The Whispering Vault

[Mr Nay]

My copy of The Whispering Vault came a week ago.

Characters within The Whispering Vault used to be human, but after a life dedicated to protecting humanity against supernatural beings they have been recruited into the ranks of the Stalkers, the main heroes of the game (imagine the cenobites from the Hellraiser movies, crossed with the dark judges from the Judge Dredd comics as pcs, except they hunt down rogue spirits instead of slaughtering the innocent.)
Now armed with supernatural powers and able to summon ghostly servitors, their mission is to hunt down the Unbidden, rebellious gods who escaped into their dream, the Realm of Flesh, or what humanity calls "Reality".

The Stalkers have other enemies:

The Shadows are creatures who were denied existence and live in the Rift between the Realms of Flesh and Essence. Sometimes they manage to awaken into the Dream by themselves, sometimes the Unbidden bind them as Minions.

Mortals may also be dangerous: the use of Magic may endanger the Dream, too.

The Hunts of the Stalkers can happen in any era, and Stalkers may come from any period of History as time flows differently in the Realm of Essence and the Realm of Flesh.
The setting can be literally anything involving monster hunting - weird westerns, dark fantasy, zombie apoc, modern day horror, blade runner crossed with split second, all sorts of crazy awesomeness.

[Reidzilla]

Hi,

Is this where you wish to discuss the PBP?

[Simlasa]

That was my assumption...
I'm reading the rules through again... which won't take me long... I'll make up a couple PCs and see which one fits in... tweak it/change if if necessary.

[Mr Nay]

Hi folks, I'm glad you found your way here alright, this will be the perfect thread to start generating characters.

Depending where in the world you are there will be some lag, I am in Australia so I will probably be posting while you sleep. Dont stress if you cant reply immediately, as long as we keep updating every few days we can keep the momentum going.

How old are you two? Are you comfortable with adult themes and bad words. Dont worry I wont turn this into FATAL, I just dont want offend either of you with a character's off hand comment or graphic scene.

I am going to decrease the difficulties of the game by two across the board as Bruce suggested over at rpg.net, but character creation will remain exactly as in the corebook.

Since there are only two of you so far, you may want to spread the essential Stalker skills (Banishment, Binding, Mending and Sensitivity) between you and assign them mid to high skill bonuses.

That is all I can think of, go nuts building them Stalkers.

[Mr Nay]

Feel free to post your character creation as you go, so you can bounce ideas off each other.
Make threads dedicated to your chargen if you want.

[Reidzilla]

I'm 39 (gamer since 12) but I feel I should mention that I am a devout Christian. On the other hand, my favorite video game series is Silent Hill and I grew up watching horror flicks so I guess I'm an odd duck. Just stay away from extreme language and unnecessary/disturbing sexual content.

I'm still thinking over a few character concepts. I'll probably post them tomorrow as I've got 20 or so people coming over for the holiday today.

[Mr Nay]

No problems there, since you have read the rulebook and not been offended I should be pretty safe ;)
Sex will be practically non existent (as I think a person would have to be pretty damaged to be dwelling on sex scenes involving Stalkers lol.)
And the swearing is more the odd s word when heck or damn seem a bit too tame.

Have a great holiday, I am looking forward to seeing what characters you come up with.

[Simlasa]

Nothing you do will offend me... I'll do my best not to offend either of you.
I can see how the appearance of Stalkers might have certain sexual overtones, similar to the Cenobites... but I'm not prone to dragging that sort of thing into games either (I was recently with a group where the GM went there... and the group quickly folded right after).
I like dark subject matter, very dark... but only when it's there for purpose/theme... I like horror movies but I've never been a gorehound... I don't mind gore at all but shoving it in someone's face for little more than shock value gets old fast, like an obnoxious child demanding attention. Most things work just as well or better if they're implied... leaving it to my imagination.

Most of my horror gaming in the past has been with Call of Cthulhu... I attempted to run The Whispering Vault once upon a time but then stuff happened and more stuff happened and we never got it going again. So, I'm excited to have a crack at finally getting to play it.

Thanks,
K

[Mr Nay]

Great, it sounds like we are all on the same wavelength.

[Reidzilla]

OK, I'm thinking about a few character types. Here is my first idea:

A WWII war journalist/cameraman. While filming some of the more vile atrocities of the war, he encountered an Unbidden feeding off of the misery of a small French village. He was nearly shredded to pieces in his attempt to kill the thing. A group of Stalkers arrived just in time to finish the job before he died. When offered the chance, he took immortality over death. As he released his last mortal breath, he considered how his entrails had mingled with the 35mm film now strewn from the broken camera. And so, with a sense of irony, he became immortalized as Film.

imagine the creature below except instead of shadowy ribbons he would be comprised of bloody 35mm film strips.

[Simlasa]

Oh! That's a pretty cool concept... properly creepy and thematic.

I've got a few I'm writing up... different niche types... should have at least one up later tonight.

[Mr Nay]

I agree, Film beats the snot out of the horrible sample Stalkers in the core book.
Who needs chains when you can shoot film strip tendrils.

[Mr Nay]

How are you going Simlasa?

[Reidzilla]

Film

AVATAR ATTRIBUTES
Awareness 7
Insight 7
Presence 4
Willpower 4

VESSEL ATTRIBUTES
Dexterity 4
Fortitude 5
Strength 4

DISCIPLINES (Mastery?)
Dissipate (y)
Whisper (y)
Delve (y)
Terrify (n)

SERVITORS (Mastery?)
Ferreters (y)
Gremlins (y)

AWARENESS SKILLS
Mending +4
Perception +4
Sensitivity +4
INSIGHT SKILLS
Deduction +2
History +4
Occultism +1
PRESENCE SKILLS
Banish +0
Bind +0
Charm +0
Evoke +1
Intimidate +0
Mask +2
DEXTERITY SKILLS
Attack +2
Defend +2
Stealth +4
FOCUS SKILLS
Journalism +2
War +1

Domain
Film's home is a giant 1940's deco film theater with several balconies. Showing on the black and white screen is a mix of old cartoons and war footage from every war ever fought. When not hunting, Film sits and watches the show with giggling ghosts of all of the children killed in the French village he died in; all while munching on ever-refilling buckets of popcorn and ice-cold glass bottles of Coca-cola.

[Mr Nay]

This looks like a handy resource for the whispering vault.

[Reidzilla]

Any word of other players?

[Mr Nay]

I am afraid not Reidzilla, we are just waiting for signs of life at the moment.
If you are keen and we dont hear back from anyone else, we could play a single player one off game and go from there.

[Mr Nay]

If you are interested, I will be starting an Advanced Fighting Fantasy game soon using the new rules, you are welcome to join in.

[Simlasa]

Gah!
Sorry guys... some strangeness cropped up and I've been far away from my computer... still am.
I do have some notes I wrote up for a TWV PC... if this is still a go I'll try to grab them later tonight and post them. I should have solid computer access from now on. I hope I didn't futz up the whole idea by disappearing.

K

[Mr Nay]

No probs, as long as Reidzilla is still around we can continue as planned.

[Simlasa]

I didn't get a chance to pick up my notes, and don't have the WV books with me at the moment, but here are my basic character ideas...

1. ________ born able to see the Unseen... became his tribe's shaman in 1700s Amazon jungle. When a nearby tribe was consumed by a newly arrived Unbidden he set out to exorcise it and was badly wounded, but fortunately Stalkers arrived in time to heal the Enigma and his tribe was only partially consumed. His wounds healed and he continued to battle various Shadows that escaped the original tragedy... as well as combating a powerful rival shaman of an another aggressive tribe. As he lay dying after the final battle with his nemesis the same Stalkers from all those years ago appeared and offered him a chance to continue his battle.
Appearance: A shrunken/mummified form that moves very slowly... its hair is long and hangs down over its face... sewn into the hair are 3 shrunken heads that seem to serve as his eyes/ears/voice. His voice is a buzzing drone. When action is necessary he can part his hair with his withered hands, revealing an empty black void from which swarm a cloud of locusts... depending on what he is attempting to do the locusts crawl over his husk-like body or fly out to attack or distract opponents.
(I see him as a stable 'cleric' type character... usually preferring a non-violent approach whenever possible, but definitely not a pacifist)

2. _______ from a mysterious background but its forms feature motifs that suggest somewhere in medieval Europe. It seems to be unstable in someway and its form changes depending on mood/situation. The basis is always some form of wooden post and a human form tied to it. At times the post is a living tree, with small leaf-bearing limbs; a nude female form is bound to it by thick vines that sprout exotic/unidentifiable flowers, she speaks in a pleasant singing voice... At other times its form shifts to something much more sinister... the post becomes splintered and burnt and square... the binding vines become wires or cruel ropes... the human form less recognizable... gaunt and twisted around the post... burned or scarred in places... sometimes missing hands or feet or head... At the worst moments it is a blackened shaft adorned by bones of men and animals... jets of fire blazing from their eyes. Its voice a cacaphony of tortured screams.
Depending on form it can manipulate/lash out with fines/wires/gouts of flame.
(I see this one as an erratic roguish character that is unusually sympathetic with the Unbidden for some reason, though this has yet to interfere with its appointed tasks)

3. ________ as a child he roamed the slums of Rio... born into a gang that fought and battled and died. Somehow he managed to retain some element of child-like innocence and despite the horror and desperation around him he fought to believe and follow a code of ethics/justice that none around him understood. It was if he had an inner calling. At the age of 8 his older brother was killed by something out of a nightmare, something worse even than the gangs and corrupt police he had grown up with. This sparked a fire in him that had long been smoldering... previously quiet and solitary he now blazed with passion to seek out and vanquish his brother's murderer. He never did come to understand what his enemy's true nature was... but he knew that it was 'wrong' and could not be ignored. In the end a large segment of the maze-like slum was consumed by the Enigma... swallowing up most everyone he'd ever known. He despaired that he had failed in his crusade to join the gangs together against the intruder. Instead he was broken and blind... looked after by nuns who would respond to his outrageous story with useless prayers. When the Stalkers came for him he gladly left his frail human form behind.
As a Stalker his form makes up for the tiny frame he lived in for 10 short years. Huge and impossibly muscular... his head masked in a baroque mask of bone and horn. His flesh tattooed in iconography combining Catholocism, comic books and famous wrestlers. His voice remains that of a child.
(i see this one as a 'warrior' type... brash and legalistic at times... a natural leader but not overly difficult to deceive/manipulate. In a group he would be the 'muscle' and a bit of a loose cannon).

So, hopefully one of these might work... fit with the excellent cinematic Stalker posted earlier. I'm happy to change/alter them to suit... welcome suggestions as to what their abilities/powers should be.

K

[Mr Nay]

They all sound pretty cool, the first two grabbed me the most with their descriptions.
The only thing I can think of is that Film is extremely sensitive and capable when mending enigmas, but only average when it comes to binding the Unbidden. The book seems to think banishing is pretty necessary too, but since it only affects one shadow at a time I dont really see why.

[Simlasa]

Ok... once I get back to my WV books and notes I'll work on the first guy... the shaman/witchdoctor/husk and aim his stats at binding/banishing... which makes sense for him.

I think the second one is too peculiar for such a small group.

The third one is a bruiser with a heart... confused... I wanted a supernatural luchador but not sure how to do it without it being a bit silly.

[Mr Nay]

The second was odd, but pretty cool, I was wondering about his method of locomotion the most.
Hey Reidzilla, what are Film's keys of humanity?

[Mr Nay]

This is a bit of a strange request but can you post a picture of the front and back of your tWV book if you are using one.
The back cover of my copy from Lulu is a white blank and I was wondering what is on the back.

It has an evocative cover, it is a shame they didnt reuse it. No worries, I found an older cheap copy of the Pariah version and Deadly Prey.

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