A long time back, I was playing around with Margaret Weis Productions' Demon Hunters, based on the setting created by the Dead Gentlemen, who also provided details for the game itself. As time progresses, as time tends to do, games evolve. The most recent version, Demon Hunters - A Comedy of Terrors takes the lessons learned from the original and improves the game. However, since this is about Bert Ernesto and not Lost in Translation, enough about the mechanics. Time to create!
Bert Ernesto, TV/VCR repairman, originally came about thanks to a gag in the Brotherhood Orientation Video where Anti-Tank Sally went through everything that the Brotherhood could teach. Everything. Do not try to figure out lactomancy. But in that long list of weirdness, TV/VCR repair stood out, mainly because, well, who repairs TVs these days? And VCRs? Other than specialty users, they're showpieces today.
Let's get started with re-creating Bert Ernesto. There's eight steps, which I'll go through one by one. Bert shouldn't be too odd for the game, where it's possible to play werewolves, half-angels, half-demons, and animated trees. In terms of complexity, the game is far closer to MechWarrior Destiny than A Time of War, so the process is quick-ish. Decisions take time.
1) Write a Concept aspect.
This is a phrase that sums up the character. Bert is a TV/VCR repairman, but that doesn't seem like enough, and I have an idea for the next stage already. The key is that he is a tech, with a mighty fine mustache, because he's Bert Ernesto. So, let's got with Mustachioed Technician.
2) Write a Trouble aspect.
Again, this is a phrase. This time, though, the aspect covers a core flaw. The one I have in mind is Master of Obsolete Tech. I mean, TV/VCR repair isn't exactly an up to date skillset. Bert's going to have trouble with anything created after 1997, the year DVDs became commercially available. Might help with the Mark III Cipher, though.
3) Assign dice to approaches.
There are six approaches - Careful, Clever, Flashy, Forceful, Quick, and Sneaky - that describe how a character goes about an action. Bert has a d10, two d8, two d6, and a d4 to distribute. Flashy gets the d10; he has flair when working on tech. It's why he has the awesome 'stache. Clever and Forceful each get the d8s; it's not just using percussive maintenance but knowing where to hit a machine. Quick and Sneaky get the d6s. That leaves the d4 for Careful; Bert is a fast tech; having a few screws leftover is a sign that the machine was over-designed.
4) Choose three disciplines and assign dice.
There are a total of five disciplines to choose from, six if I include the Fringe, which Bert is not. Fringe is more for supernatural types. The dice I have are a d10, a d8, and a d6. Let's start with the d10. Bert is a technician, so Research & Development, the technical discipline, gets the d10. However, techs are forever overlooked, even techs with most excellent mustaches, so Covert Ops gets the d8. While placing the d6 into Mystic Arts is tempting - tech support requires blood sacrifice at times - Social Engineering my be the best for it; Bert is charming in his own way.
5) Write a stunt.
Stunts provided bonuses to actions. The first stunt I have in mind deals with percussive maintenance:
- Percussive Maintenance: Because I know exactly where to hit a machine to get it to work again, I gain +2 when I Forcefully create advantages with machines.
6) Write three aspects, one for each discipline chosen.
I'll break it down by discipline from step 4 above:
- Research & Development: Swiss Army Knife.
- Covert Ops: I've got a work order to fix the machine.
- Social Engineering: Bodacious mustache.
Now the explanations. The Swiss Army Knife is the ultimate multi-tool as demonstrated on both versions of MacGuyver. Between the Swiss Army Knife, duct tape, and WD-40, anything can be fixed. "I've got a work order to fix the machine," is from personal experience. If you have a piece of paper and say you're from IT, you will get shown to the broken device, especially in larger government and corporate environments. Finally, I've mentioned Bert's mustache enough that it should be an aspect.
7) Write one or two more stunts.
Just like step 5 above.
- Because I have an Awesome Mustache, I gain a +1 when I Flashily defend. (The mustache is that amazing.)
- Because I have a Swiss Army Knife, I gain a +2 when I Cleverly attack an automaton.
8) Name your Demon Hunter and write down what they look like.
Just what it says. Turns out, that came together before I started. Bert Ernesto, Mustachioed Technician, is just that awesome, at least in his head. I'll also note how many of each Condition he can take - three Mild, two Moderate, and one Severe - and note that he has three Devotion, since no extra stunts were taken.
Let's pull this into a proper sheet now: The only thing not done is determine which Chapter of the Brotherhood Bert belongs to. That would be done with the GM, who can decide that the group is an established but still unknown Sigma or a rookie Omega team meant as cannon fodder.
Bert Ernesto
Chapter TBD
Aspects
- Concept: Mustachioed Technician
- Trouble: Master of Obsolete Tech
- Discipline: Swiss Army Knife, I've got a work order to fix the machine, Bodacious mustache
Approaches Disciplines
- Careful d4 Combat & Tactics d4
- Clever d8 Covert Ops d8
- Flashy d10 Mystic Arts d4
- Forceful d8 Research & Development d10
- Quick d6 Social Engineering d6
- Sneaky d6
Stunts
- Percussive Maintenance: Because I know exactly where to hit a machine to get it to work again, I gain +2 when I Forcefully create advantages with machines.
- Too Awesome to Hit: Because I have an Awesome Mustache, I gain a +1 when I Flashily defend.
- The Ultimate Multi-Tool: Because I have a Swiss Army Knife, I gain a +2 when I Cleverly attack an automaton.
Conditions
Mild (3) Moderate (2) Severe (1)
Devotion: 3
And that's Bert, ready to play. Simple enough! If you do use him, please let me know how it goes.
Oh, and mandatory cat photo.
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| Another photo? (Model: Jewel. Photo by author.) |
Friday, Lost in Translation continues at Psycho Drive-In.
Saturday, Lost in Translation can be found at The Seventh Sanctum.
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