[d20 Modern] - Harry Potter (Urban Arcana) [Full]

[Arknath]

Ok...here is your first semester's classes....along with the necessary books:

Potions - Professer Severus Snape Mixing Magical Brews by Jane Middleton
Transfiguration - Professor Minerva McGonagall Change the World...but Start with Your Cup by Ayren Randover
Herbology - Professor Sprout Roots, Twigs and other Wizardly Ingredients by Samantha Saraton
Flying - Madam Hooch
Defense Against the Dark Arts - Professor Quirrell Dark Arts Revealed! by Helderon Biddix
Charms - Professor Flitwick Enchant Anything by Darrin Dederman
History of Magic - Professor Binns Magical Facts and History, Year 1 by Zelda Blech

I'll have to see your characters (and all of them) before the sorting ceremony begins....Please, be ready with your supplies (necessary supplies coming soon).

 

[FoxWander]

Got a couple of questions for character creation...
(Just a few things I thought of while going thru the regular d20 Modern character creation process.)

--Can we choose a kid-type variation of an occupation just for the 2 or 3 bonus "class" skills it might give? For instance I was thinking "trouble-maker" or "scamp" as a variation of "Criminal" for a couple of skills that aren't on the Smart hero list.

--This probably won't even come up for awhile (except maybe playing Quidditch) but are kids considered "small", like halflings and gnomes?

--For equipment (which I'm assuming we're skipping until you classify our parent's occupations), when you say "no technology"- how far do you mean? Is a Game-boy too much? What about a cheap PDA? Multi-function digital watch? Swiss army knife or a Leatherman? Obviously computers and cell phones are out, but what about the "toy tech" a typical american-just-moved-to-England kid might have?

--Why'd you go for a 24 point point-buy when the regular point-buy is just one point higher?


By the way if anyone is interested, I found a partially auto-calculating d20 Modern character sheet in Microsoft Excel format here -> http://soldarin.tripod.com/rpgpages/id7.html
The second one down, with the "enhanced printsheet" looks pretty good. It calc'd everything and it was pretty easy to add some stuff to the look-up tables it uses (like I added a "sling shot" to the weapons table. ).

 

[Vendetta]

Hey... That character sheet download... Does d20 Modern use a different point buy System than D&D 3.5? Because my stats only came out to be like 20 points when I tried to put it on the character sheet. Anyway, my character is below using the points that I know with the negative modifiers added (subtracted) for his young age.

 

[Vendetta]

My Character

“You are a horrible little boy!” The rather rotund woman with the tight, curly, red hair growled at him.

“Yes Mrs. Hucklebone.” Was all that Basil Wescott could say in response to the rather hurtful accusation… because at this moment, it just happened to be true. Basil couldn’t bring himself to look into Mrs. Hucklebone’s eyes. He looked down to his feet, covered only barely by the hole-filled “Nike” tennis shoes that his mother had gotten him at the thrift store earlier this year. Yeah, they were beat up when he got them but he had been excited all the same… until he got to school and found that his shoes were 3 years out of style. He kicked at some dust at the ground.

“I suppose you want straight “A”s this year as well?” Mrs. Hucklebone growled at him, breaking his momentary revere. He hadn’t realized how interesting his shoes could be.

“No Ma’am. I just need Kirby Brandt’s grades changed.”

Mrs. Hucklebone glared at Basil for a moment. He didn’t like doing this to her. She was basically a good teacher, even if she didn’t seem to much care for him. But Kirby, class bully that he is, had found Basil coming home from the comic book shop and took his prize purchase; “Grendel #4” to complete his collection of the entire original Grendel series. It had taken him a year’s worth of allowance plus a paper route and some yard work around the neighborhood to earn all the money to get the entire collection and it was worth it. But Kirby caught him that day and took it.

“You know that Blackmail is illegal, right Basil? I could have you put in jail.” She finally said.

“Yes Ma’am.” He replied, burying his nose further into his chest.

“I don’t know how you found all this stuff out about me,” she chastised him, “but I assure you that I will not forget this, Mr. Wescott.” She glared at him some more but Basil had no intention of meeting her gaze. “Alright. I’ll give him his grades, nobody is going to believe it anyway. But I want to know what he’s holding over you.”

“I can’t tell you. I’m sorry, Ma’am.” Basil replied and meant it.

“Get out of here. I don’t want to see your face again until after summer vacation… and then, you better hope you don’t get in my class.” Mrs. Hucklebone threatened him. Basil turned and ran. There was no point sticking around anyway.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Basil was walking down the cold street. Fortunately it wasn’t raining. Ahead, he saw Kirby and his mates hanging out in front of the liquor store, as if they were old enough to buy booze. Normally, Basil would try to sneak around them. He was much smaller than most boys his age and had no friends and when ever Kirby and his crew could, they would pick on him, even more so than most of the other kids. But today he needed to talk to Kirby. He had done Kirby’s dirty work and now he wanted his comic book back.

“Kirby.” Basil said, feeling brave for half a second until the big bully turned around to look at him. “I did it. She’s going to give you your grades. Can I please have my… stuff… back.”

“You mean, your comic book?” Kirby said, his voice dripping with disdain. All of the boys began to laugh and point at Basil, mocking him. He knew they would, which was why he hadn’t actually said “comic book.” But of course Kirby had told his mates what he had done and they had probably all had a good laugh prior to this one. It didn’t matter. As long as he got his comic book back, he would be happy to just forget this horrible mess. “No, I ain’t giving it back.”

“Wha-?” Basil stuttered, not believing his ears. “but… but you…”

“Just ‘cuz you say you did it don’t mean you did. I gotta see the grades myself, then you can have your stupid comic book back.” Kirby growled at him, stepping up to Basil to tower over him, looking down on him and making him feel very, very small.

“O.K.” Was all Basil could say and forlornly turned away toward his home.

“No you don’t…” Kirby howled, grabbing Basil by the scruff of his shirt. “We’re going to have a little fun, first.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Before Basil unlocked the door to his house, he dusted himself off again, hoping to hide any evidence of his encounter with Kirby and his mates. All it ever did was make his mum worry, anyway. Since there was nothing either of them could do to stop Kirby’s “fun” there just wasn’t a point in that. It had already been a bloody horrible day and worrying his mum would just make it worse.

Saying a silent prayer, he turned the key and opened the door. Good, his mother wasn’t home… but something wasn’t right. He had a queer feeling that things were not as they appeared. Then, suddenly, without warning, “SURPRISE!!!” and fifteen people leapt out at him yelling and wearing cone-shaped party hats.

“Happy eleventh Birthday, honey.” His mother’s loving arms wrapped around him as she kissed his forehead. Basil had managed to turn his face at the last minute so that she kissed him on the side of his forehead. The sole of Kirby’s boot had been squarely in the middle of his forehead only a few minutes ago and while he had had to “kiss” Kirby’s boot, he didn’t want his mum to have to do it.

Basil looked around. His cousin Rowland, Doyle and their sister Miranda were all there. Rowland was 14 years old and didn’t like to play with “kids.” Miranda was also 11, three months older than he and Doyle was just 8 and his face was covered in chocolate.

Uncle Teddy was there and so was Aunt Fiona with her husband Bill, the American. Both of his grandmums were there and Alistair, his only real friend that had moved to the other side of London two years ago when his father had gotten a better job. Basil had wished that he and his mother could have moved as well. A better school in a better neighborhood would sure be nice. But that just wasn’t going to happen. Basil’s father wasn’t going to get a better job. He had died in the army in an accident 4 years ago and his meager pension and mum’s position as a clerk at the local thrift store was barely enough to keep them in the condition they were in.

Alistair came forward and handed him a gift and gave him a short hug. Maybe this day wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

Then, suddenly, a great big owl flew in and landed on the window seal.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It had been nearly three months since the big owl came by carrying the strange letter. “Hogwarts?” Basil said to himself. Even after three months he couldn’t figure out just what a “hogwart” was. And believe it, he had tried. The best he could figure was that it was some kind of specialized school… but then, the letter itself had given him that much information. That Thursday evening of May 28th stood out in his mind. His birthday had been a very good and exciting day. The strange letter the owl had brought only added a sense of wonder to it. All of his family, including Alistair and his mother had said that he was a special boy. They had all said it. Funny, no one else outside of his close relatives and friends ever gave him much of a thought.

But somehow, that strange letter seemed to “prove” to them that Basil Walcott was indeed something special.

Basil wasn’t buying it.

“Where the bloody hell is deck 9 ¾?” Basil’s mother growled. Basil was beginning to feel the same way. They had asked two of the train station employees, one of which looked at them like they were totally insane, the other said that there wasn’t a 9 ¾. It was just as he had feared. He wasn’t special in any way. The worst thing was that his mum had taken the day off of work, a day’s wages that she desperately needed after scraping together enough money to give the new Final Fantasy Tactics Gameboy game that he had been wanting as a “Going Away Present.”

Basil wished, wished like he had never wished before, that he could find the 9 ¾ train. Suddenly, a kid racing away from his mother, laughing and carrying on, bumped into him, knocking him backwards and into the column behind him. He could see the shocked look on his mother’s face as he fell, literally, into the wall.

Basil Wescott
Dedicated Hero (1)
Alignment: Neutral Good

STR: 5 (-3)
DEX: 12 (+1)
CON: 7 (-2)
INT: 12 (+1)
WIS: 14 (+2)
CHA: 11 (+0)

Fortitude: 0 (+2 base, -2 Con)
Reflex: 1 (+0 base, +1 Dex)
Will: 4 (+2 base, +2 Wis)

Armor Class: 12 (Defensive adjustment +1, Dex +1)

Hit Points: 4 (D6 (max) -2 Con)

Feats
Stealthy (+2 Hide and Move Silently)
Attentive (+2 Investigate and Sense Motive)

Talent
Skill Mastery (forgot what it’s called… but the +3 to a skill; Hide)

Skills (class (5+Int Mod)x4 = 24)
Craft; Writing +4 (+3 Rank, +1 Int)
Investigate +7 (+4 Rank, +1 Int, +2 Feat)
Knowledge; Popular Culture +2 (+1 Rank, +1 Int)
Listen +5 (+3 Rank, +2 Wis)
Spot +5 (+3 Rank, +2 Wis)
Sense Motive +6 (+2 Rank, +2 Wis, +2 Feat)
(cc)Hide +8 (+2 Rank, +1 Dex, +2 Feat, +3 Talent)
(cc)Move Silently +5 (+2 Rank, +1 Dex, +2 Feat)

Items
Gameboy Advance
- Final Fantasy Tactics
- Zelda: Link to the Past
- Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
- Tetris
CD Walkman + Several CDs
Swiss Army Knife
(Other items based on list forthcoming)

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

"Well, that's mos' of it, but where am I s'posed to find a basilisk tooth? What is a basilisk, anyways?" Morgan muttered to himself over a simmering rice cooker. A less likely batch of rice could hardly be imagined; the last traces of fresh-ground mandrake disappeared into the mixture under Morgan's persistent stirring. A yowl and thump behind him made him whirl, almost upsetting the brewing potion. Sammael was crouched over a small card, spitting at something which had evidently flown above him.

"Down, Sam! Calm down. What's 'at you got there, eh, boy?"

A jacknife opened the card in a heartbeat, and Morgan began reading.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme
Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Slythe,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all
necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress


"Wha' is this, Tommy's idea of a joke? 'E knows damn well these things work. 'E saw how Sam's eye was, but you're all better, boy, aren't you?" Morgan stroked the cat's head, running his fingers down the furrow of white where some faster, luckier animal had blinded him in the left eye. Morgan's proudest moment had been the charm that restored his sight, but success had proven elusive since.

"Await my owl, eh? As if I 'ad an owl to send loike some kind of postman. Bloody wankers. They won't be laughing much longer."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Morgan flipped over the calendar to August with anticipation. Tomorrow, Mrs. Tremayne's welfare check would come, and the cash he got from it would pay for a proper propane stove. Wasn't like the old biddy needed it; she'd been dead these past two years, but he'd managed to hide it from the welfare office, and the income had been beyond any eight-year-old's dreams. Well, eleven-year-old, now. He was practiced enough in the words "pay to the order of" by now that not even he could tell the difference between her signature and his own copy. Besides, now that July 31 had come and gone, maybe those damn letters would stop. It couldn't possibly be real, could it?

As Morgan strolled along the street to the abandoned warehouse he used when things might get a bit rank, a voice called from an alley.

"Morgan Slythe, yes? I must speak with you."

"Oo's there? What do you want? 'Ow do you know my name?"

"We sent you letters. Many of them. I hope you received at least one?"

"I got them. School of bloody wizardry, my arse. I go around talking like that, they'll throw me in a nut'ouse."

"It's very real, Mr Slythe. Very real indeed. I'm here to offer you a choice. You see, you have a talent. We would very much like to encourage that talent. However, you still think like a Muggle. If we can't keep an eye on you, you're going to make an awful lot of trouble for us." As he spoke, the man glided out of the alley. Morgan noticed he was dressed in odd, dark robes.

"What're you calling me?"

"A Muggle. One without magic. You know nothing about wizardry but what you've somehow patched together from old books. You could inflict a great deal of damage if left unchecked. I'm offering you more knowledge than you could ever learn for yourself, if you lived a thousand years. If you don't accept, though, we'll have to get rid of such a loose cannon."

"Get rid of me? You can't kill me! I'm just a kid! Give me a . ."

"Not kill, Mr. Slythe, Obliviate. I'll simply remove the memories that would be troublesome."

"Cor, you can do that? Will they teach me that, at this school of yours?"

"That's only the beginning, Mr. Slythe. I take it you accept the offer?"

"Damn roight I do. Now, where do I get these books?"

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

As far as occupations go, I think a "Wizard" background would probably be both appropriate and useful. After all, without it, Spellcraft isn't going to be a class skill for anyone, and that'll put a serious damper in our spellcasting.

 

[Vendetta]

I thought it might be kind of cool if there were four classes, one for each of the houses.... but then, we would have to create them

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

I thought it might be kind of cool if there were four classes, one for each of the houses.... but then, we would have to create them

I think the existing six basic classes work fine, though new advanced classes are certainly necessary. I like the idea of house-based feat trees, though, or possibly talent trees available to any class, if they're in the right house.

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

Now, I know that not everyone has character stats up yet, and that the system might not be entirely worked out, but would it be possible to begin roleplaying anyways? We've got the entire train ride to Hogwarts before any stats are going to be needed, and it would give us a good chance to introduce our characters.

 

[Imerak]

Cynthia DeMavana
1rst-level Charisamtic Hero

STR 7
DEX 12
CON 5
INT 13
WIS 11
CHA 14

Talents:
Fast-Talk

Parent's Occupations:
Politician(White collar)
Dilletante

HP:3
Defense:11(+1 Dex)
Intiative:+1
Speed:30 ft.
AP:5
Reputation:+2

Skills:
Bluff +8(4 ranks)
Diplomacy +8(4 ranks)
Disguise +8(4 ranks)
Gather Information +8(4 ranks)
Intimidate +6(4 ranks)
Knowledge(current events) +5(4 ranks)
Knowledge(streetwise) +5(4 ranks)
Sleight of Hand +5(4 ranks)

Feats:
Simple Weapons Proficiency
Deceptive
Trustworthy

Possessions:
Books
Knife
Cat, "Chesire"

Backstory:

Cynthia never knew her parents. She was found abandoned on the steps of a London orphanage, in a cradle that also contained a simple knife. The orphanage provided her with a place to stay, but she spent most of her time on the streets. She had an uncany knack for deception, and honed this ability during this time.

When she was seven, aristocratic witch Lucinda DeMavana happened to be visiting the orphanage when her powers manifeste accidently. Recognizing this for what it was, Lucinda quickly adopted the girl and trained her to become a witch.

Cynthia will do anything to get to the top. She has honed her talent for deception to a fine art, and few can tell her lies from truth. The only thing she is partial to is the knife she was found with, the only symbol of her birth parents.