Modern
The modern setting is easy because it’s just the real world, right? Well, yes and no. It’s easy for players to understand the context of a modern setting. They know the default assumptions—cities, cars, cell phones, the internet, and so on. It’s also easier for some players to get into character, because their character could be someone they might very well pass on the street. It can be easier to wrap your mind around a history professor than a thousand-year-old elf wizard. These things make it easier on the GM as well.
But for the same reason, it’s not easy. The setting is the real world we all know, so it’s easy to get facts wrong or let them bog you down. What happens when you pull the fire alarm on the thirty-fifth floor of a major hotel in a large city? How fast do the authorities arrive? In truth, the facts aren’t as important as the story you’re creating, but some verisimilitude is nice.
Molding Characters For A Modern Game
If you’re trying to portray a psychic with a few basic powers, you might not want to use the Adept character type. Instead, choose a different type (perhaps a Speaker) and encourage foci such as Commands Mental Powers or Focuses Mind Over Matter. Some of the Adept’s powers might be too over the top for the genre.
Similarly, the technology flavor is probably too high-tech for a modern game. For someone with technical skills, use the skills and knowledge flavor instead.
Sometimes, the types might be more physical than is always desirable for a modern game, but that’s because the least physical type, the Adept, is often inappropriate for other reasons. The Calm descriptor is very good for such characters, not only granting them a great deal of skill and knowledge, but also reducing their physical capabilities.
Last, don’t forget foci such as Doesn’t Do Much or Would Rather Be Reading for “normal” characters who have useful skills but not much in the way of flashy abilities.
Suggested Types for a Modern Game
| Role | Type |
|---|---|
| Police officer | Explorer with combat flavor |
| Detective | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Soldier | Warrior |
| Criminal | Explorer with stealth flavor |
| Teacher | Speaker |
| Professional (accountant, writer, etc.) | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Technical profession | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Dilettante | Speaker with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Doctor/Nurse | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Politician | Speaker |
| Lawyer | Speaker |
| Scholar | Explorer with skills and knowledge flavor |
| Spy | Speaker with stealth flavor |
| Occultist | Adept |
| Mystic/Psychic | Adept |
Basic Creatures And NPCs For A Modern Game
- Businessperson: level 2, business tasks as level 3
- Cat: level 1, Speed defense as level 3
- Clerk: level 2
- Dog: level 2, perception as level 3
- Dog, guard: level 3, attacks and perception as level 4
- Horse: level 3; moves a long distance each round
- Rat: level 1
- Worker: level 2; health 8
Additional Modern Equipment
In a modern setting, the following items (and anything else appropriate to the real world) are usually available.
Inexpensive Items
| Weapons | Notes |
|---|---|
| Ammo (box of 50 rounds) | |
| Knife (simple) | Light weapon (won’t last long) |
| Other Items | Notes |
|---|---|
| Duct tape roll | Useful and ubiquitous |
| Flashlight | |
| Padlock with keys | |
| Trail rations (1 day) |
Moderately Priced Items
| Weapons | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hand grenade | Explosive weapon, inflicts 4 points of damage in immediate radius |
| Hunting knife | Light weapon |
| Machete | Medium weapon |
| Nightstick | Light weapon |
| Armor | Notes |
|---|---|
| Leather jacket | Light armor |
| Shield | Asset to Speed defense |
| Other Items | Notes |
|---|---|
| Backpack | |
| Bag of heavy tools | |
| Bag of light tools | |
| Binoculars | Asset for perception tasks at range |
| Bolt cutters | |
| Cell phone | |
| Climbing gear | |
| Crowbar | |
| Electric lantern | |
| First aid kit | Asset for healing tasks |
| Handcuffs | |
| Rope | Nylon, 50 feet |
| Sleeping bag | |
| Tent |
Expensive Items
| Weapons | Notes |
|---|---|
| Light handgun | Light weapon, short range |
| Medium handgun | Medium weapon, long range |
| Bow | Medium weapon, long range |
| Rifle | Medium weapon, long range |
| Shotgun | Heavy weapon, immediate range |
| Armor | Notes |
|---|---|
| Kevlar vest | Medium armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
|---|---|
| Camera designed to be concealed | Transmits at long range |
| Microphone designed to be concealed | Transmits at long range |
| Cold weather camping gear | |
| Nightvision goggles | |
| Scuba gear | |
| Smartphone | |
| Straightjacket |
Very Expensive Items
| Weapons | Notes |
|---|---|
| Heavy handgun | Heavy weapon, long range |
| Assault rifle | Heavy weapon, rapid-fire weapon, long range |
| Heavy rifle | Heavy weapon, 300-foot (90 m) range |
| Submachine gun | Medium weapon, rapid-fire weapon, short range |
| Armor | Notes |
|---|---|
| Lightweight body armor | Medium armor, encumbers as light armor |
| Military body armor | Heavy armor |
| Other Items | Notes |
|---|---|
| Disguise kit | Asset for disguise tasks |
| Used car | Level 3 |
| Small boat | Level 3 |
Exorbitant Items
| Other Items | Notes |
|---|---|
| Large boat | Level 5 |
| Luxury car | Level 5 |
| Sports car | Level 6 |
Optional Rule: Handling PCs As Children
The regular character creation process makes fully competent, adult characters. To account for playing children, the GM could adopt this optional rule. First, the players make their characters normally, and then they apply the following adjustments to their PCs, as appropriate to their age category. You might also consider applying a tier cap of 3 to childhood adventure games with kids of up to thirteen years old, and a tier cap of 4 for childhood adventure games featuring PCs who are aged fourteen to seventeen.
Age 9 To 13
Slight: –4 to your Might Pool.
Vulnerable: Adults look out for you. You are trained in all pleasant social interactions with adults.
Inability: Might-based tasks are hindered.
Inability: Tasks involving knowledge are hindered.
Age 14 To 17
Youthful: –2 to your Might Pool.
Inability: Tasks involving knowledge are hindered.