urban fantasy Sightlines (Incomplete)

[YourFNF]

46 minutes ago, bbykimmy said:

But did you ever try HERO 6th Edition?  It still uses active rolls for defense and a THAC0-like system (OCV vs DCV) - and the character creation is one hardback volume while the game rules are in another hardback volume.

It's intense, and I regret purchasing it.  I've played it all of like 3 sessions and I've never successfully run it because my players' eyes glaze over during character creation.

Uncharted Worlds is my favorite system right now, that thing is fantastic.

I've heard of THAC0 but I've never played anything with it.

[bbykimmy]

4 minutes ago, YourFNF said:

I've heard of THAC0 but I've never played anything with it.

It's an old term from AD&D - "To Hit Armor Class Zero".  You took your THAC0 rating, which was based on your class and level and the target's AC and compared it on a chart (negative armor class was better, -13 was the best), and then that was your target number on a D20, modified by any weapon enchantments you might have.

It was a silly time.  Game design has advanced quite a lot since those days

[YourFNF]

5 minutes ago, bbykimmy said:

It's an old term from AD&D - "To Hit Armor Class Zero".  You took your THAC0 rating, which was based on your class and level and the target's AC and compared it on a chart (negative armor class was better, -13 was the best), and then that was your target number on a D20, modified by any weapon enchantments you might have.

It was a silly time.  Game design has advanced quite a lot since those days

Wow that makes gurps look simple by comparison

[bbykimmy]

3 minutes ago, YourFNF said:

Wow that makes gurps look simple by comparison

Well in my day, it was all we had and we liked it! 

Kids these days...

I'm teasing - my favorite game right now is Uncharted Worlds which can reduce an entire combat down to a single 2d6 + stat roll - if you get 10 or higher (stats max at +2), you win the combat.  Doesn't matter if there were 10 goons.  It's slightly different for "boss fights" but fights aren't the point of the game - the story is.  Combat just gets in the way.  A lesser roll could impose a cost or some hard choices for the characters, but it's generally assumed that a goon squad is going to lose to the heroes, and it's better to just get that over and done with (in a cinematic way) so the story can keep going.  D&D simulates a fantasy novel (generally epic length), Uncharted Worlds simulates a Sci-Fi TV series.

I love it.

[YourFNF]

8 minutes ago, bbykimmy said:

Well in my day, it was all we had and we liked it! 

Kids these days...

I'm teasing - my favorite game right now is Uncharted Worlds which can reduce an entire combat down to a single 2d6 + stat roll - if you get 10 or higher (stats max at +2), you win the combat.  Doesn't matter if there were 10 goons.  It's slightly different for "boss fights" but fights aren't the point of the game - the story is.  Combat just gets in the way.  A lesser roll could impose a cost or some hard choices for the characters, but it's generally assumed that a goon squad is going to lose to the heroes, and it's better to just get that over and done with (in a cinematic way) so the story can keep going.  D&D simulates a fantasy novel (generally epic length), Uncharted Worlds simulates a Sci-Fi TV series.

I love it.

Checking it now. I tend like more in depth combat but this still sounds really interesting

[bbykimmy]

3 minutes ago, YourFNF said:

Checking it now. I tend like more in depth combat but this still sounds really interesting

I did too, once upon a time.  But D&D combat became tedious for me.  D&D felt like 2 games:  a great epic story, constantly interrupted by a combat mini-game that was stacked in the players' favor.  Now, I've been DMing (I'm always the DM) for 20 years, so I understand that my experience is abnormal... but I needed to go to a system where I was no longer bored by combat.

Microscope is the one I want to play though.  I've played it twice, truncated games - I want a group of writers to get together and play this game with me to see what manner of insanity we would create.

[YourFNF]

5 minutes ago, bbykimmy said:

I did too, once upon a time.  But D&D combat became tedious for me.  D&D felt like 2 games:  a great epic story, constantly interrupted by a combat mini-game that was stacked in the players' favor.  Now, I've been DMing (I'm always the DM) for 20 years, so I understand that my experience is abnormal... but I needed to go to a system where I was no longer bored by combat.

Microscope is the one I want to play though.  I've played it twice, truncated games - I want a group of writers to get together and play this game with me to see what manner of insanity we would create.

That is not one I've hear of.

[bbykimmy]

4 minutes ago, YourFNF said:

That is not one I've hear of.

I'm so indie that my shirt don't fit.

I was shocked when Personalias had heard of it, I squeed like crazy.

[bbykimmy]

Chapter Three

Rachel climbed slowly up the emergency staircase.

Why do these bitches always have to live on the top floor of some highrise?  she thought bitterly.  Why can't a boss Witch live in a fucking bungalow?

She was working against the clock tonight and she knew it - she had no business doing this rescue.  She should have just put a bullet in the Familiar's head too, ended the stupid thing's suffering.  But she couldn't.  Not when her own sister was a rescue.  If the Hunter had shot instead of saving Claire... everything would be different.  It was obvious the girl was still in there somewhat, there was still hope.  That could have been Claire.  That had been Claire at one point.

As Rachel trudged up that seemingly never-ending staircase, her mind lingered on her younger sibling.  Her sister was never going to be the same, she knew it - she had lost a foot and a half of height, her eyes had been enlarged, her figure changed.... but she had gained back her bladder control, she had gained back most of her mind.  She was extremely sensitive to magic, but even that could be an advantage in a way.

Claire was the perfect honey pot now.

Rachel hated that her sister volunteered to be bait so often, but Witches were drawn to her, could still taste the magic the awful bitch had poured into her.  Claire was alluring to them, her big, innocent eyes... and Rachel had killed a half-dozen targets thanks to that.

This girl could be the same - a great asset... but if even if she wasn't, she didn't deserve to be "adopted" by the next Witch that took the Winchester coven leader's mantle... and if this poor girl was half as alluring to them as Claire was, she would be back to "serving" before the night was even through.  On the other hand, if this blonde girl were already broken beyond saving and this entire near-suicide-run was for nothing… she’d be pissed.

Ugh, Rachel complained silently, I should have messaged Claire, should’ve let her know what was up. It was too late now, though.  She had let her panic get the better of her, imagining Claire as the Familiar in that penthouse - she had leapt before she looked, and sending a message now would be like sending up a flare.  The Witches would be on her in moments.

Rachel took comfort in the heft of the silver blade as the cool metal rested against her forearm, hidden in her left hand.  She plodded up the stairs - there was no sense in running.  She had to stay calm, the Witches would sense her anxiety otherwise.  She figured there were a cool dozen lesser witches on duty tonight, though probably only a few of them were Soldiers - most were probably Associates, just enough Witch blood in them to make them betray humanity in the name of personal comfort.

Witch blood didn’t make a person evil all by itself - there were a few Witch-blooded in the Resistance.  She wasn't sure if Oliver - her contact, Witch-blooded himself - would hug her or bite her nose off for this rescue.

I guess I'll have to survive to find out, her thoughts were dark.

A shiver ran through her body as the scrying spell swept over her, the ring on the middle finger of her left hand tingling like there was no tomorrow.  She stilled her heart, stopping for a moment and pressing herself to the wall.

Someone had likely found the goon in the security office.  Or one of the Soldiers found a door locked unexpectedly.  It should keep them busy long enough to get her to the penthouse elevator - there were no stairs from the "top" floor to the penthouse, only the elevator.  She hoped her stolen keycard would work it, she didn't want to use the talisman.

When the scry was done, she began a much faster climb.  Time hadn't been on her side for a moment during this misguided rescue attempt, and it certainly wasn't now.  Ten more flights and she was at the top - then a short elevator trip... and then back down with a dazed Familiar in tow.

What could fucking go wrong?  Ugh, I'm an idiot.

*   *   *

Serena was furious.  She had been given an impossible order - to guard the White Witch's elevator when the entire building was under lockdown.  Elena wouldn't have made that mistake.  And Nicole's scry revealed that three grunts were missing.  Serena had to blow a hole in the wall next to the door of her office, leaving her Familiar exhausted, sobbing, and bleeding as the blast had taken every bit of the girl's magic to burn through the lockdown shield.

Aurora shouldn't be a Lieutenant, she groused silently.  I should!  It should be me.  I'm more powerful than she is.  I'll prove it tonight and Elena will have no choice but to promote me.

Serena was determined - she'd catch this intruder, this idiot breaking into the home office of the second most powerful coven in the city.  She stretched, flexing her muscles and retying the ponytail of her dirty blonde hair.  Blood wasn’t everything.  Blood wasn’t the end-all-be-all as far as power was concerned.  Aurora might have a pedigree, but Serena knew she had stronger magic even though her blood was less pure.

She stood next to the elevator, whispering a chameleon spell, blending in to the wall behind her.

And waiting.  She could be patient - she had something to prove.

It took everything she had not to grin with the emergency stair door slipped open the barest amount and a human woman - likely a Hunter - stepped out and began creeping down the hallway.  She was dressed in all-black like a cartoonish burglar out of an old-timey TV show, skintight black pants and a tight black, long-sleeved shirt… Serena sniffed the air silently… she couldn’t smell any magic, but the woman’s clothes had to be enchanted - or she’d be sweating in that outfit.

The Witch admired the woman’s figure… and wondered what she’d look like transformed to a Little.  She was attractive, a wisp of red hair peeking from under her stocking cap - redheads were valuable, after all and the woman was attractive.  Maybe there would be some benefit in tonight after all.  She grinned as she waited, not breathing, as the Hunter stepped closer.

Serena waited until the woman was about twenty feet away before she struck.

 

 

Rachel stepped carefully, knife gripped loosely but firmly as she made her way to the penthouse elevator.  The end of the first leg was in sight, and she had been beyond lucky - she hadn't even come across another goon yet.  Maybe they were all just mashing the elevator buttons and whining softly like the lap dogs the traitors were.  She hated them, so many had traded their humanity for power, becoming twisted and warped, angry and evil.

She shouldn't have let her mind wander, shouldn't have let her thoughts drift to the worthless goons... shouldn't have let her hope climb the smallest bit as she neared those fancy elevator doors.

She never even felt the energy gather, didn't even see the shimmery chameleon movement until it was too late and a blast of wind was lifting her off the ground and throwing her down the hall, smacking into the wall ten feet away from where she had just stood.

"You stupid human," the Witch's voice crowed as she walked forward, arms spread with her palms up, green balefire burning there.  Rachel winced as she struggled to her feet, lifting the vial of Troll's blood to her lips, the action covered by the fall of her hair, hanging down over her face and concealing her from the Witch's gaze.  "What the fuck do you think you're even doing here?  Are you doing this on a dare, you pathetic little Hunter?"

I'm going to regret this later, Rachel groaned inwardly as the foul taste of the Troll blood passed her lips.  Oliver was going to be pissed for sure now, this wasn't just reckless - this was stupid.  She felt the banished Troll soul touch her own, felt its strength enter her muscles.  She could almost hear its laugh - it had a grip on her now, it would be easy for the Troll to worm its way into her heart and turn her slowly.

But Oliver would fix that.  He'd done it before.  And it had only been a few drops, just enough to give her an edge here.

"I think maybe I'll beat the shit out of you," the Witch continued, "and then keep you as a Familiar.  Mine might not survive the night thanks to your bullshit, after all.  It's only fair."

"I thought Winchesters… " Rachel rasped, faking.  She staggered a bit and leaned on the wall to her left, "said Familiars were for the weak?"  Her arms burned with power, she was dying to launch herself at her attacker and drive the blade deep into the woman's heart.  There were other urges there too, to bite the Witch, to drink her blood, to eat her flesh the way the Troll would.  But Rachel knew what a beyond foolish idea that was.

"Oh so you do know where you are," the Witch laughed, her feet barely touching the ground as she walked, the wind whipping around her as the balefire hovered in her grasp.  This one was strong - possibly too strong to be a mere Soldier... but she didn't seem smart enough to be a Lieutenant.  "I had thought that perhaps you confused us with another coven.  Maybe this is suicide by Witch?  You can't possibly think you'll survive."

One step closer, Rachel smirked behind her hair, "panting" for breath as she leaned on the wall.  There.

Once the Witch had taken that final step, Rachel lunged, slamming the top of her head directly into the Witch's chin after a sharp jump.  The creature's head whipped back from the force and, as expected, the balefire vanished.  Rachel's weight shoved the taller woman to the ground, propelled by the Troll strength.  They hit hard, and Rachel felt a rib crack inside the Witch beneath her.  But it wouldn't matter.

She whipped her hair to the side and sneered at the surprised look on the bitch's face, the Troll screaming triumph as she drove the silver blade into the Witch's heart.  Dark, dark red blood spewed forth, coating her hands.  Rachel ached - she knew that the Witch could have killed her if she hadn't wanted so badly to taunt her.  It has been too close.  She reached to her hip and took a swig of the holy water she kept there, temporarily silencing the Troll's influence on her mind.

For good measure, she spit some in the Witch's eyes, just as the light faded from them.

"I know where I am," Rachel groaned as she stood - the wind-blast had hurt.  But she had survived.  "You just didn't know who I am, you dumb bitch."

Rachel slapped at the button to the elevator.

That stupid Familiar had better not have hurt herself - it was 50/50 on whether the girl would still be kneeling in the pool of blood, trying to shake the White Witch awake... or looking for some way to kill herself.

New Familiars did that from time to time - especially in a moment of lucidity.

She hoped Claire would be able to help the girl... if they made it out.

[ELLIE52]

Really good chapter.  We found out about Claire, and also got to see Rachel in action.  Looking forward to more.

[bbykimmy]

5 minutes ago, ELLIE52 said:

Really good chapter.  We found out about Claire, and also got to see Rachel in action.  Looking forward to more.

I'm really glad you're liking it, Ellie!  I'm really afraid this story is going to flop because it's not my usual romantic love story.

[ELLIE52]

I don't think I've read anything you've written that I haven't liked, except.....  Can you guess?

[bbykimmy]

4 minutes ago, ELLIE52 said:

I don't think I've read anything you've written that I haven't liked, except.....  Can you guess?

Um... "Save Yourself"?

[ELLIE52]

Smarti Pants.

[bbykimmy]

3 minutes ago, ELLIE52 said:

Smarti Pants.

That story is really dark, I don't usually do "torture porn" but I just wanted to give it a shot with that story.  This one is dark, in that it's violent and people keep dying... but it's a Hollywood action-darkness, it feels cinematic rather than squicky.

This one goes to some pretty dark places, but I don't think it's as dark as "Save Yourself"

[ELLIE52]

I was actually discussing that story anonymously with Sophie in the Evil Lolita Club:  that more chapters would need to be posted if repost ever occurred to keep reader from falling into a slump.

That if it were reposted, I would not read chapter by chapter but rather wait.

[bbykimmy]

3 minutes ago, ELLIE52 said:

I was actually discussing that story anonymously with Sophie in the Evil Lolita Club:  that more chapters would need to posted if repost ever occurred to keep reader from falling into a slump.

Yeah, I won't repost it again until the story is done or almost done.  I already know how the rest of the story goes (mostly) and it's fun, I just have to sit down and write it.  Maybe after Sightlines is done being written but not posted.  Sightlines isn't done yet, probably about half-done.

[ELLIE52]

Your signature needs to be updated with your One-Shot.

[bbykimmy]

5 minutes ago, ELLIE52 said:

Your signature needs to be updated with your One-Shot.

I was wondering if it was worth it, honestly.

[ELLIE52]

yes, it is worth it.  I would like to access the story easily in the future.

20 hours ago, bbykimmy said:

I'm really glad you're liking it, Ellie!  I'm really afraid this story is going to flop because it's not my usual romantic love story.

I am liking it.  Yeah, those romantic love stories do seem to pull in the readers.

Ahh....  you updated.  Thanks!

[Wannatripbaby]

An excellent chapter! I like the way you handled the Witch fight. When I was writing Angel Hunter and i came to a fight scene, I started out with a supposition along the lines of "The bad guys are stronger than the good guys here, how can I still have the good guys triumph?" You had Rachel use the Witch's ego against her to give her the opening she needed. Which is way more satisfying than just having them brawl it out and the Hero wins because Plot Armor.

Also I have a lore question:

1 hour ago, bbykimmy said:

but Serena knew she had stronger magic even though her blood was less pure.

Wouldn't "less pure" be a good thing for Witches? Since "Purebloods" are humans without magic powers?

[bbykimmy]

12 minutes ago, Wannatripbaby said:

An excellent chapter! I like the way you handled the Witch fight. When I was writing Angel Hunter and i came to a fight scene, I started out with a supposition along the lines of "The bad guys are stronger than the good guys here, how can I still have the good guys triumph?" You had Rachel use the Witch's ego against her to give her the opening she needed. Which is way more satisfying than just having them brawl it out and the Hero wins because Plot Armor.

Also I have a lore question:

Wouldn't "less pure" be a good thing for Witches? Since "Purebloods" are humans without magic powers?

Benny the Imp referred to humans as Purebloods... because he started out as human.  Serena doesn't see a human as pureblood, she sees them as cattle, she wouldn't use that term.

[bbykimmy]

5 hours ago, Wannatripbaby said:

An excellent chapter! I like the way you handled the Witch fight. When I was writing Angel Hunter and i came to a fight scene, I started out with a supposition along the lines of "The bad guys are stronger than the good guys here, how can I still have the good guys triumph?" You had Rachel use the Witch's ego against her to give her the opening she needed. Which is way more satisfying than just having them brawl it out and the Hero wins because Plot Armor.

Rachel is only human, she has no magic except whatever artifacts or mystical talismans she may or may not have on her person.  The only reason she got the drop on the White Witch is because she was almost a quarter mile away with a .50 cal rifle.

Big difference when you bring a knife to a spellfight. 

[Wannatripbaby]

16 minutes ago, bbykimmy said:

Rachel is only human, she has no magic except whatever artifacts or mystical talismans she may or may not have on her person.  The only reason she got the drop on the White Witch is because she was almost a quarter mile away with a .50 cal rifle.

Big difference when you bring a knife to a spellfight. 

Exactly. It's no fun if the hero is just so powerful that they can beat up all the bad guys and barely break a sweat. So having the story focus on a Witch Hunter with no or very little magic power makes for great dramatic tension.

[YourFNF]

50 minutes ago, bbykimmy said:

Rachel is only human, she has no magic except whatever artifacts or mystical talismans she may or may not have on her person.  The only reason she got the drop on the White Witch is because she was almost a quarter mile away with a .50 cal rifle.

Big difference when you bring a knife to a spellfight. 

Which is exactly how one should take out mage. Thinking about I'm really curious to figure out how the witches managed to take over and where the timeline diverged.