The Demon Isles - an OVA Swashbuckling Campaign

[tokyosteve]

Argh… wee lassie, sure I’ll tell you a tale or two from the dreaded Demon Isles, but my throats a bit parched, perhaps a large mug of ale might help….

Ah…that’s better. So what do you want to know from Dead-eye Jack? Yes, you silly girl, I got my name from my dead eye, the one with the patch over it, not for my aim, which isn’t too good these days. I lost it in the isles. A dread succubus decided that I might be peeking just a little too much and boiled it. Yes, right in my very eye socket. Everything? You want to know everything do ya? Well I guess its best to start at the beginning then. But you better have a full purse lassie; I think I may be needin’ a few more glasses of ale if you want to know everything.

The Basics
What is the Demon Isles? It’s a campaign setting for the OVA system. Rather than bore everyone with a long list, it is a swashbuckling game borrowing a bit from anime and a bit from fantasy. Here is the type of thing you might find in a Demon Isles game
• Riches beyond your dreams, although there is a good chance that either pirates, ninjas, restless natives, or a demon or two will their utmost to stop you from getting it
• The wars between the Home Countries spilling into the Demon Isles, giving the game a bit of a cloak-and-dagger feel.
• Romantic and brave Cordovians Dons leaving behind their estates to test their mettle on the high seas.
• Gritty and plucky Yorksmen privateers trying to edge their way into the Isles for service of Queen and Country
• Lethal yet Polite Solars Chevaliers who administer the Sun Kings colonies in the Demon Isles by way of the sword with a rapier fine wit.
• The defiant and resourceful Rebels of the Free Seas who have thrown off the oppression of the High-Kingdom of the Sun.
• The Black Blade, a secret society of assassin for hire, that eschew the gun for the powers of a secret fighting style using their fists, hands, feet and long knives that give them their name.
• The pirates that prey on every ship that crosses the Demon Mists
• The Demon Isles that cross over to the shadow realm the home of demons and the land of dreams and nightmares.
• The Righteous Order of the Light, a monastic order that forgoes peace and tranquility for the power the sword and reason, dismissing the magic that they don’t understand.
• Arcanists who have managed to tame the wild and chaotic powers of demon imps to do their bidding.
• Distinctive fencing styles, whose secrets are guarded by the masters that teach them
• Ports ranging from Skull Island (a wretched isle of scum and villany) to the capital city of Orlea, the City of Twin Towers, (named for the massive forts overlooking the ports, the Tower of Gold and the Tower of Silver) and everything in between.
• Ships ranging from the infamous Orlea Galleon (that carries the treasure back to the Capital City of d’Sol in the High-Kingdom of the Sun once a year) to the treacherous blockade running pirate sloop, the Demon’s Lash packed with more guns and powder than it should.

The game setting is one of high fantasy mixed with a swashbuckling game of high cinematic adventure, with overtones of romance and intrigue. Technology is mixed, but it is really like that of the Age of Sail, so there is anything you might find in the 17th century. Additionally there is a twist, magic and the shadowrealms that cross over into the demon isles once you sail past the mists. Arcanists don’t actually wield the power, but they have learned the charms of commanding an imp, one of the least demons that roam the isles.

Characters
A good introduction into a setting is to have a few sample characters. Below are three or four using the OVA system.

• Bonnie wee Katie – a young woman of small stature, and part of Dead-Eye Jack’s crew. While having a slight figure and build her two-fisted approach to pistols has proven many an officer’s doom.
• Dead-Eye Jack – Captain of the Demon’s Lash. A bit of a lush and womanizer, Dead-Eye Jack is also an Arcansit, and with Nez’bala (his bottled imp) he can turn the tide of the battle quickly.
• Sebastian – a quite and pensive member of Dead-Eye Jack’s crew, with fine features, and with grace and elegance unheard of a pirate, he is quite the odd one out. However both his speed and skills with his fists make him indispensable, especially when they need someone to walk through walls. Rumored to be an ex-member of the Black Blades on the run.
• Sir Richard Eveningstone – The 7th son of the 7th son of a minor York nobleman, sent to Demon Isles to make his fortune (or to stop embarrassing his family in Parliament). He is a bit of fop, but some think perhaps he is secretly a member of the Gilded Rose. His eccentric sword style and incredible luck keeps most men on their toes. His goal is to somehow make the town of Princeton the first captured port for the Queen.
• Lieutenant Giles d’Fury – Captain of the High Kingdom’s Musketeer Regiment in their “recovered” colony of Princeton (aka as everyone else knows it The Red Sail). Overworked and underpaid, he fights the rebels and does his best to clean up the shelled town that is now a haven for pirates.
• Sister Emily – An acolyte of the Righteous Order of the Light, skilled with the blade and with a sharp deductive skills, the best amateur detective in Princeton.

Next post after I get a bit more familiar with the rules, are some character sheets for these folks.

[tokyosteve]

Argghhh matey, more Pirate fun for OVA and the Demon Isles. The next installement is a player character with stats. Just a couple of things:

- I tried to match the "style" of the main characters in the OVA book for the write ups.

- If they seem like the main characters in the OVA book, you can rack that up to Artful Adaptation, Humble Homage, or just that there are common themes in Anime. My intention was not shameless stealing.

-Feel free to use and abuse as you like. (meaning you can use it this information how you like, reprint, or even add to a fan site, provided you at least mention my name)

- All characters use the zero rule (meaning abilities / weaknesses within 5 of each other) and max combat skills +5.

-This is a work of fandom, and by no means trying to infringe on anyone's copyright or other legal stuff (Argg Captain Jack hates the law)

-Though I am well travelled, my knoweldge of languages is crap, so forgive the bad use of spanish and french sounding names. If you have suggestions for better let me know

Bonnie Wee Katie

Basic Statistics
Concept: Strongly Independent But Cute Busty Pirate with Big Guns
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Association: Demon’s Lash
Home Country: York
Height: 5’0”
Weight: 98 lbs
Hair: Black
Eyes: Green
Occupation: Pirate
Hobbies: Quilting
Fav. Food: Large Slab of Roasted Meat and Big Mug of Ale
Allies: Dead-Eye Jack, Sebastian
Enemies: Lady Katrina Orro and San Carlos Army and Naval Powers

Attributes (+21)
Acrobatics +2
Agile +2
Combat Skill +2
Cute +2
Defense +2
Hobby: Sewing (Quilting, Embroidery, Sails) +2
Power Move: +2
Two-Fisted Fury (Ranged, Mutiple Targets, Activation, 15 endurance, DT 5, Requires both Custom Made Wheelock Handcannon)
Whirlwind of Steel (Area Effect, Low Penetration, Decreased Damage, 10 endurance, DT 4, Requires Light Cutlasses)
Quick: +3
Willpower: +1
Weapon: +3 (Custom made Wheelock Handcannon, Extra knockback, Ranged)
Weapon: +1 (Light Cutlasses)

Weaknesses (-16)
Boorish -1 (swears like a sailor all the time)
Focus -2 (needs custom swords and pistols for Power Moves, and Combat Skill)
Hatred -3 (The Lady Katrina Orro)
Hatred -1 (Cordovians)
Impulsive -2
Ineptitude -2 (cooking)
Poor -1
Sensitivity -2 (being a slight but busty pirate girl)
Short Temper -1
Wanted -2 (Part of Dead-Eyes’ Crew wanted in the Demon Isles)

Attacks
Brawling: +2 DT 1
Handcanon: +4 DT 4 (increased knockback, ranged)
Cutlasses: +4 DT 2
Two-Fisted Fury +4 DT 8 (two targets, ranged)
Whirlwind of Steel +4 DT 5 (low penetration, -1 defense to those in the area)

Defense
Dodge / Parry: +5
Against Mental Attacks: +1

Health 40
Endurance 40

Background
Katherine was a proper young Yorkish lass, the daughter of a knight who owned a small but nice country estate, and spent most of his time dozing, hunting, and reading (in that order). His only major concern was finding a suitable match for his only child. It would be an important decision since his estates would go to his son-in-law. She grew up to be a cute young lass, with a bust that was little larger than one would expect on such a slight small lady. She rejected almost all of her suitors, who tended to be old, boring, and obessed with dozing, hunting, and reading. Until finally she fell head over heals in love with a young merchantman, Daniel Eventide, the scion of a wealthy mercantile dynasty. The fates matched up well, Katherine would give Daniel’s father an air of respectablility for his son to inherit the land, and Katherine’s father would be rid of his temperamental impulsive daughter. All should have been well. Except Daniel was not quite as smitten as young Katherine was and he was scheduled to captain his first trade voyage to the Demon Isles, to trade furniture, fashionable cloth and clothing, and other luxuries of York (as well as cannons) for Jade, Silver, Gold, and Spices, so the fact that he wouldn’t see his betrothed for over a year meant announcing the bans was not so painful for him.

But fate, as it usually does, stepped in. Daniel’s ship the Queen’s Grace was attacked by Cordovians as he tried to take a short cut near San Carlos, a Demon Isle’s port now controlled by the Orro family. News filtered back that Daniel was still alive, but all of the expeditions funds were spent, there was nothing for a ransom. This was the fifth bad expedition for the Eventide dynasty, and they too lacked the funds to ransom him. Katherine pleaded and begged her father to ransom her Fiancé, but he wasn’t having any of it, and decided that a near bankrupted trading house leveraged to the bone was not the sort he wanted inheriting his estates, especially if he couldn’t keep out of trouble.

Being impulsive, Katherine “borrowed” her wedding dowry, sold much of the plate in the house, and set out on her own to rescue her beloved. She was dogged at every turn. It took quite a bit of convincing to get even the lowly merchantman, the Last Chance to take her to Demon Isles. When she finally reached San Carlos, she was sick, tired, and had already punched several of the sailors in inappropriate places for making snide comments to her. She was crushed when she found out that the recently Widowed Lady Katrina had been “nursing” poor Daniel to health personally. Swearing under her breath (she had learned some new words on the voyage) she decided to take things in her own hands. She didn’t quite have enough for a ransom now, and even if she did, she didn’t think that Lady Katrina (recently widowed from the Governor of San Carlos, just when Daniel arrived) would give him up now anyway. Spending the rest of her money on several custom made weapons (it took a lot of flirting and eye-lashing batting to get the gunsmith to make them) for her small hands and light wrists, she took it upon herself to rescue Daniel. Which she did. But only after catching a section of the Orro estate on fire, and killing several of the guards. She managed to get Daniel safely out of there and catch a dingy going to the nearby town of Princeton. She was shocked to find after their first night together, a note, from him saying that his true place was his lady’s side, and at first she thought it was a love note, but instead as she read creative and new curse words were invented. Daniel didn’t think that he could live a life of a man on the run and especially not with such a independent woman as one that would break into an estate.

Soon after she fell in with Dead-Eye Jack and his crew, dropped her family name and became (nicknamed by Jack himself, Bonnie wee Katie). She seethes and smolders for revenge against the Lady Katrina and by association the Cordivans, who she sees as two-faced, scheming, lecherous, well, some other creative words that Katie might use, but I won’t.

Personality
Katie is fiercely independent, impetuous, and a bit of a hot-head. She has taken up swearing like (or worse than a sailor) as a bit of a way to make herself noticed and to keep people on their guard. She is extremely sensastive to people who make cracks about how cute she is, how buxom (it’s the beer she says), or how soft her delicate wrists are. Often times enough to show how her delicate wrists can hold a large bore wheelocke pistol just fine. Though she likes to sew, she hates to work on anything useful, like sails, and is always trying to get out of her normal ship duties when she can. She knows she is cute, and can lay the cute innocent girl act on, if she keeps her mouth shut while she is doing it. She right now dislikes most men, but Sebastian (who seems the opposite of her) intrigues her, and she really wants to show Jack that she is (wo)man enough to get the job done. She is always trying to convince Jack that the demon’s lash should strike San Carlos, but he is too obessed with the Orlea Galleon.

Handcannons
Katie has a brace of special made pistols, that are long barrel and large bore. They have been carefully crafted to counterbalance the huge kick from them, and to fit her small hands. The same has been done with the pair of cutlasses. Without her custom made weapons her weapon skills aren’t nearly as effective (since she learn to fight and shoot with them).

Lady Katrina and the Orro Family
San Carlos is one of the Richest Cordovian towns in the Demon Isles. Between the spice plantations and the gold mines, there is a lot of money flowing back to Cordova. Lady Katrina is a distinguished, and beautiful woman who looks (some say unnaturally) years younger than she really is. She was married to Don Cortez Lazzon, the Governor of San Carlos. Shortly after her brother (a Captain in the Cordovian Navy based out of Fort Carlos) took the Queen’s Grace her husband died. In her tender state (not really believed) she decided to be kind and generous as befitting a noble lady and nurse the injured captain to health. Meanwhile, the King of Cordova gave the title of Govenor to her brother. No-one really knows what these two are plotting in the Demon Isles….

[TheBouncyPherret]

Power Move: +2
Two-Fisted Fury (Ranged, Mutiple Targets, Activation, 15 endurance, DT 5, Requires both Custom Made Wheelock Handcannon)
Whirlwind of Steel (Area Effect, Low Penetration, Decreased Damage, 10 endurance, DT 4, Requires Light Cutlasses)

You might want to try this[changes in italics]:

--Two-Fisted Fury (Ranged, Mutiple Targets, Activation, Special Flaw [Requires Wheelock Handcannon], 10 endurance, DT 5)
--Whirlwind of Steel (Area Effect, Low Penetration, Special Flaw [Requires Light Cutlasses], 10 endurance, DT 4)

But, if you do it this way, you would have to get rid of the Focus Weakness, since they are redundant. This way, you get a discount on Endurance spent. I guess it's a trade-off.

Also, speaking of the Focus Weakness, your Bonnie Lass would only have it a -1, not -2, since it's only one Ability that requires a focus.

Just trying to be helpful!!

TBP

[tokyosteve]

Thanks for the input! Just a quick clarification though, I could reduce the endurance cost, but rather I wanted to use the focus ability, as it is a bit more intuitative to me, and matches up more with the other characters in the book. Plus, of course I need the -2 focus to balance out the rest of the character.

Regarding the -2, If you read carefully, it says that she must have the swords and handcannons for both the Power Move and the Combat Skill, 2 abilities, which IIRC is what is required for -2. I know I could have used hobby: Handcanon and Hobby: light cutlass, but there is a particular flavor of this character, she is a tiny woman with really big guns. It has to be the very specific weapons that she had custom crafted. If she picked up any other weapon her skills wouldn't work (ie. she would just be relying on her natural agility for the attacks).

Hope that clears up the character understanding just a little bit. I also went backed and edited her defense based on what Clay posted in my rules clarification.

Cheers for now,

[tokyosteve]

Sebastian
Basic Statistics
Concept: Moody and Reclusive Ninja
Age: ?? Looks to be in his twenties
Gender: Male
Association: Demon’s Lash
Home Country: ?? Speaks with a flat accent, could be Solar
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 138 lbs
Hair: Pale Blonde
Eyes: Sky Blue
Occupation: Pirate
Hobbies: Koans and Zen Meditations
Fav. Food: Weak Buckwheat Tea
Allies: Dead-Eye Jack, Bonnie Wee Katie
Enemies: Black Blades, Various Naval Powers,

Abilities (19)
Acrobatics +2
Art of Invisibility +2
Defense +2
Hobby (Martial Arts Attacks): +3
Hobby (Black Blade Knives): +3
Hobby (Koan, Zen Riddles): +2
Incorporeal +1 (30 Endurance)
Martial Arts +1
Quick +2
Power Move +1
Shadow Strike (Extra Damagex2,Extra KnockBack, Stun, Empty Hands, Open to Attack, DT 6, 20 Endurance, Affinity Shadow)
Sixth Sense +1
Special Ability (Cast Shadow) +2
Weapon (Black Blade Knives, Accurate, Affinity Shadow) +1

Weaknesses (14)
Code of Conduct -1 (Won’t betray secrets shared, won’t harm someone who saves his life)
Emotionless -1
Love Interest -1 (Bridgette Aunsaul)
Personal Habit -1 (Often answers questions with a question, or riddle)
Secret -3
Shy -2
Wanted -3 (Black Blades)
Wanted -2 (Pirate, wanted by Authorities)

Attacks
Martial Arts: +3 DT 2
Black Blade Knives: +4 DT 2 (accuracy included)
Shadow Strike: +3 DT 6 (increased knock back, stun)

Defense
Dodge / Parry: +4
Against Mental Attacks: +0

Health 40
Endurance 40

Background:
No one is really sure where Sebastian comes from. He just appeared one day when the Demon’s Lash was about to pull out of Red Sail (Princeton) after the Solars liberated it from the Freemen of the Seas. Although he was quite and moody, Dead-Eye Jack had a feeling about him. After making him climb up the crossnests in under a minute, he decided that such a sure footed young man would be a good addition to the crew.

There is a lot of speculation among the crew about Sebastian. They have seen him do some strange things before, and once was able to get Jack out of prison the eve before he was to be hanged. The crew had no idea what they were going to do, Giles had the place locked up tighter than a drum, but Sebastian was able to get him out extremely easily without alerting the guards. Later when drunk, Jack claimed that he could walk through walls and that there were two Sebastians rescuing him. But everyone also thinks that Jack was just drunk.

Others have heard that Sebastian is actually the son of a high ranking Chevalier, fleeing an arranged marriage in the Home Countries. His entire goal had been to make it to Skull Island in the first place and took the job simply as a way to make it to the Pirate’s Haven with Jack. Now because of his strict code of conduct he can’t abandon Jack and his crew, even though he really wants to be with his true love on Skull Island. Since Bridgette, the operator of a local tavern come casino on Skull Island, and known to be head over heals in love with Sebastian is the one who tells this story the most, the rest of the crew don’t believe it.

Regardless of his true past, he is a hunted man who has shown his willingness to keep his mouth shut, his eyes open, and lend a hand to get things done for the crew of the Demon’s Lash.

Personality:
Quiet and reserved. Sebastian doesn’t talk a lot, and holds his emotions in check. Usually the most you can get out of him is a riddle or another question if you ask him anything. But he is dependable, and feels that the Demon’s Lash has become the family that he never had. He will always leap to their defense, and for others that, although may be unspoken, he feels he owes an obligation to. That even extends to Bridgette, the comely matron that runs one of the drinking dives at Skull Island. He doesn’t return her love, but since most of those that frequent the “Dive” know of her devotion to him, he feels that it puts her in potential danger, and therefore feels obligated to protect her.

The Black Blades:
The Black Blades were a secret society of spies and assassins in the Home Countries, frequently doing the dirty work of Kings, Merchants, and Nobles. No questions asked, and secrecy guaranteed. Once a few of those in power felt that the Blades knew too much about the inner workings of the Home Countries, almost simultaneously in an act unprecentated by states at war, they agree to eliminate them. Most the of blades were indeed captured and hung. But a few managed to either go into hiding or escape to the Demon Isles. Now they are operating full force in the Demon Isles. The governors, nobles, and politicians have found them to be extremely useful with the limited resources that they have at their disposal in the far flung isles, so they there has been a resurgence of their activities.

They study almost paradoxical riddles and stories to hone their mind to accept the unacceptable and impossible. Through rigorous training, and single-mind dedication to their arts, they are able to achieve the impossible. They are said to be able to walk through walls, become invisible, put people to sleep with a mere glance, and be in two places at once. No one knows if this is sorcery, genetics, or some other power, of even if it can be taught to one who is not part of their inner circle. Even though the authorities may use them, they deny their existence, saying they are myths started by rebels and pirates to scare the populace. Their signature weapon is the black steel knives they use in a lethal manner combined with their unorthodox hand-to-hand fighting style. They can coordinate their attacks in a deadly fashion with the shadow strike technique. Though it may leave one of their members exposed, several Black Blades together can easily neutralize opponents, by a series of shadow strikes dealt individually followed by a killing knife strike against a defenseless foe.

(It is recommended that the Black Blade supernatural abilities not be taken higher than +2 for any character).

New Ability: Cast Shadow – Casting an illusion (shadow) of themselves is how some members of the Black Blades appear to be in the same place twice. They can project a semi-solid illusion of themselves away from their body to perform a given action. Such actions cannot be too complicated, but can include things like running away, or being in a doorway they are not, or climbing up a wall. It is opposed by a perceptive or similar to determine if it is real. During combat, Sebastian can spend 10 endurance plus 5 per round thereafter to cast a shadow. Opponents must make a perception test or similar to determine which one is the real one. If they fail, their attack instead hits the shadow (which causes it to disappear). Like other similar abilities, while not in combat casting a shadow does not use any endurance.

From an OVA perspective this uses a similar table as incorporeal, but at a lower cost since there is a chance that the opponent will notice which the real one is.

Sebastian’s Secrets
Sebastian’s -3 secret has been left vague on purpose, to allow players and GM to come up with something interesting for the campaign and allow for some surprise for player-to-player interaction. It could one or more of the following:
• Sebastian was supposed to be the next Head of the Order of Black Blade. His father was one of their best assassins and the only one to master all four arts, the Shadow, the Blade, the Sleep, and the Fist. His mother though fled with her young son when he was 3 years old back to the Home Countries after his father was killed. His “uncle” came to take him away back to the demon isles when he was 6 and trained him to one day become the Head of the Order, but when they wouldn’t let him leave when his mother died, he rebelled against them.
• Sebastian really has never left the order. It is all an elaborate set-up. His real target is one of the other player characters. Will he go through with it, or will he hold back? Espically interesting if it is someone like Jack who he secretly respects of Bridgette, the one he feels responsibility for.
• Sebastian was never a member of the order. Rather, in a strange and bizarre incident involving a demon (succubus) he obtained a magical tattoo that gives him the powers of the Black Blades. Why she gave him the tattoo he doesn’t know. The order has found out that someone has their powers or secrets and wants to eliminate him.
• Bridgette’s story is true. He ran away from an arranged marriage to the Demon Isles. He got the powers and training either from the tattoo mentioned above, or some other way (such as when he accidentally bumped into a member of the order right outside someone’s house who in the process of binding a demon, somehow things went haywire and he ended with the members powers and skills). The blades that are after him are either hired by the father of his bride to be to retrieve or kill him or discovered that he stole the powers of one their powerful members.

Design Notes:
The inspiration for Sebastian was the Tales of the Otori books (non-anime but very good, by Lian Hearn) and the Tribe, including the ability to split themselves. I chose to use Hobbies instead of Combat Skill for flavor over mechanics. I could have had Combat Skill +3 instead, but wanted him to be really good at the Black Blade stuff and nothing else. The idea of Koans allowing people to have powers is interesting in its own right, studying paradoxical sayings somehow giving you enough enlightenment to do the impossible. Also it is a nod in a very obscure way to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I decided to lighten the character up a bit, and so introduced Bridgette as a love interest, and although he doesn’t love her back, or even quite know how to love, he feels protective of her since her love (which he does not return) puts her in danger from the Black Blades who might use her to get to him. I wanted to have some powers that an “extra” might have, and I wanted the non-demon related supernatural to be somewhat rare and restrained, so that is why the “Black Blade” powers are all only +1 or +2. The shadow strike can very easily be given to a “extra” or “thug” of infinite ninja’s attacking the characters somehow. Plus as an added twist, the first time the PC’s are attacked by hordes of Black Blades none of them have any special powers. The next time a few have Incorporeal +1, and a few have Shadow Strike (since these are +1 very easy to give to an extra or nameless thug). A few extra’s with Shadow Strike can do a lot of damage to a group of PC’s. Eventually one of the attacks is going to stun one of the PC’s followed up by a lot of pain. I don’t really see Sebastian as a combat power house like Katie, but rather an interesting PC for someone who is a quite player, or who likes the idea of finding creative ways to use his unique powers.