(Sorcerery & Sword) Thugee and Taurus inspired character aid

[toothpowder]

Having trouble getting the kinks out of this Xar-ish character for S&S.  The character is inspired by my reading of specific Howard and the current Dark Horse line (issues 20 and 21, in particular), and personal research on Thugee cults.   Specifically, he's most heavily inspired by Taurus of Nemedia-- called "Prince of Thieves".  Cary Nord images Taurus as being solidly built, stocky, with large hands, and strong arms and legs. He's almost ape-like, and is fast without being a waif.

The Thugee aspect comes in with this potential character's primary means of attack: strangulation.  I see him hailing from a decidedly stone-age people from jungles "somewhere in the East", if we're talking about Xar.  They are primitive in comparison with the rest of Xar as far as technology goes, but still have a long and proud history.  I think they're very much like Aztecs and the like, just living mostly among the enormous trees of their jungle home.  They are built very much like apes, barrel-chested, thick arms and legs, strong legs.  They use stone and obsidian blades primarily as tools, resorting to ropes, bludgeons, slings, blowguns, and barehands for weapons.  They are master rope-makers and knot-users, using rope for everything from maintaining housing to warfare and hunting.  They are very much at home in the trees, and are almost as good at brachation as the apes they resemble.

I know this is even more background than is typically wanted for a new S&S character, but it all sort of came spilling out of me the moment I laid eyes on Nord's Taurus.  The kinks I'm working out are as follows:

1) While I'm seeing the character as a primarily physical thief and assassin (perfect occupations for his ilk), since his culture is still extremely tribal, I don't see him being completely naive as far as sorcery is concerned.  He simply isn't all that active a demon-user.

2) This being said, I'm not entirely sure how to handle the character in terms of design.  I know I want these people to be nearly super-human in both their specific physical abilities, but also in their use of ropes and knots.  Basically, I'm seeing rope and bare hands as being implemented as practical weapons and tools.

3) Now comes the real kicker-- should the demon be a part of the character himself (like a parasite or possessor demon), and as such be what gives the character his (in this mode, at least) truly superhuman abilities (with something like Travel (Brachation, Climbing) and Special Damage (strangulation) and Hold) OR should the demon be an object demon manifesting as a ritually-prepared length of rope (Hold, Special Damage, Travel as well). 

The problem is that I want the character to both have the natural abilities to practically use strangulation (and generally powerful close-combat) and be as silent and capable as an ape when above ground, but also have some miraculous skill with ropes and knots. 

Any ideas, criticisms, rants, or brainstorms would be appreciated. 


Cheers.

[James_Nostack]

Hi!  Welcome to the Forge!

First: that's an awesome idea for a character.  But don't get too hung up on a backstory.  Part of the fun of the game is starting with a sketch, and filling it in through play.  I think you've got a great start there.  (Is Taurus the guy from "Tower of the Elephant"?  I saw a reprinted 1970's Marvel adaptation, and that guy looked totally lame--completely unlike how I pictured him from the text.  It sounds like the new version got it right.)

Second: all characters in Sorcerer are bad-asses.  You don't need to worry about, "My guy isn't bad-ass enough in this sub-speciality of bad-assery."  It comes with the territory. 

Third: Looking at the Sorcerer rules, strangulation is probably a matter of building up a ton of dice through sneaking up on people, and then rolling it over to strike from behind (i.e., sneaky tactics), possibly while saying something bone-chilling (i.e., bonus for quip).  Perhaps a garrote would convert that from Fists to Edged damage, maybe even with a situational +1 bonus.  The idea would be to blindside someone pretty good on the initial attack, and then keep holding on.  Maybe even trade some victories from one round to the next, giving the victim a longer chance to struggle until you crush the life out of them completely.

The system will work with you using those tactics, which would require preparation and patience but not a demon per se.  If you want to just charge at somebody and strangle them immediately, though, you might need something supernatural.

Fourth: regarding Lore.  Sounds like 1-2, and (from the descriptions in the S&S book) either Naive or Half-Breed, which would open the door to a parasite demon, reflecting his tribe's superhuman heritage.

[toothpowder]

Appreciated on the pointers. Here is a preview of issue 21: (http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/preview.php?theid=10-320).

I guess it does make more sense for the demon to be an apsect of the character. Considering the people's bloody culture, they most likley worship Old Ones and Pagan Things alike. I'm thinking the rope is part of the manifestation of abilities like Hold. Funny enough, the rope angle came from my own hemp-rope bracelet. A thin, supple fibre that still manages to be quite strong. He could potentially have a Hold ability at Range that manifests as preternatural control, almost telekinesis, of rope and cords. The rest of what I was thinking for the rope is just special effects: knots coming undone with a single tug no matter how far down the line the character is from the knot, and other such skill. The use of a lariat or noose in combat would require the same stealth and process you described for strangulation.

So far, so good. Thanks.

[toothpowder]

And, yeah, Taurus is from Tower of the Elephant. One of my favorite Howard characters. Frankly, the "Bobba Fett" effect is more properly termed the "Taurus effect", for squeezing so much bad-assitude into so little screen time.

[wyrmis]

If you go with the primitive religion angle, you can even have him carry around a fetish that is the actual demon. He might not know its a demon, as opposed to a god, and merely fulfills its desires and needs to worship it.

[toothpowder]

Heh, like bathing it in the blood of his enemies. Something of interest, the Thugee believed that each strangulation performed postponed Kali's return for 1,000 years. The Aztec sacrifices to the Eagle Jar where to insure another sun rise. There's something brutally practical in those ideas, and could definitely work. Specifically if these people worship an Old One or Pagan Thing.

The totem would be the real demon, using powers to enhance his already impressive physical capabilities. Specifically, I'm thinking:
Hold (Sort of ranged, requires a rope or cord of some kind)
Daze
Cloak
Special Damage (strangulation)
Warp (again, rope)
Travel (climbing, brachation)

Need would be something like a sacrifce of some kind from a strangled victim, whether blood or something else.
Desire is something along the lines of litergical chanting or prayers done in its presence.
I'm seeing a combination of things-- from the wearing of a Rumal, ape iconography, and straight-up Skull Island imagery for icons.

A telltale for the totem would be something like soaking up blood spilled on it, or subtley changing expressions or positions.
For the character, I'm thinking he's very apelike because of his connection to his god. I'm seeing the stranglers are sacred warriors for this society. He's gone off into the wider world to quench both curiosity and to keep the rest of the world "safe" from the return of his god. Sort of, every place on which a person is strangled is one more place the god cannot walk. Sort of a ritual contamination.

[toothpowder]

Ok, so, the fetish. I'm seeing an object demon or contain in the form of a mask, a very horrific tribal depiction of a nightmare gorilla-- gaping fanged mouth, vicious expression, all of that. The Tell for said demon would be its becoming simply an extension of the user's face when worn. Need, something like the "stolen breath" from a strangulation victim, with Desire something like worship or libations or somesuch.

I guess some of the technical aspects I'm thinking off, like would a Hold requiring a rope or cord of somekind technically be Ranged? Would that ability (Range) need to be taken for the effect to work. I'm seeing specifically powerwise for the demon: Hold, Special Damage (asphyxiation, strangulation), Travel (climbing, brachiation), Fast, and Big. This obviously gives the thing a Lore/Power of 5/6, putting it most likely in control of our Lore 2 character, but even that fits inside the conception of the char.