Afraid: The Beast Who Was Cyn

[eah]

Players in my game (cdr) do not read!

The idea here is a straightforward face-stomping physical monster that thrives on conflict and is likely to suborn victims to become acolytes/slaves, as well as victimizing player characters in play.  Victimization pathway is the monster co-opting victims into training to become monsters.  "Tiger Claw" kung fu stolen from a martial arts movie.   

And, of course, trying out the rules for monster design.

MONSTER: The Beast Who Was Cyn
PERSON: Cynthia Stone
Habit: Physical fitness
Curious: Martial arts
Extreme: "Tiger Claw Kung Fu"
Threshold: Unleased animal nature
Nightmarish Resources: Physical externalization of will: were-tiger manifestations
Irrevocable: Hunt/Kill
Horror:  Humanity liberated into beasts in the war of all against all

A: 4 H: 3 B: 3 W: 4
S: 4 T: 7 M: 6 F: 7 K: 8

2d4 abused by a priest
2d6 pain is a gateway
1d8 leaping
2d10 were-tiger
{added: 1d6 patient}

Belongings:
2d8+1d4 big, excellent demon cat tattoo (supernatural weapon)
2d6 secret martial arts training dojo
1d8 excellent instructional text

Conscience:
2d6 I protect children
Tradition:
3d8 I must take students
Nightmare:
1d4 I take no comfort from gods
1d8 I hunt every full moon
1d10 I eat what I kill
Victims:
2d10 Eve
4d10 Gabrielle
3d10 Madison
1d10 Becky
{1d10 Dan Greene}


ACOLYTE: Sempai Lisa
PERSON: Lisa Xavier
A: 3 H: 2 B: 3 W: 4
S: 3 T: 5 M: 5 F: 7 K: 7

S: {0,2d6,2d6,1d10,0}
X: {0,1d8,1d8,2d6,2d4}
I: {0,1d10,2d6,2d8,1d4}
O: {0,0,0,0,0}

Relationship:
4d10 student of Sensei Cynthia
2d4 teaches victim Eve
2d6 master of Uchideishi Joey

Belongings:
2d6+1d4: demon cat tattoo (supernatural weapon)
1d6: generic tiger claw dojo
1d8: excellent acupuncture needles
1d4: bad instructional videos

Conscience:
Tradition:
Nightmare:
2d6 I hunt every full moon
2d8 I take no comfort from gods
2d10 I eat what I kill

SLAVE: Uchideishi Joey
Person: Joey Black
Damage: Angry
Love Despite: Amy, battered girlfriend
Exploit:
Blood: Brother James Black
Suffered: Amy
Best Interests: Father Jones, concerned priest
Monster's promise: MAKE YOU STRONG
Gift: Demon Cat tattoo that drinks pain
Purpose: Training mugger for victims
A: 2 H: 2 B: 5 W: 4
S: 2 T: 4 M: 7 F: 9 K: 6
S: {0,2d6,0,1d8,0}
X: {0,2d10,,2d10,1d10}
I: {0,2d6,2d8,2d6,0}
O: {0,2d4,1d6,1d8,1d4}

Relationships:
2d6 Amy
1d10 Father Jones
1d10 Sempai Lisa
{added: 1d6 Dan the reporter}

Conscience:
Tradition:
Nightmare:
2d4 take no comfort from gods
1d10 Feed the cat pain daily

Belongings:
1d6+1d4: Demon Cat tattoo (supernatural weapon)
2d6 lots of martial arts gear
1d8 Scary SUV

VICTIM: 2d10 level
PERSON: Eve Lincoln, librarian
Human quality: caretaker, provides security to others
Loves For: Bridget, disorganized friend
Despite: John, boyfriend
Depends on: Monica, divorsed & pregnant
Blood: Sister Faith
Shared: Dan Green PC reporter
Daily: Jacob Steele, homeless
Professional interest:

Nightmarish escalation:
events: assaulted/stalked by unknown things*
behavior: angry, poor impulse control*
physical: beast-form
experience: hunting with monster
final: throw-down against monster: acolyte, slave, dead, monster oneself

A: 4 H: 5 B: 4 W: 3
S: 4 T: 9 M: 9 F: 7 K: 7
S: {0,2d4,0,2d6,1d4}
X: {0,2d8,0,1d10,0}
I: {0,2d6,1d8,1d6,1d10}
O: {0,2d6,0,1d8,2d10}

Relationships:
1d4 Monica
1d6 Faith
2d10 Uchideishi Joey
1d6 Sempai Lisa
2d10 Sensei Cynthia
{1d6 Jacob Steele}

Belongings:
1d4+1d4: demon cat tattoo (supernatural weapon)


To be filled out:
VICTIM: 4d10
PERSON: Gabrielle, a student

VICTIM: 3d10
PERSON: Madison, temp worker

VICTIM: 1d10
PERSON: Becky, a student

{VICTIM: 1d10
PERSON: Dan Green, a reporter}


-Earl

[agony]

Interesting monster.

Where'd the idea for the Tiger originate?  Did you come up with the habit/curious/extreme etc evolution first, or did the idea of this really wicked animal which rends its victims first pop into your head?

[eah]

I knew I wanted a physical monster when I started down the evolution path, so I started with physical habit (friends in self-defense), and then curious, jaded, ritualistic martial arts came out immediately.  Then "tiger claw" kung fu turned into were-tigers as the nightmarish resource very easily.  And, tigers are cool. 

[Calvin as an afraid monster?  A young boy has a habit of a vivid imagination, it becomes bizarre and ritualistic focused on his stuffed toy tiger, he gains access to nightmarish resources, and irrevocably has his tiger eat the school bully.  Now, he victimizes his schoolmates, bringing them into his world of twisted imagination...]

However, so far in the playtest, the monster and acolytes have been more forceful than scary.  There is a possible genre clash between "kung fu killer action" and "spooky supernatural corruption of life."

-Earl