Matter of Faith (BTVS / OC)

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Highschool is a tank of sharks. Well, tank of guppies at least. Several hundred little...
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Highschool is a tank of sharks. Well, tank of guppies at least. Several hundred little predators roaming through a building just barely large enough to hold them. Each one trying to eat the other, and stay alive. Maybe some other places are better, but yours is an absolute nightmare. Situated in a poor neighborhood, and half funded, it's a den of violence and students trying to get by.

There's a weapon in school at least once a month. A knife, a gun, it doesn't matter. The teachers are hard and weary. Drugs are almost trivial to get, and you'd swear almost a quarter of the school was suspended at any given time.

Despite this, there are a few sanctuaries here and there. The computer lab was one. The library another. Your personal favorite was the gym. The teacher there was a man so muscled that he looked like he could bench press a car. Incredibly focused on fitness, the man had managed to keep a core sports team together that actually did something. It wasn't the best in the state, but it was actually notable. Considering the environment, that was a sincere accomplishment.

In your opinion, he's the only reason you even bother with school. He's taught you how to body-build. It's a rather unique lesson plan, but it works for you. Better, it gives you an outlet and keeps the idiot gang-banger wannabes off you. No one wants to mess with the six foot muscle man. Even with the dorky name.

Yeah, your name is Astral Seeker. Yeah, it's a play on words. No you don't want to make fun of it, because I can pick you up with one hand. You get it? Good.

Body building's actually pretty fun for you too. You've gotten bronze in a small one a few weeks ago, and think you could actually make a living off it if you wanted to. It's tough and requires a very strict diet and exercise, but it's a future that you don't think you would have ever gotten. So you owe Mr Smith a lot.

You also owe Jet for tutoring you. He's a little computer geek almost a foot smaller than you and thin as a rail. Good guy, if a bit of a coward. Without him helping you, you'd have been booted out. Instead you're absolutely average. Which is good enough for you frankly. You'd never been a genius anyway.

Aside from that, you have a deadbeat drunk of a father and a crappy apartment in the city. It's not the best life, but it's better than some people have.

Like the top troublemaker in the school. She goes by Faith, though your fairly certain that's not her real name. All you really know about her is that she's probably one of the school 'bad girls' and sometimes comes in with bruises from her shitty foster family. She's the hottest girl in the school though, so everyone knows about her. And the fact that she's slated to get a different guardian soon. Something sort of bizarre charity thing that should happen within six months.

You'd probably have been content with that. Learning and honing your body, and getting out of this hellhole.

But then faith interfered. Faith with a little f. Where you got your mind touched by something that could be called a god, and learned that the world out there wasn't so simple.

----

Choose the god your character follows, and (Option 1 or Option 2)
Note, since this is Buffy The Vampire Slayer, I could be using real world faiths, but I'm not going to in the interest of keeping out of religious debates.

-Nature (Warden / Druid)
-The Light (Paladin / Priest)
-The World (Monk / Shaman)
-The Thirteen (Special): This is an option to take a god from my other quests. It will be elaborated on more if you take it.


 
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Name: Astral Seeker
Appearance: Short red hair, grey eyes, and pale skin. Heavily muscled, and over six feet tall. You don't look your age of 17.

This is what your character's ultimately capable of. Average human is at 3. A peak physical human is at 8. Supernaturally good at 10. Blatantly supernatural 15. Godlike 20. This is just the raw value though. Your untrained potential if you will. These stats are very hard to raise.
Mind: 5
Body: 7
Soul: 6

This is your trained stats. What your character is currently capable of. A person with a weak body can't just suddenly bench-press weight after all. 5 is good. 10 is expert. 16 is peek human. 20 is supernatural. 30 Blatantly supernatural. 40 is outright unmatched (40 is something that gods won't reach unless they've worked hard on it.) Secondary stats are relatively easy to train, but have a limit based on your base stats. These stats are flexible, and can degrade in certain circumstances as well.

Training has the following DCs
Raising the stat to 9 or below= Easy, 25
Raising the stat to 10 -16= Standard, 50
Raising the stat to 17-20= Hard, 75
Raising the stat to 21-30= Supernatural, 100
Raising the stat to 31-40= Godlike, 125

Getting above 50 DC increases it by 2.

Vitality (Body+Body=14 max): 14
Charisma (Body+Soul=13 max): 13
Presence (Soul+Soul=12 max): 12
Willpower (Mind+Soul=11 max): 9
Mentality (Mind+Mind= 10 max): 9
Dexterity (Body+Mind=12 max): 11

Vitality - Strength, durability, and constitution. Basically, if you can hit hard, take a lot of damage, and keep moving forward, you are high in this stat.
Charisma - How much people listen to you, and how much you inspire people around you.
Presence - Refers to more magical presence. High presence gives any magic you use more heft, and allows you to cast more, as well as makes you more resistant.
Willpower- How easy it is for your to force your way past your limits. (Failed rolls will use this to reroll)
Mentality- Intelligence, recall, and other mental abilities.
Dexterity- How flexible and mobile you are. Also effects aiming.

While your stats influence what you can do. Skills and spells add further to it. Rolls for successes are going to be done when I feel it's usable. 1d100 + a secondary stat. This would only happen if you rush. Otherwise your character can just take 50. 50 DC would be standard for most mundane tasks. You can have up to (Mentality) here +5 . Learning more skills above your max will cause you to 'forget' your least used skill. You can relearn it at your leisure though.

1) Student (Skill) = You have a high school education. Reading, writing, math, history. All rolls in that area gain +10.
2) Body Builder (Skill) = Your hobby is honing your body. +15 bonus to anything relating to physically training or lifting.
3) Divine Task (Spell, 1 MP) = Allows you to personally call upon your faith for a quest. These quests will give you a hint, and a reward upon conclusion.
4) Devotion Aura (Skill) - Increases HP and Ally HP by (Presence/2=[6]) while you are in sight
5) Summon Heavy Armor (Spell, 1 MP) - Summons Heavy Armor of light (Adds 10 HP. Decreases Dexterity by 2. Now considered Heavy.)
6) Paladin (Skill) - You have been given a blessing of the light.
6a) Dexterity loss from armor reduced by 2.
6b) You are proficient in all sorts of hammers, and are considered a Trained combatant.
6c) You can tell vampires at a glance, and if you roll a modified 100 or better, the vampire is instantly killed.
6d) All primary stats +1
6e) You can get a sense for when demons are nearby, and are slightly resistant to their skills.
6f) You may bless a series of items, or a large room. Done to a room, it grants it the effects of the spell consecration, and makes it holy so long as the icons are set in place and whole.​
7) Healing Light (Spell 2 MP) - Recovers (Presence) HP
8) Summon weapons (Spell 1 MP) - Summon weapons of light
9) Redemption (Spell 4 MP)- Resurrects recently dead. Cast time is dependent on patients faith. They come back at 1 health.
10) Cleanse (Spell 3 MP)- Removes harmful status effects from yourself or an ally. More powerful effects will only be suppressed, not removed.
10+) Can Purify as well, removing unnatural effects such as mental tampering or enthrallment. Will cause serious damage and kill to tainted things. Requires touch.​
11) Divine Prayer (Skill) - Recovers 4 MP. Takes ten minutes.
12) Blessing of Might (Spell 2 MP) - Increases Damage by 4 for you and allies.
12+) You may cast summon weapons and armor free and instantly along side this spell.​
13)
14)

Equipment:
  • Clean Clothing - Casual clothing that's easy to move around with. Provides no bonuses.
  • Book of the Light- Primer for priests and paladins of the light. Details the basics of a wide variety of spells and skills. Also has a strange amount of magic that lets it communicate with it's possessor. Will follow you wherever, and cannot be stolen. Only given.
  • $ 2,400

Allies:
  • Jet - Dorky guy that helps you with tutoring and other academic activities. You in exchange keep the bullies and idiots away from him.
  • Dad - Keeps the Fridge full, and the apartment paid. Still has a bit of a paunch, but pulling himself together. Helping you repair the gift your mother left you.
  • Mr Smith - Your favorite teacher. A massive man that knows sports and body building.
  • Faith - Brunette girl. Considered the hottest in the school. Now a disciple of the Herald of War. Will support you in several ways.
    • Currently uses a holy longsword. +43 [30+13], 6 damage, 75+ rolls will dust vampires. 75+ rolls will also deal double damage
    • HP 20 [8+6]+6 armor. MP: 6
    • Your continued work with her has allowed you both to anticipate each other's movement. When you hit, she also can roll to hit once per combat.
    • Call To Arms: Can sense when you're in combat, and where you are when this happens.
    • Made of Steel: Cannot be shaken, damaged, or otherwise swayed mentally. May reinforce other's beliefs and values.
    • Inquisition: Able to question and verify subjects, and get them to talk about themselves and their issues, far more readily than normal
    • Enhancements: Can see in the dark, ignore extreme temperatures, and identify when magic is in use.
    • Grace and Beauty: Given by the herald of Beauty. In war, you can become unmatched. Takes 4 MP. Gives +40 to all combat rolls for a combat. Allows the use of every weapon. Charisma hinders enemies while active.
  • Reins of the Holy Charger - An item that can summon a ghostly horse. May also be attached to a motorcycle to give it a psuedo life, allowing it to follow commands as if it was a rather intelligent animal, and letting it run without fuel. May also transform the motorcycle into a mechanical horse, or add a side car to the motorcycle as well. Note, the horse can be used in outdoor combat, but damage to it will carry over to the motorcycle or cause it to 'pop' and drop the rider.

These are your HP, MP, and other stats. They will change based on what's happened.

HP: 20+10 Armor
-(Currently Max = Vitality+6)
MP: 12
-(Currently Max = Presence)
Wounds, afflictions
-Perfectly fine

Stress 0/9
(Current Max Willpower)

Combat stats:
+37 (+20 trained, +11 Dexterity, +6 Faith Cha), Damage 17 (Divine Hammer 3, 14 Two handed Vitality)

Current quest:

Quest: Hunt in the frost covered graveyards!
Reward: 1 Skill point
Hint: There are 3 in range. Your allies know their names.
Time: 2 Weeks.
 
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Paladin skills

Three main Trees:
You will have to go down the tree to get the later skills. All of these explicitly stack with each other.

Protecting Light

-1) Devotion Aura (Skill) - Increases HP and Ally HP
-2) Summon Heavy Armor (Spell MP 1)- Summons Heavy Armor of light
3) Champion (Skill) - Increases Charisma by 2 when in battle, and allows you to spend willpower to shield allies.
4) Divine Sanction (Spell 1 MP) - Taunt an enemy, they will attack you exclusively, and be burned if they attack others.
5) Divine Protection (Skill) - Increases HP by (Presence/2), reduces the first hit you take each scene by half.
6) Consecration (Spell 3 MP) - Increases all Ally's rolls by 5, hinders all enemies in a area by 5, by making the area you are in a holy area.
7) Divine Vitality (Skill) - Increases Vitality by 2. This does not count towards your cap.
8) Divine Shield (Spell 2 MP) - Invulnerable for a short time.

Holy Light
-1) Healing Light (Spell 2 MP) - Recovers (Presence) HP
-2) Redemption (Spell 4 MP)- Resurrects recently dead. Cast time is dependent on patients faith.
-3) Cleanse (Spell 3 MP)- Removes harmful status effects from yourself or an ally. More powerful effects will only be suppressed, not removed.
-4) Divine Prayer (Skill) - Recovers 4 MP. Takes ten minutes.
5) Holy Miracle (Spell 8 MP)- Recovers (Presence X2) HP for everyone in a circle around you.
6) Soul of Light - Increases Presence by 2. This does not count towards your cap.
7) Mass Resurrection (Spell 10 MP) - Redemption cast over an area
8) Everlasting Light (Skill)- Any time you are hit, heal allies within sight by 1 HP

Unyieilding Light
-1) Summon weapons (Spell 1 MP) - Summon weapons of light
-2) Blessing of Might (Spell 2 MP) - Increases Damage by 4 for you and allies.
3) Retribution Aura (Skill) -Each point of damage to you or allies increases your own by an equal amount.
4) Blessing of Salvation (Spell 2 MP) - Prevents enemies from noticing an ally for a time
5) Avenging Wrath(Spell 3 MP) - Gives wings of light, and increases Damage done by 1/2
6) Unyielding (Skill)- Being reduced to negative HP will not hinder you (Willpower) Minutes
7) Angelic Ally (Spell 6 MP) - Summons an angelic being of light to aid you
8) Shining Brightly (Spell 4 MP) - You shine like the sun, and damage all enemies around you equal to your presence. Is explicitly a holy effect.

Combat is rather simple. One roll per 'clash.' Rolls are done until win / lose conditions are met.

Untrained > Street fighter > Trained > Veteran > Experienced Veteran > Elite > Master
Each one is +10

Say you are fighting a normal person.

Average Joe
Untrained
Average body
Fists
Vs
You
Trained
Near Peak Body
Two Handed Hammer

Joe -6, Damage 2 (Fist, 1 + 1/2 Vitality)
You +26 (+20 trained, +6 Dexterity), Damage 13 (Divine Hammer 3, 10 Two handed Vitality)
Total +20
Roll 1d100 + Total
Dice roll results:
-50 = Take 100%
-25 = Take 75%
0 <= Take 50%
25< = Take 25%
50= No damage dealt
75<= Deal 25%
100= Deal 50%
125= Deal 75%
150= Deal 100%

Two handed weapons add full Vitality to damage.
One handed add half, and give +2 to rolls.
Dual wielding adds +10 to rolls, shields count as dual wielding.

Your current combat stats:
+26 (+20 trained, +6 Dexterity), Damage 13 (Divine Hammer 3, 10 Two handed Vitality)

Some stats for reference:
Average Vampire
+3 (+0 untrained, +3 Dexterity), Damage 12 (Fist 2, 1/2 vitality)

Elite Vampire
+70 (+50 trained, +10 two weapon fighting, +10 Dexterity), Damage 12 (Fist, 1/2 vitality)

Newbie Slayer, with 2 handed weapon
+30 (+20 Instinctively Trained, +10 dexterity), Damage 23 (Weapon 3, 20 two handed Vitality)

Experienced Slayer
+65 (+40 Experienced Veteran, +15 Dexterity, +10 two handed fighting), Damage 15 (Fist, 1/2 Vitality)
 
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The following skills can be upgraded with a skill point. The number is just referencing where it is on your character sheet.

4) Devotion Aura (Skill) - Increases HP and Ally HP by (Presence/2=[3]) while you are in sight
4+) Increases MP by 2

5) Summon Heavy Armor (Spell, 1 MP) - Summons Heavy Armor of light (Adds 10 HP. Decreases Dexterity by 2. Now considered Heavy.)
5+) Armor gives +2 Charisma when worn

7) Healing Light (Spell 2 MP) - Recovers (Presence) HP
7+) Recovers Presence +4 HP

8) Summon weapons (Spell 1 MP) - Summon weapons of light
8+) Insubstantial weapons can be summoned. They may be thrown to do (Presence) Damage

9) Redemption (Spell 4 MP)- Resurrects recently dead. Cast time is dependent on patients faith. They come back at 1 health.
9+) Resurrecting the person brings them to half health.

10) Cleanse (Spell 3 MP)- Removes harmful status effects from yourself or an ally. More powerful effects will only be suppressed, not removed.
10+) Can Purify as well, removing unnatural effects such as mental tampering or enthrallment. Will cause serious damage and kill to tainted things. Requires touch.
10++) May now be used on an ally preemptively. Wards them from status effects for hours equal to your presence.

11) Divine Prayer (Skill) - Recovers 4 MP. Takes ten minutes.
11+) Restores 4 more MP

12) Blessing of Might (Spell 2 MP) - Increases Damage by 4 for you and allies.
12+) You may cast summon weapons and armor free and instantly along side this spell.
12++) Now allows the caster to perform feats of strength equal to their Vitality + 10
 
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What is the inspiration for the options? Shamans can vary greatly from source to source as can the others
The first ones are vaugely wow based. It's generic and iconic enough that I figure people have an idea in their head already of what it'd be like. Shamans would be more elemental casty stuff. Monk is punching people, and some healing too.

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To make it easy:

Paladin of the LIght. Heavy Armor, healing, smiting.
Priest: Smiting, Healing, and Light based skills.

Warden: Berserking, Regeration, Medium armor
Druid: Shapeshifting, Wilderness based spells

Monk: Kung-Fu Option, with additional healing
Shaman: Elemental power

13: Variable, but Boils down to-
Heaven Knight: Mobility, quick strikes
White-touched: Social Based spells, Defensive spells
Hell Knight: Extreme Heavy Armor, Terror options
Black-Touched: Social Based skills (Darker than White style), Stealth Assassination.
 
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I mostly want it for smiting while getting heavy armor.
...Although, hm, maybe something else would be better?
 
There is a Hell Knight option for Light smiting.

Lord White actually uses light based magic, and his Hell Knights have some nifty buffs.
 
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