Theme:Overview
From DevilshireWiki
Devilshire takes place in the Buffyverse aka the Jossverse, created by Joss Whedon and set up in the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" television series. The Buffyverse is contained entirely in the television programs. All other supplemental theme materials will be judged and added as appropriate. Devilshire is a real time game, where all the action takes place after the events of the TV series. Therefore, there are many girls who have awoken as Slayers, and the events in Sunnydale and Los Angeles all occured years ago.
The game is set in Devilshire, Massachusetts. A small New England town on a small bay, the place is home to Devilshire University, the main drawing feature to this community. The college brings in a large portion of the town's income, while keeping employment steady for most of the town. A small industrial park north of the river houses factories which used to produce tile and home building materials. However, many have shut down since the 1980's.
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The Council
Here in Devilshire, the town has seen its fair share of troubles, mysterious disappearances, and paranormal phenomenon. The locals brush off the whole series of events, attributing them to modern day troubles or superstition. The Watchers, however, have heard their fair share of stories, and established a singular presence in this town on occasion.
The Council here is not a powerful player in the games here. At most there are only one or two Watchers ever in the town. After the fall of the original Council, the renewed version, coordinated by Rupert Giles in England, sought out qualified members to go and seek out the awakened potentials. With their numbers too small to accommodate the number of Slayers, the Council recruited those they thought worthy, those with an understanding of the supernatural, and those only in training.
Watchers are loyal to the Council and its renewed ideals. Older Watchers may have some antiquated ideas about how things are done, but acting on them usually requires going against the new policies of the Council. They are here to educate, train and aid their assigned Slayers. Personal agendas are not tolerated.
In general, Watchers are only assigned to Slayers working as independent operatives or in small groups. Large squads such as in Italy and Scotland work under a more military style hierarchy under the command of seasoned allies of Buffy Summers.
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Demons
In the age before the rise of humanity, demons controlled this plane. When humanity began to become more numerous, the demons were pushed back, some crossing into other dimensions, others seeking to hide in this world. To survive, the demons bred with humanity, causing half breeds, and diluting the races. With hundreds of different races, each has become a unique entity. There are those that wish to live in peace, and others still that seek power and control. There are even some who just want wealth. Each race is given special abilities that are inherent to their kind. In Devilshire, there are two races of demon which play major roles in the supernatural community.
Kaliff Demons: As a port town, Devilshire sees some shipping. Kaliff demons often hire onto merchant vessels or work the docks as cargo haulers, usually at night and out of sight of the humans. Other Kaliff serve as muscle for hire for the Moore family or, occasionally, the Devlin family.
Lister Demons: A small community of Lister demons settled in Devilshire during the 1970s. They have kept mostly to themselves, living on the fringe of human society but enjoying the peace they've found here.
The demonic community of Devilshire is a confusing one at best. With such a small town mentality, there aren't many of any one race to offer a position of power. With that, the community is fractured, and each race seeks more for their own than the whole community at large.
Slayers
In the good old days, there was only one Slayer in the world. How that helped anyone, no one knows. But now, thank goodness, thanks to Buffy and the Scooby Gang, every potential Slayer has been activated. Which only makes the bad guys want to kill just a little bit more.
Slayers are always female, usually in her teens, with the strength and stamina of the whole football team. She is powerful enough to battle vampires and demons. Generally given advice by her helpful Watcher, an expert on all things that go bump in the night, a Slayer traditionally is a defender of all humanity. Some have taken darker paths, and woe be to those who are crossed. In a small town like Devilshire, however, they would be fortunate to simply have one.
Slayers in Devilshire are an example of 'independent' operatives. These Slayers report to their Watcher and are not part of the larger forces such as those operating under Xander Harris in Scotland or under Andrew in Italy. However, independent Slayers do remain on call in case of regional or even global emergency. An example of this is in Damage, a season five episode of Angel. Andrew called together many if not most of the Slayers on the west coast of the US to back him up in a possible confrontation against Angel. Angel backed off. Quickly.
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Vampires
Vampires are exactly what you think they are. Hell you probably wouldn't be reading this now, if you didn't want to know what we think about them. In general, the main baddies of the game, vampires are creatures of the night who stalk humans as prey, feeding on their blood to sustain themselves. They are created by a vampire draining a victim of all her blood, then feeding her some of its own. The victim will become a vampire within the week, seemingly dead to everyone around. They retain a few memories, but are completely without morality, and in most cases, humanity.
What Buffyverse vampires are like: Vampires can be killed by fire, direct exposure to sunlight, decapitation, a stake through the heart or by drinking holy water. Garlic is an irritant but won't kill them. When killed, a vampire turns to dust. Indirect sunlight will burn a vampire, but won't kill it unless there is long term exposure. Vampires are repelled by crucifixes and they will do damage if contact is made with one. Vampires do not need to breathe, since they're dead, and don't need oxygen. Yet, vampires still need to draw in air to smoke and speak. Drugs and alcohol still affect vampires, but they are immune to normal diseases.
In general, vampires have a very human appearance, looking as they did in life. However, when angered, or about to feed, they shift their features into their game face, a horrible visage showing their true demonic nature. Vampires are not allowed into private homes without an invitation. The owners of a home must be dead before he can enter. Vampires leave no reflection in mirrors, but can be captured on film. Older vampires, or masters, have been around so long they can no longer resemble their human selves. Disfigured into a permanent demonic state, these masters have dominion over the younger, have much more experience, and can gain new and unique powers. In Devilshire, the community of vampires is small, but close knit, staying to themselves except for the necessary feeding.
Private Property
Vampires cannot enter a private dwelling without an invitation from someone inside.
Crosses
A vampire shown a cross recoils and loses initiative that turn (she acts last). In addition, most vampires cannot attack a character holding a cross on them (some stronger vamps can overcome the pain this causes). Physical contact with a cross causes 2 points of burn damage per turn.
Holy Water
Externally, holy water does 2 points of burn damage for a splash, five for a glassful and ten for a bucketful. Swallowing holy water multiplies the damage by 20.
Fire
Vampires heal from fire damage at a slower rate: 1 Life Point per Constitution Level per day.
Sunlight
A vampire exposed to sunlight for more than a single turn takes damage. Full exposure causes 20 points of damage per turn. If the vampire has some cover (shadows for instance) or is only exposed for part of a turn they take 2 points instead.
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| Devilshire News File Topics | ||
| News Files | Building Guide • Copyright • Policy • Resources • Staff | |
| New Player Information | Application Procedure • Census • Character Types • Playing Villains • Restricted Concepts • Sample Character Background | |
| Game System | Attributes • Combat • Drama Points • Drawbacks • Fear • Global Commands • Experience Points • Human Qualities • Human Drawbacks • LP & Healing • Magic • Magic Spells A • Magic Spells B • Note • Package Qualities • Rolling • Skills • Supernatural Qualities • Supernatural Drawbacks • Superscience | |
| Setting and Theme | Overview • History • Folktales • Speech • The Four Families • Town • Conflict • Theme | |
| Characters | Casting • NPC Casting • The Devlin Family • The Harget Family • The Moore Family • The Swann Family | |
