INTO THE CELLAR AND OTHER TIRED OLD 1ST-LEVEL ADVENTURES

Considering other ways to give low-level adventurers interesting adventures 

The stereotypical, almost memish next step after "you meet in an inn," seems to be the ubiquitous kills some giant rats in a cellar adventure. While there are many other first, "training" adventures out there, this is the (in)famous one. What I would like to do here is to present some alternatives to this. These can be added to DMs' collections of ready to go campaign starters or peppered in as filler on a slow night.

The important thing to remember when trying to come up with these first steps adventures is scale and completability. These sorts of adventures are designed to be simple, to the point and able to be completed by beginning adventures but that is not to say they cannot be interesting and challenging. One of the best ways to achieve these goals is to think of what non-combat aspects can be added to the adventure. Consider role-playing encounters, puzzles, tricks and traps that can be figured out by the players as well as their characters. These will ad texture and complexity to the adventure that does not necessarily put the characters in harms way.

If you are going to include traps or hazards, make sure they are not too lethal or perhaps not harmful but only add obstacles to the scenario. A hzard with a rickety ceiling, precariously balanced on some worm-eaten supports needn't fall and hurt characters but could demonstrate the potential for harm while blocking one route to an objective, necessitating the need to come up with a Plan B. Obstacles which can be circumvented through creative means are also a great way to add interesting elements. How do the characters get through that iron grate that keeps them from the room they ned to get to? Is there a way around or oever that bubbling pool of filthy muck?

So what might a few such adventure ideas look like?

THE MERCHANT'S GOLD

The party is approached by a merchant who has need of their aid. He explains that, fearful that he was being followed by robbers, her snuck out to a nearby wood, where he his a chest of coins. Worried that the robbers may still be watching him, he is looking to hire some relative uknowns to fetsh the chest for him, hoping that if he leaves the village on his own, the robbers will follow him and ignore the adventurers as they fetch his chest.

The party (and DM) will need to decide if the merchant is being honest and if they trust him enough to do the job. Of course the merchant may have a contingency. In this adventure, the party mayface a few bandits or perhaps the bandits are fooled and the DM decides that the encounter in this adventure might be another monster who has found the treasure chest. If the DM wanted to make a bit more of a mystery and substantial adventure of it, they could decide to have the treasure be gone when the party arrives, having been taken by some other party. Perhaps a local band of goblins has taken it? Maybe, a local farmer found the gold and, thinking it a stroke of good fortune has taken it home. Now the adventure expands to locating the gold and recovering it from whoever has it.

HERBAL REMEDIES

The party is called upon to venture into the wilderness to recover a supply of a medicinal herb. This can be done in the face of an actual illness or perhaps just to resupply a tapped out herbalist. In either case ,the adventure sets the party into the nearby wilderness in search of the needed medicine. They may be given its location or perhaps are left to locate it as well as recover it. This adventure could be set at different times of the years ot adjust the theming and inherent danger, though as it is an herbal harvest, it would have to be an herb that i available at that season. 

Along the way, the party may encounter various wilderness dangers such as environmental hazards/obstacles or animal encounters. The location of the herb should also be a challenge itself, whether through some of "guardian" or simply being dangerous to get to.

OLD BONES 

Approached by a strange person dressed in robes and a cowl, the party is recruited to go to a local burial site (tomb, graveyard, barrow, etc.) to fetsh a particular set of bones. The DM can decide whether or not the quest-giver is upfront with their motives or not but the goal is just the same. The party may be given specific instructions or they may be more vague depending on how much complexity the DM wishes to insert into the adventure. the chosen location will also determine a portion of the complexity with a graveyard being inherently less complex than a barrow or a tomb. If a very simple location is needed, it could be an isolated burial site, perhaps under an old tree or some such. 

This adventure is best used to introduce players to undead as the site of the bones is perfectly suited for it. Keeping with the goal of making this a low-level experience, the undead should be things like skeletons, a single zombie, maybe even a single ghoul or, if the DM is seeking a more challenging encounter, then select one of the many low-power, less lethal incorporeal undead types. There is still room along the way to place encounters with other creatures but, much like the rats in the cellar, you do not want to have too many additional monster encounters as this will clutter what is meant to be a sort of test-drive adventure. 

For DMs looking to add more complexity to this, consider a barrow or tomb or placing the burial site beyond some hazards/obstacles. These could bae as simple as a stream that must be cross, a swamp that must be navigated or perhaps even being partially up or down a cliff or something as basic as under a rock.

SOLO HEROES - THE THING SUPERHERO RPGS DO BETTER

I have talked a lot about superhero teams and how they facilitate TTRPGs but there is one place that these games do better and easier than most other TTRPGs is solo games. 

When it comes to solo play (one player & one GM), superhero games shine. Superhero characters are generally quite powerful and capable on their own and do not suffer from systems requiring sinergy between a number of characters to function in play. This is further surpported by a vast collection fo inspirational materials showcasing countless heroes operating primarily on their own. Solo characters are also great for GMs as they often face a revolving door of enemies they face one-on-one, allowing creative GMs to constantly cycle through ideas and inspirations. Such characters can easily adapt to small groups of villains or even mobs of henchmen without needing much adjustment or forethought. 

Logistically speaking, these sorts of characters are great for players who may be isolated by real world availability, unable to coodinate with other players. A willing GM can run a solo character on the side and when the gaming stars align, set up a team-up for that solo hero to set out with - the regular group - or even other solo heroes. 

So, if you have a single player you can still run a very satisfying and meaningful campaign in a superhero RPG.

MEGA TEAMS - THE SECRET TO FLEXIBLE GAMES

Tired of not being able to play when players don't show up? Worried that your campaign won't progress because of so much missed time? Do you have a player who's character dies all the time or who is fickle and never wants to play the same character? 

No problem, play a mega team! 

Mega teams are those teams that seem to have an endless membership. Justice League, Legion of Superheroes, Avengers, Defenders, or even The Green Lantern Corps. These teams usually have extensive memberships made up of an ever-changing, ever-growing roster of primary members, secondary and even back-up members. New members come, go and are and are not available as other missions take up their time or their own private lives keep them out of action. 

These sorts of teams allow for a nearly infinite flexibility in both individual adventures as well as campaign progression. They ccomplish this in a number of ways but it all comes down to allowing play to continue no matter who shows up. Three of the most common and useful to gamers are as follows - 

1) Guest Appearances: These are sessions where character who were not originally involved in the main campaign appear in one or more sessions. This can be done for a number of rreasons such as a new player joining the game or an occasional player being available on a given night. They are also useful for when a regular player has a character taken out of action. The popular Marvel Team-Up series is a great example of this but guest appearances are very common even in the main continuity of comics. 

2) Crossovers: Similar to guest appearances, crossovers have a bit more intent to them. These are best used when a GM know he's not going to have all of one or more of his regular players available for the game for a period of time allowing him to plan a crossover event that includes the characters that will be available. 

3) Spin-Offs: These games are most often played with completely new characters and are best used as palate-clensers, fill-in games, or ways to accomodate an influx of new players. Spin-offs can include characters from the main campaign but should not do so unless they take place at some other point in continuity or those characters are not involved in the main game anymore. They are also a good place to reintroduce returning regular players who may have been left behind by the main campaign. Good examples of this are Justice League International, The New Mutants, or West Coast Avengers. 

The main benefit to keeping campaigns going and enriching the overall campaign experience is that the game and thus the players' comic book universe is perpetually growing as each adventure and character comes with its own NPCs, settings, plots and world-building that grows the whole and creates feedback loop. It is also important to not get overly wound up on ironclad continuities. Comic book continuity has always been a bit loose at times using flawed logic, handwavium and retconning to explain things.

MORE THOUGHTS ON THEMED TEAMS

I thought it would be fun to talk, some more, about another fun way to setup and play a superhero game - theme teams.

A themed team can come in many forms. Whether is is a common origing, style, or focus the one thing they all have in common is that every member fits the theme in some way. Themes can be tight, like the Metal Men pictured along with this article, or loose like the X-Men who all adhere to the theme of "mutants" but are all over the place within that theme. Tight themes are, in my opnion, trickier to work with but ultimately mor satisfying from an artistic point of view but a looser theme can allow for much greater freedom for players to create their characters. 

Some themes are more stylistic, like the Serpent Society, which is a loosely themed team that relies far more on aesthetics and naming conventions than anything more concrete for ots theme. the Green Lantern Corps is an incredibly tight themed team where all the members share pretty much the same power set with what variation there is based on their experience and whatever species-specific traits they might have. Power Pack has the theme of "kids" and, on the surface, that is it. But Power Pack also has a common theme in terms of the origins of their powers. There are some teams, like the Avengers, has a theme that is so loose as to not really be a theme at all. "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" is about the only real theme they have and that tagline seems relatively meaningless given the wide disparity it power level between the team's members. 

In my experience it is better to start with a tight theme and then loosen it as needed. If your theme is "mutants" but one player really has his heart set on playing an Iron Man type character then maybe work with him and let his mutant ability be something like hyper-intelligence, mechanical aptitude, or even some sort machine speech which allows him to make the suit and other cool stuff like the team's transport, training room, etc..Similarly, if the players were making villain characters who were member of the Serpent Society and a character wanted to make an Iron Man type character, you just need to make sure whatever battlesuit they make for themself adhered to the theme of "snakes". Just remember, tight or loose, the important thing is that every player makes their character fit the theme. 

When conceptualizing your character it is up to you, as a player, to make your character fit the theme. While this may seem chalenging at times, it is ultimately your responsibility, in an agreed-upon theme to make your character fit. A handy trick is to look at other themed characters and try to imagine them as something other than the themed character they are. When you realize that that spider-themed, web-slingers, could just as easily have been made as a battlesuit or commando with a handy bag of tricks rather than radioactive spider powers, this reverse engineering of theme can help you to realize that theme is really not all that tricky. 

So, next time you sit down to run or play a superheroes game, consider giving the team a theme. It can be challenging, creatively rewarding and in the end just plain fun.

WHY NOT BORROW A HERO FOR YOUR NEXT HERO? - USING SUPERHERO TROPES TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

It is safe to say that nearly any concept for a superhero character has been tried, done, and likely done to death. This can often lead to a feeling frustration when trying to come up with a new character to play in TTRPGs but it doesn't have to.

The truth of the matter is that the massive body of comic book work has already provided you with all the character ideas you will ever need. Find yourself a character you like and as the time-honored comic book question of "what if?". This what if can take any form but the idea is that you are going to remake the character in your own way. A new name, and a new take on the theme and Ben's your uncle and you have a new character. Even if you are making a new version of a very iconic character that exists in the game world you are playing in, it doesn't matter. There are plenty of cities, alien worlds, other dimensions, alternate timelines and kingdoms in hidden parts of the world to justify the existence of your character. How do you think the real comics folks do it?

If you're still not sold, just remember that the professionals have been swiping character from each other for decades, even duplicating characters that exist in their own comics universes. If that's still not enough, remember, David Kraft created Demon Hunter for Atlas Comics then recreated the exact same character as Devil Slayer for Marvel and then later Buckler, an artist who worked with Kraft on the previous two incarnations of the character, took the same character to his own own Galaxia magazine as Bloodwing.

Gonzo Sci-Fantasy - What is it?

Hello all,

It's been a bit since I blogged on gaming in general. Life has taken over and I am pretty sure that blogs have been relegated to a bit of an old guard status, replaced by Facebook groups and YouTube channels but as I started here, I thought I would revisit this realm of communication to begin talking about some things that have come to mind for RPGs, miniatures and gaming in general. To start this return, I would like to talk about gonzo sci-fantasy.

This is the sort of fantasy that really used to the be the norm back in the days when I first started gaming. Fantasy itself was a lot more wondrous and over the top and hadn't learned to take itself so seriously. But this form of fantasy went a step further and intertwined itself with science fiction. Worlds built on this foundation were full of odd mash-ups of knights on robot horses, ray-gun wielding folks clad in strangely medieval garb, or laser word wielding barbarians. Monsters were often simple, odd-ball and a bit goofy. 

Sometimes it was as simple as adding a techno prefix or suffix to and existing medieval/fantasy word or crushing together two words to make strange compound words. This was most frequently done when naming equipment and creatures as it provided an instant reference point for what such a thing was. In cartoons of this sort, these combos were often as blatant as they sounded and seeing the critter on the old 480p TV screen after school or Saturday mornings left zero question what it was. 

Some of the best examples of this from my own childhood and recently, thanks to Netflix, my adulthood are cartoons such as Blackstar, He-Man, She-Ra and, Thundarr the Barbarians even Thundercats. These shows were masters of "punny", forced, literal combinations of words and concepts into some memorable bits. I recall fondly wielding a broomstick as Thundarr's Sun Sword and battlling imaginary foes that were odd robotic versions of mythological creatures or wacky hybrids. 

In the early days of RPGs these things were not foreign to players and we saw much of this sort of fantasy bleed over into D&D and even more so Gamma World. Whole adventures such as "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" was a D&D adventure that through the party into a crashed spaceship where fantasy and science fiction collided. Meanwhile, Gamma World often presented technology in the hands of post-apocalyptic savages as magic, indistinguishable to those people from true mystical abilities. The presence of psionics is another note of science fiction in fantasy as psionics or psychic powers have a long history of being magic explained as science.

So, there you have it. A brand of fantasy that was, for many of us, part of a splendid, wondrous childhood that has since gone to the wayside. It's fun, it's forgiving, and it is pretty simple to do. In my next post in this series, I'll look at some ways to run such a setting using tools you already have available in your existing collection of RPGs.

Take care,

And get out and game.

-Eli

Be A Good Dog - Pugmire RPG Kickstarter

A new fantasy experience is well on its way. Brought to us by Eddy Webb and the crew at Onyx Path, "Pugmire" presents a fantasy world where uplifted canines live in the shadow of a now long-gone Man.

Grimtooth is Back!

Alright gamers, listen up!

You old school folks out there remember Grimtooth - that evil troll that made GM's far too lethal for their own good and gave us all nightmares about losing our favorite characters in the most despicable and horrifying ways. Well, he's back in a new Kickstarter bringing all the original works together in one place.

I've already jumped on board to support this project and I know at least few of you who want, dare I say NEED, this book.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/grimtooths-ultimate-traps-collection/comments

Tales From The Wood Explained in a Simple Video

I have written before on the subject on one of my favorite but very unsung RPGs, "Tales From The Wood" by Simon Washborne. This game asks players to take on the role of non-anthropomorphic animal characters and to play in a setting that is bereft of almost all the trappings of other RPGS - monsters, magic, science, tech, etc. But this is overly simple an interpretation as TFTW has its own monsters and enough enchantment to make for a magical feel if not magic itself.

Trying to explain the setting to mature gamers is often difficult as many seem unable to see beyond the furry animals and likely a lot of baggage undeservedly attached to them by the popularity of anthro animals in cartoons, games, and general fandom. TFTW is not those things, but it unless you look deeper at it, you may not see this.

This video my brother shared on Facebook pretty much sums it up...

Valderia Ho! - Myrmos

Throughout the Valderian Empire there is a great diversity of soldiers and warriors ranging from simple militia and professional soldiers, but few evoke the cold, brutal spirit of war as the Myrmo. These professional soldiers make a living for themselves as heavy fighting line breakers, the sort of fighter that brings fear to their enemies.

Wrapped in thick plated armor and wielding mighty weapons or fighting with two weapons at once, the Myrmo are at home wading through the carnage of battle as they free once soul after the next from the shackles of their flesh. These mythic warriors have a reputation for being un-killable, shielded from death by their legendary armor and even said to lack compassion or even any soul at all. The mythology surrounding the Myrmo is enhanced by the lengths to which individual Myrmo go to build their image and reputation.

Myrmo helmets and armor often make a point to remove all humanity from their visage. Empty sockets, featureless face shields, monstrous visages and even entirely themed suits of armor make these very flesh and blood combatants seem to be otherworldly and inhuman. One popular trend, among the seafaring people of the Valderia, is to adopt maritime themes in armor decorations. Fish, sea shells, sea monsters and other beings of the see are often emblazoned on these Myrmo, only adding to their fearful appearance. 

Valderian lords often boast and draw status from how many Myrmo they employ, taking the killer reputations of their hired brutes as their own.  A house with many Myrmo in its employ is a force to be reckoned with and sends a message to those who would oppose it that to do so militarily would be a costly endeavor. 

Design Notes: The concept of the Myrmo was not built into the story of Valderia from the beginning. Rather, it developed from the design sketches of trying to come up with fantastic armor that looked to be drawn from a combination of Earth's Renaissance period and other terrestrial armors from other parts of history. As I conceptualized heavily armored warriors from the Empire, themes and ideas formed until i had this odd blend of Roman gladiator and armored knight. 

Valderia Ho! - Thinking More on Fantasy Armor

For the Valderia project, the continent of Moran is pretty well fleshed out both in style and content. The central Empire of the setting, Valderia, is decidedly inspired by Renaissance Europe with elements of Spanish, Italian and even a little Swiss and French influence in there in terms of clothing style and arms and armor. It's northern neighboring "cold war" enemy, The Lyndermarke, are not quite as well developed stylistically.

My original thought for the Lyndermarkes were a stalwart, stern race of northmen, but not Vikings. I wanted them to wear plated armor, wield long swords and heavy axes into battle. I wanted them to feel a bit less refined than the dueling, militaristic Valderians and provide a cultural counterpoint that seemed a bit more early Renaissance. I once described them as...

They are broad men, standing a head taller than those of the seven realms of Valderia. They have fair skin, wear the skins of beasts over their plated mail. Long stout blades are their weapon of choice and thick-hafted spears.

This evolved into a concept of armored coats being worn over their legs rather than fitted mail under which they would wear warm breaches to stave off the cold of their home. Drawing on their tradition of proving their warrior prowess by hunting monsters and great beasts, I thought horns and antler adornments might also fit well with the concept. Two-handed swords and solidly made bardich type axes seemed appropriate for their heavy warriors. I also decided to go with crossbowmen and half-armored spear men for their medium troops. The illustrations below show some of the brainstorming I have been doing.

Going Rogue! - New Stuff for Rogue Space

Skeevs

Archetypes: Scoundrel

Abilities: +2 Acquiring

Toe Claws: Skeevs packs a wicked claw on each of their feet. These are used as weapons in their native fighting style. These claws do L type damage. 

Description: Skeevs are a diminutive species of humanoids with a withered, stringy physique. Dry, drawn skin covers there body, spotted with warts and blemishes. Their long faces have prominent overbites with jagged, jutting teeth. Their posture is stooped and balanced on legs that are disproportionately long for their bodies each ending in a club-like foot with two claws, one being cooked and sharp. Skeevs come in a number of skin colors ranging from yellows, to oranges and reds.

Planet

Nobody knows where Skeevs come from. If they have a planet it is either well hidden, remote, or long gone, possibly a mixture of any of these. Instead, Skeevs travel the stars in massive barques - ramshackle ships, festooned with scavenged equipment, components and weapons. 

Technology

Skeev tech is a combination of rigged components stolen and scavenged from those upon whom they prey. Skeevs are not picky and will make use of anything, regardless of tech level. Any weapon can kill and the alien with the most weapons usually wins. On occasion, Skeevs may be in possession of incredible technology. In many cases they are often using such tech to less than its full potential, either not understanding it entirely or lacking associated components necessary to utilize them to full capability. 

Culture and Laws

Skeevs live by a simple law of "big stick, best idea". Skeev culture is predicated on scrambling to get one up on those around you. While they may often band together and form alliances, these are units of convenience or necessity and only as solid and steadfast as long as those needs persist. Skeevs do not form strong family bonds and even their young (born by the dozen) prey on one another in a interplay of treachery, deceit and one-upmanship.

The laws of these creatures are usually centered around the proper way to deal with those who cross them. Barque captains often maintain some sort of ship's code that is supposed to bind all those sheltering aboard his vessel. This does not stop Skeevs from engaging in their usual larceny but it does slow them down. Plans are often hatched on board the barques, but generally held off until the Skeevs away to carry out.

Weaponry

Skeevs are most commonly seen using slug throwers and other projectile weapons. Rockets and grenades are often popular as well. Higher tech weapons are not unheard of, but are often the gear of more successful and powerful Skeevs. Blades of all kinds are also popular.

Ships

As stated above, Skeevs live their live in massive ships called barques. No two barques are alike and each is home to dozens, sometimes hundreds of smaller small attack ships, the Skeevs call "cutlasses". Each cutlass is either the personal property and project of its crew (usually 2-5) or, in cases of less fortunate Skeevs, a patron or benefactor, often the captain of the barque on which they are based. 

Relations to Humanity

Humans and Skeevs are not good company. Skeevs see humanity as easy pickings, seeing them as soft-skinned, luxury-minded, and easy going. Humans see Skeevs as vermin. Human authorities often give Skeevs little quarter, often taking on a fire first and never bother asking question attitude. Skeevs do love human technology, finding that it integrates nicely with all manner of technology.

Using them in Rogue Space

Skeevs are perfect encounters in any adventure. Skeevs can easily be inserted as a random encounter both in space and planetside. Skeevs also make good plot devices, being a source of crime and larceny throughout known space.

Going Rogue! - New Stuff for Rogue Space

Wazleen

Archetypes: Soldier

Abilities: None

Description: The Wazleen are mammalian humanoid species with an awkward, oblong build, long neck and pinched features. Wazleen mouths are naturally down-turned and this has given them an undeserved reputation among humans as being perpetually "in a bad mood". Wazleen legs are bowed on wide hips and as such they tend to waddle when walking.

Planet

Ziktapapatus is a sparse world, devoid of natural resources ages ago by the millennium of improper management of their. Most Wazleen have migrated to huge, orbiting city platforms that float above the planet as the species continues to chip away at their home world. In fact, Ziktapapatus is visibly misshapen and scarred, even from orbit where huge, bite-like sections of the planet seem to have been carved out. This diminishing planetary mass has already started to have an effect on the orbital dynamics of the star system and two of its moons have already collide a few generations past, creating a dense asteroid belt in their previous orbit. Of course, the Wazleen have taken to mining these asteroids.

Technology

Wazleen technology is high, with an emphasis on industrial application. Massive mining ships and orbital processing platforms are common. Gravitic technologies are also a priority to the Wazleen.

Culture and Laws

The bottom line is what is most important to the Wazleen. To this end, any member of this race is measured by his worth to the family business. Dreamers and individuals are not openly received by their families, but the governing board of elders does recognize their importance in terms of innovation. Such individuals are usually grouped into government think tanks with the planetary government taking the risk on them.

Property rights are highly important and crimes such as theft, vandalism, and the like carry heavy fines and sanctions upon individuals who are found guilty of violating the ownership of another. Prisons do not exist on Ziktapapatus with most long-term criminals sentenced to unpaid internships in the various corporations. The hardest criminals - murderers and such are sentenced to work the surface of the planet, a sentence that, while not execution, guarantees a short remainder to the offenders existence.

Weaponry

Wazleen weapons tend to be high energy weapons. 

Ships

Wazleen ships are not known for speed and maneuverability. Most are haulers and transports with a lot of factory vessels. Even their warships tend to be of the "sit and shoot" sort with at least 50% of their fleet made of immense dreadnoughts.

Relations to Humanity

Wazleens views of humanity tend to place them someplace between enemy and competitor. While they do not have any outright hostility toward humanity, human business acumen has a tendency to orbit the same interests as the Wazleen. Humanity's view of this species is one of suspicion and confusion as humanity seems to always run afoul of Wazleen even when they are not directly involved or competing. It is not unknown for Wazleen to make human business their business even if they had no interest of their own.

Using them in Rogue Space

Wazleen represent an opportunity for non-militant conflict in games. They also provide excellent opportunities for employment.

A Curious Little Tome

I picked this book up at the local Half Priced Books. Four the $5 it cost me, I didn't see a problem with picking up an obscure bit of 3E fun and I cannot say that I regret it.

The book itself is presented in a curious format. It has a lay-flat, ringed spine and hard covers, making it perfect for the tabletop. No trouble getting it to stay on the right page which is critical as this book is set up for a series of presentations that are splashed across two facing pages.

The book is is a series of encounters, or small adventure areas, usually just a few room per map. You get a nicely rendered grey scale map, and a series of descriptions detailing the various rooms presented on the map. There are occasional note suggesting tie-ins with other sections in the book in some of them, allowing you to expand beyond that map if you choose.

What I find most useful about the book is that each of the sections is self-contained enough to allow for a quickie side jaunt but also tie into a larger section if you need something more substantial. Even though it's statted for 3E, it would be no great thing to sub in the stats from whatever version of D&D or similar system you are using.

I see this getting much use in my family game.

-Eli

Mutant Menaces - Bigfoot in Mutant Future

With Khurasan Miniatures announcement of 28mm Sasquatch minis (pictured above) I thought I'd conjure up this old idea of the harry men (and families) of the wood coming out of their hidey holes to fill the gaps left in the Mutant Future by the fall of civilization.

Skook

No. App.: Solitary, pair, or 3d4

Alignment: Chaotic

Movement: 120' (40')

Armor Class: 8

HD: 3

Attacks: 1 (weapon or fist)

Damage: By weapon +4 or 2d6 fist

Save: L4

Morale: 10

Horde Class: I

Mutations: None (Skooks can sometimes have mutations just as humans might)

Skooks live in small extended family bands, roaming the wilderness of the Mutant Future hunting, gathering, even fishing using crude tools and simple tactics. Close knit and very territorial, they often lair in natural shelters such as caves and rocky overhangs where they can find shelter from the elements.

There families are often led by the strongest and most cagey of their males who is supported by his closest kin and his mate. Skooks take only one mate and bond for life. The other members in a Skook band are usually relatives of either the leader or his mate being brothers, sisters, or offspring. When Skooks from separate bands meet, they often trade band members and form new mated pairs from among their unattached members. These newly mated pairs often move off to form their own bands or wander as a mated pair until they have offspring at which time they will usually find a semi-permanent lair. 

While Skooks are not commonly found in the presence of technology, they are by no means incapable of using it. Individuals who have been taught or who have spent time observing how to use technology can operate it with little difficulty, though their large hands may make this difficult. Even if a Skook does not know how to operate a piece of tech, they recognize its importance and hold on to it, keeping it on their person as a charm or status object or keeping it hidden in their lair. There is a 5% change that any Skook encountered will have in its possession a piece of tech. 

Snake Cults, River Barges and Giant Voles

The family D&D game has now gone into it's fourth session and coming up on the fifth and so far it's been great fun. We are playing just a couple of hours each Sunday nights, with the occasional bonus session as the mood strikes us. The girls are doing great in the game and I've already handed out some role-playing X.P. to reward their good character play and creative thinking.

The first adventure centers around the trio of characters trying to locate a merchant's daughter kidnapped by a local snake cult (a classic staple of fantasy). So far the players have located the lair of the local cult - a low level temple in a cave. They got a feel for the place but felt ill-prepared and out-numbered so they decided to seek the merchant and ask him for assistance. 

In our campaign setting, one of the primary modes of transit is via river barges and ferries. The party opted to utilize this method of travel and had an interesting encounter with some of the local NPCs. I used this transit time to establish some of the character of the setting by introducing the players to colorful NPCs and describing the local scenery.

While they were in transit down the river, they were set upon by a trio of snake cult assassins that had secreted themselves among the commoner passengers on the barge. The party managed to fight them off, though Halfa (dwarf fighter) found herself close to death thanks to an assassin's blade in her back. The encounter ended with the helps of some of the more capable NPCs, a grizzled fighter named and roving magistrate. After this encounter, the party related their tale to the magistrate and he offered to see them to their destination.

Once the party arrived in the coastal trade city of Fordenharn, they parted ways with the magistrate (known as a Warden) and were met by the merchant, Bald, and his men. They were taken to his manse in the city and the players marveled at a detailed description of the sprawling city that crawling up from the bay to a rocker peak overlooking the sea.

When we had to end our last session, the players had discussed a plan of action that set us up for tonight's session. their intent is to seek help in making the final raid on the snake cult's lair. They have already wasted so many days and there is a frantic concern that they may be too late and that the girl might be either sacrificed or even brainwashed into another follower of the snake god. They want to locate and enlist the aid of the Warden and are hoping to take some of Bald's men with them. We'll see how things go tonight.

More soon,

-Eli

P.S. The giant vole in the titles is a reference to a re-skinned bear that the party encountered. this "new" creature was called a Vole Bear and was essentially a black bear-sized water rat with burrowing claws and gnashing incisors. 

Valderia Ho! - Character Background Packages

While going through some files, I found that I had never posted the finished work that I had done for the various cultural backgrounds that I had intended to use in deference to character races in the mostly human Valderian campaign setting. Each of these represents a combination of abilities and skills that are most befitting the folk of the various regions of the Valderian Empire - 

Valderian Character Background Packages 

Take a look and tell me what you think.

-Eli

Back in The DM's Seat Again

It's been a while but I finally have a regular RPG session again. Surprisingly, this one is with my own family.

With my daughters now 13 and 9 and still interested in gaming, and with a gamer wife it's too good an opportunity to pass up.

I have been trying to get such a game going for a while now, but with the end of summer, the beginning of school and life in general it's been hard to pin everyone down. In fact, it was so hectic a start, that I even hesitated to blog about it until I could see that it really was happening. In the end, I was finally able to get characters made and the game going.

My wife and youngest daughter both made dwarfs, Gerta and Halfa. My wife is playing a fighter and my 9yr old is playing a cleric. She wanted a spell-caster but I was afraid a magic-user would be a little too stand around for her to keep her interested. Clerics are bashy and have magic and so it was the obvious choice without the fiddly neutrality of Druids or the wait for it nature of Ranger or Paladin magic. Don't get me started on Bards.

My oldest wanted to play something different and asked if she could play a "kitty person". I took this as a challenge and created an exotic race of cat-folk that live on an island in the remnants of their once mighty civilization - the Shathra. I worked out a culture, back story and even dredged up some cool art online to illustrate them. I wrote them up from scratch, no re-skinning and ultimately....

They were kitty-people...

Such is the world of RPGs with teenage girls, I suppose. She made the character a fighter as well and so we set out with two fighters and a cleric, none of which are humans.

So far the sessions, of which there have been three, are going really well. We have integrated them as the climax of our regular "Screen-Free Sundays" as a reward for surviving all day without TVs, video games, or even computers. The girls have a knack for gaming which is mostly my oldest girl's doing as she has been running her own light weight D&D/Labyrinth Lord games for over a year now. For both of them, this is their first time playing in a "serious" campaign.

They are still in the middle of the first adventure but have already had a few surprising role-plays and some good ideas come out of it. I have even had to edit the original adventure concept to go along with a few good ideas, the girls had, that I felt deserved capitalizing on. This has lengthened the adventure beyond where I had originally written it but will also allow them to gather some more X.P. before adventure number two.

-Eli

The Lure of The Wastelands

Peering into the dusty night, the man felt the call of the savage world beyond the safety of the Civ Zone. Out there he had seen horrors and terror to fill many lifetimes. The howls and shrieks from the blasted expanses beyond sent chills through him, but not the sort he would have thought since he find her and his place among The People. The chills were not those of fear but of exhilaration, beckoning, alluring that his former life of struggle and survival had provided him...

Post apocalyptic settings have always been a favorite of mine and I used to play the crap out of them in my younger days. Despite new games like Mutant Future and the reincarnated (won't say resurrected because it ain't the same!) Gamma World, I haven't really been able to play such games.

Finding a group to play with is hard. So many popular media sources for PA games seem to have polarized fans into liking one version or another of this genre. Some want Gamma World, some Fallout. Others want Border Lands or The Road. What they don't seem to realize is that with a little bit of cooperation and the up-front concession of a little of your own personal fun, you can get it all in in a campaign. Any concessions you make up front will be rewarded over the course of a game.

If you are wondering why the sudden jaunt into the blasted reaches of my imagination, I blame this video...

Abraham Lincoln - 19th Century Superhero

What can I say? I really, thoroughly enjoyed this film.

As it's so new I won't give a lot of info for fear of spoilers, but this film manages to be a nice period piece, a fun bit of alternate pulp history and a great superhero flick all at the same time.

From costuming, to sets, to effects, it's an over the top ride through a period of history that is compelling, full of political and social tension - just the right setting for a good superhero tale.

I think as a gamer, I could not watch something like this and find myself taking notes and inspiration away from it. After the movie, I began thinking of what other historical figures could be blended with the supernatural for an entertaining ride through untold history. It's been done before both with historical characters and classic literary characters.

Some ideas I had -

1) Davy Crockett: Werewolf Fighter

Davy finds himself forging into a wilderness populated not just with the dangers of the wild and indigenous people, but also with the unspoken unknown of the unexplored in the form of a savage pack of shape-shifters. Unhappy with settlers invading their traditional hunting grounds, these furry fiends assault the newcomers with Davy defending them with his bear-wrestling talents.

2) Lewis and Clark: Explorers into the Unknown

This one would make a great ongoing series or campaign. Drawing on similar themes as the Davy Crockett idea, this story would have the explorers and their retinue moving throughout early America encountering one supernatural mystery and threat after another. This might make for a pretty cool series of connected miniatures scenarios.

3) John Henry: Man vs Machine

In an age of burgeoning industrialism, the unbeatable John Henry must take up his hammer to beat back the less savory side of increasing technological advancement. In a bold fight against an almost Steampunk back drop, the former railroad worker will bash his way through one mad scientist and evil robber baron after another.

4) The Hidden Adventures of Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison uses his fortune and scientific know-how to fight off evil forces threatening to plunge America back into the darkness of myth and terror. Science versus the supernatural prevails as the Wizard of Menlo Park is nothing short of just that, using his secret gizmos and gadgets to bust ghosts, battle demons, and slay the undead.

There are likely dozens more iterations of such stories. Take a historical figure, find their angle and go from there. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter really is a crafty piece because it really doesn't tie directly into anything the character was known for. It subtly weaves its tale around the real world elements of his life.

-Eli