13th Guard - A Savage Worlds Setting

[EjoThims]

Good question... I hope the reasoning they can be were-serpents makes sense, at least.  Family Guardians come from old stories and I didn't see Atlanteans, being sea-dwelling, having those stories where they could magically turn into a bear or swan or some shit.

No, but they could magically turn into a serpent, since they are able to as were creatures.

And Atlantean Family Guardians as a dolphin, seal, shark, crocodile/alligator, or other water themed creature would be appropriate and fill the role for many mythologies. Mermaids are just their hybrid form.

The only reason they got lesser weres was because I was trying to balance it out.

I'd think that lesser were or serpent (lesser I would see as more appropriate, since it seems to potentially include anything not on the others, which all of the above sea creatures besides snakes falls into) and family guardian would be a better match.

Some people don't want to be 'freaks'...

They shouldn't be Batman then; running around dressed as his one fear beating the crap out of people... that guy is messed up.

And in general, especially if you're breaking down weres into so many categories, you could probably further diversify some of the other sections, with equally minor but flavorful differences, for an arbitrary example, sets of witches tied to different elements, with that one thing (picks the flavor and gives a change) defaulted for their abilities, but with unique thematic benefits for each.

[AfterCrescent]

No, but they could magically turn into a serpent, since they are able to as were creatures.

And Atlantean Family Guardians as a dolphin, seal, shark, crocodile/alligator, or other water themed creature would be appropriate and fill the role for many mythologies. Mermaids are just their hybrid form.

Merfolk are definitely a whole separate category, just like Selkie and many other mythos...

I suppose Atlanteans could have their own myths about people turning into sharks, barracudas, squid, etc... Fair enough, I'll have to think more about this.

I'd think that lesser were or serpent (lesser I would see as more appropriate, since it seems to potentially include anything not on the others, which all of the above sea creatures besides snakes falls into) and family guardian would be a better match.

Lesser were actually means "lesser" animals, fox and rats (which are not both rodents, or it would have been were-rodent).  I haven't sat down to think of other possible options, but they'll be along that line, assuming it's not more fitting for them to be a Family Guardian (Were-mongoose, for example).  My big concern with making Family Guardian open to everyone is that it A) puts in the same category as the Batman aspect. Anyone in the world can be a normal person, those who have a disease, are undead, or mutate/evolve in some way should be more unique, you know?
If they get were-serpent and FG, that also means Hals get FG and have to lose something else...

I think I need to decide on the balanced number first and then work from that...

And in general, especially if you're breaking down weres into so many categories, you could probably further diversify some of the other sections, with equally minor but flavorful differences, for an arbitrary example, sets of witches tied to different elements, with that one thing (picks the flavor and gives a change) defaulted for their abilities, but with unique thematic benefits for each.

I don't want "minor but flavorful differences" to separate the aspects. In your example, when you play a witch and choose your powers, you choose your flavor and your powers change along with it.  The were-creatures are being separated because there are significant differences that one type has that another shouldn't. Werewolves can grow to 8-10 feet in hybrid form, a rat can't. Snakes are poisonous, but less likely to transfer their disease, etc.

Although maybe I should go back to having it as contagious/non-contagious Therianthropes with some "standard" separations based on animal... Argh so many options.

[Generic_PC]

It's probably better to give Hal and Haz more aspects to choose from, since they are more adaptable than Tenocha or Atlanteans.

[AfterCrescent]

Gave races their paranormal aspects. Will do the specs for the aspects likely tomorrow, although I may be delayed until Saturday.

I've put all Therianthropes under 1 aspect, but will have subdivisions based on animal choices, not unlike how Psions specialize in D&D. (Well, different, but not extremely so).

So 10 total aspects to be divided and assigned. I've put thought into why a race would or would not have access, but I'm open to ideas.

Generic, the reason the half/breeds actually have less is two-fold. While humans are more adaptable, Atlantean/Aztec blood have varying strength, so it could dilute or purify things, depending on the aspect.  That and some aspects (Zealot) should be aimed towards adults - hard to be a religiously focused and devout character when you're 14...

[AfterCrescent]

Here's my rough draft for aspect/power allowances.
Feedback's good, but I'm primarily putting this up here so I can reference it from anywhere.

X - Likely
XX - Part of the aspect
X? - via an edge?
X- - with restrictions, definitely.

[AfterCrescent]

Put Born Meta powers up. That's 2 aspects down. Damn time constraints

[AfterCrescent]

Evolved and Family Guardian are up.

[AfterCrescent]

I redid Sensitives. I think they're a bit stronger, but more fitting and flavorful.  I'd appreciate any/all opinions and thoughts on them.

[AfterCrescent]

Therianthropes and Vaudans are up. Anyone have any thoughts?

[AfterCrescent]

CRAPTON OF UPDATING!!

All paranormal aspects are up. Lots of setting rules up as well. I think it's a good step in the right direction. Flavor's next

[bhu]

I'd love to give feedback but I know nothing about the system 

[AfterCrescent]

It's surprisingly simple.
You have stats (attributes) and skills, like D&D, except they're represented by a die size. So like a d4 in Str or a d10 in Knowledge (kittens).
When you need to do something, you roll the attribute or skill sized die and try to get a 4 ~90% of the time. Dice can explode when you do this.
Crappy people just roll their die. Important people (called Wild Cards) roll a d6 with everything they do and take the better of the two rolls.

That's it in a nutshell. Oh, and Initiative uses a deck of cards.

[AfterCrescent]

Turns out I hadn't assigned Zealots their points. Did that. Going to work on Tenochca (& eventually Atlantean) tech, too. Ideas are welcome, but keep in mind the tech level is generally not much beyond what we have now. Maybe a bit faster/more compact, but no laser spears for Tenochca or sentient bombs or anything...

[veekie]

From what I've seen so far, the Tenochca tech seem a natural for a mass driver/railgun type weapon. They're as close as it gets to a directed energy weapon while still shooting something material, since the muzzle velocity is mainly dependent upon the amount of electrical energy input(which obviously can be quite huge) and the material strength of the weapon, particularly the accelerator panel.

Hmmm, I wonder if a sufficiently powerful mass driver could accelerate compressed air to weapons grade...it'd be horribly inefficient though, since the force will disperse rapidly in a cone. Makes a very nice aerosol burst as a prelude to ignition from air friction though.

[AfterCrescent]

According to wikipedia, the U.S. has already been testing a railgun.   Why does it need to be Tenochca tech? Or are you suggesting they have a slightly more advanced/smaller version?

[veekie]

Existing railguns have a crapton of energy wasted on friction, and the rails don't last under extended usage, while theres a burst power limitation in which the components become briefly magnetized and thus actually drain speed from the panel/projectile, modern capacitors also have some limits when you reach power on that scale, they start leaking. I'm saying they got the whole friction thing beat.

Other flaws include EMP bursts, the amount of electricity in play means every shot will produce strong magnetic fields, so you need to shield those as well, or every sensitive piece of electronics on your person is toast.

And of course theres the recoil. Bit of a bitch that, unless you use future tech to recapture the recoil energy(reclaiming half the energy expended per shot without actually crimping muzzle velocity), you simply can't have a man portable railgun much more powerful than a high caliber rifle. Possible solutions include the rocket option(where like a rocket, the bulk of the acceleration happens after it's fired, this means the ammo needs it's own propulsion, etc)

Granted, ammo is pretty versatile for a proper futuristic railgun, you could stuff rocks in it and it'd probably still blow walls away.

Other advanced tech, maybe a blink displacer? Consider it a man portable portal, but it's not powerful enough to actually cross dimensions. Linked to a computer, the system will track incoming threats and shunt the wearer out of this world for a hair of a second to let it pass harmlessly by.

[AfterCrescent]

Eh, I don't really want the world to skyrocket into that far off future tech yet...

[Generic_PC]

There's also the fact that even 20 years into the future, these technologies would most likely still be new, and probably military access only.

Can WE get access to the military stuff too?

[AfterCrescent]

There's also the fact that even 20 years into the future, these technologies would most likely still be new, and probably military access only.

Can WE get access to the military stuff too?

True... I'm not saying a flat out no to functional rail-gun tech, but it'll still be in early development stages (i.e. vehicle mounted). But yeah, definitely military grade.

As for you guys... Well I have to work on how requisitions are going to work... Generally, no. 13th Guard is a peacekeeping operation. They want you to be able to defend yourselves, but advanced tech and rockets are generally out of the picture (keyword generally).

Obviously if you have connections with some shady people, you may be able to get things that way, but as a general rule, not likely. That might change slightly when I figure a requisition mechanic out.

[Generic_PC]

Quick, someone pick up the connections edge!!

I'm doing equipment now. Probably nothing too heavy, since this guy is blind. how many gun shops would sell to a blind guy?