A Star Named Wormwood - WWII setting

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Prince Charon
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2020 1:45 am

A Star Named Wormwood - WWII setting

Post by Prince Charon »

(I might do other settings like this, with the asteroid arriving in different eras, and fragments not all arriving in the same places or working the same way.)

In 1935, astronomers discovered a mysterious asteroid hurdling toward the Earth. Some calculated that it would hit the planet (for which reason, its discoverer named it 'Wormwood,' after a prophecy by Nostredamus), others that it would miss entirely. Instead, it was caught by Earth's gravity well in 1939, and settled into a long, elliptical orbit. Each time this orbit brought it too close to the Earth, bits of the asteroid would break off, and in many cases enter the atmosphere, becoming meteors; any humans (and sometimes other lifeforms) who are affected by the radiation of these stones are altered, whether for the better, or the worse.

Four of these fragments are currently known: The 'Dreamstone,' the smallest, weakest, but safest intact fragment, arrived in Wales in summer, 1939; those who sleep near it awaken with powers resembling magic, and the beginnings of the skill to use it. Another fragment, designated 'Artikel 57' by the SS, hit in Thuringia in early 1940, irradiating and slowly dissolving in a mineral spring; those who drink from the spring (or otherwise consume its waters) gain power, at the cost of a dramatically-shortened lifespan. One hit Japan near Kyoto in late 1940 - they call it 'Sessho-Seki,' for at first it was believed to kill any who came in contact with it; later, it was observed that some of those who seemed to die awaken, and some of those who awaken do so with powers. The latest, and so far largest, codenamed simply 'The Rock', hit in the USA's mid-west in autumn, 1941, near a schoolbus; it killed the driver, but empowered the children, one of whom used lead from the bus's battery and some fishing weights to contain the radiation; it is now in the possession of the US Army, under the 'Baltimore Project.' The main body of the asteroid is still up there, and it is suspected that more fragments have fallen, but have not yet been discovered.

In all known cases, the powers gained tend to be related to one's existing personality and interests. (Rolling on the tables below (where there are rolls specified at all) is an option; otherwise, the result is whatever the player and GM agree that it should be.)


The Dreamstone: A penny-sized, iridescent-blue meteor fragment, unknowingly altered by the first humans to encounter it; the stone glows very faintly blue, such that only in near-total darkness is the glow likely to be noticed (DC20 on Perception rolls in normal light, DC12 in full darkness). The first time anyone sleeps in range of the Dreamstone, they dream of powers and rituals, and awaken with abilities (usually quite limited ones) related to the dreams they had; this includes the more intelligent animals (generally INT -4 or smarter, though some animals with INT -5 may also gain power, if they have high AWE or PRE), especially those that closely associate with humans. Whatever rituals and such they dream of will be something that they are capable of performing reasonably well, based on their body type and Abilities. Not everyone who was empowered by the Dreamstone is known to the British government, as the stone's significance beyond being pretty was not realized for some time after its discovery; it was kept on display at an inn run by the family whose land it arrived on for over a month before the British government believed that it granted powers, and purchased it from the owners.

The normal radius of effect is the sleeper's Awareness in Distance Ranks; thus, someone with Awareness 1 who sleeps within 60 feet (Distance Rank 1) of the Dreamstone will be affected by it, while someone with Awareness -2 would need to sleep within 6 feet to be affected.

Dreamstone Table:

Roll 1d20:

1: Roll again and use that result, but add a Complication, such as Nightmares, Haunted, Mythical Weakness, or something related to traditional 'signs of the uncanny,' like causing milk to curdle, frightening animals, having a shadow that moves independently (or no shadow at all), and so forth. Add another such Complication for every '1' rolled.

2-12: The subject gains Ritualist or Artificer, and added ranks in an appropriate Ritual Skill (usually an Expertise specialty relating to existing culture or interests, but Insight, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, or Technology are also possible; for animals, this is usually Insight or an Expertise based on AGI or AWE) equal to the lower of Will or Presense (minimum 1).

13-16: The subject gains Ritualist and any one of Artificer, Benefit (Readied Rituals), Luck, Skill Mastery (<Ritual Skill>), or Ultimate Effort (Ritual rolls), along with ranks in an appropriate Ritual Skill, as in 2-12.

17-19: The subject gains Ritualist and any three of Artificer, Benefit (Readied Rituals), Favored Foe (<specify>), Luck, Skill Mastery (<Ritual Skill>), Ultimate Effort (Artificer rolls), or Ultimate Effort (Ritual rolls); they also gain added ranks in an appropriate Ritual Skill equal to the higher of Will or Presense (minimum 1), or added ranks in two or more related Ritual Skills (such as Western Alchemy and Hermetic Magic, Eastern Alchemy and Chi Mastery, each of a set of Elemental Magics, and so on) equal to the lower of Will or Presense (minimum 1).

20: As 17-19, above, but adding Powers. The number of Powers is equal to the lower of Will or Presense (minimum 1), and the maximum starting rank is equal to the higher of Will or Presense (minimum 1). Some or all of these Powers may be Devices, but if so, must be made from nearby material (though it may be reshaped, careful examination should show what the original object was). Rolling a natural 20 a second time allows the subject to have a Variable power appropriate to their Ritual Skill or Skills. Variable powers are only granted by two natural 20s in a row (though they may be developed in play, later). No other result on this new roll matters, even a natural 1.

Any Artificer or Ritualist can grant that advantage to others with a Permanent Affliction. However, this Gift of Power may not be bought as a Power or permanent Device, as it must be customized to the subject.


Artikel 57: A faintly-glowing green mineral spring; those who drink from it (or otherwise consume its waters) are empowered, but at a price: anyone empowered by the spring will die within two years or less. The more they drink, the greater the power, but the shorter their remaining lifespan:

Lifespan shortened to/Power Level Bonus
24 months/PL+1
21 months/PL+2
18 months/PL+3
15 months/PL+4
12 months/PL+5
9 months/PL+6
6 months/PL+7
3 months/PL+8

Note that they do not automatically go up in PL every three months; what they get is what they get, plus any points earned in play. Those who are especially close to their expected death (with average Fortitude, that would be 9 months or less) often have other mental or physical issues, such as reduction of a specific Ability or Defence, or more Complications, like Delusions, Nightmares, or some form of physical illness (e.g. Quirk: Coughs up blood); these tend to get worse as time passes. Powers gained tend to be physical, but that is an average, not a certainty.


Sessho-Seki: A golfball-sized stone that seems dull grey in sunlight, but glows reddish in the dark. Anyone who approaches it slips into a deathlike coma, from which they might recover in days or weeks, or simply die. Some of those who awaken do so with powers... and so do some of those who die. (Watsonianly, there seems to be no pattern for who does or does not gain powers. Doylistly, PCs and plot important NPCs gain powers, whether they live or not, and unimportant characters tend to either wake up without powers, or just die, as the GM prefers.) Low-level and 'advantages & skills only' powers are fairly common.

Undead created by the Sessho-Seki tend to resemble those of Japanese and other Asian mythologies, generally being either a ghost, or an animated corpse that (in most cases) does not rot, but is clearly not alive when examined. Powers gained often depend on the myth, but are far less likely to be limited to 'advantages & skills only' powers, and are less likely to be low-level - which may simply mean that those who would have gotten weaker powers did not awaken.


The Rock: A large stone (a bit larger than a bowling ball) that is warm to the touch, and glows faintly purple in the dark. Children who have yet to enter puberty are unaffected by the Rock, while those who have entered it within the past few years are empowered to some degree (contrary to what the comics of the time might have you thinking, this is something that the US Army would have a problem with). Adults who have effectively finished puberty are killed, often in a grotesque manner. The powers gained are highly variable.

Rock Table 1

Age at Empowerment/Average Increase in Power Level

11/PL+8
12/PL+7
13/PL+6
14/PL+5
15/PL+4
16/PL+3
17/PL+2, if empowered at all


Rock Table 2

Roll 1d20:

1: Average PL-2, or roll again, and add a Complication appropriate to the character's powers. Add another such Complication for every '1' rolled.

2-4: Average PL-1.

5-16: Average PL.

17-19: Average PL+1.

20: Neutralize one non-social Complication and roll again, or Average PL+2.



Thoughts?
Neo-Paladin
Posts: 3349
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2016 8:48 am

Re: A Star Named Wormwood - WWII setting

Post by Neo-Paladin »

Oh-oh...The Nazis will no doubt create super-soldiers and who cares if they die in a couple of years? There are enough fanatics available who would gladly give their lives for the Reich.
The only ones capable of fighting them could be the Dreamstone-empowered...and kids with superpowers from the US.
This is going to escalate...kinda reminds me of Über.
Prince Charon
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2020 1:45 am

Re: A Star Named Wormwood - WWII setting

Post by Prince Charon »

Neo-Paladin wrote: Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:51 pm Oh-oh...The Nazis will no doubt create super-soldiers and who cares if they die in a couple of years? There are enough fanatics available who would gladly give their lives for the Reich.
The only ones capable of fighting them could be the Dreamstone-empowered...and kids with superpowers from the US.
This is going to escalate...kinda reminds me of Über.
Yeah. Less screwed than Über, but there are similarities.
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