Saturday, October 31, 2009
[Playtest Campaign] Friday, 30th, October-
Still in the vast subterranean chamber abutting a black river => They went to investigate the submarine => Entered a maze-like sprawl of Disneyworld-esque 'cute buildings' => Battled a Water-Weird sort of thing that 'Fumbled' and decided that the party wasn't worth that sort of abuse => Found magic items => Met deformed folk interested in their doings => Pressed on and found a 'pit' that looked like something had simply scooped-out a section of the vast faux-village, but was still radiant blues in the Dark- and Ultravisual spectra => Skirted the pit => Ran afoul of more mutant Dryvv-like creatures, but scared them off with bright lights => Found a vast highway trailing off into the water due to the displacement shearing => Beset by more mutants who warned them of the deadly beast (sub) and its poison breath => Story recounted of the sub's core being ejected and causing the pit => The vessel's AI contacted and the 1325 year decontamination-process begun => The escape pod least affected, and jettisoned to roll onto the shore => Delver understands this to be Aelbaan technology and enteres the craft, passing through an energy screen => The others see Delver transform in a flash of light as he passes through the screen: He grew 7" and put-on 35 or so pounds (he now stands 7'2") => Tybalt, also talking to someone he thinks is the AI, is urged to kill Delver, and in return, the party would be rewarded by the agency from which the voice said Delver had gone rogue. Cliffhang...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
[Playtest Campaign] Last Friday (23rd)-
While maintaining some modicum of tact, I shall not dwell on my calendar age, but will say that yesterday I had one of the less interesting birthdays.
--Good food, a friend slogging with me through long minis combat playtest for another friend's soon to be released system, and my mom making sure to make it feel like a birthday.
---Still feel like the wind has been knocked out of my sails, since Pop's death. Whew.
I know most folks don't like long game reports, so here's last session's overview:
* Mela Mela's tinkering with the two-headed dog saliva's property to regenerate the dogs' wounds, and the properties of Tybalt's pod-faery-daughters'-pods leads to a breakthrough of 'universal' regeneration, which she is developing into an unguent.
--This then leads to an expedition to the island from whence the pods were harvested, except that the island is renowned for phasing in and out of the Mundane Realm, and no one knows exactly where it is, only that it is between four other islands, each rather distant from each other, and in an even shallower region of the Middle Sea (also known as the Storm Plain). This trek requires yet another shallower-draught ship, and takes a few weeks and about 10k count invested in its success.
* The nearest of the islands in the triangulating quad is inhabited by a neolithic people whose creation myth is one of emerging from the ground about two thousand years ago (early in the Mad Spring, after the Black Winter, or The Scourging, etc.), and speak of monsters from the night sky who descended and wrought terror and hardship upon them for centuries. At that, Ashta, the descendant of the Superstructure Technician, sees that the flat smear of an island is dotted with remnants of some metalloid material, now long corroded and turned to a sort of granular foam -- implements and a mental reconstruction of the airstrip is verified by Tybalt (Engineering descendant) and Delver (the increasingly more-Aelbaan WI Vrun).
* Ahni, a polished-obsidian shadow-faery (about 8" tall at the time), steals Delver's distilled liquid 'mummy-spice' (the remains of his more-Aelbaan Qhattanian ancestors), and Jaunted away with it down to the floor of the crevasse. When next she was spotted, 'fully grown' to adult human height, she Jaunted away with Mela and brought her to a wall in the cavern where a very regular sound and the sensation of a draught could be felt. The other party members meet up with them and then puzzle-through the alien tech-interface.
* A liche contacted Delver through the interface, and they ran afoul of each others arrogance, and a new enemy was made.
* The wall proved to be a door, and provided entrance to a vast subterranean city --the 'computer' interface still active. It is puzzled together that the site represents a non-contiguous starship whose parts were phased into any open space that could house the individual spaces of the ship. This means that the very large craft (smaller than the Warden, for instance, but not by much), is scattered 'intact' in chunks, throughout about a one-thousand XsM radius, in a sort of elongated spade pattern, due to the steep angle and speed of the intentional dispersion -- a function of the vessel's Shadowdrive.
--Megadungeon enough for y'all?
* A female alchemist of a slate-grey skinned species, the Dryvv Aelbaan, helped the PCs for the usual payment in literal blood. The encounter also cemented the PCs in this game to events 'next door' in my old Pathfinder Beta game, which flipped my SO's lid for a bit. :)
* A battle with the undead minions of the liche was interesting, but went primarily in the PCs' favour, especially with the undead constabulary of the 'city' operating in the protection of Delver, the 'Diplomat' as the Interface refers to him.
* A submarine vehicle is the prize, but the party falls back to the entrance with plans to bring the island under their control through Delver's shipping company.
--Good food, a friend slogging with me through long minis combat playtest for another friend's soon to be released system, and my mom making sure to make it feel like a birthday.
---Still feel like the wind has been knocked out of my sails, since Pop's death. Whew.
I know most folks don't like long game reports, so here's last session's overview:
* Mela Mela's tinkering with the two-headed dog saliva's property to regenerate the dogs' wounds, and the properties of Tybalt's pod-faery-daughters'-pods leads to a breakthrough of 'universal' regeneration, which she is developing into an unguent.
--This then leads to an expedition to the island from whence the pods were harvested, except that the island is renowned for phasing in and out of the Mundane Realm, and no one knows exactly where it is, only that it is between four other islands, each rather distant from each other, and in an even shallower region of the Middle Sea (also known as the Storm Plain). This trek requires yet another shallower-draught ship, and takes a few weeks and about 10k count invested in its success.
* The nearest of the islands in the triangulating quad is inhabited by a neolithic people whose creation myth is one of emerging from the ground about two thousand years ago (early in the Mad Spring, after the Black Winter, or The Scourging, etc.), and speak of monsters from the night sky who descended and wrought terror and hardship upon them for centuries. At that, Ashta, the descendant of the Superstructure Technician, sees that the flat smear of an island is dotted with remnants of some metalloid material, now long corroded and turned to a sort of granular foam -- implements and a mental reconstruction of the airstrip is verified by Tybalt (Engineering descendant) and Delver (the increasingly more-Aelbaan WI Vrun).
* Ahni, a polished-obsidian shadow-faery (about 8" tall at the time), steals Delver's distilled liquid 'mummy-spice' (the remains of his more-Aelbaan Qhattanian ancestors), and Jaunted away with it down to the floor of the crevasse. When next she was spotted, 'fully grown' to adult human height, she Jaunted away with Mela and brought her to a wall in the cavern where a very regular sound and the sensation of a draught could be felt. The other party members meet up with them and then puzzle-through the alien tech-interface.
* A liche contacted Delver through the interface, and they ran afoul of each others arrogance, and a new enemy was made.
* The wall proved to be a door, and provided entrance to a vast subterranean city --the 'computer' interface still active. It is puzzled together that the site represents a non-contiguous starship whose parts were phased into any open space that could house the individual spaces of the ship. This means that the very large craft (smaller than the Warden, for instance, but not by much), is scattered 'intact' in chunks, throughout about a one-thousand XsM radius, in a sort of elongated spade pattern, due to the steep angle and speed of the intentional dispersion -- a function of the vessel's Shadowdrive.
--Megadungeon enough for y'all?
* A female alchemist of a slate-grey skinned species, the Dryvv Aelbaan, helped the PCs for the usual payment in literal blood. The encounter also cemented the PCs in this game to events 'next door' in my old Pathfinder Beta game, which flipped my SO's lid for a bit. :)
* A battle with the undead minions of the liche was interesting, but went primarily in the PCs' favour, especially with the undead constabulary of the 'city' operating in the protection of Delver, the 'Diplomat' as the Interface refers to him.
* A submarine vehicle is the prize, but the party falls back to the entrance with plans to bring the island under their control through Delver's shipping company.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
[RPG] PC Control Sheet (Mk. II)-
Copyright (c) 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
Permission granted to reproduce for private use only
This is the version of the PC Control Sheet I have e-mailed to Christopher of A Rust Monster Ate My Sword.
Any thoughts or comments?
Permission granted to reproduce for private use only
This is the version of the PC Control Sheet I have e-mailed to Christopher of A Rust Monster Ate My Sword.
Any thoughts or comments?
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
[RPG] Other Bits-
Friday, we began to buy-back the Fight Dice and Attack Bonus purchases and then allowed re-purchases of Fight Dice.
Fight Dice now are based on creature Frame, a new minor characteristic, with Human-sized creatures rolling d6s; smaller: d4s; and, larger: d8 or higher.
--There was a slight trend toward an increase in combat prowess as a result of the (FD# = +AB), but the cost of FD becomes pretty steep and I don't think anyone has more than 5FD, even though we have at least two 6th Magnitude characters.
---When a Strike is successful, the Attacker is entitled to add +1dx to Effect. Likewise when struck, +1dx to (as of yet not cleverly named) 'soak' (Armour) rolls.
Dynamic Pool: DP are now Dynamic Pool rather than merely Damage Pool, as DP empower Aberrations, Blood, and Powers.
Magnitude is the new replacement for Level, because I hate the confusion created by Level-this, level-that, level-down, level-up... Float those bubbles in the centre of the yellow window to assure everything is plumb. Ick.
--Magnitude gets a prominent 20-space track on the character sheet, with space to record purchased increases via the integrated Point-Design system. This will aid in tracking suppressed Magnitude from Undead and other debilitating effects, without resorting to 'level-losses' and concurrent 'HD'-loss.
Blood receives the promised integration with characters, and it becomes clearer that Blood, Abilities, Critical Tests, and Combat Data are all interrelated (and based on the modified Ability Scores)
--Still working out the Blood effects/mechanisms, but I hope it will more suitably gel with the setting-feel and the Psychedelia James Hargrove correctly identified as the perpetual soundtrack to the milieu.
Abilities re-named: Conviction, Psionic Index, Scope, Agility, Fighting, and Body. Discussion?
Aberrations & Powers: Ya'know, mutations and stuff like that. More at 11.
Environmental, Primary and Secondary Backgrounds: Tags that aid the Referee quickly gauge the capabilities of a character based upon their backstory and their geographic origins without resorting to game mechanisms. This is essentially the (Ability/Friend/Knack) stuff, expanded in pure narrative elements that provide a +1 or so to a governed action.
Training: Technical Skills (Secret, Silence, Tracking, Hack Spell, etc.), but I am thinking of condensing some of the Percentages into Bands of success --still in the werke-- and perhaps replaced with 2d12 rolls --dunno--
That's about it, so far.
Fight Dice now are based on creature Frame, a new minor characteristic, with Human-sized creatures rolling d6s; smaller: d4s; and, larger: d8 or higher.
--There was a slight trend toward an increase in combat prowess as a result of the (FD# = +AB), but the cost of FD becomes pretty steep and I don't think anyone has more than 5FD, even though we have at least two 6th Magnitude characters.
---When a Strike is successful, the Attacker is entitled to add +1dx to Effect. Likewise when struck, +1dx to (as of yet not cleverly named) 'soak' (Armour) rolls.
Dynamic Pool: DP are now Dynamic Pool rather than merely Damage Pool, as DP empower Aberrations, Blood, and Powers.
Magnitude is the new replacement for Level, because I hate the confusion created by Level-this, level-that, level-down, level-up... Float those bubbles in the centre of the yellow window to assure everything is plumb. Ick.
--Magnitude gets a prominent 20-space track on the character sheet, with space to record purchased increases via the integrated Point-Design system. This will aid in tracking suppressed Magnitude from Undead and other debilitating effects, without resorting to 'level-losses' and concurrent 'HD'-loss.
Blood receives the promised integration with characters, and it becomes clearer that Blood, Abilities, Critical Tests, and Combat Data are all interrelated (and based on the modified Ability Scores)
--Still working out the Blood effects/mechanisms, but I hope it will more suitably gel with the setting-feel and the Psychedelia James Hargrove correctly identified as the perpetual soundtrack to the milieu.
Abilities re-named: Conviction, Psionic Index, Scope, Agility, Fighting, and Body. Discussion?
Aberrations & Powers: Ya'know, mutations and stuff like that. More at 11.
Environmental, Primary and Secondary Backgrounds: Tags that aid the Referee quickly gauge the capabilities of a character based upon their backstory and their geographic origins without resorting to game mechanisms. This is essentially the (Ability/Friend/Knack) stuff, expanded in pure narrative elements that provide a +1 or so to a governed action.
Training: Technical Skills (Secret, Silence, Tracking, Hack Spell, etc.), but I am thinking of condensing some of the Percentages into Bands of success --still in the werke-- and perhaps replaced with 2d12 rolls --dunno--
That's about it, so far.
More Finnish News ** UPDATED **-
Link to the original
Urutsk and cosmic Finns
(I have hastily written this translation to English because I have learned that people are using Google translator to read my yesterdays post, and that program pretty much mangles the meaning of what was written and it doesn't of course understand idioms, I really don't claim to write very well in English but this might give better idea. The passage I quoted and translated has been put here in original English form so it can been seen what I have quoted.)
In comment section of my earlier writing author of Urutsk campaign world and roleplaying game passed over to write some comments, where quite an interesting detail was revealed. Apparently one of the important peoples of the fantasy world are based on Finns. Fantasy world in question is more like Barsoom than Lord of The Rings, more Tékumel than Greyhawk. That earlier writing of mine has also been linked in her blog.
What the rulebook says about these cosmic Finns is actually pretty interesting reading, here's it after about a quarter of an hour of translating:
"Yirinn are a short, stocky ethnicity; both male and female Yirinn stand around five feet tall and typically weigh around 150 pounds. Their long hair tends toward dark brown or black, but turns grey or silver with age. They have a pale to ruddy
complexion, but most have blue eyes. Yirinn have stout frames and a strong, muscular build. They are rugged and resilient, with the capacity to endure great hardships.
Yirinn are typically practical, stubborn and courageous. Culturally they are introspective, suspicious and possessive. They have an average lifespan of over one century."
That is to me quite flattering and somewhat hilarious characterization if you connect it with Finns. Some could easily see that as troubling and even get indignant if intentionally wanting to get it wrong. I don't find it troubling at all, these Yirinn clearly are not Finns but fictional people whose origin of inspiration are Finns. It should be clear to all that this is just playing with wide stereotypes.
Finns have already been influence or made impression in fantasy across the pond. For example Forgotten Realms and other old D&D-campaigns are filled with details that are for example inspired by Kalevala but the influence has been through so thick cultural filter that their origin would not be easily guessed if familiar or familiar sounding names wouldn't be used. Even so called standard fantasy could be seen as pretty exotic version of medieval central Europe. Urutsk though has no qualities that could be described as standard fantasy, which is why it may be so fascinatingly different.
Urutsk and cosmic Finns
(I have hastily written this translation to English because I have learned that people are using Google translator to read my yesterdays post, and that program pretty much mangles the meaning of what was written and it doesn't of course understand idioms, I really don't claim to write very well in English but this might give better idea. The passage I quoted and translated has been put here in original English form so it can been seen what I have quoted.)
In comment section of my earlier writing author of Urutsk campaign world and roleplaying game passed over to write some comments, where quite an interesting detail was revealed. Apparently one of the important peoples of the fantasy world are based on Finns. Fantasy world in question is more like Barsoom than Lord of The Rings, more Tékumel than Greyhawk. That earlier writing of mine has also been linked in her blog.
What the rulebook says about these cosmic Finns is actually pretty interesting reading, here's it after about a quarter of an hour of translating:
"Yirinn are a short, stocky ethnicity; both male and female Yirinn stand around five feet tall and typically weigh around 150 pounds. Their long hair tends toward dark brown or black, but turns grey or silver with age. They have a pale to ruddy
complexion, but most have blue eyes. Yirinn have stout frames and a strong, muscular build. They are rugged and resilient, with the capacity to endure great hardships.
Yirinn are typically practical, stubborn and courageous. Culturally they are introspective, suspicious and possessive. They have an average lifespan of over one century."
That is to me quite flattering and somewhat hilarious characterization if you connect it with Finns. Some could easily see that as troubling and even get indignant if intentionally wanting to get it wrong. I don't find it troubling at all, these Yirinn clearly are not Finns but fictional people whose origin of inspiration are Finns. It should be clear to all that this is just playing with wide stereotypes.
Finns have already been influence or made impression in fantasy across the pond. For example Forgotten Realms and other old D&D-campaigns are filled with details that are for example inspired by Kalevala but the influence has been through so thick cultural filter that their origin would not be easily guessed if familiar or familiar sounding names wouldn't be used. Even so called standard fantasy could be seen as pretty exotic version of medieval central Europe. Urutsk though has no qualities that could be described as standard fantasy, which is why it may be so fascinatingly different.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
[Playtest Campaign] Governors of Doran: The First Four Months-
The Isle of Slavers ended prematurely with the detonation of the Aelbaan system-ship in the fortress courtyard --after the PCs made it to cover behind a steep dune, and before the worst of the burning debris rained down.
--They hastily retreated to the NW shore and after a brief adventure with descendants of the Aelbaan Scout Service personnel who had originally touched down there over 2k years prior, then blasted a Humanoid pirate vessel, just because, stranding the Humanoids on the island.
---Not certain if I have the energy at present to write up the actual adventure, as my time is now re-directed to UWoM in full.
We have had one group session on the island of Doran as the WICE Governor cedes control of the island to the Kherstic League in some behind-the-scenes deal. Tybalt and Ashta are the original KL employees ('Assassins' -- ha!), with Delver their happen-stance compatriot through these crazy mis-adventures they have had, and the secondary characters of Darius, Mela, and 'Cici' having been 'brought into the fold' back in Qerzyk.
--In that first episode, the individual characters began to find activities that interested them, and they settled into their new position of authority.
Thursday I ran through Delver's plans, and his player set up a solid business shipping and passage company, utilising their monopoly on Doran's resources and workforce, and now is pulling in about 5k net, monthly. He also has launched an anti-Piracy campaign using almost entirely his own funds, and one of his Faux-Pirate Force crew was able to gain acceptance into the 'Kingdom of the Black Flag', and even entered a Pirate cove inside a hollowed out columnar island of sheer granite, crowned in a dense jungle. In this cove, large enough to have five ships in drydock and others still in the port-town, the crew met someone who identified himself as the King of the Pirates, and gave them his blessing (as they had to operate under deep cover and actually pirate to gain the good rep), and an item to scry upon them. Fortunately, Delver had given the captain his amulet versus scrying and detection. Lastly, Delver personally contacted an alien life form and has entered into negotiations with its species representative.
Last night, Tybalt and Ari (another WI Vrun lesser noble) set to work making money in more island-centric means, ranging from a kennel for the island's small population of two-headed dogs, to capturing a, for lack of a better name, Hawknoid chick, to incubating faerie pods (the islands are replete with all manner of Fae), and Tybalt's joining a débutante tea-circle of low-level magic-users with plans on starting their own magickal institution.
The LGS propietor was largely unable to play, but his Archer was able to gain a few horses, and more importantly, pick up the Mounted Archery proficiency. His plan is to amass horses and enough ships to make it back home, and start his own powerful clan.
Ashta/Mela's player was at work.
--They hastily retreated to the NW shore and after a brief adventure with descendants of the Aelbaan Scout Service personnel who had originally touched down there over 2k years prior, then blasted a Humanoid pirate vessel, just because, stranding the Humanoids on the island.
---Not certain if I have the energy at present to write up the actual adventure, as my time is now re-directed to UWoM in full.
We have had one group session on the island of Doran as the WICE Governor cedes control of the island to the Kherstic League in some behind-the-scenes deal. Tybalt and Ashta are the original KL employees ('Assassins' -- ha!), with Delver their happen-stance compatriot through these crazy mis-adventures they have had, and the secondary characters of Darius, Mela, and 'Cici' having been 'brought into the fold' back in Qerzyk.
--In that first episode, the individual characters began to find activities that interested them, and they settled into their new position of authority.
Thursday I ran through Delver's plans, and his player set up a solid business shipping and passage company, utilising their monopoly on Doran's resources and workforce, and now is pulling in about 5k net, monthly. He also has launched an anti-Piracy campaign using almost entirely his own funds, and one of his Faux-Pirate Force crew was able to gain acceptance into the 'Kingdom of the Black Flag', and even entered a Pirate cove inside a hollowed out columnar island of sheer granite, crowned in a dense jungle. In this cove, large enough to have five ships in drydock and others still in the port-town, the crew met someone who identified himself as the King of the Pirates, and gave them his blessing (as they had to operate under deep cover and actually pirate to gain the good rep), and an item to scry upon them. Fortunately, Delver had given the captain his amulet versus scrying and detection. Lastly, Delver personally contacted an alien life form and has entered into negotiations with its species representative.
Last night, Tybalt and Ari (another WI Vrun lesser noble) set to work making money in more island-centric means, ranging from a kennel for the island's small population of two-headed dogs, to capturing a, for lack of a better name, Hawknoid chick, to incubating faerie pods (the islands are replete with all manner of Fae), and Tybalt's joining a débutante tea-circle of low-level magic-users with plans on starting their own magickal institution.
The LGS propietor was largely unable to play, but his Archer was able to gain a few horses, and more importantly, pick up the Mounted Archery proficiency. His plan is to amass horses and enough ships to make it back home, and start his own powerful clan.
Ashta/Mela's player was at work.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
[X] Checklist of Frustrations and Erg-
Non-Gaming Related-
[X] Friday marked the 1-month period of Mourning
[X] Leaking Air Conditioning has flooded part of the living room
[X] Loss of DSL on Friday afternoon
[X] Frazzled nerves
[X] Mail Account still on Fritz
Gaming-Related-
[X] Didn't run on Friday
[X] Continuing the PBAM Powers list definitions/write-ups
[X] Streamlining PBAM's dice-mechanism to roll fewer dice
[X] System-testing sessions
[X] Itching to see if the UWoM streamlining will accomplish what I want it to and what it suggests it will do 'on paper', as it were
Until the e-mail stuff is solved, please talk@me here.
--Thanks.
[X] Friday marked the 1-month period of Mourning
[X] Leaking Air Conditioning has flooded part of the living room
[X] Loss of DSL on Friday afternoon
[X] Frazzled nerves
[X] Mail Account still on Fritz
Gaming-Related-
[X] Didn't run on Friday
[X] Continuing the PBAM Powers list definitions/write-ups
[X] Streamlining PBAM's dice-mechanism to roll fewer dice
[X] System-testing sessions
[X] Itching to see if the UWoM streamlining will accomplish what I want it to and what it suggests it will do 'on paper', as it were
Until the e-mail stuff is solved, please talk@me here.
--Thanks.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Stuff-
Home stretch on the 70+ Powers for PBAM.
--These are a test-run for the Latter Autumn Urutsk book.
After seeing the actress who played Ensign Ro Laren on STNG in a Brimstone episode, I've tried finding all of the Ro STNG epis.
--Looking forward to watching them in order.
---She was one of my favourite characters on that series.
Speaking of Brimstone, mum and I are watched Monday's string of 8 or so episodes.
--Pretty nifty show, it was.
I am thinking about instituting the changes to UWoM this week, but it may be a bit premature.
Oh, please let it rain.
--90's the whole week. Blech.
--These are a test-run for the Latter Autumn Urutsk book.
After seeing the actress who played Ensign Ro Laren on STNG in a Brimstone episode, I've tried finding all of the Ro STNG epis.
--Looking forward to watching them in order.
---She was one of my favourite characters on that series.
Speaking of Brimstone, mum and I are watched Monday's string of 8 or so episodes.
--Pretty nifty show, it was.
I am thinking about instituting the changes to UWoM this week, but it may be a bit premature.
Oh, please let it rain.
--90's the whole week. Blech.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
I'm Still Here-
...just not very bloggy lately (reading or writing).
Still working on:
[X] PBAM: Powers; however, the Referee's Section is not materialising
[X] UWoM: A few mechanical streamlining changes which will affect CharGen and Combat sections
Still working on:
[X] PBAM: Powers; however, the Referee's Section is not materialising
[X] UWoM: A few mechanical streamlining changes which will affect CharGen and Combat sections
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