Imperfections: Human 'dissonance'

Archangel Beth · 07-07-2011, 05:18 PM

At the very least, humans provide plots.
• "Somebody died oddly. Go find out why." (The Rats' Revenge.)
• "Look at all those humans who need influencing! Let's get to it!" (A Very Nybbas Christmas
• "Oh, look, disturbance and Weird Stuff!" (The Sorcerer's Impediments)
• "Oh, look, Weird Stuff and a mass murderer!" (Feast of Blades
• "Oh, look, a Balseraph appears to be in love with a human!" (Cupid's Arrows)
• "Oh, look, HOSTS!" (Demon Seeds)

Are the humans major players in all these? Not all of them. Sometimes they're just an excuse to do "okay, go check out X." But in a longer-running campaign, having distinctive human hangers-on makes it more likely that the PCs will plausibly go, "Oh, Lee is acting funny; we should find out what's wrong." Plus you can get them investigating things that might or might not be Enemy Celestial Action; if they aren't, the celestials have to make sure their cover isn't blown. If it is ECA, then the celestials have to handle it... and still not blow their covers!

Making humans more powerful, mechanics-wise, is generally more elegantly done in GURPS In Nomine, in my experience, though.

07-07-2011, 05:18 PM	#25
Archangel Beth In Nomine Line Editor Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Frozen Wastelands of NH	Re: Imperfections: Human 'dissonance' At the very least, humans provide plots. • "Somebody died oddly. Go find out why." (The Rats' Revenge.) • "Look at all those humans who need influencing! Let's get to it!" (A Very Nybbas Christmas • "Oh, look, disturbance and Weird Stuff!" (The Sorcerer's Impediments) • "Oh, look, Weird Stuff and a mass murderer!" (Feast of Blades • "Oh, look, a Balseraph appears to be in love with a human!" (Cupid's Arrows) • "Oh, look, HOSTS!" (Demon Seeds) Are the humans major players in all these? Not all of them. Sometimes they're just an excuse to do "okay, go check out X." But in a longer-running campaign, having distinctive human hangers-on makes it more likely that the PCs will plausibly go, "Oh, Lee is acting funny; we should find out what's wrong." Plus you can get them investigating things that might or might not be Enemy Celestial Action; if they aren't, the celestials have to make sure their cover isn't blown. If it is ECA, then the celestials have to handle it... and still not blow their covers! Making humans more powerful, mechanics-wise, is generally more elegantly done in GURPS In Nomine, in my experience, though. __________________ --Beth Shamelessly adding Superiors: Lilith, GURPS Sparrials, and her fiction page to her .sig (the latter is not precisely gaming related)