Yudhishthira’s Dice

Buffy was a white girl in a rich white school because Joss wanted to deal with the Donna Reed issues of the old sitcoms his grandfather wrote. A more recent phenomena in teen movies is the outsider picture: a show focusing on either a white student in a mostly black or hispanic (and usually urban at-risk) school, or a non-white student in an all white (and usually upper crust) school. Save the Last Dance is one of the more successful uses of this formula, and so will form the basis “must see” for this Buffy campaign dealing with racism, inner city life, and big bad voodoo daddies.

Formula: Save the Last Slayer is a series about fighting demons and vampires while struggling to fit in with all the normal teen angst with the addition of racial and cultural difficulties in a rough urban environment. Take two parts Buffy, two parts Save the Last Dance, and dashes of Boston Public, O, and Dangerous Minds and shake well.

Theme: The themes of the series are all grouped around poverty, racism, and the process of ghettoization. Seasons will focus around questions like: Can teens of different backgrounds learn to work together? Who benefits from racism and segregation? Where does racism start, and how does it continue? While these are serious issues that doesn’t meant that they have to be dealt with heavily, and the should not be dealt with philosophically. They should manifest as actual problems that have solutions in actions. Take, for example, the scenes from Save the Last Dance when Chenille and Sara get in a fight over Sara, the white girl, coming into the hood and snatching up the only college bound black boy in the school. It was a real issue, dealt with all sorts of problems, but did so in a practical way that was solved through character actions of patience and friendship.

Production: Hip Hop, sly urban fashions, techno-revolutionishm, and voodoo syncretism will rule the day. The look will be slick, Buffyish but with a level of grime, against which the eye-popping slammin fashions of the characters will stand out. Hip Hop symbolizes the urban fusion of cultures, sounds, and moves that make up a unique but potentially binding fashion and way of seeing. Techno revolutionism takes the tech geek image but adds the wheels of activism and the cyberpunk ideal that “the streets find their own uses for corporate toys.” Voodoo syncretism represents the aspects of cultural integration and belief, both good and bad, easy and scary, that replaces Buffy’s (now) safe Wicca as the counter-cultural force of magical change.

The soundtrack will have lots of Missy Elliot, Outkast, Beyonce, Freeway, and Santana with occasional salsa and gangsta rap rounding out the diversity.

Characters: General rules for Buffy characters should apply. Hero characters are good for slayers, tough ex-bangers, voodoo priestesses, and experienced watchers. White hats are fitting for everyone else, as even tough inner city kids are still teenagers and aren’t really ready to take on vampires.

Genre convention characters would include: the white slayer who’s new to the hood, the activist teacher/watcher who is informed, poetical, and down with it (Mr. Campbell or Mr. Morgan from 10 Things I Hate About You), the slayer’s best friend who just happens to be a no-nonsense master of urban life, the good kid struggling to not get sucked into gang life, the banger who still has a heart, the activist kid struggling to make the hood a place worth living, the techno-revolutionary, the musician and/or dancer, the capoeira fighter, the bookish girl trying to get out of the hood through study, the jockish boy trying to get out of the hood through sports, the local cop who wants to help, the Obeah worshiper, the Umbanda magician. Really just about any Buffy type can be used, but they should be made hip, urban, and racially conscious in some way — this isn’t Sunnydale, biatch, it’s Compton.

Hip Hop could be taken as a wild card skill that covers Acrobatics for dancing only, Influence for fashion and dealing with those in the scene only, Knowledge of fashion, music and clubs, and Language for slang only. It’s potent in it’s sphere, but that sphere is limited. Fashion Sense could be taken as a new advantage, working just like Appearance except that it works on anyone in the scene rather than just anyone sexually compatible. Thus it’ll impress anyone at the club, girl or boy, but won’t gain you crap from a cop or teacher.

Magic needs few changes, as much of the voodoo feel can be done with the existing rules. The feel may, however be quite different, and those wanting lots of info should check out the appendix of the Magic Box and GURPS Voodoo. Another route to go with voodoo characters is to make them Tribal Warriors (ala the Slayers Handbook quality) with abilities based on their Loa. A 15 point version of the merit could be taken by those that can switch their Loa (and rearrange their bonuses) with a 2ish hour ritual.

The Big Bad(s): Initial bads will focus on the typical inner city problematic, but with a Buffy twist. Corrupt cops working for sorcerers, vampiric gangs, land-developers and politicians who traffic with demons, and wicked country western pied pipers will all have appearances. Behind it all lurk a pair of really bad and really big forces: Zarabanda and Mbua. Zarabanda is the berserker, the murderer and foul-warrior who uses images of proud African warriors to drive gangs (mortal and vampire) to greater acts of violence, brutality, and racism. Mbua is the Great White Hunter who keeps men in cages before hounding them to death, he uses his image of power, exotic sport, and wealth to drive white developers and politicians towards greater and greater acts of greed and violence. The two are actually working together, playing one side of hate off the other to increase the pain and suffering in the hood until they can summon their brother Ikku — Death. Once he comes the neighborhood will be turned into a demon realm, a place of endless suffering and death. That is, of course, unless those nosey kids do something to screw up their plans.

The Episodes

Debut	The Slayer comes to the hood and doesn’t fit in. Meanwhile zombies are attacking clubs in the area, kidnapping friends of the other PCs. The group gets together to stop badness, hopefully becoming friends in the process.
Focus: Slayer	The Slayer has to confront her outsider status when a demon curses her to make the worst possible impression, leading to fights and accusations of racism.
Focus: PC #2	To be decided by plot hooks from PC’s background
Continuity	A powerful vampire who styles himself after Shaka Zulu starts taking over local gangs and rewarding service with vampirism
Continuity	A group of demonic cops comes after the PCs, planting evidence and getting them into legal trouble and eventually trying to kill them
Focus PC #3	To be decided by plot hooks from PC’s background
Stand Alone	A demon claiming to be an angel turns the Christian population of the hood against those practicing other religions in a witch hunt.
Focus PC #4	To be decided by plot hooks from PC’s background
Continuity	Rich white folks, dressed as cops and guarded by a demon bodyguard, come to the hood to hunt the most dangerous game.
Change of Pace	At a football game in a rich neighborhood the PCs are targeted by a cheerleader sorceress who makes “dark mirrors” of the PCs — villainous duplicates who ruin the PCs relationships and reputations.
Stand Alone	When one (or more) of the PCs is asked to be part of a music video they come to suspect that the star is a Vampire — but is he, or is he actually an ally against a common foe? (Of course he is!)
Focus Slayer	When the Slayer loses her powers she invites retaliation from mortal and vampires alike. Is the the Watcher’s test, or is some darker force behind it?
Continuity	A close ally of the PCs is turned into a Zombie, and in trying to find a cure for him they have their first run in with the Voodoo King in his subterranean palace.
Focus PC #5	To be decided by plot hooks from PC’s background
Stand Alone	A Vietnamese student, neglected and despised at school, makes a dark pact that allows him to bring the comics he draws to life. Mayhem ensues as he makes a point that life isn’t black and white.
Continuity	The Voodoo King sends dream-haunting spirits to start a rebellion at school that could lead to a siege (see Light it Up), and the PCs must deal with it, him, and their own failed dreams.
Continuity	Following clues given to them by the Voodoo King, the PCs fight demon warriors and robot-drones to find the identities of the Big Bad and their plan.
Finale	The PCs final confrontation with the Twin Bads, including a fight at the top of a skyscraper overlooking the hood, and a possible journey to a hell realm to stop Death from emerging.

Now that I’m married, honeymooned, and have a working computer it’s time to start spewing random crap agian. This week it’s five thumbnails of Flying Women for Unknown Armies.

Rati Vamari – The Laughing Woman
Blithe and unconcerned, she doesn’t rebel, she simply exists as she is without realizing (or seeming to realize) that she should care about what others think.

Obesssion: Fun
Rage: Racial jokes – some things just aren’t funny
Fear: Being brutalized (violence) – being killed clean is bad, but not the worst. Being beaten, tortured, brutalized, is what she fears to the bottom of her soul.
Noble: Bringing laughter – the world is better when people take themselves lightly.

Body 45 (Face of an Angel 35, Kick and Run 30, Play! 35)
Speed 55 (EEP! 30, Cars are Fun 30, Initiative 28, Juggling 30)
Mind 50 (Fashion 35, I See You 30, Hidey 20, Liberal Education 25)
Soul 70 (Avatar: Flying Woman 51, *Crack You Up 41*, Fib 20, Too Cute to Resist 45)

Stress: Violence 0h/1f, Unnatural 1h/1f, Helplessness 1h/0f, Isolation 0h/0f, Self 0h/0f

Claudia Cruea – The Academic
Theoretical and head-strong, though more linked to thought and word than action. Hopes to bring change through paradigm, which requires slow patience.

Obesssion: Human Motivation
Rage: Anti-Intellectualism – when people spit on things because they’re “ivory tower bullshit” it pisses her off. The “ivory tower” isn’t perfect – but people are trying to make a difference, and hating because of class is stupid.
Fear: Dogs (violence) – she has a huge fear of dogs, especially big dogs, as she was bitten as a child
Noble: Education – while she isn’t a utilitarianist, she does believe that if people are educated at least they have a choice. No education is no choice, and that’s far worse.

Body 45 (Jogging 20, Struggle 25, Work Without Rest 30)
Speed 45 (Dodge 35, Drive in New York 40, Drive Everywhere Else 25, Initiative 23)
Mind 75 (Conceal 15, Play Scrabble 20, *Semiotics 75*, Sharp Eyes 35, Teach 40)
Soul 51 (Avatar: Flying Woman 51, “Inventive” Reporting 20, Jargon You Into Submission 40)

Stress: Violence 0h/0f, Unnatural 2h/1f, Helplessness 1h/0f, Isolation 2h/2f, Self 1h/1f

Alison Mack – The Biker Dike
The stone-butch, if she were male she’d be a masterless man. She gets up in the faces of people who would bind her, so determined to never be held down that she nearly ends up repressing herself.

Obesssion: Being the Toughest
Rage: Being “put in her place” – be it by insults or someone else usurping her roll without thought or consideration, she hates it when she is made small.
Fear: Being neutralized (self) – she takes pride and power from her magical powers, and the thought of being failed by them terrifies her. Worse, if they fail it means she has failed herself and her cause.
Noble: Righteous Violence – kicking the shit out of someone who deserves it is something worth doing jail time for.

Body 65 (Boxing 60, Endurance 45, General Athletics 35)
Speed 55 (Bang Bang 35, Dodge 35, Initiative 40, *Ride Hog 55*)
Mind 50 (Hide Contraband 35, General Education 25, Motorcycle Repair 45, Notice 30)
Soul 71 (Avatar: Flying Woman 71, Charm 15, Intimidate 40, Lie 15)

Stress: Violence 4h/1f, Unnatural 2h/2f, Helplessness 1h/1f, Isolation 6h/2f, Self 4h/1f

Mariama – The Priestess
Brought up to be a voodoo priestess of Erzulie Maitresse, she has gone on to worship the Goddess as the One Woman who has been fractured into many faces by male oppression and female collusion. Half-black, accented, radical in non-standard ways she could have been the Outsider, but chose to define herself by her freedom rather than her difference.

Obesssion: Communion with the Goddess
Rage: Archeology – it’s all bullshit, denies things that they know are true, and belittles anyone who doesn’t accept the white male paradigm of history.
Fear: Hermaphrodites (unnatural) – the God is God and Goddess Goddess, and things that cross between the two should not be the dominion of man. They are dangerous and wrong.
Noble: Faith – The Goddess loves all who allow her too, and her love can make the world better.

Body 45 (General Athletics 15, Resist Drugs and Toxins 45, Struggle 20)
Speed 50 (Boating 20, Dodge 20, Initiative 25, Tricky Cards 40)
Mind 60 (Conceal 25, Sharp Old Eyes 35, Voudon Lore 55, White Man’s Education 20)
Soul 93 (*Avatar: Flying Woman 91*, )

Stress: Violence 2h/1f, Unnatural 6h/2f, Helplessness 2h/1f, Isolation 4h/1f, Self 4h/2f

Laurna Cotton – Yellow Corn Woman
Slut, seducer, and witch she is called, but the Yellow Corn Woman is none of these (at least she doesn’t want to be, sometimes it is hard to hold the line). She is the sexually liberated woman who sleeps with whom she wants when she wants. She does not use her sexuality to gain power over others, only to give her control of herself.

Obesssion: Sex
Rage: Mocking her husband – he’s a good man, he lets her be herself, and she hates it when people belittle him for his choice
Fear: Being seduced into doing something stupid (self) – Yellow Corn Woman is free in her sexuality, and the idea her own great strength could be used against her to bind her is terrifying. Noble: Sustaining the ways of her people – The Hopi have a proud tradition and keeping it alive is life’s best goal.

Body 55 (Rancher’s Wife 35, Struggle 35)
Speed 55 (Dodge 25, Initiative 30, Lasso 25, Long Distance Running 30)
Mind 55 (Child of the Desert 45, Conceal 15, General Education 15, Tracker’s Eyes 35)
Soul 75 (Avatar: Flying Woman 71, Omit Important Facts 25, Seduce without trying 45)

Stress: Violence 1h/2f, Unnatural 2h/2f, Helplessness 1h/2f, Isolation 6h/3f, Self 4h/2f