  greatly expanded list of  dependency. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I watched the show a bit.  I agree with Simlasa about both potential silliness and potentially good world setting.  I, too, would treat this as Mysticism.  Furthermore, I would model the herbal magic as Craft (Potion Making), with the cookbook providing Lore (Potions) at some percentage, and the desired effects being rather like Folk Magic spells, or possibly Healing, depending on the circumstances.

 

  • Like 2

Our latest Horror Fantasy adventure has arrived.  Check out Old Bones Publishing on DriveThruRPG.com!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It might also be relevant to point out the Nick the Grimm is not the average Grimm... his powers came to him after disabling attacks by creatures and his trailer full of weapons and lore isn't necessarily standard Grimm equipment either. Players might not start off with access to all that stuff. Maybe cobble up some mechanism for gaining powers as a result of wounds? Nick gained super hearing after losing his eyesight. Maybe there's a loose network of Grimm's that can be contacted for some information, but also presents potential conflict.

Maybe even something like the Trubel character, who has no clue what's going on... just that she keeps seeing monsters and feels she might be going insane. She's got no trailer, no guidance, no real powers.

Also, obviously, the Grimm's generally have NOT been buddies with Wesen the way Nick is on the show... as seen by the initial reaction of just about every Wesen character on the show when they first realize what Nick is. A Grimm PC is a bit like Judge Dredd who finds a warm place in his heart for 'perps and muties'. I might toss in one or two grizzled old NPC Grimm to contrast what I assume the PC Grimm would want to play like. Or maybe a quick visit to the bad-old-days to show where Grimm get their horrifying reputation (or play a short campaign where all the Players are merciless Grimm, hunting down the ancestors of innocent characters like Bud and Rosalie).

Edited by Simlasa
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for a Grimm. Meditation would renamed Grimms fate. All new PC Grimms would start with Grimm Fate at bace lvl and with no mysticism talents or paths. Mysticism paths  are natural defense system that is only unlocked By a significant event. So say a new PC Grimm that was locked away in a dungeon for two weeks without sleep, food or light. After that event with the appropriate XP point expenditure and skill lvl of Grimm fate. A Grimm would be able to add a new mysticism skill that gives the Grimm Axis to night sight, Denial food and fatigue. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I think you should have a mechanism for the Grimm to develop his/her Mystic abilities in a more self-directed way, by spending Experience Rolls, rather than forcing that development to be as a result of something uncontrollable (and bad) happening to the character.  After all, if the player makes really good decisions or is lucky and things turn out well most of the time, then those locked abilities will never get unlocked, and the major development path for the character is stymied.

How about this?  The character can use typical story-based means (long hours of meditative contemplation, study, finding and learning from a master, reading the lost writings at a sacred site, etc.) to raise his Grimm powers by spending XP--the usual stuff--, and in addition, if anything really bad happens to him as you have suggested, to make lemonade out of those lemons he also gets a free opportunity to attain a suitable Talent or whatever.  "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

 

 

  • Like 1

Our latest Horror Fantasy adventure has arrived.  Check out Old Bones Publishing on DriveThruRPG.com!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Matt_E said:

Personally I think you should have a mechanism for the Grimm to develop his/her Mystic abilities in a more self-directed way, by spending Experience Rolls, rather than forcing that development to be as a result of something uncontrollable (and bad) happening to the character.

I'd favor having that in addition to them being an accidental result of extreme stress. So, perhaps, some form of ritual meant to induce the same sort of situation in a controlled/methodical way. Kind of like G. Gordon Liddy eating rats and holding his hand over a flame... and I think that a new Grimm would need to be clued into these potentials somehow, as Matt E. mentions... finding other Grimm to train you or some cache of Grimm lore with tutorials.

This is kind of reminding me of the Spook's Apprentice books.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trubel didn't have any noticeable powers, as of last time I watched the show. She's a good fighter though... and has various skills and knowledge born out of living as she had been... and now various powerful contacts she can call on.

I don't recall any mention of Nick's mom particular powers either... though she might have and it just never came up. 

I guess you'd have to decide whether you'd want to have them available or leave them as a rare occurence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sorta felt Trubel had a bunch of powers but I maybe over thinking it. As she was able to take on two of three Wesen at one time and survive befor she had any training. So to replicate what she could do I would have give her the following Mysticism powers Enhanced action points, healing, and damage modifier. Augment endurance and agility. Or should I replicate there physical abilities  deferentially maybe with higher characteristics maybe give them 100 points to determine there characteristics Grimm max (str,dex,con,pow 22) (SIZ,INT,CHA 18) I am cleaning Leaning more useing Mysticism as thay would to need to be carful how they speed there MP.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you're right about the action points, healing, agility and such... Trubel is something of an action hero even without Nick's fancier schtick of super senses.

Something I've struggled with while watching the show is... what are the Grimm? How did they get started? Did some occult group make them or did they 'evolve' naturally? There are obviously real dangers presented by the Wesen, probably moreso in the past when it was harder to fight back. But it's shown that there are populations of Wesen that are relatively harmless... yet were still killed indiscriminately by Grimms of the past. So is that all the Grimm are? See the monster, kill the monster, repeat? Is there some higher purpose?

Why get some powers (seeing Wesen) right off... but others only come under extreme stress? By design? By accident? Maybe because the rituals meant to bring those powers out during training were mostly forgotten/lost at some point?

Were the Grimm angels placed on Earth to aide mankind but somehow forgot who they were and much of what they are capable of? Forgot their core mission?

Maybe there's something about Grimms that draws them toward professions in things like law enforcement and emergency services? I'm guessing at one time they worked within the Inquisition and other such things... not entirely heroic... so they're shades of gray... but it's like they have an inner sense that they need to help, somehow. Even if they end up helping questionable forces. Which brings to mind nasty stuff like Grimm working under the Nazis... hunting according to that twisted worldview.

Sorry I'm rambling about stuff that might only tangentially come up in a game...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I Sorta thought that the Grimm being one of two things. A human genetic response to Wesen predation. Or a type of Wesen them selves jest unable to vogue. Though  Grimm eyes do change. There seems to always be an instinctive  violent reaction win a Grimm and Wesen meet. But this seems sort of reaction can Be seen when a predator Wesen runs into one of its prey type. So I think for my game world one of the secrets players will uncover is that a Grimm was at one point (probably during The Bronze Age) was a super predator among Wesen Which had a very protective instinct for it own kind.  This Wesen cursed because if it's brutality to remain forever In it's human form.   Overtime forgot entirely about his heritage thus extending its protective instinct to humans. This would explain why there such instinctual fear among the Wesen and why the Grimm would kill Wesen indiscriminately. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's interesting... so, a branch of Wesen that did such a convincing job of hiding amongs humans that they forgot they weren't fully human? 

What do you think of the Royals? Will you use those? They appear to be ordinary humans, with vast wealth and power. According to the fan Wiki, the Grimm were knights in the employ of the Royals to put down rogue Wesen... and Reapers were employed by the Royals to put down rogue Grimm.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...