Contagion Chronicle Kickstarter

[ArcaneArts]

Well, kind of. I expect that the main game line are going to continue to operate under the assumption that they're insulated from the other game lines. For example, I don't expect that the upcoming mage supplement that deals with the orders is going to have a section in it talking about what the change lane in the orders ranked are up to. As far as mage supplements are concerned, there are no change names in the ranks of the orders. It's only in contagion chronicle supplements in particular, or crossover Chronicles in general, that you're ever going to see changelings in the mage orders.

That said, I would definitely love to see more contagion chronicle supplements; and I would definitely love it if said supplements embrace what you're talking about here.

Oh yeah, I don't expect to set a new normal-but there's an intereseting space that can't be uncracked, as it were.

[Tessie]

And the contagion Chronicles players guide recommends getting rid of the hunter exception, at least within the players group, as quickly as possible. Hopefully, my suggested errata about pointing out a sleepwalker merit (fitful slumber) from M2e that's particularly appropriate for this purpose will get accepted.

I think the regular Sleepwalker Merit is a better fit (hehe). Fitful Slumber is for those who become Sleepwalkers through exposure to Supernal/Abyssal stuff. That implies they've been specifically involved in magey stuff, which might not be relevant at all in a Contagion Chronicle game. It'd work great in a Mage/Hunter crossover game, though.
As a sidenote, I don't know why they don't also suggest getting a Vector as an alternative to a Supernatural Merit or supernatural Endowment.

[Dataweaver]

Heading off the old arguments that might be buried here, it should be pointed out that Hunters being sleepwalkers has more to do with facilitating the crossover, and more importantly Hunters being Sleepwalkers does not remove the Catch-22 of Hunters basically being up a creek when hunting the Awakened. Nothing about the Hunter/Mage Argument has changed with the Contagion PG.

Yeah; as the person who is probably most identified with supposedly arguing otherwise, that has never been an issue.

[Dataweaver]

I think the regular Sleepwalker Merit is a better fit (hehe). Fitful Slumber is for those who become Sleepwalkers through exposure to Supernal/Abyssal stuff. That implies they've been specifically involved in magey stuff, which might not be relevant at all in a Contagion Chronicle game. It'd work great in a Mage/Hunter crossover game, though.
As a sidenote, I don't know why they don't also suggest getting a Vector as an alternative to a Supernatural Merit or supernatural Endowment.

We are talking about sleepwalker status. I don't see how that is at all an issue if supernal or abyssal effects aren't involved. Because that's what a sleepwalker is: someone who doesn't have the same vulnerability to supernal or abyssal stuff that regular sleepers do.

And for the record, fitful slumber is precisely what I had been looking for all those years ago when I got into a big argument with the Mage line developer: something that allows sleepers to earn sleepwalker status, without having to become dabblers in the supernatural themselves. And it did it in pretty much exactly the same way that I was proposing that it be done, too. I am completely and utterly satisfied with how the situation was resolved.

But yeah, you have a point about vectors. Pretty much the only way for a hunter in a contagion chronicle to not be a sleepwalker is for him to not be sworn or false.

[Tessie]

I don't see how that is at all an issue if supernal or abyssal effects aren't involved.

The issue is that Fitful Slumber requires prior exposure to Supernal or Abyssal effects (and grants a bonus on future breaking points involving them). The Sleepwalker Merit lacks the bonus but is universally applicable regardless of the character's history. That makes it more relevant in a Contagion Chronicle game where it's far from certain a Hunter would've ever encountered anything Supernal or Abyssal before becoming Sworn/False and joining a party including one or more mages.

[Dataweaver]

The difference is that fitful slumber can be purchased after character creation. The sleepwalker Merit is character creation only.

Again, you're right that once a hunter has a contagion vector, it becomes a moot point. So set that aside, and consider crossover games involving hunters where supernal and or abyssal magic please a significant enough role that sleepwalker status matters. You could either go with every Hunter having the sleepwalker merit, which represents them just happening to be immune to quiescence, or you could go with the idea that they earned their sleepwalker status through fitful slumber. Assuming, of course, that they don't have some other supernatural ability that renders it a moot point.

In other words, the fact that you had to be exposed to supernal and or abyssalmagic multiple times in the past for fit for slumber to be an option is a feature, not a bug.

[Tessie]

The sleepwalker Merit is character creation only.

Not according to my book, nor the lore.

In other words, the fact that you had to be exposed to supernal and or abyssalmagic multiple times in the past for fit for slumber to be an option is a feature, not a bug.

I actually do like Fitful Slumber. The flavour is good and I absolutely think that's an important distinction between Fitful Slumber and Sleepwalker. All I'm saying is, it's not really the right Merit to advocate in the Player's Guide to the Contagion Chronicle, where Mage/Supernal/Abyssal stuff isn't particularly likely to play such a defining part for Hunter characters who happen to be in the same party as a mage.

[Dataweaver]

On the contrary: having a mage in the party with the hunters is an ideal justification for why the hunters have previously been exposed to supernal magic. If they've been together for any length of time, it's likely their compatriot's supernal magic that they got exposed to.

And again, if they are sworn or false, it's a moot point.

[Professor Phobos]

I think it's weird that Fitful Slumber requires three exposures but that's my only issue with it. But merit requirements and prerequisites are mostly bad, across the system, so it's like, shrug.

I solved my problem with the Sleeping Curse with a pretty simple house rule that makes Fitful Slumber/Sleepwalker somewhat redundant, but there's still a place for 'em.

[DoktorNiemand]

On the topic of mixing splats: how would you handle it? Suppose, for example, a player wants to play a Changeling that's also Offspring (from Demon). The others are playing "normal" Changelings. Would you turn Offspring into a merit? Or do something else?

[ArcaneArts]

On the topic of mixing splats: how would you handle it? Suppose, for example, a player wants to play a Changeling that's also Offspring (from Demon). The others are playing "normal" Changelings. Would you turn Offspring into a merit? Or do something else?

I mean, the majority of the Offspring template is already merits, so probably.

[DoktorNiemand]

I mean, the majority of the Offspring template is already merits, so probably.

True. My biggest problem would be assigning a value to the ability to learn Embeds.
So far, I think it would be something like this:

Pros:
+Unseen sense: Godmachine: 2 dots merit
+Ability to buy embeds for 4xp: ???
+One starting Embed: 4 points
+Access to a few exclusive/discounted merits (like Language and Eidetic memory): maybe 1 dot merit?


Cons:
-A permanent Stigmata
-Compromise (Noted- the GM knows the character exists)

[ArcaneArts]

Why not use the EXP costs in Demon?

[DoktorNiemand]

Why not use the EXP costs in Demon?

Weird, I remember reading somewhere Embeds cost 4xp for Offspring, but can't find this now. I suppose you are right.

[DoktorNiemand]

Oh, I'm dumb. Heirs to Hell page 30 says Embeds cost 4xp for demonblooded. For some reason I was looking for a table.