NEW GAME: WYRD IS BOND

[Jason L Blair]

WYRD IS BOND: magic hits the street

Wyrd is Bond is set in the mid-1990s during the rise of gangsta rap and urban culture’s penetration into the mass market. The field is the street, where gangs clash everyday in a war over territory, drugs, and guns. The characters are slingers, magical gang-bangers, who vie for ground, reputation, and power with a backdrop of mad beats and gold records. All slingers use signs to invoke their power, and their reputation and street style to fuel it. Slings can be used to expand turf and increase rep but most of the time, slings are meant to be lethal, to peel some fool’s cap and leave their baby a bastard. It’s not the fact you sling that defines you; it is how you choose to sling that defines you.

Why a game about magical street gangs? Because gangs represent the classic American struggle for power and control against a perceived oppressive force. Whether a slinger is facing down cops looking to bring him in on drug charges or a rival gang member for control of a city block, conflict and passion are inherent in the setting and the characters involved.

The introduction of a magical subculture within this setting not only gives it even more depth but adds a cool spin to it. It makes the world engaging by giving the players a hook they have seen and used in other games. But trust me: Wyrd is Bond is unique enough on its own.

WYRD IS BOND: magic hits the street is slated for a summer release. More details and a website will follow.

[Spooky Fanboy]

Well, it's an interesting twist on the magic/pulp-noir or magic/modern-times games that are out on the market. Yet another game with which to siphon more money out of my wallet.

sigh

[paulmjessup]

well, there goes that idea i had for a novel...not exactly the same but a lot of striking simularities....heh.

Sounds good though, i'd play it.

[Spooky Fanboy]

So, where's the default setting? L.A.? New York? Detroit?

Is it assumed that you're going to play someone who is black? Or are there white (possibly skinhead) gangs as well? Just saying: going the first way might agitate some people's sensitivities, while the other way might blunt the impact of living on the mean streets, and risks turning the game into West Side Story or The Warriors. ("Waaaarrriorrrrs, come out and plaaaay-yaaay!" GAAAAHHH!!) Although having The Voodoo Glo-Skullz go-head-to-head with The U.T. (Ultima Thule) Regulators (the aforementioned skinheads) does have it's own charm.

How does the magic work? Do cops' shields have some counter-charm worked into them? Has magic always been around, or has it just come out of hiding? Are the characters all gang-bangers, or are they not involved with gangs, or can they choose?  

Do we get to see zombie gang-bangers? Vampire drug kingpins? Enchanted drugs? Cell-phones that ring up demons straight from the pits of hell? A black market on spell-books and ritual implements? Ho's that have magic wands stuck in their puses, just in case? Nation of Islam activists that use holy magic to clean up the streets?

Will it have rules for making and selling your own rap records? Or escaping the projects once and for all? Does magic even work outside your "turf?"

damn. I think I just hooked myself completely on this game.

[peteramthor]

More proof that Key20 will continue to get more of my money.  Why the hell is it everything you put up here, Jason, I find damn cool.  No other company does this to me.  Currently can't wait for Modern Myths, 2nd (want it way bad), wyrd is bond and anything for Little Fears.

[Jason L Blair]

So, where's the default setting? L.A.? New York? Detroit?

The default setting is any urban area. There're nods to both the East and West Coast, but settings such as Detroit, Chicago, etc. are included in the whole.

How does the magic work? Do cops' shields have some counter-charm worked into them? Has magic always been around, or has it just come out of hiding? Are the characters all gang-bangers, or are they not involved with gangs, or can they choose?

Magic is a heavily-guarded secret that is, for the most part, controlled by a few gangs. This is not to say that cops and whatnot don't have something. (You will _so_ get credit for the counter-charm shield. That is too cool.) The gangs are, admittedly, splat-based. Each of the three major slinger gangs base their magic and rituals off a different source of power (Aspect of the Wyrd) and, most importantly, a different practitioner (all three practitioners are very unique). Yes, all characters are gang-bangers (or, at the very least, they were at one time) and mostly African-American or Latino (Euro-Am, American-Am, and Asian-Am are around but in the minority).

Do we get to see zombie gang-bangers? Vampire drug kingpins? Enchanted drugs? Cell-phones that ring up demons straight from the pits of hell? A black market on spell-books and ritual implements? Ho's that have magic wands stuck in their puses, just in case? Nation of Islam activists that use holy magic to clean up the streets?

With the exception of the last two, you could see all those and more.

Will it have rules for making and selling your own rap records? Or escaping the projects once and for all? Does magic even work outside your "turf?"

I had more of a rap single/music-making angle to it, but I dropped it in favor of focusing on turf wars and whatnot. Mind you, the rap angle is still there (in a big way) but there will no mechanics for the selling/distribution of singles or CDs (yet, anyway).

[Spooky Fanboy]

(You will _so_ get credit for the counter-charm shield. That is too cool.)

Thank you. If I try real hard, I can occasionally scrape cool now and again. What a shame I had to lose it all in the upcoming quote...

Ho's that have magic wands stuck in their puses, just in case? Nation of Islam activists that use holy magic to clean up the streets?

With the exception of the last two, you could see all those and more.

(Ensuing explitives deleted) Damn, damn, damn, I honestly meant to say "with magic wands stuck in their purses". I am NOT that much of a pig, I swear! I just did not see that in time to edit it. *Groan* Probably just as well that's not included then. Although, I will miss the crusading churchgoers going around armored with faith (a la White Wolf) and attempting to clean up the town.

Still curious though: does the size of one's turf limit or fuel how much magic one can sling or how strong the sling is? Does it even work if the slinger in question is off his gang's turf? Somehow, that just seems cool to me...

[Jason L Blair]

Whew. I am so glad you meant "purses."

RE: Turf
Yes, turf does come into play but in different ways for different people. This will actually be part of the GM's bookkeeping.

[Spooky Fanboy]

Yes, but that's part of the thrill of typing like someone twitching their way through heroin withdrawl while simultaneously suffering through Tourette's Syndrome: You never know what's going to pop out next!

Gods, first that gaffe on Jared's Hep Katz thread, where I accidentally insult the guy, then this, where I tempt every female poster on the Forge Forum to dump a virus onto my computer, all without even intending to do so. If I'd at least meant to be such a socially graceless clod, I could live with all this, but it's like I'm possessed!

Anyway, back on topic: I'm curious. What did you want to explore with combining magic and thug life? How is magic in this game: special FX or subtle, or can it be both? Do you have to rap or scratch to make magic? How does the rest of the world (as much of it as the characters ever see) react to them?

Or am I squeezing too much info out of a stone at this point?

[Jason L Blair]

Enough Q&A for now. I have to leave something for the teasers. ;)

[Spooky Fanboy]

Well, okay then! Make up some teasers, dammit! And while you're at it, update that Modern Myths page.

More info, must have more!!

*drool*

[Valamir]

And so he goes, wandering from forum to forum, working hard to truly earn his chosen sobriquet.

:-)

[Spooky Fanboy]

I've glad someone has finally noticed!!

*-D

[paulmjessup]

heh, i remember when i began to write the novel, based on a similiar concept.  Basicly, i noticed the similarities between gangs and secret occultist socities (like thelemic societ, order of the rosecrucion, golden dawn, theocratic society etc).  I was going to have modern gangs riff off of this, but moving towards a more african/tribal based magic rather than a western magic.  Each gang (liek each secret society) would have it's own rituals and rites, diffrent magicks, as well as diffrent symbolism, diffrent gos and dieties, etc.  Also going to use magic as a sort fo drug for them, and a secret kept hidden for the inner circles.

oh well...it was a good idea....would've probably made a decent book. would  make a better RPG though.

[Little_Rat]

Feh. Rap sucks, it glorifies violence, encourages greed and hypocrasy and is played so often you want to chuck your stereo out the window.

And we're giving guys like that MAGIC?
Talk about the wrong hands.