The Lucid Effect 3: The Fun Runner

Keeping with cinematic tradition, we move to another underappreciated member of society, the Fun Runner.   Lacking the strength of people in more physical jobs, the fun runner keeps in shape and remains healthy trough long jobs and the occasional marathon. Professionally, the Fun Runner has several skills that would allow them to work in education, possibly as a substitute teacher, coach, or in the science department of a middle school. Given their focus of running, they may still be in school, a high school track star, or kid getting by and trying to avoid the worst of the city.

Template: Fun Runner

Our basic Fun Runner is not overwhelmingly physically, in fact they are rather average.  It is their skills and training that set them apart allowing the Fun Runner to evade and out run most people.  The Fun Runner has Sport: Rowing, to represent multiple areas of sports proficiency, this may be swapped for any other strength-based sport, such as American style Football, or Rugby, alternatively many schools offer wrestling programs allowing our sports focused character to pick Brutal Fighting.  The Fun Runner also picks up Battery and Realm Tap before knowing what Realm they will use to represent the wellspring of stamina long distance runners show. Intuition and Combat reflexes add to the concept of someone constantly on the move and thinking. They may not know the best answer but they can follow their gut instincts. Herbalism, Biology, Medicine and Maintenance: Gym Gear are supporting skills for the Fun Runner giving them an understanding of all natural supplants, dieting, how to deal with sports injury, and how to keep one’s equipment working on a budget.

For the Fun Runner Package we selected the Slumber as the character’s Realm. Slumber represents a degree of wish fulfillment and escapism that seem in line with the precepts of the Fun Runner. To highlight this, the Fun Runner selects Fabric of Dreams as their main Lucid Focus, but also includes Dreams Made Real to provide a cinematic edge with its power to emulate other skills. The Fun Runner also adjusts the Dexterity, Constitution, and Fortune Trees to highlight the characters’ focus and pick up the Quick Ability.

Lucid Template:

Unspent Experience: 11

The Fun Runners Boons now focus on movement, perseverance, and a dose of luck. While not a focused combatant, the Slumbering Speed and Untouchable Boons allow the Fun Runner to use their speed to great effect if the need arose. Inner Reserve and Intuitive Defenses help to pull the Runner out of the worst situations.

Inner Reserve (Fortune/Supernatural – Major)

Requirements: Fortune 6 (Attribute)

Under certain conditions, some people may draw on a reserve of inner strength they didn’t even know they had. When the character’s life is on the line (at 10 or lower Health), when they are greatly overwhelmed (rolling against a target greater than three times their base value for the roll), or when someone they care about greatly is in danger (GM discretion), they may call on this untapped potential. When one of these conditions is met, they may double the total value of their next roll. For Attack rolls double the Damage inflicted as well.

Quick Step (Dexterity/Mundane – Variable)

Requirements: Dexterity 4 (Attribute), Constitution 4 (Attribute), Movement 4 (Skill)

Overall athletic skill and discipline have honed the character’s body to move quicker than many others. Increase the character’s Base Movement:

– Major Boon: 5 additional Meters

Slumbering Fortitude (Constitution/Slumber – Typical)

Requirements: Fabric of Dreams 3 (Lucid Focus)

The character taps into the Slumber, supernaturally enhancing their constitution.

Slumbering Speed (Dexterity/Slumber – Typical)

Requirements: Fabric of Dreams 3 (Lucid Focus)

The character taps into the Slumber, drawing out amazing dexterity.

Untouchable (Dexterity/Slumber – Major)

Requirements: Dexterity 6 (Attribute), Quick 6 (Skill), Enter the Dream Flow 6 (Lucid Focus)

Dipping into the Slumbering Realm for a split second, the character almost instantly shifts position on the battlefield.

Dreams Made Real: (Various) (Fortune/Slumber – Typical)

Requirements: Fabric of Dreams 6 (Lucid Focus), 3 other Slumber Boons

Focusing their mind, the Slumbering Lucid is able to exceed the limits of the waking world.

Fantastic: (Various) (Fortune/Slumber – Typical)

Requirements: Fabric of Dreams 9 (Lucid Focus), Dreams Made Real: (Various) (Boon)

With the will and vision of the Slumbering world, the Lucid transcends the limits of the flesh.

Awareness (Fortune/Supernatural – Typical)

Requirements: Sense 4 (Attribute), Intuition 4 (Skill)

There are some who are attuned to sensations and perceptions beyond the comprehension of others. Some can just sense things that even trained and seasoned warriors miss, and are seldom surprised by anything. When making a Perception roll, the character may roll twice using Intuition as a Free Supporting Characteristic, and taking the better of the two results.

Intuitive Defense (Fortune/Slumber, Verdant – Typical)

Requirements: None.

The character may use their Intuition as a supporting characteristic for defense rolls.

While it might not seem like it, the Fun Runner is well on their way to reaching one of the world’s most common dreams, the ability to fly. The character still requires two additional Boons before they may slip free of the earthly tethers. With the 11 remaining experience, and a Drawback or two, a player can bring easily bring that down to one.   If Flight is not an immediate goal though, the character may look at increasing their Intuition, Battery and Realm Tap, increasing their defense and providing additional energy to draw on for the costly Untouchable Boon. For a more combat focused character, consider swapping Rowing for Brutal Fighting and using experience to meet the requirements for Slumbering Strike, a signature Slumber Boon.

Slumbering Strike (Strength/Slumber – Major) (Martial Arts)

Requirements: Strength 6 (Attribute), Enter the Dream Flow 6 (Lucid Focus), Any Combat Skill or Ability 6

The Slumbering Lucid attacks not only the physical, but also the idealized dream self. When using this Boon, an ethereal second self can be seen moving just out of step with the character.

Adding Slumbering Strike grants the character a knockout blow and just enough Experience left after meeting the requirements for a Minor Potent Advantage.