"Hello,

     I was reading on The Grand Tapestry blog that you were working on an Encounter Critical/Urutsk game. As someone who enjoys creation and customization of material, will there be tools or tables to create some of what I've read about in the posts, such as ships, planets, alien races, creatures, pan-dimensional demons, cultures, etc.?

Kind Regards,

James"

I receive these questions regularly enough that I suppose i should address them here.  :)

Tools: There will be tools allowing the GM to create virtually anything, ranging from life forms to star systems to technology.  Players can create custom PC Human ethnicities and Other species as well as playing any of the 20 'races'.  Custom Classes can easily be accomplished by modifying or combining the 30 player classes.  Vehicle (including Starships) construction and Combat are included.

Tables: Most of the above Tools are Table-based, not only creating a high degree of variability in PC 'races' even between individuals of the same group; when combined with classes, the number of variation is too many for me to easily compute.  The GM can, in short order, determine the entire outline of a star system, its major life forms (including sentients), and determine culture, government, and technology.  Furthermore, character generation (procedural, to boot) creates the star system (or generational ship) -origin point for the character, as well as a sketch of 3 important NPCs in each character's background.  Weirdness and off-the-cuff gaming tables help the GM improvise in a way that adds content, not just some throw-away reference.

System: Encounter Critical is a d% system, which means it can be divided by 5 to turn it into a d20 based system with very little effort.  My alternate char-gen procedure speeds up play while adding optional complexity.  I've included combat elabourations, interpretations of more opaque sections of EC text, and have provided counters and terrain pieces for tactical miniatures combat -- as well as an entire mass combat section which integrates with existing EC combat rules.  Weapons expanded.  Many more mutations and other variations.

Format: I cannot give you a date of publication, but I can say that every day gets me closer to finishing the game in a releasable format with at least 45 colour PC-'race' illos and 20 colour PC class illos, among others.

That's all I can say about what actually exists so far.  I don't know about the Lulu PoD edition or the specifics about OneBookshelf pdf and PoD versions, but as I have more to say about them, I will announce them here.

Thank you for your continued interest.

Please address all game related correspondence here or to me on G+

-Kyrinn

First Session of Space Age Urutsk Using Encounter Critical UWoM

We have:

* Yirinn Diplomat/Officer
* Western Isles Vrun Astrogator/Warlock
* Yaesh Athletics & Recreation Instructor/Doctor
* Vrun Fighter Pilot/Survival Instructor
* Khem Psilock (Psi Witch)/Scout Services

The mission is border patrol of a hostile species sphere, complicated by a second species they share the space with, and orders to attempt diplomatic relations.  The draw is advanced technology of the primary species, who happen to be aquatic.

First scene is the Fighter Pilot operating a combat shuttle with advanced electronic package.  The Scout accompanied, as did an NPC Communications, Data, and Sensors officer, and a tail-gunner Ship's Weapons.  Quick pass over a gas giant's moon captures data of a subsurface hangar and a sensor station.  Also noted a floating island in the upper layers of the gas giant's atmosphere, but they didn't investigate because fighters scrambled from the moon.  Cool flying resulted in safe return, no shots fired in anger, and a nice hangar bay landing with five percent more than needed.

Diplomatic mission resulted from the Astrogator/Warlock having contacted the guardian of the gas giant who showed interest in them.  The ammonia atmosphere cleared over the skyland and the party shuttled over and were welcomed despite the fighter pilots' displeasure.  The 'Arkay' are the Rer Koop, who have very sensitive olfactory organs like coral clusters protruding from their skulls; some exhibit glider membranes.  The voice of 'Snowcloud', the gas giant guardian entity, gifted the pilot with a creature like a cross between a scorpion and a dragonfly in amber for her fancy flying.

Not much else before the store closed.

This is not your daddy's Encounter Critical.

June 5th '16: Thursday and Sunday Gaming Updates

After a fun, highly abstract (card-based) game of W40k on Saturday night, Sunday's Encounter Critical UWoM game was fun of a different sort.

The PCs, having found that independent aimlessness wasn't as fun as they thought it could be, have found structure and drive in acting as a space exploration team for an Imperial-era AI.  Additionally, they are representatives of the Greater Yirinn Sphere / Dryvv, expanding both groups' influence as they travel.

A lot of the things that had happened in the (year?) of gaming had been undone, and now are being re-introduced to their current timeline.  The massive war against the Q'Lish and the loose federation of species that couldn't happen in the Humanosphere and Species Empires section of the former galaxy was possible in the galactic offshoot (cloud, etc.) -- but that all collapsed as that timeline was undone from the PCs' perspective when a critical character disappeared from time.

Now, the same group, and the replacement PC (and new addition), are finding that probabilities are clustering around the same lines and similar events are occurring, as well as 'memories' of the other timeline returning to them.

Presently, they are on a planet most of them had previously visited once or twice before, where the Imperial descendants were in a global prison state run by a minority of Hierophantic Church, Psionic College, and Imperial Nobles, suppressing a population of psionics.  I'll skip the previous encounters with these people, but, let's just say that it isn't a happy place.  Additionally, the planet itself is less than hospitable, but livable.

Psionic technology and Tauron the quasi-40k, Haelbean-Other Human character is playing a major role, while I'm trying to keep the other characters engaged.  I think magic will have a few things to add to the mix, but my main concern is integrating Sam Crow (former Guild Combine assassin) into the higher powered storyline.  Sam has pretty neat teleport capabilities, but without combat, he doesn't have a lot of face-time.

===

My Thursday night Hangouts game is continuing to draw thew PCs into the exploration of my version of Ben Djarum's Yngarr setting.  The area the PCs are in now is like tribal Afghanistan if set in Iceland and populated by folks from the Beastmaster setting.  I'm taking some inspiration from Talislanta, and HPL's Dreamlands as depicted by Chaosium.

Updates and Signs of Life

I have 'three' Encounter Critical edition Urutsk: World of Mystery games during the week:

Thursday Night (G+ Hangouts): Folks are stuck in a large star system with at least three earthlike worlds in the Goldilocks zone, and an alien-inhabited asteroid belt.  After flying through a hurricane's eye-wall on an air/raft, the party returned to the very much Space: 1999 Eagle Lander craft they have, and almost immediately are fired upon by a ship almost 4x their size.  The weapon to size differential was pretty brutal, inflicting hits past armour on Aux. Power, Cargo (crew module), Interstitial (yay, free hits) and something else memory escapes me at present.  The Security Officer (and Crook) provided a sensor scan of the enemy craft, worth a bonus of +11 to strike, and the Martial Arts Warrior manning the mega laser scored high enough with Initiative bonus and the scanner bonus, to inflict a critical hit against the larger ship (Main Weapon, Aux. Power, Lifesupport).  The smaller and more manoeuvrable lander escaped and headed to the largest human city, Bay City, located upon and in a crescent shaped atoll.  Well treated, the cautious humans explain that they do not yet possess FTL capabilities, but possess old Imperial Jump Drive plans, needing to build them from materials out in the asteroid belt.  The party volunteered to fetch the goods and provide advanced engineering skill in exchange for a jump ship.  Friends were made.

Sunday (FLGS): Alternating weeks: 2). Gamma World informed, P-A crawling and so forth, waiting for a surviving Imperial Paladin to arrive in roughly 2 years in game time aboard a Jump ship from the other side of the former galaxy.  PCs include a Skyger air pirate, a humanoid bug girl, a super capable merchant, and a primitive explorer.  1). High level characters, timeline and space veterans, aboard a newly commissioned Guild Combine scout ship, vanguard leading the way for evaluation and contact ships in their wake.  Crew now at each others' throats, because two of the players are trouble makers who want to cause trouble for the game.  Among the crew are alpha shift and beta shift captains (both PCs), an Astrogator (an ostensibly occult-trained profession) staffed by a Dryvv - Yirinn woman who used to be someone else in a different timeline, and a Pswordlock (Jedi with the serial numbers filed off) capable of massive amounts of PK damage 2x per Round.

More About the Encounter Critical edition of Urutsk: World of Mystery

Folks [1] have been asking for more information regarding the new version of UWoM.

1). Streamlined chargen, and I mean chargen, not design.  From random determination of personal details to procedural career dicing, one can whip up a PC in a fraction of the time by the book EC characters are generated.

2). It is a major expansion of the EC rules, while still retaining backwards compatibility.

3). It includes vehicle construction rules and combat, specifically space- and starcraft.

4). Has many tables for quickly making the setting you want to adventure in.

5). Includes roughly 20 Player Character Ethnicities / Species, with the possible inclusion of at least another six if the GM grant them.

6). Mass Combat guidelines, to be integrated with the Starblade, and Vanguard rules sets I have play tested for some number of years.

7).  A space-centric Urutsk setting, concentrating on getting characters into the Era the group most wants to game, and covering the possibility that Urutsk is not the greatest part of your interest in the massive setting.  Elemental Blood and the Patrons are still there, to be certain, but the entire 'Galaxy that Was' is available to groups to customise.

I don't want to give away anything else right now.  :D



Thanks for your continued interest,
-Kyrinn



[1] Venger, John Christman, and others

One Thousand 03 to 18 Attribute Scores Table

In the process of writing the Encounter Critical edition of the Urutsk: World of Mystery game setting book and rules mod, I thought to create an aid to generating characters that would have almost universal applicability.

This link takes you to a Google Docs file with the table which has 100 entries indexed with 10 columns, providing 1,000 Attribute Scores for use in any 03-18 system.

I used anydice.com to generate a string of 10 numbers generated on 1d8+1d6+1d4, which is what I am using for the EC book, sample PCs, and any NPC scores.  There are more 10's here than any other number I searched for, roughly 11% of all rolls.

I hope that you find this useful.

LINK

Healing and Recovery Woes

One of the things that hadn't worked to anyone's satisfaction in this Encounter Critical edition of UWoM was healing.

Now, EC's roll hit dice method, and receive a bonus if luxuriating, was not to my liking, mainly because it is too chaotic, with the disappointment of low rolls, or too speedy recovery, etc.

I had been using a variant of Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes recovery rules until I realised that it actually took longer to recover the fewer points needed to be healed.  I ran a lot of analysis, and couldn't believe that I hadn't spotted that before.  That was out, especially when players complained it required too much in-game downtime (yeah, I know, whiners).

I briefly toyed with the thought that tougher characters should heal faster, but it turned out that that approach simply made everyone heal completely in 10 days.  That wasn't it either.

Now, I have a method which is still proportional, but where folk with more hit points recover faster from lesser injuries, but still take longer to fully heal than characters who have fewer and lost all of them and mend faster.  I'm still not happy with this.  Something charty looks like it will have to be done, which also doesn't thrill me.

Thoughts or suggestions to fulfill my design criteria?

1). Tougher creatures recover more quickly
2). Having fewer HP and losing most or all of them should take longer to recover from than a creature with lots of HP who lost a lot, but proportionately fewer than the low HP creature
3). Simple method; easy to explain; etc.

Return to the Planet of the Mind Masters-

I know it has been a long time since my last post here.
I'm just busy finishing up the Encounter Critical edition of Urutsk: World of Mystery.

My Sunday game has former Humanosphere (and a couple of Western Isles Haelbean) crew mates running around in space at or beyond the edge of the former galaxy.

Since their dismissal (Captain had warned two ships crews that it would be illegal, but morally right action, and it was only the fact that she has/is an Imperial Bloodline that she wasn't executed in a court marshal, and by marrying her fellow rogue captain, saved his life as well), the PCs have been puttering around inside the Supersystem (5 stars, super planets, and lots of moons) keeping up the mischief which has defined their careers (and why the captain loves them so).

Lately they have been stealing ships, helping overthrow governments, and training a new generation of psychics and warlocks.

The Numeneurians are a matriarchal species of psychics, and had been part of the anti-insectoid war effort along with other alien species as well as Imperial descendants stranded on a giant desert world for over 6k standard years.  In tonight's game, the Numeneurians waited for the opportunity to take over a world of hostile psychics, and through the PC's actions, lucked upon the decisive feature which allowed the oppressive government fall to the long-suffering rebel factions.  The Humanosphere's hopes for a friendlier disposition of the world has now been lost, and any hope of introducing the world into the HSphere will likely be decades away.

Answers to the Cimmerian's UWoM QnA-

Cimmerian said:

I have questions!

1). Is there an active forum for discussion, QnA, and play experiences from users yet?

<= Not yet. It is in the works.

2). I noticed you have a non-traditional philosophy in regards to adventure creation using basic setting descriptions and running through tables as you go, if I understand correctly. Would I need to digest the full setting background before daring to referee a game?

<= I would say that the free version of Kelzsyn's Bluff is representative of the essentials of my method of informed improvisation.
<= Would you run a combined Into the Unknown + Keep on the Borderlands game without reading through the material first?
<= Imagine the World of Greyhawk game someone would run simply looking at the box and the interior artwork. It would likely be much more Earth of Chivalry as a quasi-historical game, wit a few monsters of myth/legend, and would even go so far as to suggest that without explicit orders to do so, the DM would tone magic down a few notches to fit more closely with the Chivalric tales.
<= Is that a bad version of Greyhawk? Certainly not, but it isn't taking advantage of others' work in fleshing out important/interesting locations, persons, and gods, right?
<= In the same way, if one were to buy an UWoM adventure locale product and hope to simply transpose it onto their home-brew fantasy world, they'd find it an odd match, as (beyond Vrun names) it is a Sci-Fi setting with a lot of folks running around in low-tech arms and armour because a 2H sword doesn't need batteries.
<= Bringing Metamorphosis Alpha/Gamma World (any edition except possibly the Alternity thing) or MF characters to a place called Kelzsyn's Bluff would be much easier a shift, as they are much closer a fit. As are any version of Tekumel, Jorune, Star Wars, The Morrow Project, Encounter Critical, or even Palladium's RECON.
<= Can one take Prime Directive characters through the Tomb of Horrors? Certainly, but if each session were simply another of the old TSR AD&D modules, the Prime Directive flavour would be altered, and the game would become something...else.

3). I've run games totally free-form down to deciding on an appropriate mechanic check to use in the instant one is needed. This works fine but in regards to adventure creation I find that I provide a better play experience hands down with what amounts to adding in some of the small highlights that only preparation might allow. This is not to be confused with a three page background before play starts! ;)

<= I am puzzled by the last line in relation to the rest of the statement (not a question)
<= That said, I will address what I * think * you are asking: 'Do I need to know a lot about Urutsk to use any of your adventures/supplements?'

<= I think it would aid a GM to own a copy of the upcoming VRUN Players' Module (the basics of the game with complete char gen, equipping, skills, background, combat, and advancement guidelines), but if the GM can simply adapt the Location and Tables to their Tunnels & Trolls or Champions game, well and fine.

4). Everyone has their own experience of course, but I still would ask if there is not an example adventure containing the content typical of a UWoM game?

<= There is currently nothing more than Kelzsyn's Bluff, as that is my chosen intro site. Contained within the full product will be more than a few fully sketched-out (boolean if/then type) scenarios illustrating how random rolls on the table provide all the prompts for a GM to loosely construct a direction and circumstance, with the Player Characters determining much of how things go from there are a result of the environment reacting to the characters' actions.
<= However, freebie Adventure Seeds or what have you are not beyond the scope of what I'd like to post n a dedicated web site.

<= In my opinion, settings should be self-sustaining and portray a fairly steady thrum of daily life, only punctuated in specific areas (where the PCs are, or were, usually) with a disruption of the norm: Adventurers enter a flooded ruin in the 'middle of nowhere' and as a result of their inadvertent actions, release horrible monsters upon the local area. Those creatures, then, must logically be accounted for in the ongoing circumstances of the game, even if new PCs were generated each session, and each were only isolated adventures.
<= Rumours are the High Order motivator as they are purely optional (even if cunningly constructed to appeal to certain PC/Player interests), and allow the Players to remain in control of their destinies.
<= The background of KB and its Tables guide the unscripted circumstance; the Referee remains impartial; and the Players remain at the wheel, and cannot blame anyone for their miseries or need thank anyone for their successes.

<= In each Adventure Locale, I would include a good overview of rivalries, alliances, and upstarts that would affect the way that the social environment reacts to the PCs' actions. Some mayors may be convivial, some constables out to get the PCs on a crime, and a bar maid may in fact be a foreign spy. These dynamic social webs would translate to any setting or game, if tweaked (Not the Marnharnnan Defence Agency, but the Restorationists in GW, or the Rebel Alliance in SW, for instance), and are perhaps the thing I most clearly was influenced by from Flying Buffalo, Inc.'s City Books series. If you are familiar with any of the earlier titles, that's how the whole thing cohered: the interactive social webs of the NPCs and the PCs. That is my inspiration as regards Adventure Design.

Did that help at all?
--If not, please let me know what to re-focus on.

Thanks for your questions! :D

Urutsk Space Age hack of Encounter Critical

Sunday Evening Game-

The crew of the HSS Arden formally sides with the first group of Arkay against the Dsato who refuse to acknowledge their existence and have incurred 40% of their sphere. Some portion of the Dsato (sided with a cantankerous group of [more] belligerent Arkay) fire a missile at the HSS Arden. The Arden's captain tells the PCs to 'F' them up.' The PCs proceed to do so, and using my mass combat rules, they take over the Dsato ship crewed by 80 with a force of 15. Taking control of the bridge and shutting off life support helped that. The Humanosphere now have a Dsato ship and have agreed with the Dsato, that this means war. The majority of Arkay have aligned/allied with the Humanosphere.

The percentage Ability Score bonuses I have in the playtest document are too high, and it was good to confirm that in play. I'm working on that and speeding up chargen a lot through easy techniques.

Other good stuff going on in the development.

Chaos Corrupted Dragons Across Three Games

Sunday 1: 'Old Characters': After having blown themselves up out of mortal existence while fighting the chaos corrupted dragons, the PCs have ascended to Immortal status.  Helping the inhabitants of one of the many Shard Worlds recover from a magical crystal tech computer virus which, together with a planet-wide seismic event, had killed roughly 20% of the 4 million population, the world watched as one of the Immortals raised thousands of dead over the course of the first week, with the possibility of bringing back some of the fallen heroes of the last great war, roughly eighty years prior.  Each of the Immortals now has built centres around which to develop their cult, with roughly [16] thousand each.  In Godbound RPG terms, they have 01.5 points of Dominion.  Since we are using both Godbound and the Immortals Companion in conjunction with my Encounter Critical edition of Urutsk: World of Mystery, while the PCs have very little to fear from mortal threats, other Immortal scale dangers (including each other) still hold their concern.  Plans to begin operating separately in their own fleets, pursuing their Elemental Patrons' agendas in the former galaxy and beyond are taking shape.

Sunday 2: 'New Characters': Although a motley assortment of Humans and Non-Humans, these PCs have become co-labourers with Chapter Commander Lhorsk (Experience Level 68 Pswordlock) on Randev, Planet on the Edge of the Galaxy.  Faced with war initiated by starfaring chaos corrupted dragons and their servitor races, the PCs have brought the fight to the dragons, having struck a serious blow to the forces in the star system, and were captured for their efforts.  This session saw them infused with Dragonbone, and receiving their Hornung, making them immune to non-attack temperatures as well as allowing them to operate in a vacuum.  The bone transplant and hide grafts have begun to corrupt them, but it is presently 'manageable'.  Their first assignment was to man a perimeter defence network asteroid, looking out for incoming craft.  Learning of a self destruct mechanism in the base, the PCs began to disable it, making it with one roll to spare before it detonated due to their tampering.  While this was happening, the asteroid was being terraformed by  the Summer Court of Vael'Kyn.  A robotic repair ship was dispatched and promptly damaged by the Summer Court Naiads after the craft's probed attacked their garden.  The PCs escaped on the craft only to be 'rescued' by the draconics on a craft roughly 5x the volume of the Empire State Building.  Lucky turns of events provided unexpected allies, allowed the PCs to avoid being found out as the traitors they are, and to be reassigned to their homeworld.  On Randev, in the coastal city of Pearl, the PCs were able to join up with surviving freedom fighters drawn from several groups (including other at least one other universe).  Securing and repairing a shuttle, the group manage to scare off a fighter-bomber on patrol as they neared their home city.  City reinforcements provided cover and the PCs are reunited with the Commander.  My Forty Kay Sister of Battle / Rogue Trader PC and the NPC Pswordlock agree that it doesn't much matter which Emperor they are speaking of when he is answering them in battle against their chaos foes.

Thursday Hangout: Having fought off an attack by Chaos Marines, the PCs are now in the era of the Sphere of Stars, warning the Numeneurians of that period of the impending Starshock.  A distant telepathic message is received urging the PCs to find their way into the presence of the Emperor to avoid the Starshock, because the event will cause great damage across the Metacosmos.  One of the PCs learns that their species is nothing but the psychic projections of more powerful extradimensional creatures, and upon recoiling to its origin Person, learns that it is in league with the dread Shorrannin and has found a way into the Sphere of Stars.

(no emotions or complaints) New AnchorFM Game Log: Captain's Knight 2B & ARGUS/Auldgory Update

 New AnchorFM Game Log reading >>> LINK <<<

---

o I'm trying to bring the travel, foraging, herbalism, hunting, crafting, carousing rules together in their respective and corresponding portions and make it feel whole.

o Trying to limit my Ability descriptions to Encounter:Critical spare genius, but largely just presenting possibilities as the template for GM rulings.

o Novel dice mechanism (to the best of my knowledge) where two different dice are rolled in addition to the Resolution dice, and the player decides whether to add one or both of these special dice.  Each of the two require something of the PC equal to the number they generate; multiple dice may be invoked by the player with the GM's approval.

o Thinking of adopting a newer and smarter Weapon Profile, but not yet certain.

o Armour received a specific change which easily adapts to an Ascending AC if folks prefer, but in ARGUS2 results in Endurance and Stun damage to the wearer on a failed pen. -- Being battered wears one down.

Divorced

I was always prepared to split from the Encounter Critical system if things looked like troubles would interfere with the publication of this edition, I have made the preemptive split, which has required a fair amount of Find/Replace operations as Attributes and Abilities were renamed.  The number and names of Attributes has changed, but now there are fewer Abilities per Attribute, and things were shifted around.

I had been using 1d4+1d6+1d8 as the official rolling method, but after looking at more options, I have (so far) settled on 2d4+1d10, using d12s with 1-4 3x for better rolling.  This has a very strong 09-12 average, and now bonuses begin at 13, and penalties at 08, so more normalised scores should result.  I have, however, instituted an experimental TARA (Triples Add, and Roll Again), but out of 4 NPCs generated yesterday, not one TARA occurred.

To allay your fears, [System Name] is highly backwards compatible with EC, and, of course, other very popular 03-18 Attribute Score range RPGs.  I've aimed for the sweet spot between D&D, BRP, and Kevin S's PFRPG Revised 1st Edition,  with XP tables for each Class, but a BRP-style 'skill' system (Abilities) including improving them through use at the end of each session, and the more dedicated aspects of martial interest from KSPFRPG, namely weapon proficiencies and styles.

Another goal has been bringing the game into closer conformity with Porphyry: World of The Burn, as Porphyry is actually an earlier World Age of the planet now known as Urutsk.

I'm not as far along as I would like on Starships and other Vehicles, having two or three different methods which don't fully integrate, but I think nods from old WEG D6 SW will be the hammer that whacks everything into shape.

Everything is so much more fully done than this post may suggest, but since this isn't a failing Kickstart, I don't need to feel like I'm KenW.'ing or GSkarkaing anyone with my slow pace of production, likewise, uninspired SW movies don't need to be the release metric, so, as usual, it'll be released when it is finished.

Urutsk: Worlds of Mystery Combat Notes

Hit Points as Regenerating Armour did not work well enough to merit its inclusion as an Optional Rule because it required more recordkeeping than it was worth.  When used with Hit Location Body Points, it performed the same function as normal Hit points: to ablate with incoming damage, preventing bodily harm (or structural damage).  Projecting its effects, HPaRA would have made the optional Condition-Levels method of tracking Body Points in a slow 'death-spiral' a much longer, drawn-out affair which also would not have provided enough good with the bad of additional recordkeeping.

As it stands, Playgroups which prefer a kinder, more cinematic accumulation of wounds should choose the Condition-Levels method, while goreghouls should chose the Hit Location Body Points method; the OSR will simply use Hit Points and Shields Will Be Sundered anyway, so that resolves itself.

Being a goreghoul, nitpicker, bean-counter, I feel as though that portion of the entire expanded Combat section has worked so well at its design purpose: to model non-cinematic, mundane body trauma in a quick fashion while still incorporating Hit Points' intended function (essentially 'extra lives'), and Encounter Critical's Armour Saving Throw system (Save for Half/Save for None).  My addition of 1/10th AST as Damage Reduction makes wearing any applicable Safeguard (Armour, Screen, Shield, etc.) useful even without a successful save.

The Survival Roll at 0 HP now applies to 0 Body Points, or other, catastrophic injury (terminal Head or Heart shot, etc.), and, as written in EC, reduces the PC's future good luck across the board.

After years of running Saving Throw as after AST, I have begun to run it first, which makes the Mass Combat section easier by simply stating that only Hero, or exceptional figures receive the personal Saving Throw (PST).  Now, so-called Skirmish, and Mass Combat can be treated with the more Armour Class-like roll by the Attacker rather than the owning player's AST.

Action Points have changed EC's: Move, Melee, Missile routine to a Player determined sequence, but coupled with the Initiative Advantage mechanism makes this a dynamic sequence where going first doesn't mean that combats become one-sided affairs.  You'l have to see how this works in your games, but I think it will be remembered as an innovation.

Meat Healing and Stun Recovery and Fatigue and all of that is another topic.

Later,

Regarding ECUWoM v.9

On internal version 0.9 (which is more like 0.95)

By hybridising ethnicities/races/species, and by combining classes (or classless), there are so many possibilities I can't easily count them.  Since I have gone with a Stat modifier system, filling in the Ability Scores (skills) is much faster than in BtB Encounter Critical.

Certain rules are still being revised, simplified, but expect a fairly granular wounding system with a moderately complex combat system: It isn't GURPS as far as strike and defence options, but it isn't Phoenix Command regarding damage, either.  Figures are always capable of being killed, but PCs don't have to drop like flies if that isn't desirable.  It is possible to die in chargen, if that box is checked off.

It is a d% resolution system, but there are other, non-d% subsystems, and polyhedral dice of all sorts are going to be used at the table.

That's about all I can share at this time.

June 4 2015 Update

The Thursday group are talking about becoming land holders and the bigger game.  They are returning from the crashed ship with cryonic gear and a medical officer who they think is an android.  Slunk the formerly-Elf Warlock has mutated a bit, helped Merope to convert from Frostism (Lady Arctise) to Siltism (Lord Worm).

My Weekend crew keep going with a D&D 5e game and the Encounter Critical UWoM game I am writing.  The writing is going along nicely.  I'm working on vehicles right now.  It'll have OS conversion built in, and a much faster CharGen than EC does, even with more stuff added.

I'd like to go into more detail about ECUWoM, but I don't want to jinx or overshare: show, don't tell.

I have plans to release material for Goblinoid Games Starships & Spacemen 2e, and also use GORE for another version.

[RPG] & [MISC.] UWoM and Old School-

(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved

In today's post on the Worshop thread, I describe last night's thrilling adventure.

One item of character creation that had completely slipped my mind whilst working on the Point-Design system was a method employed in Basic Fantasy RPG's 2008 Almanack for variant classes, such as the Barbarian's 'double Str mod to hit and damage' and 'double Dex mod to AC while unburdened with armor'.
Fortunately, in UWoM, this is easily rectified through the use of dedicated Focus points, purchased at a 25% discount, to accomplish the same effect. Likewise the Ranger's 'double Dex mod to hit with a Longbow.', etc.

Ironically, I find myself using an unorthodox method of determining an encounter's severity: rolling 1d12. Why a d12? I imagine it is a clock-based meme, and I also use it to determine more precise direction, as was used in last night's adventure when Tybalt made a leaping attack onto a giant flightless bird.
I told his player that on an 11-1, he would be facing it head on, and that it would get an 'attack of opportunity' > shudder at the TETSNBN reference <. The player, Mike, looked at me in puzzlement, "On an 11 through 1? That means only on a 12 I'll get by without an attack?" I laughed and clarified, and all was laughs until he rolled a 12 on the die. Fortunately, the thing rolled a 1 on its d20, and Tybalt rolled a critical on his 3x Stealth Attack. Snap!
So, for all of my standardisation in getting rid of the quirky n in d6 mechanics, I use clock-memed d12s to determine both intensiy and direction. Along similar lines, I think a limited d6 mechanic may show-up in the system. One keyed to the Blood/Nature of the character, as is present in its sister (non-OS) system.
I realise folks like James Maliszewski of Grognardia may not feel that UWoM is mechanically Old School, if only for the Point-Design system, but I think that is perhaps misplaced pre-judgment not talking everything else into account -- and for good reason, given how little has been unveiled. I do wonder, though, if he extends Old School appelation to Skyrealms of Jorune. My guess is, 'no.' If that is the case, I can certainly understand 'grogs' not feeling that UWoM is OS.

I am saddened to think that World of Thool, with its marsupial gnomes, may be on an extended, or dare I write, permanent hiatus. That is one blog I would really lament the death of.
Please come back! The linguo-spores need a voice!

In other, semi-Old School news, I purchased Dennis 'Chariot of the' Sustare's SWORDBEARER for the third-time (the other two having been lost to time), but only got the two books (better them than nothing, although the box art was pretty cool, too).
There is just something about that game that I am mystified by and attracted to...

Mutants of Marnharnna: Pt. 13 ('you took it too seriously...')-

Raylyss, potential Lizard King and Sire of a resurgent Reptilmalian Empire, after finding wonderful magic items, decided to once again torment a drinks girl on the paddlewheel craft, and was spotted by at least two of the crew, one of whom was able to hit Raylyss (with a poisoned blade). Raylyss dove overboard and resurfaced to the rear of the craft, whereupon I rolled to see if security were on the ball, and rolled my 2d12+1d4 for the nearest guard, and scored a double-12 (essentially a critical success) +2 on the d4. This beat Raylyss' (Cloak + Covert) roll, and he was caught by surprise. As in, no action, but I'll let you say something --surprise. Instead, the player indicated Raylyss was moving, and he was fired upon at Point-Blank Range with a pump-action slug-gun. The shot struck Raylyss' abdomen for 45 points, taking him to -20+ instantly. Raylyss' last words (previously spoken as he got away from the mob) were, 'You took it too seriously.'
--Raylyss saw his probability lines toward becoming the messianic sire collapse into silt, while the two spires of his 'children' achieving some lasting importance toward that (or his son achieving it in full with the aid of his sisters) increase. As he expired, Lord Worm, his Elemental Patron, reach out his hand and Raylyss accepted and found himself in the muddy grave of the Silt Court, filled with half-rotted zombies and writhing worm-monsters.
--- The group took his stuff and carted his body to their room, where the the eldest of the girls heard the bad news and sought revenge. She later informed the party that Raylyss' things were their inheritance, and she looked very serious about defending that claim.

The area the party was now travelling through is a series of mangrove stands and islets, cut with channels and coves (much like the area they had just departed), and the soundings were too shallow to proceed after dark, and they anchored as a storm rolled in. In the morning, Kitsune spotted the shredded sails of another craft draped across the mangrove canopy some ways off, and the ship frothed on through the shallows. This wrecked ship was apparently attacked in the early part of the storm by Humanoid sea-raiders (including serpent people), and their floating bodies clogged the way for ship. Gaff-hooking the corpses aboard for scientific study by the Sleeper Scientists resulted in the discovery of strange alchemical gear (explosive-filled distraction weapons like shuriken) and wrist dispensers of an alchemical fuze. Eventually the survivors of the shipwreck (astronomers, botanists, chemists, etc.) were glad to board the pleasure ship and immediately began to drink up and game.

It was upon this ship that the new character was unveiled. He is a heavy spacer-framed Imperial Manifestation with Radiant blood, and lots of it. He was shipwrecked after fleeing the Vrun Continent as a wanted criminal, accused of gross negligence resulting in the loss of 35 lives. He advances as an Aberrant, but is exceptionally robust in his capabilities, and should be a lot of fun in the game.

The next encounter was that of a large boat/small-ship-sized cephalomalian in his river-bisected lagoon, and the living, human contents of three or four lifeboats entwined in his primary tentacles. "Pay tribute or they die." His bellowing, bubbling voice erupted from the frothing water. Everyone was ready to attack it, but the captain, for the sake of those in the boats, capitulated, sending over (as the new character suggested) 300+ pounds of salt-water taffy (most of it conjured fabrications) to the Monstrous Being (along with champagne and other goods) on the backs of rays sent to receive the tribute.
--Devouring the rays and the tribute, the Being was well pleased and released the boats and the humans unharmed. It was later realised that ink from the creature seemed to act as the water-life control agent, as schools of different fish moved in stunning and colourful displays as the ship reversed engines and headed out for deeper waters in the bid to still make it the tidal lake by high tide, full moon in two days.

I believe that we held it there.

Longish Multisession Play Report from Thursday Hangout Games

Kyrinn S. Eis • 19 May 2016

19th May 2016

Svajsdokje

Pop.: 113,400

Q'LAQ RR' XA
'Primordial Wisdom Flowing with Wisdom'
"Firstblood Brood"

* TERRAIN: Thawing frost over black volcanic desert, moss forests, frost and steam vents, frozen acid pools, hot alkaline pools
* LIFE: 'Dragonwasps' [S/Nv], Duren (Black Grazers) [H/Hv], 'Screw-Wings' [S/Ov], 'Shieldhogs' [P/Ov], and a variety of small avians and mammals
* POPULATION: 423,000
:: Baqej Clans (NOC) Duren Herders, News-Bearers, and Traders {72%}
:: Sebahsjyq Clans (AOv) Farmers, Shieldhog Ranchers, Craftsmens, and Scribes {24%}
:: Jesdoksvaj Clans (UOv) Craftsmen, Scribes, Artists & Entertainers, Support Trades {03%}
:: Others {01%}

Burn Baby Burn: Parsimony in her despair embraces a flamethrower attacker in the employ of Numeneurian House Red Drake (Firebloods). Stanet (+Lightning and Aether House Red Drake) interferes in attempts by the flamethrower and Parsimony and Kalyn, smothering Parsimony's flames, but blunting Kalyn's would be KO punch. The random encounter Cyborg was kicked asleep and didn't figure much. Trying to reach a tower at low tide, now the party will have to wait for Parsimony to heal (slowly now at less than half HP). ...

The Baqej Clans are most numerous, and with the most powerful warlords and largest group of religious warlocks. The regional religion is based upon the worship and sacrifice to four elemental gods; each of the four also has three cohort. The warlords can field over 200,000 fighters, most of whom are trained warriors. The Baqej have over 360 warlocks, each attended by 221 zealots.

The Sebahsjyq Clans are primarily Farmers, Shieldhog Ranchers, Craftsmens, and Scribes and represent roughly 24% of the regional population with 112,512 as of last census. Their five warlords have over 31,000 dedicated warriors, and can raise another 32 thousand militia. With the second largest group of religious warlocks at 107 (and 23,647 zealots), the smaller clans are not to be antagonised. The city of Jyqsebahsh (where the PCs are currently), contains all of the Sebahsjyq clans, and holds Baqej and others as well.

:: Jesdoksvaj Clans (UOv) Craftsmen, Scribes, Artists & Entertainers, Support Trades {03%}
* Svajsdokje | Pop.: 18,750 :: Jesdoksvaj Clan Majority (entire Jesdoksvaj & Other Clans population). The minority group, remnants of an earlier era of their domination of the greater region, the Jesdoksvaj are urban dwellers by preference, and their entire culture is derived from the needs of maintenance and social satisfaction, providing much in the way of taverns and public smoking cafes, to museums and art galleries. Under Baqej rule, the Jesdoksvaj have been reduced to one city, and their numbers ninefold-decimated, while their other cities have been inhabited by the Sebahsjyq and Baqej who enjoy the amenities and planning. The Sebahsjyq are perhaps sympathetic to the Jesdoksvaj plight, the bloody fighting which wrought this reversal of fortune is too recent for either party to entertain notions to overthrow the much more powerful Baqej.

The party survives an afternoon out on the town, narrowly avoiding addiction to Atigo's Wine, and helping to prevent the retaliation of the local warlocks for an attack by incensed Imperial QinqNol drunk on said wine. An unnatural wind blows in from the wilderness and Parsimony collects 21 True Magic points at the cost of 13 hit points. The party will begin next session roughly 2 days later with preparations for the heist.

The weather is showing only slight improvement after a few days of unusually cold and powerful winds left the city frosted over. Some roof collapses and even foundation cracks were observed in buildings around the tavern, but it seemed to have weathered better. The ice was a deterrent for most folk, but some Warlocks and their zealots were patrolling, and making rounds checking in on the faithful. During the freeze, the few patrons who had been trapped in the tavern were doing their best to budget themselves and arguing with, V'qeu, the proprietor, about his prices. In general, even tempers prevailed, and the atmosphere remained comfortable against the cold.

Today is still very cold and windy, and under normal circumstances, would be a terrible weather day, but it is still an improvement. Going out for supplies may be possible later if the shops open after noon, but it will only be for a few hours if they do. Strangers, apparently used to this sort of weather, are oot and aboot, laughing at the shuttered shops and pounding on the drink and smoke stalls. Some make their way to the /Tan Mantis/ tavern where you are staying, and are boisterous, but not as much so as the QinqNol. They number four (4), and are dressed in fur cloaks and revealing leather armour. Two males are armed with double-bited axes, while the two women are armed with greatswords. The barbarians brought a carcass with them to be cooked, and are hungrily tearing it apart and calling for more stout beer. Perhaps it is due to the revels, but a warlock has just entered the tavern, and looks the place over before sitting in the same section as some of the characters; the upstairs rooms far less comfortable than the open hearth of the main floor. Her head is shaved, and arcane tattoos of black and red ink contrast with her pale skin. This warlock seems inhuman, and her strange lanky form is hidden beneath her robes, but she seems hardened by disciplines as well as travels. Looking up from her expensive pomegranate liqueur, she catches the eye of one of you...

Getting into a fight with the barbarians after one of the males insulted the Water Warlock, the party once again dominates, but no one is slain, and the Warlock disappeared; just then, a zealot walks by and snoops into their activities. The party have a brief interaction with the female barbarians (one of whom Merc tried to murder, and who was furious, but her friend laughed it off and kept the peace), and Merc had kissie-face with the cool headed barbarian woman to help legitimise the ruse to the zealot that all was fine. The party fled to the basement and after stumbling into something weird in one adjoining building, entered a second. This looked fine, but had a trapped stair leading to a teleport pad depositing them in a 60' cube filled 5' full of ash-fine dust. Escape effected, the party got into a fight with guards playing a complex game, and killed or KO'd everyone. There is a doorway to their left, and one forward, through the kitchenette. Framed posters hang on the walls, and there is modern furniture and TV in this break room.

After two fights, and 11 facility personnel later, the party fled from the break room, only to find that a storm had recalled the flight crews and vehicle teams, explaining why so many personnel were accessing this break room. The storm turned from bad to worse very suddenly, and a tornado began buffeting the high-tech tower, buckling portions. Evacuation began and the PCs pursued a group looking to gain access to craft. Harrowing experiences, and many Escalation dice later, the characters made their way into a Class 10 space craft, and narrowly escaped as the tornado ripped the structure apart. Last known destination of this tower-personnel-crewed ship is another tower out to sea.

After flying to the remote facility, a prison at sea, the party of active PCs (Ryan's and Anne's) plotted to take action to secure the craft, but their chance never materialised. After some time on the deck of the facility, an event occurred at the threshold of the atmosphere which then rained down portions of what was likely a Size Factor 50 ship. The NPC leader flew the group back to the mainland and the two PCs were pressed into service, but ditched that to find a vehicle out. Settling on an airboat, a female security officer was attacked, stripped of uniform and gear, and dumped into the water as her backup was arriving. The party chose not to examine a giant termite-like mound, and instead, running low on fuel, made their way to a giant tree isle where the group has had a night's rest.

In the morning, the group find several animals on the outside of the enclosed airboat, and slugs or something have wormed their way in.

Installing an endurance / performance booster, S'tanet aided the group in arriving at a trading post and rest stop in the riverglade. Conveniently, her House had a contact there and S'tanet made efforts to find the man while the others enjoyed a meal and drinks with those friendly to the uniform the impostors wore. The contact was killed by a mysterious group of men who then fired a tranquiliser into S'tanet, rendering her unconscious. A lucky stroke of lightning prevented their abduction of her, and others came to her aid. Hiding out with their hosts, the PCs obtained Phasic power packs for their beam weapons before securing passage to Heuph, a megalopolis on the southern peninsula were they found themselves. From Heuph, the party planned to travel over sea to the mainland and from there, take a series of flights to [AfghanIceland] where their mission to steal the prize for Parsimony's demon patron lies (as well as their ship).

Returning to Jyqsebahsh, the party learn that debris from the orbital and near system conflict has fallen on the outskirts of the city, and folk are restricted from entering until examined by the Warlocks. Of the party, Kalyn (Ryan) is the only to contract higher intelligence. The party has carried a portable alchemical lab to be delivered to their Ohevoj dealer contact, Tomaj. They are interrupted by a woman being remotely controlled. She prophesies that the party are going to unleash Darkness upon the world. Warlocks and zealots get involved, and she is carried away. the Ohevoj Mercutio gathered is purchased and then the payment for delivery of the alchemy lab is given. S'Tanet decides to reach her cousin, only to find that she is under attack, dying and giving up part of her power to S'Tanet and warning her of the same dark power. Travelling out of town to await a House Red Drake recovery ship, they provide her with supplies and then depart without her: the situation too dangerous and the need to maintain a House presence on Yngarr too great. Local authorities launch a pursuit craft which the Red Drake ship destroys.

After observing the tower owned by the holder of the power object, the party enter a sewer tunnel normally under water, but exposed in a rare multiple-moon tidal event. Unused, the tunnel leads to an airlock which requires 20 minutes of combined abilities to open. A series of rooms and doors lead the group to an area with increasing security presence. Parsimony's connection to her demon patron guides the group towards the object. A one Round combat, dominated by the PCs, results in the death of three guards. The next room holds the door to the item chamber, but is warded by lower planar energies. S'Tanet and two others pool their power to neutralise the ward. Parsimony then enters, protected by her patron, and retrieves the power object, as guards enter from two doors. The group must exit the level from another direction, as the water entrance is no longer viable.

Fighting and extreme actions led to Parsimony opening a portal to any of the moons of Yngarr, and through which the party escaped the tower. Appearing upon the Blue Queen Moon, the party now mulls its options.

The Blue Queen Moon has proven a rough and tumble place, Pard'ner. After foiling a hostile business takeover and the assassination of a more moderate faction in the multi-party mining business, the PCs have had a week or so to recover from their rigours.

Anne Hunter • 4 Aug 2016

"The more moderate faction?" Does that mean Agatha and Dexter hired Dar because they objected to using alien monsters as mining equipment? Does that mean we're the bad guys here?

Oh well, Mercutio's fine with a little slavery and graft, as long as he gets to wet his beak.

Kyrinn S. Eis • 4 Aug 2016

The Col. was the more moderate faction.

Parsimony's Cosmic Sorcery contacting the Blue Moon resulted in a negotiated pace with her blue stone giants: Mercutio would sacrifice himself to raise a crop of food to sate the giants in exchange for a cessation of raids upon the caravans. 28 days after his ritual murder, Mercutio arose fresh and fine and 1k XP richer the experience. Returning to Westville on the first night of Old Man Nickles ("He didn't have much, he didn't have much, he didn't have much, but he gave it all...") everyone was cheerful and gave gifts of jingle bells and tiny rattling cups as reminders of charity, and much hot spiced Jack was drunk.

Resolving a past traumatic event in Parsimony's life, the party finds itself in a new star system, with an Aelbaan system ship ('it's bigger on the inside'). Long range scans indicate at least one habitable world.

Anne Hunter • 24 Aug 2016

I like the idea that while Parsimony *thinks* of her room as unbelievably sparse and Spartan (by Aelbaen standards) the rest of us are agog at the overstuffedness and luxury.

Kyrinn S. Eis • 24 Aug 2016

Absolutely. :-)

"What? You mean not every ship has at least one pocket dimension? "

The party began to explore the large, G3 star system with 12 orbits (one of which is an asteroid belt, in orbit 6); five habitable worlds ranging from QR 75 to QR 96+. The belt is inhabited by very fearsome avians with the ability to disintegrate (presumably the rock); they possess very limited space flight (mostly between nearest asteroids). The nicest of habitable worlds is inhabited by tribal units of an advanced synthetic alien with 9 limbs, but brittle construction; these appear to utilise gate travel technology rather than ships, and war amongst themselves over resources and noble bloodlines. That is about all that is definitively known about the worlds.

The party set down on the 5th planet, on a savanna continent, hunted riverglade capricorn, and were affected by the rest of the herd with a sort of psychic disorientation. The continent has an overall orange-yellow colouration, and the sky is a deep violet colour. Parsimony is planning on re-educating her Human servants so that they can survive without her.

Spaceship larger on the inside, but no warp drive. Stuck in the system. Very fearsome Avians in the asteroid belt, while nine limbed, gate using, aliens inhabit an earthlike world (one of a few, in this star system).

They move on to another earthlike, discover Vrun (Humans) in a non starfaring state. Vrun are occasionally attacked by amphibian species: Slaad, who are scattered about the planet. PCs surveil an island, study their transmissions and other communications methods, and decide to use the cover of a tropical storm to raid technology to sell to the Vrun. The PCs are stalking around in a hurricane at night in their skintight spacesuits, and are ambushed by 15 Slaadi. The Martial Arts Warrior guts one before it strikes. Two attack the other two PCs, but their 1d4 attacks cannot meaningfully penetrate the suits. However, the PCs are captured.

Waking in separate chambers, the party find that they have had tissue samples taken from them while in the amphibian facility. Escaping from each chamber is decidedly easy, as each has several tunnels leading to other chambers. In time, the party is reunited, meet a Vrun who has been imprisoned for some time, and heard the voices of other Humans but do not met them. the noises have been getting louder and closer, until a large red amphibian appears from a tunnel, but is misdirected by S'Tanet and goes off to attack the Vun prisoners. One large dark grey-green 'phibian pulls itself into a narrow tunnel in pursuit of the party, and S'Tanet kills it, doused in its blood. Parsimony jumps into dark water, avoids taking any damage, and then realises it was further down than she had thought. The party is flown, one by one, out of the cave by S'Tanet, but Parsimony, the last to leave, is attacked with some sort of magic or mental effect. The party learned that more Human-like creatures are working with the 'phibians. Finding the air/raft, the party escapes before entering again into a ground fight with the creatures; Kalyn is injured by some sort of energy shotgun. They debate the best plan to exist the eye of the hurricane, and reach Parsimony's ship.

Folks are stuck in a large star system with at least three earthlike worlds in the Goldilocks zone, and an alien-inhabited asteroid belt. After flying through a hurricane's eye-wall on an air/raft, the party returned to the very much Space: 1999 Eagle Lander craft they have, and almost immediately are fired upon by a ship almost 4x their size. The weapon to size differential was pretty brutal, inflicting hits past armour on Aux. Power, Cargo (crew module), Interstitial (yay, free hits) and something else memory escapes me at present. The Security Officer (and Crook) provided a sensor scan of the enemy craft, worth a bonus of +11 to strike, and the Martial Arts Warrior manning the mega laser scored high enough with Initiative bonus and the scanner bonus, to inflict a critical hit against the larger ship (Main Weapon, Aux. Power, Lifesupport). The smaller and more manoeuvrable lander escaped and headed to the largest human city, Bay City, located upon and in a crescent shaped atoll. Well treated, the cautious humans explain that they do not yet possess FTL capabilities, but possess old Imperial Jump Drive plans, needing to build them from materials out in the asteroid belt. The party volunteered to fetch the goods and provide advanced engineering skill in exchange for a jump ship. Friends were made.

Setting out after re-provisioning, the lander sped off towards the Asteroid Belt. Although I wanted to err on the side of caution, I was off by a lot: rather than 2 mo., it really took more like 12 Hours at 20 million Miles/Hour (18.47 Hexes per Round). Exploration was hampered by a recent collision and resultant debris cloud. Space animals were observed. Later, a radioactives source was found and secured in provided containers. An alien craft, apparently Avianoid, approached, scanned, and made first contact, indicating the craft should follow.