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Re: [DL] New Invention for Hucksters (back and somewhat long)
It took a while, but I think I have an answer. Well, an answer along with a question.
First, the question: exactly what is it that the manitou provides to the Mad Scientist? Is it a mental blueprint for "One (1) Flame-type Thrower", or is it the inspiration, a little bit of insight into the construction of such a device? See what I'm getting at? It's not "here it is" so much as "here's a piece of the science necessary to build it", with the MS left to do the rest of the work. Given that constructing the blueprints for a device still takes hours/days/weeks/months/etc., it seems like an argument could be made for the latter.
My point here is, what if a manitou in this case provided to the MS the scientific means to draw upon the local spiritual energies of an area. Ostensibly, this energy could be used to power a weapon or a device to affect the spirit/psyche of the victim. What if, instead, the MS saw a different use for it, and developed the rest himself?
So, again, my question to your question is, what exactly does a manitou inspire, a device or a concept (or both)?
BTW, good question, Dirk. That's why it took so long to formulate an answer.
Derek D. Bass
Etheric Musings - The Science of the Sons of Ether
http://www.steamenginechaos.com/
> The question would be, "Would a manitou inspire a Mad scientist to create a device that would be used to cheat other manitou, thereby giving other manitou less power?"
>
> --Dirk
>
> Derek Bass wrote:
>
> > First off, I liked the idea of a holdout rig that allowed a Huckster to 'cheat' a Manitou when casting a Hex. But who would build such a thing? A Mad Scientist, of course.
> >
> > Also, there're plenty of rules about Hucksters duplicating/affecting Mad Science, so why not the other way around? Since the powers of both Hucksters and Mad Scientists come from the same source (Manitou), it seems reasonable that some scientists would begin researching the new 'energy source' that Hucksters tap into. As an aside, I'm curious as to why you feel that Hucksters can affect Mad Science, but not vice versa?
> >
> > It is a powerful item, but it also has plenty of risks. It seems to me that if you want to control the player's power level, using an item that provides the power (one which can be destroyed, stolen, damaged, modified, etc.) seems almost ideal. Plus, just getting the item could be the subject of a quest in itself.
> >
> > > > Wangenstein's Holdout Rig (a.k.a. the Huckster's
> > > Best Friend)
> > > > Hand: Full House
> > > > Price: $1,500
> > > > Reliability: 18
> > >
> > > I don't think I'd allow mad scientists to create
> > > gadgets that affect hexes. I could see how a mad
> > > scientist who was also a huckster might devise
> > > something like this though. I do think it's a little
> > > too powerful, but that's just me. If the PCs are going
> > > to have power I want to be able to siphon it off
> > > easily.
> > > -doc
--
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