So I’m working on the action list for my gothic horror hack of Blades, and I thought I’d show it to you guys for comments. Much of it has stayed the same, but here are the things I’ve changed so far.
– Wreck is gone, and parts of it has been added to other actions
– Meddle replaces tinker and has been changed slightly to give a more mad scientist vibe as well as handle some of what wreck used to do
– Prowl has been split into Traverse and Prowl. Other than splitting it, the text has been completely unchanged (I even took the name from the text, which make me think they were once separate actions in Blades too?)
– Skirmish has been renamed Assault and now includes portions of wreck. I tried to rename it to something that could imply damaging inanimate things as well as people.
– Attune has been renamed to Blaspheme, but I haven’t written its text yet.
– Consort and Sway have been combined and named Convince
– I added a new action called Wyrd, which hasn’t been finalized yet.
Anyway, here is the full list.
Insight
Hunt a target; gather information about its location and movements; attack with precision shooting from a distance.
Study a person, document, or item with close scrutiny to gather information and apply knowledge; gain a deeper understanding; do research.
Survey a location or situation to understand what’s going on; sense trouble before it happens; gather information about opportunities or exploits.
Meddle with alchemy and technology you don’t fully understand to create, modify, sabotage or repair; disable a trap, pick a lock, or crack a safe. Use mad science to create chaos and distractions.
Prowess
Finesse an item from someone’s pocket; employ subtle misdirection or sleight-of-hand; handle a vehicle or a mount.
Traverse obstacles; climb, swim, run, jump, and tumble.
Prowl about unseen and ambush with close violence—a backstab, throat cutting, black-jack, etc.
Assault an opponent in close combat; take or hold a position; brawl and wrestle; wreck a place, item, or obstacle with savage force
Resolve
Blaspheme
Command obedience with your force of personality; intimidate or threaten; lead an action with one of the crew’s gangs.
Convince someone to believe or do something with either diplomacy, logic, disguise, bluff or seduction; use connections to gain access to resources, information, people, or places.
Wyrd
What do you guys think of my changes? Can you think of some better names for the actions I changed (specifically meddle, assault and convince, I’m not married to any of those)? Any other name changes come to mind that would invoke gothic horror?
“Meddle” is a good word. I think it especially works in this context because it also implies transgressing- a PC “meddling” with something they shouldn’t.
I like “Assault” and its changes too.
This is a very good list!
Maybe Persuade is a bit better than Convince? I’m splitting hairs, but the former feels a bit more gothic to me.
You’re right about Persuade. Also here is the text for the other two actions.
BLASPHEME against the gods by communicating with souls and the spirit mists; channel spectral energy; incite or entreat the dead; understand spectrology.
DIVINE insight about the past or future through supernatural means; gain vague or cryptic clues through the reading of omens, casting of lots, reading of tarot, or augury.
I changed wyrd to divine since that latter is actually a verb. Can’t have a true gothic setting without fortune tellers, right?
Nice stuff. I have a newfound love of the gothic genre.
One might wonder if divining is considered blasphemous, or if it is achieved through communicating with souls or the dead.
Consorting with the dead is blasphemy, as so ordered by the Winged Queen of whatever this place is called!
In my mind, I imagine divination working much like it does in the movie Stardust (it’s a must watch if you haven’t seen it)
In that film is appears as though divination implements simply have power, they work for anyone. If you cast the bones in the air, when they land they have meaning and it’s just a matter of being able to understand that meaning.
So this is a setting that is practically dripping with fate and destiny. It’s not a character that gives power to tarot cards, they are inherently powerful. If the dead are the ones pulling the strings, they aren’t telling anyone about it.
Now, if there is a problem with divination, it’s that I fear it may drive players to try and plan more. In Blades, that is truly the worst of all Blasphemies.
Ha. Maybe Divination is only available for use in flashbacks, unless an ability allows otherwise. 😛