Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

[SSgt Baloo]

Last night I watched Grimm episode 2. As I watched, I realized this could be a pretty good setting for a Superheroic (or street-level supers) campaign. Just as predatory species have developed which prey upon humans (Big-Bads, sorta like werewolves and whatever the werebear-like creatures were in the last episode), there may also be species that developed a protective bond with humanity (domesticated, as it were) as well as "reformed" predators like Monroe and the occasional human with powers like the Grimms.

 

Any thoughts?

 

In my case, I always wanted to create a character similar to (but more photogenic and less corny than) McGruff, the crime dog. It finally occurred to me that as dogs are descended from wolves, so might my "McGruff" analogue be descended from werewolves, but inclined to view humans as allies.

 

I'd always envisioned this character as a humanoid Golden Retriever, but with werewolf-like powers of strength and resistance to damage, etc., plus the usual canine enhanced senses (tracking scent, etc.)

 

What other ideas would you suggest, not just for characters, but settings, plot hooks, etc?

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

I haven't seen this show, Baloo, but I have been writing stories with super agents based on fairy tales.

 

One of the agents is Ginny Wolfe, the Red Hood.

CES

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

I haven't seen this show, Baloo, but I have been writing stories with super agents based on fairy tales.

 

One of the agents is Ginny Wolfe, the Red Hood.

CES

 

Cool! If you need a proofreader, I'd be willing to lend a hand.

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Cool! If you need a proofreader' date=' I'd be willing to lend a hand.[/quote']

 

Most everything I write is posted somewhere. The Project Story stories are at fictionpress.com. This is my profile page. It's empty at the moment but you can read everything that I have posted from there. A reviewer would be good.

CES

[Clonus]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Last night I watched Grimm episode 2. As I watched, I realized this could be a pretty good setting for a Superheroic (or street-level supers) campaign. Just as predatory species have developed which prey upon humans (Big-Bads, sorta like werewolves and whatever the werebear-like creatures were in the last episode), there may also be species that developed a protective bond with humanity (domesticated, as it were) as well as "reformed" predators like Monroe and the occasional human with powers like the Grimms.

 

Any thoughts?

 

In my case, I always wanted to create a character similar to (but more photogenic and less corny than) McGruff, the crime dog. It finally occurred to me that as dogs are descended from wolves, so might my "McGruff" analogue be descended from werewolves, but inclined to view humans as allies.

 

I'd always envisioned this character as a humanoid Golden Retriever, but with werewolf-like powers of strength and resistance to damage, etc., plus the usual canine enhanced senses (tracking scent, etc.)

 

What other ideas would you suggest, not just for characters, but settings, plot hooks, etc?

 

Typically of television super universes it's a wainscot setting. For GURPS I once suggested that every character (who isn't Mundane) should have the Secret: Superhumans Exist disadvantage.

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Typically of television super universes it's a wainscot setting. For GURPS I once suggested that every character (who isn't Mundane) should have the Secret: Superhumans Exist disadvantage.

 

wainscot?

CES

[Brother Jim]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

I just tried to google wainscot setting and the first 5 pages are all woodworking or construction stuff.

 

Definition please.

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

I just tried to google wainscot setting and the first 5 pages are all woodworking or construction stuff.

 

Definition please.

 

Me too. Please elaborate.

 

Apart from Grimms, what sort of fairy-tale (and FT-derivative) characters would all y'alls* think would be a good fit in such a setting?

[DusterBoy]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

From John Clute's Encyclopaedia of Fantasy: "It has always been an assumption that behind the wainscotts one may find invisible societies on animals - mice and bats, etc. If follows that invisible or undetected societies living in the interstices of the dominant world - normally but not necessarily human - can be called "wainscott societies"." The roof-top gangs in Christopher Fowler's "Roofworld" are one such, in that normal society has no idea they exist.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

I haven't seen the TV show, but there is a series of books by Michael Buckley about the Sisters Grimm which has the Grimm family as a detectives for fairy-world crimes. Buckley draws on a lot of fairy tales, both well-known and obscure, and gives a interesting twist to a lot of them. Anyway, you might find some inspiration there. If not, the books are still an entertaining read.

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

They call it a masquerade now thanks to White Wolf. I heard that phrase from GURPS but couldn't remember where. The principle does apply. Most powers working in secret behind the scenes would fit this.

 

Men in Black and the Dresden Files would apply to different degrees.

 

Like I said I am using secret agents based on stories.

 

Magic artifacts and curses could be used in such a setting. Mother May I from the animated Teen Titans would be a great witch for this.

CES

[Clonus]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Last night I watched Grimm episode 2. As I watched, I realized this could be a pretty good setting for a Superheroic (or street-level supers) campaign. Just as predatory species have developed which prey upon humans (Big-Bads, sorta like werewolves and whatever the werebear-like creatures were in the last episode), there may also be species that developed a protective bond with humanity (domesticated, as it were) as well as "reformed" predators like Monroe and the occasional human with powers like the Grimms.

 

Any thoughts?

 

In my case, I always wanted to create a character similar to (but more photogenic and less corny than) McGruff, the crime dog. It finally occurred to me that as dogs are descended from wolves, so might my "McGruff" analogue be descended from werewolves, but inclined to view humans as allies.

?

 

In any case, yes, there are talking dog fairy tales. The typical format for them involves the dog having to deal with human ingratitude as they get too old to work. (An amazing number of fairy tales deal with the plight of the elderly in the absence of a social safety net when they aren't about learning to love arranged marriages and social climbing through marriage.) Similarly there are some talking cats and roosters. Hive insects are invariably depicted as helpful to those who do them a service.

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

I hadn't thought of the stories like Clonus has, but he is right. There are a lot of stories with human acting animals. Puss in Boots is a case in point.

CES

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

The only talking dog I'm very familiar with is Dukey from Johnny Test. Love that dog. Human wisdom, childish sensibilities, and utter loyalty. Probably not what I had in mind for GrimmWorld®.[/digression]

 

Can anyone direct me to an online example of benevolent fairytale creatures (no Puss-n-Boots or main-character Fairy Godparents, please)?

[Clonus]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

The only talking dog I'm very familiar with is Dukey from Johnny Test. Love that dog. Human wisdom' date=' childish sensibilities, and utter loyalty. Probably not what I had in mind for GrimmWorld®.[/digression']

 

Can anyone direct me to an online example of benevolent fairytale creatures (no Puss-n-Boots or main-character Fairy Godparents, please)?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_Musicians_of_Bremen

http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-8.html

http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-38.html

http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/swanmaiden/index.html

http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/396.htm

 

Then of course there are all the stories where someone is enchanted into or adopts animal form or monstrous form, which in this context are probably people who were never human in the first place but adopted a human form because they fell in love with a human.

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_Musicians_of_Bremen

http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-8.html

http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-38.html

http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/swanmaiden/index.html

http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/396.htm

 

Then of course there are all the stories where someone is enchanted into or adopts animal form or monstrous form, which in this context are probably people who were never human in the first place but adopted a human form because they fell in love with a human.

 

The other common thing is for a curse to be put on someone with a ridiculous escape clause like the Seven Ravens

CES

[sinanju]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Last night I watched Grimm episode 2. As I watched, I realized this could be a pretty good setting for a Superheroic (or street-level supers) campaign. Just as predatory species have developed which prey upon humans (Big-Bads, sorta like werewolves and whatever the werebear-like creatures were in the last episode), there may also be species that developed a protective bond with humanity (domesticated, as it were) as well as "reformed" predators like Monroe and the occasional human with powers like the Grimms.

 

Any thoughts?

 

In my case, I always wanted to create a character similar to (but more photogenic and less corny than) McGruff, the crime dog. It finally occurred to me that as dogs are descended from wolves, so might my "McGruff" analogue be descended from werewolves, but inclined to view humans as allies.

 

I'd always envisioned this character as a humanoid Golden Retriever, but with werewolf-like powers of strength and resistance to damage, etc., plus the usual canine enhanced senses (tracking scent, etc.)

 

What other ideas would you suggest, not just for characters, but settings, plot hooks, etc?

 

I'll suggest something I've thought about doing--and may do yet, though probably in my fiction rather than a game: a world where the supernatural is common knowledge--but not common. (And always has been, unlike the urban fantasy trope where it only recently was acknowledged.)

 

Think of vampires (or werewolves, or ghosts, or...all of the above) as being like the mob. Everyone knows the mafia exists. But most people have never (knowingly) interacted with mobsters. Maybe they haven't. Maybe they have and just don't know it. But they don't (as a rule) refuse to believe that the mafia exists. They'll be shocked and appalled if a mob war breaks out in their city (or neighborhood), or if John Smith down the street is discovered to be neck deep in mob activities--but they won't refuse to accept that it's happening. THey'll read newspaper stories about people killed by vampires or werewolves and (depending their personality shake their heads or rage at the injustice...but they won't say, "Vampires? Hah! Another tabloid headline."

 

Ditto for discovering blood-drained corpses in dark alleys of Campaign City. Or mangled corpses after the full moon. Or whatever. Instead of a handful of believers in a world of people who cannot/will not see the truth, the reaction is more like:

 

Your typical hard-bitten cop: "Well...****. We've got a vampire/werewolf/voodoo problem. I'm getting too old for this ****." And then the detectives on the vamp/were/whatever task force (or the dedicated squad if the problems are common enough) get called in to investigate.

 

Your typical citizen: Will react the way they'd react to violent gangsters turning up. They'll be a little more wary in general, a lot more cautious about going places or seeing people who might be involved. Some will flood the police with bogus tips. Others will carefully see NOTHING, no matter how overt. But they won't pretend they don't know it's real.

 

The thing is, in this world the supernatural is very real, and everyone knows it. But it's also very rare. Aside from cops/feds (and amatuers) who follow it, study it, and obsess over it, most people will never knowingly interact with the supernatural. But they won't think your character is a lunatic if he starts talking about vampires and werewolves and whatnot--at least, no more than they do when your average PI starts unraveling a more mundane plot that leads to unexpected bad guys.

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

I'll suggest something I've thought about doing--and may do yet, though probably in my fiction rather than a game: a world where the supernatural is common knowledge--but not common. (And always has been, unlike the urban fantasy trope where it only recently was acknowledged.)

 

Think of vampires (or werewolves, or ghosts, or...all of the above) as being like the mob. Everyone knows the mafia exists. But most people have never (knowingly) interacted with mobsters. Maybe they haven't. Maybe they have and just don't know it. But they don't (as a rule) refuse to believe that the mafia exists. They'll be shocked and appalled if a mob war breaks out in their city (or neighborhood), or if John Smith down the street is discovered to be neck deep in mob activities--but they won't refuse to accept that it's happening. THey'll read newspaper stories about people killed by vampires or werewolves and (depending their personality shake their heads or rage at the injustice...but they won't say, "Vampires? Hah! Another tabloid headline."

 

Ditto for discovering blood-drained corpses in dark alleys of Campaign City. Or mangled corpses after the full moon. Or whatever. Instead of a handful of believers in a world of people who cannot/will not see the truth, the reaction is more like:

 

Your typical hard-bitten cop: "Well...****. We've got a vampire/werewolf/voodoo problem. I'm getting too old for this ****." And then the detectives on the vamp/were/whatever task force (or the dedicated squad if the problems are common enough) get called in to investigate.

 

Your typical citizen: Will react the way they'd react to violent gangsters turning up. They'll be a little more wary in general, a lot more cautious about going places or seeing people who might be involved. Some will flood the police with bogus tips. Others will carefully see NOTHING, no matter how overt. But they won't pretend they don't know it's real.

 

The thing is, in this world the supernatural is very real, and everyone knows it. But it's also very rare. Aside from cops/feds (and amatuers) who follow it, study it, and obsess over it, most people will never knowingly interact with the supernatural. But they won't think your character is a lunatic if he starts talking about vampires and werewolves and whatnot--at least, no more than they do when your average PI starts unraveling a more mundane plot that leads to unexpected bad guys.

 

I saw something like this at the book store, but I didn't pick it up. I forgot the name of the book now but the cover said it was set in Scranton, and about the detective division there.

CES

[McCoy]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Can a show jump the shark on the third episode? Or when it happens that fast is it called something else?

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Can a show jump the shark on the third episode? Or when it happens that fast is it called something else?

 

Depends. What happened?

CES

[McCoy]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Depends. What happened?

CES

 

Were-bees

 

[csyphrett]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Were-bees

 

Common fairy tale thing like Clonus said. I don't know how that applies to the setting, but dont be surprised if they give out information.

 

CES

[Clonus]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Common fairy tale thing like Clonus said. I don't know how that applies to the setting, but dont be surprised if they give out information.

 

CES

 

Helpful hive insects are common, and yes the Grimm bees are hexenbeast (witch) foes because the hexenbeast don't like the bee habit of telling people what's going on. But giant bees that can pass for human are not a part of fairy tales. Actually I think it would have worked better if the perpetrator had been a regular human who had helpful bees. Change things up a little.

[RexMundi]

Re: Discussion: One-origin world Idea based on the Grimm TV series.

 

Thinks on this Idea, without trying to pollute it with over a Decade of demoing things for White Wolf and others, heh......

 

~Rex...can sometimes actually think. It is getting harder as the years go by.