Isn't it NecRomanitc?
over 3 years ago – Thu, Oct 22, 2020 at 05:48:57 PM

Hello Ghostkickers!

OK, we're almost into the final week of this campaign - which ends on HALLOWEEN - and we're working hard to add more rewards for all backers to enjoy! Since I last posted our Stretch Goal update, we've investigated two more haunted mysteries...

ACHIEVED! - At $50,000 in funding – Digital Wallpaper! – Dress up your monitor with a spooky scene from World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters added to the rewards list for all backers.

ACHIEVED! - At $52,000 in funding – Necromancers! – Expanded rules and options for mortals that use Hedge Magic to interact with the dead will be created and released in a supplemental PDF, which will be added to the rewards list of all backers receiving the World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters PDF.

And, as we enter our final stretch, let's lay out our final Stretch Goals so we all know what treats we'd like for Halloween! Starting with our familiar practice of introducing a supplement and then expanding it, let's add some meat onto the bones of the Necromancer PDF, turning it from a small size to something a little more medium...

At $56,000 in funding – Necromancers and Mediums – Adding rules and options for mortals who use Psychic Abilities to interact with the dead, this supplement will be expanded to include Necromancers and Mediums.

OK, terrible medium jokes aside, let's focus on our core reward for a minute and make our Art budget a little larger...

At $60,000 in funding – Art Budget Increase! – We’ll be able to increase the art budget for the World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters book, adding even more eerie illustrations and alarming artwork!

I love all of the artwork that we've seen so far, and definitely want to get this book jam-packed with spooky illustrations!

I think it's entirely possible we can add two more Stretch Goal achievements, adding more psychic abilities and psychedelic art to the game! I think we'll have to keep our enthusiasm and momentum up, but I feel confident that, together, we can make those happen!

BUT - what if we really push? In the final week, if we ensure that we've invited our friends to join in, shared on social media and in our social circles, and really let everyone know, maybe we can squeeze in a few more?

At $63,000 in funding – Instant Investigators! – A trio of Ready-to-Play characters will be released as a PDF supplement, providing examples and allowing players to jump right into the frights! Instant Investigators will be added to the rewards list of all backers receiving the World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters PDF.

At $66,000 in funding – Additional Investigators! – A second trio of Ready-to-Play characters will be added to the Instant Investigators PDF supplement, providing further options and opportunities!

Could we add a half-dozen Ready-to-Play Ghost Hunters to our rewards list by Halloween? I think it'll be a true Stretch Goal, but I love the idea of the team coming together to show the passion of the World of Darkness fans!

So, let's keep at it! Share where you can, and let's keep the enthusiasm up right until the end!

#WoDGhostHunters

#(Almost)FinalWeekStretchGoals

Elements of a Case [Storytelling Preview]
over 3 years ago – Thu, Oct 22, 2020 at 08:21:32 AM

Elements of a Case

In most cases, ghost hunters and paranormal investigators will treat each haunt as a mystery they must solve. This neatly breaks up each mystery into several manageable components. Cases involve several pieces that range from researching a location to getting permission to operate on site. These components can take time and effort to acquire; each piece enhances the thrill of the hunt and adds the potential for conflict with other characters.

Though every haunt may differ in some way, the player characters should deal with the reality of hunting ghosts in a world that doesn’t acknowledge, and actively tries to hide the presence of, the supernatural. Almost every haunt will present logistic obstacles the player characters must overcome to perform their investigation. These include:

• Permission to operate on site. The player characters’ resources will affect how, when, and if they are granted permission to conduct investigations on site. A group of reality TV-based ghost hunters will have more resources at their disposal than a lone paranormal investigator. Groups that don’t have permission could bribe property owners, or be arrested for breaking and entering if they’re not careful. Permissions will vary widely depending on the location and usage of the site; a public building will demand different accessibility logistics than a private home.
• Permission to interview witnesses. Despite the availability of information online, groups will want to conduct face-to-face interviews to verify what they’ve read or extract additional testimony. Witnesses, however, may not want to be interviewed, and their reluctance might speak to other issues they’re dealing with. Witnesses who are avoiding the spotlight may have been warned not to speak to the press or they might simply want to pretend nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened.
• Access to historic site data. Blueprints, dated newspaper articles, library archives, and non-digitized information offer important clues for paranormal investigators about specific locations and their owners. The age, type, and location of the building will inform what information is available and how groups can access it. A haunted German hotel built in 1901 will have survived both World War I and II; a similar hotel in San Francisco may have been rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake. Add in challenges created when new houses are built on top of ancient land, and the player characters will have multiple mysteries to unravel about a property’s history and owners.
• Relationships with law enforcement. Some mysteries may churn up evidence that a murder had been committed at a site, or characters might stumble across a thief or attacker. Smart groups will have a plan in place should they find something that may be considered illegal or incriminating. Some investigators might bribe cops on the local force or befriend an officer who’s willing to leverage their connections in exchange for information. Other officers may stand in the characters’ way and act as obstacles preventing them from conducting investigations.
• Means to record and acquire on-site data. Encounters with the supernatural will generate testimonies that investigators may use to verify whether a site is haunted. Once the group is on location, however, they’ll need to figure out the best way of recording data and verifying their own experiences. Savvy groups will possess different types of equipment to get the information they need and will stash some of their gear in a vehicle nearby.
• Ways to deal with environmental hazards. The layout of a building and its power supply will affect the efficiency of the hunt. Power outages, whether they’re caused by a supernatural entity or a clipped wire, can wreak havoc on ghost hunters who depend on electric equipment. Broken stairs that cut the group’s access to the second floor can halt an investigation until a ladder can be found. Centuries-old cellars can be filled in, walls can be bricked up, and windows can be boarded over, preventing anyone from peering inside.
• Access to health care. Environmental hazards ranging from splintered wood and rusty nails to clever trip wires can puncture skin or cause other injuries. Ghost hunters don’t always have the medical expertise to patch up wounds or stabilize a broken limb. Figuring out in advance how to deal with injuries is a smart way to ensure the safety of a crew — especially in situations where a site proves to be far more dangerous than they initially anticipated.
• Methods for handling trauma. Wraiths and other supernatural entities who are entrenched at a site do not want to be disturbed and will go on the offensive should a group of investigators trespass on their turf. Their attacks aren’t always physical, however, and the nightmares the supernatural can induce may result in temporary or lasting trauma. The player characters will need to overcome their fears before dealing with the threat or proceeding with an investigation, and their encounters may have lingering effects.
• Access to transportation. Not to be overlooked, paranormal investigators should have access to a reliable vehicle they can park near the site. While vehicles, like gear, can be stolen, they are a crucial means of transporting equipment and personnel, and making a fast getaway if needed. Without some method of transportation, teams will have to figure out how to get to and from a site, visit witnesses, and utilize public resources when they need to.
• Support from other characters. Encounters with the supernatural can incur a range of reactions, from disbelief to paranoia. The player characters may strongly suspect that ghosts are real, but that doesn’t mean everyone else around them does. Reactions from Storyteller characters will shape the ghost hunting experience; a character who’s convinced the player characters are on the right path will do more to support them financially, emotionally, or physically than one who isn’t.

A chapter full of Storytelling advice for a Ghost Hunter chronicle? YES PLEASE! This is a tiny excerpt from Chapter 7, which is all about Storytelling Ghost Hunters, and will be available for backers to download (along with the Appendix!) next Wednesday! At that point, three days before the campaign concludes, backers will be able to download the ENTIRE preview manuscript. No unknown elements or mysterious situations here - save that for the game!

We're SO CLOSE to our next Stretch Goal, a supplemental PDF covering Necromancers, so join in and help add it to our rewards list!

#WoDGhostHunters

Backers Only - Ghost Hunters Manuscript Preview 4
over 3 years ago – Wed, Oct 21, 2020 at 06:08:52 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

Numina [a peek at Chapter 5]
over 3 years ago – Mon, Oct 19, 2020 at 08:10:19 AM

Numina

The Shadowlands are no place for a mortal human being. Their alien landscape is barely inhabitable for its own denizens, let alone the living. From violent Spectres to the murderous environment, mortal paranormal investigators who travel into this wasteland take their lives into their own hands.

But exposure to these perils seems to enhance, evolve, or modify certain humans. The raging winds of the Tempest or the crushing, oppressive darkness that bleeds into a haunting on the mortal side can cause humans to adapt in peculiar ways. These forces provide the seekers of knowledge with strange abilities which they have only just begun trying to understand.

And then there are superstitions; when provided with constant stimuli that defy rational thought, the mortal mind tends to create coping mechanisms. Magic, after all, is just science that can’t be quantified yet, right? Right? Some systems of belief, when followed to the letter, produce strange, mystical phenomena that can protect or otherwise benefit the practitioner.

Acquiring and Quantifying Numina

Numina are introduced through roleplay or at character creation, usually though the mutual understanding of both player and Storyteller. In the world of paranormal investigation there are two main branches of Numina that characters can receive:

• Hedge Magic — based in folklore; often associated with the Antecessor, Occult Library, and/or Mentor Merits
• Psychic Phenomena — often correlated with a high Willpower; the result of mental training, or a natural gift

Hedge Magic (practiced by Hedge Magicians) is a traditional type of magic like that often described in folklore. It is formulaic, and it is invoked by those who command the talent through the performance of specific rituals.

Paranormal investigators often stumble upon these almost mechanical sets of powers. They come from piecing together unusual circumstances and patterns that investigators have witnessed. This cobbled-together rubric somehow provides a code with which it is possible to hack the Shadowlands or their inroads into the land of the Quick.

Psychic Phenomena (practiced by Psychics) are evolved psychic powers developed through training, and possibly mutations, of the human mind.

Exposure to the often extreme conditions in which investigators put themselves can bend or rearrange a mortal’s genetic code, providing psychic traits and abilities. Along with this slow, tedious process, such powers can also be learned or developed in mortals via regimented stimuli or practice. Investigators of a more logical bent may thus attune themselves to psychic Numina.

Each class of Numina can be broken down into Numina Paths. A Numina Path represents a focused area of ability centered around a specific theme, such as Divination or Shadow.

Like many Traits, Numina Paths are scored with a rating of 1 to 5. Each rank purchased indicates a new level of mastery for the character. For example, a score of 1 would indicate a novice ranking, while a score of 5 would represent mastery of that Path. As a character increases their score in a Numina Path, they gain access to the powers listed next to the appropriate number of dots and, of course, retain access to the lesser abilities.

Purchasing Numina

Players can purchase Numina with freebie points during character creation. They may later boost these abilities with experience points (current rating x7) or, with Storyteller approval, diversify their talents with ranks in new Numina Paths.

Rarely does a mortal possess more than a single type of Numina, either Hedge Magic or Psychic Phenomena. The limitations of the mortal condition seem to make it impossible to learn both. Numina powers are costly to learn, and some of them operate under very different and perhaps even opposing paradigms. Learning too much puts a strain on a character’s understanding of the world and may damage the foundation of her sanity or physical well-being.

For example, crafty Hedge Magician Mia Gardener might possess Mortal Necromancy and Whistle, which are both Hedge Magic Paths. Meredith, her player, is interested in expanding her character’s powers, but the Storyteller decides that her options are limited by her character’s story and circumstances. It wouldn’t make much sense for a healing witch with necromantic powers to suddenly take on the cold resolution of, say, Shadow, a Psychic Path with scientific overtones. Of course, there are outlier possibilities in all stories but remember the mutual understanding of player, Storyteller, and fellow compatriots is key to keeping a tale copacetic.

Numina and the Paranormal Investigator

Numina are alien to mortals. There is no way around the fact it’s not an everyday occurrence to see people digging through the entrails of a deer to see into the future or carving blood-soaked runes into a door frame. But, truthfully, it is just something else for the local ghost hunter to investigate on their path to knowledge and understanding. While it is exceedingly rare for investigators to procure these abilities, it is not unheard of. There are stories passed around ghost-hunting circles about “that one time Jeff fell through the rotted-out floor in that mental institution, but saved his neck because he just knew he had to roll to his left at the last second. Lucky guy, huh?” Because of anecdotes like these, investigators mostly just cozy up to these folks and try to understand them — or better yet, try to learn their gifts for their own investigative toolkit. It’s not like curiosity killed the cat or anything.

This was a tiny preview from Chapter 5, which is all about Character Creation. Backers will have full access to Chapter 5 (and 6!) on Wednesday, and be able to read the complete preview manuscript prior to the conclusion of this campaign! If you haven't joined in yet... what are you waiting for!? Come join us, and let's hit some more Stretch Goals!

#WoDGhostHunters

#NuminaDoDooDoDoDoo

Spooky Stretch Goals
over 3 years ago – Sat, Oct 17, 2020 at 12:33:55 PM

What up, Ghostkickers?

We've done it! Another investigation complete! And I'd like to think we unmasked old man Jenkins and proved that this entire "haunting" was just a real estate hustle... but maybe it was something more supernatural...

ANYWAY! Let's talk about these investigations... I mean STRETCH GOALS!

ACHEIVED! - At $48,000 in funding – Monster Hunting Expanded – Even more guidance and options will be created and added to the Hunting Monsters PDF supplement.

And now that we've doubled the size of our Monster Hunting PDF supplement, let's see what we can investigate next!

AT $50,000 in funding – Digital Wallpaper! – Dress up your monitor with a spooky scene from World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters added to the rewards list for all backers.

Another Onyx Path classic! A fun Stretch Goal to add another reward and keep the Ghost Hunters spirit alive on your computer desktop! But let's also add some more new content...

At $52,000 in funding – Necromancers! – Expanded rules and options for mortals that use Hedge Magic to interact with the dead will be created and released in a supplemental PDF, which will be added to the rewards list of all backers receiving the World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters PDF.

Oooh... I like that one! A lot! Let's get some necromancers added on to these rewards!

Great work, Ghostkickers! Let's keep at it right up until Halloween! Remember to share on your social media and in your social circles, and let's keep investigating new cases!

#WoDGhostHunters

#Necromancers!