Last Night's Google+ Hangout Game-

Google+ user Ulek Xek joined C. for the Thursday night game via G+ Hangout on audio only. Sadly, Greg Backus was unable to join us due to computer issues. We'll have to sort those issues out for the next epi.

Here is Ulek Xek's LINK

Seriously!

I'm wondering when Ken St. Andre's recognition in the earliest days of the RPG hobby will be better known, as his version of The Game was already being sold while what would become known as D&D LBB were still relatively obscure, if actually in LBB format at that time.

In an e-mail on a computer a decade gone by now, I spoke with Ken, who related that he was selling copies of T&T in comb-bound format while Gary still hadn't gotten his game rules out (at least on the West Coast). In this account, Gary was a bit peeved that Ken was already capitalising (*laff*) on T&T before D&D was hitting the Arizona gaming scene. No one at the stores had even heard of polyhedral dice, so we can use that to date the event.

If RQ2 praised Ken for 'having done it again' or some such, in the intro (as well as digging on the Saving Roll mechanism which would see light in RQ as the Opposed Roll mechanism), his importance in the field is clearly understated. Ken and I aren't even that close any longer, and I'm still steamed that his contributions are relegated to a cutsie/satirical treatment of D&D. Hogwash.

Where are the Andreas Davours, the Tori Bernquists, etc., to give Ken St. Andre his due in the RPG field's historical significance?

:: crickets ::

FLAILSNAILS Conventions

Please comment regarding the necessity of the 'FLAILSNAILS Conventions'.

Monday Offering-

Name-(Mass)[Moves](ea. roughly 7')
FD: Fight Dice
DP: Disruption Points
Def: Defence
ARM: Armour STOP & Type [H]ard/[S]oft
ATK: Attack

Cd: Colour Dice
V.iolet (6), B.lue (5), G.reen (4), Y.ellow (3), O.range (2), R.ed (1)

LETIUUMASI-(L)[4mv]
Menace Rating: 65 | 3FD+3 | 150DP | +0Def | -2S ARM | ATK: Musket 5Cd @ G | ATK: Dagger @ O | ATK: Bite @ G
* Special Abilities: Intelligent, Tracking Instinct Use: +3d/Day, 1x/8 Hours, Feral
Description: The hairy beasts are humanoid, but by adolescence, grow to stand as tall if not taller than the average Vrun. Adult males have been measured at over 3 Msnk (13'5”), while females stand a little shorter on average. They tends towards the coppery-bronze end of the spectrum, but coats of dark sable and umber have also been reported in the deepest mossy woods. Reliable trackers of even the most difficult of prey, the Letiuumasi' long-barrelled muskets are most vexing. Even bare-handed, the Letiuumasi is deadly. They are rumoured to be a rogue subject race of the Abbekqorru, and it is fact that they are fully feral and only partly civil.

DEMESNE CARD SYSTEM PLAYTEST-

C.'s friend, S. was in town and she dropped by and I ran them through a typical 'get to know your island' adventure, complete with Mind-Controlling Sleeper Aelbaan and Living Ancients coming to realise what they thought was to be only 3 Weeks of Cold Sleep travel turned out to be longer. 90% of the stars in the sky were simply gone, replaced with rainbowed ribons and streamers of dust and stellar fragments still spilling outward from the exploded core.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

A random hand is assigned to each player and the Demesne Hand. The house received 3 cards, while S. received 4, and C. 5. These were replenished regularly, and the total only went down. Eventually a rest spot was found in overland trekking and a new Hand total was determined with the house drawing fewer by one.

I'll skip the actual mechanics involved, save that I didn't miss dice one lick.

The battle with grotto fish people spilled out as a conjured storm helped to blot out the setting sun, as the fishies were not fond of bright light. A siege resulted in the PCs being sent out in search of a good camp for the entire community of Saltwick to fall back to. The fish-folk employed bio-weapons in the form of shellfish explosives and launched shell-dwellers, with each creature's bio-properties acting upon those affected by shrapnel.

Savannah animals in that typical close-quarters non-conflict where the prey are simply watching the predator walking by, glancing at them disinterestedly. No conflicts were encountered and the animals simply scattered or moved slowly as suited them, and the party (2 PCs, 3 NPCs) pressed on, choosing not to enter the cloud and mist-choked, rain-forest/jungle clinging to the dormant volcano inner slope.

So, then they found the ship wreckage and a nearby shaft leading down to the craft covered by layers of quick deposition sediments and ash covered by sod. Since the folk of Saltwick are/were civilised folk with Imperial Caste training, the PCs: Kether Medical/Survival, and Marrumi Ship's Weapons/Scout Services, and NPCs were not ignorant of what a bulkhead was nor that the door could potentially be cranked open.

Accidentally Activating cryo units, two blondes, and three dark-haired (2 males, 1 female) spilled out nude from their blue-goo tanks. Soon it was time for the 'older' Aelbaan woman to try and assert dominance, which failed, resulting in her death -- riddled with bullets. The three Vrun shouted for the other blonde to be killed, and the NPCs obliged them after she lunged either at them or the newly thawed Vrun-Ancients.

By utilising the cards the player/house is able to initiate conflict, or make friendly gestures, with trumping power evident by the comparison of cards. My old system from the '90's.

As S. is down from elsewhere, it is unlikely we'll soon continue, unless we run a G+ hangout game or something like that.

Media Whores-

Offered without commentary:

via Allen Varney on G+

Talent and a Nice Voice, Too-

Via Hack & Slash