GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

If there are any Midnight fans that's be interested in helping with the load toward a GURPS Conversion of this AWESOME background please let me know here...

I'm going to review the main book in the next couple of days and see if we can divide the work up, as not to duplicate each other's work...

I also think converting the 'Book of Sorrows' is equally important...

For those not aware of this great game check out:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/midnight.html


Bueller...? Bueller....? Beuller..? ...anyone? :)

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

I'm definitely interested in the idea. I don't have the book, nor do I have a FLGS ... so I don't know all that much about the setting as it stands. I've been working my way through the website (which is pretty good, btw), and I might be able to get my hands on a copy of the book in a few weeks.

That said, I've got pretty small amount of free time on my hands these days. If someone else can spearhead the project, I'll contribute as I can, but I probably won't be a driving force in the effort.

Thoughts on the GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

I think first thing is to prioritize what needs to be conveted rules wise... the setting will be easy. Here are rules things that come to mind right away (with some quick notes):

1. Classes- I don't think these need to be converted except maybe as templates to show a typical "Wildlander," for instance, would be like. In fact, any class can learn magic in the game though feat selection. It seems like the FFG writers kind of felt like class and magic don't really cross.

2. Racial templates will have to be made.

3. Heroic Paths- are they needed? I think they were added to Midnight for a couple of reasons... to make player's characters more differentiated than in DnD and try to overcome the "you get what every other fighter gets" mentality that class based systems use to limit choice in favor of game balance. Also, it adds a level of toughness to compensate that it is such a low-magic d20 world. You are not going to have a party filled up with Rings of Protection, +2 Swords and Wands of Fireballs. I would say either chuck them completely, or if everyone thinks they are part of the feel of the system, let everyone choose one and then be able to buy supernatural advantages based on their "bloodline." For example, Feyblooded (from the example on the site) could buy abilities that allow them to "...change their appearance, disappear from view, and affect others with their charismatic presence." So, I might choose an Affliction attack that works as a charm spell and another advantage that lets me blend in to the background like a chameleon. However, I would not be able to take an Innate fire attack because it doesn't fit the Feyblood type. By making it guidlines you let the players design their Heroic Path without telling them what to take.

4. Magic- I think that GURPS: Magic will work well, though new spells may need to be converted and some spells may need to be eliminated.

That's some inital thoughts. Let's work on this, I think it will be great.

--Eric

Re: Thoughts on the GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Stilleon,

Furthermore, there is the enemy and their faith... which actually works! ...their God walks the earth...

There is also the matter of how items work... Magic Items are things of great power that usually grow in power with their owner's growth...

Re: Thoughts on the GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

For magic items I'd look to GURPS: Celtic Myth about the magic items that gain power from the people and events they take part in. I should have it somewhere.

True. Add this to the list. Let's just remember to not consider a straight conversion, but creating rules that get the style.

How would their clerics get their power? Hmmmm....

(Gone to the can to think about it)

Re: Thoughts on the GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

While I don't know where the heck my book is, here is the Pyramid article:

http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/login...e.html?id=1648

Re: Thoughts on the GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Agreed ... basically, a heroic path is an unusual background that allows a character to buy certain (specific) advantages and skills that aren't available to others. Several of the traits from the sample heroic path are spells, so we'd have to decide if we wanted to model the spells as advantages, or give them as innate spell skills. I'd tend to prefer the innate spell skills, but it could work either way.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Here a GREAT site with some interesting and FREE stuff for Midnight...
on it you can download the The Tome of Sorrows supplement...

http://www.againsttheshadow.org/

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

I'm the author of the GURPS 3e Midnight conversion which can be found here

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Wow! Excellent! ....thanks... I was excited too, but are you going to convert your conversion to 4th edition?

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

well, not within the next 8 weeks: my own booth at the Spiel '04, maybe Banestorm and Traveller: IW playtests, 3 new campaigns, new players, and work on my gigantic homebrew... But if *you* want to try to convert my conversion: hey, you're welcome!
;)

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Thanks I think it'll at least give a head start... :)

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

After reading over the sample material and The Cardinal's 3e conversion, here are my initial thoughts:

1. Starting points, wealth, etc. If 150 + 100 disad was appropriate in 3e, I think 200 + 100 would be about right for 4e. I think the limitations on Heroic Paths can be dropped -- I feel that the points-based nature of GURPS should limit these adequately. A character who spends a lot of points on a Heroic Path will suffer in other areas (attributes, normal advantages, etc), and be balanced overall.

Wealth can probably stay the same ($1000, only 5% may be kept as coinage).

2. Templates. Racial template will obviously be a must, and I think class templates are a good idea to help establish an idea of what is typical and expected for different character types. The race templates in the conversion will obviously need to be updated to 4e, but otherwise seem good.

3. Magic. I'll probably wait for Magic 4e before I dive into any magic system too deeply. My general inclination is to use Umana rules, with a Normal mana level for most of the campaign world. I'd do away with most of the limitations in the conversion, but that's just general preference, and may change once I've read over the setting-specific d20 magic rules in the core book.

4. Heroic Paths. Here's where I'd do things quite a bit differently. Rather than break these into levelled advantages for 10 pts/level, I'd make each Heroic Path a seperate Unusual Background, costing perhaps 15-20 points. Each Path/UB would allow the character to purchase certain specific Exotic and Supernatural advantages that wouldn't be normally available to other characters. I wouldn't really limit how many of these advantages a character could buy, but I might make some prerequisite to others (e.g. a Fey-Blooded character must already have Night Vision to buy Dark Vision, etc). I would also allow them to be bought with earned CP.

5. New Advantages/Disadvantages. Covenant Items will require some attention ... they could be bought as signature gear, but the owner should be able to invest earned CP into making them more powerful. With the exception of Battle Rage, most of the other new traits are pretty well covered by 4e ... Defender Training = Trained by a Master, Weapon Master = Weapon Master, and so on.

For Battle Rage, I think building a Berserker template with bonuses to ST, HT, and certain inherent advantages and disadvantages, and then giving it to a character with the limitation: Costs Fatigue (perhaps 4/minute) would be appropriate.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Agreed. I think this is the way to go.
I think that the baseline for the average wealth ought to be reduced to poor. The majority of the world is poor so it is worth no points. Anything above it is an advantage worth its value +15 (e.g. Struggling is worth 5 points, Average is worth 15 points, etc.) Dead Broke would become -10 points. The world of Midnight is TL3 thus the average starting money is a mere $200.
I don't know. They seemed very like each item from the racial description in Midnight was converted into a GURPS equivelent. They seem wrong. I would like to see these devised based on the the text descriptions and then those used to crate new templates.
I think that GURPS Magic is fine without Umana. I would add a rule that makes it easier for the enemy to sense magic use when the mana in a local area is pulled on directly. This would make the rules on B236 more interesting. While a mage may have a high enough skill level to reduce the FP cost of a spell by 1 or more, for each FP reduced he draws "...it from the surrounding mana rather than supplying it himself." If he does the chance of the enemy detecting it rises by +1 per point of reduced FP when casting. Most knowledgeable casters will avoid doing this because of the dangers but in emergencies they have the choice.
I too abhor a levelled list of advantages. That is too d20 for me. I like your idea a lot. I don't really dig prerequisites in this case. Dark Vision is better than Night Vision so just buy Dark Vision and allow an upgrade later.

I might suggest that supernatural advantages (ones that no-one outside of our Heroic Path) might be full price while more common advantages like Combat Relflexes, if covered under your Heroic Path, should get a discount of 20%.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Probably will need some equipment deterioration system. I think Midnight has that.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

That makes sense. And it would reduce the need to adjust prices as had been done in the 3e conversion. Sounds good to me.

Well, I should be getting the book before too long -- it's nowhere to be found around here, so I ordered it on Amazon. Once I've had a chance to read through it, I'll have a more informed and qualified opinion.

That's an interesting idea, though it will make magic significantly less powerful on the average -- at least for the Good Guys. I suppose that's in keeping with what I know of the setting.

I agree that we'll do the conversion without Umana ... I prefer it, but I know that not everyone does. That's part of the beauty of it -- it can be switched out for standard GURPS magic in just about any campaign, without much trouble at all.

I have heard it mentioned that in the d20 version, non-mages can use feats or something to learn spells ... how does this work, or more importantly, how might it translate? Should non-mages be able to cast spells, as in the conversion? Should it be a High Mana setting? Should this be a manifestation of Magery 0?

That seems appropriate ... it would make an Heroic Path a very defining trait of a character (strongly influencing what advantages s/he takes), but without being so limiting as a class.

Hmm... isn't there one Low-Tech? I'll check and see when I have a moment to dig it out. If not, it should be easy enough to house-rule one together from the damage to objects rules in 4e Campaigns.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Actually I think Umana rocks as well. One of S. John Ross' finest creations. I don't think it matches Midnight, although, you are right, it is a good variant to use in a Midnight game. But let's keep it a variant.
The way I remember it (my friend has the main book and I will get it back from him... BTW, it is already very GURPS like with a binding problem) anyone can learn magic and the Mage class (whatever it is called) can learn them far better. I think that it works okay to say that anyone can learn a spell without a Magery prerequisite. Anyone with Magery would learn better spells and can be analogous to the (whatever it was called) mage like class in Midnight. Why doesn't everyone learn low level spells: cuz that will get you killed.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Discworld RPG (powered by GURPS) is a high mana world, with this explanation.

Mages (who have Magery advantage) can see magic - see the "color of magic" octarine. Non-mages (those without the Magery advantage) cannot see what they are doing.

The non-mage is analogous to having a blind guy drive a car. Sure, the blind guy can drive it. And he may be able to get where he wants to go (albeit, much more slowly). But it sure is dangerous, even if there a sighted "back seat driver" helping.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

I like that way of looking at it ... how is that aspect modelled in GURPS Discworld?

I was getting from Midnight website intro that magic was an integral part of the world, and that the anti-mana stones (whatever they were called) were something that had never been seen or thought of before. The narrator of their little intro story was cast out of evlen society for rejecting magic, implying that magic was a large and integral part of elven life at least.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Mages, typically, don't/won't teach non-mages magic spells.

Just like sighted people in the real world typically don't/won't teach blind people to drive. High risk, high liability, no reward ... and puts one's reputation on the line.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

This world is under siege. Magic is illegal for everyone except the minions of the dark lord. It is still taught, much like the Irish taught thier native tongues to keep it alive, in secret, under pain of punishment. There is a level of training (you have to choose a feat). What does this represent? How was magic taught in the world of Midnight before the dark times fell.

I'll be getting the book back this weekend and we'll try to figure it out.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

That makes sense. Actually, I was meaning to ask how the dangers of non-mage magic manifested ... do non-mages have higher critical failure rates or something similar? Or is that aspect mostly just flavor, with no real difference in the rules themselves?

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

That's what I get from what I've read so far ... it seems even to be a High Mana world, though the areas affected by the anti-mana stones would be lower in proportion to how close you were to the stone.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Flavor, I don't see game mechanic ramifications or prevention or inhibition for non-mages from learning/casting "half-baked magic".

So, no "dangers" per se.

There are some ancilliary consequences:

The book does recommend a 20 point Unusual Background and a "very good explanation" for a non-mage to know one-or-more (or many, I suppose) spells. And a huge unspecified negative reaction from proper witches and wizards if the non-mage casts a spell in their vicinity (magery allows witches/wizards to detect others with magery advantage).

Since Magery • 0 (in GURPS/4e) is 5 points...

(I presume G4's Magery • 0 is the analog to G3's "Second Sight" (CI43).)

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Yeah, that would make non-mage casters a pretty rare breed, I'd imagine ... at least among PCs.

In 3e, since we used a variant on Umana (where mages have a threshold equal to Magery * IQ), non-mage casters needed an outside source of mana -- they had no ability to tap into the "ambient mana," so they had to use powerstones, or proper material components that contain mana (an adaptation of the Vis rules from Ars Magica). I imagine we'll preserve these rules in 3e ... we usually try out the default system for a while, but those aspects of magic haven't changed much in 4e.

For Midnight CS, I'm thinking that we just use the rules for a High Mana region. There aren't enough mages around to effectively "scorn" non-mage casters ... the Shadow's Legates do them one better and hunt all magic-users, so there are enough reasons not to practice magic already.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

I've just created a Yahoo Group so we can work on this project. Anyone interested the group is at http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/GURPS-Midnight/

Nothing there now, but together we can change that. This will allow us to trade ideas, take polls on how game rules should work, view playtest files and eventually allow us to provide a comprehensive PDF document for playing Midnight under GURPS 4e.

--Eric

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Got my Midnight book back. I'm going to do some reading to delve into the world againand make notes which I will post on the Yahoo group.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

My copy's on its way, and I've signed up for the Yahoo group. Still, I think once we start putting together stats, I'd like to toss them up here to see if we can get any feedback -- I've found the input from this board to be absolutely invaluable in my current campaign.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

That'scool Iagree, but the Yahoo group can be a good place to store everything. I have a bunch of notes on magic I will post later.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Woohoo! My Midnight Core Book (and Crown of Shadows adventure) arrived today. I might not have time to do too much reading this week, but I'll post any thoughts as I have them.

First off, the magic system seems perfectly tailored to GURPS magic. The basis on a series of feats, and the fact that magic isn't tied to any one class (except Channellers, who are better at it by virtue of bonus feats) makes it very much like Magery 0++. I'm haven't finished reading about it, but it seems to me that each School of Magic (i.e. GURPS College) is a seperate feat ... so maybe each College that a mage can learn requires a 5-point Unusual Background?

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Congrats!
You know, you are right. The more I read the more it seems like they used GURPS Magic as an influence <g>. For instance, Ceremonial Magic (GURPS Magic 3e Page 14) fits Midnight's ritual magic very well.

I think that if we want to replicate the "buy a college" feats of midnight it could work like this:

Spell College 2 points for College 0, 2 points per added level.
This advantage gives access to the spells of a particular magic college. It may be bought up to the spellcasters Magery level but cannot be higher. For all spellcasting rules the level of the Spell College advantage is used in place of Magery for all learning, casting and prerequisites pertaining to spells of that class.

Now, this makes mages much more expensive so I suggest a -30% limitation to Magery itself. So Magery 0 would be 3 points, and Magery 1+ would be 7 points/level.

This will cause mages to specialize a lot.

Alternately we could do away with Magery and have Aspected Magery instead, devoted to each college, but this would allow a specialist mage to really rack up the spells in his one college and unbalance the system. I would not recommend it.

As for Channelers, I would say that anyone with Magery 1 or better would be considered a Channeler.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Additional ideas:

In Midnight non-channelers seem to have much less spell energy. Since I figure a person with Magery 1+ is considered a Channeller, we should restrict the casting ability of Magery 0 casters. To replicate this I suggest those with Magery 0 have a the cost to cast a spell doubled. Magery 1 or better the cost is normal.

With the Spell College feat (if we use it) the level of the Spell College would determine the cost adjustment.

As well, I suggest a new type of advantage:

Spell Energy 2/level
You have a reserve of energy that may be spent in place of FP to cast spells. You may not have more level in spell energy than your Magery level (magery 0 cannot buy this advantage). Spell energy returns to full after a night's rest.

If we use the "spell college" buying outlined above you cannot spend more spell energy than your Spell College level per casting. For instance, you have Magery 3 and Spell College: Fire at level one. You buy 3 spell energy levels (your max with Magery 3). When you cast a fire spell you can only use one of the three spell energy points to fuel this casting. However, if you have three levels of Spell College: Air you can use up to 3 of your spell energy on a single casting.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Yeah, I'm actually left with the impression that the designers of Midnight would probably have preferred to use GURPS, or a similar points-based system, rather than class-based D&D/D20. Heroic Paths allow any character of any class to excel at things that are traditionally tied to specific classes in D&D, and the fact that there are far fewer PC-able core classes (6 if you don't count Legate, vs. 11 in core D&D), suggesting that class was more of an obstacle than anything.

That sounds workable ... it basically forces a mage to specifically decide what colleges he wishes to have access to, which is the apparent intent of the D20 rules. Cost-wise, it's a little cheaper to specialize in just one College, but if you take more than one, it start to stack up ... again, this seems right in line with the intent of the D20 version.

Hmm ... perhaps all mages must have Magery 0 -- equivalent to having the Magecraft feat -- and then must buy levelled advantages that act like Talents for each College that they wish to use, for 5 points/level each. This would replace levels of Magery above 0. In order to use the spells from a particular College, you must have at least 1 level in the corresponding talent. Just a thought....

Also, I've always liked the idea that certain other advantages help certain types of magic ... Animal Empathy to Animal spells, Medium to Necromancy spells, etc. Perhaps these could act as a "virtual level" of Magery for determining what spells a mage can learn, but not providing a bonus to skill.

Yeah, Channeler is essentially the "generic spellcaster class." One thing, though ... what about Traditions, i.e. Hermetic, Charismatic, or Spiritual? Is this just a special effect, or should it affect how a character learns and casts spells? If so, how? I don't see basic spells off of Will or Charisma in GURPS, as it would be far too easy to buy up those stats for much cheaper than IQ and create an Uber-Mage.

Here's my thought on this subject ... this is how we've done Magery since the early days of GURPS 3, when we got tired of the Conan the Mage syndrome that resulted from magic being cast from Fatigue/ST. It's somewhat like a variation on Umana, but with some significant differences (and we used it before we knew about Umana).

Spells no longer use FP by default; they use Mana Points. A mage has a Mana Pool equal to IQ x Magery (thus, non-mages and those w/ Magery 0 have no Mana Pool). Mana is replenished by the use of the Meditation advantage; each successful roll (an attempt takes an hour) restores Magery x 1d Mana Points.

Of course, this wouldn't work with my other idea for completely -replacing- Magery 1+, but it could work with yours for Spell College advantages that shadow Magery. Or, if Magery 1+ was available, but the only effect it had was to increase the multiplier for Mana Pool.

I like the idea of a Mage being able to buy bonus energy (basically, Fatigue with the limitation "For Spellcasting Only").

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

The more I look over the Heroic Paths, the less I like the idea of them being explicit "advantage packages." They vary far too much in usefulness, especially if you don't carry over all the innate spells or D20-specific traits. For example, Quickened includes "Burst of Speed," which would translate as Altered Time Rate -- a 100-point advantage; while Charismatic basically distills down to Charisma, Talent: Smooth Operator, and maybe Talent: Enthrallment Skills.

My other beef with the Heroic Paths is that they are -basically- just additional classes -- pre-defined sets of abilities that accumulate as a character rises in "level."

My inclination is to discard most of them, and just allow characters to buy the various advantages -- perhaps with a +10% "Unusual Background" cost to the more powerful/exotic ones.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

I am not sure. The heroic paths seem to be a flavor of the world (as well as a way to make the classes different. A Fighter Ironblood is different than a Fighter Nature Friend). Garyb, what is your thought?

As for things like burst of speed, wouldn't Enhanced Move or Increased Speed with the limitation costs FP, kind of cover this?

I am still, at this early stage, leaning to keepin the Heroic Paths but allowing guidlines and examples of advatages they may give, but letting the player (and GM) decide if one the player thinks would fit the path would be allowed, even if it is not listed. This way we don't have to lconvert everything. For example, a Quickened character may be able to buy increased move (with or without a limitation) or enhance move or even Altered Time Rate, if it fits the path concept. I know it is kind of broad, but that's the way guidelines are.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Yeah, they do add a lot of flavor. Perhaps we just need a formula to calculate a fair Unusual Background cost for each, given that they can vary so greatly in usefulness. Maybe 10% of the total points of all advantages that are made available by a given Path?

Well, Burst of speed allows an extra "attack or move-equivalent action" (i.e. 1 extra maneuver) each round that it is used, so I'd say it was Altered Time Rate, perhaps limited to X times/day or Costs Fatigue.

That works for me ... we can try to work it in such a way as to make them as unobtrusive and optional as possible.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

BTW, there are a few other conversion-related threads that I've started or contributed to because they handled related issues ... if you like, check them out and make any comments that come to mind:

Aura Traits in 4e

D&D Monster Conversions

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Hi,

Apologies for the thread necromancy, but I thought I'd mention that Wil Upchurch (one of the main writers/creators for the Midnight setting) has now secured himself a job at SJGames, and has noted that he'll be pushing for a GURPS Midnight publication. Sorry if it's old news around here, but I thought it might be of interest.
Either way, I'd still be very much interested in seeing a 4e conversion of the setting.

cheers!
Colin

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

WOW!

Any source (link?) for this?

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

This would be a cool thing. Hopefully this will happen.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Yes, Wil discusses it over on the Against the Shadow Forums here:

http://www.againsttheshadow.org/inde...ighlight=gurps

cheers!
Colin

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

No apology necessary ... I stopped posting because it seemed like everyone had lost interest. If others are interested, I'd continue collaboration.

An official GURPS Conversion would be really cool, but I have a feeling that it's a ways down the road (late next year at the earliest).

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

By all means continue, because I seriously doubt I'm the only one still interested. I'd be happy to lend help, although I'm still not overly familiar with the GURPS 4e ruleset (having not played GURPS since 2e). That said, as someone who has authored d20 material for a few publishers, I can certainly lend some sort of opinion in such a conversion if that'd be remotely useful.

Oh yes, and I agree entirely about the future status of any potential official work.

cheers!
Colin

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Well, I have too many other peripheral projects going on at the moment to take the driver's seat on this one. I'm running two campaigns, and they take up most of my free time (what littel I have between school and work), but I'd be happy to contribute if someone else was working on it.

Also, I expect I'll be taking a somewhat different tack than the d20 Sourcebook on several issues ... not because I don't like the material, but because GURPS affords several freedoms that d20 doesn't, and I have my own particular tastes and ideas. For example, my take on the various faerie races (elves, dwarves, gnomes, etc) will be closer to True Fey -- i.e. the Celtic Sidhe or the Norse Alven -- than classic Tolkein/D&D elves and dwarves.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

*cough* I presume you realize the irony of your statement. (Note: the Celtic Sidhe and the Norse Ljossalfar & Svartalfar are different mythology.)

Fey is an interesting term, check out the word history.

You may enjoy War for the Oaks by Emma Bull. Excellent modern fantasy novel.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

I'll second this. It's on my short list of "You like science fiction and fantasy?
Have you tried this one?"

Arne

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

Irony...? You mean it's ironic that I'm basing them off of "Real" Faeries? Are you implying that faeries aren't real?!?!

Well, okay, Mr. Split-Hairs, that is a bit ironic. Perhaps I should have said "Real-World Beliefs" .... :)

In any case, the "True Fey" (or actually, "Elder Fey") are a particular race in Midnight CS -- basically, the race that all "contemporary" faeries (incl. elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings) descended from.

Well, sure ... but there are several different "fey races" to work with in Midnight, lending to many different mythological bases. For example, I'm thinking of going Norse (or Germanic?) with the Dwarves, Celtic with the Wood Elves, and again more Norse with the Snow Elves. I find that I prefer the mystery and otherworldliness of real-world beliefs, rather than the "pointy-eared humans" approach of D&D.

In fact, in the campaign I'm planning, non-human races will be NPCs only ... the most any PC is likely to have is some Fae Blood (an Unusual Background that allows purchase of certain exotic/supernatural traits).

An interesting term indeed ... and an interesting subject overall, one I've been perennially intrigued by. Don't let my pedantic spelling fool you ... I mean fairies/ faeries/ Fair Folk/ Good Folk/ etc/ etc. I used that particular spelling because it's the one used in Midnight. Well, that and it looks cool.

Basically, it boils down to: I just got several really cool books about the Fey/ Fae/ etc (including GURPS Faeries), and I'm itchin' to use them in a campaign. :)

Thanks, I'll look for it, and put it on my Pleasure Reading Queue. Which means I might get to it before I die..... :)

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

:-)
Ahhh. I'm not familiar with Midnight CS. I've heard several people comment favorably on it in this forum.
In my campaign (a Conan campaign), the PCs all happen to be humans as well. Makes the non-humans so much more... unusual.
It's worth putting near the top of the queue. I rate it on par with Terry Pratchett for enjoyment. (Terry's works being comedy-fantasy; Emma's War for the Oaks being modern-fantasy.)

Life is too short for bad fiction.

Re: GURPS MIDNIGHT Conversion
 

an idea for G4 "Heroic Paths":


Since each heroic path seems to imply a very specific kind of personality / mindset / personal code / etc., why not do the following:

Heroic Path 5 pts.

Choose one specific heroic path, then take 30 pts. worth of additional disadvantages from those listed under that path. Those disadvantages do not count against the usual campaign limit. You are now allowed to buy advantages from the list under that path with a -30% limitation (treat this is a variant of the "pact" limitation from the Basic Set). However, you may never have more than 1/3 of your total CPs invested in those advantages, and no more than 1/5 of your CP total in any single one of those advantages.