Contest: The Supernatural Super-Agency Challenge

[Lord Z]

*** THE SUPERNATURAL SUPER-AGENCY CHALLENGE ***

We are holding a contest. The prizes are a copy of Rifter #45 and a commissioned original art piece based upon the winning entry.

1. The purpose of this contest is to develop new gaming material for use in home games and fiction. The creators retain intellectual ownership of their entries until they decide otherwise. All entries must adhere to Palladium's Internet Policy.

2. All entries may be considered for use in an upcoming ebook to be released in .pdf format. This will probably be appearing in the form of a special issue of Gifter Magazine as compiled by RGG. It is understood that all entries may be subject to editing if included (probably by me). Entry in this contest does not automatically mean inclusionin the book. Furthermore, the creator may opt out of inclusion.

3. There will be a prize which I will determine.

4. The contest will be open for two months. In my experience, participants in these sort of contests sometimes miss a one month deadline, but after two months, no new entries show up. The contest will begin on September 1st, 2010. The contest will end on November 1st, 2010. Judging will follow shortly afterward, a
nd the winner will be announced as soon as I can get to it.

5. All entries should appear in the form of a response posted in this thread. I will also start another thread at the Tank Nine forums -- contests are sort of their thing. Posting entries at either website is valid.

6. There is no minimum nor maximum length required. The description should take as long as it takes.

7. All entires should describe a new agency which investigates supernatural phenomena. We are not looking for updates of canon material. The agency can be composed of good guys, bad guys, or any other guys. You may update older non-canon materials of your own creation. Adaptations from other games or shows would violate Palladium's Internet Policy.

8. Here are the elements that every entry needs: a name for the agency, a specific character or characters who lead the agency, a description of a typical member of the agency, a history of the agency, an explanation of the agency's purpose and governing philosophy, and at least a rough description of the agency's size and reasources.

9. Here are the elements that I would like to see but are not strictly required: a theme for the agency which is reflected in its equipment, iconography, methods, and/or costumes. (Yeah, I've been watching a lot of The Venture Brothers lately.) I also would like to see playable stats for characters, vehicles, and equipment. Other creatives materials such as artwork, maps, audio materials,and whatever else is stuff I would love to see.

10. The entry should feature the format as found in the Agency Creation Rules from the Boxed Nightmares Sourcebook. This is a point-buy system. If you don't have these rules, consider teaming up with someone who does. Alternatively, you may use the Erick's Agency Creation Rules from Ninjas and Superspies which were the basis of the BtS rules. Or, you may use the Paranormal Investigation Team rules which I wrote for Boxed Nightmares 2 (post here to request a copy of these rules). The PRT rules are intended for groups of 10 characters or less, but they are useful enough for larger groups.

11. Although we are using the Beyond the Supernatural games as a creative landmark, you are not limited to that setting. Your entry could be designed for the BtS world, the past or future, any other Palladium setting (such as Nightbane, Heroes Unlimited, Mystic China, etc.), your own original setting, or the agency could be generic enough for any setting. Please indicate which setting in which your agency exists.

12. Entry judging will be based upon all this criteria -- creativity, usefulness, presentation, adherence to rules, and entertainment value as I read. If someone else would like to volunteer as a judge, please post a response here. I think that keeping the number of judges as an odd number is prudent. Judges may submit entries for fun, but they will not be considered as valid entries for this contest.

13. All questions should be posted here or in the proper Tank Nine thread.

14. The judges will be Scott Zaboem (myself) and Steve Dawes (Mr. Loucifer). Bribing the judges is completely legal by these rules and highly encouraged.

[sasha]

You know I have two copies of Boxed Nightmares and can't find either.
The Paranormal Investigation Team rules you mentioned would be good for one organisation we've used in our games.
The N&SS rules would actually work better for the other organisation. And I think I know where my copy of that is.

[Tearstone]

Can you give me the Boxed Nightmare 2 ruleset you were mentioning.

Also, are we limited to just posting for one Agency, or may we post information for more than one.

You stated we had to come up with new agency material, instead of one that may be presented already, even if it has not been seen on the LazloSociety or on these boards?

[Lord Z]

Tearstone, so long as you are not presenting already canon material from he books, it's all good. So, an updated version of the After Midnight News Agency would break the rules. The Cypress Cove Sheriff's Department would not.

Sasha and Tearstone, please send a some PMs with your e-mail addresses.

[Xar]

Although we are using the Beyond the Supernatural games as a creative landmark, you are not limited to that setting. Your entry could be designed for the BtS world, the past or future, any other Palladium setting (such as Nightbane, Heroes Unlimited, Mystic China, etc.), your own original setting, or the agency could be generic enough for any setting. Please indicate which setting in which your agency exists.

How do you feel about R.C.C.s from other Palladium setting in a BTS2 world? That might create a whole can of worms if one would have to deal with magic and the modifier mechanic...

[mrloucifer]

Although we are using the Beyond the Supernatural games as a creative landmark, you are not limited to that setting. Your entry could be designed for the BtS world, the past or future, any other Palladium setting (such as Nightbane, Heroes Unlimited, Mystic China, etc.), your own original setting, or the agency could be generic enough for any setting. Please indicate which setting in which your agency exists.

How do you feel about R.C.C.s from other Palladium setting in a BTS2 world? That might create a whole can of worms if one would have to deal with magic and the modifier mechanic...

As one of the judges, I would say no to exclusivly making RCC's as the theme is "Supernatural Super Agency". And while I'm also hesitant on simply retooling RCC's from other game systems (it still slaps the "original canon" spirit dead in the face), I would be willing to accept RCC's that are unique to the Supernatural Super Agency. But tread carefully about how you make them as the Magic system hasnt been introduced yet, because when it is your RCC may not work with what you had have written up, and take it from me... thats frustrating.

[Xar]

Although we are using the Beyond the Supernatural games as a creative landmark, you are not limited to that setting. Your entry could be designed for the BtS world, the past or future, any other Palladium setting (such as Nightbane, Heroes Unlimited, Mystic China, etc.), your own original setting, or the agency could be generic enough for any setting. Please indicate which setting in which your agency exists.

How do you feel about R.C.C.s from other Palladium setting in a BTS2 world? That might create a whole can of worms if one would have to deal with magic and the modifier mechanic...

As one of the judges, I would say no to exclusivly making RCC's as the theme is "Supernatural Super Agency". And while I'm also hesitant on simply retooling RCC's from other game systems (it still slaps the "original canon" spirit dead in the face), I would be willing to accept RCC's that are unique to the Supernatural Super Agency. But tread carefully about how you make them as the Magic system hasnt been introduced yet, because when it is your RCC may not work with what you had have written up, and take it from me... thats frustrating.

I was thinking of making an agency whose membership was comprised of supernatural creatures....

So, it'd be a Supernatural Agency...

[Lord Z]

Go for it, Xar!

[Xar]

Go for it, Xar!

I'm on it.

[ScottBernard]

Noone?

[acreRake]

Well, this sounds pretty cool. I'm going to give it a shot. I don't have BtS2, though i doubt i'll be using many [any] actual psychics... If i do, is there anyone willing to give any psychic/monstrous NPCs a once over for compatibility?

[mrloucifer]

Well, this sounds pretty cool. I'm going to give it a shot. I don't have BtS2, though i doubt i'll be using many [any] actual psychics... If i do, is there anyone willing to give any psychic/monstrous NPCs a once over for compatibility?

I'd offer to help, but as a judge I cant. That being said, I consider BTS 2nd edition to be one of the best Palladium books released in its vast library and cant encourage you enough to get a copy and support their work.

[Xar]

Noone?

The contest will end on November 1st, 2010.

Scads of time still. Patience, grasshopper.

[mrloucifer]

I'll be needing to buy tons of Psi-Cola to get ready for this contest.

I'm certain that you can buy it on whole sale somewhere.

[Xar]

I hope everybody is still working on stuff. I am, and I look forward to seeing other entries as well.

[Prysus]

Greetings and Salutations. I actually made my submission over at the Nexus Nine forums in like the first week of the contest. However, I figure some people may not check those forums so I've decided to post it here as well. Also, there haven't been many submissions yet so I'm hoping this will help rekindle any dwindling interest (yes, I know some people such as Xar are still working on their entries). Because it's kind of long and I don't want to have to reformat it again (bolds, italics, font sizes) I'm just going to post a link to it on my website (hopefully there are no objections). If you'd like to see it in a forum, you can always head on to the Nexus Nine and see the post there.

My entry: http://www.prysus.com/BTS

Hope you enjoy. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys to all.

[mrloucifer]

Still time to get involved in this one gang... GIT R DONE!

[Xar]

I had this conversation two days ago. My wife and I are looking at moving and thus were looking at houses with a realtor. We were looking at one house that was owned by another realtor and he commented that they did everything wrong that realtors know better than to do.

I manage a computer store. Nearly every day, there is an opportunity for me to advise people to back up their files. My entry was on a flash drive, and no where else, as I was trying to migrate all non-work files off of my work machine. I definately know better than this. The flash drive has now dissappeared.

[Cybermancer]

Extraordinary Solution Providers

Do you have an extraordinary problem? Other people can't help or even beleive your problem?

We're the solution you've been looking for. No job too big, no job too small.

Where others wouldn't beleive, we will.
Where others couldn't help, we can.

Just remember, Extraordinary Problems require Extraordinary Solutions!

This band of paranormal investigators started out as a team of Parapsychologists associated with a major university. When funding for their research started to dry up, this unlikely group of heroes drew inspiration from a movie that was popular when they were kids. Now they fund their research while helping others at the same time.

Size and Orientation: Supernatural/Paranormal Private Agency (90 points plus 10 for the library and 10 for research).
Agency Features:
A. Outfits: 1. None. (0 points)
B. Equipment: 3. Electronic Supplies. (5 points)
C. Weapons: 2. Ammunition (2 points)
D. Vehicles: 2. Public Transportation (3 points)
E. Communications: 2. Basic Service (2 points)
F. Offices and Distribution: 2. Urban. (2 points)
G. Military Power: 2. Security Guards (3 points)
H. Sponsorship: 4. Private Industry (6 points)
I. Special Budget: 3. Small Potatoes (8 points)
J. Adminstrative Control and the Law: 1. Rigid Laws. (0 points)
K. Internal Security: 2. Lax (5 points)
L. Agency Credentials: 4. Known (10 points—recently upgraded from faceless thanks to a successful media campaign).
M. Agency Salary: 2. Freelance (2 points, the original founders all count as experienced freelancers)
N. Research and Information Gathering: 4. Excellent Connections. (20 points)
O. Library: 5. Superior Library (25 points)
Total Points Spent: 93. Lots of room for improvement and growth!

[Cybermancer]

The Hourglass Foundation

“Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, verse 14

This is nothing more than a childrens charity. Originally founded over two hundred years ago in Europe, this agency is now a truly international charity with branches on every continent. Where ever there are children in need, they're there offering a helping hand.

The Hourglass Foundation has recently become popular with celebrities as well as the rich and powerful. Many have either appeared in or sponsored commercials asking for support. Naturally they've made rather large donations to the cause themselves.

The current chairman of the Foundation is himself independently wealthy. When his daughter went into a coma many years ago, he poured nearly all his wealth into the Foundation. Perhaps not surprisingly, the foundation takes a special interest in children who are coma patients and their families.

There are no psychics, mages or paranormal investigators counted among the massive Agencies personnel. Based on the number of people that the Foundation employs, that alone is a statistical anomaly. Another statistical anomaly is the higher than normal workers who are nega-psyhics (almost four times as many as compared to the general population).

Regardless, 99.9% of those who work for or with the foundation have good (or at worst Unprincipled) alignments. It's that 0.1% that is of grave concern.

It's all a cover. The Foundation has it's strings pulled from the pits of Hades itself. A rather brilliant and surprisingly subtle Dream Seller Demon calling himself 'The Sandman' is behind the whole organization. He uses the Foundation as a cover for his activities in the Minion War on Earth. Using the Foundation, he is able to move key opretives around the world undetected and unmolested by either governments or other lower powers.

But it has an even more insidious purpose than that. Sandman is putting psychic children into coma's and then using their dreams and minds to build an ever growing, ever more powerful dream world. A place where his power is nearly god like and he can safely scheme against his enemies. The Foundation offers aid to the families of these unfortunate children. Often, the children are actually placed into hospitals run by the Foundation. And of course, should paranormal investigators who come poking around they will find little in the way of paranormal activity and even less cooperation. The Foundation's official policy is to rebuff the offered assistance of charaltans and quacks who offer nothing but false hope and are usually just trying to defraud families who are already suffering.

The Hourglass Foundation is not swarming with demons or other supernatural menaces. Among it's highest elite are a number of cultists however. These cultists do not actually have any paranormal abilities. They are simply dupes of the Sandman. Aside from the cultists are some special opretives that carry out the few non-charitable operations that the Foundation engages in. These special opretives work in pairs. An adult handler who is a highly trained professional. Usually ex-military, police, covert opretive, assassin or similar dangerous specialty. The other is the trigger or 'hitman'. Always a child but enhanced with a special alchemical formula (that involves using demon blood) to make these tiny assassins equal to a 'Natural Athlete'.

Size, Orientation and Points: 6. International Psi-Espionage Agency +100 points (Just like Network Television). While not actually a paranormal agency, this represents the agencies actual resources and influence.

Agency Features:
A. Outfits: 4. Specialty Clothing (10 points). This is for the agency's 'special' operatives. The other 99% recieve 3. Open Wardrobe.
B. Equipment: 5. Special Equipment (25 points). This is for the agency's 'special' operatives. The other 99% recieve 3 and 4. Electronic Supplies and Medical Equipment.
C. Weapons: 5. The Arsenal (30 points). This is for the agency's 'special' operatives. The other 99% recieve 1. None. They are a charity after all.
D. Vehicles: 5. Specialty Vehicles (35 points). This is for the agency's 'special' operatives. The other 99% recieve 3. Company Fleet of Vehicles.
E. Communications: 5. Satellite Network (30 points).
F. Offices and Distribution: 5. International (35 points).
G. Military Power: 6. Strike Force (60 points). 99% believe it's 2. Security Guards.
H. Sponsorship: 2. Secret (+15 points)
I. Special Budget: 6. Limitless (50 points). For 99% of the organization it's more like 4. Large Loans.
J. Adminstrative Control and the Law: 4. Agency Protection (40 points) but only for it's elite .1%. The remainder get 1. Rigid Laws.
K. Internal Security: 5. Paranoid (40 points). Except that everyone beleives it's 2. Lax.
L. Agency Credentials: 5. Recognized (30 points).
M. Agency Salary: 6. Outrageous Salary although 99.9% only get 3. A Pittance.
N. Research and Information Gathering: 5. Superior Connections (30 points)
O. Library: 6. Library of the Arcane (50 points). Only available to their elite. For everyone else, it's 1. None.
Total Points: 450

[Lord Z]

Xar, sorry pardna. I lost nearly 100 pages in a similar way. If that flash drive turns up, please share what you have -- even if it's too late for the contest.

[Cybermancer]

Xar, sorry pardna. I lost nearly 100 pages in a similar way. If that flash drive turns up, please share what you have -- even if it's too late for the contest.

I thought the contest deadline was Nov 1st?

[Prysus]

Xar, sorry pardna. I lost nearly 100 pages in a similar way. If that flash drive turns up, please share what you have -- even if it's too late for the contest.

I thought the contest deadline was Nov 1st?

Greetings and Salutations. That is the deadline. He means (I'm fairly sure) that if it turns up on Monday (Nov 1) or after, please still share it so we can all enjoy (the "even if it's too late for the contest" was a separate thought, not part of the main request, if that makes sense). Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.



P.S. Sorry to hear that Xar. Yikes! I've lost data before, but nothing ever that big (of course, it would take me weeks to write that much, so not so uncommon). Hope you find it.

[slade the sniper]

The AO Foundation

Defending those who can not defend themselves

The AO Foundation is a non-profit organization that is esoteric and eccentric in the extreme. Founded by a former military officer and his trauma surgeon wife and her three sisters, it has since expanded to include a large collection of veterans and minor psychics.

The AO Foundation has it's headquarters in Washington D.C., though it has agents spread throughout the world on various assignments. Since the AO Foundation is relatively small, it only hires people that the founders can personally vouch for and can pass an extensive background and psychic check (which checks for both mundane and demonic influences that may interfere with the Foundation.

The AO Foundation acts as a halfway house for information and problems that people can not solve themselves from demonic influences in their lives, exterminating undead, fighting international drug traffickers, subtle assistance for regime change, personnel recovery, etc. They are always in the market to help others with a problem that they can not solve themselves.

Once a problem has been identified, the requester is then scryed/observed surrepticiously for a number of days to ensure that they are not attempting to scam the Foundation and to ensure the absence of demonic/supernatural/criminal/foreign government interference in the case.

Once the issue has been brought forth, and the client has been proven to be in need and not used as a pawn in a larger chessmatch, the founders decide on the price and which agents to send to solve the problem. The client is contacted and told the price for solving the problem. Clients can either pay in cash, favors or barter. Cash is only taken if the client has no other skills for barter or influence for a favor. The agents are given a complete dossier, some money, and a free hand on how they fix the problem. Once the problem has been solved, the client then awaits the Foundation to collect the cash, call in the favor, or request the bartered item/service.

Many clients are not particularly happy with the business practices of the Foundation, but it does keep the prices fairly low for what they provide (trapping a demon for less than $500.00 is a pretty good bargain, knocking off a drug kingpin for a favor is unheard of).

The AO Foundation
Agency features (I used Ninjas & Super Spies mixed with a bit of RIFTS: Mercenaries)
Crime Buster Agency: 100 points + 10 points from Independent Operatives
Actual total is 208 points, the average skill level for the founders is 9th, the average level for agents is 7th

Outfits: Open Wardrobe - 5 points; Comes out of a budget for clothing, approximately $1,000 per mission if required
Equipment: Electronic Supplies - 10 points and Medical Equipment (From RIFTS: Mercenaries) - 10 points; Basically night vision, laser sights, radios, medical equipment and medical training (Combat Medic equivalent)
Weapons: The Arsenal - 30 points; since the majority of agents are ex-military combat vets, they like guns, about $30,000 per agent
Vehicles: Spy Cars - 20 points; The Foundation has 3 urban assault mini-vans, and gives it's agents $20,000 to mod their own vehicles, but the agents pay the insurance!
Communications: Computerized - 15 points; Having a gizmoteer as a founder allows the Foundation to have a lot of top of the line technology/computers
Offices/distribution: National - 5 points; Offices are only in d.c., but agents are from Alaska to Florida and they are all required to have a "guestroom" available for other agents to stay at for the duration of a mission
Permanent Bases: (from RIFTS: Mercenaries) Fortified HQ - 20 points; A pretty well defended building in Washington, d.c.
Military Power: Militia/Private Army - 15 points; Over half the agents are combat veterans who work for the AO Foundation primarily to get some action, although the pay is good. They have 150 combat vets with great skills, courage and a desire to fight, but getting them together will take a minimum of 24 hours within the United States, and 72 hours worldwide, but having 150 grunts backed up by 50 psychics will shake up most third world tinpot dictators, though the lack of artillery, air support, armored vehicles like BMP-3's or tanks and other tools of a real military will hamper them.
Sponsorship: (From RIFTS: Mercenaries)Independent Operatives + 10 points; the original founders of the Foundation control it, but all agents are friends of the original founders or people that the Foundation has helped previously and all have a voice in the running of the organization
Budget: Small Potatoes Plus - 20 points; The Foundation can dig up about $250,000 for a major operation
Administrative Control: Agency Protection - 25 points; the Foundation WILL protect agents to the absolute maximum amount, but if the agent is clearly in the wrong, they will face the wrath of the founding members and most likely will be fired. The AO Foundation disciplines its' own.
Internal Security: Paranoid - 30 points; The Foundation knows all it's agents, does both a mundane and magical/psionic background check and only takes clients if they pass the checks as well.
External Infiltration: None - 0 points; The Foundation has no real enemies (well, cults and foreign governments, but there are so many of them, they don't really bother to keep tabs on them, just fight them when they show up, or maybe do some Harrassment and Interdiction raids to keep them busy).
Agency Credentials: Unknown - 3 points; The Foundation wants to remain hidden, but still able to effect change, hence the reason they often trade services for favors. This goes for governments as well.
Agency Salary: Well Paid - 15 points; Agents receive 150% their base salary, plus any money that the Foundation made in excess of its' required outlays of cash is divided equally among agents and disbursed, usually about $1-2,000 a year.
Research and Information Gathering: Superior Connections - 30 points; Having psychics among the founders and allowing clients to pay in favors or information lead to this capability.
Intelligence Resources: (from RIFTS: Mercenaries) Scout detachement - 5 points; for use in the wilderness
Special Military Operatives - 10 points; for use in urban areas and long duration infiltration operations
Psionic and Magic Operatives - 20 points; for use in scrying and seeing the future
Library: Library of the Arcane - 50 points; The Foundation has a huge variety of available texts regarding ballistics, weapons, history, psionics, science, magick, culture, medicine, etc. Also, they are very adamant about record keeping and conduct magical research and weapons research constantly, thus adding to their store of knowledge. Also, thier clients are often willing to trade tid bits of useful knowledge or texts for assistance with a problem they can not solve themselves.

The big selling points for the AO Foundation is that it is a haven for psychics who have nowhere to go to learn about their powers, the mystical/mundane library that they have access to, and the fact that the agents are very well armed and tend to have the whole "us against them" mentality they carried over from their wartime service.

-STS

[gaby]

Any chance you show the characters of your Agencies?

[slade the sniper]

Sure thing. Will do them up later tonigh-STS

[mrloucifer]

Ok, time is up!

Z-licious and I will get to our judging shortly and make an announcement on the winner.

[Xar]

Found the flash drive! It went through the wash. All files seem to have survived...Except one. Guess which one.

[Xar]

However, the spreadsheet I wrote to help me total up organizations still worked, so I just remade the Agency Budget. I'll have to rewrite the rest.

***Not a valid Entry***
Harbinger Security Inc.
Agency Budget 175
+additional budget for Equipment 10
+additional budget for Weapons 10
Total Budget 195

Agency Features
Option: Point Cost:
A. Outfits. Utility Outfits 1
B. Equipment. Electronic and medical 15
C. Weapons. Armed Agents 5
D. Vehicles. Company Fleet of Vehicles 10
E. Communications. Computerized 15
F. Offices and Distribution. Regional 10
G. Military Power. Militia 20
H. Sponsorship. Private Industry 6
I. Special Budget. Big Bucks 30
J. Administrative Control & the Law. Free Hand 30
I. Internal Security. Tight 10
L. Agency Credentials. Known 10
M. Agency Salary. Good Salary 10
N. Research and Information Gathering. Excellent Connections 20
O. Library. Small Library 3

Total Points 195
Under Budget 0

[ScottBernard]

Ok, time is up!

Z-licious and I will get to our judging shortly and make an announcement on the winner.

From only 2 entrants? Why not just flip a coin?

[Xar]

Ok, time is up!

Z-licious and I will get to our judging shortly and make an announcement on the winner.

From only 2 entrants? Why not just flip a coin?

There are more at Tank Nine, I believe.

[Prysus]

Greetings and Salutations. Well there is mine (I only posted a link here, but posted it in full at the Nexus Nine), Cybermancer posted two different ones, and then there is the one from slade the sniper. Three participants, and four entries. Though, unless I missed more, I was the only one who posted at the Nexus Nine. I just wanted to give a full list of entries (which is more than two). But in the end, a deadline is a deadline. The contest did run for two months, and the deadline was stated in the contest rules. On a personal note, I'd have liked more entries myself (I saw this as a participant). But I don't expect them to break the rules, wait another month, two months, a year, or more in the hopes that someone else may enter. Anyways thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.

[Xar]

Prysus, I agree with you. I saw that you had posted over at Nexus Nine, and haven't read it yet. I deliberately didn't want to read any entries until I had written mine. However, that turned out to be moot, now didn't it. I look forward to reading them all this weekend.

[Lord Z]

We have a winner! And the crowd goes wild!

After considerable discussion of all four entries, the judges have reached a unanimous and enthusiastic decision. The winners is...




















THE HOURGLASS FOUNDATION!

All of the entries had different elements we liked, but this entry really got us excited. I was impressed by the brilliant startegies involved, how the Sandman to obscuring his involvement by using the tools and resources he found in the BtS world rather than hike mystic powers. Mr. Lucifer commented that he was impressed by Foundation's unique assassins. We can see this faction showing up in a *lot* of games.

Congratulations to Cybermancer. Please send me a PM soon with contact information so that I may send your prize to you. This should feature both a shipping address for the Rifter and either e-mail or a phone number so that I may in put you in contact with the commission artists. Take a bow.

[Prysus]

*Goes wild!* What do you mean I didn't win?! I had to fly across the country to sabotage Xar's efforts and you're saying that's still not enough?

Um ... I mean ... is that not the kind of "wild" you meant?

Seriously though: Congratulations to Cybermancer! Nice job. *Bows respectfully.* The best entry won, and keep up the good work.



P.S. Greetings and Salutations and farewell and safe journeys and all that stuff.

[Lord Z]

Bwa-ha-aaaaa!

To Slade, Prysus, Cybermancer, & Xar; who would like to see their entries in an issue of Gifter?

[Prysus]

Bwa-ha-aaaaa!

To Slade, Prysus, Cybermancer, & Xar; who would like to see their entries in an issue of Gifter?

Greetings and Salutations. After considering the option, and with a heavy heart, I had to edit my submission first (it's arleady editted as I make this post). I basically removed the timeline (because I have plans to use it for something I actually want to publish one day). Anyone who didn't get a chance to read it yet, my apologies. I also removed the "scribbled notes" on it, but mainly because they didn't add too much and the main reason I included them in the first place was because of the Timeline (long story why they were needed for that, they just were!). The rest of it may be submitted, no problem. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.

[Cybermancer]

After considerable discussion of all four entries, the judges have reached a unanimous and enthusiastic decision. The winners is...

THE HOURGLASS FOUNDATION!

All of the entries had different elements we liked, but this entry really got us excited. I was impressed by the brilliant startegies involved, how the Sandman to obscuring his involvement by using the tools and resources he found in the BtS world rather than hike mystic powers. Mr. Lucifer commented that he was impressed by Foundation's unique assassins. We can see this faction showing up in a *lot* of games.

Congratulations to Cybermancer. Please send me a PM soon with contact information so that I may send your prize to you. This should feature both a shipping address for the Rifter and either e-mail or a phone number so that I may in put you in contact with the commission artists. Take a bow.

Wow. Thanks. I wasn't expecting to win or anything, just sort of noticed the competition and thought I'd throw together a couple of entries from existing notes.

If you like, I'll try to get some NPC's statted out by the end of the week to fill things out a bit more.

FYI, the Hourglass Foundation first appeared in Lazlo.

I'm fine this appearing in the Gifter.

PM will follow.

[mrloucifer]

More NPC's are always welcome.

[Cybermancer]

More NPC's are always welcome.

How's this for a line up then:

A typical aid/NGO worker
The head of the Foundation
An Assassin team
And of course the Sandman

[Lord Z]

I have a quick question related to upcoming Contest-inspired issue of Gifter. Where can we find a reference picture of the Dream Seller Demon? Is that something from the Hades sourcebook?

[Xar]

Bwa-ha-aaaaa!

To Slade, Prysus, Cybermancer, & Xar; who would like to see their entries in an issue of Gifter?

That would be fine with me, and this weekend, I will try and get more of it back out of my head and into text. --The NPC leaders and story and such.

[Cybermancer]

Here are the first two NPC's.

Edward Peterson

Edward comes from a long line of Arcane Adepts. That arcane skill ended when Edward murdered his own father, assuming he would be able to decipher the secrets of magic from his family library. The first regret of his life occured when he learned that it would not be so easy.

When his own daughter mysteriously lost her eyes and then succumbed to an unexplained coma, he recognized the symptoms from some journals and logs found in his family library. His ancestors had tangled with and opposed the demonic cause of these attacks upon children. Recognizing a potentially powerful link to the arcane, Edward moved to contact the so-called Sandman, using the life of his daughter as a bargaining chip.

The Sandman saw in this man someone who was ambitious yet frustrated. Not to mention ruthless and completely without a sense of right and wrong. Edward would become Sandman's primier tool in gathering resources for the Minion War against Deevil. Sandman introduced Edward to the Hourglass Foundation and soon arranged to have him placed as the charities head.

Edward knows that he is nothing without Sandman's support. Naturally he resents it and is looking for ways out from under her unholy benefactors thumb. Not by reforming his ways but by making deals with infernal rivals in order to someday betray Sandman. One of these deals included a colloborative project with a mortal with a pact to a demon lord. Unknown to Edward, that demon lord is the same one that Sandman answers to. When Edward enacts his plan of betrayal, it will only be he who burns.

P.C.C.: Normal Person.
Alignment: Diabolic
Attributes: I.Q.-14, M.E.-15, M.A.-24, P.S.-11, P.P.-14, P.E.-10, P.B.-17, SPD-10.
Hitpoints: 31
S.D.C.: 15
P.P.E.: 12
Height: Tall Weight: Average. Race: Human.
Disposition: Nice guy, friendly courteous and hospitable.
Environment Growing Up: Population center/Big City
Land of Origin: United States of America.
Family History with the Paranormal: Long history of mages, the last of which was his father.
Reason for Paranormal Investigation: To gain unimaginable power.
Level of Experience: 6th
Occupation: Medicine (Medical Doctor)
Common Skills: Mathematics: Basic-93%, Language: English-91%, Literacy: English-96%
Occupation Skills: Pilot Automobile-79%, Advanced Mathematics-86%, Biology-85%, Chemistry-90%, Computer Operation-90%, Medical Doctor-98%/90%, Pathology-85%, Technical Writing-80%, Toxicology-85%
Elective Skills: Holistic Medicine-70%/60%, Chemistry: Analytical-75%, Chemistry: Pharmaceutical-80%, Research-80%, Business and Finance-75%, Law (General)-75%, Lore: Demons and Monsters-55%, Lore: Geomancy and Ley Lines-55%, Lore Magic-50%
Secondary Skills: Lore: Magic Arcane-45%/65%, Lore Mythology-55%, History-85%/65%, Meditation-55%, Astonomy and Navigation-55%

Typical Hit Teams:

These teams always work in pairs. The leader of the pair is always an adult mercenary who is a highly trained professional death dealer. They are the handler and are often unarmed. If they are armed, it will be with a legal firearm with all paperwork properlly filled out for it.

The real killers in these teams are children.

Recruited from orphanages and disaster scenes from around the world, these children are conditioned to become assassins. The children are brainwashed and trained from a very early age. They are obediant to their handlers, to the point of being eager to please. Their missions are often treated as 'play' so the children try to do their best to win at the game. Victory is rewarded with toys, candy and other favors that children desire. Failure is often greeted with brutal beatings.

What makes these assassins so deadly isn't their blind devotion however. It's an alchemical concoction that features demon blood as a main incrediant. If taken by an adult, the concoction causes prolonged, painful death. It has been theorized that it is the innocence of children that allows them to survive the application of the treatment. The fact that none of these assassins live to see their 16th birthday seems to bear out this theory.

The child assassins are usually pressed into service around the age of ten. The oldest currently active is fourteen. Most are girls although there are a few boys.

To compensate for the small size and relatively low strength of their assassins, the Hourglass Foundation has revived Gyrojet weapons technology from the 1960's. These rounds have excellent ballistics and low recoil. The problems with fouling of the jet ports have been dealt with by a variety of classified means.

At the moment there is a pistol (10 rounds) and sub-machinegun (30 rounds) using the same 6mm gyrojet round. These rounds hit with the same power of a .45 (4D6 damage) and at further range (50% greater than .45 pistols or sub-machineguns) but with a recoil not much higher than an airgun. Note that at ranges of less than 60 feet, these weapons only do a quarter damage (1D6).

There is also a specially made .50 sniper rifle made with this technology. It has 50% greater range and does 50% greater damage than a typical .50 caliber sniper rifle. The scopes provided are always of the highest quality.

P.C.C.: Natural
Alignment: Aberrant.
Attributes: I.Q.-10 to 13, M.E.-10 to 12, M.A.-12 to 14, P.S.-10 to 14, P.P.-17 to 20, P.E.-12 to 16, P.B.-12 to 18, SPD-11 to 18.
Hitpoints: 17 to 31
S.D.C.: 65 to 75
P.P.E.: 1 to 4
Height: Varies Weight: Average (extremely athletic). Race: Human.
Disposition: Varies. Seem like typical children most of the time but become cold calculating killing machines when on a mission.
Level of Experience: 1st.
Occupation: Criminal: Hitman/Assassin
Common Skills: Mathematics: Basic-78%, Language: English-86%, Literacy: English-86%
Occupation Skills: Boxing, Hand to Hand: Assassin, I.D. Undercover Agent-50%, Munitions Expert-55%, Prowl-40%, Recognize Weapon Quality-40%, Sniper, Streetwise-35%, Streetwise: Weird-45%, Tracking-45%, Undercover Ops-47%, W.P. Handguns, W.P. Rifle, W.P. Knife
Elective Skills: Seduction-32%, Pilot Automobile-70%, Combat Driving, Climbing-50%/40%, Swim-60%, Kick Boxing, Gymnastics, Tailing-40%
Secondary Skills: W.P. Archery, Aerobic Athletics, Pilot Motorcycle-60%, Wardrobe and Grooming-50%
Special: +1 to strike with handguns.
Natural Skills: Wrestling, Acrobatics, W.P. Shotgun, W.P. Sub-Machinegun
Abilities purchased:
2 additional physical skills
2 additional W.P.'s
+2 to strike in melee.
+2 to strike with ranged weapons
automatic dodge
+1D6+10 S.D.C.
+1D6+3 hitpoints
+1 to P.P.
+1 to P.E.

[Cybermancer]

And now for a very special artefact.

The Hourglass Artefact

This mysterious artefact was discovered by Sandman on another world. The world itself was once a world lush with life and an advanced civilization. The world was not ravaged by either the Demons of Hades or the Deevals of Dyval. Indeed, it was discovered already destroyed. While the infernals appreciated the scope of the destruction and having it done already for them certainly appealed to their lazy natures, it did pose a rather baffling mystery.

It was a mystery that drew out Sandman’s curiosity. While searching some ancient ruins, he discovered this relic, shaped like an hourglass and placed upon a pedestal. It was the only thing in the whole world that wasn’t totally destroyed. On the top of the Hourglass written in Draconic runes were the words, “Omega”. On the bottom of the Hourglass is written, “Alpha”.

When he picked it up, he was immediately imbued with some basic knowledge about it. The hourglass was designed to manipulate illusions and dreams. Abilities that suited him quite nicely. It granted him the ability to subvert and conquer the dream pools of others. By claiming the dreamer’s eyes, he was also able to join these dream pools together to form a sort of super kingdom of dreams where he has almost absolute power.

In dream pools, the hourglass can be transformed into a portal that allows one to move from one dream to the next. It also allows persona’s from one dream to move between dream pools. One of the artefacts more impressive features is that it grants the user the abilities of a Dream Dancer, equal to their own level.

The Hourglass can also be used to slow down or speed up the perceptions of those ensnared in illusions. In effect, this can grant the user of the artefact twice as many attacks per round or allow them to divide their attention between two different people.

Conferring with infernal arcane experts and texts has convinced Sandman that this artefact has additional abilities he has yet to unlock and use. He feels he is very close to unlocking one of them however. This ability would allow him to transpose the dream world over the real world. Not only would this mean being able to recreate reality in the form of the dream kingdom he has built up, it would also mean that the real world would follow the same rules (or lack thereof) as the dream stream. In such a world, the holder of the Hourglass would be like a god. In such a world, nightmares would walk unchallenged.

The final ability is perhaps the most dangerous, if it is in fact a power the artefact possesses. Some texts that were ancient when hell was new suggest that the greatest power of the Hourglass is the ability to use the dream stream to travel through time. Sandman has yet to figure out how this power may be activated.

The Hourglass appears to be indestructible. When asked how it could be destroyed, most seers and similar declare that it is impossible. One dragon oracle was asked how it could destroyed and it went into a trance before saying the following:

“It is one of a kind.”
“A duplicate of it.”
“There can never be.”
“With the pair united.”
“Alpha touches Omega.”
“With end over end.”
“The circle is completed.”
“The sand will spill out.”

Each line was spoken in a distinctly different voice. The oracle didn’t remember any of it.

What this may mean, is anyone’s guess. Indeed, it may mean nothing at all.

[Lord Z]

I and Mr. Loucifer have been hammering out details for the next contest. A few thumbs have suffered.

Before we move on to the next contest, I would like to see some feedback from the old contest. In fact, I'd like some feedback in general.

Was a two month deadline too long or too short?

Was the prize a determining factor in whether you decided to participate or not?

I am thinking of offering a non-RPG book as one of the prizes for an upcoming contest. Would that be an issue for you as a prospective contestant?

[Prysus]

I and Mr. Loucifer have been hammering out details for the next contest. A few thumbs have suffered.

Greetings and Salutations. *Looks at my poor broken thumbs.* Yeah, you're telling me. Next time at least make sure it's your thumbs that suffer. *Grumbles something too low to hear.*

Before we move on to the next contest, I would like to see some feedback from the old contest. In fact, I'd like some feedback in general.

Well, since you asked, I will try.

Was a two month deadline too long or too short?

Well, I had finished in the first week. But, in fairness, that was mostly just a fluke. Personally, I doubt I'd ever need more than a month. I also wouldn't recommend making it shorter than a month (a month I'd say is the absolute minimum if you want any decent participation). If it's something I want to do, I'll find a way to make it happen in that time. But that's just me. I can't speak for everyone else. With that said, I didn't mind the two month deadline. I definitely don't think it was too long (though it felt long because I had to pretty much wait the entire contest for the results, but again that was a fluke, and I didn't mind). Maybe if you wanted to give more time I'd say go with three months, but anything longer and I definitely think you risk the participants losing interest and/or forgetting. I can't speak for others, but I know myself, I tend to procrastinate (I'm guessing others do too). Or, at the very least, I don't get inspiration until the deadlines bearing down on me and the pressure gets my creativity going. That's at least me.

Was the prize a determining factor in whether you decided to participate or not?

Honestly? Not really, at least not in my case. For one, I already own the Palladium collection. Though, I'll admit, on the personal level, the art was a pretty nice touch. I can't speak for anyone else, but when I find out something I wrote is getting published I think something like, "Sweet! I'm getting published!" Then, like two seconds later and until the book is in my hands I'm thinking, "I wonder who the artist will be. I wonder what the art will look like. Which pictures will they draw?" And seriously, for the next few months I'll be just wondering about the art.

However, in the end, for me I'll either be interested in a contest or I'm not. The prize really has nothing to do with it for me. For me, the fact that it's a contest (there's one winner and then there's losers, no offense to anyone here as I'm a loser in this one myself, but I don't mind that personally), is enough for me to compete (if I'm interested). For me, winning is honestly the prize I'm after. Anything/everything else is just icing on the cake, but not really necessary (for me). If I'm not interested in the contest, then the prize isn't very likely to influence me (I'd be more likely influence by lack of participation and I decide to participate just so there is one extra entry, or because I get a random inspiration one night and feel I need to write it down because the idea is interesting and/or crazy and it won't stop gnawing at the back of my mind until I do).

I am thinking of offering a non-RPG book as one of the prizes for an upcoming contest. Would that be an issue for you as a prospective contestant?

That wouldn't be an issue for me at all. Actually, a non-Palladium book would probably be more of an incentive than a Palladium Book (since I own all of them). Though, in that regards, I understand I am probably the exception to that aspect, and Palladium products are probably of more interest to most participants (not saying that they mind a non-RPG book, just that most can use a Palladium book too). Of course, the prize is likely to play a small part in any decision I personally make.

With that said, there are two main factors that will draw me to a contest. 1) Personal interest in the subject. In this case, it's basically an idea I've had for a good decade (or more). I've used it as a background agency in some of my campaigns (mind you, beyond dealing with a single agent, maybe two, no group has really dealt with the agency as a whole before, it's just been background going ons only I know about), but never really put it on paper before so that was kind of fun. 2) Even if I have personal interest, I have no intentions of using that material for a future project. For those that don't know, I do want to try and get some more of my stuff published (and have lots of varying ideas). While submitting something in a contest won't necessarily discount me from using it later, it may end up making some complications. So, ironically, the subjects I'm usually the most interested in and would want to participate in are also the projects I'm the LEAST likely to participate in.

There is another factor I'd like to discuss in this, and that's the topic of contest and how general/setting specific it is. In a contest such as Beyond the Supernatural, it's not too hard to participate even for someone who doesn't know the setting. You've watched a few supernatural horror movies, and you're pretty much caught up. In a setting such as ... Splicers or Rifts, you kind of have to know the source material better. In most cases knowing the source material will still be helpful (even in BtS), but the more general the topic/setting the easier it is for people not familiar with the setting to participate. I comment on this because I actually know very few of the Palladium settings (just because I own the books doesn't mean I've read them, because I read really slow and I like using my own ideas/settings most of the time anyways).

Okay, I think that's all for now. I think there was something else I wanted to add when I read "feedback in general" but I forgot whatever that was (the problem with being able to think 10x faster than I can type). If I remember it later, I'll try to include it. Hopefully that all makes sense and helps with the general feedback. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day to one and all. Farewell and safe journeys.



P.S. Yeah, yeah, I know. I type WAAAAAAAY too much and make a simple answer a long/complicated one.

[Lord Z]

So Prysus and Cybermancer are offering their creations for the ebook. That's Harbinger, Bureau of Tracking Supernatural, Extraordinary Solution Providers, and Hourglass -- four new factions. The NPCs associated with Hourglass are much appreciated. I will edit slightly to catch typos in all this material, and maybe add up combined bonuses for the Hourglass assassins. Will we be seeing a Sandman NPC? ...maybe some special gadgets used B.T.S. or Harbinger? I'm trying to get a handle on how much material there will be in the zine.

[Xar]

Give me a deadline, or I won't get it done. That said, I won't be able to work on it until after this weekend. For some reason, my wife wants me to spend time with her on our anniversary.

[Cybermancer]

So Prysus and Cybermancer are offering their creations for the ebook. That's Harbinger, Bureau of Tracking Supernatural, Extraordinary Solution Providers, and Hourglass -- four new factions. The NPCs associated with Hourglass are much appreciated. I will edit slightly to catch typos in all this material, and maybe add up combined bonuses for the Hourglass assassins. Will we be seeing a Sandman NPC? ...maybe some special gadgets used B.T.S. or Harbinger? I'm trying to get a handle on how much material there will be in the zine.

I'm aiming to have Sandman transferred from a sheet of paper in my notebook to electronic format sometime this week. Hopefully by this Friday but Sunday may be more realistic. I suppose I should come up with some proper stats and data for the gyrojet weapons as well.

As for earlier questions regarding contests.

The biggest reason I entered this contest was to share some of what I have. Get it out there. I have tons of notes but they're all just that, hand written scribbles that mostly serve as reminders. So to actually do a write up is something I don't do very often.

Getting my stuff out there would be the primary motivation for any future contests.

Speaking of future contests, are you planning on focusing on BtS or on other games from Palladium as well? When I saw this contest I started writing up an old Heroes Unlimited Agency but decided not to enter it. Since I only frequent the BtS forums these days, I wouldn't know if you were running similar contests for Palladiums other lines unless they were pointed out to me.

[Prysus]

Greetings and Salutations. I'm not likely to include anything more on my end. Making the stats for the NPC would be a problem without knowing more about the setting (never read BtS2). As for gadgets, there shouldn't be much. What they'd have probably isn't much different than what most independent investigators have, except maybe put together better (more reliable, better power supply, more durable, or small things like that), but I've always preferred the edge of the agent/knowledge as the better asset than the actual tech and gear. Tech and gear (in my opinion) should only be as good as the things required (such as an invisible ghost will require gear to detect it, a werewolf will require a special weapon -even if just silver- to deal with it, etc.). So I, personally, never gave them much in the way of gadgets. Anyways, I'm not likely to include more to the write-up (nor am I likely to remove more). Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.