But things are changing. The number of supernatural beings in the world has always been miniscule in population. But all things change. The ambient magic on the planet began increasing, initially it was only bumps beginning in the late 1930’s, enough extra magic for the supernatural population to grow. But as time went on these little bumps kept happening.
Then it happened on April 26, 1986 a threshold was crossed and people as a whole became aware of the supernatural. Political and religious turmoil accelerated, the government trying to respond, the supernatural beings with enough intelligence trying to form factions to resist and hide from those whom they once preyed.
It is now fall of 1987, a little more than a year after mass acceptance of the supernatural. The cold war previously run between mortals with awareness and the supernatural has spilled into the streets. Mortals now learning the arcane powers previously unavailable to them now have an edge. No longer limited to the traditional weapons of war the tides have turned.
A Bureau previously unknown within the United States Department of Justice came out and shared with the public their mission. Having been tasked with hunting down and eliminating supernal threats to mankind by any and all means necessary the Bureau of Inhuman Affairs (BIA) was granted total jurisdiction over all inhuman events in the United States.
Unfortunately, the kind of fanatics previously recruited to the BIA has led to an overly zealous force. Without care or remorse for the excuses of inhumans, BIA Agents hunt and eliminate all supernatural beings that can be found. Within the agency even humans who develop or learn arcane talents are often seen with suspicion and more than one ‘mistake’ has been made leading to the death of one of those humans.
As the heroes of this world you make your living by hunting and killing these monsters for bounties. This activity often puts you at odds with federal law enforcement. You may both want to eliminate the supernatural threats to mankind, but that does not make you allies. Some of you may even be the very supernatural beings the BIA will kill on sight.
WORK IN PROGRESS
I would love player feedback. If you plan on joining the game lets see if we can get this down so it feels as playable as possible.
Also are players interested in the Lodge rules from Horror Companion? Would that add to the game or just make it complex?
Character Creation
This is a world of the supernatural and only the toughest of heroes will survive.
Players may create their characters using of the following options;
- Create a Novice Human. Gain 4 bonus Hindrance Points (see SWADE page 9), begin with an additional $500 in resources ($1,000 total). Then advance the character to Seasoned.
- Create a Novice Monstrous character from Horror Companion. The character gains Hunted (Major) BAI at no additional benefit.
- Create a Novice Human + Custom Monster using SPC with 15/5 build points, and 3 points in hindrances at no additional benefit. The character gains no additional benefit from the hindrances selected. Custom monsters must be designed such that they fit the horror/conspiracy theme of the game.
Characters begin with $500 for purchasing gear and resources from SWADE or Horror Companion (realistic gear, no lasers and gizmos). After all purchases are made and the game begins, we will adjust to 1980’s values multiplying the cost listed in the books by 10.
Expectations
Please give me feedback on stuff.
Setting Rules
The world of the BIA is one of supernatural horror, pain and death. Those with supernatural heritage have abilities above and beyond most mortals.
The following setting rules and changes will be used for this game.
- Conviction: Heroes may gain conviction in limited situations. (SWADE pg 136)
- Creative Combat: Successful Tests gain special benefits on a Raise. (Tester's choice, SWADE pg 137)
- Desperate Attack: Is allowed in this game. (HC pg 38)
- Difficult Healing: A caster only has one chance to heal a given wound. (HC pg 39)
- Dynamic Backlash: The use of the Arcane is a dangerous thing. (SWADE pg 138)
- Fear: Fear has more of an effect and relevance in this game. (HC pg 43)
- Gritty Damage: When Wild Cards take a Wound, they roll on the Injury Table and apply the results. (SWADE pg 139)
- Hard Choices: Your GM starts with 0 Bennies. However he gains one when you use one. (SWADE pg 139)
- It's All Magic: SPC and other racial abilities that are not purely physical in nature are treated as Arcanebackground (Gifted) for dispels and interacting with powers. (Custom)
- More Skill Points: Begin with d4 in Core Skills and 15 skill points.
- Mortal Magic: All Arcane Backgrounds have Power Skill d6 added to Requirements. All powers within an Arcane Background must have a unified trapping and all powers selected must fit within that trapping. Alternatively if the player has Fantasy or Horror Companion he may use the Arcane Backgrounds, edges and rules presented in one of those books for their Arcane Backgrounds, but not both. (Custom)
- No Power Points: Those with arcane backgrounds don’t track Power Points but instead subtract half the listed Power Point cost (round up) from their skill roll to activate the ability. Powers may be maintained as desired at a −1 penalty to all further Arcane Skill activation rolls. (SWADE pg 140)
- No Power Points & Artificer: The Artificer edge is normally not compatible with No Power Points. Artifacts may be created by rolling with a penalty equal to the base cost of the power or the highest modifier cost. Artifacts then suffer a cumulative -1 penalty after each successful use and continue to function until a critical failure, or a roll with a total less than 1 is rolled. Powers in artifacts may be maintained as a Free Action requiring a new Trait roll each duration interval. (Custom)
- Stream Template: Is allowed in this game when we choose to use a map. (HC pg 38)
- Untapped Potential: This is the High Adventure setting rule renamed. May spend a benny to gain limited use of a combat edge you qualify for. May also be used for an arcane edge or a single power if the character has an arcane background. Refer to Hard Choices. (SWADE pg 140, with custom change.)
- Villainous Conviction: Villains gain and may use Conviction. (FC pg 79)
- Wards & Binds [Testing this one]: Supernatural creatures can sometimes be bound with Occult knowledge. We will play fast and lose with this one. So while not in effect as a hard rule, I think a player should be able to ask for opportunities to use that occult skill. (HC 45)
- Wound Cap: The heroes and villains of the hidden wars are too powerful to die from a simple lucky blow. The wound cap for this game is 2. (Custom)
MYSTIC POWERS This is what I am thinking, I am open to feedback.
- Power Trait = Spirit
- Active Self Targeting Power at Base Level = No roll required.
- Active Self Targeting Power at Base Level with Raise Effect = Spirit-2 roll required .
- Activate power with Modifiers = NPP rules
- Activate power targeting others = NPP rules
[OOC=Influences
I am drawing heavily on modern urban fantasy such as (but not limited to) Dresden Files, Mercy Thompson, Monster Hunter International and the RPG setting BTS and Nightbane. I chose not to go pure Nightbane because I felt we could do something like a Nightbane setting without requiring players to read my 20 page document. [/OOC]