Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[mouthymerc]

The Menagerie

Background

There has been a breech in the dimensional fabric which has allowed a group of beings to gain a foothold on our world. These beings, from a place known as the Shadow Realms, wish to take control of the world to use with as they will. They are the stuff of darkness and evil. Having now found their way through, they are slowly insinuating themselves amongst the fabric of our society. They are slowly gathering the resources they will need to bring forth a full scale invasion. Once this has happened all will be lost.

The majority of the world’s population is ignorant of their invasion, but there are a few which stand against them. These few rise up from our world’s myths to stand together against the Darkness. They have abilities and powers beyond the normal and use them to protect our world by driving out the Darkness where they can. These beings of legend have stayed to the shadows themselves for many years, but may be the only saving grace of our world.

They are the Menagerie and they are here to protect us.

Note: This setting idea is influenced by a couple of sources. One is the Nightbane game put out by Palladium. They other is a series of books by Christopher Golden and Thomas Sniegoski called The Nimble Man, Tears of the Furies, Stone Unturned, and Crashing Paradise.


The books that will be needed are these:

Savage Worlds
Necessary Evil

Other books can be used for some of their rules as needed, but are not absolutely necessary. Many creatures already explained in other volumes can be very useful. It is left up to you to decide which, if any, can prove useful to you.

Making a Creature of Menagerie

1) Concept: Create a concept. Most, if not all, characters created will have some supernatural basis. This can include wizards, undead, or many and sundry creatures of myth.
2) Race: Human or something else. The something else will come from the purchase of different powers.
3) Traits: Follow the guidelines as per normal. These may be further adjusted once powers are bought.
4) Hindrances: Again, as per normal. All hindrances from the Savage Worlds and Necessary Evil books are available.
5) Gear: Each character starts with $500 to spend on gear.
6) Secondary Traits: These are determined as per normal.
7) Final Touches: Again, determined as per normal.

New Edge

Background Edge

Arcane Background (Menagerie)
Requirements: Novice
(This edge uses the same mechanics as the one presented in Necessary Evil, but without the Super Karma extra.)
You are a creature of the supernatural in some way. The power points gained from the edge may be spent on the powers in the Necessary Evil book. All abilities will be supernatural in origin. You could spend them on Super Sorcery and create a sorcerer. You could combine abilities to create a creature of myth and legend; a minotaur, a dragon, or even a vampire. It is left to your imagination to determine your character and its powers.

Setting Rules

Arcane Background (Menagerie)
In The Menagerie, all characters start with the Arcane Background (Menagerie) Edge for free. If you do not wish to take this Edge you make another free Edge of your choice instead.


This is some initial notes I've made, but I thought I would share them.

[zeth]

The fact you need a separate setting book to play in your setting puts me off.

[mouthymerc]

[mouthymerc]

Adversaries

Darkling
Darklings are dark reflections of people in our world. Once they are brought through, they must immediately search out and kill their opposite number here in order to survive. This compulsion drives them until they either succeed or die. Darklings are, for the most part, identical in appearance to the human they look like. Attitudes, though, can vary from outright evil to altruistic good.
Racial Edges & Hindrances
• Immunity to hunger & thirst: Darklings do not need to eat and drink as humans do. They can eat or drink, but do not suffer any detrimental effects if they do not.
• Regeneration: Darklings are magical beings and when in darkness or shade can make a Vigor roll every hour. If the roll is successful, the shade heals one wound.
• Weakness (Magic): Darklings are more susceptible to magical attacks. Any weapon or attack with magic as its trappings gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls.

Dog Soldier

The dog soldiers are the foot soldiers of the Shadow Lords. They are humanoid with canine features. Their hide is a glossy black metallic exoskeleton. They carry a dark spear for combat.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d12, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Notice d6, Swimming d8, Tracking d10
Charisma 0; Pace 6; Parry 6; Toughness 8 (2)
Gear: Ebonite spear (dam d12+d6, reach 1”, heavy weapon)
Special Abilities
• Armor +2: Metallic exoskeleton.
• Awareness: Dog soldier’s supernatural senses are unaffected by penalties due to bad lighting, fog, or other obscurement including illusion. Cover modifiers for solid protection apply normally.
• Construct: As constructs, dog soldiers gain a +2 to recover from being shaken. They do not suffer additional damage from called shots. Arrows, bullets, and other piercing attacks do half damage. Finally, dog soldiers do not suffer from disease or poison.
• Fearless: Dog soldiers never suffer from Fear effects, and cannot be Intimidated.
• Heightened Senses: Tracking.
• Weakness (Magic): Dog soldiers are more susceptible to magical attacks. Any weapon or attack with magic as its trappings gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls.

Huntmaster

The huntmasters look much the same as the dog soldiers, except for the fact that they also have a cape of jet black and horns jutting from their head.

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigor d10
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d10, Intimidate d10, Notice d8, Swimming d8, Tracking d10
Charisma 0; Pace 6; Parry 7; Toughness 11 (4)
Gear: Ebonite spear (dam d12+2+d6, reach 1”, heavy weapon)
Special Abilities
• Armor +4: Metallic exoskeleton.
• Awareness: Huntmasters supernatural senses are unaffected by penalties due to bad lighting, fog, or other obscurement including illusion. Cover modifiers for solid protection apply normally.
• Construct: As constructs, huntmasters gain a +2 to recover from being shaken. They do not suffer additional damage from called shots. Arrows, bullets, and other piercing attacks do half damage. Finally, huntmasters do not suffer from disease or poison.
• Fearless: Huntmasters never suffer from Fear effects, and cannot be Intimidated.
• Heightened Senses: Tracking.
• Illusion: Huntmasters may create an illusory shell around themselves and up to five others. This illusion allows them to appear as normal humans. Anyone given reason to disbelieve the illusion may make a Smarts roll at -2. If successful, he can detect the true nature of the creature or creatures.
• Weakness (Magic): Huntmasters are more susceptible to magical attacks. Any weapon or attack with magic as its trappings gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls.

Raptor

While they share the black metallic appearance of the dog soldiers, their head has the features of a bird of prey such as a hawk or eagle. They also possess wings and carry a sword rather than a spear.

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8, Tracking d10
Charisma 0; Pace 6; Parry 6; Toughness 8 (2)
Gear: Ebonite scimitar (dam d10+d6, heavy weapon)
Special Abilities
• Armor +2: Metallic exoskeleton.
• Awareness: Raptors supernatural senses are unaffected by penalties due to bad lighting, fog, or other obscurement including illusion. Cover modifiers for solid protection apply normally.
• Construct: As constructs, raptors gain a +2 to recover from being shaken. They do not suffer additional damage from called shots. Arrows, bullets, and other piercing attacks do half damage. Finally, raptors do not suffer from disease or poison.
• Fearless: Raptors never suffer from Fear effects, and cannot be Intimidated.
• Flight: Pace 24.
• Heightened Senses: Eagle eyes, tracking.
• Weakness (Magic): Raptors are more susceptible to magical attacks. Any weapon or attack with magic as its trappings gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls.

Qullan

The qullan, in its natural form, is slug-like with tentacles and a gaping maw. Most of the time, though, it will take a more acceptable form such as that of a human.

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d12+2, Vigor d12
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d10, Intimidate d10, Notice d8, Shooting d8
Charisma -4/0; Pace 6; Parry 7; Toughness 12
Gear: As an agent, a Glock pistol, cell phone, and handcuffs. May also wear body armor and carry heavier weapons, if needed. As an assassin, gear as needed.
Special Abilities
• Alien Form: The qullan’s form is completely alien in appearance. Healing rolls made to help it are at a -4 penalty and it suffers a -4 penalty to its charisma.
• Awareness: The Qullans supernatural senses are unaffected by penalties due to bad lighting, fog, or other obscurement including illusion. Cover modifiers for solid protection apply normally.
• Chameleon: The qullan may take the form of any creature within two sizes of itself. Most often this is as a human, but may also be various animals, too.
• Ensnare: Tentacles can be used to ensnare opponents.
• Fear: When seen in their natural form for the first time, the qullan’s alien form can create fear.
• Regeneration: Qullans have an extraordinary healing system that allows it to make a Vigor roll every hour. If the roll is successful, the qullan heals one wound.
• Size +4: Large creature.
• Skills: The qullan knows additional skills depending on its type. The agent type knows Investigation d8 and Streetwise d6, while the assassin type knows Lockpicking d6 and Stealth d8.
• Telepathy: The qullan can communicate with anyone and everyone in sight.
• Tentacles: Damage d12+2+d6, reach 1”, heavy weapon.

Nambaraks

The nambaraks are an insectoid race that builds simulacrums to carry them around in. Out of the simulacrum they look much like a foot long beetle. When in the simulacrum, they are very cold and calculating, rarely or unable to show emotion.

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d8, Fighting d10, Intimidate d10, Investigation d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8
Charisma 0; Pace 6; Parry 7; Toughness 3 (2)
Special Abilities
• Armor +2: Carapace.
• Awareness: The nambaraks supernatural senses are unaffected by penalties due to bad lighting, fog, or other obscurement including illusion. Cover modifiers for solid protection apply normally.
• Fear: The nambaraks can be very menacing in a cold calculating way.
• Simulacrum (animated body): The nambaraks create an artificial body from mud, human blood and their own secretions. Fresh blood must be used in order to give a life-like appearance, otherwise its artificial look is fully apparent. Once created they crawl inside and animate it, moving around and acting fairly human.
• Speak Language: The nambaraks can understand and speak any language.
• Size (-4): The nambaraks are not much bigger than a football.
• Wall Walker: The nambaraks can walk on any surface normally.

The Nambaraks Simulacrum

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d8
Skills: Driving d8, Fighting d10, Intimidate d10, Investigation d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8
Charisma -2; Pace 6; Parry 7; Toughness 8 (1)
Gear: A Glock pistol, cell phone, and handcuffs. May also wear body armor and carry heavier weapons, if needed.
Special Abilities
• Armor +1: Tough body shell made of artificial materials.
• Awareness: The Qullan’s supernatural senses are unaffected by penalties due to bad lighting, fog, or other obscurement including illusion. Cover modifiers for solid protection apply normally.
• Construct: As constructs, simulacrums gain a +2 to recover from being shaken. They do not suffer additional damage from called shots. Arrows, bullets, and other piercing attacks do half damage. Finally, simulacrums do not suffer from disease or poison.
• Fear: The nambaraks can be very menacing in a cold calculating way.
• Outsider: Their lack of emotion gives them a -2 modifier to their Charisma. This modifier, though, becomes a +2 when making an Intimidate check.
• Speak Language: The nambaraks can understand and speak any language.
• Size +1: The simulacrum is approximately human size, if a bit bigger.
_________________
People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
--George Orwell

[blackwingedheaven]

I wouldn't say that your setting is inspired by Nightspawn. I would say that is is Nightspawn. The premise, powers, heroes, and adversaries as presented so far are all identical to Nightspawn with the serial numbers filed off. The only difference I can find is that the heroes don't (necessarily) shapechange. If you're trying to avoid Palladium's fascist copyright protection, that's one thing. Direct copy-paste-namechange is something else. On the other hand, Nightspawn is pretty much ripped off from Clive Barker's Cabal novella (which became the movie Nightbreed), so meh. Good conversion work, though.


Jeremy Puckett
_________________
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is an absurd one." -Voltaire

Check out my Savage Worlds blog, Urbis Tenebrae: http://urbistenebrae.blogspot.com/

[mouthymerc]