Stepping on Shadows
You hold your breath and cross your fingers as the tiny passenger plane descends toward the dirt runway. A heavy jolt resonates through your body, jarring your teeth and blurring your vision. For what seems like a half hour the plane tries to vibrate itself apart with you and the rest of the passengers strapped to the seats and holding on for dear life. Eventually the shaking subsides and the pilot's voice comes over the speaker. Naturally, it's in Spanish.
You assume he's telling you that the plane is landed safely as you're still in one piece. Looks can be deceiving though, so you pull yourself to your feet. Aching muscles and tendons from the four hour flight feel like metal cables stretched tight beneath your skin. Grabbing your overhead luggage, you step out into the harsh light of Mexican sun.
The heat and humidity fall on you in a wave, so heavy that it’s difficult to breathe. The sensation is eerily similar to being plunged into a tub of hot water. The sounds of the Mesoamerican jungle pervade the air with a cacophony of birds, beasts and insects. A pinprick of pain originates from your arm forcing a retaliatory slap. A quick glance at your hand confirms your suspicion; a bloody, black smear that was once a mosquito. Undoubtedly, the first of many such encounters with the disease carrying parasites.
Shambling over the sun baked red clay to the luggage distributor, you take a place in line to retrieve your belongings. You are met with a hail of curses from the other passengers. Apparently your baggage didn’t board the plane when you did, leaving you with nothing but what you packed in your overhead bags.
'How could this day possibly get any worse?', You ask yourself quietly.
If only you knew.
Stepping on Shadows is the story of 5 unlikely allies who must band together and support each other with their strengths if they want to get home alive. Set deep within the mysterious jungles of Central America, the characters are all members of an archeological expedition put together by Dr. Jean laSorte to uncover an never before discovered temple from an extinct civilization.
We're going to be using the Storytelling game system from White Wolf, playing as mortal human characters. I'm looking for 5 players to fill the roles (see below) of expedition personnel and employees. As for character creation, you're all relatively new to your jobs. Basic build rules, no experience, no Morality trade-offs. Let's keep things simple and stick to the Core rulebook. If you find something that you absolutely must have, do what every teenager in the history of the world has done and whine about it. Who knows, maybe I'll actually acquiesce. Background is nice, but don't stress too much about it. The only things that are set in stone are the fact that you're on the expedition and that you haven't encountered nasties. You all ended up on the expedition because you were qualified and available. You fill in the rest.
I need each player to choose a predetermined archetype to build their character around. The archetypes fulfill story roles and maintain party diversity, as well as being flexible enough to really make your own. Each also come attached with a primary "trait" that will help define but hopefully not limit character behavior. Here they are...
Security/Jungle Guide (Courage)
Field Medic/Volunteer doctor (Kindness)
Archeologist's assistant (Knowledge)
Photojournalist (Insight)
Worker/Labor supervisor (Endurance)
