OK, not really that "monumentous" a trek, just reading through the Players' Manual and finding errors, inconsistencies, oddities, and other cool word-like thingies that need a fixin'.
My good buddy, Brian Penn, and I spoke on Sunday and he gave me his very non-D&D (and very Tunnels & Trolls) perspective on how it read and how terms he wasn't familiar with threw his initial perceptions for loops when they were later defined within the text. That was interesting. I think he's planning on posting those findings after he gets through with the Referee's Manual. I'll wait for him to speak for himself.
Beyond the new stuff (Sanguine Elements taking a larger role) I can see tighter editing on the background stuff in the PM, and some more of it being moved to either a Setting Manual, or the RM. Both groakes and Brian have given me great feedback on the Genetic Memory and incorporating it more fully into the low-tech setting of Early Autumn, without having to add rules mechanisms. Whew!
After tomo--, after today's (I'm writing this at 2am) game session, I ought to have the time to pore over the RM and make a list of what wisdom ought to be included. Some topics include city and nation 'building'; common-sense stuff about materials and their susceptibilities; how to make combat cool and exciting by thinking instead of coming up with boatloads of tack-on rules/feats/etc.; and, lots of imagination-inspiring (get the Ref out of a jam) tables to roll upon, from common folk met on roads, to random descriptions of Ancient complexes, etc.
If I have been somewhat more acerbic than usual (in other words, showing my personality rather than keeping this blog on task), I apologise for any wasted time in your blog reading lives. I hate that crap, too, and sadly, I occasionally slide into the cesspool.
--Having broken a toe on Tuesday night; getting into arguments with my father who is convinced I am keeping him from the Internet (although his Mac, too, seems to have been damaged in the lightning strike), and my ex- being diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer, I've been a bit ... stressed out.
So, here's to all of you gamers of all stripes who are going to be gaming this weekend.
--Do It Your Way, and old Blue Eyes will be smiling up from, er-- down from... Well, you catch my drift.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
[General][Gaming][Philosophy] "We killz you fast fer lettin' uz go."
We may be losing one of the APG to a move, and may have a change of venue, as well.
Talking with a lot of gamers over the past two weeks, both in person, as well as via e-mail and on blogs has really demonstrated a few key things, although I'm not certain they can easily be put into words.
--I'll try:
In my SO's 3.5 (forgive her) game the Ent, the Elven Wolf-shifter Druid, and my Grugach/Dryad/Eladrin Src1/Scout3 (hopefully soon to be Fey-pact Warlock) did our best to spare the lives of Goblins we bumped into when we strolled into their territory. The bow-happy alcoholic Halfling Rogue shot a captured gobbo in the hand of the Ent, losing much of whatever charm he had in the process.
Cutting the bonds of the second of the surviving gobbos after I updated their painted warning on the rocky entrance to their zone, now in 'Common' and 'Elven', my character was told,
Talking with a lot of gamers over the past two weeks, both in person, as well as via e-mail and on blogs has really demonstrated a few key things, although I'm not certain they can easily be put into words.
--I'll try:
- Like formative sexual experiences, our earliest gaming sessions seem to heavily contribute to the choices we make in selecting our future outlooks, down to even which games we will play, and how we perceive how they are to be played. --Kathy B. was my first real kiss, and although she was a terribly skittish sort of gal (horribly abusive home situation), she had a smouldering fire that blew me away that October night. In a way, she was the measure of all subsequent kisses. --Likewise, the first session of Joe C.'s AD&D campaign, in which I realised we were facing an undead (in the dark) before we got within melee range, and his appreciation for my intuitive-inferential way of thinking was a flip of the light-switch that gaming could be more than the rules and rolling of the dice. I'd GM'd before that, but never had meet a 'peer' in the games. Although much of the subsequent Giants/Slavers/Depths of the Earth/Demon Web Pits campaign was highly adversarial, it became the measure of a good game.
- Phobic or other conditional experiences often cause us to steer clear of people, places, and things that have, in the past, caused us harm or turmoil, go on to inform us of patterns in our later life. --Sitting down to game with these shit-kicker Rebel sons in Jacksonville, I was already aware of their malign nature before I was filled in on their racial agenda being played-out in their campaign. I lasted about as long as it took to create my character. Later, I almost got into a fist fight with steroid-junkie Dane when he didn't like me calling him out on his hate rhetoric at my friends' store. --Now, when I meet pricks, online or at the table, I don't get angry...
- "That's not the way we ran it..." That's nice. Go run your own game. --Likewise, if I want to play in a game with folks with diametrically opposed gaming philosophies, I need to just STFU and play my character. Let the dice [wor]k me over, if that's my fate, but don't give the f[ol]ks ammo.
- "It's a man's world." Yeah. --Bruck up, sister.
In my SO's 3.5 (forgive her) game the Ent, the Elven Wolf-shifter Druid, and my Grugach/Dryad/Eladrin Src1/Scout3 (hopefully soon to be Fey-pact Warlock) did our best to spare the lives of Goblins we bumped into when we strolled into their territory. The bow-happy alcoholic Halfling Rogue shot a captured gobbo in the hand of the Ent, losing much of whatever charm he had in the process.
Cutting the bonds of the second of the surviving gobbos after I updated their painted warning on the rocky entrance to their zone, now in 'Common' and 'Elven', my character was told,
"We killz you fast fer lettin' uz go."Sweet. I'm making inroads with the anti-human critters. Soon the cities will be in ruins.
Monday, July 27, 2009
[Playtest Campaign] Rebel Yell-
AFTER Their crushing defeat at the hands of the Sneers, the Party decided not to cross any of the other bridges in the complex's first level. [Referee scores 1 point]
Instead, after [k]icking around a bit in the NW sector and discovering a tapestry in that Troll room, they concoct an Oxi-Clean type batch and clean the mould and crusted Troll-faeces from it to reveal a scene of the stark white Emperor Avrdyn of the Star Throne Empire (Summer era) in shiny metal full plate handing a sceptre or scroll tube to an Abbekqorru leader. Wojo, the former slave/altar boy of the Hierophantic Church, uses his ecclesiastical history knowledge to date the scene to roughly 1100 years prior, although the tapestry is clearly no older than 200 or so years, like the rest of the evidence they have found, including a mandala created by an Abbekqorru prisoner (a starship pilot) in one of the dungeon cells.
They debate going back into the worm-ridden undead barracks of the south eastern sector, but the collective remembrances of the group suggested against that plan of action, as they have no proof versus the Terror effect.
--Only freaky see-through-skin mutant-boy and the Warden with Kitty the bear remain behind, as the player bailed, not feeling well.
Tybalt uses Jaunt to see if he can pass through the defences, and is rewarded with success. Sadly, even carrying one person at a time will cause such strain upon his system that he'd have to take all their remaining healing potions just to get back up to the First Level. They debate the logistics of this plan, but, being Tybalt, he decides instead to probe further into the ship's darkness.
The door panel recognises him as Human, and due to his Engineering Genetic Memory background, the door opens for him. He proceeds and reaches a second door, followed initially by Delver. The AI seems to permit the transit of the Alien with the Human, and they move on to a third door. Delver hangs back before returning to the others.
Tybalt enters a trapezoidal chamber filled with alcoves of 'devices'. An amber light activates and moves toward him. He falls back in case it is an attack, but is pleased to see that it is some sort of utility light that hovers near him (similar to those in Lynch's DUNE film). The chamber is littered with bone shards and scraps of Ancients clothing. He gets to another door, opens it, and steps in.
[01 Round down to reactivation]
[CiCi empowers her mace by +2 by pumping in 10 of her DPs. It is now +3 to Hit/+5 to damage. Delver gets an acid flask ready. They 'ready an action' to strike ]
[It deploys again.]
[I question Delver/CiCi player as to their placement and smile as they are on opposite sides of the housing hatch. I imagine CiCi getting struck by the flask, but that doesn't happen. The Strike does some damage, but the acid virtually none.]
[It fires at CiCi, but she 'dodges'.]
Tybalt hears the woman and a velvety-voiced man (like Berry White, but deeper and smoother) discussing who gets Tyb's spirit. The deep voice explains that the woman is undead and won't be filled with it, and 'He' is Tyb's sanguine lord. Lord Shadow banishes the bainsidhe and then Tyb feels himself flung into Deep Shadow. Other weird stuff from my previous 3.5/Pathfinder game which featured the Shadow Plane is referenced, but he doesn't catch them, and I explain. He laughs and is pleased he is given a 'tiny chance' to avoid being a Shade for the rest of history.
--He can still see the amber light hovering over his body. lol.
Instead, after [k]icking around a bit in the NW sector and discovering a tapestry in that Troll room, they concoct an Oxi-Clean type batch and clean the mould and crusted Troll-faeces from it to reveal a scene of the stark white Emperor Avrdyn of the Star Throne Empire (Summer era) in shiny metal full plate handing a sceptre or scroll tube to an Abbekqorru leader. Wojo, the former slave/altar boy of the Hierophantic Church, uses his ecclesiastical history knowledge to date the scene to roughly 1100 years prior, although the tapestry is clearly no older than 200 or so years, like the rest of the evidence they have found, including a mandala created by an Abbekqorru prisoner (a starship pilot) in one of the dungeon cells.
They debate going back into the worm-ridden undead barracks of the south eastern sector, but the collective remembrances of the group suggested against that plan of action, as they have no proof versus the Terror effect.
"Let's take the Lift Shaft to a lower level." Sez Tybalt.Dumbfounded looks of incredulity meet that statement.
"We can't carry out our mapping mission without doing so, eventually."...[the sound of acquiescence]
--Only freaky see-through-skin mutant-boy and the Warden with Kitty the bear remain behind, as the player bailed, not feeling well.
- Second Level: Protected by closed Blast Door.
- Third Level: Protected by glowing blue force-field.
- Fourth Level: Using the bizarre two-page map from the old JG City-State of the Invincible Overlord, the Shaft has a short corridor running NE, and a longer one running SSE.
Tybalt uses Jaunt to see if he can pass through the defences, and is rewarded with success. Sadly, even carrying one person at a time will cause such strain upon his system that he'd have to take all their remaining healing potions just to get back up to the First Level. They debate the logistics of this plan, but, being Tybalt, he decides instead to probe further into the ship's darkness.
The door panel recognises him as Human, and due to his Engineering Genetic Memory background, the door opens for him. He proceeds and reaches a second door, followed initially by Delver. The AI seems to permit the transit of the Alien with the Human, and they move on to a third door. Delver hangs back before returning to the others.
Tybalt enters a trapezoidal chamber filled with alcoves of 'devices'. An amber light activates and moves toward him. He falls back in case it is an attack, but is pleased to see that it is some sort of utility light that hovers near him (similar to those in Lynch's DUNE film). The chamber is littered with bone shards and scraps of Ancients clothing. He gets to another door, opens it, and steps in.
"Roll Initiative."
"Uh. I got an 11."
"You see a hideous chalk-white woman with dessicated breasts and a wild mane of stark white hair. She is dressed in tattered clothing of the Ancients. There is an indigo light rising in her throat you can see through her open maw."
"I step back through the door."
"Please roll Initiative for the door-closing speed versus the woman."
"8."
"Tied."
"That means she's crushed by the door, right?" [hopeful]
"No. I means she steps through and the door loses right behind her, tearing off a slice of her. She seems unconcerned. That was your Action.
"What's your Lifeforce score?"
"+11"[I roll to attack his Lifeforce and score a hit]
"I'll get back to you in a bit.[All but CiCi make it. She cowers, grabbing her knees, sobbing. The others lose that Round.]
"You all hear, even over the klaxon, a hiss that begins to shred your auditory nerves. Just then, the klaxon stops, and you all can hear this terrible sound. Lifeforce, please."
"When next you are able to act, you distantly hear a sound like a sack of potatoes hitting the floor."[Darius, Tybalt's mace-wielding Man-at-Arms and Delver rush down the hallway.]
"Darius. Are you Human?"
"He's Vrun."
"I know that, does he have his Knacks and stuff determined?"
"Yeah [blah-blah-blah]."
"Nothing about his true nature?"
"No."
"Okay. Please roll percentile. 51+ is Human."
"02. So, do those mutations kick in now?" [hopeful]
"Sadly, not yet. We'll have to determine that at some other point."
"Roll half of your Defence on d12, please."
"d12? Um. Can I Focus?"
"No. You know you need to declare it at the start of the Round."
"[$#!+]"[I roll a 9 --darned thing is rusty from lack of use, dontchaknow?]
"13."
"You see a scorch mark just about where your head was going to be, before you twitch-dodged. Your go."
"I turn to see what shot at me and attack it if I can."
"The same sort of laser cannon you guys saw earler. What do you do?"
"I hit it with my mace."[Hits. Does 2 points beyond its d12 v. blunt Armour roll.]
"It doesn't look damaged. Its go."
"It'll hit. Give me your Defence at full."
"Great. 01."
"You take it in the mouth. [Roll 5d8] [x]. Critical Damage."
"Critical Damage?"
"It comes directly off your Terminal Threshold."[Blink-blink]
"I'm at -10 out of -14."
"Okay. Anyone else?"[Delver rushes in, and we roll Initiative. He attacks it with his lightning ring for decent effect again. It fires, strikes, but his Reflection: LASER beams it back at full effect. The thing's AI retracts it back into the ceiling to render repairs and consider its course of action: 3 Rounds before it re-deploys.]
"Darius, you are now at -11. Anyone else?"
"CiCi can act? [yes] Okay she runs in and gives him a Cure Light at 1d6+1."
--"He has two potions!" sez Darius' player.
"Okay I give him the potions, too."
"Just roll 'em all together. 3d6+7"
"15."
"I'm back at 4."
"03. There is 0 to consider."[-nods-]
[01 Round down to reactivation]
"I stand right under it and fire again."
"Roll."[Hits. 15 points of elec.]
"Take that. No Armour."
"Huh? It bounced?"
"Yup."[2 Rounds]
[CiCi empowers her mace by +2 by pumping in 10 of her DPs. It is now +3 to Hit/+5 to damage. Delver gets an acid flask ready. They 'ready an action' to strike ]
[It deploys again.]
[I question Delver/CiCi player as to their placement and smile as they are on opposite sides of the housing hatch. I imagine CiCi getting struck by the flask, but that doesn't happen. The Strike does some damage, but the acid virtually none.]
[It fires at CiCi, but she 'dodges'.]
"Let's hold it here. Tybalt, let me speak to you outside."---
Tybalt hears the woman and a velvety-voiced man (like Berry White, but deeper and smoother) discussing who gets Tyb's spirit. The deep voice explains that the woman is undead and won't be filled with it, and 'He' is Tyb's sanguine lord. Lord Shadow banishes the bainsidhe and then Tyb feels himself flung into Deep Shadow. Other weird stuff from my previous 3.5/Pathfinder game which featured the Shadow Plane is referenced, but he doesn't catch them, and I explain. He laughs and is pleased he is given a 'tiny chance' to avoid being a Shade for the rest of history.
--He can still see the amber light hovering over his body. lol.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
My DSL was out after a costly lightning strike-
So, scratch one ACER mini, one Linksys router, and a telephone.
Sorry for being incommunicado, but the circumstances were extenuating.
Sorry for being incommunicado, but the circumstances were extenuating.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
[Consumerism] Doing My Part!-
Recent eBay acquisitions:
* Boxed Set: Holmes + 2nd Edition B1 + Old School Pre-Inked Dice (w00t!)
* (additional) Holmes Silver Anniversary Booklet
* (additional) 2nd Edition B1
* Gamma World 1st Edition, 2nd Printing (not very good shape), with Map
* Dungeoneer's Survival Guide (Pristine) {$5!}
* Wilderness Survival Guide (Immaculate) {$5!}
* Koplow Colour-faced d6's (6-count + 1 blank die) --for R'Tshen Skirmish/Tactical game-use.
--Still waiting for:
* Dungeon Master's Guide (1st Edition earlyish printing)
Direct Purchase from Sanguine Productions Ltd.:
* Albedo Twentieth Anniversary Edition Albedo Platinum Catalyst
* Structural Integrity (a freebie for their taking a LONG time to fulfil the order, I suppose).
From the Davie, Fl. War & Pieces (brick & mortar store):
* AT-43 TACTICS: Tactical 'RPG'
* AT-43 Rules (in SO's possession)
* AT-43 Karmans Army Book (SO's chosen faction)
--Soon to pick-up:
* AT-43 UNA Wing Troopers
* AT-43 Red Bloc (cannot remember which, but 8 figures)
* AT-43 Karmans (cannot remember which, but 4 figures) for SO.
And that ought to leave me with about $10 for the rest of the month.
--> whistling softly while looking around the room <
* Boxed Set: Holmes + 2nd Edition B1 + Old School Pre-Inked Dice (w00t!)
* (additional) Holmes Silver Anniversary Booklet
* (additional) 2nd Edition B1
* Gamma World 1st Edition, 2nd Printing (not very good shape), with Map
* Dungeoneer's Survival Guide (Pristine) {$5!}
* Wilderness Survival Guide (Immaculate) {$5!}
* Koplow Colour-faced d6's (6-count + 1 blank die) --for R'Tshen Skirmish/Tactical game-use.
--Still waiting for:
* Dungeon Master's Guide (1st Edition earlyish printing)
Direct Purchase from Sanguine Productions Ltd.:
* Albedo Twentieth Anniversary Edition Albedo Platinum Catalyst
* Structural Integrity (a freebie for their taking a LONG time to fulfil the order, I suppose).
From the Davie, Fl. War & Pieces (brick & mortar store):
* AT-43 TACTICS: Tactical 'RPG'
* AT-43 Rules (in SO's possession)
* AT-43 Karmans Army Book (SO's chosen faction)
--Soon to pick-up:
* AT-43 UNA Wing Troopers
* AT-43 Red Bloc (cannot remember which, but 8 figures)
* AT-43 Karmans (cannot remember which, but 4 figures) for SO.
And that ought to leave me with about $10 for the rest of the month.
--> whistling softly while looking around the room <
Monday, July 20, 2009
[RPG] Players' Manual Revamp Underway-
Blame groakes, if you like. ;).
Blood is receiving its due integration not only with Character Generation, but Combat and Tests. I am converting my previous game system material to the Classic-Play format, although it is pulling C-P into new territory.
--In brief, one's Sanguine Element (Elemental Blood) becomes the character's tie to the mystical reality which underpins the setting. The references to Alignment in the extant Players' Manual are being fleshed out so that one's Elemental Ruler will eventually have actual interaction as one continues to draw upon their power.
I am also making plans to modify the Spell Construction tables from the prior game to this one, which will eliminate the need for lengthy lists of spells, and their descriptions.
groakes has created a character, Qon Qol Kesh <-'I am wisdom's reflection, a trickster'->; created an insectoid monster using the Life Lab tables; and conducted a combat between the two (QQK narrowly escaped having his head bitten-off by the bug). In his e-mail, he also made use of impromptu uses for Blood, which has led to this resurgence of a fuller application of that mechanism.
Thoughts?
Blood is receiving its due integration not only with Character Generation, but Combat and Tests. I am converting my previous game system material to the Classic-Play format, although it is pulling C-P into new territory.
--In brief, one's Sanguine Element (Elemental Blood) becomes the character's tie to the mystical reality which underpins the setting. The references to Alignment in the extant Players' Manual are being fleshed out so that one's Elemental Ruler will eventually have actual interaction as one continues to draw upon their power.
I am also making plans to modify the Spell Construction tables from the prior game to this one, which will eliminate the need for lengthy lists of spells, and their descriptions.
groakes has created a character, Qon Qol Kesh <-'I am wisdom's reflection, a trickster'->; created an insectoid monster using the Life Lab tables; and conducted a combat between the two (QQK narrowly escaped having his head bitten-off by the bug). In his e-mail, he also made use of impromptu uses for Blood, which has led to this resurgence of a fuller application of that mechanism.
Hi K - below is the account of the combat between Qon Qol Kesh (with 2 fightdice and two focus points) and the K'Kik K'Ree. A couple of questions which I couldn't find answers to in the published rules:1. What is the Terminal Threshold (is it Physique + leverage 2M?); and2. How is damage apportioned across hit locations?
Apart from that, it was quick and brutal. Just the way it should be. I DO like a system tha forces players to look at options beyond hack and slash and I DO think that this system will do that.
On another tangent, I also "made up" a use for the Blood Element. In the description below, Qon Qol Kesh Focuses his Blood Element to sense what is happening in his surroundings. In this case, he creates some smoke which he then picks up some snensations from the waiting K'Kik K'ree. Nothing solid, but just, if you like, an increased awareness of his surroundings.Anyway, here's want went down:
The trees entered Qon Qol Kesh's dreams and urgently shook him from languid Jhanala’s arms as she dreamed deeply of her lover in the distant Western Isles. He blinked in the pre-dawn dark, the grove awash with a thousand shadows created by the soft blue glow emitted from ruined Thres A’alta at his back. He felt the deep, muzzy thrum through the soles of his travelling boots and wondered for what threat the trees had woken him. The subsonic glow of the ruins was normally enough to keep most beasts at a distance, but perhaps something with awareness had decided to come close to the normally deserted ruin. Anyway, he was glad he had taken the time to make an offering to the trees in the glade last night before he slipped into dreams even though his left hand still stung from the incision he had made. The trees had repaid him well for the blood honour he shared with them.
The trees, mindful of Qon Qol Kesh’s respect, wake him from the lucid shared dreaming with his lover. While he slept a K’Kik K’Rree detected his scent and stalked his sleeping form. The K’Kik K’Rree’s tactics are simple - hide on the underside of a tree branch and grab passing prey with its raptorial arms. Once grabbed, the mantid will lift the trapped prey up to its mandible and attempt to bite its head off, then proceed to feast on the decapitated corpse.
Each raptorial limb does d4. Raptorials are both edged and impaling. A character gripped by the mantid suffers a -2/raptorial to their Balance PM. The mantid attempting to lift a character rolls an attack die +1 for each grasping raptorial versus a characters defence die modified by leverage and constitution PMs. Once lifted, the mantid will attempt to “aim high” to deliver its bite - mandibles do d8 edged).
Normally a day hunter, the K’Kik K’Ree has been injured in a territorial dispute with another of it’s kind losing one of it’s four raptorial arms. Consequently, it’s desperate for food and willing to take a chance in the pre-dawn gloom on a lone, sleeping humanoid.
The K’Kik K’Ree has suffered 3 points damage of a maximum 15 points. It can only attack with three raptorials per round.
He unsheathed his tulwar and crouching, threw a handfull of green leaves onto the small fire he had left burning overnight. A pungent smoke curled into the chill air and he focussed his blood awareness on it. He blew gently and the smoke took on an iridescence beneath the still glimmering stars. The smoke coiled about the glade, caressing leaf and stone, a stream of image and sensation flowing back to him along the incandescent particles.
hunger/eat/pain/hunger/eat/hunger
He gripped his tulwar and peered into the pulsing shadows beneath the limbs of the sky blue Hshtra trees. His eyes adjusted to the ancient blue glare and he moved carefully forward, listening and watching. Through the trees, the first threads of dawn were streaking the indigo sky but no chorus of birds greeted the day. The forest was soft and silent. His sharp eyes picked out diurnals cowering in the flickering shadows. Threat was near.
He draws his tulwar, casts some green foliage on his fire creating smoke and, drawing upon his Blood Element (smoke), uses Focus to determine what the reason for the trees’ warning. His awareness travels on the smokes tendrils and encounters that of the mantid hunter, delivering him a sense of ravishing hunger with a taint of pain. Sword in hand he edges carefully through the shadowy glade.
Having woken, he is wearing his travellling boots 1d4 - to delving boots like a leather vest Is to a studded vest - and leather vest 1d. His tulwar is the equivalent of a longsword.
The K’Kik K’Rree falls back on it’s normal patterns and hangs on a branch underside, grasping the limb with its rear legs, keeping its raptorial limbs free for the strike.
STRIKE/FEED/STRIKE/FEED/STRIKE/FEED
Instinctively he dodged left, pivoting in the Hait Berror manner with his right leg extended behind him and tulwar slicing figure eights through the air as the chitinous claws flashed murderously down. Above, clinging to the underside of a branch with its rear legs, a man sized mantid, it’s blue chitin the same shade at the leaves above it and flickering pale white in the azure light from the ruins, hissed in anticipation as it’s three raptorial limbs clutched lightning fast towards its prey.
The K’Kik K’Ree achieves partial surprise. Qon Qol Kesh knows something is somewhere near but doesn’t necessarily expect an attack from above - he loses his first round actions.
One chitinous limb he blocked with the twirling tulwar. Another flashed over his shoulder clawing the air. The third, though, closed around his outstretched left arm, its wicked striations drawing blood, though its long inner piercing spike missed his arms altogether
Mantid attack rolls 12, 4, 14. QQK defense rolls 10 +2 Balance PM = 12. Roll 2 on hit location. 2 points damage. End of round 1.
The chittering mantid dragged back, trying to lift Qon Qol Kesh up to its hungrily scissoring mandibles, but he set his feet against its strength and engaged in brutal tug-of-war.
(Initiative: Mantid rolls 13, QQK rolls 12 no mods due to being grasped by mantid - mantid with initiative. Mantid rolls 7 on its attempt to lift him, QQK rolls 17 +1 Leverage PM).
Its other raptorial arms lashed out attempting to further grasp the humanoid, but, despite being held in its grasp, he avoided the snickering chitin and slashed into one of the probing left raptorials.
Mantid attack rolls 5, 9, defence 5. QQK attack rolls18 +1 leverage = 19, defence roll 12. Hit location = 3 left fore limb for 3 points damage, 2 of which are absorbed by the mantid’s chitin. End of Round 2
Qon Qol Kesh pressed home his attack dealing a glancing blow to the head of the mantid
(QQK initiative 19, mantid 8. QQK attack 13 +1 leverage = 14, Mantid defence 8, hit location = 7, damage = 3 (-2).
The gripping claw unbalanced him and he was unable to resume his proper stance, his sword arm out of position to parry effectively. Though the mantid failed to lift him (mantid 5+1, QQK 8+1) it’s two savage raptorials both struck home, one gripping the leather of his vest, the other again gripping his left arm.
Mantid attack 17, 18, QQK defense 7, locations 3, 6 his arm taking another point of damage, 3 points damage - 3 for his leather vest. End Round 3
The Mantid hissed again in anticipation of delivering its lethal bite, lifting Qon Qol Kesh (Initiative 15 vs QQK 11, lift attempt 15 vs 6) and lunging forward, it antennae lashing about his face, but the struggling humanoid somehow avoids the mandibles (mantid attack 11, QQK defence 17) His right arm still free, he carefully paused amoment and as the mantid’s head reached its full extension he stabbed into the alien blue eye with the full force of his tulwar.
(QQK attack 18 +1 leverage +2 focus, mantid defence 7, damage 8-2=6) End Round 4.
The mantid shrieked (3 dodge pool points left) dropping the humanoid to the back first onto the ground (Initiative 17 vs QQK 4). He lay there for the briefest moment then rolled into “Hopeful Xarj” stance, peering into the moving shadows above him. In the distance he could hear the K’Kik K’Ree escaping into the foliage, it’s mandibles clattering amongst the tree limbs.
He edged back into the clearing, breathing the smoke that gathered him around him like the folds of winter cloak. The entire encounter had been over in less than a minute. He focussed on the sensations that the smoke brought him. Faintly, he could sense the mantid…pain/pain/pain. He turned and commenced to dress his wounds. Then he would make another offering to the trees. In gratitude.
Thoughts?
Saturday, July 18, 2009
[Playtest Campaign] Sneers Hold the Rope Bridge!
The stalwart and fairly adaptable (if foolish and decidedly non-tactical) PCs have been exploring and mapping (read as: I have been mapping) Christopher B.'s Underlord of Cold Mountain location, which I have utilised as the Undercity of Qerzyk.
In previous sessions, the Aelbaan that tore the head off of the Xarj Scout once freed from the Stasis Field, took off down a corridor to another Lift Shaft and almost escaped. Delver, the WI Vrun noble (i.e., the thin-blooded Aelbaan) zapped him with a 3d lightning bolt, and the psychic of the party entered the Aelbaan's mind.
Inside, telepathic beings with a vast range (one was in a nearby star system) were wagering as to the KO'd being's chances of making it out of the complex. Wojo, the psychic, made the understandable error of directly contacting one of them, and was quickly possessed after a fumbled Control [Spells] Test. The distant woman began to Tele-relocate, metabolising the psychic's body as her gateway, transforming him into her body. A party member knocked the psychic unconscious, which resulted in a broken link and a rapidly deforming body (gooey-like). Long story short: They bag the Aelbaan, and escort the terribly deformed and wailing compatriot out of the complex, which opened up into an interior marketplace.
Fast forward to the psychic now residing in the body of a comatose mutant (with transparent skin), and the party, and a small army of support personnel (mainly construction workers, small unit repair techs, and troopers) who are working their way through the complex.
The previous week, they fought heat-sink organic-metal reptiloids with d8 Armour and the ability to sap heat to power their metabolisms and healing. The party vanquished the beasts and found curious architectural features in the prison cells of the middle left portion of the map.
Last night, they explored the guard post directly south of the cells, and found the secret door to the 20' bridge over the roaring, icy waters 120' below, which leads to the room designated on the map as the Temple Guard Barracks. The bridge was treacherous, and soon, the party had to devise an alternate rope-scuttle method of traversing.
Whereupon, they quickly ran afoul of a flame-thrower team of Green Sneers. As only a couple of PCs had crossed, they were the ones to detect the Sneers advancing, and two of the three smartly decided to fall back across the bridge before the alchemical Blackfire weapon was used against them. Tybalt, being Tybalt, remained and took fire damage before dropping a series of Darkness pebbles, and then Levitating and holding onto the rock face against the 24 knot headwind whipped-up by the roaring waters below.
The flame-thrower was almost able to reach across, but the spray was blown away by the strong winds and merely kept the party at bay as the ropes of the bridge began to burn and snap (mostly their rigged crossing ropes) as the Sneers' reinforcements arrived from the barracks. Now, Blue Sneers, a full head taller than the greens, arrived and were clearly their NCOs. One fired a 'bazooka' type launcher, the round of which exploded for 4d6, nearly killing the already battered characters on the other side.
Back and forth difficult missile-weapon combat transpired as Tybalt manoeuvred over the entrance and stealthily crawled along the ceiling of the stairs and eventually cast an 'empowered' Sleep spell, catching 2d6 creatures, including the 4FD Blue who fired the tube. Being Tybalt, he grabbed the weapon, and after I asked how he was aiming the device, fired it down the stairs (only 20' distant), nearly killing himself in the process of trying to keep the reinforcing Sneers at bay.
Meanwhile, the trolls from a Troll room (15) came to investigate and ambushed Delver who had dragged-out two unconscious and dying support personnel. Fortunately for him, the Troll missed with one claw and the bite, and only did 1 point to his Dodge Pool on the ambush round, and missed with all three attacks on the second, surprise round. Delver then struck back and damaged the troll's left arm. Other retreating characters (PC and NPC) began to engage the troll, who took off back into his chamber.
Darius crossed over, by hand, and began to grope around in the 20' radius Darkness spell for Tybalt. Ashta followed, but, despite her massive 19 Power [Strength], failed her roll, and plunged the 120' to unconsciousness below the icy river. My drowning rules are pretty cinematic (it takes 5, 6-second rounds to take 1d4-1d4 Critical Damage), and so she was rapidly washed downstream to (Barracks 29).
Tybalt, now at 3 or so DP, hands Darius the Long Range Flight (Overland Flight) potion, and they begin to search for Ashta. --[Mela Mela, has died from the 'bazooka' round damage, but Wojo's new mutations save her at the cost of burning out his Total Healing (scratched-off his sheet).]-- Ashta's Ancient Ancestral genetic memory plays out as the Superstructure Technician enters a ship's superstructure and begins to greet old friends as the steady thrum of the FTL drives pulse through the lengthening ship's hull. She hears a foreign name being called. Someone punches her in the jaw, and she awakens. Ashta comes to as a green, scaly 'gill-man' slaps her to consciousness, and deposits her upon the teardrop-shaped, black river stone beach, as Tybalt and Darius fly about, piercing the darkness with their mediocre 20' radius Light spell. She is flown out first, and then Tybalt, and the party meets up with more of their Grogs, now equipped with flaming longswords as they battle back another troll.
Wojo tried to leave a peace-offering, having been opposed to the bridge-exploration from the beginning. The construction workers, who have a green Sneer on their force, tried to relate the 'Draw' result, but it was only partially understood by the proud and defiant Blue overseers.
We held it more or less there, and I drove Wojo and Ashta/Mela's players back. I asked them if they felt comfortable with me removing the kid gloves, and simply killing their characters outright next time, and received a hesitant, 'yes.'
In previous sessions, the Aelbaan that tore the head off of the Xarj Scout once freed from the Stasis Field, took off down a corridor to another Lift Shaft and almost escaped. Delver, the WI Vrun noble (i.e., the thin-blooded Aelbaan) zapped him with a 3d lightning bolt, and the psychic of the party entered the Aelbaan's mind.
Inside, telepathic beings with a vast range (one was in a nearby star system) were wagering as to the KO'd being's chances of making it out of the complex. Wojo, the psychic, made the understandable error of directly contacting one of them, and was quickly possessed after a fumbled Control [Spells] Test. The distant woman began to Tele-relocate, metabolising the psychic's body as her gateway, transforming him into her body. A party member knocked the psychic unconscious, which resulted in a broken link and a rapidly deforming body (gooey-like). Long story short: They bag the Aelbaan, and escort the terribly deformed and wailing compatriot out of the complex, which opened up into an interior marketplace.
Fast forward to the psychic now residing in the body of a comatose mutant (with transparent skin), and the party, and a small army of support personnel (mainly construction workers, small unit repair techs, and troopers) who are working their way through the complex.
The previous week, they fought heat-sink organic-metal reptiloids with d8 Armour and the ability to sap heat to power their metabolisms and healing. The party vanquished the beasts and found curious architectural features in the prison cells of the middle left portion of the map.
Last night, they explored the guard post directly south of the cells, and found the secret door to the 20' bridge over the roaring, icy waters 120' below, which leads to the room designated on the map as the Temple Guard Barracks. The bridge was treacherous, and soon, the party had to devise an alternate rope-scuttle method of traversing.
Whereupon, they quickly ran afoul of a flame-thrower team of Green Sneers. As only a couple of PCs had crossed, they were the ones to detect the Sneers advancing, and two of the three smartly decided to fall back across the bridge before the alchemical Blackfire weapon was used against them. Tybalt, being Tybalt, remained and took fire damage before dropping a series of Darkness pebbles, and then Levitating and holding onto the rock face against the 24 knot headwind whipped-up by the roaring waters below.
The flame-thrower was almost able to reach across, but the spray was blown away by the strong winds and merely kept the party at bay as the ropes of the bridge began to burn and snap (mostly their rigged crossing ropes) as the Sneers' reinforcements arrived from the barracks. Now, Blue Sneers, a full head taller than the greens, arrived and were clearly their NCOs. One fired a 'bazooka' type launcher, the round of which exploded for 4d6, nearly killing the already battered characters on the other side.
Back and forth difficult missile-weapon combat transpired as Tybalt manoeuvred over the entrance and stealthily crawled along the ceiling of the stairs and eventually cast an 'empowered' Sleep spell, catching 2d6 creatures, including the 4FD Blue who fired the tube. Being Tybalt, he grabbed the weapon, and after I asked how he was aiming the device, fired it down the stairs (only 20' distant), nearly killing himself in the process of trying to keep the reinforcing Sneers at bay.
Meanwhile, the trolls from a Troll room (15) came to investigate and ambushed Delver who had dragged-out two unconscious and dying support personnel. Fortunately for him, the Troll missed with one claw and the bite, and only did 1 point to his Dodge Pool on the ambush round, and missed with all three attacks on the second, surprise round. Delver then struck back and damaged the troll's left arm. Other retreating characters (PC and NPC) began to engage the troll, who took off back into his chamber.
Darius crossed over, by hand, and began to grope around in the 20' radius Darkness spell for Tybalt. Ashta followed, but, despite her massive 19 Power [Strength], failed her roll, and plunged the 120' to unconsciousness below the icy river. My drowning rules are pretty cinematic (it takes 5, 6-second rounds to take 1d4-1d4 Critical Damage), and so she was rapidly washed downstream to (Barracks 29).
Tybalt, now at 3 or so DP, hands Darius the Long Range Flight (Overland Flight) potion, and they begin to search for Ashta. --[Mela Mela, has died from the 'bazooka' round damage, but Wojo's new mutations save her at the cost of burning out his Total Healing (scratched-off his sheet).]-- Ashta's Ancient Ancestral genetic memory plays out as the Superstructure Technician enters a ship's superstructure and begins to greet old friends as the steady thrum of the FTL drives pulse through the lengthening ship's hull. She hears a foreign name being called. Someone punches her in the jaw, and she awakens. Ashta comes to as a green, scaly 'gill-man' slaps her to consciousness, and deposits her upon the teardrop-shaped, black river stone beach, as Tybalt and Darius fly about, piercing the darkness with their mediocre 20' radius Light spell. She is flown out first, and then Tybalt, and the party meets up with more of their Grogs, now equipped with flaming longswords as they battle back another troll.
Wojo tried to leave a peace-offering, having been opposed to the bridge-exploration from the beginning. The construction workers, who have a green Sneer on their force, tried to relate the 'Draw' result, but it was only partially understood by the proud and defiant Blue overseers.
We held it more or less there, and I drove Wojo and Ashta/Mela's players back. I asked them if they felt comfortable with me removing the kid gloves, and simply killing their characters outright next time, and received a hesitant, 'yes.'
Thursday, July 16, 2009
More on the Retained Spellcasting Percentage-
See the post immediately below:
Red, Kilgore:
Let me address the maths.
--If we, instead, use only (4x Intelligence), then an 18 yields:
18-
---
1: 72%
2: 36%
3: 24%
4: 18%
5: 14%
6: 12%
7: 10%
8: 09%
9: 08%
Is that more in line with what you two are thinking?
Red, Kilgore:
Let me address the maths.
--If we, instead, use only (4x Intelligence), then an 18 yields:
18-
---
1: 72%
2: 36%
3: 24%
4: 18%
5: 14%
6: 12%
7: 10%
8: 09%
9: 08%
Is that more in line with what you two are thinking?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
[General][RPG] Fiddly D&D Magic Idea-
Hi,
Although I am on vacation through the weekend, I couldn't help but post this half-baked variation on Spell Use.
This is not for UWoM, just an idea:
Caster
Level- | Percent Chance to Retain Loaded Spell-
01-04: (2x Intelligence) as %
05-08: (3x Intelligence) "
09-12: (4x Intelligence) "
13-16: (5x Intelligence) "
17-20: (6x Intelligence) "
:: Above percentage is divided by the Spell Level to determine chance to re-cast the spell. Failure results in the standard Vancian 'use' of the powered spell matrix.
Thoughts?
Although I am on vacation through the weekend, I couldn't help but post this half-baked variation on Spell Use.
This is not for UWoM, just an idea:
Caster
Level- | Percent Chance to Retain Loaded Spell-
01-04: (2x Intelligence) as %
05-08: (3x Intelligence) "
09-12: (4x Intelligence) "
13-16: (5x Intelligence) "
17-20: (6x Intelligence) "
:: Above percentage is divided by the Spell Level to determine chance to re-cast the spell. Failure results in the standard Vancian 'use' of the powered spell matrix.
Thoughts?
Sunday, July 12, 2009
[RPG] Comments, Feedback, and The Like-
I would like to use this post as the initial Comments and Feedback 'thread', as it were. Please don't be shy, but please be civil.
Fellow Moorcock Miscellanist, groakes, has made a convincing argument that I ought to use more of the mechanisms I had devised in a previous, d6-version of the game, namely those that more fully integrate the Elemental Bloods; that the EBs are what is essentially unique to the setting and system, and that it would be a shame not to bring it to fruition. With that would come a restructuring of both books, and the possibility of including a third book, the Setting Manual.
I will let the full changes marinade in my mind for the upcoming week. I've allowed myself that as time off for good behaviour, before setting to work on any further enhancements (while still making certain that as much of it as possible facilitates use of the material with established Classic-Play systems such as the 0th and 1st Editions and their Clones and Simulacra, which was my reason for not publishing the game using the Constructive Die Pool system).
So, have at it. :D
Fellow Moorcock Miscellanist, groakes, has made a convincing argument that I ought to use more of the mechanisms I had devised in a previous, d6-version of the game, namely those that more fully integrate the Elemental Bloods; that the EBs are what is essentially unique to the setting and system, and that it would be a shame not to bring it to fruition. With that would come a restructuring of both books, and the possibility of including a third book, the Setting Manual.
I will let the full changes marinade in my mind for the upcoming week. I've allowed myself that as time off for good behaviour, before setting to work on any further enhancements (while still making certain that as much of it as possible facilitates use of the material with established Classic-Play systems such as the 0th and 1st Editions and their Clones and Simulacra, which was my reason for not publishing the game using the Constructive Die Pool system).
So, have at it. :D
This Hurts My Soul A Little Bit-
Jamie Chambers announces that James Ward's Metamorphosis Alpha's next edition will be de'end'ee4e-based.
The Mutantity, oh the Mutantity!
The Mutantity, oh the Mutantity!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
[RPG] Editing and Expanding the Manuals-
I spent the better part of yesterday/night looking over the Manuals, catching errors and looking at how bleak the Referee's looks on a surface skim.
Although the Ref's Manual is going to be expanded considerably, I think a lot of the best work (crunch-wise) in it is in the descriptions/explanations of the Terrain. Running with that, I plan on leaving out a lot of needless personal exposition, and instead, stick to encapsulated data designed to be immediately useful for the Ref in the playing of the game. If folks want a lot of gaming philosophy there are plenty of blogs on the subject.
& More like these bits from 5th edition Tunnels & Trolls:
* The Logic of Magic
* Unusual Combat Situations
* Personalising Monsters
* How to Be a GM
* "Do This When You Get Out"
* More about City, World, and Dungeon Building
Beyond those, I still have the Technology rules, and the entire 'Aberrations/Magic/High-Psionics (HiPsi)' section/book yet to edit/write. --and, the handful of Arcane spells (the term will dissolve, as there are no set lists in the setting) included were included because they were devised in-play in my Alpha game.
Your feedback is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Although the Ref's Manual is going to be expanded considerably, I think a lot of the best work (crunch-wise) in it is in the descriptions/explanations of the Terrain. Running with that, I plan on leaving out a lot of needless personal exposition, and instead, stick to encapsulated data designed to be immediately useful for the Ref in the playing of the game. If folks want a lot of gaming philosophy there are plenty of blogs on the subject.
& More like these bits from 5th edition Tunnels & Trolls:
* The Logic of Magic
* Unusual Combat Situations
* Personalising Monsters
* How to Be a GM
* "Do This When You Get Out"
* More about City, World, and Dungeon Building
Beyond those, I still have the Technology rules, and the entire 'Aberrations/Magic/High-Psionics (HiPsi)' section/book yet to edit/write. --and, the handful of Arcane spells (the term will dissolve, as there are no set lists in the setting) included were included because they were devised in-play in my Alpha game.
Your feedback is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
[RPG] Beta Release Link (Updated)-
Here is the LINK to my LuLu 'storefront'.
I have revised the Players' Manual, and now have uploaded the Referee's Manual.
Over the next weeks, as Peter's interior artwork becomes available to me, I will be expanding and laying out the print-worthy version.
Please take part in this process.
The more feedback I receive, the better a product I will be able to create.
Thank you,
I have revised the Players' Manual, and now have uploaded the Referee's Manual.
Over the next weeks, as Peter's interior artwork becomes available to me, I will be expanding and laying out the print-worthy version.
Please take part in this process.
The more feedback I receive, the better a product I will be able to create.
Thank you,
Monday, July 6, 2009
Links at Noon? & B/W Cover for Printing-
I'm planning on having the links to the files up here by about Noonish Tuesday 7th.
Please, keep voting via the previous post comments.
I've included a link to the black & white cover art iteration, for those that will want to print it out for Beta.
Please, keep voting via the previous post comments.
I've included a link to the black & white cover art iteration, for those that will want to print it out for Beta.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Home Stretch-
Today I unloaded the last of it to the editor, who promptly returned it with corrections and suggestions for re-arranging paragraphs.
Do you folks want separate .pdfs for Background, Character Creation, Combat, Adventuring and Exploration, Critters, and Equipment? Or, do you want player stuff in a PHB, and Referee stuff in a RM? A single .pdf?
Thanks,
Do you folks want separate .pdfs for Background, Character Creation, Combat, Adventuring and Exploration, Critters, and Equipment? Or, do you want player stuff in a PHB, and Referee stuff in a RM? A single .pdf?
Thanks,
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Portrait of the Brain as Pâté-
2/3rds complete.
Lots of rain, so I'm happy.
Running the game tomorrow.
Lots of rain, so I'm happy.
Running the game tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
[Milieu] Funhouse Mirror Reflection-
This post just makes me so happy:
I'll leave it to my readers to puzzle-out why.
The People of the Summer Wind
“Hey Chalk, you gotta check this out!” called Koram from across the table as the adventurer leered at the attractive tavern girl.
“What is it?” asked the wizard as he poured over a text the duo had recovered from their last adventure.
“This girl has no belly button!” the fighter replied.
With a jolt the spellcaster reached across the table and grabbed Koram’s arm.
“We need to get out of here. Now!”
[“Just sit there and shut up, we aren't after you two idiots.”] hissed a voice in Chalk’s head.
Turning to the dancing girl Chalk saw her look him in the eye. And wink.
The People of the Summer Wind
No. Enc.: 1-4 (20)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 1+2
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d6 or weapon
Save: F5
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: VII
A mysterious offshoot of humans, from another material plane, the People of the Summer Wind are an enigmatic race who blend so seamlessly into human societies that it is nearly impossible to detect them as they can and do appear as any race or ethnicity. Their only distinguishing mark is the lack of a navel, or belly button and the fact that all of them are considered attractive by human standards (which sometimes makes them easier to pick out of a lineup in backwater places).
For the most part, the People of the Summer Wind monitor those around them, otherwise acting like normal people, yet they form secret societies within the communities they live and perform strange rituals to conjure weird monsters, sometimes creating elaborate traps within buildings in towns and cities to lure the unsuspecting in to meet their demise. All of the People of the Summer Wind have minor telepathic powers (being able to send and receive messages up to 1000′), the ability to cause Confusion as per the magic-user spell with the following adjustments: (Range 150′, Duration 5 rounds, affects 2d6 targets see Labyrinth Lord core rules, page 29 for reaction table) as well as the ability to conjure extra-planar creatures in relation to their number (i.e. a lone Person may only conjure a minor creature, a group of eight or more can summon a truly nightmarish beast).
The few sages aware of the existence of these strange humans have theorized that these traps set up by the People of the Summer Wind are not really fatal, but complicated teleportation rituals that send people to the plane of origin of the People of the Summer Wind. For what purpose is unknown.
I'll leave it to my readers to puzzle-out why.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
TS, how about a recap post of the overall detail of the game you are running/working on for us stiffs who came to your blog recently? I know you probably have a good post about it somewhere, but like a lot of folk I'm lazy. This is interesting reading, but I need to know the mythos behind it!