Last WoD book?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

If you could have one last "original WoD" book published, what would
it be?

For my part, I can only think of a few books I'd like to see, and all
of them Year of the Lotus:

The revision of Demon Hunter X into an "all around demon hunting"
sourcebook that Malcolm mentioned here once (any details, Malcolm?
Pleeeze??^^)

A book featuring the weapons, wonders, treasures and artifacts of all
the Shen would be pretty cool (along with rules for creating your own,
of course)...

A *heavy* revision of Land of Eight Million Dreams...

World of Darkness: Asia, complete with much more concrete material on
how exactly the 5 Elemental/Metal Dragons and Shinma Courts interact
with Humanity.
(The 5ED manipulate human populations to shape Chi; ok, now *what*
does that mean, exactly?)

A book fully detailing the various Uji of Japan, their unique Rites,
and such. Actually, this might fit in well under the above...that
would also allow more info on the Go Kamisori Gama...

Ah, heck, just do a huge, hardcover WoD: Asia, and cram all of the
above into it in appendices!

Dex,
wondering if we'll see a new YotL in WoD2...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

smilinglord@hotmail.com (Hand-of-Omega) wrote in message news:<27420f11.0409080731.234053fc@posting.google.com>...
> If you could have one last "original WoD" book published, what would
> it be?
>
> For my part, I can only think of a few books I'd like to see, and all
> of them Year of the Lotus:
>
> The revision of Demon Hunter X into an "all around demon hunting"
> sourcebook that Malcolm mentioned here once (any details, Malcolm?
> Pleeeze??^^)

I never sent in a serious proposal, but here's what I was thinking:

DEMON HUNTER ZERO

This book would emphasize the experiences of "sub-supernatural"
beings: folks who are ultimately a part of and sometimes resist the
machinations of the greater supernatural powers, but who serve as a
kind of bridge between them and the mundane world.

We would use anime and wuxia *sparingly*, but still use it.

Examples:

1) In a DH0 game, the Akashic Brotherhood is a global occult
conspiracy whose existence is revealed in the last act -- but DH0
members may even *be* Akashics, without knowing it.

2) In a DH0 game, the Ancestor of Tokyo is the ultimate evil vampire
-- but if he's taken down, characters see the slightest hint of a much
larger ancient evil that may dash their hopes.

3) In a DH0 game, characters may belong to the People's Army, fighting
off beastmen that rage from the wilds of China. They may be
experimental supersoldiers that ultimately serve the Wyrm, but they
don't know it and the Wyrm never enters into it -- until the finale,
maybe.

Let's look at factions:

1) The Shih. These guys would get rewritten to allow loner *and* group
play. The Shih are ultimately peasant heroes with a touch of rural
folk faith girded by lineal tradition, like legendary Yamabushi or Lin
Kuei. They'll be a little more international, but that's OK, since
there is planty of mythology about mystical sects ultimately coming
from China.

2) Strike Force Zero. More travel and internecine conspiracies, less
cyberware (though some). They are keenly aware of international
affairs and support the Japanese government. Salarymen (the *last*
salarymen, these days, giving them a certain chic) with guns. They are
reflective of modern Japan, but they are connected to:

3) The Go Kamisori Gama. You'll see that SF0 and the GKG both have
claims as ninjas. By the Law of Conservation of Ninjas, we'll make
these a group that split off during the Meiji period. They appeal to
the traditionalist, authoritarian agendas of certain corporations in
the mode of lord and vassal. In game terms, "sorcerers."

4) The Gam Lung (Gamlong). I originally added these guys to Dragons of
the East and the Akashics because I noticed that Ashida Kim (BoC) was
too boring to be a bigwig Doissetep NPC, and I aksed myself: "Wouldn't
the premise of Crying Freeman be neat of the execution wasn't purile,
sexist tripe?" They're a supersyndicate whose members are mostly
ignorant of being an Akashic faction. Think X-Files combined with A
Better Tomorrow. Goldren Dragons have no superntaurla powers except
for what they can buy and what gets funnelled into the organization by
the 18 secret masters who run it.

5) Unit 8341. Supposedly disbanded after assisting in the arrest of
the Gang of Four, this special branch of the Chinese military was
originally assigned to spy on Mao's enemies. Soon, it learned *too*
much and became entangled in the supernatural world. Most 8341
operatives are normal folks, but a few are scientifically enhanced
under the direction of the Unit's faceless leader, who supposedly
reports directly to the Premier.These enhancements can cause mutations
and madness, but they are sometimes needed in the bowels of Bejing and
especially in remote regions, where the beast-people of the
pre-socialist age and the dangerous psychic anarchists of the Broken
Army Star dwell.

OK, Powers:

1) Fist Ways: These are sub-supernatural martial arts that use a toned
down version of a "charm" tree. The categories are:

*External (Martial Arts): Striking.
* Internal (Dodge): Evasion and throwing.
* Occult (Occult): Chi-draining powers, supernatural resistance.
* Prowess (Athletics) Stealth, incredible leaps and balance.
* Weaponry (Melee): Incredible weapons prowess.

2) Sorcery: These are Chi-based sorcerous powers. They would be a
stripped down combination of psychic and sorcerous numina:
* Psychic
* Motion
* Summoning
* Enchantment
* Chi Manipulation

3) Enhancement: Special regimens, items surguries and other treatments
that leach body Chi in exchange for reliable effects, in 3 levels:
* Discipline: Iron Body, Yogic prowess and the like.
* Bionic: Implants and artificial limbs.
* Chemical: Drugs and chemical exposure.
* Blessing: Divine favor
* Item of Power: A talisman that is somehow bonded to the user.

.. . . and, Chargen:

* Choose team or loner. Loner gets more stuff (as old Shih), but has
more rigid requirements to expenditure. The loner also has a mandatory
hard-luck background of some kind, like a Mage negative Background.
One suggested mode of mixed play will be to pass the loner character
around.

* No power is banned to any given character, so long as they have the
requirements -- but they must find a teacher. Everything drains Chi
though, and it's much better in many cases to be a part of an
organization that has special weapons,. equipment and backing then be
a superhuman. That's where the Gam Lung, SF0 and 8341 have an
advantage.

Storytelling:

The big (White Wolfish) organizations are, as noted, a shadowy source
of threats. We rip them out of their contexts and present them as if
they're singular entities, noting the following:

* The P'o Chun: Psychic madmen of the Gobi Desert!
* The Wu Keng: Sorcerous "fixers" who can be good or bad.
* Beastmen who revel in their inferior births and impede socialist
progress!
* The Zaibatsu, which is *not* a bunch of Technocrats from this game's
perspective, but occult cabals of all stripes who seek temporal power.
* The Army of Evil Ancestors -- ghosts who try to drag the living into
hell!
* The top ranks of the PCs' own organizations!

M.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

In article <27420f11.0409080731.234053fc@posting.google.com>,
smilinglord@hotmail.com (Hand-of-Omega) wrote:

> If you could have one last "original WoD" book published, what would
> it be?

Would this be a sort of Platonic ideal of a WoD book, where the
material's top-notch and appealing in some regard to every style of play?

In that case, I guess I'd like a big, fat, end-all, be-all, ultimately
satisfying discussion of Ascension itself, including treatises on what
Ascension signifies to various belief structures, the ramifications of
personal and mass Ascensions, the significance of Oracles, myriad
fleshed-out explanations of Ascension ready to be popped into one's
game, and absolutely no "gosh, it's really up to the Storyteller"
statements that end in ellipses.

Because I find those excruciatingly annoying. And who knows what I'd do
if I were sufficiently annoyed...

--
Tyler

u d e t o d r y s t a n o i d f t

Bac>|wards

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

In the borning days of the third millennium, Hand-of-Omega wrote:
>If you could have one last "original WoD" book published, what would
>it be?

I would love to have "Time of Judgement: Mortals". This would detail how the
non-supernatural world reacted to selected ToJ scenarios. Sure, there was
info about what was happening, but it was always splat-centric (as it should
have been). How did the man on the street react when his quiet cul-de-sac
turned into the climax of a 50's horror flick? What were the government and
corporate reactions? Who survived? Who wishes they hadn't?

--
Brian Merchant (remove 'remove' and 'example' from email)

Puritanism didn't keep the puritans from sinning, it just kept
them from enjoying it.
--Father Joe Breighner
Country Roads

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

O_O! All right, now, see, this is why you are TEH COOL, Malcolm...^^


usiel@vampirethemasquerade.com (Malcolm Sheppard) wrote in message news:<c772e1f6.0409081740.5a7ac387@posting.google.com>...
> smilinglord@hotmail.com (Hand-of-Omega) wrote in message news:<27420f11.0409080731.234053fc@posting.google.com>...

> > The revision of Demon Hunter X into an "all around demon hunting"
> > sourcebook that Malcolm mentioned here once (any details, Malcolm?
> > Pleeeze??^^)
>
> I never sent in a serious proposal, but here's what I was thinking:
>
> DEMON HUNTER ZERO
>
> This book would emphasize the experiences of "sub-supernatural"
> beings: folks who are ultimately a part of and sometimes resist the
> machinations of the greater supernatural powers, but who serve as a
> kind of bridge between them and the mundane world.
>
> We would use anime and wuxia *sparingly*, but still use it.
>
> Examples:
>
> 1) In a DH0 game, the Akashic Brotherhood is a global occult
> conspiracy whose existence is revealed in the last act -- but DH0
> members may even *be* Akashics, without knowing it.
>
By this, I take it you mean what Mage calls "Consors"?

> 2) In a DH0 game, the Ancestor of Tokyo is the ultimate evil vampire
> -- but if he's taken down, characters see the slightest hint of a much
> larger ancient evil that may dash their hopes.
>
> 3) In a DH0 game, characters may belong to the People's Army, fighting
> off beastmen that rage from the wilds of China. They may be
> experimental supersoldiers that ultimately serve the Wyrm, but they
> don't know it and the Wyrm never enters into it -- until the finale,
> maybe.

So, basically, Fomori/Bakemono who don't know it?
>
> Let's look at factions:
>
> 1) The Shih. These guys would get rewritten to allow loner *and* group
> play. The Shih are ultimately peasant heroes with a touch of rural
> folk faith girded by lineal tradition, like legendary Yamabushi or Lin
> Kuei. They'll be a little more international, but that's OK, since
> there is planty of mythology about mystical sects ultimately coming
> from China.
>
Well, DHX does have a bit in it about how younger Shih are starting to
pal around more, and how nervous this makes the Shen. But if you mean
in a more official way--I could see the Shih being more formalized,
with a Council of Elders who assign certain tasks to cells of young
Shih...But that way lies the Celestial Army...

> 2) Strike Force Zero. More travel and internecine conspiracies, less
> cyberware (though some). They are keenly aware of international
> affairs and support the Japanese government. Salarymen (the *last*
> salarymen, these days, giving them a certain chic) with guns. They are
> reflective of modern Japan, but they are connected to:
>
For a cool (and funny) rendition of The World's Deadliest Salaryman,
watch the anime Mouse (he shows up on Disc 2).

> 3) The Go Kamisori Gama. You'll see that SF0 and the GKG both have
> claims as ninjas. By the Law of Conservation of Ninjas, we'll make
> these a group that split off during the Meiji period. They appeal to
> the traditionalist, authoritarian agendas of certain corporations in
> the mode of lord and vassal. In game terms, "sorcerers."
>
That always made more sense, with the relatively few Awakened members
part of the special elite Jonin. It'd also be interesting to play up
their connection to the Koga Uji, who are also Shen hunters...

> 4) The Gam Lung (Gamlong). I originally added these guys to Dragons of
> the East and the Akashics because I noticed that Ashida Kim (BoC) was
> too boring to be a bigwig Doissetep NPC, and I aksed myself: "Wouldn't
> the premise of Crying Freeman be neat of the execution wasn't purile,
> sexist tripe?" They're a supersyndicate whose members are mostly
> ignorant of being an Akashic faction. Think X-Files combined with A
> Better Tomorrow. Goldren Dragons have no superntaurla powers except
> for what they can buy and what gets funnelled into the organization by
> the 18 secret masters who run it.
>
Ah, knowing that they were inspired by Crying Freeman helps me to get
a better handle on them...As it was, I kept getting them mixed up with
the Cabal of hi-tech thieves/pirates from the Akashic Brotherhood
Tradition book...Was it your idea to give the "goody two-shoes"
Akashics a somewhat more suspect, sinister side?

> 5) Unit 8341. Supposedly disbanded after assisting in the arrest of
> the Gang of Four, this special branch of the Chinese military was
> originally assigned to spy on Mao's enemies. Soon, it learned *too*
> much and became entangled in the supernatural world. Most 8341
> operatives are normal folks, but a few are scientifically enhanced
> under the direction of the Unit's faceless leader, who supposedly
> reports directly to the Premier.These enhancements can cause mutations
> and madness, but they are sometimes needed in the bowels of Bejing and
> especially in remote regions, where the beast-people of the
> pre-socialist age and the dangerous psychic anarchists of the Broken
> Army Star dwell.
>
Are these guys related to...damn, I can't find the reference...Section
99 or something like that...

Let's not forget Wu Tian Celestial Arrows, Wu Lung Tiger Warriors and
Kuan-Yu Hsien...although I guess that defeats the purpose of
"sub-supernatural beings". Still, I always wanted to see the Goblin
Slayers from Hengeyokai given more attention than a sidebar...^^

> OK, Powers:
>
> 1) Fist Ways: These are sub-supernatural martial arts that use a toned
> down version of a "charm" tree. The categories are:
>
> *External (Martial Arts): Striking.
> * Internal (Dodge): Evasion and throwing.
> * Occult (Occult): Chi-draining powers, supernatural resistance.
> * Prowess (Athletics) Stealth, incredible leaps and balance.
> * Weaponry (Melee): Incredible weapons prowess.

I suppose Perception enhancements would go under Occult or Prowess?
>
> 2) Sorcery: These are Chi-based sorcerous powers. They would be a
> stripped down combination of psychic and sorcerous numina:
> * Psychic
> * Motion
> * Summoning
> * Enchantment
> * Chi Manipulation
>
> 3) Enhancement: Special regimens, items surguries and other treatments
> that leach body Chi in exchange for reliable effects, in 3 levels:
> * Discipline: Iron Body, Yogic prowess and the like.
> * Bionic: Implants and artificial limbs.
> * Chemical: Drugs and chemical exposure.
> * Blessing: Divine favor
> * Item of Power: A talisman that is somehow bonded to the user.

Technocratic and Fomori Biomods would probably fit under Bionic or
Chemical?
Would "Divine Favor" be something like the Imbued?

>
> . . . and, Chargen:
>
> * Choose team or loner. Loner gets more stuff (as old Shih), but has
> more rigid requirements to expenditure. The loner also has a mandatory
> hard-luck background of some kind, like a Mage negative Background.
> One suggested mode of mixed play will be to pass the loner character
> around.
>
I don't recall "negative backgrounds"...is that something like Flaws?

> * No power is banned to any given character, so long as they have the
> requirements -- but they must find a teacher. Everything drains Chi
> though, and it's much better in many cases to be a part of an
> organization that has special weapons,. equipment and backing then be
> a superhuman. That's where the Gam Lung, SF0 and 8341 have an
> advantage.
>
So, you could have a Cyborg Shih, or a highly trained Red Army officer
so long as you can back it up with a cool story...like a Triad gunman
whose daily devotions to his God of War shrine and/or Chow Yun Fat
poster lets him pull off the impossible...

> Storytelling:
>
> The big (White Wolfish) organizations are, as noted, a shadowy source
> of threats. We rip them out of their contexts and present them as if
> they're singular entities, noting the following:
>
> * The P'o Chun: Psychic madmen of the Gobi Desert!
> * The Wu Keng: Sorcerous "fixers" who can be good or bad.

One thing I really wish Dragons of the East went into more depth on
was Asian Marauders and Nephandi. Marauders are probably easier to
pull off, but how do Eastern Nephandi differ from the Infernalists we
saw so much of?

> * Beastmen who revel in their inferior births and impede socialist
> progress!
> * The Zaibatsu, which is *not* a bunch of Technocrats from this game's
> perspective, but occult cabals of all stripes who seek temporal power.
> * The Army of Evil Ancestors -- ghosts who try to drag the living into
> hell!
> * The top ranks of the PCs' own organizations!
>
I was wondering if you had any concrete examples of the Five Elemental
Dragons' paradigms/foci? Just saying "Techno-Mystic" seems kinda vague
to me...might a Zi Guang doctor hook up fiber-optic wired acupunture
needles to a patients' chakras, for example?

Anyway, thanks for taking the time and effort to type this all up!
Think you could make it an E-book?^^ Actually, it's probably better to
hope that we'll see another look at things eastern in a few years and
spring it then...

Dex,
wondering if this is similar to how an actual proposal is written?

 

[Dagon]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Don't give them ideas. Or they'll start selling books
of the old WoD and the new.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

"Dagon" <dagonweb@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4140ae41$0$76516$b83b6cc0@news.wanadoo.nl...


Sweet. I check the newsffroup for the first time in, how
long? And what do I see? What indeed:

> Don't give them ideas. Or they'll start selling books
> of the old WoD and the new.

Which would be bad... how?

You don't have to buy them. After all, you just steal them
anyway, don't you?


How are things otherwise, Kermit?

Still ravaged by injustice? Still crippled by the evil that
is everyone who does not shed a bitter tear for your
horrible suffering?

Or have you tried growing up?


--
Juho Lankinen
--
Many people would sooner die than think.
In fact, they do.
--Bertrand Russell

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

"Hand-of-Omega" <smilinglord@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:27420f11.0409080731.234053fc@posting.google.com...
> If you could have one last "original WoD" book published,
> what would
> it be?
[snippage]

The Conventionbooks. In one sweet bundle. Oh, yes.
Especially the NWO ConBook. I crave it so...

Other than those, I think the lines were actually quite
complete. I really can't think of anything else to add to
them...


> Dex,
> wondering if we'll see a new YotL in WoD2...


--
Juho Lankinen
--
Many people would sooner die than think.
In fact, they do.
--Bertrand Russell

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

Oh, by the way, here's the Occvlt Martial Arts progression (in
retrospect, even thovgh I wanted a tree, I only ever sketched ovt a 5
rank thing):

* Mind-Energy Stance

Svpernatvral beings tend to have vnbalanced Chi or their Chi reacts so
strongly to their desires that it reaches ovt before the creatvre has
trvly acted. By taking this stance with a calm mind, an adept can
sense this Chi and more easily evade svpernatvral attacks.

System: Roll Perception+Occvlt, difficvlty 8. Each svccess redvces the
difficvlty to dodge a physical svpernatvral attack by 1, vp to the
character's Occvlt Martial Arts rank. A "physical svpernatvral attack"
is any one where a svpernatvral being mvst call vpon its own powers
with an act of will, and which mvst traverse space to connect with the
target. A power that cavses spontaneovs cancer or rotting wovld not
benefit, while a bolt of flame wovld. This power applies to attacks by
a shapeshifter ovt of its natvral or defavlt form.

Cost: 1 Chi per tvrn.

** Ghost Fist

This power is simple bvt effective. The practitioner can strike
normally intangible creatvres, inclvding those in the Mirror Lands.
She may not be able to see them, thovgh.

System: Reqvires no roll.

Cost: 1 Chi per scene.

*** Chi Svppression Strike

The martial artist can seal the meridians that offer a svpernatvral
being access to their own Chi.

System: The character mvst svccessfvlly strike the target and inflict
at least 1 level of damage before any soak (armor excepted). Then he
rolls Dexterity+Occvlt, difficvlty 8. A single svcccess "locks" a
point of Chi (it cannot be spent be the creatvre) for one tvrn.
Additional svccesses can be spent to lengthen the dvration of the
"lock" for one tvrn or to add 1 point of Chi to the "lock," too a
maximvm of 1 tvrn/1 point per rank of Occvlt Martial Arts.

Chi is defined as any spendable trait other than Willpower. Note that
this does work on mortals who can manipvlate their Chi.

Cost: 2 Chi per strike

**** Heaven Earth Union

The martial artist learns to link his Chi with the power of the earth.
Grappled svpernatvral beings are lashed to this chain between the
warrior and the world, making their strength and cvnning irrelevant
compared to their own connection to greater powers.

System: Svpernatvral opponents cannot vse their normal dice pools to
resist grappling or throwing attacks. Instead, they are limited to an
attribvte reflective of their connection to the cosmos, be it throvgh
their accvrsed state, enlightenment or spiritval acclaim, plvs their
Brawl or Martial Arts score. Examples are:

Mages: Arete
Shapshifters: Rank
Wan Xian: Dharma
Mvmmies: Balance
Vampires: 1 per point in the Generation Backgrovnd (minimvm 1)

Cost: 1 Chi per tvrn.

***** Secret Gates of Jvdgment

The character knows one of the following techniqves, each of which
exploits a particvlar svpernatvral weakness.

Cost for all: 3 Chi per strike.

-- Sealing the Piovs Gate

A strong blow to the crown chakra combined with a blow that opens the
lower, animal centers off consciovsness inspires terror and dovbt,
weakening the Lightning People, who relay on concentration and belief.
Roll Dexterity+Occvlt, Difficvlty 8. Each svcccess creates a die of
covntermagic that is rolled whenever a mage atttemots to cast a spell.
This grows at the rate of 1 die per tvrn, vntil the maximvm of the
martial artist's svcccesses or the character's rank in Occvlt Martial
Arts is attained.

-- Force Incarnation

The Xiongren live partially in the beastial half-world of the lower
incarnations, from which they derive savage strength. This blow forces
the beastman to fvlly assvme incarnation as a hvman or beast. The
warrior strikes pressvre points that release savage energy or inspire
spiritval insight, choosing which incarnation the beastman vltimately
mvst retvrn to. Roll Dexterity+Occvlt, difficvlty 8. If the warrior is
forcing trve hvmanity on the beastmen, it mvst spend 1 Rage the first
tvrn, 2 on the second, and so on (vp to the character's Occcvlt
Martial Arts score), for as many tvrns as the martial artist scores
svccesses, or be forced into hvman form for the remainder of the
scene.

In the character wishes to force the Xiongren to take its mvndane
animal form, the target mvst spend Gnosis instead of Rage.

-- Black Resvrrection Strike.

Pressvre point strikes retvrn a half-dead creatvre to a semblance of
health -- and, ironically, weakness. Each svccess on a
Dexterity+Occvlt roll (difficvlty 8) gives a vampire or Wan Xian a
hvman weakness it wovld not normally possess, svch as:

* The need to breathe.
* The need to heal wovnds natvrally.
* Strength, Dexterity and Stamina limited to hvman physiology.
* Fvnctioning organs and veins (removing natvral resistance versvs
bashing and lethal attacks).

These manifest at the rate of one weakness per tvrn, vp to the limit
of the character's Occvlt Martial Arts score.

In addition, this svdden reminder of lost hvmanity inspires terror and
despair. Wan Xian mvst roll to resist Wave Sovl and Kindred mvst check
against Rotschreck. Unfortvnately, this artificial correction of the
creatvre's internal energy is only temporary. The weakness lasts for
the remainder of the scene.

M.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.whitewolf (More info?)

0_0!!!

[lights joss sticks to the Shrine of Malcolm]

vsiel@vampirethemasqverade.com (Malcolm Sheppard) wrote in message news:<c772e1f6.0409101328.14d82a80@posting.google.com>...
> Oh, by the way, here's the Occvlt Martial Arts progression (in
> retrospect, even thovgh I wanted a tree, I only ever sketched ovt a 5
> rank thing):
>
> * Mind-Energy Stance
>
> Svpernatvral beings tend to have vnbalanced Chi or their Chi reacts so
> strongly to their desires that it reaches ovt before the creatvre has
> trvly acted. By taking this stance with a calm mind, an adept can
> sense this Chi and more easily evade svpernatvral attacks.
>
> System: Roll Perception+Occvlt, difficvlty 8. Each svccess redvces the
> difficvlty to dodge a physical svpernatvral attack by 1, vp to the
> character's Occvlt Martial Arts rank. A "physical svpernatvral attack"
> is any one where a svpernatvral being mvst call vpon its own powers
> with an act of will, and which mvst traverse space to connect with the
> target. A power that cavses spontaneovs cancer or rotting wovld not
> benefit, while a bolt of flame wovld. This power applies to attacks by
> a shapeshifter ovt of its natvral or defavlt form.
>
> Cost: 1 Chi per tvrn.
>
It seems this wovld, as a side effect, also allow the vser to detect
the Svpernatvral, which will be handy with the next power...

> ** Ghost Fist
>
> This power is simple bvt effective. The practitioner can strike
> normally intangible creatvres, inclvding those in the Mirror Lands.
> She may not be able to see them, thovgh.
>
> System: Reqvires no roll.
>
> Cost: 1 Chi per scene.

Since this does actively vse Chi, it shovld cavse Agg damage to
Wraiths and others, right? That way, those who don't encovnter ghosts
won't feel they have a wasted power...

> **** Heaven Earth Union
>
> The martial artist learns to link his Chi with the power of the earth.
> Grappled svpernatvral beings are lashed to this chain between the
> warrior and the world, making their strength and cvnning irrelevant
> compared to their own connection to greater powers.
>
> System: Svpernatvral opponents cannot vse their normal dice pools to
> resist grappling or throwing attacks. Instead, they are limited to an
> attribvte reflective of their connection to the cosmos, be it throvgh
> their accvrsed state, enlightenment or spiritval acclaim, plvs their
> Brawl or Martial Arts score. Examples are:
>
> Mages: Arete
> Shapshifters: Rank
> Wan Xian: Dharma
> Mvmmies: Balance
> Vampires: 1 per point in the Generation Backgrovnd (minimvm 1)

Svrely Skinchangers shovld be Gnosis? Poor Kin-jin, alone in having no
real link to the cosmos or enlightenment...^^
>
> Cost: 1 Chi per tvrn.
>
> ***** Secret Gates of Jvdgment
>
> The character knows one of the following techniqves, each of which
> exploits a particvlar svpernatvral weakness.
>
> Cost for all: 3 Chi per strike.
>
> -- Sealing the Piovs Gate
>
> A strong blow to the crown chakra combined with a blow that opens the
> lower, animal centers off consciovsness inspires terror and dovbt,
> weakening the Lightning People, who relay on concentration and belief.
> Roll Dexterity+Occvlt, Difficvlty 8. Each svcccess creates a die of
> covntermagic that is rolled whenever a mage atttemots to cast a spell.
> This grows at the rate of 1 die per tvrn, vntil the maximvm of the
> martial artist's svcccesses or the character's rank in Occvlt Martial
> Arts is attained.
>
I covld also see this inhibiting Magi's Willpower rolls...

> -- Black Resvrrection Strike.
>
> Pressvre point strikes retvrn a half-dead creatvre to a semblance of
> health -- and, ironically, weakness. Each svccess on a
> Dexterity+Occvlt roll (difficvlty 8) gives a vampire or Wan Xian a
> hvman weakness it wovld not normally possess, svch as:
>
> * The need to breathe.
> * The need to heal wovnds natvrally.
> * Strength, Dexterity and Stamina limited to hvman physiology.
> * Fvnctioning organs and veins (removing natvral resistance versvs
> bashing and lethal attacks).
>
> These manifest at the rate of one weakness per tvrn, vp to the limit
> of the character's Occvlt Martial Arts score.
>
> In addition, this svdden reminder of lost hvmanity inspires terror and
> despair. Wan Xian mvst roll to resist Wave Sovl and Kindred mvst check
> against Rotschreck. Unfortvnately, this artificial correction of the
> creatvre's internal energy is only temporary. The weakness lasts for
> the remainder of the scene.
>
Something like this covld be cool applied to Wraiths as well. Any
ghost svccessfvlly strvck Materializes as by the Embody Arcanos, even
if they do not possess that ability (which wovld make this effect even
more disorienting!), after which they svffer effects similar to the
above; vpon reverting to their "natvral" state, the Restless almost
certainly faces a Harrowing...The vser mvst first sense the ghost thrv
some other means, however...

Also!

-- Retvrn to Heaven Blow

The practioner wraps his fists in bandages enscrawled with
calligraphic prayers, and strikes a Hsien. Every svccess on a
Dexterity + Occvlt (diff 8) roll loosens the grip of the Shinma on its
mortal body and threatens to cast it to an vncertain fate beyond the
Wall, vnless it anchors itself strongly. In game terms, the Shinma
mvst spend as many Yvgen as his attacker scored svccesses, as well as
a temp Willpower point. If it has no Yvgen to spend, it may vse a
permanant Willpower point to stay moored in its body, instead. The
tvrns spent secvring itself leaves it very vvnerable, as it may not
attack or retreat, and svffers -2 to all defensive actions.

-- Sovl Entombment Strike

Shen hvnters are aware that there are some Shen who seem hvman, bvt
who will not stay dead. While permanently destroying svch abominations
is still beyond their power, they can make them wish they *covld*
die...After a svccessfvl flvrry of rapid-fire strikes to all of the
Reborn's Chakras (and a svccessfvl Dexterity+Occvlt roll, diff 8), the
hvnter mvst then kill him (many will simply shoot them at this point)
and affix a Jade collar to his neck. The Wv Tian dies as normal, bvt
instead of jovrneying to the Gates of Heaven to meet with the Eight
Immortals, finds his spirit sealed within his dead body! Dimly aware
of all that goes on arovnd him, he may not act or commvnicate with any
that cannot normally see or hear ghosts. His Contemplation rating
determines when he "retvrns" to life, tho those with a high Qvest
rating may roll that (diff 8) to see if they can do so qvicker...(tho
many hvnters don't realize it, the Wv Tian have Heaven's
Mandate...interfering with it's workers may earn Heaven's Wrath...)

Dex

 

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> > vsiel@vampirethemasqverade.com (Malcolm Sheppard) wrote in message news:<c772e1f6.0409100231.496fb4c@posting.google.com>...
> > > smilinglord@hotmail.com (Hand-of-Omega) wrote in message news:<27420f11.0409092016.78d5b0ec@posting.google.com>...


> > In my version of the Jade Empire, the Occvpied Territory of Japan has
> > an indiginovs Family consisting of all the shades of ninja who fovnd
> > themselves in the Underworld. While they oppose the Jade Emperor, most
> > of their time is taken vp winnowing the Japanese Dead of secret
> > servants of Oblivion, which is a major reason the Resistance *hasn't*
> > fallen apart yet. They also assassinate Chinese or Collaborationist
> > Kvei-Jin who visit the Japanese Shadowlands...
>
> That sovnds kind of neat. Ninja are heavily connected to Yamabvshi
> ascetics in the mythology, so they'd be decent ninja-medivms.

Thanks. That gives me an idea abovt links between the living and dead
ninja families. The ninja qvick mvst have at least a few psychic
channelers...
>
> > Actvally, it'd be interesting if some of the new, yovnger Shih
> > invested time in vsing gangs and the mob...
>
> Maybe. One of the things people often miss abovt wvxia films is that
> lots of them are basically organized crime epics -- bvt "mob" and
> "secret kvng fv society" are hard to separate.

I gvess that's why the Crovching Tiger, Hidden Dragon svbs translate
Jiang Hv ("Martial Arts World"?) as "the Underworld"...

> Traditionally, martial
> arts were actvally a kind of low class thing in China (this has
> changed) fit for crooks and lovts who didn't have real jobs (this
> comes from widespread dislike of hereditary soldiers), and a lot of
> the magic tricks associated with them are were vsed for street
> performance.
>
And the development of Chinese opera and acrobats, right?

> I like to think the PRC started with the creation of Chinese NWO ops,
> who realized that they get to play with *China*, and can go their own
> way withovt worrying abovt a non-Chinese plan.

"PRC"?

I had a hard time getting a handle on the Five Elemental Dragons,
vntil I hit on the angle that they are the Five Traditions of Asia,
who, instead of openly fighting the Union as in the West, simply went
vndergrovnd and co-opted it. Dragons in Metal clothing, as it were...

> Well, actval joss is the name for the lvck yov get by sticking to
> traditional cvstoms (and lvck in general, too).

And is apparently vsefvl for television writers, too!^~

> Well, yov're svpposed to leave hell eventvally, too, so there's room
> for debate. A Gvi Ren is kind of like a gvy whose trvck breaks down,
> signs vp to pay for a new car on installments, and then decides to not
> pay the loan, qvit his job, and go and live in his shitty trvck.

Heh. I didn't know that abovt the Asian conception of hell, bvt I
gather that's not the case in the WoD. Even if it was svpposed to be
the case, the Yama Kings are pretty clearly in violation of their
heavenly mandates. So it covld be argved that, while still in
violation, the Wan Kvei are simply fleeing a corrvpt system that's
vnjvst in the first place...

Dex

 

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smilinglord@hotmail.com (Hand-of-Omega) wrote in message news:<27420f11.0409171955.21958f17@posting.google.com>...
> > > usiel@vampirethemasquerade.com (Malcolm Sheppard) wrote in message news:<c772e1f6.0409100231.496fb4c@posting.google.com>...
> > > > smilinglord@hotmail.com (Hand-of-Omega) wrote in message news:<27420f11.0409092016.78d5b0ec@posting.google.com>...

> Thanks. That gives me an idea about links between the living and dead
> ninja families. The ninja quick must have at least a few psychic
> channelers...

Well, they're credited with all kinds of supernatural stuff -- some
fake, some "real" -- under the names of genjutsu and yojutsu.
Kuji-kiri (mini-mudras made with the fingers) are the most famous
focus, but kuji-in (internalized elemental postures) are supposed to
be at the higher levels, at least according to nearly-insane
perhaps-ninja ryu master Masaaki Hatsumi. Hatsumi believes, among
other things, that he's guarded by a 16th century samurai's spirit
(which he claims to have caught on film!), so you could go with it.

> > > Actually, it'd be interesting if some of the new, younger Shih
> > > invested time in using gangs and the mob...
> >
> > Maybe. One of the things people often miss about wuxia films is that
> > lots of them are basically organized crime epics -- but "mob" and
> > "secret kung fu society" are hard to separate.
>
> I guess that's why the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon subs translate
> Jiang Hu ("Martial Arts World"?) as "the Underworld"...

Incidentally, I'm going to be releasing a gritty Qing Dynasty martial
arts mobsters game next year or therabouts, if my plans come through.
Mind you, my friends have all laughed at me for wanting to do a
non-wuxia martial arts game . . .

> > Traditionally, martial
> > arts were actually a kind of low class thing in China (this has
> > changed) fit for crooks and louts who didn't have real jobs (this
> > comes from widespread dislike of hereditary soldiers), and a lot of
> > the magic tricks associated with them are were used for street
> > performance.
> >
> And the development of Chinese opera and acrobats, right?

Yes. It used to be that you sold your kids into an apprenticeship
(that's what happened to Jackie Chan). Today, not so much -- though I
was watching a documantary last night that features a martial arts
coach who casually explained:

1) To get his oldest son acccepted into the Shaolin Temple, the entire
family moved into a cave. He shoswed the cameraman the cave.

2) That the klingon-style bumps on the heads of his two disciples (who
looked about 6 years old apiece) were from doing headstands and
headsprings. On concreate tile. And the bumps were good signs.

So yeah. Until fairly recently, being a martial artist wasn't the most
glamorous thing in the world.

> > I like to think the PRC started with the creation of Chinese NWO ops,
> > who realized that they get to play with *China*, and can go their own
> > way without worrying about a non-Chinese plan.
>
> "PRC"?

People's Republic of China.

M.

 

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usiel@vampirethemasquerade.com (Malcolm Sheppard) wrote in message news:<c772e1f6.0409240514.526c751f@posting.google.com>...
> smilinglord@hotmail.com (Hand-of-Omega) wrote in message news:<27420f11.0409171955.21958f17@posting.google.com>...
>
> > Thanks. That gives me an idea about links between the living and dead
> > ninja families. The ninja quick must have at least a few psychic
> > channelers...
>
> Well, they're credited with all kinds of supernatural stuff -- some
> fake, some "real" -- under the names of genjutsu and yojutsu.
> Kuji-kiri (mini-mudras made with the fingers) are the most famous
> focus, but kuji-in (internalized elemental postures) are supposed to
> be at the higher levels, at least according to nearly-insane
> perhaps-ninja ryu master Masaaki Hatsumi. Hatsumi believes, among
> other things, that he's guarded by a 16th century samurai's spirit
> (which he claims to have caught on film!), so you could go with it.
>
A bit like Shaman King...interesting...

> > > > Actually, it'd be interesting if some of the new, younger Shih
> > > > invested time in using gangs and the mob...
> > >
> > > Maybe. One of the things people often miss about wuxia films is that
> > > lots of them are basically organized crime epics -- but "mob" and
> > > "secret kung fu society" are hard to separate.
> >
> > I guess that's why the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon subs translate
> > Jiang Hu ("Martial Arts World"?) as "the Underworld"...
>
> Incidentally, I'm going to be releasing a gritty Qing Dynasty martial
> arts mobsters game next year or therabouts, if my plans come through.
> Mind you, my friends have all laughed at me for wanting to do a
> non-wuxia martial arts game . . .

Do you have a name for it? Something we can watch out for?
It would be cool if you could actually get Tony Wong or some of the
guys at Jade Dynasty or ComicsOne to do some illustrations for it...

> > > I like to think the PRC started with the creation of Chinese NWO ops,
> > > who realized that they get to play with *China*, and can go their own
> > > way without worrying about a non-Chinese plan.
> >
> > "PRC"?
>
> People's Republic of China.
>
Ah, yes, of course. Well, it started out as the Chinese NWO, then
evolved into the Miao Guan, and then eventually became The Ministry!
(hey, they still have the Mind specialty...)^_~

Dex