URBAN FANTASY HERO a Genre Book for the HERO System Author: Steven S
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URBAN FANTASY HERO A Genre Book for the HERO System Author: Steven S. Long Additional Contributions:Sample Jason Walters, file Dean Shomshak Editing and Development: Darren Watts Layout and Graphic Design: Andy Mathews with Fred Hicks Cover Art: Ted Kim Cartography: John Lees Interior Art: Dan Christensen, Andrew Dobell, Brendon Fraim, Brian Fraim, Bradley McDevitt, Shawn Murray, Purwanggoro Satriohadi, Jason Williford SPECIAL THANKS: We’d like to thank the fans on the Hero Games message boards who so enthusiastically discussed this book and offered suggestions for what to include in it. You’re all Heroes! HERO SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system. Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. HERO System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, Champions © 1981-2008 Cryptic Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. “Champions” is electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by a trademark of Cryptic Studios, Inc. “Champions” is used under license from Cryptic any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Studios, Inc. Publisher: DOJ, Inc., 226 E. 54th Street, #605, New York, NY 10022-48541. Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. First printing December 2008 Dark Champions © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. Pulp Hero © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Stock Number: DOJHERO515 Urban Fantasy Hero © 2007 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-58366-113-0 Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, and Western Hero © 2002 by DOJ, www.herogames.com • www.champions-online.com • www.crypticstudios.com TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION..........................................5 CHAPTER THREE: INVASIVE SPECIES ................................115 INTRODUCTION ........................................ 115 CHAPTER ONE: GAMEMASTERING URBAN FANTASY A BRIEF PUBLIC HISTORY OF RENO ........... 115 THE URBAN FANTASY GENRE THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF RENO ................ 117 CREATING A CAMPAIGN ...........................52 SENSE AND SENSIBILITY URBAN FANTASY .......................................8 THE MAGIC ................................................ 52 IN INVASIVE SPECIES ............................. 118 OTHER URBAN Types Of Magic ....................................... 52 MAGIC IN INVASIVE SPECIES ..................... 119 FANTASY ELEMENTS ................................. 9 The Power Of Magic ................................ 53 THE NATIVE-NEWCOMER WAR .................. 120 URBAN FANTASY SUBGENRES .................14 Commonality Of Magic ............................. 55 THE MYTHOLOGIES .................................. 120 HIDDEN HISTORY ....................................... 14 CHARACTER GUIDELINES ........................... 58 The Homeless ....................................... 121 LOW URBAN FANTASY ................................ 16 CAMPAIGN TONE ....................................... 60 Dust Coyotes ......................................... 122 MONSTER HUNTERS .................................. 17 CAMPAIGN THEME ..................................... 61 Liver Women ......................................... 123 MONSTER WARFARE .................................. 17 CAMPAIGN TYPES ...................................... 62 Sesquac ............................................... 124 OPEN MAGIC ............................................. 18 Subgenre ................................................ 62 The One-Percenters .............................. 124 MIXING GENRES ......................................20 ADVENTURE STRUCTURE ........................... 65 The Demimonde .................................... 127 La Raza Misteriosa ................................ 131 META-GENRES ........................................... 20 RUNNING THE GAME ...............................65 Chupacabra .......................................... 133 Comedy .................................................. 20 Adventure Structure ................................. 65 La Llorona ............................................. 134 Horror ..................................................... 20 Plotting ................................................... 66 Mystery .................................................. 21 Momias de Guanajuato .......................... 135 AND NPCS ..............................................68 Romance ................................................ 21 Yama Doota .......................................... 136 VILLAINS ................................................... 68 Tragedy .................................................. 21 Chordewa ............................................. 137 Villain Qualities ........................................ 68 OTHER GENRES ......................................... 22 Rakshasa .............................................. 140 Villain Archetypes .................................... 69 Champions ............................................. 22 The Danites .......................................... 141 NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS ........................ 71 Dark Champions ...................................... 22 CHARACTER CREATION ............................ 144 NPC Archetypes ...................................... 72 Fantasy Hero ........................................... 22 INVASIVE SPECIES PLOT SEEDS ................ 144 Changing “Modern:” .............................. 22 CHAPTER FOUR: THE SIXTH SUN .....................................145 MAGIC IN THE STREETS: AN SIXTH SUN SOCIETY ................................. 146 CHAPTER TWO: CHARACTER CREATION ............................ 148 URBAN FANTASY URBAN FANTASY SOURCEBOOK MAGIC ..................................................... 149 CHARACTER CREATION HUDSON CITY SHADOWS .........................74 The Basics ............................................ 149 BACKGROUND ........................................... 74 Offensive Spells ..................................... 153 PACKAGE DEALS .....................................24 HUDSON CITY AS AN Defensive Spells .................................... 157 ANACHRONISM PACKAGE DEAL .................. 24 URBAN FANTASY SETTING ....................... 75 Sensory Spells ...................................... 159 ANIMAL-MAN PACKAGE DEAL .................... 25 Mystic Locations ..................................... 77 Movement Spells ................................... 160 CLERIC PACKAGE DEAL .............................. 26 Mystic Items ........................................... 77 Black Magic .......................................... 161 CYBERMANCER PACKAGE DEAL ................. 27 THE MAGIC OF HUDSON CITY SHADOWS .... 78 Cybermancy .......................................... 163 FAE-BLOODED PACKAGE DEAL ................... 28 Sample file Magic In Game Terms .............................. 79 Rune Magic .......................................... 165 LYCANTHROPE PACKAGE DEAL ................... 28 Cryomancy .............................................. 80 Shamanism ........................................... 167 MUSICIAN PACKAGE DEAL .......................... 30 Demonology ............................................ 81 Voodoo ................................................. 171 MYSTIC DETECTIVE PACKAGE DEAL ............ 30 Fulmomancy ........................................... 83 Enchanted Items ................................... 174 SCHOLAR PACKAGE DEAL .......................... 32 High Magic ............................................. 85 BESTIARY ................................................ 175 SENSITIVE PACKAGE DEAL ......................... 33 Pyromancy .............................................. 86 City Elemental ....................................... 175 SHAMAN PACKAGE DEAL ........................... 33 Sorcery ................................................... 88 Smog Elemental .................................... 176 VAMPIRE PACKAGE DEAL ........................... 34 Tenebromancy......................................... 90 CAMPAIGN AND PLOT IDEAS .................... 177 WIZARD PACKAGE DEAL ............................ 35 Other Spells ............................................ 91 LINES OF CONTENTION ..........................178 GAME ELEMENTS ....................................37 THE MYSTIC WORLD .................................. 92 ADVENTURE BACKGROUND ...................... 178 CHARACTERISTICS ..................................... 37 Human Mages ......................................... 92 ADVENTURE SUMMARY ............................ 178 SKILLS ...................................................... 38 Ambrose Stone ..................................... 93 RUNNING LINES OF CONTENTION ............. 180 PERKS ....................................................... 41 Cynthia Athame .................................... 95 HUDSON CITY LEY LINES .......................... 180 TALENTS ................................................... 42 Juanita Barbaroux................................. 97 PART ONE: THE SACRIFICE POWERS AND POWER MODIFIERS .............. 43 Alexander Burnside ............................... 99 OF TARA GRISWOLD .............................. 182 DISADVANTAGES ........................................ 46 Jim Schoen ........................................ 101 PART