Re: Aden, I've been running into the same issue in the Sunt game. Even without dealing with vampires who have been alive since at least the high medieval period, their powers can get pretty ridiculous pretty quickly, and I don't think the game mechanics are set up to accurately reflect the capabilities of a thousands year-old human by looking at the
CRB's stats for immortal dragons. Granted, the MAG 10 rating doesn't reflect increased Magic from Initiation, but even then the
CRB suggests that as a baseline dragons will be mid-level initiates. That doesn't seem to meld with what I'd consider a dragon to be capable of. Additionally, many dragons are listed with sub 14 skills, which would be a surprise for the nearly unlimited Karma one would have earned over the millennia.
If I try to reason my way backward, the first thing that occurs to me is Training. Certainly, many skills would be honed after hundreds of years "alive," but for many skills language, culture, travel, and his business and personal affairs would most likely keep Aden from maxing out every possible skill. For most magician vampires I'd exempt all Magical skills from this theoretical limit, as they could boost their MAG with Essence from some poor sap, spend it to jack their magic rating, and then Summon and Bind a Spirit to assist with their studies, but Aden doesn't have this luxury. Additionally, where were the Reagents in the fifth world?
Also, PCs get Karma for accomplishing goals against tough odds. For a vampire, especially a 5th world vampire, he's lived most of his life outside the reach of much of anything that could hurt him. In many ways, finding a meal would be little more difficult for Aden in 16th century Romania than it is for Chino at the Stuffer Shack conning his way with a fake SIN. Ok, maybe Chino's a bad example, but. . .
Anyway, I could see taking down Aden being akin to taking down a cyber zombie, or something of that nature. It would be incredibly difficult, and nearly impossible for a party of 2, even when considering how powerful James and Illeana are, but with planning and the right trap, it's possible.
On a completely unrelated note,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuCt8OqTbvY[here's] a link to a video where Tyreek Hill hits James-like speeds on his way to the end zone. He makes 22 mph at around the 50 yard line, which is just over 29 meters per CT. James would just surpass this with 4 hits on a Sprinting test per CT. That chummer be fast.
I'm going to try to get an IC up today to at least give some of James' reaction. I would imagine that Schwartzkopf isn't quite through with them, so I'll probably bring up to the point where we get our second audience.
Hey, did the Unread Topics feature just disappear?