Weapons of the Ancients-
KMerThmix ('Artifice - Standard Issue - Thrown Device')
* Type: Ultralow-frequency High-dissipation Explosive
* Effect: Lethal 2d6x10 DP in a 30' Radius
* Range: Rigged, Thrown or Launched 675 Yards
* Weight: 1 Lbs.
* Frequency: P
:: These devices create a powerful Ultra-low frequency sound burst as the primary mechanism of wounding, and any shrapnel from the item's destruction is coincidental and already factored in to the Effect.
:: Due to the nature of these waves, their destructive power quickly dissipates in Urutsk's thin atmosphere, while they travel extraordinarily well through denser media, such as stone, water, and earth. This advantage is employed in a localised collateral damage strike, such as demolishing a reinforced door, overturning/destroying cover, and in eliminating clusters of adversaries.
:: The phantasmal images of the Ancients show some Grenadiers so proficient with the time-settings of this class of grenades, as to clear entire rooms with a thrown handful of the 1" diameter, 4" long cylinders. Launched and ricochetted off of multiple surfaces, these same Grenadiers could reach otherwise inaccessible foes. Demolitions Specialists also appeared to appreciate the versatility of these devices.
KMerThmixAi ('Artifice - Standard Issue - Thrown Device - Fireball')
* Type: Fuel-air Grenade
* Effect: Fire 2d6x10 DP in a 60' Radius
* Range: Rigged, Thrown or Launched 675 Yards
* Weight: 0.5 Lbs.
* Frequency: R
:: This class of weapon is primarily utilised to inflict maximum casualties with a minimum of (initial) structural damage. It is a morale-testing weapon design, and soon necessitated the use of fully sealed Environmental Armour, and later, the E-sheath lightweight suit.
:: The fireball fills a volume of over [900 thousand] cubic Feet.
KMerThmixEi ('Artifice - Standard Issue - Thrown Device - Electrical burst')
* Type: Conductive aerosol Electrical/Low Power Plasma Grenade
* Effect: Electrical 3d6 DP in a 60' Radius + Fire/Heat 6d6 in a 45' Radius
* Range: Rigged or Thrown
* Weight: 2 Lbs.
* Frequency: X
:: A gallon-sized, cubic solid with one upper corner acting as a throwing handle. This weapon, when armed, produces a strong chemical adhesive and diamagnetic alignment of all six faces so as to adhere to virtually any machine, from Armoured Assault Frame to Strider Galleon, delivering its powerful electro-phazic effect. Its intended purpose was to destroy or disable any but the most hardened vehicle or fortification.
:: A much rarer, squat cylindrical version has been noted which has the same values, but rolls d12s instead of d6s, and three times (3x) the Radius, weighing 4.5 Lbs. This version must be fastened by its base, and has actual ferromagnetic material as the constituent of its casing which becomes electrified upon priming. This dates the period to roughly 5k years before the Early Autumn Era.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
[RPG] Weapons of the Ancients: 02.01-
JDJarvis wrote: "cool, gyrojets are always a fun and funky sci-fi weapon. They also beg for specialized ammo with payloads one isn't likely to see in a conventional firearm."
KMSV Ammunition and Payloads-
Isahey' ('Writhing - Speciality load - Anti-personnel')
* Type: Hydrokinetic Penetrator /Shaped Explosive
* Effect: Lethal 3d6x5 DP + Explosive 1d6x20 15' Radius
* Range: roughly 2,000 Yards
* Frequency: T
:: The term writhing is derived from the in-flight motion of the elastic, fluid-filled payload, once released from the gyrojet sabot. The properties of the combination of the elastic casing and the hydrokinetic fluid contained within increases the round's ability to penetrate light vehicular armour, as well as the heavier powered augmentation suits employed during this and later eras.
:: Once the elastic casing yields to impact stress or is shredded passing through a hard surface, a micro-fuze detonates two half-cylinder incendiary shaped charges, affecting personnel in much the same way as White Phosphorus munitions: a spinning shower of white-hot non-soluble fragments easily burning completely through human tissue and bone.
:: If a target is stuck within 1,000 yards, only the initial Effect is delivered, and the ordinance neutralised.
Tanheles ('Gliding Observer')
* Type: Robotic Surveillance Drone
* Effect: Intel 3d6+3 in a 180* arc out to 1 mile for 1 Turn (10 minutes)
* Range: roughly 3.5 Acres directed glide area, 6,000 feet altitude
* Frequency: V
:: Once launched (usually at a 45* angle), the remotely controlled drone can terminate the gyrojet sabot at any point past 25 Yards and begin assisted gliding at the designated altitude for use in real-time audio-visual and other sensor data transmission.
:: The ease with which these recon drones could be used later created a need for selective disruption of the enemy's drones while not affecting 'friendly' units in the same theatre, but those anti-recon drones have an X frequency, as they came late in the era.
:: Non-hostile uses included the recognition of fallen troopers 'IDSigs', as well as GPS-marking no-artillery zones which were fed-back to the automated guns to help prevent friendly-fire incidents.
Tsiumhx ('Aerial Insertion Mine')
* Type: Indirect-fire Anti-personnel Mine
* Effect: Explosive 2d6x10 10' Radius
* Range: roughly 800 Yards
* Frequency: S
:: More common than many other speciality munitions for the long-range rifles, these were employed in area-denial operations, such as covering tactical retreats as well as channelling the enemy into unfavourable terrain.
:: Once fired (usually 45* angle) the parabolic arc carries the insertion unit three-quarters of the way before the sabot is discarded and the projectile penetrates soft ground cover. On hard surfaces, most units are destroyed rather than leaving intact mines. Some nations or factions did produce hard-surface versions with limited degree of success, but most groups instead utilised grenade launchers with purpose-built ordinance.
:: Colour-coded with alternating bands of black and red on a green body, these ordinance are noticeably heavier than virtually all other gyrojet munitions.
KMSV Ammunition and Payloads-
Isahey' ('Writhing - Speciality load - Anti-personnel')
* Type: Hydrokinetic Penetrator /Shaped Explosive
* Effect: Lethal 3d6x5 DP + Explosive 1d6x20 15' Radius
* Range: roughly 2,000 Yards
* Frequency: T
:: The term writhing is derived from the in-flight motion of the elastic, fluid-filled payload, once released from the gyrojet sabot. The properties of the combination of the elastic casing and the hydrokinetic fluid contained within increases the round's ability to penetrate light vehicular armour, as well as the heavier powered augmentation suits employed during this and later eras.
:: Once the elastic casing yields to impact stress or is shredded passing through a hard surface, a micro-fuze detonates two half-cylinder incendiary shaped charges, affecting personnel in much the same way as White Phosphorus munitions: a spinning shower of white-hot non-soluble fragments easily burning completely through human tissue and bone.
:: If a target is stuck within 1,000 yards, only the initial Effect is delivered, and the ordinance neutralised.
Tanheles ('Gliding Observer')
* Type: Robotic Surveillance Drone
* Effect: Intel 3d6+3 in a 180* arc out to 1 mile for 1 Turn (10 minutes)
* Range: roughly 3.5 Acres directed glide area, 6,000 feet altitude
* Frequency: V
:: Once launched (usually at a 45* angle), the remotely controlled drone can terminate the gyrojet sabot at any point past 25 Yards and begin assisted gliding at the designated altitude for use in real-time audio-visual and other sensor data transmission.
:: The ease with which these recon drones could be used later created a need for selective disruption of the enemy's drones while not affecting 'friendly' units in the same theatre, but those anti-recon drones have an X frequency, as they came late in the era.
:: Non-hostile uses included the recognition of fallen troopers 'IDSigs', as well as GPS-marking no-artillery zones which were fed-back to the automated guns to help prevent friendly-fire incidents.
Tsiumhx ('Aerial Insertion Mine')
* Type: Indirect-fire Anti-personnel Mine
* Effect: Explosive 2d6x10 10' Radius
* Range: roughly 800 Yards
* Frequency: S
:: More common than many other speciality munitions for the long-range rifles, these were employed in area-denial operations, such as covering tactical retreats as well as channelling the enemy into unfavourable terrain.
:: Once fired (usually 45* angle) the parabolic arc carries the insertion unit three-quarters of the way before the sabot is discarded and the projectile penetrates soft ground cover. On hard surfaces, most units are destroyed rather than leaving intact mines. Some nations or factions did produce hard-surface versions with limited degree of success, but most groups instead utilised grenade launchers with purpose-built ordinance.
:: Colour-coded with alternating bands of black and red on a green body, these ordinance are noticeably heavier than virtually all other gyrojet munitions.
[RPG] Weapons of the Ancients: 02-
Thank you for the Reactions feedback.
KMerShiamVadr ('Artifice - Standard Issue - Long-range - Specialist rifle')
* Type: Precision Rifle
* Effect: Lethal 3d6x10 DP
* Range: roughly 2,800 Yards
* Ammo.: 01 (bolt-action)
* Weight: 6 Lbs. without optics
Many variations of these weapons exist, but all are long, heavy-barrelled sharp-shooter weapons utilised by highly trained and esteemed specialist troopers supported by a spotter and a guard to monitor the safety of the shooter/spotter team.
:: These weapons use larger and heavier projectiles of a gyrojet discarding sabot nature to accelerate the projectile over 3,000 fps. However, the necessary burn-time of the rocket makes this weapon less than effecient at ranges under 500 Yards, doing one-half rolled damage. At intended ranges, these weapons were employed in an anti-materiel and anti-officer ('sniper') role.
:: The optics for these weapons varied significantly, from small multi-laser bank 'painter' arrays, to large analogue high-fidelity scopes in the 2.8x48mm objective lens range, complete with UV filtration and glare polarising screens.
KMerShiamVadr ('Artifice - Standard Issue - Long-range - Specialist rifle')
* Type: Precision Rifle
* Effect: Lethal 3d6x10 DP
* Range: roughly 2,800 Yards
* Ammo.: 01 (bolt-action)
* Weight: 6 Lbs. without optics
Many variations of these weapons exist, but all are long, heavy-barrelled sharp-shooter weapons utilised by highly trained and esteemed specialist troopers supported by a spotter and a guard to monitor the safety of the shooter/spotter team.
:: These weapons use larger and heavier projectiles of a gyrojet discarding sabot nature to accelerate the projectile over 3,000 fps. However, the necessary burn-time of the rocket makes this weapon less than effecient at ranges under 500 Yards, doing one-half rolled damage. At intended ranges, these weapons were employed in an anti-materiel and anti-officer ('sniper') role.
:: The optics for these weapons varied significantly, from small multi-laser bank 'painter' arrays, to large analogue high-fidelity scopes in the 2.8x48mm objective lens range, complete with UV filtration and glare polarising screens.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
[RPG] Weapons of the Ancients: 01-
:: These items are scaled to Metamorphosis Alpha/Gamma World/Mutant Future:
I will wait to gauge reactions/input before proceeding with additional offerings.
Weapons of the Ancients-
KMerHiayt ('Artifice - Standard Issue - Ballistic Hypersonic')
* Type: Carbine/Rifle
* Effect: Lethal 2d6x5 DP
* Range: roughly 1,000 Yards
* Ammo.: 50/100/300/case-fed
* Weight: 3 to 5 Lbs.
Many nations and honour-allegiances fielded variations on these weapons, each with slightly different mechanisms, ammunition(s), performance values, and specific applications, ranging from short-barrelled commando versions to long, heavy-barrelled sharp-shooter weapons.
:: For those that prefer more detail:
Of these, different eras within the same basic 'family' line demonstrate the Ancients concern for ever changing applications and an apparent desire for the 'ultimate' version of each such, as there are so many different sorts found in caches and the like. Most were caseless designs with independent propellant charges that could be 'hotshotted' by doubling-up the spheres of highly compressed chemical filaments. Ignition was generally through the use of a simple mechanical trigger advancing a diamagnetic ring/sleeve around the propellant chamber of the barrel which caused the bonds of the propellent sphere to loosen, explosively expand, and force air under great pressure against the projectile, launching it down the length of the barrel and along its trajectory.
:: In general the ammunition is a small synthetic or metalloid projectile so aerodynamic in design so as to exhibit virtually flat ballistics out to the maximum range, whereupon friction with the atmosphere results in the destruction of the projectile. The velocity of these projectiles varies with make and model, propellant charge, and projectile design and composition, but averaged over 4,000 fps (feet per second).
:: Although the velocity certainly accounts for most of the deleterious effect upon its target, the projectile designs, in general, were crafted to create elastic deformation of surface tissues to roughly the mid-torso point before fragmenting into two separate wound channels, almost invariably one pitching high and exiting at near vertical angle, while the second exits slightly lower on the target than the impact plane, and demonstrating considerable yaw.
:: Hydrostatic compression is the primary 'knockdown' mechanism with a secondary effect of explosive tissue disruption throughout the wound channels (at impact through fragmentation, and the subsequent secondary channels). Blood loss is correspondingly high depending on penetration depth, cross-sectional density of tissues (whether a limb or the torso were struck, etc.), and angle of incidence. In short, if body armour is defeated, the target is likely incapacitated.
:: Referees of a particularly insidious bent may wish to occasionally confound characters with incompatibilities between weapons and ammunitions, helicoil magazines, and of course, different accessory rail, and power-port standards.
I will wait to gauge reactions/input before proceeding with additional offerings.
Weapons of the Ancients-
KMerHiayt ('Artifice - Standard Issue - Ballistic Hypersonic')
* Type: Carbine/Rifle
* Effect: Lethal 2d6x5 DP
* Range: roughly 1,000 Yards
* Ammo.: 50/100/300/case-fed
* Weight: 3 to 5 Lbs.
Many nations and honour-allegiances fielded variations on these weapons, each with slightly different mechanisms, ammunition(s), performance values, and specific applications, ranging from short-barrelled commando versions to long, heavy-barrelled sharp-shooter weapons.
:: For those that prefer more detail:
Of these, different eras within the same basic 'family' line demonstrate the Ancients concern for ever changing applications and an apparent desire for the 'ultimate' version of each such, as there are so many different sorts found in caches and the like. Most were caseless designs with independent propellant charges that could be 'hotshotted' by doubling-up the spheres of highly compressed chemical filaments. Ignition was generally through the use of a simple mechanical trigger advancing a diamagnetic ring/sleeve around the propellant chamber of the barrel which caused the bonds of the propellent sphere to loosen, explosively expand, and force air under great pressure against the projectile, launching it down the length of the barrel and along its trajectory.
:: In general the ammunition is a small synthetic or metalloid projectile so aerodynamic in design so as to exhibit virtually flat ballistics out to the maximum range, whereupon friction with the atmosphere results in the destruction of the projectile. The velocity of these projectiles varies with make and model, propellant charge, and projectile design and composition, but averaged over 4,000 fps (feet per second).
:: Although the velocity certainly accounts for most of the deleterious effect upon its target, the projectile designs, in general, were crafted to create elastic deformation of surface tissues to roughly the mid-torso point before fragmenting into two separate wound channels, almost invariably one pitching high and exiting at near vertical angle, while the second exits slightly lower on the target than the impact plane, and demonstrating considerable yaw.
:: Hydrostatic compression is the primary 'knockdown' mechanism with a secondary effect of explosive tissue disruption throughout the wound channels (at impact through fragmentation, and the subsequent secondary channels). Blood loss is correspondingly high depending on penetration depth, cross-sectional density of tissues (whether a limb or the torso were struck, etc.), and angle of incidence. In short, if body armour is defeated, the target is likely incapacitated.
:: Referees of a particularly insidious bent may wish to occasionally confound characters with incompatibilities between weapons and ammunitions, helicoil magazines, and of course, different accessory rail, and power-port standards.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
*{Ramble}*[RPG] Hard Limits, Starting Characters & Background in Context--
I realise the following contains references you folks don't yet have available, but I occasionally write these, 'for the record', as it were. I hope it is at least moderately interesting.
After 'refreshing' the Spectral Index to make it more intuitive, I rolled up a 'long-form' character and spotted a tweak or two in the order of tables, or a formatting glitch that needed correcting.
--I then decided to see if the background skills (Environmental Activities, and Training points) could be abused RaW, and when I saw that it could, I then placed a hard limit on the letter code (skill level in common parlance) that could be purchased. Now (although 'levelled' figures can increase Training through Adventure Points), starting folk (such as NPCs and the Base PC), cannot be more than an average of 75% proficient in any given Activity. When I upload the Spectral Index this will all make good sense.
I must make certain that even casual readers of the Players' Manual will not be able to confuse the 'long form' character generation routine with the 'roll-and-go' (ostensibly 'old school') method which allows for importation of many/most other 3d6-based characters.
--That EPT thread on Dragonsfoot sent shivers down my spine. I don't want to deal with anything of the sort.
My decision to switch over to a Gamma World scale for a figure's 'HPs' and weapons damage makes me very happy, and opens up a lot of great official and fan-based GW material for cross-pollination, so to speak.
--Since I've always favoured GW over D&D, this is a sort of 'homecoming' for me in a similar way to many OS bloggers'/gamers' re-discovery of 'the old ways.' That Mutant Future is enjoying the fan-success that it is only bolsters my confidence in my decision.
Now, parallel to that change, the implementation of many of the ideas/principles found in Ward's MA articles in The Dragon, and a general memory of Jorune chargen, 'long form' PCs are very playable without one drop of Point Design prior to game-start, which was one of my goals that hadn't been made clear in the beta .pdf, to my chagrin.
Since UWoM is another creature altogether, and I am not in the Orthodox Old School church, ;) I strongly believe in games that have official settings:
* Tekumel
* Greyhawk (don't kid yourselves, you know 1e was keyed to reflect Greyhawk)
* The Vilani Imperium
* Glorantha
* The Warden
* Gamma Earth/Terra via its series of adventures literally expanding the known world's map
* The Morrow Project's earth
* The world of Palladium
* Car Wars' earth
* Jorune, among others.
--Having a strong setting in no way diminishes one's ability to 'sandbox', and some of the above required one to do so if only due to the grandeur of the setting.
With a strong setting comes the knowledge of the world's baseline and the origins from whence a character arose. The parents/guardians, the local environs, pastimes and home-education in familial trades/crafts and culture-ways, as well as years of hearing of the daily goings-on 'at work', if not actually apprenticing in that field. Then the local society and its concerns, diversions, interests, mores and standards of conduct, pastimes, philosophies, religious thoughts and ideals (if any), sexual congress rites, and burial practises, etc.
--In game terms, even if a young (teens) character is rolled, these things are already resident within the person, and figure into their ability to navigate the considerable dangers upon Urutsk, while the player is still the one in charge, and the one challenged. The details of a character's background are a goldmine for gaming possibilities.
So, for gamers who enjoy Urutsk as a backdrop, but want to roll 3d6 six times in order and optionally pick a class, it'll work fine, as will it for folks who'll find rolling up a native in their full glory to be rather nifty.
After 'refreshing' the Spectral Index to make it more intuitive, I rolled up a 'long-form' character and spotted a tweak or two in the order of tables, or a formatting glitch that needed correcting.
--I then decided to see if the background skills (Environmental Activities, and Training points) could be abused RaW, and when I saw that it could, I then placed a hard limit on the letter code (skill level in common parlance) that could be purchased. Now (although 'levelled' figures can increase Training through Adventure Points), starting folk (such as NPCs and the Base PC), cannot be more than an average of 75% proficient in any given Activity. When I upload the Spectral Index this will all make good sense.
I must make certain that even casual readers of the Players' Manual will not be able to confuse the 'long form' character generation routine with the 'roll-and-go' (ostensibly 'old school') method which allows for importation of many/most other 3d6-based characters.
--That EPT thread on Dragonsfoot sent shivers down my spine. I don't want to deal with anything of the sort.
My decision to switch over to a Gamma World scale for a figure's 'HPs' and weapons damage makes me very happy, and opens up a lot of great official and fan-based GW material for cross-pollination, so to speak.
--Since I've always favoured GW over D&D, this is a sort of 'homecoming' for me in a similar way to many OS bloggers'/gamers' re-discovery of 'the old ways.' That Mutant Future is enjoying the fan-success that it is only bolsters my confidence in my decision.
Now, parallel to that change, the implementation of many of the ideas/principles found in Ward's MA articles in The Dragon, and a general memory of Jorune chargen, 'long form' PCs are very playable without one drop of Point Design prior to game-start, which was one of my goals that hadn't been made clear in the beta .pdf, to my chagrin.
Since UWoM is another creature altogether, and I am not in the Orthodox Old School church, ;) I strongly believe in games that have official settings:
* Tekumel
* Greyhawk (don't kid yourselves, you know 1e was keyed to reflect Greyhawk)
* The Vilani Imperium
* Glorantha
* The Warden
* Gamma Earth/Terra via its series of adventures literally expanding the known world's map
* The Morrow Project's earth
* The world of Palladium
* Car Wars' earth
* Jorune, among others.
--Having a strong setting in no way diminishes one's ability to 'sandbox', and some of the above required one to do so if only due to the grandeur of the setting.
With a strong setting comes the knowledge of the world's baseline and the origins from whence a character arose. The parents/guardians, the local environs, pastimes and home-education in familial trades/crafts and culture-ways, as well as years of hearing of the daily goings-on 'at work', if not actually apprenticing in that field. Then the local society and its concerns, diversions, interests, mores and standards of conduct, pastimes, philosophies, religious thoughts and ideals (if any), sexual congress rites, and burial practises, etc.
--In game terms, even if a young (teens) character is rolled, these things are already resident within the person, and figure into their ability to navigate the considerable dangers upon Urutsk, while the player is still the one in charge, and the one challenged. The details of a character's background are a goldmine for gaming possibilities.
So, for gamers who enjoy Urutsk as a backdrop, but want to roll 3d6 six times in order and optionally pick a class, it'll work fine, as will it for folks who'll find rolling up a native in their full glory to be rather nifty.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Geoffrey, Dragonsfoot, EPT, and Jeff Berry-
LINK 1
LINK 2
"As noted by one of the other posters, Tekumel isn't a 'fantasy' setting; it's better described as 'scientifiction' in the classic Gernsback/Burroughs mold, and with a lot of the influence of Lovecraft/Howard/Ashton Smith. As such, it doesn't seem to appeal to RPG gamers of the classic sort; the RPG gamer culture that has developed over the last thirty years has it's own set of cultural references that it applies to games and world settings.
Tekumel has always been outside that culture, as it has for miniatures gamers who have problems dealing with the idea of non-humans in what (to them) should be classical ancients wargames, but it does seem to appeal to F/SF fans who haven't had much assimilation into the gamer culture. I've got a dozen regulars on one Tekumel RPG group, with a second group of 12 in the process of forming, and very few of them are what I'd call experienced RPG or miniatures players; all of them however, are F/SF fans who have a taste for 'classic' F/SF.
Regarding the goofy names, I'm reminded of when we used to flog the merchandise for Dave Arneson at Gen Con; we had a guy who for three years running who would make a point of coming up to the booth and getting in our face about Tekumel's languages, and how he wouldn't buy anything for Tekumel unless we went through all the books and changed the words to something *he* could pronounce. The third time around, a bystander who had listened to the guy's diatribe stepped up to me, apologized for the guy's behavior, and suggested that he leave the area. The guy gave him some lip, saying "Who the f*** are you?", and Gary Gygax merely proffered his convention badge for the guy to read. It was, as they say, one of those moments you live for.
My advice, as it has been for the past three decades, is don't play what you don't like. Nobody is holding an Eye of Raging Power to your head and insisting that you must 'do' Tekumel, either as game or world-setting; play what you like! All I'd ask is that you do take a few moments to actually read what you critique; some of the reasons I've seen given for "Why I Hate Tekumel" seem to based on the same sort of logic that says "Dragons are real, because my sister's brother-in-law's third cousin what lives in the next duchy over says he heard that somebody's sheep got et by one!". These days, of course, it's "I saw it on the Internet, so it must be true!"
Speaking as somebody who has had the luck to play in three of what I guess might be called 'Old School' RPGs (Dave Arneson's "Blackmoor", Prof. M. A. R. Barker's "Tekumel", and Gary Gygax's "GreyHawk"), the 'sense of wonder' back in those far-off days was a lot more palpable and present; none of us knew what we were doing, of course, either as players or GMs, but that didn't stop us from having fun.
What ever happened to fun, by the way? I don't seem to see it much in gaming, anymore, but then maybe I travel in the wrong circles.
Just my two kaitars' worth - sorry, two GP...
" -- Jeff Berry / Chirine ba Kal
That was much nicer than anything I could have mustered.
LINK 2
"As noted by one of the other posters, Tekumel isn't a 'fantasy' setting; it's better described as 'scientifiction' in the classic Gernsback/Burroughs mold, and with a lot of the influence of Lovecraft/Howard/Ashton Smith. As such, it doesn't seem to appeal to RPG gamers of the classic sort; the RPG gamer culture that has developed over the last thirty years has it's own set of cultural references that it applies to games and world settings.
Tekumel has always been outside that culture, as it has for miniatures gamers who have problems dealing with the idea of non-humans in what (to them) should be classical ancients wargames, but it does seem to appeal to F/SF fans who haven't had much assimilation into the gamer culture. I've got a dozen regulars on one Tekumel RPG group, with a second group of 12 in the process of forming, and very few of them are what I'd call experienced RPG or miniatures players; all of them however, are F/SF fans who have a taste for 'classic' F/SF.
Regarding the goofy names, I'm reminded of when we used to flog the merchandise for Dave Arneson at Gen Con; we had a guy who for three years running who would make a point of coming up to the booth and getting in our face about Tekumel's languages, and how he wouldn't buy anything for Tekumel unless we went through all the books and changed the words to something *he* could pronounce. The third time around, a bystander who had listened to the guy's diatribe stepped up to me, apologized for the guy's behavior, and suggested that he leave the area. The guy gave him some lip, saying "Who the f*** are you?", and Gary Gygax merely proffered his convention badge for the guy to read. It was, as they say, one of those moments you live for.
My advice, as it has been for the past three decades, is don't play what you don't like. Nobody is holding an Eye of Raging Power to your head and insisting that you must 'do' Tekumel, either as game or world-setting; play what you like! All I'd ask is that you do take a few moments to actually read what you critique; some of the reasons I've seen given for "Why I Hate Tekumel" seem to based on the same sort of logic that says "Dragons are real, because my sister's brother-in-law's third cousin what lives in the next duchy over says he heard that somebody's sheep got et by one!". These days, of course, it's "I saw it on the Internet, so it must be true!"
Speaking as somebody who has had the luck to play in three of what I guess might be called 'Old School' RPGs (Dave Arneson's "Blackmoor", Prof. M. A. R. Barker's "Tekumel", and Gary Gygax's "GreyHawk"), the 'sense of wonder' back in those far-off days was a lot more palpable and present; none of us knew what we were doing, of course, either as players or GMs, but that didn't stop us from having fun.
What ever happened to fun, by the way? I don't seem to see it much in gaming, anymore, but then maybe I travel in the wrong circles.
Just my two kaitars' worth - sorry, two GP...
" -- Jeff Berry / Chirine ba KalThat was much nicer than anything I could have mustered.
[Playtest Campaign] 11, December-
First, a correction: The daisy-chain door is not the same thing as the polished black stone 'door'. It appears to be a double door, with a handle on 'each'.
We updated the PCs (except for CiCi and the still deceased Delver) to the new rules-build, including Frame and the increased Dynamic Pool value with the Conditions, the Letter-rated Skill system, and Combat rolls made on 2d12.
--Things went smoothly, and I noticed that tracking damage via the Conditions was speedy and seemed to enhance play through the understanding of the character's status (Fit, Able, Pained, etc.).
---Ashta was upgraded to Bxhr, or amazon, and through that and other mods determined in chargen, ended up with the indisputable ranking of highest DP, topping it out at 109 points, primarily due to her score of 20 in Fighting (was Strength) and her previous 62 points. Next in line is Darius with 102, and Ymyk. Mela Mela was just edged-out by Tybylt, but their Coma/Dying values are within one point of each other. The percentile values on the Spectral Index may need a bit of tweaking upwards in the centre, but it played smoothly enough. --- The vexatious double door was attempted after the (previously unmentioned) fireman's pole was scouted out by Ashta's (previously un-used) ghost-rat (a rat skull with a command word that activates its non-corporeal body), which didn't like the floor of the pit to which the pole descended, so the party skipped that. The already tested knob (actually a latch but I just went with the knob thing to keep the game rolling) was the daisy-chain paralysis trap, and the right-hand door, but the other hadn't yet been tried. --Tyb used the 'Rope of Awesome' to curl 'round and turn it clockwise, receiving some electrical damage. He then turned it counter clockwise and the door was able to be pushed in, revealing a 3'-wide corridor down which the rat was sent. ---A four-way intersection which led to three doors: * 'west' = Fountain with eight radiating pools and seven additional doors facing the arms of the pool, within was seen jewellery, coins, and gems. * 'north' = room with 90+' deep crater and evidence of an explosion which also damaged the walls and ceiling, suggesting that the surface was reachable through it. A sewer grate led to a 10'x10'x40' sluice that terminated outside. * 'east' = when the rat passed through this door, it showed an all-dark room of great size that was, in fact, too large to be where it was without some sort of dimensional shenanigans, as it would overlap the northern room's sluice. The rat couldn't, however, find a door on that side, which the party correctly diagnosed as *not a good thing.* Ratskull was asked to check out the entire room and discovered a walled complex with several portcullis, and was ordered back to where it had first appeared. Tyb Jaunted to the other side of the 'door' and was greeted by extreme cold and dangerously low air pressure, so much so that the air was being forced out of his lungs even through his sealed lips. He quickly grabbed Ratskull and expended an extra Spell Point to Jaunt back with it at which time he informed the party of his findings. --A divination deck was consulted and 3 Turns later Tyb knew that his daughters were in fact in that black citadel; that there were two despotic figures running the show, and one was playing the other; and that these were behind not only the slave trade, but the tentacled things they'd fought in Qerzyk. ---Plans were made to 'open the door' (?!), and I asked which direction the lone and centrally-placed knob would be turned by Tybylt: Clockwise (remember what happened above ?) Tybylt disappeared and for a moment, I dealt with the party's reaction before turning to him: Paraphrasing myself -- "You dimly see arches and a covered roof. Around you are statues, some old enough to be pitted and moss-covered, others more recent. You find that your vision is dimming as your eyes are calcifying-over and you cannot move. Please give me an Experience Critical Test roll." Tyb passed the Test and Jaunted backward 5', knocking down and breaking another statue, as well as realising that his calcified dermis (as in his skin) as well as clothing had been left at his initial point of arrival, which meant he was spontaneously bleeding from every square Snk of his body, but was fortunately largely unaware of the sensation due to the loss of his surface nerves.
--I have him a freebie by allowing him to successfully drink a healing potion, and then had him roll for all of his equipment, much of which (including the rope and his magicked Black Metal garotte, and scrolls and potions besides) failed their Test and were destroyed. Of the few possessions which did survive, one was a potion of flight, which he imbibed and used to fly from the tower's top down to the entrance (to retrieve the Xarj' bow) and then (using a Change Self) greet the party where he then revealed his current state.
---A few regeneration potions, an ebony and pearl lightning protective skein, and his self-administered Shadow-infused lightning-ring bolt - later, his skin had regrown, turned Dryvv grey, and his eyes widened and his cheekbones grew more pronounced.
After that soaked-in, I held the session, suggesting that the party was in no condition to attempt the raid on the black citadel (in the Void).
Rough session.
We updated the PCs (except for CiCi and the still deceased Delver) to the new rules-build, including Frame and the increased Dynamic Pool value with the Conditions, the Letter-rated Skill system, and Combat rolls made on 2d12.
--Things went smoothly, and I noticed that tracking damage via the Conditions was speedy and seemed to enhance play through the understanding of the character's status (Fit, Able, Pained, etc.).
---Ashta was upgraded to Bxhr, or amazon, and through that and other mods determined in chargen, ended up with the indisputable ranking of highest DP, topping it out at 109 points, primarily due to her score of 20 in Fighting (was Strength) and her previous 62 points. Next in line is Darius with 102, and Ymyk. Mela Mela was just edged-out by Tybylt, but their Coma/Dying values are within one point of each other. The percentile values on the Spectral Index may need a bit of tweaking upwards in the centre, but it played smoothly enough. --- The vexatious double door was attempted after the (previously unmentioned) fireman's pole was scouted out by Ashta's (previously un-used) ghost-rat (a rat skull with a command word that activates its non-corporeal body), which didn't like the floor of the pit to which the pole descended, so the party skipped that. The already tested knob (actually a latch but I just went with the knob thing to keep the game rolling) was the daisy-chain paralysis trap, and the right-hand door, but the other hadn't yet been tried. --Tyb used the 'Rope of Awesome' to curl 'round and turn it clockwise, receiving some electrical damage. He then turned it counter clockwise and the door was able to be pushed in, revealing a 3'-wide corridor down which the rat was sent. ---A four-way intersection which led to three doors: * 'west' = Fountain with eight radiating pools and seven additional doors facing the arms of the pool, within was seen jewellery, coins, and gems. * 'north' = room with 90+' deep crater and evidence of an explosion which also damaged the walls and ceiling, suggesting that the surface was reachable through it. A sewer grate led to a 10'x10'x40' sluice that terminated outside. * 'east' = when the rat passed through this door, it showed an all-dark room of great size that was, in fact, too large to be where it was without some sort of dimensional shenanigans, as it would overlap the northern room's sluice. The rat couldn't, however, find a door on that side, which the party correctly diagnosed as *not a good thing.* Ratskull was asked to check out the entire room and discovered a walled complex with several portcullis, and was ordered back to where it had first appeared. Tyb Jaunted to the other side of the 'door' and was greeted by extreme cold and dangerously low air pressure, so much so that the air was being forced out of his lungs even through his sealed lips. He quickly grabbed Ratskull and expended an extra Spell Point to Jaunt back with it at which time he informed the party of his findings. --A divination deck was consulted and 3 Turns later Tyb knew that his daughters were in fact in that black citadel; that there were two despotic figures running the show, and one was playing the other; and that these were behind not only the slave trade, but the tentacled things they'd fought in Qerzyk. ---Plans were made to 'open the door' (?!), and I asked which direction the lone and centrally-placed knob would be turned by Tybylt: Clockwise (remember what happened above ?) Tybylt disappeared and for a moment, I dealt with the party's reaction before turning to him: Paraphrasing myself -- "You dimly see arches and a covered roof. Around you are statues, some old enough to be pitted and moss-covered, others more recent. You find that your vision is dimming as your eyes are calcifying-over and you cannot move. Please give me an Experience Critical Test roll." Tyb passed the Test and Jaunted backward 5', knocking down and breaking another statue, as well as realising that his calcified dermis (as in his skin) as well as clothing had been left at his initial point of arrival, which meant he was spontaneously bleeding from every square Snk of his body, but was fortunately largely unaware of the sensation due to the loss of his surface nerves.
--I have him a freebie by allowing him to successfully drink a healing potion, and then had him roll for all of his equipment, much of which (including the rope and his magicked Black Metal garotte, and scrolls and potions besides) failed their Test and were destroyed. Of the few possessions which did survive, one was a potion of flight, which he imbibed and used to fly from the tower's top down to the entrance (to retrieve the Xarj' bow) and then (using a Change Self) greet the party where he then revealed his current state.
---A few regeneration potions, an ebony and pearl lightning protective skein, and his self-administered Shadow-infused lightning-ring bolt - later, his skin had regrown, turned Dryvv grey, and his eyes widened and his cheekbones grew more pronounced.
After that soaked-in, I held the session, suggesting that the party was in no condition to attempt the raid on the black citadel (in the Void).
Rough session.
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