Point value for this minor disadvantage?

[hal]

Hello Folks,
Recently, while running a Fantasy Grounds Campaign, I had the distinct pleasure of putting forth a real life "custom" that I had run into in the last year, into game play. The custom was as late as the early 1900's when building homes, that select builders would strangle a cat and leave its body handing inside the walls after the walls were then installed. The ritual was to protect the home from evil spirits etc.

This ties in nicely with the historical Bast(et), an Egyptian Goddess who is a protector amongst other things. So, during game play, in a time period set in the 1920's in, of all places, New Orleans - a player character is informed of the practice having been done in his house, and that a woman with a cat's head was asking him to set her servant free. Turning her down, he was unfortunately the victim of her ire to the effect that if he would not befriend her, he would at least have no peace from any cats going forward.

Now - any time he is near a cat of any kind, they react with angry hissing, yowling, and should he attempt to touch one, it will provoke it to an attack before the cat flees his presence. While he has offended the Egyptian Goddess, he hasn't made a mortal enemy of her. Truth be told, many of the ancient Gods and Goddesses have retreated to a place known as THE MARCHES or the realm of Hod. There, they are relatively safe from the predatory Angelic realm - but that's a story for another day.

What would the disadvantage of having that kind of an effect on cats be? In that time period, cats are relatively common as household pets, as well as predators within warehouses and the like. The character in an ordinary environment, will meet at least ONE cat per day, if not more. As such, it won't necessarily cause the character any danger unless he is trying to use stealth in warehouse at night, or what have you.

While I have my own ideas of what will be happening in the campaign, and I know at least one of my gamers from that game frequents the Forums - I don't have a problem with his seeing any responses largely because it isn't an OpSec issue.

My only concern is that Bast(et) was once a "Lioness" Goddess, and over the centures (we're talking pre 1000 BC) morphed in a domesticated cat based Goddess. For now, I'm not treating her as commanding ALL felines, but it might be fun if - when the character should pass by a Lion exhibit at a Zoo, that the lionesses all begin to clamour loudly when he is near.

For now, my research into material I put into my campaign is centered around Collegium nigrum, a school that started well after 1,000 AD in Salamanca Spain, and its location eventually sealed at the order of Queen Isabella before her death in 1504 AD (the sealing of the cave took place after 1500, and before her death, which is roughly 4+ year time frame for it to have been ordered). Long story short, the players (2) are entertaining the idea of spending 3 years (original concept was 7 years, but I changed it to 3 - of which time felt is three years, but actual time passing is 1). Of seven students, all got a free education save the last one to leave - whose sole payment for all the other's education was his soul.

So - anyone have an idea on how to price this (at first glance, low grade) curse? The player can always of course, get it lifted - but he'll have to visit the Dream Realm, find Bast(et) - not sure which spelling I'll use) and then make amends somehow. But that will be an adventure for another day. Those two have to survive the Black College and avoid the medieval version of "SURVIVOR" and avoid being the last one voted OUT of the cave system.

:)

[Gold & Appel Inc]

I'd call it Frightens Animals (Cat Family Only -60%) [-4] or Frightens Animals (Domestic Cats Only -80%) [-2].

[hal]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

I'd call it Frightens Animals (Cat Family Only -60%) [-4] or Frightens Animals (Domestic Cats Only -80%) [-2].

2 point quirk sounds about right. It won't generally cause problems with people - who just won't understand why their Felix goes wild when this one person comes near. Cat lovers may come to distrust the man - but that isn't going to be a campaign issue all too often (if at all).

Thanks.

Hal

[WingedKagouti]

The reaction of the cats isn't that much worse than how most cats (even domesticated ones) react to unfamiliar people while out and about.

It's very unlikely to have any social effect with anyone who isn't a worshipper of Bast, and most people would likely not notice it unless it happens in their home and they know the cat is friendly towards strangers.

Overall, I'd say unless larger cats start reacting and the character is frequently around those, it feels like it's worth about a Quirk.

[bocephus]

Originally Posted by WingedKagouti

The reaction of the cats isn't that much worse than how most cats (even domesticated ones) react to unfamiliar people while out and about.

I dunno about that. I would say its pretty strange for a cat to take the time to yowl and hiss at a stranger rather than just slinking/running off silently.

I agree with the -2 Fear/aggression from Domestic cats.

[ericthered]

[-2] sounds right. Cats usually run from strangers rather than hissing. If two of them do it, people look at you weird.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by ericthered

[-2] sounds right. Cats usually run from strangers rather than hissing. If two of them do it, people look at you weird.

I've known some cats that are curious and affectionate as their default response to new people. If someone owned a cat like that and it acted that way to a stranger, thety might be put off by it.

Though it would probably be brushed off as just "Hmm. Mr. Wigglebutt is sure in an odd mood, today."

[hal]

For Maurice "Morrie" Brookfield - please do not read this particular post, OpSec reasons for the 1920's Fantasy Grounds campaign...

Having been a cat owner since I was 12 - call it roughly 50 years experience with a cat (and having one now that is the anti-Christ of Cats), I can speak from experience that cat personalities tend to vary. Some are OVERLY affectionate, while others couldn't give you the time of day. Some cats mark you with their scent in a proprietary fashion (that's where the head butting comes into play) and some - well, they'd as soon claw you as let you touch them.

But rarely will they take offense to you and effectively act as if they had territory to defend. Arching of the back, fluffing the tail fur, and hissing in addition to yowling - means they mean business. Granted, they can also playfully arch their back and fluff their tail in mock combat play, run at you from behind and attack your legs then run like the wind past you as if inviting you to run after them - but you know when they mean business vs play.

That being said - there is the minor issue of what a point means in GURPS, and whether a minor quirk like thing is really worth 2 points in disadvantages.

Putting this into perspective? A -3 reaction roll from a small group of people (police officers),recognition 10 or less, is worth a -2 disadvantage.

So a quirk level of -1 is one thing. A disadvantage worth -2 is potentially as bad as having a rap sheet for petty criminal behavior with cops who look at you as if you are a career criminal whose life of crime will only get worse. At least, that's how I'd rate a -3 reaction roll from Cops who discover your reputation as a petty criminal. "That's just what we've caught him at, who knows what else he's done or been a part of" would be that kind of mindset.

So, does this inconvenience the player character? In the 1920's where cats are commonly found around warehouses and the like? Around people's homes to a minor extent? Probably. Stealth rolls could be compromised from time to time. People having a friendly conversation and seeing their household pet reacting badly to where they have to say "Mr Wiggles, stop that!" are likely going to look at the character with suspicion wondering what the player character did to make Mr Wiggles hate him so. Not automatic mind you - but a potential issue. The player character also has 4 children, a single birth and a triplet birth (Identical twin boys, fraternal twin sister) . Imagine any of them falling in love with a kitten and bringing it home only to have it hate their daddy.

It probably won't help matters that the character's wife is a member of an ancient order "Múinteoirí seaimpíní" and that the Mother in law is part of an advisory council called "Tair tri". The wife may smell a rat at the new turn of events.

To put it mildly, Morgaine of Tintagel (otherwise known as Morgan Le Fay) factors into this campaign eventually, but for reasons that two of my players do not know. Eventually, things will come to a head when the player characters try to escape the Black College only to be met by...

Hmmm, I should keep that under my hat. ;)

[WingedKagouti]

Originally Posted by hal

In the 1920's where cats are commonly found around warehouses and the like? Around people's homes to a minor extent?

I did find this article claiming that household cats started being reasonably common post-WWI in the US. As well as this article claiming they started to be reasonably common pets during the 1800s in Europe.

So cats will likely be somewhat common in European cities as pets in the 1920s while they'll be slightly less common in North America.

[malloyd]

You could make it worth -2 points if you wanted to without having to push very hard. Every inch of a townscape is probably the territory of some feral cat or other, so there is always a justification for a cat turning up to make a fuss when you are trying to sneak somewher. Or even being territorial enough to actually stand up to you trying to go somewhere, necessitating either a short detour, a delay to intimidate it off, or trying to rush past risking getting scratched up, which is a bad look for anywhere formal, and maybe even costs you a point or two of damage or some forensic blood trail on occasion.