I've got another sampler from our example game Pinfall from Grace Bodyslams from Hell for you today. In our most recent manuscript section, the Expansion chapter talked about creating Powers and today we've got an example of Angelic Miracles from our example setting.
Before we get to that, though a quick two/two reminder.
We've got TWO more days to vote on the direction/inspiration for our second example setting. For the first poll, you'll be voting on a Sci-fi setting example. Your options:
Cyber-enhanced humans fly corporate-owned starships in search of new life and new financial opportunities.
Futuristic superheroes fight interdimensional monsters in order to keep them from destabilizing reality.
An experimental space flight flings the player characters into a distant galaxy full of strange and alien sights.
Voting will run until September 14th at 2:00 PM EST. You must be a backer of this project to vote for this setting.
And, we've got TWO more weeks in this campaign, so please continue to spread the word and invite others to our SPU club. Any backers who join in before Saturday will be able to vote in the Sci-Fi Setting poll, and any backers who join in before the end will get a chance to vote in our upcoming Fantasy setting poll, determining the theme of the third example game setting that will go in the final book.
And everyone who joins in to back will be able to read the draft manuscript as it stands now before any pledges are processed or payments collected.
Miracles
Characters with Grace can create miracles. These unusual powers come from the angelic part of the host, although the human part controls when and how they are used. Due to the nature of the agreement regarding wrestling matches, miracles cannot be used during a match. It is possible to use miracles before a match (such as Summon Ring) or after (such as Healing Touch), but not during — to perform miraculous actions inside the ring, see “Graceful Moves.” (Relics are an exception to this rule — we'll see some of those on Saturday).
Generally, using a Miracle requires the expenditure of Grace points. In most cases, the player of the wrestling simply marks off the requisite number of points, and follow the rules listed for the miracle in question. If the wrestler ever ends up with zero Grace points, however, they gain the Exhausted status effect.
All hosts start with the Summon Ring miracle, one other Universal miracle, and one miracle distinctive to the choir of the angel in question.
Additional miracles cost 5 experience each, up to the maximum dictated by the wrestler’s Grace.
Universal Miracles
Universal miracles can be learned and used by wrestlers of any angelic choir, although demonic wrestlers may have equivalents (such as Summon Ring — see the antagonist power).
Demon Sense
Cost: None; this is a permanent ability
Some demons — like the ones that are eight feet tall and have horns — are easy to spot. Others are more subtle, but you can feel their presence like an itch under your skin.
This miracle gives the wrestler access to the following investigation trick:
Sense Demonic Influence (2 hits): Choose a person within perception range. You immediately know if the person has a demonic spirit within them, has knowingly worked for a demon, or has been the target of a demonic status effect. This does not reveal which demon is involved, or the exact nature of the relationship — merely that the target is possessed or influenced by a demon.
Healing Touch
Cost: 1 Grace point per Combat status effect or Injury
With the help of your angel partner, you can get rid of your cuts and injuries as easily as you can wipe away the blood.
This miracle allows the wrestler to remove a Combat status effect or heal 1 Injury on herself. Additional Grace points can be spent per status effect or Injury.
Summon Ring
Cost: None
With but a thought and a wisp of power, you summon forth a wrestling ring in the space near you. Within moments the faint chants of an invisible crowd meet your ears.
This miracle allows the wrestler to summon a ring, referee, announcers, and Audience, usable for a match — collectively called “the ring” for the purposes of this miracle. The ring cannot be destroyed or moved by mundane means, although it can be damaged by angelic and demonic wrestlers during the match.
If the wrestler who summoned the ring participates in the match, they gain an additional +1 Enhancement to their bond pool with the Audience over their current Enhancement pool.
The ring persists until one of three conditions are met:
The referee has made a decision on the match, such as announcing a pinfall or calling for a disqualification. Once the decision has been made, the ring disappears in sixty seconds.
The wrestler who originally summoned it, along with one other angelic or demonic host, both agree to send it back. This happens immediately.
If neither of the previous two conditions are met, the ring disappears after 24 hours have passed. The wrestler who summoned the ring takes one Injury immediately after the ring disappears, even if they are no longer near the ring itself.
Blessing Miracles
The Fides choir push their hosts to spread hope and encouragement to all those around them, and their miracles help in that goal.
Balm of Relief
Cost: 1 Grace point
You look at your exhausted and beleaguered stable. With a soft breath of power, they all perk up, shrugging off their lethargy and ready to do battle once again.
Upon activating this miracle, select a number of targets in perception range up to your dots in Esoterica. If the target has the Exhausted status effect, they lose it. If they didn’t have it, they gain the Refreshed status effect.
Encouraging Strike
Cost: 1 Grace point
“Aim for the visor!” you yell to your partner. As she takes aim with her rifle, you know in your heart the shot will hit its mark.
Once this miracle is activated, one ally that can perceive you makes their next attack against an enemy with +1 Power Advantage.
Inspiration
Cost: 1 Grace point
You walk up to your stablemate as he sets the empty bottle down next to him. After a few quiet words, he looks more hopeful.
Once this miracle is activated, grant the Inspired status effect to one target within perception range.
Reality Miracles
Angels of the Veritas choir grant these miracles to their hosts, with the ability to pierce illusions or uncover truths.
Clarity
Cost: 1 Grace point
You suddenly feel your angelic partner’s senses overwhelm your own, and everything around you snaps into crystal-clear focus.
By activating this miracle, the area seems to be well-lit and sound moderated to a moderate level. This allows you to ignore any darkness-based or senses-based penalties or Complications in the Area, such as the effects of the Darkness and Overstimulating area effects.
Memory Cinema
Cost: 1 Grace point on an unwilling target; no cost for a willing target
Brushing your fingertips across your friend’s brow, you whisper a moment to yourself before the events of their career-ending match play out around you.
When you activate this miracle, touch a target (which can be yourself). You project a recreation of one of the target’s memories (your choice) into the space around you for all to see. The recreation will be accurate to the target’s memory, which is just as truthful or flawed as the target’s own recollections. You have no indication of which parts of the memory are true, and which are false.
Sense the Hidden
Cost: None; this is a permanent ability
Glancing around, you quickly point at the scorched painting on the wall. “The safe is behind there,” you say confidently.
This miracle gives the wrestler access to the following investigation trick:
Sense the Hidden (2 hits): You know the location of all hidden or concealed things within Short range. This does not negate any supernatural ability that would keep something invisible or hide things from others in the scene. You simply know where mundanely hidden things are in your proximity.
Resilience Miracles
The resilience miracles of the Patientia choir are all useful powers that allow the host to resist uncomfortable or dangerous situations.
Armor of Faith
Cost: 1 Grace point
The boom of the gunshot fills the space. The shooter stares in horror as the bullet stops barely an inch from your face before falling to the ground.
Upon activating this miracle, gain two points of armor for the remainder of the scene. This does not stack with any other sources of armor.
Glorious Defense
Cost: 1 Grace point
As the demon host swings at your head, you feel your angelic partner momentarily move your limbs, pulling your body out of the way almost faster than you can think.
When you are attacked, you may activate this miracle reflexively to this miracle to add a number of dice equal to your dots in Grace to your next Defense dice pool roll.
Iron Mind
Cost: 1 Grace point
The demon laughs, and you feel waves of terror emanating from it. But its face falls as you simply smile in its face and crack your knuckles.
When this miracle is activated, immediately resolve all Social status effects you have. You are immune to any Social status effect targeting you for the rest of the scene.
Strength Miracles
These miracles, the unique purview of the Diligentia choir, focus on the wrestler’s physical and inner strength.
Intimidating Aura
Cost: 1 Grace point
The mob of raiders start to step toward you, but they pause, noticing the gleam in your eyes. Hands holding sharp blades tremble as they watch you.
Activate this miracle to create an area of intimidation around you, out to Short range. Anyone who attempts to act against you or disobey a direct command suffers a Moderate Complication on their action. If they fail to buy it off, they gain the Terrified status effect.
Mighty Thews
Cost: 1 Grace point
You take a deep breath and shove the burned-out car. The automotive carcass slides several yards away before skidding to a halt on its rusty rims.
Once this miracle is activated, gain +1 Power Advantage to any actions involving the Might Attribute for the rest of the scene.
Power from Pain
Cost: 1 Grace point
Your legs buckle as your opponent kicks your knee. Pain floods through your mind, and from the pain’s clarity, you know just how to defeat him.
If you take an Injury or gain the Agony status effect, you may reflexively activate this miracle to grant yourself the Inspired status effect.
Structure Miracles
Structure miracles, as wielded by angels of the Concordia choir, focus on imposing order and creating things for the host to use.
Heavenly Mandate
Cost: 1 Grace point
“Take me to your leader,” you say, staring daggers at the bandit. She suddenly jerks around and marches away, as if she had lost control over her limbs.
Once this miracle is activated, make an influence action against a target in perception range to force them follow a command you give them. The target is compelled to follow your command to complete or the scene ends, whichever comes first. The command must be succinct and cover a single completable goal, such as “steal that gun” or “lead me to a safe place.” Overly complex or convoluted commands simply fail (although the Grace point remains unspent in such situations). You cannot compel your target to do things that would endanger them or go against their nature, such as forcing a demon to intentionally lose a match.
Mass Communication
Cost: 1 Grace point
“We have to warn the stable,” he says. You nod and close your eyes, sending the warning through your angelic partner to all your friends.
Once this miracle is activated, you can convey a message to anyone you have a bond with, positive or negative, no matter where they are. You decide who receives the message, choosing to include some people you have bonds with, and excluding others. The targeted recipients must be conscious, but they instantly understand your message and current location. In addition, you may make an influence action with +2 Enhancement on them.
Moment of Calm
Cost: 1 Grace point
The crowd was growing restless. “I urge you all to remain quiet,” you say in an even tone, your angelic partner adding their strength to your voice. Within moments, the crowd becomes silent.
When you activate this miracle, impose the Social Code area effect on the area. You create the code based on the ideals of your angel, and anyone who fails to buy off the Complication gains the Ennui status effect.
Again, this is just a small sample of the Miracles from our example setting chapter, which you'll have in full on September 23rd. The example setting game serves two purposes - first is to provide a fun game you could play right out of the book! The second is to provide examples that can inspire you to create the kinds of Paths and Powers to run a game out of your own imagination.
Tomorrow, we'll get the next section from the manuscript, covering some Building Block systems to add options to your game, and then we'll see some examples from Pinfall from Grace, sampling some Relics on Saturday and then exploring the rules of Wrestling Matches next Tuesday.
