BtS Characters in Other Games
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:00 am
We have frequently discussed importing certain characters from other settings into the BtS world, but I don't remember us discussing an exportation of PCCs, psychic powers, and monsters to other settings.
For example, Robotech -- A Southern Cross spaceship is trapped in the area of space that I mentioned in my Deep Black Sea adventure hook. Basically, it becomes stuck in a singularity of such intense gravity that even the souls can not escape it. While in the trap, a small portion of the crew (the PCs) develop psychic powers which help them to resolve their crisis. PCCs include all Sensitive, Physical, Healing, Medium, Firewalker, Diviner, Psi-Mechanic, & Night Hunter psychics; but the combat-oriented OCCs like pilots should be mixed with the less offensive PCCs like Healers and the support-type OCCs like mechanics should be combined with the more offensive PCCs like Nighthunters, thus every character gets a good mix of combat and non-combat abilities. After the ship escapes, the PCs retain their psychic abilities which makes them uniquely suited for supernatural investigations and missions. They are made officers on board the starship REF Victor Lazlo which they use to solve the problems that no one else in the Robotech Expeditionary Force can solve. They use a combination of robotechnology and psionic talent. Did a gremlin manifest in the cargo hold when your scout ship passed through the Orion Triangle? Did a possessing entity take control of the Zentreadi test pilot with the experimental new destroid? You know who to call.
After the Bomb -- Scavengers have dug too deep and unleashed something which should have stayed put. When a particular pyramid was reopened by animal hands (in Egypt or Mexico or maybe even Las Vegas), it awoke a moody goddess and released her minions. A variety of monsters are dispatched to the four corners in order to reestablish order -- particularly her order -- on the planet. Possible minions include werebeasts, hell hounds, vampires, animal-themed demons like alu, and of course cultists. Are these creatures a new viral mutation, or is the rumor accurate that the mysterious goddess Bast has returned (or insert your own favored animal-themed god or goddess)? Or, is the virus and the goddess both the same thing? The characters are agents of a particular government like the Empire of Humanity or Cardania. And just why are those Diviners from Ganesh popping up all over the place and rambling about prophecies? PCCs are mutants (human or animal) and also Nega-Psychics who hold back the walls of reality from the insanity that is creeping in.
Western -- Set in the Old West of Tombstone, the Skinwalker problem has gotten out of hand. Various demons operating with perfect human disguises are preying on travelers, prospectors, and the displaced tribes. Recently, they have started taking over entire towns. Well, the disguises are almost perfect. Every demon has a tell, and a skilled poker player can always spot it. These demons are sometimes tough and always sneaky, but they aren't immune to lead. The PCs are western story stereotypes like Chinese immigrants, salon girls, and professional gamblers, but each gets a bonus Gambling Skill and a selection of 3 extra Lore Skills from the BtS-2 skill list, and one psi-mechanic device.
For example, Robotech -- A Southern Cross spaceship is trapped in the area of space that I mentioned in my Deep Black Sea adventure hook. Basically, it becomes stuck in a singularity of such intense gravity that even the souls can not escape it. While in the trap, a small portion of the crew (the PCs) develop psychic powers which help them to resolve their crisis. PCCs include all Sensitive, Physical, Healing, Medium, Firewalker, Diviner, Psi-Mechanic, & Night Hunter psychics; but the combat-oriented OCCs like pilots should be mixed with the less offensive PCCs like Healers and the support-type OCCs like mechanics should be combined with the more offensive PCCs like Nighthunters, thus every character gets a good mix of combat and non-combat abilities. After the ship escapes, the PCs retain their psychic abilities which makes them uniquely suited for supernatural investigations and missions. They are made officers on board the starship REF Victor Lazlo which they use to solve the problems that no one else in the Robotech Expeditionary Force can solve. They use a combination of robotechnology and psionic talent. Did a gremlin manifest in the cargo hold when your scout ship passed through the Orion Triangle? Did a possessing entity take control of the Zentreadi test pilot with the experimental new destroid? You know who to call.
After the Bomb -- Scavengers have dug too deep and unleashed something which should have stayed put. When a particular pyramid was reopened by animal hands (in Egypt or Mexico or maybe even Las Vegas), it awoke a moody goddess and released her minions. A variety of monsters are dispatched to the four corners in order to reestablish order -- particularly her order -- on the planet. Possible minions include werebeasts, hell hounds, vampires, animal-themed demons like alu, and of course cultists. Are these creatures a new viral mutation, or is the rumor accurate that the mysterious goddess Bast has returned (or insert your own favored animal-themed god or goddess)? Or, is the virus and the goddess both the same thing? The characters are agents of a particular government like the Empire of Humanity or Cardania. And just why are those Diviners from Ganesh popping up all over the place and rambling about prophecies? PCCs are mutants (human or animal) and also Nega-Psychics who hold back the walls of reality from the insanity that is creeping in.
Western -- Set in the Old West of Tombstone, the Skinwalker problem has gotten out of hand. Various demons operating with perfect human disguises are preying on travelers, prospectors, and the displaced tribes. Recently, they have started taking over entire towns. Well, the disguises are almost perfect. Every demon has a tell, and a skilled poker player can always spot it. These demons are sometimes tough and always sneaky, but they aren't immune to lead. The PCs are western story stereotypes like Chinese immigrants, salon girls, and professional gamblers, but each gets a bonus Gambling Skill and a selection of 3 extra Lore Skills from the BtS-2 skill list, and one psi-mechanic device.