Barf Forth Apocalyptica

powered by the apocalypse => Monster of the Week => Topic started by: Merlin273 on April 28, 2016, 01:04:25 PM

Title: Need Help in Character Creation
Post by: Merlin273 on April 28, 2016, 01:04:25 PM
I'm writing this because I want to play MotW for my Urban Horror campaign, but am at a loss as how to create my 'lead' character, as she is more complex than the options presented in the book.  She just doesn't fit any of the categories completely, so I'm looking for guidance and a more skilled GM to help me actualize what the character has in MotW game terms.

The basic concept is a young Radio Talk Show Host (like Art Bell from Coast To Coast AM) named Georgia Bell.  She was first drawn into the supernatural when she was cursed to live in 'interesting times' by a cursed automaton fortune-teller at an amusement park (ala. the movie 'Big').  The following year, she went to Camp Wendigo (a sleepaway camp) and barely survived a spree-killing perpetrated by a deranged camp leader (like 'Friday the 13th').  During this fight for survival, she was befriended by a junior councilor named Danny Sullivan who helped keep her alive and also survived.  They now had a common bond which would manifest years later.

Years pass, and Georgia is now a school teacher for Elementary school.  After losing a fiancee to a freak accident while in college, Georgia has become a bit reserved in 'deep' relationships.  Then one day, about 18 months as a teacher, her parents die in a freak car accident and she discovers her father left her millions of dollars as the sole survivor of his estate (it seems he had invented a medical gadget years earlier while he was in the military and was very wealthy).  With her new-found wealth, Georgia leaves the teaching profession and moves to their home in Boston, MA and starts a radio talk show that talks about anything off the grid or weird (again, think Coast to Coast AM when it was hosted by Art Bell).  She is very successful.

However, after about six months, her friend and housemate, a young teacher, is killed and she is called into the investigation by the lead Homicide detective, none other than Danny Sullivan.  Over the course of the investigation it is realized that the woman's killer was a REAL vampire, and weirdness quickly ensues.

There you have the basic premise of my 'origin' story.  As you can see, Georgia is hard to pin down to any ONE type.  I picture her more of a Carl Kolchak than Dean Winchester.  The could be considered a Flake, as she is a conspiracy theorist, but she's not a wild-eyed nutjob.  She has elements of Survivor (because of her encounter at camp), or even Mundane (she is just a normal person uncovering the 'secret world' after all).  Picture Carl Kolchak, Fox Mulder and Sookie Stackhouse (from True Blood) mish-mashed and you got a fair picture of what I'm picturing.


Can ANYBODY help me to flesh out this character in game terms?  Please?
Title: Re: Need Help in Character Creation
Post by: Mike Sands on April 30, 2016, 02:54:56 AM
Amongst the extra official playbooks is The Snoop, who is a journalist along the lines of Kolchak. That might suit your idea. You can grab that from my website: http://www.genericgames.co.nz/files/MotW_Revised_Extra_Playbooks.zip (http://www.genericgames.co.nz/files/MotW_Revised_Extra_Playbooks.zip)

It might be that you are trying to pack a bit much in before play, however. It might be worth taking something that is mostly right and let other aspects develop in play, as you level up and can take extra moves and rating points.
Title: Re: Need Help in Character Creation
Post by: Merlin273 on May 04, 2016, 11:57:07 AM
I guess the Snoop playbook works best (especially when I can take other Hunter's moves), but I am very interested in the character's Wealth.  How can I simulate Wealth?  A Custom Move?  Hand-waving by the Keeper? 
Title: Re: Need Help in Character Creation
Post by: Mike Sands on May 04, 2016, 03:39:50 PM
I guess the Snoop playbook works best (especially when I can take other Hunter's moves), but I am very interested in the character's Wealth.  How can I simulate Wealth?  A Custom Move?  Hand-waving by the Keeper?

Well, given that shopping and prices aren't really a thing, you could just say the character is wealthy and leave it at that. If you want some specific mechanical benefit, then a custom move is the way to go.
Title: Re: Need Help in Character Creation
Post by: Tore V on May 10, 2016, 03:27:38 AM
I my old campaign, we decided to just have a an ancient order back the players with the reasoning that we simply didn't want to bother with money at all. If it doesn't serve a practical function and has no mechanical effect in the game, just say "She's rich" in the same vein as "she has brown eyes". It's a descriptor, it might influence the personality of the character, and it might allow you, as gm, to set games in locations where wealth are required, but that's it. It's just a fact about the character.