Contagion Chronicle Kickstarter

[Tessie]

I do. In many ways, this is the book's mandate; and while I don't expect them to address how every edge-case of A interacts with B, I do expect that the big issues will be addressed.

There's also been a lot of backtracking, both official and unofficial, from the initial announcement as the "Crossover Chronicle". Dark Eras 2 will probably contain more in-depth rulings for paired games.

[Leliel]

So, the False are defined by not using Vectors, but the hot strains of the Contagion itself.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but given how my reaction was "duh", it's not a bad thing. Laughing my ass off at the Crucible Initiative though, who seem to have a blind spot the size of Jupiter.

I also love how the False wrote their own section. I already hate them! (HARD MONSTERS MAKING HARD DECISIONS)

[DSPaul]

I feel like the introduction could use more specifics about what exactly the Contagion IS. I realize there’s a longer section on the history and nature of the Contagion later in the book, but I feel like a brief summary of current events would be useful to provide some context. It’s weird to read about the False and Sworn faction’s reactions to the Contagion without really knowing what they’re reacting TO. A lot of us have been following the hints and previews online, but not everyone picking up the book will have that context. A glossary of new terms would be especially helpful.

[Florin]

I'd be surprised if they tell us what the Contagion is. Instead, I'd expect them to keep it vague mostly and maybe give us a list of ideas of what it could be.

[DSPaul]

Oh, I agree — I’m talking about the symptoms, not the cause. There are a few examples mentioned — blood tasting like battery acid, etc. — but a general overview of the whole phenomenon would be nice.

[LordofIron]

This is something I hope they get right. My favourite game-line is Demon, but until the Players Guide pinning down what infrastructure is was really hard from the core alone as everything was too... nebulous to really go "that's it, that's the threat". I get the contagion needs to be flexible for your game, but a couple of "Right dumbass - do it like this: X" would be useful to get the ball rolling.

[ArcaneArts]

I hear ya, but I imagine they'll nail it down.

That said, I really dig the groups, particularly the Rosetta Society and the Ship of Theseus on the Sworn side and Naflgar's Army on the False(though the Gambit man, the the Gambit!)-but this doesn't quite deal with my itching teeth the way I want it to. Can't wait for next week, where we can really starting getting into the crossover and the Contagion.

[Acrozatarim]

The 12 settings will provide hard examples of how to use the Contagion in a chronicle!

[Second Chances]

Rosetta Society's still my favourite, but reading this again (I got to take a peek at this chapter for another project) I am once again struck by how much I absolutely love all of these factions, Sworn and False alike.

[Leliel]

Rosetta Society's still my favourite, but reading this again (I got to take a peek at this chapter for another project) I am once again struck by how much I absolutely love all of these factions, Sworn and False alike.

Yeah. Each of them is extremely evocative and begs to be played/an antagonist.

Though I'm not playing as Nagflar's Army, for the same reason I don't see a point in playing Black Crusade.

EDIT: Clarification; I meant "as", not "with."

[nofather]

Though I'm not playing with Nagflar's Army, for the same reason I don't see a point in playing Black Crusade.

Really? I liked it a lot. And it's something Chronicles has managed to avoid so far. Even the Pure aren't entirely of that mindset.

[DSPaul]

You know, it strikes me that there’s no sworn faction that primarily views the Contagion as a disease to be healed — that is, none of them are primarily concerned with helping the infected. The Rosetta Society see it as a scientific puzzle to be solved, but they seem to be driven mostly by the prospect of increasing their OWN knowledge rather than helping others. Zero Hour are explicitly mentioned as trying to save infected when they can, but they fundamentally see things in terms of fighting a war, rather than responding to a (super)natural disaster. The Jeremiad want to redeem “sinners,” the Cryptarchy want to set up a quarantine, and the Theseans want to improve their own immune systems — but nobody seems particularly interested in palliative care. Possibly that’s because it’s too dangerous — it’s hard to treat someone when they’re trying to eat your face. Possibly it’s a deliberate, thematic choice. These are, after all, monsters we’re talking about. Individual characters may do good, or at least try to, but the CoD rarely paints any large-scale organization as the unambiguous good guys.

[Leliel]

Really? I liked it a lot. And it's something Chronicles has managed to avoid so far. Even the Pure aren't entirely of that mindset.

Not what I meant. I like them as antagonists, they just sound boring to have as PCs, because the whole point is...being awful while doing nothing. The Army is by assholes, for assholes. Good antagonists, shitty PCs. I can see playing as the Fire-Bearers or Princes, but the Saturnalians? Nope.

[Caedus]

I am actually running a game that will become a contagion chronicle game at some point; three players so far who are all starting out as mortals. They are being run solo games for that essentially is about them becoming supernaturals and getting settled into that role. I have set up several options and paths for em, so they can end up being embraced or devoured or reborn...but also more esoteric options are there. Like becoming a Hero or a Hobgoblin. So this contagion chronicle game could end up becoming very weird with everything from a lost boy, hero and hobgoblin combo to a vampire, mage and werewolf combo.

[Leliel]

I am actually running a game that will become a contagion chronicle game at some point; three players so far who are all starting out as mortals. They are being run solo games for that essentially is about them becoming supernaturals and getting settled into that role. I have set up several options and paths for em, so they can end up being embraced or devoured or reborn...but also more esoteric options are there. Like becoming a Hero or a Hobgoblin. So this contagion chronicle game could end up becoming very weird with everything from a lost boy, hero and hobgoblin combo to a vampire, mage and werewolf combo.

I really love how that's supported, too. The Sworn and False aren't even quite ideologies, they're mission statements with unique powers and initiation rites. It doesn't take much to imagine, say, a changeling and a Huntsman both joining Zero Hour to fight against worse oppressors than the Keepers, or a werewolf and an Arisen embracing the apocalyptic mania of Nagflar's Army