Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => In Her Majesty's Name => Topic started by: Craig on July 26, 2015, 07:26:36 AM
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As many of you know by now Charles and my objectives for the coming twelve months are to complete and publish:
1. Blood Eagle: skirmish wargaming in the legendary Dark Ages, and
2. IHMN Gothic: the third unique supplement for our original milieu,
in that order.
Gothic will include all the elements you currently see in the free section on the blog (https://inhermajestysname.wordpress.com/ihmn-gothic/). This comes to about 25,000 words and the book will need at least 40,000 words as it will be the same size and format as Daishō.
Now we have already covered a wide range of gothic companies, beasts and equipment, yet we are not going to be the sole arbiters of content for Gothic. Is there anything you think that we have missed, which you would like to see covered in our own inimitable style?
Note that we are not asking for fully-worked up examples with lists and points, more a number of concepts and elements. So take a look at what we have produced so far and take into account that IHMN Gothic is presently a European and mostly not anglo-centric book.
Any ideas we use shall be credited to the originator and will get their name in the acknowledgements in the book.
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Consistent and collected rules for vampires, silver and holy weapons, smiting the undead etc. The rules for vampires and holy stuff got a little messy both in IHMN's main books and in the current Gothic supplements due to the introduction of new rules. Maybe a zero point trait called 'unholy' to signify that this creature is affected by holy/silver weapons, made obligatory for undead and wizards?
Ideas for terrain, maybe special rules for fighting inside buildings/dark crypts and the like - a game where you make a lot out of that side of things would be more distinct than one where all combat is assumed to take place on an open, outdoors battlefield.
I personally like the companies as they are presented thus far. Don't see much need to expand those.
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Prague Golem as part of a Jewish cabal, maybe some kind of inmortal gentlemen company(Melmoth the Wanderer is the first who came to my mind), more beasts, ghosts or even ghost hunters (I know, I know, Carnacki and John Silence are anglo-centric characters from the distant twenties, but I like the concept)
Also, a non-official Penny Dreadful list would be nice.
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Rules for ghosts/spirits and ghostbusting/spectral eliminations and incarcerations.
More as it occurs to me.
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Thank you chaps, keep it coming :D
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Okay, how about a travelling circus?
One I had in mind but never got around to listing was the Circus de Morte much less stylish than the Venetian version and totally evil.
The clowns would be escaped murderers, permanently covered in facepaint and contracted to serve or die. The circus would include all the usual strongmen, knife throwers, animals and the like with a moriarty/demon like ringmaster. A form of exotic cult...with a freak show (leftovers anyone?)...
The Circus, travelling around the sparse settlements of Eastern and Central Europe would have a sideline in white trafficking, visiting a rural village or town to perform and then after identifying suitable victims in the crowd, sending out agents to kidnap them before slipping away in the night. They then take them for sale to Barbary pirates whom they meet at clandestine locations on rivers like the Dnieper and Rhine or secret cults in need of sacrifices.
The possibilities would be endless and we all need sinister clowns...
Inspired by TV series such as Carnivale and American Horror, films such as the Vampire Circus and Circus of Horrors and a very warped imagination!
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Your zombie article should probably go in there, perhaps as an appendix.
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The elder Gods of Cthulhu and backwoods Bayou types who might be confronted by them or some ancient cult in the Southern U.S. (I know the english paranormal investigator team is more typical but I'm trying for something a little different 8))
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More mystical power options would be my request.
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Bedlam staff and patients. Mad doctor, orderlies, nurses, spirits, crazies.
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As many of you know by now Charles and my objectives for the coming twelve months are to complete and publish:
1. Blood Eagle: skirmish wargaming in the legendary Dark Ages, and
Blood Eagle sound interesting, any more infos about that?
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I second the idea for some rules that can bring the action indoors. Then again that does verge a bit more to RPGing!
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Hello Craig,
I respectfully tender my favorite illustrative tropes, memes, and themes for your consideration.
1.) Mummy and Minions a bit of the dust of the ancient world i.e. Egypt, Peru, Siberia migrating to the “modern” era and having a powerful influence through various esoteric objects.
2.) Abominations and Leviathans i.e. very grotesque powerful beings quietly converting humans [the ‘civilized’] to their own purposes whilst keeping to their damp lairs far from the reaches of sunlight.
3.) Arcane Alchemist who are more interested in ‘a grand scheme’ than turning lead into gold. That ‘grand scheme’ could be more to radium than Madame Currie et al ever imagined. Many projects fill the laboratories such as testing methods of energy production (via splitting atoms). The Arcane Alchemist is protected by a cadre of polonium powered Robots.
4.) Mad Industrial Genius with financial wherewithal and a network of international ‘stock-holders’ to have a massive influence society.
5.) Inspectors, Detectives, Skeptics, and Investigators, those whose professional duty is to suss out or get to the bottom of mysteries, crimes, or disruptions of the public tranquility.
6.) Swarthy Anarchists a league of dedicated ideologues leveraging various groups against the hegemony of the so-called ‘world-order’.
7.) Maniacal Baron / Warlord desires above all else and is possessed by the notion he must have his place in the sun, where he are the apex of all power in the world in order to fulfill his dreams of dynastic grandeur that will last a thousand years to his eternal glorification.
Regards,
Sendak
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I agree with the tightening of the silver/blessed etc. weapon rules. Vampire and werewolf etc. should be talents that can be bought. In campaigns therefore models could turn into vampires, etc. by adding the talent. Different levels of the talent could indicate age for a vampire, etc. The vampire talent as an example could add a bonus to pluck, FV and/or armour, so the cost would be variable for the pluck/FV part and increase the base armour 7 to 9/10. Or it could give the model a fixed pluck, FV and armour based on the age of the vampire. Silver/blessed weapons would reduce the pluck and/or armour of a model with a specific talent, silver for werewolves and wooden stakes for vampires for example.
An idea for a non Anglo company, Gwylliaid Cochion Mawddwy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bandits_of_Mawddwy
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Ideas (in no particular order of priority):
* Expand the combat environment further, as mentioned by a few here with ideas/rules for interiors/underground/etc.,
* More detailed section for the Weaponry (IHMN Gothic Part IX Armoury)
* Expanded section on Gothic talents & mystical powers (IHMN Gothic Part X)
* Artefacts and treasure items that provide various Gothic-themed benefits and bonuses, and can be included in to campaigns as rewards/aims/etc.
* A large Gothic inspired Bestiary with extra material/beasts/nasties.
* Flaws - weaknesses that come into play when a leading character figure rolls equal to it's Pluck (at present, a Knock-down) - e.g., such as 'prone to flail/panic fire' (figure attacks/opens up on nearest friend).
* Global Gothic chapter - adventure/story seeds from around the world, drawn from the regional legends/mythology.
* Rules for Mobs/Swarms/Hordes
Additional Companies - work underway:
* My 'Prokop' Company of Neo-Hussites
* Austro-Hungarian Company for my female hussars
* Swiss Papal Guard, sent out to secure 'heretical artefacts'.
* Khmer River Pirates
* The White Lotus
* The Imazighen
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I would toss the Dark Knight in there!
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An idea for a non Anglo company, Gwylliaid Cochion Mawddwy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bandits_of_Mawddwy
Based at the Brigands Inn no doubt? I am a Merionydd boy...
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What about some system of courses and blessings? Not as mystical powers, but more in the line of talents, something that you can buy (or can be buy by your enemy) to bless and course your leader at the begining of the game.
And not just something that affect the pluck checks, I'm thinking in turning him in something strange during the game, affect your movement, reroll checks, etc.
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Based at the Brigands Inn no doubt? I am a Merionydd boy...
Yes, although the name of that pub is aparently relatively modern, it is named after them. Throw in some magic portals, like the one to the otherworld in Dyfed according to legend, and you have a way for them to appear anywhere.
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We've got the Grand Tour of Ms. Summers, but that's rather blue blooded. Somebody needs to do stats and background for a group of teen investigators of mysteries who travel about in a steamwagon with their Great Dane. Rugged young athlete, lovely young woman, a bookish type and a long, thin drink of water who may be an opium addict. Much more working class,
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I'd like to see the island of Dr Moreau, the Mysterious Island, the Lost World and the other fantastic worls of Wells and Verne... I also would like rules for where companies have to fight their way through hordes of something or other, both co-operating and competing. It's satisfactory rules for controlling the masses which we lack.
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How about a certain handicapped bell tower keeper and his gypsy love interest? Quasi Motto and Esmerelda!
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Any thought to Native American 'gothic'?
Various spirits, manitou, though I suggest not suddenly deciding to see the old Manitou movie. ;)
Don't know much about them, but the suggestions I've heard about Skinwalkers creep me the heck out.
Of course, those two sentences are actually separated by the North American continent. lol
Doug
Edit: And, if you are about to say 'it's in there', I actually did look, a second time, but I've missed any such reference if there. Just saying, I've been bad that way, of late, enough to apologize before someone has a chance to say something.
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Skinwalkers appear to be similar to the Skinchangers in the (Voodoo) Red Sect list and additionally Chevals have the ability to adopt spirit type powers.
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Any thought to Native American 'gothic'?
Various spirits, manitou, though I suggest not suddenly deciding to see the old Manitou movie. ;)
Don't know much about them, but the suggestions I've heard about Skinwalkers creep me the heck out.
Of course, those two sentences are actually separated by the North American continent. lol
Doug
Edit: And, if you are about to say 'it's in there', I actually did look, a second time, but I've missed any such reference if there. Just saying, I've been bad that way, of late, enough to apologize before someone has a chance to say something.
One word: Chupacabra :)
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Oh yes! Chupacabra! I have him in one of my native american companies!
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Haven't Chupacabra been about played out? I mean, a set came out right after Zombie Dice. lol
Okay, HAS to be in any Native American gothic, but I'm still wondering if Craig and/or Charles has an opinion. Plenty of obscure 'monsters' not mentioned, of course. Listverse:10 eerie Native American monsters (http://listverse.com/2014/04/20/10-eerie-native-american-monsters/) and, more exhaustive, Native-Languages Org: Monsters, (http://www.native-languages.org/monsters.htm) those these beg the question: this a separate North American list?
'Countless Native American tribes recall stories of giant snakes' includes some beasts that would make right impressive 'pets'. And the thought of 'underwater panthers...'
Doug
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Craig appears to continue to be most busy, but answered me to the effect that Gothic would be mostly the 'usual suspects' of European lore.
Of course, the website is always available for other items, so get those lists and stats to him. :D
Doug
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I am indeed well busy :D
In the middle of writing two books while promoting another.
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Tell us more about Blood Eagle when you can!
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So many great ideas! I have found the Bedlam personal particularly brilliant. As Czech native, I also love the neo-Hussites idea :)
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As Czech native, I also love the neo-Hussites idea :)
Hi Pabook,
Thanks kindly, I may have need of you to proof-read what I've drafted so far, see if it makes sense? :)
Hopefully the attached PDF will be OK to open. It's still a work-in-progress - for example, the points cost of the Company isn't completed yet - but it's steadily growing. I have three scenarios in note-form for the Company's travels eastwards to write up too.
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Great company! Loved the ideas for other Hussite companies at the end as well.
Hope to see more soon!
Thanks
Blofeld
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Many thanks Blofeld, very encouraging.
I've posted up here the story, or my narrative background I've been working on, from which the three planned scenarios - Attack on the Tower, either a forest path or mountain path or campsite ambush, and the assault on the farm outside Kaschau - are drawn from.
Hope it helps set the scene :)