- Daito (1282-1334)
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
No Title-
Before the beginningless beginning, prior to the appearance of the first Buddha, already its bright and radiant light shone forth. It illuminates heaven and stands as a perfect mirror on earth, embracing and manifesting all things. The sun, moon, stars, and planets, lightning flashes, thunderclaps; everything without exception receives its benevolent influence.
- Daito (1282-1334)
- Daito (1282-1334)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Status of the RPG & More-
I owe you all some sort of explanation regarding the postponed release date of the UWoM rules.
--Here it is:
1). I Was struck ill for three weeks after the NTRPG Con
2). Rob Kuntz and I have struck up a limited partnership to bring URUTSK: World of Mystery to you in a meaningful presentation, rather than nickel-and-diming it via 'first-run'.pdfs
3). I have been moving over the entire month of August
What does all this mean regarding the RPG?:
1). The VRUN Player's Module: The entry book into the RPG from the perspective of the dominant Human ethnicity. It will contain the complete character generation process (from rolled Ability Scores through broad and open-ended Skills, to the Imperial Starship Castes, and Equipping), for Vrun characters (both Continental, and Marnharnnan). Basic Combat and Basic Task Resolution are, of course, part of the package.
--Also included: The VRUN Alphabetic Language System; Detailed (and mapped) Vrun Adventure Locations; a World Map; Vrun territory Maps; and, gorgeous art by Mullen and other artists.
2). The other major Human ethnicities (Yirinn, Yaesh, Durn, and Dokirinn) will each receive their own Modules which will add-on to the VRUN Player's Module, and do justice to each of the distinct and unique cultures, including Blood Magicks, Technologies, Traditions, and regional Maps.
3). The Referee's Manual: Composed not only of the ephemera of running the game (including Advanced Combat and Task Resolution), but articles by famous, infamous, and personally respected Referees/GMs, including Classic personalities (TBA).
4). After these, I plan on releasing smaller works, often compiling minor ethnicities (Lhoman, Khem, Kark, etc.), as well as releasing the major and minor Non-Human Species.
5). More detailed Regional Guides with adventure chronologies and notable NPCs, Items, and Spells.
That will close the Early Autumn Era, and open the Latter Autumn, which was the true genesis of the setting, back in 1985 or so. This will introduce modern warfare, superpowers, high-tech (including space) gear, colonisation of the other worlds in the Av Star System, and the initial Starfaring Drang nach oben.
More URUTSK goodness in the form of Sequential Art stories, and possible series are in negotiation with a wonderful artist best known for Classic Gaming works, although also a veteran Comics artist.
--More on that as the process develops.
For those of you promised Playtest versions of the rules (most notably in the land of Oz), you have not been forgotten, and are due to receive the pre-release VPM hours or days after its completion.
I thank the lot of you who have taken an interest in Urutsk, and hope to bring you the calibre of product worthy of the accolades I have already received.
To that end, I would like to take the time to acknowledge just a few of the foremost enthusiasts and encouragers these two years (and longer in a few cases):
* Brian Penn
* Greg Oakes
* Jeff Berry
* Sean Wills
* Robert J. Kuntz
* Reed W. Decker
* Stephen Laidlaw
Stay Tuned...
--Here it is:
1). I Was struck ill for three weeks after the NTRPG Con
2). Rob Kuntz and I have struck up a limited partnership to bring URUTSK: World of Mystery to you in a meaningful presentation, rather than nickel-and-diming it via 'first-run'.pdfs
3). I have been moving over the entire month of August
What does all this mean regarding the RPG?:
1). The VRUN Player's Module: The entry book into the RPG from the perspective of the dominant Human ethnicity. It will contain the complete character generation process (from rolled Ability Scores through broad and open-ended Skills, to the Imperial Starship Castes, and Equipping), for Vrun characters (both Continental, and Marnharnnan). Basic Combat and Basic Task Resolution are, of course, part of the package.
--Also included: The VRUN Alphabetic Language System; Detailed (and mapped) Vrun Adventure Locations; a World Map; Vrun territory Maps; and, gorgeous art by Mullen and other artists.
2). The other major Human ethnicities (Yirinn, Yaesh, Durn, and Dokirinn) will each receive their own Modules which will add-on to the VRUN Player's Module, and do justice to each of the distinct and unique cultures, including Blood Magicks, Technologies, Traditions, and regional Maps.
3). The Referee's Manual: Composed not only of the ephemera of running the game (including Advanced Combat and Task Resolution), but articles by famous, infamous, and personally respected Referees/GMs, including Classic personalities (TBA).
4). After these, I plan on releasing smaller works, often compiling minor ethnicities (Lhoman, Khem, Kark, etc.), as well as releasing the major and minor Non-Human Species.
5). More detailed Regional Guides with adventure chronologies and notable NPCs, Items, and Spells.
That will close the Early Autumn Era, and open the Latter Autumn, which was the true genesis of the setting, back in 1985 or so. This will introduce modern warfare, superpowers, high-tech (including space) gear, colonisation of the other worlds in the Av Star System, and the initial Starfaring Drang nach oben.
More URUTSK goodness in the form of Sequential Art stories, and possible series are in negotiation with a wonderful artist best known for Classic Gaming works, although also a veteran Comics artist.
--More on that as the process develops.
For those of you promised Playtest versions of the rules (most notably in the land of Oz), you have not been forgotten, and are due to receive the pre-release VPM hours or days after its completion.
I thank the lot of you who have taken an interest in Urutsk, and hope to bring you the calibre of product worthy of the accolades I have already received.
To that end, I would like to take the time to acknowledge just a few of the foremost enthusiasts and encouragers these two years (and longer in a few cases):
* Brian Penn
* Greg Oakes
* Jeff Berry
* Sean Wills
* Robert J. Kuntz
* Reed W. Decker
* Stephen Laidlaw
Stay Tuned...
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Mutants of Marnharnna Pt. 05-
The game on the 13th:
---
The party, having said their fare-thee-wells to the others, were then involved in the nomads' 'Feast of the Five Animals'. This involved the Four Primary Elements (and their related sub-ele's) each securing an eating creature associated with their Element (land creature, air creature, etc.).
Phlavius of Fire, had a mystical experience with a horrifying Fire Witch in preparation for his scouting out the Shadow Plane, and Zalder mistook the Yellow Ghoul's ecstatic writhing in the flames (no lasting damage, but creating a 09 DP Fire-pool which Phlavius can draw upon for all DP purposes, including soaking damage, and powering his Aberrations, etc.) as something non-plus, and attempted to rouse him with a log to the head -- repeatedly (after Zalder suffering a boatload of DP from shaking/slapping the Yellow Ghoul). Heh.
Raylyss of Silt hung out with a more Cayman-looking nomad and showed him the rubbings from a series of concentric stone circles (a calendrical device they've yet to decipher, found at the homestead from whence the girls were absconded), but had a bit of a linguistic/paradigmatic issue explaining what it was the other was looking at ('this is a scent marker for the eyes?').
--Raylyss also had a bit of a vision-quest, confirming the location to which he is to bring the eggs in the trunk (if not also the girls), and that being very near Kelzsyn's Bluff (and in the opposite direction from the Lair). Images seen from MM's other character, Darius (of Earth)'s experience at the decrepit Lizard Temple lined-up with that character also having found a stone calendar which indicated that the Pearl ('The Pearl! The Pearl!') of Ashta Shomel was somehow connected with the Lizardfolk's destiny.
---Wheels within wheels, indeed.
Zalder of Air helped (read as: was bait for) his Blood-tribe's hunting of a large reptilavian, which was their contribution to the Feast. After which he was presented with a large crystalline structure which had grown on the creature's sternum, and which housed the creature's Elemental Blood concentrations and allowed Zalder to hover and fly (in conjunction with his glider membrane).
--He, too, sought out the Air Shaman, and met the Moonfaery Sisters (co-regents of Air), one of whom is kindly, while her sister is snide and mocking (I played this up to the mild annoyance of my Sweetie), who suggested hat Zalder have a vest fashioned with pockets/pouches wherein the cut crystals could be more evenly distributed, without interfering with the membrane.
Osyl of Frost (the merchant who inadvertantly joined the party after having been pulled through the Vae Portal) had assisted in bringing down the reptilavian with a shot from her revolver, and then secluded herself from the baser Xel/Shre and examined the short sword she had been gifted by the Vae who had cavorted around her in her days of illness before the Portal, only to receive a vision of Lady Arctise [Frost] as they both stood outside a city in The Black Crown. The exchange was very cryptic, as if an interrupted dream.
In the morning, a grey cloud overhung the group as they set out for the homestead.
[-snip-]
A barrel of hootch was Fabricated and Osyl rode into the homestead, now serving as a camp for Vrun militiamen on the march north, and attempted to get them happily drunk while avoiding not only rape, but discovery of her prehensile tail. Fortunately, the commander took her under his aegis and she was allowed to sleep in the house (alone), while the reptile-duo (and the Cayman's scale-dog) infiltrated the barn and began to retrieve the stone calendar, and also encountered the ghost of the girls father.
We held it thereabouts.
There was no game on the 20th.
---
The party, having said their fare-thee-wells to the others, were then involved in the nomads' 'Feast of the Five Animals'. This involved the Four Primary Elements (and their related sub-ele's) each securing an eating creature associated with their Element (land creature, air creature, etc.).
Phlavius of Fire, had a mystical experience with a horrifying Fire Witch in preparation for his scouting out the Shadow Plane, and Zalder mistook the Yellow Ghoul's ecstatic writhing in the flames (no lasting damage, but creating a 09 DP Fire-pool which Phlavius can draw upon for all DP purposes, including soaking damage, and powering his Aberrations, etc.) as something non-plus, and attempted to rouse him with a log to the head -- repeatedly (after Zalder suffering a boatload of DP from shaking/slapping the Yellow Ghoul). Heh.
Raylyss of Silt hung out with a more Cayman-looking nomad and showed him the rubbings from a series of concentric stone circles (a calendrical device they've yet to decipher, found at the homestead from whence the girls were absconded), but had a bit of a linguistic/paradigmatic issue explaining what it was the other was looking at ('this is a scent marker for the eyes?').
--Raylyss also had a bit of a vision-quest, confirming the location to which he is to bring the eggs in the trunk (if not also the girls), and that being very near Kelzsyn's Bluff (and in the opposite direction from the Lair). Images seen from MM's other character, Darius (of Earth)'s experience at the decrepit Lizard Temple lined-up with that character also having found a stone calendar which indicated that the Pearl ('The Pearl! The Pearl!') of Ashta Shomel was somehow connected with the Lizardfolk's destiny.
---Wheels within wheels, indeed.
Zalder of Air helped (read as: was bait for) his Blood-tribe's hunting of a large reptilavian, which was their contribution to the Feast. After which he was presented with a large crystalline structure which had grown on the creature's sternum, and which housed the creature's Elemental Blood concentrations and allowed Zalder to hover and fly (in conjunction with his glider membrane).
--He, too, sought out the Air Shaman, and met the Moonfaery Sisters (co-regents of Air), one of whom is kindly, while her sister is snide and mocking (I played this up to the mild annoyance of my Sweetie), who suggested hat Zalder have a vest fashioned with pockets/pouches wherein the cut crystals could be more evenly distributed, without interfering with the membrane.
Osyl of Frost (the merchant who inadvertantly joined the party after having been pulled through the Vae Portal) had assisted in bringing down the reptilavian with a shot from her revolver, and then secluded herself from the baser Xel/Shre and examined the short sword she had been gifted by the Vae who had cavorted around her in her days of illness before the Portal, only to receive a vision of Lady Arctise [Frost] as they both stood outside a city in The Black Crown. The exchange was very cryptic, as if an interrupted dream.
In the morning, a grey cloud overhung the group as they set out for the homestead.
[-snip-]
A barrel of hootch was Fabricated and Osyl rode into the homestead, now serving as a camp for Vrun militiamen on the march north, and attempted to get them happily drunk while avoiding not only rape, but discovery of her prehensile tail. Fortunately, the commander took her under his aegis and she was allowed to sleep in the house (alone), while the reptile-duo (and the Cayman's scale-dog) infiltrated the barn and began to retrieve the stone calendar, and also encountered the ghost of the girls father.
We held it thereabouts.
There was no game on the 20th.
Friday, August 20, 2010
A Wonderful Lovecraft Quote-
Dave over at Wilderlands of Runequest has this great post in fond remembrance of ole' HPL.
An Upside to Moving...-
...finding things thought lost.
1). The long-missing AMBUSH! and SHELL SHOCK! rules and weapon matrices [x]
2). Old URUTSK stuff [x]
But, the real shock:
3). TRACTICS [x] !
--The box is a bit worse for wear, but I thought it was lost in the GGH-purge of 2000/01.
---Yea! :D
Friday, August 13, 2010
Adrift in the void...-
I was briefly without I-net connectivity as the move nears an end, but this has apparently been resolved.
I hope I haven't missed too much fun in bloglandia. :D
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Mutants of Marnharnna Pt. 04-
Raylyss' Player wasn't present.
Three of the Garrison Xel (>I [am a] Powerfully Subtle Spirit<, an intra-Aberrant word for their kind):
The female leader with a great suite of Powers, her brother with a similar or complimentary set (including 2d8 Natural Weaponry [Martial Arts]), and her bodyguard, an 8'6" Yaesh-Yirinn with claws worth 1d4 [Edged][Piercing] (originally would have been 2d6 [Blunt], but powered-down as the Damage Types were switched and added)
Were waiting for the PCs at their tree-fort, and had a long exchange of, 'This is our place, why are you here?'; 'I'm the leader of our population in the Garrison, of which you are still part. I amn merely here to inform you on news, and to receive info.'; 'Hmm. Still, it's rude.; --; 'OK, this is what happened...'; 'Hmm. We lost track of you after the eggs in the trunk.; 'Oh?'; --; ---; 'Things are changing, and we need to help our people survive the Vrun war-force.'; > nodding <; when:
The Nomad-Shre the PCs had originally been charged with contacting (and were the constituents of the avoided encounter back in Pt. 01) appeared, stepping out of the trees by which they are able to travel great distances in but one step, and received the three messages. An aberrant ate all three and then Conjured a Fabrication which consisted of the deciphered message (clearly an unknown Aberration/Power).
--The girls are recognised as important to the whole deal, and the few Lizardy members of the 36 Nomads carried the trunk away, along with the girls and her dog (who communicated with the female leader).
The MDA Marshals, tracking Osyl by the technomantic revolver. and via the Kherstic weave of the fake diamond she Fabricated (until it disintegrated), and arrived at the same Vae Portal and proceeded to track the cart. They were intercepted, but said they simply wanted to speak. Things got weird, and there was a fight between NPCs and the bodyguard nearly died, but the leader was able to heal him via her Inspire suite and donated DP from her brother, and a crushed animal with Silt blood as a 'sacrifice'.
--The Marshals handed over their firearms, and explained that the MDA had arranged for the Xel to travel by covered wagons to the far side of the border with the Black Crown, while the Humanoids were advised to take to their preferred rough terrain (hills and worse) to the West if they are to have any chance of surviving the hundreds or few thousand Vrun troopers already under-way.
---They were asked about their generous offer considering other Vrun's attitudes to Dokirin, Humanoids, and Shre. The Marshals explained that they represent a group that have greater vision regarding Urutsk' future, and left the rest rather vague.
The PCs, the leader's brother, and the Nomads instead head SW, with the PCs and bro planning on pursuing Qaj'wl, who is thought to be summoning a force from the Shadow Plane to exact his revenge upon the Party and Loq, the Abbekqorru Sgt, now acting as the Humanoid's relocation-leader.
Session.
Three of the Garrison Xel (>I [am a] Powerfully Subtle Spirit<, an intra-Aberrant word for their kind):
The female leader with a great suite of Powers, her brother with a similar or complimentary set (including 2d8 Natural Weaponry [Martial Arts]), and her bodyguard, an 8'6" Yaesh-Yirinn with claws worth 1d4 [Edged][Piercing] (originally would have been 2d6 [Blunt], but powered-down as the Damage Types were switched and added)
Were waiting for the PCs at their tree-fort, and had a long exchange of, 'This is our place, why are you here?'; 'I'm the leader of our population in the Garrison, of which you are still part. I amn merely here to inform you on news, and to receive info.'; 'Hmm. Still, it's rude.; --; 'OK, this is what happened...'; 'Hmm. We lost track of you after the eggs in the trunk.; 'Oh?'; --; ---; 'Things are changing, and we need to help our people survive the Vrun war-force.'; > nodding <; when:
The Nomad-Shre the PCs had originally been charged with contacting (and were the constituents of the avoided encounter back in Pt. 01) appeared, stepping out of the trees by which they are able to travel great distances in but one step, and received the three messages. An aberrant ate all three and then Conjured a Fabrication which consisted of the deciphered message (clearly an unknown Aberration/Power).
--The girls are recognised as important to the whole deal, and the few Lizardy members of the 36 Nomads carried the trunk away, along with the girls and her dog (who communicated with the female leader).
The MDA Marshals, tracking Osyl by the technomantic revolver. and via the Kherstic weave of the fake diamond she Fabricated (until it disintegrated), and arrived at the same Vae Portal and proceeded to track the cart. They were intercepted, but said they simply wanted to speak. Things got weird, and there was a fight between NPCs and the bodyguard nearly died, but the leader was able to heal him via her Inspire suite and donated DP from her brother, and a crushed animal with Silt blood as a 'sacrifice'.
--The Marshals handed over their firearms, and explained that the MDA had arranged for the Xel to travel by covered wagons to the far side of the border with the Black Crown, while the Humanoids were advised to take to their preferred rough terrain (hills and worse) to the West if they are to have any chance of surviving the hundreds or few thousand Vrun troopers already under-way.
---They were asked about their generous offer considering other Vrun's attitudes to Dokirin, Humanoids, and Shre. The Marshals explained that they represent a group that have greater vision regarding Urutsk' future, and left the rest rather vague.
The PCs, the leader's brother, and the Nomads instead head SW, with the PCs and bro planning on pursuing Qaj'wl, who is thought to be summoning a force from the Shadow Plane to exact his revenge upon the Party and Loq, the Abbekqorru Sgt, now acting as the Humanoid's relocation-leader.
Session.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Tremulous Antennae UWoM blog-
I am deeply honoured that Slade / Stephen has decided to start the Tremulous Antennae Urutsk: World of Mystery blog, which acts as a repository of Urutskan spells, items, and whatnot.
If you are following this blog, you ought to do yourself a favour and subscribe to the Tremulous Antennae, as well.
Onward Flies the Bird...
Bite the Bulette UWoM Cross-post-
LINK
Urutsk: Peace with Teeth
(carrying on from here)
Under armed guard PCs get to the Airship tethered nearby after a running battle with humanoids on crested riding lizards. Climb up rope ladders as airship rises. More reawakened memories emerge. Teash shares his recollection that the humanoids are an inbred Vrun offshoot who long ago rejected the quest for ascension and embraced primitive life.
Airship captain questions PCs but is mesmerized by Naime who learns that the airship was sent by Maev-Xluaqh, all the crew were handpicked for their covert allegiance to her, and the airship seems to have been sabotaged. Another crewman enters (after a bad roll by Naime's player) and concentration is broken.
Disembarking, the PCs are quickly led to the Crone's wing of the palace rather than Fort Stalwart. On the way Mouwles spots the gaseous lifeforms from the swamp again. At the Palace, speaking from the shadows under the many birdcages suspended from the ceiling, Maev-Xluaqh slowly questions them and upon learning of their memory loss, tells them that she had sent them to some ruins after the field-archivist Teash's discovery of a map and technical blueprints. Yande does not believe her, just a gut feeling (a roll and a GM note!). The Crone insists that the PCs should return to the ruins.
Session ended. Only a short one having spent time playtesting stuff for this blog.
Under armed guard PCs get to the Airship tethered nearby after a running battle with humanoids on crested riding lizards. Climb up rope ladders as airship rises. More reawakened memories emerge. Teash shares his recollection that the humanoids are an inbred Vrun offshoot who long ago rejected the quest for ascension and embraced primitive life.
Airship captain questions PCs but is mesmerized by Naime who learns that the airship was sent by Maev-Xluaqh, all the crew were handpicked for their covert allegiance to her, and the airship seems to have been sabotaged. Another crewman enters (after a bad roll by Naime's player) and concentration is broken.
Disembarking, the PCs are quickly led to the Crone's wing of the palace rather than Fort Stalwart. On the way Mouwles spots the gaseous lifeforms from the swamp again. At the Palace, speaking from the shadows under the many birdcages suspended from the ceiling, Maev-Xluaqh slowly questions them and upon learning of their memory loss, tells them that she had sent them to some ruins after the field-archivist Teash's discovery of a map and technical blueprints. Yande does not believe her, just a gut feeling (a roll and a GM note!). The Crone insists that the PCs should return to the ruins.
Session ended. Only a short one having spent time playtesting stuff for this blog.
1 comments:
Mutants of Marharnna Pt. 03-
This was the first session played at my new home, and marks the beginning of the sessions being played there.
The girls were allowed to go back to their home, where they retrieved pre-packed rucks with things their parents wanted them to have in case of emergency travel (a 'bug-out bag' in paramilitary parlance), and successfully prevented the Ghoul from stealing their mother's good jewellery (has he no shame?). It was also discovered that the dog is at least receptive to mental communication with the girls.
--The group press on with the girls in a cart, pulled by the humanoids (hmm... Can take the mutant out of the Vrun, but can't take the Vrun out of the mutant, it seems), with plans to make for the tree-fort.
Before they were able to make it into that hex, the group found more ruins, now covered by the grasslands, but opt not to explore.
--That night, they set up watch:
Ten strange looking dogs or wolves or whatever attack, and quickly are met in combat by the group, and while the creatures inflict one bad wound on one of the PCs, a few are fairly handily slain (39 DP, with 1d4 Armour).
--As each creature is slain, a black form leaves them, and the body then withers into a husk that comes apart like ashes. Raylyss comes to realise that Qaj'wl is directing them out in the darkness beyond the campfire, and the Shadow-essence is possibly a Conjuration, and one of the characters tests the theory by Dismissing the Conjured Fabrication (hefty DP cost to do so). Raylyss uses his TK Grip on Qaj'wl's Jezail to wrest it from the beast. He tries to use it but opts instead to take up and fire his bow, missing. If memory serves, Raylyss does strike once (perhaps twice) in the next Round, and this initiates Qaj'wl's descent into the ground.
---[Zalder] performs a flying tackle and is being dragged into what feels like quicksand, but is rescued while still strangling the beast, which finally gives up his ghost, and the body is dragged out of the reconstituted grass-covered earth.
The human body is like a skin which covers the jackal-like body beneath it (NSFW), but Zalder's Mind Field suggests that it is devoid of the Monstrous Being's spirit. The body is bound and brought along.
--It is then confirmed that the girls' dog is both intelligent and possessed of powers, as it says to Zalder that it believes that Qaj'wl is now on the Shadow Plane, and is apparently aware of them.
Raylyss and the Ghoul's players then left while I continued with Zalder's player, and the newly introduced Osyl (passes for Vrun, except for her prehensile tail), who is a merchant who aids and abets the Aberrant/Dokirin/Humanoid populations by procuring needed items, and selling their goods in towns. Her mission was to secure ranged weapons for the Garrison, and she attempts to purchase twelve revolvers, but runs afoul of Marnharnnan Defence Agency Marshals (one definitely had psychic powers [Broadcast Empath]), who were originally willing to leave her six of the fine weapons, before she knocked a serious gunslinger 'upside da head' with her TK Blast. She only manages to go free by Conjuring a Fabricated gem and tossing it onto the prone bloke she had secured; a spear to his throat.
--Oddly enough, the merchant ran after her and handed over a box with one revolver, a belt, and a banolier, released to her by the Marshals. This, understandably, puzzled her, and she and her armadillo/turtle cart-puller ('snappy') headed out into the wilds.
---Fae night transports her, snappy, and cart (laden with 100 short bows from another merchant, earlier), to a fungal circle nearly 100 XsM distant, near the tree-fort, where she meets Zalder.
Session.
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