Dungeon Fantasy--TL8!?!

[CousinX]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

TL 8 dungeon Fantasy sounds pretty wild and wahoo. X-Crawl is kinda like this, isn't it?

Would this proposed setting be late/mature TL 8, just for extra jazz?

That's what I was thinking at first, but from the description in the original post, it sounds more like World of Darkness or Cabal -- secret magic/supernatural in the modern world, rather than D&D fast-forwarded to TL8.

[Greg 1]

Originally Posted by CousinX

This is what I first thought of when I read the thread title ... the setting that NorphTehDwarf went on to describe sounds more like Black Ops or Cabal to me. In honest-to-goodness DF, magic and the supernatural are no secret -- elves, goblins, magic, and monsters are an accepted part of everyday reality.

You are absolutely right. I need to read OPs more carefully.

The irony is that (like a lot of GURPS GMs, no doubt) I'm working on something similar myself - modern day agents fighting supernatural threats (usually face to face).

I'm not including rules from Action though. The PCs will get to be highly skilled and have easy access to TL 8 toys and that ought to level the playing field in interesting ways.

[LoneWolf23k]

Originally Posted by CousinX

That's what I was thinking at first, but from the description in the original post, it sounds more like World of Darkness or Cabal -- secret magic/supernatural in the modern world, rather than D&D fast-forwarded to TL8.

Sounds like a GURPS-ified version of d20 Modern's Urban Arcana setting.

...Which, frankly, I think would be absolutely awesome.

[CousinX]

Originally Posted by Greg 1

The irony is that (like a lot of GURPS GMs, no doubt) I'm working on something similar myself - modern day agents fighting supernatural threats (usually face to face).

Yep, me too ... must be in the Gamer Zeitgeist these days. I'm interested to see what RPK's prospective titles shape up like, but they sound to be in a pretty early stage, so it might be a while before we see em.

Originally Posted by Greg 1

I'm not including rules from Action though. The PCs will get to be highly skilled and have easy access to TL 8 toys and that ought to level the playing field in interesting ways.

Action rules definitely push it in a cinematic direction, which can interfere with the horror. And to paraphrase a common aphorism, a sufficiently-advanced technology can effectively counter magic. :)

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

Sounds like a GURPS-ified version of d20 Modern's Urban Arcana setting.

...Which, frankly, I think would be absolutely awesome.

I know next to nothing about Urban Arcana ... is it "Secret Magic in the Modern World," or "D&D World Advanced to Modernity?"

I'm definitely a fan of Secret Magic (my favorite, hands-down, being Ken Hite's Cabal), but the modern high-magic world would be interesting to see as well. The only rpg I can think of like that is X-Crawl, which is a clever idea but very limited -- basically, a "Dungeon Crawl Reality Show," where contestants in a modern high-magic world kill monsters to win fabulous prizes for a worldwide TV audience.

[MatthewVilter]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

I'm a coward in my numerous phobias, daily fear, and how I avoid situations in which I may need to show any bravery or responsibility. My life is ruled by fear, which in my opinion labels me a coward. No biggie. No one's perfect.
But that's an off topic semantics issue.

I am going to go full blown PSA you! :P

Have you ever taken martial arts? If you keep at it for a few months you end up being able pick up someone twice your weight throw them over your shoulder or hit a bag with collar bone breaking force two or three times in one second! It does amazing things for your confidence. Whether or not the skills are useful in combat or if the confidence is justified is kind of a separate issue from if the confidence is worth having!

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

Sounds like a GURPS-ified version of d20 Modern's Urban Arcana setting.

...Which, frankly, I think would be absolutely awesome.

Another source is Urban Fantasy Hero, for the Hero System.

[Greg 1]

Originally Posted by CousinX

Action rules definitely push it in a cinematic direction, which can interfere with the horror. And to paraphrase a common aphorism, a sufficiently-advanced technology can effectively counter magic. :)

Indeed! :)

However, for once in my life, I'm not trying to hit the horror nerve this time. I'm going for more of that old D&D sense that humans can win this fight with a little divine help. However, instead of spells and powers, the PCs have training and tech.

Going back to the OP, one significant issue is the role of "treasure". The soul of DF is killing the monsters and taking the loot. Do you want a loot based game, because not many secret magic games are loot based.

[Greg 1]

Originally Posted by NorphTehDwarf

What else haven't I thought of? I bet there's a lot, and would love to hear anything about high-TL Dungeon Fantasy y'all have got to say.

Now that I better understand what you mean by "high-TL Dungeon Fantasy", I think this is a genre I enjoy. I'm taking it that the genre includes stuff like action-oriented Cabal or World of Darkness games involving lots of battles with the supernatural. Am I reading you right?

[LoneWolf23k]

Originally Posted by CousinX

I know next to nothing about Urban Arcana ... is it "Secret Magic in the Modern World," or "D&D World Advanced to Modernity?"

It's definitely "Secret Magic in the Modern World". The basic concept of the setting is that there's this gulf between the worlds called "Shadow", and through it, occasionally monsters, creatures and objects appear in our world from other worlds of High Fantasy. Kind of like a Banestorm effect, to use GURPS-familiar terms.

However, Creatures of Shadow have a sort of Weirdness Censor that makes them appear like mundane creatures or people to Humans of our world; any creature even remotely humanoid, from Elves and Dwarves to Ogres, Gnolls and even Mind Flayers, just look like Humans. Only those with a certain innate "gift" can see through that effect to see Shadow Creatures for what they are.

Another recurring trait of the setting is the modernization of fantasy classes and magic items, including magical cellphones and bullets.

[Voltron64]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

It's definitely "Secret Magic in the Modern World". The basic concept of the setting is that there's this gulf between the worlds called "Shadow", and through it, occasionally monsters, creatures and objects appear in our world from other worlds of High Fantasy. Kind of like a Banestorm effect, to use GURPS-familiar terms.

However, Creatures of Shadow have a sort of Weirdness Censor that makes them appear like mundane creatures or people to Humans of our world; any creature even remotely humanoid, from Elves and Dwarves to Ogres, Gnolls and even Mind Flayers, just look like Humans. Only those with a certain innate "gift" can see through that effect to see Shadow Creatures for what they are.

Another recurring trait of the setting is the modernization of fantasy classes and magic items, including magical cellphones and bullets.

Also, I believe the fantasy world in Urban Arcana was somewhat implied to be the Greyhawk setting.