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Giester and Promies...

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d4rqk0n3 Posted: 4 Nov 2009 12:43 PM
I have been having trouble finding a group since I have recently gotten out of the Marines. So I am in the position of STing for a group that minimal is just myself and at max is my wife and my closest friend. I purchased all of the nWoD books from DTRPG and the interests of the "group" (if that IS what you would call it :P) Giest and Promethean. So, now my conundrum is this, has anyone successfully ran a collaboration story with allied Giester and Promies? If so, then perhaps you would share some insight as to how an entity of death and a creature striving for mortality can work together. As Giest is so new there are no stereotypical comparisons of the two creatures.

If anyone could assist me please.

-d4rqk0ne

P.S. I am also posting this exact thread in the Promethean forum so please do not delete either, I wish to compare ideals from both communities.
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The thing is Geist is kind of ridiculously new. It's only been out, what? Two months now? I'm sure people have run games by now and you also have the play-testing people's input to count on as well, but I kind of doubt that people have had a Promethean/Geist game yet since Promethean, while a very good game, has a very small following.

The Geist book does talk about Prometheans though. I really do think you can run fairly easily a cross template game with the two. While generally, Sin-Eaters don't know anything about Prometheans except that ever so rarely something comes and everything goes NUTS. However, any Krewe that finds out anything more about these "corpse-men" will earns some kudos on the Twilight Network (pg. 33; Death is Our Country: Other Supernaturals). There is also the implication that the Sin-Eater's role would to typically "nudge" the Promethean out of its territory since its causing havoc by simply being there. This makes a lot of sense since it appears that stereotypically, Sin-Eaters are rather urban and are usually in relatively highly populated areas.  (By the way, the book also seems to imply that a Motley Krewe (Changelings and Sin-Eaters) IS possible, which just makes me so very happy.) 

If I remember correctly, the Water of Life campaign that's given in the Promethean book (I don't own it by the way; this is just what I know from the Interwebs) has continuing episodes in the splat books, one of which takes the Throng to Detroit. Now, I bring this up because one of the examples of broadcasting in the Twilight Network description in Geist (pg 37) has a Krewe based in Detroit that would televise public-access "ghost hunter" shows. Also because of Sin-Eaters' association of modern "relics" especially the classic American muscle car, it makes sense that Detroit would be secondary center of sorts for Sin-Eaters, the first being New York if I'm not mistaken. This would be similar to how Mages have Boston, Vampires with New Orleans, Werewolves and somewhere in Colorado (I apologize to Werewolf fans since I can't remember), Changelings are in Miami, and everyone's in Chicago (well, the Big Three, but you get my drift).   

On the other hand, the fact that the Throng is taken to Detroit might not be so remarkable since I believe that the Water of Life campaign takes them to most of the central cities of the other Supernaturals. 

As to my extremely inexperienced opinion on how I would have the two work together as a troupe, I think that you'll need a specific kind of Sin-Eater to stay with a Promethean for any longer than immediately necessary. This idea of territory comes into play with a krewe so I imagine that the nomadic nature of a Promethean Pilgrimage would clash with that. However, you're running a small group! You could have a lone Sin-Eater without a Krewe (the introduction story has one, but is also an experienced Sin-Eater) that for whatever reason has decided to go with the Promethean on its Pilgrimage. I imagine the Advocate and Gatekeeper Archetypes would be the easiest to work with in this scenario. All the others might end up having either contrived reasons for keeping company with the corpse-man or just not mesh well.
Like a lot of things, I think the story is going to be very dependent on character creation since it is dependent on the two having some sort of harmony together.   
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Promethean in general is pretty hard to cross-over, considering the fact that none of the major races thusfar (I don't recall Vampire or Werewolf, but I can at least speak for Mage and Changelings) is immune to Disquiet.  No matter how much the Sin-Eaters would want to get along with the Promethean, they simply could not.  It'd start slow and light, but eventually pick up until all of the Sin-Eaters in the area want the Promethean gone or dead.

Except.. the Geists.  The Geists, like all of the dead, are immune to the effect of Disquiet.  I could see this as being a very interesting dynamic in the game--The Geist and all of the SE's ghostly allies will argue the Promethean's value, while the human house wants to recoil like a little girl that saw a mouse.  I could see a Geist and his Sin-Eater mentally arguing over how to handle the situation.  Similarly, I could imagine a Geist reprimanding his host for irrational behavior.  When using Manifestations that allow him to view the Promethean, I would not consider it "in the presence of the Promethean" enough to add to Disquiet.  As such, this would make for a very interesting long distance relationship.  The Prometheans would write through email, chat on the phone.. the Sin-Eaters could do the same, or use Boneyards, Oracle powers, even Marionettes to interact.  They could spend enough time physically apart that any disquiet that is gathered is dissipated before it becomes a problem.  However, like ALL Promethean relationships, this will take some care.

However, if they can manage to get over that hurdle, this would be a scary thing to encounter.  I would hate to run into a bunch of corpse men that are, to put it mildly, somewhat difficult to keep on the ground.  Both of these creature types can absorb an ass-ton of damage with little to show for it, and both can return from death at least once.  Despite being physically powerful, a lot of Promies and SEs are smart, and perfectly capable of balancing one another out in terms of strengths and weaknesses.  The only thing that might become a problem is money--SEs are usually poor, and Promies are almost certainly so.  If the group is nomadic, it will add to the problem (Though, luckily, it'd evade the Wastelands and Disquiet radiating from the Promethean). 

However, I think it would be exciting to try, especially for a one shot.  I can think of a few dozen too-spoiled Vampires and Mages that could use a.. "firm talking to" by this dead men's party.  It would be wonderful to see the look of shock on that poor bloodsucker's face, when he realizes that his enemies just keep getting back up.
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Cleverest of Things:
Except.. the Geists.  The Geists, like all of the dead, are immune to the effect of Disquiet.  I could see this as being a very interesting dynamic in the game--The Geist and all of the SE's ghostly allies will argue the Promethean's value, while the human house wants to recoil like a little girl that saw a mouse.  I could see a Geist and his Sin-Eater mentally arguing over how to handle the situation.  Similarly, I could imagine a Geist reprimanding his host for irrational behavior.  When using Manifestations that allow him to view the Promethean, I would not consider it "in the presence of the Promethean" enough to add to Disquiet.  As such, this would make for a very interesting long distance relationship.  The Prometheans would write through email, chat on the phone.. the Sin-Eaters could do the same, or use Boneyards, Oracle powers, even Marionettes to interact.  They could spend enough time physically apart that any disquiet that is gathered is dissipated before it becomes a problem.  However, like ALL Promethean relationships, this will take some care.


I wish I knew words that could explain how awesome what you just said to me.   It's like shining a light into my sad little Geist game that I've been trying to throw a Promethean into for the longest time, and couldn't for the life of me figure out a way.

Bless you, Cleverest of Things.
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I accept mail order virgin sacrifices ;)

It's pretty hard to sneak in Prometheans, as anything but minor cameos.  Makes me sad.  I made a fun zombi based Golem I wanted to throw around somewhere, complete with a storyline of "the true origin of the golem" to contrast the slight cultural variations of Isis/Ishtar and Osiris/Tammuz.  The rest of Africa needed a corpseguy. 

Good thing the emo-curse affects people at a much slower rate mechanically than the fluff makes it sound.

Which also makes me wonder, then, if there might be a ceremony that allows the Sin-Eater to become fully undead or fully ghostly.  One of the advantages of this would be a lack of Disquiet. 

You might argue that using the Stigmatic Shroud could count as dead enough to ignore disquiet in an especially necessary situation.
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Yeah, Disquiet is one of the main reasons I can't really get into Promethean.  I generally run/play crossover chronicles, or at least chronicles with some possibility of social encounters with other supernaturals.  When every Werewolf and Vampire wants to rip every Promethean's head off every time they meet, and every Mage and Changeling get progressively more disturbing dreams and fantasies about the Promethean to the point of wanting to actively destroy it, social encounters tend to be a bit awkward.

But yeah, Disquiet is a somewhat slower process than the fluff would indicate.  As long as the chronicle covers a relatively short span of time and the non-Promethean characters have fairly high Resolve and Composure ratings, a crossover chronicle is certainly doable.  And the angle that a Sin-Eater's Geist wouldn't be affected by Disquiet is certainly an interesting angle...
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I refuse to comment on a thead with "Giester" in the title, other than stating this message.
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Tahllon:
I refuse to comment on a thead with "Giester" in the title, other than stating this message.


Why?  Technically, it's the proper plural for Geist.. though, I think it sounds akward and typically prefer the Americanized Geists.  Or the more voodoo-ish Loa or G.
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Geister would be the correct spelling, no?
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If you're speaking German it would.
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Geist, the Geistinator, Geistarama.

Geister brings to mind the most annoying SNL skit ever.  Personally I loathe the wording /shrug
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Heh, I can see why that might be off putting.  Luckily, it's perfectly acceptable in the Twilight Network to call it anything the dove you want. 

So, I think the Geist/Promie crossover would really shine on trips to the underworld.  Imagine how much of an ubertank a Promethean would be, there?  How many would end up preferring to stay in the underworld, where they can meet people that won't hate them, mad though they are?  Their abilities could come in handy as well.

This brings to mind a question I wonder, but is likely to be revealed in the Book of the Dead.  For a Sin-Eater to cross over Rivers, he must have a certain amount of Psyche, or else pay the Boatman.  Do you guys think this applies to any being (That is, that any being can cross a number of rivers with their powerstat), or do you think it is a deathly perk to Sineaters (Thus forcing other beings to use the boatmen, or unique powers, to cross Rivers)?

Surely a Promethean could get the Temporal benefits of a Krewe.  Is it possible for a Sin-Eater to somehow bestow a Krewe Initiation on a Promethean, or for a Promethean to brand a Sin-Eater into his Throng in more than just an honorary way?  Are their souls too different in form to function in that kind of synergy?  I know Changelings can include pretty much anyone they want in a Motley, but does the same go for a Krewe? 

As for cosmological relations between the Sin-Eaters and the Prometheans, it seems they utilize energies of polar opposition, almost like Yin and Yang.  The Prometheans use the burning Pyros of the Divine Fire, the burning white force of change and creation.  The Sin-Eaters utilize the Plasm of Death, the subtle dark heavy fluid of stasis and stagnation.  Are these energies related, both with their own way of affecting dead flesh and bringing it back with greater power?  Might these two races once have been brothers and allies in an ancient prehistoric epoch (Perhaps in the same Atlantean golden era that both Werewolves and Mages seem to acknowledge)?  Might there be hidden Krewe benefits that allow a Krewe immunity to the radiation of Disquiet?  Or is the path of acceptance of a Promethean an almost equal trial of effort as the Pilgrimage the Promethean himself endures?
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Cleverest of Things:

This brings to mind a question I wonder, but is likely to be revealed in the Book of the Dead.  For a Sin-Eater to cross over Rivers, he must have a certain amount of Psyche, or else pay the Boatman.  Do you guys think this applies to any being (That is, that any being can cross a number of rivers with their powerstat), or do you think it is a deathly perk to Sineaters (Thus forcing other beings to use the boatmen, or unique powers, to cross Rivers)?
If they lack the Psyche, I would assume they would just pay the boatman.

Cleverest of Things:
Surely a Promethean could get the Temporal benefits of a Krewe.  Is it possible for a Sin-Eater to somehow bestow a Krewe Initiation on a Promethean, or for a Promethean to brand a Sin-Eater into his Throng in more than just an honorary way?  Are their souls too different in form to function in that kind of synergy?  I know Changelings can include pretty much anyone they want in a Motley, but does the same go for a Krewe?
A major aspect of the krewe is that they all have geists. If mortals can't join a krewe, I don't see why a Promethean could. You might be able to work out a transmutation for someone with the refinement of silver that lets them temporarily gain the benefit of joining a krewe. As for a branded throng, the Sin Eater would lack the alchemical makeup and pyros to join the throng. One again, you might need a transmutation that allows a promethean to brand a mortal in such a manner.
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If you really want to use Prometheans in a crossover game just ignore the rules for Disquiet.  It'll make life easier and the game more fun.
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Darksider:
If you really want to use Prometheans in a crossover game just ignore the rules for Disquiet.  It'll make life easier and the game more fun.


Thats what I recommend. Or make the Bound immune due to their unique spiritual situation.
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