Re: [DL] Arcane Backgrounds and various other ramblings

[Max Trebilcock <max.trebilcock@virgin.net>]

Thanks for the feedback Munch Wolf,
Nows here's my reply (Sound of Cracking Knuckles)

>So I know this email was sent out back in Feb, but I
>don't recall seeing any discussions about either of
>the two suggested AB's: Maelstroms or Malforms.

>Ok, correction, I remember a convo a while back saying
>that Tempests were would-be Psychers.

>My 2 cents.  I like both ideas ... sort of.

>I think the Maelstroms are way over powered for their
>cost.  A tempest costs 5 pts (with only 1 hex), while
>a Maelstrom costs 3 pts (with the ability to use more
>than 1 hex).  Granted the Maelstrom will have to pay
>for additional hexes, which will cost some.  Has
>anyone played with the Maelstrom idea?

The reason that the cost is cheap is due to a House Rule that I should
really post, I actually allow the Tempest Edge for 3 points as you might
as well play a Huckster, the balance is that I only allow one Tempest in
a Posse at any one time and generally the player has to have a good
background reason for the Edge due to the fact I think they'd be rare, 
a Top Shelf Item as my Posse calls it. 

Also the Maelstrom suffer an incredibly obvious Backlash unlike both
Hucksters and Tempests, but point taken.

>Second, I really like the Malforms if used as a guide
>for making Abominations.  With some work it would be a
>useful tool for making unique new monsters to throw
>against a posse.  The biggest flaw is there doesn't
>seem to be much in the way of varity in choices for
>them, and there arn't any deformaties/penalties
>listed.  Has anyone played with them?

>Somewhat spoilerish follows...

I know what you mean but it was a conscious effort on my part to allow a
Marshal or player to come up with their own Deformities or penatlies as
listed under each power.
However I am always open to suggestion, if anyone has any contribution
as to Deadlandish Deformities I will happily add them to the Page.

s
p
o
i
l
e
r
s

>One thing that threw me in the history of the Malforms
>was the idea of using mosquitoes to transmit Ghost
>Rock Fever.  Now my view is that Ghost Rock Fever is
>not a viral or bacterial illness, and therefor not
>contagious from one person to the next.  It's a
>physical condition and more closely resembles Black
>Lung.  Therefor giant mosquitoes could not transmit
>the disease.  At least that's my take on it. 
>Wondering which viewpoint other marshals hold?

I think my writing may have been misleading, Malforms are not a result 
of Ghost Rock Fever, thats merely what folks can pin it down to.
Its actually due to an Air Borne Disease spread by Ernst Biren which
reacts to a persons exposure to Ghost Rock, to reactivate latent
Formorian Genes.

Biren became frustrated because this only affected areas such as the
Maze and the Black Hills so he changed tact and infected the mosquitoes
with a variety of the disease that merely locks onto the latent
bloodline.

Like I said, thanks for the comments and other peoples ideas are often
better than my own, the Web provides a place for my over active
bordering on exploding imagination.

Thanks

Max
 
Visit the Path O' The Reckoning: 
< http://freespace.virgin.net/max.trebilcock/deadlands/ddindex.htm >

or the Deadlands Museum:

< http://www.geocities.com/arcanusuk/Deadlands/museum/museum.htm >