Designer Notes, Part 1: GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits (Devotion PM)

This is a very crunchy work and I had a lot of goals I wanted to meet with it. One of those was to come up with a generic power modifier for spirits that fit my understanding of the nature of them. The Spirit PM (GURPS Powers, p. 28) is for people getting help from spirits, not really about being a spirit.

What I first came up with was a 0% rather generic PM but my editor wanted it to be more specifically outlined and described. In doing so I came up with the Devotion PM which is similar to the Pact limitation used for priests as part of the Divine PM. Spirits are generally very focused or passionate about the things they care for or engage in vices or have other traits GURPS would call a mental disadvantage. 

I created several new power groups, leaving a lot on the cutting room floor. The published version has 27 specific power groups, though a few are modified versions from other supplements. I also included a list of Power Modifiers I felt especially appropriate in other supplements, mostly GURPS Horror and GURPS Powers.

The Devotion PM can be applied to most of them and though it is a generic -10% the value can be adjusted based on the spirit and what disadvantages apply. The Trickster power has a specific example of this. I listed some ideas for most of the Powers, mostly the concept rather than a list though to save room. The explanation for the Devotion PM gives the structure and each power gives a guideline relevant to it.

For example the Traveler power could take Compulsive Behavior for never staying in one place too long, exploration, etc. Or perhaps a Sense of Duty to their rider for a winged steed. The Psychopomp power could take Sense of Duty to religious adherents, "Those who died in battle", or anything else appropriate to getting the recently deceased to where they need to go.

GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits

 Its published! GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits is finally released.

This is my second supplement, both on the subject of spirits in GURPS. It is more crunchy than GURPS Powers  Totem and Nature Spirits.

It is a collection of templates and lenses, making it a tough edit but useful for GMS to quickly put together spirits for their campaigns. However a big part of this book is also explaining how various traits work and apply in the context of a spirit.  So it goes into explanation on many traits, hopefully clearing up some details and questions I have seen come up. Also adding quite a few new modifiers to current advantages.

Those modifiers like Preset for Jumper or Warp, Display for Clairsentience, a couple of goodies for Binding, and many more should be useful in campaigns not using spirits as well.

Some core advantages like Special Rapaport also get expanded options.

AEON B-Team Season 8 Session 13 The End is Coming

 

Cast: The Nomads

• Amie-Belle T. W. Lee aka Whisper (Played by Curtis): Cold War era super-soldier/spy that got put in the Freezer, because she got poisoned. After getting thawed out and cured she tried to back to work, and was given an “adjustment period”. Uncle Sam called 2 years later, with work… because once you’re in, you’re in for life. Tagline: “In and out without a whisper.” Absent
• Beauregard K. “Bo” Ratnam aka Wirerat (Played by Brice): Technopath, inventor, and hacker. He specializes in co-opting enemy systems and tech assets. Tagline: “Nice tech – I’ll borrow that.
• Stainless Steel Rat aka “Sir” (NPC Ally): Bo’s best friend and assistant. A sentient drone in the shape of a stylized shiny metal rat mindlinked to Bo. Specialties are rapid repair construction and modifications. Imagine if K-9 and R2D2 made a baby and it looks a bit like a rodent. Tagline: “Repairs and upgrades in progress”
• Derrick K. Ratnam aka Ledgerdemain (NPC Ally): Spin doctor and media liaison for Project VANGUARD. Twin to Bo. Tagline: “Well, actually that’s not how it happened.
• MIA Sentient AI made from recovered tech on a prior mission.
• Rafe Hanlon aka Nyx (played by Chris D.): An umbrakinetic petty thief still on work release several years later, on his way to becoming a true agent and hero. Tagline: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
• Layla A. de Blackburn aka Nox (NPC): CIA-trained child assassin all grown up to be Daddy’s Little Monster. Maybe a little mad. Argues with her shadow often. Tagline: “No, we shouldn’t do that…should we?”
• June B. O'Neill aka Prodigy (NPC): Savant with hyper-intelligence that may have cracked the universal power-dampening conundrum. Fresh out of the Meraki Institute for the advanced and gifted. Extremely intelligent, but young (she's 16).
• Vincenzo L. dePrezzo aka Threshold (Played by Rory): Doctor, Mathematician, and Scientist (yes, capitals) and Spatial Manipulator. Threshold can bend space like a pretzel, teleport, obliterate things, and has extraordinary senses. He’d rather be in a research lab than fight. Better known for his work with Doctors Without Borders, the United Nations, and disaster relief than famous battles. Tagline: “I can be there in a snap!”
• Eleanor C. Bulli aka "Bubbles (NPC): Manipulates bubbles of energy, short range teleportation, can fly on the bubbles, use them for shields or attack and even see through them.
• Grant L. Wojcik aka Fridge Boy (NPC): Can control ice/cold, but mostly the ability to create ice that explodes. 16 year old emancipated orphan, Our janitor. 
• Rudy A. Coldwater aka Gimmick (NPC): Mildly hyper-intelligent savant. Stutters. Makes very accurate guesses. Typical nerd, not yet 20. Wants to make a difference, assigned to support duties.
• Summer Stratos aka Chain Jacket (NPC): Ferrokinetic
• Vargas Manwell Tilium aka "Impulse" (NPC): Speedster.

Patrols and Intel

Each of the team went and managed their patrols, Threshold taking on extra night shifts to cover for Wans death. Wirerat is fully recovered from his injuries and working on several projects, including things to find and track the alien's and their portals.

Threshold goes to that store recommended to him for math materials. The guy drops hints he knows something but is not forthcoming and Threshold chooses not to press him after verifying he is not an alien. Threshold keeps closing portals but they just keep appearing and growing in number.

Lynch is convinced the end of the world is coming but we wont give up so easily.

We find out that our minds have holes in them, missing certain memories.  Wirerat thinks he can get them back but Lynch and Threshold feel its extremely unlikely.

Someone managed to remove mental and physical records of things they do not want people to know.

At the end a kaiju (not Godzilla) comes out of the bay through a portal and heads to wreck the city.  Thresholds Warp ability wont work near it, though his other powers seem ok and he uses his "long Step" ability to get to the base and let everyone know.

Template Toolkit Spirits

 Sent in notes on the last edit of my supplement which has been announced as on schedule for a Feb release.

I am not posting details yet, though expect some designers notes after its out.  However, I did want to get it out there. Its been a long road, about 4 years to get this out from pitch to publication. It was part of an earlier manuscript where I intended to do as bunch of stuff in one Powers style supplement. Looks like I pitched it June 2020 and it was awhile after that before the contract was approved and signed.

I am very happy with this supplement. Totem and Nature Spirits left a lot on the cutting room floor, the subject was simply too broad to include everything. I did the best I could to hit what I thought was the important highlights but so many totems were left out for space.  However, with TT:Spirits I managed to get pretty much everything I wanted into it.  I'll go over that in a bit more detail after publication.

AEON Team B Season 8 Session 12 Captured Alien

 

Cast: The Nomads

• Amie-Belle T. W. Lee aka Whisper (Played by Curtis): Cold War era super-soldier/spy that got put in the Freezer, because she got poisoned. After getting thawed out and cured she tried to back to work, and was given an “adjustment period”. Uncle Sam called 2 years later, with work… because once you’re in, you’re in for life. Tagline: “In and out without a whisper.” Absent
• Beauregard K. “Bo” Ratnam aka Wirerat (Played by Brice): Technopath, inventor, and hacker. He specializes in co-opting enemy systems and tech assets. Tagline: “Nice tech – I’ll borrow that.
• Stainless Steel Rat aka “Sir” (NPC Ally): Bo’s best friend and assistant. A sentient drone in the shape of a stylized shiny metal rat mindlinked to Bo. Specialties are rapid repair construction and modifications. Imagine if K-9 and R2D2 made a baby and it looks a bit like a rodent. Tagline: “Repairs and upgrades in progress”
• Derrick K. Ratnam aka Ledgerdemain (NPC Ally): Spin doctor and media liaison for Project VANGUARD. Twin to Bo. Tagline: “Well, actually that’s not how it happened.
• MIA Sentient AI made from recovered tech on a prior mission.
• Rafe Hanlon aka Nyx (played by Chris D.): An umbrakinetic petty thief still on work release several years later, on his way to becoming a true agent and hero. Tagline: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
• Layla A. de Blackburn aka Nox (NPC): CIA-trained child assassin all grown up to be Daddy’s Little Monster. Maybe a little mad. Argues with her shadow often. Tagline: “No, we shouldn’t do that…should we?”
• June B. O'Neill aka Prodigy (NPC): Savant with hyper-intelligence that may have cracked the universal power-dampening conundrum. Fresh out of the Meraki Institute for the advanced and gifted. Extremely intelligent, but young (she's 16).
• Vincenzo L. dePrezzo aka Threshold (Played by Rory): Doctor, Mathematician, and Scientist (yes, capitals) and Spatial Manipulator. Threshold can bend space like a pretzel, teleport, obliterate things, and has extraordinary senses. He’d rather be in a research lab than fight. Better known for his work with Doctors Without Borders, the United Nations, and disaster relief than famous battles. Tagline: “I can be there in a snap!”
• Eleanor C. Bulli aka "Bubbles (NPC): Manipulates bubbles of energy, short range teleportation, can fly on the bubbles, use them for shields or attack and even see through them.
• Grant L. Wojcik aka Fridge Boy (NPC): Can control ice/cold, but mostly the ability to create ice that explodes. 16 year old emancipated orphan, Our janitor. 
• Rudy A. Coldwater aka Gimmick (NPC): Mildly hyper-intelligent savant. Stutters. Makes very accurate guesses. Typical nerd, not yet 20. Wants to make a difference, assigned to support duties.
• Summer Stratos aka Chain Jacket (NPC): Ferrokinetic
• Vargas Manwell Tilium aka "Impulse" (NPC): Speedster.

Prelude

The GM had us skip the planned capture of the alien due to time constraints, we only have two more session planned after this before starting the next campaign. So were on a tight window.

We probably would have spent over an hour over planning the capture and unless he was well prepared Nyx and Nox likely could take him out in a few turns.

Interrogation

We did not get much info from the alien, though Lynch gave us some. They are not really alien's but ancient beings who travel between dimensions and left earth long ago. They are back and plan on invading, though why is unclear.

They have Khyberic powers and superior technology so our odds of victory seem slim.

Planning and Discussion

We compared some notes, but no real plans made and agreed upon as yet.

Threshold got a talking too about copying some of the notes in the old Safehouse Lynch set up. Apparently just knowing the stuff is bad as that can be detected through the collective unconscious. Lynch taught Wirerat how to build a device to keep us out of the collectives unconscious he called the Numera.

We also got a better idea on how to look for the rifts and are adding that to our patrols.

Threshold can sense them if he is close enough. People can hear music if they get big enough and things can come through. Wirerat set up MIA  (his pet AI) to scan for flash mobs or reports of people seeming to hear music and certain tunes.  We will then pop over to check them out and Threshold can close the rifts, at least if they are small enough.

OOC

We got to see the spiderness from a previous campaign. Apparently they can be disintegrated just nicely. Wasn't sure if that would work on them. Threshold has not picked up on some things yet that I thought he would by now but the character does not know to ask about. So having to play dumb for now.

Session was kind of slow, lot of exposition and it had been a long time since the previous one so I think all of us were out of sorts.  Also knowing its all over in a few games might be having an effect.

AEON B-Team (Nomads) Season 8 Session 11 Aliens Among Us!

 

Cast: The Nomads

• Amie-Belle T. W. Lee aka Whisper (Played by Curtis): Cold War era super-soldier/spy that got put in the Freezer, because she got poisoned. After getting thawed out and cured she tried to back to work, and was given an “adjustment period”. Uncle Sam called 2 years later, with work… because once you’re in, you’re in for life. Tagline: “In and out without a whisper.” Absent
• Beauregard K. “Bo” Ratnam aka Wirerat (Played by Brice): Technopath, inventor, and hacker. He specializes in co-opting enemy systems and tech assets. Tagline: “Nice tech – I’ll borrow that.
• Stainless Steel Rat aka “Sir” (NPC Ally): Bo’s best friend and assistant. A sentient drone in the shape of a stylized shiny metal rat mindlinked to Bo. Specialties are rapid repair construction and modifications. Imagine if K-9 and R2D2 made a baby and it looks a bit like a rodent. Tagline: “Repairs and upgrades in progress”
• Derrick K. Ratnam aka Ledgerdemain (NPC Ally): Spin doctor and media liaison for Project VANGUARD. Twin to Bo. Tagline: “Well, actually that’s not how it happened.
• MIA Sentient AI made from recovered tech on a prior mission.
• Rafe Hanlon aka Nyx (played by Chris D.): An umbrakinetic petty thief still on work release several years later, on his way to becoming a true agent and hero. Tagline: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
• Layla A. de Blackburn aka Nox (NPC): CIA-trained child assassin all grown up to be Daddy’s Little Monster. Maybe a little mad. Argues with her shadow often. Tagline: “No, we shouldn’t do that…should we?”
• June B. O'Neill aka Prodigy (NPC): Savant with hyper-intelligence that may have cracked the universal power-dampening conundrum. Fresh out of the Meraki Institute for the advanced and gifted. Extremely intelligent, but young (she's 16).
• Vincenzo L. dePrezzo aka Threshold (Played by Rory): Doctor, Mathematician, and Scientist (yes, capitals) and Spatial Manipulator. Threshold can bend space like a pretzel, teleport, obliterate things, and has extraordinary senses. He’d rather be in a research lab than fight. Better known for his work with Doctors Without Borders, the United Nations, and disaster relief than famous battles. Tagline: “I can be there in a snap!”
• Eleanor C. Bulli aka "Bubbles (NPC): Manipulates bubbles of energy, short range teleportation, can fly on the bubbles, use them for shields or attack and even see through them.
• Grant L. Wojcik aka Fridge Boy (NPC): Can control ice/cold, but mostly the ability to create ice that explodes. 16 year old emancipated orphan, Our janitor. 
• Rudy A. Coldwater aka Gimmick (NPC): Mildly hyper-intelligent savant. Stutters. Makes very accurate guesses. Typical nerd, not yet 20. Wants to make a difference, assigned to support duties.
• Summer Stratos aka Chain Jacket (NPC): Ferrokinetic
• Vargas Manwell Tilium aka "Impulse" (NPC): Speedster.

Putting the Pieces Together

Nyx and Nox have been mulling over notes about August, including the deck of cards that were wrapped in orichalcum foil and dossiers and other reports. Nox made a crit fail in her roll of Intelligence Analysis and they pretty much were just stuck.

Whisper and Threshold noticed Nox feeling depressed and frustrated and assembled the team to try and go over the data. Figured a variety of skills and perspectives might give a fresher perspective.

With the cards in the lab we noticed under the UV light for the plants that the cards had pictures of people on them, previously hidden.

This was a GM gimmick to move the plot along and though that kind of thing is acceptable and frequent among fiction, especially comic books I felt it was not the best choice.  I hate contrived plot devices, even if they are sometimes necessary. In this case UV for plants triggered the image, meaning sunlight likely would too - not vey secretive. It could have been handled by one of Wirerats Scanners sensing something off or Threshold using his Scanning Sense (Para Radar with Scan and Bioscan). Either were very plausible as Threshold pretty constantly uses his para radar and scans the environment for things like toxic hot dogs or other exotic poison's Nyx may hide around the place, food Whisper sneaks into Bo, and general shenanigans around the place. Plus he had specifically looked at the cards before.  Alas I had almost mention scanning them to find which was the Queen when Nox was playing solitaire and said she needed it but opted not to say anything as Threshold felt she would not like to cheat.

(GM asks that we mention criticisms so he can get better, and when thinking of fixing a plot bump its not always obvious how. My rule is to review the players actions and abilities and see if there is anything that resolves the issue. Outside a game its easy to consider multiple options, during the game you're more likely to stop on the first one though)

Once we saw the pics we recognized several as local politicians and other VIPs. They looked like elves or some versions of Aliens.  Obviously the latter makes much more sense (Thresholds bias here). Threshold opted to check on a few of them, using his para radar which has 200y range, Penetrating 2 (see through up to 2 feet of walls), and the aforementioned Bio Scan and Scanning. 

He confirms that the individual is indeed not human and checks 2 others just to confirm it wasn't some lucky glitch.

Reporting back to the group he asks for ideas. Whisper and Wirerat suggest kidnapping and interrogation, no one else has any ideas. Threshold chooses to try and do this legally and reaches out to  the President (Actually has as a Contact on costs CP) and gets a quick meeting.  He pops back to the group with permission to use our version of the Patriot Act and begin the kidnapping.

The Bricklayer Arrives!

While we are going over the above and doing some other household discussions the Bricklayer knocks on the door.  The City has paid for our repairs and renovations as a reward for stopping Erebus (yay we get recognition! Now if it gets cited in a good journal somewhere Threshold will be ecstatic).

The Bricklayer is doted on by Whisper who tends to him with home cooking and he fixes the place up. We now have our nice comfy super base in a firehouse.

Afterthoughts

A bit short but not too bad. It had been several months since our last game session (Early Oct and this was Dec 11th) and we all were a bit rough on our feet as to recollections.  Thankfully our note keeper helped review things, though he was a bit under the weather.

Space Cat is acclimating to the group, I think he has decided to take on annoying Wirerat as a pet project as cats sometimes do. Molerat was quiet and did not come up in the session, probably still hiding in Thresholds couch. Threshold really has to scan the place a lot to keep these ruffians (PCs) from getting away with their practical jokes and other tricks.

I think we all had fun and it was kinda cool using a Contact I never actually expected to use in the game. It was more intended as background and a possible plot hook.

Aeon B-Team (Nomads) Season 8 Session 10 Of Skulls and Cats

 

Cast: The Nomads

• Amie-Belle T. W. Lee aka Whisper (Played by Curtis): Cold War era super-soldier/spy that got put in the Freezer, because she got poisoned. After getting thawed out and cured she tried to back to work, and was given an “adjustment period”. Uncle Sam called 2 years later, with work… because once you’re in, you’re in for life. Tagline: “In and out without a whisper.” Absent
• Beauregard K. “Bo” Ratnam aka Wirerat (Played by Brice): Technopath, inventor, and hacker. He specializes in co-opting enemy systems and tech assets. Tagline: “Nice tech – I’ll borrow that.
• Stainless Steel Rat aka “Sir” (NPC Ally): Bo’s best friend and assistant. A sentient drone in the shape of a stylized shiny metal rat mindlinked to Bo. Specialties are rapid repair construction and modifications. Imagine if K-9 and R2D2 made a baby and it looks a bit like a rodent. Tagline: “Repairs and upgrades in progress”
• Derrick K. Ratnam aka Ledgerdemain (NPC Ally): Spin doctor and media liaison for Project VANGUARD. Twin to Bo. Tagline: “Well, actually that’s not how it happened.
• MIA Sentient AI made from recovered tech on a prior mission.
• Rafe Hanlon aka Nyx (played by Chris D.): An umbrakinetic petty thief still on work release several years later, on his way to becoming a true agent and hero. Tagline: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
• Layla A. de Blackburn aka Nox (NPC): CIA-trained child assassin all grown up to be Daddy’s Little Monster. Maybe a little mad. Argues with her shadow often. Tagline: “No, we shouldn’t do that…should we?”
• June B. O'Neill aka Prodigy (NPC): Savant with hyper-intelligence that may have cracked the universal power-dampening conundrum. Fresh out of the Meraki Institute for the advanced and gifted. Extremely intelligent, but young (she's 16).
• Vincenzo L. dePrezzo aka Threshold (Played by Rory): Doctor, Mathematician, and Scientist (yes, capitals) and Spatial Manipulator. Threshold can bend space like a pretzel, teleport, obliterate things, and has extraordinary senses. He’d rather be in a research lab than fight. Better known for his work with Doctors Without Borders, the United Nations, and disaster relief than famous battles. Tagline: “I can be there in a snap!”
• Nawang Sonam aka Wan Shi Tong (NPC): Martial Artist with a mysterious past. Thresholds mentor, experienced and highly capable, indeterminate age.
• Eleanor C. Bulli aka "Bubbles (NPC): Manipulates bubbles of energy, short range teleportation, can fly on the bubbles, use them for shields or attack and even see through them.
• Grant L. Wojcik aka Fridge Boy (NPC): Can control ice/cold, but mostly the ability to create ice that explodes. 16 year old emancipated orphan, Our janitor. 
• Rudy A. Coldwater aka Gimmick (NPC): Mildly hyper-intelligent savant. Stutters. Makes very accurate guesses. Typical nerd, not yet 20. Wants to make a difference, assigned to support duties.
• Summer Stratos aka Chain Jacket (NPC): Ferrokinetic
• Vargas Manwell Tilium aka "Impulse" (NPC): Speedster.

Post Conflict

Its been a week since we stopped Erebus from destroying NYC and stealing a bunch of powers from the metas in the area. With the darkness dispelled reinforcements and supplies are arriving into the city, people can go back to work, and overall things getting back to normal.

Rikers Island is still under siege with prisoners holding a cellblock, using many guards as hostages. Threshold and Wirerat offer to help repair some of the damage and for the Nomads to go in and rescue the hostages.  Between our teleporters and all the stealth we can bring to bear Threshold thinks the team can take care of that situation but HQ denies us on either.

Instead we are told to patrol our area and mainly relocate prisoners captured by other teams to secure facilities.

Threshold talks to the crystal skull he got and it gets annoyed with him and teleports him all over the universe, doing a bunch of damage in the process.

It did not like being called a computer, and when Threshold asked it about the possibility of it being captured by someone and forced to do their bidding it opted to show off and make a point.

It's telepathic voice comes off as fatherly, unusual choice for an AI personality.

* The Player knows the history of the Crystal Skulls in the campaign but Threshold is a pragmatic scientist. He does not believe in the supernatural, so will take some convincing to accept they are what the player has been told. The GM was perhaps mildly annoyed at his stubbornness - nothing new there though :)

Threshold goes into his office and finds a giant mole buried in his couch. It has been there about two days, but Threshold was busy in the labs and the field. After a brief examination and discussion the team decides to keep it around for observation and see what happens.  We recently picked up two sapient dogs, and have those squirrels hanging around so are becoming quite the zoo.

Though with tensions between Wirerat and Nox going down, its possible the squirrels will go away and stop appearing in the base. Especially if we get that wall patched up!

Space Cat

Then of course there is Space Cat.

Space Cat has been kept unconscious since its capture almost two weeks ago. Threshold gives it a though medical exam (Medic!; Pararadar with Bioscan, Microscopic, Penetrating; and some other abilities) and determines its sentient (which we figured from the fight). It was used by the bad guys as a clone of Threshold so he kind of feels attached to it (unlike the screaming head that was also a clone of him) and it was raised and controlled by villains.  He feels its unfair to lock it up and the authorities might treat it as an animal and simply euthanize it. He talks it over with the team and takes it to the roof where part of the team watches. He wakes it up after damping spatial powers in the area and Prodigy turning its powers off. Threshold doesn't tell anyone but he thinks the skull can also dampen its powers based on what it did to Thresholds powers during the fight with Erebus. The skull and Wan Tong wanted to keep things secret and Threshold respects that idea.

When asked what to do with it the skull teleported in a messenger bag for Threshold to carry it around in.

Wirerat makes a translation collar for the cat and they have a conversation. The cat is not overly friendly but is told what is going on and seems to accept the situation. Threshold gives it fresh tuna upon request.

This may easily wind up being a very bad thing but its only fair to give the cat a chance and the team has a history of rehabbing bad guys. So it feels like the right thing, if not the wise thing.

A cat that can teleport itself or others and disintegrate things is a rather scary thing to have running around the world. On the other hand Threshold with a cat familiar gives me Gary 7 vibes and is just cool. Don't even have to buy it on Constant Appearance despite its ability to teleport. After all cats tend to be independent and like their sleep.