Ubicación meso del proyecto

With great power comes great responsibility. That’s what Uncle Ben says. With great power also comes high electricity bills. My Uncle Jim told us that, right after he screamed about turning all the lights off. But we digress—let’s go back to that responsibility bit.

An Obligation must be followed to various degrees, and grants a number of points depending on the strictness of its dictates. Members of church- es, guilds, secret societies, or modern-day agencies have obligations to their organizations. Usually, the higher the rank and authority, the greater the obli- gation. In a feudal society, vassals have obligations to their liege (like Arthur and Henry’s knights). Failure to fulfill one’s duty can lead to trouble— demotion, loss of job, loss of head, etc.

Minimal: Obeying the basic precepts of the

leader, organization, or creed and not betraying its members are the major points here. This is worth no points. Your character is expected to abide by whatever rules and customs the organization or leader sets.

Major: The welfare of the group or leader is placed

above that of your character. He is always on call, and does not have time to pursue a normal job (unless it’s a cover for the real assignment or it is his job) or much of a personal life. The penalties for disobedience or selfishness are severe, and may include death. This is worth two points. Lesser knights and middle-level clerics have this level of Obligation to their lord.

Total: Such characters are expected to die for

their group or lord if asked. Missions are extreme- ly hazardous, and there is a constant danger of imprisonment, torture, or execution. Demands of the group are all consuming. This is worth three points. Arthur and Henry’s personal retinue have this level of Obligation. The lords are often at war and being taken prisoner appears to merit a one- way trip to the Pit. An archbishop or other high poobah in a church or religious fellowship would also bear such an obligation due to the demands of his position and faith.

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Horrific roleplaying games often refer to “Things Man Was Not Meant To Know.” Most are kind of vague about what that is. Not so in Army of

Darkness—the Necronomicon is the Thing Man

Was Not Meant To Know. As Ash himself says, “It was never meant for the world of the living.”

But some schmoes just can’t leave well enough alone. They’ve read one too many Lovecraft stories and think they can handle staring into the mouth of madness. Some go nuts and become the next Big Bad. A rare few are those important characters who know some bizarre secret to defeat the evil.

Occult Investigators get a +1 to any two mental Attributes (Intelligence, Perception, or Willpower) and a +2 bonus to the Occultism skill. Furthermore, they get a +1 bonus to Fear Tests, thanks to their relentless drive to learn the Truth. This is not always a good thing, though.

TM

“my sword’s by your side!”

-goldtooh

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When presented with an opportunity to learn something supernatural—stopping to gather a few ancient scrolls as the temple starts to collapse, for example—they must do it unless they make a Willpower (doubled) roll, with penalties of –1 to –5, depending on how valuable the find is.

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2- TO5-POINT DRAWBACK

You character is not loved by those around him. Because of his looks, beliefs, habits, interests, lack of charisma, or mannerisms, those around him have decided he is persona non grata (for those who don’t do Latin and don’t have a dictionary, Ash would say “blow” to them). Outcasts have a rough time in social situations: they suffer a –2 penalty to Influence rolls. They automatically attract the attention of any cruel or abusive character.

If their difference is clear and the community as a whole shuns them, they are considered second-class citizens and suffer repression from the local author- ities. These folks are burdened with a four-point Drawback.

If they don’t appear different from others and are just ostracized by those who know them, they avoid legal restrictions. That drops the Drawback to two points.

Some Outcasts make it a practice to avoid paying too much attention to their surroundings to spare themselves hurtful looks or whispers—these types suffer a –1 penalty to all Notice rolls. Others are the proverbial “fish out of water” and are unfamiliar with modern or medieval society (they may be from out of town—way out of town). This detriment is most- ly roleplayed but should affect the character’s behav- ior with regularity. Adding either the “notice” or “unfamiliar” features to the Outcast Drawback rais- es the value by one.

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A photographic memory grants your character an uncanny ability to remember things. After reading a book, he can quote passages without missing a word, and he almost never forgets anything. No “Klaatu, Verata, N—hem, hem, hem” for him. Your Director will provide information that your character would remember whenever it is necessary. Also, your Cast Member receives a +1 bonus to any skill roll where memorizing facts is useful, such as Knowledge and

Science. Finally, any rolls where memory plays a role gain a +1 to +3 bonus, at your Director’s discretion. Oh, and gambling against these card counters extra- ordinaire is probably a bad idea.

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Evil Ash Head: I’m blind. I’m blind.

Some misfortune has affected your hero’s body, whether from birth or by accident. He may suffer from limb loss, spinal column damage, or any num- ber of impairments. Some possibilities are discussed below. Check out the Tool Man Quality (see p. 42) for some cool things you can do with your handicap.

Blind: The character cannot see anything. Unless

he’s got some type of radar sense (and wears a dou- ble-D logo), combat is never going to be his strong suit. Perception and Notice rolls (modified by Acute or Impaired Hearing) are needed to find a target in combat, and even then attack and defense rolls are at a –5 penalty. This is an eight-point Drawback.

Missing or Crippled Arm/Hand: The hand in

question cannot be used to grab or hold objects. Any task requiring two hands is at a disadvantage (–3 or worse) or simply impossible. This is a two- point Drawback. A character with a prosthetic hand can overcome some of these problems, reducing the Drawback to one point in value. And yes, prosthet- ic hands do indeed include mechanical hands and chainsaws.

Missing or Crippled Leg/Foot: Your character

is unable to walk or run normally. With the help of crutches or a cane, he can move at up to one-third normal speed (see p. 84). Hand-to-hand combat rolls are at a –2 penalty. This is a three-point Drawback. Modern prosthetics can reduce the penalties, increasing speed to up to half-normal, and reducing combat penalties to –1. This reduces the Drawback value to two points.

Missing or Crippled Arms: Both arms are miss-

ing or crippled. Your character cannot use any tools normally. Some people with this handicap have learned to use their feet with great skill to compen- sate for their loss, but it still sucks—big time. This is a four-point Drawback.

Missing or Crippled Legs: Your character is

unable to walk. Without the help of a wheelchair, the best he can do is crawl or roll on the ground. This is a four-point Drawback.

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Sheila: The Wisemen say you are the Promised One. ‘Tis