Hawaiian Noir

 

    So I've been thinking a lot about my Hawaiian Noir setting. I've been working a lot with a hack of the "Into the Odd"'s system. Where I took an elegant, simple system and made it complex to my own taste. I've written a game focusing on mercenaries/military. I was inspired by Recon and TW2K. I've been folding, spindling, and mutilating it where it flows like water with the Hawaiian Noir setting. Hoping to post some thing here soon. But you know my track record. We'll see. 

Magic in Hawaiian Noir

    So I've been working on the magic for Hawaiian Noir. I definitely wanted ritual magic which takes a while. I kinda want the fast slam bang like D&D magic. At the same time I don't think that fits. I have figured it out though. Finding what I think is a good solution.

    Magic is all about summoning, binding and commanding spirits. Some times that works out well, sometimes it is disastrous for the summoner. Spirits can be summoned and commanded. They even might be set on people to possess them. Even though commanded, spirits may act in strange of unpredictable ways.

    Summoners can channel spirits through themselves. So say for example the summoner, summons a fire spirit and channels its power through them self. They can shoot fire from their hands for example. Giving them control of what happens as opposed to sicking a fire spirit on someone, and hoping for the best. But there is a draw back. Channeling a spirit can also leave them open to be possessed by the spirit. Which could have dire consequences. It might be welcome as well. You might channel an ancestor, who was a samurai. Who fights off a pile of attackers with a sword taking control of your body. Spirits can also be sent to possess and take people over. Obviously people get a grit roll to resist being possessed, and such.

    Not just anyone can summon spirits. One must have a knack for it. Characters must select Summoning as an ability during character creation.

Hawaiian Noir

    So I've been thinking a lot about my Hawaiian Noir setting. Well more than thinking about it. I've been doing some writing, and editing. Using my Mens Adventure rules for it. I will be making some more posts on the subject as I more forward.
    For those who have forgot what Hawaiian Noir is about, a little primer.

Hawaiian Noir is a hard boiled, cynical world full of crime, betrayal, and murder. Taking place in an exotic paradise. Where the world's weary veil grows thin and darkness creeps over.

Hawaiian Noir is focused on the Hawaiian Islands. The year is 1952. The war is over in europe and the pacific. But war continues as a police action on the Korean peninsula. Most consider the greatest threat to the western world to be communism. But truth be told, the greatest threat to all the world is the darkness oozing from the over side of the veil. Creatures of myth, and magic crossing over, hiding in the shadows, growing stronger.

But how did this come to be? Well everyone knows how the war went, and how it ended. Even if you were not one of the brave men and women fighting the Germans, the Japanese, or their allies. American civilian life was alight with newsreels, and propaganda. Germany smashed and overrun into submission. Europe now split between the allies in the west and the reds in the east.Then the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan effectively ensuring their capitulation.

But there's a secret history. A history not recognized by the world. Not because of some great spell or otherworldly power. But simply because it's fantastic, and people can not believe that it could even be real.

Hundreds upon hundreds of years ago. Magic existed in the world. This is before the written word. Only passed by the oral traditions of people since then folded and assimilated into different cultures and tribes. During these fantastic times medicine men, shamans, sages, thermagists, wizards and their gods (Extra dimensional beings of great power) came together to lock out the evil supernatural. The things that reacted in strange ways as their perception of reality, order and such were so alien as to be dangerous to the people that exist for a mere speck of time, in the cosmic swirling realms. They were successful in this, but their success was greater than anyone expected. It completely locked out the gods and magic from our reality.

Early on the veil between realities was relatively weak. Things, creatures, and beings still were able to transit between worlds. These transits are where we gain our legends in history. As time passed the veil grew stronger and ultimately impenetrable. Magic, and the supernatural was exiled from our reality.

A great deal of wars and tragedy have befallen the world in the hundreds of years of its history. These things cause weaknesses in the veil. Places where things could and would occasionally slip through. The phrase "War is hell" has more truth to it than most people will ever know. The Second World War was no exception to this. But what ended it was. Atomic explosions split not only the atom. But broke seals and restrictions. Creating permanent holes across the world in the veil. Letting magic and beings back into our world. But they slunk into the shadows, keeping low profiles.

The vast majority of people do not know this. They wouldn't believe you if you told them. Hundreds upon hundreds of years of these things being fairy tales, and superstition have conditioned people to not believe. So now a darkness creeps back into our reality. Mostly unseen, seething, and penetrating our world, our lives.

Fear, horror, and sanity in Hawaiian Noir

Horror/Fear/Sanity

Sometimes people encounter an act of violence, or entity that floors them. Something truly horrific, weird, or strange. So seeing an angry savage dog wouldn't require it. But seeing an angry savage dog foaming at the mouth, the fur on its head slicked back by blood and gore, yes. Seeing someone shot, no. Finding a pile of corpses that have been machine gunned, yes. A group of people walking at night, no. Encountering the "Night Marchers", yes. Reading about Kahōʻāliʻi, no. Encountering Kahōʻāliʻi, yes.

When making a check the character must roll over an 10 (11 or better). The roll receives a bonus from willpower. Some creatures or situations have a bonus that is added to the target number. If the roll is successful, they have pulled themselves together and operate normally. If they fail they must run away or stand frozen in horror. They also temporarily lose 1 willpower point till they have slept. Characters regenerate one point of temporarily loss will every time they sleep. So if they lose more than one in a day it takes days to regain them. Now if they a roll a 1 it is an automatic failure. In addition to the effects of a normal failure they also permanently lose one point of willpower, and gain a mental disorder.

Roll 1d6 and consult the table

Disorders

1	Psychosis
2-3	Phobia
4-6	Anxiety

Psychosis or Psychotic break

The character suffers from abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real. Common symptoms include false beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, visual and auditory hallucinations, reduced social engagement and emotional expression, and lack of motivation. Before attempting any task character must roll over a 10 (Wil bonus applies). If they fail they are distracted visual and audial hallucinations. Making giving any task a modifier of -6. Characters can be institutionalized to help remedy themselves of the psychosis. If they can Willpower roll of 15 or better they are cured. Institutionalization successful of not lasts, 1d12 months. If faced with another horror check, and they fail. They automatically slip back into psychosis again.

Phobia

Phobia is an irrational fear of x. The phobia gained should have something to do with the experience that traumatizes the character. If attacked by a demon possessed dog, one should not gain a fear of flying for example. Character is at -5 for all rolls when dealing with this phobia.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a grouping of stress related disorders. Such as panic attacks, and OCD. Roll randomly or pick one. 1-2 panic attack, 3-4 OCD

Panic Attack

Character when in a stressful situation must make a Willpower roll or be frozen in place unable to do anything, or runs away as best they can. (50/50 chance of either.)

OCD

Character develops 1d3 compulsive habits. If these habits are not followed to the letter, the character is distracted and irritated. -3 to all rolls.

Hawaiian Noir Setting

Hawaiian Noir is a hard boiled, cynical world full of crime, betrayal, and murder. Taking place in an exotic paradise. Where the the world's weary veil grows thin and darkness creeps over.

Hawaiian Noir is focus on the Hawaiian Islands. The year is 1952. The war is over in europe and the pacific. But war continues as a police action on the Korean peninsula. So consider the greatest threat to the western world to be communism. But truth be told the greatest threat to all the world in the darkness oozing from the over side of the veil. Creatures of myth, and magic cross over hiding in the shadows, growing stronger.

But how did this come to be? Well everyone knows how the war went, and how it ended. Even if you were not one of the brave men and women fighting the Germans, the Japanese, or their allies. American civilian life was alight with newsreels, and propaganda. Germany smashed and overrun into submission. Europe now split between the allies in the west and the reds in the east.Then the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan effectively ensuring their capitulation.

But there's a secret history. A history not recognized by the world. Not because of some great spell or otherworldly power. But simply because it's fantastic, and people can not believe that it could even be real.

Hundreds upon hundreds of years ago. Magic existed in the world. This is before the written word. Only passed by the oral traditions of people since then folded and assimilated into different cultures and tribes. During these fantastic times medicine men, shamans, sages, thermagists, wizards and their gods (Extra dimensional beings of great power) came together to lock out the evil supernatural. The things that reacted in strange ways as their perception of reality, order and such were so alien as to be dangerous to the people that exist for a mere speck of time, in the cosmic swirling realms. They were successful in this, but their success was greater than anyone expected. It completely locked out the gods and magic from our reality.

Early on the veil between realities was relatively weak. Things, creatures, and beings still were able to transit between worlds. These transits are where we gain our legends in history. As time passed the veil grew stronger and ultimately impenetrable. Magic, and the supernatural was exiled from our reality.

A great deal of wars and tragedy have befallen the world in the hundreds of years of its history. These things cause weaknesses in the veil. Places where things could and would occasionally slip through. The phrase "War is hell" has more truth to it than most people will ever know. The Second World War was not exception to this. But what ended it was. Atomic explosions split not only the atom. But broke seals and restrictions. Creating permanent holes across the world in the veil. Letting magic and beings back into our world. But they slunk into the shadows, keeping low profiles.

The vast majority of people do not know this. They wouldn't believe you if you told them. Hundreds upon hundreds of years of these things being fairy tales, and superstition have conditioned people to not believe. So now a darkness creeps back into our reality. Mostly unseen, seething, and penetrating our world, our lives.

Hawaiian Noir

    So I haven't had much to post as of late. Besides my normal sunday stuff, and comics. But I have not been loafing. I've been working on Hawaiian Noir. I've totally revamped the system again. I have not gotten all of it down in print yet. But it is coming. Its going to be a strange mix of Traveller, Twilight 2000, and D&D. Which sounds really strange being said like that. But it really does work. I'll post some pieces of it (the system). Plus, stuff from the setting itself.

Aloha

Revisiting Hawaiian Noir (A Secret History)

    Everyone knows how the war went, and how it ended. Even if you were not one of the brave men and women fighting the Germans, the Japanese, or their allies. American civilian life was alight with newsreels, and propaganda. Of course everyone knows how it ended. Germany smashed and overrun into submission. Then the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan effectively ensuring their capitulation.
    But there's a secret history. A history not recognized by the world. Not because of some great spell or otherworldly power. But simply because it's fantastic, and people can not believe that it could even be real.
    Hundreds upon hundreds of years ago. Magic existed in the world. This is before the written word. Only passed by the oral traditions of people since then folded and assimilated into different cultures and tribes. During these fantastic times medicine men, shamans, sages, thermagists, wizards and their gods (Extra dimensional beings of great power) came together to lock out the evil supernatural. The things that reacted in strange ways as their perception of reality, order and such were so alien as to be dangerous to the people that exist for a mere speck of time, in the cosmic swirling realms. They were successful in this, but their success was greater than anyone expected. It completely locked out the gods and magic from our reality.
    Early on the veil between realities was relatively weak. Things, creatures, and beings still were able to transit between worlds. These transits are where we gain our legends in history. As time passed the veil grew stronger and ultimately impenetrable. Magic, and the supernatural was exiled from our reality.
    A great deal of wars and tragedy have befallen the world in the hundreds of years of its history. These things cause weaknesses in the veil. Places where things could and would occasionally slip through. The phrase "War is hell" has more truth to it than most people will ever know. The Second World War was not exception to this. But what ended it was. Atomic explosions split not only the atom. But broke seals and restrictions. Creating permanent holes in the veil. Letting magic and beings back into our world. But they slunk into the shadows, keeping low profiles.
    The vast majority of people do not know this. They wouldn't believe you if you told them. Hundreds upon hundreds of years of these things being fairy tales, and superstition have conditioned people to not believe. So now a darkness creeps back into our reality. Mostly unseen, seething, and penetrating our world, our lives.

Hawaiian Noir Antagonist

    I present an example of a villain I plan on using in a session. Though villain is probably a strong word. Everyone is a bit grey hazy. It depends on how look look at them, and or the situation. But the following antagonist definitely is not a good person by any stretch.

Kupu Kahuna

S2 C2 Q2 W4 H9 D6 Mv20 
SK Dodgy (clever) 2, Lore (Clever) 3, Negotiate (Clever) 2, Intimidate (Strong) 3
Talents: Sorcery
Spells: Create Zombie, Confusion, Fear, Create Revenant, Charm, Summon

Thinking "Hawaiian Noir"

Hawaiian Noir is a 1950's hard boiled, cynical world full of crime, betrayal, and murder. Taking place in an exotic paradise. Where the the weary world's veil grows thin and darkness creeps over.

    I've been thinking a lot lately about my "Hawaiian Noir". Well that and throwing a luau in the backyard. Roast pig, and rum drinks. You really can't go wrong.
    Anyways back on topic. I've been thinking again about system. I totally have a system I've been working on for "Noir Mystery Men". It would work plenty fine for this. But I've really been enamored with Onedice from Cakebread & Walton. It really wouldn't be very hard to convert. Although convert is a pretty strong word to use here. Onedice can really be run on the fly very easily.
    So I think I'm going to run it using it. At least a one shot. Gotta get the boys together. Probably not this weekend. Being Memorial Day weekend, everyone has things going on. But hopefully soon.

A break

I had to take a brake, as of late. Life has been crazy. New content soon. I swear! Been thinking a lot about the Hawaiian Noir. Probably some new content for that.

A Rethink

    So I've been rethinking my choice of system for Hawaiian Noir. It's not that I don't like it. Its just, I don't know, blah to me. Is it a momentary thing? I don't know that either. But I think I want to go another direction. Old, and new school smashed together. More importantly simple. The KISS principle is something I keep coming back to in most things. For example, back in the day I loved me some 3.5. Now if I look at making a character I just feel the sense of ugh. So tedious, and level plotting bullshit. I also look at classes (in any edition) and think man, that really can lock one into a mind set. I want something more malleable. So a character isn't just a Cop. But they could be a dirty cop, a gunslinger cop, or lovable neighborhood cop. All with little tweaks that while they are cops, their are some differences that separate them.
    Then armor. Not that its gonna come up much in such a game. But how to handle it. Standard "harder to hit", damage reducing, ablative? My mind runs in circle back and forth over that.
    Then vehicles. Treat as creatures so to speak? Or some other way.
    Then bennies. Some people hate them, some love them. I personally don't care either way. At first I though, hey that would be an ok thing. I love pulp action and think bennies are great for that. But the more I think about it, its wrong for noir. Way wrong. Oh, your about to be shot. Tough, that's how life goes in the big city, chief.
    So a lot of revamping in my head. Trying desperately to put it down on paper so to speak. But life has had a ton of psychotic episodes plaguing me. Cursed nightmares of true fact reality. Pummeling my free time and will. Leaving me is a malaise. But I'm trying to work that out. Cast out the destructive demons in my reality. Forge ahead, boldly, with positive attitude in all things.

Sample

Hawaiian Noir is a hard boiled, cynical world full of crime, betrayal, and murder. Taking place in an exotic paradise. Where the the weary world's veil grows thin and darkness creeps over.

A little Sample,

Horror/Fear/Sanity check

Sometimes people encounter an act of violence, or entity that floors them. Something truly horrific, weird, or strange. So seeing an angry savage dog wouldn't require it. But seeing an angry savage dog foaming at the mouth, the fur on its head slicked back by blood and gore, yes. Seeing someone shot, no. Finding a pile of corpses that have been machine gunned, yes. A group of people walking at night, no. Encountering the "Nightmarchers", yes. Reading about Kahōʻāliʻi, no. Encountering Kahōʻāliʻi, yes.

When making a check the character must roll over a target number. The roll receives a bonus from willpower. If successful, they have pulled themselves together and operate normally. If they fail they must run away or stand frozen in horror. They also temporarily lose 1 willpower point till they have slept. Characters regenerate one point of temporarily loss will every time they sleep. So if they lose more than one in a day it takes days to regain them. Now if they a roll a 1 it is an automatic failure. In addition to the effects of a normal failure they also permanently lose one point of willpower, and gain a mental disorder.

Been working on the Hawaiian Noir project. Still not ready for public consumption. But is coming along alright. A very small sample of what I've been doing. This is still very rough and is not final by any means.

Colt M1911

Damage: 1d8 Magazine: 7rd box mag Range: 30 yd

Menehune

Natural AC: 11

Hit Points: 1d6

Attacks: 1 by weapon (Spear, Adze, or Leiomano)

Damage: By Weapon (1d4)

No. Appearing: 2d6

XP: 5

Menehune are a mythical people of small stature. They live deep in the forests and hidden valleys of the islands. They are superb craftspeople. They build temples, fishponds, roads, canoes, and houses. Its thought that only one small tribe of these diminutive people still exists.They are good at hiding in their jungle habitat. (+4 to sneak when in jungle)

Hawaiian Noir

OK, so inspiration struck. I'm writing again! Hooray! I'm working on some Hawaiian Noir material. The wife started watching Tatau. A supernatural murder mystery set in the Cook Islands. Its been really inspiring. More on the way shortly.

More Hawaiian Noir bits

Honolulu PD Vice Squad

The majority of HPD officers are straight shooters. The type you want protecting and serving. These guys aren't that. Low down dirty hustlers, barely above the scum they bust. The scumm they bust? Yeah the ones that won't or can't pay them off, pay them up. They get a taste of damn near half the narcotics, and prostitution in town. They protect their money makers, and bust the opposition. Try screw them, you get busted or worse. A one way boat ride, or a trip to the jungle.

Honolulu PD Major Case Squad

These are some of the hardest boiled flatfoots you will ever come across. They play no favorites, their brutally honest, and get the job done how ever they have to. Even if that means bending the rules. Even some of the more savage heist crews fear these guys. Truth be told everyone does. Criminals and cops. They are not above bringing down the blue wall if its necessary to get justice. Course in those cases they tend to try to keep it low key. If a dirty cop disappears, whos to say what happened...

Willie Danford

Willie Danford is a jeweler, and a  fence. Always sweating and nervous. Course you would be to if you were playing both sides of the cops and the Triads. 

More people and places

A couple more ideas for a Hawaiian Noir.

Freddie Laktin

Freddie Laktin is a marked man. He can typically be found cruising Kuhio Avenue at night, in his custom 50 Cadillac. Looking out for his stable of girls, and more importantly making sure they are working. He treats his girls pretty well, but once pushed to his his limit he can be a sick, and vicious hustler.
But as I said, hes a marked man. Everyone seems to be out to get him. A pair of dirty cops he double crossed and set up, are looking to even the score. A rival pimp is out to fish his girls and get him off the avenue. Threatened by by his more or less take over of his area. Then their is a vigilante. A man out to kill him. For turning out his daughter, and hooking her on drugs. He stalks the neighborhood, looking to put a bullet in him. Then finally something black seeks him. A slinking gloom, jumping from penumbra to shadow. An icy coldness, setting souls at unease.
The worst part of all of this for Freddie? Hes oblivious to it all. Living a continuous party. Drinking, hustling, and gambling his way through life.

Jim "Lucky" Coogan

Jim "Lucky" Coogan is a hard boiled dick. Referred to as a bedroom dick. He specializes in divorce cases. Following the wife and snapping incriminating photos. The approaching the wife, setting up a payoff there. Playing both sides against each other. Making money the whole time. Thought of as a sleaze bag by most.

Jim doesn't care. Hes getting his, while he can. You see they don't call him "Lucky" because he is. Much to the contrary. Hes lived a hard enough of a life for five people. When he was a child his parents died in a house fire. Then as a teen he witnessed the murder of his best friend. In the war he observed scarring horrors as a Marine at Guadalcanal. Then back from the war. He beheld the death of his beloved wife in a car accident. The worst part is he saw all the grisly events in his dreams days before they happened. The future is an unflinching wall of darkness for him.

The Shack

The shack is a mysterious former dwelling lying ion the jungle outside of Honolulu. A place where kids hike to and dare each other to go in. But someone, or something lives inside. Only stirring supposedly at night. It is said those who enter on the night of a full moon, are never heard from again. Probably just a cock and bull story. But as you well know tale tales tend to be based on a morsel of fact.

Some things, places and people

So now that we've got the rough system out of the way. Heres some places, things, and people to utilize in the Hawaiian Noir setting.

The Banyan Tree

The Banyan Tree in Lahaina Court Park is a special place. planted on 24 April 1873 in Lahaina to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of first American Protestant mission. The Banyan tree Ficus benghalensis, known in Hawaiian as paniana, located in the Courthouse Square. Covering 1.94 acres, it is not only the largest in the state, but also in the United States. The tree, a gift from missionaries in India, a mere 8 feet (2.4 m) when planted, has grown to a height of about 60 feet (18 m) and has rooted into 16 major trunks, apart from the main trunk, with the canopy spread over an area of about 0.66 acres.
But it is far more than all of that. This tree was planted on atop a ley line nexus. A focal point of rich magical energies. Infusing the very essence of the tree with raw magic. It has become a place where kahuna (Hawaiian priest/sorcerer/magician) and other wizardly types have begun to perform rituals. Using and drawing on the trees vast potential energy.

The Sword of Ryuu Moto

This type 95 shin guntō sword is a fairly nondescript mass produced sword for Japanese non commissioned officers in WWII. This particular sword was issued to Gunsō (sergeant) Ryuu Moto. Ryuu was an exceptionally brutal and sadistic individual. Directly responsible for numerous atrocities committed against the allies and civilians. In his last moments his blood lust was so great he should have been struck down by the marines he was attacking. But he kept fighting even though he was dead. His spirit forged by battle into the sword. He was finally stopped when struck by a mortar round, that split his body asunder. The sword was picked up by a marine as a trophy of war. This was the down fall of the marine and the many other hands it has passed through. For the sword is cursed. It is possessed by the spirit of Ryuu Moto. It drives its owner insane, and to kill. It leaves a trail of blood, chaos, and madness.

Konani "The Black Heart" Ikaika

Konani "The Black Heart" Ikaika is many things. Hes a thug, murder, gambler, and a Hoʻokomokomo Kahuna. A Hoʻokomokomo Kahuna is a sorcerer that is able to summon and send out typically evil spirits to possess victims. Running many different gambling dens around the island. He uses his powers and the threat of them to run his operation with an iron fist full of dollars. Those that cannot be controlled by his money or violence. Find themselves in the sights of a spirit. Send to possess them and force them to do evil acts. One time a man owed him a vast some of money, and would not pay. Nothing seemed to sway him. Till The Black Heart sent a spirit which possessed and forced the man to kill his whole family.

Whats it all about?

Hawaiian Noir, what is it all about?

It can be summed up in three basic concepts,

Hawaiian Paradise

Noir

Supernatural

OK, that's great. But what does that mean?

Its an exotic paradise. Warm weather, lush tropical setting, even a bit exotic. Beautiful beachs, humid jungle, and wild volcanoes.
But its also dark, gritty, slums, poverty, criminals, double crosses, murder, lost hope, and when things get bad they seem to turn even worse.
Then theres the dark other side. Things in the shadows. Corrupting magic. Spirits, and lore come over the veil to this side.

Its Red Harvest, Dark Passage, Kiss Me Deadly, Key Largo, and The Gun Runners. Combined with the supernatural, hawaiian folklore/mythology, spirits, corrupting magic, and madness.
Mixed with the Hawaiian Islands in the 1950's.

How much magic?

One of the considerations I have made about the Hawaiian Noir setting is how much magic? At first I was thinking balls out D&D/Weird Adventures level of magic. But I think I'm going to go with a more limited subtler level. Like CoC, where magic is unknown/thought not to be real by the vast majority of people. Its out there, and even a few in government know about it. Some governments secretly tried to harness it for their goals. But magic, and spirits are fickle things. It didn't always work out well. Certainly not enough to change the war let alone the outcome. More evil bent creatures, and such did have a heyday in the chaos though. Now that the world has returned to a relative calm. They have retreated back into the shadows. Weaving their conspiracies and plots to torment the earth.



Oh, as a side note.
Feel free to comment. Like it? Hate it? Whatever, feedback welcome.

Hawaiian Noir

So I've been thinking more about this. Having a lot of time on my hands taking my wife to several appointments. Now don't worry people out there in internet land. I will be returning to "Empire". But I really want to get this written down, before it fades out of my brain.

So I don't know about you folks, but when I start to put together a setting campaign. i write out a list of themes, concepts, and things I want included. So here is my Hawaiian Noir brain storming list:

1950's
Noir
Supernatural
Dark
Hawaiian Paradise
City
Slums
Jungle
Mountains
Volcano
Sugar Cane
Criminals
Beach
Liquor
Cocktails
Native Hawaiians
Polynesians
Samoans
Japanese
Spirits
Shinto
Pacific Ocean
Cool old cars
Cool old boats

So then of course the big question comes up. What system? Again I'm torn. Use the home brew I've been jacking with. Or perhaps use "Mean Streets" (Which I do like quite a bit) and tack on some sanity, magic, and supernatural rules. Then again one could easily clip the mythos out of CoC and use that. Might be the way to go. Things to think about.

Edit/Addition
Another thought of system. If I can scratch up the coin, "Silent Legions" might be great for this.