Emma Barnes, Princess (Worm/Princess the Hopeful)

[Lord Ultimus]

You are Emma Barnes, and you are broken.


Two weeks ago, you were attacked in your Dad's car, and gang members forced you two out of the car, and threatened to mutilate you. The only reason you are alive and free from dismemberment is thanks to a grey cloaked cape, who murdered half the gang members in front of you. For the first time in your life, you felt what it was like to truly fear for your life, to see someone die right before you, and you haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.


Now there is only one week left before your best friend Taylor comes back from camp, whom you've avoided talking on the phone because she bounced back from tragedy and you're just too weak to move on from your attack. You even visited the alleyway where it all happened, as if someone would come and and tell you that what happened wasn't so bad, but all that happened was your overwhelmed by emotions all over again, and you leave sobbing.


You've barely spoken to your mother and sister about it, and you can't bring yourself to speak to your father about it, as it just makes it more real, as if the gang member who held a knife to your neck will suddenly appear right before you again, only to once more be shot through the eye with a disappearing crossbow bolt. All that you could do about it was let it fester in you more and more.


Suddenly, as you lie half-asleep in bed, you feel something you haven't felt in a long time. You feel like the darkness that threatens to take over your life, that you have come to realize has started to take over your city, can be beaten back. You feel that there is a way to reach the happy ending that you decided couldn't possibly be real, that the world was too full of darkness to happen.


You feel hope.


The hope spreads through you, through your body, mind and soul, and threatens to erupt. Then, as it reaches its apex, a word spreads through you, a word that you realize describes what you have become:


[X] Champion (Choose Strength or Resolve for one Transformed Attribute dot)


[X] Grace (Choose Presence or Manipulation for one Transformed Attribute dot)


[X] Mender (Choose Intelligence or Dexterity for one Transformed Attribute dot)


[X] Seeker (Choose Intelligence or Wits for one Transformed Attribute dot)


[X] Troubadour (Choose Presence or Dexterity for one Transformed Attribute dot)


This dreamlike revelation comes with a feeling of belonging, a feeling of loyalty and affinity to a Royal Court beyond your dreams - literally. This court is ruled by a Queen, the Queen of:


[X] Clubs


[X] Diamonds


[X] Hearts


[X] Spades


[X] Swords


[X] Tears


[X] Storms


[X] Mirrors


[X] Nothing - you choose to be Courtless


Now as you finish your trigg- no, your Blossoming- you are aware of three things.


You are Emma Barnes, and you are a Princess.


And nothing will ever be the same again.

---

Hello, and welcome to this quest! If you've been on SV for a while, you probably know what Worm is, but you might not be aware of what Princess: The Hopeful is. Princess The Hopeful is a fan-made supplement for New World of Darkness, a horror tabletop RPG, that tries to picture fighting in a world for hope and friendship where evil has basically already won. You can find more information than I could ever give accurately here or here. Or you could download the whole thing for free over here.


Now we are playing by the Dream Version, which follows NWoD's God-Machine Chronicles Rules update. However, since Worm is full enough of darkness already, this will only be including things from Hopeful, which means that all other aspects of NWoD are non canon as far as this quest is concerned.


Write-Ins and the like are encouraged, and would help me out greatly as I am very new to all of this. I am by no means infallible, so if I make a mistake, be sure to let me know.


Thanks, and have fun!

Crossposted to SB and SV.

 

[Lord Ultimus]

Name: Emma Barnes
Concept: Broken Teen
Age: 13
Calling:
Court:
Virtues: Ambitious/Righteous
Vice: Self-Loathing

XP: 0

Appearance: Red haired young teenager with a great figure for your age
Transformed Appearance:

Stats-

Spoiler: Attributes

Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Presence 3, Manipulation 3, Composure 2
Intelligence 3, Wits 2, Resolve 2

Spoiler: Untransformed Traits

Health: 7
Belief: 7
Inner Light: 1/1
Willpower: 4/4
Size: 5
Speed: 9
Initiative: 4
Defense: 2

Spoiler: Skills

Social
Empathy (Emotion): 2
Persuasion: 3
Socialize (School): 4
Subterfuge: 2

Mental
Crafts (Fashion): 4
Investigation: 2
Politics: 1

Physical
Athletics: 1
Brawl: 1
Stealth: 2

Spoiler: Merits

Striking Looks 2
Royal Tongue 1
Tomoyos Touch 1
Taste 2
True Friend 3
Circle 1

Spoiler: Conditions

Depression (Persistent):Your character is suffering from depression. Whenever your character fails a roll which is important to achieving an Aspiration (including variants such as Dreams) roll Resolve + Composure, on a failure loose a point of Willpower and you can neither spend nor regain Willpower
Beat: Your character succumbs to a bout of depression.
Beat: Your voluntary declare your character has a bout of depression. This only grants beats when the hardship is addition Breaking Point and Compromise rolls gain a +1 significant. The hardship includes more than the lost Willpower, such as declaring your character does not to peruse an opportunity because of her depression.
Resolution: Gain a dot of Integrity (or equivalent
Resolution: Roll an Exceptional Success on a Breaking Point (or equivalent)
Resolution: Therapy, medication or a significant lifestyle change overcomes the fog of depression.

 

[Lord Ultimus]

Reserved for stuff.

 

[Lord Ultimus]

So I thought I'd be nice and put up some quotes about the splats your choosing from tvtropes here for those who don't want to click the link.

Note that "affinity" simply means that the charms cost less, you don't have to pick Champion to get combat charms, they can all do that.

The inborn splats of the game are refereed to as Callings, the ways in which a Princess is called to serve the cause of The Light.

Champions: Champions are those who stand up and defend those who are weaker than themselves. They are the heroes, the dragon slayers. As such, they have a natural affinity for charms involved combat, as well as those that strengthen themselves and others and grant abilities.
Graces: Graces are the messengers of Hope. They seek to guide others to confront their own fears and doubts so that they may better serve the light. They have a natural affinity for charms which grant special abilities, as well as those which affect personal relationships and allow the princess to recognize counter supernatural influences. More often than not, they tend to be leaders among any group of Nobility.
Menders: Menders seek to aide others who are suffering physically or spiritually. They possess affinity for charms that can mend and heal living and non-living things, as well as those that can grant abilities and shape materials.
Seekers: Detectives, scientists and scholars, seekers are those driven to discover truth and knowledge. They are skilled in charms that allow them to gain knowledge, recognize and counter supernatural influences, and craft illusions.
Troubadours: Troubadours are artists and performers, seeking to bring joy and enlightenment through their works. They have an affinity for charms of illusion as well as those that arouse emotions and shape materials.

Click to shrink...

The chosen splats of Princess are the eight Queens. When a Princess reaches the apex of her power she becomes a source of magic, like a colored mirror who not only reflects more of The Light onto the world but impresses her ideals onto it. If a Princess' beliefs align with a Queen she may draw on that source of magic in addition to calling on The Light directly, both to make her magic stronger or to move it in new directions. The Queen's themselves are teachers, mentors, and moral exemplars who help define the ideals Princesses live up to. The five Radiant Queens were killed when the kingdoms fell. Their souls were trapped in the Dreamlands, and they have chosen to remain there after the release as they feel they can do more good as dead Queens than living Princesses. Though most Princesses swear to a Queen it is nearly universal to show some affinity for many Queens.

Clubs: The Queen of Clubs is loosely based on Taoism, with hints of environmentalism. Her Princesses tend to blend the best of modern life with spiritualism. Fittingly the Queen's philosophies emphasise finding a way to express your true self in harmony with the world, accepting and adapting to change, and to avoid committing violence. Club's signature emotion is Harmony and tranquillity.
Diamonds: The Queen of Diamonds embodies Enlightenment values. Her courtiers aren't exclusively scientists, engineers or academics, but every member believes in the power of reason to improve the world. Her chief philosophies are to think through a problem before attempting a solution, to educate others, and to focus on big picture structural changes. Diamond's signature emotions are curiosity and wonder.
Hearts: The Queen of Hearts believes in politeness, responsibility trust and duty. Her Princesses believe that building and leading social institutions is key to making a better world. Heart's chief philosophies are to bring people together in community, to honour traditions and that authority must be earned. Heart's signature emotions are trust and duty.
Spades: The Queen of Spades favours good humour and lateral thinking. Her Princesses are jesters, rogues and scoundrels who do their best thinking unfettered by social orthodoxy. Spades' philosophies are to think outside the box, to spread laughter, and to think and run quickly so you don't get caught. Spades signature emotion is Laughter.
Swords: The Queen of Swords believes that you should always follow your heart and your passions. Her Princesses try to become heroes who's example will light the world. Sword's philosophies teach that at heart morality is about not hurting people, the importance of broadening your horizons and of course to embrace your passions. Sword's signature emotion is Love.
The three Twilight Queens survived The Fall, for a given value of "survived." They are the moral flaws of Princesses taken to extremes, and yet their goals are noble. They offer unique advantages unavailable to the Radiant Queens, and many Princesses have been tempted to dabble in their dangerous magic.

Tears: The Queen of Tears survived The Fall by using unholy magic to turn her city, Alhambra, into an impregnable fortress. Living deep into the heart of The Darkness, she sends her agents out to steal hope itself to keep her city alive. Though she believes in Alhambra's right of rule, the core of Tears' philosophy is protecting the ones you care about, at any cost. Her ability to shelter friends or family in Alhambra, and her unique control over a large mortal infrastructure, tempts the Radiant to her cause. The Queen of Tears' signature emotions are depression and resolve.
Storms: The Queen of Storms transformed herself into a living embodiment of her own ideals, and so survived The Fall. She remains in the heart of The Darkness, destroying everything within reach, and she grows stronger as her followers die and their souls join the gestalt Queen. Storms' philosophies revolve around killing the Darkness and acceptance of collateral damage, but her powerful battle magic always tempts more followers to her suicidal war. Regular mortals will develop some limited magical abilities if their beliefs align with the Queen of Storms, an effect that no other Queen has demonstrated. The Queen of Storms' signature emotions are rage and hatred.
Mirrors: The Queen of Mirrors ran away shortly before The Fall. No one knows what she did afterwards, but she is assumed to still be alive, if only because she talks to Princesses outside the Dreamlands. The Queen remains the most distant and unknown of the eight, but her Philosophies are simple: A mixture of vanity and predestination, which attract Princesses who want a life free from constant struggle. The ability to prophecy or remain transformed indefinitely help too. The Queen of Mirrors' signature emotion is vanity and solipsism.

Click to shrink...

 

[Prince Charon]

[X] Grace (Choose Presence or Manipulation for one Transformed Attribute dot)
-[X] Presence

[X] Hearts

 

[Xicree]

[X] Grace (Choose Presence or Manipulation for one Transformed Attribute dot)
-[X] Manipulation
[X] Mirrors

 

[Lord Ultimus]

For the record, the current front runners are grace , presence, and a close battle between hearts and storms, with a general interest in vigilante leadership type stuff.

 

[Navrin]

[X] Grace (Choose Presence or Manipulation for one Transformed Attribute dot)
-[X] Presence
[X] Hearts

Edit: Fixed

Though Emma REALLY needs to work on her Circle; it's... really, really weak at the moment, and it's easily one of the most important merits.

Even moreso with her rather low Resolve and Composure scores; losing Belief sucks, and trying to build it back up is relatively difficult.

I'm hoping that Taylor becomes Sworn fairly soon; which non-Twilight court do you think she would do best in? I'm thinking Swords.


Also, I REALLY hope that Storms doesn't win. "Screw the collateral" is basically the exact opposite of what I think is required for building up to deal with the Endbringers and Zion. Just having dots in Tempesta wouldn't be a big deal, but being in the actual court shapes Beliefs a lot in ways I would vastly dislike.

 

[CptTagon]

Wow, there's actually a reason to come to QQ's SFW Quest board now.

[X] Troubadour

[X] Hearts

I loved P:TH ever since I read the sourcebook, and I love that you're doing this. I hope this goes well.

 

[Navrin]

What I have in mind for a Hearts Emma Barnes: Build up a personal organization dedicated towards improving people's lives as well as preventing things from getting worse.

(OOC) Create a benevolent government to take over when the current one falls apart because fuck feudalism.

Build up a trans-dimensional alliance to hold off the Endbringers and (OOC) destroy Zion or otherwise neutralize him as a threat.


All around, make the world a better and more united place.

She'd obviously be starting out much lower, of course. Improve Winslow High, then Brockton Bay, etc.

 

[Zanderion]

What I have in mind for a Hearts Emma Barnes: Build up a personal organization dedicated towards improving people's lives as well as preventing things from getting worse.

(OOC) Create a benevolent government to take over when the current one falls apart because fuck feudalism.

Build up a trans-dimensional alliance to hold off the Endbringers and (OOC) destroy Zion or otherwise neutralize him as a threat.


All around, make the world a better and more united place.

She'd obviously be starting out much lower, of course. Improve Winslow High, then Brockton Bay, etc.

Click to shrink...

To ambitious/far-reaching. Better to start small. I admit that I don't have a good idea at this moment, but I vaguely recall there's a lot of problems in Worm that start from some small scale personal problem that snowballed. Like oh, the infamous Amy/Victoria thing. The bullying is obvious but I think it's safe to say to it won't happen. Maybe working on making Winslow a better environment. Heck, a lot of Capes is fucked up in the head without psych-support. Dealing with that, by building a support network or whatever, is good idea. Started with Sophia
I'm saying there's a lot of stuff in line with Heart's philosophy we can done while still keeping it simple.

EDIT: to clarify, this was crossposting from my Reply in SV when your plans was brought up in context of discussion what of our plans for Emma. Rereading you plans again, I thing you first line is good enough.as it is. I just rather don't worry to much against Scion or that stuff at this point and think up something concrete for the small scale.


BTW, folks, if you don't already, I suggest you also follow the arguments in the other sites.

 

[Jack of Olives]

PtH crossed with Worm?

This is both a very good thing and a very bad thing.

[X] Grace (Choose Presence or Manipulation for one Transformed Attribute dot)
-[X] Presence

[X] Hearts

Because many of Earth Bet's problems could be solved with better communication & understanding.

 

[Zanderion]

20-18 22-18 for Storms over Hearts unless I miscount.

 

[Navrin]

... are people thinking that being part of the Court of Storms is essentially equal to having dots in Tempesta? Internalizing the Beliefs of a court is kind of a big deal, and I REALLY don't want to read about mass-murderer Emma Barnes, enemy of all who live, and competitor with the S9 and The Butcher for most feared and hated people.

 

[The Shadowmind]

[X] Grace (Choose Presence or Manipulation for one Transformed Attribute dot)
-[X] Presence
[X] HeartsBecause many of Earth Bet's problems could be solved with better communication & understanding.

 

[Navrin]

To ambitious/far-reaching. Better to start small. I admit that I don't have a good idea at this moment, but I vaguely recall there's a lot of problems in Worm that start from some small scale personal problem that snowballed. Like oh, the infamous Amy/Victoria thing. The bullying is obvious but I think it's safe to say to it won't happen. Maybe working on making Winslow a better environment. Heck, a lot of Capes is fucked up in the head without psych-support. Dealing with that, by building a support network or whatever, is good idea. Started with Sophia
I'm saying there's a lot of stuff in line with Heart's philosophy we can done while still keeping it simple.

EDIT: to clarify, this was crossposting from my Reply in SV when your plans was brought up in context of discussion what of our plans for Emma. Rereading you plans again, I thing you first line is good enough.as it is. I just rather don't worry to much against Scion or that stuff at this point and think up something concrete for the small scale.


BTW, folks, if you don't already, I suggest you also follow the arguments in the other sites.

Click to shrink...

Small-scale: Figure out what her powers are, get Taylor Hebert involved as much as possible, shore up Emma's emotional vulnerabilities, build up solid relationships with her family and new friends, make Taylor Hebert a Sworn, decrease pressure on people to join the gangs, give people ways and reasons to get out of the gangs, decrease general animosity present, get the teachers to teach better, get the students to learn better...

If you want it in more game-mechanics terms...

Aspiration: Investigate my new powers.
Aspiration: Spend more time with my family.
Dream: Help Taylor Hebert be the superhero she wants to be.
Dream: Help (Currently unnamed future classmate) avoid joining the ABB.
Dream: Free (Currently unnamed future classmate)'s elder sister and said sister's best friends from the Merchants.

 

[Zanderion]

... are people thinking that being part of the Court of Storms is essentially equal to having dots in Tempesta? Internalizing the Beliefs of a court is kind of a big deal, and I REALLY don't want to read about mass-murderer Emma Barnes, enemy of all who live, and competitor with the S9 and The Butcher for most feared and hated people.

Click to shrink...

You best argue in SV, since that from where most of the Storms and argument for it came from (well, most of the total votes, for that matter . Here, it is mostly Hearts with Spades for SB.

 

[Navrin]

You best argue in SV, since that from where most of the Storms and argument for it came from (well, most of the total votes, for that matter . Here, it is mostly Hearts with Spades for SB.

Click to shrink...

Don't have an SV account, don't want an SV account. So not really an option, unfortunately.

Also, random note: Being Darkened IS a recoverable condition, and lethal force is not actually required for dealing with them.

 

[Zanderion]

Don't have an SV account, don't want an SV account. So not really an option, unfortunately.

Also, random note: Being Darkened IS a recoverable condition, and lethal force is not actually required for dealing with them.

Click to shrink...

Well,

Partially shown by what happened to the gangbangers in this: the ones that Sophia killed were either darkened or close to it, in which case it's more or less necessary to kill them.
Also, the fact that half the gang members were killed is representative of the state Brockton Bay is in concerning the Darkness.

Click to shrink...

https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/posts/4446491/

 

[Lord Ultimus]

I was referring to Storms's invocation. As in, you'll lose your powers without at least using lethal force against them.

 

[Navrin]

I was referring to Storms's invocation. As in, you'll lose your powers without at least using lethal force against them.

Click to shrink...

Understood. I think that it didn't come off that way to at least some people, though.

 

[Zanderion]

I was referring to Storms's invocation. As in, you'll lose your powers without at least using lethal force against them.

Click to shrink...

Still sucks, though.

 

[Navrin]

Still sucks, though.

Click to shrink...

It's a big reason I don't want to be a Stormite. Even just having Tempesta is bad because you lose power from avoiding killing Darkened, but being in the Court of Storms means that you've internalized that Belief system. That as long as you're killing Creatures of Darkness concerns for morality are irrelevant. Bomb Tainted Places regardless of how many civilians will be killed. Rip apart civilians because you need the parts to build Goalenu. None of that matters as long as you get to lash out in your rage and hatred against the Darkness.

 

[Broken]

... are people thinking that being part of the Court of Storms is essentially equal to having dots in Tempesta? Internalizing the Beliefs of a court is kind of a big deal, and I REALLY don't want to read about mass-murderer Emma Barnes, enemy of all who live, and competitor with the S9 and The Butcher for most feared and hated people.

Click to shrink...

Don't worry, The current plan of the stormites is to make a murder-cult to handle the killing for us.

 

[Navrin]

Don't worry, The current plan of the stormites is to make a murder-cult to handle the killing for us.

Click to shrink...

REALLY don't see how that's supposed to be better.

It's possible that this comment was meant sarcastically, though I really can't be sure.

 

[CptTagon]

My recollections of reading the sourcebook imply that Storms are Skitter on a very bad day. I don't particularly want to play as someone that evil, not when the option to be a truly good, inspiring person is a valid, reasonable choice.

 

[racnor]

Hello, all. I have created an account to debate more efficiently. How would you guys feel about going hearts and then just taking 2 dots of tempesta and one dot of terra as a compromise?

 

[Zanderion]

Hello, all. I have created an account to debate more efficiently. How would you guys feel about going hearts and then just taking 2 dots of tempesta and one dot of terra as a compromise?

Click to shrink...

I'm open for compromise options, but I need to ask: if we go hearts why would we need tempesta?

 

[racnor]

I'm open for compromise options, but I need to ask: if we go hearts why would we need tempesta?

Click to shrink...

As in, combining our plans so that we start out as vigilantes, but end up as a mostly hearts themed princess in the end, as a way around Navrin's worry that we would internalize the ideals of storms completely.
Might actually be better just to go swords/secondary terra, really but it seems like it would be hard to pull that off.

 

[Zanderion]

As in, combining our plans so that we start out as vigilantes, but end up as a mostly hearts themed princess in the end, as a way around Navrin's worry that we would internalize the ideals of storms completely.

Click to shrink...

What stopping us from going vigilante even without Tempesta. As far I can gather (from only skimming the charms and invocations write up) is that Tempesta over more firepower, especially for when things get though.

Might actually be better just to go swords/secondary terra, really but it seems like it would be hard to pull that off.

Click to shrink...

Why it would be difficult?