Nightbane Game

[Marcethus]

I am working up a Nightbane Campaign. It is currently in the early stages of reading through the books and taking notes on what changes I feel need to be made to various things. As well as noting down what adventure hooks and ideas come up. I do not yet have an over-arching story line as of yet though I am sure one will come eventually.

What I am doing here is simple. I am trolling for interest in a game. I will be running this game online when I am ready to run. But until then I thought I would generate some buzz and maybe get some players drummed up and see what character concepts they were interested in playing. Partly to kick the story ideas into gear to start forming, and partly to see what ideas can be generated by the characters backgrounds themselves.

The Setting is 2010: (As I do not have NBSG as of yet and do not know what year the game is set in that book I am assuming from the SoL book's 2006 and moving it forward.) It has been 10 years since Dark Day. Many of the factions are frustrated by the lack of any decisive moves against the Ba'al. The Nightlords only seem to be getting better fortified for the most part.

My Game will specifically focus on the West Coast of the United States with the occasional foray elsewhere as the story dictates.
Most of the Factions remain unchanged. Though Spook Squad tends to take a harder stance against Supernaturals than stated in the books. They tend to kill any SN's on sight no questions asked. And if they can't kill immediately due to civilians in the area or a current mission they mark for termination. The Nocturnes continue to do their best to fight both the Nightlords and the growing Vampire threat as well as any other incursions by Supernatural forces that seek to harm Humanity. Lightbringers continue to fight against all evils and help those that can not help themselves. The Seekers continue to seek knowledge and use it to fight the Nightlords.

I have focused much of my starting info on Oregon with little tidbits for Washington State and California. I am sure as I keep reading through the books more info will get added. But That's the gist of the current setting info I have to date.

[Marcethus]

Just an update on the progress of my work on my Campaign. I am working on some interesting ideas using the Both the Astral Plane and the Dreamstream. So many of those classes would be an option in my game.

The Tribes of the Moon are also an active part of the game setting in my campaign. How active they are active in the game itself probably depends on if one or more players choose to play one as a character. And also whether or not the PC's inadvertently interfere with whatever plans they have in motion.

[Marcethus]

Another Update.

I have redone the Info on Spook Squad, they are not so totally anti-SN as I have them listed on the first post. They are back to their normal level of suspicion.

I finally have an storyline, not going to reveal too much of it.

PC's will be agents of a faction, possibly with ties to multiple factions that are working together to stop various threats in the region. Both from the Nightlords and from other threats.

I have various house rules that I am using but will not post those till I am ready for characters to be created. I still have a couple more books to read through. Am currently reading TGtD.

[GeraldClamar]

Hello. I also have gotten into the Nightbane game and I like what you have going, and I have one suggestion: Include one or two cities in the South that have no Nightlord presence whatsoever. The reason: A very unlikely but possible scenario: Vampires and Nightbane (most likely the BeNocturne faction) worked together to.....remove the Nightlords from their city. Why the south? Because in Texas and Arizona it's very arid and rain is extremely unlikely. And one idea (inspired by the Vampire Kingdoms Mexico City (Rifts World book 1)): One of the Master Vampires is acting leader of said city, and the normal citizens (those ages 16 and up) contribute blood to the local hospitals, insuring a steady supply of "food" which works out for humans and vamps, and if said vamps get out of line, they would be most harsh on the renegades. As for the Vampire Intelligence, who knows why it's doing this? Those guys have such long lifespans that they can engage in long-term goals, like dragons. Worth thinking about, at least.

[Rogerd]

Was reading the books again myself.
Basically it is going to combine both Heroes Unlimited and Nightbane.

in essence Dark Day lasts over a year, and it not only blocks the sun, but also the use of mystical energies - thus also preventing the use of superpowers - kinda like in Smallville (where the idea came from) when the sun is blocked out.

It will be a three tier game.

First Tier will be heroes on the same kind of level as Oliver Queen (Arrow), Daredevil (MCU).

Second Tier will include immortals, vampire (wampyr - although I have removed normal Palladium vampires for a lot of very obvious reasons). Also allowed would be low level Nightbane, Athanatos (also slightly reworked), Guardians.

Third Tier would allow the players to take on the role of Mega-Heroes (Krytonians and such like) to go kick the Nightlords arse.

Now in order to unlock each tier they have to find what is blocking the source of mystical energy or sunlight and decide which one to use first. There will be dire consequences should they get them in the wrong order.

For this I decided that superheroes also access 'magic' only whereas the main magic classes are-Mystic, Sorcerer, Wizard. Heroes are Empowered. It will also be freeform.

[GeraldClamar]

Not a bad idea, I like the idea of a "dark superhero" theme, and looking at the rules closely, I think the Nightlords can easily affect, even defeat, heroes like Superman, though I would hesitate at allowing mega-heroes. Keep some vamps as NPCs and villains, though, because every Megaverse needs a pool of villains to draw from. As for the mysticism, yes that is a great idea, but add a few random elements to it, like wild magic, entities (gods) to entreat from, and mentors to learn from should be few and far between, even with the Internet and the Shadowboard.

[Rogerd]

Not a bad idea, I like the idea of a "dark superhero" theme, and looking at the rules closely, I think the Nightlords can easily affect, even defeat, heroes like Superman, though I would hesitate at allowing mega-heroes. Keep some vamps as NPCs and villains, though, because every Megaverse needs a pool of villains to draw from. As for the mysticism, yes that is a great idea, but add a few random elements to it, like wild magic, entities (gods) to entreat from, and mentors to learn from should be few and far between, even with the Internet and the Shadowboard.

Cool, thanks. Now Mega-Heroes are the last tier to play, after the first two levels are done in their goals, as for the most part Guardians (which I renamed Children of Light) are powerless, as would Kryptonians. I looked at some of the incarnations of Superman really closely, and Reeves is too up and down. Comic book versions I'm not touching with a barge pole.

1. Smallville Superman is way too overpowered, to the extent that in one episode he smacked down a villain (around s6-7) while playing American football, and moved so fast that everyone had not moved by the time he got back.
2. Man of Steel. Again too powerful, where you have someone that can literally cut a skyscraper in half with heat vision is too much.
3. Supergirl version seemed perfect to be honest, and in the series often comes up against foes that I would consider Nightlord-lite, and like you say would indeed require the heroes to team-up in order to beat one - even using freeform rules.

Basically the first dark hero tier, will allow characters to play say-

Physical Training
* Ancient Master - Kinda Pei Mei level from Kill Bill.
* SpecOps - Punisher from Daredevil series
* Spy - Sidney Bristow, or James Bond.
* Super Sleuth - Sherlock from Elementary

Other
* Hardware - Pick two areas of choice: Analytical, Electrical, Mechanical, Weapons
* Super Soldier - NuKhan from nuTrek would fit with the slightly darker tones. MCU Captain America would be too overpowered, as would Arrow's Mirakuru enhanced individuals.

Interestingly I also spent some time sourcing art for all this stuff, it seems my Google-fu is getting better. lol

[Rogerd]

Weirdly enough I was looking through NB Book 1, and to my utter surprise under the PCC Natural Genius were the Ancient Master abilities, page 122-124. To say i was stunned would be an understatement.