| From: | Gossamer <kajohnson@*******.TEC.WI.US> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Gossamer's thoughts on the Highlander |
| Date: | Wed, 19 Mar 1997 23:27:21 -0600 |
that's
> > something that hasn't even been explained in the TV Show, let alone the
> > movies... It's assumed that they gain some power from the HI they
kill,
> > but in what amount? All the memories? All the skill? Or just a
little
> > more raw power?
>
> From what iv seen and read about when the HI kills another HI They gain
> the skills of the person they kill (watch the 3rd Highlander and listen
> closely to the chinese guy that was McClouds mentor for a little wile,
> he tells McCloud to kill him before another does so his illusion powers
> wont fall into the wrong hands).
As I recall from reading the novel (I found it in Europe, and have yet to
find a copy here in the US), the Victor absorbs some portion of the
essence of the Fallen, and that means some of the memories, skills,
and power.
Also, as to why they healed at different rates, the HI are constantly
juggling the massive energy they have. They use it to make themselves
superhumanly strong, swift, perceptive, charasmatic, etc. They also
use it to mask their presence (that's how they hide from mortals and
each other), regenerate, and other 'quickening' sorts of things.
So, view the HI in terms energy prodcuers and users. Each produces
a certain level of energy. This base level of energy determines the
general power level of the HI. With more Kills and Absorbtions, this
base power level grows. There is, however, some variance in the
base levels of the HI's. That's why both Ramirez and the Kurgan
sought out the Highlander. He had a naturally high 'aptitude' for
quickening. Kurgan tried to kill him before he could realize his
potential, and Ramirez tried to make him realize his potential and
prepare him for the Kurgan.
Ok, they each produce energy at certain rates. They can
store up some of this energy, but there's a limit.
Now, each HI quickening power burns energy at certain rates.
For example, say a nonspecific HI gets shot by a human in the
stomach, ouch, but he is in no danger of permanent death
because there are no broadsword wielding lunatics in New York
at this 2am, so he puts minimal energy into regeneration and
maximum energy into Speed and Arcane(pardon the WW
term, but it fits the situation). Doing these things takes
less energy than he's producing, so he doesn't drain his
energy reserve. He disappears from the scene and
gets away, all safe and sound.
Now, say he gets into a fight with an HI. He has to jack
up his stats to a level that will allow him to compete with
his opponent, and hopefully prevail. He will use other
quickening powers at tactically helpful points. (Connor
in Madison Square Garden turns on his Arcane and
turns off his super human stats when he gets disarmed
by Fazil: this serves 2 purposes: he can put more
energy into his Arcane, and he can set his Arcane at
such a level that he can actually regain energy while
trying to regain his weapon.)
When an HI gets wounded, they suffer the affects of
the wound, they get a reduction in their energy output,
and they have an instinctive reaction to try to heal it
which subtracts from their ability to put energy elsewhere.
That's why when Connor is fighting the Kurgan, the
Highlander cuts his belly twice. It puts a drain on
Kurgan's energy reserves, his energy production,
and his superhuman stats. The rest that Connor
got from Brenda's distraction was enough of a
recharge (he had great energy output) that he
could take it to the Kurgan.
In summation, I think that this 'energy juggling'
'energy production/storage/use' view is the most
accurate way to perceive what's going on.
Now, how would I put that into an SR game?
I would make HI an A priority phys-ad.
I'd make it up as a phys-ad sort of thing, with
a certain amount of points that go to set the
HI energy production, and a certain amount of
points that would go to the energy reserve
(HERO system guys will recognize this as an
endurance reserve). I would also have a HI
skill, or series of skills, for various quickening
abilities. The number of successes would determined
the level of effect(as always) and the TN would be
determined by what power was being attempted. Or
maybe, the amount of energy one could burn in an
turn would be determined by the number of success.
Each level of effect will have a 'certain' energy cost
per action, and each power would have different
costs per level of effect.
So, what is the effect of one HI killing another HI?
Easy. the Victor gets 'some portion' of the Fallen's
Karma. This Karma is used to increase the HI
skill(s), and pay for HI initiation which is like regular
initiation except that it is cannot part of a group,
nor are there ordeals to lower the cost. That makes
it expensive to be an HI. This Karma can also
be used to 'spontaneously aquire' phys-ad powers
and other skills as long as that power was possessed
by the Fallen.
This is how an HI will gain power. But how do they get
started?? They can get HI skill(s) and their energy
stats from character generation, but I think also that
one HI should be allowed to teach another HI those
abilities...(ie if an HI has an HI instructor, then he
can use non HI-kill Karma to increase HI skill(s) and
initiate).
The ways it would balance would be like this:
First, as a phys-ad, they spend their magic to aquire
their HI energy reserve (or other phys-ad powers if
they want to be weaker HI's), and that's a limiting
factor.
Second, the cost of initiation is HIGH!!!
Third, in order to gain HI Karma, one must first find,
then defeat another HI. As an HI gets higher and
higher, he needs to defeat more and more HI to
ascend.
Finally, if an HI takes a wound, they need to reroll
their HI skill(s) for each power they have up, and
start regeneration at some level, so their superhuman
abilities will faulter as they take damage (because
of the adjusted TN from the wound). This makes
them vulnerable. The minimum level of regeneration
will be determined by the wound level. That's why
a mortal wound is debilitating to an HI (ie Ramirez
at his death, got stabbed through the heart
(deadly+++) and had to put his regeneration up
so high, that he could do nothing but pray.)
How! I just made that up as I went along... It could
work. Relatively simple, elegant balanced.
Critiques???? Comments???
Gossamer
