[RPG] Abstract Combat Example: Lammasu v. Hill Giant-

Lammasu v. Hill Giant-

I'm going to run this without the Condition Penalties, merely tracking the cumulative DP loss.
--In a future post I'll throw in the bells and whistles.

Lammasu 7+7 = 9
Hill Giant 8 + 1-2 = 8

The Lammasu has already depleted its combat-capable spells for the day, and the Hill Giant's five Dire Wolves have been slain prior to this fight.

FIRST SEQUENCE-

The Lammasu rolls his 9 Fight Dice: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 | 2 | 4, 4 | 6
The Hill Giant rolls his 8 Fight Dice: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4, 4 | 5, 5 | 6

Their highest Result Totals are:
* Lammasu: (4 + 4) 8
* Hill Giant: (5 + 5) 10
--The Lamassu loses by 2 points and this still places it in Condition 6: Fit

Their next highest Result Totals:
* Lammasu: 6
* Hill Giant: (4 + 4) 8
--The Lamassu again loses by 2 points, and this is still C6: Fit

Next Highest RTs:
* Lammasu: (1, 1, 1, 1, 1) 5
* Hill Giant: 6
--The Lammasu loses by 1. We'll say, just for variety, that this is enough to from him to C5: Able

Next RTs:
* Lammasu: 2
* Hill Giant: 3
--Lammasu loses by 1 point, still C5: Able

Next RTs:
* Lammasu: 0
* Hill Giant: 2
--Lammasu loses by 2 points again, knocking him down to C4: Pained

SECOND SEQUENCE-

Both opponents are still up in the fight, and so both refresh their FD pools.

The Lammasu decides to pull 1FD from his pool to keep in Contingency to block an unchallenged Effect.
--The Hill Giant taunts the lawful creature and sees no need to hedge his bets, going all-in.

The Lammasu rolls his 8 Fight Dice: 2, 2, 2 | 5 | 6, 6, 6, 6
The Hill Giant rolls his 8 Fight Dice: 1 | 2 | 3, 3 | 4, 4 | 5, 5

This Sequence's Highest RTs:
* Lammasu: (6, 6, 6, 6) 24
* Hill Giant: (5, 5) 10
--The Hill Giant is surprised by the ferocious paw attacks his bloodied foe has delivered, losing by 14 points, dropping him directly to Condition 2: Heavy Bleeding

Next Highest RTs:
* Lammasu: (2, 2, 2) 6
* Hill Giant: (4, 4) 8
--This would normally be a loss by the Lammasu of 2 DPs, but he expends his one Contingency Die to entirely negate the 2 points, suffering no damage this exchange.

Next Highest RTs:
* Lammasu: 5
* Hill Giant: (3, 3) 6
--The already injured, but still very capable Lammasu takes another DP difference, still Pained.

Next Highest RTs:
* Lammasu: 0
* Hill Giant: 2
--The Lammasu drops to Bleeding

Next Highest:
* Lammasu: 0
* Hill Giant: 1
--Lammasu still Bleeding

SEQUENCE THREE-

Keenly aware of how things could go wrong again, as well as how close to death his foe is, the Lammasu makes the daring decision to put 2FD in Contingency.
--The Hill Giant amazingly rolls well enough to realise how close he is to losing, and saves 1FD in Contingency.

The Lammasu rolls his 7 Fight Dice: 1, 1 | 2, 2 | 4 | 5 | 6
The Hill Giant rolls his 7 Fight Dice: 2 | 3 | 4, 4, 4 | 5 | 6

This Sequence's Highest RTs:
* Lammasu: 6
* Hill Giant: 12
--The Lammasu cashes-in one Contingency Die to negate the 6 DP difference he would have suffered.

Next Highest:
* Lammasu: 5
* Hill Giant: 6
--The Lammasu decides to risk the 1 DP difference, and drops to Heavy Bleeding.

Next Highest RTs:
* Lammasu: 4
* Hill Giant: 5
--The Lammasu sucks up the 1 DP difference, still Heavy Bleeding

Next RTs:
* Lammasu: (2, 2) 4
* Hill Giant: 3
--The Hill Giant rolls to see if he is smart enough to use his Contingency Die and fails to use it, suffering 1 DP and on the cusp of Unconsciousness.

Next RTs:
* Lammasu: (1, 1) 2
* Hill Giant: 2
= 0 Draw

SEQUENCE FOUR-

The Lammasu holds 1FD in Contingency.
--The Hill Giant goes all-in.

The Lammasu rolls his 8 Fight Dice: 1 | 2 | 4, 4 | 5, 5 | 6, 6
The Hill Giant rolls his 8 Fight Dice: 2, 2 | 3 | 4, 4 | 6, 6, 6

Sequence Highest RTs:
* Lammasu: 12
* Hill Giant: 18
--The Lammasu uses his 1 Contingency Die to negate the 6 DP difference.

Next:
* Lammasu: (5, 5) 10
* Hill Giant: (4, 4) 8
--The Hill Giant loses by 2 DP, going Unconscious. With No Contingency Dice, he cannot effect wakefullness and is helpless.

Next:
* The extremely Lawful Lammasu does not dispatch his foe, but does use his remaining heal spells to heal himself, and moves off just far enough and waits the rest of the day and night for the hyenas, jackals, and vultures to finish-off his opponent before flying away to nurse his remaining injuries, thanking the forces of Law for his victory.

[RPG] Optional Abstract ('Indie') Combat-

Copyright (c) 2010 Kyrinn S. Eis

ABSTRACT COMBAT-

:: This is a purely optional, 'Indie', method of resolving combat that involves a higher degree of Player Skill than the traditional 'Strike and Effect' tactical method standard to most RPGs (including UWoM).


Fight Dice & The Quality Roll-

At the start of any conflict (the beginning of a Fight Sequence), regardless of sort (Psychic, Authority, Unarmed, Melee, Ranged, etc.), roll any Fight Dice your character possesses and wishes to use in the Fight, and pool them by Result (all 1's, all 2's, all 3's, etc.).

Compare your highest Result Total to that of your opponent.

:: Your opponent takes the difference in Effect, off of either Alertness (Some Psychic, all Authority, some Unarmed or Melee, and some Magic), or Performance (anything not listed under Alertness).
:: Any Fight Dice not used (Contingency Dice) by your opponent (or vice-versa) in the Fight can be expended (whole die) to entirely negate any Effect you may have won over them.
:: Once Penalties accrue, they are applied directly to the Results of rolled dice (not your Contingency dice held in reserve), sometimes eliminating your ability to Fight at all. These penalties affect all remaining Result Dice, so it is possible for a Condition Penalty to end a fight while the opponent is still conscious, for instance. The Fight has simply left them/you,. etc.

If you or your opponent are eliminated from the Fight (Condition One or Zed), make your Quality Roll (2d12).

:: On a White Result: No further action is possible, and your sequence ends.
:: On a Black Result: You are prevented from any action, but your sequence isn't yet complete.
:: Red (or better): Locus may be consumed to act on a 1:1 ratio.
:: Orange: Regain up to 1d -- You've still got a bit of Fight left in you after all
:: Yellow: Regain up to 2d
:: Green: Regain up to 3d
:: Blue: Regain up to 4d
:: Violet: Regain up to 5d, and one Locus point -- 'Fool! You thought you could defeat me?!'

If you are still active at the end of a Fight (even in lousy shape), you regain all of your Fight Dice and can/may enter another Fight Scene.

Any unused Contingency Dice may be used to recover one Condition Level, per die.
:: Saving even only one Fight Die may just save your character's life.

[RPG] Update: 26th, March-

Sadly, Tybylt's player didn't want to run a Ref and Single Player session today, as the LGS co-owner is out at the post GAMA trade show, and my SO is working tonight.
--I played a Pathfinder Cleric of Heironeous in Tyb's player's 'bottom-up' campaign I joined last night, that does not take place in Greyhawk. My LN Cleric started out with 17 HP at 1st Level. :)
---Goblin Rogue and Halfling Sorcerer were like naughty children (and honestly, isn't that the truth?) playing 'real-life' chutes and laders. Still, the mega-mat was fun to have the dungeon complex mapped out on.

So, the ten Skill Areas are shaping up to be rather BoL-like in their overall utility, which I think will suit the 'revised' UWoM rather well.
--More focus on in-game definition of what a character can do with them (better than someone who doesn't have them; not to the exclusion of not having them) than a multitude of fiddly, once in a while, binary skills.
---Each of them has some extra effect, whether strictly mechanical, or more ephemeral (such as providing income if regularly plied).

Received three graphs (from a gaming friend on Mike Moorcock's site) on the 2d12 mechanism I have adopted, and the pyramidal non-curve, non-flat results are very regular and I think it sits well with my notions of exceptional results (plus or minus) being unusual events, and reality humming along nicely most of the time.
--I'm still keeping my eyes open for the possibility of something else coming along before print (such as above friend's favoured 3d8), but I'm not holding my breath, to mix metaphors.
---All I know is that flat rolls (either single die [d20, etc.] or d100) just don't cut it for me, as they are too chaotic. Not that there's anything wrong with that for other people and their games. ;)

I should be gaming Moldvay B/X right now.
--See ya... :D

Daily Zen-

My Homepage

If a fleeting thought conjures the whole,
How can I describe Reality in figures?
While empty moonlight on the water shows everything,
The mirror of No Mind reflects only Nothingness.

- Baekoon Kyunghan (1299-1375)

Cross-Pollination-

Superhero Necromancer's fine blog is back in action, HERE.

[Playtest Campaign] 19th, March-

Roughly two weeks after the fall of the house of Ahzenbakh and the dispelling of the Shorrannin-induced psionic delusion of the goat demon/green flame, the Governors of Doran have re-located to the old Ahzenbakh mansion, having granted the old Governorial mansion to lady Miren, who has changed her last name to Sovalt. In the exchange, Miren Sovalt has been made the Dean of the Governor's Academy, and the unused rooms set up as dorms for the most excellent students (comprised both of orphans of the pirate attack, as well as children of the entitled and wealthy eager to have the best education [read as: status] afforded their progeny).

Business dealings have brought the purchase of much of the island by the Guild Council to the Governors' attention, and a reception was held by said group in the hopes of securing their favour/capitulation. It was an interesting set of conversations as deals were made to have the Guild Education system integrated with the Academy, in exchange for a cut of all profits from Guild business. Likewise, Mela Mela's apothecary businesses and weapons shoppes have been brought into the fold, as it were, with Mela now an official Doctor of Medicine, and the author of the Pharmaceutical Purity Standards (as well as fronting her own independent regulatory investigations agency of the industry). Tyb also met Marnharnnan businessmen who were affiliated with the Kherstic League (possibly undercover), who urged that the Governors make the effort necessary to purchase and protect frontier parcels on the mainland. Mela was approached by a Marnharnnan woman who identified herself as an agent of the Marnharnnan Defence Agency, and asked Mela to make the trip to a region of the Riverland Peninsula to aid in diagnosing and treating an unknown illness growing to epidemic proportions.

With Mela and Darius off to the mainland, Tybalt (actually Tybylt based on the meaning of his name, --my mistake. I'll have to go back and edit all of these posts with the incorrect spelling.) and Ashta were preparing to set off on the journey to the realm of the Shlzm who transported the Sphere to the Shadow Plane to further 'her' self-repairs. To this end, Tybylt travelled to visit the Sphere, and encountered some extremely long-limbed creatures fascinated with the scintillating 'pearl' in the deep glooms of that realm. The Sphere stated that she would be well enough to get underway (save low fuel) in a matter of hours. Upon return to the Mundane Realm, Tybylt [Oh, look, a squirrel! ;p ] decided to launch his anti-smuggling operation in earnest, and affected a cover identity, Yihi ('Ending Song'), a flautist of moderate renown.

Setting off, he studies outside talent and determines that a former Guild Council assassin, gone freelance and worked over for her infidelity, was the best choice in the region, and hires the woman. She now goes by the name, 'the Swan'. Their first circuitous and wending ploy is to procure an extant smuggling operation. Surface investigation brings them to a small rocky island only large enough for a few dozen warehouses, brothels, and stables, with a periphery of moored boats serving as the rest of the town's services (inns, taverns, shops, etc.).
-- >> The merchant to be whacked is in fact the good and loyal individual, and his lover/partner is the one with the gambling debt that is dragging the business down. Yihi and the Swan bail on that plan and as they are discussing their next move, there is a knock on the door. Special Investigators from Doran are there to arrest Yihi. Tybylt/Yihi grabs Swan and uses his shadowy powers to E&E from them. An illusion later, and the last member of the team is thrown off their actual location and Tybylt and Swan drive off with the carriage occupied by some unknown person, whereupon he purposefully wedges the transport into an alleyway too narrow to open the doors, and they dip on the horses until they send them in different directions. The two find a sleazy inn operated by a former player's first character (the psychopathic scumbag in the adventure detailed in the earliest Dragonsfoot-link =---> posts), and stay there just long enough to Plane Travel via Shadow, back to Doran. Tybylt drops his guard and lets slip a few references that allow Swan to realise who he really is, and she then informs him that the reason she went freelance was because the last Guild contract she'd been given was on him, roughly two months prior (post-pirate-attack).

Ymyk, the LGS co-owner's character (the one with the alternating personalities due to a bad dual brain mutation), locks himself in a closet in the new mansion until Tybylt and the Swan arrive (introductions all around), whereupon Ymyk takes Tyb to the gambling house he (as the crime boss identity, Zhakun) owns, and the underground complex annex rife with newly-set traps protecting the subterranean warehouses. Ymyk hands the whole operation over to Tybylt (as Yihi) [still with me?], who accepts once he lays down righteous smack upon an enforcer who looked to be the most trouble of the bunch. Another thug, Kleph, loses a few fingers on a scythe-blade drawer trap, but has the new boss to thank for one of Mela's regeneration potions (it will still take weeks to fully regrow them, but they will regrow). Introductions of the work crew are made, and each is re-interviewed for by Yihi.


I totted-up the Glory sums for the characters, with (no surprise) Tybylt clearly in the lead, with Ashta about 2/3rd his junior, and Mela next by a fair margin.

The tandoori food was yummy. :)

Update 19th, March-

This Week's Top 5 List of Stuff-

* Intro/Overview of the game, Die-Rolling Conventions, and the obligatory What is a RolePlaying Game?

* Putting the Fight in Fight Dice

* Duty, Glory, and Honour as the social-currency of the system (Playtest starts this session).

* M. Thomas' Aroshi critter write-up

* I am currently working on the South East section of the map of the Marnharnnan continent, as that is the section most applicable to my Playtest Campaign.


Tandoor lunch planned for the game. :)

[RPG] Random Appearance and Distinguishing Features by Ethnicity-

Copyright (c) 2009, 2010 Kyrinn S. Eis

Appearance & Description-

##.Skin-......Hair-....Eyes-.........Distinguishing
.....................................Features-
18.True Black.White....Red...........Long Chin, Pointy
.......................................Ears & Nose
17.Blue-Black.Silver...Pink..........Wide-eyed &
.......................................High Cheeked
16.Aubergine..Dk Grey..Steel Blue....Chiselled Features
15.Dk Grey....Raven....Deep Blue.....Smooth Complexion
14.Blue-Grey..Lt Grey..Ice Blue......Sharp Features
13.Lt Grey....Peppered.Dk Green......Lean yet Soft
12.Grey-Brown.Sable....Md Green......12 Fingers & Toes
11.Chocolate..Auburn...Lime Green....Narrow Face
10.Cocoa......Chestnut.Hazel.........Long Neck
09.Dk Mustard.Dk Red...1Green/1Brown.Long Arms or Legs
08.Mustard....Black....1Green/1Blue..Heavily Freckled
07.Dk Tan.....Red......1Blue/1Brown..Ropey Musculature
06.Tan........Orange...Hazel.........Webbed Hands & Feet
05.Ivory......Rust.....Amber.........Independently
.......................................Focusable Eyes
04.Lilly......Dk Blond.Orange........Claws
03.Pink-Tan...Honey....Lt Brown......Fangs
02.Red-Tan....Sunshine.Brown.........Move 2x on 4-limbs
01.Maroon.....Golden...Dk Brown......Gills
0-.True Red...White....Black.........Subdermal Chitin

* Dokirin: 2d6-02 any of Skin, Hair, Eyes for any of Skin, Hair, and Eyes, 2d6+04 Distinct (1x)

* Durn: 2d6+6 Skin, 1d6+6 Hair, 1d4+7 Eyes, 1d6+12 Distinct (3x)

* Khark: 2d6-02 Skin, 1d6+6 Hair, 2d6 Eyes, 1d10-01 Distinct (2x)

* Khem: 2d4 Skin, 1d6+04 Hair, 1d12+1 Eyes, 1d12+06 Distinct (1x)

* Vrun: 1d6+1 Skin, 1d20-02 Hair & Eyes

* Western Isles Vrun: 1d4+02 Skin, 1d20-02 Hair & Eyes, 1d12+06 Distinct (3x)

* Yaesh: 1d10-01 Skin, 2d6+06 Hair, 2d8-02 Eyes, 1d20-02 Distinct (1x)

* Yirinn: 1d4+2d6-01 Skin, 1d12+01 Hair, 1d10+7 Eyes, 1d6+12 Distinct (1x)

:: Subject to change

Romance Monsoon & Mutant Scavengers of the (not so) Ruined Earth-

Check this [censored] out.

I heartily approve. :D

[RPG][General] A brief aside, and More on Fight Dice-

With too few players available this past Friday, there was no game.
--Instead, after the SO got off work, we played Guillotine, which I greatly enjoy.

This morning, after breakfast, I had her roll up a Villains & Vigilantes character, and I then rolled one up for a silly, 'stop the super crooks' fighting scenario.
--I think she was more entertained by my character illustrations and the 'funny voices' than anything inherent about Powered individuals, anti-heroes or villains.
---The duo are the Frienemiests! -- Friend/Enemy Feminists:

* Danger Jane: 'Like the Punisher, but a chick.' -- her quote.
* Chequer: My Woman of Colour super-charisma, street-fighter with her own brand of energy-drink-soda. 'Chequer Cola, I love it!' -- With a Charisma 37 selling it, you'll love it too. ;)
---

Okay, that silliness aside, let's get back to Fight Dice that do the fighting.

I'm still too heavily invested in my 2d12 action mechanism to abandon it, but I've thought about rolling the Fight Dice alongside them, taking the highest roller of the FD to add to the 2d12s. This would make their inclusion of immediate value not only in the Strike, but also in the Damage, as every block of 5 greater than what necessary to Strike results in a Critical iteration:

1st +5: Maximum damage
2nd: Maximum + 1 rolled
3rd: Max. + 2x rolled
4th: Max. + 3x rolled
etc.

So, rolling a 5 or 6 on the highest Fight Die will generate a base-level Crit on an average roll of 13 versus a non-combatant-type (an unarmoured individual [AC10] in d&dish terms), and it only increases from there, with a rolled 30 (24 from the 2d12 + 6 from the highest d6 FD*) is looking like 17 over the non-combatant-type 'to-hit', resulting in Max. + 2x rolled damage. Ouch.

So, if I were to adopt this routine, multiple FD would nudge the Strike results ever closer toward Crits, without adding a lot of maths, as only the highest FD result would be added.
--I like this idea, as it plays with the positive probabilities without assuring high-FD creatures/characters vicious Strikes and Damage, meaning that a 0- or low-FD creature could still theoretically hold their own against a brute -- but not making this 'likely'.

Using this method would replace the FD# as a flat addition to Strikes, although Ability Score (and other) mods would still factor.

* = Shrimpy critters would be rolling d4s, Humanoids rolling d8's, and truly monstrous things would be rolling d10's or higher.

Thoughts?

[RPG] proposed Advanced Creature Description template-

Revised based on Stuart's input.

Abbekqorru-
('Endless ranks of fierce tech-savvy raiders')

Fight Dice: 6d8
Attacks: 1
Damage: 3d8 or by weapon
Defence: 14 (06) M Armour
Special: Surprise +33%
Move: 45'/90'/270'
Size: L (7'+ tall)

Frequency: Uncommon
Terrain: Ubiquitous
#: 6d6
Lair: 25%
--Loot:

Cunning: 08-12
Disposition: Orderly & Vicious
Psychic: ?
--Powers: ?
Magnitude/A.P. Value:


I've yet to construct the Loot tables, and I am considering revising the Adventure Point values.

Thoughts?

Spielmeister's Blog (UWoM Entry)-

Spielmeister, of Under A Blood Red Sky blogging-fame, has posted THIS regarding the Urutsk: World of Mystery Alpha/Beta .pdfs.

It is with no difficulty that I say I find his blog to be a place of inspiration, too.

May the waters that flood the world end your dry spell. :D

[RPG] Musings on Fight Dice and 'Alternate-Alternate Combat Systems'-

'Like minds' and all that... ;)

I went to bed thinking of Brian Penn's surprise that Fight Dice didn't actually do the Fighting.
I woke up thinking that they very well could, and then:

* A Paladin in Citadel's blog
* Carl Nash's Other Blog
* Stuart Robertson's Robertson Games blog


Musing on What Fight Dice Could Actually Do-

What if Fight Dice (or Hit Dice) were instead actually rolled (akin to T&T), but with each die operating solo in comparison to another, opposed die from the opponent?


Let's start simply: 1d6 v. 1d6-

In a simple 'high-roll-wins' contest two 1FD combatants roll off:

OA: 3
OB: 5

Opponent B wins the contest and that die difference inflicts 2 DP (or HP). Ouch.


2FD Fight-

OC: 3, 4
OD: 1, 6

Opponent C wins two DP against opponent D, but D returns the favour.


Mismatch-

2FD v. 3FD:

OE: 2, 5
OF: 3, 3, 2

Opponent F inflicts a total of three (3) DP against E, but E inflicts 2 on F.


Getting Fancy-

If in the above mismatch, what if F's unopposed 2 could be used instead to block E's two DP reprisal?

Thoughts?

[RPG] Speak your Mind on Skills-

Prone to multi-tasking, I am working on:

* Creating pregens for two convention sessions
* Writing the streamlined PM
* Re-designing the Character Control Record
* Providing input to my map artist
* Tracking my other artist's output relative to the deadline
* Cleaning up for the SO's coming over to cook for mum and me
* Floating ideas for the weekly game
* Waiting to hear from Work regarding new assignments
* Tending to home-things

...more or less in that order.

One idea that keeps vacillating in my mind is to collapse the skills into the overarching framework I'd used for years on Guild Houses of Blood, namely:

Academic
Arcane
Athletic
Combat
Communication/Aesthetic
Covert
General (Civilisation)
Professional
Technical/Trades
Wilderness

My 'new school' players prefer micro-managing individual skills, but I am being plagued by wise admonitions to Keep It Simple/As Simple as Possible, but Not Simpler.

I think the Middle Path I'll adopt is the above with Specialisations.
--But, don't quote me on that.

Thoughts/Input/Derision?
--I'd love to hear everyone from 'Skills? Hate 'em!' to 'Skills? Natch'' folks here at TGT.

Best,

[Playtest Campaign] 5th, March-

Without going into excruciating detail, the party confronted the apparent demon, moved down an Ancient corridor beneath House Ahzenbakh (Tyb in 2D Shadow-form throught the rest of the battle), Ashta fought the unseen baddie in Psychic combat (doing a good chunk of its DP total), the rest fought skeletal mooks, and then were confronted with a fairly wimpy Shorrannin which was slain.

Ashta psych-blasted it one last time and tore through its non-mind only to reveal thousands of its Hive-siblings suddenly looking back at her. Its carcass self-destructed injuring everyone, especially Skelk and Rhur who were not in sealed e-shealth Scout suits, and then the tesseract labyrinth began to collapse in upon itself.

The party not only managed to escape, but saved the KO'd cavorters and pre-sacrificial kids, but lady Miren, with implicit authority from the Governors, killed her sorceress mother, Dame Diem. The Governors asked Miren for (and were granted) permission to take over the mansion so as to better safeguard the site, as it was still extra-dimensionally unstable.

End of that adventure.

Beginning of next adventure:

The Aelbaan Sphere, having been nearly destroyed by fighters launched from the cloaked ship in orbit, had been repairing itself and hadn't been able to assist Ashta since they'd entered the sea cave. It asked to be transported to the Shadow Plane where it wouldn't be fighting gravity to repair its various micro-fissures. Tyb couldn't do it alone and went off in search of assistance, meeting the Shlzm. This group describes an army of human worshippers of a demon-god raiding their underground realm, and secures the aid of the party in exchange for their Shadow-transport of the Sphere.

He also meets a very loony Dryvv woman named Kyllia who is essentially a historical quasi-goddess who offers a number of her handmaidens to accompany Tyb in his future raid of the Aelbaan starship (in exchange for a drop of Ahni's [and by extension, Tyb's] blood). Kyllia is whispering into her slumbering Grand-(or great-grand-)-father's ear about wanting to have possession of (one of) Tyb's timelines. Tyb is given an inky copy of the Myth of Power, the mythified history of the pre-Dryvv, proto-Dryvv, and Dryvv peoples. It can be manifest as a regular tome, or can be 'read' in his mind's eye as a (searchable) running film narrative of the contents.

Ashta, Mela, and Tyb confer and determine that the demon was in fact a psionic delusion/illusion generated by the Shorrannin. And also that the Aelbaan are aware of their possible defeat at the hands of the party, and are moving against them, fearing that Ashta and Tyb will learn to unify their power. This is then vaguely set against the background of the Dryvv' interest in Tyb's timeline, and his metacosmic relation to another character of his from my Pathfinderish off-the-rails game that preceded my running UWoM for them.

The party are now in the Endgame of followers, land holdings, and approaching lord/dameship.

Fight on! :)

[RPG] Personal Development/Talent sub-Table-

Presented here is the first draft of the above mentioned sub-Table resulting from a rolled Aberration:

--Personal Development/Talent sub-Table-
(2d8)

16 - Magicker
15 - Animal Companion
14 - Quickness
13 - Heightened Agility
12 - Heightened Body
11 - Heightened Conviction
10 - Heightened Fighting
09 - Technologian
08 - Stealth
07 - Weapon Mastery
06 - Heightened Psionic Index
05 - Heightened Scope
04 - Heightened Senses
03 - Natural Weaponry
02 - Self-Mastery


Animal Companion-
This creature (presumably organic) is built upon a base of the same Ability Score Total as the character, arranged as the Player sees fit, subject to review by the Referee. It functions as an extension of the character, and gains one-half the AP the PC does (these AP are only available for use with the Animal Companion), but begins with 0 AP. The creature gains the benefits of 1d4+1 rolls on the Personal Development/Talent sub-Table before it débuts with the PC. All subsequent Advancement comes from standard AP purchases or circumstantial changes in-play as the Referee determines.

Heightened Agility-
The Player rolls 2d6, and adds the higher of the two values directly to the character's AGL Score.

Heightened Body-
see Heightened Agility

Heightened Conviction-
see above

Heightened Fighting-
see above

Heightened Psionic Index-
see above

Heightened Scope-
see above

Heightened Senses-
+33% to the results of all Sense Tasks.

Magicker-
The character is capable of some magic, beginning with a bonus of 1 + (EXP) Caster Rank.

Natural Weaponry-
All of the character's Natural Attacks are increased by one Die-Type Step, and one additional of the increased die. Humans normally do only 1d4 damage with either a Punch or Kicks (etc.), but this character would instead roll 2d6 for such unarmed attacks. Creatures that are listed with different types and numbers of dice increase them by one Die-Type, and roll one additional of that higher die when calculating their damage.

Quickness-
The character adds +40' to their Base Speed (humans have a Base Speed of 40', making one iteration of this power a Base Speed of 80'). Additionally, the character gains a bonus of +5 to their Initiative, and a second action at the base (unmodified) roll of the Initiative die.

Self-Mastery-
The character is in such mindful awareness of their actions, even under duress, that they receive the better of two rolls on all Tasks. Additionally, the Player may opt to bring this Self-Mastery to such a fine degree of application so as to Automatically Succeed at any single Task, and generate Maximum possible effect for that character, once per Day.

Stealth-
The character adds a bonus of +50% to the result of all Secret and Silence Tasks. Any further iteration of this Power results instead in one additional roll of Tasks attempts, taking the better/best result.

Technologian-
The character adds a bonus of +33% to all Tech-related Tasks (Referee's determination). Additionally, the character may invest personal DP to create 'gadgets' out of the barest of materials or substances, all at the Referee's discretion. The effect(s)/function(s) that these gadgets are capable of producing/performing should include those listed in Tables 1-6, but at a rate of DP equal to 10 times the Table number in question subtracted from 7. Thus, a Table 4 power would require a DP investment of 30 points (7 - 4 = 3, 3 * 10 = 30). The Referee is (as always) the final arbiter of these matters. Powers (other than Technologian, which should not be granted) on the Personal Development/Talent sub-Table cost only 05 each.

Weapon Mastery-
Regardless of the origin of this prowess, the character receives, at no AP cost, Proficiency in all Simple, Martial, and one Exotic Weapon of their choice. At the Referee's option, Armour Proficiencies, too, may be included, but at some degree of trade-off.

[RPG] Aberrations and Powers begun in earnest-

I'm currently working on the long-postponed Aberrations & Powers section of the rules, and I think readers familiar with 2nd Edition Villains & Vigilantes will find the format of the powers similarly open to expansion and user-definition (, and ability to compound).

In this setting, unlike Metamorphosis Alpha or Gamma World, possessing obvious physical mutations is cause enough for persecution, usually (if not almost invariably) leading to the Shre's death. As a result, the Physical Mutations are less desirable than the discrete Mental Mutations.

Given that said aberrations exist in a significant enough percentage of the population of Urutsk so as to, over generations, have created the Humanoids of the setting, an exhaustive list of such creatures will not need to be detailed, as each region (let alone each 'incarnation' of the game found in the various playgroups upon publication) will have its unique manifestations.
--Still, there will be some canonical examples for completeness-sake, and to act as a spur for the creativity of the Referees of UWoM or whatever other system one would choose to use.

I have completed the initial list of the beneficial Mental Aberrations, and am starting upon their detailing (or possibly completing the Physical Aberrations list), today.
--My highly disrupted sleep cycle is mucking things up a bit, but I'll soldier on. ;D

Stuff ][-

In between writing e-mails to the Kelzsyn's Bluff & Environs project team members, re-writing the Players' Manual, reading your blogs, and having a life away from the computer, I have completed everything but the equipping and 'hook' for the ten pre-generated characters for the product.
--A few of the characters are pretty far afield for the Riverland Peninsula, but that'll be part of the fun for me in writing their hooks. I take it that if the dice gave me those characters, those are the ones I was supposed to have, and it'll all work out in the end. :)

My girlfriend has exposed me to a few (non-RPG) games lately, and I've really taken to the very laid-back Aquarius card game, but sadly, the game is apparently no longer in production. :( --Guillotine, too, is fun, but a bit too fiddly for my tastes in an non-RP game. Red Dragon Inn is still in deliberation, as it was only the two of us playing, and I definitely got the feeling it would show its 'worth' in a multi-player session, so I'll give that a try before giving it a rating.

Off to watch the Coen Bros. A Serious Man.

See you on the flip-side.