Re: [HoE] Templar Book Questions....

[Matthew Steflik <grifflik@stny.rr.com>]

Grimm wrote:

> 3. Yeah he looks impressive as does his weapon, any stats on
> it or a normal version of one?
>

No, there isn't to my knowledge (normal or otherwise), but here's a
suggestion for one that seems reasonable (I'll presume its one that's
been modified a bit from being a simple farm implement into one that is
intentionally a weapon - the one in the picture you refer to for example
appears more or less "straight"; typical scythes are not).  I'll throw
my thoughts on its smaller cousin in as well:

Scythe - Defensive Bonus: +2, Speed: 2, Damage: Strength + 2d8

Sickle - Defensive Bonus +1, Speed: 1, Damage: Strength + 2d6


> 4. Yes i would like to see anyone`s thoughts
> on Ax Relics for the Anti Templar.
>
> (snip) As for players taking an expedition to Europe to ravage the English
> Museum, I would think that would have already been done. I was thinking that
> maybe over the years that maybe one or two have made a transatlantic journey
> for one reason or another.
>
Sorry, but I've got to side with Doctor X regarding Trans-Atlantic
expeditions post-war.  Such an undertaking would be incredibly dangerous
and fool-hardy - the ships/flying machines required to do it IMHO are
simply too hard to come by and/or unreliable without outside guidance.
Besides, at least for my posse, there's no way they'd ever get their
hands on that kind of functional technology.   If anyone "ravaged the
English museums" already, it would have been the English, not aspiring
Pilgrim ancestors trying to sail back to the mother land to steal stuff.
You'd have a much easier time explaining the presence of an European
Headsman's Ax by stating it was part of an exhibit of "Methods of
Execution through History" or something similar at the Smithsonian,
Metropolitan or "insert name here" of a fictional museum of equivalent
size (the big ones are always putting on kooky exhibits of one theme or
another).  The ax could be the real McCoy, having been on loan from a
private collection from Europe before the bombs. Finding the museum and
exploring it (with the creepy exhibits) would make a great adventure
nugget.  Paul Bunyon? Eh.  An American folk tale, but little too loony
even for me to use in Deadlands.  But, a lumberjack's ax isn't outside
the realm of usability.  Your thoughts regarding Native American
tomahawks and such have merit as well.  Have you seen Tim Burton's
Sleepy Hollow yet?  His version of the Headless Horseman uses an ax in
addition to his sword, and that's another solid American folk tale.  How
about Lizzie Borden's ax?  Or the ax of any "stereotypical" ax murderer
for that matter. If you don't want to historically draw from the dozens
of real murderers and serial killers that have used axes in their
crimes, go Hollywood: Jason Vorhees (Friday the 13th) and Mike Myers
(Halloween) (not the comedian...although he also did "So I Married an Ax
Murderer", didn't he) both used axes AT LEAST once in their long
careers.  Maybe the movie props absorbed some evil powers/taint over
time?
While its not an Anti-Templar ax relic, I have this stats for a
Doomsayer Doomblade over at the Shelter that happens to be an ax if that
helps for comparison that was created by one of my players.  Its in the
Gear section under Relics.

Hope that helps.

Matt Steflik
Master of Wahoo
Gimme Shelter - http://www.geocities.com/grifflik