User:Bill/The Last Best Hope

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Status[edit]

Terminated

Introduction[edit]

The American Civil War represented a turning point in the history of our nation. Brother faced brother in in a battle of ideals and economics. No war before or since has taken a greater toll in American lives because casualties on both sides of this conflict were Americans. Against this backdrop our story is set.

A Difference[edit]

Beginning at Chancelorsville something strange began to happen. In situations that would lead to their deaths a small few men and women exhibited phenomenal abilities beyond those of other men. Men struck by cannon-fire were left unharmed and others trapped by collapsing fortifications were miraculously able to lift the broken masonry off their fellows. In the north these people have been gathered by the union into small units known as special operations divisions under the command of the Department of Extranormal Affairs. Our story will focus on the 4th Special Operations division of the United States Army.

The impact of these superhuman individuals has not changed the course of the war overall. These men and women fight on both sides of the conflict and the balance is maintained. Our stories will focus on the battles that involve them and the drama that is shaped by them.

Player Characters[edit]

Characters for this game are talents. They discover within themselves an amazing power without which they surely would have perished. Unlike many superhero games where the powers are determined by the players' choices this game utilizes a random power generation scheme. Each player is dealt three cards. On each card is printed the name of a miracle, an extra, and a flaw. The players were then instructed to choose one of the powers and apply any combination of extras and flaws appearing on the cards to it; minimum one extra and one flaw. This has promoted a certain type of creativity in the players and building the powers in this manner results in unexpected combinations.

So far the character abilities appear to be giving the game a flavor similar to Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Mike Mignola's B.P.R.D. I consider this to be both good and desirable and I am looking forward to telling a few tales inspired by these sources and others.


Claire Wilkes A young woman with the ability to mimic other talents
Klaus Von Wolfenbauch A man turned incorporeal, with no way to turn back
Seamus O'Reilly Virtually immortal, Seamus shows the years he carries, and the wounds.
Tailar Johnson A canuck that has the ability to heal others.
Cathleen Rosaline Harding A young lady with the ability to take the shape of others.

Non-Player Characters[edit]

Abraham Lincoln President of the United States
Jefferson Davis President of the Confederate States of America
Ephrem Kelly A confederate with the talent to move at great speed for a limited time (sample character)
Robert E. Lee Chief military adviser to the Confederacy and general of the Army of North Virginia
Ulysses S. Grant Major general of the Army of Tennessee

Resources[edit]

Wild Talents Miracle Charts

Quotes from Abraham Lincoln

Quotes from Jefferson Davis

Quotes from Robert E. Lee

Quotes from Ulysses S. Grant