Weird West Campaign idea

[djredcap]

In 1863 Ernst Collier, a confederate scientist discovered a highly unusual mineral in a Utah cave system. This material, which he named 'creep-stone' for the way it 'creeped' through the surrounding stone, was an oily, crumbling form of shale which proved to have immense mutagenic potential. The 4 miners who were originally exposed mutated horribly and then appeared to die. Dr Collier decided to fashion the stone into a weapon with which to turn the tide of the war. He smuggled some of the stone into Louisiana and fashioned it into a bomb. Unfortunately the war ended before he could complete it. Undaunted, he decided to smuggle the bomb into Washington, hoping that the spectacle of the bombs effect would rekindle the fires of southern resistance.

Unfortunately, the steamboat he chose to move the bomb north on was the Sultana

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultana_%28steamboat%29

Whether someone discovered the bomb and accidentally set it off or not is immaterial. What mattered was the highly diffuse creep-stone ash that rained down over Memphis, killing hundreds and transforming dozens into something not quite human.

The idea of the campaign is super beings and strange mutants in the (fictional) old west. Imagine Doc Holliday slapping down against a four armed Ike Clanton, or a gunslinger with the proportional powers of a spider taking over a town and needing to be run out. Or how about a thief who robs trains and stagecoaches ON FOOT?

I will be posting a few CADS and other ideas, but I welcome your thoughts and posts. I'm thinking that this should be an extremely low power campaign (5 or 10 stones + up to 10 stones of challenges) since normal level characters would probably be able to take over the world (Someone with Captain Americas tactical genius and charisma, for example, would rule north America within a few years and be poised to conquer Europe within decades. And someone with Reed Richards inventing expertise would catapult the states into the 21st century far quicker than they could adjust).

So, let me know. Is this a workable Idea?

[djredcap]

Jeremiah Thunder

Int: 2 : 2r
Str: 4 : 2w
Agl: 3 : 1w
Spd: 2 : 2r
Dur: 3 : 3w

-ACTIONS-
Close Combat 2 (2r)
- Bar room Brawling
- Cavalry Saber

Ranged Combat 3 (1w)
- Pistols
- Rifles
- Hog-leg shotgun

Social 2 (2r)
- Union Army
- Gentlefolk

Gambling 3 (1w)
- Poker
- Faro
- Dice

Telekinesis 1 (1r)
- Automatic Collateral Damage
- Wind Gust

Flight 3 (1w)

-MODIFIERS-
Animal Senses (Storm crow) 3 (1w)
Ref Dodge 2 (2w)

-EQUIPMENT-
Hog-leg shotgun

-CHALLENGES-
Creepstone Looks (Opaque storm grey eyes, TK and Flight accompanied by thunder) (+2w)
Haunted Past (Ex POW) (+2w)
Code of (Western) Honor (+3w)
Deadly Enemy: Doc Bones (+3w)

-BACKGROUND-
Jeremiah was one of the recently freed Union POWs aboard the Sultana when it went off. He was knocked unconscious by the explosion but immediately started flying his fellow passengers to safety once his head cleared. He is something of a celebrity in Memphis and has been interviewed by several newspapers (although the ones back east seem to be treating his story as a hoax). He and a few companions were instrumental in stopping Doc Bone's rampage on the docks.

-NOTES-
This is a sample of a 5stone 'Hero'. Not too powerful, but able to handle regular thugs with some ease. Adding more flight and tk would make him more effective, but can easily be increased with add-a-line.

[djredcap]

Doc Bones

Int: 5 : 3w
Str: 1 : 1r
Agl: 2 : 2r
Spd: 1 : 1r
Dur: 2 : 2w

-ACTIONS-
Flame Blast 6 (3w)
-cant be improved by lines
-collateral damage
-x2 damage

Gen Know 2 (2r)
- Chemistry
- Engineering

Technology 2 (1w)
- Chemistry
- Engineering

Ranged Combat 1 (1r)
- Flame Blast

Social 2 (2r)
- Southern 'Gentleman'
- Lowlives and Thugs

-MODIFIERS-
Animal Senses 1 (1r)
Ref Dodge 1 (1w)
Toughness (neg 2x firearm) 1 (3w)

-EQUIPMENT-

-CHALLENGES-
Creepstone Looks (Skin and Bones, Sulpherous Scent) (+5w)
Deadly Enemy: Jeremiah Thunder (+3w)
Craving: Human Fat (+2)

-BACKGROUND-
Doc Bones is actually Dr Ernst Collier, inventor of the Creep Bomb. He was caught in the blast and mutated into a skeletal horror who can project flames from his hands. His bodies metabolism has been hyper accellerated and he now craves human fat (a horrific fact he discovered on a crazed rampage on the memphis docks which resulted in over 25% of the city burning). He was captured by Jeremiah Thunder and a few allies, but he plots his next move and no jail yet constructed can hold him.

-NOTES-
Your basic energy projector with a disturbing twist. Bones works best as a plot hook (after he escapes, for example, he could head west toward the creepstone mine, spreading creep as he goes. PCs chasing him would then run into the various badmen created by his passing). To make him more powerful, add inventing or change his force blast to mastery of fire.

[djredcap]

So far, Both Jeremiah and Bones are built on 5 stones and challenges (although I am new to the system, and my math may be off). I'm going to try my hand at some steam punk power armor next.

[djredcap]

Isambard Doone aka Steel Baron

Int: 4/2 : 2w
Str: 1/6 : 1r
Agl: 1/2 : 1r
Spd: 1: 1r
Dur: 1/4 : 1w

-ACTIONS-
Technology 2 (1w)
- Engineering
- Steam Engines

Gen Know 2 (2r)
- Physics
- Engineering

Social 2 (2r)
- Gentlefolk
- Politics

Close Combat 2 (2r)
- Boxing
- Power Armor

Ranged Combat 2 (2r)
- Pistols
- Power Armor

-MODIFIERS-
Wealth: Well Off (2r)

-EQUIPMENT-
Steam Armor (6w1r+2w from wealth)
Toughness (neg x2 firearm) 3

-CHALLENGES-
Creepstone looks (Black Fingers/Toes, Circuit Pattern down spine) (+2w)
Deadly Enemy: Von Liche (+3w)
Ego (+1w)
Ruthless (+2w)
Heavyweight: Armor weighs 1Ton (+1w)
Greed (+1w)

-BACKGROUND-
Isambard is a Scots industrialist who was scouting locations in Memphis for a new factory. The creep amplified his natural engineering talents (allowing him to build his armor as well as other vehicles in the future), but left him relatively unmarked except for some easily concealed markings on his hands and back. At heart he is an industrialist and businessman, although he can be swayed by appeals to 'prove' his armors design.

-NOTES-
Basic brute power armor. The real twist is his motivations, namely industry. He might stage a fight in a particular section of town, with a lot of collateral damage, in order to lower the price of some land he wants to buy. Or else he may make an example of some unionisers by framing them for a crime, posting a bounty to make it look legit and then hunting them down. His rivalry with Von Liche stems from their similar interests and tactics.

[djredcap]

Von Liche

Int: 2 : 2r (6w)
Str: 2 : 2r
Agl: 4 : 2w
Spd: 2 : 2r
Dur: 2 : 2w

-ACTIONS-
Drain Energy 2 (3w)
- Improved
- Usable at range
- Eye contact required
- Death factor

Telepathy 3 (3w)
- Control/Illusions
- Swap Minds
- Cannot improve by lines

Leadership 6 (1w)
- Only usable via telepathic link
- Cannot improve by lines

Social 3 (1w)
- High Society
- Low Society
- Minions

Close Combat 1 (1r)
- Feral Rage

-MODIFIERS-
Wealth: Well Off 2 (2r)

-EQUIPMENT-
Well Equipped Brothel with many minions

-CHALLENGES-
Ruthless (+2w)
Deadly Enemy: Steel Baron (+3w)
Jealousy (+2w)
Haunted Past (+3w)

-BACKGROUND-
Honoria Maitland was an elderly madam who had moved on into high(er) society. When the creepstone event occurred, she mutated into a grotesque parody which had to be hidden away. Honoria was tended to by a young servant, whose beauty aroused Honoria's rage. Lashing out, she discovered that she could drain life force from others with her gaze. Eventually (after much experimentation and several bodies) she discovered how to transfer her own life force into a new body. Honoria now operates a high class house in Memphis, where she continues to experiment with her strange powers.

-NOTES-
Von Liche keeps her crone like original body in a secure suite deep inside her 'Hotel'. If whatever body she is using is captured or killed, she will shift back and use telepathy to establish her identity and order her minions to bring her a new body. Von Liche can be run as a 'Dracula' style game with the heroes investigating her house and eventually uncovering her true body. Her life force drain manifests as glowing streams of ectoplasm joining her eyes to her victims.

[djredcap]

Von Liche's Henchmen (Creeps)

Int: 2 : 2r
Str: 1 : 1r
Agl: 1 : 1r
Spd: 1 : 1r
Dur: 1 : 1w

-ACTIONS-
Close Combat 2 (2r)
- Brawling
- Knives

Ranged Combat 2 (2r)
- Pistols
- Rifles

Social 1 (1r)
- Low Lives

-EQUIPMENT-
Various guns, weapons, wagons, etc..

-CHALLENGES-
Creep Looks (+3w)
Loyalty to Von Liche (+2w)

-BACKGROUND-
Snake Richards, Black Eyed Suzy, Grim Sven and Brick Johnson are creep thugs in the employ of Von Liche. Snake is very fast (speed 4) and scaled. Black Eyed Suzy is normal sized but weighs only 10lbs (agility 4). Grim Sven is a deep thinker whose eyes are continuously aflame (intelligence 4) and Brick Johnson is big and red skinned (strength 4).

-NOTES-
Von Liche is able to invest some of her energy into her minions (via the telepathy based leadership action), which makes them slightly more effective. They are loyal, bright enough and their creep powers give them a slight edge. If Von Liche falls and they somehow survive, they will band together in a gang and head west

[spook]

Sounds fun. But I think you might get more atention in murpg.proboards19.com/index.cgi?board=gorp

[jeffhazelwood]

Sounds a lot like Deadlands with a more mutant twist.