Wild West Tunnels and Trolls: Teq / Artifice Rank One-

This represents another part of the Woolly Wild West T&T thing I did back in, or about, 2000.

LINK

More Cowbell + An Image-

A villa located in Hexland, on the moon Yolm, orbiting the gas giant Malthesaen; part of the STARBLADE: Adventures Amid the Shattered Stars (sub-)setting, and part of the Urutsk Cycle. Circa 2001

I have spent the past week clearing out a 10' x 10' storage space from last year's move, and I have found a few treasures that coincide with portions I am currently writing. These go back to the early to mid 90's, before the OGL was a glimmer of desire in Dancy's fancy, and my suggestion to write new material for dead systems was laughed at by my closest friends (of the time).

One graph I plotted was too complex for even the then current version of Wolfram Mathematica, as the nice gentleman on the phone explained; something about the iterative additives to multiple co-dependent dimensions being to much to process at the time, if I remember correctly. Well, I've not only found the graph, but the hand-written rules for the feedback procedure. It gave me a warm, tingly feeling. :D

Seeing all of this work from pre- and early-2000's that is exactly what I am working on again, now, is really a snazzy feeling overall. But, I will say that my biggest mistake was ever listening to conventional wisdom, as it cost me over a decade of progress, and now my mute innovations have percolated up through the strata of Jungian space to become the provenance of other names, and other games. HaShem is funny that way. Makes you appreciate the private triumphs more when they happen, I suppose, in a rueful, 'what if' sort of way...

As I lay in bed at 4am, before the rain began, I thought back on my 30 years of game design, and all of the scores of systems (not including variants or revisions) that only a dozen or so folks ever saw or played. If each of them metaphorically represents a cosmos in the Metacosmos of The Grand Tapestry, then I've sown a lot of grain, to uh-- mix ... metaphors. :-|

Nothing profound to anyone else but me (and possibly Scott C., Karl P., and a few unsavories we know).

Hoping your gaming goes well this weekend.

This Should Be An Interesting Game-

Game Title : The Death of Tlangéshan
Game System : Empire of the Petal Throne
Number of Players : 4-8
Pregens/Level of Characters: characters provided, Levels 6-7
World Setting: Tékumel

Short Description: Tlangéshan the Utmost is a magic-user of unsurpassed knowledge, power, and greed. To keep his demons at bay, tribute and sacrifice are sent from Chame'el in the south, from Urmish in the north, and even from the great city Jakálla, to Tlangéshan's basalt citadel on Thayuri Isle. No mortal dares to move against Tlangéshan for fear of his sorcery; even the great god Sárku watches him with jealous respect, or so it is whispered. But in the deepest scrying vault beneath the Temple of Keténgku the Many-Eyed, furtive auguries hint that Tlangéshan's death may be at hand. To confirm their suspicions, the priests need eye witnesses. They need you to breach Tlangéshan's citadel, find his body, and guarantee that he is dead.

Run by: Steve Winter

An Old Tunnels and Trolls Wild West .pdf-

I think it was 2000 or early 2001 when I wrote up a Woolly Wild West document on a T&T board that Ken was frequenting.

This is the Addenda.
--Sorry. I'll look for the original, but I'm not too hopeful.

LINK

On Andreas Davour's 'ADnD using only the PHB'-

On The Omnipotent Eye, Andreas Davour has this to say about PHB-only AD&D. That stirred my mind, and this is what I came up with:

Combat:

The weapon tables are in the PHB, as are the HD for the Classes. It would likely look something like Tunnels & Trolls:

Roll your weapon di(c)e and add or subtract any Strength modifiers*, subtract your opponent's value (as above), and then read the AC as follows:

+3 + Fighter Level
+2 + Cleric Level
+1 + Thief Level
+0 + M-U Level

Subtract (Dex-Modified AC#) from 10 and apply the result as HP of damage stopped.
--Thus, AC02 = 08 Hits Protection, AC05 = 05 Hits Protection, AC09 = 01 Hit stopped.

[*] I goofed on the original post. I intended for only the dice of damage roll to be modified and compared.

Saves:

Roll Ability Score or less on d20, reading the governing Ability Score on the Defensive Adjustment modifier, and subtracting it from the d20 roll.
--For example, an Int-based Save with a Int 15 provides an Adjustment of -1 to the d20 Roll.

I suppose one could apply the Combat Bonus above, but only to Saves thought of as Class-favoured Saves.
--I've run my game so long now that I don't think of 'level' as doing a lot of modifying, as opposed to the Character changing over time.


Thoughts?

JB injected some Level-love to the ideas, although there is no mention of the sort in the PHB that I can recall. I've just included it to please the natives. ;)

Resources for Living and GMing-

James Burke

Connections

The Day the Universe Changed

While I do not always agree with every conclusion Burke puts forth, I believe that the two series (of a few he has been involved with) are, without a doubt, two of the finest presentations of the Why's of How Things Work (and perhaps the brainiest and yet most accessible TV educations one could ever hope to receive).

These two 'documentary' mini-series, along with a great set of Encyclopaedia of (then) current technology, not only uplifted my mind from the non-teaching I received in public school, but helped shape my understanding of Humanity, and thus, our civilisation and history.

A GM, of sandbox persuasion or not, could stand to watch the two full series before setting off on a campaign or world-building tear.

Enjoy.

JR's Campaign Questions Answered-

JR over at JR's blog had this set of questions one was to know a few of the answers to before throwing together a new campaign. I thought I would oblige them, and so I have gotten a few locals to answer J's questions:

1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion? --If you worship some particular god, don't be surprised if someone or something else is supplying part of the power that grants you those miracles. Othern' that, we here revere the Emperor.
2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment? -- Trading post or town Shoppe
3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended? -- A local unscrupulous blacksmith, maybe. What do you mean, exactly, by Monster? We don't take kindly to no Humanoids in town, I tell you what.
4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land? -- Wizard? Oh, that guy who fiddles with Ancient Technology? He lives in that weird old house in the back woods.
5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land? -- Well, Dahl is known to be able to take a ten-point buck with his coilstock, shooting from a tree stand, and Qavor, he once fought a Ousumyn with naught but a knife when it got hold of his youngest. We got lots of men, and a few of the gals, who's killed a few Dokirin raiders or muties in recent years.
6. Who is the richest person in the land? -- Which land? Here? Oh, the Mayor, or Mr. Basqon, maybe.
7. Where can we go to get some magical healing? -- Do you mean medicine? Oh, more than herbs, but less than syringes. Dunno. Do you folks have lots of 'magical healing' where you're from?
8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath? -- Lycanthropy is a disease? I think my grandpa had a polymorph, on his back side, once. It was just lanced and set over with a mustard plaster. Alignment change? Oh!, that's what they do to them buggies that don't steer correct, right? Death is just what happens: You gotta deal with that, son. As for Undeath...best not to speak of the dead.
9. Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells? -- You sure do talk a lot about magic. You feelin' okay, mister?
10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC? -- Paertown is the first place I'd look.
11. Where can I hire mercenaries? -- The Guild Council rents 'em out by the hour, or so I hear.
12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law? -- Can't righly speak to the magic question (Hey, Bahb, this Tsheff fellah sure is queer for magic, ain't he?) As for swords and the like. It best be a place far from here, I tell you what. If anyone tries takin' my kit away, they best bring an army. An' everyone here feels just the same. Live Vrun or Die.
13. Which way to the nearest tavern? -- We use shingles hung out above the door. See? We got a few, catering to different classes of clientel.
14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous? -- Well, tell you what. We seen some Xurosen near Old Man Piters' lodge. You and a few of your tin-plated buddies want to trek up there and take a male, we'll throw you a party. That'll make the news in Romers and Kuaietville...maybe even Luxum.
15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight? -- Hmm. Well, you look pretty soft there, but...hmmm. Well, get in touch with the local GC rep. Maybe you can carry ammo and such.
16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes? -- We's civilised in these here parts, son. Torether may throw a few unfortunate Durnsmen into a pit, if I recall the stories, but nothin' the children ought to see. Humans too rare to waste on blood sport, y'know.
17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight? -- > blank stare < You with Mal'shevski?
18. What is there to eat around here? -- We got us the best pan-fried breaded Brach this side of the Stemford, I tell you what. You like the brew, too, dont'cha? You look like you like the brew too much. Haw! Li'l Soniahs will set you up for half a Count. Music's good, too.
19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for? -- Hells, the whole place is littered with wot tech we need to get offa this soggy rock. Throw a stone out in the sticks and you're bound to hit some old treasure or doodad.
20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure? -- Type 'H'? I an't that learned about nothin' ceptin' Small Unit Repair, and a bit about Ecologies and Apex Predators my folks taught me. > nearing < You did say treasure, right?

Thanks Bahb, Manyx, and Throq.