FSN: Clock Tower
UPDATE: Magic has been changed again, so that puppets are no longer super-powerful compared to other spells :p. Considering you get a high dice pool for little mana, it works out this time. Basically, no more rolling to summon; you use your total Attribute + Knowledge pool as your summon attack pool, then add bonuses listed below. Sorry for the radical change, but it was getting silly.
Reminder: You all have 2 more Willpower (representing adoption of the tradition fate point amount). For the purposes of the game, willpower and fate points are synonymous.
C-level spells for Elementalism and Necromancy can create sustained 'weapons' to fire basic magical bolts at enemies. You don't have use it for one-shot spells; B-level or higher spells generally are used for powerful, one-shot spells. This is to balance out the magic system, which is biased towards people with Puppetry and Spiritualism for sustainability (which was intentional, and was one of the things that made those fields distinct, but the discrepancy is too high with the low mana pools players have to work with.).
Game runs Bi-weekly.
"Social-Link" Scenes Policy: Social Link scenes (PM minisessions where individual players perform actions between main sessions), are available on request. They're generally reserved for handling scenes that only include one or two players in order to prevent session disruption and maintain OOC secrecy. I reserve the right to refuse such a scene if I feel it isn't appropriate to the game.
The Mage Association is the foremost magical institute in the world, serving as a knowledge repository and support net for magisters worldwide. In addition to being a collection of regional supervisors and teaching enclaves, the heart of the organization rest in London, in the facility known as 'the Clock Tower'. Hidden from mundane scrutiny, this facility functions as the nerve center for the group's administrative body, a reliquary for mystical wonders - and an academy for the teaching and development of mages, young and old.
You are students at the Clock Tower - initiates into the Mage Association and its politics. Study hard, have fun, and survive.
Oops, did I type the last one?
Game run by BM, in case there was any confusion.
Game is capped at six people; certain people have come to me in private, but I don't know who all is committed to this. This will be decided as events warrant.
Suggestions regarding starting points and other chargen concerns go in the Discussion page.
Characters
Mildred Wattenberg Chaotically Insecure
Alicia Winters Snuggly Evil
Jessica Thompson Lawful Plotting
Lucinda McRae Chaotic Fretful
Beatrice Winslow Chaotic Confused
Septimus Cibo Lawful Jerk (Good)
NPCs
The Dean: Bishie head of the school. Very calm and polite.
Professor Hyatt Winslow: The party's Mentor. A cultured, somewhat playful Master. Is cousin of Beatrice, whose Mentor faked her death so that she could study magic without fear of discovery.
Professor Bostock: Bombastic demon-hunter turned Professor. Has a no-nonsense view on the supernatural.
Yomi Kurosaka: Japanese mage looking to study under Professor Tosaska, but stuck with Bostock. Is frightened after being threatened by Jack the Ripper.
Ambrose Wattenburg-Terwilliger: A mage who was trying to set a trap in the First test. Was killed and ghouled by Beatrice, and later killed by Cibo at Hyatt (actually Winnifred's) behest. Deceased.
Winnifred: A shapeshifter who tricked Cibo into killing Ambrose's ghoul; he saved her from capture by playing along with her ruses, first as a nurse and second as a schoolgirl he was sleeping with. Became Cibo's familiar before the raid on the Wattenburg compound and is currently staying in his room at Clock Tower.
Jack the Ripper: A serial killer famous for his string of brutal murders in 1888 London, where he was attributed with killing several prostitutes in Whitechapel district. His identity was never discovered. Over a hundred years later, he has apparently returned, and is sending more Jack Letters to Clock Tower students.
The Fascist: A Dead Apostle encountered in Italy, with the power to turn into blood and shape flesh. Calls Beatrice his 'sister', claiming they have the same father. Escaped as the temple of Hades collapsed.
Hades: May be a Greek God who destroyed the cavern where his temple was located after the party broke his statue. May be pissed at them. May know how to restart the Grail War, and how to kill a True Ancestor.
Persephone: Greek Goddess of life and fertility and wife of Hades. Currently riding around inside of Milly. Can turn into a giant tree, but is a lazy nympho.
Marigold: Cutest mage ever. Was put into a coma by Milly, brought out by Alicia. Current activities: being adorable and determined. Knows ancient African magic.
Gunther Heinlich. Very old man with golden teeth. Quite friendly and chivalrous. Possibly a Sorcerer.
Annie Wattenburg: Oldest of the Wattenburg homonculus sisters created by Animus after Milly's 'death'. Incestuously inclined to her father, domineering to the rest. Is currently devoted to Milly due to mind control, and is purged of her incestuousness.
Crystal Wattenburg: Middle sister of the Wattenburg homonculus sisters created by Animus after Milly's 'death'. Is disturbingly attracted to undead, monsters, and constructs. Cried when she was 'fixed' with mind control.
Danae Wattenburg: Youngest sister of the Wattenburg homonculus sisters created by Animus after Milly's 'death'. The nice one. Priestess of Hades and lover of Simon Terwilliger, ghost. Was mind controlled but released, and got over it.
Simon Terwilliger: Ghost of a former Grail War DC participant, who serves Jess now. Priest of Hades in life, he carries the Noble Phantasm 'Ouranos'. Lover of Danae. Can ride in people's heads. May know how to restart the Grail War.
Dr. Animus: Homonculus artist and possessor of Mystic Eyes: Animation. Loony. Last seen flying off on a giant stone head.
Sebastian Wattenburg: Father of Milly Wattenburg. Kept trying to kill her, master summoner. Was mindfreemed into lobotomy and dragged to Hell.
Cuchel of the Blooded Serpent: Unseelie Fae Knight. Brother to Lucinda. Takes a lot of punishment. King of the Seelie Court. Lifted onto the throne by Tree-Milly.
Lady in Red: (ex)Master of the Seelie Court in Western Ireland, and mother to Lucinda. Very nice. Very shiny.
Augustine Flamel: Cibo's Mentor. Nice woman. Soft spot for her.
Amentep: Egyptian ghost (?) that helped a crime family in Italy. Knows a lot of powerful magic, including constructs. Vanished after confronted.
Don Cicera: Aging patriarch of the Cicera crime family in Veneto. Didn't want to use magical items, dusted his hands of them when confronted.
Bradley: Ghost that was murdered by knives, which have become part of his form. Filled with rage and hatred for the one that killed him, though he doesn't know whom that is. A ladies' man and pervert. Lives in Jessica's knife now.
Gonebegone: Evil Clown. Has a deal with the party to help his 'children' the other clowns.
The Prophet: Scared fortuneteller woman. Currently mindslaved by Alicia.
Al-zafar: Ifrite originally bound by the Prophet. Now free. Drinks blood. Is in love with Beatrice. Gave her his blood.
Lord of Fangs: A monstrous strongman from the circus. Hunted the party on behalf of the unseen Ringmaster.
Carlotta von Einzburn: Matriarch and Stewart of the Einzburn castle. Knew Alicia's mother.
Sibyl: Cat-girl homonculus with a poisonous bite and supernatural charisma. Has nearly unlimited mana reserves. Very playful, but innocent(ish).
Christopher Hawthorne: Rival to Jessica's master. Sending guys after her.
Sessions
XP
XP is equal to CP for the purposes of spending. It will be given out at the end of arcs, depending on how upgrades scale. RP awards are given out per session, equalling 1 XP; there may also be adjustments due to scaling. Please ask me if you want to raise attributes for now; Circuit and Disciplines may be raised at leisure.
Season 1: School
Session 1: 2 XP for Prologue, RP award Beatrice Winslow (Silence)
Session 2: Part one of Curfew Arc, RP Award Beatrice Winslow (Silence)
Session 3: 2 XP for Part two of Curfew Arc, RP Award Beatrice Winslow (Silence)
Session 4: 0 XP Mini-session: Prelude to Italy Arc
Session 5: 0 XP for Part one of the Italy Arc
Session 6: 2 XP for the Italy Arc, RP Award Beatrice Winslow (Silence, again!)
Session 7: 2 XP for the Italy Arc, Rp Award tie between Alicia and Beatrice
Session 8: 2 XP for the Rescue Part 1
Session 9: 2 XP for the Rescue Part 2
Session 10: 1 XP for the Dream Hound
Session 11: 1 XP for Wattenburg 1
Session 12: 3 XP for Wattenburg 2
Session 13: 1 XP for Glacier
Session 14: 1 XP for Fae Court 1
Session 15: 1 XP for Fae Court 2
Session 16: 2 XP for Search for Beatrice
Session 17: 1 XP for Return to Italy 1: The Villa
Session 18: 3 XP for Return to Italy 2: Primal Cavern
Session 19: 1 XP for Return to Italy 3: The Lodge
Session 20: 2 XP for Return to Italy 4: The Crime Family
Session 21: 1 XP for Circus 1: Murder at the Big Top
Session 22: 1 XP for Circus 2: Gonebegone's Crazy Clown Catastrophe
Session 23: 1 XP for Circus 3: Ifrite in a Bottle
Session 24: 1 XP for Circus 4: Grand Finale: End of Season 1
Season 2: A Girl with White Hair
Session 1: 1 XP for Warehouse: The Girl with White Hair
Session 2: 1 XP for The Red Moon Coming Down
Session 3: 1 XP for Escape to Germany/The Sorrow of St. Dymphna
Session 4: 1 xp for Einzburn Castle, Part 1: The Rescue
Session 5: 1 xp for Einzburn Castle, Part 2: The Necropolis
Session 6: 1 xp for Einzburn Castle, Part 3: The Dragon of Dust
Session 6: 1 xp for Fuyuki City, Part 1: Ilya's Castle
Total: 36 XP
The Clock Tower
The Mage Association's headquarters lies underneath the British Museum, in a series of underground structures and catacombs. This houses the homes of the Council leaders, as well as the university facilities and the dorms for professors and students.
Students who enroll at Clock tower spend most of their time studying in the main underground complex, a collection of ornately-designed hallways and laboratories dedicated to magical study. Obviously, this is not common knowledge to anyone who is not a magician (how much the British government knows is a topic of debate amongst students), so students are ostensibly affiliated with one of the local London Universities, traditionally the University of London. Students are able to participate in sporting events through their affiliated school, or study standard degrees in addition to their study of magic, if they're so inclined.
Clock Tower is run by a Council of Archmagi, who are the local leaders for England's Mage Association and the defacto head of the worldwide organization. Few of them actually teach, leaving that to lesser masters while they spend their time on their personal projects and factionalism. Professors are usually seasoned mages, who are responsible for a certain class or discipline within magic.
Students who come to Clock Tower have already been apprenticed in their youth, and have been sponsored by their master or another mage to join the tower. Some students are apprenticed to mages residing in the tower, who shepherd their study as they attend classes; others are free agents who come recommended by a distant member. Some students distinguished themselves due to events in their youth, particularly supernatural occurrences they were involved in; solving a prickly supernatural problem is an instant recommendation. There are even rare students on exchange from the Church who train to join the Burial Agency – rivals of the Mage Association, these goodwill exchanges are viewed with quiet wariness at best and magical surveillance at worst.
Clock Tower is not just a school, but a repository for magical artifacts and lore – including some top-secret materials. These are kept in secure museums for careful observation, with the most dangerous placed in heavily-defended or secret vaults. The most well-known of this is White Vault, a giant sealed chamber guarded by powerful wards located in the lower reaches. Magical guardians protect restricted areas, and most are polite enough to warn students before trying to eat them – that is, the ones who students are expected to see are. When you're inside, you're fair prey for the really scary stuff.
Most players are students in their first year attendance to the Clock Tower. Think about why they've come to study, who mentored them, how they were admitted, and what they seek to do with their magical knowledge.
Otherwise, have fun! And don't go in the White Vault.
Character Creation
CP costs:
Attributes: Current Rating + 1
Specialites: Current Rating + 1
Willpower: [Current Rating + 1] X3. You get one dot free because
Magic Circuit: [Current Rating + 1] X4. You get one dot for free because.
Magic Knowledge: [Current Rating + 1] X3
Merits: As noted in descriptions
Clock Tower Character Creation
Rules Guidelines
Basic Rolls
Stat Check: [Relevant Primary Attribute] + [Relevant Specialty]
Basic Attack Roll: Physical + [Relevant Spec]
Basic Defense Roll: Endurance + [Relevant Spec]
Damage Rolls: For now, your successes count as damage on a hit. They are cancelled out by defense rolls.
Defense Roll: Endurance for physical damage (most damage), Integrity for mental effects and mind-affecting substances, and Perception for illusions or social combat.
Magic Rolls
All Magic rolls are [Relevant Primary] + [Knowledge Rating]. The Relevant Primaries are set for the magic itself, and can only be substituted at GM discretion. Also, this list of effects doesn't cover everything; narrative stuff and rituals must be stunted and decided by the GM based on magnitude and effect. If you're not sure, stunt and ask the GM.
Note, that any Summoning or Creation Magic does not require a roll (notably for Projection, Puppetry, Spiritualism, or Necromancy), but merely require expending mana. This is because they effectively create sustained weapons. Attacking with a summon uses the standard attack pool.
Also, if you're trying to affect multiple people, you generally need one level higher than the effect (so a B-type effect on many people is A-type).
Augmentation: Physical
C-Level: Add specialty dice of a certain aspect equal to sux. Alternatively, 1+ sux gives you one in one primary stat. Heal HLs equal to sux.
B-Level: Add your sux to a primary stat. Heal sux +2 autosux in health.
A-Level: As B, but you may spend successes instead to designate more primary stats (so allocating 2 sux out of 5 and the other 3 to dice increases leaves 2 stats at 3.) Heal multiple targets or fully heal one.
S-Level: Add your sux in all primary stats. Heal everyone totally.
Projection: Physical
C-Level: Create a normal weapon, armour or object, which counts as an extra die on attacks or defences with it.
B-Level: Create a weapon, armour, or object which adds Projection dice to physical attacks and defenses with that device, or uses that use another kind of object.
A-Level: Create a weapon, armour, or object with Projection + 2 dice added to its use, which can be exchanged for magical properties (freeze target, weaken wards, etc).
S-Level: Create weapon, armour, or object that counts as a Noble Phantasm.
Elementalism: Intelligence
C-Level: Manifest elemental power that works as a basic combat weapon, either as the ability to fire magical bolts or a melee weapon of elements.
B-Level: Do basic damage, and add 2 automatic damage on successful hit (negated by defense)
A-Level: Do basic damage, with each success counted as 2 damage, and add 2 automatic damage (damage points negated by endurance)
S-Level: Do basic damage, with each success counted as 5 damage, and add 5 automatic damage (damage points negated by endurance...you probably need wards)
Mentalism: Intelligence
C-Level: Give penalties to target's actions equal to successes. Possible to stop action.
B-Level: Stop or influence someone's actions until they get enough Integrity successes to cancel all the successes.
A-Level: Completely control someone's actions until they beat it with Integrity.
S-Level: Do any effect with no chance of Integrity roll.
Puppetry: Intelligence
C-Level: Create (summon, effectively) a puppet that works as a basic summon weapon when animated, and gains 1 of its 4 special abilities, determined when the player builds the puppet. Minor animation to surrounding objects. Allow a puppet to operate on its own for one turn, without tying up the caster (can be cast alongside another action).
B-Level: Create a puppet that adds 3 of the 4 special abilties. Dice cannot be exchanged for more powers. Major animation to objects.
A-Level: Create a puppet that adds all 4 of the special abilties and +2 dice to rolls (which cannot be traded for special abilties). Animate giant object or many objects.
S-Level: Create a puppet like A-level, but capable of acting on its own in initiative without spending additional mana. Animate everything.
Warding: Intelligence
C-Level: Create a ward on one target that grants extra dice on defense rolls equal to your number of successes.
B-Level: Create a ward on one target that grants extra dice on defense rolls equal to your number of successes +2 automatic warding. Or whole party at C-rank.
A-Level: Create a ward on one target that utterly ignores a number of attacks equal to successes.
S-Level: Create a ward on one target that utterly ignores a number of attacks per round cycle equal to successes.
Necromancy: Charisma
C-Level: Create a minor zombie, an autonomous creature. Manifest necromantic power that works as a basic weapon, either as the ability to fire magical bolts or a melee weapon of death energy. See ghosts. Stop undead with minor commands. Heal sux in HLs.
B-Level: Create a stronger undead. Summon a ghost as a summon weapon that that drains mana on attack or can attack a target's Integrity to control or weaken them. Summon and bind undead. Heal sux +2 on one target.
A-Level: Creates an undead of greater power with supernatural abilities. Summon ghosts who have +2 dice on all attack rolls (can be traded for a special power per die), and can drain mana and attack the mind like above. Dismiss undead or control their actions directly. Heal multiple targets for sux or one target fully.
S-Level: Creates Dead Apostles and other fun stuff. Summon ghosts as weapons which can attack everyone in an area with the same powers as A-class ghosts. Control Undead without Integrity checks. Heal everyone fully.
Spiritualism: Charisma
C-Level: Summon a basic spirit that works as a basic summon weapon. Bind a spirit. Allow a spirit to operate on its own for one turn, without tying up the caster (can be cast alongside another action).
B-Level: Summon a potent spirit that gains 2 extra supernatural abilties of the player's choice, but cannot trade dice for more. Bind a spirit with bonus dice.
A-Level: Summon a powerful, commanding spirit with 2 special abilties, and adds +2 dice to every attack roll. You may trade dice for more special abilities. Control a spirit's actions.
S-Level: Summon a spirit capable of altering the entire battlefield with supernatural powers, which is automatically capable of effecting all targets on the field, in addition to the A-class benefits. Bind and Control spirits without an integrity check.
Energy Control: Magic Circuit. Can stunt other stats depending on method. Note that if a target has no mana to steal, HLs are damaged to produce 2 mana per level.
C-Level: Take mana from a willing mage or object. Imbue mana into something.
B-Level: Take mana from an unwilling subject at 1 per sux. Drain a mortal of mana at 1 per sux (mortals generally have 5 mana they cannot use. Invest mana into an object to maintain it without you being there.
A-Level: Regain mana equal to successesX5 by tapping the world. Drain a mortal of all mana in one blow.
S-Level: Cast spells with 0 Mana cost for a number of turns equal to you successes.
Special
Sorcery: Magic Circuit, with Relevant Primary in certain cases. Most Sorcery cannot be opposed with anything less than S-class magic and roll is moot.
Feeding: Relevant Attribute + Magic Circuit
Regain Mana normally: Generally abstracted, but it's pretty slow; you need to either rest or absorb it from someone using spells.
Spell Costs
C: 2 mana
B: 5 mana
A: 10 mana
S: 15 mana