Category: Urban Shadows RPG: Discussion

So in the last game of Motor City Urban Shadows, in the hunt for the missing Medium (an NPC who the Oracle had a…

So in the last game of Motor City Urban Shadows, in the hunt for the missing Medium (an NPC who the Oracle had a…

So in the last game of Motor City Urban Shadows, in the hunt for the missing Medium (an NPC who the Oracle had a vision of dying in a horrible manner, who happens to be a friend) the Specter decided to go to the Medium’s public place of business to see if he could find anything. When he got there he found that wards were put up against ghosts and that he’d have to find a way through. He tried to push through with the emotional force of the rage he felt from his own death, but failed (Let It Out, got a 6) and the wards tore at him, causing harm.

Realizing he’d need to find another way, he called on the young punk Fae – the Fae was known for getting into places he wasn’t supposed to, and besides the Fae owed him for taking a part in his death.

So, the Fae came down and managed to get the door open easily enough, then disrupted the line of salt and wax that lined all the entrances, letting the Specter in.

Once inside, the Specter tried to take a look around, Investigating a Place of Power. Unfortunately for him, he rolled a 6. Fortunately for him, the Fae was there, so he lent a hand, extending his Fae senses for enchantments all about. More unfortunately (for them both) the Fae rolled a 5.

The game ended right around then, as it was midnight (on a worknight) and I wanted to have a chance to think of some ideas on what cool things could happen.

Anyway, I’ve got a couple ideas, but I figured I might as well share with the community and see if you guys have any that might be better! Thanks in advance!

Thinking of starting a Dresden Files Game – usually I would use the rather great Dresden Files RPG, but I am very…

Thinking of starting a Dresden Files Game – usually I would use the rather great Dresden Files RPG, but I am very…

Thinking of starting a Dresden Files Game – usually I would use the rather great Dresden Files RPG, but I am very very curious if Urban Shadows would work. What do you guys think I would need to adapt – playbooks? Fractions?

Non-Urban Shadows:

Non-Urban Shadows:

Non-Urban Shadows:

So, I’ve been talking with a group of potential players and we were discussing the huge amount of horror (especially American horror) that takes place out in the woods: cabins, small towns in the mountains, off the beaten track.

I’m thinking of running an Urban Shadows in such a community, something with deep, freaky roots and families that go way back, perhaps during a time of turmoil where the town is falling into chaos and disarray.  So, what moves, playbooks, etc. need to change to make this so?

Hit The Streets: This may just need a remain, perhaps ‘Consult The Local Gossip’ or something.

Factions: These feel at first like they may be less of an effect in a small town, but the more I think about it the more I’m thinking it would fit exceptionally well.  The difference would just be that the Night faction isn’t a massive army of vampires, it’s a small brood that has lived on the outskirts for a while.

I’m thinking this could be a fun way to try to turn some of the creepiness of Urban Shadows up.  Anyone else tried to add ‘Sub’ to Urban Shadows or even Rural Shadows?

I love that US encourages players to think outside the straight white male privilege box when making characters.

I love that US encourages players to think outside the straight white male privilege box when making characters.

I love that US encourages players to think outside the straight white male privilege box when making characters. Here’s a great blog post illustrating just why that’s so important.

http://timemachineyeah.tumblr.com/post/58648290519/this-is-a-jar-full-of-major-characters

Is there any guidance that I’m just missing on how to define the mythological weaknesses of the archetypes?

Is there any guidance that I’m just missing on how to define the mythological weaknesses of the archetypes?

Is there any guidance that I’m just missing on how to define the mythological weaknesses of the archetypes?

Non-move powers are covered pretty well by the Let it Out move, but I was surprised to not see character creation questions for some of the archetypes to flesh out what flaws the archetype has.

The biggest offender seems to be the Vamp, but the same could be true of other archetypes as well.

In various stories/mythology vampires:

Can’t cross running water

Can’t stand a cross (or maybe it’s the faith behind it)

Burn in sunlight (to various degrees)

Can’t enter a house uninvited

Repulsed by Garlic

Burned by silver

Forced into slumber during the daylight hours

Et cetera.

It seems pretty clear to me that when playing the archetype, they shouldn’t be hit by the entire set of the above, and that each game of Urban Shadows may have a different version of vampires.  However, it seems important that at least the MC and the Player are on the same page about what being a vampire means.

I’m not too concerned by weaknesses that require active effort from an enemy because that falls nicely into things like the “expose a weakness” clause of Trick.  I’m more concerned about agreement on when the vampire can be active and when they can enter buildings, or other day-to-day environmental problems.

Has anyone played in a game with (or played) a vampire that eats flesh, rather than emotions or blood?

Has anyone played in a game with (or played) a vampire that eats flesh, rather than emotions or blood?

Has anyone played in a game with (or played) a vampire that eats flesh, rather than emotions or blood?  It definitely seems like the hardest of the hungers to maintain – and I’d be curious about the ways that people have come up to play them.

With blood or emotion you can imagine ways in which the feeding process itself could be addicting to the fed upon, but flesh seems a lot more difficult.  As well it seems a lot harder to leave someone alive after eating their flesh than blood or emotion.  Finally, I think it’d be harder for a flesh vamp to use it’s feeding as an ‘intimate moment’.  Still, I think it’d be cool to explore this alternative to the usual vampires out there, so I’d love to hear folks ideas 🙂