thoughtpile

===== stuff ====== `alcatraz proclamation` goldengate-exposition.gif indian alcatraz.jpg butterfly pics/ character creation/ maps/ players/ Playaides/ Resources/ Rules/ ===== other buffy punkish settings that didn’t get expanded ===== — New Orleans - Mucho cajun culture, voo-doo, and cayenne pepper. Center of the Next-New-New Economy, bio-engineering. What horrors are evolving in the bayous out of the escaped and abandoned bio-engineering R&D? Gotta stake some new demon/vamp hybrid? Stop by the EZ-Qwik and pick up a home-splice kit. Grow & graft on new gills, alter your ears and larnyx for echo-location, bulk up with CordonTek’s Mountain Gorilla Genes(TM) and get medieval “hairless ape from the black lagoon style” ;) — Chicago Archology - The good stay inside. The bad stay outside. The ugly come out at night. Huge, enclosed building complex containing schools, housing, malls, everything a smallish town needs. Everything is clean, neat, wholesome. Until, one peels up the veener of normalcy, looks past the fake smiles on everyone’s faces, or sneaks into the maintenance levels. ==== In the Buffy Style ===== (If you just want to have a vampire butt kicking good time that can be done anyhow. But, “In the Buffy style” relies alot on being in school and angsty teen-age stuff. Someone made a list of five things: — Juxtaposing supernatural threats and normal life - A constant theme in Buffy is having a supernatural horror reflect some aspect of teen life, such as the mother-daughter conflict in “The Witch” reflected in the supernatural possession and curses. A campaign where the PC’s are commandoes, professional agents, or seasoned Watchers will lack this. — Empowering what is normally the female victim - The core concept of Buffy is taking the girl who is the typical victim in vampire horror films, and making her a tough superhero. I think the femaleness of the hero is pretty important, and I was disappointed that 3 out of 4 of the Hero archetypes in the core rulebook are male. — Teenage problems - While Buffy eventually grew out of teen-hood, I think that school and other issues of teens is central to the series. Teen issues like career day, steroid use, mother-daughter relations, dating, prom, and so forth are frequent themes. With the latest season, this has become even more explicit as Buffy returns to high school as a counselor. — A new twist on old monsters - The show takes a lot of old monster movie premises and puts a new twist on them. Besides vampires, there have been werewolves, killer androids, snake-demons, mind-controlling parasites, and more. Many if not most of these reference classic horror movies (like the man-fish which resemble the “Creature from the Black Lagoon”). — Circles around a central character - Some series have a stable of characters who are switched between. BtVS is instead organized with a single character. This doesn’t mean that all the stories are about Buffy. Rather, the stories revolve around Buffy as the center. If anything, other characters are more developed than Buffy is (i.e. perhaps more of a donut than a cookie :-). But Buffy is the center which organizes their stories. ===== foo ===== Karl Ochi, shop teacher, disapears he made legs has secret control switch shows up later. have the SCA sword fighters network darknodes do not transmit/not connected to net books as sources of power, hold the spirits tarot cards as magic have magic, find old deck, get to cast spells Money most use Handy credit transfer which is in GBA credits a purely virtual denomination Barter is also common, esp on the local level and between GBA and non-GBA. Redchips, ex Chinese plastic coins. Hard to fabricate and no longer in production So they are accepted as currency with a fixed value throughout the GBA and most of NW North America. Although, no official source will convert them into some other currency such as GBA credits. Angie vision picture of old sf shore line for angie vision of old indian and spanish arrival “I’m sorry you have to live in these sorrow fill times” Estonian at HIBH is corp spy Handy ——- chording or speech input will display in cortical implant but those are very rare in GBA as the lack the tech. will display in glasses clear or shaded. GBA has tech for these. will project small screen on dark or light surface in low-light conditions. Also transmits to displays, speakers, headphones etc. phone, radio, computer, connects with blimp network, pick up other electro radiation with proper antenea. Wendy and Delgato do not carry them due to tracking fears Can summon milita for emergencies. Often jammed by vamps “Not this time sweete” “Too many guest spoil the party” If not militia shows up after badies flee, players are accused of cry wolf. Blimp network wireless 7 blimps anchored around SFDist sumplimanted by numerous solar powered ground repeaters and indoor antennea sinks Every GBA citizen is provided with Handy to connec to this network No landlines/phones (except custom hack jobs) Few hardwired net a few major trunks, most things are wireless Transpo ———- motorized human operated ground vehicles are not allowed bikes are very common, very strong and light mtn bikes made of aerated alluminun hover bikes/flitters are rare Blimps hover craft used for cargo transport, some barges on bay aswell exo skeletons and 6 legged walkers used by militia and cargo handlers Lev Economy ———- most jobs are room and board hand crafts, art, some custom stuff are exports food, water, electriciy all locally produced most hardware (bikes, vehicles, tools, machines) locally produced most electronics imported Books ——- The book of Balance & Harmony: From the School of Complete Reality - Tao Flower Ornament Scripture Bristow’s Demon Index: Occult reference books belonging to Giles. Humes Paranormal Encyclopedia: Gwendolyn Post pointed out that Giles did not have this book. Tarnis, The Book of: book belonging to Giles. FlavaFla ———— Paraphrase of Nieztche “When fighting monsters one must take care not to become one himself.” Quotes from Much Aso about Nothing The gentleman is not in your books Some of us will smart for it. Quotes from Midsummer Night’s Dream I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice. A lion among ladies is a most dreadful thing. The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve. I get paid weekly. Very Weekly! Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most Fad/Craze - quiz game over handie’s Places ——— Muni bar 15th harrison Randall museun on hill Armory in mission The club is “The Coffe house” Richmond San Rafael Bridge, and the San Mateo Bridge Caltrans property off limits, fromt for military/gov sweat lodge at stow lake The Junk Buddha - Large 100ft long reclining Buddah make from blding and other salvage/junk Laser sculpture light show thing Park overgrown, people say druids live there ArtSpace - GBA chain of community places, more for making art shows it too, has webcams and linked together so can tele-learn and view art. Wind turbines on beach - eggbeater variety Laser tag arena Trip Bar - Chillout drup up anyone over 14 Events ——— World Cultural Fair: A multi cultural event that Tara attended alone after arguing with Willow. Glory found her there and sucked her brain. Conspiracy con Watchers Retreat: An event held annually in The Cotswolds. There are lectures and other activities including riding, hiking, punting, and kayaking. It is a great honour to be invited to the Retreat. Giles has never been, but would dearly like to. Love Parade - rave like germany Engrish ———- FRUST (n) The small line of debris that refuses to be swept onto the dust pan and keeps backing a person across the room until he finally decides to give up and sweep it under the rug. SPEED IS OF THE SERIOUS ESSENCE: We need to hurry. UNSCHEDULED SLAYAGE: Unexpectedly having to fight vampires. THROWING DOWN: “I’m throwing down.” ie. throwing down the gauntlet. Challenging someone to a fight. KAISER SOSAYED: Tricked into believing the bad guy is really a good guy, and on your side! Arashmaha: “The place where demons are spawned.” Home of D’Hoffryn. More Things —————- Miss Edith (n) Drusilla’s doll. Claddagh ring: Given to Buffy by Angel on her 17th birthday. A traditional Irish token of love and friendship. The hands represent friendship, the crown loyalty, and the heart love. You wear the heart pointing toward you if you belong to someone. Scott also tried to give Buffy a Claddagh ring, but it made her freak out because she associated it with Angel. Scapula: pouch of herbs, etc worn around the neck as protection against evil spirits. Smells pretty bad. Storlines plots ———————- house of cards with tarot like deck of many things adventure Clone of cyro slayer has wood stake for implants in each forearm she remebers being in tank (clone tube) and corporate raid from which she escapes lab. Scene - naked girl washses up on shore. Two vamps Cleetus and noname come strolling along “What have we here?” “A sea food snack” haha noname grabs and hauls her up, just as he is aobut to feast, wood stake extends and dusts him, cleetus runs away, she wonders off throught the turbines towards city parts. Season Story Arcs: - Sacrifice - Dualities ala twinpeaks betrayal what is “human” piske fairy fantasy kill some save many “Choices” been done teaser setup turning point climax Big Bads: - AI Subplots - Find the slayer - A new slayer Episodes: - Wendingo - slavic myths - Alternate world ala Star Trek - X-files FBI agenst show up keep them from learning about vamps - “Of Emperor’s and Urchins” My Bad someone kilt into spirit switch bodies w/ vampire —— Buffy episodes are frequently based on taking a old horror movie monster or plot, and twisting it into high school life. To help come up with ideas, here is a list of classic horror movies with some comments on possible Buffy usage. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) A evil genius kills his victims by campy-poetic means. The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas (1957) A low-budget monster-hunt. Alien (1979) A classic old monster-horror movie done with new glitz. Altered States (1980) A modern twist on an old mad scientist plot: a scientist uses hallucinogenic drugs and sensory deprivation which transform him to earlier evolutionary states. This was clearly the basis for the cursed beer episode (4.5 “Beer Bad”). An American Werewolf in London (1981) Werewolves have been done many times, but this one is rather unique — especially for its mix of comedy and horror, and the dream sequence where the werewolf is visited by his dead friend. Attack of the 50 foot Woman (1958) A bizarre film about a woman who turns into a fifty-foot giant following contact with aliens. She decides to take revenge upon those who wronged her using her new power. Attack of the Puppet People (1958) A deranged puppet master shrinks real people to play parts in his troupe. The Blob (1958) A campy monster fight featuring the rebel teenager trying to save stupid adults. The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) A psychotic surgeon keeps his fiancee’s brain alive after she is decapitated in a car crash. He tries to find a donor body for her, with attendent problems from the failed experiments. Carnival of Souls (1962) An eerie dream-like ride portraying the passage of the soul of a girl who died. It has a lot of material for spooky dream sequences. Cat People (1942,1982) Here lycanthropy is a family curse rather than a disease, and brought on by sexual arousal rather than the phase of the moon. There was a 1982 remake with Nastassia Kinski with rather less subtlety than the original. Creature From the Black Lagoon () This was clearly the basis for the swimmers-on-steroids Buffy episode (2.20 “Go Fish”). An RPG scenario could focus on what happened to the transformed athletes, or where the drug came from. Curse of the Demon (1956) Demon-summoning scrolls and satanic cults in England. This was a seminal film in the genre which forms the basis for a number of Buffy episodes. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) An alien and his mighty robot land and try to convince the Earth to come to peace, with attendant problems. While difficult to adapt outright, one can easily use references to this and the theme of the good emissary with a destructive servant. The Disembodied (1957) A photographer on an expedition in the jungle runs afoul of a voodoo cult. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920, 1932, 1941) A classic of horror featuring a dual identity. This has been the basis for countless plots. A bit of magic or magical potion could easily allow a high school student to have an alter-ego. The Exorcist (1973) A classic of a little girl possessed by a demon. Buffy episodes tend to be about creatures you can hit, while the horror here is trying to save the girl being possessed. The Fly (1958 and 1986) The original was silly but unsettling, while the remake was gorier but less effective. Frankenstein (1931) The prototypical mad-scientist/construct film. This was clearly the basis of the resurrected football-playing brother episode (2.02 “Some Assembly Required”). From Beyond A loose adaptation of Lovecraft which explores the idea of another world all around us that we simply cannot see. But when we can see it, things in it can see us! Gremlins (1984) The original of a rather silly theme of little mischievous creatures as deadly antagonists. It is set in a Capra-esque small town, where everyone seems to misjudge the small but deadly threat. The Haunting (1963 and 1999) A classic haunted house film, featuring a scientist trying to prove the existence of ghosts. Horror of Dracula (1958) The first and best in a long series pitting Christopher Lee’s Count Dracula against Peter Cushing’s Van Helsing. It is their personal clash which is interesting. This was a basis for the Dracula episode (5.01 “Buffy vs Dracula”). The Howling (1981) A popular modern take on the werewolf myth, based on the Stephen King book. Werewolves featured in several Buffy episodes, starting when Oz first discovered his curse (2.15 “Phases”). The Incredible Shrinking Man A man at first becomes sullen and depressed as he becomes smaller, then in the second half fights for his life in his own cellar. A magical or scientific curse could easily be the basis of a Buffy episode — with the scoobies rushing to find a way to reverse the process as the hero shrinks. Invaders From Mars (1953) A minor classic which perfectly transfered the paranoia of the 50’s into a science fiction nightmare. This, along with “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” was one of the basis of the mind-controlling-bazors episode (2.12 “Bad Eggs”). Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 and 1979) The original was far more subtle — the horror being of going to sleep and changing. Island of Lost Souls (1932 and 1996) An adaptation of “The Island of Dr. Moreau” about a scientist who sets himself up as god over a race of man-beasts he has created. It! The Terror From Beyond Space (1958) A campy fight with an alien creature on board a spaceship. The crew try increasingly outlandish attacks (poison gas, flamethrowers, etc.) in a misguided fight against a creature. It Came From Outer Space (1953) A crashed spaceship causes mysterious disappearances. An important twist is that the problem is resolved peacefully (in contrast to some of the other Communist-scare alien-invasion films). It Conquered the World (1956) An alien teams up with a disgruntled scientist to use mind-control devices in a plot for world domination. Jaws (1975) A modern classic. The key with this film is how it slowly and subtlely builds from a fishing expedition to a threatening horror. King Kong (1933,1962,1976) An old classic twice remade. Sympathy with the giant ape is the real key here. The Lost Boys (1987) Vampires as rebellious youth in Santa Cruz. The key to this is how the vampires recruit the older brother by the coolness of their gang. Not of this Earth (1957,1988,1995) An alien agent disguised as a human terrorizes Southern California in an attempt to acquire blood for his dying race. The Mummy (1933) The mummy’s goal in this original is to find the princess he knew three thousand years ago and confer immortality on her. The mummy only appears briefly as such, as he can pose as a normal man. This is similar to the Buffy mummy episode (2.04 “Inca Mummy Girl”). A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) The first in a series about a monster which kills you in your dreams. Night of the Living Dead (1968) A classic and the first in a long series. The totally mindless violence of the zombies is key to the horror. The Omen (1976) Introduces the demon-child Damien as a classic schtick. The “Anointed One” of the first season was a nod to this, but little was done with the concept. Poltergeist (1982) A classic ghost story, especially notable for how it makes everyday objects (TV sets, toys, trees, steaks) seem alive and malevolent. Re-Animator (1985) A loose adaptation of the Lovecraft work, but also amusing and horrific at the same time. Tarantula (1955) Scientists are trying to perfect a nutrient using radioactive isotopes. Two assistants inject themselves and become insane mutants, injecting lead scientist Carroll and letting loose a giant tarantula. Late in the film he becomes more and more mutated as the creature is hunted down. The Thing (1951 and 1982) The original is notable for the conflict between scientists who want to communicate and soldiers who want to kill. The remake introduces the ability to mimic the appearance of any human, adding mystery and paranoia to the plot. This Island Earth (1955) An alien invasion plot with a twist. The aliens come to Earth in peace, and cooperate in research to save their dying planet. However, a plot is uncovered of their covert intentions. The Unearthly (1957) A mad scientist creates grotesque zombies in his research towards the fountain of youth. The Wasp Woman (1960) Side-effects from an experimental cosmetics youth formula turn a woman into a monster at night. This was possibly an influence on the she-mantis episode (1.04 “Teacher’s Pet”).