(c) Copyright 2007, Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
THE ALKEMIKALS-
AETHER: LORD HYPERION
CREATURE: GHOST
+ LIGHTNING: PRINCE THUNDER
CREATURE: BOLT
SHADOW: LORD SHADOW
CREATURE: SHADOW WOLF
AIR: THE MOON-FAERY SISTERS
CREATURE: SYLPH
FROST: LADY ARCTISE
CREATURE: ARCTIC FOX
SMOKE: CHANCELLOR SNUFF
CREATURE: MATCHSTICK MAN/WOMAN
FIRE: PRINCE WICK
CREATURE: SALAMANDER
STEAM: PANT THE IT
CREATURE: LECH
WATER: PRINCESS WAVE
CREATURE: NAIAD
SILT: LORD WORM
CREATURE: GRUE
DUST: MR. DUST
CREATURE: DUSTDEVIL
EARTH: PRINCE TREMOR
CREATURE: GNOME
GLASS: PRINCESS VAIN
CREATURE: VISION
RADIANCE: PRINCE LUCENT
CREATURE: SPECTRAL RAY
- LIGHTNING: PRINCESS NYX
CREATURE: VAMPIRE
VOID: MISTRESS ABYSS
CREATURE: CHAOS
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Bulletin Board Post (BBP)-
* I have amassed a small book of mutation tables from various editions of various games, and now need to distil a list for inclusion in the RPG, while the rest get reserved for a potential subsequent product.
* Ken St. Andre has been kind enough to be interviewed, and I will post that soon -- likely this week.
* Re-focusing on the essential list of topics that still need to be covered for UWoM, using BFRPG as a comparison of what to include and what to leave out.
* Further the wargaming rules outline.
* Ken St. Andre has been kind enough to be interviewed, and I will post that soon -- likely this week.
* Re-focusing on the essential list of topics that still need to be covered for UWoM, using BFRPG as a comparison of what to include and what to leave out.
* Further the wargaming rules outline.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
[RPG] Critter (Limited OGC)-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
The statistics block is designated Open Gaming Content under the terms of the Open Gaming License version 1.0a.
Qetswn ('Exceedingly Subtle, FAST, Wise Spirit')-
]OGC[
Fight Dice: 1+2 to 8+16 depending on age
Resolve: (+8 + FD)
Defence/Armour: variable: (+12 + FD +1d6/1d6EM)
AB: (+1 + FD)
# Attacks: 2 By Weapon Type/Claw-Claw-Bite/Bite
Damage: Light-weapons/1d4 + .5 FD/1d6 + .5 FD
Move: 40 x FD' LoS Phase Travel, at will
Organisation: Family (2 adults, 1d4 kits)
CT: (+5 + .5 FD)
Loot: +67% Types IV-I
XP: (75 - 1,875 Base) + (42 x FD)
]OGC[
These sleekly-angled, long and lean creatures are capable of both upright and quadrapedal locomotion, and have three-fingered hands with opposable thumbs and padded palms and digits that terminate in claws of iron. The Qetswn are rather adept with their natural weaponry which extends to their toothy bite, but prefer the Shizar (thrusting Rapier) or the Brumshal (Cutlass). Clothing tends to be loose and easily shed, and often includes a long coat and a broad-brimmed hat with a rust-coloured feather tucked in its band.
Qetswn are vulpine (fox-like) in appearance and behaviour and rarely settle down in an area if it is heavily populated, although they will gladly traverse a metropolis in search of their victims. Their usual tactic is to disguise themselves with their coat and hat and operate near taverns and docks, as well as other areas frequented by prostitutes. Depending on the 'clientèle' either a female or male Qetswn will move forward toward the client, while the mate will co-ordinate and attack as soon as the trap is sprung.
Victims are then raced off to a feeding ground, where the parents ingest the food for transport and delivery to the kit(s). It is through this contact and systemic familiarity with the victim that the Qetswn's remarkable Humanesque ability gains a broader pallet, for it is the way they are able to assume a generic human-like appearance, in face and full body. Feeding humans to their young, early, provides a great aid in their survival and propagation. It lasts for (24/FD -- meaning it is easier for a younger Qetswn to maintain their human form than it is for an older creature) hours before another human must be eaten to re-activate the extremely taxing ability.
Qetswn are only injured by High Energetic or Magicked weapons.
The statistics block is designated Open Gaming Content under the terms of the Open Gaming License version 1.0a.
Qetswn ('Exceedingly Subtle, FAST, Wise Spirit')-
]OGC[
Fight Dice: 1+2 to 8+16 depending on age
Resolve: (+8 + FD)
Defence/Armour: variable: (+12 + FD +1d6/1d6EM)
AB: (+1 + FD)
# Attacks: 2 By Weapon Type/Claw-Claw-Bite/Bite
Damage: Light-weapons/1d4 + .5 FD/1d6 + .5 FD
Move: 40 x FD' LoS Phase Travel, at will
Organisation: Family (2 adults, 1d4 kits)
CT: (+5 + .5 FD)
Loot: +67% Types IV-I
XP: (75 - 1,875 Base) + (42 x FD)
]OGC[
These sleekly-angled, long and lean creatures are capable of both upright and quadrapedal locomotion, and have three-fingered hands with opposable thumbs and padded palms and digits that terminate in claws of iron. The Qetswn are rather adept with their natural weaponry which extends to their toothy bite, but prefer the Shizar (thrusting Rapier) or the Brumshal (Cutlass). Clothing tends to be loose and easily shed, and often includes a long coat and a broad-brimmed hat with a rust-coloured feather tucked in its band.
Qetswn are vulpine (fox-like) in appearance and behaviour and rarely settle down in an area if it is heavily populated, although they will gladly traverse a metropolis in search of their victims. Their usual tactic is to disguise themselves with their coat and hat and operate near taverns and docks, as well as other areas frequented by prostitutes. Depending on the 'clientèle' either a female or male Qetswn will move forward toward the client, while the mate will co-ordinate and attack as soon as the trap is sprung.
Victims are then raced off to a feeding ground, where the parents ingest the food for transport and delivery to the kit(s). It is through this contact and systemic familiarity with the victim that the Qetswn's remarkable Humanesque ability gains a broader pallet, for it is the way they are able to assume a generic human-like appearance, in face and full body. Feeding humans to their young, early, provides a great aid in their survival and propagation. It lasts for (24/FD -- meaning it is easier for a younger Qetswn to maintain their human form than it is for an older creature) hours before another human must be eaten to re-activate the extremely taxing ability.
Qetswn are only injured by High Energetic or Magicked weapons.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
[Milieu][Wargaming] Preview-
(c) Copyright 1998, 2000, 2006, 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
WARGAMING URUTSK-
: Autumn Garden
I - Overview
II - Colour Logic
III - Constructive Dice Pool Basics
----------------------------------------
IV - Unit Data
V - Squad Structure
VI - Cohort Rules (Attached Units)
----------------------------------------
VII - Formations & Distributed Assets
VIII - Command & Control
IX - Poor Order, Disarray, & Route
----------------------------------------
X - Terrain & Movement
XI - Darkness, Weather, & Circumstance
XII - High Energetics & Magical Effects
----------------------------------------
XIII - Optional Complications
XIV - Roster of Forces
XV - Scenarios
----------------------------------------
XVI - Postscript
I - Overview
II - Colour Logic
III - Constructive Dice Pool Basics
----------------------------------------
I - Overview-
Daqhtshal:Ikarentes-Yahannl
<"I am a dutiful, trained soldier: Proud First Wave Air Cavalry, a Devastator">
No, knowledge of the Vrun language is not necessary to use this rules-outline, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. In fact, you may be surprised at just how much of it you will learn through the process of reading these pages.
I took the opportunity to illustrate the manner in which Vrun structure their divisions, and the idiomatic manner in which, in this instance, the Resth Clan Confederacy name their companies.
When the Ancients, the First Parents, fell from the sky in the War in the Heavens, they brought with them a diverse range of martial traditions dating from millennia before, and millions of worlds amid the infinite Empyrean.
Because of the haphazard manner in which they tumbled to Urutsk from the great heights of the Space Beyond the Sky < Aya 'Eye-Ah' > , the variety of troops and armed units became so dispersed that individuals or detachment-sized remnants of squads and larger groups simply became associated with enclaves of other survivors.
From this jumble of civil servants, constabulary, home guard from dozens of environments, to elite and specialised warfighters, isolated societies cobbled together their individual tables of organisation, training, and deployment as Black Winter set in with its scouring celestial wind of space debris and plasma storms.
In some locales, due to the distribution of more favourable geographic features, limited surface activity was possible over the time-forgotten span of the Scourge. However, the vast majority of the scattered Imperial cantons were forced literally underground and expanded their holdings over the centuries.
It was not long before the tunnelling unearthed and awakened long dormant creatures and monstrous civilisations as recent as their own, also escaped to Urutsk. These wars, The Onyx Battle < Yuon Hakar >, never truly ended. It was only the gospel report of the Scourge's cessation that allowed Humanity to flee the Stygian depths for the sunlit world of the surface.
While certain kingdoms and other cultures did meet during that long period, few had the resources to maintain larger communities and had often kept the contact secret from their constiuents. Now upon the surface, the enclaves and empires of thirty or more generations removed cousins gradually were reunited.
The grand traditions of the Imperium made the re-integration of the disparate colonies more easily possible. Of course, there were those who desired no part of the resurrected behemoth that had created the Cataclysm, and from these 'deserters' came the first intra-Human wars.
But Fate was kind to renew the enmities with the non-Human, and in some cases, also the Allied Peoples (human-like aliens). More often than not, Human enemies were brought past their bickering and resource grabs to unite briefly against their common foes.
Through these various organic mechanisms of transmission and re-implementation, there became a great commonality to Human military endeavours that was retained as various groups spread out to seed the barren planet with animal and plant life from their long-destroyed homeworlds and others once held within the Imperium's grasp.
From the hereditary melange that had defined the Core of the Imperium ('The Sphere of Suns'), as had been recorded in myths of the long vanished past, Humanity became a species of multiple peoples. As the Human pool of bloods split and refined, specialised, and re-introduced other groups, the ethnicities of Urutsk came into being in only a few hundred years. With these divisions, martial procedures changed and were lost to time and replaced with more ideal methodologies and practical measures as suited each group's particular needs.
As the planet grew lush and green, as the rains fed the multitudes with blue and white-tipped marsh grains and fattened game animals, in many cases the non-human races began to find more ideal conditions above ground and expanded rapidly -- often out-breeding humans by several generations.
These groups usually fell upon each other as readily as upon Humans, but in some cases, great bands or more subtle confederacies were formed, and these both were a thorn in Humanity's side for much of the Mad Spring.
WARGAMING URUTSK-
: Autumn Garden
I - Overview
II - Colour Logic
III - Constructive Dice Pool Basics
----------------------------------------
IV - Unit Data
V - Squad Structure
VI - Cohort Rules (Attached Units)
----------------------------------------
VII - Formations & Distributed Assets
VIII - Command & Control
IX - Poor Order, Disarray, & Route
----------------------------------------
X - Terrain & Movement
XI - Darkness, Weather, & Circumstance
XII - High Energetics & Magical Effects
----------------------------------------
XIII - Optional Complications
XIV - Roster of Forces
XV - Scenarios
----------------------------------------
XVI - Postscript
I - Overview
II - Colour Logic
III - Constructive Dice Pool Basics
----------------------------------------
I - Overview-
Daqhtshal:Ikarentes-Yahannl
<"I am a dutiful, trained soldier: Proud First Wave Air Cavalry, a Devastator">
No, knowledge of the Vrun language is not necessary to use this rules-outline, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. In fact, you may be surprised at just how much of it you will learn through the process of reading these pages.
I took the opportunity to illustrate the manner in which Vrun structure their divisions, and the idiomatic manner in which, in this instance, the Resth Clan Confederacy name their companies.
When the Ancients, the First Parents, fell from the sky in the War in the Heavens, they brought with them a diverse range of martial traditions dating from millennia before, and millions of worlds amid the infinite Empyrean.
Because of the haphazard manner in which they tumbled to Urutsk from the great heights of the Space Beyond the Sky < Aya 'Eye-Ah' > , the variety of troops and armed units became so dispersed that individuals or detachment-sized remnants of squads and larger groups simply became associated with enclaves of other survivors.
From this jumble of civil servants, constabulary, home guard from dozens of environments, to elite and specialised warfighters, isolated societies cobbled together their individual tables of organisation, training, and deployment as Black Winter set in with its scouring celestial wind of space debris and plasma storms.
In some locales, due to the distribution of more favourable geographic features, limited surface activity was possible over the time-forgotten span of the Scourge. However, the vast majority of the scattered Imperial cantons were forced literally underground and expanded their holdings over the centuries.
It was not long before the tunnelling unearthed and awakened long dormant creatures and monstrous civilisations as recent as their own, also escaped to Urutsk. These wars, The Onyx Battle < Yuon Hakar >
While certain kingdoms and other cultures did meet during that long period, few had the resources to maintain larger communities and had often kept the contact secret from their constiuents. Now upon the surface, the enclaves and empires of thirty or more generations removed cousins gradually were reunited.
The grand traditions of the Imperium made the re-integration of the disparate colonies more easily possible. Of course, there were those who desired no part of the resurrected behemoth that had created the Cataclysm, and from these 'deserters' came the first intra-Human wars.
But Fate was kind to renew the enmities with the non-Human, and in some cases, also the Allied Peoples (human-like aliens). More often than not, Human enemies were brought past their bickering and resource grabs to unite briefly against their common foes.
Through these various organic mechanisms of transmission and re-implementation, there became a great commonality to Human military endeavours that was retained as various groups spread out to seed the barren planet with animal and plant life from their long-destroyed homeworlds and others once held within the Imperium's grasp.
From the hereditary melange that had defined the Core of the Imperium ('The Sphere of Suns'), as had been recorded in myths of the long vanished past, Humanity became a species of multiple peoples. As the Human pool of bloods split and refined, specialised, and re-introduced other groups, the ethnicities of Urutsk came into being in only a few hundred years. With these divisions, martial procedures changed and were lost to time and replaced with more ideal methodologies and practical measures as suited each group's particular needs.
As the planet grew lush and green, as the rains fed the multitudes with blue and white-tipped marsh grains and fattened game animals, in many cases the non-human races began to find more ideal conditions above ground and expanded rapidly -- often out-breeding humans by several generations.
These groups usually fell upon each other as readily as upon Humans, but in some cases, great bands or more subtle confederacies were formed, and these both were a thorn in Humanity's side for much of the Mad Spring.
Blah...-
With three of my four players present, we began where we left off, and it quickly became clear that there was no (winnable) fight without Tybalt (the PC of the missing player). Captured once the Control (Spells) Test was failed, the PCs were eventually purchased in trade by out-riders hired by the Kherstic League (PC patron organisation) to fetch them from the local manifestation of the TriUne goddess (while different from the Morrigan in particulars of the setting, similar enough for this purpose).
Once out of the witches' camp, the out-riders then suggested that they'd be better served negotiating a newer, higher price for the PCs. In a rare fit of using an NPC'd PC, I had Tybalt create a distraction using the comm-link, which spooked the 'cossacks' for two Rounds and allowed the party to escape. End of gimped session.
Whatever uneasy feelings I may have about tonight's session, I will chalk up to tired players and Referee and general oddness at the LGS.
I may be in the irregularly-scheduled C&C Freeport game tomorr-- Later today.
> publish post, shut down system, sleep <
Once out of the witches' camp, the out-riders then suggested that they'd be better served negotiating a newer, higher price for the PCs. In a rare fit of using an NPC'd PC, I had Tybalt create a distraction using the comm-link, which spooked the 'cossacks' for two Rounds and allowed the party to escape. End of gimped session.
Whatever uneasy feelings I may have about tonight's session, I will chalk up to tired players and Referee and general oddness at the LGS.
I may be in the irregularly-scheduled C&C Freeport game tomorr-- Later today.
> publish post, shut down system, sleep <
Thursday, April 23, 2009
[Mushy-Stuff] My Top Gaming Influences-
This post is one in which I look back down the corridor of time at the gaming guys that shaped my gaming life and contributed to my (current) outlook on RPGs.
* Joe Cruz: My first AD&D 'DM'. Not the nicest, loyalist friend one would have wanted, but this cat had style, and that most certainly extended to his GMing style. While it was more of an Adversarial relationship than not, Joe made abusing us rather enjoyable. It was in his game, hosted at the Frankenhoff house, that I took a 1st level Fighter through the entire Giants, Slavers, Drow, Queen of the Demonweb Pits series with only a +1 sword, and survived.
Joe's GMing ability wasn't confined to AD&D. He also Refereed a Traveller campaign (Little Black Book-era), a few Gamma World (1st Ed.) games, RuneQuest (AH), and even Skyrealms of Jorune. Joe is responsible for turning me on to Tunnels & Trolls.
* Rob Luben: Damn! We gamed so much. You name it, we played it, or wanted to. Not content with a monstrous gaming library, we modified and invented from wholecloth games that suited our Savage Tales mindset from earliest teens to our twenties and a scattered bit beyond that.
Rob's inclusion of mild comedy; his acting ability and interest in depicting his characters and NPCs; his very elegant mechanical design mindset; and his ability to run Hero System games on the fly made him not only a fun GM, but a very rewarding player. His great achievements, by mey estimation, are an even more streamlined version of (Moldvay-Basic + Tunnels & Trolls), and a d% combat engine he had called, 'The Dance'. My favourite game with him was my last (to date) in which my too-wonderful Gladiator character (Fantasy Hero) was given to the Asian-Elves. He disarmed a sort of Jedi, and managed to catch her anscestral sword before it plunged into the deeps. Steyrn you are just too bad! ;p
* John Jordan: Contemporary of Rob's, John was the ADDH fuel to our Savage Tales, Car Wars + Tunnels & Trolls + Justifiers + WEG Star Wars -esque games. A great, self-doubting artist with a really unique style. Skater, Bassist, Prankster.
Guns, guns, guns, and Japan! Imperial Rising Sun motifs were blazoned across character sheets, on character headbands, in twin upon a busty gun-bunny's tee > eye-roll <. John dug his idea of Japanese stuff in a big way. It was during this time that I learned most of what one ought not do behind the wheel of a muscle car. > huge grin <
* Andrew Overton: The Cajun-Bavarian pizza-delivery magus with time-travel powers. This man was so resourceful, I once proposed that they ought to create a Swiss Utility Knife with a minature version of Andrew as one of the tools. The other third of things I ought not have learnt came from Andrew, and I thank G-d for that. We were once tremendously close friends.
Andrew's bizzaro AD&D + The Arcanum + Palladium RPG +++ was an institution of Broward Gamers (not a few who were also Rocky Horror Picture Show live cast members), and was easily the longest running game I ever participated in. Rob and I nearly drove Andrew crazy with all of the one-shot games we ran. My fondest gaming memory (for, lo, there were so many other Mythbuster-like memories) is where he and I played low-level Rob D&D characters, and we killed four armed and armoured NPC with cantrips and an inn table. Slam!-Duo-Delusion-Slam-Bee! :D
* Gilbert Milner: Deconstructionist, revisionist, gamist v. fantasist freakin' genius, with the patience and general disposition of a saint. If I could only remember one-half of the gamelogical discussions he and I had, I would be a mini-Buddha after him. We didn't always come close to agreeing, and I still think Nobilis and its ilk are something other than RPGs, but Gilbert really put some good stuff in my toolbox, and I'm forever grateful.
From d12+d8 for accurate Roll-under Ability Checks in AD&D; to his advice on how to scale weapon damages to what would drop a normal person in one-strike; to his late-night free-form games by a single candle in quiet Gainesville, FL. Gilbert is golden.
* Chris Harney: Dude! lol... Overly suave, chaw-swillin, coke-can-spittin', Hawaiian-shirt-wearin' Eustace, FL. philosopher. But his very post-apocalyptic-feeling Chartreuse Sparrow campaign brought our characters from 0-level 12 year-old children to adult heroes in a few months of playing. That setting was so cool for a re-imagining of Greyhawk, and although I cannot remember my character's name as clearly as I would like, she was one of my all time favourite to have played.
Weird, but pretty cool times...
* Reed 'Third Rail' Decker: Come back after you have read the others so that you will understand how influential Reed has been in my gaming life. Back? Take all of the best and only the sharpest aspects of the worst of everyone else listed on this page, and bind it together with rusty barbed wire and lovely silk, and you begin to approach Reed's genius. No, seriously.
An absurdist, nihilist, empathic, son of a gun; modern adventurer; and metaplot reductionist beyond compare. I urge him to write a weekly entertainment column, but he's too damn busy writing a second novel, two RPGs, playing multiple games across every major console system, and fending off adopted feral Mexican cats. Go figure.
-- 'Skeezy ho's wan't that skateboard, bad.'
* Roland Yanez: If you can imagine a very Roman male entirely capable of acting like Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes for hours at end with virtually no flubs or breaks, and make him an incredibly capable Shatnerian actor on top of that, you have the most basic glimpse of the complex character that is Roland.
A virual gaming maniac in our youth, R was my main 'arch-ally' in the CyberPUNK era of our gaming. Shoot! R knows cyberpunk in a way similar to Ridley Scott knowing how to direct, and the analogy dosen't end there. Roland likely would have been a household-name had he gone into film. He's a strange guy, but he's plenty interesting.
* Karl Piniero: He bled Red, White, and Blue when I first met him, and brought a real sense of moral dilemma and existential conflict to not only the games, but casual discussion. He doesn't realise how intelligent and wise he is/can be, and it really added a lot to the adventures and even in our world- and game system-designing sessions (18+ hours, day after day...). He had Arcanis art credits for the 1st edition softback, but that's another story...
Karl and I explored a LOT of the Urutsk milieu, and designed more than a few tactical combat (wargames on a Unit and Squad-level) games in our years. Those Blockmen and Vietcong plastic army men battles reproducing the terrible odds the RCC faced against the PAU-backed Khark 'primitives', late night, Hialeah back-porch, smoky game sessions... La! The glory and honour of those poor Resth boys in their isolated fire bases... We remember.
* Scott Charlton: Perhaps the single most talented GM I have had the honour of playing with, and a damn fine player, as well. Mr Charlton has Paradigm Concepts Inc. Arcanis publishing credits, and ENnie nomination(s). He's also a really wonderful artist (from a broken piece of chalk, to the clunkiest 16-bit painting programme).
I think that hour-for-hour, I have had the most fun in games with Scott, regardless of who was GMing. Scott is also one of the more experienced of the Urutsk players.
* Emile Palisoc & John Jacobs: They really were a pair, so no use in discussing them separately. Co-owners of Jacksonville's SANCTUARY rpg store, I had the often grudging honour of gaming all sorts of games I would never have otherwise played, with them. It was in my dark days in Jax that I wargamed more than at any other point before, and which paved the way for the work Karl and I would later do.
Fire & Steel (?) was Emi's RPG, which was like a fantasy version of the Road Warrior world, meets the Legend of Rygar video game. Kynkrea had another incarnation there, as a scimitar wielding rogue of sorts, who rarely stepped back from the front lines, shoulder-to-shoulder with the Barbarian Brothers: Beer! and Cheese! I still begrudge the weird rule where we had to roll to see if we could run at twice our move speed, but, whatever... ;)
So, as you can see, I've had no dearth of positive influences ...as far as gaming is concerned.
* Joe Cruz: My first AD&D 'DM'. Not the nicest, loyalist friend one would have wanted, but this cat had style, and that most certainly extended to his GMing style. While it was more of an Adversarial relationship than not, Joe made abusing us rather enjoyable. It was in his game, hosted at the Frankenhoff house, that I took a 1st level Fighter through the entire Giants, Slavers, Drow, Queen of the Demonweb Pits series with only a +1 sword, and survived.
Joe's GMing ability wasn't confined to AD&D. He also Refereed a Traveller campaign (Little Black Book-era), a few Gamma World (1st Ed.) games, RuneQuest (AH), and even Skyrealms of Jorune. Joe is responsible for turning me on to Tunnels & Trolls.
* Rob Luben: Damn! We gamed so much. You name it, we played it, or wanted to. Not content with a monstrous gaming library, we modified and invented from wholecloth games that suited our Savage Tales mindset from earliest teens to our twenties and a scattered bit beyond that.
Rob's inclusion of mild comedy; his acting ability and interest in depicting his characters and NPCs; his very elegant mechanical design mindset; and his ability to run Hero System games on the fly made him not only a fun GM, but a very rewarding player. His great achievements, by mey estimation, are an even more streamlined version of (Moldvay-Basic + Tunnels & Trolls), and a d% combat engine he had called, 'The Dance'. My favourite game with him was my last (to date) in which my too-wonderful Gladiator character (Fantasy Hero) was given to the Asian-Elves. He disarmed a sort of Jedi, and managed to catch her anscestral sword before it plunged into the deeps. Steyrn you are just too bad! ;p
* John Jordan: Contemporary of Rob's, John was the ADDH fuel to our Savage Tales, Car Wars + Tunnels & Trolls + Justifiers + WEG Star Wars -esque games. A great, self-doubting artist with a really unique style. Skater, Bassist, Prankster.
Guns, guns, guns, and Japan! Imperial Rising Sun motifs were blazoned across character sheets, on character headbands, in twin upon a busty gun-bunny's tee > eye-roll <. John dug his idea of Japanese stuff in a big way. It was during this time that I learned most of what one ought not do behind the wheel of a muscle car. > huge grin <
* Andrew Overton: The Cajun-Bavarian pizza-delivery magus with time-travel powers. This man was so resourceful, I once proposed that they ought to create a Swiss Utility Knife with a minature version of Andrew as one of the tools. The other third of things I ought not have learnt came from Andrew, and I thank G-d for that. We were once tremendously close friends.
Andrew's bizzaro AD&D + The Arcanum + Palladium RPG +++ was an institution of Broward Gamers (not a few who were also Rocky Horror Picture Show live cast members), and was easily the longest running game I ever participated in. Rob and I nearly drove Andrew crazy with all of the one-shot games we ran. My fondest gaming memory (for, lo, there were so many other Mythbuster-like memories) is where he and I played low-level Rob D&D characters, and we killed four armed and armoured NPC with cantrips and an inn table. Slam!-Duo-Delusion-Slam-Bee! :D
* Gilbert Milner: Deconstructionist, revisionist, gamist v. fantasist freakin' genius, with the patience and general disposition of a saint. If I could only remember one-half of the gamelogical discussions he and I had, I would be a mini-Buddha after him. We didn't always come close to agreeing, and I still think Nobilis and its ilk are something other than RPGs, but Gilbert really put some good stuff in my toolbox, and I'm forever grateful.
From d12+d8 for accurate Roll-under Ability Checks in AD&D; to his advice on how to scale weapon damages to what would drop a normal person in one-strike; to his late-night free-form games by a single candle in quiet Gainesville, FL. Gilbert is golden.
* Chris Harney: Dude! lol... Overly suave, chaw-swillin, coke-can-spittin', Hawaiian-shirt-wearin' Eustace, FL. philosopher. But his very post-apocalyptic-feeling Chartreuse Sparrow campaign brought our characters from 0-level 12 year-old children to adult heroes in a few months of playing. That setting was so cool for a re-imagining of Greyhawk, and although I cannot remember my character's name as clearly as I would like, she was one of my all time favourite to have played.
Weird, but pretty cool times...
* Reed 'Third Rail' Decker: Come back after you have read the others so that you will understand how influential Reed has been in my gaming life. Back? Take all of the best and only the sharpest aspects of the worst of everyone else listed on this page, and bind it together with rusty barbed wire and lovely silk, and you begin to approach Reed's genius. No, seriously.
An absurdist, nihilist, empathic, son of a gun; modern adventurer; and metaplot reductionist beyond compare. I urge him to write a weekly entertainment column, but he's too damn busy writing a second novel, two RPGs, playing multiple games across every major console system, and fending off adopted feral Mexican cats. Go figure.
-- 'Skeezy ho's wan't that skateboard, bad.'
* Roland Yanez: If you can imagine a very Roman male entirely capable of acting like Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes for hours at end with virtually no flubs or breaks, and make him an incredibly capable Shatnerian actor on top of that, you have the most basic glimpse of the complex character that is Roland.
A virual gaming maniac in our youth, R was my main 'arch-ally' in the CyberPUNK era of our gaming. Shoot! R knows cyberpunk in a way similar to Ridley Scott knowing how to direct, and the analogy dosen't end there. Roland likely would have been a household-name had he gone into film. He's a strange guy, but he's plenty interesting.
* Karl Piniero: He bled Red, White, and Blue when I first met him, and brought a real sense of moral dilemma and existential conflict to not only the games, but casual discussion. He doesn't realise how intelligent and wise he is/can be, and it really added a lot to the adventures and even in our world- and game system-designing sessions (18+ hours, day after day...). He had Arcanis art credits for the 1st edition softback, but that's another story...
Karl and I explored a LOT of the Urutsk milieu, and designed more than a few tactical combat (wargames on a Unit and Squad-level) games in our years. Those Blockmen and Vietcong plastic army men battles reproducing the terrible odds the RCC faced against the PAU-backed Khark 'primitives', late night, Hialeah back-porch, smoky game sessions... La! The glory and honour of those poor Resth boys in their isolated fire bases... We remember.
* Scott Charlton: Perhaps the single most talented GM I have had the honour of playing with, and a damn fine player, as well. Mr Charlton has Paradigm Concepts Inc. Arcanis publishing credits, and ENnie nomination(s). He's also a really wonderful artist (from a broken piece of chalk, to the clunkiest 16-bit painting programme).
I think that hour-for-hour, I have had the most fun in games with Scott, regardless of who was GMing. Scott is also one of the more experienced of the Urutsk players.
* Emile Palisoc & John Jacobs: They really were a pair, so no use in discussing them separately. Co-owners of Jacksonville's SANCTUARY rpg store, I had the often grudging honour of gaming all sorts of games I would never have otherwise played, with them. It was in my dark days in Jax that I wargamed more than at any other point before, and which paved the way for the work Karl and I would later do.
Fire & Steel (?) was Emi's RPG, which was like a fantasy version of the Road Warrior world, meets the Legend of Rygar video game. Kynkrea had another incarnation there, as a scimitar wielding rogue of sorts, who rarely stepped back from the front lines, shoulder-to-shoulder with the Barbarian Brothers: Beer! and Cheese! I still begrudge the weird rule where we had to roll to see if we could run at twice our move speed, but, whatever... ;)
So, as you can see, I've had no dearth of positive influences ...as far as gaming is concerned.
Bulleted Updates-
* Busy writing the Aberration Tables and tweaking the percentages the way I like them. Largely brain-numbing work, but a labour of love.
I think I will keep those under wraps for the actual release, but perhaps a few teasers.
* The PCs are in for a big fight. I really wish I had the Ice and Snow tiles from Heroscape.
Three women riding sleds pulled by teams of giant stags on one side, a horde of 25 Berserks on the other side, and a bog behind them.
* I'm really conscious of trying to come in around 64 pages (which means more like 80 or 96), and leaving other ideas for a more detailed coverage in a subsequent work.
* Re-discovering my love of 2d12 tables, and new-found respect for the d24.
* etc.
I think I will keep those under wraps for the actual release, but perhaps a few teasers.
* The PCs are in for a big fight. I really wish I had the Ice and Snow tiles from Heroscape.
Three women riding sleds pulled by teams of giant stags on one side, a horde of 25 Berserks on the other side, and a bog behind them.
* I'm really conscious of trying to come in around 64 pages (which means more like 80 or 96), and leaving other ideas for a more detailed coverage in a subsequent work.
* Re-discovering my love of 2d12 tables, and new-found respect for the d24.
* etc.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
[Milieu][RPG] The Khark- (Ethnicity)
(c) Copyright 2000, 2008, 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
Description: The Khark are somewhat shorter than Vrun of the same weight, and are wiry people with ropy muscles seen beneath their bronze skin. The totally subjugated female Khark stands around four feet ten inches tall, and typically weigh around 125 pounds, while males are perhaps 8" taller and weighing 145 pounds. Their long thick, wavy brown hair tends toward red-brown through chestnut, and turns white with age. They have a smooth bronze to light-brown complexion, and most have rich reddish-brown eyes. They are complex and fierce, with little ability to adapt to new environments unless followed in a ritual manner, as the new environment or situation, in their mind, requires the assistance of a host of unseen spirits.
Khark culture is typically angered by the presence of outsiders in their territory, and will initiate hostilities without hesitation. The Khark animist faith is the very glue to the fabric of their life and death. Everything outside of their jungle lands is seen as the borders of Dream (the Jungle), and Nightmare (the rest of the world), and as a result of this belief, have little regard for the value of life, nor ponder the laws of nature apart from their playing out through the elements. Narcotics are a staple ingredient in Khark cooking. Biological lifespan of the Khark is thought to be roughly one hundred and twenty years.
Restrictions: They are required to have a minimum Str and Dex of 11 -- others are killed.
Special Abilities: The Khark are often possessed by various spirits if they offer themselves up to be used as vehicles for the wandering entity. Their chance to become possessed is (33% + Strength + Dexterity + Charisma + Exp), but temporarily increases by +5% per kill they perform.
Once possessed, the Khark character temporarily becomes an NPC, and the player only rolls whatever dice indicated by the Referee. The possession lasts for (1 + Con) Rounds, and provides +5 to all Test, Strike, and Defence rolls. Damage taken while possessed is halved.
Critical Tests: The Khark save at +1 vs. Lifeforce (Death Ray), Health (Poison), and Control (Spells).
---
60
700
===
760 XP
Description: The Khark are somewhat shorter than Vrun of the same weight, and are wiry people with ropy muscles seen beneath their bronze skin. The totally subjugated female Khark stands around four feet ten inches tall, and typically weigh around 125 pounds, while males are perhaps 8" taller and weighing 145 pounds. Their long thick, wavy brown hair tends toward red-brown through chestnut, and turns white with age. They have a smooth bronze to light-brown complexion, and most have rich reddish-brown eyes. They are complex and fierce, with little ability to adapt to new environments unless followed in a ritual manner, as the new environment or situation, in their mind, requires the assistance of a host of unseen spirits.
Khark culture is typically angered by the presence of outsiders in their territory, and will initiate hostilities without hesitation. The Khark animist faith is the very glue to the fabric of their life and death. Everything outside of their jungle lands is seen as the borders of Dream (the Jungle), and Nightmare (the rest of the world), and as a result of this belief, have little regard for the value of life, nor ponder the laws of nature apart from their playing out through the elements. Narcotics are a staple ingredient in Khark cooking. Biological lifespan of the Khark is thought to be roughly one hundred and twenty years.
Restrictions: They are required to have a minimum Str and Dex of 11 -- others are killed.
Special Abilities: The Khark are often possessed by various spirits if they offer themselves up to be used as vehicles for the wandering entity. Their chance to become possessed is (33% + Strength + Dexterity + Charisma + Exp), but temporarily increases by +5% per kill they perform.
Once possessed, the Khark character temporarily becomes an NPC, and the player only rolls whatever dice indicated by the Referee. The possession lasts for (1 + Con) Rounds, and provides +5 to all Test, Strike, and Defence rolls. Damage taken while possessed is halved.
Critical Tests: The Khark save at +1 vs. Lifeforce (Death Ray), Health (Poison), and Control (Spells).
---
60
700
===
760 XP
[Milieu][RPG] The Khem- (Ethnicity)
(c) Copyright 2000, 2008, 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
Description: Khem are a tallish, wiry people; female Khem stand around five feet four inches tall and typically weigh around 130 pounds, while males are perhaps 5" taller and weighing 160 pounds. Their long red hair tends toward red-brown or strawberry-red, but turns grey or silver with age. They have a pale complexion, and most have green eyes. Khem have a lithe, wiry build. They are adroit and cunning, with the ability to adapt to virtually any sort of social/work environment, so long as their Yirinn neighbours provide the model for them to copy.
Khem are typically apart, cunning, and quick-witted & -tempered. Culturally they are Epicurian, enjoying the good life with much wine and dancing. They are also suspicious of outsiders, and possessive of their ways to an ultimate end, if deemed necessary. Provided they live so long, they have a biological lifespan of roughly one century.
Restrictions: They are required to have a minimum Dex and Chr of 11.
Special Abilities: Khem have a unique adaptive ability that grants them a (Int or Wis + Cha + Exp) point pool which functions in all regards as Focus.
Critical Tests: Khem save at +1 vs. Lifeforce (Death Ray), Experience (Petrification), and Control (Spells).
---
600
700
===
1,300 XP
Description: Khem are a tallish, wiry people; female Khem stand around five feet four inches tall and typically weigh around 130 pounds, while males are perhaps 5" taller and weighing 160 pounds. Their long red hair tends toward red-brown or strawberry-red, but turns grey or silver with age. They have a pale complexion, and most have green eyes. Khem have a lithe, wiry build. They are adroit and cunning, with the ability to adapt to virtually any sort of social/work environment, so long as their Yirinn neighbours provide the model for them to copy.
Khem are typically apart, cunning, and quick-witted & -tempered. Culturally they are Epicurian, enjoying the good life with much wine and dancing. They are also suspicious of outsiders, and possessive of their ways to an ultimate end, if deemed necessary. Provided they live so long, they have a biological lifespan of roughly one century.
Restrictions: They are required to have a minimum Dex and Chr of 11.
Special Abilities: Khem have a unique adaptive ability that grants them a (Int or Wis + Cha + Exp) point pool which functions in all regards as Focus.
Critical Tests: Khem save at +1 vs. Lifeforce (Death Ray), Experience (Petrification), and Control (Spells).
---
600
700
===
1,300 XP
Monday, April 20, 2009
[RPG] Ability and Critical Tests-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
Ability and Critical Tests-
Procedure-
Both of these Tests require adding the final value to a d20 roll, with a Target# of 20.
While perfect success is sometimes required, often, less than 100% is good enough to narrowly perform a task.
Informing the Referee of the amount by which the Test failed or suceeded by (T# 20), allows her to quickly determine the actual outcome, rather than always being a flat yes/no process.
Further, heed the counter-intuitive wisdom: Less rolling makes those rolls more important and the game more exciting. Rolling for every impromptu Listen, Str Test, etc., slows the game, and sets a precident for another roll later on.
However, rolling dice engages the players, and removing their ability to interact with their character's success (even when failure accompanies the risk), robs them of game-role autonomy -- they stop being a player in a game, and instead become an actor in a play.
Ability Tests-
Simply use the associated Ability Score modifier, and add the Experience value (1/2 Level, round down).
Unlike Critical Tests, Ability Tests naturally improve as the character progresses.
To use d% with Ability Tests (optional) multiply the modifier by 5 to determine the percent bonus.
Critical Tests-
The base numbers are then modified by the Ability Score modifier (only), and any pertinent Ethnic or Species Critical Test bonuses.
Purchasing increases to a given CT is the only way their scores increase.
---
I'm not happy with the Paralysis replacement, Concentration, as it is keyed to Str. My original tag for it was Courage, but then I looked at the core-class CTs and Fighters had a -1 to Courage.
I then cycled through a few and ended up with the very imperfect 'Concentration'.
I am enlisting you to (please) help me solve this issue, as I have exhausted my current batch of ideas.
Thanks.
Ability and Critical Tests-
Procedure-
Both of these Tests require adding the final value to a d20 roll, with a Target# of 20.
While perfect success is sometimes required, often, less than 100% is good enough to narrowly perform a task.
Informing the Referee of the amount by which the Test failed or suceeded by (T# 20), allows her to quickly determine the actual outcome, rather than always being a flat yes/no process.
Further, heed the counter-intuitive wisdom: Less rolling makes those rolls more important and the game more exciting. Rolling for every impromptu Listen, Str Test, etc., slows the game, and sets a precident for another roll later on.
However, rolling dice engages the players, and removing their ability to interact with their character's success (even when failure accompanies the risk), robs them of game-role autonomy -- they stop being a player in a game, and instead become an actor in a play.
Ability Tests-
Simply use the associated Ability Score modifier, and add the Experience value (1/2 Level, round down).
Unlike Critical Tests, Ability Tests naturally improve as the character progresses.
To use d% with Ability Tests (optional) multiply the modifier by 5 to determine the percent bonus.
Critical Tests-
- Lifeforce : Cha (+8)
- Health : Con (+8)
- Vigilance : Wis (+7)
- 'Concentration': Str (+7)
- Experience :(.5 L) (+7)
- Reflexes : Dex (+4)
- Control : Int (+4)
The base numbers are then modified by the Ability Score modifier (only), and any pertinent Ethnic or Species Critical Test bonuses.
Purchasing increases to a given CT is the only way their scores increase.
---
I'm not happy with the Paralysis replacement, Concentration, as it is keyed to Str. My original tag for it was Courage, but then I looked at the core-class CTs and Fighters had a -1 to Courage.
I then cycled through a few and ended up with the very imperfect 'Concentration'.
I am enlisting you to (please) help me solve this issue, as I have exhausted my current batch of ideas.
Thanks.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
[RPG] Exploration and Adventuring, Part 2-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
Falling-
* 5' - 10' 1d4
* 1d6+1 per 10' beyond, to a maximum of 32d6+1d4+32
* Sloping ground x1/2 damage
* Soft ground x2/3 damage
* Snow, Sand, Dense Vegetation x1/3 damage
Lift-Shafts-
(Int + Wis + Cha) feet per Round ascending
Twice that if descending.
Base (33% + 5% per +1 of Int, Wis, and Cha each) to operate. Open Locks % may be added to the attempt. Failure to activate the Lift-Shaft results in a Fall.
Vision-
* Torches throw useful light out in a 25' radius, and burn for 1d4+2 Turns. If used as a club, while not burning, it does 1-2 points of damage, plus the characters bonuses. If used while burning, increase damage to 1d4 plus bonuses, with damage beyond Armour spreading at a rate of 1 + 1 per 3 Rounds, if not extinguished.
* Lanterns are more delicate, but much longer burning light sources, fed by a resevoir of fuel. If thrown or dropped, there is a base 60% chance that a fire 5' in radius spills out from point of contact. This fire does 1d6 points of damage, and spreads twice as fast as torch-fire.
* Light-wands are artifice of the contemporary era of Urutsk, and contain enough power to operate continuously for up to 24 hours, or many times that if for only a few minutes at a time. Focused beam out to 25' with (1.32x length)- wide cone. [RF: 0; +50%; 150]
* Greater Light Wands are capable of adjusting the colour and intensity of the light, with a 33' focused beam, and (1.17x length) in width. [RF: 1; +40%; 300]
* Greater Light Wands of Detection have the same characteristics as the Greater variety, with these additional abilities: +4 bonus to detect invisible or illusions in a 33* arc, out to a range of 15'. It is also capable of tracing a visible line from the wand to a distant object, no further than 1/2-mile in open terrain and no weather. [RF: 2; +30%; 2,700]
Hearing-
Urutsk's atmosphere is thinner than earth's, and as a result, sound transmits less and a shorter distance. This has an overall effect in that many predators are of the Ambush variety. However, Listen % are not affected, already factoring in the atmosphere.
* Identifying the direction and estimating distance is (15% +15% per +1 Int or Wis)
* Identifying by sound (10% +10% per +1 Int or Wis)
* Fighting by sound (+1, +1 per Int or Wis; replaces Str or Dex)
Stone or metal corridors magnify sounds, and angles distort them, lowering the Threshold by -10.
Dense vegetation or other baffling material muffles and increases the Hearing Threshold by +10.
Other Senses-
Tactile/Balance features extend to greater awareness of temperature, air-flow, grade of slope, approximate distance underground, etc.
A character's base chance is (15% +15 per +1 Int or Wis), with Yirinn and Western Isles Vrun individuals receiving a +15% to to the attempt.
Ambush and Surprise-
Ambush is when one group deliberately hides in order to inflict Surprise upon another group, for the purpose of gaining un-opposed actions. Ambushes have a base (33% +15% per 10' distant) chance of success, and increase the detection Threshold by a like total %.
If successful, the Ambushing group gains two full Rounds of action against those in the ambushed group who were Surprised. Those who were alerted to the Ambush, are able to act on the second Round as normal.
Surprise results in complete loss of 1 Round's actions.
Traps in Theory and Practise-
Once a Trap has been noticed, the player's solution is always preferred over a simple roll. Deliberately triggering a trap in the hopes of avoiding party damage is assumed to be easier than difficult, and the characters who make effort to do this systematically ought to be afforded more leniency than the party that blithely treads the halls of the Ancients.
If one desires to revert to dicing for success, the base is (33%, with +15% per +1 of Int), with an additional +5% if the character is Yirinn. Naturally, any %s in Remove Traps are added into the d% roll.
If an attempt to securely-trigger the trap is failed, no further attempts by the character in question can correct their course, and the trap is now primed to activate upon the next action to manipulate it, resulting in a +50 to the Target (i.e., 150).
Unless otherwise noted, Traps act as Ambushes if successful, and secondary circumstances may affect Ambushed individuals.
Hunting and Scavenging-
Hunting, after hearing the character travel description, becomes a Referee-adjudicated Ambush attempt versus the prey's Hearing and Vision counter-tests. Unarmed prey are largely at the mercy of the hunter.
Animals offer variable nutrition: (d10 x # of Fight Dice)
Each 5 Lbs. of the slaughtered animal increases its Food Value by +1, with each serving to act as a day's-worth of eating. Smoking the meat preserves it for extended travel.
Scavenging is a time-consuming process that often results in minimal returns.
Each 1d6 Hours spent Scavenging in an average environment yields 1d4 Food Value.
Deprivations-
Should the Referee need help arbitrating the effects of gradual starvation, apply a penalty of -1 Dodge Point per day of no nourishment, beyond (Con + 2) days. This would then simulate the listlessness of a character under such conditions.
Dehydration is a far more serious condition, and can quickly kill the character. Each day beyond (Con + 2) days results in the character's unconsciousness, and overall danger of being negative in Dodge Points by the same amount. This then means that the second day of no water is as if the character were at 0 Dodge Points, as regards activity level.
Some Referees may desire a more epic or cinematic game. If this is the case, a function of the character's Pacing Level (one-half Level for Cinematic, or 1x Level as a + to these survival times).
Overland Movement-
** All of the following is only intended as a rough guide and an aide for the Referee **
Open Terrain covered per day of travel is equal to (6 x Walking Speed) Units.
Rougher terrain reduces this rate to varying degrees, and is adjudicated by the Referee, taking into account local weather in the area being traversed. Indeed, rain may impede normal speed over open ground, but up or down hills, or along ridges, may require Dex Tests to avoid a slide (1d6 - 1d4 points of damage per 10' of Slide).
* Jungle, Mountains, Swamp: -30 Units
* Desert, Forest, Hills: -20 Units
* Clear, Plains, Trail: -10 Units
* Road: -0 Units
Each unit is roughly equal to 1/10th of a mile.
Once the total is determined, the day's travels are complete, and rest is necessary.
Exhaustion & Fatigue-
Whatever the cause of Fatigue, once it exceeds the character's (Constitution + Str), the character is Exhausted, and will sleep for 2d4+4 hours, downwardly adjusted by Experience.
* If forced to act while Fatigued, all actions are penalised a like amount.
* If roused during Exhaustion, each Turn of activity saps 1 Constitution point. If reduced to 0, the character has died of Exhaustion.
Environmental Exposure-
Wintry weather deposits snow in inches per hour, making travel through such storms or areas recently struck by them much more difficult and dangerous than normal for the terrain.
Ice patches on hard surfaces raise the Target on Technical Skills such as Move Silently and Hide, as well as Climb Walls.
Hiking up slopes, or even stairs to a time-lost temple, now in the glacial north, can prove dangerous in the extreme, with the better of Dex Test, Climb Walls, or Reflex Critical Test being used to determine if safe passage is secured. Walking down the same, would use the next-best of the three, to simulate its increased danger.
Movement through Snow is an additional -10 Units per 3".
Snow falls at 1d12" per hour, rolled per hour, for 2d6 Hours. If the result is 10-12, the snow continues for another 2d6 Hours, with an 11-12 indicating more of the same, and only on the third roll of a 12 does the snow continue unabated.
Protected Exposure to cold air saps 1 DP per 12 Hours of exposure. Raw Exposure to cold air saps 1 DP per (Constitution Score) minutes. Immersion in cold water saps 1 Constitution point from the score, per Round. Exposure to cold water and then cold air is measured against the current, debilitated Constitution Score.
Desert Heat and Sand operates more or less the same...
* Heat: -1 DP per 6 Hours
* Bare Heat: 1 DP per Turn
* Fire: 1d, increasing by Die-type each Round of continued exposure
* Blast or Lava: -1 Constitution point and 5 DP per Round
Swimming and Drowning-
As long as the character's Encumbrance is less than (5x Strength), it is treading water. Beyond this limit, and the character is beginning to drown.
Each Round of Drowning results in (1d8 - 1d4) points of Critical Damage (as if automatically in the Negatives), per Round. When the Lethal Threshold (Constitution Score + Str mod.) is exceeded, the character has drown, and died.
Stormy waters and cold waters each subtract 1x from the (5x Strength, 4x, 3x) test.
Water's Surface Travel-
Water vessels are discussed in their own section.
Travel by water permits fifty-percent more travel-time per day, and if qualified crew are operating the craft, it is capable of 24 hour travel, weather permitting.
97-00 'Black Weather' x2**
86-96 x1 1/2*
71-85 x1 1/3
41-70 Average Winds x1
26-40 x2/3
14-25 x1/2
06-13 x1/3
01-05 No wind, no movement by sail
*= The craft suffers 1d6 points of structural damage per hour under these strong winds and waves.
**= The craft suffers 2d6 points of structural damage per hour under these strong winds and battering waves.
The direction of the wind is emulated by rolling 1d12, read as a clock (with 12 being the same direction as the prow of the ship), and originates in that area and moves toward the opposite side of the clock-face.
Falling-
* 5' - 10' 1d4
* 1d6+1 per 10' beyond, to a maximum of 32d6+1d4+32
* Sloping ground x1/2 damage
* Soft ground x2/3 damage
* Snow, Sand, Dense Vegetation x1/3 damage
Lift-Shafts-
(Int + Wis + Cha) feet per Round ascending
Twice that if descending.
Base (33% + 5% per +1 of Int, Wis, and Cha each) to operate. Open Locks % may be added to the attempt. Failure to activate the Lift-Shaft results in a Fall.
Vision-
* Torches throw useful light out in a 25' radius, and burn for 1d4+2 Turns. If used as a club, while not burning, it does 1-2 points of damage, plus the characters bonuses. If used while burning, increase damage to 1d4 plus bonuses, with damage beyond Armour spreading at a rate of 1 + 1 per 3 Rounds, if not extinguished.
* Lanterns are more delicate, but much longer burning light sources, fed by a resevoir of fuel. If thrown or dropped, there is a base 60% chance that a fire 5' in radius spills out from point of contact. This fire does 1d6 points of damage, and spreads twice as fast as torch-fire.
* Light-wands are artifice of the contemporary era of Urutsk, and contain enough power to operate continuously for up to 24 hours, or many times that if for only a few minutes at a time. Focused beam out to 25' with (1.32x length)- wide cone. [RF: 0; +50%; 150]
* Greater Light Wands are capable of adjusting the colour and intensity of the light, with a 33' focused beam, and (1.17x length) in width. [RF: 1; +40%; 300]
* Greater Light Wands of Detection have the same characteristics as the Greater variety, with these additional abilities: +4 bonus to detect invisible or illusions in a 33* arc, out to a range of 15'. It is also capable of tracing a visible line from the wand to a distant object, no further than 1/2-mile in open terrain and no weather. [RF: 2; +30%; 2,700]
Hearing-
Urutsk's atmosphere is thinner than earth's, and as a result, sound transmits less and a shorter distance. This has an overall effect in that many predators are of the Ambush variety. However, Listen % are not affected, already factoring in the atmosphere.
* Identifying the direction and estimating distance is (15% +15% per +1 Int or Wis)
* Identifying by sound (10% +10% per +1 Int or Wis)
* Fighting by sound (+1, +1 per Int or Wis; replaces Str or Dex)
Stone or metal corridors magnify sounds, and angles distort them, lowering the Threshold by -10.
Dense vegetation or other baffling material muffles and increases the Hearing Threshold by +10.
Other Senses-
Tactile/Balance features extend to greater awareness of temperature, air-flow, grade of slope, approximate distance underground, etc.
A character's base chance is (15% +15 per +1 Int or Wis), with Yirinn and Western Isles Vrun individuals receiving a +15% to to the attempt.
Ambush and Surprise-
Ambush is when one group deliberately hides in order to inflict Surprise upon another group, for the purpose of gaining un-opposed actions. Ambushes have a base (33% +15% per 10' distant) chance of success, and increase the detection Threshold by a like total %.
If successful, the Ambushing group gains two full Rounds of action against those in the ambushed group who were Surprised. Those who were alerted to the Ambush, are able to act on the second Round as normal.
Surprise results in complete loss of 1 Round's actions.
Traps in Theory and Practise-
Once a Trap has been noticed, the player's solution is always preferred over a simple roll. Deliberately triggering a trap in the hopes of avoiding party damage is assumed to be easier than difficult, and the characters who make effort to do this systematically ought to be afforded more leniency than the party that blithely treads the halls of the Ancients.
If one desires to revert to dicing for success, the base is (33%, with +15% per +1 of Int), with an additional +5% if the character is Yirinn. Naturally, any %s in Remove Traps are added into the d% roll.
If an attempt to securely-trigger the trap is failed, no further attempts by the character in question can correct their course, and the trap is now primed to activate upon the next action to manipulate it, resulting in a +50 to the Target (i.e., 150).
Unless otherwise noted, Traps act as Ambushes if successful, and secondary circumstances may affect Ambushed individuals.
Hunting and Scavenging-
Hunting, after hearing the character travel description, becomes a Referee-adjudicated Ambush attempt versus the prey's Hearing and Vision counter-tests. Unarmed prey are largely at the mercy of the hunter.
Animals offer variable nutrition: (d10 x # of Fight Dice)
Each 5 Lbs. of the slaughtered animal increases its Food Value by +1, with each serving to act as a day's-worth of eating. Smoking the meat preserves it for extended travel.
Scavenging is a time-consuming process that often results in minimal returns.
Each 1d6 Hours spent Scavenging in an average environment yields 1d4 Food Value.
Deprivations-
Should the Referee need help arbitrating the effects of gradual starvation, apply a penalty of -1 Dodge Point per day of no nourishment, beyond (Con + 2) days. This would then simulate the listlessness of a character under such conditions.
Dehydration is a far more serious condition, and can quickly kill the character. Each day beyond (Con + 2) days results in the character's unconsciousness, and overall danger of being negative in Dodge Points by the same amount. This then means that the second day of no water is as if the character were at 0 Dodge Points, as regards activity level.
Some Referees may desire a more epic or cinematic game. If this is the case, a function of the character's Pacing Level (one-half Level for Cinematic, or 1x Level as a + to these survival times).
Overland Movement-
** All of the following is only intended as a rough guide and an aide for the Referee **
Open Terrain covered per day of travel is equal to (6 x Walking Speed) Units.
Rougher terrain reduces this rate to varying degrees, and is adjudicated by the Referee, taking into account local weather in the area being traversed. Indeed, rain may impede normal speed over open ground, but up or down hills, or along ridges, may require Dex Tests to avoid a slide (1d6 - 1d4 points of damage per 10' of Slide).
* Jungle, Mountains, Swamp: -30 Units
* Desert, Forest, Hills: -20 Units
* Clear, Plains, Trail: -10 Units
* Road: -0 Units
Each unit is roughly equal to 1/10th of a mile.
Once the total is determined, the day's travels are complete, and rest is necessary.
Exhaustion & Fatigue-
Whatever the cause of Fatigue, once it exceeds the character's (Constitution + Str), the character is Exhausted, and will sleep for 2d4+4 hours, downwardly adjusted by Experience.
* If forced to act while Fatigued, all actions are penalised a like amount.
* If roused during Exhaustion, each Turn of activity saps 1 Constitution point. If reduced to 0, the character has died of Exhaustion.
Environmental Exposure-
Wintry weather deposits snow in inches per hour, making travel through such storms or areas recently struck by them much more difficult and dangerous than normal for the terrain.
Ice patches on hard surfaces raise the Target on Technical Skills such as Move Silently and Hide, as well as Climb Walls.
Hiking up slopes, or even stairs to a time-lost temple, now in the glacial north, can prove dangerous in the extreme, with the better of Dex Test, Climb Walls, or Reflex Critical Test being used to determine if safe passage is secured. Walking down the same, would use the next-best of the three, to simulate its increased danger.
Movement through Snow is an additional -10 Units per 3".
Snow falls at 1d12" per hour, rolled per hour, for 2d6 Hours. If the result is 10-12, the snow continues for another 2d6 Hours, with an 11-12 indicating more of the same, and only on the third roll of a 12 does the snow continue unabated.
Protected Exposure to cold air saps 1 DP per 12 Hours of exposure. Raw Exposure to cold air saps 1 DP per (Constitution Score) minutes. Immersion in cold water saps 1 Constitution point from the score, per Round. Exposure to cold water and then cold air is measured against the current, debilitated Constitution Score.
Desert Heat and Sand operates more or less the same...
* Heat: -1 DP per 6 Hours
* Bare Heat: 1 DP per Turn
* Fire: 1d, increasing by Die-type each Round of continued exposure
* Blast or Lava: -1 Constitution point and 5 DP per Round
Swimming and Drowning-
As long as the character's Encumbrance is less than (5x Strength), it is treading water. Beyond this limit, and the character is beginning to drown.
Each Round of Drowning results in (1d8 - 1d4) points of Critical Damage (as if automatically in the Negatives), per Round. When the Lethal Threshold (Constitution Score + Str mod.) is exceeded, the character has drown, and died.
Stormy waters and cold waters each subtract 1x from the (5x Strength, 4x, 3x) test.
Water's Surface Travel-
Water vessels are discussed in their own section.
Travel by water permits fifty-percent more travel-time per day, and if qualified crew are operating the craft, it is capable of 24 hour travel, weather permitting.
97-00 'Black Weather' x2**
86-96 x1 1/2*
71-85 x1 1/3
41-70 Average Winds x1
26-40 x2/3
14-25 x1/2
06-13 x1/3
01-05 No wind, no movement by sail
*= The craft suffers 1d6 points of structural damage per hour under these strong winds and waves.
**= The craft suffers 2d6 points of structural damage per hour under these strong winds and battering waves.
The direction of the wind is emulated by rolling 1d12, read as a clock (with 12 being the same direction as the prow of the ship), and originates in that area and moves toward the opposite side of the clock-face.
[RPG] Six Sample Hexes-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
This is a sample of the big-hex (3 mi. or larger) detail that makes Wilderlands of High Fantasy-esque micro-detail and imagination-jogging easily possible with just a handful of die rolls per hex. A computer version would likely be a simple thing to produce, provided one knew what one were doing.
1). Scout Lodge-
1-N-: Rough - 100% Concealment + 1d8 Armour
2-NE: Ruins - Water Works, conservation station
3-SE: Wetlands - Stilt Dwelling for 3+ persons, 100% types III-I loot
4-S-: Settlement - Warehouse, occupied, guarded, nothing of use
5-SW: Rough - Nothing
6-NW: Grassland - Nothing
2). Hathon's Trading Post-
1-N-: Wetlands - 18 miles of nothing
2-NE: Rough - Nothing
3-SE: Wetlands - River community of 140 (77 adults); rude disposition
4-S-: Wetlands - Dwelling for 3+ persons, 100% types III-I loot
5-SW: Wetlands - Island dwelling for 2- persons, 30% III-I loot
6-NW: Grassland - Outlying defence post
3). The Witchwoods and the Black House on the Floss-
1-N-: Woods - 40% Concealment
2-NE: Rough - 60% Concealment
3-SE: Ruins - Library (Popular Titles)
4-S-: Grassland - Nothing
5-SW: Settlement - Dwelling 2- persons, recently used, +60% Type III-I loot
6-NW: Ruins - Library (High Literature and Criticism)
4). Ve'ender's Land (No Trespassing!)-
1-N-: Rough - Nothing
2-NE: Grassland - Nothing
3-SE: Grassland - Nothing
4-S-: Wetland - Island Dwelling 2- persons, animals likely, +30% Type III-I loot
5-SW: Ruins - Carriage Lot w. 1d10 vehicles, 30% ea. intact contents; +50% Type IV-I loot
6-NW: Settlement - Outlying defence post and wilderness, +5 to all Encounter rolls
5). The Outskirts-
1-N-: Rough - 70% Concealment
2-NE: Woods - Nothing
3-SE: Wetlands - Creek and Scrub on island, roll on Grassland if they follow
4-S-: Woods - 100% +1d6 Armour, Larder, 33% viable food, 1d6+4 servings, 1d6 miscreants 1 FD, lesser arms
5-SW: Ruins - Larder, 33% viable food, 1d6+4 servings, 1d6 miscreants 1 FD, lesser arms
6-NW: Ruins - Dwelling 3+ persons, +50% Type IV-I loot
6). Groveport on the Pale River-
1-N-: Ruins - Dwelling 2- persons, animals likely, +15% Type IV-I loot
2-NE: Settlement - Warehouse 90% occupied/guarded, 25% something useful
3-SE: Rough - 100% Concealment + 1d10 Armour
4-S-: Settlement - Outlying defence post, +5 all Encounter rolls
5-SW: Wetlands - 11 Miles of everglades: + 3 to all FIP each Hour until clear
6-NW: Wetlands - River Community: 131 Pop. 72 adult, Actively Violent (4) Disposition
The compass directions each indicate (clock-like, again) the face of the hex in question being detailed. Therefore, each feature rolled and noted is aligned within the hex relative to the face indicated by the direction. Using this method allows one to 'change the zoom factor' from perhaps as small a hex-size as 1 mile, to as large as perhaps 10 miles, provided the scope of each location within the hex is kept in mind relative to others. This means most when describing ruins and settlements.
Riverine communities and Ruins have a method for determining population, but the same or any other method can be applied to other Settlements. I simply trust the Referee to rely upon their own wits, having already been supplied two examples.
This is a sample of the big-hex (3 mi. or larger) detail that makes Wilderlands of High Fantasy-esque micro-detail and imagination-jogging easily possible with just a handful of die rolls per hex. A computer version would likely be a simple thing to produce, provided one knew what one were doing.
1). Scout Lodge-
1-N-: Rough - 100% Concealment + 1d8 Armour
2-NE: Ruins - Water Works, conservation station
3-SE: Wetlands - Stilt Dwelling for 3+ persons, 100% types III-I loot
4-S-: Settlement - Warehouse, occupied, guarded, nothing of use
5-SW: Rough - Nothing
6-NW: Grassland - Nothing
2). Hathon's Trading Post-
1-N-: Wetlands - 18 miles of nothing
2-NE: Rough - Nothing
3-SE: Wetlands - River community of 140 (77 adults); rude disposition
4-S-: Wetlands - Dwelling for 3+ persons, 100% types III-I loot
5-SW: Wetlands - Island dwelling for 2- persons, 30% III-I loot
6-NW: Grassland - Outlying defence post
3). The Witchwoods and the Black House on the Floss-
1-N-: Woods - 40% Concealment
2-NE: Rough - 60% Concealment
3-SE: Ruins - Library (Popular Titles)
4-S-: Grassland - Nothing
5-SW: Settlement - Dwelling 2- persons, recently used, +60% Type III-I loot
6-NW: Ruins - Library (High Literature and Criticism)
4). Ve'ender's Land (No Trespassing!)-
1-N-: Rough - Nothing
2-NE: Grassland - Nothing
3-SE: Grassland - Nothing
4-S-: Wetland - Island Dwelling 2- persons, animals likely, +30% Type III-I loot
5-SW: Ruins - Carriage Lot w. 1d10 vehicles, 30% ea. intact contents; +50% Type IV-I loot
6-NW: Settlement - Outlying defence post and wilderness, +5 to all Encounter rolls
5). The Outskirts-
1-N-: Rough - 70% Concealment
2-NE: Woods - Nothing
3-SE: Wetlands - Creek and Scrub on island, roll on Grassland if they follow
4-S-: Woods - 100% +1d6 Armour, Larder, 33% viable food, 1d6+4 servings, 1d6 miscreants 1 FD, lesser arms
5-SW: Ruins - Larder, 33% viable food, 1d6+4 servings, 1d6 miscreants 1 FD, lesser arms
6-NW: Ruins - Dwelling 3+ persons, +50% Type IV-I loot
6). Groveport on the Pale River-
1-N-: Ruins - Dwelling 2- persons, animals likely, +15% Type IV-I loot
2-NE: Settlement - Warehouse 90% occupied/guarded, 25% something useful
3-SE: Rough - 100% Concealment + 1d10 Armour
4-S-: Settlement - Outlying defence post, +5 all Encounter rolls
5-SW: Wetlands - 11 Miles of everglades: + 3 to all FIP each Hour until clear
6-NW: Wetlands - River Community: 131 Pop. 72 adult, Actively Violent (4) Disposition
The compass directions each indicate (clock-like, again) the face of the hex in question being detailed. Therefore, each feature rolled and noted is aligned within the hex relative to the face indicated by the direction. Using this method allows one to 'change the zoom factor' from perhaps as small a hex-size as 1 mile, to as large as perhaps 10 miles, provided the scope of each location within the hex is kept in mind relative to others. This means most when describing ruins and settlements.
Riverine communities and Ruins have a method for determining population, but the same or any other method can be applied to other Settlements. I simply trust the Referee to rely upon their own wits, having already been supplied two examples.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
[RPG] Encounters by Environment-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
This is an early draft:
DESIGNING ADVENTURES-
Encounter Procedures-
I use d12 rolls to determine Frequency, Intensity, and Proximity (FIP). The higher the result, the likelier things will be encountered, the more powerful those things are, and how close they are to the characters.
Read the d12 as a clock-face when rolling for exact placement of the Encounter relative to the party in question. A 12 is directly in front, and 11 and 1 as being to adjacent forward locations, and 7, 6, and 5 as rear of the party, 9 left, 3 right, etc.
--Example:
I'm rolling Frequency, and see that the area the characters are in is +5 in that category. I get an adjusted 11, which is generally an Encounter for my games under most circumstances. Okay, an Encounter has been confirmed.
Ruins are also +5 to Intensity, making them much more likely to spawn powerful creatures and dwellers. I roll a 12, for a total of +17. This is something significantly more powerful than the characters, at least 5 Fight Dice greater than their highest, if not higher. Let's see how close it is to them.
The terrain imposes a -2 on Proximity, likely due to the sheer impassibility of much of the area. My roll is a 4, which is adjusted to 2 -- not very close at all.
Now, what does this information tell me as a Referee? Plenty.
I am free to choose which creature of that power-level, that makes sense for the terrain (ruins), and place it far enough away that I have time to blend its appearance into my descriptions (tracks or other evidence, sensory clues, etc.)
Rolling 2d6, using this same method, provides more uniform and average results, and specifically gives those discovering the encounter more distance, on average, before coming face-to-face with it, as it were.
Sd6 is a notation for rolling d6 twice, reading it serially, like d%. The range is 36 numbers running from 11-66, and only read up to 6, making the next number after 16, ...21, etc. If asked to roll #Sd6, simply add the Sd6 result together.
Terrain Generator: d12
1). Rough
2). Ruins
3). Settlement
4). Woods
5). Grassland
6). Wetlands
7). Grassland
8). Wetlands
9). Grassland
10). Woods
11). Ruins
12). Rough
* Grassland: +2 to Frequency| +0 to Intensity| -4 to Proximity
:: Short or tall grasses, wide open or dotted with ground cover and copse of trees, generally good visibility. Whatever concealment that may be present is most likely to be dense scrub or light woods before it is any sort of Ancient landscaping or structural elements, as demonstrated in the following tables. If nothing is indicated, then the flat, relatively featurelessness persists unabated throughout the area of 3d8 miles. The land supports many useful herbs and berries, and small game is often plentiful (+45%) for both hunting and trapping. However, it must be remembered that grasslands and any other open areas regardless of climate, are corridors for the movement of creatures, and with large numbers of herbivores and omnivores come the carnivorous predators. Nighttime is especially likely (+5 overall Frequency) for curious omnivores and carnivores to roam into human/humanoid areas looking for an easy meal.
:: Roll d12: 1-9). Nothing, 10+). Concealment
:: Roll d12: 1-10). #x5% concealment, 11). 55% +1d4 Armour, 12). 60% +1d6 Armour
:: 11-12). Roll d12:
1). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +5 to all Encounter rolls
2). Cache: 1). Junk| 2). Data II| 3). Devices| 4). Data IV| 5). Arms/Armour| 6). Anything Referee determines
3). Warehouse, 15% occupied, 1d6 miscreants 1-3 FD, comparable arms
4). |
5). |
6-7). } Roll on Ruins, now overgrown
8). |
9). |
10). Shady Watering Hole 90% Frequency, + 3 Intensity, + 5 Proximity, animals 90% of encounters
11). Warehouses have a 10% chance of being occupied and guarded, and a 2% chance of finding something useful
12). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +3 to all Encounter rolls
* Rough: -2 to Frequency| +2 to Intensity| +1 to Proximity
:: Anything from a rocky mound to flattened debris as fits the other terrain around it. If adjacent to Ruins, then these are the outskirts comprised of sundered warehouses and factories, etc. If in the wilds, it is most likely (01-95%) simply a rock formation or at most, a mound of earth. Burrowing and rock-crevace creatures will be most prevalent, including both serpents and stinging/biting arthropods (scorpions and spiders). Flying creatures often fight over the right to roost upon the highest points of rough terrain, whether a rocky crag,
or a toppled monument. Rough terrain can also be boggy, or littered with dangerous elements, or a very narrow path through a dangerous environment, such as a rope-bridge across lava.
:: Roll d12: 1-6). Nothing, 7+). Concealment
:: Roll d12: 1-10). #x10% concealment, 11). 100% +1d8 Armour, 12). 100% +1d10 Armour
* Ruins: +5 to Frequency| +5 to Intensity| -2 to Proximity
:: Can consist of any large structural debris either from complete structures or those under construction at the time of the destruction. Roll 5Sd6+133 prior-Population to understand scope of the immediate location you are describing. Many other sorts of locations (factories, offices, drink halls, public eating, parks, etc.) are to be described as surrounding these locations, and may (must) be fleshed out in similar terms as you continue to run scenarios or encounters in these locales. As Referee, you must adequately describe the destruction's effects (toppled towers scattered across broad roads and into former mansions, flooded streets and sink holes, animal occupation of ruins and unexpected nesting sites with subsequent peculiar terrain in territorial disputes). Imagine a city you have visited or seen, and think of two thousand years of disrepair, of no significant number of humans to affect the place, as well as the reclamation of nature in the form of creeping vines, trees uprooting the pavement and plazas, and quarters frequented by all manner of animals, as well as monsters and brigands, travellers, and other explorers. The most famous ruin in an area is often used as a rallying point for organised exploration, and in these cases (often), the ruins serve as the basis of a new settlement.
:: Type of location: Roll 1d12
1). Outlying barrens of ruins and the wilderness around it, +2 to all Encounter rolls
2). Store: 1). Junk| 2). Data III| 3). Devices| 4). Data V| 5). Arms/Armour| 6). Anything Referee determines
3). Market Larder/Food Distribution Centre, 33% viable food, 1d6+4 servings, 1d6 miscreants 1 FD, lesser arms
4). Carriage Lot with 1d10 vehicles, 30% ea. intact contents; +50% Type IV-I loot
5). Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, animals dwelling in rooms likely, +15% Type IV-I loot
6-7). Dwelling for 3 or more persons, +50% Type IV-I loot
8). Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, recently used by humanoids for shelter, +30% Type IV-I loot
9). Library full of knowledge and a world of mystery, animals dwelling likely, most likely herbivore
10). Water Works is a prize if it could be restarted, general encounters on site
11). Warehouses have a 45% chance of being intact, and a general 5% chance of finding something useful
12). Outlying barrens of ruins and the wilderness around it, +2 to all Encounter rolls
* Settlement: +7 to Frequency| +3-5 to Intensity| +3 Proximity
:: From the tents of nomadic Dokirin and old world Yirinn, to ancient metropoli -- seats to dozens of empires.
:: Type of location: Roll 1d12
1). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +5 to all Encounter rolls
2). Store: 1). Junk| 2). Data II| 3). Devices| 4). Data IV| 5). Arms/Armour| 6). Anything Referee determines
3). Market Larder/Food Distribution Centre, 33% charity, 1d4 servings, 1d4 miscreants 1 FD, lesser arms
4). Personal Transport Sales Lot and Merchant; Bicycles to Beasts of Burden
5). Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, animals dwelling in rooms likely, +30% Type III-I loot
6-7). Dwelling for 3 or more persons, +100% Type III-I loot
8). Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, recently used by humanoids for shelter, +60% Type III-I loot
9). Library full of knowledge and a world of mystery, guarded and well staffed by knowledgeable scribes
10). Bath House and Public Tap
11). Warehouses have a 90% chance of being occupied and guarded, and a 25% chance of finding something useful
12). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +5 to all Encounter rolls
* Wetlands: +4 to Frequency| +1 to Intensity| -2 to Proximity
:: Wetlands are incredibly diverse ecosystems. Plants found therein include: cypress, ferns, lichens, mangrove, mosses, rushes, sedges, black spruce, tamarack, water lilies, gum, among others. Wetlands are rife with foetid amphibians of every conceivable sort, powerful and resourceful mammal and marsupial predators and opportunists, highly intelligent and specialised birds, and tenacious and often ferocious fur-bearing insectoids and reptiles, alike. Small, biting insects are ubiquitous beyond all consternation.
:: Type of location: Roll 1d12
1). Island Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, animals dwelling in rooms likely, +30% Type III-I loot
2). Dwelling for 3 or more persons, +100% Type III-I loot
3). River Community: Sd6 Population 67% adult, roll d12 for Disposition: 12 = Best, 1 = Worst
4). Creek and Woods on an island of solid ground, roll on Woods if they get in deep
5). Lake: 33% Encounter at +1 to all FIP, roll 1d10: 1-8). Small, 9). Large, 10). V. Large Lake
6-7). 3d8 Miles of everglades: + 3 to all FIP each Hour until clear
8). Lake: 67% Encounter at +0 to all FIP, roll 1d10: 1-6). Small, 7-9). Large, 10). V. Large Lake
9). Creek and Scrub on an island of solid ground, roll on Grassland if they follow
10). River Community: 3Sd6 Population 55% adult, roll 2d6 for Disposition: 11-12 = Best, 2 = Worst
11). Stilt Dwelling for 3 or more persons, +100% Type III-I loot
12). Houseboat for 2 or fewer persons, recently used by human(oid)s for shelter, +10% Type IV-I loot
* Woods: +5 to Frequency| +2 to Intensity| +3 to Proximity
:: Woodland is a low-density of trees, with an open habitat, allowing only limited shade. Ground cover may include shrubs and seeding plants (and grasses). Shrubland may form under drier conditions or during early stages of vegetative succession. A Forest is a higher density of trees with thick, shaded canopy which replaces shrubs with ferns and mosses, as well as increased fungal growth and lichens. Many sorts of creatures, intelligent and otherwise, find a great bounty within woodlands areas, and so the breadth of encounter types should be exercised.
:: Type of location: Roll 1d12
:: 1-6). Nothing, 7+). Concealment
:: 7+ Roll d12: 1-10). #x10% concealment, 11). 100% +1d6 Armour, 12). 100% +1d8 Armour
:: 11-12). Roll d12:
1). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +5 to all Encounter rolls
2). Cache: 1). Junk| 2). Data II| 3). Devices| 4). Data IV| 5). Arms/Armour| 6). Anything Referee determines
3). Warehouse, 15% occupied, 2d4 miscreants 2-5 FD, comparable arms, some of these are hidden in reserve
4). |
5). |
6-7). } Roll on Ruins, now enveloped by the woods, -2 on all FIP rolls
8). |
9). |
10). Ritual Grove shelter 10% daylight Frequency, 33% night Frequency and 1d4 Clerics 2d6 Fighters 3d8 faithful
11). Warehouses have a 8% chance of being occupied and guarded, and a 23% chance of finding something useful
12). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +3 to all Encounter rolls
Critters would then be listed in an index under the environments they most frequent.
This is an early draft:
DESIGNING ADVENTURES-
Encounter Procedures-
I use d12 rolls to determine Frequency, Intensity, and Proximity (FIP). The higher the result, the likelier things will be encountered, the more powerful those things are, and how close they are to the characters.
Read the d12 as a clock-face when rolling for exact placement of the Encounter relative to the party in question. A 12 is directly in front, and 11 and 1 as being to adjacent forward locations, and 7, 6, and 5 as rear of the party, 9 left, 3 right, etc.
--Example:
I'm rolling Frequency, and see that the area the characters are in is +5 in that category. I get an adjusted 11, which is generally an Encounter for my games under most circumstances. Okay, an Encounter has been confirmed.
Ruins are also +5 to Intensity, making them much more likely to spawn powerful creatures and dwellers. I roll a 12, for a total of +17. This is something significantly more powerful than the characters, at least 5 Fight Dice greater than their highest, if not higher. Let's see how close it is to them.
The terrain imposes a -2 on Proximity, likely due to the sheer impassibility of much of the area. My roll is a 4, which is adjusted to 2 -- not very close at all.
Now, what does this information tell me as a Referee? Plenty.
I am free to choose which creature of that power-level, that makes sense for the terrain (ruins), and place it far enough away that I have time to blend its appearance into my descriptions (tracks or other evidence, sensory clues, etc.)
Rolling 2d6, using this same method, provides more uniform and average results, and specifically gives those discovering the encounter more distance, on average, before coming face-to-face with it, as it were.
Sd6 is a notation for rolling d6 twice, reading it serially, like d%. The range is 36 numbers running from 11-66, and only read up to 6, making the next number after 16, ...21, etc. If asked to roll #Sd6, simply add the Sd6 result together.
Terrain Generator: d12
1). Rough
2). Ruins
3). Settlement
4). Woods
5). Grassland
6). Wetlands
7). Grassland
8). Wetlands
9). Grassland
10). Woods
11). Ruins
12). Rough
* Grassland: +2 to Frequency| +0 to Intensity| -4 to Proximity
:: Short or tall grasses, wide open or dotted with ground cover and copse of trees, generally good visibility. Whatever concealment that may be present is most likely to be dense scrub or light woods before it is any sort of Ancient landscaping or structural elements, as demonstrated in the following tables. If nothing is indicated, then the flat, relatively featurelessness persists unabated throughout the area of 3d8 miles. The land supports many useful herbs and berries, and small game is often plentiful (+45%) for both hunting and trapping. However, it must be remembered that grasslands and any other open areas regardless of climate, are corridors for the movement of creatures, and with large numbers of herbivores and omnivores come the carnivorous predators. Nighttime is especially likely (+5 overall Frequency) for curious omnivores and carnivores to roam into human/humanoid areas looking for an easy meal.
:: Roll d12: 1-9). Nothing, 10+). Concealment
:: Roll d12: 1-10). #x5% concealment, 11). 55% +1d4 Armour, 12). 60% +1d6 Armour
:: 11-12). Roll d12:
1). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +5 to all Encounter rolls
2). Cache: 1). Junk| 2). Data II| 3). Devices| 4). Data IV| 5). Arms/Armour| 6). Anything Referee determines
3). Warehouse, 15% occupied, 1d6 miscreants 1-3 FD, comparable arms
4). |
5). |
6-7). } Roll on Ruins, now overgrown
8). |
9). |
10). Shady Watering Hole 90% Frequency, + 3 Intensity, + 5 Proximity, animals 90% of encounters
11). Warehouses have a 10% chance of being occupied and guarded, and a 2% chance of finding something useful
12). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +3 to all Encounter rolls
* Rough: -2 to Frequency| +2 to Intensity| +1 to Proximity
:: Anything from a rocky mound to flattened debris as fits the other terrain around it. If adjacent to Ruins, then these are the outskirts comprised of sundered warehouses and factories, etc. If in the wilds, it is most likely (01-95%) simply a rock formation or at most, a mound of earth. Burrowing and rock-crevace creatures will be most prevalent, including both serpents and stinging/biting arthropods (scorpions and spiders). Flying creatures often fight over the right to roost upon the highest points of rough terrain, whether a rocky crag,
or a toppled monument. Rough terrain can also be boggy, or littered with dangerous elements, or a very narrow path through a dangerous environment, such as a rope-bridge across lava.
:: Roll d12: 1-6). Nothing, 7+). Concealment
:: Roll d12: 1-10). #x10% concealment, 11). 100% +1d8 Armour, 12). 100% +1d10 Armour
* Ruins: +5 to Frequency| +5 to Intensity| -2 to Proximity
:: Can consist of any large structural debris either from complete structures or those under construction at the time of the destruction. Roll 5Sd6+133 prior-Population to understand scope of the immediate location you are describing. Many other sorts of locations (factories, offices, drink halls, public eating, parks, etc.) are to be described as surrounding these locations, and may (must) be fleshed out in similar terms as you continue to run scenarios or encounters in these locales. As Referee, you must adequately describe the destruction's effects (toppled towers scattered across broad roads and into former mansions, flooded streets and sink holes, animal occupation of ruins and unexpected nesting sites with subsequent peculiar terrain in territorial disputes). Imagine a city you have visited or seen, and think of two thousand years of disrepair, of no significant number of humans to affect the place, as well as the reclamation of nature in the form of creeping vines, trees uprooting the pavement and plazas, and quarters frequented by all manner of animals, as well as monsters and brigands, travellers, and other explorers. The most famous ruin in an area is often used as a rallying point for organised exploration, and in these cases (often), the ruins serve as the basis of a new settlement.
:: Type of location: Roll 1d12
1). Outlying barrens of ruins and the wilderness around it, +2 to all Encounter rolls
2). Store: 1). Junk| 2). Data III| 3). Devices| 4). Data V| 5). Arms/Armour| 6). Anything Referee determines
3). Market Larder/Food Distribution Centre, 33% viable food, 1d6+4 servings, 1d6 miscreants 1 FD, lesser arms
4). Carriage Lot with 1d10 vehicles, 30% ea. intact contents; +50% Type IV-I loot
5). Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, animals dwelling in rooms likely, +15% Type IV-I loot
6-7). Dwelling for 3 or more persons, +50% Type IV-I loot
8). Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, recently used by humanoids for shelter, +30% Type IV-I loot
9). Library full of knowledge and a world of mystery, animals dwelling likely, most likely herbivore
10). Water Works is a prize if it could be restarted, general encounters on site
11). Warehouses have a 45% chance of being intact, and a general 5% chance of finding something useful
12). Outlying barrens of ruins and the wilderness around it, +2 to all Encounter rolls
* Settlement: +7 to Frequency| +3-5 to Intensity| +3 Proximity
:: From the tents of nomadic Dokirin and old world Yirinn, to ancient metropoli -- seats to dozens of empires.
:: Type of location: Roll 1d12
1). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +5 to all Encounter rolls
2). Store: 1). Junk| 2). Data II| 3). Devices| 4). Data IV| 5). Arms/Armour| 6). Anything Referee determines
3). Market Larder/Food Distribution Centre, 33% charity, 1d4 servings, 1d4 miscreants 1 FD, lesser arms
4). Personal Transport Sales Lot and Merchant; Bicycles to Beasts of Burden
5). Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, animals dwelling in rooms likely, +30% Type III-I loot
6-7). Dwelling for 3 or more persons, +100% Type III-I loot
8). Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, recently used by humanoids for shelter, +60% Type III-I loot
9). Library full of knowledge and a world of mystery, guarded and well staffed by knowledgeable scribes
10). Bath House and Public Tap
11). Warehouses have a 90% chance of being occupied and guarded, and a 25% chance of finding something useful
12). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +5 to all Encounter rolls
* Wetlands: +4 to Frequency| +1 to Intensity| -2 to Proximity
:: Wetlands are incredibly diverse ecosystems. Plants found therein include: cypress, ferns, lichens, mangrove, mosses, rushes, sedges, black spruce, tamarack, water lilies, gum, among others. Wetlands are rife with foetid amphibians of every conceivable sort, powerful and resourceful mammal and marsupial predators and opportunists, highly intelligent and specialised birds, and tenacious and often ferocious fur-bearing insectoids and reptiles, alike. Small, biting insects are ubiquitous beyond all consternation.
:: Type of location: Roll 1d12
1). Island Dwelling for 2 or fewer persons, animals dwelling in rooms likely, +30% Type III-I loot
2). Dwelling for 3 or more persons, +100% Type III-I loot
3). River Community: Sd6 Population 67% adult, roll d12 for Disposition: 12 = Best, 1 = Worst
4). Creek and Woods on an island of solid ground, roll on Woods if they get in deep
5). Lake: 33% Encounter at +1 to all FIP, roll 1d10: 1-8). Small, 9). Large, 10). V. Large Lake
6-7). 3d8 Miles of everglades: + 3 to all FIP each Hour until clear
8). Lake: 67% Encounter at +0 to all FIP, roll 1d10: 1-6). Small, 7-9). Large, 10). V. Large Lake
9). Creek and Scrub on an island of solid ground, roll on Grassland if they follow
10). River Community: 3Sd6 Population 55% adult, roll 2d6 for Disposition: 11-12 = Best, 2 = Worst
11). Stilt Dwelling for 3 or more persons, +100% Type III-I loot
12). Houseboat for 2 or fewer persons, recently used by human(oid)s for shelter, +10% Type IV-I loot
* Woods: +5 to Frequency| +2 to Intensity| +3 to Proximity
:: Woodland is a low-density of trees, with an open habitat, allowing only limited shade. Ground cover may include shrubs and seeding plants (and grasses). Shrubland may form under drier conditions or during early stages of vegetative succession. A Forest is a higher density of trees with thick, shaded canopy which replaces shrubs with ferns and mosses, as well as increased fungal growth and lichens. Many sorts of creatures, intelligent and otherwise, find a great bounty within woodlands areas, and so the breadth of encounter types should be exercised.
:: Type of location: Roll 1d12
:: 1-6). Nothing, 7+). Concealment
:: 7+ Roll d12: 1-10). #x10% concealment, 11). 100% +1d6 Armour, 12). 100% +1d8 Armour
:: 11-12). Roll d12:
1). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +5 to all Encounter rolls
2). Cache: 1). Junk| 2). Data II| 3). Devices| 4). Data IV| 5). Arms/Armour| 6). Anything Referee determines
3). Warehouse, 15% occupied, 2d4 miscreants 2-5 FD, comparable arms, some of these are hidden in reserve
4). |
5). |
6-7). } Roll on Ruins, now enveloped by the woods, -2 on all FIP rolls
8). |
9). |
10). Ritual Grove shelter 10% daylight Frequency, 33% night Frequency and 1d4 Clerics 2d6 Fighters 3d8 faithful
11). Warehouses have a 8% chance of being occupied and guarded, and a 23% chance of finding something useful
12). Outlying defence post and the wilderness around it, +3 to all Encounter rolls
Critters would then be listed in an index under the environments they most frequent.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
[RPG] The Thief-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
Here we have the fourth of four classes identified as Iconic in the D&D games:
Thief-
Fight Die: d4
[1st: 100]
Proficiencies-
Armours:
* Light
* Medium
[400]
Arms:
* Simple
* Martial
* (Exotic, each individually)
[300]
Attack Bonus: +1
[300]
Critical Tests-
* Lifeforce : +7 (-1 -100)
* Health : +7 (-1 -100)
* Vigilance : +6 (-1 -100)
* Concentration : +7
* Experience : +7
* Reflexes : +4
* Control : +5 (+1 +100)
[-200]
Technical Skills-
* 2740 for (7) Skills at listed %
* 178 for Stealth Attack
-------------------------------
3818 @ 1st-Level
With these four classes statted-out for the Point-Design, the question now becomes:
'What do I do with players who want characters that go over the 3k limit?'
Obviously there are at least two solutions, namely, allow them to 'pay-off' the overages before advancing; or, to provide players with under-cost characters additional DXP to enhance their characters.
But, I'd like to suggest that adventuring parties for many years have successfully operated on un-balanced synergy between the plain-jane fighter and the zealous but un-initiated clerics, aided by the sapper-skills of the highly trained thief, not to mention the artillery officers, the magic-users.
Once the XPs begin rolling in, the lower-cost fighter will advance more quickly, unless s/he begins to add-on non-textbook abilities, followed by the thief, cleric, and distantly by the magic-user. That, many old-timers will tell you, is natural balance.
My reason for creating the Point-Design system for an Old School Emulator (OSE) was to avoid the ever-increasing specialised NPC and Specialist classes, each with their own XP progressions, and new, difficult to adjudicate powers that could easily prevent an otherwise reasonable character from being permitted into a more standard 'btb' game.
Virually any ability from published back-in-the-day sources, or those of the retro/simulacra games of today can easily be modeled in the Point-Design system, even if it requires a change of view.
I hope this preview has served to pique interests and allay fears.
Here we have the fourth of four classes identified as Iconic in the D&D games:
Thief-
Fight Die: d4
[1st: 100]
Proficiencies-
Armours:
* Light
* Medium
[400]
Arms:
* Simple
* Martial
* (Exotic, each individually)
[300]
Attack Bonus: +1
[300]
Critical Tests-
* Lifeforce : +7 (-1 -100)
* Health : +7 (-1 -100)
* Vigilance : +6 (-1 -100)
* Concentration : +7
* Experience : +7
* Reflexes : +4
* Control : +5 (+1 +100)
[-200]
Technical Skills-
* 2740 for (7) Skills at listed %
* 178 for Stealth Attack
-------------------------------
3818 @ 1st-Level
With these four classes statted-out for the Point-Design, the question now becomes:
'What do I do with players who want characters that go over the 3k limit?'
Obviously there are at least two solutions, namely, allow them to 'pay-off' the overages before advancing; or, to provide players with under-cost characters additional DXP to enhance their characters.
But, I'd like to suggest that adventuring parties for many years have successfully operated on un-balanced synergy between the plain-jane fighter and the zealous but un-initiated clerics, aided by the sapper-skills of the highly trained thief, not to mention the artillery officers, the magic-users.
Once the XPs begin rolling in, the lower-cost fighter will advance more quickly, unless s/he begins to add-on non-textbook abilities, followed by the thief, cleric, and distantly by the magic-user. That, many old-timers will tell you, is natural balance.
My reason for creating the Point-Design system for an Old School Emulator (OSE) was to avoid the ever-increasing specialised NPC and Specialist classes, each with their own XP progressions, and new, difficult to adjudicate powers that could easily prevent an otherwise reasonable character from being permitted into a more standard 'btb' game.
Virually any ability from published back-in-the-day sources, or those of the retro/simulacra games of today can easily be modeled in the Point-Design system, even if it requires a change of view.
I hope this preview has served to pique interests and allay fears.
Monday, April 13, 2009
[RPG] The Cleric-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
The third of the three I have statted-out.
Cleric-
Fight Die: d6
[1st: 140]
Proficiencies-
Armours:
* Light
* Medium
* Heavy
[700]
Shields
[60]
Arms:
* Club
* Hammer
* Mace
* Maul
* Sling
* Staff
* Warhammer
[100]=Purchased as 'Simple' but with thematic restriction.
Attack Bonus: +1
[300]
Critical Tests-
* Lifeforce : +9 (+1 +100)
* Health : +9 (+1 +100)
* Vigilance : +8 (+1 +100)
* Concentration : +6 (-1 -100)
* Experience : +6 (-1 -100)
* Reflexes : +4
* Control : +5 (+1 +100)
[200]
Turn Undead
[300]+
[195] for 1st-Level
Magical Research
[300]
-------------------------------
2295 @ 1st-Level
(5006 with 1 1st-Level Spell)
The third of the three I have statted-out.
Cleric-
Fight Die: d6
[1st: 140]
Proficiencies-
Armours:
* Light
* Medium
* Heavy
[700]
Shields
[60]
Arms:
* Club
* Hammer
* Mace
* Maul
* Sling
* Staff
* Warhammer
[100]=Purchased as 'Simple' but with thematic restriction.
Attack Bonus: +1
[300]
Critical Tests-
* Lifeforce : +9 (+1 +100)
* Health : +9 (+1 +100)
* Vigilance : +8 (+1 +100)
* Concentration : +6 (-1 -100)
* Experience : +6 (-1 -100)
* Reflexes : +4
* Control : +5 (+1 +100)
[200]
Turn Undead
[300]+
[195] for 1st-Level
Magical Research
[300]
-------------------------------
2295 @ 1st-Level
(5006 with 1 1st-Level Spell)
[RPG] The Magic-User-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
If there are accounting errors, please let me know.
Thanks.
Magic-User-
Fight Die: d4
[1st: 100]
Proficiencies-
Armours:
-none-
[0]
Arms:
* Club
* Dagger
* Staff
[60]
Attack Bonus: +1
[300]
Critical Tests-
* Lifeforce : +7 (-1 -100)
* Health : +7 (-1 -100)
* Vigilance : +7 (-1 -100)
* Concentration : +7
* Experience : +7
* Reflexes : +4
* Control : +4 (+1 +100)
Magical Research
[300]
Caster Level: 1st
[1,500]
Access: Major Caster
[600]
Spell Level: 1st
[600]
(750 if 0-Level spells are used)
Spell Slots: 1 1st-Level
[11]
(38 if 3 0-Level slots + 1 1st-Level)
Known Spells: 2 + (Ability Mod.)
[0]
-------------------------------
3271 @ 1st-Level
(3448 with 0-Level Spells)
...Based on a 3000 point build...
If there are accounting errors, please let me know.
Thanks.
Magic-User-
Fight Die: d4
[1st: 100]
Proficiencies-
Armours:
-none-
[0]
Arms:
* Club
* Dagger
* Staff
[60]
Attack Bonus: +1
[300]
Critical Tests-
* Lifeforce : +7 (-1 -100)
* Health : +7 (-1 -100)
* Vigilance : +7 (-1 -100)
* Concentration : +7
* Experience : +7
* Reflexes : +4
* Control : +4 (+1 +100)
Magical Research
[300]
Caster Level: 1st
[1,500]
Access: Major Caster
[600]
Spell Level: 1st
[600]
(750 if 0-Level spells are used)
Spell Slots: 1 1st-Level
[11]
(38 if 3 0-Level slots + 1 1st-Level)
Known Spells: 2 + (Ability Mod.)
[0]
-------------------------------
3271 @ 1st-Level
(3448 with 0-Level Spells)
...Based on a 3000 point build...
Saturday, April 11, 2009
To tide you over until...-
New Workshop post detailing the crazy adventure last night.
Feeling a bit under the weather.
Hoping to post the M-U later tonight or tomorrow.
Feeling a bit under the weather.
Hoping to post the M-U later tonight or tomorrow.
Friday, April 10, 2009
[RPG] The Fighter-
(c) Copyright Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
I have three of the four 'core' classes (yes, yes, I know, the Thief wasn't core back at the dawn of gaming) written up in their Design Point cost format.
FIGHTERS-
Strength is the Fighter's Prime Requisite, and a character must have a Strength score of 9 or higher to become a Fighter. This class is proficient with all standard armours and any Simple or Martial weapon. They also are eligible to become Proficient in individual Exotic Weapons, as they are encountered.
Vrun Continental Authority troopers, Khark jungle barbarians, and the lowly city watch are all Fighters. They are trained for and/or experienced with combat, and have been chosen for their ability to meet problems directly, and overcome them through sheer capability and finesse. It would surprise no one, then, that these Fighters are the best class in general combat, and also lead the other classes in general toughness. Fighters can use many magic items, but tend to squable over magical arms and armour.
The culture, level of technology, and environment from which a Fighter hails, all inform him or her of what it means to be a warrior of whatever sort they are, and what their choices of arms and armour should be.
In rigid cultures, the elan of highly regimented and well-drilled soldiers is every bit as high as that of the tight-knit commando/raider group, or the more chaotic and 'catch-as-catch-can' style of the Adventuring Company.
Fight Die: d8
[1st: 180]
Proficiencies-
Armours:
* Light
* Medium
* Heavy
[700]
Shields
[60]
Arms:
* Simple
* Martial
(Exotics ea. addl.)
[300]
Attack Bonus: +1
[300]
Critical Tests-
* Lifeforce : +8
* Health : +8
* Vigilance : +7
* Concentration : +6 [-1: -100]
* Experience : +6 [-1: -100]
* Reflexes : +5 [+1: +100]
* Control : +3 [-1: -100]
-------------------------------
1,340 @ 1st-Level
(1660) -=Under=- based upon 3000 Design Points
Without going over 'level limits' in FD, or Attack Bonus, the 1st-Level BFRPG Fighter could still afford to Maximise the 1st d8 for [180], add an Exotic Weapon Proficiency [40], and add a point of Focus [100], and still have 1340 XP to begin play with.
The spell-casters are significantly more 'expensive', as you will soon see.
I have three of the four 'core' classes (yes, yes, I know, the Thief wasn't core back at the dawn of gaming) written up in their Design Point cost format.
FIGHTERS-
Strength is the Fighter's Prime Requisite, and a character must have a Strength score of 9 or higher to become a Fighter. This class is proficient with all standard armours and any Simple or Martial weapon. They also are eligible to become Proficient in individual Exotic Weapons, as they are encountered.
Vrun Continental Authority troopers, Khark jungle barbarians, and the lowly city watch are all Fighters. They are trained for and/or experienced with combat, and have been chosen for their ability to meet problems directly, and overcome them through sheer capability and finesse. It would surprise no one, then, that these Fighters are the best class in general combat, and also lead the other classes in general toughness. Fighters can use many magic items, but tend to squable over magical arms and armour.
The culture, level of technology, and environment from which a Fighter hails, all inform him or her of what it means to be a warrior of whatever sort they are, and what their choices of arms and armour should be.
In rigid cultures, the elan of highly regimented and well-drilled soldiers is every bit as high as that of the tight-knit commando/raider group, or the more chaotic and 'catch-as-catch-can' style of the Adventuring Company.
Fight Die: d8
[1st: 180]
Proficiencies-
Armours:
* Light
* Medium
* Heavy
[700]
Shields
[60]
Arms:
* Simple
* Martial
(Exotics ea. addl.)
[300]
Attack Bonus: +1
[300]
Critical Tests-
* Lifeforce : +8
* Health : +8
* Vigilance : +7
* Concentration : +6 [-1: -100]
* Experience : +6 [-1: -100]
* Reflexes : +5 [+1: +100]
* Control : +3 [-1: -100]
-------------------------------
1,340 @ 1st-Level
(1660) -=Under=- based upon 3000 Design Points
Without going over 'level limits' in FD, or Attack Bonus, the 1st-Level BFRPG Fighter could still afford to Maximise the 1st d8 for [180], add an Exotic Weapon Proficiency [40], and add a point of Focus [100], and still have 1340 XP to begin play with.
The spell-casters are significantly more 'expensive', as you will soon see.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Dave Arneson (Updated with Kobold LINK)-
I was always more sympathetic toward Dave than Gary, and now they're both gone from among us.
LINK to last (?) interview with Dave.
Comments?
LINK to last (?) interview with Dave.
Comments?
'Review' of Fight On! Collected Hardback, etc.-
I had ordered one copy each of the KNOCKSPELL/Fight On! Art of..., and the collected issues 1-4 Fight On! Hardback. Each arrived separately, with the art book arriving first. No big surprise, given the difference in page count.
The Art of the Old School product underwhelmed me, to be honest, but at least it was for a 'worthy' cause, and I can say that I have one. ;)
But, Behold! The collected Fight On! hardback!
I may be exaggerating unintentionally, but this book may as well be a regular format, as far as I'm concerned. This borders on the DMG for the Old School Renaissance.
I have all four .pdfs, and liked them all fine on their own terms, but the collected hardback is far more than the sum of her parts. Even the very scatteredness of the information, which becomes a sort of scalar repetition as one flips through the book from cover to cover, inspired me with half-conscious lobes caressed by hex maps and monster illos, cartoons and pages and pages of thick, technical text on a variety of esoteric and mundane factors of games.
I found myself grinning, then smiling as my favourite articles, maps, and even adverts flashed across my vision. I closed the hardback's cover. I almost hugged it.
Squeeee! :D
The Art of the Old School product underwhelmed me, to be honest, but at least it was for a 'worthy' cause, and I can say that I have one. ;)
But, Behold! The collected Fight On! hardback!
I may be exaggerating unintentionally, but this book may as well be a regular format, as far as I'm concerned. This borders on the DMG for the Old School Renaissance.
I have all four .pdfs, and liked them all fine on their own terms, but the collected hardback is far more than the sum of her parts. Even the very scatteredness of the information, which becomes a sort of scalar repetition as one flips through the book from cover to cover, inspired me with half-conscious lobes caressed by hex maps and monster illos, cartoons and pages and pages of thick, technical text on a variety of esoteric and mundane factors of games.
I found myself grinning, then smiling as my favourite articles, maps, and even adverts flashed across my vision. I closed the hardback's cover. I almost hugged it.
Squeeee! :D
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
[RPG] Vehicle (Limited OGC)-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
Here is the first of my vehicle designs, and yes, this would be a Volume II vehicle, just to be clear.
Please, let me know what you think about this approach.
Thanks,
===
Urmenda ('All-Ground Specialised Vehicle')-
]OGC[
Fight Dice: 5+2***
Reliability: +8
Defence/Armour: +0/Speed/1d8-1
AB: +2
# Attacks: Manoeuvres/Crew Attacks
Damage: Varies by Manoeuvre/By Weapon
Move: Low 400' Cruising 800' Top 1100'
Configuration: Driver, 3 Passengers, 250# Cargo
CT: -2
Loot: Types IV-I Personal, 3d6 Traders
XP: 495
]OGC[
The Urmenda is an open-framed, four-tread vehicle designed to ascend and descend nearly vertical (78*) surfaces, utilising a smart-balance/suspension/transmission distributed power system, and a re-configurable cab. This is adjusted for the sort and degree of terrain to be crossed (with 'on-the-fly' auto-adjustments).
Produced from 1076-1112, by multiple government-contracted plants of varying quality, quirks, and mystique. Ones encountered after those dates will be even more of a mix of features, as well as necessitated makeshift repairs and bodged-together one-off parts.
While capable of their one trick, the 'Urml' <'My Urm-'> is not very agile at high speeds, nor reasonably able to achieve them. Their ubiquity and enduring ruggedness has ensured their continued utility and common affection. Even the earliest of the 1076 units provide Environmental Support links for E-Suits, and three 'hardpoints' to which weapons may be mounted (front-right, top, rear-left).
Here is the first of my vehicle designs, and yes, this would be a Volume II vehicle, just to be clear.
Please, let me know what you think about this approach.
Thanks,
===
Urmenda ('All-Ground Specialised Vehicle')-
]OGC[
Fight Dice: 5+2***
Reliability: +8
Defence/Armour: +0/Speed/1d8-1
AB: +2
# Attacks: Manoeuvres/Crew Attacks
Damage: Varies by Manoeuvre/By Weapon
Move: Low 400' Cruising 800' Top 1100'
Configuration: Driver, 3 Passengers, 250# Cargo
CT: -2
Loot: Types IV-I Personal, 3d6 Traders
XP: 495
]OGC[
The Urmenda is an open-framed, four-tread vehicle designed to ascend and descend nearly vertical (78*) surfaces, utilising a smart-balance/suspension/transmission distributed power system, and a re-configurable cab. This is adjusted for the sort and degree of terrain to be crossed (with 'on-the-fly' auto-adjustments).
Produced from 1076-1112, by multiple government-contracted plants of varying quality, quirks, and mystique. Ones encountered after those dates will be even more of a mix of features, as well as necessitated makeshift repairs and bodged-together one-off parts.
While capable of their one trick, the 'Urml' <'My Urm-'> is not very agile at high speeds, nor reasonably able to achieve them. Their ubiquity and enduring ruggedness has ensured their continued utility and common affection. Even the earliest of the 1076 units provide Environmental Support links for E-Suits, and three 'hardpoints' to which weapons may be mounted (front-right, top, rear-left).
Chit-chat-
Dave Arneson in the hospital, and WotC pulling legal .pdf downloads, it has been an interesting day.
My big breakthroughs were a vehicle template, and a spell template, both of which operate using rules similar to the creature template I already use.
The vehicle template won't cause any real issues with core dndisms, but if I were to use the spell template, it would profoundly alter magic. It very likely would only see use in conjuration/illusion spells.
The more I work on the gaming, the more fiction burbles-up, and vise-versa. Jeff Reint's blog has a link to a magazine-PoD site: full colour, 20 pages, slick. Yeah, I am thinking once more about my comics and short fiction dream. I'll keep you informed.
Collating the Vol. I history from two sources and streamlining it for gamer-use has been proving more challenging than I had initially thought.
My big breakthroughs were a vehicle template, and a spell template, both of which operate using rules similar to the creature template I already use.
The vehicle template won't cause any real issues with core dndisms, but if I were to use the spell template, it would profoundly alter magic. It very likely would only see use in conjuration/illusion spells.
The more I work on the gaming, the more fiction burbles-up, and vise-versa. Jeff Reint's blog has a link to a magazine-PoD site: full colour, 20 pages, slick. Yeah, I am thinking once more about my comics and short fiction dream. I'll keep you informed.
Collating the Vol. I history from two sources and streamlining it for gamer-use has been proving more challenging than I had initially thought.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
[RPG] Critter (Limited OGC)-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
Irdemas Haekshi ('Winged Witches', 'Moon Maidens')-
]OGC[
Fight Dice: 8+25**
Resolve: +13
Defence/Armour: +7/1d4
AB: +7
# Attacks: Sword twice per Round/1 Buffet/ Magic
Damage: Sword 2d4+2 each/Buffet 1d4+1 and Dex-Test or fall
Move: Walk 40' Fly 240'
Organisation: Solo, Prime (4), Grand Prime (16 + 5d20+50 loyal)
CT: +13
Loot: Types III and II
XP: 2,395
]OGC[
Comely women of many sorts born with wings which grow mighty and powerful as they gracefully age. The Winged Witches are known to be harbingers of sudden change in the form of weather and tumalt.
Each is a cohort of their respective Elemental Lord/Lady, and associated with the Elemental Animal. As Elemental Creatures themselves, they are rather well beyond the concerns of the actions upon a personal-scale, and act impartially in their tasks. If their duties are interfered with, or they are attacked, the Winged Witches will repay the disservice and then return to their charge. Some Moon Maidens take mortal lovers, and their (always-)daughter-offspring are all winged, for it is in this way the race survives.
They are a Caster-Level equal to their CT, with all Element-themed magic (specifically their Element, and the two associated). They are Spontaneous Casters with access to the entire list of spells. The Irdemas Haekshi possess (2x Resolve) in Spell Points with which to power these abilities.
Irdemas Haekshi ('Winged Witches', 'Moon Maidens')-
]OGC[
Fight Dice: 8+25**
Resolve: +13
Defence/Armour: +7/1d4
AB: +7
# Attacks: Sword twice per Round/1 Buffet/ Magic
Damage: Sword 2d4+2 each/Buffet 1d4+1 and Dex-Test or fall
Move: Walk 40' Fly 240'
Organisation: Solo, Prime (4), Grand Prime (16 + 5d20+50 loyal)
CT: +13
Loot: Types III and II
XP: 2,395
]OGC[
Comely women of many sorts born with wings which grow mighty and powerful as they gracefully age. The Winged Witches are known to be harbingers of sudden change in the form of weather and tumalt.
Each is a cohort of their respective Elemental Lord/Lady, and associated with the Elemental Animal. As Elemental Creatures themselves, they are rather well beyond the concerns of the actions upon a personal-scale, and act impartially in their tasks. If their duties are interfered with, or they are attacked, the Winged Witches will repay the disservice and then return to their charge. Some Moon Maidens take mortal lovers, and their (always-)daughter-offspring are all winged, for it is in this way the race survives.
They are a Caster-Level equal to their CT, with all Element-themed magic (specifically their Element, and the two associated). They are Spontaneous Casters with access to the entire list of spells. The Irdemas Haekshi possess (2x Resolve) in Spell Points with which to power these abilities.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
[RPG] Stuff, and (OGC) Spells-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
The party has collectively reached over 10k XP (including the 3k they were built on), or '4th-Level', and have their Ability Tests and Critical Tests written in additive notation, rather than shifting Target Numbers.
Tybalt the fledgeling magicker is finally able to cast 2nd-Level spells.
His player and I have worked together on allowing him one-off makeshift variants on his known spells, and in the process we have developed, among others, the following:
These spells, in their current form, are Open Gaming Content, under the Open Gaming License 1.0a:
===[start OGC]===
* Buckler-
0th Arcane
(1 Recipent)
(Touch)
(+2 to Defence for 1 Round per Caster Level)
A minor-power Shield which has only one use before dispelling. Shield or a higher-level magic atop this cantrip supersedes the effect of the Buckler, but preserves the duration.
* Archeoscribe-
1st Arcane
(10x10'area per 2 Caster Levels)
Cleans the surface of cave walls, tombs, grave markers, mile posts, etc. and makes clear the surviving outlines of all characters and other language elements. These become visible to all for the duration, which is 1 + (1 per Caster Level) Rounds.
* Jaunt-
2nd Arcane
(1 Recipient)
(200' +20' per Caster-Level, in total traversing per casting)
One 5' move per Round, with an action.
Duration is until the final 5' hop is used or when the recipient dismisses the spell.
* Shield Maiden-
2nd Arcane
(1 Recipient)
(Recipient)
This spell allows all of the benefits of the Shield spell to be bestowed upon another creature or person no larger than the size-category of the caster.
In all other regards, as the Shield spell.
===[end OGC]===
Maybe you'll find them useful.
The party has collectively reached over 10k XP (including the 3k they were built on), or '4th-Level', and have their Ability Tests and Critical Tests written in additive notation, rather than shifting Target Numbers.
Tybalt the fledgeling magicker is finally able to cast 2nd-Level spells.
His player and I have worked together on allowing him one-off makeshift variants on his known spells, and in the process we have developed, among others, the following:
These spells, in their current form, are Open Gaming Content, under the Open Gaming License 1.0a:
===[start OGC]===
* Buckler-
0th Arcane
(1 Recipent)
(Touch)
(+2 to Defence for 1 Round per Caster Level)
A minor-power Shield which has only one use before dispelling. Shield or a higher-level magic atop this cantrip supersedes the effect of the Buckler, but preserves the duration.
* Archeoscribe-
1st Arcane
(10x10'area per 2 Caster Levels)
Cleans the surface of cave walls, tombs, grave markers, mile posts, etc. and makes clear the surviving outlines of all characters and other language elements. These become visible to all for the duration, which is 1 + (1 per Caster Level) Rounds.
* Jaunt-
2nd Arcane
(1 Recipient)
(200' +20' per Caster-Level, in total traversing per casting)
One 5' move per Round, with an action.
Duration is until the final 5' hop is used or when the recipient dismisses the spell.
* Shield Maiden-
2nd Arcane
(1 Recipient)
(Recipient)
This spell allows all of the benefits of the Shield spell to be bestowed upon another creature or person no larger than the size-category of the caster.
In all other regards, as the Shield spell.
===[end OGC]===
Maybe you'll find them useful.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Random Blurbs-
I am editing the period history overview, and am trying to decide which approach to use (more of):
* Timeline and Gazetteer?
* a more or less linear (parallel at times) 'you are there' read of about 6-8 pages?
--Opinion on either?
I've seen the preliminary cover art by Peter Mullen, and am eager to tell you that I am every bit as impressed with what I have received, as I have seen in his S&W and KNOCKSPELL work. I will keep you informed.
The d20 is such a strange die, and has gained an integral identity with D&D more than any other polyhedral. Don't worry, I'm sticking with it for Ability Tests, Combat, and Critical Tests. It's just so strange.
* Timeline and Gazetteer?
* a more or less linear (parallel at times) 'you are there' read of about 6-8 pages?
--Opinion on either?
I've seen the preliminary cover art by Peter Mullen, and am eager to tell you that I am every bit as impressed with what I have received, as I have seen in his S&W and KNOCKSPELL work. I will keep you informed.
The d20 is such a strange die, and has gained an integral identity with D&D more than any other polyhedral. Don't worry, I'm sticking with it for Ability Tests, Combat, and Critical Tests. It's just so strange.
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