Unlike the previous LoLaD campaigns, this one is free form. The character generation information is below. Feel free to send Alcar more templates to add! It's being used because D&D doesn't work, making an LoLaD d20 would take too much time and d20 modern won't be available to all players. It also allows for more combat than D&D can in terms of speed and flexibility in what people do.
If you want to add templates or provide a list of basic powers, talk to Alcar. The second campaign LoLaD page powers can be used or twisted around for basic PC ideas.
You never learn until too late that everyone's passing for normal.
- Will Shetterly, "Nevernever"
This is a revised free form game system. Why? Becuase it's a fun change. PCs get no experience for one thing and powers improve when the player and Game Moderator feel is fitting.
PC Name: S.e.
Summary: A sentence to sum up your pc. Make it short and sweet, such as "Calvin is a were tiger with a split personality." (Then later: Personality one is a were tiger named Hobbes, the 2nd a superhero named Stupendous man and the third is his "normal" personality.)
Player Name: s.e. too.
Species: For the PC, not player. Look in the mirror (well, unless you're a vampire...)
Occupation: What you do for a living.
Description: What you look like.
The game stats are below. Each should be a multiple of five for conveniences sake. Use the templates below for example stats and the Average Joe as the base. Each trait should have some sort of descriptor with it to sum up the stat from a pc point of view. Note that templates are for average people, and pcs are above average. However, stats over 50 and such will be questioned by the GM..Asume 10-15 is a "normal" human.
Physical: If you hit someone, do they hurt? If you run away, do you make it? If you try and climb a building, do you stop for a breather along the way? Do you do that climbing a stair case?
Mental: Are you street smart? Do you have a high IQ? Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?
Social: Can you charm people or is a rock more personable and friendly than you? Can you understand others and tell if they're lying? Can you lie to people like a pro?
Magical: Can you rewrite the laws of physics locally with crayons? Use your faith to fight evil? Call up demons to impress your dates? Call up demons to eat your room mate?
Traits, the next part of the PC, are what you can do in a very broad sense. Street Fighter is a trait. Ditto with Photographer or Vampire or Sex Crazed Knife Weilding Maniac Who Laughs Too Much. A trait is a character ability that can be used to cver a broad range of skills and actions your PC can attempt. Name them well since Handsome is a far cry from Dangerously Charismatic in terms of what it can cover. Note that traits are listed from most to least important for your PC. If you have the backgrond traits Run Fast and Taunting listed, you're better at running than taunting. Order matters to an extent.
Racial Trait(s): What can you do naturally? For supernatural beings, this is what they are. Vampire, were, ghost, animator, druid, witch and the like would be the racial traits. Normal humans don't have one and few beings would have more than one, or ones that add definition to their actual trait. Witch ("The universe is a friendly place") is different from Witch(satanic) or Witch(sky clad).
Background Trait(s): What stuff did you learn in the past? In other words, broad traits from your PCs past.
Occupational Trait(s): What kind of skills does your job give you? For most people, their only occupational trait may be their profession itself and other traits relating directly to it. For example, a player might have Journalist. Then Forge ID, Sneak, Master of BS as additional traits. While they could be part of journalist, separating them makes you that much better at them. Another Journalist with "Friendly" as a trait could charm people for information better than you, but you could sneak into homes better than them for example. This allows people with the same profession to diversify.
Quirks: The little quirks that make you you. (They can be good or bad and are basically fun flavour stuff.)
Equipment: Things you own, like money or weapons or whatever.
Background: Your PC's past. Include a family!
Powers: A listing of the actual powers your PC has (often what a racial trait does, in point form.) For example, a basic prey were PC could have:
Were (rabbit)
Powers:
- Change to rabbit, were form at will.
- Heal fast.
- Were aura.
- Hide from predators (can become "invisble" if she stops moving).
- Superiour distance vision (like superman - but from carrots).
Limits:
- Forced during full moon.
- Vulnerable to silver.
Keep in mind that PCs need limits as well as powers. Generic ones work, but exotic ones (along with/instead of generic ones) can be used to barter with the GM for neat powers. A good background can justify powers as well.
Life is simple: you're born, you die. It's the stuff in between that tells you if it was worth the simplicity.I've decided to make an immortal witch who doen't know how old he is or what he is or why he's lived this long. I use the basic human template and spice it up a little.
- Anon
Powers:
Pseudo Immortality:
- Heals damn fast. Has no idea what the limits are or if he's died before (GM discretion.)
- Can sense weres nearby (The PC might be a were trapped in human shape or some odd hybrid were/human ....)
- Better than human senses (survival :p)
Witch:
- Uses all 4 basic elements, very nature-oriented (Learned mage).
- Requires a ritual dagger and/or circle to cast any complex spell.
What it all means: Ralph is immortal (he heals fast, has survived lots of things that should have killed him over the years. The source of this (and how old be really is ..) is left to the GM. It's quite possible he's a normal person who might be immortal in theory and is just acccessing past lives for his disjointed memories for the most part. His actual magical abilities come second to surviving, as the racial and background traits indicate. His business likely doesn't do well.
It takes a strong stomach to live in a free society
- Tim Hulsey
These are some ideas of what average members of various LoLaD species loo like, from a stats perspective. Keep in mind that individuals of each species differ. One vampire could die from sunlight, another go from alibino pale (dawn) to black (noon) to looking like a 3rd degree burn victim by late afternoon.
Some Truisms: Were are affected by the moon and silver almost universally. Vampires are hurt by sunlight, magic is weakened by iron. Use this as a basic guide.
Templates are organised as Name (and any relevant or irrelevant notes)
The 4 stats.
Traits.
Equipment (for some of the human ones)
The Average Joe (No, not the type who dies after having a bed dropped on them...)
Physical: 20; Mental: 15; Social: 20; Magical: 2
Racial Traits: You're kidding, right?; Background Traits: 1-4; Occupational Traits: 1-5
Police Officer
Physical: 25; Mental: 2 0; Social: 15; Magical: 0
Racial Traits: The Law Is Behind Me; Background Traits: 1-3; Occupational Traits: Police Officer, Observant, Nerves of Steel, + 2 others.
Equipment: Handcuffs, Gun, Bulletproof Vest, Badge
The Average Vampire
Physical: 30; Mental: 40; Social: 15; Magical: 10
Racial Traits: Vampire; Background Traits: 3-10; Occupational Traits: 1
The Average Anne Rice Vampire
Physical: 30; Mental: 20; Social: 40 (handsome/pretty); Magical: 10
Racial Traits: Gothic Vampire, Likes Having Sex; Background Traits: 1-5; Occupational Traits: 2
The Average Werewolf
Physical: 40; Mental: 20; Social: 10 (looks at people a bit too .... hungrily); Magical: 10
Racial Traits: Werewolf + one animal related; Background Traits: 1-3; Occupational Traits: 1-3
The Average Damn I Go Through Razors Fast [Werewolf variant :)]
Physical: 25; Mental: 20; Social: 15; Magical: 5
Racial Traits: Furries Love You, Talk To Animals; Background Traits: 1-3; Occupational Traits: 1-4
The Average Human New Age Type Wizard Who Can Actually Do A Little Bit
Physical: 15; Mental: 15; Social: 10 (strikes folks as weird); Magical: 15? (Maybe Lower)
Racial Traits: a bit of faerie blood? (none, see auras, a bit of cognition); Background Traits:1-5 Occupational Traits: New Age Knowledge, 1-4 others
Equipment: Crystal Ball, More Crystals, Self-help new age book, helpfully worried expression; chalk, some herbs, ritual dagger
The Average Fairy
Physical: 10 (limp wri ... err, wrong fairy); Mental: 25 (cunning); Social: 25 (weirdly persuasive); Magic: 40
Racial Traits: I'm Not That Type Of Fairy, Damn You!; Background Traits: 1-2; Occupational Traits: 1-2
The Average Druid (Type 1 - Sacrifices!)
Physical: 25 (retain sacrifices); Mental: 20; Social: 10; Magic: 20
Racial Traits: Altars Of Blood! (Druid); Background Traits: 1-3; Occupational Traits: 1-2
The Average Druid (Type II - Hippy)
Physical: 15; Mental: 20; Social: 20; Magic: 20
Racial Traits: Spade and dirt (heals the land); Background Traits: 1-3; Occupational Traits: Environmentalist Propaganda, plus 1-3
Seeing things a human shouldn't have to see makes us human.
- Terry Pratchett, "Thief of Time"
This is a listing of the "common" powers for different beings in LoLaD. The second 2nd lolad game powers can be used as another valid starting point, as can common mythology. Some not so common ones will be added as well as limits. Note that supernaturals possess some immunity to each other's powers naturally, but specifiying "mmunity to vampire dominatation" as a power means your PC is that much better at resisting it. As well, all pcs have auras that can be used to warn, frighten and hurt others.
Auras (all)
Angel: Glow of healing warmth, or the wrath of Gd.
Demon: Demon fire or massive fear.
Fairy: Glamour itself (a multi-coloured swirl of light, but they can use glamour to make it seem something else, or even hide it for a time).
Mage: Their paradigm, works when they're using, about to use, or just used magic for the most part.
Vampire: A very cold wind, like the feeling of a dead thing (Since they're the he lords of death, their aura is stronger than many other supernaturals).
Were:A warm, electric breeze/fire around them (Since they're the lords of life, their aura is stronger than many other supernaturals).
Angels & Demons
Traiditional ideas of demons and angels can work, but players should bear in mind that, as far as anyone knows, there is no one "god" that made the LoLaD universe. And most existing Gods' resumes don't really go back that far :) Talk any idea of this nature over with Alcar, but PC powers can easily be the traditional types, ditto with weaknesses.
Keep in mind that most people don't know/believe such beings exist, even those who think they do believe in them.
Angel Powers:
- Holy light.
- Fly.
- Hide as a human.
- Prayer magic.
- Powerful talismanic weapon.
Limits:
- Can't enter unholy ground.
- Urge to Smite people.
Demon Powers:
- Unholy light
- Evil appearance
- Pretend to be human.
- Demonic magic/bargaining
Limits:
- Can't enter holy ground.
- Can be banished by holy people.
Fairies
Living on earth as the summerland no longer accepts them as it once did, the fae have adapted to life on earth slowly but iwth increasing confidence over the last few years. Most of this is because of glamour, their magic that can alter perception of things, sometimes to increnible lengths. Glamour is powerful, but some herbs, iron, and certain trees can weaken or negate it's effects. The key thing to remember is that glamour is not the human magic of changing things but a magic of changing appearances, one of the reasons that it's so powerful.
Powers:
- Create glamour at will.
- Awaken fae blood in someone.
- Flight (shrink, grow wings).
- Alter appearance (tactile glamour, rather difficult).
- Fae fire (hurts undead, vampires etc. a lot.
- Open a gate to the summerland.
Limits:
- Iron stops glamour and makes fae ill just by being near it.
- Wearing a coat on backwards stops glamour as well.
- Rowan wood does the same as do many other old remedies.
Mages
Mostly mortals (supernaturals have innate magics), mages are people capable of deeds of magic fueled by their need, desire, and willpower to control the magic that summon up. More about mages can be found in the magic section, but mages are summarized below.
Types:
- Learned Mages (Class C) can use any of the elemental paradigms (earth, air, fire, water (the big four), light, darkness, iron, wood (the little four) or even just healng on magic on flesh and the like.
- Natural Mages (Class B) mages are people born with magic who can channel only one of the elements (generally just one of the 8 common ones) to work any magic their imagination can conceive with that paradigm.
- Mancers (Class A) mages are the most powerful. While others develop magic that embodies their personality, mancers embody their magic. Ecomancers are the mages of life, necromancers that of life and death and thanatomancers that of death itself. Very few people know thanatomancers exist.
- Druids, Witches etc fall into the line between B and C most of the time, but some powerful ones can be between B and A rarely.
Limits:
- Most magic requires the use of staffs, wands, daggers, protective circles and the like to work properly.
Vampires
Often confused with the undead, vampires are strange beings that live somewhere between life and death. most modern vampires are born vampires since it's illegal to make someone a vampire without their consent anymore (and the amount of forms to fill out is astronomical). Vampires have adapted to the modern world the best of all supernaturals since they are predators.
Powers:
(This is a listing of basic powers. Masters vampires are much more powerful.)
- Blur Time (Seem to move supernaturally fast).
- Dominate humans (The basic power).
- Drain humans (drink their blood, most of the time).
- Command Animals.
- See in the dark.
- Strength of the dead.
Limits:
- Cannot cross running water
- Coffin (The vampire must spend some of the day in a coffin of some kind of get really neuotic (picture Linus of "Peanuts" missing his blanket ..)
- Garlic (The smell prevents Vampire from getting within 60' of it)
- Starving (this vampire CAN drain a human of all their blood and kill them. They must kill one person a night)
- Vanity (Recoil from whatever they look like in a mirror)
- Vulnerable to silver.
- Vulnerability to sunlight (This is the base weakness. Some (especially older vampires) die almost instantly, others get the mother of all sun tans, others become almost human-weak but few vampires are immune to it or fire).
- Weak vision (vision is 1/2 as effective in sunlight)
Weres
Weres have had a harder time than others of adapting to the modern world. Most of them tend to be too impulsive and naive to really be able to deal with all the complexities of living in the world as it is and many of them are disliked and hated by humans, a hatred many young were are eager to return.
Powers:
(This list doesn't include master weres or pack leader abilities, of course.)
- Change Shape (can assume an animal and/or were form).
- Communicate with animal species.
- Speak to all aniamls.
- Enhanced senses in human form.
- Night Vision
Limits:
- Allergies (Wolfsbane etc. Often very severe).
- Defend species (Fanatical defense of your animal species).
- Extreme silver damage (Take damage from silver in any form by being within 10' of it).
- Free beast (No control over what full animal form does most of the time).
- Hunger (Even in human form, you want to eat what you would in animal, even if its raw).
- Limit of forms (can't take were, or animal form. In some cases, can't take human form).
- Look like animal form (physical differences, easy to spot).
- Memory loss (S.e. Can occur in any form).
- Moon bound (must change during full moon, almost all weres have this).
- Rage of Faline (kill, main, slaughter .. and that's when your break a nail).
- Sense distortion (Has trouble remembering they are not animal in human form).
- Uncontrolled change (Change suddenly under stress, even partially).
- Vulnerable to silver (possessed by almost all weres in were and/or animal form).
Thoghts about the game system, etc. should be discussed with Alcar.
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