Nephilim Wars

[simon_hibbs]

This is from an effort at writing Hero wars mechanics for a nephilim campaign. It's rather sketchy, and I'm not sure if it's on topic, but since there aren't realy any other topics activere here anyway, here goes :

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Nephilim Wars

Introduction

Nephilim Wars is a collection of notes on runing Nephilim games using the Hero Wars rules. As such, you will need a copy of the Nephilim rulebook and the Hero Wars rulebook to play.

All the key elements of the Nephilim background, and definitions of many concepts in the Nephilim game world are not given here. Similarly many game mechanics for the Hero Wars game are only detailed in the Hero Wars rulebook.


Creating your Character

The Character Description

Nephilim Wars characters are created using the 100 word essay method used in the Hero Wars game. The character's 100 word description should include a number of essential facts about the Nephilim, it's past lives and it's current simulacrum. These facts include : The Nephilim's dominant element; It's metamorphosis; The Arcanum to which the Nephilim belongs. For each past life, the description should state : The era of the past life; The occupational keyword of the Nephilim's simulacrum in that era; any other abilities, powers, relationships, etc gained during that past life. The description of the current Simulacrum should state : The simulacrum's cultural keyword; It's occupational keyword; Any other abilities, relationships, etc the Simulacrum may have.

The 100 word limit means there is a tradeoff between the number of past lives a character can have, and the occult knowledge, powers and resources a character could have obtained.

Example :

KOPHUS, a Djin Pyrim of the Magician Arcanum, first incarnated as an Egyptian Priestess in Akhenaten's time, learning the Secrets of Osiris and Geomancy. It's next incarnation was as an Alchemist in 16th Century France, researching the Essences of Erebus before dying at the hands of templar assasins. In 17th century Paris it was a Card Sharp, battling Selenim for controll of a Plexus. It opened the Gates of Silence, and inscribed the Sigil of Arcos into it's Ka. It's Simulacrum is a New York Journalist with Mafia conections. He is well travelled and dates the daughter of a wealthy art collector.

Keywords : Ancient Egypt; Egyptian Priestess; Alchemist; 16th C France; 19th C Paris; Card Sharp.
Abilities : Djin Metamorphosis; Magician Arcanum Lore; Magician Arcanum Relationship; Hate Templars; Selenim Lore.
Magical Abilities : Secrets of Osiris*; Geomancy; Essences of Erebus*; Open Gates of Silence*; Inscribed Sigil of Arcos*; Knows location of a Plexus in Paris

Simulacrum Keywords : New York Journalist.
Simulactum Abilities : Mafia Connections; Well Travelled; Relationship - Wealthy Art Collector's Daughter..

* Affinities? Grimoires?


Ability Scores

All past life and simulacrum keyword abilities start at 17. Cultural keyword abilities start at 14. Metamorphosis, Arcanum lore and Arcanum Relationship start at 14, plus 1 for each past life the Nephilim has. All other abilities start at 14.

Select one ability as your best ability, and raise it to 5w. Choose two other abilities as your second best abilities, and raise them to 2w.


Initial Dominant Ka

The default starting Ka for all player Nephilim is 5w.

In the orriginal nephilim game, past lives were gained at the cost of Ka points. This is not the case in Nephilim Wars, since the 100 word limit imposes a sufficient balancing mechanism. Nevertheless, it is possible for characters to start the game with different dominant Ka scores. If a player wishes, and the GM agrees, characters may have an opportunity to inscribe spells into their Ka before play begins, using the normal(!?) rules for doing so by expending Ka points. Note that spells described as being inscribed during past lives do not cost Ka points - the words used bought them instead [needs working out!].

A Nephilim's elemental Ka values drop in steps of 10 points from the Nephilim's primary Ka value. i.e. A character with a primary Ka of 15w will have Ka values of : 15W, 5W, 15, 5 and 5. Note that Ka values below 5 are rounded up to 5.


Magic

While the occult principles on which the orriginal Nephilim game was based were widely acclaimed, the magic system was widely considered to be lacking.  HW gives us lot of new game mechanical tools that were not available before (extended contests, masteries, Hero Points, Resistances). Little of the game mechanical aspects of the previous system have been retained, but the intent is the same.

Magic in Nephilim Wars is still divided into the three forms – Sorcery, Summoning and Alchemy. Each of these is also the name of an ability, which is the Nephilim's knowledge of the history and principles of that type of magic.


Sorcery

Sorcery draws on the inner power of a Nephilim, directly manifesting it's elemental magical nature in the world. The Sorcery ability represents knowledge of the history and principles of Sorcerous magic.  

Individual sorcerous effects are called spells, and are collected into groups of related spells called Affinities. An Affinity represents a particular kind of sorcerous magic, and the spells a nephilim knows within that Affinity can be cast using the Affinity ability rating. If a Nephilim learns new spells within an Affinity, they may also be cast at the full Affinity rating. Spell effects not covered by a known spell, but which the Narrator judges do fall within an Affinity the Nephilim knows, may be improvised. The usual improvisation modifier is –10.


Summoning

Summoning draws upon the higher planes of existence, excercising power by invoking numinous forces. The summoning ability represents knowledge of the denizens and characteristics of the higer planes.

An individual use of summoning magic is called an Invocation. Invocations are collected into Grimoires. Any of the magical beings described in a Grimoire can be summoned using the Nephilim's ability in the Grimoire. Each Grimoire describes techniques for summoning related beings from the same higher plane of existence. Invocations cannot be improvised, like sorcerous spells.


Alchemy

Alchemy is the transformative manipulation of the magic inherent in the created world. The Alchemy ability is a general knowledge of the properties of matter, types of alchemical aparatus and reseach techniques.

An individual application of alchemical magic is called a formula. Formulae are collected into Tomes, each of which contains formulae of a related nature. Any of the formulae described in a Tome can be created using the Nephilim's ability rating in the Tome. New formulae can be researched, but this takes time.



Misc Ideas, not reality tested :

· Extended contests reserved for magical contests only (Replace APs with Ch'awe)?

· Ka augments magic abilities; Sorcery, Summoning and Alchemy only augment appropriate magical abilities during rituals?

· Hero Points only able to bump magical abilities?

· Re-do non-dominant Ka elements as improv modifiers on Dominant Ka value? (-5, -10, -15, -20, minimum of 1)?

· Ka can be raides by drinking elixirs and eating Homunculi (Nasty! Perhaps Nephilim actualy invented both for this)? Not a rules issue.

[Mike Holmes]

You know, I have a copy of Nephilim (I think, maybe its source material) that I've never read or even looked at closely. I think I now have a reason to check it out.

Mike

[simon_hibbs]

You know, I have a copy of Nephilim (I think, maybe its source material) that I've never read or even looked at closely. I think I now have a reason to check it out.

One person interested in Nephilim makes this worthwhile for me :)

I got very excited writing these notes up because there seems to be an extremely good synergy between Nephilim and Hero Wars. I'm looking forward to seeing the new HeroQuest edition of the rules. Hopefuly it will provide a good basic rules framework on which to build a more complete set of notes.


Simon Hibbs